to be thy Match or Mate then consult thy Honour if thou lovest the World and embracest the Earth canst thou hate Adultery with man and be an Adultress to God Let not a Strumpet stand in thy sight but especially suffer not thy heart to whore after Vanity If thou fallest into ill Company that shall court thee let not the Devil wooâ—… thee O my Soul thou most beloved above all Creatures that hast God for thy Huâ—…band Heaven for thy Dower and Eartâ—… for thy Service suffer not Hell to 〈◊〉 thy Pander to dote upon the World let thy Heart be an Habitation for Goâ—… and Heaven Thy Soul is the Lord of thy Body take then thy bodies homage not thine own ruine let thy Soul act the will of God and command the body to execute thine Let not thy body be thy God lest thou becomest a Devil to thy self Thy Soul is an Angels peer let it not then be a companion for Satan Let not thy Lordship be sold for slavery and misery for if thou maintainest not thy right Hell must be thy harbour Torments thy terrour and wicked Spirits thy company Thy Soul under God is the supream Soveraign of thy body be not then a subject to thy subject let not the law of the Members be the law of the Minde for the Senses are Handmaids to the Soul and she is the Princess of Heaven Thy Soul is a free-born-childe of Eternity Heir of Immensity the Daughter of Almighty God who is beyond all bounds of Time and Being to whom then oughtest thou to pay thy duty but to him alone Thy Body is but a prison to thy Soul thou art inclosed in the walls of Mud and gates of Sense Can there then be more pleasure in a Prison than a Palace Shall a Bodily Restraint be preferred before a Spirits Liberty Canst thou count thy Bondage to be thy Bliss Are Chains of Iron to be esteemed above the Treasures of Gold Are Fetters better than Freedom Earth is but a Goal to Heaven then be not so rash as to prize thy Goal before thy Delivery lest thou art cast into that Goal from whence there is no redemption It is most just that the Soul that prizeth the Devil's Chain before God's Liberty should have the Devil's Prison instead of God's Palace and befor ever his slave in Hell that would not be God's servant for a time on Earth O thou beloved Dove of God fly to thy Coelestial home belime not thy spiritual wings in slime and mud in Heaven is thy Treasure and where canst thou finde more Riches to invite thee Be not like the Crow to feed upon Carrion or like the blinde Beetle to place thy blessedness in Boggs Make not sale of thy self to buy a Goal when thou partest with a Palace for the purchase and becomest a Familiar to Bolts and Shackles Thy Soul is God's Jewel and thy Body is the Casket then keep thy Body clean that thy Soul may the better be preserved It is a bright Diamond of Heaven a Spark of the Divinity a Ray of Divine Glory set for a time in the Foil of Flesh till it pleaseth God to take it to himself and keep it for ever in his Cabinet Let not then thy Soul that transparent Diamond be an ornament to the Devil's finger when it may sit at the right hand of God where there are Pleasures for evermore Thy Soul is the Purchase of Christ bought with no less than the blood of the Son of God then sell not that for a Trifle which cost thy Saviour so great a price it is better to enjoy the Riches of Eternity than to purchase Vanity for a Moment Is thy body distemper'd then thou requirest Physick if wounded thou sendest for a Chirurgeon if naked it must have Cloaths and if hungry it must have Food For these thou shouldest depend upon God for he knoweth all these things are necessary But when thy precious Soul lies sick of sin hath wounds of the spirit stript of its innocence and starv'd for grace no regard is given thereunto not considering though thou usest humane helps it is God that gives the Blessing and is the Physitian both of Soul and Body That Soul that acts the part of a faithful servant to the Lord shall have a double reward The Crown of a Saint and of a Sufferer Certain Considerations worthy the Devout Souls Meditation THe Soul is Spiritual sin makes it Carnal The Soul is Immortal sin is the death of the Soul it makes it die to Grace and live in Grief The Soul is Noble sin makes it Ignominious The Soul is Lord sin enslaves it The Soul is Soveraign sin brings it in subjection The Soul is God-like sin makes it beastial The Soul is the Spouse of God sin makes it the Strumpet of the Devil The Soul is the Jewel of God sins casts it in the Devil's fire The Soul is a free-born Citizen of Heaven sin keeps it in perpetual imprisonment The Soul is God's Purchase sin cheats God of his due and the Soul of eternal Bliss A MISCELANY OF Divine Maximes OR Words fitly spoken Like Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver 1. WOuldst thou be truly perfect love God with all thy heart and thy Neighbour as thy self 2. Let thy eye be always upon God and thy self and thou shalt never see him without goodness nor thy self without misery 3. None shall see God so much as he is visible and none shall ever love God so much as he is amiable 4. He that doth not covet to love God more and more can never love him enough 5. To whom God is all the World ought to be nothing at all 6. Let us be what God will so we be but his and let us not be what we will our selves against the will of God 7. In the service of God there is nothing little enough to be rejected 8. To meditate much upon God is good but the Souls greater advancement in Vertue consists in much loving him 9. He to whom God alone is pleasing is displeased with nothing but that which displeaseth God 10. In Divine matters a generous Soul finds greatest contentment in believing things most difficult 11. All our actions take their value from their conformity to the Will of God 12. Love and Suffering are the greatest duties we owe to God they being the two causes for which he died for us 13. He that neglects his own will complies best with God's 14. So love thy Neighbour upon Earth as that thou mayst enjoy his love in Heaven 15. Thou canst not love thy Neighbour too much but thou mayst too much shew thy love 16. One great argument of our love to our Neighbour is to bear with his imperfections 17. We should never endure to hear evil spoken of any but our selves 18. We should never under value any person the workman loves not that his work should be despised in his presence wherefore beware for God is present every where and and
But above all prepare thy heart Whilst now 't is called day In humble duty bear thy part To sing to love and pray Glory to thee Eternal Lord Thrice blessed three in one Thy Name at all times be ador'd Till time it self be done ¶ Of God HE is the Author of the Worlds Creation Foundation The great and mighty Judge of mans Salvation Damnation The glorious Lord and only God Above Of Love That both to men and Angels is A God A Rod. He did the World create and by his hand Or word Foundations laid of Sea and Land Can save or damn as he doth best approve Will be our God or Rod as we shall love Thou that canst hold the Winds within thy fist Have mercy on us oh thou God in Christ. ¶ Of Christ. HE it is that gives us Peace Increase He to poor Souls cries I 'm your Jesu IESU He it is that is our Good Food The Saints with him do trust their Treasure Pleasure He it is can end our Life Strife He it is that gives us Breath Death He is to us a Judge and King Sting He is our Peace Increase our Jâ—…u and An Ease to those that wait on his Command Our Good our Food our Treasure and our Joy Our Life to see no Strife shall us annoy He gives us Breath can give us Death as King And unâ—…o death he is become a Sting He punish can or help us in our thrall For Christ is God's and God is all in all Wouldst farther know what God is silly Elf Go study first to be a God thy self ¶ God is Love GIve praise unto the Lord above Omit no thanks that thou canst move Dost thou not know that God is love In Word and Deed make him thy aim So shall thy Soul be free from blame Let his Commandments be in ure Obedience cannot be a clod Vs he hath spar'd and doth endure Ev'n still such is the love of God ¶ The Remembrance ANd now my Soul canst thou forget That thy whole life is one long debt Of Love to him who on the Tree Paid back the flesh he took for thee Lo how the streams of pretious blood Flow from five wounds into one flood With these he washes all thy stains And buys thy Ease with his own Pains Tall Tree of Life we clearly now That doubt of former ages know It was thy wood should make a Throne Fit for a more than Solomon Large Throne of Love royally spread With Purple of too rich a red Strange costly price thus to make good Thine own esteem with the Kings blood Hail fairest Plant of Paradise To thee our hopes lift up their eyes O may aloft thy branches shoot And fill the Nations with thy fruit O may all reap from thy increase The Just more strength the Sinner peace While our half-wither'd hearts and we Engraft our selves and grow on thee Live O for ever live and reign Bless'd Lamb whom thine own love hath slain And may thy lost Sheep live to be True lovers of thy Cross and thee ¶ Of Death 1 Cor. ch 15. v. 55 56. O Death where is thy sting The sting of death is sin O. Death forbear I yet must live Stay Death till God your Warrant give And then where you see best this heart Most willing is to seel your Dart. But Lord O let thy servants breath Preserv'd be from the sting of Death ¶ Of Grief THe tears come slowly Lord my sins remain O sting my shallow fords and make them rain Rivers of waters or if so thou please Send daring death my sorrows to decrease My grief is great 't is time to rise or fall Then cleanse me Lord from sin and ease my thrall That I may say O death where is thy sting And tell the world The sting of death is sin ¶ A Christian and Death A Dialogue Chr. COme valiant Death and welcome do thy worst Shew me the power thou claimst as being King Dea. Poor mortal know alas thou art but dust And I the Sexton that thy Knell must ring Chr. Away lean half-starv'd wretch go daunt a sool Think not to fright me with Thy glass is run Dea. Thou art my Scholar therefore come to School Delays but waste that time which might be gone Chr. Thou seemst a Student for thou lookst so poor That Famine in thy face I plainly read Dea. Come silly wretch you word it must no more See here 's thy Glass thy Doom and thou art dead Chr. Then boldly strike thou dost the body kill My Soul shall wait upon its Master's will Dea. Lie there proud dust all flesh is born to die Chr. This is the Road unto Eternitie ¶ The Altar A broken ALTAR Lord to thee I raise Made of a Heart to celebrate thy praise Thou that the onely Workman art That canst cement a broken heart For such is mine O make it thine Take out the Sin That 's hid therein Though it be Stone Make it to groan That so the same May praise thy Name Melt it O Lord I thee desire With Flames from thy Coelestial fire That it may ever speak thy Praise alone Since thou hast changed into Flesh a Stone ¶ Death Man and Grave A Dialogue Death COme down proud Lust. Man To what to Dust Grav I that you must and shall Man Thou thing of bones Grav That fetcheth groans Death From very stones and all Man From Dust I came Grav Thou must again Death Sin is thy bain and thrall Man That 's thee away Death With mortal Clay Grav Why do you stay you must Death Come leave your groans Man To go with bones Grav You must go once poor dust Death Nay do not frown Man Away rude Clown Death I 'll strike thee down proud lust Man Then I submit forbear your storms Seeing I must return a Guest To my Acquaintance old the worms Farewel fond World I 'll take my rest Grav I have a Charm will make you sleep And all you have you here may trust For Watchmen not a few I keep The harmless Worms that are so just With care they do befriend him That cometh here within this path Thus man one world of servants hath And when he on his Death-bed lies Another doth attend him ¶ Nature's Delight HArk my Soul how every thing Strives to serve our bounteous King Each a double tribute pays Sings its part and then obeys Natures chief and sweetest quire Him with chearful notes admire Chanting every day their Lauds Whilst the Grove their song applauds Though their Voices lower be Streams have too their melody Night and day they warbling run Never pause but still sing on All the flowers that gild the Spring Hither their sweet musick bring If Heaven bless them thankful they Smell more sweet and look more gay Only we can scarce afford Due thanksgivings to our Lord. We on whom his bounty flowes All things give and nothing owes Wake for shame my sluggish heart Wake and gladly sing thy part Learn
every person is his work 19. It is a spiritual injustice to desire to know the secrets of others and to conceal our own 20. We ought not to love our Neighbour onely because he is good or because we hope he will be so but because God commands us so to do 21. In holy duties we should speak little think much but do more 22. It is a great evil not to do good 23. The just man never dies unprepared for he is well prepared for death who perseveres in Christian justice to the end 24. Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth and a foot out of joynt 25. As he that taketh away a Garment in cold weather and as Vinegar upon Nitre so is he that singeth Songs to a heavy heart 26. It is no shame to be poor Nature brought us so into the World and so we must return 27. Dost thou want things necessary grumble not perchance it was necessary thou shouldest want however seek a lawful remedy if God bless not thy endeavour do thou bless him that knoweth what is fittest for thee Thou art God's Patient prescribe not thy Physician 28. Art thou calumniated examine thy Conscience if that be spotted thou hast a just correction if not guilty thou hast a fair instruction Use both so shalt thou distil honey out of gall and make to thy self a secret friend of an open enemy 29. If thine enemy be hungry give him bread if thirsty give him drink thou thereby heapest coals of fire upon his head and a reward unto thy self 30. Charity makes God our debtor for the Poor are his receivers 31. Hast thou an Estate and wouldst increase it divide thy Riches to the Poor those Seeds that are scattered do encrease but hoarded up they die 32. Correction without instruction makes the Master a Tyrant and the Servant a novice 33. That man is a Conquerour that can subdue his own passions 34. Faithful are the wounds of a friend but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful 35. Arm thy self against a profest enemy but he that dissembleth friendship strikes beyond a caution and wounds above a cure from the one thou mayst deliver thy self but from the other Good Lord deliver thee 36. A man that flattereth his Neighbour sâ—…eadeth a Net for his feet 37. The Touch-stone trieth Gold and Gold trieth men 38. Virtue must be the guide of all Qualities otherwise the Professors are undone 39. As the servants of God are known by their two Vertues Humility and Charity so the servants of the Devil are known by their opposite Vices Pride and Cruelty 40. The best way to keep good acts in memory is to refresh them with new 41. To boast is to be vain since the greatest Conquerour if he measure his own shadow shall finde it no longer than it was before his victory 42. Believe not Soothsayers for Prophesies are never understood till they are accomplished 43. The World is a wide Prison and every day an execution-day 44. Our Stomachs are common Sepulchres for Birds Beasts and Fish they all die to feed us Lord with how many deaths are our poor lives patched up How full of death is the life of man 45. Beware of Drink where Drunkenness reigns Reason is an exile Vertue a stranger and God an enemy Blasphemy is Wit Oaths are Rhetorick and Secrets are Proclamations 46. Whosoever will arrive at a New life must pass by the death of the Old 47. He that is truly humble never thinks himself wronged 48. The good man lives contented with a moderate Estate not so much taking notice of those that have more as those that have less than our selves 49. He that most mortifies natural inclinations receives most supernatural inspirations 50. To shun the accidental troubles of this life is to meditate often upon Eternity 51. It is the great misfortune of man to desire those things which he should only use 52. To have a desire to be poor and not to receive the inconveniencies of it is too great ambition For it is to desire the honour of Poverty and the commodity of Wealth 53. There is no better way to end happily a true spiritual life than daily to begin it 54. He that would have a part with Jesus glorified must first take part with Jesus crucified 55. We should live in this present World as if our Souls were in Heaven and our Bodies in the Grave 56. In the death of our Passions consists the life of our Souls 57. It is not Humility to acknowledge our selves miserable that onely is not to be a beast but it is Humility to desire that others should esteem us so 58. There is no reason to be given for the fault we commit in sin for the fault would not be sin if it were not against Reason 59. Virtues never have their full growth but when they bring forth desires of advancing which like spiritual seeds serve to produce new degrees of Vertues 60. We should never speak of God or of things which concern his service carelesly by way of discourse or entertainment but always with great respect and humble minde 61. We should sear the Judgement of God without discouragement and encourage our selves without presumption 62. The ready way for the Soul to have peace with it self is to obtain its peace with God 63. We may perform many holy actions yet not please God if we neglect to do what he requires of us no more than a Painter in representing an Eagle pleaseth him that desired a Bee 64. Let us never look on our Crosses but through the Cross of Christ thereby we shall finde them pleasant and have fresh desires to be afflicted 65. Desire to obtain the love of God makes us meditate but that love once obtained makes us contemplate THE TABLE A ANgel and Man A Dialogue Page 6 On Ambition 9 An Adieu to the World 14 Almost a Christian 21 St. Ambrose's Hymn 62 St. Augustine's Hymn ibid. The Ascension 66 An Adoration ibid. The Altar 72 The Ant 78 Antiphon 79 Of Angels 82 On Age 94 Acknowledgments 111 Advice to Prisoners 126 St. Austin's Prayer 134 On Alexander the Great 161 B On the Book misprinted the Tree of Life 21 On Beauty 41 The Bible 81 The Beatitudes 82 The Believer 136 Bad at Best 159 On Blasphemy 166 Blessings of the Righteous as they are recorded in Holy Writ 172 C The Christian and Worlding 11 On Conscience 24 On Contentation 30 The Christians Alphabet 59 On Christ's Death 60 On Christ's Cross 63 The Cross 65 On Christ 68 Christian and Death 71 The Candle 77 Of Christ's Passion 83 On Christ's Praying 84 On Christ's Nativity 102 Christ's Triumph to Jerusalem 103 Of Christ's Birth in an Inne 104 To the Creator 105 The Caution 112 On the Conscience 133 On Christ's Nativity expected 137 The Call 138 The Check 149 Christ all in all 152 The Careless Christian 154 The Colestial Painter 156 To the divine Creator 157
the luck For daring boldly to be Thunder-struck He that will be familiarly bold With Heavens mysteries them to unfold May with his judgment overwhelmed be As Adâ—… was with his unhappy Tree The 〈◊〉 must pâ—…y into the Ark God's Judgment was serene though theirs was dark For their presumption this became their gain They by the Lord had Fifty thousand slain Then hover not about this flame which brings Soul fatal falls by scorching of its wings I will improve by what we have reveal'd Not strive to know what God would have conceal'd Lord to preseâ—…ve me from the Devil's gins Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins ¶ On Death SInce nothing is so certain as our death And nothing more uncertain than when breath Expires we ought each minute to prepare Death sends no Summons but comes unaware The grand decry is past dispute not why All men have sinned and all men must die Man's days are numbred he can finde no aid 'T is God hath man upon the balance laid And found him wanting God's all-searching eye Hath thus determin'd men are Vanity Corruption is man's father and the Worms His sisters they have their corrupt conforms The Grave it is his Bed the Sheet his Shrine The Earth his Cover Grass his Carpet fine At last Death comes and he concludes the Theam Finds man asleep and darts him in his Dream Such is our sluggish life a shadow frail A bubble vapour and a trifling tale So vain a story that when we grow old We spend our days before the tale is told The World 's of contraries a vast compound Nothing within it solid is or sound Four Elements in opposition move Each to the other The degrees of Love Cannot be found in a conâ—…used heap 'T is Heaven doth that holy Order keep Death gives our earthly bodies a new cast Refines us that we may prove cleer at last What is corrupt within the grave must lie Till Mortal puts on Immortality No mans corruption can be laid aside Until his body in the Earth abide He chiefly 't is that is afeard to die Hath little hope of an Eternity The time we have to live it is but small Less than a point that 's Geometrical Our common Enemy doth promise fair This world to cheat us of a world more rare Our pleasures do deceitfully entangle Smiling ev'n then when they intend to strangle The world is kindest when it most doth frown And honours list us up to cast us down The Christian then should ready be to cry When God shall call Behold Lord here am I. For they of their Salvation never mist Have been partakers of the death of Christ. God on the Righteous alway hath an eye His ear is ever open to their cry And he that doth a righteous man regard He shall receive a righteous man's reward Be truly zealous shew no vain pretext But live each hour as if to die the next ¶ On Conscience THe Conscience is a Function of the Minde A Guide to Straglers to the Lame and Blinde Over the Will the Conscience sits commanding And is a Guardian to the Understanding For what the Pen of Nature doth engrave Upon that general Knowledge which we have Or to our Thoughts our Minds or to our Acts Conscience applies and summons up our Facts Paul our Example was of Innocence Having a Conscience void of all offence Both towards God and towards men so cleer That his own Conscience was his Overseer Christian unto thy Conscience have an eye Lest Conscience doth accuse for that 's a spie ¶ On Memory MEmory is the Store-house of the Soul The Will 's Dictator Understanding's Scroul There we hoard up the treasures of our Minde And fetch them out as we occasion finde But well it may with filthy Ponds compare Wherein fish die but frogs are nourish'd there So we retain trash that doth sowre and rot Whilst admirable mercies are forgot Thus we that should be Temples of God's praise Are Graves to bury what his love displays All Injuries most men to Marble trust But Courtesies are written in the Dust. What 's bad they can sufficiently retain But what is good is idle thought and vain Like Nets our Memories let clear waters go And nothing catch but sticks and weeds of Wo Or else like Sieves so rashly are we born That do retain the Chaff let go the Corn. But like an holy Ark the Soul should be And as the pot of Manna Memorie Our faculties herein need no excuse Preserving holy Truths for holy use ¶ On a Death-bed-Repentance THis Speech though sad it did a King survive I now must die e're I begin to live And such is the condition of that man That dies e're his Repentance is began That wants his weapons can for none implore For why Behold Death knocketh at his door What signâ—…fie Petitions of a Heart That trembling lies when Death presents his Dart Unhappy certainly must be their Dooms Have Oyl to seek just when the Bridegroom comes Death and the Devil do their Souls pursue And they no refuge have to fly unto The seven years of Plenty all are gone And years of Famine are not thought upon Time that is swift hath took his nimble flight Travel doth tire yet we want rest at night I 'll therefore finish every Work I have So shall I go with Peace unto my Grave ¶ On the Mariner THe Mariner that 's drove by Boreas breath Doth sail within four inches of his death So of the Soul the saying may be true That e're it bids its Cabinet adieu Four inches is the most that it doth keep Betwixt its life and an eternal sleep If the Ship splits or by a fire doth shrink The Ship is swallow'd and the Sailers sink So if our earthly Vessels break the Soul Doth to another Habitation roul For ever plung'd into a boundless Sea The bankless Ocean of Eternity The Soul should therefore careful be and strive To swim before it come to sink or dive ¶ On an Israelite AS the Tree falls so doth it lie And when Death strikes all men must die Only herein the difference is God gives us misery or bliss As in the Red Sea if I go An Israelite though waters flow In triumph I shall tell my story And land rejoycing full of Glory While all mine Enemies lie spread Upon the shore and each one dead But if Egyptian-like I croud And be on this side of the Cloud On this side of the Covenant And yet run hardned in for want Of Grace amongst proud Pharaâ—…h's Troops The Sea shall open all her Poops And e're I finde my Journeys length Justice shall swallow me with strength An Inundation shall destroy My Soul and drown my future Joy O Lord then by thy powerful might Make me thine own an Israelite ¶ On Shame THe age is impudent in which we live Men seem asham'd to be asham'd of blame And to their Errours such a licence give That they delight to glory in
our Cup was sweet but mix'd Here all is pure refin'd and fix'd All quintessence of Joy Hear'st thou my Soul what glorious things The Church of Heav'n in triumph brings Of their bless'd life above Chear thy faint hopes and bid them live All these thy God to thee will give If thou embrace his love Great God of rich rewards who thus Hast crown'd thy Saints and wilt crown us As both to thee belong O may we both together sing Eternal praise to thee our King In one eternal Song ¶ On Greatness and Goodness GReatness is with a strong desire affected And often sought with hazard cost and pain Goodness of greater worth is less respected Priz'd as a thing both needless is and vain Greatness aspires and sets it self on high While Goodness walks below with humble pace The first is follow'd with an Eagle's eye The last is thought unworthy of the Chace But Greatness seeks that which is transitory And Goodness aims at Grace which leads to Glory Lord let thy Grace my mundane thoughts defeat That I may study to be Good not Great ¶ The Soul's Yearnings MY Soul pants towards thee My God Fountain of Light and Life Flesh strives with me Conclude the strife That so in blessed peace I may Unclay My Spirit that done swiftly take My flight to thy refreshing Spring Where for thy sake Who art my King I may wash all my griefs away That day And conquer Sin and Death Thou great Triumpher o're the Grave Whose life and breath Was spent to save A wretched World make me be stil'd Thy Child And grant that when I die And leave this World that then my Soul Above the Skie Thou wilt enroul That in thy arms for ever I Even unto Eternity May lie ¶ The Divine Inquest TEll me you bright Stars that shine Round about the Lambs high Throne How though bodies once like mine How you are thus glorious grown Heark with one voice they reply This was all our happy skill We on Jesus fix'd our eye And his em'nent followers still As we clearly saw their mind Set and rul'd we order'd ours Both this state alone design'd Up towards this strain'd all our pow'rs Taught by Temp'rance we abstain'd From all less for greater goods Slighting little drops we gain'd Full and sweet and lasting floods Arm'd with Fortitude we bare Lesser evils worse do flie Mortal Death we durst out-dare Rather than for ever die Justice we observ'd by giving Ev'ry one their utmost due That in peace and order living All might freely Heav'n pursue Prudence govern'd all the rest Prudence made us still apply What was fittest what was best To advance great Charity On those golden wheels of Grace That Love 's fiery Chariot bear We arriv'd at this bright place Follow us and never fear O sure Truth O bless'd Attesters O that all the World may prove Of both these such strong digesters That both these may feed their love Him who made us all for this Him who made himself our way Him who leads us unto Bliss May all praise and all obey ¶ The Sinners Tears SHed forth apace and make a Bath To cure my Soul of sin Haste out for God a bottle hath To keep ye in Every Tear is worth a Crown It lifts the Soul to Heav'n Supports the same from sinking down To filthy Leav'n They 're comfort to the Heart they 're case Embassadors to God To beg he may his wrath appease And spare his Rod. They 're holy Messengers of Saints Sent to him to impart They 're godly sorrows each Tear paints Their grief of heart Then flow amain and weep those fords Or little Rivers dry And when I 've vented all my hords Then I Will groan because no longer cry And die That I may live eternally ¶ On St. John's day TO day Let 's sing Joy to the friend of Heaven's King He in his bosom lay Secur'd the Keys Of his profound and hidden Mysteries Those to the World dispensed by his hand Did make it stand In admiration to behold that light Happily came From the Throne of the Lamb And to invite Our sinful eyes which nothing else could see But Fire and Sword Hunger and Miserie Anticipating by their ravish'd sight The beauty of Coelestial delight Great Lord of all O hear me when I pray That when my heap of Clay Shall fall away O let thy gracious hand support me up That on the Lambs rich Viand I may supâ—… And that in this last supper I May with thy friend in thy rich bosom lie For ever to eternitie ¶ Acknowledgements MY God had I my breath from thee This hour to speak and sing And shall my voice and shall my song Praise any but their King My God had I my Soul from thee This pow'r to judge and chuse And shall my Brain and shall my Will Their best to thee resuse Alas not this alone or that Hast thou bestow'd on me But all I have and all I hope I have and hope from thee And more I have and more I hope Than I can speak or think Thy blessings first refresh then fill Then overflow the brink Glory to thee Immortal God O great Co-equal Three As at the first beginning was May now and ever be ¶ The Wish OH that I once were in that City Where Hallelujah is the Ditty Where Contemplation is the Diet Sure that 's the place where man is quiet Oh that I once were in that Court Where all good Spirits do resort Where Love and Joy and Grace abound Sure that 's the place where man is crown'd Oh that I once could sly the wav From my unfurnish'd house of Clay For should my Landiord sue for Rent Too late it would be to repent But sighs and tears will pay my score He 's merciful and asks no more Then whilst thy Fountain hath one Tear to yield Weep oh my Soul and to th' Elizium field Swim in a River of Repentant Tears Thy Rent is paid and thou art freed from fears ¶ The Caution OPen thine eyes my Soul and see Once more the light returns to thee Look round about and chuse thy way Thou meanst to travel o're to day Think on the dangers thou mayst meet And always watch thy sliding feet Think where thou once hast fall'n before Observe the place and sin no more Think on the helps thy God bestows Contrive to steer thy life by those Think on the sweets thy Soul doth feel When thou dost well and do so still Think on those pains that shall torment Those sinners bold that neâ—…e repent Think on the joys that wait above To crown the head of holy Love Think what at last will be thy part If thou go'st on where now thou art See Life and Death set thee to chuse One thou must take and one refuse O Lord be thou my perfect Guide So shall I never step aside Still make me walk still make me tend Be thee my way to thee my end All Glory to the
In Winter judge how leaveless then it stood But I confirm it when I see the Bud. In Thomas 't was a fault To hault In waving Faith until His will Was satisfied but 't would a madness been So to continue having felt and seen Belief it may indeed Exceed The strength of Reason yet Doth let No opposition in Faith likewise will suspence 'T will get above but not against the Sense Whilst Faith assures I eat My sweet Redeemer with direct Effect Sense cannot so in ignorance allure me As that I cat not bread but will assure me Although I see not all that I believe Yet those things that I see I must believe Christians must guard their mouths and watch their actions Be pure in heart and keep their faiths from factions ¶ On Christ's Nativity expected WHen blessed Lord shall we Our safe Salvation see Dear Lord arise For our saint eyes Have long'd all night and 't was a long night too Poor man could never say He saw more than a day One day of Edeu's seven The guilty hours were blasted with the breath Of sin and death And have e're since worn a Nocturnal hue But in thy birth is hopes that we At length a splendid day shall see Wherein each poor neglected place Grac'd with the Aspect of thy face Shall glister like the porch and gate of Heav'n How long bless'd Lord how long The Nations thirst and throng All humane kinde Are now combinde Into one body wanting thee their Head Large is our multitude And almost vile and rude Headless Great God for lack of thee Unhappy for the want of thy bless'd face Then come apace And thy bright self to our dull body wed That thorough thy Almighty power Each part that hath confusion wore May order take so to appear Fresh as the dawning of the year When thou dear Lord shalt so united be ¶ The Call COme away my Lord my Life Thy presence doth preserve from strife Come away my Lord my Way Thy presence 〈◊〉 to obey Come away my Lord my Truth Thy presence turneth Age to Youth Come away my Lord my Light Thou dost both Sin and Satan fright Come away my Lord my Feast That my poor Soul may be thy Guest Come away my Lord my Strength By thee my days have health and length Come away my holy Joy Guard my Rejoycings from annoy Come away my dearest Love Lord let my Call thy presence move Come away Divinest Lamb My sins deface that seek to damn Come my Shepherd come away Thy Flock in danger are to stray Come my Safeguard and my Shield In Fights assist me lest I yield Come away Lord hear my Call Make no stay Thou All in All. ¶ The Extasie SUch a Lord and such a Life Whose presence bringe h Pleasures rise Such a way as leads to Bliss Who walks therein can't walk amiss Such a Truth whose Ray defies The Father and the Prince of Lyes Such a Light as leads us to Eternal Comforts not a few Such a Feast as doth rejoyce Compounded of the best and choice Such a Strength as doth desend Not for a day but to the end Such a Joy that giveth store Of Pleasures lasting evermore Such a Love as heard my cry Though sin made me his enemy Such a Lamb whose sweet abode Makes ev'ry Saint a Lamb of God Such a Shepherd of his Sheep There 's none can stray whom he doth keep Shuch a 〈◊〉 and such a Sun Desends 〈◊〉 shines till all is won Open my heart and such a God receive He 's All in All to them that do believe Delights of the Minde JEsus the only thought of thee Fills with delight my memorie But when thou dost thy presence show Heav'n seems into my breast to flow No Theam so sweet for voice can be Nor to the ear such harmonie No heart can thoughts for charming frame As Jesus his most pretious Name Jesus when for our sins we grieve Thy mercies all our wants relieve If good to those that seek thy Grace What art thou when they see thy face Jesus in whom we comsort finde Fountain of Life Light of the Minde Thou dost our hearts with comforts feed Our utmost wish thy gifts exceed No Eloquence of Tongue can teach Nor art of Pen this secret reach Only th'experienc'd Soul does prove What sweets they taste who Jesus love Him then I 'll seek retir'd apart Shutting the world out of my heart And midst my business him I 'll strive With fresh pursuit still to retrive Early with Magdalen I 'll come A Pilgrim to my Saviour's Tomb Weeping my sins in mournful cries I 'll seek him with my minde not eyes My Tears shall on his Grave distill And faithful Sighs the Garden fill Prostrate before him on my face His sacred feet I 'll fast embrace Jesus in thy bless'd steps I 'll tread Striving to follow where they lead Nor shall my Soul give o're to mourn Till to thy favour I return O Jesus most admired King Who didst triumph o'r deaths sharp sting Thy mystick sweetness first excites Then satisfies all appetites Thy quickning visits Life bestow Thy lights true good so cleerly show That they who once have relish'd thee Know all the World 's meer Vanitie Come then dear Lord possess our hearts Enflame our loves with thy chast darts All Clouds of errour drive away And change our N ght to thy bright day To thee our hearts and voices sing To thee our vows and pray'rs we bring That when we end this life 's short racc In Heav'n with thee we may have place ¶ On Death O Death the Serpents Son Where is thy sting once like thy Sire With Hellish torments ever burning fire But those dark days are gone Thy peevish spite buri'd thy sting In the sacred and wide Wound of a Saviour's side Now thou' rt become a tame and harmless thing A toy we scorn to fear For we hear That our triumphant God to conquer thee For the assault thou gav'st him on the Tree Hath took the keys of Hell out of thy hand And forc'd thee stand As Porter to that gate of Life O thou who art the gate be pleas'd that he When we shall die And that way flie May ope the Courts of Heav'n to us through thee ¶ On Judgment JUdge of the World we wretched sinners quake Our Consciences do ake And well they may whenas we think Of the fierce dreadful fire Of thine Ire And Phials thou fhalt make Us sinners drink For thou the Wine-press of thy wrath wilt tread With feet of lead Wretched notorious duft what uncouth place Can shelter from thy face The Earth will shrink out of thy sight The Heavens too that cannot erre Then shall fear Thee and thy Laws and from thee take their flight So burnt with glory their bright eyes shall dead Burst from their head Great God can we Thy Enemies abide to see Such a glorious Majesty We beg thy mercy Lord Thy Judgment-seat We dare not to