front y title I. Oliverâ— Scuâ— The Pirgin drest vp in her Gallantâ—â— The glorious state e'th soul doth 〈◊〉 Before the Fall Her outward Robes 〈◊〉 Her inward Beauty was beyond compaâ— But naked striâ—â— when satan did deceive her And Hells wide jaws stood readâ— to receive 〈◊〉 frout y title I. Oliver Scuâ— THE Glorious Lover A DIVINE POEM Upon the Adorable Mystery of Sinners Redemption By B. K. Author of War with the Devil Psalm 45. 1. My Heart is inditing a good matter LONDON Printed by J. D. for Christopher Hussey at the Flower-de-Luce in Little Britain 1679. The PROEM YOV Gentle Youths whose chaster Breasts do beat With pleasing Raptures Love's generous heat And Virgins kind from whose unguarded Eyes Passion oft steals your hearts by fond surprize All you who Amorous Stories gladly hear And feed your wand'ring Fancies by the Ear Those treacherous Delights a while lay by And lend attention to our History A History with Love and Wonders fill'd Such as nor Greece nor Rome could ever yield So great the Subject lofty the Design Each part is Sacred and the whole Divine If you its worth and nature well shall weigh 'T will charm your Ear your best Affections sway And in dark Minds spring an Eternal Day My Muse is rais'd beyond a vulgar flight For Cherubs boast to sing of what I write I write But 't is alas with trembling hand For who those boundless Depths can understand Those Mysteries unvail which Angels do With dread Amaze desire to look into Thou glorious Being from whose Bounty flows All good that Man or does or speaks or knows Whose Altars once mean Turtles entertain'd And from the mouths of Babes hast strength ordain'd Purge with thy Beams my over-clouded mind Direct my Pen my Intellect refine That I thy matchless Triumphs may indite And live in a due sense of what I write And you dear Sirs that shall vouchsafe to read Charity 's Mantle o're my failings spread High is my Theme but weak and short my Sight My Eyes oft dazled with Excess of Light Yet something here perhaps may please each Guest 'T is Heavenly Manna though but homely drest Paul became all to All and I would try By this Essay of mystick Poesy To win their Fancies whose harmonious Brains Are bettrr pleas'd with soft and measur'd strains A Verse may catch a wandring Soul that flies Profounder Tracts and by a blest surprize Convert Delight into a Sacrifice How many do their precious time abuse On cursed products of a wanton Muse On trifling Fables and Romances vain The poisoned froth of some infected Brain Which only tend to nourish Rampant Vice And to Prophaneness easie Youth entice Gilt o're with Wit black Venom in they take And ' midst gay Flowers hug the lurking Snake Here 's no such danger but all pure and chast A Love most fit by Saints to be imbrac'd A Love 'bove that of Women Beauty such As none can be enamour'd on too much Read then and learn to love truly by this Vntil thy Soul can sing Raptur'd in Bliss My Well-beloved's mine and I am his BOOK I. CHAP. I. The Excellencies and Perfections of the glorious King the Lord JEHOVAH discovered Shewing how he had but one Son the express Image of the Father the delight and joy of his Heart and of the glorious and eternal Design of this most High and Everlasting JEHOVAH to dispose of his Son in Marriage Moreover how the matter was propounded by the Father and whom he had chose to be the intended Spouse Shewing also how the Prince readily consented to the Proposal and of his first grand and glorious Atchievements in order to the Accomplishment of this happy Design IN the fair Regions of approachless Light Where unmixt Joys with perfect Love unite Where youth n'ere wasts nor Beauty ever fades Where no disease nor paining-grief invades There reigns and long hath reign'd a mighty King From whom all Honours and all Riches spring His vast Dominions reach from Pole to Pole No Realm nor Nation but he could controul So great his Pow'r there never yet could be An absolute Monarch in the World but he What e're seem'd good to him he freely did And nothing from his piercing Eye was hid To him the mighty Nimrods all did Bow And none durst boldly question What dost Thou Justice and Wisdom waited on his Throne And through the World his Clemency was know His Glory so Illustrious and Bright It sparkled forth and dazled Mortals sight Immense his Being for in every Land He present was and by each Soul did stand No Spies he needed for Intelligence In Foreign parts to bring him Tydings thence And vain to him was Court-dissemblers Art He saw each corner of the subtlest heart View'd acts unborn and plain discoveries wrough E're labouring Fancy once could mould a Though Beheld mens minds clearly as were their faces And uncontain'd at once did fill all Places His awful frown could make the Mountains shak And Stoutest hearts of Haughty Princes quake All things were his who did them first compose And by his wisdom doth them still dispose To serve his Friends and to destroy his Foes His Azure Throne with Holiness is spread The pure in heart alone his Court may tread No vitious Gallant Proud Imperious Vain In Court nor Kingdom will he entertain He 's th' essence of true Vertue spotless pure And no ungodly one can he endure No wicked person to him dares draw nigh Though ne're so Rich so Mighty or so High 'T is Righteousness his blessed Throne maintains Who all Injustice utterly disdains Nay Holiness doth this great Soveraigne cloath And such as weare it not his Soul doth loath But above all the Glories which did wait Upon this High and Peerless Potentate His Pity did the most transcendent prove Matchless his Power but greater still his Love Such bowels of Compassion ne're were known Nor e're such proofs of vast Affection shown His kindness beyond all that Pen can write Or Heart conceive or nimblest Brain indite This Sovereign Love our wond'rous Subject brings Our Hist'ry from those melting Ardours springs For this great King had a most lovely Son And had indeed no more save only one Who was begotten by him and brought forth E're Heav'ns blew curtains did surround the Earth Before the World's foundations yet were laid Times glass turn'd up or the Sun's course displaid This Prince was brought up with him and did lye In his dear Bosom from Eternity He was his only Joy and hearts delight Who ever did behold him in his sight And as he made his Father's heart most glad He was sole Heir to all the Father had Who freely gave all things into his Hand And made him Ruler over every Land Designing still to raise his Dignity Above each Earthly Prince or Monarchy And him intitle with a glorious Name Which none of all the Heav'nly Host dare claim What glory is there in each Seraphim Yet must they
you call The glorious Prince of Light Is not a person lovely in my sight He 's not so modish pleasant Debonair As those brisk Gallants whom my Fancy share I must have other Eys wherewith to see Before he can be countenanc'd by me This said away the foolish Soul doth â—ly Will hear no more but with a scornful Eye Neglects her Bliss Deaths dark paths doth trace Rather than saving Truths of Life imbrace Who being gone a Neighbour does appear That would be glad fully her Case to hear And that he clearly might have it exprest He thus himself to Theologue Addrest Vicinus Grave Sir Since in your Reverend face I read All works which do from Curtesy proceed I am emboldned to desire of you Some satisfaction in a point or two I late have heard some Rumours of such News As puts my wondring spirits to a muse 'T is of a Prince unparallel'd for Love That took a Journey down from Heav'n above To seek himself a Spouse and as I hear She unto him will no Affection bear Though for Descent Riches and Beauty too Never the like did mortal Creatures know This Soul-amazing Sense-bereaving story Has fill'd my ravisht Ears What matchless Glory Is his whose Love is far beyond Expression And what Creature is this must have possession Of such a glorious Heart Sure she 's no less Than one of High Descent some Emperess Or Virgin Queen at least whose Beauty 's rare Mixt with choice Vertue both beyond compare The total sum doubtless of every Grace Makes a composure in her Heav'nly Face And there all true Perfection is united To make one Phoenix that has thus invited This mighty Prince to do her so much Honour As seek her Love and set his Heart upon her To sue so earnestly and undertake Mighty Atchievements only for her sake For to encounter with a wrathful Foe That sought an universal overthrow Of mortal Creatures and in every Land Subjected all unto his proud Command The strangeness of it sets me all on fire And kindles in my heart a strange desire Impatient of delay till you discover The Creature that has got so rare a Lover Theologue To put a period to thy Admiration Come let thy Wonder-smitten Cogitation Now give attention and I soon will show The truth of what thou dost desire to know The Creature whom this mighty Prince doth grace With Love lives very near unto this place We all do her as our next Neighbour own Much is she talkt of yet but seldom known You sure have heard before she was by Birth Of high descent the splendor of the Earth Unblemisht Beauty neither spot nor stain Whilst in her Virgin state she did remain To speak her pedigree in Truth she springs From no less Root than from the King of Kings Whom Scriptures call The Father of all Spirits And none but he that Blessed Name inherits From him she did at first derive her Name And Heaven and Earth eccho'd her glorious Fame Fair Cynthia Illustrious Queen of Night With all her borrowed Rays ne're shone so bright The King 's true Image in her face did shine No Glory like to Glory that 's Divine But that which doth the greatest Wonder raise And may the quick'st profoundest Wits amaze Is the sad change and miserable state She 's in since first she did degenerate Her Lustre tarnisht and her Beauty faded Filth and Corruption every part invaded Oh! it was then on her this Prince did look When of her God and guide she was forsook For though she was indeed thus nobly born Her Blood is tainted and her state forlorn She that in splendor once appear'd so bright Is now deform'd and blacker than the Night Foul putrifaction doth her Beauty cover She 's full of Ulcers and defil'd all over Th' infection spreads it self in every part Her eyes her hands her head but most her heart Her feet whose loyal steps she once divided To follow the great God have so backslided That they most swiftly from him run astray In every sinful and forbidden way Her Arms are filled with unchast Embraces She 's stain'd her Beauty and lost all her Graces Her Breath once sweeter than Arabian Spices Whose rare Perfumes make Houses Paradises Offensive is to all that come but near her Her Tongue is so unclean God loaths to hear her Which was her Glory in her youthful days When she with joy sung forth his blessed Praise But that which may sound stranger in thine Ear And seem indeed too hard for Love to bear Is her Adult'ries her unchast delights Her Amorous Kisses wherewith she invites Her wanton Lovers nothing else can prove So much distastful to unspotted Love As when the Embers of Lusts raging fires Burn in the Bosom of unchast desires Vicinus But stay Dear Sir What Lover is 't would kiss A Creature loathsom and so vile as this And how came she into so sad a Case That once adorned was with so much Grace Theologue If you kind Neighbour please to lend an Ear These things in order I will fully clear Her Lovers are more loathsom far than she With whom she 's joyned in Affinity From them she took the foul disease at first And ever since remains vile and accurst The Serpent did beguile her with such fruit As did her Vitals poison and pollute Not that the fruit in ' moral sense was evil But ' cause she took it tempted by the Devil After on pain of Death it was forbid Ah! t' was from hence it so much mischief did Besides she 's guilty of another Deed She 's made a League with one that did proceed From Hell's black Region where her wanton Eye Could see no Object but Deformity A Contract she has made I say with one Begot by proud but curs'd Apollyon Monstrous by Nature and as vile by Name Ah! she has chosen him unto her shame His nature 's poisonous his very Breath Is so infectious that it threatens Death To every one to whom he is united Yet with this Monster is her heart delighted Who to my Prince is a most desperate Foe And to speak plain the cause of all his woe Since first the Soul was with base Lust acquainted From Top to Toe all over is she tainted She that was once so rare a comely Creature Sin has not left her now one lovely Feature The Splendid Beauty of the whole Creation Is thus become a meer Abomination For since her self to Lust she prostituted Her inward Faculties are so polluted That she 's become unto Jehovah's Eye The truest pourtraict of Deformity She that sometimes no Evil understood Is now become an Enemy to Good For this vile Monster by Apollyon's pow'r Did not only corrupt the Soul all ov'r But very cruel they did further prove Whilst they pretended kindnesses and Love For they most wickedly put out her Eyes She might not see her own Deformities And being thus both blinded and defil'd Was also rob'd and treacherously spoil'd Of
A piece of thine nay but a little part That have deserved more than a whole heart 'T is all the heart or none do'st think it fit Sin and the Devil should have part of it Would any Lover such strange love receive To be contented that his Spouse should have Some other Suiters and to them should cleave What sayst deceived Soul why standst thou mute Disclose thy inward thoughts and grant my Suit O speak or if thy doubtful mind be bent To silence let that silence be consent If thou wilt grant me that whole heart of thine We 'l exchange hearts I 'le give thee all of mine She look'd about she mus'd she paus'd a while Whilst he on her cast forth an Heav'nly smile Sweet rays of Glory glanced from his Eye Enough to ravish all the standers-by So great a lustre from his garments shone It dazl'd all weak eyes to look upon Like as the Sun his glorious beams displays Dispersing every way his sparkling rays When in his strength splendor bright doth shine So glister'd forth his Glory all Divine Ne're such a beauty carnal eyes beheld Ah! one sweet sight of him has wholly fill'd The greatest Soul that liv'd and there is still Enough in him millions of Hearts to fill And none but Him alone can satisfie The Soul of Man the Soul-enlightned eye But stay and hear the Answer which is given By the deceived Soul O let the Heaven And Earth astonish'd stand whilst stubborn she Deny'd his Suit will not persuaded be To o'pe her door who longs to enter in To fill her Soul with joy destroy her sin Soul Strange 't is to me such beauty should be there What so amazing glorious none so fair When I no loveliness in him can see The World and outward pleasures seem to me More rare and spriteful far the better choice Such things I like but for this Lover's voice His Face and Favour I ca'nt so esteem Nor can I leave all things for love of him Therefore be gone and cease thy suit for I Have fixt my mind elswhere my heart and eye Is set on that which outward eyes can see Lord let me not be troubl'd more with thee O stay my Muse reach me an Iron Pen Tâ— engrave this on the marble hearts of men Let Sinners look within then let them read Themselves ungrateful blind and dark indeed Would not each Soul conclude this Creature were Besides her self or else deserv'd to bear The great'st contempt and pity'd be by none That bids such a dear Lover to be gone How oft has he by precious motives try'd The Soul from sin and evil to divide And make her too obdurat heart relent And take such ways as Wisdom do's invent His Passions Sighs and Tears are ready still As the officious agents of his Will To work her to a sence of her estate But she 's alas so dark and desperate That his sweet voice of so divine a strain So moving mov'd her but seems all in vain He sighs for her he knows her sad distress He asks her love but still without success Ah Sinners view your rocky hearts and then Smite on your breasts lament and read agen The glorious Lord his love 's so strange so great He knows not how to think of a retreat His soul is griev'd yet takes not her denial But makes a new Essay another Trial. Jesus Did did I love thee from Eternity And my celestial Kingdom leave for thee Did I Man's humane nature freely take Did I my bed in a poor Manger make Did I engage the cruel'st of all Foes Did I from men and Devils meet with blows Did I such kind of tortures undergoe Which men nor Angels can't conceive or know Did Wrath pursue and Justice fall on me And did I bear it all for love to thee Ah! did I sweat great drops of Sacred Blood Until the ground was sprinkled where I stood And were my feet and hands nail'd to the Tree Whilst my dear Father hid his Face from me Have I with joy delight and chearful heart Indur'd all this excessive pain and smart And out of precious love to thee I bore And must I still be kept out of thy door Shall shall I leave thee then and take my flight Into some foreign Land and let the Night Of dismal darkness be thy lot for ever Where direful Wrath all graceless souls do sever From all sweet shines of my Eternal Face That thou mayst there bewail with shame thy case When shades of frightful darkness thee do cover Thou wilt condole the loss of such a Lover Must I be gone must I my farewel take And leave thee to thy self my heart doth ake To think upon thy state when I do leave thee Far rather would I have these Arms receive thee What slight a Saviour thus a Friend indeed An early Friend a Friend who chose to bleed For thee and in thy stead that so thereby He might enjoy thee to Eternitie Farewel false Soul I bid thee now adieu Take what will follow dread what will insue Grief sorrows sickness and a troubled mind Will thee pursue until thou com'st to find A changed heart and vengeance do's allot Ruin to those thou lov'st who love thee not I 'le kill them all who have insnar'd thy heart Before from thee for ever I depart Ah! how my Soul with a tempestuous tide Of tears is overwhelm'd whilst I 'm deny'd My Suit by thee my passions overflow To see thee slight me and my passion too What tread me underfoot whilst vanity And worldly joys are Jewels in thine eye As if best good and sweet'st content lay hid In that gay fruit which is alone forbid He woo's the Soul says no he still replies He sweetly sues she wickedly denies He woos afresh she answers with disdain I cannot love but he intreats again At last he leaves her and his Suit adjourns He views the Soul and griev'd away returns He bids farewel and yet he bids it so As if he knew not how to take her No. He bids farewel but 't is as if delay Did promise better farewels than his stay He now withdraws but 't is with a design His absence might her heart the more incline To th' love and liking of him or to see What by some other means perform'd may be As Lovers often times by rules of Art Devise new ways to gain upon the heart Of such they love to bring them to their bow Like things sometimes doth Jesus also do T' incline the Sinners heart he hides his face And brings them into a distressed case He lays them on sick beds for to discover The worth and need of such a Sacred Lover Poor Sinners ponder well what you do read And mind those thoughts which woo you to take heed How you neglect slights the day of Grace Or to base lust and vain delights give place Now sickness comes Death begins to fright her And 't is no marvel if the Lord do
do men fly from the Pestilence And wilt not thou learn wisdom Soul from thence Sin is a plague that kills eternally All souls of men unless they swiftly fly To Jesus Christ no Med'cine will do good Nor heal this plague but this Physicians Blood What blindness is there then in thy base heart 'T is not the plague th' Physician must depart Thou shutst the door wilt not let him come in Whose purpose is to heal the plague of sin Nay what is sin 't is poison in a Cup That 's gilt without and men do drink it up Most earnestly with joy and much delight Being pleasant to the carnal appetite Sin 's sâ—cet to him whose soul is out of taste But long alas its sweetness will not last Sin 's sweet to th' flesh that dos it dearly love But to the Spirit it dos poison prove Hast hast thou suck'd this deadly poison in And dost not see thy vital parts begin To swell art poison'd Soul look look about To get an Antidote to work it out Before it is too late The poison 's strong Don't stay a day twelve hours is too long One dram of Grace mixt with repenting tears The grace of perfect love that casts out fears Mixt with that Faith which kills all unbelief Took down with speed will ease thee of thy grief Will purge thy soul and work by vomit well And all vile dregs of venom 't wil expel Unless thou vomit up each dreg be sure No hope of life one sin will Death procure Unto thy soul Repentance is not right Till sin nay every sin 's forsaken quite Not only left but as a poisonous Cup They greatly loath what e're they vomit up No evil like the evil called Sin Which thou dost love which thou tak'st pleasure in Again what 's sin it is an horrid Thief Or a Deceiver nay it is the chief Or grandest Cheater too that e're was known He has rob'd thousands nay there is but one That lives or e're has liv'd but rob'd have bin By this great Thief by this Deceiver SIN No petty Padder his ambitious Eye Doth search about he subtilly does spy Into the place where all the Jewels lie The first he seizes is the Jewel Time He 〈◊〉 robs each Soul of all their prime And chiefest days which mercy doth afford Which should be dedicated to the Lord. And more then this not one good thing they have But them of it does this curst Thief deceive Sweet Gospel Grace nay and the Gospel too And all that glory which they also do Confer on us Souls are deceiv'd hereby And yet they know it not they don't espy The way it works it 's done so secretly Sin robs the soul of its sweet Jewel Peace And in its room do's grief and anguish place Who ever doth this grievous loss sustain Can't have it made up unto him again By Treasures of all Kingdoms here on Earth No valuing it no knowing of its worth Another thing this Thief has in his Eye And lays his Fingers on then by and by Doth bear away it is the Jewel Soul A loss which mortals ever shall condole For had a man ten thousand worlds to lose The loss of them far better had he chose Than lose his soul why would you think it strange What shall a man for 's soul give in exchange There 's one rich Jewel more and 't is the chief That is aim'd at by Satan and this Thief Ah! 't is a thing more worth than all the rest How how can then the value be exprest It is a precious Stone that shines so bright It doth the heart of the great God delight He loves it dear 't is that his eye 's upon And nought he prizes like this precious Stone This Stone poor Soul he offers unto thee What sayst thou to 't canst thou no beauty see No worth in that which God accounts so rare Strange ' t is shall I the cause of it declare Sin blinds thine eyes and dos beguile thee so Thou for a Pepple lets this Jewel go This stone know thou is the Pearl of great price Let not this base Deceiver thee entice To slight dear JESVS wilt be such a fool To lose thy time thy Christ peace and thy soul Be thou more wise and more considerate Thou dost alas thy pleasures over-rate Let 's go to th' ballance prethee Soul let 's weigh The Pearl of price make hast and quickly lay Into the scales the flesh and loads of pleasure For honour all the acts of mighty Cesar And cast whole mines in too whole mines of treasure Add world to world then heap a thousand more And throw them in if thou canst find such store And see which ballance of them is too light Lo it is done and thine 's such under-weight It seems as if thy scale was empty quite Let 's take the Pearl out and then le ts put in An airy bubble now let 's weigh agin See see fond Soul thy scale aloft dos fly There 's nothing in 't 't is less than vanity What folly was 't to make the first compare What weigh the world with Christ no need is there To run that parallel thou now mayst find Thy self deceiv'd thou labour'st for the wind For sin 's compos'd of nought save subtil wiles It fawn's and flatters and betrays by smiles It 's like a Panther or a Crocodil It seems to love and promises no ill It hides its sting seems harmless as the Dove It hugs the Soul it hates when vow 's tru'st love It plays the Tyrant most by gilded pills It secretly insnares the Soul it kills Sin 's promises they all deceitful be Does promise wealth but pay us poverty Does promise honour but dos pay us shame And quite bereaves a man of his good name Does promise pleasure but does pay us sorrow Does promise Life to day pays Death to morrow No evil like to th' evil called Sin Which thou dost love which thou tak'st pleasure in Again what 's Sin a second Dalilah Which in the bosom lies does tempt and draw The Soul to yield unto its cursed ways And resteth not until it quite betrays It's Life into the proud Philistines hands Who take and bind it with base churlish bands Nay and most cruelly puts out its eyes Makes it grind in their Mill. Devils devise All this and more then this when they do get The poor deluded Soul into their net Lastly what 's Sin read thou the former Part Of this small Book O view the bitter smart Thy Saviour bore it pierc'd his very heart Think thou upon his bloudy Agony 'T is that opes best its hellish mysterie And shews the venom which in it dos lie No evil like the evil called Sin Which thou dost love and tak'st such pleasure in Had evil man's fool-hardiness extended No further than himself and there had ended 'T were not so much but O! I do espy Another is much injured thereby Ten thousand times more excellent in worth
And then I trust thou wilt with sacred Vows Contract thy self to him become his Spouse Whose left hand 's full of Treasure in his right Are Honours great and Pleasures infinite A Prince you know dispos'd to make Election Of a Consort before he 'l place Affection Will first enquire if the Virgin be In Person Parts Estate or Pedigree Equal unto himself but if in case She be of low descent of Parents base Compar'd with his or not so noble born Or has debas'd her self or is forlorn He thinks it is below him once to place Or fix his love on her he fears disgrace But if the Lady chance to equalize him She 's not so much oblig'd to love or prize him ' Yond common bounds because saith she I am No whit inferiour unto him my name Records the noble stock from whence I came But if a Prince should chance to set his love Upon a person that has nought to move So great a Lord to make that choice then she Amazed yields with all humilitie Can do no less than humbly give consent Yield up her self with great astonishment But she who doth reject such love is acted Like one bereav'd of sense nay quite distracted Misguided Soul and is not this the case What worth 's in thee to him O! vile and base Instead of love deservest to be hated Since from thy God thou hast degenerated And yet the blessed Jesus don't despise thee But from thy loathsom dunghil fain would raise thee But to proceed I now will give to thee Of Christ's sweet Love a short Epitome 1. 'T is a first-love as soon as he past-by And saw thee in thy blood he cast his Eye Whilst thou in that sad gore didst weltring lie Nay unto thee most precious love he had Before the fabrick of this World mas made 2. It is attracting Love its nature 's such 'T is like the Loadstone hadst thou once a touch 'T would make thy iron-Iron-heart with speed to move Nay cleave to him in bonds of purest Love 3. 'T is a free Love there 's nought at all in thee Which can deserve his favour yet does he Not grutch thee his dear Love although so great The glorious King of Kings does oft intreat Those Souls to his imbraces who contemn His proffer'd grace and still love shews to them 4. 'T is ' bounding Love like Nilus overflows All banks and bounds his Grace no limit knows 5. 'T is a delighting Love there 's nought more sweet She found it so who washt his precious feet He takes delight and sweet complacency In those he loves his heart affects his Eye He resteth in his love and who can turn His heart away or damp those flames that burn In his dear breast none ever lov'd as he Who for his Spouse was nailed to the Tree 6. It is a Victor's Love he 'l wound and kill All Enemies who do oppose his Will Where he lays Siege he 'l make the Soul to yield By love he overcomes and wins the Field His Captive Soul thou certainly must be His love is such 't will have the Victorie 7. It is abiding and Eternal Love 'T will last as long as he nought can remove His love from such on whom he casts his Eye And for whose sake alone he chose to die The love which did appear to Saints of old Did graciously this glorious Truth unfold I with an everlasting Love saith he Have set my heart upon or loved thee And therefore I have drawn thee unto me Know he who thus doth his sweet love commend To his dear Saints loves them unto the end 8. 'T is a great Love most powerful and strong Hence 't is he thinks each hour and minute long Till he imbrace thee in his Sacred Arms Where he 'l secure thee from all the harms And dangers great by Men or hellish charms Fathers although they love their Children dear Yet never did from them such love appear David lov'd Absolom yet gives consent Nay he himself decrees his banishment A Mother may forget her sucking Child As some have done although of nature mild Yet forc'd by famine cruelly have shed Their Childrens bloud and of their flesh have fed But Ah! his Love 's so free so strong so great He gives his bloud to drink his flesh for meat Unto the Soul and those who it receive Shall never die and none but such can live 9. His Love is matchless 't is without compare Who neither flesh now bloud nor life did spare The love of Women which the World esteems Most strong in sweet affection their love seems An empty shadow and not worth regard When with his Sacred Love it is compar'd The Husbands Wives and Fathers may abound Yet no such love as Christ's was ever found Abraham and Isaac both lov'd their Wives Yet neither of them sacrific'd their lives Jonathan's love to David did exceed The love of Women 't was a Love indeed But what was Jonathan â—s great love to this Ah! less than nothing when compar'd to his Christ's love exceeds all natural Love as far As bright Aurora doth the smallest Star But Oh! in vain do we compare his Love With any thing below no 't is above Comparison 't is so immense so great We cannot find it out though Man's concert Is larger than expression though profound Yet Man's conception never yet could sound The depth of Love's unfathomable bliss So great so deep so bottomless it is Betwixt his Love and ours the disproportion Is like one drop of Water to the Ocean Or as the smallest dust that 's fiercely driven To the whole Globe or like as Earth's to Heaven The Sun for clearness with his splendent face The Moon for swiftness in her Zodiack Race The Saâ—ds for nomber and the Heaven for height The Seas for depth the ponderous earth for weight Yet with more certainty and with less doubt Be weigh'd and measur'd than Christ's love founâ— out O depth O heigth O breadth O wonderous length Of this great Love O uncompared strength Of true affections Love that is Divine What 's natural love Lord when compar'd to thine Such a redundancy of Love is found Whoever dives into these depths is drown'd Ten thousand Sea ten thousand times told o're Add to these Seas ten times as many more Let all these Seas become one deep Abyss They'd all come short in depth compar'd to this The Moral Natural nor the Spiritual Man With all their Understanding never can Find out the Nature of Christ's Love alas It doth all Knowledg ' nfinitely surpass O may these Depths Heigths have pow'r to move On thee till thou art swallowed up in Love That that which cannot comprehended be By Men nor Angels may comprehend thee And thou being fill'd with it may'st sweetly lie In depths of Love unto Eternitie The Spir't with this let fly a piercing Dart Which wounded dreadfully her stubborn heart It pierc'd to th' very quick and made her smart Now now she
all do Homage unto him The Cherubims likewise must all submit And humbly worship at his Royal Feet With trembling Reverence for he dâ—th bear The express Image of his Father dear And his Majestick Glory doth unfold Tooâ— right for any creature to behold Untill transform'd into an Heav'nly mould The Lusâ—re of his Face the loveliness Of compleat Beauty and of Holiness His Personal Sweetness and Perfections rare No tongue of men or Angels can declare For 't is recorded by unerring Pen He fairer was than all the Sons of men Which in its proper place will more appear But mind at present what doth follow here This mighty King whose Glories thus did shine Had long on foot a very great Dâ—sign Which was in Marriage to dispâ—â—â— this Son The blessedst Work that ever could be done This Secret then to him he does disclose And whom for him he had already chose Tells him the way and means whereby to bring About this strange and most important thing What he must do and all things doth declare To which the Son doth lend attentive ear Who never did his Father disobey Nor him displease would not in this say nay But straight-way shew'd with joy chearful mind He was that way himself long time inclin'd For with a Heav'nly smile he made reply This Creature is the Jewel of mine eye Great King of Kings thy Sacred Sovereign Will With greatest Joy I 'm ready to fullfil My heart 's inflam'd with love and will be pain'd Till she for my imbraces be obtain'd With secret transports long have I design'd That happy Match in my Eternal Mind To people with a new and holy Race Th' Immortal Mansions of this Glorious Place Such is the Love which unto her I have 'T is strong as Death and lasts beyond the Grave Where e're she be for well I understand She 's spirited of late to a strange Land Winged with Love I 'le search the World about And leave no place unsought to find her out If any Foe doth Captive her detain I'lebe her Rescue and knock off her Chain Or if half stifled she in Prison lye I 'le break the Bars and give her liberty I will refuse no Labour nor no pain Thee dearest Soul into my Arms to gain Such was this Prince's love and now t is fit We tell you who the object was of it Within the Limits of the Holy Land Whose Glory once shone forth on every hand And near the Borders of rare Havelah Where Creatures of each kind first breath did draw Where Pison's streams with Euphrates did meet Where did abound all Joy and Comfort sweet Without the least perplexity or wo Where Bdellium and the Onyx Stone did grow Did a most choice and lovely Garden lye Renowned much for its antiquity For Sacred Story has proclaimâ—d its name And rais'd up Trophies to its lasting fame Within that Garden dwelt in Ancient time A very lovely Creature in her Prime Mirror of Beauty and the World 's chief glory Whose rare composure did out-vy all Story Fair as the Lilly e're rude hands have toucht it Or snow unfal'n before the Earth hath smucht it The perfectst work which wondring Heav'n could see Of Nature's Volumn blest Epitome Her glorious Beauty and Admired Worth What mortal tongue is able to set forth True Vertue was the Object of her will There was no stain in her no Feature ill No scaâ—r nor blemish seen in any part Her Judgment uncorrupt and pure her Heart Her thoughts were noble words most wise not lavish Her natural sweetness was enough to ravish All that beheld her from her sparkling Eye A thousand Charms a thousand Graces fly No evill passion harbour'd in her breast Or with bold Mutinies disturbâ—d her rest For what 's not borne yet needs not be represt Her Lineage Noble of such high degree None e're could boast a greater Pedigree A Dowry too she had a fair Estate Conferr'd upon her at an easy Rate In brief in all Indowments she did shine Stampt with his Image who is all Divine But that which most unto her bliss did add Was the great Honour which some time she had Of the sweet presence of a glorious King From whom alone true Happiness doth spring He oft declar'd her his grand Favourite And that with her was his endear'd delight For precious love to her burn'd in his heart And nothing thought too dear for to impart Or unto her most freely to bestow Of all the Treasures he had here below This was her state at first none can gain-say But then mark what befell her on a day She did not long in this condition stand Before a cursed and most traiterous Band Of Rebels who shook off Allegiance And ' gainst their Sovereign did bold Arms advance Intic'd her to their Party and destroy'd All those rare Priviledges she injoy'd Which grand offence did so the King displease That she his wrath by no means could appease Nor had she any Friend to speak a word To stay the Tortures of the Flaming Sword No purpose 't was alas for her to plead Why Sentence should not against her proceed Who well knew in her conscience 't was but right She should thenceforth be banisht from his sight And his most glorious Face behold no more As she with Joy had seen it heretofore The rightful Sentence passed though severe Which might strike dead the trembling Soul to hear Exilâ—d she was from him with fearful Ire And laid obnoxious to Eternal fire Turn'd out of all her Glory with a curse No state of Mortal Creatures could be worse And now she 's forc'd to wander to and fro Finding no rest nor knowing what to do A foreign soile alas she must seek out And where to hide her self she looks about A wretched Fugitive she straight became A shame unto her self to all a shame Yet this vile wretched Creature so forlorn The Subject of contempt and general scorn She she 's the Object of this Prince's Love She 't is to whom his warm Affections move 'T was in her fallen state he cast his eye Although he lov'd her from Eternity Who wandring thus into a Foreign Land Far off of him he soon did understand There was no other thing for him to do But must a Journy take and thither go If he 'l accomplish this his great Design Of making Love a Love that 's most divine The Father now doth part which his dear Son Who 's all on fire and zealous to be gone And what though it a grievous Journy be Its bitterness he is resolv'd to see His high Atchievements nothing shall prevent His mind and purpose is so fully bent That he in his own Kingdom will not stay One Minute after the appointed Day But that you may more fully yet discover The matchless flames of this most glorious Lover Permit us to present unto your view The Court he left the Dungeon he went to The Kingdom where this Hiâ—h-born Prince did dwell All other
Countries vastly doth excel Its Glory splendid is and infinite It cannot be beheld with fleshly sight Ten thousand Suns ten thousand times more bright Then ours is could never give such light None ever there beheld a Cloud nor shall Nor ever was there any Night at all No cold or heat did ever there displease No pain nor sorrow there nor no disease No thirst nor hunger there do any know Nor any foes to seek their overthrow Disturb their peace or them i' th least annoy Nor is there any Devil to destroy And if one would that Kingdom searth about There is no finding of one poor Man out No sooner any such do thither get But on their Heads a glorious Crown is set Congratulating Angels round them wait And cloath them all in long white Robes of State They live in boundless Bliss with such content It raises Joy unto a Ravishment There 's Rivers too of Pleasures fil'd to 'th Brim In which the Prophets and Apostles swim There Beauty fadeth not nor Strength decayes No weary old Age neither end of Dayes Impossible it is for them to dye Whose Souls have tasted Immortality All there is Love and Sempiternal Joys Whose sweetness neither gluts nor fullness cloys Friends always by for absence is not known Their loss or departure none can bemoan Within the confines of this blissfull Land There doth a spacious foursquare City stand The noblest Structure 't is that e're was rais'd By men admired or by Angels prais'd The Founder of it was a mighty King Yet without hands t' was built amazing thing As for th' Marterials which did it prepare From a good Author this description hear The Luke-warm Blood of a dear Lamb being spilt To Rubies turn'd whereof its parts were built And what dropt down in a kind gellied Gore Became rich Saphire and did pave her Floor The Brighter flames that from his Eyebals ray'd Grew Chrysolites whereof her walls were made The Milder glances sparkled on the ground And grounsild every Door with Diamond But dying darted upwards and did fix A Battlement of purest Sardonix Its Streets with Burnisht Gold are paved round Stars lye like Pebbles scattered on the ground Pearl mixt with Onyx and the Jasper Stone The Citizens do alwayes tread upon Here he with 's Father in great state did sit Whilst millions bow'd themselves unto his Feet Here 't was he kept his Court here was his Throne From hence through all the World his Glory shone And if ought could unto his Greatness add Mark what a rich Retinue there he had He Servants kept of very high Degree Who did bow down to him continually Though they were Nobles all and far more high Than proudest of the Roman Monarchy And mighty great in Power too are they For one alone did no less Number slay Than near two hundred thousand in one night Of Valaint Souldiers trained up to fight These Troops still ready stood at his command To execute his will in every Land Of them he 'd an Innumerable Host Though some of them in ancient times were lost Yet the selected number Millions were Who still to him do true Allegiance bear True Love and Zeal burn'd in their breasts like fire To do his Will 's their business and desire 'T is his greâ—â—â—â—â—'rest which they wholly mind Aiding his Friends 〈◊〉 welfare they design'd And likewise evermore to frustrate those Who did their Prince's Soveraignty oppose Their Nature's quick and clear as Beams of light Creatures too pure for Mortals grosser sight And if we shall consider well their worth Meer Empty Nothings are all Kings 'o th Earth When to these Servants they compared be So much excells their glorious Dignity What of their Sovereign Lord then shall we say On whom they do attend both night and day When they before his dazling Throne appear Their Heav'nly faces straight way cover'd are As if not able on his Face to look Or else with glorious blushings Heaven-struck Such such his Court such his Attendants were Who could with this great Prince of light compare Oh what Celestial Glory didst thou leave Almost beyond mans credence to believe That thou shouldst thus thy Fathers house forsake And such a tedious dismal Journey make Could not that charming Melody above Allure thy thoughts and hinder thy remove Oh no! there 's nothing can retard thy Love Hark how the glorious Seraphims do sing Whose warbling notes do make the Heavens ring What Mortals ever did such Musick hear Spirits made perfect are quite ravisht there Oh! how they listen whilst the Strains rise higher And joyning gladly with th'All-charming Quire Sing forth aloud inspired with his flame All Glory Glory Glory to his Name One strain of this Celestial Harmony Could Mortals hear they soon would thither fly They straight would shake off all their carnal shackles And quit these dull and loathsom Tabernacles Like towring Larks still upwards would they soar And ravished would think of Earth no more Or like to herds of Cattel great and small Theyâ—d leave their feedings and run thither all But yet could not this lovely Paradise These Honours or this Melody intice The love-sick Prince unto a longer stay So much he longed for the Marriage day No thing could his Design divert or move So constant was he in his Royal Love His Travels next will you be pleas'd to hear Which raises wonder in me to declare Ten thousand millions and ten thousand more Of Angel-measur'd Leagues from th'Eastern shore Of Dunghil Earth this glorious Prince did come Did ever Lover go so far from Home To seek a Spouse What brave Heroick Spirit That e're did love of vertuous Princess merit Would not have found his trembling heart to ake So vast an Enterprize to undertake Such dangers to expose himself unto Such pleasure and such glory to fore-go But some 't is like may ask a question here Unto what Parts or Region did he steer Or whither did he travel whither go A very needful thing for all to know Was 't to some Goshen-Land of precious Light Or in to some Elysian Fields which might With Boundless Pleasures thither him invite Was it a Kingdom somewhat like his own For Bliss and Glory or what kind of one Was this strange Land to which this Lover went To find the Soul forc'd into Banishment Alas dear Sirs this may you still amaze And to a higher Pitch your wonder raise As far as Darkness differs from the Light Or dolesom Earth falls short of Heaven so bright As Heavens higher are than Earth or Seas A thousand times ten thousand of Degrees So far that place where this sweet Prince did dwell The other to which he travel'd did excel As that transcends for loveliness most rare So this in wickedness exceeds compare Egypt was once a dark and dolesom place When no one could behold his brother's face Though there the sacred stories plainly tel 't The darkness was so great it might be felt Yet was that but a figure
you must know Of the black horror of this Land of Wo Whither the wretched wandring Soul was gone And whence her Lover now must fetch her home It was indeed an howling Wilderness A Region of dispair and all distress Where Dragons Wolves Lyons and ravenous Beasts Had their close Dens and Birds of Prey their Nests Besides throughout the ruinated Land A Black and fearful King had great Command Who had revolted many years before From his Liege Lord and to him since has bore Most cruel spight and curs'd malignity Assuming to himself the Soveraignty The greatst Usurper that e're being had Sylla nor Nero never were so bad For 't is well known he was th' original Syre Of Tyrants all and taught them to aspire Ambitious through the World to spread his Arms He fill'd the Earth with Blood and sad Alarms And like a ravenous Lyon rang'd about To seek his Prey and find new Conquests out Full of State-Policies and Subtil wiles Where 's Force attempts in vain his Fraud beguiles Most cruel to those Slaves he can betray And yet the Fools besotted to his sway Court their own ruine and blindly obey His Antient Lord he hated most of all And such as were his offspring great and small He was resolv'd to be reveng'd upon And them for to destroy e're he had done From whence his name was call'd Apollyon A name which doth his Nature full express And you of him thereby my further guess This greedy Dragon hungry of his prey With wide-stretcht Jawes stood waiting for the day When this dear Prince should come nay for the hour That so he might him instantly devour Oh Tyrant Love dost thou no pity take Wilt thou the PHAENIX of both worlds thus make A prey to such a Fiend who by some snare Hopes to entrap this long expected Heir And then to take Possession and alone Rule on an undisturbed Hellish Throne See how the Troops of his Infernal Power Combine this Sacred Person to devour Needs must that be a sad and dismal Land Where this damn'd Monster hath so great Comand What Prince would come from such a Mount of bliss Unto a Cave where Poysonous Serpents hiss Come from his Father's Bosom where he lay To be the Wolves and Dragons chiefest prey To leave his glorious Robes and Cloth of Gold And clothed be with Raggs and Garments old From ruling men and Devils now to be Tempted by both of them scarce ever free To leave a Paradise of all Delight And come into a Land as black as night A glorious Crown and Kingdom to forsake That he his bed might on a Dunghil make To leave a sweet and quiet Habitation To come into a rude distracted Nation Where Wars Blood and Miseries abound Where neither Truth nor Faith nor Peace is found To leave his Friends who loved him most dear To dwell with such as mortal hatred bear To him and to his blessed Father and All such as do for them most faithful stand To come so many Millions of long miles To be involv'd in Troubles and sad Broils And all this for a Creature poor and vile A Traiterous Vagabond and in Exile Yea one that still remain'd a stubborn foe â—ating both him and his blest Father too Who ponders all in extasy can't miss To cry out Oh! what manner of Love is this Sure this is Love that may our Souls amaze And to the height our wondring Spirits raise In grateful Hymns to celebrate its praise CHAP. II. Shewing what entertainment the Prince of Light meâ— with at his first arrival How there being no room for him in the Inn he was forced to lie in the Stable and make his bed in the Manger As also how he having laid aside his Glorious and Princely Robes was not known by the people of that Country and how he was wronged and abominably abused by them AWake my Muse I hear the Prince is come Go and attend him view the very Room Where he at first doth lodg see how they treat A King whose Pow'r is so exceeding great Much Rumor of his coming I am told Was spread abroad amongst them there of old And many waiting for him long'd to see What kind of King and Person he should be Oh! what provision now to entertain Him did they make my Soul 's in grevious pain To hear of this Doth not the Trumpet sound And Joy and melody sweetly abound I' th hearts of all who heard of this good News How did they carry 't to him or how use This lovely One whom Angels do adore And Glorious Seraphims fall down before Ah! how methinks should they now look about Some curious stately Structure to find out Some Prince's Palace for his Residence Or strong fair Castle for his safe Defence Don't people leap for Joy whil'st Angels sing To welcome in their long expected King Do not the Conduits through all streets combine In stead of Water wholly to run Wine Do not great Swarms of people 'bout him sly Like to some strange and glorious Prodigy What dos't thou say my Muse Art wholly mute Doth this not with thy present purpose suit Ah! yes it does but how shal't be exprest The grief that seizes on my panting Breast My heart into a trembling fit doth fall To think how he contemned was of all The Savage Monsters did this Prince reject And treat him with affronts and disrespect When he for them had taken all this pain They neither would him know nor entertain The very Inn where first he went to lie For to vouchsafe him Lodging did deny No Room alas had they but if 't were so He would be there to th' Stable he must go To 'th Stable then goes he contentedly Without the least reflection or reply The silly Ass and labouring Ox must be Companions now to Sacred Royalty Expos'd by Greater Brutes he must alas Take up with the Dull-Oxe and painful Ass Who their great Maker and Preserver was And in the Manger's forc'd to make his bed Without one Pillow to support his Head Let Heav'n astonisht Earth amazed be At this ungrateful Inhumanity Let Seas rise up in heaps and after quit Their Course these Barbarous people to affright Oh! what a mighty condescention's here What story may with this with this compare Is this the entertainment they afford And this a Palace for so great a Lord Is this their kindness to so dear a friend Do they him to a filthy Stable send Is that a Chamber suiting his Degree Or fit the Manger should allotted be For him to lay his Glorious Body in Of whom the Prophet saith he knew no Sin Whose footstool's Earth and Heaven is his Throne What ne're a better Bed for such an one That has so vast a Journey undertook And for their sakes such Glory too forsook Is this great Prince with such mean Lodging pleas'd So that he may of love-sick pains be eas'd O what a Lover's this Almighty Love How potently dost thou affections move What
when he heard what had that wretch befel He hastned back to 'th Land of Israel But news being brought of Archilaus's Raign Soon found it needful to remove again So being warn'd of God to Galilee He turn'd aside and there at present we Shall leave him whilst we may more fully hear The great design of this his coming there Some possibly may say was 't not to take Unto himself a Kingdom and so make Himself Renowned Great and very High Above each Prince and Earthly Monarchy 〈…〉 Was 't not to take the Crowns of every King And all their Glory to the Dust to bring To set their Diadems on his own head That so the Nations might be better led Was 't not to take Revenge upon his Foes And grind to Powder all that him oppose Was it not to commence his glorious Raign That so he might the pride of Nations stain Herod t is like as you before did hear Such things might dream and it might vainly fear But wholly groundless for alas he came Not as a King to punish but a Lamb To offer up in sacrifice his Life To put an end to all tormenting strife And only gain a poor but long'd-for Wife His sole design I told you it was Love 'T was that alone which brought him from above These hardships and these pains to undergo And many more which yet we have to show For these are nothing in comparison Of those which must be told eâ—re we have done He in those parts had been but thirty year And little had he don that we can heâ—r About obtaining of the Creatures love But gloriously did then the matter move Unto the Soul who little did it mind For she alas was otherwise inclinâ—d For the Black King that had usurp'd that Land An Ill shapt Bastard had of proud command Whom having drest up in a much Gallantry He did appear so pleasant in her Eye That he before had her affections won And in her heart established his Throne Though he design'd no less than to betray And murder her in an infidious way Of which the silly Soul was not aware But fondly blind could not discern the snare Too like alas to many now a dayes Whom fawning words and flattery betrays This Imp of Darkness and first-born of Hell Transform'd by Witchcraâ—â— and a cursed Spell Like a brisk gawdy Gallant now appears And still false locks and borrowed Garments wears Then boldly sets upon her and with strong And sweet lip'd Rhetorick of a Courtly tongue Salutes her Ears and doth each way discover The Amorous Language of a wanton Lover He smiles he toyes and now and then le ts fly Imperious glances from his lustful Eye Adorns her Orient Neck with Penly charms And with rich Bracelets decks her Ivory Arms Boasts the extent of his Imperial Power And offers Wealth and worldly pleasure to her Jocund he seem'd and full of sprightly Mirth And the poor Soul never inquir'd his Birth She lik'd his Face but dream't not of the Dart Wherewith he waited to transfix her Heart There is no foe to such a Dalilaw As pretends love yet ready is to draw The Poysonous Spear and with a treacherous kiss Bereaves the Soul of everlasting Bliss If you would know this treacherous Monster 's name As you before have heard from whence he came 'T is he by whom thousands deceiv'd have bin Heav'ns foe and Satan's cursed Off-spring SIN A violater of all Righteous Laws And one that still to all Uncleaness draws Author of Whored omes Perjuries Disorders Thefts Rapines Blood Idolatries and Murders From whom all Plagues and all Diseases flow And Death it self to him his be'ng doth ow. This Monster of Pollution the undone Poor Soul too long had been enamour'd on And by the Craft his Sire Apollyon lent Doubted not to obtain her full Consent But when Apollyon saw this Prince of Peace His wrathfull spight against him did encrease So brave a Rival he could not endure But sought all means his Ruine to procure Shall I saith he thus lose my hop'd-for prey See my Designs all blasted in one day Which I have carried on from Age to Age With deepest Policy and fiercest Rage My utmost Stratagems I first will try And rather on the very Spot I le dye Thus Hellishly resolv'd he does prepare Straight to commence the bold and Impious War And now the sharp Encounter does begin A Fight so fierce no eye had ever seen Nor shall hereafter ere behold agen But first be pleas'd to take a prospect here Of the two Combatants as they appear The first a Person of Celestial Race Lovely his shape ineffable his Face The frown with which he struck the trembling Fiend All smiles of humane Beauty did transcend His head 's with Glory arm'd and his strong hand No power of Earth or Hell can long withstand He heads the mighty Hosts in Heav'n above And all on Earth who do Jehovah love His Camp 's so great they many millions are With whom no one for Courage may compare They are all chosen men and cloath'd in white Ah! to behold them what a lovely sight Is it And yet more grave and lovely far To joyn and make one in this Holy War The other was a King of Courage bold But very grim and ghastly to behold Great was his power yet his garb did show Sad Symptoms of a former overthrow But now recruited with a numerous Train Arm'd with dispair he tempts his fate again Under his Banner the black Regiments fight And all the Wicked Troops which hate the light His Voluntiers are spread from North to South And flaming Sulphur belches from his Mouth Such was the grand Importance of their sight It did all eyes on Earth and Heaven invite To be spectators and attention lend So much did ne're on any Field depend No not Pharsalia's Plains where Caesar fought And the Worlds Empire at one conquest caught Alas the Issue of that famous Fray May not compare with this more fatal Day Should the Black monstrous Tyrant Prince prevail The Hearts and hopes of all man-kind must fail But above all she who caus'd their contest Would be more miserable than all the rest Shee she poor soul for ever were undone And never would have help from any one T was for Her sake alone the War begun Some fabulous Writers tell a wonderous story And give I know not what St. George the Glory Of rescuing bravely a distressed Maid From a strange Dragon by his Generous aid This I am sure our blessed Captain fought With a fierce Dragon and Salvation wrought For her who else had been devoured quite By that Old Serpents subtility and spight But now t is time their Combate to display Behold the Warriers ready in Array Apollyon well stor'd with crafty wit Long time had waited for a season fit That so he might some great advantage get And knowing well the Prince of Light had fasted Ful forty days then presently he hasted To give him
He would such equal works have made appears None should have cry'd The singer of God is here But now as Moses did this way confute His faithless foes who did with him dispute By greater deeds and all their Arts o're-throw The self-same thing did JESVS also do The strongest Arguments he then did use For to convince the unbelieving Jews Were the great Signs wonders which he wrought And did this way refell what e're they thought Against his Person or his Doctrine either And they thereby were silenc'd all together My works saith he to me do witness give And for their sake you ought me to believe For if that I such mighty works do'nt do As none e're did or can pretend unto Believe me not but if they witness give How unexcusable then will they you leave He also had a witness from Great John Besides his works which were divinely done And God himself from Heaven witness bore So great a Witness ne're was heard before The written Word likewise this Truth did tell If they the same would have consider'd well And therefore search the Scriptures Sirs saith he For they are those which testifie of me Thus every way you see the proofs are plain He was the true Messias you have slain Therefore repent you unbelieving Jews With fained scandals longer don't abuseâ— Your blessed Lord nor 's Gospel more refuse The dangerous troubles of the Prince of Light The scandals that he met with and the spight The hatred by that Soul unto him shown Whom he design'd the Consort of his Throne Her weak pretences for this causeless scorn And with what wond'rous patience it was born How she receiv'd him with a scornful Brow We have in part set forth and also how By mighty Signs and Wonders he did prove Both his divine Ascent and matchless Love But now the Reader with attentive Ear And longing mind desires 't is like to hear How the poor blinded Soul behav'd her now Does she not straight unto his Scepter bow Doth she not yield and readily consent To close with him and heartily repent She ever did his precious Love abuse And such a Proffer wilfully refuse He ample proof and witness now hath given That he was sent down to her out of Heaven His Noble Birth and Sovereign Dignity Sure now she can't nay dares not to deny What can she further say I pray what more Hath she to urge to keep him out o' th Door Or has he left her and will come no more What Prince would ever put up so much wrong Or wait upon a stubborn Soul so long Or who would ever make another tryal That has so often had such flat denyal Ah no! he can't his Love 's so great and strong He hopes still to obtain her Love e're long See how with tears and sighs and melting heart He woos intreats and doth his Love impart As one resolv'd he 'l no denial have True Lovers press their suit ev'n to the Grave Prince of Light 'T is not Ungratefulness which yet can change My purpose or my heart from thee estrange My strong Affections on thee are so fixt That nought has them remov'd or come betwixt My Soul and thine but had'I lov'd thy face And that alone my kindness had giv'n place My slighted suit should long e're this have ended And never more on thee had I attended Or did I love thee for thine Heav'nly Eye I then might court Angelick Majesty Or if the smoothness of thy Whiter Brow Could charm mine eyes or mine affections bow To outward Objects pollisht Marble might Have given as much content as much delight No no 't is neither brow nor lip nor eye Nor any outward thing I can espy That has or could surprize my tender heart I know thy Nature who and what thou art Nor is it Vertue a homely Case Wherein lies hid much rich and precious grace Together rarely mixt whose worth doth make Me love the Casket for the Jewels sake 'T is none of this My eye doth pierce within But nothing there can I behold but Sin The reason of my Passion wholly lies Within my Self from whence it first did rise And though thou canst not it at present see Thou shalt if thou wilt hearken unto me O come poor Soul and give me but thy heart And unto thee choice Love I will impart I come to call thee and do call again O shall I not of thee my Suit obtain Dost not perceive what I for thee endure And may not all this thy Love to me procure The Soul seem'd not at all to mind this Friend Nor would she yet to him attention lend She could not in him any beauty see Nor did she know her own sad misery She bid him then depart and said to all He had no form nor comeliness And shall I ' gainst my fancy foolishly admire Where I no beauty see to tempt desire Whilst he was thus extending forth his Love And studying all obstructions to remove That so he might the Souls affections get Behold his Enemies with malice set Themselves against him with such horrid rage It seems no less than 's ruin to presage Ah! for this Prince methinks my heart doth ake To see what head against him they do make But that which doth the greatest trouble bring Is to see th' Soul combine against the King Did ever creature deal thus by a Lover Or ever such inhumaneness discover What hurt did this dear Prince unto her do That she would seek his utter overthrow Is this to recompence his fervent Love What will she now a Traitor to him prove If she his Love will not accept must she Expose him thus to shame and misery Is love to Sin and filthy Lust so sweet That Jesus must be trodden under feet Because he would that Contract break asunder This surely is Earth's shame and Heavens wonder What he that went about still doing good And in the gap of danger always stood Them to Defend from Ruin ah shall he The object of their Rage and Malice be He that to them no harm did do or think And yet must he this bitter potion drink Ah precious Lord how doth my spirit grieve To think what wrong from them thou didst receive So strange their malice and so fierce their spight That if God's Word did not the same recite Who thereunto would any Credence give Or the Relation of their Deeds believe But how was he expos'd what did they do 'T is that say some that we would have you show Their hearts were fill'd with wrath up they rise And thrust him out o' th City then devise To get him up to th'brow of a great Hill And cast him headlong down from thence they will Break all his bones and kill him out o' th way This they designed Holy Authors say Not that their Cruelty performed was For through the midst of them he free did pass His Pow'r Divine did his Protector stand And rescued him from all this
treacherous Band. Again as he stood tendering his Love Striving their vain Objections to remove That so they might not all be ruin'd quite And blind-fold led to shades of endless night The common Rabble in a Tumult got Threaten to kill him on the very spot With hearts more hard than stone up stones they take And throwing vow they 'l his Sepulcre make By which cruel show'r of Flints he now must die Unless through them he 's able to ' scape by Which by his mighty Power indeed he did And carefully from them himself he hid And yet all this was on no other ground But because he their wisdom did confound ' Cause he stood up the Truth to testifie And witness to his own Divinity Because he said he was sent down from Heaven From Place to Place this Prince was daily driven No sooner were his feet out of one snare But ten i' th room thereof devised were Of killing him in Jury was a talk To Galilee therefore he thought fit to walk But staid not long for to Jerusalem He quickly went to shew himself to them And though he knew his Life they daily sought Yet in the Temple openly he taught And did again his Suit of Love renew Yet would the Soul no kindness to him shew Long had he not been here but presently The Scribes and Pharisees did him espy And straight agreed their Officers to send Him without any cause to apprehend But when they came and did him see and hear Poor Souls they all most strangely smitten were With awful Reverence and trembling fear Untoucht they leave him and return again To tell their Masters Violence was vain They highly spake in his just Commendation And told his Wonders worthy Admiration Have you not brought him then the Scribes do cry No Sirs alas we see no reason why We never saw nor heard the like Who can Lay hands on such a blest and God-like Man Thus did the Prince escape their Rage that day But other Snares Apollyon still did lay CHAP. V. Shewing how the people of that Land in a base manner used John the beloved servant of Jesus the Prince of Light who for his Master's sake was barbarously murthered And how narrowly the Prince himself escaped As also shewing how he again and again tendered his indeared love to the Soul and how unkindly she denied his Suit Moreover how Vicinius a Neighbor hearing of this great News enquired of Theologus concerning the Creature this Prince in such a manner had set his affections upon The miserable and deplorable condition of the Soul discovered and laid open being infected with a loathsome Disease full of Vlcers and Running sores from head to foot naked wounded and in her blood her eyes also being put out and this the Prince knew before he came from Heaven his own Country shewing that as she was in her fallen state she was the object of his love and desire BEfore this Prince did in that Land appear His servant came his way for to prepare Such an Ambassadour he was indeed That we of him in Sacred Story read That of all those that born of Women are None was so great nor with him might compare Yet was the King of that same Land so bold As on this gracious Person to lay hold And into a vile Prison cast is he For witnessing against Iniquity Herod would marry one most near of Kin But John affirms that 't is an horrid sin For him to have his Brother Philip's Wife And for asserting this he lost his Life To please a wanton Harlots Dancing pride The Prophet's head from 's body they divide This doubtless did his Master greatly grieve To see they should him thus of John bereave His servant John whom all the people own To be a Prophet yea a mighty one Though the chief work that he was sent about Was to describe and point this Saviour out He faithful was and show'd his constant Love Told them his Prince descended from above So Great in pow'r the Latchets of his shoes He was not worthy to unty or loose The loss of such a Servant needs must be Great ground of sorrow But alas If we With care do mind what after came to pass We shall conclude with him much worse it was For Herod now like to his Predecessor Proceeds from sin to sin until no lesser A Crime he does attempt than for to kill The Prince of Light himself Thereby to fill His measure up as some before had done For seeking the dear Life of this Just one But of this Plot he had such Information As quite defeated their black Combination Ah! to and fro how was he daily hurld Whilst he abode in this ungrateful World His persecutions were so great that He Was often forced for his Life to flee To flit from Town to Town from place to place For Blood-hound like they did him daily chase From Jury to Samaria he did go And down from thence to Galilee below From Nazareth he fled to Capernaum And long he siaid not when he thither came For he was tost about continually And found no Harbor nor security Sometimes quite beyond Jordan he would get Yet even there with dangers was beset Small Rest alas he had in full three years His days were fill'd with sorrow sighs and tears Oft may we read he wept but never find He laught or was to merriment inclin'd The Prophet said with grief he was acquainted When long before he forth his Person pointed And few there were did him at all regard So blinded were their Eys their Hearts so hard He was despis'd almost by every one Rejected scornfully and trod upon And the poor Soul for Love of whom he came Expos'd him daily to the greatest shame No countenance would she to him afford Although so high a Prince so great a Lord. She bid him hold his peace his Suit desist And all 's indearing proffers did resist No more would she vouchsafe his face to see But hid her self from him continually Far from his presence with delight she rouls In filthy Puddles and in Loathsom holes Nay did combine with his most Cruel Foes To lay upon him stripes and bitter Blows To break his heart with often saying Nay Or by surprize him bloodily to slay Object But some may ask Why th' people of that Land Did rise against him thus on every hand Why should they manifest such causeless hate When he 'd not injure them at any rate But sought their peace and everlasting good 'T is pity such a Prince should be withstood Answ One Reason Sirs of this their baneful spight Was meerly ' cause he was the Prince of Light 'T was from that bitter enmity you read Between the Serpent's and the Woman's seed Another cause of the Contempt they show Is ' cause they neither him nor 's Father know But that which most of all their Hatred breeds Is his reproving of their Evil deeds Because he did expose each horrid Sin
Yea and ript up their filthiness within Through each Religious Mask and trim disguise Their canker'd Breasts lay open to his Eys He knew their Hearts them he would not spare And thence to him such Malice they did bear But 't was Apollyon whose deceit and Lies Abroad amongst the people did devise Most of these Troubles which on him did rise No stone that Monster left unturn'd that he Might bring this Soveraign Prince to misery Though all in vain For he miscounts his sum Alas the fatal hour 's not yet come Christ still persists the stubborn Soul to woo Intreats her not her self thus to undo He is not gone behold he 's at her door And patiently Admission doth implore He knocks he calls and doth his Suit renew Until the Heavens his gracious Head bedew Until his Locks with drops o' th Night are wet And yet from her can no kind Answer get Oh! hark I pray unto his melting words Enough to pierce ones heart like sharpest swords Prince of Light Soul Harken to me or thou art undone I cannot leave thee thus nor yet be gone I see thy state thy state I pity too Thy treacherous Lovers seek thine overthrow It is in vain for me to ask thy Love Until thou breakst with them and dost remove Thy Heart from those that thy Affections have Who to vile Lusts thy Faculties inslave What dost thou think I can have in mine Eye What self-advantage will accrew thereby What gain I if thou grantest my request All that I beg's thy greatest Interest I ever happy was and so shall be Although at present thus distrest for Thee How can'st thou cruel Soul thus let me stand Barr'd out of Doors whilst others do command The choicest Room within thy yielding Breast Lodgings too good for such destructive Guests Believe me poisonous Toads and Serpents lurk Within thine Arms which will thy ruin work Those Lovers which thou keep'st so close within Are Murderers Trust not that Monster SIN Nor any of his Hellish Company For though no harm thou dost at present spy But wantonly presum'st to sport and play And canst not see the fatal snares they lay Soul o'pe the Door and I 'le discover all The secret Plots devised for thy fall Or push the Window back let in some light And I will shew thee a most dismal sight Thy self I 'le shew thee which couldst thou behold thou 'dst see thou art undone betray'd and sold To slavery from whence there 's no Redemption Torments from wch ther 's not the least exemption Then wake look now behold thy wretched plight Or straight thou r't seized with eternal Night The Soul is deaf or certainly she 's dead Or by some pow'rful Magick Charms misled For she no Answer in the least doth give Sad 't is with them whom Satan doth deceive How blind are Creatures in their natural state Oh! how insensible and desperate They sleep securely and will never hear Till direful Thunder bore their stupid Ear Boldly they frollick on Hell's smoaky Brink And never on its gaping dangers think Till swallow'd down to endless flames they sink But silence now Here comes a Reverend Friend A Servant to the Prince pray Sirs attend He 's sent about the Business that 's depending Oh! that it might obtain an happy ending He is a man his Master loves most dear And he to him doth like Affection bear His int'rest he will now be sure t' improve That all obstructions he may quite remove Which in the way of the poor Soul doth lie For whose sad state lo tears stand in his Eye His Heart is full his Spirit greatly griev'd To think how she by crafty Sin 's deceiv'd And seeing what his glorious Master bears His Soulâ—s almost dissolved into Tears Theologue I from the Great and mighty Prince am sent To see vile Soul If thou wilt yet repent And o'pe thy Eyes to view what thou hast done In piercing the dear heart of such an one As is that Soveraign Lord thou dost abuse And all his offers shamefully refuse Two things consider throughly first of all Thy sad and wretched state under the Fall Which thou receivedst many years ago When Eden's Groves bewail'd thine overthrow Ah! Didst thou know thy lost undone Condition Sure it must move thee unto great Contrition 'T would make thee roar and mightily condole Thy woful state O! thou condemned Soul The second thing is this O! mind with speed The worth of him whose Soul for thee doth bleed Didst thou but know his Dignity and Birth Soon wouldst thou say none's like him upon Earth Nor is this all for further I declare No other help thou hast far off or near 'T is he who is thy choice and only Friend Reject him still and sad will be thine end Shall he such grief and sorrow undergo And unto him wilt thou no kindness show Would he thy guilty Soul from Treason free By making of a marriage-League with thee Shall not his Love nor thy distressed Case Court thee in prudence to his safe Embrace Will nothing work upon thee to Relent Nor be a means to bring thee to Repent I pray thee Soul these things lay to thy heart And unto me thy true Resolve impart Soul What mean you thus to vex and grieve my mind My Heartâ—s to other Lovers more inclin'd It lies not in your power to command Against my will and well I understand What 's best for me I am for present case He suits not my Conditions doth not please My curious fancy Iâ—le content mine Eye Will you the liberty of Choice deny You must indeed have some mysterious Arts To change the secret sympathies of Hearts If that you ever make me to comply So as to loath the Jewel of mine Eye What! force Affection who can violate The Law of Nature weigh my present state Can Earth forget her burthen and ascend Or yet can Flames aspiring downward bend For if Fire should descend and Earth aspire Earth were no longer Earth nor Fire Fire Even so dear Sir I find it is with me Consenting I no more my self shall be As Love is free so are its bonds as strong As Death to break them is a grievous wrong Can the kind Heavens do a damage greater Than to destroy and ruin their poor Creature Or shall I think the Righteous God will fill me With such strange Joys which if enjoy'd will kil me Can I believe things 'bove my sense and reason And ignorant be when guilty of high Treason How can I think my self a Criminal When of the fact I nothing know at all My present state is good I know no cause To blame my self for breach of unknown Laws Why shall injurious Friends such things alot To have me place my Heart where I love not And break the League with those I love so dear These hardships are too great for me to bear Those Joys therefore in which I have delighted Shall not for fancied sweetness e're be slighted He whom
all the Jewels which her Soveraign gave her Whilst she remained in his Love and favour Of all her goodly Vestments they bereft her And stript her naked she had nothing left her Nothing to hide her shameful nakedness But filthy Rags how loathsom you may guess Besides all this they wounded her full sore And left her sadly weltring in her Gore Expecting Death each moment she did lie A loathsom spectacle to passers by Unhelpt unpitied too by every Eye Each humane Soul that is not born again In this sad state doth certainly remain The rich the poor the wise the old the young Though ne'r so high so beautiful and strong They seem or think themselves in truth they are In as bad Case as we 've described here Vicinus Sir You have fully answer'd my Desire Yet let me be so bold as to inquire One passage more since happily I see You can informall such as ign'rant be Of these weighty Affairs blest be the Lord That so much Wisdom doth to you afford O! that there were more of you in our Land That to the Truth might always faithful stand But tell me if it mayn't too tedious prove Whether this Prince that manifests such Love Knew her sad state when he came from above Did he her filthy bad Condition know Before he came from Heaven or did show That precious kindness which his Breast retain'd Unto her even after she was stain'd May be his Eye upon the Soul was plac'd Before God's Image in her was defac'd And as consider'd so then doubtless he Might find some Cause to her so kind to be But if as she did in pollution lie And so consider'd he did cast his Eye Upon the Creature then I must declare It may astonish all that of it hear Theologue The Question you propound is very good And would t' were throughly weigh'd and understood The Answer 's easy But I greatly fear Some mind it not enough who chosen are Before the World was made he fully knew Ev'n what below would afterwards insue He knew the Creature Man would sin and fall And in sad misery himself inthral The time therefore when first he cast an Eye To be her Suiter our Security It was not when she did her Grace inherit Then one would think she might his favour merit 'T was not when she was in prosperity But when she in her Blood and filth did lie Her time of sorrow was his time of Love Her misery did bring him from above Whilst she in actual bold Rebellion lives His Grace and offer'd Pardon then he gives Vicinus Sir You have said enough I am amaz'd Strange wonderment within my Spirit 's rais'd The nature of his Love who can conceive Such Love as this no mortal Creatures have I pray go on and further now let 's know Concerning her estate her Bliss or Woe Theologue You 'l find it worse and worse and what 's behind Will strange Impressions make upon your Mind For now you 'l hear what Justice has to say What horrid Crimes he to her charge will lay And though she seems undaunted without fear Once more I 'e try if she will lend an Ear. CHAP. VI. Shewing how Theologue the Prince's Spokesman indeavour'd to obtain the love of this poor Creature for his blessed Master by whom the aggravation of the Creatures sin and misery is layed open the Soul is in debt ten thousand Talents worse than nothing Moreover shewing how the Creature was guilty of high Treason against the Soveraign Lord Jehovah is also Arraigned and condemned to be burned alive A Dialogue or discourse between the Divine Attributes Justice cryes for Execution to have the fatal blow struck Mercy steps in Justice must be satisfied Goodness and Mercy will not lose their Glory being alike esteemed by God Divine Wisdom reconciles all the other Attributes and makes them meet together in a sweet harmony the Soul being condemned to die the Prince sees no other way to obtain her for his own but by satisfying Justice and becoming Surety and yielding himself up to die for her Theologue HOW is it Soul art minded yet to leave Thy Lusts and Lovers and to Jesus cleave Dost not perceive the sad state thou art in By curs'd Apollyon and his off-spring SIN Wilt thou for evermore thy self destroy And not accept of Health wilt not enjoy One who in value doth all Worlds excel Wilt thou refuse in Paradise to dwell Dost see thy state thy bloody state oh speak My bleeding heart for thee doth greatly ake Soul You had my Answer plain enough before Forbear I pray and trouble me no more I do ' nt believe what you have said is true Such pains I never felt nor sickness knew But if my state were worse than yet I see I will not have you thus to trouble me I have all things which naturally delights me And from them you shall not deter nor fright me You know the Proverb used in our Land Each Tub shall upon its own Bottom stand Theologue Soul b'not so rash be more considerate Ponder on things before it be too late Sith what I said before no good can do More of thy wretchedness I now will show And if that fails then afterwards I 'le leave thee And o're into the hands of Justice give thee First from God's Word I have Authority To lay before thee thy great poverty Thy Soveraign Lord most highly is distasted For all the precious Treasure thou hast wasted First of his Glory thou hast him bereav'd And to rebel against him been deceiv'd Next thy whole self to him 't is thou dost owe Yea all thou either art hast or canst do Which thou hast not regarded hitherto But to thy self and not to him dost live Who did thy self at first unto thee give And from whom thou dost ev'ry thing receive Thy knowledg judgment and thy memory Th' excellent nature of each Faculty Should all have to and for him been laid out As being all his Goods Soul look about For time for Health and for the day of Grace Thou must be brought before the Judge's Face And for thy Riches and all things thou hast Which thou Imbezel'st and dost vainly wast A strict Account must at the Bar of Heaven By thee in a short time be surely given Ten Thousand Talents doth thy God demand Which thou canst neither pay nor yet withstand His dire proceedings ' cause he is most Just And thou but sinful Ashes and vile Dust Thou wilt be seiz'd and in a Prison laid Till the last Mite be satisfi'd and paid Canst thou poor Soul dost think quit the old score When thou contractst new debts still more more Would not a Friend that 's able to defray All thy vast Debts and a full Ransom pay To thy just Creditor most welcom be If such an one could be found out for thee But things yet worse I fear there are behind The truth of which most certainly thou l't find Hark trembling Soul thou to
and jointly satisfy To save her now from the infernal pit I have a Ransom found a Ransom fit Divine Justice I cannot hold I 'le strike the fatal Blow Hell she deserves with vengeance let her go Unto the place appointed for all them Who do God's holy Laws and Grace contemn Jesus Prince of Light O who is this What Traitor 's at the Bar That is condemn'd and Justice wo'nt defer The Execution speak hold up thy head Hast any thing to say What canst thou plead Methinks methinks I should this Creature know Ah! Soul is 't thee What shall I for thee do I told thee what thy state would be i' th end When first my Love to thee I did commend Soul Speak 't is I why dost thou not look up I 'm sorely griev'd to think upon the Cup That is prepar'd for thee What dost thou say Shall I step in that Justice may delay To strike the stroke for then too late 't will be To show my Love and pity unto thee Hast any kindness for me in thine Heart I doubt that still thou the same Creature art Thou wast before and hast no love at all Why speakst thou not shall vengeance on thee fall Ah! how can I see Execution done And Tears not from mine Eyes like Rivers run Divine Justice Lord be n't concern'd she is thy bitter Foe Oh let me therefore freely strike the blow There 's nought in her but Sin and poisonous Evil To God a Foe and Friend unto the Devil JESVS I know not how to let this stroke be given For I am come on purpose down from Heaven To make Atonement and to satisfy For all her sins and foul Iniquity Though she to me doth no affection bear Yet her I pity and do love most dear Justice Blest JESVS hold 't is my just Master's sense Abused Mercy must have recompence There is no other way but she must die Unless thou wilt be her Securitie If in her stead thy life thou wilt give up Then mayst thou save her from this bitter Cup. The price which thou on that account wilt pay Will make a Compensation and defray All her vast Debts yea plenarily God's wrath appease and Justice satisfy What must be done Who is 't the stroke must bear Is 't not most fit such should who guilty are I cannot hold my hand nor longer stay Law must be satisfy'd what dost thou say Thou wretched Soul behold the knife and spear Can'st thou dost think God's fearful vengeance bear Now Soul look to thy self this Spear I 'le run Into thy Bowels ere I it return JESVS Stay Justice stay withold thy furious Dart And let its glitt'ring point first pierce my Heart Her guilty state aloud calls for relief It wounds my Soul and fills my Heart with grief My Bowels yearn my inward parts do move Now now 's the time to show her my great Love Let Law and Justice be suffic'd in me 'T is I will die to set the Sinner free Behold me Soul my life shall go for thine I will redeem thee with this Blood of mine Although most Precious Sacred and Divine CHAP. VII Shewing what Consultations there were amongst the infernal Spirits to bring Jesus Prince of Light under the power of Death a Council called in Hell the Princes of the fallen Angels in a deep combination against him for fear their Kingdom should fall and the poor Creature be delivered The grand Counsel of Old Satan is taken He enters into Judas Judas's sin discovered Jesus is apprehended A terrible battel or Christ's Agony before his Passion Sin and Wrath combine together shewing the Prince's Conquests over them both Seven aggravations of Christ's sorrows in the Garden and a Dialogue between the Devil King of Darkness and Death the King of Terrors HEre let 's a while reflect with careful heed What! doth the guiltless for the guilty bleed This may astonish all here 's Love indeed Do Mortals ever greater love extend Then to lay down their lives for a dear Friend But for a Prince a mighty Prince to die Not for a Friend but for an Enemy Convicted and condemn'd for horrid Treason Thus to step in at that most Critick season When just the fatal blow was to be given This Love 's above our Reach higher than Heaven Deeper than Ocean Seas so Infinite As well deserves our wonder day and night What Was the Father free his Son to give His dear and only Son that she might live And doth the Son i' th midst of Enemies Yield up himself to be a Sacrifice Yet who can be so bold to lay their Hands Upon this Prince that Heaven Earth commands How shall this thing be now accomplished And by what means shall his dear Blood be shed Let 's now inquire who is 't that will consent To be the grand and chiefest Instrument To execute this precious spotless Lamb Who for this purpose down from Heav'n came Has he on Earth any such spightful Foe As dare's attempt this ' mazing thing to do You heard before he daily was beset And with what Enemies he often met But now his hour is drawing very near Great Consultations ' mongst his Foes there were How they might take his blessed Life away Who seem'd himself impatient of delay He long'd until his work were finished Which could not be until his blood were shed And though he had most raging Enemies Yet knew they not what project to devise To bring this bloody traiterous deed to pass Which long before by them designed was Until Apollyon finding by his Art The dire Intentions harbour'd in their Heart Doth rouse them up and first the matter start To the Infernal powers to wake them â—l A second time upon this Prince to fall Then Belzebub Satan and Lucifer Consult afresh how to renew the War And to this purpose wee 'l suppose they spake Apollyon Shake off your fears and speedily let 's make The strongest Head that possibly we can Against this strong this Devil-amazing man Now now 's the day let 's bring him to Death's sting And then with shouts of Triumph we may sing For over Death 't is we the power have And we may sure secure him in the Grave 'T is he alone who frights us in our station And puts us all into great Consternation Our Kingdom by this means is like to fall And we thereby be ruin'd great and small I have engag'd him once but could not stand I know his strength he has a pow'rful Hand Belzebub My Sentence is for War this Enterprize Well managed will make our Kingdom rise And re-inthrone us in our Antient Skies To a great Height and flourish as before When he is down we 'l let him rise no more Can we but once deprive him of his Life 'T will put an end to all our fears and strife Lucifer Dominions Pow'rs and Principalities You all in danger are awake and rise From off your Seats and lazy Beds of Down Sleep you secure or
still encreases ours decays Words without Actions are but faint delays The rarest Wit amongst us must look out With wariness to bring this thing about I 'le tell you what I newly have contriv'd Let my Lord Lucifer the King of Pride Make one amongst their Rulers in the Seat Of seeming Justice Tell them they are Great And Prudent men yea Learned ones likewise And in their Breasts alone true Wisdom lies Yea tell them that the Soveraign Lord of Heaven To them the name of Gods on Earth hath given Tell them both God and men have though it fit That they like Gods should in this Grandeur sit And answerable to this lofty station The people have them in great veneration Thus when h' has put their Honours in a Heat And swell'd them up with Pride and self-conceit Tell them 't is much below their high Degree That such a low inferiour Man as he Should be their Prince or 〈◊〉 them bear sway Who rather ought their 〈◊〉 to obey Then when the uncontrouled â—reath of Fame Has spread abroad the Glory of his Name And fill'd each Eye and Ear with Admiration Giving to him Applause and Veneration Then let our envious Friend once more take's place And sit as pale as Death in every Face And let him tell them if they do not take Some speedy course their Honours lie at stake He grows so famous in the peoples Eyes They shortly will their Soveraignty despise Satan Nay I can tell them yet another thing The people seek by force to make him King Which if the Roman Pow'r should understand They 'd quickly come and take away their Land This sure will work or other ways I 'le find Good Mariners can sail with every wind Thus these Infernals seeking to prevent Their future but deserved punishment Far swifter than the lofty Eagle flies Did set upon their Hellish enterprize The King of Pride threw forth his poisonous Darts Which did not miss to pierce the yielding Hearts Of those that sat at Stern who should delight To do the thing that 's equal just and right But disregarding great Jehovah's Laws They sought poor Souls for popular Applause Puft up with Pride and swoln with vain Ambition That Tympany of th' Soul They had suspition That if the Prince of Light were once affected They by the people soon should be rejected For first they saw his Miracles were great His Vertues rendred him still more compleat And made him so illustriously to shine He gain'd the Appellation of Divine Nay furthermore they heard now some did sing Hosanna in the Highest to the King Of Israel the fragrant Flower of Jess The Root of David Oh! who can express The depth of Envy which in them did burn With-raging flames almost at every turn Close Consultation in their Courts appears And i' th mean while strange Rumors fill their Ears The Miracles which he before had wrought Into the minds of people fresh are brought Those wond'rous things did much encrease the strife He rass'd said some the Dead again to Life Gave sight unto the Blind who from their Birth Had never seen the Light that guilds the Earth The Dumb the Deaf the Lepers and the Lame In all Distempers whosoever came Had perfect Cure in every Disease Nay he could hush the Winds and calm the Seas Could dispossess the black Infernal Rout And cast whole Legions of fierce Devils out Of five mean Barly loavs and two small Fishes He made above five thousand plenteous Dishes Thus many talkt what he before had done Grieving to think what now was coming on His gracious words and vertuous Life commended Him to the Multitude but much offended Th' inraged Rulers yet his Innocence Was still so sure a Guard and strong defence That they could not their wicked ends obtain Yet from their malice would they not refrain How often did they in clandestine way Endeavour their blood-thirsty hands to lay Upon this Sacred Prince yet still through fear The people would rise up they did forbear Sometimes they thought to trap him in his words That Law Justice then might draw their Swords And cut him off And then again devise Another course charg'd him with Blasphemies Against the God of Heaven by which way They surely thought they might his Life betray But never could they over him get pow'r Untill his time were come Now now 's their hour The work must needs be carried on with speed When Heaven and Hell about it are agreed Though different ends in these great Agents are Yet in the thing they both consenting were That Christ should be of his dear Life depriv'd Though Hell alone the guilty Act contriv'd Yet God indeed from all Eternitie Knowing what rage and curs'd malignity Would be in their base Hearts resolved then He would permit and suffer these vile men To bring his Purpose and Decree to pass Which for our Good and his own Glory was CHAP. VIII Shewing how the Lord Jesus died in the Sinner's stead Such was his love and yet the Soul an Enemy at that time to him and hated him A full discovery of Christ's bloody Passion enough to make a heart of stone to melt The Prince gives up the ghost Death the King of Terrors insults over Jesus Prince of Light Death is threatned with Death shewing also what fear there was amongst the Devils lest the Prince should rise again and overcome Death A second Council held in Hell the Devils tremble Death subdued Heathen Oracles cease The Devil 's destroyed upon the Prince's resurrection and put to open shame Joy in Heaven Angels sing Saints rejoyce The end of the First Part. BUT to proceed Will you lift up your Eyes And view the Rage of Hellish Enemies The final troubles of the Prince of Light Are coming on Behold a frightful sight A multitude with Clubs and Swords and Spears About his Sacred Person now appears This wretched Rabble's come on a design Which wounds and breaks this stony heart of mine To think upon 't behold they are conducted By the grand Traitor and by him instructed How to proceed on this great Enterprise Which he by Hellish power did devise Arm'd as you heard they seiz'd on him as if He had indeed been some notorious Thief Fond men If you this Prince's Nature knew Your Weapons are too many or too few As Man so meek you need no rescue fear As God so strong he can in pieces tear A thousand Troops that should approach him near Of which a present Instance did appear Some little rays of his dread Deitie He caused to break forth and suddenly They stagger'd and fell backwards on the ground That they might see he quickly could confound Them utterly and lay them at his feet But that he saw it better to submit Unto his Father's Will and take the Cup Which was prepared for him to drink up But they recov'ring strength got up again Regardless of all dread and now amain Resume their purpose and with wicked hands
slight her Her drousy Conscience also now awakes Alas she startl'd much she weeps she quakes She crys out for a Christ but non's in sight And all her other Lovers fail her quite She yields she loves but with a servile heart When other Lovers slight her and depart She loves thee not Lord Christ for what thou art But what thou hast and should she spared be She 'd shew her love to Sin more than to thee No sooner the sad Soul her state laments But bowels mov'd in Jesus he relents In her afflictions he 's afflicted too And can't be long e're he 'l compassions shew He sent relief he eas'd her of her pain And rais'd her up to former health again But as 't was hinted so it came to pass The wretched Soul proves vile as ere she was Affliction will not bring to Jesus's feet Unless great Pow'r do go along with it The Soul 's like Phar'oh crys when smitten sore Then then for Christ and O'twill sin no more But when rais'd up and has sweet health restor'd It cleavs to Sin afrecsh forgets the Lord. But the affections of the Prince of Peace Abated not but rather did increase His love and patience both alike shine forth To ' stonishment of all who live on Earth And that he might obtain the Soul at last His Servants call'd and sent away in hast To recommend his love and in his stead To o'pe those precious Glories which lie hid To her and to all those who carnal be Alas they ca'nt behold they cannot see Those high perfections which in Jesus are Nor can they think his beauty is so rare Exceeding all conception all compare Dear Reader prethee mark what here insues Mind mind the Arguments this man dos use To move the Soul to tears of true contrition Fetch'd from Christ's love and from her lost condition Theologue By Jesus sent by such a Prince as he Ah! 't is a work too great too high for me What glory Lord hast thou conferr'd on those Thou do'st imploy thy secrets to disclose What! be a Spokesman for a Prince so great To represent his Love and to entreat Poor Sinners in his stead to entertain His Sacred Person Lord I 'le try again Since thou command'st me forth what may be done Thou bidst me go my duty is to run Did Abraham's Servant readily comply With his Command with great'st fidelity And shall I be unfaithful unto thee No Lord I will not do but strengthen me Prosper my way and let me have success That I with him thy Sacred Name may bless And how shall I poor nothing I rejoice To see the Soul thy Spouse thy Father's choice What next thy love 's so sweet Lord unto me Than to bring in poor Sinners unto thee CHAP. II. Shewing the evil of Sin and how compar'd HAIL precious Soul once glorious noble born But now debas'd defil'd in garments torn Nay naked quite yet mindst it not at all Thy wounds do stink and Vipers in them crawl So many sins of which thou guilty art So many Serpents cleave unto thy heart Whatâ—s Sin is 't not a frightful Cockatrice No Serpent like the Serpent called Vice And dost thou love to play with such a thing Ah fool take heed view view its poisonous sting Brute Beast by Natur 's instinct are aware Of the gilt bait and sence-beguiling snare Though it seems ne'r so sweet or ne'r so fair And art thou such a fool to hug a Snake And in thy breast such great provision make That it may harbour there both day and night Ah! Couldst thou see or hadst a little sight 'T would soon appear a very loath'd delight No evil like the evil called Sin Which thou dost love which thou tak'st pleasure in For what is Sin is 't not a deadly evil The filthy spawn and off-spring of the Devil And is thy mind on folly wholly bent What love the Devils odious excrement Shall that which is the superstuity Of naughtiness be lovely in thine Eye What dost thou value Christ and all he hath Not worth vain joys and pleasures on the Earth Has he so much esteemed thee and must Thou value him less than a cursed Lust Dost thou more good in that soul Brat espy Than is in all the glorious Trinitie That which men judge is best they strive to chuse Things of the smallest value they refuse O wretched Soul what thoughts dost thou retain Of thy dear Lord and blessed Soveraign Come view thy choice see how deprav'd thou art In judgment will affection thy whole heart Is so corrupt defiled and impure Thou canst not Christ nor Godliness indure Again what 's Sin is 't not a trait'rous Foe A Traytor unto God and Rebel too It first of all against him took up Arms And made his Angels fall by its false charms Nought is so contrary to God as that Nor more the perfect object of his hate The Devil was God's Creature good at first 'T was sin that made him hateful and accurst Sin ne'r was good its essence is impure Evil at first so now so will indure And darest thou O Soul conceal this Foe Nay hide him in thy house and also show Such deared love to him as to delight In his base company both day and night Nay sport and play and merry be with him What Gods dos hate and loath dost thou esteem Dost not O Soul deserve for this to die What greater crime what greater enmity Canst thou be guilty of or canst thou show Than thus to harbour God's most traitrous Foe The chiefest room he can always command Whilst my dear Master at thy door must stand And can't one look nor one sweet smile obtain Who is thy Saviour and thy Soveraign What 's Sin a thing that 's worser than the Devil Sin made him so sin is a thing so evil 'T is worse than Hell it dug that horrid pit 'T is sin that casts all Sinners into it No lake of Fire no Tophet had there bin For souls of Men nor Devils but through sin 'T is that which lays them there heap upon heap Sin was the cause 't was made so large and deep Sin is the fuel that augments Hell-fire Wer 't not for sin Hell-flames would soon expire And wilt thou dandle sin still on thy knee Wilt make a mock of it wilt jolly be Wilt sin and say alas I am in sport Ah! see thy folly ere thou pay'st dear for 't Is sin God's foe and is it so to thee Then part with sin break that affinitie Dissolve the knot with speed do thy endeavour Which will destroy thee otherwise for ever Nay what is Sin it is a Leprosy When Scripture so compares it may not I Call it a sickness or a loathsom sore That quite covers the Soul and spreads all o're Like to an Ulcer or infectious Biles That do corrupt that poisons and defiles The Soul afflicted and all others too That dwell with him or have with him to do Oh how
For the great God who form'd the Heav'n Earth Doth look upon himself as wrong'd thereby For he that sins doth little less than fly I' th very face of his blest Majesty And when the Son of Glory hither came O how was he exposed unto shame It brought his Sacred Person in disgrace When Sinners vile spat in his Heavn'ly face They taunt him with base terms and being bound They scourged him he bled but the worst wound Was in his Soul occasioned by Sin And thou thereby woundst him most sore agin O wilt thou paddle in the pure stream Of precious Bloud contemn it O extream And hideous Monster dost thou hug the Knife Which wounded him yea took away his Life And will let out thy blood though now it be Delighted in and loved much by thee Of Wonders strange and Prodigies that are Amazing unto all who of them bear None can come nigh or be compar'd to this A Prodigie of Prodigies it is Of Love and Lover ne'r the like was known Nor was the like Ingratitude e're shown The one doth love beyond all admiration And suffer'd things beyond humane relation And he a King but she a filthy brute A beggar vile and yet denies his Suit Question From whence is it O why will she not close With this great Lord how can she still oppose His oft-repeated proffers how not yet Yield unto him pray what 's the cause of it Answer 'T is not in her own power to dispose Her self in marriage also here are those Who dwell with her and her Relations be Who spoil the match or the affinitie Which otherwise in all appearance might Be throughly made with Jesus Prince of Light Two proud Relations loftily stand off Who urge her to reject him with a scoff The one is Will a very churlish piece Who all along for Sin and Satan is The other's Judgment once most grave and wise But now with Will both cursed Enemies To God and Christ true Piety oppose And lead the Soul with evil ways to close 'T is they who must dispose of her if she E're yield to Christ his dearest Spouse to be But Sin has so by craft corrupted them And drawn them to its party they contemn This glorious Lover and will not consent The Soul should yield to him or should repent And so break off with other Lovers who She yet doth love and loth is to for-go Besides them in her house doth also dwell An Enemy call'd Old-man known full well To be a grand and horrid Instrument To keep the Soul from granting her consent O! he 's the cause of all the inward strife And hates the thoughts she should become his Wife And will prevent it if he can find out Meet ways and means to bring the same about Nay such a Foe this Old-man is indeed That till he 's slain by th' Spirit or does bleed Or weakned in his power ne'r will she With the Lord Christ firmly united be Slight wounds wo'nt do he must be slain out-right Such is his rage his subtilty and spite Against this happy match till he 's near dead It cannot be in truth accomplished Therefore expect to hear of his black doom Before the sweet espousal Day doth come There 's also yet another Inmate I Perceive dwells in her house which by and by You 'l hear much of who all her secrets knows And can her very inward thoughts disclose His name is Conscience whose Power 's so great That in her house he hath a Regal Seat These three Allies by Old-man so corrupted Have all along the business interrupted They naturally are opposite to Grace And are far more inclined to give place To sensual Objects and the Prince o' th Night And so betray the Soul for want of light Into their hands of whom you heard before Who secretly design for ever-more To take away her life and quite undo her Whilst flatteringly they promise peace unto her The Soul 's deprav'd and captivated so It chuses Evil and lets Jesus go The chiefest good and takes the chiefest evil Being by nature acted by the Devil This well consider'd may the cause discover Why she denies to entertain this Lover The Soul is dead and cannot see nor hear 'T is sensless as a stone a stone can bear The greatest weight and neither break nor melt Souls dead to God ne'r love-sick passions felt Unto this day nor can they love until They are convinc'd of sin and all the ill They have committed ' gainst his holy Will Being sensible hereof then with strong cryes They fly to God for salve to o'pe their Eys The Eys affect the Heart when thou canst see Christ will be dear and not till then to thee The Conscience first is always wrought upon Which never is effectually done But by the Spirits Pow'r and operation Which sets it equally against transgression But lest I should be tedious I 'le forbear Craving attention to what follows here CHAP. III. Shewing Christ's Heavenly and admirable Beauty Riches Bounty Power and Wisdom Theologue WILT thou be cruel to so dear a Friend Upon thy self 't will fall poor Soul i th' end Did not Rebeckâ— yiel'd and chuse to go With Abram's servant and wilt thou say no What was an Isaac unto him whom I Desire thee to fix thy tender Eye Upon was Isaac fair and wealthy too Or was he great Ah Soul will such things do If beauty wealth or honour thou dost prize I do present one now before thine Eys That is the Object this alone is he None none like him did ever mortals see He is all fair in him 's not one ill feature Ten thousand times more fair than any Creature That lives or ever lived on the Earth His Beauty so amazingly shines forth Angelick Nature is enamor'd so They love him dearly and admire him too His Head is like unto the purest Gold His curled Tresses lovely to behold And such a brightness sparkles from his Eys As when Aurora gilds the Morning skies And though so bright yet lovely like the Doves Charming all hearts where râ—â—is diviner Loves Look on his beauteous Cheeks and thou 'lt espy The Rose of Sharon deckt in Royaltie His smiling Lips his speech and words so sweet That all delights and joy in them do meet Which tends at once to ravish ear and sight And to a kiss all heavenly Souls invite The Image of his Father 's in his face His inward parts excel he 's full of grace If Heaven and Earth can make a rare Complexion Without a spot or the least imperfection Here here it is it in this Prince doth shine He 's altogether lovely all Divine 1. His Beauty is so much desirable No Souls that see it any ways are able For to withstand the influ'nce of the same They 'r so enamour'd with it they proclaim There 's none like him in Earth nor Heav'n above It draws their hearts and makes them fall in love Immediately so that they cannot stay From
Jesus give He to this purpose spake yet ne'r-the-less Lov'd best the wages of unrighteousness The Understanding may much light receive And yet may not the Soul rightly believe Nor be espous'd to Christ may not rely On him alone in true simplicitie But to proceed with careful Eye let 's view What follows here what 't is doth next ensâ—e As Combatants sometimes a Parly beat After some sharp Encounter or retreat And with each other do expostulate About their rising or their sinking fate Even so likewise do these strong inward Foes They pause as 't were parly then fall to blows Old-man The Old-man moves and presently he meets With the poor Soul and thus Affection greets Thou for my Int'rest ever yet hast been And sweet says he Ah! sweet's a bosom sin Thou never yet deny'dst to yield subjection Unto my will and now indear'd Affection Our Master great Apollyon doth command That we unite our force and faithful stand Against our Foâ—s thy int'rest is invaded Thou â—eest by whom thou knowst who are inraged Hold safe thine own ne'r let those Objects go Thou lov'st so dear 't will be thy overthrow And thereby too the Soul will unawares 〈…〉 involv'd in more vexatious cares And those delights which thou weâ—t wont to have Will be obscured in the darksom Cave Of black Oblivion buried out of sight Should once the Soul close with this Prince of Light Not that we think thou canst'ith ' least approve Of thiâ— whereby she should withdraw her love Quite from those things which we esteem so dear For Heart and Will some ways do yet adhere Unto our Int'rest yet basely misled She is 〈◊〉 since she 's been enlightened We are content she should cry up the choice She thinks to make let her in that rejoice Yet there 's a secret we would fain reveal She 's blinded by her over-fervent zeal It iâ— enough since she has made such vows To love him 〈…〉 to become his Spouse Why should she not have yet sweet sensual pleasures To please the flesh to whom the greatest treasure Of right belongs that ever were poste it How can her glory better be exprest Than to imbrace what is so freely given Joys here below as well as bliss in Heaven Let her not fear to spend her days in mirth That 's Heir of Heaven and Lady of the Earth This think upon and secretly impart So sweet a Message to the yielding heart Affection hears and willingly consented And strives with this to make the Soul contented Nay with it too the Soul began to close Until poor Conscience did them both oppose Affection Will and Conscience talk a while Apollyon straight starts up and with a smile Salutes them all seeming as if he were One unconcern'd with any matters there Who well observing how thâ—se three contended Begs leave to speak a word as he pretended In favour to them all desiring he Might at this time their Moderator be At this they seem'd to pause and stand all mute At length the Soul but faintly grants his Suit The Devil having thus obtain'd his end Salutes the Soul Fair Virgin I commend Thy happy choice almost if not quite made Yet if all matters were but wisely weigh'd Thou 'lt find Affection has advis'd thee right And 't can't be safe such Counsel now to slight The greatest honours oft for want of care In just improvements have been made a snare What bount'ous Heav'n Earth affords refuse not Be not so nice ye ' buse the things you use not What is thy Soveraign willing to receive thee Into Celestial Joys yet quite bereave thee Of present sweetness Tush this cannot be He will sure ne'r such wrong do unto thee Reflect not what thy former state hath been But what 't is now a Saint more than a Queen Things present and to come nay all are thine Come merry be drinkof the choiest Wine Thine honour 's great and let thy joys abound Chant to the Viol hear the Organ sound Let the melodious Lute and Harp invite thee And each transcendent joy on Earth delight thee A sweet is What a thing reproacht call'd Sin It in the bosom lies has harbour'd bin By chiefest Saints O then do not deny The present good that 's pleasant to the Eye But it thou fearst thou shouldst thy Lord offend Observe this Rule which I shall next commend Let all thy words be pleasant smooth and sweet When him thou dost in daily Duties meet Seem to be chast and let no Saints espy The smallest sign of Immoralitie Be â—rave in speech and lowly when thou meetst them And call them thy dear Brethren when thou greetst them And if thy Soveraign seek to have thy heart Let him have some yet must the World have part Call him thy Friend thy Saviour own him so And to poor Saints thou must some kindness show Or else thy covetousness they will espy And 〈…〉 be charg'd with what Idolatry Thus mayst thou keep his love but when thou go's Amongst thy old acquaintance yet his Foes Let them know nothing let no sentence fall Which may discover this to them at all Thus having spoken briefly be thou wise And with thy Friends my Agents now advise Thus ends the Old-man and Apollyon's suit And the poor Soul in this assault stood mute Not well discerning who these thoughts did dart Into her yielding and divided heart Nor hath she got that grave and good inspection What 's best to do and where to take direction But goes to th' Flesh with that doth she consult Which quickly brings her to a sad result I hitherto saith she have been deprest What shall I do how may I be at rest The Flesh or corrupt Affection What 's the reversion of a Prince's State When 't must be purchas'd at so dear a rate 'T is but arriving at a seeming pitch Of Honour and to be câ—nceited Rich. If there 's no way to get this promis'd Crown But to incur the world'ds vile scoff and frown With loss of life and all we call our own 'T would folly be to seek for such a prize For what we have is pleasant in our Eyes A real thing and present as 't is dear To part with it is more than flesh can bear But by the way mind what our Friends propound A Medium to enjoy them both is found Wherefore 't is best in this perplexing case For to unite that Counsel let 's imbrace Soul Hast thou forgot or knowst thou not mine eyes Have been enlight'ned let us first advise With Judgment lest this over-rash conclusion Turn all our Consultations to confusion It would be well could we I must confess Those sinful sweets and present joys possess Without the loss of those transcendant pleasures That 's in Jehova's unconfined Treasures But what if Judgment says it must not be Nor Truth nor Conscience with us will agree If so what shall I do what shall I choose Whilst I secure one I both may loose The flesh or
corrupt Affection's Reply One word I 'le briefly drop and speak no more Thou 'st put thy case to Conscience heresofore And what redress pray had you what didst gain Did he not gripe thee sorely for thy pain Wilt thou neglect so sweet advice as this Judgment and Conscience both may judg amiss But if thou lik'st it and canst be contented By knawing Conscience still to be tormented Then I 'le be silent and improve thy skill Yet will I love and like where I did still â—adst thou been counsel'd to forsake the Lord Would I do'st think have spoken the least word Once to dissuade thee from so just a thing Nay Soul thou oughtst nay must respect this King But whilst he 's absent whilst he dwells on high Thou hast no other Object for thine Eye Then these Consult with Conscience now do what you please But as for me I am for present case CHAP. VI. Shewing the policy of Satan in keeping the Soul from a full closing with Christ Also the nature of a bosom sin NO sooner was this sharp Encounter over But in a little time you might discover The Soul half vanquish'd by her weak opposing Sometimes resisting and then faintly closing Sometimes you 'l see her just as 't were consenting And presently you 'l find her much lamenting Beset on every side with troops of fears Which makes her to bedew her cheeks with tears Complains to Conscience hoping for relief Till Conscience cheeks her and renews her grief Sometimes she 's drawn to fix her tender Eye Upon the Gospel's pure Simplicitie Her love-sick thoughts at â—its seem to aspire As if she could pass through hot flames of â—ire And say with Peter Though all should deny Thee my blest Lord yet so will never I. But when the Soul once comes to see the Cross Its courage fails O! 't is at a great loss When she perceives she and her lusts must part O that sticks close go's to the very heart The thoughts of that is hard 't is Self-denial That puts the Soul upon the deepest tryal Some ready are to make a large profession In hopes of somewhat perhaps the possession Of Heav'n at last but straight sounds in their Ear Deny thy self come part with all that 's dear For Jesus sake Ah! this they cannot bear The Young-man ran he seem'd to be in haste But news of this did all his courage blast The gate is strait O! 't is no easie thing To for-go all in love to this blest King The way is narrow which leads unto life 'T is Self-denial that begets the strife 'Twixt Flesh and Spirit there 's a constant War They opposite and quite contraries are As Fire and Water Light and Darkness be Such diffâ—ring Natures never can agree So between these is like antipathie The flesh is like the Young-man give 's attention To what the Preacher says until he mention His bosom-sin the Lust he so much loves This makes him face about and back removes He goes away yet lov'd to hear Christ preach Up Legal works but when he came to reach His Dalilah that blow so griev'd his heart That Christ and he immediately must part His great possessions could not give to th' poor Though he had th' promise of abundance more Treasures above but being not content To pay that price for Heaven away he went How loth's the Flesh to yield that Grace may win The happy Conquest of a Bosom-sin How will it plead how wittily debate Excuse or argue to extenuate The Crime at length it yields forc'd to give way But first cry's out O give me leave to stay A year a month a week at least one day Put when it sees it cannot that obtain The loser looks and pleads yet once again Ah! let my fond my fainting breaking heart Hug it the other time before we part Much like Rebeckah's Friends the flesh appears It parts with sin but 't is with floods of tears Each has his Darling his beloved sin Whilst unconverted much delighted in Give me say some but leave to heap up Treasure And I 'le abandon all forbidden pleasure Others again there be that only prize The popular applause of being wise A name of being learn'd judicious grave Able Divines 't is this too many crave Some boast their natural and acquired parts Which take the ears of some seduce the hearts Of many simple Souls who go astray While others are for feasting day by day There 's some delight in drinking choice of Wine Whilst others are to Gaming more inclin'd That sin that finds more favour than the rest That is thy darling sin thou knowst it best O search thy bosom well pry pry within Till thou findst out thy own beloved sin That gives thee kisses that 's the lust that slays thee O that 's the cursed Judas which betrays thee Ah! see how blind how foolish Sinners are Like to rebellious Saul theyâ—l Agâ—g spare They entertain this Lust close in their heart And are indeed as loth with it to part As with a Hand or Eye and therefore she Crys out with Sampson O this pleases me Ah! I will freely part with all the rest Might I but hug this Darling in my breasâ— Souls once convicted quickly do begin To hate detest and leave all grosser sin Sins visible unto the natural Eye Such which are of the black and deepest die They are possest with such a dread and fear They 'l not touch them nor venture to come near These foul defilements nay such spots disdainf Then presently conclude they 'r born again And shall be sav'd though bosom lusts remain And if at any time some beams of light Discover secret Sin or Conscience sâ—ite Or touch the Dalilah they then begin To think of making covers for such sin Which in the secret of the bosom lies With the fair Mantle of Infirmities But if at any time the searching Word Which cuts and trys like a two-edged Sword Pierces the heart and will divide asunder The soul and spirit and e're long bring under These Soul-deluding Covers and espies Those secret Lusts which in each corner lies And doth unmask those evils and disclose The Soul's hypocrisie yea and expose It's nakedness to view unto its shame Now now the Flesh begins to change the name Of every Lust that lies so closely hidden Soul touch not saith the Lord 't is Fruit forbidden O! saith the Flesh 't is pleasant in mine eyes Yea says the Tempter Soul 't will make thee wise Taste it is sweet the liberty is thine And Wisdom is a Vertue most divine And Vertue saith the flesh will make thee shine Christ he prohibits Souls from taking pleasure In laying up their bags of Earthly Treasure For these things have in them a secret Art To steal away th' affections of the Heart Christ tells the Soul Our Hevenly Father knows What 't is we want and so much he allows Which he sees best which we contentedly Should take from him who will our wants supply
And no good thing from us will he deny But hark What saith the Flesh O Soul saith she In this give ear and harken unto me 'T is not unlawful here to lay up Treasure Provided thou therein tak'st no great pleasure The World thou seest disdains those wch are poor And if thou 'rt Rich thouâ—lt be ador'd the more Nay if thou once arrivest at the pitch Of being by the World accounted Rich Thy words will far the greater influence have And may'st thereby perchance more rich ones save Besides all this when Rich thou mayest feed With thy abundance such who suffer need And this also will take thee off from care Which is to some a most perplexing snare And thou for God may'st the more hours spare If thou art poor and of strict conversation That will not be a fit Accommodation To draw men by for some thereby are frighted Who might by temporizing be invited Accommodate thy selâ— to all become All things to all men that thou mayst gain some These subtil Covers doth the Flesh devise To hide those sins which in the bosom lies And by this crafty course perhaps a while The poor unwary Soul it may beguile And if Apollyon sees the Creature yield In this respect he 's Victor in the Field He glory's in the Conquest he has gain'd As if a Diadem he had obtain'd But now behold here comes her former Friend ' Christ's precious Love this once to recommend True Ministers are filled with compassion As their long patience's worth all commendation The preciousness now of the Soul you 'l hear And how things go within he will declare He 'l call her Conscience to examination For Conscience 't is must give a full Relation Of all false Covers Nay and will reveal Those secret Lusts the Flesh seems to conceal Theologue Conscience thou knowst and privy art to all The secret strivings and the words let fall To bring the Soul to join in bonds of love With Jesus Christ and finally remove Her heart from sin yea from the smallest evil One sin belov'd will send her to the Devil Speak therefore now her inward parts reveal What faith hath she what love and O what zeal What indignation care and what desire Is she inflamed is she all on fire In love to him who out of love did die Her to espouse and save Eternally Conscience She loves but who she sighs Sir shall I speak She 's doubtfull still she knows not which to take Some kind of love some faint desires do rise Within her breast but then the Enemies Immediately such great disturbance cause That she 's amaz'd and put into a pause Although she dos love Christ I must confess Some secret sin is favour'd ner'theless She wants some glorious Rays her eyes are dim She never yet had a true sight of him I must speak all e'en the whole truth impart Alas she has new Objects in her heart Her love is treach'rous her affections burn Chiefly to self loves Christ to serve her turn And such a Legalist she 's become now To her own drag she blindfoldly do's vow To offer Incense in her seeming grace She glory 's much nay sets it in the place Of Jesus Christ and on that Idol pores This is the Object now she most adores Theologue Wilt thou expose thy self to scoff and shame And bring a blot for ever on thy name A Monster thou in Nature wilt appear To all who of thy faults and folly hear Canst be so vile so impudent and base Disloval Soul how canst thou still give place To Jesus's Foes and up an Idol set What offer sacrifice to thy own Net I stand amaâ—'d â— what guilt is on thy head Remember that black Bill what crimes are spread Before thine Eyes already But now further 〈◊〉 to charge thee with another Murther Committed on a spotless Man nay worse Thou letst him be betrayed to the Curse Of a most shameful Death nay what exceeds His hands feet sides die and his Soul still bleeds And what is worst of all he is God's Son On whom this bloody Tragedy was done Thy Friend O Soul who came down from above To sue to thee for kindnesses and love And yet doth he whose blood thy hands have shed Sue unto thee nay his deep wounds do plead For mercy and he 's able to forgive He 's God as well as Man dead yet doth live What Object is 't thou hast got in thine eye Dost think the Law can help thee make hast fly For 't is by that thou stand'st condemn'd to die Seek a Divorcement stand'st thou still in doubt 'Twixt Law Grace strange canst thou not find out What Judgment told thee sure thou knowest better It is severe O! 't is a killing Letter 'T is time to leave that Husband and for-go All hopes from him who seeks thy overthrow Christ has fulfill'd it he alone has life And if thou once art his espoused Wife Thou wilt receive a full discharge from all Those Debts those Deaths and dangers wch inthral The Souls of those whose blind deceived breast Seeks to self-righteousness for peace and rest Thou canst not Soul become a Virgin Spouse Until thou art divorced from all vows To that nay to Relations though they 're dear Must thou the lesser love and kindness bear Thy Fathers house and all thou must forsake If thou this happy Contract e're dost make Yield thy whole heart to Christ bend to his feet In pure simplicity there 's ground for it For he that lay within a Virgins Womb And who was buried in a Virgin-Tomb He that alone did lead a Virgin-Life Must have a chast and holy Virgin-Wife Needst thou more motives still what shall I say What shall I speak to move thee I will lay The nature of the Soul unto thy view Wouldst know its worth read then what dos ensue First 'T is capable such is its nature State On Great Jehovah's Pow'r to contemplate It searches prys and nicely looks about On Nature's frame and finds the former out David's amaz'd when he doth cast his Eye On all the glorious things beneath the skie He looked up and down above and under And stood astonish'd seeing cause of Wonder And then reflecting his own frame did see Nature's great Volume blest Epitome Fearfully am I made how canst tell His Answer is My Soul knows it full well We should have known no more of Earth or Heav'n Than the brutâ— beasts had not Jehovah given This precious Soul to us O then be wise And it secure as the chiefest Prize Secondly Nay more then this the Scripture makes relation 'T is capable of glorious Inspiration There is in Man a Soul a Spirit do's live And move in him to which the Lord doth give By Inspiration Wisdom Knowledg Fear That fools know more than the Philosopher The Soul's God's Candle a light of acceptation But from himself must come its Information Shall not this Candle pray you lighted be O let God's Spirit
mourns Ah! how she weeps she crys And water runs like fountains from her â—ys Now her whole Souls dissolved into tears By Love-sick passions yet she 's fill'd with fears Lest Christ should now with angry frown deny To give her one sweet aspect of his Eye Because his love she had so long refus'd And wondrous patience shamefully abus'd Oh! now she spends whole days nights in prayer She sighs and grieves but canâ—t see Christ appear The panting Hart ne'r long'd for Water-brooks More than does she for some reviving looks From the great Prince the God of Love Grace But he at present seems to hide his face But stop my Musâ— hark how the Winds do roar All storms i' th Soul alasâ— are not yet o're No sooner did the Old-man cast his Eyes And view'd this change but in great wrath did rise For to renew the War he joins afresh With scatter'd force of Will and Lusts of th' flesh To make what strength they can with hellish spite The Devil 's with these conquer'd pow'rs unite Arm'd with despair and like to Lamps wch make The greatest blaze at going out they take Their blunt and broken Weapons in their hand Resolving Christ in her shall not command Nor she desert their cause nor break her Vows With Sin and Self and so become Christ's Spouse But now I find in vain they do resist True Grace is come the Spirit doth assist Sin World the Flesh nor Devil can long stand Before the Spirits strong and pow'rful hand See how the Spirit now doth search about To find each Sin and cursed Darling out Did you never behold in what dread sorâ— The wide-mouth'd Canon plays upon the Fort And how by whole-sail it doth batter down The shattered walls of a besieged Town Even so the Spirit with his powerful Sword Makes glorious slaughter will no Truce afford Kills all before him will no Quarter give Nor will he suffer any Lust to live The Strong-man Satan quakes good reason why A stronger's come a stronger he doth spy Is enter'd in O therefore he 's much pain'd All all is gone and he himself is chain'd The Old-man trembling likewise thinks to fly Into some lurking-corner secretly To hide himself but th' Spirit 's piercing Sight Discovers him and now with heavenly might Laid on such strokes and gave him such a wound Wch with dire vengance brought him to the ground Now the Affections's chang'd and Will doth yield Being willing made says Grace shall have the Field O happy season and thrice long'd-for hour This is the day of God's most mighty Power Upon the Soul But hark methinks I hear Most bitter sighs and groans sound in mine Ear. The Soul 's afflicted it is she doth mourn To think what sorrows for her Christ hath born She hates nay loaths her self to th' very dust And seeks to mortifie each former Lust And something more doth still perplex her mind Him whom she dearly loves she cannot find Her heart I fear will quickly burst asunder If any long time she should be prest under This heavy weight no grief like hers is there Who can alas a wounded Spirit bear She 's almost swallow'dâ— up in deep despair You next shall hear if you attention lend How she bewails the absence of her Friend Soul Ah me I faint my Spirits quite decay And yet I cannot die O who can stay My sinking Soul whilst I these sorrows feel My feeble knees under their burden reel Infâ—rnal deeps black gulphs where horror lies Open their ghastly mouths before mine Eys O wretched Soul curs'd Sin I might have been The Lamb's fair Bride and a Celestial Queen Had I imbrac'd my Lord my King my Love Who was more faithful than the Turtle Dove O had I then receiv d him in mine Arms He would have sav'd me from eternal harms But now I fear those happy days are past And I poor wretch shall into Hell be cast Bound up in fetters and eternal chains Of burning Wrath and everlasting pains O sinful Soul I who have lightly set By the blest Prince who would have paid my debt O he that would have freely quit my score Ah! Now I fear I shall ne're see him more Could I but once more hear his Sacred Voice I would make him my joy and only choice But 's Wooing-time I fear is out of date 〈…〉 but dread it is too late I mâ—lt Lord into tears whilst thou the Sun Of precious Light art hid where shall I run For Light and comfort in this dolesom hour Whilst I lie drenched in this brinish shower More would she speak but her great passion stops Her mournful speech whilst her eys stood-gates opeâ— Smote with despair so faint she scarce appears To breath or live but by her sighs and tears A Friend amidst this passion straight arriv'd Whose shining beams and lustre much reviv'd The troubl'd Soul on every side that she Cry'd out O heavenly Spirit it is thee Who with Diviner and mysterious Art Did such illustrious beams of Glory dart Which did not only tend to joy and peace But much inflam'd her heart made love increase And lo before her Eys she doth behold The Prince to stand whose Glory to unfold Is 'bove the reach of Man or Seraphim And thus had she a blessed sight of him Like as the Sun breaks forth beneath a Cloud Whose conqu'ring light cast off each envious shroud And round about his beauteous beams displays Making her Earth like Heav'n with his bright rays This glorious Aspect of his lovely Eye Which she through Faith beheld did by and by With such transports or Raptures on her seize And from her former sorrows gave her â—ase Yet could she not be fully satisfy'd Until the Marriage-knot was firmly ty'd A Promise she endeavours to procure To make Christ's Love and Pardon to her sure She to this purpose does her self address To him she loves with sweet composedness Of heart and mind tho thinking what she 'd bin She 's under fears and oft distrest again Much questioning for want of Faith how he Could e're forget past wrongs and injurie Soul Life of my life alas Lord what am I A wretched Creature who deserves to die A thousand deaths nay and a thousand more For wounding thee within without all o're In every part O this doth make me mourn It melts my heart to think what thou hast born For a vile worm But wilt thou view the wound That 's made in me Lord I am drench'd drown'd In bloud and brinish tears my wasting breath And sighing Soul will period soon in Death Unless thou seal and dost confirm to me Thy Love by promises O! shall I see Thy hand stretch'd out or shall I hear thee say Come come to me poor Soul O come away 'T is thou that wilt not bruise the broken reed Hurt not my sores nor crush the wounds that bleed O let my chilled Soul feel the warm fires Of thy sweet Voice that my dissolv'd
Eternal I Give forth the Sentence Thou shalt surely die 'T was I that curs'd the Serpent who remains Unto this day and shall in lasting Chains When Cain did shed his righteous Brother's bloud I sentenc'd Cain 't was I that brought the â—lood Upon the Earth By me the World was drowned Proud Babels Language was by me confounded I am Jehovah's everlasting Word Who in my hand do bear th' two-edg'd Sword 'T was I and only I that did Command The dismal darkness in the Egyptians Land 'T was at my Word the Seas divide in twain And made an even passage through the Main At my Command Pharaoh and all his Host Were utterly within the Red-Sea lost 'T was I that made Belshazzâ—rs joints to quake And all his Nobles tremble when I spake 'T was I that made the Persian Monarchs great And threw them with the Grecians from their Seat I say the Word and Nations are distress'd I spake again and the whole World 's at rest Let all Men stand in fear and dread of me I was the first and I the last will be All knees shall bow to me when I reprove And at my Voice the Mountains shall remove The Earth shall be dissolved at my Threat And Elements shall melt with fervent heat My Word confines the Earth the Seas the Wind I am the great Jehovah unconfin'd 'T is I divide between the joints and Marrow No place so close no cranny is so narrow But like the Sun 's bright beams I enter in Discovering to each heâ—rt the darling Sin That lodges in the Soul 'T is I alone Who by my piercings make them sigh and groâ—n If from true sense and sorrow they complain I graciously bind up those wounds again 'T is I that save the humble and contrite And do condemn the formal Hypocrite My circuit's large I coast the World about No place nor secret but I find it out All Nations of the World I rule at pleasure To my Dominion's neither bound nor measure Therefore dear Soul chear up and do not fear I 'le confound all thy Foes both far and near And now I do command to bring to th' Bar That inward Foe Old-man I wo'nt defer His Tryal lâ—nger his Indictments read And he had leave and liberty to plead And on his Trial he deny'd the Fact But Conscience swears she took him in the act And other witness too but to be brief All prove him the Soul's Foe nay and the chief And only cause of all the horrid Treason Acted against the Lord unto this season He was deny'd to speak the Proofs being clear You shall therefore his fatal Sentence hear Come thou base Traytor impure Mass of Sin That Villain-like dost seek revenge agin Upon the Soul and striv'st to raise up strife Nay thirsts again to take away her life Hear hear thy Sentence Old-man thou must die I can no pity shew nor mind thy cry Thy Age away 't is pity thou hast bin Spared so long when guilty of such Sin Soul thou must see to bring him in subjection With every evil lust and vile affection This heap of Sin thou must strive to destroy That so thou maist all perfect peace enjoy Under the strictest bonds let him abide Till he is slain or throughly crucify'd The Old-man being sentenc'd and confin'd The Soul is consolated in her mind Affection Judgment Will do all rejoyce And are united now O happy choice Ah! she admires the excellence and worth Of her Beloved that she sets him forth As one that 's ravish'd in the contemplation Of his great Glory and her exaltation In this her sacred choice and this so raises Her ravish'd senses that Angelick praises She thinks too low O now she doth discover And not till now th' affections of a Lover There 's nothing now so tedious as delay Betwixt the ' spousal and the Marriage-day Her former joys in which she much delighted She treads them under-foot they are quite slighted Nay altogether loathsom in her Eye Compared with his sacred Company Unto the place where he appoints to meet her Thither she runs with speed there 's nothing sweeter Nay there is nothing sweet nothing is dear Or pleasant to her if he be not there O! saith the Love-sick Soul in such a case May I but have one kiss one sweet Imbrace O how would it rejoyce this heart of mine His Love is better than the choisest Wine His Name is like an Ointment poured forth And no such Odour e're enrich'd the Earth The Eastern Gums Arabian Spices rare Do not perfume noâ— so enrich the Air As the Eternal 〈◊〉 renowned Fame Of his most preciâ—â—s and most glorious Name Perfumes my Soul 〈◊〉 elevates my voice Whilst gladness fills my heart O happy choice My sacred Friend my Life my Lord and King Doth me into his secret Chambers bring Although ten thousand fall on either hand My Soul in saâ—ety evermore shall stand Tell me my Lord tell me my dearest Love Where thou dost feed whither the Flocks remove And where they rest an Noon in soultry gleams Bring me into those Shades where silver streams Of living Waters flow most calm and still There there I 'le shelter there I 'le drink my fill The Fountains ope O see it runs most clear Green Pastures by a â—â—odg is also near To hide in â—afety and to saâ—e from fear Of scotching heat â—â—der this shade I 'le rest My Love shall be inclosed in my breast My heart shaâ—l be 〈◊〉 lodging-place for ever Nothing shal me from my Beloved â—ever The terrors of the Night shall never harm me He saves from heat in â—rosts his love doth warm me You Virgins who yet never felt the smart Of Love's soul-piercing and heart-wounding Daâ—t If all these sacred Raptures you admire Know Virgins know that this Celestial 〈◊〉 That 's kindlâ—d in my breast comes from 〈◊〉 And sets my Soul into this frame of Love O he that has endured so much pain To gain my Love is worthy to obtain Ten thousand times more love than his poor Spouse Is able to bestow yet shall my Vows Be daily paid to him in whose sweet breast My love-sick Soul shall find eternal rest Know know I ne'r obtain'd true peace beforâ— My soul cast 〈◊〉 on this sacred shore All earthâ—y pleasures are but seeming miâ—th His presence is a Heaven upon Earth How heavy O how bitter was the Cross Once unto me to think upon the loss Or temporal comfâ—rts made me to complain But noâ— I 〈…〉 my gain Terrestrial joys as dross to me appear My joy 's in Heaven O my treasure 's there Had I all Riches of both th' India's shore At my command ten thousand times told o're My soul would loath them they should be abhor'd Being worse than dung compared to my Lord. O may these Sun-beams never cease to shine By which I see that my Beloved's mine He is my flesh and bone therefore will I Rejoyce the more in this Affinity He is my