is the light of lights The rest and receptacle of delights Life of all living seat of travellers The palme the prize the crowne of conquerers S. O who can Gods great goodnesse understand How wondrous are the works of his right hand Yesterday I was in earths darknesse dimme To day in heavens resplendent lustre trimme Yesterday in the roaring Lyons power To day i th' hands of my sweet Saviour Yesterday brought unto the gates of hell To day in Paradise where joyes excell Yesterday in the worlds circumf'rence round To day in Abrahams bosome blestly found O that men living on the earth below Did least part of celestiall joyes well know Then solely seriously all paines the'yd take In holy duties no least losse they 'd make Of precious time which no man can regaine Nor would so fruitlesly their lives retaine Divines would then more study lives than learning More to live well than quaint disputes discerning Their chiefe philosophy they would it deeme To know Christ and him crucifi'de esteeme Grave Oratours would not so breake their brains To vent strong lines invent such losty strains As holily and heartily to speake And by good works from guilded words would break The worlds great traders would more piously Endure and not procure an injurie And count a quiet and good conscience best Yea farre beyond the greatest gaine possest Then that intolerable beast most wilde I meane that canker covetice most vilde Would not so rage and rave in courses base But yeeld to time as the fit time of grace Yea all of all sorts would so sparke and shine In holinesse of life and gifts divine That those two sayings at the last great day Should never from their thoughts depart away Go O ye cursed into fire eternall Come O ye blessed to a crowne supernall Oh what can be more harsh more full of wo Than then to heare that bitter saying go But what can better then pronounced be Than that blest invitation iâ— Come ye Two sentences than one of which none sadder And than the other none was ere heard gladder Oh if men would these throughly ruminate Then they more soundly would recogitate And thinke upon the last and dreadfull day As that on which they must resolve to clay Yea they the judgement-day would duely tender As that on which they must a reck'ning render Then would they muse and meditate on hell As on that lake where woe and horrour dwell And thinke on heaven as on a glorious place And kingdome of incomparable grace Their time yet left to heaven they 'd consecrate Their lampe yet light aloft they 'd elevate No day without a line no line should be Without a guiding-rule to sanctitie No smallest sand out of the houre-glasse Without at least one trickling teare should passe They nothing not time-present would count theirs Whose onely minute all their due appeares The morning they would make dayes inchoation The evening that dayes due examination Their bodies from their beds they soone would raise Their drowsie sleepe they 'd shun without delayes Their candle lighted they betimes would pray And give their God the first-fruits of the day Then they would boldly looke death in the face Yea gladly they 'd invite his hastie pace And being wholly dead to earths false joy They best would live while they seem'd life to ' stroy By dying so they death would deadly wound And by Deaths death their life would best be found Thus they would not count death a pang or paine But rest from sorrow and their greatest gaine Thus earth disdain'd and heav'n obtain'd all blest They would approach the haven of endlesse rest But worldlings alwayes finde by proofe most bad Whiles they breathe out this sentence sowre and sad O death how bitter is the thought of thee To those that earthly peace with wealth do see That unto whom the world 's a blandishment To them it brings from heaven a banishment For two most distant loves do men still make Of two most distant Cities to partake The love of God Ierusalem erects The love of earth proud Babilon protects The place of peace Ierusalem is nam'd Babilon is Seditions seat proclaim'd But they shall nere in Peaces-city dwell Which love not peace but like confusion well O then that men on earth these things would minde They even on earth an heavenly life would finde G. Thou dost indeed most sweetly meditate Things well befitting soules in heavenly state For if men did these things more seriously Discusse and scan and to themselues apply They to the world would sure more strangers be And cleave to God in neerer amitie But we must joy in Gods revealed will Rejoyce in Converts comming to us still Pray the approach of all terrestriall Saints Who this our Cities ruine and restraints Must restaurate and full re-edifie And make complete to all eternity Meane while sweet soule beloved lovely mate Come thou to us with us cohabitate Blest in thy selfe gratefull to us all blest Most blessed in this blessed state of rest Come let us now with interchang'd embraces With mutuall joy new songs go take our places In Gods most admirable Tabernacle All sacred Saints most holy habitacle Now thy once Ministers become thy mates Now 'mongst the lillies in most lovely states 'Mongst troops of glorious Angels shining bright Thy lustre now may glister full of light Yea now thou mayst lye downe on beds of roses Amongst Gods lovely lambes in sweet reposes Come come I say be now exceeding glad That thou art with celestiall beauty clad Ioy in enjoying endlesse joy and peace In Gods blest presence which can never cease S. O most mellifluous sweetnesse most admird O heavenly honey pleasures most desir'd How sweet thou art in serious meditation How farre more sweet in thy due declaration How much more sweet to view and contemplate How most transcendent sweet in blest estate T is not in all I am to set thee forth T is past my power to blaze thy blessed worth But t is enough for me that I possesse thee That being in thee blest I thus do blesse thee That I aloud his laud and praise may sing That plac'd and grac'd me here heav'ns glorious King To whom with Iesus Christ and his blest Spirit Who doth all power and praises wholly merit Even heavens ineffable Trine-unity Be Halelujahs sung eternally Amen Ephes. 5.14 Arise thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Bernard An account must be given of all the time lent unto us how it hath beene spent by us Aug. upon Psal. 36. My brethren if ye are perswaded that we shall enjoy any such things in that countrey wheâ—eunto the celestiall-silver trumpet incites and summons us and for their sakes ye are willing to abstaine from things present that there ye may receive those future comforts more copiously Do then as those men who being invited to a great feast keepe their stomacks empty and are content to abstaine that their appetites may attaine an even insatiate satisfaction FINIS
My joy in God and so my soule deceive Sin But yet for all this this worlds happinesse For other I know none I still professe Is the most excellent and much depends On choice of merry-mates and joviall-friends On hunting after honours heaping treasures And on enjoying various sorts of pleasures But these belike are wholly opposite To vertues practise and approv'd delight Con. Thou art mistaken Vertues are indeed True riches not base wealth which earth doth breed Worlds wealth to serue is God to disobay And though worlds-service does to worldlings pay Some seeming joy yet ever more Gods Saints Finde it a clog and cause of great complaints These do it estimate their prime perfection To passe this desert by Gods Spirits direction This state of grace heav'ns glorious place they count To be neere-kinne and long to climbe that Mount The worth of all this world hels worke they deeme Earths honours they earths tumours do esteeme But to performe Gods sacred will and pleasure They count their souls most high and happy treasure Sin What prat'st thou of thy silly Saints to me They are not of my fold nor ere will be And their encrease does decrease my great powers But who comes yonder a true friend of ours My docible young scholler Man no Saint And that 's my joy whom I must now acquaint With my rare rudiments For I suppose What 's humane touching vice within him grows Man Aye me of all men living most forlorne I too-too long in silence have forborne But now I neither can nor will forbeare Wilt thou not cease to hunt me every where Sin T is thou that hunts and haunts me to and fro Ma. I must confesse it but for doing so I now am overwhelm'd with woe and shame Yet this my sense of sins most deadly blame Being the first and firme step to salvation Makes me find hope of my Regeneration Sin How 's that this gives me very poore content Ma. I do confesse I say with full assent That I have finn'd and it was onely I Not foolish fortune or my destiny No nor the devill but evill in mine owne brest I therefore onely 'gainst my selfe protest And if I should thee O my conscience blame Or thinke my sinne from any other came I to those dogges might be resembled right Which as divine Plato doth truly write Do snap and snarle and bite the rowling stone Cast at them but regard not whence t was throwne No rather now at last with weeping eyes And wofull heart against my selfe I rise Whom I have made my worst intestine foe And treacherously ensnar'd my soule in woe Nor do I onely 'gainst my selfe thus rise But make a serious solemne-vow likewise Heav'n ratifie the same that I will ever From this time forward use my best endevour That thou O sinne shipwracke of mans salvation Shalt nere in me have willing habitation But if by force thou wilt breake in againe Yet thou shalt never domineere and raigne Con. A pious vow and godly resolution The Lord will surely bring to blest conclusion Ma. I doubt it not and therefore will persist And since I seeme of two parts to consist A Soule and Bodie If the first of these By any smallest sinne hath least disease It stings and wrings thee strait with bitter sâ—art O my syntericke sinne-opposing-part I therefore purpose a new course to take Whereby my conscience I may chearfull make Whereby my soule I may with grace renourish And my internall family may flourish And as for thee my flesh since thou art apt To draw in sinne and be by sinne entrapt Yea Sin as water to drinke in and sucke And he which addeth sin to sin doth plucke And hale his soule to hell as with a rope Thou delicate fine-Philistine I hope I shall thee tame new-mould and mortifie Nere let thee rest till thou with me comply To dye to sinne till I have runne my race All this I trust by power of heavenly grace Con. Most sweetly thou resolv'st O ever may God by his Spirit perfect it I pray Sin Well if thou me forsake I 'll others finde Who will me entertaine and use more kinde For whiles on earth there any men remaine I make no doubt but I shall rule and raigne Ma. But I will frustrate all thy hope in me If to my votes my God propitious be Now then my conscience let us both go in And since we are thus fairely freed of Sinne So hatefull to us both now mutually Let us rejoyce with sweet tranquility An end of the fourth Dialogue The fift DIALOGUE Betweene God and the Soule The Argument of the fift Dialogue God here the Soule most kindly greets With many sacred sugred sweets Even wooes the Soule free-love t' embrace Assures it of assistant-grace The sanctified-soule complies Bewailes her faint infirmities Resignes her selfe to Gods dispose And with his holy-call doth close God helps it on with faire directions And cheeres it on with sweet affections The Soule thus on Gods leasure waits Till He to glory It translates God A Rise my Love my Dove most pure and faire To come to Me make haste thy selfe prepare Soule What sacred voyce is this blest invitations Candy'd with such sweet loving compellations G. His who creating thee inspir'd thy life Inspiring it espons'd thee as his wife S. My great Creator and my glorious King G. Yea thy free-lover whence thy good doth spring S. I know thee O my God that thou art he Who fully freely firmly lovest me Since for my sake thy Sonne thou hast not spar'd To free me when to hell I was ensnar'd G. My Sonne I gave yea and mine onely Sonne That thou might'st not for ever be undone S And what deare God shall I repay to thee G. Nothing but love for love which pleaseth me S. What heart O Lord can be so stupifide As by thy love not to be mollifide G. That heart which hides the favours I bestow S. Lord what have I that did not from thee flow G. Returne me thanks then that thou mayst have more For grateful hearts do find my favours store S. Let my poore prayer good God ascend to thee That thy rich grace my so descend on me For by thee onely 't is I life retaine To thee then wholly Me I give againe G. Thou giv'st thy selfe to me t is well But where Where are the fruits that thou to me dost beare S. Alas O Lord what fruits can I expresse As of my selfe till thou me till and dresse If thou vouchsafe upon my heart thy field To sow such seeds as may thee good fruit yeild Thou must O Lord by thy blest hand of grace First plucke up all my weeds of vices base G. Thou say'st most true But wilt thou willingly Submit thy selfe to graces-husbandrie S. O burne me bruise me breake me heere O Lord So thou hereafter mercy dost afford O let that hand that form'd me me reforme Let it correct so it to thee conforme G. Draw
with thy gracious resolution Bring all to holy happie Execution Live heere as other Saints a little space Then thou in Heaven shalt have a glorious Place The end of the fifth Dialogue The sixt DIALOGUE Betweene the Soule and the City of God The Argument of the sixth Dialogue The Soule being here in heav'n suppos'd And in its longed joyes repos'd Gods holy City is brought in It s gracious welcome to begin And to the Soule to demonstrate Its most victorious glorious state The Soule is ravisht with delight At its coelestiall sacred sight Reproves the worlds fond aberration Neglecting this so great Salvation Whereof it-selfe thus now possest Abides in endlesse Peace and Rest. ALL-haile most holy City of the Lord What glorious sights are these thou dost afford Most blessed Spouse of Christ beloved Bride What amiable joyes in thee abide What sacred songs what musicke doe I heare What heavenly Hymnes with most melodious cheere Doe chant about mine eares in every street What pleasant fruit-trees O what Manna sweet Doe I here see and savour touch and taste In midst of what sweet pleasures am I plac'd What precious prizes are there heere afforded O what most glorious matters are recorded Of thee blest City of our God of love And that most justly for all true I prove For in thee is indeed a habitation Of onely such as joy with exultation Even here where 't is more difficult to say What is not here than what is to display Yea though mine eloquence did all 's excell Yet could I not its glory truely tell C. Now then most welcome soule from this blest sense Thou feel'st and find'st by good experience That one day in Gods house is better biding Than elsewhere are a thousand dayes residing S. I finde it so indeed and one day here Doth an eternall day to me appeare To which no yesterday gives any place Nor any morrow makes to end its race Where nothing is that was not first here flowing Or which already is not here full growing So sweet and pleasant is this lasting light So full of rare and ravishing delight That if the soule could it enjoy no more Than but one-houre and so must give it ore Even for this-onely sweet the pleasures rife And flowing temp'rall-ioyes of all Mans life Though ere so many yeeres spent jollily Ought all to be contemn'd most worthily For in thy sight O God a thousand yeeres As yesterday instantly past appeares C. But say sweet soule what dost thou now esteem Of that most slippery-age What dost thou deeme And judge of those thy former dayes now past Those fleeting-yeeres quite spent and could not last And which shall nere-returne What thinkst thou say Of that fast fleeting time now fled away All that is past thereof is now no more And all to come thereof none can restore What of that-day whose morning-houres are fled Whose afternoones are not recovered What of that-houre whose minutes from thee sliding For their remainder there was no abiding Are not all these as if they neere had beene Compar'd with this blest state thou now art in For in this most desiderable Land No troubling-toyle is to be tooke in hand No pining pinching-paine is to be borne No griefe whereby the Heart is hurt or torne But heer 's the highest honour to be had Heer 's mutuall-love to make the Heart most glad Heere thou by knowing perfectly shall see Heere by delighting thou shalt loving be Heere by possessing thou shalt ever praise Heere to thy God be chanting heavenly-Layes Whom thou shalt see to satisfie thy pleasure Whom thou shalt have to fill thy will full-measure Whom thou shalt to thy joy enjoy for ever Whom thou to love and laud shalt aye persever Where thou shalt flourish in eternity Where thou shalt glister in pure verity Where thou shalt shine in perfect purity Where thou shalt joy in sweet security Where thou shalt finde endlesse stability Of perfect-knowledge rare facility Of sweet-repose and rest a happy sense Of all that may content the Quintessence O how can I describe sufficiently This Holy-Cities faire felicity Whose Citizens are blessed Angels bright Whose Temple is the Father of all Light Whose splendour is the Sonne of Righteousnesse Whose glorious-love the Spirit doth expresse S. O sacred-City joyes variety O blessed state of Saints society C. And we reciprocally are as glad Of this thy fellowship with us now had As wee are of our-owne blest happinesse For thou dost now so sweet a place possesse Where One soules comfort comforts all the rest None heere anothers-good doth ill-digest But each of us does take as much delight In others blisse as in his proper right S. O then how happy is my blessed-state Whom such choice mates doe so associate So many sacred Citizens doe meete So lively lovely Saints so kindely greete How sweet was this blest Cities meditation To me when I on earth had habitation But O how much more sweetnesse doe I taste To be in it of it belov'd embrac'd To contemplate my soules faire Bridegroome blest My soules sweet soule my Prince of glorious rest C. But come faire sister give me now thy hand And thou shalt in me see and understand Our yet more sacred sweets our mansions faire Glistring with gems and precious stones most rare I will thee into our Wine-Cellars guide Where Flagons full of purest wine abide Into our Refectorie choicely deckt With heauenly dainties palates to affect Where neither longing doth ingender paine Nor fulnesse doth least nauseousnesse containe Where neither he that eates is over-cloyd Nor what is eaten is not full-supply'd Where ever over-flowing flouds of pleasure Will cheere thy soule in most abundant measure And will thy heavenly heart inebriate With love-divine yet still most temperate Here run pure Rivers of the wat'r of life Here are faire meads gardens of pleasures rife Here 's augmentation of felicity Glories-encreasings with sure constancie Beds of delight boards of aboundant joy All that may comfort nothing to annoy Yea from this mount of savorie spices rare Behold at full a heavenly mirrour faire And therein see Saints glistring splendour bright And all their honour of majesticke might In this faire port of peace is labours rest This creeke of comfort foes cannot infest Here being safty with eternity Contentive joy with full satiety With various noveltie all rare delight And sugred sweetnesse in Gods sacred sight S. And who would not both long and like it best To set downe here his everlasting rest Both for its peace and for its pleasant light For its eternitie and Gods blest sight In ever knowing God the Fathers power The wisedome of the Sonne in 's heavenly bower The holy Spirits tender clemencie To have full knowledge of the Trinitie C. T is true sweet soule Gods secrets open be There he will befull seene and lov'd of thee S. O blessed-vision in himselfe seene trim To see God in us and our selues in him C. Yea to see him who
Who ere thou art under this vizard grim Horrid Hobgoblin-like which dost beset And thus unseas'nably our household fret And fright and much disquiet our sweet rest Know this that thou canst nought at all molest Or terrifie my soule no though thou bring A thousand deadly darts and dost them fling With utmost furie and this Court surround Yet with least feare thou never canst me wound What though my carnall Mayde the flesh be frighted For shee 's indeed with nicenesse o're-delighted And unacquainted with so grim aspects And such unpleasing spectacles neglects Yet my prepared soule shakes off such feares And all such frights as buzing-flyes out-beares Then cut off all delayes make plaine relation What is thy name and proper compellation De. I fright not folkes with any Titles strange Nor yet with many mighty names doe range My name is short yet sharp to what hath breath And I by all am vulgarly call'd Death So. 'T is very well Fl. But fare you well were better His hideous presence does me feare and fetter De. But Lady if you please I will more plaine Explaine my selfe I to the heavenly Traine Am hasty-Herald Bodies Dissolution Th' Inevitable-End The Resolution Of all things And the Robber of Mankinde To thee being sent thee friendly to unbinde And set at liberty this thy nice-Mayd The flesh to see in her Sepulture layd Fl. What Sepulture I pray De. An earthly bed With a clay-pillow underneath thy head Fl. I have no need of such a Chamberlaine To make a Bed for me so coorse and plaine I have already beds more soft and sweet And than thy bed for mâ— me thinks more meet So. I think you meane the Grave to be your bed De. You think most true hit the nayle o' th head This I have ready made then let your Mayd Goe downe with me for therefore have I stayd And therefore am I hither come to thee And this demand is thus commanded me So. Nor may I such Commission disobey Fl. O my deere Mistresse send him soone away O will you now forsake me O wherein Have I so farre to you offensive bin Thus to be left have I not still regarded And done your will and must be thus rewarded Peace Mayd we must resistlesse-Fate obay Death is not sent to be sent backe with Nay And surely if thou soundly didst conceive And rightly weigh these things thou wouldst perceive And see and say that thus thou much dost gaine Rather than any detriment sustaine Fl. O when shall I this Paradoxe hold true So. When sense doth yeeld and reason doth subdue Fl. Must then my sense to reason so submit So. I by all meanes it is most just and fit Fl. O strange then what have you my Mistresse done Who have bin still by my perswasions won And all this while to them have lent your eare Listning to me your Mayde without all feare Whiles I my selfe was wholly led along And taken up with lustfull senses strong I still was angling with this hooke and bait And you to catch it greedily did waite Thus you with least allurements I could traine From Prayers to Playes things sacred to prophane Thus not your reason but my carnall-sense Led you along with fearelesse confidence Why then doe you now reason so much presse Which you your selfe so long did thus transgresse So. O Mayden Mayden this is it indeed â—hat makes me now so willing to be freed And thee forsake unlesse my soule I 'll kill â— freely must confesse I did thy will But O my soule thou hast an Inmate bin Too long alas in this darke house of sin Yet be not sorry that I now must leave thee And that thy Mother Earth must now receive thee â—Whence first I thee received as my friend And whither now I doe thee recommend For 't is that I may thee enjoy againe A body farre more faire without least stayne Fl. Is 't possible that I can fairer be By lying in the earth disioyn'd from thee Who but a mad man can beleeve this thing â—hat such a place should glistring beauty bring â—nd make my flesh more faire where earth 's my bed â—he Grave 's my house and wormes on me are fed So. Yet thus 't will be For dost thou not now find â—hat sleepe makes thee of livelier fresher minde Fl. What then So. What sleep is that is death also Fl. But death is too too long a sleepe I trow So. Why shouldst thou judge so who would think sleeps Too long whom in her armes his Mother keeps Fl. Rather his Step-dame who 'd not that refuse So. Thou dost thy Mother most unkindly use Is not the Earth thy naturall-mother just From thence thou cam'st thither returne thou must Thou hitherto art most unworthy knowne Of my aboad with thee and kindnesse showne I have but us'd thee as an Inne by th' way Wherein although I peradventure may Lodge for a night yet may not there remaine Feare not to die then death shall be thy gaine Since t is a Passage and sets-ope the gate Of a more happie life more blessed state De. Forbeare I pray these tedious altercations Death cannot suffer such procrastinations Many great tasks on me imposed are Which I must expedite with speciall care So. And we will readily heavens will obay Onely forbeare a little while I pray Till I have made my Maid more fit for thee For she is nice and timorous you see And is much frighted at thy fearfull face Stand by therefore I pray a little space Till I but onely her more plâ—ant make To thy unwelcome message and to take My wholsome counsels admonitions free Which being done I will most readie be To tread the foot-steps of that Gorgias grave In sweet desire my passage forth to have Who being asked once if willingly He was content to leave this life and dye Answer'd Yes truly For I go hence glad As from a rotten ruin'd Cottage bad De. I pray proceed then and perform your mind So. Come neere my Flesh to me thy Mrs. kinde Prepare thy plyant eares and facile heart To these last precepts which I 'le now impart Fl. Deare Mistresse speake for whatsoere you say I ready am to heare to grant obay So. Friends parting-words most inly penetrate And â—he sad sighes they then ejaculate Do in the hearers heart stampe deepe impression And make them yeeld farre more intent concession We both are now a long-farewell to take And I from thee and thou from me must make A separation and disunion large Come hither then and heare my parting-charge Prepare and fit thy selfe forthwith for Death Before he fiercely comes to stop thy breath Forsake those pleasures wherewith heretofore Thou wast engaged yea ingulft all ore Leave them I say and being left despise them And henceforth as thy souls chiefe murtherers prize them And now the small remains of time yet lent To gaine thy God in Christ let whole be spent The fight is short the victory is
great And though the skirmish may much danger threat By how much more thou dost in battell strive The more the ioy in conquest thee'll revive For marke this one thing in a speciall measure If for the love of earth and carnall pleasure Thou leave Gods love and seeme his Grace to scorn Gods love will leave thee wretched and forlorne Even in thine houre of most necessity And give thee over to hels tyranny Thou art arriv'd now at the Haven of rest Where vessels must be firmely rig'd and drest Thy day of death which as thy last did fright thee Is thy eternall Birth day to delight thee Then cast off every clog that would thee stay If any darling sin lye in thy way Which thou extremely hast delighted in As with too many thou hast tyred bin Then leave it loath it For thy foot must tread A holier way a happier life to lead What ere is brittle is of little price And being fraile doth faile us in a trice And now thy feeble flesh must needs abide The common-Chance which does all sorts betide Then wonder not thy Predecessours all Did tread the selfe-same path both great and small How aptly answered they in such-like case Whether we watch or sleepe in any place Whether we talke or silent hold or peace Whether we walk or from our works doe cease Whether we will or nill in any thing By times least minutes we doe daily bring Our sliding gliding dayes at last to end And then to natures course must bow bend Then weep not my poore Mayd cease showres of tears At this my parting from thee cease all fears In heavens duetime we both againe shall meet And with full joy enjoy a union sweet Fl. Deare Mistresse these your admonitions kinde Doe mightily prevaile and ease my minde Yet I cannot some strugling thoughts dissemble To thinke to dye and be dissolv'd I tremble So. Alas weake Flesh that 's it I most desire To be dissolv'd and flye to th' heav'nly Quire O doe not thou indulge thy selfe too much Why dost thou looke so pale at deaths sweet touch Why dost thou quake and quiver at his sight Since thou shalt have a frame more faire and bright Than ever yet thou hadst or canst conceive These rotten mud-walls thou must onely leave To be pull'd downe and be built up againe To turne to dust then ever new remaine He onely feare of death is fit to show Which to his Saviour Christ is loath to goe â— goe before that I may see his face We both shall joyne and hee 'll us both embrace Meane-while thou must sleepe sweetly in thine urne And there into thy native dust returne â—rom whence thou shalt in farre more beauty rise â—nd see thy Saviour even with these same eyes â—or thou art laid in earth to lay-away Thy earthly-substance corrupt state of clay Be then couragious For as corne men sowe Must first dye in the ground before it grow Must first seeme rotten ere it rise againe Even so thy Body like unto the graine Must first lye dead and rotten in the grave Ere it in heaven eternity can have Fl. Now truly Mistresse you have sweetly said I now am much assur'd and well apaid Being thus fore-warn'd I am fore-arm'd from feare Death's face is now lesse terrible than ere And now O lovelesse-life burnt out enough Put out thy light ceasse now thy twinckling snuffe Farewell deare Mistresse sweetest soule farewell In this assured hope ring out my knell That in my Gods good time I rais'd shall be With thee my soule my Saviour Christ to see So. Having this hope in dying thou shalt live And I with joy shall me to thee regive De. How hardly can these two divorced be Have ye done talking and given way to me Your mutuall last-farewell take now I pray Time and my taske will now no longer stay So. O Death I prethee now take thine own time Make haste that I to heaven my haven may clime Come now and put thy charge in execution For I with this one well-fixt resolution Will winde up all I have not so liv'd here In this vaine world yet hereunto I feare I have beene too-inclin'd too much affected Which now I grieve and leave thee more neglected As that to live here longer I should shame Or that I durst not dye for feare of blame And that because I serve a Master kinde Whom I in Christ doe reconciled finde Thus therefore to goe out of this fraile life Is to goe into heavenly pleasures rife Thus life to leave is aye to live in Peace In full fruition of all joyes encrease Thus thee my Mayd I to the earth commend Whiles I Heavens Kingdome happily ascend De. Thus then adeu To both of you The end of the first Dialogue The Second DIALOGUE Betweene the Divell the Flesh and the VVorld The Argument of the second Dialogue The World and Flesh to every evill Are onely Agents for the Divell But here the Flesh being mortifi'de Sathans suggestions are deny'de Who can do nought but tempt to ill Has no more power although more Will Which amply to the world he showes And how ore carnall men he crowes But neither yet the world effects Nor He himselfe his foule projects Vpon the sanctified Heart Dead to the world and hels blacke Art The Divell thus repell'd each way With rage recoyles makes there no stay Di. WHere are ye my comragues my servants true My Martiall-mates by whom I must subdue What is there no hope left to lift or force The sullen Soule from her religious course Whereon she is so fixt and fully bent What no devise this geere for to prevent Must my high glory suffer such eclipse And be so child nigh kild with pious nips Surely I ever since my first great fall Have burn'd with lust and boyl'd with bitter gall Of deepe desire to fence and fortifie Yea and expatiate our large Emperie Yet still I finde by old experience That whiles the soule gets the preheminence Ore thee the flesh reason the soule subjects And grace guides reason all hath ill effects My projects perish and my engines faile My force growes feeble and my power does vaile Be stirring then my Champions old and brave For work enough to doe yee see ye have Fie are ye not asham'd more sound to sleep Now than ye us'd and sluggishly to keepe Your hands within your bosomes since that you Have for your Master so much work to doe For shame arise shake off this drowsinesse And hunt and haunt about with eagernesse Now is my Summer-season harvest faire Which if by your neglect and want of care It be let slip and fruitlesly past over Farewell all hope for ever to recover My owne peculiar strength and princely state O then faire flesh neat nice and delicate My faithfull servant whom above the rest I most doe trust and ever prized best And on whose strong assistance and brave ayde I ever have my chiefe assurance stayde And
see me whom I need to feare Tusâ— God my faults does not in mem'ry beare Vaine most profane are all such thoughts as these Shall not the eyes-creator see with ease And shall not he that made the eare soone heare Or He that plants the heart know all things cleare All things to his Omniscience naked are Fly from the field to th' towne with frighted care Out of the street into thy house make haste Thence though thou be in thy bed-chamber plac'd Yet know that I by thy Creators will Within thee rest and am thy witnesse still Whom if thou with an evill-eye behold To use those words to me thou wilt be bold Of Ahab to Elias impiously What hast thou found me O mine enemie And I most readily shall answer thee I have thee found and must against thee be 'Cause thou hast sold thy selfe to worke what 's iâ—â— Before the Lord which does thy guilt fulfill Behold therefore I now against thee rise And bring upon thee purchas'd miseries Ma. Alas I then perceive our foule offences Are most unsafe though daub'd with faire pretences Con. What though they could be safe in their commission If yet they bring thee to unsure condition Or what good comes to sinners by being hid If guilt to hope so long does them forbid Ma. Enforme me then good Conscience how I may Make thee my gladsome witnesse in me stay Con. The best and briefest counsell I can give Is thee t' advise a holy-life to live A life inculpable of crying-crimes Vnspotted with the evils of the times A life declaring power of godlinesse A life that heavenly graces doth expresse By dying to all lusts and foule desires By doing all good-deeds that love requires By giving freely what to each belongs Forgiving friendly all received wrongs Not coveting what is anothers right To do as thou'dst be done by with delight By shunning that which makes the soule to dye Chusing what makes it live eternally Ma. These are hard tasks and bitter lessons sure And such as flesh and bloud cannot endure Con. O but it will be farre more harsh and hard T' endure the worme of Conscience and be barr'd And shut out from the Beatifick-sight Of Gods all-cheering face and beauty bright Which paine of losse doth doubtlesse farre excell All other the most horrid paines of hell Namely to be both torne and tortur'd there To be distracted and distrest with feare Where neither the tormentors tyred be Nor those tormented ever death can see Ma. Alas that Death 's most dire and tart indeed Ah shew me how I may from it be freed Con. The onely-way is to the world to dye Before thy soule out of this world doth flye Ma. What must this spacious specious Aedifice Adorn'd with rarities of precious price Full of so many various curious pleasures The onely magazine of so much treasures Must this I say be vilipended so Must I this world so rare so faire forgo Con. Vndoubtedly if thou in these delight With deadly danger they thy soule will smite For look how much the flesh this world affects And the false-seeming-sweets thereof respects So much the more the soule will be perplext And with the fire of hell be plagu'd and vext On th' other side How much the flesh is tam'd So much the soule with heavenly hope is flam'd Ma. But yet we see all men do still desire The present-state t is this they most require Con. But yet I know t is far the worst condition T' enjoy things-present in a full fruition But therewithall to be quite stript and bare Of future-comforts to have part or share O t is most sweet onely the world to use But God alone t' enjoy and chiefe to chuse Thou hast not in this world a fixed station Nor here must ever have thy habitation Who then can sing his Song in a strange-land Who would build Castles on the sinking-sand Alas we here our selves should so behave That when the wormes did eate our corps in grave Our soules in heaven triumphantly might sing With quires of Saints and Angels to heav'ns King Thither our spirit ever should ascend Whither we do propound our journies-end Thither we should make speedy haste yea flie Where we shall ever live and nere-more die Dost thou pure gold nere to be spent desire Eternall-life which never ends require The land of Havilah in Paradise Hath in it store of gold of precious price T is Earth thou bear'st that thou must leave behinde T is earth thou tear'st that thou must nere-more mind But t is a land thou seek'st and would'st receive That is the land which thou shalt never leave Men rather are Gods Stewards than Treasurers Riches therefore upon them He conferres What then we reape we piously should sowe And liberally and lovingly bestow That this true faith and due obedience Might be repayd with heav'nly recompence The things we give are small and not our owne Those we shall have are great and from Gods throne Mâ—n whose affections are celestiall Are justly stil'd Angels terrestriall And no man shall hereafter God possesse In whom God dwels not here by holinesse If Sathan Prince of earth hath thy least part God King of heav'n will not dwell in thy heart The spirit of evill then cast out disdaine That so thou mayst Gods Spirit entertaine Remember whence thou cam'st thine offspring base And this will make thee blush and hide thy face Consider where thou art and sigh for wo And quake to thinke whither thou once must go Ma. All are I know made of one Potters clay And must resolve into the same one day Con. Then every man being mould must into earth Moulder away whence first he took his birth Ma. Nothing 's more true Con. And Flesh is but a froth Cloth'd with fraile beauty a meere menstruous cloth Man T is even so I can it not denie Con. Why then dost thou so fat and beautifie That Flesh of thine which after a short while Must be devour'd in grave by wormes most vile But as for thy poore soule thou let'st it pine Nor dost with good works make it faire and fine Which thus to God and 's Angels thou shouldst show Thou dost not sure the price of thy soule know Man Yes very well Con. I feare the contrarie For else thou wouldst not it so vilifie Know this O Man know this I say to thee The losse of one soule greater losse to be Than of a thousand bodies for t is plaine Bodies may be reviv'd that have bin slaine But O the soule which once by sinne is dead Can never be to life recovered But by a miracle Christs bloud apply'd Which cannot be where it is still deny'd O then behold and blush to see thy sloth Or rather sinfull sottishnesse or both In thus preferring barke before the tree Shels 'fore the kernels flesh 'fore the soule in me Not onely blush at this but sigh and groane Whiles thou considerest how th' art left alone Here in