a litle backe from ill To wallow in the myre againe I go No powre is in me Lord my life to mend Vnlesse thy hand from heau'n me comfort send SON XXXII FAine would I fence this feeble flesh of mine From Satans furie who me thus assailes Which doth besiege my soule and meanes to pine My conscience which my sin so sore bewailes His busie braine to win me neuer failes And leaues no stratagem at all vntride My fainting hope I know not what it ailes But it doth feare the batt'ry to abide The safest way must be what ere betide To set a watch to looke vnto my waies Lest pride or lust or wrath do let him slide Into my hart which yet vnyeelded staies But like a theefe he stealeth me vpon Watch thou me Lord ech houre else I am gon SON XXXIII MY sinnes behold ô Lord are manifold VVhich do incamp my soule each houre about Still me intrenched with distrust they hold So that no frutes of faith can issue out Their fleshly champion is a soldiar stout VVho is assist by world and Satans aide And foule affections readie are in rout To further force to lust but hardly staide The earthly treasures haue with pleasure paide The hatefull Army which doth hast to hell My natiue powre their passage not denaide VVhich makes their pride and peruerse wil to swel I see no way to helpe to shun decaie But on thy graces rescue Lord to staie SON XXXIIII THe greedinesse of this my corrupt minde VVhich tasteth not but of the earthly gaine And in thy glorie can no profit finde But seekes with symonie my soule to staine Makes me alas for carnall treasor vaine Like Elizeus seruant to desire A present of worldes pleasure mixt with paine As recompence of heauenly comforts hire I sorcerer like do also oft require Like marchandise thy graces for to buye Supposing morall vertues may aspire To saue my soule and sin to mortifie But lo I see soules leprosie herein And craue that praiers may my pardon win SON XXXV VOyd of true life and buried in the graue Of wicked flesh alas I long haue bin No earthly comfort can my conscience haue VVhich was corrupted with all lothsome sin My sister vertues to despaire begin Of euer seeing once my lifes restore Ne is there any other way to win True life indeed which shall decay no more But prostrate Lord thy helpe for to implore And craue thy gracious presence at the last To aide the soule thy sonne hath lou'd before For time of grace with thee is neuer past Roll backe hard stone from heart bid him arise VVho slaue to sin in earthly coffin lies SON XXXVI MY bodie Lord the house which hath bene long Possest with spirits to ruine of the same VVhich forst me forward vnto open wrong Of conscience by defacing of thy name Hath found some comfort since thy message came Vnto my soule which in thy word was sent VVhose powerfull truth hath bound seeks to tame The furious lust which to my ruine bent Grant Lord from heart I may indeed repent And therewith chase these fiends fro out of me Sweep cleane my house fro out of which they went And garnished with graces let it be Let puissant faith henceforth possesse the place Lest sin returne with legions of disgrace SON XXXVII AMidst this famine of Sarepta soile Where I a widow dwell poore and abiect Compeld by sin with sweat of browes to toile To gather stickes from cold me to protect Behold me Lord a caitiue thus neglect Whom sin hath banished thy blessed land Who yet in heart thy Prophers do affect And with thy church to life and death wold stand I offer all my treasures here in hand That litle sparke of grace yet left behinde Increase it Lord vnto a great fire-brand Of faith which may a frutefull haruest finde My meale and Oyle ô Lord do thou increase My selfe sonne shall praise thee so in pease SON XXXVIII BOrne blinde I was through sinfull Adams fall And neuer since could see with carnall eyes Ne know I where or how for helpe to call From out of sin to holie life to rise It pleased thee ô Lord that in this wise Thy powre and glorie might to man appeare Who gracelesse groueling in earths darknesse lies And wants the eyes of faith his soule to cheare But since thou sentst thy sonne my Sauiour deare To shine in light to those in darknesse weare To dym the worldly wisdome seeming cleare And sinfull soules froÌ„ hell to heauen to reare Touch thou my eyes with faith wash me with grace In Sylo poole thy word which I embrace SON XXXIX HOw drunken are my humors all alasse With wine of vanitie and sensuall lust Which from one sin do to an other passe And after euill daily more do thrust Of force my faults for shame confesse I must My lauish vsage of thy graces sent My soules consent to action so vniust As death of Prophets teaching to repent Like Herod I about the matter went To please the follies of my flesh delight Incest'ous I to sin so much was bent That offred mercie pleased not my sight But Lord prepare my heart to see my sin That sorrow may a way to mends bigin SON XL. THough with thy Saints ô Lord I choise haue made To spend my daies in praising of thy name And in the studie of thy word to wade To feed my faith with portion of the same Yet can I not my choice so rightly frame Aâ—midst the spacious fields where truth doth grow But whilst to gather healthfull herbe I came A bitter bud I found of fearefull show Which threatneth me with death and ouerthrow Vnto my soule which feedeth greedely On sin the weed which Satan did bestow By poisoned tast thereof I pined lie But Christ thy sonne by faith me helth shall bring Discharge the law and bruse this deadly sting SON XLI ACcording to the promise of thy word To giue the victorie ô Lord to those That fight thy battels with a faithfull sword Against the world flesh diuell and thy foes I seeke ô Lord proud Iericho t' inclose Incouragde by thy graces from aboue My shooes of foule affects I pray thee lose Before on holy earth my path I moue Thy powerfull hand by prayers let me proue Which daily seu'n times I to thee direct Shake thou the walles of sin for my behoue And in this skirmish do thou me protect The frutes of flesh pride lust and error all So shall be wract and sin not raise a wall SON XLII AMidst the graues of death this many a yeare My soule possessed with all sorts of sin Hath liu'd and held that frutefull place so deare That from the same no counsell could me win To beate my selfe my follies neuer lin No reason can with chaines binde so my will But to vnlose my lust I do begin With helpe of furious fiend who aides me still But since thy sonne appeareth me vntill I craue I
this treasure none shall finde VVhose pleasures quickly vanish out of sight The earth doth chaunge as seas do rise with tyde And stormes insue the calme before that went This happinesse but for a time is lent And payd oft times with penance more vnkinde By fortune blinde True blisse consists herein To loue the Lord and to abandon sin SON LXI HOw many priuiledges great and rare Do we enioy that do thy name professe Euen many more by far I do confesse Then we obserue or how to vse be ware To giue thy onely Sonne thou didst not spare Vs to redeeme from deaths eternall wound The sting of hell and sin he did confound And way to heauen for vs he did prepare Yea so his mercies do to vs abound That all the worldly creatures more and lesse Yea heauenly Angels do themselues addresse To serue mans needfull vse are readie found He doth propound In Christ all these to man And hauing him no want annoy vs can SON LXII BY many gifts ô Lord thou doest declare Thy mercies vnto man whom thou wilt saue The vse of all the which in Christ we haue By hand of faith that precious blessing rare That doth his righteousnesse for vs prepare Our stubburnnesse with his obedience hide His patience doth our grosse impatience guide His temperance with our intemperance share His continence our frailtie lets not slide For changing nature ours his strength it gaue Our pride it hides and hopes which faithlesse waue And shades our hart with loue which still shall bide Thus euery tide It readie is at hand For our defence a buckler safe to stand SON LXIII HOw should the quiet mind in peace and rest Possessed of the thing it most desirde A thing so precious none durst haue aspirde To gaine vnlesse the giuer had him blest How may it morne how may she be opprest Who hath the bridegrome alwaies in her sight Who in her loue doth take so great delight As by his bountie hourely is exprest The dolefull darknesse fitteth blinded night The shining Sunne hath cloudes of care retirde With heauenly heate my heart it hath inspirde Since in thy sunne I saw thy fauour bright The which did fight As champioÌ„ strong for mee From cloudes of darknesse and from sin to free SON LXIIII. WHo so of perfect temprature is framde Must needs delight in heauenly harmony His sences so shall be renewd thereby As sauage beasts by Orpheus harpe were tamde Yong Dauids harpe Sauls furious spirit shamde And Dolfins did Aryons musicke heare Such sympathie in all things doth appeare That neuer musicke was by wisedome blamde But he that could conceiue with iudgement cleare The sweet records that heauenly motions cry Their constant course that neuer swarues awry But by discords whose concords after cheare Would hold so deare The mouer of the same That loue of him should base affections tame SON LXV GReat is thy powre and more then we conceiue Thy glorie more then can discerned be Mans greatest gift is this that he may see Or know that vertue thine doth his bereaue His dazeling eyes each shadow doth deceaue His iudgement builded on inconstant ground His strength but weaknesse in it selfe is found His glorie greater glorie must receiue From thee in whom all glorie doth abound What maiestie dare man compare with thee To whom all creatures bow obedient knee Whose contemplations thou doest cleane confound Vpon this ground True blisse wisdome stand To know our wisedome floweth from thy hand SON LXVI AS but vaine hope it is for man to trust To thing not promised or not in powre Of speaker to performe at pointed howre Which is the case of flesh and bloud vniust So call that hope no wise man can or must Which is performance of expected thing When as possession doth assurance bring Of thing whereafter we tofore did lust The Saints in heauen in ioyfull rest do sing Whom hope nor feare do raise or yet deuower But men on earth haue hope a resting tower To shield them from despightfull Satans sting Faith is the wing Makes me to hope ascend And truth in Christ will make my hope haue end SON LXVII GReat are the gifts ô Lord thou doest bestow On sinfull man by thy abounding grace Who when they want doest neuer hide thy face But still a patron of thy bountie show Which makes vs both thy powre and mercy know And so with shame and sorow to repent Our thanklesse natures so vnkindly bent So slacke to pay the praises which we owe But when I do consider thou hast sent Thy Sonne himselfe for to supply our place Whose patience did the death on crosse imbrace Those to acquite who did with faith assent All speeches spent Seeme then to me in vaine And onely I admyring do remaine SON LXVIII I Haue bene blind and yet I thought I saw And now I see yet feare that I am blind No blindnesse like to that is of the mind Which doth the soule to deadly danger draw My carelesse steps did stumble at a straw And yet supposd my walke had bene so ware That to haue err'd had bene a matter rare When euery thought did violate thy law But since to search my felfe I do prepare So darke of sight my soule and sence I find That if thy Christ my loue were not more kind Eternall death I see should be my share But now I dare In spight of wicked foe A better course with constant courage goe SON LXIX WHy should he faint or thinke his burden great That hath a partner to support the same Why coward-like should he his honour shame That hath a champion readie at intreat Who can and doth death and confusion threat To all impediments which stop our way On whom repose our trust we boldly may He being iudge and plast in mercies seat He sees our thoughts and knows what we would say He doth our mouthes to fit petitions frame He hides our errors if our faith be lame And he himselfe doth also for vs pray We need but stay And trust to his good will And we are sure he will our want fulfill SON LXX ALthough the world do seek to stop my way By many stumbling blocks of feare and doubt And bid me seeke a farther way about And on the staffe of carnall strength to stay Though sin though hell though death do me denay That any powre shall bridle their intent But would compell me walke as worldlings went The headlong path of pleasure to decay Yet will I not this purpose mine repent So long as faith will be my souldier stout To ouerthrow this fearefull thronging rout Whom to subdue this grace was to me sent No shall be spent In vaine this paine of mine Hope against hope shall win the field in fine SON LXXI IT were vnfit a concubine to keepe Or that her children should possession haue Among the frutes which lawfull wedding gaue By vetuous spowse which in the soule doth â—leepe And yet behold how shamefully
case But stay a while and let me see the end Which crowneth euery good and perfect deed And you shall find their slipperie way to bend To ruine if in time they take not heed For earthly ease securitie doth breed Securitie the soule doth lightly kill It breeds forgetfulnesse of God and still Doth quench the spright and body pampering feed Who therefore doth delights too much imbrace Among the blest may hap to lose his place SON C. LIke as the sunne whose heat so needfull is Produceth daily different effects According to the nature of obiects Which hardneth that yet molifieth this So doth the Gospell preached euen the same It makes some to repent and melt in teares Some stubborne hearts repine and cauils frame To quarrell at and scorne such needlesse feares The lowly heart in ioy and hope it reares The haughty mind as low assoone deiects In zealous hearts it neighbour-loue reflects Whiles other conscience spight and rankor beares The natiue powre it keepes of perfect blisse And holy heat consuming all amisse EPIL TEmpt me no more to dwell in Cedar tents Pauilions of Princes and of pride My tickle strength is dayly like to slide And makes my bodie do what soule repents My yeares forwarne me to forbeare annoy In liked things which do the senses feed In costly colours gems or games to ioy Or stately troopes or honors fruitlesse seed For passed vanities my heart doth bleed And vowed hath the resting time I bide If God in constancie my heart shall guide Some ryper fruits on former soyle to breed Which graunt me Lord that so thy seruant I May in thy Courts remaine and flesh defye AN INTRODVCTION TO PECVLIAR PRAYERS TO thee ô Lord who only knowst my sin And only able art my state redresse To thee alone my plaints directed bin To thee my guilt alone I do confesse In hope thy gracious aide at need to win Who giuest me grace these prayers to addresse My words can not expresse My inward griefe My deedes declare too well my true disease Yet doubt I not to craue of thee reliefe Because thy Sonne did first thy wrath appease These are my wants and many more then these But of them all vnfaithfulnesse is chiefe Yet as repentant thiefe On crosse found grace Vouchsafe my plaints with mercie to imbrace SON CI. Craues grace to pray O Powrefull God in Christ our father deare Who mad'st and rul'st all things euen by thy will Whose truth and loue the heauens and earth do fill Vouchsafe my will to frame and prayers heare Touch thou my heart my blinded iudgement cleare That sorrow for my sinnes may teares distill Let true repentance kill All carnall lust Let purpose to amend my soule direct To craue thy aide who only canst protect Mans feeble strength from thoughts words deeds vniust Fraile is mans powre and will his substance dust His purest actions hourely it detect Yet do thou not reiect Thy worke in me Who craue a will to pray and faithfull be SON CII Salutation of the Church HAile sacred seat of Gods eternall peace Where all his blessings kept in treasure are Twixt soule and bodie which accords the iarre And causest cumbers of discord to cease From wandring worldly thoughts thou doest release My doubtfull hope which sought for help from farre In Sathans fiercest warre A bulwarke strong In natures hote assault a sure defence An Arke of safety for our feeble sence A watchmans towre to those to thee belong A harmony of heauenly musicks song Kind shepherd to the soule which strayes not thence For still with sweet insence Thy lights do flame And Christ thy Priest Captaine gards the same SON CIII For constancie ALas ô Lord how fraile the flesh I find How readie to reuolt vnto distrust How willing to seeke helpe in flesh vniust Vngratefull fruit of gracelesse humane kind Which harboreth such monsters in the mind As soule and bodie both needs ruine must Like wauering sand or dust With winds which moue From good to ill from ill to worse we fall We haue not sooner grace for helpe to call And budding faith thy mercies for to proue But weary long to seeke our ioyes aboue We quench this spright and haue no helpe at all The perill is not small Lord I am in Inflame the faith and zeale thou didst begin SON CIIII. For faith SInce thus myselfe I find to be vncleane Vnfit to bide before Gods iustice throne Who recompence for sinne accepteth none But to the rigor of desert doth leane To fly to thee my Sauiour Christ I meane Who paydst my debt sufficiently alone I need but make my mone To thee I know For thou art readie to relieue my want Thy fathers loue and thy obedience brant With zeale thy mercies on vs to bestow Whereof since faith the vse to vs must show And as it is more feruent or more scant More powrefull is to dant Deaths bitter sting craunt faith may prayers frame comfort bring SON CV For grace to iudge of good euill AMidst these dangerous dayes wherein I liue Poore silly Orphane distitute of skill By parents fall forlorne by nature ill Craue grace of thee ô Lord and therwith giue Powre to my weaknesse sin away to driue That so I may thee serue and honour still Reforme my feeble will And it incline To haue henceforth a wise and solide tast Of truth and falshod let my choyse be plast On perfect patterne drawne with vertuous line With serpents wisedome let my iudgment shine To shun the snares whereto my lust would hast Vouchsafe my sute be grast With help from thee Thy word the lampe of light vnto me bee SON CVI. For innocencie in euill SInce so simplicitie thy word doth prayse O Lord as that thy Sonne example gaue By all his life and workes that he did craue His seruants wherein to direct their wayes Like to the babe on mothers breast that stayes And sylly Lambes and doues which no guile haue Since he is prest to faue And to imbrace The lame blind naked leaporous reiect Since to yeeld health to all and such protect As simply do with faith approch the place When he in mercies seat doth shew his face And prayers heare and needfull suites effect Lord do me not neglect Poore silly blind Who meritelesse yet mercy hope to find SON CVII Shame of sinne HOw could I Lord but be asham'd indeed To lift my eyes to thee to craue for ayde When I of thought word deed haue sins displayd With multitude of monstrous of springs breed The true portrait of Adams carnall seed Which made him hide himselfe when he it wayd I therefore am affrayd And shun to show Vnto the world the shamefull brood I beare Which thoughts do hatch and vile affections reare Too hatefull for a Christian soule to know And do so hastily to hugenesse grow As vaine it is a figge-tree leafe to weare I know no other where My shame to hide But with thy merits or thy
groueling is his resting place Then shall my soule with Debora imbrace In thankfull wise thy mercies I receiue And so pursue the fleshly Canaans race Till I the furie of the same bereaue And with my song thy seruants shall accord To yeeld due praise to thee the liuing Lord. SON LXXVI MY soule like silly Ioseph Lord was sold By fleshly brethren his vnkind alas To vanities the merchants which behold From far they saw to Egipt which do passe A seruant vnto Ismaels seed it was And sold from sin to death and so to hell Of humane frailtie Lord a looking glasse In which all foule affections long did dwell Yet lo alas when sin seekes most t' excell And haue my mind consent to traitrous lust With grace ô Lord that enemy repell And heare my praiers who in thee do trust Who though a space in bodies prison staies Yet Lord at length vouchsafe to heauen to raise SON XXVII SO blinde ô Lord haue my affections bin And so deceitfull hath bin Satans slight That to giue credit I did first begin To pride and lust as heauenly powers of might I offred all my sences with delight A sacrifice to feed those Idols vaine Of all the presents proffred day and night Nought vnconsumde I saw there did remaine Till that thy Prophets by thy word made plaine The falshood by the which I was deceiued How Satans kingdome made here of a gaine And wickednesse my hope and faith bereaued But now the sifted ashes of thy word Bewraies Bels Prists slaies dragon without sword SON LXXVIII A Wicked theefe that oft haue robd and slaine Thy graces of their frute my selfe of blisse Now on the crosse of conscience I remaine To die the death the which eternall is I see no way to quit my selfe of this Vnlesse thou Lord whose kingdome is aboue Remember me and cansell life amisse Out of thy memorie through Christ thy loue Who in my flesh with me like death did proue That guiltlesse he might guilties ransome bee Loue to my soule it was that did him moue The bands of death to bide to make vs free Blesse thou my tong increase thou faith in mee This night to be in paradise with thee SON LXXIX IN bondage long to Satan haue I bin A maker of the bricke of Babell towre By birth a thrall to grosse and filthie sin Whom lusts taskmasters doth attend ech houre Affection to the flesh doth cleane defloure The memorie and loue of promist lands The fiend euen Pharo seeketh to deuoure My soule and chaine me to his dreadfulll bands But Lord receiue me safe into thy hands Protect me from the rigor of his might Quench thou the force of lusts inflamed brands In my defence giue me true faith to fight Send Moyses Lord with powre of heauenly sword And Aaron to direct me by thy word SON LXXX A Moabit I was of cursed kinde Vnkinde vnto thy Church Lord and to thee Who sought by ayde of foolish Balaam blinde To captiuate the soule that should be free Incestuous frutes of that high climing tree Which doth subdue all reason and all grace A carnall kinsman by a neare degree Vnto the soule the which I haue in chase Whom I with lothsome sin sought to deface And bastardise with carnall fond affect Whose ofspring thou vnto the tenth mans race Didst once out of thy sanctuary reiect Yet now by faith made free of Iury land A suter here before thy throne do stand SON LXXXI LO how I groueling vnder burden lie Of sin of shame of feare Lord of thy sight My guilt so manifold dare not come nie Thy throne of mercy mirror of thy might With hidden and with ignorant sinnes I fight Dispairing and presumptuous faults also All fleshly frailtie on my backe doth light Originall and actuall with me go Against a streame of lusts my will would roe To gaine the shoare of grace the port of peace But flouds of foule affections ouerfloe And sinke I must I see now no release Vnlesse my Sauior deare this burden take And faith a ship of safetie for me make SON LXXXII FRom Iuda wandring Lord to Iericho From holie law of thine to carnall lust Whilst midst the prease of lewd affects I go I robbed am of rayment pure and iust And wounded lye Lord groueling in the dust Not any passer by can giue me aide In fleshly strength or friendship is no trust By highway seene to helpe me few haue staide But since my Sauior Christ on crosse hath paide A ransome rich to cure my bleeding sore By faith to craue the frutes I 'am not affraide In hope my health thereby for to restore Bind vp my wounds with balme leade me to rest Giue me such gifts of grace as like thee best SON LXXXIII THis slender Citie Lord of strength behold Wherein I dwell Bethulia my bower Of flesh whereto sin laies a battry bold And seeks with sword dearth my soules deuower Suppresse thou hellish Holofernes power Who prides himselfe in praie of children thine I haue no trust in mountaines wals nor tower For want of faithes true fountaine we shall pine Raise vp this female couragde heart of mine Strengthen my hand to reue this monsters hed Let me not tast deceiptfull follies wine Nor be polluted with worlds sinfull bed But constantly by faith fight in defence Of feeble flesh and driue thy enemies thence SON LXXXIIII NOt that my faith doth faint a whit is cause That I so instant am on thee to call O God of life but yeelding to thy lawes Before thy sight my soule these teares lets fall Which in thy bottle kept I know are all And quench the fury of thy burning ire Which sin enflamde and qualifie it shall The quarrell which hath set thy wrath on fire If feruently the childe due food desire Of father he will not giue him a stone If of the wicked iustice man require Importunely some iustice will be showne More righteous iudge and father thou to mee Art Lord indeed and far more kind wilt bee SON LXXXV THe many trials Lord that I haue found Since out of Egipt darknesse I am brought Might witnesse well how in thee still abound Powre mercy truth wherby thy workes are wrought But foule dispaire against my faith hath fought Amidst the wildernesse wherein I stay And daintier food my fond affections sought Then Manna which thou sentst me euerie day The desert Zyn doth fountaine pure denay Of grace wherewith to quench my fainting ghost Eternall death expects my soule as pray And lust assaults me with a hideous host Stretch forth hād Lord smite thou my hart of stone With rod of true repentance griefe and mone SON LXIII THou hast ô Lord of mercy me enricht With flocks of fauour and of graces great Since I in Bethell first the pillar pitcht Of praises to thy name and mercies seat Yet fleshly Esawes foule affections threat A ruine to the frute faith forth should bring With pleasing humors him for to intreat
I feare it be to soule a dangerous thing Shield me Lord vnder thy protecting wing Of mercy which may saue from Satans rage My heart and voyce shall still thy prayses sing If thou the malice of my foes asswage In Sychem shall my heart an alter reare The mightie God to loue to serue to feare SON LXXXVII THe talent which thou pleasedst Lord to giue To me thy seruant that I should bestow Whilst in thy seruice on the earth I liue My diligent increase thereof to show I haue abused Lord too long I know And feare thy comming to be nigh at hand I see for breach of dutie what I owe And of thy iudgments do in terror stand Thy grace hath left me in a forreine land Where vnexpert of vertue I do straie I shall be throwne to Satans thralfull band Voyd of thy heauenly ioy and blisse for aye Vnlesse thou helpe for thou doest vse to giue Grace vnto grace and faith from faithlesse driue SON LXXXVIII SInce that it pleaseth thee thy selfe to show A iust reuenger Lord of Heath'nish sin And bring the pride of bold Philistines low Who thee defame when holy Arke they win Now that to fetch it home I do begin And in the temple of my heart to place Grant so I may thy secrets see therein That plagues for my presumption do not chase It so from me as they that fled the face Of glorie thine which therein did appeare Let faith and loue draw home by trustie trace The constant cart whose carriage is so deare And let me order so this holie worke That dregs of sin not in my deeds may lurke SON LXXXIX IN famine great of grace and comfortlesse Thy seruant Lord doth in Samaria dwell For Lord fierce Aram doth with sin oppresse The citie where my soule to harbour fell I want the strength his armies to repell Of lust and of affections most vncleane My mind whose loue doth motherlike excell Her children thoughts of mendment sees so leane That forst by famine she can find no meane To feed them long her faith so poore is growne That natiue pitie now secluding cleane Her greedie nature doth deuour her owne Beleeue in time this siege Lord cause a feare Of thee this camp of cruell sin to reare SON XC ON sweet and sauorie bread of wholesome kinde Which in thy word thou offrest store to mee To feed vpon the flesh doth lothing finde And leaues to leane ô Lord alone on thee The leauen of the Pharisies will bee The surfet of my soule and death in fine Which coueting to tast forbidden tree To carnall rules and reasons doth incline So lauishly my lusts do tast the wine Which sowrest grapes of sin filles in my cup That lo my teeth now set on edge I pine Not able wholesome food to swallow vp Vnlesse thou mend my tast and hart doest frame To loue thy lawes and praise thy holy name SON XCI OVt of thy flocke ô Lord through my defect A silly sheepe my selfe behold am lost To seeke me forth in time do not neglect Since I so precious price to thee haue cost By many by-paths Lord my feete haue crost And cannot find the way vnto thy fold Through many stormes of deep despaire thus tost To craue thy aide at last I now am bold If thou of silly groat that count doest hold That thou doest search the house to find the same No doubt my soule to sin by nature sold May mercy find by calling on thy name The Saints in heauen conuertids gaine reioyce On earth thy praise is song in heart and voice SON XCII BEhold amidst worlds desert all alone Seduced by the frailtie of the sprite Accompany'd with fleshly comfort none My soule with sin compelled is to fight Where suddenly alas before my sight I Satan see me ready to assaile By two his seruants which are most of might Presumption and dispaire which seldome faile The best perfections of mans strength to quaile By pride or want of faith or couetise By lust or gluttony or fained vaile Of vertue which doth mamy sinnes disguise But chase him Lord away by written word Which is more sharpe then his two edged sword SON XCIII THe dreame which thou to Pharo didst reueale Thou in my selfe hast made me see in deed The state alas of mans weake common weale Whereas affections of all sorts do feed The frutefull soyle of grace some whiles did breed Full faire effects in truth of heauenly kinde But many barren thoughts alas succeed And threaten famine to a vertuous minde Store of such yeares as yet I feare behinde Which Lord will starue the comfort of my faith Vnlesse thy mercy and thy wisedome finde A store house to laie vp what scripture saith In hope of which thy goodnesse lo I liue Which of thy grace Lord do thou to me giue SON XCIIII THe seed which thou the husbandman hast sowde Within my soule ô Lord by Prophets hand Hath taken roote at last by deaw bestowd Form heauenly grace which fructifies my land But lo I saw the worlds deceipt to stand In readinesse to mingle tares therein Whilst sleeping me in vanities he fand He made my frutes to ouerflow with sin But ere thy haruest to approach begin Vouchsafe to weed these frailties so away That when thy corne is to be gathered in I may be cleane and in thy garner stay Burne Lord with chastisement my fleshly lust And clense my life by faith both pure and iust SON XCV WHat strength hath man wherin may he repose A power to stay him in a vertuous way To loue thy flocke thou Lord my soule hast chose Whom to obey my vowes and words did say But in my power alas there is no stay For light temptations made me cleane forget My dutie to my Lord and to denay Him who thus long I haue too lightly set But now my heart with teares my cheekes doth wet In sorrow of my so inconstant faith Repentance hath my sin before me set And conscience now my error duly way'th Grant that thy word crow thrise thrise to mee And warne me of my dutie vnto thee SON XCVI THe malice of this monster auncient foe Of man and of the Church which thou didst plant Euen Satan Herod-like about doth goe To make my frutes of faith to grow more scant Whilst yet with weaknesse feeble youth doth pant And wanteth grace to strengthen their estate The motions of the mind doth straight recant To see soules safetie which sin faine would hate The counsels of affections do debate And do conclude to murder vertues breed Lust pride and enuy open wide the gate To furious flesh that doth the wicked deed My soule their mother mourns ô Lord their end My future frutes of grace do thou defend SON XCVII SO foolish Lord haue my affections bin So carelesse of the blessing thou doest giue So prone my nature vnto euerie sin So thanklesse of thy grace by which I liue That violently thy loue away I driue
race Where flesh and bloud against the world must fight On heauenly kingdome gazing with my sight Where is appointed scope of resting place Wingd with the will of zeale of heauenly grace I do indeuor alwayes to proceed In constant course vnto the arke indeed Where in thy mercies I behold thy face A feruent faith it doth my courage feed And make my heauie limbs become more light When in thy sonne I see thy glorie bright The pledge vnto my soule that hope shall speed This blessed seed Thou hast Lord sowne in me And all the frutes shal to thee offred be SON VII VVHere shall I finde fit words or proper phrase Wherewith to witnesse all the loue I owe Whose gratefull minde in thankfulnesse doth grow And to the world thy worthinesse would blase Vnfrutefully the greater â—ort do gase Vpon thy workes and blessings they receiue And carelesly thy honor they bereaue And suffer chance or wit thy same to rase Whilst vnacknowledged thy loue they leaue Forgetting all the gifts thou doest bestow Whose blinded nature so doth ouerflow That most vnkind to thee themselues they show But since I know By grace thy blessing great My pen thy praises alwaies shall repeat SON VIII THe more I seeke to dedicate my power In celebrating of thy honour great Whose throne is fixed in thy mercies seat The more my dutie groweth euerie hower Some times with Eagles flight aloft I tower And seeme to see the glorie of thy sunne But ere my willing wings haue scarse begunne To mount they droop with clog of heauie shower Vpon the hill of truth I footing wonne By faith which laboureth with feruent heat Of worthie praises thine for to intreat But ere I haue begune my worke is donne So farre I runne In seeking to begin I cannot write such maze my muse is in SON IX AS fareth with the man the which hath bin I perilll but of late to haue bene drownd Though afterward he do recouer ground Knowes not at first the safetie he is in So when I thinke vpon the flouds of sin Wherein I was neare drenched ouer hed What time all hope of comfort cleane was fled And I into dispaire to sinke begin My fainting faith with feare euen well nigh dead My minde amazed it doth so confound That though thy mercies freely do abound In port of peace I am not free from dred But being led Fro out the perils sight I shall enioy more pleasure and delight SON X. SInce thou ô Lord hast giuen to me at last The victorie against the deadly foe Who like a Lyon roaring still doth goe My soule poore Lot my kinsman deare to wast Since grace at length his pride hath now defast And by the hand of faith he is subdude And that my strength by thee is so renude That his affections almost are displast Since thy high Priest with present me pursude Of bread and wine the which he did bestow And with the same the blessing gaue also Whence life whence libertie whence health insude I haue indude As proper vnto thee Thy Church with tyth of faith thou gau'st to me SON XI IF he to whom his Lord did but remit A silly debt was thankfull to him found And that the more the sinnes forgiuen abound The more he loues that pardond is of it Then sure it seemes it were good reason fit That I whose soule was sold to death and hell Whose sinnes in multitude did so excell With idle braine should not ingratefull sit But as the flowing fauours daily swell So should my voice thy praises euer sound And since thou hast powrde oyle into my wound I should not spare thy mercies forth to tell And so as well as thou shalt giue me grace I will thee laud each season time and place SON XII NOw that I haue some safetie Lord attaind Fro out the laberinth wherein I was Since grace as guide therein to me did passe And loue was line which me my issue gaind Since that my wandring steps faith hath refraind And that thy word was Sybils braunch to mee Through hell and death away to let me see To Elizian fields where blisse for aye remaind I must not Lord so much vnthankfull bee To breake the vowes which once I made alas But I will show thy mercies in a glas That by my words men may acknowledge thee The onely hee Hath any power to saue And raisd my soule fro out the verie graue SON XIII I Shame to see how large my promise are How slow my deeds that should performe the fame I know the constant meaning whence they came But will and power are falne at strife and iarre What soule begins to do doth bodie marre What loue would build distrust would ouerthrow A plenteous offring zeale doth bid bestow But fainting faith likes not to set it farre My will at least his good intent shall show Which thou ô Lord cause vnto better frame A free will offring Lord thou wilt not blame Of such weake frutes as are on earth below Which yet shal grow More fruteful by thy grace And as they be wilt in thy sonne imbrace SON XIIII THe end whereto we all created were And in this world were plast to liue and dwell If we with iudgment do obserue it well Was nothing else but God to serue and feare In which we badges of his glorie beare To yeeld him right the most our weaknesse may Which to our strength we ought not him denay Who out of earth to heauen this dust shall reare Which when within my selfe I deeply way I do condemne the dulnesse which befell To me whose gifts in nothing do excell By which I might his glorie great display On whom do stay All things that being haue Who to each creature all things freely gaue SON XV. AS is the treasure frutelesse which is hid And blisse no blisse a man doth not enioy But rather is a meane to worke annoy To him that carefully preserue it did So often times the wisest sort haue slid Into like error whilst they do conseale The gifts of grace which God did them reueale And hide the talent which is them forbid As frutelesse is it to the common weale That men respectiuely become too coy And triflingly their time away do toy And without good to others let it steale I therefore deale To world and do impart These silly frutes which grow on feeling hart SON XVI THe pleasures of this new possessed land Fore-promised long since to children thine Whereto I haue arriued safe in fine And to enioy the same assured stand To paint with praises I would take in hand That so I might incourage many more To follow forth the conquest where is store Of corne of wine and oyle for faithfull band Our Iesus Christ himselfe is gone before And showes the clusters of the healthfull wine Whereof who tasts shall not with famine pine Nor starue when plentie is at Citie dore Ne need deplore The strength of Anaks race For
wrath to bide SON CVIII Against defection VVHen I ô Lord vnto my mind do call The fearefull records of the Patriarkes best In whom great gifts of grace did seeme to rest And yet to foule and fearefull sinnes did fall I do deplore the frailty of vs all And feare defection euen in those are blest And since I am the least O Lord alas Of many that in word professe thy name And I some feeling tast haue of the same Which doth not forward to perfection pas It makes me see as in a looking glasse The feeble strength of this my present frame Which clogd with sin is lame And wold look back To hell from which I fly if grace should lack SON CIX Not to trust in flesh WHat trust may I ô Lord on flesh repose Whose mould is earth whose substance is but dust His thoughts vncleane his actions all vniust As is the stocke of parents whence it growes Whome fraud vntruth pride lust distrust inclose By which by nature rul'd wee are and must I know the feeble trust I may expect And safety which on such a frame is found Where weake foundation is the sand vnsound Which may â—â—t byde the brunt of stormie day When as temptations shall their powre display Or yet afflictions vs enuiron round Vpon a surer ground Faith must me build And Christ my sauiour so my soule may shield SON CX Praye for humilitie SInce thou ô Lord and Sauiour doest confesse Thy selfe a true Phiâ—ition vnto those Who with humilitie their griefes disclose And vnto thee for ayd by prayers presse Vouchsafe thou so my heart to thee addresse That on thy helpe alone my faith repose Vouchsafe my sight vnlose Make me to see The naked show of natures powre and shame Let me behold my workes weake lewd and lame And let my heart with sorrow pierced be And pressed downe procure such mone in me As may in fine repentance truely frame That humbly so thy name I may adore And faithfully in fine thy helpe implore SON CXI For Comfort in affliction LEaue me not Lord most humbly I thee craue In this distresse whereto my sinsme bring VVhich headlong vnto hell my soule would fling And make me thinke there were no powre could â—aue My wretched state from deaths eternall graue Which poysoned is by Satans deadly sting But teach thou me to sing O Lord thy praise Amids thy saints which see thy mercies still With ioy and comfort do my courage fill Once Lord my soule which yet in terror staies Make me to bend vnto thy will my waies And frame my powers vnto thy holy will The powre of Satan kill And so increase My soule with comfort of thy lasting peace SON CXII Iâ— prosperity not to forsake God THe more ô Lord I see before my face The daily blessings which thow doest bestow On me vnworthie wretch who well do know How farre affections vile in me haue place The more I see iust cause to call for grace Lest for abuse of them thou vengance sâ—ow For then most soone we grow For to forget The giuer when the giftes we once haue gaind Ingratitude our natures so hath staind Thy greatest blessing we most lightly set So far we are from paying praise for debt VVe do forget the nurse vs fed and wainde As Israell not refraind Thee most t' offend VVhen most thou them didst feed comfort send SON CXIII Mans Sorrow for sin I Must commend the thing the world doth hate And like the thing that flesh and bloud detest The cares and griefes by which I was opprest Which made me see and know my wretched state Wisdome is dearely bought but not too late Who tasts true frute of care knowes cumfort best Make me then Lord disgest each bitter pill Which for correction of my sin is sent Purge thou thereby my drosse make me repent Each lewd affect offensiue to thy will A new and better nature Lord in still Which to thy seruice alwaies may be bent With sorrow often rent My hardoned heart And let repentance purchase cure of smart SON CXIIII For true feare FEare is a frailtie knowne to humane kind Which witnesseth a guilt where it doth dwell Since Adams fall his ofspring knew it well And euery man in conscience doth it find It takes possession in atroubled mind And if grace want dispaire driues downe to hell Yet these thy praises tell O Lord they shall Who danted for their frailties do require Grace to resist their lustes and doe aspire For strength of true perfection for to call And haue a feare of sin though neare so small For loue of right as well as shunning ire Kindle their loue with fire Sprinkle it with feare That incense of obedient smoke it reare SON CXV Sorow for coldnesse of compassion I Feele ô Lord and sorrow for the same The slender feeling and compassion small The which I haue of neighbours case at all Which to assist their states my heart should frame Who with my lips professe a Christian name But stop my eares when they for help do call So easily we fall And do forgett The lesson which our Maister Christ vs gaue Who vs with mourners to lament would haue And on our brothers good chiefe care should set But selfe-loue and cold charitie doth let No frute of faith proceed though neighbour craue Yet thou didst freely saue Me wretch cleane lost Whose life the blud of thy deare Sonne hath cost SON CXVI For Patience WHen I ô Lord in troubles sore opprest My heauie state with carefull thoughts do way Which hope of happie issue doth denay Aâ—d frailtie of the flesh can scarse digest I onely find here in at length some rest When on thy mercy promised I stay And when from day to day I see with shame My new offences which do trespasse thee And note how long thy iudgements spared me Which iustly might burst forth in vengeance flame Ye when my Sauiours sufferings show the same Which ought a rule to his elect to be I craue that I might see Like fruites of grace So that impatience hold in me no place SON CXVII For continuance of Gods word THe greatest plague that I see cause to feare To such as I who haue so carelesse bin By reading and by preaching for to win True knowledg which our harts to thee might reare Is lest thy Prophets sound should so forbeare To preach thy word that we should dwell in sin And wallowing therein We should delight In ignorance the headlong path to hell And wickedly in carnall tents to dwell And so surcease with sinne or lust to fight Grant therfore Lord thy sword may alwaies smight My soule till sinne it from me cleane expell Let Prophets alwaies tell To vs thy will And keepe vs vnder thy obedience still SON CXVIII For grace to bring forth fruits ALthough ô Lord I do as truth confesse No powre in humane art that can thee please That all polluted are with first disease Of sinne originall
beseeme in euery case And how to walke to win our soueraignes grace It will aduise thee as I also do To be attentiue to thy Prince behest To be obsequious also thereunto So farre as may accord with all the rest Of lawes of God of nature and of state And to attend his pleasure rare and late verse 3 In ill persist not but giue place Princes their pleasure craue verse 4 His word of power who may withstand the thing he likes to haue 3. Hast not to go forth of his sight stand not in an euil thing for he will do whatsoeuer pleaseth him If so his liking did of thee require A thing vnfit not pleasing vnto thee I would not wish thee there withall retyre Or discontent in count'nance ought to bee But yeeld with patience rather to the same For to obedience subiects ought to frame But if thy selfe by indiscretion haue Offended him persist not in thy wrong Of him it is no shame thy pardon craue For vnto Princes homage doth belong They haue the power of subiects to dispose Thy life and goods to saue or else to loose 4. Where the word of the king is there is power and who shall say vnto him what dost thou The Princes wrath is messenger of death His will a law his words are firme decrees Their instruments are readie at a breath To pull the proudest rebels on their knees Such Maiestie and power in them is found With euery frowne a loyall hart they wound Who dare vnto account his soueraigne call Who to no power in earth inferiour is Who will not at his feet all prostrate fall Who hath the power to punish his amis As deputies to God on earth they raigne And by his sword of Iustice state maintaine verse 5 Who keepes the law is free from blame the wise they times do know verse 6 The wise with iudgement chuseth time for things lest trouble grow 5. He that keepeth the commaundements shal know none euill thing and the hart of the wise shal know the time and iudgement Whose lawes the godly wise both must and will Indeuour most exactly to obserue In euery point and tittle to fulfill And wittingly in nothing much to swarue So shall he for himselfe best safety find And leaue the better name to world behind And for they hardly can discharge aright Their duetie that their natiue lawes not know And that their ignorance cannot acquight Who may and will not learne more wise to grow The wise will therefore learne their duties furst The good refraine th' euill they might and durst 6. For to euery purpose there is a time and iudgement because the miserie of man is great vpon him And as in publike causes wise men vse To guide their actions warily and well And proper times and seasons euer chuse For all they do before therewith they mell For proper times there are for euery thing Which good or ill successe with it doth bring So in their priuate life they do obserue Expediencie of that they take in hand From care whereof whilst some do rashly swarue Because true wisedome they not vnderstand They into many mischiefes headlong fall Which afterwards too late they would recall verse 7 For what knowes he what shall succeed he can not mend his fate verse 8 In life death battell sinne cannot protect the wickeds state 7. For he knowes not that which shal be for who can tell him when it shal be For it lies not no doubt in powre of man To iudge aright of sequels and euents Though by obseruance of things past we can Sometimes right neere coniecture of intents As like to haue successe as we desire But none can iudge the truth that they require It is but chance not iudgement if they hit So many errors do incounter them Those future knowledges for God are fit And none but he that priuileage can claime For as for Reuelations few are now And diuelish arts Gods word will not allow 8. Man is not Lord ouer the spirit to retaine the spirit neither hath he power in the day of death nor deliuerance in battell neither shall wickednesse deliuer the possessors thereof And how should he be able to foretell An others haps or actions can you thinke That not foresaw what to himselfe befell Nor knew his perill being at pits brinke Nor could deferre his death or destiny With all the care he did thereto apply That could not tell the place the dart should light That he in battell flong against his foe That cannot saue himselfe amidst the fight But beares the brunt perhaps of ouerthroe No wicked slight or art can sinners saue But that they sure in fine their merits haue verse 9 All these I note and find sometime mans powre his ouerthrow verse 10 These wicked die yet worse succeed the godly none to know 9. All this haue I seen◠and giuē mine heart to euery worke which is wrought vnder the sunne and I saw a time that man ruleth ouer man to his owne hurt How farre alas doth all our skill come short Of that great knowledge we pretend to haue My selfe haue tryed the same in euery sort Of studie to the which my selfe I gaue And yet there is no knowledge so obscure Or easie but I did the same inure Nay of the things most common in my sight Which enery man can say and witnesse true I groped at as in obscurest night And could not see the reason how it grew That men euen to themselues most ruine bring And Magistrates their owne dependants wring 10. And likewise I saw the wicked buried they returned and they that came from the holy place were yet forgotten in the citie where they had done right this also is vanitie For which the foolish world become so farre From iust dislike of their iniust oppressions That liue and dead they fear'd and praysed are And whose posterities get more possessions They flourish rather most by doing wrong As if the earth did all to them belong But such as haue led long a holy life Deserued well of world and country all Haue bene pursued in life with hate and strife And euen at home forgot when death did call O vaine affection of the vulgar sort That maketh vice and vertue but a sport verse 11 Gods patience makes the wicked ones more bold to heap vp sin verse 12 Which long deferd is plagud in fine when iust men blessed bin 11. Because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily therefore the hart of the children of men is fully set on them to do euill These worldlings whilst they see the day deferd Of plague and iudgement of these wicked ones They do suppose their actions haue not erd But wisely were decreed for the nonce And so grew bold in practise of the same Till all the world therewith grew out of frame These wicked ones themselues grow insolent And pride their minds in their presumpteous trade They are so farre from meaning
may no more tormented bee Lest that my soule eternally he kill But from the force of Satan make me free These brutish sinnes in swine more fit to dwell Drowne in repentant seas of teares which swell SON XLIII IN deadly sleepe ô Lord sin hath me cast Wherein secure I lye and so remaine Raise me ô Lord out of this dreame at last And let me sight and light of heauen attaine The heauie humors which my iudgment staine And dazell so the reason of my minde Grant that they may their proper vse attaine And comfort in thy grace and promise finde All fleshly wisedome of it selfe is blinde Till thou by knowledge cleare their wandring sight Out of the snare of sin flesh cannot winde Vnlesse by faith they see thy Sonne so bright Him let me still both see and eke admire And thee in him ô Lord I thee desire SON XLIIII MY wicked flesh ô Lord with sin full fraight Whose eye doth lust for euerie earthly thing By couetise allurde hath bit the baight That me to Satans seruitude will bring By violence I vertues right would wring Out of possession of the soule so weake Like vineyard which the wicked Achab king Possest by tyrants power which lawes do breake Let Prophets thine Lord to my soule so speake That in repentant sackcloth I may mone The murther of thy grace which I did wreake Whilst to my natiue strength I trust alone And let my Sauiour so prolong my daies That henceforth I may turne from sinfull waies SON XLV IF thou vouchsafdst Lord of thy goodnesse rare To sanctifie with holie presence thine The Cana marriage where thou didst not spare First miracle of water turnd to wine Then be thou present at this wedding mine Which twixt thy Church and me by faith is ment To see the want in me thy eyes encline Whose wine of grace by wanton youth is spent But being toucht with view thereof repent And craue that water of earthes healthles well May issue forth from heart with sorrow rent And turnd to wine may so with grace excell That all that see and tast this change in me May grant this worke of thee alone to be SON XLVI SInce it hath pleased thee ô Lord to send Now in my barren age of hope and grace Repentant childe from ruine to defend My name and soule to liue before thy face Thy blessings I do thankfully embrace And in thy feare will frame his tender yeare The worlds regard in me shall haue no place If once thy word and will my heart do heare And when thou calst we both will then appeare Before thy Aulter in Moriath land To offer vp thy gift my sonne so deare Obedient childe to faithfull fathers hand Which sacrifice not worthie gift for thee With Christ my Sauiors suffrings quit let bee SON XLVII OF euerie creature vncleane to fore Whereof thy holy people might not tast Thou didst present ◠Lord to Peter store Which were from heauen in sheet before him plast Which he at first refusde with mind most chast Not touching things polluted or defilde But afterward thy counsell he embrast And saw himselfe had bene before beguilde To thinke all sinners were for aye exilde From presence of thy mercies which abound Whom oft thou doest receiue as father milde If faith in Christ thy sonne in them be found By praiers faith by faith thy grace doth grow Cornelius blessing Lord on me bestow SON XLVIII HOw hard it is ô Lord for man to frame His minde corrupt to be preparde for thee With tongue vncleane to praise thy holie name With fleshly eies thy glorie for to see Homeward I bring thy blessings vnto me And make my soule their dwelling place to rest But so forgetfull of thy lawes we be That this my action Lord I see not blest Pride and contempt the waies haue so opprest That danger is the carriage ouerthrow Grant that thy grace to staie it may be prest That so my soule thy sauing health may know For to my flesh vnsanctified to trust Were aie to hasten death by iudgement iust SON XLIX MY traitrous heart which long time hath rebeld Against thy spirit which should feed me still A secret counsell in it selfe hath held To contrarie thy knowne reuealed will Whose mutinie my sences so do fill With deeds repining to thy holie law That raging pride and lust lead me to ill Forgetting tokens of thy wrath they saw As Dathan and Abyram had no awe Of Moyses and of Aron thine elect But sought a way thy people how to drawe And Prophets thine by pride for to reiect So doth my soule alas thy grace resist And in the follies of the flesh persist SON L. A Tenant most vntrue ô Lord to thee In vineyard of my bodie haue I bin To craue thy rent thy seruants came to me But nothing but intreatie bad they win My trauell therein was to nourish sin And wast the wine of thy abounding plant The more to call me backe thou didst begin The more to thee my gratitude did want Ne would my lacke of grace let me recant When thou thy onely Sonne to me didst send For sin and Satan did me so supplant That to his ruine I did also bend But Lord me lend In time repentant hart That from this vineyard I may not depart SON LI. WHilst in the garden of this earthly soile My selfe to solace and to bath I bend And fain wold quench sins heat which seems to boile Amidst my secret thoughts which shadow lend My sence and reason which should me defend As iudges chosen to the common weale Allur'd by lust my ruine do pretend By force of sin which shamelesse they reueale They secretly on my affections steale When modestie my maides I sent away To whom for helpe I thought I might appeale But grace yet strengthens me to say them nay Yet they accuse me Lord and die I shall If Christ my Daniell be not iudge of all SON LII I Iustly am accusde and now am brought By law and gilt of conscience I confesse Before thy throne conuict by deed and thought Of sinfull lust which did me so possesse That quickning graces thine I did suppresse By fading loue of world procliue to ill Whose dome eternall death and nothing lesse My soule doth see to threaten to me still But since that frailtie so the world doth fill That no one fleshly wight thereof is free For mercy Lord to thee repaire I will Who seest the hart and canst best comfort me Quit me from death grant I may fall no more But remnant of my daies thy grace implore SON LIII A Husbandman within thy Church by grace I am ô Lord and labour at the plough My hand holds fast ne will I turne my face From following thee although the soile be rough The loue of world doth make it seeme more tough And burning lust doth scorch in heat of day Till fainting faith would seeke delightfull bough To shade my soule from danger of decay
is none SON XCIII IF I did hope by pen to patterne out The many merits of thy Maiestie Which of thy mercies we do daily trie And endlesse matter I should go about But I alas my strength so much do doubt That nothing lesse then such a thought I haue To point foorth others to a thought I craue Whose confidence in skill is much more stout Yet dare I say that nature neuer gaue The power to flesh and bloud to looke so hye Nor gifts of grace full few there are apply To giue him laud aright that did them saue How to behaue My selfe herein I learne And wish my will might others likewise warne SON XCIIII VVHat tongue or pen can shew it selfe vnkind Vnto a father full of mercy so Who freely doth such benefits besto And of our case hath such a carefull mind Before we were a way he forth did find Whereby to purchase vs in heauen a place When natiue strength our glory should deface A remedie therefore his loue assignd He giues vs knowledge of the same by grace Which offered is to them the which will go Vnto the word where sauing health doth grow And faith through which our Sauiour we imbrace And being base By birth and thrall to hell He vs adopts in childrens roome to dwell SON XCV VVHy should this worldly care haue now such power To quench the comfort which the soule shall find In this our God who is to vs so kind The memorie of which should feare deuoure If faith were watred well with heauenly shower Of grace and knowledge of our happie state It would the force of all assaults abate And be a bulwarke strong at trials hower If we the world and flesh did truly hate And made his will a law vnto our mind If doubt of power or will did not vs blind Which to distrust sets open wide the gate Then would this rate Of worldly care be lesse And he our faith with fauour more would blesse SON XCVI HOw loath this flesh of mine remaineth still To part from sinne his old companion deare Of death or of a change he would not heare But would imbrace him aye with his good will The very thought of death his thought doth kill The very feare thereof his sorrow brings So sweet the pleasures seeme of earthly things That nought else can our fond affections fill But who is wise fro out the snare he wrings Before perforce death doth approch him neare That abstinence no vertue doth appeare When want of power subdues affections stings But who so flings From them when they pursue To him pure name of vertue indeed is due SON XCVII VVHo so would liue of force he first must die Death is the doore which leadeth vnto life Life which shall be deuoyd of change and strife Whose comfort shall our teares of sorrow drie The way is straight the which man must go by If to the heauens he purpose to ascend His grosse corruption must to graue descend And dead the power of sinne therein must lye If he to be regenerate intend First must he mortifie the motions rife Of lust which kill the soule with cruell knife And eke his ruine presently pretend For God will send A happie change indeed As haruest paies with plentie plow-mans seed SON XCVIII VVHen I with griefe sometimes to mind do call The wofull losse that sinne to man hath brought And want which to all creatures it hath wrought By Satans slight and Adams fearefull fall I find no comfort in worlds vse at all But wish to be dissolu'd with Christ to dwell From whom all blessings flow and do excell In thought whereof my comfort is not small Yea I do grow by thinking hereof well Into a doubt if that in truth I ought More sorrow parents fall which death hath brought Or ioy the life through Christ to me befell Yet truth to tell I find the change so good Our state is better now then when we stood SON XCIX IF I can speake and like a coward crake If I can tell the thing the which is best If I in muster seeme to battell prest And yet shrinke backe when I should triall make If I indeuour others to awake Fro out the deadly slumber they are in And yet my selfe cannot reuolt from sin But in the pride thereof do pleasure take By all my trauell I no gaine shall win Although my paine might proue to others blest But as the Symbals sound doth to the rest I mâ—ght haps morne when others mirth begin The feast but thin Would be vnto my share Though many dishes to the guests I bare SON C. FOrtune and chance blind guides to blisse farewell Vpon your leasures I no more attend I not regard what good or ill you send Nor in your tents of pleasures wish to dwell A greater blisse then ere through you befell Ye made me to neglect I now do see Whose hope from feare could nere continue free But aye distrust did gainst my faith rebell The earths delight the which ye promist me Could not my soule from sorrow ought defend Your sweete with sower was mixed in the end So vaine and variable both they be Then happie he That seeketh blessed rest In Christ alone and doth the world detest CONCLVSION VVOrds may well want both inke and paper faile Wits may grow dull and will may weary grow And worlds affaires may make my pen more slow But yet my heart and courage shall not quaile Though cares and troubles do my peace assaile And driue me to delay thy prayse awhile Yet all the world shall not from thoughts exile Thy mercies Lord by which my plaints preuaile And though the world with face should gratefull smile And me her pedlers packe of pleasures show No heartie loue on her I would bestow Because I know she seekes me to beguile Ne will defile My happie peace of mind For all the solace I in earth may find FINIS SVNDRY AFFECTIONATE SONETS OF A FEELING CONSCIENCE PREFACE VVHere hast thou rangd my retchles soul so long How too securely hast thou luld my mind In so long space no cause or meanes to find To once againe renue thy vowed song Be not too bold thinke not thy perill past May be thy iourney is but new begun Pleasures do vanish dangers fly as fast To stop thy course if slowly thou do runne Thy vowes are made they may not be vndonne And cause thou hast if blessings not thee blind To keepe thy promise to a God so kind By whom alone thou freedomes rest hast wonne To him nay to thy selfe then do not wrong To whom thy hart powre will by vow belong SON I. OF thee and of thy prayse Lord will I sing Who rid'st on winged Chariot of the skie Whose throne is plast aboue the thrones most hie Whose will doth forme change ech formed thing To thee the offerings of thy bounties gift To thee the due of my attaynd desire I will present and with a voice
safe there is And kingdomes so deuided cannot stand We must imbrace and loue or that or this And not looke backe if plough be once in hand If Gods we be we Beliall must withstand We cannot him well serue and Baall blind To Balak Balams kindnesse of such kind Did draw him to accurse the blessed land Whereby his Asse did masters blindnesse show And still bewrays weak faith where this shal grow SON XIII GIue all to him that all did giue to thee More then his due thou hast not to bestow By yeelding all thou thankfulnesse mayst show The more thy store the more his gifts would bee A chearefull giuer God doth best accept Though he doth giue that gift thou dost present His blessings must be vsde and not be kept Like fruitlesse tallents not to profit spent Thy soule and bodie both since God hath lent The vse of them entire to him should grow What is our power and strength he well doth know And giues the will which vsde he is content But for to share a part that scorneth hee Who knows our thoughts secret hart doth see SON XIIII BVt will you know indeed the surest way To make the child of God a loathing find Of sinne which doth infect both heart and mind And vs the grace of God doth so denay Let man but see the fierce and angry face Of God for sinne which in his word is found Let him behold a man deuoid of grace Whom euery thought deed to death doth wound Let him if euer grace did so abound In him as he found God a father kind But call to mind how much it should him bind And how saluation standeth on that ground Then will he in his conscience surely say I 'will dwell no more in sinne nor mends delay SON XV. SOmetimes cleane tyr'd or sham'd of sinne at last If not for loue of good or feare of hell I seeke to stay affections which rebell And how to quench their heat my wits I cast I find euen whilst the thought is in my head A liking thought thereof doth me possesse From thoughts to liking are my humors led And liking longs againe to worke no lesse My laberinth felt I seeke in vaine t' expresse An idle thought can not such thoughts expell I thinke to exercise my time so well In some good work as may vaine thoughts suppresse But I do tyre ere litle time be past Prayer alone withstands the greatest blast SON XVI ME thinkes sometime I muse and much admire The dulnesse of the Iewes who daily saw The powrefull workes of Christ which well might draw A stony heart to loue of him t' aspire Much more I maruell that the words he spake Seem'd parables and darke vnto his owne Disciples who his scholers he did make To whom all secrets should by time be knowne But when I find the wonders on vs showne Vnnoted or acknowledged by awe Vnto his will or word or holy law And common ignorance by most men showne It makes me feare we want the holy fire Of faith loue zeale which dutie would require SON XVII VVHat vaine lip-labour is it men do vse To speake of God his name in word confesse When as in life no dutie they expresse Of godlinesse but fleshly freedome chuse Not euery one that cryeth often Lord Shall enter to possesse eternall rest Vaine ostentation was we see abhord In Pharise whose speech and showes were best Hypocrisie the Lord did aye detest And chiefly that in them his name should blesse As Anany with Saphira no lesse Do witnesse by their death at hand adrest Let vs therefore this babbling forme refuse Of boasting holinesse which doth abuse SON XVIII I Goe about full oft like Iewes most blind To offer vp to God a sacrifice Propitiatorie gratefull to his eies Thereby remission for my sinnes to find But lose my labour whilst I cleane forget First with my neighbour to be reconcild A heape of rankor doth my conscience let From looking for remorse in father mild The mercies on the which my hopes should build My owne malicious purpose me denies For how should I that grace to gaine deuise Which from my neighbours sutes I haue exild At Temple dore my offering stayes behind Henceforth therefore till malice leaue my mind SON XIX O Happie Simon of Syren art thou Who chosen wert that office to supply To beare part of the crosse on which should die Thy Sauiour worlds new life and comfort true Not wood I meane so much which thou didst beare But that remorse which thereby I suppose Through shame and sorrow pittie care and feare Which for his innocencie in thee rose Such crosses and full many more then those Euen for my sinnes and for my selfe wish I As many as on fleshly strength might lye Or grace would aide ere faith did comfort lose That for his seruant so he would me vow And try and vse me as he best knowes how SON XX. VVHat are our senses drownd and past recure Are rest and ease the needfull aides of man Without vicisitude of which none can Continue long become by peace impure Shall blessings proue our curse desire our bane Shall wish attaine his will will worke our wo Shall profit be our losse losse turne to gaine Shall Gods great goodnesse be requited so Should fathers kindnesse make a child a fo O God forbid our vowes were other whan Our tyred soules our prayers first began To send as suters to our God to go His loue to vs did our desires procure Let our desires his growing loue allure SON XXI WHen I do see the mercies manifold Which God doth vse t' extend to his elect Whose actions alwaies he doth so direct That loue and fauour in him they behold How things restrained vnto them are free And all things holy to the holy are How priuiledgd in euery thing they bee And nothing from his loue can them debarre My mind from common comforts flyeth farre And findes on earth no true ioy in effect On God alone I place my harts affect Where peace is perfect without strife or iarre And through these worldly cares I wander bold Secure in courage more then can be told SON XXII COme to the Councell of your common weale Ye senses mine which haue confederate bin With world and Satan to infect with sin My soule whose harbour in your house befell Thinke ye your safety great when he is thrall That ye can scape if soule once captiue bee That plagues she feeles shall not on ye befall And ye with her bring endlesse woe to mee What earthly beauty can eyes brightnesse see What melodie heare eares what liked smell What vnloathd tast or feelings please so well That are not often noysome vnto yee Then since such hazard great short ioy ye win To watch with me gainst common foes begin SON XXIII IN midst of plentie and of happiest state Wherein by nature all men do delight Me thinkes I see most cause of feare and fright Most