where 's the quickening coelestial fire I know the Eye of Heav'n is on my Heart God looks my Soul should bear the chiefest part It 's winged Faith and flaming Love within That must the pleasant Melody begin The holy Spirit must tune and touch each string Else smoothest Verse will be a harsh dull thing Display thy Love shoot down thy vital Raies Teach this cold heart the works of Love Praise O then what Life and Joy these Psalms will bring When it 's thy Spirit and my Soul that sing And though low streins with stops are here my best Yet Perfect Love and Praise shall be my REST. 6. The Threefold Nativity Prima dies hominem peperit sanctumque secunda Natalis pariet Mors tertia glorificatum MY first Birth-day brought forth a Man in sin But one that could not work nor go nor speak My second did a Life of Grace begin But such alas as yet 's diseas'd and weak The third from fleshly bonds will me release And bring me to the world of glorious Light Where all my sins and vexing griefs shall cease And Faith shall end in perfect Love and Sight This Death begins but 't is the Resurrection That fully shall obliterate sins story And state both Soul and Body in perfection Where Grace and Nature shall be crown'd with Glory As Nature taught me first complaining cryes Before it did acquaint me with Delight So Grace with grief first fill'd my Heart and Eyes Before it shewed me the joyful sight Why should not Death then be a straiter Door Than either that of Nature or of Grace Which brings us unto the Eternal Store Of Joy and Glory in God's shining face 7. Self-Denial A Dialogue between the Flesh the Spirit Flesh WHat become Nothing ne're perswade me to it God made me Something and I 'le not undo it Spirit Thy Something is not thine but his that gave it Resign it to him if thou mean to save it Flesh God gave me Life and shall I choose to die Before my time or pine in miserie Spirit God is thy Life If then thou fearest death Let him be all thy soul thy pulse and breath Flesh What! must I hate my self when as my brot her Must love me and I may not hate another Spirit Loath what is loathsom Love God in the rest He truly love's himself that love 's God best Flesh Doth God our ease and pleasure to us grudge Or doth Religion make a man a drudge Spirit That is thy Poyson which thou callest Pleasure And that thy drudgery which thou count'st thy treasure Flesh Who can endure to be thus mewed up And under Laws for every bit and cup Spirit God's Cage is better than the Wilderness When Winter comes Liberty brings distress Flesh Pleasure 's mans Happiness The Will 's not free To choose our misery This cannot be Spirit God is mans End with him are highest joyes Sensual pleasures are but dreams and toyes Should sin seem sweet Is Satan turn'd thy friend Will not thy sweet prove bitter in the end Hast thou found sweeter pleasures than Gods Love Is a fools laughter like the Joyes above Beauty surpasseth all deceitful paints What 's empty mirth to the delights of Saints God would not have thee have less joy but more And therefore shew's thee the eternal store Flesh Who can love baseness poverty and want And under pining sickness be content Spirit He that hath laid his treasure up above And plac't his portion only in Gods love That waits for Glory when his life is done This man will be content with God alone Flesh What good will sorrow do us Is not mirth Fitter to warm a cold heart here on earth Troubles will come whether we will or no I 'le never banish pleasure and choose we Spirit Then choose not sin touch not forbidden things Taste not the sweet that endless sorrow brings If thou love pleasure take in God thy fill Look not for lasting joyes in doing ill Flesh Affliction 's bitter life will soon be done Pleasure shall be my part ere all be gone Spirit Prosperity is barren all men say The soil is best where there 's the deepest way Life is for work and not to spend in play Now sow thy seed labour while it is day The Huntsman seeks his game in barren plains Dirty land answers best the Plowmans pains Passengers care not so the way be fair Husbandmen would have the best ground and air First think what 's safe and fruitful There 's no pleasure Like the beholding of thy chiefest Treasure Flesh Nature made me a Man and gave me sense Changing of Nature is a vain pretence It taught me to love women honour ease And every thing that doth my senses please Spirit Nature hath made thee Rational and Reason Must rule the sense in ends degrees and season Reason's the Rider Sense is but the Horse Which then is fittest to direct thy course Give up the reins and thou becom'st a beast Thy fall at death will sadly end thy feast Flesh Religion is a dull and heavy thing Whereas a merry Cup will make me sing Love's entertainments warm both heart and brain And wind my fancy to the highest strain Spirit Cupid hath stuck a Feather in thy Cap And lull'd thee dead asleep on Venu's lap Thy brains are tipled with some wantons eyes Thy Reason is become Lust's sacrifice Playing a game at Folly thou hast lost Thy wit and soul and winnest to thy cost Thy Soul now in a filthy channel lies While fancy seems to soar above the Skies Beauty will soon be stinking loathsom Earth Sickness and Death marr all the wanton 's mirth It is not all the pleasure thou canst find Will countervail the sting that 's left behind Blind brutish Souls that cannot love their God! And yet can dote on a defiled clod Why should I think of what will be to morrow An ounce of mirth is worth a pound of sorrow Spirit But where 's that mirth when sorrows overtake thee Will it then hold when Life and God forsake thee Forgetting Death or Hell will not prevent it Now lose thy day thou 'lt then too late repent it Flesh Must I be pain'd and wronged and not feel As if my heart were made of flint or steel Spirit Dost thou delight to feel thy hurt and smart Would not an Antidote preserve thy heart Impatience is but self-tormenting folly Patience is cordial easie sweet and holy Is not that better which turns grief to peace Than that which doth thy misery encrease Flesh When sport and wine and beauty do invite Who is it whom such baits will not incite Spirit He that perceives the hook and sees the end Whither it is that fleshly Pleasures tend He that by faith hath seen both Heav'n and Hell And what sin costeth at the last can tell He that hath try'd and tasted better things And felt that love from which all pleasure springs They that still watch and for Christs coming wait
thy self is infinitely better Than if Love made a world of worlds its debter Thy own Perfections by Attraction move As the chief formal Object of Man's Love Though our own Good we may and must intend Thy simple Goodness is Man's chiefest End They that deny this never knew Love's force Which to meer Excellence hath its recourse Or never well considered Love's End Which unto Good for Goodness sake doth tend To be Man's End is but to be most Lov'd And Good 's the Loadstone by which Love is mov'd What though to Thee the creature nothing add That proves Thee perfect neither weak nor bad And therefore fit to be the Final Cause Which all hearts by attractive Goodness draws Love is the Final and Enjoying act Closing with Thee by thy Magnetick tract Not as it mourneth for the Good we want Nor as it after distant Good doth pant 〈…〉 as it reacheth its desires And more as it with Pleasure Thee admires This Love besides its Object hath no End It doth not to some Higher Virtue tend But from a seed grows up to higher stature Of Divine Complacence which is its nature All other Grace is but the means to it They draw the bow but Love the mark doth hit But sinners lost in SELF rise not above The lower Region of their own SELF-LOVE Experience assures me that I can Love a most learned wise and holy man Unseen my very heart is to him knit Without respect to any benefit Reason convinceth me that I should erre If the known BEST my Love should not prefer Should I not rather chuse my self alone To be annihilated or undone Than the whole world should bear the same distress Or Towns or Countries seeing I am less Or the Creator should take down the Sun Destroy the Earth or Rivers cease to run Reason taught Heathens that their Country's good Was worth the shedding of their vital blood A faithful Subject thinks his Life a thing Meet to be cast away to save his King True Souldiers would chuse death if so they may But save their Captains lives or win the day Many have chose to dye through love of friends Preferring them above all selfish Ends. It is not Reason but blind selfish Passion If One refuse to dye to save a Nation A silly useless Wretch should not refuse His Death before a useful mans to chuse My Neighbour as my self I must respect And for my Brethren must my Life reject 1 Joh. 3. 16. O doleful proof of Man's unhappy fall That loves not GOD above Himself and All And if I love him most He is my End Man's Love above the Lover must ascend But O how wisely hast thou made the twist To Love Thee and My Self do well consist Love is the closure of Connaturals The Soul's return to its Originals As every Brook is towards the Ocean bent And all things to their proper Element And as the inclination of the Sight How small soever is unto the Light As the toucht Needle pointeth towards the Pole Thus unto Thee inclines the Holy Soul It trembleth and is restless till it come Unto thy Bosom where it is at home Yet no such Union dare the Soul desire As Parts have with the Whole and sparks to fire But as dependant low subordinate Such as thy Will of nothing did create As tendeth to the Sun the smallest Eye Of silly vermine or the poorest Flie. My own Salvation when I make my End Full Mutual Love is all that I intend And in this closure though I happy be It 's by Intending and Admiring Thee O happy Grace which feeds above the Skies And causest Man above Himself to rise And saves what it denys when worldlings lose What they despis'd and what they lov'd and chose The more I do my self in Love neglect And only to thy Goodness have respect When most my self I from my self abstract This is the sweetest and self-pleasing act Even when I seem to leave my self behind Coming to Thee with Thee my self I find When I am least the Object of my Love And unto Thee do most entirely move My Soul the willing Agent drawn by Grace Will Rest in Love and Vision of thy Face But in this wilderness and vale of Tears How is Love dampt by ignorance and fears For no Man's Love his knowledge can exceed And guilty Terrours disaffection breed Mortals can know thee but as in a glass True formal Knowledge doth man's mind surpass No Thoughts or Names are adequate to Thee They are but Metaphors from what we see Which first thy Works and Image signifie And thence to Thee mens rising Minds apply As far as Faith comes short of perfect Sight And this dark Prison of the Glorious Light So far this distant mediate Love 's below The heavenly Love which mortals cannot know What will it be to love Thee face to face When thou appear'st so lovely in this Glass Thy Goodness is not to that world confin'd To worthless sinful mortals thou art kind Thy mercies to the smallest are not small To some more wonderful but great to all Thy matchless Power doth it self express Upon the smallest Worm or pile of Grass The Methods of thy Wisdom are profound All must admire the depths which none can sound When Man from Holy Love turn'd to a Lye Thy Image lost became thine Enemy O what a Seal did Love and Wisdom find To reimprint thine Image on Man's Mind Thou sentst the Signet from thine own right hand Made man for them that had themselves unman'd Th' Eternal Son who in thy bosom dwelt Essential burning Love mens hearts to melt Thy lively Image he that knew thy mind Fit to illuminate and heal the blind With Love's great Office thou didst him adorn Redeemer of the helpless and forlorn On Love's chief work and message he was sent Our Flesh he took our pain he underwent Thy pardoning saving Love to Man did preach The Reconciler stood up in the breach The uncreated Image of thy Love By his Assumption and the Holy Dove On his Own Flesh thy Image first imprest And by that stamp renews it on the rest Love was his Nature Doctrine Life and Breath Love flamed in his Sufferings and Death Thus Love thine Image Love on Man doth print This Coin thy Son thy Word and Spirit mint He that will have it True must have it here Though Love prepare its way by Grief and Fear Yea oft by these expresseth its Desire They are sincere when kindled by its fire These are LOVE's Methods passing tongue pen Wonders and Joys to Angels and to Men. The Second Part. LOVE which can make its Object did produce This Worm in season for his proper use In the Earth's Garden the most happy Land Where Christians dwel Christian Kings command Where plenteous streams of living waters flow Where the first-fruits of Paradise do grow Whence Proud Dark Bloody Popery was driven To whom the opened Book of God was given Where sacred guides and books
Or playing on a Bag-pipe or a Fiddle But hath not learned how to Live and Die Nor where his Soul must dwell eternally God and all wise men judge him but a fool Who is not wise enough to save his Soul When Heav'n's made sure all Knowledge then is good For Faith and Love can turn it into food It 's pleasant then to study any Book When we see GOD the sense where ere we look When as the way to Heav'n we know each place And see God's beauty in each creature's face And when we stick not in the form and letter But all our Knowledge tends to make us better When still the more we Know the more we Love And draw more with us to the Joys above Fine Fancies are not like clear minds nor those Like Love by which the Soul with God doth close Wisdom it self will make the Mind most wise He that ascends to God doth Highest rise Sure Pisgah was Parnassus or the Mount Where three Apostles did three Glories count Christ's living streams are the true Helicon None make true Poets but Heav'ns springs alone What poor low toyish work make frothy wits Like Bacchus Scholars in their Pot-wise fits Like Childrens Poppets drest with Lace and Pin Like handsom Pictures something wants within A painted Feast carv'd with a painted Knife A Living Soul can feel it wanteth Life Without a Holy Subject End and Spirit True Wisdom's sacred Titles none can merit O my Dear God! how precious is thy Love These are the drops what are the streams above Immortal thanks my Soul doth owe my God For his well-order'd needful healing Rod The Book and Rod do well befit thy School Correction is the portion of the Fool The Rod it self will make the Sluggard rise The Rod and Book make foolish Children wise I felt or fear'd no evil at the first But my Soul's misery which is the worst Whilst for a Soul-remedy I did look Thy angry storm my Body overtook Languishing weakness shortens strength breath Consumes my flesh and threatens speedy death And what I felt reviv'd the fears of more For now my Judgment seemed at the door I knew not but it might be a foretast Of greater woe which I might feel at last My new awaken'd Soul amazed was To think that unto Judgment it must pass And see the unseen World and stand before The dreadful God whom Heav'n Earth adore I was unready to behold thy face Having no more assurance of thy Grace Having but lately too familiar been With my seducing flesh and hateful sin My Thoughts of Thee were terrible and strange And of so great and an untimely change The threatned Ruine I did thus condole O must my scarce-born unprepared Soul Before my dreadful Judge so soon appear And the decisive final Sentence hear And all my Reckonings so soon bring in And give account to God for every sin Before I do my Soul's condition know Or any scaled Pardon have to shew What if I prove an unconverted Wretch And Justice should my Soul to torments fetch How know I but the endless flames of Hell May be the place where next my Soul shall dwell Mercy would save me but I did reject it Christ's Blood would cleanse it but I did neglect it And though I am not hopeless who can bear To die uncertain under so great fear I O that my Tunes had all been better spent And that my caâ—â—y Thoughts had all been bent In preparation for the Life to come That now I might have gone as to my home And taken up my dwelling with the blest And past to everlasting Joy and Rest O that the pleasures of my sports and toyes Had all been turn'd to man-like holy Joyes And those Delights which Vanities engrost And spent on fleshly Lusts were worse than lost Had all been sweet Rejoycings in the Lord And in his holy Service and his Word O that I could my wasted Time call back Which now my Soul for greater works doth lack What would I give now for those precious daies Which once run out in pleasures and delaies O had I liv'd a strict and holy Life Though under hatred and malicious strife Though Men's and Devil's fury I had born And been the world's reproach contempt scorn Then welcome Death would but have quencht my thirst And bid the envious world now do their worst Their malice would but to my Joyes accrew And well-spent Time be sweet to my review O happy men whose portion is above Whose hearts to God and to his Service clove Who made him and his Word their chief delight And walkt in uprightness as in his sight Approv'd their Hearts and Waies to him alone As ready to appear before his Throne Now I had rather far be one of them Than one of worldly Wealth or Princely Stem O now my undrest Soul is passing forth I see both what the World and Christ are worth Thus did the face of Death my Soul awake The bonds of dead stupidity it brake Strict holy Truth I easily confest I saw that Godliness is not a jest My late besotted mind is now past doubt That Folly's careless Wisdom is devout I saw more clearly than I did before What lies on an ungodly Sinners score For what man's pow'rs were made what is their use To what all means and mercies do conduce What is man's business while he 's here below How much his creatures to their Maker owe Whether the Saint or Brute be in the right Whether it 's best to live by Faith or Sight What is true Wit what Learning 's most sublime How I and all should value precious Time I saw it 's not a thing indifferent Whether my Soul to Heav'n or Hell be sent Death also further taught me how to pray And made me cry unto thee every day It set me on the trying of my state Lest I should prove deceiv'd when 't was too late Often and carefully I searcht my heart Whether in Christ by Faith I had a part It shew'd me so much work to do at home That alien needless matters found small room It curb'd my Pride and buryed my Ambition Made me not only bear a low condition But chuse it and all things to estimate As God my Soul and Heav'n should set the rate For now as clearly as I saw the Sun I saw in lines which they may read that run That Endless things are All when we compare And transitory trifles Nothing are That Worldlings in their sleep do talk and go And all their lives are but a dreaming shew Only the true Believer lives awake And doth not spend his daies in meer mistake That all who are not Saints are worse than Brutes These O my Father were thy Rod's first-fruits O my Dear God! how precious is thy Love Thus we rebound up to the Joyes above Long thus before my God I lay prostrate Begging for healing mercy at his gate And for some longer time to know his Truth And
Can turn away from or despise the bait Flesh Must I be made the foot-ball of disdain And call'd a precise fool or Puritane Spirit Remember him that did despise the shame And for thy sake bore undeserved blame Thy journey 's of small moment if thou stay Because dogs bark or stones lie in the way If life lay on it wouldst thou turn again For the winds blowing or a little rain Is this thy greatest love to thy dear Lord That canst not for his sake bear a foul word Wilt thou not bear for him a scorners breath That underwent for thee a cursed death Is not Heav'n worth the bearing of a flout Then blame not Justice when it shuts thee out Will these deriders stand to what they say And own their words at the great dreadful day Then they 'd be glad when wrath shall overtake them To eat their words and say they never spake them Flesh How Forsake all Ne're mention it more to me I 'le be of no Religion to undo me Spirit Is it not thine more in thy Fathers hand Then when it is laid out at sins command And is that sav'd that 's spent upon thy lust Or which must be a prey to thieves or rust And wouldst thou have thy riches in thy way Where thou art passing on and canst not stay And is that lost that 's sent to Heav'n before Hadst thou not rather have thy friends and store Where thou maist dwell for ever in the light Of that long glorious day that fears no night Flesh But who can willingly submit to Death Which will bereave us of our life and breath That laies our flesh to rot in loathsom graves Where brains and eyes were leaves but ugly caves Spirit So nature breaks and casts away the shell Where the now beauteous singing bird did dwell The secundine that once the infant cloath'd After the birth is cast away and loath'd Thus Roses drop there sweet leaves under-foot But the Spring shew's that life was in the root Souls are the Roots of Bodies Christ the Head Is Root of both and will revive the dead Our Sun still shineth when with us it's night When he return's we shall shine in his light Souls that behold and praise God with the Just Mourn not because their bodies are but dust Graves are but beds where flesh till morning sleep's Or Chests where God a while our garments keeps Our folly thinks he spoils them in the keeping Which causeth our excessive fears and weeping But God that doth our rising day foresee Pitties not rotting flesh so much as we The birth of Nature was deform'd by sin The birth of Grace did our repair begin The birth of Glory at the Resurrection Finisheth all and brings both to perfection Why should not fruit when it is mellow fall Why would we linger here when God doth call Flesh The things and persons in this world I see But after death I know not what will be Spirit Know'st thou not that which God himself hath spoken Thou hast his promise which was never broken Reason proclaims that noble heav'n-born Souls Are made for higher things than Worms Moles God hath not made such faculties in vain Nor made his Service a deluding pain But Faith resolves all doubts and hears the Lord Telling us plainly by his holy Word That uncloath'd Souls shall with their Savior dwell Triumphing over Sin and Death and Hell And by the Power of Almighty Love Stars shall arise from graves to shine above There we shall see the glorious face of God His blessed presence shall be our abode The face that banisheth all doubts and fears Shuts out all sins and dryeth up all tears That face which darkeneth the Sun's bright rayes Shall shine us into everlasting joyes Where Saints and Angels shall make up one Chore To praise the Great Jehovah evermore Flesh Reason not with me against sight and sense I doubt all this is but a â—ain pretence Words against Nature are not worth a rush One Bird in hand is worth two in the bush If God will give me Heav'n at last I 'le take it But for my Pleasure here I 'le not forsake it Spirit And wilt thou keep it brutish flesh how long Wilt thou not shortly sing another Song When Conscience is awakened keep thy mirth When sickness death comes hold fast this earth Live if thou canst when God saith Come away Try whether all thy friends can cause thy stay Wilt thou tell Death and God thou wilt not die And wilt thou the consuming fire defie Art thou not sure to let go what thou hast And doth not Reason bid thee then forecast And value the least hope of endless Joyes Before known vanities and dying toyes And can the Lord that is most just and wise Found all man's duty in deceit and lies Get thee behind me Satan thou dost savour The things of Flesh and not his dearest favour Who is my Life and Light and Love and All And so shall be whatever shall befall It is not thou but I that must discern And must Resolve It 's I that hold the stern Be silent Flesh speak not against my God Or else hee 'l teach thee better by the rod. I am resolved thou shalt live and die A servant or a conquered enemy Lord charge not on me what this rebell sayes That alwaies was against me and thy wayes Now stop its mouth by Grace that shortly must Through just but gainful death be stopt with dust The thoughts and words of Flesh are none of mine Let Flesh say what it will I will be thine Whatever this rebellious Flesh shall prate Let me but serve thee Lord at any rate Use me on earth as seemeth good to thee So I in Heav'n thy Glorious face may see Take down my Pride let me dwell at thy feet The humble are for earth and heav'n most meet Renouncing Flesh I Vow my self to thee With all the Talents thou hast lent to me Let me not stick at honour wealth or blood Let all my dayes be spent in doing good Let me not trifle out more precious hours But serve thee now with all my strength and powers If Flesh should tempt me to deny my hand Lord these are the Resolves to which I stand Octob. 29. 1659. Richard Baxter 8. The Prayer of the Sick in a Case like Hezekiahs To the Tune of the 51 Psalm The First Part. 1. ETernal God whose name is Love Whose mercy is my hope and stay O hear and help me from above That in distress to thee do pray Ashamed to lift up my face Hence from the dust to thee I cry Though I have sinn'd against thy Grace Yet unto it alone I fly 2. I was at first in sin conceiv'd Then liv'd a vain and sinful life Rebellious flesh which I receiv'd Is still against thy Grace in strife Long it was Lord alas too long Before I knew my self or thee Vanity rul'd my heart and tongue And O that yet my Soul
deep remorse tells me What I have done What have I done It 's graven all in Stone This heart of flint feels now What I have done What have I done my pained flesh and bone Cry out with anguish O what have I done What have I done I see I feel I groan The sad effects proclaim What I have done What have I done My friends distress and moan Cry to me night and day This thou hast done Melt sinful heart and spare not welcome grief Away delights I 'le none of your relief Shew me the Wilderness the secret Cell Where grief and I may still together dwell Where Hills and Woods may eccho all my groans And hearers may not interrupt my moans Where mortal Eyes may see no more the face Which folly hath confounded with disgrace Where I may Die alive and Live in Death And spend in Lamentation all my breath Seeing deceitful heart-tormenting sin So cunningly is crept and woven in Break it in pieces turn this Heart to dust Melt out the dross purge out the filth and rust Spare not the Lance Or if that will do good Drench it in tears Stop not this brinish flood Jesus Peace troubled Soul I 'le wash it in my blood Woman why weepest thou was the first word After his Rising spoken by our Lord To which his Angels Preface did accord John 20. 13. 15. The Relief Jesus PEace troubled Soul It 's not thy brinish flood Nor troubling Passions that must do thee good Come freely drank and bathe thee in this Blood Sinner What I so vile a wretch it cannot be Alas I fear it was not shed for me Jesus Yea even for thee So far 't was shed for all That they may come and welcome at my Call Sinner Alas Lord I have trampled on thy Blood And thy Reproofs and Calls of Grace withstood Jesus And yet I call thee Take my Mercy yet I 'le answer for thee I have paid thy debt Sinner What mine that have provoked thee so long And done thy Blood and Spirit so much wrong Jesus I dy'd for Enemies It is my Glory To wash foul hearts and blot out all their story Sinner What! one so long so terrible so sad Love one so hateful pardon one so bad Jesus Hast thou such sins as I cannot forgive Or any wants which I cannot relieve Sinner I know thy Blood can wash away my guilt I doubt not thou canst heal me if thou wilt Jesus How hath my Will deserved thy suspicion When I have made Acceptance the condition Consent and all is thine My Gift is free The purchase is not to be made by thee Sinner â— know what thou wilt do shall sure be done â—ut some God hates I fear that I am one Jesus And must the Love declar'd at such a rate So vail'd by the suspicion of Hate For this I came to Men from God above To manifest his great abundant Love Mark what my Doctrine Life and Death intend This is their principal design and end God's Power and Skill But chiefly his Great Mercy and Good Will Sinner Yet he will save none but his own Elect Not those that his Salvation neglect Jesus My Promise and thy Duty thou may'st see But canst not search the depth of God's Decree Mercy intreats thee here it 's brought unto thee Take it and God's Decree shall not undo thee All are Elect that do not to the last Refuse me and my Grace behind them cast Sinner This I have done and fear I shall do still Till I the measure of my sins fulfil Though God be Love it self I shall have none I fear my Day of Grace is past and gone Methinks I feel Grace doth my Soul forsake Thy Holy Spirit thou dost from me take Jesus Here thou art yet alive my Grace attends thee And from the jaws of Death and Hell defends thee Satan would fain at once thy Soul devour What dangers dost thou walk in every hour Yet thou art safe and hear'st the Preacher's voice Come close with Mercy and Heav'n will rejoyce Dost thou not feel my Spirit still contend And tell thee what it is that thou must mend If yet thou 'lt be but willing to be mine I and my Benefits will sure be thine I seek I knock thou find'st I have not done Yet dost thou say thy Day of Grace is gone Sinner O but I have a Heart as hard as Steel I see my misery but cannot feel Jesus Fully to feel what thou deserv'st is Hell What measure 's best it 's I that best can tell Sinner I can scarce weep a tear for sin This Heart Was never melted yet by all thine Art Sure it 's a sign my Day of Grace is gone When this unhumbled Heart remains a Stone Jesus Consent but to my Covenant and be sure The remnant of thy Hardness I will cure I 'le put a tender heart into thy breast Believe in me and I 'le forgive the rest It is no Mortal Hardness if thou chuse My Covenant and dost not me refuse Should'st thou but fully feel thy sin thou 'dst die None could sustain so great a load but I. I felt it for thee Leave it to my care To wound or heal to break afflict or spare Sinner My sin my wants my misery is such That I can never feel and grieve too much Jesus Such breaking 's good as breaks the heart of sin And maketh way for Love to enter in But not the grief that only breaketh ease Weakning the Soul and strengthning the Disease Hinder not Love and Joy but grieve in measure My Blood and not thy Tears must be thy Treasure Sinner Indeed my purest streams are too impure And cannot thy severity endure The grief of an impatient selfish spirit Cannot thy Pardon or Acceptance merit But if this hardened Heart do not relent And so great sin and misery lament How canst thou smile on such a brazen face As never felt the want and worth of grace Jesus Whence 〈◊〉 I this complaining language hear If neither want nor worth of grace appear I 'le save thee if but so far thou Repent As to my Gospel-Covenant to consent Wilt thou be healed Truly say I will And trust the cure on thy Physicians skill Sinner O there 's my sin and woe though Grace be free I cannot take thy Grace or come to thee My heart is hardened I cannot repent My Will 's enthrall'd I cannot consent This will condemn me at the dreadful day I may have Life but will not when I may Jesus Art thou not willing why then dost thou crave it Dost thou complain for grace wouldst not have it If thou hadst rather be ungodly still It seems thou speak'st all this against thy will Sinner Would not the worst of men be sav'd from Hell And in delight and endless pleasure dwell But to be Holy I have no desire But as a means to keep me from Hell fire When I seem to do good or ill forbear It is not out of