A sinfvll Mans Solace Most sweete and comfortable, for the sicke and sorowful Soule: Contriued, into seuen seuerall Daies Conference, betweene Christ and a carelesse Sinner. Wherin, euerie man, from the highest, to the lowest: from the Richest, to the poorest: and aboue all, the sorowfull Sinner: maye take such sweet repaste of Resolution, to amendment of lyfe, and confirmation of Fayth: that (in respect of the Heauenlie Solace, therin faithfully remembred:) all the pompes and pleasures of this wicked worlde, shall be plainely perceiued to be meere miserie. Writeen by Iohn Norden |
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THE THVRSDAY,
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 | A sinfvll Mans Solace |  |
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THE THVRSDAY,
or fourth daies Conference, betweene Solace and the sinfull Man.
Wherein the sinfull man confesseth his Fayth, and is instructed by Solace, what repentaunce is, and what are the fruites thereof, and the things that hinder it.
Where art thou man, that yesterday,
didst promise to be here:
Come forth, attend, beleue in mee,
let fruitfull faith appeare.
The sinfull man:
Oh, Solace, art thou here so soone,
this day to meete with mee:
Say what thou wilt, I doe beleeue,
attendant here on thee.
[60]
[OMITTED]
The sinfull man.
I doe remember yesterday,
thou didst define to mee:
That faith ye fountaine of my weale
was confidence in thee.
Whereby I might behold before,
what after should appeare:
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of my saluation here.
Solace.
[OMITTED]
The sinfull man.
First, I doe beleeue
in God my maker deare,
Who framde of nought the Land and Seas:
the heauens high and cleare.
The Sunne, the Moone, the firmament,
the crystall starry skies:
The things that are inuisible,
and eke before our eyes.
And of the dust who framed man,
in perfect shape and pure:
In image as he is himselfe,
for aye so to endure.
Of him he formed Eue to be,
a comfort to the man:
And placed them in state of blisse,
in Eden Garden, than.
There to remayne without distresse,
in perfect blisse for aye:
But that the subtile Serpent did,
most falsely them betray.
And they like disobedient wights,
did yeeld vnto his wyle:
[63]
from their estate exile.
And all that come of Adams line,
through Adams sinne do fall:
Deseruing death by due desert,
and thus came first our thrall.
And then our God of passing loue,
most sory for our sinne:
Did promise that the womans seede,
should our saluation winne.
And promised to Abraham,
to giue his sonne to saue
Mankind, from Sathans tyrannie
as I beleeue he gaue.
Thy selfe sweete Iesus, I beleeue,
who were coequall than:
With God thy father were content,
to be both God and man:
To come into this vale of woe,
and walke amongst vs here:
To shewe for our saluation,
thy fathers wisdome clere.
Borne of the virgine Marie pure,
as was before decreede:
That thou that shouldest saue vs all,
shouldest come of womans seede.
Whose Godhead and humayne state,
should linke them selues in one:
Inuisible and visible,
and not be here alone.
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thy selfe as man to dye:
And as a God againe for vs,
exalt thy selfe on hye.
And when thou here in earthly soyle,
in humaine weedes belowe:
Didst wander: I beleeue thee then,
like other men to growe.
To shewe thy selfe as man to vs,
in humayne state to be:
In eche respect a man in deede,
from sinne yet onely free.
And wast content, to beare reproch,
to suffer cruell Iewes,
To buffet thee, to spit at thee,
and thee full vilely vse.
Who sought by many wylie meanes
to take thy life from thee,
Procuring wicked ministers,
to punish thee for mee.
False witnesses vniustly came,
accusing thee of ill:
And thou a lambe most innocent,
were well contented still.
And when the time appointed came,
wherein thou shouldest die:
Thy torments were so terrible,
were forst as man to crie.
My God my God in my distresse,
Why haste thou leaft mee thus?
[62]
which thou hadst then for vs.
Wherein thou gauest vp the ghost,
vnto thy father deere:
Discending to the deepe of hell,
to clense vs sinners here.
The wrath of God thy father was,
to Adams sinne so great:
That nothing could but thou his sonne,
his loue againe intreat.
Who on the Crosse I doe beleeue,
with heart and tongue confesse:
That thou for all offenders then,
didst purchase due redresse.
For our offences willingly,
thou didst accept to dye:
And to be layd in graue as man,
and seene with humayne eye.
The third day after to aryse,
againe out of the graue:
And to ascend aboue the Skies,
to whome, thy father gaue
Thy former glory and the seate,
at his right hand againe:
Where thou as Lord of all and some,
doste with him now remayne.
And there a Mediator true,
for sinners here belowe:
Thy selfe in mercie merueilous,
vnto thy father showe.
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from thence I doe beleeue:
In iudgement thou wilt come againe,
to all mankind, to giue
Their iust reward of life or death
as they deserue to haue,
Who then shall take the flesh againe,
they caried to the graue.
And those that doe remayne aliue,
shall quickly changed be:
The wicked to their endlesse woe,
and iust shall goe with thee.
Into that seate of passing blisse,
that neuer shall haue end:
And those that thou shalt find vniust
thou wilt with Sathan send.
The holy ghost I doe likewise,
in heart confesse to be:
Whome I doe faithfully beleeue,
to be all one with thee.
And with the father, who are three,
in parson, but (in deede)
In substance one, a Trinitie,
in vnitie decreede,
Which holy ghost doth sanctifie,
thy chosen ones to liue:
Assuring all men to be thine,
that faithfully beleeue.
And those to be an holy church,
a congregation pure
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from thy precepts allure.
Dispersed through the world so wide,
yet faithfully agree:
In faith, in baptisme, and good will,
vnited all in thee.
As to their head and chiefe defence
on whome they doe depend:
And whome with mightie hand thou doste,
most graciously defend.
And they like faithfull children doe
communicate in one:
And doe not vse thy benefites,
eche man by him alone.
But what thou dost on one bestowe
he doth impart to all,
And eche in godly loue supports
another, least he fall.
Whose sinne I faithfully beleeue
is pardoned in thee,
Who by thy death I doe beleeue:
hast made mee likewise free.
And that our bodies now corrupt
shall rise againe in fine,
In purerest wise, and them into
thine hands againe resigne.
And that our soules and bodies shall,
the heauenly ioyes possesse:
For euer more encrease my faith,
that I beleeue no lesse.
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[OMITTED]
The sinfull man.
Increase my faith, I am corrupt,
which keepes mee dull perforce:
[64]
good Solace shewe remorse:
And what, as yet, doth want in mee,
vnfold the same in hast:
That I a sinner may repent,
of all offences past.
Solace.
[OMITTED]
The sinfull man.
Say on (good Solace) I attend,
I long in heart to heare:
The course of this thy purpose pure,
which is to mee so deere.
Solace.
[OMITTED]
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All this I can, and will performe,
yea, what thou wilt I shall:
I yeeld my self with willing mind,
for thee to beare it all.
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[OMITTED]
[76]
Alas what must I sinner doe?
whereto poore wretch must I
Imploye my self? I thinke there be
no shift but I must dye.
I will like wofull wight in hast,
of hayre-cloth make my bed:
And clad my carefull corps in sacke,
and cast dust on my head.
In mourning wise to pas my daies,
and pinch my self with fast,
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may purchase blisse at last.
Solace.
[OMITTED]
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But must I not sometimes abstaine
my careles corpes from meate?
Or is it lawfull when I list,
all kindes of meate to eate?
Solace.
[OMITTED]
[80]
Alas must I restore againe
the things I doe possesse,
Which I haue gotten heretofore,
or am remedilesse?
Then, woe is mee, I am vndone,
my state, will then decay:
Good Solace pardon that, and I
will all things els obey.
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[OMITTED]
[82]
Then loe I will restore in hast,
the landes and Graunge againe:
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shall losse by me sustaine.
But will the poore, and needy man,
releeue that are opprest:
And then I trust, I shal possesse,
at last eternall rest.
Solace,
[OMITTED]
[84]
Alas my conscience dooth accuse,
me guiltie of them all:
I must confesse my carelesse life,
hath well deserued thrall.
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my sinnes I will declare
To thee, who dooth already see,
that they corrupted are.
Wherein I liued long secure,
bewrapt in wealth at will.
I runne a race, that now I rue:
and lingred long in ill:
Uouchsafe that I with heart & hand,
may now restore againe:
The things which I by fraud haue had,
of any man for gaine.
And shewe what further dooth belong,
to traine me to thy blisse:
Uouchsafe to shew that I may come,
where all true Solace is.
Solace.
[OMITTED]
[85]
Then will I hasten me away,
to finish it in haste:
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againe to thee as fast.
The end of the Thursday or fourth dayes conference
| A sinfvll Mans Solace | |