A
SPIRITUAL CORDIAL
For my
LORD of Canterbury,
Which hath beene long sicke of a Consumption,
(Evill men and deceevers waxing worse and worse) made by a
Tenant of his in new Prison. And now presented to him, to see if
it may be a meanes to recover him, if he be not past Cure.
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SOme news, my Lord, I will unfold,
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If with you I may be so bold,
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To shew you how my case it stands,
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Now I am in your prison-bands.
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Tho I be in a prison strong,
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Yet unto Christ I doe belong;
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And tho you have me here in hold,
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Yet am I one of Christs owne fold.
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Is this the flocke for to preserve,
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To let them in a prison starve?
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Your enemies, if you must feed,
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The flock, much more, when they have need.
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Is not this to your disgrace,
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To spoile me of my resting place?
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Me, and my Wife, and Children starve,
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Which God commands me to preserve.
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Is this the Gospell for to preach,
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To make upon the Saints a breach?
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This doctrine will not serve your turne;
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No, 'tis to comfort those that mourne.
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If that your light it be Divine,
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Then let it out to others shine.
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Under a bushell if it be,
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None but yourselfe the same can see.
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Servants of God patient must be,
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And wait on sinners patiently,
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To see if God make them repent,
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And not inflict such punishment.
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The wrath of man will not prevaile
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To make sinners their sins bewaile.
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The prison will not men compell,
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No 'tis to ring the Gospels bell.
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When Christ his twelve Apostles sent,
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That men believe might and repent,
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Glad tidings was the onely way
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To make the people to obey.
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And Christ himselfe did thinke it meet
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That they should shake dust from their feet.
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He bad them not to prison haile,
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Nor shut them up in any Jaile.
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The woes they did to them present
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Was a sufficient punishment;
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Which at that great and dreadfull day
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All have which doe not him obey.
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When Paul did preach unto the Jewes
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And they his doctrine did refuse,
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Unto the Gentiles he did turne,
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That was the way to make them mourne.
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Tho Peter they could not abide,
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Because he preach'd Christ crucified,
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His Gospell prickt them to the heart,
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That onely did the Jewes convert.
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As Abels blood aloud did cry
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Unto the Lord that is most high,
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So doth our bloods cry in his eare,
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As once it shall be made appeare.
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For I give credit to his word
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Who saith, those that fight with the Sword
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Shall with the Sword themselves be slaine;
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The Scriptures makes it very plaine.
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Those that doe so we may well thinke
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They shall have blood themselves to drink.
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Under the Alter soules doe cry
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That he revenge would from on hie.
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Repent, beleeve, and eke confesse,
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Of this your crying wickednesse,
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That you the blood of Saints should spill,
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To satisfie your wilfull will.
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Desire of God to give you grace
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Whilst you have any time and space.
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Your honour here you must lay down
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Before you win the glorious Crown.
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I freely doe forgive all wrongs
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Which once I had, and now for smart,
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Not onely with my word and tongue,
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But also from my very heart.
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William Starbucke this Cordiall made,
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When in the Counter he did lie
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Of Woodstreet, in the prison house
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Because that oath he did deny.
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