CLASMATA. H.W. Medice Cura teipsum. Whilst on the world's brave Theatre I look, And Times and man's Vicissitudes bemoan; My musing Thoughts in Error gross I took, That of those bad myself not mended one: For Ills one should be less, If I were none. O let me rather myself rectify, Then sympathize thus in antipathy. 'Tis true, I lived in the Golden days Under the candour of a fulgent sphere, Where seldom Sun obscured his Brightest rays: If now it shines not Radiantly so clear, Or that more clouds or misty fogs We fear: If I, thou, HE, return that are estranged, We need not cry O How the World is changed. Estranged I mean from HIM that Ruleth All, Both Sun and It's subordinated stars; Let I, thou, HE, before Him prostrate fall, Imploring Him to set in tune the jars; For I, thou, HE, 'tis, all the Fabrik mars. And I, first person of the Three and Worse, Purpose by Grace Divine to change my Course. Lament. Ierem. 5.21. turn us O Lord, and we shall be turned. NOw to begin my change the surest Way, I'll use that form This Prophet used before; turn me O Lord, that Wholly turn I may: I cannot turn one foot, but wrong go more; Thou must both bring me back, and in at door. thyself's the door, Lord let me in by Thee▪ And give me all that Thou Commandest me. Some think they can convert and turn at pleasure, Repentance is at hand and in their Power: Poor Adam's Sons, what is your weight and measure? LORD turn Thou me, first, second, and last hour; If Thou hold'st off, Then down droop I and lower. Therefore (as Austin's was) my Prayer is, Lord DA QVOD jubes, jube then QVODVIS. Non est mortal quod opto. THen stay not there, for wishes not avail thee, If but to mortal Glory thou aspire; sans Fortitude and Labour They will fail thee: Immortal is ten thousand grease yet higher, Who aims at that shrinks not at blood nor fire. Clog not thyself for this lives brevity, But spend thy spirits for eternity. Nugas Luge. NOw mourn my cheerful Heart, abandon mirth, It makes my Mind more trivial than aught. The sapid speech that hath a pleasant birth Soureth by night (Methinks,) and savours nought: That Sweetly lasteth, which is Sober wrought. Gravely pass time, Thou wert not merry born: Mourn in thy life, thou mayst not die to mourn. To one that asked why he oft times was so sad. Nunquam minus tristis quam cum pertristis. MY Fancies driven and snared in a toil, My Mind within as Lady Empress sits, But Metorlike, They whirl and keep a coil, And are too nimble for my swiftest wits, Turning my calm Thoughts, into flashing fits: My Theories doth sadness safest keep; My Mind works best when sense and fancy sleep. Nor is't a Paradox, for mark thine Eye, Thine ear, thine Hand, thy dainty taste and Smelling; How every object meeting to comply Its proper sense, in fancy sets a-swelling, Right reason Wildly to and fro dispelling, Most in their strength is both my Mind and wit, When most of sense and Fancies vigour quit. Vita petit mortem repetit quia mors mihi vitam. LIght heart, my life (more than I like) makes longer, Nor sad heart shortens much, the strings are stronger: Then live, but daily die, that so death's hour May be (when't comes) than sweetest life, less sour. I will not dig for Death, but life so carry, That I for Death, not Death for me shall tarry. Faxit Deus. Homo Microcosmus. AM I a little World, what is my Fraught? Pride, Folly, Lusts, Humours, and surging broils, Changes, Chances, Purpose, and Project nought: Plenty, Want, sorrows, Pleasures, Ease, and toils; Honours, Disgrace, Conquests, Contempt, and foils. Thus ballast is This little World for store, As is the Great, though in the greatness more. But Piety, Love, wisdom, Grace, and Peace; Sanctity, true Glory, virtue Divine: Fullness of joy, which needeth no increase. High Felicities, never that Decline, Are of the crystal World, Are not of mine. LORD Almoner of Heaven, deal me Thy Dole, Some pieces here as Symbols of the Whole. Periculum probat. SOme Boast aforehand Confidence in God In times of troubles, and their Great distress, How quietly They will embrace His rod; And bear all Crosses stoutly do profess: Be not to Bold, I thought myself no less. So Peter on his Courage set a * Etiam si moriar &c. Mat. 26.35. price, Till Chantecler had checked him once or twice. In Calmes no Cares, No trials where no Crosses; Jobs messengers when they beset thee round, When Storms within, Tempests without thee tosses. If then in peace Thou manly stand'st thy Ground, Thou giv'st some proof, thy Faith and Hope is sound. Lord Awe me in my largest Liberties, Thou Mayst enlarge my straightest miseries. What is't to know how to abound or want Philipp. 4.11.12. More then to be all ONE in Cases all? In Plenty not to full, in Need content; This tottering World gives not That man a fall: For as he was he is, and so he shall. For in each Change, by Christ he holdeth fast, O Lord (though late,) Now teach me This at last. Upon sad tidings. Ecce me, faciat mihi pro ut bonum videtur in occulis suis. Sam. 2, 15.26. Besieged with troops of fears as with an host, Tumults of Thoughts Irrushing on my mind: Plagues of ill haps posting from every Coast; Like blustering Storms, more coming, more behind. And when no End, nor hope of End I find: I say as He who in the like Case stood, LORD Here I am, do with me what think'st good. Video meliora proboque, Deteriora sequor. Dim-sighted man Canst see and not avoid? Close up those eyes that lead thy foot awry; Those carnal Sights leave not till all be stroyde, And in their room get one spiritual Eye; One Single Heart, which may with it comply. Then look thine Heart keep clean, and clear thy sight, So shalt thou see, approve, and follow Right. Remember me my GOD for This, Nehemiah 13.22. MY GOD saith Nehemy Remember me: I dare not call GOD (mine) my Soules afraid, Yet I have found GOD Good in my degree; As largely Good as he that (My GOD) said, Why then to cry My GOD am I dysmaid? I cannot say Remember me for This, That This makes odd between my Case and His. Josua 14.15, in versus calce. joshua Protesteth he would serve the LORD, Though none else would, yet He and His alone: Exhorteth All in general accord; He with the first Contendeth to be one, And in God's Courts will Second be to none, Place of precedence in josues Condition, Strive for in God's Name, 'Tis a safe Ambition. The love of GOD to Man. MAn more than Angels Thou didst love O LORD, Thou talk'st with him when he did disobey: Thou threw'st Them down, vouchsafst Them not a Word, But chained Them up until the judgement day. The Man Thou chidest, but savedst another way. O Depth of Mercy to this Man of Dust, When to those angels Thou wert only Iust. O GOD what's Man, whom Thou didst so Regard? Thou mad'st Him twice (as't were) to make him sure, Renewdest Thine Image He so foully marred: Stamped in thyself that so It Might endure, Wert Man thyself that Manhood Might be pure. Thus GOD the Man sets full at liberty, Steps in his stead, And is his surety. O Second person in the Trinity, Lord Jesus Christ, the Horn of our Salvation; That wroughst in Man by theoanthropy, More integral than at his first Creation: Keep me within the Tower of that Station. Then stronger mine shall be then Adam's Case, For He stood by himself, I stand by Grace. Deo Gloria. Tremor Cordis. THine holiness, O GOD, I apprehending, And justice so Exact for least Transgression: How Thou from heaven threwest Angels down offending. And cast out Man from Paradise his Session, O then my soul comes trembling to Confession. I am a Lump of sin, not one spot free, All over sinful, what becomes of me. Recording then thyself becamest a man, And were't made sin for man's sins Expiation; Didst die for sin in Sinners room: O than 'Gainst Devil and Hell I get Refocillation. And calling Faith to this high Admiration, Believe GOD made Himself a Man to die For Greatest Sinners, Sinners such as I. Spiritus, ubi vult spirat. WHat's Spirit Spirit is, what's Flesh is Flesh, Thou Breathest where thou please, O Holy Breath. GOD breathed Life at first, Breath Thou afresh: Else all Life long I do but live in Death. So is all Life, (but what's from The) Beneath. Draw me O GOD to CHRIST, O Draw me still, Methinks I come like one against his Will. Etiam Pater, quia Tibi ita placuit, Math. 11.26, et Luke 10.21. Even so O Father, for it pleased Thee so, The son of GOD on God's own Will doth rest: The sons of Men will farther Reasons know, As though God's Will of Reasons were not Best; Cause of first Cause Thou seek'st to have expressed. For still thou sayst There's Reason of that Will, Be't so: But far beyond thy Reach and Skill. Luke 21.19. possess your souls in Patience. THy soul in Patience labour to possess, The LORD His own Disciples counselled so. This fluctuant World is busy more o'er less By change or chance to machinat thy woe; Tumbling thy best Endeavours to and fro. To Patience then Lay Anchor in Her road, Then Let thy Ship float where it will abroad. O son of GOD that were't the son of man, Poorest of All, Yet Lord of Allwert borne, First laid in Cratch, so basely life began; Hunted by Herod, felt the Scourge and scorn, Thy shoulders bare the cross, Thy Head the Thorn. O CHRIST (whose patience did more increase: In most Extremes,) bind me unto Thy Peace. I will show mercy, on whom i will show mercy. Exod. 33.19. THou wilt show mercy, Lord, on whom thou wilt. Remember me then in Thy mercy's Will, And though most Monstrous be my Sin and guilt My Pardon shall with Glory, mercy fill, 'Mongst Those Thou pardonest, Lord, than me imbill To put my name into Thy Mercy-rolles Above the third heaven's Mercy it extols. Justice as Great as Mercy is. How then? Thy justice, LORD, Thy son hath fully paid; (GOD answers GOD, No man nor Angel can) And in His Blood hath all my Score defrayed And doth quite claim what can by Law be laid. Then Thou O GOD Mayst seal my Pardon sure, justice and Mercy Both kept Even and pure. Come unto me All ye that are laden, And I will refresh you, Math. 11.28. LAden (O LORD) laden I am with sin, The heaviest Weight that ever Earth did bear: Crushed down without, contunded more within; Nothing but Wrath and horror doth appear; My trembling soul in shivers shakes for fear. I come to Thee, thus laden (LORD) thus broken, Ease me, as in Thy gospel Thou hast spoken. Luke 10.34. O dear Samaritane bind up my Wounds, My souls Soare runneth like a Rotten Boil: In Thee such virtue and such Grace abounds, As Thou canst heal me with a Drop of oil, Pour it into me and my soul assoil. Thy Blood's the oil, LORD Bathe me in that unction, And wash me clean* * Heb. 9, 14.15, & 10, 12.14. It is Thy Blessed function How unsearchable are the Judgemens of GOD, and His ways past finding out,. Romans 11.33 GOD drowns the World, yet spareth No and his, Esau He hates, But Jacob dearly loveth: Who dares find fault or Reason ask of this? If He rejecteth me and thee approveth; I'll silence keep, for so it me behooveth. Submit thyself to God's own Sacred Will, Not meddling, Why He sends here Good there Ill. And (for no angel dares make Indagation Into God's ark, where His close counsels lie:) Get thou a Copy of thine own Salvation. Why others shall not study not to pry, GOD can and Will His own ways justify. What thou must learn is wrote in God's own Story, What is concealed, is sealed up to his Glory. I nothing LORD deserve but wrath and Ire, (Let not my Humblings make me worse to fare:) Most just of all must Mercy needs Require, And Me most vile, if Thou be'st pleased to spare? What's He that murmur 'gainst that Mercy dare. Quit me O CHRIST, no more but speak the Word, For of thy Mercies Thou thyself art LORD. His souls fancy. IF that my Catyffe soul did walk on Ground, And visibly were from the body known; Which GOD at first infused so purely Sound: Now by my flesh so vild and loathsome grown, My fancy is, GOD could not know his own. Expurge (O CHRIST) my souls foul Inquination, Then GOD again will know His own Creation. His souls comfort, Math. 18.21, & Luke 17.4. NOt seven, but seau'nty seven times Peter shall Forgive his Brother by His Master's Will; And if seven times a day he sins, and call Seven times for pardon, he must pardon still. When all hope's flag▪ This Hope (LORD) mounts the Hill. Thou wilt forgive as oft, and much more too, than what Thou bidst Thy Servant Peter do. His souls Rest. Deus Tranquillus tranquillat omnia. IF Thou be'st pleased O GOD to be at peace, With Thy poor Creature, in Thy Blessed son; Then shall my Faintings, Doubts, and Terrors cease, And Combat with that Horrid host be done, And towards heaven my soul walk safely on. Speak peace then LORD, and Resecat by Grace, My fleshly fetters that Implex my pace. Or despisest thou the Riches of His Mercy that leadeth thee to Repentance,. Rom. 2.4 ☞ WHo not observes how by Sweet Mercies side justice close standeth, girded with its Sword; May suddenly into Presumption slide: Danger of dangers all, to be abhorred; As which Indulgence, to all sins affored. Mercy Right weighed, Repentance doth begin; Not Right, a Torrent opens unto sin. Not to Repent, and Mercy to despice, Seems by this Text to Me, to go as One: If Mercy doth from True Repentance rise, Where no Repentance, Mercy can be none: Those woeful Privatives go not alone. Who Mercy seeks, and penitence exclude, Plainly Himself, And would his GOD delude, Repentance seems in Order first in place, Mercy in Nature doth precede before: LORD, Both at once flow freely from Thy Grace; And Both at once, my soul on knees Implore, Repentance That, Repentance need no more, And Mercy That, I so converted be, * Luke 15.7. In Heaven The Angels may rejoice for me. Lent. ☞ IF all the sins, all Sinners, did confess, Were to mine ears (to lessen mine) propounded; As much in weight, And not in number less▪ Confess I must, though therefore were Confounded; Yea (LORD) sins I know not, Thou knowsted abounded. Not one as I, his days have so misspent: Confession must begin first part of Lent. Now, could I starve my lusts so proud within, Bar Adam's out, And CHRIST my LORD retain; Worlds Courses leave, and haven on Earth begin: Temperance unto my Profession chain, For my souls Health surfeits in sin, restrain. Through Faith in pure Conscience, Repent; Then acted is the second part of Lent. THe least of these (LORD) is not in my power, Only from Grace proceed both Will and action: I can confess, cannot amend an hour; Begin perhaps, as soon begun, a Fraction: Soul and souls faculties, all, in distraction. LORD, what I ought to do, and what's not done, Set it on him did Do for me, thy son. H. W. Aetatis sua 76, 1626. Jud. 14. Ecce venit Dominus. &c. Behold the Lord cometh with ten Thousand of His Saints to Judgement. THat heavenly choir o Christ that at thy Birth Did sing (aloft,) Glory to God on high, Mercy and Peace (Below) to men on Earth; Shall at thy second coming change their Cry, Sounding with Trumpet Judgement through the sky. And shake as with a mighty Rush of Thunder, Foudations of the universe, asunder. Lord, All Thou dost is just, and Just is Good, Thine Agents, Angels are celestial: Though Wicked Ones may murmur in their Mood, And Cruelty Thy pure Justice Call, Imprecating mountains on them to fall; For what Eye can in Thy Great day of doom Behold that majesty wherein Thou Come? Or what strong Words can Blazon Thine Assize? Act. 2.19, 20. The stars shall fall, the heaven's shall melt away, All Living must stand forth, All Dead must rise; The sun grow dark, moon turn to blood that day: Fire, vapours, smoke, All over fear and fray. Yet (Lord) in all this horror, Flame and Dread, Thou Bid'st Th'ELECT to lift up then their Head. The homology. Luke 21.28. Poor is my knowledge, But I aimed to know, My reals are yet lesser than mine Art: The theory Infatuats me so, I played the Trevant in the practic part, O Lord forgive, And Innovate mine Heart To know, and know to do, and not to look, To be saved so, as Felons by their book. Absit. Mary Magdalen, Luke 7.38. ad finem usque. IN Magdalen's Heart there a Limbeck was, Distiled her sins into a flood of tears; Which got her Pardon in such terms to pass As her Lord's Mercies in the FULL appears, To comfort all poor Sinners Hearts and ears: His feet she washed in penitential water, Her Memory is blessed for ever after. My stony Heart no tears can melt nor bruise, O Thou That out of Stones canst Children raise To Abraham, Thy Souppling Grace Infuse Into my soul, I may my latter days (THOSE PAST O pardon) tread in straighter ways: So may with MARY whole on CHRIST Repose, And with those Words these papers up I close. FINIS.