Exile for the Friendship of Relations at Norwell and Southwell I am there begging pardon for sinful Compliances as in sitting late in an Ale-house in Southwell where the Company were Healthing it about though blessed be the Lord I drank not much yet I was a bad Example in sitting and sipping with the Wicked in wasting my precious Time my Prayer therefore is that the Lord would pardon that and continue Mercies and give me a thankful Heart in and a lively sense of Divine Goodness The 20th being the Sabbath-day through Mercy I find my self in a pretty good Frame of Spirit and took particular notice in my Diary of Mr. Coats's Subject which was Come unto me all ye that labour c. I there find a Desire that the Lord would work those Truths more and more upon my Heart by his Spirit that my Sins may be pardoned and my Soul prosper The 21st Under some Dulness occasioned by slavish fear of Man which I find bewail'd that Day with this Petition That the Lord would enable me to live by Faith and that I might encourage my self in the Lord my God under all outward Discouragements whatsoever who has delivered me does deliver and I trust will deliver me his poor Creature O! that my Sins may not provoke the Lord to turn away his Face The 23d Having this Day been stating Accounts with my Wife and several others with reference to Disbursements the three Months in the Summer of my Exile and Troubles in the Year 85 though I find them extraordinary large yet thrô Grace I find my self free from those Passions that upon such Accounts I used to be prone to my experience again there recorded of God's gracious Appearances for me 26th Mercy there again taken notice of in the Lord 's delivering me from Trouble and a Petition That if it were the Lord's Will I might be preserved from entering into Bonds which I and all my Friends did believe would be very ensâ—â—ring to me there I find Sin bewailed and lay heavy upon my Conscience 27th Manifestations made of Deliverance still from danger I there bless God I am still at liberty and hear nothing from the D. of N. of entering into those Bonds he required I then heard of Dr. Temple's Execution and took notice of distinguishing Mercy that he should be taken and I left who through Man's Rage and Wrath was in danger I there bless God I was not the Man 27th I took notice of the many comfortable Sabbaths that I have enjoyed since I came home without Fear or Disturbance Cousin Billingsley preached here from these Words Commune with your own Hearts which much affected me 28th A like Account as to Mercy and I remember no actual Sin that Day 29th The like Account with my Experience that God had blessed the means I had used for the cure of a Cold that held me 8th of October 1685 This day I returned from Lincoln where I had been some time and took notice the Lord gave me a very comfortable Journey no sad Providence occurred in the Journey I am yet delivered from Enemies notwithstanding their Rage and Threatning and from the ensnaring Bonds I begg'd then of the Lord That he would continue this Mercy and give me to live a thankful holy humble and fruitful Life and pardon the particular Sins of this Day and help me against it and to perform Promises made under my Afflictions 9th I there bless God for the Mercies of that Day and beg pardon for my Sins and that the Lord will cause me to live better the next Day 10th My Sins stare me in the Face being many and great there I find my self begging that I might eye the Blood of Christ and might through Grace be interested in it being the only Sovereign Remedy for a poor Sinner yet I am preserved from ensharing Bonds and enjoy through Mercy comfortable Liberty and sit under my own Vine with delight 11th This I find a comfortable Sabbath when Mr. Coats did most sweetly call invite and encourage Sinners to come to Christ O! that I may not stand out the Lord bless the Sermon to my poor Soul and pardon my Sins 12th No actual Sin that I know of I this Day begg'd Direction from Heaven about the Oath of Allegiance I and others in my Family were called to take and next day I did take it having observed no Intimations from the Lord against it but being well satisfied about it besides I feared if I refused it would be worse with us upon the account of our Meetings which I did desire to keep up I beg the Lord would enable me to keep the Oath being taken as a sacred Thing I am yet at liberty and free from ensnaring Bonds 15th I that Day begg'd the Lord would humble me under any thing of Sin that might be in my Swearing and taking the Oath the Day before 16th This Day Mr. H. acquainted me that one did say That the Lord would lie heavy upon me that I was to give a Security by Bond of 7000 l. which would ask a great time for me to get and that I was only Capt. L's Prisoner at large Well I find this hint in my Diary that Day That I can trust my God who has delivered me and that he will deliver me still from the Fury and Rage of Men and the Effects thereof 17th This Day I had an encouraging Letter from V. L. as if the Duke had done with me which I begg'd then the Lord would grant and enable me to live up to so great a Mercy For several other days after I am blessing God for the comfortable and quiet abode in my House and petition'd that the Lord would keep me from sinning away such Mercies 20th Wasting Time the great Sin acknowledged this Day and a Petition that the Lord would please to make me more active and diligent in Soul-concerns every Day as being every Day nearer Death 22d This Day I observe from Joh. 7. 44. in my reading this Passage Some of them would have taken him but no Man laid Hands on him Upon which Mr. Baxter has this Note God binders bad Men from doing what they would do and they know not how he doth it I have had great Experience of this my self the Lord be praised 25th This Day God made a very comfortable Sabbath to me and I trust will do my Soul good by it and set home another Sermon I then heard from Mr. Cotes concerning the Ease of Christ's Yoke I am yet through Mercy continued in my Family in Peace and Safety enjoy distinguishing Mercy and Love God help me to make a right use of it and still restrain Men that they do not hurt me and enable me to give thee the Glory of that Mercy thou pleasest to give me the Comfort of 26th This Day I was at Cos R's Funeral the Lord prepare me for my Change I came from thence over a dangerous way in Safety 27th God has this Day preserved
want and cannot come But here must stay and die Answer I grant O Soul 't is Faith alone That great uniting Grace By which thou must lay hold of Christ The want of it 's thy Case Well Faith 's the Gift of God thou know'st Who biddeth thee believe And true Repentance he must give Or thou canst never live Well coming Sinner come away Be always of this Mind Thou must both knock and call and seek If Mercy thou wouldst find Lord Mercy Lord O poor Soul cry Thy Mercy Lord I crave Or here I die in Misery It 's Mercy I must have I do believe help Vnbelief My hold of Christ I 'le keep If run I cannot after thee Lord after thee I 'le creep Then Welcome Sinner unto Christ Though coming for a Dole This Faith though weak yet saving is Thy Faith hath made thee whole Backsliding Sinner come to Christ Do but for this Sin mourn And thou 'lt be welcome unto him Who bids repent and turn Relapsing Sinner come away And thou shalt quickly see Thy frequent Fall's no let at all To Christ's accepting thee Delaying Sinner hasten now Before the Door be shut He that says Come will make thee room Then Sinner arise up The hung'ring Soul may come to Christ And they that weary be The Poor that has no Price to pay May have him very free Debauched Sinner hasten in Cast off thy Sins and then He will be thine as well as mine Who di'd for th' worst of Men. Drunkards and Swearers stay not out If you 'l but come in now Such have been wash'd and cleansed too And coming so mayst thou Soul O I am fully now convinc'd If happy I would be I must away to Jesus Christ My Loit'ring ruines me Object But when I come the Devil calls Whither away so fast Thou canst no Entertainment have With Christ thy Time is past Thou art not one of those alas For whom he shed his Blood Nor art thou an elected one Stay here it is as good Soul Nay but I 'le try and hasten in O that I 'd gone before And if I cannot entrance have I 'le wait at Heaven's Door But yet methinks thy fierce Assaults Encouragement do give If I but go I' st be receiv'd And if I turn I' st live The dying Soul's last Farewel to All. FArewel the World I once did love I now have learn'd to live above Farewel my Friends and welcom Grave I better Friends in Heaven have Farewel dear Wife I cannot stay Christ bids me come I must away Farewel my Body made of Dust I must to him in whom I trust Farewel those Sins I left before I 'm going where I 'll sin no more And farewel Troubles at Decease In Heaven will be perfect Peace Farewel my earthly House and Lands A House I 'll have not made with Hands Farewel all Sorrows doleful Cries In Heaven are no weeping Eyes Nay farewel all my worldly Stuff A single Christ makes rich enough To let all go is surely best To enter on Eternal Rest Yet do not say that I am dead I 'm but undrest and gone to Bed I 'm gone you see yet do not cry Meet me in Heaven when you die The Welcom to Heaven God WElcom my Child to endless Bliss Heav'n joys to see thee here Fear not this is thy Father's House Taste freely Heaven's Chear When thou thy Saviour did'st accept This Jointure he thee made It 's Heaven he purchas'd for thee Accept be not afraid But why asham'd poor Soul come in Now thou' rt arriv'd above Thy Soul is cleans'd thy Sins forgot Think now of nought but Love Spread out the Cloth of richest Gold His Foot-cloth it shall be If he be drest then bring him forth He 'll keep me Company Come all that here attend my Throne Put on him best Attire Set on the Crown that will out shine The clearest Flames of Fire Well bid him welcom to the Court He 's one of Royal Birth I must be-friend him now he 's here He was my Friend on Earth He left the World whilst in the World Did show whilst he had Breath He loved me above the World Was faithful unto Death Soul A Bride a Child a Wife a Friend Ragg'd yet adorn'd so soon My Dunghil's changed for a Throne My Midnight's turn'd to Noon Vpon a Death-bed I did lie And there did toss and turn My Friends about me weeping stood But here shall never mourn A Hymn on Isaiah 8. 17. And I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his Face from the House of Jacob and I will look for him MY God 's withdrawn and hides his Face I cannot choose but mourn Yet still I 'll wait upon the Lord And look for his return Doctrine in Verse Sometimes the Lord not only hides His Face from single Saints But other whiles on this account Whole Churches make Complaints And when it 's thus bewilder'd Souls Know'ng scarce what course to take But still they 'l pray and cry and call And after God will make I 'll seek the Lord says such a Soul And still upon him wait Who hides his Face from Jacob's House He 'll come though's Coming's late A Meditation upon Matth. 11. 28 29 30. COme Sinner come thy Saviour calls If penitent thou be And truly weary of thy Sins Thou 'rt welcom Soul to me Take up my Yoke for it is light Account it always best To learn of one in whom alone Thou canst have solid Rest My Burthen's easy you will find When you have learn'd of me To have a meek and lowly Mind Try Sinner taste and see A Poetical Remembrance of the Reverend Mr. John Oaks who died suddenly being taken with an Apoplectick Fit in his Pulpit Lord's Day Decemb. 23 1688. with some Hints of Advice to surviving Relations composed and made by a true Lover of him and his G. D. HEark heark what means the mournful Looks and Cries The pensive bleeding Hearts and blubber'd Eyes The Throbs the Throws the Sighs which do appear With sad Complainings almost ev'ry where Why so much Drooping in a Halcion-Day When with loud Acclamations we should pay Rather a Tribute to our Prince and Peers Who seasonably have rescu'd us from Fears Why so much Sorrow now If needs must be Occasion'd by some Depths of Misery I sigh to tell you yet am hereto forc'd My Heart 's so full it must have vent or burst Great Oaks the famous Preacher's lately dead Had hardly time t' undress to go to Bed And he must sensless be who now forbears To speak with Sorrow or to write in Tears The Heart 's as hard as Flint that cannot weep When such a one as Oaks is fall'n asleep Sabbaths were here unto him a Delight And on that blessed Day he took his Flight From Earth to Heaven where he ever sings High Hallelujahs to the King of Kings Thô call'd from Sabbaths here he 'd not debate That one Eternal he may celebrate Thô Warning's short to go he
came to see my need of Christ and to be satisfied that a single Christ would be of more worth than ten thousand Worlds and these were the Texts of Scripture that did much revive me viz. That Christ Jesus came into the World to save Sinners and that the Gospel-Tenders of him was to such And that the Covenant-Terms of Salvation were attainable thrô assisting Grace Isai 1. 18. Come now let 's reason together saith the Lord Though your Sins be as Scarlet they shall be white as Snow and though they be red as Crimson they shall be as Wool O what Encouragement is here thought I for me a Sinner who though but young in Years was yet old in Sin And another encouraging Scripture I often thought on was Prov. 28. 13. He that confesses and forsakes his Sin shall find Mercy And Isai 55. 7. Let the Wicked for sake his Way and the unrighteous Man his Thoughts and let him turn unto the Lord and he will have Mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon I then to encourage my return to God and the forsaking of my Sins thought of the great Sinners that had obtain'd Mercy such as Manasseh Mary Magdalen and some of the very Jews that had been guilty of the Blood of Christ and had murdered the Son of God yet through Repentance and Faith in Christ many of them were pardoned and saved nay Paul that eminent Pattern of God's free Grace to great Sinners and David and others of God's Dear Children that had foully faln was Encouragement to me a Prodigal now to arise and go to my Father Now I began to set upon a Course of Duties which when I found I was pretty strict in the performance of I begun too much to rest upon them Now I was for believing but hardly knew how to believe that Christ died for Sinners so as to throw my self and rest wholly upon him and to think my Tears and Prayers and other Duties will do me no good in point of Justification When I had served in my Apprenticeship about four Years my eldest Brother Cornelius being dead some short time before it pleasing the Lord to visit the City with the Plague which began in the Street in which I lived upon which my Father prevailed with my Master to give me leave to retire into the Country to him during that Visitation Accordingly I came down in the Year 1665 to my Father's House then at Swinder by And then began other Sins to appear in me as the product or Remainders of Corruption in my Nature I have great cause to bewail and lament that proud Garb I came from London in having I do believe expended as much for one Sute of Clothes as would have clothed compleatly 40 poor Servants of Jesus Christ For which Equipage I contracted much Debt in London which my Father after paid I had then so proud an Humour that I thought this Dress thô excessively Gaudy was but suitable to my Rank thô alas much beyond it This Vanity I can hardly think of without Blushing Yet now living an idle Life and being dreadfully puft up with Pride tho alas alas I had nothing in the World to be proud of but rather to be humbled for I presently was under Temptation to think that I must now carry it out and live at the Rate of my Father's Eldest Son and not as Mr. Oglethorp's Apprentice and Servant Now it was that tho indeed I durst not much associate with wicked Companions that were Strangers tho Neighbours to me yet I did it too much with those that were Relations and thought that Relation would justify that practice not considering the Snares of it I there made too many sinful Slips went often to Norton and Norwell where I met with such Company as had not Free-Grace sustained me had certainly ruined me both as to my Principles and Practices There it was I fell to the Practice of good Fellowship most undeservedly so called and then have been perswaded to think that time well spent could sometimes most wickedly triumph in my Ability to bear strong Drink not considering the sad Woe in Scripture denounced against such At that time I learn'd to drink and game and smoak Tobacco and trifle c. and spent by Perswasion of others tho my bad Heart was most to blame not only Days but Nights in those kind of Excesses And here I cannot but observe how unwilling the Devil was to lose me who so lately had been his Prey and led captive by him at his pleasure But yet after these Relapses for ever magnified be distinguishing Love the Lord graciously gave me a Check and after some Reproofs and Advice from Parents and serious Friends I again begun to consider my Ways Conscience was startled and begun to do the Office of a faithful Monitor And this Scripture was often in my Thoughts and sounded terribly in mine Ears He that being often reproved and hardeneth his Heart shall suddenly be destroyed and that without Remedy Much precious Time I did waste and trifle away in those Days in sinful Delights and Pleasures the want of which I now sadly experience Several Gentlewomen one after another I courted being invited thereto by one Friend or other and too many of my Addresses of that Nature were too extravagant inconsiderate and sinful which the Lord has humbled me much for since From Swinderby I went to Barkston with my Father and his Family who went to settle there for the sake of Mr. Trott the Minister of that Town and a worthy good Man whilst there I went sometimes to Grantham to hear some Non-Conformist Ministers as there was opportunity for their Preaching which was but seldom much Soul-advantage I received then through the Lord's Blessing upon Mr. Sharp's Ministry who was then a Non-Conformist of very great Note After this my Father buying a House at Lincoln we removed to it and thither the Lord in his Providence sent holy humble and worthy Mr. Abdy to be Pastor of that Congregation for which he had Liberty by the King's Proclamation and Licence of Indulgence Here I delighted greatly to attend upon those Ordinances through God's Blessing upon which and an intimate Correspondence I held with him I received much benefit Then began I in good earnest to set my Face Heaven-ward and to mind the great Work the Lord sent me into and continued me in the World about Now began I not only to observe my private Retirements for Prayer but to pray in my Father's Family tho too hypocritically in those my first Attempts I have cause enough to believe However having cast a Look Heaven-wards Hell was presently in an Uproar the Devil storms at it my old Companions begin to upbraid me for it which yet the Lord gave me Grace to bear with Patience as knowing that I had much better bear and endure the Frowns of wicked Men for being Religious than the everlasting Frowns of the great God for not
through Grace in 2 days so well that I could see to record this singular Providence which Escape and Deliverance I desire to ascribe to Divine Goodness as a Return to Prayer and desire I may use my Eyes more to the Honour of God 6. January the 14th 1683 I and my Man Sam. Fone being going a Journey to Rotheram about seven Miles off of Nottingham Sam 's Horse slip'd and fell on the side of a Hill with his Leg under him which was greivously bruised and strained and he so full of Pain that I was forc'd to return to Nottingham with him In my return such a like Fall I got my Horse lying upon me a considerable time for he could not rise and had he risen of himself it might have broken my Leg which lay just in a Cart-rut and Sam. being lam'd before could not help me but now providentially a Person comes riding by just at that instant did help me up and through Mercy I got not the least Hurt though my Fall seem'd much more dangerous than Sam 's who was lame and under the Chirurgeon's Hand long This is a distinguishing Mercy which I desire to improve to the Glory of God 7. The 18th of June 1677. In the Close of that Day in Closet-Prayer I found my Heart so warmly carried out after God that nothing would serve my turn but God and I trust God gave me himself Blessed Lord enable me to improve such a Priviledg 8. My Father Disney in his time and I for some Years after him were perplexed with long and tedious Suits by John Oliver of Lincoln a Bankrupt who sued in formâ pauperis He did most wickedly occasion several People to forswear themselves against me particularly one Jane Farrow of Lincoln aged about 54 a Woman ofa bad Life and no Principles she being subpena'd by J. O. to be an Evidence for him At our sitting a Commission at Lincoln for that purpose she the said Jane Farrow did swear positively that the Goods in J. O's Shop at the time my Father seized them were worth 1500 l. and therefore she would conclude my Father was compleatly satisfied J. O's Debt and had no right to detain his Estate longer from him Though I at the same time brought substantial Witnesses and Persons of good Credit and Reputation who upon Oath made appear just the contrary one Mr. Snowden in my behalf swore that he had a Judgment of a 100 l. upon the Bankrupt's Estate and went at that time my Father seized with a design to take out Execution upon the Goods but not finding them of near a 100 l. value did desist Since this the said Jane Farrow has told some the Reason of her Swearing so desperately was That J. Oliver had instructed her and others of his Witnesses what to swear had made them all drunk and then as she confest they swore any thing Since this poor wretched Jane Farrow was visited with Sickness and died Feb. 27 1683. and upon her Death-Bed was in a most sad despairing Condition and cried out much against herself for being forsworn She told those about her that she saw the Devil and there says she he stands pointing to a Place ready to fetch me away She very frequently spoke the same or the like Words O! says she thou art come to fetch me I am certainly thine and shall be with thee er'e long She further added it must needs be so if Mrs. Disney meaning my Mother and Mr. Disney meaning my self does not forgive me Some about her told her for she had many Visitors daily that she must call upon God for Mercy who alone for Christ's Sake could forgive her but she bad them say no more of that for she had nothing to do with God nor Christ nor would she receive any Soul-advice as concluding she must be damned She sent for J. O. that wicked Wretch who was certainly the Ruin of that poor Woman's Soul if the Lord shewed not Mercy at last Gasp and told him that for his Sake and at his Request she had damned her Soul in forswearing her self against Mr. Disney He endeavoured to pacify her by telling her she had sworn nothing but Truth and advised her not to regard what any said to the contrary But this did not do for she still cries out most horridly against her self desired those about her to pray for her Death But says some by her Jane we fear you are very unfit to die to which she presently replied she knew she must be damned and the Devil stood ready for her And thus she lived 2 or 3 Days and went out of the World in a sad despairing Condition A most remarkable Instance indeed it is of God's Vengeance upon a perjured Person May others take warning by it and such as are guilty in the same kind repent in time 9. An Instance very remarkable of two others I could not but here insert which I had certainly attested by near Neighbours and my own Tenants at Swinderby One Smith and Simkin at Harby having been at Agle Feast returning home late says Smith Come we must gallop Neck or nothing the Devil loves no Cripples they being both upon one Horse presently fell down one from one side the other from the other both dead and never spoke more they received hurt only in one part of their Body viz. their Necks intimating their Sin in their Punishment 10. Novemb. 26 1684. being Saturday at Dinner some of our Servants discovered Quick-Silver amongst the Pudding they were eating and we at our Table had eaten on before we presently concluded it must be some that had scattered into the Chest where the Meal used to lie in which Chest at our removal from Nottingham I brought a Pot of Quick-Silver that I kept by me for Weather-Glasses amongst other things we all eat of the Pudding but none of us through the Mercy of God experienced the least Prejudice from it 11. At Nottingham whilst we lived at Mr. Ryley's House a sad Fire broke out the at William Stirrop's a Flax-man next Mr. Recklises at about 11 a Clock at Night which did burn and flame so furiously by reason of the great quantities of Combustible Matter there that in all probability it had much endangered the consuming the Town to Ashes had it not been for this great Providence viz. That very night and at the very time when its likely all or most others were a-sleep in their Beds We as the Lord was pleased to order it had a Religious Meeting at our House where many were assembled to serve God Mr. Billingsley being towards the conclusion of that Exercise and we met in a Room partly against those Flames did soon espy them and as soon dismist those likely to be serviceable at such a Work such as Mr. Hawkins Jo. Boote and others who being fresh and active did soon thrô the Blessing of God quench that Fire there being very few others that appeared which made some say they were consident
stand At th' Bar of Prisoners holding up his Hand Methinks I see and doleful Sight it is Judas betraying Jesus with a Kiss I hear them mock and jear the glorious King Instead of Scepter they a Reed him bring They spit on 's Face and 's blessed Head adorns With nothing but a pricking Crown of Thorns The Souldiers wag their Heads and on him rail'd And forc'd him bear the Cross to which he 's nail'd They pierc'd his Sides with Spears and at him wink And gave him Vinegar and Gall to drink I see the Virgins following with their Cries With Countenances sad and bleared Eyes I see my Lord look towards them and say Weep not for me but for your selves I pray I hear them quickly making this Reply How can we chuse but weep when thou must die Our Hearts are full and must have some Relief They either now must burst or melt with Grief O wicked Tyrants cursed bloody Jews Knew you but who it is that you thus use You would weep too and could no longer grudg To shed some Tears for him who now you judg Meditations in Verse upon John 6. 36. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out GOod News indeed from Christ I hear That all the Father has given Vnto my Blessed Lord shall come And never miss of Heaven Then come O Soul and coming know Thou hast no cause to doubt For he that cannot lie hath said He will not cast thee out Object 1. Ah says the Soul I 'm cloy'd with Sin Can such an one as I Take any saving step to Christ No surely I must die By Adam's Fall I lost my Strength Ability and Power And how can I move after Christ Who'm sinning every Hour Answer Well yet take Courage thou mayst come The Master calls Arise They that but come he never will Cast off in any wise Object 2. Tell me says Soul but how I may Know when I come aright Resolve me this and then through Grace I 'le come with all my Might Answer Well Sinner see thy self then lost And wretchedly undone Till Heart and Mind be both inclin'd To rest on Christ alone Does now thy Heart work after Christ Is Sin thy burthen Soul Then come away for now thou mayst Vpon thy Saviour roul Object 3. Ah says the Sinner though I find A willingness to come To Jesus Christ as being lost Yet all my Work 's not done My End I fear cannot be good Self in this choice I cherish I take a Christ to give me Life As knowing else I perish Answer Well Sinner yet though this be all Thy present End and Aim In taking Christ thou welcome art For he has said the same The Argument that Christ does use Encouragement to give To Sinners to come in to him Is that they turn and live Yea he upbraids the Jews though they Were now with him at Strife Ye will not come to me says he That I may give you Life Come then for Life though that be all At present in thine Eye Thou dost believe that Christ can save And therefore to him fly Object 4. Ah! but I find says one poor Soul My Pace to Christ so slow That I can hardly sometimes tell Whether I come or no. Answer Well we 'll admit that this poor Soul Be verily thy Case Yet canst thou say Lord draw me on And I shall mend my Pace Thy Frame in Duties thou find'st sad Thy Pulse beats very slow Yet if but beating after Christ Take Courage Soul and go Come on to Christ bewail thy Sloth If he but see thee weeping For those faint Steps thou tak'st to him He 'll welcome thee though creeping Object 5. Ah! says another coming Soul Here 's this does sorely out I come so late to Mercy 's Gate I fear the Door is shut Answer Well coming Sinner come away Though thou but come at last To Christ thou' rt welcome if thou dost Come now more quick and fast He that came in at th' eleventh Hour Though idle all the Day Being sent to work with other Men At Night had equal pay The Thief that hung upon the Cross Did late for Mercy cry Shew Mercy Lord to me a Wretch And that before I die Welcome says Christ I 've heard thy Prayer And happy thou shalt be I 'm going up to Paradise And thou shalt be with me He stood it out to th' very last Yet Mercy did obtain O then delaying Souls to Christ You cannot come in vain Object 6. Well says another I am fall'n Since I began to come To Jesus Christ and therefore fear For such there is no room Answer Why truly Falls poor Soul are sad They wound the Conscience sore And cause the Enemies of God Reproachfully to roar Yet know O Soul thou arguest wrong For want of Scripture-Light Thus to conclude because of Falls Thy coming was not right If David and King Solomon And Peter that bright Star Had argued thus against themselves They'd mist the Matter far Thou' rt coming unto God poor Soul And may expect it well The Devil will do what he can To trip thee down to Hell The World the Flesh the Devil all Will now against thee roar Then wonder not at single Falls But that thou gets no more The Child i' th Gospel you shall find To Christ no sooner coming But th' Devil threw him down and tore For to prevent his running The Lord upholdeth his that fall So much he does them prize That though by sinful slips they fall Through Grace he 'll makethem rise Well falling Sinner haste to Christ Thou never needs to doubt But he that helps thee up when down Will never cast thee out Object 7. But I am dead the Sinner says What Comfort can you give Answer The Dead shall hear my Voice says God And they that hear shall live Object 8. But I 'm a Captive bound in Chains And fettered by Sin Answer Yet this Word Shall come unto Christ Will quickly fetch thee in Object 9. I 'm blind and cannot see my way Through th' Darkness of my Mind And how can such come unto Christ The way he cannot find Answer Thy Blindness Soul cannot obstruct If thou thy Blindness see I 'le lead says God in Paths untrod To bring such Souls to me I will make Darkness Light to them And crooked Things most streight And this benighted Souls shall find If they upon me wait Object 10. Ah but my Case is still far worse I have not sinn'd alone But others by Example I The way to Sin have shown They that turn many Souls I find To Righteousness shall shine As Stars above for ever more But this Case is not mine Answer Well here 's yet Comfort in those Days Says he that cannot lie Iniquity shall sought for be But none shall it espy Object 11. Well but methinks I hear a Soul Bemoaning thus and cry It 's Faith I