men need not then to fast Though slender shot doth cause the Fool to fall Canons scarce make sign on the Castle-wall The Assailants strength the Objects weakness do Ever contrare to make a deadly blow This is the cause why tender flesh by dint Of sturdy steel receives so deep a print And here especially it must be so Where th'ones strength doth from th' other weakness grow Like mushroms which from harreness of soyl Doth suck his sap and filthy liquor boyl And if you think whiles Faith stands firmly sound Yet sin that while can strike as deep a wound As where â—ts weak you speak things quite contrary And so affirm impossibility Indeed I grant most men coin such a Faith As may of sin abide the better breath And not be sick but such a Faith say I Will with his Master live and with him dye So then such Faith my soul desireth not As is a Poyson but an Antidot Not such as flesh might freely sin as much As it desires and conscience feel no truth But a perfume which casts such smells behind it As foul as made us cannot once abide it Such as prevents that sin can bring no smart For that it first so purifies the heart And though this life afford it not in prime The less it is the more the fault is mine And who imagins sin and this agreeing Feigns a new fiction never yet in beeing Yet is it true that our Salvations ground Rests not herein what good in us is found But in another higher seat doth sit Whick makes our works but underlings to it Hereof it comes that our Divines well say Which words Lewd men may wrest another way That if from works or more or less thou measure Thy certainty thou heapest copper treasure Since God in Christ before all times and place By His Decree determined our case Not from the good that we should after do But of free choice ordaining us thereto Then make not that a cause which is th' effect Of Gods dear love in them He doth elect But whoso draws from Faith by true descent The Pedegree of Works as consequent May thereby judge if no such fruits appear That sound assurance is in no wayes there For good and ill trees by their fruits are known And fruitful seed will spring where it is sown So when I say I wish in God his love Such confidence as sin might not remove My meaning is I wish a â—aith so stable As t' enter therein sin might not be able Or if it did yet hope should not be lost But hid in him whom it so dearly cost As iâ— that case when Sin and Law is over This were I trow the next way to recover Nor would this cause Gods goodness to despise But in new life still more and more to rise Unless Corruption do abuse the same Which if it do yet grace is not to blame And 't is most true that Unbelief is Mother Of every sin adulteries thefts and other By which is writ the sins of graceless men With Diamond point and with an Iron-pen For Conscience Paper is Ink unbelief Th' affections Pen men whereof Will is chief So then lewd life and true â—aith are no kin For Christ is not the Minister of sin Nor yet doth freedom preaching in such minds As that sweet Doctrine fitted for it findes By its own kind abroad such bastards set More than doth Nature monstrous shapes beget But if this new cloath wider make the rent It only falls out so by accident As when it meeteth with an hardned heart Which wholesome food to poyson will convert As oft it doth too I confesse yet so As that the Law of other sort makes moe I mean of Hypocrites who while they hear The hideous thundrings of the same through fear Worke with a vengeance till their backs do break Wishing mean while their wrath on God to wreak Who still think they most like a cruel Master Layes on more load and bids them worke the faster Yea gathering ever where he hath not strawn And heaping profit where he hath not sown These when they see the Law no mean nor measure Doth hold in loading then they take more leasure And having not the Son to set them free Are tyr'd at length break out at liberty And so a freedom of their own they have But such a liberty as God nev'r gave Whereout off too springs th'Atheist filthy swine The carnal Protestant or Libertine Or else such Hypocrites as still make sure They take no peace but what they may indure Gaining like peace by that their formal walking As doth the Fowler get by Fowlers stalking Much like the Crab their eye sight one way bending The whiles their footsteps are another â—eâ—ding Whereby it falls out that these counterfeits Are of all other seldom set in Straits Whiles formal walking keeps them flesh bone From being br ken on the Corner-stone A cause why Harlots place in heaven find Before that wâ—â—ke proud Pharisaick kind As for the Law this ground of Faith it gaineth That graceless men it civilly restraineth At leâ—st until some exigent betide Such as it said and â—ake them turn aside Then whaâ— wayes best for thee who art a gleaner To make thy God herein the greatest gainer Since that most like as in our Statute Law Ouâ— of the yoke lewd men their necks can draw By this or that exception or pretence Or otherwise by wresting of the sense And that in our Experience every day Those words prove true that Christ himself did say We pipe to you yet you no measure keep We mourn to you and yet you do not weep 'T is not alace in offering oyl though fountains Nor though all thine were sheep upon the Mountains Nor that thou dost thy Neighbour sorrows grieve Nor yet the poor with all thy goods relieve 'T is not in this nor that corruption killing No nor in Rivers of salt tears distilling 'T is not thy foot from outward evils turning Nor yet thy body given to the burning It neither is in this or that mans teaching Nor is it in the Law or Gospels preaching No no 't is not in him that wills or runs But in Gods mercy which creats us sones Yea Lord it is thy Spirits mind that blows Which none can tell from whence or whither goes But saith one for so I hear one say I thought at length these fellows would display What minds they bear reposing in such wise Themselves in God the means they do despise O God forbid alace let not one brother Such eager censures lay upon another The means I reverence as the thing whereby God saves his Children ordinarily Nay th' only way wherein all Gods elect Hâ—s saving Grace aâ—d blessing can expect Nay who neglects much more who it contemns Gods Ordinance for his souls health condemns Yea 't is in bâ—ief Gods worthy Instrument Us'd in his hand his Children to prevent Yet he offends not who more p rases puts
blind corruption hath to do Which may a reason be why this man brands That for obscure himself not understands Like him that cry'd the candle gives no light When as poor man the want was in his sight That man whose speech is out of feeling spun Thinks it perspicuous as the mid-day Sun Not that I here do go about to blame Some who at others landlie though exclaim With such like words O these are they that see That which to us is but a Mysterie Nor that I point out or exemple sie For eminence this or that man I Nor yet the other for deffect in grace Once aim at or indeavour to debase But say who scorn that other should discern More then himself this lesson well must learn Take heed of thinking he doth somewhat know Least he know nothing as he ought to do I speak to them too who disdains at such As simpler he and know not yet so much And whereas there be more or less degrees Of spiritual insight each one sees I lay this ground more grace one hath still he Thinks other better than himself to be For why in others man th' effects but knows Within we see sin in the very cause And that is plain in this that in their hearts Such are more vext than all their other parts Nor say I now that Nature cannot see In humane learning difference of degree And as is said Grace hath for other eyes And Wisdom to discern too none denyes Yet one main property of clearly seeing Is not to much to eye ones own well being But with good Job to listen too not scorn His Maids admonishment though basely born I oft have heard a godly man confesse Himself beholding for his skill no lesse And spiritual insight how to bare the face And secret passages 'twixt sin and grace To some one poor distressed Soul that lyes With bleeding and with sore and blubber'd eyes Who never a letter know can on the Book Nor dare for sin scarce up to Heaven look Then all his Studies or his humane guides Books or what other humane help besides And good cause why such folk have so clear fight For God sets in the Soul his candle light Yea makes it even a Holy School wherein His Spirit and Satan strong disputants been The Soul mean while yea oft the Bodie walking The hands at work the tongue imploy'd in talking The eyes at view I almost said even sleeping Hear these two talk their acts in earnest keeping Which needs must be a passing way to fill That simplest Soul with wondrous spiritual skill And this made David too a good practiser Then all his learned teachers so far wiser As to speak truth how should it other be But such must practise of necessitie So deep impressions both of love and fear Stampt in their Souls of things that toucht so near And this hath made some speak how much they found Themselves to Prayer and Temptation bound For finding out of that hid Scripture sense They ne're could gain by labour nor expence Learning and Arts as handmaids unto Grace My meaning is by no means to debase For where these two have both their proper site That man must needs prove rarely exquisite But that 's where Grace the other closs doth lay Down under hatches from the light of day For ken it self once nere so little stronger It will be Mistresse but the Maid no longer A cause why those who lay as chiefest ground Bare Eloquence doth yeild so harsh a sound And burden so a sanctified ear With such a weight as grievous is to bear True Eloquence I blame not but such froth As all in sounds out from the speaker goeth The base-born Imp whose pedigree's derived From spurious Seed of learning wrongly wived Blame-worthy most when as in holy writ Affected Humane Flowers varnish it True Eloquence is in its splendor where Fullnesse of matter words doth overbear Setting the heart of such a large extent Like a full Vessel that must needs have vent Or well-charg'd Piece whose bullet fircely drives So violent that it with lightning strives The chief intention which one hath in hand Being how to make his hearer understand As best content when he th' impression leaves And clearest sight of what himself conceives Unlike that Souldier who more cares in fight Fair to discharge then where his bullets light Still Gentlemen fair and farr off de shoot Missing the Paper and sometimes the Butt But the good Archer who the Game would win Cares not how fairly but how near the pin Accordingly things are to hearers brought As they before are in the speakers wrought For what man gives another of a store Which himself hath not in some sort before A cause why such whose heart and tongue agree So wonderous powerful in their preaching be And those who teach not by experience so So little profit by their preaching do What use hath eloquence but to impart To other men the language of the heart Wherein the plainest words that wit can finde Will come far short to model out the minde So almost infinite and ne're divine Words rather seem its language to confine Whereto yet all that may most fitly sort The speakers thoughts most lively to import Whereby more light to hearers may accrue Yea though it seem ne're so strange and new Are commendable yea necessary too Though most men think its but too much ado And plain another thing than words high born Where wind instead of Substance doth adorn Which Sermons stuft with eloquence and phrase Ne're pierce means hearts but sets the wits at gaze The Preacher's like the neat spruse Citie Dame Who when an hungred from a feast she came And asked by her Maid and therewith chidden Why she eat not with others that were bidden Said fool the cause I feasts frequent I trow Is not for meat but manners there to show Now for new words some men as error-breeders Condemn and tearm them fruits of fancie-feeders To this I say and hope I say aright Some words tearm'd new oft gives a greater light Into the Spirits meaning of the Word Then otherwise a sentence will afford Alwayes foreseen they do not disagree With that sound touch stone of all veritie Nay of absurditie nor error sound Which if they do then cast them to the ground Because mans wit subject to falsitie And thereto prone by Nature as we see Doth catch an error sooner from a word Then credit to long tales of Truth afford In which respect our words we well must scan As is observed by a worthy man New words must too be moulded in a mind Inlarg'd by grace and helpt by natures kind For Nature here a hand-maid we exclude not So she into her mistris room intrude not Since Grace must somewhat have to worke upon No Seeds takes rooting on a naked stone Grace yeelding oft accordingly improvements As Nature doth fit or unfit indowments For to the well-tun'd Lute the oaten quill Yields for
content a life of joy and mirth And in a word a Heaven upon the earth A goodly golden Common-weal to see Through love each others Lord and Man to be But since not had on earth God hath ev'n here The better our Infirmities to bear Full well provided Common-wealths and States Masters and Servants Subjects Magistrates Such men as may the sword of Justice draw Wrongs to redress and keep lewd men in aw With other sundry means to end the strife And difficulties of this present life Which all are Rudiments and helps to lead Towards that life where none of these shall need Without the which who could remain an hour But violence would life and goods devour Which shews how much we here estranged be From that perfection of Eternitie I tearm it thus since most here if not all Is violent so not perpetual At least so far as God doth not reduce And recreat it for his nearer use Which I confesse the more that he shall d The less corruption it is subject to As being brought to that sweet calm and peace The very Center of all happinesse Yea sp'ritual made which how much more they be With this his nature nearer they agree For even these our Massie bodies shall Again be rais'd bodies spiritual Yet so as they must holy be and pure For otherwise he can them worse indure Hereof he natures goodly order set As shaddow though but of a portion yet In this that actions natural we see Furthest from violent coaction be Wherein the Creature doth it self intend Towards that calm and uncreated end In which fair Book are plainly manifested Gods power and purpose towards man regressed Who such a stamp on silly man can frame Like to himself I do not say the same For his pure Essence Infinite in blesse To Creatures in communicable is Two Infinits there cannot be for letting And bounds and limits each to other setting So Creatures he out of himself createth Whiles he his working outwardly dilateth Outward I say dilateth for within The Trinity hath each to others been Eternally most letles of destraction In some serene calm pure perpetual action Without all motion change or alteration VVhich is far otherwise in this Creation VVhich made of nothing daily doth intend Towards a Period and a final end And would accomplish it save that this power Upholds the former and matters every hour For this our world is but the younger brother So call'd by some a shadow of the other That spiritual and immaterial He The second â—erson in the Trinity And hath a temper said to be compound Of parts in nature quite contrary found A cause yet too why creatures it produceth Of sundry shapes and for so diverse uses For God forbid I should in any case Once seem Gods Works and Creatures to debase The least of whom that live the heavens under Than they have parts contain more cause of wonder But thus considered as we them compare With their Creator so they nothing are Who all their parts creats and frames and joyns Whose least parts bigger than the other loyns In whose wide womb all creatures lye unmolded Before all times unsearchably unfolded Whose spiritual nature is without exception Most infinite in Goodness and Perfection The very Heaven of a blessed Soul Though I a place grant too above the Pool These things to creatures never can agree Which only spiritual in a measure be And circumscript subject to time and place Motions exposes changes and disgrace By Nature save as it is said before As to perfection God shall them restore Which shall be once when they are purified And sp'ritual made their nature rectifi'd Extract into a quintescence so pure As meer created Natures can indure Lessons hereof some Artists seem to spell By Nature as in Mathematicks skill Who void of Rules in th' abstract through defect Place its perfection in the Intellect As that which is more spiritually intent And so by consequence more excellent For spirits do all bodies far exceed As forms above their matter have their meed I do not say with some all spirits be No substances but meer quality But this I say These are so near of kin That with one name they sometimes named been And what in us but qual ty men call In our Creator is essential From whose pure Fountain Streams still overflow To Creatures as from head springs Riv'lets do Love patience meekness peace â—nd righteousnesse Joy wisdom pittie truth and holiness No marvel then though a regenerate soul Down these clear Streams of Gods pure pleasure roul And bathe it self wiâ—h sweetest delectaâ—â—â—n Re-sold therein by wondâ—â—us transmutation Re-sold I say lâ—ke th' air which some câ—nclude Those cold moist concaves of the Earth include Till in that Kingdom having long conversed It 's turn'd to water and in springs dispersed Made fellow riv'let with the rest to be To run along in one fraternitie Or if it fitter seem like clouds of water From which the Sun extracting subtil matter Changeth them peice-male till the whole dilated Be into the air in time evaporated The aires kind kinsman 'twixt it self and water Becoming so a partial Moderator Thus doth the Soul most truly undergo Both generation and corruption so Though not for substance yet for quality Till in Gods Image it invested be The rather when this body too is made To the pure soul then subordinate Like those in Luke who bidden go did run Do this and it was incontinently done For bodies once their Souls must fitly suite It 's pure designs better to execute While both full blest eternally shall run Down those life Streams till Gods good will be done And as his Will is evermore a doing So shall that stream be evermore a flowing They needless of constraint herein for thriving As water is oft down the Channel driving Or as the Tree which doth by Nature grow Bears fruit and blossomes though none bid it so Which Kingdom here is actually begun So soon as one by faith is made a Son And as the Soul within the body lives And theâ—eunto both life and motion gives So doth Gods Spirit the soul therein abiding With endless pleasures and delight it giving Wherein the lesser violence doth need Nearer men are to happiness indeed As liker to the purest Nature which In all compleatness of perfections rich Who needs no labour nor no motions make For any business he doth undertake But is an Eye a Hand a Tongue and Ear On all occasions when he list and where Yea is that Ear that at one Instant hears Within without and far beyond the Sphears That Eye which doth most infinitely see What 's past what 's present what shall ever be A powerful hand where e're he list to shew it To hurt or help and when he list can do it That Wisdom deep that understanding might To whom all Secrets and all hearts are light That will which is a work and when it listeth No Creature in the Heavens
how their Father was bested Whiles with great toil and sweat of brows he bought Th' inheritance which now they set at nought Who play at fast and loose light come light gone Like snow in Summer on a Sun-hot stone These must be first taught by the Road to know What 't is to use their Patrimonies so What if such life be still continued No hope for them but dis-inherited And still as they are of a dutie quailing Their Master never of due reck'ning failing This tutors them and as a hyred groom Still holds them under till their freedom come But that once there then all that 's past they see Mere Rudiments and but School-fashions be Wherein un'wares they have been trained long To get them skill and pluck their plummes among Yea hard hem'd in by th'masters straiter hand Till they their state might better understand Much like the untam'd Colt the Horse or Mule Who if he shew his strength no man can rule But true skill comes not till the time appointed That they are with the Sp'rit of Sons anointed Whereof more measure one enjoyes indeed The lesser he of Rudiments hath need For Child-hood thoughts and skill but like it brings But riper age doth banish Childish things And now the ground of learnings well begun He needs not each inch to his rules to run Not that I dream of such a rule erected As that Gods Word should so become neglected But that th'spirit which from the word ne're swarves Guides all Gods Children as occasion serves And leading them to what 's there spoke or meant In expresse words or by good consequent Whereof the very scope the mould and frame Is in the heart deep written by the same And is to every one his heap of Treasure According to his several pitch and measure Serving for Life and Actions as a Law There-out sound rules and lineaments to draw Whereby Gods Children in good measure can Make up the model of a Christian man As from that store-house where things old and new The good housholder for his houshold drew Wherein the Spirit with the written Word In one self same doth evermore accord Which word of God so spoken by the spirit May fitly well the name of inward merit This tearm I use its working to expresse And in no humor of new fanglenesse Here by the way I would desire amain This grant of thee that fearest God to gain That is as I would none should be obscure In willful use of words which doubts procure So thou shouldst still too hastie censures flye Since who 's in fault it may a question be He for dark speech uneasie to be found Or thou because thou' rt weak to understand I heard a good man once new Phrase controul This for example inward in the Soul Which me thinks deep impression I profess Doth in th' affections fitly well express For which that he good cause yet did not know I dare not judge but think it might be so For reverence which I to his learning bear His wisdome godliness and silver Hayre But that he wanted knowledge how to give A tollerable sense thereof who can believe It may be he dislike it as a guest Bred as he thought in a distempred breast But woe is me why do we go to wars And make a breach about these verbal jarrs I wish that Charitie may every where In these contentions equall ballance bear And yet no further then things do accord With verity and wisdom of the Word Word-strivings with a good Divine I say I much mislike and wish they were away As our dear mothers loss much more then gain And therewithall She 's wearied out in vain Yet grant I too some things but verbal seem Which we at no hand lightly may esteem Proving in Christ his Ship like little holes Or some small clew which like the snow-ball roules Whereof enough examples might be yeilded Of Heresies of smal beginnings builded As of Nestorius Eutiches and others Those base-born buds and hatefull brood of brothers Against the which good warnings well to arme In these worst times I grant will do no harme Christians must still labour to bear a mind Not seeking faults nor in plain misses blind Not seeking cause I say like him which to His question whether man helpt God or no In any work end answered with denyal Is said t'exclaim and make a strange replyal Alledging for his proof this pregnant ground Out of the Judges easie to be found Where those are tearm'd accursed by the Word Who ' gainst the mighty helped not the Lord. Nor may we be like Anaxagoras Who could not see that Snow white collored was But to return whence I but lately left Gods Sons must once be of self-works bereft When they as dung shall suffer all disgrace And faith and love take standing in their place And that the Heavenly Sabbath dawning is When we from our works rest as God from his I do not such a resting here maintain As may cessation from good duties gain But such a seasing as is from the Law A resting in our Saviours yoak to draw Not that the Law is for its substance chang'd But to Gods Saints in other order rang'd It s nature now in Christ so qualified That its grim face we better may abide At least the while its glorie passeth by Closse in the clifts of Christ his wounds we lye Whether like him who once appeal did make From Philip sleeping to the same awake Flying for refuge we in safety be Under that perfect Law of Libertie Which flying is by faith a still relying On Gods free favour both alive and dying Whereout our Sabbaths works which now are sport Though heretofore perform'd in slavish sort For neither circumcis'd nor otherwise But a new Creature God doth chiefly prize Yea this is it wherein he pleasure takes And which in works a real difference makes According to which rule who walketh he Shall ever happie and most blessed be Wherein if any to the Angels train Of pitch or paritie could here attain Who oft on earth by Gods permission walk Yea eat and drink converse with men and talk Acting Gods will yea in a sort do bear Heaven still about them as they sojourn here Ever remaining in that happie case As to behold the heavenly Fathers face Then should they have I dar be bold to say As little need of Rudiments as they For to the pure even all things holy be But to th'impure they fall out contrarie To every one as he in grace doth grow Things are to him according thereunto But for because mans nature is but frail And destitute of means full soon would quail God of his mercie doth us here afford Prayer Publick Private Sacraments the Word Temples and Preachers Times and Seasons fit And set apart for due frequenting it Wherein I see not but there needs a strife In me much like as for my limbs and life I mean to finde Gods presence in the means For
to little sense Preposterous and of bad consequence The body to an action should be pressed Before the heart be thereto well addressed Yet true it is hand work in brick and clay Will cause long looking for a holy day Or at the least a groaning underneath Such burdens as do make men pant and breath And as before I said men must wisely do In perfect way till God come thereunto And this though grace be weak will not be vain Th'embers blown up it will revive again That beeing to the spirit liberty Which to the Flesh will yoke and bondage be O what an hunger was in many late To search and labour out this spiritual state Which ground in some I trust lay'd long agone The next work now is how to build thereon Alwayes foreseen that from the living spring Our works their liveliness and vigour bring Which though they want their measure that they should Grace being in the wain as I have told Whereby men them unsavory works may call Yet better half-loaf then no bread at all But to end this like brother with his brother The Law and Gospel must be each with other With fire and hammer that to break the rocks And this to quicken dead and withered Stocks Then afterwards the Law of Liberty Doth follow both these necessarily Which I according to the Scripture hold To be the Law of love as I have told When as the love of Christ doth men constrain Duty and Love to yield to God again Wherein because the flesh is wondrous slow And doth unwilling to Gods service go Let rules be urged strictly in Gods blessing Yea to good duties let there lack no pressing And all well-willers say God speed the plough For there 's on all hands backwardnesse enough Witness the tracts that some good men have made Which lye but in our houses for a shade I mean to make our selves believe to know Is our desire that we might somewhat do When I my self have had one seven year And yet for practice ne're a whit the near Though for that purpose this good Book was ment Not Speculation or meer Complement * Rogers his practice of Christianity And if I should affirm my chiefest let Was that I could not finde companions yet To joyn therein for th' Author who did make it Prescribes Societies should undertake it My heart oft tells me Thus I grant that slacknesse Of other men is my most cause of slacknesse Then in conceit I run through thick and thin Some fellowship with God this way to winn Whiles for the passing sweet my soul sees in it I seem I say full ready to begin it Satan and Oppositions crouching low At such a time for danger of a blow Or like an Angel then at least appearing Whiles hee 's but tydings so far off him hearing So seeking to perswade me all is quiet I need not undertake so strict a Dyet Self-love still telling me as said before That one foot forward is at least a score Then blame I each ones backwardnesse to joyn Like one that had in hope a Mint of coyn And still my hart when Partners are most scant Seems most desirous and at greater want Till giving th'onset and things further trying I finde good cause to charge my heart with lying For when in sooth thereto I have dispos'd me I finde things cross which ne're before oppos'd me Many a Lyon in the way to let me How e're my will seem'd on the way to set me Whereas again it keeps so great a toyl For company I finde a plot or soyl By Satan lay'd more lively to express In others sloath mine own much forwardnesse Thereby into my secret thoughts to wring A hideously and most pernicious thing In blameing here my self I 'le not excuse Others who do these worthy means abuse For I protest I cannot this deny I finde the most as backward too as I. Whereas 't were meet that brother with his brother To the found practice should invite each other But a main cause why most of us in vain Endeavour this same practice to attain Is for because we do not so begin As those who would so rich a treasure win That is with Prayer and fasting wear sin out Nor this great work the whole man set about But this shall be when as Gods precious love Shall warm our hearts and cold affections move Which if it be Lord in that good season when Thou sees it best for every one Amen But now for that from which I have so strayed Of which I trow the Devil the ground work laid Yet not without Gods just decree and will His own good ends and purpose to fulfill I mean in plain termes the earnestness and strife Which in Gods heritage is now so rife Between the Grindletonians so men call them And for distinction let that Name befall them Distinction without difference let it be For real difference yet I cannot see Between the Grindletonians I say And those that do oppose them at this day VVhich needs must minister both grief and dread To all live members of the living head Grief to behold Gods people thus distracted Fear lest through Satans wiles some harm be acted I mean lest men through wonted love abate And Satan their affections alienate I speak not this for nothing for I find His subtiltie already in this kind Even in mine own experience I professe As to Gods glorie freely I confesse For while I in thess Controversies bending My best endeavours for their better ending Did finde mens zeal I say not stomacks great Barring in my conceit my hopes to treat My Choller from pursuing the disease Be urg'd upon the parties selves to cease Pressing me through some such unlookt for sound Of mis-construction which in some I found To adverse thoughts sleely insinuated Which yet no sooner I espy'd but hated Or else at least mislike my self herefore Because I could mislike these thoughts no more But O let all Gods Children warrie be How they but on plain grounds vouch enmity Rather instruct if any one be blinded With meekness such as are contrary minded Unlesse he prove a stiff and hopelesse foe Then let the Church a Gods name use him so For ought I know the nearer I agree With opposites keeping the verity Liker I am if any grace be in him I mean mine enemie by love to win him A good old man whom I my self well knew There 's diverse yet alive can vouch this trew Did by the blessed Virgins but due praise Th' affections of some Popish people raise Yea such devotion and attention win And of good harvest greater hopes begin In one plain sermon to alledge no more Then some more learned men did in a score Now handling of the Controversie tho I must commend as necessary too Yet only to be us'd for shunning harms When fair means boot not then men take up arms There 's yet a course my self and others do But overmuch in controversies
all even in my very heart Set prejudice aside to take one part And verily believing to be true The Devil himself and all his damned crew Shall ne're if kindness re united were The limbs thereof again in sunder tear But Lord it may be thou who knows th' event Will worke by some more gracious instrument So be it then to t' honour of thy Name By whomsoe're I 'le glory in the same For this shall vex or little trouble me So some effect it whether I or he But that in strife 'twixt Father and the Mother Cherish the one and I offend the other Whereof there is no cause for ought I know Save that some good men understand it so Mean while for Sion sake as said before I 'le make request till I can speak no more And would rejoyce could I but rubish bear The walls thereof a litle to up-rear Although to me so clog'd with sin and pelf It may be said Physician heal thy self Yet I 'le wish well be it so as it may By Gods good grace unto my dying-day And who can lesse do that was never stil'd And hopes he is the Churches lawful child Which name suppose I still deserve among Such other Children as to her belong Yet Lord I trust not banished by thee Her rods not Serpents but chastisements be Which while they threat let me at any hands Not spare but search well how the matter stands Within my self for many sins I have Which I confesse for heavie blows might crave Yet God forbid where conscience sets me free Her deadly blows I should apply to me What hath been said I know both where and when I take not t' out as meant to other men Knowing no cause in me nor him that spake it I should meer bastard be or be so take it But say he meant me as I said before Let me not spurn but search my self the more Which howsoever meant delivered so Few else save enemies do undergo Yea enemies of such transcendent pitch As never after other are so rich Which to point out in our new Churches state I dar not medle with at any rate For ought I in my self can see or may Full easily stink back and fall away But what good works thou once in me hast wrought Lord I have hope shall never come to nought Not through my strength but for because that he Is still the same that hath redeemed me But to conclude I wish the Churches peace That all heart-rysings not of God may cease That no grudge may be smothered in suspence But set at one by friendly conference That those who Christian liberty doth teach Be not accus'd they carnal freedom preach That men be warie freedom to apply Where is more need to teach the contrary That those who seek men to good works to draw Be not condemn'd as Preachers of the Law No though they teach it as the Law indeed Because most hearers do such teaching need That though some tearm them so none storm nor wonder More then if men should call them Sons of Thunder The Law and Gospel rules works be prest As shall appear to Christian wisdom best That each one therein labour to be plain That speeches still in the best sense be tane That all the members of one body may Hold truth in love cast prejudice away That each ' mongst others may their gifts dispence That each with other lovingly converse That none from Gods Church excluded be But such as is indeed an enemie That odd conceits of every idle head Be not upon the guiltlesse parties laid That all good means be us'd to satisfie Gods Church where but the least suspition lye Hearers while Preachers have the word in hand Apply themselves rightly to understand That Teachers still in every thing they say Make it as plain to hearers as they may That Brethren may not so each other hate But warn and war'nd be of their wretched state In brief that each to other say and do As he desireth to be done unto And he that is the very God of peace Shall make love grow and all contentions cease If any think too far at once I leap Himself is free to do as much as cheap By ROGER BRIERLY sometimes Minister at Grindletion Chappel in Craven THE LORDS REPLY IS this thy state and dost thou now confesse That lost thou art and dead in sinfulnesse Hath Death now ceas'd upon thy buildings great Thy righteousness and all thy high conceat Is sin and death thy portion now and can Thou not lay th'blame on any other man And is that witness now within thy mind That die thou must unlesse thou mercy finde And art thou now that sinful man alone To free and save thee is there now not one And art thow now like to the Prodigal That goodnesse in thee there is none at all And art thou now that Publican so poor That thou hast nothing laid up in that store To boast and brag as did that Pharisee But lyes along in doleful miserie And is thy heart within the inward ground Truly in want and in deep sorrow found And doth thy cries therefrom to me arise Am I that only one whereto thine eyes Are firmly set so that from me alone Thou looks for life or else thou looks for none And wilt thou here thy self fit all alone To wash my feet with tears with sigh and groan Hath all things else denyed thy woful crie And is there none that doth thy tears espy Is all things in thee now come to an end That thou to me this woeful cry doth send THE SOULS ANSWER YEa Lord thy Word by which thou named art Hath sound me out and made my soul to smart So mighty is thy Word and prevalent Who can withstand it makes my heart to rent For under it I judged stand therefore To thee I 'le cry for I am low and poor And I have none but thee alone and I To thee will cry to heal my maladie Here will I stay thy word hath slain my heart And here I 'le lye until thou heal my smart Thy only hand O Lord that hath me slain Can raise me up and heal my wound again My breach is great my load I cannot bear My sins are great my sorrow is my chear In sad laments My cry is still to thee That thou would mercy shew and pity me Thy mercy Lord which in thy bosom lyes To that I cry to heal my maladies THE LORDS REPLY IS this thy voyce and are thy cryes so strong And wilt thou lye before me all along As though with violeâ—ce in sunder thou Would break the heavens that mercy to thee now May speak to thee and from thine eyes dispell That mistie cloud which is thy present hell Is this the thing that thou woulds have tell me And hide it not for I assure it thee If sin be sin and thou a sinner be And so remains condemned for to dye And is there none of all