created all things by Christ Jesus since the very Faith of all things being created is by him also it being impossible that man should rightly know himself (s) Gal. 6.15 to be any creature 'till he is a new one They are not many thousands of years past since there was no being but thy own nor indeed is there any now whose name is Jam or is not rather a Nothing than a Being besides thy own but as if when thou created'st ours thou hadst annihilated thy own and thou hadst ceased to be scon after we began to be how art thou as sar out of mind as out of sight with me for the most part How rarely and faintly do I say (t) Job 19.25 I know that my Redeemer or my Creator either liveth So difficult it is to weak Faith to believe thee the Maker of heaven and earth that I am put hard to it many times to think thee the Maker of that little spot and clod of earth that I carry about me I am so bad at remembring thee the worlds Creator that I have much ado to remember thee my very own But did (u) Eccles 12.1 I not live move and have (x) Act. 17.28 my Being in thee the fault would be less heinous and monstrous Thou art nigher to me than I am to my self and I have as perpetually and necessarily thy upholding as my own subsisting so that did I not forget my self I could not possibly forget thee Nay and did I not forget all things 't were impossible but I must remember their Maker being all bear thy superscription yea and aloud say of thee It is he that hath made us Psal 37 17. and not we our selves (z) 1 Ti. 4.4 Every creature of God is good to teach me were I but good to learn it s being a creature and God being its Creator But oh my God! I neither learn of creatures to honour their Creator nor of the Creator to scorn creatures I can very seldome see either thee as thou art in thy self or them as they are in themselves I converse much with both and yet but little because I converse with thee without thy Attributes and with them without theirs not viewing them as insufficient or thee as alsufficient (a) Isa 54.5 If thou my Maker as the prophet speaks art my husband and jealousie be the rage of a man himself sure it concerns me to look better to my wayes than to go a whoring after the idols of my foolish imagination I find to my wo I converse mostly with nothings not with thee the Creator or thy creatures but with the idols and creatures of my own corrupt fancy For as there is no such God as I but too oft conceive thee so there are no such-creatures as I oft conceive them to be There is no God less than omnipotent there are no creatures more than nullipotent I am making an idol not worshipping thee when I contemplate of thee otherwise than of an Albeing God! and I am setting my (b) Pro. 23.5 eyes on that which is not when I am meditating of them as any other than as very Nothings as to subsistence without thy providence as they were to existence without thy creation There were variableness with thee indeed and more than shadow of turning if thou wert not as Albeing a God now as before thou madest all beings and sure if I and all thy other creatures were more than Nothings and if thou wert not-the very Being of our beings thou couldst not so be Teach me then oh my God! teach me to have all creatures manifest in my sight and thee the Creator also Shew me manifestly That thou Art as really and to Faith as apparently the Albeing God and Good as thou wast before the world began and that all thy creatures Beings consist in being Nothing without thee now as before they ever were manifest to me Oh my God! how thou hast made Nothings but very Nothings not one Being that has any Beings more without that which it derives from thy prouidence than it had without that which it drew from thy creation Not being without thee is as essential to a creature as being by thee For could it be any thing without thee its name would be I am (c) Isa 40.6 and it must be a God And wo is me if I deny the Unity of the Godhead as oft as I think of created Beings without the thought of their not Being it being not possible that thou shouldst be I Am if there be any beside thee or if there be any thing beside thee which is not a Nothing without thee Every creature declares by its experience that God is its (d) 1 Co. 15.28 All in All and God works all its works in it and for it Lord make my soul the worst of thy creatures to make thee it s All in All the Being of its being and of all other beings neither conceiving of thee as less than All things or of the world more than a Nothing I may lose it and lose nothing but were it so that I could save my soul and lose thee I should lose my All. I may gain a world and gain just nothing but could I gain thee with the very loss of my soul I should gain all things For sure I am gain is of Good onely c. (e) Mat. 19.7 There is none Good but God thy Self oh my God who dost truly say to thy creatures all without me ye can do nothing 3. A Soliloquy with the Soul of the same Argument I Will now go to my soul I will consider her wayes and be wise Come now and let us reason together oh my soul If I should ask that which was once God's Question From whence connest thou I doubt you must return that which was once the devil's Answer (f) Job 2.2 From going to and fro in the earth The earth which he hath (g) Job 38.6 hang'd on nothing and charg'd you to lay no stress upon while you keep in this my (h) Co. 4.7 earthen Vessel your life indeed must be on earth but (i) Phil. 3.20 your conversation in heaven I would that you so use the world as not abusing it or your self You are both poor enough and you know who bids you wrong not the poor because the Lord is their Maker If you tell me That God pronounc'd all that he made (k) Ge. 1.31 very good I must tell you So it was and so it is for Gods ends with it But whether it be not as very ill for your ends with it is a doubt He intended all for his own glory for which 't is good and fit if you intend it for yours you will find it much otherwise because though (l) i Co. 1.27 God has chose even the foolish things of the world to manifest his wisedom with you must chuse the wise ones of a better world to manifest yours
vineger and gall but I have also that in me which sayes to thy Law Thy (n) Can 4.11 lips oh my spouse drop as the honey-comb honey and milk are under thy tongue and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon I have that which sayes to thy Law (o) 1 Sa. 17.43 Am I a dog that thou comest to me with staves And I have that which rejoyns yes 't is a dog for the love of Christ beat it out I have that indeliberateness which upon the devils (p) Mat 3.9 all these things I will give thee will give the Law a repulse and I have that deliberacy which if it might have (q) Nu. 22.18 a house full of gold and silver will not go beyond the word of thy Law to do more or less I have that which resents (r) Mic. 4. the best of thy Laws as a briar and the most upright as a thorn hedge And I have that which in the (s) Mal. 3.7 day or night when it makes up its jewels maketh (t) Job 28.18 no mention of coral or pearls Ophirs gold or the precious Sardonyx but calls thy Law its (u) Isa 58.15 delight the ornament of Grace (x) Pro. 3.22 life to my soul and grace to my neck and this I can truly aver (y) Psa 139.21 23. I hate the men and things that hate thy Law I am griev'd with those that rise up against it I hate them with perfect hatred and I count them my enemies When thy righteous Law (z) Psal 341.5 smites me it is a kindness when it reproves me 't is an excellent oyl It breaks not my head with thoughts how to break its own but my heart with cares how to get a plaister from Christ For though I can't (a) Pro. 18.14 bear an unbroken spirit neither can I bear a wounded one Some imagine that the voice of thy Law is nothing but Cursed be every one But me thinks I hear all thy Laws saying with one mouth (b) Ge. 1.26 Come let us make man in our own image and their design seems to me to be (c) Tit. 2 14. the redeeming us from all iniquity purifying us as a peculiar people zealous of good works Oh my God! none ever perish'd by the Law falling on them but by their own (d) Mat 4.44 falling first on the Law 't is we break it and our selves in it If none are its (e) Joh. 15.14 friends but such as do whatsoever it commands I must stand out But if (f) Ro. 13.10 love unto be the fulfilling of the Law fure I am one such a one as ' t is Though (g) Luk 2.1 Augustus like it tax the whole world and meet not with any that payes it so slender tribute of obedience as my rebellious heart Yet this oh my God (h) Psa 38.18 I declare I will declare my iniquity and I will be sorry for my sin For I must needs say of thy Law as (i) Joh. 19.4 6. Pilate of thy Son I see no sault in him I will pray That all its (k) Heb. 10.13 enemies within me may be made its foot-stool and that it may (l) Jude 14.15 come into me with ten thousand of its arguments to execute judgment upon all and convince all ungodly lusts of their hard speeches against it and that now he may (m) Re. 2.27 rule them with a rod of iron For really (n) Ro. 3 19. the way of peace they have not known except by fighting against it Oh my God! let thy Law take away (o) Joh. 15.2 every branch that beareth fruit let it purge it that it may bring forth more fruit It hath of (p) Mat 4.24 old heal'd sick people taken with divers diseases and torments those that were possess'd with devils those which were lunatick and had the palsie And sure its (q) Nu. 11.23 hand is not shortned that it cannot save It has of old led souls into the (r) Can. 2.4 5. Banquetting house of the Gospel staying them with its flagons and comforting them with its apples when they have been sick of love to God and hatred to their sins Other (s) Isa 3.12 Icaders cause poor souls to err But oh my God let this (t) Luk 1.79 Guide lead my feet into the way of peace 7. A Soliloquy with God about his Promises LOrd when I turn to thy promises I am ready to ask my soul (u) Pro 23.5 Wilt thou set thine eyes on that which is not as if thy mouth spake vanity and thy right hand were a right hand of lies (x) Psa 104.8 Promises from God think I (y) Joh. 3 9. how can these things be (z) Psa 113.9 He humbles himself indeed to behold the things that are done in heaven But he won't humble them so low as to bring them to us on earth to will he (a) Mat. 16.19 Whomsoever thou bindest to thy service on earth to them art thou bound for rewarding each one in heaven Lord (b) Isa 53.1 who can believe this report and to whom is this Arm of the Lord revealed (c) Pro. 19 4. Every one is a friend to him that giveth gifts (d) Jam 1.17 and if so good perfect gifts come down from thee oh my God! Why is not every power of my soul thy friend (e) Pro. 18.16 A mans gift maketh room for him won't God's do so too 'T is good advice (f) Mar. 13.5 Take heed least any man deceive you But what am I affraid God will deceive me too (g) Psa 119.86 I hy commandments are faithful and are not (h) Ro. 4.16 thy promises sure Are they call'd exceeding great because they exceed belief and credibility (i) 2 re 1.4 and precious because too good to be true Are their Yea and (k) 2 Co 1 20. Amen changeable into Nay nay and must my faith (l) Jam. 2. 19. as the devils believe and tremble while it does so Shall I oh my God! shall I think it not (m) He. 6 18.17.16 impossible for thee to lie because my own incredulousness has made thee swear Do mens oaths put an end to strife (n) Luk 1.37 and shall not thine Must I be jealous that thy Word is the more infirm because firm'd by an oath Oh foolish brute (o) Gal. 3.1 who hath bewitched me Oh my God my God! (p) Acts 2.39 thy promises to me and my children are to them that are afar off from believing them We make (q) Mat 22.5 light of them and go every one our wayes one to his Book another to his play A fit of sickness a storm at Sea c. will make me cry (r) Mat 14 18. Bring them hither to me but alas even then (s) Mat 22.14 though many are called few are chosen they cannot answer me satisfactorily (t)
as other mens and though their love comes up like a flower it 's obnoxious to be cut or trod down like grass (g) Mat 6.30 which to day is and to morrow is cast into the oven Be thou my friend who changest not but lovest to the end yea world without end (h) Rev 2.10 who art faithful to the Death and givest thy friends a crown of Life whose love neither death can strike (i) Ro 3.38 39 nor life consume nor angels stop in the way nor principalities (k) Ro. 13.2 and powers resist to any but their own damnation nor things present cross nor things to come annoy nor heighth pull down nor depth swallow up nor any other creature do any other injury unto Oh my God make me know men (l) Jam. 1.8 are double-winded and their love is unstable in all its waies (m) He. 12.15 any root of bitterness may spring up and trouble it the rust of money (n) Mat 6.19 may corrupt it thieves may break in and steal it An unbridled tongue may ride over it and spoil it Oh make me sell all I have to get thy love thy love which is an inheritance (o) 1 Pe 1.4 5. incorruptible undefiled and that fades not away reserv'd in heaven kept through my faith indeed but by thy power unto salvation Make me know good Lord That all the friends on earth can't make one (p) Mat. 5.36 hair of my head white or black nor by (q) Mat 6.27 taking ever so much thought add one cubit to my stature when sick or sorrowful there 's not one to whom I can say (r) Mat. 8.2 7. If thou wilt thou canst make me clean and whole nor can a soul of them say I will come and heal thee (s) Job 7.38 But oh my God he that believeth in thee though he were dead yet should he live Thou canst (t) Ezo 37.6 lay sinews upon dry bones cover them with flesh and breath in life 'T is but a word (u) Heb 11.3 and a world with thee (x) Ecc 1.15 that which is crooked thou canst make strait and that which is wanting thou canst number it My God my God I beseech thee put away my lovers and friends from me and (y) Job 19.13 let my acquaintance be estranged from that intimacie and perpetuitie of converse with them which hinders my communion with thee Though of all things below they are the sweetest they cannot (z) Pro 30 8. feed me with food convenient for me though I am greatly prone to put (a) Pro. 25.19 confidence in them I find that confidence in them in time of trouble is like a broken tooth and a foot out of joynt Though they have (b) Eph 4.28 stole away too too much of my affection already Oh my God let them steal no more Enable me to (c) Luk 14.26 hate my very father as much as is requisite to come a friend to thee Be thou my whole acquaintance and let me be ever with thee either in delights or desires Let me be a (d) Psal 119.23 companion of all them that love thee but let my communion be with and my strong confidence be in thee who art never better known than trusted Amen my God and Saviour Amen Amen! 10. A Soliloquy with God of the Holy Scriptures BLessed God (x) Job 6.25 how forcible are right words thine I am sure are Right because thine and right forcible because they are such (y) Jer. 23.29 hammers as break the very Rocks of my heart such a fire as pierces into my inmost depths and reaches the dross (z) 1 Co 2.9 which no Eye hath seen or ear heard Such Monitors as whoever won't hear (a) Luk 16.31 would not believe if one came from the dead Such as (b) Psal 119.9 cleanse the ways of even young men themselves so hard to be reclaimed that David cries out astonishedly Wherewithall shall a man young cleanse his waies Of very stocks and stones thy word (c) Mat. 3.9 has rais'd up children to Abraham It is (d) Isa 43.1 the arm of God yea and very sword too God the Father's arm God the Son's (e) 1 Co 4.20 power God the (f) Eph 6.17 Spirits sword Oh my God (g) Pre. 15.23 words spoken in season how good are they but when are thine out of season When (h) 1 Pe 2.2 we are babes they are milk (i) Pro 16.24 sweet and nourishing When grown they are strong meat making us go in thy wayes without weariness yea (k) Psal 19.5 run without fainting when in bitterness of sin and sorrow they are honey pleasant and purgative too When in doubts they are Counsellors when fainting (l) Can 2.5 they are flagons of soul-reviving cordials and apples of comfort When quite dead and the spirit gone (m) Jo. 6 6â— the words which thou sayest they are spirit and they are life (n) Jam 1.18 We are begotten by thy holy word (o) psa 119.93 as many as are born of God! We are fed by the same and no better fed than taught neither O my God there is not a (p) Psa 119 105. word in my tongue but thou knowest it altogether Oh would to Christ there may not be a (q) Psal 139.4 word in thy Book but I may know it altogether (r) Jam 1.5 Praised be thy holy Name thou dost not say If any man want wisdom that then he shall strait be damn'd for a fool but sayest That then he should ask it of thee Lord I ask of thee that (s) 2 Ti. 3.15 wisedom to salvation which thy word alone is able to give me I observe That all worldly wise withour this are (t) Mat. 10.16 as harmless as serpents as wise as doves without hearts they are wise to do evil in the form of godliness but to do good as good they have (u) Jer. 4.22 none the least knowledge What are all humane Authors that I should take knowledge (x) Psal 144.3 of them Or the most Learned that I should make account of them (y) Isa 55.8 9. Their words are not as thy words nor their notions as thy notions As the heavens are high above the earth so are thy words high above their words thy notions above theirs Methinks of all the Books in my Studie it is my Bible onely which can use the mighty Lords own words (z) Isa 45.22 Look unto me and be ye saved All the ends of the earth (a) Pro. 8.18 20 21 14. riches and honour are with me yea durable riches and honours lead in the way of righteousness in the midst of the paths of Judgement That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance and I will fill their treasures Counsel is mine and sound wisedom I am understanding I have strength Other Books I confess with their
which have flaming swords to keep thee out of ill companie The one is Gen. 3.15 The other Rev. 22.11 All between remember but these repeat thou every morn noon and night Amen 22. A Soliloquy with God of my Soul LOrd (a) Psal 119.79 Psal 139.14 thy hands have made me and fashioned me But nor 1 nor my parents know how I am fearfully and wonderfully made in the very (b) Isa 40.6 grass-plat of my flesh and even such (c) Psal 139.6 knowledge is too wonderful for me it is high I cannot attain it But as for my spiritual substance (d) Heb 10.34 Heb. 12.9 my better and induring substance my spirit whereof thou art the immediate Father how that lives moves and has its being what it is how it-acts how it lives man knows not it (e) Job 28.21 23. is hid from the eyes of all living God onely understands the way thereof and knows the place thereof Though it dwell in a clod of earth and a few drops of blood all the world to it is as nothing as a (f) Isa 40.15 17. drop of a bucket and the small dust of the ballance less than nothing and vanity it takes up the Isles as a very little thing Oh my God my bodie is not so little a a thing to the whole world as the whole world is to my soul fewer such bodies would fill the world than such worlds would fill my soul Thou hast but little in saying The world is mine and the fulness thereof than thou magnifiest thy self when thou sayest (g) Eze. 18 4. All souls are mine souls (h) Heb 11 38. of whom the world is not worthy I have read of the ends of the earth and (i) Psal 135.7 I have seen an end of all perfection herein But the capacitie of my soul I find exceeding broad so broad that nothing less than what (k) Jer. 13.24 sills Heaven and earth too can fill it and if thou oh my God wilt fill it when 't is (l) Luk. 1.53 hungry with good things thou must fill it with no worse nor less than the fulness of God The (m) Lu. 58. heles of the earth may contain foxes and the worlds nests may hold unclean birds nay each of them possibly may say (n) Psal 132.14 This is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it But alas my soul hath not where to lay its head herein Thy (o) Psal 15.1 tabernacle oh my God thy holy hill thy House not made with hands is the least it can dwell in The whole Earth is not a livelyhood for one soul without thee nor were Heaven it self tenantable did not thy presence make it a Court. Thou didst once bid man (p) Ge. 1.28 replenish the earth but never the earth replenish man whose soul thou knowest (q) Pro. 30.15 and makest one of those things which are never satisfied and say not 't is enough till it has as much more than the World as the (r) Gen 3.14 Creator is than the Creation Oh my God I find that my soul cannot go upon its belly and eat dust if thou thy self wouldst tell me of the Kingdoms of the earth (s) Mat 4.9 All these things will I give thee for thy portion it would utterly be (t) Can 8.7 contemn'd I find my soul is opinionated that 't is a substance of more value than many sparrows and will not be put off with a this-years nest nor with (u) Luk 12.19 goods laid up for many years neither no lease for less than eternity No inheritance besides an (x) 1 Pe 1.4 incorruptible and in no place but heaven will satisfie it much less at all gratifie it If thou shouldst bid it go seek a happiness it would return Lord (y) Joh 6.68 to whom shall I go thou hast the words of eternal life it would say Lord every of thy (z) 1 Ti 4.4 creatures is good and nothing to be refused for a servant but I will call none upon earth master while I breath (a) Joh 18.36 Had Christ's Kingdom been merely of this World I would never have fought for him so much as now I have and will though I am driven out of the World But the very truth is (b) Joh 3.16 God has so loved the World that I will never love it I read in thy holy Book of many things lost of but two that I think of won Solomon mentions (c) Pro. 11.30 Phil. 3.8 winning of souls St. Paul winning of Christ let me win but those Two and let Ziba take all for me I cannot be exceedingly anger'd or pleas'd (d) Jon. 4.6 7 10. Isa 5.10 with the gourds which come in a night and perish in a night Oh my God I find that whereas Christ's soul vvas made an offering for sin most men make their souls an offering to sin But my soul mindful of its primitive glory and likeness to God declares its (e) Ro. 1.18 Job 20.9 Wrath against all sin offers it self to thee and resolves if thou vvilt not yet sin shall not have it it vvill not serve sin or abide by its crib Nor vvill it humble and (f) Psal 113.6 abase it self to behold amorously the things that are on earth In comparison of God it (g) Job 42.6 abhors it self in comparison of it self it abhors the gain of the vvhole World The World vvhose (h) Mic. 6 10. scanty measure is an abomination to it and to all of vvhose Treasures the Heaven-born (i) Joh. 8.23 Spirit saith not infrequently as Jesus to the Jewes Ye are from beneath I am from above Ye are of this World I am not of this World Adding that (k) Mat 5.18 Heaven and Earth shall pass away but not a jod or tittle of its substance shall pass away (l) Hab. 3.17 Though the fig-tree blossom not nor fruit be in the vines Though the labour of the Olive fail and the fields yield no meat Though the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls Though Moab reproach and Ammon revile Zeph. 2 8. my spirit can sustain its infirmity and through Christ prosper too but without him enjoyments are torments and gains losses Wherefore surely oh my God I may say of humane souls That man knoweth not the price and it is so far from being (m) Pro 28.13 found in the land of the living that with infinite justice and prudence we may all cry out What shall we give in exchange 23. A Soliloquy with God of Evidences for Heaven OH my God I cannot but ever and anon break out into such a Quaery of Heaven as Abraham put to thee of Canaan Lord God How shall I know (a) Ge. 15.8 That I shall inherit it I thank thee O Lord I do not yet hear thee say of it to me as of that Canaan to Moses I have
many temptations for by thee one Grace will chase a (h) Deu. 32.30 thousand and two put ten thousand to flight Thy (i) Job 13.11 Excellency makes them afraid and thy dread falls upon them Thou (k) Plal. 104.32 lookest on earthy affections and they tremble thou touchest the hills of corruption and they smoke In thy Name I have cast out devils and over thee the (l) Mat. 16.18 gates of hell cannot prevail Thou art as it were an Emmanuel God with us In thee grace and peace do live move and have their being Thou rainest down manna and givest Angels food to them whose soul (m) Psa 107.18 abhorreth all manner of meat and draws near to the gates of death If thy (n) Psa 11.3 foundations be destroyed what can the righteous do Thou deliverest in (o) Job 5.19 26. six yea seaven troubles in spiritual famine from death and war from the sword Thou hast made a (p) Job 1.10 hedge about piety about her house and all that she has on every side thou blessest the work of her hands (q) Pro. 29.18 Where there is none of thy vision the people perish but in thy light we see light Thou (r) Mat. 7.5 castest out the motes out of thy own eye and seest clearly to cast out the beams of ours Thou (s) Luk. 1.76 79. shalt be called the prophet of the Highest for thou goest before the face of the Lord to prepare his way thou givest light to them who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death (t) Job 28.13 Man knoweth not thy price neither is it found in the I and of the living The (u) Job 29.13 15 16. blessing of him that was ready to perish has come on thee a thousand times 1 for thou art eyes to the blind and legs to the lame a Father to the poor and that which thou knowest not thou searchest out Thou (x) Job 35.11 teachest us more than the beasts of the earth makest us wiser than the fowls of heaven I (y) Psal 119.93 will never forget thy precepts for with them thou hast quickned me and sure I am of those who follow thee (z) Psa 73.5 They are not in trouble as other men neither are they plagued as other men To what (a) Isa 1.11 purpose is the multitude of our sacrifices without thee without thee the (b) Am. 5.18 day of the Lord is darkness and not light I have said That without thee it (c) Mal. 3.14 is vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance Faith comes not by (d) Ro. 10.17 hearing without thee yea without thee the (e) Mat. 21.13 House of prayer is a den of thieves thieves that break through and steal duty and comfort Hope without thee (f) Ro. 5.5 maketh asham'd and Repentance without thee is to (g) 2 Co 7.10 be repented of Without thee sin doth (h) Heb. 12.1 easily beset us and methinks thou art the in-door (i) Zec. 13.1 fountain opened for sin and for uncleaness without thee the whole (k) Isa 1.5 Head of piety is sick and the whole heart is faint Thou art the Apothecary to the (l) Mar. 9.12 physician of souls There is no (m) Jer. 8.22 Balm in the Gilead of the Gospel and there 's no physician there without thee Duties without thee are physicians (n) Job 13.4 of no value t is thou (o) 2 Co 7.1 perfectest holiness in the fear of God! 'T is impossible to serve thee (p) Mat. 24. and mammon Thy two (q) Mar. 12.42 mites make such a farthing which I had rather present the Lord with than with (r) Mie 6.7 thousands of rams and ten thousands of rivers of oyl (s) Luk. 7.22 23. Blessed is he whosoever is not offended in thee who makest the blind to see the lame to walk the leper to be cleansed the deaf to hear the very dead to be raised (t) Psal 22.1 Oh my Soliloquy my Soliloquy why hast thou for saken me why art thou so far from helping me (u) Can. 1.6 Tell me oh Meditation thou whom my soul loveth why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions (x) Psa 42.2 As the Hart pants after the water-brooks so panteth my soul after thee My soul thirsteth for thee in this desart land (y) De. 32.10 and howling wilderness to lead me about and instruct me (z) Ex. 28.36 'T is thou onely that canst grave like the ingraving of a signet on the plate of my heart holiness to the Lord (a) Ge. 3.13 For really without thee the serpents will beguile me and I shall eat (b) Ge. 4.13 and my sin will be greater than I can bear as Cain said At every fools bidding my own and all (c) Job 2.9 I shall curse God and dye if thou stand not by me What are my gifts graces duties c. without thee (d) Job 4.21 Doth not their excellency which is in them go away and they dye without wisdom (e) Job 5.14 Don't they meet in darkness in the day-time and grope in noon-day as in the night 'T was ever well when thou and I (f) Psa 55.14 took sweet councel together and walk'd unto the House of the Lord in company (g) Isa 1.24 Ah! I will ease me of my Adversaries and be avenged of those enemies which keep thee and me apart (h) Isa 1.22 Let not thy silver be mixt with dross nor thy wine with water and thou shalt be preferred to my chiefest joy (i) Psal 137.1 6. While I sit down by the rivers of Babylon and weep in the remembrance of Zion Thou oh Soliloquy (k) Psa 139.3 thou shalt compass my path and my lying down Thou shalt be acquainted with all my wayes (l) Can. 1.13 Thou shalt be to me as a bundle of myrrhe and lye betwixt my breasts all the night long (m) Can. 4.16 Thou shalt blow upon my garden and make the spices to flow forth that Jehovah Jesus may come in and eat his pleasant fruit (n) Psa 119.127 So will I love thy commands above gold yea above fine gold (o) Ge. 2.24 I will leave father and mother and wife too and cleave to thee Amen and Amen 2. A Soliloquy with God of Created things OH my God! (p) Heb. 4.13 There is no creature which is not manifest in thy sight But alas that there is any such thing as a creature or that there ever was such a work as Creation is hardly manifest to mine (q) 2 Co 5.17 It cost thee a second creation of me to make me believe the first For that the world was made by Christ I never believ'd 't is I was made by him too And it may well be faid (r) Eph. 3.9 Thou hast
God that so loved the world as you know bids you not to love it as you are not ignorant of for the earth he has given into the hands of the sons of men but 't is himself he gives to the Son of God And because he resolv'd to satisfie them that they should and could have no more he calls himself their (m) Ps 16.5 La. 3.24 portion and godliness with content in it self their great gain pearl of price and one thing necessary Oh my soul The mighty Lord who humbles himself to behold the things that are done in earth calls thee to look up to him in heaven making the earth thy footstool as well as his own Knowing the emptiness of the earth and of the fulness thereof knowing the creature not onely subject to vanity but altogether lighter knowing all made things to be but nothing he charges thee to trust in none of their vanities I hope for salvation from none of their hills but to say of all creatures as he of all men (n) Psa 14.3 There is none that doth good no not one Ponder it then oh my soul though thy self art a very nothing and if it be worth my while to lose thee to gain the world yet sure it were a hard bargain to lose thy God for ten thousand worlds yea observe whoever parts with God parts with him for nothing though it be to save himself and all he has And do but think how heinously God must needs take it That of Nothings themselves any thing should be thought too much to part with for him who is our All. What thinkest thou oh my soul of Popish doctrines of Merit we our selves are but Nothings without God our services are less and are incapable of being greater than our selves Our God is our All if we give him any thing that 's good we must give him his own goodness and 't is a prodigious way of meriting to give any one his own Take heed to your self of this leaven and know You have and are nothing but what is Gods own I adjure thee by the living God That thou for ever seek him as no less than thy All that thou tell him That though every thing he made answers his Ends 't is He onely that made every thing can answer thine That thou say plainly That unless he be all things he is a poor God All he has beside himself being very Nothing to thy wants and desires and such as leaves thee in straits in the very (o) Job 20.22 fulness of its sufficiency Thou knowest oh my soul that wherever in a Duty Prayer c. he gives in of himself to a poor Nothing spirit 't is (p) Job 3.17 there the wicked cease from troubling and there the weary are at rest 4. A Soliloquy with God about Piety OH my God! even (q) Job 4.8 as I have seen They that plow iniquity and sow wickedness reap the same (r) 20. They are destroyed from morning to evening they perish for ever none regarding it Were it of necessary choice I vow I had rather have the very devil my Guest than (s) Ro. 7.17 the sin that dwelleth in me and have Satan my Tyrant than sin my King Other evils are drones it is sin (t) 1 Co. 15.56 which is the sting of all Make me any thing what thou pleasest besides (u) Isa 45.99 a striver with my Maker the (x) Deu 32.33 wine of which contention is the poyson of dragons and venom of asps Oh my God! I read that (y) 2 Ti 4.3 godliness is profitable unto all things if so it must be profitable to sin it self I mean the finding driving and keeping it out and profitable to it self in maintaining feeding and cloathing it self well (z) 2. iT 6.6 With content herein I am told 't is great gain and I protest I believe it because as thou dost (a) Psa 4.3 set a part him that is godly for thy self so he that is godly sets apart thee for himself Methinks it is a strange question (b) Ex. 15.11 who is like unto thee Glorious in holiness Lord I would ask thee Who has any glory or holiness but is just like thee and that with a likeness of participation and representation Were I ask'd to whom I would liken God I would answer in both those wayes to every Saint on earth For (c) Joh. 5.22 as the Father judgeth no man so neither do they but commit all judgment to God the Son As (d) Ge. 18.25 the Judge of the whole earth doth right (e) 1 Pe. 1.17 so doe they and that (f) Phil. 2.15 without respect of persons their own or others The same mind is in them that was in God our Saviour and I may boldly say of Saints wills-deliberate (g) Ro. 9.19 who hath resisted his will To will just as God wills is (h) Ro. 7.18 present with them Thou chusest them and they chuse thee and they are a chusing as well as (i) 1 Pe 2.9 Luke 10.42 a chosen Generation Among their affections there is not one habitual Non conformist The very love of God (k) 1 Jo. 4.16 dwells in them their love and Gods has one object and 't is no other than that God hates which they hate if God loves his enemy they (l) Mat. 5.14 do so to if he hates themselves they will do so too Their way is to follow and imitate God and nothing satisfies them but his (m) Ps 17.15 likeness They never think they have done like themselves save when they have done like Christ Jesus They make the very graven image and likeness of him that is above in their conversation here below on the earth Their very eating drinking and sleeping bears the image and superscription of Christ on it and if any word or deed be not conformed to his likeness season'd with justice like salt they disown and renounce it and would not have it imputed by God unto them for the whole earth I may then call Saints (n) i Co 11.7 the image and glory of God the express image and likeness of him O my God my God! Let this likeness of thine be mine and let not my heart or life be disfigured by my corruptions and temptations which (o) Mat. 6.7 use vain repetitions as the heathen do thinking that they shall be heard for their much speaking against thy likeness Scatter my proud (p) Lu. 1.51 52. lusts pull down the mighty ones from their seats exalt my likeness to thee which is of so low degree Hear me oh my God! what I say e're I give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eye-lids (q) Job 6.8 9. Oh that might have my request and that God would grant me the thing I long for Even that it would please God to destroy my unlikene ss to himself and that he would let loose his hand and cut it
(p) Josh 1.8 Law is departed out of our mouths Nor yet oh my soul mayest thou think that thy tongue or thy words are sufficient lodgings for Divine Love they are but for walks to move and appear in Thy honour to God though it be but barren without the fruit and the calves of thy lips yet these oblations are odious to the very soul of God when they are not offered from out the very soul of man Though stinking breath argues rotten lungs and I am out of doubt thou art most impure if thy speech be not seasoned with salt yet this I utterly set at naught unless thou have (q) Col 4.6 Mat. 9 5 salt in thy self also The cleaner thou sweepest before the (r) Mic. 7.5 doors of thy mouth oh my soul sweep so much the cleaner before the doors of thy heart too and within its chambers otherwise thy (s) Psal 57.8 tongue will be indeed thy glory but no more than thy vain glory Add whereto (t) Mar. 3.24 25. that the Kingdom of God cannot stand in humane souls wherein the heart and tongue stand divided against each other The practical impieties of an hypocrite (u) Job 29.17 will break his own jaws and pluck the spoils of Grace out of his teeth If his tongue break not its own word his hands will Being evil he may speak great things but not good to himself who speaks them nor very likely to be good to others coming through so polluted lips as his But oh my soul David sayes The words of the Lord are pure words And his son tells thee The (x) Psal 12.6 words of the pure are (y) Pro. 15.26 pleasant words Oh count thou them onely pleasant which are pure and them pure which are godly Christ who in one sense (z) Mat 10.19 forbids thee in another commands thee to take thought how and what thou shalt speak (a) Ecc. 5.1 Be not rash with thy mouth sayes Solomon Be (b) Jam 1.19 slow with it sayes James (c) 1 Co 14.19 Five words with understanding ones self and with edifyingness to others are better than ten thousand without the same sayes Paul The wisest of men declares it That acceptable words he did not find without (d) Ecc 12.10 seeking them out The most godly of men professes it cost him good (e) Psal 39.1 heed to keep sin out of his tongue and sometimes 't was a bridle onely which could rule it A blessed prophet mentions (f) Mic 7.5 doors of the mouth and calls for Porters to keep them to Were it an easie thing graciously to open those doors Why prayed (g) Psal 51.15 David so urgently to God to open his for him Were it easie to keep them duly shut one chapter in St. James his Epistle would swarm with errors Though one love pureness of heart 't is not the natural gift but the supernatural (h) Pro 22.11 grace of ones lips for which the King of Heaven will become our friend In the multitude of words utter'd by the best if there be not a multitude yet neither is there any (i) Pro. 10.19 want of sin Thy sad and woful experience tells thee Thou art apt to (k) Exo 23.2 follow those multitudes to do evil Wherefore do this now oh my soul and deliver thy self go humble thy self to God! and give not sleep to thine eyes (l) Pro. 6.3 4 2 or slumber to thy eye-lids till thou hast confess'd it to him that thou hast been snar'd with the words of thy mouth and taken by the words of thy mouth which had they been savoury and sound they had been (m) Pro 8.11 19. better than rubies and their fruit better than gold yea fine gold but being corrupt (n) Psal 58.4 their poison is like the poison of a serpent and when best painted they are but stinking sepulchres Go and beseech the Christ of God to give thee a (o) Luk 21.15 Rom. 15.6 1 Cor. 13.1 mouth and wisedom wisedom with my heart and mouth also to glorifie him all the day long to make his Word the rule and mold wherein to cast mine Would God oh my soul the tongue of men and Angels were but one and the praises of God were as incessantly sung aloud on earth as in heaven Would God there were no such things as tongues devising (p) Psal 52.2 mischiefs and like sharp rasors working deceitfully Would God there were no tongues of the beast save in the mouths of beasts and (q) Psal 49.3 the meditation of humane hearts were so of understanding that the mouth of the whole world would be of wisedom Would God iniquitie were more than tongue-ty'd even rooted out and the words of men Psal 12.7 Mat. 12.34 would become as the words of God pure words tried in the furnace purified seven times But seeing so it sadly is that out of the abundance of my hearts wickedness my tongue is hastie to speak And seeing in the (r) Job 20.12 Pro. 10.14 Mal. 2.7 mouths of the most wickedness is sweet and holiness bitter as gall seeing the mouths of fools are near destroying themselves and others too Seeing God will also require his Law at thy mouth and Christ Jesus owns not those for his whose lips are not as (s) Can 3.8 11. thred of scarlet and speech comely whose lips drop not as the honey comb and under whose tongues there 's not honey and milk See Can 5.13 I charge thee oh my soul before God and the elect Angels that thou slack not prayer till thou hear God saying to me All dayes of thy life I will be with thee and with thy mouth and (t) Exo 4.12 teach thee what thou shalt say 21. A Soliloquy of evil Company CUrse ill companie oh my (a) Psal 103.1 2 3 4 5. soul and all that is within me curse its wicked name Curse it oh my soul and forget not all its injuries which sets afoot all thy iniquities and strengthens all thy diseases which reduces thy spiritual life to destruction and crowns thee with the thorns of its loving kindness which fills thy mouth with evil things (b) Isa 65.4 broth of abominable things (c) Psal 103.12 As far as the East is from the West so far hath it removed the thoughts of my God and my Christ from me Even when I remember it (d) Job 21.6 I am affraid and trembling takes hold on me For it hath cast down many wounded yea many strong in grace have been slain by the wiles of it Satans agents are subtile spirits and his ministers a (e) Psal 105.4 Psal 76.7 Psal 76 1 2 3. flaming fire They even they are to be feared and who can stand not guiltie or at least not accessary in their sight In evil companie Satan is well known his name is great in evil companie in evil companie also is his tabernacle and his