be all my Dayes Can I loue Life which Truth doth so dispraise A Ship a Shaft a Shuttle were too slow Or whatsoeuer else doth swiftly glide The flight of Time in this short life to show But It as lesse then Nothing must abide Then ah shall lesse then Nothing make me lose Thee Thing of Things that dost each Thing enclose And what a lesse then Nothing is this Life It 's worse then Nought that 's lesser then That Lâ—sse So fraught with Mischiefe Sorrow Sinne and Strife That It like Hell is Hold of Heauinesse For who so hath most ease and rest therein Are most diseas'd most oft with restlesse Sinne. No foote of Ground Earths dismall face containes That is not ouer-laid with treble Snares A Flies foote rests not on It without Paines Besides Deaths danger and a World of cares I speake but speak with griefe what I haue found On Earth then Earth of griefe is but the Ground For scarce is one Temptation ouer-past But in the Neck thereof another comes Like Circles that Stones cause in Waters cast Which chase each other till the last o'er-comes So and none otherwise Temptations striue Which by the spoile of others best shall thriue Nay so each other to succeede were ease More then temptation vseth to admit But while the first endures like swelling Seas Another riseth worse much worse then It Then in temptations Seas with Waues thus driu'n How hard is it t' attaine the Hau'n of Heau'n The treble Snares fore-mention'd three fell Foes Doe lay for me to catch me if they can The Flesh the Diuell and the World are Those Which three still watch to catch me carelesse Man The least of which hath skill exceeding great Then how should I poore Wren their drifts defeate On this side fights my Flesh the World on that The Diuell at my Backe and all as One Doe me assaile nay doe they care not what So I thereby may quite be ouer-throwne And thus like cunning Foes they compasse mee That I may haue no way away to flee I cannot from my Body flee because It is my Clogge and I am tide thereto Nor must I It vndoe for any cause For so vndone I doe my soule vndoe If I doe feede the same my foe I fat That will assault mee much the more for that Then must I needes my Body beare about Though faine I would forsake It knew I how And yet the same is alwayes running out Yet drawes me with 't as Colts doe draw the Plow It tires my Spirit that toiles to keepe it in From being tir'de in running out to sinne Besides th'iniurious World beleaguers me This that and eu'ry way with maine and might And through the Loope-holes of my Senses Hee With my weake Soule continually doth fight Which still thogh faintly fights to keepe out death And oft poore Soule quite shee is out of breath If at those Loopes the World repulse doth take Hee sets his Slaues to watch me in my way That they may through my slippings me o'er-take And so to wound my Fame with sharp Dispraise Or draw mee els before Authority Where I may know what t' is to slip awry But that 's a fauour done against his will Herein his malice mends me makes me watch My sinfull selfe from running into ill Lest that these Fiends should me in euill catch For Lord thou know'st they watch not for my good But how by mischiefe they may suck my bloud If thee I serue they call me Hypocrite If I doe not then Atheist am I nam'd If I giue Almes t is that beg praise I might So doe I good or euill I am blam'd Then this thrice wayward World by his good will Will haue me to be Nothing good nor ill The Diuell is a Spirit which is vnseene Then how should I auoid his mortall Blowes Whose weapons are as long as strong and keene And sendeth flaming Shafts from fiery Bowes The least of which to death my Soule will wound If thou confound them not ere they confound So then these three strong armed Enimies Me ceaselessely assaile to make me fall The Flesh suggesteth to me Luxuries The World obiecteth Sweetes the Diuell Gall And all as most intire conspire in this To make me ill to liue to die amisse The Flesh importunes me with daintie food With Sleepe Sloth Lust and carnall Liberty The World doth moue me to ambitious moode The Diuell to Malice Ire and Treacherie Thus all in seu'rall sort in one agree To pare my Crowne if not to conquer me Behold ô Lord with whom I liue perforce I dwell with Scorpions Vipers and the like Which kill by Nature without all remorce And with their stings they good and bad doe strike O Lord how long how long deare Lord shall I Endure this Death the Life of misery Atheists and Infidels doe neighbour me Beside these foes and with them still doe ioyne To worke my wracke for they still boring be Betwixt thy Spirit and mine them to vnioyne Among the Tents of Kedars thus I dwell Whose In-mates are as Serpent-wise as fell Example more then Precept makes vs good And is there none that doth good no not one Then ah what can liue with this Vipers Brood That is not brought to nought no not a Stone Then I being Flesh how can I hurt auoide By them by whom eu'n Stones are oft annoid In these sore Conflicts if I should retire Into my selfe I finde me fraught within With fleshly worldly diuellish-damn'd desire The three-fold Bastard of these Foes and Sinne. Who will with them conspire to conquer me Then in my selfe I least secure shall be My Heart 's more moueable then Motion is Vnconstant fugitiue vaine light lewd blinde Wandring each way and yet the way doth misle Yet still holds on that Course by course of kinde Agent and Patient t is in Sinne and Shame That both effects and suffers for the same And as a Mill doth grinde what it receiues Els grindes it selfe if nought be throwne thereon So doth the Heart grinde what the same conceiues Else grindes it selfe till it to nought be gone But it by Nature still conceiueth Sinne Then Sinne by Nature still is ground therein But if thy Grace Lord thou therein infuse It grindes the same like flow'r of finest Wheate To make sweet Bread vnleauened to vse When as the Soule doth grinde thee as her meate And as the heart doth grinde the Soule to feede With good or bad so our liues haps succeede Sometimes it grindes but griefes infus'd by Sinne And oft but Dusty thoughts and Earthy cares Thou when such Griefs it grindes pour'st Ioy therin And me for thee by griefes that Ioy prepares Then may I say when so the Mill doth runne I had beene if I had not beene vndone But for the most part it is euer cloid Like an hard Miâ—l-stone with the softest things As fleshly lusts and vaine Ioyes ouer-ioyde And with that harts-case which most torment brings So that my Heart
or else of good depriu'd so both accurst And if my best be nought but cloaked sinne what are my worst but worse than what is worst Not for committing odious sinnes in act but for omitting deedes of Charitie Which Iustice at her Iudgement will exact the Reprobate are damn'd and so may I For t is but halfe the duty of my whole to doe no ill but still I good should doe With all the care and forces of my Soule else ill I may be doom'd and damned too God gaue me life but for his Seruice than I must account how I each moment spend And sinn'd I not yet sith I am a Man that doth no good it 's damned in the end And were my deeds vnited and withall clear'd from pollution and from all defect Yet are they nought to gifts meere corporall which I haue had and yet haue in effect So that too like an idle beast I am that still deuoureth more then he doth earne And lookes for food ere he deserues the same nor doth the giuers gifts from Fates discerne O! out vpon me most vngratefull beast abusing Reason as if I had it not What shall I say deare Lord I must at least confesse I haue thy goodnesse most forgot O! with what Marble Eyes or flintie Front shall I the glory of thy presence brooke Who art both Iudge of me to take account and Witnesse too as witnesse will thy Booke And yet alas lesse pow'r I haue to shunne thy presence then haue heart the same t' abide For thou art all in All then can I runne from thee when thou dost compasse all beside Yet haue I bin but in Ciuilitie more loath t' offend my meanest mortall Friend Then in good Conscience so great maiestie that filleth All and All doth comprehend And haue I shame to say 't more sham'd to sinne in sight of men then in thy dread aspect My Soule is blinde so saw thee not within and mortall Eyes but mortall things respect And for the Graces which thou gau'st to mee to glorifie the Giuer I vile wretch Haue to my selfe the glory tane from thee so with thy gifts I doe thee still impeach I haue not lou'd thee for thy mercy nor haue fear'd thee for thy Iustice yea thy might Though most almighty I did most abhorre when it in Iustice on me wretch did light Thou hast to me reueal'd thy Will but looke how often I haue glost it with mine owne Were it within or else without thy Booke so oft hath thine by mine bin ouerthrowne And if I reckon right betweene thy Law and mine obseruance though I feare thy Rod I must confesse neere Dauids foole I draw that said in Soule at least There is no God I haue obserued nought but what my sense depraued sense being Ill did hold for good Which Ill with all the Stormes of foule Offence still wrought vpon the Current of my Bloud Mine Eyes are sharpe as eager still to pry into mens worst parts rather than their best And wrench that little much that is awry and what 's most right to make it lesse at least Apt to detract from others and exact praise to my selfe from others this is it That makes me enuy eu'ry witty Tract vnlesse it be composed by my Wit As apt most apt to giue as take offence hard to be pleas'd displeas'd too easily As prompt to Choler as to violence but fearing death yet desperate prest to dye In reasoning rash and yet soone rudely round to compasse Faith to falshood soone thereby And where Truth stands to throw her on her ground in beastly rage vntill shee seeme to lye False in Humilitie and true in pride in iesting rough and rash in censuring To gouerne I haue made my Heart too wide t' obey too straite through griefes straite gouerning More then the Mount Vesuuius haue I burn'd in vaine Ambitions euer-raging flame And all good gifts and graces haue I turn'd to Fewell burning in desire of fame Thou gau'st me gifts where of the praise I sought so robb'd thee Lord of glory and with speede I wages seeke for that which thou hast wrought for for thy Workes in me I looke for meede More proud than Lucifer the Fount of Pride for he being glorious mac'e might soone o'erweene But I being bred of but Slime-putrifide vsurpt thy praise so much more proud haue beene Wherein if thou hast crost me I haue storm'd worse than that Hell-hound for he fell to Hell Then easily might fume being so enorm'd but I on Earth at ease against thee swell The lightest pleasures make me lighter doate but easiest paines doe presse me downe to death If Fates but smile in pleasures Seas I floate and if but frowne it eu'n expires my breath I foulest Vices vnder vertuous Names doe patronize as extreame Crueltie For vpright Iustice Loue of lightest Dames for perfect Zeale Selfe-â—oue for Charitie Craft for true Wisedome Pride for Cleanlinesse Basenesse for Meeknesse Doubt for Holy Feare Meere Cowardize for discreet Warinesse Râ—shnâ—sse for Manhood Couetize for Care And so of others in none other sort I vaunt their vice with vertuous tearmes inuolu'd And haue an eye but onely to Report while I but right to seeme am wrong resolu'd All good Instructions fall into my Soule as Aprill-showres into the Sea doe fall Whose swelling surges doe their drops controule and euer turne their sweetnesse into Gall. When I haue beene reprou'd for ought vnright I would deny excuse or it defend Or else reproch my iust reprouers straight and so without offence would faine offend If I haue vow'd deuotion and withall haue taskt my selfe with holy Exercise I soone infring'd it were it ne'er so small so loath'd I Manna Leekes to gurmandize And looke how one that taketh fire in hand but out of hand straight thowes it cannot hold The heate thereof so I doe vnderstand but small effect of Prayer made so cold As Cates vnchewed haue they past from me without concoction not without annoy For when I thinke they went away so free my Soule is sicke with griefe and grieu'd with ioy Thus lose I still my time in going on and comming off from eu'ry good attempt So purpose without prosecution leaues my best actions idle in contempt With but beginnings haue I worne my dayes and oft haue fail'd but in the meere assay Yet for but failing haue I lookt for praise ô shame sith I good motions did obey I likewise haue beene light in my Dsiere now this now that and then the other face Sparkes of thy beauty set my Heart on fire with Beauties grace to sinne for want of grace So could not walke abroad but that anon my wandring sight would giue thy sight offence For eu'ry sparkling Eye mine lighted on through mine straight kindled my Concupiscence For this too oft I haue abus'd the Muse thou gau'st me but to woo thee for thy Loue But I lewde Louer did her Measures vse to mete fraile motions strongly so to moue Thus Beauty
the bones which by thee broken were reioyce and sinne wherein it ioy'd reiect O then from my foule sinnes thy Face auert and wash me from the filth they cast on me In me create an vndefiled Heart with such a spirit as may be iust to thee And cast me not ô cast me not away out of the Way still brightned by thy beames Nor from me take thy Spirit my Guide and Stay in hardest passages of all Extreames Restore to me the gladnesse of thy blisse and with thy chiefest Spirit still strengthen me Then those I le teach that now thy wayes doe misse so Sinners shall conuerted be to thee Saue me from bloud that vengeance doth implore so shall my Tongue thy Iustice highly raise But more thy Mercy sith it glads me more Then ope my Lips and they shall shew thy praise Had'st thou desired Sacrifice I had offer'd it to thee but thou tak'st delight In no burnt Offrings but art euer glad to take the Offer of a contrite Spirit A Broken Heart with sorrow but for Sinne thou wilt nor canst thou for thy Word despise Then let mine broken so thy Mercy win and from it still auert thine Anger 's Eyes With Sion ô deale gently that the Wals of raz'd Ierusalem rebuilt may be And still withstand Hels fiery darts and Bals to keepe thy Foes out onely but for thee Then shalt thou take the Sacrifice in gree of Iustice in thy Mercy then shall they Offer Oblations still in flames to thee and Calues vpon thine holy Alter lay To God the Father praise and glory be and to the Sonne and to their blessed Sp'rit A Trinitie in strictest Vnitie as it was is and shall be infinite Domine exaudi Psal. 102. It seemeth that this Prayer was appointed to the faithfull to pray in the Captiuitie of Babilon A Consolation for the building of the Church whereof followeth the praise of God to be published vnto all Posteritie The Conversion of the Gentiles and the stabilitie of the Church ATtend my Prayer Lord and let my Cry ascend to thee from whom all grace descends From my distresse turne not thy Mercies Eye but bowe thine Eare to me that downward bends When e'er I call make answere for my dayes like Vapor vanish and my parched bones Waxe weake and dry as is the flame that playes about the Snuffe at point to quench at ones Th' hast smitten me as Grasse by Lightning smit so that my Heart is wither'd quite away And through my griefe for that I further it for I forget to eate for Natures stay And through my groning voice my bones that burne to my consuming flesh will hardly cleaue And like a Pelican alone I mourne or like an Owle I liue while life I leaue I weare out Time in strictest vigilance and as a Sparrow on the Houses Crest I sit alone to minde my sinnes mischance so idly resting in the most vnrest The while my Foes backbiting me reuile yea he that praised me against me sweares But I as Bread did Ashes eate the while and still my Drinke did mingle with my Teares Because thy Wrath grew hot against my sinne for thou hast rais'd me vp to cast me downe My dayes are past as if they ne'er had bin and like Hay wither'd I from thee am mowne But thou immortall Spirit dost still endure and thy Memoriall euer lasts in prime Thou shalt arise and downe thy Mercies poure by showers on Sion in this promis'd time For eu'n the Stones of that faire Edifice delight thy Seruants and her sacred Ground They pitty as they doe her preiudice which with the sharpest griefe their hearts doth wound So shall the Heathen feare thine awfull NAME and all the Kings on Earth thy glory feare For Sions Fabricke thou dost still re-frame and in thy fullest Glory shalt appeare Our Lord the prayers of the meeke approues and not dispie their Suites in wretched case So future times to write this this doth moue that Babes vnborne may praise this God of Grace Who from his high as holy Place doth vaile his Eyes to Earth whereon they still remaine To heare poore Captiues plaints and such as waile and loose the Sonnes of them vniustly slaine That they in Sion should diuulge his NAME and in Ierusalem his earned Praise Yea in th' Assemblies celebrate the same when Kings consorted sing sweet Sions Layes He in the way of his great pow'r and grace â—hath answer'd them but shew Lord shew to me How long or short shall be my mortall Race that so for thee I still may ready be And take me not ô take me not away at vnawares yer halfe my Dayes be done As for thy yeeres they stand still at a stay but mine more swift then thought away doe runne In the Beginning thou the Earth didst found the highest Heauens thy glorious Hands did reare But they shall perish thou continue sound while they waxe old and like a Garment weare And as a Vesture thou shalt change their Frame and they shall changed be but thou alone Dost still continue One and aye the same whose yeeres remaine the same and euer One Thy Seruants sonnes inhabit shall the Land their seede shall be directed in thy Wayes And while they walke therein they fixt shall stand in Heau'n and Earth to celebrate thy praise To God the Father then all glory be t' his Sonne and to their Spirit which wee adore Coequall in their Essence and Degree as it was is and shall be euermore De profundis clamaui Psal. 130. The people of God from their bottomlesse misery doe cry vnto God and are heard They confesse their sins and flye vnto Gods mercy FRom depth of Griefe wherein my Soule doth lye I doe and will deare Lord still call on thee Then let thine eares attend mine inward Cry and listen to my Prayers and to me If thou fraile Flesh wilt call to strict account what flesh and bloud then in thy sight shall stand But Mercy is with thee as in the Fount then I expect thy Mercyes Helping-hand My Soule vpon the Faith which thou hast plight hath euer staid and still doth hope in thee Then from the Morning-watch till that of Night let Israel still relie on Thee with me For with this God of Glory and of Grace is Grace as much as Glory and therein He will redeeme the sad in sinfull Case with his true Israel from all their sinne To God the Father which we doe adore and to the Sonne and to their blessed Spirit All glory be as it was heretofore is and still shall be through Worlds infinite Domine exaudi Psal. 143. An earnest Prayer for remission of sinnes acknowledging that the enemies did thus cruelly persecute him by Gods iust iudgement He desireth to be restored to grace To be gouerned by his holy Spirit that hee may spend the remnant of his life in the true feare and seruice of God LOrd heare my pray'r with thine all-hearing ears and for thy truths sake