the weakest sound But yet it strongly eccho'd to the voyce Of his desires and made him love his choyce Even as some bold-fac'd General that dares To storm a well-man'd Town at first prepares A potent Army which he soon sets down Before the Walls of the alarum'd Town He after views the ruine-threatning-Fort Which speaks defiance and begins to sport Their several shots and with a sad delight Ingage each other in a bloody fight Then if the fierce Besiegers once perceive Themselves out-strength'd they think it fit to leave So hot a work and for a little space Desist and fall upon a weaker place Where finding smaller opposition venture With greater courage and at last they enter The yielding Town and cruelly begin To take revenge of them that are within Even so the grim-look'd malice-armed Devil The base-resolved General of Evil Perceiving that he could by no means take The sublime Fort of Heav'n plots how to make A fresh attempt upon a weaker part And so prepares to storm the flexive heart Of unresisting Eve that could not grapple With such a Foe but yielded for an Apple To those most false Alarums which surrounded Her much obedient and soon confounded Her inward parts and gave her Soul a wound Which cannot be by time or art made sound Except the grand Physician please to slake His swelling fury and some pity take Thus are our conquer'd parents sadly left In a deplor'd condition and bereft Of all their comforts they which have enjoy'd The life of happiness are now destroy'd And man his wretched off-spring must be made Sorrows sad heir and Peace must not be said T' inhabit in him Adams actual sin Made ours original for we begin As soon as made to entertain the guests Of Sin and lodg them in our infant-brests Now may our weak and despicable eyes Behold in them our ample miseries Now we may glut the Air with this sad cry The root being dead the branches needs must dye For Adam's gone beyond all humane call Rebellion never ends without a Fall But stay my Muse here let us rest a while Our Journey 's long and 't is not good to toil Too much at first for Reason says 't is best To pause a time and take a little rest Know then kind Reader that my Muse shall meet Thy serious eyes within another sheet The end of the first Book THE SECOND BOOK OF GODS LOVE AND Mans Unworthiness ARe all hopes fled and is there no relief Must man still wander in the shades of grief Will not the eye of Heav'n be pleas'd to shine Upon his Soul but leave him in the brine Of his own sins Is there no warbling voyce Can charm his ears and woo him to rejoyce In being pitiful Will nothing move The much incensed Soul of Heav'n to love Man Map of Misery who can prevail In thy requests or who cut off th' entail Of thy distress 'T is not a writ of Error Can satisfie or guard thee from the terror Of thine own Conscience which will alway stare Upon thy face and load thee with despair 'T is not a Habeas Corpus will remove The body of thy sin none can disprove The Will of God what he resolves to do Must neither be withstood nor div'd into It lies beyond thy power to perswade Thy God to pity whom thy sins have made A wrathful Judg what he intends must be Derived from himself and not from thee For thou hast nothing in thee worth the name Of good because thy glory 's turn'd to shame Thou art corrupt and vile in every part And who can know the evil of thy heart Which like the Ocean that no art nor eye Can search her bottom or her banks disery Therefore till heav'n shal please to change the sâ—â— Of thy condition Reason bids thee wait For be assur'd the promis'd seed will spread It self abroad and bruise the Serpents head Even as the Fountain whose exuberous brest Is always fluent and admits no rest But with a cheerful willingness she sends Her crystal tokens to her smaller friends Even so our God distilleth from above The healing streams of his refreshing love For ah the luster of his Sun-bright eye Is drown'd in tears when our sad Souls prove dry Oh admiration that a God so just Should rain down floods upon a heap of dust Oh Mercy that so much incens'd a God Should send forth Mercy and keep in his Rod His Soul is fili'd with pity and his eyes Begin to view th' unsatiate miseries Of Adams down-cast off-spring Though his ear Seems unto us resolved not to hear Their bitter cries nor note the sad Devotions Of their contristed hearts yet by the Motions Of his blest Soul he sends his Son and Heir Into this wretched world that he might bear The Cross of our Transgressions and expel The clouds of sin and conquer Death and Hell Thus by his death we liv'd and by his grief Our new-calm'd Souls were furnish'd with relief Oh sudden change That wind which did before Drive wretched man upon the threat'ning shore Of unâ—voyding ruine fills the â—ails Of his desires with milde and prosperous gales The Boreas of his sin does now surcease His full mouth'd blasts and Zâ—phyrâ—â— speaâ—s peace Unto his ship-wrack'd Soul and now he rides Upon the new-tam'd backs of pleasing Tydes Oh that my tongue were able to rehearse The Love of God with an Angelike Verse Oh that some heav'nly diety would fill The black-mouth'd concave of my wandring quill With pure celestial Ink that I might write In heav'nly characters and learn t' indite I châ—â—ahs praises in a stile as high As my desires and make the lofty Sky Eccho with Hallelujahs that the Earth May like a Midwife hug the joyful birth Of every word and make each corner ring VVith peals of Joy the Glories of our King Is man deliver'd from the painful womb Of his foul sin and raised from the tomb Of everlasting death and shall not we Applaud that hand which set such pris'ners free VVhat shall we be afraid to â—rack and break The chains of silence and attempt to speak The dialects of Angels No let 's call Vpon his name that rais'd us from a Fall Let 's stretch our lungs with a warbling breath Sing to the life how we were rais'd from death And when our tongues are wearied let 's express By heav'nly signs our real thankfulness But stay where runs my quill what have I lost My self in raptures or else am I tost Into the air of pleasure by the wind Of true delight If Passion proves so kind I am content oh may I always rest Adorn'd crown'd with a Heav'n-ravish'd brest O love ineffable Must wretched Man The spawn of baseness and the unmeasur'd span â—f everlasting infancy be made Loves object Must th' Almighty's love be said To dwell in Man whose tongue cannot deliver The least of thanks unto so great a Giver VVill the Sun-gazing Eagle that soars high Descend t'
with fire and name Himself I AM and make a bush to flame Without consuming He that can convert A Rod into a Serpent and not hurt He that can make his visage shine so bright That not a Moses can behold the light He that can strike a hand with leprosie And cure it in the twinkling of an eye He that can in a moment cut and break Tongue tying cords and make the dumb to speak He that can out of unregarded stones Raise unto Abraham many little ones He that can heal the Cripple with a touch And free him from the thraldom of his Crouch He that can cure the deaf and can expel A thousand Devils in despite of Hell He that can perfect what he first begun Expects that man should say Thy will be done Consider Man and thou shalt find it true 〈…〉 can do all but what he will not do Think not because thou art of low estate That he will scorn to love and love to hate Remember Dives whose unsum'd up store Improv'd so much until he prov'd as poor As ever Iob was Iob unhappy I To speak it he was rich in poverty Heaâ—'n made poor Iob so rich that Satans wealth â—â—uld purchaâ—â— nothing from him but his health And that corporeal too he could not boast His bargain for 't was Iob that purchas'd most Happy is he that can at last inherit Riches obtain'd by an impov'rish'd spirit We 'd better lick with Lazarus the crumbs Then gripe with Dives for Soul-damning sums Welth caÌ„not bride the flames yet scraps may feed The hungry wretch he that has wealth may need The crumbs of comfort David did condole Th' abundant famine of his hungry Soul Gods Love 's not mercenary to be sold For brain-distracting heart-confounding gold Hast thou not heard O Man the heav'nly cry Of him that says Ye that are poor come buy Come buy of me your pen'worth shall be such That for a little you shall purchase much Here 's Love that 's spun unto the smallest thred Tho thou want'st mony yet thou maâ—â— have bred Do thou but ask thou shalt not fail to have For God's more free to give then thou to crave Fear not to ask of him whose ready ear Before thy tongue can ask is apt to hear Heav'n loves the language of a broken heart And he will harken and with joy impart His love unto thee and his milk and wine Without the price of mony shall be thine Th' ingrated pris'ner whose dull tongue is whet With sharp'ned hunger will not fear to let His language fly to every ear that comes Within his audience and he always sums The totals of his grief in hungry words Whilst thousands pass along but few affords The blessing of an Alms perhaps they 'l grieve And seem to pity but will not relieve Yet will he not desist but hourly cry Bread bread for Heav'ns sake bread or else I dye Hard hearred Man why wilt thou not relent To hear thy brother almost hunger spent Craving thy succour Where 's thy love become Because th' art deaf ah woldst thou have him duÌ„b Or dost thou think because thy panch is fill'd He cannot hunger He that first distill'd Those mercies on thy head expects that thou Shouldst feed thy brother with a cheerful brow Say not thou canst not give thy treasure 's light But let thy heart record the widows mite So Hâ—aâ—'n will fill thy Cisterns to the brim And feed thy Soul because thou hast fed him Should the Grandfather of true Charity Pass by thy gates and here thee beg and cry And not relieve thee should he slight thy prayrs And scorn to take a survey of thy tears Wouldst thou not grieve and pine thy self to dust And almost say thy God was much unjust To turn away his ears from thy complaint And disrespect thy pray'rs and let thee â—aint For want of â—oâ—d Ah whither wouldst thou â—ly To feed thy famish'd Soul should Heav'n deny But ah he cannot for his melting Soul Is always free and willing to condole The sad conditions of distressed Man Who only strives to do but what he can To contradict him yet he 'l hear our grief In multitudes of mercy lies relief When our impris'ned Souls peep through the Of this corrupting Earth our God delates Himself unto us and he sends us meat From the rich store-house of his lofty Seat He hears and hearing pities pitying sends And sending blesses and with blessing ends Even as the Sun which every day surrounds The sublime Globe and pries into the bounds Of this darke Center lets his Beams reflect Upon a molehill with as much respect As on a Mountain for his glorious Beams Shine always with equivolent extreams Even so the great and powerful three in one That sits upon his all-inlight'ning Throne Does not deny to let his mercies crown The poorest Peasant with as much renown As the most stateliest Emperor though he Invests his body with more dignitie Yet he 's but earth and must at last decay For Prince and Peasant go the self-same way Their earth must turn to earth their Souls return To him that gave them or for ever burn There 's no distinction one infused breath Made them alike and both must live in death Or everlasting life both must commence Divines in Heav'n there 's no preheminence But all equality all must express With equal Joy their equal Happiness Rouze up dull Man and let thy wak'ned Soul Be vigilant oh let thy thoughts enroul The Love of God engrave it in thy brest That his resounding tongue may read thee blest O let thy sighs like Pens and let thy tears Like Ink transcribe the Love th' indulgent cares Of thy Creator that himself may find Within the unblotted volume of thy mind Himself recorded so will he imbrace Thy spotless Soul and fill thee with his grace Inclâ—â—â— thine cars and let thy heart rejoyce To â—ear the strains of his harmonious voyce Harken and thou shalt hear his Prophets sing Th' admired Mercies of thy glorious King Thus saith the great and ever-living One That rules the Heav'ns and governs Earth alone Thus saith the Lord that takes delight to dwell Amongst his Saints that formed Israel Created Iacob Let thy sorrows slee Out of thy brest I have redeemed thee 'T was I that made thy clouded visage shine And call'd thee by my Name for thou are mine I will be with thee when thy feet shall wade Thorow the waters I will be thy aid I 'le make thee walk thorow rivers and the waves Shall prove ambitious to become thy slaves And when thou walkest thorow the raging fire Th' unruly flames shall not presume to aspire Or kindle on thy garments I alone The Lord thy God and Israels holy one And thy dear Saviour that was always true Gave Egypt Seba and Ethiopia too To ransom thee for thou wert my delight And always precious in my gracious sight Honors were heap'd upon thee and
breed a harmony within the sphere Of his blest Soul be circumspect and lay The best foundation hear what Heav'n will say Adams Petition to God Incensed Father of eternal light Permit a darkened Soul t' approach the sight Of thine incomparable eye unmask Thy anger clouded Soul and let me ask Forgiveness for those loading Crimes which press My staggâ—ing Soul I know not whom t' address My apostare self unto but only thee Whom I offended Please to pity me I have no pleasing Sacrifice t' attone Thy wrathful Brest except a hearty groan That 's quadrupl'd with grief Oh deign to look Upon the lines of my all-blotted book Although I 'm full of most detested spots Yet Lord I know that thou canst read my blots Oh read them then and let thy mercies run With thy progressive eye I am undone If not forgiven Lord I thee implore To shew some mercy to me thou hast store Discipher all my sins and let them not Bâ—ar record in thy rouls but rest forgot Revoke this act of Death that I may sing Th' admired mercies of so blest a King Oh lift me up that now am thrown below Make not my Soul the Custom-house of woe Oh hear these bitter groans that I have spent And send some comfort from thy Parliament Gods Reply Thou skelleton of baseness hie thee hence Disturb me not return I say from whence Thou cam'st at first thou shalt as soon remove A mountain as my mind I cannot love No nor I will not nothing shall intreat My resolutions for my fury 's great Begone proud Rebel do not think thy prayers Thy vows thy groans thy sighs thy sobs thy tears Shall make my brest their receptacle No How can I be a friend to such a foe Surcease thy importunities let fall Thy high desires I will not hear thee call Thy sins have barr'd my ears I 'le not be won With thy base airy words for thou hast spun The thred of thy destruction therefore wear What thou hast labour'd for and so forbear T' intrench upon my patience 't is in vain To seek for that which thou shalt not obtain And is it thus that Heav'n will not regard My cries Ah me and must my groans be heard With disrespect by him whose tongue affords Nothing but grief involv'd with bitter words Alas alas what greater wo can crowd Into a brest then to be disavow'd By Gods high Voyce whose most enraged breath Darts forth the arrows of eternal death What shall I do Oh whither shall I run To hide my self until the glorious Sun Of his affections usher in the day Of welcom Joy Oh whither shall I stray If I am silent then my silence turns My thoughts to fire If speak my speech returns Trebbl'd with wo into the brazen Tower Of my sad heart my language has no power To work upon his ears my words Banded and thrown against th' obdurate walls like balls Unyielding brest bounds back again and breaks Into my heart and every sorrow speaks A volume at a word yet yet must I Return unheard 't is misery to dye And pain to live thus in despair I draw The loathsom air Destruction knows no Law Grief rains a flood of doubt into my Soul Ah me I can do nothing but condole I am despis'd and if I bend the force Of my desires to him he will divorce All thoughts of pity and with rage re-double Th' unsum'd up sums of my infringing trouble I sail into the Straits both wind and tyde Prevail against me and I have no guide To pilate me unto the long'd-for Port Of pleasing happiness I am a sport To threatning Ruine whose presumptuous waves Out-dares my Soul whilst every blast enslaves My reeling Pinnace If I strive to go Towards Scylla Scylla will contemn my wo Alas in vain I can expect relief Scylla will bark at my unbridled grief Or if my head-long vessel chance to hit Against Charybdis I am torn and split Into ten thousand pieces Oh hard hap Thus am I tossed in Destructions lap Where shall I find a heart that will advise My friendless Soul and audiate my cries I will not thus desist I must implore He that 's lost once sure can be lost no more Adams Petition to God Once more thou Metropolitan of all The spacious world I here presume to call Upon thy mercy Oh let me inherit The pleasing fruits of thy re-pleased Spirit I am thy fabrick oh some pity take Preserve the building for the Builders sake Clothe not thy brow with frowns but let thine eye That rests inshrin'd with glorious Majesty Reflect upon my sorrows Oh incline Thy willing ears to hear this grief of mine Oh do not say I shall as soon remove A mountain as thy heart thou canst not love Let not such harsh imbitter'd language flow Out of a mouth so sweet I know I know Thou art as good as great oh therefore bow Thy sacred ears to hear oh hear me now Bestow some scraps on me that have deserv'd Nothing but stripes for I have fondly swerv'd From thy Commands have committed treason Against thy Majesty Great God of Reason View my in-humbled Soul see how it lies Before thy sight a weeping Sacrifice I know thou knowst I am a hainous sinner Yet pity me that am a young beginner In this rich art of begging Do not slight My real prayers I know thou tak'st delight In being merciful oh let me not Return unanswer'd or my prayers forgot Oh hear the sorrows of my bleeding state Let my complaints make thee compassionate And let the fervor of my language turn Thy thoughts to pity quench these flames that burn My wasting Soul speak peace to me that find A civil war in my uncivil mind Oh I have tasted of thy hot displeasure Too much Ah shall thy vengeance know no measure â— Say 't is enough though Lord I must confess I have deserved more yet give me less Thus with a melting heart I end my Suit Ah me how bitter is forbidden fruit Gods Reply Thou bold fac'd Orator how darst thou come Before me or be otherwise then dumb Tell me how dat'st thou interrupt my brest I hate to see thee or hear thy Request Audacious wretch what has my Judgments made Thy heart grow peremptory Have I layd Too small a burthen on thee If I have I 'le lay a greater thou apostate slave I will not note thee nor I will not hear Thy words which have usurp'd my deafned ear Love thee for what be 't known sad wretch I scorn To love a thing so base so vile forlorn And if I cannot love how can it be That I can pity such a worm as thee I 'le neither love nor pity for my heart Is adamantine thou shalt feel the smart Of my displeasure Go my Soul disdains To look upon thee thou art fill'd with stains And smel'st too much of fruit to find respect Thou art the subject of my great neglect Thou art a barren soil nothing
assist the web-infolded Fly VVill he that â—arkens with a willing ear To pleasing musick turn away to hear Confounding discords or will any woo A perjuâ—'d enemy to come and go Into his Courts VVill any hand forbear To strike at him that labours to impair His worth and contumeliously upbraid His upright deeds Will he that is betray'd Affect the Traytor and with patience sue For reconcilement when as death is due All this blest Heav'n will do that he might place Vain man within the Covenant of Grace Consider man how often hath this mirror Of pure affection woo'd thee from thine error Thou unconsiderate dust which every wind Can puff away how canst thou prove unkind To such a Louer that delights to spin His bowels out to nourish thee with in His milky bosom Shall his bounty crave Thy base acceptance Shall he be a slave To his own slaves Ah shall thy God implore And beg of beggars to receive his store Does he whom Heav'n Earth cannot contain No noâ— the heav'n of heav'ns stoop down to gain Thy dull respects And ah wilt thou not raise Thy stupid Soul an inch to give him praise Thy fervent prayers he always will admit Then how canst thou remember to forget A God so mindful How canst thou forbear To numerate his love without a tear How can thine eyes when thou observ'st the Sun Refuse to weep to see him dayly run His painful progress and rejoyce to greet The Earth with luster to direct thy feet Thy sinful feet which every moment slide Into Rebellion loaded with thy pride How canst thou choose when thou behold'st the ground Whereon thou tread'st but voluntary drown'd Thy self in briny floods to think what care Indulgent Heav'n hath taken to prepare For thee before thou wert and how his hand Hath for thy profit fertiliz'd the Land How can thy rocky heart refuse to vent A stream of blood when thou behold'st th' extent Of the unbounded Ocean how it hides Within the bosom of her swelling Tydes Diversities of fish which live to feed Thy gulf of gluttony at time of need Uncloud thy thoughts O Man and thou shalt see He who ordained all these things for thee Created thee for him that thou mayst give The praise to him that lends thee leave to live Be serious Man consider how thou hast Converted all these blessings into waste Know that the great Edificer of things Furnish'd thy Soul with Reason gave thee wings To fly above all mortals and hath crown'd Thy head with heâ—ps of honor and hath bound Inferior creatures prentice to thy will And this he did because thou shouldst fulfil Thy Gods Commands but thou that wert the best Hast made thy self more loathsom then the rest And by thy most detested deviation Abus'd the glory of thy free Creation Though the Majestick Eagles will despise To be assistants to th intangled Flies Yet Heav'n will from his lofty Throne deseend And with a speedy cheerfulness defend The sons of men who dayly are betray'd By those insiduous snares which Satan lay'd T' intrap their Souls Alas how voyd of care Is heedless man how subject to a snare But he whose more then superficial love Is always active lab'ring to improve Our hearts with thankfulness denies to let Our Souls be taken in th' eternal net Of unconceived misery and live In lasting death not having power to give The least of drops unto our howling tongues But uck the flames until our sulphurous lungs Crackle and belch forth brimstone till we tire Our Carbonado'd members in a fire That 's inextinct the more we strive to turn Our parched Souls still more and more they burn Revolve these things within thy serious mind Oh Man let Love instruct thee to be kind To him that 's loving do not disrespect A God whose Soul so dearly can affect Pour out thy thoughts and practise to relent And let thy thoughts induce thee to repent Grasp opportunity Time 's always flying God's always living and thou always dying Dy then before thou dy'st redeem the time Because thy days are evil learn to clime Jacobs erected ladder thou shalt see Th' adst better clime a Ladder then a Tree As Judas did Be wise and do not fan Thy Soul with air remember what a span Thou art remember whose inspired breath Made thee a Soul forget not whose sad death Made thee alive be mindful that thou art Th' Epitomy of Heav'n inure thy heart To love the best of loves so shall thy brest Be fill'd with comfort and thy Soul with rest Prepare and know the very fowls delight To prune their wings before they take their flight Although terrestial Kings will not permit A Traytor to his Courts noâ— let him sit Before his presence though they will not hear A Malefactors pray'rs yet Heav'ns blest ear Is always open and his tongue invites Repentant sinners for his eye delights To view them in his Courts when they appear For muddy waters may at last prove clear 'T is not unlike ill scented dunghils may At last bear flowers that which is foul to day To morrow may prove fair the thing that cost Millions of silver may as well be lost As things of smaller value Heav'n can spy A mite as well as mountains for his eye Is lodg'd in every cranny of mans heart And he knows all that searches every part Where breathes that Mortal that can apprehend The ways and thoughts of God who knows the end Of his beginning He that can break a rocky heart in twain And re-unite it if he please again He that can part the boiling waves and stand Upon the Seas as on the dryest Land He whose celestial power can make the graves To open and command their slumbâ—ring slaves To rise nay more to stand nay more to walk Nay more if more then this may be to talk He that can make a Whale to entertain A Jonah and to spâ—e him out again He whose Almighty Power can unlock The flinty bowels of a serâ—gged Rock And make her headlong-gushing streams abound To wash the bosom of the thirsty ground He that can transmutate by power divine The poorest water into richest wine He that can curb rude Boreas and asswage The lawless passion of the Oceans rage He that can rain down Manna to supply The craving stomacks of mortality He that can like an all-commanding God Make Almonds flourish from a sapless rod He that can make the Sun and Moon stand still Or run according to his sacred Will He that sav'd a Daniel from the paws Of Lyons and can muzzle up their jaws He that can make the greedy Ravens carry Food to his Servants like a Commissary He that can with an unresisted hand Dash fire into Ice and counter-mand The wanton flames and charm them that they dare But burn his servants cords and not their hair He that can cause ten thousand to be fed With two small fishes and five loaves of bread He that can clothe himself
most sacred mercies which thy hand 〈◊〉 upon me there is no Command But I have broke vec gracious Lord I know That thy abounding mercies 〈…〉 〈…〉 excelling 〈◊〉 which cannot lie 〈…〉 â—urveying eye With shame I must confess the subtile art Of Satan hath impoysoned my heart Oh I am sick to death I swell I burst Never was any soul so much accurst There 's none but thee thou sacred antidote Can cure my grief be therefore pleas'd to note My sad condition let my sorrows lye Before thy face oh hear me when I cry Grant me the shield of faith that I may stand In opposition to the powerfull hand Oâ— active Satan weaken Lord his powre And add unto my strength Let every hour Afford new mercies mercies that may sail Into my breast ah should my Foc prevail Oh then I perish shorten Lord his chain And lengthen out my patience oh make vaine His fierce attempts that he may feel and see When he is strongest I 'm as strong as he Then shall my lipps extoll thee and proclame The greatness of thy glory and his shame Give but thy grace unto me Lord and then Say what thou wilt my tongue shall say dmen Sat. Let everlasting plagues and horror dwell Within so fit a soul let black-mouth'd Hell Remove his scituation and take An everlasting Lease oh let him make A Tenement of thee dost thou think that I Will here thy prayers oh no I scorn thee fiye Away begon Sou What voyce is this that makes this bold intrusion Into my eares and grumbles out confusion Me thinks I see a storme-portending cloud Bowel'd with thunder and I hear a loud And horrid noise a noyse that would confound A wel-prepared eare to here the sound Who would not quake at such a voyce as this That roares forth Malice with an Emphasis My thoughts are interrupted and amasement Flashes like Lightning through the brittle casement Of my ill-glaâ—ed brest It cannot be The voyce of Heav'n a God so pure as he Hates to be envious malice cannot spring From such a good and love-composed King Although his voyce made terrible oft-times By the addition of mans dayly crimes Thunders against a sinner yet his breath Can take no pleasure in a sinners death Hereafter Lord when malice findes a voyce To speak my understanding shall rejoyce In knowing who it is this heart of mine Shall never quake at any voyce but thine Then let hels deep-mouth'd blood-hound roar thunder I le neither fear nor love nor quake nor wonder For 't is not strange to here a Lyon roare That wants his prey the more he has the more He seeks for more imploying still his power In seeking how and whom he may devour Know therefore Sathan that I am prepar'd To meet thee and I will not be out dar'd T is not thy false malisluous tongue shall tempt My heart to love no nor thy rage exempt My thoghts from heav'n although thy craft stil lurks For opertunity to stop good works When I compose my self and strive â—o pray Thou seek'st to tâ—râ— my thoughts another way Thou great corrupter of Diviner parts Thou watchfull theif that steal'st into the hearts Of silly moâ—tâ—ds think not to devour My armed heart with thy persuing power Will nothing move thee wilt thou still mistrust Sat. If fare means will not move thee foul means must What dost thou think my arm is grown so short It cannot reach thee dost thou think to sport with my commands say thou imperious mite Who gave thee beeing who created light Who made the Heav'ns the earth the sea reply Audacious wretch speak was it thee or I Thou vain contender dost thou think to gain By striving with me any thing but pain Oh no thou shalt not for I le still renue Thy pinching sorrows therefore bid adue To all thy comforts for thou shalt no more Injoy those blessings thou injoyd'st before Oh how thy horrid tongue shall roar and cry With Dives for a drop but no supply Shall dare t' appear the more thou crav'st the less Thou shalt be heard for nothing shall expresse The least of pleasure to thy per boyl'd heart Thy chiefest food shall be perpetuall smart Be well assured that thy eares thy eyes Shall hear nor see nought but extremities Begon begon my fury hates delay Hell and damnation be thy lot away Sou. Experience makes me understand thou art A lively actor of a deadly part I finde the greatnesse of your swelling rage Your Prologue speaks 't would be a bloudy stage If you might act as King but Heav'n prevent The cursed plots of your accurst intent I fear thee not because I know thy powre Is limitted and thou canst not devoure Without commission therefore do thy worst And let thy envie swell untill it burst And sall to nothing my Creator gives Me faith to say that my Redeemer lives And wil protect me from the rage of those That are my known and secret deadly Foes Thy thundring words shal not make me complying For he 's unwise that dyes for fear of dying Thus being guarded with the shield of grace I le spite deffiance in thine impious face Thou art a Lyon and thou seek'st for blood How bad 's that soul that dares to think thee good Urge me no more cashiere thy fruitlesse trouble The more thou striv'st the more I le strive to double My resolutions for I dare not venture To rest my heart on such a bloody center Oh no I dare not he that shal let goe A certain friend for a most certain foe Justly deserves to have no other fame But what reproach can build upon his name Should I permit my rambling thoughts to glance Upon thy love the Plea of Ignorance Could not be prevalent because 't is known Unto the blest-united three in one That I by his assistance have discry'd Thy reall slat'ry and thy humble pride I dare affirm no greater pride can be Then that that 's acted with humility But here I 'le stop and leave thee to inherit Th' effects of a diabolique spirit Sat. Accursed chatâ—ffe dost thou think to scape The fury of my hand or make a rape Upon my goodness no the Sun and Moon Shall stop their usuall progresses as soon As I will change my minde vengeance is mine And I le repay it on that Soul of thine Begon begon expect thy sudden doom It is thy sins give punishment a room Let everlasting Plagues and horror dwell Within so â—it a Soul let black-mouth'd Hell Remove his scituation and so take A still continuing Lease oh let him make A ten'ment of thee dost thou think that I YYill hear thy Prayers oh no I scorn thee sye Away begon Sou If words could kill I had been ere this time Worded to death but now I hope to clime Above the reach of words in thy despight Where thou may'st grumble at me but not bite Even as the surly blood-desiring dog Ty'd with a chain or loaded
followed with a morning joy Hear thou my cry and send relief That tak'st no pleasure to destroy If thou wilt lengthen out my days Their task shall be to sing thy Praise Ejaculat. 31. Lord thou that hoord'st thy Grace for those That love and fear thy sacred Name Redeem me from my conqu'ring Foes And vindicate my trust from shame Give me fair Conquest at the end Till then true courage to attend Ejaculat. 32. Let my confession lanch my sore And let forgiveness cure my wound Lord teach me early â—o implore For I am lost till thoâ— art found Then shall my joyful Songs express Thy Praises and my thankfulness Ejaculat. 33. Great Lord of Wonders thou by whom My heart was fram'd and form'd alone From whose high Power all powers come That didst but say and it was done Appoint the remnant of my days To see thy Power and sing thy praise Ejaculat. 34. Lord let the Sun-shine of thy face So clear mine eyes so cleanse my heart That being season'd with thy grace My Soul may taste how sweet thou art O let thy mercy make me just And then my heart shall fear and trust Ejaculat. 35. Lord plead my cause and right my wrong And take my Snarers in their snare O be not from me Lord too long Lest they triumph and I despair Let all my Foes be cloth'd with shame Whil'st I sing praises to thy Name Ejaculat. 36. Fountain of Light and living Breath Whose Mercies never fail nor fade Fill me with life that hath no death Fill me with light that hath no shade Confound the proud in their pretence And let thy wings be my defence Ejaculat. 37. Be thou my Trust my God and I When â—â—â—ners thrive will not repine Or if my wants should want supply I will not fret I will not whine What if their wealth my wants increase They shall have plagues at last I pâ—ace Ejaculat. 38. Lord in thy wrath correct me not For I confess and hate my sin My flesh consumes my bones do rot â— â—â— pains without and panâ—s within O thou that art the God of Rest Release my sin relieve my brest Ejaculat. 39. Lord curb my tongue and make we see How few my days how short their length Incline my heart to trust in thee Remove thy scourge or give me strength I am a Pilgrim hear my cry And send some comfort ere I dye Ejaculat. 40. Lord thou whose Mercies do exceed O fill my language with thy praise Stand thou my Helper at my need Confound the wicked in their ways Be thou my Comfort in my grief And crown my Patience with â—elief Ejaculat. 41. Lord if thy pleasure make me poor Thou wilt bless them that give me bread If thy sick hand hath scourg'd me sore That hand that struck will make my bed Sustain me Lord be thou my Store I shall be neither sick nor poor Ejaculat. 42. My God full tears are all the dyet That feed my sad my drooping brest In my distress in my disquiet Be thou my Stay be thou my Rest Be thou my God in my relief And I will triumph in my grief Ejaculat. 43. Lord right my wrongs and plead my right Against all those that seek my Ill O let thy perfect Truth and Light Conduct me to thy holy Hill Then shall thy Altar make relation Of thy due Praise and my Salvation Ejaculat. 44. Lord our fore-fathers found redress In all their frights in all their fears Wilt thou be dumb to my distress And not my God as well as theirs Redeem my Soul whose loyal knee Ne're bow'd to any God but thee Ejaculat. 45. Great Bridegroom fill thy dearest Spouse With outward glory inward graces May she forget her fathers house And only clinge to thy embraces Affect her heart with Love and Duty And then take pleasure in her Beauty Ejaculat. 46. Lord help me when my griefs do call In my distress O be thou near Then if Earth change or Mountains fall I will not â—aint I will not fear Shew me thy Wonders and inflame My heart to magnifie thy Name Ejaculat. 47. Lord let thy Judgments fill all those That love thy Mount with joy and â—â—rth Confound and crush all Sions Foes Sion the glory of the Earth Let all that love thy Sions glory Recount her State repeat her Story Ejaculat. 48. Lord teach me wisely to contemn All goods that transitory be Let me not stand possest of them If they be not possest in thee If I be wealthy and not wise I live but like a beast that dyes Ejaculat. 49. Lord God of gods before whose Throne Stand fire and storms O what shall we Reâ—ues to Heav'n that is our own When all the world belongs to thee We have no offering to impart But praises and a wounded heart Ejaculat. 50. Lord if thy Mercies purge my heart Concâ—â—â—'d in lust and born in sin Breathe truth into my inward part Renew me a firm spirit within Then let thy goodness not detest The ruines of a broken brest Ejaculat. 51. Let others boast in gold and prize Ev'l more then good and love deceit Thy Mercies Lord are my supplies And on thy Name will I await Lord let thy Mercies still inure My brest to love the thing that 's pure Ejaculat. 52. Lord if thou take away thy hand How all compos'd of fears are we What Arm can save what strength can stand When Man poor man 's forsook by thee Lord keep my Faith in thee unshaken For thou forsak'st not till forsaken Ejaculat. 53. Lord let thy Name secure and free My threat'ned Soul from all my Foes Stand thou with them that stand for me Support all these suppress all those Then shall my Soul division run Upon thy Praise till Time be done Ejaculat. 54. Hearer of Prayers confound my Foes That bruise my tortur'd Soul to dust In man alas there 's no repose Foes have no pity Friends no trust My trust is in thy Word which says They shall not live out half their days Ejaculat. 55. O God the malice of my Foes Encreaseth dayly more and more But Lord thou art my safe repose Thou art my strength thou art my store Be thou my gracious God and then I will not fear the pow'r of men Ejaculat. 56. Be gracious Lord unto my grief For in thy shadow do I trust O send me plentiful relief For thou art merciful and just Then shall my spirits utter forth Twi light Hosanna's to thy worth Ejaculat. 57. Lord keep me from those hearts and tongues That practise mischief from the womb Weigh right to them that weigh us wrongs And let confusion be their doom But let the Just be fill'd with mirth And fear that God that rules the Earth Ejaculat. 58. Lord save me from my Foes make voyd Their Plots and all their Counsels vain For ever let them be destroy'd For in thy hand my hopes remain And I will always spend my days In Hymns of thanks and Songs of praise Ejaculat. 59. Lord
though we feel the bitter taste Oâ— thy displeasure for a while Yet thou art gracious and at last Thy angry brow that frown'd will smile O when that storm is over-blown Thou 'lt trample those that tread us down Ejaculat. 60. Lord hear my troubled voyce and bring My Soul to that sweet Rock of Rest Protect all those that strive to sing Thy praises with a cheerful brest Let comfort with our years increase That we may praise thy Name in peace Ejaculat. 61. Lord God from whom all mercy springs Instruct my hopes to wait on thee Teach me what vain and fruitless things The helps of what is earthly be All strength belongs to thee alone 'T is thou my God must help or none Ejaculat. 62. Lord how I long to see thy face That I might spend me in thy praise Thou art my glory in disgrace Sustain my steps direct my ways Thou art my Refuge when opprest With grief my Joy with toyl my Rest Ejaculat. 63. Lord hide me from my bloody Foes For in thy goodness do I trust Protect my sought-for life from those That shoot in secret for the just So then shall I that fear thy Name Have cause of glory they of shame Ejaculat. 64. Thou gracious Hearer of Requests Hide all my sins behind thy merits Showre down thy Spirit into our brests And drop thy grace into our spirits That from our faith rich works may spring And give us cause to shout and sing Ejaculat. 65. Lord if thy flame must needs be felt Let us be purged in that flame Let our rebellious spirits melt Into the Praises of thy Name That we being tutor'd and kept under May fear with love and love with wonder Ejaculat. 66. Lord let thy favour still inflame Our light'ned hearts to walk thy ways That all the World may praise thy Name And all the Earth may sing thy Praise So fructifie our hearts that we May bless thy Name being blest by thee Ejaculat. 67. Lord rise in pow'r within my heart And chase my sins thy Foes and mine Then shall I see thee as thou art In Glory great in Power divine So I more white then Snow shall sing Thy ways and praise my God my King Ejaculat. 68. To that sweet Lamb which did sustain Grief above weight Pain above measure Whose stripes and scoffs and grief and pain Were only purchas'd by our pleasure Be Honor Glory Praises given By Souls on Earth by Saints in Heaven Ejaculat. 69. Let shame be their due recompence That seeke to wound my Soul with shame Be thou their help and strong defence That seek thee Lord and love thy Name Make haste O God for I do waste My Soul with grief O God make haste Ejaculat. 70. Lord thou that underneath thy wing Didst keep me in and from the womb Assist my age that it may sing Thy praise in ages yet to come Preserve my Soul protect my name Shame be to them that seek my shame Ejaculat. 71. Great Prince of Peace whose Kingdom brings Justice Redemption Power and Peace That bends the knees and hearts of Kings And fill'st all Nations with encrease All Praises Honor Glory be Ascrib'd alone great Prince to thee Ejaculat. 72. O God whose dreadful Voyce like Thunder Affrights the Earth and shakes the Ayr Whose Works and Ways are full of wonder That hear'st my plaints and grant'st my pray'r Forsake me not but when I stray O let thy Crook reform my way Ejaculat. 73. O thou whose Mercy did begin Before all Time unty'd to Times As thou forgav'st our Fathers Sin Be like wise gracious to our Crimes Th' art now a God as well as then And we as they no more then men Ejaculat. 74. O God the Sion of my Soul Is wholly desolate and waste Where thou shouldst rule my lusts controul O Lord relieve O God make haste Then shall my heart and tongue proclaim Eternal Praises to thy Name Ejaculat. 75. Glorious Creator make thy face to shine On this our poor distressed Land Defend and dress thy fading Vine And bless the Man of thy right hand Let thy Free grace inflame our hearts And we will sing thy praise in parts Ejaculat. 76. O God our Song our Strength whose hand Hath broke our bonds and set us free Incline our hearts to thy Command And we will own no God but thee Conduct and feed us as thy Flock And give us honey from thy * Rock Ejaculat. 77. Direct O God the Judges brest Preserve his hands his eyes upright That he may vindicate th' opprest And guard him from injurious might O let him know that he shall be As Judg of others judg'd by thee Ejaculat. 78. Lord cast thine eyes upon thy Foes Confound their Troops that are combin'd Against thy Flock which thou hast chose Make them like chaff before the wind Defeat their plots with sudden shame That they may seek Jehovah's Name Ejaculat. 79. Lord teach mine eyes my will my heart To see to choose and to desire Thy beautious Courts wherein thou art O fill my thoughts with holy fire Be thou my Sun whose glorious Rays May light my Soul to sing thy praise Ejaculat. 80. O God remit thy Peoples Sin And shew the Sun-shine of thy Face Repress thy fury and begin T' inspire us with thy saving grace That Righteousness and Truth may meet And light our hearts and lead our feet Ejaculat.. 81. Great Spring from whence all mercy flows To them that trust and love thy Name Give me thy strength and then my Foes Shall see thy greatness and their shame Be thou my Way my Truth my Light So shall I live and dye upright Ejaculat. 82. Sion the glory of the Earth And Subject of my holy Passion May all the Well-springs of my mirth Be â—ounded upon thy Foundation Of all delights I wish no other Then to be Son to such a Mother Ejaculat. 83. Lord let thy fury cease to burn Or else my Soul must cease â—â—â—e Can praises issue from the Urn What thanks can ashes give to thee Enough if thou but undertake me Let death surprize let friends forsake me Ejaculat. 84. Lord thou whose Mercy fails not those That build their trust upon thy Name Protect my Soul from all my Foes Then shall my tongue thy worth proclaim So shall the remnant of my days â—â— crown'd in Peace and thou with Praise Ejaculat. 85. Eternal God before whose Eyes A thousand years seem as a day Direct our hearts and make us wise To use that time we cannot stay Send Joy to our sad hearts and bless Our prosp'rous actions with success Ejaculat. 86. Though thousands here ten thousands there Do dayly fall before mâ—ne eyes I will not faint I will not fear Beneath the wings of the most High Let me be guarded Lord by thee Then I 'le not fear nor faint nor flee Ejaculat. 87. Lord purge my Soul that I may learn To read my Fortunes by thy hand Let my instructed Soul discern That worldly bliss is
thou not acknowledg him that gave Large blessings to thee and desires to save Thy Soul from torments if thou wouldst incline Thy will to his whose thoughts are all divine Forget obduracy and learn the art Of loving him that loves an upright heart Go ruminate upon thy base estate And be unto thy self compassionate Yield to thy Maker with a cheerful brow First know what 't is to love and after how Love is the Laws Fulfiller he that will Love God aright must practise how to fill His Soul with true affection for the ways Of Heav'n are pav'd with Love Immortal praise Attend his Courts He that forgets to love Forgets his God They that desire to prove Heav'ns amatorious Guests must first admire How such a spark as Man came to aspire To such a flame and how he came to be Not only Earths but Heav'ns Epitomie Be serious then and let thy thoughts reflect Upon Heav'ns goodness and thy disrespect God out of Nothing except Love compil'd This spacious World as if some princely child Were to be born His providential care Was as it were ambitious to prepare The quintessence of pleasures to invite Some stately Guest to banquet with delight First he extracted from a darksom Cell A glorious Light whose beauty pleas'd him well Then he prepar'd a Canopie inlayd With glittring Pearl whose twinkling luster made A heav'nly shew and afterwards his hand Dasht back the waters from the naked Land Then he commanded that the Earth being come Out from the Oceans new delivered womb Should be adorn'd with an imbroidered Gown That so her new-warm'd bowels might abound With several fruits Thus having playd his part Upon this Theatre this life of art He usher'd in a thing which pleas'd him best He made the Feast and after made the Guest Call'd by the name of Man a naked small And dusty shiftless Creature this was all And all this nothing but a lump of death Until inspir'd by Heav'ns all quick'ning breath Vain simple wretch ah how couldst thou behave Thy self before a Judg so great so grave Hadst thou but seen thy self thou wouldst have Thy self to death and with a blush defy'd cry'd Thy base estate to think that thou shouldst be Natures most rude and base Anatomie Couldst thou expect that Heav'n would entertain A thing so poor so weak so vile so vain Which like a spark blown from a new-made fire Can only shew it self and then expire Was it for this the All-Creator made Such large Provisions Was 't for this he layd Such rich Foundations Was 't for this his Power Deckt this well-pleasing odoriferous Bower Was it for this this little world he form'd A world so great Was it for this he warm'd The Earths chill bosom Was 't for this he spent His six days labour Was 't for this intent He made a Paradise where Flora spread Her fragrant Off-spring and made Earth a bed Of rare compounded Pleasures where he plac'd This new-come Guest whose very looks disgrac'd The face of beauty to whose thriftless hand He gave that Government with this Command Of all the trees that here thou dost behold Thy lips being authoriz'd thou mayst be bold To taste with freedom only one which I Conjure thee from therefore restrain thine eye From lusting after it if not thy breath Shall glut it self in everlasting death Forget not my Commands but let thy brest Be always faithful and thou shalt be blest Thus the Recorder having spoke at large This well-deliv'red although ill-kept Charge He after said It is not good that Man should be alone Without a help I le therefore make him one Oh sacred Prudence Here we may discern A sweet Conjunction here our Souls may learn Wisdom and Love both which if not enjoy'd Pleasures prove vanities and Blessings voyd Heav'n whose unidle artful hand had set Man as a Jewel in his Cabinet Thought it unfit that those delights which he Had made by his most powerful Love should be Monopoliz'd by one he therefore laid Adam asleep and having done he made Out of a crooked rib strange kind of art A woman fair compleat in every part Nay and a helper too for in conclusion She helpt poor Adam to his own confusion Oh most detested deed Unconstant wife To prove a Traytor to thy husbands life As soon as made Fond wretch could nothing suit With thy nice pallate but forbidden fruit Ah could thy longing lie no longer hid What didst thou long because thou wert forbid Was there no tree that could content thine eye But only that which was forbidden Fie Oh shame to think thou shouldst so quickly waste Thine hours of pleasure for a minutes taste Couldst thou not like or fall in love with any But that Heav'n had but one thou hadst many Wherewith to please thine appetite and yet Wouldst thou prove so ambitious as to sit Upon the highest twigg Ah could th' advice Of Satan tempt thee to this avarice With so much ease and make thee rashly do So foul a deed and tempt thy Adam too Preposterous wretch how hast thou spread a cloud Over thy head What didst thou think to shrowd Thy self from vengeance Having eat thy death Couldst thou expect to live Oh no thy breath Offended Heav'n but ah hadst thou but thought Before thy heart had entertain'd a fault So great as this what 't was to dye thy mind Had made thee more abstemious and confin'd Thy base inordinate desires thy meat Had prov'd delightful and thy comforts great But now unhappy now thy crimes have made Thy Soul Deaths debtor and thou art betray'd By thine own self therefore prepare to meet Thy wrathful Judg 't is said stoln goods are sweet But thine provd sour the fruits wch thou hast stole Sugar'd thy mouth but wormwoodiz'd thy Soul VVhen thou hadst eaten Ah! why didst thou â—oâ— Tremble to dâ—ath to think thou hadst forgot Thy Gods Commands that his Judgments must Follow thy Soul and blow thee into dust Thus â—ivâ— thus Adam having vilipended Their Gods Commands their happines soon ended Their joys were turn'd to mourning their light VVas turn'd to darkness and their day to night Both being too much conscious fled with speed To hide themselves from God but not the deed Even as some poor distressed wretch desires To hide himself from the enraged fires Of his incensed Foe runs up and down To shun the rage of a condemning frown At last observing his enquiring Foe Approach the place lies still and dares not blow For fear the wordless Eccho of his breath Should soon betray him to a sudden death Being at last discry'd his throbbing heart Gives an Alarum to each trembling part Fear like an Earthquake then begins to shake His loos'ned joynts he knows not how to make A ready answer to his foes demands But as a sad convicted man he stands Subjected to his will that can dispence With nothing but with death to calm th' offence Even so guilt-loaded Adam having done A
will grow Upon thy heart except the seeds of woe Tell me from what conceit dost thou derive Thy working confidence that thou dar'st drive Thy language to my ears and be so bold T' approach my sight and wilt not be controul'd Art thou resolv'd to make what dost thou mean My ears thy stage and every word a scean Sum up thy small thy weak deserts and see What large respects thou hast deserv'd from me I plac'd thee in a garden not to eat The â—â—uit forbidden but to keep it neat Had not the violation of my Laws Mov'd me to anger thou hadst had no cause T' ave felt the burthen of my weighty stroke Or live thus much subjected to the yoke Of thine own sins most shameful is that loss That 's crown'd with negligence great the cross That 's made with a self-hand and they that clime Above their strengths impropriate a crime To their own Souls Destruction is the end Of all Rebellion Ruine knows no friend Suppose I should invest and entertain Your Soul with love and call thee back again The tree is still the same the fruit as sweet Thy appetite as great and thou mayst meet A Serpent too whose oratorious skill May soon intreat thee to enact his will He has a voyce to tempt and thou an ear Will re-assume the priviledg to hear He has a hand to give and thou another Freely to take thus wouldst thou quickly smother Thy new delights therefore I will not trust A heart that can be nothing but unjust Thou great Mugul of baseness cease to plead Thy tongue 's a canker and thy words are lead Thy sins have made thee not deserve the air Thou entertainâ—st hadst than implay'd thy care To serve me when I lov'd thee thou hadst had My heart-delighting joys to make thee glad But now expect no favour for no art Of thine shall ever captivate my heart Hie thee unto the shades of grief bewail Thy sequestrated happiness no bail Of thy procuring will I take to set Thy Soul at liberty I will not let The vision of a comfort creep within Thy rambling thoughts thou art a slave to sin Hadst thou but lov'd or fear'd me at the first Th' adst been as happy as th' art now accurst If now thou lov'st me I shall quickly prove It is for fear alone and not for love Thy heart is steel'd with wickedness thy faults Are sparks enlivened by thy flinty thoughts Breathe out thy groans unto a sensless rock And let thy sighs like hammers beat and knock Against her scragged sides thou shalt as soon Have her consent as mine to grant thy boon 'T is therefore vain to multiply thy words For ah my brest my hardned brest affords Thy Soul no pity and the more thy cry Attempts my ear the less I will reply Alas thy guilt-o're-burth'ned words renew Fresh thoughts of rage I cannot hear thee sue Without impatiency for ah the longer Thou crav'st thou mak'st my fury grow the stronger Avoid my presence for I will no more Give audience to thy voyce then cease t' implore Adams Lamentation Undone undone â— what mountain now will hide My lothed body from the swelling tyde Of raging Vengeance Whither shall I fly T' involve my Soul with true security Stretch stretch my lungs and roar unto the deep To entertain me Oh that I might sleep Within her wavey bowels till the blast Of Heav'ns all-shaking thundring Voyce were past Oh that some rock would hear my sad request And give me burial in her frigid brest Oh that my grief-extended voyce could cleave The solid Earth and make her to receive My wretched limbs Oh that some ranging beast Would prove so courteous to devour and feast Upon my corps Oh that I could contrive A way to live and yet not be alive Ah thus my sorrow-shaken fancy flies And envies at impossibilities I fain would dye but that I have no heart To kill my self and yet I feel a smart Transcending death I see I cannot shun The wrath of Heav'n Ah thus am I undone By my own doing this it is to eat Forbidden fruit Oh most pernicious meat I was too rash and rashly have I taken A deadly fall and falling am forsaken I 'm bruis'd to death and yet I cannot dye Ah what can be so much unblest as I I am inflamed and I dayly drench My Soul with tears and yet I cannot quench My raging fires the more I strive t' asswage And mitigate my pains the more they rage What shall I do or whither shall I go To hide me from this Labyrinth of Wo I am compos'd of sorrow and my veins Instead of blood are fill'd with griping pains Curst be these eyes of mine which have let in The lawless Tyrant of imperious Sin Curst be these lips of mine which at the suit Of my fond wife receiv'd forbidden fruit Curst be these ears that entertain'd the charms Of that inchantress which procur'd my harms Curst be these hands of mine which took and fed My greedy Soul and struck my Conscience dead And now my lips my ears my hands my eyes Must see hear taste and feel my miseries Oh sad condition Since there 's no relief I must be subject to perpetual grief Here we will leave poor Adam in the state Of woe and thus begin to ruminate Are there not many in this tollsom age That meditate themselves into a rage And wonder how a Serpent could express Himself and reason with such readiness Being by nature brute nay and the worst Of living creatures that he should at first Perswade and conquer and instruct his will How to determine both of good and ill It would seem strange if Reason were without Her wings and could not fly above this doubt We may and yet not stain the truth declare It was the work of Satan to ensnare Frail Eve although he was not nam'd at all By Moses in the Hist'ry of the Fall It may not trouble us for we must know The bending Serpent was the Devils bow By which he shot the arrows of his spite Which did Oh grief to speak it fly too right And he that dares so high a Crime to act Though by another needs must own the fact And this our tongues may never cease to tell The Serpent was the Instrument of Hell Tun'd to the Devils voyce thus we may see His fraud his malice and his subtiltie First when he saw he could not over-turn The great Creator he begun to burn With flames of envy lab'ring to invade And so disturb that order God had made In the Creation and to change the features Of his own Image in the best of Creatures That so he may by his too-sooth delusion Make man run headlong to his own confusion Thus having laid the platform of his work He then begun to agitate and lurk For opportunity which was effected As soon nay if not sooner then expected He gave the blow and by that blow he found The weakest vessel had
which now are starv'd with heav'nly bread But since you have not done it unto those Which I esteem'd ye 'ave prov'd your selves my foes Therefore begone let darkness be your lot Learn to remember that ye have forgot My Mercies go and let my Judgments dwell Within your guilty hearts let black mouth'd Hell Plague you with torments let him always lash Your hearts with flames until ye howl and gnash Your teeth together go depart my sight And taste the fruits of everlasting night But as for you whose better deeds have found Acceptance in my heart ye shall be crown'd With unremoved happiness because Ye have obsequiously perform'd my Laws You fed my craving stomack and you cloath'd My naked body and you have not loath'd To visit me and when I was a stranger Ye took me in and guarded me from danger Go then my Lambs and let your Oratory Proclaim the greatness of your Fathers glory Go revel in my Courts no discontent Shall breed a faction in my Parliament I 'le pass an Act of Peace and it shall be Sign'd by the hand of my Eternitie My tongue shall stile you blessed and my voyce Shall raise your Souls and teach you to â—ejoyce Your unexcised pleasures shall abound To infinite your ravish'd hearts shall sound The depth of my delights all things shall move Within the sphere of uncontrouled Love Be well assur'd your pleasures shall be great Then fly from Judgment to my Mercies Seat And there rejoyce with a triumphant mirth My Love shall live with them that hated Earth Obdurate Man here here thou mayst discry Judgment and Mercy one to terrifie The other to perswade and yet wilt thou Prove adamantine and refuse to bow To thy Redeemer Canst thou ruminate Upon his Love and yet wilt not delate Thy Soul unto him Is thy brazen heart Impenitrable Will no flaming dart Of true affection enter Hast thou vow'd To stop thy â—ars Shall Mercy call aloud And thou not hear Shall thund'ring Judgments rattle About thy ears and yet wilt thou imbattle Against the Lord of Hosts Wilt thou invoke Perpetual Vengeance to intail a stroke Upon thy stubborn heart What dost thou think Hell's voyd of flames or that thy God will wink At thine enormities Go rally all Thy thoughts together and discreetly fall Into a serious study Let thy mind Be absolute and really inclin'd To meditation contradict the rage Of thine own passion labour to asswage The fire of lust that so thou mayst behold With more serenety how manifold His mercies are that every day prevents The sad incursions of deprav'd events Think but in what a most defam'd condition Thy Soul was in before the grand Physician Of Heav'n and Earth spontaniously sent down A balm from his own Gilliard to crown The sons of grief Think what he did endure Before his wounds had perfected thy cure Remember how undauntedly he stood And sweat himself into a Crimson flood To ransom thee remember how his woes Were asperated by his raging foes Remember how his sacred temples wore A spiny Crown remember how it tore His sublime Front remember how they broach'd His brest with Spears and shamefully reproach'd His spotless fame remember how they nail'd His spreading hands remember how they seal'd His Ivory wâ—lls remember how they spawl'd Upon his face remember how they baw'ld And banded at his Agony whilst he Prov'd patient Martyr to their tyrannie Remember when he came unto the brink Oâ— death they gave him vinegar to drink Nay more because they vow'd to empty all Their poys'ned malice out they gave him Gall Oh bitter deed oh most abhorred Crimes Too nearly paralleld in these our times Thus having put a period to their plots They thought it good to cast their hellish lots For his I dare not say mean clothes I know They were our Saviours to whose worth we ow Perpetual thanks 't was his well finished breath Redeem'd our Souls from everlasting death Here 's Love O Man that does as far transcend Thy thoughts as thy deserts that Heav'n should send His Son and Heir to be incarnated And suffer death for thee that wert as dead As sin could make thee 't was for thy offence He dy'd Ah how how canst thou recompence Such high brâ—d Favors Favors unexpected Deserve to be imbrac'd and not neglected Do not rash Soul like Cleopatria nurse Imbosom'd vipers blessings prove a curse If once abus'd Ingratitude cuts off Th' intail of Love it is a shame to scoff At Benefactors after thou art fed Wilt thou contemn the hand that gave thee bread Wouldst thou not love that friend that should bestow A superâ—nuated crust and shew Respect unto thee when the ebbing Tyde Of Fortune runs so low that thou mayst ride Upon the sands of Poverty Fond Man Strive to be grateful study how to scan The mercies of thy God remember how He feeds thy Soul with Manna learn to bow Th' unruly thoughts with admiration think How often and how much imbitter'd drink Thy Saviour drank with what a doleful cry He beg'd of God to let that cup pass by But knowing that his pleasure must be done He proy'd himself his most obedient Son And wilt thou not â—â—y wretch drink one poor sup Of bitter drink for him that drank a cup To sweeten thine thou need'st not fear or scorn To taste because Heav'ns sacred Unicorn Hath purg'd the waters and they must be sweet Except they 're reimpoys'ned by thy feet If so what wilt thou do where wilt thou find An Antidote for an invenom'd mind It is reported if the Spider chance To meet the obvious Toad they 'l both advance Then inward force and mutually proclaim An open War brave combitaâ—â—s of Fame And having 〈◊〉 their imbowel'd might Maâ—ch boldly on and both incens'd thy fight The Toad being heavy loaded cannot go Or wheel about like his encountring foe But keeps his ground and makes a small resistance The Spider scorning to be kept at distance Falls in upon him and with nimble rage Assaults his foe who now begins â—â—asswage His former fury and would fain retreat From his small foe whose strength is grown too great For opposition being thus distress'd He crawls away and with a crope-sick brest Seeks for relief and by and by discrys A Planton leaf within whose veins there lies A secret Antidote which did at length Expel his poyson and renew his strength Having disgorg'd himself he soon returns Into the camp where for a time he burns To be in action and at last he sees The crafty Spider creeping by degrees To seize upon him then his courage fails He knows not what to do his foe assails With all his might constraining him to yield The conquest and with shame to quit the field Then he begins to seek and hunt about To find the soveraign healing Planton out Which had before reliev'd him and supply'd His wants but that being gone he burst and dy'd Even so if Hells black Spider chance to crawl