Lo's Wife thy pace thou must nor slack For fear thy love grow cold and so decay That thou from after me turn quite away Thou must thy flesh â—ield up to be subdu'd And mortify'd by me because its rude And full of stubbornness and oft hath broke Both of my laws and of my love the yoke Yea so rebelhous against me it is And hath led thee so much to do amiss And with so high a hand 〈◊〉 had I not Been merciful to thee as 〈◊〉 to Lot When he in Sodom lingred â—eath to part Therefrom when call'd thou there through hast thy heart So often hardned thou destroyd hadst been Through it much hurt and forrow thou hast seen I must therefore for thee it came that it May not grow rank sti'd and make thee unfit For fellowship with me who holy am And unto thee to make thee holy came But if at my reproof thou wiâ—t let go Its lusls the less grief I shall put thee to Oh yield it up Dear soul at every turn Be not offended that I parge or burn It oâ—t of thee thy self now offer up A sacrifice to me drink of my cup I give to cleanse thee from thy filth within And from what therâ—e breaks forth upon thy skin Like to a Leprosy and doth defile Thy person and dotli make thee very vile Yield but thy self to me and iâ—le thee cure I 'le make thee like my self both white and pure So shall I in thy beauty much delight And thou shalt always dwell in my blest sight And therefore do not fear I will not harm thee But only cleanse thee from thy filth and arm thee Against what may destroy thee I must prove thee And humble as my spouse because I love thee That so I may thee fashion to my mind Make thee fit for me and that thou mayst find More favour in mine eyes I may be for thee And that thy filâ—h may not make me abhor thee But fear not when I have thee fully try'd Thou shalt with me also be glorify'd Fear not l'th wilderness I will thee feed And by my right hand I will there thee lead And by thy right hand too I will thee holâ— Nothing shall harm thee I thy frame and mold Do fully know and will not on thee lay More than what by my strength endure thou may Only resign thy flesh and self to me And thou shalt my Salvation surely see I now unto my self do freely spouse thee But I shall not as yet so fully house thee As I intend here fter thou must tarry And wait a while before I fully many Thee to my self before unto that place Those royal Mansions which for thee my grace Hath fitted I thee take where I receive And entertain all that in me believe Thou hast been very whorish and thou art Polluted with thy whoredomes at thy heart Thy flesh and body is defil'd with what Thou from thy lovers whoredomes oft hast got And I cannot into my Bride-bed take thee Till I first wash thee white and clean do make thee Thou must the time of purifying stay Before our solemn joyful wedding day In the mean time constant to me and chast Thou must abide and thou mayst not make hast After injoyments of delights so that With other pleasures thou thee satiate And turn thee from me to some other lover Thee to content thou mayst let none be over Thy heart and conscience besides me who am Thy only Lord and Saviour that meek Lamb Who bought thee with my blood and thee did call To me that I might be thy All in All If thus thou dost then I will be for thee And all I am and have it thine shall be Soul Dear Lord thy words in every thing are right My soul approves them finds therein delight Make me them more to know further to see Into the wondrous things that in them be Thy love is wonderful worthy receit And to be fed upon more than our meat It s better far than wine doth me refresh Although it rellish not unto the flesh Who would not such a lover as thou art Imbrace with both his arms with all his heart Who can like blessings give like comforts bring Above all GODS Thou art the mighty KING Oh who can fathom who can comprehend The greatness of thy love there 's no such friend Or lover as thou art none can forgive The soul its sins like thee or make it live Oh who am I that I should welcome be Or be accepted unto life by thee That thou shuld'st call and woo me and imbrace Me in thy arms cause me to see thy face Thy pleasant face and own me as thy own And in thy words thy love to me make known Yea both thy words and love cause me to know To draw my heart from off the things below And fix it on thy self and things above Oh there 's no sweetness to that of thy love Its tasts at present most delightful are All other pleasures it surpasses far But as if all at present was but small Thou holdst forth such a portion too as all For future time yea to eternity For ever to injoy thy Majesty I less am than the least of thy mercies Which thou dost give wilt not thou me despise But passing by all my unworthiness And many mighty sins such love express As passeth knowledge Oh that I again With my whole heart thy love may intertain And love for love return perpetually And never shrink from thee no though I dy Oh Lord thy love ingages me to be Wholly devoted and given up to thee For it s but meet that I be wholly thine And for thy sake give up all that is mine Who for my sake didst not the cross decline It s meet that I a sacrifice should be Wholly devoted and given up to thee A living holy sacrifice whereby Thou may'st be glorifyed and lift on high For great thy love to me is I confess Nor can I by my tongue or pen express The great desâ—râ—s of love and service too Which far beyond all my returns I ow. I do acknowledge too thy words be true In all they say of me that nothing's due To me of praise or approbation for I am so loathsome thou mayst me abhor I am polluted with a whorish heart So as I jealous am least I depart Away from thee it oftentimes indeed Hath play'd the Harlot and brought forth a breed Of hateful Monster full of venome fell Against thy purity The brats of Hell Unchast desires and lusts self-love and pride Ambitious thoughts a loathness to be ty'd Up to thy just commands an evil eye Of envy against such as I could spy Prefer'd before me often at them fretting With covetous desires to be getting More of this worlds injoyments profits pleasure Slothfull mispending of that time and leasure Thou hast afforded me for better things From which much other mischief oft times springs Such things my bowels oft have eat and
to seek to know him bend Our thoughts to him and keep him in our mind With greatest earnestness his praises view To think on him bid all things else adieu LXIII Love God with all thy heart as him we know Let our affections close with and embrace Him freely fully all things high and low To the injoyment of him must give place Resign our wills to him on him rely Joy and delight we in his Majesty LXIV Seek his approvement fellowship and grace Joy in his word and service and adhere Firmely unto him seek his strength and face Above all things and the loss thereof fear Yea love the places whereon be his name His paths posts statutes and frequent the same LXV Love God with all thy soul the life and might Which soul united with the body gives To put forth all our strength it is but right Seeking and serving him who ever lives Remiss and slothful seeking him implies That our love to him 's cold and cold love dies LXVI Yea yet again we may be thrice put on To love the Lord because a Trinity There is in him He 's three though yet but one As Scriptures do expresly testifie Love God the Father Son and holy Spirit For each of them thy fervent'st love do merit LXVII For each and All are love in one and have Joyntly and severally their love exprest To us poor mortals that they might us save And that our miseries might be redrest In love the Father sent the Son unto us In love the Son came and the Spirit doth wooe us LXVIII In love the Father his Son yielded up To be made flesh and poor despis'd and dye 'T was He that gave to him that bitter cup Which wrung his Soul with many an agony In love to us he rais'd him up again And hath exalted him on high to reign LXIX In love to us the Son our flesh and blood Did at the Father's just appointment take And in our room and stead as surety stood And by his dying did atonement make And rose and off'red up himself on high Living to plead for us continually LXX In love to us he sent the holy Ghost And gifts did give to men as he thought good That so by them his Name in ev'ry coast Might be proclaim'd and his grace understood And unto those who do his grace retain He 'll come in glory and raise them to raign LXXI In love to us the Holy Ghost comes forth In Christ his Name and doth his truth make known Shewing the things of Christ and their great worth Wooing us to him that we might him own Waiting with patience for our turning in Ready to wash and cleanse us from our sin LXXII He guids us into truth he gives support Strengthneth in services and sufferings Unto our fainting Spirits he gives comfort Yea he all life and blessings to us brings Will raise us up from death and grave and give In glorious bodies us with Christ to live LXXIII Love Love Love God therefore intensively Who was and is and who is yet to come Love every person in the Trinity Oh that he had in my heart all the room Thus in the first place love to God is due But let us now a second Object view LXXIV Love secondly our Neighbour for the Text That bids us first of all to love the Lord Tells us the second precept which is next Is love our Neighbours and we in God's Word Good reason for it find because they are Our brethren though with God they can't compare LXXV All men are sprung from out one common stock Branches of the same root made of one blood Rais'd from one common mold chips of one block Fram'd by one hand capable of one good We had at first the same original And must at last into the same dust fall LXXVI Indeed there is in us such backwardness To love our Neighbours that this thrice repeated Word Love may be apply'd with earnestness That our cold hearts to love them may be heated God we so little love our selves so wrong That Neighbours get not what to them belong LXXVII 'T would be as good for them happy to be And to be miserable full as sad As to be happy will be good for thee And to be miserable for thee 's bad Seek to promote their good prevent their wooe Do to them as thou wouldst be done unto LXXVIII Especially fince it is God's good will And precept that thy Neighbour thou should'st love And that he might thee move it to fulfill His own example gives thee from above He hath both loved thee and others too As he hath done to thee to others do LXXIX God's love to thee obliges thee again Readily what he bids thee to obey To Love thy Neighbour then do not disdain Whatever lust of thine thereto say nay Though of thy love unworthy he doth seem Worthy of thine obedience God esteem LXXX But who 's our Neighbour surely every man Distinct from us at least till fil'd with evil Any we find that clearly see we can That they are thereby made one with the Devil For they that are God's enemies so far Out of our loves we lawfully may bar LXXXI But for all others they should loved be Whither they be our friends our foes or strangers Their good we should indeavour joy to see Defend and seek to rescue them from dangers Grieve for their harms and do what in us lies Their happiness to further any wise LXXXII Me thinks three sorts of Neighbours I espy God's friends our own and they that neither be Respectively to whom this trinity Of love-commands again apply may we Love those that love God love friends and allies Love other men strangers or enemies LXXXIII Love those that love God for they 'r worthy love In that they do the thing that 's good and right They are God's friends he loves them that may move Thee therefore in them to take much delight They love not God who do not love his friends And they are faulty who e'r them commends LXXXIV For in asmuch as any loves God He God's image in him in some measure bears They are Christ's vertues which in him we see God's and Christ's liv'ries he upon him wears And he that loves not God as seen in 's brother Loves not but hates God howe'r he it smother LXXXV If God thou lov'st and seek'st desirously Acquaintance with he with his people dwels In cleaving to their heavenly company Thou shalt meet with him as the Scripture tells If thou hast no desire his face to know Thou lov'st him not what face so e'r thou show LXXXVI Amongst all men they the first place should have In our affections because God's in them They 'r nearest to him what they of him crave He 'll give for he their pray'rs will not contemn They then who him neglect and them despise He needs must take to be his enemies LXXXVII They be Christ's favourites he doth them own As his dear
friends his Mother Sister Brother They of him in a special sort are known They 'r honour'd of him far above all other How can he brook it from us if we them Who are so near and dear to him contemn LXXXVIII Them as his Pearls and Jewels he reputes His lot his portion his inheritance His garden of delights which pleasant fruits Bring forth to him and he will them advance Yea he is their lot and portion too Nothing he thinks too great for them to do LXXXIX Love them therefore as thine own choisest friends Consort with them and walk in their good ways Do for them all that to their welfare tends When they are cast down seek them up to raise Spare not for them thy wealth strength life to spend For that 's the way to make the Lord thy friend XC For such an unity with him they have That he doth take what e'r to them thou do'st As done unto himself It 's he doth crave Thy charity when they be almost lost Through want of some relief or in some danger If thou neglect them thou mak'st him a stranger XCI Grace teaches thee to love God's friends yea all In whom man's nature savable is found Nature doth teach thee to those thou do'st call Thy friends and kindred in love to abound If Gods and thine they 'r both a double tye To love them dearly upon thee doth lye XCII Grace natural affections don't destroy But rectifies making them clean and right To love thy friends and kinsfolks and to joy In their prosperity it doth excite And it allows and leads thee soberly With them to sorrow in their misery XCIII Yea usually more then in other folks Because more nearly knit and joyn'd to thee Grace love from every several tye provokes Where it doth find more grounds it makes more free Who loves not all is short in grace his friends Who loves not grace and nature both offends XCIV Yea grace will lead to love both strangers to us As God us while to him we strangers were And enemies who labour to undo us Seeking all comforts from us quite to tear For God us loved while his enemies And while we did him and his laws despise XCV While we against his truth and holiness Did act continually and him so hated That in our hearts we liked nothing less Yea could have wished him annihilated 'T was then his kindness to us that did slay Our enmity and it remove away XCVI That any are our enemies 't is not Essential to them because men they be But it 's because errour of them hath got The mastery or ill in us they see Endeavour them to cure our selves to mend And then their enmity will have an end XCVII And if our love will cure them of their ailments And turn their hearts to us we gainers are Our friends they 'll be because we so their failments By love have cur'd and had of them such care Who hates his enemy but makes him worse And makes himself too partner in the curse XCVIII Who loves his enemies doth imitate The God of love who us his foes to save Lay'd down for us his life and nought doth hate But that corruption which doth us inslave Where love doth conquer men best get their ends Their foes they overcome and make their friends XCIX Oh noble love who while thou mak'st men yield Unto their foes in all may do them good Not overcome of ill do'st win the field And oftimes draw'st thine enemies heart blood Not to be shed in anger to their guilt But boil in love and for their good be spilt C. Thus Christ did conquer Saul while he did spare His life and soul from ruine and imploy Him in the ministry a conquest rare On him he got wherein they both had joy And he who 's life did forfit as Christ's foe In love to him did freely it forgo CI. Thus thou thy will upon thy foes may'st have If thou do'st conquer them by charity However thou that way thy soul shalt save And if not their's they shall more sorely dye Them and thy self by hatred thou mayst kill And near-the-less mayst fail to have thy will CII Love 's the best weapon wherewith we can fight Against what ever persons us oppose While it in their welfare seeks its delight We may them conquering win and nought shall lose But what shall be repaid and hundred fold With that which far exceeds the choicest gold CIII Oh that of that blest Lamb who lost his life And powred forth his dearest precious blood That by his love he might o'rcome our strife And his fierce persecutors bring to good We willing were to learn this lesson well To strive in love each other to excell CIV That others evils may not quel our good But we with goodness may o'rcome their ill That though of mischiefs they cast out a flood Upon us we may seek their welfare still Who lives in love and love intirely keeps Shall laugh when he who lives in hatred weeps CV But yet a third time love may lead us yet After another object to inquire Love we our selves Can we our selves forget Or can we fail our own good to desire We are not bid to love our selves because It is suppos'd we 'll do that without laws CVI. That we should love our selves God doth imply When love unto our neighbours bid doth he Making love to our selves the rule whereby Love to our neighbour measured should be To love our Neighbours as our selves what 's that But if we hate our selves them too to hate CVII And yet so brutish we our selves have made That other things we love our selves neglect Yea all our times and strength are oft out laid On what our own destruction may effect The love wherewith we love our selves is hate Indeed though love we it do nominate CVIII For there 's a love to self that oft destroys The soul which God therefore forbiddeth to us Branding self love as sinful ' cause 't annoys And in the consequent doth but undo us When so our selves and what 's ours we affect That God and Neighbours we to love neglect CIX Of such a love to self the World is full And every where it's fruits are to be found It 's that which from all goodness men doth pull And makes them in all wickedness abound Men so themselves and their own lusts do mind It 's rare an honest godly man to find CX Some men their wisdom goodness strength and parts So much do overween and magnifie That unto God and Christ their minds and hearts For grace and mercy they do not apply Yea and what wholsom counsels unto them Others do give they proudly do contemn CXI Some men their will and purpose cleave to so That what God doth require they don't regard Yea every one they do account their foe Who their will cross or their designs retard Yea many one that he may have his will Cares not God to blaspheme and men
to kill CXII Some men their praise with men and reputation With fools so love that so they may them get They 'll shape their manners into any fashion And faith and conscience too to sale they 'll set Turning their backs on all that God prescribes Rather then bear therefore some taunts or jibes CXIII Some for their honour so ambitious are That rather then they 'll loose a cap or knee They 'll fret and sume yea for it they don't care A Mans or Nations ruine if they see Because unto proud Haman Mordecay Would not bow down he all the Jews would slay CXIV Some men for their inriching are so set That so they may but their estates increase Though by oppressing others they it get By lying cheating breaking of the peace They matter not nay they 'll for money sell Both God and Heaven and give themselves to Hell CXV Some men their own delights their pleasures ease So love and value that they matter not For God or men so they themselves may please And have their belly-chear punk pipe and pot Give them their hawks hounds pastimes sports plays They matter not what God's laws or Man's says CXVI Some folks their forms and handsomeness so prize That all their care is wholly thereon set How they some pretty fashion may devise Their hair trim or their cloths i' th' new cut get Yea so thy be but fashionably fine Their souls may perish and the poor may pine CXVII Some men their own inventions so set by Or their own fancies in Religion That of true godliness the heart may dye So be their ceremonies go but on Let others rack their conscience let them kill Their bodies loose their souls they 'll have their will CXVIII Nay many who do honest men appear And from gross acts of wickedness are free Who by no means will lye be drunk steal swear Yet their own things so mind from God they flee Their Oxen Farmes Trades Merchandise or Wives God of their Love Heaven of their Souls deprives CXIX But this unto mens selves is no right love But hatred rather it may well be stil'd Beause their hearts from God it doth remove And their souls are thereby of life beguil'd A man's soul is himself who that neglects Himself doth hate what ever he respects CXX It 's something else that men do love indeed In this false self love it 's a self of sin Which did from Sathan at the first proceed And at this motion Adam first let in Sin so in man dwells and 's with him so one That is as a man's self is oft spoke on CXXI Thence we are bid our members on the Earth To mortifie when he that bids us so Uncleanness fornication lawless mirth Therein forbids and what may us undo It 's this indeed that man so likes and loves And it 's the love of this that God reproves CXXII The true love to our selves it is imply'd In that which God requires of us as that The Lord we seek love serve his will abide With patience love our neighbours all ill hate Himself he truly loves who doth indeavour For what his soul will happy make for ever CXXIII He that regardeth not God's holy Word To hear and learn and carefully obey Who seeketh not to know and have the Lord His Father friend his comfort help and stay Who hates his neighbours and doth love his lust Loves not himself but 's to himself unjust CXXIV He that doth truly love himself doth take The course that tends directly to his good Doth seek to know it doth inquiry make For it not resting till 't is understood Above his sense and body loves his soul And whatsoere would harme it doth controule CXXV Who loves himself indeed doth hate all sin In love to Christ his lust he will deny Will walk in all good ways the World to win Would not offend God or men injury Commits himself to God on him doth stay And from his holy fear turns not away CXXVI Thus if this posie thou do'st understand Thou mayst do well to bear it in thy mind Yea did'st thou wear it then upon thine hand And practise it thou thence much good might'st find Love not thy lusts the world or worldly pelf But love God love thy neighbour love thy self CXXVII But if God thou neglect'st to love and for True love to others and thy self do'st place Some blind affections to their friendship or Their proper stature fair or comely face Which being of the flesh though green and fair They now do seem but grass and flowers are CXXVIII Or if thou thine own wit and parts adoring Thy will thy pleasures beauty strength or ways Or with thine own invention go'st a whoring Or dot'st on thine own honour name or praise Or any like affection in the stead Of true love placing do'st this posie read CXXIX Then thou this posie do'st not well apply Nor need'st such iterations to incite Thy love but rather need'st that to deny Then to foment because thy love 's not right Love not love not love not well may we say When ours or other mens affections stray CXXX Love not the World nor things thereof so saith The holy Ghost from fleshly lusts abstain They fight against our souls lead from the faith Deprive us of all good and make us vain Lord all unlawful love purge out of me And make me love my self my neighbours Thee Another POSIE O. M. W. R. God first doth try then satisfie I. HOW wondrous are God's ways He is most worthy praise His counsels all are very deeply laid The fool can't in his mind His methods see or find Who of his judgments may not be afraid Through Seas and Wilderness his ways lie Yet when he hath try'd he doth satisfie II. His works are so i' th' dark To us who can them mark Till he doth bring them forth unto the light Though he i' th' dark begin Yet doth he never lin Till by his lustre he dispel the night Then they who fear'd and sorrow'd may espy How much they err'd and praise him heartily III. This is that way of God With all his Saints oft trod As at the first light out of darkness sprung So through much darkness he Hath made his people see The light of life where-through thy oft have sung Christ fills his vessels first with water and Then waters turns to wine by his command IV. And this he doth that so He might make us forgo Those lusts and Idols whereunto we cleave And those sins mortifie Which else would make us dye He proves whether for him we them will leave And may we not when try'd as dross be found God will us save and our joys shall abound V. God tryed Abraham When out of Vr he came From 's kindred and his country made to go But yet he did him save And better lands he gave Then that was which he call'd brought him fro An heavenly country he before him set Which caus'd his
'll come in to thee I with thee will sup I 'll spread thy Table I will fill thy cup I 'll put thee to no charge I 'll bring my meat And freely give to thee that thou may'st eat And drink abundantly of that blest wine Which will thee satisfie with joys divine Open therefore to me my Sister dear Open thy heart to me Oh taste my chear Give me thy self let me thy body have And heart also I will them bless and save It 's all I ask of thee I crave no more Give me thy self do but thou me adore Give me thy love and thy affections and Be thou but subject unto my command Cleave to me with thy heart put all thy trust In me believe in me for I am just I will not fail or leave thee But thou none Must entertain besides me I alone Challenge thy love and service and it 's fit That none besides me none from me them get I parted for thy sake with all I had To ransom thee from thy forlorn and sad Condition and I all that I again Receiv'd have of my Father not disdain Upon thee to bestow my self I gave To ransom thee my self I give to save Thee too and therefore I alone deserve That thou should'st me alone both love and serve The Devil and his works thou must forsake Thou may'st not serve him his suggestions take For truth use divinations witchcrafts charms Inchantments times observe for good or harms Consult familiar Spirits believe his lies Ask counsel of the dead Idolatries Practise or what ere crafts He doth devise He in the disobedient beareth sway Inticing them to sin and go astray From my right paths Thou must resist him and In nothing yield thy self to his command Thou must forsake this wicked World likewise Not list'ning to their counsels who despise Me and my doctrine nor associate Thy self with them who my good ways do hate It 's pomps and pastimes shows and braveries Vain customs fashions and formalities Thou may'st not dote on neither may'st thou take My gifts or Ordinances and them make Idols as is the guise of worldly men Who do despise me and my laws contemn Their Silver Gold their Riches Houses Lands Their Kings and Governors and their commands They Idolize while after them they lust And in them secretly do put their trust Prefer them before me and fear them so That in my straight ways oft they durst not go The flesh with it's desires also thou must Renounce even every sinful cursed lust Thy bruitish appetites to satisfie In Drunkenness Uncleanness Gluttony Excess of Riot Sports or rich Attire Or what else thy corruptions do desire My words thou must receive and them hold fast No Article of them thou by may'st cast But howsoere thy reason they may pose Thou in thy heart must truly with them close And firmly them retain My holy will Take heed unto that thou may'st it fulfill No Gods but Me in my sight may'st thou have However secretly for none can save Thee but the holy Trinity who all Do meet in me on none else may'st thou call Or look or trust to nor thy Conscience May'st yield to them upon any pretence No image may'st thou to thy self invent Nor may thy heart or knee thereto be bent No false imaginations of me or Devised worships for I them abhor But worship God in Me and as my Word Doth thee direct for I 'm a jealous Lord. Thou may'st not take my holy Name in vain Nor it with Blasphemies or false Oaths stain Or with a vain Profession without fruits Produced thereby such as with it suits Or blemish it with any sinful way For I 'll not such hold guiltless The seaventh day Thou must observe in me to take thy rest Who am the substance by that day exprest That I may sanctifie thee thou be blest To Father and to Mother while they live And to all thy superiours thou must give Due honour and subjection too in me Giving to Caesar what things Caesars be To all men owing nothing but to love Cheifly those loving who are from above All Murther with all Malice Envy Hate See thou avoid with all Strife and Debate Thy body keep in Chastity thou must Flee Fornication and unlawful Lust Thou must not others Wrong or from them take Ought that is theirs nor them Calumniate But yield thy self to Me and be content With Me and what I give letting no bent Of Avarice possess or stain thy mind Thou shalt in me all satisfaction find All which I certainly will work in thee If thou wilt but yield up thy self to Me. I put on thee no hard nor grievous task What I require I 'll give too if thou ask It of me and for it on me depend My Spirit to work it in thee I will send And wherein thou through weakness goest astray The vertues of my blood shall take 't away Be thou but upright and chast unto me I am and evermore will be for thee If thou refuse this offer thou must die And perish in thy sins eternally None other Lords or lovers can thee save What ere they be or seem they ne'r so brave For they be vanities of vanities Their strength is weakness their promises lies Their words are wind and all they meditate Is from a feined love a real hate Their smoothest language is false flattery Their best imbraces are but treachery Their kisses of thee are but like to his Who sometimes me betrayed by a kiss And when he said Hail Master yet even then He me deliver'd up unto those men That sought my life to whom he had me sold For thirty pieces not of yellow Gold But whitely silver or like his who while He feined love to Abner did beguile And smite him with a Weapon on his side Under his fifth rib that thereof he died And on another time as one well verst In that accursed craft Amasa pierc't With warlike Sword to th' heart while friendlike He Saluted him and as one with him free Did with his right hand take him by his beard And kist him till his blood him all besmear'd Such are the soft imbraces of those foes To thee and Me who do my words oppose Suggesting to thee that I am austere And put upon thee more then thou can'st bear That they are thy best friends and wish thee well And many pleasing stories to thee tell As that thou art whole strong wise holy just May'st live without me may'st follow thy lust That to deny thy self of thy desire Is foolishly thine own death to conspire With me who love thee not but wish thy loss And take delight to bring thee to the cross Where like unto my self thou may'st be made A publick scorn ' mongst those that drive the trade Of robbing by the high-way-side or those Who unto Kings and Magistrates are foes Rebelling against them and their commands And seeking in their blood to wash their hands Or else amongst such Hereticks most
Judgment too This Canto fullyer doth show That men must reap as they do sow Which by examples manifold Both in the bad and good is told Where all God's justice may behold Yet that nor good nor bad have here Their full rewards is here made clear Till Jesus Christ to judge appear Which that he shall is here exprest The Resurrection and the Rest Of the just too made manifest IT being reasonable that the Lord Who doth such eminent favours afford To man should give to him a holy law Requiring that of him he stand in awe Him worship and obey with thankfulness For all the love he doth to him express He will too as with men its usual Him in due time forth unto judgment call And render to him as his works shall be Rewards and punishments as ye may see All Laws and Governmens are guarded so By promising rewards and threatning woe To those that under them do live as they Those laws do either keep or disobey To what good purpose should laws order'd be If they who break them may yet escape free And not for any thing they do sustain Due punishment by either loss or pain And if th' observers thereof be neglected And nothing better be therefore respected Even so God who his laws unto man gave Observes too how men do themselves behave Whether they do submit their necks unto them Believe his sayings readily to do them Or whether they the reins to lust do give And to themselves and their corruptions live And them accordingly he will reward As they regard him or him disregard See'st thou not this discovered oftentimes While evil men who do commit great crimes Though they do think themselves to be secure Are brought most heavy judgments to endure Is not God by his righteous judgments known While wicked men are thereby overthrown In their devises witness that great flood Which overflow'd the old World and which stood Above the highest mountains when the World Which wicked was was into ruine hurl'd For those abominations which they Committed stubbornly from day to day Refusing by good Noah to be warn'd Yea me in him they set at naught and scorn'd For it is I the Wisdom and the Word Of the Almighty and eternal Lord Who by my Spirit do dwell in holy men And lead them forth with boldness to condemn And fault the Worlds great wickedness because They take no heed unto my righteous laws It was my judgment executed in Those five great Cities famous for their sin Sodom and her near neighbours overthrown By Fire and Brimstone so as ne'r was known Before or since because they cast away My counsels from them would not me obey The Word and Wisdom of my Father high Who to the sons of men do use to cry To shew them what is right and what is wrong What doth to them and what doth not belong My words those sinful Cities thrust away And after strange flesh vilely went astray Pride idleness and riotous excess Was in them and the poor they did oppress And lewdness they committed therefore I In flames of Fire from Heaven did make them fry What should I mention Egypts haughty King Who proudly my commands away did fling And with his people badly did intreat My people and did them abuse and beat How did I judge them and with plagues them break Because their bad ways they would not forsake Making them warnings to all Tyrants that In after ages me and mine should hate I Plung'd them strangely into that great flood Or Sea whose waves mean while on both sides stood Of my Elect whom I had chose to be A special lot or people unto me What should I speak of Saul and Haman and The Jewish Nation for in every Land Such monuments of judgment oft have been In whom and what befel them 't may be seen That there 's a God above whose eyes behold The proud who him contemn and are so bold To break his laws and walk in their own pride Nought can them from his powerful vengeance hide Whereas on th' other side He doth protect And shew his favour unto his Elect His worshippers all such as do him fear And to my wholesom counsels do adhere Though He be pleas'd their faith sometimes to try Them from the dross of sin to purifie And divers ways to exercise them till His gratious purpose He on them fulfil That so their vertues might more brightly shine And God more fully shew his pow'r divine In their support and in that inward might Wherewith He them indues in the Worlds fight When all the old World who from me had swerv'd Was drowned how was righteous Noe preserv'd And in an Ark was with his houshold kept From that great deluge which the wicked swept Away without escape so Righteous Lot When Sodom was consum'd was not forgot But by an Angel was deliver'd out From that strange show'r of fire which round about All things burnt up so soon as he from thence Was carry'd out And what a sure defence To Abraham Isaac and Jacob too Was the Almighty Lord when they did go Into strange Countries few and strangers how Did he defend them because they did â—ow To him and his words keep yea how did God Rebuke Kings for their sakes and with his rod So frighted them that they durst nothing do Against them which their harm might tend unto How did he help chaste Joseph and him keep In those great suff'rings and those dangers deep To which his envious brethren did him sell And by his wanton Mistress him befell Who falsly him accus'd because he did Refuse her unclean lust of God forbid To satisfie at her unchaste request Preferring a clean conscience in his brest Before the amorous kisses of a whore Which would have ruin'd him for evermore How did the Lord in him his power display And goodness too both in the time he lay In prison-house where irons pierc'd his Soul God gave him patience in that sad and foul And painful tryal and was with him so As that he favour found the Jaylour fro And when God from the prison him released Having him thereby tryed as he pleased For unto such great honour he him brought As never by him could have been forethought To make him Ruler over all the Land Of Egypt that all men might understand That though God try his friends and them prepares Thereby for mercies yet he for them cares And when they fitted are he them advances Above their foes designs and all bad chances Did he not Israel in Egypt too And in the Wilderness cause him to know To be their mighty helper and their aid Their strong Redeemer from those griefs that made Them sigh and grone and from those dismal fears Which them encompassed for may years How did he bring them out from that hard Land Of bondage by his great and mighty hand What wonders wrought he for them at the Sea And in the Wilderness what things did
they sought to do us good Had we them heard we might have understood That goodness in Gods ways which would have made Us for the sake thereof aside t' have lay'd Our sins But wo is us we fools them counted But now we see how they on high are mounted Whereas we fools in midst of flames do lye Dying perpetually yet never dye Wo worth the time that we did slight the poor Neglecting them when they were at our door And to the hungry did not deal our bread Nor cloath the naked nor sick visited Wo worth the time we slothful were and spent Our time in idleness and merriment And thereby gave advantage to the Devil To rob us of all good fill with evil Wo worth the time we did our selves content To hear or Preach God's word but never meant It to obey or else therefrom we fell Through carelesness when we had begun well Wo to the pomps and wordly vanicies Which did bewitch our hearts our ears our eyes Wo worth the time we clos'd our eyes and when Our hearts we hardned cursed be the men Who did mislead us and contemn the truth Or that perverted us debaucht our youth Or any other ways were instruments Of bringing upon us these punishments Wo worth such Kings and Counsellors as made Us to commit such things as have betray'd Our souls to Hell while we them judged wise And flatter'd them we did God's laws despise We took them to be Gods on Earth their will We thought a law which we ought to fulfill Without considering whether their command Did or did not with Gods law and will stand Wo worth the publick places of resorts Wo worth the Chancery and the Innes of Courts The Universities and places where We learn'd to gent it and our selves up bear By our great breeding learning learned pride To contemn honest Christians and deride The simple meaning man whose care it was To fear the Lord and their time well to pass Wo worth our curious Arts Opinions And thoughts that we alone were wisdoms sons Alas we see for all the Learned Schooles We were simplicians and did play the fools Wo worth contentious Lawyers who did set Us upon strifes our monies for to get Fomenting differences and causless Suits Whereof we with them now do reap these fruits Wo worth the foolish fashions and devices Which Sathan introduc't to nourish vices Wo worth the play 's and interludes that we Did take delight and spend our time to see Where we did learn much wantonness and lust And how to scoff at honest men and just Wo worth the Taverns Alehouses and Innes They were the shops where we did trade in sins Wo worth the pleasant Wines strong Ale and Bear And other liquors wherewith oft we were Made like the Beasts and wherewith flusht we sung Our songs against good Men making them dung Wo worth the Whores and Harlots with whom we Consumed our estates and wofully Mispent our times debaucht our selves and spent Our bodies and our strengths with great content Wo worth their rowling eyes their wanton glances Their flatt'ring speeches and lascivious dances Their smoother fore-heads and their painted faces Their light behaviours their flanting laces Their beautiful eye lids their cheeks so fair Their naked bosoms and their well set hair Accursed their temptations and their Arts To take our minds and draw away our hearts Accursed their allurements and embraces Their whorish fore-heads and impudent faces Wo worth our wanton hearts and wandring eyes That were allured by such vanities That look't upon such objects and did lust Such things with them to do as were unjust That by our wanton carriages and doings Our painted speeches and our earnest woings Did draw poor silly women into snares And oftentimes surpris'd them unawars Wo worth those flames of lust wherein we burn'd Wo worth us that therefrom we never turn'd For now we burn in Hell in endless flames Of such a vengeance as our lust quite tames Wo worth our ceiled Houses rooms so warm Our costly furniture they help't to charm Our hearts and our affections them unto That we could not abide them to forgo When we were call'd for Christs sake them to leave Our love to such things helpt us to bereave Of better satisfactions where we see Yon then despised men in glory be Wo worth unrighteous laws and them that did Them wickedly devise us to forbid Christ to confess according to his will And armed us with power his Saints to kill Branding them as Male-factors or as those Who did their lawful Governors oppose Wo worth Seditious persons who did band Themselves against the powers of the Land Ordained of God to govern on pretence Of Reformation using violence Sheathing their Swords in Kings and Rulers sides Or it assaying by which means the tides And floods of high severity was rais'd Against such quiet innocents as prais'd Both righteousness and truth and prayed for Redress of evils but yet did abhor Rebellious courses thereunto to take Or any such disturbances to make Only from such defilements they abstain'd As being practis'd would their souls have stain'd Whether by custom or authority Commended or commanded though thereby They being also lookt upon as men Who did the lawful Governours contemn Were by us sundry ways wrong'd and abus'd Imprison'd persecuted and misus'd And godliness was for the sakes of some Who themselves misbehaved made to come Into suspition and neglected so As with the stream of vice we chose to go And to assure those over us that we From all seditious practises were free Of false mifguided zealots who did not Christ's doctrine follow but it quite forgot And his instructions not by carnal sword To force his kingdom up but by his Word And by a patient suff'ring whatsoere For his Name sake they should be made to bear We thought it best for us to Swear and Rant Carouse or Whore or Warrants out to grant Against Religious persons because they Did meet in private oft to hear or pray Whereby we ran into th' other extream And made our selves as bad or worse then them Seditious persons with whom now we bear This dreadful Doom to be tormented here Accursed be those persons who presum'd Upon their greatness and thereby assum'd To Lord it over our poor Consciences And bow them to their wills on vain pretences Wo worth also those persons who were stil'd The Ministers of Christ and yet beguil'd Our now lost souls by their great ignorance Their blindness and their supine negligence Feeding themselves and vexing us with Suits Or bringing forth many unrighteous fruits Neglecting us to teach or Catechise And by their life and doctrine make us wise By their perverting of the Scriptures and By their false glosses bearing us in hand That if we were Elect we must be saved However we our selves then misbehaved And that some men were then rejected so From all eternity and unto woe Destined that for them there was no grace Nor possibility to
want That thou did'st grant To Adam heretofore Yea he far less Then did possess Then we now evermore LI. We have a Rest A day that 's blest A Sabboath day to be With thee we 'r blest Thou art our Rest And change we ne'r shall see LII Hallelujah Oh blessed day Who can thy glory speak This Sabboath we Perpetually Keep and it never break LIII Therein we sing To thee our King Thy glory we behold Our work is this Thy Name to bliss Thy praises to unfold LIV. A Paradise Wherein there lies All pleasures sweet and great With liberty Perpetually Thereof to take and eat LV. An Heavenly Tree Of life have we Which doth us ever feed It doth us give Ever to live And nothing can we need LVI A River pure Of Waters sure Doth clear as Chrystal run We with it meet In every Street Our City needs no Sun LVII God is our light He shines most bright No Cloud doth him obscure All things we see Just as they be Our knowledge is most sure LVIII It s always full It s never dull Our comforts ever flow Our Suns bright beams Our Rivers streams No damp no ebb do know LIX All manner fruits Which with us suits And may give us delight Our Tree doth bear Throughout the year Most pleasant to our sight LX. All is most sweet With which we meet Here 's nothing sharp or sowre Pleasures we have We can't more crave They 're constant every hour LXI We need no Wives To make our lives More comfort us afford We never dye Nor company Need we at bed or board LXII No different sex Nothing to vex Nothing to tempt we know All perfect is All 's full of bliss Our tides are never low LXIII We do all reign And Lords remain Over all creatures We never shall From our heigths fall Our Kingdom ever dures LXIV We have no night Nor borrowed light No Moon or Candle here For it alway Is perfect day The Sun is not so clear LXV Oh blessed King From whom doth spring This state of happiness We 'll sing thy praise All our All-days Thy goodness we 'll confess LXVI When Adam fell What tongue could tell What was our misery In him we were He did us bear And in him we did dye LXVII Branches were we Of him the Tree The root wherefrom we grew A flood of woe Did us ore flow When his fall made us rue LXVIII Our root did rot Having forgot The hand that did it plant The branches must Then turn to dust For they their life did want LXIX In him we fell As low as Hell Death upon us did seise Woes in us bred Away quite fled All comfort joy and ease LXX Great was our fault At one assault And when ingaged thus God to reject And in effect To thrust away from us LXXI Great misery Therefore did lye Upon us by desert Of good bereft To be quite left To utmost grief and smart LXXII We were beguil'd Sin us defil'd And had so filthy made That God and we Could not agree Of him we were afraid LXXIII Mortallity Did by and by Seise on us oh what pain Did we procure For to endure Till dust we turn'd again LXXIV Yea God we lost Which was the most Sad loss could us befall His wrath also We fell into And into deadly thrall LXXV We lost that light Which gave us sight And ceast to understand And led by lust Became unjust Subject to sins command LXXVI The old Serpent A false light lent Which made us judge amiss And in vain things To seek the springs Of everlasting bliss LXXVII By those inslav'd We misbehav'd Our selves in every thing We acted evil We serv'd the Devil Took him for guide and King LXXVIII Lust was vice-King That was the spring Of actions light and grave Our subtlety That was the spy Which us false counsel gave LXXIX These did conspire To make us higher In our false fond conceit For Heaven the show'd False pleasures strow'd And therewith did us cheat LXXX Oh woful plight Oh ruful sight This was our fallen case In thraldom dwelt Seldom it felt But took it for solace LXXXI In darkness deep In dangers steep Perplexities and fears In depths of Hell Then did we dwell And spend our woful years LXXXII God was but just Us out to thrust From him we left him first And then a Hell Of woe befell Because of him accurst LXXXIII In which sad state Objects of hate And enemies to God Without his sight And destroy'd quite We ever had abode LXXXIV But that the Lord Though he abhor'd Then fellowship with us Yet pittiful In love did pull Us out and help us thus LXXXV The mighty Word Of this great Lord By whom he did us make Tha Wisdom high Our sins did spy But not with them partake LXXXVI A fountain pure He did endure In whom God took delight He was beloved And well approved For he did always right LXXXVII Angels some fell And down to Hell Were thrust ' cause they rebel'd God past them by And let them lye In chains of darkness held LXXXVIII But he by whom All good doth come Most holy did abide By him God now His love did show And mercy glorifi'd LXXXIX Him he decreed In this our need That saved we might be To be sent forth This one of worth Able to set us free XC The Womans seed Of David's breed To be He was ordained A man of grief To bring relief That we might be regain'd XCI Oh loving Lord Oh mighty word The source of all our bliss To be ador'd With one accord For evermore in this XCII This grand devise Ground of our rise Let men and Angels praise Angels admir'd And much desir'd This to behold always XCIII This we admire This with desire Now fully satisfi'd We look upon We make our song Its praise we cannot hide XCIV Here fully we Behold and see Gods admirable love And perfectly We here descry All his perfections move XCV In this we live This all doth give Which we injoy and have Can we forget To set forth it Which did us help and save XCVI This God fore-teld This all forth-held Both Law and Prophets too This all upheld This we beheld To raise us up from woe XCVII This with a blow Did overthrow The Devils Kingdom quite This did destroy What did annoy What kept us from the light XCVIII This to declare Let us not spare This is the mystery We now behold And can unfold With all its treasury XCIX With eye to this The God of bliss Ere since our dreadful fall Before it was Yet brought to pass In act did order all C. What mercies we Receiv'd we see Proceeded all here-fro We that have bliss They who did miss Beholden were hereto CI. Though justice them Who did contemn And slight it doth destroy To us that live Mercy doth give And Justice too all joy CII Mercy did all Respect i th' fall And help for them provide
quite XXI Our fall was of our selves It did not come from thee We willingly the way to dye Did chuse but thou wert free XXII Yet blessed be that will That did permit our fall And whatsoere permitted were To any of us all XXIII For now we see 't was well That God did so permit And not withhold that Serpent old From tempting us to it XXIV For hereby he hath shew'd His attributes most clear How foolish we how dear to thee And unto him we were XXV That so we in our selves No more might put our trust Or listen to what led us fro Thee to fulfil our lust XXVI Yea thereby to himself Our hearts he doth indear While we do see what for us he Hath done while such we were XXVII And so it hath ingag'd Us wondrously to thee That thou so high vouchsafest to dye To set such caytiffs free XXVIII When we all helpless were And hopeless were become Thou did'st us save our foes out drave Brought'st us to thy kingdom XXIX There 's nothing in these acts But big with love it is From first to last we love do taste And thee for ever bliss XXX No shorter date can be Sufficient to express Our hearty sense of so immense A love and it confess XXXI Yea wisdom too we see In suffring that our fall It was O King glory to bring To thee in our recal XXXII That thou might'st be made known And the Father in thee That thy love might shine forth most bright And we more happy be XXXIII We never can express Our thanks sufficiently That thou O King did'st back us bring And to that end did'st dye XXXIV Let 's then strike up our strings As Harpers full of skill And sing our song All our ay-long Till we do sing our fill XXXV What one is like to thee Oh holy glorious one What did thee move us thus to love When we were all undone CXXXVI Thou in thy self wast blest Thou character express Of Gods person his only Son His Glories full brightness XXXVII It was exceeding love And goodness to us when I' th' dust we lay and were but clay To make us living men XXXVIII In thy divine Image And to be like to thee A living soul and to controule All things in Earth and Sea XXXIX How could the dust deserve To be preferred so It was only thy pleasure high Thus thereunto to do XL. Yet as it did no good Such favour to procure So it no bad within it had For all thy works were pure XLI Whereas we not only Void of all goodness were But had done ill yet 't was thy will Favour to us to bear XLII All those expressions great Of love when we were dust We valued not but quite forgot To satisfie a lust XLIII The Serpent who no good Had done for us at all Far before thee preferred we When we from thee did fall XLIV For without any shew That it was true he said We took his lye threw thy truth by Thy love aside we laid XLV Oh great ingratitude Folly and madness great So easily to throw thee by And suffer such a cheat XLVI Whereby we were defil'd And made thine enemies Very unjust and fil'd with lust And all things good despise XLVII Yet that thou might'st us save Thou wast content to be For us made flesh in our likeness Such sin except as we XLVIII Thou did'st not take the form Of some great King or Lord Like a servant poor and in want Thou we'rt of men abhor'd XLIX In which abased forme Great grief thou did'st sustain Yea for our good to shed thy blood Thou didest not disdain L. Oh wond'rous love indeed That one so great and high Who did proceed from God should bleed And for us sinners dye LI. Besides reproaches blows Abuses shame and scorn Thy bloody sweat agony great Whereby thy life was worn LII The curse which was our due Thou also did'st endure In the grave lay till the third day Our freedom to procure LIII Yea also thou went'st down Into the lower Hell As one bereft of God and left Thy griefs no tongue can tell LIV. It was no gain from us That thou could'st get thereby When we most had we could not add Unto thy Majesty LV. But how much less when we Had lost what thou did'st give And nothing had but what was bad And were unfit to live LVI Oh what was sinful man That thou should'st him so love At such a cost to save the lost What pitty did thee move LVII How can we but confess That thine of right we are Since thou us made thy life down laid Us when sinners to spare LVIII And yet that was not all Thy love did so exceed 'T was not only least we should dye That for us thou did'st bleed LIX Thou like to us was 't made And our deserts did'st bear That we might be made like to thee Thy robes of glory wear LX. Oh depth oh heigth of love None may compare with thee So low to lye that we so high Who were so low might be LXI Which thing to bring about God raised thee again For pangs of death or Hell beneath Could not thee long detain LXII Because thou art the life The life eternal and Against that life no mortal strife Of Death or Hell could stand LXIII The Serpent and his slaves Did strive thee down to hold But all in vain thou rose again As was of thee foretold LXIV Oh mighty conqueror A glorious conquest here Thou oâ—â—â— evil sin World and Devil Triumphantly did'st bear LXV This was the glorious fight This was the day indeed Which God did make for his Names sake This did from him proceed LXVI These were the wars of God A battel bravely fought 'Twixt th' innocent and the Serpent Whereby our peace was wrought LXVII No war was like to this This the foundation laid Of all the blows and overthrows Upon the foes since made LXVIII Those were the mortal foes Of God and mankind too ' Gainst God's glory and Man's safety Their malice thy did show LXIX Oh Prince of might elect God's dear and only Son Thou them withstood unto thy blood Wherethrough the field was won LXX This field for us was fought Their helpless prey were we But thou them foil'd and their plot spoil'd Ransom'd we were by thee LXXI We were thy lawful prize And thou our lawful Lord Oh happy day then all did say Who did believe thy word LXXII How deadly was that thrall In which before we lay No Tyrants fell be so cruel To use their slaves as they LXXIII Here was the coming in Of all our future good Our hopes of all that since did fall On this foundation stood LXXIV We never had come here Or this glory possest Unless thou Lamb had'st overcame And given us this conquest LXXV Here through thou took'st the spoiles Of all thine enemies And went'st on high triumphantly With those thy victories LXXVI Oh who this victory This Conquest gotten
past 132. Herein thou didst again A noble conquest make Us from our sin we lived in Unto thy self to take 133. Oh noble Conqueror Thy power and might we see Oh Lord of Hosts throughout all coasts What one is like to thee 134. Herein we do admire The force of thy great love Our stubborn hearts and bad deserts Which got so much above 135. And here began our bliss Our happy state in which Thou didst us bring unto a spring And Fountain sure and rich 136. Here our new life began Because we planted were Into a stock which did not mock But made us fruit to bear 137. A Root most free of Sap And living juice where from We did inherit both Life and Spirit Yea all good thence did come 138. A Root which did us bear And give us living fruit Thy word declar'd it thy Arm unbar'd it And made us with it sute 139. Thence all our Springs were found And all our fruits were good For all our own away were thrown Being unfit for food 140. Oh what an happy state Were we advanced to When into thee planted were we And made in thee to grow 141. We one with thee became And of thy bliss partook Better we had and what did glad More than what we forsook 142. God pittyed us before But now he did us own He in his love did us approve And of him we were known 143. The special love that was Thy lot thou didst impart Gods loving face that secret place Which thou hadst in Gods heart 144. This was a happy Change While we in Adam were Our case was sad and very bad But now 't was blessed here 145. We had not God before Because we had not thee In whom he is and gives his bliss Then wretched men were we 146. For though thou wert the hope And help of lost mankind Yet without Thee hope had not we Nor solid peace of mind 147. But when in Thee thou gavest Sure title to all good Because in Thee the living Tree And Root of life we stood 148. We were to Thee espous'd And Thou our Husband wert In thine Estate for love and hate We thenceforth had our part 149. Thy Father ours became Thine Angels were our guard Thy Riches ours thy Wisdom Power And thine was our reward 150. Thine Enemies thence were ours And thy friends our friends too In Thee Elect God did respect And favour to us show 151. Yea hence is all the joy And glory we possess Hence Worlds abuse and Gods good use In joy and happiness 152. Thence God us took for Sons All former things were gone No wrath abode his love He show'd His face upon us shone 153. But Thou hadst other fights Wherein a share had we At thy command with Thee to stand Against the Enemie 154. In which Thou wert our help Our Captain and our Guide Thy grace and love they did us move Still with thee to abide 155. The same that did at first Our hearts to thee subdue Was it prevail'd when Joes assaild And made us to Thee true 156. In which thy grace supply'd What in us wanting was Our weaknesses Miscarriages There throught thou by didst pass 157. Doubtless had'st thou not been So cloth'd with Charity Our many halts Retreats and Faults Had made Thee cast us by 158. But none is like to Thee No Captain so will bear His Soldiers faults retreats and halts Or can their hearts so chear 159. Thou wast the prize for which We fought thy prize were we Our Enemies Plot was us t' have got Quite out again from Thee 160. Therefore they us inticed To leave the Faith wherein We one with Thee were made and free Were set from all our fin 161. That was the bed of love The bond of Amity Therefore from that to separte Us sought the Enemy 162. By many a Stratagem He did us oft assail By flatteries and batteries Yet could he not prevail 163. Although he had the world As a great Magazine Of fiery Shafts fit for his Crafts Our souls to undermine 164. From whence on either side He did us oft assault With pleasing sights or dreadful frights Yea we had many a fault 165. From which he oft-times rais'd By his great policy Such over casts and dreadful blasts As made us like to fly 166. Oft-times us to allure To take part against thee Pleasures He brought into our thought Or glory made us see 167. And sundry other things Which with our flesh did sute From Trees to sight fit for delight Moving to pluck the fruit 168. Sometimes to puff us up That down he might us throw Our godliness gifts parts graces Or works he would us show 169. Sometimes again by Cheats Which he thereto abus'd Some crooked way He forth would lay Which was of Thee refus'd 170. Sometimes this art he us'd The easly'r us to take As if of light an Angel bright He were He shew would make 171. Oft-times He also shew'd What dreadful things should be From instruments of his intents If we would cleave to Thee 172. The world he stir'd to wrath Against us for thy sake So that of mocks Scourges or Stocks Oft times we did partake 173. Yea many hardships thence He pressed us withal By many losses and divers crosses Moving from Thee to fall 174. Not only our Estates He sometimes from us caught But even our blood like to a flood Was powred out full oft 175. But Thou by thy good grace And help which thou didst give Our Enemy did make to fly And made our Souls to live 176. Armour of righteousness On each hand us did fend Thy glory bright stood on our right O' th' eft wrath without end 177. If to Thee and thy Word Thy right and perfect ways Firm we would cleave and not thee leave Thou shew'dst us endless praise 178. But if Thee we would leave And turn to vanâ—â—ie For worldly good or fear of blood We endless torments see 179. Which things eternal while Thou mad'st us keep in view Things temporal we slighted all And not from Thee withdrew 180. Thou wert our strength and stay Our help was of thy grace Through thy defence no fond pretence Did move us out of place 181. Here also Thou didst get The conquest o're our foes The victory and the glory Unto thine honour goes 182. We had been wholly foild And driven from Thee again But that our heads thou covered'st And didst our hearts sustain 183. To thee we give the praise Of our safety untill Through manifold perils untold Our days we did fulfill 184. When yet one combate more Abode us generally To yield our Breath passing through death And in the grave to ly 185. Nor had we any might Against that Enemy Give way mus we to Gods decree That mankind once must dy 186. Whereto by several ways We did arrive at length Diseases some made thither come Or some decay of strength 187. By persecutions some Through many deaths much pain Who for thy name
heavens height 26. To glorious dignity and Majesty And him also thou dost Fill full oh holy Ghost The fulness of the Godhead bodily 27. Through him Thou gifts did give That we might live Even Thou from him sent forth Gav'st heavenly gifts of worth Whereby men through thy grace errour outdrive 28. And 't was all times before Upon that score Of that great sacrifice Which Thou didst fore-promise That thou didst testify the love God bore 29. Thou blessed Spirit forth came And in Gods name The spirit of Truth thou did What before time lay hid Take and unto Men didst declare the same 30. Yet not to all that were Didst thou so clear Their minds and manifest Gods councels ever blest But unto some as thou pleas'dst didst appear 31. Through Christ the Father did his counsels hid By thee declare to some To whose minds thou didst come And with whom as thou pleasedst thou abid 32. And those things to be writ thou didst commit Moving those thereunto To whom thou didst them show According as thou wisely didst judge fit 33. Though Thou didst also go convince and wooe The world of mankind bad When they by their sins had Themselves destroy'd in a great overthrow 34. Thou art the wisdome high Of God whereby All called were to turn Though many men did spurn Yea we rebelled also grievously 35. That Spirit which did strive with men alive Before the flood of old With reproofs manifold Who did their souls of happiness deprive 36. Of that sweet peace comfort and great support Thou gave'st to those that clos'd With thee and not oppos'd With them thou dealt'st after another sort 37. Thou would'st not strive with them who did contemn Thy counsels always but Did'st give them up and shut Them up in blindness yea did'st them condemn 38. But unto those that turn'd though they had spurn'd Sometimes against thee too Thou didst declare and show The secrets of the Lord with love that burn'd 39. Thou art the Spirit of love From God above Who 's love it self and from The Word his only Son And thou in great love did'st reprove and move 40. That thou to good might'st move thou didst reprove And where thou found'st a way Thou man'st it didst convey Thy grace like waters even thy sweetest love 41. 'T was love thou shew'dst from God when as his rod Sometimes upon our bace Because we were so slack To goodness he did lay in love thou chod 42. Thou art that power and strength whereby at length We though we stubborn were Were brought to approach neare To God to see and hear him Thou gav'st strenght 43. Thou wrestled'st with us so Oh there is no Such wrestler as thou art That thou o'recame'st our heart And made'st us from our sins depart and go 44. In and from thee we felt Gods love to melt And bow our hearts and draw Them when they frozen were In thee power dwelt 45. And dwels for evermore Thou heald'st our sore For 't was by Thee our Lord In and by his good word Did heal us we thee laud and praise therefore 46. As thou gav'st forth Gods mind Thou did'st it find Also in this good word So it was thou O Lord That mad'st it of such force to break and bind 47. Thou mad'st it powerful to convince us so That what we were as we Were in our selves we see That we did nothing rightly see or know 48. Nor that we could that do that us unto God might bring back or keep Us from the dreadful Deep Of Hell or us again redeem therefro 49. Thou therein did'st display and 'fore us lay The glorious things of Christ Worthy ay to be blist So as thou mad'st our hearts on him to stay 50. 'T was thou and Christ in Thee whom so long we Provck't and made to wait Upon us at the gate Of our hard hearts Blest let that patience be 51. It was thy long-suffring that did us bring Salvation while thou there Our many faults didst bear Thou brak'st our stiffness well we may thee sing 52. Hadst thou been quick and rough T 'had been enough To have destroy'd us quite For cause enough thou might Have found to have destroy'd us much bad stuff 53. But 't was thy truth thy grace and that sweet face Of Christ which thou didst show Which did prevail to bow Us to thee while thou gav'st us such good space 54. Thou wer 't that strength and power whereby each hour We were supported all And kept from that sad fall Which would us have destoy'd Thou sweet'st our sout 55. Thou art that strength whereby the victory Over our Enemies We gat and did arise Up from our foiles and falls and did not dy 56. Thou wert our Comforter by thee we were In all our sorrows chear'd By thee our eyes were clear'd Thou didst us in thine arms carry and beare 57. All good from Thee we had for we were bad Love joy peace patience Meekness faith abstinence All our good fruits and all that made us glad 58. 'T was thou that drew us so as made us go After the Lamb although Through much sorrow and woe Losses crosses and what the world could doe 59. Thou art that Spirit of hope which at the scope Didst make us look the Rest And great reward possest Now by us Thou did'st shew 't beyond all trope 60. Thou shew'dst it and our eye it to espy And wistly to behold Whereby we were made bold Thou didst direct and fix continually 61. When Death had seis'd upon Our flesh and bone And grave had unto dust Converted us Thou just And holy Spirit raisedst us alone 62. By the Good will of God and him that trod The grave down in his strength Thou didst us up at length Raise and revive Thou art the mighty God 63. Thou art that River claer that free from fear Hast set us fully and Mak'st us firmly to stand With joy in presence of the Lamb most Deare 64. A mighty River pure constant and sure Thou with thy sorce hast thrown All oppositions down Ans Thou us fill'st with joys that shall endure 65. With joy with peace with good as with a flood Fed from the Ocean great The mighty Throne and seat Of God and of his Lamb which shed his blood 66. Thou fillest us for ever for they can never fail or abate but flow Without all end no low Ebb shall befall us Nought from God shall sever 67. Nought from that Ocean and Sea without Sand Those wates Christalline Most pure and most divine In their enjoyments we shall ever stand 68. For Thee in every heart evern thee who art Th' eternal powerful spirit We do ard shall inherit A band so firming us as we can't part 69. From God or Christ or each by any breach From other thou dost give Us without change to live Eternally and ever Thee to preach 70. Thy glory 's infinite thy glory bright Oh Fountain of de ight Oh Ocean infinite Oh infinite
hard that if I do Him chuse and after his advises go How shall I live for I have heard that He Hath told his followers that they shall be Hated of all men and shall troubles find The world will perfecute oppress and grinde Them all to pieâ—es How then shall I live Or what can comfort in such cases give Besides I many things for this Life want A Wife or Husband Riches Honour shan't I first look after these and have a care I don't deprive my self of things that are Most reedful for me here I hope I may First seek these things for my support and stay And afterwards seek after God and find him But till I have those things I cannot mind him Man But mind my Soul what He who doth thee love And suits thee sâ—â—ll-hereto it doth behove Thee well to weigh whither against these things He any Antidote sufficient brings Lord cause my Soul to understand and know What to such fears and cares thou dost us show Chr. Dear Soul confider me life up thine eye From what 's about thee there and see what I Am and have done for thee and then mind well What to assure thee of welfare I tell I am the WONDERFUL and wondrous things I have effected whereof the World rings Such as none else besided the i◠〈…〉 Both God and Man hypostatically Or in one person The Immanuel God so in me as in none else doth dwell Such things I 've done and do as none else did My worth and name though much dâ—â— ar'd is hid So that it cannot all seen or known be None but my Father fully knoweth the. I am the Counsellor with me is skill And Wisedom how to manage what I will I know what things have been what are and shall Hereafter unto any man befall I know thy mold and temper what thou art And what thou want'st whither what 's sweet or tart Be better for thee what is in thy mind And wherein thou felicity mayst find What or who are against thee who befriend thee What may indanger thee and what may mend thee How Harm thon may'st incur and how avoid it What this or that would be if thou injoy'd it There 's nothing hid from me I I can tell How to dispose of Thee and thy things well And I 'm so good and faithful that nothing I will advise Thee but what good may bring I am the MIGHTY GOD all power I have To order and dispose to kill or save None greater is than I because in me All fulness of the Godhead dwells and he With all his power and glory doth me fill So that I can do what soer'e I will My Fathers will is mine and mine is his But one will only in us both there is And I can execute it all with ease Because I can do whatsoer'e I please All power in Heaven and upon earth is mine I can make all things together combine To bring about my purpose Angels men Yea and infernal spirits I can when And as I please make use of and imploy To bring about thy sorrow or thy joy For I 'm th' ALL-MIGHTY GOD and I can do Whatever I do purpose there is no Thing to be done or word that I do say But I can do it too and in what way I please whither with many or with few With means or without means I can renew The heart though it be foul 〈◊〉 and rain And I can raise thy â—â—dy up again When dead and turn'd to dust and rottenness I can do all things my power is boundless And I 'm the LORD of Hosts all things below 〈◊〉 Be put and do their best obedience owe me All that my Father hath is mine and I Invested am with full authority Over all things the earth is mine and all That is therein and I can for them call And use them and imploy them as I will Even the whole World what heav'n Earth and Seas sill And I the Everlasting Father am Though as a Child into the World I came Born of a Woman given a Son to be To mankind â— comfort unto them and Thee That I might bring yet from Eternity I was brought forth and liv'd in great Glory Yea on me now the Goverment as made A Child and Son for man is wholly laid And both for ancientness wisdome and care To see and to provide for thy welfate I may a Father from of old be stild And Thou on me depend mayst as a Child For I 'm the Faithful God th' Amen am Who never fails my friend not tell a ly But speak in righteousness and am upright And Truth and Uprightness are my delight Falshood and lies I perfectly do hate Deceit and wickedness abominate There 's nothing wreathed or perverse from Me. No guile defiles my heart no flattene Proceedeth from my lips what 〈◊〉 I say For just and true all men believe it may I 'm full of goodness and of mercy too I 'm Love it self and all in Love I doe To those that listen to me all my ways Are Truth and Mercy every one doth praise Me and my works and doings who me know And all my Saints my worthiness do show For I 'm the PRINCE of PFACE too by my blood I took away what against mankind stood To keep him out from God fin law and death And I create Peace by my holy Breath What ever is mans trouble or his sear If he 'll obey me I his heart will chear I will dispel his dumps errours mistakes And what annoys my powerful word it makes Peace and gives quiet I the floods controul And I with goodness satisfie the Soul My works declare my Name they clearly shew My wisdom Greatness Goodness that I 'm true And kind and loving See what I for Thee And all have done Let my works speak for me I for mans sake and for thy cause came down From Heaven laid by my Royal Râ—bes and Crown Was made a man yea poor and full of grief Sustain'd your curse and death that so relief To thee and mankind I thereby might bring Oh many griefs and agonies did wring And pierce my Spotless soul I passed through Many temptations way both smooth and rough To Grave and Hell that so I might obtain Freedom there from for youâ— I rose again And up to Heaven ascended there to be With and from God a SAVIOUR unto Thee There I appear for the an HIGHPRIEST great To intercede for mercy and intreat Gods favour towards thee thy sins to cover And to obtain that God may pass them over A Merciful High-Priest who mercy can Shew forth and exercise to sinful man Tender his weakness and conpassionate Those that are in a poor afflicted State Yea I did therefore suffer and did prove Many temptations is it did behove That so the tempted and the miserable To succour and relieve I might be aâ—le All which of my mere merey did proceed For of mankind I had at all no need
wholly to My self conform thee for although thou be Or weak or dead there 's life enough in me Who am the Resurrection and Life too So that though men be dead yet if they do Believe on me I Life to them will give And living and believing they shall live For ever why dost thou thy weakness plead To this or that or tell me thou art dead There 's the more need on that account that thou Yield up thy self to me down thy self bow To my dispose who all things fully have That may supply thy wants and thy soul save I know thou' rt weak and dead and all that 's naught I need not what 's in man by Thee be taught Nay I do therefore woe thee that I may By curing thee remove those things away If such a one thou wert not then no need For me so seek thee or that thou take need To me to save thee but if thou l't be mine As I have often said I will be thine And what 's mine shall be thine also and sure My things are able thy weal to procure My wisdome thou shaâ—t haâ—e the way to show And thee to help weâ—lthy concerns to know And to direct thee how to make thy choice In every thing do but thou hear my voice My strength shall strengthen thee to walk my way Enter the straight gate and my will obey Though thou be weak and in the strength thaâ—s thine Canst not do this or that canst not in mine I 'le be thy holiness my Spirit I 'le give To thee that therein thou mayst act and live Or rather acted be and live cannot My holy spirit fetch out every spot That cleaves to thee and so display my love As thee from all thy Idols to remove It s not in thine own self that I require Thee this or that to do or ought desire It s in me and what 's mine which I therefore Freely thee give because I know thou' rt poor Naked and dead and weak and wretched too Nothing that 's good hast nought that 's good canst do I 'le be thy husband and I am so good I 'le bear with all thy badness till my blood And grace hath betterd thee I will thou l't see Demean my self so gently toward thee That with my gentleness I 'le break thine heart And make thee cleave to me and to depart From all thine Idols do but thou consent My Grace shall be for theâ—e sufficient The fountain of thy sin is great indeed But of my grace the fountain doth exceed No weakness death or badness that 's in thee No difficulties in the way that be Shall hinder thee from bliss If thou l't but give Thy self unto me freely thou shalt live Oh take my yoke upon thee it shall bow thee And bear my burthen it shall not ore-throw thee For my yokes easy give consent and go Forth in my strength all things for thee I 'le doeâ— In all things be for me and then I will Be for thee too and and all thy works fulfill Lean on mine arm or shoulder I 'le sustain thee And though thou homely bee'st I 'le not disdain thee As upon Eagles wings I will thee bear And carry thee through all do not thou fear Only yield unto me my voice to hear Through all the Wilderness I will thee guide In every danger I 'le from ill thee hide I 'le never never leave thy soul untill All my good pleasure I in thee fulfill All things are ready only yield thy will Incline thine ear and hear me do not stop It against me and I 'le my doctrine drop So thereunto that even thy very heart It shall make willing and thy soul convert And cause thee from thy Idols to depart Do but so hear me as to know my name That known thy heart to trust in me will frame Soul And is it so dear Lord then what shall let But that to thee I yield my self and set My heart upon thee wholly I refign My self up to thee to be only thine Help me herein for thou art good indeed None is like to thee while thy words I heed Marrow they are and and fatness to my tast Oh thou my soul affected with thee hast Seeing thou camest to save even sinners chief Lord I believe help thou my unbelief None is like thee thou art the only wooer Thou' rt worthy love oh thou most worthy doer Oh take my heart dear Lord for thou alone Art worthy of it and besides thee none There 's none hath done for me such things as thou There 's none besides hath made me such things know There 's none so lovely or so fit for me Therefore dear Lord I yield my self to thee I 'm thine to love and praise thee and thee serve Oh never let me from thee stray or swerve Oh thou art very fair the white and ruddy None may with thee compare make it my study Thee that I may more know and more delight in My self to thee I ow Me thou hast right in When I was damn'd toâ—dy thou didst redeem me And though unworthy I Thou didst esteem me So as thy self to give for me a ranlome That so my soul might live I am unhandsome Worthy great shame and blame but though I naught be Yet blessed be thy name thou hast upsought me Oh that I knew thee more and more did love thee That I might thee adore as 't doth behove me Oh shew thy self to me make me to know thee Make me thy fâ—ce to see and to follow thee I am a sinfull man unworthy of thy love I nothing good do can but what thy wrath may move Yea what of thy good grace thou give'st me power unâ—o Sin hath in me such place as otherwise I do Yet seeing I am thine though I am nothing worth Do thou my heart incline after thee to go forth Set thou my heart and eye with all intensiveness Upon thy Majesty that without pensiveness I may go wheresoe're thou goest me before May unto thee adhaere and ever thee adore Thou all art and in all Thou gav'st thy self for me And whatsoe're befall its meet I be for Thee It was thy pleasure Lord so for my soul to do Oh do thou yet afford thy heavenly grace thereto Those lusts that be in me and which do thee offend Drawing my heart from thee subdue and meamend For I am much amiss and very full of spots That I thy Name may bliss purge thou away my blots Remove my sins away that I to thee may cleave Let me not go astray Do thou me never leave I cannot trust my heart 't is so full of deceit It s apt from thee to start it is a very cheat Do thou it rectiâ—â—e make it to thee upright That I may heartily love thee in thee delight And though I wretched be do not thou me disdain Since thou hast loved me let me thy love retain Thou art the All in all stay my soul upon thee And
let me never fall by my iniquity My hope is all in thee and in thy great goodness I nothing have in me that may deserve thy bless Help me thy name to praise as it is right and due Do thou thereto me raise thy goodness for to view Dear Lord thou worthy art of all my heart and love Oh let me not depart from thee my Lord above Unite my heart to thee that I may fear thy name And let me never be put to rebuke and shame Oh flow thou into me Thou art an Ocean Though I a poor one be Thou art the wealthy man Set my heart toward thee and make it open stand Come thou Lord into me and wholly me command Oh do thou live in me and fill me with thy grace That I may joy in thee and ever see thy face Thou art the lovely one all things are black to thee Fix mine eye thee upon make me thy beauty see Thou only fulness art I am an empty thing Do thou thy grace impart and me unto thee bring Be evermore with me where er'e thou mak'st me go Let me thy glory see and thy will ever do Thou art the mighty God thou canst subdue my foes Thou hast them all down trod all things that thee oppose Thou art the holy one Thou canst me holy make Make me love thee alone and all for thee forsake Oh be thou all to me who rothing have that 's good Oh frame my heart to thece whshing it in thy blood Oh there is none to thee Thou all things dost excell What er'e is good for me doth in thee fully dwell None ever served thee but thou them satisfy'd None thy grace ever see but they it magnify'd Thou Lord art far above all I can say of thee Thou art the God of love All praise be unto thee Chr. Dear soul I do accept thee and thou art Most welcome to me it doth glad my heart To see a soul it self unto me yield More than when some stout Champion wins the field And takes the spoils of all his enemies Which up against him us'd in arms to rise Since thou thy self to me dost yield be sure My love shall ever toward thee iâ— dure Be but thou constant nothing shall me draw Those to reject that cleave unto my law I 'le order over thee my government So as thou â—ere shalt have cause to repent Of thy submission to me every thing Which I shall do to thee shall blessing bring Thy forepast sins I blot out and remit And of them all I wholly thee acquit How many or how great so er'e they were Thou mayst me freely serve without all fear Of my impuâ—ing any of them to thee I pass them by and they shall not undo thee I own thee as my own and thee present As in my self to him who me forth sent Even as a Branch in me into whom now Thou art ingraffed and henceforth shalt grow Or as a member of mine own body Which is recast of curse and miâ—ery I am thy Head and Root unto thee I Henceforth will minister all full supply Of grace and spirit nothing shalâ— thou want What may be good for thee I will it grant Open thy mouth and ask of me I will All thy petitions verily fulfill What ever thou shalt in my name desire Or of my Father for my sake require So be thou dost to me adhaere and cleave And firm in me abiding dost receive And keep my words within thee asking so And for such things as they direct thee to Thou shalt receive it and thou may'st be bold To come and ask for why mine eyes behold Thee and thy needs and wants and unto thee And all the righteous mine ears open be I will do more for thee than thou canst ask I 'le help thee every where I 'le put no task Upon thee but what I shall easy make Do but in me abide my counsel take I am thine Head and Husband lean on me My grace thou shalt enjoy my glory see To me thou art most welcome very dear Be confident of me and nothing fear But to neglect my counsels for as me My Father loveth so do I love thee I who for thee did shed my pretious blood Will nought deny that may for thee be good Since thou art come to trust under my wings I interest thee in all my good things My Father is thy Father too and He That my God is thy God likewise will be My Angels shall thee guard for thy welfare And of my glorious Kingdome thou shalt share And all the endless joys thereof my merit Is thy rich stock day pledge thy holy Spirit Whom I will pour on thee and in thy heart Will put that from me thou mayst never start He will conduct thee safely till thou hast All dangers of destruction wholly past He shall abide with thee and to thee show My things inlightning thine heart them to know My goodness and my glory what I have Done for and to thee that I might thee save What is in me for thee what things are mine And how in and with me they all are thine Yea He shall wash make clean renew thy heart And keep thee to me and to thee impart My grace and blessing therefore do not fear Only to him attend to him adhaere He shall thy works work in and for thee and Strengthen thee that thy foes thou may'st withstand He shall thee comfort fill with peace and joy And keep thee safe from what may thee annoy I 'le do all things for thee I 'le be thy lot Thy portion and thy riches fear thou not He who thee touches toucheth me for I Tender thee as the Apple of mine eye My heart is larget to thee than the Sea Or then by any words exprest 〈◊〉 be Fear not Dear soul thy state is happy now Since thou thy self dost to my scepter how Only I must inform thee that I must Take such a course with thee as may thy lust Destroy and make thee suitable to me That thou partaker of my joys may'st be I must thee sometimes try that so I may Prove whither Thou indeed wilt me obey I will into a Wilderness thee lead That so I may thee to thy Idols dead And that when stript of them I more may show My grace to thee and make thee it to know To be sufficient for thee do not fear For I 'le not leave thee nor forsake thee there I will be with thee and be all supplies To every one of thy necessities I will be better unto thee than all Egyptian Flesh-pots wherefrom I thee call I 'le there speak comfortably to thy heart And make thee know how dear to me thou art I 'le give thee there in all thy way mine arm To strengthen â—heâ— to walk on and from harm I 'le thee protect and keep untill I see It meet to take thee hence to be with me But thou must follow me and not look back As did
I am too slack In seeking thee yea woe is me I 〈◊〉 From thee have run apace since I begun To move toward thee I 'm too apt to run Toward my Idols in the ways of sin Yea Lord thou know'st how since I did begin To court thy favour I have run apace In wicked ways wherein had not thy grace And mercy me prevented I had been Or'e thrown forever this day never seen But oh my pace toward thee is so dulâ— That need I have that after thee thou pull My sluggish Soul oh bring thou me into Thy Chambers of defence and delight so As in thy love I such delight may take As never thee any more to forsake Let me be so inclosed as with walls Of sure defence that whatsoe're befalls I never may again from thee withdraw But allways may thee fear and stand in aw Least I offend thee oh that I to thee May swiftly run with all that upright be And in thy Chamber may with them abide Where thou dost all that love thee safely hide Wee 'll then be glad in Thee and much rejoyce Oh King wee 'l sing thy praise with chearful voice Wee 'l think upon thy loves which do excel The choisest Wine Oh we remember well The sweetness of its tast who be upright They do thy person love in thee delight Not in themselves their parts their gifts nor yet Those pleasures only that from thee they get Like to the Concubines which love to be Delighted with thy loves courted by thee But thee and thy concerns do slight neglect To seek thy glory don't thy name respect Sincerely but make thou me upright so As my heart wholly after thee may go Oh thou whom my soul in some measure loves Do thou me show what me to know behoves Tell thou me where thou feed'st thy flock and make Me go upright Let me not thee forsake With sinners in their dainties to perâ—ke Let me not turn aside from thee to go After the flocks of thy companions who Lift up themselves into equallity Of power or worth unto thy Majesty But shew me thy good ways and make me see The thing that is acceptable to thee Stay me with flagons of thy love and let Me of thy apples too the comforts get For I desire thy love oh do thou show it And cause thou me more clearly yet to know it Under my head put thou thy left hand and Therewith support me and let thy right hand Embrace my soul and keep me safe untill I have fulfil'd my course perform'd thy will And oh that then thou wouldst make hast unto My soul and be thou swifter than a Roe That so our union may compleated be And I may full fruition have of thee Make hast oh my beloved like a Roe Or a young Hart that on the Mountains go That leap upon the Mountains and o're Hills Come skipping Thou art he alone that fills The souls of those that love thee with delight And mak'st them fully happy in the sight Of thy most glorious person do not tarry Help me to hast to thee then hast to marry Me to thy self that I with thee may dwell Who dost in all excellencies excell And in the mean time make me chast and true Unto thee what opposes thee subdue Working my works in and for me yea al Thine own good pleasure whereto thou dost call And counsel me the work of faith with power That I may persevere unto the hour And in the hour of death till unto thee Thou tak'st me up in joys for aâ—e to be I leave my self to thee oh do thou what Is good for me Chr. I will so fear not that Amen HALLELUJAH FINIS A Song of Loves Lord grant that in a right renewed mind I may such love to thee and thy things find As to say of and to thee this behind 1. I Am my well beloveds My well-beloved's mine He is a person lovely Excellent and divine 2. For he is the Immanuel Both God and man in one The Mighty God the wonderful And like him there is none 3. His excellence surpasseth What one may it declare Or who among the mighty May with this one compare 4. Oh all ye that in love are Your lovers who commend Is any of them able To match with this my friend 5. Hath any of them ever So great things for you wrought Or is there any of them Hath you so dearly bought 6. Is any of them so high Either in Rank or birth No there is none so glorious Either in Heaven or Earth 7. Ther 's none of them is so great There 's none of them can do So great things and so wonderful Or can inrich you so 8. As this my Lord and Saviour Can and will do for me If I be upright with him And do not from him flee 9. Ye that in Kings and Princes And mighty Potentates Do make your boasts come tell me Hath he there any mates 10. Can any of them match him Nay they are all below The greatest of those great ones Their service to him owe. 11. They 'r short in understanding Their pow'r also is less Their rule extends not so far Nor yet their happiness 12. They are but men as others Their lives are but mortal Their breaths must pass out of them And then they perish all 13. But this my Lord and Lover Doth live for evermore His understanding's perfect All creatures him adore 14. Nothing for him too hard is For he can all things do Nothing from his eyes hid is For he all things doth know 15. He ruleth over all things Both in the seat and land Yea and all things In heaven be Subject to his command 16. He heir of Heav'n and earth is He is lord of all glory His brith's above all creatures There 's none can match his story 17. His excellence excels all That 's either hard or seen One half of what 's true of him Never declar'd hath been 18. Go glory of your Princes And Benefactors great Tell of their great majesty Their royal train and seat 19. I none of them shall envy This one 's mcuh better far Whom my soul hath desire to They can't with him compare 20. He hath far greater glory Than any one of them Though yet he is so lovely That none he doth contemn 21. Though they be poor and little If unto him they flee He none of them disdaineth But they accepted be 22. Those whom ye use to boast of Be proud and lofty too And oft in words and carriage Great haughtiness they show 23. Though they be far below him Who my beloved is And like to meaner persons He them reâ—roves I wiss 24. For in his hands they all are To do with as he please And he can make or break them Or change their state with ease 25. Oh there is none so lovely As this Beloved one In pitty love and goodness Like to him there is none 26. He higher than the Heavens is Or
That thou mayst me imbracing Thy loves to me impart 85. And all the night of darkness Mayst lodge within my brest And I in thy imbraces May find sweet peace and rest 86. Oh make me subject to thee That thou mayst be above Uniting me unto thee And fill me with thy love 87. And let my loving-kindness Such love again beget That I my heart and bowels May open to thee set 88. And thou thy Word put in me As an immortal seed Fil'd with that Life and Spirit Which doth from thee proceed 89. That thou mayst make me fruitful With fruits of righteousness An of-spring which thine Image May livelily express 90. That thou thy pleasure in me Subject to thee mayst take And I have pleasures in thee Which may me chearful make 91. Oh make thou me so lovely That thou mayst count me meet For such communion with thee As is so pure and sweet 92. That chaste I may be to thee And content in thee find That none else I may look to Or covet in my mind 93. May never go a whoring From under thee my Lord But may be fully pleased With what thou dost afford 94. Nor only let me love thee Like to some Concubine So as for pleasures only Me to thee to incline 95. But as a Spouse and chaste one Though thou shouldst them withhold Yet I may love thy person And vertues manifold 96. And thine affaires take care of As things that are mine own And faithfully observe what Thou shalt to me make known 97. Leaving it to thy wisdom Those pleasures to impart Which cannot but be pleasing And satisfie my heart 98. But let me not love pleasures So as if thou delay Thine to impart unto me I should to others stray 99. But make me ever willing To stay and waite for thee Who when thou seest it fitting Will thine impart to me 100. Thou art the only worthy To be lov'd and obey'd Oh that my heart upon thee More fixed were and stay'd 101. Oh sanctifie me to thee And my soul purifie Bless rods and mercies to me That I to sin may dye 102. And unto all that from thee Would steal my heart away That I may live unto thee In what I do and say 103. Thou art the lovely portion Riches and honour dwell In thee with whatsoever Delights and doth excel 104. Oh were my heart reduced To that simplicity That I might chuse and love thee And cleave to thee only 105. I would not change my lot there For any of the heigths Of highest greatest persons My earnest groans and sighs 106. Shall reather be through suff'rings To have thy company Then live else where without thee In greatest jollity 107. With all the greatest fulness This World to them affords Who live in its embracements As high and mighty Lords 108. Yet thou hast room for them too In thy high palaces Oh make thou them acquainted With thy sweet embraces 109. Oh make them see how empty All things without thee are That they may flock unto thee Seeing thee only fair 110. All honour be unto thee Thou only worthy one For it is due unto thee And unto thee alone 111. In oneness with the Father And with the holy Spirit Thou worthy art all blessing For ever to inherit 112. To thee it 's my desire To leave my self and all I am with whatsoever I through thy gift mine call 113. Lord pardon my abuses Of thy great love to me And make my soul both upright And constant unto thee 114. So that thy blessing ever May on my soul remain And cleanse me so as that thou Mayst not my work disdain 115. Purge out what doth offend thee And make me white and pure That thou mayst ever own me And I be ever sure 116. Of thy love and thy favour Which life doth far excel And in thine heavenly mansions May with thee ever dwell Amen and Amen FINIS A Posie Improved UPON THE POSIE of a RING Love Love Love EPAVCIS MVLTA I. AMongst the pretty Poseys I have seen Which either friends or lovers have invented I have on none to discant tempted been Nor hath any my fancy more contented If rightly 't be apply'd then this above This one word thrice repeated Love Love Love II. What man it was who did the same invent From whom or unto whom the token came Whether some Love to his Love it sent Or for what other cause some did it frame It matters not nor what they did thereby Intend unto their friend to signifie III. Perhaps some young man who his Mistress loved Or else some Mistress who did love her Friend And want of love again or fear'd or proved In them they loved did this token send Their love to quicken and their constancy To them the better to provoke hereby IV. Like as some person who while he assays To do or reach for something and doth fall Into some danger whence he cannot raise Or save himself most earnestly doth call Help Help Help tripling it vehemently As like to suffer greatly else thereby V. So possibly some lover while he sought The pleasing object of his love to gain Being into some doubt or question brought Thereof or meeting with slights or disdain Might in his earnestness cry as above As one else like to perish Love Love Love VI. Perhaps some wanton who had lust mistook For love seeking his lust to satisfie Might send it to his Harlot to provoke Her fond affection unto him thereby Exhorting her to love love love again That oft his will with her he might obtain VII Perhaps some person who had lov'd too much Some other person and loves flames had felt Sadly to scorch him when they did him touch His folly wailing on this subject dwelt As crying out upon a thing so hot Whence He much heart smart and much hurt had got VIII That carnal love I mean wherein the creature Is made the object of a blind affection Doteing upon its beauty parts or feature Which when it meets with slighting and rejection As oft it s foolishly misplac't on what Either's unlawful or repays with hate IX Brings forth instead of pleasure doleful grief Stinging the soul with fears and sad despairs Distractions jealousies without relief And many fruitless dumps and waking cares Causing such one out of this love to cry Bewailing thus his fortune bitterly X. Love Love Love thou art a most cruel thing When fixt on some disdainful one thou' rt found Thy sweets are bitter thou leav'st many a sting Infusest venom and the heart dost wound Oh had thy fond deceits my soul ne'r tainted Oh had I with thy force ne'r been acquainted XI Love Love Love that fond thing which men so call Woe worth the time I did thee intertain Expecting sweetness where I meet with gall And pleasures where I nothing find but pain Unhappy soul that longedst after fruit That may not be obtained by any suit XII Would I had hardned against thee my heart