'll come in to thee I with thee will sup I 'll spread thy Table I will fill thy cup I 'll put thee to no charge I 'll bring my meat And freely give to thee that thou may'st eat And drink abundantly of that blest wine Which will thee satisfie with joys divine Open therefore to me my Sister dear Open thy heart to me Oh taste my chear Give me thy self let me thy body have And heart also I will them bless and save It 's all I ask of thee I crave no more Give me thy self do but thou me adore Give me thy love and thy affections and Be thou but subject unto my command Cleave to me with thy heart put all thy trust In me believe in me for I am just I will not fail or leave thee But thou none Must entertain besides me I alone Challenge thy love and service and it 's fit That none besides me none from me them get I parted for thy sake with all I had To ransom thee from thy forlorn and sad Condition and I all that I again Receiv'd have of my Father not disdain Upon thee to bestow my self I gave To ransom thee my self I give to save Thee too and therefore I alone deserve That thou should'st me alone both love and serve The Devil and his works thou must forsake Thou may'st not serve him his suggestions take For truth use divinations witchcrafts charms Inchantments times observe for good or harms Consult familiar Spirits believe his lies Ask counsel of the dead Idolatries Practise or what ere crafts He doth devise He in the disobedient beareth sway Inticing them to sin and go astray From my right paths Thou must resist him and In nothing yield thy self to his command Thou must forsake this wicked World likewise Not list'ning to their counsels who despise Me and my doctrine nor associate Thy self with them who my good ways do hate It 's pomps and pastimes shows and braveries Vain customs fashions and formalities Thou may'st not dote on neither may'st thou take My gifts or Ordinances and them make Idols as is the guise of worldly men Who do despise me and my laws contemn Their Silver Gold their Riches Houses Lands Their Kings and Governors and their commands They Idolize while after them they lust And in them secretly do put their trust Prefer them before me and fear them so That in my straight ways oft they durst not go The flesh with it's desires also thou must Renounce even every sinful cursed lust Thy bruitish appetites to satisfie In Drunkenness Uncleanness Gluttony Excess of Riot Sports or rich Attire Or what else thy corruptions do desire My words thou must receive and them hold fast No Article of them thou by may'st cast But howsoere thy reason they may pose Thou in thy heart must truly with them close And firmly them retain My holy will Take heed unto that thou may'st it fulfill No Gods but Me in my sight may'st thou have However secretly for none can save Thee but the holy Trinity who all Do meet in me on none else may'st thou call Or look or trust to nor thy Conscience May'st yield to them upon any pretence No image may'st thou to thy self invent Nor may thy heart or knee thereto be bent No false imaginations of me or Devised worships for I them abhor But worship God in Me and as my Word Doth thee direct for I 'm a jealous Lord. Thou may'st not take my holy Name in vain Nor it with Blasphemies or false Oaths stain Or with a vain Profession without fruits Produced thereby such as with it suits Or blemish it with any sinful way For I 'll not such hold guiltless The seaventh day Thou must observe in me to take thy rest Who am the substance by that day exprest That I may sanctifie thee thou be blest To Father and to Mother while they live And to all thy superiours thou must give Due honour and subjection too in me Giving to Caesar what things Caesars be To all men owing nothing but to love Cheifly those loving who are from above All Murther with all Malice Envy Hate See thou avoid with all Strife and Debate Thy body keep in Chastity thou must Flee Fornication and unlawful Lust Thou must not others Wrong or from them take Ought that is theirs nor them Calumniate But yield thy self to Me and be content With Me and what I give letting no bent Of Avarice possess or stain thy mind Thou shalt in me all satisfaction find All which I certainly will work in thee If thou wilt but yield up thy self to Me. I put on thee no hard nor grievous task What I require I 'll give too if thou ask It of me and for it on me depend My Spirit to work it in thee I will send And wherein thou through weakness goest astray The vertues of my blood shall take 't away Be thou but upright and chast unto me I am and evermore will be for thee If thou refuse this offer thou must die And perish in thy sins eternally None other Lords or lovers can thee save What ere they be or seem they ne'r so brave For they be vanities of vanities Their strength is weakness their promises lies Their words are wind and all they meditate Is from a feined love a real hate Their smoothest language is false flattery Their best imbraces are but treachery Their kisses of thee are but like to his Who sometimes me betrayed by a kiss And when he said Hail Master yet even then He me deliver'd up unto those men That sought my life to whom he had me sold For thirty pieces not of yellow Gold But whitely silver or like his who while He feined love to Abner did beguile And smite him with a Weapon on his side Under his fifth rib that thereof he died And on another time as one well verst In that accursed craft Amasa pierc't With warlike Sword to th' heart while friendlike He Saluted him and as one with him free Did with his right hand take him by his beard And kist him till his blood him all besmear'd Such are the soft imbraces of those foes To thee and Me who do my words oppose Suggesting to thee that I am austere And put upon thee more then thou can'st bear That they are thy best friends and wish thee well And many pleasing stories to thee tell As that thou art whole strong wise holy just May'st live without me may'st follow thy lust That to deny thy self of thy desire Is foolishly thine own death to conspire With me who love thee not but wish thy loss And take delight to bring thee to the cross Where like unto my self thou may'st be made A publick scorn ' mongst those that drive the trade Of robbing by the high-way-side or those Who unto Kings and Magistrates are foes Rebelling against them and their commands And seeking in their blood to wash their hands Or else amongst such Hereticks most
That thou mayst me imbracing Thy loves to me impart 85. And all the night of darkness Mayst lodge within my brest And I in thy imbraces May find sweet peace and rest 86. Oh make me subject to thee That thou mayst be above Uniting me unto thee And fill me with thy love 87. And let my loving-kindness Such love again beget That I my heart and bowels May open to thee set 88. And thou thy Word put in me As an immortal seed Fil'd with that Life and Spirit Which doth from thee proceed 89. That thou mayst make me fruitful With fruits of righteousness An of-spring which thine Image May livelily express 90. That thou thy pleasure in me Subject to thee mayst take And I have pleasures in thee Which may me chearful make 91. Oh make thou me so lovely That thou mayst count me meet For such communion with thee As is so pure and sweet 92. That chaste I may be to thee And content in thee find That none else I may look to Or covet in my mind 93. May never go a whoring From under thee my Lord But may be fully pleased With what thou dost afford 94. Nor only let me love thee Like to some Concubine So as for pleasures only Me to thee to incline 95. But as a Spouse and chaste one Though thou shouldst them withhold Yet I may love thy person And vertues manifold 96. And thine affaires take care of As things that are mine own And faithfully observe what Thou shalt to me make known 97. Leaving it to thy wisdom Those pleasures to impart Which cannot but be pleasing And satisfie my heart 98. But let me not love pleasures So as if thou delay Thine to impart unto me I should to others stray 99. But make me ever willing To stay and waite for thee Who when thou seest it fitting Will thine impart to me 100. Thou art the only worthy To be lov'd and obey'd Oh that my heart upon thee More fixed were and stay'd 101. Oh sanctifie me to thee And my soul purifie Bless rods and mercies to me That I to sin may dye 102. And unto all that from thee Would steal my heart away That I may live unto thee In what I do and say 103. Thou art the lovely portion Riches and honour dwell In thee with whatsoever Delights and doth excel 104. Oh were my heart reduced To that simplicity That I might chuse and love thee And cleave to thee only 105. I would not change my lot there For any of the heigths Of highest greatest persons My earnest groans and sighs 106. Shall reather be through suff'rings To have thy company Then live else where without thee In greatest jollity 107. With all the greatest fulness This World to them affords Who live in its embracements As high and mighty Lords 108. Yet thou hast room for them too In thy high palaces Oh make thou them acquainted With thy sweet embraces 109. Oh make them see how empty All things without thee are That they may flock unto thee Seeing thee only fair 110. All honour be unto thee Thou only worthy one For it is due unto thee And unto thee alone 111. In oneness with the Father And with the holy Spirit Thou worthy art all blessing For ever to inherit 112. To thee it 's my desire To leave my self and all I am with whatsoever I through thy gift mine call 113. Lord pardon my abuses Of thy great love to me And make my soul both upright And constant unto thee 114. So that thy blessing ever May on my soul remain And cleanse me so as that thou Mayst not my work disdain 115. Purge out what doth offend thee And make me white and pure That thou mayst ever own me And I be ever sure 116. Of thy love and thy favour Which life doth far excel And in thine heavenly mansions May with thee ever dwell Amen and Amen FINIS A Posie Improved UPON THE POSIE of a RING Love Love Love EPAVCIS MVLTA I. AMongst the pretty Poseys I have seen Which either friends or lovers have invented I have on none to discant tempted been Nor hath any my fancy more contented If rightly 't be apply'd then this above This one word thrice repeated Love Love Love II. What man it was who did the same invent From whom or unto whom the token came Whether some Love to his Love it sent Or for what other cause some did it frame It matters not nor what they did thereby Intend unto their friend to signifie III. Perhaps some young man who his Mistress loved Or else some Mistress who did love her Friend And want of love again or fear'd or proved In them they loved did this token send Their love to quicken and their constancy To them the better to provoke hereby IV. Like as some person who while he assays To do or reach for something and doth fall Into some danger whence he cannot raise Or save himself most earnestly doth call Help Help Help tripling it vehemently As like to suffer greatly else thereby V. So possibly some lover while he sought The pleasing object of his love to gain Being into some doubt or question brought Thereof or meeting with slights or disdain Might in his earnestness cry as above As one else like to perish Love Love Love VI. Perhaps some wanton who had lust mistook For love seeking his lust to satisfie Might send it to his Harlot to provoke Her fond affection unto him thereby Exhorting her to love love love again That oft his will with her he might obtain VII Perhaps some person who had lov'd too much Some other person and loves flames had felt Sadly to scorch him when they did him touch His folly wailing on this subject dwelt As crying out upon a thing so hot Whence He much heart smart and much hurt had got VIII That carnal love I mean wherein the creature Is made the object of a blind affection Doteing upon its beauty parts or feature Which when it meets with slighting and rejection As oft it s foolishly misplac't on what Either's unlawful or repays with hate IX Brings forth instead of pleasure doleful grief Stinging the soul with fears and sad despairs Distractions jealousies without relief And many fruitless dumps and waking cares Causing such one out of this love to cry Bewailing thus his fortune bitterly X. Love Love Love thou art a most cruel thing When fixt on some disdainful one thou' rt found Thy sweets are bitter thou leav'st many a sting Infusest venom and the heart dost wound Oh had thy fond deceits my soul ne'r tainted Oh had I with thy force ne'r been acquainted XI Love Love Love that fond thing which men so call Woe worth the time I did thee intertain Expecting sweetness where I meet with gall And pleasures where I nothing find but pain Unhappy soul that longedst after fruit That may not be obtained by any suit XII Would I had hardned against thee my heart
to kill CXII Some men their praise with men and reputation With fools so love that so they may them get They 'll shape their manners into any fashion And faith and conscience too to sale they 'll set Turning their backs on all that God prescribes Rather then bear therefore some taunts or jibes CXIII Some for their honour so ambitious are That rather then they 'll loose a cap or knee They 'll fret and sume yea for it they don't care A Mans or Nations ruine if they see Because unto proud Haman Mordecay Would not bow down he all the Jews would slay CXIV Some men for their inriching are so set That so they may but their estates increase Though by oppressing others they it get By lying cheating breaking of the peace They matter not nay they 'll for money sell Both God and Heaven and give themselves to Hell CXV Some men their own delights their pleasures ease So love and value that they matter not For God or men so they themselves may please And have their belly-chear punk pipe and pot Give them their hawks hounds pastimes sports plays They matter not what God's laws or Man's says CXVI Some folks their forms and handsomeness so prize That all their care is wholly thereon set How they some pretty fashion may devise Their hair trim or their cloths i' th' new cut get Yea so thy be but fashionably fine Their souls may perish and the poor may pine CXVII Some men their own inventions so set by Or their own fancies in Religion That of true godliness the heart may dye So be their ceremonies go but on Let others rack their conscience let them kill Their bodies loose their souls they 'll have their will CXVIII Nay many who do honest men appear And from gross acts of wickedness are free Who by no means will lye be drunk steal swear Yet their own things so mind from God they flee Their Oxen Farmes Trades Merchandise or Wives God of their Love Heaven of their Souls deprives CXIX But this unto mens selves is no right love But hatred rather it may well be stil'd Beause their hearts from God it doth remove And their souls are thereby of life beguil'd A man's soul is himself who that neglects Himself doth hate what ever he respects CXX It 's something else that men do love indeed In this false self love it 's a self of sin Which did from Sathan at the first proceed And at this motion Adam first let in Sin so in man dwells and 's with him so one That is as a man's self is oft spoke on CXXI Thence we are bid our members on the Earth To mortifie when he that bids us so Uncleanness fornication lawless mirth Therein forbids and what may us undo It 's this indeed that man so likes and loves And it 's the love of this that God reproves CXXII The true love to our selves it is imply'd In that which God requires of us as that The Lord we seek love serve his will abide With patience love our neighbours all ill hate Himself he truly loves who doth indeavour For what his soul will happy make for ever CXXIII He that regardeth not God's holy Word To hear and learn and carefully obey Who seeketh not to know and have the Lord His Father friend his comfort help and stay Who hates his neighbours and doth love his lust Loves not himself but 's to himself unjust CXXIV He that doth truly love himself doth take The course that tends directly to his good Doth seek to know it doth inquiry make For it not resting till 't is understood Above his sense and body loves his soul And whatsoere would harme it doth controule CXXV Who loves himself indeed doth hate all sin In love to Christ his lust he will deny Will walk in all good ways the World to win Would not offend God or men injury Commits himself to God on him doth stay And from his holy fear turns not away CXXVI Thus if this posie thou do'st understand Thou mayst do well to bear it in thy mind Yea did'st thou wear it then upon thine hand And practise it thou thence much good might'st find Love not thy lusts the world or worldly pelf But love God love thy neighbour love thy self CXXVII But if God thou neglect'st to love and for True love to others and thy self do'st place Some blind affections to their friendship or Their proper stature fair or comely face Which being of the flesh though green and fair They now do seem but grass and flowers are CXXVIII Or if thou thine own wit and parts adoring Thy will thy pleasures beauty strength or ways Or with thine own invention go'st a whoring Or dot'st on thine own honour name or praise Or any like affection in the stead Of true love placing do'st this posie read CXXIX Then thou this posie do'st not well apply Nor need'st such iterations to incite Thy love but rather need'st that to deny Then to foment because thy love 's not right Love not love not love not well may we say When ours or other mens affections stray CXXX Love not the World nor things thereof so saith The holy Ghost from fleshly lusts abstain They fight against our souls lead from the faith Deprive us of all good and make us vain Lord all unlawful love purge out of me And make me love my self my neighbours Thee Another POSIE O. M. W. R. God first doth try then satisfie I. HOW wondrous are God's ways He is most worthy praise His counsels all are very deeply laid The fool can't in his mind His methods see or find Who of his judgments may not be afraid Through Seas and Wilderness his ways lie Yet when he hath try'd he doth satisfie II. His works are so i' th' dark To us who can them mark Till he doth bring them forth unto the light Though he i' th' dark begin Yet doth he never lin Till by his lustre he dispel the night Then they who fear'd and sorrow'd may espy How much they err'd and praise him heartily III. This is that way of God With all his Saints oft trod As at the first light out of darkness sprung So through much darkness he Hath made his people see The light of life where-through thy oft have sung Christ fills his vessels first with water and Then waters turns to wine by his command IV. And this he doth that so He might make us forgo Those lusts and Idols whereunto we cleave And those sins mortifie Which else would make us dye He proves whether for him we them will leave And may we not when try'd as dross be found God will us save and our joys shall abound V. God tryed Abraham When out of Vr he came From 's kindred and his country made to go But yet he did him save And better lands he gave Then that was which he call'd brought him fro An heavenly country he before him set Which caus'd his
them all doth take Into a nearer union and doth make An everlasting Covenant with them Their sins to pardon their souls not condemn He 'll be their God and guide their portion great Their Head and Husband they with him shall eat And drink and rest and dwell and see his face He will them dearly love He 'll them embrace He 'll kiss them satisfie their souls with good He 'll over flow them with a mighty flood Of peace and happiness and they remain Shall ever with him ever with him reign The Soul of Man like to a female is Anima f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And its desire is strongly after bliss And to some other thing as to its male It doth subject it self for it would fail If left alone as by it self to dwell For then it doth sink down to death and Hell And many things there are like Males to it To which it turns it self seeking to get From them its pleasure and subsistance and Subjects it self too unto their command The World or Spirit of it Mundus m. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that magnifies The things below and such vertue as lies In them that courts the soul which nat'rally Since it from God is fallen sets its eye Vpon its pleasures pomps riches and fare And what the objects of its senses are To this it turns it self to this it flies On this for peace and safety it relies For this it lusts and its imbraces wishes Opens it self thereto likes well its kisses In it delights and to it it self yields Desires its gifts of Money Houses Fields What ere may please it and protection give And make it in good plight and rank to live But this World 's empty fading false and vain And if the Soul match to 't 't will prove its bane The Wicked one even the soul spirit Diabolus m. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that sets The heart on Mischeif when He therein gets Possession stirs up unto strife debate Oppression violence pride envy hate He courts the Soul too and it s oft beguil'd By him and with those wicked seed's defil'd Conceiting sweetness oft in any thing Which unto other men may mischief bring A Spirit of error and false Prophecy Is He ofttimes to Heaven but by a lye Pretending and in divers shapes appears And some great how and port He often bears As if he came from Heaven and led thereto Yea usually the name of Christ also He can assume though 't is but in deceit Th' unwary Soul the easlier to cheat For He doth always turn the Soul away From the true Christ who down his life did lay For our offences and from that good word Th' Apostles preach't and what it doth afford Not singly leading it to Christ that He Its Lord and Saviour in all things might be On him to trust his counsells to observe But to some fancy leadeth it to swerve Or else some other work law power or name Doth joyn with Christ Adultery with the same Leading the Soul to practise whereby it Misseth Christ's blessing and his wrath doth get For Christ indeed the only one is Chirstus m. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who Hath power received from God the Soul to woo And He alone that for the Soul hath done And that can and will do for it that none Besides him could or can and therefore He Alone its Bridegroom worthy is to be He all things hath that may the Soul enrich Content and cherish He from all things which May danger it will safely it defend And bring it to an happy glorious end But naturally the Soul doth not Him know Nor what a one He is but looks below To things unto its senses manifest Thinking in their enjoyments to be blest And if it see a need of any thing Beside to after-Bliss it for to bring Then usually it plays the wanton whore Some form of godliness it will adore Wherein the World and Devil too it may Have fellowship withal and with them play And sport it self and yet be godly too And some fine easie outside service do Or if some stricter course it yields to take As it can be at cost and pains to make It self a graven Image as of old The Israelites to make a Calf of Gold Would with their Jewels part its the design While with the Spirit of error 't doth combine To be its own Redeemer or to get A righteousness or Name wherewith commit Adultery it may for oft with more Than one false Spirit the Soul doth play the Whore But only Christ is worthy it to have Who from the Heavens descended it to save From Sin and Death and pow'r hath all to give Which may make Soul and Body both to live And He by 's Word and Spirit and those in whom These are and work unto mens Souls doth come Inviting them to him but not that He With other things only should partner be In their affections and their worships but That all things else from the heart being shut He might alone the Sovereign power obtain It to command and over it to reign That it to him its love and confidence May singly give in the belief and sense Of his great worth and goodness and submit In all things to his wise dispose of it The Spirit of Wisdom which comes from on high And doth of Christ and his things testifie And into their hearts who have him received Inspired hath the Truth to be believed And by them wrought such miracles as none Besides them in the World have ever done He calls men unto Christ his voice is Come To Christ for Righteousness and for Wisdom For Pardon Peace for Strength for Holiness For Freedom from all evil for all bliss The Church or Spouse the Bride of Christ who knows And singly to him cleaves she him forth shows And not her self as the false Church she wooes For him alone Yea every one his voice That hears and in his goodness doth rejoyce Is both allow'd and bid to call men to This Blessed one and them for him to woo It 's only the false Church that magnifies Her self and hides his glory from mens eyes Oh come ye come ye then to Christ I pray Come all that thirst all that want help and stay Support life comfort guidance righteousness And what may satisfie the Soul with bless All that are heavy laden and opprest Come unto Christ and He will give you rest Come come here is a Fountain open set Exposed to you all whence you may get Freely what good you want Here 's what will make You fully happy Come these waters take Here 's no restraint ye may all come and buy Wine water milk without price or Money Only let go your lusts your Idols and What with the love of Jesus will not stand Part with your sloth with diligence attend At all his posts and pillars in the end Ye shall him find and whatsoere ye want That is good for you
O Daughter give good heed Unto those gracious words which do proceed From his most holy lips in such like wise As here doth follow do not them despise Christ Dear Soul the price of my most precious blood Which I have shed for thee and for thy good For I my self a ransom gave for all And now I to repentance do thee call Hearken to me and to my voice give ear Turn not away from me why should'st thou fear To listen unto me I am thy friend Thy Lord thy Saviour did not stick to spend My life and blood for thee and now I have Through painful cross and through the silent grave Obtain'd my Fathers Kingdom am ascended Unto the throne of glory where attended I am with millions of the heavenly Host The glorious Angels yea the Holy Ghost Immeasurably upon me doth rest And with all heavenly blessings I am blest I 'm heir of all things yea in me doth dwell All fulness of the Godhead Heaven and Hell And Earth and Seas and all things else that be Are put into subjection under me And all that I have suffer'd and sustain'd 'T was for thee and thy good all I have gain'd Thereby I gain'd for thee thee to possess Of endless joys and everlasting bless Behold me then behold me turn thine eye From other objects see what Majesty What glory and what beauty are in me What riches and what fulness and how free I am the same to all those to impart Who me imbrace and love with all their heart Behold me then dear Soul and wistly view My matchless virtues see how good how true How powerful too I am I 'm rich to all In mercy who sincerely on me call None that repair to me do I cast by But them relieve and cure their misery I 'm alsufficient able every way To make thee happy to an endless day Turn then away from empty things thine eye From lies from falshood and from vanity Which cheat thee and deprive thee of all good Oh turn to Me who for thee shed my blood Look towards me dear Soul behold and see Hath any other such things done for thee As I have done hath any condescended And stoopt so low hath any else expended And laid out so much to obtain thy love As I that came to th' earth from Heaven above And laid down all my riches and my life That I might thee redeem from all that strife 'Twixt God and thee and take thee for a Wife That I might free thee from th' infernal foe That held thee captive and fills thee with woe Can any give to thee such gifts as I Can they advance thee to like dignity Can any so inrich thee as I can Can any thee so satisfie what man Or Angel may with me compare Can or will do for thee as I will do Oh turn thee unto me my darling dear Open thine eye on me incline thine ear Give me thy heart it is thy love I seek And I deserve it I am lowly meek And merciful no one is like to Me Yet I have set my heart and love on thee See See I that am heir of all things and Have Sovereign power and all things do command I who thee can save or destroy with ease Can make or break thee or do what I please Who happy am without thee and no need Have of thee or of ought that can proceed From thee do suit and court thee and request That thou wilt love me that thou may'st be blest It 's not to be by thee advanc'd made great Or rich or safe that I thy love intreat But 't is because I love thee and do wish Thy everlasting happiness and bliss It 's not because that thou art fair and fresh For thou art all deform'd thou art but flesh Defil'd with sin as with a Leprosie Of which unless I cure thee thou wilt die I can without thee live and happy be For I my Fathers joyful face do see Where fulness of delights I have and where Dwells neither want nor grief danger nor fear But thou poor wretch can'st not without me live It 's I alone that life to thee can give Yet I am free to give my self and all I am to thee or that as mine I call A Covenant I with thee will gladly make An everlasting Covenant thee to take And love and live with thee as mine for ever To be thy Head and Husband none shall sever 'Twixt thee and me I will thy portion be And want of good things thou shalt never see For here and for hereafter I 'll take care Of thee and as my life I did not spare Thee to redeem from Death and Hell so now I will withhold nothing from thee that thou May'st want or need I 'll wash thee from thy dirt I 'll make thee clean and handsom I 'll thee girt With robes of glory and with rich attire My righteousness and virtues thy desire I 'll fill and satisfie Thou shalt be fed With finest of the wheat with Angels bread With honey from the rock butter and oyle The choisest things of Heaven and thou the spoil Of all thine enemies shalt take and wear Them as thy Ornaments and thou shalt bear My name upon thee shalt my consort be Thou shalt in Me rejoyce and I in thee I will thee joynture in my portion great And set thee with me on my Royal seat Bring thee unto my God and Father He Will entertain imbrace and welcome thee In and with me He 'll the same love impart To thee wherewith He loves me in his heart He and all his is mine and all shall be Thine that is mine if thou'lt accept of me Minist Oh matchless match Oh peereless Prince of life That wilt accept of such a homely Wife Come then dear Soul since Christ himself will give Give him thy self too and for ever live Christ I 'll feed thee with my flesh and blood my heart And body too I will to thee impart And no good thing will I with-hold from thee But freely give 't if thou 'lt accept of me Behold I stand with patience great and wait With much long suff'ring at the clos'd up gate Of thy hard heart where I behold and see What is within and whom thou hast with thee How with thy mortal foes thou mak'st a rout Sporting thy self while me thou keepest out While I with patience stand I call and knock For entrance in but thou the door do'st lock And bolt against me Both by works and words I call and knock my very rod affords Low'd calls unto thee if thou wilt me hear And open unto me my Sister dear I 'll come in unto thee I 'll soon drive out That wicked company that rebell rout Which now oppress thee and do wound thee sore Urging thee against Me to shut thy door Yea I will soon subdue them unto thee And thou from their dominion shalt be free If thou wilt hear and open unto me I
they sought to do us good Had we them heard we might have understood That goodness in Gods ways which would have made Us for the sake thereof aside t' have lay'd Our sins But wo is us we fools them counted But now we see how they on high are mounted Whereas we fools in midst of flames do lye Dying perpetually yet never dye Wo worth the time that we did slight the poor Neglecting them when they were at our door And to the hungry did not deal our bread Nor cloath the naked nor sick visited Wo worth the time we slothful were and spent Our time in idleness and merriment And thereby gave advantage to the Devil To rob us of all good fill with evil Wo worth the time we did our selves content To hear or Preach God's word but never meant It to obey or else therefrom we fell Through carelesness when we had begun well Wo to the pomps and wordly vanicies Which did bewitch our hearts our ears our eyes Wo worth the time we clos'd our eyes and when Our hearts we hardned cursed be the men Who did mislead us and contemn the truth Or that perverted us debaucht our youth Or any other ways were instruments Of bringing upon us these punishments Wo worth such Kings and Counsellors as made Us to commit such things as have betray'd Our souls to Hell while we them judged wise And flatter'd them we did God's laws despise We took them to be Gods on Earth their will We thought a law which we ought to fulfill Without considering whether their command Did or did not with Gods law and will stand Wo worth the publick places of resorts Wo worth the Chancery and the Innes of Courts The Universities and places where We learn'd to gent it and our selves up bear By our great breeding learning learned pride To contemn honest Christians and deride The simple meaning man whose care it was To fear the Lord and their time well to pass Wo worth our curious Arts Opinions And thoughts that we alone were wisdoms sons Alas we see for all the Learned Schooles We were simplicians and did play the fools Wo worth contentious Lawyers who did set Us upon strifes our monies for to get Fomenting differences and causless Suits Whereof we with them now do reap these fruits Wo worth the foolish fashions and devices Which Sathan introduc't to nourish vices Wo worth the play 's and interludes that we Did take delight and spend our time to see Where we did learn much wantonness and lust And how to scoff at honest men and just Wo worth the Taverns Alehouses and Innes They were the shops where we did trade in sins Wo worth the pleasant Wines strong Ale and Bear And other liquors wherewith oft we were Made like the Beasts and wherewith flusht we sung Our songs against good Men making them dung Wo worth the Whores and Harlots with whom we Consumed our estates and wofully Mispent our times debaucht our selves and spent Our bodies and our strengths with great content Wo worth their rowling eyes their wanton glances Their flatt'ring speeches and lascivious dances Their smoother fore-heads and their painted faces Their light behaviours their flanting laces Their beautiful eye lids their cheeks so fair Their naked bosoms and their well set hair Accursed their temptations and their Arts To take our minds and draw away our hearts Accursed their allurements and embraces Their whorish fore-heads and impudent faces Wo worth our wanton hearts and wandring eyes That were allured by such vanities That look't upon such objects and did lust Such things with them to do as were unjust That by our wanton carriages and doings Our painted speeches and our earnest woings Did draw poor silly women into snares And oftentimes surpris'd them unawars Wo worth those flames of lust wherein we burn'd Wo worth us that therefrom we never turn'd For now we burn in Hell in endless flames Of such a vengeance as our lust quite tames Wo worth our ceiled Houses rooms so warm Our costly furniture they help't to charm Our hearts and our affections them unto That we could not abide them to forgo When we were call'd for Christs sake them to leave Our love to such things helpt us to bereave Of better satisfactions where we see Yon then despised men in glory be Wo worth unrighteous laws and them that did Them wickedly devise us to forbid Christ to confess according to his will And armed us with power his Saints to kill Branding them as Male-factors or as those Who did their lawful Governors oppose Wo worth Seditious persons who did band Themselves against the powers of the Land Ordained of God to govern on pretence Of Reformation using violence Sheathing their Swords in Kings and Rulers sides Or it assaying by which means the tides And floods of high severity was rais'd Against such quiet innocents as prais'd Both righteousness and truth and prayed for Redress of evils but yet did abhor Rebellious courses thereunto to take Or any such disturbances to make Only from such defilements they abstain'd As being practis'd would their souls have stain'd Whether by custom or authority Commended or commanded though thereby They being also lookt upon as men Who did the lawful Governours contemn Were by us sundry ways wrong'd and abus'd Imprison'd persecuted and misus'd And godliness was for the sakes of some Who themselves misbehaved made to come Into suspition and neglected so As with the stream of vice we chose to go And to assure those over us that we From all seditious practises were free Of false mifguided zealots who did not Christ's doctrine follow but it quite forgot And his instructions not by carnal sword To force his kingdom up but by his Word And by a patient suff'ring whatsoere For his Name sake they should be made to bear We thought it best for us to Swear and Rant Carouse or Whore or Warrants out to grant Against Religious persons because they Did meet in private oft to hear or pray Whereby we ran into th' other extream And made our selves as bad or worse then them Seditious persons with whom now we bear This dreadful Doom to be tormented here Accursed be those persons who presum'd Upon their greatness and thereby assum'd To Lord it over our poor Consciences And bow them to their wills on vain pretences Wo worth also those persons who were stil'd The Ministers of Christ and yet beguil'd Our now lost souls by their great ignorance Their blindness and their supine negligence Feeding themselves and vexing us with Suits Or bringing forth many unrighteous fruits Neglecting us to teach or Catechise And by their life and doctrine make us wise By their perverting of the Scriptures and By their false glosses bearing us in hand That if we were Elect we must be saved However we our selves then misbehaved And that some men were then rejected so From all eternity and unto woe Destined that for them there was no grace Nor possibility to
past 132. Herein thou didst again A noble conquest make Us from our sin we lived in Unto thy self to take 133. Oh noble Conqueror Thy power and might we see Oh Lord of Hosts throughout all coasts What one is like to thee 134. Herein we do admire The force of thy great love Our stubborn hearts and bad deserts Which got so much above 135. And here began our bliss Our happy state in which Thou didst us bring unto a spring And Fountain sure and rich 136. Here our new life began Because we planted were Into a stock which did not mock But made us fruit to bear 137. A Root most free of Sap And living juice where from We did inherit both Life and Spirit Yea all good thence did come 138. A Root which did us bear And give us living fruit Thy word declar'd it thy Arm unbar'd it And made us with it sute 139. Thence all our Springs were found And all our fruits were good For all our own away were thrown Being unfit for food 140. Oh what an happy state Were we advanced to When into thee planted were we And made in thee to grow 141. We one with thee became And of thy bliss partook Better we had and what did glad More than what we forsook 142. God pittyed us before But now he did us own He in his love did us approve And of him we were known 143. The special love that was Thy lot thou didst impart Gods loving face that secret place Which thou hadst in Gods heart 144. This was a happy Change While we in Adam were Our case was sad and very bad But now 't was blessed here 145. We had not God before Because we had not thee In whom he is and gives his bliss Then wretched men were we 146. For though thou wert the hope And help of lost mankind Yet without Thee hope had not we Nor solid peace of mind 147. But when in Thee thou gavest Sure title to all good Because in Thee the living Tree And Root of life we stood 148. We were to Thee espous'd And Thou our Husband wert In thine Estate for love and hate We thenceforth had our part 149. Thy Father ours became Thine Angels were our guard Thy Riches ours thy Wisdom Power And thine was our reward 150. Thine Enemies thence were ours And thy friends our friends too In Thee Elect God did respect And favour to us show 151. Yea hence is all the joy And glory we possess Hence Worlds abuse and Gods good use In joy and happiness 152. Thence God us took for Sons All former things were gone No wrath abode his love He show'd His face upon us shone 153. But Thou hadst other fights Wherein a share had we At thy command with Thee to stand Against the Enemie 154. In which Thou wert our help Our Captain and our Guide Thy grace and love they did us move Still with thee to abide 155. The same that did at first Our hearts to thee subdue Was it prevail'd when Joes assaild And made us to Thee true 156. In which thy grace supply'd What in us wanting was Our weaknesses Miscarriages There throught thou by didst pass 157. Doubtless had'st thou not been So cloth'd with Charity Our many halts Retreats and Faults Had made Thee cast us by 158. But none is like to Thee No Captain so will bear His Soldiers faults retreats and halts Or can their hearts so chear 159. Thou wast the prize for which We fought thy prize were we Our Enemies Plot was us t' have got Quite out again from Thee 160. Therefore they us inticed To leave the Faith wherein We one with Thee were made and free Were set from all our fin 161. That was the bed of love The bond of Amity Therefore from that to separte Us sought the Enemy 162. By many a Stratagem He did us oft assail By flatteries and batteries Yet could he not prevail 163. Although he had the world As a great Magazine Of fiery Shafts fit for his Crafts Our souls to undermine 164. From whence on either side He did us oft assault With pleasing sights or dreadful frights Yea we had many a fault 165. From which he oft-times rais'd By his great policy Such over casts and dreadful blasts As made us like to fly 166. Oft-times us to allure To take part against thee Pleasures He brought into our thought Or glory made us see 167. And sundry other things Which with our flesh did sute From Trees to sight fit for delight Moving to pluck the fruit 168. Sometimes to puff us up That down he might us throw Our godliness gifts parts graces Or works he would us show 169. Sometimes again by Cheats Which he thereto abus'd Some crooked way He forth would lay Which was of Thee refus'd 170. Sometimes this art he us'd The easly'r us to take As if of light an Angel bright He were He shew would make 171. Oft-times He also shew'd What dreadful things should be From instruments of his intents If we would cleave to Thee 172. The world he stir'd to wrath Against us for thy sake So that of mocks Scourges or Stocks Oft times we did partake 173. Yea many hardships thence He pressed us withal By many losses and divers crosses Moving from Thee to fall 174. Not only our Estates He sometimes from us caught But even our blood like to a flood Was powred out full oft 175. But Thou by thy good grace And help which thou didst give Our Enemy did make to fly And made our Souls to live 176. Armour of righteousness On each hand us did fend Thy glory bright stood on our right O' th' eft wrath without end 177. If to Thee and thy Word Thy right and perfect ways Firm we would cleave and not thee leave Thou shew'dst us endless praise 178. But if Thee we would leave And turn to vanâ—â—ie For worldly good or fear of blood We endless torments see 179. Which things eternal while Thou mad'st us keep in view Things temporal we slighted all And not from Thee withdrew 180. Thou wert our strength and stay Our help was of thy grace Through thy defence no fond pretence Did move us out of place 181. Here also Thou didst get The conquest o're our foes The victory and the glory Unto thine honour goes 182. We had been wholly foild And driven from Thee again But that our heads thou covered'st And didst our hearts sustain 183. To thee we give the praise Of our safety untill Through manifold perils untold Our days we did fulfill 184. When yet one combate more Abode us generally To yield our Breath passing through death And in the grave to ly 185. Nor had we any might Against that Enemy Give way mus we to Gods decree That mankind once must dy 186. Whereto by several ways We did arrive at length Diseases some made thither come Or some decay of strength 187. By persecutions some Through many deaths much pain Who for thy name
and his Companions be But such as fear'd the Lord thereto did he Invite and call they in God's mysteries Have the best judgment are the truly wise Nor God nor good men for their poverty Do any such despise why then should I Better by one poor good man prais'd to be Than by a thousand bad of high degree In such though mean men in this World God's treasures Have oft been put and they of divine pleasures Have oft the largest deepest draughts the Saints Or holy men what ever outward wants Have them attended Christ's inheritance With all its glorious riches doth advance If such then like my works if what I 've pen'd Those that be truly pious do commend It is enough if they be pleas'd I much Pass not for their accounts that are not such Though that 's the lot of goodness too that oft Some such it praise too who themselves are naught Such virtu's beauty that it oft attracts Their eyes and tongues who yet refuse its acts Who loving sensual pleasures can't endure Themselves unto those labours to inure Whence those good fruits are reap't which who so taste Shall joys injoy which evermore shall last Such forcedly though th' act not praise what 's right But vertues foll'wers praise her with delight J Horne THE Divine VVooer Canto I. A wake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Eph. 5.14 The Call The man upon his Soul doth call To view it's state original And what it 's now through Adam's fall The Soul it 's bad estate espies And ready to despair out cries A Minister thereto replies Directing it to Christ He shews Of him the gladsome heavenly news Yea Christ himself for its love sues Declares his worthy facts his love And what to close with him might move And shews what doth it most behove Then warns it of it's subtle foes Who seek to bring to it great woes And there this Canto hath it's close Man ROwse up thy self my Soul consider well What of thy state I herein do thee tell What was thy first condition what it 's now That what behoves thee thou mayst better know Good was thy state at first before thy fall For thou from God hadst thine original A pure off-spring of his heavenly breath Thou wast not subject unto sin or death Or grief or fear or any thing might harm thee Till the old Serpent from thy God did charm thee For we in Gods own image and likeness At first were framed and he did express Great love and bounty to us he withheld Nothing of good from us our state excel'd All creatures here below for to us he Gave the Dominion over Land and Sea And all that in them were yea all above He made also for us such was his love A pleasant Garden even a Paradise Of pleasures also full of rarities He for us planted and therein a Tree Of life by which we might from Death been free Yea whatsoever might yield us delight To Soul or Body touch or taste or sight He therein did provide with different sex For more content and off-spring nought did vex Or cause disquiet then yea thou didst know The nature of all things and couldst it show And such agreeing names on them impose As might their inward properties disclose Yea even with God himself thou to converse Wast fitted and his praises couldst rehearse And hadst thou still obey'd his just commands And had'st not broke by Sin the sacred bands Of friendship wherewith to himself he ty'd thee Nothing should ere have power had to divide thee From his affections nor should any thing Befaln thee but what good to thee should bring But now alas thy state is altered Since thou by sinning from thy God hast fled By listning to the Serpents subtlety And giving heed to his false glozing lye Of all the good thou had'st thou art berest And nought but what 's bad now in thee is left The Image of thy God wherein did stand Thy cheifest glory thou hast marred and Like to the Beasts that perish now hast made thee And Satans lies to ruine have betray'd thee His poyson hath thy heart infected so That nought but wickedness therefrom doth flow So that of God thou nought deserv'st but hate Yea and all creatures thee to ruinate May well conspire since thou so wretchedly Hast turn'd away from God their enmity Against thee is but just that as before Thou waft Heavens favourite and all things bore Respect unto thee now they should neglect thee And unto answerable woes reject thee To what thy blesses were for oh my Soul Thou art become a Dungeon very foul Nasty and dark and loathsomâ—sin and evil Have got possession in thee and the Devil Hath thee inslav'd so to his will and lust That thou art full of all that is unjust And hateful unto God who therefore hath From Paradise expel'd thee in his wrath And unto Death hath thee condemned so That from the force thereof thou can'st not go Of unclean Birds thou art become a cage Thy lusts and passions in thee rule and rage And drive thee to and fro and thee expose Unto the Malice of Infernal foes All thou do'st mean think love or joy in now What is it but what 's vain and brutish Thou In whom Gods Wisdom sometime had delight Art now become a very loathsom sight Wholly for her pure fellowship unmeet And for his service for from Head to Feet Thou full of sores and ulcers art In thee Nothing that 's right or lovely can He see Thou neither knowest him nor thy self nor how Thou may'st thy self recover nor can'st thou His favour re-obtain by any thing Which thou by way of off'ring can'st him bring For unto him no reall love thou hast Nor any virtuous thing of all good waste And empty now thou art To Sathans power And to Gods wrath obnoxious every hour Oh then how sad's thy state where ere thou go Thou art in danger of eternal wo. While thou art in thy sins over thy Head Gods wrath doth hang his wrath whom Angels dread And all the Creatures and whose furious ire When poured forth is like devouring fire So as the Rocks are thereby rent and fall Asunder for it 's able to turn all Into its Antient Chaos and to bring The whole Creation to a mere nothing Bethink thee then my Soul what course to take Is there no way thy peace with God to make Is there no way his wrath to pacifie To scape his vengeance that thou may'st not die Not die for ever while thou yet hast space Mayst thou not seek for and implore his grace Soul And is it so indeed is this my case Doth sin in me Gods image so deface And render me so loathsom in his eye Is his wrath so provok't am I to dye By his just law so doom'd oh whither then Shall I betake my self what can we men Devise or do whereby his anger we May pacifie
that saved we may be From his destroying hand If I 'm so vile That all I think or do sin doth defile How is it possible that any thing I can perform that may me safety bring If I had all the World at my command To offer up to him nought at my hand Needs He to take whose all things are nor could I it so bring as He accept it would From me that am so vile but alas I Have nothing of mine own but misery And sin I must therefore lye down forlorn Bewailing that sad day when I was born And wishing that some Hills or Mountains might Fall on and cover me from his dread sight That He might not how sinful I am see Nor I Him who so angry is with me But oh alas these bootless wishes are Nought they avail me nothing but Despair Remains as my sad lot in wretchedness To perish evermore without redress O wo is me what shall I think or do I am undone I sink I perish Oh! Minist Despair not Soul But hear and listen well Unto a true story that I shall tell Tidings of joy and gladness I do bring Tidings of peace that well may make thee sing Incline thine ear therefore and bend thy mind That of my words thou may'st the comfort find Though thou most wretchedly from thy Creator Hast run and play'd vile prevaricator From his just laws hast sin'd against him still And hast not set by his most holy will Unworthy art of love most worthy wrath Yet He to thee a strong affection hath Loves thee intensively and thy welfare To bring about no cost or pains doth spare One only Glorious and dear Son hath He Begotten of him from eternity The brightness of his Glory light of light The Image of his person His delight His word eternal his wisdom most pure By whom He all things made and makes t' endure Yet him did He send forth when He saw fit To expiate the sins thou did'st commit To ransom thee from thrall to Death and Devil To raise thee up and free thee from all evil To bring thee from thy woful lost estate In which thou must else lain time without date And thee restore again unto his grace That thou might'st see his sweet and glorious face Injoy his favour sit under his wing And his high praises evermore might'st sing That glorious splendor of his Majesty Who in his Bosom was eternally According to his will determined Was born of a poor Damsel espoused Unto a Carpenter of mean degree Laid in a Manger where there use to be The Ass or Oxen feeding other room The Inn affording not for his welcome When that poor Damsels time was come that she Of this unheard of birth untwin'd should be Even like as if some mighty Prince by birth Should quit his Fathers Pallace and the mirth He there injoy'd should lay his robes aside His Princely robes and the better to hide His high-born dignity and great degree With Pilgrims or poor beggars rags should be Meanly attir'd and so himself betake To travail through great dangers for the sake Of some of his poor subjects who allur'd By some false Traytor had his Realm abjur'd Joyn'd themselves in confederacy to His Fathers and his own most hateful foe Till thereby they upon their heads had brought By means of that rebellion they had wrought Some dreadful punishment and deadly thrall Indangering the ruine of them all That He might in that strange disguise unknown Vanquish those foes who had them overthrown And unexpectedly a pardon bring Unto them from their own much injur'd King And by such love declared win their mind Unto himself that they with him combin'd Might from those Traytors who had them seduced Into his Fathers Kingdom be reduced Under his conduct as their Prince and guide Whose love and care of them they had so try'd Even so this mighty high-born Son of God Into this World down by a path untrod Descended in a garb unknown wherein He wore the badges of our loathsom sin Cloath'd with great poverty infirm and weak Fil'd with reproaches which his heart did break Through swelling Seas of sorrows travail'd He In the strength of his love to seek up thee And save thee from that wretched state wherein Thou ready wast to perish in thy sin In this disguise made under law and so Exposed to indure that curse and woe Which was thy due when he was set upon By all the powers of Hell the field He won In an unusual manner not by strength But weakness rather where through He at length After some combates yielded up to Death His spotless body and his blessed breath Wherein the laws demands He so fulfil'd That it's condemning power thereby He kil'd For so the bonds He cancel'd and the debt Discharg'd that bound thee ore to death and set Thee free from under Sathans power and force That thou may'st now again have free recourse To thy Creators presence for He hath By this his pilgrimage and Death the wrath Of his displeased Father pacified So that his anger He hath laid aside And holds thee now no longer as a Foe bound ore to Death but freely lets thee go Keeps thee not at a distance any longer But calls thee back and by his Son who stronger Is then thine enemies as by the way And leader too by whom the weakest may Strongly and safely walk against the worst Endeavours and resistance of that curst Infernal crue who seek to keep thee back He thee invites and prays thou wilt not slack Thy pace unto him but return again Into his heavenly Kingdom there to reign Over thine enemies in glorious state For everlasting time beyond all date That safely to him thou might'st back be brought This Royal Prince of glory who thee bought From thraldom by his blood doth thee invite To hear his pleasant voyce behold his light In which he sets himself in glorious state Before thy view beseeching thee to hate Those enemies who did thee overthrow And brought thee from so high to be so low And Him to listen to believe and love Who for thy sake descended from above And worst of Deaths and dangers did sustain That He might thee restore to life again He with his words puts forth his mighty hand To turn thee and to make thee understand To give thee strength to lean on him and go The good way after him which He doth show He loves thee dearly wooes thee with his heart Intreats thee from thine Idols to depart Which will undo thee ore again if yet Thou wilt thy self to their advise commit Beseeches thee to save thy self or rather Be sav'd by him who came forth from his Father To save poor sinners bring them safe and sure Unto those joys which ever shall endure He condescends unto thee though thou be'st Viler then any thing that here thou seest As in thy sins unworthy of him yet He Disdains not to address himself to thee Incline thine ear
he In leading them there-through by day and night Both by a shady cloud and fiery light In giving them from Heaven Angels bread Wherewith for forty years they were all fed In causing flinty Rocks to give them drink When they through thirst seemed to be at pits brink How did he by a Serpent made of brass Erected heal their wounds and made them pass Safely through mid'st of swelling Seas and floods Drave out seaven Nations and their lands and goods Divided to his people to possess That they his Name for evermore might bless And all might see That they who serve God have A great preserver who them all will save And recompence with good and that To Bliss The only certain way to serve God is How did he ruddy David while a youth Because he served him in upright truth Take from the sheep-folds and with oyl anoint him And to rule over Israel appoint him And though he from Saul's envy suffred much While he Gods favour did unto him grutch And many dangers too of death sustain'd Before the Crown and Kingdom he obtain'd Yet how did God him keep uphold and save In many a desert mountain hill and cave Till having humbled him he his promise Remembred and cut off his enemies Gave him the Sovereign power and government So that he ruled long with great content Inlarg'd his Territories and increast His power among the great ones of the East Till in his great prosperity he fell Into the sins whereof the Scriptures tell When that it might appear that God regards Mens actions and unto them gives rewards And punishments according thereunto He met with sad corrections and much woe Though mixt with mercies manifold because He did through grace repent and to my laws Return How strangely did he Mordecay And the Jews help whom Haman sought to slay Turning upon his Head those evils which He for them had devis'd into the ditch He for them dig'd he himself was cast down That thereby both Gods favour and his frown He might at once declare How helped he Those worthies which are call'd the children three They walkt in mid'st of fiercest flames no smell Of fire their garments had when they down fell Dead at the furnace mouth who east them in Such difference is 'twixt righteousness and sin How helpt he Daniel in the Lyons den And him deliver'd when those very men Destroy'd were who devis'd his ruine How Did he oft help his servants when brought low In times of Macchabees and all along When they dispersed were and suff'red wrong How helped he the holy men that dy'd In faith of me whom the World crucifi'd Through many Storms and Tempests by the rage Of persecutors rais'd in every age For love of me they willingly did yield To Death so as by Death they won the field Triumphing over every worst torment That was devised by the curst Serpent And his inraged instruments until By their deaths and their doctrine they did fill The World with fruits and made proud error fall Before the truth confessed by them all For those same ignominious Deaths and crosses Those heavy sufferings and most grievous losses Whereat the World doth stumble and whereby They with the Devil in confederacy Endeavour to affright thee from my Word More comfort and more glory far afford Then all those pleasures and those braveries By which they do bewitch the mind unwise Yea many have more peace and joy exprest In cruel Deaths through me then they who rest And quiet in the World injoy as far As a glow-worm's exceeded by a Star Of greatest magnitude or by the Sun Which with great glory doth its courses run Which moved Moses though both Learn'd and Wise The riches of all Egypt to despise And all its pleasures to take part with those Who suff'red great oppressions from their foes For sake of me because he well perceived That greater glory then can be believed Is thence received yea more then can be found Form all the best injoyments of this Round Who are more honour'd in this World's esteem Then they who do their life and blood out teem And many watchings fastings combates great And hardships suffer which each hour them threat To do their Countrey service or maintain Its liberties or greater rule to gain Unto it and shall those who for the sake Of their most high creator undertake His truth and Kingdom to assert be thought The only persons to be set at nought Or be the worse accounted because they Do many cruel things sustain all day Are they not therefore far more worthy praise For suff'ring so great things so divers ways The worst of Deaths and Torments that the wit And malice both of Men and Devils knit Together could devise and bear the shame Of vilest imputations for my Name Shews it not forth their greater love to me And is' t not meet I should so loved be Who for their sakes my state of glory left And suffered my self to be bereft Of all things even of life and to sustain The greatest agonies in Soul and pain In body even the dreadful curse to bear Of God's most righteous Law because they were Thereof the breakers and thereby concluded To be from Gods most joyful sight extruded Is it not too a commendation to My person and my kingdom that they so Dare suffer for them for therein they show That they such excellencies in them know That for the sake thereof they do contemn The greatest mischeifs can be done to them Rather then be thereof depriv'd yea sure The patience too wherewith they do endure Their gloryings also and great joys therein Which often in that case exprest hath been Unlike to those who suffer otherwise Some excellency clearly testifies In what they suff'red for and that they found Some such strong satisfactions to abound As nothing in this World can them afford But only the Divine power of the Lord. And sure if they who for their Countrey dye With Monuments and Trophies gloriously Are honour'd and the more by how much they More willingly and greater suff'rings may Have undergone those ignominious things Which the confession of my doctrine brings Through Sathan's and the World's malice upon My followers as oft times it hath done Their glory and their praise esteemed should be And so they are esteemed too of me And of my Father who will recompence Such glory to them as such patience And love to him and me may challenge yea According as of us they taken be Of our great grace and favour who account Them worthy of such glories as surmount All humane merit and though they do owe Such service to us yet great things bestow By way of recompence such as surpass All humane understanding as far as The Heavens exceed the Earth or th' Ocean large Exceeds the compass of some Boat or Barge For 't is the glory of the Majesty Of God to give rewards exceeding high As Kings give gifts like Kings and not like those
quite XXI Our fall was of our selves It did not come from thee We willingly the way to dye Did chuse but thou wert free XXII Yet blessed be that will That did permit our fall And whatsoere permitted were To any of us all XXIII For now we see 't was well That God did so permit And not withhold that Serpent old From tempting us to it XXIV For hereby he hath shew'd His attributes most clear How foolish we how dear to thee And unto him we were XXV That so we in our selves No more might put our trust Or listen to what led us fro Thee to fulfil our lust XXVI Yea thereby to himself Our hearts he doth indear While we do see what for us he Hath done while such we were XXVII And so it hath ingag'd Us wondrously to thee That thou so high vouchsafest to dye To set such caytiffs free XXVIII When we all helpless were And hopeless were become Thou did'st us save our foes out drave Brought'st us to thy kingdom XXIX There 's nothing in these acts But big with love it is From first to last we love do taste And thee for ever bliss XXX No shorter date can be Sufficient to express Our hearty sense of so immense A love and it confess XXXI Yea wisdom too we see In suffring that our fall It was O King glory to bring To thee in our recal XXXII That thou might'st be made known And the Father in thee That thy love might shine forth most bright And we more happy be XXXIII We never can express Our thanks sufficiently That thou O King did'st back us bring And to that end did'st dye XXXIV Let 's then strike up our strings As Harpers full of skill And sing our song All our ay-long Till we do sing our fill XXXV What one is like to thee Oh holy glorious one What did thee move us thus to love When we were all undone CXXXVI Thou in thy self wast blest Thou character express Of Gods person his only Son His Glories full brightness XXXVII It was exceeding love And goodness to us when I' th' dust we lay and were but clay To make us living men XXXVIII In thy divine Image And to be like to thee A living soul and to controule All things in Earth and Sea XXXIX How could the dust deserve To be preferred so It was only thy pleasure high Thus thereunto to do XL. Yet as it did no good Such favour to procure So it no bad within it had For all thy works were pure XLI Whereas we not only Void of all goodness were But had done ill yet 't was thy will Favour to us to bear XLII All those expressions great Of love when we were dust We valued not but quite forgot To satisfie a lust XLIII The Serpent who no good Had done for us at all Far before thee preferred we When we from thee did fall XLIV For without any shew That it was true he said We took his lye threw thy truth by Thy love aside we laid XLV Oh great ingratitude Folly and madness great So easily to throw thee by And suffer such a cheat XLVI Whereby we were defil'd And made thine enemies Very unjust and fil'd with lust And all things good despise XLVII Yet that thou might'st us save Thou wast content to be For us made flesh in our likeness Such sin except as we XLVIII Thou did'st not take the form Of some great King or Lord Like a servant poor and in want Thou we'rt of men abhor'd XLIX In which abased forme Great grief thou did'st sustain Yea for our good to shed thy blood Thou didest not disdain L. Oh wond'rous love indeed That one so great and high Who did proceed from God should bleed And for us sinners dye LI. Besides reproaches blows Abuses shame and scorn Thy bloody sweat agony great Whereby thy life was worn LII The curse which was our due Thou also did'st endure In the grave lay till the third day Our freedom to procure LIII Yea also thou went'st down Into the lower Hell As one bereft of God and left Thy griefs no tongue can tell LIV. It was no gain from us That thou could'st get thereby When we most had we could not add Unto thy Majesty LV. But how much less when we Had lost what thou did'st give And nothing had but what was bad And were unfit to live LVI Oh what was sinful man That thou should'st him so love At such a cost to save the lost What pitty did thee move LVII How can we but confess That thine of right we are Since thou us made thy life down laid Us when sinners to spare LVIII And yet that was not all Thy love did so exceed 'T was not only least we should dye That for us thou did'st bleed LIX Thou like to us was 't made And our deserts did'st bear That we might be made like to thee Thy robes of glory wear LX. Oh depth oh heigth of love None may compare with thee So low to lye that we so high Who were so low might be LXI Which thing to bring about God raised thee again For pangs of death or Hell beneath Could not thee long detain LXII Because thou art the life The life eternal and Against that life no mortal strife Of Death or Hell could stand LXIII The Serpent and his slaves Did strive thee down to hold But all in vain thou rose again As was of thee foretold LXIV Oh mighty conqueror A glorious conquest here Thou oâ—â—â— evil sin World and Devil Triumphantly did'st bear LXV This was the glorious fight This was the day indeed Which God did make for his Names sake This did from him proceed LXVI These were the wars of God A battel bravely fought 'Twixt th' innocent and the Serpent Whereby our peace was wrought LXVII No war was like to this This the foundation laid Of all the blows and overthrows Upon the foes since made LXVIII Those were the mortal foes Of God and mankind too ' Gainst God's glory and Man's safety Their malice thy did show LXIX Oh Prince of might elect God's dear and only Son Thou them withstood unto thy blood Wherethrough the field was won LXX This field for us was fought Their helpless prey were we But thou them foil'd and their plot spoil'd Ransom'd we were by thee LXXI We were thy lawful prize And thou our lawful Lord Oh happy day then all did say Who did believe thy word LXXII How deadly was that thrall In which before we lay No Tyrants fell be so cruel To use their slaves as they LXXIII Here was the coming in Of all our future good Our hopes of all that since did fall On this foundation stood LXXIV We never had come here Or this glory possest Unless thou Lamb had'st overcame And given us this conquest LXXV Here through thou took'st the spoiles Of all thine enemies And went'st on high triumphantly With those thy victories LXXVI Oh who this victory This Conquest gotten
slaughter and shame Did valiantly fustain 188. For every one of which Praises to God and thee The lamb by whom all that did come Well ordered was we see 189. Through thee it was for good That such things we did bear Yea sins also whence griefs did flow As they permitted were 190. By our unrighteousness And our offences sore Thy righteousness was more express And our ingagements more 191. Thou turnst them all to good Though from us they were ill And thou thy praise from thence didst raise By thy great power and skill 192. It was for good that Death Thou didst to us ordain Diseases pains and such remains As brought to dust again 193. For by the thoughts thereof And sights and feelings too Thou didst us wake more hast to make To scape from endless woe 194. They moved us the less The flesh and world to mind And unto thee the more to flee And seek thy Grace to find 195. They made us less to prize What did from thee allure Death did present their injoyment Falling and unsecure 196. They made us less to dread What men us scared by While Temporal we see them all And that no way but dy 197. Yea while we also see That common Death no less Torments had oft then what down brought Those that did Thee confess 198. Yea further Death and grave This good unto us brought They gave us rest from what opprest When all our work was wrought 199. We bless thee for them all For all together wrought For our great good even death and blood And more joy to us brought 200. While greater proofs we had Of thy great faithfulness How great each hour thy love and power To help our weaknesses 201. For as our tryals did Thereby abound and grow So thy supports and our comforts Did more upon us flow 202. Oh happy was that time Happy the means by which Perswaded we became by Thee To take a course so rich 203. Thy words to intertain And thy servants to be Sustain the loss and bear the cross And follow after Thee 204. Oh blessed be that grace That power and truth and love Which did us draw and keep in awe Notletting us remove 205. For herein also Thou Our mighty Captain stood Our Enemy foild his Armies spoild And filledst us with good 206. For though our flesh fell down And Death it overcame And Fire or Grave did it outbrave Yet we receiv'd no shame 207. Yea more than Conquerors In all those things we were Through thy great love which did Thee move Our sin and Death to beare 208. This was our victory The faith we had in Thee That turn'd to meat what did us eat And made us life to see 209. But yet the full conquest Over that Enemie Thou didst not make till thou didst take From Grave our dead Body 210. Though when Death had us seis'd And Bodies dead did ly Our Spirit with Thee thou took'st to be In thy joy and glory 211. Where safety thou us gav'st And freedome from all ill In peace to rest in thy sweet brest Our rising time untill 212. Yet Death and grave had so Our Bodies quite deprav'd As that it seem'd not to be deem'd That thence they could be sav'd 213. Such transmutations they Did so long time sustain They were so jumb'd disperst and crumbl'd How could they rise again 214. But all this made but way For greater glory yet And to compleat thy Conquest great Which thou could'st not but get 215. For by thy powerful voice The Graves and place all Where we lay hid presently did Yield us up at thy call 216. They had no power and might Against thy power and will Us to retain and make remain Under corruption still 217. Thy Angels thou sentst sorth And gatheredst thine Elect That we by thee might honoured be With great love and respect 218. And now we do injoy The Kingdom gloriously With Thee we raign and shall remain To all Eternity 219. Oh what a Warriour stout Art thou Thou meekest Lamb There 's none could stand against thy hand But thou them overcame 220. And Thou hast given to us Thy Victories each one Our Enemies all thou mad'st to fall And would'st not reign alone 221. Thy Conquests now are full The field is fully clear There is no moe left any foe Not one doth now appear 222. For now thou hast them all Destroyed totally They down are gone where help is none In endless flames they fry 223. And we we reap the fruits Of all thy wars so great We have the end we did intend Thy pleasant fruits we eat 224. Now we are fully sav'd From all our miseries Broke is the Net and we are set Above our Enemies 225. All praise is due to thee Thou all things hast well done Thou first and last hast all outcast Now sorrows we have none 226. A toilsome path we trod A tedious journey had A Wilderness of great distress But now thou 'st made us glad 227. In all our Pilgrimage And great temptations thou Didst with us bide hast us supply'd And we be happy now 228. Oh happy now our state Our joys who can express Well sing we may Hallelujah And thee for ever bless FINIS Another to the same Tune 1. A New triumphant Song Fil'd full of mirth and praise To Thee our King now will we sing Extolling thee always 2. And well we may rejoyce O're all that wretched crue Who took delight with great despight Our ruine to pursue 3. Where are they all become That did us sore oppress They all are gone left there is none That may impair our bless 4. Where is that old Serpent That dreadful Dragon fell Hallelujah hee 's not to day For Hee 's thrust down to Hell 5. He and his Angels all That vexed us full sore Lying in wait for us with hate Destroy'd are evermore 6. That dreadful burning Lake Of wrath so large and deep They 'r thrown into to bear their woe Where Sinners wail and weep 7. Where are those dreadful Beasts That were his instruments With horns and heads so full of dreads Breathing out punishments 8. Where is their pompous train Their Names of blasphemy There 's not a Crown unfallen down There 's none of them on high 9. Where now 's the false Prophet Who all the World deceiv'd Who up did cry and magnifie The Beast and him believ'd 10. Who did him worship give And to his Image fall Name Image Mark are all ' th' dark And their Adorers all 11. Both Beas and Prophet false Are gone into the lake To bear their hire in that great fire Whose burnings never slake 12. Where is that painted Whore Which rode in Pomp and State Her gilded Cup which was fil'd up With poysonous liquors late 13. Whom Earthly Kings ador'd As if she sure had been The only fit in State to sit As Soveraign Lady-Queen 14. Who sought and suckt out blood As if it had been sweet Greatest and least she
By which means seeing I the conquest 〈◊〉 O're death and hell and overthrew the plot Of the old Serpent subde and crasty Let those my doings of me testify They show my love my power and wisdom too And they my faithfumess and truth do show Would I have 〈◊〉 in any thing I say Sure it would there have been wherein there lay So many diffiâ—â—â—â—ties in my way Behold me then dear Soul and duty mind What I am and have done and thou â—halt find Encouragement enough against these things Which do occasion those my waveringâ— Why dost thou 〈◊〉 or care for things below Seeing thy wants and dangers all I 〈◊〉 And I can any thing on thee bestâ—â—â— What if men should thee hate and 〈◊〉 And band themselves against thee 〈◊〉 I Secure thee from all harm that may befall To thee or thine from any of them 〈…〉 Are they not in my hands â— their 〈◊〉 hears I can dispose and order all their part And power and time and breath are in my hand And I can that of 〈◊〉 way theâ—â— command And If thou mindst â—â—y love thou mayst be sure That in obeying me 〈◊〉 thee 〈◊〉 From what may harm thee although because I All-wise am I shall thy security And safety in such manner prosecute As may best with thy after we sare suit In which because thoâ— childish art or blind Or foolish and canst not in thy wear mind Discern or comprehend my ways or see The method of my walkings towards thee Nor canst well judge what may be for the best And that the rather because in thy bâ—est Lust bears so great a sway which covereth After those things that â—â—nd unto thy death Shrinking away from that wherein thou mayst Find more felicity if then thou stay'st Thy self upon me and on me sely Plucking quite out and casting by that eye Though thy right eye which seeing things amiss Moves thee to stumble at my ways in this Or that thing which I order and suspect That I do not things for the best effect Thou shalt do wisely And thou may'st me trust With thee and thine 〈◊〉 since I am just And righteous and sindâ— I love thee too And being to order thing to thy best good As may in what in said be understand If thy ways please 〈◊〉 I thine enemies Can and will make thee to befriend their eyes Shall towards thee be good thee for to spare For their affections too in my hunds art If great men hate thee I can safely hide Thee from their malioâ— I can curb their pride Or break their power or take away their breath Or thee from them for by such ways I Death Make mine befriend or else I can divert Their enterpriser as when Saul begirt Poor David I the Philistins did send To find Saul other work and so befriend My persecuted Servant or I can And often imeâ— I doe the wrath oâ— of man Turn to my praise and that that doth remain Beyond what may me praise I can restram See how the Sparrows though of value small Among the Birds of prey do live â—â—one fall No not one of them to the ground 〈◊〉 by My Fathers pleasure though they often 〈◊〉 In midst of dangers If my Father hath Such care of â—parrows where is then thy saith To crost me with thy safety and him who Doth value and esteem of mankind so As all the Birds and Beaâ—ts too never were As what â—suff'red for you makes appear Trust me then with thy safety verily Except I see it good thou shalt not dy Or suffer by the hands of men I will Be shield end Buckler to thee â— and thee still Will hide and 〈◊〉 so that though men fret And do themselves also against thee ser They shall not harm thee But if I do 〈◊〉 That it will for thy good be that I thee Deliver up into their hands to 〈◊〉 Imptison banish take away thâ— right Or kill thy body do thou them not feaâ— For all their malice shall be ended there For more they cannot do then kill the 〈◊〉 And when that 's done I 'le raise it up 〈◊〉 And seeing I so love thee thou may'st know For certain that if me thou dost follow I will not let them â—ill 〈◊〉 except Do see I may advantage thee thereby For such my pow'â— is that even Death and Hell And all their torment I can easly â—â—â—ll Make them serâ—â— my designe those to advance To glory who are my inheritance Feare nothing therefore of what may befall thee But yeild thy self and go where ere I call thee And do my service cheatfully with Thee I I thy Saviour evermore will be I that Almighty am and can desend thee I that do love thee well will succor send thee Thou shalt not be alone I will not leave thee I will go with thee and will not deceive thee I 'le strengthen thee to bear what shall befall thee I 'le thee support and â—â—ear where ere I call thee In all afflictions my love that 's better Then wine thou shalt rast of I that am greater Then all against thee will in my arms bear thee And mitigate the sense of what may dear thee I gave my self for thee and grief sustained A bitter death I bare in love unfeigned For thee and for thy sake fear not to give Thy life and body to me as I live I 'le take the care of them I will thee cherish And no hair of thy head shall from thee perish In life and death I will be faithful to thee And notwithstanding Death â—onor I 'le do thee I 'le make thy sufferings bearable and sweet And with my good spirit thou shalt surely meet If I into deep waters do thee lead I will go with thee and bear up thy head So as they shall not overflow or drown thee No though they should no ev'ry side surround theâ— Into the fire if I do lead thee yet No dammage thou from its fierce flames shalt get For I 'le safe keep thee bear thee in my armes And I 'le secure thy soul from all ill harms Fear none of those things then that unto thee By Sathan or his Servants done may be Though into prison they ten days thee cast And there with chains of Iron make thee fast I will be with thee there and bring thee out Be confident of me my love don't doubt Be faithful unto me and I will give A Crown of life to thee and thou shalt live And as for other things why should'st thou care Seeing my Father for thee did not spare To give me up to Death and gives me too To be thy Head and portion How canst thou Suspect or fear that any thing He will Withold from thee that 's good No. He will fill Thy cup with what 's who some for thee to drink If thou away from my words dost not shrink All things are mine and what I have shall be Thine and I 'le give of them what 's good for
thee The Earth with all it's fulness mine is and Subject they be to my will and command And all that 's mine is the Irs who are in me And I will thereout to their welfare see Why take'st thou care for meat or drink Behold The Birds of Heav'n though more than may be cold They neither plow nor â—oâ—e not reap nor get Laid up in Storehouses provisions yet My Father doth for each of them provide So that in hardest 〈◊〉 they wide And canst thou fear that he with thee neglect Since unto man he hath shewd such respect As far surpasses all the care he hath Of Birds and Beasts Oh thou of â—â—tle saith And why for raiment â—â—â—'st thou thought as fearing God will not give thee clothes fit for thy wearing Behold the Lillies or the Tulips fine How bravely they be colour'd how they shine Though they do neither â—oyâ— nor spin not do Any thing which their clothing tends unto Yet they so gallantly assayed are That Solomon himself they cutted 〈◊〉 In bravery though he for Ornament And Royal garments was most ominent As having Gold and Silver precious stones And whatsoever they that sit on Thrones Do highly prize and porgeously array Themselves with their heigth and worth to display And canst thou be so faithless as to fear That God will not vouchsafe thee clothes to wear If thou dost yield thy self to serve him and Bee'st ready to obey my just command Seeing those fairest flowers be nought but grass Whose form and beauty soon away doth pass And though to day they florish yet to morrow They 'r burnt i' th Oven or wither in their furrow Wereas He Thee and Mankind so doth prize As cannot be declar'd in any wise Take thou no thought therefore for those things but For them and all things thy trust in me put And first Gods Kingdom and his right coufness Seek after and be sure He will thee bless And all things for this life as them for thee He seeth meet administred shall be It s not thy way first to seek other things And afterwards me that confusion brings And many mischiefs to those who so doe And much proâ—â—â—es me and my Father t To just displeasure because foolishly They undervalue things that are so high Yea and what can be more preposterous Then that men do themselves disorder thus Shall not the better things be prized most And greatest care be had they be not lost What shall some poor and forâ—y painted cloth Which is grown old and eaten with the moth Be so esteemed as the chiefest care When the house is on fire shall be to spare It from the burning while in the mean time For want of care upon the house to climbe And quench the fire that 's breaking out in 't all The stately building likely is to fall And be consum'd especially when too In case the liouse be safe the fire can do No hurt unto the paited cloth ovithin Or were it lost one might much sooner spin Or buy a better cloth and with less cost Then to rebuild the house if that be lost Is not my love and 〈◊〉 better â—â—rn Then all the best injoyments on earth are I happy make the soul that doth me find I fill their 〈◊〉 fures satisfie their mind Who me embrace I give them lengch of days Eternal life peart is in all my ways Riches and honours pleasâ—â—â— sweet and true And lasting they shall have whom I renew All things thou canstsdefire are far below Me and what I on my lovers bestow Fulness of joy they shall enjoy who come To be inheritors of my Kingdome Rivers of pleasures shall them satisfy At my Fathers right hand 〈◊〉 Whereas wives honoâ—â—â—s pleasures friends riches And what the world can give men may possess And yet be miserable they may dy Soon and go down to hell for wretchedly Live if they live so as small joy they shall Have much less what 〈◊〉 satisfy from all Those their injoyments foe of times some moth Or worm breeds in those earthly things which doth Eat out the pleasure or fill with such grief As there against no earthly thing relief Can give and at the bestin Dâ—â—th they fail And in the dread full judgment nought avail Beside we cannot take it well to see Our love so slighted He is not of me Worthy who will not all things else forsake For love of me Seeing that I to make Him safe and happy all forsook that I Injoyed with my Father in glory And I alone the man that doth me take Do so inrich that I him happy make Noting with me may be compar'd Beside This very often hath been prov'd when try'd That while men other things use to prefer Before me and my grace and so defer Till those things they have got to seek for me With those things they prefer their hearts so be Besotted and â—â—â—ar'd that afterward They ner'e find in their hearts to have regard Unto my words to seek me seriously But vainly spend their days untill they dy And t is a just reward from God that they Who me so â—â—ght as that they won't obey My counsels but do hearden their own heart Should hardned be so as ne're to convert But fall into destruction though so full Of mercy is my Father as to pull Sometimes such men too out of those their snares And dangers Which their foolish lusts and cares Run them into because no pleasure He Doth take that wicked men destroyed should be But it s a dangerous presumption To slight his grace when offered upon A thought uncertain that they after may And will do better on some after-day How often is it found that God justly Doth give such over to believe a ly And always to presume that afterward To morrow and to morrow they 'l regard And turn to him but never that time find In which they seriously do set their mind To seek him till Death sodainly them take From hence and then in hell their beds they make Min. It is the nature too of lust in men As often times it hath been prov'd that when It gets its head into mens hearts Its tail It draws in after and doth so prevail That when in one thing its fulfil'd it brings Other new lusts forth and as t were by strings Draws on a whole throng one after another Till all desires of good they wholly smother Choking the seed was sown that never it Takes root or perfect fruit doth e're beget He that now wants a wife and must her have Before he can attend on God and crave And seek his Kingdome and his righteousness Thinking could He that one desire gossel He nothing elss should want but be at â—easure To seek the Lord and in his wans taâ—e pleasure But when on such accounts He God neglects And more the getting of a Wife resnects If as sometimes it doth fall out his life Be not first gone before He gets his Wife But he obtains his
Lo's Wife thy pace thou must nor slack For fear thy love grow cold and so decay That thou from after me turn quite away Thou must thy flesh â—ield up to be subdu'd And mortify'd by me because its rude And full of stubbornness and oft hath broke Both of my laws and of my love the yoke Yea so rebelhous against me it is And hath led thee so much to do amiss And with so high a hand 〈◊〉 had I not Been merciful to thee as 〈◊〉 to Lot When he in Sodom lingred â—eath to part Therefrom when call'd thou there through hast thy heart So often hardned thou destroyd hadst been Through it much hurt and forrow thou hast seen I must therefore for thee it came that it May not grow rank sti'd and make thee unfit For fellowship with me who holy am And unto thee to make thee holy came But if at my reproof thou wiâ—t let go Its lusls the less grief I shall put thee to Oh yield it up Dear soul at every turn Be not offended that I parge or burn It oâ—t of thee thy self now offer up A sacrifice to me drink of my cup I give to cleanse thee from thy filth within And from what therâ—e breaks forth upon thy skin Like to a Leprosy and doth defile Thy person and dotli make thee very vile Yield but thy self to me and iâ—le thee cure I 'le make thee like my self both white and pure So shall I in thy beauty much delight And thou shalt always dwell in my blest sight And therefore do not fear I will not harm thee But only cleanse thee from thy filth and arm thee Against what may destroy thee I must prove thee And humble as my spouse because I love thee That so I may thee fashion to my mind Make thee fit for me and that thou mayst find More favour in mine eyes I may be for thee And that thy filâ—h may not make me abhor thee But fear not when I have thee fully try'd Thou shalt with me also be glorify'd Fear not l'th wilderness I will thee feed And by my right hand I will there thee lead And by thy right hand too I will thee holâ— Nothing shall harm thee I thy frame and mold Do fully know and will not on thee lay More than what by my strength endure thou may Only resign thy flesh and self to me And thou shalt my Salvation surely see I now unto my self do freely spouse thee But I shall not as yet so fully house thee As I intend here fter thou must tarry And wait a while before I fully many Thee to my self before unto that place Those royal Mansions which for thee my grace Hath fitted I thee take where I receive And entertain all that in me believe Thou hast been very whorish and thou art Polluted with thy whoredomes at thy heart Thy flesh and body is defil'd with what Thou from thy lovers whoredomes oft hast got And I cannot into my Bride-bed take thee Till I first wash thee white and clean do make thee Thou must the time of purifying stay Before our solemn joyful wedding day In the mean time constant to me and chast Thou must abide and thou mayst not make hast After injoyments of delights so that With other pleasures thou thee satiate And turn thee from me to some other lover Thee to content thou mayst let none be over Thy heart and conscience besides me who am Thy only Lord and Saviour that meek Lamb Who bought thee with my blood and thee did call To me that I might be thy All in All If thus thou dost then I will be for thee And all I am and have it thine shall be Soul Dear Lord thy words in every thing are right My soul approves them finds therein delight Make me them more to know further to see Into the wondrous things that in them be Thy love is wonderful worthy receit And to be fed upon more than our meat It s better far than wine doth me refresh Although it rellish not unto the flesh Who would not such a lover as thou art Imbrace with both his arms with all his heart Who can like blessings give like comforts bring Above all GODS Thou art the mighty KING Oh who can fathom who can comprehend The greatness of thy love there 's no such friend Or lover as thou art none can forgive The soul its sins like thee or make it live Oh who am I that I should welcome be Or be accepted unto life by thee That thou shuld'st call and woo me and imbrace Me in thy arms cause me to see thy face Thy pleasant face and own me as thy own And in thy words thy love to me make known Yea both thy words and love cause me to know To draw my heart from off the things below And fix it on thy self and things above Oh there 's no sweetness to that of thy love Its tasts at present most delightful are All other pleasures it surpasses far But as if all at present was but small Thou holdst forth such a portion too as all For future time yea to eternity For ever to injoy thy Majesty I less am than the least of thy mercies Which thou dost give wilt not thou me despise But passing by all my unworthiness And many mighty sins such love express As passeth knowledge Oh that I again With my whole heart thy love may intertain And love for love return perpetually And never shrink from thee no though I dy Oh Lord thy love ingages me to be Wholly devoted and given up to thee For it s but meet that I be wholly thine And for thy sake give up all that is mine Who for my sake didst not the cross decline It s meet that I a sacrifice should be Wholly devoted and given up to thee A living holy sacrifice whereby Thou may'st be glorifyed and lift on high For great thy love to me is I confess Nor can I by my tongue or pen express The great desâ—râ—s of love and service too Which far beyond all my returns I ow. I do acknowledge too thy words be true In all they say of me that nothing's due To me of praise or approbation for I am so loathsome thou mayst me abhor I am polluted with a whorish heart So as I jealous am least I depart Away from thee it oftentimes indeed Hath play'd the Harlot and brought forth a breed Of hateful Monster full of venome fell Against thy purity The brats of Hell Unchast desires and lusts self-love and pride Ambitious thoughts a loathness to be ty'd Up to thy just commands an evil eye Of envy against such as I could spy Prefer'd before me often at them fretting With covetous desires to be getting More of this worlds injoyments profits pleasure Slothfull mispending of that time and leasure Thou hast afforded me for better things From which much other mischief oft times springs Such things my bowels oft have eat and
vext Me with disquiet and my soul perplext That bruitish lust that dwells in me I fear Least it prevail against me and me bear Away from that subjection to thee due And cause me with much sorrow it to rue I am indeed nolluted and ore-spread As with a leprosie from heel to head Diseas'd within and full of sores without I am more vile than any menstruous clout Have need to be renew'd made white and clean And yet when all is done I am too mean To be so honoured by thee and exalted In every thing I 'm worthy to be faulted Worthy to be disdained and rejected Unworthy utterly to be respected By thy so glorious eye that puter is Then to behold and like iniquities Shouldst thou then treat me like some royal Qâ—een As if for thy consort I bred had been Oh 't is a dignity above me far I fitter am that thou shouldst me debart From coming near thee medling wih thy Name Least I pollute it and expose 't to shame As too much I have done already Oh I dont deserve to be respected so But if thy pleasure be me so to love Well mayst thou take such course as 't doth behove Tha thou may'st fit me for such dignity As thou confer'st and for thy company Which thon vouchsafest of thy wondrous grace To me who am of pedegree but base It is but meet that thou shouldst make we white And cleane that thou in me may'st take delight That thou should'st cure those sores and ulcers great Which make me ugly and for thee unmeet Yea and its wondrous grace that thou wilt take Such pains with me me whole and clean to make Oh what am I that thou should'st stoop so low To do such offices such love to show Thou rather might'st throw me out of thy sight Than so to make me meet for thy delight Who meeter am that thou should'st make me dwell Among that cursed crue that be in hell It s meet also that there a time should be For purifying before unto thee Thou dost receive me with thee to remain In those high Mansions where thou and thine reign It needful is that thou me separate From all those Idols which thy Soul doth hate And that thou should'st purge out my dtoss although A fire thou make and me into it throw I 'm thine and meet it is that thou should'st do What ever is thy pleasure Lord even so Be it as thou dost please thou art so just So kind and careful that I well may trust My soule and body with thee and yield up To take out of thy hands what ever cup Thou seest it meet to temper and to give In cleaving to thee I shall surely live Thou who hast loved me and done such things As everlasting consolation brings And gives good hope through grace wilt doubtless do Nothing unto me which may cause my woe Do with me as thou wilt for I am thine And thee to love I doe my heart incline Through thy good grace do thou incline it more Making it chast to thee thee to adore For I can nothing do that may thee serve Delight or honour as thou dost deserve I 'm thine Lord save me and me sanctify Unite my heart to thee continually Unto thee evermore make me adhaere That I thy holy Name may love and fear May lean upon thine arm thy Spirit mind So as I may his help at all times find Through thee I any thing may do 〈◊〉 But in my self have only cause of 〈◊〉 No fears shall 〈…〉 pleasures me 〈◊〉 If thou dost hold me and 〈…〉 And cure It s meeâ— I 〈◊〉 thee and I Desire I may my self thereto apply My Cross up taking 〈◊〉 Dear 〈…〉 How thrald I am furthe then thou 〈…〉 How I the least good thing 〈◊〉 not perform Nor stand upright against the mild â—â—â—storm Of troule that untâ—â— my lot may fall I need that thou should'st be my ALL in ALL. I 'm poor and blind naked and wreteched and My heart 's dece 〈◊〉 will not to thee stand Unless thou me 〈◊〉 and keepest so In thy strong 〈◊〉 as not to let me go Unless thou purge out my hypocrisy Make me sincere give me a single eye Unless thou be my strength my goodness and Dost hold me to thee by thy mighty hand But seeing thou appointed art dear Lord To look to and thy saving help afford To those that come to thee and on thee trust And thou art loving faithful kind and just And all-sufficient for me I resign My self unto thee I am wholly thine Thou wiser art than I thou knowest best What to my good pertainâ— and thou art blest Dear Lord thy will be done in every thing Take thine own course me unto thee to bring Only do not me in thy wrath chastise But let my soul find favour in thine eyes Yea thou so good art and so gracious too That thou all things wilt for my profit do Oh cause thy face upon my soul to shine And my heart unto thee allways incline Oh kiss me with the kisses of thy mouth Oh bliss me with the blessings of thy truth Inspire my heart with thy good spirit and breath The breath of life into me things beneath Cause me for to despise the things above To seek and to affect and thee to love Let me thy love tast better 't is than wine It s full of comfort courage life divine 'T will chear the hearâ— 't will make the lips of chose Who tast it talkative free to disclose Thy heavenly vertues let me thereof tast Forgiving all my mis-demeanours past My undue loves which unto other things And persons I have born which to me brings Both grief and fear when thereupon I think Least they should make me in thy nostrils stinâ—â— And cause thee to abhor me oh forgive All forepast follies and that I may live Let me injoy thy loves and tast how sweet And ravishing they be oh let me meet With them with them be filled that I may In thee delight my self and on thee stay And fix my soul no other pleasures so Affecting as from thine to them to go Thine ointments wherewith thou anointed art And unto those that love thee dost impart Most odoriferous are oh they do smell Unto the upright hearted wondrous well Let me them find and smell thy precious Name An ointment poured forth is that good fame And great renown thou hast oh 't is most sweet And spread abroad that we with it may meet And therefore thee the Virgins Chast do love Thy Name their hearts desires to thee doth move Oh make me know it and its sweetness find That it may draw me with a single mind Unto thee Draw me Draw me we will run After thee though I somewhat have begun Towards thee to incline my mind doth stick Yet to my Idols so as t is not quick Enough towards thee oh let that sweet sent Of thy good ointments thy Name excellent More strongly draw me oh
And made it harden thon the flinty stones Against thy flatteries then should no dart Of thine have driven me to these sighs and moans Let none be tempted by thy speckled skin Or slily windings more to let thee in XIII Oh had I fixt mine eye and heart upon Those happy objects where no love is lost Had I been ruled by discretion Then had I never with these blasts been tost Who loves unduely's rightly thus rewarded The more he loves the less to be regarded XIV Who loves inordinately puts his heart Into anothers hands it to command Who when they list may play a Tyrants part Who love 's in measure keeps't in his own hand And if 't is flighted he can then withdraw't And place it beeter then on thing of naught XV. And yet it 's better when love 's badly set Upon unlawful objects t' have it crost Then that its satisfaction it should get For then the soul 's in danger to be lost Who can the mischiefs number which insue When unchast love injoys pleasures undue XVI What guilt unto it self the soul contracts What stings of conscience frightful fears of Hell What horrour shame reproach spring from such acts What other mischeifs where 's the tongue can tell Hoe many loose not only name and place But even their lives seeking to shun disgrace XVII How many have been cast down wounded sore How many strong ones hereby have been slain How many rich ones hath this love made poor How many sober ones hath it made vain Yea Cities through unchast love have been sackt And Common-wealths and Kingdoms hereby wrackt XVIII This brought the Deluge on the World of old And Sodom and her Sisters over-turn'd So as the like beside was never told By fire and Brimstone from Heav'n being burn'd This many thousand Graecians did destroy While they beseig'd the here-through ruin'd Troy XIX On this I more inlarge all men to warn How they their loves misplace and let them run Least they do gather thence both scath and scorn And wail too late when it hath them undone Give God thy heart i' th first place there 's great odds 'Twixt putting 't in a creatures hands and Gods XX. Perhaps some friendly soul whose heart was knit Unto his friend or neighbour in loves bands Desiring love again this posie writ And grav'd it on a ring that on the hands Of his friend worn or by him read it might Their hearts in mut'al love firmely unite XXI Perhaps some man who true love 's worth admir'd And found thereof within himself some want Cry'd out thus as a man that love desir'd Invoking love her self to him to grant Making his moan as if he thus should say Love Love Love come and make with me thy stay XXII Perhaps some living in this frozen age And seeing charity to be waxt cold Himself and others thereto to ingage Did grave these words upon a Ring of Gold But be it as it will I hope I well May good instructions to my self thence spell XXIII This threefold mention of this word to me Love's excellency rightly may imply That there is nothing in the World may be So good as hearty love and charity If other things with true love we compare Its excellencies superlative are XXIV Love not that thing which springeth out of dust And on some outward glosse doth fix the eye Which wantons call Love but the Scriptures lust For that is full of sin and vanity Chaining the soul to things that do it harm And oft to their destruction men doth charm XXV But that Divine and Heavenly frame of soul Which fills it full of goodness and inlarges Its motions and doth lead it to controule What ' ere as evil a right judgment charges A pure and heavenly flame inkindled from That holy fire that down from Heaven doth come XXVI Which at the good of the beloved aims And not a man 's own will to satisfie To all good offices the mind it frames And leads it all mischeivousness to fly Faith hope joy patience meekness fortitude And justice good are Love doth all include XXVII Love both believes and hopes and long indures With courage bearing and performing all That the beloveds good or praise procures Strongly resisting all that cross doth fall Love joys to do what 's right hates to do ill Yea love the law it self doth all fulfil XXVIII Love hath its rise from He'ven and Heaven 's its seat Where on a stately throne it s plac't on high Needs must the worth of love be very great When such its birth is and its Majesty Yea God himsld who all things is above Is not call'd power or strength or faith but Love XXIX Love is a vertue therefore pure and clean That from all filthiness and vice is free Producing all that 's good the heart can't mean Ill where love ruleth for love could not be A child of Heav'n or there its seat retain If free it were not from all spot and stain XXX Needs must it also unto God be pleasing Since it in him hath its original And to the heart it dwels in its most easing Of all d'sturbing passions that inthrall To self and others it 's a very spring Of ev'ry wholsome advantagious thing XXXI Yea Love's eternal seeing in the brest Of God from everlasting 't was conceiv'd And it for evermore shall be possest When other vertues have their end reciv'd So long as God is who doth live for ever Love shall abide and end it shall have never XXXII When what we now believe and hope for we Shall fully have and nothing more expect Yet we shall love and ever loved be We never shall God or God us reject Nor one another but eternally Shall live in love and perfect unity XXXIII When all out suff'rings shall be o're and past And patient courage have no further place Yet Love shall flourish and for ever last Therefore then Love there is no choiser grace After all vertues press we but above Them all lets follow after fervent Love XXXIV But yet again this thrice repeated word Love Love Love hath another mystery At least to me me-thinks it may afford This observation not unusefully That of right Love there are right objects three God neighbours and our selves should loved be XXXV The first Love God respects Love God for He Above all other things our Love deserves If any other thing more loved be Our love from its right order greatly swerves God far above all other things excels Because in him all excellency dwels XXXVI If lovely beauty may our love attract And cause our eyes and hearts thereon to gaze Such lovely beauty dwels in him in act As may with admiration us amaze A perfect fitness for to satisfie Our souls with goodness to eternity XXXVII Beauty doth stand in a just symmetry A fit composure and proportion due Of parts and of appearances to th' eye Such as a loveliness presents to th'veiw Such justice wisdom pow'r and goodness
are In God and so agreeing None 's so fair XXXVIII Behold his lively image Chirst our Lord Where God himself unto us doth present He 's white and ruddy his face doth afford What ever may our souls like and content Power wisdom greatness riches glory grace And all that suits our wants dwells in his face XXXIX What ever we can wish desire or crave That may promote our hearts content or ease In God we may behold it and it have Yea so as perfectly our hearts to please When healed so as we can see aright All beauty 's far below his glory bright XL. If love and bounty may challenge as due Affection from us He the first is there God loves so and his favours old and new Are such as none like them there ever were We nothing have that 's good but He it gave us We no ill scape but He therefrom doth save us XLI Oh who God's love and goodness can set forth Who can his benefits justly repeat Their number 's numberless and such their worth As cannot be exprest it is so great Behind before about us look we round Above beneath we see his love abound XLII Where shall we first begin where make an end If with the world's beginning that 's too late Before the World God did us good intend Sure then his love is of an elder date And it 's his desire we should do well for ever His love 's eternal then and endeth never XLIII When God did make this World and Being give Unto each thing therein it was for man That He might be well and contented live Yea h's thoughts to make it before it began Were with an eye to us that we might Be And might his goodness and his glory see XLIV What a well furnisht house did God provide With all accomodations that might make Our lives most comfortable yea beside We of his heav'nly Image did partake God gave us pow'r and rule over the rest Of creatures and with fitness for 't us blest XLV Wisdom he gave to manage such a pow'r And such a manly courage majesty And countenance as well might make them lowre That would but dare t' oppose his Sovereignty Yea male and female for each other meet He made us that our converse might be sweet XLVI Yea further he did also us create Capable with himself converse to have And did his mind to us communicate What could we more of him desire or crave How great his love and goodness to us then When we were innocent and upright men XLVII But yet his love he shewed forth more sully When we by sin were fallen into woe And sins curst fruits did soul and body sully And we deserv'd he should have been our foe When we were helpless and had ever perish't Unless his love had us reliev'd and cherish't XLVIII When the whole World could not relieve our case But more then a whole World it did require To ransom us from ruin that his face We might behold with joy and ' scape his ire Then more then all this World he for us gave Oh how he lov'd us that he might us save XLIX He to redeem us sent his only Son Cloth'd with our flesh and blood made poor and weak Made sin and curse for us as one undone That he the pow'r of sin and curse might break He him deliver'd to death on the cross That by his death he might repair our loss L. Yet neither did his love and goodness here Take up and cease but knowing that we wanted A quickning pow'r us up again to rear And keep from death that quickning pow'r he granted For raising up his Son again from dead He fil'd him with all fulness o' th' God-head LI. Set him upon the throne of Majesty Made him a quickning spirit and so gave Him cloth'd with pow'r and all Authority To bring us back again from sin death grave Yea rescue and defend us from the Devil Fill us with blessings free us from all evil LII His Son his only Son by whom he made This World and all therein he thus did give A gift beyond the World it can't be said How great a gift he was that we might live For he a person is excelling far All things that by him either were of are LIII Through him he daily doth us feed and cloth And bountifully lade with benefits Upholds us in our tryals don't us loath Though bad requitals oft from us he gets Yea Heaven he opens to us and displays His glory to us thither us to raise LIV. Through his dear blood he hath prepar'd a way And grace affords that we his Sons may be Injoy his favour see his face alway Be satisfied with good from ill be free Yea and in glory ov'r other things Reign to eternity with him as Kings LV. The good and glory which he hath prepared For us unworthy sinful wretched men In our return to him can't be declared Oh what a lover of us is He then Yea all his rods and chastisements do tend To bring us to those joys that have no end LVI And to impow'r and move us to repent And close with him his Spirit doth us give With that grace and those means which us prevent That we though dead may hear and hearing live So that but yielding our obedience to him He 'll work our works nought shall pluck us fro him LVII He calls us to him bids us ask and crave What ever good we want us to supply Cleaving to him we shall it surely have For nought that 's good for us will he deny Yea much he freely gives unaskt that so To hope in him and ask he might us wooe LVIII And more then we can ask or think he 'll give Yea more then now our narrow hearts can hold If we believe on him and to him live The glory he will give cannot be told What love 's like his or where is such a lover Amongst all persons that we can discover LIX There 's none in Earth beneath nor Heaven above That loves like him his love if we do heed 'T will us convince that him again to love It 's meet yea love to him in us 't will breed The first love to him then rightly belongs Let him be first in all our praising songs LX. Yea he 's so worthy love that well we may Treble the exhortation with respect To him and to our selves and others say Love Love Love God who ever we neglect He 's worthy and we 're backward him to love Need therefore fervently thereto to move LXI Yea love 's his due in the highest degree Because his goodness is superlative With all things that we have with all we be He 's worthy love so long as we 're alive Love God therefore with all thy mind heart soul Love Love Love and let nought that love controule LXII Love God with all thy mind to him attend Consider what of him we hear and find Yea set our selves
friends his Mother Sister Brother They of him in a special sort are known They 'r honour'd of him far above all other How can he brook it from us if we them Who are so near and dear to him contemn LXXXVIII Them as his Pearls and Jewels he reputes His lot his portion his inheritance His garden of delights which pleasant fruits Bring forth to him and he will them advance Yea he is their lot and portion too Nothing he thinks too great for them to do LXXXIX Love them therefore as thine own choisest friends Consort with them and walk in their good ways Do for them all that to their welfare tends When they are cast down seek them up to raise Spare not for them thy wealth strength life to spend For that 's the way to make the Lord thy friend XC For such an unity with him they have That he doth take what e'r to them thou do'st As done unto himself It 's he doth crave Thy charity when they be almost lost Through want of some relief or in some danger If thou neglect them thou mak'st him a stranger XCI Grace teaches thee to love God's friends yea all In whom man's nature savable is found Nature doth teach thee to those thou do'st call Thy friends and kindred in love to abound If Gods and thine they 'r both a double tye To love them dearly upon thee doth lye XCII Grace natural affections don't destroy But rectifies making them clean and right To love thy friends and kinsfolks and to joy In their prosperity it doth excite And it allows and leads thee soberly With them to sorrow in their misery XCIII Yea usually more then in other folks Because more nearly knit and joyn'd to thee Grace love from every several tye provokes Where it doth find more grounds it makes more free Who loves not all is short in grace his friends Who loves not grace and nature both offends XCIV Yea grace will lead to love both strangers to us As God us while to him we strangers were And enemies who labour to undo us Seeking all comforts from us quite to tear For God us loved while his enemies And while we did him and his laws despise XCV While we against his truth and holiness Did act continually and him so hated That in our hearts we liked nothing less Yea could have wished him annihilated 'T was then his kindness to us that did slay Our enmity and it remove away XCVI That any are our enemies 't is not Essential to them because men they be But it 's because errour of them hath got The mastery or ill in us they see Endeavour them to cure our selves to mend And then their enmity will have an end XCVII And if our love will cure them of their ailments And turn their hearts to us we gainers are Our friends they 'll be because we so their failments By love have cur'd and had of them such care Who hates his enemy but makes him worse And makes himself too partner in the curse XCVIII Who loves his enemies doth imitate The God of love who us his foes to save Lay'd down for us his life and nought doth hate But that corruption which doth us inslave Where love doth conquer men best get their ends Their foes they overcome and make their friends XCIX Oh noble love who while thou mak'st men yield Unto their foes in all may do them good Not overcome of ill do'st win the field And oftimes draw'st thine enemies heart blood Not to be shed in anger to their guilt But boil in love and for their good be spilt C. Thus Christ did conquer Saul while he did spare His life and soul from ruine and imploy Him in the ministry a conquest rare On him he got wherein they both had joy And he who 's life did forfit as Christ's foe In love to him did freely it forgo CI. Thus thou thy will upon thy foes may'st have If thou do'st conquer them by charity However thou that way thy soul shalt save And if not their's they shall more sorely dye Them and thy self by hatred thou mayst kill And near-the-less mayst fail to have thy will CII Love 's the best weapon wherewith we can fight Against what ever persons us oppose While it in their welfare seeks its delight We may them conquering win and nought shall lose But what shall be repaid and hundred fold With that which far exceeds the choicest gold CIII Oh that of that blest Lamb who lost his life And powred forth his dearest precious blood That by his love he might o'rcome our strife And his fierce persecutors bring to good We willing were to learn this lesson well To strive in love each other to excell CIV That others evils may not quel our good But we with goodness may o'rcome their ill That though of mischiefs they cast out a flood Upon us we may seek their welfare still Who lives in love and love intirely keeps Shall laugh when he who lives in hatred weeps CV But yet a third time love may lead us yet After another object to inquire Love we our selves Can we our selves forget Or can we fail our own good to desire We are not bid to love our selves because It is suppos'd we 'll do that without laws CVI. That we should love our selves God doth imply When love unto our neighbours bid doth he Making love to our selves the rule whereby Love to our neighbour measured should be To love our Neighbours as our selves what 's that But if we hate our selves them too to hate CVII And yet so brutish we our selves have made That other things we love our selves neglect Yea all our times and strength are oft out laid On what our own destruction may effect The love wherewith we love our selves is hate Indeed though love we it do nominate CVIII For there 's a love to self that oft destroys The soul which God therefore forbiddeth to us Branding self love as sinful ' cause 't annoys And in the consequent doth but undo us When so our selves and what 's ours we affect That God and Neighbours we to love neglect CIX Of such a love to self the World is full And every where it's fruits are to be found It 's that which from all goodness men doth pull And makes them in all wickedness abound Men so themselves and their own lusts do mind It 's rare an honest godly man to find CX Some men their wisdom goodness strength and parts So much do overween and magnifie That unto God and Christ their minds and hearts For grace and mercy they do not apply Yea and what wholsom counsels unto them Others do give they proudly do contemn CXI Some men their will and purpose cleave to so That what God doth require they don't regard Yea every one they do account their foe Who their will cross or their designs retard Yea many one that he may have his will Cares not God to blaspheme and men
worshippers from death Either of body or of soul though they Did do their service to them every day Dead fouls with dead things suit the living God Who quickens what is dead and with his rod Corrects the Nations living things likes best Even living groans of an inspired brest The World such living service can't perform It hates the pow'r and only likes a Form Of Godliness which they may leave or take Use or lay by as for their turn 't doth make Mistake me not herein as if I thought Or else intended to judge all pray'rs naught That are taught by a Book or as if none Might pray acceptably who pray thereon It is the Worlds bad guise I here reprove Who serve God with pretences their sins love Which many too may do that pray without A Book and so too many do no doubt Delight themselves in their own gifts and parts While yet their lusts they love with all their hearts Witness the pride or avarice of some Who yet as Saints into God's presence come I know a Book that service may hold forth Which God requires and shews to be of worth And so each sacred Bible doth declare What worship God requires of praise and pray'r Or other ways of service but no ground Of any such distinction so is found As if some Bibles did not shew the way How we should serve God and unto him pray I do suppose it was some other thing That you did signifie in your saying Likely those Form's of Pray'r you meant thereby That are injoyned by Authority If so pray know that I the words of them Do not except against much less condemn The Prayers are pithy Orthodox and good More gen'rally if rightly understood And such as whereto I Amen can say Heartily when with them I hear men pray And so may others too I think although Some few things there among scruple I do Unto the pure all things are pure and good But that must warily be understood For what I am not satisfied in I cannot say I am without my sin Nor would I thereby stain my Conscience Or unto others give cause of offence But why you Sir those Prayers the Service call I can't well tell nor much inquire it shall I call them not my Service they that do May lay them on the Altar I think so They might be off'red up although they there Should lye untouch't or unread all the year As a sum of the Churches pray'rs and praise And so less grief to some men they would raise And they the same are and as pithy too Though never read as when men read them do Though I the reading of them too allow To such as please if any would them know Or in those words would their desires express I can mine sometimes too with readiness Though I profess I ne'r could find it yet In any passage of the holy writ That God requires or holy men did use To read their pray'rs to God but pray excuse That passage in me I leave others free Let others leave me so and we agree Sententious Verses of an unknown Author COnfession is to cure our sin A very present Medicine Thy Saviour on his Cross did choose To save thy life his own to loose Our Saviour cry'd Repent Repent As John who fore our Saviour went Blessed be the Name of Jesus Who tormented was to ease us The grace of Jesus is to me The only true felicity Christ's Cross my Crown I do esteem What ever earthy men do deem My hope in Christ is fixed sure Who wounded was my wounds to cure My hope shall never be confounded Because my hope on Christ is grounded My soul cleave fast to Christ above For nought on earth deserves thy love Fear not my soul be not dismaid For Jesus Christ thy debts hath paid The Death of Christ is life to thee If thou a Christian truly be Faith is not faith unless it be A faith that works by charity Christ is by marriage knit to thee If thou to him by Sanctity Admire my soul the mystery Of Jesus Christ's nativity Christ was conceiv'd i' th' Virgins womb That thou might'st a Son of God become Christ unto thee if thou be his Both light and food and Medicine is If thou polluted art with sin The fountain's open enter in He that doth eat and drink by â—aith Christ's flesh and blood salvation hath Be wise do not too far inquire For what thou rather shouldst admire Christ is ascended up on high And we must up as Eagles flie God sealeth by his holy Spirit As many as shall life inherit Great is the Churches dignity That chosen is Christ's spouse to be In Christ we are of God elect What 's out of Christ God doth reject Our prayers do pierce the starry sky And fetch down blessings from on high The Angels of the Lord protect All those that are the Lord 's elect The Devils treacheries who knows A thousand ways he seeks our woes He 's only wise who God doth know And doth by life his knowledge show To live it is not but to dye To live in sin securely Christ's life must be a Rule to thee If Christ's Disciple thou wilt be Thou from thy self must first depart Before thou can'st in Christ have part Thy soul can nothing satiate But God who did the same create Labour to have thy conscience pure When all things fail that will endure What is a bubble such is man Whose life in length is but a span The man that Covets is but poor Although he riches have great store The sign by which the Saints we know It is by love their faith to show The soul that chaste is is Christ's Spouse His bed of rest his lodging house The life of man's a rolling stone Mov'd to and fro and quickly gone Love not the World the World is vain But love the things that will remain The Palme-tree grows the more prest down And crosses prove the Churches crown Take up thy cross and it endure Then of a crown thou shalt be sure Let not tentations cast thee down For perseverance will thee crown Think every day to be thy last And when that 's come thy life is past Grieve not when Christian friends do dye They gain by Death eternity Remember that Christ Jesus shall Thoughts words and deeds to judgment call All earthly things tread under thee And let thy thoughts in Heaven be The Saints are Pilgrims here below And towards Heaven their country go If thou beest here a child of grace ' Mongst Angels thou shalt have a place If into Hell thou would'st not fall Think dayly on 't and mind God's call The pains of Hell do far extend Beyond all time World without end Doth Adam dye Christ in thee live Christ shall eternal life thee give Upon the carelesness and covetousness of some that regard not to Read much-less are willing to buy good and useful Books and the wickedness of others that traduce them