of the creature and the Lord forsakes For what advantage can it be unto The soul when it its body shall forego That it had Wife or Husband House or Land Riches Honours or pleasures at command Yea Crowns and Scepters while the body it Inlive'ned Oh what profit will it get From any or from all those things when in The depths of Hell oppressed with its sin It shall have its abode can they relieve Its misery when it shall mourn and grieve And wail its folly No alas too gross For it a Spirit they are its sad great loss Of me and of my favour cannot be Made up by any thing it here could see For then no drop of comfort can it have How ever earnestly it may it crave This that thou may'st the better see mind well Another true story that I shall tell There was a certain rich and wealthy man Who far'd deliciously each day that ran Over his head was clothed with the best And finest silks and linnens wherewith drest he glitter'd bravely and all things he had Which this world could afford to make him glad There also was a poor and piteous man Cal'd Lazarus a Cripple lean and wan And full of sores who used to resort To th' rich mans dore and beg for some comfort His hunger-starved body to relieve But the hard hearted Churl would little give His dogs more kind than he would very oft His sores lick gently Death at length hence caught Poor Lazarus whom Angels did attend To guard his soul from every evil Fiend And carred him to Heaven where he did rest With great content in Father Abrahams brest Soon after 't came to 'th rich mans turn to dy And leave the world for no satiety And fulness of this world could always keep Him here alive but the black dismal sleep Of Death surpris'd him when a quiet end He seem'd to have circled with many a friend Amending on him till his life did fail When they did seem his death much to bewail Although his heirs were glad enough at heart That they might share to each of them a part Of those vast heaps which he had laid in store For after times and witheld from the poor From all which now they beare him to the grave Where rich and poor like intertainment have Save that they on his Funeral bestow'd More cost and worship and his greatness show'd On a more stately Tomb or Monument Whereon they ingrav'd his name to the intent It might not be forgot but before then His wretched Soul was hurri'd to the Den Of damned Spirits even to the pit of Hell Where what his torments were what tongue can tell This wretched man stript of his pomp and state And all his riches which he had of late Lay then in flames of fire tormented sore Because he had abus'd his wealth before Spent it on 's lusts relieved not the poor Had slighted God his truth and grace contemn'd Therefore to torments he was there condemn'd Where not one drop of water could he get Whereby he might allay the burning heat Wherein his wretched tongue that us'd to boast Great things blaspheme God curse the poor did roast And fry in flames which caused him to cry And howl and roar and yell most hideously When lifting up his woful eyes aloft He ' spyed that poor Lazarus whom oft He had disdained to behold before When he lay lame and begging at his doore In Abrahams bosome full of peace and joy Disturb'd with nothing that might him annoy Then calling out to Abraham he did cry Oh Father Abraham hither turn thine eye For I was of thine off-spring and from thee And thy blest stock deriv'd my pedegree Father shew forth thy pitty now behold I ly in torments here that can't be told My Soul is on a flame with scorching wrath Nothing in it now ease or quiet hath That tongue wherewith it secretly did speak More wickedness than ever forth did break From out my bodies lips see how it fries And flames tormented in these miseries Dear Father Abraham even for the sake Of those thy bowels whence I issu'd take Some pitty on thy child and Lazarus Send from thee to help me tormented thus Oh let him but one drop of water fetch One drop of comfort me to ease poor wretch Oh might he but the very end and tip Of one poor finger in cold water dip And to the tip of my scorcht tongue apply Which flames of fiery wrath do wondrously Afflict with sharpest pains 't would mitigate Somewhat these wofull torments 't would abate My heat a little Oh dear Father send That Beggar hither me now to befriend To whom that good old Patriarck reply'd Ah Son for that thou wast so 'ts not deny'd Remember how thou didst thy self abuse In thy life time and Gods good gifts misuse When this poor man lay begging at thy doors Unpitty'd by thee hungry full of sores Thou hadst enough wherewith to have reliev'd His penurie then yea therefore thou receiv'd Gods gifts of bounty but thou letst him ly Neglected then thou scornd'st his poverty Now therefore he with me doth rest possess And thou hast torments now without redress Yea now a gulf is fixt twixt us and thee So that though we each others state may see We cannot change them so as that we may Pass hence to you your torments to allay Nor can you come to us us to molest Or take part with us in our endless rest We joys have whereof you may not partake You endless burnings which we may not slake Your riches now have end your pleasure 's past Your torments and your miseries shall last Learn hence that 't is not riches nor great State Nor any fleshly priviledge will bate Nor yet preserve from endless misery Those persons who in sin do live and dy Who me neglecting and my gifts abusing And my now profer'd grace and love refusing Prefer their lusts and riches thereunto And in vain worldly ways do chuse to go All their now present injoyments shall fail them And after death none of them shall avail them Be now advised by me Dear Soul therefore If thou wouldst happy be for evermore Seek first Gods Kingdome and his righteousness So shalt thou have them and therein Gods bless Accept my profer'd love imbrace my grace When I say seek the Lord seek thou my face Get wisdom get true knowledge in thy heart Receive my words and let them not depart Out of thy heart and mind but let them ly Between thy tender breasts continually Then other things as they will lead thee thou May'st better look for and shalt find them too It is but reason that I do propoud No better course can for thy good be found For if thou seekest first the world or what Of it thou likest before thou hast got That which thou seekest thou may'st chance to dy And perish from my presence endlesly As in the former parable even now I did for admonition to
Light might love infinite 71. To Thee oh Trinity in unity Eternal happiness Eternal endless Bless That art without all change eternally 72. We sing and shout alway Hallelu-jah Praise thee we will always Throughout our endless day And sing with heigth of joy Hallelujah Hallclujah Such things but far more pure and excellent Then any humane tongue or pen can vent Or any heart of man while here alive Can by all he may hear or read contrive Conceive or think of shall those gloriously Blest persors utter when they shall their high And everlasting Kingdome have and hold For their great joys and glories can't be told They 'r far above what mortal man can speak Thine heart to apprehend them is too weak For never any since the World began Hath ever heard no nor Angel nor man Hath by the care perceiv'd or by their eye Have seen the greatness of the dignity Or brightness of the glory foreprepar'd For those who unto God give due regard Who love him and for his appearance wait None but God see 's and knows their happy state Canto VI. The Worlds Vanity Seek ye first the Kingdome of God and his righteousness c. Matth. 6.33 In the sixth Canto Christ presents In brief the former two's contents The Damneds woes Saints merriments Perswades the Soul to chase the best The Man consults with his own brest Couâ—sâ—ls the Soul the way to rest Chriâ—â—s Servant doth the same perswade The Soul inclines but is afraid To its Objection answer's made By Christ and by his Minister Christ doth himself and Name declare Gives Counsels which the safest are Renews â— is suits with earnestness With arguments the Soul doth press Him more to value the World less And by some instances 't is plain That their both ways and ends are vain Who judge this world to be the Main Chr. SEE I have set before Thee good and ill I say not chuse whither of them thou will But chuse the Life and good that thou mayst be Happy for ever and destruction flee Think on these things the doleful state of those Who do rebel against me and oppose My truth and my most equal government How dreadfull then will be their punishment Think if thou canst be able to endure So woful torments as sinners procure By sin unto themselvs think how great bless If me thou closest with thou shalt possess Accept my profer'd kindness me embrace Submit unto my Doctrine so my grace And favour thou shalt have and never know The woful plight of them that ly below Oh be perswaded now to let go all That doth pollute Thee and obey my call Follow my counsels let me have thy heart Thou shalt have mine and il'le ne're from thee part I 'le be thy friend for ever thou shalt have More happiness than thou canst think or crave Man Hast thou not heard my Soul what thy great Lord Proposeth to thee in his holy word Such things thou there hast heard wilt thou not then Unto his wholesome Counsels say Amen Consider with thy self how bad thy state In Adam was how thou deservedst hate What sinfulness unto thee yet doth cleave How good the Lord hath been who did not leave Thee in thy fallen state but such an one Hath sent forth for man even his only Son What he hath done for thee how he thee woes Unto himself that thou with him wouldst close How in his word and what it doth contain He answers the Objectors cavils vain That unto Atheism would thee fain move Shew's what will be hereafter dost approve His profer'd love Wilt thou of him accept Part with thy Idols or shall they be kept Without all doubt its best to let all goe To close with Christ who doth thee love and woo Consider with thy self if thou him slight All besides him to help thee have no might For they 'r poor sorry vanities can 't give Thee solid comfort or cause thee to live For ever or with full content while here They cannot satisfie thy soul not chear Tâ—y drooping Spirits when Death shall draw nigh And summons thee to yield thy breath and dy Alas how short and how uncertain be The lives of men as we may daily see How many dy while yet their bones are moist With marrow Even while they have much rejoyâ—'t In their firm strength while milk was in their brest How suddainly hath pale death them opprest Mini. If thou an Atheist wer 't and couldst not tell Whether in truth there be an Heaven or Hell Yet were it not far better so to think And seek for Heaven than only eat and drink Injoy this world a while and then down ly In a forgotten dark obscurity For if there be such things as thou hast heard If Heaven be never sought for Hell ne're fear'd Gods way and word despis'd his truth neglected And all his profer'd love and grace rejected Thy case must needs be sad for it doth tend Unto those miseries that never end And that there may be such things reason can't Any good warrant fancy not to grant Seeing the being of the world and all Therein with many things that do befall Evince a Deity and what so great But may be well conceiv'd as well as that This so great world a being given it had He that sees and believes this sure is mad To think impossible what e're beside Is as from him that made it testify'd Whereas if no such things should be which yet Who can suppose except that he can get All principles of Reason blotted out And wholly all those things which round about He sees so great denie to be yet then What shall he loose who them believeth when He comes to dy â— 't is but uncertain joys Which when Death comes men look upon as toys Some poor and fancâ—â—d injoyments which Do either ly without men and the pitch Of inward worth doth nought advance nor give Increase of quietness while men do live Yea oft increase disquiets fears and troubles Or if they something add within 't is bubbles Which swell a little and a while appear And then if looked for they are not there When as also they that perswaded be To chuse Gods ways and trust in him we see To live as well oft-times in outward state As they that mind this world and Gods ways hate And commonly express more inward peace When they afflicted be and when they cease Here to abide in life with joys far more Depart than they who have themselves up-bore By worldly riches honours injoyments Of pleasures or of any Earth-contents Man Sure 't is the best mysoul with him to close Who with such love and promises thee wooes Seeing such bless he gives as none besides Can give even bless that evermore abides Soul I do his promises like well and what He saith unto me they are very great It s my desire him to imbrace and take No better choise or bargain can I make But here 's a world so
to kill CXII Some men their praise with men and reputation With fools so love that so they may them get They 'll shape their manners into any fashion And faith and conscience too to sale they 'll set Turning their backs on all that God prescribes Rather then bear therefore some taunts or jibes CXIII Some for their honour so ambitious are That rather then they 'll loose a cap or knee They 'll fret and sume yea for it they don't care A Mans or Nations ruine if they see Because unto proud Haman Mordecay Would not bow down he all the Jews would slay CXIV Some men for their inriching are so set That so they may but their estates increase Though by oppressing others they it get By lying cheating breaking of the peace They matter not nay they 'll for money sell Both God and Heaven and give themselves to Hell CXV Some men their own delights their pleasures ease So love and value that they matter not For God or men so they themselves may please And have their belly-chear punk pipe and pot Give them their hawks hounds pastimes sports plays They matter not what God's laws or Man's says CXVI Some folks their forms and handsomeness so prize That all their care is wholly thereon set How they some pretty fashion may devise Their hair trim or their cloths i' th' new cut get Yea so thy be but fashionably fine Their souls may perish and the poor may pine CXVII Some men their own inventions so set by Or their own fancies in Religion That of true godliness the heart may dye So be their ceremonies go but on Let others rack their conscience let them kill Their bodies loose their souls they 'll have their will CXVIII Nay many who do honest men appear And from gross acts of wickedness are free Who by no means will lye be drunk steal swear Yet their own things so mind from God they flee Their Oxen Farmes Trades Merchandise or Wives God of their Love Heaven of their Souls deprives CXIX But this unto mens selves is no right love But hatred rather it may well be stil'd Beause their hearts from God it doth remove And their souls are thereby of life beguil'd A man's soul is himself who that neglects Himself doth hate what ever he respects CXX It 's something else that men do love indeed In this false self love it 's a self of sin Which did from Sathan at the first proceed And at this motion Adam first let in Sin so in man dwells and 's with him so one That is as a man's self is oft spoke on CXXI Thence we are bid our members on the Earth To mortifie when he that bids us so Uncleanness fornication lawless mirth Therein forbids and what may us undo It 's this indeed that man so likes and loves And it 's the love of this that God reproves CXXII The true love to our selves it is imply'd In that which God requires of us as that The Lord we seek love serve his will abide With patience love our neighbours all ill hate Himself he truly loves who doth indeavour For what his soul will happy make for ever CXXIII He that regardeth not God's holy Word To hear and learn and carefully obey Who seeketh not to know and have the Lord His Father friend his comfort help and stay Who hates his neighbours and doth love his lust Loves not himself but 's to himself unjust CXXIV He that doth truly love himself doth take The course that tends directly to his good Doth seek to know it doth inquiry make For it not resting till 't is understood Above his sense and body loves his soul And whatsoere would harme it doth controule CXXV Who loves himself indeed doth hate all sin In love to Christ his lust he will deny Will walk in all good ways the World to win Would not offend God or men injury Commits himself to God on him doth stay And from his holy fear turns not away CXXVI Thus if this posie thou do'st understand Thou mayst do well to bear it in thy mind Yea did'st thou wear it then upon thine hand And practise it thou thence much good might'st find Love not thy lusts the world or worldly pelf But love God love thy neighbour love thy self CXXVII But if God thou neglect'st to love and for True love to others and thy self do'st place Some blind affections to their friendship or Their proper stature fair or comely face Which being of the flesh though green and fair They now do seem but grass and flowers are CXXVIII Or if thou thine own wit and parts adoring Thy will thy pleasures beauty strength or ways Or with thine own invention go'st a whoring Or dot'st on thine own honour name or praise Or any like affection in the stead Of true love placing do'st this posie read CXXIX Then thou this posie do'st not well apply Nor need'st such iterations to incite Thy love but rather need'st that to deny Then to foment because thy love 's not right Love not love not love not well may we say When ours or other mens affections stray CXXX Love not the World nor things thereof so saith The holy Ghost from fleshly lusts abstain They fight against our souls lead from the faith Deprive us of all good and make us vain Lord all unlawful love purge out of me And make me love my self my neighbours Thee Another POSIE O. M. W. R. God first doth try then satisfie I. HOW wondrous are God's ways He is most worthy praise His counsels all are very deeply laid The fool can't in his mind His methods see or find Who of his judgments may not be afraid Through Seas and Wilderness his ways lie Yet when he hath try'd he doth satisfie II. His works are so i' th' dark To us who can them mark Till he doth bring them forth unto the light Though he i' th' dark begin Yet doth he never lin Till by his lustre he dispel the night Then they who fear'd and sorrow'd may espy How much they err'd and praise him heartily III. This is that way of God With all his Saints oft trod As at the first light out of darkness sprung So through much darkness he Hath made his people see The light of life where-through thy oft have sung Christ fills his vessels first with water and Then waters turns to wine by his command IV. And this he doth that so He might make us forgo Those lusts and Idols whereunto we cleave And those sins mortifie Which else would make us dye He proves whether for him we them will leave And may we not when try'd as dross be found God will us save and our joys shall abound V. God tryed Abraham When out of Vr he came From 's kindred and his country made to go But yet he did him save And better lands he gave Then that was which he call'd brought him fro An heavenly country he before him set Which caus'd his
worshippers from death Either of body or of soul though they Did do their service to them every day Dead fouls with dead things suit the living God Who quickens what is dead and with his rod Corrects the Nations living things likes best Even living groans of an inspired brest The World such living service can't perform It hates the pow'r and only likes a Form Of Godliness which they may leave or take Use or lay by as for their turn 't doth make Mistake me not herein as if I thought Or else intended to judge all pray'rs naught That are taught by a Book or as if none Might pray acceptably who pray thereon It is the Worlds bad guise I here reprove Who serve God with pretences their sins love Which many too may do that pray without A Book and so too many do no doubt Delight themselves in their own gifts and parts While yet their lusts they love with all their hearts Witness the pride or avarice of some Who yet as Saints into God's presence come I know a Book that service may hold forth Which God requires and shews to be of worth And so each sacred Bible doth declare What worship God requires of praise and pray'r Or other ways of service but no ground Of any such distinction so is found As if some Bibles did not shew the way How we should serve God and unto him pray I do suppose it was some other thing That you did signifie in your saying Likely those Form's of Pray'r you meant thereby That are injoyned by Authority If so pray know that I the words of them Do not except against much less condemn The Prayers are pithy Orthodox and good More gen'rally if rightly understood And such as whereto I Amen can say Heartily when with them I hear men pray And so may others too I think although Some few things there among scruple I do Unto the pure all things are pure and good But that must warily be understood For what I am not satisfied in I cannot say I am without my sin Nor would I thereby stain my Conscience Or unto others give cause of offence But why you Sir those Prayers the Service call I can't well tell nor much inquire it shall I call them not my Service they that do May lay them on the Altar I think so They might be off'red up although they there Should lye untouch't or unread all the year As a sum of the Churches pray'rs and praise And so less grief to some men they would raise And they the same are and as pithy too Though never read as when men read them do Though I the reading of them too allow To such as please if any would them know Or in those words would their desires express I can mine sometimes too with readiness Though I profess I ne'r could find it yet In any passage of the holy writ That God requires or holy men did use To read their pray'rs to God but pray excuse That passage in me I leave others free Let others leave me so and we agree Sententious Verses of an unknown Author COnfession is to cure our sin A very present Medicine Thy Saviour on his Cross did choose To save thy life his own to loose Our Saviour cry'd Repent Repent As John who fore our Saviour went Blessed be the Name of Jesus Who tormented was to ease us The grace of Jesus is to me The only true felicity Christ's Cross my Crown I do esteem What ever earthy men do deem My hope in Christ is fixed sure Who wounded was my wounds to cure My hope shall never be confounded Because my hope on Christ is grounded My soul cleave fast to Christ above For nought on earth deserves thy love Fear not my soul be not dismaid For Jesus Christ thy debts hath paid The Death of Christ is life to thee If thou a Christian truly be Faith is not faith unless it be A faith that works by charity Christ is by marriage knit to thee If thou to him by Sanctity Admire my soul the mystery Of Jesus Christ's nativity Christ was conceiv'd i' th' Virgins womb That thou might'st a Son of God become Christ unto thee if thou be his Both light and food and Medicine is If thou polluted art with sin The fountain's open enter in He that doth eat and drink by â—aith Christ's flesh and blood salvation hath Be wise do not too far inquire For what thou rather shouldst admire Christ is ascended up on high And we must up as Eagles flie God sealeth by his holy Spirit As many as shall life inherit Great is the Churches dignity That chosen is Christ's spouse to be In Christ we are of God elect What 's out of Christ God doth reject Our prayers do pierce the starry sky And fetch down blessings from on high The Angels of the Lord protect All those that are the Lord 's elect The Devils treacheries who knows A thousand ways he seeks our woes He 's only wise who God doth know And doth by life his knowledge show To live it is not but to dye To live in sin securely Christ's life must be a Rule to thee If Christ's Disciple thou wilt be Thou from thy self must first depart Before thou can'st in Christ have part Thy soul can nothing satiate But God who did the same create Labour to have thy conscience pure When all things fail that will endure What is a bubble such is man Whose life in length is but a span The man that Covets is but poor Although he riches have great store The sign by which the Saints we know It is by love their faith to show The soul that chaste is is Christ's Spouse His bed of rest his lodging house The life of man's a rolling stone Mov'd to and fro and quickly gone Love not the World the World is vain But love the things that will remain The Palme-tree grows the more prest down And crosses prove the Churches crown Take up thy cross and it endure Then of a crown thou shalt be sure Let not tentations cast thee down For perseverance will thee crown Think every day to be thy last And when that 's come thy life is past Grieve not when Christian friends do dye They gain by Death eternity Remember that Christ Jesus shall Thoughts words and deeds to judgment call All earthly things tread under thee And let thy thoughts in Heaven be The Saints are Pilgrims here below And towards Heaven their country go If thou beest here a child of grace ' Mongst Angels thou shalt have a place If into Hell thou would'st not fall Think dayly on 't and mind God's call The pains of Hell do far extend Beyond all time World without end Doth Adam dye Christ in thee live Christ shall eternal life thee give Upon the carelesness and covetousness of some that regard not to Read much-less are willing to buy good and useful Books and the wickedness of others that traduce them
them all doth take Into a nearer union and doth make An everlasting Covenant with them Their sins to pardon their souls not condemn He 'll be their God and guide their portion great Their Head and Husband they with him shall eat And drink and rest and dwell and see his face He will them dearly love He 'll them embrace He 'll kiss them satisfie their souls with good He 'll over flow them with a mighty flood Of peace and happiness and they remain Shall ever with him ever with him reign The Soul of Man like to a female is Anima f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And its desire is strongly after bliss And to some other thing as to its male It doth subject it self for it would fail If left alone as by it self to dwell For then it doth sink down to death and Hell And many things there are like Males to it To which it turns it self seeking to get From them its pleasure and subsistance and Subjects it self too unto their command The World or Spirit of it Mundus m. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that magnifies The things below and such vertue as lies In them that courts the soul which nat'rally Since it from God is fallen sets its eye Vpon its pleasures pomps riches and fare And what the objects of its senses are To this it turns it self to this it flies On this for peace and safety it relies For this it lusts and its imbraces wishes Opens it self thereto likes well its kisses In it delights and to it it self yields Desires its gifts of Money Houses Fields What ere may please it and protection give And make it in good plight and rank to live But this World 's empty fading false and vain And if the Soul match to 't 't will prove its bane The Wicked one even the soul spirit Diabolus m. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that sets The heart on Mischeif when He therein gets Possession stirs up unto strife debate Oppression violence pride envy hate He courts the Soul too and it s oft beguil'd By him and with those wicked seed's defil'd Conceiting sweetness oft in any thing Which unto other men may mischief bring A Spirit of error and false Prophecy Is He ofttimes to Heaven but by a lye Pretending and in divers shapes appears And some great how and port He often bears As if he came from Heaven and led thereto Yea usually the name of Christ also He can assume though 't is but in deceit Th' unwary Soul the easlier to cheat For He doth always turn the Soul away From the true Christ who down his life did lay For our offences and from that good word Th' Apostles preach't and what it doth afford Not singly leading it to Christ that He Its Lord and Saviour in all things might be On him to trust his counsells to observe But to some fancy leadeth it to swerve Or else some other work law power or name Doth joyn with Christ Adultery with the same Leading the Soul to practise whereby it Misseth Christ's blessing and his wrath doth get For Christ indeed the only one is Chirstus m. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who Hath power received from God the Soul to woo And He alone that for the Soul hath done And that can and will do for it that none Besides him could or can and therefore He Alone its Bridegroom worthy is to be He all things hath that may the Soul enrich Content and cherish He from all things which May danger it will safely it defend And bring it to an happy glorious end But naturally the Soul doth not Him know Nor what a one He is but looks below To things unto its senses manifest Thinking in their enjoyments to be blest And if it see a need of any thing Beside to after-Bliss it for to bring Then usually it plays the wanton whore Some form of godliness it will adore Wherein the World and Devil too it may Have fellowship withal and with them play And sport it self and yet be godly too And some fine easie outside service do Or if some stricter course it yields to take As it can be at cost and pains to make It self a graven Image as of old The Israelites to make a Calf of Gold Would with their Jewels part its the design While with the Spirit of error 't doth combine To be its own Redeemer or to get A righteousness or Name wherewith commit Adultery it may for oft with more Than one false Spirit the Soul doth play the Whore But only Christ is worthy it to have Who from the Heavens descended it to save From Sin and Death and pow'r hath all to give Which may make Soul and Body both to live And He by 's Word and Spirit and those in whom These are and work unto mens Souls doth come Inviting them to him but not that He With other things only should partner be In their affections and their worships but That all things else from the heart being shut He might alone the Sovereign power obtain It to command and over it to reign That it to him its love and confidence May singly give in the belief and sense Of his great worth and goodness and submit In all things to his wise dispose of it The Spirit of Wisdom which comes from on high And doth of Christ and his things testifie And into their hearts who have him received Inspired hath the Truth to be believed And by them wrought such miracles as none Besides them in the World have ever done He calls men unto Christ his voice is Come To Christ for Righteousness and for Wisdom For Pardon Peace for Strength for Holiness For Freedom from all evil for all bliss The Church or Spouse the Bride of Christ who knows And singly to him cleaves she him forth shows And not her self as the false Church she wooes For him alone Yea every one his voice That hears and in his goodness doth rejoyce Is both allow'd and bid to call men to This Blessed one and them for him to woo It 's only the false Church that magnifies Her self and hides his glory from mens eyes Oh come ye come ye then to Christ I pray Come all that thirst all that want help and stay Support life comfort guidance righteousness And what may satisfie the Soul with bless All that are heavy laden and opprest Come unto Christ and He will give you rest Come come here is a Fountain open set Exposed to you all whence you may get Freely what good you want Here 's what will make You fully happy Come these waters take Here 's no restraint ye may all come and buy Wine water milk without price or Money Only let go your lusts your Idols and What with the love of Jesus will not stand Part with your sloth with diligence attend At all his posts and pillars in the end Ye shall him find and whatsoere ye want That is good for you
for me Except it be in that more doleful sense So as men do when they use penitence But if it be well minded for to woo In the more pleasant sense agrees well too With my profession for what other is A Preacher who doth Christ set forth with his Excellencies and men to him do call But such a wooer and such wooers all Right Preachers be what else have I been doing All the time I have Preacht but been so wooing If any thing beside almost a miss I did which matter of Repentance is Which I am sorry for that I have not So lov'd the Bridegroom as I ought nor got So many Souls to him espoused as I might have done since I a Preacher was For my neglects wherein He justly may Have ord'red to me as at this day That such things were impos'd by those on High As did occasion my laying by Wherein his goodness too I do adore In that He since as well as heretofore Hath me supply'd and kept with such content And safety as I don 't at all repent My loss of honour or estate or ought That of advancement my Church living brought Oh that my heart to him were more upright So as in him to take my whole delight And more to give my self to do his will And as I may my ministry fulfil Trusting him with my self to do with Me Whatever pleasing unto him shall be While I his work do obey his command He can me save because He in his hand Hath all both things and persons and can do What ever his Wisdom directs him to However let his will be done for it Is good and to it I submit Only I crave his mercy wherein I May any thing herein that is too high For me have written or if ought there be Therein contained which his eye doth see To be amiss in manner or in matter For I do not my self so vainly flatter As to conceive I so divinely write As nothing may be therein but what 's right Or at the least that as it came from me Hath nothing whereby it defil'd may be That I his glorious person personate And introduce as one that doth relate The doleful waylings of the damned throngs Or represent the just's melodious songs And great rejoycings when on sentence past They shall possess those dooms that ay shall last Therein I pardon crave if any thing There 's therein found that is unbefilting His greatness or their glory what I writ Therein was for my exercise as fit I did conceive those things that are to come To contemplate both good and bad mens doom Endeavouring to express them as may well Consist with what thereof the Scriptures tell And unto others so them to present As might them best awaken to repent And that such as are just may still be so And never may the ways of truth forgo And much refreshing it unto me brought While I unto those things my mind and thought Did exercise nor hath there any time Befallen me wherein to verse and rime I found my self disposed more for though I My Living parted with then yet thereby My Conscience I kept free from what would Have more disturb'd my mind had I made bold To act above its liberty for then Though I more elbow room might amongst men Have had and some more money in my purse Yet I was fearful that my soul much worse Would then have been at ease which now hath not It to disquiet upon it this blot That I for living sake did that profess Which I conceived not to be blameless Not that I do condemn what they above Have judged needfull or well to behove For future peace or that I fault all those Who with what I did scruple at do close To their own Master they must stand or fall By whom at last we must be judged all But I no cause find to repent that I Fear'd to offend the Lord but quietly Bearing my cross and burthen to be glad I was preserv'd from what I judged bad As for this Treatise what 's therein to Thee Who read'st it I leave censured to be Read and Consider it no more I say But only God to thee it bless I pray J. M. A Commendatory Epistle to the Reader Written by a lover of the Reverend and Judicious Author of this BOOK ALthought this Poem doth not stand in need Of my poor Commendations which indeed Are of small value since I am and seem One of so little Learning or Esteem That small regard or credit given will be To ought that is expressed here by me Touching his Book which is not Mean nor Weak But fully able for it self to Speak And to command Respect in spight of them That shall the same through prejudice contemn Yea to convince or put to silence Those Who shall presume or dare it to oppose All which might be as Reasons why I should My hand and pen from this employment hold Yet notwithstanding when I did peruse That Heavenly Dialogue which here ensues And is the subject of this following Tract Observing too how well it was compact And firmly built upon God's Holy Word With which the substance of it doth accord Giving the Reader much good help and light The Scriptures for to understand aright In those most weighty and important things Which to the Soul most good and profit brings Clearing away those Fogs and Mists which rise To cloud and hide Christ's beauty from our Eyes Whose kindness goodness love and loveliness Incomparably he doth here express And his good-will to us so far imparts As well might make our hard and frozen hearts Melt into Tears and willingly embrace Our dear Redeemer's proffered love and grace Which is most rich and free as doth appear And is as richly represented here I also heeding how industriously He labour's and indeavour's to unty And break those snares the World and Devil makes To hold us Pris'ners and what pains he takes To set us free and earnestly doth strive Our much deluded Soul 's to undeceive And also with what Scriptural replies He answers all those Reas'nings which arise In our vain carnal Atheistick heart As causes why we are so loth to part With our false lovers and our selves betake To Christ who only can us happy make Declaring how absurd and reasonless It is for men to seek their happiness In ways which do so much debase the Soul Namely to live as Beasts without controule Only to feed their sensual appetites With worldly sensual perishing delights And how he by plain reason overthrows The Atheistick Principles of those Vain foolish Worldlings who in heart deny The Power and Providence of the Most High Who Made and Rules the World and will likewise Most certainly cause all the Dead to Rise And come to Judgment At that dreadful Day When Christ most infinitely will repay His friends and foes far otherwise then here They ever in this World repayed were A glimpse of which Reward and Punishment He
vile As make it their great business to beguile Unstable Souls leaving them in the lurch To perish in contempt of God and 's Church Or those who God blasphem and thereby draw Upon themselves the sentence of the law To be expos'd to ignominious shame And unto after ages bear the Name Of some seditious Traytor Heretick Blasphemer Schismatick or some such like And in the mean time for sometime to lye In some vile prison and at length to dye Upon a rack or gibbet at a stake Or some such vile accursed end to make That by such ways conformable to me To whom such things befel made thou might'st be They therefore thee advise my company And my instructions totally to fly As tending to thy ruine and t' imbrace Their better counsels utterly deface The Image of my words out of thy mind That so thou pleasure all thy days may'st find Oh! see say they the glory and the wealth The sweet delights and pleasures both by stealth And openly which those brave men injoy Who turn their backs of God nought doth annoy Their calmer life they quietly do sail On fortunes streams with what a prosperous gale Of popular applause and smoothest ayr Of most respective language void of care Of melancholly dumps of faces sowre Of nipping blasts which make the Soul to lowre Of scorns and scoffs reproaches and derisions Of persecutions nicknames as precisians Roundheads or Puritans or Sectaries Or such like names as witty men devise To brand my followers with as they did use My well deserving person to abuse When I in weakness amongst men did dwell Oft they me Devil call'd for doing well Or a Samaritane or misbeliever Or glutton wine-bibber or a deceiver Beware of them for upon thee they 'll throng Thee to inchant with their bewitching song Canto II. Temptation Your adversary the Devil goeth about like a roaring Lyon c. 1 Pet. 5.8 See that ye walk circumspectly Ephes 5.16 The Soul consid'ring what is said Is somewhat chear'd but yet afraid To entertain the motion made And while loath to part with its lusts Flesh World and Devil on it thrusts To blow 't away with their strong gusts Presenting baits of diverse forts Whereof each one to sin exhorts Christ warns of them and gives supports Himself and Minister declare What falshoods in their speeches are And how they seek the Soul to snare God's Being and his Providence And divers other things from thence The Soul against its foes to fence They diversly to it do clear And that all 's judgment is not here And so the Canto breaks off there Man Come Soul what thinkst thou of what thou hast heard Soul The tidings I confess my heart have chear'd For now I see there 's hope I may be saved Though hitherto I much have misbehaved My self in divers ways though yet I fear Least all should not be true in what I hear Can God so much good mean me or if so I know not how my pleasure to forgo Which I in other objects oft have found But hark me thinks I hear another sound Flesh World and Devil all rush in Strongly inticing still to sin Hark hither Soul do not those pratlers hear For they all happiness from thee will tear Listen to us we are thy friends and tell To thee the way wherein thou mayst do well Seest thou not plainly those wise men who are The Worlds profest adorers and take care Of no Religion further then may stand With the professed Laws of every Land And hath an humane stamp upon it set Whereby it publick countenance doth get And is attended with the friendly love Or those in every age which are above How they besides the Rocks of Shipwrack ride And sail securely both with Wind and Tide They know not what the prison bands do mean Nor are they in those places often seen They weaken not their strength by taking care Least they should fall into the Devils snare Or sin against the Lord or else by keeping God's ways or by temptations fasting weeping But their strength doth abide they quietly Do pass their days in wealth until they dye Such troubles as those godly ones sustain They prove not neither feel they any pain But what 's to nature common they 'll be sure For Conscience toward God they 'll naught indure And yet they serve God well enough for He Doth give them good success as all may see Their eyes with fatness often out do stand What their heart wishes for with bounteous hand He gives them for they live and become old They get great pow'r they Silver have and Gold Houses and Lands and plenty of all things That either Earth or Sea unto men brings They children do beget a prosp'rous breed Often they see that doth from them proceed Their Houses and their Families are sure And free from fear for why they dwell secure And they be freer from the angry rod Of God then they that talk so much of God And careful are his favour to obtain They have less losses sickness grief or pain Their Bull doth gender and he doth not miss Their Cow doth calve and not abortive is Their Corn and Cattel thrive and they send out Their little ones who dance and play about They take the Timbrel and melodious Harp Joy in the Organs sound nothing that 's sharp Or bitter them befals in mirth they spend Their days and when they dye like Lambs they end Thou fool seest thou not plainly with thine eyes That these Men are no fools but truly wise Wilt thou be singular and tread a path Which but few walkers in it always hath That 's full of difficulties hard to find Hath many cross turns in 't about doth wind Is full of Bryers and of pricking Thorns Beset with Lyons Bears and Unicorns Dogs Wolves and Tygers Serpents Dragons fell Where Poverty Reproach Disgrace do dwell Who would his safety for such dangers sell Is it not better that thou keep the road And walk with company in a way broad And smooth and pleasant strew'd with flowers sweet Where thou shalt have innumerable feet Of Kings and Counsellors Learned and Wise Of Polititians and of such as rise Unto the top of honour low and high Both rich and poor the generallity Of all estates degrees and all Languages Of Nations Families both graver Sages And younger Sparks where thou shalt never want Such men as in thy way will thee warrant Oh wilt thou foolishly such a way balk In a wild howling wilderness to walk Where few have wandred in a path untrod Under pretence of worshipping their God After his own mind where except a few Which this Worlds greatness and breeding near knew Nor were up in a way of Learning train'd Nor by fames trumpet ever have obtain'd To be emblazon'd with men of renown Or rank't amongst the worthies who the crown Have worn upon their Temples which she uses To give her favourites by the nine Muses Scarce any 's found
Whose greatest riches is a suite of cloaths Min. For though the righteous God his judgments now Both on the good and on the bad doth show Yet they are but a small part of that Doom Which shall at length to either of them come A little demonstration of a Judge And of a judgment which shall them that grudge Against Gods Being and his Providence Which both of good and bad hath perfect sense Wholly confute and strike into silence A Judge who judgment too doth execute According to mens doings and their fruit But yet that all the Judgments doth not here Pass upon Good or Bad may hence appear Firstly for that all those who wicked be And whose great wickedness all men may see Receive not here condigne punishment For their offences but oft having spent Their times in vanity the poor oppressing And widdows of their rights too dispossessing Contemning God yea who blasphem'd his Name Women and Maids defil'd and in the same Have gloryed and many other crimes Have perpetrated yet such oftentimes Are taken hence with no such stroke as may It evidence that God on them doth lay The punishment of their offences great But they dye quietly in their own seat Even as that gluttonous rich man who far'd Deliciously each day and never spar'd To satisfie his lusts but yet the poor Suff'red to lye neglected at his door Even he his days in pleasures spent and when His time was come to dye like other men He died and was buried in great state So as men could not therein see Gods hate Can it be thought the righteous Judge of all Will suffer those whom he doth wicked call And against whom his wrath 's upon record To scape unpunished and break his word Will he be partial punish but a few The greatest part dispense with of that crue No verily There is a time to come When every wicked man shall have his doom Again when every wilful breach of law Doth dreadful punishments upon men draw Who so offend and are impenitent Can it be judg'd to be sufficient For millions of such sins that one such stroke Should take away the sinners who provoke God every day to strike shall such an end As something of just vengeance doth portend Not very much beyond the common fate Which all mankind abides be for the hate Of God and goodness which they always bear From day to day yea oftimes many a year Full recompence for how much greater pain Did Pharoah when drown'd in the Sea sustain Or Haman when he was hang'd up on high Then is the common pain of all that dye There was some publike shame and sodainness And some such violence as might express A righteous hand of God but yet the same Occurrences of violence and shame Are but what men by their laws oftentimes Do judge men to for some such hainous crimes As treason and rebellion against them And shall such persons as do God contemn Sustain no greater punishment then they Deserve who mortal men but disobey Nay verily but as God greater is Then greatest men so they who do amiss Against his law and government shall such Great punishments sustain as do as much Exceed the punishments from men as he Exceeds them in his power and high degree And what befals them now is far from all The punishment that shall upon them fall Besides though they who serve God find supports In their afflictions and have great comforts From him when they are persecuted for His name and truth confessed by them or For tryal of their faith or for increase Of virtue or to cause that they may cease From what offends him though they do sustain Much trouble and affliction grief and pain And though ofttimes he signally them save From greatest dangers yet they sure shall have Far greater things then those a recompence Beyond what here they have for they go hence Ofttimes with great reproaches crosses shame And dye reputed worthy of great blame Yea are cut off by cruel Death because They durst not violate Gods holy laws Can it be thought that that great God whom they So constantly through so great griefs obey Will not their service and their love regard So as the same openly to reward With such rewards as with his greatness suite And may to all eternity confute His enemies that do blaspheme his Name And put his service to rebuke and shame Yes verily as his with patience Bear greatest troubles with great confidence Of an after reward sufficient To recompence the blood which they have spent And all that they have parted with and born For his Names sake a Crown that shall be worn By them to all eternity a Crown Of heavenly glory eternal renown A recompence beyond the thoughts of man Yea such as no Angel express it can They shall receive from him who notice takes Of all their suff'rings and inquiry makes After their blood He 'll not their hope deceive But give them even beyond what they believe Christ Know then dear Soul that there 's another day A time when Heaven and Earth shall flee away When God shall judge the World in righteousness And give to them who here his truth confess Unspeakable rewards and the unjust Into eternal fire and torments thrust Unto which purpose I who was abas't And suffer'd so great things for to lay waste The pow'r and kingdom of the enemy And for the sakes of sinful men did dye And being raised up went up on high And am set down in royal Majesty On Gods right hand shall in great glory come To execute the judgment and the doom Of my eternal Father and to give Rewards to men according as they live Those who with hate repay me I 'll destroy And fill my lovers with eternal joy And who so fit as I man's Judge to be Who am both God and Man and all things see In God and Man Being Gods glorious Word Made of man Flesh and am made sovereign Lord Of Men and Angels and do fully know What God hath done for man what man doth owe To God again Man may be sure I will Not undeservedly him destroy or kill Seeing I his most loving Saviour am Who him to save down from my Father came Yea into Death and Hell went down that I Might thence redeem man and lâ—ft him on high Nor can I be unrighteous both for that I 'm one with God and all unright things hate And 't was unrighteousness for to destroy That I appear'd in righteousness I joy Yea 't is a just reward that I who were Unjustly judged and condemned here Should be exalted to that glorious height To sit as Judge of what is wrong what right And judge my Judges yea since I thereby The power have to forgive sins who as I So fit to judge To which in Gods season I shall appear in glory on the Throne With honour and with Majesty bedeckt When all before me without all respect Of persons I shall
hard that if I do Him chuse and after his advises go How shall I live for I have heard that He Hath told his followers that they shall be Hated of all men and shall troubles find The world will perfecute oppress and grinde Them all to pieâ—es How then shall I live Or what can comfort in such cases give Besides I many things for this Life want A Wife or Husband Riches Honour shan't I first look after these and have a care I don't deprive my self of things that are Most reedful for me here I hope I may First seek these things for my support and stay And afterwards seek after God and find him But till I have those things I cannot mind him Man But mind my Soul what He who doth thee love And suits thee sâ—â—ll-hereto it doth behove Thee well to weigh whither against these things He any Antidote sufficient brings Lord cause my Soul to understand and know What to such fears and cares thou dost us show Chr. Dear Soul confider me life up thine eye From what 's about thee there and see what I Am and have done for thee and then mind well What to assure thee of welfare I tell I am the WONDERFUL and wondrous things I have effected whereof the World rings Such as none else besided the i◠〈…〉 Both God and Man hypostatically Or in one person The Immanuel God so in me as in none else doth dwell Such things I 've done and do as none else did My worth and name though much dâ—â— ar'd is hid So that it cannot all seen or known be None but my Father fully knoweth the. I am the Counsellor with me is skill And Wisedom how to manage what I will I know what things have been what are and shall Hereafter unto any man befall I know thy mold and temper what thou art And what thou want'st whither what 's sweet or tart Be better for thee what is in thy mind And wherein thou felicity mayst find What or who are against thee who befriend thee What may indanger thee and what may mend thee How Harm thon may'st incur and how avoid it What this or that would be if thou injoy'd it There 's nothing hid from me I I can tell How to dispose of Thee and thy things well And I 'm so good and faithful that nothing I will advise Thee but what good may bring I am the MIGHTY GOD all power I have To order and dispose to kill or save None greater is than I because in me All fulness of the Godhead dwells and he With all his power and glory doth me fill So that I can do what soer'e I will My Fathers will is mine and mine is his But one will only in us both there is And I can execute it all with ease Because I can do whatsoer'e I please All power in Heaven and upon earth is mine I can make all things together combine To bring about my purpose Angels men Yea and infernal spirits I can when And as I please make use of and imploy To bring about thy sorrow or thy joy For I 'm th' ALL-MIGHTY GOD and I can do Whatever I do purpose there is no Thing to be done or word that I do say But I can do it too and in what way I please whither with many or with few With means or without means I can renew The heart though it be foul 〈◊〉 and rain And I can raise thy â—â—dy up again When dead and turn'd to dust and rottenness I can do all things my power is boundless And I 'm the LORD of Hosts all things below 〈◊〉 Be put and do their best obedience owe me All that my Father hath is mine and I Invested am with full authority Over all things the earth is mine and all That is therein and I can for them call And use them and imploy them as I will Even the whole World what heav'n Earth and Seas sill And I the Everlasting Father am Though as a Child into the World I came Born of a Woman given a Son to be To mankind â— comfort unto them and Thee That I might bring yet from Eternity I was brought forth and liv'd in great Glory Yea on me now the Goverment as made A Child and Son for man is wholly laid And both for ancientness wisdome and care To see and to provide for thy welfate I may a Father from of old be stild And Thou on me depend mayst as a Child For I 'm the Faithful God th' Amen am Who never fails my friend not tell a ly But speak in righteousness and am upright And Truth and Uprightness are my delight Falshood and lies I perfectly do hate Deceit and wickedness abominate There 's nothing wreathed or perverse from Me. No guile defiles my heart no flattene Proceedeth from my lips what 〈◊〉 I say For just and true all men believe it may I 'm full of goodness and of mercy too I 'm Love it self and all in Love I doe To those that listen to me all my ways Are Truth and Mercy every one doth praise Me and my works and doings who me know And all my Saints my worthiness do show For I 'm the PRINCE of PFACE too by my blood I took away what against mankind stood To keep him out from God fin law and death And I create Peace by my holy Breath What ever is mans trouble or his sear If he 'll obey me I his heart will chear I will dispel his dumps errours mistakes And what annoys my powerful word it makes Peace and gives quiet I the floods controul And I with goodness satisfie the Soul My works declare my Name they clearly shew My wisdom Greatness Goodness that I 'm true And kind and loving See what I for Thee And all have done Let my works speak for me I for mans sake and for thy cause came down From Heaven laid by my Royal Râ—bes and Crown Was made a man yea poor and full of grief Sustain'd your curse and death that so relief To thee and mankind I thereby might bring Oh many griefs and agonies did wring And pierce my Spotless soul I passed through Many temptations way both smooth and rough To Grave and Hell that so I might obtain Freedom there from for youâ— I rose again And up to Heaven ascended there to be With and from God a SAVIOUR unto Thee There I appear for the an HIGHPRIEST great To intercede for mercy and intreat Gods favour towards thee thy sins to cover And to obtain that God may pass them over A Merciful High-Priest who mercy can Shew forth and exercise to sinful man Tender his weakness and conpassionate Those that are in a poor afflicted State Yea I did therefore suffer and did prove Many temptations is it did behove That so the tempted and the miserable To succour and relieve I might be aâ—le All which of my mere merey did proceed For of mankind I had at all no need
grave And I can give those things in mercy too And unto them that fear me often do Or if I do those things deny unto them By those denyals greater good I do them For it is in my power to blast or bless I can do what I will bee 't more or less Yea if all things thou hast to thy desire And hast not mee they 'l fit thee more for fire Even for that endless misery which shall On all such as rebell against me fall And therefore it s thy best to follow me Walking in my good paths for so I thee Will care for and will guide in all thy ways To do the thing which shall tend to my praise And to thy profit I to thee will give What shall be for thy good while thou dost live And fit thee for the world to come also That into life eternal thou mayst go Seek then my favour first to Godliness Addict thy self for that the promises Of both lives hath both this and that to come So that thou may'st most certainly me from Expect all good for both Be thou upright I 'le be thy Sun and Sheiâ—d I 'le give thee Light And I 'le defend thee too I 'le chear and warm thee And keep thee in my ways from what might harm thee Both grace and glory I will give nothing Shall be witholden from thee that may bring Advantage to thee and conduce unto Thy having that great bless to which I woo Give up thy self to me and so I will Thy wishes and thy prayers all fulfill So far as is good for thee and nought shall That may be prejudicial thee befall If with bad Wife or Husband I thee try Ill Neighbors losses or with poverty I 'le turn those waters of afflictions too Into the Wine of comfort I will do All for thy good thou shalt not need to fear That I will harm thee if thou wilt me hear Deny thy self and lusts yield up to me And my salvation thou shalt surely see In stead of what thou lustest after I Will give thee what is good assuredly Better a little with my love then more With my displeasure hear thou me therefore In me put all thy trust and do what 's good Thou then shalt surely have both house and food Delight thy self in me I 'le satisfy Thy soul with good and all thy needs supply Commit thy way to me wholly depend Upon me and I 'le always thee defend And bring thee to great glory in the end Canto VII Or the closing Canto I will say of the Lord he is my Rock my Fortress my God in him I will trust Ps 91.2 The Soul approves what 's said yet adds Some other fears and what yet sadds But in his answers Christ it glads The difficulties in the way How eas'ly it may go astray How its corruptions do it sway These be its fears But Christ replies What helps against all those fears lies In him and what his grace supplies The Soul prevail'd with at the last Complies with Christ on him doth cast It self and praises him full fast Prays for his further favour He Accepts it and most willingly Receives it his Consort to be Yet tells it that he must it try That so He may it purify Before the full solemnity The Soul submits only do'h pray His love and help in all his Way And then to hast the Marriage day Soul LORD I have heard thy words and they be good So far as yet I have them understood By which I also verily believe That they much better be than I conceive But there 's another thought yet in my brest Which hath me oft times with sad fears opprest The things which thou requir'st and call'st me to Are very difficult for we to do The way is narrow and I quickly may Step out of it aside and go astray Yea there so many false pretenders be Which take thy name and come in stead of thee And I so weak and foolish am that I May easily be cheated with a ly And take it for thy truth I hear the gate Which leadeth unto life is very straight I must deny my self mine own right eye Where it offends pluck out and cast it by Cut off my right hand or right foot when they Prove an occasion that I go astray Yea thou so pure and holy art thou dost Require of me to part with every lust A God thou art of eyes so clear and pure That no iniquity thou canst indure But on the other side I am so bad That on my lusts and Idols oft I 'm mad My lasts do stick so to me that they are As dear or dearer then my life I care Not it to hazzard sometimes them to spare I am so weak I cannot go the way Wherein such difficulties find I may Yea I am dead in sins dead to all good How can I serve thee then against a flood Of violent assaults of sin and Devil And world on all hands tempting me to evil Thou say'st thou loving art and just and wise Wilt thou require impossibilities Chr. Be not discourag'd Soul though weak thou be And sinful too there 's help enough in me Though straight the gate though narrow be the way Fear not for yet through me enter thou may My power is seen in weakness 't is my praise Even sinful souls to save the dead to raise It is a true and faithful saying and Worthy to be receiv'd on every hand That I into the world did therefore come That I might sinners save the chief of whom I oft have saved too my glory lies In doing of impossibilities Such things as be beyond the strength of man And Angels too and none but I do can For sinners and for dead men I did dy And over sin and death the victory I have obtain'd and now I am become A quickning Spirit I raise the dead the dumb I make to speak the deaf I make to hear Blind men to see the timerous not to fear I am the chosen one my God upheld me In all my agonies and now hath fild me With all the fulness of the Spirit which He Hath caus'd for evermore to rest on me Because he hath appointed me that I Should in his Soveraign Authority And power unto the Gentiles void of skill And judgment to discern and do his will Judgment bring forth and cause them to discern His excellencies and his ways to learn That all his pleasure I might do and 't is His will that my beholders I should bliss That who submits to me should never perish But I should evermore him love and cherish Work all his works in and for him till I Make him compleat and save him perfectly And I am faithful I do never fail I 'm not faint hearted nothing shall me quail Nought me discourage which in him I find Of death or weakness who my words doth mind Such a Physician I am as can cure The sickest patient and can endure To bear their
are In God and so agreeing None 's so fair XXXVIII Behold his lively image Chirst our Lord Where God himself unto us doth present He 's white and ruddy his face doth afford What ever may our souls like and content Power wisdom greatness riches glory grace And all that suits our wants dwells in his face XXXIX What ever we can wish desire or crave That may promote our hearts content or ease In God we may behold it and it have Yea so as perfectly our hearts to please When healed so as we can see aright All beauty 's far below his glory bright XL. If love and bounty may challenge as due Affection from us He the first is there God loves so and his favours old and new Are such as none like them there ever were We nothing have that 's good but He it gave us We no ill scape but He therefrom doth save us XLI Oh who God's love and goodness can set forth Who can his benefits justly repeat Their number 's numberless and such their worth As cannot be exprest it is so great Behind before about us look we round Above beneath we see his love abound XLII Where shall we first begin where make an end If with the world's beginning that 's too late Before the World God did us good intend Sure then his love is of an elder date And it 's his desire we should do well for ever His love 's eternal then and endeth never XLIII When God did make this World and Being give Unto each thing therein it was for man That He might be well and contented live Yea h's thoughts to make it before it began Were with an eye to us that we might Be And might his goodness and his glory see XLIV What a well furnisht house did God provide With all accomodations that might make Our lives most comfortable yea beside We of his heav'nly Image did partake God gave us pow'r and rule over the rest Of creatures and with fitness for 't us blest XLV Wisdom he gave to manage such a pow'r And such a manly courage majesty And countenance as well might make them lowre That would but dare t' oppose his Sovereignty Yea male and female for each other meet He made us that our converse might be sweet XLVI Yea further he did also us create Capable with himself converse to have And did his mind to us communicate What could we more of him desire or crave How great his love and goodness to us then When we were innocent and upright men XLVII But yet his love he shewed forth more sully When we by sin were fallen into woe And sins curst fruits did soul and body sully And we deserv'd he should have been our foe When we were helpless and had ever perish't Unless his love had us reliev'd and cherish't XLVIII When the whole World could not relieve our case But more then a whole World it did require To ransom us from ruin that his face We might behold with joy and ' scape his ire Then more then all this World he for us gave Oh how he lov'd us that he might us save XLIX He to redeem us sent his only Son Cloth'd with our flesh and blood made poor and weak Made sin and curse for us as one undone That he the pow'r of sin and curse might break He him deliver'd to death on the cross That by his death he might repair our loss L. Yet neither did his love and goodness here Take up and cease but knowing that we wanted A quickning pow'r us up again to rear And keep from death that quickning pow'r he granted For raising up his Son again from dead He fil'd him with all fulness o' th' God-head LI. Set him upon the throne of Majesty Made him a quickning spirit and so gave Him cloth'd with pow'r and all Authority To bring us back again from sin death grave Yea rescue and defend us from the Devil Fill us with blessings free us from all evil LII His Son his only Son by whom he made This World and all therein he thus did give A gift beyond the World it can't be said How great a gift he was that we might live For he a person is excelling far All things that by him either were of are LIII Through him he daily doth us feed and cloth And bountifully lade with benefits Upholds us in our tryals don't us loath Though bad requitals oft from us he gets Yea Heaven he opens to us and displays His glory to us thither us to raise LIV. Through his dear blood he hath prepar'd a way And grace affords that we his Sons may be Injoy his favour see his face alway Be satisfied with good from ill be free Yea and in glory ov'r other things Reign to eternity with him as Kings LV. The good and glory which he hath prepared For us unworthy sinful wretched men In our return to him can't be declared Oh what a lover of us is He then Yea all his rods and chastisements do tend To bring us to those joys that have no end LVI And to impow'r and move us to repent And close with him his Spirit doth us give With that grace and those means which us prevent That we though dead may hear and hearing live So that but yielding our obedience to him He 'll work our works nought shall pluck us fro him LVII He calls us to him bids us ask and crave What ever good we want us to supply Cleaving to him we shall it surely have For nought that 's good for us will he deny Yea much he freely gives unaskt that so To hope in him and ask he might us wooe LVIII And more then we can ask or think he 'll give Yea more then now our narrow hearts can hold If we believe on him and to him live The glory he will give cannot be told What love 's like his or where is such a lover Amongst all persons that we can discover LIX There 's none in Earth beneath nor Heaven above That loves like him his love if we do heed 'T will us convince that him again to love It 's meet yea love to him in us 't will breed The first love to him then rightly belongs Let him be first in all our praising songs LX. Yea he 's so worthy love that well we may Treble the exhortation with respect To him and to our selves and others say Love Love Love God who ever we neglect He 's worthy and we 're backward him to love Need therefore fervently thereto to move LXI Yea love 's his due in the highest degree Because his goodness is superlative With all things that we have with all we be He 's worthy love so long as we 're alive Love God therefore with all thy mind heart soul Love Love Love and let nought that love controule LXII Love God with all thy mind to him attend Consider what of him we hear and find Yea set our selves
friends his Mother Sister Brother They of him in a special sort are known They 'r honour'd of him far above all other How can he brook it from us if we them Who are so near and dear to him contemn LXXXVIII Them as his Pearls and Jewels he reputes His lot his portion his inheritance His garden of delights which pleasant fruits Bring forth to him and he will them advance Yea he is their lot and portion too Nothing he thinks too great for them to do LXXXIX Love them therefore as thine own choisest friends Consort with them and walk in their good ways Do for them all that to their welfare tends When they are cast down seek them up to raise Spare not for them thy wealth strength life to spend For that 's the way to make the Lord thy friend XC For such an unity with him they have That he doth take what e'r to them thou do'st As done unto himself It 's he doth crave Thy charity when they be almost lost Through want of some relief or in some danger If thou neglect them thou mak'st him a stranger XCI Grace teaches thee to love God's friends yea all In whom man's nature savable is found Nature doth teach thee to those thou do'st call Thy friends and kindred in love to abound If Gods and thine they 'r both a double tye To love them dearly upon thee doth lye XCII Grace natural affections don't destroy But rectifies making them clean and right To love thy friends and kinsfolks and to joy In their prosperity it doth excite And it allows and leads thee soberly With them to sorrow in their misery XCIII Yea usually more then in other folks Because more nearly knit and joyn'd to thee Grace love from every several tye provokes Where it doth find more grounds it makes more free Who loves not all is short in grace his friends Who loves not grace and nature both offends XCIV Yea grace will lead to love both strangers to us As God us while to him we strangers were And enemies who labour to undo us Seeking all comforts from us quite to tear For God us loved while his enemies And while we did him and his laws despise XCV While we against his truth and holiness Did act continually and him so hated That in our hearts we liked nothing less Yea could have wished him annihilated 'T was then his kindness to us that did slay Our enmity and it remove away XCVI That any are our enemies 't is not Essential to them because men they be But it 's because errour of them hath got The mastery or ill in us they see Endeavour them to cure our selves to mend And then their enmity will have an end XCVII And if our love will cure them of their ailments And turn their hearts to us we gainers are Our friends they 'll be because we so their failments By love have cur'd and had of them such care Who hates his enemy but makes him worse And makes himself too partner in the curse XCVIII Who loves his enemies doth imitate The God of love who us his foes to save Lay'd down for us his life and nought doth hate But that corruption which doth us inslave Where love doth conquer men best get their ends Their foes they overcome and make their friends XCIX Oh noble love who while thou mak'st men yield Unto their foes in all may do them good Not overcome of ill do'st win the field And oftimes draw'st thine enemies heart blood Not to be shed in anger to their guilt But boil in love and for their good be spilt C. Thus Christ did conquer Saul while he did spare His life and soul from ruine and imploy Him in the ministry a conquest rare On him he got wherein they both had joy And he who 's life did forfit as Christ's foe In love to him did freely it forgo CI. Thus thou thy will upon thy foes may'st have If thou do'st conquer them by charity However thou that way thy soul shalt save And if not their's they shall more sorely dye Them and thy self by hatred thou mayst kill And near-the-less mayst fail to have thy will CII Love 's the best weapon wherewith we can fight Against what ever persons us oppose While it in their welfare seeks its delight We may them conquering win and nought shall lose But what shall be repaid and hundred fold With that which far exceeds the choicest gold CIII Oh that of that blest Lamb who lost his life And powred forth his dearest precious blood That by his love he might o'rcome our strife And his fierce persecutors bring to good We willing were to learn this lesson well To strive in love each other to excell CIV That others evils may not quel our good But we with goodness may o'rcome their ill That though of mischiefs they cast out a flood Upon us we may seek their welfare still Who lives in love and love intirely keeps Shall laugh when he who lives in hatred weeps CV But yet a third time love may lead us yet After another object to inquire Love we our selves Can we our selves forget Or can we fail our own good to desire We are not bid to love our selves because It is suppos'd we 'll do that without laws CVI. That we should love our selves God doth imply When love unto our neighbours bid doth he Making love to our selves the rule whereby Love to our neighbour measured should be To love our Neighbours as our selves what 's that But if we hate our selves them too to hate CVII And yet so brutish we our selves have made That other things we love our selves neglect Yea all our times and strength are oft out laid On what our own destruction may effect The love wherewith we love our selves is hate Indeed though love we it do nominate CVIII For there 's a love to self that oft destroys The soul which God therefore forbiddeth to us Branding self love as sinful ' cause 't annoys And in the consequent doth but undo us When so our selves and what 's ours we affect That God and Neighbours we to love neglect CIX Of such a love to self the World is full And every where it's fruits are to be found It 's that which from all goodness men doth pull And makes them in all wickedness abound Men so themselves and their own lusts do mind It 's rare an honest godly man to find CX Some men their wisdom goodness strength and parts So much do overween and magnifie That unto God and Christ their minds and hearts For grace and mercy they do not apply Yea and what wholsom counsels unto them Others do give they proudly do contemn CXI Some men their will and purpose cleave to so That what God doth require they don't regard Yea every one they do account their foe Who their will cross or their designs retard Yea many one that he may have his will Cares not God to blaspheme and men