againe let Sathans will be crost And then will I thy goodnesse still unfold And cause poore sinners mercy to behold Hee findes successe in his suit with God Alas poore man I pitie on thee take I doe intend thee my redeem'd to make Thou shalt from sinne and Sathan be set free Onely thou shalt be servant unto me I heard thy mone my bowels could not stay To grant thy suit no longer I le delay Thy dreadfull passion came before my sight Then my compassion sent down heavenly light I will thee make an instrument of praise To fight with sin and Sathan all thy dayes Seeing I have brought thy soule and body back From hell whether sin commanded thee to pack And after thou hast serv'd me herein love Then thou shalt dwell with me in heaven above And sin and death that sought to ruine thee Shall be arraign'd and both condemn'd by me The nature of Death with his unsatiable speech and lamentation VVhen death by sin had once possest the earth And found that man was mortall made by birth Still since that time he strikes at all mankinde As well the great as those that come behinde The first man living though a mighty King Death ventred on and struck him with his sting All good bad that liv'd in ancient time Though some liv'd long yet some died in their prime The best that ever on the earth had breith Though free from sin yet was not freed frō death So till this day experience proveth true He darts down some and claimes the rest for due His hungry jawes will ner'e be satisfied While one doth live and on the earth abide And if that once the man that lives he have Brought down to death he bars him in the grave And so triumphs and rules among the slaine For where his kingdome is there he doth raigne When he hath pill'd the world of all her store Though this is done yet still he wishes more O that there were an other world or two I would to worke and make no more adoe O that I mght but use my kingly power Then I would seek mans ruine every hower Graves yeeld no food that give me such content As living flesh to that my mind is bent Nothing there is so pleasant to my taste As lives of men when I doe lay them waste What am I made a King but for a time No power can I use amongst the flime Unlesse it be the silly wormes to slay That can I in the least part of the day I thought I should have been a King for ever Sin set me up I doing my indeavour Perform'd the worke that I was bid to doe I fear'd no man for I was hardy too Assure so quicke for in a little space All nations people were brought in deadly case And must I needs give ore this mighty trading Which cōstant was though all the world was fading This is not all I think I heard some say I must be bound ore to the judgement day If it be so I my defence will make As Kings of all their subjects place doetake Untill that time you 'l heare no more of me How stands the case then all the world shall see Sinnes probable destinie Sinne 's now accus'd with all his sinfull crimes Laid to his charge 't is corrupt are the times The righteous man which doth against sin stand Is very like to have the upper hand Unto the seate of Justice sin is brought An equall judge doth never stand for nought But tries the truth and gives to each his due When once of it he hath had a carefull view Sinne being apprehended is accused before an impartiall Judge Sinne hath me vext ere since I had a being And all men else that carefull are in seeing Shall finde him plotting mischiefe with his will VVith malice murther striving for to kill The seed of good that in mans heart are sowne And every plant that is not of his owne If one be good that hee would from him take If one be bad he tries him worse to make From bad to worse from worse to worst of all More could I say sin counts these things but smal Sinnes vile answer and Request Answer to this what is this true or no T is all but lyes he is my deadly foe He speakes for malice his words have no savor Hee 's but a foole and thinkes to curry favour Because forsooth I am not so precise Though I doe sweare he tells as many lies He hates my waies and I hate his as much I doe him scorne as also loath to touch What though in mirth I take my liquor well What though I brawle rail with them I dwel What though I play and sport both day night Though I blaspheme and court what I might I force no man if I can any draw With craft or fraud I hold it in good law This I will add I 'le open all my store Seeing he is vext I 'le vexe him ten times more Because indeed I doe not often pray And when I doe my heart shall be away He 'd have me read and heare a blacke reproach Poore foolish things yet farre above my reach Pray Sir consider this and free me quite Out of the hands of this malicious wight The Impartiall Iudge his answer he turnes over Sinne and Death to be tried by the Judge of the world Now well it is I heard you each oue single But thy vile words have made my eares to tingle What he did say thy words have now made worse What cāst expect but Gods eternal curse His words are true thine most unjust appeare Sin 's the Delinquent the Righteous man I cleare I le turne thee over to that righteous Judge To whom the world must yeeld though many grudge There thy confession shal be on record Besides the rest that will come word for word I have no baile must I in prison lye That matters not from God thou canst not flye And Death of whom I heate such ill report I understand to be thy great confort Call him to me it 's no matter let him stay Both are reserv'd unto a greater day The righteous man that did thee apprehend Will ruine thee thou canst it not defend And Death by Life will be und one also Your seeming friends each one will turne a foe The Righteous man hath leave granted to prosecute Sinne and Life to prosecute Death Who 's that below that faine would speak with mee A poore sinner Lord that lies in miserie What is that other which by thee doth stand Lord this is Life that doth preserve a land What would yee have speak both for both have breath Free me from sin Free me likewise from death What hath Sin done or Death seeing you desire Sin promis'd good but death comes for sins hire Here they are both give us both leave to speake If thou deny Lord both our hearts will breake Both speak your minds the Saints I made the
incline Shall Sathans worke stand up thine overthrowne Stretch forth thy hād Lord make thy power known And from thy Justice let Death have his due The world is witnesse what I speake is true A sharpe reproofe of Death he hath leave to answer for himselfe What canst thou say seeing this is proved so To all my workes thou shew'st thy selfe a foe What canst expect but hell for thy reward Seeing thou to none hadst never yet regard If I did not thy malice now restraine The life of all that in the world remaine Thou quickly would'st lay levell with the dust Though they resist yet fall through thee they must And in the grave thou wouldest beare such sway And wish there were a thousand worlds to slay More thou would'st all them of their lives bereave Speake Death thy minde I freely give thee leave Deaths defence for himselfe When God at first did give to all things being And life a will he gave to man agreeing Who was appointed to keepe all in awe Nor lawlesse was he God gave him a law If he it brake I was his sentence for it If not he lived but he did abhorre it To be so ty'd he broke thy Law that day Then for reward I was from thee his pay I execute what Justice doth decree I doe thy worke for I am rul'd by thee For by thy word all life must vanish quite From all the world then should not I by right Take place what is there on the earth beside But life and death which doth the world divide Should I deny when thou dost bid me goe Should I resist when thou dost presse me so To doe thy worke I ever did my best Till it be done I never take my rest Should I be bashfull for to goe among The faire or fearfull to salute the strong Or passe the rich or take of great a fee Or favour honour where I doe it see O no nor any else that thou dost send Me For I bring them all unto their end I in thy hand am still as at this day By thy consent I doe still life destroy A King I 'm made by thee as doth appeare And by thy power all creatures do me feare I doe subdue thy foes and make them bow And dart them down to scape they know not how When I to men come armed with thy wrath They sinke downe quite not one the power hath Me to withstand then life bids them farewell But dying life meets them againe in hell But of thy Saints I have been much desir'd They 'd have me come though they with much were hir'd To stay below and not to see thy face Where thou dost dwell their soules being full of grace Thou also hast appointed them a rest What way is that which thou didst think the best To bring them home to live in heaven still But that I should their mortall life first kill And that by me a passage they must have They die but once then life they still doe save I can doe nothing but upon the earth Nor sway my scepter but with mortall birth Yet here I am but for a time to stay Though once I thought I should have raign'd for ay Why should then life torment me in this sort In raising on me such an ill report In calling me to answer at thy barre Life seeks my ruine he proceeds so farre Himselfe is worse being guilty of such crimes Corrupting man and poysoning still the times I doe revenge the evill 't is thy cause He still doth breake I ever keepe thy lawes I doe him good me ill he doth requite Men live by me yet he owes me a spite Now let these speake what they can say for me I make no doubt but then I shall be free Deaths assistants have leave to pleade for him Thou shalt have Justice here before my face Each one shall speake and then I le judge the case It is not shewes nor glosses that will stand Instead at all to free thee from my hand But 't is the truth by truth thou must be tri'd For that is best all cases to decide The Magistrates Plea for death Thou hast me in a place of Justice set I judge a case that life must pay a Debt How may this be if Death were not my friend To take my part and bring life to an end Death doth his office I will beare him out Lives ruine thus when ere he bring'st about Take him away alas what can I doe My servant take then take the Master too No peace nor quiet once would dwell with men Not best but worst would take all sweetnes then The Felons here by death receive their due Men live in feare and say that law is true The Heire craves deaths freedome What doth't availe that I am borne to lands And if that all should freed be from death's hand 's All hopes were vaine and for my expectation It were cut off no meanes of preservation Were left for me worse than my yonger brother I cannot worke and so can he and other Old men must die and young men take their places They must to dust death puts life to such cases Old men are children if they live but long They to themselves are burthens for the young Their spittings coffings froward dispositions So irksome are and so hard my conditions We would be freed for them the world is bad A better place we all doe wish they had Deathus'd to doe as great a thing as this O pre thee come and doe it doe not misse I am in trouble troubles greeve my heart Thou wilt be quit for many take thy part Thou at our neighbours wast the other day I lookt for thee thou went'st another way Pray free him now to doe one worke for me The old man take no more desir'd shall be The Parish Clarke sueth to have Death freed Death I am sorry here to see thee stand 'T was for thy sake I tooke this place in hand 'T is little worth if thou dost from us goe I tri'd my friends to get it and my foe Remaine still now because I got the place He did sue for 't and came off with disgrace Of burials we have hundreds in the yeare And for the rich great vailes come in so cleare It joyes my heart the rest some more some lesse In their degree their bounty doe expresse Besides my fee they did still some what more So many littles do increase my store If Death go downe Clarke I will be no longer Now I am old and weake yet like the stronger I must to worke and try my feeble hands Or perish must seeing I possesse no lands Death did me good that little that I have I got by him when life was brought to grave O quit him quit him that I may injoy My profit still my hopes doe not destroy The Sextons lamentation for Death When trading fail'd I brought unto a strait For want of meanes did for a place lay waite The
giv'st them freely such content By sense they know no time but that Till with thy friendship they grow fat Then death their pleasures doe prevent 22. At last they struggle so for life And with the butchers are at strife To keepe thee still and thou dost greeve But yet by force thou must depart Though it doth vexe thee to the heart They cry thou canst not them releeve 23. Thou mak'st them nimble active strong And comely too but then ere long When thou dost part deformed they Remaine and never have thee more Thou hast no life for them in store When once thou tak'st thy flight away OF THE LIFE OF Reason in men Or Naturall Life 24. Tdis doth not trouble thee so much To part with plants or beasts as such As live a life of Reason then Thou hadst thy being here below That thou thy selfe might'st now bestow Most freely on the Sonnes of men 25. The grasse that lives for Beasts does die And beasts for men good reason why That they might live to serve the Lord In this let Life with us agree To differ plants and beasts from we Then we with Life shall still agree 26. To man thou art the sweetest thing For thou all comfort still dost bring Thy presence gives content to all They spend their meanes thee to maintaine What ere they lose if thee they gaine Thou dost delight both great and small 27. Thou giv'st a beautie to the face And thou art still the comeli'st grace To all there 's nothing like to thee Though thou art seated in the heart Thou do'st appeare in every part And thou alone thy selfe canst see 28. And thou of all art much desir'd And with the world they 'l not be hit'd To leave thee but to thee as right Doe yeeld themselves and doe obey Thee and by walking on their way They shew thy glory and thy might 29. Thou causest clods of earth to walke And giv'st us breath by thee we talke And knowledge too for to discerne What 's good what 's bad and so we chuse The good and doe the bad refuse And by thee we may ever learne 30. Thou stil desirest for our good Such naturall convenient food That thou thy freedome might'st enlarge To us thy love thou dost expresse To have us shun all vaine excesse And thou at all times bear'st the charge 31. When once thou dost a danger spie Thou giv'st us warning presently And shew'st that thou dost us esteeme But if we cannot it avoid But must with trouble be annoyd Thou dost us labour to redeeme 32. But if thou canst not with thy skill Relieve us in our sorrow still With us thou stay'st to beare apart For thou dost greeve to see us weepe And wait'st our leisures while we sleepe Which brings some ease unto the heart 33. Much miserie thou dost endure With us and yet thou nere art sure To be rewarded for thy paines Thou stay'st with us a little while Thou dost but come and give a smile We cannot call thee here our gaine 34. Alas I cannot but lament For thou hast still a true intent To doe us good thou dost indeavour But we thy proffers doe abuse Or else so sleightly doe them use There 's cause of feare to lose thee ever 35. Thou' rt gone sometimes before we know How to enjoy thee herebelow Thou dost on sudden take thy time We judge thee comming on a pace But thou dost leave us in disgrace When we are comming to our prime 36. If thou dost tarry with old age Then like a Bird within the cage Thou long'st still for thy libertie For there thou canst not use thy strength Yet thou art quiet then at length You both are freed from miserie 37. God breath'd thee first in the beginning In man but he lost thee by sinning And ever since thou art so strange Thou art a tennant here at will There is no lease though we try still We cannot know our time of change 38. We cannot say 't is long of thee That we endure such miserie But 't is from change we doe receive Such bitter potions in this world But when we in our graves are hurl'd Then thou of us dost take thy leave 39. Thou dost not bring us to distresse But we bring thee into no lesse Our sins thy vigor so doe quell That if there were no other course To drive thee out we should grow worse Till we did thee from us expell 40. Thy foes are many great and strong They dwell in Garrisons among Thy souldiers and they pitch their tents Surpriz'd thou art within the field And death doth come which makes thee yeeld With engines and with instruments 41. Men have not here enough of thee That live in pride and jollitie Thou act'st thy part then thou art gone Alas thy Scene here is so short They cannot shew their sinfull sport As they would then they make their mone 42. They doe not draw their Cesternes dry Nor suck the sweet nor sore so high Nor do that mischiefe they desire They have not time to bring to passe Their cursed ends their emptie glasse Doth shew death comes and brings their hire 43. Men make thee shorter than thou art By playing here so vile a part They drinke or curse thee out of doore They love thee not so well as those Things that take thee away and foes They to themselves appeare therefore 44. How few are there that set thee forth In practice or to spread thy worth Doe praise thee in a living frame They hide thee so in heapes of dust That thou art eaten up with rust Men cannot know thee but by name 45. Thou wilt away ere it be long Who would not use thee being strong Set out thy beautie in its kinde Let 's all indeavour while we may With life t' enjoy a happie day Shew that we live in heart and minde 46. Let principles within us move Still to the fruits of living love Towards God and man that we may shew That we have not our lives in vaine But of them make such blessed gaine That others may its power know 47. Thy props decay ere thou dost fall With want disease afflictions all Conspire against thy living breath Thy comforts die and leave thee here Thy joyfull presence turnes to feare And who so welcome then as death 48. Thou hid'st thy selfe within the breast But death will never let thee rest But hunts thee till he drives thee thence Life takes his leave upon the lips Away in silence then he skips Unseene but mist with present sense 49. But thee I cannot chuse but blame Me thinkes thou hast an emptie name How can I truly call thee Life When evils come thou giv'st us sense And so we have for recompence The fruits of sin which turnes to strife 50. Most men doe thee desire long When they are active rich and strong And live in pleasure health and case If they old age and sorrow see Thou dost increase their miserie
praise to get a name If thou art faire come now let 's see thy face Thy beauties markes may helpe thee in this case Especially if beauty be within But thou art foule and so hast ever beene If thou art wise why dost thou ever use To set thy selfe the wisest to abuse In this thy folly doth so much appeare To all the world 't is evident and cleare If thou art just why dost not rescve those That serve the Lord in striking downe their foes If thou hast mercy why dost slight the teares Of poore distrest thou dost increase their feares If thou art rich why dost not give a fee Both large and good for those that plead for thee But thou art poor thy halfe world 's nothing worth So well as I can I have set thee forth Deaths friends are reproved their al surdities are not to be answered but they are fitter for correction Comparisons and advice Thy friends that have stood up for thy defence Will from thee finde a deadly recompence They trade with thee but he that gets the gaines Comes off with losse his labour for his paines There 's none that doth the common good desire Of them like fooles they dote upon their hire On present things they dote but quickly they Will lose the sweet when death takes them away The Magistrate I le satisfie but for The rest like Atheists speake I doe abhorre To answer them absurdities their words Are them they use as mad men doc use swords Who ever speaks they will not take direction I le not dispute they 'r fitter for correction To side with death against the life of men That pretious is for gaines they wish death then Should men like beasts by sense live alwayes here Hath God no wayes but what to sence appeare To feed and cloath his creatures which he made He helpe him can though other helpes doe fade Must death of others life unto men give Or no meanes else is in the world to live Is there no gaines but must be others losses Or comfort have unlesse death bring his crosses Is this to do by others as to have The same repay'd to thee or would'st thou crave Death for thy selfe or shamefully to die Others to free that doe in bondage lie Anothers case in this make still thine owne Thou fain would'st live should others be o'rthrown Be not so brutish in thy curst desire Me thinks it smels of brimstone and hell fire Plead not for death he will not plead for you His friendship 's false his enmity is true The Magistrates speech is answered The Magistrate that pleads for death so witty That he should fall he thinkes it is great pitty There 's other wayes for Justice to take place Sharpe punishment and publikely disgrace Justice in rigor should not be exprest Injustice 't is to all but to the best Shew clemency and mercy to all such That are most rude let pitty ever touch The heart and then in love we shall agree When Death goes downe O then I shall be free Death none can quit when he once takes away The lives of men although they went astray Though death be gone stil thou maist use thy strēgth To chastise men and make them good at length A servant now he is but ere 't be long He 'l master be and prove for thee too strong Vnlesse he be condemn'd and silenc'd quite And by decree we take away his might Sinne s condemn'd if it get not repreeve Death may be spar'd men may in quiet live Although before some have deserv d to die I would not lose nor leave them willingly Though worst speed best best the worst receive Worst may be best if I doe not them leave Though theevs by death have here receiv'd reward Yet by thy stripes men will as much regard The law of life now if death be a friend Let others judge for I have made an end The charge of the Jurie You heare of death the case is open'd large Your verdict bring for this I give in charge You speake the truth and boldly as you finde Respect not parties freely shew your minde Death is a foe to all the case is cleare The best that live of him doe live in feare He is so grim that with his ghastly frowne He doth distract men then he sinkes them downe Life seekes but justice justice he shall have My subject he 's he shall not be deaths slave Life he is wrong'd the truth of this is tri'd Doe you consult the case I le soone decide The Preface to the verdict of the Jurie Lord this we finde to us is very cleare That Death to Life a foe is with his feare Doth men like slaves keepe under with his force Doth crush all things and never hath remorse He prides himselfe ore all he is so vile Next Sin the worst though you a King him stile The truth of this all ages that are past Have found for they by death were spoil'd at last O monstrous death when men use cursed art To torture men thou tak'st the tyrants part The information sets thy inside out But the reply brings it more cleare about Thy words thy friends doe no whit mend thy case But by contraries Justice now takes place The Verdict of the Jurie against Death For Death we finde him guilty of those crimes Of frighting men and killing them all times And all things else that little we can see Take other things that prov'd so strongly be 'Gainst him why he should not deserve to die Cut from the earth and times eternally Now doome him Lord and free us from his snare And let him lie in ever dying care The Introduction to the Sentence Death now thou seest thou art convicted truly Thy deadly plots I have observed duly Against my creatures for so 's the story That chiefly made were to set forth my glory When that my sonne tooke flesh and man became Thoudidstnot spare him thou join'st w th him shame And brought'st him downe but then he from the earth Was rais'd againe and had a second birth The sentence against Death I sentence thee to perish evermore With all thy malice set upon thy score A stronger death shall swallow all thy power And shall thy Kingdome utterly devoure Now helpe nor refuge none shall give to thee Eternall darknesse then thy part shall be Thou never shalt from thence returne againe To domineere or triumph ore the slaine Take wrath with thee be fill'd with curses store And so begon and see my face no more The Devill knowing that Sinne and Death are condemned his power and malice appeares but 't is restrained Sathan which once did dwell within the Court Of heaven thence was cast yet doth resort Thither againe to pry into Gods actions And what he doth against his cursed factions And what respect he shewes unto his owne That serve him still and make his power knowne The one he doth against the Lord uphold The other he to