such things declare plainly that they seek a countrey XLIX Further there from the story of the Woman of Canaan who acted faith on Christ for the cure of her daughter whereupon Christ said unto her O woman great is thy faith be it unto thee as thou willest and immediately her daughter was made whole He infers that Saints should not have slight and superficial thoughts of these outward mercies but should know these mercies come or stream from the same fountain as spiritual mercies do and can we think that sweet and sowr water come from the same fountain Oh get your hearts into an admiring spiritual praising frame for outward mercies Upon which he put this Question What is the reason that Saints find it such an hard thing for them to get their hearts into a praising frame for the receit of mercies meerly external Ans First Examine thy soul whether thou dost not set thine heart too much upon some external mercy as learning parts estate and this perhaps may be the cause why God doth not spiritualize thine heart in the reception of that food and health thou hast And here we may allude to a place of Scripture If then thou regardest iniquity in thine heart the Lord will not hear thy prayer So if thou dost idolize one creature too much God in punishing of thee will not raise thine heart to praise him for another mercy Secondly Another reason may be because thou hast not studied Christ in such mercies so as to acknowledg thou art made partaker of them by his procurement Thirdly Because thou hast not constantly liv'd upon God for the giving of them in and if God should keep some of them from thee thou couldst praise God as well as for the giving of them to thee being not regardful of thy dependance upon him for all thou hast Fourthly Examine your selves whether or no you pray'd for these mercies which you now receive and for which you find your soul indispos'd to thankefulness Assure your selves there is no greater motive to a mans thankefulness to God than when he looks upon mercies given in as a fruit of prayer Of this you may have an instance Rom. 1.8 9 10. saith Paul there I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all that your faith is spoken of throughout the world And what is the reason Vers 9 10. For God is my witness whom I serve in my spirit in the Gospel of his Son that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers making request c. L. As he had early impressions upon his heart to Sabbath-sanctification so they continued to the last For several years as some of his nearest Relatives have observ'd it was his usual practise when he rose out of his bed on the Lords-days in the mornings with a cheerful heart and voice to sing a Psalm or some part of it or spiritual Hymn for the putting of himself into a spiritual frame for the work of the day or to repeat those eucharistical expressions or salutations of the heavenly host recorded Luke 2.14 Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace good-will towardmen By this means his spirit was much rais'd and â—e shew'd himself not less zealous for the well-performance of the Lords work than he then was for the due sanctifying of the Lords-day not only in the Congregation but in his Family and amongst his Friends For hearing some of them on that blessed day talking about worldly matters he fairly rebuk'd them with kindness saying John when in the Isle of Patmos was in the spirit on the Lords-day He had acquainted us in his experiments on Saturday night the middle of June 1651. when before he went to bed he did by the spirit exceedingly heighten the free-grace of God to him of a dream of his saith he there I dreamed that some Scholars were playing at Ninepins in our Chappel on the Sabbath-day My thought when I saw them Oh! how was my spirit moved I ran amongst them kick'd them down and said Hath England lost so much blood for such sins and will you take no warning And this I utter'd very affectionately Such dreams as these lik'd me well and from thence I often gathered the frame of my spirit On a Sabbath sometime after this he records I was not in the day in so spiritual a frame as I desired my thought mine heart knew little of God which I was desirous to have been my trouble but towards the evening reading Gal. 4.9 But now that ye have known God or rather are known of God c. How kindly did that place work on me as eye-salve to my faith as fire to my love The word was this or rather being known of God It seems that was the precious word which did rest so sweetly upon the heart and so deeply affect this choice Servant of the Lord on the Lords-day when he us'd to have his heart greatly rais'd in singing of Psalms in his family and would say to his Wife and Relatives Do not you find a sweetness in this day Oh! certainly it is the sweetest day in all the week LI. In all his Relations he was a man greatly beloved and singularly useful by prayer counsel and various other ways of doing them good We have him on Feb. 25. 1652. recording an experiment which his Relatives had to his dying-day an abundant proof of His own words are At morning mine heart was melted and so at evening in a special manner Ch how evidently God made out my faith to me both for my self and others especially for our family and my other Christian friends and the Church in general for bringing peace to her Verily of a truth the spirit help'd me in that prayer I was much broken in heart and had a deep sense of the love of God A little after he adds I was much in melting humility let it be one of the evidences of thy Saintship for I never saw humility more apparent before Oh! praise thou God and never cease One of his nearest Relatives remembers he would often say in self abasement If it were possible I could do as much work for God as any man did upon earth I would not care whether it were known there were such a man as I am in the world So little regard had he to the applause of men in what he did and so little regard had he to the rewards of men that when some had told him of some small presents that such and such neighbours had presented to some of his brethren in the Ministry and thereupon asked him Whether they had been with him He answered no And subjoyn'd he was not sorry he was pass'd by in that way saying I am heartily glad I had not their presents so that I might receive my reward from my Master For I am never better pleased than to think after I have done his work that Jesus Christ hath all my reward in reversion for me yea and he would
sentence thou canst not send me into worser than flames or punish me longer than everlastingly Christ answers Oh how my bowels turn this sinner knows not what is in my heart he thinks I am his enemy Sinner shake off thy fears and wipe thine eyes thou shalt not die The Sinner speaks again Oh thou glorious God or Angel or I know not what to call thee do not delude or deride a poor Caitiff wretch in the midst of misery Why wilt thou raise me to such a pinacle of hope to cast me down and make my fall the greater My Judg hath passed the sentence I must die and who can reverse the doom Ah! I must go see my prison-door wide open the smoke and flashes come to meet my despairing soul half way Christ speaks And now my heart begins to break my love can keep no longer in how causelesly doth this wretch torment his heart he knows not who I am I must reveal my self Sinner I love thee I say thou shalt not die Come feel my heart and pulses how they beat and tell how strong my love within doth act them Dost thou not see I have left my Throne and am come down to the Bar where thou standest condemned But why dost thou weep Come let me wipe thine eyes and bind up thy bleeding and despairing heart I tell thee thou shalt not die If Heaven will have blood it shall have mine so it will but spare thine Sinner if thou knewest who I am thou wouldst not doubt one tittle I tell thee I am his Son his only Son that but now condemned thee I know he is just and justice must be fatisfied But do not thou fear if one of us must die it shall be I I will pour out my blood a sacrifice for sin and appease his wrath and make you friends again Ye innumerable company of Angels yet servants at my Fathers will why do ye rejoice to see my prisoner sent to Hell this cursed soul over whom in glory you do now triumph I do resolve to die for and to buy her to my self a Spouse and to make her blessed with your selves and give her a Princess's place on a Throne that is by my self Sinner speaks Is this a dream or am I waking the goodness greatness glory of this sudden unexpected blessed change tempts me to doubt whether it be true or whether it be some unruly fancy that doth delude this wretched heart of mine What! for the Son of God to debase himself so low as to take my nature and so my cause and become the prisoner What! and though he knows he shall be cast Will he hear the sentence and quietly bear bolts and shackles and chains which should have fettered me Yet more than this Doth he know it is impossible to get a reprieve from his Father and Judg and that he must most assuredly drink the bitterest dregs of Death more bitter than Devils or damned souls in Hell as yet ever tasted of For it is impossible the Cup should pass And can he will he dare he venture But stay I must be a Spouse to be exalted from this Dunghil to be a Princess to the Son and Heir of Glory Hold hold here 's enough it is a Dream an idle fancy of a distempered brain I shall never find a heart to believe one syllable But yet methinks if it be a dream 't is a Golden one Is it possible that such a damned wretch as I could harbour such silken gilded thoughts of such love grace mercy and tenderness of the Son of God Oh my heart if they were not true how came they into my mind or how came they to stay or could they if but meer fictions make such a change in my heart Could they so victoriously conquer all my fear silence all my doubts allay the heats of a scorched and be helled Conscience But why a dream poor wretched heart Didst thou not see him step off his Throne Was it a time to dream or sleep in when thou wert before the Judgment-seat while God was frowning and the Devils dragging thee to and fro to get thee away to Hell Oh then just then he stept down drew near and took thee by the hand and spoke these reviving words to thee Doubt this and doubt thy judgment But why a dream I am not now in Hells torments whither I was just now sentenced My heart is now at ease and quiet surely something must be the reason why the Devil that but now had hold of me hath left me Where is the Conscience that but now was burning in me But Oh cannot the presence of the Lord put me out of doubt Do not his words that were so kind his tender dealing with me doth not his stooping to me taking me by the arm and the gentle lifts that he gives to my drooping soul speak him present Oh! do not my head eyes arms heart breast and the ease of every joint and limb about me witness the same A way my unbelieving heart what a stir is here to make thee believe a thing so evident Doubt my mind and freely doubt I'â—e give thee leave when thou hast any occasion or reason for it But why should I doubt that which is past all doubt May I not believe my senses I both saw and heard him speak the words or shall I misdoubt his faithfulness I know he is the Son of God he cannot lye But is it true yet my God I pray thee be not angry with my scrupulous heart thou seest in tears I make the doubt let it be an argument to me of sincerity I do not ask that question as one that would be fain perswaded it's true Canst thou think my Lord that I would not be reconciled and cheerfully accept of Grace when thou so freely offerest it Oh but Lord speak these words to my heart which thou hast already spoke to my ear and thou wilt melt it into love and thankfulness and I shall never doubt it more Object But yet but what can Heaven love so much Answ Thou silly worm how idly dost thou question must Heaven and so its love be bound up to so narrow and contracted thoughts as thine are What can God love no more than thou canst Love is a perfection and God is infinitely perfect so must be infinitely and incomprehensively loving Thou fool go found the Sea and tell me its greatest depths give me the height of yonder Stars this possibly thou maist do for the Seas are not so deep but they have a bottom nor the Stars so high but they may by art be known But Oh the heights and depths and breadths and lengths of the love of our Redeemer He is God and his breasts are so full of love that they flow and overflow with love they have no bottom Do but try my soul cast thy self into this bottomless lovely Ocean into this endless Bosom and when thou hast been sinking millions of millions of years tell me whither
thee Friend how camest thou hither not having on thy Wedding-garment He sees thy heart and sees thou hast it on Oh he comes and it is but to whisper thee a welcome in thine ear it is but to fall about thy neck and kiss thy be-tear'd cheeks and bid thee a kind welcome to thy bleeding Lord. Soul Oh did I think to be thus much made of I thought he would not have minded me but I did no sooner appear and set my feet within the doors but he ran to meet me he took me in his arms he brought me hither and set me here Is this a house or is it a Palace Is this a Court for Princes or for Angels Never did place more ravish me into amazement than this place Beautiful are thy gates O Zion O how pleasant is the habitation of the most high Is it the place or the company that strikes me into astonishment Now I can say most feelingly say with David My delights are with the Saints of the most high and the most excellent of the earth Their poverty their disgrace their contempt amongst whom they live do not puzzle my quick-ey'd Faith these are the Kings Daughters that are all glorious within their garments are of needle-work imbroidered over with pure gold fine-spun gold These O these hovv poor and mean soever they are or may seem to be these shall sit vvith Christ to judg the World Oh! hovv my foul is ravished vvith delight to see and look on those with whom I shall live for ever If they are so lovely now what will they be hereafter when our God shall take them and scowr off their rust and wash their Garments bright in the Sun-shine of his countenance and change those mortal and corruptible bodies into immortal and glorious ones and set them upon Thrones about himself and lade their heads with Crowns of massy gold and when I shall hear them warbling out the everlasting Praises of the Lamb whose Body and Blood we all sit down to feed on Communion-Plate Never was Gold or Silver graced thus before To bring this Body and this Blood to us is more than to Crown Kings or be made Rings For Star-like Diamonds to glitter in The Bread Welcome Fairest take and eat 't is the sweetest dainties dearst morsel Heaven can afford thee Welcome my Dear to the Table of thy Lord. Welcome a thousand times I bid thee yea welcomer than thine own heart can wish Take eat this morsel it cost my life it 's a portion thy Father sent unto thee by me and bid me remember thee of his love to thee He bids thee remember a Fathers love I a Saviours He hath a heart to give thee and so have I. Take this in earnest of them both in one Take freely if thou wert not welcome I would have told thee I would have asked thee for thy Wedding-garment knew I not thy heart or if I were uncertain of thy love I would have scorn'd thee as unworthy of my presence did I know thou lovest any thing above me I would have hid my face and never have spoke thee a welcome so feelingly and kindly to thy soul Tell me O tell me dost thou not love me I know thou dost and above Father or Mother Wife or Child Lands or Living or Credit I know thou dost And wilt thou not take the Cross and follow me I know thou wilt I see and know the labour of thy love I remember the pains and travel of thy soul I saw thee follow me on thy knees in tears and begged my life rather than thy life I know thy heart I saw it bleeding before my Throne I took it in my arms and bound it up and in that breast I remember I put it up again I saw thee when no eye saw thee I heard thee and had compassion on thy groanings whilst thou wert complaining that I had shut out thy prayers I well remember since thy heart did first fall sick with love since the time thy flesh began to die and since thou laidst thy self in the grave down by me and wert willing to die to all this vain empty glory of the world because I died and left it I know thee well enough Thou art mine and I am thine Take it I charge thee eat it as thou lovest me and whilst thou feedest remember the love of thy dearest Redeemer Soul Oh 't is the sweetest meat that ever tongue did tast it sends a rellish to my very heart I find it digests as it deseends I feel my nerves and sinews strengthen I never knew that bread was the staff of life till now Oh how fit is my soul now for Christ How easie do I now find his yoke how light his burden Methinks I could watch or pray or read more earnestly resolvedly believingly than ever Oh! methinks I can take his Cross and bear it strongly and take the shame and despise it fully Oh 't is a feast of fat things The richest banquet of love that ever I was at it was but a little that I took and it fills me full my hungry stomack now crys 't is enough I find it now verified to my soul and spirit that he that eats of this bread shall never hunger more Well I need not starve when there is such bread in my Fathers house I need not I will not I cannot feed any longer on husks with the swine of the world I fed on air and smoak before I never tasted substantial bread till I tasted of this This is the staff of my life and upon this will I support my self to my very grave The Wine Christ Come my Dearest I have drunk and thou shalt pledg me I have broached my side and drew it on purpose for thee This is a Wine of mine own making when I trod the Winepress of my Fathers wrath It is my blood but take and drink it it was the cause of my wounding but to thy soul it shall prove healing I died and bled it was but to make this Banquet for thee I have brought thee into my Wine-cellar and my Banner over thee shall be love Fear not take and drink thou hast an ulcer in thy heart and this shall cure it spots and stains of guilt on thy soul and this shall purge them away thy spirits are faint this shall revive thee thou art afraid to see thy Fathers face this shall make thee to draw near the Throne of Grace with boldness Drink I charge thee drink on thy love and loyalty to me I command thee as thou wilt have thy heart to mend thy wounds to cure thy spirits to revive thy fears to scatter thy soul to love and obey me take O take this cup into thy hand taste it and praise my love Soul Lord I have taken I have drunk as thou hast bid me I neither could or dare deny thee Can I refuse thy blood when I have accepted thy self Or can I accept my pardon at thy hands and
refuse the seal thereof I know I am vile I am vile but thou hast pardoned me Lord I have abused thy love a thousand times refused thy offered self and withstood the tenders of thy Grace but thou hast covered all my sins thou hast freely justified me by thy Grace and made a full attonement for me by thy blood this is that thou freely biddest me take and I have freely drunk it Never was Wine so full as this is Never was Bowl so full of pleasure as this I have swallowed down my life and pardon at one draught I took it from my Saviours hand it was a cup of his own preparing If ever drink was sugared this was I never tasted better rellisht Wine in all my life The richest Cordials cannot match this draught Divine Spirits of pearls dissolved would but dead this Wine Oh when my hopes but kist the purple dews they hung and cleaved so As if they were loth to let thee go They strove and strugled to get near my heart As if intending there to take a part I dare not say them nay blood from that bowl May the best room command within my soul What a sudden strange yet happy alteration do I find within my languid spirits are revived my winter is over Methinks I feel my life and joy to spring amain My Aarons Rod a dry stick but now doth bloom and flourish My newly ingrafted soul is full of Infant-clusters Blood at the root of Vines They say produceth richest Wines Oh! if my Lord will undertake to dress this Vine and trickle down his blood into my root then draw it up into each branch of Grace by the warming beams of his reviving love then let my Dearest come let him come as he hath promised and bring my Father and his Father with him and sup both with me and in me Let them come and I will bid them a welcome I shall have a fruit to present them with which they themselves shall say is pleasant I shall not send my Father away now so oft complaining I came to seek for grapes and fruit but behold wild ones The Conclusion Oh! how unwillingly do I rise methinks I could sit here and feast my heart and eyes for ever What running-Banquets doth my Lord afford me here surely he should not need to fear that I should surfeit on himself But alas I must be gone what shall I do in yonder hungry soul-starving world again I have been feeding on my Paschal Lamb and now I must go and eat my sowr herbs but if it be his will I must obey if it be so I must arise I know thou hast prepared the endless feast above where I shall ever sit and enjoy thy love and glut my hungry eye and heart on the Banquet of thy everlasting self As yet I am now on earth my toil and work lyes heavy on my hands I have yet an afternoon to labour out God knows my work is hard too hard for me my self to perform I scarcely should have lasted out so long but that sometimes at such seasons as this is he repaired my sinking spirits by pouring in the Cordials of his Blood Now I must go and perhaps find as sharp conflicts with my self as ever I know the World and Hell have been laying their snares and gins to catch my new-fledg'd soul and all conspire against my welfare Now it is well if I escape a fall a bruise a breaking of my bones in which sad plight I have so often lain that my Lord might have took me for dead but that my groanings told him loudly I lived Lord must I leave this feast must I go Take me then by the hand and lead me if I must walk let me see thee by me that I may know I walk with my God Lead me away and I will go with thee and let me not go till thou bringst me hither again I cannot will not live without thee And do thou Lord say I must not shall not If both our hearts in love so well agree What then shall separate my Christ from me A Meditation on the Death of Christ Preparative to the Sacrament Pen'd for his private use BUT is he dead Oh sad yet joyful news how strangely is my soul amazed and diversly mov'd and troubl'd by these contrary passions methinks I could pull up the floodgates of my sorrow and vent it out in tears but something bids me hold Shall I mourn for him that 's just now past his state of mourning He 's dead and what of that And so are all his griefs his bloody sweats his sighs and groans concluded He hath drunk on the brook in the way bitter while they were in his mouth and he was living but sweet now they have sunk into his belly and and he in Heaven Sweet to him because it was his work and he hath finisht it and sweet to me because it was the potion of sorrow death hell that I must have taken And canst thou mourn methinks if thou didst love thine heart should rather sympathize with his He is singing and shalt thou be sighing He is joying that his work is done and now is welcoming into Heaven by God his Father and shouting up by Angels voices as the great Conquerour of the hearts of men on earth and that now in triumph he is returned And will a mournful weed a wet eye and a cloudy brow become thee at these times of Festivals Shall the Heavenly Angels be joyful and thou sad How strangely will this be construed Will it not be said thou dost not love him or thou dost envy his recovered glory that he had left and now again hath taken Or that thou canst not endure to see him wear his Princes Crown in Heaven that for a time he had laid aside to come down to the earth to fetch thee thence to Heaven But ah my Lord thou wilt not sure interpret sorrow thus thou hast not sure forgot to give a meaning unto tears to teach a sigh to speak and then to know its language Hath my Lord forgot so suddenly that he was on earth and that he sweat and groan'd and wept and bled as well as I do now What though now all tears and sorrow and sighing is done away and he ceaseth to be any longer subject to our infirmities yet sure he knows it is not thus with us I am not yet in Heaven nor am I yet quite past the vale of sorrow and it cannot then be strange to him if he sees sometimes our faces look of a sadder hue than those that are in Heaven But why should thus my tears be check'd and my throbbing heart be chidden were it for a thing of nought I might be counted fool or child but shall my Saviour die and vent his soul in a stream of blood and all in love to me and shall he thus forsake the world and die and then be laid in the grave and I be denied the liberty of following
world heapt upon world and all made one Prove palace large enough for her alone If we suckt dry ten thousand more of joys And drain them in one torernt Sp. Yet all toys F. What if we wreath a chaplet and then steep't In Stars then crown her brow Sp. She 'l yet defie 't Nor wont your duskie tapers yet suffice To grace the room where fair 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lies Natures bright flames of reason are but clouds As fainter lights when in the socket shrouds All glough too weak light all thy graces up Yet all too small for with one glance she 'l sup That liquid fire quite dry then with craving eyes Seek out for more not found will thee despise F. Then 't i' nt in me to satisfie the womb Which with a gust such pleasures can entomb My flow'rs distill'd to sweets can't pleasures yield Flagrant enough nor though I hunt my field With pretty winged beagles for to take Light-footed odors and all for her sake To honey her delights no melody will serve Her famisht ear craving more than I have I 'le ease my hands sure then of such a guest And let her seek her some-where else a rest The ALARM I. RISE Rise Hark! the Heav'nly cries That Eccho from the Skies From our slumbers to awake The Alarum doth sound Bids us rise from the ground For the Devil hath us found And to death will us wound But our God would have us crown'd Oh why then should we lie Sleeping out till we die II. What! What! Is it that you have got Which your brains thus besot That you care not to stir Why drank you so deep Of that cup where did steep Venom'd joys whence did creep Fumes that have rockt asleep At which waking you may weep When the danger you espy I was ' witcht you will cry III. See! see Yonder Prince that is he That did deliver me When an enemy I was Though I have him forsook Yet a smile from his look My soul a captive took When for fear of death I shook Gave me Clergy on the book Oh why then will you die When a Saviour is so nigh IV. Wake Wake Your slumbrings off shake And to Jesus betake The General of Souls Heaven him a Captain made That ' gainst banners display'd In wounds through blood dare wade And of Devils not afraid For a Crown that ne're decay'd If he can but it win We shall all have 't of him V. Fight Fight While the day yields you light That as Conquerors by night In triumphs you may dwell I'nt it better to ride With victory by your side Then as slaves to abide With the Devil your guide Who at length will you deride Let us arm then and on We shall lose not a man VI. Turn Turn You whose souls that must burn If you thus from him run Stay but a while and think What harm will he do If that he saveth you From amidst the damned crew That in glowing flames will rue Those sins that will undo Oh do not you refuse While he gives time to chuse A SONG I. WHither Oh wandring wight Art thou thy jourey taking Why amidst these caves and dens of wolves do'st walk As Pilgrim quite forsaken What is thy Countries name Thy Parents are they living What is the cause thou stray'st so far from home And art thus pin'd with grieving Why still dost thou cry Oh my Jesus my Jesus What is that name I trow I would its meaning know For each time that thou nam'st him Thy eyes fill to the brim And thy heart with throbbing almost bursts II. A stranger I am here And so was all my kin Who in tents or caves like Hermites here did dwell Such have their poor cots been My off-spring's from on high A beam dropt from the Sun I call him Father that the Heav'ns made And he doth call me Son I am a-kin to that Jesus that Jesus Who in tears so long l 've sought That from Hell with blood me bought For through this wilderness he Bleeding ran to seek me Whom when found to Heav'n in clouds was caught III. To Heaven I said he 's gone And that 's my Countries name Where breaths the sweetest freshest gales of grace Which will augment my flame This Country lyes on high Far distant from my sight Beyond you hills and globes of fire that burn Stands a Palace wrapt in light Within which gilded roof dwells my Father my Father With him my Prince of Peace Where of glory 's no decrease Where Chores of Angels sing round And my breth'ren sit Crown'd Who would joy to see me arrive at last IV. The desart when I 've crost I do expect to find A black and dismal grove of Cypress-trees Where doth breathe a numbing wind There wearied mortals rest Their languid limbs lay down Here Crown-tired Kings and leprous beggars lie All a gasping on the ground In th' belly of which grove there a cave lies a cave lies The Mansion-house of death Where I must lose my breath In which black shades my Ghost must shake off all her cold dust Where do Angels wait to fetch me home A Spiritual Song YOU Rabshekahs 'mong whom I dwell That pass me and my cause to hell Do'nt me condemn and pass your doom Till I am raised from my Tomb. Gaze not upon my thread-bare skin Stuft with a slimy mud within Nor on the thatch upon my back Nor bread which I perhaps may lack Gaze not upon my watry eye Wherein a show'r of tears do lye Nor on the clouds of looks that dim The light of Heaven that 's within Gaze not upon my blubber'd cheek Which lyes in puddles all the week Nor mind the throbbings of my breast Wherein I scarce find any rest Gaze not upon my purblind mind That gropes in light its way to find Do not my words so strictly mark My tongue walks sometimes in the dark Gaze not upon my bleeding heart When God it wounds and makes to smart Or on me when you hear that I For sin do groan and wish to die Gaze not upon me in my race When stumbling I fall on my face Nor while in blood and wounds I fight With hell self world till it be night For when my Jesus once doth come My skin shall turn complexion My watery eye dries up and clears Which was besprinkled all with tears My woollen thatch turns robes of light Whose Sun-shine-dims the strongest sight My barly-bread turns Manna sweet And I shall with the Angels eat My sulli'd cheeks shall then disclose Their full-blown beauty in a rose My Lord shall brood within my breast And hatch up glory in that nest On this benighted mind of mine A sevenfold Sun shall cast its shine The morning of another day Shall scatter those night-fogs away These gaping wounds my heart doth feel My God with balmy smiles shall heal He shall me melt in flames of love And shall this sin and dross remove The race will end which now I
WADSWORTH's Remains BEING A COLLECTION Of some few MEDITATIONS With respect to the LORDS SUPPER Three Pious LETTERS when a young Student at Cambridg Two Practical SERMONS much desired by the Hearers Several Sacred Poems and private Ejaculations By that late Eminent Minister of the Gospel Mr. THOMAS WADSWORTH With a PREFACE containing several Remarkables of his Holy LIFE and DEATH from his own Note-book and those that knew him best Heb. 13.7 Remember them which have the rule over you or are the guides to you who have spoken unto you the word of God whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation Aliud est locis communibus laudare defunctum aliud desuncti proprias narrare virtutes Hieronimâ—s in vitâ Hilarionis LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers-Chappel 1680. THE CONTENTS OF THE PREFACE THE Introduction Sect. 1. His Birth and Youth Sect. 2 3. His Life at the Vniversity Sect. 4. His thankefulness to God and resolution from experience Sect. 5 His experimentally differencing 'twixt carnal and spiritual love and joy Sect. 6 7 8 9. His experience upon the discovery of the Divine Majesty Sect. 10. His check to the lightness of his spirit Sect. 11. Observation about doubting and examining Christians Sect. 12 13. About a multitude of sins Sect. 14. About Security Sect. 15. Mortification Sect. 16 17. Rising of pride in the heart Sect. 18. Living above Duties Sect. 19. About a dull and dead state Sect. 20. And enjoyments Sect. 21. Concerning self-abasement and the exercise of humility in speaking Sect. 22. And the shunning of pride Sect. 23. The frame of his spirit in prayer with some special cases about prayer Sect. 24 25 26 27 28 29. About raisedness and dejection removing Objections Sect. 30 31. About carnal reasonings and Satans suggestions Sect. 32. 33. Of Gods love in outward mercies and waiting Sect. 34. Of not meeting God in Ordinances Sect. 35. Of mourning for others sins and praying for mortification of a particular corruption Sect. 36. Of his Call to Newington Sect. 37 38. His observing the fruit of his Ministry Sect. 39. His recommending Catechising Sect. 40. His unwearied and seasonable industry at and removal from Newington Sect. 41. His Lecturing and Preaching in London and ejection at Laurence Poultney Sect. 42. His holy prudent and cheerful conversation with a Case or two about merriness and tentations therein Sect. 43 44 45 46 47. Of raising Christian affections Sect. 48. And outward mercies Sect. 49. Of his Sabbath Sanctification Sect. 50. Of his affections to and prayers for his Relatives with thankefulness Sect. 51. Of his respect to his people and charity Sect. 52. Of his Marriages and Children Sect. 53. Of his Sicknesses Sect. 54. Of his last Sickness Sect 55 56 57 58 59. His Death Sect. 60. His Works formerly published Sect. 61. And his Remains with the Conclusion Sect. 62. SECTION I. TO the Publication of these Remains of that Man of God Mr. Thomas Wadsworth a large Preface of his holy Life and Death would have been acceptable but a Melchior Adam well instructed with materials cannot readily be found who might in a proper stile give him his due Yet as an Addition to what hath been already written by Mr. Bragge in a Sermon and an Epistle to it upon his Funerals by Mr. Baxter and Mr. Parsons Prefactory to the two last Sermons he himself Preached to his people it may not be amiss to acquaint the world II. That he was born of honest Parents Decemb 15. 1630 in the Parish of Saviours or Mary Overees Southwark But it seems whiles an Infant he had such a dangerous Thrush in his Throat that the Milk taken into his mouth not having a right passage came out at his Nose and he was grown so weak within the mouth that they even gave him over for dead Yea the nurse having him on her knee thought to have laid him out as a dead corpse only staid till after Dinner in which space she thinking he had expir'd with a groan he gave a Keck whereupon she presently put her finger into his throat and pull'd out a core which being remov'd open'd a free passage for the breast-milk in this weakness his Parents seeking God earnestly â—or his life did dedicate him to the Ministry if capable as Hannah did her Samuel to the Lord. When his Mother to whom he did evermore shew himself very obedient and of whose tenderness he would speak with thankfulness to the last someâ—imes towards her latter end would say He had â—ost her more pains in bearing and nursing than any â—f her other Children He would say pleasantly â—et far from any conceitedness but with an hearty â—cknowledgment of her motherly love and kindâ—ess Ah Mother when you brought forth me you â—â—ought a great Soul into the world They that knew him best had abundant proof that he really was such an one He did timely shew himself to be an ingenious and apt Scholar in the Free-school of that place of his Nativity where the strict and skilful Master encourag'd by his Fathers liberality found him every way ready to receive instruction till about the 10th year of his age he was fitted for Academical Studies When upon his Fathers frequent converse with the Reverend and Pious Dr. Samuel Bolton then the famous Lecturer of the Parish and the worthy Master of Christ-Colledg in Cambridg who had often examin'd him at his Fathers house and found him not only very Religiously dispos'd but well accomplisht with School-learning He was then remov'd to that Colledg under the Tutoridg of him who was afterwards Dr. Outram who had a great value for him as long as he liv'd III. Before he went to the Vniversity he shew'd himself to be one of a tender conscience for when a Boy having took a fair Tulip out of anothers Garden and given it to his Father who sometime after askt him where he had it upon his Father's admonition and his own acknowledgment of his youthful folly as Augustine did his 't was often after a great trouble to his spirit and did keep him humble and watchful So early did he begin to startle at the committing of the least sin For on a Lords-day going into the Work-house in his Fathers yard and there a little loitering he heedlesly clapt his hand on a Tenter-hook and tore his hand much Whereupon he resolv'd no more to mis-spend his time on the Lords-day but to addict himself wholly to the Religious Observance of it which resolution he was known to keep strictly ever after both at home and abroad IV. When at the Vniversity he made good Proficiency in that learning which might make him mostly instrumental for the winning of Souls to Christ that being mainly design'd by him in the service of his generation In order to which we find this young Student early associating with an honest Club of Scholars of his own and other Colledges as were not only
daily conversant in Philosophical Exercises but did frequently meet to promote the great business of real godliness and growth in grace and to make experiments on their own hearts of that Religion they should be called to impart to others And it seems he began betimes to impart what he had received of the grace of God for not long after he had been of the Colledg he observ'd a young Scholar of good parts and a good humour but having nothing of real godliness whom he would often seek and single out and talk with to draw him off from vanity and to engage him to mind the concerns of his precious soul and as it pleased God in some short time that same Scholar fell sick unto death and upon his Death-bed sent for this young Mr. Wadsworth as his spiritual Father to whom he declar'd he was much affected with what he had formerly spoken to him in his health giving him hearty thanks for the love he had shew'd to his soul and bewailing his own folly in his formerly declining such an ones company and importuning his earnest prayers to God with him and for him Whereupon this early spiritual Father dealt freely and most compassionately with him in farther instructing and then comforting of that spiritual penitent who gave good evidence that he had a true work of grace wrought upon his heart was a new creature and died very comfortably to the great rejoicing of the instrument V. Whom we find in a piece of his own Journal or Note-book Aug. 8. 1650. on a day of Thanksgiving to God for his mercies in exalting the Throne of Christ in the Land the Vniversity and Colledg to which he did then relate recording the frame of his heart That it was pretty spiritual in the former and later part of the day but in communion of some choice Servants of Christ whom he and his Associates had invited to Supper he was exceedingly rais'd in joy so full that his mouth could not express his heart and so was another of his friends then but he observ'd that the Devil did suggest to him there was much carnalness in his joy which made him afraid though still he was persuaded there was much spiritual joy mixt with it for he adds Oh! how sweet was the Communion of Saints to me Truly it was so pleasant that I remember I wisht I could have always liv'd in that state and was loth to leave this company The next day reviewing the temper of his spirit he notes he was very freely carried out for the good of Saints Whereupon he resolv'd first to mortifie carnal joy in which he had been before immers'd in that he found it very destructive to his spiritual comfort and secondly to be more active for God in the company to select some out and discourse with them to inflame their souls in love to God in Christ and to the Children of God praying for strength thereunto from Heaven VI. The next Lords-day after he records to the exaltation of the riches of Gods grace That he appeared very clearly to him as a Father in Christ I may truly say I never found such a discovery of the mortification of carnal joy and carnal love as then when I was exceeding melted with a sense of love and with the remembrance of Gods dealings with me Further VII If any would have me distinguish 'twixt carnal love and spiritual let them first consider that spiritual love is carried out only to a Saint as the image of God appears in him now carnal love to a Saint appears when it is upon account of a sweet disposition humility meekness and loveliness of body usually accompanied with a propensity to laughter and lightness of spirit but spiritual love is accompanied with abundance of seriousness of spirit and composedness of mind as I found at that time Carnal love and carnal joy in Saints is a great rock against which they are very apt to run You shall have Saints sometimes so extasied with joy that they know not why nor for what and it is commonly in meltings of soul 'T is true there may be the spirit there working as he is often and likewise there is the flesh mixed with it therefore 't is good to consider that rapture of St. Paul carried into the third Heavens where were things unutterable There was joy with an high discovery of God but thou wast joyful and may be sawest nothing Whence may be this Inference VIII That the more discovery of God and thine own nothingness take them together the joy comming in upon such discovery is the more spiritual but the less the discovery of those things the more carnality in that joy 'T is true it is the common complaining of Saints Oh I want comforts joys discoveries of love and these they daily pray for but because they have them not so given in as they us'd to be they wonder Alas they little conceive that there is some lust some corruptions that they cherish in their bosom which supplies the room of grace and comfort and therefore note God doth or would do thee a greater kindness to subdue thy corruption than in giving thee in the comfort thou prayest for IX As to carnal love mark whether thy love to other Saints comes from discovery of grace in them or from the sweetness of their dispositions for the carriage and sweetness of their natural temper is excellent and be sure the more love doth arise from the sweetness of their natural dispositions the more that love is carnal because such is common to any carnal man And as to the effect that love which ariseth from their carriage doth decay and flag upon more familiarity with them but spiritual love decays not yea it increaseth by more acquaintance And again spiritual love to Saints is accompanied with a composedness and serenity of soul and doth not so much express it self in other outward joy as in merriness of the countenance The same may be said of that spiritual love in soul to God it is not so much carried out in joy which is external but in the inward man and the more thy love is spiritual and thy joy spiritual as to God the more it is accompanied with a discovery of self-emptiness and self-vileness and this kind of love is masculine and far more durable than that love which ariseth from the apprehensions of Gods love and a less of self-vileness These are Truths much discovered to me Aug. 12. 1650. X. On the 14th saith he I cannot but remember that being drawn out then as two or three days before for a discovery of the Majesty of God to keep me from sin I had such a strong persuasion set home upon my soul that if God should have answer'd my prayers in such a measure as I beg'd I should not have endur'd his presence for that glimpse I had then though it was but confus'd and vail'd it put me into a kind of fear And I could then say If
God had not mixed a discovery of Love with Majesty I could not have been able to endure the sight of his glory Therefore it is the best way for a soul in this case to beg earnestly for a discovery of Love and Majesty leaving it to the wise God who knows how to compound these together for the comfort and establishment of his Saints to measure out the degrees of them Oh! I cannot I cannot but admire the greatness and goodness of God and the poorness and meanness of the creature and I can set my seal to that truth That They know not what to ask aright XI That Afternoon going to a friend with whom we met some others who discours'd of the aspersions which carnal men cast upon our meetings calling us Blockheads Sots despisers of learning mine heart did fly out into vanity in laughing at such things which should rather have drawn out my soul to mourning and sighing to consider how my God whom I professed so much love to should be dishonoured by wicked men After which being come home I was dead in prayer which I lookt upon as a check to the lightness of my spirit Yet before I went to bed God did as eminently raise me and draw me out in meltings for that forementioned vanity that I could not but say the Spirit of God helped me with sighs and groans unutterable for mine heart was so full that I could not utter it in words I was very much humbled and truly I may say to his honour God did lift up my soul in a great measure above mine humiliation so that I lookt upon it as nothing but as given in upon the account of Christ Oh my soul Praise the Lord XII It is very natural for young Converts to think they are never better than when doubting and calling their state in question Ah! poor souls let me ask you what do you get by these vexatious Questions If they come with power they terrifie and then those that have them desire heartily they might be off again instance O. Again what assurance of Gods love and comforts to your souls do you get by them If thou say'st thereby thou shakest off security Let me tell thee that in shunning that rock thou fallest upon one as bad For in cherishing of such doubts thou cherishest unbelief And I dare say there is no sin doth more vail that mystery of Justification of God in Christ reconciling the world unto himself than unbelief We are to live upon Christ above all fears and are not to cherish a doubt any more than a temptation XIII Object But you 'l say What use should we then make of the examination of our hearts Answ This should be the Vse By it learn thine own misery that by the sight of it thou maist the more exalt Free-grace For this is the great mystery of the Gospel to exalt the love and free grace of God In order to which mans self must be abased Now by this abasement is not meant a sorrowful troubled and vexatious temper but such an one as is joined with humility and for tears sobs and sighs they are but accidental or rather a consequent of this Humiliation and self-abasement and not essential Wherefore you shall observe that your highest Christians they can live cheerily and yet enjoy abundantly more of God than a doubting Christian Be careful therefore of being too solicitous for troubles of spirit XIV There is another miscarriage in Saints which keeps them from a full closing with Christ and that is the multitude of their sins If think they my sins bad been but petty sins I could have gone to Christ but they are aggravated sins against love I have had hard thoughts of God blasphemous risings of heart against God such had O. who after this manner reasoned I answer That thou lookest upon Gods pardoning of sins with too carnal an eye and thinkest that in this he is like to man that because it is hard to man who is unwilling to put up the third offence as he hath done the first and second therefore it is so to God Alas this is a most gross mistake wherefore know as there be no degrees of hatred in God who is infinite so God is as fully angry at one sin as at ten thousand and may as soon punish a man for one as for a million because he who is absolutely perfect admits no degrees of love or hatred Therefore when thou lookest upon thy self as offending love as sinning against mercy eye God as making the Covenant of Grace in Christ immediately and to thee in Christ and from that aspect thou maist draw this Inference That though I change yet God cannot change For the Covenant of Grace stands firm still for he with whom God made it taking in that which some call the Covenant of Redemption stands as firmly as himself and so unmovable Whereupon my state is firm by virtue of that Covenant Now this consideration is very rational for if God made his Covenant immediately with us every time we should sin God must renew his Covenant for we should lack still a New Mediator but saith God I have made an everlasting Covenant with you which is upon the consideration of an ever-standing Christ XV. If you would know whether there be security mixed with your Faith and your dependance upon God as for the welfare of your soul 'T will be a good way to put this Question to the soul Whether it could trust God with its body in case of exigency Suppose thou didst want outward sustinence suppose God should call thee out to lay thy body at the stake for him For this is very common to Saints they can find in themselves that they do fully resign up their souls to God yet in the proposals of such cases they will find their faith begin to stagger Wherefore if thou findest thy self in this case to doubt trust God And assure thy self that he who hath drawn out thy soul in dependance as for the one will also do it for the other See as to this case Psal 78. and compare the condition of the Israelites to thine and see whether thou couldest have believed God in those things which they did not XVI Sometimes Saints are still and quiet as to the risings of corruptions as passions viz. anger c. and think it is mortified because it 's still upon applying of the soul to the blood of Christ yet if so be that particular corruption do afterwards rise again they are apt to conclude that sin was not mortified Answ Yet first we may conclude That mortification and the rising of corruption are not wholly inconsistent but may be in the same subject in different degrees For this is certain that corruptions cannot be totally subdued in this life If thou saist Why may they not be totally mortified as to the risings of them as well as for a time For I remember they were still as to the risings of them
for a time Answ Thou hadst better conclude that thou wast blind rather as to the discovery of them than that they did not at all rise at that time But for more narrow search into this case consider whether thy corruptions now rising are resisted by thee more than they were before if so conclude then the mortification of them Secondly It is not best in this case to ask the question too deeply whether they were mortified before because the Devil hereby will take advantage of the soul to vex it but rather apply thy self to Christ by new acts of faith as to the mortificationof them XVII Often times souls are puzled in their enquiries into the mortification of corruptions and know not what to conclude of them For if they look upon their hearts they find corruptions either bubling and rising up and impetuous or else they are still If rising that makes against the mortification of them if they rise not they are apt to conclude they are rather still than mortified To resolve such a soul I think it is best for it to look upon that in the soul which is opposite to sin and to examine whether there is greater love to God in him whether he loves Saints more and is more desirous that his sins should be mortified than formerly If he find these things in him he may conclude that his sins are in a greater measure mortified For sins and grace or love to God are like two scales and if you can but discover that grace is higher or your love and breathings are greater you may conclude that sin is lower and mortified XVIII On Saturday August 17 1650. He records I was exceedingly troubled with risings of a proud heart and on Sabath-day in the morning I found the like accompanied with envying against the raisements of other Saints as if I would have none higher than my self Yea and in the afternoon was exceeding troubled with lightness of spirit so that I could scarce forbear laughing at Church and after when I came home for one of Trinity being with me I was fain to leave him in the Chamber and enter my Study lest I should betray the nakedness of mine heart Oh cursed heart But for this spiritual distemper mine heart was suddenly troubled and I had just such a sorrow as if I had lost some outward friend and I did exceedingly take on in mourning for my folly XIX On the 22d following I had an ingenuous melting possest my soul on a sudden reflecting upon my want of discovery of the love of God these three or four days and the day following I was in a pretty good frame of spirit Whereupon I came to consider if a man would know whether he lives above all his duties let him see whether or no in a search after Sanctification he doth not lay more stress upon one duty than another For this Souls are very apt to do especially on those duties which are extraordinary As for instance if thou keepest a private fast with some other Christians or else prayest at some part in the day different from the seâ—-times or prayest more times a day than ordinary either by thy self or with other Christians or such times as those above praying at the Chappel if thou dost it is a sign that there is a tincture of self-dependence Therefore it is the best way to make an equal conscience of them all as for performance of them and look on them all with the same eye and say that thou art unprofitable in them all And that thou maist attain to this temper after every duty examine what vanity of thoughts what formality in spirit thou hadst in the doing of them that thou maist see they are all nothing without Christ XX. What should I do in a dull and dead state Answ 1 Double the watch over thine own heart aâ—d affections it is common to see a soul dead and careless 2 Labour to strengthen faith in the Promises of Gods love and willingness to receive souls The Parable of the Prodigal and that if a child aâ—k his father bread will he give him a stone c. should be consider'd 3 Make this improvement of thy present deadness to humble thy soul and see thine own vileness that thou shouldst abuse such riches of grace as it may be thou hast done and by that sin shouldst cause that deadness Take heed of slighting the deadness of your heart if you do you grow careless of Gods anger for deadness is a sign that God is angry XXI What should a man do in enjoyments Answ It is common for such souls presently to grow so confident of themselves as to let go their watch and so oftentimes are betray'd by their enemies 1 Be then as earnest for the enjoying of more of God when thou art raised as thou wast to enjoy any thing of God when thou wast not Let not a discovery of love stop thy breathing Saints often sit down here and so fall back again 2 Seek to redouble thy faith to make it stronger than ever for time will be that thou maist have use of it 3 Labour to humble thy self under thine enjoyments Let not the thoughts of Sonship dry up thine eyes but be sure the more of self-abhorrency the more evidence of thy Sonship XXII On Saturday the 5th and Sabbath-day the 6th of Octob. 1650 He records The Lord humbled me much in the sight of unworthy dealings with God and I may say God was in me of a truth this grace was then so lively in me that I prest it much to the company But yet Oh wretched heart before I came out of the company that night I was taken with a violent passion of pride and anger Yet by this fall I may bless my God God humbled me more than I was before yea and it caused me to have more contemptible thoughts of my self than ever Whereupon we find this sell-abasing Christian student to set down how he may get the victory over head-strong Passions when he adds Humility of spirit is attainable by getting quick and sprightful apprehensions of self weakness to grace and discovering the evil of a carnal heart which may be discern'd in spiritual duties by its sallying often into the world and much suspected when it is readier to close with a promise of God that speaks comfort than with a command of God which speaks obedience Oh! pray against such a distemper as savours of self seeking and labour to get holy Principles such as love to God to be the spring of all thy words actions and walkings and then thou maist take comfort in them for if any other humility which is carnal be found prevailing in thee it will argue hypocrisie There is so much pride in men naturally that when God begins to work upon the soul he finds no greater an enemy to it than pride and of nothing more do Saints complain than it which makes them unfit for any company any discourse and therefore
in the blood of Jesus for the pardoning of that sin and strength against it If not we may very well suspect that we did not resolve in the strength of Christ XXVII Says a poor Saint I have gone to prayer many a time and have been exceeding low and have pray'd with much carelesness just as if I were talking or telling a tale What shall I do in such a case Answ First That neither raisedness nor flatness in prayer is the reason why God heareth thee And therefore consider That in prayer thou art to approach a God-mediating a God-man and not a meer creature but thus thou dost if thou thinkest God will not hear thee except God raiseth thee thou makest raisedness the ground of thine acceptance which is but a meer created being as all other graces are Oh! Take heed then of depending upon Ashur say Ashur shall not help me but on the Lord will I depend Secondly Consider this for thy corafort that though thine heart is straitned here on earth towards God and in mourning as to thine own vileness yet Christs bowels are not in heaven straitned towards thee He is not so capable of mutability as thy condition Though thou losest thy first love yet he is the same yesterday to day and for ever Thirdly Consider that 't is Christs Intercession and pleading with his Father for thy prayer and not thy raisedness that is the ground of the return of thy prayer The consideration of Gods former dealings and dispensations of love is a good argument to move God in prayer when a soul is at a loss for love now or for strength or when God seems to hide himself as to the answering of thy request to say Lord why art thou so strange to me now Time was that thou borest me as a lamb in thy bosom and carriedst me into thy banqueting house and feedest me with love Time was that thou enravished'st my soul with a glance of thine eye what is become of thy former love hast thou shut up thy tender mercies in wrath see the Psalmist thus pleading in Psal 77. XXVIII I have been in such a temper that I have found mine heart in prayer even contradicting my tongue If for mortifying of pride in parts in learning mine heart hath been ready to say to its self that there could be no joy except in exaltation of self as good to have no learning as not to delight in it and applaud self by it truly this hath been the language of mine heart But I bless my God that he hath given me a joy and that above all that joy which creatures can possibly afford It was my non-experience of Gods love to me it was for want of spiritual enravishments that mine heart became so vain in its imaginations Oh that I could magnifie my God for this his love and goodness Again I have been sometime so carnal that I have even thought that there could be no Feaven more sweet pleasant and desirable than that which might be made up of created beings as to enjoy pleasures and never to be tired with them to please my taste in feeding and never be weary of feeding to hear the most sweet and melodious musick and never weary of hearing to delight mine eye in seeing and never be weary of seeing Thus have I delighted my soul with foolish imaginations as they soon appeared to be when God pluckt off these earthly and sensual scales from mine eyes He shew'd me more true joy in a smile of his reconciled countenance than in a Paradise made up of all the sweetest flowers which may grow in Natures garden can possibly afford me Magnifie the Lord Oh my soul and all that is within me praise his holy name For he hath been better to me than ten thousand worlds I will rejoice in thee so long as I have a being Oh my soul praise the Lord XXIX At sometimes it is hard for a man after the committing of some sin to believe that sin is pardoned and withall to mourn for it And it 's grounded on this thinks the soul what should I mourn for that which is not Answ Fear and sorrowing for sin may well be consistent with closing with a promise by faith for the taking away of guilt Observe therefore that the freeness of grace and the fulness of a promise ought no way to take off a Saints watchfulness over sin and the mourning for sin Further consider although God pardons the sin yet he ceaseth not to hate sin therefore mourn for sin because it offends him Again it is difficult for a man to think that he hath acted faith upon God for pardon of a sin when he hath not in prayer against that sin felt himself raised or his heart melted As for example after thou hast sinned whether in letting thine heart rove upon worldly businesses when thou hast been in duty at Church c. and apprehending it to arise from a carnal soul coming home thou goest to God by prayer to beg a pardon of that sin and for spiritual strength to subdue it and observing in that prayer that thine heart is not raised either in love to God or breathings after the discovery of love or else that thine heart is not melted for that sin in such a case it is hard for thee to conclude with thy self that thou hast acted faith upon Jesus Christ for the pardon of that sin For Answer I confess it is a difficult case but yet the soul may be exceedingly deceived in it Therefore it is good for such a soul to mark this that notwithstanding his present indisposition or blindness as to the discovery of pardon yet in a secret manner he may have pardon given in and hereby you shall know it That if God do afterwards a week or a month or more deaden and crucifie that corruption for thee thou maist conclude thou didst act faith in that application of thy soul to God The reason is clear because actings of faith do always accompany true Faith The instance of this is plain in Hannah she went to God to beg a Son 1 Sam. 1.7 10. And when she had done she knew not whether or no God would answer as appears from vers 11 12. but in the latter end of ver 9. we read that the Lord remembred Hannah And another example of this we have in Cornelius Act. 10.2 'T is said He was a devout man and one that feared God and pray'd to God alway And yet we read not that Cornelius knew that his prayers were accepted until the Angel came and said to him vers 4. Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God Hence the Inference is clear That God may hear a soul and see him acting faith for a mercy when as perhaps the soul that prays could never judg of it himself But it may be objected 'T is true God may hear a soul and the soul not discover it but as for acting of
you in this case and mark his dealings with you herein that you may admire him When a man begins first to set his sace Zion-ward yea and afterwards when he hath made some progress in those ways the Devil doth exceedingly labour with such a soul to afflight â—im from the ways of holiness in suggesting that his former company will despise him and in these new ways there must be more strictness of life more tentations and trouble of spirit which kind of arguments will be apt to stagger such a soul very much because as yet they are but weak and have not such powerful principles infus'd into them as may make them strong enough to find the yoke of Christ easie Therefore it will be the best way for such a soul to resolve still to go on and assure himself that there are more joys to be found in God than in all his former courses and withall pray earnestly for the strengthening of inward principles in his soul and more spiritually in his heart to carry him through the strait gate with ease XXXIII This may be the temper of some souls that have had some assurance of their good estate that if afterwards some sin is set home upon their souls they are exceeding loth to dive into their own hearts which is accompanied with this slavish fear lest they should find all their former hopes to be meer flashes and that they have been in a carnally secure state even until now some have div'd into their hearts at such a time and God hath shown them some hypocrisie or selfishness in their former walkings whence they have concluded that if God had let them die in such a condition they had been damn'd and so after this discovery if they have had a clearer discovery of the baseness of their heart they have concluded the like of that estate By this kind of reasonings there are these disadvantages happen to such a soul First He can by no means make Gods former dealings with him subordinate to the innervating of his present condition and without a special work of the divine Spirit a man shall not gather any ground for his present condition Secondly By this he loseth a praising Spirit and he also deals disingenuously with God in not owning all his gracious dispensations to the soul The direction that I would give such an one should be this Let him know that the least grace is true grace Grace in the seed is as true grace as grace in the bud and grace in the bud as true as grace in the blossom Shall the blossom contemn the bud because it is not so fragrant and so flourishing or the bud the seed Oh! take heed of a non entertainment of divine Love I have had such quick checks of conscience that they have forc'd me to Duty to Prayer to Church to Chappel private Conferences and now I am afraid lest all these actions come meerly from checks and not from inward principles Of this thing if thou wouldst satisfie thy soul ask it whether thou hast not a Will contrary to this fleshly temper and it carries thee out to pray earnestly against that I mean not to the stilling of conscience but that God would discover to you that your duties came from more filial principles of love Bless then God for the quickness of conscience and press for strength to obey whatever conscience dictates to be according to right reason and the mind of God but on the other hand take heed of daubing it with any light gloss from Scripture as some species of good if thou do'st thou sinnest XXXIV Seeing that all the mercies of Saints have divine Love mingled among them Now I enjoy worldly blessings I know not whether they are given to me out of love to me says some poor Saint I Answer There be these three marks whereby a soul may see whether his earthly blessings are mingled with spiritual love First Mark whether they were given to you upon the account of prayer Did you beg them of the Lord upon your knees So that you may say all your mercies are the children of your prayers the births of your entreaties your health your meat and drink were wrestled for at a Throne of Grace After this manner did Hannah procure her son Samuel as we may read 1 Sam. Chap. 1. reflect now upon your self and see whether your outward mercies come this way if they do O how sweet and comfortable will they be to you you shall never look considerately upon them but your heart shall be warmed with the love of God Here you may say is a mercy and there is a blessing which I pull'd out of the bosome of divine Love as it were with mine own hand this child and that child this crumb of bread and that drop of drink are all pledges of Gods love to me these are divine influences and sparks of the flames of Gods loving-kindnesses What Adamantine heart would not such discoveries melt into love towards God what soul would not such chains of gold enravish which were both made and put about its neck with the lovely fingers of Christs hands What soul would not such a Cordial comfort which is compounded of love and goodness Mine heart is enravish'd within me whiles I think of this love and every thought that I have of it bespeaks admiration this is that which Angels admire and in which glorified Saints are immers'd these are the Chrystal streams which run before the throne of the Lamb every drop of which presents a jewel of inestimable price It is a thing rather to be admir'd than talk'd of here I could be content to dwell to eternity but I am call'd off to the second mark to discover this love in outward mercies and that is this Ask your soul this Question Whether it hath been drawn out in praises for that which you have received of God Can you say that you love God the more for them and do they engage you to serve God more if they do you may assure your self that Gods love is in every mercy you receive Thirdly Can you see them given to you upon the account of Christ Can you say that God loves you in Christ therefore God gives you this and that mercy this is one of the highest attainments of a Saint on this side glory This speaks fulness of comfort O! how sweet is it to see a reconciled Father hold forth his hand full of mercies to hear him come and say Child take this mercy and that mercy and when ever thou lookest upon them remember that I love thee O how pleasant is such a voice This cannot but work up the soul to love God and to breathe after God more than ever It is hard to distinguish betwixt an holy waiting upon God for the answer of our prayers and a kind of security which is apt to seize upon mens souls after prayer Now for answer consider this That waiting doth not impair breathings of
the Presbytery and Prayer in a great Congregation at St. Mary-Axe Church London like a good Husband-man as he was careful when he had sown his seed with diligence in Preaching of the Word to see how it sprang up so he was to prepare the ground for the receiving of it by Catechizing his people which he was very zealous to carry on successfully as you may see by the Epistle before the short Catechism he recommended in the words he then printed To all the Inhabitants of the Parish of Newington-Butts Grace and Peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ My dear Parishioners GOD is my witness how the Salvation of your never-dying Souls is desired by me If I could not have compassionated you as men and women drawing near to that Tribunal where you shall within these few days receive your final sentence either to everlasting Happiness or Torment I had never been so earnest and importunate with you in my Pulpit for your hearty entertainment of the Lord Jesus in a sincere obedience to his Laws and unfeigned love of his person and benefits as the only way to eternal life And if the same love and tenderness had not continued in me I would never have ventured upon this toylsome laborious work of sending for you family by family to instruct you in the knowledg of that Jesus Christ through whom only you expect to find salvation If God shall be pleased to make you as willing a people to learn as he hath made me willing to spend and be spent in this service of teaching you I shall have cause to praise him to my dying day The God and Father of our Lord Jesus perswade your heart to receive his teachings of you in your Ministers that you may not shut the knowledg of himself in the Gospel out of your doors which will prove of more sad and dreadful consequence to your Souls than you imagine Amen So prays one that unfeignedly loves you and that is willing to sacrifice health strength ease and all I have in the service of your Souls Thomas Wadsworth AT the end of the Catechism he adjoyn'd an Admonition I have here presented you but with a few things to commend to your memories but if through age or other weaknesses some of you cannot get this little without book let me desire you to perfect your selves in the Creed the Lords Prayer and the Ten Commandments But however if you are Parents or Masters and Mistresses of families let me entreat you to command your Children and Servants to get the rest and to hear them say it once or twice a week you may make it part of your Lords-days work and adjoyn it to your Praying Reading or Repetition of what you heard when you come home Having laboured much in this and other ways with great success to reduce the Inhabitants of that great Parish from their disorderly living to the obedience of the Gospel After a profession of their faith Printed singly after the example of the Ministers in the Worcester-shire Association he engag'd those instructed who were willing to joyn in all Ordinances to signifie in these words I do consent to be a member of the particular Church of Christ at Newington-Butts whereof Thomas Wadsworth is Teacher and Overseer and to submit to his Teaching and Ministerial guidance and oversight according to Gods word and to hold communion with that Church in the publick worshipping of God and to submit to the brotherly admonition of fellow-members that so we may be built up in knowledg and holiness and may the better maintain our obedience to Christ and the welfare of this society and hereby may the more please and glorifie God XLI You see what pains and cost he was at for the good of the Souls under his Charge at Newington where you had before from his Hearers in Mr. Baxters Preface to his Two last Sermons a more particular account of his most exemplary and unwearied industry in his Ministerial-office And then on the Lords day in his own family when his great work was over in the publick Congregation he us'd to have Sermons repeated and he himself prayed and Sung Psalms with them yea and being well instructed of his Lord and Master who knew how to speak a word in season to him that is weary and remembring the Apostles charge for Preaching the Word 2 Tim. 4.2 to be instant in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine He did in a time of an extraordinary long Frost when poor Watermen were sorely put to it for a subsistence set up an Expository-Lecture for four or five mornings in a week at least two months together When it pleased God to manifest his special presence with him in this seasonable work for it prov'd the means of turning several from their evil ways unto God and some who had liv'd loosely before can to this day with humility and thankfulness testifie that a work of grace was then wrought upon them So that they were seals to his Ministry and to that truth of the Wisemans Prov. 25.11 A word fitly spoken or seasonably on the wheels is like Apples of gold in Pictures of silver This was extraordinary but the other was his course whiles he continued at Newington which was till Mr. James Meggs who vouch'd himself to be Legal Rector of it forc'd him to resign that Benefice to him in August 12. Carol. 2di and put an end to all Suits only he yielded that Mr. Wadsworth should Preach there till Septemb. 29. next ensuing Though Mr. Meggs sometime before his death could not but acknowledge that however he had given Mr. Wadsworth trouble he had not before that real and legal title to Newington he had made the world believe he had But our Practical Divine had learn'd to suffer rather than to do any wrong XLII However the great God who had made much use of this choice instrument in his work would not let him as yet lye by useless For after he was remov'd from Newington by no fair dealing as before of him that succeeded besides his Lecture on Saturday mornings at S. Antholins yea and for some time likewise there at five of the Clock in the evening of the Lords days and for a Winter or two on Monday nights at Margrets Fish-street-Hill London where by the concourse of Auditors 't was evident his labours were much valued though he had low thoughts of the apprehension of men He was by the Parishioners in whose power the presentation or nomination then was chosen to be Minister of Laurence Poultney where he continued and being then a Widower and removing from the House of his intimate friend Mr. Sedgwick then marrying liv'd in the family of his worthy friend Mr. Robert de Lunà Merchant till the frowning Bartholomew 1662. when he was ejected thence and out of his Lectures as 2000 of his Brethren were elsewhere because they could not assent and consent
God comes to make inquisition for blood How will you do if this sin shall find you out If God requires blood for blood what will become of yours If he had been no more than a common man the Law would then have required your lives for payment But how if in the end he prove a Prophet nay more than that the Son of the most high God the Prince and Saviour whom God had promised to raise the Messiah whom Moses and the Prophets bare witness to and him that you so long long'd and wisht to see How will you look what will you say what answer will you make when all these truths are cleared where will you hide your selves for shame and what will you do when confusion shall thus take hold upon you What! will you then confess the fact or will you deny it with what face can you do the first And if you do the latter the curse you and your Fathers drew upon your selves Let his blood be upon us and our children stands still on record against you and will cry you guilty Will you excuse it with your unbelieving ignorance But how will you be able to rub your brows into so much confidence How dare you say you were ignorant of him when you say you knew both Moses and the Prophets and they bare witness of him You askt a sign and did he not give you both signs and wonders How often did he cure your Lame How wonderfully did he heal your Lepers and those sick of the Palsie yea of all manner of diseases How did he open the eyes of the blind and give light to him that was born blind yea restore the withered hand and make the crooked straight and open the ears of the deaf and cast out Devils and raise the dead Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that Son Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ Upon which Text Act. 2.36 the Author Mr. Tho. Wadsworth preach'd at Gregories Church by Pauls March 29 1656. evidencing clearly from those words 1 That the poor life and ignominious death of him that was crucified at Jerusalem was no good argument why the Jews should reject him from being the promised Messiah 2 That that very God-man named Jesus Christ that was crucified at Hierusalem was the true Messiah whom God made and appointed to be Saviour to the World If his Notes were sufficiently legible in the proving and improving of these two Propositions so that they might have been publisht as they cannot unless any took them in short-hand for his own use there would have been found in that Discourse a notable antidote against the poysons of Judaism and the Atheism of this present age Three Letters of Mr. Tho. Wadsworth to his Sister Elizabeth Wadsworth in Southwark when he was a young Student in Christs-Colledg in Cambridge wherein we may see the early breathings of his pious Soul Dear Sister YOU may remember very well that I sent a Letter to you all in general to wit my Brother and other Sisters but it is my wonder and grief that I should receive an answer from none of you I thought that your loves to me were not so contracted but that I might have procured such a favour at your hands as three or four lines in a Letter but however your not regarding of me hath not begotten in my soul such regardlesness towards you and therefore from among the rest I have chosen you out in particular to see whether you in particular will give me an answer to my other Letter I remember that the last time I was with you upon Conference that I had with you I found a good and pliable nature in you some softness of heart appear'd by that crystal dew which trickled down your cheeks I would have wisht in some respects that it had continued until this time For truly nothing speaks fairer weather in Heaven than moistned cheeks below on earth you must not think to come to Mount Zion the Heavenly Jerusalem before you have past thorow a vail of tears Heaven is not a bauble and it can't be attain'd by mirth and jollity you must not think to live merrily in Earth and in Heaven too I know you are naturally merry and jocond but you must labour to mortifie that merry nature you have you are naturally full of talk but if you love your soul you must labour to bridle the tongue Perhaps you would say O Brother this I would willingly do but I cannot tell how I will give you this answer First Labour to live more seriously to talk less let your thoughts be on God and think that he hears every word you speak and as our Saviour says You must give an account for every idle word You must not think you shall ever be swallowed up in love that you shall ever bathe your self in Divine ravishments to all eternity with God in glory and walk so lightly and vainly here on earth O that I could but perswade your soul of this If I could I know that you would desire no other glory than to swim all your life-time in a river of tears I shall not here speak of the glory which your soul should enjoy in Heaven lest my soul in writing should be swallow'd up with confusion for if I knew where to begin yet I should never know where to make an end Angels themselves have been wading these five thousand years in this Ocean and cannot come to the depth of it yea and shall be wading to all eternity with the glorified Saints and yet shall never fathom it And now if thou art willing that thy soul should accompany my soul unto this Ocean of Love take notice then of these paths which I shall here set down which will lead thee unto this desir'd happiness And truly I beg of thee and likewise charge thee in the presence of the Almighty God as thou shalt one day answer it at the Judgment-seat when God shall judg the quick and the dead that you do not when you have read this Letter cast it away and look on it no more Therefore I beseech of thee as thou art dear to me as a Sister that thou wouldst put into practise every word that I shall say First then Be constant in prayer by thy self both evening and morning and if you find any good motion in the day-time go then again to prayer And if you ask me How you should pray I answer thee pray against every sin thou find'st thy heart prone to commit Pray against thy carnal joy and beg that thou maist be most serious in thy conversation Dost thou find in thy soul that thou canst not mourn for sin Pray that God would soften thy hard heart that he would make thee to mourn to weep and lament thy sins because they are against such a tender and loving Father as God Dost thou find that thou art given to anger pettishness and frowardness pray
good night What must be suffer'd why is' t fear'd I can't my life defend Fear or not fear it 's all a case My life must have an end Death comes why let it why should I Plead priviledg from what My God hath pointed out for all It must be then my lot He lent me to my self a while My lent-out life recalls What is his own he may demand He wrongs me not at all Why should I tremble at the grave Alas it is not Hell Why should not I thank God and die That it 's not worse it 's well Art thou new-born then thou hast felt The pains of death to lust They 'r greater than those thou wilt feel Which brings thee to the dust To leave a sin to wicked men Doth far more torment bring Than shame than beggery or death Or any other thing Think how the wicked go to hell How careless do they die Shalt thou less fear it than they do Though thou must fore on high Think that thy grave were but thy bed That God thee there did keep That when that dying thou wert but A falling fast asleep Think what a quiet undisturb'd Repose thou there shalt take That God when thou hast slept enough Himself will thee awake Think that thy Lord and Saviour In this cold bed did lie Wilt thou not with him lay thy self What love him and deny Think that a thousand thousand Saints Have hither crept for rest Have long'd and hop'd to be dissolv'd All counting it the best Think what 's this world that thou must leave It is not Paradise A hell of torment sin shame grief A cinque of filthy vice Where lust and pride do sit and reign Grace goodness subjects are If thou art good thou maist go pack That 's all the world doth care How often their ungodly lives Have vext thy soul but think Their selling Heaven for a lust For dross a cup of drink It 's true thou maist them contradict But what get'st thou by that They curse thee wish thee in some pit Where thou maist lye and rot Thou say'st there 's good as well as bad That thou must leave behind If good men make thee will to stay Above thou'lt better find The best on earth are bitter-sweet Weaknesses have their stings They can thee hurt and will sometimes Till God to Heaven them brings Thou say'st if God the shepherd smite The sheep will scatter'd be If they were safe it matters not What did become of thee Thou fool God will them bless or curse If curse thou must not live But if for them he blessings hath Better than thee he 'l give I come then Oh ye Heavenly host Of Angels take me up I 've broke my fast with grace on earth With you above I 'le sup I come my Father and my God! Now to thy self me take Through my Lords wounds I hope for love Oh love me for his sake HYMN XI Comfortable at the death of a dear friend DRY up thy eyes and let thy looks Again seem fair and clear Let not those briny staining streams Thy blubber'd cheeks besmear Who knows not man was made to die Can tears blur the decree Or spunge it out those Heavenly rowls What God wills that must be Was he not made of dust that 's dead Can dust for ever last What wonder is it then to see That dust on dust is cast Hath not the wisest God all things Made subject unto change Why should he thee or thine except Is not thy folly strange Why his departure thus bemoan'd He paid but nature's score He me not leaves I follow him He 's only rid before It 's God commanded him away 'T was he that gave him thee Is it not reason more than thou the Giver pleased be Thou say'st no sorrows like to mine None e're lost such a friend How many thousands say the like Complaints will ne'r have end Nay think how far others in grief Have cause thee to exceed Thou ' st lost a friend but they a child Thou weep'st but they do bleed Is thine a child their is a wife Or else some dead husband But if this last be thine own case Think his is worse that 's damn'd Look round and view that num'rous heap Of houses that do stand Tell me the house that hath not mourn'd By strokes giv'n by deaths hand Go round about the Royal Tombs Number the Queens and Kings How oft have Palaces worn Black By wounds made by Deaths stings Or think how many mourners thou hast cheered up before Let the same reasons on thee move That thy heart grieve no more Or think of him as ne'r been born Or born not known to thee He might have di'd a thousand times 'T would ne'r have troubled thee But did thy life and livelihood On him alone depend For shame do not forget thy God Who meat to Ravens sends But ah alas he lov'd me more Than all the world beside Ah! take thou care in saying so Thy God he be'nt be-li'd But Oh the friend of my bosom He cannot be forgot But fool didst think he could not die What did thy mind besot Play not the child my grown-up soul Many spectators gaze At thy-high spirit under grief Soul-weakness will amaze Think thy employment calls aloud To lay aside complaints Think that thy Friends thy Country Church Cry to thee as in wants Or else look up unto thy God In whom contentment lyes His heating brightness will dry up All tears from out thine eyes If all the reasons I have us'd Will nothing move thy heart Then take thy course I only wish Thy cure be wrought by smart HYMN XII Of Thanksgiving for the restoration of Health ' THE God of Heav'n is but one To him alone I pray To him in straits I made my vows Which now in health I 'le pay My God is light life help hearts ease Physician Nurse and Friend Himself was the best Physick I Could take to make me mend For sin me weakness did confine Within my Chamber-walls In prison as with Iron-bolts My limbs were sore with gauls My bones were all as out of joint My sinews lax and loose Each member was so feebly hung As if 't had lost its use All elements did seem to strive To raise my misery They would have surely me orewhelm'd But that my God was by My trembling skin my chattering teeth The shiverings of my bones My shoulders shrugging up with cold Thus sadly made their moans As if all hail and snow and rain Their coldnesses had lent To some night-stormy blustring winds My body to torment I was like weary pilgrim that All night in forest lies While rain and snow and chilling winds Do pinch him till he dies But my good God! those nipping blasts Screen'd off me with his palm He sweetly rockt me fast asleep So they did me no harm The freezing air now thaw'd I thought Me safe but was deceiv'd For straight a watry vapour rose As much my body griev'd Each
i' nt that I Do fear thou canst not save Nothing can hinder if thou please Nor Devil Hell nor Grave Nor do I doubt but 't is thy will To save some such as I For as vile wretches as I am Thy Son did freely die In the deep Seas of thy rich love Blaspheming Paul did swim He though thy Saints he sought to kill Yet thou didst pardon him The Harlot Mary Magdalen Who deeply ran on score Who did ten thousand talents owe Yet that debt-bond was tore A swearing cursing Peter thou Didst to thy mercy take That Son whom he did fear to own Thou pardon'st for his sake This makes me confident my God That Heav'n may be my place If thou would'st please to grant to me Maries or Peters Grace Give me O God to go aside And in some corner creep That there with Peter bitterly In dolors I may weep Give me but sinful Maries love Love shall my ointment be Which I upon my Lords feet will Pour out as well as she But ah my God! this is my fear Their faith and love I want My carnal proud and sensual heart Speaks me no penitent This only Lord I have to plead Those lusts my heart doth hate I long I wish to be set free From this sad sinful state Sure Lord I am no enemy To holiness within Thou seest my soul contend and strive To beat down every sin When that perchance my foot doth slip And thee I do offend Doth not my sin make me to mourn And don 't I strive to mend Had not I faith why should I fear The threatenings of thy Law Why should I dread thy Majesty And of thee stand in awe Had I not faith why should I long Thy face above to see Why should I praying sue so hard To get my liberty Did not I love thee why should I My loved self forsake Why should I loath my loved sins For thy beloved's sake Did I not love why don 't the shell Of duties me suffice In Sacraments and pray'rs why do I thus thy presence prize Did I dissemble to be seen Of men why doth my sin Which none knows but my self alone Me trouble that 's within Did I dissemble then my tears My sighs in company Would more be heard and seen then when My God alone stands by It 's true I love thee not enough Nor is my faith so strong But that with grief I do confess Thy faithfulness I wrong But Lord remember I 'm but dust In weakness here I live That little which I have thou gav'st The rest above shalt give Did not those Stars that now do shine With thee in Heav'n above While living on the earth complain Of want of faith and love Nay Lord do not I read that thou The hungry soul didst bless And it that thirsts for righteousness Such am I I confess But Lord remember he that thirsts And hungry is for grace He some degree of grace must want And I am in that case If he is blessed why not I My hung'rings thou dost see If thou hast said he shall be full Why sha'nt that word reach me I sin I sin but thou hast place't The righteous Christ on high To advocate and plead his cause That at his feet doth lye Lord there a sinner I do lye Thy promise I will trust For pardon and for love will hope Till I fall to the dust The Welcome I. WElcome my child on high Heaven joys to see thee here Be not afraid it is thy Fathers house And thy Saviour bought it dear It was for this he bled And his soul ' n offering did make When my Son thou didst accept this Jointure he thee made Now possess it for his sake Whyart thou asham'd come behold me behold me I have forgot thy sin And made thee clean within Now thou' rt arrived here above Of nought think but of love I shall ne're be angry with thee agen II. My servants that attend Put on his best attire Set a Crown on his brow in brightness that out-shines The clearest flames of fire Spread out that cloth of Gold His foot-cloth it must be If you have him drest come bring him set him here He must keep me company Have you done if you have bid him welcome bid him welcome He was our friend on earth And royal in his birth For whilest he lived I saw he Forsook all to love me And did truly serve me to his his death III. A child a bride a wife Ragg'd and adorn'd so soon From the Dungeon to the Throne how quickly am I rais'd And my midnight turn'd to noon Even now on my death-bed I sigh'd I sob'd I groan'd I weeping cri'd my God hath me forgot And by all my friends was moan'd What they think now on earth I do not know I do not know Nor for't do I much care What a weeping though they are Of little do they think I Do possess such glory That I 'm made so much-of here above IV. This is Jerusalem Pav'd o're with slates of Gold Her rows of houses like to towers stand It 's more stately than was told Here 's not a street but 's strow'd With flowers of Paradise Not a step that I tread but such sweetnesses I pownd More rich than Arabian spice Walls that her inclose are far brighter far brighter Than th' oriental flame Or a thing that wants a name Her sparkling gates are well known To be made up of such stone That the richest Diamonds doth excel V. Blest shades that here do dwell These mansions that possess I never till now a place or people saw That the God of Heaven doth bless Here 's not a look speaks care No sign of tear or grief Not a sigh or a groan through all the streets I hear Nor a beggar that wants relief All yet that I 've met are like Angels like Angels In clearness they surpass A Star or chrystal-glass Whose unsoil'd beauty doth seem To out-vye a Sun-beam Far Oh far more splendid than all these VI. Their locks like curls of light Their Lilly-necks hang o're Bedeckt with Ribbonds richer than of Gold I ne're saw such before Sweetness of spirit blooms And blossoms all the week In smiles of joy and love that do adorn In their flowrings on each cheek In mantles as white as the fair Moon the fair Moon They walk about each street And embrace all that they meet I never saw friends so love As they do here above Oh! I could lie at any of their feet VII I am where I would be In the City of my King This is the place I have desir'd to see And to hear the cherubs sing What lofty strains are these I ne're heard voice so lavish Not a note that I hear but melts me into joy And my heart doth in me ravish In the close when they shout Hallelujah Hallelujah Glory to God on high And the Lamb that below did die There 's warmth methinks in these names That melts me into