not Faith is bruitify'd The Interest of Flesh perverts the will It conquers Reason and corrupts the Mind No other Enemy doth so much ill To self-destroying perishing Mankind ANd now oh Man is Flesh all that thou art Worthy of all thy stir and cost and care Live not as if thou hadst no better part Mens Souls like God and Kin to Angels are Even Bruits have Souls possest of Life and Sense Made to serve Man who 's made his God to praise Whither Distinct or One when taken hence Subject to us whom God will higher raise What 's Flesh but Water mixt with sensless Earth Viler than dirt when Souls a while are gone It 's unseen Spirit which causeth Life and Birth This moveth all that 's mov'd doth all that 's done Mans Soul is made the Image of his God Substantial Virtue of Life Light and Love And though in Flesh it now have its abode Its tendency is to the world above It came from God and unto God returns Though in this Flesh its Life of Tryal be It daily wasts the Oyl as Fire that burns Consumes its Fuel and then is set free As flames mount upward Souls tow'rd Heav'n ascend And are still restless till they be at home If Sin depress them not tow'rd God they tend Blessed and joyful when to him they come As things Inanimate are rul'd by force By Sense and Objects Bruits determined be Both these are carried on in Natures course Mans will more undetermin'd is and free Bruits are not Ruled by a Moral Law Nor moved by the hopes of Life to come Nor of Gods Threats and Justice stand in awe Nor after Death fear any other Doom Man 's made in his degree to know the Lord To know his Duty and to please Gods will To learn and love trust and obey his word In hope of Heav'n his course here to fulfil God is Mans supreme King his Guid his End His Soul and Life should have no other scope From Sin and Devils God will his defend In Life and Death God is our only hope You see not whither Souls departing go But Heav'n and Hell are visible to Faith God hath reveal'd enough to make us know That all shall be performed which he saith We no more need to fear his word should fail Or God forsake the Souls that do him please Or any final Hurt Christ's Flock assail Than Earth to bear or Sun to shine should cease Is not a Sober Righteous Holy Life In certain hope of everlasting Joys Better than Sin Despair Care Fear and Strife For short deceitful pleasant Dreams and Toys IF yet blind Man thou thinkst thou art a Beast And hast no higher Hopes Work to mind Become a Tame and gentle One at least Not of the wild fierce hurtful bloody Kind Serpents Toads Wolves are harmless things Yea Lions Tigers and such Beasts of Prey Compaird with many Conquerors and Kings Who do Ten Thousand fold more hurt than they If this short Fleshly pleasure be thy best What need of Wars Blood Rage debate Sweet Love and quiet Peace afford more rest Than Pow'r Wealth with hurtful Plots Hate What need of large Dominions to prepare For Dying Pangs a Coffin and a Grave Quiet Content and Kindness fitter are Thy Neighbours welfare thy own to save But of all Beasts the Man-Beast is the worst To others and himself the cruelst Foe And turning Serpent doth become Accurst A Scourge to others his own endless Woe As Holiness fits Souls for endless Bliss And here hath its beginning and foretast So Sin the Plague of Unman'd Nature is And turns Man-Beast to Devil at the last If all Men made themselves are their own And have no Ruler but Self-will and Sense If Man be nothing else but Flesh and Bone Can live here still and say I 'le not go hence If Man can Conquer God and him Dethrone Kill Christ again and shut up Paradise Then Saints are Fools and Worldly Men alone Choosing a Shadow and Despair are wise But sure if Man be only Mortal Flesh A Squib a Bubble a vile Earthy Clod He never will have Pow'r what e're he wish To save himself by overcoming God But Heav'n is quite above Malignant Powers Our Peace Safety 's far above their reach Christs Kingdom is not of this World nor ours It 's unseen Blessedness which he did Preach There Holy Spirits free from Sin and Fear From Cruel Tyrants Devils Death and Hell The sweet Celestial Melody still hear In perfect Light and Love together dwell There 's no dark Error no perplexing doubt No Selfish Envy Strife or Discontent All hurtful troubling things are there shut out No Wrathful Sting no Malice no Dissent Numberless Numbers there are all but One Of the same Body each a Member is Each hath his due degree and place but none A Selfish separated part of Bliss All have one God one Head one Vital Spirit All Love God with one Love and all Rejoice With one Joy All one Kingdom do Inherit All sweetly sing Gods Praise as with one Voice True Unity with Diff'rence well Accords And makes up Beauty Consort though there Self Numbers Many and such parting words Have not the same dividing sence as here Thus hath one Soul more than one Faculty One Sun each sort of Life Three formal Powers Some Image of the Divine Trinity But none on Earth so excellent as ours And as in Being so in more respects Unity doth with Number well agree Many Concauses have the same effects Yea all Gods Creatures One and Many be So divers Fruits are but parts of one Tree And every Tree is Rooted in one Ground All Grounds of this One Earth but parcels be This Earth a small part of the World is found Souls are unseen and so their Union is Many united Individuals Their distinct persons make some think amiss That they are incoherent Integrals God only hath a perfect Unity Of the same World some Blest some Cursed be Some Union stands with great Diversity Apples and Crabs may grow on the same Tree Blest Union is of Good-things near of Kin To things Discordant Union causeth pain An aking Tooth is better out than in To lose a Rotting Member is a Gain The nearest Fuel is Consum'd by Fire Gods Wrath is near the Wicked to destroy To Holy Souls who Gods Love most desire He is their full and everlasting Joy Ten Thousand Stars and Candles give one Light Concordant Sounds make one sweet Melody Two Ears One hearing Cause Two Eyes One Sight But Light Darkness have no Unity Here Wicked Men are every where in Wars Men against Men as Tigers fiercely Rave Our Minds Wills Passions have their Jars Our Souls and Bodies Mortal Discords have Though Life be short Death is at the Door Impatient Foes think posting Time too slow They grudg to let us live a few Days more Revenge and Malice long to give the Blow But Heav'n
thing God now is all Love makes all Common for it makes all One Zeal for good Works Patience in bearing wrong Were the true Marks by which Christs flock was known Had not Christ added this convincing Seal Tongues Miracles and Sanctifying Grace The Wonder of Redemption is so great That Faith to unbelief must needs give place Apostles Mortal were before they Die For future Ages they Christs sacred word His Deeds Laws Doctrine by the promis'd Spirit To guide the Church infallibly record As Moses gave the Iews the only Law Which following Priests and Prophets were to Teach So th' Holy Ghost by the Apostles wrote The word which after Ages were to Preach As Moses Law was Seal'd with Miracles When such the following Ages did not need So Christs Apostles did by Wonders Seal Those Records which the after Ages read The Spirit promis'd to the Apostles was To lead them to all needful saving Truth And bring Christs words to their rememberance What they by his Commission did Christ doth Their Writings are the Holy Ghosts own Book Though human Imperfection do appear In Modes and Phrases it 's no just offence But leaves the Truth and Use still sure and clear Words but the Vehicle of matter be Gods Spirit owns not the Translators words But if as signs they with his Words agree The Sense and Matter of them is the Lords This Spirit helps the Church but not to bring Another Gospel Law or Word from Heav'n Nor mend or change Gods Laws in word or sense But to preach and obey the word once given To bring new Laws or Messages from God A Prophets Office is and not a Priests To forge such or make Laws for all the Church The Authors prove false Prophets or false Christs Christian Religion is one stablisht thing Which all the Church from first to last may know It is not human changeable or new Nor doth by Mens decrees increase and grow If Canons no part of Religion be But Laws for Rites and things indifferent Why must all Christians needs in these agree Or not agreeing by Church-Wars be rent The Church hath all one Head one perfect Law All justified be by Christs Blood and Merit All that are true though weak Christ doth receive For all are Sanctified by one Spirit The Holy Ghost in all true Christians dwells He doth illuminate and make them New This is Christs Agent and his Body formes His Witness proving that his Word is true This Spirit did the Gospel first Indite And on it did Gods Image first Ingrave And then by it as his great Instrument That Image Prints on all that he will save Though it be long of their resisting Will That any of this Grace deprived be Yet Scripture and Experience clearly tell That diffrencing electing Grace is free In Children it appears when God doth choose He gives a reachable and willing Mind Good Dispositions and Capacity By Grace their Nature is to good inclin'd Grace chooseth Parents careful of their Souls Helps them to educate them in Gods fear To commend Virtue and disgrace all Vice Teach them Gods word causeth them to hear Gods Seed in such is often early Sowd And as they grow it springs up by degrees As Plants and Fruits by Sun Moisture grow'd Whose present growth and motion no Man sees The first beginnings of the Spirits work Is in a learning Mind and fear of Sin A love and liking of good things and Men 'Gainst Sins for Duty Conscience strives within Grace watcheth over them provides them helps Meet Teachers Books Examples Company Keeps off temptations causeth them to hate Lying bad Words and Deeds and Ribaldry Bad Childrens Hearts are quite averst to good They love not Virtue relish not Gods Law Tempting Discourse Examples Vanities Catch on their Hearts as Fire doth on Straw If early helps Parents and Teachers fail And Sin the childish Mind and Life pervert If Folly Flesh and tempting Baits prevail Yet God his chosen will in time convert Hee 'l either give them better Company Or better helps and Teachers whom hee 'l Bless Or bring some useful Book unto their Eye And make their Snares their Temptations less Or hee 'l some sharp Affliction on them lay Which may awake the hardened sleepy Heart Or Conscience shall some quickning motion feel Tell them their Sins their Danger and Desert O! How the Case with Sinners now is chang'd Things all appear now in another Shape Sin now is Madness Mad he calls himself For loving Death and thinks now how to Scape Now God is Holy Just his Word is True He is in earnest though Sinners be in jest The Face of all his Works and Ways seem New Those things seem worst which formerly seem'd best The common Texts and Truths he daily heard Do now begin to have some Life and Sence He wonders how he past them by before As if they had been of no Consequence That wounds shames and grieves and breaks his heart Which formerly was his Delight and Pleasure That 's Vanity and mortal Poyson now For which he hungred as his Food and Treasure Now the Mad Prodigal comes to himself Perhaps the World doth him its Husks deny Why saith he did I leave a Fathers House There none do want here I must starve and die O that I had not tasted Satans Bait Nor Pampred Flesh and pleas'd vain Appetite Neglected Grace and things of greatest Weight Nor medled with Sins poysonous Delight But the time lost can never be recal'd The works of Madness cannot be undone I have undone my self is there no help I know all else is Vain there is but one A Fathers Love affordeth me some hope The World gives none I must return or die I 'le go and humbly all my Sin confess And cast my self upon his Clemency But God is Just and Holy how can I Defil'd with Sin and Guilt stand in his sight Now the sick Soul a sure Physicion needs There is one Saviour who is Gods Delight He is the Way by whom Men come to God He is the Truth to save the World from Errour He is the Life to save from endless Death Self-Murdering Souls subject to Hellish Terrour And now the Gospel's better understood Redemption seemeth not a needless thing His Thoughts are precious of Christs precious Blood His Mediator Prophet Priest King The Gospel now is Tydings of great Joy Pardon of Sin Adoption Peace with God Freedom from Terrour Satan Sin and Hell Mans self-made and Gods just Revenging Rod. He sees why Love in Mans repair must be As much Admir'd as Power in our Creation Sinners cannot immediatly God see But by a Mediator have Salvation Now all things else seem loss and dung for Christ Wisdom is folly where Christ is left out To know him is the true Philosophy The rest doth teach Men but to prate and doubt Some glimps of God and Heav'n blurd Nature yields But it s but as a Candle to this Sun Others towards God
and Heav'n may grope and creep Christians with joyful hope believe run But will Christ to such Sinners Saviour be Who long and wilfully contemn'd his Grace Yes if they have but hearts to him to come He excepts none Hee 'l all their Sins deface The Prodigal now hopefully resolves In Christ I 'le trust and to my Father go When there 's but one way who should stand doubt The Vanity of all things else I know If in his House I may the lowest be His wonderous Grace I will with thanks proclaim My Sin and Misery I will confess And in Repentance take deserved Shame And when repenting Souls are thus resolv'd And with design do towards their Father come They are surpriz'd with unexpected love Grace feasts forgiv's them bids them welcom home Now the returned Soul doth dwell with God And God in him for there his Spirit dwells God hath his highest Love Heaven his chief hope Christ is his Life he trusteth to none else O how much better is it with him now How wise how safe to what he was before What hee 's yet short of Faith hath in its view Hee 'l choose the way of Sin and Hell no more Now farewel mortal Sin stoop bruitish Flesh Now Pride Lust come down submit to Faith Farewel ensnaring Sports and Company Farewel Deceit I 'le hear what Scripture saith Now all is New new Judgments Love and Life New Hopes Delights a new intended End The means then must be new or better us'd New friends new thoughts all that to it tend But yet though out of Aegypt he be come Through the Red Sea he 's in a Wilderness Faith must be try'd by many Enemies Hard Journeys Wants delayed Hopes Distress And Flesh still strives Satan still busie is The World will tempt Sin 's not quite overcome Dark Fears and Unbelief do yet hang on We are in hope but are not yet at home But yet we have the leading Fire and Cloud The Law the Angels presence as we pass Moses fell in the Wilderness but there The Tempter by our Saviour vanquisht was The Law was weak and nothing perfect made Grace giveth light and life love and strength And though it long and oft assaulted be It Conquereth and Triumpheth at length It is the work of God who knows his own And makes them Christs beloved interest All that are given him he loves and keeps And brings them to the promis'd Land of Rest. Grace suited is to every Time and State To Childhood Manhood and decrepid Age An Antidote against contagious Pleasures Yet grief wrath fear and suffering doth asswage It useth every State for the true end It sanctifies Prosperity and VVealth Still doing good and doth to Godward tend To him devoteth time life wit and health It useth Friends and Enemies for God Improveth kindness easily bears wrong Loves others as our selves doth Right to all Hopes for a blessed end when sufferings long It takes not too much part with pained Flesh It ruleth Reason Appetite and Sense Conquers Temptation keepeth inward Peace Keeps neer to God who is our sure Defence It all the way foresees the blessed end Motives to Duty Comfort in all Grief It fetcheth more from God Heav'n than Earth In every Case from Christ it finds Relief It spendeth Health and Life in Preparation For foreseen Death and the Souls final change It s not surprized without expectation It trusteth Christ when things unseen seem strange All this Grace doth in various degrees In most but weak Imperfect in the best Clog'd here with Flesh and contradicting Sin But ends in Glory and Eternal Rest. It s whole work is to bring Mans VVill to God As our Original our Guid and End Thankfully take his Grace obey his Word And wholly love him as our chiefest Friend And more than so to love him for himself The final Object of Created Love This only perfect ones perfectly do VVho see Gods Glory in the world above Amen Ian. 6. 1682 3. II. Wisdom HE that by Faith sees not the World of Spirits Which Christ with his blest Family Inherits The Sense of Providence can never know Nor Judge aright of any thing below Things seem confused and neglected here Because in broken parcels they appear Who knows a Work in Arras by one Piece Small parcels shew not Workmens Artifice The Beauty of a Picture is not known When one small part or Limb alone is shewn They that on some few Letters only look Can never know the meaning of Gods Book Who knows a stately Building by one Post â—ts but short scraps that one Age sees at most Heav'n seeth all and therefore knows the Sense Of the whole beauteous frame of Providence His Judgment of Gods Kingdom needs must fail Who knows no more of it than this dark Goal If Heaven and Hell were open to mens sight Most Men of present things would judge aright Who would be griev'd at prosperous sinners reign Who did foresee their everlasting pain Who would grudge pride rage so short a pow'r Who did foresee its fall and dismal hour who 'd grudg Gods Patience to the greatest crime Which will scape Vengeance for so short a time who 'd grudge at any wrong or suffering here Who saw the World of happiness so neer If that one Sun a Thousand Fold excel This Earth in bigness where we Sinners dwell And what 's one Sun to all the Heav'n beside Is not Gods Kingdom Glorious and wide Who then dare say Gods work is not well done Because an Ant-hill is not made a Sun Or because Sin and devillish Rage do dwell In this vile Prison which is next to Hell who 'd measure Gods great Kingdom or his Love By us poor Prisners who in Fetters move God placed Man in Earthly Paradise Heav'ns outward Court the way to highest bliss And Man himself doing what God forbade His House a Bedlam and a Bridewel made Man turn'd it by his sinful base defection Into Gods Prison and House of Correction Gods wondrous Mercies which do never fail Fetch many Sons to Heav'n out of this Goal If the rest finally neglect Gods Grace And choose no better than this sinful place The Dream of Pleasure which will end in shame They had their choice and whom else can they blame who 'd censure God for one poor Bedlams sake But such as of his Madness do partake And though he rage and sober Men disdains Who loves his Case or longeth for his Chains Who envy wicked Men their hurting Power Who do believe their sad approaching hour VVho the Toads hurtful Venom envieth VVho'd have the Basalisks pernicious Breath VVho longs to be a Serpent for the Sting It s worse to be a Great but hurtful King Christians by Patience win a better Crown Than all the Bloody Conquerors Renown True Christian Kings who Rule in Peace Love A better Kingdom have with Christ above Our King may with more peace and safety Rule Than the
can never have Access From it their Canon-Law receiv'd its Birth To which they all obedience profess But the false name of Councils-General Is now a Cheat to serve the Roman-King Where are those Councils whence who must them call Who them from all the Earth together bring Could not our Lord without all this adoe Have made sufficient Universal Law But our Religion must have so much new Which th' ancient Christians never heard or saw Communion's made Subjection by this Cheat None can be Sav'd that are not Canon-proof Obey them or they 'l say you Separate They Build the Church beginning at the Roof Thus can the Flesh such Learned Men deceive And make them love their Enemies as Friends And rule their Faith and make them all believe That all is good which serves their Worldly Ends How Wise and Holy should that Person be Whose Daily Business is to search Gods Law Who should in Heavenly Pleasure Live but he That Heaven and Hell as in a Map still saw Doth Pride and Envy bitter Strife and Wrath Church Tyranny or Hatred of the Good Become that Man who such an Office hath To Preach Gods Love Seal'd with Christs Flesh Blood What is his Calling but Souls to Convert And Build them up in Faith and Love with Peace In what Art should he rather be expert Then to breed Love and Hurtfulness suppress If he love Christ he 'l gently feed his Sheep Cherish and Love the good strengthen the weak The Flock from Wolves hurtful Beasts he 'l keep And not against the Just and Upright speak Self-contradicting is a Madmans mark Judg then what these Malignant Preachers are Self-damning Self-confuting in the dark Heart Tongue Hand are in a constant War They are Church-Shepherds yet hurtful Wolves They Preach for Love to Foes yet hate Christs Friends Preach Life to others choose Death to themselves Heavenly words they speak for Worldly Ends. They Pray that Gods great Name may Hallowed be Which they profane by pleading it for Evil They Pray as if Christs Kingdom they would see But mean their own that 's ruled by the Devil They hate Gods Will Pray it may be done Ev'n as it is in Heaven A high degree Yet if one plead Gods Will against their own Who 's hated more or used worse than he They Pray for Daily Bread for Life Health But without Plenty are not satisfi'd But seek Preferment Fulness Rule Wealth And grudg if Fleshly Lust be but deny'd The' ask pardon of the Sin they Love Cherish And that but as themselves forgive another Yet to fear God Sin Hell as loath to perish They 'l not forgive to a dissenting Brother They pray God not to lead them to Temptation Yet tempt themselves love most tempting things Strong baits of Flesh are their chief consolation Greedy of all that deadly pleasure brings They ask deliverance from all that 's ill Yet Sin the worst they love and will not leave They ask what 's full against their Vicious Will That which God offers and they 'l not receive They seem to own a God They Preach his Law But Man and Flesh must be before him serv'd The World 's more lov'd of Man th' are more in awe As if God but the Tongue Knee deserv'd The Image is their God and hath the Heart God's made an Image and hath but the name Religion is with them meer Form and Art Kept up for Peace by Custom Fear Shame Christ is their Saviour call'd their King Lord To Preach his Grace and Glory is their Trade But to be Sav'd from Lust Sin 's Abhor'd And he an Underling to Flesh is made They say they do believe the Holy Ghost But his refining work will not be born A Fleshly Worldly Life doth please them most The Spirits Name Work some make a Scorn And yet for Holiness who hath more Zeal Meaning great Names Interest of their own They against Sacriledg to God appeal As it would Rob their Flesh and it Dethrone It s none to hurt Christs Flock withhold their Food His Faithful Ministers to Alienate Nor feed proud Flesh with what belongs to God All 's Holy that to it is Dedicate Religion ends with them as it begun They were Baptiz'd and made the Sacred Vow But this was by a strange Godfather done It s with great Grief that I must tell you how It s known an Infant hath no Will to choose The Parents Will and Choice do stand for his Till he be capable his own to use He in the Power of his Parents is And God obligeth Christians to devote Themselves and Theirs in Covenant to Christ This he accepts as many Scriptures note The Parent being Dedicated first But now some other doth the Parents part Vows for the Child and its due Education And though he never meant it in his heart To see it Taught all needful to Salvation Atheists and Infidels and Sadduces Their Children are all freely taken in If they have but such Godfathers as these Baptism is said to save them all from Sin Men forbid Parents Godfathers to be And Ministers their presence to require Foreign Kings stand for those they never see Poor Men get such as they for Money hire Parents these Undertakers do not ask Will you these Vows and Promises perform Baptismal Vows are made a formal task Thus they began Thus Men Christs Laws reform Thus Christians by false Ceremony made Religion 's made a Ceremony now Not minding what Suborn'd Men Vow'd or said They boldly break what others falsely Vow'd And when in Play Sin their Childhood's spent For Canting a few words not understood Mindless what Faith is or their Baptism meant Confirm'd they boldly claim Christs Flesh and Blood A Lifeless Image being thus receiv'd More Forms and Ceremonies it adorn And Hypocrites by Shadows thus deceiv'd The unknown Holy Life do Hate and Scorn Thus Life is fool'd away till Death seem near Which doth disrobe their splendid cheating Sins But to ease Conscience waken'd now by fear Forc'd Penitence Mans Absolution wins And at the Grave when Men as bad as he Do hear that God in Mercy took his Soul And Charity for this hope pleaded be False hopes which should be broken are kept whole Thus Sinners are befoold till time is done From first to last spent in Hypocrisie And endless sorrow when all hope is gone Tell them what Mercy they did long deny Yet still the reverend Masters of the Game Cherish the Malady with Zeal and Art Being themselves diseased by the same By mortal habit both of Head and Heart Tradition Ceremony Pomp and Rule A humane Image without Divine Life By Pharisees was used as the tool Of self-deceit and of malignant strife Dead Saints they honour'd and the living killâ—d The Dead molest them not by their reproof Their Relicks Days and Monuments they held In their Devotion as of great behoof Yet none were fiercer Enemies of Christ
hath no such work there 's no such Men Nothing is there the Blessed to Annoy With Christ Angels Holy Soul shall then Praise God in perfect Life Light Love Joy Amen Decemb. 17. 1682. VI. The Exit MY Soul go boldly forth Forsake this Sinful Earth What hath it bin to thee But Pain and Sorrow And thinkst thou it will be Better to Morrow Love not this Darksome Womb Nor yet a Gilded Tomb Though on it Written be Mortal Mens Story Look up by Faith and see Sure Joyful Glory Why art thou for Delay Thou cam'st not here to stay What tak'st thou for thy part But Heav'nly pleasure Where then should be thy Heart But where 's thy Treasure Thy God thy Head 's above There is the World of Love Mansions there purchas'd are By Christs own Merit For these he doth prepare Thee by his Spirit Look up towards Heav'n and see How vast those Regions be Where Blessed Spirits dwell How Pure and Lightful But Earth is near to Hell How Dark and Frightful Here Life doth strive with Death To lengthen Mortals Breath Till one short Race be run Which would be ended When it is but begun If not defended Here Life is but a Spark Scarce shining in the Dark Life is the Element there Which Souls reside in Much like as Air is here Which we abide in Hither thou cam'st from thence The Divine Influence In Flesh my Soul did place Among the Living To be of Humane Race Was his free giving There I shall know God more There is the Blessed Chore No Wickedness comes there All there is Holy There is no Grief or Fear No Sin or Folly Ierusalem above Glorious in Light and Love Is Mother of us all Who shall enjoy them The Wicked Hell-ward fall Sin will destroy them O Blessed Company Where all in Harmony Iehovah's Praises Sing Still without ceasing And all Obey their King With perfect pleasing God there is the Saints Rest God is their constant Feast He doth them Feed and Bless With Love and Favour Of which they still possess The pleasant Savour God is Essential Love And all the Saints above Are like unto him made Each in his Measure Love is their Life and Trade Their constant Pleasure Love Flame 's in every Breast The Greatest and the Least Strangers to this sweet Life There are not any Love leaves no place for Strife Makes One of Many Each is to other dear No Malice enters there No Siding Difference No Hurt no Evil Because no Ignorance No Sin no Devil VVhat Joy must there needs be VVhere all Gods Glory see Feeling Gods Vital Love VVhich still is Burning And Flaming God-ward move Full Love returning SELF makes Contention here Love makes all Common there There 's no Propriety Mine is my Brothers Perfect Community Makes One's Anothers Go out then lingring Soul From this Vile Serpents Hole VVhere Bred as in a Sink They Hiss and Sting us VVill not Christ dost thou think To better bring us Think not that Heav'n wants store Think not that Hell hath more If all on Earth were lost Earth's scarce one Tittle To the vast Heavens at most Exceeding little All those Blest Myriads be Lovers of Christ and Thee Angels thy presence wish Christ will receive thee Then let not Bruitish Flesh Fright and Deceive thee Gladly my Soul go forth Is Heaven of no more worth Then this Curst Desert is This VVorld of Trouble Prefer Eternal Bliss Before this Bubble VVish not still for Delay VVhy wouldst thou longer stay From Christ from Home so far In Self-Denyal And live in longer VVar A Life of Tryal Souls Live when Flesh lies Dead Thy Sin is Pardoned VVhen Christ doth Death disarm VVhy art thou fearful And Souls that fear no harm Should pass forth Chearful Cherish not causeless Doubt That God will shut the out What if he thee assur'd From Heav'n by Letter His Son his Spirit and VVord Have done it better Hath Mercy made Life sweet And is it kind and meet Thus to draw back from God VVho doth Protect thee Look then for his sharp Rod Next to Correct thee VVhat if Foes should make hast Thou wilt the sooner tast VVhat all Blest Souls enjoy VVith Christ for ever VVhere those that thee Annoy Shall hurt thee never Fear not the VVorld of Light Though out of Mortal's sight As if it doubtful were For want of seeing Gross Bodies Vilest are And the least Being Vain sinful VVorld farewel I go where Angels dwell VVhere Life Light Love and Joy Are the Saints Glory Gods Praises there employ The Consistory Christ who knows all his Sheep VVill all in safety keep He will not lose his Blood Nor Intercession Nor we the Purchas'd Good Of his dear Passion I know my God is Just To him I wholy Trust All that I have and am All that I hope for All 's sure and seen to him VVhich I here grope for Lord Jesus take my Spirit I trust thy Love and Merit Take home this wand'ring Sheep For thou hast sought it This Soul in safety keep For thou hast bought it Amen Decemb. 19. 1682. The Valediction 1. VAin World what is in thee What do poor mortals see Which should esteemed be Worthy their Pleasure Is it the Mothers VVomb Or Sorrows which soon come Or a dark Grave and Tomb VVhich is their Treasure How dost thou Man deceive By thy vain Glory VVhy do they still Believe Thy false History 2. Is 't Childrens Book and Rod The Lab'rer's heavy Load Poverty under-trod The VVorld desireth Is it distracting Cares Or Heart-tormenting Fears Or pineing Grief and Tears VVhich Man requireth Or is it it Youthful Rage Or Childish Toying Or is Decrepite Age VVorth Mans Enjoying 3. Is it deceitful Wealth Got by Care Fraud or Stealth Or short uncertain Health VVhich thus befool Men Or do the Serpents Lies By the VVorlds Flatteries And tempting Vanities Still over-rule them Or do they in a Dream Sleep out their Season Or born down by Lusts Stream VVhich Conquers Reason 4. The silly Lambs to day Pleasantly Skip and Play Whom Butchers mean to Slay Perhaps to Morrow In a more Bruitish sort Doe careless Sinners Sport Or in dead Sleep still Snort As neer to Sorrow Till Life not well begun be sadly Ended And the Web they have Spun Can ne'r be Mended 5. What is the time that 's gone And what is that to come Is it not now as none The present stays not Time posteth Oh how fast Unwelcome Death makes hast None can call back what 's past Judgment delays not Though God bring in the Light Sinners awake not Because Hells out of Sight They Sin forsake not 6. Man walks in a vain shew They know yet will not know Sit still when they should go But run for shaddows While they might tast and know The living Streams that flow And crop the Flowers that grow In Christ's sweet Medows Life's better slept away Than as they use it In Sin and Drunken Play Vain Men abuse it 7. Malignant World adiew Where no foul Vice is new Only to Satan true God still offended Though taught and warn'd by God And his Chastising Rod Keeps still the way that 's broad Never amended Baptismal Vows some make But ne'r perform them If Angels from Heaven spake 'T would not reform them 8. They dig for Hell beneath They Labour hard for Death Run themselves out of Breath To overtake it Hell is not had for nought Damnation's dearly bought And with great Labour sought They 'l not forsake it Their Souls are Satans fee He 'l not abate it Grace is refus'd that 's free Mad Sinners hate it 9. Vile Man is so perverse It 's too rough work for Verse His badness to Rehearse And shew his Folly He 'l die at any rates He God and Conscience hates Yet Sin he Consecrates And calls it Holy The Grace he 'l not endure Which would renew him Constant to all and sure Which will undoe him 10. His Head comes first at Birth And takes Root in the Earth As Nature shooteth forth His Feet grow highest To kick at all above And spurn at saving Love His God is in his Grove Because its nighest He loves this World of strife Hates what would mend it Loves Death that 's called Life Fears what would end it 11. All that is Good hee 'd cursh Blindly on Sin doth rush A Pricking thorny Bush Such Christ was Crown'd with Their Worships like to this The Reed the Judas Kiss Such the Religion is That these abound with They mock Christ with the Knee When e're they bow it As if God did not see The Heart and know it 12. Of Good they choose the least Despise that which is best The joyful Heavenly feast Which Christ would give them Heav'n hath scarce one cold wish They live unto the Flesh Like Swine they feed on VVash Satan doth drive them Like weeds they grow in Mire VVhich Vices nourish VVhere warm'd by Satans Fire All Sins do Flourish 13. Is this the VVorld Men choose For which they Heav'n refuse And Christ and Grace abuse And not receive it Shall I not guilty be Of this in some Degree If hence God would me free And I 'd not leave it My Soul from Sodom flie Lest wrath there find thee Thy Refuge-rest is nigh Look not behind thee 14. There 's none of this adoe None of the Hellish Crew Gods promise is most true Boldly believe it My Friends are gone before And I am neer the Shoor My Soul stands at the Door O Lord receive it It trusts Christ and his Merits The Dead he raises Joyn it with Blessed Spirits Who sing thy Praises Ian. 14. 1682 3. FINIS The Titles I. Grace pag. 1 II. Wisdome 19 III. Madness 25 IV. Hypocrisie 34 V. Man 48 VI. The Exit 62 VII The Valediction 70 Books lately Printed for B. Simmons at the Three Golden Cocks at the West-end of St. Pauls 1683. MR. Rich. Baxter's Dying Thoughts preparatory to his approaching Change Octavo Of the Immortality of Man's Soul and the Nature of it and other Spirits Two Discourses Octavo By Mr. Baxter Truth and Peace promoted Or a Guide for young Christians in the way of Salvation past the danger of Errors and Difficulties of Curiosity In a familiar Dialogue between a Minister of Christ and a Devout private Christian. Twelves By Adam Martindalt