brightest Angel there In dignity and glory Yet he appeared here 27. That he might save us sinners Like to a Servant poor Where of our miseries too The liveries he wore 28. Yielding himself to death up And great indignities To ransome us from ruine Nor doth he now despise 29. The meanest that obey him To take into his grace Though he on high's ascended Unto his holy place 30. He such invites unto him With him they may be bold His secrets he unto them Most free is to unfold 31. Whoever him doth follow Shall see his pleasant face Hee 'l not disdain their lowness But kindly them imbrace 32. Hee 'l not despise their prayers Nor turn away his ear But being full of mercy He their complaints will hear 33. The sweetest of all persons Better than all is he The meekest and the gentlest Fairer then mens sons be 34. The highnest and the lowest The white and ruddle one In greatness and in goodness Like to him there is none 35. Come ye Queens and Princesses Whose Birth is great and high Who think yuor happinesses Do reach unto the sky 36. Because your Lords be great ones And have a great command For that their rule extendeth Both unto Sea and Land 37. Do ye not highly extol Your great good fortunes here Do ye not use your selves too Oft up thereby to bear 38. Do ye not think your great Lords To be so great and high And such advancements to you That ye for them could dy 39. Or else endure great hardships For them and for their sake With whom in their high honours So greatly you partake 40. Behold ye him whom I praise And whom my soul desires As its friend to delight in Can give what it requires 41. Lo Ho is much more noble In Birth and in degree And there 's not any Monarch Who 's of his gifts so free 42. Nor are the gifts which they give So pretious or so rare They all are but his Stewards And can't with him compare 43. Himself above all gifts is The Richest pearl of price His love cannot be valued The soul it satisfies 44. Oh he my love deserves more And to be followed Through every condition Whereto by him it s led 45. Then any of the greatest And highest Potentates Who have the largest Empires And rule the greatest states 46. I 'm his by way of purchase Who made and bought me too By that most precious blood which Did freely from him flow 47. Which he also discovered And call'd me of his grate There through that I might know him And might him too imbrace 48. And him I own to be mine My Lord and Saviour And his I am to care for And serve in every hour 49. My soul and body his are And whatsoe're I have And he is mine to give me What good for me I crave 50. Oh that I were more truly And heartily indeed Given up to love and live to Him who doth so exceed 51. All other lovely objects Be their worth ne're so great I should need not to fear then What ever may me threat 52. For I am his and of me He hath the care and charge And his disire toward me Is very full and large 53. Hee 's able to protect me From what may do me harm And 's ready to infold me Within his mighty arm 54. Oh that I were devoted More unto him and were More willing to be always To him chast and sincere 55. I 'm his not sins and Sathins That them I should obey Oh that when they intice me My heart might always say 56. Christ is my well-beloved He must my service have He 's only worthy of it Who only doth me save 57. For He He also mine is A portion may suffice To satisfie me always Your promises are lies 58. I 'me his and not a Servant Unto the world or men That I should yield my Conscience To be inslav'd by them 59. I may not to their pleasures My life and will compose To follow their desires So I my self might lose 60. For they cannot protect me When my Lord shall appear If he should then reject me They cannot me upbear 61. No no I 'm his who loves me And bought me by his blood From all that conversation Which is not just and good 62. He 's mine too to command me And be my sure defence Who certainly will keep me And glad my Conscience 63. For he will give assistance Of safety in his love And hold me in his hand so As nough shall me remove 64. He only may do with me What unto him seems best For He hath right unto me And will lead me to rest 65. Oh that he would imbrace me And give my soul a kiss Whose love than wine is better And fills the soul with bliss 66. His love the love of women Surpasseth very much How ever pleasing that is Its pleasures are not such 67. No nor is strength not servour Much less its beensitt As those that he that 's loved Of this Beloved 〈◊〉 68. Their love to this is empty Its pleasores be but short Although they 'r prerry creatures And 〈…〉 69. Their favour is deceitful Their beauty 's but a blast Their kingnesses soon vanish Their sweetness doth not last 70. Their embraces are bruises Their kisses oft are bites The vanity that 's in them Exceeds oft their delights 71. The love of Christ excelleth It s constant firm and sure It s very full of comforts And pleasures that indure 72. His words are full of kindness Yea when they are most tast Yet grace and love is in them Which floweth from his heart 73. His kisses and imbraces Are full of ravishment Filling the soul with goodness And riches of content 74. His beauty never changeth His strength doth 〈◊〉 ne're decay He is the same for ever Yesterday and to day 75. Oh that my Soul were fitted His kindness to receive That I by my unkindness His Spirit might not grieve 76. Oh may he count me worthy Of his inamourments Forgiving all my follies Causes of discontents 77. His soul it is spiritual Most holy just and pure All wickedness he hateth He can it not indure 78. But I poor wretch am sinful And full of vanity How can I be delightful And pleasing in his eye 79. Dear Lord I am unworthy To be owned of thee That thine I should be stiled And thou accept of me 80. Yet do not thou disdain me Do thou me lovely make That so thou may'st imbrace me And pleasure in me take 81. Be thou mine me to purify And to make 〈◊〉 and white Make me more thine and cause me In thee to take delight 82. Prepare my soul unto thee That I may thee imbrace And give thee intertainment And theâ— may'st me sâ—late 83. Lay thou me in thy bosom And keep me in thine arm So shall I rest securely Void of all fear of harm 84. Oh cause my soul to kiss thee And lay thee in my heart
are In God and so agreeing None 's so fair XXXVIII Behold his lively image Chirst our Lord Where God himself unto us doth present He 's white and ruddy his face doth afford What ever may our souls like and content Power wisdom greatness riches glory grace And all that suits our wants dwells in his face XXXIX What ever we can wish desire or crave That may promote our hearts content or ease In God we may behold it and it have Yea so as perfectly our hearts to please When healed so as we can see aright All beauty 's far below his glory bright XL. If love and bounty may challenge as due Affection from us He the first is there God loves so and his favours old and new Are such as none like them there ever were We nothing have that 's good but He it gave us We no ill scape but He therefrom doth save us XLI Oh who God's love and goodness can set forth Who can his benefits justly repeat Their number 's numberless and such their worth As cannot be exprest it is so great Behind before about us look we round Above beneath we see his love abound XLII Where shall we first begin where make an end If with the world's beginning that 's too late Before the World God did us good intend Sure then his love is of an elder date And it 's his desire we should do well for ever His love 's eternal then and endeth never XLIII When God did make this World and Being give Unto each thing therein it was for man That He might be well and contented live Yea h's thoughts to make it before it began Were with an eye to us that we might Be And might his goodness and his glory see XLIV What a well furnisht house did God provide With all accomodations that might make Our lives most comfortable yea beside We of his heav'nly Image did partake God gave us pow'r and rule over the rest Of creatures and with fitness for 't us blest XLV Wisdom he gave to manage such a pow'r And such a manly courage majesty And countenance as well might make them lowre That would but dare t' oppose his Sovereignty Yea male and female for each other meet He made us that our converse might be sweet XLVI Yea further he did also us create Capable with himself converse to have And did his mind to us communicate What could we more of him desire or crave How great his love and goodness to us then When we were innocent and upright men XLVII But yet his love he shewed forth more sully When we by sin were fallen into woe And sins curst fruits did soul and body sully And we deserv'd he should have been our foe When we were helpless and had ever perish't Unless his love had us reliev'd and cherish't XLVIII When the whole World could not relieve our case But more then a whole World it did require To ransom us from ruin that his face We might behold with joy and ' scape his ire Then more then all this World he for us gave Oh how he lov'd us that he might us save XLIX He to redeem us sent his only Son Cloth'd with our flesh and blood made poor and weak Made sin and curse for us as one undone That he the pow'r of sin and curse might break He him deliver'd to death on the cross That by his death he might repair our loss L. Yet neither did his love and goodness here Take up and cease but knowing that we wanted A quickning pow'r us up again to rear And keep from death that quickning pow'r he granted For raising up his Son again from dead He fil'd him with all fulness o' th' God-head LI. Set him upon the throne of Majesty Made him a quickning spirit and so gave Him cloth'd with pow'r and all Authority To bring us back again from sin death grave Yea rescue and defend us from the Devil Fill us with blessings free us from all evil LII His Son his only Son by whom he made This World and all therein he thus did give A gift beyond the World it can't be said How great a gift he was that we might live For he a person is excelling far All things that by him either were of are LIII Through him he daily doth us feed and cloth And bountifully lade with benefits Upholds us in our tryals don't us loath Though bad requitals oft from us he gets Yea Heaven he opens to us and displays His glory to us thither us to raise LIV. Through his dear blood he hath prepar'd a way And grace affords that we his Sons may be Injoy his favour see his face alway Be satisfied with good from ill be free Yea and in glory ov'r other things Reign to eternity with him as Kings LV. The good and glory which he hath prepared For us unworthy sinful wretched men In our return to him can't be declared Oh what a lover of us is He then Yea all his rods and chastisements do tend To bring us to those joys that have no end LVI And to impow'r and move us to repent And close with him his Spirit doth us give With that grace and those means which us prevent That we though dead may hear and hearing live So that but yielding our obedience to him He 'll work our works nought shall pluck us fro him LVII He calls us to him bids us ask and crave What ever good we want us to supply Cleaving to him we shall it surely have For nought that 's good for us will he deny Yea much he freely gives unaskt that so To hope in him and ask he might us wooe LVIII And more then we can ask or think he 'll give Yea more then now our narrow hearts can hold If we believe on him and to him live The glory he will give cannot be told What love 's like his or where is such a lover Amongst all persons that we can discover LIX There 's none in Earth beneath nor Heaven above That loves like him his love if we do heed 'T will us convince that him again to love It 's meet yea love to him in us 't will breed The first love to him then rightly belongs Let him be first in all our praising songs LX. Yea he 's so worthy love that well we may Treble the exhortation with respect To him and to our selves and others say Love Love Love God who ever we neglect He 's worthy and we 're backward him to love Need therefore fervently thereto to move LXI Yea love 's his due in the highest degree Because his goodness is superlative With all things that we have with all we be He 's worthy love so long as we 're alive Love God therefore with all thy mind heart soul Love Love Love and let nought that love controule LXII Love God with all thy mind to him attend Consider what of him we hear and find Yea set our selves
to kill CXII Some men their praise with men and reputation With fools so love that so they may them get They 'll shape their manners into any fashion And faith and conscience too to sale they 'll set Turning their backs on all that God prescribes Rather then bear therefore some taunts or jibes CXIII Some for their honour so ambitious are That rather then they 'll loose a cap or knee They 'll fret and sume yea for it they don't care A Mans or Nations ruine if they see Because unto proud Haman Mordecay Would not bow down he all the Jews would slay CXIV Some men for their inriching are so set That so they may but their estates increase Though by oppressing others they it get By lying cheating breaking of the peace They matter not nay they 'll for money sell Both God and Heaven and give themselves to Hell CXV Some men their own delights their pleasures ease So love and value that they matter not For God or men so they themselves may please And have their belly-chear punk pipe and pot Give them their hawks hounds pastimes sports plays They matter not what God's laws or Man's says CXVI Some folks their forms and handsomeness so prize That all their care is wholly thereon set How they some pretty fashion may devise Their hair trim or their cloths i' th' new cut get Yea so thy be but fashionably fine Their souls may perish and the poor may pine CXVII Some men their own inventions so set by Or their own fancies in Religion That of true godliness the heart may dye So be their ceremonies go but on Let others rack their conscience let them kill Their bodies loose their souls they 'll have their will CXVIII Nay many who do honest men appear And from gross acts of wickedness are free Who by no means will lye be drunk steal swear Yet their own things so mind from God they flee Their Oxen Farmes Trades Merchandise or Wives God of their Love Heaven of their Souls deprives CXIX But this unto mens selves is no right love But hatred rather it may well be stil'd Beause their hearts from God it doth remove And their souls are thereby of life beguil'd A man's soul is himself who that neglects Himself doth hate what ever he respects CXX It 's something else that men do love indeed In this false self love it 's a self of sin Which did from Sathan at the first proceed And at this motion Adam first let in Sin so in man dwells and 's with him so one That is as a man's self is oft spoke on CXXI Thence we are bid our members on the Earth To mortifie when he that bids us so Uncleanness fornication lawless mirth Therein forbids and what may us undo It 's this indeed that man so likes and loves And it 's the love of this that God reproves CXXII The true love to our selves it is imply'd In that which God requires of us as that The Lord we seek love serve his will abide With patience love our neighbours all ill hate Himself he truly loves who doth indeavour For what his soul will happy make for ever CXXIII He that regardeth not God's holy Word To hear and learn and carefully obey Who seeketh not to know and have the Lord His Father friend his comfort help and stay Who hates his neighbours and doth love his lust Loves not himself but 's to himself unjust CXXIV He that doth truly love himself doth take The course that tends directly to his good Doth seek to know it doth inquiry make For it not resting till 't is understood Above his sense and body loves his soul And whatsoere would harme it doth controule CXXV Who loves himself indeed doth hate all sin In love to Christ his lust he will deny Will walk in all good ways the World to win Would not offend God or men injury Commits himself to God on him doth stay And from his holy fear turns not away CXXVI Thus if this posie thou do'st understand Thou mayst do well to bear it in thy mind Yea did'st thou wear it then upon thine hand And practise it thou thence much good might'st find Love not thy lusts the world or worldly pelf But love God love thy neighbour love thy self CXXVII But if God thou neglect'st to love and for True love to others and thy self do'st place Some blind affections to their friendship or Their proper stature fair or comely face Which being of the flesh though green and fair They now do seem but grass and flowers are CXXVIII Or if thou thine own wit and parts adoring Thy will thy pleasures beauty strength or ways Or with thine own invention go'st a whoring Or dot'st on thine own honour name or praise Or any like affection in the stead Of true love placing do'st this posie read CXXIX Then thou this posie do'st not well apply Nor need'st such iterations to incite Thy love but rather need'st that to deny Then to foment because thy love 's not right Love not love not love not well may we say When ours or other mens affections stray CXXX Love not the World nor things thereof so saith The holy Ghost from fleshly lusts abstain They fight against our souls lead from the faith Deprive us of all good and make us vain Lord all unlawful love purge out of me And make me love my self my neighbours Thee Another POSIE O. M. W. R. God first doth try then satisfie I. HOW wondrous are God's ways He is most worthy praise His counsels all are very deeply laid The fool can't in his mind His methods see or find Who of his judgments may not be afraid Through Seas and Wilderness his ways lie Yet when he hath try'd he doth satisfie II. His works are so i' th' dark To us who can them mark Till he doth bring them forth unto the light Though he i' th' dark begin Yet doth he never lin Till by his lustre he dispel the night Then they who fear'd and sorrow'd may espy How much they err'd and praise him heartily III. This is that way of God With all his Saints oft trod As at the first light out of darkness sprung So through much darkness he Hath made his people see The light of life where-through thy oft have sung Christ fills his vessels first with water and Then waters turns to wine by his command IV. And this he doth that so He might make us forgo Those lusts and Idols whereunto we cleave And those sins mortifie Which else would make us dye He proves whether for him we them will leave And may we not when try'd as dross be found God will us save and our joys shall abound V. God tryed Abraham When out of Vr he came From 's kindred and his country made to go But yet he did him save And better lands he gave Then that was which he call'd brought him fro An heavenly country he before him set Which caus'd his
O Daughter give good heed Unto those gracious words which do proceed From his most holy lips in such like wise As here doth follow do not them despise Christ Dear Soul the price of my most precious blood Which I have shed for thee and for thy good For I my self a ransom gave for all And now I to repentance do thee call Hearken to me and to my voice give ear Turn not away from me why should'st thou fear To listen unto me I am thy friend Thy Lord thy Saviour did not stick to spend My life and blood for thee and now I have Through painful cross and through the silent grave Obtain'd my Fathers Kingdom am ascended Unto the throne of glory where attended I am with millions of the heavenly Host The glorious Angels yea the Holy Ghost Immeasurably upon me doth rest And with all heavenly blessings I am blest I 'm heir of all things yea in me doth dwell All fulness of the Godhead Heaven and Hell And Earth and Seas and all things else that be Are put into subjection under me And all that I have suffer'd and sustain'd 'T was for thee and thy good all I have gain'd Thereby I gain'd for thee thee to possess Of endless joys and everlasting bless Behold me then behold me turn thine eye From other objects see what Majesty What glory and what beauty are in me What riches and what fulness and how free I am the same to all those to impart Who me imbrace and love with all their heart Behold me then dear Soul and wistly view My matchless virtues see how good how true How powerful too I am I 'm rich to all In mercy who sincerely on me call None that repair to me do I cast by But them relieve and cure their misery I 'm alsufficient able every way To make thee happy to an endless day Turn then away from empty things thine eye From lies from falshood and from vanity Which cheat thee and deprive thee of all good Oh turn to Me who for thee shed my blood Look towards me dear Soul behold and see Hath any other such things done for thee As I have done hath any condescended And stoopt so low hath any else expended And laid out so much to obtain thy love As I that came to th' earth from Heaven above And laid down all my riches and my life That I might thee redeem from all that strife 'Twixt God and thee and take thee for a Wife That I might free thee from th' infernal foe That held thee captive and fills thee with woe Can any give to thee such gifts as I Can they advance thee to like dignity Can any so inrich thee as I can Can any thee so satisfie what man Or Angel may with me compare Can or will do for thee as I will do Oh turn thee unto me my darling dear Open thine eye on me incline thine ear Give me thy heart it is thy love I seek And I deserve it I am lowly meek And merciful no one is like to Me Yet I have set my heart and love on thee See See I that am heir of all things and Have Sovereign power and all things do command I who thee can save or destroy with ease Can make or break thee or do what I please Who happy am without thee and no need Have of thee or of ought that can proceed From thee do suit and court thee and request That thou wilt love me that thou may'st be blest It 's not to be by thee advanc'd made great Or rich or safe that I thy love intreat But 't is because I love thee and do wish Thy everlasting happiness and bliss It 's not because that thou art fair and fresh For thou art all deform'd thou art but flesh Defil'd with sin as with a Leprosie Of which unless I cure thee thou wilt die I can without thee live and happy be For I my Fathers joyful face do see Where fulness of delights I have and where Dwells neither want nor grief danger nor fear But thou poor wretch can'st not without me live It 's I alone that life to thee can give Yet I am free to give my self and all I am to thee or that as mine I call A Covenant I with thee will gladly make An everlasting Covenant thee to take And love and live with thee as mine for ever To be thy Head and Husband none shall sever 'Twixt thee and me I will thy portion be And want of good things thou shalt never see For here and for hereafter I 'll take care Of thee and as my life I did not spare Thee to redeem from Death and Hell so now I will withhold nothing from thee that thou May'st want or need I 'll wash thee from thy dirt I 'll make thee clean and handsom I 'll thee girt With robes of glory and with rich attire My righteousness and virtues thy desire I 'll fill and satisfie Thou shalt be fed With finest of the wheat with Angels bread With honey from the rock butter and oyle The choisest things of Heaven and thou the spoil Of all thine enemies shalt take and wear Them as thy Ornaments and thou shalt bear My name upon thee shalt my consort be Thou shalt in Me rejoyce and I in thee I will thee joynture in my portion great And set thee with me on my Royal seat Bring thee unto my God and Father He Will entertain imbrace and welcome thee In and with me He 'll the same love impart To thee wherewith He loves me in his heart He and all his is mine and all shall be Thine that is mine if thou'lt accept of me Minist Oh matchless match Oh peereless Prince of life That wilt accept of such a homely Wife Come then dear Soul since Christ himself will give Give him thy self too and for ever live Christ I 'll feed thee with my flesh and blood my heart And body too I will to thee impart And no good thing will I with-hold from thee But freely give 't if thou 'lt accept of me Behold I stand with patience great and wait With much long suff'ring at the clos'd up gate Of thy hard heart where I behold and see What is within and whom thou hast with thee How with thy mortal foes thou mak'st a rout Sporting thy self while me thou keepest out While I with patience stand I call and knock For entrance in but thou the door do'st lock And bolt against me Both by works and words I call and knock my very rod affords Low'd calls unto thee if thou wilt me hear And open unto me my Sister dear I 'll come in unto thee I 'll soon drive out That wicked company that rebell rout Which now oppress thee and do wound thee sore Urging thee against Me to shut thy door Yea I will soon subdue them unto thee And thou from their dominion shalt be free If thou wilt hear and open unto me I
'll come in to thee I with thee will sup I 'll spread thy Table I will fill thy cup I 'll put thee to no charge I 'll bring my meat And freely give to thee that thou may'st eat And drink abundantly of that blest wine Which will thee satisfie with joys divine Open therefore to me my Sister dear Open thy heart to me Oh taste my chear Give me thy self let me thy body have And heart also I will them bless and save It 's all I ask of thee I crave no more Give me thy self do but thou me adore Give me thy love and thy affections and Be thou but subject unto my command Cleave to me with thy heart put all thy trust In me believe in me for I am just I will not fail or leave thee But thou none Must entertain besides me I alone Challenge thy love and service and it 's fit That none besides me none from me them get I parted for thy sake with all I had To ransom thee from thy forlorn and sad Condition and I all that I again Receiv'd have of my Father not disdain Upon thee to bestow my self I gave To ransom thee my self I give to save Thee too and therefore I alone deserve That thou should'st me alone both love and serve The Devil and his works thou must forsake Thou may'st not serve him his suggestions take For truth use divinations witchcrafts charms Inchantments times observe for good or harms Consult familiar Spirits believe his lies Ask counsel of the dead Idolatries Practise or what ere crafts He doth devise He in the disobedient beareth sway Inticing them to sin and go astray From my right paths Thou must resist him and In nothing yield thy self to his command Thou must forsake this wicked World likewise Not list'ning to their counsels who despise Me and my doctrine nor associate Thy self with them who my good ways do hate It 's pomps and pastimes shows and braveries Vain customs fashions and formalities Thou may'st not dote on neither may'st thou take My gifts or Ordinances and them make Idols as is the guise of worldly men Who do despise me and my laws contemn Their Silver Gold their Riches Houses Lands Their Kings and Governors and their commands They Idolize while after them they lust And in them secretly do put their trust Prefer them before me and fear them so That in my straight ways oft they durst not go The flesh with it's desires also thou must Renounce even every sinful cursed lust Thy bruitish appetites to satisfie In Drunkenness Uncleanness Gluttony Excess of Riot Sports or rich Attire Or what else thy corruptions do desire My words thou must receive and them hold fast No Article of them thou by may'st cast But howsoere thy reason they may pose Thou in thy heart must truly with them close And firmly them retain My holy will Take heed unto that thou may'st it fulfill No Gods but Me in my sight may'st thou have However secretly for none can save Thee but the holy Trinity who all Do meet in me on none else may'st thou call Or look or trust to nor thy Conscience May'st yield to them upon any pretence No image may'st thou to thy self invent Nor may thy heart or knee thereto be bent No false imaginations of me or Devised worships for I them abhor But worship God in Me and as my Word Doth thee direct for I 'm a jealous Lord. Thou may'st not take my holy Name in vain Nor it with Blasphemies or false Oaths stain Or with a vain Profession without fruits Produced thereby such as with it suits Or blemish it with any sinful way For I 'll not such hold guiltless The seaventh day Thou must observe in me to take thy rest Who am the substance by that day exprest That I may sanctifie thee thou be blest To Father and to Mother while they live And to all thy superiours thou must give Due honour and subjection too in me Giving to Caesar what things Caesars be To all men owing nothing but to love Cheifly those loving who are from above All Murther with all Malice Envy Hate See thou avoid with all Strife and Debate Thy body keep in Chastity thou must Flee Fornication and unlawful Lust Thou must not others Wrong or from them take Ought that is theirs nor them Calumniate But yield thy self to Me and be content With Me and what I give letting no bent Of Avarice possess or stain thy mind Thou shalt in me all satisfaction find All which I certainly will work in thee If thou wilt but yield up thy self to Me. I put on thee no hard nor grievous task What I require I 'll give too if thou ask It of me and for it on me depend My Spirit to work it in thee I will send And wherein thou through weakness goest astray The vertues of my blood shall take 't away Be thou but upright and chast unto me I am and evermore will be for thee If thou refuse this offer thou must die And perish in thy sins eternally None other Lords or lovers can thee save What ere they be or seem they ne'r so brave For they be vanities of vanities Their strength is weakness their promises lies Their words are wind and all they meditate Is from a feined love a real hate Their smoothest language is false flattery Their best imbraces are but treachery Their kisses of thee are but like to his Who sometimes me betrayed by a kiss And when he said Hail Master yet even then He me deliver'd up unto those men That sought my life to whom he had me sold For thirty pieces not of yellow Gold But whitely silver or like his who while He feined love to Abner did beguile And smite him with a Weapon on his side Under his fifth rib that thereof he died And on another time as one well verst In that accursed craft Amasa pierc't With warlike Sword to th' heart while friendlike He Saluted him and as one with him free Did with his right hand take him by his beard And kist him till his blood him all besmear'd Such are the soft imbraces of those foes To thee and Me who do my words oppose Suggesting to thee that I am austere And put upon thee more then thou can'st bear That they are thy best friends and wish thee well And many pleasing stories to thee tell As that thou art whole strong wise holy just May'st live without me may'st follow thy lust That to deny thy self of thy desire Is foolishly thine own death to conspire With me who love thee not but wish thy loss And take delight to bring thee to the cross Where like unto my self thou may'st be made A publick scorn ' mongst those that drive the trade Of robbing by the high-way-side or those Who unto Kings and Magistrates are foes Rebelling against them and their commands And seeking in their blood to wash their hands Or else amongst such Hereticks most
what thou wilt or right or wrong What Lord should thee controul what hast a nose And is' t not made to smell the sweetest Rose The bravely sented posies sweet perfumes Which may disperse such vapours as consumes Thy vital spirits or that do bind them so That they are not at liberty to go After those objects which may please the sight And ravish all thy senses with delight Which nature doth present thee with what hast Thou Nerves and Sinews Flesh and Blood to waste In melancholly dumps religious frames In dwelling upon words adoring names Were they not made to touch and taste and feel The pleasures of the Flesh ar't made of Steel Or Stone that thou should'st not affected be With what Dame Nature doth present to thee That patiently thou up thy self should'st yield To bear those burthens which thou well might'st wield Thy self from under as if thou wert made To be an Ass or like some Hackney Jade Listen to that fine spritely Lass and hear Her court-like language boldly do not fear Harlot Well met sweet Sir I 'm glad to see your face I love you at my heart come let 's embrace Let 's joyn our lips fear not I 'm all-ore sweet Nothing but pleasures dwell from head to feet I have peace-off'rings with me I a feast Have ready made for thee where 's not the least Thing wanting that may give thy heart delight Come let me have thy company to night I have prepar'd my bed with Tapestry And with fine Linnen there let 's softly lie And take our fill of Love perfum'd it is With Myrrhe and Cinnamon and Aloes Come then let 's take our fill of Love and Pleasure There 's none to interrupt we may have leisure The good man 's gone from home nor will he yet Return again we time enough may get To satisfie our selves with all delights Which Love afford us may these days and nights Chr. Take heed dear Soul to my good counsels Let That Harlots speeches no advantage get Upon thy heart give me thine eyes and heart Let not my words out of thy mind depart For Harlots are deep ditches narrow pits He scarce gets out again that in them gets Her lips drop like the Honey-comb her mouth Is smoother then the Oyl but yet in truth Her latter end more bitter is then gall Unhappy Man who into her doth fall His after-misery no tongue can tell For why Her guests are in the Depths of Hell Look off from her to me far better I Thy hearts desires and wants can satisfie If thou lovest beauty beauty dwels in me I 'm fairer then mans children Look and see I 'm white and Ruddy God and Man in one With me to be compared there is none If pleasures thee delight with me is pleasure My ways are all delightful above measure For I those that imbrace me do possess With rich assurance of eternal bless The pleasures of this World in endless pain Do end my pleasures evermore remain They do give Life in Death and ever dwell With mine when rais'd again when those in Hell Shall ever more lie down who me despise To everlasting torments they shall rise Let neither riches honours pleasures or What ere this World can give inchant thee for With better riches honours pleasures I Will satifie thee to Eternity F.W.D. Poor Man what can'st thou hope for after death When nature spent with sorrows shall thy breath Yield up into the gentle air to vanish And thy dead corps the living men shall banish From their society to lie and rot Within its grave till it be quite forgot Think'st thou it possible that after it Unto the Earth or Sea men shall commit And there it is consum'd to slime or mold Or eat of Worms or Fishes rise it should Or that thy vanish't breath and rotted flesh Can life resume again and live a fresh Either in joys or pains Let Reason rule Let not fond faith worse then the Horse or Mule Thee make by giving credit to such things As from deluded fancy only springs For they enjoy those pleasures and contents Which bounteous nature unto them presents Shall man alone who capable was made The World more to enjoy be so betray'd Into a fancy by too light belief With his own senses so to play the theif As them to rob of all those pleasures rare Whereof above all other things they are Most apprehensive Oh no! stop thine ear Against those sounds that thou so oft do'st hear From that same Spirit which oft is Wisdom stil'd Of such as by her sayings are beguil'd Come give thy self the reins and do not fear Come come we say and taste the dainty chear The World presents thee Waters stoln are sweet Pleasures they have who Bread in secret eat Who satisfie their senses to the full And please their appetites untill they lull Their minds a sleep from those fanatick fears Which make men spend in grief their youthful years This World 's the Paradise where grow all fruits Fit for delight and thy desires best suits Come pluck and take and eat of them thy fill None other after these succeed there will Christ. Thus oh my Dear thy subtle enemies Suggest unto Thee setting forth their lies With fair pretences both of love and reason But trust them not their words are full of Treason These are the same that thee at first deâ—eved Oh let them not be any more deceived Unto thy misery they Thee betray'd And like to Beasts which perish they thee made So that unless I had thee ransomed Thou in their snares hadst wholly perished Minist Their voice and language doth of him proceed Of whom in the beginning thou do'st read The subtle Serpent who of old allur'd Mankind unto his snares and so procur'd His utter ruine drew him into sin By which a flood of miseries came in By him was hatch't and begot in mans mind A spawn or seed like to himself in kind Whose Head 's the carnal mind its Heart is lust These with the old Serpent combin'd do thrust Men into mischief and while these to guide Him do presume they lead him quite aside For they are void of truth a hellish light Possesses them like unto that i th' night Which William with a wisp some men do call An ignis fatuâ—s which leads to fall Into some dangerous downfal ditch or pit Those who as their sure guide do follow it Such errour is or Fleshly Wisdom which Stept up in place of truth both poor and rich Misleading to their ruine because blind It is and knows nought of Gods holy mind And yet conceits it self the only wise And that it sees aright with open eyes And knows what 's good what 's evil and can tell A man the way how he may prosper well Especially if it improved be And somewhat more then ordinarily Inlarg'd with learned Sciences and Arts Which when they added be to nat'ral parts Do much adorn a man and make him shine And lift
let me never fall by my iniquity My hope is all in thee and in thy great goodness I nothing have in me that may deserve thy bless Help me thy name to praise as it is right and due Do thou thereto me raise thy goodness for to view Dear Lord thou worthy art of all my heart and love Oh let me not depart from thee my Lord above Unite my heart to thee that I may fear thy name And let me never be put to rebuke and shame Oh flow thou into me Thou art an Ocean Though I a poor one be Thou art the wealthy man Set my heart toward thee and make it open stand Come thou Lord into me and wholly me command Oh do thou live in me and fill me with thy grace That I may joy in thee and ever see thy face Thou art the lovely one all things are black to thee Fix mine eye thee upon make me thy beauty see Thou only fulness art I am an empty thing Do thou thy grace impart and me unto thee bring Be evermore with me where er'e thou mak'st me go Let me thy glory see and thy will ever do Thou art the mighty God thou canst subdue my foes Thou hast them all down trod all things that thee oppose Thou art the holy one Thou canst me holy make Make me love thee alone and all for thee forsake Oh be thou all to me who rothing have that 's good Oh frame my heart to thece whshing it in thy blood Oh there is none to thee Thou all things dost excell What er'e is good for me doth in thee fully dwell None ever served thee but thou them satisfy'd None thy grace ever see but they it magnify'd Thou Lord art far above all I can say of thee Thou art the God of love All praise be unto thee Chr. Dear soul I do accept thee and thou art Most welcome to me it doth glad my heart To see a soul it self unto me yield More than when some stout Champion wins the field And takes the spoils of all his enemies Which up against him us'd in arms to rise Since thou thy self to me dost yield be sure My love shall ever toward thee iâ— dure Be but thou constant nothing shall me draw Those to reject that cleave unto my law I 'le order over thee my government So as thou â—ere shalt have cause to repent Of thy submission to me every thing Which I shall do to thee shall blessing bring Thy forepast sins I blot out and remit And of them all I wholly thee acquit How many or how great so er'e they were Thou mayst me freely serve without all fear Of my impuâ—ing any of them to thee I pass them by and they shall not undo thee I own thee as my own and thee present As in my self to him who me forth sent Even as a Branch in me into whom now Thou art ingraffed and henceforth shalt grow Or as a member of mine own body Which is recast of curse and miâ—ery I am thy Head and Root unto thee I Henceforth will minister all full supply Of grace and spirit nothing shalâ— thou want What may be good for thee I will it grant Open thy mouth and ask of me I will All thy petitions verily fulfill What ever thou shalt in my name desire Or of my Father for my sake require So be thou dost to me adhaere and cleave And firm in me abiding dost receive And keep my words within thee asking so And for such things as they direct thee to Thou shalt receive it and thou may'st be bold To come and ask for why mine eyes behold Thee and thy needs and wants and unto thee And all the righteous mine ears open be I will do more for thee than thou canst ask I 'le help thee every where I 'le put no task Upon thee but what I shall easy make Do but in me abide my counsel take I am thine Head and Husband lean on me My grace thou shalt enjoy my glory see To me thou art most welcome very dear Be confident of me and nothing fear But to neglect my counsels for as me My Father loveth so do I love thee I who for thee did shed my pretious blood Will nought deny that may for thee be good Since thou art come to trust under my wings I interest thee in all my good things My Father is thy Father too and He That my God is thy God likewise will be My Angels shall thee guard for thy welfare And of my glorious Kingdome thou shalt share And all the endless joys thereof my merit Is thy rich stock day pledge thy holy Spirit Whom I will pour on thee and in thy heart Will put that from me thou mayst never start He will conduct thee safely till thou hast All dangers of destruction wholly past He shall abide with thee and to thee show My things inlightning thine heart them to know My goodness and my glory what I have Done for and to thee that I might thee save What is in me for thee what things are mine And how in and with me they all are thine Yea He shall wash make clean renew thy heart And keep thee to me and to thee impart My grace and blessing therefore do not fear Only to him attend to him adhaere He shall thy works work in and for thee and Strengthen thee that thy foes thou may'st withstand He shall thee comfort fill with peace and joy And keep thee safe from what may thee annoy I 'le do all things for thee I 'le be thy lot Thy portion and thy riches fear thou not He who thee touches toucheth me for I Tender thee as the Apple of mine eye My heart is larget to thee than the Sea Or then by any words exprest 〈◊〉 be Fear not Dear soul thy state is happy now Since thou thy self dost to my scepter how Only I must inform thee that I must Take such a course with thee as may thy lust Destroy and make thee suitable to me That thou partaker of my joys may'st be I must thee sometimes try that so I may Prove whither Thou indeed wilt me obey I will into a Wilderness thee lead That so I may thee to thy Idols dead And that when stript of them I more may show My grace to thee and make thee it to know To be sufficient for thee do not fear For I 'le not leave thee nor forsake thee there I will be with thee and be all supplies To every one of thy necessities I will be better unto thee than all Egyptian Flesh-pots wherefrom I thee call I 'le there speak comfortably to thy heart And make thee know how dear to me thou art I 'le give thee there in all thy way mine arm To strengthen â—heâ— to walk on and from harm I 'le thee protect and keep untill I see It meet to take thee hence to be with me But thou must follow me and not look back As did
I am too slack In seeking thee yea woe is me I 〈◊〉 From thee have run apace since I begun To move toward thee I 'm too apt to run Toward my Idols in the ways of sin Yea Lord thou know'st how since I did begin To court thy favour I have run apace In wicked ways wherein had not thy grace And mercy me prevented I had been Or'e thrown forever this day never seen But oh my pace toward thee is so dulâ— That need I have that after thee thou pull My sluggish Soul oh bring thou me into Thy Chambers of defence and delight so As in thy love I such delight may take As never thee any more to forsake Let me be so inclosed as with walls Of sure defence that whatsoe're befalls I never may again from thee withdraw But allways may thee fear and stand in aw Least I offend thee oh that I to thee May swiftly run with all that upright be And in thy Chamber may with them abide Where thou dost all that love thee safely hide Wee 'll then be glad in Thee and much rejoyce Oh King wee 'l sing thy praise with chearful voice Wee 'l think upon thy loves which do excel The choisest Wine Oh we remember well The sweetness of its tast who be upright They do thy person love in thee delight Not in themselves their parts their gifts nor yet Those pleasures only that from thee they get Like to the Concubines which love to be Delighted with thy loves courted by thee But thee and thy concerns do slight neglect To seek thy glory don't thy name respect Sincerely but make thou me upright so As my heart wholly after thee may go Oh thou whom my soul in some measure loves Do thou me show what me to know behoves Tell thou me where thou feed'st thy flock and make Me go upright Let me not thee forsake With sinners in their dainties to perâ—ke Let me not turn aside from thee to go After the flocks of thy companions who Lift up themselves into equallity Of power or worth unto thy Majesty But shew me thy good ways and make me see The thing that is acceptable to thee Stay me with flagons of thy love and let Me of thy apples too the comforts get For I desire thy love oh do thou show it And cause thou me more clearly yet to know it Under my head put thou thy left hand and Therewith support me and let thy right hand Embrace my soul and keep me safe untill I have fulfil'd my course perform'd thy will And oh that then thou wouldst make hast unto My soul and be thou swifter than a Roe That so our union may compleated be And I may full fruition have of thee Make hast oh my beloved like a Roe Or a young Hart that on the Mountains go That leap upon the Mountains and o're Hills Come skipping Thou art he alone that fills The souls of those that love thee with delight And mak'st them fully happy in the sight Of thy most glorious person do not tarry Help me to hast to thee then hast to marry Me to thy self that I with thee may dwell Who dost in all excellencies excell And in the mean time make me chast and true Unto thee what opposes thee subdue Working my works in and for me yea al Thine own good pleasure whereto thou dost call And counsel me the work of faith with power That I may persevere unto the hour And in the hour of death till unto thee Thou tak'st me up in joys for aâ—e to be I leave my self to thee oh do thou what Is good for me Chr. I will so fear not that Amen HALLELUJAH FINIS A Song of Loves Lord grant that in a right renewed mind I may such love to thee and thy things find As to say of and to thee this behind 1. I Am my well beloveds My well-beloved's mine He is a person lovely Excellent and divine 2. For he is the Immanuel Both God and man in one The Mighty God the wonderful And like him there is none 3. His excellence surpasseth What one may it declare Or who among the mighty May with this one compare 4. Oh all ye that in love are Your lovers who commend Is any of them able To match with this my friend 5. Hath any of them ever So great things for you wrought Or is there any of them Hath you so dearly bought 6. Is any of them so high Either in Rank or birth No there is none so glorious Either in Heaven or Earth 7. Ther 's none of them is so great There 's none of them can do So great things and so wonderful Or can inrich you so 8. As this my Lord and Saviour Can and will do for me If I be upright with him And do not from him flee 9. Ye that in Kings and Princes And mighty Potentates Do make your boasts come tell me Hath he there any mates 10. Can any of them match him Nay they are all below The greatest of those great ones Their service to him owe. 11. They 'r short in understanding Their pow'r also is less Their rule extends not so far Nor yet their happiness 12. They are but men as others Their lives are but mortal Their breaths must pass out of them And then they perish all 13. But this my Lord and Lover Doth live for evermore His understanding's perfect All creatures him adore 14. Nothing for him too hard is For he can all things do Nothing from his eyes hid is For he all things doth know 15. He ruleth over all things Both in the seat and land Yea and all things In heaven be Subject to his command 16. He heir of Heav'n and earth is He is lord of all glory His brith's above all creatures There 's none can match his story 17. His excellence excels all That 's either hard or seen One half of what 's true of him Never declar'd hath been 18. Go glory of your Princes And Benefactors great Tell of their great majesty Their royal train and seat 19. I none of them shall envy This one 's mcuh better far Whom my soul hath desire to They can't with him compare 20. He hath far greater glory Than any one of them Though yet he is so lovely That none he doth contemn 21. Though they be poor and little If unto him they flee He none of them disdaineth But they accepted be 22. Those whom ye use to boast of Be proud and lofty too And oft in words and carriage Great haughtiness they show 23. Though they be far below him Who my beloved is And like to meaner persons He them reâ—roves I wiss 24. For in his hands they all are To do with as he please And he can make or break them Or change their state with ease 25. Oh there is none so lovely As this Beloved one In pitty love and goodness Like to him there is none 26. He higher than the Heavens is Or
That thou mayst me imbracing Thy loves to me impart 85. And all the night of darkness Mayst lodge within my brest And I in thy imbraces May find sweet peace and rest 86. Oh make me subject to thee That thou mayst be above Uniting me unto thee And fill me with thy love 87. And let my loving-kindness Such love again beget That I my heart and bowels May open to thee set 88. And thou thy Word put in me As an immortal seed Fil'd with that Life and Spirit Which doth from thee proceed 89. That thou mayst make me fruitful With fruits of righteousness An of-spring which thine Image May livelily express 90. That thou thy pleasure in me Subject to thee mayst take And I have pleasures in thee Which may me chearful make 91. Oh make thou me so lovely That thou mayst count me meet For such communion with thee As is so pure and sweet 92. That chaste I may be to thee And content in thee find That none else I may look to Or covet in my mind 93. May never go a whoring From under thee my Lord But may be fully pleased With what thou dost afford 94. Nor only let me love thee Like to some Concubine So as for pleasures only Me to thee to incline 95. But as a Spouse and chaste one Though thou shouldst them withhold Yet I may love thy person And vertues manifold 96. And thine affaires take care of As things that are mine own And faithfully observe what Thou shalt to me make known 97. Leaving it to thy wisdom Those pleasures to impart Which cannot but be pleasing And satisfie my heart 98. But let me not love pleasures So as if thou delay Thine to impart unto me I should to others stray 99. But make me ever willing To stay and waite for thee Who when thou seest it fitting Will thine impart to me 100. Thou art the only worthy To be lov'd and obey'd Oh that my heart upon thee More fixed were and stay'd 101. Oh sanctifie me to thee And my soul purifie Bless rods and mercies to me That I to sin may dye 102. And unto all that from thee Would steal my heart away That I may live unto thee In what I do and say 103. Thou art the lovely portion Riches and honour dwell In thee with whatsoever Delights and doth excel 104. Oh were my heart reduced To that simplicity That I might chuse and love thee And cleave to thee only 105. I would not change my lot there For any of the heigths Of highest greatest persons My earnest groans and sighs 106. Shall reather be through suff'rings To have thy company Then live else where without thee In greatest jollity 107. With all the greatest fulness This World to them affords Who live in its embracements As high and mighty Lords 108. Yet thou hast room for them too In thy high palaces Oh make thou them acquainted With thy sweet embraces 109. Oh make them see how empty All things without thee are That they may flock unto thee Seeing thee only fair 110. All honour be unto thee Thou only worthy one For it is due unto thee And unto thee alone 111. In oneness with the Father And with the holy Spirit Thou worthy art all blessing For ever to inherit 112. To thee it 's my desire To leave my self and all I am with whatsoever I through thy gift mine call 113. Lord pardon my abuses Of thy great love to me And make my soul both upright And constant unto thee 114. So that thy blessing ever May on my soul remain And cleanse me so as that thou Mayst not my work disdain 115. Purge out what doth offend thee And make me white and pure That thou mayst ever own me And I be ever sure 116. Of thy love and thy favour Which life doth far excel And in thine heavenly mansions May with thee ever dwell Amen and Amen FINIS A Posie Improved UPON THE POSIE of a RING Love Love Love EPAVCIS MVLTA I. AMongst the pretty Poseys I have seen Which either friends or lovers have invented I have on none to discant tempted been Nor hath any my fancy more contented If rightly 't be apply'd then this above This one word thrice repeated Love Love Love II. What man it was who did the same invent From whom or unto whom the token came Whether some Love to his Love it sent Or for what other cause some did it frame It matters not nor what they did thereby Intend unto their friend to signifie III. Perhaps some young man who his Mistress loved Or else some Mistress who did love her Friend And want of love again or fear'd or proved In them they loved did this token send Their love to quicken and their constancy To them the better to provoke hereby IV. Like as some person who while he assays To do or reach for something and doth fall Into some danger whence he cannot raise Or save himself most earnestly doth call Help Help Help tripling it vehemently As like to suffer greatly else thereby V. So possibly some lover while he sought The pleasing object of his love to gain Being into some doubt or question brought Thereof or meeting with slights or disdain Might in his earnestness cry as above As one else like to perish Love Love Love VI. Perhaps some wanton who had lust mistook For love seeking his lust to satisfie Might send it to his Harlot to provoke Her fond affection unto him thereby Exhorting her to love love love again That oft his will with her he might obtain VII Perhaps some person who had lov'd too much Some other person and loves flames had felt Sadly to scorch him when they did him touch His folly wailing on this subject dwelt As crying out upon a thing so hot Whence He much heart smart and much hurt had got VIII That carnal love I mean wherein the creature Is made the object of a blind affection Doteing upon its beauty parts or feature Which when it meets with slighting and rejection As oft it s foolishly misplac't on what Either's unlawful or repays with hate IX Brings forth instead of pleasure doleful grief Stinging the soul with fears and sad despairs Distractions jealousies without relief And many fruitless dumps and waking cares Causing such one out of this love to cry Bewailing thus his fortune bitterly X. Love Love Love thou art a most cruel thing When fixt on some disdainful one thou' rt found Thy sweets are bitter thou leav'st many a sting Infusest venom and the heart dost wound Oh had thy fond deceits my soul ne'r tainted Oh had I with thy force ne'r been acquainted XI Love Love Love that fond thing which men so call Woe worth the time I did thee intertain Expecting sweetness where I meet with gall And pleasures where I nothing find but pain Unhappy soul that longedst after fruit That may not be obtained by any suit XII Would I had hardned against thee my heart
And made it harden thon the flinty stones Against thy flatteries then should no dart Of thine have driven me to these sighs and moans Let none be tempted by thy speckled skin Or slily windings more to let thee in XIII Oh had I fixt mine eye and heart upon Those happy objects where no love is lost Had I been ruled by discretion Then had I never with these blasts been tost Who loves unduely's rightly thus rewarded The more he loves the less to be regarded XIV Who loves inordinately puts his heart Into anothers hands it to command Who when they list may play a Tyrants part Who love 's in measure keeps't in his own hand And if 't is flighted he can then withdraw't And place it beeter then on thing of naught XV. And yet it 's better when love 's badly set Upon unlawful objects t' have it crost Then that its satisfaction it should get For then the soul 's in danger to be lost Who can the mischiefs number which insue When unchast love injoys pleasures undue XVI What guilt unto it self the soul contracts What stings of conscience frightful fears of Hell What horrour shame reproach spring from such acts What other mischeifs where 's the tongue can tell Hoe many loose not only name and place But even their lives seeking to shun disgrace XVII How many have been cast down wounded sore How many strong ones hereby have been slain How many rich ones hath this love made poor How many sober ones hath it made vain Yea Cities through unchast love have been sackt And Common-wealths and Kingdoms hereby wrackt XVIII This brought the Deluge on the World of old And Sodom and her Sisters over-turn'd So as the like beside was never told By fire and Brimstone from Heav'n being burn'd This many thousand Graecians did destroy While they beseig'd the here-through ruin'd Troy XIX On this I more inlarge all men to warn How they their loves misplace and let them run Least they do gather thence both scath and scorn And wail too late when it hath them undone Give God thy heart i' th first place there 's great odds 'Twixt putting 't in a creatures hands and Gods XX. Perhaps some friendly soul whose heart was knit Unto his friend or neighbour in loves bands Desiring love again this posie writ And grav'd it on a ring that on the hands Of his friend worn or by him read it might Their hearts in mut'al love firmely unite XXI Perhaps some man who true love 's worth admir'd And found thereof within himself some want Cry'd out thus as a man that love desir'd Invoking love her self to him to grant Making his moan as if he thus should say Love Love Love come and make with me thy stay XXII Perhaps some living in this frozen age And seeing charity to be waxt cold Himself and others thereto to ingage Did grave these words upon a Ring of Gold But be it as it will I hope I well May good instructions to my self thence spell XXIII This threefold mention of this word to me Love's excellency rightly may imply That there is nothing in the World may be So good as hearty love and charity If other things with true love we compare Its excellencies superlative are XXIV Love not that thing which springeth out of dust And on some outward glosse doth fix the eye Which wantons call Love but the Scriptures lust For that is full of sin and vanity Chaining the soul to things that do it harm And oft to their destruction men doth charm XXV But that Divine and Heavenly frame of soul Which fills it full of goodness and inlarges Its motions and doth lead it to controule What ' ere as evil a right judgment charges A pure and heavenly flame inkindled from That holy fire that down from Heaven doth come XXVI Which at the good of the beloved aims And not a man 's own will to satisfie To all good offices the mind it frames And leads it all mischeivousness to fly Faith hope joy patience meekness fortitude And justice good are Love doth all include XXVII Love both believes and hopes and long indures With courage bearing and performing all That the beloveds good or praise procures Strongly resisting all that cross doth fall Love joys to do what 's right hates to do ill Yea love the law it self doth all fulfil XXVIII Love hath its rise from He'ven and Heaven 's its seat Where on a stately throne it s plac't on high Needs must the worth of love be very great When such its birth is and its Majesty Yea God himsld who all things is above Is not call'd power or strength or faith but Love XXIX Love is a vertue therefore pure and clean That from all filthiness and vice is free Producing all that 's good the heart can't mean Ill where love ruleth for love could not be A child of Heav'n or there its seat retain If free it were not from all spot and stain XXX Needs must it also unto God be pleasing Since it in him hath its original And to the heart it dwels in its most easing Of all d'sturbing passions that inthrall To self and others it 's a very spring Of ev'ry wholsome advantagious thing XXXI Yea Love's eternal seeing in the brest Of God from everlasting 't was conceiv'd And it for evermore shall be possest When other vertues have their end reciv'd So long as God is who doth live for ever Love shall abide and end it shall have never XXXII When what we now believe and hope for we Shall fully have and nothing more expect Yet we shall love and ever loved be We never shall God or God us reject Nor one another but eternally Shall live in love and perfect unity XXXIII When all out suff'rings shall be o're and past And patient courage have no further place Yet Love shall flourish and for ever last Therefore then Love there is no choiser grace After all vertues press we but above Them all lets follow after fervent Love XXXIV But yet again this thrice repeated word Love Love Love hath another mystery At least to me me-thinks it may afford This observation not unusefully That of right Love there are right objects three God neighbours and our selves should loved be XXXV The first Love God respects Love God for He Above all other things our Love deserves If any other thing more loved be Our love from its right order greatly swerves God far above all other things excels Because in him all excellency dwels XXXVI If lovely beauty may our love attract And cause our eyes and hearts thereon to gaze Such lovely beauty dwels in him in act As may with admiration us amaze A perfect fitness for to satisfie Our souls with goodness to eternity XXXVII Beauty doth stand in a just symmetry A fit composure and proportion due Of parts and of appearances to th' eye Such as a loveliness presents to th'veiw Such justice wisdom pow'r and goodness
to seek to know him bend Our thoughts to him and keep him in our mind With greatest earnestness his praises view To think on him bid all things else adieu LXIII Love God with all thy heart as him we know Let our affections close with and embrace Him freely fully all things high and low To the injoyment of him must give place Resign our wills to him on him rely Joy and delight we in his Majesty LXIV Seek his approvement fellowship and grace Joy in his word and service and adhere Firmely unto him seek his strength and face Above all things and the loss thereof fear Yea love the places whereon be his name His paths posts statutes and frequent the same LXV Love God with all thy soul the life and might Which soul united with the body gives To put forth all our strength it is but right Seeking and serving him who ever lives Remiss and slothful seeking him implies That our love to him 's cold and cold love dies LXVI Yea yet again we may be thrice put on To love the Lord because a Trinity There is in him He 's three though yet but one As Scriptures do expresly testifie Love God the Father Son and holy Spirit For each of them thy fervent'st love do merit LXVII For each and All are love in one and have Joyntly and severally their love exprest To us poor mortals that they might us save And that our miseries might be redrest In love the Father sent the Son unto us In love the Son came and the Spirit doth wooe us LXVIII In love the Father his Son yielded up To be made flesh and poor despis'd and dye 'T was He that gave to him that bitter cup Which wrung his Soul with many an agony In love to us he rais'd him up again And hath exalted him on high to reign LXIX In love to us the Son our flesh and blood Did at the Father's just appointment take And in our room and stead as surety stood And by his dying did atonement make And rose and off'red up himself on high Living to plead for us continually LXX In love to us he sent the holy Ghost And gifts did give to men as he thought good That so by them his Name in ev'ry coast Might be proclaim'd and his grace understood And unto those who do his grace retain He 'll come in glory and raise them to raign LXXI In love to us the Holy Ghost comes forth In Christ his Name and doth his truth make known Shewing the things of Christ and their great worth Wooing us to him that we might him own Waiting with patience for our turning in Ready to wash and cleanse us from our sin LXXII He guids us into truth he gives support Strengthneth in services and sufferings Unto our fainting Spirits he gives comfort Yea he all life and blessings to us brings Will raise us up from death and grave and give In glorious bodies us with Christ to live LXXIII Love Love Love God therefore intensively Who was and is and who is yet to come Love every person in the Trinity Oh that he had in my heart all the room Thus in the first place love to God is due But let us now a second Object view LXXIV Love secondly our Neighbour for the Text That bids us first of all to love the Lord Tells us the second precept which is next Is love our Neighbours and we in God's Word Good reason for it find because they are Our brethren though with God they can't compare LXXV All men are sprung from out one common stock Branches of the same root made of one blood Rais'd from one common mold chips of one block Fram'd by one hand capable of one good We had at first the same original And must at last into the same dust fall LXXVI Indeed there is in us such backwardness To love our Neighbours that this thrice repeated Word Love may be apply'd with earnestness That our cold hearts to love them may be heated God we so little love our selves so wrong That Neighbours get not what to them belong LXXVII 'T would be as good for them happy to be And to be miserable full as sad As to be happy will be good for thee And to be miserable for thee 's bad Seek to promote their good prevent their wooe Do to them as thou wouldst be done unto LXXVIII Especially fince it is God's good will And precept that thy Neighbour thou should'st love And that he might thee move it to fulfill His own example gives thee from above He hath both loved thee and others too As he hath done to thee to others do LXXIX God's love to thee obliges thee again Readily what he bids thee to obey To Love thy Neighbour then do not disdain Whatever lust of thine thereto say nay Though of thy love unworthy he doth seem Worthy of thine obedience God esteem LXXX But who 's our Neighbour surely every man Distinct from us at least till fil'd with evil Any we find that clearly see we can That they are thereby made one with the Devil For they that are God's enemies so far Out of our loves we lawfully may bar LXXXI But for all others they should loved be Whither they be our friends our foes or strangers Their good we should indeavour joy to see Defend and seek to rescue them from dangers Grieve for their harms and do what in us lies Their happiness to further any wise LXXXII Me thinks three sorts of Neighbours I espy God's friends our own and they that neither be Respectively to whom this trinity Of love-commands again apply may we Love those that love God love friends and allies Love other men strangers or enemies LXXXIII Love those that love God for they 'r worthy love In that they do the thing that 's good and right They are God's friends he loves them that may move Thee therefore in them to take much delight They love not God who do not love his friends And they are faulty who e'r them commends LXXXIV For in asmuch as any loves God He God's image in him in some measure bears They are Christ's vertues which in him we see God's and Christ's liv'ries he upon him wears And he that loves not God as seen in 's brother Loves not but hates God howe'r he it smother LXXXV If God thou lov'st and seek'st desirously Acquaintance with he with his people dwels In cleaving to their heavenly company Thou shalt meet with him as the Scripture tells If thou hast no desire his face to know Thou lov'st him not what face so e'r thou show LXXXVI Amongst all men they the first place should have In our affections because God's in them They 'r nearest to him what they of him crave He 'll give for he their pray'rs will not contemn They then who him neglect and them despise He needs must take to be his enemies LXXXVII They be Christ's favourites he doth them own As his dear
THE DIVINE WOOER OR A POEM Setting forth The Love and Loveliness of the LORD JESVS and his great desire of our welfare and happiness and propounding many Arguments full of weight and power to persuade Souls to the faith and obedience of him and Answering divers Objections that are made there-against and that hinder many there-from Composed by J. H. a servant of God in the glorious Gospel of his well beloved Son Psal 45.1 My heart herein a good thing doth indite The things pertain to Christ which here I write A ready writer's pen may my tongue prove Imprinting on the Readers heart Christ's love Psal 34.8 11. O taste and see how good 's the Lord and just O happy man that maketh him his trust Come children unto me give heed I 'll teach You how to fear the Lord his grace I preach Quis leget haec Persius Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci Horat. A verse may find him who a Sermon flies And turn delight inâ—â— a sacrifice Herbert LONDON Printed for R. Taylor and T. Sawbridge and are to be Sold in Little-Brittane 1673. THE DEDICATION LOrd I would dedicate this work to Thee For its materials are mainly thine And those endowments too thou gav'st to me Through exercise whereof it became mine But yet that exercise of mine 's so short Of what ought t' have been that thou mayst abhor't II. I do confess that unto Thee I owe My self and all that I am or can do For all that 's good in me Thou did bestow And in my wants it is to Thee I go Therefore 't is meet that I devote to Thee My self my works and all that is in me III. But I 'm a very sinful dirty thing So much defil'd in heart mind head and hand That I no offring meet for Thee can bring Nought that before Thee thou mayst bear to stand If Thou do'st look upon it with pure eye And mark its many swervings narrowly IV. O wash me in the fountain of that blood Which thy most blessed Son for me hath shed Renew me with thy grace that can make good And clean both heart and mind both hand and head Then shall I better offrings bring to Thee Than either I or this my work now be V. The spring whence flowed out those streams which here Together gathered I have by study Is with what flows therefrom both pure and clear But ah the channel they ran through is muddy Thy words are all most pure but in my mind While they received are there dirt they find VI. Mistakes and earthiness carnal desires And selfish ends therein so frequent are That what results therefrom greatly bemires The heav'nly liquor and it almost marres Yet Lord let not thy wine be thrown away Though of the cask something it rellish may VII But let the Readers such good strainers find Of piercing judgment as to seperate What 's mine from thine so as what 's thine to mind And nothing thereof for my sake to hate Yea what in them or me thou seest amiss Pard'ning and purging to us both it bliss VIII Oh cause both me and them who read or hear Of what 's here writ of thy beloved Son The truth thereof behold so bright and clear As unto him at all times we may run And unto him resolve so fast to cleave As him by no means we may ever leave IX And O might all the musings of my mind And words or writings which from thence proceed Be such as may with Thee acceptance find And useful be to who them hear or read To what 's good therefore Thou my strength Lord be And from what ill inthrals me set me free TO THE READER THere is a Proverb saith Blest is the wooing That is soon over or not long in doing This Proverb hath its truth and verity In this same woing which unto thine eye And mind I here present if we respect The party wooed He that dont ' reject Christ's profer'd kindness or his patience tire But quickly yields himself to his desire Without excuses or delays is Blest And sooner of much happiness possest Whereas He that stands dallying long and gives Frequent denyals of much good deprives Himself mean while and many griefs sustains While between two He in suspense remains Yea and endangers the Great Wooer too To turn away in anger and then woo And anguish will succeed for there is none With whom the soul can live well but this One Though in respect of him that 's woo'd it s well That Christ upon his suit long time doth dwell That He 's not quick to anger but doth wait To shew his mercy even to such as hate To be reproved and do long resist That grace of God without which none is blist That He vouchsafes to call and knock and stay At the long-closed-Heart from day to day Till by his goodness and long-suffering He Subdues its unkind hardness makes it see Its folly Him so to oppose in whom All good and happiness to it doth come And without whom it must sustain such woe As it can neither bear nor get therefro Which patience and long-suffering doth commend This Wooer much that He will so attend Vpon such sorry persons and so long Before He leave his suit His love is strong Which led him hither through so many tryals And leads him too to take so oft denials When as He is so Great and perfect too That He no need hath any one to wooe Nor is there any worthy of his love Or to injoy him He 's a match above The Highest creature none in Heaven or Earth Can equal him in greatness goodness birth But who is that that 's wooed whom doth He court Is' t only some of the more wealthy sort Is' t only the brave gallants or is' t those Whose wit and breeding other mens out-goes Or is it such as are set up on high Invested with some great Authority We might suspect indeed that He some such Would take to him that in these matters much Come nearer to his greatness But alas For none of all those things He ought doth pass Nor do they make those who them have to be Any whit nearer to him in degree Than those who have them not they bear no sway With him at all that more of his heart they Then others should obtain but whosoere Do heartily him love to him are Dear It 's any soul in general that He Doth call and Woo that saved it might be To whom He by his works and words doth show His truth and goodness that it them may know And by his holy Spirit them evidences In any measure But men oft their senses So stupifie with pride and lust that they Do not perceive what he to them doth say But do neglect his voice till He them leave The fruits of their own folly to receive But wheresoere men hear him and do heed Those heavenly words which do from him proceed Believing on him He
doth beforehand lively here present Shewing what dreadful Horror shall surprize All who to Christ and his are Enemies And have them Persecuted scorn'd or slighted How such shall stand amazed and affrighted At that strange turn and though 't will nought avail Their former foolish sinful ways bewail And with most bitter lamentations rue That they their lusts and pleasures to pursue Should God neglect and what might have prevented Their being so unspeakably Tormented And how the Saints in their most blessed state Their dear Redeemer's praise shall celebrate With Songs of Tryumph reigning gloriously As Kings with Him to all Eternity And then from both doth strongly reinforce His former suit that we would take the course Which he perswades namely with Christ to close Unfainedly not fearing wants or foes Which fears and doubtings in us to prevent Christ to us he again doth represent As all-sufficient to preserve and guide us And all things necessary to provide us Shewing Christ's tender love and special care Which he for all his Servants will declare That they shall have no reason to repent Their choice and then gives great incouragement That though we many strong corruptions have Christ's grace shall us from those corruptions save That we o're them through him shall conquest get And also over whatsoever let May interpose And that the only thing Which Christ desires is that we be willing To give our selves wholly to him and then He will give back himself to us agen And with himself whatever good thing he Shall needful for our souls and bodies see This and much more our hearts for to allure The Author doth I' th' Name of Christ assure These and many other things no less Remarkable then these which to express Or over them particularly to run Were but to light up candles to the Sun Since you in Reading may them find and see More fully then if hinted here by me On which I say when I had cast mine eye Observing also how judiciously Full and compendiously he doth express Each thing me thought that I could do no less Then leave some small memorial of my love To signifie how highly I approve The Authors Labour in this following Book Although I know not how it may be took Only I 'll hope the best desiring thee Who Read'st this Book thou would'st not tired be Nor grutch thy labour though it seemeth long Lest in so doing thou thy self do'st wrong And to thy shame declare how little thou Esteem'st of Christ Whose Excellence to shew This Author much more time and pains did spend As knowing none can him enough commend By all the Words or Books that can be writ Considering also there 's enough in it To Recompence thy labour if thou hast A Spiritual heart to relish and to taste Those Spiritual dainties and that Heavenly chear Which by this Author is presented here Or if as yet thou hast not yet through grace Whil'st thou herein behold'st with open face As in a glass that Glorious Love Divine Which in this Sun of Righteousness doth shine Who courts and wooes thee here with him to wed Thou may'st I say be Metamorphosed Into that Glorious Image whence we fell And then I know such Books will please thee well And to thy soul much joy and solace bring Yea thou wilt in a feeling manner sing That Song of Loves * p. 257 compos'd by this thy Friend And from thy own experience Christ commend As far more lovely than thou can'st conceive Which wishing to thee I shall take my leave March 10. 1672. R. T. If you would know my NAME This Accrostick shews the same Reader this Book presents a Match unto thee One of great Worth who for his Bride would have thee By this his Servant earnestly doth wooe thee Eternally to dignifie and save thee Refuse not then but take him at his word The whole World can't thee such a Match afford Think not his terms propos'd too strict and hard Or that he bids thee to thy loss But know Without him thou art quite undone and marr'd Since none but he can pay what thou do'st owe Or stand thy Friend at Death and Judgment day No more will he except thou him obey By Another SIR I have read your ex'llent wooing fit And find it coucht in plain but soaring wit The truest wisdom Sir your lines unfold How to make Christ the Husband of our souls Let Momus carp let Sycophants revile At this thy plain but Heaven aspiring stile We 'll leave them as they are and wave their scorn In his good time God will exalt his Horne Jn this thy heavenly wooer thou hast shown Our Saviours mercy and his love in one Here soul thy Christ to thee proposeth Heaven Nay he doth wooe thee to 't let not sins leaven Harbour in thee t' obstruct thy way to bliss O Soul admire that Christ thy wooer is Render him thanks for this his mercy great Never refuse so glorious a seat Eternal horrour will be thy retreat On the ensuing Poem THis Author minding God's great Love to us Was thereby mov'd to represent it thus No flaring dress nor gaudy Robes here worn And yet enough to keep his Muse from scorn Not a-la-Mode yet handsome neat and spruce To gain respect and stop or dam the sluce Of that prophaness which licentious rimes Sets ope in these our sad declining times The wooing here Divine no complement Needed nor us'd by way of supplement It treats of high and heavenly misteries Brought down to suit meanest capacities The heir of all God's first begotten Son Is here commended yet when all is done That all 's too short his praises to set forth Much here 's exprest but more admire his worth Praised be God for this sweet Melody Thanks also to that Instrument whereby The Match is here advis'd well may he speed In such endeavours and at every need Find such supplies of mercy from the Lord As he hath promis'd in his Holy Word May they too profit who shall read these Songs Praise be to God to whom all praise belongs James Horne On the foregoing Commendations of the following Poem OThers affect that by some Learned men Some Doctors Students Preachers or the pen Of some great Person what they put to Press Should be commended or delight to dress It with some curious Frontispeice my mind In good men's approbation more doth find It to content that such as God believe And his instructions likewell to receive Who godliness endeavour after fleeing What ever things are therewith disagreeing Commend my studies and endeavours for Such Persons praises God doth not abhor By such he 'll be commended when by those Who to true godliness are real foes Though great and rich and learned too they be To be extolled much disdaineth he Nor did that Kingly Poet David whose Praises were great in songs who did compose The sweetest Poems unto him invite The great or Learned Persons that they might Turn in to him
and his Companions be But such as fear'd the Lord thereto did he Invite and call they in God's mysteries Have the best judgment are the truly wise Nor God nor good men for their poverty Do any such despise why then should I Better by one poor good man prais'd to be Than by a thousand bad of high degree In such though mean men in this World God's treasures Have oft been put and they of divine pleasures Have oft the largest deepest draughts the Saints Or holy men what ever outward wants Have them attended Christ's inheritance With all its glorious riches doth advance If such then like my works if what I 've pen'd Those that be truly pious do commend It is enough if they be pleas'd I much Pass not for their accounts that are not such Though that 's the lot of goodness too that oft Some such it praise too who themselves are naught Such virtu's beauty that it oft attracts Their eyes and tongues who yet refuse its acts Who loving sensual pleasures can't endure Themselves unto those labours to inure Whence those good fruits are reap't which who so taste Shall joys injoy which evermore shall last Such forcedly though th' act not praise what 's right But vertues foll'wers praise her with delight J Horne THE Divine VVooer Canto I. A wake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Eph. 5.14 The Call The man upon his Soul doth call To view it's state original And what it 's now through Adam's fall The Soul it 's bad estate espies And ready to despair out cries A Minister thereto replies Directing it to Christ He shews Of him the gladsome heavenly news Yea Christ himself for its love sues Declares his worthy facts his love And what to close with him might move And shews what doth it most behove Then warns it of it's subtle foes Who seek to bring to it great woes And there this Canto hath it's close Man ROwse up thy self my Soul consider well What of thy state I herein do thee tell What was thy first condition what it 's now That what behoves thee thou mayst better know Good was thy state at first before thy fall For thou from God hadst thine original A pure off-spring of his heavenly breath Thou wast not subject unto sin or death Or grief or fear or any thing might harm thee Till the old Serpent from thy God did charm thee For we in Gods own image and likeness At first were framed and he did express Great love and bounty to us he withheld Nothing of good from us our state excel'd All creatures here below for to us he Gave the Dominion over Land and Sea And all that in them were yea all above He made also for us such was his love A pleasant Garden even a Paradise Of pleasures also full of rarities He for us planted and therein a Tree Of life by which we might from Death been free Yea whatsoever might yield us delight To Soul or Body touch or taste or sight He therein did provide with different sex For more content and off-spring nought did vex Or cause disquiet then yea thou didst know The nature of all things and couldst it show And such agreeing names on them impose As might their inward properties disclose Yea even with God himself thou to converse Wast fitted and his praises couldst rehearse And hadst thou still obey'd his just commands And had'st not broke by Sin the sacred bands Of friendship wherewith to himself he ty'd thee Nothing should ere have power had to divide thee From his affections nor should any thing Befaln thee but what good to thee should bring But now alas thy state is altered Since thou by sinning from thy God hast fled By listning to the Serpents subtlety And giving heed to his false glozing lye Of all the good thou had'st thou art berest And nought but what 's bad now in thee is left The Image of thy God wherein did stand Thy cheifest glory thou hast marred and Like to the Beasts that perish now hast made thee And Satans lies to ruine have betray'd thee His poyson hath thy heart infected so That nought but wickedness therefrom doth flow So that of God thou nought deserv'st but hate Yea and all creatures thee to ruinate May well conspire since thou so wretchedly Hast turn'd away from God their enmity Against thee is but just that as before Thou waft Heavens favourite and all things bore Respect unto thee now they should neglect thee And unto answerable woes reject thee To what thy blesses were for oh my Soul Thou art become a Dungeon very foul Nasty and dark and loathsomâ—sin and evil Have got possession in thee and the Devil Hath thee inslav'd so to his will and lust That thou art full of all that is unjust And hateful unto God who therefore hath From Paradise expel'd thee in his wrath And unto Death hath thee condemned so That from the force thereof thou can'st not go Of unclean Birds thou art become a cage Thy lusts and passions in thee rule and rage And drive thee to and fro and thee expose Unto the Malice of Infernal foes All thou do'st mean think love or joy in now What is it but what 's vain and brutish Thou In whom Gods Wisdom sometime had delight Art now become a very loathsom sight Wholly for her pure fellowship unmeet And for his service for from Head to Feet Thou full of sores and ulcers art In thee Nothing that 's right or lovely can He see Thou neither knowest him nor thy self nor how Thou may'st thy self recover nor can'st thou His favour re-obtain by any thing Which thou by way of off'ring can'st him bring For unto him no reall love thou hast Nor any virtuous thing of all good waste And empty now thou art To Sathans power And to Gods wrath obnoxious every hour Oh then how sad's thy state where ere thou go Thou art in danger of eternal wo. While thou art in thy sins over thy Head Gods wrath doth hang his wrath whom Angels dread And all the Creatures and whose furious ire When poured forth is like devouring fire So as the Rocks are thereby rent and fall Asunder for it 's able to turn all Into its Antient Chaos and to bring The whole Creation to a mere nothing Bethink thee then my Soul what course to take Is there no way thy peace with God to make Is there no way his wrath to pacifie To scape his vengeance that thou may'st not die Not die for ever while thou yet hast space Mayst thou not seek for and implore his grace Soul And is it so indeed is this my case Doth sin in me Gods image so deface And render me so loathsom in his eye Is his wrath so provok't am I to dye By his just law so doom'd oh whither then Shall I betake my self what can we men Devise or do whereby his anger we May pacifie
he In leading them there-through by day and night Both by a shady cloud and fiery light In giving them from Heaven Angels bread Wherewith for forty years they were all fed In causing flinty Rocks to give them drink When they through thirst seemed to be at pits brink How did he by a Serpent made of brass Erected heal their wounds and made them pass Safely through mid'st of swelling Seas and floods Drave out seaven Nations and their lands and goods Divided to his people to possess That they his Name for evermore might bless And all might see That they who serve God have A great preserver who them all will save And recompence with good and that To Bliss The only certain way to serve God is How did he ruddy David while a youth Because he served him in upright truth Take from the sheep-folds and with oyl anoint him And to rule over Israel appoint him And though he from Saul's envy suffred much While he Gods favour did unto him grutch And many dangers too of death sustain'd Before the Crown and Kingdom he obtain'd Yet how did God him keep uphold and save In many a desert mountain hill and cave Till having humbled him he his promise Remembred and cut off his enemies Gave him the Sovereign power and government So that he ruled long with great content Inlarg'd his Territories and increast His power among the great ones of the East Till in his great prosperity he fell Into the sins whereof the Scriptures tell When that it might appear that God regards Mens actions and unto them gives rewards And punishments according thereunto He met with sad corrections and much woe Though mixt with mercies manifold because He did through grace repent and to my laws Return How strangely did he Mordecay And the Jews help whom Haman sought to slay Turning upon his Head those evils which He for them had devis'd into the ditch He for them dig'd he himself was cast down That thereby both Gods favour and his frown He might at once declare How helped he Those worthies which are call'd the children three They walkt in mid'st of fiercest flames no smell Of fire their garments had when they down fell Dead at the furnace mouth who east them in Such difference is 'twixt righteousness and sin How helpt he Daniel in the Lyons den And him deliver'd when those very men Destroy'd were who devis'd his ruine How Did he oft help his servants when brought low In times of Macchabees and all along When they dispersed were and suff'red wrong How helped he the holy men that dy'd In faith of me whom the World crucifi'd Through many Storms and Tempests by the rage Of persecutors rais'd in every age For love of me they willingly did yield To Death so as by Death they won the field Triumphing over every worst torment That was devised by the curst Serpent And his inraged instruments until By their deaths and their doctrine they did fill The World with fruits and made proud error fall Before the truth confessed by them all For those same ignominious Deaths and crosses Those heavy sufferings and most grievous losses Whereat the World doth stumble and whereby They with the Devil in confederacy Endeavour to affright thee from my Word More comfort and more glory far afford Then all those pleasures and those braveries By which they do bewitch the mind unwise Yea many have more peace and joy exprest In cruel Deaths through me then they who rest And quiet in the World injoy as far As a glow-worm's exceeded by a Star Of greatest magnitude or by the Sun Which with great glory doth its courses run Which moved Moses though both Learn'd and Wise The riches of all Egypt to despise And all its pleasures to take part with those Who suff'red great oppressions from their foes For sake of me because he well perceived That greater glory then can be believed Is thence received yea more then can be found Form all the best injoyments of this Round Who are more honour'd in this World's esteem Then they who do their life and blood out teem And many watchings fastings combates great And hardships suffer which each hour them threat To do their Countrey service or maintain Its liberties or greater rule to gain Unto it and shall those who for the sake Of their most high creator undertake His truth and Kingdom to assert be thought The only persons to be set at nought Or be the worse accounted because they Do many cruel things sustain all day Are they not therefore far more worthy praise For suff'ring so great things so divers ways The worst of Deaths and Torments that the wit And malice both of Men and Devils knit Together could devise and bear the shame Of vilest imputations for my Name Shews it not forth their greater love to me And is' t not meet I should so loved be Who for their sakes my state of glory left And suffered my self to be bereft Of all things even of life and to sustain The greatest agonies in Soul and pain In body even the dreadful curse to bear Of God's most righteous Law because they were Thereof the breakers and thereby concluded To be from Gods most joyful sight extruded Is it not too a commendation to My person and my kingdom that they so Dare suffer for them for therein they show That they such excellencies in them know That for the sake thereof they do contemn The greatest mischeifs can be done to them Rather then be thereof depriv'd yea sure The patience too wherewith they do endure Their gloryings also and great joys therein Which often in that case exprest hath been Unlike to those who suffer otherwise Some excellency clearly testifies In what they suff'red for and that they found Some such strong satisfactions to abound As nothing in this World can them afford But only the Divine power of the Lord. And sure if they who for their Countrey dye With Monuments and Trophies gloriously Are honour'd and the more by how much they More willingly and greater suff'rings may Have undergone those ignominious things Which the confession of my doctrine brings Through Sathan's and the World's malice upon My followers as oft times it hath done Their glory and their praise esteemed should be And so they are esteemed too of me And of my Father who will recompence Such glory to them as such patience And love to him and me may challenge yea According as of us they taken be Of our great grace and favour who account Them worthy of such glories as surmount All humane merit and though they do owe Such service to us yet great things bestow By way of recompence such as surpass All humane understanding as far as The Heavens exceed the Earth or th' Ocean large Exceeds the compass of some Boat or Barge For 't is the glory of the Majesty Of God to give rewards exceeding high As Kings give gifts like Kings and not like those
have a place Amongst the saved ones which made us bold Our sinful courses and vain ways to hold Believing that if saved we might be We must be turn'd in irresistibly And if not so we should but toil in vain Against the stream from vices to abstain And to obtain the Kingdom of the just For do we what we could perish we must Or otherwise their life and doctrine did Imbolden us to do the things forbid They made us to believe that because we Baptised were with water we must be Happy at last if we did but comply So far with the Churches authority As therein to be kept though we did rest But in formalities we must be blest Or if but once we true believers were We could ne'r fall away of that no fear However we might sin and do such things As upon others swift destruction brings Wo worth false Prophets who have us deceived While we them as true Prophets have believed Because they were the men that had the voice Of those that were impowred to make choice Of men to teach us and had publikely Approvement by humane Authority Though they were Ministers only of men And knew not God how could they teach us then Gods truth sincerely They were but time-servers Men pleasers and from God's good doctrine swervers And of the Souls of men they were the starvers Wo worth them that they did not us reprove When they did see us sin they no such love Had to our Souls but seeking gain from us They sooth'd us up and now we are lost thus Wo worth the loose Professors Hypocrites Who oft lay'd stumbling-blocks before our sights While they did their profession fouly stain By falshood cheating or behaviours vain Which made us all Religion to detest And think those who had none to be the best Wo worth our manifold Idolatries Wherein forsaking God we worship'd lies Made Idols of the Angels Devils Men Both dead and living yea and now and then Our fancies bellies works them bowing to And other creatures looking help them fro Our worshipping the Beast and his Image Our beastly wills and those in every age Who lording it over our Conscience Imposed on us their own will and sense Wo worth those superstitions and devis'd Ways and conceptions whereby men disguis'd God and his worship causing us full low To those things God forbad our selves to bow Wo worth our taking of God's name in vain By oaths and perjuries and by prophane Abuses of it and formality While resting in the formes we did deny The power os godliness and not such fruit Bring forth as with that worthy Name did suite Wo worth our breaches of Gods Sabboaths and Our disobedience to the command Of Kings and Princes which they lawfully Imposed on us that Authority We did despise contemn the Magistrates Seditions and Rebellions wrought in States Our Parents disobey'd or did not give The honour due to them while they did live Wo worth our envy murther strife debate Our malice slanderous words that sprung from hate Wo worth our fornications uncleanness Our thefts oppressions bearing false witness Wo worth the time that we were discontent With what God of his goodness to us sent And coveted our Neighbours wo that we Did in our selves trust righteous to be Did justifie our selves in our own eyes Thought our selves wise and good Did Christ despise Accursed be these wicked wretched Devils For they inticed us to all these evils Accursed be the Heavens over our head Accurst the Earth whereupon we did tread Accurst the Sun that gave by day its light By which such objects were unto our sight Made visible as moved us to do The things that have occasioned this woe Accursed also be the Night and dark Thereof wherein what places we did mark I' th' day time we brake through or went unto The deeds of darkness therein for to do Accurst the bread we eat the nourishment Our food afforded oh him that it sent Who made the Heavens and Earth and Seas and all And-suff'red Adam into sin to fall And gave such laws as would not sin permit And that doth now so greatly punish it Oh wretched Caytiffs that thus blaspheme God! Because we feel his just deserved rod. Oh 't is our selves that we may blame for this We we were wicked and we did amiss God we despised his will we contemned We lifted up our selves and him condemned All might have been to us too for mercy As well as unto those that are on high God gave us Heaven and Earth and Seas and all The creatures that therein were great and small Of his great bounty for to do us good But we abus'd them and against him stood We lov'd them more then him who gave them and Priding our selves in them we his command Did disobey Him who is infinite In greatness and in goodness we did slight Did chuse what wrong was and refus'd the right Against such things 't was just there should be laws The penalties are just also because He 's infinite in greatness we abused And his infinite goodness we refused Yea he was infinitely merciful For he his Son sent down us for to pull Both from our sins and miseries and he Was ready us to succor But we we Neglected him also his help we scorn'd Slighted his mercy and though oftn warn'd We would not be admonish'd by him but His gratious counsels all we from us put Oh what good days what opportunities Did he afford but we did them despise At such a time in such a place we heard What us almost perswaded to regard His counsels but we stopt our ears and quencht Those motions oft we went our ways and drencht Our wits in Wine or Ale or went away Unto our Farms our Merchandise our play We were not well at quiet or at rest Till we those motions had shakt from our brest Which we did hate like Serpents oh had we Been willing to have let them there to be Had they abode with us they might have brought Us to repent of those bad things we wrought When we should have God's word heard oft we went To other places and our times mispent Or if we went and heard we did not mind That we God's gracious will therein might find We soon forgot it or did rest in knowing But practised it not as nothing owing Of duty when we should have pray'd and wept We turn'd away or lay'd us down and slept At such a time we did our ways discern And see their vileness and began to learn The knowledge of the Lord but liked not It to retain and therefore soon forgot Those things again we threw the glass away That shew'd our spots Wo wo and well-a-day 'T is we 't is we are guilty oh what sense Have we now of it in our Conscience Oh how it gnaws us as a worm and tears Our bowels worse then Lyons teeth or Bears Oh now we see that God was good indeed In all he did our
They who refus'd And it abus'd His justice must abide CIII Those things that we Could not so see While mortal flesh we had For then our sight Was not so bright Though we saw what did glad CIV These things we now Do clearly know Their reason now we see Our vails are gone Darknesses none Within our hearts now be CV We see it 's true In time most due God sent his only Son Of woman made As he had said As ne'r before was done CVI. Angels it see And did agree With joy it to declare Angels and we Agreed now be And knit together are CVII Though in our flesh Us to refresh It was that Christ appear'd For us to dye Our death thereby To vanquish which we fear'd CVIII Angels had not Our flesh or spot Of sin therein as we Yet they who stood I' th truth were good And joy'd our good to see CIX Under the Law The Word us saw Under the Law came he That he that way Our debts might pay And by Death set us free CX Our bands to break He did them take And with them he was bound God's cords we burst Christ was accurst That he might heal our wounds CXI We were condemn'd Who had contemn'd God's holy Word and will He was contemn'd Misus'd condemn'd Our evils did him kill CXII For us he dyed Being crucified Sustain'd a cruel death Was broke with grief Us'd as a thief Till he gave up his breath XVIII His grave was made And body laid With the rich and unjust His honour high Despis'd did lye All cover'd up with dust CXIV Oh wondrous sight Oh love most bright Never the like was seen That one so high So low should lye Poor caytiffs to redeem CXV Of men what one For men undone His Son would so abase For enemies That him despise That they might be in place CXVI Yet such a love The Lord above To us when poor did show For bankrupt us He made him thus To pay what we did owe. CXVII His wisdom here Did strange appear The World was pos'd hereby Its eye was blind And could not find Hereof the mystery CXVIII This it befool'd This it quite gull'd This cross so cross did lye They stumbled here And could not bear That 't was God's Son did dye CXIX It did deride And crucifi'd This mystery again As if that he God could not be That such things did sustain CXX This wisdoms height Did dim the sight O' th' Serpents eye so sore He could not see Those heights here be Yet did against them roar CXXI This brake his head This down did tread His craft and power who Had man brought down And quite ore-thrown Into a pit of wo. CXXII Here wisdom we And power did see When God did clear our eyes The law fulfil'd Its curse was quel'd Whon Christ from grave did rise CXXIII For here it was That God did pass Sentence upon our sin He judg'd it here Christ did it bear For us who fell therein CXXIV This vanquisht Death Appeased wrath Did justice satifie Pardon for more Then Adam's score Was purchased hereby CXXV Great pleasure here As did appear God took who the third day Without delays Did him up raise From the grave where he lay CXXVI And did him take Even for the sake Of what he suffered To be on high In his body And of all power the Head CXXVII Here God did lay A certain stay And sure foundation Of all his acts And mighty facts For man's salvation CXXVIII Of all our hope The under-prop While we had not attain'd Of all the bless We do possess Now we the end have gain'd CXXIX Here lay the ground Here God did found Our slidden hearts and feet Hence all the flood Of all the good Wherewith we ere did meet CXXX Yea on this ground God did new found The Earth and World again Both as it was Till it did pass And as it doth remain CXXXI Here he fulfil'd What was forth-held Of a prepared Feast All ready here That might us chear So as no want i' th' least CXXXII The holy Spirit As he did merit Fully God did him give That for his praise He might us raise From Death and make us live CXXXIII From darkness great Wherein we sate From Death to Life from Thrall To Liberty Of his mercy Thereby he did us call CXXXIV He sent forth light He gave us sight And turn'd our hearts to mind What he held forth That so its worth And goodness we might find CXXXV He gave his speech And did beseech Us to consider well He gave an ear That we might hear The things that he did tell CXXXVI Full oft when we His light did see We winked with our eyes It did displease us It did dis-ease us Faulting our vanities CXXXVII Ofttimes we heard But then we fear'd Least what we heard should mar Our false pretences Wrong confidences And put it from us far CXXXVIII Ofttimes we felt The power that dwelt In him and in his truth Almost we turn'd And yet oft spurn'd Thus dealt we from our youth CXXXIX Oh how we lov'd What he reprov'd How loath with it to part From idols vain How loath t' abstain Although they caus'd us smart CXL But oh his love That did him move To pass by our misdeeds He did forgive And made us live His gratiousness exceeds CXLI In misery That we should dye He had no will at all He interceded And for us pleaded And yet again did call CXLII His patient Good deportment His lamb-like gentleness His suffering long Our many a wrong Oh what tongue can express CXLIII How oft his love Did our hearts move And make us to him look How oft did we Look back to see The Idols we forsook CXLIV It was the strength The power and length Of his dear love unto us His words of grace His pleasant face His constancy to wooe us CXLV His excellence His love immense The freeness of his grace Which caught our heart And made us part With all him to embrace CXLVI Oh had he not Ofttimes forgot Our great unkindnesses And look't away From what each day We acted quite amiss CXLVII If with his eyes Iniquities Against us he had markt How we rebel'd Our lusts fast held The light he gave us darkt CXLVIII We had been then Like yonder men Who cast out of his fight Do yell and cry Most hideously Throughout their endless night CXLIX But there is none Save him alone None like him constant is His constancy Was our safety And brought us to this bliss CL. Can it be told How manifold Our stubbornesses were Our great neglects And disrespects Committed year by year CLI How much to do He had to wooe Before he did obtain How oft in heart We did depart When wooed from him again CLII. What vanities Did draw our eyes From looking him upon How often we Refus'd to see His great salvation CLIII How dull we were His voice to hear How oft we stopt our ears How we
quite XXI Our fall was of our selves It did not come from thee We willingly the way to dye Did chuse but thou wert free XXII Yet blessed be that will That did permit our fall And whatsoere permitted were To any of us all XXIII For now we see 't was well That God did so permit And not withhold that Serpent old From tempting us to it XXIV For hereby he hath shew'd His attributes most clear How foolish we how dear to thee And unto him we were XXV That so we in our selves No more might put our trust Or listen to what led us fro Thee to fulfil our lust XXVI Yea thereby to himself Our hearts he doth indear While we do see what for us he Hath done while such we were XXVII And so it hath ingag'd Us wondrously to thee That thou so high vouchsafest to dye To set such caytiffs free XXVIII When we all helpless were And hopeless were become Thou did'st us save our foes out drave Brought'st us to thy kingdom XXIX There 's nothing in these acts But big with love it is From first to last we love do taste And thee for ever bliss XXX No shorter date can be Sufficient to express Our hearty sense of so immense A love and it confess XXXI Yea wisdom too we see In suffring that our fall It was O King glory to bring To thee in our recal XXXII That thou might'st be made known And the Father in thee That thy love might shine forth most bright And we more happy be XXXIII We never can express Our thanks sufficiently That thou O King did'st back us bring And to that end did'st dye XXXIV Let 's then strike up our strings As Harpers full of skill And sing our song All our ay-long Till we do sing our fill XXXV What one is like to thee Oh holy glorious one What did thee move us thus to love When we were all undone CXXXVI Thou in thy self wast blest Thou character express Of Gods person his only Son His Glories full brightness XXXVII It was exceeding love And goodness to us when I' th' dust we lay and were but clay To make us living men XXXVIII In thy divine Image And to be like to thee A living soul and to controule All things in Earth and Sea XXXIX How could the dust deserve To be preferred so It was only thy pleasure high Thus thereunto to do XL. Yet as it did no good Such favour to procure So it no bad within it had For all thy works were pure XLI Whereas we not only Void of all goodness were But had done ill yet 't was thy will Favour to us to bear XLII All those expressions great Of love when we were dust We valued not but quite forgot To satisfie a lust XLIII The Serpent who no good Had done for us at all Far before thee preferred we When we from thee did fall XLIV For without any shew That it was true he said We took his lye threw thy truth by Thy love aside we laid XLV Oh great ingratitude Folly and madness great So easily to throw thee by And suffer such a cheat XLVI Whereby we were defil'd And made thine enemies Very unjust and fil'd with lust And all things good despise XLVII Yet that thou might'st us save Thou wast content to be For us made flesh in our likeness Such sin except as we XLVIII Thou did'st not take the form Of some great King or Lord Like a servant poor and in want Thou we'rt of men abhor'd XLIX In which abased forme Great grief thou did'st sustain Yea for our good to shed thy blood Thou didest not disdain L. Oh wond'rous love indeed That one so great and high Who did proceed from God should bleed And for us sinners dye LI. Besides reproaches blows Abuses shame and scorn Thy bloody sweat agony great Whereby thy life was worn LII The curse which was our due Thou also did'st endure In the grave lay till the third day Our freedom to procure LIII Yea also thou went'st down Into the lower Hell As one bereft of God and left Thy griefs no tongue can tell LIV. It was no gain from us That thou could'st get thereby When we most had we could not add Unto thy Majesty LV. But how much less when we Had lost what thou did'st give And nothing had but what was bad And were unfit to live LVI Oh what was sinful man That thou should'st him so love At such a cost to save the lost What pitty did thee move LVII How can we but confess That thine of right we are Since thou us made thy life down laid Us when sinners to spare LVIII And yet that was not all Thy love did so exceed 'T was not only least we should dye That for us thou did'st bleed LIX Thou like to us was 't made And our deserts did'st bear That we might be made like to thee Thy robes of glory wear LX. Oh depth oh heigth of love None may compare with thee So low to lye that we so high Who were so low might be LXI Which thing to bring about God raised thee again For pangs of death or Hell beneath Could not thee long detain LXII Because thou art the life The life eternal and Against that life no mortal strife Of Death or Hell could stand LXIII The Serpent and his slaves Did strive thee down to hold But all in vain thou rose again As was of thee foretold LXIV Oh mighty conqueror A glorious conquest here Thou oâ—â—â— evil sin World and Devil Triumphantly did'st bear LXV This was the glorious fight This was the day indeed Which God did make for his Names sake This did from him proceed LXVI These were the wars of God A battel bravely fought 'Twixt th' innocent and the Serpent Whereby our peace was wrought LXVII No war was like to this This the foundation laid Of all the blows and overthrows Upon the foes since made LXVIII Those were the mortal foes Of God and mankind too ' Gainst God's glory and Man's safety Their malice thy did show LXIX Oh Prince of might elect God's dear and only Son Thou them withstood unto thy blood Wherethrough the field was won LXX This field for us was fought Their helpless prey were we But thou them foil'd and their plot spoil'd Ransom'd we were by thee LXXI We were thy lawful prize And thou our lawful Lord Oh happy day then all did say Who did believe thy word LXXII How deadly was that thrall In which before we lay No Tyrants fell be so cruel To use their slaves as they LXXIII Here was the coming in Of all our future good Our hopes of all that since did fall On this foundation stood LXXIV We never had come here Or this glory possest Unless thou Lamb had'st overcame And given us this conquest LXXV Here through thou took'st the spoiles Of all thine enemies And went'st on high triumphantly With those thy victories LXXVI Oh who this victory This Conquest gotten
Thee they show'd In Thee we have them here 72. Thou the beginning art Of Gods Creation good The ground most strong and firm whereon All things were built and stood 73. Thou art the perfect LIGHT Thou our of carkness shone And made us see things as they be Light out of Thee there 's none 74. In earth Thou art the Plant Of honour and renoun The righteous root whence issu'd out What ever God doth own 75. Thou Root of David art Whence all his hopes did spring Of that Kingdom which now is come Whereof Thou art the King 76. Thou art the fruitful Vine That doth that grape forth beare Which God and man heartily can And have refresht with chear 77. Thy full obedience And pretious blood out shed Reliev'd our hearts in all our smarts And God fully pleased 78. Thou art the stately Palm And Olive fresh and green With weights opprest thou grewst up best Thou' rt always lively seen 79. Thou art the green Firt-Tree Whence all our fruits abound And the Apple-Tree where under we Have fragrant shadow found 80. Thine Apples oftentimes Have us most chearful made Flagons of Wine from Thee our Vine Oft times our hearts have staid 81. Like Cedar tall and strong Which useth not to rot Such is thy raign which doth remain Firm and decayeth not 82. The stone of Israel And aged Rock thou art The precious stone Foundation To stay and strength the heart 83. Thou art the Pearl of price For whom we all things sold The Silver of strength whence days of length Thou' rt the most precious Gold 84. Among the waters thou The Sea and Ocean art Whence all do flow to which all owe The good they do impart 85. All good from Thee proceeds And unto Thee again It is but meet that all retreat Who dost all good contain 86. Thou art the Fountain too And Spring of waters pure Which run and live Thou all dost give Thy Streams are allways sure 87. All other things beside Are Cisterns Pipes and Pools Who Thee forsook and of them took Were all deluded fools 88. Thou art the Life indeed All Life from Thee doth flow The Life and love wherein we move We wholly to Thee owe. 89. For we were dead in sins No living act could doe Till thy fresh sent did us prevent And reach our souls unto 90. In Heaven the Morning Star Which in our darksome night When helpess we No hope could see Arose and Brought us light 91. Thou art the glorious Sun Light Heat and life from Thee To all to whom thy vertues come Sweetly imparted be 92. The Sun of righteousness Which hath upon us rose And in thy wings all healing brings And all our wounds hast clos'd 93. Oh what were we if Thee We did not now injoy Sure like to those who are thy foes And whom thou dost destroy 94. It s glorious to behold Thy glorious countenance It gives us sight fills with delight And doth our souls advance 95. In thy light we do live And walk for evermore In Thee we play and joy all day Hallelu-jah therefore 96. Amongst those things on Earth Thou mad'st to live and move Like to the tame and harmless LAMB Thou wert in thy great love 97. Gods Lamb most innocent Most meek and spotless who Clothing and food affordest good And ill didst undergo 98. With greatest patience Not answering again Though Thou defil'd wast and revil'd By men and put to pain 99. Gods Lamb indeed thou wert That sacrifice whereby Our peace was made wrath aside laid And we receiv'd mercy 100. Thy flesh thou gav'st for food Thy blood was drink indeed Feeding on that we comfort gat And strength in every need 101. Thy righteousness us cloth'd And thy vertues so high And most divine do make us shine Always most gloriously 102. Thou art the Lyon too For strength and power so those Thee oft have found unto their wound Who were thy mortal foes 103. In thy great strength Thou hast Upon them roard whereby They were thy prey and behold they Torn and devour'd now ly 104. Oh it was well for us That Thou our General A Lyon wer'â— else we like Harts Had soon been râ—uted all 105. Thou art the UNICORN Thy Horn is stately high Thy power and might alone to flight Hath put the Enemy 106. Thou art the Glory and The sum of all the rest The Man thou art who hast the heart With understanding best 107. For Thee were all things made And they were given to Thee In Heaven and Earth above beneath And in the Ocean Sea 108. Thou art the Male to us And we thy Femal be Thou the Husband us to command And we the spouse to Thee 109. For Thee we framed were And of Thee secretly While thou didst sleep a sleep so deep As for our fins to dy 110. Out of thy flesh we are And out of thy bone too One Soul we have which thy Breath gave Thy Heavenly things to know 111. In us thou tak'st delight And our delight thou art Thou with thy grace dost us embrace And lay'st us in thy heart 112. While thou didst us embrace And we submit to Thee There did proceed from Thee that Seed Which made us fruitful be 113. Which in thine own Image Thou didst beget we bear Thy Company makes us happy All our eternal year 114. Thou art the Angel too The Messenger by whom The Heavenly grant Gods Covenant Down unto us did come 115. Yea all the things of weight We in the Scriptures read Compleatly be fulfil'd in Thee As might be mentioned 116. The Sabboath or the Rest Thou art and Thou dost give Thou art our rest God hath Thee blest Joyful in Thee we live 117. From all his mighty works God ay in Thee doth cease Thou art the end whereto they tend Thou art our Rest and peace 118. In Thee by us injoy'd Our works are ended all No travail more or labour sore Or grief shall us befall 119. We also are thy Rest For now that us thou hast Thy works are o're for evermore Thy labours all are past 120. Thou the sweet Garden art The Garden of delight The Paradise where pleasure lies And what doth please our sight 121. And we thy Garden are In us thou pleasure tak'st Us to possess Tast of and dress Thou oft thy business mad'st 122. Thou art the TREE of LIFE Which pleasant fruits doth bear Whereof we leave have to receive And Death we cannot fear 123. The River too thou art Of living waters pure Thy streams go out and run about With joys both full and sure 124. Thou hast been unto us The ARK wherein we were Shut up and kept not to be swept Away with floods of fear 125. Thou art the Covenant too Made between us and God In Thee we be for ever fâ—ee From fears of future flood 120. Yea Thou that Covenant art In which we are the Lords And God our Tower by his great power All bless to us
Light might love infinite 71. To Thee oh Trinity in unity Eternal happiness Eternal endless Bless That art without all change eternally 72. We sing and shout alway Hallelu-jah Praise thee we will always Throughout our endless day And sing with heigth of joy Hallelujah Hallclujah Such things but far more pure and excellent Then any humane tongue or pen can vent Or any heart of man while here alive Can by all he may hear or read contrive Conceive or think of shall those gloriously Blest persors utter when they shall their high And everlasting Kingdome have and hold For their great joys and glories can't be told They 'r far above what mortal man can speak Thine heart to apprehend them is too weak For never any since the World began Hath ever heard no nor Angel nor man Hath by the care perceiv'd or by their eye Have seen the greatness of the dignity Or brightness of the glory foreprepar'd For those who unto God give due regard Who love him and for his appearance wait None but God see 's and knows their happy state Canto VI. The Worlds Vanity Seek ye first the Kingdome of God and his righteousness c. Matth. 6.33 In the sixth Canto Christ presents In brief the former two's contents The Damneds woes Saints merriments Perswades the Soul to chase the best The Man consults with his own brest Couâ—sâ—ls the Soul the way to rest Chriâ—â—s Servant doth the same perswade The Soul inclines but is afraid To its Objection answer's made By Christ and by his Minister Christ doth himself and Name declare Gives Counsels which the safest are Renews â— is suits with earnestness With arguments the Soul doth press Him more to value the World less And by some instances 't is plain That their both ways and ends are vain Who judge this world to be the Main Chr. SEE I have set before Thee good and ill I say not chuse whither of them thou will But chuse the Life and good that thou mayst be Happy for ever and destruction flee Think on these things the doleful state of those Who do rebel against me and oppose My truth and my most equal government How dreadfull then will be their punishment Think if thou canst be able to endure So woful torments as sinners procure By sin unto themselvs think how great bless If me thou closest with thou shalt possess Accept my profer'd kindness me embrace Submit unto my Doctrine so my grace And favour thou shalt have and never know The woful plight of them that ly below Oh be perswaded now to let go all That doth pollute Thee and obey my call Follow my counsels let me have thy heart Thou shalt have mine and il'le ne're from thee part I 'le be thy friend for ever thou shalt have More happiness than thou canst think or crave Man Hast thou not heard my Soul what thy great Lord Proposeth to thee in his holy word Such things thou there hast heard wilt thou not then Unto his wholesome Counsels say Amen Consider with thy self how bad thy state In Adam was how thou deservedst hate What sinfulness unto thee yet doth cleave How good the Lord hath been who did not leave Thee in thy fallen state but such an one Hath sent forth for man even his only Son What he hath done for thee how he thee woes Unto himself that thou with him wouldst close How in his word and what it doth contain He answers the Objectors cavils vain That unto Atheism would thee fain move Shew's what will be hereafter dost approve His profer'd love Wilt thou of him accept Part with thy Idols or shall they be kept Without all doubt its best to let all goe To close with Christ who doth thee love and woo Consider with thy self if thou him slight All besides him to help thee have no might For they 'r poor sorry vanities can 't give Thee solid comfort or cause thee to live For ever or with full content while here They cannot satisfie thy soul not chear Tâ—y drooping Spirits when Death shall draw nigh And summons thee to yield thy breath and dy Alas how short and how uncertain be The lives of men as we may daily see How many dy while yet their bones are moist With marrow Even while they have much rejoyâ—'t In their firm strength while milk was in their brest How suddainly hath pale death them opprest Mini. If thou an Atheist wer 't and couldst not tell Whether in truth there be an Heaven or Hell Yet were it not far better so to think And seek for Heaven than only eat and drink Injoy this world a while and then down ly In a forgotten dark obscurity For if there be such things as thou hast heard If Heaven be never sought for Hell ne're fear'd Gods way and word despis'd his truth neglected And all his profer'd love and grace rejected Thy case must needs be sad for it doth tend Unto those miseries that never end And that there may be such things reason can't Any good warrant fancy not to grant Seeing the being of the world and all Therein with many things that do befall Evince a Deity and what so great But may be well conceiv'd as well as that This so great world a being given it had He that sees and believes this sure is mad To think impossible what e're beside Is as from him that made it testify'd Whereas if no such things should be which yet Who can suppose except that he can get All principles of Reason blotted out And wholly all those things which round about He sees so great denie to be yet then What shall he loose who them believeth when He comes to dy â— 't is but uncertain joys Which when Death comes men look upon as toys Some poor and fancâ—â—d injoyments which Do either ly without men and the pitch Of inward worth doth nought advance nor give Increase of quietness while men do live Yea oft increase disquiets fears and troubles Or if they something add within 't is bubbles Which swell a little and a while appear And then if looked for they are not there When as also they that perswaded be To chuse Gods ways and trust in him we see To live as well oft-times in outward state As they that mind this world and Gods ways hate And commonly express more inward peace When they afflicted be and when they cease Here to abide in life with joys far more Depart than they who have themselves up-bore By worldly riches honours injoyments Of pleasures or of any Earth-contents Man Sure 't is the best mysoul with him to close Who with such love and promises thee wooes Seeing such bless he gives as none besides Can give even bless that evermore abides Soul I do his promises like well and what He saith unto me they are very great It s my desire him to imbrace and take No better choise or bargain can I make But here 's a world so
By which means seeing I the conquest 〈◊〉 O're death and hell and overthrew the plot Of the old Serpent subde and crasty Let those my doings of me testify They show my love my power and wisdom too And they my faithfumess and truth do show Would I have 〈◊〉 in any thing I say Sure it would there have been wherein there lay So many diffiâ—â—â—â—ties in my way Behold me then dear Soul and duty mind What I am and have done and thou â—halt find Encouragement enough against these things Which do occasion those my waveringâ— Why dost thou 〈◊〉 or care for things below Seeing thy wants and dangers all I 〈◊〉 And I can any thing on thee bestâ—â—â— What if men should thee hate and 〈◊〉 And band themselves against thee 〈◊〉 I Secure thee from all harm that may befall To thee or thine from any of them 〈…〉 Are they not in my hands â— their 〈◊〉 hears I can dispose and order all their part And power and time and breath are in my hand And I can that of 〈◊〉 way theâ—â— command And If thou mindst â—â—y love thou mayst be sure That in obeying me 〈◊〉 thee 〈◊〉 From what may harm thee although because I All-wise am I shall thy security And safety in such manner prosecute As may best with thy after we sare suit In which because thoâ— childish art or blind Or foolish and canst not in thy wear mind Discern or comprehend my ways or see The method of my walkings towards thee Nor canst well judge what may be for the best And that the rather because in thy bâ—est Lust bears so great a sway which covereth After those things that â—â—nd unto thy death Shrinking away from that wherein thou mayst Find more felicity if then thou stay'st Thy self upon me and on me sely Plucking quite out and casting by that eye Though thy right eye which seeing things amiss Moves thee to stumble at my ways in this Or that thing which I order and suspect That I do not things for the best effect Thou shalt do wisely And thou may'st me trust With thee and thine 〈◊〉 since I am just And righteous and sindâ— I love thee too And being to order thing to thy best good As may in what in said be understand If thy ways please 〈◊〉 I thine enemies Can and will make thee to befriend their eyes Shall towards thee be good thee for to spare For their affections too in my hunds art If great men hate thee I can safely hide Thee from their malioâ— I can curb their pride Or break their power or take away their breath Or thee from them for by such ways I Death Make mine befriend or else I can divert Their enterpriser as when Saul begirt Poor David I the Philistins did send To find Saul other work and so befriend My persecuted Servant or I can And often imeâ— I doe the wrath oâ— of man Turn to my praise and that that doth remain Beyond what may me praise I can restram See how the Sparrows though of value small Among the Birds of prey do live â—â—one fall No not one of them to the ground 〈◊〉 by My Fathers pleasure though they often 〈◊〉 In midst of dangers If my Father hath Such care of â—parrows where is then thy saith To crost me with thy safety and him who Doth value and esteem of mankind so As all the Birds and Beaâ—ts too never were As what â—suff'red for you makes appear Trust me then with thy safety verily Except I see it good thou shalt not dy Or suffer by the hands of men I will Be shield end Buckler to thee â— and thee still Will hide and 〈◊〉 so that though men fret And do themselves also against thee ser They shall not harm thee But if I do 〈◊〉 That it will for thy good be that I thee Deliver up into their hands to 〈◊〉 Imptison banish take away thâ— right Or kill thy body do thou them not feaâ— For all their malice shall be ended there For more they cannot do then kill the 〈◊〉 And when that 's done I 'le raise it up 〈◊〉 And seeing I so love thee thou may'st know For certain that if me thou dost follow I will not let them â—ill 〈◊〉 except Do see I may advantage thee thereby For such my pow'â— is that even Death and Hell And all their torment I can easly â—â—â—ll Make them serâ—â— my designe those to advance To glory who are my inheritance Feare nothing therefore of what may befall thee But yeild thy self and go where ere I call thee And do my service cheatfully with Thee I I thy Saviour evermore will be I that Almighty am and can desend thee I that do love thee well will succor send thee Thou shalt not be alone I will not leave thee I will go with thee and will not deceive thee I 'le strengthen thee to bear what shall befall thee I 'le thee support and â—â—ear where ere I call thee In all afflictions my love that 's better Then wine thou shalt rast of I that am greater Then all against thee will in my arms bear thee And mitigate the sense of what may dear thee I gave my self for thee and grief sustained A bitter death I bare in love unfeigned For thee and for thy sake fear not to give Thy life and body to me as I live I 'le take the care of them I will thee cherish And no hair of thy head shall from thee perish In life and death I will be faithful to thee And notwithstanding Death â—onor I 'le do thee I 'le make thy sufferings bearable and sweet And with my good spirit thou shalt surely meet If I into deep waters do thee lead I will go with thee and bear up thy head So as they shall not overflow or drown thee No though they should no ev'ry side surround theâ— Into the fire if I do lead thee yet No dammage thou from its fierce flames shalt get For I 'le safe keep thee bear thee in my armes And I 'le secure thy soul from all ill harms Fear none of those things then that unto thee By Sathan or his Servants done may be Though into prison they ten days thee cast And there with chains of Iron make thee fast I will be with thee there and bring thee out Be confident of me my love don't doubt Be faithful unto me and I will give A Crown of life to thee and thou shalt live And as for other things why should'st thou care Seeing my Father for thee did not spare To give me up to Death and gives me too To be thy Head and portion How canst thou Suspect or fear that any thing He will Withold from thee that 's good No. He will fill Thy cup with what 's who some for thee to drink If thou away from my words dost not shrink All things are mine and what I have shall be Thine and I 'le give of them what 's good for
thee The Earth with all it's fulness mine is and Subject they be to my will and command And all that 's mine is the Irs who are in me And I will thereout to their welfare see Why take'st thou care for meat or drink Behold The Birds of Heav'n though more than may be cold They neither plow nor â—oâ—e not reap nor get Laid up in Storehouses provisions yet My Father doth for each of them provide So that in hardest 〈◊〉 they wide And canst thou fear that he with thee neglect Since unto man he hath shewd such respect As far surpasses all the care he hath Of Birds and Beasts Oh thou of â—â—tle saith And why for raiment â—â—â—'st thou thought as fearing God will not give thee clothes fit for thy wearing Behold the Lillies or the Tulips fine How bravely they be colour'd how they shine Though they do neither â—oyâ— nor spin not do Any thing which their clothing tends unto Yet they so gallantly assayed are That Solomon himself they cutted 〈◊〉 In bravery though he for Ornament And Royal garments was most ominent As having Gold and Silver precious stones And whatsoever they that sit on Thrones Do highly prize and porgeously array Themselves with their heigth and worth to display And canst thou be so faithless as to fear That God will not vouchsafe thee clothes to wear If thou dost yield thy self to serve him and Bee'st ready to obey my just command Seeing those fairest flowers be nought but grass Whose form and beauty soon away doth pass And though to day they florish yet to morrow They 'r burnt i' th Oven or wither in their furrow Wereas He Thee and Mankind so doth prize As cannot be declar'd in any wise Take thou no thought therefore for those things but For them and all things thy trust in me put And first Gods Kingdom and his right coufness Seek after and be sure He will thee bless And all things for this life as them for thee He seeth meet administred shall be It s not thy way first to seek other things And afterwards me that confusion brings And many mischiefs to those who so doe And much proâ—â—â—es me and my Father t To just displeasure because foolishly They undervalue things that are so high Yea and what can be more preposterous Then that men do themselves disorder thus Shall not the better things be prized most And greatest care be had they be not lost What shall some poor and forâ—y painted cloth Which is grown old and eaten with the moth Be so esteemed as the chiefest care When the house is on fire shall be to spare It from the burning while in the mean time For want of care upon the house to climbe And quench the fire that 's breaking out in 't all The stately building likely is to fall And be consum'd especially when too In case the liouse be safe the fire can do No hurt unto the paited cloth ovithin Or were it lost one might much sooner spin Or buy a better cloth and with less cost Then to rebuild the house if that be lost Is not my love and 〈◊〉 better â—â—rn Then all the best injoyments on earth are I happy make the soul that doth me find I fill their 〈◊〉 fures satisfie their mind Who me embrace I give them lengch of days Eternal life peart is in all my ways Riches and honours pleasâ—â—â— sweet and true And lasting they shall have whom I renew All things thou canstsdefire are far below Me and what I on my lovers bestow Fulness of joy they shall enjoy who come To be inheritors of my Kingdome Rivers of pleasures shall them satisfy At my Fathers right hand 〈◊〉 Whereas wives honoâ—â—â—s pleasures friends riches And what the world can give men may possess And yet be miserable they may dy Soon and go down to hell for wretchedly Live if they live so as small joy they shall Have much less what 〈◊〉 satisfy from all Those their injoyments foe of times some moth Or worm breeds in those earthly things which doth Eat out the pleasure or fill with such grief As there against no earthly thing relief Can give and at the bestin Dâ—â—th they fail And in the dread full judgment nought avail Beside we cannot take it well to see Our love so slighted He is not of me Worthy who will not all things else forsake For love of me Seeing that I to make Him safe and happy all forsook that I Injoyed with my Father in glory And I alone the man that doth me take Do so inrich that I him happy make Noting with me may be compar'd Beside This very often hath been prov'd when try'd That while men other things use to prefer Before me and my grace and so defer Till those things they have got to seek for me With those things they prefer their hearts so be Besotted and â—â—â—ar'd that afterward They ner'e find in their hearts to have regard Unto my words to seek me seriously But vainly spend their days untill they dy And t is a just reward from God that they Who me so â—â—ght as that they won't obey My counsels but do hearden their own heart Should hardned be so as ne're to convert But fall into destruction though so full Of mercy is my Father as to pull Sometimes such men too out of those their snares And dangers Which their foolish lusts and cares Run them into because no pleasure He Doth take that wicked men destroyed should be But it s a dangerous presumption To slight his grace when offered upon A thought uncertain that they after may And will do better on some after-day How often is it found that God justly Doth give such over to believe a ly And always to presume that afterward To morrow and to morrow they 'l regard And turn to him but never that time find In which they seriously do set their mind To seek him till Death sodainly them take From hence and then in hell their beds they make Min. It is the nature too of lust in men As often times it hath been prov'd that when It gets its head into mens hearts Its tail It draws in after and doth so prevail That when in one thing its fulfil'd it brings Other new lusts forth and as t were by strings Draws on a whole throng one after another Till all desires of good they wholly smother Choking the seed was sown that never it Takes root or perfect fruit doth e're beget He that now wants a wife and must her have Before he can attend on God and crave And seek his Kingdome and his righteousness Thinking could He that one desire gossel He nothing elss should want but be at â—easure To seek the Lord and in his wans taâ—e pleasure But when on such accounts He God neglects And more the getting of a Wife resnects If as sometimes it doth fall out his life Be not first gone before He gets his Wife But he obtains his
of the creature and the Lord forsakes For what advantage can it be unto The soul when it its body shall forego That it had Wife or Husband House or Land Riches Honours or pleasures at command Yea Crowns and Scepters while the body it Inlive'ned Oh what profit will it get From any or from all those things when in The depths of Hell oppressed with its sin It shall have its abode can they relieve Its misery when it shall mourn and grieve And wail its folly No alas too gross For it a Spirit they are its sad great loss Of me and of my favour cannot be Made up by any thing it here could see For then no drop of comfort can it have How ever earnestly it may it crave This that thou may'st the better see mind well Another true story that I shall tell There was a certain rich and wealthy man Who far'd deliciously each day that ran Over his head was clothed with the best And finest silks and linnens wherewith drest he glitter'd bravely and all things he had Which this world could afford to make him glad There also was a poor and piteous man Cal'd Lazarus a Cripple lean and wan And full of sores who used to resort To th' rich mans dore and beg for some comfort His hunger-starved body to relieve But the hard hearted Churl would little give His dogs more kind than he would very oft His sores lick gently Death at length hence caught Poor Lazarus whom Angels did attend To guard his soul from every evil Fiend And carred him to Heaven where he did rest With great content in Father Abrahams brest Soon after 't came to 'th rich mans turn to dy And leave the world for no satiety And fulness of this world could always keep Him here alive but the black dismal sleep Of Death surpris'd him when a quiet end He seem'd to have circled with many a friend Amending on him till his life did fail When they did seem his death much to bewail Although his heirs were glad enough at heart That they might share to each of them a part Of those vast heaps which he had laid in store For after times and witheld from the poor From all which now they beare him to the grave Where rich and poor like intertainment have Save that they on his Funeral bestow'd More cost and worship and his greatness show'd On a more stately Tomb or Monument Whereon they ingrav'd his name to the intent It might not be forgot but before then His wretched Soul was hurri'd to the Den Of damned Spirits even to the pit of Hell Where what his torments were what tongue can tell This wretched man stript of his pomp and state And all his riches which he had of late Lay then in flames of fire tormented sore Because he had abus'd his wealth before Spent it on 's lusts relieved not the poor Had slighted God his truth and grace contemn'd Therefore to torments he was there condemn'd Where not one drop of water could he get Whereby he might allay the burning heat Wherein his wretched tongue that us'd to boast Great things blaspheme God curse the poor did roast And fry in flames which caused him to cry And howl and roar and yell most hideously When lifting up his woful eyes aloft He ' spyed that poor Lazarus whom oft He had disdained to behold before When he lay lame and begging at his doore In Abrahams bosome full of peace and joy Disturb'd with nothing that might him annoy Then calling out to Abraham he did cry Oh Father Abraham hither turn thine eye For I was of thine off-spring and from thee And thy blest stock deriv'd my pedegree Father shew forth thy pitty now behold I ly in torments here that can't be told My Soul is on a flame with scorching wrath Nothing in it now ease or quiet hath That tongue wherewith it secretly did speak More wickedness than ever forth did break From out my bodies lips see how it fries And flames tormented in these miseries Dear Father Abraham even for the sake Of those thy bowels whence I issu'd take Some pitty on thy child and Lazarus Send from thee to help me tormented thus Oh let him but one drop of water fetch One drop of comfort me to ease poor wretch Oh might he but the very end and tip Of one poor finger in cold water dip And to the tip of my scorcht tongue apply Which flames of fiery wrath do wondrously Afflict with sharpest pains 't would mitigate Somewhat these wofull torments 't would abate My heat a little Oh dear Father send That Beggar hither me now to befriend To whom that good old Patriarck reply'd Ah Son for that thou wast so 'ts not deny'd Remember how thou didst thy self abuse In thy life time and Gods good gifts misuse When this poor man lay begging at thy doors Unpitty'd by thee hungry full of sores Thou hadst enough wherewith to have reliev'd His penurie then yea therefore thou receiv'd Gods gifts of bounty but thou letst him ly Neglected then thou scornd'st his poverty Now therefore he with me doth rest possess And thou hast torments now without redress Yea now a gulf is fixt twixt us and thee So that though we each others state may see We cannot change them so as that we may Pass hence to you your torments to allay Nor can you come to us us to molest Or take part with us in our endless rest We joys have whereof you may not partake You endless burnings which we may not slake Your riches now have end your pleasure 's past Your torments and your miseries shall last Learn hence that 't is not riches nor great State Nor any fleshly priviledge will bate Nor yet preserve from endless misery Those persons who in sin do live and dy Who me neglecting and my gifts abusing And my now profer'd grace and love refusing Prefer their lusts and riches thereunto And in vain worldly ways do chuse to go All their now present injoyments shall fail them And after death none of them shall avail them Be now advised by me Dear Soul therefore If thou wouldst happy be for evermore Seek first Gods Kingdome and his righteousness So shalt thou have them and therein Gods bless Accept my profer'd love imbrace my grace When I say seek the Lord seek thou my face Get wisdom get true knowledge in thy heart Receive my words and let them not depart Out of thy heart and mind but let them ly Between thy tender breasts continually Then other things as they will lead thee thou May'st better look for and shalt find them too It is but reason that I do propoud No better course can for thy good be found For if thou seekest first the world or what Of it thou likest before thou hast got That which thou seekest thou may'st chance to dy And perish from my presence endlesly As in the former parable even now I did for admonition to
grave And I can give those things in mercy too And unto them that fear me often do Or if I do those things deny unto them By those denyals greater good I do them For it is in my power to blast or bless I can do what I will bee 't more or less Yea if all things thou hast to thy desire And hast not mee they 'l fit thee more for fire Even for that endless misery which shall On all such as rebell against me fall And therefore it s thy best to follow me Walking in my good paths for so I thee Will care for and will guide in all thy ways To do the thing which shall tend to my praise And to thy profit I to thee will give What shall be for thy good while thou dost live And fit thee for the world to come also That into life eternal thou mayst go Seek then my favour first to Godliness Addict thy self for that the promises Of both lives hath both this and that to come So that thou may'st most certainly me from Expect all good for both Be thou upright I 'le be thy Sun and Sheiâ—d I 'le give thee Light And I 'le defend thee too I 'le chear and warm thee And keep thee in my ways from what might harm thee Both grace and glory I will give nothing Shall be witholden from thee that may bring Advantage to thee and conduce unto Thy having that great bless to which I woo Give up thy self to me and so I will Thy wishes and thy prayers all fulfill So far as is good for thee and nought shall That may be prejudicial thee befall If with bad Wife or Husband I thee try Ill Neighbors losses or with poverty I 'le turn those waters of afflictions too Into the Wine of comfort I will do All for thy good thou shalt not need to fear That I will harm thee if thou wilt me hear Deny thy self and lusts yield up to me And my salvation thou shalt surely see In stead of what thou lustest after I Will give thee what is good assuredly Better a little with my love then more With my displeasure hear thou me therefore In me put all thy trust and do what 's good Thou then shalt surely have both house and food Delight thy self in me I 'le satisfy Thy soul with good and all thy needs supply Commit thy way to me wholly depend Upon me and I 'le always thee defend And bring thee to great glory in the end Canto VII Or the closing Canto I will say of the Lord he is my Rock my Fortress my God in him I will trust Ps 91.2 The Soul approves what 's said yet adds Some other fears and what yet sadds But in his answers Christ it glads The difficulties in the way How eas'ly it may go astray How its corruptions do it sway These be its fears But Christ replies What helps against all those fears lies In him and what his grace supplies The Soul prevail'd with at the last Complies with Christ on him doth cast It self and praises him full fast Prays for his further favour He Accepts it and most willingly Receives it his Consort to be Yet tells it that he must it try That so He may it purify Before the full solemnity The Soul submits only do'h pray His love and help in all his Way And then to hast the Marriage day Soul LORD I have heard thy words and they be good So far as yet I have them understood By which I also verily believe That they much better be than I conceive But there 's another thought yet in my brest Which hath me oft times with sad fears opprest The things which thou requir'st and call'st me to Are very difficult for we to do The way is narrow and I quickly may Step out of it aside and go astray Yea there so many false pretenders be Which take thy name and come in stead of thee And I so weak and foolish am that I May easily be cheated with a ly And take it for thy truth I hear the gate Which leadeth unto life is very straight I must deny my self mine own right eye Where it offends pluck out and cast it by Cut off my right hand or right foot when they Prove an occasion that I go astray Yea thou so pure and holy art thou dost Require of me to part with every lust A God thou art of eyes so clear and pure That no iniquity thou canst indure But on the other side I am so bad That on my lusts and Idols oft I 'm mad My lasts do stick so to me that they are As dear or dearer then my life I care Not it to hazzard sometimes them to spare I am so weak I cannot go the way Wherein such difficulties find I may Yea I am dead in sins dead to all good How can I serve thee then against a flood Of violent assaults of sin and Devil And world on all hands tempting me to evil Thou say'st thou loving art and just and wise Wilt thou require impossibilities Chr. Be not discourag'd Soul though weak thou be And sinful too there 's help enough in me Though straight the gate though narrow be the way Fear not for yet through me enter thou may My power is seen in weakness 't is my praise Even sinful souls to save the dead to raise It is a true and faithful saying and Worthy to be receiv'd on every hand That I into the world did therefore come That I might sinners save the chief of whom I oft have saved too my glory lies In doing of impossibilities Such things as be beyond the strength of man And Angels too and none but I do can For sinners and for dead men I did dy And over sin and death the victory I have obtain'd and now I am become A quickning Spirit I raise the dead the dumb I make to speak the deaf I make to hear Blind men to see the timerous not to fear I am the chosen one my God upheld me In all my agonies and now hath fild me With all the fulness of the Spirit which He Hath caus'd for evermore to rest on me Because he hath appointed me that I Should in his Soveraign Authority And power unto the Gentiles void of skill And judgment to discern and do his will Judgment bring forth and cause them to discern His excellencies and his ways to learn That all his pleasure I might do and 't is His will that my beholders I should bliss That who submits to me should never perish But I should evermore him love and cherish Work all his works in and for him till I Make him compleat and save him perfectly And I am faithful I do never fail I 'm not faint hearted nothing shall me quail Nought me discourage which in him I find Of death or weakness who my words doth mind Such a Physician I am as can cure The sickest patient and can endure To bear their
wholly to My self conform thee for although thou be Or weak or dead there 's life enough in me Who am the Resurrection and Life too So that though men be dead yet if they do Believe on me I Life to them will give And living and believing they shall live For ever why dost thou thy weakness plead To this or that or tell me thou art dead There 's the more need on that account that thou Yield up thy self to me down thy self bow To my dispose who all things fully have That may supply thy wants and thy soul save I know thou' rt weak and dead and all that 's naught I need not what 's in man by Thee be taught Nay I do therefore woe thee that I may By curing thee remove those things away If such a one thou wert not then no need For me so seek thee or that thou take need To me to save thee but if thou l't be mine As I have often said I will be thine And what 's mine shall be thine also and sure My things are able thy weal to procure My wisdome thou shaâ—t haâ—e the way to show And thee to help weâ—lthy concerns to know And to direct thee how to make thy choice In every thing do but thou hear my voice My strength shall strengthen thee to walk my way Enter the straight gate and my will obey Though thou be weak and in the strength thaâ—s thine Canst not do this or that canst not in mine I 'le be thy holiness my Spirit I 'le give To thee that therein thou mayst act and live Or rather acted be and live cannot My holy spirit fetch out every spot That cleaves to thee and so display my love As thee from all thy Idols to remove It s not in thine own self that I require Thee this or that to do or ought desire It s in me and what 's mine which I therefore Freely thee give because I know thou' rt poor Naked and dead and weak and wretched too Nothing that 's good hast nought that 's good canst do I 'le be thy husband and I am so good I 'le bear with all thy badness till my blood And grace hath betterd thee I will thou l't see Demean my self so gently toward thee That with my gentleness I 'le break thine heart And make thee cleave to me and to depart From all thine Idols do but thou consent My Grace shall be for theâ—e sufficient The fountain of thy sin is great indeed But of my grace the fountain doth exceed No weakness death or badness that 's in thee No difficulties in the way that be Shall hinder thee from bliss If thou l't but give Thy self unto me freely thou shalt live Oh take my yoke upon thee it shall bow thee And bear my burthen it shall not ore-throw thee For my yokes easy give consent and go Forth in my strength all things for thee I 'le doeâ— In all things be for me and then I will Be for thee too and and all thy works fulfill Lean on mine arm or shoulder I 'le sustain thee And though thou homely bee'st I 'le not disdain thee As upon Eagles wings I will thee bear And carry thee through all do not thou fear Only yield unto me my voice to hear Through all the Wilderness I will thee guide In every danger I 'le from ill thee hide I 'le never never leave thy soul untill All my good pleasure I in thee fulfill All things are ready only yield thy will Incline thine ear and hear me do not stop It against me and I 'le my doctrine drop So thereunto that even thy very heart It shall make willing and thy soul convert And cause thee from thy Idols to depart Do but so hear me as to know my name That known thy heart to trust in me will frame Soul And is it so dear Lord then what shall let But that to thee I yield my self and set My heart upon thee wholly I refign My self up to thee to be only thine Help me herein for thou art good indeed None is like to thee while thy words I heed Marrow they are and and fatness to my tast Oh thou my soul affected with thee hast Seeing thou camest to save even sinners chief Lord I believe help thou my unbelief None is like thee thou art the only wooer Thou' rt worthy love oh thou most worthy doer Oh take my heart dear Lord for thou alone Art worthy of it and besides thee none There 's none hath done for me such things as thou There 's none besides hath made me such things know There 's none so lovely or so fit for me Therefore dear Lord I yield my self to thee I 'm thine to love and praise thee and thee serve Oh never let me from thee stray or swerve Oh thou art very fair the white and ruddy None may with thee compare make it my study Thee that I may more know and more delight in My self to thee I ow Me thou hast right in When I was damn'd toâ—dy thou didst redeem me And though unworthy I Thou didst esteem me So as thy self to give for me a ranlome That so my soul might live I am unhandsome Worthy great shame and blame but though I naught be Yet blessed be thy name thou hast upsought me Oh that I knew thee more and more did love thee That I might thee adore as 't doth behove me Oh shew thy self to me make me to know thee Make me thy fâ—ce to see and to follow thee I am a sinfull man unworthy of thy love I nothing good do can but what thy wrath may move Yea what of thy good grace thou give'st me power unâ—o Sin hath in me such place as otherwise I do Yet seeing I am thine though I am nothing worth Do thou my heart incline after thee to go forth Set thou my heart and eye with all intensiveness Upon thy Majesty that without pensiveness I may go wheresoe're thou goest me before May unto thee adhaere and ever thee adore Thou all art and in all Thou gav'st thy self for me And whatsoe're befall its meet I be for Thee It was thy pleasure Lord so for my soul to do Oh do thou yet afford thy heavenly grace thereto Those lusts that be in me and which do thee offend Drawing my heart from thee subdue and meamend For I am much amiss and very full of spots That I thy Name may bliss purge thou away my blots Remove my sins away that I to thee may cleave Let me not go astray Do thou me never leave I cannot trust my heart 't is so full of deceit It s apt from thee to start it is a very cheat Do thou it rectiâ—â—e make it to thee upright That I may heartily love thee in thee delight And though I wretched be do not thou me disdain Since thou hast loved me let me thy love retain Thou art the All in all stay my soul upon thee And
Lo's Wife thy pace thou must nor slack For fear thy love grow cold and so decay That thou from after me turn quite away Thou must thy flesh â—ield up to be subdu'd And mortify'd by me because its rude And full of stubbornness and oft hath broke Both of my laws and of my love the yoke Yea so rebelhous against me it is And hath led thee so much to do amiss And with so high a hand 〈◊〉 had I not Been merciful to thee as 〈◊〉 to Lot When he in Sodom lingred â—eath to part Therefrom when call'd thou there through hast thy heart So often hardned thou destroyd hadst been Through it much hurt and forrow thou hast seen I must therefore for thee it came that it May not grow rank sti'd and make thee unfit For fellowship with me who holy am And unto thee to make thee holy came But if at my reproof thou wiâ—t let go Its lusls the less grief I shall put thee to Oh yield it up Dear soul at every turn Be not offended that I parge or burn It oâ—t of thee thy self now offer up A sacrifice to me drink of my cup I give to cleanse thee from thy filth within And from what therâ—e breaks forth upon thy skin Like to a Leprosy and doth defile Thy person and dotli make thee very vile Yield but thy self to me and iâ—le thee cure I 'le make thee like my self both white and pure So shall I in thy beauty much delight And thou shalt always dwell in my blest sight And therefore do not fear I will not harm thee But only cleanse thee from thy filth and arm thee Against what may destroy thee I must prove thee And humble as my spouse because I love thee That so I may thee fashion to my mind Make thee fit for me and that thou mayst find More favour in mine eyes I may be for thee And that thy filâ—h may not make me abhor thee But fear not when I have thee fully try'd Thou shalt with me also be glorify'd Fear not l'th wilderness I will thee feed And by my right hand I will there thee lead And by thy right hand too I will thee holâ— Nothing shall harm thee I thy frame and mold Do fully know and will not on thee lay More than what by my strength endure thou may Only resign thy flesh and self to me And thou shalt my Salvation surely see I now unto my self do freely spouse thee But I shall not as yet so fully house thee As I intend here fter thou must tarry And wait a while before I fully many Thee to my self before unto that place Those royal Mansions which for thee my grace Hath fitted I thee take where I receive And entertain all that in me believe Thou hast been very whorish and thou art Polluted with thy whoredomes at thy heart Thy flesh and body is defil'd with what Thou from thy lovers whoredomes oft hast got And I cannot into my Bride-bed take thee Till I first wash thee white and clean do make thee Thou must the time of purifying stay Before our solemn joyful wedding day In the mean time constant to me and chast Thou must abide and thou mayst not make hast After injoyments of delights so that With other pleasures thou thee satiate And turn thee from me to some other lover Thee to content thou mayst let none be over Thy heart and conscience besides me who am Thy only Lord and Saviour that meek Lamb Who bought thee with my blood and thee did call To me that I might be thy All in All If thus thou dost then I will be for thee And all I am and have it thine shall be Soul Dear Lord thy words in every thing are right My soul approves them finds therein delight Make me them more to know further to see Into the wondrous things that in them be Thy love is wonderful worthy receit And to be fed upon more than our meat It s better far than wine doth me refresh Although it rellish not unto the flesh Who would not such a lover as thou art Imbrace with both his arms with all his heart Who can like blessings give like comforts bring Above all GODS Thou art the mighty KING Oh who can fathom who can comprehend The greatness of thy love there 's no such friend Or lover as thou art none can forgive The soul its sins like thee or make it live Oh who am I that I should welcome be Or be accepted unto life by thee That thou shuld'st call and woo me and imbrace Me in thy arms cause me to see thy face Thy pleasant face and own me as thy own And in thy words thy love to me make known Yea both thy words and love cause me to know To draw my heart from off the things below And fix it on thy self and things above Oh there 's no sweetness to that of thy love Its tasts at present most delightful are All other pleasures it surpasses far But as if all at present was but small Thou holdst forth such a portion too as all For future time yea to eternity For ever to injoy thy Majesty I less am than the least of thy mercies Which thou dost give wilt not thou me despise But passing by all my unworthiness And many mighty sins such love express As passeth knowledge Oh that I again With my whole heart thy love may intertain And love for love return perpetually And never shrink from thee no though I dy Oh Lord thy love ingages me to be Wholly devoted and given up to thee For it s but meet that I be wholly thine And for thy sake give up all that is mine Who for my sake didst not the cross decline It s meet that I a sacrifice should be Wholly devoted and given up to thee A living holy sacrifice whereby Thou may'st be glorifyed and lift on high For great thy love to me is I confess Nor can I by my tongue or pen express The great desâ—râ—s of love and service too Which far beyond all my returns I ow. I do acknowledge too thy words be true In all they say of me that nothing's due To me of praise or approbation for I am so loathsome thou mayst me abhor I am polluted with a whorish heart So as I jealous am least I depart Away from thee it oftentimes indeed Hath play'd the Harlot and brought forth a breed Of hateful Monster full of venome fell Against thy purity The brats of Hell Unchast desires and lusts self-love and pride Ambitious thoughts a loathness to be ty'd Up to thy just commands an evil eye Of envy against such as I could spy Prefer'd before me often at them fretting With covetous desires to be getting More of this worlds injoyments profits pleasure Slothfull mispending of that time and leasure Thou hast afforded me for better things From which much other mischief oft times springs Such things my bowels oft have eat and
vext Me with disquiet and my soul perplext That bruitish lust that dwells in me I fear Least it prevail against me and me bear Away from that subjection to thee due And cause me with much sorrow it to rue I am indeed nolluted and ore-spread As with a leprosie from heel to head Diseas'd within and full of sores without I am more vile than any menstruous clout Have need to be renew'd made white and clean And yet when all is done I am too mean To be so honoured by thee and exalted In every thing I 'm worthy to be faulted Worthy to be disdained and rejected Unworthy utterly to be respected By thy so glorious eye that puter is Then to behold and like iniquities Shouldst thou then treat me like some royal Qâ—een As if for thy consort I bred had been Oh 't is a dignity above me far I fitter am that thou shouldst me debart From coming near thee medling wih thy Name Least I pollute it and expose 't to shame As too much I have done already Oh I dont deserve to be respected so But if thy pleasure be me so to love Well mayst thou take such course as 't doth behove Tha thou may'st fit me for such dignity As thou confer'st and for thy company Which thon vouchsafest of thy wondrous grace To me who am of pedegree but base It is but meet that thou shouldst make we white And cleane that thou in me may'st take delight That thou should'st cure those sores and ulcers great Which make me ugly and for thee unmeet Yea and its wondrous grace that thou wilt take Such pains with me me whole and clean to make Oh what am I that thou should'st stoop so low To do such offices such love to show Thou rather might'st throw me out of thy sight Than so to make me meet for thy delight Who meeter am that thou should'st make me dwell Among that cursed crue that be in hell It s meet also that there a time should be For purifying before unto thee Thou dost receive me with thee to remain In those high Mansions where thou and thine reign It needful is that thou me separate From all those Idols which thy Soul doth hate And that thou should'st purge out my dtoss although A fire thou make and me into it throw I 'm thine and meet it is that thou should'st do What ever is thy pleasure Lord even so Be it as thou dost please thou art so just So kind and careful that I well may trust My soule and body with thee and yield up To take out of thy hands what ever cup Thou seest it meet to temper and to give In cleaving to thee I shall surely live Thou who hast loved me and done such things As everlasting consolation brings And gives good hope through grace wilt doubtless do Nothing unto me which may cause my woe Do with me as thou wilt for I am thine And thee to love I doe my heart incline Through thy good grace do thou incline it more Making it chast to thee thee to adore For I can nothing do that may thee serve Delight or honour as thou dost deserve I 'm thine Lord save me and me sanctify Unite my heart to thee continually Unto thee evermore make me adhaere That I thy holy Name may love and fear May lean upon thine arm thy Spirit mind So as I may his help at all times find Through thee I any thing may do 〈◊〉 But in my self have only cause of 〈◊〉 No fears shall 〈…〉 pleasures me 〈◊〉 If thou dost hold me and 〈…〉 And cure It s meeâ— I 〈◊〉 thee and I Desire I may my self thereto apply My Cross up taking 〈◊〉 Dear 〈…〉 How thrald I am furthe then thou 〈…〉 How I the least good thing 〈◊〉 not perform Nor stand upright against the mild â—â—â—storm Of troule that untâ—â— my lot may fall I need that thou should'st be my ALL in ALL. I 'm poor and blind naked and wreteched and My heart 's dece 〈◊〉 will not to thee stand Unless thou me 〈◊〉 and keepest so In thy strong 〈◊〉 as not to let me go Unless thou purge out my hypocrisy Make me sincere give me a single eye Unless thou be my strength my goodness and Dost hold me to thee by thy mighty hand But seeing thou appointed art dear Lord To look to and thy saving help afford To those that come to thee and on thee trust And thou art loving faithful kind and just And all-sufficient for me I resign My self unto thee I am wholly thine Thou wiser art than I thou knowest best What to my good pertainâ— and thou art blest Dear Lord thy will be done in every thing Take thine own course me unto thee to bring Only do not me in thy wrath chastise But let my soul find favour in thine eyes Yea thou so good art and so gracious too That thou all things wilt for my profit do Oh cause thy face upon my soul to shine And my heart unto thee allways incline Oh kiss me with the kisses of thy mouth Oh bliss me with the blessings of thy truth Inspire my heart with thy good spirit and breath The breath of life into me things beneath Cause me for to despise the things above To seek and to affect and thee to love Let me thy love tast better 't is than wine It s full of comfort courage life divine 'T will chear the hearâ— 't will make the lips of chose Who tast it talkative free to disclose Thy heavenly vertues let me thereof tast Forgiving all my mis-demeanours past My undue loves which unto other things And persons I have born which to me brings Both grief and fear when thereupon I think Least they should make me in thy nostrils stinâ—â— And cause thee to abhor me oh forgive All forepast follies and that I may live Let me injoy thy loves and tast how sweet And ravishing they be oh let me meet With them with them be filled that I may In thee delight my self and on thee stay And fix my soul no other pleasures so Affecting as from thine to them to go Thine ointments wherewith thou anointed art And unto those that love thee dost impart Most odoriferous are oh they do smell Unto the upright hearted wondrous well Let me them find and smell thy precious Name An ointment poured forth is that good fame And great renown thou hast oh 't is most sweet And spread abroad that we with it may meet And therefore thee the Virgins Chast do love Thy Name their hearts desires to thee doth move Oh make me know it and its sweetness find That it may draw me with a single mind Unto thee Draw me Draw me we will run After thee though I somewhat have begun Towards thee to incline my mind doth stick Yet to my Idols so as t is not quick Enough towards thee oh let that sweet sent Of thy good ointments thy Name excellent More strongly draw me oh
friends his Mother Sister Brother They of him in a special sort are known They 'r honour'd of him far above all other How can he brook it from us if we them Who are so near and dear to him contemn LXXXVIII Them as his Pearls and Jewels he reputes His lot his portion his inheritance His garden of delights which pleasant fruits Bring forth to him and he will them advance Yea he is their lot and portion too Nothing he thinks too great for them to do LXXXIX Love them therefore as thine own choisest friends Consort with them and walk in their good ways Do for them all that to their welfare tends When they are cast down seek them up to raise Spare not for them thy wealth strength life to spend For that 's the way to make the Lord thy friend XC For such an unity with him they have That he doth take what e'r to them thou do'st As done unto himself It 's he doth crave Thy charity when they be almost lost Through want of some relief or in some danger If thou neglect them thou mak'st him a stranger XCI Grace teaches thee to love God's friends yea all In whom man's nature savable is found Nature doth teach thee to those thou do'st call Thy friends and kindred in love to abound If Gods and thine they 'r both a double tye To love them dearly upon thee doth lye XCII Grace natural affections don't destroy But rectifies making them clean and right To love thy friends and kinsfolks and to joy In their prosperity it doth excite And it allows and leads thee soberly With them to sorrow in their misery XCIII Yea usually more then in other folks Because more nearly knit and joyn'd to thee Grace love from every several tye provokes Where it doth find more grounds it makes more free Who loves not all is short in grace his friends Who loves not grace and nature both offends XCIV Yea grace will lead to love both strangers to us As God us while to him we strangers were And enemies who labour to undo us Seeking all comforts from us quite to tear For God us loved while his enemies And while we did him and his laws despise XCV While we against his truth and holiness Did act continually and him so hated That in our hearts we liked nothing less Yea could have wished him annihilated 'T was then his kindness to us that did slay Our enmity and it remove away XCVI That any are our enemies 't is not Essential to them because men they be But it 's because errour of them hath got The mastery or ill in us they see Endeavour them to cure our selves to mend And then their enmity will have an end XCVII And if our love will cure them of their ailments And turn their hearts to us we gainers are Our friends they 'll be because we so their failments By love have cur'd and had of them such care Who hates his enemy but makes him worse And makes himself too partner in the curse XCVIII Who loves his enemies doth imitate The God of love who us his foes to save Lay'd down for us his life and nought doth hate But that corruption which doth us inslave Where love doth conquer men best get their ends Their foes they overcome and make their friends XCIX Oh noble love who while thou mak'st men yield Unto their foes in all may do them good Not overcome of ill do'st win the field And oftimes draw'st thine enemies heart blood Not to be shed in anger to their guilt But boil in love and for their good be spilt C. Thus Christ did conquer Saul while he did spare His life and soul from ruine and imploy Him in the ministry a conquest rare On him he got wherein they both had joy And he who 's life did forfit as Christ's foe In love to him did freely it forgo CI. Thus thou thy will upon thy foes may'st have If thou do'st conquer them by charity However thou that way thy soul shalt save And if not their's they shall more sorely dye Them and thy self by hatred thou mayst kill And near-the-less mayst fail to have thy will CII Love 's the best weapon wherewith we can fight Against what ever persons us oppose While it in their welfare seeks its delight We may them conquering win and nought shall lose But what shall be repaid and hundred fold With that which far exceeds the choicest gold CIII Oh that of that blest Lamb who lost his life And powred forth his dearest precious blood That by his love he might o'rcome our strife And his fierce persecutors bring to good We willing were to learn this lesson well To strive in love each other to excell CIV That others evils may not quel our good But we with goodness may o'rcome their ill That though of mischiefs they cast out a flood Upon us we may seek their welfare still Who lives in love and love intirely keeps Shall laugh when he who lives in hatred weeps CV But yet a third time love may lead us yet After another object to inquire Love we our selves Can we our selves forget Or can we fail our own good to desire We are not bid to love our selves because It is suppos'd we 'll do that without laws CVI. That we should love our selves God doth imply When love unto our neighbours bid doth he Making love to our selves the rule whereby Love to our neighbour measured should be To love our Neighbours as our selves what 's that But if we hate our selves them too to hate CVII And yet so brutish we our selves have made That other things we love our selves neglect Yea all our times and strength are oft out laid On what our own destruction may effect The love wherewith we love our selves is hate Indeed though love we it do nominate CVIII For there 's a love to self that oft destroys The soul which God therefore forbiddeth to us Branding self love as sinful ' cause 't annoys And in the consequent doth but undo us When so our selves and what 's ours we affect That God and Neighbours we to love neglect CIX Of such a love to self the World is full And every where it's fruits are to be found It 's that which from all goodness men doth pull And makes them in all wickedness abound Men so themselves and their own lusts do mind It 's rare an honest godly man to find CX Some men their wisdom goodness strength and parts So much do overween and magnifie That unto God and Christ their minds and hearts For grace and mercy they do not apply Yea and what wholsom counsels unto them Others do give they proudly do contemn CXI Some men their will and purpose cleave to so That what God doth require they don't regard Yea every one they do account their foe Who their will cross or their designs retard Yea many one that he may have his will Cares not God to blaspheme and men
worshippers from death Either of body or of soul though they Did do their service to them every day Dead fouls with dead things suit the living God Who quickens what is dead and with his rod Corrects the Nations living things likes best Even living groans of an inspired brest The World such living service can't perform It hates the pow'r and only likes a Form Of Godliness which they may leave or take Use or lay by as for their turn 't doth make Mistake me not herein as if I thought Or else intended to judge all pray'rs naught That are taught by a Book or as if none Might pray acceptably who pray thereon It is the Worlds bad guise I here reprove Who serve God with pretences their sins love Which many too may do that pray without A Book and so too many do no doubt Delight themselves in their own gifts and parts While yet their lusts they love with all their hearts Witness the pride or avarice of some Who yet as Saints into God's presence come I know a Book that service may hold forth Which God requires and shews to be of worth And so each sacred Bible doth declare What worship God requires of praise and pray'r Or other ways of service but no ground Of any such distinction so is found As if some Bibles did not shew the way How we should serve God and unto him pray I do suppose it was some other thing That you did signifie in your saying Likely those Form's of Pray'r you meant thereby That are injoyned by Authority If so pray know that I the words of them Do not except against much less condemn The Prayers are pithy Orthodox and good More gen'rally if rightly understood And such as whereto I Amen can say Heartily when with them I hear men pray And so may others too I think although Some few things there among scruple I do Unto the pure all things are pure and good But that must warily be understood For what I am not satisfied in I cannot say I am without my sin Nor would I thereby stain my Conscience Or unto others give cause of offence But why you Sir those Prayers the Service call I can't well tell nor much inquire it shall I call them not my Service they that do May lay them on the Altar I think so They might be off'red up although they there Should lye untouch't or unread all the year As a sum of the Churches pray'rs and praise And so less grief to some men they would raise And they the same are and as pithy too Though never read as when men read them do Though I the reading of them too allow To such as please if any would them know Or in those words would their desires express I can mine sometimes too with readiness Though I profess I ne'r could find it yet In any passage of the holy writ That God requires or holy men did use To read their pray'rs to God but pray excuse That passage in me I leave others free Let others leave me so and we agree Sententious Verses of an unknown Author COnfession is to cure our sin A very present Medicine Thy Saviour on his Cross did choose To save thy life his own to loose Our Saviour cry'd Repent Repent As John who fore our Saviour went Blessed be the Name of Jesus Who tormented was to ease us The grace of Jesus is to me The only true felicity Christ's Cross my Crown I do esteem What ever earthy men do deem My hope in Christ is fixed sure Who wounded was my wounds to cure My hope shall never be confounded Because my hope on Christ is grounded My soul cleave fast to Christ above For nought on earth deserves thy love Fear not my soul be not dismaid For Jesus Christ thy debts hath paid The Death of Christ is life to thee If thou a Christian truly be Faith is not faith unless it be A faith that works by charity Christ is by marriage knit to thee If thou to him by Sanctity Admire my soul the mystery Of Jesus Christ's nativity Christ was conceiv'd i' th' Virgins womb That thou might'st a Son of God become Christ unto thee if thou be his Both light and food and Medicine is If thou polluted art with sin The fountain's open enter in He that doth eat and drink by â—aith Christ's flesh and blood salvation hath Be wise do not too far inquire For what thou rather shouldst admire Christ is ascended up on high And we must up as Eagles flie God sealeth by his holy Spirit As many as shall life inherit Great is the Churches dignity That chosen is Christ's spouse to be In Christ we are of God elect What 's out of Christ God doth reject Our prayers do pierce the starry sky And fetch down blessings from on high The Angels of the Lord protect All those that are the Lord 's elect The Devils treacheries who knows A thousand ways he seeks our woes He 's only wise who God doth know And doth by life his knowledge show To live it is not but to dye To live in sin securely Christ's life must be a Rule to thee If Christ's Disciple thou wilt be Thou from thy self must first depart Before thou can'st in Christ have part Thy soul can nothing satiate But God who did the same create Labour to have thy conscience pure When all things fail that will endure What is a bubble such is man Whose life in length is but a span The man that Covets is but poor Although he riches have great store The sign by which the Saints we know It is by love their faith to show The soul that chaste is is Christ's Spouse His bed of rest his lodging house The life of man's a rolling stone Mov'd to and fro and quickly gone Love not the World the World is vain But love the things that will remain The Palme-tree grows the more prest down And crosses prove the Churches crown Take up thy cross and it endure Then of a crown thou shalt be sure Let not tentations cast thee down For perseverance will thee crown Think every day to be thy last And when that 's come thy life is past Grieve not when Christian friends do dye They gain by Death eternity Remember that Christ Jesus shall Thoughts words and deeds to judgment call All earthly things tread under thee And let thy thoughts in Heaven be The Saints are Pilgrims here below And towards Heaven their country go If thou beest here a child of grace ' Mongst Angels thou shalt have a place If into Hell thou would'st not fall Think dayly on 't and mind God's call The pains of Hell do far extend Beyond all time World without end Doth Adam dye Christ in thee live Christ shall eternal life thee give Upon the carelesness and covetousness of some that regard not to Read much-less are willing to buy good and useful Books and the wickedness of others that traduce them
Quis leget aut emet haec SEE here my friends that which with much expence Of time and money if without offence I may suggest it I prepared have Your good to further and your souls to save Is here exposed to you will you read it So as with seriousness to mind and heed it Will you with little charge and cost that buy Which doth me in far greater charges lye Your pains in Reading it will be far less Than mine it to Compose and in this dress To make it ready for you and your gain Will far exceed your cost if it remain Upon your Reading it in memory And if unto the practise you apply Your hearts of what it tends to as you ought You will not then repent that you it bought But I observe it some men's humour is To slight and undervalue things like this They 'll rather idle Ballads buy and read Or such bad Books as vice do breed and feed And what their souls tend to spoil and destroy For pride or belly chear they will imploy Their time and money and it is a grief To find such humours in some men so brief To see no more regard to what with pains And cost prepar'd is for their endless gains Yea sometimes I with such could angry be When such like carriages in them I see Or marvail at their stupidness to slight What their own welfare much advantage might But then when I look higher and reflect Upon the sad regardless disrespect That too too commonly we all express To God and Christ who far more for our bless And endless happiness than any man By all his study and expences can Have done and have prepar'd and tender to us Whereto with much long suff'ring they do wooe us It doth allay my grief and wonder too As to my labours or what others do Of like import for what am I or any Who labour in such studies whereby many Might benefitted be with him compar'd Who hath eternal life for us prepar'd By such a costly way as by the Death Of his dear Son who for us spent his breath And 's life and soul expos'd to many a grief To bring unto our souls endless relief Find we not Christ himself sometime complain That he had labour'd and his strength in vain Had spent while they among whom he had wrought Did all his love and labour set at naught Though he doth freely tender all the good Which he hath bought by his most precious blood For mankind unto whosoever will Accept thereof and take thereof their fill Yet because something he again requires That men do value and which their desires And love are bent upon they should forsake That of his better things they might partake Because he bids us of him his things buy Men do refuse them too too generally Though all he doth require us to forgo Or unto him to offer up that so We might be happy in what he doth give And might with him in joys for ever live Is nothing worth nor worthy to be ey'd Compar'd with what he gave when as he dy'd For us and for our sins his life and blood More precious far than can be understood Or else compar'd with what he gives again Even joys and glory that ever remain If we resent it if our labours be And cost neglected Oh then what may he With whose both pains and cost if we compare Any or all of ours they nothing are His labour and his patience very great Beside his agonies and bloody sweat He went about by Land and Sea that good He might do unto those who shed his blood Which he most freely poured out that we Drinking thereof might blest for ever be Yet amongst men how slender his reward How few his love or labours do regard Such is the Worlds guise such it constantly Hath been to cast their best concernments by While vanity they love and follow after Mere leasings or fond things of mirth and laughter Yea not only such things they disrespect As tend their greatest weal most to effect But oft repay with hatred and disdain The greatest love and things of greatest gain Whereof as Christ himself the Sovereign Lord Of glory so his choise servants afford Sufficient proof and evidence how great Their pains and labour the World to intreat To save their souls how great their diligence By Preaching Writing Travail Patience In good and bad reports and yet how bad Their intertainment every where how sad Their ill requitals oh at how great cost Have we our Bible truths how many lost Their precious lives laid out their strength and time That we might know the way whereby we climb May up to Heaven and happiness yet who Will even for Heaven it self their lusts forgo Well then may I not grutch at cost or pains Nor grumble at any neglects disdain Or what like things me for my labours shall From any man at any time befall Yea if I for my labours disrespect May meet with it may make me to reflect Upon my self and smiting on my thigh To say Thus thus too much and oft have I Requited God Christ and the holy Ghost And those his servants who unto our coast With pains and travail God's truth carried forth Truths of unspeakable and boundless worth Why then should I complain if I should find Such disrespects as suit less with my mind Or why should I expect respect or look For better likement unto any Book Than usual is for all good things to have Hatred they must expect who souls would save When I and others mend and better be To God they will deal well enough with me AN EPITAPH UPON Mr. THOMAS LILLY Of South-Lin I. THou that go'st by cast here thine eye I sometime walked there I was a Flower I stood my hour And now I 'm fallen here II. I in my time was of the prime That lived in this Town A Lilly fresh but I was flesh And Death hath cut me down III. ALl flesh is grass it 's grace doth pass The best is but a flower The stoutest man do what he can Must dye when 't is his hour IV. If riches could Death's force withhold I had not dyed yet Riches good store I had Death's sore Yet thence no cure could get V. I thought of this I sought for bliss I good attention gave To what I heard the Lord I fear'd And as I sought I have VI. O man thou must return to dust What ever now thou art Dust was thy breed and 't is decreed Thou and the World must part VII Yet thou may'st live if thou do'st give Good heed to mend thy ways For though thou dye yet certainly God will again thee raise VIII For Death came in by loathsom sin But Christ for all did dye And unto those who with him close He 'll give the victory IX Nothing beside will long abide But soon will fade away Consider well Take heed of Hell Think on thy dying day X. So farewel friend and God thee send To live so holily That Heaven may be a place for thee When 't is thy turn to dye FINIS Reader there be too many mistakes of Words Letters and Points the chief of them thou hast here a note of and how thou may'st correct them viz. as follows IN the Title page vers last for inot r. into In the Epistle p. 1. vers 14. for too r. two v. 16. r. woe In the Apology p. 3. l. 32. r. such woers p. 4. l. 36. r. I my self submit In the body of the Poem p. 2. l. 30. put out the full stop at bands p. 5. l. 30. r the vile p. 6. l. 33. for to r. so p. 8. l. 14. put out the stroke of the parenthesis and put it in l. 17. after back p. 11. l. 22. r. the better and their talk p. 34. l. 13. r. they may make p. 39. l. 14. r. good God p. 42. l. 30. r. naught p. 44. l. 20. for vow r. bow p. 54. l. 14. for left r. lift p. 58. l. 10. r. in my joys p. 60. l. 20. r. reprov'st us p. 65. l. last for can r. did p. 66. l. 1. and 3. for make r. made p. 69. l. 24. r. that they in their p. 72. l. 34. r. fill us p. 111. l. 14. for whom r. when p. 131. l. 4. for once r. over p. 139. l. 17. for abhorred r. adhered p. 138. al. 140. l. 33. for to r. so p. 148. l. 9. for is r. if and l. 29. put out is p. 151. l. 30. r. fading p. 161. l. 15. for nosh r. now p. 164. l. last r. do pierce p. 167. l. 14. r. show'd p. 172. l. 15. for best r. blest p. 181. l. 24. for but r. by p. 186. l. 15. the word Lamentations should have been in a great and different character as also diverse other words in the foregoing pages p. 211. l. 22. r. death honour p. 224. l. 33. r. between p. 228. l. 5. for thy r. thee p. 232. l. 26. for caret r. care p. 234. l. 16. r. stinch p. 235. l. 6. r. though p. 244. l. 30. r. thy pledge my holy p. 243. l. 27. for fashion r. fathom p. 254. l. 6. put our the stop at so p. 259. l. 27. r. heart p. 256. l. 22. r. ay p. 260. l. 4. for lovely r. lowly p. 264. l. 4. for this r. his p. 267. l. 28. put out not p. 268. l. 7. for soul r. love p. 276. l. last for oft r. oft p. 295. l. 6. r. and their portion Other mispointings I leave to thy discretion to observe and rectifie in thy Reading