and jointly satisfy To save her now from the infernal pit I have a Ransom found a Ransom fit Divine Justice I cannot hold I 'le strike the fatal Blow Hell she deserves with vengeance let her go Unto the place appointed for all them Who do God's holy Laws and Grace contemn Jesus Prince of Light O who is this What Traitor 's at the Bar That is condemn'd and Justice wo'nt defer The Execution speak hold up thy head Hast any thing to say What canst thou plead Methinks methinks I should this Creature know Ah! Soul is 't thee What shall I for thee do I told thee what thy state would be i' th end When first my Love to thee I did commend Soul Speak 't is I why dost thou not look up I 'm sorely griev'd to think upon the Cup That is prepar'd for thee What dost thou say Shall I step in that Justice may delay To strike the stroke for then too late 't will be To show my Love and pity unto thee Hast any kindness for me in thine Heart I doubt that still thou the same Creature art Thou wast before and hast no love at all Why speakst thou not shall vengeance on thee fall Ah! how can I see Execution done And Tears not from mine Eyes like Rivers run Divine Justice Lord be n't concern'd she is thy bitter Foe Oh let me therefore freely strike the blow There 's nought in her but Sin and poisonous Evil To God a Foe and Friend unto the Devil JESVS I know not how to let this stroke be given For I am come on purpose down from Heaven To make Atonement and to satisfy For all her sins and foul Iniquity Though she to me doth no affection bear Yet her I pity and do love most dear Justice Blest JESVS hold 't is my just Master's sense Abused Mercy must have recompence There is no other way but she must die Unless thou wilt be her Securitie If in her stead thy life thou wilt give up Then mayst thou save her from this bitter Cup. The price which thou on that account wilt pay Will make a Compensation and defray All her vast Debts yea plenarily God's wrath appease and Justice satisfy What must be done Who is 't the stroke must bear Is 't not most fit such should who guilty are I cannot hold my hand nor longer stay Law must be satisfy'd what dost thou say Thou wretched Soul behold the knife and spear Can'st thou dost think God's fearful vengeance bear Now Soul look to thy self this Spear I 'le run Into thy Bowels ere I it return JESVS Stay Justice stay withold thy furious Dart And let its glitt'ring point first pierce my Heart Her guilty state aloud calls for relief It wounds my Soul and fills my Heart with grief My Bowels yearn my inward parts do move Now now 's the time to show her my great Love Let Law and Justice be suffic'd in me 'T is I will die to set the Sinner free Behold me Soul my life shall go for thine I will redeem thee with this Blood of mine Although most Precious Sacred and Divine CHAP. VII Shewing what Consultations there were amongst the infernal Spirits to bring Jesus Prince of Light under the power of Death a Council called in Hell the Princes of the fallen Angels in a deep combination against him for fear their Kingdom should fall and the poor Creature be delivered The grand Counsel of Old Satan is taken He enters into Judas Judas's sin discovered Jesus is apprehended A terrible battel or Christ's Agony before his Passion Sin and Wrath combine together shewing the Prince's Conquests over them both Seven aggravations of Christ's sorrows in the Garden and a Dialogue between the Devil King of Darkness and Death the King of Terrors HEre let 's a while reflect with careful heed What! doth the guiltless for the guilty bleed This may astonish all here 's Love indeed Do Mortals ever greater love extend Then to lay down their lives for a dear Friend But for a Prince a mighty Prince to die Not for a Friend but for an Enemy Convicted and condemn'd for horrid Treason Thus to step in at that most Critick season When just the fatal blow was to be given This Love 's above our Reach higher than Heaven Deeper than Ocean Seas so Infinite As well deserves our wonder day and night What Was the Father free his Son to give His dear and only Son that she might live And doth the Son i' th midst of Enemies Yield up himself to be a Sacrifice Yet who can be so bold to lay their Hands Upon this Prince that Heaven Earth commands How shall this thing be now accomplished And by what means shall his dear Blood be shed Let 's now inquire who is 't that will consent To be the grand and chiefest Instrument To execute this precious spotless Lamb Who for this purpose down from Heav'n came Has he on Earth any such spightful Foe As dare's attempt this ' mazing thing to do You heard before he daily was beset And with what Enemies he often met But now his hour is drawing very near Great Consultations ' mongst his Foes there were How they might take his blessed Life away Who seem'd himself impatient of delay He long'd until his work were finished Which could not be until his blood were shed And though he had most raging Enemies Yet knew they not what project to devise To bring this bloody traiterous deed to pass Which long before by them designed was Until Apollyon finding by his Art The dire Intentions harbour'd in their Heart Doth rouse them up and first the matter start To the Infernal powers to wake them â—l A second time upon this Prince to fall Then Belzebub Satan and Lucifer Consult afresh how to renew the War And to this purpose wee 'l suppose they spake Apollyon Shake off your fears and speedily let 's make The strongest Head that possibly we can Against this strong this Devil-amazing man Now now 's the day let 's bring him to Death's sting And then with shouts of Triumph we may sing For over Death 't is we the power have And we may sure secure him in the Grave 'T is he alone who frights us in our station And puts us all into great Consternation Our Kingdom by this means is like to fall And we thereby be ruin'd great and small I have engag'd him once but could not stand I know his strength he has a pow'rful Hand Belzebub My Sentence is for War this Enterprize Well managed will make our Kingdom rise And re-inthrone us in our Antient Skies To a great Height and flourish as before When he is down we 'l let him rise no more Can we but once deprive him of his Life 'T will put an end to all our fears and strife Lucifer Dominions Pow'rs and Principalities You all in danger are awake and rise From off your Seats and lazy Beds of Down Sleep you secure or
and like our Heav'nly King But I 'le return and speak yet one word more Unto her Conscience e're I do give o're Speak Conscience if alive thou us'd to keep A faithful watch what art thou now asleep Hath she not slighted Christ like unto those That him reject and cleave unto his Foes What dost thou say speak I adjure thee rouse Conscience I speak to thee shake off thy drouse Gripe this deluded Soul who puts her trust In those that seek her Life 't is thou that must Stop her vain course what shall the Sinner die When Conscience God's Vicegerent is so nigh And gives not one sad sigh nor groan nor cry Strange what 's befallen thee art lost oâ— fled Who shouldst the tidings bring that all are dead Like Job's last Messenger thou shouldst declare How all the faculties corrupted are Wilt thou betray that trust repos'd in thee And lose thy regal Right and Soveraignty Wilt thou connive and wink at such a crime Or fault which she commits O no 't is time Now to awake and fiercely her reprove What hate that Prince whom she pretends to love Immediately the Spirit sweetly spake And touch'd her heart and Conscience did awake Conscience What Soul-amazing voice is this I hear What Heav'n-rending Thunder fills mine Ear Awake why do I sleep can Conscience nod That keeps a watch betwixt the Soul and God If so yet when Heav'ns voice cryes out amain That will awake and make me rouse again I have most basely Sir corrupted bin By Satan and that poisonous Evil SIN A Register I kept but then alas It has so fallen out so come to pass That I unfaithful was for always when I should have set down scores I set down ten Nay to their party so entic'd have bin That I have often winked at her sin And when my Office was for to accuse 'T was to wrong endâ— her Light I did abuse My faults I see I 'le watch that no offence May pass the Soul without intelligence Sir Strange it is it puts me in a muse As one amaz'd to see the Soul refuse To hearken to your voice which constantly Like pointed Darts against her breast doth fly I 'le take up Arms and fight for Jesus now And make her bend to him if I know how I now declare my self though for a season I silence kept to hear what Goodman Reason Could find to say whereby he might excuse her But he 's most blind and surely doth abuse her I know her byass'd Judgment will conjecture She 's not oblig'd to hearken to that Lecture She lately heard although it was Divine Her will and judgment doth with Hell combine To work her ruin do you what you can Till Judgments rectifi'd and the Old man Be put to death she 'l be rebellious still Yield to her lusts and please her vicious will Theologue Doth Conscience yield Blest day I 'le try again With hope of a full Conquest to obtain Good service may'st thou do act well thy part Whilst the great King doth thus besiege the heart Keep thou a narrow watch look well about Observe who doth come in and who goes out In one thing am I glad I know from hence I shall by thee have true intelligence How things are manag'd in her house always Thou know'st her thoughts hâ—â—â—st all the words she says Apollyon Prince of Darkness Apollyon that degraded Seraphim And Grand-fire of that Hell-bred Monster Sin No sooner did of these late tidings hear How Conscience was awakened but in fear Presently calls a Council to advise Which way they might the Soul by craft surprize And hinder her from being crowned Queen Which to prevent successful have we been Saith he till now but I am in great doubt Much longer we shall hardly hold it out The Preacher doth his business follow so I am afraid of some great overthrow Satan Dread Prince fear not we yet possession have And want no skill Can't subtilty deceive Can't strength subdue besides she 's in our chain Though one links broke we 'l fasten it again And if grave Judgment will with us abide Conscience will not be able to decide The diffâ—rences nor right dicision make No matter then which side the fool doth take But since my Lord I see what grieves your mind No safety shall these Gospel-Preachers find Our Vassals we 'l prepare with Hellish rage Them to extirpate and drive off the stage Lucifer I do approve of that last Counsel given Let not a place nor corner under Heaven Be found for those our int'rest dare oppose Or once attempt to move the Soul to close With him whom we account our mortal Foe Satan for this I bless and thank thee too The brave design which we have now in hand Will soon effect this thing in every Land That Enterprise let us pursue with care But mind us wâ—ll how things more inward are To Judgment look lest he from us should run If once his Eyes are ope we 're all undone Soul Lord what sad gripes and lashes no I feel My courage fails and resolutions reel Strange thoughts disturb my mind no rest alas Can heart or eyes obtain whole nights do pass Whole weeks and months and nought can I possess But horror great sad grief and weariness What 's my condition now who 'le shew to me My present state and future misery Hark what 's within a very frightful noise It mars my hopes imbitters all my joys My moâ—n's ore-cast my fair day proveth foul My Conscience terrifies and makes me howl Lash after lash and blows succeeding blows He 's void of mercy and no pity shows Here ends my joy and here begins my woes O how my mind is hurried to and fro I know not where to fix nor what to do My unresolv'd resolves do greatly vary This way one while and then the quite contrary Who is 't will counsel give to whom must I Go for some case in this perplexity My Conscience says I wickedly have acted Not breaking the vile contract I 've contracted With those sweet Lovers which my sensual heart So long a time has lov'd how shall we part Must I be forc'd by Conscience to imbrace One whom I cannot love 't is a hard case Yet have I cause to love him dearly too But how shall I for him let others go Depraved Judgment Poor silly Soul and is thy choice so hard In two extreams can thy weak thoughts reward Two so unequal with the like respect Know'st thou not which to slight which to affect Submit to me â—tis Judgment must advise In this great case take heed and be thou wise Fix where thou wilt thy doubt-depending cause Can ne'r expect a Verdict 'twixt two Laws Which differ and are opposit in kind Yet a fit medium I 'le attempt to find To ease thy sad and sore perplexed mind Divert those thoughts by some rare Speculations And vanquish all these dolesome cogitations Look look abroad and view the world pray mark
knowâ— Good You shall become as Gods and I pray when 'T is so what fear you who can punish then Your wisdom may the threatned Death evade And with an equal pow'r Heav'ns pow'r upbraid Thus spake the Tempter and thou straight didst yield And treacherously to him didst quit the field Forthwith the fatal Fruit with impious hand Thou pluckst and eatst against thy God's command Branding thy self and thy posterity With Treasons Guilt and endless misery And here vile Soul I cannot chuse but tell Thee one thing more that will increase thy Hell The Devil had no power to compell Thee to have tasted this his poisonous Feast But wilfully thou hast God's Law transgrest For though thou hadst a pow'rful Sword to weild Tempted to Lust thou cowardly didst yield Thou to thy self dost thy destruction owe And this doth greatly aggravate thy woe If want of strength or weapons if oppression Do force a Man to give up his possession He is excus'd and his unhappy fall Condol'd lamented and bewail'd of all But he deserveth neither love nor pity That unconstrain'd surrenders up a City When he has pow'r to make strong opposition Furnisht with Arms and warlike Ammunition Yet at one slender Summons yields his Fort The mis'ries he sustains in such a sort Reflect upon himself and do redouble His conscious Anguish self-accusing Trouble Just as the Southern Sun with burning beams Reflecting from a Wall with fierce extreams Above its natural strength or wonted course Scorches and burns with a far greater force So do those Flames first kindled with desire Grow dangerous and prove the stronger fire The wounds receiv'd from self-confounding Arms Have ever done poor Souls the greatest harms There 's yet another Circumstance behind That aggravates thy smart which prethee mind When once thy fearful Torments are begun Thy fatal Glass will never cease to run Years fill'd with months and months with weeks retire Weeks fill'd with days days with hours expire And hours in nimble minutes swiftly fly Unto their End But in Eternity There is no End nor will thy woes diminish Although years moneths weeks and hours finish The toilsome Day when once it does expire All Creature here to pleasing rest retire Slaves Bondmen Prisoners Captives all have ease No Drudgery so great but then doth cease Each bustling Day ends in a Night of peace But thou must look to be with pains opprest Where mid-day torments find no night of Rest Death puts a period to the greatest grief I' th silent Grave the weary find relief But wish't-for Death from thee shall fly away Eternity's a never-ending Day Where th' angry mouth of Justice loud doth cry Here must thou ever ever ever lie How miserable ah how sad's thine end When thou in vain shalt court Death for thy friend Men now do fly from Death whilst Death pursues But then shall seek to Death who will refuse At their Request such favour to afford As frees them from that Breath giv'n by the Lord. Death knows no pity Nay observe it well â—Tis Death that opens wide the Gates of Hell Where thou must be tormented with the Devils As the just punishment of all thy evils Distressed Soul oh unto what shall I Compare thy caseless endless misery In various Volumes of the World's Records Strange Tortures we may find exprest by words But Oh! so great so fore is thy distress As flesh can't bear 't so words can't it express Devils rejoyce and welcom in the Day That crown'd their Conquests with so rich a prey To see thee thus quite buried in thy spoils Berest of Earthly joys and Heav'nly smiles And I do fear th' incensed God above With direful Wrath will quickly thee remove Into that place But hark methinks I hear Some dreadful noise see how the Mountains tear And rending Hills do into pieces fly Whilst Thunder bellows through the troubled sky The Stars and Planets in confusion hurl'd Have banisht Natures order from the World See how the melting Orbs of Heaven sweat Like Parchment parch'd shrivel'd up with heat Swift Lightning flashes through the Air appear And now O hark the dreadful Trump I hear It sounds exceeding loud enough to make The Dead from their deep silent Graves awake And stoutest Sinners stubborn hearts to quake Ah! 't is Mount Sinai God himself is come Now to convince thee of thy final Doom The Law and Justice will thee now Arraign Poor Soul for thee my Soul 's in bitter pain From them be sure no Mercy thou wilt meet Although thou shouldst turn Suppli'nt at their feet Their method is so rigid so severe The Guilty by no means they ever spare Awake awake poor Soul and look about Jehovah doth command the Sinner out And active Justice having seiz'd her fast Doth hale her to the Judgment-seat in hast Justice Most Soveraign Lord who dares i' th least gainsay What thou commandst thy Word I must obey Lo here I bring this wretched Prisoner forth Unto thy Bar who mad'st both Heaven and Earth See! with what dread the trembling wretch doth stand To know thy Sacred Pleasure Command Jehovah Justice What is her Fact her Crimes declare I patiently will now the matter hear Justice Then will I legally my Lord proceed And presently her black Indictment reade Come forth thou Conscious wretch and hear thy Crimes In wicked deeds thou didst begin betimes By th' name of Soul thou standst indicted here Being without true Grace and godly fear Most treacherously in Eden long ago Didst then and there with God's most horrid Foe Conspire against his Soveraign Majesty To the dethroning of him privily Then setst thou up a Traitor in his place And traiterously his Image didst deface And ever since hast in Rebellion stood Pursuing Evil and forsaking Good For Treason Murder Theft thou standst Indicted These Crimes were all in thy first fact united Nay more then this yet worser is thy Cause Thou art Arraign'd for breach of all those Laws Which in thy Nature God at first ingrav'd The same thou hast in every point deprav'd This Royal Law much hast thou violated And every Day thy Crimes are aggravated That Spirit 's still in thee which was at first When God did thee out of his Garden thrust Thou sid'st with Satan and dost him obey Not minding what or God or good men say All Evil Rebels in thy House remain And nobly there thou dost them entertain Whilst God thou hat'st his proffer'd Love refuse And precious Patience daily dost abuse Therefore my Lord she worthy is of Death As ever any that on Earth drew Breath Jehovah Soul What dost say hold up thy guilty head Thou unto this Indictment now must plead Guilty or not Guilty I charge thee speak Lest Justice doth severer Courses take Soul I dare not say I am not Guilty Lord Of some of these foul Crimes which I have heard Read in my Charge 't is vain for to deny My Conscience makes me Guilty Guilty cry Thy Law is
of Man Oh! let our Souls be arm'd with courage bold Whilst we this furious Battel do behold Before the Fight begins do you not hear How he doth cry unto his Father dear O let this Cup from me Lord pass away If it be possible Let it I pray Pass from me that of it I may not drink Until this time he never seem'd to shrink From any pain conflict or suffering This Combat is alas a different thing From what before he ever met withal From hence he did unto his Father call Once and again repeating of his cry It 'h sense of what was now approaching nigh Some may at this 't is likely much admire That our dear Saviour should so loud desire To be deliver'd from that bitter Cup Which was prepared for him to drink up It did not rise for his unwillingness But from the pain the anguish and distress 'T would bring him to this humane Nature's weak From thence he might such supplications make Ah! wrath Divine what humane Soul can beaâ— But of Divinity he hath his share Which doth again his fainting spirit chear And such support he needs Cast but an Eye See how the Combatants with fury fly Upon each other What a Battel 's here Enough to melt our Souls into a tear Lo the first blow that Sin and Wrath doth give It is the worst he ever did receive Behold how frightfully grim Wrath doth frown Nay more the Prince seems by their strength cast down Now Sin Wrath upon him both do lie Which makes him groan and bitterly to cry With panting breast and half-expiring Breath My Soul is sorrowful ev'n unto Death Can the great Prince of Earth and Heaven feel Such heavy strokes as thus to make him reel The dismal weight of Sin this doth declare None but a JESVS could it fully bear Happy are we as the blest Prophet said Our Help was upon One that 's mighty laid Could man or Angel ev'r have born all this And not have been cast down to th'deepst Abyss Nay of this mighty One Saint Mark hath rais'd Our Wonder higher He was sore amaz'd Nay more than this he fell upon the Ground No Soul before such anguish ever found To see the Lord of Life brought to the Earth Under the pressure of God's heavy Wrath And that he suffer'd all this in our stead May make our Souls to stand astonished Especially if to these Trials we Shall add his great and bloody Agony Wherein the sweat fell from him as he stood In Crimson dy like trickling drops of blood Ah! precious Lord this work was very sore But still thy Love and it s blest Vertue 's more Through all these Toils thou graspst at Victory And Captive lead'st at last Captivity If Sin that day had not receiv'd a fall Grim Death and Hell had quickly swallow'd all The race of Man we all had been undone No help no hope no life for any one Sin was condemn'd it had a fatal blow That now to Saints it little hurt can do But to proceed here I shall now relate Some things which very much do aggravate The sufferings which Christ in 's Soul indur'd When he this Conquest for our Souls procur'd No greater sorrows did he ever know Than those which then his Soul did undergo Several Circumstances which demonstrate the Greatness of our Saviours sufferings in his Soul in the Garden First They did not seize him with the least surprize From thence oft-times doth great Amazement rise Unto poor Mortals we are not aware Oft-times what 's nigh know nothing of the snare But thus 't was not with the blest Prince of Light What can be hid from Great Jehovah's sight He knew full well what would upon him fall Yet when it came so great surpassing all Were th' Griefs he felt he in amaze doth call Unto his Father dear most earnestly If 't were his will to let that Cup pass by Secondly It was the very thing he came to do And yet cry'd out in such sad sort O who Can then conceive what he did undergo He freely did his precious Life give up And yet he 's ready to refuse the Cup. He takes it as it were into his hand Most willingly but presently doth stand Pausing a while then puts it to his Lip And after he had took one bitter sip Looks up to Heav'n and cryes O may it be Thy will dear God this Cup might pass from me Thirdly He knew unless he drank it up that we Must perish All to all Eternitie And that his coming would prove all in vain If he refused for us to be slain And yet with sighs and groans how did he cry In sense of wrath and that extremity Which he beheld would quickly overtake him When once his blessed Father did forsake him Fourthly The Angels which did there to him appear Demonstrate plain how great his sorrows were For like as one distressed makes complaint Quite tired out and all his spirits faint Needs to be strengthned by some faithful Friend So God to him did Holy Angels send For to relieve and comfort him that Day When Sin and Wrath so heavy on him lay Fifthly But what 's Assistance from an Heavenly Host To the great Power of the Holy Ghost Some little measure of the Spirit hath Caused blest Saints to triumph over Death How have they sung with flames about their Ears Contemning pains regardless of all fears This Spirit rested on him bodily Without measure and yet how doth he cry As scarce well knowing which way to bear up Whilst he partakes of this most painful Cup. This greatly doth his suff'rings amplify To humane sense if weighed seriously Sixthly O Lord what means these melting sighs and Tears Why is thy Soul amaz'd why fill'd with Fears Ah! 't is enough to break our hearts to think Upon that bitter potion thou didst drink Thou knewst thy sorrows would be quickly o're And then thou shouldst ne'r sigh nor suffer more 'T was from thy worth both Wrath and Justice cryes We are appeas'd with this thy Sacrifice Might not the shortness of this Conflict yield Thee some Relief Besides thou knew'st the Field Thou shouldst obtain the Conquest was thine own And quickly too the Conflict would be gone I' th midst of Wars or anguish Men indure If any can them certainly assure That in short time their Troubles will be over They straight rouse up their spirits to recover And patiently resolve to bear the smart For this is like a Cordial to the Heart All this thou knew'st and more abundantly Yet Sins dire weight so heavily did lie That with strong groans horror thou didst cry The Torments Lord of Hell took hold on thee Our Souls from that devouring Wrath to free But why didst thou into a Garden go Thus to encounter with the hellish Foe Was it because there first began our woe Or was it Lord to have us call to mind When we in Walks and Gardens pleasures find What thou didst
most lovely flesh are fed And with Corruption thou art covered Prince of Light Stay stay pale Death that thou canst nev'r do For I must not the least Corruption know King of Terrors Strange speech who 's this or how can this thing be What 's in the Grave shall not Corruption see Though with rich Spices thou imbalm'd dost lie Old hoary Time shall make thee putrify Kings fortifi'd by Lead and Searcloth's aid In precious heaps of fragrant Odours laid To stench and rottenness I soon betray'd None ever into these low Vaults do come Who can escape that sad and dismal doom Of being turned into Dust I will Thy mouth with filthy putrefaction fill The holiest man I e're depriv'd of breath I turned into loathsom stinking Earth And dost thou think thou shalt escape this fate No thou must share of all my Subjects state Prince of Light Is 't fit I should be threatned thus by thee Shall Death prevail and triumph over me Dost know grim Tyrant who 't is thou treadst down I am thy lawful Prince and thou shalt own My Soveraignty thou must O Death submit And yield thy self as conquer'd at my feet On me thou shalt not have thy proud desire No sooner shall three Days and Nights expire But I will make thy bonds and chains to fly And thereby spoil thy Principality But for thy insolence this thou shalt gain To be thy self o're-thrown vanquisht and slain The tidings which I bring will make thee quake For I resolve on thee Revenge to take O Death I 'le be thy Death 't is even so Thy utter ruin and great overthrow Is near at hand I 'le rouse up from the Grave And make the stone to fly that 's on the Cave Let Hell and Devils all combine to do What 's in their pow'r to save thee from this blow I mind it not I 'le tear and rend them all And cause them with great vengeance down to fall Captivity a Captive I will take And him a slave and Captive ever make The Devils fearing what would come to pass Great consternation straight amongst them was Their Chief amaz'd with envious horror cryes And to the rest with hast himself applies Lucifer Dominions Pow'rs of the Infernal Host Awake attempt with speed or all is lost Death's like to lose our great and hop'd for prey Secure him fast more Chains upon him lay Harklare there not strange tremblings under ground Mixt with a cry enough for to confound All the whole Host of this amased Lake Fear seizes me I quiver oh I quake What shall we do make speed let him not rise Help Satan help canst thou no way devise To hold him under ground now now or never Iâ— he awake we are undone for ever Should be the cords of Death to pieces burst Our 〈…〉 will far exceed the first 〈…〉 all the hellish Fiends do stand Agaâ—◠〈…〉 each holding up his hand Bewâ—â—â—ing 〈◊〉 sad fates their hearts grow cold With thoughts of what they fear'd they should behold Which was the Resurrection from the Dead Of him who for poor Mortals suffered Belzebub he cryes out to Abaddon Ah! what a day is this all will be gone Satan doth gnash his teeth perplext in mind Because they could no more Inventions find Their Kingdom to support cryes out alas We never were before in such a case Apollyon Ah! what a dismal day Great Lords is here The Grave doth o'pe that sight doth just appear Of which you talk of which you stand in fear Now all our hopes and expectation 's gone Ah! who is it has rould away the stone All proves in vain that ever we have done We must our selves in Chains of darkness lie And be tormented to Eternitie Now from the Earth fresh Light doth gild the skies Thick darkness vanishes awake arise Ye Mortals and with joy open your Eyes Behold the morning of that long'd for Day The Grave doth o'pe whilst Devils fly away To hide themselves but cannot find a place For Vengeance hastens after them apace The first Day of the week is now come in The Glorious Prince has made an end of Sin See how he rouses up from the dark Grave The Soul from thence from Sin and Hell to save Ah! how the damned Spirits cry and houl Their fearful fall with anguish to condole Hell's Principalities are spoiled quite And all infernal Pow'rs put to flight See what an open show is made of them And how great JESVS doth their Pride contemn See how he doth triumph over them all He 's on his back who gave the Soul its fall See Death 's by Death destroy'd a wond'rous sight Which doth the hearts of Angels much delight They pâ—y into and wonder at this thing Accomplisht thus by our victorious King How like a sneaking conquer'd spoiled Foe That 's quite oâ—recome and brought to utter woe Doth Satan look Ah see the fatal Rout And how the â—rince doth drag these Dogs about He makes a show of them Come take a view O' th conquer'd bloody baffled Hellish Crew What a victorious Conqueror is here What Victor may with this great Prince compare All Warriours you admir'd heretofore Let them not be so much as thought on more CHSIST JESVS he is risen from the Dead Sin Wrath Death Hell Devils and all are fled This glorious Conquest o're th' infernal crew Is yet more plain by that which doth insue Some passages from ancient Records show The truth of this their final overthrow Upon this rising of the Prince of Light The Heathen Oracles were silencâ—d quite Although their Priests and Prophets cry and call Henceforth they 'r dumb and answer not at all Which Accident and unexpected change Amaz'd them all 't was so prodigious strange It made them look about to find the cause Of such their silence and surprising pause Surely saith Plutarch they are either dead Or else Wise men are risen in their stead Which in these days diviner Secrets know That Oracles before were wont to show Yet he knew better things and did deny That Spirits either could wax old or die Some higher Reason therefore must find out E're he resolve this sense-confounding doubt Had he conver'sd with John he might have known By whom and how those Gods were overthrown Christ was reveal'd saith he unto this End That he the works of every Hellish Fiend Might bring to nought destroy and ruine quite Confining them to their eternal Night That this is truth from Authors of their own Might be made good and evidently shown Sharp Juvenal to speak it out is pleas'd All Oracles at Delphos now are ceas'd And lofty Lucan long since did complain That they their Deities invok'd in vain The Gods saith he by whom this Empire stood Are from their empty Temples now remov'd Their Altars too they have abandon'd quite And left the places of their old delight But with one instance more I may conclude Though I indeed might urge a multitude 'T is that which Plutarch
doth affirm and I Esteem above what e're Antiquity Hath left recorded or most curious Eyes Can view in best approved Histories Relating to the matter we have stated Which follows thus as 't is by him related About the period of Tiberius's Raign Who at Christ's Death was Rome's proud Soveraign Strange hideous Cries shriekings and howlings be Heard with amazement in the Grecian Sea Complaining that their great God Pan was fled From whence great Conâ—â—ernations followed No sooner did the louder Trump of Fame This news of their great Pan â—s Retreat proclaim But it was brought unto the Emperours Ears And unto him a certain Truth appears Who being startled at the strange Relation Falls with his Wisemen into Consultation Who sought by Magick to resolve the doubt Which all their Art and Skill could not find out Yet Christians in those days could quickly spy The way to open the whole Mysterie Comparing times they found this strange Relation Did just fall out upon Christ's Death and Passion And then concluded straightway bâ— the â—all Of their great Pan which signifieth All All Spirits by Christ's Death were so afflicted Their utter Ruin thereby was pâ—â—â—icted Yea others of their own Reconâ—â— still do Confirm the truth of this their overthrow How one of them constrain'd sometime before By God himself their fall did thus deplore An Hebrew Child that shall be born will be The final downfal of our Dignity All our usurpt Dominions by that Child Shall come to nought and utterly be spoil'd He strikes us dumb and nonplus's our Art Henceforth in vain no further Questions start But sad and silent from our Shrines depart Thus God doth force Devils sometimes to speak That which doth much against their Int'rest make But stay my Muse the Cherubs chant again O listen to this more melodious strain The glorious Angels do sweet Triumphs sing Upon the Conquests of our Heav'nly King They clap their wings and leap for joy to see This total Rout and happy Victorie Shall Heav'n rejoyce and more concerned Earth Not sing aloud Jehovah's praises forth O happy Day blest hour the best of all Poor Mortals ever saw since Adam's fall Christ of a truth is risen from the Grave No Pow'rs of Hell could keep him in the Cave Yet are there some in these in these last evil days Deny that he from Death himself did raise The Jews also with their Forefathers say 'T was a Deceit for he was stoln away Whilst drousy Soldiers fell into a sleep Who the Sepulchre had a charge to keep A thing themselves no doubt could not believe But was forg'd by the Devil to deceive And blind mens Eyes who wanted that inspection They might have had touching his Resurrection 'T was the last game the Devil could devise To hinder Christ's most glorious Enterprise They knew that if his Resurrection were Received for a truth no hope was there But all that they had done it tumble must So the last Evil would exceed the first But if they had believ'd it certainly The Souldiers had with great'st severity Been punished for being so remiss About a thing so weighty as was this Besides were they asleep how could they tell What things there came to pass or what befell Or if awake why did they not prevent Those men who came with such a strong intent And can one think if the Disciples durst Attempt that thing they should have stript him first Would they not take the body in the cloaths Lest e're they 'd done the Sould'ers should have rose And caught them doing it and then be sure Great sufferings for it they must endure Nay had these men been guilty of such evils They 'd been no better than seducing Devils The worst of Mortals and how was it then That God should own and witness to such men By aiding them Would Heavens Pow'r have gone To prove a Cheat when Miracles were done Again they were of such Integrity As none could brand with the least infamy And they 'i th face of Foes without least dread Declare that he was risen from the Dead That they convers'd with him full forty days Whilst he instructed them in all his ways Before he did ascend And then agen In Galilee at once five hundred men Saw him with joy and in their witness gave That he indeed was risen from the Grave Here stop again my Pen Time calls away Upon this Theme thou must no longer stay Leave them to perish let them fall and die That this blest Resurrection do deny Shall God his Saints and Angels witness bear Unto this thing and yet shall Mortals dare To call the same in question or deny What is confirm'd by such Authority No firm as Earth or Heav'ns more stable poles Let this great Truth be fixt in pious Souls Without it Faith 's a Fancy and the best Of men more wretched than the vilest Beast But now awake my Muse no longer slumber The Day doth dawn and joys which none can number Are rushing in upon the Prince of Light This sorrow 's gone nought now but Glory bright Shines forth in him now is he rais'd on high Far out o' th reach of all malignity Nor men nor Devils can annoy him more He 's safely landed on the long'd-for shore Go Turtles go whilst thousand Joys betide The glorious Bridegroom and his purchas'd Bride That Sun is risen who will ne're go down Who will his Spouse with light of Glory crown But where 's the Soul O where alas is she For whom he dy'd and hung upon the Tree What greeting O what Joy when they do meet There will abound the thoughts thereof are sweet He that was Dead is come to Life again And ever shall in bliss Eternal raign Thrice happy is that Soul which he hath chose To be his Love his Dove his Sharon's Rose But where is she and what is her Estate For nothing of her we have heard of late Doth she not wait doth she not long to see His lovely Face and to embraced be In his dear Arms O do'nt she greatly crave One sight of him one visit more to have Doth not her Soul dissolve then into tears With thoughts of him who freed her from all fears Read the next Part and you will quickly find The Fruit of Sin and nature of the mind That is corrupt and fill'd with carnal Love How nothing can those vile Affections move Oh how unkind to Christ do Sinners prove The End of the First Book Behind this Curtain 〈◊〉 suppose to be such Glory which 〈…〉 can see Besides the Day being 〈…〉 too If wee 〈…〉 yet more 〈◊〉 dare not 〈◊〉 see Death and Devils sin World cast down Whilst Heaven doth the glorious Victor crow◠〈…〉 BOOK II. The Glorious Lover A Divine POEM CHAP. I. Shewing how Christ renews his Suit again and again which is done either by the ministration of the Gospel or by his various Providences and yet the Soul refuses to receive him THUS have you
the Bar art cited And for high Treason there dost stand Indicted Committed by thee 't was in antient time When thou didst dwell in Eden in thy prime When thou hadst flourisht there but a short season Thou didst contract that guilt of horrid Treason Against thy Soveraign in whose Princely Eye Was Grace and favour mixt with Majesty Gracious to pardon many great Offences And yet severe to punish Insolences But thou both Grace and Justice didst despise And in thy Heart didst evil things surmise Against thy Soveraign Lord and secretly Join'st with his Foes in close Conspiracy 'T was with the King of Darkness thou didst close Obeyd'st his will and didst thy God oppose A dreadful Sentence then against thee past Which ne're by humane Art could be reverst Thy Sentence was in Prison long to lie And for thy fact at last Condemn'd to die And Death on thee did seize the self-same time When thou commitst that high and fearful Crime The sad effects of it I this Day see Thou still ly'st dead in thine Iniquity Ah! I may preach untill my heart doth ake And it on thee will no Impression make Thou art depriv'd of Life and Light of God And long hast thou in this estate abode But a worse Death doth in thy Sentence lie Though very few on it will cast an Eye Condemn'd to suffer everlasting pains And on thee then were fastned heavy Chains And though thy Execution be delay'd Yet 't is by means of Jesus only stay'd His precious Grace preserves thee from that fire Whose torments once begun shall ne'r expire That Soul-amazing Sentence who can bear The thoughts of it and not let fall a tear What Malefactors are Condemn'd to die But on the sense of Death's approaching nigh Contracts not horrour on thier Souls thereby What then to suffer Death for evermore Where Torments neâ—re abate nor will be o're To be a thousand tedious Ages Rackt Not Dead yet always in the dying Act. A fiery Furnace with a sevenfold heat We read of yet its flames were not so great But that they soon would languish and grow cold Whereas these Tortures still increasing hold If e're thou shouldst be cast into that place Before thou dost take hold of Love and Grace There 's this will then thy sorrows aggravate None will thee pity in that wretched state Never was Malefactor in distress But met with pity either more or less And though it do not take away the grief Yet where there 's pity there 's some small Relief But if thou dost this fearful Sentence bear There 's none to pity none to shed a tear O think of this alas thy wretched Eyes Are blinded now thou basely dost despise The best of Comfort Joy and Consolation For love to Sin horrid Abomination Thou swell'st in pride unmindful of thine end And seest no need of comfort from a Friend But what wouldst thou for such a Friend then give And for those Comforts thou mayst now receive Dost not thou tremble at this frightful news Tremble at least at that which next ensues Three things there are three Circumstances great Which much thy final woe will aggravate Which severally unto thee I 'le relate That thou mayst think upon thy future state First from thy high Descent thy birth did crown Thee with the greatest Honour and Renown That ever any had upon the Earth Thou being own'd a Soveraign Queen by Birth Yet that which did so much advance thy fame Was not alone the Honour of thy Name As the rare properties of thy sweet Nature A most transcendent and accomplisht Creature An Heav'n-composed frame as if thou'dst bin Deriv'd from some Celestial Seraphim When great Jehovah's fruitful Word had made The whole Creation touching thee he said This Creature shall alone our Image bear Whom all things else shall reverence and fear Our Sacred Portraiture we solely place In this sweet Creatures Heaven-erected face And when he sent his first begotten down No other form or Image must he own The Angels Nature wholly he refuses And rather Humane Soul and flesh he chuses Alas there 's not a greater aggravation Than for a person of the highest station To be thrown down into the deep'st Abyss Of woe and sorrow oh how sad is this Thy self caus'd change a miserable Creature Will surely make thy Torments far the greater The second Circumstance of Aggravation Is worthy of thy serious observation And that I may more fully make it known Under two Heads I 'le briefly lay it down First from the timely notice that was given By thy most Soveraign Lord the King of Heaven When with his glorious Image he had grac'd thee And in fair Eden's fruitful Garden placâ—d thee Ordain'd thee Mistress of that famous Bower Where thou mightst see his Glory every hour Granting whatever might accommodate Thy pure perfect spotless Virgin state Excepting one reserved Fruit alone Which did indeed of Right belong to none But to himself that hidden Mysterie Which in the midst of Paradise did lie To know what Evil was as well as Good Which never could by men been understood But by an Art of the most horrid Evil And hearkning to and siding with the Devil The dire effects to thee were told most plain The danger and the loss thou shouldst sustain The loss of Life the loss of Eden's Glory The loss of God a lamentable Story Warning was giv'n God strictly did require On pain of Death thou shouldst not once desire Nor tast nor touch nor cast a longing Eye Upon this fatal Fruit which certainly Would straight procure thy final overthrow This timely notice shall augment thy Woe Fore-warn'd fore-arm'd you know we use to say Thou wast fore-warn'd and yet didst go astray Contemptuous Soul alas how couldst thou think The mighty God would at Rebellion wink Though he is said to wink at Ignorance Presumption is a different Circumstance Thou knew'st before-hand if thou didst trangress Assured Death would follow and no less The Lord had said it he that gave us breath Said thou shouldst die yet thou feardst not Death This is the height as well as spring of Evil To doubt and mistrust God yet trust the Devil Against God's sacred Truth to shut ones Eyes And credit blindfold th' Father of all Lies Ah Soul 't was listning to a wanton lust That was the cause thou didst at first distrust The glorious Lord and falsely to surmise He was unwilling that thou shouldst be wise Afraid that thou shouldst know as much as He And grow a Rival to his Deity This blasphemous Conceit the Devil first In thine already wicked fancy nurst 'T is saith this Prince of Darkness God's inten In this unjust Restraint but to prevent Thy being like himself for he doth know If once thou taste this Fruit it will be so Do thou but try and taste and presentlie Thou 'lt find thy dim dark Eye shall open'd be This hidden Secret will be understood And thouâ—â—t know Evil as thou now
for us in a Garden bear To take our Hearts from slitting pleasures here But stop my Muse look back and let us sâ—e What did succeed Judas his Treachery O mind what Joy's amongst th' Infernal Crew In hopes of what is likely to ensue Not once but many times this makes me quake We are undone should he refuse to take Part now with us in this Extremity When all we have and are at stake doth lie To this Advice the Devils all consent And call for Tyrant Death who doth present His gastly face and boldly do's demand What 't was they would have him to take in hand Then soon Apollyon King of Darkness breaks Silence and to this purpose gravely speaks Apollyon Dread King of Terrors if thou stepst not in Down goes our Hell-bred Monarchy of Sin We now can walk the spacious Earth about And have we Friend or Foe we find him out Where e're we see a person that 's upright We seek his ruin with the greatest spight When we by fraud or craft can't him intice To yield to Pride or Lust or any Vice But that he 'l watch us with a wary Eye And persevere in all true Piety Then on him do we bring outward distress To make him lose or leave his Holiness Our Kingdom by this practice is made strong Potent and large and so has prosper'd long But now thy help we need for much we fear The downfal of our Kingdom draweth near Upon the Earth there now appears in sight A mighty Foe one call'd The Prince of Light 〈…〉 And for what end should he from Heaven come If not to execute on us that Doom Which Heav'n long since decreed To end which strife We are resolv'd to take away his Life Already he 's betray'd if things hit right And then we 'l yield him up unto thy Might For thy Assistance Death we do implore Else to these mischiefs this will happen more That Creature we so long have captivated Will in her Pomp again be re-instated The thoughts of which there 's none of us can bear Speak speak pale Monarch for we long to hear What 's thy Advice Thou mighty art in pow'r And canst we know whole Nations soon devour The King of Terrors Great Prince of Darkness you must understand We are not wholly at your proud Command For there 's a mighty Pow'r in Heaven high Which you are subject to as well as I 'T is true from him I cannot say at all That I derive my strange Original Yet by his pleasure am circumscrib'd And ' gainst his Will cannot be forc'd nor brib'd Wherefore if he this Prince of Light protect In vain at him shall I my shafts direct Besides in this Exploit methinks I find Some strange foreboding ills possess my mind As if engaging thus against your Foe I should but hasten mine own overthrow Take mine Advice then meddle not at all Better sit still you know than rise to fall 'T is true indeed as you have well observ'd Your threatned Judgment has been long deferr'd But if your Execution-Day be come You can't escape but must abide your Doom Prince of Darkness Thou pale-fac'd Traytor shan't we have thy Aid Then all our Hellish Projects are betray'd How oft have we stood by thee sent thee forth To do our will and pleasure on the Earth The first that ever thou hadst in thy hand Committed was by me at my Command I caused Cain to slay his godly Brother And so taught thee how to bereave the Mother Of her most dear of her most hopeful Son And shall not now my will in this be done 'T was I which did thy being to thee give How many Subjects dost each day receive From me and mine who do in every Land Promote thy State and lend their helping-Hand Therefore consent and show thy angry Brow And make this Conqueror to thy Scepter bow Yielding himself to thee strike him with speed And pierce his very Heart until it bleed Then some dark Cave near the Earths Centre find Where Light ne're pierc'd nor Phoebus ever shin'd There there the vanquisht Foe do thou retain Close Prisn'er with an Adamantine Chain When e're thou strik'st be sure strike home thy blow Lest he revive and work our overthrow Be bold attempt and let thy pow'r be known Thy Glory of this Deed shall be thine own King of Terrors I must confess I have been often sent By Hellish means unto the Innocent To satisfy your Envy Pride and Lust Some thousands I have turn'd into the Dust Yet never did I strike but on Condition As Heaven did permit in my Commission And though by Thee and by that Monster Sin The Child of Hell I first of all came in Yet am I not subservient still to thee But bounded by Jehovah's own Decree For had I wholly been at thy Command Poor Job had fell before thy pow'rful hand Where my dread Sovereign Lord do's give me charge To stay my hand though my Commission 's large I must forbear But if he once permit The Just and the Unjust alike I hit Apollyon King of Darkness Wilt thou eclipse my Glory and Renown Destroy my Pow'r and tread my Kingdom down Fy Death for shame forbear thy Insolence And do'nt dispute the Mandates of thy Prince Strike I conjure thee do not vainly think 'T will be thy Int'rest from this work to shrink That hand that powerful hand that conquers me If he prevail at last will vanquish thee Though now on Earth thou dost in triumph dwell If he o'recome he 'l cast thee down to Hell Thou fro'n thy Monarchy shalt then be driven And shalt abide in no place under Heaven Thou that hast been a Conqueror heretofore Shalt conquer'd be and never conquer more Ah! lend thy Hand shew forth thy mighty pow'rs 'T is for thy Int'rest Death as well as ours If Arguments and Reason may convince Thee try thy weapons on this dangerous Prince King of Terrors Say say no more If you find things agree In order to his downfall I will be His Executioner do you not fear I tremble at the thoughts of what I hear Damned Spirits Bravely resolv'd At last they all Reply'd Swelling in Wrath in Malice Envy Pride Wee 'l now proceed and craftily prepare All things in readiness to end this War Apollyon Though Judas has a party for our turn Yet we have more to do e're we adjourn If we should bring this Enterprise to pass Yet when all 's done I shall be where I was We must seek out some persons to defame His so much honour'd and unblemish'd Name He 's Just and Virtuous and esteem'd so high Who dares charge him with th' least Impurity Satan At this an envious Devil strait jumpt in I 'le lead the people on let me begin I 'le stir them up to Envy more and more Such Envy that he shall not stand before Belial These are but sparkles from an hasty Fire Which will for want of fuel soon expire His Glory
still encreases ours decays Words without Actions are but faint delays The rarest Wit amongst us must look out With wariness to bring this thing about I 'le tell you what I newly have contriv'd Let my Lord Lucifer the King of Pride Make one amongst their Rulers in the Seat Of seeming Justice Tell them they are Great And Prudent men yea Learned ones likewise And in their Breasts alone true Wisdom lies Yea tell them that the Soveraign Lord of Heaven To them the name of Gods on Earth hath given Tell them both God and men have though it fit That they like Gods should in this Grandeur sit And answerable to this lofty station The people have them in great veneration Thus when h' has put their Honours in a Heat And swell'd them up with Pride and self-conceit Tell them 't is much below their high Degree That such a low inferiour Man as he Should be their Prince or 〈◊〉 them bear sway Who rather ought their 〈◊〉 to obey Then when the uncontrouled â—reath of Fame Has spread abroad the Glory of his Name And fill'd each Eye and Ear with Admiration Giving to him Applause and Veneration Then let our envious Friend once more take's place And sit as pale as Death in every Face And let him tell them if they do not take Some speedy course their Honours lie at stake He grows so famous in the peoples Eyes They shortly will their Soveraignty despise Satan Nay I can tell them yet another thing The people seek by force to make him King Which if the Roman Pow'r should understand They 'd quickly come and take away their Land This sure will work or other ways I 'le find Good Mariners can sail with every wind Thus these Infernals seeking to prevent Their future but deserved punishment Far swifter than the lofty Eagle flies Did set upon their Hellish enterprize The King of Pride threw forth his poisonous Darts Which did not miss to pierce the yielding Hearts Of those that sat at Stern who should delight To do the thing that 's equal just and right But disregarding great Jehovah's Laws They sought poor Souls for popular Applause Puft up with Pride and swoln with vain Ambition That Tympany of th' Soul They had suspition That if the Prince of Light were once affected They by the people soon should be rejected For first they saw his Miracles were great His Vertues rendred him still more compleat And made him so illustriously to shine He gain'd the Appellation of Divine Nay furthermore they heard now some did sing Hosanna in the Highest to the King Of Israel the fragrant Flower of Jess The Root of David Oh! who can express The depth of Envy which in them did burn With-raging flames almost at every turn Close Consultation in their Courts appears And i' th mean while strange Rumors fill their Ears The Miracles which he before had wrought Into the minds of people fresh are brought Those wond'rous things did much encrease the strife He rass'd said some the Dead again to Life Gave sight unto the Blind who from their Birth Had never seen the Light that guilds the Earth The Dumb the Deaf the Lepers and the Lame In all Distempers whosoever came Had perfect Cure in every Disease Nay he could hush the Winds and calm the Seas Could dispossess the black Infernal Rout And cast whole Legions of fierce Devils out Of five mean Barly loavs and two small Fishes He made above five thousand plenteous Dishes Thus many talkt what he before had done Grieving to think what now was coming on His gracious words and vertuous Life commended Him to the Multitude but much offended Th' inraged Rulers yet his Innocence Was still so sure a Guard and strong defence That they could not their wicked ends obtain Yet from their malice would they not refrain How often did they in clandestine way Endeavour their blood-thirsty hands to lay Upon this Sacred Prince yet still through fear The people would rise up they did forbear Sometimes they thought to trap him in his words That Law Justice then might draw their Swords And cut him off And then again devise Another course charg'd him with Blasphemies Against the God of Heaven by which way They surely thought they might his Life betray But never could they over him get pow'r Untill his time were come Now now 's their hour The work must needs be carried on with speed When Heaven and Hell about it are agreed Though different ends in these great Agents are Yet in the thing they both consenting were That Christ should be of his dear Life depriv'd Though Hell alone the guilty Act contriv'd Yet God indeed from all Eternitie Knowing what rage and curs'd malignity Would be in their base Hearts resolved then He would permit and suffer these vile men To bring his Purpose and Decree to pass Which for our Good and his own Glory was CHAP. VIII Shewing how the Lord Jesus died in the Sinner's stead Such was his love and yet the Soul an Enemy at that time to him and hated him A full discovery of Christ's bloody Passion enough to make a heart of stone to melt The Prince gives up the ghost Death the King of Terrors insults over Jesus Prince of Light Death is threatned with Death shewing also what fear there was amongst the Devils lest the Prince should rise again and overcome Death A second Council held in Hell the Devils tremble Death subdued Heathen Oracles cease The Devil 's destroyed upon the Prince's resurrection and put to open shame Joy in Heaven Angels sing Saints rejoyce The end of the First Part. BUT to proceed Will you lift up your Eyes And view the Rage of Hellish Enemies The final troubles of the Prince of Light Are coming on Behold a frightful sight A multitude with Clubs and Swords and Spears About his Sacred Person now appears This wretched Rabble's come on a design Which wounds and breaks this stony heart of mine To think upon 't behold they are conducted By the grand Traitor and by him instructed How to proceed on this great Enterprise Which he by Hellish power did devise Arm'd as you heard they seiz'd on him as if He had indeed been some notorious Thief Fond men If you this Prince's Nature knew Your Weapons are too many or too few As Man so meek you need no rescue fear As God so strong he can in pieces tear A thousand Troops that should approach him near Of which a present Instance did appear Some little rays of his dread Deitie He caused to break forth and suddenly They stagger'd and fell backwards on the ground That they might see he quickly could confound Them utterly and lay them at his feet But that he saw it better to submit Unto his Father's Will and take the Cup Which was prepared for him to drink up But they recov'ring strength got up again Regardless of all dread and now amain Resume their purpose and with wicked hands
yield Where flames of Fire were like to Beds of Roses Through Heav'nly Rays wch gloriously composes Their spirits so that they in Triumph sing When half-consum'd in Fire they felt no sting God smiles and Heav'n appears so clear bright All fears and terrors were extinguisht quite But he who for our sakes his Life laid down Is forc'd to bear his Father's angry frown And in our stead he felt his Indignation The bitterest part of all his bitter Passion How heavy is that stroke how sharp that Rod That 's lifted up by men laid on by God When Heav'n and Earth and Hell do all agree To lay on stripes with greatst severitie That grief that pain that anguish must be sore And yet all this for us blest Jesus bore Who that beholds Heav'ns glorious lamp of Light When in his strength obscur'd from our sight By the dark body of the pale-fac'd Moon Making black shades of Night appear at Noon But would conclude from thence the Sun were gone And had forsaken quite our Horizon And yet we know he 's but eclips'd a while And soon will lend the World another smile Disperse those shades that counterfeited Night And fill the Earth again with splendor bright Lo thus our Sun in his Celestial Sphear Is near his setting yet but lend your Ear Unto the Voice th' amazing Voice of Heaven You 'l find an universal notice given Unto the world when this bright Sun went down Heav'ns lightfoot Herauld quickly makes it known Christ lies a bleeding nailed on the Tree And now the universal World shall see Heaven act a part in this black Tragedy The Worlds great Eye the natural Sun whose Rays Each day throughout the Universe displays From East to West from North to South his face Visiting and refreshing every place No sooner doth he spy the Prince near dead But straightway he withdraws his blushing Head That horrid sight bright Sol abhor'd to see And hides his face from Noon till after Three At Three Christ's matchless Torments made him cry Eli Eli lama sabachthani Then was the Temple Vail rent quite asunder The earth did shake the rocks did roar like thunder The Clouds grew thick and such as scatter'd were Conjoin'd to darken all the Hemisphear Thus for three hours Darkness great remain'd All hearts now tremble every spirit 's pain'd Th' Astronomers who starry motions trace And read Earth's wonders in Heav'ns various face Eusebius and other Authors write Were much amaz'd at that unusual sight Their Learning could no natural Causes spy Nor give a Reason of that Prodigie The Moon being then at full just opposite Could not in Natures course eclipse Sol's Light 'T was supernatural what he suffered And that was it which fill'd them all with dread Some smote their breasts whilst others in confusion Drew from the premises this just Conclusion Either the God of Nature suffers now When Sol in Sables muffles thus his brow Or the whole frame o' th World in a short space Will be dissolv'd and end its painful Race These dreadful things which then did come to pass Do fully prove He the Messiah was And many when they saw those Wonders done Cry'd out indeed he was God's only Son Had not this obvious been to every sight A real thing with what great ease then might The Foes of Christ and Christianity Detected all as horrid Forgery But matt'r of Fact being so very clear The Jews and Heathens thereby silenc'd were Thus he yields up at last his painful breath And for a while lay conquered by Death Conquer'd said I forbear my lavish Muse Recall that word and be not so profuse What shall we say The Lord of Life is dead 'T is but a slumber he 's not conquered He only for a while Retreat hath made To bring his Foes into an Ambuscade And soon will rise more gloriously Array'd Thus did the Glory of the World lay down His precious Life to purchase a rich Crown Of Life and Glory for his Spouse whom he Found under Wrath condemn'd eternally Who had receiv'd that Sentence full of Ire Goe go thou Wretch into eternal Fire But he has bail'd her from Hell's gaping Jaws And satisfy'd Justice's strictest Laws By this his Death where he in her stead stood And ransom'd her even with his dearest Blood But hark my Muse What Triumph dost thou hear What Voice is that hoarse sounding in mine Ear 'T is Death doubtless 't is Death that ghastly King Who over Christ doth now insulting sing Now he has got him down I prethee hear How he o're him doth vaunt and domineer The King of Terror's boasting Triumph over Christ whilst he lay in the Grave King of Terrors What am I or from whence For though I be Yet know I not my self nor why to me The mightiest Monarchs bend I rule I raign And am the High and Lofty's Soveraign All tremble at the thoughts of my grim face They look they run yet cannot find a place To hide themselves My Powr's very great Yet know I not who set me in this Seat There 's none that live have liv'd or ever may But I o're them an awful Scepter sway But oh what kind of subject have I here A Subject t' whom no Monarch is a Peer Ah! how I smile to see 't I 'le never fear Being worsted now Alas dost thou submit Art thou likewise brought down unto my feet Who 's able my dread Power to withstand Since thou canst not escape my pow'rful hand Now I have seiz'd thee be assur'd that I Will keep thee down for ever thou shalt lie In the dark Regions of eternal Night Lo here proud Mortals an amasing sight What can't I do since he that made the Day By my strong hand is turned into clay If thou can'st not thy self from me deliver The hope of Creature-man is gone for ever None out of these close Regions can repair Nor re-salute again the ambient Air. I never did so great a Conquest gain O what a mighty Monarch I have slain Now now let me be crown'd victoriously For what is done which none could do but I. Who dares my Triumphs lessen or defer Since I am now a perfect Conquerour Here here Great Prince with me in this dark Cell My Captive thou with other Kings shalt dwell Prince of Light Thou proud Imperious Tyrant prethee hear Don't boast too soon nor vainly domineer A feeble Warriour may the Field obtain When his strong Foe is willing to be slain My Life proud Death thou didst not take away By any strength of thine for I did lay It freely down as God did me command This made me yield my self into thy hand King of Terrors I 'le not contend let that be so or not I have thee safe in my Dominions got And e're thou do return I 'le make thee know What pow'r I have what 't is that I can do My Prisoner thou art and here shalt lie In these dark Cells unto Eternitie Whilst worms on thy
A piece of thine nay but a little part That have deserved more than a whole heart 'T is all the heart or none do'st think it fit Sin and the Devil should have part of it Would any Lover such strange love receive To be contented that his Spouse should have Some other Suiters and to them should cleave What sayst deceived Soul why standst thou mute Disclose thy inward thoughts and grant my Suit O speak or if thy doubtful mind be bent To silence let that silence be consent If thou wilt grant me that whole heart of thine We 'l exchange hearts I 'le give thee all of mine She look'd about she mus'd she paus'd a while Whilst he on her cast forth an Heav'nly smile Sweet rays of Glory glanced from his Eye Enough to ravish all the standers-by So great a lustre from his garments shone It dazl'd all weak eyes to look upon Like as the Sun his glorious beams displays Dispersing every way his sparkling rays When in his strength splendor bright doth shine So glister'd forth his Glory all Divine Ne're such a beauty carnal eyes beheld Ah! one sweet sight of him has wholly fill'd The greatest Soul that liv'd and there is still Enough in him millions of Hearts to fill And none but Him alone can satisfie The Soul of Man the Soul-enlightned eye But stay and hear the Answer which is given By the deceived Soul O let the Heaven And Earth astonish'd stand whilst stubborn she Deny'd his Suit will not persuaded be To o'pe her door who longs to enter in To fill her Soul with joy destroy her sin Soul Strange 't is to me such beauty should be there What so amazing glorious none so fair When I no loveliness in him can see The World and outward pleasures seem to me More rare and spriteful far the better choice Such things I like but for this Lover's voice His Face and Favour I ca'nt so esteem Nor can I leave all things for love of him Therefore be gone and cease thy suit for I Have fixt my mind elswhere my heart and eye Is set on that which outward eyes can see Lord let me not be troubl'd more with thee O stay my Muse reach me an Iron Pen Tâ— engrave this on the marble hearts of men Let Sinners look within then let them read Themselves ungrateful blind and dark indeed Would not each Soul conclude this Creature were Besides her self or else deserv'd to bear The great'st contempt and pity'd be by none That bids such a dear Lover to be gone How oft has he by precious motives try'd The Soul from sin and evil to divide And make her too obdurat heart relent And take such ways as Wisdom do's invent His Passions Sighs and Tears are ready still As the officious agents of his Will To work her to a sence of her estate But she 's alas so dark and desperate That his sweet voice of so divine a strain So moving mov'd her but seems all in vain He sighs for her he knows her sad distress He asks her love but still without success Ah Sinners view your rocky hearts and then Smite on your breasts lament and read agen The glorious Lord his love 's so strange so great He knows not how to think of a retreat His soul is griev'd yet takes not her denial But makes a new Essay another Trial. Jesus Did did I love thee from Eternity And my celestial Kingdom leave for thee Did I Man's humane nature freely take Did I my bed in a poor Manger make Did I engage the cruel'st of all Foes Did I from men and Devils meet with blows Did I such kind of tortures undergoe Which men nor Angels can't conceive or know Did Wrath pursue and Justice fall on me And did I bear it all for love to thee Ah! did I sweat great drops of Sacred Blood Until the ground was sprinkled where I stood And were my feet and hands nail'd to the Tree Whilst my dear Father hid his Face from me Have I with joy delight and chearful heart Indur'd all this excessive pain and smart And out of precious love to thee I bore And must I still be kept out of thy door Shall shall I leave thee then and take my flight Into some foreign Land and let the Night Of dismal darkness be thy lot for ever Where direful Wrath all graceless souls do sever From all sweet shines of my Eternal Face That thou mayst there bewail with shame thy case When shades of frightful darkness thee do cover Thou wilt condole the loss of such a Lover Must I be gone must I my farewel take And leave thee to thy self my heart doth ake To think upon thy state when I do leave thee Far rather would I have these Arms receive thee What slight a Saviour thus a Friend indeed An early Friend a Friend who chose to bleed For thee and in thy stead that so thereby He might enjoy thee to Eternitie Farewel false Soul I bid thee now adieu Take what will follow dread what will insue Grief sorrows sickness and a troubled mind Will thee pursue until thou com'st to find A changed heart and vengeance do's allot Ruin to those thou lov'st who love thee not I 'le kill them all who have insnar'd thy heart Before from thee for ever I depart Ah! how my Soul with a tempestuous tide Of tears is overwhelm'd whilst I 'm deny'd My Suit by thee my passions overflow To see thee slight me and my passion too What tread me underfoot whilst vanity And worldly joys are Jewels in thine eye As if best good and sweet'st content lay hid In that gay fruit which is alone forbid He woo's the Soul says no he still replies He sweetly sues she wickedly denies He woos afresh she answers with disdain I cannot love but he intreats again At last he leaves her and his Suit adjourns He views the Soul and griev'd away returns He bids farewel and yet he bids it so As if he knew not how to take her No. He bids farewel but 't is as if delay Did promise better farewels than his stay He now withdraws but 't is with a design His absence might her heart the more incline To th' love and liking of him or to see What by some other means perform'd may be As Lovers often times by rules of Art Devise new ways to gain upon the heart Of such they love to bring them to their bow Like things sometimes doth Jesus also do T' incline the Sinners heart he hides his face And brings them into a distressed case He lays them on sick beds for to discover The worth and need of such a Sacred Lover Poor Sinners ponder well what you do read And mind those thoughts which woo you to take heed How you neglect slights the day of Grace Or to base lust and vain delights give place Now sickness comes Death begins to fright her And 't is no marvel if the Lord do
do men fly from the Pestilence And wilt not thou learn wisdom Soul from thence Sin is a plague that kills eternally All souls of men unless they swiftly fly To Jesus Christ no Med'cine will do good Nor heal this plague but this Physicians Blood What blindness is there then in thy base heart 'T is not the plague th' Physician must depart Thou shutst the door wilt not let him come in Whose purpose is to heal the plague of sin Nay what is sin 't is poison in a Cup That 's gilt without and men do drink it up Most earnestly with joy and much delight Being pleasant to the carnal appetite Sin 's sâ—cet to him whose soul is out of taste But long alas its sweetness will not last Sin 's sweet to th' flesh that dos it dearly love But to the Spirit it dos poison prove Hast hast thou suck'd this deadly poison in And dost not see thy vital parts begin To swell art poison'd Soul look look about To get an Antidote to work it out Before it is too late The poison 's strong Don't stay a day twelve hours is too long One dram of Grace mixt with repenting tears The grace of perfect love that casts out fears Mixt with that Faith which kills all unbelief Took down with speed will ease thee of thy grief Will purge thy soul and work by vomit well And all vile dregs of venom 't wil expel Unless thou vomit up each dreg be sure No hope of life one sin will Death procure Unto thy soul Repentance is not right Till sin nay every sin 's forsaken quite Not only left but as a poisonous Cup They greatly loath what e're they vomit up No evil like the evil called Sin Which thou dost love which thou tak'st pleasure in Again what 's sin it is an horrid Thief Or a Deceiver nay it is the chief Or grandest Cheater too that e're was known He has rob'd thousands nay there is but one That lives or e're has liv'd but rob'd have bin By this great Thief by this Deceiver SIN No petty Padder his ambitious Eye Doth search about he subtilly does spy Into the place where all the Jewels lie The first he seizes is the Jewel Time He 〈◊〉 robs each Soul of all their prime And chiefest days which mercy doth afford Which should be dedicated to the Lord. And more then this not one good thing they have But them of it does this curst Thief deceive Sweet Gospel Grace nay and the Gospel too And all that glory which they also do Confer on us Souls are deceiv'd hereby And yet they know it not they don't espy The way it works it 's done so secretly Sin robs the soul of its sweet Jewel Peace And in its room do's grief and anguish place Who ever doth this grievous loss sustain Can't have it made up unto him again By Treasures of all Kingdoms here on Earth No valuing it no knowing of its worth Another thing this Thief has in his Eye And lays his Fingers on then by and by Doth bear away it is the Jewel Soul A loss which mortals ever shall condole For had a man ten thousand worlds to lose The loss of them far better had he chose Than lose his soul why would you think it strange What shall a man for 's soul give in exchange There 's one rich Jewel more and 't is the chief That is aim'd at by Satan and this Thief Ah! 't is a thing more worth than all the rest How how can then the value be exprest It is a precious Stone that shines so bright It doth the heart of the great God delight He loves it dear 't is that his eye 's upon And nought he prizes like this precious Stone This Stone poor Soul he offers unto thee What sayst thou to 't canst thou no beauty see No worth in that which God accounts so rare Strange ' t is shall I the cause of it declare Sin blinds thine eyes and dos beguile thee so Thou for a Pepple lets this Jewel go This stone know thou is the Pearl of great price Let not this base Deceiver thee entice To slight dear JESVS wilt be such a fool To lose thy time thy Christ peace and thy soul Be thou more wise and more considerate Thou dost alas thy pleasures over-rate Let 's go to th' ballance prethee Soul let 's weigh The Pearl of price make hast and quickly lay Into the scales the flesh and loads of pleasure For honour all the acts of mighty Cesar And cast whole mines in too whole mines of treasure Add world to world then heap a thousand more And throw them in if thou canst find such store And see which ballance of them is too light Lo it is done and thine 's such under-weight It seems as if thy scale was empty quite Let 's take the Pearl out and then le ts put in An airy bubble now let 's weigh agin See see fond Soul thy scale aloft dos fly There 's nothing in 't 't is less than vanity What folly was 't to make the first compare What weigh the world with Christ no need is there To run that parallel thou now mayst find Thy self deceiv'd thou labour'st for the wind For sin 's compos'd of nought save subtil wiles It fawn's and flatters and betrays by smiles It 's like a Panther or a Crocodil It seems to love and promises no ill It hides its sting seems harmless as the Dove It hugs the Soul it hates when vow 's tru'st love It plays the Tyrant most by gilded pills It secretly insnares the Soul it kills Sin 's promises they all deceitful be Does promise wealth but pay us poverty Does promise honour but dos pay us shame And quite bereaves a man of his good name Does promise pleasure but does pay us sorrow Does promise Life to day pays Death to morrow No evil like to th' evil called Sin Which thou dost love which thou tak'st pleasure in Again what 's Sin a second Dalilah Which in the bosom lies does tempt and draw The Soul to yield unto its cursed ways And resteth not until it quite betrays It's Life into the proud Philistines hands Who take and bind it with base churlish bands Nay and most cruelly puts out its eyes Makes it grind in their Mill. Devils devise All this and more then this when they do get The poor deluded Soul into their net Lastly what 's Sin read thou the former Part Of this small Book O view the bitter smart Thy Saviour bore it pierc'd his very heart Think thou upon his bloudy Agony 'T is that opes best its hellish mysterie And shews the venom which in it dos lie No evil like the evil called Sin Which thou dost love and tak'st such pleasure in Had evil man's fool-hardiness extended No further than himself and there had ended 'T were not so much but O! I do espy Another is much injured thereby Ten thousand times more excellent in worth
stable Moths can't corrupt them nor can Thieves be able To rob us of them Nay yet further-more He that hath them what e're comes can't be poor His Riches can't be spent his Treasury Cannot exhausted be nor yet drawn dry These Riches will rejoyce thee make thee glad Revive thy heart and God will never add Sorrow with them whilst thou dost live on earth They 'l quiet thee and fill thy Soul with mirth They 'l be a breast of such sweet Consolation That when all other dwellers in the Nation Shall be perplext through loss of earthly gain Thou shalt be satisfied and remain In perfect peace nought shall distress thy mind When they shall nought save horrid anguish find Though Gold and Silver will not satisfie The Soul of Man yet this I do espy The loss of them and other earthly things It grief and sorrow to the Spirit brings And so uncertain are things of the world Though here to night e're morning all are hurlâ—d Away from him who now possession hath Like to a bubble are all things on Earth He that on wordly Riches sets his mind Strives to take hold on shadows and the wind But if Christ's Riches once thou dost obtain The loss of them thou never shalt sustain Nor will they leave thee when thou com'st to die But cleave unto and thee accompanie Beyond the Grave ev'n to Eternitie What dost thou say canst make a better choice Than close with Christ O hearken to his voice And don 't with fraud the proffer made to thee If any good thou dost in Riches see Christ's Bounty What sayest thou what hast thou in thine eye Will not Christ's Riches move thee then I 'le try To gain thee by some other property He 's bountiful and of a generous heart Most free and noble ready to impart What e're he hath unto the Soul he loves O see how his Heroick Spirit moves In him whose generous whose bounteous hand Holds forth to thee what e're thou canst demand 'T is thine for asking do but speak the word Thou hast it done O! none like this dear Lord Some mens great Riches seem to overflow Who do a base ignoble Spirit show They treasure up their bags lay heap on heap Yet with a narrow covetous spir't keep All from the poor Nay their own Wives can get But now and then a little in a fit In a good mood sometimes perchance they 'l be Kind unto them though but unfreely free But Christ's rich Bounty does to all extend He stretches forth his hand to Foe and Friend Refined Gold Eye-salve and Rayments white Ev'n all choice things for profit and delight Sweet Frankincense Spicknard Calamas fine Myrrh Saffron with all choice of spiced Wine He freely gives to all O come who will He 'l bid you welcome and your Treasures fill O what doth he then to his Friends impart Unto his Spouse the Soul who has his heart Come eat O Friends and drink abundantly Beloved ones 't was for your sakes that I This Banquet made There 's nought says he too good For those that I have purchas'd with my blood Take Grace and Glory all I have I give you And to my self I will e're long receive you Ask that your joy may now be full for I Can't any thing that 's good your souls deny The Soveraign Power and Dignity of Christ What can I now do more if still thou art Resolved to deny Jesus thy heart If Beauty will not move thee to incline To close with him who longs till he is thine Strange Beauty oft prevails great Conquests gains Like to a mighty Victor binds in chains Those wch would not by other means e're yield Such is the nature of his pow'rful Shield Triumphantly it has obtain'd the Field No standing out against its piercing Darts It hath a secret way to wound those hearts Whose constitution leads them naturally To steer that course and on it cast an Eye To search the sweet which Fancy says doth lye Hid in the same For human Beauty's vain Which some have sacrific'd their lives to gain But Christ's sweet Beauty is a real thing And doth substantial joys and pleasures bring Such pleasures also which will still abide For evermore like Rivers by thy side Shall Beauty which is spotless without slain Nor Riches neither sweet Imbraces gain Nor generous Bounty win thy purer love Then let Ambition thy affections move Is Greatness barren quite of solid joys Are all her Merchandize but empty toys If it be earthly 't is an Airy thing Though 't were to be a Spouse unto a King But let it not be so lookâ—d on by thee To be espous'd to that great Majestie From whom alone true Honour dos descend This Greatness lasting perfect ne'r will end Come Soul let us most seriously now pry Into Christ's Pow'r and regal Soveraignty And next let me his glorious Pow'r show By which he works and all great things can do Some have a Pow'r whereby they can command But to accomplish things do want a hand But Christ in both excels 't is he alone Hath regal Pow'r and what he will have done He can effect i' th twinkling of an eye Though all combine against him far and nigh He 's over Angels as thou heardst before They gladly him do rev'rence and adore The Head o' th Church makes Laws and governs it According as he sees 't is best and fit His regal Pow'r also doth descend And over all the Devils doth extend The Keys of Hell and Death to him are given 'T is he alone can shut and open Heaven Power to Rule to command to forbid To punish or deliver they 'r all hid In him alone 't is he can bind or loose To damn or save 't is all as he doth chuse He 's King of Kings all mighty men below To him their Princely Crowns Kingdoms owe. Yea such an universal Monarch's he Commands the mighty Winds and stils the Sea 'T was by his hand the glorious Heav'ns were made And wondrous Earth's foundations first were laid The Sun the Moon and Stars receivâ—d their light From him at first to rule both Day and Night His Power 's absolute without controle He governs all the World from Pole to Pole His Soveraign Pow'r was not gain'd by fight Or Usurpation but a lawful Right As he is God 't is his essentially Born Heir of it from all Eternity And as he 's Mediator th' God of Heaven This glorious Power unto him has given His Pow'rs Infinite it hath no bound No ends or limits of it can be found He made the World which by him doth subsist Nay he can make ten thousand if he list He can do more than we can think or know Can kill and make alive save or o'rethrow The Conquests he has gain'd demonstrate The matchless Pow'r of this dread Potentate Sin is ore-come the Devil 's forc'd to fly Nay 〈◊〉 hath obtain'd a perfect Victory O're Death o're Hell o're Wrath
o're the Grave And from them all he able is to save If thou wilt but consent grant his request Thou never more by Foes shalt be distrest Ah Soul is 't not a very glorious thing Daily to be thus courted by a King And such a King shall Jesus woo in vain Shall such a Prince not thy sweet love obtain The Wisdome of Christ What say'st to Wisdom from whose Odour springs That wch makes glorious inferiour Men as Kings This spreads the sweet perfume of Solomon's fame 'T was this that rais'd his most illustrious Name The noise of Wisdome made so great report 'T was heard as far as Sheba's Princely Court It made the Lady's Charriot-wheels to run Most swift like to the new-rais'd Eastern Sun Mâ—unting aloft and vanquishing black Clouds She hasts away and through obstructions crouds Defying danger she 's resolv'd to see What Fame reports touching this Prodigie The emulous Queen 's arriv'd she stands amaz'd She lessens wonders and be'ng over-daz'd With this great Beam she breaks forth could not hold But must express that what to her was told In her own Country was in no wisâ— nigh Half what she found did in his Wisdom lie What 's Riches Bounty Honour Beauty rare Unless true Wisdom also do dwell there If Wisdom may a person recommend Christ is all Wisdom Shall I now descend Into particulars wilt lend an Ear Whilst I endeavour to make it more clear Alas I stand amaz'd Can Infinite Perfections be exprest what shall I write He 's wise all-wise only wise shall I speak Wisdom it self i' th' abstract Can I take Upon me then to ope this Mystery When in him doth all depths of Wisdom lie The Wisemans wisdome if 't compar'd might be Was like a drop of Water to the Sea Nay far a greater disproportion's there Should we Christ's wisdom once with his compare 'T was he which did to Solomon impart That wisdom and that understanding heart 'T is he which makes all good men grave and wise To hate all evil and true Vertue prize He to our Fathers doth right knowledg give And 't is by him all pious Judges live Th' infinite wisdome of th' Eternal One Shines forth in him nay 't is in him alone All is laid up he is God's Treasury Where Wisdom and true Knowledg both do lie He knows all things and persons here below Nay perfectly does he the Father know And all Decrees and Counsels which of old Have been and their events he can unfold He knows each glorious purpose and design In him alone do all Perfections shine The frames the thoughts the ways the fears the wants Temptations burdens the grief of Saints Most perfectly he knows and quickly can Save and deâ—end from th' greatest rage of Man For Counsel and wise conduct he exceeds And in the midst of paths of Judgment leads The crafty Counsel of Achitophel He can defeat though laid as deep as Hell He over-turns the wisdome of the wise Confounds their plots and shews what folly lies In their grand Councils making them to know Their purposes can't stand if he says no. He orders things that no design shall take Further than 't will for his own Glory make None like to Christ he is without compare He 's wise as well as wealthy great and fair What 's thy opinion Soul canst not espy All Glory hid in his blest Majesty What hinders then but that without delay Triumph may celebrate th' espousal day CHAP. IV. Shewing how the Conscience of the Sinner comes to be effectually awakened together with the effects thereof THIS being said with bowels of Affection Tho often mixt with gall of sharp detection Her former stubbornness being all laid o'pe Yet this nor that nor nothing gave much hope He should prevail which put him in a maze And did his voice and spirits higher raise He still went on with sweet commiseration Yet was his pity mixt with some small passion And to this purpose did this good man speak Not knowing how his last farewel to take Theologue Poor stupified Soul Alas alas What is the cause whence doth it come to pass Thou art so sensless why dost thou despise All those Soul-melting tears those sighs and crys What is thy heart more harder than the Rocks That thou canst bear these oft repeated knocks And never break at all O strange O strange Thy heart poor Soul isâ—t harder than a stone That feeble drops of water fall upon And makes impression What shall stones relent And yield themselves and as it were consent These frequent droppings should impression make And showers move thee not Awake awake Before the dreadful Message I impart Shall rouse thy hard and sin-congealed heart Thy night comes on thy Sun 's a going down Thy seeming favourites begin to frown So all thy pleasures with their wanton charms Are flying from thee Death spreads forth his Arms To take thee hence unto another place Canst thou poor wretch this ghastly King imbrace What will become of all thy wealth and pleasure Behold alas Death 's come to make a seisure Upon thy poor deceived Soul this night Then all thy joys and empty vain delight Will vanish like the smoke and thou shalt be Cast iuto Prison for Eternitie Where thou shalt evermore bewail thy loss In changing Gold for that that 's worse than dross Shall Beauty Wealth or Honour make thee yield Much more that Wisdom wherewith Christ is fill'd Shall Love and Patience be so ill rewarded By thee by whom he should be most regarded And sensual Objects harbour'd in thy heart Then wilt thou hear what further I 'le impart Soul now thou must be anathematiz'd And when Christ comes how wilt thou be surpriz'd For those that love not Jesus are accurst And when he doth appear for ever must That fearful doom and sentence then receive O may the thoughts of this cause thee to cleave To him with speed before this day is gone I le now break off adieu this think upon Poor drousy wretch let sin no more deceive thee Give me thine Answer now before I leave thee O may these Soul-confounding terrors break Thy stony-heart and make thy Conscience speak Eternal God do thou thy Spirit send 'T is he which must the Soul in pieces rend The work 's too hard for weakness Alas I Shall not prevail if help thou dost deny Speak to her heart set home the Word with Pow'r Shall this be the good day the happy hour Her Conscience touch O wound her let her see What 't is to be a Captive unto thee Open her Eyes blest Spirit thou canst do it Sad is her state O come and let her know it Let not my pains nor labour quite be lost For dear she has my Master Jesus cost Thou canst effectually change her bad mind Which unto sensual Objects is inclin'd O shed and scatter precious Love abroad And unto her some of that grace afford Moral persuasions barely ne're will bring The Soul to love