A piece of thine nay but a little part That have deserved more than a whole heart 'T is all the heart or none do'st think it fit Sin and the Devil should have part of it Would any Lover such strange love receive To be contented that his Spouse should have Some other Suiters and to them should cleave What sayst deceived Soul why standst thou mute Disclose thy inward thoughts and grant my Suit O speak or if thy doubtful mind be bent To silence let that silence be consent If thou wilt grant me that whole heart of thine We 'l exchange hearts I 'le give thee all of mine She look'd about she mus'd she paus'd a while Whilst he on her cast forth an Heav'nly smile Sweet rays of Glory glanced from his Eye Enough to ravish all the standers-by So great a lustre from his garments shone It dazl'd all weak eyes to look upon Like as the Sun his glorious beams displays Dispersing every way his sparkling rays When in his strength splendor bright doth shine So glister'd forth his Glory all Divine Ne're such a beauty carnal eyes beheld Ah! one sweet sight of him has wholly fill'd The greatest Soul that liv'd and there is still Enough in him millions of Hearts to fill And none but Him alone can satisfie The Soul of Man the Soul-enlightned eye But stay and hear the Answer which is given By the deceived Soul O let the Heaven And Earth astonish'd stand whilst stubborn she Deny'd his Suit will not persuaded be To o'pe her door who longs to enter in To fill her Soul with joy destroy her sin Soul Strange 't is to me such beauty should be there What so amazing glorious none so fair When I no loveliness in him can see The World and outward pleasures seem to me More rare and spriteful far the better choice Such things I like but for this Lover's voice His Face and Favour I ca'nt so esteem Nor can I leave all things for love of him Therefore be gone and cease thy suit for I Have fixt my mind elswhere my heart and eye Is set on that which outward eyes can see Lord let me not be troubl'd more with thee O stay my Muse reach me an Iron Pen Tâ— engrave this on the marble hearts of men Let Sinners look within then let them read Themselves ungrateful blind and dark indeed Would not each Soul conclude this Creature were Besides her self or else deserv'd to bear The great'st contempt and pity'd be by none That bids such a dear Lover to be gone How oft has he by precious motives try'd The Soul from sin and evil to divide And make her too obdurat heart relent And take such ways as Wisdom do's invent His Passions Sighs and Tears are ready still As the officious agents of his Will To work her to a sence of her estate But she 's alas so dark and desperate That his sweet voice of so divine a strain So moving mov'd her but seems all in vain He sighs for her he knows her sad distress He asks her love but still without success Ah Sinners view your rocky hearts and then Smite on your breasts lament and read agen The glorious Lord his love 's so strange so great He knows not how to think of a retreat His soul is griev'd yet takes not her denial But makes a new Essay another Trial. Jesus Did did I love thee from Eternity And my celestial Kingdom leave for thee Did I Man's humane nature freely take Did I my bed in a poor Manger make Did I engage the cruel'st of all Foes Did I from men and Devils meet with blows Did I such kind of tortures undergoe Which men nor Angels can't conceive or know Did Wrath pursue and Justice fall on me And did I bear it all for love to thee Ah! did I sweat great drops of Sacred Blood Until the ground was sprinkled where I stood And were my feet and hands nail'd to the Tree Whilst my dear Father hid his Face from me Have I with joy delight and chearful heart Indur'd all this excessive pain and smart And out of precious love to thee I bore And must I still be kept out of thy door Shall shall I leave thee then and take my flight Into some foreign Land and let the Night Of dismal darkness be thy lot for ever Where direful Wrath all graceless souls do sever From all sweet shines of my Eternal Face That thou mayst there bewail with shame thy case When shades of frightful darkness thee do cover Thou wilt condole the loss of such a Lover Must I be gone must I my farewel take And leave thee to thy self my heart doth ake To think upon thy state when I do leave thee Far rather would I have these Arms receive thee What slight a Saviour thus a Friend indeed An early Friend a Friend who chose to bleed For thee and in thy stead that so thereby He might enjoy thee to Eternitie Farewel false Soul I bid thee now adieu Take what will follow dread what will insue Grief sorrows sickness and a troubled mind Will thee pursue until thou com'st to find A changed heart and vengeance do's allot Ruin to those thou lov'st who love thee not I 'le kill them all who have insnar'd thy heart Before from thee for ever I depart Ah! how my Soul with a tempestuous tide Of tears is overwhelm'd whilst I 'm deny'd My Suit by thee my passions overflow To see thee slight me and my passion too What tread me underfoot whilst vanity And worldly joys are Jewels in thine eye As if best good and sweet'st content lay hid In that gay fruit which is alone forbid He woo's the Soul says no he still replies He sweetly sues she wickedly denies He woos afresh she answers with disdain I cannot love but he intreats again At last he leaves her and his Suit adjourns He views the Soul and griev'd away returns He bids farewel and yet he bids it so As if he knew not how to take her No. He bids farewel but 't is as if delay Did promise better farewels than his stay He now withdraws but 't is with a design His absence might her heart the more incline To th' love and liking of him or to see What by some other means perform'd may be As Lovers often times by rules of Art Devise new ways to gain upon the heart Of such they love to bring them to their bow Like things sometimes doth Jesus also do T' incline the Sinners heart he hides his face And brings them into a distressed case He lays them on sick beds for to discover The worth and need of such a Sacred Lover Poor Sinners ponder well what you do read And mind those thoughts which woo you to take heed How you neglect slights the day of Grace Or to base lust and vain delights give place Now sickness comes Death begins to fright her And 't is no marvel if the Lord do
long as thou dost in this Country stay Be sure of troubles thou shalt have thy fill I 'le sett my Servants on thee and they will By help from me add sorrows to thy dayes Strew all thy Paths with Throns and cross thy ways I 'le render thee as odious as I can That thou mayst be disown'd by every man What I and all Infernal Powers can do To make thee miserable or o'rethrow The great Design which thou art come about We are resolved now to work it out And though thou thinkst this Soul for to obtain I tell thee now I have her in my Chain And doubt not but I there shall hold her fast Till tired out thy love be over-past Nay let me tell thee further in thine Ear She unto thee doth perfect hatred bear Thee nor thy Portion doth she like at all Although for her thou dost thy self inthrall And into Troubles and afflictions bring What wise man ever would do such a thing What love where thou no love art like to have Tho thou the same a thousand times shouldst Crave If this proves not most true then me you shall The Father of Lies hereafter Justly call Boast not this Conquest though I go my way I 'le meet the better Arm'd another day A hideous Clapy of Thunder then was heard And streight the cursed Spirit disappeard CHAP. IIII. Shewing what joy there was in Heaven amongst the Angels upon the great Victory obtained over the black King Shewing also how affectionately in a sweet heavenly manner the Prince of light after this saluted the Soul he came to save for whose sake he had passed throw all these sorrows And how the ungrateful blind deluded wretch slighted and dispised him in her Heart choosing rather to hearken to and side with Apollyon King of Darkness and to entertain the Monster of pollution sensual Lusts than to become a Spouse to so glorious a Prince pretending she knew him not neither would she believe he was the son of God the blessed and eternal Potentate demanding signs of him Shewing upon this what strange and wonderful Miracles he wrought amongst the people who notwithstanding all went about to kill him And how he was forc'd to fly from one Country to another to preserve his life And what hardships and difficulties he passed through for love he bore to the poor Creature NO sooner had this Overthrow been given But Troops of Angels did descend from Heaven Unto this Prince with great Congratulation Yeilding to him all humble Adoration Ah! how the glorious Seraphims did sing Bringing fresh Bayes of Triumph to their King They come to serve him as was just and right Because his En'emy he hath put to flight Let Heaven rejoyce and Earth resound his praise For victory or'e him who did always Disturb the Earth and whom none could withstand Such was his strength and force in ev'ry Land Now might one hope the Prince from trouble 's freed And quickly will in his Affairs succeed Wherein he hath such great obstructions met Since first his feet upon the Earth were set Kindly he now doth the poor Soul salute And with such fervency begins his suit And in such sort he did himself declare That none in Woing could with him compare No Orator on Earth like him could speak So powerfully and sweet enough to break And melt a breast of Steel or heart of Stone If well his words be weigh'd and thought upon He to this purpose doth salute her Ears Some times with sighs sometimes with bitter tears Prince of Light Look unto me dear Soul behold 't is I Who lov'd thee deeply from Eternity Who at at thy doors do stand oh let me in And do not harken to that Monster SIN Refuse me not because my thoughts descend Below themselves so far to recommend My dearest Love to thee although that I No Beauty can at all in thee espy I love not as your Earthly Lovers doe 'T is Beauty that engages them to woo Or the great Portion or the Vertuous mind There 's none of these in thee that I can find Yet my Affections burn and Love 's so much No mortal ever did experience such Why dost thou frown Ah doth thy hardned Brow Not made at first to wrinkle wrinkle now I am a Person of no mean Degree Although my heart is fixt and set on thee My Father who hath sent me is most high He rules above and all beneath the Sky All Kingdoms of this World they are his own Whether inhabited or yet unknown To this great Monarch Soul I am most dear What ere he has is mine I am his Heir His choice Delight his Joy and only Son Moreover He and I am only one My Father is in me in him am I And was with him from all Eternity There 's many Mansions in his House and there Of all Delight thou shalt enjoy thy share I 'le raise thee unto Honour and Renown And arch thy Temples with a radiant Crown In Robes of State I 'le clothe thee every day All glorious within shall thy Array Be wrought of finest needle-work so bright As shall transcend and dazle mortals sight Then clear thine Eyes and purifie thy Mind Accept my Love and to thy self be kind All these Advantages thou sure shalt find But oh such stubborn dulness who can bear This Soul seem'd not to mind or lend an Eare To any thing the Lord did thus declare But lay like one a sleep or rather dead Being by other Lovers falsely led She rather entertains him with a scoff And frames slight Answers for to put him off Would not believe he was of such descent His sighs nor Tears could move her to relent But joyns in League with other bitter Foes Who did contemptuously his Grace oppose Signes they demand and tokens to be given To make it known that he was sent from Heaven He graciously to this did condescend That from Reproach he might himself defend To manifest he no Deceiver was Strange things in sight of all he brought to pass The Miracles he wrought did all amaze And highest wonder in the People raise The Lame and Impotent he made to walk The Blind he caus'd to see the Dumb to talk Nay such as were born blind he made to see Which never any did nor could but he His Love was such he daily went about To find the Sick and the Distressed out All kind of sad Diseases he did heal No Friend like him unto the Common-weal The Feaver Phrensy and the Leprosy Were all remov'd by him most speedily Yea Bloody-fluxes too by him were cur'd When all the Doctors could no help afford Though all they had were on Physicians spent Yet whole by him they all were gratis sent 'T was meer Compassion Bowels and sweet Love And not Reward did this Physician move By these bless'd deeds he soon obtain'd a Name And all the Country Eccho'd with his Fame So that vast multitudes did daily croud After Him and implore his Help
slight her Her drousy Conscience also now awakes Alas she startl'd much she weeps she quakes She crys out for a Christ but non's in sight And all her other Lovers fail her quite She yields she loves but with a servile heart When other Lovers slight her and depart She loves thee not Lord Christ for what thou art But what thou hast and should she spared be She 'd shew her love to Sin more than to thee No sooner the sad Soul her state laments But bowels mov'd in Jesus he relents In her afflictions he 's afflicted too And can't be long e're he 'l compassions shew He sent relief he eas'd her of her pain And rais'd her up to former health again But as 't was hinted so it came to pass The wretched Soul proves vile as ere she was Affliction will not bring to Jesus's feet Unless great Pow'r do go along with it The Soul 's like Phar'oh crys when smitten sore Then then for Christ and O'twill sin no more But when rais'd up and has sweet health restor'd It cleavs to Sin afrecsh forgets the Lord. But the affections of the Prince of Peace Abated not but rather did increase His love and patience both alike shine forth To ' stonishment of all who live on Earth And that he might obtain the Soul at last His Servants call'd and sent away in hast To recommend his love and in his stead To o'pe those precious Glories which lie hid To her and to all those who carnal be Alas they ca'nt behold they cannot see Those high perfections which in Jesus are Nor can they think his beauty is so rare Exceeding all conception all compare Dear Reader prethee mark what here insues Mind mind the Arguments this man dos use To move the Soul to tears of true contrition Fetch'd from Christ's love and from her lost condition Theologue By Jesus sent by such a Prince as he Ah! 't is a work too great too high for me What glory Lord hast thou conferr'd on those Thou do'st imploy thy secrets to disclose What! be a Spokesman for a Prince so great To represent his Love and to entreat Poor Sinners in his stead to entertain His Sacred Person Lord I 'le try again Since thou command'st me forth what may be done Thou bidst me go my duty is to run Did Abraham's Servant readily comply With his Command with great'st fidelity And shall I be unfaithful unto thee No Lord I will not do but strengthen me Prosper my way and let me have success That I with him thy Sacred Name may bless And how shall I poor nothing I rejoice To see the Soul thy Spouse thy Father's choice What next thy love 's so sweet Lord unto me Than to bring in poor Sinners unto thee CHAP. II. Shewing the evil of Sin and how compar'd HAIL precious Soul once glorious noble born But now debas'd defil'd in garments torn Nay naked quite yet mindst it not at all Thy wounds do stink and Vipers in them crawl So many sins of which thou guilty art So many Serpents cleave unto thy heart Whatâ—s Sin is 't not a frightful Cockatrice No Serpent like the Serpent called Vice And dost thou love to play with such a thing Ah fool take heed view view its poisonous sting Brute Beast by Natur 's instinct are aware Of the gilt bait and sence-beguiling snare Though it seems ne'r so sweet or ne'r so fair And art thou such a fool to hug a Snake And in thy breast such great provision make That it may harbour there both day and night Ah! Couldst thou see or hadst a little sight 'T would soon appear a very loath'd delight No evil like the evil called Sin Which thou dost love which thou tak'st pleasure in For what is Sin is 't not a deadly evil The filthy spawn and off-spring of the Devil And is thy mind on folly wholly bent What love the Devils odious excrement Shall that which is the superstuity Of naughtiness be lovely in thine Eye What dost thou value Christ and all he hath Not worth vain joys and pleasures on the Earth Has he so much esteemed thee and must Thou value him less than a cursed Lust Dost thou more good in that soul Brat espy Than is in all the glorious Trinitie That which men judge is best they strive to chuse Things of the smallest value they refuse O wretched Soul what thoughts dost thou retain Of thy dear Lord and blessed Soveraign Come view thy choice see how deprav'd thou art In judgment will affection thy whole heart Is so corrupt defiled and impure Thou canst not Christ nor Godliness indure Again what 's Sin is 't not a trait'rous Foe A Traytor unto God and Rebel too It first of all against him took up Arms And made his Angels fall by its false charms Nought is so contrary to God as that Nor more the perfect object of his hate The Devil was God's Creature good at first 'T was sin that made him hateful and accurst Sin ne'r was good its essence is impure Evil at first so now so will indure And darest thou O Soul conceal this Foe Nay hide him in thy house and also show Such deared love to him as to delight In his base company both day and night Nay sport and play and merry be with him What Gods dos hate and loath dost thou esteem Dost not O Soul deserve for this to die What greater crime what greater enmity Canst thou be guilty of or canst thou show Than thus to harbour God's most traitrous Foe The chiefest room he can always command Whilst my dear Master at thy door must stand And can't one look nor one sweet smile obtain Who is thy Saviour and thy Soveraign What 's Sin a thing that 's worser than the Devil Sin made him so sin is a thing so evil 'T is worse than Hell it dug that horrid pit 'T is sin that casts all Sinners into it No lake of Fire no Tophet had there bin For souls of Men nor Devils but through sin 'T is that which lays them there heap upon heap Sin was the cause 't was made so large and deep Sin is the fuel that augments Hell-fire Wer 't not for sin Hell-flames would soon expire And wilt thou dandle sin still on thy knee Wilt make a mock of it wilt jolly be Wilt sin and say alas I am in sport Ah! see thy folly ere thou pay'st dear for 't Is sin God's foe and is it so to thee Then part with sin break that affinitie Dissolve the knot with speed do thy endeavour Which will destroy thee otherwise for ever Nay what is Sin it is a Leprosy When Scripture so compares it may not I Call it a sickness or a loathsom sore That quite covers the Soul and spreads all o're Like to an Ulcer or infectious Biles That do corrupt that poisons and defiles The Soul afflicted and all others too That dwell with him or have with him to do Oh how
And no good thing from us will he deny But hark What saith the Flesh O Soul saith she In this give ear and harken unto me 'T is not unlawful here to lay up Treasure Provided thou therein tak'st no great pleasure The World thou seest disdains those wch are poor And if thou 'rt Rich thouâ—lt be ador'd the more Nay if thou once arrivest at the pitch Of being by the World accounted Rich Thy words will far the greater influence have And may'st thereby perchance more rich ones save Besides all this when Rich thou mayest feed With thy abundance such who suffer need And this also will take thee off from care Which is to some a most perplexing snare And thou for God may'st the more hours spare If thou art poor and of strict conversation That will not be a fit Accommodation To draw men by for some thereby are frighted Who might by temporizing be invited Accommodate thy selâ— to all become All things to all men that thou mayst gain some These subtil Covers doth the Flesh devise To hide those sins which in the bosom lies And by this crafty course perhaps a while The poor unwary Soul it may beguile And if Apollyon sees the Creature yield In this respect he 's Victor in the Field He glory's in the Conquest he has gain'd As if a Diadem he had obtain'd But now behold here comes her former Friend ' Christ's precious Love this once to recommend True Ministers are filled with compassion As their long patience's worth all commendation The preciousness now of the Soul you 'l hear And how things go within he will declare He 'l call her Conscience to examination For Conscience 't is must give a full Relation Of all false Covers Nay and will reveal Those secret Lusts the Flesh seems to conceal Theologue Conscience thou knowst and privy art to all The secret strivings and the words let fall To bring the Soul to join in bonds of love With Jesus Christ and finally remove Her heart from sin yea from the smallest evil One sin belov'd will send her to the Devil Speak therefore now her inward parts reveal What faith hath she what love and O what zeal What indignation care and what desire Is she inflamed is she all on fire In love to him who out of love did die Her to espouse and save Eternally Conscience She loves but who she sighs Sir shall I speak She 's doubtfull still she knows not which to take Some kind of love some faint desires do rise Within her breast but then the Enemies Immediately such great disturbance cause That she 's amaz'd and put into a pause Although she dos love Christ I must confess Some secret sin is favour'd ner'theless She wants some glorious Rays her eyes are dim She never yet had a true sight of him I must speak all e'en the whole truth impart Alas she has new Objects in her heart Her love is treach'rous her affections burn Chiefly to self loves Christ to serve her turn And such a Legalist she 's become now To her own drag she blindfoldly do's vow To offer Incense in her seeming grace She glory 's much nay sets it in the place Of Jesus Christ and on that Idol pores This is the Object now she most adores Theologue Wilt thou expose thy self to scoff and shame And bring a blot for ever on thy name A Monster thou in Nature wilt appear To all who of thy faults and folly hear Canst be so vile so impudent and base Disloval Soul how canst thou still give place To Jesus's Foes and up an Idol set What offer sacrifice to thy own Net I stand amaâ—'d â— what guilt is on thy head Remember that black Bill what crimes are spread Before thine Eyes already But now further 〈◊〉 to charge thee with another Murther Committed on a spotless Man nay worse Thou letst him be betrayed to the Curse Of a most shameful Death nay what exceeds His hands feet sides die and his Soul still bleeds And what is worst of all he is God's Son On whom this bloody Tragedy was done Thy Friend O Soul who came down from above To sue to thee for kindnesses and love And yet doth he whose blood thy hands have shed Sue unto thee nay his deep wounds do plead For mercy and he 's able to forgive He 's God as well as Man dead yet doth live What Object is 't thou hast got in thine eye Dost think the Law can help thee make hast fly For 't is by that thou stand'st condemn'd to die Seek a Divorcement stand'st thou still in doubt 'Twixt Law Grace strange canst thou not find out What Judgment told thee sure thou knowest better It is severe O! 't is a killing Letter 'T is time to leave that Husband and for-go All hopes from him who seeks thy overthrow Christ has fulfill'd it he alone has life And if thou once art his espoused Wife Thou wilt receive a full discharge from all Those Debts those Deaths and dangers wch inthral The Souls of those whose blind deceived breast Seeks to self-righteousness for peace and rest Thou canst not Soul become a Virgin Spouse Until thou art divorced from all vows To that nay to Relations though they 're dear Must thou the lesser love and kindness bear Thy Fathers house and all thou must forsake If thou this happy Contract e're dost make Yield thy whole heart to Christ bend to his feet In pure simplicity there 's ground for it For he that lay within a Virgins Womb And who was buried in a Virgin-Tomb He that alone did lead a Virgin-Life Must have a chast and holy Virgin-Wife Needst thou more motives still what shall I say What shall I speak to move thee I will lay The nature of the Soul unto thy view Wouldst know its worth read then what dos ensue First 'T is capable such is its nature State On Great Jehovah's Pow'r to contemplate It searches prys and nicely looks about On Nature's frame and finds the former out David's amaz'd when he doth cast his Eye On all the glorious things beneath the skie He looked up and down above and under And stood astonish'd seeing cause of Wonder And then reflecting his own frame did see Nature's great Volume blest Epitome Fearfully am I made how canst tell His Answer is My Soul knows it full well We should have known no more of Earth or Heav'n Than the brutâ— beasts had not Jehovah given This precious Soul to us O then be wise And it secure as the chiefest Prize Secondly Nay more then this the Scripture makes relation 'T is capable of glorious Inspiration There is in Man a Soul a Spirit do's live And move in him to which the Lord doth give By Inspiration Wisdom Knowledg Fear That fools know more than the Philosopher The Soul's God's Candle a light of acceptation But from himself must come its Information Shall not this Candle pray you lighted be O let God's Spirit
And then I trust thou wilt with sacred Vows Contract thy self to him become his Spouse Whose left hand 's full of Treasure in his right Are Honours great and Pleasures infinite A Prince you know dispos'd to make Election Of a Consort before he 'l place Affection Will first enquire if the Virgin be In Person Parts Estate or Pedigree Equal unto himself but if in case She be of low descent of Parents base Compar'd with his or not so noble born Or has debas'd her self or is forlorn He thinks it is below him once to place Or fix his love on her he fears disgrace But if the Lady chance to equalize him She 's not so much oblig'd to love or prize him ' Yond common bounds because saith she I am No whit inferiour unto him my name Records the noble stock from whence I came But if a Prince should chance to set his love Upon a person that has nought to move So great a Lord to make that choice then she Amazed yields with all humilitie Can do no less than humbly give consent Yield up her self with great astonishment But she who doth reject such love is acted Like one bereav'd of sense nay quite distracted Misguided Soul and is not this the case What worth 's in thee to him O! vile and base Instead of love deservest to be hated Since from thy God thou hast degenerated And yet the blessed Jesus don't despise thee But from thy loathsom dunghil fain would raise thee But to proceed I now will give to thee Of Christ's sweet Love a short Epitome 1. 'T is a first-love as soon as he past-by And saw thee in thy blood he cast his Eye Whilst thou in that sad gore didst weltring lie Nay unto thee most precious love he had Before the fabrick of this World mas made 2. It is attracting Love its nature 's such 'T is like the Loadstone hadst thou once a touch 'T would make thy Iron-heart with speed to move Nay cleave to him in bonds of purest Love 3. 'T is a free Love there 's nought at all in thee Which can deserve his favour yet does he Not grutch thee his dear Love although so great The glorious King of Kings does oft intreat Those Souls to his imbraces who contemn His proffer'd grace and still love shews to them 4. 'T is ' bounding Love like Nilus overflows All banks and bounds his Grace no limit knows 5. 'T is a delighting Love there 's nought more sweet She found it so who washt his precious feet He takes delight and sweet complacency In those he loves his heart affects his Eye He resteth in his love and who can turn His heart away or damp those flames that burn In his dear breast none ever lov'd as he Who for his Spouse was nailed to the Tree 6. It is a Victor's Love he 'l wound and kill All Enemies who do oppose his Will Where he lays Siege he 'l make the Soul to yield By love he overcomes and wins the Field His Captive Soul thou certainly must be His love is such 't will have the Victorie 7. It is abiding and Eternal Love 'T will last as long as he nought can remove His love from such on whom he casts his Eye And for whose sake alone he chose to die The love which did appear to Saints of old Did graciously this glorious Truth unfold I with an everlasting Love saith he Have set my heart upon or loved thee And therefore I have drawn thee unto me Know he who thus doth his sweet love commend To his dear Saints loves them unto the end 8. 'T is a great Love most powerful and strong Hence 't is he thinks each hour and minute long Till he imbrace thee in his Sacred Arms Where he 'l secure thee from all the harms And dangers great by Men or hellish charms Fathers although they love their Children dear Yet never did from them such love appear David lov'd Absolom yet gives consent Nay he himself decrees his banishment A Mother may forget her sucking Child As some have done although of nature mild Yet forc'd by famine cruelly have shed Their Childrens bloud and of their flesh have fed But Ah! his Love 's so free so strong so great He gives his bloud to drink his flesh for meat Unto the Soul and those who it receive Shall never die and none but such can live 9. His Love is matchless 't is without compare Who neither flesh now bloud nor life did spare The love of Women which the World esteems Most strong in sweet affection their love seems An empty shadow and not worth regard When with his Sacred Love it is compar'd The Husbands Wives and Fathers may abound Yet no such love as Christ's was ever found Abraham and Isaac both lov'd their Wives Yet neither of them sacrific'd their lives Jonathan's love to David did exceed The love of Women 't was a Love indeed But what was Jonathan â—s great love to this Ah! less than nothing when compar'd to his Christ's love exceeds all natural Love as far As bright Aurora doth the smallest Star But Oh! in vain do we compare his Love With any thing below no 't is above Comparison 't is so immense so great We cannot find it out though Man's concert Is larger than expression though profound Yet Man's conception never yet could sound The depth of Love's unfathomable bliss So great so deep so bottomless it is Betwixt his Love and ours the disproportion Is like one drop of Water to the Ocean Or as the smallest dust that 's fiercely driven To the whole Globe or like as Earth's to Heaven The Sun for clearness with his splendent face The Moon for swiftness in her Zodiack Race The Saâ—ds for nomber and the Heaven for height The Seas for depth the ponderous earth for weight Yet with more certainty and with less doubt Be weigh'd and measur'd than Christ's love founâ— out O depth O heigth O breadth O wonderous length Of this great Love O uncompared strength Of true affections Love that is Divine What 's natural love Lord when compar'd to thine Such a redundancy of Love is found Whoever dives into these depths is drown'd Ten thousand Sea ten thousand times told o're Add to these Seas ten times as many more Let all these Seas become one deep Abyss They'd all come short in depth compar'd to this The Moral Natural nor the Spiritual Man With all their Understanding never can Find out the Nature of Christ's Love alas It doth all Knowledg ' nfinitely surpass O may these Depths Heigths have pow'r to move On thee till thou art swallowed up in Love That that which cannot comprehended be By Men nor Angels may comprehend thee And thou being fill'd with it may'st sweetly lie In depths of Love unto Eternitie The Spir't with this let fly a piercing Dart Which wounded dreadfully her stubborn heart It pierc'd to th' very quick and made her smart Now now she
He would such equal works have made appears None should have cry'd The singer of God is here But now as Moses did this way confute His faithless foes who did with him dispute By greater deeds and all their Arts o're-throw The self-same thing did JESVS also do The strongest Arguments he then did use For to convince the unbelieving Jews Were the great Signs wonders which he wrought And did this way refell what e're they thought Against his Person or his Doctrine either And they thereby were silenc'd all together My works saith he to me do witness give And for their sake you ought me to believe For if that I such mighty works do'nt do As none e're did or can pretend unto Believe me not but if they witness give How unexcusable then will they you leave He also had a witness from Great John Besides his works which were divinely done And God himself from Heaven witness bore So great a Witness ne're was heard before The written Word likewise this Truth did tell If they the same would have consider'd well And therefore search the Scriptures Sirs saith he For they are those which testifie of me Thus every way you see the proofs are plain He was the true Messias you have slain Therefore repent you unbelieving Jews With fained scandals longer don't abuseâ— Your blessed Lord nor 's Gospel more refuse The dangerous troubles of the Prince of Light The scandals that he met with and the spight The hatred by that Soul unto him shown Whom he design'd the Consort of his Throne Her weak pretences for this causeless scorn And with what wond'rous patience it was born How she receiv'd him with a scornful Brow We have in part set forth and also how By mighty Signs and Wonders he did prove Both his divine Ascent and matchless Love But now the Reader with attentive Ear And longing mind desires 't is like to hear How the poor blinded Soul behav'd her now Does she not straight unto his Scepter bow Doth she not yield and readily consent To close with him and heartily repent She ever did his precious Love abuse And such a Proffer wilfully refuse He ample proof and witness now hath given That he was sent down to her out of Heaven His Noble Birth and Sovereign Dignity Sure now she can't nay dares not to deny What can she further say I pray what more Hath she to urge to keep him out o' th Door Or has he left her and will come no more What Prince would ever put up so much wrong Or wait upon a stubborn Soul so long Or who would ever make another tryal That has so often had such flat denyal Ah no! he can't his Love 's so great and strong He hopes still to obtain her Love e're long See how with tears and sighs and melting heart He woos intreats and doth his Love impart As one resolv'd he 'l no denial have True Lovers press their suit ev'n to the Grave Prince of Light 'T is not Ungratefulness which yet can change My purpose or my heart from thee estrange My strong Affections on thee are so fixt That nought has them remov'd or come betwixt My Soul and thine but had'I lov'd thy face And that alone my kindness had giv'n place My slighted suit should long e're this have ended And never more on thee had I attended Or did I love thee for thine Heav'nly Eye I then might court Angelick Majesty Or if the smoothness of thy Whiter Brow Could charm mine eyes or mine affections bow To outward Objects pollisht Marble might Have given as much content as much delight No no 't is neither brow nor lip nor eye Nor any outward thing I can espy That has or could surprize my tender heart I know thy Nature who and what thou art Nor is it Vertue a homely Case Wherein lies hid much rich and precious grace Together rarely mixt whose worth doth make Me love the Casket for the Jewels sake 'T is none of this My eye doth pierce within But nothing there can I behold but Sin The reason of my Passion wholly lies Within my Self from whence it first did rise And though thou canst not it at present see Thou shalt if thou wilt hearken unto me O come poor Soul and give me but thy heart And unto thee choice Love I will impart I come to call thee and do call again O shall I not of thee my Suit obtain Dost not perceive what I for thee endure And may not all this thy Love to me procure The Soul seem'd not at all to mind this Friend Nor would she yet to him attention lend She could not in him any beauty see Nor did she know her own sad misery She bid him then depart and said to all He had no form nor comeliness And shall I ' gainst my fancy foolishly admire Where I no beauty see to tempt desire Whilst he was thus extending forth his Love And studying all obstructions to remove That so he might the Souls affections get Behold his Enemies with malice set Themselves against him with such horrid rage It seems no less than 's ruin to presage Ah! for this Prince methinks my heart doth ake To see what head against him they do make But that which doth the greatest trouble bring Is to see th' Soul combine against the King Did ever creature deal thus by a Lover Or ever such inhumaneness discover What hurt did this dear Prince unto her do That she would seek his utter overthrow Is this to recompence his fervent Love What will she now a Traitor to him prove If she his Love will not accept must she Expose him thus to shame and misery Is love to Sin and filthy Lust so sweet That Jesus must be trodden under feet Because he would that Contract break asunder This surely is Earth's shame and Heavens wonder What he that went about still doing good And in the gap of danger always stood Them to Defend from Ruin ah shall he The object of their Rage and Malice be He that to them no harm did do or think And yet must he this bitter potion drink Ah precious Lord how doth my spirit grieve To think what wrong from them thou didst receive So strange their malice and so fierce their spight That if God's Word did not the same recite Who thereunto would any Credence give Or the Relation of their Deeds believe But how was he expos'd what did they do 'T is that say some that we would have you show Their hearts were fill'd with wrath up they rise And thrust him out o' th City then devise To get him up to th'brow of a great Hill And cast him headlong down from thence they will Break all his bones and kill him out o' th way This they designed Holy Authors say Not that their Cruelty performed was For through the midst of them he free did pass His Pow'r Divine did his Protector stand And rescued him from all this
Yea and ript up their filthiness within Through each Religious Mask and trim disguise Their canker'd Breasts lay open to his Eys He knew their Hearts them he would not spare And thence to him such Malice they did bear But 't was Apollyon whose deceit and Lies Abroad amongst the people did devise Most of these Troubles which on him did rise No stone that Monster left unturn'd that he Might bring this Soveraign Prince to misery Though all in vain For he miscounts his sum Alas the fatal hour 's not yet come Christ still persists the stubborn Soul to woo Intreats her not her self thus to undo He is not gone behold he 's at her door And patiently Admission doth implore He knocks he calls and doth his Suit renew Until the Heavens his gracious Head bedew Until his Locks with drops o' th Night are wet And yet from her can no kind Answer get Oh! hark I pray unto his melting words Enough to pierce ones heart like sharpest swords Prince of Light Soul Harken to me or thou art undone I cannot leave thee thus nor yet be gone I see thy state thy state I pity too Thy treacherous Lovers seek thine overthrow It is in vain for me to ask thy Love Until thou breakst with them and dost remove Thy Heart from those that thy Affections have Who to vile Lusts thy Faculties inslave What dost thou think I can have in mine Eye What self-advantage will accrew thereby What gain I if thou grantest my request All that I beg's thy greatest Interest I ever happy was and so shall be Although at present thus distrest for Thee How can'st thou cruel Soul thus let me stand Barr'd out of Doors whilst others do command The choicest Room within thy yielding Breast Lodgings too good for such destructive Guests Believe me poisonous Toads and Serpents lurk Within thine Arms which will thy ruin work Those Lovers which thou keep'st so close within Are Murderers Trust not that Monster SIN Nor any of his Hellish Company For though no harm thou dost at present spy But wantonly presum'st to sport and play And canst not see the fatal snares they lay Soul o'pe the Door and I 'le discover all The secret Plots devised for thy fall Or push the Window back let in some light And I will shew thee a most dismal sight Thy self I 'le shew thee which couldst thou behold thou 'dst see thou art undone betray'd and sold To slavery from whence there 's no Redemption Torments from wch ther 's not the least exemption Then wake look now behold thy wretched plight Or straight thou r't seized with eternal Night The Soul is deaf or certainly she 's dead Or by some pow'rful Magick Charms misled For she no Answer in the least doth give Sad 't is with them whom Satan doth deceive How blind are Creatures in their natural state Oh! how insensible and desperate They sleep securely and will never hear Till direful Thunder bore their stupid Ear Boldly they frollick on Hell's smoaky Brink And never on its gaping dangers think Till swallow'd down to endless flames they sink But silence now Here comes a Reverend Friend A Servant to the Prince pray Sirs attend He 's sent about the Business that 's depending Oh! that it might obtain an happy ending He is a man his Master loves most dear And he to him doth like Affection bear His int'rest he will now be sure t' improve That all obstructions he may quite remove Which in the way of the poor Soul doth lie For whose sad state lo tears stand in his Eye His Heart is full his Spirit greatly griev'd To think how she by crafty Sin 's deceiv'd And seeing what his glorious Master bears His Soulâ—s almost dissolved into Tears Theologue I from the Great and mighty Prince am sent To see vile Soul If thou wilt yet repent And o'pe thy Eyes to view what thou hast done In piercing the dear heart of such an one As is that Soveraign Lord thou dost abuse And all his offers shamefully refuse Two things consider throughly first of all Thy sad and wretched state under the Fall Which thou receivedst many years ago When Eden's Groves bewail'd thine overthrow Ah! Didst thou know thy lost undone Condition Sure it must move thee unto great Contrition 'T would make thee roar and mightily condole Thy woful state O! thou condemned Soul The second thing is this O! mind with speed The worth of him whose Soul for thee doth bleed Didst thou but know his Dignity and Birth Soon wouldst thou say none's like him upon Earth Nor is this all for further I declare No other help thou hast far off or near 'T is he who is thy choice and only Friend Reject him still and sad will be thine end Shall he such grief and sorrow undergo And unto him wilt thou no kindness show Would he thy guilty Soul from Treason free By making of a marriage-League with thee Shall not his Love nor thy distressed Case Court thee in prudence to his safe Embrace Will nothing work upon thee to Relent Nor be a means to bring thee to Repent I pray thee Soul these things lay to thy heart And unto me thy true Resolve impart Soul What mean you thus to vex and grieve my mind My Heartâ—s to other Lovers more inclin'd It lies not in your power to command Against my will and well I understand What 's best for me I am for present case He suits not my Conditions doth not please My curious fancy Iâ—le content mine Eye Will you the liberty of Choice deny You must indeed have some mysterious Arts To change the secret sympathies of Hearts If that you ever make me to comply So as to loath the Jewel of mine Eye What! force Affection who can violate The Law of Nature weigh my present state Can Earth forget her burthen and ascend Or yet can Flames aspiring downward bend For if Fire should descend and Earth aspire Earth were no longer Earth nor Fire Fire Even so dear Sir I find it is with me Consenting I no more my self shall be As Love is free so are its bonds as strong As Death to break them is a grievous wrong Can the kind Heavens do a damage greater Than to destroy and ruin their poor Creature Or shall I think the Righteous God will fill me With such strange Joys which if enjoy'd will kil me Can I believe things 'bove my sense and reason And ignorant be when guilty of high Treason How can I think my self a Criminal When of the fact I nothing know at all My present state is good I know no cause To blame my self for breach of unknown Laws Why shall injurious Friends such things alot To have me place my Heart where I love not And break the League with those I love so dear These hardships are too great for me to bear Those Joys therefore in which I have delighted Shall not for fancied sweetness e're be slighted He whom
do men fly from the Pestilence And wilt not thou learn wisdom Soul from thence Sin is a plague that kills eternally All souls of men unless they swiftly fly To Jesus Christ no Med'cine will do good Nor heal this plague but this Physicians Blood What blindness is there then in thy base heart 'T is not the plague th' Physician must depart Thou shutst the door wilt not let him come in Whose purpose is to heal the plague of sin Nay what is sin 't is poison in a Cup That 's gilt without and men do drink it up Most earnestly with joy and much delight Being pleasant to the carnal appetite Sin 's sâ—cet to him whose soul is out of taste But long alas its sweetness will not last Sin 's sweet to th' flesh that dos it dearly love But to the Spirit it dos poison prove Hast hast thou suck'd this deadly poison in And dost not see thy vital parts begin To swell art poison'd Soul look look about To get an Antidote to work it out Before it is too late The poison 's strong Don't stay a day twelve hours is too long One dram of Grace mixt with repenting tears The grace of perfect love that casts out fears Mixt with that Faith which kills all unbelief Took down with speed will ease thee of thy grief Will purge thy soul and work by vomit well And all vile dregs of venom 't wil expel Unless thou vomit up each dreg be sure No hope of life one sin will Death procure Unto thy soul Repentance is not right Till sin nay every sin 's forsaken quite Not only left but as a poisonous Cup They greatly loath what e're they vomit up No evil like the evil called Sin Which thou dost love which thou tak'st pleasure in Again what 's sin it is an horrid Thief Or a Deceiver nay it is the chief Or grandest Cheater too that e're was known He has rob'd thousands nay there is but one That lives or e're has liv'd but rob'd have bin By this great Thief by this Deceiver SIN No petty Padder his ambitious Eye Doth search about he subtilly does spy Into the place where all the Jewels lie The first he seizes is the Jewel Time He 〈◊〉 robs each Soul of all their prime And chiefest days which mercy doth afford Which should be dedicated to the Lord. And more then this not one good thing they have But them of it does this curst Thief deceive Sweet Gospel Grace nay and the Gospel too And all that glory which they also do Confer on us Souls are deceiv'd hereby And yet they know it not they don't espy The way it works it 's done so secretly Sin robs the soul of its sweet Jewel Peace And in its room do's grief and anguish place Who ever doth this grievous loss sustain Can't have it made up unto him again By Treasures of all Kingdoms here on Earth No valuing it no knowing of its worth Another thing this Thief has in his Eye And lays his Fingers on then by and by Doth bear away it is the Jewel Soul A loss which mortals ever shall condole For had a man ten thousand worlds to lose The loss of them far better had he chose Than lose his soul why would you think it strange What shall a man for 's soul give in exchange There 's one rich Jewel more and 't is the chief That is aim'd at by Satan and this Thief Ah! 't is a thing more worth than all the rest How how can then the value be exprest It is a precious Stone that shines so bright It doth the heart of the great God delight He loves it dear 't is that his eye 's upon And nought he prizes like this precious Stone This Stone poor Soul he offers unto thee What sayst thou to 't canst thou no beauty see No worth in that which God accounts so rare Strange ' t is shall I the cause of it declare Sin blinds thine eyes and dos beguile thee so Thou for a Pepple lets this Jewel go This stone know thou is the Pearl of great price Let not this base Deceiver thee entice To slight dear JESVS wilt be such a fool To lose thy time thy Christ peace and thy soul Be thou more wise and more considerate Thou dost alas thy pleasures over-rate Let 's go to th' ballance prethee Soul let 's weigh The Pearl of price make hast and quickly lay Into the scales the flesh and loads of pleasure For honour all the acts of mighty Cesar And cast whole mines in too whole mines of treasure Add world to world then heap a thousand more And throw them in if thou canst find such store And see which ballance of them is too light Lo it is done and thine 's such under-weight It seems as if thy scale was empty quite Let 's take the Pearl out and then le ts put in An airy bubble now let 's weigh agin See see fond Soul thy scale aloft dos fly There 's nothing in 't 't is less than vanity What folly was 't to make the first compare What weigh the world with Christ no need is there To run that parallel thou now mayst find Thy self deceiv'd thou labour'st for the wind For sin 's compos'd of nought save subtil wiles It fawn's and flatters and betrays by smiles It 's like a Panther or a Crocodil It seems to love and promises no ill It hides its sting seems harmless as the Dove It hugs the Soul it hates when vow 's tru'st love It plays the Tyrant most by gilded pills It secretly insnares the Soul it kills Sin 's promises they all deceitful be Does promise wealth but pay us poverty Does promise honour but dos pay us shame And quite bereaves a man of his good name Does promise pleasure but does pay us sorrow Does promise Life to day pays Death to morrow No evil like to th' evil called Sin Which thou dost love which thou tak'st pleasure in Again what 's Sin a second Dalilah Which in the bosom lies does tempt and draw The Soul to yield unto its cursed ways And resteth not until it quite betrays It's Life into the proud Philistines hands Who take and bind it with base churlish bands Nay and most cruelly puts out its eyes Makes it grind in their Mill. Devils devise All this and more then this when they do get The poor deluded Soul into their net Lastly what 's Sin read thou the former Part Of this small Book O view the bitter smart Thy Saviour bore it pierc'd his very heart Think thou upon his bloudy Agony 'T is that opes best its hellish mysterie And shews the venom which in it dos lie No evil like the evil called Sin Which thou dost love and tak'st such pleasure in Had evil man's fool-hardiness extended No further than himself and there had ended 'T were not so much but O! I do espy Another is much injured thereby Ten thousand times more excellent in worth
stable Moths can't corrupt them nor can Thieves be able To rob us of them Nay yet further-more He that hath them what e're comes can't be poor His Riches can't be spent his Treasury Cannot exhausted be nor yet drawn dry These Riches will rejoyce thee make thee glad Revive thy heart and God will never add Sorrow with them whilst thou dost live on earth They 'l quiet thee and fill thy Soul with mirth They 'l be a breast of such sweet Consolation That when all other dwellers in the Nation Shall be perplext through loss of earthly gain Thou shalt be satisfied and remain In perfect peace nought shall distress thy mind When they shall nought save horrid anguish find Though Gold and Silver will not satisfie The Soul of Man yet this I do espy The loss of them and other earthly things It grief and sorrow to the Spirit brings And so uncertain are things of the world Though here to night e're morning all are hurlâ—d Away from him who now possession hath Like to a bubble are all things on Earth He that on wordly Riches sets his mind Strives to take hold on shadows and the wind But if Christ's Riches once thou dost obtain The loss of them thou never shalt sustain Nor will they leave thee when thou com'st to die But cleave unto and thee accompanie Beyond the Grave ev'n to Eternitie What dost thou say canst make a better choice Than close with Christ O hearken to his voice And don 't with fraud the proffer made to thee If any good thou dost in Riches see Christ's Bounty What sayest thou what hast thou in thine eye Will not Christ's Riches move thee then I 'le try To gain thee by some other property He 's bountiful and of a generous heart Most free and noble ready to impart What e're he hath unto the Soul he loves O see how his Heroick Spirit moves In him whose generous whose bounteous hand Holds forth to thee what e're thou canst demand 'T is thine for asking do but speak the word Thou hast it done O! none like this dear Lord Some mens great Riches seem to overflow Who do a base ignoble Spirit show They treasure up their bags lay heap on heap Yet with a narrow covetous spir't keep All from the poor Nay their own Wives can get But now and then a little in a fit In a good mood sometimes perchance they 'l be Kind unto them though but unfreely free But Christ's rich Bounty does to all extend He stretches forth his hand to Foe and Friend Refined Gold Eye-salve and Rayments white Ev'n all choice things for profit and delight Sweet Frankincense Spicknard Calamas fine Myrrh Saffron with all choice of spiced Wine He freely gives to all O come who will He 'l bid you welcome and your Treasures fill O what doth he then to his Friends impart Unto his Spouse the Soul who has his heart Come eat O Friends and drink abundantly Beloved ones 't was for your sakes that I This Banquet made There 's nought says he too good For those that I have purchas'd with my blood Take Grace and Glory all I have I give you And to my self I will e're long receive you Ask that your joy may now be full for I Can't any thing that 's good your souls deny The Soveraign Power and Dignity of Christ What can I now do more if still thou art Resolved to deny Jesus thy heart If Beauty will not move thee to incline To close with him who longs till he is thine Strange Beauty oft prevails great Conquests gains Like to a mighty Victor binds in chains Those wch would not by other means e're yield Such is the nature of his pow'rful Shield Triumphantly it has obtain'd the Field No standing out against its piercing Darts It hath a secret way to wound those hearts Whose constitution leads them naturally To steer that course and on it cast an Eye To search the sweet which Fancy says doth lye Hid in the same For human Beauty's vain Which some have sacrific'd their lives to gain But Christ's sweet Beauty is a real thing And doth substantial joys and pleasures bring Such pleasures also which will still abide For evermore like Rivers by thy side Shall Beauty which is spotless without slain Nor Riches neither sweet Imbraces gain Nor generous Bounty win thy purer love Then let Ambition thy affections move Is Greatness barren quite of solid joys Are all her Merchandize but empty toys If it be earthly 't is an Airy thing Though 't were to be a Spouse unto a King But let it not be so lookâ—d on by thee To be espous'd to that great Majestie From whom alone true Honour dos descend This Greatness lasting perfect ne'r will end Come Soul let us most seriously now pry Into Christ's Pow'r and regal Soveraignty And next let me his glorious Pow'r show By which he works and all great things can do Some have a Pow'r whereby they can command But to accomplish things do want a hand But Christ in both excels 't is he alone Hath regal Pow'r and what he will have done He can effect i' th twinkling of an eye Though all combine against him far and nigh He 's over Angels as thou heardst before They gladly him do rev'rence and adore The Head o' th Church makes Laws and governs it According as he sees 't is best and fit His regal Pow'r also doth descend And over all the Devils doth extend The Keys of Hell and Death to him are given 'T is he alone can shut and open Heaven Power to Rule to command to forbid To punish or deliver they 'r all hid In him alone 't is he can bind or loose To damn or save 't is all as he doth chuse He 's King of Kings all mighty men below To him their Princely Crowns Kingdoms owe. Yea such an universal Monarch's he Commands the mighty Winds and stils the Sea 'T was by his hand the glorious Heav'ns were made And wondrous Earth's foundations first were laid The Sun the Moon and Stars receivâ—d their light From him at first to rule both Day and Night His Power 's absolute without controle He governs all the World from Pole to Pole His Soveraign Pow'r was not gain'd by fight Or Usurpation but a lawful Right As he is God 't is his essentially Born Heir of it from all Eternity And as he 's Mediator th' God of Heaven This glorious Power unto him has given His Pow'rs Infinite it hath no bound No ends or limits of it can be found He made the World which by him doth subsist Nay he can make ten thousand if he list He can do more than we can think or know Can kill and make alive save or o'rethrow The Conquests he has gain'd demonstrate The matchless Pow'r of this dread Potentate Sin is ore-come the Devil 's forc'd to fly Nay 〈◊〉 hath obtain'd a perfect Victory O're Death o're Hell o're Wrath
o're the Grave And from them all he able is to save If thou wilt but consent grant his request Thou never more by Foes shalt be distrest Ah Soul is 't not a very glorious thing Daily to be thus courted by a King And such a King shall Jesus woo in vain Shall such a Prince not thy sweet love obtain The Wisdome of Christ What say'st to Wisdom from whose Odour springs That wch makes glorious inferiour Men as Kings This spreads the sweet perfume of Solomon's fame 'T was this that rais'd his most illustrious Name The noise of Wisdome made so great report 'T was heard as far as Sheba's Princely Court It made the Lady's Charriot-wheels to run Most swift like to the new-rais'd Eastern Sun Mâ—unting aloft and vanquishing black Clouds She hasts away and through obstructions crouds Defying danger she 's resolv'd to see What Fame reports touching this Prodigie The emulous Queen 's arriv'd she stands amaz'd She lessens wonders and be'ng over-daz'd With this great Beam she breaks forth could not hold But must express that what to her was told In her own Country was in no wisâ— nigh Half what she found did in his Wisdom lie What 's Riches Bounty Honour Beauty rare Unless true Wisdom also do dwell there If Wisdom may a person recommend Christ is all Wisdom Shall I now descend Into particulars wilt lend an Ear Whilst I endeavour to make it more clear Alas I stand amaz'd Can Infinite Perfections be exprest what shall I write He 's wise all-wise only wise shall I speak Wisdom it self i' th' abstract Can I take Upon me then to ope this Mystery When in him doth all depths of Wisdom lie The Wisemans wisdome if 't compar'd might be Was like a drop of Water to the Sea Nay far a greater disproportion's there Should we Christ's wisdom once with his compare 'T was he which did to Solomon impart That wisdom and that understanding heart 'T is he which makes all good men grave and wise To hate all evil and true Vertue prize He to our Fathers doth right knowledg give And 't is by him all pious Judges live Th' infinite wisdome of th' Eternal One Shines forth in him nay 't is in him alone All is laid up he is God's Treasury Where Wisdom and true Knowledg both do lie He knows all things and persons here below Nay perfectly does he the Father know And all Decrees and Counsels which of old Have been and their events he can unfold He knows each glorious purpose and design In him alone do all Perfections shine The frames the thoughts the ways the fears the wants Temptations burdens the grief of Saints Most perfectly he knows and quickly can Save and deâ—end from th' greatest rage of Man For Counsel and wise conduct he exceeds And in the midst of paths of Judgment leads The crafty Counsel of Achitophel He can defeat though laid as deep as Hell He over-turns the wisdome of the wise Confounds their plots and shews what folly lies In their grand Councils making them to know Their purposes can't stand if he says no. He orders things that no design shall take Further than 't will for his own Glory make None like to Christ he is without compare He 's wise as well as wealthy great and fair What 's thy opinion Soul canst not espy All Glory hid in his blest Majesty What hinders then but that without delay Triumph may celebrate th' espousal day CHAP. IV. Shewing how the Conscience of the Sinner comes to be effectually awakened together with the effects thereof THIS being said with bowels of Affection Tho often mixt with gall of sharp detection Her former stubbornness being all laid o'pe Yet this nor that nor nothing gave much hope He should prevail which put him in a maze And did his voice and spirits higher raise He still went on with sweet commiseration Yet was his pity mixt with some small passion And to this purpose did this good man speak Not knowing how his last farewel to take Theologue Poor stupified Soul Alas alas What is the cause whence doth it come to pass Thou art so sensless why dost thou despise All those Soul-melting tears those sighs and crys What is thy heart more harder than the Rocks That thou canst bear these oft repeated knocks And never break at all O strange O strange Thy heart poor Soul isâ—t harder than a stone That feeble drops of water fall upon And makes impression What shall stones relent And yield themselves and as it were consent These frequent droppings should impression make And showers move thee not Awake awake Before the dreadful Message I impart Shall rouse thy hard and sin-congealed heart Thy night comes on thy Sun 's a going down Thy seeming favourites begin to frown So all thy pleasures with their wanton charms Are flying from thee Death spreads forth his Arms To take thee hence unto another place Canst thou poor wretch this ghastly King imbrace What will become of all thy wealth and pleasure Behold alas Death 's come to make a seisure Upon thy poor deceived Soul this night Then all thy joys and empty vain delight Will vanish like the smoke and thou shalt be Cast iuto Prison for Eternitie Where thou shalt evermore bewail thy loss In changing Gold for that that 's worse than dross Shall Beauty Wealth or Honour make thee yield Much more that Wisdom wherewith Christ is fill'd Shall Love and Patience be so ill rewarded By thee by whom he should be most regarded And sensual Objects harbour'd in thy heart Then wilt thou hear what further I 'le impart Soul now thou must be anathematiz'd And when Christ comes how wilt thou be surpriz'd For those that love not Jesus are accurst And when he doth appear for ever must That fearful doom and sentence then receive O may the thoughts of this cause thee to cleave To him with speed before this day is gone I le now break off adieu this think upon Poor drousy wretch let sin no more deceive thee Give me thine Answer now before I leave thee O may these Soul-confounding terrors break Thy stony-heart and make thy Conscience speak Eternal God do thou thy Spirit send 'T is he which must the Soul in pieces rend The work 's too hard for weakness Alas I Shall not prevail if help thou dost deny Speak to her heart set home the Word with Pow'r Shall this be the good day the happy hour Her Conscience touch O wound her let her see What 't is to be a Captive unto thee Open her Eyes blest Spirit thou canst do it Sad is her state O come and let her know it Let not my pains nor labour quite be lost For dear she has my Master Jesus cost Thou canst effectually change her bad mind Which unto sensual Objects is inclin'd O shed and scatter precious Love abroad And unto her some of that grace afford Moral persuasions barely ne're will bring The Soul to love
and like our Heav'nly King But I 'le return and speak yet one word more Unto her Conscience e're I do give o're Speak Conscience if alive thou us'd to keep A faithful watch what art thou now asleep Hath she not slighted Christ like unto those That him reject and cleave unto his Foes What dost thou say speak I adjure thee rouse Conscience I speak to thee shake off thy drouse Gripe this deluded Soul who puts her trust In those that seek her Life 't is thou that must Stop her vain course what shall the Sinner die When Conscience God's Vicegerent is so nigh And gives not one sad sigh nor groan nor cry Strange what 's befallen thee art lost oâ— fled Who shouldst the tidings bring that all are dead Like Job's last Messenger thou shouldst declare How all the faculties corrupted are Wilt thou betray that trust repos'd in thee And lose thy regal Right and Soveraignty Wilt thou connive and wink at such a crime Or fault which she commits O no 't is time Now to awake and fiercely her reprove What hate that Prince whom she pretends to love Immediately the Spirit sweetly spake And touch'd her heart and Conscience did awake Conscience What Soul-amazing voice is this I hear What Heav'n-rending Thunder fills mine Ear Awake why do I sleep can Conscience nod That keeps a watch betwixt the Soul and God If so yet when Heav'ns voice cryes out amain That will awake and make me rouse again I have most basely Sir corrupted bin By Satan and that poisonous Evil SIN A Register I kept but then alas It has so fallen out so come to pass That I unfaithful was for always when I should have set down scores I set down ten Nay to their party so entic'd have bin That I have often winked at her sin And when my Office was for to accuse 'T was to wrong endâ— her Light I did abuse My faults I see I 'le watch that no offence May pass the Soul without intelligence Sir Strange it is it puts me in a muse As one amaz'd to see the Soul refuse To hearken to your voice which constantly Like pointed Darts against her breast doth fly I 'le take up Arms and fight for Jesus now And make her bend to him if I know how I now declare my self though for a season I silence kept to hear what Goodman Reason Could find to say whereby he might excuse her But he 's most blind and surely doth abuse her I know her byass'd Judgment will conjecture She 's not oblig'd to hearken to that Lecture She lately heard although it was Divine Her will and judgment doth with Hell combine To work her ruin do you what you can Till Judgments rectifi'd and the Old man Be put to death she 'l be rebellious still Yield to her lusts and please her vicious will Theologue Doth Conscience yield Blest day I 'le try again With hope of a full Conquest to obtain Good service may'st thou do act well thy part Whilst the great King doth thus besiege the heart Keep thou a narrow watch look well about Observe who doth come in and who goes out In one thing am I glad I know from hence I shall by thee have true intelligence How things are manag'd in her house always Thou know'st her thoughts hâ—â—â—st all the words she says Apollyon Prince of Darkness Apollyon that degraded Seraphim And Grand-fire of that Hell-bred Monster Sin No sooner did of these late tidings hear How Conscience was awakened but in fear Presently calls a Council to advise Which way they might the Soul by craft surprize And hinder her from being crowned Queen Which to prevent successful have we been Saith he till now but I am in great doubt Much longer we shall hardly hold it out The Preacher doth his business follow so I am afraid of some great overthrow Satan Dread Prince fear not we yet possession have And want no skill Can't subtilty deceive Can't strength subdue besides she 's in our chain Though one links broke we 'l fasten it again And if grave Judgment will with us abide Conscience will not be able to decide The diffâ—rences nor right dicision make No matter then which side the fool doth take But since my Lord I see what grieves your mind No safety shall these Gospel-Preachers find Our Vassals we 'l prepare with Hellish rage Them to extirpate and drive off the stage Lucifer I do approve of that last Counsel given Let not a place nor corner under Heaven Be found for those our int'rest dare oppose Or once attempt to move the Soul to close With him whom we account our mortal Foe Satan for this I bless and thank thee too The brave design which we have now in hand Will soon effect this thing in every Land That Enterprise let us pursue with care But mind us wâ—ll how things more inward are To Judgment look lest he from us should run If once his Eyes are ope we 're all undone Soul Lord what sad gripes and lashes no I feel My courage fails and resolutions reel Strange thoughts disturb my mind no rest alas Can heart or eyes obtain whole nights do pass Whole weeks and months and nought can I possess But horror great sad grief and weariness What 's my condition now who 'le shew to me My present state and future misery Hark what 's within a very frightful noise It mars my hopes imbitters all my joys My moâ—n's ore-cast my fair day proveth foul My Conscience terrifies and makes me howl Lash after lash and blows succeeding blows He 's void of mercy and no pity shows Here ends my joy and here begins my woes O how my mind is hurried to and fro I know not where to fix nor what to do My unresolv'd resolves do greatly vary This way one while and then the quite contrary Who is 't will counsel give to whom must I Go for some case in this perplexity My Conscience says I wickedly have acted Not breaking the vile contract I 've contracted With those sweet Lovers which my sensual heart So long a time has lov'd how shall we part Must I be forc'd by Conscience to imbrace One whom I cannot love 't is a hard case Yet have I cause to love him dearly too But how shall I for him let others go Depraved Judgment Poor silly Soul and is thy choice so hard In two extreams can thy weak thoughts reward Two so unequal with the like respect Know'st thou not which to slight which to affect Submit to me â—tis Judgment must advise In this great case take heed and be thou wise Fix where thou wilt thy doubt-depending cause Can ne'r expect a Verdict 'twixt two Laws Which differ and are opposit in kind Yet a fit medium I 'le attempt to find To ease thy sad and sore perplexed mind Divert those thoughts by some rare Speculations And vanquish all these dolesome cogitations Look look abroad and view the world pray mark
corrupt Affection's Reply One word I 'le briefly drop and speak no more Thou 'st put thy case to Conscience heresofore And what redress pray had you what didst gain Did he not gripe thee sorely for thy pain Wilt thou neglect so sweet advice as this Judgment and Conscience both may judg amiss But if thou lik'st it and canst be contented By knawing Conscience still to be tormented Then I 'le be silent and improve thy skill Yet will I love and like where I did still â—adst thou been counsel'd to forsake the Lord Would I do'st think have spoken the least word Once to dissuade thee from so just a thing Nay Soul thou oughtst nay must respect this King But whilst he 's absent whilst he dwells on high Thou hast no other Object for thine Eye Then these Consult with Conscience now do what you please But as for me I am for present case CHAP. VI. Shewing the policy of Satan in keeping the Soul from a full closing with Christ Also the nature of a bosom sin NO sooner was this sharp Encounter over But in a little time you might discover The Soul half vanquish'd by her weak opposing Sometimes resisting and then faintly closing Sometimes you 'l see her just as 't were consenting And presently you 'l find her much lamenting Beset on every side with troops of fears Which makes her to bedew her cheeks with tears Complains to Conscience hoping for relief Till Conscience cheeks her and renews her grief Sometimes she 's drawn to fix her tender Eye Upon the Gospel's pure Simplicitie Her love-sick thoughts at â—its seem to aspire As if she could pass through hot flames of â—ire And say with Peter Though all should deny Thee my blest Lord yet so will never I. But when the Soul once comes to see the Cross Its courage fails O! 't is at a great loss When she perceives she and her lusts must part O that sticks close go's to the very heart The thoughts of that is hard 't is Self-denial That puts the Soul upon the deepest tryal Some ready are to make a large profession In hopes of somewhat perhaps the possession Of Heav'n at last but straight sounds in their Ear Deny thy self come part with all that 's dear For Jesus sake Ah! this they cannot bear The Young-man ran he seem'd to be in haste But news of this did all his courage blast The gate is strait O! 't is no easie thing To for-go all in love to this blest King The way is narrow which leads unto life 'T is Self-denial that begets the strife 'Twixt Flesh and Spirit there 's a constant War They opposite and quite contraries are As Fire and Water Light and Darkness be Such diffâ—ring Natures never can agree So between these is like antipathie The flesh is like the Young-man give 's attention To what the Preacher says until he mention His bosom-sin the Lust he so much loves This makes him face about and back removes He goes away yet lov'd to hear Christ preach Up Legal works but when he came to reach His Dalilah that blow so griev'd his heart That Christ and he immediately must part His great possessions could not give to th' poor Though he had th' promise of abundance more Treasures above but being not content To pay that price for Heaven away he went How loth's the Flesh to yield that Grace may win The happy Conquest of a Bosom-sin How will it plead how wittily debate Excuse or argue to extenuate The Crime at length it yields forc'd to give way But first cry's out O give me leave to stay A year a month a week at least one day Put when it sees it cannot that obtain The loser looks and pleads yet once again Ah! let my fond my fainting breaking heart Hug it the other time before we part Much like Rebeckah's Friends the flesh appears It parts with sin but 't is with floods of tears Each has his Darling his beloved sin Whilst unconverted much delighted in Give me say some but leave to heap up Treasure And I 'le abandon all forbidden pleasure Others again there be that only prize The popular applause of being wise A name of being learn'd judicious grave Able Divines 't is this too many crave Some boast their natural and acquired parts Which take the ears of some seduce the hearts Of many simple Souls who go astray While others are for feasting day by day There 's some delight in drinking choice of Wine Whilst others are to Gaming more inclin'd That sin that finds more favour than the rest That is thy darling sin thou knowst it best O search thy bosom well pry pry within Till thou findst out thy own beloved sin That gives thee kisses that 's the lust that slays thee O that 's the cursed Judas which betrays thee Ah! see how blind how foolish Sinners are Like to rebellious Saul theyâ—l Agâ—g spare They entertain this Lust close in their heart And are indeed as loth with it to part As with a Hand or Eye and therefore she Crys out with Sampson O this pleases me Ah! I will freely part with all the rest Might I but hug this Darling in my breasâ— Souls once convicted quickly do begin To hate detest and leave all grosser sin Sins visible unto the natural Eye Such which are of the black and deepest die They are possest with such a dread and fear They 'l not touch them nor venture to come near These foul defilements nay such spots disdainf Then presently conclude they 'r born again And shall be sav'd though bosom lusts remain And if at any time some beams of light Discover secret Sin or Conscience sâ—ite Or touch the Dalilah they then begin To think of making covers for such sin Which in the secret of the bosom lies With the fair Mantle of Infirmities But if at any time the searching Word Which cuts and trys like a two-edged Sword Pierces the heart and will divide asunder The soul and spirit and e're long bring under These Soul-deluding Covers and espies Those secret Lusts which in each corner lies And doth unmask those evils and disclose The Soul's hypocrisie yea and expose It's nakedness to view unto its shame Now now the Flesh begins to change the name Of every Lust that lies so closely hidden Soul touch not saith the Lord 't is Fruit forbidden O! saith the Flesh 't is pleasant in mine eyes Yea says the Tempter Soul 't will make thee wise Taste it is sweet the liberty is thine And Wisdom is a Vertue most divine And Vertue saith the flesh will make thee shine Christ he prohibits Souls from taking pleasure In laying up their bags of Earthly Treasure For these things have in them a secret Art To steal away th' affections of the Heart Christ tells the Soul Our Hevenly Father knows What 't is we want and so much he allows Which he sees best which we contentedly Should take from him who will our wants supply
of Man Oh! let our Souls be arm'd with courage bold Whilst we this furious Battel do behold Before the Fight begins do you not hear How he doth cry unto his Father dear O let this Cup from me Lord pass away If it be possible Let it I pray Pass from me that of it I may not drink Until this time he never seem'd to shrink From any pain conflict or suffering This Combat is alas a different thing From what before he ever met withal From hence he did unto his Father call Once and again repeating of his cry It 'h sense of what was now approaching nigh Some may at this 't is likely much admire That our dear Saviour should so loud desire To be deliver'd from that bitter Cup Which was prepared for him to drink up It did not rise for his unwillingness But from the pain the anguish and distress 'T would bring him to this humane Nature's weak From thence he might such supplications make Ah! wrath Divine what humane Soul can beaâ— But of Divinity he hath his share Which doth again his fainting spirit chear And such support he needs Cast but an Eye See how the Combatants with fury fly Upon each other What a Battel 's here Enough to melt our Souls into a tear Lo the first blow that Sin and Wrath doth give It is the worst he ever did receive Behold how frightfully grim Wrath doth frown Nay more the Prince seems by their strength cast down Now Sin Wrath upon him both do lie Which makes him groan and bitterly to cry With panting breast and half-expiring Breath My Soul is sorrowful ev'n unto Death Can the great Prince of Earth and Heaven feel Such heavy strokes as thus to make him reel The dismal weight of Sin this doth declare None but a JESVS could it fully bear Happy are we as the blest Prophet said Our Help was upon One that 's mighty laid Could man or Angel ev'r have born all this And not have been cast down to th'deepst Abyss Nay of this mighty One Saint Mark hath rais'd Our Wonder higher He was sore amaz'd Nay more than this he fell upon the Ground No Soul before such anguish ever found To see the Lord of Life brought to the Earth Under the pressure of God's heavy Wrath And that he suffer'd all this in our stead May make our Souls to stand astonished Especially if to these Trials we Shall add his great and bloody Agony Wherein the sweat fell from him as he stood In Crimson dy like trickling drops of blood Ah! precious Lord this work was very sore But still thy Love and it s blest Vertue 's more Through all these Toils thou graspst at Victory And Captive lead'st at last Captivity If Sin that day had not receiv'd a fall Grim Death and Hell had quickly swallow'd all The race of Man we all had been undone No help no hope no life for any one Sin was condemn'd it had a fatal blow That now to Saints it little hurt can do But to proceed here I shall now relate Some things which very much do aggravate The sufferings which Christ in 's Soul indur'd When he this Conquest for our Souls procur'd No greater sorrows did he ever know Than those which then his Soul did undergo Several Circumstances which demonstrate the Greatness of our Saviours sufferings in his Soul in the Garden First They did not seize him with the least surprize From thence oft-times doth great Amazement rise Unto poor Mortals we are not aware Oft-times what 's nigh know nothing of the snare But thus 't was not with the blest Prince of Light What can be hid from Great Jehovah's sight He knew full well what would upon him fall Yet when it came so great surpassing all Were th' Griefs he felt he in amaze doth call Unto his Father dear most earnestly If 't were his will to let that Cup pass by Secondly It was the very thing he came to do And yet cry'd out in such sad sort O who Can then conceive what he did undergo He freely did his precious Life give up And yet he 's ready to refuse the Cup. He takes it as it were into his hand Most willingly but presently doth stand Pausing a while then puts it to his Lip And after he had took one bitter sip Looks up to Heav'n and cryes O may it be Thy will dear God this Cup might pass from me Thirdly He knew unless he drank it up that we Must perish All to all Eternitie And that his coming would prove all in vain If he refused for us to be slain And yet with sighs and groans how did he cry In sense of wrath and that extremity Which he beheld would quickly overtake him When once his blessed Father did forsake him Fourthly The Angels which did there to him appear Demonstrate plain how great his sorrows were For like as one distressed makes complaint Quite tired out and all his spirits faint Needs to be strengthned by some faithful Friend So God to him did Holy Angels send For to relieve and comfort him that Day When Sin and Wrath so heavy on him lay Fifthly But what 's Assistance from an Heavenly Host To the great Power of the Holy Ghost Some little measure of the Spirit hath Caused blest Saints to triumph over Death How have they sung with flames about their Ears Contemning pains regardless of all fears This Spirit rested on him bodily Without measure and yet how doth he cry As scarce well knowing which way to bear up Whilst he partakes of this most painful Cup. This greatly doth his suff'rings amplify To humane sense if weighed seriously Sixthly O Lord what means these melting sighs and Tears Why is thy Soul amaz'd why fill'd with Fears Ah! 't is enough to break our hearts to think Upon that bitter potion thou didst drink Thou knewst thy sorrows would be quickly o're And then thou shouldst ne'r sigh nor suffer more 'T was from thy worth both Wrath and Justice cryes We are appeas'd with this thy Sacrifice Might not the shortness of this Conflict yield Thee some Relief Besides thou knew'st the Field Thou shouldst obtain the Conquest was thine own And quickly too the Conflict would be gone I' th midst of Wars or anguish Men indure If any can them certainly assure That in short time their Troubles will be over They straight rouse up their spirits to recover And patiently resolve to bear the smart For this is like a Cordial to the Heart All this thou knew'st and more abundantly Yet Sins dire weight so heavily did lie That with strong groans horror thou didst cry The Torments Lord of Hell took hold on thee Our Souls from that devouring Wrath to free But why didst thou into a Garden go Thus to encounter with the hellish Foe Was it because there first began our woe Or was it Lord to have us call to mind When we in Walks and Gardens pleasures find What thou didst
for us in a Garden bear To take our Hearts from slitting pleasures here But stop my Muse look back and let us sâ—e What did succeed Judas his Treachery O mind what Joy's amongst th' Infernal Crew In hopes of what is likely to ensue Not once but many times this makes me quake We are undone should he refuse to take Part now with us in this Extremity When all we have and are at stake doth lie To this Advice the Devils all consent And call for Tyrant Death who doth present His gastly face and boldly do's demand What 't was they would have him to take in hand Then soon Apollyon King of Darkness breaks Silence and to this purpose gravely speaks Apollyon Dread King of Terrors if thou stepst not in Down goes our Hell-bred Monarchy of Sin We now can walk the spacious Earth about And have we Friend or Foe we find him out Where e're we see a person that 's upright We seek his ruin with the greatest spight When we by fraud or craft can't him intice To yield to Pride or Lust or any Vice But that he 'l watch us with a wary Eye And persevere in all true Piety Then on him do we bring outward distress To make him lose or leave his Holiness Our Kingdom by this practice is made strong Potent and large and so has prosper'd long But now thy help we need for much we fear The downfal of our Kingdom draweth near Upon the Earth there now appears in sight A mighty Foe one call'd The Prince of Light 〈…〉 And for what end should he from Heaven come If not to execute on us that Doom Which Heav'n long since decreed To end which strife We are resolv'd to take away his Life Already he 's betray'd if things hit right And then we 'l yield him up unto thy Might For thy Assistance Death we do implore Else to these mischiefs this will happen more That Creature we so long have captivated Will in her Pomp again be re-instated The thoughts of which there 's none of us can bear Speak speak pale Monarch for we long to hear What 's thy Advice Thou mighty art in pow'r And canst we know whole Nations soon devour The King of Terrors Great Prince of Darkness you must understand We are not wholly at your proud Command For there 's a mighty Pow'r in Heaven high Which you are subject to as well as I 'T is true from him I cannot say at all That I derive my strange Original Yet by his pleasure am circumscrib'd And ' gainst his Will cannot be forc'd nor brib'd Wherefore if he this Prince of Light protect In vain at him shall I my shafts direct Besides in this Exploit methinks I find Some strange foreboding ills possess my mind As if engaging thus against your Foe I should but hasten mine own overthrow Take mine Advice then meddle not at all Better sit still you know than rise to fall 'T is true indeed as you have well observ'd Your threatned Judgment has been long deferr'd But if your Execution-Day be come You can't escape but must abide your Doom Prince of Darkness Thou pale-fac'd Traytor shan't we have thy Aid Then all our Hellish Projects are betray'd How oft have we stood by thee sent thee forth To do our will and pleasure on the Earth The first that ever thou hadst in thy hand Committed was by me at my Command I caused Cain to slay his godly Brother And so taught thee how to bereave the Mother Of her most dear of her most hopeful Son And shall not now my will in this be done 'T was I which did thy being to thee give How many Subjects dost each day receive From me and mine who do in every Land Promote thy State and lend their helping-Hand Therefore consent and show thy angry Brow And make this Conqueror to thy Scepter bow Yielding himself to thee strike him with speed And pierce his very Heart until it bleed Then some dark Cave near the Earths Centre find Where Light ne're pierc'd nor Phoebus ever shin'd There there the vanquisht Foe do thou retain Close Prisn'er with an Adamantine Chain When e're thou strik'st be sure strike home thy blow Lest he revive and work our overthrow Be bold attempt and let thy pow'r be known Thy Glory of this Deed shall be thine own King of Terrors I must confess I have been often sent By Hellish means unto the Innocent To satisfy your Envy Pride and Lust Some thousands I have turn'd into the Dust Yet never did I strike but on Condition As Heaven did permit in my Commission And though by Thee and by that Monster Sin The Child of Hell I first of all came in Yet am I not subservient still to thee But bounded by Jehovah's own Decree For had I wholly been at thy Command Poor Job had fell before thy pow'rful hand Where my dread Sovereign Lord do's give me charge To stay my hand though my Commission 's large I must forbear But if he once permit The Just and the Unjust alike I hit Apollyon King of Darkness Wilt thou eclipse my Glory and Renown Destroy my Pow'r and tread my Kingdom down Fy Death for shame forbear thy Insolence And do'nt dispute the Mandates of thy Prince Strike I conjure thee do not vainly think 'T will be thy Int'rest from this work to shrink That hand that powerful hand that conquers me If he prevail at last will vanquish thee Though now on Earth thou dost in triumph dwell If he o'recome he 'l cast thee down to Hell Thou fro'n thy Monarchy shalt then be driven And shalt abide in no place under Heaven Thou that hast been a Conqueror heretofore Shalt conquer'd be and never conquer more Ah! lend thy Hand shew forth thy mighty pow'rs 'T is for thy Int'rest Death as well as ours If Arguments and Reason may convince Thee try thy weapons on this dangerous Prince King of Terrors Say say no more If you find things agree In order to his downfall I will be His Executioner do you not fear I tremble at the thoughts of what I hear Damned Spirits Bravely resolv'd At last they all Reply'd Swelling in Wrath in Malice Envy Pride Wee 'l now proceed and craftily prepare All things in readiness to end this War Apollyon Though Judas has a party for our turn Yet we have more to do e're we adjourn If we should bring this Enterprise to pass Yet when all 's done I shall be where I was We must seek out some persons to defame His so much honour'd and unblemish'd Name He 's Just and Virtuous and esteem'd so high Who dares charge him with th' least Impurity Satan At this an envious Devil strait jumpt in I 'le lead the people on let me begin I 'le stir them up to Envy more and more Such Envy that he shall not stand before Belial These are but sparkles from an hasty Fire Which will for want of fuel soon expire His Glory
thy breast Canst thou be ignorant how she 's possest With such a Soul-convincing beam of light That I do seem a Monster in her sight I shall not overcome her now unless I do appear to her in some new dress Time was indeed when I have been respected But now alas I greatly am suspected Of being thy great favourite nay she Affirms that I am wholly led by thee These things consider'd I must be advis'd Fear lest I should be unawares surpriz'd Apollyon Thou hit'st the case and I agree thereto Thou shalt be clothed new from top to to And I 'le transform my shape and will appear For thy assistance haste and nothing fear With specious shews of love do thou pretend Thou com'st to reason with her as a Friend Not meaning to perswade her to remove Or to withdraw in any case her love From her great Soveraign whom thou maist confess Can only her advance to happiness Yet tell her she 's too strict she 's too precise She 'l never hold it bid her to be wise Soft pace goes far an over-heated zeal Ruins the Soul and spoils the Common-weal Go bid her carry 't in her Princes sight With Saint-like sweetness bid her to delight In his presence and there demurely stand But when she 's absent let both heart and hand Be still delighted as they were before With sense-deluding Objects Furthermore Tell her he 's not so strict as to debar Her of these joys below for her 's they are Of which Paul rightly speaks this is the sum All things are yours both present and to come Thus we 'l combine and all our pow'rs unite And in this mode and curious dress incite Th' enligten'd Soul to play the Hypocrite The flesh being thus with th' pow'rs of Hell agreed The inward Foe bestirs himself with speed Vile Traytor like a Panther doth become To work about the Soul 's eternal doom A cruel Serpent in a Saint-like guize The better to trapan the long'd-for prize As Balaam once and Balak so do they Seek to find out some curst infidious way The poor unwary Soul for to betray To the last Death's dark and eternal shade Balaam advises Balak to invade God's Heritage 't was by the beauteous train Of Moabite Damsels who he thought might gain The Israelites affections and thereby Make them offend against the Majesty Of God All-mighty by whose powerful hand Jacob prevails and Moab could no wise stand Ah! see how the wise Fowler lays his snare To catch the poor enlighten'd Soul Beware And do not close thy new-inlighten'd Eyes Under the Golden clew the Panther lies The Eye-intangled Creature stands to gaze Upon the lovely Panther in a maze Till the deluded Beast doth by his stay Unwillingly become the Panther's prey Just as you see sometimes the nimble fly Dancing about the flame advance so nigh Until it 's taken and doth burn its wings Thus from it self its own destruction springs Or like two Men who running in a Race With hopes the Golden Diadem shall grace The Victor's Temples in the way doth lie A Golden Ball one of them casts his Eye Upom the same makes but a little stay To take it up the other hasts away And never turns aside to fix his Eyes On this or that but runs and wins the prize The other he the Ball espies is loth To let it lie in hopes to get them both He loses both for when he comes to try Doth â—â—nd the Golden Ball deceiv'd his Eye For when he thought to lay it up in store Finds it an Earthly Ball but gilded o're O! then he grieves but then it is too late His Eye 's the cause of his unhappy fate A fit resemblance for thus stands the case With every Soul This mortal life 's the Race A blessed Kingdom crowns the Victor's brow With endless glory but whilst here below We 're tempt by Earthly pleasures that 's the Ball Satan's the Sopister who lets it fall Now look about thee Soul thy time 's at hand Thine Enemies approach â—ay â—o they stand Ready prepared and resolv'd to try Both strength and craft to get the Victory Thy precious Lord is the eternal Prize Mind well thy Mark take heed of wanton Eyes If Pleasures thou or Honours shouldst espy Stop not to gaze run swift and pass them by Take no regard unto that painted Ball Which Satan to deceive thee has let fall The Old-man's near the flesh in a new dress And whose with him Ah! thou mayst eas'ly guess 'T is to deceive thee he appears so trim And thou mayst see the Devil plain in him The pow'rs of Hell in thee will try their skill For to insnare Affections and the Will Nay Satan has got them to take his side Thus treacherously thy heart they do divide Thus though the Soul obtains inlightned Eyes Whilst thicker darkness vanishes and flies Yet is she vex'd with sore perplexities 'Twixt two extreams and two contrary Laws Judgment is led by one Affection draws The other way she can't tell which to please She knows what 's best but strong temptations seize Upon her so that she 's at a great stand This way she goes then to the other hand Her faculties fall out they disagree O look methinks I in the Soul do see Four mighty Warriours draw into the Field To try their Valour and refuse to yield Unto each other here 's two against two Judgment with Conscience are united so That Will and the Affections do resolve The trembling Soul in Wars still to involve Will rouses up refuses to give way That his great opposites should have the day Apollyon also with him doth take part To hold his own and to beguile her heart They meet they strike blows exchange for blows Darts are let fly they with each other close The conflict's sharp 't is very hard to know Which will the other beat and overthrow Will 's hard put to 't nay had lost the day quite But that more Traytors join'd him in the Fight Th' Old-man rouses with rebellious flesh And these domestick Wars renew afresh They fight about the Soul would know who must Have th' heart and its affections Christ or Lust Satan by inward motions straight reply'd My sentence is we 'l equally divide And give alike both can't have the whole heart Christ take a piece and I the other part He 'd have the question by the Sword decided Knowing the Soul lies dead whilst 't is divided Thus 't is with many Ah! look well within Judgment convinc'd may be yet may thy sin In thy affections live and also thou Mayst not to th' pow'r of Grace and Jesus bow Thou mayst have light and speak as Balaam did Whose Eyes Jehovah so far opened That he cry'd out O happy Israel How goodly are the Tents where thou dost dwell He like to many Preachers did commend God's holy ways and wish'd that his last end Might be like his who righteously doth live And his whole heart doth unto
Jesus give He to this purpose spake yet ne'r-the-less Lov'd best the wages of unrighteousness The Understanding may much light receive And yet may not the Soul rightly believe Nor be espous'd to Christ may not rely On him alone in true simplicitie But to proceed with careful Eye let 's view What follows here what 't is doth next ensâ—e As Combatants sometimes a Parly beat After some sharp Encounter or retreat And with each other do expostulate About their rising or their sinking fate Even so likewise do these strong inward Foes They pause as 't were parly then fall to blows Old-man The Old-man moves and presently he meets With the poor Soul and thus Affection greets Thou for my Int'rest ever yet hast been And sweet says he Ah! sweet's a bosom sin Thou never yet deny'dst to yield subjection Unto my will and now indear'd Affection Our Master great Apollyon doth command That we unite our force and faithful stand Against our Foâ—s thy int'rest is invaded Thou â—eest by whom thou knowst who are inraged Hold safe thine own ne'r let those Objects go Thou lov'st so dear 't will be thy overthrow And thereby too the Soul will unawares 〈…〉 involv'd in more vexatious cares And those delights which thou weâ—t wont to have Will be obscured in the darksom Cave Of black Oblivion buried out of sight Should once the Soul close with this Prince of Light Not that we think thou canst'ith ' least approve Of thiâ— whereby she should withdraw her love Quite from those things which we esteem so dear For Heart and Will some ways do yet adhere Unto our Int'rest yet basely misled She is 〈◊〉 since she 's been enlightened We are content she should cry up the choice She thinks to make let her in that rejoice Yet there 's a secret we would fain reveal She 's blinded by her over-fervent zeal It iâ— enough since she has made such vows To love him 〈…〉 to become his Spouse Why should she not have yet sweet sensual pleasures To please the flesh to whom the greatest treasure Of right belongs that ever were poste it How can her glory better be exprest Than to imbrace what is so freely given Joys here below as well as bliss in Heaven Let her not fear to spend her days in mirth That 's Heir of Heaven and Lady of the Earth This think upon and secretly impart So sweet a Message to the yielding heart Affection hears and willingly consented And strives with this to make the Soul contented Nay with it too the Soul began to close Until poor Conscience did them both oppose Affection Will and Conscience talk a while Apollyon straight starts up and with a smile Salutes them all seeming as if he were One unconcern'd with any matters there Who well observing how thâ—se three contended Begs leave to speak a word as he pretended In favour to them all desiring he Might at this time their Moderator be At this they seem'd to pause and stand all mute At length the Soul but faintly grants his Suit The Devil having thus obtain'd his end Salutes the Soul Fair Virgin I commend Thy happy choice almost if not quite made Yet if all matters were but wisely weigh'd Thou 'lt find Affection has advis'd thee right And 't can't be safe such Counsel now to slight The greatest honours oft for want of care In just improvements have been made a snare What bount'ous Heav'n Earth affords refuse not Be not so nice ye ' buse the things you use not What is thy Soveraign willing to receive thee Into Celestial Joys yet quite bereave thee Of present sweetness Tush this cannot be He will sure ne'r such wrong do unto thee Reflect not what thy former state hath been But what 't is now a Saint more than a Queen Things present and to come nay all are thine Come merry be drinkof the choiest Wine Thine honour 's great and let thy joys abound Chant to the Viol hear the Organ sound Let the melodious Lute and Harp invite thee And each transcendent joy on Earth delight thee A sweet is What a thing reproacht call'd Sin It in the bosom lies has harbour'd bin By chiefest Saints O then do not deny The present good that 's pleasant to the Eye But it thou fearst thou shouldst thy Lord offend Observe this Rule which I shall next commend Let all thy words be pleasant smooth and sweet When him thou dost in daily Duties meet Seem to be chast and let no Saints espy The smallest sign of Immoralitie Be â—rave in speech and lowly when thou meetst them And call them thy dear Brethren when thou greetst them And if thy Soveraign seek to have thy heart Let him have some yet must the World have part Call him thy Friend thy Saviour own him so And to poor Saints thou must some kindness show Or else thy covetousness they will espy And 〈…〉 be charg'd with what Idolatry Thus mayst thou keep his love but when thou go's Amongst thy old acquaintance yet his Foes Let them know nothing let no sentence fall Which may discover this to them at all Thus having spoken briefly be thou wise And with thy Friends my Agents now advise Thus ends the Old-man and Apollyon's suit And the poor Soul in this assault stood mute Not well discerning who these thoughts did dart Into her yielding and divided heart Nor hath she got that grave and good inspection What 's best to do and where to take direction But goes to th' Flesh with that doth she consult Which quickly brings her to a sad result I hitherto saith she have been deprest What shall I do how may I be at rest The Flesh or corrupt Affection What 's the reversion of a Prince's State When 't must be purchas'd at so dear a rate 'T is but arriving at a seeming pitch Of Honour and to be câ—nceited Rich. If there 's no way to get this promis'd Crown But to incur the world'ds vile scoff and frown With loss of life and all we call our own 'T would folly be to seek for such a prize For what we have is pleasant in our Eyes A real thing and present as 't is dear To part with it is more than flesh can bear But by the way mind what our Friends propound A Medium to enjoy them both is found Wherefore 't is best in this perplexing case For to unite that Counsel let 's imbrace Soul Hast thou forgot or knowst thou not mine eyes Have been enlight'ned let us first advise With Judgment lest this over-rash conclusion Turn all our Consultations to confusion It would be well could we I must confess Those sinful sweets and present joys possess Without the loss of those transcendant pleasures That 's in Jehova's unconfined Treasures But what if Judgment says it must not be Nor Truth nor Conscience with us will agree If so what shall I do what shall I choose Whilst I secure one I both may loose The flesh or