leaning whereunto Ye did your pleasures sought us to undo Let them arise and help and save you now But ah alas themselves too are brought low They 're turn'd off from the stage and their high looks Are humbled all their weapons and their books Of Learning Wit of Merriment of Laws In which they being searched many flaws Were found are all consumed and quite burn'd And they themselves too many of them turn'd Into destruction with you and their pride Their pomp and their high looks we now deride Their gallant garbs their feather'd caps their train And pompous equipage are now all vain All nought avails them but they must abide The due deserts of all their lordly pride Their riots and oppressions wantonnesses Their beastly lusts and all their great excesses With whatsoever they have done amiss Now they may see their folly now we hiss At all their madness whereby they abused Those many mercies they injoy'd refused The bless they might have had and walked in Their brutish lusts and wallowed in their sin Rejecting and conteming me and mine And would not to my words their ears incline Where now are all those treasur'd heaps of store Your Lands and Lordships upon which ye bore Your selves in your abuses where now are Your silver and your gold and jewels rare Your stately palaces or seiled houses Your down beds gay attire and your fair Spouses Your pomps and pageants yea your punks and whores With whom you lost your souls and oft with sores Did mar your bodies where 's your hawks and hounds Your monstrons oaths your Damm'es blood wounds Where are your great attendants where those laws By which ye us condemn'd and kil'd because We cleaved to our God and would not start From his commands or ' cause we did depart From that excess of riot or false way Of worship wherein ye did go astray Where are they all become will none of them Help you at this strange turn when we contemn And slight you where be all those men of law Who could by their fine subtle pleadings draw And wrest the laws to speak what ere they pleas'd Have they not now a word whereby you eas'd May of your torments be what are they dumb And mute and tongue-less at this turn become Can ye not bribe them now as ye did use When many a poor man ye did abuse Oppress impoverish and undo we fear The sight of other Angels now do blear Their eyes that they cannot behold your case Or they 're afraid to look the Judge i' th' face They 're found so false that they 're turn'd o're the bar Or what befals them that they are so far From pleading now your cause what do they know The Judge is so impartial that how now To bribe or to pervert him they are pos'd Or is the air so cold their tongues be froz'd Where are those flaunting Preachers smooth Divines Those witty fellows who use with the times To turn their tongues and fond distinction find Their own and other Consciences to blind Dispense with my commands great men to please Cast burthens upon others themselves ease Make oaths to bind or loose as they see good Or as it with their own preferments stood Loos'd subjects from their due obedience Which I requir'd of them unto their Prince And Princes oft provok't to persecute My people who with their wills can not suit Made error pass for truth and truth for error Made void my threats and fil'd their own with terror Made sad the hearts of my poor servants by Urging mens precepts and the authority Of their old councils ' gainst them to make good The doings of those men who sought their blood Can they not now alledge some Fathers old Some Council or some custom why ye should Not be thrust down to Hell can they not find Some good distinction now my eyes to blind Can they not now pervert some Scripture to Make void my judgment and prevent your woe Is all their skill and Learning laid a sleep Or are they fain themselves to howl and weep Because they minded not my work to do To seek that they themselves my grace might know And others thereof might with them partake But their lusts minded and my laws did hate Where are your lofty looks your grievous words Your strength of hands your ponyards and your swords Wherewith ye us'd to terrifie us and Obtain your pleasures or force your commands Can ye not now out-brave the Judge whom ye Did vilifie and scorn when him ye see Both in himself and members at the bar Of your Injustice stand whom ye did mar With spittings taunts and many foul affronts What have ye now at length left off your wonts Can ye not lay about you beat away Your enemies for so we are to day This day of vengeance because formerly Our friends ye would not be but did deny Me and mine hate Can ye not with strong hand Defend your selves or break that chain or band Of God's most righteous and most dread Decree By which bound to perpetual woe ye be Were ye not wont to boast your selves and say Our tongues they are our own and what Lord may Controule us or command us what 's become Of those your lawless tongues are they quite dumb What not one word to say wherefore ye should Not be thrust down into that dreadful hold Of damned Spirits whose suggestions ye Prefer'd and followed far before me Some of you did suppose your fleshly birth Of Abraham or others who on Earth Were godly persons or were men of might Would help you now although that which was right Ye put away and others of you thought Because ye did some good works as ye taught My laws or heard them or profest my name Or built some Hospital for blind and lame Or did a Chanter found or give a gift To build a Church or it adorn you shift Might off my judgment though I did foretel That they would nought avail unless ye well Demean'd your selves Can ye not those pleas now Make good or what before ye would not know Do you now well perceive at length I can't By any thing a liberty to grant To sin be bribed did ye think such things As oft times blear'd the eyes of mortal Kings And of their Judges as affinity Or gifts or some great services whereby They might oblige them would with me prevail So far as to give leave without all fail Some secret sins to harbour in your brest And that nevertheless ye might be blest And therefore you presum'd unrighteously To live and practise and my words cast by Where they against some of your lusts did stand Or something which ye lik't not did command Thence many of you did the poor oppress Sought your own glory liv'd in covetousness And thought to scape my judgments if you gave Part of your unjust gaine your souls to save Some of you Preach't my Statutes but refus'd Them to obey but all my grace
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
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
vext Me with disquiet and my soul perplext That bruitish lust that dwells in me I fear Least it prevail against me and me bear Away from that subjection to thee due And cause me with much sorrow it to rue I am indeed nolluted and ore-spread As with a leprosie from heel to head Diseas'd within and full of sores without I am more vile than any menstruous clout Have need to be renew'd made white and clean And yet when all is done I am too mean To be so honoured by thee and exalted In every thing I 'm worthy to be faulted Worthy to be disdained and rejected Unworthy utterly to be respected By thy so glorious eye that puter is Then to behold and like iniquities Shouldst thou then treat me like some royal Qâ—een As if for thy consort I bred had been Oh 't is a dignity above me far I fitter am that thou shouldst me debart From coming near thee medling wih thy Name Least I pollute it and expose 't to shame As too much I have done already Oh I dont deserve to be respected so But if thy pleasure be me so to love Well mayst thou take such course as 't doth behove Tha thou may'st fit me for such dignity As thou confer'st and for thy company Which thon vouchsafest of thy wondrous grace To me who am of pedegree but base It is but meet that thou shouldst make we white And cleane that thou in me may'st take delight That thou should'st cure those sores and ulcers great Which make me ugly and for thee unmeet Yea and its wondrous grace that thou wilt take Such pains with me me whole and clean to make Oh what am I that thou should'st stoop so low To do such offices such love to show Thou rather might'st throw me out of thy sight Than so to make me meet for thy delight Who meeter am that thou should'st make me dwell Among that cursed crue that be in hell It s meet also that there a time should be For purifying before unto thee Thou dost receive me with thee to remain In those high Mansions where thou and thine reign It needful is that thou me separate From all those Idols which thy Soul doth hate And that thou should'st purge out my dtoss although A fire thou make and me into it throw I 'm thine and meet it is that thou should'st do What ever is thy pleasure Lord even so Be it as thou dost please thou art so just So kind and careful that I well may trust My soule and body with thee and yield up To take out of thy hands what ever cup Thou seest it meet to temper and to give In cleaving to thee I shall surely live Thou who hast loved me and done such things As everlasting consolation brings And gives good hope through grace wilt doubtless do Nothing unto me which may cause my woe Do with me as thou wilt for I am thine And thee to love I doe my heart incline Through thy good grace do thou incline it more Making it chast to thee thee to adore For I can nothing do that may thee serve Delight or honour as thou dost deserve I 'm thine Lord save me and me sanctify Unite my heart to thee continually Unto thee evermore make me adhaere That I thy holy Name may love and fear May lean upon thine arm thy Spirit mind So as I may his help at all times find Through thee I any thing may do 〈◊〉 But in my self have only cause of 〈◊〉 No fears shall 〈…〉 pleasures me 〈◊〉 If thou dost hold me and 〈…〉 And cure It s meeâ— I 〈◊〉 thee and I Desire I may my self thereto apply My Cross up taking 〈◊〉 Dear 〈…〉 How thrald I am furthe then thou 〈…〉 How I the least good thing 〈◊〉 not perform Nor stand upright against the mild â—â—â—storm Of troule that untâ—â— my lot may fall I need that thou should'st be my ALL in ALL. I 'm poor and blind naked and wreteched and My heart 's dece 〈◊〉 will not to thee stand Unless thou me 〈◊〉 and keepest so In thy strong 〈◊〉 as not to let me go Unless thou purge out my hypocrisy Make me sincere give me a single eye Unless thou be my strength my goodness and Dost hold me to thee by thy mighty hand But seeing thou appointed art dear Lord To look to and thy saving help afford To those that come to thee and on thee trust And thou art loving faithful kind and just And all-sufficient for me I resign My self unto thee I am wholly thine Thou wiser art than I thou knowest best What to my good pertainâ— and thou art blest Dear Lord thy will be done in every thing Take thine own course me unto thee to bring Only do not me in thy wrath chastise But let my soul find favour in thine eyes Yea thou so good art and so gracious too That thou all things wilt for my profit do Oh cause thy face upon my soul to shine And my heart unto thee allways incline Oh kiss me with the kisses of thy mouth Oh bliss me with the blessings of thy truth Inspire my heart with thy good spirit and breath The breath of life into me things beneath Cause me for to despise the things above To seek and to affect and thee to love Let me thy love tast better 't is than wine It s full of comfort courage life divine 'T will chear the hearâ— 't will make the lips of chose Who tast it talkative free to disclose Thy heavenly vertues let me thereof tast Forgiving all my mis-demeanours past My undue loves which unto other things And persons I have born which to me brings Both grief and fear when thereupon I think Least they should make me in thy nostrils stinâ—â— And cause thee to abhor me oh forgive All forepast follies and that I may live Let me injoy thy loves and tast how sweet And ravishing they be oh let me meet With them with them be filled that I may In thee delight my self and on thee stay And fix my soul no other pleasures so Affecting as from thine to them to go Thine ointments wherewith thou anointed art And unto those that love thee dost impart Most odoriferous are oh they do smell Unto the upright hearted wondrous well Let me them find and smell thy precious Name An ointment poured forth is that good fame And great renown thou hast oh 't is most sweet And spread abroad that we with it may meet And therefore thee the Virgins Chast do love Thy Name their hearts desires to thee doth move Oh make me know it and its sweetness find That it may draw me with a single mind Unto thee Draw me Draw me we will run After thee though I somewhat have begun Towards thee to incline my mind doth stick Yet to my Idols so as t is not quick Enough towards thee oh let that sweet sent Of thy good ointments thy Name excellent More strongly draw me oh
I am too slack In seeking thee yea woe is me I 〈◊〉 From thee have run apace since I begun To move toward thee I 'm too apt to run Toward my Idols in the ways of sin Yea Lord thou know'st how since I did begin To court thy favour I have run apace In wicked ways wherein had not thy grace And mercy me prevented I had been Or'e thrown forever this day never seen But oh my pace toward thee is so dulâ— That need I have that after thee thou pull My sluggish Soul oh bring thou me into Thy Chambers of defence and delight so As in thy love I such delight may take As never thee any more to forsake Let me be so inclosed as with walls Of sure defence that whatsoe're befalls I never may again from thee withdraw But allways may thee fear and stand in aw Least I offend thee oh that I to thee May swiftly run with all that upright be And in thy Chamber may with them abide Where thou dost all that love thee safely hide Wee 'll then be glad in Thee and much rejoyce Oh King wee 'l sing thy praise with chearful voice Wee 'l think upon thy loves which do excel The choisest Wine Oh we remember well The sweetness of its tast who be upright They do thy person love in thee delight Not in themselves their parts their gifts nor yet Those pleasures only that from thee they get Like to the Concubines which love to be Delighted with thy loves courted by thee But thee and thy concerns do slight neglect To seek thy glory don't thy name respect Sincerely but make thou me upright so As my heart wholly after thee may go Oh thou whom my soul in some measure loves Do thou me show what me to know behoves Tell thou me where thou feed'st thy flock and make Me go upright Let me not thee forsake With sinners in their dainties to perâ—ke Let me not turn aside from thee to go After the flocks of thy companions who Lift up themselves into equallity Of power or worth unto thy Majesty But shew me thy good ways and make me see The thing that is acceptable to thee Stay me with flagons of thy love and let Me of thy apples too the comforts get For I desire thy love oh do thou show it And cause thou me more clearly yet to know it Under my head put thou thy left hand and Therewith support me and let thy right hand Embrace my soul and keep me safe untill I have fulfil'd my course perform'd thy will And oh that then thou wouldst make hast unto My soul and be thou swifter than a Roe That so our union may compleated be And I may full fruition have of thee Make hast oh my beloved like a Roe Or a young Hart that on the Mountains go That leap upon the Mountains and o're Hills Come skipping Thou art he alone that fills The souls of those that love thee with delight And mak'st them fully happy in the sight Of thy most glorious person do not tarry Help me to hast to thee then hast to marry Me to thy self that I with thee may dwell Who dost in all excellencies excell And in the mean time make me chast and true Unto thee what opposes thee subdue Working my works in and for me yea al Thine own good pleasure whereto thou dost call And counsel me the work of faith with power That I may persevere unto the hour And in the hour of death till unto thee Thou tak'st me up in joys for aâ—e to be I leave my self to thee oh do thou what Is good for me Chr. I will so fear not that Amen HALLELUJAH FINIS A Song of Loves Lord grant that in a right renewed mind I may such love to thee and thy things find As to say of and to thee this behind 1. I Am my well beloveds My well-beloved's mine He is a person lovely Excellent and divine 2. For he is the Immanuel Both God and man in one The Mighty God the wonderful And like him there is none 3. His excellence surpasseth What one may it declare Or who among the mighty May with this one compare 4. Oh all ye that in love are Your lovers who commend Is any of them able To match with this my friend 5. Hath any of them ever So great things for you wrought Or is there any of them Hath you so dearly bought 6. Is any of them so high Either in Rank or birth No there is none so glorious Either in Heaven or Earth 7. Ther 's none of them is so great There 's none of them can do So great things and so wonderful Or can inrich you so 8. As this my Lord and Saviour Can and will do for me If I be upright with him And do not from him flee 9. Ye that in Kings and Princes And mighty Potentates Do make your boasts come tell me Hath he there any mates 10. Can any of them match him Nay they are all below The greatest of those great ones Their service to him owe. 11. They 'r short in understanding Their pow'r also is less Their rule extends not so far Nor yet their happiness 12. They are but men as others Their lives are but mortal Their breaths must pass out of them And then they perish all 13. But this my Lord and Lover Doth live for evermore His understanding's perfect All creatures him adore 14. Nothing for him too hard is For he can all things do Nothing from his eyes hid is For he all things doth know 15. He ruleth over all things Both in the seat and land Yea and all things In heaven be Subject to his command 16. He heir of Heav'n and earth is He is lord of all glory His brith's above all creatures There 's none can match his story 17. His excellence excels all That 's either hard or seen One half of what 's true of him Never declar'd hath been 18. Go glory of your Princes And Benefactors great Tell of their great majesty Their royal train and seat 19. I none of them shall envy This one 's mcuh better far Whom my soul hath desire to They can't with him compare 20. He hath far greater glory Than any one of them Though yet he is so lovely That none he doth contemn 21. Though they be poor and little If unto him they flee He none of them disdaineth But they accepted be 22. Those whom ye use to boast of Be proud and lofty too And oft in words and carriage Great haughtiness they show 23. Though they be far below him Who my beloved is And like to meaner persons He them reâ—roves I wiss 24. For in his hands they all are To do with as he please And he can make or break them Or change their state with ease 25. Oh there is none so lovely As this Beloved one In pitty love and goodness Like to him there is none 26. He higher than the Heavens is Or
brightest Angel there In dignity and glory Yet he appeared here 27. That he might save us sinners Like to a Servant poor Where of our miseries too The liveries he wore 28. Yielding himself to death up And great indignities To ransome us from ruine Nor doth he now despise 29. The meanest that obey him To take into his grace Though he on high's ascended Unto his holy place 30. He such invites unto him With him they may be bold His secrets he unto them Most free is to unfold 31. Whoever him doth follow Shall see his pleasant face Hee 'l not disdain their lowness But kindly them imbrace 32. Hee 'l not despise their prayers Nor turn away his ear But being full of mercy He their complaints will hear 33. The sweetest of all persons Better than all is he The meekest and the gentlest Fairer then mens sons be 34. The highnest and the lowest The white and ruddle one In greatness and in goodness Like to him there is none 35. Come ye Queens and Princesses Whose Birth is great and high Who think yuor happinesses Do reach unto the sky 36. Because your Lords be great ones And have a great command For that their rule extendeth Both unto Sea and Land 37. Do ye not highly extol Your great good fortunes here Do ye not use your selves too Oft up thereby to bear 38. Do ye not think your great Lords To be so great and high And such advancements to you That ye for them could dy 39. Or else endure great hardships For them and for their sake With whom in their high honours So greatly you partake 40. Behold ye him whom I praise And whom my soul desires As its friend to delight in Can give what it requires 41. Lo Ho is much more noble In Birth and in degree And there 's not any Monarch Who 's of his gifts so free 42. Nor are the gifts which they give So pretious or so rare They all are but his Stewards And can't with him compare 43. Himself above all gifts is The Richest pearl of price His love cannot be valued The soul it satisfies 44. Oh he my love deserves more And to be followed Through every condition Whereto by him it s led 45. Then any of the greatest And highest Potentates Who have the largest Empires And rule the greatest states 46. I 'm his by way of purchase Who made and bought me too By that most precious blood which Did freely from him flow 47. Which he also discovered And call'd me of his grate There through that I might know him And might him too imbrace 48. And him I own to be mine My Lord and Saviour And his I am to care for And serve in every hour 49. My soul and body his are And whatsoe're I have And he is mine to give me What good for me I crave 50. Oh that I were more truly And heartily indeed Given up to love and live to Him who doth so exceed 51. All other lovely objects Be their worth ne're so great I should need not to fear then What ever may me threat 52. For I am his and of me He hath the care and charge And his disire toward me Is very full and large 53. Hee 's able to protect me From what may do me harm And 's ready to infold me Within his mighty arm 54. Oh that I were devoted More unto him and were More willing to be always To him chast and sincere 55. I 'm his not sins and Sathins That them I should obey Oh that when they intice me My heart might always say 56. Christ is my well-beloved He must my service have He 's only worthy of it Who only doth me save 57. For He He also mine is A portion may suffice To satisfie me always Your promises are lies 58. I 'me his and not a Servant Unto the world or men That I should yield my Conscience To be inslav'd by them 59. I may not to their pleasures My life and will compose To follow their desires So I my self might lose 60. For they cannot protect me When my Lord shall appear If he should then reject me They cannot me upbear 61. No no I 'm his who loves me And bought me by his blood From all that conversation Which is not just and good 62. He 's mine too to command me And be my sure defence Who certainly will keep me And glad my Conscience 63. For he will give assistance Of safety in his love And hold me in his hand so As nough shall me remove 64. He only may do with me What unto him seems best For He hath right unto me And will lead me to rest 65. Oh that he would imbrace me And give my soul a kiss Whose love than wine is better And fills the soul with bliss 66. His love the love of women Surpasseth very much How ever pleasing that is Its pleasures are not such 67. No nor is strength not servour Much less its beensitt As those that he that 's loved Of this Beloved 〈◊〉 68. Their love to this is empty Its pleasores be but short Although they 'r prerry creatures And 〈…〉 69. Their favour is deceitful Their beauty 's but a blast Their kingnesses soon vanish Their sweetness doth not last 70. Their embraces are bruises Their kisses oft are bites The vanity that 's in them Exceeds oft their delights 71. The love of Christ excelleth It s constant firm and sure It s very full of comforts And pleasures that indure 72. His words are full of kindness Yea when they are most tast Yet grace and love is in them Which floweth from his heart 73. His kisses and imbraces Are full of ravishment Filling the soul with goodness And riches of content 74. His beauty never changeth His strength doth 〈◊〉 ne're decay He is the same for ever Yesterday and to day 75. Oh that my Soul were fitted His kindness to receive That I by my unkindness His Spirit might not grieve 76. Oh may he count me worthy Of his inamourments Forgiving all my follies Causes of discontents 77. His soul it is spiritual Most holy just and pure All wickedness he hateth He can it not indure 78. But I poor wretch am sinful And full of vanity How can I be delightful And pleasing in his eye 79. Dear Lord I am unworthy To be owned of thee That thine I should be stiled And thou accept of me 80. Yet do not thou disdain me Do thou me lovely make That so thou may'st imbrace me And pleasure in me take 81. Be thou mine me to purify And to make 〈◊〉 and white Make me more thine and cause me In thee to take delight 82. Prepare my soul unto thee That I may thee imbrace And give thee intertainment And theâ— may'st me sâ—late 83. Lay thou me in thy bosom And keep me in thine arm So shall I rest securely Void of all fear of harm 84. Oh cause my soul to kiss thee And lay thee in my heart