giue me grace to see and feare To pray in faith and thou thy hand forbeare SON XXVIII POlluted with the curelesse leprosie Of sin which is heriditarie now So lothsome growne that I dare not come nie Thy holy temple where my heart doth bow I craue ô Lord it please thee to allow The high Priest Christ thy sonne to view my sore Whose holy hand may guide and teach me how To cure this griefe it may returne no more I know ô Lord thou hast of mercy store And only thou doest pitie mans estate Which though my stubburne heart refusde before Repentance yet and faith comes not too late These sparrowes of repentance I present An offering through this worldly desert sent SON XXIX A Virgine pure ô Lord by birth I was The daughter of thy church adopt by grace But lothâ—ome lust foule feend did me alas Pursue and sought with me his dwelling place As many vertues as did seeke my grace By weddingâ— band to me to be vnight So many did this seend first night deface So oft I was depriu'd of my delight Seuen times a widow I with shame and spight Am left and liue now hopelesse of redresse Till thou with Raphaell send that medicine bright Of God to giue me grace sinne to suppresse Thy sonne my spouse shalbe who shall restore Tobias sight wealth comfort lost before SON XXX OF sinfull rase of mans licentious seed Whilst heauenly ofspring with faire humane kinde Do ioyne affects where wicked lusts do breed And so pollute the frutes of vertuous minde A bastard brood my selfe alas I finde Whose nature doth in tyrannie consist Of grace and reason growne so dull and blinde That I in wrong with stubburnesse persist Who seeing father Nature ere he wist A sleepe with sottish wine of worldly loue To hide his shame by wisedome had no list Which iustly curse of God on me did moue A slaue to sin therefore I did pursue Like Nymrod grace of God which now I rue SON XXXI AS oft as thou by grace wouldst draw me backe From sin whereto I am by nature thrall So oft alas I finde my will to lacke And power to follow thee when thou doest call From sin to sin I headlong thus do fall And quench repentance by a peruerse will I see my fall but haue no feare at all And to my vomit dog-like turne I still My frailtie doth thy wrathfull cup fulfill With flowing measure of reuenge and wo When I returne a litle backe from ill To wallow in the myre againe I go No power 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 battery 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 heart 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 Which 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 Who 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 are with pleasure paide The hatefull Army which doth hast to hell My natiue power their passage not denaide Which makes their pride and peruerse wil to swell 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 Which 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 Which was corrupted with all lothsome sin My sister vertues to dispaire 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 gratious 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 stonie heart bid him arise Who 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 Which 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 Whose powerfull truth hath bound seeks to tame The furious lusts which to my ruine bent Graunt Lord from heart I may indeed repent And thereby chase these feends 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 by 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 Prophets do affect And with thy church to life and death will 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 encrease My selfe sonne shall praise thee so in pease SON XXXVIII BOrne blind I was through sinfull Adams fall And neuer since could see with carnall eies 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 power and glorie might to man appeare Who gracelesse groueling in earths darknesse lies And wants the eies 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 dvm the worldly wisedome seeming cleare And sinfull soules from hell to
raunsome 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 lead 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 deuowen 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 femalde 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 while is cause That I so instant am on thee to call O God of life but yeelding to thy lawes Before thy fight 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 quallifie it shall The quarrell which hath set thy wrath on fire If seruently 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 Power mercy truth wherby thy workes are wrough◠But soule 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 euery 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 assalts me with a hideous host Stretch forth hād lord smite thou my hart of stone With rod of true repentance griefe and mone SON LXXXVI THou hast ô Lord of mercy me enricht With flocks of fauour and of graces great Since I in Bethell first the piller pitcht Of praises to thy name and mercies seat Yet fleshly Esawes foule affections threat A ruine to the frute faith should forth bring With pleasing humors him for to intreat I feare it be too 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 praises 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 pleasest 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 iudgements 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 mother like excell Her childrēs thoughts of mēdment sees so leaue 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 Releeue 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 only on thee The leauen of the Pharisies will bee The surfet to my soule and death in fine Which coueting to tast forbidden tree To carnall rules and reasons do 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 heart doest frame To loue thy lawes and praise thy holy name SON XCI OVt of thy flock 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 seete 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 conuertits 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 Accompanied 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 perfection of mans strength to quaile By pride or want of faith or couetise By lust or gluttony or fained vaile Of vertue which doth many 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
gone Then since thou cal'st with faith do thou me cloth A lame blind begger Lord do thou not loth SON VI. IN pride of youth when as vnbridled lust Did force me forth my follies to bewray I challenged as patrimony iust Each vaine affection leading to decay And trusting to that treasure post away I wandred in the worlds alluring sight Not reason vertue shame or feare could stay My appetite from tasting each delite Till want and wearinesse began me bite And so perforce to father I retire To whom I prostrate kneele vnworthie wight To name of sonne not daring to aspire Receiue me yet sweet sauiour of thy grace Poore penitent into a seruants place SON VII LAme of my limmes and sencelesse of my state Neere fortie yeares Lord haue I groueling line Before Bethesda poole yet still too late To wash me in the fountaine I encline Whence health wold come when Angel giues the sine If any one to aide me readie were But helplesse thus I readie am to pine My selfe vnable duly vp to reare Vouchsafe thou then me to this bath to beare By the assistance of thy heauenly grace Let not the force of foule affects me feare To prease forth first when Christ appeares in place Who is the fountaine Angell and the man That bath that blisse that cure my senses can SON VIII THy thundring voice and Angell Lord of long Hath cald my soule from slumber where it laie The harmony of heauenly musickes song Hath made my wandring feete at last to staie Direct thou me also the readie way Vnto thy church that in thy holy place Thy word and law I may in heart â—bay And worship thee before thy peoples face Grant me I say such measure of thy grace That greedily by faith I swallow vp The booke of truth and so thy word imbrace That frutefully I taste saluations cup. Thou who doest rule the earth the sea and land In my defence with power and glory stand SON IX AMong thy sheepe ô Lord I seemd to feed By Sacraments receiu'd into thy flocke By preached word I watred was indeed And works with fleece did seeme inritch my stocke But at my doore true faith did neuer knocke Which should be shepheard of my soules defence But thiefelike fond affections reason mocke And by the window of my wilfull sence Do enter to my heart and steale from thence Each motion of amendment which doth rise And shepheardlesse of grace transported hence By Sathan rauening woolfe in fearefull wise I call to thee sweet Sauiour shepheard true Teach me to know thy voice and thee insue SON X. BEhold ô Lord the Citie thou hast built Ierusalem this fleshly frame of mine By sin Assyrians sword is almost spilt And like to yeeld to Rabsake in fine Yet lo alas my soule doth much repine To see proud Satan so blaspheme thy name To threaten ruine to this temple thine Since thou art praysd and honord in the same Thou able art the rage of lust to tame The force of pride and furie to subdue Against Senacherib thy Angell came And all his host in one night ouerthrew So let thy holie spirit me defend And to my plaints and praiers comfort send SON XI SInce with Goliah I am now to fight And lacke the flight of holie Dauids sling Arme thou me Lord with heauenly armor bright Which power of flesh world to foile may bring Thy righteous brestplate gird on me with truth Prepare my feete with Gospel of thy peace The shield of faith which firie dartes beare forth Of wicked Satan whose assaults not sease The helmet of saluation and the sword Of spirit which is founded on thy law All these my praiers are that thou afford To make me stedfast spight of lyons claw Who roaring daily seekes as wished pray My silly soule from thee to take away SON XII NOw that thou hast prepard me to confesse Thy seruice Lord the which I vndertake I thee beseech my purpose so to blesse That I a good account to thee may make A Nazarit I am who do forsake The delicacies of the worlds delight Whose thirst thy purest fountaine still shall slake With faith and truth the which with sin shall fight I will not tast the wine of Satans slight Which doth confound all reason and all sence My vow shall be to serue thee day and night And trust in thee shall be my true defence Till death dissolue this promise made to thee Whose strength herein thy heauenly graces be SON XIII I Seeke ô Lord to shew thy powrefull hand Which hath conuerted this my sinfull hart Into a rod of strength which still might stand Strong in thy truth who powrefull onely art But Iamnes pride and Iambres lustfull hart By slight imposture of slie Satans might Two Serpents frame which will not thence depart But seeke against thy powrefull hand to fight But let my faith their fury put to flight And vertue thine deuour these imps of sin Let not these fleshly frutes appeare in sight Of truth which only can the conquest win Let faith shew forth the finger of thy hand And cleane consume ech power doth it withstand SON XIIII BEhold ô Lord a tree by high way side Vnfrutefull yet of any foode for thee In high way side as yet I do abide Where passers to Ierusalem I see Though sommer grow I cannot frutefull be Vnplanted by thy grace in garden thine I do confesse I am a wild fig tree For want of moisture which am like to pine Vnto my praiers Lord do thou incline Remoue me home into thy garden faire Let me behold the face of thy sunne shine Which may my withered leaues with life repaire So maist thou tast a frute of wholesome kinde And leaue a marke of mercy great behinde SON XV. Within thy garden Lord I planted was And watred well with thy most carefull hand But yet vnfrutefull I remaind alas And these thy blessings did not vnderstand In vaine I did employ possessed land Ten times three yeares thy seruants did replant My stocke and sought to bend my crooked wand And did supply ech aide I seem'd to want At length my frutes which daily grew more scant Wild thee resolue to haue me weeded out My foule affections were with folly brant My roote of faith was shakt with feare and doubt And lo I pine sweet Sauiour water me Paul and Appollos worke else lost will be SON XVI A Wicked Pharisie I long haue bene Whom sight of mercies thine allure to thee A shamed Lord of my faire clothed sinne In secret uight I seeke thy face to see That thou art God thy workes reueale to me That thou art mine thy sonne doth me assure Vouchsafe that I regenerate may be And that my praiers pardon may procure Purge by thy sprite and faith faire fountaine pure The senses dull that cannot vnderstand The heauenly birth which shall in blisse endure Not subiect vnto Satans sinfull band And with thy sonne let worldes affections die My
minde Which is not blinde Or too much obstinate Which later natures chiefly thou doest hate SON XXIIII WHilst I do studie fitly to begin To vtter forth some part of my intent Which to thy praise with zeale and loue is bent Far freeing me from due reward of sin I finde a laberinth that I am in Of many merits which do me inclose Which as this holie motion in me role Of diuerse subiects for to treat do win Among the rest my heart hath chiefly chose To giue thee thanks for comfort to me sent In staying me the wandring course I went And feeling faith with knowledge where And though I lose Therwith the world Yet will I ioy in hope of heauenly sight SOX. XXV SInce thou hast Lord vouchsaft to send me ayde By holie spirit thine in time of need As Philip to the Eunuch came in deed Which in my wandring iourny me hath stayde Since he hath taught me what thy Prophets sayde And what humilitie was in thy sonne Whose patience like a lambe hath freedom wonne Vnto my soule for which he raunsome payde I see no earthly things should stay vndone The duties which requirde of me I reed By faith vpon thy promises I feed And to thy Sacraments for strength I runne And thus begunne I will continue still To learne thy lawes and to obey thy will SON XXVI HOw can I limit well my tong or pen Within what bownds may I my selfe inclose Who such a theame to write vpon haue chose Whereon the more I muse more groweth it then It fares with me herein euen right as when A hastie mind forgetteth what to speake When stāmering words the perfect sence do breake And makes vs not be vnderstood of men Such worthie matter in my mind there growes So plentifull and I of skill so weake 〈◊〉 pleasing to me and so proper cake 〈…〉 choyse of them I iudgement lose 〈…〉 euen as those Want matter silent be 〈…〉 plentie of thy praise confoundeth me SON XXVII NOw that thy mercies do so much abound As thou vouchsafest Lord with me to dwell And glorious Arke of hope which doth excell Drawne home by hungry faith my heart hath found Since power thereof did sinfull Dagon wound And yet disdaineth not my humble state I freely open Lord my lowly gate Of lips and tong which may thy praises sound Thy blessings seeme to flow to me of late Since in my soule thy word I did embrace My zeale refreshed is with heauenly grace My comfort wealth that hell cannot rebate In such a rate Thy fauour I do finde As bindes me loue a father found so kinde SON XXVIII WHat should I render thee my Sauiour deare For all the gifts thou doest on me bestow Whose gratious measure so doth ouerflow As power of recompence cannot appeare I do imbrace thy gifts with ioyfull cheare And to thy alter speedily will runne To follow forth thy praise but new begunne Till all thy people may thy mercies heare Thy glorious image shineth in the sonne Thy loue to man did his obedience show His loue and mercy vnto man hath wonne The gifts of grace whence faith comfort grow Where through we know That we are thy elect And these our feeble frutes wilt not reiect SON XXIX THe powerfull pen the which records thy praise O Lord of life hath many volumes made Thy wondrous works each leafe doth ouerlade Which aye increase as growing are my dayes Vnsearchable indeed are all thy wayes In multitude thy numbers do exceed In glorie they do admiration breed Their goodnesse power of recompence denayes The hungry thou with plenteous hand doest feed Thy sauour to thy creatures doth not fade The more in view of all thy works I wade The more I finde my sence confound indeed But yet insteed of Eccho to thy fame I will giue thanks and laud vnto thy name SON XXX THis stately stage wherein we players stande To represent the part to vs assignde Was built by God that he might pleasure finde In beautie of the works of his owne band All creatures of the ayre the sea and land Are players at his appointment of some thing Which to the world a proper vse may bring And may not breake assigned bownds or band Some do in ioy still forth his praises sing Some mourne make their mone with heauy mind Some shew the frutes of nature weake and blind Some shew how grace base sin away doth fling God like a king Beholds Christ doth attire The plaiers with the shape their states require SON XXXI WHo so beholds with constant fixed eye The fauour and perfection of my choyce He cannot chuse but must in heart reioyce That mortall sight may heauenly blisse espie All earthly beautie he will straight defie As things too base to occupie his braine Whose fading pleasures so are payd with paine That they true tast of pleasure do denie But who so can this perfect sight attaine Cannot containe but yeeld with cheerfull voyce An eccho to the Angels heauenly noyse Who to his praise do singing still remaine They then are vaine Who fix their sight so low That such a glorious God they will not know SON XXXII O Heauenly beautie of loue the fountaine true Whose shining beames do penetrate my soule With such a zeale as former thoughts controll And drawes heart power and will thee to insue Thou mak'st my fainting sight for to renue And dazeling eyes new strength thus to attaine To whom alone perfection faire is due Thou mak'st earths bewtious shadow seeme but vain Thy works of glorie and of power remain Ingrauen in thankfull hearts which them inroll Thy loue and mercy made thee pay the toll Which to our dying soules true life did gain Thy loue doth wain My thoughts frō baser loue And mak'st my heart and mind to sore aboue SON XXXIII IF beautie be as men on earth suppose The comely shape and colours which agree In true proportion to the thing we see Which grace and fauour both do neuer lose If white and red be borrowed from the Rose If bright and shining to the sonne compar'd If high and straight to godlinesse w'award And beautie haue such base descriptions chose Then let the wise this beautie true regard Where all perfections in one subiect be Surpassing frute of the forbidden tree Which but to tast man suffred deaths reward Which is prepard And offred to our sight In Christ to loue and feed vs day and night SON XXXIIII HOw may this be that men of searching mind Whose curious eyes in beautie do delight The pleasing obiect of their fancies sight In outward shape and colour comfort find And yet the better beautie leaue behind Vnsought or vnregarded of at all Compard to which none can it beautie call Vnlesse a buzzard whom affections blind This earthly forme of flesh it is so small Of worth to charme the sence of noble spright As is a starre before faire Phoebus bright Whose glory doth their borrowed beauti ' apall
Thus wise men fall Whom carnall eies do guide Whose iudgements may not vertues sight abide SON XXXV O Heauenly loue with God thou dwelst for aye Thou passest faith and hope in dignitie Thou keepst the law thy feet step not awrie In all mens danger thou the surest stay To our request thou neuer sayest nay Ne wrath ne enuy moue thee ere a whit Thou multitude of sinnes in man doest quit Thou law and Gospell both doest ouer sway Thou doest with God aloft in heauens sit With God in counsell thou art alwaies by Thou causest Christ mans weaknesse to supply And makest vs receiue the frute of it And euery whit Of goodnesse that we haue Loue made him send who loue therfore doth craue SON XXXVI THe shining face of my faire Phoebus deare Whose glory doth eclipse each other light Presents himselfe vnto worlds open fight Their blinded eyes with ioyfull view to cheare But sluggish so the greater sort appeare That sleeping in selfe-loue and mind secure The cleare aspect of truth they not indure Nor of their blindnesse willingly would heare But so my sences do his beautie allure To gaze vpon his louely fauour bright That therein only haue I my delight Where is all happinesse I do assure He doth procure A plenteous increase Vnto my soule of perfect loue and peacâ— SON XXXVII AVant base thoughts incomber me no more By laying forth these earthly wants of mine As though thou wouldst perswade me to repine Because of wealth I haue not needlesse store If thou didst know thy nakednesse before He cloth'd thy soule and fed thy fainting minde With righteousnesse and faith in Sauiour kinde Thou wouldst that former state much more deplore And then confesse the comfort thou doest finde By peace of conscience in this flesh of thine Is greatest riches truly to define So that contentment be not left behinde These gifts me binde To praise his holy name And place chief wealth in knowledge of the same SON XXXVIII I Will not feare with feruency of zeale To follow forth this faire affect of mine To loue of thee which doth my soule incline O Sauiour deare who sure my griefe wilt heale Vnto thy proffred kindnesse I appeale Who of thy selfe didst call me vnto thee And promisedst I should thy darling bee Made free within thy Church and common weale Disparidgement there is not now in mee Ne shall distrust forbid me to be thine But faith shall flie aloft to thee in fine Where all thy treasures safely I may see And happie hee Bestows his loue so well Whose hope is payd with pleasures that excell SON XXXIX LOue then I will and loue thee Lord alone For fellowship in loue there may not bee Loue for thy loue ô Lord shall be thy see For other recompence thou crauest none My vowes and deeds they shall be alwaies one All dedicated to adore thy name My heart my soule my strength shall do the same Thy loue shall be my faithes true corner stone The loue of thee shall my affections frame To follow that may pleasing be to thee My eyes no beautie but in thee shall see And thy regard my wandring will shall tame Yea I will blame And scorne each other thing Saue what shall me vnto thy fauour bring SON XL. FAine would I praise thee Lord with such a zeale And feruencie as might my loue expresse Faine would my loue yeeld vnto thee no lesse Due praise then thou didst loue to me reueale But wanting power thereto I yet appeale To â—hat thy goodnesse which thee first did moue In fragill flesh of mine the strength to proue Whose weaknes thou by heaueÌ„ly power didst heale Mans wit in words comes short in this beâ—oue To recompence nay only to confesse The many waies thou doest our bodies blesse Much more our soules which freely thou didst loue Thy trustie done Thy holy spright of grace Makes yet our weaknesse stand before thy face SON XLI O Perfect Sunne whereof this shadow is A slender light though it some beautie show On whom thy influence thou doest bestow Whose constant course still shines in endlesse blisse To scan thy glorie wit of man doth misse How far thy mercies beames abroad extend Tong cannot speake nor wit can comprehend And humane frailtie is bewrayd in this The fire ayre water earth they wholly bend The host of heauen and creatures belowe To paye their dutie vnto thee they owe Which didst their being and their vertue send And I intend With them in what I may To witnesse forth thy laud and praise for aye SON XLII WHat present should I bring of worthie prise To witnesse well the loue to thee I owe I nothing haue but what thou didst bestow Ne likest thou the toyes of mans deuise I would not spare my power in any wise No treasure seemes to me for thee too deare The pleasures of the world the which are here Too base they are how ere wit them disguise To yeeld thee faith it doth the best appeare But it is very weake alas I know To yeeld thee praise doth make a decent show But to thy merit neither doth come neare With garment cleare Yet clothd of righteous son My selfe to offer vnto thee I run SON XLIII WHo so beholds the works ô Lord of thine The stretched heauens the seat where thou doest dwel the earth thy footstoole which dares not rebel Which all vnto thy will do aye incline The Sunne and Moone by day night which shine The changing flouds the firme and frutefull land The Planets which do firme for euer stand All which gainst thy behest dare not repine The host of Angels in thy heauenly band Th' infernall feends with Lucifar which fell The fish the fowle the beast agreeing well And all obedient to thy heauenly hand May vnderstand Thy glorie loue and power Without whose help ma could not liue one houre SON XLIIII AS doth the Moone by daily change of hew By growing or decreasing beautie show The influence the greater lights bestow Whose absence or whose presence her renue So must all flesh confesse and thinke most true The faith or feare they haue for to proceed From heauenly grace which heaueÌ„ly gifts doth feed Without whose face blind darknesse doth insue Mans proper power is so obscurde indeed With shades which rise froÌ„ earthly thoughts below That nothing but blind ignorance would grow Vnlesse this sonne did shining comfort breed Which serues in steed Of fire vnto the same Fro whence this light of faith receiues his flame SON XLV IF Saba Queene a iourney tooke in hand From South to North wise Salomon to heare If humane wisedome was to her so deare That she did visit thus this holy land Then do I muse why men so idle stand In pride of youth when wit and meanes abound Their tender braines to feed with wisedome sound Far passing that this Queene for trauell found This error is the scarre of Adamâ— wound Who sought his knowledge not in fountain cleare
soule from hell with him ascend on hie SON XVII FIue foolish virgins in my senses dwell And seeke to make me slumber ouer long They dreame that all my deeds do fall out well Whereas indeed I headlong run to wrong To vanities their humors do belong And sin who doth their fancie chiefly feed They cheined are to linkes of lust so strong That their best soile brings forth but bitter weed They lacke the oyle which should be vsde in deed To lead them to the euerlasting light It growes not Lord in frute of humane seed Man sleepes all day and gropes his way at night Vnlesse thou lend thy hand and fill our lampes Our light goes forth with smothering sinful damps SON XVIII OVt of the fountaine of eternall life I poore Samarytan here readie stand To sinfull lust an old betrothed wife With pitcher readie in my trembling hand To draw a draught of liquor most diuine To quench the thirst of my inflamed hart With heauenly de◠ere that my soule do pine And qualifie the rigor of my smart A Prophet true thou art I vnderstand Or rather father of all truth thou art A stranger I from faire Iudaea land With these thy blessings craue for to impart Then guide my hand and teach my soule to tast True faith the fountaine where all blisse is plast SON XIX A Wicked soule sold to all fleshly sin Lord here I prostrate at thy feete to lie To gather crummes of grace soules health to win Which Lord to giue me do thou not denie The pretious oyle of penitence will I Powre forth with teares fro out my melting eyes o bath thy feete and after will I drie Them with my haires which balms no treasure bies Though worldly loue when he my fact espies Repine to see my soule so well inclind To my defence ô Lord vouchsafe to rise And fructifie this first frute of my mind Vouchsafe to sup with humble seruant thine And that of seruice better choyse be mine SON XX. A Poore Arabian whom base Agar bare First borne of flesh but last of promist grace Of basterd kinde bred vp with mothers care In wildernesse of world for a long space And famishing before my parents face Whose workes vnable were to lend me aide A bondman vnto sin as fleshly race To whom heauens heritage thy lawes denaide Amidst my wandring course by thee am staide And haue a promise not to die but liue Thy couenant Lord abundantly is paide If grace to seed by faith thou doest me giue My bondage thus release make thou me free My barren branch shall frute bring forth to thee SON XXI A Merchant I full long abroad haue straide By sea and land true happinesse to gaine The riches of the earth my eyes haue waide And see their profit to be light and vaine Such trifling trash my soule doth now disdaine And Iewels of more value I espye Among the rest one doth all other staine Which with my wealth I wish that I might buye But this rare pearle is of a price so hie As all the earth cannot esteeme the same Much lesse to purchase it can it come nie Yet doth the loue thereof my heart enflame Be thou the pledge sweet Sauior then for me That heauenly blisse shall so my riches be SON XXII AMong the prease of many that draw neare Vnto the feast of grace in temple thine A silly widow I also appeare With humble heart o Lord who here encline And vnto thee an offering of mine Present as precious to my poore estate The heards or flocks the store of corne and wine Without obedience Lord thou aye didst hate But broken hearts and soules which lye prostrate Before thy throne of grace and mercy craue Do mercie finde though it be neare so late Thy promise this assurance to vs gaue In trust whereof obeying thy behest My praiers to thy praise o Lord are prest SON XXIII INto thy vineyard Lord vnworthie I Desire to come to trauell out the day Thou calledst me thereto and didst espie Me loytring idle by the worldes high way At first to come my follies did me stay Whom cold and hunger now to worke compell Though halfe my daies be spent say me not nay The other halfe to trie employed well I do not hope my paines so deare to sell As they that beare the brunt of heat of day They merit most whose trauels most excell My slender seruice craues but single paye But if thy bountie giue behold me prest With thanks thy grace to taste among the rest SON XXIIII AS thou art pure and iust in all thy waies O Lord so should thy offrings also bee The tongue vncleane cannot set forth thy praise The wanton eye may not thy secrets see The lame of faith the blind of skill not hee That thou alotst thy sacrifice to slay The heart that is found cleane in each degree Is fittest for thy church wherein to stay Such is no flesh ô Lord the truth to say But as thou pleasest them to purifie By faith and by repentance euerie day Who then with Christ may boldly thee come nie Behold me then thus thy adopted childe Let me not from thy temple be exilde SON XXV I Follow thee ô Lord but far behinde As Peter did when he did see thee led To prison where the traitors did thee binde Amazed much with worldly seate and dred When as I saw the world all ouer spred With hatred and disdaine vnto the iust My courage it was quayld and quickly fled And had no liking to thy helpe to trust But Lord I know perforce I forward must If I intend to gaine the crowne I craue I must abandon flesh and fleshly lust And in thy promise all my hope must haue Grant thou me boldnesse then and constant will To perseuere in thy obedience still SON XXVI OF parents first two brothers borne that were The bodie and the soule did represent The elder Cain who Henocks wals did reare The yonger Abell dwelt in silly tent First man with plough the virgins soile he rent The other seru'd and shoare the silly sheepe To worldly lustes of flesh the one was bent Thy heauenly lawes the other sought to keepe A deadly discord twixt them so did creepe The elder did the giltlesse yonger slay That ancient hatred grounded is so deepe It striues in me alas vnto this day Accept my sacrifice Lord me defend My powres vnto thy holie pleasure bend SON XXVII LIke pined childe ô Lord from nurses brest Whom churlish stepdame ouer soone doth waine By wicked will alas I am opprest And crie to cruell flesh behold in vaine Who lets me languishing in sin remaine And sends no comfort to support my need My faults I know I do confesse them plaine That folly doth my weake affections feed I see my ruine neare at hand in deed And cannot call for aide whose tong is dum My feete so feeble cannot helpe at need Although I see at hand thy vengeance come Vnlesse thou