requite Crowne his faire soule with comforts infinite Is it not fit then we our sinnes bewaile Thinke still on Heav'n on Heav'n that ne'r did faile The penitent soule when alas distrest Naked forlorne when most of all opprest Then sends reliefe miraculous reliefes Such is the love of Heav'n Heav'n cures all griefes As for Tymes Wolfe-turn'd ill-affected great-ones Close-fisted to the poore deafe to their groanes The Villaines of this Age that make profession Of a pure life yet live by base oppression Hell shall confound their soules that Den of Horrour Circl'd with blacke affright blew-burning terrour Shall boyle their soules and bodies to th'black-sweat Of an infernall poyson and that eate Still to renue new paines plagues that excell Such are the never-dying paines of hell There painted Pride lives crown'd in flaming fire Tymes glorious strumpet whipt with burning wiere Fed is the Lust-provoking Letcher there With scorching coales such as delight to sweare Swallow the Drunkards ever scalding oyle There Vsuters in Pooles of sulphure boyle Murther Rape Incest endlesse torments feele The Rack of vengeance and the burning wheele Whirl'd round in blew flames soule-amazing feare More thignes then tongue can tell the damned beare In burning beds of steele soules blazing fry Tortur'd with torments such as never dye Cursing the Time of their abus'd Creation Parents Fate sinne and their owne damnation Better O better never to be borne Then with such Terrour-striking torments torne Which â—o 〈◊〉 weepe wormes of Earth repent Weepe weepe for sinne soule-killing sinnes prevent Seeke heav'n shun Hell fly from the worlds intice Heav'ns the reward of Vertue Hell of Vice Perfect repentance makes men bravely die That liv'd not so fly then Hell's miserie Repent or damne for sinne weepe and weepe well Soules that doe flout at teares shall fry in hell The Devill sets his baits in ev'ry Angle No Corner's free from him soules to entangle Therefore in Vertues Path strive to excell Let firme faith still repulse the Fiend of hell Divines may preach else till their heart-strings burst The height of sinne will mount live still accurst Vbi peccatum ibi Procella Mans Miserie MAns life is like a Watch whose Time if still It Minnits right distemper'd by no ill It is a rare Peece then but oft we see It runnes too fast in Action t is too free Sometimes by wilfull providence set backe Sometimes by dull neglect it goes too slacke Beates like a dying panting pulse so slow That by and by it stands and then we know T is downe some curious wheele is much amisse Or some sprynge broke whereby the whole frame is So farre pastrectifying that it can Never goe right but like disorder'd Man Mis-spending pretious time in godlesse riot Time barrs of Heav'n Angells immortall dyet Youth is a hot unbridled willfull folly Picke me out one that 's Vertuous truly holy In this abused life and you shall finde Infinite thousands of a Vicious minde Age Palsey-strucke ready for deaths darke grave Insensible of sinne it all would have That shew of profit brings though ill got gaine And threatning heaven in thunder speake refraine Bad precepts t' will not do Truth tells us still Age proves Youth's scorne through examples ill Vice leades the silver yeares to endlesse blame Vaine unstay'd youth to beggery and shame 'T is Heav'ns just punishment an ill lewd life In Young and old meets with eternall strife Thinke then on thy Creatour wretched man Remember what thou art thy life a span A weake thinne thread spun from the downy wooll Of tender children to the Aged skull From youths rich Scarlet die Beauties full force To the silver Tinsell snow of a cold Course Man is an Actor and the world the Stage Where some doe laugh some weepe some sing some rage All in their Parts during the Stene of breath Act follies scourg'd by the Tragodian death Such is the Fate of soules ensnar'd within Satans command beware the twigg of sinne Least touch will take thee Pris'ner Hellish guiles Prove like the perilous paths of Crocodiles That with a slimie Tongue lick't o're prepares To murther Mortalls such is Satans snare O why should Mortalls wish long life to live What comfort what true joy do's this life give Ther 's nothing not one thought that do's us good But it is strangl'd straight by flesh and blood The longer life the more we sinne and fall From bad to worse from worse to worst of all Life loving fortunes how ye puffe men up To hugg their follie drinke damnations Cup O that men were farre wiser would but thinke How swell'd with pride they desperately wincke At their owne venom Vices and yet storme At others faults good heav'n this sinnereturne Or we shall perish praying for our foes Is of small use this causes all our woes Rejoyce at no mans fall with foule aspersion Although thy foe but pray for his conversion So piety wills still imitate the best Not worst of men he that lives well dies blest Observe what Holy Rritprompts thee to act Pray for thy foes 't is a most pious fact If then thine enemie persist in ire Heav'n on his head in flames heapes coales of fire The cause that on our heads just vengance drawes Springs from our selves we breake Gods sacred Lawes Yet never minde it complaints and daily cryes Are much among us still but no weteyes For crying sinnes daggers of discontent Stab home where carelesse people ne'r repent Nothing more dang'rous nor hath ever been Then to live still i' th' Lethargie of sinne The clouded fight permits us not to Eie Our owne foule faults nor the Flint heart to spie It 's rockie substance many have no sense No feeling of their sinnes large conscience Remove the cause betimes let thou and I Ev'ry one strive offend not with thine eye Fly from the tongues abuse thy hard hearts terrour Or live sinnes Slave lost in a mist of errour Sinnes Jnfirmitie THe Sinne of Mans infirmitie is knowne Best by the consequence sad sorrowes groane It leaves behind it such a sting within The Soule that miserable Man for sinne Snar'd with temptations in this worlds wide Hall Can never be at rest but grieve and fall Out to the Death with his abhord condition The guilt of Conscience and the base fruition Of his besotted sence he takes no pleasure In the worlds wealth weighing Gods deepe displeasure Still against sinne he never is at quiet At Home abroad in bed or at his diet There is no health in 's flesh no rest in 's bones Sinne stifles sence all mirth converts to moanes Each comfort proves disconsolate within That soule which really is griev'd for sinne Deepe swelling sighes like breaking Seas discover Heart breaking groanes one griefe upon another Sinne like incessant stormes beats on the breast Of Mans afflicted soule never at rest 'Till he has made his peace with Heav'n by so und And serious humble reconcilement drownd In streaming teares such teares as best expresse For
Heavn'n that paies In the descent mans penitent desires With plenitude of grace to quench sinnes fires God made the eare to heare the happinesse We have from him the tongue still to expresse The glory of his name the eye to see The workes of his divine Integrity Eye head hand heart God the whole man did frame All to rejoyce in his All-Sacred name Happie the soule that prayes with sincere sorrow Repent to day deferre not till to morrow And when you pray thinke unto whom you pray T' is to the Worlds great builder Lord of day ' Mercies bright Majestie th' Almighty strong Iust grand decider of each poore mans wrong That tumbles downe the mighty only can Make the most Potent Prince the poorest man The peace of Kingdomes in a breath disjoynt Spit all Earth's Children on warrs Rapiers point Turne fruitfull fields to yron burne the grasse And for our sinnes convert the Heav'ns to brasse Swell surging seas the dreadfull deepes with waves Stormes famine fire and sword to dig our graves How dare proud mortalls then ne'r take to minde Heav's sacred eye-fight shall darke deedes so blinde Mans Machivilian mischiefe as to thinke Rais'd on Ambitions top he cannot sinke He must he must bad states-menne'r so big Fall of themselves in time breake like a twig As one naile drives another out of place So time cleares truth drives flat'rie to disgrace Flatt'rers are fearefull Fiends bright honours sting Serpents the worst of Traitors to a King Court-Eare-wiggs nimbly wrigling in the Eares Of greatnesse mighty profits madnesse feares So painted o're shaddow'd for sound advice A good King cannot knowes vertue from vice Till Heav'n that brings the darkest deedes to light Produce in time the truth twixt wrong and right Man whosoe're thou art take this advice 'T is Angels counsell Prayers Paradise Walke after Gods way in the day of light Or end thy journey in the darkest night Ther 's but one univerfall remedy For all our ills each soules extremity And that is fervent prayer all must resort To Prayer or perish there is no safe port In this worlds Mare Mortuum for man To put into but prayes prayer only can Powr'd out in fervency of soule prevent Plagues famine bloud and death warr's dire event Bred by seditious subjects whose desires Are still the fuell unto popular fires Prayer shall confound dead all the divellish deedes Of forraigne foes all home-corrupted seedes Dissembling Hypocrites by hells aide appointed To stiffe truth and grieve the Lords annointed Prayer like to hastie powder sir'd shall choake Flame viperous Rebels to a sudden smoake Pray then through fervent prayer imitate Moses and Iacob wrestle with blessed fate Subdue thy sinnes ' gainst sinfull flesh and bloud Importune heaven and heaven will doe thee good Gods promise is if fervently we pray And use our best indeavours ev'ry day To fly from sinne resolving to betake us To holy meanes he never will forsake us Never did any doe their faire endeavour To pray to God that ever lost his labour Nay more if God but see thy inclination To pray he will prevent thy supplication Answer thy full desire e're thou canst crave Grant that thy heart did never hope to have Witnesse good heaven 't is true ther 's no deniall For I have found th'experimentall triall And were for ever like a soule in hell Worthy to burne should I forget to tell In midst of dangers how I call'd on thee Mercifull God and thou did'st set me free At home abroad at Sea upon the land Here there and ev'ry where thou Lord did'st stand My sure protector ' gainst griefes infinite Times flatt'ring ruine and the worlds despite Sicknesse sad discontent when I and care Shooke hands with sorrowes Minion deepe despaire That very hower in heavinesse lockt up Beyond all hope of health then mercies Cup I freely tasted blessed be thy name To me my Gracious God prove still the same Circle me round thou All-Bternall health Gainst all enticements Honour Beauty Wealth Those fatall slies of sinne which though best men Do ne're so much flap off slie on agen Arme aâ—me good heaven Times Microcosme in me Through Faith Hope Love enable me to be Truths Champion Troopes of Furies to withstand And stave Hells Tempter off dead sinnes command Times expert faithfull souldier is a Iewell Fit for a King to fight a Kingdomes Duell Valour and honesty are Princely twinnes Ther 's nothing makes a Coward but his sinnes Lord let a watchfull Centinell within My weake mortality so keepe out sinne That when so e're we meet Morne Noone or Night I with my good sword Faith may in thy sight Heavens Saint-like Souldier prove subdue and winne At truths close constant fight conquest o're sinne Heare me my God mount thoughts with admiration Vpon the highest step of contemplation Irradiate Lord my mind past sinnes controle Conari Sancta Angelize my so ule Give what thou dost command great God and then Command even what thou wilt Amen Amen EArnest prayer and the committing of sinne Will never lodge together in one Inne For sure if prayer cannot make thee cease From sinne sinnes sure to rob thy soule of peace And make thee leave off praying God's all Eye Let our petitions then with fervency Flie unto him whose Majesty is such It comprehends all power do but touch Trie and then trust petition but his name In ardency of soule you le find a flame All-heav'nly holy thrill through thy vitall blood To quell corruption turne all ill to good O that the Soules of Mortall 's to the life Would Act this part subdue sinnes stormy strife Through fervent prayer and in that swift course runne Firme as the golden taper of the sunne Which hourely sailes the Circuit of the Skie That were excelling heav'nly harmonie 'T would make this Globe on Earth whereon we tread Times glorious Theater the rich stage spread And hung all-round with silver shining starres Prickt fall of holy thoughts in them no jarres Of times discording musicke dare appeare The Musick-roome of concord being there There Truths faire Actor where so e're he turnes His penitent Eye with holy raptures burnes Sees the All-sole Spectator Three in one Seated in gloryes Gallery where none But his Omniscient blest beatitude Sits the sole Iudge of soules Ingratitude Actors and Action mans good part and his ill Th' unworthy Actors dull imperfect skill Bred by distemper grosse neglect in studdy Carelesse Rehearsalls and a skull so muddy As never minds th'infinite paines and Art Penn'd to advance and fit him with a part That might immortalize inflame desire Ravish his sinne-sicke sence his soule inspire With sacred extasie high apprehension Seraphicall love divine affection Heav'ns gracious Actor makes this pretious use Of his faire Part ne'r turnes it to abuse Nor wrongs the writer but amaz'd with wonder As one shot through and through with holy thunder At pious lines whose powerfull Energie In Noble spirits frustrates miserie Tames Pride cooles lust makes
wee Never like straying sheepe stray Lord from thee Heare me Miraculous Majestie and give A period to my cares let me not live Frustrate of Honest meanes O send redresse Imploy my Pen keepe me from Idlenesse From all ill Company all waies unjust Sinne Satan and the Labyrinth of lust Like Ioseph Mighty Maker make me fly The tempting Bates of Beauties bravery Suffer me Worme unworthy not in vaine To call on thee let me some solace gaine Or kneele for ever happie man were I To kneele and pray and at my Prayers die To live for ever ever more to sing Glory to thee O God Heavens glorious King O you that stand on Pinacles of state Let not the World deceive you lest too late From off your slipprie height you come in thrall To pash your selves in pecces past recall Sell not faire Lordships to keepe Ladiships Nor sucke damnation from a Strumpets lips Touch not those spells of Sparta let 'em rot When Vertue lives in man lust is forgot One onely Iemme that 's all the store I have Great of that little nothing which shall crave Of Heav'ns great Ens not for my selfe alone But for thee Reader thee and every one Rarenesse of rare example and withall An everlasting skie of Grace to fall Vpon our Warre on Earth desiring Heav'n For waies on Earth are crooked all unev'n O Heav'nly Father glorious Diety Pardon O Pardon my impiety I that have imperfections on my head Past Starres in number or those sands that spread The Vast Seas bottome shall not I confesse How oft ' gainst God I desp'rately transgresse Put off Repentance still from day to day Abuse his mighty Patience still delay His dread Command and like a sencelesse sot Vnmindfull of his mercies minde them not No sooner doe I finde a good thought take me But from that vertue flesh and bloud doe shake me Forgive me O forgive me thou that art Heav'ns universall searcher cure my heart At my dull follies I le no longer winke Sorrow shall be my Pen sad teares my Incke Misery my Paper whereon I 'le write The sorrowes of my soule my youthes delight My pathes of pleasure Prodigall expences My Scarlet Crimes and all my blacke offences This Booke I 'le dedicate unto my heart My heart chiefe Actor in sinnes Tragicke part My heart unprincely Revelling within My body that Banquetting house of sinne There Chain'd to ' th Magicke Musicke of free will Riots in poyson'd pleasure lewdly ill All that belongs to th'body ev'ry part My soule alone excepted serves my heart Best pleas'd and best at ease with pleasures bane Most glad to be most bad and in that vaine Traitor to Truth each limbe a Mortall foe To worke my universall overthrow O false false heart false to thy dearest freind Wound me no more for pittle make an end I pitty thy blacke life nor can forbeare For thee to shed many a bleeding teare Thou art my foe and yet to see thee feed Fat for Hells Shambles my poore soule dosbleed Bleeds inward indiscern'd of any eye Except my God and my owne misery What shall I doe faine would I shunne the sinne My frailty most delights to wander in And yet I cannot when I strive ' gainst vice To stand most firme I 'me tript up in a trice O What a mis'ry 't is to have a minde For to be truely honest well inclinde And not to be sufferd such is the state Of my sad bleeding soule unfortunate Field honour 's but a Vapour the sound brest Puts on Church-Armour Faith and sleights the rest In Love to Vertue and true godly feare Dwells Honour not in Dart Bowe Sling or Speare Not in vaine Beauty strength the pride of Wit Presuming Riches Learning Valour Credit High Birth Nobility nor gravitie Humanity nor yet Virginity But in the humblesoule whom holy storie Speaks to maintaine God and the Gospels glory The King and Kingdomes safety Churches peace The Virgins right Widdowes and fatherlesse These are the noble steps that ever waite On Vertues Court 't is the true Prop of state Save me O save me thou Eternall terrour To damned soules I doe confesse each errour The many thousand sinnes unseene unfelt Which long too long in my hard heart have dwelt To thee to thee thou everlasting being Of an Eternall Majestie all seeing With Penitent heart I come I call I cry Pittie me wretch helpe thou all viewing eye My armes are spread come sempeternall Essence Ravish my soule come blessed Penitence Give me thousand stabbs my soule has neede Of many thousand teares then let it bleede Pierce pierce my stubborne heart make that the Inne Of Grace which yet is but the house of sinne Looke downe soule saving sacred God of Truth Forgive th'infinite follies of my youth Shield me Divinity from Sathans ginnes Lord lay not to my charge my Parents sinnes Glory of goodnesse in thy mercy heare me Let hate Revenge nor Envie ne're come neare me Let neither Pride nor hope of gaine deceive me Nor pleasure nor the want of meanes bereave me Of sence lest sencelesse wholy I despaire And so become the wretched child of Care O sacred saviour give me grace to fly Delight in sinne I beg it earnestly In all my prayers enable me to be Blessed Lord Iesus pleasting unto thee Make me to doe thy will Lord make me grow Great in thy love thou that dost truely know Of all Earths blessings unto mortalls giv'n My sole desire on Earth is Grace from Heav'n Grace to be good grace to avoide hels ginnes And grace to grieve for nothing but my sinnes So shall thy mercy ne'r forgetfull stand While I have Tongue a Pen a head a hand The Soules Sea fight EMp'rour of Angells O thou King of Starrs Man's perfect solace ' gainst sinnes bloudy warres When I behold with contemplations Eye The silver spangles of the glorious skie Me thinks in that Blew-paper-booke of Heay a I see the waies of Mortalls all Vnev'n The wretched soule of Man in ev'ry place Lives Locally in hell Wanting thy grace Temptation on temptation past controule Alures the body to betray the soule Hells Blacke-Prince Troopes of spiries ev'ry day Invades Mans Sinne-seidg-Soule Furies display Infernall Banners while the Drum of death Beates a dead March and e're I can take breath Sounds shrill Alarums hot assaults beginne The soules fierce fight muffl'd in cloudy sinne I live beset Millions of spirits round Shoot at my soule 〈◊〉 stand on no firme ground But tread on Earth as on a Ball of ice I cannot stand nor stirre for sliprie vice My Soul 's a ship tost on the mountaine seas Of this vast world she never lives at ease Her Sailes are sighes her Anchor deepe despaire Her Compasse errour her sad Pilot care Farre off from safetyes shore floates on the waves Of fearefull billowes Soule-devouting graves Rough blustring stubborne stormes yeeld no reliefe On ev'ry shrowd each Tackling hangs a griefe Death like a darke cloud besets every place Here
mischeife malice and much hate But is all excellent sweetnesse noble pitty Faire Honours soule cloath'd in humility What Eye on Earth sheads for his sinne a teare What Eare delights Heav'ns Holy Word to heare What Tongue triumphs to speake in Almighti's praise What Heart affected stands to holy waies Wer 't not for Charity she is the Queene In whom all Graces of the soule are seene Prophesies shall faile Tongues cease knowledge vanish But Charity never she from soules can banish Lust Averices and Pride with all the Rabble Of sinnes which make Men truely miserable O when we want the gift of Charitie We all are subject to impletie The Devill laies his stumbling blocks within Our waies of wickednesse our daies of sinne Lures us to strumpets such as Sampson tride To mighty Nabuchadnezers swolne pride Like Acban and Gâ—bezi daily He Tempes Man to covetuous Idolatrie Snares soules to Envie like accursed Caine To Herods Selfe-love Nabals churlishvaine Sinne heapt on sinne all those blacke soules to stifle That thinke Adult'rie sweet true love a trifle If rich Heav'n wills us from our plenteons store To yeeld Truths cherefull succour to the poore And that by sundry Statutes God commands Vpon the forfeiture of life and Lands Confirming still the poore man to have part In the Rich man's Estate if any heart Dares doubt this Truth the Scripture must denie None but an ATheist wrongs that pietie What a large extreâ—me folly 't is to see Man like the Wolfe for prey how earnestly He hunts for meanes as if the onely honie Of soule and body did consist in monle Meate drinke and cloathes Men sicke still pray for health Readie to be undone for paltry wealth Freedome and safety and with shamelesse faces Forget to begg of God spirituall Graces Many men pray but he the glory winnes That prayes to be disburthen'd of his sinnes And viewes the poore Mans labour with the eye Of sweetreliefe ther 's noble Chatitie The heart of such a man may sometimes shrinke Vnder temptations weight but never finke God makes man here Lord steward of that store He deales so chearefully among the poore Gives him the Grace to thinke when to his fight Apoore wretch comes to begge of him a mite He might have beene that begger his estate Transferr'd on him and begging at his gate Or in the streete in Ragges opprest with griefe Glad to beseech him for some poore reliefe Wealth 's the worlds Witch desir'd of most all know it Yet I have read wise Codrus a poore Poet And his Wife Procula they knew it was Farre greater happinesse their dayes to passo After long life unto aquiet end Then change their poorenesse proudly to ascend King Ninus Throne be wonder'd at and seene T' out shine Semyramis wealths wicked Queene Thus Heathens learne us Christians what to doe Greedy desire of wealth workes endlesse woe As wise Vlysses serv'd his Syren Witches Passe-by the worlds pelfe seeke celestiall Riches Be rich or poore unlesse a beast thou be Seeke Heav'nly wealth or ne're looke heav'n to see Man backward goes takes all the care he can Not to be godly first but a rich man Takes care for health long life Physicks the blood But last of all least care to become good Cleane opposite to the faire rule of Truth Truth instructs crooked Age and stiffe-neckt youth First to seeke Godlinesse Riches and health Will follow next godlinesse is great wealth What though the world frowne must we straight repine Has not Heav'n sent us reason to desine Twixt good and evill ought not thou and I Ev'ry one strive to live contentedly With our estates certaine it should be so Did not sinne blind us did we but truly know That which the world so scoffes at Poverty God onely sends to trie our honestie Or dishonestie poverty is sent For Vertues triall Vices punishment He that in peace enjoyes the quiet calmes Of flourishing plenty yet gives no Almes But like insatiate Hell greedy of more Belies his wealthy state to rob the poore Of their just Intrest disabling himselfe Base miser like to save his dirty pelfe Such falshood cries for flaming vengeance still To persecute a Wretch so vile so ill 'T is not the Rich not Poore can pleade excuse Where want of Charity speakes Man's abuse Dost thou want â—â—â—es to give Truth is thy friend Truth at all times instructs thee to extend ' Thy Almes in lib'rall manner not to pine In parting with thy pence for love divine Admitt thou art unable to disburse Least pecce of Coine yet let thy emptypurse Be full exprest in a Compassionate groane A sigh a prayer for him that makes his moane And in the Holy Name of the most High Beggs some reliefe to succour penurie God ever stands more on the givers mind Then the gift given if God but truely find A cup of water in his sacred name Given to the poore God gratifies the same The Widdowes Mite one Farthing pleased more The Lord of Heav'n then all the Rich Man's store There is no Vertue Constant without love Nor no love perfect but from Heav'ns above Witnesse Truths sacred Text Heav'ns love to Man Amply exprest in the poore Publican His humble Eyes sighes cries and bruised breast Forc'd ope the Gates of Mercy gave him rest With Spittle Clay least word that did proceed From Mercies never failing Master freed The Blind the Lame the Sicke the Dead from grave Heav'ns All-Commanding Maker all can save O let us then in holy love betake us To Christian Charity Now good God make us Gratiously willing for thy owne sweet sake That suffer'd on the Crosse made hell to quake Fashion our wills to thine Lord make us know It is our sinnes our sinnes makes God our Foe Vbi Charitas non est Caritas VERTVES PYRAMID Blest Blest O Blest Be that Divinity Three Sacred Persons GOD in Vnitie WHOSE glorious Ravishing Resurrection Restor'd us lost to Grace Oh PERFCTION Purifie thou my Soule my Heart my Minde Snatch me from Earth to Heav'n make me inclin'd Wholly to Thee All worldly Pompe despising Fixe my THOVGHTS ever On thy Blessed RISING Give MEE A Sempeternall Reverence To Thy All-glorious high Omnipotence I that am clog'd with sin and wretchednesse Desp'rate thoughts hunting after Worldlinesse Thy blest Protection crave cleare the great score Of all my foule misdeeds that I no more so great a sinner proove Lord let my strife Against my sinnes Raise mee from Death to life And from the Foote of uggly sinnes disgrace Mount mount my SOVLE to th'Pyramid of GRACE Chastitie and Lust LEwd speech strikes blushes in a Virgins face Chastity is ever the Zeale of grace â—taffe of Devotion Enemy to Lust In death true comfort the Marke of the Just Sister of Angells and the Virgin Tie Which cleaves to God gaines sweete Eternity When Lust with all her paint Curles purles pride Swelling in pompe is but a nastie Hide A most infectious foe foe to the Purse Foe to the Person