CONSCIENCE

Thy crazed Conscience, which foresee, the plagues & torments endue, Which from joust Judge, whom thou deniest shall by and by ensue: Such is the blindness of the flesh, that it may not descry, Or see the perils which the Soul, is ready to incur: And much the less, our own estates, we can our selves espy: Because Suggestion in our hearts such fancies often stir: Whereby to worldly vanities, we cleave as fast as burre: Esteeming them with heavenly joys, in goodness comparable, Yet be they mostly very pricks, to sin abominable. For proof we need no further go, then to this present man, Who by the blessing of the Lord, of riches having store, When with his heart to fancy them, this worldling once began: And had this Glass of vanyties espied, his eyes before, He God forsook, whereas he ought have loved him the more: And chooses rather with his goods, to be thrown down to hell, Then by refusing of the same, with God in heaven to dwell. I speak not largely of all them, which have this worldly wealth, For why, I know that riches are the creatures of the Lord: Which of themselves, are good each one, as Salamon us telleth, And are appointed to do good withal, by Gods own word, But when they let us from the Lord, then ought they be abhorred: Which caused Christ himself to say, that with much lesser pain, Should Camel pass through needles ey, the ̄ rich men Heave ̄ obtain, Hereby Rich men, Christ did not mean, each one which wealth enjoy But those which fastened have their love upon this worldly dust, Wherefore another cries, and say, o death, how great annoy Dost thou procure unto that man, which in his gods does trust? That thou dost this Philologus, thou needs acknowledge must, Whereby each one may easily see, thou takest more delight, In Mundane joys, then thou esteemest to be with Angels bright. In deed I cannot use, those found and foolish vanities In which the outward partly of man does take so great delight, No, neither would I, though to me were given that liberty, But rather would consume them all to nought, if that I might, For if I should delight therein, it were as good a sight, As if a man of perfect age, should ride upon a stick: Or play with compters in the street, which pastime children like. But all my joys in Heaven remains, whereas I long to be, And so wouldst thou, if that on Christ thy faith full fastened were, For that affection, was in Paull the apostle, we may see, The first to the Philippians does witness herein bear, His words be these: o would to God dissolved that I were, And were with Christ, another place his mind in those words tell, We are but strangers all from God, while in this world we dwell: Now mark, how far from his request, dissenting is thy mind, He wished for death, but more then hell, thou dost the same detest. The same whom you recited have, conceived a further end: Then to them selves to live alone, as each man may perceive, For when that Paul had run his course, he did at last receive: with hearts consent, the small death, which was him put unto, So when Christ had performed his work, he did death undergo: And would to God, thou wouldst do y to , which these men were conte ̄ to, For they despised worldly pomp, their flesh they did subdue, And brought it under, that to spirit, it mostly did consent: Whereby they seeking God to please, did bid the world adue: Wife, Children, and possessions forsaking, for they knew That everlasting treasures were, appointed them at last, The which they Thy sting, did from them, all worldly pleasures cast. But thou Oh wretch dost life prolong, not that thou wouldst gods name As duty binds us all to do, most chiefly glorify, But rather by thy living still, wilt Gods renown defame, And more and more dishonour him, this is thy drift I spy. What are those joys, which thou dost mean, but pleasures straying from ̄ God? By using of the which, thou shalt provoke his heavy rod: How can you say, you trust in God, when as you him forsake, And of the wicked Mammon here, do make your feigned friend, No, no, these words which you recite against you mostly make: For thus he thinks in his destresse, God cannot Me defend, And therefore by Suggestion frail, to men help he hath leande. Mark who say truth of him or Me and do him best believe. And where Suggestion, telleth Thee, that God in mercies flow, Yet is he joust sins to correct, and true in that he speak, Wherefore he sayeth, who so my name, before men shall not know, I shall not know him, when as Judge I shall fit in my seat This if you call to mind, it will your proud presumption break, Again he sayeth, who so his life or goods, will seek to save, Shall lose them all: but who for Christ will loose them, gain shall have So sayeth Suggestion unto Thee, but Conscience it denyeth, And in the end what so I say, for truth thou shalt espy, And that most false, which Conscience shall in secret heart deny. O stay I say Philologus, or else thou wilt it rue. O cursed creature Oh frail flesh, Oh meat for worms, Oh dust, Oh blather puffed full of wind, Oh vainer then these all, What cause hast thou in thine own wit? to have so great a trust: Which of thy self canst not espy, the evils which on Thee fallen, The blindness of the outward man, Philologus show shall At his return, unless I can at last, make him relent, For why the Lord him to correct, in furious wrath is bent.