in their ills let them â—ke vp The seeming sweets of sins impoys'ned cup Let them carouse in vanity and draw Iniquity with ropes ne'r stand in aw ' Of future iudgements Let them prosper still As they suppose by adding ill to ill Let them be carelesse of themselues and spend Their precious daies ne'r thinking on the end Let them make flesh their guide taking delight In their owne lusts still glorying in the hight Of their ambitious titles and their wealth Got by obliquitie and lawlesse stealth Let them be-pride themselues in rich attires And robes of State burning with lawlesse fires Of lusts not to be nam'd let them be fed With choycest meates and glutted vp with bread Like pampred Horses to the full I say Let them spend all their happinesse away In these and such like vanities nor thinke On death at all thou standing at the brinke Of their vncertaine graues and heau'ns high hand Of vengeance ouer them doth alwaies stand Readie to strike them downe to hell but we Will ioy alone in this sweet libertie We haue in Christ we will delight I say Our selues in him in him wee 'l vow and pay Our dues of praise vnto our God in him Wee 'll hence triumph o're all the pow'rs of Sin Of death and Hell in Him we will expresse Our vtmost thanks by liues of holinesse And walking in his waies till by the hand Of his good Sprite hee'th brought vs to the Land Of righteousnesse where we would be on Him We will build all our confidence and clim To Heau'n alone by Him vnder his wings Wee 'l alwaies shrowd our selues nor shall the Kings Of th' earth be able doe vs harme though they Rage ere so much Our foes shall melt away Like Snow against the Sun and ' cause wee 'ue made The Lord our dwelling place vnder his shade We shall be surely safe yeâ— though the earth Be mou'd with all the pow'rs thereof though death Triumph on euerie side of vs yet wee Shall surely be preseru'd and liue to see The wondrous riches of his loue wherein He hath endear'd himselfe to vs through him We shall passe all these nether-stormes and spight Of all with-stands walke onwards in the light Of his sweet countenance still singing praise Vnto his Name till he at length shall raise Our Muses to a higher pitch where we Shall sing his praises to eternitie In his ne'r-ending place of blisse euen there Where he himselfe remaines where neither feare Nor griefe shall interrupt our ioyes but we Shall haue our fills of all felicitie And glory inexpressible the hight And chiefe of which is in the blessed sight Of this our glorious God whom we shall see There face to face euen as he is yea bee Made like to him what would you haue me say Mine eyes are dazled at this glorious day And reason stands amaz'd when it would reach This wondrous hight how shall a Mortall preach Of this immortall state O had mine eye But one sweet glimpse of this how should I tye Your eares vnto my tongue when I should speake Of what I saw 't would make your hearts to breake With earnest longings after it and you Would scorne from hence so much as take a view Of these inferiour vanities which be But toyes as 't were not worth your thoughts and flee Away almost as soone as come withall Leauing behind them nought but cursed gall And bitternesse to vex and gripe and grieue Those foolish soules which did ere-while beleeue Their false pretended sweets but here alone Is fulnesse of all true delight where none Can euer be deceiu'd vnlesse it be As that wise Queene of Sheba was when she Heard of the glory of King Salâ—â—on And of his happinesse but when anon She came and saw it with her eyes she than In great amazednesse thereat began Confesse that all was true yea sure the fame Said she came farre too short If then the name Of Salomon were such behold here 's one That 's greater farre then was King Salomon What shall I say of him sure my report Will speake but truth and yet come so farre short As finite doth of infinite what then She spake of Salomon and of his men So may I speake to thee my God O how How happie are thy Saints which fall and bow Before thy Maiestie Happie I say Are those that haue the priuiledge to stay Continually with thee there to behold Thy glorious face wherein as Dauid told Are ioyes at full and sit at thy right hand VVhere pleasures liue for euermore where stand Thy blessed troopes of glorious Saints that sing Eternall Halleluia's to their King To thee their King to thee alone for thou Art onely worthy O my God And now Here doe I craue to ioyne with them euen I Though yet on earth here doe I thankefully Fall downe before thy glorious Throne and here In humbled confidence and holy feare I offer my poore mite to thee of praise And thankfulnesse in these my lowly Layes All glorie be to thee my God to Thee And to the Lambe which hath redeemed mee By his deare blood and to the sacred Sprite The Comforter and pledge of true delight Which hath been with me hitherto and brought My soule into thy peace Sure I haue nought That 's worth thy great acceptance Lord for I Am poore thou know'st and full of miserie Happie in nothing else but thee I meane By being thine and yet I 〈◊〉 vncleane Vncleane alas vncleane well may I cry Come thou and wash away my Leprosie And make me fit for being thine O then What shall I pay who am the worst of men To thee for all thy mercies Lord VVhy here I le pay thee with thine owne the case is cleare I offer vp my selfe to thee with all That here I haue hence may it please thee call And count me wholly for thine owne for now I bid farwell vnto the world and vow In thy sweet aide eternall enmitie To all my wonted sinnes to vanitie And euery luring baite of hell And here I humbly doe deuote my selfe in feare And holinesse to thee my God that I May still be praysing thee vntill I die In all my thoughts and words and acts and hence May walke along by faith and not by sense Still gladded with thy countenance till I Haue ouer-past the present miserie Of this short life and till my soule at length Being cloath'd vpon with that immortall strength Of my blest Sauiour Christ shall sweetly flee Into thine hands there to remaine with thee In thy expreslesse happinesse till thou In that last day shalt swiftly come and bow The heau'ns and raise my body vp though dead And rotned dust and ioyne it to my Head And Sauiour Christ where it againe shall bee Vnited to my soule and I shall see My
shades may bid adue While his sweet rayes come vsh'ring in the day Or run as Iohn before to make the way And here great Lord come raise mee vp so high According to thy word that now mine eie May soare vp to thy Mercy-seate and there As Heau'ns pure eyes fixt in a holier Spheare Bee freed from all corruptions taint while I Go bathe my soule in that sweet Theorie Of thine eternall loue and when I see Those high prerogatiues I haue by thee How thou hast made mee free from death from sin From hell and all those miseries wherein I now lye plung'd and those whereto I tend As of my selfe and lesse thy Grace descend And quickly come and take mee vp alas I needs must fall and when it comes to passe That thy sweet Comforter shall come and tell To my sad soule againe that all is well VVith mee and when I feele thy quickning Sprite That harbenger and pledge of true delight Beare witnesse vnto mine that I am made Free man of Grace whereof I 'ue but a shade Whiles here on earth but shall hereafter haue The very substance much as I can craue Or shall know how to wish as earst to me Thou didst declare in that sweet mysterie Of thy great loue then shall my tongue and pen Be wholly votaries to thee and then My sad Vrania whose now weeping eies Are quite worne out with plainings teares and cries When she but apprehends those gladsome raies Shall metamorphose all her notes to praise And I myselfe with all I haue will be As one that 's wholly consecrate to thee Who am alone redeem'd by thee Oh then Here come my God here quickly come agen And take me vp here let me sweetly heare Those heau'nly tunes againe which did while-ere Giue such reuiuals to my soule that I Was almost past my Sea of miserie Ne'r to be plung'd in it againe if thou Hadst not so suddenly with-drawne the brow Of that sweet Sun-shine of thy Grace whereby I 'gan to see the blessed libertie Of those who are the sonnes of God But come Great Maker now and what thou hast begun In me thy creature perfit vp that so When after-ages shall both see and know How kindly thou hast dealt with me they may Appeale to thee in like extremes and pray To thee alone for helpe seeing that I Dauids poore man did humbly call and crie To thee and was deliuer'd for if he Were heard they 'le say then doubtlesse so shall we What wilt thou more This is the time and place As earst I said thou seest I want thy Grace So much poore soule as scarce I 'm able call To thee for Grace and if thou 'lt let me fall Alas I 'm ready to consent altho It be my thraldome to eternall woe Ne'r thence to be redeem'd againe nay more Alas I cannot chuse but fall so poore And weake a wretch am I that faine if I Might haue my will 〈◊〉 decreed to die I 'd seeke out opportunities wherein I would enact sâ—me higâ—â—vnhallowed sin That might exclude not quite from thee alas Such are the deeds my selfe would being to passe And none but such and then how canst thou haue A fitter opportunitie to saue Then now thou hast in me Was euer man Brought neerer yet to hell then now I am That want but one vnhappie step Oh no There 's none can fall to greater deepes of woe Vnlesse he fall to hell it selfe for I Am the next step so full of miserie As quite ore-come with it or one whose sense Is dull'd with its exceeding violence That so I cannot feele my selfe vnlesse It be like him that 's in a drowzinesse Or some vnhappie Lethargie whereby He dully feeles but knowes not how to crie Or plaine himselfe or call for helpe and sure This dangerous sicknesse is beyond the cure Of humans best preseruatiues which can At most but reach vnto the outward man To ease or comfort that awhile but when Those heauie pangs oppresse the soule O then All these are vaine for what were it if I Should liue in body whiles in soule I die Alas this were the life of death when that Which is my bodies life is dead But what What doe I meane Why is my troubled sprite Distracted thus Can griefe be infinite Which rises from that inward sight of sin Whereby we waile that wofull â—ase wherein We see our selues by nature and whereby We learne betimes to climbe so humbly hie As wholly to forsake our selues and cast Our hopes alone on thee who onely hast The treasures of eternall life Sure no This is that happie path by which we goe Into the way of sauing 〈◊〉 and this Is that sweet mâ—lium to our future bliâ— Through which indeed we must before we may Approach those 〈◊〉 of eternall day Here then deare God here will I humbly waite With lowly confidence in this my straite A straite more great then Dauids was when hee Did earst betake himselfe alone to thee Because thy mercies were so great and here Because thy mercies also are full neere In mid'st of humanes greatest deepes that hence We might obserue 't is thy Omnipotence And Goodnesse onely that relieues when wee Are ready to despaire because we see Nought else but death within our selues and how There 's nought beside can doe vs good that thou May'st be made all in all because I say Thou art so good here will I humbly stay Vntill thy mercies raise me vp euen here Confounded in my plaints without a teare To tell my further griefes to verifie That sorrow in extremes is alwaies drie Here will I lay me downe here will I stay Alas because I haue no more to say For lo I 'm dead in sinne and griefe Oh then Here let thy goodnesse shew it selfe my Pen And Muse can speake no more till thou descend And teach them more needs must I make an end And thus in deepes of this my silent griefe I humbly waite for answer of reliefe Here laying downe my selfe much like a man That 's carelesse growne I sleepingly began To drowzie out my dayes not caring how I plai'd the Prodigall with time for now Said I Sure I can doe no more mine eies Are wearied with my teares my sighes and cries Haue quite ore-whelm'd my feeble soule and I Am plunged in so deepe a miserie That now I know not what to doe alas For who am I My pilgrim-daies doe passe Away as shades and still the more I haue Of life the more I doe approach my graue All this I see aye me and more then this That very cloud that hinders all my blisse My sinnes doe still increase on me yâ—â— they Will haue no interruptions though my day Be clouded ere so much they will not cease To vex my soule nor let me liue in peace Alas and these distract me quite while I Haue not
in to prey Vpon thy purer parts for thou must be A Temple wholly consecrate to me In holinesse Wherefore I charge you all As subiects to my Pow'r Imperiall Thou Breath of life you vnderstanding parts And thou Inuention searcher out of Arts And Memorie so aged in thy youth The Register of ancient times and truth And Iudgement thou great Vmpier of the â—est VVhich alwaies fiâ—st to censure what is best I charge you strictly all I say and will That you be cleane keepe not one thought of ill VVithin your sacred Chancels but be pure Euen as I am and hence yourselues inure To nought but holy practices that so Thy soule and sense may both together go As two made one and all to sing my praise In sweetest Concords to ensuing daies This being also done I say Come now And prosper on here will I shew thee how Thou shalt obtaine thy wished rest and flye So farre beyond thine owne abilitie As thou wilt wonder at thy selfe to see That height of happinesse thou hast in me Beyond conceite or vtterance Come then My dearest come here will I make thy Pen To speake of mysteries here I le begin To put a period to thy daies of sin Here will I wipe away thy teares and leade Thee forth with Dauid where thy soule shall tread In paths of righteousnesse till thou hast won This sweet assurance that thou art my son Here then returne returne thou thirstie soule To my pure Spring since all the rest are foule And cannot satisfie Here turne againe Where first thou didst begin vnto the maine Of my sole-sauing comforts to my Word I meane that Well indeed which doth afford True Cordials to distressed soules Come here And take thy fill thou needest not to feare Of paying ought take wine and milke and buy Without a piece my freely bounteous eie Lookes not for thy rewards or if it did Alas poore soule thou hast not ought to bid To counteruaile my Grace for sure from thee Comes nothing good but what thou hast from me Goe then I say goe hasten to that Well And Spring of life whose vertue shall expell These sad suspenses from thy heart and shall Instruct thee in the truth and tell thee all That thou so much desir'st onely indeed Thou must beleeue what e'r thy soule shall reade Within this sacred Writ for sure in this Lyes hid the treasurie of life of blisse Which onely true beleeuers find But here I know thou 'lt say Why then 't is ne'r the neere If this condition come betweene for I Am growne so dead in sinne and miserie I cannot stirre one foot to good and whence Should I beleeue so farre beyond my sense That which I cannot comprehend Aye me Faine I 'd beleeue indeed that true to be Whose truth so much concernes my good but O I see no ground alas I should doe so Here stands my miserie my flesh and blood Thinke sure that newes must needs be too-too good Ere to be true as vsuall Prouerbs say That brings me tidings of that happy day VVhich puts a period to mine ills for I Am so bedull'd with tedious miserie That now 't is growne a miracle to see Some pow'rs proue yet so kinde to comfort me Alas poore soule 't is true indeed and yet Here stay thy plaints for here thou must forget Thine owne estate these are thy miseries Indeed as of thy selfe but now thine eies Must soare beyond thy selfe where thou shalt see Thy happinesse consisting all in mee Not in thine owne abilities and this Is it while-ere I said to thee which is Indeed a mysterie that flesh and blood Cannot conceiue that must be vnderstood Onely by my reuealing Sprite And now Come on therefore I know full well that thou Canst nothing doe herein vnlesse it be As hauing thine abilities from me But know in me thou shalt doe all as I Ere-while did say Thus doe I magnifie My selfe in weakenesse thus my pow'r shall be Made knowne the more by thine infirmitie On then I say goe hasten to that Brooke Which runnes so sweetly through my sacred Booke VVhere I will surely be with thee to leade Thee on along till thou hast found that Head And Spring of life where thou wouldst be and when Thy soâ—le hath bath'd therein a while euen then I will begin to make thee see and know Thy boundlesse happinesse in me and show Thee all the treasures of my loue whereby Thou shalt perceiue th' inseparable tye Betwixt thy selfe and me Then shalt thou reade And vnderstand then come and goe with speed About my worke and prosper still and then Scorning as 't were those vanities of men VVhich earst so much ore-sway'd thee thou shalt be Possest with nothing but delight in me Then all shall be at thy content when thou Shalt onely aske and haue the heau'ns shall bow If thou but pray and I my selfe descend To answer thee as thy familiar friend Goe then I say 't is time thou wer 't well on In this thy way See how the vsh'ring Sun Inuites thy haste the Sprite sayes Come away To celebrate this high-made Marriage-day For lo the Lambe is ready come and see How much he lou'd that lost his life for thee And where thou sayst Alas thou hast not pow'r VVhence to beleeue know 't was an happie houre For thee that ere thou knew'st so much for I Ne'r vse to heale the Pharisaicall eie VVhich thinks he sees and yet is blinde but know Since I haue gi'en thee grace to stoope so low As to attribute all to me that now Thou shalt both see and eke beleeue for thou Hast put thy trust in me and since thou hast Be 't to thee as thou wilt thy worst is past And hence know thou hast ouercome in mâ— VVho am alone thy strength and still will be VVherefore I will that here thou quickly go And doe as I haue said it must be so Vse thou no more thy weake replyes for I VVill haue it so what pow'rs shall dare denie VVhere I command Goe on I say and then This being done prepare thy tongue and pen And all thou hast to sing of nought but praise To me thy God and let thy high-borne Layes Rauish thy hearers all to heau'n whiles they Attend to thee whence they may blesse the day Of these thy happie miseries and bee As ioynt-competitors of ioy with thee VVhat now remaines Behold thy long'd for day Is hard at hand I will no longer stay Thy forward thoughts Go go and take thy fill Of Sions streame let not a thought of ill Dare interrupt thy good intents but bee As happie as thy wish hence shalt thou see The mirrors of my loue and know ere long I shall expect thy Muse to change her song Thus I surcease Now let thy new-borne heart Succeed and act its last and happiest part
that whereas I thought presently to apprehend it vpon the first onset without any further trouble I was cast downe suddenly by mine owne sinnes and infirmities euen to despaire of my selfe and there lay for a long time in a speakelesse misery till God of his free goodnesse at length restor'd me and brought me to the happy sight hereof by the sweee helpe and aydance of his Word and Spirit So that the readiest way to obtaine this happy assurance is to abandon all Papisticall presumings on selfe-abilities and to annihilate ourselues as t were by a faithfull humility that so wee may become the sonnes of God by that sole power of Christ Iesus and by a new Creation be transformed into his blessed likenesse till in his good time being found in him not hauing our owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith we shall at length appeare vnspotted before the presence of our God in the highest heauens and there enioy that eternall weight of glory which hee hath prepared for vs. Now if you make this good vse of it you shall doe well Fare yee well S. A. AVSTIN'S VRANIA OR THE HEAVENLY MVSE THE SECOND BOOKE The Contents FRom out despaire my VRAN ' beere Begins to put on better cheere Because my God did now againe Refresh my soule with his sweet straine Of promis'd Grace which shew'd to me My debt was paid and I made free Free man of Grace But lo when I Thought straight t' haue seene this mystery My sinnes step in and cloud my sight From whence began so sore a fight Betwixt my flesh and spirit that I VVas forc'd e'en to despaire and die Vntill my God of his free Grace Reuiues me with a sweeter face And leades me on by his good Sp'rit Vnto his VVord which gaue me light VVhereby I clearely saw at length Onely enabled with his strength That happy Mystery which he 〈◊〉 Began whil'ere reueale to me I meane his loue in Christ and there In humbled faith and holy feare My Muse began againe to sing My Sauiours Life and Passioning VVhich earst it did but touch this done At last she cheerefully begun To sing my thanks and ends her Layes VVith periods of eternall prayse NOt long my soule in this vnhappy case Had laine her downe gasping as 't were for Grace With lowly sighes but here she seem'd to yeeld Her weapons vp and to giue death the field For when she lookt vpon her selfe and saw How deadly she was wounded by the Law But there was no Physician might be found That had a Balsome for so great a wound She gan despaire and with extremest breath To giue a forced welcome vnto death Thus did she of her selfe and could it bee Mans nature might doe otherwise to see His doome already past for well I knew There 's no escape the Law must haue its due The breach whereof is death and now that I Haue broke the same alas I needs must die Must die But what is this Is 't but to leaue This vitall breath as brutish beasts and cleaue Vnto my former earth there to remaine Impassible of any feeling paine And so ne'r to be thought on more nor be The subiect of a future miserie Oh no but as if my vnhappy sin Had neuer broke the Law I 'd alwayes been Aliue in endlesse happinesse euen so Now I haue sin'd I must in endlesse woe Die a ne'r-dying death I 〈◊〉 which is To be depriu'd of that eterâ— blisse Which else I should haue had or so much worse To be so long the subiect of that curse Of tortures inexpressible And here The very thought did touch my soule so neere That more then thousand present deaths my heart Did seeme to taste of an eternall smart The wofull pledge of what I was to drinke When I should come to that vnhappy sinke Of mine vnhappinesse that Hell wherein I should drinke vp the furious drugs of sinne But here behold in this my worst extreme As earst I well remember in my Dreame When I was mostly glozing downe vpon My selfe and miseries and there was none That would or could relieue I meane within These nether vales of vanitie of Sin Of Hell of Death where euery thing that I Could well conceiue had possibility Of suffring for our faults hath residence For suffrance goes no further then the sense Suffrance in paine I meane vnlesse it be That paine of losse which our Diuinitie Alone makes mention of Now there was none That 's subiect to a painefull passion But what is here contain'd when hap'lesse I As of my selfe would needs despaire and die Behold I say that great Omnipotence Which first gaue being to my soule and since With quickning trumpets made me to awake From out the deepe of that Lethean Lake Wherein I lay for dead I meane when I Had thrall'd my selfe to all iniquity With great delight and willingnesse and he The sacred power that gaue me eyes to see My deepes of misery and in extremes Did earst refresh me with such pleasing beames From off his gracious countenance that I Did highly prize so great a misery For here at length he comes when there was none That would or could releeue but him alone And with the sweetest words that e'r were sung Not to be vtter'd by another tongue But his that authoriz'd them Thus he gan To comfort me O thou forsaken Man The worke that I my selfe haue made full deare To me thy God although thou would'st not heare My sweet â—nuites but with the Prodigall Wouldst needs be wandring till thou'dst lauisht all Thy Portion out and bought experience Of what thou art by miserable sense Of thine vnhappinesse Alas I see â—arre better then thy selfe canst tell to mee Thy many wants I see thy great extremes Thy teares of penitence thy earnest threanes And longings after me I see I say And now behold I can no longer stay From pitying thee my bowels yerne to show My mercies forth whereby to make thee know My wondrous loue to thee Come then Arise Distressed soule shake off thy miseries And all thy former heauy dumps for lo I here intend to terminate thy wo. Thy day of happinesse is come and I Will here reueale so sweet a remedy For these thy grieuances that soone as ere Thou shalt but see a glimpse of it thy feare Will vanish quite away and thou wilt be So rauisht straight with new felicitie That all thy senses will be dispossest Of thy first miseries and wholly blest With such expresselesse ioy that tongue or pen Though led by all the choicest Art of men With all their shaddowes cannot halfe expresse The substance of so great a happinesse Come then and solace here a while till I Haue rays'd thee vp vnto a pitch so high Where when thy speculations sweetly see The wondrous things that I haue done for thee Thou wilt so farre
the worldly wiâ—e So greedily pursue as wealth delights And honours all esteem'd in their blinde sights As Deities And didst more wisely craue What they indeed thought foolishnesse to 〈◊〉 To bee entitled one of mine to bee My sonne by Grace a heauenly high degree Which flesh and bloud can ne'r conceiue and hence It is that they led only by the sense Can ne'r attaine vnto 't nor thy weake eie Poore soule can ere bee able reach so high Do what thou canst vnlesse my lightning Grace Reueale it thee for t is nor wealth nor place Nor labour that can worke it out but I Alone must giu 't of my benignity Now what is this great gift Why sure it is The very Treasurie of perfect blisse And hence deare soule bee not a whit dismai'd To passe those many deepes my Gracious ayd Shall still bee with thee go and prosper on 'T is worth thy suffrings to bee call'd my Son Thou seek'st no meane preferment know one aske Is not enough no 't is a weightier taske And craues thy longest paines so hard an Art For flesh and bloud to learne that 't would dis-hart The wisest of you all did hee but know The many plunges he must vndergo Before hee can attaine this height Alas 'T is not a common I beleeue will passe Thereto only for fashions sake No no There is an inward feeling-faith must go With euery word thou speak'st and this proceeds From my sole purer Sprite which only feeds Those truly contrite soules whose happier eyes Haue seene the deepes of their owne miseries As thou poore humbled soule hast done whereby Thou' rt made a subiect fit for mercies eie To work vpon and pitty Now 's the time Indeed to comfort thee when pow'rs diuine Alone can helpe and nothing else beside Can come so neere in this so deepe a tide As doe thee but least show of good vnlesse It bee to drowne thee quite in thy distresse And headlong send thee downe to Hell Then coâ—e Come my deare soule or rather my deare son For so thou shalt be called hence arise Shake off thy quondam sins and miseries For I thy God will haue it so and now Come on with me where I will shew thee how Thou shalt obtaine thy full desires but know There 's one thing yet before thou further goe Which must be done and though thou thinke it hard Yet neuer faint it must or all is marr'd Thou needs must vse all meanes hereto but here I know thou 'lt say Alas I cannot beare This heauie yoake Goe too I know full well What thou canst do Nothing but goe to hell Without my sauing Grace but know with this Thou shalt vse all those mediums of thy blisse With wondrous ease and this my yoake shall bee More pleasing farre then worlds best ioy to thee For I my selfe will be thy strength in whom Thou shalt performe what ere I will and none Thy foes shall dare resist or if they doe Thou shalt both fight with them and conquer too To thine abundant hearts content Now then This is the taske which thou must doe to men I know full harsh which is still to represse The swelling pride of thy rebellious flesh To crucifie thy man of sinne to die Daily with Paul to giue to vanitie A resolute farewell and part withall That earst occasion'd thee so great a fall I meane thine owne innatiue lusts for they Indeed are those that caus'd thy soule to stay So long in these vnhappy deepes but now Thou needs must turne another leafe and vow Perpetuall warre against them all yea tho It be against thy very selfe in show I meane against thy outward man thy flesh That Stewes of ill that Cage of filthinesse Which needs must be pull'd downe and purg'd of sin Or my pure Sprite will neuer enter in To fill it full of ioy no no my Grace Cannot abide the house till these giue place Out then you diuelish lusts goe quickly flie Into some Swinish Heard my Deitie Commands your hastening flight you must not stay To make it night where I will haue it day And thou dead heart I charge thee vomit vp The poys'nous drugs of that deceitfull cup Which earst thy flesh did giue thee and whereby Sh'ath brought thee to so deepe a Lethargie That thou hast quite forgot thy selfe yea mee Who earst haue done such wondrous things for thee And you corrupted Trades-men of the minde You wanton eies you leaders of the blinde I charge you hence be pure ne'r wander more To gaze on vanities play not the whore With euery idle obiect that you see Which cannot satisfie but looke on mee By often reading of my Word and by Perusing me in that sweet Theorie Of my most beautious Workes where you shall see That nought indeed is worth your eies but me And you corrupted Listners too you Eares Whose hollow intricate Meander beares Each sound vnto the soule wh'are alwaies apt To ope your doores to ill but closely clapt To euery thing that 's good I charge you too That hence you sanctifie your selues and doe Nought but my will which is to entertaine All messengers of good but to refraine From hearkning vnto any ill whereby Thou mayst conceiue one thought of vanitie Yea Mouth and all which haue your seuerall parts To act in this great mysterie of Arts I charge you all be pure let not a word Be spoke of thee but that which doth afford Matter of praise to me whence all may know The Fount is pure from whence these waters flow Besides accustome not thy selfe to eate Of ouer-much or too delicious meate Whereby to pamper vp thy flesh for these Although they seeme bewitchingly to please Thy all-corrupted man of sinne and feed Thy sense with seeming pleasures yet indeed If thou but duly thinke on them they be The chiefe maintainers of that miserie Which thou so fearefully hast felt for they Are alwaies stirring vp those foes that sway So domineeringly o're thee thy sin And raging lusts which fight so sore within Against thy soule against thy drooping Sp'rite And these are they that cause this gloomy night Of drowzie carelesnesse in thee yea these Would lull thee faine along in thy disease As one that 's in a sleppe to hell where thou Shouldst be impris'ned fast ere knowing how Wherefore I charge thee specially from hence Forbeare these luring baites which feed the sense But famish vp the soule forbeare I say And hence inure thy selfe to fast and pray The readiest meanes whence to cast forth this kinde Of diuelish thoughts that so disturbe the minde This being duely done 't is now high time I send my sanctifying pow'r diuine To purge thine inward faculties thy soule And her attendants made so lately foule By thine owne sinnes and thence to driue away Those theeuish lusts there gotten
onely fount but here I could not but admire with holy feare That such a gracious light should shine yet man Would turne away his eies and rather ran To follow shades of vanity which bee Indeed but a meere wearinesse and flee Away as soone as ouer-tooke wherein Lyes nothing hid but misery and sin The Parents of eternall death But here Sending my thoughts from Luke to Iohn lo there I quickly found the reason out this Light Did shine indeed but mans all-darkned sight Had not the pow'r to comprehend what here VVas offer'd him till hee himselfe appeare I meane this Light and giue it him for hee Must not bee borne of flesh or bloud but bee New borne of God and drawne as 't were by him To see and come to Christ 'T is not within Mans owne ability Oh no I see It is my God workes all this all in mee Thus hauing found his happy birth I meane Happy to vs spectators of this scene Though not to him that acted it I now 'Gin trace his holy life for here I vow If hee but please to giue me aid and breath I 'le follow him a long euen to the death And thus returning back to Matthew Marke And Luke thence to my John somewhat more darke Though being full of light I here did see The Prologue was begun in miserie As earst I 'ue said the Acts that went betweene VVere not lesse grieuous who had hee but seene His conflicts in the wildernesse when hee Was tempted of that grandest enemie To him and vs who is 't againe that saw Those wordy-warres hee had about the Law With th' enuious Scribes and Pharises when they Laid all their wicked plots how to betray His innocence to death but hee would bleed In heart to thinke on such a horrid deed For hee good Man did neuer harme nay sure Hee was so farre from this so godly pure That hee was good to all his very foes Had neuer better friend then him yea'uen those That sought to take away his life yet he Was patient still But would you farther see His wondrous works of mercie how hee heales The sick the blinde the lame to some reueales His pow'r by raising them from death to some By casting diuels forth yet when all 's done Much like the thanklesse Gadarens they faine Would haue him leaue their coasts 't was not their gaine They thought to lose their swinish sins No no They 'le rather part by far with Christ then so Thus did hee wander vp and downe good man Hauing not where to lay his head and can Wee tearelesse yet stand looking on Sure no Or if there be a stone that can doe so My bowels yearne I must confesse when I But thinke on this nay more my griefe-worne eye Doth either ouerflow or longs to bee Made Jer'mies weeping Well when I but see My Sauiour thus hee comes vnto his owne But they receiue him not nay worse are growne Offended with him Thus hee goes about Meeting with still increasing-griefes throughout The course of all his life yet in this case Hee ceases not his worke but shewes his Grace To many a sad and sinfull soule for hee Was Phisick vnto all that did but see Themselues were sick and needed him but those That stood on their owne righteousnesse his foes The Scribes and Pharises who thought indeed Much like the Papists now they had no need Of Christs all-sauing helpe but did presume To fly to Heau'n with that deceitfull plume Of their owne works hee iustly leaues to bee Condemn'd in this their gracelesnesse to see The fruits of their owne froward pride when they Will go to Heau'n yet scorning Christ the way But to leaue them I here returne againe Vnto my Christ whom I haue seene in paine Thus farre to trauell with the load which hee Did take on him only to set vs free Now for his vsuall meat this was indeed To do his Fathers will to go with speed And finish what hee came about not fed With fulnesse or variety of bread As wee vnhappy lumpes but was with Paul In fastings oft in wearinesse in all Which might expresse his misery so far ' Yond all the Sonnes of Adam as they are Inferiour in integritie to him Who neuer harbourd the least thought of sin Which well might adde vnto his griefes yet hee Was patient still O hearers come and see Wirh rented hearts here is a wofull scene Continued on thus thus did he demeane Himselfe in euery Act and thus was hee That perfect patterne of humilitie But O my soule these are the acts betweene And sad enough but O there lies vnseene The very woe of all the rest his death And passion this that takes away my breath With too fast running doubled sighes that I Shall ne'r bee able speake sufficiently As I desire or as I ought beside I 'm dull'd with former griefes my fount is dryde I haue not teares enough to spend whereby I might re-act this wofull Tragedy In wotds that nothing else but weepe yet here I must supply something of what while're At first I neuer thought to speake when I Began this worke for there in breuitie I scarcely spake saue of his death but now My soule hath vndergone a larger vow Being led by that all-ruling Sprite which here I must performe And thus with wonted feare I enter'd on the Epilogue where I 'Gan first obserue that wondrous Agonie My Sauiour in the Garden had when hee Did pray so earnestly Lord if it be Thy sacred will then let this fearefull cup Yet passe away and I not drinke it vp This fearefull cup Good God what hideous draught Was this at which thou that wast so well taught In bearing miseries didst yet intreate A scape from it Sure sure that feare was great That made thy soule to shrinke who couldst beare more Then all the world besides O then wherefore Did'st thou yet feare my Lord Alas thy Sprite Thus answers me 'T was at th' amazing sight Of mine and euery sinners sinnes which now Were laid vpon thy back because that thou Would'st vndergo so much for vs to bee A Sacrifice for these our sinnes that wee Might bee disburdend quite of them and so Bee freed from that accursed weight of woe Which follow'd them so great so infinite That neither tongue can speake nor pen can write And yet thy loue was growne so strong that thou Didst beare them all for vs. Hence was it now Thy present plunges were so great and hence It was thou felt'st such terrors in the sense Of thy humanitie that made thee call Thy Deitie to helpe hence was the fall Of those great drops of blood which thou didst sweat In this thy fearefull Agonie and yet Do I aske why thou didst intreat Aye mee Some little glimpse of this