SUGGESTION

You go in hast, you make expedition, Nay, if you run so fast I will none: This little journey, will make Me to groan: I use not to trouble my self in this wise, And now to begin, I do not advise: You know of my self, I am not very quick, Because that my body I do so much tender, For Sensual Suggestion, will quickly be sick If that his own ease he should not remember: Thus one cause of my tariaunce to you I do render, Another I had, as I came by the way: Which did me the longer from your company stay. A certain gentle woman, did murmur, and mutter, And for grief of mind, her hair she did tear: She will at last kill her self, I greatly do fear. Because her Husband her company did forsake: Her children also about her did stand, Sobbing, and sighing, and made lamentation: Knocking their breasts, and wringing their hand: Saying, they are brought to utter desolation, By the means of their father's wilful protestation, Whose goods they say, are already confiscate, Because he does the Popes laws violate, And indeed I saw Avarice standing at the door, And a company of Ruffians assisting him there. Why? what is he, thus, Master Hypocrisy, That takes such sorrow at the words which I spoke. I will do the best herein that I can, Yet go thou with me, to help at a need, With all my heart, God save you, good gentleman, To see your great sorrow, my heart doth wellnigh bleed: But what is the cause of your trouble and dréede? Disdain not to me your secrets to tell: A wise man sometime, of a fool may take counsel. Your estate perhaps, seems io you dangerous, The rather because you have not be used: To incur before time, such troubles perilous: But to your power such evils have refused, Howbeit of two evils, the least must be chused: Now which is the least evil, we will shortly examine, That which partly to take, your self may determine. On y e right hand you say, you see gods joust judgement, His wrath and displeasure, on you for to fallen, And in steed of the joys of Heaven, ever permanent, You see for your stipend, the torments infernal: Well, let that lay aside, awhile as it is, And on the other side make the like inquisition, If on the left side you fallen, then shall you not miss, But to bring your body, to utter perdition: For at men hand, you know there is no remission: Beside your Children fatherless, your wife desolate, Your goods and possessions, to other men consiscate. You have spoken reasonably, but yet as they say, One Bird in the hand, is worth two in the bush, So you now enjoying, these worldly joys may, Esteem the other, as light as a rush: Thus may you escape this perilous push: Is your death meritorious, then in Gods sighed? That you are so sure, to attain to salvation, Then to the faithful, no hurt can accrue, But what so he works, good end shall ensue. By your Lordship's patience, one word with him more, And then if he will not, I give him to Tyrrany. Well sith it is no time, for us to debate, In former manner what is in my mind: I will at once to Thee straight demonstrate, Those worldly joys, which here thou shalt find: And for because thou art partly blind, In this respect look through this mirror, And thou shalt behold and unspeakable pleasure. I sensual Suggestion, for him will undertake, Had not you be a wise man, your self to have lost, And brought your whole family to wretched estate, Where now of your blessedness, your self you may boast: And of all the country, account your self fortunate, Look in this Glass Philologus, for nought else do thou care, What dost thou see within the same? is not the Coast all clear? Give Me thy hand, I will be guide, and lead Thee in the way, What dost thou shrink Philologus? where I dare go before? These are but fancies certainly, for this way thou shalt shun All worldly woes: look in thy Glass and tell me what it show, Thou wilt not credit other men, before thy self I trow. Thou hast good trial of the faith, which I to Thee do bear, Commit thy safety to my charge, there is no danger near. Nay hark Philologus, how thy conscience can teach, And would detain Thee with glossings untrue: But hearest thou Conscience, thou mayest long enough preach, Ear words, from whence reason or truth none ensue, Shall make Philologus to bid Me adue. What shall there no rich man dwell in Gods kingdom? where is then Abraham, Job, and David become? This is the grief which Conscience takes against Thee I am sure, Because thou usest those delights, which Conscience may not do, And therefore he persuadeth Thee, to leave the same also: As did the Before, which caught in snare, and escaped with lose of tail, To cut off theirs, as burdenous, did all the rest counsel. The cause why Paul did loath his life, may easily be assigned: Because the Jews in every place, did seek him to molest, But those which in this world, obtain security and rest: Do take delight to live therein, yea nature does endue, Each living creature with a fear, least death should them accrue. Yea the same Paul at Antioch, dissembled to be dead, While they were gone who sought his life, with stones for to destroy Elias for to save his life, to Horeb likewise fled, So did king David flee, when Saul did seek him to annoy: Yea Christ himself, whom in our deeds, to follow we may joy, Did secretly conuaigh himself, from Jews so full of hate. When they thought from the top of hill, him to precipitate. Wherefore, it is no sin at all, a man for to defend, And keep himself from death, so long as nature gives him leave. Tush knowest thou what Philologus, be wise thy selse unto, And listen not to these found words which Conscience to Thee tell, For thy defence I will allege one worthy lesson more: Unto the which I am right sure, he cannot answer well: When David by vain trust in men of war, from God soar fell, And was appointed of three plagues, the easiest for to choose, He said Gods mercy easier is to get, then men as I suppose. Again he sayeth among the Psalms, it better is to trust In God, then that our confidence we settle should in man, Wherefore, to this which I now say of force consent thou must: That when two evils before us placed, no way avoid we can: Into the hand of God to fall by choice is lawful than, Because that God is merciful, when man no mercy show, Thus have I pleaded in this cause, sufficiently I trow. What did not Peter Christ deny, yet mercy did obtain. Where if he had not, of the Jews, he should have tasted death: Yea time enough, though thou defferst, until thy latest breath. That sensual Suggestion does lead him understand.