God that so loved the world as you know bids you not to love it as you are not ignorant of for the earth he has given into the hands of the sons of men but 't is himself he gives to the Son of God And because he resolv'd to satisfie them that they should and could have no more he calls himself their (m) Ps 16.5 La. 3.24 portion and godliness with content in it self their great gain pearl of price and one thing necessary Oh my soul The mighty Lord who humbles himself to behold the things that are done in earth calls thee to look up to him in heaven making the earth thy footstool as well as his own Knowing the emptiness of the earth and of the fulness thereof knowing the creature not onely subject to vanity but altogether lighter knowing all made things to be but nothing he charges thee to trust in none of their vanities I hope for salvation from none of their hills but to say of all creatures as he of all men (n) Psa 14.3 There is none that doth good no not one Ponder it then oh my soul though thy self art a very nothing and if it be worth my while to lose thee to gain the world yet sure it were a hard bargain to lose thy God for ten thousand worlds yea observe whoever parts with God parts with him for nothing though it be to save himself and all he has And do but think how heinously God must needs take it That of Nothings themselves any thing should be thought too much to part with for him who is our All. What thinkest thou oh my soul of Popish doctrines of Merit we our selves are but Nothings without God our services are less and are incapable of being greater than our selves Our God is our All if we give him any thing that 's good we must give him his own goodness and 't is a prodigious way of meriting to give any one his own Take heed to your self of this leaven and know You have and are nothing but what is Gods own I adjure thee by the living God That thou for ever seek him as no less than thy All that thou tell him That though every thing he made answers his Ends 't is He onely that made every thing can answer thine That thou say plainly That unless he be all things he is a poor God All he has beside himself being very Nothing to thy wants and desires and such as leaves thee in straits in the very (o) Job 20.22 fulness of its sufficiency Thou knowest oh my soul that wherever in a Duty Prayer c. he gives in of himself to a poor Nothing spirit 't is (p) Job 3.17 there the wicked cease from troubling and there the weary are at rest 4. A Soliloquy with God about Piety OH my God! even (q) Job 4.8 as I have seen They that plow iniquity and sow wickedness reap the same (r) 20. They are destroyed from morning to evening they perish for ever none regarding it Were it of necessary choice I vow I had rather have the very devil my Guest than (s) Ro. 7.17 the sin that dwelleth in me and have Satan my Tyrant than sin my King Other evils are drones it is sin (t) 1 Co. 15.56 which is the sting of all Make me any thing what thou pleasest besides (u) Isa 45.99 a striver with my Maker the (x) Deu 32.33 wine of which contention is the poyson of dragons and venom of asps Oh my God! I read that (y) 2 Ti 4.3 godliness is profitable unto all things if so it must be profitable to sin it self I mean the finding driving and keeping it out and profitable to it self in maintaining feeding and cloathing it self well (z) 2. iT 6.6 With content herein I am told 't is great gain and I protest I believe it because as thou dost (a) Psa 4.3 set a part him that is godly for thy self so he that is godly sets apart thee for himself Methinks it is a strange question (b) Ex. 15.11 who is like unto thee Glorious in holiness Lord I would ask thee Who has any glory or holiness but is just like thee and that with a likeness of participation and representation Were I ask'd to whom I would liken God I would answer in both those wayes to every Saint on earth For (c) Joh. 5.22 as the Father judgeth no man so neither do they but commit all judgment to God the Son As (d) Ge. 18.25 the Judge of the whole earth doth right (e) 1 Pe. 1.17 so doe they and that (f) Phil. 2.15 without respect of persons their own or others The same mind is in them that was in God our Saviour and I may boldly say of Saints wills-deliberate (g) Ro. 9.19 who hath resisted his will To will just as God wills is (h) Ro. 7.18 present with them Thou chusest them and they chuse thee and they are a chusing as well as (i) 1 Pe 2.9 Luke 10.42 a chosen Generation Among their affections there is not one habitual Non conformist The very love of God (k) 1 Jo. 4.16 dwells in them their love and Gods has one object and 't is no other than that God hates which they hate if God loves his enemy they (l) Mat. 5.14 do so to if he hates themselves they will do so too Their way is to follow and imitate God and nothing satisfies them but his (m) Ps 17.15 likeness They never think they have done like themselves save when they have done like Christ Jesus They make the very graven image and likeness of him that is above in their conversation here below on the earth Their very eating drinking and sleeping bears the image and superscription of Christ on it and if any word or deed be not conformed to his likeness season'd with justice like salt they disown and renounce it and would not have it imputed by God unto them for the whole earth I may then call Saints (n) i Co 11.7 the image and glory of God the express image and likeness of him O my God my God! Let this likeness of thine be mine and let not my heart or life be disfigured by my corruptions and temptations which (o) Mat. 6.7 use vain repetitions as the heathen do thinking that they shall be heard for their much speaking against thy likeness Scatter my proud (p) Lu. 1.51 52. lusts pull down the mighty ones from their seats exalt my likeness to thee which is of so low degree Hear me oh my God! what I say e're I give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eye-lids (q) Job 6.8 9. Oh that might have my request and that God would grant me the thing I long for Even that it would please God to destroy my unlikene ss to himself and that he would let loose his hand and cut it
as other mens and though their love comes up like a flower it 's obnoxious to be cut or trod down like grass (g) Mat 6.30 which to day is and to morrow is cast into the oven Be thou my friend who changest not but lovest to the end yea world without end (h) Rev 2.10 who art faithful to the Death and givest thy friends a crown of Life whose love neither death can strike (i) Ro 3.38 39 nor life consume nor angels stop in the way nor principalities (k) Ro. 13.2 and powers resist to any but their own damnation nor things present cross nor things to come annoy nor heighth pull down nor depth swallow up nor any other creature do any other injury unto Oh my God make me know men (l) Jam. 1.8 are double-winded and their love is unstable in all its waies (m) He. 12.15 any root of bitterness may spring up and trouble it the rust of money (n) Mat 6.19 may corrupt it thieves may break in and steal it An unbridled tongue may ride over it and spoil it Oh make me sell all I have to get thy love thy love which is an inheritance (o) 1 Pe 1.4 5. incorruptible undefiled and that fades not away reserv'd in heaven kept through my faith indeed but by thy power unto salvation Make me know good Lord That all the friends on earth can't make one (p) Mat. 5.36 hair of my head white or black nor by (q) Mat 6.27 taking ever so much thought add one cubit to my stature when sick or sorrowful there 's not one to whom I can say (r) Mat. 8.2 7. If thou wilt thou canst make me clean and whole nor can a soul of them say I will come and heal thee (s) Job 7.38 But oh my God he that believeth in thee though he were dead yet should he live Thou canst (t) Ezo 37.6 lay sinews upon dry bones cover them with flesh and breath in life 'T is but a word (u) Heb 11.3 and a world with thee (x) Ecc 1.15 that which is crooked thou canst make strait and that which is wanting thou canst number it My God my God I beseech thee put away my lovers and friends from me and (y) Job 19.13 let my acquaintance be estranged from that intimacie and perpetuitie of converse with them which hinders my communion with thee Though of all things below they are the sweetest they cannot (z) Pro 30 8. feed me with food convenient for me though I am greatly prone to put (a) Pro. 25.19 confidence in them I find that confidence in them in time of trouble is like a broken tooth and a foot out of joynt Though they have (b) Eph 4.28 stole away too too much of my affection already Oh my God let them steal no more Enable me to (c) Luk 14.26 hate my very father as much as is requisite to come a friend to thee Be thou my whole acquaintance and let me be ever with thee either in delights or desires Let me be a (d) Psal 119.23 companion of all them that love thee but let my communion be with and my strong confidence be in thee who art never better known than trusted Amen my God and Saviour Amen Amen! 10. A Soliloquy with God of the Holy Scriptures BLessed God (x) Job 6.25 how forcible are right words thine I am sure are Right because thine and right forcible because they are such (y) Jer. 23.29 hammers as break the very Rocks of my heart such a fire as pierces into my inmost depths and reaches the dross (z) 1 Co 2.9 which no Eye hath seen or ear heard Such Monitors as whoever won't hear (a) Luk 16.31 would not believe if one came from the dead Such as (b) Psal 119.9 cleanse the ways of even young men themselves so hard to be reclaimed that David cries out astonishedly Wherewithall shall a man young cleanse his waies Of very stocks and stones thy word (c) Mat. 3.9 has rais'd up children to Abraham It is (d) Isa 43.1 the arm of God yea and very sword too God the Father's arm God the Son's (e) 1 Co 4.20 power God the (f) Eph 6.17 Spirits sword Oh my God (g) Pre. 15.23 words spoken in season how good are they but when are thine out of season When (h) 1 Pe 2.2 we are babes they are milk (i) Pro 16.24 sweet and nourishing When grown they are strong meat making us go in thy wayes without weariness yea (k) Psal 19.5 run without fainting when in bitterness of sin and sorrow they are honey pleasant and purgative too When in doubts they are Counsellors when fainting (l) Can 2.5 they are flagons of soul-reviving cordials and apples of comfort When quite dead and the spirit gone (m) Jo. 6 6â— the words which thou sayest they are spirit and they are life (n) Jam 1.18 We are begotten by thy holy word (o) psa 119.93 as many as are born of God! We are fed by the same and no better fed than taught neither O my God there is not a (p) Psa 119 105. word in my tongue but thou knowest it altogether Oh would to Christ there may not be a (q) Psal 139.4 word in thy Book but I may know it altogether (r) Jam 1.5 Praised be thy holy Name thou dost not say If any man want wisdom that then he shall strait be damn'd for a fool but sayest That then he should ask it of thee Lord I ask of thee that (s) 2 Ti. 3.15 wisedom to salvation which thy word alone is able to give me I observe That all worldly wise withour this are (t) Mat. 10.16 as harmless as serpents as wise as doves without hearts they are wise to do evil in the form of godliness but to do good as good they have (u) Jer. 4.22 none the least knowledge What are all humane Authors that I should take knowledge (x) Psal 144.3 of them Or the most Learned that I should make account of them (y) Isa 55.8 9. Their words are not as thy words nor their notions as thy notions As the heavens are high above the earth so are thy words high above their words thy notions above theirs Methinks of all the Books in my Studie it is my Bible onely which can use the mighty Lords own words (z) Isa 45.22 Look unto me and be ye saved All the ends of the earth (a) Pro. 8.18 20 21 14. riches and honour are with me yea durable riches and honours lead in the way of righteousness in the midst of the paths of Judgement That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance and I will fill their treasures Counsel is mine and sound wisedom I am understanding I have strength Other Books I confess with their
it and very reason too in a great measure they drive it from Saints yea from men They make its dwelling with (t) Dan 4.31 32. Hos 12 1. beasts of the field they make it to eat the grass with carnal oxen with Ephraim to feed on the wind and follow after the Eastwind yea they sometimes turn the children (u) Mat 3.9 of Abraham into stones obdurate and insensible As for acts of Devotion (x) Hos 13.3 Prayer Meditation c. Vain thoughts make them First to be as the morning cloud and as the early dew as the chaff driven with the whirl-wind out of the floor and as the smoke out of the chimney which leave no sign behind them And Secondly to be meer (y) Jud. 12 13. clouds without water trees whose fruit wither without fruit twice dead pluck'd up by the roots raging waves of a sea of hypocrisie foming out the souls shame they make them grievous to us and odious to God As for the means of Devotion holy Meditation alone holy conference with Christians holy use of God's Word and good Books Oh my soul sadly dost thou know how vain thoughts make one (z) Rev 3.16 spue them out of ones mouth or at least tast no more in them than in the white of eggs Thou knowest vain thoughts make the heart like the Leviathans firm as a stone yea hard as a piece of the nether milstone and then let God's Books or his Saints or both say to us as Job to his friends (a) Job 27.11 I will teach you by the hand of God that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal Yet they will be utterly contemn'd and be to us Physicians of no value As for the Opposites and Contraries of Devotion Pride earthlymindedness Atheism it self vain thoughts are those which took them out of the (b) Psal 22.9 10. Psal 25 13. womb upon vain thoughts they were cast from the very breasts and vain thoughts were their Gods even from the belly Vain thoughts make them to dwell at ease and to lift up their heads above the heads of Humility Heavenlymindedness and practical piety All things methinks of every sort sayes to vain thoughts You are our (c) Psal 142.5 refuge and our hiding-place You are the hills whence cometh our help They will not in truth my soul they will (d) Psal 3.5 Hos 13.8 not be affraid of ten thousands of Sermons which set themselves against them They will lye down and sleep and awake while vain thoughts sustain them Sermons Conferences c. would meet every of thy sins and rent the caul of their hearts They would make their strong holds like (e) Nah 3.12 fig-trees with the first ripe figs if they were but shaken they would fall Were it not that (f) Psal 125.2 as the mountains stand round about Jerusalem so vain thoughts stand so about my corruptions that the means of Grace can't have full reach of them Would my God but cast down my (g) 2 Co 10.5 Rev. 18 2. Psal 10.4 imaginations and bring my thoughts into captivity and the obedience of Jesus then should my heart be no longer the habitation of Devils and the hold of every foul spirit and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird But hear oh my soul if God be in all thy thoughts vanity and sin will be in all thy best words and deeds For the love of Christ go cry to thy God and say (h) Pro 6.2 Thou art snar'd with the thoughts of thy heart Beg him for Christ's sake that their root may be dryed up and they may bear no more fruit yea though they should bring forth Hos 9.16 that he would stay even the beloved fruit of their womb and dash their little ones against the stones Now consider this oh ye the poor beginnings of grace and comfort within me least vain thoughts (i) Psal 50.22 tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver you 20. A Soliloquy of idle words (a) Gen 15.5 LOok now toward Heaven oh my soul and tell the stars if thou be able to number them Lift up thine eyes (b) Gen 13.14 16. look abroad from the place where thou art Northward and Southward Eastward and Westward if thou canst tell the stars and count the dust of the earth then may thy (c) Job 6.25 Mar. 7.18 words also be numbred words of which there 's not one but is very forcible whether right or no for though but too oft thou makest the words of God of none effect in one sense God will never make thine of none effect in another but will by them (d) Mat 12.37 or justifie or condemn thee (e) Jam 3.10 Out of every of thy so many words a blessing or curse is sure to proceed and wo be to thee if God make thee an offender for a word unrepented of For as every unsanctified tongue so every vain word thereof is it self a world of iniquity yea behold 't is (f) Psal 51.5 shapen in iniquity and in sin doth the heart conceive it 'T is by nature a (g) Eph 2.3 child of wrath even as other works of disobedience 't is of its (h) Joh 8.44 Joh. 8.48 Luke 10.17 father the Devil and the works of its father it will do damn it self and its corrupted hearers Say I not well to every of thy idle words then Thou art a Samaritan and hast a devil Devils without all peradventure they are and oh would God thou couldst now go say Lord these devils are subject to me in thy Name If (i) 1 Joh 3.8 such as commit sin be of the devil I am certain they are his genuine seed and issue for why (k) Ro. 3.23 sin dwelleth in them and they are carnal sold under sin they lay on thee weights and make actual sins easily beset thee Yea farther oh my soul thy idle words have not only sinned all of them and come short of the (l) Ro. 7.13 14. glory of God but they have made many to be sinful through them who else had not known the sins imparted to them In a word idle words the plague of their plagues is they become (m) 1 Jo 2.2 propitiations for sin and not for ones own onely but the whole companies God's word is indeed the (n) Psal 119.105 Read Isa â— 8 Phil. 2.16 light to our feet and the due lanthorn to our paths But the very truth is there 's a kind of ignis fatuus a false light sparkling out of ones own words which generally does lead our feet and chalk out our paths Nor have evil communications a little influence on like manners every word of ours is ordinarily a word of life in a sense God rarely holding our hearts when once (o) Psal 12.4 Psal 2. our lips are our own and our hands ever breaking his bonds asunder and casting his cords behind us assoon as his
created all things by Christ Jesus since the very Faith of all things being created is by him also it being impossible that man should rightly know himself (s) Gal. 6.15 to be any creature 'till he is a new one They are not many thousands of years past since there was no being but thy own nor indeed is there any now whose name is Jam or is not rather a Nothing than a Being besides thy own but as if when thou created'st ours thou hadst annihilated thy own and thou hadst ceased to be scon after we began to be how art thou as sar out of mind as out of sight with me for the most part How rarely and faintly do I say (t) Job 19.25 I know that my Redeemer or my Creator either liveth So difficult it is to weak Faith to believe thee the Maker of heaven and earth that I am put hard to it many times to think thee the Maker of that little spot and clod of earth that I carry about me I am so bad at remembring thee the worlds Creator that I have much ado to remember thee my very own But did (u) Eccles 12.1 I not live move and have (x) Act. 17.28 my Being in thee the fault would be less heinous and monstrous Thou art nigher to me than I am to my self and I have as perpetually and necessarily thy upholding as my own subsisting so that did I not forget my self I could not possibly forget thee Nay and did I not forget all things 't were impossible but I must remember their Maker being all bear thy superscription yea and aloud say of thee It is he that hath made us Psal 37 17. and not we our selves (z) 1 Ti. 4.4 Every creature of God is good to teach me were I but good to learn it s being a creature and God being its Creator But oh my God! I neither learn of creatures to honour their Creator nor of the Creator to scorn creatures I can very seldome see either thee as thou art in thy self or them as they are in themselves I converse much with both and yet but little because I converse with thee without thy Attributes and with them without theirs not viewing them as insufficient or thee as alsufficient (a) Isa 54.5 If thou my Maker as the prophet speaks art my husband and jealousie be the rage of a man himself sure it concerns me to look better to my wayes than to go a whoring after the idols of my foolish imagination I find to my wo I converse mostly with nothings not with thee the Creator or thy creatures but with the idols and creatures of my own corrupt fancy For as there is no such God as I but too oft conceive thee so there are no such-creatures as I oft conceive them to be There is no God less than omnipotent there are no creatures more than nullipotent I am making an idol not worshipping thee when I contemplate of thee otherwise than of an Albeing God! and I am setting my (b) Pro. 23.5 eyes on that which is not when I am meditating of them as any other than as very Nothings as to subsistence without thy providence as they were to existence without thy creation There were variableness with thee indeed and more than shadow of turning if thou wert not as Albeing a God now as before thou madest all beings and sure if I and all thy other creatures were more than Nothings and if thou wert not-the very Being of our beings thou couldst not so be Teach me then oh my God! teach me to have all creatures manifest in my sight and thee the Creator also Shew me manifestly That thou Art as really and to Faith as apparently the Albeing God and Good as thou wast before the world began and that all thy creatures Beings consist in being Nothing without thee now as before they ever were manifest to me Oh my God! how thou hast made Nothings but very Nothings not one Being that has any Beings more without that which it derives from thy prouidence than it had without that which it drew from thy creation Not being without thee is as essential to a creature as being by thee For could it be any thing without thee its name would be I am (c) Isa 40.6 and it must be a God And wo is me if I deny the Unity of the Godhead as oft as I think of created Beings without the thought of their not Being it being not possible that thou shouldst be I Am if there be any beside thee or if there be any thing beside thee which is not a Nothing without thee Every creature declares by its experience that God is its (d) 1 Co. 15.28 All in All and God works all its works in it and for it Lord make my soul the worst of thy creatures to make thee it s All in All the Being of its being and of all other beings neither conceiving of thee as less than All things or of the world more than a Nothing I may lose it and lose nothing but were it so that I could save my soul and lose thee I should lose my All. I may gain a world and gain just nothing but could I gain thee with the very loss of my soul I should gain all things For sure I am gain is of Good onely c. (e) Mat. 19.7 There is none Good but God thy Self oh my God who dost truly say to thy creatures all without me ye can do nothing 3. A Soliloquy with the Soul of the same Argument I Will now go to my soul I will consider her wayes and be wise Come now and let us reason together oh my soul If I should ask that which was once God's Question From whence connest thou I doubt you must return that which was once the devil's Answer (f) Job 2.2 From going to and fro in the earth The earth which he hath (g) Job 38.6 hang'd on nothing and charg'd you to lay no stress upon while you keep in this my (h) Co. 4.7 earthen Vessel your life indeed must be on earth but (i) Phil. 3.20 your conversation in heaven I would that you so use the world as not abusing it or your self You are both poor enough and you know who bids you wrong not the poor because the Lord is their Maker If you tell me That God pronounc'd all that he made (k) Ge. 1.31 very good I must tell you So it was and so it is for Gods ends with it But whether it be not as very ill for your ends with it is a doubt He intended all for his own glory for which 't is good and fit if you intend it for yours you will find it much otherwise because though (l) i Co. 1.27 God has chose even the foolish things of the world to manifest his wisedom with you must chuse the wise ones of a better world to manifest yours
off 5. A Soliloquy with Piety it self (r) Pro. 10.26 AS vineger to the teeth and as smoke to the eyes so is a sluggish heart to them that send it towards thee Oh piety (s) Pro. 13.7 There is that maketh himself rich without thee yet hath nothing There is that maketh himself poor with thee yet hath great riches (t) Psal 9.10 They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee for thou hast not forsaken them that seek thee They that seek thee early will find thee and they that find thee never lose their way If God himself make me happy without thee he must make me happy without happiness (u) Mat 8.8 I am not worthy indeed that thou shouldst come under my roof because in my house there are many mansions of thy implacable enemies because too too often I have (x) Mat 7.6 given thy sacred things to dogs and thy pearl to swine I have killed the counsels and rebukes that were thy prophets and stoned the Embassadors that were sent unto me I have sometimes betrayed thee with a kiss and calling thee Lord done thee disservice Sometimes I have hid thy Talent in a Napkin and otherwhile sacrific'd to thee with the strange fire of blind zeal fire prepared by the devil and his angels I have seen thee a stranger and not took thee in Naked and cloathed thee not so much as with the garment of praise Sick and in prison hast thou been and I not visited thee Nay I have cry'd with the rabble (y) Lu. 23.21 Crucifie him crucifie him I will (z) Psal 38.18 declare my iniquity and I will be sorry for my sin I will now count all things but dung that I may win thee Though thou slayest me I will put my trust in thee and the loftiness of my looks to thee shall never be humbled Open oh piety open thou my lips and my mouth shall speak forth thy praise in thee I 'le (a) Act. 17.28 live move and have my being I 'le lust after no other beauty thy (b) Pro. 5.19 breasts shall satisfie me at all times and I 'le be ravisht alwayes with thy love I 'le fight the devil and wrestle with God for thee 6. A Soliloquy with God about his Law OH my God my God! (c) Psa 2.1 Job 21.1 Why do the Heathen rage and the people of the earth set themselves against the Lord and his Christ Why say they to thee Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Why cant they abide Christ's Gospel (d) Mal. 3.2 coming and endure that he should appear Does (e) Heb. 7.19 thy Law make nothing perfect yes it does It makes the world (f) Psa 139.2 hate thee with a perfect hatred and count thee its enemy Thy Law which binds the Kings of their lusts in chains and their Nobles in fetters of iron (g) Psa 135 8. which smites the first born of their Egypt and dasheth their little ones against the stones makes them say to the whole Trinity (h) Mat 25. Depart ye cursed and call to the devil (i) Jud. 9.11 as all the trees to the Bramble Come thou and reign over us Oh my God (k) Ro. 7.7 I had not known my own sin or other mens but by the Law for the sake of which (l) Gal. 3.29 Schoolmaster the whole world is out of love with thy School (m) Mat 5.19 Had Christ made an end of the Law I see none would have been offended in him but I see now his first Sermon has made him thousands of rebells But till the Fifth chapter of Matthew be blotted out there 's no hope of their return They will still pray That (n) Mat 6.9 10 13. their Father which is in hell his name may be hallow'd That his kingdom may come and his will be done in earth as 't is in hell That his may be the kingdom the power and the glory for ever and ever But oh my God! were (o) Job 6.25 right words forcible and would arguing reprove there were some hope For alas alas hast thou not made it (p) Jam 1.29 perfect liberty as perfect law And have not the (q) Ro. 8 21. sons of God a glorious liberty whom God restrains from nothing but (r) Joh. 8.32 slauery and exacts nothing from but to (s) Mat. 5.4 be like himself Lord Thou hast commanded nothing that I know of but the (t) Ex. 20. having no other God beside thee and what hurt is in this there is no other to have And if we make an idol that is a Nothing what true pleasure is theré in serving such a Lye any more than in making it If it be (u) Mal. 3.14 vain to serve any God sure 't is so to serve a vain one as a (x) Phi. 3.19 Belly and the other gods of this world Oh my God! in taking humane nature on me I have took on me (y) Phi. 2.7 the form of a servant and his servant I am to whom (z) Ro. 6.16 I obey could I find a better Master I would not say as David (a) Psa 116.10 I am thy servant I am thy servant I would say of this thy Law 'T is a hard saying who can bear it Nay I would (b) psal 2.3 break this Bond in sunder and cast this cord behind my back if I could But seeing (c) Isa 44.6 thou art God and there is none besides thee If this Law be a (d) Mat 11.30 yoke I 'le say it 't is an easie one and if any burden light enough in conscience a burden that I would not be without for my head and a yoke I had rather lose my neck than lose it If there be any (e) 2 Co 4.17 weight in it 't is a weight of glory and if at any time it seem (f) Heb 12.11 grievous I am sure it does seem so onely but afterwards bringeth forth the peaceable fruit which undeceives us I am sure as many as have known the good of it have took joyfully the (g) Heb 10.34 spoiling of all other goods for it If it mar any mirth how comes (h) Psal 16.11 fulness of joy into thy presence If it check pleasures how flourish they so at thy right hand Sure enough this Law is in full force there if it confine a man David took an ill course to walk (i) Psal 119 45. at liberty when he chose to live by it for that end and they err who call thy service perfect freedom if it makes valour flat how come (k) pro. 2 8. the righteous to be bold as lions and they that violate it to flee when none pursue Oh my God! I do confess I am (l) Jam. 1.18 a double-minded man and therefore unstable in my wayes I see that within me which tastes thy Law as (m) Mat 27.34
vineger and gall but I have also that in me which sayes to thy Law Thy (n) Can 4.11 lips oh my spouse drop as the honey-comb honey and milk are under thy tongue and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon I have that which sayes to thy Law (o) 1 Sa. 17.43 Am I a dog that thou comest to me with staves And I have that which rejoyns yes 't is a dog for the love of Christ beat it out I have that indeliberateness which upon the devils (p) Mat 3.9 all these things I will give thee will give the Law a repulse and I have that deliberacy which if it might have (q) Nu. 22.18 a house full of gold and silver will not go beyond the word of thy Law to do more or less I have that which resents (r) Mic. 4. the best of thy Laws as a briar and the most upright as a thorn hedge And I have that which in the (s) Mal. 3.7 day or night when it makes up its jewels maketh (t) Job 28.18 no mention of coral or pearls Ophirs gold or the precious Sardonyx but calls thy Law its (u) Isa 58.15 delight the ornament of Grace (x) Pro. 3.22 life to my soul and grace to my neck and this I can truly aver (y) Psa 139.21 23. I hate the men and things that hate thy Law I am griev'd with those that rise up against it I hate them with perfect hatred and I count them my enemies When thy righteous Law (z) Psal 341.5 smites me it is a kindness when it reproves me 't is an excellent oyl It breaks not my head with thoughts how to break its own but my heart with cares how to get a plaister from Christ For though I can't (a) Pro. 18.14 bear an unbroken spirit neither can I bear a wounded one Some imagine that the voice of thy Law is nothing but Cursed be every one But me thinks I hear all thy Laws saying with one mouth (b) Ge. 1.26 Come let us make man in our own image and their design seems to me to be (c) Tit. 2 14. the redeeming us from all iniquity purifying us as a peculiar people zealous of good works Oh my God! none ever perish'd by the Law falling on them but by their own (d) Mat 4.44 falling first on the Law 't is we break it and our selves in it If none are its (e) Joh. 15.14 friends but such as do whatsoever it commands I must stand out But if (f) Ro. 13.10 love unto be the fulfilling of the Law fure I am one such a one as ' t is Though (g) Luk 2.1 Augustus like it tax the whole world and meet not with any that payes it so slender tribute of obedience as my rebellious heart Yet this oh my God (h) Psa 38.18 I declare I will declare my iniquity and I will be sorry for my sin For I must needs say of thy Law as (i) Joh. 19.4 6. Pilate of thy Son I see no sault in him I will pray That all its (k) Heb. 10.13 enemies within me may be made its foot-stool and that it may (l) Jude 14.15 come into me with ten thousand of its arguments to execute judgment upon all and convince all ungodly lusts of their hard speeches against it and that now he may (m) Re. 2.27 rule them with a rod of iron For really (n) Ro. 3 19. the way of peace they have not known except by fighting against it Oh my God! let thy Law take away (o) Joh. 15.2 every branch that beareth fruit let it purge it that it may bring forth more fruit It hath of (p) Mat 4.24 old heal'd sick people taken with divers diseases and torments those that were possess'd with devils those which were lunatick and had the palsie And sure its (q) Nu. 11.23 hand is not shortned that it cannot save It has of old led souls into the (r) Can. 2.4 5. Banquetting house of the Gospel staying them with its flagons and comforting them with its apples when they have been sick of love to God and hatred to their sins Other (s) Isa 3.12 Icaders cause poor souls to err But oh my God let this (t) Luk 1.79 Guide lead my feet into the way of peace 7. A Soliloquy with God about his Promises LOrd when I turn to thy promises I am ready to ask my soul (u) Pro 23.5 Wilt thou set thine eyes on that which is not as if thy mouth spake vanity and thy right hand were a right hand of lies (x) Psa 104.8 Promises from God think I (y) Joh. 3 9. how can these things be (z) Psa 113.9 He humbles himself indeed to behold the things that are done in heaven But he won't humble them so low as to bring them to us on earth to will he (a) Mat. 16.19 Whomsoever thou bindest to thy service on earth to them art thou bound for rewarding each one in heaven Lord (b) Isa 53.1 who can believe this report and to whom is this Arm of the Lord revealed (c) Pro. 19 4. Every one is a friend to him that giveth gifts (d) Jam 1.17 and if so good perfect gifts come down from thee oh my God! Why is not every power of my soul thy friend (e) Pro. 18.16 A mans gift maketh room for him won't God's do so too 'T is good advice (f) Mar. 13.5 Take heed least any man deceive you But what am I affraid God will deceive me too (g) Psa 119.86 I hy commandments are faithful and are not (h) Ro. 4.16 thy promises sure Are they call'd exceeding great because they exceed belief and credibility (i) 2 re 1.4 and precious because too good to be true Are their Yea and (k) 2 Co 1 20. Amen changeable into Nay nay and must my faith (l) Jam. 2. 19. as the devils believe and tremble while it does so Shall I oh my God! shall I think it not (m) He. 6 18.17.16 impossible for thee to lie because my own incredulousness has made thee swear Do mens oaths put an end to strife (n) Luk 1.37 and shall not thine Must I be jealous that thy Word is the more infirm because firm'd by an oath Oh foolish brute (o) Gal. 3.1 who hath bewitched me Oh my God my God! (p) Acts 2.39 thy promises to me and my children are to them that are afar off from believing them We make (q) Mat 22.5 light of them and go every one our wayes one to his Book another to his play A fit of sickness a storm at Sea c. will make me cry (r) Mat 14 18. Bring them hither to me but alas even then (s) Mat 22.14 though many are called few are chosen they cannot answer me satisfactorily (t)
them and because he did them for thee and wilt thou stick to do more than ordinary for him Hear oh my soul not meerly (r) Mat 9.13 the whole in sin but the sick in grace do need the physician For Jesus came not onely that his souls should have life but that they (s) Joh. 10.10 should have it more abundantly If thou art not purged to bring forth more fruit 't is dubious whether thou art yet ingrafted in him (t) Joh. 15.2 or bearest any David confidently sayes God's right (u) See Psal 63 8. hand upheld him but when was that not when he ran from God no nor when he sate still neither no nor when he followed God ordinarily neither but when his very soul followed hard after God Solomon sayes (x) Pro 1.16 That the feet of some run to evil 'T is pity that good should be gone unto a slower pace and know thou my soul If hell be mostly (y) Psal 119.32 Can. 1.4 Heb. 12.1 run unto 't is a shame but to go to heaven and thou wast best look to it too for I mistake if there be any way to heaven besides (z) See 1 Cor. 9.24 the Race one in which it self be confident every Runniug won't obtain Beware of a false gallop Methinks S. Peter makes (a) 2 Pe 1.8 abounding in grace and daily addition the onely security against substraction St. Paul contends for (b) 2 Co 8.7 abounding in every particular grace I am sure one degree of abounding would not serve his turn neither Abound (c) 1 Th. 4.1 sayes he more and more nay and he was for (d) 1 Co 15.58 abounding alwayes too Youth and old age prosperity and adversity c. still abound And really all but need sith now I remember it what ever a man hath and abounds not in goes for nothing with him who is to be our Judge From him (e) Mat. 25 29. saith he that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath If so as (f) 1 Ti 5.17 the Elders must labour in the word and Doctrine I protest thou and thy neighbours were best labour hard in the word and practice of it 'T is true they (g) Re. 14.13 who do rest from their religious labours have their works follow them but if they don't follow them too and cast them at the bar of God far from that rest Say not oh my soul the wind blows in thy face set heavenward 'T is onely a (h) Pro. 20.4 sluggard that will not plow by reason of the cold He that observes the wind of any opposition well he may scatter he will never sow in the whole seed-time of grace and he that does but so much (i) Eccl 11.4 Pro. 20.4 as regard the clouds that drop down scuds of temporal inconveniences he may dream of reaping in the harvest of glory but there he may be and have nothing no not a drop it self to cool his tongue I tell thee oh my soul hindrances of thy pious diligence numberless thou maist make not one canst thou find made to thy hand Thou liest when thou saiest (k) Pro. 22.13 There 's a lion in the way without The lion that will bite thee I mean for why (l) 1 Pet 5.8 Satan is a lion that if but resisted faithfully will not bite thee at all unless his flight and leaving thee to sin alone will bite thee The lion if any be is in the den of thy brutish sluggish heart whose lusts indeed are roaring lions ever seeking what gracious motions they may devour No man stands idle but he who stands for idleness and I may boldly say it as of every wicked Agent so of every one wickedly inactive who (m) Ro. 9.19 hath resisted his will Even we poor potsheards have (n) Ro. 9.21 power over the dab of clay call'd our selves to make freely one action unto the honour and another to the dishonour of our Christian names God gives us would we but give our selves (o) Phi 2.13 to will and to do We have his could we get but our own good pleasure (p) Pro. 19.15 The deep sleep in which we can't work 't is slothfulness casts us into that the (q) Pro. 15.19 nettles and thorns that make irksom our work are also its product Oh my soul let not idleness (r) Pro. 24.30 31. hinge thee on thy bed and give thy hand to thy bosome (s) Pro 26.14 15. and then thou shalt find it no more grievous to set thy hand to God's plow than to put it to thy mouth even with thy necessary food Methinks the Authour of the Epistle to the (t) See Heb. 6.12 Hebrews makes Believers and slothful Professors nothing a kin his But is so adversative and I protest 't is enough to make thy betters in sacred industry shake again to once Con Solomon's Observation Slothfulness not onely confuses the materials of one that is going (u) Ecc 10.18 to build but it even decayes that which is ever so well built up already Nay and though it be built ay and possessed too though it bea house a furnish'd house yet idleness will make it untenantable My soul my soul I though thou wert built up ay and Christ inhabited thee thou must not lend but give not some but all diligence to secure his House and Hold. 12. A Soliloquy with Pride OH pride pride (x) Job 9.30 31 If I mash my self with snow water and make my hands never so clean yet dost thou plunge me in the ditch and make my own clothes to abhor me (y) Hos 13.8 Thou meetest every gift and grace I have as a Bear that is bereft of her whelps and dost rent the very caul of their hearts (z) Ge. 49.7 Cursed be thy anger for it is fierce and thy wrath for it is cruel Thou hast smitten all God's friends on the cheek-bone nor art thou (a) Psa 3.6 7. afraid of ten thousand of Gods threatnings which have set themselves â—ound thee Who (b) Job 41.2 14 21 26 28 29 33. can put an hook into thy nose or bore thy jaw through with a thorn Who can open the doors of thy face thy teeth are terrible round about Thy breath kindles coals and a flame goes out at thy mouth The word of God that layes at thee cannot hold the spear the dart for the Habergion God's arrows make thee not fly thou countest his darts as stubble Upon earth here is not thy like thou art made without fear (c) Psal 55.21 Thy words are smoother than butter but war is in thy heart They are softer than â—yl yet are they drawn swords Thy voice oh pride is (d) Ge. 27.22 Jacob's voice but thy hands are the hands of Esau (e) Job 13.7 If thou dost speak for God 't is wickedly and if thou dost talk for him 't is deceitfully as Job said of
which have flaming swords to keep thee out of ill companie The one is Gen. 3.15 The other Rev. 22.11 All between remember but these repeat thou every morn noon and night Amen 22. A Soliloquy with God of my Soul LOrd (a) Psal 119.79 Psal 139.14 thy hands have made me and fashioned me But nor 1 nor my parents know how I am fearfully and wonderfully made in the very (b) Isa 40.6 grass-plat of my flesh and even such (c) Psal 139.6 knowledge is too wonderful for me it is high I cannot attain it But as for my spiritual substance (d) Heb 10.34 Heb. 12.9 my better and induring substance my spirit whereof thou art the immediate Father how that lives moves and has its being what it is how it-acts how it lives man knows not it (e) Job 28.21 23. is hid from the eyes of all living God onely understands the way thereof and knows the place thereof Though it dwell in a clod of earth and a few drops of blood all the world to it is as nothing as a (f) Isa 40.15 17. drop of a bucket and the small dust of the ballance less than nothing and vanity it takes up the Isles as a very little thing Oh my God my bodie is not so little a a thing to the whole world as the whole world is to my soul fewer such bodies would fill the world than such worlds would fill my soul Thou hast but little in saying The world is mine and the fulness thereof than thou magnifiest thy self when thou sayest (g) Eze. 18 4. All souls are mine souls (h) Heb 11 38. of whom the world is not worthy I have read of the ends of the earth and (i) Psal 135.7 I have seen an end of all perfection herein But the capacitie of my soul I find exceeding broad so broad that nothing less than what (k) Jer. 13.24 sills Heaven and earth too can fill it and if thou oh my God wilt fill it when 't is (l) Luk. 1.53 hungry with good things thou must fill it with no worse nor less than the fulness of God The (m) Lu. 58. heles of the earth may contain foxes and the worlds nests may hold unclean birds nay each of them possibly may say (n) Psal 132.14 This is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it But alas my soul hath not where to lay its head herein Thy (o) Psal 15.1 tabernacle oh my God thy holy hill thy House not made with hands is the least it can dwell in The whole Earth is not a livelyhood for one soul without thee nor were Heaven it self tenantable did not thy presence make it a Court. Thou didst once bid man (p) Ge. 1.28 replenish the earth but never the earth replenish man whose soul thou knowest (q) Pro. 30.15 and makest one of those things which are never satisfied and say not 't is enough till it has as much more than the World as the (r) Gen 3.14 Creator is than the Creation Oh my God I find that my soul cannot go upon its belly and eat dust if thou thy self wouldst tell me of the Kingdoms of the earth (s) Mat 4.9 All these things will I give thee for thy portion it would utterly be (t) Can 8.7 contemn'd I find my soul is opinionated that 't is a substance of more value than many sparrows and will not be put off with a this-years nest nor with (u) Luk 12.19 goods laid up for many years neither no lease for less than eternity No inheritance besides an (x) 1 Pe 1.4 incorruptible and in no place but heaven will satisfie it much less at all gratifie it If thou shouldst bid it go seek a happiness it would return Lord (y) Joh 6.68 to whom shall I go thou hast the words of eternal life it would say Lord every of thy (z) 1 Ti 4.4 creatures is good and nothing to be refused for a servant but I will call none upon earth master while I breath (a) Joh 18.36 Had Christ's Kingdom been merely of this World I would never have fought for him so much as now I have and will though I am driven out of the World But the very truth is (b) Joh 3.16 God has so loved the World that I will never love it I read in thy holy Book of many things lost of but two that I think of won Solomon mentions (c) Pro. 11.30 Phil. 3.8 winning of souls St. Paul winning of Christ let me win but those Two and let Ziba take all for me I cannot be exceedingly anger'd or pleas'd (d) Jon. 4.6 7 10. Isa 5.10 with the gourds which come in a night and perish in a night Oh my God I find that whereas Christ's soul vvas made an offering for sin most men make their souls an offering to sin But my soul mindful of its primitive glory and likeness to God declares its (e) Ro. 1.18 Job 20.9 Wrath against all sin offers it self to thee and resolves if thou vvilt not yet sin shall not have it it vvill not serve sin or abide by its crib Nor vvill it humble and (f) Psal 113.6 abase it self to behold amorously the things that are on earth In comparison of God it (g) Job 42.6 abhors it self in comparison of it self it abhors the gain of the vvhole World The World vvhose (h) Mic. 6 10. scanty measure is an abomination to it and to all of vvhose Treasures the Heaven-born (i) Joh. 8.23 Spirit saith not infrequently as Jesus to the Jewes Ye are from beneath I am from above Ye are of this World I am not of this World Adding that (k) Mat 5.18 Heaven and Earth shall pass away but not a jod or tittle of its substance shall pass away (l) Hab. 3.17 Though the fig-tree blossom not nor fruit be in the vines Though the labour of the Olive fail and the fields yield no meat Though the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls Though Moab reproach and Ammon revile Zeph. 2 8. my spirit can sustain its infirmity and through Christ prosper too but without him enjoyments are torments and gains losses Wherefore surely oh my God I may say of humane souls That man knoweth not the price and it is so far from being (m) Pro 28.13 found in the land of the living that with infinite justice and prudence we may all cry out What shall we give in exchange 23. A Soliloquy with God of Evidences for Heaven OH my God I cannot but ever and anon break out into such a Quaery of Heaven as Abraham put to thee of Canaan Lord God How shall I know (a) Ge. 15.8 That I shall inherit it I thank thee O Lord I do not yet hear thee say of it to me as of that Canaan to Moses I have