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
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
'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
himself to him that he Might exercise his heart and mind to have The pleasure him to know who to him gave Those other excellent endowments which Do him above the rest advance inrich And dignifie that unto him he should His will and his commandment unfold That he might ordred be by him and give Obedience to him so as he might live Doth it not God become to be so good To mankind or shall it be understood To be an happiness to man to be Lawless and from ingagement God-ward free That he like to brute Beasts without controule Be led by Lust and so debase his Soul And rob it of its glory which consists In fellowship with God Oh how great mists Do overspread their minds who do account The way unto the top of bless to mount Is to live like the Beasts to satisfie Their appetites a while and then to die At most to use their reason like to men In things humane and earthy like them when They capable are of Divine converse And may after a sort their minds immerse Into the things of Heaven Oh crooked minds And void of judgments which such pleasures finds In things that perish and contemn the prize Which would immortalize them were they wise But mind again how they in all they said Have the old Serpents head further bewray'd Whose grand design it was with man at first That he might make him like himself accurst Into mans mind t' insinuate amiss That God who made him did envy his bliss As if 't had bondage been to be forbid To do the thing which when done him undid What else do they when they do represent As if it were matter of discontent Not to have liberty at will to use Thy parts and senses so as them t' abuse By serving lawless brutish lusts which take Thy mind and soul from him who did thee make As if they were as dead and useless quite Unless they be exorbitant and might Have liberty to do and act those things Which God offend and men to ruine brings Do they not therein greatly injury Gods goodness and great liberallity While wickedly they from thy view withhold Those many uses more then can be told Which God affords to man in all those things Which to God glory and to man good brings Both unto other men and to himself What! is there noting else besides the pelf And garbish of the World for mind and senses And members to be us'd in vain pretences God gives the hearing taste smell touch and sight Both for necessity and for delight Though not to satisfie that brutish lust Which dwells within man and makes him unjust May'st thou not see the wondrous works of God And use thine eyes to look out all abroad Upon them may'st thou not with them his words Peruse which lively instances affords Both of the ways and ends of good and bad How well good men have fared and how sad The end of evil men may not thine eyes Behold thy way and work and see what lies Before thee or discover foes or friends What to thy well-fare or thy ill-fare tends May'st thou not with them too bewayle with tears Thy many sins and mispent days or years Mayst thou not use thine ears God's words to hear And such instructions as unto his fear May thee provoke and his commandments too Which shew thee what thou should'st or should'st not do That from destruction they might keep thee yea Both what divine are and what moral be Are not thy other senses too allow'd Of God for to distinguish in that crow'd Of objects which present themselves unto thee What is good for thee or what may undo thee What thou may'st chuse as things that wholesome are And what refuse as things that may impair Thy health or safety so thy palate meats Distinguishes thy feeling colds or heats Soft hard rough smooth and other properties Which diversly in divers bodies lies And render them as good and grateful or As things may hurt thee and thou them abhor Thy nose and smell is given thee that thereby Thou may'st distinguish things which differently Do smell that thou may'st this chuse that refuse How many ways may'st thou thy senses use With God's allowance to thy benefit And give him thanks and praises too for it Great use them to every thing he gives Which in the World indued with them lives But unto mankind for more noble ends Then other creatures can have to what tends Unto God's praises and mans happiness To seek and walk in the way unto bless Yea man perceive may from th' use of his sense That there 's a good God and wise providence As also man his mind his heart his brains May exercise in what to bless pertains Christ Yea God who all things made for man at first And blest them to him till the cords he burst Of such ingagements as between them were By casting from him God's most holy fear Hath by my Death and Blood again restor'd That use of all things to him may afford Much benefit unto him many ways And give him cause with joy his Name to praise All things are cleansed now by my dear Blood And lawful made for man to do him good God him allows a sober use to have Of all things which at first he to him gave According to the uses he ordain'd Them to at first He only hath restrain'd The lawless use which goes beyond the bounds Which he hath wisely set and so confounds Mens properties and rights to what he gives And so each other of their right deprives Or what doth cherish his concupiscence And hellish lust which as experience Doth often show both leads into excess Robbing God of that part he should possess And dangerous diseases breeds whereby Mans days are shortned and he worse doth dye How many men through a voluptuous life Giving themselves to pleasures or through strife Which love of riches or ambition breeds And such pursuit of them as right exceeds And bounds of due sobriety have brought Innumerable troubles on them oft And have by divers Deaths with greater pain Been snatcht away then many do sustain Who suffer for the truth of God because They dare not violate his sacred laws Is it not now become an usual word More perish by the Throat than by the Sword And yet of those who by the Sword do dye Most perish by some lust most usually By which they pull it on them with more shame Oftimes too then the men who for my Name False judgment undergo and what more just Then that they who through voluntary lust Have hated all my counsels and commands Should meet with such like measures at my hands Which yet is but a very small pittance Of that sad doom and most direful vengeance Which hangs over the scorners as I may Further declare in what I have to say Canto III. Providence and Judgment The Lord is known by the judgments that he executeth Psal 9.16 Of Providence and
Judgment too This Canto fullyer doth show That men must reap as they do sow Which by examples manifold Both in the bad and good is told Where all God's justice may behold Yet that nor good nor bad have here Their full rewards is here made clear Till Jesus Christ to judge appear Which that he shall is here exprest The Resurrection and the Rest Of the just too made manifest IT being reasonable that the Lord Who doth such eminent favours afford To man should give to him a holy law Requiring that of him he stand in awe Him worship and obey with thankfulness For all the love he doth to him express He will too as with men its usual Him in due time forth unto judgment call And render to him as his works shall be Rewards and punishments as ye may see All Laws and Governmens are guarded so By promising rewards and threatning woe To those that under them do live as they Those laws do either keep or disobey To what good purpose should laws order'd be If they who break them may yet escape free And not for any thing they do sustain Due punishment by either loss or pain And if th' observers thereof be neglected And nothing better be therefore respected Even so God who his laws unto man gave Observes too how men do themselves behave Whether they do submit their necks unto them Believe his sayings readily to do them Or whether they the reins to lust do give And to themselves and their corruptions live And them accordingly he will reward As they regard him or him disregard See'st thou not this discovered oftentimes While evil men who do commit great crimes Though they do think themselves to be secure Are brought most heavy judgments to endure Is not God by his righteous judgments known While wicked men are thereby overthrown In their devises witness that great flood Which overflow'd the old World and which stood Above the highest mountains when the World Which wicked was was into ruine hurl'd For those abominations which they Committed stubbornly from day to day Refusing by good Noah to be warn'd Yea me in him they set at naught and scorn'd For it is I the Wisdom and the Word Of the Almighty and eternal Lord Who by my Spirit do dwell in holy men And lead them forth with boldness to condemn And fault the Worlds great wickedness because They take no heed unto my righteous laws It was my judgment executed in Those five great Cities famous for their sin Sodom and her near neighbours overthrown By Fire and Brimstone so as ne'r was known Before or since because they cast away My counsels from them would not me obey The Word and Wisdom of my Father high Who to the sons of men do use to cry To shew them what is right and what is wrong What doth to them and what doth not belong My words those sinful Cities thrust away And after strange flesh vilely went astray Pride idleness and riotous excess Was in them and the poor they did oppress And lewdness they committed therefore I In flames of Fire from Heaven did make them fry What should I mention Egypts haughty King Who proudly my commands away did fling And with his people badly did intreat My people and did them abuse and beat How did I judge them and with plagues them break Because their bad ways they would not forsake Making them warnings to all Tyrants that In after ages me and mine should hate I Plung'd them strangely into that great flood Or Sea whose waves mean while on both sides stood Of my Elect whom I had chose to be A special lot or people unto me What should I speak of Saul and Haman and The Jewish Nation for in every Land Such monuments of judgment oft have been In whom and what befel them 't may be seen That there 's a God above whose eyes behold The proud who him contemn and are so bold To break his laws and walk in their own pride Nought can them from his powerful vengeance hide Whereas on th' other side He doth protect And shew his favour unto his Elect His worshippers all such as do him fear And to my wholesom counsels do adhere Though He be pleas'd their faith sometimes to try Them from the dross of sin to purifie And divers ways to exercise them till His gratious purpose He on them fulfil That so their vertues might more brightly shine And God more fully shew his pow'r divine In their support and in that inward might Wherewith He them indues in the Worlds fight When all the old World who from me had swerv'd Was drowned how was righteous Noe preserv'd And in an Ark was with his houshold kept From that great deluge which the wicked swept Away without escape so Righteous Lot When Sodom was consum'd was not forgot But by an Angel was deliver'd out From that strange show'r of fire which round about All things burnt up so soon as he from thence Was carry'd out And what a sure defence To Abraham Isaac and Jacob too Was the Almighty Lord when they did go Into strange Countries few and strangers how Did he defend them because they did â—ow To him and his words keep yea how did God Rebuke Kings for their sakes and with his rod So frighted them that they durst nothing do Against them which their harm might tend unto How did he help chaste Joseph and him keep In those great suff'rings and those dangers deep To which his envious brethren did him sell And by his wanton Mistress him befell Who falsly him accus'd because he did Refuse her unclean lust of God forbid To satisfie at her unchaste request Preferring a clean conscience in his brest Before the amorous kisses of a whore Which would have ruin'd him for evermore How did the Lord in him his power display And goodness too both in the time he lay In prison-house where irons pierc'd his Soul God gave him patience in that sad and foul And painful tryal and was with him so As that he favour found the Jaylour fro And when God from the prison him released Having him thereby tryed as he pleased For unto such great honour he him brought As never by him could have been forethought To make him Ruler over all the Land Of Egypt that all men might understand That though God try his friends and them prepares Thereby for mercies yet he for them cares And when they fitted are he them advances Above their foes designs and all bad chances Did he not Israel in Egypt too And in the Wilderness cause him to know To be their mighty helper and their aid Their strong Redeemer from those griefs that made Them sigh and grone and from those dismal fears Which them encompassed for may years How did he bring them out from that hard Land Of bondage by his great and mighty hand What wonders wrought he for them at the Sea And in the Wilderness what things did
gave way Day after day To lusts or cares or fears CLIV. How oft when he Had cleans'd us we Did us again defile How oft confest Yet not redrest How much we hid through guile CLV A spring of sin We had within Running continually No good in us How marvailous Was his love and mercy CLVI To each good deed That did proceed From us through his good grace Sin did adhere And it besmear Such was our wretched case CLVII But oh his love Did not remove But constantly abide Love made him blind And not to mind Our sins but them oft hide CLVIII So as that God Ofttimes his rod Forbore on us to lay And passing by Iniquity He turn'd his wrath away CLIX. A fountain great He open set And there us purifi'd And if he chode Yet love he show'd And did not always chide CLX Sometimes he hid His face and did An angry count'nance shew That he might make Us sin forsake And be to him more true CLXI Oft by some cross Some grief or loss He made us him to seek And then we felt His love to melt How gentle he and meek CLXII His loving mind Unto mankind Appearing did us save That did us make Those things forsake Which did us fore-inslave CLXIII Nor did he grieve Us to receive When unto him we came But readily Did justifie And wash us in his Name CLXIV He by his power Us every hour Did keep in his great love Which every way He did display As he did see 't behove CLXV What he did by Pleading on high God's mercy to obtain And what from thence He did dispence Made us with him remain CLXVI To him to cleave Him never leave Or if we went astray Our good shepheard Did us regard And reduce to his way CLXVII His love us drew And made us true And hid us when we fail'd Him to forgo Who lov'd us so Nothing with us prevail'd CLXVIII To him we nought That good was brought No good thing we could do He who us bought All in us wrought And helpt us against our foe CLXIX What we did want He did us grant We could but ask and have Askig aright And in his light Yea much unaskt he gave CLXX He to us clave He did us save Or else we had been gone He did begin And never lin Till all things he had done CLXXI. He in his armes Kept us from harmes He did us safely bear He did us feed Keep save and lead Untill he brought us here CLXXII Something we wore On Adam's score As we from him did spring So long as Death Held us i' the ' Earth From whence he did us bring CLXXIII The Serpents seed Which he did breed Within us and without Did dog us too Us to undo And compast us about CLXXIV Through Christ our shield We won the field He was our Captain brave Down fell our flesh We sprung up fresh He brought us out from grave CLXXV Oh faithful friend Unto the end Who did us never fail Through him we stood ' Gainst all the flood He made us to prevail CLXXVI Our Prophet he Who made us see The way of truth and right He sent that guide That did abide With comfort strength and light CLXXVII He did as Priest Upon his Breast Us in the Heavens present Our good procur'd Our weal assur'd Our evils did prevent CLXXVIII He was our King All good did bring Gave Laws made us them chose Rul'd with his arme Kept us from harme Subdued all our foes CLXXIX Yea all our wound He up hath bound As our Phisitian good Our maladies With remedies He cured by his Blood CLXXX Yea Prophets he Made us to be And Heavenly Priests and Kings To offer praise And raign always Over all other things CLXXXI Oh happy we This day that see When nothing doth annoy We have no pain Nor grief sustain But we are fil'd with joy CLXXXII Oh blest be he By whom this we For ever do possess Let creatures all Before him fall And him for ever bless CLXXXIII But we much more Will him adore Who are his choice delight Whom he doth fill Of great good will With pleasures in his sight CLXXXIV Were every part Of us a heart Yet he should have them all Were each a tongue And his praise sung By each 't would be too small CLXXXV To this our King Who did us bring To this All-Happiness Let 's sing a song Eternal-long His praises to express Hallelujah Another to Christ. I. Oh holy glorious King The Mighty Prince of Peace Thou art the Lamb by whom we came From sin to have release II. To thee we owe our selves To thee all praise is due To thee O King we 'll praises sing A song of praises new III. Oh mighty Word of God Gods dear and only Son Thou did'st us know when we were low When we were quite undone IV. Thou had'st no need of us For thou wert God above And we nothing to thee could bring And yet thou did'st us love V. Thou in the form of God Wast high and rich indeed Therefore of us who were but dust Thou could'st not stand in need VI. Thou thou all glorious art The Father thee possest When he began his works even then Thou laydest in his Breast VII Before his works of old Were either fram'd or wrought The ancient hills or fruitful fields Or Earth thou wast forth brought VIII The Father purposed His purposes of old In thee who art and do'st impart His wisdom manifold IX When he the Heavens prepar'd And the foundations lay'd Of the vast Earth in joy and mirth Thou ever by him stay'd X. Before the World was made The day or darksom night Fountain or deep or Mountain steep Thou thou wast his delight XI By thee the Worlds he made And all things more or less Without thee nought to pass was brought Thou worthy art of bless XII By thee he made us men And in thine Image clean All things we see were made for thee And all the things unseen XIII Thou art the heir of all And in thee all things stand The Life that lasts and Death out-casts Thou all things do'st command XIV Thou art th' eternal truth The everlasting light The unity all without thee Be falshood strife and night XV. The Angels thou did'st make Those which did not abide Worthily fell down into Hell The recompence of pride XVI We by thee made fell too By listning to the lies Which th' old Serpent did first invent Aspiring to be wise XVII Wisdom we had in thee And wise thou did'st us make Wiser to be foolishly we Presum'd thee to forsake XVIII While we thy holy Word And thy command divine Departed fro and our selves to The Serpent did incline XIX Great was the misery Which we were plung'd into For from thee gone God we had none Our state was full of woe XX. God gave us what was meet And that whereby we might The Tempters wiles which did beguile us Have all avoyded
slaughter and shame Did valiantly fustain 188. For every one of which Praises to God and thee The lamb by whom all that did come Well ordered was we see 189. Through thee it was for good That such things we did bear Yea sins also whence griefs did flow As they permitted were 190. By our unrighteousness And our offences sore Thy righteousness was more express And our ingagements more 191. Thou turnst them all to good Though from us they were ill And thou thy praise from thence didst raise By thy great power and skill 192. It was for good that Death Thou didst to us ordain Diseases pains and such remains As brought to dust again 193. For by the thoughts thereof And sights and feelings too Thou didst us wake more hast to make To scape from endless woe 194. They moved us the less The flesh and world to mind And unto thee the more to flee And seek thy Grace to find 195. They made us less to prize What did from thee allure Death did present their injoyment Falling and unsecure 196. They made us less to dread What men us scared by While Temporal we see them all And that no way but dy 197. Yea while we also see That common Death no less Torments had oft then what down brought Those that did Thee confess 198. Yea further Death and grave This good unto us brought They gave us rest from what opprest When all our work was wrought 199. We bless thee for them all For all together wrought For our great good even death and blood And more joy to us brought 200. While greater proofs we had Of thy great faithfulness How great each hour thy love and power To help our weaknesses 201. For as our tryals did Thereby abound and grow So thy supports and our comforts Did more upon us flow 202. Oh happy was that time Happy the means by which Perswaded we became by Thee To take a course so rich 203. Thy words to intertain And thy servants to be Sustain the loss and bear the cross And follow after Thee 204. Oh blessed be that grace That power and truth and love Which did us draw and keep in awe Notletting us remove 205. For herein also Thou Our mighty Captain stood Our Enemy foild his Armies spoild And filledst us with good 206. For though our flesh fell down And Death it overcame And Fire or Grave did it outbrave Yet we receiv'd no shame 207. Yea more than Conquerors In all those things we were Through thy great love which did Thee move Our sin and Death to beare 208. This was our victory The faith we had in Thee That turn'd to meat what did us eat And made us life to see 209. But yet the full conquest Over that Enemie Thou didst not make till thou didst take From Grave our dead Body 210. Though when Death had us seis'd And Bodies dead did ly Our Spirit with Thee thou took'st to be In thy joy and glory 211. Where safety thou us gav'st And freedome from all ill In peace to rest in thy sweet brest Our rising time untill 212. Yet Death and grave had so Our Bodies quite deprav'd As that it seem'd not to be deem'd That thence they could be sav'd 213. Such transmutations they Did so long time sustain They were so jumb'd disperst and crumbl'd How could they rise again 214. But all this made but way For greater glory yet And to compleat thy Conquest great Which thou could'st not but get 215. For by thy powerful voice The Graves and place all Where we lay hid presently did Yield us up at thy call 216. They had no power and might Against thy power and will Us to retain and make remain Under corruption still 217. Thy Angels thou sentst sorth And gatheredst thine Elect That we by thee might honoured be With great love and respect 218. And now we do injoy The Kingdom gloriously With Thee we raign and shall remain To all Eternity 219. Oh what a Warriour stout Art thou Thou meekest Lamb There 's none could stand against thy hand But thou them overcame 220. And Thou hast given to us Thy Victories each one Our Enemies all thou mad'st to fall And would'st not reign alone 221. Thy Conquests now are full The field is fully clear There is no moe left any foe Not one doth now appear 222. For now thou hast them all Destroyed totally They down are gone where help is none In endless flames they fry 223. And we we reap the fruits Of all thy wars so great We have the end we did intend Thy pleasant fruits we eat 224. Now we are fully sav'd From all our miseries Broke is the Net and we are set Above our Enemies 225. All praise is due to thee Thou all things hast well done Thou first and last hast all outcast Now sorrows we have none 226. A toilsome path we trod A tedious journey had A Wilderness of great distress But now thou 'st made us glad 227. In all our Pilgrimage And great temptations thou Didst with us bide hast us supply'd And we be happy now 228. Oh happy now our state Our joys who can express Well sing we may Hallelujah And thee for ever bless FINIS Another to the same Tune 1. A New triumphant Song Fil'd full of mirth and praise To Thee our King now will we sing Extolling thee always 2. And well we may rejoyce O're all that wretched crue Who took delight with great despight Our ruine to pursue 3. Where are they all become That did us sore oppress They all are gone left there is none That may impair our bless 4. Where is that old Serpent That dreadful Dragon fell Hallelujah hee 's not to day For Hee 's thrust down to Hell 5. He and his Angels all That vexed us full sore Lying in wait for us with hate Destroy'd are evermore 6. That dreadful burning Lake Of wrath so large and deep They 'r thrown into to bear their woe Where Sinners wail and weep 7. Where are those dreadful Beasts That were his instruments With horns and heads so full of dreads Breathing out punishments 8. Where is their pompous train Their Names of blasphemy There 's not a Crown unfallen down There 's none of them on high 9. Where now 's the false Prophet Who all the World deceiv'd Who up did cry and magnifie The Beast and him believ'd 10. Who did him worship give And to his Image fall Name Image Mark are all ' th' dark And their Adorers all 11. Both Beas and Prophet false Are gone into the lake To bear their hire in that great fire Whose burnings never slake 12. Where is that painted Whore Which rode in Pomp and State Her gilded Cup which was fil'd up With poysonous liquors late 13. Whom Earthly Kings ador'd As if she sure had been The only fit in State to sit As Soveraign Lady-Queen 14. Who sought and suckt out blood As if it had been sweet Greatest and least she
heavens height 26. To glorious dignity and Majesty And him also thou dost Fill full oh holy Ghost The fulness of the Godhead bodily 27. Through him Thou gifts did give That we might live Even Thou from him sent forth Gav'st heavenly gifts of worth Whereby men through thy grace errour outdrive 28. And 't was all times before Upon that score Of that great sacrifice Which Thou didst fore-promise That thou didst testify the love God bore 29. Thou blessed Spirit forth came And in Gods name The spirit of Truth thou did What before time lay hid Take and unto Men didst declare the same 30. Yet not to all that were Didst thou so clear Their minds and manifest Gods councels ever blest But unto some as thou pleas'dst didst appear 31. Through Christ the Father did his counsels hid By thee declare to some To whose minds thou didst come And with whom as thou pleasedst thou abid 32. And those things to be writ thou didst commit Moving those thereunto To whom thou didst them show According as thou wisely didst judge fit 33. Though Thou didst also go convince and wooe The world of mankind bad When they by their sins had Themselves destroy'd in a great overthrow 34. Thou art the wisdome high Of God whereby All called were to turn Though many men did spurn Yea we rebelled also grievously 35. That Spirit which did strive with men alive Before the flood of old With reproofs manifold Who did their souls of happiness deprive 36. Of that sweet peace comfort and great support Thou gave'st to those that clos'd With thee and not oppos'd With them thou dealt'st after another sort 37. Thou would'st not strive with them who did contemn Thy counsels always but Did'st give them up and shut Them up in blindness yea did'st them condemn 38. But unto those that turn'd though they had spurn'd Sometimes against thee too Thou didst declare and show The secrets of the Lord with love that burn'd 39. Thou art the Spirit of love From God above Who 's love it self and from The Word his only Son And thou in great love did'st reprove and move 40. That thou to good might'st move thou didst reprove And where thou found'st a way Thou man'st it didst convey Thy grace like waters even thy sweetest love 41. 'T was love thou shew'dst from God when as his rod Sometimes upon our bace Because we were so slack To goodness he did lay in love thou chod 42. Thou art that power and strength whereby at length We though we stubborn were Were brought to approach neare To God to see and hear him Thou gav'st strenght 43. Thou wrestled'st with us so Oh there is no Such wrestler as thou art That thou o'recame'st our heart And made'st us from our sins depart and go 44. In and from thee we felt Gods love to melt And bow our hearts and draw Them when they frozen were In thee power dwelt 45. And dwels for evermore Thou heald'st our sore For 't was by Thee our Lord In and by his good word Did heal us we thee laud and praise therefore 46. As thou gav'st forth Gods mind Thou did'st it find Also in this good word So it was thou O Lord That mad'st it of such force to break and bind 47. Thou mad'st it powerful to convince us so That what we were as we Were in our selves we see That we did nothing rightly see or know 48. Nor that we could that do that us unto God might bring back or keep Us from the dreadful Deep Of Hell or us again redeem therefro 49. Thou therein did'st display and 'fore us lay The glorious things of Christ Worthy ay to be blist So as thou mad'st our hearts on him to stay 50. 'T was thou and Christ in Thee whom so long we Provck't and made to wait Upon us at the gate Of our hard hearts Blest let that patience be 51. It was thy long-suffring that did us bring Salvation while thou there Our many faults didst bear Thou brak'st our stiffness well we may thee sing 52. Hadst thou been quick and rough T 'had been enough To have destroy'd us quite For cause enough thou might Have found to have destroy'd us much bad stuff 53. But 't was thy truth thy grace and that sweet face Of Christ which thou didst show Which did prevail to bow Us to thee while thou gav'st us such good space 54. Thou wer 't that strength and power whereby each hour We were supported all And kept from that sad fall Which would us have destoy'd Thou sweet'st our sout 55. Thou art that strength whereby the victory Over our Enemies We gat and did arise Up from our foiles and falls and did not dy 56. Thou wert our Comforter by thee we were In all our sorrows chear'd By thee our eyes were clear'd Thou didst us in thine arms carry and beare 57. All good from Thee we had for we were bad Love joy peace patience Meekness faith abstinence All our good fruits and all that made us glad 58. 'T was thou that drew us so as made us go After the Lamb although Through much sorrow and woe Losses crosses and what the world could doe 59. Thou art that Spirit of hope which at the scope Didst make us look the Rest And great reward possest Now by us Thou did'st shew 't beyond all trope 60. Thou shew'dst it and our eye it to espy And wistly to behold Whereby we were made bold Thou didst direct and fix continually 61. When Death had seis'd upon Our flesh and bone And grave had unto dust Converted us Thou just And holy Spirit raisedst us alone 62. By the Good will of God and him that trod The grave down in his strength Thou didst us up at length Raise and revive Thou art the mighty God 63. Thou art that River claer that free from fear Hast set us fully and Mak'st us firmly to stand With joy in presence of the Lamb most Deare 64. A mighty River pure constant and sure Thou with thy sorce hast thrown All oppositions down Ans Thou us fill'st with joys that shall endure 65. With joy with peace with good as with a flood Fed from the Ocean great The mighty Throne and seat Of God and of his Lamb which shed his blood 66. Thou fillest us for ever for they can never fail or abate but flow Without all end no low Ebb shall befall us Nought from God shall sever 67. Nought from that Ocean and Sea without Sand Those wates Christalline Most pure and most divine In their enjoyments we shall ever stand 68. For Thee in every heart evern thee who art Th' eternal powerful spirit We do ard shall inherit A band so firming us as we can't part 69. From God or Christ or each by any breach From other thou dost give Us without change to live Eternally and ever Thee to preach 70. Thy glory 's infinite thy glory bright Oh Fountain of de ight Oh Ocean infinite Oh infinite
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 show But if thou hast me first thou happy art When or however thou dost hence depart Yea and I pow'r have every other thing As I see good for thee to pass to bring If Husband Wife or friends or riches I Do see thee want I can thy want supply They 'r all at my dispose thy way lies fair If thou l't be rich be marryed to the heir All things are theirs who have me theirs to be They heirs of all are by vertue of me Men Angels Paul Apollo and Cevhas World life Death things that are and what to pass Shall come hereafter though 't is in my dispose And they may not take any thing of those But as I give it them even as an heir To some great Lord though under Age and bare As to his own possession yet hath all In 's Guardians dispose and he may call Or ask for what he wants but he must have His Guardians grant for that which he doth crave And may not take but what he will allow Who being wise and 's Father well doth know His Childes desires and needs and consident The Child may be of 's Fathers good intent In all he doth and that he will supply Him with what 's good in his necessity And give what he doth ask or else what he As wiser than the Child doth better see So that the child may well himself submit Unto his Fathers will judging what 's fit For him hee 'l give him and nothing deny If pleasd with him that good is in his eye Such is the case between my Father and Those that me loving obey my command Or as the Wife who from the Dunghill base Nought having of her own if by the grace And special favour of some Prince shee 's took Into the bond of marriage well may look On his estate as hers especially If he a joynture hath her made whereby He hath her interessed in it all And may it thenceforth also hers well call And thence expect to be maintained too And have her wants supplyed all although Her Lord do its dispose keep in his hand And will have her depend on his command For the receipt of all supplies and not Turn out his Tenants take away their Lot Or rights therein and do here pleasure but Go to him for allowance to him put The ord'ring of her maintenance even so An interest thou shalt in mine have though I the dispose keep in my hand and thou Must come to me for what I will allow Resign thy wil up unto mine and pray Thy will be done Give me Lord day by day What needful is and there 's no cause to fear I will thy needs regard thy pray'rs I 'le hear I 'le give thee what is meet do but thou me Imbrace and follow and then thou shalt see I will be thy good Lord a husband loving That will deny thee nothing that 's behoving May'st thou not trust me seeing I did give My very lise for thee that thou might'st live And when thou wast of me most ignorant And did'st not love me I to thee did grant The knowledge of me canst thou think that I Can any thing that 's good for thee deny When thou to me art reconciled and Espoused too surely that cannot stand With my good honour Nor think thou it will Be any hindrance to Thee to fulfill My good advise and pleasure it will be A very great advantage unto thee Like as if some poor woman would have all Her wants supplyed should a rich man call Her to him and make tender to espouse her Unto him for a wife and with him house her Could her accepting him an hindrance be To the supplies of her necessitie Nay were 't not the best way them to obtain Far better than with Vagabonds and vain Poor Raskals her self to associate Thinking by them to get a good estate Even so thy seeking first my Kingdome and My righteousness will excellently stand With thy best having other wants supply'd For I am rich in grace and on thy side I then shall stand and give thee what is best For thy injoyment that thou mayst be blest I wise am too and better understand Then thou thy self dost what in Sea or Land May be best for thee and I power have too What ere I see best for thee that to do Doth not that child do better who doth take His Father to be with him and to make Choâ—se of a Hat or suir then for to go Without his Father and his own will do Especially if he be weak and childish Or led away by vain men being wildish Or have to do with cheats who will a prey Make of him and get from him what they may But hath a Father loving wise and willing To chuse the best for him and for his shilling Such is thy case here for I have more skill To know what 's for thâ— good or bad what will The consequent of this or that thing prove And as I oft have said I do thee love Whereas thou led by blind affection art In danger to run upon thine own smart And this most wicked world is false and double And where it pleasure promiseth gives trouble WISEDOME with an Inheritance is good But an Inheritance not understood Or without wisedome proves the hurt and harm Of him that hath it and of times doth charm Him into snares and troubles which undo him While into divers noysom lusts they throw him Besides all things remain in my dispose Whither thou dost with me or dost not close Thy folly may thy self indammage but It hurts not me nor possibly can put Me our of my possession thererefore I Can and may justly if thou me deny Give or deny thee what thou dost prefer Before me and my love in mine anger To be a snare and by what thou dost chuse Can punish thee because thou dost refuse My guidance and my blessing as I did The Israelites who oft times with me chid And would have meat their lusts to satisfy I gave it them and punisht them thereby And when a King they would from me extort Against my mind after the Heathen sort A King unto them in my wrath I sent To be unto them for a punishment Alas I can thee blast in thy injoyments And curse thee in thy ways and thy imployments If thou neglecting me thine heart dost set Upon the things below how them to get I can give thee a wife may make thee poor A sickly costly wife an arrant whore If thou for beauty chuse preferring that Before my grace I can give one shall hate Thee and her self to others prostitute There 's many a Crab that looks like pleasant fruit I can an husband give if one thou l't have Without me that shall prove a very knave Riches with snares vexations suits and trouble Or pleasures mixt with griefs and forrows double I can give children if thou must them have That may as Rachels bring thee to thy
frowardness for I am meek And with all gentleness their welfare seek I neither cry nor lift up angry voice Against dull Scholars but I do rejoyce To take pains with them them to teach and show My Doctrine till I cause them it to know The bruised Reed I break not though it be Weak and unprofitable unto me Nor quench the smoking wiek or snast but strive With all long-patience to keep it alive I can the smoke and stanch of it endure Untill I blow it up and do it cure For power and meekness skill and faithfulness None like to me there is none in distress Or can so pity or can so pass by What they discern may of iniquity None is so blind as I that perfect am And who to open blind eyes hither came I many things do see yet don't observe 'T is not because I cannot see men swerve For I see all things perfectly what e're They be both good and bad to me are cleare But 't is because I love them and no mind Have causes of destruction for to find In and against them for should I with eye Too vigilant their many sins espy Who then should stand before me and avoid By my most heavy hand to be destroyd Do but thou then yield up thy self to me I nothing else desire or seek of thee Be but thou willing and obedient And I shall therewith fully be content I 'le keep thee through all dangers in the way I 'le overcome in and for thee what may Thee hinder or in danger thy perdition I 'le bring thee to a fully safe condition Though the way narrow be thou shalt not err I 'le be thy guide therein and I 'le confer My Spirit do but thou heed my commands Keeping them he shall keep thee in his hands Yea in his arms shall carry thee I 'le show My truth to thee and thou my ways shalt know So as no false Christs or false Prophets shall Prevail to make thee e're from me to fall Be but upright in what I make thee see Not winking with thine eye putting from thee My heavenly light and truth made known away And I will keep thee that thou shalt not stray And though the gate be strait so as into it Thou canst not of thy self though crowding go yet I 'le so put forth my hand and pull thee to me That there is nothing shall withold thee fro me Remember what I said before that I Came to save sinners not only stand by And bid them save themselves do but thou yield Thy self to me and I will win the field I 'le take away that greatness in conceit That makes thee for the gate of life too great I 'le circumcise thee take away that mass Of flesh from thee that will not let thee pass I le make thee such as through the gate thou shalt Most safely enter Nor shall any fault Deprive thee of my Kingdome for I will Not fail my Fathers pleasure to fullfil I l'e pardon what is past and I will make Thee for the future clean thou shalt forsake Thy sins and Idols that so dear are to thee And which if cleaved to will quite undo thee If thou wilt hearken unto me there shall No strange God be in thee I 'le rid them all Out of thee those false thoughts which do so hold Thy soul in bondage while I do unfold My truth and grace unto thee I 'le destroy So that they shall not thee thenceforth annoy Or captivate my truth shall make thee free To leave thy sins to follow after me And if I set thee free thou shalt indeed From what doth now imbondage thee be freed I 'le soon subdue thy foes within thee that Do war against thy soul and those that hate Both thee and me bring under and I will With choisest bread thee feed thy soul I 'le fill With sweetest honey wisdome thou shalt find More sweet by far then honey to thy mind That I may make thee pleasing unto me I 'le wash thy staines and spots clean off from thee I 'le take the pains to make thy soul as white As snow or wool as pure as is the light Thou dost mistake thy self to think it shall Be left to thee and unto thy lot fall To bring thy self to Heaven or to make clean Thy heart in thine own strength I don't so mean The difficulties in the work are mine I came to do them do but thou incline Unto my words thine ears and yield to me And thou with patience all well done shalt see When I by Joshuah did my people lead Into the Land of promise thou may'st read How they were to pass over Jordans stood When as above the banks the waters stood Yet while my Priests who bare the Ark did but At my command into the waters put Their Feet-soles by my power I made the flood Give way unto them as I thought it good So as before them that great stream became Dry land so that most safely through the same My people marched over that so I All others might instruct and teach thereby To follow me with courage wheresoe're I shall them lead and not to doubt or fear Draw back through unbelief or halt or stay Demurring at what may seem in the way Too hard or dangerous for them to do But only me obey after me go The like I did when Pharaoh did before Pursue them with his Chariots in his sore Rage to reduce them when before they had The Sea to hinder them yet when I bad Them march into it it to them gave way And was a means of safety too that day Standing as walls on either hand while through Its waves as on dry land they past which rough Growing against their foes which them pursu'd Destroy'd and drowned all their multitude Never did any that my voice obey'd By any thing of danger that afraid Might make them or impossible might seem In my way ever perish but I them Have ever helpt in their obedience and Remov'd their obstacle at my command Dispute not but obey Look not what thou Art or canst do but do thou mind me how I am accomplisht those things for to do For which I call thee to me and thee woo Have I not power to make a Cammel pass Even through a needles eye to whom there was Ne're any thing too hard cannot I guide thee Shall I thee woo and shall not I abide thee If thou accept art thou not now to day As bad and fowl as may be doth that fray Me from seeking thy love if thou consent Canst think that I my bargain will repent I 'me not like poor blind men that things pursue With eagerness which afterwards they rue Because they knew not how they should them find Or were themselves unstable in their mind I 'm not like man that I should so repent Therefore obey me and yield thy confent Unto me wholly I will surely do What needful is for thee I 'le
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-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
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
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