thy self is infinitely better Than if Love made a world of worlds its debter Thy own Perfections by Attraction move As the chief formal Object of Man's Love Though our own Good we may and must intend Thy simple Goodness is Man's chiefest End They that deny this never knew Love's force Which to meer Excellence hath its recourse Or never well considered Love's End Which unto Good for Goodness sake doth tend To be Man's End is but to be most Lov'd And Good 's the Loadstone by which Love is mov'd What though to Thee the creature nothing add That proves Thee perfect neither weak nor bad And therefore fit to be the Final Cause Which all hearts by attractive Goodness draws Love is the Final and Enjoying act Closing with Thee by thy Magnetick tract Not as it mourneth for the Good we want Nor as it after distant Good doth pant 〈…〉 as it reacheth its desires And more as it with Pleasure Thee admires This Love besides its Object hath no End It doth not to some Higher Virtue tend But from a seed grows up to higher stature Of Divine Complacence which is its nature All other Grace is but the means to it They draw the bow but Love the mark doth hit But sinners lost in SELF rise not above The lower Region of their own SELF-LOVE Experience assures me that I can Love a most learned wise and holy man Unseen my very heart is to him knit Without respect to any benefit Reason convinceth me that I should erre If the known BEST my Love should not prefer Should I not rather chuse my self alone To be annihilated or undone Than the whole world should bear the same distress Or Towns or Countries seeing I am less Or the Creator should take down the Sun Destroy the Earth or Rivers cease to run Reason taught Heathens that their Country's good Was worth the shedding of their vital blood A faithful Subject thinks his Life a thing Meet to be cast away to save his King True Souldiers would chuse death if so they may But save their Captains lives or win the day Many have chose to dye through love of friends Preferring them above all selfish Ends. It is not Reason but blind selfish Passion If One refuse to dye to save a Nation A silly useless Wretch should not refuse His Death before a useful mans to chuse My Neighbour as my self I must respect And for my Brethren must my Life reject 1 Joh. 3. 16. O doleful proof of Man's unhappy fall That loves not GOD above Himself and All And if I love him most He is my End Man's Love above the Lover must ascend But O how wisely hast thou made the twist To Love Thee and My Self do well consist Love is the closure of Connaturals The Soul's return to its Originals As every Brook is towards the Ocean bent And all things to their proper Element And as the inclination of the Sight How small soever is unto the Light As the toucht Needle pointeth towards the Pole Thus unto Thee inclines the Holy Soul It trembleth and is restless till it come Unto thy Bosom where it is at home Yet no such Union dare the Soul desire As Parts have with the Whole and sparks to fire But as dependant low subordinate Such as thy Will of nothing did create As tendeth to the Sun the smallest Eye Of silly vermine or the poorest Flie. My own Salvation when I make my End Full Mutual Love is all that I intend And in this closure though I happy be It 's by Intending and Admiring Thee O happy Grace which feeds above the Skies And causest Man above Himself to rise And saves what it denys when worldlings lose What they despis'd and what they lov'd and chose The more I do my self in Love neglect And only to thy Goodness have respect When most my self I from my self abstract This is the sweetest and self-pleasing act Even when I seem to leave my self behind Coming to Thee with Thee my self I find When I am least the Object of my Love And unto Thee do most entirely move My Soul the willing Agent drawn by Grace Will Rest in Love and Vision of thy Face But in this wilderness and vale of Tears How is Love dampt by ignorance and fears For no Man's Love his knowledge can exceed And guilty Terrours disaffection breed Mortals can know thee but as in a glass True formal Knowledge doth man's mind surpass No Thoughts or Names are adequate to Thee They are but Metaphors from what we see Which first thy Works and Image signifie And thence to Thee mens rising Minds apply As far as Faith comes short of perfect Sight And this dark Prison of the Glorious Light So far this distant mediate Love 's below The heavenly Love which mortals cannot know What will it be to love Thee face to face When thou appear'st so lovely in this Glass Thy Goodness is not to that world confin'd To worthless sinful mortals thou art kind Thy mercies to the smallest are not small To some more wonderful but great to all Thy matchless Power doth it self express Upon the smallest Worm or pile of Grass The Methods of thy Wisdom are profound All must admire the depths which none can sound When Man from Holy Love turn'd to a Lye Thy Image lost became thine Enemy O what a Seal did Love and Wisdom find To reimprint thine Image on Man's Mind Thou sentst the Signet from thine own right hand Made man for them that had themselves unman'd Th' Eternal Son who in thy bosom dwelt Essential burning Love mens hearts to melt Thy lively Image he that knew thy mind Fit to illuminate and heal the blind With Love's great Office thou didst him adorn Redeemer of the helpless and forlorn On Love's chief work and message he was sent Our Flesh he took our pain he underwent Thy pardoning saving Love to Man did preach The Reconciler stood up in the breach The uncreated Image of thy Love By his Assumption and the Holy Dove On his Own Flesh thy Image first imprest And by that stamp renews it on the rest Love was his Nature Doctrine Life and Breath Love flamed in his Sufferings and Death Thus Love thine Image Love on Man doth print This Coin thy Son thy Word and Spirit mint He that will have it True must have it here Though Love prepare its way by Grief and Fear Yea oft by these expresseth its Desire They are sincere when kindled by its fire These are LOVE's Methods passing tongue pen Wonders and Joys to Angels and to Men. The Second Part. LOVE which can make its Object did produce This Worm in season for his proper use In the Earth's Garden the most happy Land Where Christians dwel Christian Kings command Where plenteous streams of living waters flow Where the first-fruits of Paradise do grow Whence Proud Dark Bloody Popery was driven To whom the opened Book of God was given Where sacred guides and books
were free 3. But while I sinned thou wast kind And sent'st thy Word and Spirit of Grace Thy Light did change my darkened mind And shewed me my wretched case Though I drew back thou didst prevail And I gave up my self to thee Thou undertook'st for wind and sail Both Ship and Pilot thou would'st be 4. I turn'd my back on worldly toyes And set my face toward Glory's Shore Where thou hast promis'd highest Joyes And Blessedness for evermore I took my leave of Sin and Earth What I had lov'd I now did hate Ashamed of my former birth I gave my Life a newer date 5. But since that time how am I tost Afraid of every storm and wave Almost concluding I am lost As if thou would'st not help and save If I look out beyond thine Ark Nothing but raging Seas I see On this side Heav'ns all 's deep and dark But I look further unto thee 6. Censures and scorns and frowns I hear Storms which before I never found And yet all these I should not fear If all at home were safe and sound But thy displeasure wounds my heart I have but two parts Flesh and Soul Both of thy wrath do bear their part And thou hast left me neither whole The Second Part. 7. All this is just Lord I confess I staid too long ere I came in And how should healing grace do less When I brought with me so much sin Much Pride and Vanity I kept Too oft my heart was looking back Though God stood by me yet I slept Heav'n was at hand yet I grew slack Spare Lord and pity thy poor dust That fled into thy Ark for Peace O cause my Soul on thee to trust And do not my distress increase O keep up life and peace within If I must feel thy chastening Rod Yet kill not me but kill my sin And let me know thou art My God 9. Folly dwelt in my childish breast Sin rob'd me of my youthful daies Let not thy wrath cut off the rest And stifle thine intended praise Whilst I forgot thee thou didst bear Thy kindness did invite me home O rack me not with grief and fear Kill me not Lord now I am come 10. The silent Dust speaks not thy fame Nor in dark Graves art thou renown'd The living Saints declare thy Name And in thy Church thy Praises sound Yet let me with thy houshold dwell Though I be numbred with thy Poor And with thy Saints thy Wonders tell Although I sit behind thy door 11. Set not thy strength against frail man O turn not yet this flesh to Clay My life thou know'st is but a span If I should see the longest day Break me not all to pieces Lord Or else let each piece have a tongue To cry till thou relief afford But not to say Thou dost me wrong 12. Pity this poor unworthy Soul That here devotes it self to thee Resolve my doubts my fears controul And let me thy Salvation see O let that Love which gave me groans And taught my needy Soul to pray Remove my fears and hear the moans Which sorrow breaths forth night and day The Third Part. 13. Why art thou fainting Soul cast down And thus disquieted with fears Art thou not passing to thy Crown Through storms of pain and floods of tears Fear not O thou of little Faith Art thou not in thy Saviour's hand Remember what his promise saith Life and Death are at his command 14. To him I did my self entrust When first I did for Heav'n imbark And he hath proved kind and just Still I am with him in his Ark. Could'st thou expect to see no Seas Nor feel no tossing wind or wave It is enough that from all these Thy faithful Pilot will thee save 15. Lord let me not my Covenant break Once I did all to thee resign Only the words of comfort speak And tell my Soul that I am thine It 's no Death when Souls hence depart If thou depart not from the Soul Fill with thy Love my fainting heart And I 'll not fading flesh condole 16. Health is but Sickness with thy frowns Life with thy wrath is worse than Death My comforts thy displeasure drowns And into groans tunes all my breath Where is that Faith and Hope and Love By which thou markest all thy Saints Thy Joyes would all my griefs remove And raise this heart that daily faints 17. Am I the Jonas dost thou mean To cast me out into the deep It shall not drown but make me clean Until thou raise me there I 'll sleep O Death where is thy poisonous sting O Grave where is thy Victory Thy dust shall shortly rise and sing God's Praise above the Starry Sky 18. My God my Love my Hope my Life Shall I be loth to see thy face As if this world of sin and strife Were for my Soul a better place O give my Soul some sweet foretast Of that which I shall shortly see Let Faith and Love cry to the last Come Lord I trust my self with thee John 11. 14. or 16. O let not unbelieving Thomas words Be now my answer But my dearest Lord's Amen 9. The Covenant and Confidence of Faith To the common Tunes 1. My whole though broken heart O Lord From henceforth shall be thine And here I do my Vow record This hand these words are mine All that I have without reserve I offer here to thee Thy Will and Honour all shall serve That thou bestow'dst on me 2. All that exceptions save I lose All that I lose I save The treasure of thy Love I choose And Thou art All I crave My God thou hast my heart and hand I all to thee resign I 'll ever to this Covenant stand Though flesh hereat repine 3. I know that thou wast willing first And then mad'st me consent Having thus lov'd meat the worst Thou wilt not now repent Now I have quit all Self-pretence Take charge of what 's thine own My Life my Health and my Defence Now lie on thee alone 4. Now it belongs not to my care Whether I die or live To love and serve thee is my share And this thy grace must give If life be long I will be glad That I may long obey If short yet why should I be sad That shall have the same pay 5. If Death shall bruise this springing seed Before it come to fruit The Will with thee goes for the Deed Thy life was in the root Long life is a long grief and toil And multiplieth faults In long wars he may have the foil That scapes in short assaults 6. Would I long bear my heavy load And keep my sorrows long Would I long sin against my God And his dear mercy wrong How much is sinful Flesh my Foe That doth my soul pervert To linger here in sin and woe And steals from God my heart 7. Christ leads me through no darker rooms Than he went through before He that into God's Kingdom comes Must enter by this Door
Thy holy Laws and things unseemly speak And lest the Tempter should advantage take The heav'n-built structure of my Hopes to shake Lest I be drawn with Job to curse the day In which my Soul was marryed to Clay Lest this rash tongue thy precious Loves deny And in distress should call thee Enemy Break not the heart on which thou wrot'st thy Name Lest those blest Letters perish with the frame Thy Word commands us alwaies to rejoice Fain I would do it but thou stop'st my voice Can I rejoyce when as thine angry Dart Is piercing night and day my wounded heart Can I rejoyce and bleed Rejoyce and die Can I rejoyce when thou dost Joy deny Can I mix night and day or death and life Or heat and cold or quietness and strife Or twist the highest joy with deepest sorrow Dwelling near Hell to day Heaven to morrow Will joyes agree with heavy sighs and groans And sweetest comforts dwell with broken bones When I would rise and sing thy Love's renown Then comes another wave and strikes me down Brimstone and flames methinks upon me rain As if I were adjudg'd to Sodom's pain O my Dear God! why dost thou me forsake And all my bones and heart in pieces shake I took thee for my only Life and Joy O do not now this trembling Soul destroy The Answer WEak Child why dost thou make all this ado Dost thou remember whom thou speakest to Dost thou consider what thy passion saith Is this the language of a stable Faith Is this thy Patience and thy Self-denyal Wilt thou thus shrink shake in time of tryal May I not with my own do what I list And use my creature as to me seems best Am I not wise enough to use the Rod Wilt thou prefer thy self before thy God Who 's fittest to be Ruler thou or I Whose Wisdom's best and whose Fidelity When prov'd I false unto thee or unkind When didst thou seek aright and didst not find Look homeward Man there dwells thine Enemy It is thy Self and Sin It is not l. The thing thou should'st complain of is within Turn all thy charge against thy Self and Sin Sin is so bad that it can do no better God cannot fail thee and remain thy debter Such intimations should not pass thy tongue As if the Righteous God could do thee wrong Were Conscience but as tender as thy flesh And Sin as grievous to thee as the lash Hadst thou but lived as beseems a Saint I might have spar'd my Rod and thou thy Plaint Canst thou suspect I am against thy good When I have prov'd my Love by streams of blood Have I not lov'd thee from Eternity And caus'd my only Son for thee to die Have I not call'd thee from a life of sin When thousands round about thee live therein Remember how I us'd thee at the first When in thy blood I found thee at the worst Who gave thee notice of thy sinful state Wakening thy Soul before it was too late Who did convince thee of the worldlings folly And shew thee that it 's better to be holy Who sav'd thee from the world's deceits and lies And wean'd thee from thy former vanities Who taught thee to bewail thy heavy load And made thee long to know and love thy God If thou art willing that I should be thine It is because at first I call'd thee Mine I offered Christ I made thee to consent And in the terms of grace to rest content When thou wast ignorant who did thee teach And made thee long a higher state to reach Who made thee love and chuse the scorned way And cleave to Christ whatever flesh could say Who made thee pray and who thy prayer heard And sav'd thee from the Plagues thy Conscience fear'd Who made thy sinful heart long to be better Art thou not for all this to me a debter That thou dost miss me and my pleased face That thou dost mourn groan is from my grace Freely I did forgive thee what was past And all thy deadly sins behind me cast And yet must I be taken for thy Foe And all these accusations undergo After all this canst thou my love suspect And all my comforts peevishly reject Dar'st thou deny my Love and Grace as none Because that all the work is not yet done Who wrought that grace whose should the honour be While thou condemn'st thy self thou wrongest me Watch and reform and cheerfully obey For what thou wantest wait and strive and pray Thy Love and cheerful duty I require It 's not thy self-tormenting I desire Humbly look back remember what thou wast Be not unthankful for the grace thou hast Deny it not but wait at mercy's door Thankfulness is the way to get thee more If thou art weak look upto Christ thy strength He 'l perfect what he hath begun at length Is not his grace sufficient for thee still He 'l give the rest that freely gave the Will If thou stand still or loyter in thy Race And if my Spur do bid thee mend thy pace Let not the smart make thee lie down and whine And at the needful quickening Rod repine But Up Repent cheerfully do thy best The day 's at hand when thou shalt have the Rest The Submission FAther forgive my passion and rash words Yet I 'le be thine I 'le own no other Lords Seeing thou wilt accept so frail a Worm That can without thee no good thing perform Still I 'le be thine and stand to what I said When I my Covenant and Resignment made I 'le rather groan within and suffer more Than laugh with them that stand without thy door O let thy Will attract and perfect mine Hereafter not My Will be done but Thine And let the roughest way seem fair and eaven That hath thy presence and doth lead to Heaven And as thou bidst me Evermore Rejoyce Give me a joyful heart and praising voice Suffer not sin to soil thy grace and me But make me such as thou wouldst have me be Let streams of Love flow from thy open breast And let me wait and long to feel the REST. 12. The Return To the Tune of Pas Mes Galliard OR The common Psalm Tunes 1. WHO was it that I left behind When I went last from home That now I all disorder'd find When to my self I come 2. I thought I had the door fast lockt When I went last away And long might strangers there have knockt If none had found my Key 3. When I was here the fire did burn That now is almost out Half dead with cold I sit and mourn Perplext with many a doubt 4. I left it light but now all 's dark And I am fain to grope Were it not for one little spark I should be out of hope 5. The Rooms I carefully did sweep But now I find all foul Serpents do crawl and Vermine creep In my polluted Soul 6. My Gospel-Book I open left Where I the Promise saw But
Love but slavish fear All my Religion is but from Self-love I find no pleasure in the things above Jesus Natural Love of Self is the foundation Which Grace builds on and useth for Salvation He that loves not himself loves not another It 's as thy Self that thou must love thy Brother Thy own Salvation is the lawful end Which Grace and Nature bind thee to intend Why was I made man but for man's Salvation I suffer'd Death to hinder thy Damnation These are the ends for which thou must believe Life through a Saviour's that thou must receive â—t's Carnal Self that wicked men do love The Lawful Love of Self they 'l not improve They all prefer sin's pleasure for a season Their fleshly appetite doth rule their Reason Me and my healing Grace they will not have They 'l not endure that Mercy should them save They hate the Light that would their sin display And would direct them in the holy way Though they fear Hell they alwaies fear much more The loss of honour pleasure health or store No fear of Hell will take their Idol down And make them seek first the Eternal Crown The Fear of God is Wisdom's true beginning It calls to Duty and preserves from sinning God must be fear'd as one that can destroy The Soul and shut it out of endless Joy The Fear of God's the Just man's Character They fear not God indeed that wished are God would be fear'd as a consuming fire This is no sin but what he doth require Love may lie hidden as a covered seed When Fear in troubling Passion doth exceed If angry Parents make the Child afraid He feels not Love till Passion be allaid Excessive Fear may hinder active Love And yet the 〈…〉 not 〈◊〉 When God's rebukes and frowns the Soul affright It may dispose his Children unto flight Where Love is true some Hatred may arise When terrours and despair the Soul surprise A loving Child will not his Father own When through mistake or distance he 's unknown The pleasing part of Love cannot appear Under prevailing Grief and too much Fear Until the Soul be calm'd and these abate Love is opprest and seemeth turn'd to hate But doth not Love appear in thy Desire Would'st thou not Love God more fain get higher Would it not please thee more if thou couldst find His Image clearly printed on thy mind His Love and Spirit dwelling in thy heart Then of this World to have the choicest part Wouldst thou not have a heart that can Repent And hate sin more and tenderly relent A heart more fit to Meditate and Pray And walk exactly and God's Laws obey A clearer Light which may God's mind reveal More life and feeling greater heat of Zeal A stronger Faith to live on things above Where endless Praise shall be the breath of Love Sinner Whether I should desire these I doubt If possibly I could be sav'd without Jesus What 's Grace for but to bring thee to Salvation To heal thy Soul and keep thee from Damnation Wilt thou its Nature and its Use destroy And then conceit thou dost it not enjoy Think on 't as that which doth Salvation bring Or else thou mak'st it quite another thing Grace were not Grace if it did not intend Thy Happiness and Glory as its End The means is nullifi'd by separation From the just End to which it hath relation What do men trade for but their lawful wealth And what is Food and Physick for but Health Look not on Grace in one divided notion But the concordant perfect frame and motion Take not one single part but view the whole As it 's the Health and Beauty of the Soul The Life the Strength the Glory the Delight And that which makes it lovely in God's sight The honour safety gain and true content And that which must the pains of Hell prevent Take these as undivided all in one And view not one disjoynted part alone If all together seem a choicer treasure Than worldly gain and sinful fading pleasure And turn the scales in thy deliberation Then doubt not of thy Title to Salvation But dost thou not desire that God would love thee And make thee just and lovely and approve thee Would'st thou not see his face in Glorious Light And there sing Allelujah 's in his sight And love him perfectly world without end More deerly than thou lov'st thy deerest friend Where thou shalt be replenished with joy And no disturbance shall thy Soul annoy Where no temptation sin or grief shall come Where my own Love and Joy shall be thy home Abiding with the Host of Heav'n alwaies In the sweet Musick of Jehovah 's Praise This Glorious Life with God thou must love best Yet as thy own Felicity and Rest In Union and Fruition of a Friend Not one but both the Lovers are the End And hast thou no Desire or Will to this Would'st thou not live with God in endless bliss Sinner Some cold Desires of Heav'n the worst may have But dreaming lazy Wishes will not save Jesus Judge by these three for ending all the strife Thy Estimation Choice and Bent of Life These fleshly pleasures stand in competition Know which thou Chusest as thy best Condition If thou the Everlasting sure Reward More than sins fading pleasures dost regard If GOD and thy Salvation be the part Whose Interest stands highest in thy Heart If thus his Kingdom thou first seek and crave Both it and all things needful thou shalt have Sinner I fear I do not these thy terms fulfil And have not truly a Consenting Will Because so great averseness I still find To God and Holiness upon my mind Such deadness to Believe Love and Repent That there seems more of Hatred than Consent Necessity and Reason use a force Against my Will and Nature's bent and sourse Jesus No man can conquer and obtain Salvation But by resisting carnal inclination Fleshly desires run with speedy course And need not Faith 's or Reason's help and force Earthward you sink propensly as a cold But not so easily ascend to God One motion 's downward th' other 's all uphill Against the byas of the carnal will Too much of flesh remaineth in the best Some enmity to good sticks in their breast Something of Hatred even to God and Grace Contends with Love and troubleth your race In the most mortifi'd the flesh yet liveth And constantly against the Spirit striveth You cannot hear read meditate or pray Or any thing that 's good think do or say But Flesh makes war and stifly doth resist And would prevail did not my Grace assist Conflict and Conquest of this in-bred Foe Must be the way of all the good you do The Question is not Whether Flesh do strive But Whether after Flesh or Spirit you live It is not opposition that will prove That thou art void of Faith or Hope or Love The Law that 's in thy Members will still find Weapons against the Law that 's in
degree of Love With greater Doubts and Fears will saving prove Great Bodies with small souls are animate Great Heads with little Eyes are oculate Small Candles lighten Rooms that are more large A Steward may have spacious Lands in charge The Kingdom may be bigger than the King The Diamond may be smaller than the Ring The House may bigger than the dweller be Great Fear and little Love consistent be But still true Love to God and Man are known More by the Fruits than by the Sense alone â— must be such a Love as when there 's need Will venture suffer visit cloath and feed â— my Dear God! how precious is thy Love Which gently leads us to the Joyes above Love still went on and lined out my way Hedging me in lest I should go astray Yet after this how oft did I transgress By light discourse and wanton play fulness â—ating to fulness Yea even Cards and Dice Began my mind with pleasure to entice But Providence did quickly interpose And by a wonder take me off from those Sin most ensnar'd by pleading lawfulness Though Conscience often did the sin confess That wounded deepest which by seeming small Drew me to venture and resist thy Call And knowingly the same oft to commit Thinking all Christians had as great as it Let all that would not be undone by sin Fly the occasions where it doth begin At first it 's safe and pleasant to resist But O how doleful is it to persist Sin doth not open its design at first Its first appearance sheweth not the worst Flattering the sense it seems to be a friend But it proves pain and poison in the end Pray from Temptation that you may be free If from the evil you would saved be Repentance must convince you that it's gall Which first appeared innocent or small O how it fills the Soul with guilty fears Our filial Evidences blasts and tears Disturbs our Peace and feeds the gnawing Worm Turns our Tranquility into a storm It puts a piercing sting into the Cross And makes Death dreadful as the greatest loss Yet all my folly Mercy did forgive And did my guilty wounded soul relieve O my Dear God! how precious is thy Love Heal me and fit me for the Joyes above Thy Love in order to it s well known Ends Shew'd me great mercy in meet Guides Friends Antient and grave Divines solid and staid Who from Experience both preach'd and pray'd Learned yet counting Christianity The chiefest Learning and Philosophy These as the Fathers of my untaught Youth Were willing to communicate the Truth Their help and fruitful converse was my stay And great encouragement in all my way More pleasant to me than my youthful games My love doth grudgingly suppress their names The company thou gav'st me was not vain â—ot proud or factious sensual or prophane â—â—t serious sober and obedient Those time was in their peaceful labours spent â—umble and meek who made it their discourse â—o stir up Faith and penitent remorse â—inding the Lowest and the Highest things â—ot medling busily with States and Kings Making thy holy Word their chief delight â—nd meditating in it day and night â—ending thy day in works of holiness â—ating prophaneness lewdness and excess Content with little yet aspiring high â—paring no pains for immortality Low in the world but for salvation wise Though scorn'd by faithless fools as too precise O my Dear God! how precious is thy Love Such thou wilt take to dwell with Thee above Thy Mercy did my younger Studies guide Sweet leisure and meet Books thou didst provide And that I might thy Love the better see My Tutor thou thy self wast pleas'd to be As Honey-combs are made by patient Bees Who fetch the matter home by slow degrees In many daies and from a thousand Flowers Not perfecting their work in a few hours So taughtst thou me to wait the Learning time Not reaching first at matters too sublime Few to maturity of Knowledge grow Who think they know before indeed they know Thou didst improve the thirsty love of Truth Which thou hadst given me even in my youth My Labours thou mad'st easie by delight Each daies success did to the next invite But O the happy Method of thy Grace Which gave my own Salvation the first place And first resolv'd me of the utmost end Which all my after Studies must intend Shewing me first Why and For What I must Lay out my Studies that they be not lost Unhappy men who follow base designs And are not Christians when they are Divines O that an Impious Divine were rare Although the terms a contradiction are Alas in what a blind or trembling State Should I all day have at my Studies sate And with how little joy or hope of gains If I had study'd still in Satan's chains O foolish Studies to consider how The Earth is fixed and the Plants do grow What is each creatures specifying cause And what are all their Orders and their Laws When thy own saving Change is to begin And thou hast yet no pardon of thy sin When all the while thou art a Son of Wrath Who to Eternal Life no title hath When in thy flow'ring Studies thou may'st dye And be undone to all Eternity Who would be playing at a childish game While his own House is in a burning flame What if I knew whether the Earth or Sun So swift and unperceiv'd a course doth run Or knew the course and order of the sphears Or were best skill'd in numbering past years Knew all the Houses of the starry Sky And things that are for common wits too high What if I knew all these never so well And knew not how to scape the flames of Hell What gain or pleasure would my knowledge be If I the face of God must never see Or what if I could fool away my time In smooth and well composed idle Rhyme Or dreaming Lovers Fancies could rehearse In the most lofty and adorned verse While my unholy Soul in fleshly thrall Should be lamenting its own Funeral But when my Soul had fixt on God her End Then all my Studies unto him did tend They all were ordered in due place and season Guided by Faith allowed by sound Reason Thou taughtst me first the Only Needful Thing And all my Studies harp'd still on that string Judging the greatest Knowledge to be vain Which tendeth not to the Immortal gain There is a Knowledge which increaseth sorrow And such whose fruit will die before to morrow Yea there 's a knowledge which occasions sin Desire of Knowing did Man's woe begin All means are to be judg'd of by their End That 's good which doth good or doth good portend Its End and Objects which ennoble acts Those that do glorious things are glorious facts Who calls a self-condemning sinner Wise That on a syllable can criticize That can in mode and figure talk in vain Or learnedly his pride and sin maintain That 's best at the resolving of a Riddle
where 's the quickening coelestial fire I know the Eye of Heav'n is on my Heart God looks my Soul should bear the chiefest part It 's winged Faith and flaming Love within That must the pleasant Melody begin The holy Spirit must tune and touch each string Else smoothest Verse will be a harsh dull thing Display thy Love shoot down thy vital Raies Teach this cold heart the works of Love Praise O then what Life and Joy these Psalms will bring When it 's thy Spirit and my Soul that sing And though low streins with stops are here my best Yet Perfect Love and Praise shall be my REST. 6. The Threefold Nativity Prima dies hominem peperit sanctumque secunda Natalis pariet Mors tertia glorificatum MY first Birth-day brought forth a Man in sin But one that could not work nor go nor speak My second did a Life of Grace begin But such alas as yet 's diseas'd and weak The third from fleshly bonds will me release And bring me to the world of glorious Light Where all my sins and vexing griefs shall cease And Faith shall end in perfect Love and Sight This Death begins but 't is the Resurrection That fully shall obliterate sins story And state both Soul and Body in perfection Where Grace and Nature shall be crown'd with Glory As Nature taught me first complaining cryes Before it did acquaint me with Delight So Grace with grief first fill'd my Heart and Eyes Before it shewed me the joyful sight Why should not Death then be a straiter Door Than either that of Nature or of Grace Which brings us unto the Eternal Store Of Joy and Glory in God's shining face 7. Self-Denial A Dialogue between the Flesh the Spirit Flesh WHat become Nothing ne're perswade me to it God made me Something and I 'le not undo it Spirit Thy Something is not thine but his that gave it Resign it to him if thou mean to save it Flesh God gave me Life and shall I choose to die Before my time or pine in miserie Spirit God is thy Life If then thou fearest death Let him be all thy soul thy pulse and breath Flesh What! must I hate my self when as my brot her Must love me and I may not hate another Spirit Loath what is loathsom Love God in the rest He truly love's himself that love 's God best Flesh Doth God our ease and pleasure to us grudge Or doth Religion make a man a drudge Spirit That is thy Poyson which thou callest Pleasure And that thy drudgery which thou count'st thy treasure Flesh Who can endure to be thus mewed up And under Laws for every bit and cup Spirit God's Cage is better than the Wilderness When Winter comes Liberty brings distress Flesh Pleasure 's mans Happiness The Will 's not free To choose our misery This cannot be Spirit God is mans End with him are highest joyes Sensual pleasures are but dreams and toyes Should sin seem sweet Is Satan turn'd thy friend Will not thy sweet prove bitter in the end Hast thou found sweeter pleasures than Gods Love Is a fools laughter like the Joyes above Beauty surpasseth all deceitful paints What 's empty mirth to the delights of Saints God would not have thee have less joy but more And therefore shew's thee the eternal store Flesh Who can love baseness poverty and want And under pining sickness be content Spirit He that hath laid his treasure up above And plac't his portion only in Gods love That waits for Glory when his life is done This man will be content with God alone Flesh What good will sorrow do us Is not mirth Fitter to warm a cold heart here on earth Troubles will come whether we will or no I 'le never banish pleasure and choose we Spirit Then choose not sin touch not forbidden things Taste not the sweet that endless sorrow brings If thou love pleasure take in God thy fill Look not for lasting joyes in doing ill Flesh Affliction 's bitter life will soon be done Pleasure shall be my part ere all be gone Spirit Prosperity is barren all men say The soil is best where there 's the deepest way Life is for work and not to spend in play Now sow thy seed labour while it is day The Huntsman seeks his game in barren plains Dirty land answers best the Plowmans pains Passengers care not so the way be fair Husbandmen would have the best ground and air First think what 's safe and fruitful There 's no pleasure Like the beholding of thy chiefest Treasure Flesh Nature made me a Man and gave me sense Changing of Nature is a vain pretence It taught me to love women honour ease And every thing that doth my senses please Spirit Nature hath made thee Rational and Reason Must rule the sense in ends degrees and season Reason's the Rider Sense is but the Horse Which then is fittest to direct thy course Give up the reins and thou becom'st a beast Thy fall at death will sadly end thy feast Flesh Religion is a dull and heavy thing Whereas a merry Cup will make me sing Love's entertainments warm both heart and brain And wind my fancy to the highest strain Spirit Cupid hath stuck a Feather in thy Cap And lull'd thee dead asleep on Venu's lap Thy brains are tipled with some wantons eyes Thy Reason is become Lust's sacrifice Playing a game at Folly thou hast lost Thy wit and soul and winnest to thy cost Thy Soul now in a filthy channel lies While fancy seems to soar above the Skies Beauty will soon be stinking loathsom Earth Sickness and Death marr all the wanton 's mirth It is not all the pleasure thou canst find Will countervail the sting that 's left behind Blind brutish Souls that cannot love their God! And yet can dote on a defiled clod Why should I think of what will be to morrow An ounce of mirth is worth a pound of sorrow Spirit But where 's that mirth when sorrows overtake thee Will it then hold when Life and God forsake thee Forgetting Death or Hell will not prevent it Now lose thy day thou 'lt then too late repent it Flesh Must I be pain'd and wronged and not feel As if my heart were made of flint or steel Spirit Dost thou delight to feel thy hurt and smart Would not an Antidote preserve thy heart Impatience is but self-tormenting folly Patience is cordial easie sweet and holy Is not that better which turns grief to peace Than that which doth thy misery encrease Flesh When sport and wine and beauty do invite Who is it whom such baits will not incite Spirit He that perceives the hook and sees the end Whither it is that fleshly Pleasures tend He that by faith hath seen both Heav'n and Hell And what sin costeth at the last can tell He that hath try'd and tasted better things And felt that love from which all pleasure springs They that still watch and for Christs coming wait
first appearing of the Day The dawning Light which comes before the Sun As he that to Christ's Scpulchre first run Excites the LOV'D Disciple to do better The certain news of Life comes by the later Fear is Love's Harbinger It is the womb Where Love doth breed till time of ripeness come No wonder if it be not seen till then The Seed and Embrio are hid from men Though Thou com'st in by Love Fear draws the latch Fear makes the motion tho Love makes the match Fear is the soil that cherisheth the feed The Nursery in which Heav'ns Plants do breed God first in Nature finds Self-Love and there He takes advantage to implant his Fear With some the time is long before the Earth Disclose her young one by a springy Birth When Heav'n doth make our Winter sharp long The seed of Love lies hid or seems but young But when God makes it Spring-time his approach Takes from the barren Soul its great reproach When Heav'ns reviving Smiles and Raies appear Then Love begins to spring up above Fear And if sin hinder not by cursed shade It quickly shoots up to a youthful blade And when Heav'ns warmer beams dews succeed That 's ripened fruit which even now was but seed Yet doth not flowring fruitful Love forget Her Nursing Fear there still her Root is set In Humble Self-denyal under-trod While Flower and Fruit are growing up to God After Love's Birth-Day holy Fear and Care The outward Part of the New-creature are As mortal man consists of Flesh and Soul So Fear and Love on Earth do make one Whole Love as the Soul unseen yet bears the sway Fear as the Flesh more felt must it obey By Fear Love doth the daring Flesh restrain And keepeth men awake by threatned pain This frame is mortal Not that Love can dye But leaving Fears will dwell alone on high Yet will retain a Reverent Fear of God But not the terrour of his Wrath or Rod. O my Dear God! how precious is thy Love How wise thy Methods to the Life above Thou first appear'dst in Lightning as to Paul My heat abated at thy feet I fall The voice with which thy Call thou didst begin Was to convince me and reprove my sin I first enquired of thee who thou art And then what duty thou hadst made my part Thus Fear and Care began but the sweet Name Of Jesus did reviving Hope proclaim And though long time it scarcely did appear Yet sure some hidden spark of Love was there I lov'd thy Holy Word Good Books were sweet Those that did with my own condition meet Heart-searching Ministers were my delight ☞ Those that did most my drowsie Soul excite I dearly loved all in whom I saw A Love to Thee and Care to keep thy Law The speech and sight of Holy men was sweet I honour'd them and could have kist their feet I felt their living words go to the quick When common idle prating made me sick I dearly lov'd my serious bosom friend Who did in Love my failings reprehend That could my doubting troubled mind condole And help to keep awake my sleepy Soul Who could unfold the Mysteries of Grace And speak particularly to my case Sweetly disclosing his experience Extolling Mercy from his own deep sense One that had been instructed by the Rod And boiled over in the Praise of God Who early and oft in the night would rise To offer Thee a Thankful Sacrifice Who warm'd me with his Zeal when I was cold And my remissness lovingly controul'd Who stirr'd me up and taught me how to pray And friendly watcht and warn'd me every day And yet his Piety did not exceed His Charity to those that were in need For such a friend I had though after all Himself became my warning by his fall As more than One or Two have done since then Shewing when Grace withdraws we are but Men. O my Dear God! how precious is thy Love These are the seeds what are the fruits above Yet did I scarce discern that it was Thee Whom in the Glass my pleased Mind did see But though thine Image more incur my sense I love it for the pourtrayd excellence It 's not because the Workmanship is fine But Good and Holy and because it 's Thine I better know the Map that 's in my hand But yet by it I better Love the Land Sure when I lov'd thy Books and every letter I lov'd the Sense and End and Author better He loveth Wisdom sure who loves the Wise It 's like he loves the Light who loves his Eyes If one in Prison had his life begun Where he had never seen the shining Sun Yet if he dearly love the Candle-light He 'd urely love the Sun which is more bright Or if the Sun had alwaies clouded been And men its scattered Light alone had seen â—'s true our Thoughts and Love of that we see Would more exact and satisfying be But to the unseen Cause as it is Better Our Love of Estimation would be Greater And even a Knowledge general and dark Would be the Chooser of our End and Mark. That Love 's most sensible which Sense doth breed But that Commands which Faith and Reason feed The Country than the Map I must confess ☞ â—s much less known but is not known as less A Creat and Certain Object should do more Though darkly known than trifles at my door An Unseen Kingdom would with men prevail To leave their Native place and hoise up sail And venture over stormy boisterous Seas which shews that great things tho unseen most please No wonder if the Knowledge be most clear Or little things which to the sense are near These narrow parcels we can comprehend When unseen Greatness doth the mind transcend But yet This moves the Wheels and is the Spring Before the nearest sight of some small thing That is most Loved which I make my End To which my great designs and actions tend For which I can all other Treasure spend Although I do it darkly apprehend O my Dear God! how precious is thy Love Unveiled fully to thy Saints above As fire first kindleth on the nearest Wood My sense thus fixed on the nearest good And where sense fixed there with greatest sense The mind did exercise its Complacence It seem'd more cold to that which distant was Yet still looks further as I forward pass And towards my End the nearer Heav'n I go My Love abstracteth more from things below Love seemeth to get ground and Fear decaies Doubting Grief give place to Thanks Praisâ— And tho Fear wrought with greatest sense before And was in bulk and violence much more Yet the least spark of Love which is sincere Will save the Soul tho mixt with greater Fear Who loves God somewhat the world above him Loving not God as God he doth not love him Love must be so far tryed by the measure That God be Lov'd above all earthly Treasure But that suppos'd the least
save the goods some to purloin The well-built Piles curious Rooms must down To buy the Safety of the fearful Town A Neighbour's house is used like a Foe 's Because the Fire the Hook no diff'rence knows Fear pulleth down the next to save the most And ruines more than needs lest all be lost Smoak and confused crouds do blind men's eyes All are amaz'd with hideous flames and cryes So England too combustible before Seeing so great a flame so near her door Was frighted into such Convulsion Fits As first did break her Peace and next her Wits Dangers breed fears and fears more dangers bring The Bees to save their Honey use their Sting Rowz'd in an angry Swarm they seek their Foe The next they meet must feel the smarting blow Caetera desunt praesunt adsunt I purposed to have recited the most notable mercies of my Life in continuing this Hymn of Thanksgiving to my gracious God but the quality of the Subject and the Ages Impatience stopt me here and I could go no further and my painful and spiritless Age is now unfit for Poetry And the matter is so large as would have made the Volume big 3. The Resolution PSAL. 119. 96. Written when I was Silenced and cast out c. LORD I have cast up the Account What it will cost to come to thee I find to what it will amount A serious Christian to be When Flesh was weighing thou put'st in Thy Love and the Eternal Crown Against a Feather and a Sin And yet it thought these weigh'd thee down Fool as I was I took its word And chose what Flesh did recommend How could I more have wrong'd my Lord Or more his Love and Name offend It had been wiser to have thought The Earth is weigh'd down by a Fly Than to prefer a thing of nought Before the Love of the Most High I see now what false Scales can do In a deceitful partial hand I will no more believe a Foe But to the holy Covenant stand 1. Will Friends turn Foes That cannot be They were my greatest Foes before That would have kept my Soul from thee Their Malice now can do no more I 'll bid these cruel Friends farewel Even Satan would be such a Friend He 'd please and flatter me to Hell And thither doth their friendship tend He wants not Friends that hath thy Love And may converse and walk with thee And with thy Saints here and above With whom for ever I must be In the Communion of Saints Is Wisdom Safety and Delight And when my heart declines and faints It 's raised by their Heat and Light Thy Spirit in them speaks and prayes Their speech is holy clean and quick Dead hearted fools talk but of toyes Their speech and mirth even makes me sick 2. Must Lies and slanders me defame That Innocence may not be known Must proud men's malice blot my Name With Epithets that are their own Thou justifi'st when Men accuse Thou 'lt answer all the spite of tongues And do them right whom men abuse And plenteously repair their wrongs It 's no great matter what Men deem Whether they count me good or bad In their applause and best esteem There 's no contentment to be had I stand not to the Bar of Man It 's thy displeasure makes me sad My thoughts and actions thou wilt scan If thou approve me I am glad 3. Must I before the Ruling Power Be call'd with shame to plead my Cause And judged as an evil doer And as a breaker of their Laws So was the Lord of Life accus'd Slander'd and scorn'd with cruel spight And as a Malefactor us'd And one that claimed Caesar's right False witness cloudeth Innocence Truth seemeth conquer'd by a Lie Patience for bears a just defence And Life it self is judg'd to die Methinks I see thee cloath'd with scorn And spit upon and buffeted And crowned with the piercing Thorn Away to Execution led It most amazeth me to think Thou barest the repute of Sin The bitter Cup which thou didst drink Had nothing bitterer therein The Sun did well to hide his face When Sin did Righteousness eclipse And the most Just is with disgrace A Sinner judg'd by sinners lips Thy steps Lord in this dirt I see And lost my Soul from God should stray I 'll bear my Cross and follow thee Let others chuse the fairer way My face is meeter for the Spit I am more suitable to shame And to the taunts of scornful wit It 's no great matter for my Name 4. Must I be driven from my Books From House and Goods and dearest Friends One of thy sweet and gracious looks For more than this will make amends The World 's thy Book There I can read Thy Power Wisdom and thy Love And thence ascend by Faith and feed Upon the better things above I 'll read thy works of Providence Thy Spirit Conscience and thy Rod Can teach without book all the sense To know the World my Self and God Few Books may serve when Thou wilt teach Many have stoln my precious time I 'll leave my Books to hear thee Preach Church-work is best when thou dost chime As for my House it was my Tent While there I waited on thy Flock That work is done that time is spent There neither was my Home nor Stock Would I in all my Journey have Still the same Inn and Furniture Or ease and pleasant dwellings crave Forgetting what thy Saints endure My Lord hath taught me how to want A place wherein to put my head While he is mine I 'll be content To beg or lack my daily bread Heav'n is my roof Earth is my floor Thy Love can keep me dry and warm Christ and thy Bounty are my store Thy Angels guard me from all harm As for my Friends they are not lost The several Vessels of thy Fleet Though parted now by Tempests tost Shall safely in the Haven meet Still we are centred all in thee Members though distant of one Head In the same Family we be By the same Faith and Spirit led Before thy Throne we daily meet As Joynt-Petitioners to thee In spirit we each other greet And shall again each other see The Heavenly Hosts world without end Shall be my company above And thou my Best and Surest Friend Who shall divide me from thy Love 5. Must I forsake the Soil and Air Where first I drew my vital breath That way may be as near and fair Thence I may come to thee by death All Countries are my Father's Lands Thy Sun thy Love doth shine on all We may in all lift up pure hands And with acceptance on thee call Those banish'd are that go from thee Strange to thy Service Love and Grace And lost in sin do never see Thy Kingdom and thy pleased face May but my Soul dwell near my God And walk with him in Faith and Love No matter where be my abode Till to his Glory I remove 6. What if in
Can turn away from or despise the bait Flesh Must I be made the foot-ball of disdain And call'd a precise fool or Puritane Spirit Remember him that did despise the shame And for thy sake bore undeserved blame Thy journey 's of small moment if thou stay Because dogs bark or stones lie in the way If life lay on it wouldst thou turn again For the winds blowing or a little rain Is this thy greatest love to thy dear Lord That canst not for his sake bear a foul word Wilt thou not bear for him a scorners breath That underwent for thee a cursed death Is not Heav'n worth the bearing of a flout Then blame not Justice when it shuts thee out Will these deriders stand to what they say And own their words at the great dreadful day Then they 'd be glad when wrath shall overtake them To eat their words and say they never spake them Flesh How Forsake all Ne're mention it more to me I 'le be of no Religion to undo me Spirit Is it not thine more in thy Fathers hand Then when it is laid out at sins command And is that sav'd that 's spent upon thy lust Or which must be a prey to thieves or rust And wouldst thou have thy riches in thy way Where thou art passing on and canst not stay And is that lost that 's sent to Heav'n before Hadst thou not rather have thy friends and store Where thou maist dwell for ever in the light Of that long glorious day that fears no night Flesh But who can willingly submit to Death Which will bereave us of our life and breath That laies our flesh to rot in loathsom graves Where brains and eyes were leaves but ugly caves Spirit So nature breaks and casts away the shell Where the now beauteous singing bird did dwell The secundine that once the infant cloath'd After the birth is cast away and loath'd Thus Roses drop there sweet leaves under-foot But the Spring shew's that life was in the root Souls are the Roots of Bodies Christ the Head Is Root of both and will revive the dead Our Sun still shineth when with us it's night When he return's we shall shine in his light Souls that behold and praise God with the Just Mourn not because their bodies are but dust Graves are but beds where flesh till morning sleep's Or Chests where God a while our garments keeps Our folly thinks he spoils them in the keeping Which causeth our excessive fears and weeping But God that doth our rising day foresee Pitties not rotting flesh so much as we The birth of Nature was deform'd by sin The birth of Grace did our repair begin The birth of Glory at the Resurrection Finisheth all and brings both to perfection Why should not fruit when it is mellow fall Why would we linger here when God doth call Flesh The things and persons in this world I see But after death I know not what will be Spirit Know'st thou not that which God himself hath spoken Thou hast his promise which was never broken Reason proclaims that noble heav'n-born Souls Are made for higher things than Worms Moles God hath not made such faculties in vain Nor made his Service a deluding pain But Faith resolves all doubts and hears the Lord Telling us plainly by his holy Word That uncloath'd Souls shall with their Savior dwell Triumphing over Sin and Death and Hell And by the Power of Almighty Love Stars shall arise from graves to shine above There we shall see the glorious face of God His blessed presence shall be our abode The face that banisheth all doubts and fears Shuts out all sins and dryeth up all tears That face which darkeneth the Sun's bright rayes Shall shine us into everlasting joyes Where Saints and Angels shall make up one Chore To praise the Great Jehovah evermore Flesh Reason not with me against sight and sense I doubt all this is but a â—ain pretence Words against Nature are not worth a rush One Bird in hand is worth two in the bush If God will give me Heav'n at last I 'le take it But for my Pleasure here I 'le not forsake it Spirit And wilt thou keep it brutish flesh how long Wilt thou not shortly sing another Song When Conscience is awakened keep thy mirth When sickness death comes hold fast this earth Live if thou canst when God saith Come away Try whether all thy friends can cause thy stay Wilt thou tell Death and God thou wilt not die And wilt thou the consuming fire defie Art thou not sure to let go what thou hast And doth not Reason bid thee then forecast And value the least hope of endless Joyes Before known vanities and dying toyes And can the Lord that is most just and wise Found all man's duty in deceit and lies Get thee behind me Satan thou dost savour The things of Flesh and not his dearest favour Who is my Life and Light and Love and All And so shall be whatever shall befall It is not thou but I that must discern And must Resolve It 's I that hold the stern Be silent Flesh speak not against my God Or else hee 'l teach thee better by the rod. I am resolved thou shalt live and die A servant or a conquered enemy Lord charge not on me what this rebell sayes That alwaies was against me and thy wayes Now stop its mouth by Grace that shortly must Through just but gainful death be stopt with dust The thoughts and words of Flesh are none of mine Let Flesh say what it will I will be thine Whatever this rebellious Flesh shall prate Let me but serve thee Lord at any rate Use me on earth as seemeth good to thee So I in Heav'n thy Glorious face may see Take down my Pride let me dwell at thy feet The humble are for earth and heav'n most meet Renouncing Flesh I Vow my self to thee With all the Talents thou hast lent to me Let me not stick at honour wealth or blood Let all my dayes be spent in doing good Let me not trifle out more precious hours But serve thee now with all my strength and powers If Flesh should tempt me to deny my hand Lord these are the Resolves to which I stand Octob. 29. 1659. Richard Baxter 8. The Prayer of the Sick in a Case like Hezekiahs To the Tune of the 51 Psalm The First Part. 1. ETernal God whose name is Love Whose mercy is my hope and stay O hear and help me from above That in distress to thee do pray Ashamed to lift up my face Hence from the dust to thee I cry Though I have sinn'd against thy Grace Yet unto it alone I fly 2. I was at first in sin conceiv'd Then liv'd a vain and sinful life Rebellious flesh which I receiv'd Is still against thy Grace in strife Long it was Lord alas too long Before I knew my self or thee Vanity rul'd my heart and tongue And O that yet my Soul
now I doubt it 's lost by theft I find none but the Law 7. And when my Soul I had undrest And thought some ease to find I found distress instead of rest Through anguish of my mind 8. For Thorns were put into my Bed Where I was wont to sleep Grief is the pillow for my head On which I lie and weep 9. And if I slumber up I start My dreams awake my fears The thorns have pierced head and heart And drawn forth more than tears 10. The stormy Rain an entrance hath Through the uncovered top How should I rest when showers of wrath Upon my conscience drop 11. My goods I fear are gone to waste The best I cannot find The rest are in disorder cast Which yet are left behind 12. I lock'd my Jewel in my Chest I 'le search lest that be gone If this one Guest had quit my breast I had been quite undone 13. I know it's Sin that did all this For nothing else could do it I 'le charge upon it all I miss And with the Law pursue it 14. My treacherous flesh hath plaid its part And opened Sin the Door And they have spoil'd and rob'd my heart And left it sad and poor 15. How shall I see my Landlord's face How shall I pay his Rent When I have thus abus'd his grace And have his Treasure spent 16. Yet have I one great trusty friend That will procure my Peace And all this loss and ruine mend And purchase my release 17. When I the Prodigal had plaid And all my Portion spent He told me he my Debts had paid And bade me but Repent 18. Yea this by his supply was done Whose Covenant bade me do it Because I had not of my own So much as would serve to it 19. And after this when my false heart Forgot my Dearest Lord He did perform a Saviour's part And still my Soul restor'd 20. I fear'd lest as but once he dy'd He would but once forgive But still when in distress I try'd He did my Soul relieve 21. Still when He took me by the hand My Father on me smil'd Oft have I broken his Command And yet he call'd me Child 22. I know his Power And for his Love It spoke by pains and blood Largely doth he his kindness prove And make his Promise good 23. Therefore I 'le never more despair Nor take my self for lost For he will all my loss repair Though at the dearest cost 24. Yea more I have his hand to shew That when my Lease is out A Kingdom he 'l on me bestow He chides me if I doubt 25. I 'le trust on him and use his Name Whatever be my need And I shall scape the wrath and shame And shall be sure to speed 26. And for that sin that plaid the Thief I 'le stop its poisonous breath Or pine it with consuming grief And famish it to death 27. And I 'le take heed for time to come Of wandering abroad With my best constant friend at home I 'le settle mine aboad 28. The Bellows I 'le yet take in hand Till this small spark shall flame Love shall my heart and tongue command To praise God's holy Name 29. Once more I mean to sweep all clean And cast out filthy sin And Christ again I 'le entertain And wait on him within 30. I 'le mend the Roof I 'le watch the Door And better keep the Key I 'le trust my treacherous Flesh no more But force it to obey 31. I 'le make a Covenant with my eyes My tongue shall know its Law I 'le all the baits of sin despise And keep my heart in awe 32. My Bed shall be made soft by Love And there I 'le take my rest Or else I 'le wake till I remove Where none dwell but the Blest 33. What have I said That I 'le do this That am so false and weak And have so often done amiss And did my Covenants break 34. I mean Lord All this shall be done If thou my heart wilt raise And as the work must be thine own So also shall the Praise 12. The Lamentation Jan. 18. 1660 1. For Sin afflicting the Sinner especially by the grievous sufferings of Friends With the Relief of the Self-condemning Soul O Mercy Mercy Mercy O my God! Must I feel nothing but thy smarting Rod Must I be daily on the rack of sears And have no drink to quench my thirst but tears Where is the Spring that feeds this bitter stream That stops not either when I wake or dream These Worms of Fear and Grief whose food I am Into the world as brethren with me came Youthful diversions cast them once asleep But Light awaken'd them to bite more deep Since then I liv'd between thy Book and Rod And in thy School of Discipline abode Sometimes thy gentle twigs toucht but the skin Sometimes thy sharper stroaks did enter in Most of them fell but on my outward part But now they pierce they wound they kill my heart Spare Lord I sigh I groan I weep I cry O spare before I bleed I sink I die O spare the Heart or wound none but mine own And let me sigh and weep and mourn alone It 's I that sinn'd these Sheep what have they done I sinn'd but with One Heart O break but One Shall I that have extoll'd thy peoples Joyes And told men of the sweetness of thy waies Now by my plaints and dolor make them think Thou giv'st us Gall and Vinegar to drink Set me not as a spectacle of wrath To frighten commers from the holy path Be silent flesh my God is Wise and Just Hast thou not sinned stoop and kiss the dust If Passion did not blind thee thou might'st see Justice is good even when it falls on thee It is not causless if he pierce the Heart He doth but chuse the foul the guilty part Had not the door been open'd first to sin Terrour and sorrows could not have got in If it have room for thoughts of Pride and Iust That trouble should dwell with them is but just Where should the tent be put but in the wound We cleanse the ulcerous part and not the sound Where should Jehovah's battering Cannons play But at the Fortress where his Enemy lay Thence came the viperous brood there was the root Of all the bitter poisonous deadly fruit There God should have been entertain'd in Love His Will as End Spring each wheel should move But how unkindly was he there abus'd His tender Love and healing Grace refus'd Oft have I shut the door when he hath come I play'd or slept or would not be at home Should God be sleighted by a stubborn Heart And not rebuke its folly by its smart I sinn'd and laugh'd I lightly pass'd it over Should God do so and not his wrath discover Just is the Lord My sin hath found me out I find his threatenings true beyond all doubt What have I done All 's now to Conscience known It s