not â— have enough God is my lot â— would hear God now praised bee For his great blessings giv'n to me You 'ave bils of thanks oft sent to you For earthly blessings and they 'r due Shall not then heavenly blessings be More priz'd then earth they shall by mee This Bill of thanks to you I send What though it be not rarely penn'd 'T is the intention of my heart That I in it to you impart It is not onely sent to thee But Preachers all praise God for me I with a Trumpet could proclaime Praises to the God of fame For teaching me to know his name All people for me doe the same Being in paine LOrd if my sin produce my paine Pray let me never sin againe For pain is grievous unto me And sin is hatefull unto thee Let me not do what troubleth thee And thou 'lt not send what grieve shall me But if my patience Lord thou tryest If I will bear what thou applyest To cure the malady of sin Cease not my pain but send't again For pain I rather would endure Then grieve thine eyes of light so pure That our most secret thoughts doe spie And wanton glances of the eye For which thou sendest punishments Or else corrects with sapience Being taken with a sudden pain on the Day appointed for God's publick Service LEt not this pain Lord deter me From publick offering praise to thee Though private prayers may pleasing bee From others and as well from me But publick blessings thou giv'st me And publick praise I 'de offer thee Thou teâ—st me if I will confess Thee before men thou'lt do no lesse For me before thine Angels bright And thy great Father in his light In private I may serve thee here But that to men doth not appeare I then in publick will serve thee Whiles here thou givest me liberty And not depend on charity To think I doe belong to thee The Antidote THis Antidote will cure your fear The God of heaven for you takes care They cannot fear that live above Their fear is cured by their love My Satisfaction I Am content with this earths fate Cause I am borne for higher state Sweet quiet here I wish no more I 'de have my glory kept in store Yet I have on those Robes of glory Of which I oft have read the story That pure refined souls doe wear Living in regions free from care For with the eye of faith I see My selfe sweet Prince as I 'me in thee And with thee I doe live above Because we live where we doe lowe But Oh my God! when shall it be that the dark Lanthorne of Faith shall be swallowed up in the bright mantle of sweet fruition Being called a Stoick NOt as a Stoick I 'me exempt from care But as a Christian I would all things beare Nor that I blinded am and nothing see No I see all but take all patiently Gods Prerogative LOrd shall I grudge at thy just will Or shall I question thy great skill And think the world thou dost not rule As thou art wont peace silly fool Without his rule it cannot stand All things are done at his command Doe not then grudge at what he doth Nor in thy heart have any ruth ' Gainst them who now do rule the Land They have no power but from his hand The earth is his and he plucks down Who him displease and gives the Crowne To others if they him obey They shall still rule if not then they Shall be destroyed with his frown And to their foes hee 'l give their Crown Then let me Lord my selfe submit To what thy wisdom seeth fit Sith no authority can be But what appointed is by thee My Mansion Liza for doe you not care She lives in heaven free from earths feare â—er ' bidings in those regions be â—er converse with the Deity Mans unkindnesse my Benefit LOrd what a courtesie doth man to me When he 's unkind he drives me straight to thee Where I my deer sweet Prince do ever finde Carefull for me contenting pleasing kinde Then let them be as liketh them to me â—Ile not complain sith I can come to thee Who art my joy my love my crown my peace In whom my joys abound and still increase My Second Part. I Did withdraw me from the stage Of this vain world in my best age Thinking for heaven thou hadst be drest So I retired for my rest But thou a Prophet hadst me made Unto my selfe when I had said Another part I here must play Before I went from hence away A wife thou choo'st out for my part Which I misliked in my heart And thought wedded to none to bee Great Prince of Heaven and earth but thee But thou that hadst ordain'd that part Foundst out a means to turne my heart Because my Lord thou 'lt have me see We happy in that life may be But then on thee we must depend For thou alone that blisse canst send For should our Husbands love fixt be Upon some others not on thee Heavens Prince will never thee forsake But still his darling will thee make And should hee of thee carelesse bee Heavens Prince he will more carefull bee He from the earth wil raise thy heart That thou content maist act that part The Resurrection WHy should I be afraid to dye Or let my body in earth lye In that safe bed I 'me laid to sleep When others in their closets weep It is to me a quiet night And next day brings the wished light That makes for me eternall day My body there feels no decay And when I waken I shall finde All things well pleasing to my minde Youth beauty spirit now present Themselves for that days Ornament With Robes more bright then are the beams That from her pleasing Sun here streams Decay they say they never will For they were made with exact skill To adorne the bodies that ascend And on the Deity attend Now shall I see my Princely peer That I on earth did hold so deer And with him still converse shall I Who would not now let their soul fly Seing there 's no fear of decay Fools that think death a dismall day Fearfull Vncertainty OH you that know not when you dye Whither your Souls to heaven shall fly Or wander in the dismall shade No wonder though you be afraid Would you not wear black hellish weeds Avoid then wicked sinfull deeds Do actions that are just and right If you would live in heavenly light Do you think peace you can enjoy That others with your deeds annoy No! what you unto others doe Assure your selves shall fall on you And if good councell now you slight Look in Hells mouth and be affright Avoid betimes that hellish fume Which all your pleasures will consume To Generall Cromwell THe Sword of God doth ever well I' th hand of vertue O Cromwel But why doe I complain of thee ' Cause thou' rt the rod that scourgeth mee But if a good child I
all his fighting Souldiers victorious Conquerors and at the length he will take them up into a Triumphant chariot of glory to raigne with him as Kings in his Kingdome of immortall felicity where he will place on their head a Crown of eternall glory On ECCLES 9.7 Goe eat thy bread with joy c. MY Dear Lord with what a sweet and pleasing object this morning hast thou presented mine eyes that they may deliver it to my heart for to my heart thou art pleas'd to speak it and if any shall aske if that message was sent to me I will aver it was for they who by the hand of faith lay hold on the promises of God are and shall be partakers of those promises My hand presented that object to mine eyes mine eyes delivered it to my heart my heart took hold of it by the hand of faith so that I may confidently say It belongs both to Soul and body And now methinks I hear my God saying to me Go But some may say Goe is a word of separation and so he will say to those that shall for ever be debar'd of his happy presence but yet to me he sayes Go but it is not from him but with him to that blessed place from which Adam fell and I am sure it is not from him but with him for from him is hell but here is joy and gladnesse to my heart and delicacy of cloathing and in his presence is the fulnesse of joy and at his right hand is life everlasting But did I say it is to that place from which Adam fell my thoughts then hover'd too neer the earth it is to heaven my God bids me goe with him for I must eat my bread with joy and drink my wine with a merry heart and let my garments be alwayes white and my head must want no odoriserous oyntment for God accepts thy workes My Lord When I consider that those words were spoken to those whose works thou acceptest My confidence is somewhat shaken whether or no those words were spoken to me for thou art a God of pure eyes and canst not behold iniquity I am a creature unclean defil'd with originall and actuall sin How then canst thou O God accept my workes for unclean hands defile what they touch But stagger not my soul nor doubt for now to my memory is presented that to the house of David was a fountain set open for sin and for uncleannesse Hast thee thither my soul that thou maist be clean for thou needst not doubt but that fountain belongs to thee for from eternity by election wert thou affianc'd to him that was to be the immortall son of David and so thou being of his linage the priviledge of that fountain must belong to thee yea my Soule thou hast heard himselfe cry out If any thirst let him come to him and drinke and out of him shall flow rivers of living water I wil not stay but will hast and run to thee O blessed fountain of life and I will drinke abundantly of that desired water that shall make me capable of so great a blisse and purge me clean from my actuall and originall pollutions so that my God may accept my works and I goe with confidence to eat my bread and drinke my wine with a merry heart But stay my Soul dost thou thinke to run to heaven in a full career of felicity and pleasure thou canst not but remember that the servants of God have eaten the bread of affliction and drunke the wine of astonishment and mingled their drinke with their tears this was their portion heretofore I confesse it was so but I finde in this message at now which cals to my minde that there was a time when I could not do so for when I lay polluted in the deformity of my sins and had my hands foul with the poison of mine iniquities 't is no wonder if then our bread be the bread of affliction and our wine the wine of astonishment and how can we chuse but mingle our drinke with our tears when we feed our selves with those hands which we have washt in poison how can we chuse but thinke that that bread must end us here and carry us from a fearfull life in this world to be tormented in a hideous place of misery for ever Onâ—y God! How can they either eat or drink with contentment who have not first sought out that fountaine wherein they may wash themselves clean from that dreadfull poison But my Soul have heard thee â—ay thou wouldst hast to that pure stream and wash thee cleane from thine iniquities and thou being clean maist now goe and possesse those free liberties My Soul Thou must now flee to heaven and there eat that living bread and drinke that wine of life which cannot be taken but with excessive joy so that out of them shall flow rivers of living waters springs of joy shall rise in thee and streams of thanks and praise shall flow from thee to thy dear God for his infinite blessings these will be to thee rivers of life And from heaven my soul maist thou take those white garments with which thou maist always be cloath'd for his garments were white and glistering then aske for those robes of purity that are his for thou maist be sure thou shalt obtaine and being cloath'd in those garments thou needst not fear thou sholdst ever be found naked or unseemly drest for thou shalt be gloriously habited because God will make thy righteousnes in him as clear as the light and thy just dealing as the noon day and now my Soul thou loving and desiring those garments of righteousnesse needst not fear that thy head shall want any precious ointment for if thou with and in that great King lovest right and hatest iniquity God even thy God will annoint thee with the oyle of gladnes And now my Soul Thou seest the priviledges that are presented to thee in this speech but thou saidst ere-while it belonged to thy body too I confesse it did but my thoughts were so taken up with the consideration of the infinite felicity of my Soul that I had almost forgot my body and truly did not she accord to the action of my Soul and desire with her onely to be happy by the priviledges that adhere to her by reason of my Soul I would never seek to content her nor regard any priviledges that belongs to her but she is an assenting companion to my Soul and an instrument to convey the promises of God to her and shall hereafter be a perfect glorious companion with her in eternall blisse I will now regard the priviledges that belong to her in this message And though I thought thaâ— place from which Adam fell too mean for the felicity oâ— my Soul yet for my body it is a place sufficiently considerable and seeing the benefits that were lost by the first Adam are all with many more restor'd to thee by the second My body thou
maist goe with my Soul and eat thy temporall bread with joy and drinke thy wine with a merry heart and thy garments may be pleasant and delighting and thy head want no odoriferous ointment for our bountiful and liberall God hath given us many creatures for pleasure and delight as well as for necessity but 't is with a restraint our bodies are of Adams race we must not touch that which is forbidden thou maist use them all with an innocency not with any sinister end or to thinke to make thy selfe like a God by them or with them but thou maist lawfully use them all to praise thy God for them and with them Thus my body thou seest thou art happy with my Soule and my Soul is happy in thee and you shall be both glorious together in Heaven and now my heart can wish no greater blisse on earth but my tongue must ever say To my Great God all glory bee That gives such blessings unto me Ambition MY Lord I will not â—inely desire to pry into thy Cabinet of secrets to finde out what was the reason why thou didst cast down those sometime bright Angels in Heaven now tormenting tormented spirits in hel but I have heard that some have thought that it was for having too ambitious and too high desires My Lord Could their desires be rais'd higher then are mine for I confesse mine reach unto thy Throne Nothing will now satisfie me but to be inthron'd with thee in glory I am grown so confident too that I aver those high desires in me to be lawfull and know that for them thou wilt not cast me from thee but wilt inthrone me with thee My Lord I see 't is dangerous to doe any thing in thy service without a command or a message from thee For I see many things done by thy command blest with felicity when without punisht with misery I finde no command given them for such desires but methinkes I hear that blest Apostle of thine When returned from his heavenly rapture cals to me and tels me from thee that I must seek those things that are above where Christ sits at the right hand of God and that my life is hid in Christ with thee so that now I seeking to attaine my high desires made lawfull by thy command am not onely placed on thy Throne by thee but I am in thee and those rebellious Spirits that sought to obtain their ambitious desires without thy commands are not onely cast out of thy blessed presence but also are for ever to be tormented in eternall misery Now on thy Throne thou hast plac'st me Great God with thee No greater blisse can wished be My Lord by me I now will set me downe and rest Being so high blest MY God! I will not doe good on earth to shine with thee in glory But because I will shine with thee in glory I will doe good on earth Vpon Peters denyall SAint Peter How well had it been hadst thou spoke and kept thy word for why shouldst thou be offended at thy good Master he telling thee that himselfe should be smitten you should but be scattered Had he told you that you should be smitten and he separated from you there might have been some reason you might have been offended but when himselfe was to be smitten and for your sakes too to secure you from eternall destruction Methinks the offence was taken on the contrary side But if in thy family it was so taken thou strict Prince of perfection no wonder if it be so in families of looser libertie and full of imperfection I doe not wonder to hear thee say Thou wilt not be offended but I wonder that thou were not over-joyed to hear him telling thee that for all he should so suffer yet he would after he was risen goe before you into â—alille Methinks I should hear you filling the world â—ith songs of thanks-giving for joy of that Kingdome â—e hath promised you from his Father and for the assuâ—â—nce he gave you of his resurrection rather then hear â—ee denying such a powerfull and loving Master with â—athes My Lord Let me with him not be ashamed â—o professe thee but keep me from the shame of deâ—ying thee or if thou maist gain glory by my fall give â—e with him abundance of teares and a heart and â—ongue to confesse my fault to thee and to the world â—hat thou and they may see with him my repentance My Redemption acknowledged MY Lord Hast thou spoken it and shall it not be performed It is impossible Thou the Ruler of â—ll the world hast by thy blessed Prophet bid that â—hey which are redeemed by the Lord declare with praise how he hath redeemed them from the hand of the oppressor rather then thy word should not be fulâ—â—l'd to thy faithful friend Thou vvilt raise him children â—ut of the dust of the earth rather then this command not be performed thou vvilt raise me who am as one out of the dust to be one of them that must declare vvith praise hovv thou hast delivered me from the hands of mine enemies And though I finde it a thing now adays done but by few and so by doing it may make my self a wonder and ridiculous to the world and some other womanish reasons that might detaine me from it yet I cannot but know thou hast redeemed meâ— and I must confesse it was thou alone my great God that hast done it for it was none but the great God and Ruler of the world that could deliver me 〈◊〉 of the Lands of that great enemy of mine and of all man-kind that Prince that rules in the aire who goes about like roaring Lyon seeking each minute to devour us Oâ— of the arms and power of that fiery enemy hast thoâ— unparalel'd Conqueror delivered me else had I beeâ— led captive to his will For that great deliverance 〈◊〉 thine my Soul shall render thee continuall praise I was thou O great Prince of life and death that triumphed over death thou only canst deliver me from thâ— feare of death and make me imbrace it with a Heaveâ— of contentment It is onely thou my Lord who alonâ— dost arise to them that fear thy name with healing iâ— thy wings canst and hast cur'd me of to man uncurable diseases Thou hast cur'd me too of the plague oâ— my own heart No Conqueror did Conquer ought But o're what Death had power Thou Conqueror hast Conquer'd Death Which Conquer'd us each houre PSALME â— Thou hast compast me about with Songs of Deliverance BLessed King Well maist thou say Thou shouldst bâ— compast about with Songs of deliverance when thâ— Lord of Hosts was thy hiding place with him are nâ— Complainers in his presence is nothing but joy thosâ— that are under the protection of his pleasant wings cannot but have their hearts full of excessive joy which moves their tongues to sing songs of praises and thanksgiving to their great and powerfull protector for delivering
He sees the wanton glances of your eye Think with your selfe and then you will refraine You both your self and your great Lord defame I wonder how you can this vain world love â—f you did forget your heaven above 〈◊〉 in your ill unlawfull actions live â—â—r God doth freely all things to you give â—ve you but constant to his love and true 〈◊〉 things are lawfull to be us'd by you The Curse 〈◊〉 thou detainst my right from me 〈◊〉 never will wish worse to thee â—ou ill enough hast in thy selfe 〈◊〉 right to thee will prove an Elf. 〈◊〉 Angels will be good to mee â—t Devils they will prove to thee Metamorphis strange I see â—gels with me Devils with thee â—us while I wish no ill to thee â—ith what I have God will blesse me â—nd will with what thou dost detain â—t thee to a most hellish paine This on my Tombe shall written bee When I in Glory am with thee â—Ain mortals you thinke I am dead You are deceiv'd for I am fled Into that Kingdome I did chuse When as the earth I did refuse And I in glory now am plac'st And with a Crowne in Heaven am grac'st My soul in fair bright Robes doth shine My Lord methinks they 'r like to thine Which in the Mountain did appear Glorious shining bright and clear On marriage LOrd if thou hast ordain'd for me That I on earth must married be As often I have been foretold Be not thy will by me contrould And if my heart thou dost incline Children to have Lord make them thine Or never let 't be said they 'r mine I shall not like what 's not divine I no ambition have for earth My thoughts are of a higher birth The Souls sweet Babes do bring no pain And they immortalize the name The Gift MY Lord hast thou given me away Did I on earth for a gift stay Hath he by prayer of thee gain'd me Who was so strictly knit to thee To thee I onely gave my heart Wouldst thou my Lord from that gift part I know thou wouldst deliver me To none but one belov'd by thee But Lord my heart thou dost not give Though here on earth while I doe live My body here he may retain My heart in heaven with thee must reigne Then as thy gift let him thinke me â—ith I a donage am from thee And let him know thou hast my heart â—e onely hath my earthly part â—t was my glory I was free And subject here to none but thee And still that glory I shall hold If thou my Spirit dost infold It is my blisse I here serve thee T is my great joy thou lovest mee The choice of my Friend PRay tell the world I did chuse thee Cause thou aspir'st to heaven with mee I did not chuse for earthly state But ' cause thou seem'st base earth to hate It was not earth my love did merit 'T was a high and heavenly spirit Thus with heaven I did decree That such a one my friend should be And while our spirits doe aspire To heaven I have my hearts desire And still methinks I am yet free We living both great God in thee The change Great God! HOw hast thou chang'd my thoughts in me For when I thought to be a wise I then did think troubled to be Because I saw most live in strife But thou a husband hast given me Whose sweet discretion doth direct And orders all things so for me As if of heaven he were elect To take all trouble quite from me That earths possession here doth bring And so doth leave me quite to thee Thy praises here to sit and sing Promise Performed MY Lord thou hast perform'd most free What in thy word thou promis'd me That if thy Kingdome first sought wee All things on earth should added bee Thou hast giv'n me earth water aire And heavenly fire which is more rare That heavenly flame thou hast sent me To offer up the earth to thee And if thou pleasest them to take I willingly shall them forsake I 'le not be loth to give to thee What of thy bounty thou gav'st me Plenty thou hast great God in store And if thou please canst give me more If earth thou tak'st and heaven giv'st me A gainer yet I much shall bee Not a Husband though never so excelling in goodness to us must detaine our desires from Heaven MY heart I finde upon her wings Ready to flee from earthly things But that the vertue lives in thee On earth a while retaineth me Not that of life I weary am For what on earth here wish I can From heavens great Prince receive I doe I must most freely tell to you Great blessings from him I injoy And with him I have no annoy Yet these must not retaine my heart Another of me claims his part To heavens great prince I must away No love on earth here must me stay He lent me but awhile to you And now I must bid you adieu My Descent IF any one thinke meane of me 'T is cause they doe not my birth see I did descend from a great King And an Immortall God did spring I 'me daughter to the King of Kings And must contemn base earthly things To heaven's great Prince he married me And now my linage you may see And while I mean am in your eye I often to my glory flye And with my great Prince do abide Where placed by his blessed side With heavenly blisse methinks I 'me crown'd His glorious beams do me surround Where I set and hear the story Of my Prince and see his glory To my Husband WHen from the world I shall be tane And from earths necessary paine Then let no blacks be worne for me Not in a Ring my dear by thee But this bright Diamond let it be Worn in rememberance of me And when it sparkles in your eye Think 't is my shadow passeth by For why more bright you shall me see Then that or any Gem can bee Dress not the house with sable weed As if there were some dismall deed Acted to be when I am gone There is no cause for me to mourn And let no badge of Herald be The signe of my Antiquity It was my glory I did spring From heavens eternall powerfull King â—o his bright Palace heir am I. â—is his promise hee 'l not lye â—y my dear Brother pray lay me 〈◊〉 was a promise made by thee â—nd now I must bid thee adieu â—or I 'me a parting now from you My Bill of thanks to Mr. C. THough my words rare thou dost not finde Might not God be prais'd by my minde The heart not phrase God doth esteem To him my heart in them are seen Let men like God my words not minde In them a thankfull heart they finde To praise him is my souls intent For his great blessings he hath sent You said at the end of my dayes God would them bring out to my praise My own praise I regard it
will bee I 'le kiss the Rod and honour thee And if thou' rt vertuous as 't is sed Thou 'lt have the glory when thou' rt dead Sith Kings and Princes scourged be Whip thou the Lawyer from his fee That is so great when nought they doe And we are put off from our due But they for their excuse do say 'T is from the Law is our delay By Tyrants heads those laws were made As by the learned it is said If then from Tyrants you 'l us free Free us from their Laws Tyranny If not wee 'l say the head is pale But still the sting lives in the tail To a Lady that bragg'd of her Children IF thou hast cause to joy in thine I have cause too to joy of mine Thine did proceed from sinfull race Mine from the heavenly dew of grace Thine at their birth did pain thee bring When mine are borne I set and sing Thine doth delight in nought but sin My Babes work is to praise heav'ns King Thine bring both sorrow pain and fear Mine banish from me dreadfull care The Conquest GOd made on earth a paradice at first For man but he by sin betrayd his trust But heavens great Prince who came to conquer sin For me won Heaven and Paradise againe Questions and Answers Qu. LOrd why have I so much from thee An. Th' art child to me Qu. But why on earth have I such store An. In Heav'n is more Qu. Lord I have more then I doe need An. The poor then feed Then sith I 'me thine I 'le be divine And what I 've more I 'le give the poor To a Friend for her Naked Breasts MAdam I praise you ' cause you 'r free And you doe not conceal from me What hidden in your heart doth lye If I can it through your breasts spy Some Ladies will not show their breasts For feare men think they are undrest Or by 't their hearts they should discover They do 't to tempt some wanton Lover They are afraid tempters to be Because a Curse impos'd they see Upon the tempter that was first By an all-seeing God that 's just But though I praise you have a care Of that al-seeing eye and feare Lest he through your bare brests see sin And punish you for what 's within Safety MY gracious God be not my foe It matters not if man be so And let my wayes great God please thee Then from all foes I shall be free What Kingdome to be wisht WHose Kingdome can I wish but thine Who mak'st hell Heaven and me divine â—hat Kingdome ought I wish to be â—t where all thine shall reign with thee â—l thoughts of Kingdoms I will banish â—t of thy Kingdome will not vanish No Kingdome must I wish But Heav'ns great Prince of glory Which if I be divine Will be mine onely story â—arthly blessings doe me surround With heavenly blessings I am crown'd â—n earth I live free from all care â—ecause heavens King I love and feare Comfort in Temptations and Afflictions COme Christians that so mazed bee At earths events O come and see What cause there is for your dismay When God takes care for you each day Th' Apostle bids us then to joy When as temptations us annoy And heavens great Prince sed unto you Before he bid the earth adieu Let not your hearts here troubled be For if you do beleeve on me In heav'n a Palace there is for you Fear not in me it is your due I' st prison that doth you afright In dungeon deep hee 'l be your light I' st war whose fear you do pretend The Lord of Host can you defend I' st sicknes that doth cause your dread He easie can make your sick bed Unless by these he will you take Into his glory and there make You to behold those Visions fair Will ravish you from all your care Then sith heav'ns King can safe you keep There is no cause for you to weep You shall not enter to his rest If you by doubting him molest On going to the Sacrament I To the world Lord will let know That I desire thy death to show By going to some publick place And take the pledges of thy grace And when I take the bread then I Will say my Lord did for me dye And thus I le doe great God for thee For thou hast done much more for mee And when I drinke the wine I le tell Thy blood redeem'd my soul from hell And then I le offer up to thee What thou sweet Prince requirest of me None but the Sacrifice of praise Dost thou require now adayes And that I should remember thee When as these things are done by mee My Prayer in my Youth MY Lord whose mercies to me are unspeakable Who in thy works art great and powerfull wholly bend mine affection on that which is certain and not subject to varibility to that which no sinister mishap can alter Oh let not my Soul which thou hast made to be fed with heavenly Manna which still will last here seek to be satisfied with vain delights which soon will vanish Banish from me the Thoughts of vaine delights and make me know that they must end And for those infinite blessings which thou hast deigned to bestow upon me make me for ever to admire thee and from my heart send up the sweet incense of thanks and praise for thy heavenly benefits bestowed on me thine unworthy servant The Temptation MY Soul Woulst thou finde favour with the Lord be not then afraid to goe to him Let not the feare of thy former past sins nor of thy continuall weakness be an occasion to hinder thee of thy happiness but let the assurance of the pardon of thy sins and the certainty of the promise to strengthen thy weakness animate thee to goe confidently to the throne of grace There do not imagine that thou seest thy sins stand as a thick cloud to keep thy prayers from ascending to the presence of thy God nor think that through that dark cloud thou seem'st unseemly in the eyes of thy loving father be not thou ignorant that the bright beames of his gracious favour hath dispersed those clouds of thy sins never to be gathered again together before his pure eyes Know thou that he will not let such fearfull sights and sad appearances to stand in his presence to afright his dear chosen children No my Soul such sights are not there he that cals thee hath removed from thee all those things which should hinder thy passage to him or disturbe thy quiet appearance before him He cals thee and bids thee be confident in his presence He assured thee by his word that thou shalt finde his spirit strengthning thy weakness and inabling thee to performe that which thou thoughtest impossible for thee to overcome My Soul he hath brought thee from thy straying errours he hath inabled thee to overcome the manifold temptations of thy suttle enemy when he would have made thee to have
them out of all their troubles needs must thou be compassed about with Songs of delight thou couldst not chuse but sing thy Self too those Songs thou diddest teach to thy chief Singers that they might inclose thee in the sweet aire of delighting praises and with thee my Soule must desire to sing when with thee I am so protected Saint Stephen GOd can make our faces to shine like Angels to daunt our enemies and he here can make us to see his face to shine in glory to comfort our Souls Why then should we fear our fiercest enemies why then should we not be confident of the aide of our loving and powerfull God Thy blessed power is like thy Light But our frail fear is like our night MY Soul being plac'st on the wings of contemplation with them raises me to the Regions of felicity The foundation and felicity MY great God! Thou that hast aided me in laying the foundation of assurance assist me still now â—owring in the turrets of contentment and let all know that they can never with safety ascend the turrets of delighting contentment if they have not first laid the true foundation of assurance Vpon the Temptation of the doubting of Heaven MY Soul Though that subtle enemy of thine and of all men doe seek to seduce thee by his insinuating perswasions to doubt of that unexpressable and immortall felicity of thy Soul and body yet my Soule faint not For if the holy Writ be true thy felicity is certaine the which my gracious God I doe most confidently believe to be the written word of the God of all the world by whose word and will I and this FabriCk were created though that pernicious enemy seeks to perswade me that it is a fancy of a studious braine and writ to keep people in awe to human obedience And because nothing doth please our Souls but the thoughts of eternall blisse nor afright them but the dread of eternall punishment therefore have they fained a heaven for reward of the vertuous and a hell for punishment of the disobedient and that those felicities of which I have written are but fictions of my owne braine and somewhat like they that invented it and partly taken out of it But my gracious God keep me that I fall not by these temptations but let me know why he is and hath been so busie in drawing me to doubt of thy being and of that glorious heaven which I do notwithstanding his temptations believe I shall possesse with thee My God is it to draw me to a loose liberty of my life and so by disobeying thee I might live in fear of being cast out of thy favour to eternall punishment if so I will tell him that he may cease his labour for if that which I beleeve to be the holy word of God be a fancy of any braine it is so just and pleasing to my soul that with all my power and might I will endeavour to lead my life according to the direction of that exact and royall Law and so hatefull is any thing to me that is contrary to it that when thorow my frailty I doe what in it is forbidden I am hatefull to my selfe till I am assured that that offence be washed from me and that something within me assures me that the breach of that transgression is pardon'd This is a strong argument to me against that temptation and of the divinity and eternity of my Soul for if my Soul were not to be eternally either happy or miserable why should the expectation of eternall misery trouble me and the assurance of eternall blisse so exceedingly joy me Tempter goe Reason and experience teacheth us to see that likenesse breeds love our Souls our minds for such things there are can never love nor delight in what is not but our Souls affect eternall glory then sure such a thing there is but be it so or be it not such a thing is presented to our consideration and if I am not to live a life of eternall blisse hereafter yet for the happinesse of my present life I will so neer as I can run in the paths that lead to that heaven which I so much affect that I might live with a confident hope that I shall possesse it for nothing can truely satisfie my Soul but a heaven of eternity and with these thoughts I can live on earth in a heaven of felicity Tempter Thou art like to loose thy labour for I must take up that resolution not to live a sensuall and vicious life for if I have no grace such a life is hatefull to my disposition and such a life would not I live were there no God to give blessednesse or no Devil to torment But one thing more I have now to tell thee I in the Sanctuary of the great God of all the world presenting my petitions to him that by something I might be assur'd that thy wicked suggestions to make me doubt of his being were false I was directed to consider the glorious Sun which then shined bright in mine eyes so that I plainly see that great God of whose being thou wouldst have me doubt doth aid and assist me against thy wicked temptations for it cannot be but a great God that can make and governe so glorious and so great a light the God that made that made me that God I did offend in my first parents and since in my owne person but to him am reconciled in his first borne Son Jesus Christ who is God and man and for his sake shall I possesse a Kindome of felicity here and at the last a Kingdome of eternall glory To him be Glory On the Sun-rising AS the appearance of the Sun-beams disperseth the clouds of darkness which brings sadness to the earth so let the bright shining beams of thy Spirit O heavenly Son of light disperse the clouds of darke despairing thoughts and vaine imaginations the which do darken the brightness of my Soul and bring sadness to my heart Let them purifie and raise my minde that I may still be singing praise and let me ever say To my great God all glory be Who makes his light to shine on me Heaven upon Earth MY Lord Though thou wilt not take me from earth to live in Heaven with thee yet thou comming â—rom heaven to live on earth with me makes me on â—arth to live in heaven with thee The Temple MY God! Is my body the Temple of the Holy Ghost What Palace can there be in this small Fabrick fit â—o entertaine so great a Prince yet thou hast said If my love thee thy Father will love them and thou and â—ee and thy holy spirit which cannot be separated â—rom thee will come and make thy abode with him My Lord and King thou knowest I love thee for â—ong since I was willing to have left the world and all â—he blessings that thou hast given me in it to have gone to live with thee but what talke I
how rare and sweet they sing My senses now are ravisht quite My Soule is fill'd with such delight That if I now my choice might have They should my body lay in grave And say That I did chuse to dye And let my body on earth lye Till it most glorious should bee Like to Those Angels that we see The holy Spirit there doth bide For in the Son they all reside No bodily presence doth appear But of that God that sufferd here These glories cannot limned bee By my frail pencell well I see Now let us down those banks like green Rich Velvet whereupon are seen Bright orient Pearl and Rubies fair Strow'd on the velvet here and there Bright Diamonds scattered there doe lye Look there springs up the violet by As if a pride that sweet flower took Her face in that bright Gem to look The pure white Violet doth delight To hang upon that Ruby bright The sweet Carnation Pink that growes By that rich Pearl howe fine it show's Now let us on these sweet bancks rest Methinks we are divinely blest Look by those christall streams there grows The Lilly fair and lovely Rose How in the waters they doe show Brighter then they do where they grow A Lustre fine those waters give Into those plants that by them live Come let us now goe walk and see Like whom we shall hereafter be See there Elias doth appear Like to the Angels that are here did forget we shall in light Be like his glorious body bright But hark Methinks I hear one say Thou must from Heaven to Earth away You must your children goe and teach How they this blessed place may reach â—will be a pleasant sight to see Their faces like those Angels bee The which ere while we did behold In Robes more bright then is the gold The which on earth we think so fine When we in those base mettals shine But yet before you goe away â—ere me a little what I say â—f crosse you find things goe below On earth a while it must be so â—et it not trouble your blest mind â—n Heaven you shall no crossness find â—f any aske you how I fare Then tell them sure I 'me free from care For I 'me in heaven you left me there The Vision WHy from celestiall bliss did you Draw me these meaner things to view Through those faire gates of pearl get I And that most pleasant wall past by Up that pure river strait I went That from the throne takes his ascent Then to the glorious throne I got Where I did see O God what not For whatsoever doth excell In thee doth in perfection dwell That glorious Lustre and bright ray Made me forget my mortall day Me thought that fine Orientall light Made me like it appear as bright From these sweet joyes why draw you me My self in meaner Robes to see For since I us'd to heaven to go All things on earth do sordid show The Heart TWo hearts in one breast can there not remain The one heart puts the other heart to pain My heart I will still keep take thou thine own My heart is happy when disturb'd by none Without a heart I know you cannot live Therefore your own I freely to you give Mine is in Heaven and will admit no change To leave my rest in heaven on earth to range I 'de have it written in my happy story None had my heart but heav'ns great prince of glory My youths affection to him I did send None can have any but what he will lend From mortall thraldome deare Prince keep thou me So though on earth I as in heaven shall bee The Bride â—Ith you me ask Why borne was I I 'le tell you t was to heaven to fly â—â—t here to live a slavish life 〈◊〉 being to the world a wife â—hen I was born I was set free â—om mortals thraldom here to bee â—r that great Prince prepar'd a bride â—â—at for my love on earth here dy'd â—â—y not I then earths thraldom scorn â—th for heavens Prince I here was born â—â—match't in heaven I we are a Crown â—t earthly thraldome puls me downe On the day dedicated to the God of Heaven â—Ord if this day belongs to thee No part of it pertains to mee â—hen sith this Day is wholly thine â—et thoughts and actions be divine â—et my soule be divinely clad â—nd let me be like Angels glad â—ith Angels food this day feed mee â—nd let heav'ns Nectar my drink bee â—nd to compleat my hearts desire â—nd downe a beam of heav'ns bright sire 〈◊〉 it let me that pure path see â—hat leads to glorious bliss and thee The Defiance COme now tumultuous flouds and show Your spite by tumults you shall know Eliza's plac'st above your reach Upon her soul you make no breach Unto the world you do let see You 'd have her loose but gain shall shee What you can get she doth not mind Her treasure lies not in your wind When my Brother was sick IF that my Brother thou wilt take from me Lord with thy will make me contented be But if it be thy blessed will my Lord To my request to bend and to accord And if no harm to him that it might bee In this request then gracious God hear me And grant that well and long he here may live And honor thee and glory to thee give And be an instrument here of thy praise And in thy service spend and end his daies But if in his young years my Lord thou please From paine and grief to take him unto ease And if thou fitter dost my Brother see With thee to raign in glory then to be Here subject to a world of slavish fears For in this mortall world we must have cares Onely in heaven we shall sweet freedom gain In heaven there is no fear no care nor pain Then to thy holy will my gracious Lord Make me thy servant ever to accord And if to Heaven thou wilt my Brother take â— pray thee teach my soul for to forsake â—ain earthly thoughts and flee from earth to thee â—o with my Brothers soul my soul shall bee My wishes are those beams may ravish thee That wrapt me now in sweet felicity The Guard YOu blessed Angels that still live And tendance on us mortals give From my most dear Lord you are sent To tend on me for the intent From harm and danger me to keep You are my guard while I do sleep â— do not grudge for to confesse Nay my poor soul can say no lesse â— am unworthy of that favour Granted to me from my Father That you on me should tendance give Yee which in glory still do live â— have offended him each hour And done the ill lay in my power Then you that still obedient be Oh! why should you attend on me This is a mystery full deep You being righteous sinners keep My God I pray thee make me know Why those blest Angels should do so For should I my
leaving the world to come to live with thee Thou art come into â—he world to live with mee and in me But my great Lord where in me shall I finde thee hast thou inâ—hron'd thy selfe in my heart give me then thy assistance that no proud imagination for my own greatnes may arise to disinthrone thee and make the distaste that habitation but be thou in my heart ever attended by sweet humility and humble obedience Let all the members of my body be imployed in thy service Let my hands administer to thy Saints and not stretcht â—ut to covetousnesse Let my feet be swift to run in the wayes of thy commandements and not to shed innocent blood or if in my head thou hast taken up thy seat there let humility attend on thee too or I shaâ—â— fear thou wilt goe from me for thou resistest thâ—â— proud but though thou beest high and instabitest eternity yet thou O great Prince will dwell with thâ— humble Then in my head and in all that belong to 〈◊〉 doe thou finde humble obedience that there I mighâ— retaine thee Let not mine eyes have any proud look nor be windows to lett in vanity but let them be eveâ— looking to the hils from whence cometh my salvation Let not my tongue which thou hast given me to servâ— thee be imployed to back-bite or defame any thâ— least of thy children or any one for how know I who arâ— thine or who not but let my tongue be ever speakinâ— to thy praise and glory and let the words of moutâ— be accptable in thy sight nor let mine ears listen tâ— any idle or unseemly discourse that may displease thâ— divine Majesty and let my nostrils be ever filled witâ— the sweet savour that comes from thy heavenly garments So if all the faculties of my body be imployeâ— by my Soul humbly to serve thee I shall live and expresse a glorying heart because I know this body is thâ— Temple of the Deity Then where I am a Heaven must be For thou dost bring a Heaven with thee The true Object of Love MY Lord When thou wert pleas'd to take my thoughts quite off from the world I was directed to regard that place where thou bidst us cease from man for wherein is he to be accounted of for his breath is in his nostrils yet he a creature after thine owne image and the excellentest of all thy workman ship on earth yet this rare creature his love his hatred not to be regarded for thou canst in an instant take away that thin fume of life and then what power hath he to love or hate My Lord He is indeed a most contemptible creature in respect of thee But when my Soul enters into the consideration of thy greatnesse and deep abisse of thy endlesse power and mercy My Soul is struck dumbe and knows not what to say but silence giving me opportunity to consider of thy infinite love to me power forme beauty and excellency in and about thee my Soul is wounded with a deep affection towards thee and love cannot will not be silent And â—ow my great and powerfull God was it not enough for thee to make so great and beautifull a structure for me and for all men but when I had run from thee by my disobedience into the territories and tormenting arms of my enemy for thee O most glorious Prince of eternall blisse to leave thy Kingdome where thou â—ert attended by a multitude of bright Angels and blessed Saints which continually sing thy praises with â—heir heavenly voices for thee to leave such transcendent delights to take on thee my frail flesh and come â—o me and subject thy selfe to all the contempts that â—n insulting enemy could impose had nor this been enough to have manifested an unanswerable love to so contemptible a creature but thou My dear Prince I who wouldest set a perfect patterne of humility and â—ove for all that were thine to follow for love to mee â—hou wert content to dye and the most painfull and igâ—ominious death that could be inflicted on the meanâ—st person Thou who wert serv'd by all the world was â—leas'd thus to serve for me and to dye to save me from â—ternall death and before I knew into what tormentâ—ng habitation I had plung'd my selfe by my rebellion â—hou wert pleas'd to declare to me how thou hadst reâ—eem'd me out of those most cruel inthralments by â—hy willingly yeelding to dye for me for none could â—ave power O great Prince of Heaven and earth to have taken away thy life hadst thou not laid it downâ— of thine owne accord thou wert please to tell me too though I live here among thy enemies and mine yet â— should not be afraid of them for they can but kill my body and that too not without thy leave for none caâ—â— take thy children out of thy hand unlesse thou arâ— pleas'd to deliver them into the hand of their persecutors and by that fiery Chariot to convey us to that immortall Kingdome which thou hast promised to thou that beleeve on thee where we shall receive from thâ— hand the beautifull Crowne of our eternall glory â— my God! Who can chuse but be ravisht with thy unfaâ—dom'd mercy and unexpressable love to thy poor yeâ— by thee inriched creatures My dear Prince Whaâ— shall I doe to let all the world know what engagements my Soul hath to thee I do wish it were in my power as in my desires that all the world may sing Halalujahs to thee for the saving of my Soul from thaâ— cruel adversary and for the glory that thou wilt inveâ—â— her in and that they would sing publick praises untâ— thee for thy mercies to themselves too would thaâ— were their imployment then should not thy service be so much slighted nor thy name so much dishonoured nor thy servants so much contemn'd But Let them sing praises to thy name Whom thou hast blest And kept their Souls from endlesse paine And plac'st in rest Thou hast me kept from hellish paine And plac'st in rest How can I chuse but praise thy name When I 'me so blest Rom. 12.1 MY Lord I cannot plead ignorance for I must confesse I have often read it and knew that I was to â—er up my self a living sacrifice to thy Majesty and to â—ve my selfe wholly to thy disposing and not to have â—y sequestred thoughts from thee dedicated to mine â—wn ends in either my actions words or thoughts but â—y dear Father I now plainly see the necessity of entring â—to thy Courts to hear thee most gracious Prince â—eake to us by thy Embassadors And I nor any other â—ught to say what should I go thither to hear a man â—ell me but what I knew before But my Lord thy Ordiâ—â—nces are powerfull and thou workest more effectually â—n our hearts for the most part by the preaching of â—y word from them then by our own reading and stuâ—y and now I begin to suspect I have not offered up my â—lse so