which bestowes each hower With hand of mercie sending forth a shower In large aboundance to produce good seedes My wounded hart with pearsed conscience bleedes When I remember thee my soules succour Who was so many times by mee forgot Who by mee wicked vilest hainous wretch Prophaned oft hast beene but praised not At length though late mine armes mine hart I stretch My soule my sinfull soule I lift to thee Who with thy praises triumph cleare would bee SONNET XXVI GReat God of larges bountifull good giuer Of endlesse blessings as thou didst bestow On me poore wretch that reason how to know Thee without all beginnig endlesse liuer Powre likewise downe thy graces louely Riuer And let it Lord my poore hart ouerflow These like sweete fire which Diuine spirits blow May clearely burne in zeale of thy Loues euer That all my thoughts thy Testament embrace That all my wits thy tearmelesse grace set out That by thee praising I may shew thy grace Which in large Talent thou to mee let out That after good accompt past terme of ages I may receiue a trustie stewards wages SONNET XXVII HIgh King of Kings who with thine awfull cheeke Controles the sterne windes sinfull land rough Seas Who chides in thunder when wee doe displease Whome all things feare and tremble at his becke Yoking in one the Kings and beggers necke Without respect in wrath yet will appease His wrath when sinners penitent shall prease His throne in zeale sincere without contecke Oh God iust mercifull and gracious Full of all plentie blessing and kindnesse Whose endlesse rule past limit spacious Illuminate my soule and banish blindnesse Consider how this sinfull soule opprest With nature by thy grace would bee redrest SONNET XXVIII FOrtresse of hope Anchour of faithfull zeale Rocke of affiance Bulwarke of sure trust In whome all nations for saluation must Put certaine confidence of their soules weale Those sacred misteries deare Lord reueale Of that large volume righteous and iust From mee though blinded with this earthly dust Doe not those gracious misteries conceale That I by them as from some beame some Lampe May finde the bright and right direction To my soule blinded marching to that Campe. Of sacred soldiours whose protection Hee that victorious on a white horse rideth Taketh and euermore triumphant guideth SONNET XXIX RAyons of glorie beames of endlesse ioy Cheerish my soule illuminate my wits Rauish my sences with celestial fits That mistes infernall doe not them anoy All carnall motions weaken and acoy Eu'n from that beame some throne where glorious sits The Lord of light whose eye no shade admits That filthy Dragon my sonles foe destroy Which in foule pit of dreadfull darkenes liues Repleat with horrour and contagious smell Whose shadow noysome mist and blindnes giues Raysde from th'infectious damps of vgly Hell Rayons of comfort through my Temples pearse And consecrate my Muse to sacred verse SONNET XXX HIgh mightie God of Gods and King of Kings Whose awful charge through the round world doth runne Eu'n from the rising of the glorious Sunne Vnto the Seas where hee his Chariot brings What instruments or what harmonious strings Shall to thy graces which bee new begunne And haue so many soules with comfort wonne Giue praises due to such celestiall things Praise and thankesgiuing to the Lord surrender And pay thy duties to thy God most highest Least thou before his throane a vile offender Appeare when sinne and Hell to conscience nighest Accuse thee wicked sinner for that grace Which God bestowde and thou cast in his face SONNET XXXI O Glorious Patrone of eternall blisse Victorious conquerour of Hell and death Oh that I had whole westerne windes of breath My voice and tongue should not bee so remisse My notes should not bee so rare and demisse But euery riuer forrest hill and heath Should eccho forth his praise and vnderneath The worlds foundations sound that it is his Hee which did place the worlds foundations Hee which did make the Sunne the Moone and starres Who with his blood redeem'd all nations And willing none from Paradise debarres Shall not all instruments and voyces sounde His glories which in all these things abounde SONNET XXXII THe well of life the forte of happinesse Rocke of affiance Piller of sure trust Anchor of hope Treasure repining rust Starre of direction Ease of wretchednesse Great Lord of largesse Iudge of wickednesse Balme of saluation Ayder of the iust Fountaine of grace Quickner of Clay and dust Cure of disease Releeuer of distresse Bright Sunne of comfort Iustice of true peace The branch of glory and the Fruite of blisse Kingdomes disposer Husband of increase For penitence who pardons things amisse And in contrition dayly who delightes What man can giue due glorious Epithites SONNET XXXIII THrice puissant generall of true Christian hoast Whose voyce it selfe is dreadfull thundercracke Whose wrath doth nether fire nor lightning lacke Whose stormie frowne makes tremble euerie coast Chasing thy fearefull foes from post to post Whose hands force can all the worlds forces sacke Who turnes his foemens colours into blacke Whose murthering thunderboults for arrowes bee Whose sworde victorious Trenchant double edg'd His holy Scripture is whose foes conuert The pointe to their owne brest and haue alledg'd Vaine arguments thy deare Saints to subuert As thou deare God art iudge so giue thy doome In iustice to subuert ambitious Rome SONNET XXXIIII BEhold deare Father with those gracious eyes Which all the world with their beames glorie brighten My plaints and then my cause in iustice righten My soule repentant still for mercy cries Prick'd with vaine sinnes which in my thoughts arise Hope of thy mercy doth my sorrow lighten Feares least more sinnes ensue with my soule fighten And true zeales of thy loue my thoughts surprise But angrie iustice seemes with irefull threate To giue blacke sentence of damnation vnto my soule distress'd and doth repeate Olde sinnes prouoking desperation Oh saue mee saue mee Lord least that I fall Into damnation saue Lord when I call SONNET XXXV A Rise thou mightie God of heau'n rise vp Against thy sinfull foes of Babell rise And scatter thou like dust thine enemies Let them dregges of thine indignation suppe That haue beene drunken with the strumpets cuppe Like smoke which vanisheth into the skies Disseuer them and like the waxe which fries Before the fire so melt and burne them vp O magnifie the Lord and praises sing Vnto the mightie God of heau'n who makes The clouds to thunder and his boults doth wing With fire and furie who the round world shakes Before whose face Kings with their Armies flie And at whose feete proud Emperours dead lie SONNET XXXVI LOrd with the light of thy cleare countenance My sinfull troubled soule illuminate And with thy mightie shoulders eleuate My feeble spirit and his state aduaunce From thy sweete brest pearc'd sometimes with a Launce For my redeemption from accursed state Lend one deare droppe whose force shall animate My soule
XIIII O Benigne Father let my sutes ascend And please thy gracious eares from my soule sent Euen as those sweete perfumes of incense went From our forefathers altars who didst lend Thy nosthrils to that mirrh which they did send Euen as I now craue thine eares to be lent My soule my soule is wholy wholy bent To doe thee condigne seruice and amend To flie for refuge to thy wounded brest To sucke the balme of my saluation thence In sweete repose to take eternall rest As thy childe folded in thine armes defence But then my flesh me thought by Sathan fir'de Said my proud sinfull soule in vaine aspirde SONNET XV. PIttifull Lord whose endles mercy reacheth From East to West and the worlds compasse filleth Whose charge imperious as thy spirit willeth Things sencelesse as in life obedience teacheth Whose bright omnipotence the Dumbe borne preacheth Whose grace in full aboundance downe distilleth To contrite sinners which olde Sathan killeth And wounded spirits heales whome sinne appeacheth With those bright eyes of mercy me respect From my soule made thy temple Sathan driue That my pure spirit may thy praise detect And from death by thy liuely grace reuiue That sinne and Hell suppress'd I might appeare After deaths conquest by thy mercies cleare SONNET XVI SVre corner stone of that rocke firme and hie Where of eternall life the fountaine springs Whose vertue to the soule such comfort brings That he which tasteth neuer shall be drie Nor euer slaue of death againe shall die Oh let thy blessed Angell carrie wings And arme my soule which loathing earthly things For liuely water to that rocke would flie There neuer dare approch my Ghostly foe Which would from number of thy Saints exempt My silly soule sweete Christ let him forgoe That deare soules purchase which he doth attempt Remember my deare Lord thou dy'd to saue it Then neuer shall the roaring Lyon haue it SONNET XVII MYlde King of Salem Lord of louely peace Who do'st in brother like agreement ioy In mercy mourning when thou do'st destroy Where iustice condigne anger doth encrease Behold a wretch whose sinnes doe neuer cease With haynous guilt his conscience to annoy Who by that meanes cannot calme rest enioy Behold deare Christ and for my free release Vpon contrition those offences blot Out of those large inditements which be giu'n By my iust conscience let them be forgot Forget forgiue deare Lord for I am driu'n By their remembrance almost to dispaire Which my soules ruine ready would prepare SONNET XVIII HYe priest of Syon whose eternall throne With endlesse right and mercy seated is Which all knees when his name repeated is Adore whose rule hath times swift wings outgone Whose Scepter is an euerlasting one Whose Monarchie neuer compleated is This humble Alter see which heated is With feruent zeale I beare to thee alone Which from the Syon of my soule aspireth Euen from this zealous hart vnto the chayre Of euerlasting power where it desireth Through pleasing incense for me to prepayre A glorious Crowne which neuer will take rust Which graunt Deare Sauiour in whose helpe I trust SONNET XIX LOuely Samaritane draw neere and view The mangled obiect of a wretched soule Afflicted deadly with a conscience foule The iust sting of such sinnes as my soule slew Whose faults be numberlesse though yeeres bee few Oh note them not sweete Lord in thy blacke scroule Which may my deare saluations hope controle When breath and body shall be changed new But these foule desperate wounds deare Christ vp bind Cherishd with oyle of mercies and sweete grace And let thy Gospell minister each kind Of heau'nly foode and bee thy Church the place Where I may mee repose to purchase cure That when thou com'st I may be sound and pure SONNET XX. GReat God of Abraham whose eternall power Shaketh the worlds vnsure foundations Whose frowne affrights all Kings and nations whose anger doth like flames of fire deuour Whose triumph comming is in vnknowne hower Whose praise exceedes all mortall mens Orations Whose time of grace for sinners preparations Thou do'st inlarge to yeeld vs more succour Like Father chastice mee with tender twigges Not like an angrie Iudge with yren Rodde Least Sathan purchase conquest by dispaire That when heauen shall shake downe her Starres like Figges Thou both as equall iudge and gentle God For mee the Crowne of glorie may prepare SONNET XXI SOle hope and blessing of olde Israels line Which gaue by promise to his blessed seede A land that should all blessings plentie breede Riuers of pleasant Honnie Milke and wine Whose ofspring numberlesse thou calledst thine Whome with thine Angels Manna thou didst feede Being before from Pharoes bondage freede When Moyses first thy statutes did resigne Behold deare God one in these daies of grace Since by thy precious bloud thou freede mankinde By promise which a portion and a place Amongst thy children hopeth for to finde In Gospels comfort through thy bloudes deare prise Oh let him purchase such a Paradise SONNET XXII FOuntaine of life and endlesse happinesse O quench these wordly sparkes of Sathans fier Enkindled in my fancies and desier Rocke of saluation and all blessednesse Defend mee charg'de with sinful wickednesse Spirite of comfort let thy breath inspire My soule infected ready to retire And carnall mocions striuing to represse I thirst cleare fountaine for the streame of life I fall farre set from my saluations rocke And Sathan with my Spirite is at strife Vrging that I am seuer'd from thy flocke Yet my deare Sauiour strong rocke and sweete spirite Through mercy my poore soule shall heauen inherite SONNET XXIII FAther of Pietie by this wee know The glories greater of thy gracious loue Then of desires which carnal fancies moue For if wee praise a mortall shape below By flattery their Diuinities wee show Comparing them their perfectnesse aboue Their cheekes to Roses their neckes white to Doue Their eyes to starres from whence all fortunes flow Their eyes effects to the Meridian Sunne Their modest thoughts to the colde Virgine moone Oh fooles fooles ignorant when this is donne Wee know wee flatter them then Muses soone Why turne you not your numbers musicall To God aboue mans praise which ruleth all SONNET XXIIII PVre spotlesse ofspring of vngratefull Iurie At morning mid-day and at quiet night I neither will forget thy praise nor might When men vngratefull shall prouoke thy furie I shall bee safe if that deare grace procure I And finde sweete comfort of eternall light Mongst Cherubes Seraphins and Angels bright But if thy precepts I forget then sure I With sinners must expect my portion dew Because thy grace celestiall I abus'd And in thy face with vile contorcion threw Those sacred blessings stubbornely refus'd At length I like an Angell shall appeare In spotlesse white an Angels Crowne to weare SONNET XXV GLorious Iehouah Oh how full of power How full of sacred maruailes bee thy deedes Thou that with plenties euery creature feedes And blessed bounties
chance appeach will grieue and blind Vnlesse from thence it by good meanes you shatter So that smooth foe who cunningly can flatter And as a tempest rageth in his kind Moues dust our flesh from earth vpraysde to bleare Of our redemption the much better part Our soules with charge of sinnes to vexe and feare Blinded and grieu'd with earthly dust and smart To thine eyes Lord let our eyes open bee And shut from sinne who sight blinds blind makes see SONNET LXXXII AFter acoale-blacke comfortlesse foule night With tempests horrour and thicke showers opprest Disease of Pilgrims Trauayllers vnrest When as the glorious Sunnes vprising right With chearefull beames and vertuous motion bright Hath from his Easterne mansion redressde The chearelesse Medowes and Cornefields supprest With liuely meanes of animating might In equall semblance my poore soule enlargde From this earthes blindnesse and blacke dangers free With deadly sinnes sharpe tempest late surchargde Shall when my glorious Iudge I comming see After rough stormes of sighes and showers of teares Through deare contrition franchised from feares SONNET LXXXIII THat Bird imperiall which the gentile Poets worthy thought For vertues rare preheminence to stand ascribed fit To Iupiter since in chiefe whē Romanes honor'd it As richest ensigne which could bee for their great Monarch sought That puissant and imperiall beast great into Iudah brought Which of all other beasts beside doth as commaunder sit That other firme and permanent which doth so well befit For courage strength humility seruice which he wrought The figure of that glorious and legate most Diuine Together with that Angell childe chast innocent and faire Which to the spirite of thy deare Embassadour did shine As Eagle first whose precious eyes more bright thē Sunbeames are The next is Lyon mightie made as Bull the third more strong And of thy deare Euangelists the fourth as Angell yong SONNET LXXXIIII THe paradice of ioyes true mercies seate The throne of iudgement refuge and distresse Sweete bosome of loue health and happinesse The glorious Theater where Saintes repeate The most prayse worthies prayse where froste nor heate With violent assaylance soules suppresse The quyre of Angelles Church of holynesse Sweete pardons place where pennaunce doth intreate The Pallace of eternall peace and ease The spacious Courte where Kinges and Angelles serue The scaffolde where true pompes of honour please The golden pathes where Pilgrimes neuer swerue The Stage of sacred tryumphes and that place Where tearmelesse victorie giues endelesse grace SONNET LXXXV COntrariwise that horrible blacke pitte That ougly gaole of sorrowes without ende That filthie sincke to which foule sinners tende That dreadfull fiery lake where furies sitte That warde of madnesse and outrageous fitte where hiddeous diuilles condemned spirits rende Blacke desolations denne where liues no frende But tortur'd souls depriued of their witte That filthie dungeon whose chiefe musicke is The grones outcries sobbes and forlorne laments of Parracydes and men which liu'de amisse The bootlesse teares of too late penitents That loue of haeu'n this loathsomnesse of hell The wayes of life and death directly tell SONNET LXXXVI THat loathsome spirite of vayne stinking pride Which with contempt and detestable scorne Begets all sinnes to condemnation borne That selfe consuming Enuie that foule bride Of filthie lust that gulfe still gaping wide For treasures numberlesse that poignant thorne Of wraths fel passion furious and forlorne That sincke of gluttony that slothfull guide Which to destruction and all sickenesse brings None of these mortall vices which abounde In sinfull creatures but in sorrowestings The troubled carkase with a curelesse wounde And none of these but doth the soule dismay With restlesse guilt and it to death betray SONNET LXXXVII BVt that sweete spirite modest meeke and milde Which with true zeale and solace doth imbrace The loue of vertues and eternall grace That charitie whose deedes of mercy builde With fayths assistaunce for his soule defilde An hospitall of ease in heauens pallace That spotlesse contenance with rosie face That sober temperance which hath exilde Detested ryot and foule surfets vice That hande of bountie which still giues and lendes That blessed patience soules caulme sacrifice That honest labour which lifes state defendes Through peace of conscience and souls comfort these Our heartes for heauen prepare and high God please SONNET LXXXVIII THe worldes bright comforter whose became some light Poore creatures cheereth mounting from the deepe His course doth in prefixed compasse keepe And as courageous Gyant takes delight To runne his race and exercise his might Till him downe galloping the mountaynes steepe Cleere Hesperus smooth messenger of sleepe Viewes and the siluer ornament of night Foorth bringes with starres past number in her trayne All which with Sunnes long borrowed splendour shine The Seas with full tyde swelling ebbe agayne All yeeres to their olde quarters newe resigne The windes forsake their mountayne-chambers wilde And all in all thinges with Gods vertue filde SONNET LXXXIX I Feele by motions in my sinnefull breast My sillie soule through weakenesse is depraued And Sathan fearing least it shoulde be saued My memory doth with vile sinnes infest And to procure my spirites more vnrest When of my soule in anguish helpe is craued where her chiefe refuge is with horrour raued My conscience in despayre cryes out opprest O mercie mercie grace and succour sende Father of mercie for thy Sonne sweete Iesus my sore hart and sinwounded soule defende With thy sweete helpe and holy Spirite ease vs Thy quickening vertue lende to my soule dead Then shall my foote on Sathans bellie tread SONNET LXXXX IF that sweet spirit of omnipotence All vertues and all comfort which contayneth Which in soules penitent and heauenly raygneth Whose gloryous power and vertues excellence Did rayse vp Iesus our sweete soules defence In vs and our refourmed hearts remayneth Then hee whose puissance heuenly forceretayneth and Christ vpraysde our soules preheminence Shall our base mortall bodies liuely make Through sinne and nature corruptible first And by that holy Ghost which place doth take In our reuiued spirites mortall earst Our soules and bodies both regenerate Chaung'de for a ioyfull and immortall state SONNET LXXXXI OH whither doth my lamentable soule Wing'd with a spirite of a sighing breath Prepare this langued carkase if to death Then farewell bondage of this prison foule The sinne of vile transgression where I rowle In earthly dust and tumble vnderneath I feele that sacred freelidge followeth Maugre the rage of Sathan which doth howle And cries out for lawes vengeance heare him not Respect not him deare Lorde but on me looke Looke on me my deare Lorde I feare him not My God my louing God turne not thy booke Which may my conscience with sinnes burthen grieue But let thy mercies baulme my soule relieue SONNET LXXXXII REleeue my soule with thy deare mercies balmes Monarch of precious mercie succour send I will indeuour my vile sinnes to mend And to thee my soules sacrifice in Psalmes High God