made to him in those great Afflictions yet since that time I have had clear Evidences that I did not call upon God in vain After my Father had upon his Cost maintained me two or three Years I travelled into England where I suffered Poverty several Years and did often eat Bread of Affliction and drank Water of Affliction Yet in that time I had some sweet Intervals of Divine Consolation when I had Opportunities occasionally to preach in the days of King Charles the Second For it was a great Joy to me at that time that I had Opportunities to serve Christ Jesus though I suffered sometimes Persecution But one of the things that greatly allayed my Sorrows and Discontents was the Comfort and Divine Consolation I received by having heard sometimes occasionally that great Minister of Christ Thomas Cole who died a while since For in hearing him preach at sometimes such Beams of Divine Light did shine forth upon my Soul such glorious Manifestations of the Love of God did over-shadow me that it made many Miseries that I then and since have endured to become light and easie For in the strength of those Discoveries of the Love of God in Christ Jesus I have walked many days in the Light of God's Countenance But because I have been guilty of some Infirmities through violent Temptations wherewith God hath suffered Satan to assault me some if they are not of a charitable Spirit may think these things are Hypocritical Dreams und Chimerical Imaginations but I know him whom I have believed But these things I have publickly declared that none of those that fear God may be ashamed for my sake If you ask the cause why I have given this Book the title of Motives to Godly Mourning and Rejoycing This is one Cause thereof because Godly Sorrow is the Seed of Godly Joy and Rejoycing as the Saints have often found by their Experience to whose Experience I may appeal Another Cause is this Because I desire that wicked Wretches who have lived without God in the World be convinced that if they will heartily apply themselves to Godliness they will find that Joy and Pleasure in the Ways of God not only in the World to come but also in this World which will greatly surpass all the Joys and Pleasures that they have found in the Ways of Sin and in their Estrangement from God Verily I wonder wretched Sinner that has lived in Enmity to God how thou canst eat or drink or sleep in Peace when the Sword of Vengeance hangs over thy Head and there is but a step between thee and Hell and everlasting fire But after thou hast returned to God by repentance and shelter'd thy self by Faith under the Wings of Christ Jesus then thou mayest have just cause of Rejoycing I have therefore published this Book to awaken thee and stir thee up to Repentance and to fly to Christ the Refuge of Sinners that thou mayest have much Joy and Peace in believing in this World and enter into everlasting Joys and Felicity in the perfect Enjoyment of God and Christ in the World to come MOTIVES to Godly Mourning and Rejoycing or CHRIST JESUS his Kind Invitation to Sinners to Repent CHAP. I. Concerning the Grief of Jesus Christ lamenting the Stubbornness of a Sinner I THE Only begotten Son of God the Power and Wisdom of God do cry in the Streets and lift up my Voice in the midst of the People for I have nourished and brought up the Sons of Men but they have despised me O Man I have written the sweet Law of my New Testament in thy inward parts and have planted it in the midst of thy Heart And yet thou hast had no desire to my immaculate Law which converts the Souls of Sinners neither hast thou regarded the saithful Testimony of my Eternal Love Thou hast went far away from me with the Transgressour Adam thy Father and thou hast hid thy self from Me thy most gracious God and Saviour when I walked in the Garden in the cool of the Day What meaneth this thou estranged Son Whither flyest thou from the Face of thy most merciful God and Redeemer Am I a cruel Lord because thou flyest speedily away from me and seekest to find a better Master Consider what thou dost and how far thou goest from thy own Salvation for without cause thou hatest thy most precious Remedy and Liberty Thy unhappy Soul is become as a Widow which if thou wouldest close with Divine Grace might remain faithful to the Covenant of her Espousals and enjoy the Priviledges of my most Sweet Love And yet she hath abhorred me her most faithful Lover and her Enemies have been enriched with her Spoils How is the Gold of my ancient Love become dim the bright-shining Colour of a good Conversation is changed the Stones of my Temple and Sanctuary are scattered upon the top of every Street Thou didst not delight in the Habitation of my City Jerusalem which I have loved and thou hast been reckoned among the Citizens which my Soul hates Wo to the Soul that departeth from me for the Terrors of Death will set themselves in aray against it and the Pains of Hell will take hold of it The Lion's Whelps will rage against it and roar after it that they may snatch it and take it for Meat thrown to them by God For since thou didst set up the Darkness of Sin instead of the Light of my Grace and there came upon thee a most dismal night of my Anger all the Beasts of the Insernal Wood pass by and make haste with open Mouth to devour thy Apostate Soul Therefore at least from this time call unto me and say Thou art my God and my Guide and now I will no more fly from thee O most gracious God! I have wandered being a Vagabond like Cain out of thy sight and I have served other Gods in whom I have no Salvation nor Deliverance Behold I return unto thee from a grievous Bondage I seek for thy most lovely Light from the Darkness and Shadow of Death which hath terrified me I know of a truth being convinced by Experience that there is no good thing out of thee the Son of the most amiable and most high God to whom I consecrate my inward Parts CHAP. II. Concerning the Sweetness of Jesus Christ calling a Sinner to Repentance I Wish my Son that thou wouldest prize my Friendship which is better than Gold and that thou wouldest hearken with the Ears of a contrite and humble Heart unto my still Voice whereunto the Rocks are moved O Ephraim I as a nursing Father take care of thee and my great and most faithful Mercy strives with the Hardness of thy stony Heart Thou according to thy Hardness and impenitent Heart resistest my Spirit which is sweeter than the Honey and I according to the Riches of infinite Goodness endeavour to mollify thy inward parts with my secret and innumerable Inspirations Thou flyest from me who am pursuing
thou shalt take away from the midst of thee thy Sins and thy Idols and return and call upon Me thy God and Redeemer and Preserver I will enlighten thine Eyes lest at any time thou sleep the Sleep of Death I will preserve thee and my Candle shall shine upon thine Head And thou shalt rejoyce in my most pleasant and most blessed Light wherewith I will direct thy Paths in the night of the mortal Life leading thee to my bright-shining Glory in the ways that lead to eternal Life I will open thy Eyes with the Beam of my infinite Light and thou being awaked as it were out of a heavy Sleep shalt wonder how in the by-past time thou didst walk in Darkness and in the Shadow of Death And thou shalt love Me thy Deliverer with all thy Heart and shalt honour Me with the Sacrifice of perpetual Praise Arise speedily my dearly beloved Son arise from the Darkness and Horror of Hell where thou lyest and receive the Light of Heaven which will rejoyce thee before the last night come which will be the last Punishment of Sinners who despise my present Inspirations and Mercies Meditate on these things in the inner Chamber of thy Heart and cast thy Eyes upon Me the Sun of Righteousness who am desirous to enlighten thee and to fill thy dearly beloved Soul with the bright-shining Glory of the Saints of Light CHAP. XIV Concerning the unhappy Death of a Sinner THE Sinner whilst he lives runs through the Fields of the World like an Ox satted for the Slaughter The miserable Man considers not that he will be taken by Death as a Highway-Man lying in wait That being bound in the Chains of Hell he may pay unto the utmost Farthing He drinks he eats he plays he laughs he swears and blasphems and in the very time whilst he is sinning without restraint Sickness and Death comes suddenly upon him and he is called to Judgment O how bitter a Grief is it to be called to Death O how great Trembling and Horror takes hold on the Sinner when he sees that by a most grievous Death he is separated from all things which he dearly loved O how lamentably saith he in that distress the Sorrows of Death have compassed me and the Pains of Hell have taken hold upon me Wo to the wicked Man when he dies upon whom all the Billows of Sorrow and Afflictions do suddenly rush that he may have a fore-taste of the Torments of Hell who did not breath after eternal Consolations Now the riotous Banquets are passed away now the ungodly Games are gone Now Kinsmen and Friends have failed Now Riches profit not and whatsoever was delightful is turned into Matter of Desolation and Despair The unhappy Soul which despised my Inspirations is afraid to go out of the Body into everlasting Flames and flys back as far as it can if so be it may find any that can comfort it in that distress But it resists in vain because the hour of Death is at hand and the time of its giving up all its desireable things which it had in the days of old when it transgressed my most sweet Law All its Sins as a terrible Army are set before it that it may see how sad and bitter an end follows the by-past Joys The Devils like ravenous Dogs stand in expectation of their Prey which is tyed with innumerable Chains of its own Sins that it may be dragged to Punishment The foolish Man when he had time took no care to be reconciled unto Me and in the last hour he hath not any whom he may look to for help All his Persecutors over-take him between the straits and desire cruelly to suck up his Blood and then the Sentence of my Justice being pronounced the Vessel of Wrath fitted for Destruction is halled to Torments This is the Lot of an unrighteous Man whom Evils do overtake in Destruction What thinkest thou then my Son who hast sinned What dost thou expect Is not thy Mind terrified at the hearing of these things which a Sinner dying suffers against his Will Turn then to thy God who can deliver thee from the Wrath to come and comfort thee when thou art going out of this Life by his infinite Grace and his unconceiveable Mercy Be greatly afraid of my Wrath and Justice whilst thou art alive that at thy Death thou mayest find my Fatherly Compassion For they that in their life time fear me as a severe Judge in their Death they find Me as a most bountiful Father Blessed are they who observe my Ways with all their Heart being mindful of their latter end They shall not be afraid of the Terror of the Night when they shall speak with their Enemies in the Gate to wit when they shall pass out of this Life After which will follow the eternal Night of Sinners or the eternal Light of the Righteous whom I have loved Follow me my Son and let my Law cleave to thy inward Parts and the Torment of Death shall not seize upon thee but thou shalt rest in a joyful and delightful Peace FINIS
my Discipline But those that are puffed up and presumptuous I cast away from my Presence that they may sit in Darkness and the Shadow of Death and may not know how to discern between their left Hand and their Right Wo unto Sinners whom their own Wickedness hath blinded lest they should behold me the Sun of Righteousness and Master of Wisdom under whose Instruction they might learn in a moment the Secrets of Heaven and might become more learned than if they knew how to number the Stars of Heaven and the Sand that lies on the Sea-shore Verily though a Sinner who departs from me knew all manner of Learning that is taught in the Universities of the World he would yet know nothing because he knows not in whom are all the Treasures of the Wisdom of God And though he should speak with the Tongues of Men and Angels he would be esteemed as an Infant in my Heavenly City because he knows not the Word of God who makes the Tongues of Infants eloquent Seeing then these things are so what meanest thou my Son to bewilder thy self in the various Sciences of Men in which there is no Salvation or Satisfaction Thou being now wearied return unto me the Fountain of Wisdom which is sweeter than Honey and I will give thee to drink and thy Bowels shall be enlarged Thy Understanding can rest in me only therefore labour not in vain in seeking lying Masters whom I have not taught Fly out of the midst of Babylon and shun the innumerable Anxieties with which thy Heart is distracted and I will lead thee into the Wilderness and nourish thee and teach thee my Goodness Discipline and Knowledge so that thou shalt understand more than the Ancients and excel all the Magicians of Pharaoh and Soothsayers of the Chaldeans Take away the Filth of thy Mind dearly beloved Son and be thou clean that with pure Eyes thou mayest behold my most clear Light And I will give unto thee to know my Mysteries and to be inflamed with the Love of eternal Wisdom which delighteth pure Hearts with unspeakable Joys Take a taste of my Sweetness and thy Eyes shall be opened to behold my Mysteries which are more desirable than Gold and precious Stones and sweeter than Honey and the Honey-comb And thy broken Bones shall rejoyce which I will fill with most pure Delights which I have prepared for Penitents who return from a strange Land unto the lovely City of Jerusalem where they treasure up their Riches CHAP. V. Concerning the Peace of God which is lost by Sin I A peaceable King who am magnified above all the Kings of the whole Earth I do make my Friends Partakers of the Peace which passeth all Understanding For when a Man is in the State of Grace I dwell in him as in the Nuptial Bed-chamber where all things are at Peace and therein is tasted the most sweet Peace of the Children of God and therein is heard the most sweet Harmony of the Parts of Man conspiring into one consent of my Law which that Man well understood who said O God I will sing unto thee a new Song on a Psaltery of ten Strings will I sing Praise to thee This Peace is more precious than Gold and more desirable than all the Honours Riches and Comforts of the World Which if the Men of this World should taste they would immediately despise all Earthly Loves and breath after me Thou therefore my Son consider what thou didst when thou departedst from me Thou didst reject my Peace and it was removed far from thee and innumerable Enemies rose up against thy Soul who sleep not and suffer thee not to rest Thou thoughtest that thou shouldest have and possess Peace if thou shouldest satisfie thy Appetite and its vain Desires living after the manner of the Heathen who know not me and yet thou foundest no Peace but Solicitudes Anxieties Pangs of Conscience Horrors and Fears of my Judgment as Cain who having departed from my Presence was afraid lest every one that found him should slay him That hath befaln thee my Son which of old befel the People of Israel which made not a good use of the Habitation of my City Jerusalem For Judah was removed because of Affliction and great Bondage which she fell into by Sinning She dwelt among the Heathen and sound no rest O how grievously doth the Sinner err who casts away from himself the Peace of the Children of God and involves himself in infinite doubts O how unhappily lives the wicked Man who flyeth when none pursueth carrying with himself the Damnation of Death which he hath procured How long shall I cry and invite thee unthankful Son unto the Banquet of my Dainties where thy inward Parts shall enjoy Peace and rejoyce in the Society of my Peace and Love Return now my Son unto thy Rest which I have purchased for thee by the Sorrows of Death and let it please thee to have one Heart and one Soul with me Let us now make a Covenant of most faithful Agreement which may have no end I spare thee dearly beloved Friend neither do I remember the Fault wherewith thou hast offended me Give me thy Heart that we may enter into a Covenant of Friendship in my Blood which I have shed for thee Break now the Bonds of thy Neck O captive Son and breath after my Liberty for as for me I will be thy most faithful Helper in times of need in Tribulation and in Want I have written thee in the midst of my Heart and will never forget thee Only I require that thou return unto me and for the future make good use of my most sweet Fellowship and I will cause Righteousness and abundance of Peace to arise in thee which shall endure as long as the Sun and Moon Behold my Side opened and my Hands pierced through with Nails joyn the Side of thy Heart unto my Side and thy Hands unto my Hands and return at length unto the most precious Peace of thy Redeemer and Friend CHAP. VI. Concerning the Protection of God from which a Man by Sinning departs I The Preserver of Men take a care of my Servants as a Nurse that nourisheth her little Infant for he that keepeth Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps I keep my dearly beloved Friends as the Apple of my Eye neither do I suffer the Rod of the Wicked to rest upon the Lot of the Righteous lest they being afflicted above measure should stretch forth their Hands to Iniquity From the beginning of the World it hath not been heard that any Mother did so affectionately love and keep her only Son as I who am more than a Mother towards my righteous ones and I love their Souls as my most pleasant Brides They that serve me need not be afraid of the Cold of Winter for all the Servants of my House are cloathed with double Cloathing for they have a good Lord. Wherefore then my Son hast thou departed from me and exposed
thee not for Hatred but for design of thy Salvation And I meet thee flying away as it were by lying in wait that I may embrace thee with stretched forth Arms and may overcome thy Cruelty with my Infinite Mercy For which cause the Heavens and the Earth wonder at the Clemency and Sweetness of their Creator who watcheth so carefully over a most unthankful Sinner who is not willing to take my sweet Yoke upon him How long shall thy hard Heart kick against the Prick of my most strong Love Wilt thou always resist the unconceivable Love of thy God I could have damned thee by my Justice because thou didst wickedly and brakest my Yoke and saidst I will not serve And yet I suffered thee in much Patience and desire of thy Eternal Life if perhaps thou wouldest turn unto me and be reconciled to my most merciful Father Why then dost thou tarry most beloved Son Why delayest thou from day to day to return unto my most sweet Peace and Love Suffer me my Son suffer me to dissolve thy Ice with the hot burning Fire of my Love and to renew thy Deformed Soul according to the Pattern of the only begotten Son of God O Off-spring of Adam how long shall I suffer you O wonderful thing hidden from the Wise and the Prudent of the World who have shut their Ears least they should hear my Heart-warning Speech I the Son of the most High stand at thy door and knock desiring to enter in and fill thy House with unspeakable good things and yet it seems grievous to thee to give Entertainment to God thy Redeemer and Friend Verily if thou shouldest once knock at the Gate of my House I would hasten to open to thee at the first Knock as I opened to David my Servant when he groaned at the Rebuke of Nathan my Prophet Therefore my dearly beloved Son let my Counsel please thee and with seasonable Repentance return unto me thy peaceable King and I will love thee as a most tender-hearted Mother and will embrace thee and nourish thy Infancy with my most pleasant Milk CHAP. III. Concerning the Goodness of God and his Readiness to forgive WHither flyest thou dearly beloved Son who hast grievously offended me Have I been a barren Wilderness unto thee because thou sayest in thy Heart I have departed and I will no more return unto thee Will a Virgin forget her Attire or a Bride her Nuptial Ornament Why then hath thy Soul which I have espoused unto my self with the price of my Blood forsaken me and forgotten me days without number I am Goodness it self which with its Sweetness feedeth all Creatures than which nothing more lovely can be conceived and yet through thy great Folly thou seekest Good out of me My Son consider my Goodness wherewith Rocks are softned and be thou mollified Neither believe the false Prophets who foretel false Joys besides me Verily if I am the chief Good of necessity whatsoever thou seekest out of me is not good for thee though thou alone shouldst possess all the Kingdoms of the World and all things desirable unto carnal Eyes It is commonly said Good is that which all design and yet thou being led aside by a great Error art enticed with the pleasure of things that have the false appearance of Goodness but the true eternal and unchangeable Good thou foolishly forsakest O that thou wert wise and hadst Understanding to consider thy Latter-end O Son follow not strange Gods for surely they will turn thy Heart away from true Wisdom Thou shalt look for Light and not see it neither shalt thou behold the Dawning of the Day Let my pure Law cleave unto thy inward Parts and hearken unto the whispering Voice of my Secret Teaching and the Catholick Faith with which I have inlightned thee Behold thou believest with a sincere Faith that I am Infinite Goodness Beauty and Wisdom with which only the Heart of Man can be satisfied Whither then hastnest thou whilst thou offendest me but unto Infinite Wickedness Filthiness and Folly with which thy Soul will be defiled Is it not greater Wisdom to adhere unto me and to be illuminated and satisfied with the Breasts of my Consolation than to be so Hunger-starved as not to have a full Meal of the Husks of Swine in the midst of my Vagabond and Fugitive Enemies Return O prodigal Son unto thy rest and I will embrace thee when thou returnest from a far Country and I will say unto my Servant as soon as I see thee Bring hither speedily the best Robe put a Ring upon his Hand and Shooes upon his Feet For my Bowels will yern upon my dearly beloved Son whom I have begotten and I will rejoyce at thy Conversion as he that findeth much Spoil For I delight in shewing Mercy and by reason of the Greatness of my Goodness my Soul melteth at the Groans of Repenting Sinners and at the Misery and Sighing of the Poor Son remember how tender-hearted I am whereby thou mayest learn how great is the Multitude of my Goodness and Sweetness Read my holy Scriptures and thou wilt wonder at my Readiness to show Mercy and to forgive Sinners and to comfort the Afflicted Whereby thou wilt understand that I am a good Lord and wilt fear to depart from me as Death useth to be feared I never lifted up my Spear against the Man that was willing to serve my most gracious Father though he had sinned most grievously Once David groaned saying I have sinned and immediately I put away his Sin The Publican who had greatly offended me accused himself with a few Sighs and presently he went down to his House justified and joyful in Heart The wicked Servant owed me Ten thousand Talents who falling down craved Mercy of me and I sent him away free and forgave him all the debt The Woman that was taken in Adultery stood in fear and was instantly accused in my sight And I answering her very sweetly delivered her from Condemnation I shewed a loving Countenance to Magdalen the Sinner and presently forgave her so that the Pharisee who had invited me wondred The Thief that was crucified with me melted my Heart with one word and immediately was made Partaker of my Kingdom Wherefore then is not my Goodness which is evidenced by so many Proofs acceptable to the Sons of Adam but they seek strange Consolations Shun O my Son the Societies of Sinners and by True Repentance seek my Face CHAP. IV. Concerning the Wisdom of God from which a Man by Sinning departs O How foolishly hast thou departed from me my Son with Adam thy Father who endeavoured by the forbidden Tree to become like God knowing Good and Evil This is not the way of my Wisdom which savours very sweetly to the Palate of the Heart I Wisdom who have proceeded from the Mouth of the most High am a most beautiful Light who do illuminate with everlasting Brightness the Minds of little ones who willingly commit themselves to