They who refus'd And it abus'd His justice must abide CIII Those things that we Could not so see While mortal flesh we had For then our sight Was not so bright Though we saw what did glad CIV These things we now Do clearly know Their reason now we see Our vails are gone Darknesses none Within our hearts now be CV We see it 's true In time most due God sent his only Son Of woman made As he had said As ne'r before was done CVI. Angels it see And did agree With joy it to declare Angels and we Agreed now be And knit together are CVII Though in our flesh Us to refresh It was that Christ appear'd For us to dye Our death thereby To vanquish which we fear'd CVIII Angels had not Our flesh or spot Of sin therein as we Yet they who stood I' th truth were good And joy'd our good to see CIX Under the Law The Word us saw Under the Law came he That he that way Our debts might pay And by Death set us free CX Our bands to break He did them take And with them he was bound God's cords we burst Christ was accurst That he might heal our wounds CXI We were condemn'd Who had contemn'd God's holy Word and will He was contemn'd Misus'd condemn'd Our evils did him kill CXII For us he dyed Being crucified Sustain'd a cruel death Was broke with grief Us'd as a thief Till he gave up his breath XVIII His grave was made And body laid With the rich and unjust His honour high Despis'd did lye All cover'd up with dust CXIV Oh wondrous sight Oh love most bright Never the like was seen That one so high So low should lye Poor caytiffs to redeem CXV Of men what one For men undone His Son would so abase For enemies That him despise That they might be in place CXVI Yet such a love The Lord above To us when poor did show For bankrupt us He made him thus To pay what we did owe. CXVII His wisdom here Did strange appear The World was pos'd hereby Its eye was blind And could not find Hereof the mystery CXVIII This it befool'd This it quite gull'd This cross so cross did lye They stumbled here And could not bear That 't was God's Son did dye CXIX It did deride And crucifi'd This mystery again As if that he God could not be That such things did sustain CXX This wisdoms height Did dim the sight O' th' Serpents eye so sore He could not see Those heights here be Yet did against them roar CXXI This brake his head This down did tread His craft and power who Had man brought down And quite ore-thrown Into a pit of wo. CXXII Here wisdom we And power did see When God did clear our eyes The law fulfil'd Its curse was quel'd Whon Christ from grave did rise CXXIII For here it was That God did pass Sentence upon our sin He judg'd it here Christ did it bear For us who fell therein CXXIV This vanquisht Death Appeased wrath Did justice satifie Pardon for more Then Adam's score Was purchased hereby CXXV Great pleasure here As did appear God took who the third day Without delays Did him up raise From the grave where he lay CXXVI And did him take Even for the sake Of what he suffered To be on high In his body And of all power the Head CXXVII Here God did lay A certain stay And sure foundation Of all his acts And mighty facts For man's salvation CXXVIII Of all our hope The under-prop While we had not attain'd Of all the bless We do possess Now we the end have gain'd CXXIX Here lay the ground Here God did found Our slidden hearts and feet Hence all the flood Of all the good Wherewith we ere did meet CXXX Yea on this ground God did new found The Earth and World again Both as it was Till it did pass And as it doth remain CXXXI Here he fulfil'd What was forth-held Of a prepared Feast All ready here That might us chear So as no want i' th' least CXXXII The holy Spirit As he did merit Fully God did him give That for his praise He might us raise From Death and make us live CXXXIII From darkness great Wherein we sate From Death to Life from Thrall To Liberty Of his mercy Thereby he did us call CXXXIV He sent forth light He gave us sight And turn'd our hearts to mind What he held forth That so its worth And goodness we might find CXXXV He gave his speech And did beseech Us to consider well He gave an ear That we might hear The things that he did tell CXXXVI Full oft when we His light did see We winked with our eyes It did displease us It did dis-ease us Faulting our vanities CXXXVII Ofttimes we heard But then we fear'd Least what we heard should mar Our false pretences Wrong confidences And put it from us far CXXXVIII Ofttimes we felt The power that dwelt In him and in his truth Almost we turn'd And yet oft spurn'd Thus dealt we from our youth CXXXIX Oh how we lov'd What he reprov'd How loath with it to part From idols vain How loath t' abstain Although they caus'd us smart CXL But oh his love That did him move To pass by our misdeeds He did forgive And made us live His gratiousness exceeds CXLI In misery That we should dye He had no will at all He interceded And for us pleaded And yet again did call CXLII His patient Good deportment His lamb-like gentleness His suffering long Our many a wrong Oh what tongue can express CXLIII How oft his love Did our hearts move And make us to him look How oft did we Look back to see The Idols we forsook CXLIV It was the strength The power and length Of his dear love unto us His words of grace His pleasant face His constancy to wooe us CXLV His excellence His love immense The freeness of his grace Which caught our heart And made us part With all him to embrace CXLVI Oh had he not Ofttimes forgot Our great unkindnesses And look't away From what each day We acted quite amiss CXLVII If with his eyes Iniquities Against us he had markt How we rebel'd Our lusts fast held The light he gave us darkt CXLVIII We had been then Like yonder men Who cast out of his fight Do yell and cry Most hideously Throughout their endless night CXLIX But there is none Save him alone None like him constant is His constancy Was our safety And brought us to this bliss CL. Can it be told How manifold Our stubbornesses were Our great neglects And disrespects Committed year by year CLI How much to do He had to wooe Before he did obtain How oft in heart We did depart When wooed from him again CLII. What vanities Did draw our eyes From looking him upon How often we Refus'd to see His great salvation CLIII How dull we were His voice to hear How oft we stopt our ears How we
of the creature and the Lord forsakes For what advantage can it be unto The soul when it its body shall forego That it had Wife or Husband House or Land Riches Honours or pleasures at command Yea Crowns and Scepters while the body it Inlive'ned Oh what profit will it get From any or from all those things when in The depths of Hell oppressed with its sin It shall have its abode can they relieve Its misery when it shall mourn and grieve And wail its folly No alas too gross For it a Spirit they are its sad great loss Of me and of my favour cannot be Made up by any thing it here could see For then no drop of comfort can it have How ever earnestly it may it crave This that thou may'st the better see mind well Another true story that I shall tell There was a certain rich and wealthy man Who far'd deliciously each day that ran Over his head was clothed with the best And finest silks and linnens wherewith drest he glitter'd bravely and all things he had Which this world could afford to make him glad There also was a poor and piteous man Cal'd Lazarus a Cripple lean and wan And full of sores who used to resort To th' rich mans dore and beg for some comfort His hunger-starved body to relieve But the hard hearted Churl would little give His dogs more kind than he would very oft His sores lick gently Death at length hence caught Poor Lazarus whom Angels did attend To guard his soul from every evil Fiend And carred him to Heaven where he did rest With great content in Father Abrahams brest Soon after 't came to 'th rich mans turn to dy And leave the world for no satiety And fulness of this world could always keep Him here alive but the black dismal sleep Of Death surpris'd him when a quiet end He seem'd to have circled with many a friend Amending on him till his life did fail When they did seem his death much to bewail Although his heirs were glad enough at heart That they might share to each of them a part Of those vast heaps which he had laid in store For after times and witheld from the poor From all which now they beare him to the grave Where rich and poor like intertainment have Save that they on his Funeral bestow'd More cost and worship and his greatness show'd On a more stately Tomb or Monument Whereon they ingrav'd his name to the intent It might not be forgot but before then His wretched Soul was hurri'd to the Den Of damned Spirits even to the pit of Hell Where what his torments were what tongue can tell This wretched man stript of his pomp and state And all his riches which he had of late Lay then in flames of fire tormented sore Because he had abus'd his wealth before Spent it on 's lusts relieved not the poor Had slighted God his truth and grace contemn'd Therefore to torments he was there condemn'd Where not one drop of water could he get Whereby he might allay the burning heat Wherein his wretched tongue that us'd to boast Great things blaspheme God curse the poor did roast And fry in flames which caused him to cry And howl and roar and yell most hideously When lifting up his woful eyes aloft He ' spyed that poor Lazarus whom oft He had disdained to behold before When he lay lame and begging at his doore In Abrahams bosome full of peace and joy Disturb'd with nothing that might him annoy Then calling out to Abraham he did cry Oh Father Abraham hither turn thine eye For I was of thine off-spring and from thee And thy blest stock deriv'd my pedegree Father shew forth thy pitty now behold I ly in torments here that can't be told My Soul is on a flame with scorching wrath Nothing in it now ease or quiet hath That tongue wherewith it secretly did speak More wickedness than ever forth did break From out my bodies lips see how it fries And flames tormented in these miseries Dear Father Abraham even for the sake Of those thy bowels whence I issu'd take Some pitty on thy child and Lazarus Send from thee to help me tormented thus Oh let him but one drop of water fetch One drop of comfort me to ease poor wretch Oh might he but the very end and tip Of one poor finger in cold water dip And to the tip of my scorcht tongue apply Which flames of fiery wrath do wondrously Afflict with sharpest pains 't would mitigate Somewhat these wofull torments 't would abate My heat a little Oh dear Father send That Beggar hither me now to befriend To whom that good old Patriarck reply'd Ah Son for that thou wast so 'ts not deny'd Remember how thou didst thy self abuse In thy life time and Gods good gifts misuse When this poor man lay begging at thy doors Unpitty'd by thee hungry full of sores Thou hadst enough wherewith to have reliev'd His penurie then yea therefore thou receiv'd Gods gifts of bounty but thou letst him ly Neglected then thou scornd'st his poverty Now therefore he with me doth rest possess And thou hast torments now without redress Yea now a gulf is fixt twixt us and thee So that though we each others state may see We cannot change them so as that we may Pass hence to you your torments to allay Nor can you come to us us to molest Or take part with us in our endless rest We joys have whereof you may not partake You endless burnings which we may not slake Your riches now have end your pleasure 's past Your torments and your miseries shall last Learn hence that 't is not riches nor great State Nor any fleshly priviledge will bate Nor yet preserve from endless misery Those persons who in sin do live and dy Who me neglecting and my gifts abusing And my now profer'd grace and love refusing Prefer their lusts and riches thereunto And in vain worldly ways do chuse to go All their now present injoyments shall fail them And after death none of them shall avail them Be now advised by me Dear Soul therefore If thou wouldst happy be for evermore Seek first Gods Kingdome and his righteousness So shalt thou have them and therein Gods bless Accept my profer'd love imbrace my grace When I say seek the Lord seek thou my face Get wisdom get true knowledge in thy heart Receive my words and let them not depart Out of thy heart and mind but let them ly Between thy tender breasts continually Then other things as they will lead thee thou May'st better look for and shalt find them too It is but reason that I do propoud No better course can for thy good be found For if thou seekest first the world or what Of it thou likest before thou hast got That which thou seekest thou may'st chance to dy And perish from my presence endlesly As in the former parable even now I did for admonition to
wholly to My self conform thee for although thou be Or weak or dead there 's life enough in me Who am the Resurrection and Life too So that though men be dead yet if they do Believe on me I Life to them will give And living and believing they shall live For ever why dost thou thy weakness plead To this or that or tell me thou art dead There 's the more need on that account that thou Yield up thy self to me down thy self bow To my dispose who all things fully have That may supply thy wants and thy soul save I know thou' rt weak and dead and all that 's naught I need not what 's in man by Thee be taught Nay I do therefore woe thee that I may By curing thee remove those things away If such a one thou wert not then no need For me so seek thee or that thou take need To me to save thee but if thou l't be mine As I have often said I will be thine And what 's mine shall be thine also and sure My things are able thy weal to procure My wisdome thou shaâ—t haâ—e the way to show And thee to help weâ—lthy concerns to know And to direct thee how to make thy choice In every thing do but thou hear my voice My strength shall strengthen thee to walk my way Enter the straight gate and my will obey Though thou be weak and in the strength thaâ—s thine Canst not do this or that canst not in mine I 'le be thy holiness my Spirit I 'le give To thee that therein thou mayst act and live Or rather acted be and live cannot My holy spirit fetch out every spot That cleaves to thee and so display my love As thee from all thy Idols to remove It s not in thine own self that I require Thee this or that to do or ought desire It s in me and what 's mine which I therefore Freely thee give because I know thou' rt poor Naked and dead and weak and wretched too Nothing that 's good hast nought that 's good canst do I 'le be thy husband and I am so good I 'le bear with all thy badness till my blood And grace hath betterd thee I will thou l't see Demean my self so gently toward thee That with my gentleness I 'le break thine heart And make thee cleave to me and to depart From all thine Idols do but thou consent My Grace shall be for theâ—e sufficient The fountain of thy sin is great indeed But of my grace the fountain doth exceed No weakness death or badness that 's in thee No difficulties in the way that be Shall hinder thee from bliss If thou l't but give Thy self unto me freely thou shalt live Oh take my yoke upon thee it shall bow thee And bear my burthen it shall not ore-throw thee For my yokes easy give consent and go Forth in my strength all things for thee I 'le doeâ— In all things be for me and then I will Be for thee too and and all thy works fulfill Lean on mine arm or shoulder I 'le sustain thee And though thou homely bee'st I 'le not disdain thee As upon Eagles wings I will thee bear And carry thee through all do not thou fear Only yield unto me my voice to hear Through all the Wilderness I will thee guide In every danger I 'le from ill thee hide I 'le never never leave thy soul untill All my good pleasure I in thee fulfill All things are ready only yield thy will Incline thine ear and hear me do not stop It against me and I 'le my doctrine drop So thereunto that even thy very heart It shall make willing and thy soul convert And cause thee from thy Idols to depart Do but so hear me as to know my name That known thy heart to trust in me will frame Soul And is it so dear Lord then what shall let But that to thee I yield my self and set My heart upon thee wholly I refign My self up to thee to be only thine Help me herein for thou art good indeed None is like to thee while thy words I heed Marrow they are and and fatness to my tast Oh thou my soul affected with thee hast Seeing thou camest to save even sinners chief Lord I believe help thou my unbelief None is like thee thou art the only wooer Thou' rt worthy love oh thou most worthy doer Oh take my heart dear Lord for thou alone Art worthy of it and besides thee none There 's none hath done for me such things as thou There 's none besides hath made me such things know There 's none so lovely or so fit for me Therefore dear Lord I yield my self to thee I 'm thine to love and praise thee and thee serve Oh never let me from thee stray or swerve Oh thou art very fair the white and ruddy None may with thee compare make it my study Thee that I may more know and more delight in My self to thee I ow Me thou hast right in When I was damn'd toâ—dy thou didst redeem me And though unworthy I Thou didst esteem me So as thy self to give for me a ranlome That so my soul might live I am unhandsome Worthy great shame and blame but though I naught be Yet blessed be thy name thou hast upsought me Oh that I knew thee more and more did love thee That I might thee adore as 't doth behove me Oh shew thy self to me make me to know thee Make me thy fâ—ce to see and to follow thee I am a sinfull man unworthy of thy love I nothing good do can but what thy wrath may move Yea what of thy good grace thou give'st me power unâ—o Sin hath in me such place as otherwise I do Yet seeing I am thine though I am nothing worth Do thou my heart incline after thee to go forth Set thou my heart and eye with all intensiveness Upon thy Majesty that without pensiveness I may go wheresoe're thou goest me before May unto thee adhaere and ever thee adore Thou all art and in all Thou gav'st thy self for me And whatsoe're befall its meet I be for Thee It was thy pleasure Lord so for my soul to do Oh do thou yet afford thy heavenly grace thereto Those lusts that be in me and which do thee offend Drawing my heart from thee subdue and meamend For I am much amiss and very full of spots That I thy Name may bliss purge thou away my blots Remove my sins away that I to thee may cleave Let me not go astray Do thou me never leave I cannot trust my heart 't is so full of deceit It s apt from thee to start it is a very cheat Do thou it rectiâ—â—e make it to thee upright That I may heartily love thee in thee delight And though I wretched be do not thou me disdain Since thou hast loved me let me thy love retain Thou art the All in all stay my soul upon thee And
let me never fall by my iniquity My hope is all in thee and in thy great goodness I nothing have in me that may deserve thy bless Help me thy name to praise as it is right and due Do thou thereto me raise thy goodness for to view Dear Lord thou worthy art of all my heart and love Oh let me not depart from thee my Lord above Unite my heart to thee that I may fear thy name And let me never be put to rebuke and shame Oh flow thou into me Thou art an Ocean Though I a poor one be Thou art the wealthy man Set my heart toward thee and make it open stand Come thou Lord into me and wholly me command Oh do thou live in me and fill me with thy grace That I may joy in thee and ever see thy face Thou art the lovely one all things are black to thee Fix mine eye thee upon make me thy beauty see Thou only fulness art I am an empty thing Do thou thy grace impart and me unto thee bring Be evermore with me where er'e thou mak'st me go Let me thy glory see and thy will ever do Thou art the mighty God thou canst subdue my foes Thou hast them all down trod all things that thee oppose Thou art the holy one Thou canst me holy make Make me love thee alone and all for thee forsake Oh be thou all to me who rothing have that 's good Oh frame my heart to thece whshing it in thy blood Oh there is none to thee Thou all things dost excell What er'e is good for me doth in thee fully dwell None ever served thee but thou them satisfy'd None thy grace ever see but they it magnify'd Thou Lord art far above all I can say of thee Thou art the God of love All praise be unto thee Chr. Dear soul I do accept thee and thou art Most welcome to me it doth glad my heart To see a soul it self unto me yield More than when some stout Champion wins the field And takes the spoils of all his enemies Which up against him us'd in arms to rise Since thou thy self to me dost yield be sure My love shall ever toward thee iâ— dure Be but thou constant nothing shall me draw Those to reject that cleave unto my law I 'le order over thee my government So as thou â—ere shalt have cause to repent Of thy submission to me every thing Which I shall do to thee shall blessing bring Thy forepast sins I blot out and remit And of them all I wholly thee acquit How many or how great so er'e they were Thou mayst me freely serve without all fear Of my impuâ—ing any of them to thee I pass them by and they shall not undo thee I own thee as my own and thee present As in my self to him who me forth sent Even as a Branch in me into whom now Thou art ingraffed and henceforth shalt grow Or as a member of mine own body Which is recast of curse and miâ—ery I am thy Head and Root unto thee I Henceforth will minister all full supply Of grace and spirit nothing shalâ— thou want What may be good for thee I will it grant Open thy mouth and ask of me I will All thy petitions verily fulfill What ever thou shalt in my name desire Or of my Father for my sake require So be thou dost to me adhaere and cleave And firm in me abiding dost receive And keep my words within thee asking so And for such things as they direct thee to Thou shalt receive it and thou may'st be bold To come and ask for why mine eyes behold Thee and thy needs and wants and unto thee And all the righteous mine ears open be I will do more for thee than thou canst ask I 'le help thee every where I 'le put no task Upon thee but what I shall easy make Do but in me abide my counsel take I am thine Head and Husband lean on me My grace thou shalt enjoy my glory see To me thou art most welcome very dear Be confident of me and nothing fear But to neglect my counsels for as me My Father loveth so do I love thee I who for thee did shed my pretious blood Will nought deny that may for thee be good Since thou art come to trust under my wings I interest thee in all my good things My Father is thy Father too and He That my God is thy God likewise will be My Angels shall thee guard for thy welfare And of my glorious Kingdome thou shalt share And all the endless joys thereof my merit Is thy rich stock day pledge thy holy Spirit Whom I will pour on thee and in thy heart Will put that from me thou mayst never start He will conduct thee safely till thou hast All dangers of destruction wholly past He shall abide with thee and to thee show My things inlightning thine heart them to know My goodness and my glory what I have Done for and to thee that I might thee save What is in me for thee what things are mine And how in and with me they all are thine Yea He shall wash make clean renew thy heart And keep thee to me and to thee impart My grace and blessing therefore do not fear Only to him attend to him adhaere He shall thy works work in and for thee and Strengthen thee that thy foes thou may'st withstand He shall thee comfort fill with peace and joy And keep thee safe from what may thee annoy I 'le do all things for thee I 'le be thy lot Thy portion and thy riches fear thou not He who thee touches toucheth me for I Tender thee as the Apple of mine eye My heart is larget to thee than the Sea Or then by any words exprest 〈◊〉 be Fear not Dear soul thy state is happy now Since thou thy self dost to my scepter how Only I must inform thee that I must Take such a course with thee as may thy lust Destroy and make thee suitable to me That thou partaker of my joys may'st be I must thee sometimes try that so I may Prove whither Thou indeed wilt me obey I will into a Wilderness thee lead That so I may thee to thy Idols dead And that when stript of them I more may show My grace to thee and make thee it to know To be sufficient for thee do not fear For I 'le not leave thee nor forsake thee there I will be with thee and be all supplies To every one of thy necessities I will be better unto thee than all Egyptian Flesh-pots wherefrom I thee call I 'le there speak comfortably to thy heart And make thee know how dear to me thou art I 'le give thee there in all thy way mine arm To strengthen â—heâ— to walk on and from harm I 'le thee protect and keep untill I see It meet to take thee hence to be with me But thou must follow me and not look back As did
Lo's Wife thy pace thou must nor slack For fear thy love grow cold and so decay That thou from after me turn quite away Thou must thy flesh â—ield up to be subdu'd And mortify'd by me because its rude And full of stubbornness and oft hath broke Both of my laws and of my love the yoke Yea so rebelhous against me it is And hath led thee so much to do amiss And with so high a hand 〈◊〉 had I not Been merciful to thee as 〈◊〉 to Lot When he in Sodom lingred â—eath to part Therefrom when call'd thou there through hast thy heart So often hardned thou destroyd hadst been Through it much hurt and forrow thou hast seen I must therefore for thee it came that it May not grow rank sti'd and make thee unfit For fellowship with me who holy am And unto thee to make thee holy came But if at my reproof thou wiâ—t let go Its lusls the less grief I shall put thee to Oh yield it up Dear soul at every turn Be not offended that I parge or burn It oâ—t of thee thy self now offer up A sacrifice to me drink of my cup I give to cleanse thee from thy filth within And from what therâ—e breaks forth upon thy skin Like to a Leprosy and doth defile Thy person and dotli make thee very vile Yield but thy self to me and iâ—le thee cure I 'le make thee like my self both white and pure So shall I in thy beauty much delight And thou shalt always dwell in my blest sight And therefore do not fear I will not harm thee But only cleanse thee from thy filth and arm thee Against what may destroy thee I must prove thee And humble as my spouse because I love thee That so I may thee fashion to my mind Make thee fit for me and that thou mayst find More favour in mine eyes I may be for thee And that thy filâ—h may not make me abhor thee But fear not when I have thee fully try'd Thou shalt with me also be glorify'd Fear not l'th wilderness I will thee feed And by my right hand I will there thee lead And by thy right hand too I will thee holâ— Nothing shall harm thee I thy frame and mold Do fully know and will not on thee lay More than what by my strength endure thou may Only resign thy flesh and self to me And thou shalt my Salvation surely see I now unto my self do freely spouse thee But I shall not as yet so fully house thee As I intend here fter thou must tarry And wait a while before I fully many Thee to my self before unto that place Those royal Mansions which for thee my grace Hath fitted I thee take where I receive And entertain all that in me believe Thou hast been very whorish and thou art Polluted with thy whoredomes at thy heart Thy flesh and body is defil'd with what Thou from thy lovers whoredomes oft hast got And I cannot into my Bride-bed take thee Till I first wash thee white and clean do make thee Thou must the time of purifying stay Before our solemn joyful wedding day In the mean time constant to me and chast Thou must abide and thou mayst not make hast After injoyments of delights so that With other pleasures thou thee satiate And turn thee from me to some other lover Thee to content thou mayst let none be over Thy heart and conscience besides me who am Thy only Lord and Saviour that meek Lamb Who bought thee with my blood and thee did call To me that I might be thy All in All If thus thou dost then I will be for thee And all I am and have it thine shall be Soul Dear Lord thy words in every thing are right My soul approves them finds therein delight Make me them more to know further to see Into the wondrous things that in them be Thy love is wonderful worthy receit And to be fed upon more than our meat It s better far than wine doth me refresh Although it rellish not unto the flesh Who would not such a lover as thou art Imbrace with both his arms with all his heart Who can like blessings give like comforts bring Above all GODS Thou art the mighty KING Oh who can fathom who can comprehend The greatness of thy love there 's no such friend Or lover as thou art none can forgive The soul its sins like thee or make it live Oh who am I that I should welcome be Or be accepted unto life by thee That thou shuld'st call and woo me and imbrace Me in thy arms cause me to see thy face Thy pleasant face and own me as thy own And in thy words thy love to me make known Yea both thy words and love cause me to know To draw my heart from off the things below And fix it on thy self and things above Oh there 's no sweetness to that of thy love Its tasts at present most delightful are All other pleasures it surpasses far But as if all at present was but small Thou holdst forth such a portion too as all For future time yea to eternity For ever to injoy thy Majesty I less am than the least of thy mercies Which thou dost give wilt not thou me despise But passing by all my unworthiness And many mighty sins such love express As passeth knowledge Oh that I again With my whole heart thy love may intertain And love for love return perpetually And never shrink from thee no though I dy Oh Lord thy love ingages me to be Wholly devoted and given up to thee For it s but meet that I be wholly thine And for thy sake give up all that is mine Who for my sake didst not the cross decline It s meet that I a sacrifice should be Wholly devoted and given up to thee A living holy sacrifice whereby Thou may'st be glorifyed and lift on high For great thy love to me is I confess Nor can I by my tongue or pen express The great desâ—râ—s of love and service too Which far beyond all my returns I ow. I do acknowledge too thy words be true In all they say of me that nothing's due To me of praise or approbation for I am so loathsome thou mayst me abhor I am polluted with a whorish heart So as I jealous am least I depart Away from thee it oftentimes indeed Hath play'd the Harlot and brought forth a breed Of hateful Monster full of venome fell Against thy purity The brats of Hell Unchast desires and lusts self-love and pride Ambitious thoughts a loathness to be ty'd Up to thy just commands an evil eye Of envy against such as I could spy Prefer'd before me often at them fretting With covetous desires to be getting More of this worlds injoyments profits pleasure Slothfull mispending of that time and leasure Thou hast afforded me for better things From which much other mischief oft times springs Such things my bowels oft have eat and
for me Except it be in that more doleful sense So as men do when they use penitence But if it be well minded for to woo In the more pleasant sense agrees well too With my profession for what other is A Preacher who doth Christ set forth with his Excellencies and men to him do call But such a wooer and such wooers all Right Preachers be what else have I been doing All the time I have Preacht but been so wooing If any thing beside almost a miss I did which matter of Repentance is Which I am sorry for that I have not So lov'd the Bridegroom as I ought nor got So many Souls to him espoused as I might have done since I a Preacher was For my neglects wherein He justly may Have ord'red to me as at this day That such things were impos'd by those on High As did occasion my laying by Wherein his goodness too I do adore In that He since as well as heretofore Hath me supply'd and kept with such content And safety as I don 't at all repent My loss of honour or estate or ought That of advancement my Church living brought Oh that my heart to him were more upright So as in him to take my whole delight And more to give my self to do his will And as I may my ministry fulfil Trusting him with my self to do with Me Whatever pleasing unto him shall be While I his work do obey his command He can me save because He in his hand Hath all both things and persons and can do What ever his Wisdom directs him to However let his will be done for it Is good and to it I submit Only I crave his mercy wherein I May any thing herein that is too high For me have written or if ought there be Therein contained which his eye doth see To be amiss in manner or in matter For I do not my self so vainly flatter As to conceive I so divinely write As nothing may be therein but what 's right Or at the least that as it came from me Hath nothing whereby it defil'd may be That I his glorious person personate And introduce as one that doth relate The doleful waylings of the damned throngs Or represent the just's melodious songs And great rejoycings when on sentence past They shall possess those dooms that ay shall last Therein I pardon crave if any thing There 's therein found that is unbefilting His greatness or their glory what I writ Therein was for my exercise as fit I did conceive those things that are to come To contemplate both good and bad mens doom Endeavouring to express them as may well Consist with what thereof the Scriptures tell And unto others so them to present As might them best awaken to repent And that such as are just may still be so And never may the ways of truth forgo And much refreshing it unto me brought While I unto those things my mind and thought Did exercise nor hath there any time Befallen me wherein to verse and rime I found my self disposed more for though I My Living parted with then yet thereby My Conscience I kept free from what would Have more disturb'd my mind had I made bold To act above its liberty for then Though I more elbow room might amongst men Have had and some more money in my purse Yet I was fearful that my soul much worse Would then have been at ease which now hath not It to disquiet upon it this blot That I for living sake did that profess Which I conceived not to be blameless Not that I do condemn what they above Have judged needfull or well to behove For future peace or that I fault all those Who with what I did scruple at do close To their own Master they must stand or fall By whom at last we must be judged all But I no cause find to repent that I Fear'd to offend the Lord but quietly Bearing my cross and burthen to be glad I was preserv'd from what I judged bad As for this Treatise what 's therein to Thee Who read'st it I leave censured to be Read and Consider it no more I say But only God to thee it bless I pray J. M. A Commendatory Epistle to the Reader Written by a lover of the Reverend and Judicious Author of this BOOK ALthought this Poem doth not stand in need Of my poor Commendations which indeed Are of small value since I am and seem One of so little Learning or Esteem That small regard or credit given will be To ought that is expressed here by me Touching his Book which is not Mean nor Weak But fully able for it self to Speak And to command Respect in spight of them That shall the same through prejudice contemn Yea to convince or put to silence Those Who shall presume or dare it to oppose All which might be as Reasons why I should My hand and pen from this employment hold Yet notwithstanding when I did peruse That Heavenly Dialogue which here ensues And is the subject of this following Tract Observing too how well it was compact And firmly built upon God's Holy Word With which the substance of it doth accord Giving the Reader much good help and light The Scriptures for to understand aright In those most weighty and important things Which to the Soul most good and profit brings Clearing away those Fogs and Mists which rise To cloud and hide Christ's beauty from our Eyes Whose kindness goodness love and loveliness Incomparably he doth here express And his good-will to us so far imparts As well might make our hard and frozen hearts Melt into Tears and willingly embrace Our dear Redeemer's proffered love and grace Which is most rich and free as doth appear And is as richly represented here I also heeding how industriously He labour's and indeavour's to unty And break those snares the World and Devil makes To hold us Pris'ners and what pains he takes To set us free and earnestly doth strive Our much deluded Soul 's to undeceive And also with what Scriptural replies He answers all those Reas'nings which arise In our vain carnal Atheistick heart As causes why we are so loth to part With our false lovers and our selves betake To Christ who only can us happy make Declaring how absurd and reasonless It is for men to seek their happiness In ways which do so much debase the Soul Namely to live as Beasts without controule Only to feed their sensual appetites With worldly sensual perishing delights And how he by plain reason overthrows The Atheistick Principles of those Vain foolish Worldlings who in heart deny The Power and Providence of the Most High Who Made and Rules the World and will likewise Most certainly cause all the Dead to Rise And come to Judgment At that dreadful Day When Christ most infinitely will repay His friends and foes far otherwise then here They ever in this World repayed were A glimpse of which Reward and Punishment He
O Daughter give good heed Unto those gracious words which do proceed From his most holy lips in such like wise As here doth follow do not them despise Christ Dear Soul the price of my most precious blood Which I have shed for thee and for thy good For I my self a ransom gave for all And now I to repentance do thee call Hearken to me and to my voice give ear Turn not away from me why should'st thou fear To listen unto me I am thy friend Thy Lord thy Saviour did not stick to spend My life and blood for thee and now I have Through painful cross and through the silent grave Obtain'd my Fathers Kingdom am ascended Unto the throne of glory where attended I am with millions of the heavenly Host The glorious Angels yea the Holy Ghost Immeasurably upon me doth rest And with all heavenly blessings I am blest I 'm heir of all things yea in me doth dwell All fulness of the Godhead Heaven and Hell And Earth and Seas and all things else that be Are put into subjection under me And all that I have suffer'd and sustain'd 'T was for thee and thy good all I have gain'd Thereby I gain'd for thee thee to possess Of endless joys and everlasting bless Behold me then behold me turn thine eye From other objects see what Majesty What glory and what beauty are in me What riches and what fulness and how free I am the same to all those to impart Who me imbrace and love with all their heart Behold me then dear Soul and wistly view My matchless virtues see how good how true How powerful too I am I 'm rich to all In mercy who sincerely on me call None that repair to me do I cast by But them relieve and cure their misery I 'm alsufficient able every way To make thee happy to an endless day Turn then away from empty things thine eye From lies from falshood and from vanity Which cheat thee and deprive thee of all good Oh turn to Me who for thee shed my blood Look towards me dear Soul behold and see Hath any other such things done for thee As I have done hath any condescended And stoopt so low hath any else expended And laid out so much to obtain thy love As I that came to th' earth from Heaven above And laid down all my riches and my life That I might thee redeem from all that strife 'Twixt God and thee and take thee for a Wife That I might free thee from th' infernal foe That held thee captive and fills thee with woe Can any give to thee such gifts as I Can they advance thee to like dignity Can any so inrich thee as I can Can any thee so satisfie what man Or Angel may with me compare Can or will do for thee as I will do Oh turn thee unto me my darling dear Open thine eye on me incline thine ear Give me thy heart it is thy love I seek And I deserve it I am lowly meek And merciful no one is like to Me Yet I have set my heart and love on thee See See I that am heir of all things and Have Sovereign power and all things do command I who thee can save or destroy with ease Can make or break thee or do what I please Who happy am without thee and no need Have of thee or of ought that can proceed From thee do suit and court thee and request That thou wilt love me that thou may'st be blest It 's not to be by thee advanc'd made great Or rich or safe that I thy love intreat But 't is because I love thee and do wish Thy everlasting happiness and bliss It 's not because that thou art fair and fresh For thou art all deform'd thou art but flesh Defil'd with sin as with a Leprosie Of which unless I cure thee thou wilt die I can without thee live and happy be For I my Fathers joyful face do see Where fulness of delights I have and where Dwells neither want nor grief danger nor fear But thou poor wretch can'st not without me live It 's I alone that life to thee can give Yet I am free to give my self and all I am to thee or that as mine I call A Covenant I with thee will gladly make An everlasting Covenant thee to take And love and live with thee as mine for ever To be thy Head and Husband none shall sever 'Twixt thee and me I will thy portion be And want of good things thou shalt never see For here and for hereafter I 'll take care Of thee and as my life I did not spare Thee to redeem from Death and Hell so now I will withhold nothing from thee that thou May'st want or need I 'll wash thee from thy dirt I 'll make thee clean and handsom I 'll thee girt With robes of glory and with rich attire My righteousness and virtues thy desire I 'll fill and satisfie Thou shalt be fed With finest of the wheat with Angels bread With honey from the rock butter and oyle The choisest things of Heaven and thou the spoil Of all thine enemies shalt take and wear Them as thy Ornaments and thou shalt bear My name upon thee shalt my consort be Thou shalt in Me rejoyce and I in thee I will thee joynture in my portion great And set thee with me on my Royal seat Bring thee unto my God and Father He Will entertain imbrace and welcome thee In and with me He 'll the same love impart To thee wherewith He loves me in his heart He and all his is mine and all shall be Thine that is mine if thou'lt accept of me Minist Oh matchless match Oh peereless Prince of life That wilt accept of such a homely Wife Come then dear Soul since Christ himself will give Give him thy self too and for ever live Christ I 'll feed thee with my flesh and blood my heart And body too I will to thee impart And no good thing will I with-hold from thee But freely give 't if thou 'lt accept of me Behold I stand with patience great and wait With much long suff'ring at the clos'd up gate Of thy hard heart where I behold and see What is within and whom thou hast with thee How with thy mortal foes thou mak'st a rout Sporting thy self while me thou keepest out While I with patience stand I call and knock For entrance in but thou the door do'st lock And bolt against me Both by works and words I call and knock my very rod affords Low'd calls unto thee if thou wilt me hear And open unto me my Sister dear I 'll come in unto thee I 'll soon drive out That wicked company that rebell rout Which now oppress thee and do wound thee sore Urging thee against Me to shut thy door Yea I will soon subdue them unto thee And thou from their dominion shalt be free If thou wilt hear and open unto me I
'll come in to thee I with thee will sup I 'll spread thy Table I will fill thy cup I 'll put thee to no charge I 'll bring my meat And freely give to thee that thou may'st eat And drink abundantly of that blest wine Which will thee satisfie with joys divine Open therefore to me my Sister dear Open thy heart to me Oh taste my chear Give me thy self let me thy body have And heart also I will them bless and save It 's all I ask of thee I crave no more Give me thy self do but thou me adore Give me thy love and thy affections and Be thou but subject unto my command Cleave to me with thy heart put all thy trust In me believe in me for I am just I will not fail or leave thee But thou none Must entertain besides me I alone Challenge thy love and service and it 's fit That none besides me none from me them get I parted for thy sake with all I had To ransom thee from thy forlorn and sad Condition and I all that I again Receiv'd have of my Father not disdain Upon thee to bestow my self I gave To ransom thee my self I give to save Thee too and therefore I alone deserve That thou should'st me alone both love and serve The Devil and his works thou must forsake Thou may'st not serve him his suggestions take For truth use divinations witchcrafts charms Inchantments times observe for good or harms Consult familiar Spirits believe his lies Ask counsel of the dead Idolatries Practise or what ere crafts He doth devise He in the disobedient beareth sway Inticing them to sin and go astray From my right paths Thou must resist him and In nothing yield thy self to his command Thou must forsake this wicked World likewise Not list'ning to their counsels who despise Me and my doctrine nor associate Thy self with them who my good ways do hate It 's pomps and pastimes shows and braveries Vain customs fashions and formalities Thou may'st not dote on neither may'st thou take My gifts or Ordinances and them make Idols as is the guise of worldly men Who do despise me and my laws contemn Their Silver Gold their Riches Houses Lands Their Kings and Governors and their commands They Idolize while after them they lust And in them secretly do put their trust Prefer them before me and fear them so That in my straight ways oft they durst not go The flesh with it's desires also thou must Renounce even every sinful cursed lust Thy bruitish appetites to satisfie In Drunkenness Uncleanness Gluttony Excess of Riot Sports or rich Attire Or what else thy corruptions do desire My words thou must receive and them hold fast No Article of them thou by may'st cast But howsoere thy reason they may pose Thou in thy heart must truly with them close And firmly them retain My holy will Take heed unto that thou may'st it fulfill No Gods but Me in my sight may'st thou have However secretly for none can save Thee but the holy Trinity who all Do meet in me on none else may'st thou call Or look or trust to nor thy Conscience May'st yield to them upon any pretence No image may'st thou to thy self invent Nor may thy heart or knee thereto be bent No false imaginations of me or Devised worships for I them abhor But worship God in Me and as my Word Doth thee direct for I 'm a jealous Lord. Thou may'st not take my holy Name in vain Nor it with Blasphemies or false Oaths stain Or with a vain Profession without fruits Produced thereby such as with it suits Or blemish it with any sinful way For I 'll not such hold guiltless The seaventh day Thou must observe in me to take thy rest Who am the substance by that day exprest That I may sanctifie thee thou be blest To Father and to Mother while they live And to all thy superiours thou must give Due honour and subjection too in me Giving to Caesar what things Caesars be To all men owing nothing but to love Cheifly those loving who are from above All Murther with all Malice Envy Hate See thou avoid with all Strife and Debate Thy body keep in Chastity thou must Flee Fornication and unlawful Lust Thou must not others Wrong or from them take Ought that is theirs nor them Calumniate But yield thy self to Me and be content With Me and what I give letting no bent Of Avarice possess or stain thy mind Thou shalt in me all satisfaction find All which I certainly will work in thee If thou wilt but yield up thy self to Me. I put on thee no hard nor grievous task What I require I 'll give too if thou ask It of me and for it on me depend My Spirit to work it in thee I will send And wherein thou through weakness goest astray The vertues of my blood shall take 't away Be thou but upright and chast unto me I am and evermore will be for thee If thou refuse this offer thou must die And perish in thy sins eternally None other Lords or lovers can thee save What ere they be or seem they ne'r so brave For they be vanities of vanities Their strength is weakness their promises lies Their words are wind and all they meditate Is from a feined love a real hate Their smoothest language is false flattery Their best imbraces are but treachery Their kisses of thee are but like to his Who sometimes me betrayed by a kiss And when he said Hail Master yet even then He me deliver'd up unto those men That sought my life to whom he had me sold For thirty pieces not of yellow Gold But whitely silver or like his who while He feined love to Abner did beguile And smite him with a Weapon on his side Under his fifth rib that thereof he died And on another time as one well verst In that accursed craft Amasa pierc't With warlike Sword to th' heart while friendlike He Saluted him and as one with him free Did with his right hand take him by his beard And kist him till his blood him all besmear'd Such are the soft imbraces of those foes To thee and Me who do my words oppose Suggesting to thee that I am austere And put upon thee more then thou can'st bear That they are thy best friends and wish thee well And many pleasing stories to thee tell As that thou art whole strong wise holy just May'st live without me may'st follow thy lust That to deny thy self of thy desire Is foolishly thine own death to conspire With me who love thee not but wish thy loss And take delight to bring thee to the cross Where like unto my self thou may'st be made A publick scorn ' mongst those that drive the trade Of robbing by the high-way-side or those Who unto Kings and Magistrates are foes Rebelling against them and their commands And seeking in their blood to wash their hands Or else amongst such Hereticks most
heavens height 26. To glorious dignity and Majesty And him also thou dost Fill full oh holy Ghost The fulness of the Godhead bodily 27. Through him Thou gifts did give That we might live Even Thou from him sent forth Gav'st heavenly gifts of worth Whereby men through thy grace errour outdrive 28. And 't was all times before Upon that score Of that great sacrifice Which Thou didst fore-promise That thou didst testify the love God bore 29. Thou blessed Spirit forth came And in Gods name The spirit of Truth thou did What before time lay hid Take and unto Men didst declare the same 30. Yet not to all that were Didst thou so clear Their minds and manifest Gods councels ever blest But unto some as thou pleas'dst didst appear 31. Through Christ the Father did his counsels hid By thee declare to some To whose minds thou didst come And with whom as thou pleasedst thou abid 32. And those things to be writ thou didst commit Moving those thereunto To whom thou didst them show According as thou wisely didst judge fit 33. Though Thou didst also go convince and wooe The world of mankind bad When they by their sins had Themselves destroy'd in a great overthrow 34. Thou art the wisdome high Of God whereby All called were to turn Though many men did spurn Yea we rebelled also grievously 35. That Spirit which did strive with men alive Before the flood of old With reproofs manifold Who did their souls of happiness deprive 36. Of that sweet peace comfort and great support Thou gave'st to those that clos'd With thee and not oppos'd With them thou dealt'st after another sort 37. Thou would'st not strive with them who did contemn Thy counsels always but Did'st give them up and shut Them up in blindness yea did'st them condemn 38. But unto those that turn'd though they had spurn'd Sometimes against thee too Thou didst declare and show The secrets of the Lord with love that burn'd 39. Thou art the Spirit of love From God above Who 's love it self and from The Word his only Son And thou in great love did'st reprove and move 40. That thou to good might'st move thou didst reprove And where thou found'st a way Thou man'st it didst convey Thy grace like waters even thy sweetest love 41. 'T was love thou shew'dst from God when as his rod Sometimes upon our bace Because we were so slack To goodness he did lay in love thou chod 42. Thou art that power and strength whereby at length We though we stubborn were Were brought to approach neare To God to see and hear him Thou gav'st strenght 43. Thou wrestled'st with us so Oh there is no Such wrestler as thou art That thou o'recame'st our heart And made'st us from our sins depart and go 44. In and from thee we felt Gods love to melt And bow our hearts and draw Them when they frozen were In thee power dwelt 45. And dwels for evermore Thou heald'st our sore For 't was by Thee our Lord In and by his good word Did heal us we thee laud and praise therefore 46. As thou gav'st forth Gods mind Thou did'st it find Also in this good word So it was thou O Lord That mad'st it of such force to break and bind 47. Thou mad'st it powerful to convince us so That what we were as we Were in our selves we see That we did nothing rightly see or know 48. Nor that we could that do that us unto God might bring back or keep Us from the dreadful Deep Of Hell or us again redeem therefro 49. Thou therein did'st display and 'fore us lay The glorious things of Christ Worthy ay to be blist So as thou mad'st our hearts on him to stay 50. 'T was thou and Christ in Thee whom so long we Provck't and made to wait Upon us at the gate Of our hard hearts Blest let that patience be 51. It was thy long-suffring that did us bring Salvation while thou there Our many faults didst bear Thou brak'st our stiffness well we may thee sing 52. Hadst thou been quick and rough T 'had been enough To have destroy'd us quite For cause enough thou might Have found to have destroy'd us much bad stuff 53. But 't was thy truth thy grace and that sweet face Of Christ which thou didst show Which did prevail to bow Us to thee while thou gav'st us such good space 54. Thou wer 't that strength and power whereby each hour We were supported all And kept from that sad fall Which would us have destoy'd Thou sweet'st our sout 55. Thou art that strength whereby the victory Over our Enemies We gat and did arise Up from our foiles and falls and did not dy 56. Thou wert our Comforter by thee we were In all our sorrows chear'd By thee our eyes were clear'd Thou didst us in thine arms carry and beare 57. All good from Thee we had for we were bad Love joy peace patience Meekness faith abstinence All our good fruits and all that made us glad 58. 'T was thou that drew us so as made us go After the Lamb although Through much sorrow and woe Losses crosses and what the world could doe 59. Thou art that Spirit of hope which at the scope Didst make us look the Rest And great reward possest Now by us Thou did'st shew 't beyond all trope 60. Thou shew'dst it and our eye it to espy And wistly to behold Whereby we were made bold Thou didst direct and fix continually 61. When Death had seis'd upon Our flesh and bone And grave had unto dust Converted us Thou just And holy Spirit raisedst us alone 62. By the Good will of God and him that trod The grave down in his strength Thou didst us up at length Raise and revive Thou art the mighty God 63. Thou art that River claer that free from fear Hast set us fully and Mak'st us firmly to stand With joy in presence of the Lamb most Deare 64. A mighty River pure constant and sure Thou with thy sorce hast thrown All oppositions down Ans Thou us fill'st with joys that shall endure 65. With joy with peace with good as with a flood Fed from the Ocean great The mighty Throne and seat Of God and of his Lamb which shed his blood 66. Thou fillest us for ever for they can never fail or abate but flow Without all end no low Ebb shall befall us Nought from God shall sever 67. Nought from that Ocean and Sea without Sand Those wates Christalline Most pure and most divine In their enjoyments we shall ever stand 68. For Thee in every heart evern thee who art Th' eternal powerful spirit We do ard shall inherit A band so firming us as we can't part 69. From God or Christ or each by any breach From other thou dost give Us without change to live Eternally and ever Thee to preach 70. Thy glory 's infinite thy glory bright Oh Fountain of de ight Oh Ocean infinite Oh infinite
THE DIVINE WOOER OR A POEM Setting forth The Love and Loveliness of the LORD JESVS and his great desire of our welfare and happiness and propounding many Arguments full of weight and power to persuade Souls to the faith and obedience of him and Answering divers Objections that are made there-against and that hinder many there-from Composed by J. H. a servant of God in the glorious Gospel of his well beloved Son Psal 45.1 My heart herein a good thing doth indite The things pertain to Christ which here I write A ready writer's pen may my tongue prove Imprinting on the Readers heart Christ's love Psal 34.8 11. O taste and see how good 's the Lord and just O happy man that maketh him his trust Come children unto me give heed I 'll teach You how to fear the Lord his grace I preach Quis leget haec Persius Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci Horat. A verse may find him who a Sermon flies And turn delight inâ—â— a sacrifice Herbert LONDON Printed for R. Taylor and T. Sawbridge and are to be Sold in Little-Brittane 1673. THE DEDICATION LOrd I would dedicate this work to Thee For its materials are mainly thine And those endowments too thou gav'st to me Through exercise whereof it became mine But yet that exercise of mine 's so short Of what ought t' have been that thou mayst abhor't II. I do confess that unto Thee I owe My self and all that I am or can do For all that 's good in me Thou did bestow And in my wants it is to Thee I go Therefore 't is meet that I devote to Thee My self my works and all that is in me III. But I 'm a very sinful dirty thing So much defil'd in heart mind head and hand That I no offring meet for Thee can bring Nought that before Thee thou mayst bear to stand If Thou do'st look upon it with pure eye And mark its many swervings narrowly IV. O wash me in the fountain of that blood Which thy most blessed Son for me hath shed Renew me with thy grace that can make good And clean both heart and mind both hand and head Then shall I better offrings bring to Thee Than either I or this my work now be V. The spring whence flowed out those streams which here Together gathered I have by study Is with what flows therefrom both pure and clear But ah the channel they ran through is muddy Thy words are all most pure but in my mind While they received are there dirt they find VI. Mistakes and earthiness carnal desires And selfish ends therein so frequent are That what results therefrom greatly bemires The heav'nly liquor and it almost marres Yet Lord let not thy wine be thrown away Though of the cask something it rellish may VII But let the Readers such good strainers find Of piercing judgment as to seperate What 's mine from thine so as what 's thine to mind And nothing thereof for my sake to hate Yea what in them or me thou seest amiss Pard'ning and purging to us both it bliss VIII Oh cause both me and them who read or hear Of what 's here writ of thy beloved Son The truth thereof behold so bright and clear As unto him at all times we may run And unto him resolve so fast to cleave As him by no means we may ever leave IX And O might all the musings of my mind And words or writings which from thence proceed Be such as may with Thee acceptance find And useful be to who them hear or read To what 's good therefore Thou my strength Lord be And from what ill inthrals me set me free TO THE READER THere is a Proverb saith Blest is the wooing That is soon over or not long in doing This Proverb hath its truth and verity In this same woing which unto thine eye And mind I here present if we respect The party wooed He that dont ' reject Christ's profer'd kindness or his patience tire But quickly yields himself to his desire Without excuses or delays is Blest And sooner of much happiness possest Whereas He that stands dallying long and gives Frequent denyals of much good deprives Himself mean while and many griefs sustains While between two He in suspense remains Yea and endangers the Great Wooer too To turn away in anger and then woo And anguish will succeed for there is none With whom the soul can live well but this One Though in respect of him that 's woo'd it s well That Christ upon his suit long time doth dwell That He 's not quick to anger but doth wait To shew his mercy even to such as hate To be reproved and do long resist That grace of God without which none is blist That He vouchsafes to call and knock and stay At the long-closed-Heart from day to day Till by his goodness and long-suffering He Subdues its unkind hardness makes it see Its folly Him so to oppose in whom All good and happiness to it doth come And without whom it must sustain such woe As it can neither bear nor get therefro Which patience and long-suffering doth commend This Wooer much that He will so attend Vpon such sorry persons and so long Before He leave his suit His love is strong Which led him hither through so many tryals And leads him too to take so oft denials When as He is so Great and perfect too That He no need hath any one to wooe Nor is there any worthy of his love Or to injoy him He 's a match above The Highest creature none in Heaven or Earth Can equal him in greatness goodness birth But who is that that 's wooed whom doth He court Is' t only some of the more wealthy sort Is' t only the brave gallants or is' t those Whose wit and breeding other mens out-goes Or is it such as are set up on high Invested with some great Authority We might suspect indeed that He some such Would take to him that in these matters much Come nearer to his greatness But alas For none of all those things He ought doth pass Nor do they make those who them have to be Any whit nearer to him in degree Than those who have them not they bear no sway With him at all that more of his heart they Then others should obtain but whosoere Do heartily him love to him are Dear It 's any soul in general that He Doth call and Woo that saved it might be To whom He by his works and words doth show His truth and goodness that it them may know And by his holy Spirit them evidences In any measure But men oft their senses So stupifie with pride and lust that they Do not perceive what he to them doth say But do neglect his voice till He them leave The fruits of their own folly to receive But wheresoere men hear him and do heed Those heavenly words which do from him proceed Believing on him He
what thou wilt or right or wrong What Lord should thee controul what hast a nose And is' t not made to smell the sweetest Rose The bravely sented posies sweet perfumes Which may disperse such vapours as consumes Thy vital spirits or that do bind them so That they are not at liberty to go After those objects which may please the sight And ravish all thy senses with delight Which nature doth present thee with what hast Thou Nerves and Sinews Flesh and Blood to waste In melancholly dumps religious frames In dwelling upon words adoring names Were they not made to touch and taste and feel The pleasures of the Flesh ar't made of Steel Or Stone that thou should'st not affected be With what Dame Nature doth present to thee That patiently thou up thy self should'st yield To bear those burthens which thou well might'st wield Thy self from under as if thou wert made To be an Ass or like some Hackney Jade Listen to that fine spritely Lass and hear Her court-like language boldly do not fear Harlot Well met sweet Sir I 'm glad to see your face I love you at my heart come let 's embrace Let 's joyn our lips fear not I 'm all-ore sweet Nothing but pleasures dwell from head to feet I have peace-off'rings with me I a feast Have ready made for thee where 's not the least Thing wanting that may give thy heart delight Come let me have thy company to night I have prepar'd my bed with Tapestry And with fine Linnen there let 's softly lie And take our fill of Love perfum'd it is With Myrrhe and Cinnamon and Aloes Come then let 's take our fill of Love and Pleasure There 's none to interrupt we may have leisure The good man 's gone from home nor will he yet Return again we time enough may get To satisfie our selves with all delights Which Love afford us may these days and nights Chr. Take heed dear Soul to my good counsels Let That Harlots speeches no advantage get Upon thy heart give me thine eyes and heart Let not my words out of thy mind depart For Harlots are deep ditches narrow pits He scarce gets out again that in them gets Her lips drop like the Honey-comb her mouth Is smoother then the Oyl but yet in truth Her latter end more bitter is then gall Unhappy Man who into her doth fall His after-misery no tongue can tell For why Her guests are in the Depths of Hell Look off from her to me far better I Thy hearts desires and wants can satisfie If thou lovest beauty beauty dwels in me I 'm fairer then mans children Look and see I 'm white and Ruddy God and Man in one With me to be compared there is none If pleasures thee delight with me is pleasure My ways are all delightful above measure For I those that imbrace me do possess With rich assurance of eternal bless The pleasures of this World in endless pain Do end my pleasures evermore remain They do give Life in Death and ever dwell With mine when rais'd again when those in Hell Shall ever more lie down who me despise To everlasting torments they shall rise Let neither riches honours pleasures or What ere this World can give inchant thee for With better riches honours pleasures I Will satifie thee to Eternity F.W.D. Poor Man what can'st thou hope for after death When nature spent with sorrows shall thy breath Yield up into the gentle air to vanish And thy dead corps the living men shall banish From their society to lie and rot Within its grave till it be quite forgot Think'st thou it possible that after it Unto the Earth or Sea men shall commit And there it is consum'd to slime or mold Or eat of Worms or Fishes rise it should Or that thy vanish't breath and rotted flesh Can life resume again and live a fresh Either in joys or pains Let Reason rule Let not fond faith worse then the Horse or Mule Thee make by giving credit to such things As from deluded fancy only springs For they enjoy those pleasures and contents Which bounteous nature unto them presents Shall man alone who capable was made The World more to enjoy be so betray'd Into a fancy by too light belief With his own senses so to play the theif As them to rob of all those pleasures rare Whereof above all other things they are Most apprehensive Oh no! stop thine ear Against those sounds that thou so oft do'st hear From that same Spirit which oft is Wisdom stil'd Of such as by her sayings are beguil'd Come give thy self the reins and do not fear Come come we say and taste the dainty chear The World presents thee Waters stoln are sweet Pleasures they have who Bread in secret eat Who satisfie their senses to the full And please their appetites untill they lull Their minds a sleep from those fanatick fears Which make men spend in grief their youthful years This World 's the Paradise where grow all fruits Fit for delight and thy desires best suits Come pluck and take and eat of them thy fill None other after these succeed there will Christ. Thus oh my Dear thy subtle enemies Suggest unto Thee setting forth their lies With fair pretences both of love and reason But trust them not their words are full of Treason These are the same that thee at first deâ—eved Oh let them not be any more deceived Unto thy misery they Thee betray'd And like to Beasts which perish they thee made So that unless I had thee ransomed Thou in their snares hadst wholly perished Minist Their voice and language doth of him proceed Of whom in the beginning thou do'st read The subtle Serpent who of old allur'd Mankind unto his snares and so procur'd His utter ruine drew him into sin By which a flood of miseries came in By him was hatch't and begot in mans mind A spawn or seed like to himself in kind Whose Head 's the carnal mind its Heart is lust These with the old Serpent combin'd do thrust Men into mischief and while these to guide Him do presume they lead him quite aside For they are void of truth a hellish light Possesses them like unto that i th' night Which William with a wisp some men do call An ignis fatuâ—s which leads to fall Into some dangerous downfal ditch or pit Those who as their sure guide do follow it Such errour is or Fleshly Wisdom which Stept up in place of truth both poor and rich Misleading to their ruine because blind It is and knows nought of Gods holy mind And yet conceits it self the only wise And that it sees aright with open eyes And knows what 's good what 's evil and can tell A man the way how he may prosper well Especially if it improved be And somewhat more then ordinarily Inlarg'd with learned Sciences and Arts Which when they added be to nat'ral parts Do much adorn a man and make him shine And lift
counsels slight Hate my reproofs and my good Spirit despite Who do the World and their own Iusts prefer Before me and my grace loving to err From my good ways refusing to return They shall be rais'd again and judg'd to burn In that eternal Lake of wrath and woe Which was prepar'd for the Infernal foe The Devil and his Angels who seduced Them to rebel and not to be reduced Before my dreadful judgment seat they shall Stand trembling then yea then both great and small Shall judged be and when my Saints rejoyce Then they shall weep and wail hearing that voice Depart ye cursed ye who have refused My profer'd grace and all my love abused Who would not come to me when I did call you Though I did tell you then what would befall you Ye who then put Me from you and to me Did say Depart for we desire not thee Us to instruct or teach or to reprove us We care not whether thou do'st hate or love us We value not thy love nor fear thy wrath We will not know thy ways nor tread thy path Thy words do cross our wills we 'll break thy cords Thou shalt not reign o're us for we are Lords We 're owners of our selves and all we have We need not thee nor like that thou us save From our corruptions for we like them so We take thee that reprov'st for our foe Thy company we like not nor that sort Of frantick fools who do with thee comport Pressing thy laws we hate them in our heart And put them from us let them too depart They are a burthen and a trouble to us And we 'll destroy them least they should undo us This then your manner was to me and mine Ye were contented we should starve or pine When we were hungry ye would not us feed Nor would ye give us drink when we did need Nor when we wand'red would ye take us in Nor cloath us when we naked were and thin When we were sick or cast in prison ye Neglected us to visit or to see Nay ye did thrust us from you ye did beat us And by your cruelties did slay and eat us Ye mockt our counsels because being poor We trusted in the Lord did him adore Depart from me therefore ye cursed crue And from my lovers Take ye now your due With your curst Counsellors the Devil and His wicked Angels whose will and command Above mine ye prefer'd For ever be A seperated company from me And from all mine in that great dreadful lake Of Fire and Brimstone where I 'll vengeance take For all your wickedness and great despite Ye shew'd against me and those who did right Ye trod me under foot my blood ye slighted As common and my spirit of grace despited Now I will tread you in my wrath for I The wine-press of the wrath of God mighty Do tread I 'll in my fury trample you And all to pieces crush and squeaze you now What! think you now a share with us to have Whom ye thrust from you when we counsel gave To leave your evils and with us take part Ye judg'd our counsels over sharp and tart To your pride and corruptions when ye were Ashamed of me and my reproach to bear Ashamed of my followers because they Reproached were poor and despised lay Would ye now fain your selves insinuate With us when we are glorious 'T is too late We will not own you now but are asham'd Of such accursed caytiffs who are nam'd Ungodly wicked unclean hypocrites Ambitious worldlings proud men Sodomites With many another such like wretched name As into my Book of life never came Away ye Caytiffs as ye sow'd now reap As ye have brew'd now drink Go howl and weep Lament your folly cry now Fools we are Who counted us the fools and did not spare To make us cry and weep and sigh and groan And unto God make our complaint and moan When ye us slighted and abused so As made us with sad grieved hearts to go Solace your selves together in those flames Of dreadful fire which all proud rebels tames Ye laught at us and in our griefs took pleasure Now we will mete out to you the same measure When we were from our houses hal'd and outed Of Synagogues for righteousness ye shouted When we were mockt and scorned by men ye houted And when we answer'd for our selves ye flouted When we condemned were and cast in bands Then ye rejoyced much and clapt your hands When we were hang'd and burn'd and crucifi'd Then ye did triumph o're us us deride These trusted in the Lord ye us'd to say These were the persons used much to pray In houses to that purpose they would meet And oft of God be talking in the Street Let 's see now where their God is and what he Can and will do for them to set them free Let 's see if he them from our hands can save Let him deliver them it them he 'll have Now we again do over you rejoyce At your distress we now lift up our voice We triumph over you and do deride Your folly madness stubbornness and pride Now we your confidences boldly flout And over your destruction we do shout To see our mortal foes who were so stout From God and all his holy ones thrust out Into eternal torments we 'll now taunt Your Idols and those places ye did haunt To work your wickedness where be your Gods Whom ye did use to worship and with odds Prefer before your Saviour what 's become Of all your stocks and stones and Idols dumb Where are those mighty men under whose wing Ye put your trust of whom ye us'd to sing Whose power and greatness ye did magnifie Trust in and fear and lift up to the sky Whose Laws and whose commands ye did prefer Far before me and mine ye did deter My people from their service to me setting Their greatness and their threats before them getting Commissions from them us to persecute Why do ye not to them now make your suite And pray them to befriend you in your needs And bear you out in all your wretched deeds Ye acted against God and against us For which ye stand by me condemned thus Where are your potent Kings and Emperors Your Popes your Cardinals your great Doctors Your gallant Lords and Ladies Learned men Of whom and whose authority ye then Did make your boasts and with their names us frighted And in whose countenance ye much delighted Where are their Crowns their Scepters their Miters Their crosier Staves their Councils and their Writers Their dreadful weapons which they oft abused Against us from those ends they should have used Them to as against theives and high-way robbers Seditious persons felons and disturbers Of publick peace by wicked acts abusers Of Gods good creatures and of men mis-users What is become of all that greatness now Before the which ye us'd your selves to bow And flusht with which and
want That thou did'st grant To Adam heretofore Yea he far less Then did possess Then we now evermore LI. We have a Rest A day that 's blest A Sabboath day to be With thee we 'r blest Thou art our Rest And change we ne'r shall see LII Hallelujah Oh blessed day Who can thy glory speak This Sabboath we Perpetually Keep and it never break LIII Therein we sing To thee our King Thy glory we behold Our work is this Thy Name to bliss Thy praises to unfold LIV. A Paradise Wherein there lies All pleasures sweet and great With liberty Perpetually Thereof to take and eat LV. An Heavenly Tree Of life have we Which doth us ever feed It doth us give Ever to live And nothing can we need LVI A River pure Of Waters sure Doth clear as Chrystal run We with it meet In every Street Our City needs no Sun LVII God is our light He shines most bright No Cloud doth him obscure All things we see Just as they be Our knowledge is most sure LVIII It s always full It s never dull Our comforts ever flow Our Suns bright beams Our Rivers streams No damp no ebb do know LIX All manner fruits Which with us suits And may give us delight Our Tree doth bear Throughout the year Most pleasant to our sight LX. All is most sweet With which we meet Here 's nothing sharp or sowre Pleasures we have We can't more crave They 're constant every hour LXI We need no Wives To make our lives More comfort us afford We never dye Nor company Need we at bed or board LXII No different sex Nothing to vex Nothing to tempt we know All perfect is All 's full of bliss Our tides are never low LXIII We do all reign And Lords remain Over all creatures We never shall From our heigths fall Our Kingdom ever dures LXIV We have no night Nor borrowed light No Moon or Candle here For it alway Is perfect day The Sun is not so clear LXV Oh blessed King From whom doth spring This state of happiness We 'll sing thy praise All our All-days Thy goodness we 'll confess LXVI When Adam fell What tongue could tell What was our misery In him we were He did us bear And in him we did dye LXVII Branches were we Of him the Tree The root wherefrom we grew A flood of woe Did us ore flow When his fall made us rue LXVIII Our root did rot Having forgot The hand that did it plant The branches must Then turn to dust For they their life did want LXIX In him we fell As low as Hell Death upon us did seise Woes in us bred Away quite fled All comfort joy and ease LXX Great was our fault At one assault And when ingaged thus God to reject And in effect To thrust away from us LXXI Great misery Therefore did lye Upon us by desert Of good bereft To be quite left To utmost grief and smart LXXII We were beguil'd Sin us defil'd And had so filthy made That God and we Could not agree Of him we were afraid LXXIII Mortallity Did by and by Seise on us oh what pain Did we procure For to endure Till dust we turn'd again LXXIV Yea God we lost Which was the most Sad loss could us befall His wrath also We fell into And into deadly thrall LXXV We lost that light Which gave us sight And ceast to understand And led by lust Became unjust Subject to sins command LXXVI The old Serpent A false light lent Which made us judge amiss And in vain things To seek the springs Of everlasting bliss LXXVII By those inslav'd We misbehav'd Our selves in every thing We acted evil We serv'd the Devil Took him for guide and King LXXVIII Lust was vice-King That was the spring Of actions light and grave Our subtlety That was the spy Which us false counsel gave LXXIX These did conspire To make us higher In our false fond conceit For Heaven the show'd False pleasures strow'd And therewith did us cheat LXXX Oh woful plight Oh ruful sight This was our fallen case In thraldom dwelt Seldom it felt But took it for solace LXXXI In darkness deep In dangers steep Perplexities and fears In depths of Hell Then did we dwell And spend our woful years LXXXII God was but just Us out to thrust From him we left him first And then a Hell Of woe befell Because of him accurst LXXXIII In which sad state Objects of hate And enemies to God Without his sight And destroy'd quite We ever had abode LXXXIV But that the Lord Though he abhor'd Then fellowship with us Yet pittiful In love did pull Us out and help us thus LXXXV The mighty Word Of this great Lord By whom he did us make Tha Wisdom high Our sins did spy But not with them partake LXXXVI A fountain pure He did endure In whom God took delight He was beloved And well approved For he did always right LXXXVII Angels some fell And down to Hell Were thrust ' cause they rebel'd God past them by And let them lye In chains of darkness held LXXXVIII But he by whom All good doth come Most holy did abide By him God now His love did show And mercy glorifi'd LXXXIX Him he decreed In this our need That saved we might be To be sent forth This one of worth Able to set us free XC The Womans seed Of David's breed To be He was ordained A man of grief To bring relief That we might be regain'd XCI Oh loving Lord Oh mighty word The source of all our bliss To be ador'd With one accord For evermore in this XCII This grand devise Ground of our rise Let men and Angels praise Angels admir'd And much desir'd This to behold always XCIII This we admire This with desire Now fully satisfi'd We look upon We make our song Its praise we cannot hide XCIV Here fully we Behold and see Gods admirable love And perfectly We here descry All his perfections move XCV In this we live This all doth give Which we injoy and have Can we forget To set forth it Which did us help and save XCVI This God fore-teld This all forth-held Both Law and Prophets too This all upheld This we beheld To raise us up from woe XCVII This with a blow Did overthrow The Devils Kingdom quite This did destroy What did annoy What kept us from the light XCVIII This to declare Let us not spare This is the mystery We now behold And can unfold With all its treasury XCIX With eye to this The God of bliss Ere since our dreadful fall Before it was Yet brought to pass In act did order all C. What mercies we Receiv'd we see Proceeded all here-fro We that have bliss They who did miss Beholden were hereto CI. Though justice them Who did contemn And slight it doth destroy To us that live Mercy doth give And Justice too all joy CII Mercy did all Respect i th' fall And help for them provide
gave way Day after day To lusts or cares or fears CLIV. How oft when he Had cleans'd us we Did us again defile How oft confest Yet not redrest How much we hid through guile CLV A spring of sin We had within Running continually No good in us How marvailous Was his love and mercy CLVI To each good deed That did proceed From us through his good grace Sin did adhere And it besmear Such was our wretched case CLVII But oh his love Did not remove But constantly abide Love made him blind And not to mind Our sins but them oft hide CLVIII So as that God Ofttimes his rod Forbore on us to lay And passing by Iniquity He turn'd his wrath away CLIX. A fountain great He open set And there us purifi'd And if he chode Yet love he show'd And did not always chide CLX Sometimes he hid His face and did An angry count'nance shew That he might make Us sin forsake And be to him more true CLXI Oft by some cross Some grief or loss He made us him to seek And then we felt His love to melt How gentle he and meek CLXII His loving mind Unto mankind Appearing did us save That did us make Those things forsake Which did us fore-inslave CLXIII Nor did he grieve Us to receive When unto him we came But readily Did justifie And wash us in his Name CLXIV He by his power Us every hour Did keep in his great love Which every way He did display As he did see 't behove CLXV What he did by Pleading on high God's mercy to obtain And what from thence He did dispence Made us with him remain CLXVI To him to cleave Him never leave Or if we went astray Our good shepheard Did us regard And reduce to his way CLXVII His love us drew And made us true And hid us when we fail'd Him to forgo Who lov'd us so Nothing with us prevail'd CLXVIII To him we nought That good was brought No good thing we could do He who us bought All in us wrought And helpt us against our foe CLXIX What we did want He did us grant We could but ask and have Askig aright And in his light Yea much unaskt he gave CLXX He to us clave He did us save Or else we had been gone He did begin And never lin Till all things he had done CLXXI. He in his armes Kept us from harmes He did us safely bear He did us feed Keep save and lead Untill he brought us here CLXXII Something we wore On Adam's score As we from him did spring So long as Death Held us i' the ' Earth From whence he did us bring CLXXIII The Serpents seed Which he did breed Within us and without Did dog us too Us to undo And compast us about CLXXIV Through Christ our shield We won the field He was our Captain brave Down fell our flesh We sprung up fresh He brought us out from grave CLXXV Oh faithful friend Unto the end Who did us never fail Through him we stood ' Gainst all the flood He made us to prevail CLXXVI Our Prophet he Who made us see The way of truth and right He sent that guide That did abide With comfort strength and light CLXXVII He did as Priest Upon his Breast Us in the Heavens present Our good procur'd Our weal assur'd Our evils did prevent CLXXVIII He was our King All good did bring Gave Laws made us them chose Rul'd with his arme Kept us from harme Subdued all our foes CLXXIX Yea all our wound He up hath bound As our Phisitian good Our maladies With remedies He cured by his Blood CLXXX Yea Prophets he Made us to be And Heavenly Priests and Kings To offer praise And raign always Over all other things CLXXXI Oh happy we This day that see When nothing doth annoy We have no pain Nor grief sustain But we are fil'd with joy CLXXXII Oh blest be he By whom this we For ever do possess Let creatures all Before him fall And him for ever bless CLXXXIII But we much more Will him adore Who are his choice delight Whom he doth fill Of great good will With pleasures in his sight CLXXXIV Were every part Of us a heart Yet he should have them all Were each a tongue And his praise sung By each 't would be too small CLXXXV To this our King Who did us bring To this All-Happiness Let 's sing a song Eternal-long His praises to express Hallelujah Another to Christ. I. Oh holy glorious King The Mighty Prince of Peace Thou art the Lamb by whom we came From sin to have release II. To thee we owe our selves To thee all praise is due To thee O King we 'll praises sing A song of praises new III. Oh mighty Word of God Gods dear and only Son Thou did'st us know when we were low When we were quite undone IV. Thou had'st no need of us For thou wert God above And we nothing to thee could bring And yet thou did'st us love V. Thou in the form of God Wast high and rich indeed Therefore of us who were but dust Thou could'st not stand in need VI. Thou thou all glorious art The Father thee possest When he began his works even then Thou laydest in his Breast VII Before his works of old Were either fram'd or wrought The ancient hills or fruitful fields Or Earth thou wast forth brought VIII The Father purposed His purposes of old In thee who art and do'st impart His wisdom manifold IX When he the Heavens prepar'd And the foundations lay'd Of the vast Earth in joy and mirth Thou ever by him stay'd X. Before the World was made The day or darksom night Fountain or deep or Mountain steep Thou thou wast his delight XI By thee the Worlds he made And all things more or less Without thee nought to pass was brought Thou worthy art of bless XII By thee he made us men And in thine Image clean All things we see were made for thee And all the things unseen XIII Thou art the heir of all And in thee all things stand The Life that lasts and Death out-casts Thou all things do'st command XIV Thou art th' eternal truth The everlasting light The unity all without thee Be falshood strife and night XV. The Angels thou did'st make Those which did not abide Worthily fell down into Hell The recompence of pride XVI We by thee made fell too By listning to the lies Which th' old Serpent did first invent Aspiring to be wise XVII Wisdom we had in thee And wise thou did'st us make Wiser to be foolishly we Presum'd thee to forsake XVIII While we thy holy Word And thy command divine Departed fro and our selves to The Serpent did incline XIX Great was the misery Which we were plung'd into For from thee gone God we had none Our state was full of woe XX. God gave us what was meet And that whereby we might The Tempters wiles which did beguile us Have all avoyded
By which means seeing I the conquest 〈◊〉 O're death and hell and overthrew the plot Of the old Serpent subde and crasty Let those my doings of me testify They show my love my power and wisdom too And they my faithfumess and truth do show Would I have 〈◊〉 in any thing I say Sure it would there have been wherein there lay So many diffiâ—â—â—â—ties in my way Behold me then dear Soul and duty mind What I am and have done and thou â—halt find Encouragement enough against these things Which do occasion those my waveringâ— Why dost thou 〈◊〉 or care for things below Seeing thy wants and dangers all I 〈◊〉 And I can any thing on thee bestâ—â—â— What if men should thee hate and 〈◊〉 And band themselves against thee 〈◊〉 I Secure thee from all harm that may befall To thee or thine from any of them 〈…〉 Are they not in my hands â— their 〈◊〉 hears I can dispose and order all their part And power and time and breath are in my hand And I can that of 〈◊〉 way theâ—â— command And If thou mindst â—â—y love thou mayst be sure That in obeying me 〈◊〉 thee 〈◊〉 From what may harm thee although because I All-wise am I shall thy security And safety in such manner prosecute As may best with thy after we sare suit In which because thoâ— childish art or blind Or foolish and canst not in thy wear mind Discern or comprehend my ways or see The method of my walkings towards thee Nor canst well judge what may be for the best And that the rather because in thy bâ—est Lust bears so great a sway which covereth After those things that â—â—nd unto thy death Shrinking away from that wherein thou mayst Find more felicity if then thou stay'st Thy self upon me and on me sely Plucking quite out and casting by that eye Though thy right eye which seeing things amiss Moves thee to stumble at my ways in this Or that thing which I order and suspect That I do not things for the best effect Thou shalt do wisely And thou may'st me trust With thee and thine 〈◊〉 since I am just And righteous and sindâ— I love thee too And being to order thing to thy best good As may in what in said be understand If thy ways please 〈◊〉 I thine enemies Can and will make thee to befriend their eyes Shall towards thee be good thee for to spare For their affections too in my hunds art If great men hate thee I can safely hide Thee from their malioâ— I can curb their pride Or break their power or take away their breath Or thee from them for by such ways I Death Make mine befriend or else I can divert Their enterpriser as when Saul begirt Poor David I the Philistins did send To find Saul other work and so befriend My persecuted Servant or I can And often imeâ— I doe the wrath oâ— of man Turn to my praise and that that doth remain Beyond what may me praise I can restram See how the Sparrows though of value small Among the Birds of prey do live â—â—one fall No not one of them to the ground 〈◊〉 by My Fathers pleasure though they often 〈◊〉 In midst of dangers If my Father hath Such care of â—parrows where is then thy saith To crost me with thy safety and him who Doth value and esteem of mankind so As all the Birds and Beaâ—ts too never were As what â—suff'red for you makes appear Trust me then with thy safety verily Except I see it good thou shalt not dy Or suffer by the hands of men I will Be shield end Buckler to thee â— and thee still Will hide and 〈◊〉 so that though men fret And do themselves also against thee ser They shall not harm thee But if I do 〈◊〉 That it will for thy good be that I thee Deliver up into their hands to 〈◊〉 Imptison banish take away thâ— right Or kill thy body do thou them not feaâ— For all their malice shall be ended there For more they cannot do then kill the 〈◊〉 And when that 's done I 'le raise it up 〈◊〉 And seeing I so love thee thou may'st know For certain that if me thou dost follow I will not let them â—ill 〈◊〉 except Do see I may advantage thee thereby For such my pow'â— is that even Death and Hell And all their torment I can easly â—â—â—ll Make them serâ—â— my designe those to advance To glory who are my inheritance Feare nothing therefore of what may befall thee But yeild thy self and go where ere I call thee And do my service cheatfully with Thee I I thy Saviour evermore will be I that Almighty am and can desend thee I that do love thee well will succor send thee Thou shalt not be alone I will not leave thee I will go with thee and will not deceive thee I 'le strengthen thee to bear what shall befall thee I 'le thee support and â—â—ear where ere I call thee In all afflictions my love that 's better Then wine thou shalt rast of I that am greater Then all against thee will in my arms bear thee And mitigate the sense of what may dear thee I gave my self for thee and grief sustained A bitter death I bare in love unfeigned For thee and for thy sake fear not to give Thy life and body to me as I live I 'le take the care of them I will thee cherish And no hair of thy head shall from thee perish In life and death I will be faithful to thee And notwithstanding Death â—onor I 'le do thee I 'le make thy sufferings bearable and sweet And with my good spirit thou shalt surely meet If I into deep waters do thee lead I will go with thee and bear up thy head So as they shall not overflow or drown thee No though they should no ev'ry side surround theâ— Into the fire if I do lead thee yet No dammage thou from its fierce flames shalt get For I 'le safe keep thee bear thee in my armes And I 'le secure thy soul from all ill harms Fear none of those things then that unto thee By Sathan or his Servants done may be Though into prison they ten days thee cast And there with chains of Iron make thee fast I will be with thee there and bring thee out Be confident of me my love don't doubt Be faithful unto me and I will give A Crown of life to thee and thou shalt live And as for other things why should'st thou care Seeing my Father for thee did not spare To give me up to Death and gives me too To be thy Head and portion How canst thou Suspect or fear that any thing He will Withold from thee that 's good No. He will fill Thy cup with what 's who some for thee to drink If thou away from my words dost not shrink All things are mine and what I have shall be Thine and I 'le give of them what 's good for
I am too slack In seeking thee yea woe is me I 〈◊〉 From thee have run apace since I begun To move toward thee I 'm too apt to run Toward my Idols in the ways of sin Yea Lord thou know'st how since I did begin To court thy favour I have run apace In wicked ways wherein had not thy grace And mercy me prevented I had been Or'e thrown forever this day never seen But oh my pace toward thee is so dulâ— That need I have that after thee thou pull My sluggish Soul oh bring thou me into Thy Chambers of defence and delight so As in thy love I such delight may take As never thee any more to forsake Let me be so inclosed as with walls Of sure defence that whatsoe're befalls I never may again from thee withdraw But allways may thee fear and stand in aw Least I offend thee oh that I to thee May swiftly run with all that upright be And in thy Chamber may with them abide Where thou dost all that love thee safely hide Wee 'll then be glad in Thee and much rejoyce Oh King wee 'l sing thy praise with chearful voice Wee 'l think upon thy loves which do excel The choisest Wine Oh we remember well The sweetness of its tast who be upright They do thy person love in thee delight Not in themselves their parts their gifts nor yet Those pleasures only that from thee they get Like to the Concubines which love to be Delighted with thy loves courted by thee But thee and thy concerns do slight neglect To seek thy glory don't thy name respect Sincerely but make thou me upright so As my heart wholly after thee may go Oh thou whom my soul in some measure loves Do thou me show what me to know behoves Tell thou me where thou feed'st thy flock and make Me go upright Let me not thee forsake With sinners in their dainties to perâ—ke Let me not turn aside from thee to go After the flocks of thy companions who Lift up themselves into equallity Of power or worth unto thy Majesty But shew me thy good ways and make me see The thing that is acceptable to thee Stay me with flagons of thy love and let Me of thy apples too the comforts get For I desire thy love oh do thou show it And cause thou me more clearly yet to know it Under my head put thou thy left hand and Therewith support me and let thy right hand Embrace my soul and keep me safe untill I have fulfil'd my course perform'd thy will And oh that then thou wouldst make hast unto My soul and be thou swifter than a Roe That so our union may compleated be And I may full fruition have of thee Make hast oh my beloved like a Roe Or a young Hart that on the Mountains go That leap upon the Mountains and o're Hills Come skipping Thou art he alone that fills The souls of those that love thee with delight And mak'st them fully happy in the sight Of thy most glorious person do not tarry Help me to hast to thee then hast to marry Me to thy self that I with thee may dwell Who dost in all excellencies excell And in the mean time make me chast and true Unto thee what opposes thee subdue Working my works in and for me yea al Thine own good pleasure whereto thou dost call And counsel me the work of faith with power That I may persevere unto the hour And in the hour of death till unto thee Thou tak'st me up in joys for aâ—e to be I leave my self to thee oh do thou what Is good for me Chr. I will so fear not that Amen HALLELUJAH FINIS A Song of Loves Lord grant that in a right renewed mind I may such love to thee and thy things find As to say of and to thee this behind 1. I Am my well beloveds My well-beloved's mine He is a person lovely Excellent and divine 2. For he is the Immanuel Both God and man in one The Mighty God the wonderful And like him there is none 3. His excellence surpasseth What one may it declare Or who among the mighty May with this one compare 4. Oh all ye that in love are Your lovers who commend Is any of them able To match with this my friend 5. Hath any of them ever So great things for you wrought Or is there any of them Hath you so dearly bought 6. Is any of them so high Either in Rank or birth No there is none so glorious Either in Heaven or Earth 7. Ther 's none of them is so great There 's none of them can do So great things and so wonderful Or can inrich you so 8. As this my Lord and Saviour Can and will do for me If I be upright with him And do not from him flee 9. Ye that in Kings and Princes And mighty Potentates Do make your boasts come tell me Hath he there any mates 10. Can any of them match him Nay they are all below The greatest of those great ones Their service to him owe. 11. They 'r short in understanding Their pow'r also is less Their rule extends not so far Nor yet their happiness 12. They are but men as others Their lives are but mortal Their breaths must pass out of them And then they perish all 13. But this my Lord and Lover Doth live for evermore His understanding's perfect All creatures him adore 14. Nothing for him too hard is For he can all things do Nothing from his eyes hid is For he all things doth know 15. He ruleth over all things Both in the seat and land Yea and all things In heaven be Subject to his command 16. He heir of Heav'n and earth is He is lord of all glory His brith's above all creatures There 's none can match his story 17. His excellence excels all That 's either hard or seen One half of what 's true of him Never declar'd hath been 18. Go glory of your Princes And Benefactors great Tell of their great majesty Their royal train and seat 19. I none of them shall envy This one 's mcuh better far Whom my soul hath desire to They can't with him compare 20. He hath far greater glory Than any one of them Though yet he is so lovely That none he doth contemn 21. Though they be poor and little If unto him they flee He none of them disdaineth But they accepted be 22. Those whom ye use to boast of Be proud and lofty too And oft in words and carriage Great haughtiness they show 23. Though they be far below him Who my beloved is And like to meaner persons He them reâ—roves I wiss 24. For in his hands they all are To do with as he please And he can make or break them Or change their state with ease 25. Oh there is none so lovely As this Beloved one In pitty love and goodness Like to him there is none 26. He higher than the Heavens is Or
to seek to know him bend Our thoughts to him and keep him in our mind With greatest earnestness his praises view To think on him bid all things else adieu LXIII Love God with all thy heart as him we know Let our affections close with and embrace Him freely fully all things high and low To the injoyment of him must give place Resign our wills to him on him rely Joy and delight we in his Majesty LXIV Seek his approvement fellowship and grace Joy in his word and service and adhere Firmely unto him seek his strength and face Above all things and the loss thereof fear Yea love the places whereon be his name His paths posts statutes and frequent the same LXV Love God with all thy soul the life and might Which soul united with the body gives To put forth all our strength it is but right Seeking and serving him who ever lives Remiss and slothful seeking him implies That our love to him 's cold and cold love dies LXVI Yea yet again we may be thrice put on To love the Lord because a Trinity There is in him He 's three though yet but one As Scriptures do expresly testifie Love God the Father Son and holy Spirit For each of them thy fervent'st love do merit LXVII For each and All are love in one and have Joyntly and severally their love exprest To us poor mortals that they might us save And that our miseries might be redrest In love the Father sent the Son unto us In love the Son came and the Spirit doth wooe us LXVIII In love the Father his Son yielded up To be made flesh and poor despis'd and dye 'T was He that gave to him that bitter cup Which wrung his Soul with many an agony In love to us he rais'd him up again And hath exalted him on high to reign LXIX In love to us the Son our flesh and blood Did at the Father's just appointment take And in our room and stead as surety stood And by his dying did atonement make And rose and off'red up himself on high Living to plead for us continually LXX In love to us he sent the holy Ghost And gifts did give to men as he thought good That so by them his Name in ev'ry coast Might be proclaim'd and his grace understood And unto those who do his grace retain He 'll come in glory and raise them to raign LXXI In love to us the Holy Ghost comes forth In Christ his Name and doth his truth make known Shewing the things of Christ and their great worth Wooing us to him that we might him own Waiting with patience for our turning in Ready to wash and cleanse us from our sin LXXII He guids us into truth he gives support Strengthneth in services and sufferings Unto our fainting Spirits he gives comfort Yea he all life and blessings to us brings Will raise us up from death and grave and give In glorious bodies us with Christ to live LXXIII Love Love Love God therefore intensively Who was and is and who is yet to come Love every person in the Trinity Oh that he had in my heart all the room Thus in the first place love to God is due But let us now a second Object view LXXIV Love secondly our Neighbour for the Text That bids us first of all to love the Lord Tells us the second precept which is next Is love our Neighbours and we in God's Word Good reason for it find because they are Our brethren though with God they can't compare LXXV All men are sprung from out one common stock Branches of the same root made of one blood Rais'd from one common mold chips of one block Fram'd by one hand capable of one good We had at first the same original And must at last into the same dust fall LXXVI Indeed there is in us such backwardness To love our Neighbours that this thrice repeated Word Love may be apply'd with earnestness That our cold hearts to love them may be heated God we so little love our selves so wrong That Neighbours get not what to them belong LXXVII 'T would be as good for them happy to be And to be miserable full as sad As to be happy will be good for thee And to be miserable for thee 's bad Seek to promote their good prevent their wooe Do to them as thou wouldst be done unto LXXVIII Especially fince it is God's good will And precept that thy Neighbour thou should'st love And that he might thee move it to fulfill His own example gives thee from above He hath both loved thee and others too As he hath done to thee to others do LXXIX God's love to thee obliges thee again Readily what he bids thee to obey To Love thy Neighbour then do not disdain Whatever lust of thine thereto say nay Though of thy love unworthy he doth seem Worthy of thine obedience God esteem LXXX But who 's our Neighbour surely every man Distinct from us at least till fil'd with evil Any we find that clearly see we can That they are thereby made one with the Devil For they that are God's enemies so far Out of our loves we lawfully may bar LXXXI But for all others they should loved be Whither they be our friends our foes or strangers Their good we should indeavour joy to see Defend and seek to rescue them from dangers Grieve for their harms and do what in us lies Their happiness to further any wise LXXXII Me thinks three sorts of Neighbours I espy God's friends our own and they that neither be Respectively to whom this trinity Of love-commands again apply may we Love those that love God love friends and allies Love other men strangers or enemies LXXXIII Love those that love God for they 'r worthy love In that they do the thing that 's good and right They are God's friends he loves them that may move Thee therefore in them to take much delight They love not God who do not love his friends And they are faulty who e'r them commends LXXXIV For in asmuch as any loves God He God's image in him in some measure bears They are Christ's vertues which in him we see God's and Christ's liv'ries he upon him wears And he that loves not God as seen in 's brother Loves not but hates God howe'r he it smother LXXXV If God thou lov'st and seek'st desirously Acquaintance with he with his people dwels In cleaving to their heavenly company Thou shalt meet with him as the Scripture tells If thou hast no desire his face to know Thou lov'st him not what face so e'r thou show LXXXVI Amongst all men they the first place should have In our affections because God's in them They 'r nearest to him what they of him crave He 'll give for he their pray'rs will not contemn They then who him neglect and them despise He needs must take to be his enemies LXXXVII They be Christ's favourites he doth them own As his dear
friends his Mother Sister Brother They of him in a special sort are known They 'r honour'd of him far above all other How can he brook it from us if we them Who are so near and dear to him contemn LXXXVIII Them as his Pearls and Jewels he reputes His lot his portion his inheritance His garden of delights which pleasant fruits Bring forth to him and he will them advance Yea he is their lot and portion too Nothing he thinks too great for them to do LXXXIX Love them therefore as thine own choisest friends Consort with them and walk in their good ways Do for them all that to their welfare tends When they are cast down seek them up to raise Spare not for them thy wealth strength life to spend For that 's the way to make the Lord thy friend XC For such an unity with him they have That he doth take what e'r to them thou do'st As done unto himself It 's he doth crave Thy charity when they be almost lost Through want of some relief or in some danger If thou neglect them thou mak'st him a stranger XCI Grace teaches thee to love God's friends yea all In whom man's nature savable is found Nature doth teach thee to those thou do'st call Thy friends and kindred in love to abound If Gods and thine they 'r both a double tye To love them dearly upon thee doth lye XCII Grace natural affections don't destroy But rectifies making them clean and right To love thy friends and kinsfolks and to joy In their prosperity it doth excite And it allows and leads thee soberly With them to sorrow in their misery XCIII Yea usually more then in other folks Because more nearly knit and joyn'd to thee Grace love from every several tye provokes Where it doth find more grounds it makes more free Who loves not all is short in grace his friends Who loves not grace and nature both offends XCIV Yea grace will lead to love both strangers to us As God us while to him we strangers were And enemies who labour to undo us Seeking all comforts from us quite to tear For God us loved while his enemies And while we did him and his laws despise XCV While we against his truth and holiness Did act continually and him so hated That in our hearts we liked nothing less Yea could have wished him annihilated 'T was then his kindness to us that did slay Our enmity and it remove away XCVI That any are our enemies 't is not Essential to them because men they be But it 's because errour of them hath got The mastery or ill in us they see Endeavour them to cure our selves to mend And then their enmity will have an end XCVII And if our love will cure them of their ailments And turn their hearts to us we gainers are Our friends they 'll be because we so their failments By love have cur'd and had of them such care Who hates his enemy but makes him worse And makes himself too partner in the curse XCVIII Who loves his enemies doth imitate The God of love who us his foes to save Lay'd down for us his life and nought doth hate But that corruption which doth us inslave Where love doth conquer men best get their ends Their foes they overcome and make their friends XCIX Oh noble love who while thou mak'st men yield Unto their foes in all may do them good Not overcome of ill do'st win the field And oftimes draw'st thine enemies heart blood Not to be shed in anger to their guilt But boil in love and for their good be spilt C. Thus Christ did conquer Saul while he did spare His life and soul from ruine and imploy Him in the ministry a conquest rare On him he got wherein they both had joy And he who 's life did forfit as Christ's foe In love to him did freely it forgo CI. Thus thou thy will upon thy foes may'st have If thou do'st conquer them by charity However thou that way thy soul shalt save And if not their's they shall more sorely dye Them and thy self by hatred thou mayst kill And near-the-less mayst fail to have thy will CII Love 's the best weapon wherewith we can fight Against what ever persons us oppose While it in their welfare seeks its delight We may them conquering win and nought shall lose But what shall be repaid and hundred fold With that which far exceeds the choicest gold CIII Oh that of that blest Lamb who lost his life And powred forth his dearest precious blood That by his love he might o'rcome our strife And his fierce persecutors bring to good We willing were to learn this lesson well To strive in love each other to excell CIV That others evils may not quel our good But we with goodness may o'rcome their ill That though of mischiefs they cast out a flood Upon us we may seek their welfare still Who lives in love and love intirely keeps Shall laugh when he who lives in hatred weeps CV But yet a third time love may lead us yet After another object to inquire Love we our selves Can we our selves forget Or can we fail our own good to desire We are not bid to love our selves because It is suppos'd we 'll do that without laws CVI. That we should love our selves God doth imply When love unto our neighbours bid doth he Making love to our selves the rule whereby Love to our neighbour measured should be To love our Neighbours as our selves what 's that But if we hate our selves them too to hate CVII And yet so brutish we our selves have made That other things we love our selves neglect Yea all our times and strength are oft out laid On what our own destruction may effect The love wherewith we love our selves is hate Indeed though love we it do nominate CVIII For there 's a love to self that oft destroys The soul which God therefore forbiddeth to us Branding self love as sinful ' cause 't annoys And in the consequent doth but undo us When so our selves and what 's ours we affect That God and Neighbours we to love neglect CIX Of such a love to self the World is full And every where it's fruits are to be found It 's that which from all goodness men doth pull And makes them in all wickedness abound Men so themselves and their own lusts do mind It 's rare an honest godly man to find CX Some men their wisdom goodness strength and parts So much do overween and magnifie That unto God and Christ their minds and hearts For grace and mercy they do not apply Yea and what wholsom counsels unto them Others do give they proudly do contemn CXI Some men their will and purpose cleave to so That what God doth require they don't regard Yea every one they do account their foe Who their will cross or their designs retard Yea many one that he may have his will Cares not God to blaspheme and men
to kill CXII Some men their praise with men and reputation With fools so love that so they may them get They 'll shape their manners into any fashion And faith and conscience too to sale they 'll set Turning their backs on all that God prescribes Rather then bear therefore some taunts or jibes CXIII Some for their honour so ambitious are That rather then they 'll loose a cap or knee They 'll fret and sume yea for it they don't care A Mans or Nations ruine if they see Because unto proud Haman Mordecay Would not bow down he all the Jews would slay CXIV Some men for their inriching are so set That so they may but their estates increase Though by oppressing others they it get By lying cheating breaking of the peace They matter not nay they 'll for money sell Both God and Heaven and give themselves to Hell CXV Some men their own delights their pleasures ease So love and value that they matter not For God or men so they themselves may please And have their belly-chear punk pipe and pot Give them their hawks hounds pastimes sports plays They matter not what God's laws or Man's says CXVI Some folks their forms and handsomeness so prize That all their care is wholly thereon set How they some pretty fashion may devise Their hair trim or their cloths i' th' new cut get Yea so thy be but fashionably fine Their souls may perish and the poor may pine CXVII Some men their own inventions so set by Or their own fancies in Religion That of true godliness the heart may dye So be their ceremonies go but on Let others rack their conscience let them kill Their bodies loose their souls they 'll have their will CXVIII Nay many who do honest men appear And from gross acts of wickedness are free Who by no means will lye be drunk steal swear Yet their own things so mind from God they flee Their Oxen Farmes Trades Merchandise or Wives God of their Love Heaven of their Souls deprives CXIX But this unto mens selves is no right love But hatred rather it may well be stil'd Beause their hearts from God it doth remove And their souls are thereby of life beguil'd A man's soul is himself who that neglects Himself doth hate what ever he respects CXX It 's something else that men do love indeed In this false self love it 's a self of sin Which did from Sathan at the first proceed And at this motion Adam first let in Sin so in man dwells and 's with him so one That is as a man's self is oft spoke on CXXI Thence we are bid our members on the Earth To mortifie when he that bids us so Uncleanness fornication lawless mirth Therein forbids and what may us undo It 's this indeed that man so likes and loves And it 's the love of this that God reproves CXXII The true love to our selves it is imply'd In that which God requires of us as that The Lord we seek love serve his will abide With patience love our neighbours all ill hate Himself he truly loves who doth indeavour For what his soul will happy make for ever CXXIII He that regardeth not God's holy Word To hear and learn and carefully obey Who seeketh not to know and have the Lord His Father friend his comfort help and stay Who hates his neighbours and doth love his lust Loves not himself but 's to himself unjust CXXIV He that doth truly love himself doth take The course that tends directly to his good Doth seek to know it doth inquiry make For it not resting till 't is understood Above his sense and body loves his soul And whatsoere would harme it doth controule CXXV Who loves himself indeed doth hate all sin In love to Christ his lust he will deny Will walk in all good ways the World to win Would not offend God or men injury Commits himself to God on him doth stay And from his holy fear turns not away CXXVI Thus if this posie thou do'st understand Thou mayst do well to bear it in thy mind Yea did'st thou wear it then upon thine hand And practise it thou thence much good might'st find Love not thy lusts the world or worldly pelf But love God love thy neighbour love thy self CXXVII But if God thou neglect'st to love and for True love to others and thy self do'st place Some blind affections to their friendship or Their proper stature fair or comely face Which being of the flesh though green and fair They now do seem but grass and flowers are CXXVIII Or if thou thine own wit and parts adoring Thy will thy pleasures beauty strength or ways Or with thine own invention go'st a whoring Or dot'st on thine own honour name or praise Or any like affection in the stead Of true love placing do'st this posie read CXXIX Then thou this posie do'st not well apply Nor need'st such iterations to incite Thy love but rather need'st that to deny Then to foment because thy love 's not right Love not love not love not well may we say When ours or other mens affections stray CXXX Love not the World nor things thereof so saith The holy Ghost from fleshly lusts abstain They fight against our souls lead from the faith Deprive us of all good and make us vain Lord all unlawful love purge out of me And make me love my self my neighbours Thee Another POSIE O. M. W. R. God first doth try then satisfie I. HOW wondrous are God's ways He is most worthy praise His counsels all are very deeply laid The fool can't in his mind His methods see or find Who of his judgments may not be afraid Through Seas and Wilderness his ways lie Yet when he hath try'd he doth satisfie II. His works are so i' th' dark To us who can them mark Till he doth bring them forth unto the light Though he i' th' dark begin Yet doth he never lin Till by his lustre he dispel the night Then they who fear'd and sorrow'd may espy How much they err'd and praise him heartily III. This is that way of God With all his Saints oft trod As at the first light out of darkness sprung So through much darkness he Hath made his people see The light of life where-through thy oft have sung Christ fills his vessels first with water and Then waters turns to wine by his command IV. And this he doth that so He might make us forgo Those lusts and Idols whereunto we cleave And those sins mortifie Which else would make us dye He proves whether for him we them will leave And may we not when try'd as dross be found God will us save and our joys shall abound V. God tryed Abraham When out of Vr he came From 's kindred and his country made to go But yet he did him save And better lands he gave Then that was which he call'd brought him fro An heavenly country he before him set Which caus'd his
Quis leget aut emet haec SEE here my friends that which with much expence Of time and money if without offence I may suggest it I prepared have Your good to further and your souls to save Is here exposed to you will you read it So as with seriousness to mind and heed it Will you with little charge and cost that buy Which doth me in far greater charges lye Your pains in Reading it will be far less Than mine it to Compose and in this dress To make it ready for you and your gain Will far exceed your cost if it remain Upon your Reading it in memory And if unto the practise you apply Your hearts of what it tends to as you ought You will not then repent that you it bought But I observe it some men's humour is To slight and undervalue things like this They 'll rather idle Ballads buy and read Or such bad Books as vice do breed and feed And what their souls tend to spoil and destroy For pride or belly chear they will imploy Their time and money and it is a grief To find such humours in some men so brief To see no more regard to what with pains And cost prepar'd is for their endless gains Yea sometimes I with such could angry be When such like carriages in them I see Or marvail at their stupidness to slight What their own welfare much advantage might But then when I look higher and reflect Upon the sad regardless disrespect That too too commonly we all express To God and Christ who far more for our bless And endless happiness than any man By all his study and expences can Have done and have prepar'd and tender to us Whereto with much long suff'ring they do wooe us It doth allay my grief and wonder too As to my labours or what others do Of like import for what am I or any Who labour in such studies whereby many Might benefitted be with him compar'd Who hath eternal life for us prepar'd By such a costly way as by the Death Of his dear Son who for us spent his breath And 's life and soul expos'd to many a grief To bring unto our souls endless relief Find we not Christ himself sometime complain That he had labour'd and his strength in vain Had spent while they among whom he had wrought Did all his love and labour set at naught Though he doth freely tender all the good Which he hath bought by his most precious blood For mankind unto whosoever will Accept thereof and take thereof their fill Yet because something he again requires That men do value and which their desires And love are bent upon they should forsake That of his better things they might partake Because he bids us of him his things buy Men do refuse them too too generally Though all he doth require us to forgo Or unto him to offer up that so We might be happy in what he doth give And might with him in joys for ever live Is nothing worth nor worthy to be ey'd Compar'd with what he gave when as he dy'd For us and for our sins his life and blood More precious far than can be understood Or else compar'd with what he gives again Even joys and glory that ever remain If we resent it if our labours be And cost neglected Oh then what may he With whose both pains and cost if we compare Any or all of ours they nothing are His labour and his patience very great Beside his agonies and bloody sweat He went about by Land and Sea that good He might do unto those who shed his blood Which he most freely poured out that we Drinking thereof might blest for ever be Yet amongst men how slender his reward How few his love or labours do regard Such is the Worlds guise such it constantly Hath been to cast their best concernments by While vanity they love and follow after Mere leasings or fond things of mirth and laughter Yea not only such things they disrespect As tend their greatest weal most to effect But oft repay with hatred and disdain The greatest love and things of greatest gain Whereof as Christ himself the Sovereign Lord Of glory so his choise servants afford Sufficient proof and evidence how great Their pains and labour the World to intreat To save their souls how great their diligence By Preaching Writing Travail Patience In good and bad reports and yet how bad Their intertainment every where how sad Their ill requitals oh at how great cost Have we our Bible truths how many lost Their precious lives laid out their strength and time That we might know the way whereby we climb May up to Heaven and happiness yet who Will even for Heaven it self their lusts forgo Well then may I not grutch at cost or pains Nor grumble at any neglects disdain Or what like things me for my labours shall From any man at any time befall Yea if I for my labours disrespect May meet with it may make me to reflect Upon my self and smiting on my thigh To say Thus thus too much and oft have I Requited God Christ and the holy Ghost And those his servants who unto our coast With pains and travail God's truth carried forth Truths of unspeakable and boundless worth Why then should I complain if I should find Such disrespects as suit less with my mind Or why should I expect respect or look For better likement unto any Book Than usual is for all good things to have Hatred they must expect who souls would save When I and others mend and better be To God they will deal well enough with me AN EPITAPH UPON Mr. THOMAS LILLY Of South-Lin I. THou that go'st by cast here thine eye I sometime walked there I was a Flower I stood my hour And now I 'm fallen here II. I in my time was of the prime That lived in this Town A Lilly fresh but I was flesh And Death hath cut me down III. ALl flesh is grass it 's grace doth pass The best is but a flower The stoutest man do what he can Must dye when 't is his hour IV. If riches could Death's force withhold I had not dyed yet Riches good store I had Death's sore Yet thence no cure could get V. I thought of this I sought for bliss I good attention gave To what I heard the Lord I fear'd And as I sought I have VI. O man thou must return to dust What ever now thou art Dust was thy breed and 't is decreed Thou and the World must part VII Yet thou may'st live if thou do'st give Good heed to mend thy ways For though thou dye yet certainly God will again thee raise VIII For Death came in by loathsom sin But Christ for all did dye And unto those who with him close He 'll give the victory IX Nothing beside will long abide But soon will fade away Consider well Take heed of Hell Think on thy dying day X. So farewel friend and God thee send To live so holily That Heaven may be a place for thee When 't is thy turn to dye FINIS Reader there be too many mistakes of Words Letters and Points the chief of them thou hast here a note of and how thou may'st correct them viz. as follows IN the Title page vers last for inot r. into In the Epistle p. 1. vers 14. for too r. two v. 16. r. woe In the Apology p. 3. l. 32. r. such woers p. 4. l. 36. r. I my self submit In the body of the Poem p. 2. l. 30. put out the full stop at bands p. 5. l. 30. r the vile p. 6. l. 33. for to r. so p. 8. l. 14. put out the stroke of the parenthesis and put it in l. 17. after back p. 11. l. 22. r. the better and their talk p. 34. l. 13. r. they may make p. 39. l. 14. r. good God p. 42. l. 30. r. naught p. 44. l. 20. for vow r. bow p. 54. l. 14. for left r. lift p. 58. l. 10. r. in my joys p. 60. l. 20. r. reprov'st us p. 65. l. last for can r. did p. 66. l. 1. and 3. for make r. made p. 69. l. 24. r. that they in their p. 72. l. 34. r. fill us p. 111. l. 14. for whom r. when p. 131. l. 4. for once r. over p. 139. l. 17. for abhorred r. adhered p. 138. al. 140. l. 33. for to r. so p. 148. l. 9. for is r. if and l. 29. put out is p. 151. l. 30. r. fading p. 161. l. 15. for nosh r. now p. 164. l. last r. do pierce p. 167. l. 14. r. show'd p. 172. l. 15. for best r. blest p. 181. l. 24. for but r. by p. 186. l. 15. the word Lamentations should have been in a great and different character as also diverse other words in the foregoing pages p. 211. l. 22. r. death honour p. 224. l. 33. r. between p. 228. l. 5. for thy r. thee p. 232. l. 26. for caret r. care p. 234. l. 16. r. stinch p. 235. l. 6. r. though p. 244. l. 30. r. thy pledge my holy p. 243. l. 27. for fashion r. fathom p. 254. l. 6. put our the stop at so p. 259. l. 27. r. heart p. 256. l. 22. r. ay p. 260. l. 4. for lovely r. lowly p. 264. l. 4. for this r. his p. 267. l. 28. put out not p. 268. l. 7. for soul r. love p. 276. l. last for oft r. oft p. 295. l. 6. r. and their portion Other mispointings I leave to thy discretion to observe and rectifie in thy Reading