Yea and ript up their filthiness within Through each Religious Mask and trim disguise Their canker'd Breasts lay open to his Eys He knew their Hearts them he would not spare And thence to him such Malice they did bear But 't was Apollyon whose deceit and Lies Abroad amongst the people did devise Most of these Troubles which on him did rise No stone that Monster left unturn'd that he Might bring this Soveraign Prince to misery Though all in vain For he miscounts his sum Alas the fatal hour 's not yet come Christ still persists the stubborn Soul to woo Intreats her not her self thus to undo He is not gone behold he 's at her door And patiently Admission doth implore He knocks he calls and doth his Suit renew Until the Heavens his gracious Head bedew Until his Locks with drops o' th Night are wet And yet from her can no kind Answer get Oh! hark I pray unto his melting words Enough to pierce ones heart like sharpest swords Prince of Light Soul Harken to me or thou art undone I cannot leave thee thus nor yet be gone I see thy state thy state I pity too Thy treacherous Lovers seek thine overthrow It is in vain for me to ask thy Love Until thou breakst with them and dost remove Thy Heart from those that thy Affections have Who to vile Lusts thy Faculties inslave What dost thou think I can have in mine Eye What self-advantage will accrew thereby What gain I if thou grantest my request All that I beg's thy greatest Interest I ever happy was and so shall be Although at present thus distrest for Thee How can'st thou cruel Soul thus let me stand Barr'd out of Doors whilst others do command The choicest Room within thy yielding Breast Lodgings too good for such destructive Guests Believe me poisonous Toads and Serpents lurk Within thine Arms which will thy ruin work Those Lovers which thou keep'st so close within Are Murderers Trust not that Monster SIN Nor any of his Hellish Company For though no harm thou dost at present spy But wantonly presum'st to sport and play And canst not see the fatal snares they lay Soul o'pe the Door and I 'le discover all The secret Plots devised for thy fall Or push the Window back let in some light And I will shew thee a most dismal sight Thy self I 'le shew thee which couldst thou behold thou 'dst see thou art undone betray'd and sold To slavery from whence there 's no Redemption Torments from wch ther 's not the least exemption Then wake look now behold thy wretched plight Or straight thou r't seized with eternal Night The Soul is deaf or certainly she 's dead Or by some pow'rful Magick Charms misled For she no Answer in the least doth give Sad 't is with them whom Satan doth deceive How blind are Creatures in their natural state Oh! how insensible and desperate They sleep securely and will never hear Till direful Thunder bore their stupid Ear Boldly they frollick on Hell's smoaky Brink And never on its gaping dangers think Till swallow'd down to endless flames they sink But silence now Here comes a Reverend Friend A Servant to the Prince pray Sirs attend He 's sent about the Business that 's depending Oh! that it might obtain an happy ending He is a man his Master loves most dear And he to him doth like Affection bear His int'rest he will now be sure t' improve That all obstructions he may quite remove Which in the way of the poor Soul doth lie For whose sad state lo tears stand in his Eye His Heart is full his Spirit greatly griev'd To think how she by crafty Sin 's deceiv'd And seeing what his glorious Master bears His Soulâ—s almost dissolved into Tears Theologue I from the Great and mighty Prince am sent To see vile Soul If thou wilt yet repent And o'pe thy Eyes to view what thou hast done In piercing the dear heart of such an one As is that Soveraign Lord thou dost abuse And all his offers shamefully refuse Two things consider throughly first of all Thy sad and wretched state under the Fall Which thou receivedst many years ago When Eden's Groves bewail'd thine overthrow Ah! Didst thou know thy lost undone Condition Sure it must move thee unto great Contrition 'T would make thee roar and mightily condole Thy woful state O! thou condemned Soul The second thing is this O! mind with speed The worth of him whose Soul for thee doth bleed Didst thou but know his Dignity and Birth Soon wouldst thou say none's like him upon Earth Nor is this all for further I declare No other help thou hast far off or near 'T is he who is thy choice and only Friend Reject him still and sad will be thine end Shall he such grief and sorrow undergo And unto him wilt thou no kindness show Would he thy guilty Soul from Treason free By making of a marriage-League with thee Shall not his Love nor thy distressed Case Court thee in prudence to his safe Embrace Will nothing work upon thee to Relent Nor be a means to bring thee to Repent I pray thee Soul these things lay to thy heart And unto me thy true Resolve impart Soul What mean you thus to vex and grieve my mind My Heartâ—s to other Lovers more inclin'd It lies not in your power to command Against my will and well I understand What 's best for me I am for present case He suits not my Conditions doth not please My curious fancy Iâ—le content mine Eye Will you the liberty of Choice deny You must indeed have some mysterious Arts To change the secret sympathies of Hearts If that you ever make me to comply So as to loath the Jewel of mine Eye What! force Affection who can violate The Law of Nature weigh my present state Can Earth forget her burthen and ascend Or yet can Flames aspiring downward bend For if Fire should descend and Earth aspire Earth were no longer Earth nor Fire Fire Even so dear Sir I find it is with me Consenting I no more my self shall be As Love is free so are its bonds as strong As Death to break them is a grievous wrong Can the kind Heavens do a damage greater Than to destroy and ruin their poor Creature Or shall I think the Righteous God will fill me With such strange Joys which if enjoy'd will kil me Can I believe things 'bove my sense and reason And ignorant be when guilty of high Treason How can I think my self a Criminal When of the fact I nothing know at all My present state is good I know no cause To blame my self for breach of unknown Laws Why shall injurious Friends such things alot To have me place my Heart where I love not And break the League with those I love so dear These hardships are too great for me to bear Those Joys therefore in which I have delighted Shall not for fancied sweetness e're be slighted He whom
treacherous Band. Again as he stood tendering his Love Striving their vain Objections to remove That so they might not all be ruin'd quite And blind-fold led to shades of endless night The common Rabble in a Tumult got Threaten to kill him on the very spot With hearts more hard than stone up stones they take And throwing vow they 'l his Sepulcre make By which cruel show'r of Flints he now must die Unless through them he 's able to ' scape by Which by his mighty Power indeed he did And carefully from them himself he hid And yet all this was on no other ground But because he their wisdom did confound ' Cause he stood up the Truth to testifie And witness to his own Divinity Because he said he was sent down from Heaven From Place to Place this Prince was daily driven No sooner were his feet out of one snare But ten i' th room thereof devised were Of killing him in Jury was a talk To Galilee therefore he thought fit to walk But staid not long for to Jerusalem He quickly went to shew himself to them And though he knew his Life they daily sought Yet in the Temple openly he taught And did again his Suit of Love renew Yet would the Soul no kindness to him shew Long had he not been here but presently The Scribes and Pharisees did him espy And straight agreed their Officers to send Him without any cause to apprehend But when they came and did him see and hear Poor Souls they all most strangely smitten were With awful Reverence and trembling fear Untoucht they leave him and return again To tell their Masters Violence was vain They highly spake in his just Commendation And told his Wonders worthy Admiration Have you not brought him then the Scribes do cry No Sirs alas we see no reason why We never saw nor heard the like Who can Lay hands on such a blest and God-like Man Thus did the Prince escape their Rage that day But other Snares Apollyon still did lay CHAP. V. Shewing how the people of that Land in a base manner used John the beloved servant of Jesus the Prince of Light who for his Master's sake was barbarously murthered And how narrowly the Prince himself escaped As also shewing how he again and again tendered his indeared love to the Soul and how unkindly she denied his Suit Moreover how Vicinius a Neighbor hearing of this great News enquired of Theologus concerning the Creature this Prince in such a manner had set his affections upon The miserable and deplorable condition of the Soul discovered and laid open being infected with a loathsome Disease full of Vlcers and Running sores from head to foot naked wounded and in her blood her eyes also being put out and this the Prince knew before he came from Heaven his own Country shewing that as she was in her fallen state she was the object of his love and desire BEfore this Prince did in that Land appear His servant came his way for to prepare Such an Ambassadour he was indeed That we of him in Sacred Story read That of all those that born of Women are None was so great nor with him might compare Yet was the King of that same Land so bold As on this gracious Person to lay hold And into a vile Prison cast is he For witnessing against Iniquity Herod would marry one most near of Kin But John affirms that 't is an horrid sin For him to have his Brother Philip's Wife And for asserting this he lost his Life To please a wanton Harlots Dancing pride The Prophet's head from 's body they divide This doubtless did his Master greatly grieve To see they should him thus of John bereave His servant John whom all the people own To be a Prophet yea a mighty one Though the chief work that he was sent about Was to describe and point this Saviour out He faithful was and show'd his constant Love Told them his Prince descended from above So Great in pow'r the Latchets of his shoes He was not worthy to unty or loose The loss of such a Servant needs must be Great ground of sorrow But alas If we With care do mind what after came to pass We shall conclude with him much worse it was For Herod now like to his Predecessor Proceeds from sin to sin until no lesser A Crime he does attempt than for to kill The Prince of Light himself Thereby to fill His measure up as some before had done For seeking the dear Life of this Just one But of this Plot he had such Information As quite defeated their black Combination Ah! to and fro how was he daily hurld Whilst he abode in this ungrateful World His persecutions were so great that He Was often forced for his Life to flee To flit from Town to Town from place to place For Blood-hound like they did him daily chase From Jury to Samaria he did go And down from thence to Galilee below From Nazareth he fled to Capernaum And long he siaid not when he thither came For he was tost about continually And found no Harbor nor security Sometimes quite beyond Jordan he would get Yet even there with dangers was beset Small Rest alas he had in full three years His days were fill'd with sorrow sighs and tears Oft may we read he wept but never find He laught or was to merriment inclin'd The Prophet said with grief he was acquainted When long before he forth his Person pointed And few there were did him at all regard So blinded were their Eys their Hearts so hard He was despis'd almost by every one Rejected scornfully and trod upon And the poor Soul for Love of whom he came Expos'd him daily to the greatest shame No countenance would she to him afford Although so high a Prince so great a Lord. She bid him hold his peace his Suit desist And all 's indearing proffers did resist No more would she vouchsafe his face to see But hid her self from him continually Far from his presence with delight she rouls In filthy Puddles and in Loathsom holes Nay did combine with his most Cruel Foes To lay upon him stripes and bitter Blows To break his heart with often saying Nay Or by surprize him bloodily to slay Object But some may ask Why th' people of that Land Did rise against him thus on every hand Why should they manifest such causeless hate When he 'd not injure them at any rate But sought their peace and everlasting good 'T is pity such a Prince should be withstood Answ One Reason Sirs of this their baneful spight Was meerly ' cause he was the Prince of Light 'T was from that bitter enmity you read Between the Serpent's and the Woman's seed Another cause of the Contempt they show Is ' cause they neither him nor 's Father know But that which most of all their Hatred breeds Is his reproving of their Evil deeds Because he did expose each horrid Sin
knowâ— Good You shall become as Gods and I pray when 'T is so what fear you who can punish then Your wisdom may the threatned Death evade And with an equal pow'r Heav'ns pow'r upbraid Thus spake the Tempter and thou straight didst yield And treacherously to him didst quit the field Forthwith the fatal Fruit with impious hand Thou pluckst and eatst against thy God's command Branding thy self and thy posterity With Treasons Guilt and endless misery And here vile Soul I cannot chuse but tell Thee one thing more that will increase thy Hell The Devil had no power to compell Thee to have tasted this his poisonous Feast But wilfully thou hast God's Law transgrest For though thou hadst a pow'rful Sword to weild Tempted to Lust thou cowardly didst yield Thou to thy self dost thy destruction owe And this doth greatly aggravate thy woe If want of strength or weapons if oppression Do force a Man to give up his possession He is excus'd and his unhappy fall Condol'd lamented and bewail'd of all But he deserveth neither love nor pity That unconstrain'd surrenders up a City When he has pow'r to make strong opposition Furnisht with Arms and warlike Ammunition Yet at one slender Summons yields his Fort The mis'ries he sustains in such a sort Reflect upon himself and do redouble His conscious Anguish self-accusing Trouble Just as the Southern Sun with burning beams Reflecting from a Wall with fierce extreams Above its natural strength or wonted course Scorches and burns with a far greater force So do those Flames first kindled with desire Grow dangerous and prove the stronger fire The wounds receiv'd from self-confounding Arms Have ever done poor Souls the greatest harms There 's yet another Circumstance behind That aggravates thy smart which prethee mind When once thy fearful Torments are begun Thy fatal Glass will never cease to run Years fill'd with months and months with weeks retire Weeks fill'd with days days with hours expire And hours in nimble minutes swiftly fly Unto their End But in Eternity There is no End nor will thy woes diminish Although years moneths weeks and hours finish The toilsome Day when once it does expire All Creature here to pleasing rest retire Slaves Bondmen Prisoners Captives all have ease No Drudgery so great but then doth cease Each bustling Day ends in a Night of peace But thou must look to be with pains opprest Where mid-day torments find no night of Rest Death puts a period to the greatest grief I' th silent Grave the weary find relief But wish't-for Death from thee shall fly away Eternity's a never-ending Day Where th' angry mouth of Justice loud doth cry Here must thou ever ever ever lie How miserable ah how sad's thine end When thou in vain shalt court Death for thy friend Men now do fly from Death whilst Death pursues But then shall seek to Death who will refuse At their Request such favour to afford As frees them from that Breath giv'n by the Lord. Death knows no pity Nay observe it well â—Tis Death that opens wide the Gates of Hell Where thou must be tormented with the Devils As the just punishment of all thy evils Distressed Soul oh unto what shall I Compare thy caseless endless misery In various Volumes of the World's Records Strange Tortures we may find exprest by words But Oh! so great so fore is thy distress As flesh can't bear 't so words can't it express Devils rejoyce and welcom in the Day That crown'd their Conquests with so rich a prey To see thee thus quite buried in thy spoils Berest of Earthly joys and Heav'nly smiles And I do fear th' incensed God above With direful Wrath will quickly thee remove Into that place But hark methinks I hear Some dreadful noise see how the Mountains tear And rending Hills do into pieces fly Whilst Thunder bellows through the troubled sky The Stars and Planets in confusion hurl'd Have banisht Natures order from the World See how the melting Orbs of Heaven sweat Like Parchment parch'd shrivel'd up with heat Swift Lightning flashes through the Air appear And now O hark the dreadful Trump I hear It sounds exceeding loud enough to make The Dead from their deep silent Graves awake And stoutest Sinners stubborn hearts to quake Ah! 't is Mount Sinai God himself is come Now to convince thee of thy final Doom The Law and Justice will thee now Arraign Poor Soul for thee my Soul 's in bitter pain From them be sure no Mercy thou wilt meet Although thou shouldst turn Suppli'nt at their feet Their method is so rigid so severe The Guilty by no means they ever spare Awake awake poor Soul and look about Jehovah doth command the Sinner out And active Justice having seiz'd her fast Doth hale her to the Judgment-seat in hast Justice Most Soveraign Lord who dares i' th least gainsay What thou commandst thy Word I must obey Lo here I bring this wretched Prisoner forth Unto thy Bar who mad'st both Heaven and Earth See! with what dread the trembling wretch doth stand To know thy Sacred Pleasure Command Jehovah Justice What is her Fact her Crimes declare I patiently will now the matter hear Justice Then will I legally my Lord proceed And presently her black Indictment reade Come forth thou Conscious wretch and hear thy Crimes In wicked deeds thou didst begin betimes By th' name of Soul thou standst indicted here Being without true Grace and godly fear Most treacherously in Eden long ago Didst then and there with God's most horrid Foe Conspire against his Soveraign Majesty To the dethroning of him privily Then setst thou up a Traitor in his place And traiterously his Image didst deface And ever since hast in Rebellion stood Pursuing Evil and forsaking Good For Treason Murder Theft thou standst Indicted These Crimes were all in thy first fact united Nay more then this yet worser is thy Cause Thou art Arraign'd for breach of all those Laws Which in thy Nature God at first ingrav'd The same thou hast in every point deprav'd This Royal Law much hast thou violated And every Day thy Crimes are aggravated That Spirit 's still in thee which was at first When God did thee out of his Garden thrust Thou sid'st with Satan and dost him obey Not minding what or God or good men say All Evil Rebels in thy House remain And nobly there thou dost them entertain Whilst God thou hat'st his proffer'd Love refuse And precious Patience daily dost abuse Therefore my Lord she worthy is of Death As ever any that on Earth drew Breath Jehovah Soul What dost say hold up thy guilty head Thou unto this Indictment now must plead Guilty or not Guilty I charge thee speak Lest Justice doth severer Courses take Soul I dare not say I am not Guilty Lord Of some of these foul Crimes which I have heard Read in my Charge 't is vain for to deny My Conscience makes me Guilty Guilty cry Thy Law is
Take hold of him wâ—o Heav'n Earth Commands He 's taken Prisoner and strongly bound Who in one moments time could quite confound send The Universe and all that him offend Down to Hell's bottom quick with vengeance Yet like a Lamb he 's to the slaughter led And as a Malefactor suffered Most dreadful sorrows did his Soul indure That peace and Joy for her he might procure To bring his purpose to an happy end He manifests himself indeed a Friend A bounteous Friend who thinks his Life not dear But freely lays it down doth freely bear The stroke of Justice that he might recover Her forfeit Life again Oh! Sacred Lover Oh! Matchless Love and Grace Let every Eye Open its Sluces draw its Fountains dry If he for us such bitter sorrows felt Then let the thoughts of his strong Passion melt Our sin-congealed hearts our hearts of stone What was the reason why this Sacred One Did bear all this Were not our sins the cause He suffers but 't was we had broke the Laws Is he betray'd to Death Weep o're his Herse who only di'd our Death for to reverse You Sin-sick Souls think on his bloody Passion And then take up this bitter Lamentation Dear God! I sin'd and did a Saviour need And must the Lord of Life and Glory bleed Ah! must his dear and precious blood be spilt To free me from my vile and horrid Guilt Didst thou sweet Lord my heavy burthen bear And shall not I lament nor shed a Tear Shall not my hard and flinty heart dissolve To think how nought but thy own blood could salve My fester'd wounds What heart is so condens'd That cannot by these thoughts be influenc'd And mov'd unto remorse and great Contrition I' th sense of the Lord Jesus's Crucifixion They hal'd him bound unto the High Priests Hall Where Priests and Council did for witness call They search'd about for such but none could find Who did agree together in one mind They us'd him like a Thief put him to shame Who bore it with great patience like a Lamb. They blindfold him in a disgraceful sort And ignominiously made him their sport They smote him on the face pluckt off his hair And bid him prophesy then who they were That did him strike that so they might thereby His Office of a Prophet vilifie His own dear Servants in this dismal Day Did him forsake and from him fly away They they in whom his Soul took sweet delight His cursed Foes did so amaze and fright That they disown'd him too and left him all To stand alone or otherwise to fall Yea Peter who would have his Lord confide In him above the rest stoutly deny'd He ever knew him nay and furthermore To put it out of doubt he curst and swore Ah! What is man when God withdraws his hand A Peter then one moment cannot stand This doubtless did add grief unto his Heart To see his own Disciples to depart And leave him thus in his Adversitie When in their stead it was he came to die He after this bore much rebuke and shame Scoffs blows reproaches stripes oh who can name The many Cruelties he underwent Before his painful Death and not lament They cru'lly smite him on his precious Cheeks Which he with patience bears and never seeks To free himself from this their Insolence Although he knew his spotless Innocence O gracious Lord how how wast thou abus'd Unjustly judg'd and falsely too accus'd Accus'd as guilty of some grievous fact Who thoughtst no Evil none didst ever act No stain nor spot of sin was found in thee Though thus thou suffer'st for Iniquity The Injuries which thou that Night did'st bear How great my God! how numberless they were When he had past away that tedious Night Early next morning they with Hellish spight Like some great Malefactor him present To Pontius Pilate where with innocent And pleasant Countenance he then did stand To know what 't was of him they did demand Then with an humble Silence held his peace Which made the sury of his Foes increase Next was he unto wicked Herod sent Who at his presence seemed much content Hoping he might some Miracle behold Because he had been of strange Wonders told But he that knew the secrets of all Hearts Who tries the Reins and views the inward parts Knew well his curious but presumptuous mind Was only unto wickedness inclin'd Christ Answer'd not when he lookt for Replies Which made King Herod and his men despise Our precious Lord the Prince of Peace whilst he Became the pattern of Humilitie Thus Sinners contradict and dare reprove The Lord of Life who quickly could remove The lofty from their Seats and them confound But nought but Love and Mercy doth abound This was the Day of his Humiliation He 's first abas'd then comes his Exaltation But oh that ever men should be so vile To smite those Lips that never utter'd guile He at whose great Command the Seas were still Is now commanded by each Tyrant's will Heâ—s sent to Herod then sent back again Unto the Judgment-Seat But oh what pain Did he indure there by most wicked men Pen What Heart can think what Tongue express what Can set it forth Their sacrilegious Hands Bound him about with strong and cruel bands They mock'd and did deride him shamefully And then aloud set up a cursed Cry Hold hold him fast deliver Barabbas Who a notorious Malefactor was A Barabbas is now prefer'd before Him whom the glorious Angels do adore A Murderer shall spared saved be When JESVS shall be hanged on a Tree With torturing whips they scourged him most sore Until his flesh was dy'd with Purple Gore O dreadful dismal Cup what heart can think On what he underwent and 's flesh not shrink The Blood that once run through his sacred Veins Is now let out by Soul-tormenting pains And all the blushing Pavement gilds not stains Ah! don't you see how it fell trickling down Yet unto him was no compassion shown The Blood that issued forth from every wound Descends in pearly drops unto the ground Oh Earth that didst receive that holy Blood Nor fruitful Nile nor Tagus golden Blood Could ever yield like Vertue or such good Neâ—re such a stream did water thee before Nor shall again refresh thee any more Nor were these cruel barb'rous scourgings all That he endur'd in that remorsless Hall For after this they clothed him in scorn With Purple when his flesh was lasht and torn And in derision of his Princely State Their impious hands a Crown of thorns did plate Pressing it on his gracious Head with pain Till Sacred Drops did issue forth again In ruful sort as they had done before Spreading his precious Neck and Face all o're Thus like a Lamb amongst those Wolves he stood From head to foot besprinkled o're with blood His Kingly Office further to debase ' Stead of the Scepter due to Judah's Race They put a Reed in 's hand then kneel
heard a Sacred Story told Fill'd full of Wonders Wonders which unfold Such depths of Wisdom depths of Grace and Love Which none can comprehend it is above The reach of men no knowledg is so high That can conceive of it nay Angels pray Into this thing this Myst'ry is so deep It all the glorious Seraphims doth keep In holy admiration they 'r amaz'd To see how all the Attributes are rais'd In equal Glory and do sweetly shine In their own proper Sphere alike divine Here by diviner Art you all may find What was in our great God's eternal mind Before the Earth's foundation long was laid Or e're bright Sol his glorious beams display'd Respecting Man whom he foresaw would fall And bring his Soul thereby into sad thral Here may you with much ease and joy espy The great result of the blest Trinity In that eternal Council held above About the Soul the object of Christ's Love Here also here 's a proof of true affection And how to love from hence let 's take direction Who ever had or shew'd such love as he Who for his Love was nailed to the Tree But hark some do enquire they long to hear What is become of th' Soul he loves so dear Lo from the Grave he 's come he looks about He searches every place to find her out What is the fled and where in what strange Isâ—â— Of 〈◊〉 and darkness lurks she all this while Good Reader urge me not I 'le let thee hear That which may melt thy Soul into a tear Excuse my Pen for what its lines shall speak Such Marble hearts as cannot melt must break To leave off here I 'm sure it is not fit Nor would I write what you would have unwrit But since it doth upon the Soul reflect It matters not how much we do detect The folly which doth in the Sinner lie When Soveraign Grace exalted is thereby My Heart and Pen seem both to be at strife To paint unkindness forth unto the life Wilt Thou who dost the Muses aid afford Divine assistance that each pow'rful word May rend a heart at least and every line Turn Kingdoms and whole Nations into brine Of their own tears teach me O Lord the skil T' extract the spirit of grief O let my Quil Like Moses Rod make Adamants to fly That tears may gush like Rivers from each eye How can it once be thought that such a Friend Who loveth thus doth thus his love commend And in such sort so strangely condescend Should when all 's done by her contemned be Though he 's most high and she of base degree The grand design the end and reason why This Prince from Heaven came was scourg'd did die Was to redeem the Soul and so endeavour To get her love and marry her for ever As is before declar'd But will you hear How things are carry'd how they manag'd are The time is come you 'l find by what ensues That this great Lord his Suit a-fresh renews When Sacred Love runs thus with greatest force What pity is 't ought should disturb its course How can the Soul refuse to entertain A Lover which for her with shame was slain But stop again my Muse thou must give o're The Prince is come lo he is at her door Jesus Prince of Light Most precious Soul I now am come again Behold 't is I who for thee have been slain How is 't with thee hast thou not heard the news What for thy sake I suffer'd by the Jews That through a Sea of blood and sorrows great I now am come with bowels to intreat Thee to embrace the offer I present And first of all with tears do thou repent That ever thou hast entertained Sin That has to me so very bitter bin Soul Repent This is a melancholly strain It suits with such whose lives are fill'd with pain And guilty are of some notorious crime Whose glass is near run out whose precious time Draws to an end 't is good for such indeed To look about them and repent with speed But thus 't is not with me I know no sorrow I 'le wave that work I 'le wave it till to morrow To morrow I mean till some fitter season I see no cause alas I know no reason To hark to thoughts that may disturb my peace When joys abound and sweat delights increase Repent of what strange kind of voice shall I Amazed stand yet can no danger ' spy JESVS No reason why Ah Soul art still so blind Wounded from head to foot and canst thou find No ground of grief no cause to lay to heart Thy horrid guilt nor yet the bitter smart Which I indur'd for thee to prevent Severer Wrath severer punishment And dost not savour this sweet word Repent 'T is well there 's room a call a season fit There 's thousand Souls who are denied it Dar'st dar'st adventure still to live in Sin What crucifie thy dying Lord agin Were not my pangs sufficient must I bleed Afresh O must thy sinful pleasures feed Upon my torments and augment the story Of the sad passion of the Lord of Glory Is there no pity in thee what no remorse Within thy breast Seek seek a firm divorce Betwixt thy self and Sin do thy endeavour To break that league depart depart for ever Did I not suffer to dissolve the knot Between thee and all Lust and wilt thou not Regard me now but entertain my Foe What cruel unto me and thy self too I prethee Soul bethink thy self and yield And let thy Lovers for my sake be kill'd Ah let them die who if they live will be Thy death at last who have bin death to me Soul Thosâ— joys are sweet which do delight my heart Ah! how can I and sinful Objects part Must gainful Lusts and those which honour's yield At once be put to th' Sword And those be kill'd Which so much pleasure unto me afford How can it be alas it is too hard The thoughts of it's a perfect death to me Lord say no more I cannot yield to thee Jesus Ah! Didst thou know poor Soul what 't is to sin And how my Soul for it has tortur'd bin Thou wouldst revenged be on it I 'm sure And a divorcement speedily procure Or didst thou know what grief it is to me To be contemned and despis'd by thee Such churlish Answers wouldst thou not return To him whose soul fervent love do's burn To thee poor wretch and only for thy good 'T is that I seek and sought with tears of blood Once more I ask thy love I cannot leave thee Until my everlasting Arms receive thee Soul If I may have those pleasures which delight me Whose amorous glances sweetly do invite me To love them dear who stollen have my heart J am contented thou shouldst have some part Of my affection Worldly joy is sweet And I resolve to take some part of it Jesus Ungrateful Soul did I not wholly give My self for thee and shall I now receive
For the great God who form'd the Heav'n Earth Doth look upon himself as wrong'd thereby For he that sins doth little less than fly I' th very face of his blest Majesty And when the Son of Glory hither came O how was he exposed unto shame It brought his Sacred Person in disgrace When Sinners vile spat in his Heavn'ly face They taunt him with base terms and being bound They scourged him he bled but the worst wound Was in his Soul occasioned by Sin And thou thereby woundst him most sore agin O wilt thou paddle in the pure stream Of precious Bloud contemn it O extream And hideous Monster dost thou hug the Knife Which wounded him yea took away his Life And will let out thy blood though now it be Delighted in and loved much by thee Of Wonders strange and Prodigies that are Amazing unto all who of them bear None can come nigh or be compar'd to this A Prodigie of Prodigies it is Of Love and Lover ne'r the like was known Nor was the like Ingratitude e're shown The one doth love beyond all admiration And suffer'd things beyond humane relation And he a King but she a filthy brute A beggar vile and yet denies his Suit Question From whence is it O why will she not close With this great Lord how can she still oppose His oft-repeated proffers how not yet Yield unto him pray what 's the cause of it Answer 'T is not in her own power to dispose Her self in marriage also here are those Who dwell with her and her Relations be Who spoil the match or the affinitie Which otherwise in all appearance might Be throughly made with Jesus Prince of Light Two proud Relations loftily stand off Who urge her to reject him with a scoff The one is Will a very churlish piece Who all along for Sin and Satan is The other's Judgment once most grave and wise But now with Will both cursed Enemies To God and Christ true Piety oppose And lead the Soul with evil ways to close 'T is they who must dispose of her if she E're yield to Christ his dearest Spouse to be But Sin has so by craft corrupted them And drawn them to its party they contemn This glorious Lover and will not consent The Soul should yield to him or should repent And so break off with other Lovers who She yet doth love and loth is to for-go Besides them in her house doth also dwell An Enemy call'd Old-man known full well To be a grand and horrid Instrument To keep the Soul from granting her consent O! he 's the cause of all the inward strife And hates the thoughts she should become his Wife And will prevent it if he can find out Meet ways and means to bring the same about Nay such a Foe this Old-man is indeed That till he 's slain by th' Spirit or does bleed Or weakned in his power ne'r will she With the Lord Christ firmly united be Slight wounds wo'nt do he must be slain out-right Such is his rage his subtilty and spite Against this happy match till he 's near dead It cannot be in truth accomplished Therefore expect to hear of his black doom Before the sweet espousal Day doth come There 's also yet another Inmate I Perceive dwells in her house which by and by You 'l hear much of who all her secrets knows And can her very inward thoughts disclose His name is Conscience whose Power 's so great That in her house he hath a Regal Seat These three Allies by Old-man so corrupted Have all along the business interrupted They naturally are opposite to Grace And are far more inclined to give place To sensual Objects and the Prince o' th Night And so betray the Soul for want of light Into their hands of whom you heard before Who secretly design for ever-more To take away her life and quite undo her Whilst flatteringly they promise peace unto her The Soul 's deprav'd and captivated so It chuses Evil and lets Jesus go The chiefest good and takes the chiefest evil Being by nature acted by the Devil This well consider'd may the cause discover Why she denies to entertain this Lover The Soul is dead and cannot see nor hear 'T is sensless as a stone a stone can bear The greatest weight and neither break nor melt Souls dead to God ne'r love-sick passions felt Unto this day nor can they love until They are convinc'd of sin and all the ill They have committed ' gainst his holy Will Being sensible hereof then with strong cryes They fly to God for salve to o'pe their Eys The Eys affect the Heart when thou canst see Christ will be dear and not till then to thee The Conscience first is always wrought upon Which never is effectually done But by the Spirits Pow'r and operation Which sets it equally against transgression But lest I should be tedious I 'le forbear Craving attention to what follows here CHAP. III. Shewing Christ's Heavenly and admirable Beauty Riches Bounty Power and Wisdom Theologue WILT thou be cruel to so dear a Friend Upon thy self 't will fall poor Soul i th' end Did not Rebeckâ— yiel'd and chuse to go With Abram's servant and wilt thou say no What was an Isaac unto him whom I Desire thee to fix thy tender Eye Upon was Isaac fair and wealthy too Or was he great Ah Soul will such things do If beauty wealth or honour thou dost prize I do present one now before thine Eys That is the Object this alone is he None none like him did ever mortals see He is all fair in him 's not one ill feature Ten thousand times more fair than any Creature That lives or ever lived on the Earth His Beauty so amazingly shines forth Angelick Nature is enamor'd so They love him dearly and admire him too His Head is like unto the purest Gold His curled Tresses lovely to behold And such a brightness sparkles from his Eys As when Aurora gilds the Morning skies And though so bright yet lovely like the Doves Charming all hearts where râ—â—is diviner Loves Look on his beauteous Cheeks and thou 'lt espy The Rose of Sharon deckt in Royaltie His smiling Lips his speech and words so sweet That all delights and joy in them do meet Which tends at once to ravish ear and sight And to a kiss all heavenly Souls invite The Image of his Father 's in his face His inward parts excel he 's full of grace If Heaven and Earth can make a rare Complexion Without a spot or the least imperfection Here here it is it in this Prince doth shine He 's altogether lovely all Divine 1. His Beauty is so much desirable No Souls that see it any ways are able For to withstand the influ'nce of the same They 'r so enamour'd with it they proclaim There 's none like him in Earth nor Heav'n above It draws their hearts and makes them fall in love Immediately so that they cannot stay From
o're the Grave And from them all he able is to save If thou wilt but consent grant his request Thou never more by Foes shalt be distrest Ah Soul is 't not a very glorious thing Daily to be thus courted by a King And such a King shall Jesus woo in vain Shall such a Prince not thy sweet love obtain The Wisdome of Christ What say'st to Wisdom from whose Odour springs That wch makes glorious inferiour Men as Kings This spreads the sweet perfume of Solomon's fame 'T was this that rais'd his most illustrious Name The noise of Wisdome made so great report 'T was heard as far as Sheba's Princely Court It made the Lady's Charriot-wheels to run Most swift like to the new-rais'd Eastern Sun Mâ—unting aloft and vanquishing black Clouds She hasts away and through obstructions crouds Defying danger she 's resolv'd to see What Fame reports touching this Prodigie The emulous Queen 's arriv'd she stands amaz'd She lessens wonders and be'ng over-daz'd With this great Beam she breaks forth could not hold But must express that what to her was told In her own Country was in no wisâ— nigh Half what she found did in his Wisdom lie What 's Riches Bounty Honour Beauty rare Unless true Wisdom also do dwell there If Wisdom may a person recommend Christ is all Wisdom Shall I now descend Into particulars wilt lend an Ear Whilst I endeavour to make it more clear Alas I stand amaz'd Can Infinite Perfections be exprest what shall I write He 's wise all-wise only wise shall I speak Wisdom it self i' th' abstract Can I take Upon me then to ope this Mystery When in him doth all depths of Wisdom lie The Wisemans wisdome if 't compar'd might be Was like a drop of Water to the Sea Nay far a greater disproportion's there Should we Christ's wisdom once with his compare 'T was he which did to Solomon impart That wisdom and that understanding heart 'T is he which makes all good men grave and wise To hate all evil and true Vertue prize He to our Fathers doth right knowledg give And 't is by him all pious Judges live Th' infinite wisdome of th' Eternal One Shines forth in him nay 't is in him alone All is laid up he is God's Treasury Where Wisdom and true Knowledg both do lie He knows all things and persons here below Nay perfectly does he the Father know And all Decrees and Counsels which of old Have been and their events he can unfold He knows each glorious purpose and design In him alone do all Perfections shine The frames the thoughts the ways the fears the wants Temptations burdens the grief of Saints Most perfectly he knows and quickly can Save and deâ—end from th' greatest rage of Man For Counsel and wise conduct he exceeds And in the midst of paths of Judgment leads The crafty Counsel of Achitophel He can defeat though laid as deep as Hell He over-turns the wisdome of the wise Confounds their plots and shews what folly lies In their grand Councils making them to know Their purposes can't stand if he says no. He orders things that no design shall take Further than 't will for his own Glory make None like to Christ he is without compare He 's wise as well as wealthy great and fair What 's thy opinion Soul canst not espy All Glory hid in his blest Majesty What hinders then but that without delay Triumph may celebrate th' espousal day CHAP. IV. Shewing how the Conscience of the Sinner comes to be effectually awakened together with the effects thereof THIS being said with bowels of Affection Tho often mixt with gall of sharp detection Her former stubbornness being all laid o'pe Yet this nor that nor nothing gave much hope He should prevail which put him in a maze And did his voice and spirits higher raise He still went on with sweet commiseration Yet was his pity mixt with some small passion And to this purpose did this good man speak Not knowing how his last farewel to take Theologue Poor stupified Soul Alas alas What is the cause whence doth it come to pass Thou art so sensless why dost thou despise All those Soul-melting tears those sighs and crys What is thy heart more harder than the Rocks That thou canst bear these oft repeated knocks And never break at all O strange O strange Thy heart poor Soul isâ—t harder than a stone That feeble drops of water fall upon And makes impression What shall stones relent And yield themselves and as it were consent These frequent droppings should impression make And showers move thee not Awake awake Before the dreadful Message I impart Shall rouse thy hard and sin-congealed heart Thy night comes on thy Sun 's a going down Thy seeming favourites begin to frown So all thy pleasures with their wanton charms Are flying from thee Death spreads forth his Arms To take thee hence unto another place Canst thou poor wretch this ghastly King imbrace What will become of all thy wealth and pleasure Behold alas Death 's come to make a seisure Upon thy poor deceived Soul this night Then all thy joys and empty vain delight Will vanish like the smoke and thou shalt be Cast iuto Prison for Eternitie Where thou shalt evermore bewail thy loss In changing Gold for that that 's worse than dross Shall Beauty Wealth or Honour make thee yield Much more that Wisdom wherewith Christ is fill'd Shall Love and Patience be so ill rewarded By thee by whom he should be most regarded And sensual Objects harbour'd in thy heart Then wilt thou hear what further I 'le impart Soul now thou must be anathematiz'd And when Christ comes how wilt thou be surpriz'd For those that love not Jesus are accurst And when he doth appear for ever must That fearful doom and sentence then receive O may the thoughts of this cause thee to cleave To him with speed before this day is gone I le now break off adieu this think upon Poor drousy wretch let sin no more deceive thee Give me thine Answer now before I leave thee O may these Soul-confounding terrors break Thy stony-heart and make thy Conscience speak Eternal God do thou thy Spirit send 'T is he which must the Soul in pieces rend The work 's too hard for weakness Alas I Shall not prevail if help thou dost deny Speak to her heart set home the Word with Pow'r Shall this be the good day the happy hour Her Conscience touch O wound her let her see What 't is to be a Captive unto thee Open her Eyes blest Spirit thou canst do it Sad is her state O come and let her know it Let not my pains nor labour quite be lost For dear she has my Master Jesus cost Thou canst effectually change her bad mind Which unto sensual Objects is inclin'd O shed and scatter precious Love abroad And unto her some of that grace afford Moral persuasions barely ne're will bring The Soul to love
and like our Heav'nly King But I 'le return and speak yet one word more Unto her Conscience e're I do give o're Speak Conscience if alive thou us'd to keep A faithful watch what art thou now asleep Hath she not slighted Christ like unto those That him reject and cleave unto his Foes What dost thou say speak I adjure thee rouse Conscience I speak to thee shake off thy drouse Gripe this deluded Soul who puts her trust In those that seek her Life 't is thou that must Stop her vain course what shall the Sinner die When Conscience God's Vicegerent is so nigh And gives not one sad sigh nor groan nor cry Strange what 's befallen thee art lost oâ— fled Who shouldst the tidings bring that all are dead Like Job's last Messenger thou shouldst declare How all the faculties corrupted are Wilt thou betray that trust repos'd in thee And lose thy regal Right and Soveraignty Wilt thou connive and wink at such a crime Or fault which she commits O no 't is time Now to awake and fiercely her reprove What hate that Prince whom she pretends to love Immediately the Spirit sweetly spake And touch'd her heart and Conscience did awake Conscience What Soul-amazing voice is this I hear What Heav'n-rending Thunder fills mine Ear Awake why do I sleep can Conscience nod That keeps a watch betwixt the Soul and God If so yet when Heav'ns voice cryes out amain That will awake and make me rouse again I have most basely Sir corrupted bin By Satan and that poisonous Evil SIN A Register I kept but then alas It has so fallen out so come to pass That I unfaithful was for always when I should have set down scores I set down ten Nay to their party so entic'd have bin That I have often winked at her sin And when my Office was for to accuse 'T was to wrong endâ— her Light I did abuse My faults I see I 'le watch that no offence May pass the Soul without intelligence Sir Strange it is it puts me in a muse As one amaz'd to see the Soul refuse To hearken to your voice which constantly Like pointed Darts against her breast doth fly I 'le take up Arms and fight for Jesus now And make her bend to him if I know how I now declare my self though for a season I silence kept to hear what Goodman Reason Could find to say whereby he might excuse her But he 's most blind and surely doth abuse her I know her byass'd Judgment will conjecture She 's not oblig'd to hearken to that Lecture She lately heard although it was Divine Her will and judgment doth with Hell combine To work her ruin do you what you can Till Judgments rectifi'd and the Old man Be put to death she 'l be rebellious still Yield to her lusts and please her vicious will Theologue Doth Conscience yield Blest day I 'le try again With hope of a full Conquest to obtain Good service may'st thou do act well thy part Whilst the great King doth thus besiege the heart Keep thou a narrow watch look well about Observe who doth come in and who goes out In one thing am I glad I know from hence I shall by thee have true intelligence How things are manag'd in her house always Thou know'st her thoughts hâ—â—â—st all the words she says Apollyon Prince of Darkness Apollyon that degraded Seraphim And Grand-fire of that Hell-bred Monster Sin No sooner did of these late tidings hear How Conscience was awakened but in fear Presently calls a Council to advise Which way they might the Soul by craft surprize And hinder her from being crowned Queen Which to prevent successful have we been Saith he till now but I am in great doubt Much longer we shall hardly hold it out The Preacher doth his business follow so I am afraid of some great overthrow Satan Dread Prince fear not we yet possession have And want no skill Can't subtilty deceive Can't strength subdue besides she 's in our chain Though one links broke we 'l fasten it again And if grave Judgment will with us abide Conscience will not be able to decide The diffâ—rences nor right dicision make No matter then which side the fool doth take But since my Lord I see what grieves your mind No safety shall these Gospel-Preachers find Our Vassals we 'l prepare with Hellish rage Them to extirpate and drive off the stage Lucifer I do approve of that last Counsel given Let not a place nor corner under Heaven Be found for those our int'rest dare oppose Or once attempt to move the Soul to close With him whom we account our mortal Foe Satan for this I bless and thank thee too The brave design which we have now in hand Will soon effect this thing in every Land That Enterprise let us pursue with care But mind us wâ—ll how things more inward are To Judgment look lest he from us should run If once his Eyes are ope we 're all undone Soul Lord what sad gripes and lashes no I feel My courage fails and resolutions reel Strange thoughts disturb my mind no rest alas Can heart or eyes obtain whole nights do pass Whole weeks and months and nought can I possess But horror great sad grief and weariness What 's my condition now who 'le shew to me My present state and future misery Hark what 's within a very frightful noise It mars my hopes imbitters all my joys My moâ—n's ore-cast my fair day proveth foul My Conscience terrifies and makes me howl Lash after lash and blows succeeding blows He 's void of mercy and no pity shows Here ends my joy and here begins my woes O how my mind is hurried to and fro I know not where to fix nor what to do My unresolv'd resolves do greatly vary This way one while and then the quite contrary Who is 't will counsel give to whom must I Go for some case in this perplexity My Conscience says I wickedly have acted Not breaking the vile contract I 've contracted With those sweet Lovers which my sensual heart So long a time has lov'd how shall we part Must I be forc'd by Conscience to imbrace One whom I cannot love 't is a hard case Yet have I cause to love him dearly too But how shall I for him let others go Depraved Judgment Poor silly Soul and is thy choice so hard In two extreams can thy weak thoughts reward Two so unequal with the like respect Know'st thou not which to slight which to affect Submit to me â—tis Judgment must advise In this great case take heed and be thou wise Fix where thou wilt thy doubt-depending cause Can ne'r expect a Verdict 'twixt two Laws Which differ and are opposit in kind Yet a fit medium I 'le attempt to find To ease thy sad and sore perplexed mind Divert those thoughts by some rare Speculations And vanquish all these dolesome cogitations Look look abroad and view the world pray mark
all thy score If thou a Widow or an Orphan be Husband and Father both he 'l be to thee A Husband that does live yea live for ever Match here poor Soul where Death can part you never Or art thou weak canst not go alone He is thy strength O thou mayst lean upon His mighty Arm for that is thy support Art thou beleaguer'd he 's thy Royal Fort. In times of danger and of trouble great Unto his holy Name do thou retreat Which is a Tower strong to all that fly With care and speed from all iniquity Under his wings he 'l hide his purchas'd One Till these calamities are past and gone Or art thou dying and dost fear the grave He is thy life from Death he will thee save They cannot die who such a Husband have Or art a Sinner he 's thy Righteousness He 's more than I can any ways express The good in Christ is so exceeding sweet None understand until they tast of it He is a Good which none can comprehend He is a Good which doth all others send The chiefest Good good of himself alone When carnal joys and pleasures all are gone That 's not the good that fills not the desire That can't be chief if there be yet a higher God is so good noughts good if him we want Small things with him will satisfie a Saintâ— He is so good that nought can bitter make him Unto that Soul who chearfully does take him And his sweet love and precious grace enjoys Yet this rare Good ne'r gluts nor sweetness cloys The best of earthly sweets which fools do prize By sin and sickness doth much bitter rise They loath them straight and can't abide to hear Of that which lately they esteem'd so dear That that 's the Good on which thou shouldst depend That is desired for no other end Than for it self O tast of him and try And thou 'lt be filled to Eternity That 's not the Good which suddenly doth leave us That 's not the Good of which Death can bereave us Christ is a Good that 's lasting and abides All other Good alas will fail besides Make him thy choice dear Soul O do but try How sweet it is in Jesu's Arms to lie Make him thy joy and thou 'lt see cause to sing Whatever days or change may on thee bring Soul Sad times alas here is a sudden change Nought can I hear of now but rumors strange Of Wars and Tumults with perplexity Which do encrease and swell most vehemently Within the regions of my inward man Which causes tears and makes my face look wan Cross workings in me clearly I discover I am distrest about this glorious Lover The counsel which my heart did lately give I cannot take I dare not it receive Great slaughters there will be in my small Isle For without bloud be sure this fearful broil Will never cease which side now shall I take I tremble much yea all my bones do shake Some of my sins which I have loved dear Are forc'd to fly and others can't appear Lest Conscience should upon them fall for he Crys out Kill all let not one spared be Nay Judgment too is all-most at a stand Which doth amuse me much o' th other hand Yet Will and Old-man are resolv'dly bent To hinder me from granting my consent Yet if I could but have some glimm'ring sight Of this great Prince I know not but it might Work strange effects in me for I do find My Eyes are out my Understanding blind Lord pity me for I a wretch have bin To slight thee thus and love my cursed sin Thus whilst God's Word was preacht and she also Began to cry I did observe and lo A Friend was sent from the blest Prince of Light The glory of whose Face did shine so bright That none were able to behold for he Seem'd not infer'our to the Majesty Of the great God and his eternal Son For they in Essence are all three but one His Power 's great and Glory is his merit His nature 's like his Name most holy Spirit Who to the Soul did presently draw near And toucht her heart and then unstopt her ear And from him shone such glorious rays of light Some scales flew off and she recover'd sight Which straitway did her judgment rectifie Who to this purpose did himself apply Unto the Soul whom he had led astray I must confess my faults to thee this day Judgment For want of light false judgment I have given And treacherously conspired against Heaven And ' gainst thy life and happiness have I Been drawn into a vile conspiracy Of th' highest nature for I did consent With thy base Foes who hellishly are bent To tear thee into pieces quite undo thee Whilst smilingly they proffer pleasures to thee And now though not t' extenuate my sin I 'le tell thee how I have been drawen in Thy heart 's corrupted and from it proceeds The cursed Old-man with his evil deeds They with Apollyon jointly did unite To draw a Curtain 'twixt me and the light And thus though I sometimes was half inclin'd To judge for God they bâ—sely kept me blind T hey've me corrupted with thy wilful Will Who I do fear remains most stubborn still Which if 't be so and he 's not made to bend Conclude the match thou canst not wth thy friend And I poor I can't make him condescend Some higer Power 't is must make him yield Or he 'l stand out and never quit the Field For he 's a churlish piece and thou wilt find To what is evil he is most enclin'd But hath no will at all to what is right A very Traytor to the Prince of Light But as for me my thoughts are clearly now Thou oughtst forthwith to yield and meekly bow To the great King thy miâ—hty Lord and Lover And more then this to thee I must discover Now now I know thy Soveraign Lord will pry Into thy very heart his piercing Eye Will find that 〈◊〉 amongst the Company Who wants the Wedding-garment and will sever That unprepared man in Wrath for ever From his sweet presence Soul his Word doth shew Nothing will serve but universal new He is a jealous God will not endure To see thee only counterfeited pure O now I see he will not take a part But claims both ears eyes hands yea the whole heart Now now I see 't is pure simplicity That is alone accepted in his Eye That sin which has been like to a right hand For profit sweet thou must at his command Cut straight-way off Nay Soul look thou about For Right-eye sins must all be pulled out Though they for pleasure have to thee bin dear Yet must they have no room nor favour here Of every sin thou must thy self deny One sin will damn thee to Eternity If thou to it dost any love retain Nay hark to me Soul listen once again The Law must also unto thee be dead And thou to it or