same and before this age did not our Fathers and Grandfathers and great Grandfathers and so continued a testimony of ages from the time that they were done to this day witness to the truth of them and that so unanimously and resolutely that ten thousands have rather chosen to lose their lives than the truth of them Now put all these together and tell me canst thou doubt Away I see thou dost but trifle confess the truth or I am resolved to heed thee no longer Come take and embrace that crucified Jesus account all things else but as loss and dross and dung in comparison with him stick not at his outward meanness scruple not at his ignominious dying it is the very Christ the Saviour of the world Oh why shouldest-thou thus torment me Dost thou not see all thy fellow-Christians to glory in that Cross and in that Christ that died on it Do they not bear it as a badg of honour and shall it be to thee as shame Do not all the Christian World eat and drink as often as they can the Symbols of this their dying Lord And do they not all sing and joy and triumph in it and wilt thou the while lye vexing thy self over a company of needless fears and scruples Farewell all needless doubts and tormenting questions I see my faith is built on a Rock blow winds beat waves you cannot now remove me Blessed God! I thank thee for thy Son thou hast given his life for the spoiler thou hast bowed his back to the enemies long furrows have they plowed upon it and the day of his calamity they laughed at Lord thou hast wounded him for my sins and bruised him for my iniquities These speak the depth of thy counsels and the ways of thy mercy past finding out and the tenderness of thy Bowels Thou hast made him my Rock and my shield and my strong tower and in the day of my sorrow through him thou wilt hear me To thee O God will I make my vows and to thee will I pay them I will humble my self before thee I will always lye at the feet of my Redeemer Lord his Cross and his shame shall be no more a stumbling-block to me I will take it up and follow him it shall be my Crown my Song and the glory of my rejoicing I will enter into thy Courts with joy and in the Congregations of thy Saints shall be my delight I will remember thy loving-kindnesses of old and the days in which thou didst afflict thy only Son for the sins of my Soul I will call to mind the Covenant of thy Grace and my heart shall praise thee when I see it founded on blood Then will I betroth my self to thy Son join thou Lord both our hands and hearts and we will strike up a match for ever Praise thou the Lord Oh my soul and all you that love and fear him praise his holy name The SACRAMENT The Dress Lord where am I What! all the Children of the Bride-chamber up and drest and I slumbering in my bed Tell me ye fairest what make you up so early Alas our Lord was up before us all He called us up by break of the day and wondered that we were not triming our lamps knowing with whom we were to feast this day Oh! well then I will rise up too Oh what a shew do these bright and glittering Saints make in mine eyes What a brightness do these pearls and diamonds cast in mine eyes they do strike me into amazement Oh what a lovely humble look doth crown their brow and what a comely countenance hath joy and Heavenly delight cast on their cheeks surely they did not thus dress themselves it was my Father that made them thus prepar'd to entertain his Son But where are my Clothes Now for the fairest sweetest robe of thoughts and wishes that can be found or that the wardrobe of my Father can afford me Oh how naked am I But where are my silken golden twists of Faith to hang the jewels of joy and love and humility upon I am never drest till they be on Oh where where are they I saw them by me but just now I laid them by my heart before I went to bed Oh what was I so long a reasoning about Oh what long and many threds did my reason spin even now but to make these twines to tye up my joy and to raise up my love and to hang my Heavenly delight upon But ah I fear this envious world hath with her vanities stollen them away or hid them from me or the envious Devil or unbelief have been ravelling or snarling of them that now I am as far to seek as ever Whither O whither shall I go to find them out Now will the Bridegroom come and I am not ready I cannot dare not go to day Now will my Lord be angry and ask me why I came not and I have no answer to make him And if I go undrest he will ask me where is my Wedding-garment and then I shall be speechless Ah foolish simple heart that thou wouldst take no more care but to let these thoughts of earth so intangle themselves with thy so pure and Heavenly contemplations Now how to get them loose again thou knowest not this thou mightst by heed and care have prevented but now what help Lord I have sinned O holy Father pardon this time and I will take more heed Oh come and unty my thoughts from this earth and come and dress me up as best pleaseth thee Come be not discouraged Oh my soul Let but thy attire of Grace be whole that is sincere thy God and so thy Saviour will accept thee Though thy garments are not so much perfumed with heaven as thy brethrens are but yet if they are but white and free from the spots of flesh and spirit thou wilt be looked on and liked of well enough Thy Lord doth know that all have not talents alike and where he gives but a little he expects but little A Faith that is richly embroidered over with love and delight is not given to all and is not expected from any but from those to whom it is given Thou hast an honest willing serious heart that thinks it doth despise and trample under feet the nearest dearest pleasures profits and glories in the world in compare with him that gave himself to death for thee and hadst rather anger flesh and blood the dearest friends and all the world than him by sinning against him in the least If this be true fear not thou hast thy Wedding-garment on thou art well clad as mean soever as it is it is such a one as Heaven gave thee and such a one as thy dear Redeemer can and will embrace thee in The Presence-Chamber Fear not O my soul I charge thee do not faint Let not thy weakness and the poverty of thy grace discourage thee see how thy Lord draws nigh Fear not I say he will not ask
although Men's wanton fancies would not have it so But by God's Post attempt to set their own As if that were too weak to stand alone 'T was not Event but Duty which his Eye Fixt as the measure to be guided by His Courage in this warfare was so great Nothing could ever force him to retreat But still he kept his ground as who should say If I lose that I also lose the day Therefore let Enemies do what they can My fear of God hath drown'd the fear of Man Thus did he sow in tears till now at last To him this low'ring stormy season 's past And his full sheaves of Glory make amends For light afflictions with what far transcends He liv'd belov'd and dy'd bewail'd and such Wh ' enjoy'd him most enjoy'd him not too much His Body's Earthen-vessel henceforth must Be laid up silent in its native dust Until that matter when the Trump shall sound Start with another form out of the ground He walks in his uprightness but the sense Of this his sleep should make our Diligence That when with Christ the Judg among the train Of Saints and Angels he shall come again Then in that General Assembly we May sing these Sion-songs eternally S. O. Not worthy to unloose The Latchet of his Shooes To the Reader on the Picture and Book HERE you may see some Lines of Wadsworth's face More of his thinking pow'r sublim'd by Grace His Sacramental thoughts in Prose are sweet His Sermons lively Fancies walk on feet His Letters great affections shew'd when young Yet all fall short of Wadsworth's Pulpit-Tongue A Pathetical Meditation on the Passion of Christ to be read by Communicants before their reception of the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper Quest WHat is the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper Ans It consists of two visible signs Bread and Wine which by the Lords appointment was to represent to the receiver his bloody death that so his Disciples may keep it fresh in their memories Q. But is it only to remember that there was a Christ and that he was crucified and no more Ans Experience tells us that such a bare remembrance as that doth little move upon the heart and upon the affections and so will do little or no good It is not the remembrance of any mans death that doth of it self affect me but as I consider him as a father or as a husband or as a friend with many other expressions of his love to me when living this will exceedingly work upon the heart so as to cause sorrow and grief and the like Quest What is it then that I must call to mind when I think upon a bleeding and dying Christ so as to affect my heart Answ The cruel and bloody nature of his Death here you may consider the whole story of his Arraignment his being betrayed by his own Apostle his being spit upon and crowned with thorns his being mocked and jeered by putting a reed into his hand instead of a scepter afterwards his bearing of a Cross and his being nailed to it in his hands and feet after that his being pierced through with a spear this Mat. 27. will fully acquaint you with Secondly the causes of his Death it was no natural disease neither was it for any evil done of his own but for us He bore our iniquities upon the cross Thirdly the effects of his death which was to obtain power of his Father to conquer the Devil and pull us out of his hands to break our hearts and to conquer us to himself to pardon our sins and to give unto us eternal life with himself in glory and this upon our faith and sincere repentance Now from all these things are your Meditations to be raised before you come to the Sacrament and when you are receiving of it An Example of Meditation I have here set you down as followeth Away these wanton wandering worldly thoughts you are clogs to my soul Away all trifling worldly business I cannot now attend your call my heart hath now something else to do Adieu my Friends farewell my Husband Wife and Child I must go see my bleeding Lord that 's dearer to me than you all Come now my soul thou art alone thou knowest the way make hast and speed look yonder see how the people flock cross but this vale and climb but up this Mount thou wilt soon arrive at bloody Golgotha where thou shalt see thy bleeding and dying Saviour to sigh and linger out a dying life on the Cross in love for thee This this might Oh my soul have been thy day and thou might'st have been the prisoner this I say might have been the day in which thou might'st have drunk the bitter cup of the fierce anger of God But look yonder there he goes that must drink up the dregs and all for thee Look again there he goes that must lay down his life that thou maist be reprieved But come my soul draw up a little nearer thou canst not see him well at so great a distance stand here and thou wilt see him passing look there he goes with a train of Virgins following But see how cruelly these barbarous Jews do use him they make him bear his Cross himself and press his wearied fainting limbs above his strength see how they laugh and scoff and wag their heads as if he were their May-game Methinks my heart boils up with rage to see these cruelties revenged Oh! how could the blessed God forbear to see his blessed Son thus wronged Why did he not send twelve Legions of Angels for his rescue Why doth he not send down fire from Heaven upon the heads of these his Sons enemies and so consume them But stay my foelish heart thou knowest not what spirit thou art of this debt was owing and it must be paid God requires so much and it must be given or thou canst not be saved Thy Lord did know this well enough for this he came from Heaven and committed himself to the rage of men he knew he must endure all these revilings and doth it grieve thy soul to see him thus abased Stay but a while and thou shalt see him more look up my soul come tell me what thou seest Oh I cannot sorrow tyes my tougue I cannot speak I see and hear those things that I want a power to utter I see a troop of Virgins following him their weeping eyes their blubbering lips their sighs and throbbings speak them mourners I see my Lord looks towards them and kindly chides their loving sorrow Why weep ye Oh ye Daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me My Lord what need was there for that question Should not they weep when thou must bleed Would not their eyes have been flints if that then they should not drop tears for thee when as thou wert about to pour out thy life and blood for them Ah! could they chuse or do less then weep to see thine innocent self among a herd of Tygers what should
improvement of spiritual knowledg even whiles at the Vniversity which might make him a Workman that needed not be ashamed We shall look upon him though then but a Batchelor of Art who yet had gain'd respect by his Collegiate and Academical exercises and was well furnish'd with abilities as call'd to be employ'd in that exercise to which the former were only preparatory and subservient For it seems about the latter end of 1652 when his Father being admonisht by age was summon'd by sickness to leave this Temporary life he was concern'd to be at home the place of his Nativity where his custom was to call his Fathers servants to an account about their Souls and to Catechise them in the main Principles of Religion Here when he had as a most dutiful Son perform'd the last offices to his dying and deceased Father and was comforting his sorrowful Mother and instructing the Family He was importun'd by some good Christians of his acquaintance who soon found what excellent gifts and endowments this young Timothy had to employ his Talents in Preaching the Gospel as occasion should offer This upon their invitation he readily embrac'd and by his Preaching gave such evident proofs of his experimental knowledg utterance and zeal for God that upon the death of Mr. Morton a very Reverend and Worthy Minister the Parishioners of Mary Newington-Butts having heard him Preach and being satisfied of his Learning Piety and Ministerial abilities as the Instruments shew and Petition'd for him He was Feb. 16. 1652 ordered to that Rectory by those then in power as a Godly and Orthodox Divine And this was very remarkable in his Election to that Charge that though the Parishioners were divided into two several Parties and both went with their Petitions to Westminster upon the foresaid vacancy to have a Minister setled amongst them neither party knowing the others mind yet they both pitch'd upon him for whom the unanimous Petitioners did easily obtain a grant XXXVIII Hereupon this observant young Divine who was ever ready to acknowledg God in all his ways doth in his book with his own hand record this seasonable Call viz. God called me very clearly as I thought to the charge of Newington in which I used no means but Prayer wherein I was carried out in abundance of calmness of mind grounded on Faith This is remarkable in it that for some two weeks before I heard of it I was exceedingly troubled in my thoughts about means for subsisting at the Vniversity till my profits came in And behold how God graciously silenc'd all them by a gracious Providence but I look higher than so For much about this time as we conceive he was also Chosen Fellow of Christs Colledge yet to the satisfaction of the Reverend Dr. Bolton the Master and his particular friend He resolv'd to accept of the Charge at Newington where He was so unanimously desired and where he might have a greater opportunity of doing good to souls which was most upon his heart and the working of God upon others hearts by his Preaching was much heeded by him For we have him noting Feb. 17. 1652 3. I Preach'd at Mary-Overees wherein God wrought so graciously by me upon T. W. that through the urgencies of his spirit He wrote a large Letter to me indeed very spiritually wherein He blessed God particularly that He had heard me and that God had counted me so worthy as to become an Ambassador of so glorious a Gospel This was the first occasion of the renewing our acquaintance Bless the Lord O my soul that He hath made use of thy foolishness to manifest his Wisdom and his Grace to others XXXIX Afterwards on March 6. and 11. we find him again recording these Observables I heard from one of Newington that a wicked man of that Parish should say to him That he was very glad that they had made such a choice of me which forc'd him to these expressions through my weak preaching that he was perswaded if the Devil himself should come and preach to men he would perswade them to seek heaven O my soul admire the new Hierusalem Further Mr. Diaper brought one of Newington to me they called Mr. Langleys Convert who told me in our Converse that he had lain under a deadness of heart for almost a quarter of a year but since my Preaching there his spirit was exceedingly refresh'd and quickned This is the Lords doings and it is wonderful in mine eyes The same night in our Conference both concurred I mean the forementioned parties in this experiment that they have kneeled down on their knees yet through straitness of heart have risen up again and Petition'd nothing of God March 12. saith he my soul was in an exceeding spiritual frame wherein God exceedingly deadned me as to worldly-mindedness with which through a little dallying with a day or two before I was somewhat bewitch'd Oh! my soul take heed of jesting with covetous expressions lest it prove thy snare On Saturday night April the 1st my spirit was very much refresh'd in the light of Gods countenance the actings of my faith being very visible in relation to Newingtons salvation A friend of mine told me of a very carnal wretch that at hearing of me concerning the unkindness of sinners to God was very importunate with the said party to write out my Sermon for him which importunity lasted for a week or more but at length the said importunate party waxed cold and he heard no more of him when he had written it out for him Note All convictions and all meltings are not converting For the searching of such like we have this experimental Preacher recording You shall find it in your dealings with some souls that it is very hard to bring them off their good meanings and wishes especially such as are any thing moral and haply do subdue some of their grosser sins Examine such thus First How doth your soul take it if you find not God in prayer if you can rise up as you kneel down find God or not find him suspect thine heart for all is not right within Secondly Whether doth the absence of God or the loss of a creature a child or a wife or a husband most trouble thee thou maiest by this search thine heart to the quick for the loss of whatsoever it is that troubles thee most that is thine heart most upon Indeed the heart of this choice servant of the Lord was much upon his Masters work for the good of Souls For on a time June 1651. we find he had noted that he was furpriz'd in spirit with joy unutterable breaking out Oh! how did my bowels earn when I thought of Souls at a distance from God and sitting upon the shadow of death Whereupon he communicated his experience to his Chamber-fellow XL. And now having after thorow examination and profession of his faith been solemnly set apart to his Ministerial office and Pastoral Charge by the laying on of the hands of
that thou hadst just now sinned and broke that law which threatned death and upon the breach doth find thee guilty Think that thou sawest a flaming Cherubim a messenger of the Court of Heaven flirt in at that door and arrest thee for High treason and give thee a summons to rise from the seat thou sittest on to make a sudden answer for thy life Look then my soul Ah! I lookt just now I see that door wide open What 's this a spirit Ah me I am undone for I have sinned I think the room shakes under me or else 't is my heart that 's trembling What 's this I hear I must now answer for my life Oh what shall I say I know not what I have sinned my Conscience tells me that I have sinned the witness within will cast me I see the Inditement writ with blood on my heart the pride sensuality and the earthliness of which I am charged with I am not able to deny one tittle Oh for a mountain to cover me Oh whither shall I go whither shall I fly That Bed these Curtains this Closet cannot hide me My Mother Father Wife or Child cannot help me O who then shall I run whither I know not vengeance will find me out where ever I go Oh cursed and subtil Satan are all thy fair promises and inticements come to this O my wicked cursed foolish heart that ever I should believe him before my Creator that told me the day I sinned I should surely die Oh that for a little simple transient pleasure I should so madly hazard my eternal life and now I must be cast to Hell to bear the punishment of my folly Think once again think that this were the day and this the very place in which God should come and sit in Judgment on thee Methinks I see the Heavens bow themselves Oh what a crackling do I hear in the Clouds look yonder see who comes it is my Judg his countenance is as a flame of fire he utters his voice like Thunder the mountains skip or rather shake or rather tremble Now now is the time of my utter destruction near at hand Oh how shall I look him in the face his looks do already affright me I shall not say one word and I have not one friend that will say one word for me It 's true I see a terrible glorious Troop of Angels that do attend him but they are all his friends and therefore all my enemies I dare not speak a word to them and alas if I should they are all but his servants and fellow-creatures with my self alas they cannot yea they will not help me It 's true there is one that one that seems as one with God the beams of whose countenance are far brighter than all the Host of Heaven Besides if God have a Son it may be it is he methinks he is a mirrour of his Fathers Glory but this I know not be what he will he cannot pity me a sinner the doors of hope are all shut up and now as a miserable wretch I must prepare to hear my sentence the Judg is set and with trembling heart and joints I stand a prisoner at the bar for my life and now I must attend his call God speaks Sinner where art thou The Sinner answers Lord here am I. God speaks How darest thou thus abuse my Grace and kindle up my zeal against thee that now as stubble it will consume thee Is this the thanks that thou hast returned for all the love that I have shewed to thee Must I make a whole world and give it to thee and as if that was too little I bid thee freely take my self and all and would not this content thee Was I not as a father to thee the time thou lovedst me and didst obey me Did I not make thy seat a Paradise and strewed thy paths with pleasure Did I not rejoice over thee as a young man over his bride What evil hast thou found in me that thou shouldst thus rebelliously revolt and break my Laws and for a trifle sell my favour and hazard my eternal pleasures Speak sinner was it not so The Sinner answers My God these weeping eyes and bended knees confess so much God speaks Had I not told thee that sin would have cost thee thy life then thou hadst had some excuse have I said it and will the great God change Sinner thou must die I told thee so before and now I tell thee again the God of Heaven cannot lye Get thee gone thou cursed wretch into eternal flames and keep that Devil company in chains and torments with whom thou hast rebelled against me and go see what pleasure thou hast in sinning The Sinner answereth Thou great God and terrible Judg I do confess thy sentence just but if there be any bowels of mercy in thee pity me or I die for ever Mercy mercy Lord for I am thy creature the workmanship of thy hands If there be any thing in the trembling heart and hands and knees of this thy sentenced prisoner that will move compassion Oh pity pity a condemned sinner God speaks What! stays he longer to trouble my patience I say be gone thou cursed though thou art my creature know that my wrath hath kindled on better creatures than thou art get thee to Hell and the howling Devils will tell thee as much The Sinner speaks Ah wo wo wo to me for ever cursed I am and cursed must I go for ever My Righteous Judg and ye Glorious Angels adieu for ever Live live for ever blessed and happy in his love I might have lived and joyed and gloried in that God that made both ye and me but like a wretch that I am wo that ever I was born I sold his favour and so my eternal life for a thing of nought a vain lust a sinful pleasure that lasted but for a season and I go I go into eternal flames What says my heart to this Methinks the very thoughts of it do make my heart to quiver and my flesh to shake all round about me I feel no strength in all my joints God speaks So so I am glad something moves thee But think again that the Devil did take hold of thee and drag thee from the place thou sittest on to Hell suppose the Father frowning on thee and all the Angels shouting thee down to Hell and glorying in thy damnation but think again thou sawest when all were joying to see thee sentenced to Hell that he that sat just by the Judg whom thou thoughtest even now to be his Son but knewest it not Look look methinks I see him rise off his Throne see see how the Angels fall to adore him methinks he is a coming near thee Oh how my heart doth tremble Oh what will he torment me before my time Ah me my doom is great enough already Sinner speaks Thou wilt not send me to a worser place than Hell my Judg hath passed my
you come to ground Ye glorious Angels and ye blessed spirits of just men made perfect that live above you that have been wading downward these five thousands of years do ye feel a bottom or are ye near one Away away my foolish heart if this be all thou hast to plead he may redeem thee and take thee for his Spouse and betroth thee to himself notwithstanding all this Object But Oh this filthy loath some fleshly self this base unthankeful earthly heart that can prefer a dunghill dross and dirt before him that can freely lay out his love to a creature like my self But Oh how hard and stiff and unrelenting am I to my God But Oh he will slight me because I have often put him off and slighted him he cannot love and die for such a one as I am Answ Cease fool thy reasonings he cannot love an enemy because thou canst not he cannot die because thy cowardly heart will not suffer thee Why should he fear the grave that had power over it And what though thou art unworthy of his love if he will have thee and make thee worthy Thy heart is base and what of that if he will mend it thy filthy rotten and polluted soul he intends to wash and cleanse it till it is without spot and wrinkle or any such thing Thy stubborn proud earthly and lustful heart he can make humble tender soft and yielding And when he hath made thee as he would why may not he take thee to himself and lay thee next his heart and delight over thee everlastingly Object But will his Father yield to this I am too poor a match for the Son and heir of all things But will he can he suffer his Son to die to buy such a beggarly thing to himself as I am Answ Away these silly simple childish thoughts how like an inhabitant of this earthly sensual world dost thou reason thou wilt not under-match and therefore will not God his Son Thou fool thou wilt not because thou canst find another equal But dost thou not know that God can find none equal to his Son he must stoop or else go without It 's true he might have gone without but what if he would not why should not Heaven have its will as well as thou Thou hast no dowry and he doth need none and yet thou arguest as if Heaven would make traffick with his Son and his love as we filly worms do here but we are beggars and so are Angels and all the glorious Hosts above they are his Creatures hang and depend upon him and cannot subsist one moment happy without supplies and helps of his Grace and why may he not bring a beggarly man as near to himself as a beggarly Angel if so it pleaseth him Object But doth it so please him Answ How often have I told thee it doth please him and hast thou not believed Come if thy hearing will not satisfie let thy seeing do it Look if thou hast eyes Come tell me doth not Heaven look as though it was pleased with the offer of his Son What cloud or darkness dost thou see about the Throne what sign or token of displeasure canst thou at all discover Open thine eyes view the God of Glory Do his looks bespeak him to be thy Father or thy Judg And canst thou not read both Husband Father and Lord and all in his countenance What not see it surely thou art blind If he had not told as much from his own mouth his eyes and looks bespeak his love and favour loud and clear enough to thee But doth he not tell thee to put thee out of all doubt this is my well beloved Son hear him hear him what 's that believe him whatsoever he says why what saith he O dull and stupid heart hast thou forgot already He said he will pay his life for thine and doth not his Father bid thee hear him He said he would reconcile thee love thee and make thee friends again And is it not comfort when the Father bids thee believe him he said he will pardon wash and cleanse thee and take thee to himself and betroth thee to him for ever and after all will give thee to see his Glory even the same Glory which he had before the world And the Father is willing to all this for he tells thee his Son is his well-beloved Son and bids thee believe him and misdoubt not one syllable And canst thou after all this doubt that the Father is not willing But do not his Angels likewise who are ministring spirits with voice and looks proclaim as much that Heaven is well pleased with the Son and with his Death and Passion and so with thee in him Do not the Angels admire the mystery of Redeeming Grace that makes them so desirous to peep into it Why did they proclaim his coming into the world and sing for joy that there was good-will in Heaven to men on earth or why do they so diligently attend thee by night and by day Thou seest them not keep guard about thy Chamber-door and round about the curtains of thy bed Why do they attend thee from room to room and follow thee down stairs and out of doors if it were not but that thou art some great Princess nearly allied to their Lord and Master Thou dost not see this blame then thine eyes and the infidelity of thy heart shall it be less true because thy base infidelity cannot digest it Thou might doubt God Heaven and every thing else on that score but hast thou not it from his own mouth that the Angels are ministring spirits for the heirs of glory Come tell me I say tell me quickly I must have an answer Can this and all this be true and Heaven yet not be pleased If God with his Son and Angels be all content that thou shouldst be restored and so exalted to such dignities as to be heir unto the Crown of Heaven if these be pleased who is there in Heaven that can else be displeased What saith my heart what not yet one word Oh how long shall I be troubled and pestered with thy unbelief Oh my God strike chide and break this flint reprove this stubborn and unbelieving heart I cannot perswade it that thou lovest me or art willing to love me I urge thy word and my best reason to prove it but I cannot make it yield Oh break I pray thee this Flint or Adamant upon thy downy breast of love strike and one blow of thine will make it fall in pieces and confess at length that thou art well pleased with thy Son and fully satisfied that he should bleed and die for me But let me try thee once again if thou hast lost thine ears and eyes I 'le see if thou hast lost thy feeling too Thou sayest thou canst not believe that God is willing to accept the Son for thee or that thou so vile a wretch canst be accepted of by the Father
through the merits of his Death and sufferings Come tell me is not this thy language I know thou darest not to speak so much in words But ah my Heart I find thou hast got a Tongue as well as my Mouth that often mutters and speaks a different language But tell me if thy unbelief hath any ground for it What makes it then that thy self is so free from fears and terrours when thou shouldst believe the Almighty of thy Bodies Death Resurrection and coming to Judgment if thou thoughtest him not thy friend and reconciled to thee in his Son if not methinks thy fears should fright thee and trembling seize on every joint and yet thou wilt foolishly mutter against thine own feeling Soul speaks O blessed God! I feel thou hast overcome I yield I yield I have not left a word to speak against thy love thy Son hath offered satisfaction and thou hast accepted it thou hast laid down O my Saviour thy life for mine and thy Father and my Father is well pleased with it Blood is paid Justice is satisfied Heavens doors are widened thine arms opened to receive me nothing is wanting but my heart make it such as thou wilt have it and then take it to thy self Come up my soul thou hast an heart and there is a Christ the Father thou feest is willing and the Son is willing give but thy consent and he is thine for ever Fear not thy hardness blindness deadness loathsomeness all these cannot hinder if thou be but willing He hath been in the world to ask the worlds consent already and also thine thou canst not doubt of his good-will speak but the word and he hath thine too What stickest thou at surely thou art a sluggish spirit what dost thou ail Half of this ado would find a heart for a little mire or dirt or something else that is worse and is not Christ better But ah yet I feel a spice of unbelief still working in thy very bowels as if that Jesus that died at Jerusalem were not the Son of God and the Redeemer of the world And is this all O were I certain thou wouldst ne're doubt more how freely should I make satisfaction But Oh! I faint and tire with the trips and stumblings of my unbelief But mount my soul thou must resolve to tire and put to silence all thy unbelieving bablings or they will thee which if they do never expect an hours peace or quiet more thou must resolve to conquer thy unbelief or to be conquered thou knowest her tyranny too well to let her go away the victoress He was not the Christ thou sayest but tell me why Object His Parentage was too low and mean what the Saviour of the world a Carpenters Son how can it be Answ My unbelief in the first place thou lyest his Mother was a Virgin and her Conception knew no Father but the Almighty power of the overshadowing Holy Ghost he was more truly the Son of God than Joseph's Son And was his birth thinkst thou so mean whose Parentage was so glorious Object His birth but mean and beggarly no sooner born but cradled in a manger and could Heaven suffer this Answ It is confest But yet it was as glorious for did not a Star proclaim him born and did not a whole Host of Angels sing and shout it up for joy and did not wise men yea and Kings bring Incense Myrrh and Frankincense being but as so much tribute unto the new-born King and heir of all things as if by instinct they knew they held their Crowns of him a greater honour than ever any new-born Prince hath yet received before him or ever shall or will do after him Methinks my unbelieving heart I could dare to tell thee that room was no stable it was a Palace and did not the cost presents and glorious presence of Kings speak as much Object But his days were spent in poverty meanness and disgrace and can I dare I trust my soul with such a one and take him to be the Son of God Answ And now I wonder at thee it's true what thou fayest if thou lookst upon him one way his life was such as thou tellest me of but 't is a strong argument against thy self for just such a one was the Christ to be according to the Prophets the 53 Chapter of Isaiah shews as much But yet if thou truly understandest what true pomp and glory means even to an eye of sense as well as to that of faith Solomon's life imbroidered with all his glorious acts was not comparable to this life of his Was it not filled with miracles and wonders was he not proclaimed the Son of God with voices from Heaven did he not conquer Devils and therefore the Kingdom of Hell Was ever Prince on Earth honoured with so great a Conquest Were not his miraculous Feasts more splendid than those of Princes the fare was but poor and mean but the miracles made it rich and glorious Had I been present should I not have wondered and gazed more at the Master of this Feast and have taken more pleasure to have seen him sit down with these five thousands than with a Table full of Princes and great men Alas it were a trifling sight to this Methinks my unbelief that pleads so much for sense sense it self pleads too strongly against thee for thou canst not argue one syllable Object But would the Son of God be hanged and crucified could Heaven have suffered this could not the Saviour of the world save himself how could he then save me Answ Hadst thou not the blindness of the Jews thou couldest not reason thus like them but was it not necessary it should be so Did not the Prophets foretell his death and such a death Had he not died and died as he did I might then have had some ground to doubt him whether he were the Messias or not for it was needful that the Prophesies should be fulfilled Dan. 9. But yet as wretched and as contemptible a going out of the world as he had and his manner of dying on the Cross how vile soever it seemed to be yet was there not enough to silence all the doubts that could possibly from thence arise and much for the confirmation of my faith in the wonderful Eclipse of the Sun the rending of the veil of the Temple the opening of the Graves the raising of the dead and afterwards his own rising the third day and ascending up to Heaven in a Cloud If my faith might have staggered in seeing him on the Cross dying it could not when it saw him risen and in the Clouds ascending Object But were those wonders true and certain Answ But hast thou any ground to doubt them are they not written in thy Bible and art thou not certain that it is the word of God or hast thou not sufficient reason to believe it to be so But hast thou not a whole Nation yea Nations that do believe the
that shall keep the Angels of Heaven company to all eternity in the Heavens to glorifie the Maker and the Redeemer of the world This is the Church a Church in a Kingdom is the glory of the Kingdom and God in the Church is the glory of the Church When God leaveth a Church or Kingdom you may name it this name the glory is departed the glory is departed from a Town or Kingdom when the Church of Christ is departed If it be so it will be worth our while to inquire which is this Church of Christ for there are many pretensions laid to the Church many would call themselves the Church the Jews they would be the Church of God the Turks would be a Church of God for they profess to worship the God of Heaven the Papists they would be a Church of God and in England there are many parties laying their claims to the Church of God No wonder my brethren that every one is so desirous to bear that title of being the Church of God 't is the most glorious title of the world as I have shewn you 't is the glory of the world But to help you to find out this Church in the midst of all these claims that are laid to it I have chosen this verse wherein the Holy Ghost giveth a description of it for by these characters you will be able to find it out for this verse is nothing else but a characterizing of the nature of the Church of God And there appeared a great wonder in Heaven a Woman clothed with the Sun and the Moon under her feet and upon her head a Crown of twelve Stars The Church is described two ways First In General Secondly More Particularly First in general There appeared a great wonder in Heaven that is in this Vision of John he did seem to see a very strange and unusual sight we call things wonders that are strange things it is no wonder to see the Sun shining because it is common and the Stars to give light because common but when we see a Blazing-star we call it a wonder so the meaning is I saw a great wonder saith John and what of that I saw a Woman I saw a Woman in the Heavens It is common to see the Sun and Moon and Stars there but to see a Woman is a wonder and so the Church is a wonder to see a fire keep alive in the midst of the Sea to see a people keeping themselves holy in the midst of a wicked and perverse generation to see a people live to the glory of God in a wicked and debaucht Kingdom is a wonder for in spite of all the wrath and rage of the Devil they are resolved to love God and follow the Lamb where ever he leads them this is a wonder and in many respects the Church may be said to be a wonder a wonder to Angels a wonder to Devils and a wonder to the wicked world A wonder to Angels we read they desire to peep into the mystery of Redemption of Christs coming into the world to die for a company of sinful creatures that deserve no better a condition than the dungeon of Hell but for you Angels to see God taking poor sinners from the dungeon of sin and wrath and raising them upon Thrones by giving them repentance and faith in Jesus Christ and adopting them Sons and Daughters and taking them to be his friends this the Angels wonder at And why may I not guess a wonder to the Devils for them to see the Son of God come and themselves to be past by to be forsaken eternally reserved in chains and to see such creatures as we are to be brought into a state of fellowship and communion with God may make them stand and wonder And truly how can it chuse but be a wonder to our selves if David in seeing the Heaven Sun Moon and Stars could cry out Lord what is man that thou art mindful of him How can we chuse but wonder when we look upon our selves being guilty of all manner of sins either in heart or life to see God take us and wash us like swine out of the mire and cleanse us and make us live like his children and call us his own and write his name upon us and seal us up for an eternal state in the Heavens And so the wicked world do wonder that we do not follow them in the same excess of riot drunkenness and singing and ranting in the Taverns and Alehouses they wonder at it Well I saw this wonder in Heaven that is in a most exalted state and so my Brethren it is in its own self in its nature it is highly exalted in the heavens of Gods favour and affections and when the time shall come that God will perfect his Church she shall shine in glory as in a most exalted state and condition and it is this she expecteth and for this she saith Come Lord Jesus and for this he saith I come quickly But more particularly to the nature of this wonder What is it 1. It is described by a Woman 2. The Attire And 3. the place of her standing First A Woman and her attire and that is first of her head a Crown of twelve Stars 2. The attire of her body clothed with the Sun And then 3dly Here is her standing She standeth upon the Moon trampleth that under her feet and this is a description of you so many of you as are true members of the Lord Jesus Christ what great things are here spoken are spoken of every believer here First a Woman why is the Church compared to a Woman that the Church is compared to a Woman in Scripture that is plain the Book of Canticles which is Solomons Song is a Song of the Church represented as a Spouse to Jesus Christ the Prophets frequently compar'd the Church to a Woman in the Old Testament and God is her Husband the Apostles compared it to a Woman I have endeavoured as a Virgin to present you to God without spot And the Church is called the Lambs Wife But for what reason does the Holy Ghost compare the Church to a Woman For these four Reasons 1. For her Beauty 2. For her Affection 3. For her Fruitfulness 4. For her Weakness For these four she may well be compared to a Woman 1. For her Beauty I speak not of that outward that skin-deep beauty which a little time will bring to wrinkles but I speak of an inward beauty a soul beauty the Church of Christ is beautiful that is soul-beautiful the Graces of the Saints upon the soul of the Saints is the red and white nothing enamours Christ so much as your faith in his Promises love to his Glory patience in afflictions obedience to his Commandments Thou art fair my beloved saith Christ to his Spouse The Church is compar'd to a Woman for her beauty and therefore the Apostle saith I have endeavoured to present you as a Virgin how not
to the palace of God they were to be the lights to them Now these twelve Stars are the twelve Apostles And she had a Crown of twelve Stars that is she was a Woman that professed faith in the Doctrine of the twelve Apostles she owned those truths that the Apostles preached and would receive no truths as matters of her faith but what the Apostles did teach and by this she was to be known in the several Generations of the World so that by this character of a Woman with a Crown of twelve Stars the Holy Ghost hath given you a note by which you may find out this Church those societies that believe what they taught and worship God according to what worship they delivered that is the woman with a crown of twelve Stars but if you see any society of Christians and you â—ind more Stars thanS twelve a star of vain Philosophy or humane tradition or a star of rudiments of the world look upon them as none of the stars that Christ hath put in the Womans crown therefore when Christ commissioned the Apostles to preach the Gospel he gave not liberty to Paul or Peter or any of the twelve to lay any Commandment upon his Church but what they had from his mouth in the last of Matthew and indeed they are as it were the last words he spake to them vers 19 20. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Well what shall we teach teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you No more no more let them believe than what I have delivered to you let them use such Ordinances in Worship as I have appointed you and no more they were not to exceed there commission it was as dangerous for them to do it as any Ambassador to exceed the commission of his Prince and therefore the Apostles when they were brought before the Rulers and Governours and they charged them to teach no more in the name of this Jesus say We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard how can we chuse but teach the things which we have seen Christ do and reveal the miracles that we see wrought and how can we chuse but preach the Doctrine that we received from his mouth They did not say how can we chuse but do that which we have seen invented by others no if they had taught any thing else Christ would not have born them out and therefore in the Election of a new Apostle in Judas his stead they made choice of one to bear witness of what Christ had said and done and all the Churches of Christ from that time they are to keep close to those Doctrines the Doctrines of the twelve Apostles and by this they shall be known to be the Woman if they still keep the Crown that hath but twelve Stars And now you may know what to think of the Church of Rome and of the Turks and what to think of the Jews Some have not the twelve Stars others have as the Pope hath them but he hath added others have the stars of humane tradition of the rudiments of the world I give you but the general note for I will only give you rules in finding out the Church and when you have found it keep close to her if you would find the Church ask what Doctrine she holds and whether there be any thing added not one star added but keep close to the Crown that hath just twelve stars in it Now let us come downward And she was clothed with the Sun and you see the Holy Ghost hath picked out the most glorious thing in all the Heavens to resemble the beauty and loveliness and majesty of the Church there was not any thing in the world to resemble the luster and majesty and beauty of this Church and therefore he goes up to Heaven and putteth a Crown of Stars upon her head and clotheth her with Sun beams and she was clothed with the Sun what must this Sun be why in the Heavens you know the Sun is the greatest of lights and its influences are most marvellous and there is but one Sun Why what is there in the Kingdom of God that the Sun is most likely to shadow forth I answer it must be the Lord Jesus Christ and he is compared to the Sun in Scripture as in Mal. 4.2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings that is Christ Jesus shall arise with healing in his wings the wings of the Sun-beams Christ is here compared to the Sun well but how may this Sun be said to be a clothing is there any ground for it why yes the Apostle Paul does use an expression wherein he holdeth Christ as the Churches clothing and so put the comparison that one compareth Christ to the Sun and the other where you find Christ compared to the clothing of the Church and then you have this truth to wit the Church is clothed with the Sun i.e. with Jesus Christ Nom. 13.14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ Here you see plainly the Apostle does compare Christ to a garment and does exhort the Church to clothe themselves with Christ and though Christ does not call himself a garment yet he does invite the Church to him that he may clothe her Rev. 3.18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire that thou maist be rich and white raiment that thou maist be clothed and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve that thou maist see Well pray say you how may the Church be said to be clothed with Christ In two respects 1. In as much as they are clothed with the righteousness of Justification and this in and by Jesus Christ 2. As they are clothed with the divine nature with the nature of Christ or with the righteousness of Sanctification they that have these two righteousnesses upon them they are clothed with Christ they are clothed with the Sun 1. When you have the righteousness of Justification for so this Woman had the Church is a justified woman a pardoned woman and so are all the members of this Church all her iniquities are all blotted out all hand-writings of Ordinances are all cancelled all nailed to the Cross of Christ all wrapped up and buried and shall never rise up in judgment against them this is a clothing by which her nakedness is clothed why Oh thou poor creature that lyest open to the wrath of God to the storms of his displeasure thou hast no pardon till Christ pardoneth thee the Woman is clothed with the Sun that is with the righteousness of Justification that Jesus Christ hath purchased for her If you see a Church boasting of a righteousness of their own a Pharisaical righteousness a Legal Righteousness a righteousness of their own this is not
the depth of winter But Divine Paul did nothing thus complain Knowing such speeches were but fondly vain He wing'd his prayers and out the ark he sent This winged Dove ' fore whom the clouds did rent And gave her way 't length to th' Mercy-throne She came and light and there did vent a groan When all-eyed mercy there her once did spy He gave an Olive-branch and bad her hie Home to her Master bid her speak him peace That out of prison he would all release But that in chief his servant Paul should know Before great Caesar he 's reserv'd to go The Dove returning o're his breast did hover And there this message to him did discover Good news received Paul he doth impart It to them all which did revive each heart Courage my friends the God of Wind hath said He will deliver be not you afraid Fear not the wide mouth'd yawnings of the deep It sha'nt you swallow for he will you keep We have long fasted fill'd with grief ye know Eat somewhat now then take the rest and throw To th' greedy Ocean whose hot stomack may Concoct digest the rest without delay With much ado each down he gets a bit Standing or tumbling none could hardly sit Besides their fears and unbelief together Spoke in their stomacks 't was but windy weather A poor small morsel serv'd as little beer A little serves the stomack fill'd with fear Some joy they had in that they did discover That near some Island their tost-Ship did hover Some anxiously lookt on the little boat And wisht with all their hearts it were afloat Hoping thereby their dying lives to save But that told it would but prove their grave At length they all content themselves to stay Longingly waiting when it would be day Time paid their waitings night-shades did begin To fleet away while the thick fogs grew thin The huge black raven of the blackest night Draws up her wings and yieldeth to the light Great Holypheer awaking lent his eye By which a creek and shore they did espy Weary of waters thither they would fain Have thrust their Ship to leave the cruel Main One plies the rudder others anchors tug Which with main force they into Ship do hug Others hoist up their titter'd-tatter'd fails Strugling for shore yet all their labour fails Two Seas had meeting strugled thereabout Which in contention and a furious rout Casting up gravel at each others face Had piled a huge mount upon that place Thither their Ship they fearless drew in hast Which ran a ground and in her keel stuck fast One part did swim another sands stuck in And so another contest did begin Both land and water doth a little plead Whose is the Ship they neither are agreed One says she's mine th' other doth deny And so the wrangling contest doth grow high Neptune pleads title from the end she 's made And that her back doth fit his back he said But the Land says th' materials are hisn But one to th' other would not yield to lissen They both conclude no longer to contend But by main force the hot dispute to end One tugs behind the other holds before And ne'r left tugging till they had her tore One snatcht a rib th' other held the skin One broke a piece without th' other one within Th' trembling Passengers this fray did see They did conclude on either side to be They court the waves for parcels of her prey And o're those planks their shiv'ring bodies lay Making for land as fast as they could carry Which if they toucht would kiss and ever tarry A Sinners unregenerate inside turn'd outside Or the language of the Kingdom of Darkness SUrely the fool hath said 'T was not God the Heav'ns made If he be he must be blind That our actions cannot mind Whether we do ill or well He in Heav'n cannot tell When one dies who doth know VVhither doth his spirit go Heavens glory is a toy So are all the tales of joy Hell is but a childs bug-bear Only silly fools can scare Him I count a fool that saith I do live a life of faith He talks idly that doth say I got bread by pray'r to day Thou maist have as full a purse VVhether pray or whether curse He shall prove the richest man That both cheat and cozen can But thou blind fool if Heaven and Hell prove true Thou these black speeches shalt most sadly rue How if they do thou blinded muffled buzzard Thou art a fool such weighty things to hazard Grace is but a fancied dream Nothing yet doth something seem A conceit of melancholy There is nothing that is holy Drunkards do more joys inherit Than those that do pray by the Spirit I am proud and that 's a sin I will then be proud again I do swell in ostentation That is my sweet recreation I ambitious am of place That I count my sweetest grace But contentious I am I have always lov'd the same I a hater am of men I profess it well what then I speak to mens faces fair When for them I do not care He that takes from me a pin To strive to hang him is no sin Those that the world above me prize I will spatter them with lyes If an action I do well I love those that will me tell It doth much delight my soul When I hear my neighbours scowl It my joy doth much enhance To put my friends at variance I matter not who th' loser be So the gain doth come to me So much for my Father care That I wish in Heav'n he were For I think his money can When he 's dead make me a man Yet what were this mother of rust If it w'ant to serve my lust If the Harlot doth command It commandeth Sea and Land Spreads my table fills my pot Then destroyeth all the shot If a God I would adore Gold 't should be to pay my score Fidlers Tapsters company Love I more then th' Pageantry Of the holy brotherhood And I think my judgment 's good This talking beast what he doth plainly utter Sinner but think thy heart doth only mutter The foul beast that I describe Is of the Pharontick tribe Where the Babylonian King Grazed we must put him in Let them lye out both together Both expos'd to wind and weather Let them in the fields abide While night-dews do wet their hide When they do lament their sin Turn them into men again The Rout. Demetrius Act. 19.23 c. HEroick Paul in this thy soul was brave That wouldst a Crown though gotten by the grave Undaunted spirit that could face a King And count great Caesar but a common thing Could'st speak thy message with a stately grace In all things acted as became thy place God's spokes-man should be stout where e're he stands When 't is to utter what his God commands If God to Athens will with message send He dare with wife men there for God contend Their Temples Golden altars
fire I soon with beams it crown'd So now my flame grew higher O what a warmth I felt Each pow'r about did glow My soul began to melt And round my body flow Lord cri'd I what a bliss What lavish glory 's this We feel when thou dost shake And dost our hearts to fitters break A Divine SONG I. COME O ye winged Angels from above Can you not tell me news of him I love Where he ascended When the Clouds him took And wafted him Beyond what we could look Did he not pass the Sun and pierce the sky Tell me Tell me For it 's the same that here did die II. What did he when within your gates he came Did he strip off his rags or wear the same Yea but much mended Each jag glory wore They are the same But brighter than before That very torn flesh now wears Majesty And shall And shall When time yields to eternity III. Go search the Thrones and tell me where 's his place You may him know by th' shinings of his face Is'nt he set higher Then all your degrees Of Seraphims Or Cherubs if you please Doth not his brightness Put your glory out And you And you Fall down to worship round about IV. Can you inform me what 's his business there Whether of us he taketh any care Doth there burn incense Are perfumes there sweet Are there the prayers Which we lay at his feet Doth he accept them and his Father too Tell me Tell me But nought but what you know is true V. You flaming fires that attend his will Can you inform how long 't will be until The winged winds shall Bring their Royal load Or how long he Will make with you his ' bode Are you preparing clouds whereon to ride Oh when Oh when Will you come flaming by his side VI. If you him see pray tell his longing bride Begs that he comes the world his stay deride We groan for freedom Their sins vengeance cries Since we are fit O will the Lord arise Will he come crown us and the wicked burn Or stay Or stay Till more stray-souls unto him turn VII If that's his meaning tell him then that we Wait still believing and will patient be We know he will not Quite forget us here We are belov'd Which will at length appear Let him but purge us scowr off our rust And then And then Let him but haste us to the dust A wounded Conscience I. CHide chide no longer I do smart Thy words my Soveraign they are keen They plow deep surrows in my heart And scatter seeds of wrath between Oh! what an harvest is here like to be Thou maist reap glory but I misery II. My sin is poyson rank enough Do not with it thine anger blend If thou wilt force me drink it up It will it self work out my end If thou would'st have me die thou need'st not go But to my Conscience whence doth venom flow III. If thou intendest to torment Thou need'st not send me down to hell Keep thou but up an angry look It 's pain enough where e're I dwell Where thy beams shine not but keen angers flame Must make hell-torment or a pain wants name IV. Guns fire nor sword doth Soldier fright The Mariner laughs in a storm The Shepherd fearless is by night The Martyr counts his fire but warm If thou but cast'st a frown my spirits fail My heart it panteth and my looks wax pale V. Though my Spirit doth rocky seem If thou in anger dost it smite It gusheth forth in briny stream That even suffocates my light Thy frowns may well cause dews in flinty mind When at thy blows hard marble tears can find A Petition for a prospect of Immortalities HUmbly my God! I beg of thee I might Discharg'd a while from prison take my flight Into those regions where I may converse With naked Spirits let my conceptions dress Sit close and comely to each thing that I With a clean mind shall venture to descry While Earths dull off spring children of the night To coop their thoughts in shades of sense delight While Owls and Bats are flut'ring with their wings About this gross dark world for earthly things Oh! let me snatch a glimpse of that above And steal a glance of thee thou God of love Why is my half a spirit if that I May not converse with Spirits till I die May I converse with thee thou dazling Sun Father of Spirits why not when I 've done May not I look upon the Stars and take A view of their less brightness while I ' wake Why should my Taper sweal away for nought But me to gaze on things scarce worth a thought Scarce worth a thought if but compar'd to thee And that retinue that in Heaven be O charge me not of niceness that I fain Of other worlds would some small knowledg gain Pass me not home if thou a Pilgrim find Me in my travels alas my wearied mind Is tir'd with this world this muddy smoke From Earth doth ev'n my languid spirits choak Let me but take a little air that I May be refresht then home again I 'le hie I do conceive a vast extended Sphere Farther above the Stars than we are here Repleat with matter some thick some thin and light In which are bodies some opake and bright Tumbling about so doth our earth where we As on a float swim round the world we see In th' center of which orb as in a Throne Sits the adored Triad all alone Shooting their Omnipresent beams about Filling the Sphere within and space without Without I dare not say they idle are For God is pleas'd not only here but there Yet we are sure throughout this golden ring His beams have been faecund in ev'ry thing And do continue chearing as a Hen Her Chicks does nourish in her father'd den But their productions vary some opake That eyes may see nose smell and hands may take Others so fine so rare that no sense can Grope out a touch such is the sp'rit in man Such are the Angels spirits more refin'd From earthly tincture than the humane mind Such that no razor knife or sword can wound Where was the carcass of an Angel found As glassie Scissers would clip off a ray Just so keen steel may cut a spirit in tway Spirits through steel can freelier pass than light Can through that Scisser that it takes its flight In fire they burn not having no flesh to fry Where did you see an Angel Martyr die They sport about the belly of the deep And yet their sides no briny-tears do weep Just as I 've seen the Sun pass through her beams And pierce the bosom of clear crystal streams Yet have they liv'd unquench'd nor have they been Moistned with th' cold dampy parts within Cast them in pits ram them up fast with earth From these dark wombs they 'l find a pass for birth Clap them in dungeons lock them up in chest Stop up
arise Out of a pit by which a Beldam lies Stirring her urine thence doth darkness fleet Baffling the light making the day retreat Clouds in the air ingender double charge Themselves with thunder then themselves enlarge In sheets of flame thence follow winds That strike amazement to the hearers minds What shall I say of Wizards that are whirl'd In cloudy chariots round the airy world What of Amantius and Rotarius set Perched on tops of Oaks bemir'd and wet Whence in a trice from out the shepherds sight A wind them snatches and then take their flight Like two cock-sparrows 't length were seen to hop Upon a towring lofty houses top One trembling th' other laughing bid him cheer It was as safe to be in th' air as there Thus was Mag. Warrin hackned on the back Of some foul Fien that made the welkin crack With storms and tempests as he her did rear A loft jolting along yet void of fear Lighting at last on th' top of a tall oak Was seen condemn'd and in a rope did choak Wondrous is' t easie tell me to conceive That air should thus condense it self then heave Such weighty bodies upward or bare words Or ceremonious charms make them as birds To course about the air ma'n't we with ease Rather imagin sp'rits t' produce all these Strike sail my muse thou 'rt now in sight of shore Laden with traffick hath inricht me more Than Indian voyage knowledg of sp'rits to me Is far more sweet than Arab spices be They may embalm the body what care I Let body rot and stink my soul can't die Spirits are all immortal so 's my soul It cannot wast nor die Bells they may toul Their mortal knells for Bodies but I have What the Father of Sp'rits alive will save Welcome ye Angels then 't is for your sake That I in part this tedious voyage make My undisturbed reason free from doubt Spirits hath seen in flesh and some without Lord when this prison falls and I am free Let me i' th' number of just spirits be FINIS The TABLE A Preface of the Authors Life and Death An Elegy on the Authors death Octob. 29. 1676. Verses on the Picture and Book The Contents of the Book viz. Three Preparatory Questions about the Sacrament Pag. 1 An example of Meditation about the sufferings of Christ Pag. 2 c. The causes of Christs death consider'd in that Meditation Pag. 6 c. A Colloquy 'twixt the Judg Sinner and Saviour Pag. 14 c. Objections about Gods love c. answer'd Pag. 20 c. The Sacrament particularly the Dress Pag. 31 c. The Presence-chamber Pag. 33 The Communion plate and the Bread Pag. 35 The Wine Pag. 37 The Conclusion Pag. 40 A Meditation on Christs death preparatory to the Sacrament for private use Pag. 42 Three pious Letters to his Sister when he was but a young Student at Christs Colledg Pag. 50 A Sermon on Rev. 12.1 Of the Church compar'd to a Woman Pag. 58 A Sermon on Amos 3.6 Preach'd Sept. 2. 1673. Pag. 81 A Meditation for raising his heart under slightings Pag. 123 POEMS Hymn 1. On the Souls Love-sickness Pag. 126 Hymn 2. The Souls Farewell to her Body Pag. 128 Hymn 3. The Resurrection of our Blessed Lord Pag. 130 Hymn 4. Of our Lords Ascension into Heaven Pag. 132 Hymn 5. The Souls Access Pag. 133 Hymn 6. The descent of the Spirit Pag. 135 Hymn 7. Of Gods Providence and Judgment Pag. 137 Hymn 8. The vanity of created enjoyments Pag. 142 Hymn 9. On Isaiah 53. Pag. 144 Hymn 10. A Consolatory against the fear of Death Pag. 146 Hymn 11. Comfortable at the death of a dear friend Pag. 150 Hymn 12. Of Thanksgiving for the restoration of health Pag. 153 Hymn 13. Remedies against discontentments in four Parts Pag. 156 Hymn 14. The desire of Assurance Pag. 161 The Welcome Pag. 166 Mortality Pag. 172 Self-estimation Pag. 174 Contempt A Dialogue 'twixt Flesh and Spirit Pag. 176 The Alarm Pag. 177 A Song of the Pilgrim Pag. 181 A Spiritual Song of Triumph Pag. 182 A description of Paul 's Shipwrack Act. 27. Pag. 184 A sinners unregenerate inside turn'd outside or the language of the Kingdom of darkness Pag. 192 The Rout of Demetrius Pag. 195 The Flint Pag. 200 A Divine Song of the Brides stay for her Beloved Pag. 202 A wounded Conscience Pag. 205 The Petition for a Prospect of Immortalities Pag. 207