A Subpoena from the High Imperial Court of Heaven, Part 1 – Part 6
A SUBPAENA from the high Imperiall Court of Heauen, to bee ſerued vponupon all men: vponupon an Information preferred by IVSTICE againſt Man-kinde.
With the Anſwer, and Reply from MERCIEMERCY, and her directions how to come to Heauen, if we auoyd Sinne.
SHrinke not from this Subpaena, which is pend;
eſteeme it well, for ſure thou muſt appeare:
What thou haſt been, and how thou do'ſt offend.
each word & thought will be preſcribed there.
Rightly that Iudge, will thy Records foorth call;
daily therefore prepare vntounto thy tryall:
None is exempt, all muſt then proſtrate fall
at Deaths commaund, no man can make deniall.
Now then prouide, on paine of thy damnation,
here to amend thy former euill wayes:
Oh ſinner, learne to ſeeke for thy ſaluation,
if thou in Heauen wouldſt hauehave eternall loyes.
O Ieſu ardens ….
Imprinted at London by I. White.
1620.
A SƲBPAENA.
The Information of Iuſtice.
ALmighty GOD,
thou Monarch of all might.
Who made the Sea, the Earth,
the Heauens and all:
Whoſe Maleſtie,
whoſe power is infinite:
at whoſe command all powers do proſtrare foll:
By whom all Monarchs of the world doe raigne;
who ſetteth vp, and pulleth downe againe.
Inſtice complaines, whereas our of thy Grace,
thou mad'ſt a Creature of the earthly frame,
And put him in a moſt delightfull place,
with all aboundance richly in the ſame,
Where nothing wanted to content deſire,
which heart or ſoule for ſolace might require.
His Will and Wiſh were ioyned both in one,
his libertie was abſolute in minde:
No feare of Death; for ſinning there was none,
he had reſtraint but onelyonly in one kinde:
On paine of Death, he was forbid to taſt
the Fruite in midſt of Paradiſe was plaſt.
Beeing alone thy Maieſtie thought good
to make a Woman for his more delight,
Which ſhould be of the ſelfe ſame ſleſh & blood;
his conſort and his comfort day and night:
But at her motion he forthwith rebelled,
and iuſtly was from Paradiſe expelled.
By diſobedience he did thus begin
to bring Man-kind in bondage to the Deuill
He was the firſt originall of ſinne,
which brought in death with all ſucceeding cu…
That by his fall, poſteritie was ſtayned,
both Hell and Death by diſobedience, gained
Now did he ſee his nakedneſſe and ſinne.
and might deteſt the cauſe of ſuch a fall,
He loſt that ſtate he was created in,
to bring in Death vponupon himſelfe and all,
He loſt thy fauonr being ſo beloued:
to caſt him off in Iuſtice thou waſt moued.
But thou (although by ſo rebellious deed,
he was to death and iuſt damnation brought)
Didſt make a promiſe, by the Womans ſeed,
death and damnation ſhould be ouer wrought:
And what he loſt by his committed crime,
both that and more, ſhould be regain'd in time:
In the meane ſpace, thou leftſt him Natures law,
a Chancerie within his ſecret breſt:
Which Conſcience might keepe his fleſh in awe,
in flying ſinne, and following what was beſt:
But weake or wilfull whether was the cauſe,
he flyeth out and breaketh Natures lawes.
A ſecond Law thou didſt by Moſes giuegive,
more full and which did Natures law expreſſe:
But after neither of them he doth liue,
his ſinfull actions euermore increaſe:
He doth complaine and ſaies, they Lawes are ſuch
his weakneſſe great, their burthen is too much.
Fulneſſe of time brings in the Law of Grace,
the promis'd Seed to Eua was foretold,
Should cleare the guilt, and helpe all Adams race,
is now perform'd; and what hath been in hold,
In debted thrals to death, to Hel for ſinne,
Ieſus frees all, and calls the reckoning in.
This Law of Grace, which as himſelfe hath ſaid,
the burden's light, and easie for to beare:
Who beares this yoake, was neuer ouerlaid,
when louelove beares all, and not inforced feare;
But for this law, as all-the reſt he careth,
for louelove or feare, the breach of neither ſpareth.
For heauenly ioyes thou did'ſt man create,
Though Luciſor through pride from thence did fal
Thou wouldſt aduance him to that glorious ſtate
what Angels loſt, man ſhould attains to all:
Where Angels fell, they had no reparation,
their fall was wilfull, and without temptation.
But man was tempted by a potent foe,
who moſt enuying that an earthly wight
Should by his Maker be aduanced ſo:
ſought by all meanes with hate of malice might
To wreſt him our of fauour and of grace.
to put him from that euerlaſting place.
Man that did fal through Adams ſtrong temptatio…
him to redeeme, thou ſent'ſt thy only Sonne,
Reſoring him to fauour and ſaluation:
What Adam loſt, the Womans ſeede hath wonne
Who fell not tempted, is adiud'gd to Hell:
Man is redeem'd, who by temptation fell.
Eternall God, what ſhould thy MercieMercy mooue,
for to forbeare this deadly ſinner ſo?
He yeelds no ſhew of thankes for all thy louelove,
no benefits make him his ſinne forgoe:
What thou doſt hate, that wicked life he follows;
as Hogs in dirt, in ſilthy wayes he wallowes.
Thy Lawes can not his ſinfull life reſtraine,
his care is for thy benefits but ſmall:
His life declares thy threats he holds but vaine:
his workes doe ſhew he loues thee not at all;
Long ſuffering MercieMercy makes him ſo to truſt,
that he forgets that thou art alſo Iuſt.
Like as the Child cares not for Fathers threats,
words are but wind, he followes on his play:
This creature ſo himſelfe and thee forgets,
till thou thy Rodde of Iuſtice on him lay:
In all his pleaſures, from thee he doth flie,
he ſeekes thee not, but when he feares to die.
What is that ſeeking, forced by conſtraint,
all youthfull dayes to run it out in pleaſure,
And when that Death, or ſicknes makes him faint,
then he ſeeks homeward; thou muſt wait his leaſure:
Not like to Abel, offering thee the beſt,
but like to Cain, the worſt of all the reſt.
His prime of Youth, and all his golden yeares,
his wits and, wealth, all giuen to the Deuill:
When fe…ble age drawen on, with hoary Hayres,
that now … to practiſe former euill:
When ſinne … him that he can ſinne no more▪
hee ſeekes to thee, who ſeru'd thy foe before.
Cauſt thou in Iuſtice ſuch preſumption like,
the benefite thou giu'ſt him out of Grace,
To draw him, home, before thy hand would ſtrike
to turne all to a cleane contrary caſe?
Gods Mercy paſſeth all his Workes (he ſayeth,)
therefore preſuming, he his ſinne delayeth,
Thy Mercy is to ſuch as doe repent;
but not to ſinners, which remaine in ſinne:
Who was a ſinner, if he hauehave intent
to change his life, he may thy Mercy winne:
But who preſuming, ſinneth in that kind,
by Iuſtice, he may neuer Mercy find.
Hee runneth on, ſuch arguments are riſe,
with him who takes in ſinne ſo great delight,
They may giuegive colour to a ſinfull life,
preſuming thou in Iuſtice wilt not ſmite:
A damned life doth euermore inuent,
ſuch reaſons which may further his intent.
This creature cares not that thy Sonne was ſlaine,
the onelyonly cauſe ſuch paines he did abide,
To pay his debts, and bring him home againe;
wounded in hands, in heart, head, feet, and ſide:
Though for his ſinne, thy deareſt Sonne did die;
his howrely ſinnes doe ſtill him crucifie.
Vertue… … fled and baniſhed away.
what vertue now at all is put in vre?
All deadly ſinnes doe each where beare the ſwaye
Oh great Iehouah, how canſt thou indure?
Fulneſſe of ſinne doth now ſo much abound,
it anoyes the heauens, & ouercharge the ground.
Behold my caſe, O God, I may be bould
to ſay, my Sword and ballance are ſore ſhaken:
Canſt thou indure I ſhould be bought and ſould,
that poore mens ſutes for bribs ſhold be forſakē:
Deſcend, O God, to earth downe from the skies,
for none but thou, redreſſeth poore mens cries.
Who cares for poore? yet poore as deare to thee,
as is the greateſt Monarch which doth raigne;
His ranſome like, and Heauen for him as free:
yet pouerty is held in great diſdaine:
So did the Glutton Lazarus diſpiſe,
but now this ioyes, and he in torment lies.
Doe they louelove thee, when thou thy ſelfe haſt ſaid,
who doth releiue and giueth to the Poore,
Doth all to me, and they ſhall be repayd
full waight and meaſure, yea an hundred more?
They ſhew their truſt and louelove to thee is ſmall,
the Poore get nothing, though thou giueſt all.
Thy Creatures made for man in thy creation,
in Sea, on Land, in and aboue the Skies,
They all agree in making exclamation,
they ſtill powre out for Iuſtice gricuous cries:
Thou gau'ſt them Man, for to be rightly vſed;
but cleane contrary they are all abuſed.
For natures vſe, Apparell is charged quite,
all is conuerted to exceſſiue pride:
The Sun, the Moone, the Stars, the day, and night.
cry their abuſe may be in Iuſtice tride;
Thy meats & drinks, thy Gold & earthly treaſure
are all abuſ'd in Iuſt and fleſhly pleaſure.
Shorten the time (Almighty:) tis too long
that man runs on in wickeanes and ſinne:
Haſtenin Iuſtise to reuenge thy wrong,
ſend Death abroad to call all ſinners in;
Graunt out Subp…nass, let not Death make ſtay,
but to thy Iudgemeus bring all fleſh away.
A Subpaena from the Court Imperiall.
THE GOD of Gods,
who all the world hath wrought,
And out of Nothing,
made the worlds wide frame:
Who mans ſaluation by all meanes hath ſought,
and by his blood hath ranſomed the ſame:
By this Subpaena giueth charge to thee,
thou faile not at his Iudgement feat to bee.
And that thou faile not for to bring in place,
all thoſe Records thy Conſcience doth hold;
That Chauncery can beſt declare thy caſe,
what it is now, what it hath been of old:
Of this thy charge thou mayſt not make deniall,
for that's the day appointed for thy triall.
Faile not vponupon the hope of thy ſaluation,
to cleare thy reckoning at that dreadfull day:
Prouide thy ſelfe on paine of thy damnation,
to free thy charge; and anſwere as thou may:
Within this world thou mayſt to Mercy truſt,
but I hauehave ſworne that day I will be Iuſt.
Witneſſe my ſelfe, who at thy firſt creation,
made thee a Man; the Heauens and all for thee,
Witneſſe my ſelfe, who to worke thy Saluation,
ſent my deare Somie, by Blood to ſet thee free,
Doc not refuſe theſe Mercies, which are mine,
leaſt Hels damnation fall out to be thine.
The Speaches of Death, prouided to execute the Subpaenae.
IAm at hand (full well I know my charge)
with all poſt haſt Ile make a quicke diſpatch
But let me hauehave Commiſſion at large,
then ſhall I fruſtrate many a ſinfull match:
Then God by man ſhall not be ſo offended,
for with my Dart, all fleſh ſhall ſoone be ended.
Ile make the proud to ſtoope, for all his pride:
Ile'bring the Rich for all his Gold away:
The Leecher ſhall not in his ſilth abide:
the Glutton ſhall not for his dainties ſtay:
They are now careleſſe, but when I doe wound,
I terrifie the loftieſt liues on ground.
Oh how they offer to redeeme their daies,
they would giuegive all ſo death would ſet them free;
If Death would be corrupted any wayes,
not all the world ſo rich as Death might be:
In health and youth, who value Death but ſmall,
when death doth ſtrike, to Death they offer all.
But what ſayes MercieMercy, ſhe doth looke as if
ſhe would indeauour to procure my ſtay:
She loues me not, ſhe holds me as a thelfe,
who would ſo ſoone her dearling bring away,
If ſhe begin to ſpeake, I know her minde,
out of her louelove, ſhe pleadeth for Man-kinde.
Mercy her ſpeech for Man-kinde.
GReat King of Heauen,
Iuſtice ſpeaketh true,
Man iuſtly doth prouoke
thy wrath and ire:
If thou in Iuſtice ſhouldſt pay him his due,
he hath deſerued euerlaſting fire;
But in this World thy MercieMercy thou haſt plaſt,
whilſt it indures, ſo let thy MercieMercy laſt.
Send out Subp…s that I grant it fit.
to let men know they hauehave a reckoning day,
For execution, ſtay thy Iuſtice yet,
their liues amend perhaps ſome ſinners may;
T'is knowne thy Mercy yeelds the more content;
then Iuſtica can, if ſinners would repent.
T'is not the ſinners death thou do'ſt deſire,
t'is his conuerſion thou haſt euer ſought:
If man receiue for ſinne a ſinners hire,
it comes frō that which he himſelf hath wrought:
Grace and Saluation thy deſire is knowne:
if Hell and Death, the ſinne and fault his owne.
Reſpite the time, that I may doe my beſt,
to let men know the danger they ſtand in:
Thy hate to ſinne, by Iuſtice is expreſt:
Ile try if LoueLove may mooue him from his ſinne.
Iuſtice is ſterne, Seueritie playes his part,
MercieMercy (perhaps) may ſooner moue the heart.
The ſpeach of Mercy to Mankind.
WHen all Mankind by Adams fall had loſt
both Paradiſe, the hope of Heauen & all:
In thoſe diſtreſſes, then I helped moſt;
I promiſed vponupon that grieuous fall,
In time a Fruite ſhould ſpring from Womans ſeed,
ſhould cleare the guilt, and cancell Adams deed.
What I did promiſe, I performed truely,
the precious choice I tooke for mankinds ſake
Gods deareſt Sonne, who did performe it duely,
for mans ſaluation, did mans Nature take;
And by his Paſſion, whereas man was thrall
to Death and Hell, he freed him out of all.
Iuſtice doth now as euer heretofore,
call on that ſinners may receiue their due;
And I indeauour now as euermore,
for mans repentance, and Saluation ſue:
At Mercies ſute, God euer granteth Grace,
and for repentance giueth ſinners ſpace.
O that I might make ſute, with that ſucceſſe
to mortall men, as when I doe to God;
That they would yeeld to me that readineſſe,
to flie the danger of his heauie rod:
I euer found God ready vponupon triall,
why then ſhould man giuegive Mercies ſure deniall?
I ſue not for my ſelfe, but for thy gaine,
to make them heyren of Heauen & thoſe ioyes:
Ile ſhew them how they may thereto attaine,
and reaſone why to ſly all worldly toyes,
If Man will put what I direct in …e,
of Heauenly bliſſe and ioyes he ſhall be ſure.
The true ſtate of a Sinner.
FIrſt let me ſhew what is his grieuous ſtate,
who doth in ſinne, and ſinfull life delight:
Which miſerie may force a man to hate
the cauſes which doe worke that wofull plight:
What miſchiefe more, then liue in feare and greife,
when heauen or earth can yeeld him no releefe?
If to the Heauens he dare lift vp his eyes,
his hart & ſoule with trembling feare do grudge
His Bird in breaſt moſt heauie on him lyes,
and tels him thence he muſt look for his Iudge:
Whoſe terrour is to all which runne aſtray,
moſt dreadfull at the maine tribunall day.
If he the World and all her creatures view
vponupon the earth which creepe, that flie, or ſwim,
Their thought & ſight will make his heart to rue,
that all were made for him, abuſ'd by him,
No thought that is, will ſinners more diſmay,
then things abuſed, at their dying day.
The Vſurer how is he rackt with Gold
when he is dying, gaſping out his breath?
What torment hath the Leacher to behold
faire Dames, when he is yeelding vntounto death?
In life, what did delight the ſinner cheife,
at Death, doth force the greateſt woe and griefe.
To heare of Death, the ſinners hart doth ſhrinke,
the day of Doome doth rent his ſoule in twaine
Ti's terrible to call to minde, and thinke
how Death and Iudgement haſt to him amaine:
No day nor night the ſinner findeth quiet
a ſpotted ſoule and conſcience doth deny it,
Thoſe blacke Records within the diſmall booke,
faſt lockt within the cloſet of the Breaſt,
When as the ſinner thereupon doth looke,
with feares and terrours then is he oppreſt:
In all the world no torment, greife, or paine,
are like the thoughts which doe the conſcience ſtaine.
Theſe are the foes which inwardly doe dwell
which ſinners doe about them euer beare,
Who ſtill torment them in their inward Hell.
racking and rending of them eueryevery where,
When others laugh they make a pleaſant ſhow,
with face diſſembling in the maineſt woe.
Let mortall men conſider in this caſe,
thinke of the time they are to tarry heere;
Behold the Sunne how ſwift he runs his race;
ſo doe mans daies, their death approcheth neere:
Forfeit not Heauen for the flowers of May,
what are they worth once withered away?
Let man conſider in his Conſcience thi…,
when he hath raſhly done ſome deadly ſinne,
And comes to thinke that he hath done amiſſe,
what greife of mind he foorth with falleth in:
But when the time of doing good is ſpent,
thoſe thoughts doe yeeld him ioy & all content.
Man was prouided for eternall ioyes,
his proper Country is with God aboue:
Why ſhould he dote vponupon theſe worldly toyes?
what is the gaine of all this worldly louelove?
A Conſcience cloyd, and naked ſent away,
a ſore accuſer at the latter day.
Conſider on the worke of thy Creation,
how farre thou art in debt to God therefore,
Then thinke vponupon the worke of thy Redemption,
in which thy debt is multiplied more:
Let theſe two things thy heart & conſcience moue
vrge not his wrath who thou art bound to louelove.
When wicked thoughts, or motions breeding ſin
within thy heart temptations doe inflame:
When that thou findeſt Reaſon doth begin
to yeeld conſent to execute the ſame;
Then hauehave recourſe to meditate on this,
and hardly thou ſhalt dare to doe amiſſe.