Ecclesiastes, othervvise called The preacher Containing Salomons sermons or commentaries (as it may probably be collected) vpon the 49. Psalme of Dauid his father. Compendiously abridged, and also paraphrastically dilated in English poesie, according to the analogie of Scripture, and consent of the most approued writer thereof. Composed by H.L. Gentleman. Whereunto are annexed sundrie sonets of Christian passions heretofore printed, and now corrected and augmented, with other affectionate sonets of a feeling conscience of the same authors.

SVNDRY AFFECTIONATE SONETS OF A FEELING CONSCIENCE.

PREFACE.

VVHere hast thou rangd my retchles soul so long? How too securely hast thou luld my mind? In so long space, no cause or meanes to find, To (once againe) renue thy vowed song. Be not too bold, thinke not thy perill past; May be, thy iourney is but new begun, Pleasures do vanish, dangers fly as fast To stop thy course, if slowly thou do runne. Thy vowes are made, they may not be vndonne, And cause thou hast (if blessings not thee blind) To keepe thy promise to a God so kind, By whom alone, thou freedomes rest hast wonne: To him (nay to thy selfe) then do not wrong, To whom thy hart, powre, will, by vow belong.

SON. I.

OF thee and of thy prayse (Lord) will I sing, Who rid'st on winged Chariot of the skie, Whose throne is plast aboue the thrones most hie, Whose will doth forme & change ech formed thing: To thee the offerings, of thy bounties gift; To thee the due, of my attaynd desire I will present, and with a voice vplift Contend to cause the world thy name admire. Thy prayses do not mortall praise require, For lo (alas) they no way can come nye Vnto the holy hymnes thy Saints apply, And Angels sing, inflam'd with heauenly fire: Yet shall my soule, such zealous present bring, As shall record my loue to heauens high king.

SON. II.

EXild be mortall cares, raysd be my song, To treat (with stile condigne) thy honor still, O mighty Ioue, who heauen and earth dost fill With myrror of thy power: to thee belong All powers and wils, of body and of mind, Thou mak'st and blessest with thy prouidence, Thy bountie to the needy is so kind, As nought but mercie••and loue proceedeth thence: At our right hand a readie safe defence, If Satans practise once assaile vs will, Thou holy motions dost in vs distill, And dost illuminate our dulled sence: Thou dost redeeme, fro out the enemies throng The innocent, whom worldlings vse to wrong.

SON. III.

VVRo out what dreame, what sleepe, what charmed rest Rouse I my selfe? who too too long haue stayd, (With worldly cares and vanities dismayd) And cleane forgot almost soules solace blest? My greedy nature, quaffed ouer much, Restrained poyson (potions of delight) New libertie did former dyet grutch, Though life the one, death other show'd to sight; Nature, gainst grace; prouoketh still this fight, World to our wils doth yeeld accursed ayd, Satan our senses dulles, that not affrayd, We worke our wracke with greedy force and might: But waken me (ô Lord) I thee request, With pleasure, paine, welth, wo, as likes thee best.

SON. IIII.

WHat is thy measure full? dost thou suppose Of strength, of perfectnesse, of plenteous store, Of frutes of faith profest; that now no more Thou carest, albeit thy tree true beautie lose? It can not be, whilst life and sap remaine, That barren branch, so holy plant should beare: A faire greene tree of goodly leaues were vaine, Vnlesse that kindly frute also there were. Words are but leaues, works fruits that should be there, Shew that thou liu'st, by charitie therefore; True holinesse doth teach a righteous lore, Whereby to neighbors good, our thoughts we reare; Vaine is our knowledge and our holy showes, If in our life the fruite of loue not growes.

SON. V.

HOw can I hope for all my forward speed, My fresh incounters of the riuals first, My bold intent and zeale, which venter dirst To runne so hard a race, and long indeed, To win the prize? if past the greater paine, I faint or do begin, my speed delay, Or trusting ouer much the goale to gaine, Let euery leaden heele, leade me the way. In race of soule to heauen, light many a stay, And fainting body doth for pleasnre thurst: The world strowes golden fruits (of tast accurst) Which toucht with loue, we lose to soules decay: Then let me still runne on, so haue I need, For constancie, stands most the soule in steed.

SON. VI.

ALl will not serue, the more I would beware, The more I headlong fall and drowne in sinne: So farre vnlike the victorie to winne, That to his building morter I prepare. One thing I say, an other thing I do, One show of worke I haue, an other deed: I runne cleane from the marke I looke vnto, With one hand quench the fire, with'other feed. One error doth a hundred errors breed, If one I cut, to grow do ten begin. This fleshly laberinth that I am in, Is of the sinnefull race of Hydras seed, But yet my trauell still I will not spare; Because I know, God hath on me a care.

SON. VII.

FAine would I bring some fruit of sauorie tast, For offering of freewill and of my zeale; But I do feare my weakenesse to reueale, (Like new wine in a crazed vessell plast) The vessell yet (not liquor) being mine, And it fild in by master of the store, I hope he will not at my gift repine, But (if it faile) will it replenish more. My weakenesse, I do oftentimes deplore, And for reliefe, to him I do appeale: Yet ioy, the bounty, that he daind to deale, And halting hast, to those that go before. In hope that my (nay his gifts) shall be grast, Through loue vnto his sonne, whom he imbrast.

SON. VIII.

I Maruell much sometimes to see my will, Contraried by my selfe with harts consent; To see me crosse the course my purpose ment, And yet th'euent thereof proue better still. I am by nature vnto euill prone, And that pursue, with forward fleshly ayd: Straight way my mind is chāgd (by means vnknown) And heart consents, my former will be stayd. The cause hereof, and issues I haue wayd, And find them strange, yet bending in intent Vnto my good (sometimes though ill I ment) And fayld of plots, my greatest wisedome layd: Which doth my soule, in fine with comfort fill, To see Gods prouidence, my purpose spill.

SON. IX.

I Now begin to doubt my present state, For that I feele no conflict in my mind: A settled concord, needs must be vnkind, Twixt flesh and spright, which should ech other hate, They neere agree, but to their common woe, And that through sin which luld them both a sleepe, A warfare in this bodie would I goe, Lest fraud, or treason in through rest should creepe. The practises of Sathan are so deepe, Armed with flesh and lust (whom prone we find) That hardly can the soule his freedome keepe, But that these fiendes would him with frailty bind. Vnlesse with heauenly weapons at debate, With them we stand, and fight, both rare and late.

SON. X.

VVHen I remember, with what speed in post The Iewes (return'd from bondage) tooke in hand Their Temple to restore, and armed stand, In breach of wals to build, what enemies crost. When I their bountie note, in offering store, All freely giuen, and more then they could vse, How true their treasures were that would no more, Their workmens faith (accounts whilst Kings refuse.) How these our latter times (which we accuse Of ignorance, through fraud of Balaams band) Did yet powre forth the plenty of the land, To holy vse, which other did abuse. I sorrow much to see true zeale cleane lost, And pure religion shakt for sauing cost.

SON. XI.

VVHat loue is this whereof the world doth tell, Which they to God professe and men admire? Loue hath his lawes, and doth effects require Of charitie (to neighbour) to excell. For as the members of one bodie bee Partakers of the passion others haue, And speedily concurre to helpe we see, Because (thereby) the bodies good they craue. So if their loue to God they freely gaue, And held him head; their zeale would burne like fire To serue his Saints, the needy to attire, And home the stray to call, the lost to saue. For how can they th'inuisible God loue well, Whē they neglect their neighbors, neer that dwel?

SON. XII.

VVHo so will serue the Lord, he must bestow The whole (not part) of body or of mind: If in his heart dislike hereof he find, His soule not yet, regenerate we may know. Betwixt two stooles no sitting safe there is, And kingdomes so deuided cannot stand: We must imbrace and loue or that, or this; And not looke backe, if plough be once in hand. If Gods we be, we Beliall must withstand, We cannot him well serue and Baall blind, To Balak (Balams kindnesse of such kind) Did draw him to accurse the blessed land, Whereby his Asse, did masters blindnesse show; And still bewrays, weak faith, where this shal grow.

SON. XIII.

GIue all to him, that all did giue to thee: More then his due, thou hast not to bestow: By yeelding all, thou thankfulnesse mayst show, The more thy store, the more his gifts would bee. A chearefull giuer God doth best accept, Though he doth giue that gift thou dost present; His blessings must be vsde and not be kept, (Like fruitlesse tallents) not to profit spent. Thy soule and bodie both, since God hath lent, The vse of them (entire) to him should grow, What is our power and strength, he well doth know: And giues the will; which (vsde) he is content. But for to share a part, that scorneth hee Who knows our thoughts & secret hart doth see.

SON. XIIII.

BVt will you know (indeed) the surest way, To make the child of God a loathing find Of sinne (which doth infect both heart and mind) And vs the grace of God doth so denay? Let man but see the fierce and angry face, Of God for sinne which in his word is found; Let him behold a man deuoid of grace, Whom euery thought & deed to death doth wound. Let him (if euer grace did so abound In him, as he found God a father kind) But call to mind, how much it should him bind, And how saluation standeth on that ground. Then will he in his conscience surely say, I'will dwell no more in sinne, nor mends delay.

SON. XV.

SOmetimes cleane tyr'd, or sham'd of sinne at last, (If not for loue of good, or feare of hell) I seeke to stay affections which rebell, And how to quench their heat my wits I cast: I find euen whilst the thought is in my head, A liking thought thereof doth me possesse: From thoughts to liking are my humors led, And liking longs againe to worke no lesse. My laberinth felt, I seeke in vaine t'expresse, An idle thought can not such thoughts expell: I thinke to exercise my time so well In some good work, as may vaine thoughts suppresse; But I do tyre, ere litle time be past: Prayer alone withstands the greatest blast.

SON. XVI.

ME thinkes sometime, I muse and much admire, The dulnesse of the Iewes, who daily saw The powrefull workes of Christ, which well might draw A stony heart, to loue of him t'aspire: Much more I maruell that the words he spake, Seem'd parables, and darke vnto his owne Disciples; who his scholers he did make, To whom all secrets, should by time be knowne; But when I find the wonders on vs showne, Vnnoted or acknowledged, by awe Vnto his will, or word, or holy law, And common ignorance by most men showne. It makes me feare, we want the holy fire Of faith, loue, zeale, which dutie would require.

SON. XVII.

VVHat vaine lip-labour is it men do vse To speake of God, his name in word confesse? When as in life no dutie they expresse Of godlinesse, but fleshly freedome chuse: Not euery one that cryeth often Lord, Shall enter to possesse eternall rest: Vaine ostentation was (we see) abhord In Pharise, whose speech and showes were best. Hypocrisie the Lord did aye detest, And chiefly that in them, his name should blesse, As Anany, with Saphira no lesse Do witnesse by their death, at hand adrest: Let vs therefore this babbling forme refuse, Of boasting holinesse, which doth abuse.

SON. XVIII.

I Goe about full oft (like Iewes most blind) To offer vp, to God a sacrifice Propitiatorie, gratefull to his eies, Thereby remission for my sinnes to find: But lose my labour whilst I cleane forget, First with my neighbour to be reconcild, A heape of rankor doth my conscience let, From looking for remorse in father mild. The mercies on the which my hopes should build, My owne malicious purpose me denies, For how should I that grace to gaine deuise, Which from my neighbours sutes I haue exild? At Temple dore my offering stayes behind, Henceforth therefore, till malice leaue my mind.

SON. XIX.

O Happie Simon of Syren, art thou, Who chosen wert that office to supply, To beare part of the crosse, on which should die Thy Sauiour, (worlds new life and comfort true:) Not wood I meane so much, which thou didst beare, But that remorse, which thereby I suppose, (Through shame and sorrow, pittie, care, and feare) Which for his innocencie in thee rose. Such crosses and full many more then those, (Euen for my sinnes and for my selfe) wish I As many as on fleshly strength might lye, Or grace would aide, ere faith did comfort lose: That for his seruant so he would me vow, And try and vse me as he best knowes how.

SON. XX.

VVHat are our senses drownd and past recure? Are rest and ease (the needfull aides of man, Without vicisitude of which none can Continue long) become by peace impure? Shall blessings proue our curse, desire our bane? Shall wish attaine his will? will worke our wo? Shall profit be our losse? losse turne to gaine? Shall Gods great goodnesse be requited so? Should fathers kindnesse make a child a fo? (O God forbid) our vowes were other, whan Our tyred soules, our prayers first began To send, as suters to our God to go. His loue to vs did our desires procure, Let our desires his growing loue allure.

SON. XXI.

WHen I do see the mercies manifold, Which God doth vse t'extend to his elect, Whose actions alwaies he doth so direct, That loue and fauour in him they behold: How things restrained vnto them are free, And all things holy to the holy are, How priuiledgd in euery thing they bee, And nothing from his loue can them debarre. My mind from common comforts flyeth farre, And findes (on earth) no true ioy in effect; On God alone, I place my harts affect: Where peace is perfect, without strife or iarre, And through these worldly cares I wander (bold, Secure) in courage, more then can be told.

SON. XXII.

COme to the Councell of your common weale, Ye senses mine (which haue confederate bin With world and Satan to infect with sin My soule, whose harbour in your house befell) Thinke ye your safety great, when he is thrall? That ye can scape, if soule once captiue bee? That plagues she feeles, shall not on ye befall? And ye with her, bring endlesse woe to mee? What earthly beauty can eyes brightnesse see? What melodie heare eares? what liked smell? What vnloathd tast, or feelings please so well, That are not often noysome vnto yee? Then (since such hazard great, short ioy ye win) To watch with me, gainst common foes begin.

SON. XXIII.

IN midst of plentie, and of happiest state, Wherein by nature all men do delight, Me thinkes I see, most cause of feare and fright, Most perils, and most dangerous growne debate: A masking rout of treacherous bayted hookes, Cast forth by Sathan for to choke the mind, By euery sense, where so the thought but lookes, To draw vs to destruction wretches blind: It was graue prouidence of Iob I find, (Fearing the charmes and dangers like to light On feasting children) praying day and night, To mollifie the wrath of God most kind. Which would to God were vsd by vs likewise, So should lesse euill of our mirth arise.

SON. XXIIII.

HOw little comfort do I find (alas) In these vaine pleasures, which my flesh desireth? The vse of them full soone me cloyes and tireth, And solace gone as thing that neuer was: I striue sometimes to tast the same content, In mirth and company that others find; Yet seldome tast the blisse I not repent, And leaues no bitter sting or griefe behind: In fine I find the bodie is too blind To iudge of happinesse, since it admireth A shadow, which from memory retyreth, And therefore chuse hencefoorth to feed my mind, With some such solace, as that will not passe, And I with comfort see, in faithfull glasse.

SON. XXV.

VVEll, if I find no greater be my powre, But yeeld and reele with euery puffe that blo'wth, And that my nature still such frailtie show'th, As that my constant purpose fayles each howre: If I can not approch, or see the tree Of fruit forbid, but needes I must it tast; If lust vnlawfull so abound in mee, That headlong I must needs to ruine hast: The readiest way to keepe my conscience chast, Must be to shun occasions, where do grow The roots, whence fruits of deadly poyson flow, And therein only thinke my safegard plast: For (if I see) I hunger to deuowre The bayt (soules bane) and dwell in sinfull bowre.

SON. XXVI.

WHo toucheth pitch shall therewith be defilde, (The prouerbe saith, and practise sheweth plaine) The purest conscience custome soone will staine, And wisest wits, by boldnesse be beguilde: We therefore warily had need to walke, And stop temptations when they first do rise; For euill deedes insue of euill talke, And euill company polutes the wise. We know that Sathan alwayes wa••chfull lies, By many meanes, vs to his will to gaine; If we a little yeeld, it is in vaine For safe retreat to hope, or to deuise: Vnlesse Gods grace the bulwarke stronger build, By which hels powre is quencht, and he exilde.

SON. XXVII.

HE that to do no euill doth intend, He must do nought that may thereto belong; He that is purposed to do no wrong, To thought our speech of ill he must not bend: Sinne is a theefe, and searcheth euery part, And powre of man, to find a harbor fit; He can disguise his purpose well by art, And in a trap vs vnawares can git. If we but kindly talke (to practise wit) He soone can frame the mind to pleasing song: The mind, the bodie soone can draw along, To yeeld consent vnto, and practise it: In fine he can vs teach sinne to defend, And (noozeld once therein) to find no end.

SON. XXVIII.

WHen I looke backe vpon the slipperie way, Wherein my youth with other worldlings past, I halfe amazed do remaine, agast To see the ruine whereunto it lay: So many by-pathes, crooked and vniust, So many stops and stayes, and wayes impure; So little hold of helpe whereto to trust, So many blockes my perill to procure: Such flattering traines to ruine to allure, As had not grace the gracelesse stayd at last, I had my selfe to hell, euen headlong cast, There to remaine without remead or cure: I then (compeld) with thankes to God do say, That in mans proper strength there is no stay.

SON. XXIX.

AMong the many fierce assaults we haue, To me impatience, seemes most strong of all, Which makes vs from our best defence to fall, Of wisedome, reason, faith, which all do waue: Our temp'rance thereby we do quickly loose, Humilitie and loue we oft do shake, From law and reason we our eares do close, And bit in teeth (like stubborne coltes) we take: Of heauenly promist aide, no count we make: Of our deserts, we take no heed at all; For vengeance we with fury only call, Or with dispaire, we comfortlesse do quake, When we (like Dauid) should, lewd Simei saue, In feare least God, forth his commission gaue.

SON. XXX.

VVHo seeketh ayde his frailties to withstand, He may be sure he shall not deadly fall; Who but for grace, to God doth truly call, He shall find comfort doubtlesse out of hand: To see his sinnes, to feare their vengeance due, To call for grace, to seeke the same amend; Of Gods elections, tokens are so true, That such (as his) he doubtlesse will defend. If that his humbled heart, his soule do bend To will of good, though fruit there be but small; He cannot fruitlesse said to be at all, Because his merits Christ to him doth lend: And he as free shall be of promist land, As those in whō more righteous worke he fand.

SON. XXXI.

IT is not causelesse, Christ did vse compare Mans mind vnto the soile that tilled is; They both fulwell indeed agree in this, Vntilled, they vnfruitfull are and bare: Such seede as is bestow'd, they do receaue, And both yeeld fruit as God doth giue increase; Some seed is spilt, some Sathan doth bereaue, Some prosper, and produce a plentious peace: And as deuouring fowles do neuer cease, Ne wormes, ne swine, to seeke do neuer mis, Each one to spoyle a part, whilst plow-man his Due recompence of paines cannot possesse; So doth the soule, though tild with studious care, Gret store of weeds bring forth, good fruits ful rare.

SON. XXXII.

IF wo there was by Christ pronounst indeed, Against Corasin and Bethsaiday, Because vnpenitent they sluggish lay, And to his preaching gaue not carefull heed; Then woe and double woe I feare (alas) Belongs to vs, who scornefully reiect The same word preached, which vnheard doth pas, Or vnobayd (at least) through foule neglect: Our liues, our double hearts doth well detect, Our want of charitie, selfe loue bewray; Our pride, our lust, our couetous denay, That eares haue heard, or hart doth grace affect: Then woe is me that woe our selues we breed, And that for feare of woe, or harts not bleed.

SON. XXXIII.

IT should not seeme, that we do sinne detest, As we professe, and make the world to thinke; When we not only at foule faults do winke, But rather at the doers make a iest: How could a thing displeasing, mirth produce? Or heartie laughter grow, by hearts displeasure? To laugh at others fall, doth shew an vse Of our like guilt, who sinne so slightly measure, The mouth doth speake from harts abounding treasure, The heart delights, when mind consent doth bring; The mind (polluted once by bodies sting) Infects whole man, on whom sinne then hath seasure, And when (thus) sinne hath built a place of rest, He makes vs euery euill to disgest.

SON. XXXIIII.

THe fatall haps, and iudgements which befall On others and on vs, remorse should breed, For warnings of our selues they stand in steed, And vs vnto repentant feare do call: They are not alwayes worst, who do sustaine The greatest plagues, ne yet the others free Of guilt (how be it vnpunisht they remaine) But rather for the more part worse they bee: Christs holy iudgement teacheth this to mee, By fall of Sylo towre (the which indeed) Slue not the worst; and euen the best had need, Their due deserts in others doome to see. Let one mans wo, be warning then to all, And life reformd, amend, sinnes great and small.

SON. XXXV.

I Often times endeuour to prepare My mind, to beare with patience natures due, Death which (though fearefull) must perforce insue, And which no humane flesh did euer spare: I therefore when I see the many woes That others do sustaine by liuing long; The sicknesse, want, dishonor, spight of foes, Which most men must sustaine by right or wrong. The hazards which on earth to vs belong, The doubtfull hopes and feares which aye renue; Ten thousand fained pleasures (for one true) And care to compasse them we haue among: I grow to graunt, that life is but a snare, Death, way to life, a life deuoyd of care.

SON. XXXVI.

VVHo sees the seed that in the ground is cast, Cleane frō all weeds, without both chaffe & straw, Yet afterward when haruest neare doth draw, Shall see the weeds increase therein so fast: Who sees the trauell to receiue againe, The corne from chaffe, and stubble cleansed made, May see corruption in the soule remaine, Which so with drosse, the slender crop doth lade. And in the soule may see like daily trade, (By natures weakenesse, which vs keepes in awe) So much; that though we heare and feare the law And Gospell, and in them a while do wade: We bring few fruits (and them most bad) at last, Which Sathan, world, & flesh, with sin haue blast.

SON. XXXVII.

THough lawfull many things indeed I find, To such as do them with a conscience pure; Yet like I not my selfe, for to inure To things, not pleasing to the weaker mind; And many lawfull things there are beside, Which be not yet expedient to be done; A Christians actions, must the tutch abide Of such, as by example will be wonne. For why, the ignorant do blindfold runne The trade that others tread, as way most sure, And memory of ill, doth more indure Then good, wherefore we warily should shunne The action which may chance insnare the blind, Although the wise from hazard safely wind.

SON. XXXVIII.

VAine are the brags, and faith but fruitlesse is, Of such who bost of vertue and holinesse, When as profaned speech doth yet expresse A hollow heart, by tongue that talkes amisse. The tongue declares th'abundance of the hart, And by our speech we vse t'expresse our mind, A truly touched soule, with wound doth smart, When vaine or fruitlesse speech to rise they find: But nature (forst) will foone returne to kind, And who his seemelesse speech will not suppresse, Vaine and deceitfull must his brags confesse, And that delight in sinne is yet behind: Who therefore hath no care at all of this, His knowledge, zeale, and life receiues no blis.

SON. XXXIX.

I Often others heare lament, and say They cannot see, the fruit they do expect By prayer; and my selfe feele like effect, Because indeed, I vnprepared pray. Not that my knees with reuerence do not bow, Or that my tongue, it doth not craue reliefe; Or that my heart, my words doth not allow; But charitie doth want, and firme beliefe, Which to true praiers are assistants chiefe, Both which (for most part) man doth vse neglect, For want of either of which we are reiect, And to our weaknesse addeth double griefe: Who doth till reconcilement, offring stay, His faithfull lawfull prayers find no nay.

SON. XL.

THe season of the yeare, the natiue kind Of euery creature to produce some thing, Into my conscience doth this motion bring, To God and nature not to be vnkind: Two soyles I haue, and both vnfruitfull be, Through weedes (of sin) which both them ouer grow: The body barren and the soule I see, Of vertuous fruits, which God and world I owe. Vouchsafe yet Lord (Phauonean breath) to blow, With heauenly grace inspiring so my mind, That soule regenerate, in body find Reformed life, true life in me to show: For fleshly fruits (too rife) to hell do fling, Soules blessed seed, ascends on Angels wing.

SON. XLI.

ALl men by nature greedy are to know, And (knowing much) the more they do contend; (To draw vnto true knowledge perfect end) By practise to the world, some fruits to show: What knowledge is there then in heauen or earth, (For one of wisedome great) so high and fit, To trauell in, euen from the day of birth, As that is gathered out of holy writ? Therein is matter for each kind of wit, Strange, ancient, pleasing, subtle, for to spend The finest wits, and make them stoope and bend, Whilst weakest braines, find skill and ioy in it. Though high it reach, it beareth fruit below, Which (tasted once) makes stomack strōger grow.

SON. XLII.

STrange are (in truth) the fruits that man doth win, And plentifull by vse of studie indeed, Which appetite and matter still doth breed, If but to gather them we do begin: But heauenly studie much more copious is, Contayning all that humane art doth teach: And (not alone it feeds our minds with this) But soules true solace it doth farther reach: It doctrine supernaturall doth preach, And doth diuinely sow the sacred seed Which shall our soules with lasting comfort feed, And worldly skill, of ignorance appeach: That is the studie we should neuer lin To spell, reade, conster, and to practise in.

SON. XLIII.

DOwne let vs fling these battlements begonne Of sinne, which in our soules so fast are built, At first, or not at all it must be spilt, Or else his fort (once made) the field is wonne. If we neglect our watch, and not preuent His practises, but euen a little while: Our trauell afterward is vainely spent, And he our best attempts will soone beguile: If we at lusts assaults but seeme to smile, (Though lowly first he creepe, yet straight on stilt) He will vpstart, and make vs yeeld to gilt, And we our selues soules slaughter be the while, Because we stay not sinne till it be donne, But (rather) after it do fondly runne.

SON. XLIIII.

THere is great ods we see and must confesse, Betwixt the speakers and the doers faith, Words well, but deeds much better man bewraith, And both conioynd, do dutie best expresse. One promiseth to come (as was requir'd) To feast; the other it denyeth, but went: The first he did neglect what was desir'd, The latters deedes, do shew he did relent: He had the prayse and feast, who did repent, His words, his blame, who breaking promise stayth Whose life doth not comfirme what tongue it sayth, (For all his brags) in end shall sure be shent, But who doth tongue and hart to God addresse, His deeds (be sure) with grace he still will blesse.

SON. XLV.

HAue we not cause to blush full oft for shame, To see how we neglect our neighbours need? How slow to helpe, where we might stand in steed, How slight excuses we do vse to frame: When yet our Sauiour seemeth to respect, The silly Oxe which in the ditch doth lye, Whose aide a stranger ought not to neglect, If (but by chance) he saw it passing by: But if our brother readie were to dye, (For very want necessities to feed) We let him sterue, and take of him no need, Yea (though he craue) we sticke not to deny, As though it vs suffisd, to beare the name Of Christians, yet in life deny the same.

SON. XLVI.

NOt onely doth the Lord, repute as good, The deedes which he in vs himselfe hath wrought; (Yea though our wils gainst him in thē haue fought, And he perforce (by grace) our powers withstood,) But if we euill do, by stubborne will, And seeke indeed no good at all thereby; But euen our lewd affections to fulfill, (So that all grace in vs do seeme to dye) Yet euen in them, this good we shall espy, (If we his children be whom Christ hath bought) That he permits vs not to fall for nought, But that our frailtie and our wits we try: And so more earnestly vnto him pray, And find that pretious fruit a Christian may.

SON. XLVII.

VVE had not need in idlenesse to spend The dayes (both few and euill) which we haue; The reason, powre, strēgth, helth which God vs gaue, To some good end (no doubt) he did vs lend. Full many businesses shall we find, Enuironing our life on euery side, Which if they were retayned still in mind, In watch and trauell they should cause vs bide. The worldly cares of all men well are tride, The daunger of the soule I seeke to saue, A world of lusts attend vs to the graue, And Sathan lyes in waite to leade vs wide From heauen, wherto true wisedome wils vs bend; Thinke then if man haue need watch to the end.

SON. XLVIII.

SInce it hath pleasd the Lord to send such store Of blessings to the bodie, that it may, In peace and plentie spend one ioyfull day, (Which many want, and it long'd for before:) I not repin'd that it the same should vse, But feard the frailty of the flesh (alas) Which made my soule, for safest way to chuse, (With Iob) in feare and care my time to pas: For sacrifice, my soule there offered was, Thy holy spirit, the Priest, my will did slay; His zeale inflam'd the thoughts which prostrate lay, And quencht thy wrath with teares like fluent glas, So that (though Sathan readie was at dore Me to accuse, and try) I feare no more.

SON. XLIX.

VVHat miracle so great hath euer bin So farre from reasons, or from natures bounds? What thing Gods glory and his prayse resounds, More then his mercie in forgiuing sinne? If things contrary to their natiue kind, (To ioyne accord, producing strange effects) Do admiration breed in euery mind, What thing so much Gods glory then detects, As this, to see, how daily he protects And blesseth vs in whom all vice abounds? How he doth hide our faults which so him wounds, Supplies the want which proper powre neglects. Then (since distrust his miracles keepe backe) Let vs be sure, that we true faith not lacke.

SON. L.

AS those whose skill with colours life-like draw The portraitures of men, with shadowes rare, Yet shapes deformed, they ne will nor dare To shew to others, as themselues them saw: So when I make suruay (by rule of truth) Of all my actions, and my soules estate, I am asham'd to see the scapes of youth, And feare to looke on that I lou'd of late: And as I do my selfe euen for them hate, So feare I others could no more me spare, If I should shew my selfe naked and bare, Who with these fowle affects held no debate; Yet since they are but breaches of the law, The Gospell will me shrowd from Sathans paw.

SON. LI.

AMong the many trauels of the iust, The last, which holy Iob (alas) sustaind; I thinke his soule and bodie most it paind, And like thereto, vs likewise martyr must, When we (vpon vs) feele Gods heauy curse For sinne, from which no one of vs is free; That comforters should seeke to make vs worse, And friends like foes, should our tormenters bee. To hud-blind vs, when most we need to see, By colouring sinne, which ought to be explaind, Or amplifying errors which are faind, To make our soules and bodies disagree: All these he felt by friends he most should trust, To hell by pride, or by dispaire to thrust.

SON. LII.

SLow is our God (indeed) and very slo To wrath, and that the wicked dearly find; His children sooner feele correction kind, And so repent; whilst sinfull forward go. Slow though he be, yet sure his iudgements are: They are deferd, they are not cleane forgot; He tries our natures, letting raines so farre Lose to our wils, till we regard him not: But when we furiously to hell do trot, He stayes our steps, and wils doth gently bind, Whiles he the reprobates the more doth blind, Till they (through sinne) do fall to Sathans lot: By Gods correcting hand and patience so, The one to sinne inclines, the other fro.

SON. LIII.

VVHen I consider of the holy band, Of loue and mercie with the Iewes was made, The heauenly and earthly blessings which did lade, Their soules and bodies, whilst in grace they stand. When I examine cause of this their change, And note in soule and bodie wofull fall; How exiles (comfortlesse) the earth they range Depriu'd of knowledge, glory, hope and all: When I (as cause hereof) to mind do call, Their stubborne, faithlesse, and ingratefull trade, (With which the Prophets did them oft vpbrayd, And causes were of wrath from heauen not small) Me thinkes I see like iudgement neare at hand, For trespasse like to punish this our land.

SON. LIIII.

O That we could be rauished awhile, Fro out these fleshly fogs, and seas of sin, Which grosse affections daily drench vs in, And do the tast of perfect sense beguile: That so whilst selfe-loue slept, true loue might show; That pride might so put on an humble mind, That patience might in steed of rankor grow, And naked truth, from craft might freedome find: That vertue had some harbor safe assignd, And reason had his scope, and did begin (Of these fowle siends) a victorie to win, And them in bondage to the soule to bind: Then should we see how farre they do exile Our perfect blisse, whilst thus they vs defile.

SON. LV.

LIke master like the seruants proue (say we) We therefore are (of like) of Sathans traine, His auncient lesson which did parents staine, We learne as yet, and lie as fast as he. False are his rules, himselfe an old deceiuer, Vntrue he is, vntruth he first did teach; God being truth, nought can so soone disseuer, And no one sin to more offence doth reach: Sathan himselfe can not Gods lawes appeach To be vniust, nor say, we iust remaine, But by new names doth his fraile scholers gaine, To follow follies which affections preach, Lust, wrath, & couetise, pride cald we see, Loue, value, thrift, and clenlinesse to bee.

SON. LVI.

VVE may reioyce, but yet in Christ alone; Alone in him, is cause of true ioy found, All other ioy is but indeed vnsound, Perfection or continuance elsewhere none: If man with Salomon the hap might haue To tast each earthly pleasure he desir'd, He would but giue that prayse the other gaue, That (once possest) their pleasure straight retir'd: From earth to heauenly knowledge he aspir'd, And humaine wisedome he did throughly sound; In which he saw calamities abound, And did neglect as vaine, things most admir'd. In this alone, contented ioy is showne, To loue, feare, serue, this Christ our corner stone.

SON. LVII.

VVIse Moses and graue Talions law seuere, Do well agree to reason naturall: And God in like sort, lets his iudgements fall; So that our sinnes their proper vengeance beare, As eye for eye, and tooth for tooth was due: So nature doth our faults for most part pay, With pennance by it selfe which doth insue, As we shall find if we our actions way: And God himselfe doth on th'adultrer lay, On wrathfull, couetous, and proud men all, Shame, bloud, want, scorne, vnlesse in time they call For grace, which onely can their ruine stay: Whereby we see, whom men keepe not in feare, God makes (by nature) badge of trespasse weare.

SON. LVIII.

IT seemeth strange since death so common is, That daily we experience thereof haue; By rich, and poore, wise, fooles, that go to graue, That we so little heed do take of this: Since nought so much contrarie to our will, Doth flesh befall, or art doth seeke to shun; That yet we headlong hast to ruine still, Of soule and bodie, which to hell would run. Scarce we so soone to liue haue but begun, But (drenched in affections fearefull waue) We seeke to slay the soule, we wish to saue; And no outrage in bodie leaue vndone: So that if God did not (of mercie his) Perforce our wils restraine, we heauen should mis.

SON. LIX.

VVHo would not craue to haue his wounds be heald? Who can be heald that will not shew his griefe? Who (senslesse of his paine) would know reliefe? Who can giue cure, whilst truth is not reueald? Who can be iudge of ill, that knowes no good? Who can know good, that shuns to learne the same? Who can it learne, that selfe-loue hath withstood? Who can condemne himself, that knowes no blame? Knowledge must first our minds more lowly frame; Through lowlinesse will feare and sorrow grow; Feare will seeke forth a pledge for debt we owe, And pledge and portion find in Christ his name: Thus knowledge of our state, and pride repeald, Is way to sauing health, by Scripture seald.

SON. LX.

THe weapon which I did vnwieldy find, Of natiue strength, and powre of flesh and bloud, (With like whereof Goliah me withstood) And I for changed sling (left once behind) By Gods good grace (who courage gaue and strength) Is now become a sword more fit for mee, Who (practisd in his battels now at length) The vse thereof, find not vnfit to bee: For since to him it dedicate I see, And I refreshed am with holy food, My courage makes me hope I weare it shood, And cause my soules great foe therewith to flee▪ For humane arts and knowledge of the mind, Do serue the Saints, though worldlings they do

SON. LXI.

IT is not rest from trauell and from paine Alone, that in the Sabboth is requir'd, Not abstinence from meat, that was desir'd So much, when Ionas did his fast ordaine. As rest from sinne and inward meditation Of Gods great workes, and mercies which abound; As feeding of our soules with recreation Of heauenly doctrine, in the scriptures found: As by prostrating humbly on the ground, Our stubborne hearts, puft vp and almost fir'd With wicked lusts, (with vanitie attir'd) Festerd with all affections most vnsound; A Sabboth or a fast so spent, is gaine, Whē flesh beat down, the sprite doth raisd remaine.

SON. LXII.

VVHat is the cause that men so much eschue The reading of the sacred written word? For nought else sure but that (like two edg'd sword) It separates and shewes the faults from true: No sentence in it read or truly wayd, (Or by the preacher vtterd) turnes in vaine, But woundes the soule with sorrow; which affrayd, (If Gods it be) to grace it cals againe: But such as Sathans be, to heare refraine, The heauy iudgements that they haue incurd; And (faithlesse) thinke, God can ne will afford To them, the blisse that children his attaine. It is a signe therefore, grace neuer grew, In such as shun to heare, and learne anew.

SON. LXIII.

WHen I do heare sweet musicks pleasant sound, By which the Angels records are exprest, (Who sing to God due prayses without rest) Me thinkes to pray with them my selfe am bound. When I the concord sounds of true consent Do note, which by their different voice is bred, It makes my hart to melt to see man bent, By discord to dissolue the blisse, that led To heauenly comfort, which the Angels fed; And is of Christian loue perfection best; Whose vnitie in Christ hath made them blest, To liue in him when law had left vs dead: The Saints therfore on earth should aye be found, With thankfull, ioyfull, hearts of loue t'abound.

SON. LXIIII.

AS doth the fire, with imbers ouer-spred, And powder in the Cannon rammed hard, (By which his furies but awhile debard, When they breake forth) procure more feare & dred: As aire in cloud, or earth restrained long, Doth by his nature in the end preuaile: And (in reuenge of his so suffered wrong) Doth earth-quake breed, or thūdring firebolts haile: So when increasing sins, afresh assaile Our God of mercie, then is he prepard, Our insolencies fiercely to reward With double ruine, which he will not faile To terrifie those that in sinne are dead, Whilst his to liue (reseru'd) thereby are lead.

SON. LXV.

VVHen I do see a man of loftie mind, Delighting in the pompe he doth possesse; A ruine or a shame at hand I gesse, For which effect God doth his iudgement blind: For as most daintily we vse to feed, The beasts to slaughter that we haue ordaind: So surfet of delights, a feare should breed, Least sowrer pennance afterward remaind: The proofe hereof hath still the godly waynd, From pride or too much trust in happinesse; Which do not still Gods fauour firme expresse, But vsd as trials are, of conscience faynd, We therefore cause of care in plenty find, To moue vs pray, and watch the end behind.

SON. LXVI.

AS doth the morning comfort to vs bring, By giuing light to guide vs in our wayes, As sun-shine beames his beautie then displayes, To solace, feed, refresh each earthly thing: So should (me thinkes) a thankfull heart thereby, Be mou'd, to waigh the fruits by them we haue, And by that light a greater light espy, Who these (for bodies good) vnto vs gaue. Like light vnto his soule forthwith to craue, Whereby it sleeping (void of holy rayes Of grace) in sinne doth spend away the dayes, Which Christ our Sauiour died, the same to saue, Vnto thee Lord, (Creator, powrefull king) With birds by break of day they prayse shold sing.

SON. LXVII.

I List not iudge nor censure other men; As I do iudge, so iudge me others will, And God himselfe that part can best fulfill: With others faults I will not meddle then, Vnlesse so farre as dutie doth desire, Which is with loue to warne them of the way, Whose weaknesse doth our louing aide require, To stay their steps wherein they are astray: But I must iudge my selfe (doth scripture say) And that I will, but not by natiue skill: The law and Gospell they shall try me still, And their true touch, shall my estate bewray: My conscience witnesse more then thousands ten, My hart confesse my faults with tongue and pen.

SON. LXVIII.

I See sometimes a mischiefe me beset, Which doth amaze me much, and griefe procure: I haue a hope or hap I wish t'endure, But it doth vanish straight, and I do fret. I craue sometimes of God with feruencie, A thing (me thinkes) which might worke to my ioy, My prayers yet he seemeth to denie, And by the contrary doth worke my'annoy: I find at length the thing I scorn'd (as coy) Fall to my profit, and doth me assure, That God by this his goodnesse, doth allure Me to depend on him, and not to toy, (By natiue reason guided,) but to let His prouidence haue praise, and honor get.

SON. LXIX.

HOw should I vse my time henceforth the best? The little that remaines ought well be spent: Too much lost time, cause haue I to repent, Best mends must be, well to imploy the rest. To pray and prayse the Lord, is fit for me, To craue things needfull, and his mercies tell; My spirituall wants and carnall plenties be, As many yet his blessings which excell: But multitude of words please not so well, He knowes the heart which righteously is bent; All holy actions are as prayers ment, And he is praysd, when sinne we do repell: Then if my life, the world and flesh detest, I pray and prayse, and shall find actions blest.

SON. LXX.

Good words are praisd, but deeds are much more rare: One shadow is, the other substance right, Of Christian faith (which God and man delight) Without which fruits our barren tree is bare: Once well done, is more comfort to the soule, More profit to the world, to God more prayse, Then many learned words which sinne controule, Or all lip-labour that vaine glorie sayes. Who in a holy life doth spend his dayes, And still maintaine gainst sinne a valiant fight, He preacheth best, his words are most of might, He shall conuert men most from sinfull wayes: Such shall haue honor most (affirme I dare) With God and man, and lesse of worldly care.

SON. LXXI.

SInce we by baptisme, seruants are profest To Christ, whose name we (as an honor) beare, It is good reason, we his liuery weare, And not go ranging vainely with the rest: Since we do feed (by bountie of his hand) On precious food, which he doth giue and dresse, (Who at the well of life doth ready stand Vs to refresh, if thirst do vs oppresse.) We are too slow our selues to him t'addresse, To craue and vse these gifts in loue and feare: His righteous liuery we do rather teare, Then whom we serue by vse thereof expresse: Little he got that was such bidden guest, And how can thanklesse seruants then be blest?

SON. LXXII.

SInce shame of men much more then godly feare, Restraineth vs from sinne, as proofe doth preach; Since more we after name of vertue reach, Then to the truth thereof we loue do beare: It were a part of wisedome to deuise, To vse our nature (of it selfe so vaine) From so base custome (euen for shame) to rise To actions good, which might true honor gaine. The best remede I therefore find remaine, To purchase prayse, and vertues habit teach, Is to professe in speech the same, whose breach In life we should refraine, least we should staine Our name, which would at length our liking reare, To loue of God indeed, and sinnes forbeare.

SON. LXXIII.

THe difference is right great (a man may see) Twixt heauen and earth, twixt soule and body ours, Twixt God & man, heauens powre & earthly towres; As great the difference, in their vse must bee, By high, ambitious, and by wrathfull sword, Are earthly, transitory kingdomes gaynd; Humilitie with patient deed and word, To heauenly crowne and honour doth attaine: Man will his conquest with vaine glory staine; Heauens kingdom former pride forthwith deuowrs, It equals all estates, sects, skils, and powres, And makes the bodie well vnite remaine, Whereof the head is Christ, the members we, And held coheires of heauen with him we be.

SON. LXXIIII.

FOr vs who do by nature still incline Vnto the worst, and do the best forget, Who do all passed benefits lightly set, And so vnthankfully gainst God repine: It were great wisedome dayly to obserue, Such sundry haps as do to vs befall, By which to learne, how much God doth deserue; Who those, and passed benefits gaue vs all. And since there is not any blisse so small, But for the which, we ought acknowledge debt, On each occasion we should gladly get, A meanes our minds to thankfulnesse to call. For nought God craues, newe can giue in fine, But drinke with thankes his cup of sauing wine.

SON. LXXV.

THe parable of seed well sowne on ground, Which did according (as the soyle did sarue) Some neuer bud, some bloome, some straightway starue, Some grow, & in his crop so much abound: Doth well describe (as Christ full well applyes) The nature of the word, the which is sent By written Gospell and by preachers cryes, Into the heart, which (hearing) it doth rent: And (as well tild) sometimes begins relent, And yeeldeth blessed fruit and prayse desarue; As God the showres of grace doth freely carue, And diligence in weeding it is spent: For many times such sinfull tares are found, As good had bin the seed in sea had drownd.

SON. LXXVI.

I Cannot chuse (but yet deuoyd of pride) To note the happie and the glorious time Wherein we liue, and flourish in the prime Of knowledge, which those former dayes not tride: For all preheminences which are read, (Forespoke of latter age by Prophets all) As happily were perform'd, as promised, When Christ those mysteries did on earth vnfold, And those accomplish which were long foretold: The same, yea more by farre (we dust and slime Vnworthy wayers of thee, high we clime) Enioy, through preached truth more worth thē gold. But woe is me, this grace is vs denyde, We (to our selues) haue not the same applyde.

SON. LXXVII.

IF thou do feele thy fleshly thoughts repine, When thou doest beare the crosses God doth send, And that thou vnder burden of them bend, And out of due obedience wouldst vntwine: Remember when as yet a child thou wast, Thou sufferedst patiently thy parents rod, Because thou knewst his hatred could not last, Though he thee punisht, doing thing forbod: And wilt not thou, much more yeeld vnto God Obedience, who thy good doth still intend? Whose fatherly protection doth defend Thee from his wrath, when sinne had made thee od: The father to thy soule he is in fine, His wrath asswag'd, his loue doth soone incline.

SON. LXXVIII.

TRue is it sure, and none will it denay, That faith inableth man to be more fit For heauenly knowledge, then a humane wit: To which, hid secrets God will not bewray. But what is faith, and how it may be knowne, How best attaynd; in that most men mistake: In iudgement of the same would care be showne, And of true faith from false, this difference make; If worldly strength and wisedome man forsake, If he by humble prayers seeke for it, If of Gods promises he doubt no whit In Christ, but for his strength that rocke he take, It builded is on ground which still shall stay, From fleshly bondage free, at latter day.

SON. LXXIX.

VVHat high presumption is there growne of late, In abiect shrubs of Sathans darnell seed? That (bramble-like) sinne thus aspires indeed, To top the Cedar, that his pride doth hate? I graunt the fault, in suffering him so long, In humble shape to creepe and clime so hie; Sinne (poyson-like) with age becomes more strong, And Crokadell-like doth slay with teares in eie: But since therefore no other shift I spy, I like and will my loftie top abate, My prostate soule, may so restraine the state Of his increasing powre, whereby that I, In building of Gods house may serue some steed, And sinne confounded lie, like lothsome weed.

SON. LXXX.

VVHo sees in common view of humaine kind, The exild captiue-state of sinfull man, Sold vnto death (which only ransome can, Appease the wrath for fall of parents blind) May (if he be of faithfull number) proue A greater comfort then he can expresse, To see himselfe, whose sinnes these plagues do moue, Freed from th'eternall death, whilst nerethelesse, The wicked reprobate, who not confesse Their fall, nor feele the fauours Christians wan, Headlong proceed, in path first parents ran, And to the double death, themselues addresse: But happier he ten thousand times shall find, His weakest state, then their great gifts of mind.

SON. LXXXI.

VVho giues may take, we ought not to repine, Both wealth, and ease, yea life also by right, God giueth all, all things are in his might, And he can send and will, good end in fine: Why should we then grudge any thing to beare, That he doth send? or nigardly bestow Our liues or goods? since to that vse they were Giuen vs, as nature teacheth vs to know. The great increase of fruite the same doth show, Which from one graine produced is in sight, (Which as thing cast away appeares to light, Till he (by blessing his) doe make it grow) Which should our hearts to faith in him incline, And not distrusting seeke for farther signe.

SON. LXXXII.

OVr blinded natures that cannot foresee Th'effect of nature, or what may succeed Of actions ours, this error forth doth breed, That we th'euent, by chance suppose to bee▪ To vs they may in deed by hap befall, (As things beyond our skill or powre to stay) But (as Gods works) chance can we not them call, Or fortunes deed, or hap as we vse say: God doth foresee, and guide each thing the way It shall proceede, and he doth giue the speed, That doth insue, and present are indeed, Things past and future, as they stand or stray: Him as true cause of all things wee agree To be, and from all chance or fortune free.

SON. LXXXIII.

IT is a thing we lightly do neglect, And yet a thing (me thinkes) we most should feare, As which within our conscience still doth beare A witnesse of our guilt, and foule infect: When we by fame do find our spotted name, (The greatest plague a man on earth may find, The hardest witnesse of our worthy shame, And sorest censurer of deed or mind) Yet so selfe-loue doth iudgement often blind, Or ignorance our natiue reason bleare, That what is said or thought, by whom or where, We little care, but let it passe as wind; Though prouerbe truely say, by fames affect, Gods iudgement lightly doth a truth detect.

SON. LXXXIIII.

IF common fame be lightly, likely found, And fame for ill be such vnhappinesse, Then this (me thinkes) a man must needs confesse, That ill report (from persons good) doth wound. If by report, much more if poore opprest, If innocents, if they to God complaine, If vengeance they do call, to haue redrest, The griefes and agonies they do sustaine: If God (as so he hath) hath witnest plaine, That he will heare their cries whom men oppresse, And will his care of them herein expresse, That their complaints and cryes turne not in vaine; What yron age is this, that such a sound Of cryes against oppression doth abound?

SON. LXXXV.

MY younger thoughts do wish me to withstand The graue aduise, which grace with loue doth lend Their rash decrees to tyranny do bend: These wish me (wisely) note the cause in hand; The safe possession of a crowne in peace, By abstinence a while, and patience vsd: Sinnes power to shew, the others vrge, ne cease To say, that pleasures should not be refusd: The worser part my soule had almost chusd, And for the pleasures which an houre doth send, (And to eternall bondage after tend) I bin by law and reason both accusd: But since thy goodnesse Lord gaue blessed land, Keepe in thy lawes my fleshly subiects band.

SON. LXXXVI.

ALas, how watchfull and how diligent We are to further euery fond desire: How slow againe to thing God doth require, And how against the haire, good motions went. Full many more solicitors we find, To satisfie each trifle flesh doth craue, Then to the things good conscience would vs bind, And which (as duties) God in lawe vs gaue: The wit, will, memorie we readie haue To blow the bellowes of affections fire; The soule may drenched perish in the mire Of fleshly thoughts, ere any seeke to saue, Or spare one minute (which is fondly spent) To succour it, though it to good were bent.

SON. LXXXVII.

WE haue bene babes, babes yet by nature we, Vnskilfull, ignorant of heauenly law, And babe-like should be then in feare and awe To God, by whom create and rulde we be: Weake food best fits weake stomacks (as is sayd) And charitie would wish true weaknesse beare; Like strength to all Gods wisedome hath denayd, But by long sucking t'were fit we stronger weare: Nothing to beare away, though much we heare, To speake of faith, which forth no fruites can draw, To feed with greedinesse the bodies maw, And yet no spirituall strength to let appeare, Is signe the soule is dead, in thee or mee: For liuing trees, by kindly fruit we see.

SON. LXXXVIII.

NOt euery action which to happie end A man doth bring, is token as I find Of goodnesse in the doer, though our mind And common sense some reason so pretend: The deed which meriteth (for vertue) prayse, Must be premeditate in will before, Indeuour'd lawfully, and which bewrayes, No priuate obiect or respect we bore; And God himselfe things iudgeth euer more, Not by effects, as men of wisedome blind, But by intentions faithfull, honest, kind, Of such as doing them his aide implore: He issue doth to actions different send, As he to greater good (euer ill) will bend.

SON. XCIX.

IF God should measure vs as we deserue, (For each offence, requiting equally) His iustice we, with horror should espie, From which excuse (to shield vs) could not serue: But iustice his by holy bound restraind, Of mercie, which doth waighour weake estate, A proper counterpoise for vs hath gaind, Whilst iustis wrath, Christs mercy doth abate; His Sonne our Sauiour, doth set ope a gate To safetie, by the pardon he did bye, With bloud most innocent, lest we should die, Guilty of sin, which iustice needs must hate. Thus we (by faith) cannot be sayd to swarue, Our faults are his, of merits his we carue.

SON. XC.

IT is a custome that deserueth blame, And ouer common with vs now adayes, That euery man his fault on other layes, And some excuse for euery euill frame, And rather then we will the burden beare: We lay on God (whose prouidence rules all) The cause of what, our wicked natures were Producers of, with wilfull bitter gall. Thus from one sin to other we do fall, And haires herein our nature vs bewrayes, Of parent first, who his offence denaies, And rather God, wife, serpent guilty call, Then to confesse his proper free will lame, And by repentance praise Gods holy name.

SON. XCI.

HOw can he be the author held of ill, Who goodnesse is it selfe, and onely true? To whom alone perfection still is due, And all the world, with goodly workes doth fill? It is not God, it is our selues alas, That doth produce these foule affects of sin, Our sickly nature, first infected was, And lacking tast of truth, delights therein: Our deeds in vs, how fowle so'ere they haue bin, What good soeuer of them doth insue, That part is Gods, our corrupt nature drue, The worser part; and flesh, death snares did spin, And euen our deeds, the which our soules do kill, Are good to God, and worke his glorie still.

SON. XCII.

DOth any man desire his life to mend, And that of sin he might a lothing finde? Let him but on his actions looke behinde Forepast, and see where to they most did bend: Let him on others looke with equall view, And note deformitie of lothfull sin, Let reason (not affections) tell him true, The brickle state himselfe to fore was in; As doctrine, that to penitence doth win, And true repentance, one of honest mind, When he in other sees affects so blind, As he in reason thinks could not haue bin: Such as him selfe ashameth to defend, And to be guiltlese off, he would pretend.

SON. XCIII.

I Haue desir'd, and held as chiefe delight, To lead my life, where mirth did alwaies dwell, From soule, so sorrow thinking to repell, In feast and sport so past I day and night: But if (as oft there did) a dismall chance Befall, whereby I found some cause of griefe, I was amaz'd, dispair'd, and as in trance, No comfort found, or meanes to giue reliefe: My former ioyes prouoked sorrow chiefe, I loathd the thoughts before did please so well, My meditations then of death befell, And of worlds pleasures, which were vaine & chiefe, Which made me chāge my former humor quight, For teares, cares, sorrows, still to be in sight.

SON. XCIIII.

SInce we are found (if we our selues do know) To be a barren ground and good for nought, Vnlesse by husbandrie we will be brought, To aptnesse for some good whereon to growe: Since preachers are the husbandmen ordaind, And preaching of the Prophets is the seed, By whose indeuors onely frute is gaind, Of holy life, the which our faith doth feed; Me thi••kes it should a greater aptnesse breed, In tennants to this soule, which Christ hath bought, To haue it so manurde and daily wrought, As it might grow to betterd state indeed, And yeeld some crop of goodnesse, which might show The thankfull hearts, which we to God do owe.

SON. XCV.

WHen I behold the trauell and the payne, Which wicked men in euill actions bide, What hazards they assay to goe aside, When with more ease, they vertue might attaine: How theeues and murtherers such boldnesse vse, Such watchfull painefull meanes their wills to win, As euen religious men do oft refuse, To tast of like, though they would faine begin. I finde too true, that we are sold to sin, And that the bodie doth the spirit guide, That reason yeelds to sense, and sense doth hide Lust in his liking, which doth forward slide From ill to worse and neuer doth refraine Sin, which may sin; nor paine, which paine may gain.

SON. XCI.

SInce nothing is more certaine then to dye, Nor more vncertaine, then the time and howre, Which how to know, is not in Phisickes powre: Yet nature teacheth it, to be but nie; For that death stealeth on vs like a thiefe, And nothing liuing is exempt therefro, His malice to preuent, is wisedome chiefe, That vnprouided he not take vs so: As that on sodaine he appeare a foe, And vs compulsiuely he do deuowre, That God by him in wrath doe seme to lowre, And that to death, (not life) we seeme to goe; Soe let vs liue that death we dare defie, Since heauens eternall life, we gaine thereby.

SON. XCVII.

GReat are the graces God in man doth show, All tending chiefly to soules proper gaine, That by some meanes at length he might attaine To higher thoughts, from earthly base and low: Yet since no benefits we do receaue, Can so assure vs of his loue indeed, That loue of world, and earth they can bereaue, And make our minds on heauenly ioy to feed; Much lesse a new desire in vs can breed, To win the heauens by losse of life so vaine, This common way by death he made remaine, Ineuitable to all humane seed; By force those heauenly ioyes to make vs know, Which after death in lasting life shall grow.

SON. XCVIII.

MIght Elizeus wish allow'd be, And prayer blest, which Salomon did make, And canst thou then thy trauell vndertake, For worthier prize then they haue showne to thee? Sure heauenly wisedome earthly wisedome teacheth; Such wisedome findeth grace with God and man, Who seeks these first, God plenteously him reacheth All other earthly gifts, he wisht or can: That will I seeke, that will I studie than, No plenty shall my thirst therafter slake, With Elizeus will I alwayes wake, And watch the Prophets wayes, and manner whan My Sauiour doth ascend, that I may see His glory, ••and he his grace redouble'in mee.

SON. XCIX.

LOng do the wicked runne a lawlesse race, Vncrost and vncontrolled in their will; Their appetites at pleasure they do fill, And thinke themselues to be in happie case: But stay a while, and let me see the end, (Which crowneth euery good and perfect deed) And you shall find their slipperie way to bend To ruine, if in time they take not heed: For earthly ease securitie doth breed, Securitie, the soule doth lightly kill, It breeds forgetfulnesse of God, and still Doth quench the spright and body pampering feed; Who therefore doth delights too much imbrace, Among the blest, may hap to lose his place.

SON. C.

LIke as the sunne whose heat so needfull is, Produceth daily different effects, According to the nature of obiects, Which hardneth that, yet molifieth this: So doth the Gospell preached, euen the same; It makes some to repent and melt in teares, Some stubborne hearts repine, and cauils frame To quarrell at, and scorne such needlesse feares: The lowly heart, in ioy and hope it reares, The haughty mind, as low assoone deiects, In zealous hearts it neighbour-loue reflects, Whiles other conscience, spight and rankor beares: The natiue powre it keepes of perfect blisse, And holy heat consuming all amisse.

EPIL.

TEmpt me no more to dwell in Cedar tents, Pauilions of Princes and of pride, My tickle strength is dayly like to slide, And makes my bodie do what soule repents: My yeares forwarne me to forbeare annoy, In liked things which do the senses feed, In costly colours, gems, or games to ioy, Or stately troopes, or honors fruitlesse seed. For passed vanities my heart doth bleed, And vowed hath the resting time I bide, (If God in constancie my heart shall guide) Some ryper fruits on former soyle to breed; Which graunt me Lord, that so thy seruant I, May in thy Courts remaine, and flesh defye.