you must know Of the black horror of this Land of Wo Whither the wretched wandring Soul was gone And whence her Lover now must fetch her home It was indeed an howling Wilderness A Region of dispair and all distress Where Dragons Wolves Lyons and ravenous Beasts Had their close Dens and Birds of Prey their Nests Besides throughout the ruinated Land A Black and fearful King had great Command Who had revolted many years before From his Liege Lord and to him since has bore Most cruel spight and curs'd malignity Assuming to himself the Soveraignty The greatst Usurper that e're being had Sylla nor Nero never were so bad For 't is well known he was th' original Syre Of Tyrants all and taught them to aspire Ambitious through the World to spread his Arms He fill'd the Earth with Blood and sad Alarms And like a ravenous Lyon rang'd about To seek his Prey and find new Conquests out Full of State-Policies and Subtil wiles Where 's Force attempts in vain his Fraud beguiles Most cruel to those Slaves he can betray And yet the Fools besotted to his sway Court their own ruine and blindly obey His Antient Lord he hated most of all And such as were his offspring great and small He was resolv'd to be reveng'd upon And them for to destroy e're he had done From whence his name was call'd Apollyon A name which doth his Nature full express And you of him thereby my further guess This greedy Dragon hungry of his prey With wide-stretcht Jawes stood waiting for the day When this dear Prince should come nay for the hour That so he might him instantly devour Oh Tyrant Love dost thou no pity take Wilt thou the PHAENIX of both worlds thus make A prey to such a Fiend who by some snare Hopes to entrap this long expected Heir And then to take Possession and alone Rule on an undisturbed Hellish Throne See how the Troops of his Infernal Power Combine this Sacred Person to devour Needs must that be a sad and dismal Land Where this damn'd Monster hath so great Comand What Prince would come from such a Mount of bliss Unto a Cave where Poysonous Serpents hiss Come from his Father's Bosom where he lay To be the Wolves and Dragons chiefest prey To leave his glorious Robes and Cloth of Gold And clothed be with Raggs and Garments old From ruling men and Devils now to be Tempted by both of them scarce ever free To leave a Paradise of all Delight And come into a Land as black as night A glorious Crown and Kingdom to forsake That he his bed might on a Dunghil make To leave a sweet and quiet Habitation To come into a rude distracted Nation Where Wars Blood and Miseries abound Where neither Truth nor Faith nor Peace is found To leave his Friends who loved him most dear To dwell with such as mortal hatred bear To him and to his blessed Father and All such as do for them most faithful stand To come so many Millions of long miles To be involv'd in Troubles and sad Broils And all this for a Creature poor and vile A Traiterous Vagabond and in Exile Yea one that still remain'd a stubborn foe â—ating both him and his blest Father too Who ponders all in extasy can't miss To cry out Oh! what manner of Love is this Sure this is Love that may our Souls amaze And to the height our wondring Spirits raise In grateful Hymns to celebrate its praise CHAP. II. Shewing what entertainment the Prince of Light meâ— with at his first arrival How there being no room for him in the Inn he was forced to lie in the Stable and make his bed in the Manger As also how he having laid aside his Glorious and Princely Robes was not known by the people of that Country and how he was wronged and abominably abused by them AWake my Muse I hear the Prince is come Go and attend him view the very Room Where he at first doth lodg see how they treat A King whose Pow'r is so exceeding great Much Rumor of his coming I am told Was spread abroad amongst them there of old And many waiting for him long'd to see What kind of King and Person he should be Oh! what provision now to entertain Him did they make my Soul 's in grevious pain To hear of this Doth not the Trumpet sound And Joy and melody sweetly abound I' th hearts of all who heard of this good News How did they carry 't to him or how use This lovely One whom Angels do adore And Glorious Seraphims fall down before Ah! how methinks should they now look about Some curious stately Structure to find out Some Prince's Palace for his Residence Or strong fair Castle for his safe Defence Don't people leap for Joy whil'st Angels sing To welcome in their long expected King Do not the Conduits through all streets combine In stead of Water wholly to run Wine Do not great Swarms of people 'bout him sly Like to some strange and glorious Prodigy What dos't thou say my Muse Art wholly mute Doth this not with thy present purpose suit Ah! yes it does but how shal't be exprest The grief that seizes on my panting Breast My heart into a trembling fit doth fall To think how he contemned was of all The Savage Monsters did this Prince reject And treat him with affronts and disrespect When he for them had taken all this pain They neither would him know nor entertain The very Inn where first he went to lie For to vouchsafe him Lodging did deny No Room alas had they but if 't were so He would be there to th' Stable he must go To 'th Stable then goes he contentedly Without the least reflection or reply The silly Ass and labouring Ox must be Companions now to Sacred Royalty Expos'd by Greater Brutes he must alas Take up with the Dull-Oxe and painful Ass Who their great Maker and Preserver was And in the Manger's forc'd to make his bed Without one Pillow to support his Head Let Heav'n astonisht Earth amazed be At this ungrateful Inhumanity Let Seas rise up in heaps and after quit Their Course these Barbarous people to affright Oh! what a mighty condescention's here What story may with this with this compare Is this the entertainment they afford And this a Palace for so great a Lord Is this their kindness to so dear a friend Do they him to a filthy Stable send Is that a Chamber suiting his Degree Or fit the Manger should allotted be For him to lay his Glorious Body in Of whom the Prophet saith he knew no Sin Whose footstool's Earth and Heaven is his Throne What ne're a better Bed for such an one That has so vast a Journey undertook And for their sakes such Glory too forsook Is this great Prince with such mean Lodging pleas'd So that he may of love-sick pains be eas'd O what a Lover's this Almighty Love How potently dost thou affections move What
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
doth affirm and I Esteem above what e're Antiquity Hath left recorded or most curious Eyes Can view in best approved Histories Relating to the matter we have stated Which follows thus as 't is by him related About the period of Tiberius's Raign Who at Christ's Death was Rome's proud Soveraign Strange hideous Cries shriekings and howlings be Heard with amazement in the Grecian Sea Complaining that their great God Pan was fled From whence great Conâ—â—ernations followed No sooner did the louder Trump of Fame This news of their great Pan â—s Retreat proclaim But it was brought unto the Emperours Ears And unto him a certain Truth appears Who being startled at the strange Relation Falls with his Wisemen into Consultation Who sought by Magick to resolve the doubt Which all their Art and Skill could not find out Yet Christians in those days could quickly spy The way to open the whole Mysterie Comparing times they found this strange Relation Did just fall out upon Christ's Death and Passion And then concluded straightway bâ— the â—all Of their great Pan which signifieth All All Spirits by Christ's Death were so afflicted Their utter Ruin thereby was pâ—â—â—icted Yea others of their own Reconâ—â— still do Confirm the truth of this their overthrow How one of them constrain'd sometime before By God himself their fall did thus deplore An Hebrew Child that shall be born will be The final downfal of our Dignity All our usurpt Dominions by that Child Shall come to nought and utterly be spoil'd He strikes us dumb and nonplus's our Art Henceforth in vain no further Questions start But sad and silent from our Shrines depart Thus God doth force Devils sometimes to speak That which doth much against their Int'rest make But stay my Muse the Cherubs chant again O listen to this more melodious strain The glorious Angels do sweet Triumphs sing Upon the Conquests of our Heav'nly King They clap their wings and leap for joy to see This total Rout and happy Victorie Shall Heav'n rejoyce and more concerned Earth Not sing aloud Jehovah's praises forth O happy Day blest hour the best of all Poor Mortals ever saw since Adam's fall Christ of a truth is risen from the Grave No Pow'rs of Hell could keep him in the Cave Yet are there some in these in these last evil days Deny that he from Death himself did raise The Jews also with their Forefathers say 'T was a Deceit for he was stoln away Whilst drousy Soldiers fell into a sleep Who the Sepulchre had a charge to keep A thing themselves no doubt could not believe But was forg'd by the Devil to deceive And blind mens Eyes who wanted that inspection They might have had touching his Resurrection 'T was the last game the Devil could devise To hinder Christ's most glorious Enterprise They knew that if his Resurrection were Received for a truth no hope was there But all that they had done it tumble must So the last Evil would exceed the first But if they had believ'd it certainly The Souldiers had with great'st severity Been punished for being so remiss About a thing so weighty as was this Besides were they asleep how could they tell What things there came to pass or what befell Or if awake why did they not prevent Those men who came with such a strong intent And can one think if the Disciples durst Attempt that thing they should have stript him first Would they not take the body in the cloaths Lest e're they 'd done the Sould'ers should have rose And caught them doing it and then be sure Great sufferings for it they must endure Nay had these men been guilty of such evils They 'd been no better than seducing Devils The worst of Mortals and how was it then That God should own and witness to such men By aiding them Would Heavens Pow'r have gone To prove a Cheat when Miracles were done Again they were of such Integrity As none could brand with the least infamy And they 'i th face of Foes without least dread Declare that he was risen from the Dead That they convers'd with him full forty days Whilst he instructed them in all his ways Before he did ascend And then agen In Galilee at once five hundred men Saw him with joy and in their witness gave That he indeed was risen from the Grave Here stop again my Pen Time calls away Upon this Theme thou must no longer stay Leave them to perish let them fall and die That this blest Resurrection do deny Shall God his Saints and Angels witness bear Unto this thing and yet shall Mortals dare To call the same in question or deny What is confirm'd by such Authority No firm as Earth or Heav'ns more stable poles Let this great Truth be fixt in pious Souls Without it Faith 's a Fancy and the best Of men more wretched than the vilest Beast But now awake my Muse no longer slumber The Day doth dawn and joys which none can number Are rushing in upon the Prince of Light This sorrow 's gone nought now but Glory bright Shines forth in him now is he rais'd on high Far out o' th reach of all malignity Nor men nor Devils can annoy him more He 's safely landed on the long'd-for shore Go Turtles go whilst thousand Joys betide The glorious Bridegroom and his purchas'd Bride That Sun is risen who will ne're go down Who will his Spouse with light of Glory crown But where 's the Soul O where alas is she For whom he dy'd and hung upon the Tree What greeting O what Joy when they do meet There will abound the thoughts thereof are sweet He that was Dead is come to Life again And ever shall in bliss Eternal raign Thrice happy is that Soul which he hath chose To be his Love his Dove his Sharon's Rose But where is she and what is her Estate For nothing of her we have heard of late Doth she not wait doth she not long to see His lovely Face and to embraced be In his dear Arms O do'nt she greatly crave One sight of him one visit more to have Doth not her Soul dissolve then into tears With thoughts of him who freed her from all fears Read the next Part and you will quickly find The Fruit of Sin and nature of the mind That is corrupt and fill'd with carnal Love How nothing can those vile Affections move Oh how unkind to Christ do Sinners prove The End of the First Book Behind this Curtain 〈◊〉 suppose to be such Glory which 〈…〉 can see Besides the Day being 〈…〉 too If wee 〈…〉 yet more 〈◊〉 dare not 〈◊〉 see Death and Devils sin World cast down Whilst Heaven doth the glorious Victor crow◠〈…〉 BOOK II. The Glorious Lover A Divine POEM CHAP. I. Shewing how Christ renews his Suit again and again which is done either by the ministration of the Gospel or by his various Providences and yet the Soul refuses to receive him THUS have you
All my soul 's to him united As Jonathaen's to David who delighted So much in him that in his greatest trouble Dear Jonathan did his affections double When David was in great distress and fear Then did his love and loyalty appear So when my dear Beloved is distrest My love to him shall chiefly be exprest But why said I distrest What can my Lord Who hath consuming power in his Word Be touch'd by Mortals what can he be harm'd Who with all strength of Heaven and Earth is arm'd No no I must recall that lavish strain No hand can touch him he cannot sustain The smallest injury from th' greatest Pow'r For in a breath he can his Foes devour But now methinks I presently espy Upon the Earth the Apple of his Eye Which are his servants nay his members dear Which wicked men do oft oppress O there My Lord 's distrest for if his Children smart O that doth pierce and wound his tender heart If cold or nakedness afflicts their souls He sympathizes and their state condoles It sick they be or if by cruel hands They are in Prison cast and under bands And there with hunger and with thirst opprest He feels their grief he is in them distrest What wrong soever they on Earth receive 'T is done to him for which my soul doth grieve To see th' afflictions of his servants here This is the fruit true loyal Love does bear Her sorrows are his woes for they alone Being his members are my flesh and bone And all make but one Body he 's the Head From whence all flows 't is he alone has shed His love abroad in this my love-sick â—eart Whereby I feel when any members smart My bowels move and tender heart does bleed VVhich makes me for his sake supply their â—eed Thus for my Christ and for his Children's sake I 'le suffer any thing yea I do take My life and goods and all into my hands To be disposed of as he commands But know for certain evermore that I For aid and help on him alone rely These pleasant Fruits O these delight the King And hereby 't is that we do honour bring Unto his Name all souls of the new birth VVho are sincere this precious fruit bring â—orth â—et not these things seem strange because to few Do bear such â—ruit believe the Maxim's true That as the Sun doth by its warm reflection Upon the Earth produce a resurrection Of all those Seeds which in the Earth do 〈◊〉 Hid for a time in dark obscurity Ev'n so the Sun of Righteousness doth shine Into this cold and barren heart of mine The precious seeds that have been scattered there Take root and blossom nay their branches bear Sweet fruit being the product of those Rays VVhich that bright Sun into my soul displays 'T is precious and most lovely in his Eye Both 〈◊〉 it Beauty and Veracity You Viâ—gâ—â—â— all who are by Love invited Into his 〈◊〉 where he is delighted With all his pleasant Fruits come come and see â—ow choice fâ—ir sweet and 〈…〉 they â—e One cluster â—ere's presented to thy view That thou mayst sâ—e and then believe 't is true Theâ—e be 〈…〉 which I 〈◊〉 nâ—w 〈◊〉 â—â—ve Joy and Peace â—ong 〈◊〉 Holiness â—aith Goodness Temperaâ—â—â— aâ—d Charity â—hese are the products 〈◊〉 th' Aâ—â—inity That 's made between me and my dearest Friend Nay moâ—e than these Eternal 〈◊〉 i' th' end But iâ— through sin thou canst not cast thine Eye On these 〈◊〉 Fruits then know assuredly VVhen th' Vintage comes and thou beginst to crave For one small taste one taste thou canst not have The â—ruitful Soul it is the King will â—â—own VVith th' Diadâ—m of Glory and Renown O let theâ—e things the Soul's affections raise In grateful Songs to celebrate the Praise Of great Jehovah who is King of Kings VVhâ—se glorious Praise the heav'nly Quire sings â—hen let us sing on Earth a Song like this 〈…〉 and I am his An Hyâ—â— of Praise to the Sacred Bridegroom PRaise in the Highest Joy betide The sacred Bridegroom and his Bride Who doth in spendor shine Let Heaven above be fill'd with Songs In Earth beneath let all Mens Tongues sing forth his Praise Divine 〈◊〉 sullen Man refuse to speak 〈◊〉 Rocks and Stones their silence break for Heaven and Earth combinâ— To tie that sacred Bridal Knot O let it never be forgot the Contract is Divine You holy Seraphims above Who do admire Jesus's Love O hast away and come With Men on Earth your joys divide Earth ne'r produc'd so fair a Bride nor Heaven a Bridegroom Another 'T is not the gracious lofty strain Nor record of great Hector's glory Nor all the conquering mighty Train Whose Acts have left the World a story Nor yet great Cesar's swelling fame Who only look'd and overcame Nor one nor all those Worthy Ninâ— Nor Alexander's great Renown Whose deeds were thought almost Divine When Vic'tries did his Temples crown But 't is the Lord that Holy One Whose Praises I will sing alone My Heart and Tongue shall both rejoyce Wâ—ilâ—t Aâ—gâ—ls all in Consort sing Aloâ—d with a melodious voice The praises of sweet â—ion's King O 't is his praise that Holy One I am resolv'd to sing alone My Heart indites whilst I proclaim The Praises of the God of Wonder My lips still magnifie his Name Whose Voice is like a mighty Thunder I 'le praise his Name and him alone Who is the glorious Three in One. Whose feet are like to burning Brass Whose Eyes like to a flaming Fire Who bringeth mighty things to pass 'T is him I dread and do admire Iâ—le magnifie his Name alone Who is the glorious Three in One. My Heart and Pen shall both express The Praises of great Juda's â—ion The sweet and fragrant Flower of Jess The holy I 〈◊〉 the King of Zion To him that sitteth on the Throne Be everlasting praise alone Whose Head is whiter than the Snow That 's driven by the Eastern Wind Whose Visage like a flame doth show 〈◊〉 all yet unconfin'd For ever prais'd be Him â—â—one Who is the glorious Three in One. I 'le praise his Name who hath revealâ—d To me his everlasting Love Who with his stripes my Soul hath heal'd Whose Foot-stool's here his Throne above Let Trumps of Praise be loudly blown To magnifie his Name alone This sacred Subject of my Verse Though I poor silly Mortal should Neglect his Praises to rehearse The ragged Rocks and Mountains would Make his deserâ—ed Praises known Who is the glorious Three in One. You twinkling Stars that Day and Night Do your appointed Circuit run Sweet Cynthia in her monthly flight Also the bright and flaming Sun Throughout the Vniverse make known The Praises of the Holy One. Let every Saint on Earth rejoyce Whom Christ hath chosen let him sing Whilst I to him lift up my Voice To sound the Praises of my King For He it is and He alone Hath made me his Beloved one FINIS There will be suddenly Publish'd another Treatise of this Author's intituled Zion in Distress or The Groans of the true Protestant Church * Sat. 6. Cessant oracula Delphis †Excessere omnes Adytis Arisque relictis Dit quibus Imperium hoc steter â—t c.
and jointly satisfy To save her now from the infernal pit I have a Ransom found a Ransom fit Divine Justice I cannot hold I 'le strike the fatal Blow Hell she deserves with vengeance let her go Unto the place appointed for all them Who do God's holy Laws and Grace contemn Jesus Prince of Light O who is this What Traitor 's at the Bar That is condemn'd and Justice wo'nt defer The Execution speak hold up thy head Hast any thing to say What canst thou plead Methinks methinks I should this Creature know Ah! Soul is 't thee What shall I for thee do I told thee what thy state would be i' th end When first my Love to thee I did commend Soul Speak 't is I why dost thou not look up I 'm sorely griev'd to think upon the Cup That is prepar'd for thee What dost thou say Shall I step in that Justice may delay To strike the stroke for then too late 't will be To show my Love and pity unto thee Hast any kindness for me in thine Heart I doubt that still thou the same Creature art Thou wast before and hast no love at all Why speakst thou not shall vengeance on thee fall Ah! how can I see Execution done And Tears not from mine Eyes like Rivers run Divine Justice Lord be n't concern'd she is thy bitter Foe Oh let me therefore freely strike the blow There 's nought in her but Sin and poisonous Evil To God a Foe and Friend unto the Devil JESVS I know not how to let this stroke be given For I am come on purpose down from Heaven To make Atonement and to satisfy For all her sins and foul Iniquity Though she to me doth no affection bear Yet her I pity and do love most dear Justice Blest JESVS hold 't is my just Master's sense Abused Mercy must have recompence There is no other way but she must die Unless thou wilt be her Securitie If in her stead thy life thou wilt give up Then mayst thou save her from this bitter Cup. The price which thou on that account wilt pay Will make a Compensation and defray All her vast Debts yea plenarily God's wrath appease and Justice satisfy What must be done Who is 't the stroke must bear Is 't not most fit such should who guilty are I cannot hold my hand nor longer stay Law must be satisfy'd what dost thou say Thou wretched Soul behold the knife and spear Can'st thou dost think God's fearful vengeance bear Now Soul look to thy self this Spear I 'le run Into thy Bowels ere I it return JESVS Stay Justice stay withold thy furious Dart And let its glitt'ring point first pierce my Heart Her guilty state aloud calls for relief It wounds my Soul and fills my Heart with grief My Bowels yearn my inward parts do move Now now 's the time to show her my great Love Let Law and Justice be suffic'd in me 'T is I will die to set the Sinner free Behold me Soul my life shall go for thine I will redeem thee with this Blood of mine Although most Precious Sacred and Divine CHAP. VII Shewing what Consultations there were amongst the infernal Spirits to bring Jesus Prince of Light under the power of Death a Council called in Hell the Princes of the fallen Angels in a deep combination against him for fear their Kingdom should fall and the poor Creature be delivered The grand Counsel of Old Satan is taken He enters into Judas Judas's sin discovered Jesus is apprehended A terrible battel or Christ's Agony before his Passion Sin and Wrath combine together shewing the Prince's Conquests over them both Seven aggravations of Christ's sorrows in the Garden and a Dialogue between the Devil King of Darkness and Death the King of Terrors HEre let 's a while reflect with careful heed What! doth the guiltless for the guilty bleed This may astonish all here 's Love indeed Do Mortals ever greater love extend Then to lay down their lives for a dear Friend But for a Prince a mighty Prince to die Not for a Friend but for an Enemy Convicted and condemn'd for horrid Treason Thus to step in at that most Critick season When just the fatal blow was to be given This Love 's above our Reach higher than Heaven Deeper than Ocean Seas so Infinite As well deserves our wonder day and night What Was the Father free his Son to give His dear and only Son that she might live And doth the Son i' th midst of Enemies Yield up himself to be a Sacrifice Yet who can be so bold to lay their Hands Upon this Prince that Heaven Earth commands How shall this thing be now accomplished And by what means shall his dear Blood be shed Let 's now inquire who is 't that will consent To be the grand and chiefest Instrument To execute this precious spotless Lamb Who for this purpose down from Heav'n came Has he on Earth any such spightful Foe As dare's attempt this ' mazing thing to do You heard before he daily was beset And with what Enemies he often met But now his hour is drawing very near Great Consultations ' mongst his Foes there were How they might take his blessed Life away Who seem'd himself impatient of delay He long'd until his work were finished Which could not be until his blood were shed And though he had most raging Enemies Yet knew they not what project to devise To bring this bloody traiterous deed to pass Which long before by them designed was Until Apollyon finding by his Art The dire Intentions harbour'd in their Heart Doth rouse them up and first the matter start To the Infernal powers to wake them â—l A second time upon this Prince to fall Then Belzebub Satan and Lucifer Consult afresh how to renew the War And to this purpose wee 'l suppose they spake Apollyon Shake off your fears and speedily let 's make The strongest Head that possibly we can Against this strong this Devil-amazing man Now now 's the day let 's bring him to Death's sting And then with shouts of Triumph we may sing For over Death 't is we the power have And we may sure secure him in the Grave 'T is he alone who frights us in our station And puts us all into great Consternation Our Kingdom by this means is like to fall And we thereby be ruin'd great and small I have engag'd him once but could not stand I know his strength he has a pow'rful Hand Belzebub My Sentence is for War this Enterprize Well managed will make our Kingdom rise And re-inthrone us in our Antient Skies To a great Height and flourish as before When he is down we 'l let him rise no more Can we but once deprive him of his Life 'T will put an end to all our fears and strife Lucifer Dominions Pow'rs and Principalities You all in danger are awake and rise From off your Seats and lazy Beds of Down Sleep you secure or
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
yield Where flames of Fire were like to Beds of Roses Through Heav'nly Rays wch gloriously composes Their spirits so that they in Triumph sing When half-consum'd in Fire they felt no sting God smiles and Heav'n appears so clear bright All fears and terrors were extinguisht quite But he who for our sakes his Life laid down Is forc'd to bear his Father's angry frown And in our stead he felt his Indignation The bitterest part of all his bitter Passion How heavy is that stroke how sharp that Rod That 's lifted up by men laid on by God When Heav'n and Earth and Hell do all agree To lay on stripes with greatst severitie That grief that pain that anguish must be sore And yet all this for us blest Jesus bore Who that beholds Heav'ns glorious lamp of Light When in his strength obscur'd from our sight By the dark body of the pale-fac'd Moon Making black shades of Night appear at Noon But would conclude from thence the Sun were gone And had forsaken quite our Horizon And yet we know he 's but eclips'd a while And soon will lend the World another smile Disperse those shades that counterfeited Night And fill the Earth again with splendor bright Lo thus our Sun in his Celestial Sphear Is near his setting yet but lend your Ear Unto the Voice th' amazing Voice of Heaven You 'l find an universal notice given Unto the world when this bright Sun went down Heav'ns lightfoot Herauld quickly makes it known Christ lies a bleeding nailed on the Tree And now the universal World shall see Heaven act a part in this black Tragedy The Worlds great Eye the natural Sun whose Rays Each day throughout the Universe displays From East to West from North to South his face Visiting and refreshing every place No sooner doth he spy the Prince near dead But straightway he withdraws his blushing Head That horrid sight bright Sol abhor'd to see And hides his face from Noon till after Three At Three Christ's matchless Torments made him cry Eli Eli lama sabachthani Then was the Temple Vail rent quite asunder The earth did shake the rocks did roar like thunder The Clouds grew thick and such as scatter'd were Conjoin'd to darken all the Hemisphear Thus for three hours Darkness great remain'd All hearts now tremble every spirit 's pain'd Th' Astronomers who starry motions trace And read Earth's wonders in Heav'ns various face Eusebius and other Authors write Were much amaz'd at that unusual sight Their Learning could no natural Causes spy Nor give a Reason of that Prodigie The Moon being then at full just opposite Could not in Natures course eclipse Sol's Light 'T was supernatural what he suffered And that was it which fill'd them all with dread Some smote their breasts whilst others in confusion Drew from the premises this just Conclusion Either the God of Nature suffers now When Sol in Sables muffles thus his brow Or the whole frame o' th World in a short space Will be dissolv'd and end its painful Race These dreadful things which then did come to pass Do fully prove He the Messiah was And many when they saw those Wonders done Cry'd out indeed he was God's only Son Had not this obvious been to every sight A real thing with what great ease then might The Foes of Christ and Christianity Detected all as horrid Forgery But matt'r of Fact being so very clear The Jews and Heathens thereby silenc'd were Thus he yields up at last his painful breath And for a while lay conquered by Death Conquer'd said I forbear my lavish Muse Recall that word and be not so profuse What shall we say The Lord of Life is dead 'T is but a slumber he 's not conquered He only for a while Retreat hath made To bring his Foes into an Ambuscade And soon will rise more gloriously Array'd Thus did the Glory of the World lay down His precious Life to purchase a rich Crown Of Life and Glory for his Spouse whom he Found under Wrath condemn'd eternally Who had receiv'd that Sentence full of Ire Goe go thou Wretch into eternal Fire But he has bail'd her from Hell's gaping Jaws And satisfy'd Justice's strictest Laws By this his Death where he in her stead stood And ransom'd her even with his dearest Blood But hark my Muse What Triumph dost thou hear What Voice is that hoarse sounding in mine Ear 'T is Death doubtless 't is Death that ghastly King Who over Christ doth now insulting sing Now he has got him down I prethee hear How he o're him doth vaunt and domineer The King of Terror's boasting Triumph over Christ whilst he lay in the Grave King of Terrors What am I or from whence For though I be Yet know I not my self nor why to me The mightiest Monarchs bend I rule I raign And am the High and Lofty's Soveraign All tremble at the thoughts of my grim face They look they run yet cannot find a place To hide themselves My Powr's very great Yet know I not who set me in this Seat There 's none that live have liv'd or ever may But I o're them an awful Scepter sway But oh what kind of subject have I here A Subject t' whom no Monarch is a Peer Ah! how I smile to see 't I 'le never fear Being worsted now Alas dost thou submit Art thou likewise brought down unto my feet Who 's able my dread Power to withstand Since thou canst not escape my pow'rful hand Now I have seiz'd thee be assur'd that I Will keep thee down for ever thou shalt lie In the dark Regions of eternal Night Lo here proud Mortals an amasing sight What can't I do since he that made the Day By my strong hand is turned into clay If thou can'st not thy self from me deliver The hope of Creature-man is gone for ever None out of these close Regions can repair Nor re-salute again the ambient Air. I never did so great a Conquest gain O what a mighty Monarch I have slain Now now let me be crown'd victoriously For what is done which none could do but I. Who dares my Triumphs lessen or defer Since I am now a perfect Conquerour Here here Great Prince with me in this dark Cell My Captive thou with other Kings shalt dwell Prince of Light Thou proud Imperious Tyrant prethee hear Don't boast too soon nor vainly domineer A feeble Warriour may the Field obtain When his strong Foe is willing to be slain My Life proud Death thou didst not take away By any strength of thine for I did lay It freely down as God did me command This made me yield my self into thy hand King of Terrors I 'le not contend let that be so or not I have thee safe in my Dominions got And e're thou do return I 'le make thee know What pow'r I have what 't is that I can do My Prisoner thou art and here shalt lie In these dark Cells unto Eternitie Whilst worms on thy
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
all do Homage unto him The Cherubims likewise must all submit And humbly worship at his Royal Feet With trembling Reverence for he dâ—th bear The express Image of his Father dear And his Majestick Glory doth unfold Tooâ— right for any creature to behold Untill transform'd into an Heav'nly mould The Lusâ—re of his Face the loveliness Of compleat Beauty and of Holiness His Personal Sweetness and Perfections rare No tongue of men or Angels can declare For 't is recorded by unerring Pen He fairer was than all the Sons of men Which in its proper place will more appear But mind at present what doth follow here This mighty King whose Glories thus did shine Had long on foot a very great Dâ—sign Which was in Marriage to dispâ—â—â— this Son The blessedst Work that ever could be done This Secret then to him he does disclose And whom for him he had already chose Tells him the way and means whereby to bring About this strange and most important thing What he must do and all things doth declare To which the Son doth lend attentive ear Who never did his Father disobey Nor him displease would not in this say nay But straight-way shew'd with joy chearful mind He was that way himself long time inclin'd For with a Heav'nly smile he made reply This Creature is the Jewel of mine eye Great King of Kings thy Sacred Sovereign Will With greatest Joy I 'm ready to fullfil My heart 's inflam'd with love and will be pain'd Till she for my imbraces be obtain'd With secret transports long have I design'd That happy Match in my Eternal Mind To people with a new and holy Race Th' Immortal Mansions of this Glorious Place Such is the Love which unto her I have 'T is strong as Death and lasts beyond the Grave Where e're she be for well I understand She 's spirited of late to a strange Land Winged with Love I 'le search the World about And leave no place unsought to find her out If any Foe doth Captive her detain I'lebe her Rescue and knock off her Chain Or if half stifled she in Prison lye I 'le break the Bars and give her liberty I will refuse no Labour nor no pain Thee dearest Soul into my Arms to gain Such was this Prince's love and now t is fit We tell you who the object was of it Within the Limits of the Holy Land Whose Glory once shone forth on every hand And near the Borders of rare Havelah Where Creatures of each kind first breath did draw Where Pison's streams with Euphrates did meet Where did abound all Joy and Comfort sweet Without the least perplexity or wo Where Bdellium and the Onyx Stone did grow Did a most choice and lovely Garden lye Renowned much for its antiquity For Sacred Story has proclaimâ—d its name And rais'd up Trophies to its lasting fame Within that Garden dwelt in Ancient time A very lovely Creature in her Prime Mirror of Beauty and the World 's chief glory Whose rare composure did out-vy all Story Fair as the Lilly e're rude hands have toucht it Or snow unfal'n before the Earth hath smucht it The perfectst work which wondring Heav'n could see Of Nature's Volumn blest Epitome Her glorious Beauty and Admired Worth What mortal tongue is able to set forth True Vertue was the Object of her will There was no stain in her no Feature ill No scaâ—r nor blemish seen in any part Her Judgment uncorrupt and pure her Heart Her thoughts were noble words most wise not lavish Her natural sweetness was enough to ravish All that beheld her from her sparkling Eye A thousand Charms a thousand Graces fly No evill passion harbour'd in her breast Or with bold Mutinies disturbâ—d her rest For what 's not borne yet needs not be represt Her Lineage Noble of such high degree None e're could boast a greater Pedigree A Dowry too she had a fair Estate Conferr'd upon her at an easy Rate In brief in all Indowments she did shine Stampt with his Image who is all Divine But that which most unto her bliss did add Was the great Honour which some time she had Of the sweet presence of a glorious King From whom alone true Happiness doth spring He oft declar'd her his grand Favourite And that with her was his endear'd delight For precious love to her burn'd in his heart And nothing thought too dear for to impart Or unto her most freely to bestow Of all the Treasures he had here below This was her state at first none can gain-say But then mark what befell her on a day She did not long in this condition stand Before a cursed and most traiterous Band Of Rebels who shook off Allegiance And ' gainst their Sovereign did bold Arms advance Intic'd her to their Party and destroy'd All those rare Priviledges she injoy'd Which grand offence did so the King displease That she his wrath by no means could appease Nor had she any Friend to speak a word To stay the Tortures of the Flaming Sword No purpose 't was alas for her to plead Why Sentence should not against her proceed Who well knew in her conscience 't was but right She should thenceforth be banisht from his sight And his most glorious Face behold no more As she with Joy had seen it heretofore The rightful Sentence passed though severe Which might strike dead the trembling Soul to hear Exilâ—d she was from him with fearful Ire And laid obnoxious to Eternal fire Turn'd out of all her Glory with a curse No state of Mortal Creatures could be worse And now she 's forc'd to wander to and fro Finding no rest nor knowing what to do A foreign soile alas she must seek out And where to hide her self she looks about A wretched Fugitive she straight became A shame unto her self to all a shame Yet this vile wretched Creature so forlorn The Subject of contempt and general scorn She she 's the Object of this Prince's Love She 't is to whom his warm Affections move 'T was in her fallen state he cast his eye Although he lov'd her from Eternity Who wandring thus into a Foreign Land Far off of him he soon did understand There was no other thing for him to do But must a Journy take and thither go If he 'l accomplish this his great Design Of making Love a Love that 's most divine The Father now doth part which his dear Son Who 's all on fire and zealous to be gone And what though it a grievous Journy be Its bitterness he is resolv'd to see His high Atchievements nothing shall prevent His mind and purpose is so fully bent That he in his own Kingdom will not stay One Minute after the appointed Day But that you may more fully yet discover The matchless flames of this most glorious Lover Permit us to present unto your view The Court he left the Dungeon he went to The Kingdom where this Hiâ—h-born Prince did dwell All other
Countries vastly doth excel Its Glory splendid is and infinite It cannot be beheld with fleshly sight Ten thousand Suns ten thousand times more bright Then ours is could never give such light None ever there beheld a Cloud nor shall Nor ever was there any Night at all No cold or heat did ever there displease No pain nor sorrow there nor no disease No thirst nor hunger there do any know Nor any foes to seek their overthrow Disturb their peace or them i' th least annoy Nor is there any Devil to destroy And if one would that Kingdom searth about There is no finding of one poor Man out No sooner any such do thither get But on their Heads a glorious Crown is set Congratulating Angels round them wait And cloath them all in long white Robes of State They live in boundless Bliss with such content It raises Joy unto a Ravishment There 's Rivers too of Pleasures fil'd to 'th Brim In which the Prophets and Apostles swim There Beauty fadeth not nor Strength decayes No weary old Age neither end of Dayes Impossible it is for them to dye Whose Souls have tasted Immortality All there is Love and Sempiternal Joys Whose sweetness neither gluts nor fullness cloys Friends always by for absence is not known Their loss or departure none can bemoan Within the confines of this blissfull Land There doth a spacious foursquare City stand The noblest Structure 't is that e're was rais'd By men admired or by Angels prais'd The Founder of it was a mighty King Yet without hands t' was built amazing thing As for th' Marterials which did it prepare From a good Author this description hear The Luke-warm Blood of a dear Lamb being spilt To Rubies turn'd whereof its parts were built And what dropt down in a kind gellied Gore Became rich Saphire and did pave her Floor The Brighter flames that from his Eyebals ray'd Grew Chrysolites whereof her walls were made The Milder glances sparkled on the ground And grounsild every Door with Diamond But dying darted upwards and did fix A Battlement of purest Sardonix Its Streets with Burnisht Gold are paved round Stars lye like Pebbles scattered on the ground Pearl mixt with Onyx and the Jasper Stone The Citizens do alwayes tread upon Here he with 's Father in great state did sit Whilst millions bow'd themselves unto his Feet Here 't was he kept his Court here was his Throne From hence through all the World his Glory shone And if ought could unto his Greatness add Mark what a rich Retinue there he had He Servants kept of very high Degree Who did bow down to him continually Though they were Nobles all and far more high Than proudest of the Roman Monarchy And mighty great in Power too are they For one alone did no less Number slay Than near two hundred thousand in one night Of Valaint Souldiers trained up to fight These Troops still ready stood at his command To execute his will in every Land Of them he 'd an Innumerable Host Though some of them in ancient times were lost Yet the selected number Millions were Who still to him do true Allegiance bear True Love and Zeal burn'd in their breasts like fire To do his Will 's their business and desire 'T is his greâ—â—â—â—â—'rest which they wholly mind Aiding his Friends 〈◊〉 welfare they design'd And likewise evermore to frustrate those Who did their Prince's Soveraignty oppose Their Nature's quick and clear as Beams of light Creatures too pure for Mortals grosser sight And if we shall consider well their worth Meer Empty Nothings are all Kings 'o th Earth When to these Servants they compared be So much excells their glorious Dignity What of their Sovereign Lord then shall we say On whom they do attend both night and day When they before his dazling Throne appear Their Heav'nly faces straight way cover'd are As if not able on his Face to look Or else with glorious blushings Heaven-struck Such such his Court such his Attendants were Who could with this great Prince of light compare Oh what Celestial Glory didst thou leave Almost beyond mans credence to believe That thou shouldst thus thy Fathers house forsake And such a tedious dismal Journey make Could not that charming Melody above Allure thy thoughts and hinder thy remove Oh no! there 's nothing can retard thy Love Hark how the glorious Seraphims do sing Whose warbling notes do make the Heavens ring What Mortals ever did such Musick hear Spirits made perfect are quite ravisht there Oh! how they listen whilst the Strains rise higher And joyning gladly with th'All-charming Quire Sing forth aloud inspired with his flame All Glory Glory Glory to his Name One strain of this Celestial Harmony Could Mortals hear they soon would thither fly They straight would shake off all their carnal shackles And quit these dull and loathsom Tabernacles Like towring Larks still upwards would they soar And ravished would think of Earth no more Or like to herds of Cattel great and small Theyâ—d leave their feedings and run thither all But yet could not this lovely Paradise These Honours or this Melody intice The love-sick Prince unto a longer stay So much he longed for the Marriage day No thing could his Design divert or move So constant was he in his Royal Love His Travels next will you be pleas'd to hear Which raises wonder in me to declare Ten thousand millions and ten thousand more Of Angel-measur'd Leagues from th'Eastern shore Of Dunghil Earth this glorious Prince did come Did ever Lover go so far from Home To seek a Spouse What brave Heroick Spirit That e're did love of vertuous Princess merit Would not have found his trembling heart to ake So vast an Enterprize to undertake Such dangers to expose himself unto Such pleasure and such glory to fore-go But some 't is like may ask a question here Unto what Parts or Region did he steer Or whither did he travel whither go A very needful thing for all to know Was 't to some Goshen-Land of precious Light Or in to some Elysian Fields which might With Boundless Pleasures thither him invite Was it a Kingdom somewhat like his own For Bliss and Glory or what kind of one Was this strange Land to which this Lover went To find the Soul forc'd into Banishment Alas dear Sirs this may you still amaze And to a higher Pitch your wonder raise As far as Darkness differs from the Light Or dolesom Earth falls short of Heaven so bright As Heavens higher are than Earth or Seas A thousand times ten thousand of Degrees So far that place where this sweet Prince did dwell The other to which he travel'd did excel As that transcends for loveliness most rare So this in wickedness exceeds compare Egypt was once a dark and dolesom place When no one could behold his brother's face Though there the sacred stories plainly tel 't The darkness was so great it might be felt Yet was that but a figure
when he heard what had that wretch befel He hastned back to 'th Land of Israel But news being brought of Archilaus's Raign Soon found it needful to remove again So being warn'd of God to Galilee He turn'd aside and there at present we Shall leave him whilst we may more fully hear The great design of this his coming there Some possibly may say was 't not to take Unto himself a Kingdom and so make Himself Renowned Great and very High Above each Prince and Earthly Monarchy 〈…〉 Was 't not to take the Crowns of every King And all their Glory to the Dust to bring To set their Diadems on his own head That so the Nations might be better led Was 't not to take Revenge upon his Foes And grind to Powder all that him oppose Was it not to commence his glorious Raign That so he might the pride of Nations stain Herod t is like as you before did hear Such things might dream and it might vainly fear But wholly groundless for alas he came Not as a King to punish but a Lamb To offer up in sacrifice his Life To put an end to all tormenting strife And only gain a poor but long'd-for Wife His sole design I told you it was Love 'T was that alone which brought him from above These hardships and these pains to undergo And many more which yet we have to show For these are nothing in comparison Of those which must be told eâ—re we have done He in those parts had been but thirty year And little had he don that we can heâ—r About obtaining of the Creatures love But gloriously did then the matter move Unto the Soul who little did it mind For she alas was otherwise inclinâ—d For the Black King that had usurp'd that Land An Ill shapt Bastard had of proud command Whom having drest up in a much Gallantry He did appear so pleasant in her Eye That he before had her affections won And in her heart established his Throne Though he design'd no less than to betray And murder her in an infidious way Of which the silly Soul was not aware But fondly blind could not discern the snare Too like alas to many now a dayes Whom fawning words and flattery betrays This Imp of Darkness and first-born of Hell Transform'd by Witchcraâ—â— and a cursed Spell Like a brisk gawdy Gallant now appears And still false locks and borrowed Garments wears Then boldly sets upon her and with strong And sweet lip'd Rhetorick of a Courtly tongue Salutes her Ears and doth each way discover The Amorous Language of a wanton Lover He smiles he toyes and now and then le ts fly Imperious glances from his lustful Eye Adorns her Orient Neck with Penly charms And with rich Bracelets decks her Ivory Arms Boasts the extent of his Imperial Power And offers Wealth and worldly pleasure to her Jocund he seem'd and full of sprightly Mirth And the poor Soul never inquir'd his Birth She lik'd his Face but dream't not of the Dart Wherewith he waited to transfix her Heart There is no foe to such a Dalilaw As pretends love yet ready is to draw The Poysonous Spear and with a treacherous kiss Bereaves the Soul of everlasting Bliss If you would know this treacherous Monster 's name As you before have heard from whence he came 'T is he by whom thousands deceiv'd have bin Heav'ns foe and Satan's cursed Off-spring SIN A violater of all Righteous Laws And one that still to all Uncleaness draws Author of Whored omes Perjuries Disorders Thefts Rapines Blood Idolatries and Murders From whom all Plagues and all Diseases flow And Death it self to him his be'ng doth ow. This Monster of Pollution the undone Poor Soul too long had been enamour'd on And by the Craft his Sire Apollyon lent Doubted not to obtain her full Consent But when Apollyon saw this Prince of Peace His wrathfull spight against him did encrease So brave a Rival he could not endure But sought all means his Ruine to procure Shall I saith he thus lose my hop'd-for prey See my Designs all blasted in one day Which I have carried on from Age to Age With deepest Policy and fiercest Rage My utmost Stratagems I first will try And rather on the very Spot I le dye Thus Hellishly resolv'd he does prepare Straight to commence the bold and Impious War And now the sharp Encounter does begin A Fight so fierce no eye had ever seen Nor shall hereafter ere behold agen But first be pleas'd to take a prospect here Of the two Combatants as they appear The first a Person of Celestial Race Lovely his shape ineffable his Face The frown with which he struck the trembling Fiend All smiles of humane Beauty did transcend His head 's with Glory arm'd and his strong hand No power of Earth or Hell can long withstand He heads the mighty Hosts in Heav'n above And all on Earth who do Jehovah love His Camp 's so great they many millions are With whom no one for Courage may compare They are all chosen men and cloath'd in white Ah! to behold them what a lovely sight Is it And yet more grave and lovely far To joyn and make one in this Holy War The other was a King of Courage bold But very grim and ghastly to behold Great was his power yet his garb did show Sad Symptoms of a former overthrow But now recruited with a numerous Train Arm'd with dispair he tempts his fate again Under his Banner the black Regiments fight And all the Wicked Troops which hate the light His Voluntiers are spread from North to South And flaming Sulphur belches from his Mouth Such was the grand Importance of their sight It did all eyes on Earth and Heaven invite To be spectators and attention lend So much did ne're on any Field depend No not Pharsalia's Plains where Caesar fought And the Worlds Empire at one conquest caught Alas the Issue of that famous Fray May not compare with this more fatal Day Should the Black monstrous Tyrant Prince prevail The Hearts and hopes of all man-kind must fail But above all she who caus'd their contest Would be more miserable than all the rest Shee she poor soul for ever were undone And never would have help from any one T was for Her sake alone the War begun Some fabulous Writers tell a wonderous story And give I know not what St. George the Glory Of rescuing bravely a distressed Maid From a strange Dragon by his Generous aid This I am sure our blessed Captain fought With a fierce Dragon and Salvation wrought For her who else had been devoured quite By that Old Serpents subtility and spight But now t is time their Combate to display Behold the Warriers ready in Array Apollyon well stor'd with crafty wit Long time had waited for a season fit That so he might some great advantage get And knowing well the Prince of Light had fasted Ful forty days then presently he hasted To give him
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
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
For the great God who form'd the Heav'n Earth Doth look upon himself as wrong'd thereby For he that sins doth little less than fly I' th very face of his blest Majesty And when the Son of Glory hither came O how was he exposed unto shame It brought his Sacred Person in disgrace When Sinners vile spat in his Heavn'ly face They taunt him with base terms and being bound They scourged him he bled but the worst wound Was in his Soul occasioned by Sin And thou thereby woundst him most sore agin O wilt thou paddle in the pure stream Of precious Bloud contemn it O extream And hideous Monster dost thou hug the Knife Which wounded him yea took away his Life And will let out thy blood though now it be Delighted in and loved much by thee Of Wonders strange and Prodigies that are Amazing unto all who of them bear None can come nigh or be compar'd to this A Prodigie of Prodigies it is Of Love and Lover ne'r the like was known Nor was the like Ingratitude e're shown The one doth love beyond all admiration And suffer'd things beyond humane relation And he a King but she a filthy brute A beggar vile and yet denies his Suit Question From whence is it O why will she not close With this great Lord how can she still oppose His oft-repeated proffers how not yet Yield unto him pray what 's the cause of it Answer 'T is not in her own power to dispose Her self in marriage also here are those Who dwell with her and her Relations be Who spoil the match or the affinitie Which otherwise in all appearance might Be throughly made with Jesus Prince of Light Two proud Relations loftily stand off Who urge her to reject him with a scoff The one is Will a very churlish piece Who all along for Sin and Satan is The other's Judgment once most grave and wise But now with Will both cursed Enemies To God and Christ true Piety oppose And lead the Soul with evil ways to close 'T is they who must dispose of her if she E're yield to Christ his dearest Spouse to be But Sin has so by craft corrupted them And drawn them to its party they contemn This glorious Lover and will not consent The Soul should yield to him or should repent And so break off with other Lovers who She yet doth love and loth is to for-go Besides them in her house doth also dwell An Enemy call'd Old-man known full well To be a grand and horrid Instrument To keep the Soul from granting her consent O! he 's the cause of all the inward strife And hates the thoughts she should become his Wife And will prevent it if he can find out Meet ways and means to bring the same about Nay such a Foe this Old-man is indeed That till he 's slain by th' Spirit or does bleed Or weakned in his power ne'r will she With the Lord Christ firmly united be Slight wounds wo'nt do he must be slain out-right Such is his rage his subtilty and spite Against this happy match till he 's near dead It cannot be in truth accomplished Therefore expect to hear of his black doom Before the sweet espousal Day doth come There 's also yet another Inmate I Perceive dwells in her house which by and by You 'l hear much of who all her secrets knows And can her very inward thoughts disclose His name is Conscience whose Power 's so great That in her house he hath a Regal Seat These three Allies by Old-man so corrupted Have all along the business interrupted They naturally are opposite to Grace And are far more inclined to give place To sensual Objects and the Prince o' th Night And so betray the Soul for want of light Into their hands of whom you heard before Who secretly design for ever-more To take away her life and quite undo her Whilst flatteringly they promise peace unto her The Soul 's deprav'd and captivated so It chuses Evil and lets Jesus go The chiefest good and takes the chiefest evil Being by nature acted by the Devil This well consider'd may the cause discover Why she denies to entertain this Lover The Soul is dead and cannot see nor hear 'T is sensless as a stone a stone can bear The greatest weight and neither break nor melt Souls dead to God ne'r love-sick passions felt Unto this day nor can they love until They are convinc'd of sin and all the ill They have committed ' gainst his holy Will Being sensible hereof then with strong cryes They fly to God for salve to o'pe their Eys The Eys affect the Heart when thou canst see Christ will be dear and not till then to thee The Conscience first is always wrought upon Which never is effectually done But by the Spirits Pow'r and operation Which sets it equally against transgression But lest I should be tedious I 'le forbear Craving attention to what follows here CHAP. III. Shewing Christ's Heavenly and admirable Beauty Riches Bounty Power and Wisdom Theologue WILT thou be cruel to so dear a Friend Upon thy self 't will fall poor Soul i th' end Did not Rebeckâ— yiel'd and chuse to go With Abram's servant and wilt thou say no What was an Isaac unto him whom I Desire thee to fix thy tender Eye Upon was Isaac fair and wealthy too Or was he great Ah Soul will such things do If beauty wealth or honour thou dost prize I do present one now before thine Eys That is the Object this alone is he None none like him did ever mortals see He is all fair in him 's not one ill feature Ten thousand times more fair than any Creature That lives or ever lived on the Earth His Beauty so amazingly shines forth Angelick Nature is enamor'd so They love him dearly and admire him too His Head is like unto the purest Gold His curled Tresses lovely to behold And such a brightness sparkles from his Eys As when Aurora gilds the Morning skies And though so bright yet lovely like the Doves Charming all hearts where râ—â—is diviner Loves Look on his beauteous Cheeks and thou 'lt espy The Rose of Sharon deckt in Royaltie His smiling Lips his speech and words so sweet That all delights and joy in them do meet Which tends at once to ravish ear and sight And to a kiss all heavenly Souls invite The Image of his Father 's in his face His inward parts excel he 's full of grace If Heaven and Earth can make a rare Complexion Without a spot or the least imperfection Here here it is it in this Prince doth shine He 's altogether lovely all Divine 1. His Beauty is so much desirable No Souls that see it any ways are able For to withstand the influ'nce of the same They 'r so enamour'd with it they proclaim There 's none like him in Earth nor Heav'n above It draws their hearts and makes them fall in love Immediately so that they cannot stay From
following him one minute of a day The Flock is left the Herd and fishing Net As soon as e're the Soul its Eye doth set Upon his face or of it takes a view They 'l cleave to him whatever doth insue 2. Christ is the Spring or the Original Of earthly beauty and Celestial That Beauty which in glorious Angels shine Or is in Creatures natural or Divine It flows from him O it is he doth grace The mind with glorious Beauty as the face 3. Christ's Beauty 's chast most pure and without snares Not like to other's which oft unawares Like Josephs most treacherously betrays Poor wanton Souls and leads them to the pit Before they are aware or think of it Here may'st thou look and love and take thy 〈◊〉 Yea every one who hath a heart a will Whose sweetness ne'r will glut furfeit or 〈◊〉 4. His Beauty 's real 't is no glistering 〈◊〉 That suits vain Sinners this affects the Saint The painted face pleases the carnal â—yâ— But none but Saints through faith can this espy That 's a vain show but this a precious thing In sight of which Celestial joy doth spring 5. This Beauty fills and fully satisfies The hearts of all who have enlightned Eyes He that sees Christ doth say Lord now I have What e're I longâ—d to see no more I crave I have enough my heart and I are fill'd Which was not so before whilst I behold Things with a sensual heart and outward eye There 's nothing here save Christ can satisfie That precious Soul which lieth in thy breast Reject him and ne'r look for peace nor rest 6. Christ's Beautyâ—s hidden 't is so 〈◊〉 No glimmerings of it can appear at all To carnal Souls This is the cause why he Is thus deny'd and slighted still by thee 7. There 's one thing more which I'lâ— to thee impart Touching Christ's Beauty by diviner 〈◊〉 He doth transmit his beauty unto those Who are deform'd as soon as e're they close With him in truth in a contract of love He all their homely features doth remove Oh! he can make those lovely very fair Who ne'r so filthy ne'r so ugly are 8. This Beauty fadeth not 't will not decay 'T will be as rare to morrow as to day Not like to that which as a fading flower Ev'n now shines bright but wither'd in an hour Riches of Christ Or is thy heart on Riches set know then Christ is more rich than all the sons of Men. The Father hath to him all fulness given In Earth beneath and all that is in Heaven All Kingdoms of the world they are his own Whether inhabited or yet unknown He 's heir of all things and the time is near When he will make his Right most plain appear All Potentates his Tenants are at will And such who wast his goods or govern ill Account must give to him and then will find What 't is to bear to him a treach'rous mind Christ's glorious Riches are discovered Yet further unto thee for all are fed By him alone that on the Earth â—'reliv'd Both food and clothes they all from him receiv'd And still receive 't is at his proper charge They are maintain'd as might be shew'n at large I 'le only give a hint or two at things His Treasures far surmount all Earthly Kings He has paid all the debts of every one That clos'd with him O do but think upon This very thing and wisely then account To what a sum this payment will amount Suppose each Soul ten thousand Talents were In debt to God some little time we 'l spare To cast it up 'T is done and lo 't is found Eighteen hundred sev'nty five thousand pound And less than that what sinners ow'd that 's clear'd As often-times I doubt not you have hear'd What did they altogether think you owe Who 's able to account it who can show The quantity of that great debt which he Paid at one single payment on the Tree The quality too of his Riches are So great in worth O so transcendent rare Their Nature Men nor Angels can declare No other Coin would with God's Justice go To satisfie for debts which Sinners owe. Nay the whole World nor yet ten thousand more Could not discount one farthing of that score But had Christ's worth and Riches only bin Sufficient to discharge from debts of Sin And had he not more Treasure to bestow On such who do believe or truly do Cleave unto him it might be thought to be A lessening of his vast Treasurie But 't is not so for he enriches all Who are discharged from sin's bitter thral None comes to him nor ever came but they Receive besides such sums that very day They are espous'd that holy Truth relates Theyâ—r made more rich than earthly Potentates A golden Chain about their necks he places And them with Rings and precious Jewels graces And clothes them also in rich Robes of state Whose sparkling glory far exceeds the plate Of beaten Gold nay Ophir's Treasury And all the Wealth which in both Indies lie Must not compared be alas they can't Equal in worth the Robes of one poor Saint He Heirs also doth make them every one Of a most glorious Kingdom and a Crown He doth assure them that they shall obtain And when they come to age for ever raign With him triumphantly and tread down those Who were their Enemies or did oppose Their rising up to such great Dignity Or treated them on Earth with cruelty He 's rich in every thing no good is found No wealth nor worth but all in Christ abound Few in all kind of Riches do exceed But there 's in him whatever Sinners need Caâ—t but a look O view this Treasury Riches of Life Love Pardon all dos lie Laid up in Christ in him t is hid for those Who do with him in true affection close These Riches do enrich the Soul of Man Which earthly Riches never did nor can Nay prethee hark to me I 'le tell thee more Although Christ has paid off our former score He hanâ—t consum'd one farthing of his store Though he has made some millions rich and high He hath with him such a redundancy Of glorious Riches that let come who will Their Treasuries with substance he can fill The Sun is not more full of precious Light Whose sparkling rays do dazle mortals sight Nor is the great the vast and mighty Sea More fill'd with water than in truth is he With Grace and Riches yea of every kind Which if thou close with him and dost not find To be a truth Soul then let me obtain Reproach from all yea an eternal shame Christ's Riches are so great St. Paul knew well No tongue could set them forth no Angels tell Th' nature of them they unsearchable be Men may find out the bottom of the Sea As soon as they can learn or comprehend How rich Christ is who is thy dearest Friend Nay more than this his Riches are so
never canst thou wed With Jesus Christ If thy first Husband live Who to another Husband can thee give The smallest sin thou ever didst commit The Law 's so strict it damns the Soul for it Let this divorce thee from it 't is severe No life nor help alas canst thou have there And therefore unto Jesus come with speed For such a Bridegroom 't is which thou dost need And th' glory of the blessed Bridal-state Will far exceed the greatest Potentate What 's he Ah Soul what grace and favor's this Where dwels that Queen nay where that Emperess Whose splendent glory can e're equal thine When thou canst say I 'm his and he is mine â— Consultation held between the Prince and Powers of Darkness hearing how the Judgment was rectified and the understanding of the Soul somewhat enlightened Apollyon Most mighty Pow'rs who once from Heav'n fell To raise this Throne and Monarchy in Hell Do not despair rouse up all is not gone The Conqueror han't yet the Conquest won 'T is far below your noble extract thus To stand amaz'd is there no pow'r in us For to revive our scattered force let 's try What may be done we can at last but fly Ne'r let us yield that she should raised be To such a height to such great Soveraigntie What she whose birth and pedigree was mean To what our's was shall she be crowned Queen Whilst we are made the Objects of her scorn Hated of God and Man This can't be born What shall eternal Arms embrace the Soul Whilst we in chains of Darkness do condole Our former loss in spite of Heaven let 's try Yet once again to spoil th' Affinity Satan Bravely resolv'd and if in Hell there are A legion of such Spirits never fear But we the Conquest yet o're Heaven shall gain And all the hopes and pride of Mortals stain We venture very little yet shall win All at one blow if we prevail agin And there 's great hopes methinks for ev'n success Makes foes secure and makes our danger less Lo don 't you see how the fond Soul doth lie Ope to our Arms in great security And though some ground is lost yet seek about View well our force within and that without We in her house have a strong party yet Who in our bands keep her unwary feet Let 's make a search and now more careful be For sad it is the wretch such light should see Without all doubt there has been some neglects Which has produc'd such undesir'd effects Could none keep out the light or has her heart Always so true to us play'd a false part Sure Will and Old-man both do stand and pause Or some grand Foe hath quite betray'd our cause We must be-stir us and give new directions And by all means keep fast the Soul's affections Affection's still by Old-man is directed And Will to us does yet stand well affected Let us pursue our present enterprize With all the craft and pow'r we can devise Our Prince I see is very much offended And thus in short the Consultation ended Apollyon with whole troops of hellish Fiends Immediately into the Soul descends To raise sad storms and tempests in her breast Who being curst hates any should be blest And that he might the better have his ends Accomplished he thus bespeaks his Friends The Flesh with all its lusts to whom he said Old-man my grand Ally I am afraid â—y tottering Kingdom has not long to stand 〈◊〉 to my aid thou dost not lend thy hand 'T is thou old Friend that must my cause maintain Or otherwise thou wilt thy self be slain Hark! dost not hear that flesh-amazing cry Kill the Old-man O kill O crucifie The Old-man with his deeds rise up and slay Let not that Foe survive another day It is that cursed Old man works our bane Then let him die let the Old-man be slain Be stir thy self and try thy utmost skill Undoubtedly thou must be kill'd or kill 'T is not a time to pause or slack thy hand Negligence will not with thy int'rest stand Tell tell the Soul in vain thou dost deny Thy self of that which satisfies the Eye Adorn thy self with Pearl be deckt with Gold Such pleasant things are lovely to behold Avoid all those penurious Nicities That makes thee hateful in thy Neighbour's eyes Delight thy self in that the world ' counts brave And let thy senses have what e're they crave Say to the Soul let not thine Ears and Eyes Be satisfy'd alone but please likewise Thy Appetite grant all the Soul desires And if it chance to kindle lustful fires Tel her the earth was fil'd with boundless treasures That she thereby might take her fill of pleasures And for that end the senses are united In one fair body there to be delighted And tell her if she do restrain one sense Of what it craves she offers violence Unto her self and doth her self deny Of the best good and chief'st felicity The Old-man's Reply This Hellish Lecture past the Old-man breaks His Silence and half Angry thus he speaks Renowned Father let thy Servant borrow A word or two to mitigate my sorrow This Counsel might have done some time ago But now enlighted Judgment lets her know All these are painted pleasures and their date Ends with her life dread Prince it is too late To mind this Counsel she will not receive it Her Understanding now will not believe it I by thy Aid have oft endeavoured In â—itter times such kind of things to spread Before her eyes but now of late we find There is an alteration in her mind Could you have took the Gospel quite away 'T would not have been as 't is you do delay Apollyon No more of that Old-man take my direction Improve thy int'rest now with her affection I know Affection still 's inclin'd to love That which the Understanding doth reprove This being so if we improve our skill And can but keep firm unto us the Will If he 's not over-powr'd thou maist gain Thy former strength and long thou mayest reign For Conscience thou may'st once again hereby Lulâ— fast asleep and then also her Eye Will grow so weak her light diminished That Judgment by Affection shall be led And if thou canst but once this way persuade her Will and Affection quickly will invade her To please her senses and for those intents Affection may use weighty Arguments And thus being overcome she will be more Intangled in our fetters than before Lusts of the eyes and pride of life these be My Agents both they are employ'd by me Old-man therefore proceed the Intrest's mine But be victorious and the Conquest 's thine Once lose the day and thou be sure must die Which being lost thou 'lt suffer more than I. Old-man Most dread Apollyon thou must understand As I have ever been at thy command And am thy Servant so I will remain And fight until I slay or else am slain Yet let me lodg this secret in
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
mourns Ah! how she weeps she crys And water runs like fountains from her â—ys Now her whole Souls dissolved into tears By Love-sick passions yet she 's fill'd with fears Lest Christ should now with angry frown deny To give her one sweet aspect of his Eye Because his love she had so long refus'd And wondrous patience shamefully abus'd Oh! now she spends whole days nights in prayer She sighs and grieves but canâ—t see Christ appear The panting Hart ne'r long'd for Water-brooks More than does she for some reviving looks From the great Prince the God of Love Grace But he at present seems to hide his face But stop my Musâ— hark how the Winds do roar All storms i' th Soul alasâ— are not yet o're No sooner did the Old-man cast his Eyes And view'd this change but in great wrath did rise For to renew the War he joins afresh With scatter'd force of Will and Lusts of th' flesh To make what strength they can with hellish spite The Devil 's with these conquer'd pow'rs unite Arm'd with despair and like to Lamps wch make The greatest blaze at going out they take Their blunt and broken Weapons in their hand Resolving Christ in her shall not command Nor she desert their cause nor break her Vows With Sin and Self and so become Christ's Spouse But now I find in vain they do resist True Grace is come the Spirit doth assist Sin World the Flesh nor Devil can long stand Before the Spirits strong and pow'rful hand See how the Spirit now doth search about To find each Sin and cursed Darling out Did you never behold in what dread sorâ— The wide-mouth'd Canon plays upon the Fort And how by whole-sail it doth batter down The shattered walls of a besieged Town Even so the Spirit with his powerful Sword Makes glorious slaughter will no Truce afford Kills all before him will no Quarter give Nor will he suffer any Lust to live The Strong-man Satan quakes good reason why A stronger's come a stronger he doth spy Is enter'd in O therefore he 's much pain'd All all is gone and he himself is chain'd The Old-man trembling likewise thinks to fly Into some lurking-corner secretly To hide himself but th' Spirit 's piercing Sight Discovers him and now with heavenly might Laid on such strokes and gave him such a wound Wch with dire vengance brought him to the ground Now the Affections's chang'd and Will doth yield Being willing made says Grace shall have the Field O happy season and thrice long'd-for hour This is the day of God's most mighty Power Upon the Soul But hark methinks I hear Most bitter sighs and groans sound in mine Ear. The Soul 's afflicted it is she doth mourn To think what sorrows for her Christ hath born She hates nay loaths her self to th' very dust And seeks to mortifie each former Lust And something more doth still perplex her mind Him whom she dearly loves she cannot find Her heart I fear will quickly burst asunder If any long time she should be prest under This heavy weight no grief like hers is there Who can alas a wounded Spirit bear She 's almost swallow'dâ— up in deep despair You next shall hear if you attention lend How she bewails the absence of her Friend Soul Ah me I faint my Spirits quite decay And yet I cannot die O who can stay My sinking Soul whilst I these sorrows feel My feeble knees under their burden reel Infâ—rnal deeps black gulphs where horror lies Open their ghastly mouths before mine Eys O wretched Soul curs'd Sin I might have been The Lamb's fair Bride and a Celestial Queen Had I imbrac'd my Lord my King my Love Who was more faithful than the Turtle Dove O had I then receiv d him in mine Arms He would have sav'd me from eternal harms But now I fear those happy days are past And I poor wretch shall into Hell be cast Bound up in fetters and eternal chains Of burning Wrath and everlasting pains O sinful Soul I who have lightly set By the blest Prince who would have paid my debt O he that would have freely quit my score Ah! Now I fear I shall ne're see him more Could I but once more hear his Sacred Voice I would make him my joy and only choice But 's Wooing-time I fear is out of date 〈…〉 but dread it is too late I mâ—lt Lord into tears whilst thou the Sun Of precious Light art hid where shall I run For Light and comfort in this dolesom hour Whilst I lie drenched in this brinish shower More would she speak but her great passion stops Her mournful speech whilst her eys stood-gates opeâ— Smote with despair so faint she scarce appears To breath or live but by her sighs and tears A Friend amidst this passion straight arriv'd Whose shining beams and lustre much reviv'd The troubl'd Soul on every side that she Cry'd out O heavenly Spirit it is thee Who with Diviner and mysterious Art Did such illustrious beams of Glory dart Which did not only tend to joy and peace But much inflam'd her heart made love increase And lo before her Eys she doth behold The Prince to stand whose Glory to unfold Is 'bove the reach of Man or Seraphim And thus had she a blessed sight of him Like as the Sun breaks forth beneath a Cloud Whose conqu'ring light cast off each envious shroud And round about his beauteous beams displays Making her Earth like Heav'n with his bright rays This glorious Aspect of his lovely Eye Which she through Faith beheld did by and by With such transports or Raptures on her seize And from her former sorrows gave her â—ase Yet could she not be fully satisfy'd Until the Marriage-knot was firmly ty'd A Promise she endeavours to procure To make Christ's Love and Pardon to her sure She to this purpose does her self address To him she loves with sweet composedness Of heart and mind tho thinking what she 'd bin She 's under fears and oft distrest again Much questioning for want of Faith how he Could e're forget past wrongs and injurie Soul Life of my life alas Lord what am I A wretched Creature who deserves to die A thousand deaths nay and a thousand more For wounding thee within without all o're In every part O this doth make me mourn It melts my heart to think what thou hast born For a vile worm But wilt thou view the wound That 's made in me Lord I am drench'd drown'd In bloud and brinish tears my wasting breath And sighing Soul will period soon in Death Unless thou seal and dost confirm to me Thy Love by promises O! shall I see Thy hand stretch'd out or shall I hear thee say Come come to me poor Soul O come away 'T is thou that wilt not bruise the broken reed Hurt not my sores nor crush the wounds that bleed O let my chilled Soul feel the warm fires Of thy sweet Voice that my dissolv'd
Eternal I Give forth the Sentence Thou shalt surely die 'T was I that curs'd the Serpent who remains Unto this day and shall in lasting Chains When Cain did shed his righteous Brother's bloud I sentenc'd Cain 't was I that brought the â—lood Upon the Earth By me the World was drowned Proud Babels Language was by me confounded I am Jehovah's everlasting Word Who in my hand do bear th' two-edg'd Sword 'T was I and only I that did Command The dismal darkness in the Egyptians Land 'T was at my Word the Seas divide in twain And made an even passage through the Main At my Command Pharaoh and all his Host Were utterly within the Red-Sea lost 'T was I that made Belshazzâ—rs joints to quake And all his Nobles tremble when I spake 'T was I that made the Persian Monarchs great And threw them with the Grecians from their Seat I say the Word and Nations are distress'd I spake again and the whole World 's at rest Let all Men stand in fear and dread of me I was the first and I the last will be All knees shall bow to me when I reprove And at my Voice the Mountains shall remove The Earth shall be dissolved at my Threat And Elements shall melt with fervent heat My Word confines the Earth the Seas the Wind I am the great Jehovah unconfin'd 'T is I divide between the joints and Marrow No place so close no cranny is so narrow But like the Sun 's bright beams I enter in Discovering to each heâ—rt the darling Sin That lodges in the Soul 'T is I alone Who by my piercings make them sigh and groâ—n If from true sense and sorrow they complain I graciously bind up those wounds again 'T is I that save the humble and contrite And do condemn the formal Hypocrite My circuit's large I coast the World about No place nor secret but I find it out All Nations of the World I rule at pleasure To my Dominion's neither bound nor measure Therefore dear Soul chear up and do not fear I 'le confound all thy Foes both far and near And now I do command to bring to th' Bar That inward Foe Old-man I wo'nt defer His Tryal lâ—nger his Indictments read And he had leave and liberty to plead And on his Trial he deny'd the Fact But Conscience swears she took him in the act And other witness too but to be brief All prove him the Soul's Foe nay and the chief And only cause of all the horrid Treason Acted against the Lord unto this season He was deny'd to speak the Proofs being clear You shall therefore his fatal Sentence hear Come thou base Traytor impure Mass of Sin That Villain-like dost seek revenge agin Upon the Soul and striv'st to raise up strife Nay thirsts again to take away her life Hear hear thy Sentence Old-man thou must die I can no pity shew nor mind thy cry Thy Age away 't is pity thou hast bin Spared so long when guilty of such Sin Soul thou must see to bring him in subjection With every evil lust and vile affection This heap of Sin thou must strive to destroy That so thou maist all perfect peace enjoy Under the strictest bonds let him abide Till he is slain or throughly crucify'd The Old-man being sentenc'd and confin'd The Soul is consolated in her mind Affection Judgment Will do all rejoyce And are united now O happy choice Ah! she admires the excellence and worth Of her Beloved that she sets him forth As one that 's ravish'd in the contemplation Of his great Glory and her exaltation In this her sacred choice and this so raises Her ravish'd senses that Angelick praises She thinks too low O now she doth discover And not till now th' affections of a Lover There 's nothing now so tedious as delay Betwixt the ' spousal and the Marriage-day Her former joys in which she much delighted She treads them under-foot they are quite slighted Nay altogether loathsom in her Eye Compared with his sacred Company Unto the place where he appoints to meet her Thither she runs with speed there 's nothing sweeter Nay there is nothing sweet nothing is dear Or pleasant to her if he be not there O! saith the Love-sick Soul in such a case May I but have one kiss one sweet Imbrace O how would it rejoyce this heart of mine His Love is better than the choisest Wine His Name is like an Ointment poured forth And no such Odour e're enrich'd the Earth The Eastern Gums Arabian Spices rare Do not perfume noâ— so enrich the Air As the Eternal 〈◊〉 renowned Fame Of his most preciâ—â—s and most glorious Name Perfumes my Soul 〈◊〉 elevates my voice Whilst gladness fills my heart O happy choice My sacred Friend my Life my Lord and King Doth me into his secret Chambers bring Although ten thousand fall on either hand My Soul in saâ—ety evermore shall stand Tell me my Lord tell me my dearest Love Where thou dost feed whither the Flocks remove And where they rest an Noon in soultry gleams Bring me into those Shades where silver streams Of living Waters flow most calm and still There there I 'le shelter there I 'le drink my fill The Fountains ope O see it runs most clear Green Pastures by a â—â—odg is also near To hide in â—afety and to saâ—e from fear Of scotching heat â—â—der this shade I 'le rest My Love shall be inclosed in my breast My heart shaâ—l be 〈◊〉 lodging-place for ever Nothing shal me from my Beloved â—ever The terrors of the Night shall never harm me He saves from heat in â—rosts his love doth warm me You Virgins who yet never felt the smart Of Love's soul-piercing and heart-wounding Daâ—t If all these sacred Raptures you admire Know Virgins know that this Celestial 〈◊〉 That 's kindlâ—d in my breast comes from 〈◊〉 And sets my Soul into this frame of Love O he that has endured so much pain To gain my Love is worthy to obtain Ten thousand times more love than his poor Spouse Is able to bestow yet shall my Vows Be daily paid to him in whose sweet breast My love-sick Soul shall find eternal rest Know know I ne'r obtain'd true peace beforâ— My soul cast 〈◊〉 on this sacred shore All earthâ—y pleasures are but seeming miâ—th His presence is a Heaven upon Earth How heavy O how bitter was the Cross Once unto me to think upon the loss Or temporal comfâ—rts made me to complain But noâ— I 〈…〉 my gain Terrestrial joys as dross to me appear My joy 's in Heaven O my treasure 's there Had I all Riches of both th' India's shore At my command ten thousand times told o're My soul would loath them they should be abhor'd Being worse than dung compared to my Lord. O may these Sun-beams never cease to shine By which I see that my Beloved's mine He is my flesh and bone therefore will I Rejoyce the more in this Affinity He is my