 | The Muses Sacrifice |  |
The Complaint of a Sinner.
In the vexation of an humbled Spirit,
Deuoured in the depth of wretched State:
With feare and trembling I approch thy fight,
As one, deare Lord, as poore, as desolate!
Deuoured in the depth of wretched State:
With feare and trembling I approch thy fight,
As one, deare Lord, as poore, as desolate!
Neare to thy mercies flouds, my selfe I set,
Vpon the Banckes of thy rich Graces streames;
That my dry Soule may so therewith be wet,
Before the Sunne of Iustice scorching Beames.
Vpon the Banckes of thy rich Graces streames;
That my dry Soule may so therewith be wet,
Before the Sunne of Iustice scorching Beames.
Lo, I a masse of rude vnformed Clay,
Present my selfe to thine All-making skill;
To doe all my deformities away,
And to informe my Wit, reforme my Will.
Present my selfe to thine All-making skill;
To doe all my deformities away,
And to informe my Wit, reforme my Will.
[11]
Great is my boldnesse so to tempt thy Grace
With such presumption; but (deare Lord) let me
Make bold thy loue (still tendred) to embrace,
Lest strange to It, I might be strange to Thee.
With such presumption; but (deare Lord) let me
Make bold thy loue (still tendred) to embrace,
Lest strange to It, I might be strange to Thee.
Yet, when I waigh mine owne vnworthinesse,
Together with thy Loues high dignitie;
I am too bold with It, I doe confesse,
To entertaine It to such misery.
Together with thy Loues high dignitie;
I am too bold with It, I doe confesse,
To entertaine It to such misery.
I am too vile to loue, or to be lou'd
Of thee (deare Lord) the life of dearest Loue;
Yet by thy Loue, to loue I still am mou'd,
Though I thy loue, to hate, doe euer moue.
Of thee (deare Lord) the life of dearest Loue;
Yet by thy Loue, to loue I still am mou'd,
Though I thy loue, to hate, doe euer moue.
Thou dost command (giue, what cōmand thou dost,
Then what thou wilt command, It shall be done,)
That I should loue beyond mine vttermost,
As thou dost loue beyond comparison.
Then what thou wilt command, It shall be done,)
That I should loue beyond mine vttermost,
As thou dost loue beyond comparison.
In Loue thou mad'st me, onely but to loue;
And me re-mad'st in loue, to loue alone:
Thou threatnest me, if I vnlouing proue;
And wouldst that we, though two, shold be as One.
And me re-mad'st in loue, to loue alone:
Thou threatnest me, if I vnlouing proue;
And wouldst that we, though two, shold be as One.
Yea, for my loue thou (ceaselesse) so dost woo me,
That seeing me (in loue) quite dull and dead,
Thou giuest me Thee; that I should giue me to thee,
In forme of Flesh, as thou in forme of Bread.
That seeing me (in loue) quite dull and dead,
Thou giuest me Thee; that I should giue me to thee,
In forme of Flesh, as thou in forme of Bread.
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Lord, what am I, that thou shouldst woo me so.
And seeke t'inflame my loue with thy Loues heat?
What am I to Thee, but a world of woe?
A little World, of Sinne, past measure great!
And seeke t'inflame my loue with thy Loues heat?
What am I to Thee, but a world of woe?
A little World, of Sinne, past measure great!
A Crosse of Crosses; for, so crosse I am,
That eu'ry thing I doe, is quite a thwart;
And, that which is most crosse, I blesse the same
As that which most agrees with my curst-heart.
That eu'ry thing I doe, is quite a thwart;
And, that which is most crosse, I blesse the same
As that which most agrees with my curst-heart.
And what art thou to me but peace and rest,
Saluation, Ioy, and whatsoe'er is good?
By whom I (most accursed) most am blest,
Who mad'st me blamelesse in thy blessed bloud.
Saluation, Ioy, and whatsoe'er is good?
By whom I (most accursed) most am blest,
Who mad'st me blamelesse in thy blessed bloud.
Then of such pledges of thy Loue possest,
And that but loue alone thy loue doth craue:
O giue me that which thy loue doth request,
And I will giue thee what thy Loue would haue.
And that but loue alone thy loue doth craue:
O giue me that which thy loue doth request,
And I will giue thee what thy Loue would haue.
Ill, I can giue Thee; that, is onely mine;
But Good, I haue from Thee, thy gift it is:
If thou wilt none of mine, then giue me thine;
Take that from me, deare Lord, and giue me this.
But Good, I haue from Thee, thy gift it is:
If thou wilt none of mine, then giue me thine;
Take that from me, deare Lord, and giue me this.
Thou art not pleas'd but with what's onely thine;
Yet, I am thine; and yet not pleas'd thou art:
If thou haue nought with me, but what is mine,
Although I gaue to thee me dearest heart.
Yet, I am thine; and yet not pleas'd thou art:
If thou haue nought with me, but what is mine,
Although I gaue to thee me dearest heart.
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For, as it is my Heart, it's most vncleane;
And all vncleannesse thou dost most detest:
Then, thou art both the cause, effect, and meane,
That thou dost loue it, as thine interest.
And all vncleannesse thou dost most detest:
Then, thou art both the cause, effect, and meane,
That thou dost loue it, as thine interest.
Yet, as mine owne I haue (what haue I not
with it, that is not absolutely good?)
My Christ; but, ah alas I haue forgot
Thou gau'st him first, & bought'st me with his bloud.
with it, that is not absolutely good?)
My Christ; but, ah alas I haue forgot
Thou gau'st him first, & bought'st me with his bloud.
But yet that's all I haue, (that's all in all)
To giue thee, as goods common vs betwixt;
To me Hee came from Thee; to thee Hee shall
For me, in passion, with my passions mixt.
To giue thee, as goods common vs betwixt;
To me Hee came from Thee; to thee Hee shall
For me, in passion, with my passions mixt.
If mine be such, as make his much the more,
They his are much more meritorious:
And yet if Mine be couer'd with his gore,
Then will deserue thy loue and fasten vs!
Then take him Lord, I haue none other shift
To show my Loue, but with thine onely Gift.
They his are much more meritorious:
And yet if Mine be couer'd with his gore,
Then will deserue thy loue and fasten vs!
Then take him Lord, I haue none other shift
To show my Loue, but with thine onely Gift.
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