The Early Works of Thomas Becon Being the treatises published by him in the reign of King Henry VIII. Edited for The Parker Society, by the Rev. John Ayre |
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 | The Early Works of Thomas Becon |  |
TO THE GODLY READER.
Grace groweth after governance,
Is an old said saw in each place:
If governance hath good resemblance,
Grace delighteth to follow the trace.
Is an old said saw in each place:
If governance hath good resemblance,
Grace delighteth to follow the trace.
Grace glorieth in godly governance,
Grace hasteth to her hall and palace;
Grace doth godly governance avance,
And cause it to excel in each place.
Grace hasteth to her hall and palace;
Grace doth godly governance avance,
And cause it to excel in each place.
Where governance is godly wise,
Sage, sober, honest, and prudent;
There doth grace gloriously devise
To have her seat aye permanent.
Sage, sober, honest, and prudent;
There doth grace gloriously devise
To have her seat aye permanent.
But if governance be wicked,
Idle, wanton, undiscreet, and vain;
Grace, which is godly disposed,
With such governance can not remain.
Idle, wanton, undiscreet, and vain;
Grace, which is godly disposed,
With such governance can not remain.
This book shall thee instruct therefore,
Thy life virtuously to lead;
That grace with thee may evermore
Remain, as God's most blessed seed.
Thy life virtuously to lead;
That grace with thee may evermore
Remain, as God's most blessed seed.
To fight against Satan and sin,
To repress errors and heresies,
To pray to God his grace to win,
In this book to learn thou may'st devise.
To repress errors and heresies,
To pray to God his grace to win,
In this book to learn thou may'st devise.
Take thou it therefore in good part,
As a joyful jewel for thy wealth;
And give God thanks with all thy heart,
Which by his word worketh thy health.
As a joyful jewel for thy wealth;
And give God thanks with all thy heart,
Which by his word worketh thy health.
As for my travail and pain,
I crave none other recompence,
But thy life virtuously to train,
That thou may'st enjoy God's presence.
I crave none other recompence,
But thy life virtuously to train,
That thou may'st enjoy God's presence.
THE INVECTIVE SPEAKETH.
Lamentably do I now proceed,
Of mine author sent at this season,
In a sad and lamentable weed,
To make my complaint and lamentation.
Of mine author sent at this season,
In a sad and lamentable weed,
To make my complaint and lamentation.
Lament I must both day and night,
To behold the great abomination,
Which through swearing in all men's sight
Is now used without lamentation.
To behold the great abomination,
Which through swearing in all men's sight
Is now used without lamentation.
Lament all christian hearts do, I am sure,
To hear God and his creatures each one
So wickedly blasphemed without cure,
And yet no man maketh lamentation.
To hear God and his creatures each one
So wickedly blasphemed without cure,
And yet no man maketh lamentation.
Lament, O ye swearers, lament, lament,
And look ye cease from this great abusion;
For if to do thus ye be not now bent,
In hell shall ye make full sore lamentation.
And look ye cease from this great abusion;
For if to do thus ye be not now bent,
In hell shall ye make full sore lamentation.
Lament your sins, and take me to you,
For to leave your great abomination
I will teach you, yea, and all thing true,
That ye may be free from lamentation.
For to leave your great abomination
I will teach you, yea, and all thing true,
That ye may be free from lamentation.
Lament, if ye will not in hell fire,
But enjoy the divine fruition;
Look that ye accomplish my desire,
So shall ye be free from lamentation.
But enjoy the divine fruition;
Look that ye accomplish my desire,
So shall ye be free from lamentation.
THE NOSEGAY SPEAKETH.
What meanest thou, my friend, to gather
Flowers which soon perish and decay?
Their savours will not last ever,
As by experience see thou may.
Flowers which soon perish and decay?
Their savours will not last ever,
As by experience see thou may.
For a little time they seem pleasant,
But straight do they vanish away,
Like things which to vanity grant,
As by experience see thou may.
But straight do they vanish away,
Like things which to vanity grant,
As by experience see thou may.
Leave therefore things transitory,
And embrace godly things alway,
Which shall avance thee unto glory,
As by experience see thou may.
And embrace godly things alway,
Which shall avance thee unto glory,
As by experience see thou may.
Receive me into thy bosom,
If thou dost desire a nosegay:
My flowers are full of delectation,
As by experience see thou may.
If thou dost desire a nosegay:
My flowers are full of delectation,
As by experience see thou may.
To know thyself thou mayest learn here,
God and thy king truly to obey,
And to thy neighbour to be dear,
As by experience see thou may.
God and thy king truly to obey,
And to thy neighbour to be dear,
As by experience see thou may.
Take me now unto thee therefore,
Bear me in thy bosom alway:
Much pleasure have I for thee in store,
As by experience see thou may.
Bear me in thy bosom alway:
Much pleasure have I for thee in store,
As by experience see thou may.
THE NEW-YEAR'S GIFT SPEAKETH.
A new-year's gift more precious
Than gold or pearl certes am I;
For I bring forth the Lord Jesus,
Which of all treasures is most high.
Than gold or pearl certes am I;
For I bring forth the Lord Jesus,
Which of all treasures is most high.
Many in things of vanity
Do rejoice and delight greatly:
Such can have no pleasure in me,
For I teach Christ, that Lord most high.
Do rejoice and delight greatly:
Such can have no pleasure in me,
For I teach Christ, that Lord most high.
Christ and Christ's doctrine shalt thou here
Learn, if thou wilt, unfeignedly,
Whereby thou mayest become right dear
To God and his Son, that Lord most high.
Learn, if thou wilt, unfeignedly,
Whereby thou mayest become right dear
To God and his Son, that Lord most high.
To mortify thy lusts carnal,
And to walk aye innocently,
Teach thee also godly I shall,
That thou mayest please that Lord most high.
And to walk aye innocently,
Teach thee also godly I shall,
That thou mayest please that Lord most high.
To good works also I shall thee move,
In them evermore to be busy,
That God the Father may thee love,
And his Son Christ, that Lord most high.
In them evermore to be busy,
That God the Father may thee love,
And his Son Christ, that Lord most high.
If thou therefore lovest godliness,
Take me unto thee joyfully:
I shall fill thy heart with gladness,
And join thee with Christ, that Lord most high.
Take me unto thee joyfully:
I shall fill thy heart with gladness,
And join thee with Christ, that Lord most high.
| The Early Works of Thomas Becon | |