faithfull grave Thus Lazarus was carried out of town For 't is our foes chief art By distance all good objects first to drown And then besiege the heart But I will be my own Deaths-head and though The flatt'rer say I live Because Incertainties we cannot know Be sure not to believe Peace MY Soul there is a Countrie Far beyond the stars Where stands a winged Centrie All skilfull in the wars There above noise and danger Sweet peace sits crown'd with smiles And one born in a Manger Commands the Beauteous files He is thy gracious friend And O my Soul awake Did in pure love descend To die here for thy sake If thou canst get but thither There growes the flowre of peace The Rose that cannot wither Thy fortresse and thy ease Leave then thy foolish ranges For none can thee secure But one who never changes Thy God thy life thy Cure The Passion O My chief good My dear dear God! When thy blest bloud Did Issue forth forc'd by the Rod What pain didst thou Feel in each blow How didst thou weep And thy self steep In thy own precious saving teares What cruell smart Did teare thy heart How didst thou grone it In the spirit O thou whom my soul Loves and feares 2. Most blessed Vine Whose juice so good I feel as Wine But thy faire branches felt as bloud How wert thou prest To be my feast In what deep anguish Didst thou languish What springs of Sweat and bloud did drown thee How in one path Did the full wrath Of thy great Father Crowd and gather Doubling thy griefs when none would own thee 3. How did the weight Of all our sinnes And death unite To wrench and Rack thy blessed limbes How pale and bloudie Lookt thy Body How bruis'd and broke With every stroke How meek and patient was thy spirit How didst thou cry And grone on high Father forgive And let them live I dye to make my foes inherit 4. O blessed Lamb That took'st my sinne That took'st my shame How shall thy dust thy praises sing I would I were One hearty tear One constant spring Then would I bring Thee two small mites and be at strife Which should most vie My heart or eye Teaching my years In smiles and tears To weep to sing thy Death my Life Rom. Cap. 8. ver. 19. Etenim res Creatae exerto Capite observantes expectant revelationem Filiorum Dei ANd do they so have they a Sense Of ought but Influence Can they their heads lift and expect And grone too why th' Elect Can do no more my volumes sed They were all dull and dead They judg'd them senslesse and their state Wholly Inanimate Go go Seal up thy looks And burn thy books 2. I would I were a stone or tree Or flowre by pedigree Or some poor high-way herb or Spring To flow or bird to sing Then should I tyed to one sure state All day expect my date But I am sadly loose and stray A giddy blast each way O let me not thus range Thou canst not change 3. Sometimes I fit with thee and tarry An hour or so then vary Thy other Creatures in this Scene Thee only aym and mean Some rise to seek thee and with heads Erect peep from their beds Others whose birth is in the tomb And cannot quit the womb Sigh there and grone for thee Their liberty 4. O let not me do lesse shall they Watch while I sleep or play Shall I thy mercies still abuse With fancies friends or newes O brook it not thy bloud is mine And my soul should be thine O brook it not why wilt thou stop After whole showres one drop Sure thou wilt joy to see Thy sheep with thee The Relapse MY God how gracious art thou I had slipt Almost to hell And on the verge of that dark dreadful pit Did hear them yell But O thy love thy rich almighty love That sav'd my soul And checkt their furie when I saw them move And heard them howl O my sole Comfort take no more these wayes This hideous path And I wil mend my own without delayes Cease thou thy wrath I have deserv'd a thick Egyptian damp Dark as my deeds Should mist within me and put out that lamp Thy spirit feeds A darting Conscience full of stabs and fears No shade but Yewgh Sullen and sad Ecclipses Cloudie spheres These are my due But he that with his bloud a price too deere My scores did pay Bid me by vertue from him chalenge here The brightest day Sweet downie thoughts soft Lilly-shades Calm streams Joyes full and true Fresh spicie mornings and eternal beams These are his due The Resolve I Have consider'd it and find A longer stay Is but excus'd neglect To mind One path and stray Into another or to none Cannot be love When shal that traveller come home That will not move If thou wouldst thither linger not Catch at the place Tell youth and beauty they must rot They 'r but a Case Loose parcell'd hearts wil freeze The Sun With scatter'd locks Scarce warms but by contraction Can heat rocks Call in thy Powers run and reach Home with the light Be there before the shadows stretch And Span up night Follow the Cry no more there is An ancient way All strewed with flowres and happiness And fresh as May There turn and turn no more Let wits Smile at fair eies Or lips But who there weeping sits Hath got the Prize The Match DEar friend whose holy ever-living lines Have done much good To many and have checkt my blood My fierce wild blood that still heaves and inclines But is still tam'd By those bright fires which thee inflam'd Here I joyn hands and thrust my stubborn heart Into thy Deed There from no Duties to be freed And if hereafter youth or folly thwart And claim their share Here I renounce the pois'nous ware ii ACcept dread Lord the poor Oblation It is but poore Yet through thy Mercies may be more O thou that canst not wish my souls damnation Afford me life And save me from all inward strife Two Lifes I hold from thee my gracious Lord Both cost thee deer For one I am thy Tenant here The other the true life in the next world And endless is O let me still mind that in this To thee therefore my Thoughts Words Actions I do resign Thy will in all be done not mine Settle my house and shut out all distractions That may unknit My heart and thee planted in it Lord Jesu thou didst bow thy blessed head Upon a tree O do as much now unto me O hear and heal thy servant Lord strike dead All lusts in me Who onely wish life to serve thee Suffer no more this dust to overflow And drown my eies But seal or pin them to thy skies And let this grain which here in tears I sow Though dead and sick Through thy Increase grow new and quick Rules and Lessons WHen first thy Eies unveil give thy Soul
a showr Beats them quite off and in an hour Not one poor shoot But the bare root Hid under ground survives the fall Alas frail weed 3. Thus like some sleeping Exhalation Which wak'd by heat and beams makes up Unto that Comforter the Sun And soars and shines But e'r we sup And walk two steps Cool'd by the damps of night descends And whence it sprung there ends Doth my weak fire Pine and retire And after all my hight of flames In sickly Expirations tames Leaving me dead On my first bed Untill thy Sun again ascends Poor falling Star 4. O is but give wings to my fire And hatch my soul untill it fly Up where thou art amongst thy tire Of Stars above Infirmity Let not perverse And foolish thoughts adde to my Bil Of forward sins and Kil That seed which thou In me didst sow But dresse and water with thy grace Together with the seed the place And for his sake Who died to stake His life for mine tune to thy will My heart my verse Hosea Cap. 6. ver. 4. O Ephraim what shall I do unto thee O Iudah how shall I intreat thee for thy goodness is as a morning Cloud and as the early Dew it goeth away Idle Verse GO go queint folies sugred sin Shadow no more my door I will no longer Cobwebs spin I 'm too much on the score For since amidst my youth and night My great preserver smiles Wee 'l make a Match my only light And Joyn against their wiles Blind desp'rate fits that study how To dresse and trim our shame That gild rank poyson and allow Vice in a fairer name The Purles of youthfull bloud and bowles Lust in the Robes of Love The idle talk of feav'rish souls Sick with a scarf or glove Let it suffice my warmer days Simper'd and shin'd on you Twist not my Cypresse with your Bays Or Roses with my Yewgh Go go seek out some greener thing It snows and freezeth here Let Nightingales attend the spring Winter is all my year Son-dayes BRight shadows of true Rest some shoots of blisse Heaven once a week The next worlds gladnes prepossest in this A day to seek Eternity in time the steps by which We Climb above all ages Lamps that light Man through his heap of dark days and the rich And full redemption of the whole weeks flight 2. The Pulleys unto headlong man times bower The narrow way Transplanted Paradise Gods walking houre The Cool o' th' day The Creatures Jubile Gods parle with dust Heaven here Man on those hills of Myrrh and flowres Angels descending the Returns of Trust A Gleam of glory after six-days-showres 3. The Churches love-feasts Times Prerogative And Interest Deducted from the whole The Combs and hive And home of rest The milky way Chalkt out with Suns a Clue That guides through erring hours and in full story A taste of Heav'n on earth the pledge and Cue Of a full feast And the Out Courts of glory Repentance LOrd since thou didst in this vile Clay That sacred Ray Thy spirit plant quickning the whole With that one grains Infused wealth My forward flest creept on and subtly stole Both growth and power Checking the health And heat of thine That little gate And narrow way by which to thee The Passage is He term'd a grate And Entrance to Captivitie Thy laws but nets where some small birds And those but seldome too were caught Thy Promises but empty words Which none but Children heard or taught This I believed And though a friend Came oft from far and whisper'd No Yet that not sorting to my end I wholy listen'd to my foe Wherefore pierc'd through with grief my sad Seduced soul sighs up to thee To thee who with true light art Clad And seest all things just as they be Look from thy throne upon this Rowl Of heavy sins my high transgressions Which I Confesse withall my soul My God Accept of my Confession It was last day Touch'd with the guilt of my own way I sate alone and taking up The bitter Cup Through all thy fair and various store Sought out what might outvie my score The blades of grasse thy Creatures feeding The trees their leafs the flowres their seeding The Dust of which I am a part The Stones much softer than my heart The drops of rain the sighs of wind The Stars to which I am stark blind The Dew thy herbs drink up by night The beams they warm them at l'th' light All that have signature or life I summon'd to decide this strife And lest I should lack for Arrears A spring ran by I told her tears But when these came unto the scale My sins alone outweigh'd them all O my dear God! my life my love Most blessed lamb and mildest dove Forgive your penitent Offender And no more his sins remember Scatter these shades of death and give Light to my soul that it may live Cut me not off for my transgressions Wilful rebellions and suppressions But give them in those streams a part Whose spring is in my Saviours heart Lord I confesse the heynous score And pray I may do so no more Though then all sinners I exceed O think on this Thy Son did bleed O call to mind his wounds his woes His Agony and bloudy throws Then look on all that thou hast made And mark how they do fail and fade The heavens themselves though fair and bright Are dark and unclean in thy sight How then with thee Can man be holy Who doest thine Angels charge with folly O what am I that I should breed Figs on a thorne flowres on a weed I am the gourd of sin and sorrow Growing o'r night and gone to morrow In all this Round of life and death Nothing 's more vile than is my breath Profanenes on my tongue doth rest Defects and darknes in my brest Pollutions all my body wed And even my soul to thee is dead Only in him on whom I feast Both soul and body are well drest His pure perfection quits all score And fills the Boxes of his poor He is the Center of long life and light I am but finite He is Infinite O let thy Justice then in him Confine And through his merits make thy mercy mine The BURIAL Of an Infant BLest Infant Bud whose Blossome-life Did only look about and fal Wearyed out in a harmles strife Of tears and milk the food of all Sweetly didst thou expire Thy soul Flew home unstain'd by his new kin For ere thou knew'st how to be foul Death wean'd thee from the world and sin Softly rest all thy Virgin-Crums Lapt in the sweets of thy young breath Expecting till thy Saviour Comes To dresse them and unswadle death Faith BRight and blest beame whose strong projection Equall to all Reacheth as well things of dejection As th' high and tall How hath my God by raying thee Inlarg'd his spouse And of a private familie Made open house All may be now Co-heirs no noise Of Bond
shade Awake awake And in his Resurrection partake Who on this day that thou might'st rise as he Rose up and cancell'd two deaths due to thee Awake awake and like the Sun disperse All mists that would usurp this day Where are thy Palmes thy branches and thy verse Hosanna heark why doest thou stay Arise arise And with his healing bloud anoint thine Eys Thy inward Eys his bloud will cure thy mind Whose spittle only could restore the blind Easter Hymn DEath and darkness get you packing Nothing now to man is lacking All your triumphs now are ended And what Adam marr'd is mended Graves are beds now for the weary Death a nap to wake more merry Youth now full of pious duty Seeks in thee for perfect beauty The weak and aged tir'd with length Of daies from thee look for new strength And Infants with thy pangs Contest As pleasant as if with the brest Then unto him who thus hath thrown Even to Contempt thy kingdome down And by his blood did us advance Unto his own Inheritance To him be glory power praise From this unto the last of daies The Holy Communion WElcome sweet and sacred feast welcome life Dead I was and deep in trouble But grace and blessings came with thee so rife That they have quicken'd even drie stubble Thus soules their bodies animate And thus at first when things were rude Dark void and Crude They by thy Word their beauty had and date All were by thee And stil must be Nothing that is or lives But hath his Quicknings and reprieves As thy hand opes or shuts Healings and Cuts Darkness and day-light life and death Are but meer leaves turn'd by thy breath Spirits without thee die And blackness sits On the divinest wits As on the Sun Ecclipses lie But that great darkness at thy death When the veyl broke with thy last breath Did make us see The way to thee And now by these sure sacred ties After thy blood Our sov'rain good Had clear'd our eies And given us sight Thou dost unto thy self betroth Our souls and bodies both In everlasting light Was 't not enough that thou hadst payd the price And given us eies When we had none but thou must also take Us by the hand And keep us still awake When we would sleep Or from thee creep Who without thee cannot stand Was 't not enough to lose thy breath And blood by an accursed death But thou must also leave To us that did bereave Thee of them both these seals the means That should both cleanse And keep us so Who wrought thy wo O rose of Sharon O the Lilly Of the valley How art thou now thy flock to keep Become both food and Shepheard to thy sheep Psalm 121. UP to those bright and gladsome hils Whence flowes my weal and mirth I look and sigh for him who fils Unseen both heaven and earth He is alone my help and hope that I shall not be moved His watchful Eye is ever ope And guardeth his beloved The glorious God is my sole stay He is my Sun and shade The cold by night the heat by day Neither shall me invade He keeps me from the spite of foes Doth all their plots controul And is a shield not reckoning those Unto my very soul Whether abroad amidst the Crowd Or els within my door He is my Pillar and my Cloud Now and for evermore Affliction PEace peace It is not so Thou doest miscall Thy Physick Pils that change Thy sick Accessions into setled health This is the great Elixir that turns gall To wine and sweetness Poverty to wealth And brings man home when he doth range Did not he who ordain'd the day Ordain night too And in the greater world display What in the lesser he would do All flesh is Clay thou know'st and but that God Doth use his rod And by a fruitfull Change of frosts and showres Cherish and bind thy pow'rs Thou wouldst to weeds and thistles quite disperse And be more wild than is thy verse Sickness is wholsome and Crosses are but curbs To check the mule unruly man They are heavens husbandry the famous fan Purging the floor which Chaff disturbs Were all the year one constant Sun-shine wee should have no flowres All would be drought and leanness not a tree would make us bowres Beauty consists in colours and that 's best Which is not fixt but flies and flowes The settled Red is dull and whites that rest Something of sickness would disclose Vicissitude plaies all the game nothing that stirrs Or hath a name But waits upon this wheel Kingdomes too have their Physick and for steel Exchange their peace and furrs Thus doth God Key disorder'd man which none else can Tuning his brest to rise or fall And by a sacred needfull art Like strings stretch ev'ry part Making the whole most Musicall The Tempest HOw is man parcell'd out how ev'ry hour Shews him himself or somthing he should see This late long heaâ— may his Instruction be And tempests have more in them than a showr When nature on her bosome saw Her Infants die And all her flowres wither'd to straw Her brests grown dry She made the Earth their nurse tomb Sigh to the sky ' Til to those sighes fetch'd from her womb Rain did reply So in the midst of all her scars And faint requests Her Earnest sighes procur'd her tears And fill'd her brests O that man could do so that he would hear The world read to him all the vast expence In the Creation shed and slav'd to sence Makes up but lectures for his eie and ear Sure mighty love foreseeing the discent Of this poor Creature by a gracious art Hid in these low things snares to gain his heart And layd surprizes in each Element All things here shew him heaven waters that fall Chide and fly up Mists of corruptest some Quit their first beds mount trees herbs flowres all Strive upwards stil and point him the way home How do they cast off grossness only Earth And Man like Issachar in lodes delight Water 's refin'd to Motion Aire to Light Fire to all * three but man hath no such mirth Plants in the root with Earth do most Comply Their Leafs with water and humiditie The Flowres to air draw neer and subtiltie And seeds a kinred fire have with the sky All have their keyes and set ascents but man Though he knows these and hath more of his own Sleeps at the ladders foot alas what can These new discoveries do except they drown Thus groveling in the shade and darkness he Sinks to a dead oblivion and though all He sees like Pyramids shoot from this ball And less'ning still grow up invisibly Yet hugs he stil his durt The stuffe he wears And painted trimming take down both his eies Heaven hath less beauty than the dust he spies And money better musick than the Spheres Life 's but a blast he knows it what shal straw And bul-rush-fetters temper
How like the Eyes quick winke His Cottage failes whose narrow span Begins even at the brink Nine months thy hands are fashioning us And many yeares alas E're we can lisp or ought discusse Concerning thee must passe Yet have I knowne thy slightest things A feather or a shell A stick or Rod which some Chance brings The best of us excell Yea I have knowne these shreds out last A faire-compacted frame And for one Twenty we have past Almost outlive our name Thus hast thou plac'd in mans outside Death to the Common Eye That heaven within him might abide And close eternitie Hence youth and folly mans first shame Are put unto the slaughter And serious thoughts begin to tame The wise-mans-madnes Laughter Dull wretched wormes that would not keepe Within our first faire bed But out of Paradise must creepe For ev'ry foote to tread Yet had our Pilgrimage bin free And smooth without a thorne Pleasures had foil'd Eternitie And â—aâ—e had choakt the Corne Thus by the Crosse Salvation runnes Affliction is a mother Whose painefull throws yield many sons Each fairer than the other A silent teare can peirce thy throne When lowd Joyes want a wing And sweeter aires streame from a grone Than any arted string Thus Lord I see my gaine is great My lesse but little to it Yet something more I must intreate And only thou canst doe it O let me like him know my End And be as glad to find it And whatsoe'r thou shalt Commend Still let thy Servant mind it Then make my soule white as his owne My faith as pure and steddy And deck me Lord with the same Crowne Thou hast crownd him already Vanity of Spirit QUite spent with thoughts I left my Cell and lay Where a shrill spring tun'd to the early day I beg'd here long and gron'd to know Who gave the Clouds so brave a bow Who bent the spheres and circled in Corruption with this glorious Ring What is his name and how I might Descry some part of his great light I summon'd nature peirc'd through all her store Broke up some seales which none had touch'd before Her wombe her bosome and her head Where all her secrets lay a bed I rifled quite and having past Through all the Creatures came at last To search my selfe where I did find Traces and sounds of a strange kind Here of this mighty spring I found some drills With Ecchoes beaten from th' eternall hills Weake beames and fires flash'd to my sight Like a young East or Moone-shine night Wich shew'd me in a nook cast by A peece of much antiquity With Hyerogliphicks quite dismembred And broken letters scarce remembred I tooke them up and much Joy'd went about T' unite those peeces hoping to find out The mystery but this neer done That little light I had was gone It griev'd me much At last said I Since in these veyls my Ecclips'd Eye May not approach thee for at night Who can have commerce with the light I 'le disapparell and to buy But one half glaunce most gladly dye The Retreate HAppy those early dayes when I Shin'd in my Angell-infancy Before I understood this place Appointed for my second race Or taught my soul to fancy ought But a white Celestiall thought When yet I had not walkt above A mile or two from my first love And looking back at that short space Could see a glimpse of his bright-face When on some gilded Cloud or flowre My gazing soul would dwell an houre And in those weaker glories spy Some shadows of eternity Before I taught my tongue to wound My Conscience with a sinfull sound Or had the black art to dispence A sev'rall sinne to ev'ry sence But felt through all this fleshly dresse Bright shootes of everlastingnesse O how I long to travell back And tread again that ancient track That I might once more reach that plaine Where first I left my glorious traine From whence th' Inlightned spirit sees That shady City of Palme trees But ah my soul with too much stay Is drunk and staggers in the way Some men a forward motion love But I by backward steps would move And when this dust falls to the urn In that state I came return COme come what doe I here Since he is gone Each day is grown a dozen year And each houre one Come come Cut off the sum By these soil'd teares Which only thou Know'st to be true Dayes are my feares 2. Ther 's not a wind can stir Or beam passe by But strait I think though far Thy hand is nigh Come come Strike these lips dumb This restles breath That soiles thy name Will ne'r be tame Untill in death 3. Perhaps some think a tombe No house of store But a dark and seal'd up wombe Which ne'r breeds more Come come Such thoughts benum But I would be With him I weep A bed and sleep To wake in thee Midnight WHen to my Eyes Whilst deep sleep others catches Thine hoast of spyes The starres shine in their watches I doe survey Each busie Ray And how they work and wind And wish each beame My soul doth streame With the like ardour shin'd What Emanations Quick vibrations And bright stirs are there What thin Ejections Cold Affections And slow motions here 2. Thy heav'ns some say Are a firie-liquid light Which mingling aye Streames and flames thus to the sight Come then my god Shine on this bloud And water in one beame And thou shalt see Kindled by thee Both liquors burne and streame O what bright quicknes Active brightnes And celestiall flowes Will follow after On that water Which thy spirit blowes Math. Cap. 3. ver. XI I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance but he that commeth after me is mightier than I whose shooes I am not worthy to beare he shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire Content PEace peace I know 't was brave But this corse fleece I shelter in is slave To no such peece When I am gone I shall no ward-robes leave To friend or sonne But what their own homes weave 2. Such though not proud nor full May make them weep And mourn to see the wooll Outlast the sheep Poore Pious weare Hadst thou bin rich or fine Perhaps that teare Had mourn'd thy losse not mine 3. Why then these curl'd puff'd points Or a laced story Death sets all out of Joint And scornes their glory Some Love a Rose In hand some in the skin But crosse to those I would have mine within JOy of my life while left me here And still my Love How in thy absence thou dost steere Me from above A life well lead This truth commends With quick or dead It never ends 2. Stars are of mighty use The night Is dark and long The Rode foul and where one goes right Six may go wrong One twinkling ray Shot o'r some cloud May clear much way And guide a croud 3. Gods Saints are shining lights who stays Here long must passe
O're dark hills swift streames and steep ways As smooth as glasse But these all night Like Candles shed Their beams and light Us into Bed 4. They are indeed our Pillar-fires Seen as we go They are that Cities shining spires We travell too A swordlike gleame Kept man for sin First Out This beame Will guide him In. The Storm I See the use and know my bloud Is not a Sea But a shallow bounded floud Though red as he Yet have I flows as strong as his And boyling stremes that rave With the same curling force and hisse As doth the mountain'd wave 2. But when his waters billow thus Dark storms and wind Incite them to that fierce discusse Else not Inclin'd Thus the Enlarg'd inraged air Uncalmes these to a floud But still the weather that 's most fair Breeds tempests in my bloud 3. Lord then round me with weeping Clouds And let my mind In quick blasts sigh beneath those shrouds A spirit-wind So shall that storme purge this Recluse Which sinfull ease made foul And wind and water to thy use Both wash and wing my soul The Morning-watch O Joyes Infinite sweetnes with what flowres And shoots of glory my soul breakes and buds All the long houres Of night and Rest Through the still shrouds Of sleep and Clouds This Dew fell on my Breast O how it Blouds And Spirits all my Earth heark In what Rings And Hymning Circulations the quick world Awakes and sings The rising winds And falling springs Birds beasts all things Adore him in their kinds Thus all is hurl'd In sacred Hymnes and Order The great Chime And Symphony of nature Prayer is The world in tune A spirit-voyce And vocall joyes Whose Eccho is heav'ns blisse O let me climbe When I lye down The Pious soul by night Is like a clouded starre whose beames though sed To shed their light Under some Cloud Yet are above And shine and move Beyond that mistie shrowd So in my Bed That Curtain'd grave though sleep like ashes hide My lamp and life both shall in thee abide The Evening-watch A Dialogue FArewell I goe to sleep but when The day-star springs I 'le wake agen Goe sleep in peace and when thou lyest Unnumber'd in thy dust when all this frame Is but one dramme and what thou now descriest In sev'rall parts shall want a name Then may his peace be with thee and each dust Writ in his book who ne'r betray'd mans trust Amen! but hark e'r we two stray How many hours do'st think 'till day Ah! go th' art weak and sleepie Heav'n Is a plain watch and without figures winds All ages up who drew this Circle even He fils it Dayes and hours are Blinds Yet this take with thee The last gasp of time Is thy first breath and mans eternall Prime SIlence and stealth of dayes 't is now Since thou art gone Twelve hundred houres and not a brow But Clouds hang on As he that in some Caves thick damp Lockt from the light Fixeth a solitary lamp To brave the night And walking from his Sun when past That glim'ring Ray Cuts through the heavy mists in haste Back to his day So o'r fled minutes I retreat Unto that hour Which shew'd thee last but did defeat Thy light and pow'r I search and rack my soul to see Those beams again But nothing but the snuff to me Appeareth plain That dark and dead sleeps in its known And common urn But those fled to their Makers throne There shine and burn O could I track them but souls must Track one the other And now the spirit not the dust Must be thy brother Yet I have one Pearle by whose light All things I see And in the heart of Earth and night Find Heaven and thee Church-Service BLest be the God of Harmony and Love The God above And holy dove Whose Interceding spirituall grones Make restless mones For dust and stones For dust in every part But a hard stonic heart 2 O how in this thy Quire of Souls I stand Propt by thy hand A heap of sand Which busie thoughts like winds would scatter quite And put to flight But for thy might Thy hand alone doth tame Those blasts and knit my frame 3. So that both stones and dust and all of me Joyntly agree To cry to thee And in this Musick by thy Martyrs bloud Seal'd and made good Present O God! The Eccho of these stones My sighes and grones Buriall O Thou The first fruits of the dead And their dark bed When I am cast into that deep And senseless sleep The wages of my sinne O then Thou great Preserver of all men Watch o're that loose And empty house Which I sometimes liv'd in 2. It is in truth a ruin'd peece Not worth thy Eyes And scarce a room but wind and rain Beat through and stain The seats and Cells within Yet thou Led by thy Love wouldst stoop thus low And in this Cort All filth and spott Didst with thy servant Inne 3. And nothing can I hourely see Drive thee from me Thou art the same faithfull and just In life or Dust Though then thus crumm'd I stray In blasts Or Exhalations and wasts Beyond all Eyes Yet thy love spies That Change and knows thy Clay 4. The world 's thy boxe how then there rost Can I be lost But the delay is all Tyme now Is old and slow His wings are dull and sickly Yet he Thy servant is and waits on thee Cutt then the summe Lord haste Lord come O come Lord Jesus quickly Rom. Cap. 8. ver. 23. And not only they but our selves also which have the first fruits of the spirit even wee our selves grone within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our body Chearfulness LOrd with what courage and delight I doe each thing When thy least breath sustaines my wing I shine and move Like those above And with much gladnesse Quitting sadnesse Make me faire dayes of every night 2. Affliction thus meere pleasure is And hap what will If thou be in 't 't is welcome still But since thy rayes In Sunnie dayes Thou dost thus lend And freely spend Ah! what shall I return for this 3. O that I were all Soul that thou Wouldst make each part Of this poor sinfull frame pure heart Then would I drown My single one And to thy praise A Consort raise Of Hallelujahs here below SUre there 's a tye of Bodyes and as they Dissolve with it to Clay Love languisheth and memory doth rust O'r-cast with that cold dust For things thus Center'd without Beames or Action Nor give nor take Contaction And man is such a Marygold these fled That shuts and hangs the head 2. Absents within the Line Conspire and Sense Things distant doth unite Herbs sleep unto the East and some fowles thence Watch the Returns of light But hearts are not so kind false short delights Tell us the world is brave And wrap us in Imaginary flights Wide of a
or Free Can Interdict us from those Joys That wait on thee The Law and Ceremonies made A glorious night Where Stars and Clouds both light and shade Had equal right But as in nature when the day Breaks night adjourns Stars shut up shop mists pack away And the Moon mourns So when the Sun of righteousness Did once appear That Scene was chang'd and a new dresse Left for us here Veiles became useles Altars fel Fires smoking die And all that sacred pomp and shel Of things did flie Then did he shine forth whose sad fall And bitter fights Were figur'd in those mystical And Cloudie Rites And as i' th' natural Sun these three Light motion heat So are now Faith Hope Charity Through him Compleat Faith spans up blisse what sin and death Put us quite from Lest we should run for 't out of breath Faith bring us home So that I need no more but say I do believe And my most loving Lord straitway doth answer Live The Dawning AH what time wilt thou come when shall that crie The Bridegroome 's Comming fil the sky Shall it in the Evening run When our words and works are done Or wil thy all-surprizing light Break at midnight When either sleep or some dark pleasure Possesseth mad man without measure Or shal these early fragrant hours Unlock thy bowres And with their blush of light descry Thy locks crown'd with eternitie Indeed it is the only time That with thy glory doth best chime All now are stirring ev'ry field Ful hymns doth yield The whole Creation shakes off night And for thy shadow looks the light Stars now vanish without number Sleepie Planets set and slumber The pursie Clouds disband and scatter All expect some sudden matter Not one beam triumphs but from far That morning-star O at what time soever thou Unknown to us the heavens wilt bow And with thy Angels in the Van Descend to Judge poor careless man Grant I may not like puddle lie In a Corrupt securitie Where if a traveller water crave He finds it dead and in a grave But as this restless vocall Spring All day and night doth run and sing And though here born yet is acquainted Elsewhere and flowing keeps untainted So let me all my busie age In thy free services ingage And though while here of force I must Have Commerce somtimes with poor dust And in my flesh though vile and low As this doth in her Channel flow Yet let my Course my aym my Love And chief acquaintance be above So when that day and hour shal come In which thy self wil be the Sun Thou 'lt find me drest and on my way Watching the Break of thy great day Admission HOw shril are silent tears when sin got head And all my Bowels turn'd To brasse and iron when my stock lay dead And all my powers mourn'd Then did these drops for Marble sweats And Rocks have tears As rain here at our windows beats Chide in thine Ears 2. No quiet couldst thou have nor didst thou wink And let thy Begger lie But e'r my eies could overflow their brink Didst to each drop reply Bowels of Love at what low rate And slight a price Dost thou relieve us at thy gate And stil our Cries 3. Wee are thy Infants and suck thee If thou But hide or turn thy face Because where thou art yet we cannot go We send tears to the place These find thee out and though our sins Drove thee away Yet with thy love that absence wins Us double pay 4. O give me then a thankful heart a heart After thy own not mine So after thine that all and ev'ry part Of mine may wait on thine O hear yet not my tears alone Hear now a floud A floud that drowns both tears and grones My Saviours bloud Praise KIng of Comforts King of life Thou hast cheer'd me And when fears and doubts were rife Thou hast cleer'd me Not a nook in all my Breast But thou fill'st it Not a thought that breaks my rest But thou kill'st it Wherefore with my utmost strength I wil praise thee And as thou giv'st line and length I wil raise thee Day and night not once a day I will blesse thee And my soul in new array I will dresse thee Not one minute in the year But I 'l mind thee As my seal and bracelet here I wil bind thee In thy word as if in heaven I wil rest me And thy promise ' til made even There shall feast me Then thy sayings all my life They shal please me And thy bloudy wounds and strife They wil ease me With thy grones my daily breath I will measure And my life hid in thy death I will treasure Though then thou art Past thought of heart All perfect fulness And canst no whit Accesse admit From dust and dulness Yet to thy name as not the same With thy bright Essence Our foul Clay hands At thy Commands Bring praise and Incense If then dread Lord When to thy board Thy wretch comes begging He hath a flowre Or to his pow'r Some such poor Off'ring When thou hast made Thy begger glad And fill'd his bosome Let him though poor Strow at thy door That one poor Blossome Dressing O Thou that lovest a pure and whitend soul That feedst among the Lillies 'till the day Break and the shadows flee touch with one Coal My frozen heart and with thy secret key Open my desolate rooms my gloomie Brest With thy cleer fire refine burning to dust These dark Confusions that within me nest And soyl thy Temple with a sinful rust Thou holy harmless undefil'd high-priest The perfect ful oblation for all sin Whose glorious conquest nothing can resist But even in babes doest triumph still and win Give to thy wretched one Thy mysticall Communion That absent he may see Live die and rise with thee Let him so follow here that in the end He may take thee as thou doest him intend Give him thy private seal Earnest and sign Thy gifts so deal That these forerunners here May make the future cleer Whatever thou dost bid let faith make good Bread for thy body and Wine for thy blood Give him with pitty love Two flowres that grew with thee above Love that shal not admit Anger for one short fit And pitty of such a divine extent That may thy members more than mine resent Give me my God! thy grace The beams and brightnes of thy face That never like a beast I take thy sacred feast Or the dread mysteries of thy blest bloud Use with like Custome as my Kitchin food Some sit to thee and eat Thy body as their Common meat O let not me do so Poor dust should ly still low Then kneel my soul and body kneel and bow If Saints and Angels fal down much more thou Easter-day THou whose sad heart and weeping head lyes low Whose Cloudy brest cold damps invade Who never feel'st the Sun nor smooth'st thy brow But sitt'st oppressed in the
wind and storm blew through their Cots Which never harbour'd plots Only Content and love and humble joys Lived there without all noise Perhaps some harmless Cares for the next day Did in their bosomes play As where to lead their sheep what silent nook What springs or shades to look But that was all And now with gladsome care They for the town prepare They leave their flock and in a busie talk All towards Bethlem walk To see their souls great shepheard who was come To bring all straglers home Where now they find him out and taught before That Lamb of God adore That Lamb whose daies great Kings and Prophets wish'd And long'd to see but miss'd The first light they beheld was bright and gay And turn'd their night to day But to this later light they saw in him Their day was dark and dim Misery LOrd bind me up and let me lye A Pris'ner to my libertie If such a state at all can be As an Impris'ment serving thee The wind though gather'd in thy fist Yet doth it blow stil where it list And yet shouldst thou let go thy hold Those gusts might quarrel and grow bold As waters here headlong and loose The lower grounds stil chase and choose Where spreading all the way they seek And search out ev'ry hole and Creek So my spilt thoughts winding from thee Take the down-rode to vanitie Where they all stray and strive which shal Find out the first and steepest fal I cheer their flow giving supply To what 's already grown too high And having thus perform'd that part Feed on those vomits of my heart I break the fence my own hands made Then lay that trespasse in the shade Some fig-leafs stil I do devise As if thou hadst nor ears nor Eyes Excesse of friends of words and wine Take up my day while thou dost shine All unregarded and thy book Hath not so much as one poor look If thou steal in amidst the mirth And kindly tel me I am Earth I shut thee out and let that slip Such Musick spoils good fellowship Thus wretched I and most unkind Exclude my dear God from my mind Exclude him thence who of that Cel Would make a Court should he there dwel He goes he yields And troubled sore His holy spirit grieves therefore The mighty God th' eternal King Doth grieve for Dust and Dust doth sing But I go on haste to Devest My self of reason till opprest And buried in my surfeits I Prove my own shame and miserie Next day I call and cry for thee Who shouldst not then come neer to me But now it is thy servants pleasure Thou must and dost give him his measure Thou dost thou com'st and in a showr Of healing sweets thy self dost powr Into my wounds and now thy grace I know it wel fils all the place I sit with thee by this new light And for that hour th' art my delight No man can more the world despise Or thy great mercies better prize I School my Eys and strictly dwel Within the Circle of my Cel That Calm and silence are my Joys Which to thy peace are but meer noise At length I feel my head to ake My fingers Itch and burn to take Some new Imployment I begin To swel and fome and fret within The Age the present times are not To snudge in and embrace a Cot Action and bloud now get the game Disdein treads on the peaceful name who sits at home too bears a loade Greater than those that gad abroad Thus do I make thy gifts giv'n me The only quarrellers with thee I 'd loose those knots thy hands did tie Then would go travel fight or die Thousands of wild and waste Infusions Like waves beat on my resolutions As flames about their fuel run And work and wind til all be done So my fierce soul bustles about And never rests til all be out Thus wilded by a peevish heart Which in thy musick bears no part I storm at thee calling my peace A Lethargy and meer disease Nay those bright beams shot from the eys To calm me in these mutinies I stile meer tempers which take place At some set times but are thy grace Such is mans life and such is mine The worst of men and yet stil thine Stil thine thou know'st and if not so Then give me over to my foe Yet since as easie 't is for thee To make man good as bid him be And with one glaunce could he that gain To look him out of all his pain O send me from thy holy hil So much of strength as may fulfil All thy delight what e'r they be And sacred Institutes in me Open my rockie heart and fil It with obedience to thy wil Then seal it up that as none see So none may enter there but thee O hear my God! hear him whose bloud Speaks more and better for my good O let my Crie come to thy throne My crie not pour'd with tears alone For tears alone are often foul But with the bloud of all my soul With spirit-sighs and earnest grones Faithful and most repenting mones With these I crie and crying pine Till thou both mend and make me thine The Sap. COme sapless Blossom creep not stil on Earth Forgetting thy first birth 'T is not from dust or if so why dost thou Thus cal and thirst for dew It tends not thither if it doth why then This growth and stretch for heav'n Thy root sucks but diseases worms there seat And claim it for their meat Who plac'd thee here did something then Infuse Which now can tel thee news There is beyond the Stars an hil of myrrh From which some drops fal here On it the Prince of Salem sits who deals To thee thy secret meals There is thy Country and he is the way And hath withal the key Yet liv'd he here sometimes and bore for thee A world of miserie For thee who in the first mans loyns didst fal From that hil to this vale And had not he so done it is most true Two deaths had bin thy due But going hence and knowing wel what woes Might his friends discompose To shew what strange love he had to our good He gave his sacred bloud By wil our sap and Cordial now in this Lies such a heav'n of bliss That who but truly tasts it no decay Can touch him any way Such secret life and vertue in it lies It wil exalt and rise And actuate such spirits as are shed Or ready to be dead And bring new too Get then this sap and get Good store of it but let The vessel where you put it be for sure To all your pow'r most pure There is at all times though shut up in you A powerful rare dew Which only grief and love extract with this Be sure and never miss To wash your vessel wel Then humbly take This balm for souls that ake And one who drank it thus assures that you Shal find a Joy