are strait and low and can't admit The Proud nor those who can with Scorners sit Wo to the Rich who fix their Hearts below Whose watry Eyes when all the Poor shall go To endless Joys with useless Tears shall flow Rejoice poor humble Souls my Truths embrace And God shall you at last in boundless Glories place LIX And now Lord what is my Hope Truly my Hope is even in Thee Bel. WHence my dearest Lord from whence Should I raise my Confidence Whence while here beneath the Skies Should my Hopes my Comforts rise Only Dearest Lord from Thee So immensly kind to Me. When was 't well with me without Thee When was 't ill and Thou about Me Keep me ever ever poor If I 'm so of Thee secure Heaven without Thee 's all uneasy Earth with Thee would rather please Me. Heaven would be no Seat of Blisses Hell would crown my warmest Wishes If that Hell beneath could show Thee If that Heaven could ne'r bestow Thee Thou' rt my Love my chief Desire All my Sighs and Groans aspire Only for Thee only to Thee While my liveliest Hopes pursue Thee When the greatest Wants surround Me When the greatest Fears confound Me From my God alone commence All my Hopes and Confidence Others hunt inferiour Pleasures All the sweet the charming Measures Of my Safety spring from Thee All things thence are good to Me. Oft I 'm punish'd oft I 'm tempted But by Mercy still prevented While his Rod severely proves Me Still my dearest Master loves Me Still thy Strokes are dear to Me As the softest Joys can be God ray Lord 's my Hope my Shelter When in Sorrow's Gore I welter He 's my Strength my only Stay All without him flies away Helps deceive Me Friends forsake Me Books but doubtful Answers make Me. Counsellors with Quirks confound Me Reeds alas deceitful wound Me. Thou my Help my Comfort art Thou instruct'st and keep'st my Heart All those things to Peace pretending All Felicities depending Must but vain and empty be When abstracted Lord from Thee All that 's Good and Wise and Great All to Thee their Spring retreat And thy Servants Comfort see Only when they trust in Thee Lord to Thee I lift my Eyes Whence my daily Mercies rise Kindest Father Dearest Lord Still thy Joys thy Smiles afford Bless and sanctify my Mind That Thou there a place may'st find That thy Glories there may rest In a Heart with Pureness drest Freed from Sins offensive Pest Lord as thy Goodness large appears Thy Mercies large O let thy Ears To thy poor Servant's Prayers be kind While here to Deathful Shades confin'd Protect preserve defend my Soul While Clouds and Storms about Me roll Let Grace attending thro a peaceful way My Soul to endless Life and endless Light convey Amen The Christian Pattern PARAPHRAS'D The Fourth Book Of the Eucharist The Invitation O Come ye tabouring Souls with Sins vast weight opprest O come and on your Master 's sacred Bosom rest My Flesh is Bread which I 'll on fainting Souls bestow My Blood the Source of Life to all the World below Take eat my Body here each faithful Soul shall find Eat eat it oft to keep your dying Lord in mind He whom my Flesh and Blood divinely entertains Lo I his Lord in Him and He in Me remains My Words with nobler Sense than Carnal Language shine They 'r Life and Sprit All All Mystick All Divine I. And Reverence his Sanctuary Believer THESE Words Dear Christ Eternal Truth are Thine And like thy Self they 'r all Divine At various Times in various Places us'd Each sacred Syllable Which from my Saviour fell New Life new Light quite thro my Soul diffus'd They 'r Thine as utter'd Lord by Thee But Mine as for Salvation meant to Me. I them with flowing Joys receive May they on Me a deep Impression leave They 'r holy and they 'r gracious All And like sweet Dews or Lovers Kisses fall But me my weighty Guilt affrights A wounded Soul no Visitors invites Thy dear soft Words attract my hungry Soul But Thoughts of inward Guilt my forward Haste controul Thou bidst that my Approach with Faith should be If I 'd have any Share in Thee That I 'd of that immortal Nourishment Accept an offer'd Part And with a grateful Heart My Prayers for Life's eternal Bliss present O ye Thou say'st with Sins opprest O come and on my heavenly Bosom rest Sweet Words Dear happy charming Sound About desponding Sinners ecchoing round By These poor Souls invited are In blest Communion with thy self to share But who Dear Lord or what am I Who dare approach the spotless Deity Heaven's lofty Throne 's impure compar'd with Thee And shall a sinful Soul thy glorious Palace be Who can so kind a Condescension show Whence such a tender Friendship flow Dare I before thy sacred Altars kneel Conscious of in-born Sin Who cruel Pangs within And all a wounded Soul's Convulsions feel Oft have I trespass'd in thy sight And dare I now consuming Flames invite Thy Terrors purest Saints avow To them the bright Angelick Armies bow Thou said'st O Come else Lord had we Resign'd to Fears and Incredulity Great Noah's saving Ark appears The Labour of a hundred lingring Years And can a few short Minutes fit the Soul To meet that God whose Arms the vassail'd World controul A Cedar Chest contain'd thy Laws of old Cedar o're-laid with Ophir's Gold Seven toilsom Years that King of Wisdom spent A Temple's Walls to raise To thy immortal Praise Eight Holy Pays in solemn Feastings went A thousand peaceful Offerings blaz'd A thousand Shouts that Ark of Mercy rais'd To its Majestick glorious Seat What tho I only find a Mystick Treat What tho plain Bread and Wine must be The Symbols of his Flesh and Blood to Me The Legislator's greater far Than Laws tho cut by heavenly Fingers are I 'm vile yet can't one Moment freely spend To purge my filthy Soul or lodg my gracious Friend What Art what Care the Godlike Moses tri'd That wondrous Casket to provide What Time what curious Skill what vast Expence Blest Wisdom's mighty Heir Took that He might prepare A Dome for thy Mysterious Residence But Lord what little Care can I To entertain so great a Guest apply O how my Thoughts distracted range How soon my Manly Resolutions change How fixt my wandring Thoughts should be From all inferiour Obligations free When not Angelick Bands But him who all the Angel-Host commands I to receive with humble Faith prepare And at a Feast of Love with my Redeemer share That sacred Ark thy Mercy 's wondrous Seat By thy peculiar Presence great That Ark the Symbol of the Deity In that Illustrious Dome Took up the noblest Room The Holiest Place as representing Thee Yet all the Sacrifices there Were but the Types of that revolving Year In which Incarnate God should fall The great Atonement and should perfect All. That great Atonement Bread and Wine To us exhibit in a Mode
Divine What Flames should then enlarge my Heart When in my Saviour I expect a Part How should I dress to meet my bleeding Lord While every Type great Kings and Saints of old ador'd David before that precious Ark of old Could not his warm Affections hold But danc'd with all his Might and loudly play'd His tuneful Harp he strung And to his Harp he sung When that thro' Sion's Gates its Entrance made Sweet were his Airs and soft his Stroke When he 'd His Jews to holy Joys provoke God's Spirit on his Heart abode And Prayers and Blessings with his Musick flow'd Such Zeal that Antient Type pursu'd And shan't my Heart with nobler Heat indu'd Shan't it with greater Spirit embrace The Substance than the Shade of future Grace Shan't I with springy Joys my Saviour meet And at his Altars bow and kiss his sacred Feet Fools oft to see pretended Reliques fly And cast a curious wondring Eye On Fanes to Saints Imaginary rais'd Where richest Silks and Gold The dowdy Corps enfold And Thieves and Rebels are for Martyrs prais'd A thousand Pilgrimages past They prove but Hell's obdurate Slaves at last O could they rest a while at home And not to follow sensless Fancies rome Wonders on Wonders here they 'd view Far more than e're Loretto's Shrine could shew Jesus with Love and Mercies crown'd Would shed his sacred Influences round And to the Loving Hoping Faithful Heart Would all his glorious Self his heavenly Joys impart O Thou great Architect of Earth and Skies Invisible to mortal Eyes To us how wondrous all thy Actions prove And here how sweet how kind Thy Favourites may find Th' immense Expressions of Prodigious Love Unfathomable Deeps how far Too short our wretched Intellectuals are When we would sound the vast Abyss Of unintelligible Mysteries What Art that Mirroir could compose By which the Souls of faithful Saints disclose Their Saviour in a Sacrament And on his bleeding gaping Wounds intent Eat his dear Flesh and drink his sacred Blood That Bread of Life and this immortalizing Flood Who can those Capillary Rills descry By which unbodied Graces fly Thro' bodied Symbols to the faithful Mind How pure Devotion 's Fires How Vertue 's warm Desires Room in the Sinner with Repentance find What hidden Sweets can Faith descry How sharp how piercing is the faithful Eye He meets a thousand Graces here Lost Vertues in his Soul reviv'd appear And tho deform'd by Sins before This can its Beauties and its Charms restore Nay the best balmy Symbols may New Life and Health to fainting Saints convey While Faithless Souls meer Bread and Wine partake And but a damning Feast of empty Symbols make But ah how cold how deadly cold we prove To meet our dear Redeemer's Love How we refuse his kind extended Arms Arms which alone can be Our Souls security From Death's Tyrannic Force and Hell's Alarms He purifies our Natures He From endless Torments dearly sets us free Beneath his Shade we safely move And feel the Beams shot from his Orb of Love Why should we then so cold appear To all his Loves Mysterious Tendries here Ah Blind ah Rocky-hearted Crew Who can so slow such wondrous Grace pursue More careless as their Master kinder grows And can with stubborn Hearts his offer'd Loves oppose Were but one single Sacrament design'd The World to one sole Priest confin'd What Sholes would to the distant Temple flow How would they stretch their Eyes To see these Mysteries How eager for that Heavenly Banquet grow But when a thousand Pastors wait And all may with their Lord participate When so immense his Loves appear Alas we nauseate the Celestial Chear Yet Jesus Holy Shepherd we Poor Exiles now present our Thanks to Thee Thy Flesh thy Blood our Souls relieves Thy tender Call our dying Faith retrieves Come all to Me with Sins vast Weights opprest I 'll give you sudden Ease I 'll give you certain Rest II. Behold how he loved Vs Believer MOV'D by thy Goodness and thy Mercies I Dear Lord to thy Assistance fly Touch'd with a thousand Plagues I come to Thee O be the great Physician Lord to Me Hungry and Thirsty Lord I bring A fainting Soul to Life's Immortal Spring A Beggar I Heaven's gracious King adore A Servant I my Master's Smiles implore Form'd by thy Hand Lord here I stand And for my great Creator's Bounties wait And for his Comforts in a ruin'd helpless State Whence is it that my God should come to Me O what am I thus grac'd by Thee How can a guilty Soul endure thy Sight How in a Miscreant can my God delight Thou know'st no Good resides in Me And I my own my inward Vileness see Thy Grace thy Goodness and thy boundless Love I own I honour and with Thanks improve And for thy sake I 'd here partake That I my tender smiling God might know O mayn't my horrid Crimes obstruct the wondrous Flow Sweet gracious God! with what respectful Praise Should I thy spreading Glories blaze Who for our sakes a mortal Nature took But who can thro' the Mystick Bounty look What can I think when worthless I May hold Communion with the Deity What can I do but with a prideless Mind Some Means t' extol thy boundless Goodness find Thy endless Praise My God I 'll raise But ever ever Lord my Self despise And from the lowliest State to heavenly Favours rise Lo Thou' rt incomprensible Sanctity A filthy loathsom Sinner I Unfit to raise my sinful Eyes to Thee But Thou Great God couldst condescend to Me. Lo Thou canst in a Wretch delight A Beggar to a plenteous Feast invite thou 'dst have me banquet on Celestial Food On Bread of Angels and Divinely Good Thou Lord wouldst be That Bread to Me That Bread of Life which from above descends And Life and Vigour thro a fainting World extends See! see my Soul whence such bright Loves can shine And Condescensions all divine What Thanks what Praise are to thy Saviour due How should thy Service as his Name be true How salutary Lord how kind In this we all thy mighty Counsels find The Food all costly and the Banquet sweet Where we by Faith our great Redeemer meet Thy powerful Cares Thy Truth declares Thy Words from Nothing sprung the World of old In less than Nothing now eternal Truths unfold My Lord my God Great God and Man that Thou Shouldst tow'rd a wretched Creature bow That thou thy self in Bread and Wine shouldst give In true Believers humble Hearts to live What Sense such Wonders can pursue So True so Strange yet not so Strange as True Thou Lord of All who hadst no need of Me Yet by a Sacrament my Guest wouldst be Lord keep my Heart O ne'r depart Till I by thy effectual Influence find A Body spotless pure to lodg a peaceful Mind It 's thy Appointment Lord design'd by Thee To celebrate thy Memory O may I oft thy Merits here record O may I oft here meet my
bleeding Lord And thou my Soul with grateful Praise Thy Dear Redeemer's wondrous Bounty blaze Who in a Vale of Tears a Wild of Woes Would such vast Springs of holy Joys disclose As oft as there My Thoughts appear So oft I read my own Redemption o're So oft partake my Saviour's Merits boundless Store His treasur'd Mercies inexhausted prove And inexhaustible his Love O then renew thy Watch thy Thoughts compose With this great Feast thy holy Tremblings close So something new and kind and sweet Thou 'lt always in that sacred Duty meet Thy Lord will to thy Heart as lively come As if just born from Mary's Virgin-Womb As if the Tree Of Infamy Just now our sacrific'd Atonement bore And all the Soil around blush'd with his purple Gore III. Shew forth the Lord's Death often till his coming Believer Lo Here I come Dear Lord to Thee That I partaker of thy Gifts may be That I with swelling Joys may taste That Holy Feast that Sweet Repast By Thee for humble Souls prepar'd In Thee Dear Lord I all my Longings see My Health Redemption Strength Hope 's in thee My Crown my great Reward Jesus I lift my Soul to Thee O let thy flowing Joys descend on Me I would with good Zaccheus fain My Gracious Master entertain With Reverence and humblest Vows I 'd fain the Son of Faithful Abraham be My Soul would fain unite it self to Thee And Thee its Lord espouse I 'm satisfi'd if Thou be Mine No Comforts Lord are valu'd here but Thine Without Thee Life no Joys can give Nor can my Soul without Thee live I 'll oft to wait on Thee prevail Lest while unfed by Thee I upward move And mighty Foes and mighty Dangers prove My wretched Heart should fail When Mercy Lord thy Tongue employ'd And sickly Worlds thy healing Balms enjoy'd thou 'dst never send 'um fasting Home Lest Fasting should to Fainting come Dear Jesus be as kind to Me Thy Flesh thy Blood refresh the fainting Soul And who prepar'd receives the wholesome Dole Life's glorious Heir shall be I feel Dear Lord I feel how Sin How Sloth how want of Zeal prevail within O could I oft with Fervour pray O could I oft my Life survey I 'd to thy Holy Table fly Then I 'd be throughly purg'd enflam'd renew'd My holy Vows should be with Joy pursu'd Which else would faint and die I Lord with deep Confusion own To Sin my very Infant-Nature's prone But when I here my Vows renew I 'd Sin detest and Good pursue Dear God that Physick grateful make Tho I receive I 'm slothful oft and cold But should for holy Works be quite unsould Should I that Feast forsake How oft I 'm indispos'd to be My God a fit Communicant for Thee But still at proper Times I 'll strive To keep my holy Flames alive And share thy gracious Mysteries This Lord supports the Faithful Soul that He To Earth confin'd may still remember Thee Thy Loves devoutly prize Wonders of Condescending Love That Thou great God of Spirits shouldst from above To those in Spirit poor dispense Thy universal Influence And all their hungry Gripes relieve Happy thrice happy Souls who swell'd with Joy All their Devotions all their Flames employ When they their Lord receive How great 's the Lord how dear the Guests How true the Friend who then invades their Breasts The Mate how sweet the Spouse how fair Lovely as fancy'd Angels are Be silent Earth be silent Skies Their Grace their Beauties all descend from Thee Yet can 't their Beauties to the least degree Of thy Illustrious Name thy wondrous Glories rise IV. They shall be fill'd with the Fatness of thy House LORD I Apply My Heart to Thee O quicken Me And let thy Grace In Me take place Till with an humble Heart Before thy Altars I Appear and take a Part In Love's great Mystery Rouze Me Lord O rouze my Soul Off its lazy Temper roll Visit Me with thy Salvation Glut my eager Expectation With all those Heavenly Sweets which rise From that prodigious Sacrifice Clear Lord my Eyes that I may thro The Bread and Wine my Saviour view May I my Saviour's powerful Words believe And Grace from thence and heavenly Strength receive Wise Angels scarce those wondrous Depths can find The Condescensions of a boundless Mind And what can Sinners do to wretched Earth confin'd To be With Thee On Wings of Love I swiftly move With Heart sincere And awful Fear And with a Faith secure Thy just Commands obey Of my Redeemer sure In his appointed way O may I but meet Thee there And as One with Thee appear Mercy Dearest Saviour send Me And let powerful Grace attend Me Till I melt down with sacred Love And ne'r for other Comforts move This is the Christian 's noblest Flight His Body's Health his Soul's Delight The heavenly Physick for despondent Souls Which kills my Follies and my Lusts controuls Abates Temptations greater Grace bestows Here Courage bolder Hope securer grows Faith greater Strength and Loves a brighter Flame disclose How free From Thee Dear Lord to those Thy Goodness flows Whose Love and Fear Attend Thee there Thence mighty Comforts flow To lay their various Woes And when they sink below On Thee their Hopes repose Grace and Safety strong and new Here their growing Hopes pursue Wishes faint and cold Affections Mighty Doubts and weak Reflections Refresh'd with this Celestial Food Are chang'd and ever chang'd for good Here Thine thy faithful Love survey And with thy Strength their Weakness weigh Cold undevout and in themselves obdur'd Till Life Devotion Heat are here procur'd Streams will be sweet where sweet the Fountains rise A constant Heat from constant Burning flies This Fire more lively Flames this Spring more Sweets supplies What tho I know My boldest Strain Can ne'r contain That endless Love Which shines above Tho no Seraphick Flame My narrow Soul inspire Yet I 'll submisly claim One Spark of Heavenly Fire I 'll my longing Heart prepare Free from Pride and free from Care And devoutly there attending Watch the sacred Gleams descending What tho I can't approach the Spring Nor Vessels to receive it bring I 'll to the Rills my Lips apply And catch some Drops as sliding by Some sliding Drops to cool my thirsty Soul Dear Jesus Holy Saviour O controul My Wants Here poor and hungry Lord I lie Yet it 's thy Word Come weary Souls and I Will all your fainting Souls with needful Rest supply I moil And toil Opprest with Sin And Pains within By Woes o're-born And rack'd and torn Beneath that dreadful weight I murmur Lord and groan And from this mournful State Of Life would fain be gone Oft Temptations break my Rest Sorrows oft distract my Breast Hell's uneasy Weights oppress Me Griefs unweildy Chains possess Me. Whence then should my Assistance rise To Thee Dear Lord I lift my Eyes O keep Me safe O guide me right From hence to reach Eternal Light Thou
greater Brightness rise But He who waits for none but Festivals Between them oft to Sin remisly falls Then happy 's He and truly wise Who by constant Exercise Can to such a temper rise Duty can't his Heart surprize Come then but Antient Prudent Rules obey Abhor the busy Fools fantastick Way Break not the Churches Peace but wisely wave Thy whymsied Schemes for Publick Good Who cuts the Banks le ts in a boundless Flood Nor can the frighted Boor his drowning Pastures save XI Search the Scriptures Lord evermore give us this Bread Believer DEarest Jesus kindest Lord What Sweets that happy Soul may taste Who feeds with Thee at thy immortal Board That Board where Sinners only fast Where Thou thy Self art All Meat Drink Inviter Waiter Principal More lov'd by faithful Souls and more desir'd Than all those glittering Toys by carnal Fools admir'd Ah! how pleasant Lord and sweet Should Tears of Holy Sorrow be How should I love to wash thy sacred Feet And prove a Magdalen to Thee But where 's that flagrant Mind Where can I Sorrow's Holy Fountains find My Heart should fall in Tears in Flames should rise Since Thou art here indeed and seen by faithful Eyes Lord my sinful dazling Sight Can't thy full Beams of Glory bear Nor could the World subsist should all the Light Of thy Majestic Brows appear It 's wondrous Goodness all That God beneath my Cognizance should fall That I should him in holy Signs adore Before whose Servile Form bright Angels bow'd before O may I contented prove To live and walk in Faith's pure Light Till that Eternal Day shall dawn above And Shades and Figures take their flight When that great Day mail shine Then glorious Saints shall bask in Beams Divine View all the Godhead's dark Abyss and see That Word made Flesh of old engulph Eternity When I read those Wonders o're Scarce inward Joys can please my Mind I scorn what e're I saw or heard before Till I thy glorious Face can find O witness Lord for Me No Comfort I no Rest can find but Thee And since thy Face no Mortal Eyes can view Let me that future Bliss with Patient Love pursue Thus the Saints enthron'd with Thee Th' Effects of Faith and Patience found My Faith My Hope 's the same O may I be By Faith with equal Glories crown'd By their Examples I Soar with an active Faith to reach the Sky My Rules my Comforts Lord thy Scriptures are And my declining Hopes thy Flesh and Blood repair Life a wretched Load would be If we no Light no Food could meet But Lord thou mak'st thy Flesh a Feast for me Thy Word a Lamp to guide my feet Oh these I sweetly live Light to my Soul thy sacred Writings give And When I at thy Altars Lord appear I find the Bread of Life the great Elixir there These th' Exchequer-Tables are Where all the Churches Treasure lies To This pure Souls for Holy Food repair To That to clear their Cloudy Eyes That thro Faith's perfect Ways And thro the Vail to th' holiest Place conveys Blest be my Jesus Light of endless Light Whole Servants wandring Souls to Wisdom's Springs invite Blest O blest be thy great Name Dear Maker dear Redeemer who Couldst Love immense to sinking Worlds proclaim Yet not a Paschal Figure show But wouldst thy Self appear Expose thy Flesh the faithful Heart to chear Pour Healthful Sweets into the saving Bowl While joyful Angels wait around the thirsty Soul O how glorious is the Seat By Thee to happy Priests assign'd Who still when they thy awful Words repeat Thy Efficacious Presence find And daily feast on Thee How clean their Hands how pure their Hearts should be Good Works should their untainted Hands employ Their Lips be Love's sweet Springs their Hearts the Thrones of Joy Thus to Priests their Lord declares I 'm all Essential Holiness O Ye who wait on my Divine Affairs The same accepted Grace express O with a single Eye With Modest Looks approach the Mystery Your Hands unspotted to those Altars raise Where God at Your Request his wondrous Love displays O may We to Priesthood rais'd Thy Gracious Influences find For Holy Lives and pure Devotions prais'd And to internal Peace refin'd And tho our Lives may fail O let our Tears above our Crimes prevail While We with humbler Souls and warmer Love In all thy sacred Ways with swift Obedience move XII He who Eats and Drinks unworthily Eats and Drinks his own Damnation Christ I Love the Pure and Holiness bestow I love within a well-purg'd Heart to rest Up then my kind Approaches know Know who designs to be thy glorious Guest A rise thy noblest Room prepare Let it be furnish'd well and large and fair I with a glorious Train design To eat the Paschal Lamb with Thee And can thy Heart embrace a Guest Divine Who would a constant Inmate be Purge then that Old fermenting Poison well And let no Darling Sin within thy Bosom dwell Cast off the Follies of a sinful Age And all the vicious modish Rout exclude Thy Sins with bitter Tears engage And fly O fly the Godless Multitude The Lover when his Mistress come With costly Arras hangs his fairest Rooms And hopes his nice expensive Care May to her Eyes his Flames declare But know shouldst thou a thousand Years enjoy And all thy busy Thoughts employ The Preparation of a thousand Years To what my Justice claims a small Proportion bears Thou 'lt feed before Me but the Privilege Not thy Deserts but Grace and Mercy gave Nor would a starving Slave alledg Desert should He a rich Man's Bounty crave And at his Table feasted He Could but submissive there and thankful be Come then Dear Soul but not of Course Approach but not compelled by Force O come with holy Love and awful Fear And at my Marriage-Feast appear I call Thee I invite Thee freely I At thy submiss approach will all thy Wants supply Praise God when I Devotion 's Grace bestow Praise not thy Merits but my Mercy praise If thy Devotions colder grow Thy Prayers thy Sighs importunately raise Cease not thy Prayers and Tears till I With rilling Grace thy thirsty Soul supply Thou need'st Me I 've no want of Thee Nor can thy Knees advantage Me I come to better thy Defective Mind Thou com'st a Smiling God to find thou 'dst fain be One with Me thy Grace renew And with reviving Flames a hoiler Life pursue Don't then my offer'd Grace my Favours slight But thy poor Heart with utmost Pains prepare Him whom thy Soul adores invite And grasp and hold Him with a faithful Care But ne're in Preparations rest Nor when the Feast is past unguard thy Breast Be careful when the Banquet 's o're As when a Guest design'd before He toils as much who would his Post maintain As He who Wealth at first would gain The Heart still kept will but prepare it more And add new Floods of Grace to those imbib'd before What can
THE Christian Pattern PARAPHRAS'D OR The BOOK of The Imitation of CHRIST Commonly ascrib'd to THOMAS à KEMPIS Made English by LUKE MILBOURN A Presbyter of the Church of England A Verse may find him who a Sermon flies And turn Delight into a Sacrifice Herb. Perhirrant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Callim Hymno in Apoll. LONDON Printed for Roger Clavel at the Peacock against St. Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet 1696. TO THE PRINCESS Madam WHEN Religion appears in a declining State only the greatest Hands can revive the expiring Virgin make soft Blushes rush out again into her faded Checks and stubborn and unnurtur'd Souls submit to the sacred Violence of her prevailing Beauties Almighty God is the Great Physician who alone can make this happy Change in Her who as descended from Himself depends upon his Smiles and lives and conquers only to and for Him but He makes Princes Nursing Fathers and Princesses Nursing Mothers to that heavenly Charmer He made a Royal Vnbeliever the Patroness of his Friend the Founder of Judaism expos'd to the uncertain Fluxes of the Nile and has appointed Your Royal Highness the greatest Princess of the Christian Name the blest Protectress of that Divine Religion profestin that Church which he has here founded in his own most precious Blood I have endeavour'd to reduce a wandring Hagar perverted Poetry to the Service of her sacred Mistress I have taught her to sing the Songs of Sion in a degenerate Age I have filled her Mouth with holy Prayers humble Praises and devout Ejaculations have taught her to look up again to that Heaven from whence she came at first and that she may hereafter take the Nobler Flights I lay her an humble Petitioner at the Feet of Your Royal Highness However I have manag'd the Cause I 'm sure I have taken Sanctuary under the best Protection And if THE CHRISTIAN PATTERN hugg'd so oft in pious Bosoms when in her rustick Habit can now in a more refin'd State and cheereful Garb give any Delight to Your Royal Highness's retir'd Hours or under the Shadow of so August a Name make Religion and Piety more valued among reputed Christians I shall think my self invidiously happy and all those Minutes well employ'd which gave mean Opportunity to assume the Title God's and Your Royal Highness's Most Humble Most Faithfull and Devoted Servant LUKE MILBOURNE THE PREFACE POETRY in elder days was the Servant of Religion by that our Ancestors transmitted Divine Truths to their Posterity and Prophets and Priests convey'd the Precepts of Morality and the Mysteries of Faith down to their Disciples and perhaps Holy Scripture it self affords us nothing more Antient than the Israelites Song after the drowning of Pharaoh and his Egyptian Army in the Red Sea and the History of Job which with the Songs of Moses Deborah Habakkuk and the Canticles are the most exalted Pieces of Poesy in the World But as Religion her self the greatest Beauty of the rational Soul has been abus'd to cover the Extravagances of the worst of Villains so Poetry the Gift of Heaven has by the Activity of Hell and wicked Men been perverted to affront its Giver to explode Religion to vitiate Manners and to countenance and encourage whatsoever might provoke God and scandalize considering Men. Soft Words harmonious Numbers lofty Fancy daring Figures and noble Expressions have been the Leaf-Gold to disguise infectious Pills Our most celebrated Poets of late have led the Way to Vice and the rest of the crawling Vermine have sometimes croak'd even in the Royal Chambers Wit has been measur'd by its Lewdness and he has been esteem'd the best Poet who has made the most numerous Proselytes to the Devil This Reflection made some of my Reverend Brethren invite me to assert the Antient Rights of Poetry They thought it worthy the Study of a Divine to make her talk in her Original Language promote the Honour of God and the Interests of Religion convince the World that heavenly things were capable of all the Embellishments with which a Poetical Genius could accoutre them and that without the ridiculous Garniture of a Fantastick Beau Religion might appear in publick with the charming Modesty of a Virgin the Majesty of a Queen the Purity of an Angel and the Awfulness of a God When I was perswaded to try my Talent that way the Bookseller whose Interest was like to be concern'd pitch'd upon the CHRISTIAN PATTERN as meriting a better Dress than at present it appear'd in ◠The Original is extreamly plain and very pious much bought up by well-inclin'd Christians and very likely to advance Devotion Verse may render it yet more pleasant to the Reader more impressive on the Memory the very mode of Expression may add something to the Excellency of the Matter and both together raise the Soul to a nobler pitch in quest of Divine Vertues and never-ending Felicity The present Book then is the Product of some unwish'd for leisure Hours Who was the first Author of it is as impertinent a Disquisition as that after the true Author of the Epistles ascrib'd to Phalaris or the Writer of Aesop 's Fables Yet Monsieur Launoy has discharg'd Thomas â Kempis and ascribes it to John de Canabaco or Gersen or Gessen Abbot as I think of Vercelles and contemporary with St. Francis The Book has a sufficient Tincture of the Age it was written in a sour kind of Leaven run through it which I have endeavour'd so far to purge out that it might be at once a pleasant and wholesome Reefction for a Pious Contemplative Christian The Work is a Paraphrase sometimes close to the Text sometimes more Libertine a◠the matter would allow Sometimes I have only kept my Author in view at a distance making his Religious my Christian Priest expunging his whole 17th Chap. of Book I. for I perswade my self that nothing but Persecution should drive Christians into a continued Solitude and that Monasteries and Convents those Academies of Superstition and refin'd Lewdness were none of the Institutions of the Gosple In the 4th Book treating wholly of the Eucharist I have trodden with all the tenderness I could between the Extreams of Popish Superstition and Phanatic Indecency and Slovenliness I love no empty Signs nor am I ambitious to devour my Maker A Socinian would scarce tempt me to esteem the Lord's Supper an Institution of no weight an unholy things nor could all the Sophistry of a Hind let loose and giving goodly Words perswade me to adore the Consecrated Elements as if they were transubstantiated into God The Matter of the Book is serious and grave but full of Breaks and Repetitions which were not always to be avoided and made it the harder to find out Lemma 's to every Chapter which might be pertinent the Stile is very mean and therefore less capable of Ornament To dress our Saviour's Sermon on the Mount with Virgil's Flights or Ovid's Fancy would be not to beautify but profane it Sacred Truth may evaporate
with the Violence of a hot Brain and too much Light may strike a Man quite blind yet humble as the Original is I have sometimes adventur'd to soar a little but never out of Sight To compensate for the meanness of the Stile I have drest it out in the greater Variety of Numbers and have tuned them to the Judicious Ear so as nothing in them may sound harsh or ungratefully and instead of the Original Chapters I have put a Text of Scripture generally pretty apposite in the head of every Division It may now perhaps supersede the Common English Prose Translation but I 'm not for discarding even Sternhold and Hopkins for a worse Version of David 's Psalms nor that Prose for tedious and ill-sounding Rhimes The 3d Book being all Dialogue I have given all fitting Variety to without resolving it into Stanza's In short by the Smoothness of the Verse the general Correctness of the English and that pious Air which runs thro' the whole some I hope may be drawn to admire Divine Poetry and to court a native Loveliness more than a flaunting adulterated Beauty The Employ was a happy Diversion of those Melancholic Thoughts which else might have affected one too much who had met with no extraordinary good Usage from the World In it I endeavour'd as much as possible to make the Author's Sentiments so far as justifiable my own and the Peruser may read my Heart and the Original Composer's together And indeed whoever would Translate or Paraphrase an Author well must try to work up himself to the same temper he was in when he wrote the Original A narrow Soul can't exhibit the Excellencies of Homer or Virgil in another Language nor will David 's Harp sound well in any Hand but where the same Spirit who influenced that sweet Singer of Israel has in some measure possest the Heart and harmoniz'd the Life and Conversation I expect the Criticks should spend their Verdicts upon the Performance As for the Subject it 's too much out of the road of the Witty Tribe they 'l let it alone for the same reason for which Aretine spoke no evil of God But they 'l carp at an Epithet or nibble at a Phrase and look upon it as very Affrontive that a little Theologue should pretend acquaintance with the Muses that he should presume to censure the Brethren of Parnassus or divert Poetry from the Service of lewd Mistresses from Burlesquing the most Divine Truths from profane Rants and blasphemous Flights from the Slavery of an obscene Stage and gratifying a corrupted Populace To all this He must plead Guilty He owns he loves and reverences that Holy Religion which they scoff at and ridicule and here as a late Author expresses it Is a Field of Satyr open'd to Him But he had rather spend his Time in composing Hymns to the Glory of his Maker than Satyrs upon an Atheistical Crew not that he fears their Returns but he thinks every Minute mispent which is laid out upon them I pretend not yet that I have made a compleat Poem of the Christian Pattern perhaps even the great Corneille fail'd in that tho some say his Paraphrase on our Author was his Masterpiece I dream not of having honour'd my Country exalted my Mother Tongue that I have wrong'd my Author less than others have done that my Faults are neither gross nor frequent and all that Those who are us'd to admire themselves can't forbear it when they have one Foot in the Grave but the old Hound deserves the Cudgel who thinks he can pinch as close when his Teeth are out as he could in his more vigorous Years If a good Christian as well as a good Critick shews me my Error I 'll correct it Criticism should aim only at mending what 's amiss The true Critick distinguishes of the Stiles of Authors gives us an Authentick Text and the true Import of Words in particular Writers shews the difference between spurious and genuine Pieces that Relation there is between Mens Writings and the Laws and Usages of the Countries or Places they write in or about He tries to fix the Aera's of great Revolutions and of particular if considerable Events and endeavours to shew the Cryptick Sense of the most learned or obscure Authors The Critick who employs himself thus deserves not the Character of ill Nature he only helps to set things in their true Light where he shews any Man his Mistakes he gives him an opportunity of rectifying 'um that he may look out into the World with the Eulogies of some reasonable Creature beside himself He lets the World see how much they are oft impos'd on by Names and Noise and how justly they may complain Grandia saepe quibus mandavimus Hordea sulcis Infelix Lolium steriles nascuntur avenae Which notwithstanding the New Version of that great Poet I 'd render thus Oft where with fairest Grain we sow'd the Fields Darnel and barren Oats the luckless Harvest yeilds Some Gentlemen perhaps who by the Religion they profess claim kindred with Heathens Jews and Mahometans for it 's good to be of the strongest side may think I have gone out of my way that 's the Word under the last Head to meet with them I must confess I have some Obligations to them which in due time God willing I shall very faithfully discharge I can't wonder that those who have call'd my Mother Whore should fix a malicious Character upon Me. They are a Generation formidable not for their reasoning Faculty but for their Jesuitism and Impudence They deal with the Defenders of Truth as Aethiopian Apes with their Enemy the Lion they fling all the Sand and Dust they can rake together into his Mouth and Eyes and then run away grinning and hope to escape in a Cloud of their own Raising They shelter their Sawciness under the Pretence of a fine new Discovery they have found doubtless after much Fasting and Prayer as Father Laelius of old that there are Nominal and Real Trinitarians and who would regard them who are so divided among themselves as if those who assert the Father Son and Holy Ghost to be real distinct Persons or Subsistences in the same Divine Nature and those who assert That every particular Person has his own peculiar Mode of Subsistence in that Divine Nature did not both believe a real Trinity Or as if They were not to be credited in their most solemn Asseverations when these Night-Birds declareing their Agreement with the Church of England that superannuated Beldam that Empire of King Oberon as they sometimes very respectfully call Her expect to be believed tho to believe them a Man must crack more Flashoods and notorious Contradictions than all those Mysteries amount to which they have pretended to break their Teeth upon Indeed if they 'd own once that the Father in and by Himself is infinite Eternal Incomprehensible c. that the Son is in and by Himself Infinite Eternal Incomprehensible
c. and that the Holy Ghost is in and by Himself Infinite Eternal Incomprehensible c. they will agree in that Point with the Church of England and the Argument deducible from those Concessions to prove that the Father is God the Son God and the Holy Ghost God and yet that there is and can be but one God will amount to a Demonstration They tell us indeed that their Writings look like fair well-furnish'd Houses where every thing is plain and regular but they may remember the famous Manchegan Hero who was as eminent for Chivalry as they are for Divinity took the beggarly Vent for a stately Castle bare Walls and Sluttishness for noble Furniture and a pair of Stroling Drabs for beautiful Damsels and Illustrious Princesses Again they find nothing but dark and obscure in the clearest Vindications of Eternal Truth but it 's because they are always blind at Home and their Eyes are in the ends of the Earth Indeed if Religion wanted Buffoons or Merry Andrews the Gentlemen might be of some use to Her For for a rude or Impertinent Jest a modish Droll a blasphemous Flirt or a long Declamation in praise of their own Elixirs Orvietans or Pouders of Pimperlimpimp they 'd outdo most of our riding Quacks or German Jugglers but for sound Reason Chrysippus his Dog outveyed'um and Balaam 's Ass might much better than They have superseded the necessity of Divine Revelation Answers to them are to the less purpose because they murder us so with their repeated Crambe's their wretched Quelque Chose shall be set again a hundred times upon the same Table only made a little poinant with the Sauce of a new Scoff or the Haut-goût of a Jeer and Nothing not the Eternal Deity himself can escape the ridicule when these Saints of a new Stamp take Pen in hand to assert the Reasonableness of Christianity to examine Scripture accurately to explode Mystery and to blaspheme the Holy and Undivided Trinity It 's hard to think they can have any Reverence for true Religion who write only for the Diversion of those who have none And we know what great Designs their late celebrated Champion had Scripture appear'd to him a meer Heap of Contradictions and to be reveng'd on those who would not swallow Christianity without Mysteries he piously resolv'd to set up Mahumetism in opposition to it and doubtless he knew very well that neither Scripture nor the Churches antient Confessions of Faith contain'd half so many Arguments for the Unitarian Divinity as the Alcoran Mysteries in Religion are very offensive to some weak Eyes Men of no Religion may perhaps be thought fittest to write the History of it they must needs be impartial because they have no Interest in the Subject they treat of but for Men of loose Lives to decry what they call Priest-craft for Men of very ordinary Intellectuals to explode Mysteries and for those of no Principles to take upon 'um to refine and vindicate Christianity is a Demonstration that Christianity is the best Religion Mysteries truly useful in it and the Christian Priesthood the noblest tho the most invidious Employment in the World Priest-craft is grown a Cant-word us'd by thoughtless Animals who seldom know their own meaning in 't Something they 'r angry at They cant sleep quietly in their Vices they can't live peaceably like Heathens in a Christian Country they can't devour the Patrimony of the Church without opposition nor set up Atheism without the danger of a Reprimand from some ill-bred Blackcoat In short Religion 's against them and therefore they are resolv'd to be against it This should render it the more valuable to sober Men it should make them study by Practical Holiness as well as weighty Arguments to crush the Heads of Atheism and Heresy to embrace kindly whatever promotes that Holiness and even to hug THE CHRISTIAN PATTERN how meanly soever Paraphras'd while it strives in the softest way to impress the sacred Image of our blessed Master on the Hearts of the greatest Priests or Bishops or of the humblest private Christians ERRATA PAg. 12. l. 14. r. fluttering p. 13. l. 6. r. nightly p. 47. l. 17. for this r. they p. 60. l. 23. r. presumptous p. 69. l. 1. r. disease p. 57. l. 18. r. shalt p. 69. l. 8. r. shalt p. 83. l. 17. r. by thy p. 86. after l. 11. a blank line is wanting p. 89. l. 1. after yet put p. 110. l. 8. r. Secrets p. 120. l. 15. r. strange for p. 155. l. 3. r. Live p. 186. l. 23. for while r. which p. 187. l. 18. after live make p. 206. l. 20. after can I make p. 223. l. 12. after ineffectually put p. 239. l. 17. r. God p. 245. l. 22. r. my Soul p. 260. l. 11. after eat put The Christian Pattern PARAPHRAS'D The First Book I. Vanity of Vanities all is Vanity WHOer'e to follow me his Steps applies Or'e his blest Head no gloomy Clouds shall rise But Life's pure Light shall fill his Heart and sparkle in his Eyes Thus spoke our Holy Jesus and can we Er'e dream of Light and Immortality That Truth 's pure Beams should our dark Fancies clear Unless like his our Lives reform'd appear O let our Thoughts then on his Actions dwell Whose Doctrines Man's divinest Rules excel If his enlightning Spirit guide the Mind 'T will treasur'd there the secret Manna find Truth sweet and tasteful as that Angels Food Not loath'd but always welcom'd by the Good If he withdraw tho with the Gospel blest Our Souls are still with lazy Dreams opprest But when enflam'd by him we try to live By those great Rules his heavenly Actions give All clear and plain his sacred Words appear And to the Heart reveal'd are grateful to the Ear. What tho I could with strange Acuteness pry Into the still Mysterious Trinity Only more Woes would me at last surprize Should my proud Soul from thence that dreadful God despise Not lofty Thoughts nor Words which smoothly roll But Purity to God endears the Soul Let others curious Definitions spin O let me feel true Grief for Guilt within And Floods of unseen Tears purge out my Stains of Sin What tho thy apprehensive Mind compriz'd What er'e those old Philosophers devis'd What tho thy faithful Mem'ry could recite What er'e in Scriptures Holy Penmen write Vain were thy Reach and vain thy Memory Unless God's Grace and Love were lodg'd in thee All 's Vanity and more than vainly vain But God's pure Love and our dear Saviour's Chain We 're wise indeed if we the World despise And grasp at Thrones and Crowns above the Skies It 's vain to covet or to trust in Gold It 's vain to be to Honours height extoll'd Vain are our carnal Lusts and fond Desires Whose Woes but preface Hell's Eternal Fires Vain is the longest Life when vainly spent Life's vain unless on future Glories bent It 's vain to love what like a Tempest flies And leave that
to try Thy Patience so Patience shines most when most severely prov'd Yet mayst thou pray to have thy Griefs remov'd Or that Grace may more largely to support thee flow Dost thou anothers sinful Failures view Twice thrice advise him if he still pursue His senseless Ways Leave him to God He 'll all His Thoughts fulfil And make His Creatures prosecute His Will And make their very Madness more advance his Praise That thou mayst others Follies calmly bear Think what thy own thy inward Failures are How great thy Sins Canst thou not then thy Bosom-Lusts restrain And yet of others Stubborness complain He who would others mend best at himself begins We'd have our Neighbours lash'd our Neighbours reign'd But hate to be our selves to Rules restrain'd So just are we So much our selves we more than others love Yet should the World around us perfect prove What would our Sufferings then for God or Goodness be But God with Wisdom tempers all Affairs And makes us toil beneath our mutual Cares That while we find None faultless none without a Burden none To perfect Strength or perfect Wisdom grown We'd be to Pity more more to Love inclin'd Comfort Advice Support Instruction so Should from our sympathizing Friendship flow In darkest Night Stars shine the brightest and our Woes declare Only how frail our Constitutions are But not to Frailty more or weak Designs invite XVII Be ye followers of me as dear Children HOW mean how trifling are our Lives compar'd With those of glorious Heroes gone before Whose wondrous Works their wondrous Love declar'd And all the Badges of their Matter wore Their Saviours Friends for Life or Death prepar'd Who all th' Extreams of Thirst Hunger bore Who cold bare in watchful Fastings spent On Prayers and holy Meditations bent Thro' all the cruel Scorns of barbarous Tyrants went What Tongue tho tip'd with flowing Eloquence Could all those mighty Woes and Pains unfold Which great Apostles in the Truths defence Martyrs and Confessors endur'd of old Those Tortures laid on Virgin-Innocence Modest as Babes as Men in Sufferings bold They'd all their dear Redeemer's Footsteps trace And in the Furies of their heavenly Race Made Earth and Life it self to Love resign the place O how they liv'd to Woods and Caves confin'd With tedious and severe Temptations prest How when to Satan's Buffetings resign'd Their fervent Prayers were to their Lord addrest How was their Flesh with rigid Fastings pin'd Their Souls with growing Zeal and Ardour blest Fierce on their Sins in their Intentions pure They'd Night and Day in Prayers and Praise endure Nor could their Foes their Minds from inward Prayers allure They all their Hours to vast Advantage spent And all too little for their Maker thought And on sublimer Contemplations bent They oft their very needful Food forgot Wealth Honours Places Friends with free consent They quitted for the sweet Celestial Draught They grudg'd their Minutes on themselves bestow'd And disincumbred from each earthly Load Their Wealth was Grace and Goodness and a smiling God Strange to the World and strange to all below They grew the great Privadoes of the Skies Mean to themselves mean to the World they 'd show But dear and priceful in their Master's Eyes Humble Obedient Patient Kind they 'd grow And thence in Grace and Godlike Vertues rise They great Examples to Believers stood And more should move us to advance in Good Than to sink down in Sloth the Lukewarm lazy Brood What holy Zeal our Priests adorn'd of old What warm Devotions what prevailing Prayers How strongly they'd the Race of Vertues hold What Discipline supprest the rising Tares How had the Shepherds of the sacred Fold In Service and Respect their constant Shares How Great how Good they were their Steps descry Beneath their Feet the conquer'd World could lie And from their powerful Faith Hell's great Commander fly He 's now a Saint who sins but privately And who a while the Yoke of Christ can bear A Saint who won't with lewdest Sinners vie Or with the Murderer or Adulterer share A Saint who weekly can the Church supply And for the Fleece the Flock neglected care Ah Sloth Ah Negligence Ah want of Heat O may I ne're my Self or Hearers cheat But all the noblest Cares of antient Saints repeat I 'm sure our publick Sins are greater far Than those amass'd from every Age before I 'm sure we 're call'd to bear a fiercer War Than that which all our great Fore-fathers bore I 'm sure our Zeal and earnest Labours are Too weak and can't our ruin'd Faith restore But O dear God my Heart my Lips unseal So I thy Bread to all thy Flock shall deal And to a careless World thy dreadful Truths reveal XVIII The Priest I Took the Charge of Souls and now must shine As Flambeaus in a gloomy Night With clear and comfortable Light My inward Garb like that without divine God views my Actions o're and he Quite thro' my Reins quite thro' my Heart can see I then must be as Angels pure If I 'de that dreadful Test those piercing Eyes endure When first I took these Robes dear Lord I gave My Self my Life my All to thee O may my Oaths repeated be And I my sacred Master's faithful Slave My Labours past are Triflings all My Services alas my Toils are small Help me my God assist me now And I 'll with utmost Zeal perform my sacred Vow I now must Pray Praise Teach invite the Guests A wretched faithless hungry Crew From starving and Damnation due Freely to feed at thy immortal Feasts But Lord I droop I sink I fail Sloth Fear Distrust on all my Thoughts prevail My Strength is weak my Wisdom slow On me dear God thy Strength thy guiding Grace bestow If I a while my constant Duties leave To visit mourning Souls or those Whom God on Beds of Sickness throws I still the Meed of Charity receive But if ungirt or lazy I From publick or from private Duties fly I to oblige a Lust resign My self to endless Flames and quit Rewards divine That I may to the World a Light appear I 'll search my Conscience throughly o're My Sins to God and Man explore And be each Day on all my Crimes severe I 'll all Hell's subtle Arts withstand My sensual Thoughts my craving Lusts command Read Write Pray Praise or Meditate And still with holy Works Hell's fiery Darts rebate In publick Duties I 'll with fervent Care To others an Example be But still without Hypocrisy And with my Voice to God exalt my Prayer But when between my God and me Alone the secret Intercourse should be Noise my Devotions shan't betray But in my Closet I 'll with secret Murmurs pray Some Holy Fasts some Feasts appointed stand Design'd for holy Exercise For raptur'd Joys or humble Cries And should our Souls with solemn Aw command I 'll in Devotion daily live And all my Life to pious Practice give But for such Times
I 'll more prepare And on Religion then attend with warmer Care On these my God was Born on these he Dy'd On these he Rose on these in Flame On us the Spirit gently came On these their Lord his valiant Martyrs try'd Up then my Soul awake arise Reach tow'rd the Goal grasp at thy kindred Skies I shall found so employed be blest And in a nobler Trust and fuller Glories rest XIX O that I had Wings like a Dove ENough enough in this vain World I find To disengage my wandring Mind To wean me from the Joys below And Anchoret or Hermit grow A thousand Follies here assault me round A thousand noisy Tales my Thoughts confound I want a little time for me Of Silence and of Privacy Where I my humble Heart might raise To sing my great Creator's lofty Praise And there with undiscover'd Tears begin To cleanse my self from hateful Sin Fain would I meditate on what 's to come A while before I 'm summon'd home Fain would I exercise my Mind A while on that long Life behind How should I act Blest Saints of old withdrew To Woods and Rocks and Caves from human View There they enjoy'd themselves and there With humble Prayers and Lives severe Had quiet Sleeps and peaceful Dreams And Vertues were their lively Fancies Themes There they converst with God and learnt to dwell With him who was Invisible But what are meaner Saints My Saviour too From noisy Crouds to Mountains flew And there in lonesome Silence pray'd And thence his Heavenly Sermons made Would I with him to just Perfection rise With Truth forgot the careless World surprize He who a while reserv'd has been May be with greater Safety seen He safely speaks who Silence chose He governs best who best Subjection knows Obedience is by him most kindly nurst Who was himself obedient first When thro a lonesome wild or silent Grove Secur'd by Innocence I rove There where no bloody Tyrants reign Nor cruel wrested Laws restrain Where I sole King my self at large command And only at my own Tribunal stand Yet my Creator's every where And he 's my holy Guardian there He 's still my Fear my Master still And I his Laws with utmost Care fulfil No holy Hermit in his Cell can lie More humble more devout than I. Yet tho I rest or wander where I please Temptations oft upon me seize Tho parted from the noisy Rout Hell's Gloomy Prince can find me out Nor could my Saviour from his Strokes be free When in his solitary Privacy Yet when alone I spend my Time In Extasies and Fights sublime And dream Celestial Visions roul In glorious Order thro my raptur'd Soul Temptations may redeem my languid Sense From Pride and sinful Confidence O could I quit the World and worldly Toys It s vain Solicitudes and Joys How would my harmless Conscience rest All quiet in my peaceful Breast But can I e're to such Attainments rise Till Grief for Sin break thro my mournful Eyes Till to my lustful Follies I At thousand bleeding Wounds can die And in my humble private Cell Long with my self in silent Sorrows dwell So I indeed above the World below May rise and better stronger grow When from my Lord the baffled Fiend retir'd And all his cruel Hopes expir'd Convinc'd his deadly Enemy True God not Man alone must be Straight at his Feet Angelick Armies kneel'd With Hymns of Praise for that triumphant Field So when in private Silence I My hellish Tempters Arts defy And Scripture-Light and constant Tears Wash out my Stains and guide my fading Years My God will my endear'd Companion be And Angels always wait on me What can I gain below but empty Toys A wretched World and sensual Joys Where all to ruine and betray Black Lusts their horrid Charms display Where shortliv'd Joys to tedious Woes succeed And Terrors on the wounded Conscience feed Were all things mine that All would be But visionary Vanity Look up my Soul then Pardon crave And let vain Men their vainer Longings have Be Christ but thine his Peace around thee dwell Thou l't love the darkest Cave and hug the loneliest Cell XX. A broken and a contrite Heart O God thou wilt not despise Wouldst thou improve my Soul With Fear Before thy God's all-piercing Eyes appear Retrench thy Mirth thy wandring Sense restrain Esteem a contrite Heart thy noblest Gain Contrition that vast Treasure shews Which vain Desires and careless Manners loose It 's strange that thoughtless Men can bear Such Shews of Mirth when wretched Exiles here And such dire Woes such mighty Dangers near Fools oft with an undecent Grin Throw Ashes o're those glowing Coals within And fain would with an ill-tim'd Laughter hide Those cruel Pangs their tortur'd Souls divide Give me when with true Mirth I 'm blest A peaceful Conscience in a peaceful Breast Happy 's the Man who mourning goes Who off the Weight of guilty Conscience throws And can his Soul to holy Grief compose Ne're for a Mass of Business strive Nor into great Mens dangerous Secrets dive Look first at home first give thy Counsels there And ne're cast down for worldly Frowns appear Grieve for thy Sins against thy God Or when awry thy wandring Steps have trod Crosses on Earth are better far Than all that Mirth our foolish Thoughts prepare When we build Castles in the fleeting Air. For Joys I 'll sow the fruitful Seed And with salt Tears the swelling Ocean feed Till rising Tides with briny Floods shall kill Those noisome Weeds which now my Fancy fill That happy Desolation past Fresh springing Joys shall crown my Soul at last Tears from the Sense of Sin will rise Contrition send the failing Springs supplies And draw sweet Dews of Comfort from the Skies Think how thy Life like Lightning flies How every Hour thy languid Nature dies Think on those dreadful Pains of Hell beneath Those lingring Tortures that immortal Death And wouldst thou hug the Viper still Whose deadly Sting will all thy Comforts kill Wipe off thy Sins at last for Shame In thy cold Breast blow up the sacred Flame And thy reforming Life by Deeds reform'd proclaim XXI Man is born to Trouble us the Sparks fly upward WEll then I 've search'd the wretched World around I 've search'd it thro and nothing else have found But constant Doubts and constant Woes I see how miserable others are I feel my self just lost in black Despair While endless Doubts my tedious Years compose I 've seen a mighty Prince enthron'd His Head with Gems embrac'd By suppliant crouding Vassals own'd And all th' Applauses of the Vulgar grac'd Yet Cares sate thicker on his clouded Brows Than Diamonds and rack'd his tortur'd Soul Dark Plots could all his midnight Slumbers rouse And Rebels all his glaring Bliss controul But he who to his Maker flies Above these earthly Fears above the World can rise Yet thoughtless Fools the pompous World adore And only covet its perplexing Store And raise alas
their envious Eyes To dunghil Worms with mighty Treasures blest To worthless Sots with gaudy Glories drest Or who to Honours or to Scepters rise But he who 's envi'd ne're can find That strange Felicity But growing Cares distract his Mind And Beggars more enjoy themselves than he My very Life 's but one extended Woe My Meat my Drink my Sleep my waking Hours My Rest my Labours all uneasy grow And baffle all my Soul 's superiour Powers Could I Love 's holy Flames attain Life would be vile to me and Life's Corruptions vain Wo to the Wretch whose Dulness ne're could know The Miseries of fading Life below Wo to the Wretch whose sordid Soul For mean and transitory Joys can slight The blissful Regions of immortal Light And still on Earth in common Ordure roll Ah mad ah unbelieving Fools In carnal Wisdom great In better things mere senseless Tools Who drudg but ne're can find the monstrous But far more wise those holy Saints of old Look'd on their sinking Lives with nobler Scorn Their Expectations as their Faith grown bold To Heaven on Wings of bright Affection born Nor could the Toys which here they saw Their large aspiring Souls from unseen Glories draw Rise then my Soul no more thy Task delay Employ the present Light the certain Day Up rife put off the Day no more Now now 's the time to work the time to fight The Time to set thy Thoughts and Actions right Delays can but increase the dreadful Score What tho fierce Flames and angry Seas Oppose thy sacred Rest O let no darling Error seize Or tyrannize within thy captive Breast Shake off thy Sloth for shame attack this Foe Throw off thy Sins and Innocence pursue 'T was only Sin diseas'd our Lives below And robb'd us of our Crowns and Garlands due O on thy Maker's Mercy wait Till he thy Living Death to Deathless Life translate Thinke o're thy State on Earth How strangely frail How soon Hell's Follies o're thy Thoughts prevail To day perhaps thy Lips confess Thy mighty Sins with Floods of streaming Tears Tomorrow Hell his sanguine Trophies rears And Sins again thy weak Resolves oppress O then with humble Meekness all Thy yielding Weakness see How that in one short Hour may fall Which might the Work of toiling Ages be Ah wretched I if grown so quickly cold Ah wretched I to drowse in careless Rest As if secure I could the Garland hold Tho not with one poor Grain of Goodness blest Up try the mighty Work again If Hopes of bettering Life or stronger Grace remain XXII It is appointed for all Men once to die SEE where the naked Mormo stands See how his pointed Dart the World commands The meager Sceleton with dismal Glare Shoots thro the pestilential Air Lays Heaps on Heaps around and I Before to morrow's Sun may die Dull that I am hard-hearted Wretch to dream Of lasting Joys and Pleasures here Shine dearest God! and let one glorious Beam Of heavenly Light my gloomy Conscience clear I so prepar'd for Death may be And from my Sins and from thy Anger free To Day I 'm unprepar'd I know But shall I fit for Death to Morrow grow To Morrow's but a wild uncertain thing And may as little Wisdom bring Nor can the longest Life be sure It can repenting Thoughts procure I 've been a Christian long but still retain An unreform'd unchristian Mind Death may be dreadful and attending Pain But I more Woes in longer Life may find O may I now with daily Care And watchful Eyes for Death foreseen prepare To day my youthful Neighbour di'd And for Death's Summons I 'll to day provide I see to day but can't be sure my Sight Shall reach the next approaching Night I see the Night but never may Survive to meet the dawning Day O mayn't a sudden Death my Soul surprize When it goes off its needful Guard Death with an unimagin'd Swiftness flies No Art can its impetuous Wings retard Then I an inward Change may see And Sloth tho past my greatest Grief may be I 'm truly Wife and Blest if I Live but as well as I could wish to die If my great Soul could earthly Joys despise And to the Heights of Vertue rise If I to Discipline could bow And by my Works Repentance show Could I to God with swift Obedience fly And my dear wretched Self abjure Could I but for my blest Redeemer die And for his Love the Racks and Flames endure Much I while blest with Health may do But can't in Death those happy Works pursue Perhaps I think a Sickness might Reform my Manners and enlarge my Sight Make me review my self and straight repent And be at once an Innocent Yet I in Sickness oft have pray'd A thousand solemn Vows I 've made But still I live the same no more improv'd Than modish Travellers may come Who have long Years thro' many Countries rov'd And only brought their shameless Vices home Now now 's the time the welcome Day O don't for better Season vainly stay Rouze then my Soul thy Thoughts engage On what thy daily Weaknesses presage Fears for a time an Antidote may prove And thy eternal Fears remove Thy Fears of present Death prevent Thy everlasting Punishment Live now that when his Summons Death shall give We to unfading Joys may fly Die to the World that we to Christ may live And thou unclog'd ascend above the Sky Let 's now the rebel Flesh chastise That we may then with blest Assurance rise What canst thou dream of lengthning Days When nothing here below unalter'd stays How many have those foolish hopes deceiv'd Of Breath by sudden Strokes bereav'd This Man by some swift Bullet dies That drown'd beneath the Ocean lies This dash'd in pieces that just choakt expires Another's in his Sports destroy'd Sword Plagues attempted Thefts outragious Fires Make all their Dreams and vast Intendments void So Life an empty Shadow flies And when Death summons languid Nature dies Rouse then at last be active now Thy Neck to thy Celestial Labours bow When Death once parts us two our Hopes are vain New Overtures of Grace to gain And if our own Endeavours fail The Prayers of others can't prevail Now while Time lasts grasp at Eternal Wealth Now now encrease thy sacred Store Secure betimes thy own Immortal Health Thy God thy Saviour and his Aids implore And when thou shalt thy Fetters leave They 'l Thee to thy great Master's Joys receive Live then but as a Stranger here And unconcern'd with worldly things appear Be light be free from Cares above the Skies O raise thy long-expecting Eyes That when thy Days on Earth are past Thy Mansions there may ever last With Prayers with flowing Tears O seek the Place Where Glories all their Beams display With endless Groans O seek thy Saviour's Face And upward soar to reach that gladsome Day Where thou with Saints shalt rest above Wrapt in th' Embraces of Eternal Love XXIII And after
who conquers powerful Foes And to a Throne thro mighty Dangers goes To curb thy self the noblest Conquest yields He who himself subdues may win a thousand Fields What tho thy Sins are few thy Passions low O don't presumptions thence or lazy grow Another prest with head strong Passions may Fight bravely thro and gain a glorious Day While thy unhappy slothful Temper fails And Hell too soon on all thy Hopes prevails These things may to thy Reformation tend If thou thy vicious Nature strongly bend To better Ways or with a fervent Heat Contendst to be in rarest Vertues great But chiefly from those noted Vices fly Which in another seen offend thy tender Eye Look out my Soul for good look all around And imitate the great Example found From others Sins with utmost Caution fly To mend thy own thy utmost Cares apply Remember others Eyes are sharp as thine How sweet's the Life when heav'nly Discipline Christ's zealously devout Professors guides And o're their Works and o're their Hearts presides While Sorrows break the pious Heart to see The vile and treacherous Arts of curs'd Hypocrisy Call o're thy Name that Saviour's Acts revise Who for thy Sins could fall a Sacrifice Read his dear spotless Life and read with Shame How short thou fall'st of that Illustrious Name How long a Christian but how far from Christ How soon by Hell to Hellish Crimes entic'd Read but his Life and Death devoutly o're 'T will soon appear how good how vast thy Store The Holy Jesus all thy Works will bless Jesus thy Thoughts thy Words thy All possess O were that dear that dying Saviour mine How brightly would my Will my Sacred Learning shine The zealous Christian with Submission bears That Weight wherein his Matter 's Hand appears While deep Afflictions on Afflictions roll With mighty Woes around the lukewarm Soul No inward Comfort warms his gloomy Breast But with vast Loads of inward Guilt opprest He seeks for holy Luxury and Ease But can't his bleeding Wounds his inward Pangs appease How liv'd those holy Saints renown'd of old In Sacred Fame's Eternal Sheets enroll'd In private all with meanest Food content Their Days in Watchings and in Labours spent Rough Hair their tender Bodies mortifi'd Humble within and free without from Pride Early and late their Prayers attack'd the Skies Much was their Reading much their Exercise Whole Nights they 'd oft in Sacred Praises spend Whole Days with Holy Fasts their Lord attend And canst thou all their great Examples find And be to Madness still or lazy Sloth enclin'd O were we free from all Incumbrance here Our God would in our Hearts and Lives appear From Sleep from Thirst from griping Hunger free We'd consecrate our selves dear Lord to thee 'T were far more happy so to spend our Days Than Trophies to our mouldring Flesh to raise Too rarely now Divine Delights we taste The Holy Banquet then shall ever ever last When we can Creature-Comforts once despise God will be precious in our longing Eyes We soon shall smile at all Events below Our Pleasures and our Griefs with Temper flow God will be All in All supreamly blest Our constant Hope and our Eternal Rest With whom there 's nothing present past to come But one eternal Now compleats the boundless Sum. Think oft of Death that Time once past no more Returns no Cares can flying Age restore If thou growst cold my Soul the Plague's begun Thy Joys are ruin'd and thy Hopes undone But if thy Zeal grows hot thou 'lt purchase Peace Thy Loves shall flourish and thy Grace encrease Zeal makes thee fit for all things makes thee thrive And keeps thy Courage and thy Hopes alive More Honour he who rules his Passion gains Than he who Scepters or who Crowns obtains Small Sins indulg'd rise to a greater Height A Day well spent brings on a joyful Night Watch then my Soul O rouse thy Self from Sin In all Advices with thy Self begin Rule thou thy self let others stand or fall A Conquest o're thy self a real Conquest call The Christian Pattern PARAPHRAS'D The Second Book I. That the Life also of Jesus might be manifest in our Flesh THE Mighty God in pious Hearts commands In such his sacred Empire stands Turn then to God this wretched World detest Thy Soul shall then in Safety rest Scorn outward Toys but inward Vertues prize Then in thy Breast his Throne shall rise Sweet Peace and Holy Joys to Dogs deni'd Shall in thy happy Breast reside Thy Lord to thee if thou prepare the Room Shall with a thousand Comforts come His glorious Beauties and his Charms Divine More bright in Holy Bosoms shine Where with the Soul he oft and kindly talks And in amazing Friendship walks Rouse then believing Soul with humble Care Thy Lodgings for thy Spouse prepare His Word is pass'd If any Soul improve In Holy Truth and Heavenly Love I and my Father in his peaceful Breast Will settle our Eternal Rest He comes discard all other Inmates straight Set wide for him the Glorious Gate Christ will be Riches Life and All to thee Thy Husband and thy Guardian He. No more shalt thou Inferiour Aids implore In Man repose thy Trust no more Men soon are chang'd and perish only He Lives thro immense Eternity Men are uncertain as the veering Wind To all delusive Arts inclin'd To day they 'r loving and to day they 'r kind To morrow all to Spite resign'd Trust then in God to him for Shelter fly With Love and Fear before him lie Thou 'lt find no lasting City here below But wilt a wretched Stranger grow A wandring Pilgrim and bereav'd of Rest Till of thy Christ thy King possest Earth's not an easeful Place Above the Skies O lift thy watry longing Eyes There let thy sacred Conversation be Tho clog'd with vile Mortality Think on thy Mighty Lord On Christ recline Be all thy Thoughts and Words Divine But if his wondrous Throne appear too high O to his Cross for Harbour fly Think on his gaping Wounds how deep how wide How they 'll a trembling Sinner hide There thou a Flood of healing Balm shalt find More rich than Gilead's noblest Kind Thence may'st thou look abroad with cheerful Eyes And Human Scorns and Frowns despise Thy dearest Lord was helpless here and poor And could their bold Affronts endure A Man of Sorrows and inur'd to Pain And can'st thou wretched thing complain Hated beli'd was He and wouldst thou find The World about thee Just and Kind How would thy Patience if untry'd be crown'd Thy Love be to thy Master found With him the Cross on Earth for him sustain If thou 'ldst with him triumphant reign Hadst thou thy Saviour's bleeding Bosom view'd Had Love thy tender Soul imbu'd thou 'dst ne're thy own Concern nor Ease regard But be with Joy for Shame prepar'd Where Heavenly Love in sacred Flames can rise A Man will soon Himself despise Jesus and Truth in Souls from Passions free Implant a Godlike
Reflection's prest But all his Actions are refin'd and good No Peace the guilty Conscience knows But secret Gripes and swelling Woes As constant Rains augment the rolling Flood What tho They talk of peaceful Days And high their vain Expectance raise And dream of happy Lives from Anguish free Mind not their haughty Looks or Lies Vengeance on all their Pride shall rise And all their Embryo Thoughts abortive be Joy in severe Affliction proves No uncouth Task to him who loves His Saviour's Cross is all his Boast and Pride While that short Praise the World bestows A thousand Griefs and Mischiefs close And humane Hearts with torturing Woes divide Sweet Innocence not vulgar Air And God and heavenly Truth prepare Treasures of lasting Joys for humble Minds Who to eternal Crowns aspires No Temporary Bliss desires Nor on this wretched Earth Contentment finds Where transient Bliss the Man deceives The Wretch a glorious Kingdom leaves And barters Orient Gems for crumbling Dust He only gains a peaceful State Who neither values Praise nor Hate But 's ever to Himself and Vertue just Praise adds no Holiness to Thee And He a spotless Saint may be Who droops beneath the Weight of sensless Lies God only knows him thro' and where The Hands are clean the Heart sincere The Man at ease the common Vogue defies He 'll ne're in Creature-Comforts rest God wholly fills his taintless Breast And to Eternity consigns his Name All sordid Passions then remove And walk with God in perfect Love And promis'd Crowns of Heavenly Glory claim VII We love him because he first loved us HAppy thrice Happy 's He Who can Himself despise And from ignobler Passions free Up to the Gust of Love Divine can rise Once was I fond of Pleasures here Toys could themselves to trifling Thoughts endear But now I 've cast 'em off my Jesus now Has my cold Heart with sacred Flames possest I to his Scepter only bow With Heavenly Raptures blest He 's mine He 's mine to him My wing'd Affections fly To me my former Comforts seem An empty Cheat a dangerous Fallacy Jesus alone my Saviour's true Daily his Aids his charming Loves renew Who e're in this declining World confides Crush'd with it in eternal Ruines lies Only my Rock my Christ abides And powerful Time defies I 'll grasp my Lord my Love And on his Breast recline Let Others Other Friendships prove My Life my Jesus shall alone be Mine Others the Soul in Dangers leave My Jesus can't my longing Hopes deceive I must from all inferiour Pleasures part Nor if I would could I the Cheats retain My Jesus ever keeps my Heart And I in Him remain Come Life come hasty Death I 'll in my Jesus trust To him I 'll gladly yield my Breath He 'll only to my Faith and Love be just He can't endure another Guest Should rival him in my divided Breast There He 'll an Arbitrary Monarch reign His Throne when freed from bold Usurpers hold And my dull Heart to entertain His glorious Image mould Jesus my Lord alone My Love with Loves requites But off those airy Hopes are blown Which transient Bliss or faithless Earth invites No more I 'll look abroad no more My Jesus is my All my boundless Store Should I e're seek my Self my Self would prove Worse than the World and worse than Hell to me While I my Jesus only love He 's my Security VIII I am my Beloved's and my Beloved is mine JEsus Dear Holy Charming Name My Joy my Love my Soul my vital Flame How am I blest when thou art here How dead when thy sweet Beams no more appear Vain is all Solace drawn from things below Only from thy dear Life Eternal Comforts flow So when with ruddy swelling Eyes Blest Mary offer'd Sorrow's Sacrifice To her dear Breathless Brother's Ghost Her broken Thoughts in strange Amusements lost Jesus the Master call'd the welcome Sound Wip'd off her flowing Tears her Eyes in Pleasure drown'd What Rocks could keep their Quarry long When call'd from thence by his harmonious Tongue How stupid would the Sinner prove Whom his All-powerful Language fail'd to move I 'm lost undone should He rejected be That Loss is greater far than that of Worlds to me Without Him what 's the flattering World But one rude Heap in wild Confusions hurl'd With Him Hell's darkest part would be A Paradise from all Temptation free Jesus alone 's an inexhausted Mine Of Consolations rich and Treasures all Divine How shall I hold thee fast my Love How with my Jesus all my Days improve O make me Humble make me Kind So I shall his unalter'd Presence find My Jesus I by Sins may turn to flight But then must friendless live in Sorrow's gloomy Night May I enjoy but thee my Dear I 'll not a thousand marshal'd Armies fear No threatning Worlds shall daunt my Soul Nor Hell's confederate Bands my Joys controul Others I 'll love for Thee but Thee alone For thy Essential Worth my Lord my Saviour own I 'll lay my pining Envy by And or'e my Passions for a Conquest try Vile in my self yet lov'd by Grace To others I 'll thy sacred Footsteps trace No wretched Inmates shall my Heart divide I 'm all I 'm only thine by all Engagements ty'd Wash me my God and make me pure My Soul from all ensnaring Arts secure O let me taste O let me see What inexhausted Sweetness flows from Thee Draw me prevent me by powerful Grace And my purg'd Soul with thy endearing Arms embrace When of thy powerful Grace depriv'd My Wealth my Hopes my Joys are all shortliv'd When that returns reviv'd again I vigorous Hopes and mighty Joys attain So Summer Winter Day succeeds to Night And to a sullen Storm a Sky serene and bright IX O that my Head were Waters IT 's easy very easy sure When Seas smile only with a gentle Gale To hold the Rudder or to furl the Sail A young a half-experienc'd Skipper may The floating Hulk from Port to Port convey From lurking Rocks and Sands secure But when an Earth-born Tempest loudly roars And foaming Billows dash the sounding Shores When Mountain-Surges bounding high With curling Heads attempt the thundring Sky Each Flurry opens Nature's silent Womb And every Break displays a gaping Tomb A skilful Pilot only then can hold The Helm with long Experience bold Hoary with Toils with great Successes crown'd And all his brawny Crew around With Stomas undaunted and in Dangers old So when unfailing Comforts flow From smiling Heaven to stay the staggering Soul And all its Joys are undisturb'd and whole A Novice Christian tho with Crosses tri'd May bear his Head above the broken Tide And an unyielding Courage show But if at once when Hell and Earth conspires To work his Ruine God himself retires If he behind a Cloud conceal His Lifeful Smiles and if a dismal Peal Of Cares and Fears wild Doubts and dark Despair And Hell 's swift Troops around the groaning Air Break
on his wretched Head if rack'd with Woes And inward Griefs convulsive Throws Forlorn deserted still his Faith can rise And still can pierce the lowring Skies This Man alone Faith's conquering Virtue knows But Ah! how weak dear Lord am I How could I flutter in serener Days And sport and bask beneath thy gentler Rays How bold when Dangers at a distance stood When all thy Ways were smooth and all were Good And always thy Assistance by Nay I have bravely stem'd the threatning Tide Of hellish Malice and of humane Pride And thro afflictive Deserts prest When by thy Conduct and thy Favour blest But 't was not I dear Lord thy mighty Grace And living Beams from thy Illustrious Face Enlarg'd my Courage and confirm'd my Heart But O should once thy Grace depart Shouldst thou desert my Soul no Comforts bring When gathering Storms around me sing How Lord could I support the fatal Smart I know when my Redeemer dy'd When my dear suffering Jesus conquer'd Hell His Flesh beneath Extremes of Anguish fell Thy Saints beneath severe Desertions groan'd By Men afflicted and by Heaven disown'd When in the scorching Furnace try'd Harsh were their Trials but their Faith Divine Did brightest in Affliction 's Midnight shine They stood as Rocks unshock'd unmov'd When by Temptations hideous Tempest prov'd Nay tho they dy'd they still could trust in Thee And chearful Hopes thro' dismal Darkness see But what am I alas how weak how vain If thou my God thy Smiles restrain I sink I drown O save me save me now Unbend thy dreadful threatning Brow E're I among the silent Tombs remain Lord I confess I 'm all impure Like beggar'd Oar drawn from exhausted Veins Which n'er rewards the Owners Cost or Pains I know if for Eternal Rest design'd I must be oft like purest Gold refin'd And oft the fiery Test endure Try me O try me Scorch me Burn me here Till I well purg'd from drossy Earth appear But still with Judgment lash me Lord Not like an off-cast Wretch forlorn abhorr'd Thy roughest Hand O give me Strength to bear Thro' Woes protect me by thy tendrest Care If thou thy Face a while in Anger hide Or in prodigious Gloom reside Shine quickly shine again to me and clear O Sun of Righteousness appear With all thy lovely Beams and Morning Pride When all Hell's Messengers on me With angry Buffets vent their utmost Rage And spiteful Worlds against my Soul engage Be thou with me and tho a thousand Foes Exert their Malice and their Hate disclose Thy Grace my sure Defence will be Affliction makes me humble makes me wise Affliction is Devotion 's Exercise Hope's happy Test Faith 's Ordeal Fire The Death of sensual Lust and vain Desire But when I 've bravely past the threatning Flood The Seas all blushing o're with Crimson Blood Tho Hell 's inveterate Armies still pursue Dear Lord thy Captain-Flame renew Their shatter'd Wheels shall then but slowly move But I thy vigorous Comforts prove And from the wrecky Shore the promis'd Canaan view X. Of his Fulness we all receive and Grace for Grace HA would I hope a lazy Rest to find For Pains created and for Toils design'd Would I supinely snort and streak And only in a drousy Language speak No I 'll all worldly Ease despise And only Patience exercise And while the World dissolv'd in Pleasure lies The Cross I 'll freely take The Cross my Glory make My dearest prize Poor thoughtless Creatures yet inferiour Toys Would rather chuse than these diviner Joys These which their own excel as far As Midday's Sun outshines the Morning Star Those only Shame and Leanness bring But these from Heaven and Vertue spring By God himself on humble Minds bestow'd Tho off that pleasing Tide Sometimes in Ebbs must slide Which lately flow'd Unhappy Men for sensless Freedoms move Which but as Bars to Heavenly Pleasures prove God freely will his Grace bestow But Men ingrateful won't the Donor know We never could exhaust the Spring Could we but fit Receivers bring On humble Hearts God pours abundant Grace But where assuming Pride Can in the Soul reside It quits the Place I hate those Joys which drown my Sense of Sin I hate those Raptures which in Pride begin Not all that 's High is Holy found Nor all that 's sweet with wholesome Goodness crown'd Impurities our Thoughts may seize Our very Dreams our God displease By Grace and by the Rod reform'd my Sense Observes I 'm poor and bare And Mercies only are My sure Defence I 'll humbly then before my Maker bow Nor Pride nor Folly in my self allow The purest Saints are humblest still No vain Conceits their modest Bosoms fill God was their Strength on him they stay'd More lowly still by Vertue made Each other 's flattering Eulogies they scorn'd But ever lov'd to see The gracious Deity With Praise adorn'd Much have I got but still I hope for more If I my God with humble Vows implore Nor by my Own His Actions prize Whose Wisdom dazzles my defective Eyes The Gift that 's mean the Work that 's low Can't from unbounded Goodness flow His Rod in Me a thankful Heart shall find And let him take or give My humble Soul shall live To him resign'd XI Let him take up his Cross LOOK out my Soul see all the floating World With Anchors drop't and Canvas furl'd As if in Heaven's capacious Road secure They 'd make their Port and seize Eternal Rest Nor could their tedious Lives endure Till with Immortal Glories blest But lo a Cross of Blood the thundring Sky Flames with the dreadful Prodigy And lo the Fleet in strange Confusion fly Their Cables cut all Hands aloft they cry To Windward ply clap all their Canvas on And lo how suddenly they 'r gone In all the Offin not one Sail appears So terrible the Cross so swift their sensless Fears They 'r bold in Calms and love a gentle Gale But in a Storm their Tempers fail Cold are their Hearts their Courage deadly cold They can't a rolling Eastern Billow bear But to enslaving Terrors sold They sink at once in deep Despair Fond Hypocrites who 'd fain by fine Deceit Their Maker's searching Wisdom cheat Would solid Bliss for empty Service gain And by Heaven's piercing Eyes unseen remain They love a Heavenly and Eternal Feast But previous Abstinence detest Themselves as other Men Themselves abuse And for a weighty Cross a weightier Crown refuse How close on Jesus for the Loaves they wait But all the Thoughts of Sufferings hate Gladly his helpful Miracles admire To loud Applauses and Hosannas rise But from the shameful Cross retire With daunted Hearts and lowring Eyes They love him when with joyful Garlands crown'd And all his shining Armies round But when the Villain-Rout their Lord assail And Tyrants o're his Innocence prevail If He our healing Sun in Blood go down Or but obscure a while or frown They like his Friends of old desert him all And to a
pries Improv'd by daily Exercise Who on his Master longs to wait And would Earth's mean Incumbrance abdicate Watch then my Soul and shut the Door Admit inferiour Toys no more But hear O humbly hear what He My God my Lord will speak to Thee He 's all thy Health thy Life thy Peace And makes thy Inward Jars to cease Cast off poor transitory things And search for Truth 's Eternal Springs The World 's a Cheat the Creatures Cheats If once their mighty Lord retreats Throw off then all those Cheats below And Faith in thy Creator show If thou'dst the utmost Sweets of Heavenly Blessings know II. Speak Lord for thy Servant heareth Believer SPeak Lord O speak thy Servant hears Unclose my Eyes unlock my Ears To me thy Sacred Dictates shew O to thy Words my Heart encline O make it yield to Truths Divine As Lillies bend with Morning Dew Thy awful Thunder's dismal Roar Made Israel's frighted Tribes implore Not Thee but Amram's Son to hear They trembled at his radiant Brow But when from burning Darkness Thou Declar'dst thy Name they dy'd for Fear With all submissive Boldness I To Thee alone for Counsel fly Speak Lord O speak thy Servant hears No Moses I no Saint require But thy dear Words alone desire O speak to my attentive Ears Sweet may the Prophets Language sound When they Mysterious Truths propound Plain are their Words their Counsels plain Without they show thy sacred Way And Plant and Water all the Day And Cry but Cry alas in vain From Thee the Spirit only flows By Thee the Heart with Fervor glows Thy Aid the Mystic Word explains Thou giv'st Perfection Strength and Light And mak'st the grateful Soil requite With weighty Fruit the Workman's Pains Then let no Moses speak to me On Thee Dear Lord I wait on Thee For Fruit for Life for endless Love O teach me what I hear to do And Love to what I know to shew And Faith by Holy Works to prove Speak then O speak thy Servant hears With Thee the living Word appears Thy Words Eternal Life bestow Speak Lord O give thy Self to Me And then my Lips and Heart to Thee Shall with Eternal Praises flow III. Be not proud for the Lord hath spoken Christ HEar then my Words my Son more sweet than those Which antient Philosophic Sages chose My Words are Life and Spirit far above That wretched Phrase which Human Senses love Not fram'd for itching Ears but humble Souls Where mighty Love the silent Thought controuls Happy the faâ—our'd Christian taught by Me Who lives from common Fears and wild Destruction free I taught my Prophets and my Priests of old And still to Men my saving Truths unfold Most lie like sensless Adders deaf or They The World more gladly than their Lord obey The World poor Trifles transient Joy propounds Yet every Street with eager Slaves abounds I promise pure Delights and endless Love Yet can't the stupid Hearts of Mortals move Nay in my Holy House the Plague prevails No little Priest for small Preferment fails To go to run to fly but scarce can crawl When I to Holy Pains and sharp Repentance call For paltry Sums how oft the noisy Bar Maintains a tedious and a costly War By Night by Day with restless Care they 'l ply If they some distant Glimpse of Gain descry But sensless Fools for never-changing Good For vast Rewards and Honour's rising Flood For Crowns of endless Bliss they 'l rarely try But at the very Thoughts of active Vertue die Blush then poor whining lazy Wretch to see How Slaves of Earth with more Activity For Hellish Deeps and Chains of Darkness strive Than Thou in thy Creator's Arms to live Those Fools can more in dull Delights rejoice Than Thou to hear thy Saviour's warning Voice Yet oft they lose their empty Hopes but I Ne'r broke my Promise nor was known to Lie Rocks may be torn and mighty Mountains fall One Word dissolve the vast Terraqueous Ball But where I find a constant Love to Me My happy Friends a full Reward shall see More than their largest Thoughts their Souls shall find Their Bosoms always calm their Maker ever kind Then on thy Heart my powerful Word engrave Peruse it well and my Assistance crave When Tempests gather in an angry Sky With Wisdom they 'll thy Head and Heart supply I oft my Friends with sharp Temptations prove As oft revive them with returning Love This makes them prosecute their Sins with Hate This makes them close at Vertue 's Altars wait But he who slights my kind Instructions shall Beneath the dreadful Stroke of weighty Vengeance fall IV. Lord I come to do thy Will Believer MY God my only Good may I To Thee one humble Word reply I wretched Worm more vile and low Than Words can speak or Heart can know Wilt thou thy worthless Servant own May I approach thy awful Throne Pity Dear Lord thy Pity send On him who nothing can pretend No Grace no Strength no Light 's in me But Weakness and Obscurity But Thou art Holy Just and Kind Immense and thy Almighty Mind Runs thro the World and fills it All But Souls which back from Vertue fall Thy Love thy tender Mercy Lord To Me a needy Slave afford Thy Goodness hates an empty Place O fill my Head and Heart with thy enlightning Grace How can I live a Stranger here Unless thy pitying Grace appear O let me Mercy Mercy see And never turn thy Face from Me Forsake not Lord my Soul lest I Like drowthy Fields or Desarts lie Unfruitful Barren Dismal Wild With Dragons and with Serpents fill'd Teach me Obedience Lord to Thee And Prudence and Humility Thy Wisdom reads my Soul my Heart Thy Truth examines every Part And e're the World or I were made Before thy searching Eyes my unborn Thoughts were laid V. And they who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth Christ WAlk then with Me Truth 's Sacred Motions trace And turn thy Heart to seek my glorious Face Truth will protect Thee from the Tempter's Rage And guard Thee from a vile seducing Age She 'll set Thee truly free and make Thee rise Above those Errors Men to break her Force devise Believer True Dearest Lord O may it be My God as Thou declar'st to Me Let Truth instruct me keep me sure And my Eternal Bliss procure From vile Affections Chains unbind And brutish Loves debauch'd and blind Then with a Heart sincere and free I 'll walk my God I 'll ever walk with Thee Christ To Thee I 'll all the Ways of Goodness show And thou my Son shalt all my Pleasure know Think on thy Sins think with the sharpest Sense Nor dream of Merits or of Innocence Thy Sins are many and thy Passions wild Thou oft by Hell's deceitful Arts beguil'd Thy Pains are worthless but thy Falls severe Chains Grief and Ruins round thy Tents appear No Praise on thy Phantastic Vertue waits But every thing thy swelling Pride
rebates Weak are thy best Designs and weaker far Than all thy humblest Apprehensions are Don't then my Son thy little Actions prize Nor let great Shows delude thy wandring Eyes Let not the World be sweet or dear to thee Nor fix thy Love beneath Eternity Be TRVTH thy Darling TRVTH thy Soul's Delight Thy Innate Vileness all thy Tears excite Thy Fears thy angry Talk thy Scorn and Hate Engag'd against thy inward sinful State Some with a careless Life but Curious Eye Would boldly thro my Mystic Secret pry Neglect their own and others Souls confound Till in a Sea of deep Temptations drown'd And for their mad Attempts and Godless Pride Down by revenging Strokes to endless Tortures slide Do Thou my Anger and my Judgments fear And don't too busy on my Works appear Thy Sins examine well thy Sins survey Thy frequent Negligence thy cold Delay Some on their Pray'r-Books or on Form and Show All their Devout deceitful Hours bestow They 'l Talk indeed but never Think of Me But those of Souls refin'd more clearly see And only pant and breath to reach Eternity Their Ears all Earthly Conversation hate Unwillingly on Nature's wants they wait They all the Smiles of flattering Worlds despise And higher still in Heavenly Vertues rise And spurn the Ball below and grasp the lofty Skies V. Love is strong at Death Believer TO Thee Eternal Father I With earnest Thanks and Praises fly Father By kind Adoption Mine My Saviour's by his Birth Divine Thro whom on wretched Me bestow'd Thy streaming Pity largely flow'd Blest ever blest be thy Great Name From whom my former Comforts came Who pitied oft unworthy Me For Mercy only lives in Thee To Thee to thy Eternal Son Thy sacred Spirit blest Three in One All humble Thanks all hearty Praise I 'll thro Immortal Ages raise O Gracious God! when once my Breast Is by thy sacred Love possest All Rapture then and Extasy My Heart and Soul shall wait on Thee O then my Hope my Harbour be When Seas of Tribulation compass me Weak are my Vertues weak my Love But O with Joys my Strength improve And with thy Heavenly Discipline Oft visit and my Soul refine My Passions my Affections guide That heal'd and throughly purifi'd My Love with brighter Flames may shine And Patience make me all and only Thine O what 's the Force of Heavenly Love How wondrous all its Motions prove It makes the Heavy Burden Light And always holds the Ballance right It can the Cross with Pleasure meet And make the Bitter truly Sweet Jesus that Name belov'd can raise The humblest Soul to grasp at Praise Make it to mighty Works incline And greater still and more design Love scorns the lower World and flies Like Flames to reach their kindred Skies Love hates Restraint and hates its Chains And always of its Clogs complains Sweet Love the roughest Souls can hold Enflames the Wise the Brave the Bold Makes Heaven the Rest of Saints above And God himself subsists in boundless Love The Lover smiles and springs and flies He 's free and every Bar defies Gives All to All yet keeps it All For he his God his own can call From whom the purest Blessings fall It 's not the Gift but Giver He Above all other Joys would see Love knows no Mean but burns and glows And ore its common Bounders flows Love never values Weight nor Pains Nor of th' Impossible complains But grasps at All and All can do If he who loves can be but active too Love watches in the Lover's Eyes And ne're fatigu'd nor fainting lies Love tho confin'd abroad can rove Unfrighted by the noisy Drove Love like a Torch or Astral Fire Will always tow'rds the Poles aspire If that bright Flame my Soul possess I soon to God shall find Access My God my Love my Life is mine And I Dear Lord am All and only Thine O then with Love enlarge my Heart To me that Heavenly Gust impart That I those happy Sweets may prove And always Live and always Love May Love possess me all and raise My Passions to a soaring Blaze Teach me to sing the Songs of Love And fly with Thee dear Lord above O fill me more and more till I A Phenix in those Flames may die More than my Self I 'll love Thee Lord If thou thy lightsome Beams afford And for thy sake I 'll all embrace Who love thy Glories and who seek thy Face Love when sincere is swift and warms With pleasant and delightful Charms It 's Brave and Patient Wise and True Long-suffering Manly ever New And never seeks it self but You. Love's Cautious Humble seeks the Right Not Soft Effeminate or Light But Sober Peaceful Firm and Chast A Guard on all our Senses plac't Love to its Guides Obedience gives And meanly of it self believes Devout to God and grateful proves And still by Hope's Prescriptions moves Yea tho its God His Smiles remove Since Clouds sometimes obscure the Skies of Love Fit Me for Suffering O my God O fit me for thy sharpest Rod For if I dare not smart for Thee No Lover's Name belongs to Me. All Hardship I for Thee can bear Thy Love can harshest things endear No Pains from Thee shall make me start While Grace unvails my Eyes and Love secures my Heart VI. Whom resist stedfast in the Faith Christ YEt still my Son thou' rt neither brave nor wise And Love's soft Name is but thy thin Disguise Bel. Why Lord Chr. Consider how thy Soul recoils Despairs of Comfort and desponds with Toils The valiant Lover like a Rock secure Can all Hell 's furious Arts unmov'd endure He loves me when he thrives and lives in Peace Nor can his Sufferings make His noble Ardours cease The Prudent Lover may the Gift admire But to the Giver most his Thoughts aspire The Worth but little to the Kindness seems The Giver He above the World esteems I not the Boon his restless Heart engage Yet Doubts don't straight a total Fall presage Love's Sweet and Good when fixt on Mine and Me Grace gave it Being and the Fruits may be The Foretaste of a Blest Eternity Grace yet may vary have its Ebbs and Flows And interrupt the careless Soul's Repose He 's Brave indeed who fights the Battel thro And Courage tho opprest with Odds can shew He breaks Hell's utmost Force and all his Loves are true Then let not fanci'd Beauties charm thy Sight Nor thy Sick Soul from righteous Ways invite Sometimes perhaps thy Joys are Raptures all And down straight to their former Weakness fall If thou to get an equal Temper strive That War may warm thy Soul thy dying Hopes revive Know then the Prince of Hell thy antient Foe Would all thy Faith and envy'd Hopes o'rethrow Thy Soul's Devotions from thy Maker turn And would against thy Saviour's Passion spurn He 'd fain divert thee from thy Sense of Sin From Vertue 's Progress and thy Guard within Fills thee with impious Thoughts
thy Mercies give In Me th' Eternal Springs of Mercy live To Me their grateful Tribute all should pay As to their Parent-Seas kind Rivers find their way From me the Great the Small the Rich the Poor As from a living Fountain draw their Store And who for Me the World can freely leave Shall find his Hopes and Grace for Grace receive But he who dares without his Maker boast And trades for Pleasures from a foreign Coast Shall lose his Joys and in Himself shall find Eternal Furies to distract his Mind No Goodness then to thy vile Self ascribe No real Vertues to the Mortal Tribe But all to me from whom all Blessings flow Who all demand because I all bestow That ALL my Bounty might with grateful Praises show This Holy Truth puts Self-conceit to flight And when the Soul 's adorn'd with Heavenly Light And Heavenly Love no pining Envy there No narrow Thoughts no little Loves appear Ethereal Flames can soon those Damps controul And with exalted Thoughts enlarge the Soul If then Thou' rt truly Wife thy Joys will be Thy Hopes thy Confidence in Me to Me All Praise all Honour 's due thro vast Eternity X. Thy Service is perfect Freedom Believer ONCE Lord again I 'll Silence break Once more to my Redeemer speak To thee my God my King my Love Who dwells Invisible above With Thee what treasur'd Sweets appear For all the Sons of Heavenly Fear For all possest by powerful Love For all who faithful Servants prove Ineffable to that pure Mind To meditate on Thee resign'd How great 's thy Goodness Lord to Me Which when I was not made me Be Reduc'd me when I us'd to rove And taught me Service and enjoin'd me Love O Spring of boundless Love to Thee What should my Humble Language be Can I forget Thee Lord When I Was lost in Woes and left to die Thy Pity found and rais'd me more Than my own swelling Thoughts before Was wondrous Gracious wondrous kind When Hell and Sin enslav'd my Mind What should my grateful Offering be But to renounce the World for Thee To lay my self beneath thy Feet And count thy hardest Service sweet Is' t much if I my Service pay Where all the World around obey No But it 's Great it 's Glorious sure That I a Wretch forlorn and Poor Should in thy House Admission gain And Portions with thy happy Sons obtain See Lord how I tho wholly Thine Yet gain since Thou thy self art Mine Seas Earth and Heaven thy Word obey And all to Me their Tributes pay Nay thy Superiour Angels too Weak Me with guarding Cares pursue Nay Thou thy Self my God my Lord Couldst to the Ruin'd Aids afford A Man for wretched Man couldst be And as a Ransom give thy Self for Me. What shall I then return to Thee Dear God for all thy Loves to me O could I serve Thee all my Days O could I worthy Trophies raise To thy Immortal Name and prove The utmost Force of grateful Love Thou art my Lord thy Servant I To Thee I all my Toils apply To Thee unceasing Praises sing To Thee my Strength an Offering bring To Thee my longing Wishes fly O from thy Self Dear Lord my Wants supply Great is his Honour great his Praise Who All beneath thy Footstool lays And with a chearful Air can quit The World and to thy Yoke submit When wean'd from Fugitive Delights And all those Joys the World excites When from his sinful Self reclaim'd And with superior Loves enflam'd Thy Spirit sweeter Joys shall give And always in his Bosom live Then tho in narrow Paths He move And all the Straits of Vertue prove His Soul at Liberty shall fly And pass the utmost Barriers of the Sky Dear Slavery Delightful Chains Where Man his largest Raunge obtains Lives free from all the Weights of Sin And Holy and at ease within O happy State O charming sweet Where Men with chearful Angels meet Where Man an Angel's Work may do And Man becomes an Angel too Dear happy State God's pleasing Sight Hell's Terror and the Saints Delight Blest Chains to be with Smiles embrac't Blest Chains with Gems of Glory grac't Which bring Eternal Blessings down And all our inward Joys with endless Honours crown XI Watch and be sober Christ YET Son there 's yet a mighty Tast behind And many Rules have slipt thy wandring Mind Bel. What Lord are They Chr. That all thy fond Desires Should gladly bend to what my Will requires That Thou thy Self and selfish Love deny And to Obedience all thy Thoughts apply Ambitious Dreams rouze thy aspiring Soul Thy lazy Thoughts ambitious Dreams controul Yet think Does thy Ambition only glow With Heavenly Love or Love of Self below If I inflame Thee thy obsequious Mind Will always be to my Decrees resign'd If vain Self-Love the Plague prevails within And all thy Passions are enslav'd to damning Sin Then ne're be fond of sudden Heats nor those Too freely on thy yielding Heart impose Consult me first lest Penitence too late Thy Raptures should to dark Despair translate Ambitious Zeal may seem divinely rais'd But should when well consider'd first be prais'd Nor should those Ardours be rejected quite Since I sometimes those spreading Flames excite But still the Spirit to the Seer should yield And Extasy to Reason quit the Field Lest Madness should the fiery Soul surprize Or Scandals from ungovern'd Fervours rise Or Thou despair when All thy bold Pretence despise Yet sometimes holy Violence may controul The brutish Passions of the Sensual Soul Slight the Remonstrances of Flesh and Blood And only make its own Dominion good The Rebel to a just Subjection bring And make the Spirit reign a Sovereign King Chastise the stubborn Soul till mortify'd It lays its Vanity and veils its Pride And in a little can Contentment find To all the sharpest Pains of Heavenly Life resign'd XII In your Patience possess ye your Souls Believer AT last my God! at last I see Since Happiest Lives perplex'd may be How needful Patience is for me For tho I Peace alone pursue Rough Broils and Wars are all in view And all my Days disturb'd and few Christ True Son then never dream of Peace Where every Cross and every Pain may cease True Peace with Tribulation may reside And ne'r be lost tho fiercely try'd Thou think'st it's hard to suffer here But canst thou Hell 's Eternal Tortures bear Wouldst thou from Hell's Eternal Tortures fly Then learn to bear an angry Sky Among the softest Fools enquire They too on Earth have sometimes felt the Fire Perhaps with Pleasures mixt so roll in Sin And never feel Remorse within They 'd satiate all their wild Desires But Ah! how soon the fading Sweet expires As Clouds of Smoak in loose Dispersion fly So all the Sons of Pleasure die No Mark of all their Joys remains Their Lives are rack'd with never-ceasing Pains Those Toys in which they fix supream Delight Those very Toys their Pains excite So wisely
Thy Grace within my Heart to live That it may all my Fears survive Lord guide my Wishes guide my Will O make them seek thy pleasure still And gladly thy Commands fulfil O let my Pleasure Lord be thine To follow Thee my Thoughts incline And to thy sacred Laws confine What e're I wish what e're refuse Let Me thy sacred Book peruse And all by thy Directions chuse Lord make Me die to things below And thro' Neglect and Scorns to go For what thy wondrous Loves bestow In Thee let all my Wishes rest Let happy peace possess my Breast With thy supporting Favours blest On Thee my Dovelike Soul relies But when it out at random flies It only Floods and Storms descries In Thee O only Good in Thee My easy fearless Thoughts shall be Blest with immense Security XVI He alone comforts Vs in all our Tribulations Believer LORD while Here my Expectations Ne're pretend to Consolations Endless Comforts endless Blisses Oft engage my purer Wishes But on Earth I ne're shall find them But on Earth I ne're design'd them All the Joys of Earth possessing I should quickly lose the Blessing Look my Soul then look above Thee Let no common Pleasures move Thee God alone has Consolation He 's the Poors and thy Salvation Wait my Soul a while expect it He who promis'd won't neglect it But abundant Blessings send Thee And With flowing Sweets attend Thee If thy sickly craving Fancy Would to Earthly Joys advance Thee They 'l at last alas deceive Thee And Diviner Favours leave Thee Use the World but use 't in measure Grasping still at endless Treasure Slight the fawning Fairs Caresses Since ordain'd for greater Blisses All created Pleasures flowing And their softest Charms bestowing On Thee ne're could satisfy Thee But superiour Joys would fly Thee God alone who made can bless Thee And with true Delights possess Thee Not with those the World admires Nor what Folly mov'd desires But what faithful Souls delight in Pleasures pure and Sweets inviting Joys the cleanest Hearts attending While in Heavenly Flights ascending Short and vain are worldly Pleasures Fixt and sure Celestial Treasures Jesus too attends the Motions Of the pious Soul's Devotions And with Comforts round secures Him And of endless Life assures Him Jesus Dearest Lord defend Me And with guarding Flames attend Me And when Humane Comforts fail Me Let no dark Despair assail Me But thy boundless Goodness guide Me And reward Me when t' has try'd Me For thy Mercy fails us never And thy Anger burns not ever XVII Casting all your Care upon Him for he careth for You. Christ MY Son complain not murmur not if I With Thee the Methods of my Wisdom try I who alone thy utmost Wants descry Thou think'st as Men would think as sensless Fools Brought up in Reason's long Corrupted Schools Strangers to Faith and Hell 's uneasy Tools Believer Truth Lord thy Cares are more for Me Than Mine tho for my Self could be And He must stand but weakly sure Whose Faith can't rest in Thee secure Lord make my Will subscribe to Thee And act thy Pleasure then with Me For all thy Management will prove Th' Effect of Goodness and of Love If thou in Darkness chain me Lord Thy Goodness I 'll with Praise record If Thou with Light my Soul enflame I 'll sing to thy Illustrious Name If Thou my Heart with Comforts fill I 'll still adore and praise Thee still If laid in gloomy Dungeons low My Lips shall still with thy Immortal Praises flow Christ It 's all thy Duty Son The pious Mind Must always be to Providence resign'd And Sufferings welcome there as Joys must be And Wealth no more admir'd than slighted Poverty Believ For Thee Dear Lord I 'll gladly bear What e're thy Dispensations are Let Good or Bad let Sharp or Sweet Let Joys or Griefs around Me meet The Dole thy Gracious Hand shall leave For Me I 'll still with Thanks receive From Sins Dear Saviour keep Me clear And I nor Death nor Hell can fear O don't for ever Me disclaim Nor from thy Book deface my Name Then let a thousand Sorrows fall On Me with Patience I 'll support them all XVIII Thro' many Tribulations ye must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Christ MY Son to save Thee when I left the Skies I could a mighty Mass of Woes despise Freely I came from those blest Seats above Unforc'd by Power tho constrain'd by Love That Thou might'st with submissive Patience go Thro' all the Miseries of Life below From my first Birth till on the Cross I dy'd I still continued on the suffering side Great Wants and Curses loud and great I bore The Sinner's Follies and the Scorner's Store With base Ingratitude for Kindness I Was paid for Miracles with Blasphemy I preach'd the Truth but Ah too rarely mov'd The sinful Soul but was for sacred Truth reprov'd Believ Since Patience Lord thy Practice sway'd And all thy Father's Rules obey'd How humbly Lord should I fulfil A sinful Wretch thy gracious Will With what Submissions undergo The Pains of easeless Life below Tho Life's unwieldy Load oppress Thy Grace Lord makes the Burden less And He who can thy Footsteps trace May with thy Saints obtain the Race What strange Obscurities of Old Did thy peculiar Flock enfold When Jewish Bounds thy Church confin'd And few to Heavenly Joys enclin'd Yet then thy Blood their Bliss procur'd Thy saving Death their Lives ensur'd Else on the Gloom of Sufferings tost They 'd been in Woes Eternal Mazes lost To Thee what Praise then should We pay Who show'st the Good the Perfect Way Whence I and all thy faithful Seed May to Eternal Joys proceed Thy blest Example shows the Way And He who follows Patience may With Thee our Lord our Head appear And Crowns of endless Glories wear Thy teaching thy preceding Light Alone could backward Souls excite Who else a fatal Course had run By their own wandring Thoughts undone Thy Miracles thy Words Divine Could scarce our lazy Hearts incline But whither whither had we gone Had not thy saving Beams before our Footsteps shone XIX He endur'd the Cross despising the Shame Christ GIVE o're Complaints my Son give o're Those deep-drawn Sighs those flowing Tears Think what for Thee thy dear Redeemer bore Think what the dying Martyr bears Think what a Flood Of sacred Blood Think what a Sea of Crimson Gore From Me from all my dying Servants flow'd Yet Thine still safely fills thy Purple Veins While We endur'd a thousand Pains Strongly tempted deeply wounded And with Heaps of Woes surrounded Weigh well these mighty Sufferings then compare Thy own with their prodigious Share Blush if Impatience swell thy thoughtful Breast When with so small a Burden prest Nay look for more that if a Storm should rise No stubborn Murmurs may thy Heart surprize The more thy Soul to Heav'n resigns The more thy sacred Wisdom shines By Use the Burden lighter proves Say not Had nobler Hands the
Wounds bestow'd No mean disgrace from nobler Hands had flow'd But all my Spleen and Anger moves To see a base ungrateful Slave His Benefactor 's Passions brave An unoblig'd a great Man's Scorn I had without Reluctance born But here I Pardon crave Fond sensless Thoughts Where heavenly Patience grows It no such nice Distinction knows Ne're values Men nor Injuries But lifts its humble Eyes To Him whose glorious Hand bestows the Victor's Prize Talk not of Patience if thy Hand must choose Thy Burden or the Weight refuse Patience regards not What nor Who An Injury may do But to the sacred Exercise submits And easy under every Trial sits It the Creator not the Creature views And with submissive Eyes pursues Its Maker's Hand and can repose On what its Maker's Hand bestows He knows small Sufferings for his Master's Name A vast Reward may claim Not to Deserts by Justice paid But by free Goodness down to humble Hearts convey'd Up then for Wars prepare If Thou the Crown wouldst wear Patience if unfading found Patience may at last be crown'd If thou manly Deeds pursue The Promise is to Sufferers due Rest by Labour is obtain'd And Victory by Fighting gain'd Believer Help then O help Me Lord by powerful Grace Impossibilities deface Impossibility's no more When Grace has fill'd the Heart before Thou know'st my Weakness Lord how soon My Hope my Strength my Vigor's done Little I little can perform To stem the Tide or face the Storm O touch my Soul with Heavenly Love Till soaring tow'rd those Joys above Afflictions I with Scorn may view And still a steady Course pursue To suffer Lord a while for Thee Must bring Salvation sure and Happiness to me XX. Miserable and Poor and Blind and Naked Believ LOrd to Thee I 'll now confess All my own Unrighteousness All my own Infirmity I 'll acknowledg Lord to Thee Oft I 'm griev'd and oft dejected When with smallest Pains affected Oft a brave Resolve I take But the least Temptations shake All my Courage and confound Me When those Common Straits surround Me. Sometimes from the meanest Cause Hell a strong Temptation draws When a sudden Blast o'rethrows Me And from all Assurance blows Me. See my Wretchedness and see Lord what Weakness reigns in Me Save Me snatch Me from the Deep Lest I there for ever sleep Most this grieves Me most it wounds Me That my Lust so soon confounds Me Tho my Soul be ne're consenting Yet the Labours of preventing Too uneasy make my Life Wearied with the constant Strife Plainer still my Frailties show While corrupted Notions flow Fast upon my Mind but prove Tedious grievous to remove Dearest Lover Lord of Souls Whose Almighty Power controuls All above and all below Pity on thy Slave bestow All my Toils and Labours view And with aiding Grace pursue Fill Me with Celestial Strength Lest rebellious Flesh at length O're my fainting Mind prevail And my inward Wisdom fail Tedious Wars may fatal be And betray my self to Me. What a wretched Life is This Where we ne're can Sorrows miss Where Perplexities and Woes Crafty Friends and mighty Foes All my Steps around enclose Some departing more approaching And the Tempter more encroaching Sorrows still on Sorrows ride With a dismal pompous Pride Like the Higre on the Tide O who can love a Life distracted so All whose Streams with Wormwood flow Fill'd with Trouble bankt with Woe How 's that true Life which Death and Plagues creates Yet how great a Number rates All those Cares as Delicates They 'l cry The World is false the World is vain And yet from it can't refrain Lust will still the Field maintain The World to Us our fleshly Lust commends That our Pride of Life pretends That our greedy Eye defends But when we think of Griefs and think of Pains Griping Mischiefs weighty Chains Hatred then triumphant reigns A vitiated Tast the Mind deceives And so false a Gusto leaves As for Honey Gall receives God then the Mind can neither taste nor see Nor how Sweet or Gracious He Nor how pleasant Truth may be But those who throughly can the World despise To their Maker only Wise Love their Heavenly Exercise They know those Sweets to well-purg'd Minds ensur'd And of Inferiour Longings cur'd Live from the World 's false Snares and wheedling Arts secur'd XXI And now Lord what is my Hope truly my Hope is even in Thee Believ LIfe my Soul of Peace possest On thy Dear Redeemer's Breast He 's the Saints Eternal Rest Dearest Sweetest Jesus store Me with Love to love thee more Than I could the World before Make Me love Thee more than Feature More than all the Pride of Nature In the fairest softest Creature More than Honour more than Glory More than boundless Territory Or a Mighty Name in Story More than Subtilty or Parts More than Riches or than Arts Or the Joys a World imparts Make Me love Thee more than Fame Or the loudest sounding Name Or than Comforts Heavenly Flame More than all those treasur'd Sweets Hope in every Promise meets When it dawning Glory greets More than Merits or Desire Or than thy Superiour Fire Can with all its Beams inspire More than Pleasure more than Gladness Or a Mind when purg'd from Sadness Extasy'd to Holy Madness More than Captain Angels more Than those Spirits which before Thy All-glorious Throne adore More than I believe or see More than all on Earth can be Which my God which is not Thee Thou my Lord my God art blest Goodness centers in thy Breast God most High and most Puissant God most full and Allsufficient Sweetest Kindest Fairest Loving And thy Kindness still improving All that 's Good and Perfect we Can at once discern in Thee All thy noblest Gifts and Light Move me not nor e're excite My faint Wishes only Thee Lord I pant and long to see O my Heart can never rest Satisfy'd within my Breast Till my Thoughts above can rise All created Joys despise Far above all Blessings soar And with Thee thy Self adore Jesus O my Love my Spouse Lord of purest chastest Vows To Whom humble Nature bows O who 'l give swift Wings to Me That I might from Fetters free Fly to Heaven and rest with Thee When O when Lord shall my Heart Gain in Thee my Love a Part And discern how sweet thou art When shall I from Sins at leisure And possest with sacred Pleasure Long and Love beyond all Measure Oft I sigh and oft I groan Much my Suffering loud my Moan In this Vale of Tears alone Oft disturb'd distracted I Hindred clouded fetter'd ly And can't to thy Embraces fly Let my Sighs my Groanings move Thee Tho distrest on Earth I love Thee Let my Sighs and Groanings move Thee Jesus O Eternal Light With Immortal Glories bright Comfort of the wandring Soul Tho my Language Silence be Silence can be heard by Thee While I thus my self condole O how long how long Dear Lord When wilt thou one Smile
Truth Divine That they around the World may shine And let O let some Sparks be Mine My Soul 's a barren Wild O shew Thy fertilizing Grace Imbue My Heart with thy Celestial Dew With pure Devotion 's gentle Rain Moisten and warm the sandy Plain Till all a fruitful Verdure gain Lord raise my Soul with Sins opprest And O inspire my panting Breast With Sighs for thy Eternal Rest Till by that Prelude ravish'd I On Wings of Rapture mount the Sky Lull'd with Immortal Harmony From Creature-Comforts set me free From all Created Vanity O Dearest Saviour rescue Me My Doglike Appetite renews And Sorrow all my Steps pursues When I those little Comforts use O bind me fast with Bands of Love That I from Thee may ne're remove Till with thy Self the Dearest Object fixt above XXIV Be not Wise overmuch Christ DOn't be too Curious nor with empty Cares Engage thy Thoughts in vexing Snares What 's this or That to Thee Thy Business is to follow Me What 's Thy Concern if Men be So or So If thus they Speak or thus they Do Thou no Account for them shalt give But for thy Self And would'st thou wish to live In Dark Perplexities All Things I know and what the Sun can see Is visible and plain to Me I all Affairs anatomize I know Mens inmost Thoughts and private Wills And what their utmost Hopes fulfils Leave then such Things to Me And let Peace inhabit Thee Of That let nothing here thy Soul bereave Let Others all their vain Designs pursue Their Words and Deeds shall all receive their Due Since None can Me deceive Hunt not the Shadow of a Mighty Name Nor boast of Freedoms or of private Love In Thee such Hope 's too large a Share will claim Thy Heart with gloomy Fancies move To Thee I 'd freely all my Will reveal From Thee no needful Truths conceal Would'st Thou but watch my Coming carefully And open all thy Gates to Me. Be careful then and watch to Prayer And let thy Modest Deeds thy Humble Thoughts declare XXV The Fruits of the Spirit are Joy Peace Goodness Christ THus I my Son declar'd of Old Lo I leave my Peace with You Lo I give my Peace to You Not as Worldly Men may do Peace indeed I give to You. Thus I promis'd Mine of old Peace is the Common Wish alas But few Those sacred Paths which lead to Peace pursue My Peace is Meek and Humble Judgments guides And loves to live where Patience most resides Hear Me Obey Me and thou soon shalt find Her Balmy Dews relax thy labouring Mind Believer What shall I do then Lord Chr. Observe thy Way Thy Words and Deeds with Curious Eyes survey To please thy God alone in All design Nor to another Lord's Commands incline Ne're meddle Son with Other Mens Affairs With no Censorious Wit augment thy Cares Live but at Home and Peace shall live with Thee Thy Mind from griping Cares and wild Distractions free But to be wholly loos'd from Earth below Earth can't but Heaven may at last bellow But if thou' rt in a stupid sensless State Don't thence thy Peace and calm Enjoyments date Think not it's Peace when thou canst see no Foe Nor well when all things to thy Wishes go Nor all thy Extasies and Heats admire As if just kindled by Celestial Fire Man may his Case in spite of These mistake And from false Premises a false Conclusion make Believer How Lord then may I throughly know my State Christ On Me let all thy Soul's Affections wait Seek not thy Self but with an easy Mind Some ground for Thanks in all Conditions find Weigh all Events be Grateful Patient Bold Nor by each sudden seeming Cloud controul'd In Storms thy Soul for greater Storms prepare And still Submission to thy Lord declare Own thy Demerits and his gentler Hand No more against his Heavenly Justice stand In every Change thy Maker vindicate Adore his Providence in every State Keep Self beneath thy Master's Praises sing True Peace true Hopes and Joys from that blest Source will spring XXVI And establish me with thy free Spirit Believer NO more if perfect Lord should I From Heavenly Contemplations turn my Eye But thro' a Wood of Thorny Care A Heart unheavy undistemper'd bear Not out of dull Stupidity But from a Soul serene and free From all created Loves and worldly Vanity Save Dearest Lord O save my Soul Lest Cares of sensual Life my Thoughts controul Lest outward Wants betray my Mind And I Delights in Earthy Chains should find Lest I with Troubles broke should fail And Doubts and Fears above my Faith prevail Unclog my Thoughts enlarge my Mind Till I may soar no more confin'd High as Ethereal Flames and loose as Air or Wind. O Thou my God my Life my Dear In whom ineffable Delights appear Embitter all my Joys below That I no Sweets but in thy Self may know From Carnal Goods O turn my Heart Which but a vitiated Gust impart Free Me O free Me from the Snares Which Flesh and Blood for Flesh and Blood prepares Let not the World 's poor short-liv'd Pride Nor Hell's designing Prince my Thoughts divide Give Me but Strength and I 'll oppose The busy Malice of my active Foes Give Patience that I all may bear And Constancy in Truth to persevere For all those Comforts here below On Me thy Spirit 's Fragrant Oils bestow All Earthly Passions Lord remove And thro' my Soul diffuse thy own immortal Love Lo Meats and Drinks and Clothes and All Those Goods for which our craving Bodies call Are but a Burden Lord to Me Teach Me to use them so that all may see How loose I to the World can sit And always to the Loss of All submit My Life 's not Mine to lose but I Must fainting Nature's daily Wants supply But won't luxurious Stores pursue Lest so the Flesh the Spirit should subdue Lord let thy Hand direct Me here That I no wild Extreams may fear But safe between the Rocks of Want and Plenty steer XXVII Take no care for the Flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof Christ WOuldst Thou my Son Eternal Joys obtain Thy Self thy All must first the Purchase clear Self-Love will more thy soaringThoughts restrain Than all those Charms which worldly things endear Self-Love attracts Temptations and betrays Man to the Malice of his Angry Foes The Love of Heaven treads all in perfect Ways No Bars can there its lofty Flights oppose Ne're covet that which Thou canst ne're procure Nor strive to keep what would thy Thoughts enslave Give what Thou hast to Me in Me secure And all which thy immoderate Longings crave Why shouldst Thou pine with Woes and waste with Cares Wait but on Me and Thou no harm shalt feel A restless Thought a wicked Heart declares And must in everlasting Darkness reel For All when gain'd would all defective prove And Ambuscades on every hand appear And Storms would still the rolling Billows move The Mind be ruffled
it like some fair Gem lost in the Quarry lies XXXIII My Son give me thy Heart Christ NE're in thy roving Thoughts my Son confide They 'l fix to Day to Morrow change their side While to a wretched load of Earth confin'd Thou 'lt suffer always by a changing Mind Now sad now pleasant now serenely blest Straight with a thousand inborn Storms opprest Deep in Devotions now but soon profane Now studious quickly in a slothful strain Now wondrous grave and soon as light vain The Man of sense that various Humours scorns While sacred Art his happy Life adorns On God his Polar Star he 'll fix his Eye Furl all his Sails and not to Windward ply But through rough Tides with Oars his Passage force And to his heavenly Port direct his constant Course Sometimes the wisest Christian Pilot may Encroaching Sleep's Lethean Drops obey Some humane Frailties Flesh and Blood surround And selfish Dreams the steddy Soul confound They seek for Heav'n but seek for Pleasure too And double Ways with double Hearts pursue So when blest Mary's Brother left the Grave And to his Master Death resign'd his Slave To Bethany the Jews in Troops repair'd With curious Thoughts but more alas prepar'd To gaze on Lazarus to Life restor'd Than to obey themselves their Lord's reviving Word Clear thy Intention first direct it true And then with steddy steps thy Holy Course pursue XXXIV That God may be All in All. Bel. MY God 's my All my Soul's desire How can I greater Bliss require Sweet Note dear charming Name to Me Who hate inferiour Vanity My God my dearest Lord my All I 'd oft the pleasing Sound recal How all things smile when Thou art here But dead when Thou withdraw'st appear Thou fill'st the peaceful Soul with Joy Thy Works thy chearful Saints employ Thy Name in every Work they praise And Trophies to thy Goodness raise Without Thee nothing sweet we find But when thy Grace adorns the Mind Then all things savour well and we Thy Hand in all thy Works of Wonder see Blest with thy Love we relish All Without thee nothing taste but Gall. Here witty Worldlings grosly fail Where Vanity and Death prevail But those who can the World subdue And Flesh and Blood with Scorn pursue Such happy Men are wise indeed Such happy Men to Truth proceed From Vanity from Flesh and Blood To all that 's Holy all that's Good The Creature 's noblest Character These to its Maker's Praise refer And can a just Distinction find Between the whole Created Kind And Him who made them and between What in our fleeting Years is seen And what includes Eternity Between that Light we daily see And that which centers in the Deity O Thou Eternal Light Divine With thy All-piercing Glories shine Quite thro' this gloomy Heart of mine Purge make me glad illuminate New Life within my Soul create And raise Me to a raptur'd State O come O come blest long'd for hour On me thy quickning Favours shower And let me feel thy nearer Power No Joys Dear Lord can perfect be Till I that happy Instant see And Thou art All in All to Me. Still Adam's Lusts in Me reside Not yet not throughly crucify'd They 've bled but never truly dy'd The Flesh against the Spirit arms My Soul with fiery Discord warms And with unceasing Wounds alarms O Thou whose great Command the Sea The rugged Waves and Winds obey O help O hear thy Servant pray With thy Almighty Arm surprize And crush my inward Enemies Who still in Arms against me rise O let me all thy Wonders view My Hopes my Shelter Lord renew While I thy Smiles alone my Lord my God! pursue XXXV Blessed is the Man who endureth Temptation Christ THY Life my Son can ne'r of Health be sure Unless thy Heart Celestial Arms secure While hellish Foes thy trembling Heart surround The Shield of Patience must repel the Wound Fix then on Me for Me resolv'dly dare For Me for Sufferings and for Wounds prepare So may'st thou blow the Flames of sacred Love And reach the Palms of glorious Saints above Thy Foes then with a Manly Force repel The Conqueror may be crown'd while Dastards sink to Hell Would'st Thou on Earth with Peace and Ease be blest Then never dream of Heaven's Eternal Rest Rest is a foolish Purchase here below For Patience all thy Studies here bestow True Peace springs out from Heav'n and not from Earth God not the Creature gives that Blessing birth Pains Sorrows Tortures Griefs Temptations Woes Wrongs Wants Reproofs Confusions Scandals Blows These fox the Love of God must all be born And Patience still the Sufferer's Life adorn These edg true Valour these the Christian Soul Beneath the Standard of their Lord enroll These Trials that unfading Crown compose Those Honours which entwine the Brows of those Who to endure the worst of Earthly Furies chose Or can'st Thou dream to live at Peace within Unmov'd by Scruples and unshock'd by Sin Such Ease no pious Saints of old procur'd But Cares Temptations Doubts and Fears endur'd They in their God and not themselves would trust True to their King to their Engagements just They knew these Woes could no Proportion bear To those bright Wreaths triumphant Martyrs wear Or would'st Thou Child with ease at once obtain What they could scarce with Tears and Labours gain No but on God with Manly Courage wait Take Comfort in him nor distrust thy fate And to his Honour with a chearful Note Thy Self thy Body and thy Soul devote I 'll pay thee and thy suffering State shall be A boundless Treasure of immortal Wealth to Thee XXXVI Be not afraid of them neither fear their Words tho Briars and Thorns be with Thee and Thou dwell among Scorpions Christ ON Me O let thy Heart securely rest A guiltless Conscience in a guiltless Breast The Censures of a thoughtless World may scorn Above their spite on Wings of Honour born It 's Godlike Great in all things to be good And yet by Malice falsly understood Tho Men are blind God visits Innocence And to his own will nobler Joys dispense The Faithless World will things at random call Nor could an Angel hope to please them all Great Paul devoted to his Master's Name First pleas'd his God then All to All became Yet lash'd by silly Tongues their Sense despis'd Scorn'd all their Censures by Heaven advis'd In holy Freedom still his Conscience exercis'd He all his Strength his Zeal his Wisdom us'd And saving Light thro' gloomy Worlds diffus'd The real Price of Humane Souls enhanc'd And their Instruction and their Health advanc'd Yet could not he a foolish World restrain Unscourg'd unjudg'd or undespis'd remain But when he found the World to Lies resign'd Noisy as Seas and faithless as the Wind Weak and Mistaken but assuming more Than suted with their Wit 's exhausted Store With humble Patience to his Maker He Referr'd his Case whose piercing Eye could see His spotless Innocence
to Thee Since oft my Sins thy Throne alarm Against me all the World should arm Shame and Confusion's due to Me But Praise and Glory Lord to Thee And till I have my Heart subdu'd My haughty Heart to bear the rude Assaults of every Creature here And Nothing to my self appear No inward Peace no sacred Light Can me to Rest or Joys invite Or to Eternal God my wandring Soul unite XLII Not as the World giveth give I unto you Christ NE're with thy own vain Thoughts my Son comply Nor on a Man for Friendship cast thine Eye Unless thou ld'st live involv'd unstable die If Thou on living lasting Truth rely Unmourn'd thy Friends may live unmourn'd may die Be they Love's Circle but the Center I. The best of Men should be belov'd for Me Friendship without Me must uncertain be I only bless it with Eternity Die die my Son to all Affections here Thou 'lt then no lonesom Rocks or Desarts fear Who leaves Earth's Joys may to his God be near Search but thy Bosom first thy self to know Thou daily to thy self wilt viler grow And higher tow'rd thy mighty Maker go But He who Worth within Himself can find Must to his God's Superiour Grace be blind His Spirit only loves the lowly Mind Wer 't Thou from Love of Self and Creatures free My Grace should flow in mighty Streams on Thee But few the Maker thro his Works can see Subdue thy self for Me thou 'lt grow more light Thy Mind more towring and thy Wisdom bright But smallest Toys belov'd retard the noblest Flight XLIII The Kingdom of God is not in Word but in Power Christ DEspise fine Words my Son and smart Replies God's Kingdom not in Words but Practice lies My Words clear up the Mind enflame the Heart Sorrows unfeign'd and serious Joys impart Read 'um but not with Critick Art or Wit To mortify thy secret Lusts submit Mortification will more useful be Than all the subtle Quirks of empty Sophistry When Thou hast made vast Learnings Circle all Must on one little Point one Center fall I teach Men Knowledg and a purer Sense To Babes than Men can e're to Men dispense Where I Instructions sacred Light disclose The Soul more large more full the Wisdom grows But Wo to Those who Curious Arts explore And slightly pass my happy Service o're Christ the great Teachers Teacher whose Command Bright Angels own will soon in Judgment stand Examine all his Followers throughly o're The Conscience with impartial Eyes explore Search all his Churches as with Torches thro Expose the works of Darkness all to view And Men of Learned Tongues with Judgment 's weight pursue I in an instant raise the Humble Soul And make it stretch to Truth 's Eternal Goal And in a moment more of Sense to use Than Schools can in a Life 's long Course infuse No noisy Words no Novel Schemes confus'd No titled Pride no Arguments abus'd Are heard with Me I nobler Thoughts inspire To scorn the World and from its Joys retire To relish and to seek Eternity To bear with Scandals and from Praise to fly In Me to hope my Smiles alone desire And not to foreign Loves or Worldly Gains aspire My Saints for Love of Me their Silence broke Knew Wonders and Mysterious Wonders spoke More Knowledg too by Leaving All obtain'd Than they before by nice Distinctions gain'd Yet I to some but Common things disclose To some my Grace peculiar Notions shows In Signs and Dreams some read my Sacred Will Some I with Mystick Revelations fill Books speak to all alike but all alike Can't on the Point of Holy Learning strike I only teach them Inward Truths and I Search all their Hearts and all their Thoughts descry I give their Undertakings just Success And as I judg it best with various Favours bless XLIV Neither make thy self over wise Christ MY Son sometimes a learned Ignorance Will more thy Interests advance Than all that Learning which vain Worlds admire To be quite Crucifi'd to Earth below An Ear quite deaf to Sirens Charms to show More Pleasures more Delights will give Than high in Honour's Throne to live Thy Soul with better Thoughts of endless Peace inspire Turn O turn thy Eyes away From those Offences brutish Fools may lay Before thee Leave them to their vain Conceits He 's happier who from noisy Jars retreats Than He who hopes alas in vain He may a barbarous Age restrain Stand well with God If God but smile on Thee Then Fools of Conquests proud may see They 've only gain'd an Inauspicious Victory Blest God to what a pass the World is come Men mourn for Crosses And lament their Losses By Sea by Land Abroad at Home Spend tedious Days and Nights And renounce their Lives Delights To get a poor Subsistence here But of their Souls they never dream Their Souls a melancholick trifling Theme For them they 'd not an Angel's Warnings hear They hunt for Shadows and for Flies And the One necessary thing despise Bent all on outward Follies thoughtless all Unless a Gracious God their flying Sense recal XLV The Simple believeth every Word Bel. SInce Human Health and Helps are vain Lord let me thy Assistance gain Of promis'd Aids I oft have fail'd Where none were promis'd oft prevail'd Men are essential Vanity But all our Health and Hope 's in Thee Blest be my Lord my God in All Which on his faithful Servants fall But lost infirm unstable We A Mass of dull Mistakes and Mutability What happy Man so wisely keeps His Soul He neither nods nor sleeps Rarely mistakes is ne're perplext Nor with Events surprizing vext He who has fixt his Heart on Thee Alone can from those Rubs be free He when in Sorrow's Chains involv'd By Thee shall have his Bonds dissolv'd None e're was lost or cast aside Who on thy kind Supports rely'd Friends may deceive Us Thou alone Art always Faithful always One O were it so but once with Me My Hopes securely built on Thee My Heart no silly Fears would move And Words of Spite would idle prove Who can all future Ills foresee Or who from sudden Wounds be free I who to glorying Language yield Am hurt because without a Shield Men are but frail alas decay'd Tho by our Flatterers Angels made Whom should I credit Lord but Thee Thou great Eternal Verity But Men are Liars changing weak And vainly act and vainly speak Falsly with nearest Neighbours deal And with their Oily Words their venom'd Hearts conceal That I should of Mankind beware And of the Adversary's Snare And those who cry Lo here Lo there Thou oft hast made thy Servant hear My Duty now I dearly know O may I better wiser grow Watch o're my Words and ne'r confide Another should my Follies hide Lest when I think I 'm safe betray'd I should a common Jest be made O grant me thy Protection Lord From treacherous Brutes and Hands abhorr'd From Me deceitful Words remove My Lips with honest
Truth improve It 's Truth I would in others find O mayn't I be my Self to Lies inclin'd From Tatling and Credulity And Words which out unguarded fly He 'll keep Himself who 'd Peace pursue And He 'll reveal Himself to few To Thee great Lord of Hearts he flies No windy Words his Soul surprize But in his Thoughts and all his Deeds He by thy sacred Will proceeds That I may keep thy Grace Divine I shan't for fond Applause design Nor vulgar Air but carefully My Soul to Life reform'd and purer Zeal apply Man bloated up with empty Praise May like a slimy Meteor blaze But soon as shooting Stars appear And fall from his exalted Sphere But who in private spends his Days Not gaining but deserving Praise He thro' his Christian Course walks all in peaceful Ways XLVI Esteeming the Reproaches of Christ greater Riches than the Treasures of Egypt Christ ON Me My Son fix all thy Pains and Care For empty Words are only empty Air. If Conscience sting to mend thy Life prepare If not think what thou for thy God could'st bear Frighted with Words canst thou contend with Blows Thy selfish Thoughts thy best Resolves oppose Scar'd with Reproach Fig-leaves thy Guilt would use And with a trifling Plea thy Coward Heart excuse Look thro' thy Bosom then O search it well Close there the World and vain Affections dwell Loth to be humbled or to blush for Sin Thou show'st that World still lives and reigns within Hear Me thou 'lt all inferiour Scandal slight Tho Malice should her utmost Force excite How should they hurt thee Son despise them all They from thy Head can't make one single Hair to fall God's Fear and Wisdom scorns the World's Disgrace And sober Faith will common Fears efface I the great Judg Mens common Practice know Who bears the Injury who gives the Blow I all the Thoughts of gloomy Hearts reveal Yet from themselves the secret Test conceal While to my Sentence Guilt and Innocence appeal Mens Judgments fail but mine unchang'd remain Obscure to Fools to Men of Wisdom plain To Mine then not thy Own Decisions stand The Just unmov'd may Fate 's last Force command Unvex'd with Malice and unshock'd with Lies Not Pride but Reason is his Exercise He knows I search the Heart and try the Reins No false Appearance e're my Doom restrains What Fools as Charity and Vertue prize Casts but an ugly Shade in my severer Eyes Bel. Just Mighty Judg Dear patient Lord To me thy Faith and Strength afford Thou knowst our frail Corruptions all How short my Sense and Wisdom fall Thou knowst what 's to my Self unknown I then should thy Chastisements own Mercy to Me O Mercy show And Pardon and thy Grace bestow Thy Mercy 's more indulgent far Than all our vain Excuses are Tho not self-conscious I should be Unfit to plead my Cause with Thee Without that Mercy I and All Beneath the weighty Strokes of dismal Vengeance fall XLVII For when He is tried He shall receive the Crown of Life Christ LET not my Son those Sufferings born for Me Those Sorrows thy tyrannic Conquerors be But let my Promise strengthen comfort Thee I can beyond the largest Thoughts repay Sorrows continue but for one short Day Wait humbly and they fly on Wings away The Time shall come when all that Pain and Noise Shall cease which now thy inward Peace destroys That 's short which only Time 's short Bounds employs Up rise to work with earnest Toils regard My Vineyard then I 'll be thy great Reward Write Read Sigh Sing Pray Cease thy Passions guard Such Exercise with Manly Courage bear That glorious Crown which thou at last shalt wear More Dangers may and sharper Toils endear I see I see the blest approaching Day No Night shall its Eternal Beams allay But thee to Rest and endless Peace convey who 'll from this Load of Death deliver Me How long shall I a mournful Pilgrim be Such Cries shall never more be heard from thee Death then shall yield and Life for ever last Thy cheerful Days no Sorrow's Wormwood taste With sweet Society and Splendor grac'd O couldst Thou see the Saints immortal Crown The Saints whom sensless Worlds of old bore down Their present Honours and their vast Renown thou 'dst soon be humble scorn the Joys beneath For God's dear sake embrace approaching Death And tho by Men despis'd Celestial Honours breathe Knew'st Thou but This could this thy Heart possess thou 'dst ne'r complain but think thy Sufferings less Compar'd with thy superiour Happiness Heav'n gain'd or lost is of a vast Concern Look up then thro' the Clouds thy Lot discern Mine and my Saints advancing Glories learn We who endur'd so many Wounds of old Peace now and Joys in full Possession hold In my Eternal Father's Royal Lists enroll'd XLVIII For the Things which are seen are Temporal and the Things which are not seen are Eternal Believer O Salem with Immortal Glories light O Day for ever ever bright Free from Clouds and free from Night Where Truth 's the Sun and sheds his gladsom Rays Where he diffuses cheerful Days And the same unchanging stays Sink wretched World O Day Eternal shine That Saints may bask in Beams Divine And may their blest Lot be Mine Those Days the Saints at Rest with gladness know We find these bitter here below Full of Mischief full of Wo. We 'r here defil'd with Sins with Lusts ensnar'd With Bugbear-Dreams and Terrors har'd And with endless Dangers scar'd Wild with too curious Thoughts and Fancies vain Opprest with Errors weighty Chain Rack'd with Wants and torn with Pain Or broke with soft delights all the Tempter's train When shall these Ills be past my Soul be free From Sins extream Servility So to think Dear Lord on Thee When shall I bathe in Joys immortal Springs And free from wretched Worldly Things Mount on Freedom's airy Wings When shall my Peace be solid full secure And firm on every side endure And my Saviour's Smiles procure When Lord shall I thy Kingdom 's Glories fee And make Thee all in all to Me And for ever reign with Thee Now I a poor a banish'd Wretch appear And now a thousand Sorrows bear While by Foes surrounded here Ah to an Exile Lord some Comfort give From Woes ray wretched Heart retrieve For in Thee my Wishes live Earth's Comforts are uneasy Weights to Me I long Dear Lord I pant for Thee Ah how ineffectually Dull Earth wild Passions check my Towring Soul When I 'd the lower World controul Lust alas subdues Me whole Thus Civil Wars distract my tortur'd Breast My Mind by Rebel Lusts opprest Loses all its private Rest How great 's my Torment while my Mind aspires To Heav'n but Carnal base Desires Quench the sacred rising Fires O don't in Wrath thy wretched Servant view But with thy pointed Shafts pursue And my struggling Lusts subdue Give Me but Wisdom I 'll the World deny And those Ideas vain
thy heavy Lashes bore And inward Pangs and outward Woes Great Physician Lord of Souls Thou whose Hand our Hearts controuls None above and none below Can such Wounds and Balms bestow Thou to Hell canst cast me down Thou my Life with Health canst crown All the Sufferings laid on Me All my Comforts flow from Thee In thy blest Hands Dear Father I Beneath thy Rod's Correction lie Lash cut me deep that I may be In all submissive Lord to Thee Make me Obedient Humble Meek That I thy Will alone may seek My Self I yield my All to Thee Here not hereafter punish Me Thou knowst my Conscience throughly Lord Each brooding Thought each winged Word Past Present Future Matters lie At once before thy piercing Eye Thou my Interest only knowst What to purge my Rust it cost Let me Lord thy Subject be Work thy Pleasure Lord on Me Ne'r despise Me ne'r neglect Me Nor for Nature's Taint reject me I thy Jurisdiction own I to Thee am throughly known Lord teach Me what I ought to know And Love to lovely things to show To praise what only pleases Thee True Worth in what thou lovest to see While what Thou hat'st grows vile to Me. Let me never judg by sight Nor in empty Tales delight Wisdom's Methods let me learn And superiour Things discern From those little Toys below And thy Laws exactly know Mens Senses oft in Judgment fail And Toys on Earthy Minds prevail Who only grasp at what they see And scorn Invisibility Who tho the Rabble lift them high May still in common Ordure lie For when Cheats the Cheaters praise When the Vain their Fellows raise When the Blind conducts the Blind When the Weak's a Guide design'd All 's Deceit from first to last All their Praise an empty Blast For a Man's repute should be Only as He 's priz'd by Thee LI. Who hath despis'd the Day of small things Christ MY Son Tho now thy inward Flames supreamly shine Thy Prayers are Raptures and thy Flights Divine Yet Nature's Weakness oft will Lure thee down And Life's rough Cares thy soaring Fancies drown The Heart still of its mortal Load complains And needs must groan beneath its slavish Chains Since cramp'd so oft when it attempts the Skies And would to heavenly things and lofty Subjects rife With humble Thoughts then Holy Works pursue Till coming I thy smother'd Flames renew With heavenly Dews refresh the drowthy Plains Bless thee with Peace break thy weighty Chains Thy Heart enlarg'd thro Scripture-Vails shall rove And Thou to run my holy Ways shall love Till sure what e're thy present Sufferings are They can't with heavenly Bliss and future Crowns compare LII I have born Chastisement I will not offend any more Believer LORD I 'm unworthy of thy Comforts thy Love And thou mayst justly from my wreched Heart remove Vast Seas of flowing Tears could never make me pure My great my crying Sins might all thy Plagues endure But boundless Goodness Lord and Mercy lives with Thee And thy supporting Hand thy fading Creatures see Thou mak'st my drooping Soul thy wondrous Comforts know And find how far they pass our weak Attempts below What can I do my God to gain thy heavenly Grace So slow to Penitence so swift in Satan's Race I nothing Lord can plead if thou my Crimes survey But Hell and hellish Flames must all my Guilt repay I know I merit Lord thy utmost Hate Scorn Nor can my Name among thy Holy Saints be born Harsh tho the Reckoning prove I must the Test endure If I 'd thy Mercies Springs thy Comforts Streams procure What shall I say when at thy dreadful Bar accus'd What can a Sinner plead with inward Guilt confus'd I 've sinn'd great God I 've sinn'd O Mercy Mercy show O let my Eyes a while with unfeign'd Waters flow E're I to Death's black Shades the Lands of Darkness go A contrite humble Heart thy Bar for Sin demands In true Repentance all our hope of Pardon stands That stills those rugged Storms which o're the Conscience roll Our dying Gifts repairs shields the trembling Soul From Judgment 's dreadful Flames till delug'd round with Sweets The Soul its smiling God in Love's Embraces meets A contrite Heart to Thee 's a nobler Sacrifice Than all those Odours which from fuming Incense rise Sweet as those fragrant Oils which wash'd thy sacred Feet And as it 's humble must thy constant Favours meet Thy Arms a Refuge sure from Hellish Rage appear And our Pollutions all thy flowing Mercies clear LIII Love not the World neither the Things of the World Christ MY Smiles are pure my Son unmix'd with those Poor Comforts which inferiour Things disclose Wouldst thou obtain them Cast thy Clogs aside Thy Self within thy private Chambers hid There with thy God not Men Discourses nod Thy Mind and Conscience there with Sighs unfold Laugh at the World that sweet Recess prefer Before a King 's invidious Character For Mine and worldly Loves thou ne'r canst find A Time of leisure or an easy Mind From fondest Friends and Earth's Incumbrance free There thou mayst dedicate thy self to Me And like a Stranger and a Pilgrim move Thro' wastful Desarts here to Canaan's Rest above With what strange Joys that happy Man may die Whose Thoughts discharg'd from Earth's Engagements lie Words can't express nor curious Arts descry The real Saint the World's Concerns will leave And chiefly fears Self should Himself deceive Subdue thy Self thou'lt soon the World subdue That Conquest only is a Conquest true He who his sensual part by Reason guides Then with his Reason to his Lord subsides O're Earth o're himself a King triumphant rides Wouldst thou reach this Then like a Man begin And lay the Ax close to the Roots of Sin Heâ— down Self-love and every Thought inclin'd â—o vulgar Blisses or the Creature-kind Self-love alone the Little World confounds That master'd Peace the quiet Heart surrounds How few compleatly to themselves can die Their Bird-lim'd Wings no gallant Heights can fly But here in common Cares entangled lie But those who would at large converse with Me Must from deprav'd unruly Passions be And from their darling selves and Creature-Comforts free LIV. The natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God Christ MY Son Nature and Grace in all their Steps attend Soft is their Motion and oppos'd their End Only by men of inward Light perceiv'd Most aim at Good but are alas deceiv'd Sly Nature has a thousand Arts and Snares And only for its own Delights prepares Grace is sincere and all that 's ill declines Cheats none but all for God and Godlike Works designs Death Sufferings and Subjection Nature hates Grace struggling Lust with holy Art rebates Fain would be humble and would fain obey And not at large in fleshly Desarts stray Love's Discipline and on its Good would rest And for his sake it self of Self divest Nature for Pleasure seeks and seeks for Gain Grace only
here if thou 'dst to Glory rise Take up the Cross if Thou with Me wouldst reign Those who embrace the Cross shall Life's pure Light obtain Believer Dear Jesus since to walk with Thee I by the World despis'd and crush'd must be Teach Me to scorn the World teach Me to cleave to Thee Servants beneath their Masters are And must to suffer with their Lords prepare Life from thy precious Life O let thy Servant share What e're abroad I read or hear Refreshments all in that and noblest Joys appear Christ My Son since Thou so much hast heard and known That Knowledg O with holy Practice crown He loves Me best who knows and keeps my Will His Soul I 'll with endearing Glories fill And He shall reign with Me on Sion's sacred Hill Believ Holy Jesus Dearest Lord O perform thy sacred Word See! The Cross I gladly bear Since thy Hand has laid it here Thence my better Life shall rise It 's my Guide to Paradise Lord I 'll bear it I 'll endure it Never never Lord abjure it Believ Forward Brethren let us move Jesus now our Guide will prove For his sake the Cross we bear For his sake we 'll persevere He 's our Captain he will aid us And thro' greatest Dangers lead us Come let 's boldly march behind him We in greatest Straits shall find him While our Duties we deny not While from Wars with Hell we fly not LVII Count it all Joy when Ye fall into divers Temptations Christ I Son in humble Patience more delight Those Vertues which a World of Woes excite Than all that brisk Devotion which appears In warm Professors in their calmer Years Thy Soul why should a petty Scandal tear Which should unmov'd the greatest Scandal bear Fie let it pass It 's not the first or last Life must a thousand sharper Potions taste Thou' rt brave and canst couragious Thoughts diffuse While like a Hand the distant Danger shews But when a sudden Storm o're-spreads the Skies Thy Wit and Courage sinks and faints and dies Think then how frail thou art how soon subdu'd To make thee wiser yet such Tests are oft renew'd Thou know'st the Truth then wretched Fears disdain And uninvolv'd thou may'st thy Lot sustain The Test with Joy at least with Patience bear Repress thy Passions let not others hear One Word unfitting from thy Lips proceed Lest such in weaker Souls should scandal breed Grace will both Woes and inward Lust resist And as I live I 'll soon thy Soul assist With new and greater Comforts visit Thee If Thou with faithful Prayers devoutly call on Me. Gird Thee to Sufferings with an easy Mind Temptations oft in their Effects are kind No God no Angel Thou but Flesh and Blood And since nor Man nor purer Angels stood Not these in Heaven nor those in Paradise Some crafty Sin thy Vertues may surprize But I the Mourning Soul can raise and those Who their own Frailties know with Godlike Joys compose Bel. Thy Words are sweeter Lord to Me Than dropping Hony-combs can be What should I do in Straits and Woes Did not thy Word thy Thoughts compose O may I suffer all things here May I a thousand Tempests bear If I at last my Port may gain If I may endless Life obtain O let Me in thy Favours die Let Me to Abraham's Bosom fly Thy Servant Dearest God respect And to thy Kingdom 's Joys thro' peaceful Ways direct LVIII How unsearchable are his Judgments and his Ways past finding out Christ MY Son dispute not of that Gloom profound Those Deeps which my obscurer Ways surround Ask not why God that Man to Glory chose Why This to Hell's dark Flames rejected goes Why That should under long Afflictions groan And This exalted mount the sacred Throne These things all humane Sense surpass nor can Man's short-lin'd Sense unfathomable Judgments span If Hell then or if impious Men disclose A curious Humour thus their Dreams oppose God must be just and all his Judgments right Clear are his Judgments and his Justice bright My Ways are to be fear'd not vainly scann'd Nor can created Sense beneath the dreadful Burden stand Ask not what Grace was on the Saints bestow'd Who reigns the Greatest near their smiling God Dispute not what their Interests are above Nor seek by them to gain their Maker's Love Some fondly dote on those extinguish'd Lights Such Love not Heaven but Hellish Art excites Turn all thy Thoughts thy zealous Loves on Me I rais'd the Saints to their supream degree To them my strong effectual Grace was free I not Desert their Heads with Honours crown'd Their Weakness my preventing Graces found I knew them e're this World from nothing rose And them before its first Foundations chose They chose not Me but I by pity mov'd Them thro' corrupted Nature's horrors lov'd And by Afflictions surest Test improv'd With Comforts blest and Perseverance too And crown'd their Faith at last with promis'd Glories due The First the Last alike I kindly know And Love alike on all their Souls bestow I only in my Saints am justly prais'd In Them my Name above the Stars is rais'd While Poor Unactive Undeserving They Meer Objects of unbounded Mercy lay Love made 'um ONE made 'um Lights to Thee And to be follow'd where they closely follow'd Me. Saints but instruct Thee in thy Duty still I not themselves their vast Affections fill Rapt high above themselves they ever prove Unbounded Blisses and unbounded Love They live unchang'd while Truth their Souls invests And holy Flames enlarge their heavenly Breasts They serve Me only and in that should be Loves and Devotions Patterns to the World Thee It 's not thy Work with curious Art to pry Into the Mystick Secrets of the Sky What Saints departed do concerns not Thee Thy Vows thy Honours all belong to Me. Think how thy Sins in Bulk and Number rise How little Goodness in thy Bosom lies How far Thou mayst of their Attainments fail Who now on Joy's unstormy Ocean sail But don 't to them for Grace or Aids repair I only aid the Poor I only answer Prayer Could They alas thy vain Devotions hear They'd ne'r those misappli'd Devotions bear They know they merit nothing nor can do What foolish Men with foolish Vows pursue They love their God their Joys unbounded flow Nor happier by misguided Worship grow Before my Feet their starry Crowns they lay To him who ever lives submisly pray And to the spotless Lamb their Adorations pay Don't in those lightsom Realms at Greatness aim Thy Merits can't the smallest Favours claim Thy Sins thy weighty Sins would sink thee down And wouldst thou thoughtless Wretch deserve a Crown First be a Child in harmless Innocence From that low State thy happy Days commence Be humble first and leave the rest to Me Vast as thy largest Hopes thy vast Reward shall be Wo to those haughty Souls who scorn to be Harmless as Babes and yet pretend to Me Heaven's Gates
who couldst give thy Fleshy thy sacred Blood By Faith to be my Soul 's Immortal Food O let thy Arms embrace Me Lord while I Here prostrate at thy sacred Footstool lie Till my Devouter Soul approach the peaceful Sky V. Who is able to describe his Glory Christ WOuldst Thou be worthy to participate To eat my Body and to drink my Blood Wouldst thou attain a sinless State Be wholly pure be wholly good Great was the Baptist's Honour who before My self the Gospel-Standard bore Pure are those Angels who on constant Wing Before my Throne Immortal Anthems sing Yet John yet Angels will submisly own Their Lord is kind but their Deservings none What then can Sinners plead or whence can they Pretend to Merits or to Favours due Would they alas their Souls survey Or to Themselves themselves be true They'd to the Dust before my Footstool bow No Merit then but Grace allow They'd all my condescensive Acts adore Their own unfit defective State deplore And with Amazement view that wondrous Love Which at my Table could such Guests approve Thou at my Altars as a Priest canst wait Approach my Presence and my Gifts dispense And Bread and Wine canst consecrate With mighty Words of Mystick Sense What Miracles my Language once could do Those Miracles thy Words renew Mean Matter thence proves a substantial Sign Of Grace Celestial and of Food Divine And by those Ways which heavenly Wisdom trod Sense sees the Matter Faith discerns the God Thou speak'st the Matter still the same remains Yet Strength invisible to all conveys The Mind sublimely entertains And Light thro humble Souls displays Thou seest the Sign couldst thou my Word believe thou 'dst then the inward Part receive Think then what Grace those sacred Hands confer When they imprint the Priestly Character Think what a glorious weight thy Shoulders bear When thou canst in thy Saviour's Room appear A Priest should always bring the Sacrifice Of Holy Converse and an Humble Mind In Him their Pattern vulgar Eyes Of Piety and Love should find With Angels or Angelick Saints below He should his holy Hours bestow When e're He robes himself his Thoughts should be How He may reconcile the World to Me How in his Saviour's Name he 'll intercede And how for Sinners with their Maker plead Think then think how thy Lord was crucifi'd O let his Sufferings melt thy yielding Heart Think how by cruel Hands he di'd That He to all might Love impart Think o're his Love his Life his Innocence From his Example Love commence Mourn o're thy murdering Sins with Sighs Tears Expunge the Follies of thy careless Years Give oft and oft receive that Food design'd To rouze the Sinner and refresh the Mind Mourn too for others Sins and O advise They'd oft remember their expiring Lord And with a grateful Sacrifice For Them his bleeding Wounds record When Thou shalt at my Board devoutly stand And raise thy Consecrating Hand God shall be honour'd Angels shall rejoice My Church adore Me with a chearful Voice New Grace shall every weary Soul revive And we 'll for ever in a blest Communion live VI. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord Bel. MY dearest Lord my surest Guide My God whose Help was ne'r deny'd What shall I do O teach Me Lord I 'm Terror all Confusion all When I my Vileness Lord recal And thy Majestick Height record I die if I abstain and I If I approach unworthy die Shew Me Dear Lord the perfect way Some Exercise before Me lay To fit Me for that sacred Feast It 's good it 's wondrous good to know What Reverence my Soul should show To Thee to be a welcome Guest To taste thy Banquet worthily And sacrifice a Heart to Thee VII Let a Mam examine Himself Christ THE Priest the Private Christian when they dare Approach my Table should with utmost care Their sinful Hearts survey They should with Reverence and Humility Firm Faith and just Resolves to honour Me Their Thoughts in order lay Discourse Receive and Consecrate And in my House with all their best Devotions wait Search thro' thy Conscience where some Taint appears With meek Confession and with mournful Tears O make thy Conscience pure Then when Thou com'st from all Convulsions free Of private griping Guilt thou may'st on Me Rely with Faith secure Hate all thy Sins but hate them more Which by their swift Returns advance thy daily Score Count o're the Bead-roll of thy sinful Deeds Mourn o're that Lust from whence thy Guilt proceeds As from a Poisonous Root O sigh to see thy Thoughts to Earth confin'd Enslav'd to Passions and to Lusts resign'd And all their baleful Fruit Think how thou' rt lost in outward Sense And how thy Phantosms vain from vain Delights commence Think how thou slightst thy Soul 's Internal State How worldly Joys thy holy Flames rebate How hard to Sighs and Tears How swift thou to a loose Debauch canst fly How slow to Rigours and Severity How fond of itching Ears To hear what 's new to see what 's fair And mean and humble things pass with a scornful Air. Mourn o're thy griping Hand thy stingy Heart How wild thy Talk how vain thy silent Part How loose thy Manners are Ill-tim'd thy Actions vast thy Appetite Deaf to thy God but fond of lazy Night And still averse to Care Fond of a Fable Drowsy all When thy poor Soul's Decays for constant Vigils call How Restless till my Holy Days are past How loth to taste of my Immortal Feast How all distracted there Thy Thoughts unhing'd thy Passions quickly rais'd Pointed thy Words thy Censures loudly blaz'd And all thy Dooms severe In Blessings mad in Suffering low Swift in thy boasting Tongue in thy Performance slow These and thy other Sins with Grief confest In this Resolve let all thy Sorrows rest Thy faulty Life to mend Then to my Honour all thy Self resign And let thy Body let thy Soul be Mine To Me thy Thoughts ascend So shall thy Sacrifice be sweet And in his Supper Thou thy Dearest Saviour meet Give but thy Self in this no Sacrifice Can please me more no purer Incense rise From Altars here below If thus a Man with all his Might repent My Grace shall then his Future Woes prevent And Life on him bestow I 'll straight expunge his fatal Score Bless Him with endiess Smiles and mark his Sins no more VIII He endur'd the Cross Christ THUS on the Cross I stretch'd my bleeding Arms And thus my naked Limbs expos'd Thus I dissolv'd dark Hell's malignant Charms And thus thy Wars with Heav'n compos'd I gave my Self a Sacrifice And bore what else thy Soul had born O on my Wounds then turn thy Eyes See how my Brows the sanguine Drops adorn Offer O offer then thy Self to Me A Sacrifice sublim'd and pure O be thy Strength thy best Affections free O may I but thy Self procure Give Me thy Self the Gift I 'll prize But All without thy Self despise
Thy Longings nothing could on Earth suffice Should'st thou but miss thy Maker there Thro Me alone in Price thy Blessings rise I all the noblest Gifts endear And canst thou dream large Hecatombs Should satisfy what God requires Think'st Thou I feed on what consumes With noisom Stench and in material Fires No I thy Self Dear Soul thy All command Give then O give thy Self to Me I leave my Body in thy faithful Hand I offer'd all my Self for Thee Dearly I 'm sure I purchas'd Thee Give then O give thy Self to Me But give it freely or the Gift will be A poor unworthy Sacrifice If I must only have a Part in Thee No happy Union thence can rise A Free-Will-Offering finds a place With God and to thy Self assures Vast Liberty and wondrous Grace Which none while of himself too fond procures I 've said Vnless a Man his All forsake He 's no Disciple fit for Me And wouldst thou one of my Attendants make From all inferiour Service free Wouldst Thou my blest Disciple be Give then O give thy Self to Me IX Offer unto God Thanksgiving and pay thy Vows unto the Most High Believer WHAT e're this Lower World contains Dear Lord is Thine And since a Free-Will-Offering Favour gains I here to Thee my Self resign Lord with a Heart sincere I freely offer up my Self to Thee My faithful Service and obsequious Fear A Sacrifice of Praise to be When I thy Self Dear Lord receive And round thy Table smiling Angels wait O don't my glorious Hopes deceive But let it be New Life to Me Let Me thy heavenly Grace thy Loves participate My Sins Dear Lord for Love of Thee I sacrifice Those Sins with which from early Infancy I durst offend thy sacred Eyes Lo at thy Altars here I cast them all O let thy burning Love Consume them Lord my sinful Conscience clear And all the Stains of Sin remove That Grace which Sin had lost before That Grace of which my Self my Self bereav'd O to my Soul Dear God restore Smile Lord on Me And let Me be To thy immortal Kiss thy boundless Peace receiv'd I 've sinn'd I 'm lost Lord what shall I For Pardon do I 'll at thy Feet with deep Confession lie And all my Tears for Guilt renew Atone my God for Me To Thee I 'll offer up unceasing Cries I 'll offer up unceasing Prayers to Thee Look down O look with gracious Eyes I hate my Sins I hate them All Lord I repent indeed I mourn and grieve O save Me from a future Fall My Sins pass o're Wash out my Score My Soul with Blood redeem'd with precious Blood relieve I here for Mercy Lord resign My Self to Thee O don't repay those black Deserts of Mine But in thy Goodness deal with Me My fairest Actions here Poor weak alas I offer up to Thee O let 'um grateful in thy Sight appear Adorn'd with Life and Sanctity My Soul for nobler Actions wing And Me a senseless Brute a worthless Slave By thy all-prudent Conduct bring To that blest Place Where well-us'd Grace Shall all the bright Rewards of full Perfection have Lord at thy Feet I humbly lay My just Desire For Friends Relations Benefactors pray And all who my Relief require For them thy Aids dispose From Pains from Dangers from Afflictions free Let them thy dear reviving Smiles disclose And sing their grateful Hymns to Thee Where others Lord have injur'd Me Where I have injur'd others O forgive O let our numerous Failures be All gently past And we at last In mutual Charity and God's Embraces live Lord let our doubtful Hearts be free From Jealousy From Wrath from Malice all those Crimes which we Oft in each others Tempers see And let thy Grace remove What e're Distrust in Christian Souls can raise Or Charity confound or murder Love Or Nature's crasy State betrays Mercy we Mercy Lord implore On needy Souls thy Mercy Lord bestow And Grace from thy unbounded Store Till happy we May live with Thee Where endless Mercy reigns and boundless Pleasures flow X. Not forsaking the Assembling of your selves together as the Manner of some is Christ WOuldst Thou thy Passions utmost Rage command Wouldst Thou against infernal Malice stand More watchful yet and stronger grow Here the Springs of Mercy flow Here I every Grace bestow Here my Servants kindly know Oft at my Altars oft prepar'd appear And oft thou 'lt meet thy mighty Saviour there Hell knows what Strength my Flesh and Blood can give And tries a thousand Means and Ways And all his subtle Art displays To make the doubtful Soul in pinching Hunger live When for my Supper pious Souls are drest They 'r oft by Hell's delusive Wiles distrest He 'll still among my Sons appear Scatter Care and sensless Fear And tho I my self am near Try to make Disturbance there Scorn then his Terrors tho deform'd and foul And let Himself beneath the Burden howl Let neither Sloth nor Coldness ravish Thee Hell's Malice nor imposing Art Enslave or turn thy yielding Heart When it on joyful Wings should fly to feast with Me. He 'll tell Thee Holy Cheat He 'll tell Thee there Thy Preparations should be more severe But Thou hast ne'r confest thy Sin Never let Repentance in Never cleans'd thy self within And wouldst now in vain begin If this be true fly dearest Soul O fly And at my Feet with deep Contrition lie Before my Priest thy Follies humbly lay He bears my sacred Character And his absolving Hands confer True Life on contrite Souls and Comforts cloudless Day Throw off Hell's Poison from thy fainting Soul Sins Burden from thy drooping Conscience roll Fly then dear Soul O fly to Me I 'll thy happy Shelter be Set Thee soon from Bondage free Fly dear Soul O fly to Me Name not to Morrow that 's a tedious Day Now now thy own Internal State survey Don't with some stupid Brutes my Feast forbear Lest They more firmly ty'd should be To save themselves and honour Me But let those Vows renew'd my sacred Feast endear How low's their Love's and their Devotion 's Tide Who can so soon from their Engagements slide How dear how truly welcom 's He Who preserves his Conscience free Lives in Faith and Purity And is always fit for Me Sometimes thy Soul 's touch'd with an awful Fear Or may for some important Cause forbear But if encroaching Sloth thy Heart detain O shake it quickly off and I Will to thy fervent Bosom fly And thou shalt Loves renew'd and glowing Fervours gain If justly absent let thy chearful Will Thy eager Thoughts approach my Altars still Live so adorn'd with Innocence Lively Faith and heavenly Sense As may leave Thee no pretence With Attendance to dispense But when the Son of God assum'd the Man When his dear bloody Death thy Life began When He shook off Death's Chains and climb'd the Skies When He the glorious Spirit sent New Loves for Loves renew'd present And let Devotion 's Flames with
unfit Thee more to feast with Me Than to be far in Worldly Fancies lost What can a greater mischief be Than a Vain Heart by carnal Joys engross'd O fly the World's alluring Cheat And to enjoy thy God from Crowds retreat Of Me thy dearest Lord possest No crafty Thief can rob thy Breast Lo I am He who all thy Bosom claim I can't endure a Rival's Name Put off thy self then hide thy Life in me And live from every Care and every Torment free XIII With my Whole Heart have I sought Thee O let Me not wander Believer WHO Lord will give that Grace to Me That I may close with None but Thee And to enjoy my Soul 's Dear Object may My Bosom and my faithful Arms display Then shall I all inferiour Things despise No Creature shall distract my Eyes My Words with Thee my Life and Thine with Me Shall soft as whispering Lovers be Or Friends when they with Friends agree This Lord my utmost Wish shall be To live and to be One with Thee That I withdrawn from all the World below May fonder of Eternal Glories grow Swiftly to thy ador'd Communion fly And oft to Thee my Heart apply Ah when shall I Dear God! engulph'd in Thee Forget my self and only be Ever in Thee and Thou in Me Thou art my best Belov'd my Dear In whom my Soul's Delights appear Search thro the World view all the Wise the Fair None None can with my God my Life compare Thou lay'st those rugged Storms which rend my Heart Thy Smiles unfading Peace impart Thy Counsels Dearest Lord are dark but wise Thy Way obscur'd to Impious Eyes Yet plain to th' Meek and Humble lies Lord how thy Spirit gently blows How sweet thy charming Kindness flows That to thy Own thou mightst thy Love declare thou 'dst with Celestial Food their Strength repair None Lord like Vs can boast of God so near None to their Maker seem so Dear To make our Souls on Wings of Comfort rise Thy Flesh thy Blood our Want supplies And lifts us high above the Skies No Tribes e're gain'd so bright a Fame As those who bear their Saviour's Name What Creature e're was to his Lord so near As He whom pure Devotion 's Flames endear Man whom his Maker enters whom He feeds Whose Life from Mystic Flesh proceeds O condescending Grace O Love Immense Beyond our Words beyond our Sense Beyond all Dreams of Recompence What shall I render Lord to Thee For all thy wondrous Loves to Me A Heart a humble Heart is all my Store I 'll give Thee That nor can I give Thee more Vnite my Heart with Thee and all within Shall Hymns of Holy Praise begin Call then My Heart shall Eccho Lord to Thee I 'm Thine O live My God in Me That Prayer of all my Hopes the Central Point shall be XIV Whose Faith follow considering the End of their Conversation Believer O How deep the Treasures are Dear Lord of thy Immortal Sweets How inexhaustible the Share Which There thy happy Servant meets When I on that Prodigious Flame reflect Which fill'd thy happy Saints of old When I their Grace their Love their Zeal respect Their Acts in Starry Books enroll'd I die with One Eternal Blush confus'd By my Own luke-warm Heart accus'd Which had thy Loves so oft thy sacred Feasts abus'd Lord I blush to think how dry How unaffected there I came My Soul untouch'd by Sympathy Unmov'd by any purer Flame Others by vast Desires and Loves possest To Tears unsluc'd their Joyful Eyes The Floods the Flames with equal violence prest Would both with equal Fulness rise They 'd pant for Drops from Life's pure Springs distill'd Nor would their sacred Longings yield Till with Immortal Food and endless Pleasures fill'd O how soon their Faith could pierce The Shell of that Mysterious Feast How broken Bread to Longings fierce Their wounded dying Lord exprest But Lord how oft my cold Affections fail What Damps my Infant-Heats o'reflow Jesus for Pity let my Sighs prevail Some Cordial on a Wretch bestow O let my Faith my Hope my Love renew'd With more extensive Strength endu'd Only for Manna long and loath inferiour Food But thy Mercies Lord are great And can the Graces beg'd bestow And fill me with Superiour Heat And make my Passions fiercely glow Tho short of Heroes yet thy Grace may find Some Seeds in my unmanag'd Heart Tho short of Heroes my aspiring Mind Grasps at the better nobler Part. O let my Failures be by Mercy past Till with thy happy Heirs at last I may Eternal Sweets Eternal Glories taste XV. I dwell also with Him who is of a Contrite and Humble Spirit Christ WOuldst Thou Devotion 's Grace obtain Or inward holy Ardour gain O seek it Early seek it Late Let thy Petitions prove Importunate With Patience and with Faith expect the Dole Embrace it closely in a lowly Soul Improve it when it 's gain'd but leave God to appoint the Time when thou shalt Grace receive If Thou no Heat within canst find No lively Flames enlarge thy Mind O let that Thought abate thy Pride Yet not between thy Soul and Hopes divide One happy Moment oft that Gift bestows Which many tedious Years could ne're disclose God answers oft the Prayer at last Which seem'd refus'd before ere half the Suit was past Should Flames rush in at once the Soul Could ne're their rapid Force controul O then with Hopeful Patience wait If Sins obstruct or Sins thy Zeal rebate Small Sins may oft obscure or hinder Grace If those be small which mighty Gifts deface But Small or Great when once subdu'd Grace may be new infus'd or Grace decay'd renew'd To God submit thy Self thy All And ne're thy lingring Lusts recal Then Calms will soon o'respread thy Mind In Vnion with thy mighty Lord combin'd God's Will shall then thy utmost Longings move 'T will Sapid all and all Delightful prove He 's only fit for Heavenly Fires Who to his God resign'd subdues his Vain Desires A Heart from Earthly Passions free Empty of Creature-Vanity A Heart all Clean a Soul all Bright Will all the Blessings of its Lord invite The Man who these inferiour Things defies The more He to Himself corrupted dies Grace Fuller Swifter Stronger gains And his unfetter'd Soul to endless Glory strains He 'll see and Heaven's vast Stores admire And glowing with Etherial Fire He 'll to his Father's Hand resign And His to God's Eternal Will confine That happy Man who with a single Heart Seeks God and won't from Heavenly Reason start That Happy Man must sure be blest Of God so warmly sought and Godlike Grace possest When He before my Table kneels He Extasy and Rapture feels And from above swift Flames Divine With his bright Soul 's internal Glories twine And since his Master's Praise He values more Than his own Comforts or his private Store To be for ever One with Me Of His Self-Conquests all the great Reward shall be XVI He