O Daughter give good heed Unto those gracious words which do proceed From his most holy lips in such like wise As here doth follow do not them despise Christ Dear Soul the price of my most precious blood Which I have shed for thee and for thy good For I my self a ransom gave for all And now I to repentance do thee call Hearken to me and to my voice give ear Turn not away from me why should'st thou fear To listen unto me I am thy friend Thy Lord thy Saviour did not stick to spend My life and blood for thee and now I have Through painful cross and through the silent grave Obtain'd my Fathers Kingdom am ascended Unto the throne of glory where attended I am with millions of the heavenly Host The glorious Angels yea the Holy Ghost Immeasurably upon me doth rest And with all heavenly blessings I am blest I 'm heir of all things yea in me doth dwell All fulness of the Godhead Heaven and Hell And Earth and Seas and all things else that be Are put into subjection under me And all that I have suffer'd and sustain'd 'T was for thee and thy good all I have gain'd Thereby I gain'd for thee thee to possess Of endless joys and everlasting bless Behold me then behold me turn thine eye From other objects see what Majesty What glory and what beauty are in me What riches and what fulness and how free I am the same to all those to impart Who me imbrace and love with all their heart Behold me then dear Soul and wistly view My matchless virtues see how good how true How powerful too I am I 'm rich to all In mercy who sincerely on me call None that repair to me do I cast by But them relieve and cure their misery I 'm alsufficient able every way To make thee happy to an endless day Turn then away from empty things thine eye From lies from falshood and from vanity Which cheat thee and deprive thee of all good Oh turn to Me who for thee shed my blood Look towards me dear Soul behold and see Hath any other such things done for thee As I have done hath any condescended And stoopt so low hath any else expended And laid out so much to obtain thy love As I that came to th' earth from Heaven above And laid down all my riches and my life That I might thee redeem from all that strife 'Twixt God and thee and take thee for a Wife That I might free thee from th' infernal foe That held thee captive and fills thee with woe Can any give to thee such gifts as I Can they advance thee to like dignity Can any so inrich thee as I can Can any thee so satisfie what man Or Angel may with me compare Can or will do for thee as I will do Oh turn thee unto me my darling dear Open thine eye on me incline thine ear Give me thy heart it is thy love I seek And I deserve it I am lowly meek And merciful no one is like to Me Yet I have set my heart and love on thee See See I that am heir of all things and Have Sovereign power and all things do command I who thee can save or destroy with ease Can make or break thee or do what I please Who happy am without thee and no need Have of thee or of ought that can proceed From thee do suit and court thee and request That thou wilt love me that thou may'st be blest It 's not to be by thee advanc'd made great Or rich or safe that I thy love intreat But 't is because I love thee and do wish Thy everlasting happiness and bliss It 's not because that thou art fair and fresh For thou art all deform'd thou art but flesh Defil'd with sin as with a Leprosie Of which unless I cure thee thou wilt die I can without thee live and happy be For I my Fathers joyful face do see Where fulness of delights I have and where Dwells neither want nor grief danger nor fear But thou poor wretch can'st not without me live It 's I alone that life to thee can give Yet I am free to give my self and all I am to thee or that as mine I call A Covenant I with thee will gladly make An everlasting Covenant thee to take And love and live with thee as mine for ever To be thy Head and Husband none shall sever 'Twixt thee and me I will thy portion be And want of good things thou shalt never see For here and for hereafter I 'll take care Of thee and as my life I did not spare Thee to redeem from Death and Hell so now I will withhold nothing from thee that thou May'st want or need I 'll wash thee from thy dirt I 'll make thee clean and handsom I 'll thee girt With robes of glory and with rich attire My righteousness and virtues thy desire I 'll fill and satisfie Thou shalt be fed With finest of the wheat with Angels bread With honey from the rock butter and oyle The choisest things of Heaven and thou the spoil Of all thine enemies shalt take and wear Them as thy Ornaments and thou shalt bear My name upon thee shalt my consort be Thou shalt in Me rejoyce and I in thee I will thee joynture in my portion great And set thee with me on my Royal seat Bring thee unto my God and Father He Will entertain imbrace and welcome thee In and with me He 'll the same love impart To thee wherewith He loves me in his heart He and all his is mine and all shall be Thine that is mine if thou'lt accept of me Minist Oh matchless match Oh peereless Prince of life That wilt accept of such a homely Wife Come then dear Soul since Christ himself will give Give him thy self too and for ever live Christ I 'll feed thee with my flesh and blood my heart And body too I will to thee impart And no good thing will I with-hold from thee But freely give 't if thou 'lt accept of me Behold I stand with patience great and wait With much long suff'ring at the clos'd up gate Of thy hard heart where I behold and see What is within and whom thou hast with thee How with thy mortal foes thou mak'st a rout Sporting thy self while me thou keepest out While I with patience stand I call and knock For entrance in but thou the door do'st lock And bolt against me Both by works and words I call and knock my very rod affords Low'd calls unto thee if thou wilt me hear And open unto me my Sister dear I 'll come in unto thee I 'll soon drive out That wicked company that rebell rout Which now oppress thee and do wound thee sore Urging thee against Me to shut thy door Yea I will soon subdue them unto thee And thou from their dominion shalt be free If thou wilt hear and open unto me I
slaughter and shame Did valiantly fustain 188. For every one of which Praises to God and thee The lamb by whom all that did come Well ordered was we see 189. Through thee it was for good That such things we did bear Yea sins also whence griefs did flow As they permitted were 190. By our unrighteousness And our offences sore Thy righteousness was more express And our ingagements more 191. Thou turnst them all to good Though from us they were ill And thou thy praise from thence didst raise By thy great power and skill 192. It was for good that Death Thou didst to us ordain Diseases pains and such remains As brought to dust again 193. For by the thoughts thereof And sights and feelings too Thou didst us wake more hast to make To scape from endless woe 194. They moved us the less The flesh and world to mind And unto thee the more to flee And seek thy Grace to find 195. They made us less to prize What did from thee allure Death did present their injoyment Falling and unsecure 196. They made us less to dread What men us scared by While Temporal we see them all And that no way but dy 197. Yea while we also see That common Death no less Torments had oft then what down brought Those that did Thee confess 198. Yea further Death and grave This good unto us brought They gave us rest from what opprest When all our work was wrought 199. We bless thee for them all For all together wrought For our great good even death and blood And more joy to us brought 200. While greater proofs we had Of thy great faithfulness How great each hour thy love and power To help our weaknesses 201. For as our tryals did Thereby abound and grow So thy supports and our comforts Did more upon us flow 202. Oh happy was that time Happy the means by which Perswaded we became by Thee To take a course so rich 203. Thy words to intertain And thy servants to be Sustain the loss and bear the cross And follow after Thee 204. Oh blessed be that grace That power and truth and love Which did us draw and keep in awe Notletting us remove 205. For herein also Thou Our mighty Captain stood Our Enemy foild his Armies spoild And filledst us with good 206. For though our flesh fell down And Death it overcame And Fire or Grave did it outbrave Yet we receiv'd no shame 207. Yea more than Conquerors In all those things we were Through thy great love which did Thee move Our sin and Death to beare 208. This was our victory The faith we had in Thee That turn'd to meat what did us eat And made us life to see 209. But yet the full conquest Over that Enemie Thou didst not make till thou didst take From Grave our dead Body 210. Though when Death had us seis'd And Bodies dead did ly Our Spirit with Thee thou took'st to be In thy joy and glory 211. Where safety thou us gav'st And freedome from all ill In peace to rest in thy sweet brest Our rising time untill 212. Yet Death and grave had so Our Bodies quite deprav'd As that it seem'd not to be deem'd That thence they could be sav'd 213. Such transmutations they Did so long time sustain They were so jumb'd disperst and crumbl'd How could they rise again 214. But all this made but way For greater glory yet And to compleat thy Conquest great Which thou could'st not but get 215. For by thy powerful voice The Graves and place all Where we lay hid presently did Yield us up at thy call 216. They had no power and might Against thy power and will Us to retain and make remain Under corruption still 217. Thy Angels thou sentst sorth And gatheredst thine Elect That we by thee might honoured be With great love and respect 218. And now we do injoy The Kingdom gloriously With Thee we raign and shall remain To all Eternity 219. Oh what a Warriour stout Art thou Thou meekest Lamb There 's none could stand against thy hand But thou them overcame 220. And Thou hast given to us Thy Victories each one Our Enemies all thou mad'st to fall And would'st not reign alone 221. Thy Conquests now are full The field is fully clear There is no moe left any foe Not one doth now appear 222. For now thou hast them all Destroyed totally They down are gone where help is none In endless flames they fry 223. And we we reap the fruits Of all thy wars so great We have the end we did intend Thy pleasant fruits we eat 224. Now we are fully sav'd From all our miseries Broke is the Net and we are set Above our Enemies 225. All praise is due to thee Thou all things hast well done Thou first and last hast all outcast Now sorrows we have none 226. A toilsome path we trod A tedious journey had A Wilderness of great distress But now thou 'st made us glad 227. In all our Pilgrimage And great temptations thou Didst with us bide hast us supply'd And we be happy now 228. Oh happy now our state Our joys who can express Well sing we may Hallelujah And thee for ever bless FINIS Another to the same Tune 1. A New triumphant Song Fil'd full of mirth and praise To Thee our King now will we sing Extolling thee always 2. And well we may rejoyce O're all that wretched crue Who took delight with great despight Our ruine to pursue 3. Where are they all become That did us sore oppress They all are gone left there is none That may impair our bless 4. Where is that old Serpent That dreadful Dragon fell Hallelujah hee 's not to day For Hee 's thrust down to Hell 5. He and his Angels all That vexed us full sore Lying in wait for us with hate Destroy'd are evermore 6. That dreadful burning Lake Of wrath so large and deep They 'r thrown into to bear their woe Where Sinners wail and weep 7. Where are those dreadful Beasts That were his instruments With horns and heads so full of dreads Breathing out punishments 8. Where is their pompous train Their Names of blasphemy There 's not a Crown unfallen down There 's none of them on high 9. Where now 's the false Prophet Who all the World deceiv'd Who up did cry and magnifie The Beast and him believ'd 10. Who did him worship give And to his Image fall Name Image Mark are all ' th' dark And their Adorers all 11. Both Beas and Prophet false Are gone into the lake To bear their hire in that great fire Whose burnings never slake 12. Where is that painted Whore Which rode in Pomp and State Her gilded Cup which was fil'd up With poysonous liquors late 13. Whom Earthly Kings ador'd As if she sure had been The only fit in State to sit As Soveraign Lady-Queen 14. Who sought and suckt out blood As if it had been sweet Greatest and least she
They who refus'd And it abus'd His justice must abide CIII Those things that we Could not so see While mortal flesh we had For then our sight Was not so bright Though we saw what did glad CIV These things we now Do clearly know Their reason now we see Our vails are gone Darknesses none Within our hearts now be CV We see it 's true In time most due God sent his only Son Of woman made As he had said As ne'r before was done CVI. Angels it see And did agree With joy it to declare Angels and we Agreed now be And knit together are CVII Though in our flesh Us to refresh It was that Christ appear'd For us to dye Our death thereby To vanquish which we fear'd CVIII Angels had not Our flesh or spot Of sin therein as we Yet they who stood I' th truth were good And joy'd our good to see CIX Under the Law The Word us saw Under the Law came he That he that way Our debts might pay And by Death set us free CX Our bands to break He did them take And with them he was bound God's cords we burst Christ was accurst That he might heal our wounds CXI We were condemn'd Who had contemn'd God's holy Word and will He was contemn'd Misus'd condemn'd Our evils did him kill CXII For us he dyed Being crucified Sustain'd a cruel death Was broke with grief Us'd as a thief Till he gave up his breath XVIII His grave was made And body laid With the rich and unjust His honour high Despis'd did lye All cover'd up with dust CXIV Oh wondrous sight Oh love most bright Never the like was seen That one so high So low should lye Poor caytiffs to redeem CXV Of men what one For men undone His Son would so abase For enemies That him despise That they might be in place CXVI Yet such a love The Lord above To us when poor did show For bankrupt us He made him thus To pay what we did owe. CXVII His wisdom here Did strange appear The World was pos'd hereby Its eye was blind And could not find Hereof the mystery CXVIII This it befool'd This it quite gull'd This cross so cross did lye They stumbled here And could not bear That 't was God's Son did dye CXIX It did deride And crucifi'd This mystery again As if that he God could not be That such things did sustain CXX This wisdoms height Did dim the sight O' th' Serpents eye so sore He could not see Those heights here be Yet did against them roar CXXI This brake his head This down did tread His craft and power who Had man brought down And quite ore-thrown Into a pit of wo. CXXII Here wisdom we And power did see When God did clear our eyes The law fulfil'd Its curse was quel'd Whon Christ from grave did rise CXXIII For here it was That God did pass Sentence upon our sin He judg'd it here Christ did it bear For us who fell therein CXXIV This vanquisht Death Appeased wrath Did justice satifie Pardon for more Then Adam's score Was purchased hereby CXXV Great pleasure here As did appear God took who the third day Without delays Did him up raise From the grave where he lay CXXVI And did him take Even for the sake Of what he suffered To be on high In his body And of all power the Head CXXVII Here God did lay A certain stay And sure foundation Of all his acts And mighty facts For man's salvation CXXVIII Of all our hope The under-prop While we had not attain'd Of all the bless We do possess Now we the end have gain'd CXXIX Here lay the ground Here God did found Our slidden hearts and feet Hence all the flood Of all the good Wherewith we ere did meet CXXX Yea on this ground God did new found The Earth and World again Both as it was Till it did pass And as it doth remain CXXXI Here he fulfil'd What was forth-held Of a prepared Feast All ready here That might us chear So as no want i' th' least CXXXII The holy Spirit As he did merit Fully God did him give That for his praise He might us raise From Death and make us live CXXXIII From darkness great Wherein we sate From Death to Life from Thrall To Liberty Of his mercy Thereby he did us call CXXXIV He sent forth light He gave us sight And turn'd our hearts to mind What he held forth That so its worth And goodness we might find CXXXV He gave his speech And did beseech Us to consider well He gave an ear That we might hear The things that he did tell CXXXVI Full oft when we His light did see We winked with our eyes It did displease us It did dis-ease us Faulting our vanities CXXXVII Ofttimes we heard But then we fear'd Least what we heard should mar Our false pretences Wrong confidences And put it from us far CXXXVIII Ofttimes we felt The power that dwelt In him and in his truth Almost we turn'd And yet oft spurn'd Thus dealt we from our youth CXXXIX Oh how we lov'd What he reprov'd How loath with it to part From idols vain How loath t' abstain Although they caus'd us smart CXL But oh his love That did him move To pass by our misdeeds He did forgive And made us live His gratiousness exceeds CXLI In misery That we should dye He had no will at all He interceded And for us pleaded And yet again did call CXLII His patient Good deportment His lamb-like gentleness His suffering long Our many a wrong Oh what tongue can express CXLIII How oft his love Did our hearts move And make us to him look How oft did we Look back to see The Idols we forsook CXLIV It was the strength The power and length Of his dear love unto us His words of grace His pleasant face His constancy to wooe us CXLV His excellence His love immense The freeness of his grace Which caught our heart And made us part With all him to embrace CXLVI Oh had he not Ofttimes forgot Our great unkindnesses And look't away From what each day We acted quite amiss CXLVII If with his eyes Iniquities Against us he had markt How we rebel'd Our lusts fast held The light he gave us darkt CXLVIII We had been then Like yonder men Who cast out of his fight Do yell and cry Most hideously Throughout their endless night CXLIX But there is none Save him alone None like him constant is His constancy Was our safety And brought us to this bliss CL. Can it be told How manifold Our stubbornesses were Our great neglects And disrespects Committed year by year CLI How much to do He had to wooe Before he did obtain How oft in heart We did depart When wooed from him again CLII. What vanities Did draw our eyes From looking him upon How often we Refus'd to see His great salvation CLIII How dull we were His voice to hear How oft we stopt our ears How we
Light might love infinite 71. To Thee oh Trinity in unity Eternal happiness Eternal endless Bless That art without all change eternally 72. We sing and shout alway Hallelu-jah Praise thee we will always Throughout our endless day And sing with heigth of joy Hallelujah Hallclujah Such things but far more pure and excellent Then any humane tongue or pen can vent Or any heart of man while here alive Can by all he may hear or read contrive Conceive or think of shall those gloriously Blest persors utter when they shall their high And everlasting Kingdome have and hold For their great joys and glories can't be told They 'r far above what mortal man can speak Thine heart to apprehend them is too weak For never any since the World began Hath ever heard no nor Angel nor man Hath by the care perceiv'd or by their eye Have seen the greatness of the dignity Or brightness of the glory foreprepar'd For those who unto God give due regard Who love him and for his appearance wait None but God see 's and knows their happy state Canto VI. The Worlds Vanity Seek ye first the Kingdome of God and his righteousness c. Matth. 6.33 In the sixth Canto Christ presents In brief the former two's contents The Damneds woes Saints merriments Perswades the Soul to chase the best The Man consults with his own brest Couâ—sâ—ls the Soul the way to rest Chriâ—â—s Servant doth the same perswade The Soul inclines but is afraid To its Objection answer's made By Christ and by his Minister Christ doth himself and Name declare Gives Counsels which the safest are Renews â— is suits with earnestness With arguments the Soul doth press Him more to value the World less And by some instances 't is plain That their both ways and ends are vain Who judge this world to be the Main Chr. SEE I have set before Thee good and ill I say not chuse whither of them thou will But chuse the Life and good that thou mayst be Happy for ever and destruction flee Think on these things the doleful state of those Who do rebel against me and oppose My truth and my most equal government How dreadfull then will be their punishment Think if thou canst be able to endure So woful torments as sinners procure By sin unto themselvs think how great bless If me thou closest with thou shalt possess Accept my profer'd kindness me embrace Submit unto my Doctrine so my grace And favour thou shalt have and never know The woful plight of them that ly below Oh be perswaded now to let go all That doth pollute Thee and obey my call Follow my counsels let me have thy heart Thou shalt have mine and il'le ne're from thee part I 'le be thy friend for ever thou shalt have More happiness than thou canst think or crave Man Hast thou not heard my Soul what thy great Lord Proposeth to thee in his holy word Such things thou there hast heard wilt thou not then Unto his wholesome Counsels say Amen Consider with thy self how bad thy state In Adam was how thou deservedst hate What sinfulness unto thee yet doth cleave How good the Lord hath been who did not leave Thee in thy fallen state but such an one Hath sent forth for man even his only Son What he hath done for thee how he thee woes Unto himself that thou with him wouldst close How in his word and what it doth contain He answers the Objectors cavils vain That unto Atheism would thee fain move Shew's what will be hereafter dost approve His profer'd love Wilt thou of him accept Part with thy Idols or shall they be kept Without all doubt its best to let all goe To close with Christ who doth thee love and woo Consider with thy self if thou him slight All besides him to help thee have no might For they 'r poor sorry vanities can 't give Thee solid comfort or cause thee to live For ever or with full content while here They cannot satisfie thy soul not chear Tâ—y drooping Spirits when Death shall draw nigh And summons thee to yield thy breath and dy Alas how short and how uncertain be The lives of men as we may daily see How many dy while yet their bones are moist With marrow Even while they have much rejoyâ—'t In their firm strength while milk was in their brest How suddainly hath pale death them opprest Mini. If thou an Atheist wer 't and couldst not tell Whether in truth there be an Heaven or Hell Yet were it not far better so to think And seek for Heaven than only eat and drink Injoy this world a while and then down ly In a forgotten dark obscurity For if there be such things as thou hast heard If Heaven be never sought for Hell ne're fear'd Gods way and word despis'd his truth neglected And all his profer'd love and grace rejected Thy case must needs be sad for it doth tend Unto those miseries that never end And that there may be such things reason can't Any good warrant fancy not to grant Seeing the being of the world and all Therein with many things that do befall Evince a Deity and what so great But may be well conceiv'd as well as that This so great world a being given it had He that sees and believes this sure is mad To think impossible what e're beside Is as from him that made it testify'd Whereas if no such things should be which yet Who can suppose except that he can get All principles of Reason blotted out And wholly all those things which round about He sees so great denie to be yet then What shall he loose who them believeth when He comes to dy â— 't is but uncertain joys Which when Death comes men look upon as toys Some poor and fancâ—â—d injoyments which Do either ly without men and the pitch Of inward worth doth nought advance nor give Increase of quietness while men do live Yea oft increase disquiets fears and troubles Or if they something add within 't is bubbles Which swell a little and a while appear And then if looked for they are not there When as also they that perswaded be To chuse Gods ways and trust in him we see To live as well oft-times in outward state As they that mind this world and Gods ways hate And commonly express more inward peace When they afflicted be and when they cease Here to abide in life with joys far more Depart than they who have themselves up-bore By worldly riches honours injoyments Of pleasures or of any Earth-contents Man Sure 't is the best mysoul with him to close Who with such love and promises thee wooes Seeing such bless he gives as none besides Can give even bless that evermore abides Soul I do his promises like well and what He saith unto me they are very great It s my desire him to imbrace and take No better choise or bargain can I make But here 's a world so
By which means seeing I the conquest 〈◊〉 O're death and hell and overthrew the plot Of the old Serpent subde and crasty Let those my doings of me testify They show my love my power and wisdom too And they my faithfumess and truth do show Would I have 〈◊〉 in any thing I say Sure it would there have been wherein there lay So many diffiâ—â—â—â—ties in my way Behold me then dear Soul and duty mind What I am and have done and thou â—halt find Encouragement enough against these things Which do occasion those my waveringâ— Why dost thou 〈◊〉 or care for things below Seeing thy wants and dangers all I 〈◊〉 And I can any thing on thee bestâ—â—â— What if men should thee hate and 〈◊〉 And band themselves against thee 〈◊〉 I Secure thee from all harm that may befall To thee or thine from any of them 〈…〉 Are they not in my hands â— their 〈◊〉 hears I can dispose and order all their part And power and time and breath are in my hand And I can that of 〈◊〉 way theâ—â— command And If thou mindst â—â—y love thou mayst be sure That in obeying me 〈◊〉 thee 〈◊〉 From what may harm thee although because I All-wise am I shall thy security And safety in such manner prosecute As may best with thy after we sare suit In which because thoâ— childish art or blind Or foolish and canst not in thy wear mind Discern or comprehend my ways or see The method of my walkings towards thee Nor canst well judge what may be for the best And that the rather because in thy bâ—est Lust bears so great a sway which covereth After those things that â—â—nd unto thy death Shrinking away from that wherein thou mayst Find more felicity if then thou stay'st Thy self upon me and on me sely Plucking quite out and casting by that eye Though thy right eye which seeing things amiss Moves thee to stumble at my ways in this Or that thing which I order and suspect That I do not things for the best effect Thou shalt do wisely And thou may'st me trust With thee and thine 〈◊〉 since I am just And righteous and sindâ— I love thee too And being to order thing to thy best good As may in what in said be understand If thy ways please 〈◊〉 I thine enemies Can and will make thee to befriend their eyes Shall towards thee be good thee for to spare For their affections too in my hunds art If great men hate thee I can safely hide Thee from their malioâ— I can curb their pride Or break their power or take away their breath Or thee from them for by such ways I Death Make mine befriend or else I can divert Their enterpriser as when Saul begirt Poor David I the Philistins did send To find Saul other work and so befriend My persecuted Servant or I can And often imeâ— I doe the wrath oâ— of man Turn to my praise and that that doth remain Beyond what may me praise I can restram See how the Sparrows though of value small Among the Birds of prey do live â—â—one fall No not one of them to the ground 〈◊〉 by My Fathers pleasure though they often 〈◊〉 In midst of dangers If my Father hath Such care of â—parrows where is then thy saith To crost me with thy safety and him who Doth value and esteem of mankind so As all the Birds and Beaâ—ts too never were As what â—suff'red for you makes appear Trust me then with thy safety verily Except I see it good thou shalt not dy Or suffer by the hands of men I will Be shield end Buckler to thee â— and thee still Will hide and 〈◊〉 so that though men fret And do themselves also against thee ser They shall not harm thee But if I do 〈◊〉 That it will for thy good be that I thee Deliver up into their hands to 〈◊〉 Imptison banish take away thâ— right Or kill thy body do thou them not feaâ— For all their malice shall be ended there For more they cannot do then kill the 〈◊〉 And when that 's done I 'le raise it up 〈◊〉 And seeing I so love thee thou may'st know For certain that if me thou dost follow I will not let them â—ill 〈◊〉 except Do see I may advantage thee thereby For such my pow'â— is that even Death and Hell And all their torment I can easly â—â—â—ll Make them serâ—â— my designe those to advance To glory who are my inheritance Feare nothing therefore of what may befall thee But yeild thy self and go where ere I call thee And do my service cheatfully with Thee I I thy Saviour evermore will be I that Almighty am and can desend thee I that do love thee well will succor send thee Thou shalt not be alone I will not leave thee I will go with thee and will not deceive thee I 'le strengthen thee to bear what shall befall thee I 'le thee support and â—â—ear where ere I call thee In all afflictions my love that 's better Then wine thou shalt rast of I that am greater Then all against thee will in my arms bear thee And mitigate the sense of what may dear thee I gave my self for thee and grief sustained A bitter death I bare in love unfeigned For thee and for thy sake fear not to give Thy life and body to me as I live I 'le take the care of them I will thee cherish And no hair of thy head shall from thee perish In life and death I will be faithful to thee And notwithstanding Death â—onor I 'le do thee I 'le make thy sufferings bearable and sweet And with my good spirit thou shalt surely meet If I into deep waters do thee lead I will go with thee and bear up thy head So as they shall not overflow or drown thee No though they should no ev'ry side surround theâ— Into the fire if I do lead thee yet No dammage thou from its fierce flames shalt get For I 'le safe keep thee bear thee in my armes And I 'le secure thy soul from all ill harms Fear none of those things then that unto thee By Sathan or his Servants done may be Though into prison they ten days thee cast And there with chains of Iron make thee fast I will be with thee there and bring thee out Be confident of me my love don't doubt Be faithful unto me and I will give A Crown of life to thee and thou shalt live And as for other things why should'st thou care Seeing my Father for thee did not spare To give me up to Death and gives me too To be thy Head and portion How canst thou Suspect or fear that any thing He will Withold from thee that 's good No. He will fill Thy cup with what 's who some for thee to drink If thou away from my words dost not shrink All things are mine and what I have shall be Thine and I 'le give of them what 's good for
and his Companions be But such as fear'd the Lord thereto did he Invite and call they in God's mysteries Have the best judgment are the truly wise Nor God nor good men for their poverty Do any such despise why then should I Better by one poor good man prais'd to be Than by a thousand bad of high degree In such though mean men in this World God's treasures Have oft been put and they of divine pleasures Have oft the largest deepest draughts the Saints Or holy men what ever outward wants Have them attended Christ's inheritance With all its glorious riches doth advance If such then like my works if what I 've pen'd Those that be truly pious do commend It is enough if they be pleas'd I much Pass not for their accounts that are not such Though that 's the lot of goodness too that oft Some such it praise too who themselves are naught Such virtu's beauty that it oft attracts Their eyes and tongues who yet refuse its acts Who loving sensual pleasures can't endure Themselves unto those labours to inure Whence those good fruits are reap't which who so taste Shall joys injoy which evermore shall last Such forcedly though th' act not praise what 's right But vertues foll'wers praise her with delight J Horne THE Divine VVooer Canto I. A wake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Eph. 5.14 The Call The man upon his Soul doth call To view it's state original And what it 's now through Adam's fall The Soul it 's bad estate espies And ready to despair out cries A Minister thereto replies Directing it to Christ He shews Of him the gladsome heavenly news Yea Christ himself for its love sues Declares his worthy facts his love And what to close with him might move And shews what doth it most behove Then warns it of it's subtle foes Who seek to bring to it great woes And there this Canto hath it's close Man ROwse up thy self my Soul consider well What of thy state I herein do thee tell What was thy first condition what it 's now That what behoves thee thou mayst better know Good was thy state at first before thy fall For thou from God hadst thine original A pure off-spring of his heavenly breath Thou wast not subject unto sin or death Or grief or fear or any thing might harm thee Till the old Serpent from thy God did charm thee For we in Gods own image and likeness At first were framed and he did express Great love and bounty to us he withheld Nothing of good from us our state excel'd All creatures here below for to us he Gave the Dominion over Land and Sea And all that in them were yea all above He made also for us such was his love A pleasant Garden even a Paradise Of pleasures also full of rarities He for us planted and therein a Tree Of life by which we might from Death been free Yea whatsoever might yield us delight To Soul or Body touch or taste or sight He therein did provide with different sex For more content and off-spring nought did vex Or cause disquiet then yea thou didst know The nature of all things and couldst it show And such agreeing names on them impose As might their inward properties disclose Yea even with God himself thou to converse Wast fitted and his praises couldst rehearse And hadst thou still obey'd his just commands And had'st not broke by Sin the sacred bands Of friendship wherewith to himself he ty'd thee Nothing should ere have power had to divide thee From his affections nor should any thing Befaln thee but what good to thee should bring But now alas thy state is altered Since thou by sinning from thy God hast fled By listning to the Serpents subtlety And giving heed to his false glozing lye Of all the good thou had'st thou art berest And nought but what 's bad now in thee is left The Image of thy God wherein did stand Thy cheifest glory thou hast marred and Like to the Beasts that perish now hast made thee And Satans lies to ruine have betray'd thee His poyson hath thy heart infected so That nought but wickedness therefrom doth flow So that of God thou nought deserv'st but hate Yea and all creatures thee to ruinate May well conspire since thou so wretchedly Hast turn'd away from God their enmity Against thee is but just that as before Thou waft Heavens favourite and all things bore Respect unto thee now they should neglect thee And unto answerable woes reject thee To what thy blesses were for oh my Soul Thou art become a Dungeon very foul Nasty and dark and loathsomâ—sin and evil Have got possession in thee and the Devil Hath thee inslav'd so to his will and lust That thou art full of all that is unjust And hateful unto God who therefore hath From Paradise expel'd thee in his wrath And unto Death hath thee condemned so That from the force thereof thou can'st not go Of unclean Birds thou art become a cage Thy lusts and passions in thee rule and rage And drive thee to and fro and thee expose Unto the Malice of Infernal foes All thou do'st mean think love or joy in now What is it but what 's vain and brutish Thou In whom Gods Wisdom sometime had delight Art now become a very loathsom sight Wholly for her pure fellowship unmeet And for his service for from Head to Feet Thou full of sores and ulcers art In thee Nothing that 's right or lovely can He see Thou neither knowest him nor thy self nor how Thou may'st thy self recover nor can'st thou His favour re-obtain by any thing Which thou by way of off'ring can'st him bring For unto him no reall love thou hast Nor any virtuous thing of all good waste And empty now thou art To Sathans power And to Gods wrath obnoxious every hour Oh then how sad's thy state where ere thou go Thou art in danger of eternal wo. While thou art in thy sins over thy Head Gods wrath doth hang his wrath whom Angels dread And all the Creatures and whose furious ire When poured forth is like devouring fire So as the Rocks are thereby rent and fall Asunder for it 's able to turn all Into its Antient Chaos and to bring The whole Creation to a mere nothing Bethink thee then my Soul what course to take Is there no way thy peace with God to make Is there no way his wrath to pacifie To scape his vengeance that thou may'st not die Not die for ever while thou yet hast space Mayst thou not seek for and implore his grace Soul And is it so indeed is this my case Doth sin in me Gods image so deface And render me so loathsom in his eye Is his wrath so provok't am I to dye By his just law so doom'd oh whither then Shall I betake my self what can we men Devise or do whereby his anger we May pacifie
that saved we may be From his destroying hand If I 'm so vile That all I think or do sin doth defile How is it possible that any thing I can perform that may me safety bring If I had all the World at my command To offer up to him nought at my hand Needs He to take whose all things are nor could I it so bring as He accept it would From me that am so vile but alas I Have nothing of mine own but misery And sin I must therefore lye down forlorn Bewailing that sad day when I was born And wishing that some Hills or Mountains might Fall on and cover me from his dread sight That He might not how sinful I am see Nor I Him who so angry is with me But oh alas these bootless wishes are Nought they avail me nothing but Despair Remains as my sad lot in wretchedness To perish evermore without redress O wo is me what shall I think or do I am undone I sink I perish Oh! Minist Despair not Soul But hear and listen well Unto a true story that I shall tell Tidings of joy and gladness I do bring Tidings of peace that well may make thee sing Incline thine ear therefore and bend thy mind That of my words thou may'st the comfort find Though thou most wretchedly from thy Creator Hast run and play'd vile prevaricator From his just laws hast sin'd against him still And hast not set by his most holy will Unworthy art of love most worthy wrath Yet He to thee a strong affection hath Loves thee intensively and thy welfare To bring about no cost or pains doth spare One only Glorious and dear Son hath He Begotten of him from eternity The brightness of his Glory light of light The Image of his person His delight His word eternal his wisdom most pure By whom He all things made and makes t' endure Yet him did He send forth when He saw fit To expiate the sins thou did'st commit To ransom thee from thrall to Death and Devil To raise thee up and free thee from all evil To bring thee from thy woful lost estate In which thou must else lain time without date And thee restore again unto his grace That thou might'st see his sweet and glorious face Injoy his favour sit under his wing And his high praises evermore might'st sing That glorious splendor of his Majesty Who in his Bosom was eternally According to his will determined Was born of a poor Damsel espoused Unto a Carpenter of mean degree Laid in a Manger where there use to be The Ass or Oxen feeding other room The Inn affording not for his welcome When that poor Damsels time was come that she Of this unheard of birth untwin'd should be Even like as if some mighty Prince by birth Should quit his Fathers Pallace and the mirth He there injoy'd should lay his robes aside His Princely robes and the better to hide His high-born dignity and great degree With Pilgrims or poor beggars rags should be Meanly attir'd and so himself betake To travail through great dangers for the sake Of some of his poor subjects who allur'd By some false Traytor had his Realm abjur'd Joyn'd themselves in confederacy to His Fathers and his own most hateful foe Till thereby they upon their heads had brought By means of that rebellion they had wrought Some dreadful punishment and deadly thrall Indangering the ruine of them all That He might in that strange disguise unknown Vanquish those foes who had them overthrown And unexpectedly a pardon bring Unto them from their own much injur'd King And by such love declared win their mind Unto himself that they with him combin'd Might from those Traytors who had them seduced Into his Fathers Kingdom be reduced Under his conduct as their Prince and guide Whose love and care of them they had so try'd Even so this mighty high-born Son of God Into this World down by a path untrod Descended in a garb unknown wherein He wore the badges of our loathsom sin Cloath'd with great poverty infirm and weak Fil'd with reproaches which his heart did break Through swelling Seas of sorrows travail'd He In the strength of his love to seek up thee And save thee from that wretched state wherein Thou ready wast to perish in thy sin In this disguise made under law and so Exposed to indure that curse and woe Which was thy due when he was set upon By all the powers of Hell the field He won In an unusual manner not by strength But weakness rather where through He at length After some combates yielded up to Death His spotless body and his blessed breath Wherein the laws demands He so fulfil'd That it's condemning power thereby He kil'd For so the bonds He cancel'd and the debt Discharg'd that bound thee ore to death and set Thee free from under Sathans power and force That thou may'st now again have free recourse To thy Creators presence for He hath By this his pilgrimage and Death the wrath Of his displeased Father pacified So that his anger He hath laid aside And holds thee now no longer as a Foe bound ore to Death but freely lets thee go Keeps thee not at a distance any longer But calls thee back and by his Son who stronger Is then thine enemies as by the way And leader too by whom the weakest may Strongly and safely walk against the worst Endeavours and resistance of that curst Infernal crue who seek to keep thee back He thee invites and prays thou wilt not slack Thy pace unto him but return again Into his heavenly Kingdom there to reign Over thine enemies in glorious state For everlasting time beyond all date That safely to him thou might'st back be brought This Royal Prince of glory who thee bought From thraldom by his blood doth thee invite To hear his pleasant voyce behold his light In which he sets himself in glorious state Before thy view beseeching thee to hate Those enemies who did thee overthrow And brought thee from so high to be so low And Him to listen to believe and love Who for thy sake descended from above And worst of Deaths and dangers did sustain That He might thee restore to life again He with his words puts forth his mighty hand To turn thee and to make thee understand To give thee strength to lean on him and go The good way after him which He doth show He loves thee dearly wooes thee with his heart Intreats thee from thine Idols to depart Which will undo thee ore again if yet Thou wilt thy self to their advise commit Beseeches thee to save thy self or rather Be sav'd by him who came forth from his Father To save poor sinners bring them safe and sure Unto those joys which ever shall endure He condescends unto thee though thou be'st Viler then any thing that here thou seest As in thy sins unworthy of him yet He Disdains not to address himself to thee Incline thine ear
then they Shall shout and sing and well they may thus say Oh oh oh Hallelujah oh this day Oh oh Hallelujah Hallelujah who may Our happiness conceive oh happy state What heart can reach it what tongue it relate Minist Yea well they may as Harpers strike their string And with great triumph thus and better sing I. HAllelujah oh happy day That ever we were born Oh well are we that we do see This everlasting morn II. Oh what are we That we should be Thus lifted up on high We did not merit Thus to inherit Honour and dignity III. Blest be the Lamb That here we came Rais'd up from Death again 'T is by his blood We have this good Ever with him to reign IV. Blessed for all that did befall Be God for evermore Oh blessed be that one in three Whom ever we adore V. Who can set forth His wond'rous worth It doth all things surpass It doth exceed All that we read And all that ever was VI. Oh happy we who do him see Who all perfection is No Potentate no Monarch great Ever had joy like this VII Rivers of pleasures Beyond all measures Unto our lot doth fall No mixture is In this our bliss But it is blessing all VIII All things we have That heart can crave And more then heart can reach None ever could This joy unfold None ever could it preach IX Our joy surmounts On all accounts All that we could believe All praise is due To God most true He did us not deceive X. Oh glorious sight Oh great delight None ever did behold So rare a sight A light so bright Our glory can't be told XI All 's infinite All is delight We have no sorrow here Nothing of dark No fading spark All is most bright and clear XII All All is love All things above And all that is below We see no evil We fear no Devil Nothing but good we know XIII Nothing but joy Nought to annoy Here we are void of fear For we are sure We shall endure For ever happy here XIV Oh Majesty Oh glory high What one is like to thee We 've our desire Thee we admire To all eternity XV. Our blessedness None can express It is an ocean great All that excels For ever dwells In this most glorious seat XVI Blest be the Lord Blest be his Word Blest be his holy Spirit How happy we In this One-Three Our portion to inherit XVII Oh mighty King Everlasting Beginning thou had'st none When nothing were Then thou wast there Thou wast thy self alone XVIII In thy self blest Thou had'st thy rest Of us thou had'st no need Thou did'st possess Full happiness Thou' rt happiness indeed XIX Of thy good will It to fulfil The Worlds foundation sure By thee was lay'd Thou it up-stay'd At thy will to endure XX. The Word thou said'st All things thou mad'st Oh blessed be that Word Which did Being To every thing In thy good time afford XXI Blest be that love That did thee move Before the World was made To be the seat Of thy works great Or its foundations laid XXII To think of this Eternal bliss And it prepare for us Oh what were we That then by thee We should be car'd for thus XXIII Blest be that thought That us out sought And our great happiness We do admire The great desire Thou had'st us thus to bless XXIV Could we be dear Who nothing were Unto thy Majesty Thou did'st possess That word express Which was with thee on high XXV All things were made By him and lay'd On their foundation fast That they might stand At thy command And at thy will might last XXVI 'T was for his sake That thou did'st make Invisible Beings The Angels Thrones Dominions And all visible things XXVII That him thou might And his great height Most gloriously display And his fulness Thereby express That others know it may XXVIII But cheifly man When thou began Thou gratiously did'st view From him all which The Seas did rich And on the Earth that grew XXIX Yea the Heavens bright With all their light And all the hosts therein Thine hand did frame And gave the same To serve and honour him XXX Whom thou in thine Image divine Did'st good and upright make And from his side Did'st frame a Bride Whom he to him did take XXXI A comely pair And very fair For though they naked were They found no shame While void of blame Nor had they any fear XXXII A Sabboath day For rest had they The seventh when thou didst rest From thy works all Both great and small And therefore thou it blest XXXIII A day wherein They without sin Might with thy Majesty Have sweet converse Thy praise rehearse And view thy great glory XXXIV A Garden sweet With pleasures meet Thou put'st them in also Wherewith delight Thy will they might Learn of thee and it do XXXV Of life a Tree Was given by thee That they might live for ay A River large Which did discharge Its streams forth every way XXXVI All things that might Give them delight Thou on them didst bestow One only Tree Withheld by thee Was good and ill to know XXXVII Thou gav'st them food Was only good Not good and evil both If both they would Know thou them told Thou would'st with them be wroth XXXVIII Thou death didst threat If they would eat That so thou might'st them scar That free from ill They might live still And from death keep them far XXXIX Yet them to try Thou prov'dst them by A Serpent subtly wise Who thee did fault Them to assault And cheated them with lies XL. The Woman first The bonds did burst Wherewith thou did'st them tye Unto thee fast The Man did taste By her means both did dye XLI How happy a state Did'st thou create And set them in while they Were innocent Without intent Thy laws to disobey XLII Man then was Lord Of what thy word Created for his sake Of all things he Had leave from thee But one Tree to partake XLIII Pleasures he had To make him glad Sabboath and River too A spotless Wife A Tree of Life What should'st thou for him do XLIV How great his good How might he stood How was he bound to thee His glory much No creature's such But oh more happy we XLV Our state exceeds Beyond all needs There was a Serpent there They did aspire To be yet higher But here 's no Tempter here XLVI We are not in Danger of sin Nor need we to aspire Here 's injoyment Of all content We nothing more desire XLVII Tempted we were But before here We came to be thus blist Our tryal's past Sathan's down cast And we his snares have mist XLVIII Now we do rest For ever blest From all temptations free Our danger 's past Our joys shall last To all eternity XLIX This is the day That we did pray And wrestle to obtain From sin set free With thee to be And never part again L. Nothing we
grave And I can give those things in mercy too And unto them that fear me often do Or if I do those things deny unto them By those denyals greater good I do them For it is in my power to blast or bless I can do what I will bee 't more or less Yea if all things thou hast to thy desire And hast not mee they 'l fit thee more for fire Even for that endless misery which shall On all such as rebell against me fall And therefore it s thy best to follow me Walking in my good paths for so I thee Will care for and will guide in all thy ways To do the thing which shall tend to my praise And to thy profit I to thee will give What shall be for thy good while thou dost live And fit thee for the world to come also That into life eternal thou mayst go Seek then my favour first to Godliness Addict thy self for that the promises Of both lives hath both this and that to come So that thou may'st most certainly me from Expect all good for both Be thou upright I 'le be thy Sun and Sheiâ—d I 'le give thee Light And I 'le defend thee too I 'le chear and warm thee And keep thee in my ways from what might harm thee Both grace and glory I will give nothing Shall be witholden from thee that may bring Advantage to thee and conduce unto Thy having that great bless to which I woo Give up thy self to me and so I will Thy wishes and thy prayers all fulfill So far as is good for thee and nought shall That may be prejudicial thee befall If with bad Wife or Husband I thee try Ill Neighbors losses or with poverty I 'le turn those waters of afflictions too Into the Wine of comfort I will do All for thy good thou shalt not need to fear That I will harm thee if thou wilt me hear Deny thy self and lusts yield up to me And my salvation thou shalt surely see In stead of what thou lustest after I Will give thee what is good assuredly Better a little with my love then more With my displeasure hear thou me therefore In me put all thy trust and do what 's good Thou then shalt surely have both house and food Delight thy self in me I 'le satisfy Thy soul with good and all thy needs supply Commit thy way to me wholly depend Upon me and I 'le always thee defend And bring thee to great glory in the end Canto VII Or the closing Canto I will say of the Lord he is my Rock my Fortress my God in him I will trust Ps 91.2 The Soul approves what 's said yet adds Some other fears and what yet sadds But in his answers Christ it glads The difficulties in the way How eas'ly it may go astray How its corruptions do it sway These be its fears But Christ replies What helps against all those fears lies In him and what his grace supplies The Soul prevail'd with at the last Complies with Christ on him doth cast It self and praises him full fast Prays for his further favour He Accepts it and most willingly Receives it his Consort to be Yet tells it that he must it try That so He may it purify Before the full solemnity The Soul submits only do'h pray His love and help in all his Way And then to hast the Marriage day Soul LORD I have heard thy words and they be good So far as yet I have them understood By which I also verily believe That they much better be than I conceive But there 's another thought yet in my brest Which hath me oft times with sad fears opprest The things which thou requir'st and call'st me to Are very difficult for we to do The way is narrow and I quickly may Step out of it aside and go astray Yea there so many false pretenders be Which take thy name and come in stead of thee And I so weak and foolish am that I May easily be cheated with a ly And take it for thy truth I hear the gate Which leadeth unto life is very straight I must deny my self mine own right eye Where it offends pluck out and cast it by Cut off my right hand or right foot when they Prove an occasion that I go astray Yea thou so pure and holy art thou dost Require of me to part with every lust A God thou art of eyes so clear and pure That no iniquity thou canst indure But on the other side I am so bad That on my lusts and Idols oft I 'm mad My lasts do stick so to me that they are As dear or dearer then my life I care Not it to hazzard sometimes them to spare I am so weak I cannot go the way Wherein such difficulties find I may Yea I am dead in sins dead to all good How can I serve thee then against a flood Of violent assaults of sin and Devil And world on all hands tempting me to evil Thou say'st thou loving art and just and wise Wilt thou require impossibilities Chr. Be not discourag'd Soul though weak thou be And sinful too there 's help enough in me Though straight the gate though narrow be the way Fear not for yet through me enter thou may My power is seen in weakness 't is my praise Even sinful souls to save the dead to raise It is a true and faithful saying and Worthy to be receiv'd on every hand That I into the world did therefore come That I might sinners save the chief of whom I oft have saved too my glory lies In doing of impossibilities Such things as be beyond the strength of man And Angels too and none but I do can For sinners and for dead men I did dy And over sin and death the victory I have obtain'd and now I am become A quickning Spirit I raise the dead the dumb I make to speak the deaf I make to hear Blind men to see the timerous not to fear I am the chosen one my God upheld me In all my agonies and now hath fild me With all the fulness of the Spirit which He Hath caus'd for evermore to rest on me Because he hath appointed me that I Should in his Soveraign Authority And power unto the Gentiles void of skill And judgment to discern and do his will Judgment bring forth and cause them to discern His excellencies and his ways to learn That all his pleasure I might do and 't is His will that my beholders I should bliss That who submits to me should never perish But I should evermore him love and cherish Work all his works in and for him till I Make him compleat and save him perfectly And I am faithful I do never fail I 'm not faint hearted nothing shall me quail Nought me discourage which in him I find Of death or weakness who my words doth mind Such a Physician I am as can cure The sickest patient and can endure To bear their
I am too slack In seeking thee yea woe is me I 〈◊〉 From thee have run apace since I begun To move toward thee I 'm too apt to run Toward my Idols in the ways of sin Yea Lord thou know'st how since I did begin To court thy favour I have run apace In wicked ways wherein had not thy grace And mercy me prevented I had been Or'e thrown forever this day never seen But oh my pace toward thee is so dulâ— That need I have that after thee thou pull My sluggish Soul oh bring thou me into Thy Chambers of defence and delight so As in thy love I such delight may take As never thee any more to forsake Let me be so inclosed as with walls Of sure defence that whatsoe're befalls I never may again from thee withdraw But allways may thee fear and stand in aw Least I offend thee oh that I to thee May swiftly run with all that upright be And in thy Chamber may with them abide Where thou dost all that love thee safely hide Wee 'll then be glad in Thee and much rejoyce Oh King wee 'l sing thy praise with chearful voice Wee 'l think upon thy loves which do excel The choisest Wine Oh we remember well The sweetness of its tast who be upright They do thy person love in thee delight Not in themselves their parts their gifts nor yet Those pleasures only that from thee they get Like to the Concubines which love to be Delighted with thy loves courted by thee But thee and thy concerns do slight neglect To seek thy glory don't thy name respect Sincerely but make thou me upright so As my heart wholly after thee may go Oh thou whom my soul in some measure loves Do thou me show what me to know behoves Tell thou me where thou feed'st thy flock and make Me go upright Let me not thee forsake With sinners in their dainties to perâ—ke Let me not turn aside from thee to go After the flocks of thy companions who Lift up themselves into equallity Of power or worth unto thy Majesty But shew me thy good ways and make me see The thing that is acceptable to thee Stay me with flagons of thy love and let Me of thy apples too the comforts get For I desire thy love oh do thou show it And cause thou me more clearly yet to know it Under my head put thou thy left hand and Therewith support me and let thy right hand Embrace my soul and keep me safe untill I have fulfil'd my course perform'd thy will And oh that then thou wouldst make hast unto My soul and be thou swifter than a Roe That so our union may compleated be And I may full fruition have of thee Make hast oh my beloved like a Roe Or a young Hart that on the Mountains go That leap upon the Mountains and o're Hills Come skipping Thou art he alone that fills The souls of those that love thee with delight And mak'st them fully happy in the sight Of thy most glorious person do not tarry Help me to hast to thee then hast to marry Me to thy self that I with thee may dwell Who dost in all excellencies excell And in the mean time make me chast and true Unto thee what opposes thee subdue Working my works in and for me yea al Thine own good pleasure whereto thou dost call And counsel me the work of faith with power That I may persevere unto the hour And in the hour of death till unto thee Thou tak'st me up in joys for aâ—e to be I leave my self to thee oh do thou what Is good for me Chr. I will so fear not that Amen HALLELUJAH FINIS A Song of Loves Lord grant that in a right renewed mind I may such love to thee and thy things find As to say of and to thee this behind 1. I Am my well beloveds My well-beloved's mine He is a person lovely Excellent and divine 2. For he is the Immanuel Both God and man in one The Mighty God the wonderful And like him there is none 3. His excellence surpasseth What one may it declare Or who among the mighty May with this one compare 4. Oh all ye that in love are Your lovers who commend Is any of them able To match with this my friend 5. Hath any of them ever So great things for you wrought Or is there any of them Hath you so dearly bought 6. Is any of them so high Either in Rank or birth No there is none so glorious Either in Heaven or Earth 7. Ther 's none of them is so great There 's none of them can do So great things and so wonderful Or can inrich you so 8. As this my Lord and Saviour Can and will do for me If I be upright with him And do not from him flee 9. Ye that in Kings and Princes And mighty Potentates Do make your boasts come tell me Hath he there any mates 10. Can any of them match him Nay they are all below The greatest of those great ones Their service to him owe. 11. They 'r short in understanding Their pow'r also is less Their rule extends not so far Nor yet their happiness 12. They are but men as others Their lives are but mortal Their breaths must pass out of them And then they perish all 13. But this my Lord and Lover Doth live for evermore His understanding's perfect All creatures him adore 14. Nothing for him too hard is For he can all things do Nothing from his eyes hid is For he all things doth know 15. He ruleth over all things Both in the seat and land Yea and all things In heaven be Subject to his command 16. He heir of Heav'n and earth is He is lord of all glory His brith's above all creatures There 's none can match his story 17. His excellence excels all That 's either hard or seen One half of what 's true of him Never declar'd hath been 18. Go glory of your Princes And Benefactors great Tell of their great majesty Their royal train and seat 19. I none of them shall envy This one 's mcuh better far Whom my soul hath desire to They can't with him compare 20. He hath far greater glory Than any one of them Though yet he is so lovely That none he doth contemn 21. Though they be poor and little If unto him they flee He none of them disdaineth But they accepted be 22. Those whom ye use to boast of Be proud and lofty too And oft in words and carriage Great haughtiness they show 23. Though they be far below him Who my beloved is And like to meaner persons He them reâ—roves I wiss 24. For in his hands they all are To do with as he please And he can make or break them Or change their state with ease 25. Oh there is none so lovely As this Beloved one In pitty love and goodness Like to him there is none 26. He higher than the Heavens is Or
Quis leget aut emet haec SEE here my friends that which with much expence Of time and money if without offence I may suggest it I prepared have Your good to further and your souls to save Is here exposed to you will you read it So as with seriousness to mind and heed it Will you with little charge and cost that buy Which doth me in far greater charges lye Your pains in Reading it will be far less Than mine it to Compose and in this dress To make it ready for you and your gain Will far exceed your cost if it remain Upon your Reading it in memory And if unto the practise you apply Your hearts of what it tends to as you ought You will not then repent that you it bought But I observe it some men's humour is To slight and undervalue things like this They 'll rather idle Ballads buy and read Or such bad Books as vice do breed and feed And what their souls tend to spoil and destroy For pride or belly chear they will imploy Their time and money and it is a grief To find such humours in some men so brief To see no more regard to what with pains And cost prepar'd is for their endless gains Yea sometimes I with such could angry be When such like carriages in them I see Or marvail at their stupidness to slight What their own welfare much advantage might But then when I look higher and reflect Upon the sad regardless disrespect That too too commonly we all express To God and Christ who far more for our bless And endless happiness than any man By all his study and expences can Have done and have prepar'd and tender to us Whereto with much long suff'ring they do wooe us It doth allay my grief and wonder too As to my labours or what others do Of like import for what am I or any Who labour in such studies whereby many Might benefitted be with him compar'd Who hath eternal life for us prepar'd By such a costly way as by the Death Of his dear Son who for us spent his breath And 's life and soul expos'd to many a grief To bring unto our souls endless relief Find we not Christ himself sometime complain That he had labour'd and his strength in vain Had spent while they among whom he had wrought Did all his love and labour set at naught Though he doth freely tender all the good Which he hath bought by his most precious blood For mankind unto whosoever will Accept thereof and take thereof their fill Yet because something he again requires That men do value and which their desires And love are bent upon they should forsake That of his better things they might partake Because he bids us of him his things buy Men do refuse them too too generally Though all he doth require us to forgo Or unto him to offer up that so We might be happy in what he doth give And might with him in joys for ever live Is nothing worth nor worthy to be ey'd Compar'd with what he gave when as he dy'd For us and for our sins his life and blood More precious far than can be understood Or else compar'd with what he gives again Even joys and glory that ever remain If we resent it if our labours be And cost neglected Oh then what may he With whose both pains and cost if we compare Any or all of ours they nothing are His labour and his patience very great Beside his agonies and bloody sweat He went about by Land and Sea that good He might do unto those who shed his blood Which he most freely poured out that we Drinking thereof might blest for ever be Yet amongst men how slender his reward How few his love or labours do regard Such is the Worlds guise such it constantly Hath been to cast their best concernments by While vanity they love and follow after Mere leasings or fond things of mirth and laughter Yea not only such things they disrespect As tend their greatest weal most to effect But oft repay with hatred and disdain The greatest love and things of greatest gain Whereof as Christ himself the Sovereign Lord Of glory so his choise servants afford Sufficient proof and evidence how great Their pains and labour the World to intreat To save their souls how great their diligence By Preaching Writing Travail Patience In good and bad reports and yet how bad Their intertainment every where how sad Their ill requitals oh at how great cost Have we our Bible truths how many lost Their precious lives laid out their strength and time That we might know the way whereby we climb May up to Heaven and happiness yet who Will even for Heaven it self their lusts forgo Well then may I not grutch at cost or pains Nor grumble at any neglects disdain Or what like things me for my labours shall From any man at any time befall Yea if I for my labours disrespect May meet with it may make me to reflect Upon my self and smiting on my thigh To say Thus thus too much and oft have I Requited God Christ and the holy Ghost And those his servants who unto our coast With pains and travail God's truth carried forth Truths of unspeakable and boundless worth Why then should I complain if I should find Such disrespects as suit less with my mind Or why should I expect respect or look For better likement unto any Book Than usual is for all good things to have Hatred they must expect who souls would save When I and others mend and better be To God they will deal well enough with me AN EPITAPH UPON Mr. THOMAS LILLY Of South-Lin I. THou that go'st by cast here thine eye I sometime walked there I was a Flower I stood my hour And now I 'm fallen here II. I in my time was of the prime That lived in this Town A Lilly fresh but I was flesh And Death hath cut me down III. ALl flesh is grass it 's grace doth pass The best is but a flower The stoutest man do what he can Must dye when 't is his hour IV. If riches could Death's force withhold I had not dyed yet Riches good store I had Death's sore Yet thence no cure could get V. I thought of this I sought for bliss I good attention gave To what I heard the Lord I fear'd And as I sought I have VI. O man thou must return to dust What ever now thou art Dust was thy breed and 't is decreed Thou and the World must part VII Yet thou may'st live if thou do'st give Good heed to mend thy ways For though thou dye yet certainly God will again thee raise VIII For Death came in by loathsom sin But Christ for all did dye And unto those who with him close He 'll give the victory IX Nothing beside will long abide But soon will fade away Consider well Take heed of Hell Think on thy dying day X. So farewel friend and God thee send To live so holily That Heaven may be a place for thee When 't is thy turn to dye FINIS Reader there be too many mistakes of Words Letters and Points the chief of them thou hast here a note of and how thou may'st correct them viz. as follows IN the Title page vers last for inot r. into In the Epistle p. 1. vers 14. for too r. two v. 16. r. woe In the Apology p. 3. l. 32. r. such woers p. 4. l. 36. r. I my self submit In the body of the Poem p. 2. l. 30. put out the full stop at bands p. 5. l. 30. r the vile p. 6. l. 33. for to r. so p. 8. l. 14. put out the stroke of the parenthesis and put it in l. 17. after back p. 11. l. 22. r. the better and their talk p. 34. l. 13. r. they may make p. 39. l. 14. r. good God p. 42. l. 30. r. naught p. 44. l. 20. for vow r. bow p. 54. l. 14. for left r. lift p. 58. l. 10. r. in my joys p. 60. l. 20. r. reprov'st us p. 65. l. last for can r. did p. 66. l. 1. and 3. for make r. made p. 69. l. 24. r. that they in their p. 72. l. 34. r. fill us p. 111. l. 14. for whom r. when p. 131. l. 4. for once r. over p. 139. l. 17. for abhorred r. adhered p. 138. al. 140. l. 33. for to r. so p. 148. l. 9. for is r. if and l. 29. put out is p. 151. l. 30. r. fading p. 161. l. 15. for nosh r. now p. 164. l. last r. do pierce p. 167. l. 14. r. show'd p. 172. l. 15. for best r. blest p. 181. l. 24. for but r. by p. 186. l. 15. the word Lamentations should have been in a great and different character as also diverse other words in the foregoing pages p. 211. l. 22. r. death honour p. 224. l. 33. r. between p. 228. l. 5. for thy r. thee p. 232. l. 26. for caret r. care p. 234. l. 16. r. stinch p. 235. l. 6. r. though p. 244. l. 30. r. thy pledge my holy p. 243. l. 27. for fashion r. fathom p. 254. l. 6. put our the stop at so p. 259. l. 27. r. heart p. 256. l. 22. r. ay p. 260. l. 4. for lovely r. lowly p. 264. l. 4. for this r. his p. 267. l. 28. put out not p. 268. l. 7. for soul r. love p. 276. l. last for oft r. oft p. 295. l. 6. r. and their portion Other mispointings I leave to thy discretion to observe and rectifie in thy Reading
past 132. Herein thou didst again A noble conquest make Us from our sin we lived in Unto thy self to take 133. Oh noble Conqueror Thy power and might we see Oh Lord of Hosts throughout all coasts What one is like to thee 134. Herein we do admire The force of thy great love Our stubborn hearts and bad deserts Which got so much above 135. And here began our bliss Our happy state in which Thou didst us bring unto a spring And Fountain sure and rich 136. Here our new life began Because we planted were Into a stock which did not mock But made us fruit to bear 137. A Root most free of Sap And living juice where from We did inherit both Life and Spirit Yea all good thence did come 138. A Root which did us bear And give us living fruit Thy word declar'd it thy Arm unbar'd it And made us with it sute 139. Thence all our Springs were found And all our fruits were good For all our own away were thrown Being unfit for food 140. Oh what an happy state Were we advanced to When into thee planted were we And made in thee to grow 141. We one with thee became And of thy bliss partook Better we had and what did glad More than what we forsook 142. God pittyed us before But now he did us own He in his love did us approve And of him we were known 143. The special love that was Thy lot thou didst impart Gods loving face that secret place Which thou hadst in Gods heart 144. This was a happy Change While we in Adam were Our case was sad and very bad But now 't was blessed here 145. We had not God before Because we had not thee In whom he is and gives his bliss Then wretched men were we 146. For though thou wert the hope And help of lost mankind Yet without Thee hope had not we Nor solid peace of mind 147. But when in Thee thou gavest Sure title to all good Because in Thee the living Tree And Root of life we stood 148. We were to Thee espous'd And Thou our Husband wert In thine Estate for love and hate We thenceforth had our part 149. Thy Father ours became Thine Angels were our guard Thy Riches ours thy Wisdom Power And thine was our reward 150. Thine Enemies thence were ours And thy friends our friends too In Thee Elect God did respect And favour to us show 151. Yea hence is all the joy And glory we possess Hence Worlds abuse and Gods good use In joy and happiness 152. Thence God us took for Sons All former things were gone No wrath abode his love He show'd His face upon us shone 153. But Thou hadst other fights Wherein a share had we At thy command with Thee to stand Against the Enemie 154. In which Thou wert our help Our Captain and our Guide Thy grace and love they did us move Still with thee to abide 155. The same that did at first Our hearts to thee subdue Was it prevail'd when Joes assaild And made us to Thee true 156. In which thy grace supply'd What in us wanting was Our weaknesses Miscarriages There throught thou by didst pass 157. Doubtless had'st thou not been So cloth'd with Charity Our many halts Retreats and Faults Had made Thee cast us by 158. But none is like to Thee No Captain so will bear His Soldiers faults retreats and halts Or can their hearts so chear 159. Thou wast the prize for which We fought thy prize were we Our Enemies Plot was us t' have got Quite out again from Thee 160. Therefore they us inticed To leave the Faith wherein We one with Thee were made and free Were set from all our fin 161. That was the bed of love The bond of Amity Therefore from that to separte Us sought the Enemy 162. By many a Stratagem He did us oft assail By flatteries and batteries Yet could he not prevail 163. Although he had the world As a great Magazine Of fiery Shafts fit for his Crafts Our souls to undermine 164. From whence on either side He did us oft assault With pleasing sights or dreadful frights Yea we had many a fault 165. From which he oft-times rais'd By his great policy Such over casts and dreadful blasts As made us like to fly 166. Oft-times us to allure To take part against thee Pleasures He brought into our thought Or glory made us see 167. And sundry other things Which with our flesh did sute From Trees to sight fit for delight Moving to pluck the fruit 168. Sometimes to puff us up That down he might us throw Our godliness gifts parts graces Or works he would us show 169. Sometimes again by Cheats Which he thereto abus'd Some crooked way He forth would lay Which was of Thee refus'd 170. Sometimes this art he us'd The easly'r us to take As if of light an Angel bright He were He shew would make 171. Oft-times He also shew'd What dreadful things should be From instruments of his intents If we would cleave to Thee 172. The world he stir'd to wrath Against us for thy sake So that of mocks Scourges or Stocks Oft times we did partake 173. Yea many hardships thence He pressed us withal By many losses and divers crosses Moving from Thee to fall 174. Not only our Estates He sometimes from us caught But even our blood like to a flood Was powred out full oft 175. But Thou by thy good grace And help which thou didst give Our Enemy did make to fly And made our Souls to live 176. Armour of righteousness On each hand us did fend Thy glory bright stood on our right O' th' eft wrath without end 177. If to Thee and thy Word Thy right and perfect ways Firm we would cleave and not thee leave Thou shew'dst us endless praise 178. But if Thee we would leave And turn to vanâ—â—ie For worldly good or fear of blood We endless torments see 179. Which things eternal while Thou mad'st us keep in view Things temporal we slighted all And not from Thee withdrew 180. Thou wert our strength and stay Our help was of thy grace Through thy defence no fond pretence Did move us out of place 181. Here also Thou didst get The conquest o're our foes The victory and the glory Unto thine honour goes 182. We had been wholly foild And driven from Thee again But that our heads thou covered'st And didst our hearts sustain 183. To thee we give the praise Of our safety untill Through manifold perils untold Our days we did fulfill 184. When yet one combate more Abode us generally To yield our Breath passing through death And in the grave to ly 185. Nor had we any might Against that Enemy Give way mus we to Gods decree That mankind once must dy 186. Whereto by several ways We did arrive at length Diseases some made thither come Or some decay of strength 187. By persecutions some Through many deaths much pain Who for thy name