to me a Wench and thus she said Thou sure art one of this Mans company For by thy countnance is the same bewraid But what she said I stiffely did denie O sinfull soule for this thy lacke of grace Weepe weepe till teares make gutters in thy face With that the quicke rebuker of my vice The wakefull cocke did then begin to crow Yet ere he crew I did denie him thrice And swore I knew him not whom I did know O sinne of sinnes O excrement of earth Forgiue me Christ though my desart be death Then Christ on me did cast a glorious view Like to a Star that glanced in the skie Whereby behold my foule offence I knew That my hearts thoughts were open to his eie And thereupon the Cocke againe did crow The heauie watch-word of my ouerthrow But when I saw his piercing eyes looke backe As I pronounst my periurie within O how my soule did feele a sudden wracke Thus strooke against the damned rocke of sinne Which made me straight to get me out of doore And on the thirstie earth my teares to powre And with a wofull bitter bleeding hart Thus I began to thunder out my crie Lord looke not on me after my desart I haue deseru'd eternall death to die Though I on earth haue here denyed thee Yet of thy Kingdome Lord deny not me Celestiall power Creations sole beginner View here thy poore Apostles relenting Meekely forgiue a true repentant sinner That with salt teares is euermore repenting But who a wretch vnworthy to be knowne A Saint O no not Gods nor yet his owne All weeping eyes resigne to me your teares From weeping will I neuer cease but weepe For why my sinnes haue fil'd my soule with feares And flouds of sorrowes breakes my soundest sleepe The more distils the liquid Oliue tree The better will the fruite in season be And that makes me lament my life so ill With streaming teares so long as I haue breath Least sinne and hell my spotted soule should spill Which dayly threatens my eternall death Though death eternall be my due desart Yet Lord forgiue my sad repenting heart Accusing Sathan fils my soule with feares Demaunding how I dare for mercie call A reeking voyce from hell rings in my eares That I of force must to perdition fall Whose foggy stem doth seeke my soule to blind That the true way to Christ I might not find Damn'd wretch say they how canst thou hope for grace Christs sacred word is precious and most pure Asham'd thou wast to know thy Masters face Therefore asham'd of thee he will be sure For feare of death thy life for to prolong Thou slew'st thy soule by rashnesse of thy tongue Christ in a parable plaine bewrayes this case He damn'd the slothfull seruant found asleepe And he that to the wedding forced was The foolish Virgins wanting care to keepe Their lampes with oyle when they with him should go Were for this trespasse throw'n to lasting woe See how seuerely Christ doth sinners vse He spar'd not Saul although his true annoynted But cast him off and did him quite refuse For sparing Agag otherwise appoynted If Christ spar'd not chiefe branches of his tree Then sinfull soule what shall become of thee Then bootles spend not thou thy loathed breath In vaine thou dost for grace and mercie crie Thou hast with Iudas won a traytors death He sold his Lord and thou dost him denie O wretched soule nay most accursed deuill For none but fiends would doe so bad an euill Thou maske of shame badge of a guiltie mind Thou mappe of sinne thou common foe of fame Out-cast on earth thou whelpe of Tygres kind God from his booke hath blotted out thy name At thy complaint the Lord doth stop his eares He nought respects thy grones or bitter teares Curse wretched man the time that thou wast borne On thy birth day soule sinne imbraste thee fast To vanquish thee and make thee thus forlorne Thereby from grace to haue thee quite out cast What then a saint no no a beast nay worse Abiuring Christ thou hast a lasting curse False fainting heart which feare did ouerthrow To saue thy life thou didst thy promise breake How canst thou thinke that Christ will mercie shew When as thy faith was found to him so weake To adde small time vnto a fleeting life Thy soule is fild with sorrow woe and strife O purchase base to length thy life by sinne Infamous wretch deseruing death for meede Wouldst thou permita womans words to winne Thy loue from Christ euen in his greatest neede What fauour canst thou finde that Christ deluded Angels for sinne from Heauen were excluded Wherefore was such a caytife namde a Saint Whose speeches vowed spit and bitter gall That in Christs quarrell cowardly did faint Could an Apostle catch so fowle a fall Blacke fiends of hell hereat doe laugh and smile That they did Peter in such sorte beguile Dispaire and dye rip thy foule intrals out To search thy conscience make no long delay T'is foule and guiltie therefore out of doubt T'will witnes be against thee at that day Both clarke and Iudge and iurie will it bee For to condemne but not to set thee free Thus sinne and Sathan did my soule accuse Setting the filth of sinne before my eyes My heart with terror did he sore abuse Who saide that Christ my praiers would despise But yet defying him though flesh were fraile Through grace I gan my faults thus to be waile Most mightie Lord sicke is my soule within To thinke that I against my God offended Sweete Christ forgiue the greatnes of my sin Saue me Lord Iesu else I am condemned Rent hart weep eyes pleade thou wicked tougue Pleade thou for mercy that did Christ such wrong O holy spirit that seest my restles teares Reade ioyfull lessons to my painting hart For Sathan speakes of nought but rufull feares And griefe conceales my soules incessant smart My guiltie eyes that still pursues my sin Each moment doth my griefe afresh begin Looke on the thoughts of a perplexed mind Their irksome dayes that leades a loathsome life There is no ioy or comforts I can find Such vaine illusions keeps me still in strife O brittle life that vadeth like a flower Vnstable mind oft changed in an hower This world allur'd me with deceiuing howers Liuing I find a Lab'rinth voyd of measure A groue of griefe a field of blasted flowers A stony ground where growes no sparke of pleasure A witching phrenzie pleasant to the eares A dreadfulll den a surging riuer of teares O splendent Christ which suffred for my sin Celestiall Substance let me tast thy sweet That my poore soule may be refresht within Which this false world doth clog with cares vnmeet The holy Ghost to my poore spirit applie That on thy mercy I may still relie Behold my eyes with dayly weeping teares Are blear'd and parcht for my offences done Thy grace I craue my heart thy Iustice feares With trembling ioynts
my soules distresse begonne Sinne causeth griefe for sorrow is their share That in the shop of shame trades periur'd ware Sinnes farme I rented with hard intrest bought The rent my soule yet all my gayne was griefe Deere was that purchase which my downfal wrought In Caiphas court I lost my soules reliefe O wretched men that buyes the curse of hell With wrecke of soules the wares that diuels sell Lord let thy mercy be the onely key To ope the doore of my afflicted hart Where my accounts in secret hidden lye Griping my conscience with extremest smart And thereby let thy holy spirit in Which is of force to dispossesse my sin Lord seeke the sheepe that long hath gone astray The prodigall to thee his mone hath made I haue procur'd and wrought my owne decay And of damnation am I sore afraid If thou wilt helpe O sweet Christ helpe me now And make not Peter breake although he bow O write my teares within the booke of life The register of thine elected fold Where mercie and compassion shineth rife There Lord let Peters name be sure intold Protect me Lord and free me from all feares Whose soule is drencht within a showre of teares With mildenes measure my submissiue minde Meekely forgiue I craue with contrite hart Let thy poore seruant thy free mercie finde With sighs I beg release of earned smart Bent knees thicke sobs wet eyes sad hart begin Pleade clients pleade Gods mercie sweete to win Sinfull Disciple fall flat on thy face And warme the thirstie earth with flowing teares Yea rise not vp till thou hast purchaste grace Ring rufull sobs repentant in his eares A true and contrite heauie soule for sin The Lord regardes and most doth ioy therein Redeeme me then with ransome of thy loue Release my bondage from sinnes captiue gaile Let Peters true repentance pittie moue And let thy mercie be my soules sure baile Tender my suiâ—e cancell offences great With feare I craue with hope I doe intreat O that I had not borne so base a minde As to deny my Christ that did me make But that I had with constant Steuen been kinde To haue been stoned for my masters sake Then had I neuer knowne this hellish smart That wounds my conscience and doth kil my hart What did produce me to this cursed crime How came I so securelie rockt asleepe The monster sinne my wings of faith did lime I could not flie that hellish danger deepe Blasphemous hart benumd with deadly colde Thou didst my tongue to periuries vnfolde Ah woe is me I am that cursed Caine That murdered Abel I may iustlie say His precious blood doth issue out amaine And t'was my sinnes that did my Sauiour slay Had I so many eyes as Starres in skie For this offence well might I weepe them drie I doe bewaile my foule committed sin Gainst Christ redeemer of my soule from hell Sweete Sauiour let my soule thy mercie win That I among the damned may not dwell For I confesse without thy mercies store I shall be damnd in hell for euermore Ah seruile feare that maskes a drooping minde Subiect to sinne base captiue vnto thrall Couldst thou permit a sillie woman kinde To be contriuer of thy shamefull fall Were now the Cocke to crow as thrice he crue No woman though I dyde should me subdue O hastie rashnes where true faith was fled Vnsauorie tree where fruits of sin do grow For want of faith let floods of teares be shed Baptize anew thy soule in streames of woe Too long they liue that liue till they be nought How cheape sold I what Christ so deerly bought Come idle eyes t'is long time since ye wept Straine out my sorrows fruits of my vntruth That springing streams of teares may still be kept To blaze with plaints the Ecchoes of my ruth Vnkind in kindnes where faint feare tooke place To spit thy poyson in thy makers face O wretched Peter far worse then the Iewes That hist at Christ like poysoned stinging snakes Whose scornfull mocks his patience did abuse Who notwithstanding dyed for their sakes My oaths were darts my cruell tongue the sting My God the marke and him I did maligne With sin O Lord my soule is sore attainted My mind my thoughts my hart is clog'd with griefe Heart throbbing feare and treason hath me haunted All these are ruines of my soules reliefe Inconstancy foule fraud and false selfe will These gaue attendance my poore soule to kill Dispaire not Peter doo not thy God forget To call for mercy doo thy best indeuour Neuer did he refuse a sinner yet Nor crau'd his death but wisht him life for euer All burdned soules come vnto me saith he And of your griefe you shall released be Therefore I thinke my selfe thrice happie blest For that I hope I shall beholde his blisse Although this flesh be fraile full of vnrest Against the spirit working much amisse Yet Christ his mercie floweth like a spring While his woundes bleede receiued for my sinne I did offend thee Lord with periurde speech Which wicked deed I doe from heart repent Therefore sweete Lord I humbly doe beseech To saue his soule that doth for sinne lament For I beleeue and for a truth I know My scarlet sinnes thou canst conuert to snow Lord clense me then thy blessing on me spread With many foes my soule is hard beset Be thou my strength and helmet for my head And with thy treasure pay my seruile debt As teares of vines foule leprosie doth cure So vlcer sinnes is by thy blood made pure Why then my soule wherefore art thou so sad And why art thou disquieted within Plucke vp thy selfe be ioyfull and most glad Christ by his passion washt away my sinne Though of all men the worst to be esteemed Yet by my Sauiour is my soule redeemed Then Peter breake from that vilde tirant strong Shake off his chaines and burst his hellish bands Sinne hath thee kept in seruitude too long And run to Iesus where he meekely stands Spread on the Crosse wide open with his armes Thee to imbrace keepe thee from all harmes Lo thus with faith and hope still did I pray Christ heard my suite and all my sinnes forgaue Poore sinners suites no time he doth delay He came from Heauen repenting soules to saue None can on earth a greater sinner be Then I was found and yet he saued me The wicked Iewes that halde him to the Crosse With many taunting tearmes and hatefull scornes He greatly grieude their soules eternall losse While they did crowne his holy head with thornes They whipt his body bor'd his hands and feete Yea pearst his side and did reioyce to see'r But this Beathlemite deare sonne of God Which by his wisedome could haue staide this strife Yet rather chose to feele Gods heauie rod Then we should lose the ioyes of blessed life For rather then we should hels torment trie He spared not to yeelde himselfe to die Yet cursed Scribes did take no
Saint Peters Path to the Joyes of Heauen WHEREIN IS DESCRIBED THE FRAILTIE OF FLESH THE power of the Spirit the labyrinth of this life Sathans subtiltie and the Soules saluation As also the Election Liues and Martyrdomes of the twelue Apostles By W. B. Poenitentiae nemo nimis Cupidus At London Imprinted by Felix Kingston 1598. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL SIR RICHARD MVLLENEX KNIGHT ALL health of bodie increase of ioy with the full fruition of perfect felicitie RIGHT Worshipfull It is reported that Althema hoping to gratifie Alexander that famous Conquerour with some excellent piece of workemanship searched so farre in the depth of his Arte as striuing with cunning to be curious his pencill past beyond his skill not being able to make his worke perfect who being blamed by his friend Pethieus for imboldning himselfe so vnaduisedly answered that although Arte wanted to beautifie the worke yet heart and good will did make perfect that which lacke of cunning had left vnperfect whose answere Right Worshipful as one guiltie of a greater crime I claime for the sufficient excuse of my follie in beginning this worke rudely continuing rashly and ending rawly None can expresse a Passion that he feeleth not neither doth the penne deliuer but what it copieth out of the minde This passionate Discourse thought it reach not to the dignitie of Peters repenting yet shall I thinke my endeuours well apaid if it may 〈◊〉 some skilfuller penne to supplie in this matter my want 〈◊〉 â—bility and exercise their happier talents in the like pieâ—â— I confesse my fault in committing these vnpolisht lines to the Presse yet I craue pardon with fauourable censure and thus farre dare I answere for my selfe that although Demosthenes had a plaudit for his Oration because it was curious yet Nimius got the Sentence for the trueth of his plaine Tale. This worke of S. Peters path to the ioyes of heauen I humbly commit to your Worshippes protection which if it may please you to let this tearie Mappe passe vnder the countenance and credite of your Name and that you will deigne to reade it ouer and therewith seeme to be but pleased I account my selfe highly fauoured Apelles presented Alexander with the counterfeit of Campaspe the face not fully finished because hee liked the Picture and I offer these few stanzes vnto you not well furnished because I know you are a fauourer of vertue Achilles made it not daintie to take the view of Phidias homely worke because it was the Image of the God of Warre and I hope your Worship will vouchsafe the viewing of this silly booke for that it describes the submissiue mind of a penitent Sinner although it spring froÌ„ a barren soyle being a dish of such fruite as my poore orcharde can yeeld not vnlike to Zeuxes pictures which seemed to the birds to be grapes but being thorowly proued were bare shadowed colours yet it may be that you passing ouer many learned works wil at last view this and smile as Theodosius did at the Pomegranate not that he scorned the fruit but to see the simple meaning of the man that presented him with so slender a gift yet I hope by your protection this my labor shall find acceptance according to the minde of the giuer and to haue as many fauorers as readers no moe readers that mislike the matter then like to write some other as well meant for that it proceedes from a minde as willing to shew it selfe thankefull as whosoeuer els that commends himselfe by a greater present Thus I humbly take my leaue wishing you all heartes content in this life and euerlasting happinesse in the World to come Your Worships in all duetifull seruice to commaund WILLIAM BROXVP To the courteous and friendly Reader GEntle Readers although I present you with this tearie Mappe of S. Peters submissiue Minde yet I craue pardon of you as Clinius did of Virginius that if you finde any thing amisse you will passe it ouer with fauourable censure desiring you to reade with fauour correct with iudgement and winke at a fault After I had writ these few lines I stoode in doubt whether I should commit them to the Presse let them lye obscurely in corners or else to remaine priuately in my owne hands but being in doubt least any false copie should be scattered abroad by that meanes it should come corrupt to the Print disguised in the fancies of an other mans humor it imboldened my weake abilitie the more to giue it passage to the Presse yet it may be that courteous skill will make this reckoning that though it bee course in respect of exquisite labours yet it may entertaine indifferent mindes for that the ground thereof is pietie and this commoditie it will carie with it that the Reader may learne the true path to perfect Ioy and how to humble himselfe in the schoole of repentance Thus wading ouer rashly like Gherillus I flattered my selfe yet farre from the minde of Terence when he first beganne to studie Poetrie he thought all the world would be in loue with his writing but if this may winne any one to a repentant minde hee shall receiue the fruites of his good worke and I shall inioy the content of my full desire Phidios founde the more fauour in setting out his simple pictures in that he did what he could and I hope to find your fauourable iudgement for this imperfect worke in that I doe what I can Though Cicero were eloquent Ennius was bluntish high stile is not herein used but a plaine Decorum touching the matter a worke roughly hewed out of a hard rocke not polished by the curious hands of Artifex yet brought to the view of the learned whose cleare sighted iudgement may condemne me of boldnesse yet this I know that the well literate will winke at a fault when the captious misliker will finde fault with euery letter for the one I will honour his discreet fauour for the other I neuer meant to please his humor Thus I commit my selfe and my booke to your courtesies wishing the friendly Readers the fruition of all felicitie committing them to the protection of the celestiall powers and this my good will towards them to their fauourable considerations Yours to commaund in all kindnesse W. B. In alios lenis estâ— THE ORDER OF THE Euangelistes in laying downe the names of the twelue Apostles  1 Peter Actes 1. 2 Iames Zebedeus  3 Iohn  4 Andrew Luke 6. 5 Philip.  6 Thomas  7 Bartholomew Marke 3. 8 Matth.  9 Iames Alph.  10 Simon Zelotes Matth. 10. 11 Iude Iames. bro.  12 Matthias THE ELECTION LIVES and Martyrdomes of the twelue Apostles HEre gentle Reader wee may beholde the Saintes of God which by great care and entire loue did plant the principles of the Gospell not sparing their liues to quench the heat of fire By viewing their Martyrdome we may comfort our selues with this saying Sanguis Martyrum semen Ecclesiae