the naturall man by natures light Convinced be but never see aright Till by the Holy Ghost he be renewed And in the heart by speciall grace indued And led unto the new and living way Where closing with his Saviour he may Discern from whence these waters spring that flow And make the barren fruitfull ground to grow Come then incline divine assistance can From nature thee renew a spâ—ritual man Aright to see His condescensions Applying by firm apprehensions Him shining clear in His Anointed Who is for thy approach appointed For He unmov'd all motions moves Which minutly His praises proves Extracting from most clear distractions A cluster sweet of solide actions For all that is was or shall be Is His eternall wise decree Whose high designs ador'd as His duration Admits no parallel or alteration Whom we in Christ our Saviour sweet must see Imbrace enjoy or die eternally But come and do not in your dreg remain Take up the Book and read and read again A serious Survey of this journey take This Child of Grace through all his tryals tract Here shalt thou see an unseen strength sustain The weakest that hath at the battel been And wisdome shining in the most unwise Might make affections in a rapt to rise Which in the Babe new born again doth grow Whereby he doth in Songs of Praises flow A Garden here with arbors for reposing A Jewel clear the ground of all rejoycing A Fountain whence waters of life do spring A Mountain thence thou may'st with safety sing A Spirit here perceive our sp'rits inspires With sighs and groans and answers such desires Come then in faith and as thou seeks receive Light life relief from darknesse grief and grave In brief behold these whole assertions here By proof from truth believed made appear And He above believing shall convoy Thee with Himself Himself for to enjoy Himself who is thy Potent Prince Victorious Light Life Delight and Lover only Glorious Come then attend His call and humbly say Come Lord thy servant hears and shall obey A SURVEY Of the FIRST and SECOND DEATH Closing with a SEPARATION-KISSE Betwixt two intimate FRIENDS The SOVL and BODY By way of DIALOGUE betwixt NATURE and GRACE Under the Names of FLESH and SPIRIT Heb. 9.27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die but after this the judgement Ephes 2.1 And you hath he quickned who were dead in sins and trespasses 1. THE body of man is of the earth naturall earthy 2. The soul of man is of a spirituall nature spirituall 3. The two joyned together in the time of life make up a person 4. The separation of the soul from the body is the naturall death of the person 5. The separation of Gods favourable Presence by His Spirit from the soul is the spirituall death of the person 6. All the Off-spring of the first man by his apostasie and disobedience are deservedly deprived of Gods favourable Presence by his spirit so come to the world dead in sins and trespasses 7. All these the naturall Off-spring of the first man that be left in this forlorn condition living and dying in this darknesse and ignorance of God and do never attain unto the first resurrection do ly under the first and be lyable unto the second death at the last day 8. The Elect and Chosen of God be by His free grace in a time of love called and by the effectuall working of His Spirit moved to believe His word and to joine with Jesus Christ for Salvation By whom neverthelesse that they be spiritually dead in sins and trespasses they are by His Spirit quickned to see and serve the living God dying unto sin and living unto righteousness and thereby made partakers of the first resurrection Against whom the second death at the generall resurrection shall have no place 9. To be spiritually-dead the mere naturall man knows not nor by reason of his atheism can know till the second death sieze upon him first at the seperation of the soul and body and secondly again at the resurrection and judgment 10. The Believer knows by woefull proof what it is to be spiritually dead by the dead works wherein they have walked before they knew themselves under darknesse 11. The Believer knows likewise what the second death means by being sometimes from provocation and sometimes from tryall deserted and often kept at distance and of such continuance as hath been both a hell of torments and hes bred fearfull anxiety and knows also and believes the Scripture-descriptions of the eternall torments never dying death and dolour that the wicked atheist must endure and perish under everlastingly As also by being condemned in themselves and saved by the Lord they know what it is to be absolved from that dreadfull condemnation 12. As to the dissolution of the body albeit it be a beginning of the second death to the wicked as it is a preparation to the second resurrection of the Godly whose souls are then feasting upon their Saviour His Face in Paradice It may be more properly named a Sleep as it is often in Scripture especially seeing the soul hes had her night of partiall separation in the body suppose but short in comparison of time yet under many sufferings whereas the bodies night in its element is free of trouble and for the length of time it is to rest there under darknesse It is not considerable in respect of the splendor of that day of eternal glory which is at the out-breaking And seeing it is with this temporall death of the bodie that the Believer hes only adoe let us look a little more particularly upon it and specially as it concerns the Believer It is appointed for all men to die naturall death being the separation of the soul from the body is rightly named unto mere naturall man the King of terrours A metaphor from a King or Tyrant who is unresistable for power unsatiable and unexorable for cruelty undefatigable for persistence furnisht with all manner of forces for execution in all places at all times through all the Continent where any of the sons of men takes life attending them constantly till every one of them fall under the fatall and finall stroak And there is nothing created in this Universe whether from within us or from without us from the furthest remote of the Stars to the least pile of grasse or pickle of dust which were all created for our good but hath been or may be the occasion of this dissolution As also by what means amongst so many and at what time so uncertain unto any that it is a wonder that the rationall creatures who knows themselves subject to it can think of it without terrour and most terrible that the most of men are over-turned before they think seriously of it But here appears the greatest wonder that ever any of the blind-born deservedly forsaken and self-lost generation of apostate man should come to know any more hereof then
any other but this being the prerogative of the regenerate by grace to see themselves by nature lost and saved by the Lord This death is nothing terrible nor troublesome to them but pleasant and comfortable in what colours by what knife at what time or in what place they commit their souls to the Father of spirits and surrender their bodies to the Elements whereof they were and are to be preserved unto the day that all things be restored for they see and know that this dissolution of the body is but the laying off or suffering the old spotted and defiled garments to be rent from us till they be refined and not that we may be uncloathed but cloathed upon with glory and immortality untill we receive again these naturall mortall corruptible bodies immortall incorruptible receptacles habilitate and fitted to imbrace and enjoy without interruption the glory that a glorified soul is admitted unto So that unto the Believer this naturall death is swallowed up of life being no more death unto them then the pinching of the body of the Infant in coming through these straits of ordinary Child-birth should be to the Child if it were capacitate to know the present case and place of its imprisonment and the light and liberty it were to come to But here nature even pure nature doth propose some most sensible and searching tryals for impugning my arguments and resolutions viz. Seeing this World was created for me and I created immortall without separation by death if I had stood in my integrity then should I never have had any further desire but of things present Now presuppone that the offer were made me of the allowance of all created contentments perpetually to my desire with the blessing upon them and the blessed use of them with that peace which should make up a continued feast should not we then rather be content to remain in the body then desirous to seperate from it 1. For answer The case is so far altered that the difference is very vast we not being by creation nor should have been by generation in the estate of innocency capable of any greater blesse then that wherein the first man was created which was to enjoy the allowed use of the creature and to converse with the Creator at such times by such means and in what measure as the divine Majesty should think meet 2. Whereas by regeneration the Believer attains unto and is made capable of a more sublime and supernaturall blesse by being made a member of Christ mysticall to see and enjoy God in Him by grace and to be translated unto glory after death which makes it desirable It is Objected Suppose the offer were made of a healthfull and lively body with the liberty and allowance of all outward contents with the speciall blessing of inward peace in the use of them and freedom from all disturbance which might allay that relish in the fruition of them untill the end of time and the coming of the Lord to the general Judgement Should I not then rather make choise to remain in the body unto that day then to separate from it that it may be consumed in the dust for that time For answer Let the supposition be strengthened with all the Arguments that may warrantably be alledged they cannot weaken the resolution of a Believer nor ballance his disposition of an instant and sincere desire to be dissolved with submission to the good pleasure of Gods will both for the time place and maner of his removall that mortality being swallowed up of life we may put on and be cloathed with immortality life and glory freed of all ground of provoking God or grieving Gods Spirit and admitted unto His Presence in whose Face is the fulnesse of joy and at whose right hand are all true compleat and incomprehensible pleasures for evermore the body never being sensible of any losse and the soul being over-joyed in the continued sense of unconceivable advantage Hereby the Believer according to the growth of his faith and affection is looking and longing for that day when he may take possession in that house which is from heaven and is eternall in heaven And these Truths are so convincingly verified unto us by God himself by Jesus Christ our Lord and by the holy Spirit of God and of Christ speaking in his Prophets and Apostles and justified by instances of raising up the dead to life again as being past controversie all objection is removed except it be by the obstinate atheist giving thereby undeniable signs of utter and irrecoverable rejection And how is it then that the Believer can be any thing moved at the approach of that happiest of his dayes unlesse it were unto an excesse of joy from the sense of so joyfull a separation from a dying body lying under darknesse unto a living Head stated in all light and delight Shall the pangs of death restrain our desires or abate our resolutions in making through that strait entry unto such certain and eternall felicities Would the Child in the mothers womb if it were capable of sense and reason make choise to remain everlastingly in that dark Cell rather then to hazard upon what pains there may be in pressing out unto the light Would not the Prisoner fettered in the Gallies and there held under most cruell slavery if he should be called out of that bondage not only unto liberty but also in stead of his rags Princely Robes presented to him and of bands the enjoyments of all desirable delights that the most flourishing Nation under the Sun could render crowned with many dayes and years in the society of Princes and all Princely pleasures would not the change be most joyfully imbraced by any that were not more then brutish Now then how far above comparison is this change that the believing Christian is called unto from so many sorrows and sufferings as our sin hath brought and keeps us under while we are in the body unto a Crown of glory and immortality to be cloathed upon with the Robes of our Redeemer his Righteousnesse and feasted with the joyes that flourish in the Face of our Mediator being the fruits of that Land where there is no lesse then everlasting life light love delight resulting in superexcellent hymns and songs of eternall praise in exalting the King and Saviour of Saints Is it not from the weaknesse of our faith and not keeping our spirituall senses in action but sluggishly suffering our affections to frieze that we are not still attending when we shall be called to come out of the body to enjoy this beatitude And why should we be so anxious of the maner time or place of laying down our old cloaths It becomes us well to intrust all to Him of whom we are and for whom we are without whom nothing can befall us who is goodnesse it self and of whom we had such reall proof that He makes all things work together for our good And shall we
ever blest Trin One compleat For evermore our songs shall be Ever renew'd uncessantly And His praises to expresse Ever shall our selves addresse AMEN O Lord so let it be So be it in Eternity THE NATURAL MAN Debated with HOw come say some such sacred flames can boil So sweet perfumes out of this sullen soyl This curious question'st with carnall eyes Bemisted sees not in these mysteries How singing doth from sighing flow And gladnesse how from sadnesse grow How mourning melting motions move In frozen hearts hot flames of love From bitterness how sweetness springs Refreshment what felt-ruine brings How from the groans of inward grief Clear freedom rises and relief In deepest darknesse sure direction In dreadfull danger safe protection Result and what can be the root That renders this admired fruit For Answer this BY Grace we see our selves with shame Under abominable blame And not the lesse so freely loved Affections feelingly are moved And overflow like Nilus River In the heart of the believer Whence grief and gladnesse love and he at Reside as in the proper seat Whence bitter mourning grief and wo For grieving such a Lover so Who surfetted hes been with grief From grief to purchase our relief Whom seeing vively through the vail Love and delight thereby prevail So that as by approaching near Unto that splendor in its sphere Be in Combustion dazled so Within these gleams we undergo And in this current strong contesting Securely in his shadow resting Zeal the birth of love and hate Daily abates this love-debate Wherewith no concord can compare One end discussing all their care Being to be made pure and clean This fervent love to entertain Grace ' gainst corruption doth begin A furious fight the soul within So that in one poor person here Betwixt two parties doth appear A hot contest with fatall blows Tending to others overthrows Whence grows this bitter-sweet debate In this grace-griev'd divided state Hence flow these tides contrary turning Mourning to mirth mirth unto mourning The old man being pincht repines The new man sweetly sings and shines The old man dwyning in his living The new man rising and reviving What dolour the old man endures Delight to the new man procures When grace is most o'resway'd it swiâ—gs Corruption under foot and sings For on a mountain of increasement And at a fountain of refreshment Bullering up eternall love With sp'ritual breathings from above Reviv'd by all these blessefull beams Shining through our cristal streams We in these glist'rings flight'ring be Untill we take our flight on hie These be the Northern gales that blow And breathings from the South that flow Upon the Spices sweet and Flowres Seasoned with Celestiall showres And in this Garden do agree Spouses to feast deliciously Upon these fruits and spices sweet Where all their comforts are compleat Who do discern aright to rise These mercies rich rightly to prize But the Believer only sees That Majesty in these mysteries And substance through the shadows more Of glory then he can adore But that the rationall man yet we may lead Some length let us by nat'rall reason plead Seeing this naturall Sun we daily see On nat'rall bodies worke effectually Vapours exhaling out of earthy things Which rarifi'd and clarified brings Repell'd by colder air our early showres Enamelling the earth with fruits and flowres Shall not the Sun of Righteousnesse far more Natures Creator whom we do adore By his almighty Influence divine Which on the long-benighted soul does shine Affect attract and elevating move Affections for the element of love Which purify'd prepared and matur'd Are for the service of their Lord allur'd And further yet by naturall things to learn Spirituall mysteries best to discern This supposition make Conceive the bounds Of this vast Ocean that the earth surrounds If all the Floods therein were the extracts And quintessence that best ingredients makes And daily that some of these cristall drops Melt from such sweet and sun-refined sops And in this Ocean be ingulfed shall They not be then transchanged in the fall Our reason shews us that this strong perfume Should soon the drosse of this sweet drop consume Consider then when this immortall sp'rit By these divine irradiations sweet Here in the Region of grace matur'd For glory and the love thereof allur'd Doth from this cloud come out imbrac'd to be In that incomprehensible excellency At the first blink transchanged be so far As heat from cold and light from darkness are And though the rising of our bodies be From death to life again a mysterie Yet when we do behold how nature brings About life to restore to lifelesse things The earth renewing daily flowers and fruits From dozen'd dead corrupt and rotten roots The vapour that 's exhaled from the brim Where sholes of herring leave their spawn to swim Congealed in a cloud again shall powre Of herrings on the ground a swiming shower Oh wofull wretched wreaked naturallist That naturally doth see and not insist To see aright believe love and know more Who natures Author is and him adore For in His time thou with thy very eyes Disclos'd shall see these divine mysteries Our body from the Elements arise And sp'rited be to meet Him in the skies And at the peep of first appearance passe To pain or pleasure as the Inditement was Recorded clearly on the conscience gravâ—d Rend'ring response respective damned sav'd And all these revolutions orderly Accomplisht in the twinkling of an eye For this the period peremptor is Eternally determinat for this That Glorious Right'ous Justice shining clear And glorious righteous mercy may appear Where all the damn'd convinc'd in anguish ly The saved on their Saviour do rely And yet poor naturall atheist that inquires Where is this blesse and where these burning fâ—es Conceive of God aright who comprehends All things incomprehended and extends His glory in His dispensations free Of mercy and of justice righteously Wherein such Majesty ador'd does shine As moves to admiration divine Through all these vast dimensions created Where all the rationall creatures are stated Sin-poyson'd persons wheresoever they be Unpurg'd are under wrath perpetuallie Likeas the Saints are wheresoever plac'd Within the glorious love of God imbrac'd This is the hell beneath and heaven above Here flames of wrath abide there beams of love Justice effects producing so contrarious Upon the Objects so directly various This naturall Sun by nature putrifies Some matter and some matter purifies Some matter harden and some soften more Some strike to death and some to life restore In Summer shining with so fervent heat And on the vild defyled puddle beat The filth therein doth such a fume disclose As doth in darknesse all the dung inclose Ingend'ring serpents vile and cruell frogs Crawling and sprewling in their poysoned drogs Right so the Sun of Righteousnesse shines pure While such the poyson of their pest indure â—or all the perturbation torment anguish Is of themselves wherein they liveing languish Thus may
The Turtle-dove an emblem of the new Creature her properties described THe Turtle-dove truely resemble can Of any thing in nature the New-man In heart and whole affections constant pure Does loyall only to her choise endure Most searching piercing storms and darkest night In presence of her Lover she doth slight But thoughts of separation be so sad Created comforts cannot make her glad Whiles vexing grief from self-suspition grows That his removall from her motion flows This Animall the Rationall so exceeds She for preferment of affection pleads They born again this case can only state Prevail and far exceed in the debate For they refram'd refin'd revived be By that anointing makes them hear and see Himself who so elects allures and loves His Dove redeem'd reproves proves and approves Most blessed they thus taught thus fram'd thus gain'd To God by grace and from the world wean'd CANT 2.12 14. The voice of the Turtle is heard in our Land 14. O my Dove that art in the clefts of the Rocks in the secret places of the Stairs let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voices for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely PSAL. 68.13 Though ye have lien among the pots yet shall ye be as the wings of a Dove covered with Silver and her feathers with yellow Gold THE TURTLE-DOVE UNDER THE ABSENCE PRESENCE OF HER ONLY CHOISE OR DESERTION DELIVERANCE REVIVED 1. Ushered with the NICODEMIAN PARADOX explained in a Comparison betwixt the First and Second BIRTH and closed with the Characters of the Old and New Man 2. And seconded with a SURVEY of the First and Second DEATH which inclosed with a Sepation-kisse betwixt two most intimate Friends the Soul and Body of Man 3. And a Glimring of the First and Second Resurrection and Generall Judgement closing with a Song of Degrees from what we were to what we are and from thence toward what we shall be By a Lover of the Celestiall Muses IOHN 3.8 The wind bloweth where it â—isâ— c. EDINBVRGh Printed by Andrew Anderson Printer to the CITTY and COLLEDGE Anno DOM. 1664. The Presentation of the Turtle-Dove to the Lady VISCOUNTESS of KENMOOR RIght Noble Madam Please your Honour now Accept this present of a Turtle Dove Which in the Ark reserv'd secure hath been And both the worlds new and old hes seen The Nations of the old deaths captives living The natives of the new in death reviving She sees preserv'd from fear from pit from snare Where wretched worldlings wamble in despair Those old ascendent shining and shut out These born anew with Songs of safety shout Eternall purposes reveal'd she weighs And timous precious promises applyes Timely performances she truly proves And feels how fervently her Lover loves Now when you have consideratly seen Her Songs and found them clear and Christ-all-clean Then let her sweetly by your licence flie Amongst true mourners with her melody These discords well compos'd abounding there In concords move a sweet soul-melting air Ladies and Lovers Lidia-like advert Till sp'ritual motions mollifie your heart That moulded new in love true and divine Then in your Lovers likenesse you may shine An ACROSTICK upon the NAME of the Right Honourable LADY JEAN CAMPBEL VISCOUNTESS of Kenmoor L LOve-bred designs from deep divine desires A A Sp'rit inspires transcending humane skill D Dilating still the will with heavenly fires I Inflam'd wherewith admires her Lover still E Elected Ladie elevated Lover J Injoy the object of thy Love sublime A Adore the dictats of thy Divine Mover N Now training thee to treasures after time E Eternall troubles inward tryals strong C Come out to make thee famous in thy fight A And manag'd be the mysteries among M Make up thy life-translation unto light P Presse through the straits the precious prize perceive B Bounty bestows and blessed souls receive E Eternall triumphs glorie infinite L Loves Darling comes thy comforts to compleat The Minion of the Muses here Great Mistris of this gracious Quire Whose study unto self-denial Had suffered to shine the trial Should made the Muses homage do Her Pen and Person both unto An ACROSTICK upon the name of that very Religious and Famous GENTLE-WOMAN MARION McKNAICHT M More happy then imagined can be A And blessed are such as with heart sincere R Resolve to cleave to Christ to live and die I In Him with Him and for Him to appear O O What transcedent glorie grows from grace N None but no not the soul refined shall M c Make to appear that Light that Life that peace K Known only to the pure Possessors all N Now thou by grace art unto glory gone A And gain'd the Garland of eternall blesse I In seeing Him who on the glorious Throne C Created uncreated glory is H Heavens Quire did sing at thy conversion sweet T Time posts thy finall comforts to compleat Those names among the living worthily Preserved be that true Belivers be And such they be that truely do believe Who living learn to die dying to live TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE Noble and Religious LADY JEAN VISCOUNTESS of KENMOOR Right Honourable BEing past controversie and universally acknowledged that bitter Experience is the best Teacher and School-master of fools amongst which rank I do esteem my self to be inferior to very few And therefore must be educate under such exercises and discipline as the only wise Parent who knows well the frame disposition and inclination of every one of his children sees meet for instructing rectifying and reclaiming of the blind-born ignorant prone to all maner of perversity out of that naturall darknesse by the illumination of the holy Ghost unto the life of grace whereby God makes himself known to the Elect and themselves to themselves and whereby they be moved to hate and abhore themselves to love and believe Him so clearly manifested to them that the Devil or his instruments from without or from within cannot gain ground so far against the work of his begun grace as to raze it Neverthelesse the subtile Hunter cruell and violent Persecutor of such as are thrusting through the strait gate ceaseth not to prepare and set many snares privily in our way partly by entangling our minds with too much worldly affairs and other vain inventions and partly by presenting well-polished idols for our humors as means of diversion whereby we be marred in our growth and come slowly unto maturity But our only good God and gracious Father who out of his infinite goodnesse hath begun knows also how to accomplish his work in every one of his own For proof whereof I have made bold to let your Ladyship know that after many multiplied compassions unchangeable love and long-sufferings wherewith my Lord hath been driving me nearer to Himself now at length to lead me apart as it were out of the world by a singular and unexpected providence unto the wildernesse not to be tempted by the Devil as my dear Saviour was before me who
places that be prepared for you when corruption and all things corruptible being dissolved glory and immortality put on and you admitted amongst others that stand by to feast upon the superexcellencies of joyes that are in the King's face and pleasures that be enjoyed at His right Hand for evermore who out of His eternall Love in an incomprehensiblâ— way of infinite wisdome hes purchased this peace this grace this glory to all the members of the body mysticall whereof He the glorious Head iâ— the fulnesse of Him who filleth all in all And unto whose grace and faithfulness your Ladyship is fervently recommended by Noble Madam Your Ladyships most affectionate and humble Servant JOHN FULLARTOUN of Careltoun Edinburgh Feb. 8. 1664. THE EPISTLE TO THE Weak and wrestling Believer DAughters of Jerusalem This weak and wearied Pilgrim now comming your way who being long detained in the house of bondage hath been amongst others called out and guided through the Red-sea by a more miraculous deliverance and guarded by a greater and better Guide than Moses to Israel from the pursuit of more numerous enemies and oftner at the brink of despairâ— untill peremptor Providences of powerfull preservaâ—on appearing have caused the raging Seas of most dreadfull trials to recoyl for our passage unto the utter ruine of unreconcileable enemies and yet must take journey through a waste and wearisom wildernesse where we are broght low and kept under by troubles and trials unexpressible and all for our good till we have fulfilled our course And now at the length this Passenger being arrived at the borders of the Holy-land and having tasted of the first fruits thereof and thereby being incouraged to attend the appointed time when he shall be called to passe on after those that are gone before him through Jordan so long as the Priests feet stand firm in the midst of the River with the Ark of the Covenant upon their shoulders And in the mean time doth take occasion to recent the most notable evidences of his supply and support under greatest crosses conflicts dangers and deliverances by mediate and immediate helps of His Presence and Providence who hath been his God and his Guide his Sun and his Shield unto this day and therefore conceives it to be his duty to convey some Clusters of the Grapes as the first Fruits of that Country for incouragement to such as are upon their journey through the waters of Mara through fiery serpents swarming in the wildernesse and must endure what Balak with the advice and device of Balaam can do that they may be the lesse afraid of these fierce assaults that they be to conflict with And the sense wherof puts him upon this singing strain and extracts rom him these solemn Song of singular deliverance from all these furious assaults and slavish fears that has infested his faith or fostered his dejections specially unto the conviction of carnall Professors of this generation whoâ— under the frequency of Gospel-ordinances having attained unto the theory of Theological Truths swiming in the brain are satisfied and set down under a carnall security not affected with the preciousnesse of the adorable Divinity that is in them So as by sucking them in they may sink down to the heart and therefrom elevate the soul to presse foreward for the prize with such wakening and warming zeal to the glory of such multiplied mercies in the Gospel-ministry as might produce the sweet smelling fruits of righteousnesse peace and joy in the Holy Ghost the proper result of true living and saving faith which works by love in these that being born again do walk in the Spirit and discern aright in things that differ The Course and Method taken is by a Survey of four severall Subjects 1. The first Vpon the First and Second BIRTH by way of Comparison betwixt the Generation and Growth of MAN in Nature and the Regeneration and Growth of the NEVV MAN in Grace And closing with the Portraict of the New and Old Man under the Names of Vertue and Vice 2. The second Vpon the Exercises of the weak Believing CHRISTIAN under Desertion and Deliverance And closing with an Objection of the Carnall Man answered with a Rationall Advice to the Party 3. The third Upon the First and Second DEATH And closing with a SEPARATION-KISSE betwixt two intimate Friends the Soul and Body 4. The fourth Upon the First and Second RESURRECTIONS and GENERAL JUDGMENT And closing with a SONG of DEGREES The first of them being a Rationall Discourse most tending to inform and convince the Naturall Man The second Practicall and for Spiritual Application The third for Deliberation The fourth for Consolation Which being so ordered have been laid aside for these six years and above Not intending that they should have seen the light untill I had come to the possession of a greater light than is accessible under mortality But now in all probability drawing near to the close of my time in the body And by providence being in this place where I have the offer of service assistant for that effect and conceiving it doubtfull which of us shall see the one or other light first that where grace or this where glory shines I have now resolved to let them out to make a Visite among the Daughters of Jerusalem With whom a professed Pilgrim may have much assurance of hearty welcom for discourses and so much the more that he hath been admitted unto intimacy and honoured with a kisse of the hand of so truly Noble Religious and Vertuous a LADY under whose Patrociny he makes his appearance but specially will be in request with such as have undertaken or do intend to undertake the like travels Not for the holy Grave but for the grace of Holinesse wherein to make our approaches Not to see the place where our Lord was laid but where he lives and prepares for us to live with him Not to carry with us as a monument some of that earth wherein our Saviour was interred for a time but to receive the promised Comforter who is only able to conduct and protect through all the passages of our Pilgrimage to the end of our journey And it will be granted that experiences are most able to make the best report for difficulties or dangers by Sea or by Land of â—poâ—ling by Robbers or splitting on Rocks and may be most able to guard and give incouragement against the sons of Anak And so much the more as we may gather grounds of certain victory after a short Conflict and a never-ending triumph after some trâ—nsitory trials wherein we are sustained by Him in whom we be more then Conquerours And that you may believe and be established shall be the fervent desire of Your Fellow-pilgrim and Servant in Christ Jesus J. F. THE OCCASION AND CONTENTS OF THE ENSUING DISCOURSE AMongst many other innumerable testimonies of Gods unspeakable goodnesse when contrary to all appearance or probability of expectation there was by a gracious dispensation
the Church the Spouse of Christ and of every chosen Child of God and Member of the Body mysticall after Regeneration Neverthelesse of all the tryals troubles and temptations they are to meet with in the strait way II. Secondly in particular there is represented the sad condition and sharp affliction of the Child of God under desertion made appear in a threefold consideration 1. First More felt then real Debated from Page 8. to 23. Where it is made evident that the Child of God after Regeneration may be wrapt under fearfull clouds of darknesse and discouragement and impossible to be comforted till there come a reviving from the inward Comforter And this is most properly Love sicknesse being for tryal and prevention Psa 42. Psa 30.7 8 9 10. 2. Secondly Real and felt And this is debated from Page 23. to 49. Wherein there is notice taken of the severall most prevailing tentations upon several ranks of persons viz. The Court-bred the School-bred the Countrie-bred and the Citty-bred the Civilian also and the most savage of conversation Neverthelesse the party deserted not able to discern the speciall cause of the affliction untill the means be sanctified by inward supply And this is for chastisement and correction tending to humiliation Psal 51. 1 Sam. 1.16 3. Thirdly More real then felt Debated from p. 49. to 76. Where it is made appear that the believer may be lying under much guilt unsensible unâ—ill a timous wakning come and when it is come under much perplexity untill a word of peace be pronounced And this is for tryall and wakening Isa 39.12 2 Sam. 24.10 11 12 13. III. Thridly After all this serious debate unto small purpose the smoaking flax being long smoothered and now breathed upon it kindleth swiftly and breaks out sweetly in an excessive flame of spirituall fervour And whereby then and not till then the party being prevailed with there appears a correspondent alteration of affections in the whole strain and uniforme expressions of the whole Society 1. First The perplexed person under absence is now upon renewed sense elevated unto a most sublime soul-ravishing rapture in a SONG p. 76. and the continuation thereof p. 77 78. 2. Secondly The Associates sympathising therewith in extasie SONG 2. p. 79. 3. Thirdly The continuation of the Sympathy in extasie SONG 3. pag. 80 81. 4. Fourthly The Soul-rapture upon renewed sense again renewed SONG 4. pag. 82 83. 5. Fifthly Solide grounds of spirituall security by way of Echo p. 84. 6. Sixthly A timous warning to guard against carnall security with comforts and incouragements unto chearfulnesse against trials and troubles till he end his journy p. 85. to 96. 7. Seventhly The grounds of Gospel-ordinances presented under the name of the Pallace-garden from p. 96. to 107. wherein there are nine severall MAZES making up the Garden viz. First A Border of Restriction p. 98. Secondly A Beam of Instruction 99. Thirdly Cordials for Incouragement 100. Fourthly Loves Mystery 101. Fifthly The Fountain unexhaustible 102. Sixthly Loves Labyrinth 103. Seventhly Loves Mirrour 104. Eighthly Loves Emblem 105. Ninthly Loves Union 106. 8. Eightly The Jewel of Jewels a Vade-mecum for heart impression and preservation p. 110. to 114. 9. Ninthly The Symphonicall desires and delights of the Redeemed in their retirements closing with that Song Rev. 15.3 4. p. 114. to 121. 10. Tenthly A harmonious Consort and a Song of praise p. 121. to 126. 11. Eleventhly Reviving Recollections and Solliloquies closing with the Song of all Saints Rev. 7.12 p. 127 to 1â—4 12. Twelfthly An Objection by the mere natural man answered and the party advised p. 134. to 142 In all which there is represented sure grounds of â—oud comfort under all the trials incident to the Child of Goâ— after regeneration from his birth in his life and death and after death his soul injoyments boâ—es rest and resurrection soul and bodies second conjunction small absolution and endlesse beatitude carrying also through the whole discourse from infallible truth the terrours of the Law against all that be under the Law all â—eâ—ding to 〈◊〉 serious study of keeping a Communion with God in the Spirit with a spiritual and chearfull conversation undeâ— all dispensations crosse or comfortable in that humblenesse and singlenesse of heart the fruits of saving faith which workes by love to the praise of the Author and our own peace And as to the additions of a preparatory Paradox explained in a comparison betwixt the first and second birth going before a subsequent survey of the first and second death resurrection and generall judgement they bâ— hereto annexed for making compleat the intended designe of delineating the pedigree of the new Creature from the right stock of his portraict from his true Parentâ— and Procreation his crosses conflicts comforts and confidences from the right Fountain in life and in death his restauration from death and darknesse unto immortall life and light of glory from the all-glorious and ever blessed Author of his being and this his most blessed well-being TO THE OBSERVANT READER UPON THE ENSUING POEM YOu who desire to know the plain tho strait Path-way to new Jerusalems high gate Whose pav'ment bright emboss'd with Gems be far More rich and fine then the most glistring Star In glore excells the boundlesse saphire bounds Of lights vast Curtain these pure Christall-â—ounds Whose azure Canopy and pleasant fields Great ground of soul-amazing wonder yeelds If any in designs so high aspires As to resolve through waters and through fires Of tort'ring trouble to climb the steep yee-rocks 'Twixt Heaven and earth in spight of Satan's strocks And will rest satisfi'd with nothing lesse Then Heav'n yea God Himself eternall blesse Resolving to endure all grief all pain All losse this great prize All in all to gain Lo here 's a Pilgrim who being guided by Truths sacred threed and Gods directing eye Is now come near his journies end not stayed By fained fraud or vain hopes not dismayed By force frowns hate or groundlesse fears expecting Gods call to enter Jordan and neglecting Fond vanities he 's looking from the top Of Pisgah by the eye of faith and hope Toward the Promis'd Land which to enjoy Through 's time he mainly did himself imploy But while God spares soul-wasting idlenesse He loaths and therefore on the Wildernesse Through which he 's come and all that did befall Him in his way there-through and in his call Thereto reflecting all he well observes And unto others carefully preserves Lo therefore here held forth thou 'lt clearly see Of Christian cases the diversity Sometimes rapt to the third heav'ns by loves wings They see their strange soul-ravishing sights and things Vnutterably glorious whence doth spring Amazing joy true peace which makes them sing Here neither reason faith nor hope but love And sense cause the soul-chariot-wheels to move Sometimes these soul-transporting objects be Vail'd whence flow darknesse great perplexity Afflicting trouble tort'ring grief of mind By which they are
he is under dreadfull confusiâ—ns and hesitations in hazard of miscarriage and â—ady to give over untill it please the Lord to reâ—eal Himself more clearly and thereby making â—o the work of faith with power brings out the â—risoner of hope unto the open air of the Goâ—el to lay hold upon the Prince of life and by â—eholding Him the Captain of our Salvation 〈◊〉 giving His Life to the death for penitent and â—elieving sinners hes destroyed death spoiled 〈◊〉 of the sting and the law of its strength quieâ—ng the conscience in satisfying justice and so â—eeing the fearfull soul from the rigorous exactiâ—s of a fierce and fiery law unto a further growth â—f grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ But being by much weaknesse almost â—vercome in these wrestlings and like an unwise â—n having stayed long in the breaking forth of â—ildren by gracious assistance having gained â—me better ground of confidence I break out in â—is contest with my self Ho! hellish heath dost thou not tire to toile Thy self alongst this stinking Stigian Lake What canst thou like in this forsaken Soile Where all that drove of damned devils quake Ah dost thou look for Limbos Patrum here For Purgatory or poor Infants pain No the eternall wrath of God severe Doth ever burn none doth return again Ho! lo these swelling sulph'rous floods that roar Gaze no more on these griefly ghosts forlorn Wambling in wofull endlesse torments sore Blaspheming God that ever they were born Return withdraw now do ye danger dread Despair attends and can ye overturn Thou hadst dropt down if not upheld indeed Where all these ever-dying damned mourn He that upholds thee bids thee turn in haste To taste and feast upon this fervent Love Return my soul therefore unto thy rest Prepare thy heart His mercies force to prove How canst thou be so base as misbelieve Him who hes shed His blood to set thee free Wilt thou by incredulity deprive Thy self of peace so purchased for thee Thy guilty Conscience and the Law exact He silenc'd hes that ye can say no more And now thou may this day come see and take His truth His grace Himself thee to restore Is it not now so naturall to thee Him to believe since thou art born again As once it was His truth to vilifie When thou in nat'rall darknesse did remain Thy bands thy bondage all thy tort'ring terrors From infidelity unpurg'd do spring May not this ransom now remove thy errours When death and hell hereby hes lost the sting The Law like the Law-maker doth remain Righteous and holy sp'rituall and just So doth thy Conscience here bear witnesse plain Of what thou dost amisse for that it must But none of these can hinder thee to hold The grip that thou hast got of God by grace No they do let thee see that thou art sold By sin a slave to satan and do chase Thee now with speed timous supplie to take And wonder that thou art prevented so Before the Law thy conscience did awake For then remedilesse had been thy woe Thy reason cannot thy relief receive Thy guilt will ever keep thee under grief Then shalt thou so thine own poor soul deceive And it bereave of offered relief Arise therefore and mourn the more for sin That now thou seest it hes procur'd Gods ire Again to see slain Christ for thee begin Whose blood doth quench that fear'd infernall fire Doubtlesse I would be fred of this wanrest Wherein I wrestle as a wretch forlorn Under the weight of guilt and wrath supprest And with the torment of these terrours torn But now I see I must for life believe On Him who freely loves and freely gives Not that for my believing I may live That I may live He gives me to believe And firmly now to fix upon His Love His Mercy Truth and power infinite And by the motions of His Grace to move As He shall give assistance by His Sp'rit And yet as the naturall man before he comâ— to the years of discretion by education and experience is exposed unto many dangerous trialâ— and troubles wherein he is often in danger oâ— ruine being like an untamed Colt or a wildâ— Asse in the Wildernesse snuffing up the wind brutishly exposing himself unto the perill of perishing every day in his riot and insolency Right so the new Man albeit come out of the womb of Regeneration wrestled through the straits and travels of new Birth escaped the poweâ— of the Law bondage and darknesse where undeâ— he was kept and that for the time corruptioâ— hes been kept far under that it could not get up the head having tasted how good the Lord is and doth grow up by sucking in the sincere Milâ— of the Word Yet the old and bold Serpent that vigilant subtill and restlesse enemie of our Salvatioâ— sleepes not but lyes at all advantage by all means to make use of every time under all cases for undoing all that God hes done in us so far as lyes in his power Who seeing us so satisfied with what we have received lets us swell a little and then like an Angell of Light lifts us up and leads us ouâ— of the humble and holy way of self denyal and sincere dependence for daily and immediate support unto self-confidence and carnall contentment abusing the rich mercy and turning the free grace received unto wantonnesse so that before I was aware was left in the dark pestered with meny piercing temptations and much foiled under some fearfull devices Which perceivingâ— and after some serious pause turning to my strong hold and putting on the armour of proof entered the fight of faith under his Banner who overcame for me Confident that He would also overcome in me to the praise of the glory of His Grace I break out in this passion Thou damned Devil go to the hells and die That never dying death thy portion just Infernall Feind fall down and scoarchingly For ever Why It is thy doom thou must Down downly die and there thy power restrain The Lord reprove thy pride and malice vain This passion thou puts me to perforce â—ecause thou dost perplex and vex me still Who by thy wiles would me from God divorce â—nd dragg me after thy pernicious will In plots profound thy wits thou dost imploy By treacherous trains poor souls for to destroy Thou like a Syren canst thy song enchant Untill the carnall part thereto incline When in resemblance thou dost seem a Saint This cruell craft is found in thee and thine The world worldlings at thy wish thou hast And mine own flesh to keep me in unrest My facile mind thou also much dost mar With many foolish fantasies confuse And to my judgment erâ—ors also dare Present maintain with lies and bid me chuse The rules of reason and of carnall sense So to destroy my faith on this pretence Thou lets my sins forsaken me before And shews my sorrow is below my sin And that to
quench the wrath of God the more I must to mourn again for sin begin So friend-like teaching me how to remeed My own undoing by thy treacherous deed And wouldst have me believe that by repenting I must redeem my self or lost remain And so ensnare me by thy wise inventing And wast my substance in this subtile train For better wouldst thou never seek of me Then in these fetters perishing to see As if my Lord who hath me freely loved Did not revive me when my life were spent As if again this Love I had not proved Which mov'd my heart sincerely to repent So as alone He hath done all for me That by His death I may victorious be Hereby again thou dost advantage take Carelesse to make and carnally secure Both sluggishly and senslesly to slack In duties whereto Love doth me allure As if His Love were not of force to guide Me through the straits wherein I may be tri'd And when my Lord better to let me see My self whereof I daily stand in need The influence of his grace restrains from me Then butcher-like thou follows me with speed And dost surmise that I do beat the air And notions print to presse me to despair And when thou canst not by thy wit prevail Because I do by faith thy darts resist Then lion-like thou dost in arms assail And by thy wicked instruments insist To persecute in body state and name Thereby to bring me unto publike shame Thus didst thou first begin with lying lewd And therein counterfeited as thou can And then thy flatt'ry did convert to feud Burning in malice to betray the man The Syrene first and then the serpent grim Now from thy lurking hole the Lions limb But now thy fury to thy face shall turn And vex thee in quotidian extasie Of endlesse woe for evermore to burn In pain when I am from thy spight set free For all thy trains shal both increase thy charge And for triumphs victorious us enlarge For certainly what thou hast done or can Yet ever do in time to come I know Shall do but heap hape on the hopefull man And in the end turn to thy overthrow For as he is in battell try'd the more Into his rest shall he enjoy of glore And this I do not glosse upon in pride For weaknesse with the weakest I confesse And when my Lord doth leave me to be try'd Then dwining do I ly in deep distresse But then ev'n then whole hell cannot bereave Me of this faith I know whom I believe Thus Satan old thou seest not how I soar Above thy sight upon the Eagles wing EMANUELS might protects me evermore And in thy spight shall me to safety bring So go for lo I leave thee here to ly And with thy mates eternally to die And now again as the naturall man being brought to the light and through the trials and travels incident to him in his infancy and under age unto the years of discretion and experience is to be exercised in serious and important affairs concerning himself his Country and concernment and thereby is to give proof of his gifts and endowments grounded upon justice temperance prudence and fortitude with all other subordinate requisites and yet meeting with so many difficulties in the progresse of his best intended and most approvable actions is subject to much haulting and deviation in many things turning to his reproach The New Man in like manner being come through these and many such assaults and come up to some growth in light and experience is to be exercised as a Professor of Christianity and to exercise himself therein both in his generall and particular calling being strengthened by the gifts and grace received both to do and endure as it shall please the Giver to give the calling And for this end that he be indued with these requests 1. So much knowledge of himself as may produce sincere self-denial 2. So much of GOD as may make up a sole dependency upon a Providence 3. Faith whereby to sacrifice his Isaac his dearest darling to the service of God upon a known call 4. A fixed confidence that if he should slay thee thou wilt trust in him 5. Love above comparison so far as God is above the creature 6. Zeal like Phineas impartiall in the execution of justice in the Cause of God and our Country 7. Submission in what he takes as in what he gives 8. Patience in resting quiet and confident in all he doth 9. Humility tending to the increase of grace thankfulnesse under the crosse as under comfort 10. Chearfulnesse so shall the joy of the LORD be thy strength These be the approven grounds whereby to walk with approbation but how short every man comes in the practice it is too well seen whether from the world when it flattereth or frowns affecting or repining And in the unregenerate part what a filthy fume flows daily out of that stinking pudle where the dregs and spawn of all the devilry of hell is engrossed and but in part purged or rather born down and kept under from out-breaking in palpable enormities And yet the Devil knows well what coal to blow at and how to quicken more damnable and deadly Vipers to suck out our spirituall life unseen or adverted unto as spirituall pride carnall security under the exercise of our best actions taking growth with our gifts whereby Gods Spirit is grieved desertion procured crosses afflictions and corrections inflicted for humbling reclaiming keeping under and in order the light and facile heart which would miscarry unto ruine if not prevented But for this misery of self-deceiving deceit and desperate wickednesse of the heart the many inventions it finds out being prompted thereunto by the old Serpent to undo it self and how far the remnants of this corruption may prevail even in the Regenerate it is better seen then guarded against by too many as much fearfull and bitter experience can witnesse But thus it becometh every one that knows so much as that God knows the heart to make search till they attain to know the plague of their own heart that they may be confounded in themselves not lifting up their face for shame seing God is pacified towards them for all that they have done because of the stability of His Covenant Ezek. 16.62 63. But naturally every man being so conceited of himself scarce any man will believe that such things as both Scripture and experience make clear to be in the heart of man can be in his heart but will be ready to say Am I a dog that I should be tempted to do such things Till under the triall we become taught by wofull proof the folly of our faithlesnesse in our defections And having been much toyled in pruning and suppressing these sproutings and superfluities of naughtinesse that are alwayes taking life in the body of death So Hydra-like that as one head is stricken off another more monstrous and menstruous springs up to be conflicted with
Exalted ANNA a City-bred Christian Mercifull ELIZA a Country-bred Christian God save THOMA a Civilian Justiciary converted A Twin ANDREA a licentious Savage converted and become a zealous monitor Manly The Echo Isa 30.21 Â THE ARGUMENT A Noble Lady notice takes And many other worthies makes Acquainted with a Christian moved By absence of her best Beloved They to her present case advert And do speak kindly to her heart Questions they do propone explain Naturall sp'rituall for her gain But under absence of her Lover No comfort can her heart recover Yet they insist that she may see Of her mistakes the mystery They represent the happinesse Of her condition not the lesse Of present darknesse then debating The mater many questions stating Clearing discussing and revolving She is convinc'd at the resolving And then so mov'd at the discourse By comfort coming from the sourse She plainly doth her self expresse Whereby their endeavours increase So fervently in this pursuit That seasonably they reap the fruit O'rejoyed join Loves Songs solemnly sing To their compassionate Comforter and King THE DIALOGUE Jeana Samuel Helena Jea Much graced Sir who prudently doth spare This time for recreation and repair Whereby we may timous occasion take You with our cases to acquainted make Your doctrine sound sincere and sober living Full confirmations be of firm believing For such as present things so little prize Must have more permanent before their eyes And what can that man of this world make When it doth him and he doth it forsake Now what we have for to impart concerns Another World than this vain world discerns Sam. Most noble and religious Lady sure You are of what my service can procure There hes a world of Believers been Dispersed through this world and unseen â—ut hated so that whosoever profest â—incere believing them did this world detest For as the Head so must the Members be â—repar'd by sufferings ere they be set free But as our sufferings do abound so sure Our Captain comforts doth for us procure Which qualifies and swallows up the sore That by our troubles we triumph the more For in this transient march through worlds of woes Our heaven within-begun makes us rejoyce While all our furious Persecutors fell Their present pleasures but preceed their hell This I suppose you partly know therefore Propose your purpose we shall parley more Jea We know there 's nothing can preferred be Unto that peace and true tranquillitie Procured by our Prince of peace and grace To true Believers that do him imbrace And that albeit we be the only Butt At whom both devils and men their arrows shoot Maliciously to murther by their might Yet are we ever conquerours in fight And while the wicked make their cup to flow Of wrath our comforts in our crosses grow With pleasures present far above the pain Which doth but for some minuts short remain Much more that store which by believing is Confirm'd to them of everlasting blesse But we who for Professors do appear And make acquaintance with them most sincere Follow the means and meetings on the Mountain Flock to the Streams of the Life-giving Fountain Fed with that Milk and Honey Heav'n distills Which every fainting panting heart full fills Yet when again our King doth call us out And to some speciall charge we go about Then ere we be aware we are surpris'd By subtile slights against us that 's devis'd So as we cannot change so many places But trials more we meet of diverse cases And for an instance clear we do present An Israelite contrite in mourning spent Well known to be in duties diligent Grave humble gracious to devotion bent Chearfull and choysing for her greatest gain Others unto the Well of Life to train But now you see what sadnesse doth possesse Her soul and how her sighing doth increase And still the more by us she is exhorted She doth the more refuse to be comforted And often answers us Who can but grieve When he is gone that should my grief relieve And that her Life her Light and her Delight In deaths dark shads doth shut her out of sight Consuming daily under slavish fears Become benumb beneath untimely tears Sa. The seed of Grace is with such sweetnesse shed Into the soul where the new birth is bred And she delighted in these feelings sweet Cannot with patience pains of child-birth meet And till the New-man formed be again From fainting cannot make the heart refrain So as a pleasant life we have untill We come to act and there our cause we spill For when on duties we delight to dwell And are assisted we are apt to swell And when we find not accesse as we think Then under sadnesse we are like to sink But if in sense we were our selves denying And under absence on His grace relying And made our life witness our true believing And on believing ground our upright living We should attain unto some progresse then And so enjoy the lot of loved men For now Believers are by faith to act As if themselves most happy they could make And clearly yet to see themselves self-lost That of their actings they can nothing boast Like little children to the parent cleaving Possesse the Patent of this Royal giving And yet by force of faith through Bulwarks break And with all violence the Kingdom take For it s by grace through faith His gift that we Are safe preserved and victorious be Nor may we think our daily trials strange Nor that to divers crosses we do change Till this old man of flesh be fully slain He 's looking back to the flesh-pots again Made up he is of many naughty notions Imaginations and superfluous motions Must be by many strange restraints restrained Before he be from vice to vertue gained But the Believer only wonder can A self-lost blind-born brute a saved man Become and such to Satan slaves have been Adopted Sons to God and washed clean To see the poyson in our Nature spewed By Satan to be purged and subdued To see this viperous brood in us supprest And there a work of grace again encreast The mistery great of Godlinesse doth here God manifested in the flesh appear The work misterious of Gods Sp'rit divine In our Regeneration doth shine The work of faith whereby Believers feed And fruitfull grow by joining to their Head A mistery deep for as we do imploy Him in his faithfulnesse we do enjoy In every triall when we tempted be But often do mistake most fearfullie Whereby we do procure our own tormentings And call our faith in question and repentings This the Believer only knows and proves Discerns observes and his Preserver loves For the Believer is the subject where God doth his glorious wonders most declare The portraict vile of the old man defacing And the new man with his own Image gracing There be for the Believer wonders wrought Above the apprehensions of our thought Wonders in the Believer daily move Rounded in the
Stars constellations signs celestiall hes Much operation in our bodies all Their generation standing and their fall Bodies of Elements compounded been Of humors some more grosse and some more clean In some more equall some lesse equalling Whence strength and weakness health and sickness spring Hence dispositions and affections move Which in some lesse in some more vicious prove Our distance also from the temp'rat Zone The frigid and the hot the Horizon Climat our customs and our education Our frequent fellowship and conversation All these and many more have force upon Our facile minds and fond affection By this connexion of so many things Distinguishable by so many signs So many various thoughts impression have That poyson'd inclinations do receive Hence is it that some sole-commanding thing Bears rule in every one as Soveraign King Which in the fervor of a strong respect Follow the Aples that they most affect And in the frenzie of these carnall fires Dote on the idol of their chief desires And from that folly never can refrain Untill the sting of death revive their pain So when the soul physician comes to cure Our sicknesse sees and what we can endure And unto our infection he applyes For all contagions severall remedies Corrections crosses that we may relent Comforting cordials lest our heart should faint And when we have been gained and allured And of his favour faithfully assured By real feeling of our lost condition And â—delivâ—ry by our Lords tutition Yet not the lesse we must be humble held So as the devils darts may be repell'd He did in Paradice with our Parents plead And prosecutes his splen against their Seed Nor is the old man yet so fully slain But that he can recover life again If we be left a little to be try'd By light temptations we shall step aside Unlesse we be prevented or restrain'd And so by free immediate grace maintain'd Now these strong reasons and right grounds may be Of Christian cases the varietie Nor do I doubt but that the Christ'an-call Maner and time be not alike in all Some saved are with fear some love constrains Some hurled from the fire with harder pains Much difference of exercise can make Which also may the name of tryall take And. Enough dear friend now have you made us see Our own experience more perspicuouslie For we be of our birth and breeding wilde As likewise of all people most defil'd But as by times some of us hes been tam'd Then of our selves we have been much asham'd Made it our study vice for to detect Destroy and to draw vertue to respect We censur'd be by many that are good To be too rigide being people rude Who to be too far curbed do disdain And plead for recreations too profane But since it pleas'd our King us to recall To this His Paradice spirituall And since we did with you assemble here We have been set to get the heart sincere And what by speculation we take Make it impressions unto practice make And with much order do our selves addresse To shew to men their nat'rall naughtinesse And that ev'n in the best there doth remain Some of the life of death as yet unslain But as for us we have been so ingrain'd In that corruption which all flesh hath stain'd It so habituall unto us became That we converted were unto the same And when our eyes at first to see were clear'd Our miserie and mercy most admir'd The causes and the wrath so vively seen His everlasting armes to interveen There did concur force fear love infinite Our full reclaiming thereby to compleat And now our crosses and corrections we Find for the death of sin in us to be Even such by which heav'ns wisdome does reform us And to our King and Comforter conform us An. This grave and graced person in his speech If ponder'd well it were might many teach For this we know that of one propagation Countrie and clime and of one education Are all that tribe and surely such as here Arrived be most zealous do appear And as for us who came from every airt Of severall qualities partake apart As also some more early some more late Have called been unto this happy state Some by our Soveraign King his ointments sweet By love came running when he did invite Some from the sense of wrath when they did cry Such mercy felt that they did melt thereby Thus we by conf'rence find that there must be Strong reasons ' for this strange diversity Of exercise and that it is to train Us to the truth from triffles false and vain And this we know though we be civill bred And in the plat-form fair of vertue led And have not been brought under publike blame That could have brought us unto open shame That yet the seed of ev'ry vice remains In us as others only grace restrains And as we more or lesse infected are Our antidotes stronger or weaker were And more particular or plain to be You pardon will to save our modesty For our dear Lover who by grace hath lov'd us Above the grace bestow'd hath never prov'd us And when our Sex to suffer for their love Is call'd they constant do and loyall prove Tho. We as these Ladies congregated are From every airt where shines the morning star Diff'rent by birth humors and education By sight society and conversation Some in their youth have hither been translated Some in their age here happily been stated Some sav'd by fear and some by force constrain'd To come but all by Love and mercy gain'd So that with us strange diff'rences must be But far more strange is this strange harmonie Where contrare inclinations do incline All to one end O endlesse depth divine And that the rod upon our folly lies More happinesse it is then we can prize Chastis'd we be as children for our good When through the fire or the most furious flood Of sore afflictions we be safely led Who in the barren wilderness are bred The purest white drinks in the blewest dye And if you do take pains for to apply Some red some green according to the grain But unto white shall never turn again Right so though we be stain'd we can receive By industry and education grave Civility and righteous colours sweet But the first tincture never shall delete Untill by blood and water both our blots Be purged out for cleanging all our spots This is the myst'ry deep that we should mind How we may be unto our King combin'd By bands of love in sucking in His blood Which doth our consolations all include While we perceive the spawn of our proud foes Remain unpurg'd wherein can we rejoice We suffer not it is but this old man And we should beat him down in what we can Delight to see him totally destroyed And all devices for that end imployed That we unto the image of our King May once appear and so his praises sing Mariona Grissella Ma. WE do not deem that
this distressed Maid Is tainted with the things that we have said Or that such guilt so grosse could find a place For to obscure such gravity and grace But we by bitter proof have truly proved Matter in us remaining unremoved Which can such motions bring unto respect When on these painted Portraicts we reflect That are suggested by the serpent slie Or by the sense sent to the phantasie But though we cannot shun we see the craft And Arrows keen he doth against us shaft Armour of proof we stand in and resist The sharpest dart he at our heart can thrust The fairest Idol that he can invent The sweetest Apple that he can present And when we sleeping be surpriz'd and foyl'd And ere we be aware betray'd and spoyl'd Our Captain sees and cannot long refrain Us to relieve and set us right again So as to him we do more closely cleave And watchfull walk for all the time we live This subtile hunter he is ever spying Where we be weakest and is ever trying By all means set to make us swell or swither The spunk of life by spouts of hell to smother This impure sp'rit prince of the air doth carry Into the brain many vain vapours aery Which the affections surely should infect If timously we did them not detect But if this airt the carnall part incline To blink asquint when he doth Saint-like shine Then are we over-clouded and we know Our Jealous Lover must us then reprove For he corrivall never could indure But sealed for himself will have us sure Since all that we can wish conjoyn'd in one Of blesse combined is in him alone And we convinced be abundantly Of love-obligements unto loyalty And when he sees us truly humbled much Under these trials which the heart doth touch Then in his tendernesse to us doth turn With comforts as we in his absence mourn Thus when we stand or fight or faint or fall He is so near that we are saved all This love above all finite reach ascending Unalterable and so condescending That even when we are secluded sore We oblidg'd be for to believe the more For if we were not so rebuked then Carelesse we should become like carnall men These are the flames this is that force of love Floods cannot quench might slight cannot remove This is our King our Sunne our Shield our Friend Who by his blood hes us to him combin'd Whose splendent rayes full fraught with vertue shall From this grosse drosse affections pure exhale And fix within that element of love Where our delights alone on him may move Gris Much graced Matron your discourse devote Much verity and charity doth note Ye who above us do so far resort Can best discern these Arrows to retort That from the prince of darknesse darted still Within the dark for to infest the will Your charity grave Matron most agrees With rich experience and with cleared eyes The mystery of mercy you have seen Melted in love and moulded have you been So as no evill you can think or wrest To worst but all interprete to the best But many novices come to this place Who tasted have and do belong to grace Are often on extreams as they abound In feelings or are under absence drown'd And in their halâ—y on dayes will not allow Esteem to any that be them below As little for themselves do they preserve When under darknesse drouping they do starve And we be ever checking those mistakes But self-conceit obdurate many makes Till they be tortur'd under many tryals And taught to live by faith in self-denyals But for the number wherewith we must meet Not possible it is for to repeat Some hes been spoken to by our dear friends Both from intention purpose good and ends And suffer me as yet to signifie Of these our travels the necessitie As by this simile we 'll better see If we dissect our own Anatomie The matter composition and the Art Of Heav'n admirable in ev'ry part Flesh blood bones nerves veins arteries sustaining Humours hot cold moist dry and mixt containing Seat and assistance offices and ends Each other serving none another offends And all disperst through all this fabrick rare By instruments above a thousand pair From top to toe by searching we may see No lesse then wonders in variety The very head a magazin is made Of marvells most magnificent and dread And whoso should down to the foot descend And on the parts therein contained spend Some space in every place they should perceive Hundreds which wonders were for to conceive And every one that charge for to fulfill Appointed by the glorious Makers will As by pre-ordination God doth give These souls immortall whereby we do live Ye likewise see that all these parts and pow'rs Composed in this little world of ours And animated by this living breath Lyes dwining now under the sting of death And that through this defiled body spreads These soul-preserving now life-poys'ning threeds For as the body doth in part defect Then can the soul thereby work no effect Ye likewise see the soul cannot be seen Which in the body hath infused been That both might be an instrument to raise The Authors greatnesse and his goodnesse praise And for this end endow'd above conceiving With large capacities fit for receiving All that our Maker shall reveal to make Us see him and his service undertake So as her gifts in such excellencies In number worth and great varieties Exceeds what e're be said of bodies may As doth the breath of God excell this clay Not only ample simple pure capacious But also subtile pregnant and sagacious To dyve to search to soar and never cease Untill she do her Author once imbrace In whom she shall far far above desiring Be fed with wonders unto all admiring But now in all her parts so far depraved By listing to her lust and so beslaved That when she 's taught and rescu'd yet again Constant she cannot in her course remain But steps aside and doth her self deprive Of these revivings that should her enlive And as it is most strange aright to see These contraries corporeall to agree This structure of the body to maintain Untill it must turn to the dust again Albeit some interruptions often make The soul in all her agitations slack But how much more incomparable ye know Were it to keep in frame These fancies move In our light minds imaginations vain From which the carnall part cannot refrain Which most doth mar that special consolation We should enjoy by sp'rituall contemplation By dyving in these mysteries divine Wherein the glory of our King doth shine And whereby we are by his light delighted Untill by this his grace we be perfected But when his Spirit to prevent our swelling Or from the vapors of that venom dwelling In us obstructed is who then oh who So over-clouded can but sadly go For he 's the soul by which the soul doth live Ev'n as the soul the body keeps alive
distrust Him for our Conduct through death unto that Life and Kingdom that He hath purchast for us at so dear a price Or shall we not rather desire to endure what we can be able for him and to be with him who hath indured for us so much to have us with him from under the power and out of the reach of the sting of death which is now a vanquished enemy and not to be feared but become a friend to be especially loved And albeit the carnal part would keep us in exercise under the apprehension of a swift and sudden death which were dreadfull is not the spiritual part to be the more studious to make our calling and election sure and to be the more vigilant with the wise Virgins for the coming of the Bride-groom And if a lingring disease be apprehended it may prove a precious time for better preparation If violent and extreamly painfull it is the more speedily past If inflicted by the Persecutor of the Profession in whatsoever maner then it is accompanied with the highest degree of blessednesse for the Spirit of God and of glory rests upon you and great is their reward in heaven who suffer for righteousnesse And if by that which the natural man calls accident seeing all things in his eyes fall out alike to the good and to the evil Yet the Believer knows that nothing falls out but by a well-ordered providence not so much as a hair of their head to their hurt much lesse shall they be forsaken when they have most ado with present and immediate supplie And whereas some of Gods Children who have been of a long continuance in the Profession singular in their conversation and zealous in duties have been at a very low ebb for mater of comfort in the time of their departure And others also kept under much wrestling and conviction when as some of lesse note and esteem have had all their sails filled with the sense of that soul-saving sweetnesse that meets them from the Mediator at the time of their removall As also some very weak men have been wonderfully born out under most fearfull torments inflicted upon them by the Persecuter and others of far greater expectation have fainted and fallen off when the peril appeared and yet have been reclaimed by repentance and found mercy Some also we see that have lived very civilly all their dayes have died under much darknesse and without any signs of a gracious wakening while as others that have been most abominable in their lives have made a glorious end And now in contemplation of all these various dispensations may we not and must we not see and adore the glory of the Lord both in Soveraignty and Wisdom And is not every Believer unto their own felt and sensible experience in every passage of their severall exercises exceedingly benefited unto their increase of their inward and spirituall consolation And the beholders that are as yet making on to the way helped unto incouragement and confirmation Hereby also may all flesh be taught to finish their salvation in fear to beware of swelling under sense and of sinking under absence of prescribing Providence or ascribing any thing to our selves but subscribing and submitting absolutely in all things to the holy and good pleasure of His will with whom we have to do denying our selves relying and depending upon Him like little children making our entry into the kingdom of heaven by what way He will have us to go who is the Author of our vocation preservation perseverance and perfecting resting in quietnesse and confidence till we see the great salvation of God THE CLOSE IN A SEPARATION-KISSE Betwixt two most intimate FRIENDS The SOVL and BODY By way of DIALOGUE betwixt NATURE and GRACE Under the Names of FLESH and SPIRIT Spirit DEar Saviour now my soul receive Flesh blood and bones slide to your grave And separate sleep from grief and pain Till gloriously we meet again Flesh Shall now these tearms so oft repeated Be instantly for all compleated And must I now in dreadfull night Deprived be of Life and Light Oh had it not far better been This life that I had never seen Sweet Ghost is there no remedy But thou must go and I must die For of a meeting who can think When sinfull I in slime must sink Spirit It 's true no man by nature sees Nor can perceive these mysteries That by believing we conceive And do the earn'st thereof receive When our affections have been feasted Upon the fruits that we have tasted We part a space our grace to try Thou' rt not annihilat more then I And thou redeemed art from death As I and from eternall wrath Flesh I do confesse and call to mind At former warnings of this kind By force of these truths truly tende'rd Sometimes my soul have freely render'd But now it seems that too too slightly I have past by not ponder'd rightly How I to thee or thou to me Shall come or when I cannot see Were we not first immortall made And but by accident do fade Canst thou not now who grace hes found Find also how we two be bound So fast incorporat may remain Untill our Saviour come again Spirit Dear Flesh resist these carnall notions So marring and untimely motions Thou know'st it was our vile revolt That Paradice did on us bolt But now no losse incurres thereby Our Head exalted lifts us hie 'Bove by creation what we were Then earth 's below the highest star When I was sent thee to assume Could'st thou then know that I should come That seed whereof thou was congeal'd Thy Parents from their food did yeeld Digested which from fish flesh grain And fruits they had receiv'd again These grosse ingredients whence were they But from worms water grasse and clay Do not therefore dear mate repine But to thine element incline Till the refreshing time returne And turne thee up out of thine urne When all the Elements shall sweat Purging their drosse with fervent heat And tendering out our substance true Like drops refin'd of Cristal-dew While every soul shall be attending Their bodies fitted for ascending In that dread revolution glorious Dreadlesse thou shalt ascend victorious When all this world these wordly frameâ— Shall be burnt up in fiery flames When all the Heavens shall be roll'd And at an instant roundly scroll'd Sun Moon Stars Signs and Planets seen No more then if they had not been The glory of the Lord obscuring All sights and lights were most alluring He He alone then only being The sweetest Object of our seeing Nor shall there in this swirle be seen Confusions but conclusions clean Appear from these purpos'd decrees Establisht from eternities Perform'd peremptorly in time Now at the tinkling of this Chyme Like as our Horologe in part Keeping the method of the airt Unto the stinted time doth carry Not wearying nor seen to vary But at the period of the hours When she is most to shew her powers What