e're Blesse 2 KINGS 4. ONce was I dead Authority then brought Applyed thy Word but nought till Thou cam'st wrought And now I languish i' this fainting fit The meanes begun my life best strengthens it Come lay then eyes to eyes mouth hands that I May see sing doe more wonders till I die To see to sing to doe thy Will above As here to have it seen sung done I love VVHen I lov'd death and ran away from life My wanton Circuits for some fresher sin Mercy pursued o'retooke and with its strife Inclin'd my will to know God Good againe Good God! and now I feare to step awry Thy hand 's as neare as thy ne'r slumbering eye I stumble but not fall fall off not fall That shoots me the more forward upward this Obliquely I ascend why why at all Dear'st God O love O feare the Lord that is So wondrous good O feare th'least temporall misse Of such a friend secures Eternall blisse Ne're leave me such company such for ever Infinite simplicity of joyes I sever My self a moment for a momentary Shadow of blisse These thoughts first must I vary Eternity is little enough t' imploy In him and shall I bate a moments joy Avant false loves I 'le lose you All for Ever E're I will misse a minute of this pleasure To lie infolded in my Saviours armes To feast upon his kisses while he warmes He melts my soule into his melting armes Presumptuous Rivals still your Syren charmes My soul is at her heighths and cannot stoop To lend an eare to your inchanting Cup. No no I 've Nectar I have Flagons here One drop's enough ten thousand Worlds to reare As far above themselves as now they are Below Him who is only worth compare Feed Sensualist on dreames of aiery Thrones Of golden Mountaines and of pleasure Own 's No parallel but give me leave to tell The ' hadst been in Heaven thou d'st say thou art in Hell VVho ere was thus imbedded in Thy breast Deare Lord and could finde other where his rest His Rest that moves in such an endlesse sweet VVhere all the Spirits of the Godhead meet VVith my diffused soul entwines it self In fresh rencounters with'ts imbettering Self I 'M in a straite prest hard on either hand I both wayes hast and yet am at a stand I here is Christ but there is more of Christ Here in my mouth and heart but there is nigh'st VVhat i st but love can keep me from the sight The perfect sight of my select delight But love's obedient if thou 't bid me goe And travell on this Pilgrimage below Doe suffer seaven and seaven yeares so to show How grounded's my affection that 't is no Fond fancy that the giddy world deceives I goe I run I flie yet give me leave To beare thy Picture next my heart to looke Upon th'adored Beauties of thy Book That they may be the covering of mine eyes So to preoccupy them from these lies O glories Can I hold Can I refraine But still thou sai'st and therefore I Remain Love 's not its own lives in'ts Belov'd thinkes good Not what the Subject but the Object wu'd COntent to live but covetous to die Glad here to doe more good but more to flie Above these sad temptations to doe ill Yet covetous again of life to fill Heaven with more saved soules and yet againe Death not t'occasion more Hell filling sin Thus while I waver in this blessed doubt This blest propensity thus helps me out Lord while thou wu't I 'd live and when thou wu't I 'd die my humble soul learn'd at the foot Of my deare Jesu no true rule 's t' be had To judge of right and wrong of good and bad But by thy Will and Nill Thus living die I still And dying live thus m'will he gives In both because I die and live Beset with Heaven on every hand Prepar'd for Heaven thy Command HIgh and happy is that pitch of Christianity that can so well reconcile the greatest of enemies Life and Death as that they both friendly take up their lodgings in the same Breast and see themselves entertained with the same respect at the same time without the least grudging or repining at each other The heart not vexed with any partiall peremptory desires of either But they quietly residing in it and officiously waiting on it with a dexterous serviceablenesse to discharge either of their duties according to the good pleasure of God signified to the God-well-pleased soule Then is a Christian like Himselfe when he hath that power over himselfe as to walke with his life in his hand as ready at the least sound of the word given either to lay it down or put it up againe in his heart When he weares it loose about him like an outer garment ready to slip on and off as occasion serves This is the onely man that is fit to Live who is fit to Die and fit to Die who is fit to Live He that knowes how to Live hereafter is well prepared how to Live here and hee is not prepared to depart hence that knowes not how to Live hereafter He that knowes no difference betwixt earth and heaven but more and lesse of God as he can not but be continually making more after heaven because after more of God so can he not but be as willing to stay on the earth while it is more agreeable to the will of God which is Himself the Heaven of a Christian Blessed blessed soule thus sented in his God! To whom the sound of the feete of death are delightfull and the drawing out of his dayes is pleasant When the withering'st age detaines not too long in life nor the flourishing'st youth hastens too soone to death As he that crowned with all the pomps and pleasures that the fragrant'st the fertilest Garden of the world can afford see 's nothing in the whole but meere vanity meere nothingnesse lesse than nothing And on the other hand cast forth into the driest and barrend'st Wildernesse the vast and howling Desart still digges up Fountaines of everliving and never exhausted waters and makes his Bacha his Baracha his vale of teares a mountaine of praises as * Psal 84. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drinking Him for his Spring who is the Lord of Life and Glory SEest how this string untoucht doth quickly stir At th'sound of that they not who 're not so far Where are the soundings of thy Bowels Lord Our Bowels sound and shall not thine accord They touch Thee not but thine eyes-apple they touch And wu't not stir when their presumption 's such And though we cannot move our neighbours heart Yet in our griefe wu't not thou beare thy part Thou art our Father Oh let there never be Even in Inanimates more Simpathy Forget her Childe a mother may yet not Thou thine for if they are thy selfe 's forgot Draw out our Soules and make us follow thee For where thou art there only there are
felicitie What 's Heaven if not a seeing face to face Sung heart to heart were here that full seene grace Sung to a perfect harmony of wills We might on Earth of Heaven take our fills Bless't God hath given us such an Heavenly Brother To tune us all to Thee and each to other O what a consort 's here but ah where finde I two or three strick Unisons in minde Yet were they thirds fifts eights yet unitie Runs sweetely through with a sweet Symphonie There 's one blest One i' th' mid'st who where he is In turning all to One turnes all to blisse One reconcil'd One Smpathy agree How full's my soule with heavenly melodie What 's sinne shame griefe what whatsoever's bad But discord from the good the God we had What else th' all-sinning sinne this Tree I will A sign of Soveraigntie I will not Hell Hell but what th' all-saving grace come doe Come suffer m'will thy will I come I doe Heaven Heaven How harsh'n answ'r t' a sweet injuction How sweet an answer to so harsh a function Thus fin-and-sorrow follow self-will'd pride And grace-and-peace the self that is denide To will thy will 's the sole humilitie Wherein thou dwel'st and that 's in Heaven to be How sweet a Heaven 's the heart still say it wu'd It is my God do he what seemes him good Here 's a belov'd sweet singing Israel Whose heart 's full set to God's consent's as well In all notes as in one and if he strike A jarre jarres with himselfe till strikes alike And that 's a jarre that playes a pleasant moane I'th'eares of Heaven and therefore in his owne VVhat to give Grace and Glory but to give According to thy sacred will to live VVhat i st to be in Hell To be at ods Men with themselves friends neighbours devils God's Cursing the cause of this their sad discent From th' just inflicter of their punishment Gnashing their teeth for envy at the thought Of that Salvation Reconcilement brought Thou only blest in being only One Make us to be One spirit with thine owne And so with one another ere may I be VVith them thee feare they feare to disagree VVhat was our blessers dying blessing His prayer VVe might be One as He and 's Father are O were I were I able to unfold The riches that one sillable doth hold There 's only One thing that is necessary Met we all there how cu'd we thus contrary One body one spirit one hope one faith one Lord Baptim God Father so many Ones afford Their help to keep all One and yet how few VVhose boysterous spirits will not bussle throw Soft peaces bounds so lewse loose unity For none but humble-candid-wise agree But proud-contentious-fooles will ne'r agree Nor vvith themselves nor others nor with Thee Their friendship 's but dissembled enmity Unto th'r owne soules Thee all since not agree In Christ they 're not at peace wi'th ' very stones O' th' field the whole Creation groanes Under this universall enmity It feeles by man his parting friends with Thee Now this Commune Vinculum is broke All flies in pieces and we doe but cloke Our differences if not seem to be Each for himselfe and then what friends we be How now afraid of injury from each other Shrink up our selves into our selves and smother At least our mutuall hatred and not discover The depths of malice that our hearts doe cover Stor'd up against th'all-good all-powrefull God while self-wills and fond desires wu'd pull The Crowne from off his head so ' gainst our selves Who love they hate who hate they love themselves But whether are we brought by this sad breach Or what was 't brought it but our selfish reach Or what can binde it up but only Hee In whom alone we reconciled bee That bundle o'life b'whom His are gathered in To One to never part their hearts again Deare Saviour Cu'd we pattern lowly Thee How willing to our Farhers will wee 'd be Blest Love that spy'st so rare a policy Th'Athistick Florentine cu'd ne'r descry Stand soule this ground while Heaven can provide Himselfe of joy thy joy must needs abide Let him have all have all though I get none My joy 's my Gods content and not my owne Thou canst not Lord displease me ' nlesse thou wu't Displease thy selfe for I will what thou wu't Take take thee all deare Lord though I get none My joy 's my Gods content and so my owne So will the wilfull'st but passive instruments they But of thy grace we actively obey My care 's to please my husband so my self He that so loves so foolish fond an else Wu'd undoe all againe to put in selfe Though taught so well in him t' injoy it selfe Th' issue I nor know nor care t 's my blisse His pleasure 's mine and my displeasure's his He beares our burthen we injoy his yoake He weares our Thornes that hath our Thrones bespoke O cu'd we ever keep us at this pitch What an untroubled life wee 'd leade how rich In all contents nor wu'd there need descents To lower arguments that can't dispence Us sollid true substantiall comfort till We 're rais'd to sing it is our God his will The great'st content is none whose grounds not this Th' great'st discontent's swallow'd up in this vast blisse That beares the soule in an unstopped streame Of mightie force to 'th pleasure o' th' Suprearme The strength of all obedience is this It is his will and not it is my blisse The man that 's not alive can he be strong 'T is Love's the life of God beares all along With speed with ease the Councell ta'ne word given No parley 's with the flesh On on 's straite driven With conquering flames and if his blood shall rise Hee 'le lose his blood e're hee 'le his God despise What chalenge wo'nt he take what frowns what blows What death 's on deaths who such a Guerdon knowes Awaites his certaine victory such a Beautie As cheares him to and cleares him through his dutie VVhos 's thence infused vigour feares nothing more Then want of dangert ' make the world adore Those Heart'ning Splendors that in every Ray Th' all conquering strength o' th' Deity convey VVith what Luxuriances the turgent soule 'S borne up beyond the world and hells controule O how it longs it longs to be imploi'd I' th greatest worke the greater love 's injoy'd How't runnes at halfe a word how 't markes the lippes And heares before they speake away it trip VVith speedy dilligence and cannot stay Though th' thrungin'st pressing'st diff'culties beats it way Snaps off the strongest cords like rotten threads Dissects the massiest barres in shivering shreds And drives before it all the joyned force O' th' mighti'st obstacles oppugne its course And if it feele the least repulse returnes VVith thrice-redoubl'd couragious onsets burnes VVith spirit-incensing indignation to Be stop't in ought that for his Christ hee 'd doe The man 's in love
Thy Wise-knowing depth's unsounded be Since I cannot take Thee take take Thou mee Into Thy mercies Ocean be I receiven I know 't will beare me to my Haven Heaven That shall declare Thy righteousnesse that shall Thy Judgements manifest God's Judge of All Great Wonderfull Thy Workes Just true Thy Waies Shall be the ditty of Thy worthy Praise MY Head 's lost in my Heart sure I 'm in love Forget all yea m'own thoughts while thus above And now what 's this steales slily in my head My spirits thus in my heart concentered Don't I believe My heart my life wo'nt say it And for my thoughts what need I so much weigh it Thoughts oft confound themselves I love I live The God the Life that none but Christ can give Am crucified dead buried risen ascended Begin the Life that never shall he ended MY Head doth ake and yet my Head Doth feel no pain My Head is well and yet my Head Doth still complain Well I 'le goe lay it on my Husbands knee Where stroake it with His gentle hand shall Hee His Palm's a medecine Soveraign If He but touch The Feaver leaves if He refrain Yet I 'le not grutch Ther 's somewhat in 't He 's Wise Good ake's't still well 'Ts Thy mercy Lord 't shall never ake in Hell Ne'r ake in Hell then ever in Heaven Triumph o're griefe And sha'nt this all thy Sowers unleav'n With sweet reliefe But weigh them well they 'le overpoise them quite What 's Earth to Heaven Finite to Infinite And now my Faith what do'st where art What Yeeld to Sence Or hast forgot thy Heavenly Art How to dispence Joyes suiting every sorrow I wonder too Wer't in the Martyrs flames how Then thou 'dst doe Lord give me strength and Thou shalt take the praise Lord take my strength and That shall give Me praise NOw mouldring Earth why hang'st the head Hast not a Soul why why so dead Or shal't be more enslaved by Thy pains whose pleasures conquered lie No no 't is more ingenuous bred With courage as well as wisdome sped My spirit not mine 's egregious I 'M among the Exc'llent who so high That I not Aemulate And can I'ndure to see a Publican Thus match me He can blesse i' th' warme Sun but I 'd blesse i' th' sharpest storme I 'd pray I 'd praise my paines away And lull my griefe asleep a way Of sweet successe I 'd drown my swine This touchy grunting grumbling repine In my own waving passions Swage By reg'lar passions passions rage By this my heavenly indignation Appease this earth-fum'd perturbation Attempts to Shipwrack peace in vain That still 's afloat o' th' calmed Plaine Thy breath the windes did blow away Thy Word the boistrous billows stay Thou said'st I shu'd do greater things For Faith in 'ts power all things brings thou 'dst be commanded by 't I shu'd B' as sure of what so e're is good As if thou wert at their Commands Who humbly-bold wait watch thy hands But I wu'd doe what thou hast done I 'd make dim eyes play with the Sun Dead spirits from their graves wu'd bring And make deaf eares to heare them sing This dumb-grown tongue thy wonders tel I wu'd doe all things wondrous well I 'd th'lowest dullest flatnesse raise To th' highest tones of clearest praise I 'd fighting humours reconcile But if they 'le fight I 'd feast the while I 'd tune distempers to thy praise Turn cloudy nights to Sun-shine dayes Teach fainting hands to ring applaud And parched bones to spring with laud Smooth wrinkling gripings with a smile But if they wo'nt I 'd sing the while How ere it be yet Thou art good And better ditty I ne're wu'd Hold up declining Armes hold up Poure praises from an empty Cup For Grace is no more void then Nature Where th' creature wants ther 's the Creator Where that goes out there He comes in As well as where there goes out sin When then there 's place that 's empty o' thee Then not till then I 'le empty be Thy presence then when Thou sha't cease Then not till then I 'le cease to blesse Then never sha't Thou be unblest By him wh'hath thee a constant Guest Though in the dark a while we be Yet cause I see the Dark I see The world or want All 's one to me The while in either I ha'thee M'thinkes I can't but often pray That thou wu'dst take this world away For while 't is seen it bars my sight And I finde faith the sweet'st delight But all thy counsels have their beauty And all my comfort 's in my duty For thou hast taught my faith the way Through all to passe t' m'eternall stay Thee Thee O wu'dst thou take me now Thy childe that to thine armes doth bow Its straining soule loth to be held By th' world in'ts pleasing'st usage yeelds But paines O Thou that all things made And can'st revive them when they fade Thou that the Chaos fram'dst so faire And from foure discords match't so rare A set of healthy harmony Can'st when thou please make all agree And what 's my Musick but thy pleasure And but thy selfe what is my treasure Then let it goe and goe my health So will 's my musick so my wealth Be packing packing get thee gone No more dear friend He 's all or none Be packing packing get thee gone No more deare health Hee 's all or none Be packing packing get thee gone No more deare self He 's all or none Be packing packing get thee gone No more deare Nothing He 's all or none 'T is very well then I am ill If this be ill be I so still Till thou sha't see it fit to tell M'its very well that I am well 'T is very well friend I thee misse The misse o' th' world 's a world of Blisse Leave out thou sai'st this paltry Crotchet 'T will sound but ill and shall I botch it Into the Song sound it as 't will And so say I ha'th'better skill How too it grates my curious eares My tender Bowels wracks and teares M'observant head sets m'teeth on edge Against my self essay'd t' abridge My joy my stretching it besides Thy Will where all my joy resides And when all 's done so must I play The sweet the while lost by delay Strike off the sin strike as thou please Blot out th' offence I seek not ease And yet my ease because it is Thy pleasure t'keep me still in Blisse My ease my pleasure therefore is Or strike or not I 'm still in Blisse Nay this my ease my pleasure is Strike or forbeare the hand is His. Thankes thankes Think'st th'Angels now are still The just mens perfect spirits sill Not Heaven with their chanting voice Thou' rt o' the Choire my soul rejoyce Thou maist thou must praise with the gods The God makes musique with his rods He 's one Entire Pure Perfect Happinesse No shaddo ' o' change in him thou art e're Blest
And must needs because whatsoever is not of faith is sinne Neither indeed can I wonder how feare hath lead me to faith but shud certainly take my selfe to be seduced if it did not All graces how distant soever seeming being of the same company going the same way so that he that is with one must needs be with all And questionlesse all are wrought in the soule together and grow together how ever in the minoritie of our Christianitie God may teach us methodo analytica may as it were parcell them forth into severall lessons till our capacities are more widened and strengthned for the fuller and compleater apprehension of them according as wee grow in our manhood in Christ Jesus And hence is it that so often in Scripture a Christian is caracterised by one onely But especially by faith and feare that in the old this in the new Testament one in Christ more darkly shadowed out the other in Him more evidently revealed but both in Him according to the manifold wisedome of God in Him by whom Hee hath reconciled all things the severall kinds of actings of the soule as well as severall soules to one another and all to himselfe So that what they said of their vertues that there was cognatio quaedam arcta necessitas betweene them I am sure holdeth most true of graces betwixt whom there is cognatio certa necessitas perquam arctissima All of the noblest and familiarest consanguinitie being all of the blood of Christ Or conceive them as so many linkes of a Bracelet the love token of the soule from its Christ lincked together in an invielable concatination you cannot breake off one but the whole figure and forme of the worke as it is said of the Commandements whereby these are framed as it were and cast is broken And indeed there is nothing of Christ in the soule but it is Christ Christ formed in you You have not so learned Christ We preach Christ c. the whole sum of the Gospell-Law and Law-giving Gospell and consequently the whole worke of grace being onely Christ So that we cannot so much as thinke the least good thought of our selves What we doe what we have what we are of good we doe we have we are not but it is God the spirit of Christ that dwells in us and so indeed ours so we as Christians as outed of our selves as inned in God pertakers of the divine Nature c. whose being in us habitually whose acting in us imminently or transiently is all our grace Now the spirit of God is indivisible and therefore are all our graces homogeneous harmonious have a gracefull symetrie analogie proportion to one another make but one systeme joynt frame and body of Christianitie how different so ever how discrepant soever the parts the members seeme they are gracefull to usefull to each other Are like so many faculties of the same soule in innocency before by our fall they were like a watch dashed against troubling and stopping the course of one another Which mended againe by their maker though like severall wheeles they seeme to move not onely diversly but contrarily yet are they all moved by one spring and further the due motion of each other and all tend to the same end the promoveing of the same gnomen in promoting of the glory of their God and setting forth the praise of that never-sufficiently admired workemanship And though there may be some hamerings and knocking 's in setting the minde in frame some paines in the new birth some harshnesse in the tuning of the soule yet they do all tend to the compleating of that inconceiveable harmony Though God often times specially in the more powerfull times of the Gospell brings forth Christ formed as it were without any paine tunes the heart as it were with one touch and sets up the whole and joynt frame of the temple without scarse any the least sound of the hammer And as a wheele not onely by but in its going downe is Ipso facto going up so those graces that seeme onely to cast downe the soule doe not onely afterward but in the very doing of it raise it up as humilitie feare griefe c. which so farre as divine and as I may say Gospell-proofe are still raysing up the soule in the greater assurance magnanimitie joy and these as it were still casting it downe and that againe raysing it up c. As there is nothing that more humbles the soule then heavenly mindednesse so is there nothing that more sublimes it then humilitie as there is nothing that strikes the soule with a deeper awe then the assurance of the eternall love so in the feare of Jehovah is the strongest confidence as it is an unsound and vaine joy that hath no acquaintance with sorrow so is it a sinfull and death-working sorrow that reares not up the soule to more livelmesse and joy c. And thus we progresse on our speedy round While grace helpes grace to rid away the ground Not grace and grace but one promoveing wheele Whose apprehension-parted particles feele Their one selfe equally-proficients while We are one Christ converts us from this soyle In never-resting firie circles till In perfect motion on our holy hill Thus while the world runs roundly downe to Hell We roundly up to th' Heavenly Domicill Christ I see I fall I fall in love for love I die this death 's my life this life 's my worke this worke 's my life this life 's my light this lively light 's my death this death 's my fall my rise to come to flie unto my light love life my Christ Happy happy soule in truth whom the sight of God the beautie of truth of holinesse shining through the face of Christ as a mutuall perspective of reciprocall delight keepes in an humble-meeke-peaceable-lovefull-fearing-joying-strongly-confident every-way gratious posture And hither I suppose lookes that of James the meekenesse of wisedome not onely cause they as all graces convene in one bundle of life in one poesie of heavenly fragrancies nor of the proficiencie of wisedome by meekenesse in that the humble he will teach nor from the nature of it in that the wisedome from above is first pure and thence peaceable gentle easie to be intreated c. as in pure cleane sweet-juiced bodies free from the repugnancie of sower cholericke hetrogeneous humors but because the first rise of this so especially blessed grace is from wisedome from the knowledge of God and our selves And hither that unite my heart to feare thy name as touched before And that fearefull in praises the same discovery that presents me God praise worthy for his great goodnesse presenting me him feare-worthy for his good greatnesse Hither that now I have seene thee with the seeing of the eye I abharre my selfe in dust and ashes the soule might heare else long enough though indeed too faith comes by hearing yet so as it is made an effectuall meanes to open the eyes And
SOLILOQVIES THEOLOGICALL I am alone and yet I am not stone for the Father is with mee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thy people shall be Munificencies free Princely Heroicalnesses thy Voluntiers in the day of thy Power thy Army in the beauties of Holinesse Psal 110. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In that day it shall be said I am for the Lord. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They stedfastly beheld him and were abundantly enlightned Psal 34.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sophocles Surely men of high degree are vanity men of low degree a lie to be held in the ballance they are altogether lighter than vanity Psa 62.8 Heu quantillum videmus Nil scimus nil sumus We know we are nothing And unto man he saith Behold the feare of the Lord that is wisdome and to depart from evill is understanding Job They have rejected thy word therefore is there no wisdome in them Jer. By J. S. Gent. London Printed by G. Bishop and R. White for Tho. Vnderhill at the Bible in Woodstreete 1641. Christian Reader THou I mean who art not the nominall but the reall not the titular but the title-inlivening Christian Whose heart knowes the meaning of such a dreadfully glorious and gloriously dreadfull undertaking to be called by the name of God Thou that fearest the Lord greatly and art greatly awed at the least of his words Thou with whom the goodliest profession will passe but for a guilded formality that suffers it selfe to be wanting in morality As knowing there may be some vertues where there is no grace but there can be no grace where there is not all vertues As knowing where the choicest eminencies of nature come short their Christianity exceeds where the Moralist ends the Divine begins He that lives not soberly and righteously it is impossible he shud live godlily It is works that must justifie our faith as well as faith our works It is a Christ of our own making and not Jesus the Son of God that is learned otherwise While we think to be saved either by or without Obedience The two Rocks whereon the world is Shipwrackt while the God-instructed Christian keeps the narrow Channell Thou that makest more conscience of art more watchfull more carefull of the least ill word ill thought then the Christian at large of all the ill deeds of his whole life As far more willingly choosing the bitterest death then the sweetest sin as knowing thou shat find it the end of sin that was the beginning of death Thou that hast an abundant entrance administred to thee in that straite and narrow way to the Kingdome of Heaven That hast all the Commandements of God That keepest all his wayes in a Gospell acceptation in the uttermost latitude extent and spirituality of them to the very first rising of concupiscence and yet hast an easie yoke a pleasant burthen While thou art endeavouring all to the uttermost and utterly denying all thy endeavours Thou that art a wonder to thy selfe the gazing stock of men and Angels of the congratulating joyes of some of the calumniating envies of other while thou art so wonderfully and fearefully made A man of such blessed wonders being a part of that unparalelled Master-piece of the Eternall Wisdome the Lord Christ Thou that knowest what it is to lie under those pressing weighty and over-bearing apprehensions of an infinite Majesty resident in the soule crushing as it were and contriting it to the most disshivered minutest pieces while it is still firmly and intirely fixed on Him and with full purpose of heart cleaving to Him in such a sweet and blessed repose such a perfect peace that Millions of Millions of Worlds can neither give thee nor take from thee Who at thy worst to speak after the manner of men since all is good thy distractedst condition as the World calls it findest that reall substantiall that pure and as I may say infinite comfort in the most clouded darke dejected disconsolate hope that is objected on a simple and infinite God that all the unclean scanty-spirited self-imprisoned World cannot once conceive at the highest of their mad merriments and madding jollities That findest inexpressibly more content in the very longest waitings for any the least beam of grace to be glanced on thee through the face of thy Christ then thou canst nay then the joviallest themselves can while they goe laughing along with the foole to the stocks in the loudest blaze of their crackling their dying Thornes that end in a bed of ashes When thy soule shall be reposed in a bed of ever-flourishing soft and fragrant Roses The savour whereof as by a gentle winde from a garden of Spices is conveyed to thy Heaven-travelling soule And hence is it that all the world to thee that livest in so sweet and fresh a Countrey is but a miery and stinking City thou canst no way indure longer then thou hast a Pomander of this in thy nostrils Thou sincere single-eyed-single-hearted loyall soule whom nothing can please and who wilt please nothing but thy God That hast no affection for thy selfe for any but what are subordinate to Him his sweet and holy command As having learned the truth in the power the love the life thereof doest truth and therefore commest to it in its searchingst discoveries walkes in it rejoyces in it since thou hast known it as it is in Him who is the Way the Truth and the Life the true and living way In which never seducing path goe all thy affections actions motions As holding fast the faith and love which are in Him living godly in Him In Him doing being all that thou art Thou that art of all men most like an Hypocrite while of all thou dost most differ from him That art as like him to the eye of the world as a Diamond to a Bristoll Stone while thou differest from him toto coelo as much as truth from falsehood good from bad heaven from hell Thou that art incouraged by thy discouragements and furthered by thy scandals and hinderances of Christianity As knowing that Difficilia quae pulchra Excellent things are hard but when they meet with a man of an excellent spirit And then their very difficulties and excellencies make them easie because more animate and intend his spirit to their prosecution As knowing the truth sincerely the heart and realitie of Religion to be so much the more amiable lovely and choice-worthy by how much the more faire Commendable and admirable is its counterfeit As arguing that if Hypocrisie can make so goodly and delectable a shew and yet be but a shew what then is that sinceritie that is the substance if that can attaine to such an emminencie such a glory and yet be as blacke as Hell to the eyes of the all-discerning Sunne and inherit the place of the utmost and remotest darkenesse what then is this that differs as much from it as God from the devill Thou who knowest no readier and safer way to humilitie then that which
night This black-Prince-ruled world but where in thine Thy Word Saints Spirit thou art pleas'd to shine My soul is dark my brightest light but dim This yet 's my joy all I have I have from Him VVith Wanes and Changes now I oft decline But in the Full shall shortly ever shine Freed from this Leasehold earth this shady night Fully possesse possessed by the Light VVhose beaming favours from his Darkelesse face Condign'd his Choice Coheires of Glorious Grace I See no light and yet so much I see As darkes all other lights I feele no love And yet so much I feele as makes me flee All other loves when other joyes can't move My heart that sad perplexities annoyes I joy this griefe and grieve all other joyes Lord art thou gone What shalt thou so be lost Thy glorious eye into this heart hath sent The spark hath took the whole an Holocaust It restlesse mounts unto its Element Fire of the Spirit it is 't will make no stay Till to the Spirit of fire't hath burnt its way Shew me the Father and it shall suffice Whom ne'r man saw and liv'd yet seen of men If death wu'd doe it 't were well for wicked eyes Nor dead nor living yet seen of men how then Dead and alive in thee and by thy Light I feed on that full satisfying sight 'T is not the predisposed Organ here That needs the Medium of a Mediator Quicks deadned eyes th'obscured Object cleares To th'lightlesse Creature the great Light Creator Here see I all I 'd have the world is want The Bed's too short the Coverings are too scant BLack thoughts as black as hell and yet more black Their paines extort their lies Not Good What lack Hast thou of all content but only this I cannot see not say Good Good He is Mad thoughts As mad as Hell and what 's more mad Then to confesse He is and yet is bad More reason 's in m'unreasonablenesse VVhen say there is no God then not confesse Him Good Him only Good O could I thinke My heart so gone in love so brought to 'th brinke Of those Celestiall Rivers thence shu'd shrink And steale me to th' infernall Lake I think VVho did so deeply of his goodnesse drink That this was in my heart my heart in Heaven Ne'r will I trust what hath me so deceiven No no nor what I say for if I doe 'T will cheat me in That Resolution too Ah Lord what wo'nt I do whom even now Thou feasted'st with the sweets of God yet how How soon my mouth was full of gaulie taste That thou shu'dst throw away the world as waste And Fire-fit refuse yet so sure combine Me in that Jesu bundle of Life with Thine Elect who'st room enough in Him for all Or might'st have kept them from their former fall Blest God! 't is therefore that I love thee so That thou these wise-hid-depths to Babes wu'dst show VVhen Fools proud wisdome scorns to stoop so low Thou nothing do'st because 't is Good 't is Good Because Thou do'st it Thy good pleasure wu'd That this be so even so be it who will Doe what They will may thank themselves for th' ill Ensu's but what Thou wu't Thy grace VVho'rt plac'd to dwell in Satans Place O love The God of glory Come Good God! in th'unclean Spirits room VVhat am I Lord And what thy whole Creation That Thou shu'dst condole VVer 't but a Man but Millions so condole As t'beare the Shame Blame Death the whole Evils of thy Sainted Rebels whom Justice judg'd meriting one doome Love Goodnesse shu'd I praise extend Unto its due I shu'd ne'r end Nor wu'd nor will but make my dayes Expire in Panegyrick laycs TEach me Thy Foolish wisdome Lord and let The blindfold world choose wiser Follies set My heart in frame to Learn-Love-Doe Thy will To feare to Think Speak Act the smallest ill Here wisdome takes beginning only Here Where feare shall teach me wisdome wisdome feare Thou art Only-Wise-Immortall God and He That 's taught of Thee but only taught is he VVhose humble feare dives in those depths too deep For haughty Ignorance Sleep fondlings sleep And hug your dreames of wit but when you wake You 'le dearely rue your obstinate mistake HOw pleasantly I weare away my dayes I' th' sence o'renewed strength My strength decaies And rises by his ruines I melt away How sweetly melt still drop proud flesh defray Your marrow to maintain these flames still burne Ble'st spirit burne me all to fire turne Thoughts will prey on my spirits life will away Then live my sprightfull thoughts on your decay Life Life of Lives 'T is only Then I Live VVhen ready stand prepar'd with Joy to give Up my Accompt and speed me to that day That gives me Life Indeed because for Aye O When shall I put off these fleshly Clothes And in my Earthy Bed take sweet repose Untill that Morning come that Holy day In holy Pleasures I shall ever Play On well tun'd Heart that Heart inamouring ditty That is the Consort of that Heavenly Citie Even so Lord Jesus Come when breakes the day Show's us Thy face the shadow 's flowne away Even so Lord Jesus Come when breakes the day Amen Amen the Bride and Spirit say I Come I Come so come that we may come Riding o' th' Cloudes unto our Fathers Home MElt in thy Fire my Earth blest Spirit blow M'into a Glasse through whose transparent pores My radiant streames of holy luster flow Into my light-enliv'ned soule now poares On those dim glimmerings thorough this darksom dust Yet more ob scured by th'False-lights of Lusts More then more strong be those thy glorious rayes To lift my heart up to thy heavenly wayes Till thou shalt spiritualize my very flesh And make my glorious body see no lesse I Cannot hold so full so full of Thee Sweet Father help the more 's the Revelation Of Truth the more th'more strong the test'mony Of love the more th'more strong is the temptation My Love burnes still and from that fire comes light Restores the day unto my darkest Night For still I say I know I 'm ignorant And very bad but Thou art Wise and Good I can't but love Thee Thy Love-Letter I can't But I must reade thus Truth is understood Receiv'd with love without delusion so By knowing I learn to Love by loving Know. A holy Life 's the clearest Commentary I finde o' th' sacred Text the Spirit 's actuall Interpretation 'T unites what seemes contrary Parts One in Two show's how 't is it doth call Griefe joyfull faithfull feare lofty humblenesse Destinguisheth of Prayer Faith show's who confesse Who makes the Word a Lanthorn to his feet God to his pathes to mak 't a Light think 's meet HOw giddy I am with viewing the Sea I 'd know Why Thou't so ebb to some to some so flow Why this man 's left the other Love doth take But woe t' him dares debate with h's Maker make O
bayes are these thy brags They have no Grandeur to amuse My free-borne spirits scorne to choose What so inadequate will prove Unto the Heavenly vastnesse of my Love Nor when I see thee crosse my way Arm'd in thy terrors to essay Me with fell browes and felling blowes Canst make me stoope to thy dispose there 's no such amiablenesse appeares T' attract the sweetnesse of my feares So canst not play the Cheater nor The Thiefe I thus provided for Nor have I time nor strength t' attend Thy gaudy trifles nor to lend An eare unto thy trifling threats Whilst such a fearefull-fearefull-Love compleats It selfe by growing more One in One My busied thoughts o're-whelm'd alone In my exceeding Great Reward My Buckler and my shielding Guard Whos 's Sunne-amasing bright aspects Majestique Grace Inf'nt protects Omnipotent Benignities Eternall favours my soule n're sees But wonder-struck it panting lies For life to live before those eyes Whose every glance conveies such sparkes As all created beauties darkes And wholly makes my loving feare Injoy th'inliv'ning dyings there Breaking through every object to Th'great Love with whom I have to doe That fires out mixtures while he warmes Pure hearts in 's purifying armes Trampling on worlds with all their force And fraud that strive to stop my course There lie thou sprawling feare and there Disheartned love so proudly'd dare T' usurp the name belongs to One Doth both as you yourselves oppone Let vulgar men have vulgar mindes Let false feare kill while fond love blindes Let vulgar men have vulgar mindes Move crosse and stumbling lie behinde Unenterfairing even pac't Affections smoothl'each other hast And me on them as the same feet O' th' same Heaven-journying soul to meet The same desire one blessed God Who ne'r made passions be at ods BUt Sin and Satan fear'st not them No no nor them they can't condemne Me that must be the Higher powre Whose feare their feare doth over-powre Why shu'd I so disgrace my Birth A piece of Heaven-inspired Earth Shall I degenerate from my Birth And to base feares resign my Mirth No 't is not them I feare but Him Whose love will never lose a limbe I conflict with a conquer'd foe Wh'hath only strength enough to show The stronger over ruling hand Subjecting All things to'ts command I 'le wary cautions active be And so my feare from feare shall free Give me no feare but that which meets In hearty joyes and honved sweets A well compos'd Ingredient To make the more compleat content A pure a cleane a cleansing sound Strong strengthning healthy feare whose ground Is Love is Faith a hopefull feare A feare of great delight 's my feare Sweet feare How oft I 'd name thee ere I 'd let thee goe who art so neare So deare unto my heart Sweet feare That mak'st such Musick in mine eare That feast'st me with such royall cheare Such heavenly fare the while I heare Thee say the King my Father 's here The King my Husband 's come to beare Me company to solace me W'th all manner o' pleasants hid for me Unworthy me to sup and dine To banquet with me with the wine The generous wine repleats my soule With raised spirits above th'controule Of men and divles while humbly waite On th' gratious Councels that impart So glad a course of watchfull worke T' avoid the sad temptations lurke About m'in every corner and Hath promis't me hee 'l ever stand Close by me wi'h's ne'r slumbring eye Ne'r shortned Arm that can espie That can prevent thought he so good Evill's at th'great'st distance but he wu'd Have them approach assault to try How much of that great God may lie In such a little piece of flesh What mighty powre he can expresse B' a broken contrite heart what high What unconceiv'd delights defie The highest-aspiring griefe and scorn T' be over-reached overborn By'ts cruell Talons but still soare Their Heaven-securing flights as more Advanced b' its pursuits while still Resolve t' be uppermost will-nill All th' ravenous griefes and Harpy feares Though th'hugest terriblest flock appeares Sweet feare still sweet And have I met Thy name again Though counterfeit That wu'd betray me while I let The feigned sound have entrance yet As error proved makes the truth More lovely so its falshood doth Thy faithfull friendship while I finde They 're purposely of him design'd These hid as well as open foes That may th' sagacity disclose That with the courage lies inclos'd In this my faithfull feare repos'd In that All-powerfull breast Sweet feare Wise Valiant feare still may I feare Yet never feare to lose thee feare Thy misse but not thy losse may heare May see as well as know thou art A constant lodger in my heart While still thou art in exercise Of some sage puissant enterprize Still watchest prayest workest wait'st Still fight'st still beat'st thy way through straights Sweet feare how oft I 'd name thee er'e I 'd let thee goe who art so neare So deare unto my soul sweet feare That mak'st such Musick in mine eare Well make it still within my heart VVe'r still together though we part Il faut avoir Courage iusques apres la mort THe shrill mouth'd Trumpet and the ratling Drum The clattering armour and the quivering Speare Swords glittering Canons roaring these become The Spirit that 's steel'd with Faith not bar'd with feare The smell of sulphure and the sight of blood The sence of wounds of death the heart yet good Thus muster up thy forces day by day Thus fight before thou fight'st this is the way To carry it sure put on thy Panoplie Arm'd Capapea thy proudest foe defie What need'st thou Christian feare maintain the field God is thy Shield Tower Captain never yeeld Or fear'st thou more the fiery darts of men Then divles these quench't shall those affright thee and when Thou shu'dst be bold because thou art afraid In weaknesse God his power is perfect made HAst seen the Hunter hurry down like thunder Headlong descents beare up the steepest Crag Leap hedge and ditch cut gates and bars asunder Break through the thickets plunder through the Quags Scowre o're the Hillocks flie it o're the Plaines Out-face the windes laugh at the storming raines Forget his hunger envy not the Bryars His clothes his flesh wi'h's Steed undaunted prance Through lonely Heaths perplexed Woods never tyres But on still on he rides and if he chance To get a fall leaps nimbly up again And makes the ground to feel's more swift disdain Thus fired with courage nought but feare refraines Thus sports in 's perils pleasures in his paines Up Heaven-bred heart up This 't is doth demerit The exercise of thine Heroique spirit Shall that brave breast recoile what what temptation Dismaies the man whose danger 's recreation How his resisted soule will reinforce It selfe and take new valour to its course Through all he breakes downe all he beares o're all He flies his saith is further'd by his fall For what his
nimble eye could not prevent His noble heart turnes to incouragement And counts small undertakings too too small For that Great minde that nothing great can call But God On on brave hearts What what temptation Dismaies the man whose danger 's recreation Not feares the hard'st injeopardingst and yet feares The light'st secur'st Imployment since he heares More Alsufficiencie in th' Aeternall's Word For th' difficult'st exploits and findes't confer'd On 's Heaven-raised soule then'n Himselfe sees To th' least good thought vast insufficiencies Thus by this feeblenesse made more apprehensive O' th' gratious supervenient strength'i's defensive Offensive succours He finds so sweet a greet In 's R'covering Heart where strength and weakenesse meet God and himselfe Here'd faine b'unchamber'd by 'th ' Free quickning Aire growne stronger ' d conflict with The ruder windes and yet his strength increast Stirres up the heartned Champion to request The King his Master to designe him to Some singular service which he passing through With perill-edging puissance might prove The Sovereigne vigor of his Soveregne's love Arm'd w'th ' All-powrefull Arme that rends in pieces The hugest hosts of foes as th' slender Fleeces O' th' slightest rottenest Woole What what temptation Dismaies the man whose Danger 's Recreation â—â—st not thy exercise I' st not to trie Thy strength that Thou mayest know 't and magnifie â—â—is Giver I' st not use legges and have them use travell And use shall teach thee nimbly trippe the gravill * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epict. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And how thou' rt here mista'n 't is not th' affliction Whereby thou suffer'st but thine owne affection No man can hurt thee unlesse thou wilt what may An Heathen teach thee magnanimitie O pray Pray for more faithfull courage let men see Ethicks are yet to learne o'Theology What fear'st but sinne lookes 't after what but grace Since there 's so much in these then these imbrace Count them thy Pleasure Glory and thy Gaines For what gets more of Christ's well worth thy paines From the eater meate cruell sweet darke light ill good A Ridle in heaven's fully understood Here were our hearts s ' Inheaven'd in Holinesse As there they 'll be even here they 'd see no lesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 SImplicitie-Immutabilitie Art thou O'Lord and am I as thou art One Spirit with Thee this contrarietie Whence is it then whence this inconstant heart Wer 't but that to thy sacred Image I 'M renew'd I 'd looke for more Analogie One spirit yet many loves yet many changes O be there now no mixtures no estranges O here 's my woe incorrespondency My deeds unlike themselves and all to Thee O trie refine rack supernaturalize Extract subtile sublime spiritualize O spirit spirit what shall I doe for spirit This body o' Sin this rotten Carkasse bury it How ' nweldy ' t is how over-grown with flesh How faintly it workes More spirits to refresh I can't indure these lame sick presents t' give Or make me lively or not let me live O cou'd I keep my Orb and constant shine I 'd draw up worlds with influence divine And mount their spirits but so dim low coole They 'le feare 't is but some Meteor to befoole Them not so wise to deem the different doome Between a setting Sun and falling Fume Much light 't is shewes the Sun much fruit the Roote The Roote the Sun Thou art then may my fruit My Light be much that men may wonder much What 's th'lightfull Roote whose fruitfull Light is such I am thine Image don't men judge of Thee By me Ah Lord let me no longer bee Or be more like Thee What no more holy yet More perfect yet Nay my heart intreats Thee let Me branded be for a damn'd hypocrite Or my-thy Light let it increase its might The soul Thou sai'st that 's clean-and sound promoves In strength the righteous man his Light improves Unto the perfect day but better I For ever perish then Thou once shu'dst lie They 'r foolish men and if I once doe ill From P'rticulars to Generals argue will From Man to God but how ever I be Yet Thou art good when wu't Thou come to me O that I could but wish to wish to bee For ever in Hell then be a jot from Thee This th' only Hell then may I there ne'r be O cou'd I keep my earth-freed wish to be For ever in Heaven then be a jot from Thee Thee Thee But ' die for feare for love of Thee Great Good what not but I sin shame Glory Grace Grace nay Then I le live Thy Name With loudest praises I le promulgate Then My heart my life shall say Amen Amen ORub me rub me He is passed by Pass't by my breath my life my I. O what but My hanging hands and feeble knees agree To joyne their suit for speedy remedy My yearning lookes and rowling bowels make A sad relation of Thy sad forsake My yearning lookes and rowling bowels make A glad petition for Thy glading sake For Thy forsake I faint I sinke I die But for Thy sake I live I rise I flie And over all I hie I post I speed I cannot stay For Faith is nimble in its way I post I speed I cannot stay For love and love know no delay I post I speed I cannot stay For Faith and Love are all my stay I post I speed I cannot stay For Love in Sence must end my way HEalth Wealth Name Liberty The World at will enough Take thy ease and minde thee The World what 's that to me Not elbow-roome enough To turn and winde mee Not peeping hole to see My Love not breath enough For m' Lungs to winde me Great great deficiencie Not lightsome roome enough To loose n'er finde me Wu'd not I die did not I eye Thee far before my self Wu'd not I pray my selfe away From all this paltry pelfe Wu'd I demurre when gone so far In love to thy Great Selfe Wu'd I descend and not there spend M' into Thy Endlesse Selfe No sure I de goe I de never hold my head And keepe my flushed spirits from their flight To roule their chantings i' the Darkelesse Light And sing inlargement from the living dead But that I heare me thinkes a voyce behind Sing Evangelick Anthems through thy life Thy Heavenly concords woo'the I ambe a wife Wives and more winne the spirit of their minde Corrivalls here increase their mutuall flame by 'th ' mutuall praysings of th' all pleasing Name O make me then thy Instrument So holding to thy hearts content So true unto the Touch each string Each straine so suite each Note so bring A grace unto the rest that they May fall in love that heare thee play May heare thee play that they may fall In love that raises above all To dwell with dwell in him that is Because the God of love of blisse VVHere wut thou goe this morning wandring soule With whom wut sport or where wut make
but gull His seeming sweet straite turnes to gall And vomits straite his stollen all His Done joy 's cooled by and by With reall ills in Fieri But stay all this is but to seek my selfe While I am studying how to loose it I Must flie a braver pitch far far more high Above the thoughts of all this selfish pelfe ACtion is the life of a Christian it is death to him not to be stirring He cannot rest in himself though nay becausefill'd with the greatest contents He receiveth to doe but the wicked doth to receive His pleasures his joys his delights are displeasures are troubles to him if they doe not run forth themselves into God Hence the soule at his stillest and retiredest recesses is still putting out its heart and breathing forth it selfe in praises studying and contriving wayes of activenesse for the glory of its God and hence the poore soule though indeed only rich when it lyes at an under in truth the very heighth of Christianity cries out O it cannot doe it cannot doe Blessed soule that art estranged to thy self that hast forgotten thy selfe and all thy good deeds as things not worth the looking after and hast got so forward in the wayes of holinesse to be still more pressing onward to the marke in a more speedy and active course by how much the nearer thou commest to it Thou that knowest what it is to cry out enough Lord mercy enough vvhat are those sweet pangs and blessed conflicts of soule under a divers notion the while thou over-powred with apprehension of that Unspeakable Gift in whom is given thee all things richly to enjoy now labouring under some present distemper and being thereby led back to the remembrance of its roote and originall art so overcome with the sight of thine owne altogether unworthinesse of the least mercy thou dost even sinke and fall under such weighty and over-bearing thoughts with a sweet-humble-resignment of thy selfe as now no more thy selfe and so with an holy kinde of carelesnesse as concerning thy selfe art become willing to suffer to doe to be any thing for thy God and in that respect the while thou tacitely and most effectually deprecatst these petitionst for the removall of these distempers disturbances indispositions c. as of themselves impediments to the more active duty and the more manifest expression of the divine glory though indeed these sweet impressions are not a little tending to it The sinceritie the humilitie the love the zeale that is more intentively active within breaking forth with so much the more strength and vigour And what can the most eminent lively stirring and active Christian doe of himselfe since the strongest is as weake as the weakest without God and the weakest as strong as the strongest with him who accepteth the sincere heartie studious indeavoring will for the deed and will thus accept of thy mite that thus throwes away thy self as it were that throwes in heart and all although in the meanest and weakest performance as desiring no mercies to thy selfe but to returne them as tributary streames to their first spring even this shall he accept before all the Rivers of Oyle all the bodies that may be given to be burnt by a selfe seeking Pharisee that is still returning and winding about to himselfe like those waters of Ponds Meers and Lakes that run into themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 58. that are not acted by an inward principle to a selfe-withdrawing selfe-outing end but are meerely agitated by winds by externall motions and still move within the compasse of themselves and therefore dry away and perish with the hypocrite And this doing is no doing or if any is aliud agere is male agere that thus beginnes and ends in it selfe But what dost thou O man of whom God requires onely that thou shouldest doe justice and walke humbly with thy God And what is it to doe justice but to give every man his right and for every man to give thee O Lord thine all he doth he hath he is all his pleasures all his possessions all his abilities of which all since he can give thee nothing what cause hath he to walke humbly with his God And what infinitely sweet humble action and active humilitie is that that brings us to walke to converse to have fellowship with such an infinitely sweete God the author the finisher of our ever infinitely sweete humilitie O who would not now humbly act in all and aske his mirth what Doth it and account his laughter madnesse runnes a round of selfe conceited pleasure and is not like a line that takes its beginning and ending in thee that conveyes not the soule along to thee onely Who would not Ecco to the command of Come doe my will with a readie and speedy I come I come to doe thy will If there be any truth even in naturall love is it not when it not receives for it selfe but doth for its beloved even to the undergoing the greatest paine the losing of the dearest life can nature live by doe die for love and shall not grace make nature subservient to Thee in all these and what ever there may be more then these where can the man finde himselfe that knowes thee that loves Thee as he should as hee would here is the man that sees so much of Heaven that nothing but the love of God can make him meddle with a thought of the earth while the God-unacquainted soule sees so much of earth that nothing but the love of himselfe can make him to meddle with a thought of heaven all the glories of the Kingdomes of the world may well passe away as shaddowes vanities nothings before the soule that in his Christ sees his God when the least tempting Apple may loose him that is not secured in this blest premunition And to that happie condition is the soule brought and that is it which brings the soule to that happy condition that lookes after the world and Heaven for God when the other after God for the world and Heaven so while hee makes himselfe his God makes himselfe a devill while the other in making himselfe Gods makes God himselfe while he drawes in onely that hee might poure out God poures in unto them while he is drawing forth while he takes his graces themselves drinkes and fills his belly with those living waters to this prime and principall end that the overflowing thereof may make glad the city of God and carry both himselfe and it to be swallowed up of that infinite ocean of loves and sweetnesses A Christian is at least should be so rich with content so superabounding with such an exuberancy of the milke and hony of Canaan that like the distended udders of high fed Kine it even lookes to be drawne forth and longs for some to be taken into the partnership of its joyes and graces so far should he be out of any impotencie and incontinencie of spirit to be carried out to
And teach my grievingst griefe delight Heavens harpers did Romes Epicedium play Hundreds of yeares before her fatall day Then come sweet Lute with gentle Aires Come kindly touch me with the Cares Of Christs-Crosse-bearing soules whose share Of common woe and weale I beare With Voltos then come raise my spirits Unto the Triumphs they inherit Whose wo's their weale whose wound 's their cure whose Heaven 'S their sweet whose want's their wealth whose hel's their Heaven VVHere am I How this turne hath giddied mee Decemb. 1640. Can hardly credit what I plainly see So farre fro'th doore so backward on the stage Still to protract this wearie pilgrimage Blest Lord so turnd'st our feare-led captive thoughts As those that dreampt we saw devouring Vaultes Heapt by the foaming Beast with Virgin Slaine Indign'd his I doll-lust We dreampt againe Christs-warre-preventing Throne became the Theame Of speedy praise but fear'd this was a dreame But we awake in Paradise And that no fooles be we but wise To keepe our hold'our God so close Nor becks nor blowes shall make us loase Then prove the former dreame yet true Change but the time the latter's too AS he whose braines are weak and businesse much Walks here there now this now that will touch Takes up layes down wu'd somewhat knows not what Even so my Good my God I had forgot Craz'd by my fall Still were my braines imploy'd With swarmes of busie follies still annoy'd With great paines taking in great trifles void Of all successe and got as soone was cloy'd Thus hither thither flew but ne'r cu'd finde An object sutable unto my minde Beauty honour riches seem'd an empty shade Before I saw the substance ere I 'd made Discovery of the Truth they seem'd a lie But that being seen they seem'd a lying lie A shade of shades Natures dim glimmering light Burnt clearer in my heart and shew'd me a sight Far worthyer choyce A soule a beautious soule Inrich'd with rarer honour a prudent soule A meek-sweet lovefull heart whose noble spirit Scornes a few-thousand-miled world shu'd bury it ' N a petty speck of dirt but pleasures in Its larger glories by the eye unseen Then after this while carefull search I made Straite shun a light shew'd this too but a shade A Heaven-sent light was darted in my heart And made me this perverting course divert The world in 'ts richest ornaments is but A show a show th'compleat'st nature but Thon only good and therefore only true Give m' in a recapitulated view Those Scripture-scattered Glories O cu'd I those Thy analysized Graces well compose Into their lovely face How deep I de fall In love and say thy beauty darkens all The creatures beautie's but a skin-deep lawne That by some slight distemper soon undrawne Reveales the lurking messengers of death That lie in waite to snatch away the breath And so possesse their Master of the face That seem'd but now above a creatures grace But take the purest in 'ts admired'st hew If modest else 't is none it dares but shew Its hands and face but He but alwayes Hee Is altogether Lovelinesses Hee Is Lovelinesses altogether every one Is in Him and but in Him there is none The creatures Vertue 's but a fairer foule Lodg'd in too straite a roome t' content my soule That only recreated splendors loves Whereon simplicity and infin'ty moves And where may I enjoy it better then Admitted to its near'st approaches when No intervenient object bars my sight In its impure and narrow Channell Light Pure perfect boundlesse inaccessible light VVhen shall I live in thy delighting sight I live but I wu'd live another life VVhere light and darknesse know no longer strife I live but I wu'd live another life That might informe me what a death 's this life How how m'abhorring spirit starts me back When by thy faire I see their ugly black VVhen by thy wisdome I their folly see And by their folly may the wiser be With what a mightier force my soule returnes To thee in thee with mightier fervour burnes O Light of Lights when shall I see Thee as I 'm seen VVhen shall I bee Thou Love of Loves with Thee i' th' high'st VVho long to learn yet what 's my Christ May Thoughts Men Bookes may all I see But answers to this question be May Thoughts Men Bookes may all I see Be Thoughts Men Bookes be All of Thee May every Sermon that I heare But breake the Clouds this Sun may cleare May every thing I heare or see Be all but Testaments of Thee And when th 'ave told me all they can I still must aske as I began VVell satisfied in seeking till My search with satisfaction fill VVHat 's white compar'd to blacke to browne to gray What mar'le 't excels but take the lightest gray Nay th'purest white the strongest sight e're saw Sublime thy apprehension yet and draw A purer unto which this bright'st's as black As th' face of Hell and yet beleeve there lacks As much resemblance in this draught to th' Life As Earth of Heaven of Heaven for all our strife 'S but pourtrai'd with a coale revealed God In h's holyest glories by a dirty Clod O' th' work-besoiling Clay and yet beleeve Thou' rt altogether unable to beleeve The difference till thou seest it Thou't see a light Is able to discerne an Hypocrite A man s'inlightned he hath skill enough To cheate himselfe and all the world this snuffe This dying snuffe shall burne as black as Hell When with its Christ sincerity shall dwell But what 's that all-surpassing splendor O Where 's he Where 's he will lead me to that show And teach my thoughts my rude and artlesse lines To draw the features of that face divine Divine That every foolish fondling w'll blurt On a neat piece of finer-formed durt O beauty Cu'd I speak but I have lost Expressions in impressions I 'de rather lie Admiring Adoring More sweetnesses suck I So but fire will out must speak of him Rightly if I can however speak of him The best of things so earnestly I covet Th'Unspeakable Gift yet can I say I love it And love will praise its object so must I And yet now I begin to praise I die O may my life so porutrait forth my Love To win Corrivals mount their spirits above With sacred flames while I stand peering there Where all Terrestriall beauties shad dowes are O see prie gaze b'inamour'd here is fare For Myriads of Love-sick worlds and spare O see prie gaze b'inamour'd here is fare Whose Rivals bring each other greater share For many eyes hearts see love more then one Fresh Graces spie to feed fresh hungers on O here 's a banquet where the guests finde ever The more the merrier for the cheare failes never Discovered such a goodly plenty show's Whose there can grieve but that his friends it loose Whose there can grieve but that his griefe 's his sauce To make him rellish more his wiser choice
Of food of friends Whose modest sharp-set eye Each corner of this feasting face doth prie And every Gospel-verset in his reach As some Grace-whelming dish doth ope and teach His neighbours eyes the shape and mouth the sweet Happy happy soules that at this banquet meet T 's a doubtfull feast indeed not only ' cause We 've all that Heaven and Earth can give but ' cause VVhen we remember whence we came poore wretches Rak'd up from dunghills drawn from under hedges Blinde lame sick naked wandring here and there Th'beaten road to death and now see where we are Translate from death to life from that dark sad Disconsolate State or which is worse those mad And desperately deluding joyes to such Incircleing reallity of blisse as much Glory as our capacity can beare Angels attend us God himselfe our cheare Our Cloathing-Light we are not able t'beare 'T but doubt we 're in a dreame and fondly feare VVe've nothing ' cause so much but th'night's far spent Th'last watch th'last houre 's nigh th'day w'll prevent's Gird up your loynes trim up your Lamps along Hast tune your hearts to th'Epithalanian song Now now we see the day no more through night Our earthy houses now so swept so cleane There 's not a dust a speck a moate to dark a beame VVhile solemnize th'Espousals of the darklesse Light VVHen wu't thou come deare Lord and shew the face Shall blemish all these splendors O the fire Burnes in this breast for an allay of Grace Of Grace that feeds not damps such blest desire Some drops of love still to increase the flame And make it beare me thither whence it came VVas'e n't a reflection from the righteous Sun VVas glanced in my heart Or was it one From that light-likened Angell Then undone I am unlesse quite out the fire be blowne By th' holy Spirit But can the devill come So drest He hath a cloven foot say some Sure this he hath he cannot humble be But he can counterfeit But hee 's so bad Hee le not seeme good for nothing now what shu d'make thee Masque thy selfe in humility who had N'advantage hence Sure 't was the native hew I 'm in a Labyrinth but where 's the clew Lord if it be of thee then let it stand If not downe downe let it for ever fall T is thee I seeke in it dost thou command Mine Isaak here t is and my selfe and all O how I joy I 've such a sacrifice Whereby my God my Love unto him tries Sure many choiser splendors have I seene Yet few so choise was it my sensuall eye I sought to please fit objects they had beene But a new eye new glories did espie Through that bright Christall a farre brighter jewell That yet into this fire cast's in fewell How how I 'm wrack't love hate desire averse Sorry rejoyce feare hope angry well pleas'd Carefull not care cannot rehearse Hope t'ought not be feare 't ought there am I eas'd Diseased here well I 'le stint the strife Nere loose my Love that lost for me his Life Lord how I love thee that thou did'st not leave Me in the creatures hand alone 't is thee Thee 't is alone to whom I wish to cleave My other wish serves this if thou do'st see It cement fit to make me closer cling To thee to me deare Lord that cement bring I dare not fetch it least that I should bring For morter slime I 'le set me downe and blesse Thy name first to thy willing of the thing Then to thy time meanes manner I 'le adresse Me my way rowle on thee delight in thee Thou't doe's I my-thy hearts desire shall see How full I am what shall I doe for vent I muse th' fire 's tin'd when will the word 's burst out They doe so crowde throng presse stop they are so pent Come loaden with such matter that I doubt I must be faine to let them all alone And in ward speake what in word can't be showne Thy mercies Lord I speake it with my heart Flow in so fast I am not able t'beare The memory of them how much lesse convert My thoughts to words yet will I have a care Both I and others both in my word and deed The thankfull memory of Thy Loves may read BLest blest be thee m' inligtning sunne For now I see I 'm but a shade Blest blest I feele my life begun For now I feele my soule Thou' rt made I am not Lord but I wu'd bee I 'de not be I but I 'de be thee Not be my owne be at thy call Wu'd nothing be wu'd ha' thee all I 'd be but feet and thou shud'st walke I 'd be but tongue and thou shu'dst talke I 'd be but eye I 'd be but eare And thou shu'dst see and thou shu'dst heare What see I heare I in this field Thou thee through me do'st heare and see VVhere goe I With whom is this talk held 'T is thou through me speak'st com'st to thee Trees birds home selfe These What 's all th' world to mee Thy Spirit through them all conveighs me Thee So I All th' world is but thy instrument In which thou sit'st a playing thy-my content Most blessed God that brought'st my minde in frame Not left'st me a set-off-discord to thy name O rub me rub me I begin to fall My What love Convulsions pull and hall M'adheringly-pursuing soule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I 'M left behinde O for wings for strength to flie One drop One little No Cordiall left Hee No Balsome t' keep my heart uncleft E'ne gone I was but that a lightsome thought Whose season-bearing seed was deeply wrought I' th' secrets of my heart sprang up and brought Me an Idea o' th' Inlivening Tree Who stretcht it selfe beyond the farth'st degree O' th' spatious Heavens tendring me'ts healing leaves And ay-preserving fruit when my heart perceives I'ts feare-shrunck selfe with hopefull joyes inlarg'd Whereon m'officious spirits are discharg'd Unto their severall functions while the peace Past understanding thence doth re-increase My watchfull guard in heedy confidence To hold my peace in holding Peace's Prince HAppie's the man that knowes the cause of thing 's Unhappy then 's the man whom God not brings Acquainted with himselfe only happy hee Hath him his friend in whom he all doth see HOw good it is to waite on Thee Deare Good How good it is To bee Possest with that that I desire That 's not the thing that I require But to desire with what possest thou 'dst have me be that 's my request The world hath not the thing I would Till I can heare Thee say I should But still in aequilibrio stand Expecting thy scale-turning hand Not any thing till nothing will So false are th'weights of good and ill But thine are true Blest Truth O tell My heart what 's ill and what is well Till then I 'll leane th' contrary way Wish not to have 't ' cause wish I may So happily
's but a drop A dust to Him that makes the mountaines hop And skip like Lambekins with his Earthquak hand But thou 't goe faire and soft though he command Thee flie for so doth love He who graspes the winds I' th' hollow of his hand the swelling Ocean binds Up with a word here just here stay thy waves But lawlesse man how proudly he behaves Himselfe he stinted he a strickt precise Foole no for he that is is onely wise Call'st him thy Master while thou canst expect To have thy servant shew thee more respect Thou't bid him come and goe and stay and so He must bid's God thou answerest Him thou 't goe Thou't come thou 't stay when where he will provided His will fall in with thine but if divided Th' art not so silly a Puritan to displease Thy selfe for him but He must serve thy ease Or if thou part'st with 't 't is but with lesse for more T' avoid what 's endlesse tak'st what 's quickly o're So still thy selfe 's thy end thy God O what 'S the worme a doing that assaults its God! Whose every word is pure All linck't together And woe t' him dares the least he all doth sever Every word of God is pure and woe t' him dare Make them their jeere that make it all their care The pure-in-heart see Him-their Puritie Th' impure their place who them-Him vilifie O what 's the worme a doing how every bone 'S an Aspen leafe to see it climbe the Throne VVhose footestoole's all the kingdomes of the world By whom such station-quitting spirits were hurl'd To that unbottom'd pit prepared is For all such enviers Whose vexation's this They ne're shall see what they are vext to see Men truly Holy only Happy be Poore childish fooles wu'd have they know not what Heaven they wu'd have but Heaven they wu'd not Cry out braule fight with all that wo'nt confesse It theirs yet when they see 't love nothing lesse Through th' morrall-vertue-swept yard through the porch Bedect with formall duties may approach To th' very doore but they 're too good to knock To waite and if th' least glimpse slip through the locke These light-abhorring Owles winke wish their losse If heaven be puritie they 'd rather their drosse E're-scorching ne're-consuming flames inherit Then passe the fire o' th' purifying spirit Indeed what wud'st thou there Heaven'd be but thy Hell What wud'st thou see who here dost shut thine eye Against the God-revealing light and ope Thy mouth or 's this thy purifying hope Accursed curre that barkest at the Moone That but reflects how wu't against the Sunne Or what wud'st heare a crew of simple Saints With just such puritanicke Angells chants They 'le never ha' done n're linne their singing Psalmes Unto their God for their victorious palmes None 's still or thinke'st while thou wind'st up thy dull Thy jarring heart thou 't make to waite so full A set of fore-well-tuned instruments Jumps all in one compleater of concents Contents God while blesse that dreadfull-joyfull name That brought their blessed mindes in heavenly frame I tell thee man Thou art a Pagan or a Puritan Thou may'st a Jesus but did'st Jesus know These Hell-devis'd revilings dar'st thou throw Upon nay thou wud'st be his Image did Thy faith once see him whom thy God hath hid From blinded eyes while with an ayrie name He lulls thee dead asleepe to wake in flame But Christ is life and so he is to all Whom he shall with h's talitha cumi call A virtuall power-exhibiting command Reares thee a virgin on new resolves to stand To walke the way of his Commandement To keepe thee true loyall chaste pure innocent From selfe-world-devill pollutions all for Him And so thou wud'st did'st thou beleeve in Him Some fancied I doll of thy wanton braine That will thee in thy minnion-lusts maintaine Will winke at smaller faults no great adoe Will make shud'st harbour some few grosser too Will let thee vaunt it in thy pride and gad About thy eye's and flesh's lust be glad O' th' dregs of spirit-exhausted loves the leavings O' th' marrow-sucking world the sad bequeathings O' th' banckrupt-soule now hurried out of doores To pay the debts of ' â—s ne'r-acquittable scores I here 's thy Jesus presumptuous-desperate wretch Dar'st from that soveraigne name such venom fetch To kill thy soule but for that spotlesse Lambe Who so his owne to metamorphize came To teach them by a secret sympathy To follow what by occult qualitie He makes them know his from a stranger's voice To make them runne unto the brest so choice And with their bleating rethoricke bespeake Th' simple milke that makes them strong of weake To teach them keepe his undefiled steps Not dare to tread awry for each-hand deaths At 's first smallest stillest whistle straite to come To stand before their Coate-bereavers dumbe To watch the Wolves come cloathed in their skinne The light-like Angell selfe-deceiving sinne To graze no pasture but His wholesome word To fetch no salve but what his side afford's To become silly that he might make them wise T' abase themselves he might them highly prize Not live t' themselves but Him an'th'common good And when he calls to meekely shed their blood I here 's my Christ of whom thou art afraid To have too much lest so thou shudst be made To be too wise pure just too farre from hell For feare of Heaven fear'st to doe too well Nor car'st indeed for this nor that Earth earth Is thy deare home of sinne-rejoycing mirth But if must needs away thou' rt more content To be where Angels sing then divels torment And yet wert there thou 'dst be tormented with Their singing Lo whither brought by thy beliefe Cud'st thus believe didst thou believe him just And faithfull in his sayings away thou 'dst thrust Thy heavenly joy-prevaricating lust There is a faith that doth not love to trust Nor Christ to trust that faith who sees the heart Him never saw with all for him l'not part Canst thou pursue thy honour pleasure gaine And not believe all this beliefe 's in vaine thou d'st hate loathe friends selfe All did'st ever know But what it meant to have a God to wooe thou d'st doe suffer come runne flie did'st ever prove The powerfull sweet of all-commanding love thou d'st live die by for love did'st ever spie The feasting beauties of that lively eye Poore soule for ever past my pittie if on Thou hold'st thy course I know you not be gone Thou wicked worker thou never livd'st above For what acquaintance Thou my love my dove My undefiled loving dove what thou Sit billing moaning with me flyed'st thou To th' purest houses of my spirits resort Thou m' friend my Spouse wee walke and talke wee sport Our selves in hidden loves Thou carefull how To keepe me as thy life And absent how To take the speediest wayes to finde me Thou In a sweet trembling at a sillable Thou Unlade thy bosome secrets in
lies drown'd as it were in a Sea of loves and sweetnesses in a blessed astonishment and stupefaction it is elevated in the highest advancement of life and spirits in the Lord of life and glory that descended and ascended to draw up with him all that adheres to him O were the soule wound up to this pitch and watched at it and wound up againe if never so little slipt downe how might we live O still still let us be in this blessed vision of God with more continued intentivenesse contracting thence or rather dilating those Coexistant inherent essentiall which we call attributed species Then others beholding the stedfastnesse of our faith could not but there see more of that radiant image in its deputed Majestie the ball of the sensuall eye not more naturally expressing the Idea of the directly opposite and neighbouring visage then this of the spirituall of faith doth that of God And certainly no sence doth furnish us with more and more cleare conceptions of God then the sight being for its ready commence with the soule for its extention and intention the properest most conducible and advantagious of all being the most spatious farthest reaching pure simple active and therefore most apprehensive and next to that the hearing being the lesse grosse and earthly of all the rest But to keepe to that As the Sunne conveyeth heate and activitie inseperably with and proportionably to its light so is the truth loved and done so farre and onely so farre as it is seene The actions are spurious and illigitimate that are not conceived in the heart and begotten by the eye it will be our wisedome then so truly to informe the latter at we desire the well and right forming and performing of the other Let us looke on him then by no other Organ then faith thorough no other medium then Christ at no other distance then the mearest approaches even to such an unitie that wee see our selves in him and him in us When with the wicked wee put God farre from us and see the world draw nigh us then seemes he little and this great but when we draw neere to him what a pointile what an atome what a nothing it seemes nay it is And as the medium is ever the fame so is the Organ then best when most refined abstracted metaphysicall subtilized sublimed and sence-rarified cause then most proportionable and sutable to the simplicitie and puritie of the object it intends and therefore consequently to the extensivenesse and infinitie of it God being simply infinite and infinitely simple And therefore as wisedome consists in the clearenesse and quicknesse so in the inlargednesse of the understanding but since that knowledge that light in every thing wee draw from him is the onely true wisedome wee are then wisest when our understandings are most clarified by him most acted on him And surely this clarifying of our faith is according to the intimatenesse of our humbly bold accesse unto him the nature of this Sunne being to give light to the blind and that more or lesse according as we are more off or apply our selves nearer to Him And surely while we thus see God in the holiest of holies all the kingdomes of the earth in their freshest and heart-stealingest lovelinesse and that set forth in the most rich and glorious accoutrements will lie at our feete as a dead and rotten carkasle so farre shall we be from committing folly with it so farre that though then too our spirits be at the liveliest as they cannot but be yet because wee nay therefore because we be as crucified as dead to it as it is to us Such power hath this sight to fill the heart with love this love to hold the soule close to God from any thing that would part it from him and to carry it forth in all readinesse of obedience with him When contrarily while we are looking on the world without God we are but looking on so many lying vanities that dead the heart to reall and full contentments withholding it from God and setting the hand on worke in the wayes of sinne which still estrange the soule from Him and keep Him at a distance from the soule that more deading the heart that c. so the soule running on in a round of wickednesse if God not gratiously breake in and hinder its course Which when he doth his presence makes grace to grow by the interchangeable officiousnesse of all its undivided parts The sight of God inflaming the affections they inciting to actions these againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stirring up the fire in more fervent flames they giving in greater light that discovering more beautie that kindling more fire that animating to more action this againe c. so truely infinitely infinitely infinitely sweet is the comfort of the God-conversing soule The soule that hath received the truth in the love thereof and he that loves mee keepes my Commandements he that doth my will shall know my will he that hath my Commandements as his possession riches c. and keepes them as his greatest joy comfort life he it is that loves me and to him will I manifest my selfe Now this manifestation againe fills the heart with more operative and effectuall love this againe c. Thus Faith worketh by love the fulfilling of the Law the end of the Commandement out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfained the sinceritie whereof must needs be according to the sight it hath of God according to the lovelinesse worth chooseablenesse that it seeth in him Faith then I take to be by what of light in this night of blindnesse and darkenesse I can see such a light as shining on the intentively beholding soule through the face of Christ hath that influence and attractive power with it to draw it up and make it cleave and adhaere with all its might and strength to God to lift up the heart to and make it goe along with him in all his wayes While like the Helitrophion it turnes and winds shuts and opens with the motion of the Sunne of righteousnesse And this light thus influenced thus working how ever clouded and obscured to a Christians selfe to be wisedome unto salvation that effectuall knowledge of God his Christ comming into and received of the soule that is life eternall already taken hold of and ere long fully prossessed or thus Faith is a promise-lighted seeking light Burnes with pure fervent love whose active might In every radiant precept shining bright Reflects its glory to the Father-Light Thus these three-one obedience-faith-and love Unite my soule to those Thee-One Above John 11.5.7 A seeking Isaiah 11.10 with Romans 15.13 Satisfying John 5.44 with John 14.1 Faith John 1.4.19 a sincere Phil. 1.10 Matth. 6.22 Eph. 6.24 Fervent Cant. 8.6.7 love John 14.15 an universall Psal 119.6 Jam. 2.10 Ephe. 4.23 Matth. 5.10 Constant Cor. 1.15.58 Obedience So that grace is faith understanding faith affecting faith acting
hither that holy holy holy I am a man c. Hither that behaviour of the foure and twenty Elders that on the contemplation of the excellencies of God threw downe their crownes their excellencies at his feete as being nothing but what they had of Him in Him for Him But life would faile mee in referring zeale and constancie c. and all other graces hither in what dependancie relation they stood to one another Sinne being like so much muck and dung on the fire of zeale the more unmixt the more intent c. The feare of the Lord being a cleant feare and abiding for ever make me sound in thy statutes and steadfast in thy Covenant The inheritance undefiled that fadeth not away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how that the purer the thing is the more free from corruption heterogeneousnesse the more stable firme durable it is so the body so the soule But now we know this puritie this sinceritie is by this discovery therefore this constancy this zeale c. And hither that the things that are seene are temporall but the things that are not seene are eternall The things that are not seene being rare pure holy simple c. and therefore free from corruption and therefore from alteration from decay But into what a blessed maze and gladly involving labarinth hast thou wound thy selfe O my soule And sha't thou be so unhappy ever to finde the way out againe Is it not good for us ever to wander here in these paths of pleasure and walkes of delight Can there be any thing that can steale away the heart so surrounded with such glories such loves But art thou not to thy selfe but to thy God and doth he call thee to workes of an inferiour nature Still worke and wonder worke and love worke and blesse still keepe thy ground thy God who is the God of the vallies as well as of the mountaines And still while thou art walking with him thorough a diverse path loose thy selfe in him who shall shortly with all them that in truth have knowne his name be ever lost in the blessed contemplation of the wonderfull contrivances of the eternall wisedome When there shall be no more eating and drinking no more sleeping and rest no more spending of spirits no more avocations from the immediate and uninterrupted continually active contemplation in that full vision of the onely blessed God and in him of all his wonderfull works When there shall be no successivenesse of plenary intuition and perfect action but still the heart that knowes-loves-obeyes him continually overpowred with the blessed vision and over-flowing in loves and sweetnesses shall be incessantly running over in heart ravishing praisings and intranced in perpetuall extasies Who is it that even now is able to conceive the heaven that is in his owne heart what then when we there see and love-and-sing-and-sing-and-love-and see eternally when we shall not onely have the spirit in us but be in be wholy in the spirit Perfused baptized overwhelmed with it Not onely see and have light joy love spirit but be In nay be spirit light joy love And now O Lord what are wee that it should be thus with us O thou life of life and being of beings thou incomprehensible God! What is it to thee that wee know thee that we love thee what pleasure hast thou in our righteousnesse or what profit it is to thee that we make our wayes perfect surely O Lord thou hast thou hast none who art so infinitely above all happie and holy none but what thou acceptest as such in him in whom thou onely art in whom we onely are well pleased In whom thou wilt welcome us with a Well done good and faithfull servant when thou shalt finde us so doing who have done nothing What are our understandingst thoughts of thee but as so many mishapen confused conceits What our appositest speeches but as so much jabbering and gibberish What our accuratest performances but as so many trifling toyes All childish childish all What are they further then they are exercises of then they are testimonies of our love the end the summe of all the Commandements Yet what too are our strongest our heart-possessingest loves but as so many fond and fleeting passions And yet thou looking on us and we on thee thorough the face of thy Christ that perspective of mutuall lustre and glory from in and for whom are all our thoughts words affections actions and ought that ought is art pleased to accept them as the thoughts as the language as the love as the life of Angells Whom thou hast made ministring spirits to thy chosen thy faithfull that wee with them and they with us preferring each other in honour might all joyntly promote the honour of our onely-honour-worthy God O the freenesse of thy grace the unfathomednesse of thy wisedome the incomprehensiblenesse of thy glory O where is the learning that hath learnt thee that would not willingly debase it selfe throw downe it selfe as the footstoole before thy Throne and the Throne of thy Christ as being nothing but what it is in raysing up the soule to a dutie-learning to an humble walking with thee that would not willingly as it were unlearne all and learne it over againe in thy Christ where are those fond and selfe-conceited Opiniasters that would not lay downe all at his feete at least meekely and selfe-suspectingly mannage their Scripture-unevidenced tenets O did we know in what a blacke cloud of ignorance wee were all involved in what a night of palpable darkenesse an epithite not unknowne to a Christian heart that cannot but be feelingly sensible of it Had our memories oftener recourse to that Originall pride that confounded the language of our minds as well as that of our tongues or thought that multiplicitie and incertainty of opinions may since purposely be permitted by the divine wisedome and gratious justice to lay us low in our owne eyes to make us out of love with our selves c. how could we then be so proud and not so so contentious Why may not all that hold the same head have the same heart why may not there be dissention without contention But every one seeke their owne and none of Christ Which true foundation or foundation of truth laine in the heart if any shall as who doth not among our gold and silver unwittingly build straw and stubble why should not we labour to purge one anothers drosse with a tender love and carefull salvation as I may say of one anothers respects content peace whom the God of love and peace hath promised to save eternally Or had we observed that it is with Christians as with the tenent and mortesse in building the condyles and concavities in the bones of the body he is that eminent at one end as it were may be defective at the other that is excellent in this may be wanting in that that so wee may fall in with joyne closer to one another in one the
same building frame and growing body so farre should we be from making them as arguments to keepe us at the greater distance And what indeed is the end of Gods various dispensation of himselfe in such diversitie of gifts parts abilities if not that hee might shew the more of his wisedome in drawing them all so compleatly into one gracefull knot the bond of peace love that in such if not by such a variety can preserve the unitie if not further the harmony of the spirit of the Lord Jesus Ephes 4. perlege Or to what purpose is our knowledge but for love for charitie the fulfilling of the Law the end of the Commandement out of a pure conscience and of faith unfained This is the sincere the true faith and knowledge that thus workes What puritie of conscience what life of assection I see in the conversation caeteris paribus by that shall I judge of the truth of the measure of the faith the knowledge as the roote by the fruit and by that I look to be judged by the judge of all things by him whose call is for whose residence is in whose shining is into the heart where he shewes himselfe where he is where he ha's savingly Not by what is found in my braine my head but in my brest my heart that which sitteth here making musicke to the Lord with a gratious answering to all his wills a glorious admiration of his love his wisedome c. his mercifull acceptance in the Lord Christ and not that which it jarring with others there That which sounds forth God in its life and not that which founds forth it selfe in its tongue The Divill I beleeve hath as much knowledge and can dictate as excellent discourse as all the men of the world Knowledge so farre as it is not cordiall and living so farre as it is not sappy savory and fruitfull but dry and barren or bringing forth wild thistles so farre I shall never thinke it to have the Lord Christ for its roote So farre as it is not sapida sertilis it will proove but insipida futilis foolish and vaine I would have knowledge then bee my food and my food my strength and my strength my exercise I wu'd feede with delight but not for delight but for the better disgesting of my knowledge into an assimulated practice And be our opinions notions what they will if they convey no more of God along with them certainly they never came of his sending who alwayes comes along with the true understanding of his will of himselfe the onely truth And by more of his presence induceth more glorious light-more humble love-more faithfull action And to what purpose have our hearts tugged so hard at heaven for the pulling downe of those spirituall wickednesses and exalted vilenesses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 12. but as they have held up the heads and strengthned the hands of the ungodly but as they are those of whom we have no warrant that they had their commission from him and therefore no promise that hee would dispence himselfe through them but as they are intruders betweene God and us and obtruders of their ceremoniall and traditionall obstructions in our immediater approaches to him and they taken away wee might have more of him and that that wee might doe more for him But now to have the obstacles removed and the end never the nearer attained to what purpose is it To have those who under the pretence of being the Conduit pipes were the dirt and filth that stopped them of being the Contrefenestres the shutting windowes to keepe out the theevery of innovations schismes seperations c. out of the Church keepe out the light and truth and were the greatest schismaticks renters of the Church themselves to have these I say removed as sure enough they shall at what ever rate and wee draw never the more light and life into our hearts into our lives but still hugge our owne fond imaginations still seeke about in such extravagancies after our owne inventions lying vanities that promise faire and performe worse then nothing what other will it be interpreted by him then the dispising the turning of his goodnesse his glory into shame while we know God more but know him not and therefore worship him not as God the commander of the whole man But those O Lord that know what it is to know thee can they but be thankfull in an active and 〈◊〉 action-denying thankefulnes O then that thou wouldest accomplish the work that thou hast so gratiously so powerfully undertaken How long shall thy servants nauseate at the fulsomenesse of their pride Though they make the hearts of kingdomes still ake with it let them be vomited be vomited forth thoroughly Rather let us be pained with our cure that not prevent our death We yea thou art sicke of their Lukewarmenesse O when wutâ—â— thou spue them out of thy mouth So will we flocke up to mountaines of thy house and poure forth our soules in thy praises So in the humilitie of our spirits will we sit at the feet of thy Jesus and learne at the mouths of thy holy servants So shall our hearts bow before thee and out hands be dilgent in thy service So shall holinesse bee written on our pathes and our lives be the memorialls of thy mercies So shall the review of thy favours be as the fringe for remembrance of thy precepts So shall the wonderfulnesse of our deliverancies be read in the wonderfulnesse of our obedience So will we commune with our owne hearts and be still and say what have wee returned thee What sinne have we more crucified what dutie have we more have we better done So will we offer unto thee the sacrifice of righteousnesse of a broken and contrite heart While wee bind all the faculties of our soule and members of our bodies to thy Alcar With the cords of our affections to thy Christ and thou sha't accept them gratiously O Lord our hearts thy Sion DElayes are neither constant grounds of suspect nor dispaire neither of suspect of the promisers present good will nor of dispaire of the promise it 's future performance In my last I promised you another which till now you received not yet hath this delay neither proved an utter silence nor proceeded from an unfriendlike disrespect God hath promised you deliverance which yet you have not yet received yet can this protraction neither argue a change of his fatherly affection nor unchangeablenesse of your child like afflictions Neither is it a ground for your doubt of his great prudence or gracious goodnesse in correcting nor of your comfortable support in or seasonable freedome from the correction He that beleeveth maketh not hast Faith is confident of the issue patience attendant on the time Two sweet and never-parting companions An unbeleeving patience or an impatient beleese how dissonant are they in the eares of a Christian How can I with a truly submissive and not presuming
knoweth that hath God for his God Faile then heart and strength yet shall the strength of our heart faile never Shall be with us in the fire and in the water bee an Arke to his Noah a Zoar to his Lot Et pater mater dosunt nec restat amious Nec manet ulla domus noc manet ulla salus Tot haud habere sentias necem mala Omnia quae multis dantur tibi nulla sed ipsum Quod vel perpaucis reddidit ille Deus Hic instar omnium fit atque praevalet MY neare and deare friend in the Lord Jesus I cannot but according to your desire acquaint you with present passages and passages I may well say for all these things are but passing shadowes nothing Were we in our own place we might look down upon them as little fleeting vapoury clouds without raine Or else see our selves so far above them in this third region as wee need not feare the storme It is unworthy the thought of a Christian that hath already laid hold of eternall life to shrink at the appearing losse of a mortall But we are men But God is God And he is our own God the God of our salvation c. O that we could that we alwayes could see our selves so partakers of the divine nature so filled with all the fulnesse of God that we could look upon life and death principalities powers c. as things given in unto us and all as things under our feet at our command for so they are to him that beleeves for all are ours and we are Christs and Christ is Gods Our faith must fall before we and our God before our faith For it is founded on that rock that living stone that is the life of all the building Let us stand therefore having taken us unto the whole armour of God for what can the man doe that comes after the devill And surely little nay no cause have we to feare in adversity that can stand in prosperity That soule and only that soule that in this estate can follow God fully be so satisfied with the hourely minutely presence of God that in all things it crosses it selfe of its own will as not enduring the least estrangement from him certainly in the other the mercies of God shall so follow him so shall he delight himselfe continually in him as that in all things hee will crosse men and devils of their wills against him and so over-powre him with the light of his countenance without which he was dead in the dearest injoyments and with which he lives in the deadliest confusions as shall make them gnash their teeth to see such a divine reflect from that light unspeakable and glorious whereby he shall be able to laugh death and destruction in the face But shall we not feare not grieve He is no true Christian that doth not Shall the Lion roare and we not tremble Yet must we be confident in this feare and joy in this sorrow And indeed the feare of God is strength Prov. 14.26 Psal 112.1 with ver 7. and 8. And by the humility of our heart is our trust in the Lord Prov. 28.25 But audaciousnesse and pride will shrinke in the wetting Neither will James his joy 1.2 hold good without Pauls sorrow 2 Cor. 7.7 Nor his sorrow without his joy It is not the excesse of feare and griefe but the defect of confidence and joy that hurts us Our own weaknesse can never too much fright us Our own and others sins grieve us Neither will it be found so proper and soveraign a salve to those happily languishing consciences to tell them they are too much dejected cast down sorrowfull but rather they have too little lifted up Christ in their hearts and their hearts in Christ It is impossible to think too basely of our selves and if there may be degrees in impossibility more impossible to think too highly of Him When we are led back by any particular sin to the Originall source of all as wee must if we mean to know it to any purpose and see the horrid shape of it and become sensible of the malignity the universality the inherencie of it c. with all those infinite as to us actuall breakings out of rebellion from it or rather the divers kinde of breaking out of one continued unintermitting act now while the soule is thus taking a bottome-and through-searching view of it selfe by a beame of the divine Light and Love shed abroad in its heart without which it could make no through no true discovery of it and thereupon throwes it selfe below the lowest hell in a sensible self-condemning while it is still held up by the hand of faith in an unspeakably blessed distraction now to see this Sun of Righteousnesse still rising and rising with its infinite-surpassing infinitenesse of glory splendor lovelinesse upon the lighttransformed soule lying under the gracious droppings of its healing wings O how sweet is that healing How how glorious that Sun But the seeing the feeling soul where is it How high how low How lost between both Be then as sorrowfull my soule as may be thou canst not be enough for sin As joyfull as may be thou canst not be enough for grace Abate not of that sorrow but increase this joy Goe as low as thou canst but bee sure thou risest higher by it To be so dejected and cast down as not to be heightned raised by it in the admiration the love the life of thy Saviour is indeed to have proud and haughty thoughts of thy selfe and low and undervaluing of thy Christ Never feare thy livelinesse and cheerfulnesse so far as duely objected on him Nor lessen so much thy love to the creature as augment it to Him thy Creator Affect with the strongest and heartiest indearement any thing beside him and yet abhorre it with the most detesting and abominating hatred for him There is nothing that I set my eye on that I wu'd not love as proceeding from him as subsisting in him But so far as degenerate from him as comming in competition with him the indignation wherewith it affects me is inutterable Thus shall Cesar best have his due and God his Himself and what is subordinate to him God takes away no affection no nor the intensivenesse of it but onely its obliquitie to the object Nay I am perswaded that all worldly feare all worldly sorrow fall farre short of spirituall the one being from a displeasing world which is finite the other from a displeased God who is infinite But how great then is that consident joy to which this fearing griefe is but a set off For these to overcome the soule and them for Christ to come and overcome that conquest what a triumph will there be Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God c. And blessed ever blessed be our God that we are not of them from whom hee hath hid the mistery of godlinesse strength made
perfect in weakenesse concording discord And if it be the glory of God to bring light out of darkenesse good out of evill how can we but rejoyce that by being subjects of the one we come to bethe instruments of the other 2 Cor. 12. 1 Cor. 2.5 And if good be the object of the concupiscible facultie why shu'd we make our affections the object of our irascible The Lord strengthen us with joy in the inner man and then goe it how it will with the outer So may we gladly keepe the word of his patience in the saddest and patience-assaultingst times so shall hee keepe us from or at least in and therefore from the houre of temptation that shall come upon all the world to try them Now is it a time for the patience of the Saints for them that keepe the Commandements of God and the faith of Jesus Now is it a time for those that have held fast this inviolable knot in the bond of love to hold up their heads in rejoycing as then knowing the greater redemption drawes nigh when the greater calamitie approaches Thus what ever of these things we may know already feelingly in the heart if not notionally perspicuously in the head let us not faile to put one another alwayes in remembrance Alwayes striving together in our Prayers and that with no small conflict of heart that we may be comforted being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mistery of God and the Father and of Christ Had we more godly and brotherly love wee should have more comfort and that would hunger after more knowledge and that fill with more assurance and that furnish with more grace and all acknowledge the mistery of the puritie of the wisedome of the love of the Godhead So much spirit so much faith so much faith so much Christ so much Christ so much love so much love so much knowledge so much knowledge so much fulnesse of God Eph. 3.16 c. Come then what may come befall what may befall to the flesh The Lord be with the Lord will be with will be our Spirits Ruat Mundus Restat Deus PLay on about the Candle wanton flie Play sindge thy wings consume thy soule and die Make jests of Scripture-jeere the God of heaven Laugh at the Light-mock them who hath receiven It in their hearts-and shine it in their lives Invent unheard of opprobries contrive New fashion'd obloquies scum hell for scurrulous wit Or dive th'lowest depths of the unfathom'd pit 'T will furnish thee with just sufficient store To make thy selfe a foole and nothing more Enough and but enough to over-reach And cheate thy selfe th' infernall cheater'l teach Else shud'st be wiser then thy master shud Thy wit have wit enough to make thee good On madnesse belch thy deadly Antipathie To heaven in thy horrid blasphemy Cast up thy workes and reare thy mounts on high Heape fetch on fetch to overtop the skie Shield thee with distinctions say it is not him Thou shoot'st at but his word Saint Image Limbe Not God but God in them While merrily along To the correcting stocks the foole holds on His heedlesse way tickled with the high desert Of h's flattering wit into his endlesse smart PUritan the invention of Hell the Character of a Christian the language of prophanenesse the blasphemy of God the evomition of a heart desperately wicked a glorious defamation an undermining of an open thrust at the very heart life and power of Religon an evident preferring of Pharisaicall formes and Laodecean neutralitie a Match-divillian device to kindle sire in Church and State a slie practise of the old Serpents old maxime Divide and Raigne a word that is as it is made enterteined And what indeed is this Puritan but a Protestant drawing naturall conclusions from his owne praemises beleeving and living according to his owne profession at the highest pitch of his owne principles Nor know I indeed how one differs otherwise from the other then a Papist from an Arminian A perfect birth from an Embrio a Bird from an Egge Time and due heate Cateris non obstantibus will give them both their full maturity And as I have had it from good hands confessed by a Papists that Protestanisme not kept down wu'd naturally grow up to Puritanisme And surely that which doth not is but a dry and dead stumpe without branches or at farthest leaves without fruite Is that tree which cumbers the ground is that ground which is nigh unto cursing to the executed sentence of its amendment-unaverted judgement Let then this or whatsoever other synonymous Nickname any divill-brooded braine hath latelier hatched be sent forth drest in the gavest feathers of proud and selfe-conceited and therefore desperately foolish wit yet shall they prove but finer colour'd excrements but ensignes of their vanitie and therefore not seasonably prevented of their eternall vexation of spirit But what then those more blacke and darke aspersions of impudently-forheaded calumniators with the very thoughts where of I abhorre to defile my memory Whose empty whose witlesse wit is so taking with because so easily apprehensible by so aptly sutable to corrupt nature While the substantiall wisedome of heaven is only justified by her children Who have learnt of her how ever these scoffers deceive themselves God whom in his word Saints c. they mock will not be mocked Jude 15. Act. 4.9 Matth. 25.42 c. Try all things hold fast that which is good REject the Branne reteine the flower All things abide their sifting houre Perfection onely in Heaven is 'T is knowledge here to know we misse But they who studdy not to advance Are ignorant of their ignorance But we that follow on to know In floods of lights and loves shall flow Baptiz'd in glory till wee see Th' unseene in all his Puritie But what O what then shall we be Who so much of him here can see Chant in a fire of humble zeale Soule-loosing hymns of restlesse weale Ravish't and ravish't while we rest Hugg'd in his aye-fomenting brest Surrounded in a Maze of blisse Distracted with felicities While firmely resident in one In whom All knowables are knowne The things that neither eye eare heart Can see heare thinke the milliont'h part Who see nor love simplicitie Inf'nit Invisibilitie O what what then who this now know Yet know not ought as w' ought to know T Is calme within and so I sang before 'T is calme without so sing what sang before My head-my heart-my hand shall sing My God my Prophet Priest and King These three below with those above Shall make six parts unite in love And so I sang in the extreamest storme And what else can I'n the serenest calme O Teach thy servant to be humble for the humble thou wilt teach Let him see thee and he dies and he lives for ever Send forth thy Light and thy Truth and let them lead him in thy presence Cause thy face to shine upon him and it will teach him they statutes Thy loving kindnesse is better then life O let it never depart from him O Comfort him with thy Aples and refesh him with thy Cordialls For his soule is sicke is sicke with love O thou Discerner of hearts Why are thy Chariot wheeles so slow How long shall he looke out of the window How how long shall those beauties be masked and the God of glory vailed When shall this night of ignorance turne day and these thicke clouds be dispersed Why hast thou showne thee and but shown thee O fully abidingly Thou hast wounded his heart with thy glories and it bleedeth inwardly It sinkes it falls it dies for want of more wounding 'T is sweetly imbittered with thy inconceavable thy insupportable Loves What bounds can hold it what thing detaine it what expressions describe it How long shall it languish in thy strength and expire in thy breathings O never never shall these gratious visitations forsake it THus all my life 's a course of seeking Thee Who liv'd who lost Thy life in seeking me Such is my faith such shall my finding be Whose love hath found the way to waite on Thee With righteous works which can't extended be To Thee but thou wu't meete so doing me So running from my selfe to be Ingulph't in ever-blessed Thee So twining streames in sweete confusion Till know my Love without allusion Clos'd in a Close without Conclusion I have gasped after thy Salvation O Lord Even so come Lord Jesus come quickly
command them off is indeede to command a mans selfe the most noble conquest And surely this magnanimitie this inlargeing this heighthning heate and vigour of heart is conveyed in equally with those beames of divine illumination Which wonderfully marvellous light which kingdome of Heaven first entering into us and wee into it at our first entrance on Mount Sion workes thus diffusively on the understanding-the-heart-the whole All things are as they are compared to God but him in the face of Christ I see the onely good and therefore as contraries illulustrate each other whom have I in earth in Heaven but Thee I see nothing in the whole creation in its best and setledest state but a blacke and horrid Caos of vanitie of deformitie farther then it partakes of him farther then I can espie in it the scatterings of the divine Raies And surely the men of the world comparing themselves with themselves and the things with the things of the world are not wise Rectum est index sui obliqui The light of the manifestation of it selfe and darkenesse He then that doth truth commeth to this light to see whether his workes be of God T 's the shining Sunne discovers those motes of sinne Those subtler mists of fleshie steames betweene Our spirit our light our life and us those beames Of shadowing lusts that darke our lightfull beames Still shine lo'd Sunne discovering still dispell And in dispelling discover our heart-bred hell Those uncouth Cells those shades of dismall death Those haunts of horrid Fiends whose mickle skeath Of mortall wounds hous'd in a golden sheath Of minion comforts steale away the breath With fatall kisses whilst th' guile-favouring night Maskes their infernall shapes till th' friendly light Of faithfull truth appeare and put to flight Their wilely force b' its wisely succouring might Thus more commended it my triumph more Increast such enemies so triumphed o're Thus the sincere heart brings himselfe and all the world to this all-revealing Sunne to see what they have of him in whom hee hath approved the onely and onely fincere-making excellencies by that single eye of faith that singles him out as its onely object as desiring to see nothing but him at least mediately if not immediately And though this latter is the way wherein the earnestly heartie desires of the soule run after the full and uninterrupted in oyment of God yet in regard of the frailtie of the flesh the weakenesse slendernesse imbecilitie of the intermediate spirits that are as the ties and ligaments betwixt the foule and the body and could not long conteine themselves without being utterly dissolved shud they be unintermittedly bent and held up to that extensive intensivenesse whereunto they are wrought by those great and glorious thoughts of those savoury and cordiall apprehensions which in the Lord Christ they have and without him they cannot have of that simple and infinite good which not onely carry forth the soule in a glad venture but transport it in an eager pursuit of this happy dissolution yet bethinking it self that there may be a selfe-seeking in this selfe-loosing that it is to live to others not it selfe to doe not receive it is willingly forced with a kind of unpleasant pleasantnesse to further entertaine its faith in naturall sense least it should wholly vanish into supernaturall So may our soules O Lord be incessantly continually devoted to thy feare so may they be devout even in all their earthly affaires may se devovere vow themselves from themselves and pay their vowes continually So may they ever live in thy fight in thy light that they may never depart from thy feare that they may never more give the lie to their professed knowledge fellowship with the light by walking in the wayes of darknes but shew forth the glory of their father in Heaven by the reflection of their serene sincere light some conversation on earth And certainly could we stand with this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this stretching forth of the head in an earnest looking on him and longing for him wee shu'd have such an assuence of light and life breake in upon our soules and shine on our wayes that we shu'd walke up and downe like starres shot from Heaven till having dazled the eyes of the world into an envious astonishment wee shu'd remount for ever fixed in our highest spheare Now according as our aspect is on Him so is it also to others if that but oblique this but dimme and obscure but if that perpendicular this lively and glorious O that wee were more excellently skilled in these holy optickes we cu'd not but be in Theologie and therefore in Ethicks Oeconomicks c. And cu'd we but live soberly righteously and godlily upon as we ran not but cannot chuse but upon the sight of God avant then false lights false comforts for ever then he that shall come will come and will not tarry for the Lord is certainly waiting to bee gratious to that soule that is thus stedfastly waiting to be guided by him This indeed being the product the effect of the sense of that Neither know I any such if any other sincere and constant seeking as that when I thought of an absent God I was troubled and refused to be comforted by any thing but himselfe as knowing nothing else true comfort Neither can there be such seeking but from a true and lively saith not such a waiting but from a sincere-and-fervent love therefore not unlikely the Apostle thus intimating the nature of these graces translates those passages of Esaiah 11.10 with Rom. 15.12 1 Cor. 2.9 with Isa 64.4 seeke trust waite love Seeking faith and waiting love Here is that great Art of a Christian to be seeking still seeking the face of God I have set the Lord Alwayes before my face therefore c. Seeke yee the Lord and seeke his face Evermore I am Continually With thee Be in the feare of the Lord all the day long Here is that great difference of sinceritie and hypocrisie Will the hypocrite pray alwayes Will he seeke God in prosperitie as well as in adversitie At mid day in his businesse all the day long hourely and minutely as well as morning evening and at the solemne assembly Will he live the life of faith in the flesh in all sensuall things is he crucified to the world and the world to him Is he dead and this that even his mortall body lives is it by the quickning of the spirit doth hee walke up and downe the world as a man that hath neither life nor soule but onely as inlivened as animated hence is he ever lifting up his face to God that that flood of light and life that thence with such mighty incomes flowes in upon the soule might beare downe before it every thought that exalts it selfe against the kingdome of the Lord Christ c. that wholy given over to the power sway and guidance of it wholly casting it selfe into its imbracings while it