Glad tydings from Heauen: OR Christs glorious Inuitation to all Sinners, wherein is described the misery of his Manhood, and the bitternesse of his Passion endured for Man: With sundry reasons inferred, to moue Worldlings to repentance.
To the tune of the
Dolefull Shephard, or
Sandy Soyle.
AWake from sinne, vaine man awake,
Vnto repentance thee betake:
Thy Sauiour calls, O come to me,
And I will ease and comfort thee.
My Father as the Scripture saith,
Delights not in a Sinners death:
And therefore hath sent me his Sonne,
That sinners all to me might come.
Then come to me, 'tis onely I,
Can helpe thee in thy misery:
'Tis I can wash thy fonle offence,
And cloath thy soule with innocence.
And that thou maist assured be,
What paines I haue suff'red for thee;
Attend giue eare, and listen well
Vnto the things that I shall tell.
First being God, I did become,
A man, nay worse, a scorne to some,
Was lou'd of some, despis'd of most,
Still on the sea of sorrowes tost.
No sooner to this world I came,
But
Herod would my life haue fane,
And wheresoeuer I did flye,
I was not free from misery.
Cold, hunger, thirst, sad griefe, and paine,
And all that frailty doth sustaine,
My humane nature brought to me▪
All this I felt, O man, for thee.
Sad sighes, deepe grones & sweating blood,
I did endure to doe thee good:
So terrible my torment was,
That once I would haue had it passe.
And to conclude the Tragedy,
Of all my wofull misery:
The Iewes at their high Priests command
Did come and take me out of hand.
Next was I brought to
Caiphas Hall,
There to appeare before them all:
And at length decreed it was,
That I must suffer on the Crosse.
But first they did there all agree.
With whips to scourge and punish me,
Which being done, then presently,
I was conuey'd to
Caluary.
Where to augment my misery,
They nailed me vpon a Tree:
And cause I should not want disgrace,
Betweene two theeues I had my place.
And being crowned with thornes sharpe,
Each one would flouting at me carpe.
And he was counted there the best,
That could deride and mocke me most.
This done to make an end of all,
They gaue mee vinegar and gall:
And lastly they did pierce my side,
Whence blood and water did proceed.
The second part.
To the same tune.
THese torments Man, I did endure,
That thou mightst be for euer sure,
Of life, and come with Faith to me,
That I from sinne might set thee free.
Then come with Faith doe not despaire,
Although thy sinnes as crimson are,
Yet hath my Blood them washed so,
That they shall be as white as snow.
If thou a murtherer hast beene,
Or giuen to adulterous sinne:
View
Dauid who was both and yet
Repenting he did mercy get.
If sottish drunken thou host beene,
Or stained with incestuous sinne:
See
Lo
[...] who fell into that lust,
Yet by Gods loue was counted iust.
If thou by cursed Periury,
Hast cast they soule in leopardy:
With
Peters teares wash off they sinne,
And thou with him shalt mercy winne.
If thou (of knowledge destitute)
My Church didst euer persecute:
Doe not despaire, but looke on
Paul,
And then for mercy to me call.
The Prodigall that thriftlesse sonne,
Who headlong into vice did runne,
Was not cast off in misery,
When once
Peccaui, he did cry.
Mary a long time went astray,
Yet did her teares wash sinne away:
She thought it not too late at last,
Downe at my feet her selfe to cast.
The Théefe that all his life had spent,
In sinne not meaning to repent,
Did at the length obtaine mercy,
Cause he with penitence did dye.
Tis not the greatnesse of the crime,
Should make thee thinke it out of time,
For to repent and on me call:
My passion can suffice for all.
For all that sorrow for their sinne,
And neuer more delight therein:
For those that truly will repent,
For such me Father hath me sent.
Then whatso'ere thou be that art,
With sinne polluted, cleanse thy heart:
Come with a contrite soule to me,
And I thine Aduocate will be.
Come, come, my Fathers wrath preuent,
Leaue off your folly and repent:
O come to me I call againe,
Let not my Passion be in vaine.
Now those that fondly doe presume,
Till vtmost gaspe, in sinne to runne;
Let them assure themselues of this,
That of my mercy they may misse.
FINIS.
London Printed for C. W.