Mercy or what Attributes soe're But Heav'n Earth shall know what Truth affirms Iehovahs Zeal for Iustice sake confirms VVhen mighty Angels did them-selves exalt Down from the Heav'ns to Hels infernall vault I threw them instantly how than Can this proud worm this trait'rous cative-Man That hath not pow'r weak motions to withstand How can He scape the force of my strong hand For 'fore that Heav'ns should grant Man a remission And not on some equivalent condition Or that the Earth should yeeld Him nutriment By annuall-successive increment The fruitfull plains with barrenness I 'le strike And make his dwelling places Sodom-like The showring clouds I 'le turn to banks of brass And th' Earth to iron that so fruitfull was The flintie Rocks to shivers I will tear And kernell-sands to mightie mountains rear The gladsome day and rest-affording night That by their intercourse had wont delight I 'le turn to timeless motions never changing Their constant changes of unconstant ranging Among th' Infernall Furies where the Man Shall be tormented while those Furies can To plague Him thus is rightly to reward Him From which nor heav'n nor earth shall ever guard him Yea all the forces they are able make As thunder lightning famine plague earth-quake And whatsoever else as grave and hell Angels and Devils all I will compell To become furious Agents in the cause So strict and pow'full are Iehovah's lawes Thus as Truth said Mans state you may bewail But to redeem 't you never shall prevail Peace here-upon for Mercy could not answer She was through Wraths peremptory censure So speechless grown and heartless like to fall But Peace stept-in affected like to all And with soft speech did sweetly moderate What these her Sisters could not arbitrate First she began with mildest exhortation To move them to take-heed of emulation For that quoth she doth often kindle hate The bane of Bliss and ruine of a State We Sisters are in one we must consent And not by strict exactions once dissent We know our parts wherfore let be our care Them to discharge as it comes to our share You Wrath Truth Iustice ye desire no more But as Man sinn'd so Man be plagu'd therefore Well fear it not but constantly expect The constant God will duly it effect And Sister Mercy you desire no less Than for Mans Sin that God give forgiveness Desire so still that by importunitie God may be mov'd to grant him immunitie Which yet beleeve it may not prejudice Th' inviolable right of strict Iustice Nor any of our worthy Sisters dear VVho equally to God are seated near And though nor you nor I Iustice nor Truth Can see the mean wherby our God renu'th The broke estate of miserable Man Yet certainly our Sister Wisdome can For what soe're our Sov'raign God decrees She th'equitie therof alwaies fore-sees Yea she deviseth things beyond all thought And then propoundeth how they may be wrought And happy they whose actions she directs For only them in favour Gods respects To her therfore have ye recourse for this And ye shall see she 'll not devise amiss Herewith was Mercy inwardly well pleas'd Truth Iustice Wrath were ev'ry one appeas'd To Wisdome then they all referr'd the cause When she making a long but decent pause For Wisdome's alwaies slow to speak enclin'd She doth so duly ponder all in minde When she this controverted cause had waigh'd She orderly the same before them laid The one side pleads quoth she that since Man-kind From Life to Death by Sin are all declin'd Then Death due wage to all our God must give Else can nor Wrath nor Truth nor Iustice live If all Man-kinde the other side replies Must suffer Death for their iniquities No pitie had of any in Gods sight Then Mercy Pitie Peace are banisht quite So prejudiciall then since th' issue is That Man or sav'd or damn'd all is amiss Iustice if sav'd but Mercy if He die That th' one of these perforce from Heav'n must fly And many other of our Heav'nly train Shall therby base indignity sustain My doom is this To salve and keep all eav'n That Man by Death to Life by Hell to Heav'n Shall take his course T'enabl'Him for which end Let all the punishments Iustice can send Be all made good yea Sin and Death and Hell And whatsoever most with Evill swell Let all of them be made good unto Man And then let Wrath inflict ev'n what she can So Mercie may for Mans Sin satisfie And Iustice punish Mans iniquitie Most rev'rend Truth exactly shall appear And austere Iustice strictly dominere Consuming Wrath shall sweetly be appeas'd And all-preserving Mercy shall be pleas'd Remorsefull Pitie shall be highly praised And death-deserving Man to new life raised Contentment thus we Sisters all may have And all of us accomplish what we crave So God in all and of all shall be knowne The God of Life Death Glory Praise Renown No sooner Wisdome had this case decided But Heav'n and Earth who stood by Sin divided VVere both of them with wonderment astonisht At th'equity of what she had admonisht All things with joy 'gan instantly be cheared As soon as hope of reconcilement ' peared Twixt God and Man Yet Reason made this Quaere How Sin how Death how Hell so dark so dreary How these could be made good since for Mans fall They are the pain to plague the Man withall To second this saith Truth there 's none so good That ever yet did spring from tainted blood VVho Man 's depraved Nature could controule By changing Ill to Good to save his soule To change Ill into Good t is to create A work of inf'nite Pow'r wherefore no state Of finite force can be so virtuall As to make Death to Life effectuall By Sin Man did an inf'nite Pow'r offend Which none but inf'nite Pow'r can amend Neither can God Mans Mediatour be For who offended was by sin but He 'T is God in Iustice that looks for amends Therfore not He which satisfaction sends Who then is it that makes this Evill Good Nor God nor Man by Reason they 'r withstood T is I quoth Goodness I as Wisdome bod Will heale Mans sores and make all eav'n that 's od I 'le make his Evill Good his Death the way Wherby eternall Life attain He may I 'le yeeld my selfe my uncorrupted Essence To purifie his Soule his Sp'rite his Sense Yea here behold I offer all I have I 'le with-hold nought that 's needfull Man to save Quoth Truth again kinde Sister you doe well You offer more than Angels tongues can tell Yet cannot your beneficence alone Vnright'ous Man with right'ous God attone 'T is more to reconcile Man to his Maker Than one can doe who ere be th'undertaker When Charity who all this while attended Did understand how Goodness was commended For her kinde offer and withall did hear No one of th' Heav'nly Pow'rs sufficient were Both to
thus sundry parts were taken As some would have Him sav'd so some forsaken Pitie 'gan first with tender-hearted speech For grace the God of all Grace to beseech On Mans behalfe repeating all the story Of his Creation how that He for Glory Everlasting not for everlasting Shame and woe was made in the beginning Albeit then He fell from that estate Yet sith O God thou diddest Him create After the likeness of thy selfe to be A living Image of Eternitie O then let not the Power of Sin disgrace This some-time glorious Man But show thy face Of Mercy unto Him and to his Wife And to their Progenie O grant them life Life of Glory But first the life of Grace So shall not Sin nor Death nor Hell deface Nor blot-out of thy Book of Blessedness Their silly Soules now drown'd with cursedness O hear ô help the glory will be thine All hearts will praise thy Mercy so divine Pitie had thus her speech no sooner ended But Mercy mov'd with Pitie condescended And urg'd the same before th' Eternals throne That favour might for Pities sake be showne Which Iustice swolne with angry discontent Oppos'd forthwith saying reconcilement Twixt God and Man without due recompence Were wrong to God to Me'twere just offence And therefore Sister Mercy said Iustice Before you plead for Man take good advice Enquire of Truth to know how the case stands If pardon may be had and at whose hands For take this as an Oracle most true Where wrong 's not satisfi'd no favour 's due Doe you forbear than Mercy straight repli'd To speak of Oracles let them abide In Truths all-knowing brest them to declare For resolution when Suiters repaire Nor think not Iustice think not that I fear That this my suit before Truth should appear For I to Truth to any or to all For their consent will give consent to call Hear then ô Truth to thee we doe appeal Doe thou to us this mystery reveal And say if not in me the power lies To work Man into Grace in h's Makers eies Or if that Iustice in it have a share Resolve us this speak Truth and doe not spare But sparingly did Truth begin to speak Pretending she for such task was too weak When she indeed to meddle in 't was loath Because shew knew she could not please them both O this desire to please doth often hide The secret truth when Right and Wrong are try'd But she nathles because they both desir'd her Spake to the point that Heav'n and Earth admir'd her I doe confess said she great pitie 't was That 'gainst his Maker Man did so trespass As that thereby deprived of all Good And with all Evill He depraved stood But for that fact that He Gods vengeance bear Eternally certes no pitty t' were For better t' were that Men that Angels all Should aye be damn'd than Gods decree should fall But Gods decree will constant stand for ever And Sin and Death will alwaies goe together To plead Mans pardon then sweet Mercy Dear Till Iustice be aveng'd doe you forbear For God did say to Man in that same day Thou dost transgress thou dost thy selfe betray To Death and all th'extremities of Hell Which to endure in wrath I 'le thee compell But God did jest the Devill Man perswaded Who from obedience was soon disswaded In earnest then that vengeance God inflict Vpon the Man it stands with Iustice strict For his Decrees God never will dissolve But aye fulfils what once He did resolve Nor can Man for his fault make God amends Since by his fault his Powers all He spends Nor is 't in you kinde Sister to releeve Him From all or any one of h's pains which grieve Him For it directly makes both against Me And 'gainst our Sister Iustice-Equitie Wherefore dear Sister Iustice stoutly stand Maintain thy right in this cause now in hand See thou yeeld not without due satisfaction To free the Man guilty of so foule action Which if you should you God dishonoured And cruelly your Selfe abolished And Me you banish from Gods Heav'nly throne From whence the beams of Truth have ever shone And then forth-with will lies and errours vile Gods glorious Chair eternally defile The summe of all dear Sisters then is this That either Man for what He did amiss Must satisfie which He can never doe Or else must suffer pain of endless woe This is the state which now doth best beseem Him You Mercy may bemone but not redeem Him The case once thus by sacred Truth made plain Made tender-hearted Mercy to complain That she her selfe if she be thus restrain'd From pardoning was needlesly ordain'd For only Man said Mercie needs me most VVhom since I may not help my pow'r is lost VVhat loss therefore to Heaven can acrue If all the Heav'nly Powr's I bid adue Or if likewise those glorious Angels all VVho glory in 't that they them-selves may call The Messengers and Ministers of Mercy Be banished from their society VVith other Angels who from Heav'n dismist May from their due attendance then desist O Heav'ns In all the works of Gods Creation To his great glorie his great Mercie shone And over all in all He doth preserve Mercie doth never from his Goodness swerve And when likewise He ought doth sanctifie Mercie doth still that blessing beautifie And shall not Mercy Mans Redemption move VVhen to have-mercy Mercy most doth love Creation chiefly power doth require And Preservation wisdome doth desire Sanctification Holiness respects Yet Mercie on all these her beams reflects And shall no Mercy in that office shine Which so restrictively I challenge mine Namely to pardon to remit forgive Oh! this is that which makes Mercy to live Which if in Iustice Heav'ns will take-away Mercy must dye and Mankinde must decay Father of Sp'rits ô doe as well delight Of Mercie to be God as God of Right This Sin faln Man raise-up t'integrity Or rase Me out from Heav'ns society What though He sinn'd alas He was but Earth Though dead in Sin thy Grace can give new birth Thogh griev'd w th pains O thou canst ' ford him ease Though Hell gape for Him thou canst Hell appease Thou mad'st Him Thee to bless eternally But damned Soules curse everlastingly What glory will from Him to Thee arise When He in burning Hell blaspheming lies Restore Him gentle God! Restore Him then Thou shalt be prais'd of Angels and of Men. And Me thou crown'st with glory and renowne When over all Wher-at Wrath 'gan to frowne And ere that she could end her supplication Thus cut her off with this sharp replication Our Sister Truth did tell you truth of late In saving Man Iustice you ruinate But though for Man so earnestly you crave Yet 't is a Crown belike that you would have Which so you get you nought at all regard Though Truth and Iustice have no honour spar'd Who notwithstanding are to God as dear As
the most such thoghts derided Blinde Soules that could not see when true Light shone From God's own face on earth to ev'ry one Which gratiously did offer unto all Soule-saving beams of Light celestiall This soule of mine I 'me sure found light of Grace By th' eye of faith fixt on his glorious face Which wholly was till then averse to Good Prone to all Ill and in corruption stood Yet was 't reclaim'd and quickly better reason'd B'ing once by faith in my Redeemer season'd Some few there were left all to follow Him Esteeming all too base to fellow Him And joyfully receiv'd Him as their Lord Deriving their salvation from his Word For when they heard his words were Oracles And saw his deeds no less than Miracles They did conclude He was the very same That had for all Salvation in his Name But for the most part Kings and Potentates Their Officers and chiefest Magistrates Though'mongst themselv's they were at hot defiance Yet against Him they joyn'd in leagues alliance Seeking by secret fraud and open strife The dire destruction of this Lord of Life The giddy-headed brainless Multitude Whom great Ones hold in slavish servitude Adoring Him with shouts of joy did sing At first Hosanna save us Lord our King At last their throats blaspheming Him they stretch Hosanneca now save thy selfe thou wretch O blessed Lord how balefull was thy state When so great love was turn'd to so great hate How vain is it to feed on popular breath Which causlesly is cause of Life of Death As here a Man-destroyer these refus'd And to destroy this Man preserver chus'd Thus basely humour'd they their Soveraigns These Kingly Rebels in their base designes Assaulting often at their fittest seasons This King of Kings by stratagems and treasons But yet He liv'd for all their vile intent No Lambe so meek no Dove so innocent Who if H 'ad pleas'd had pow'r his life t' enjoy To destroy Death yet it let Death destroy This graceless Crew enrag'd with hellish spight Sought daily thus to quench this Light of Light And trait'rously attach't Him as a Thiefe Then led Him bound to be judg'd by their Chiefe Who worthily judg'd Him unworthy dye And yet to Death gave Him unworthily That heady-headless Rout then headlong ran 'Gainst this clear innocent condemned Man Pursuing Him to Death with living hate Who being dead became Deaths deadly bate For with their lingring torments though He dies Within three dayes his God-head makes Him rise But tell me here dear Saints ô God come tell me The various thought of these doth overwhelm me Whether their hate his death I shall deplore Or else his Love and Life in Death adore Their deed no doubt all good men doe detest But that of his who counts it not the best To murther Him that gives Life unto all Let all that Fact most execrable call Abash't ther-at was th' Earth the Sun and Moon For Midnight-light was then Day-light at Noon But when He rose the Sun came dauncing-out And graves did ope and Saints for joy'gan shout Thus whiles He liv'd He lived but to dy That by his Death He endless Life might buy For Man for his pure blood in sacrifice Once spent was held of meritorious price But long alas long was my Lord a-suff'ring Ere He could fully finish-up his off'ring Their dev'lish malice was so odious They sought to make his torments tedious By slow degrees inflicting on Him pain To make it long ere they would have Him slain Nor was his-pain from them so tedious As to Him-selfe incomparably grievous His constitution pure his unstain'd sense Most apt to feel the smart of each offence His blessed Body though to cursed Death He gave to pacifie th' Almighties Wrath. For by his suff'ring He did under-take To pay Mans debt of Sin for Iustice sake Setting Himselfe a mark wher-at ev'n all Might fling their darts of envy spit their gall The Devils then stird-up those dev'lish men Who spent their venom all upon Him then Each rascall-Iew whose fury yeelded might How to torment Him made it his delight They stript Him nak'd then cloathed Him in scorn And scorning crowned Him with plats of thorn His Head his Face his Side his Hands his Feet They beat they wound they pearc'd And yet as meet To honour Him they bow'd as to their King Which to Him glory to them shame did bring For they like wretches glori'ed in their shame Not shaming once to make his Death their game To see the Lord of Life to Death thus bound Those few that were his friends it did confound One had forsworn Him one had Him betraid Not one but all forsooke Him all afraid Nor thus alone but which encreast his pain The Deity now seemed to refrain To look-on Him with shows of chearfull Grace And in fierce wrath to turn-away the face Which doubtless was to Him more dolourous Than all that all could doe notorious And strictest Iustice all this spight maintain'd That was He less than infinitely pain'd All these thus heapt-on Him oh did not they Make 't known to all He was a publick prey When carnall men Him trait'rously convented Vnjustly judg'd mockt whipt to death tormented When friends forsook Him when by foes cast-down To all contempt when God did seem to frown T' endure all these oh t' was a very Hell Which tongue which thought cannot conceive to tel All these He felt all these He over-past Into all these it was Mans Sin Him cast They punisht Him for sin who no sin knew And that to Death from whom their Life they drew But though as Man to Death they led Him bound As God He did them all in Death confound Making Sin lose his strength Death lose his sting Hell lose his triumph through Christs suffering First let He them prevail'gainst Him at pleasure Till that by an immeasurable measure Of pain assign'd He had discharg'd the debt That rigid Iustice for Mans Sin had set Then did his God-head gloriously appear And his tormenters inly shake for fear For maugre them He rid Himselfe from pain Himselfe enliving his dead body slain Enabl'ing it to live not as afore To dye but so live as to dye no more For Champion-like after the victory He did ascend to his own seat of Glory Where He enthroned sits wearing the crown Of all his Fathers Glory all his own Whos 's heav'nly Scepter swayes all earthly Kings Whose Spirit to his Church all comfort brings Whose Goodness makes mans life a Life of Grace All Evill to eschew all Good t' embrace For He had sent before with large Commission Faithfull Ambassadors to give remission Of all Mans past offences and to call Him by new Grace to keep Gods Precepts all Which acceptable time of Grace once ended This conqu'ring glorious King completely tended VVith thousand-thousand Angels arm'd with pow'r VVill terribly descend as in a show'r Of flaming fire to render vengeance due To
all joyes in One conjoin'd Which fulness join'd to Him Him nere accloies And yet such fulness alwaies He enjoyes His Senses all on perfect objects feed His Faculties aright their actions speed His Appetities are all acquieted His Parts his Pow'rs are all engloried His Bliss is this He 's endlesly emploi'd In blessing Him Destruction hath destroy'd And op'ned-wide Heav'ns narrow gate to those That in Christs Death their hope of life repose No other Heav'n no other Help He hath To scape the Hell of Gods eternall wrath But to beleeve and by his life disclose That for Him Christ did dye and for Him rose In which Beleefe He lives and living dies And dying lives his life t'immortalize And in this Faith He 's confident to plead When He at Gods Tribunall shall hear read The Bill of his Indictment for h's offence Not guiltie Lord thy dear Sons Innocence And his most perfect-perfect observation Of all thy Lawes his upright conversation His bitter-bitter Passion on the tree O these ô these have paid Sins debt for me T is true indeed my Sins thy Wrath provoked Most dreadfull Iudge and I with guilt stood yoked To feel the smart of horrid Death and Hell But such sweet gladsome newes thy Truth doth tell That in thy Son sith Wrath and Mercy kist Wrath hitting Him in Iustice I am mist. Which double Iustice may be equall rang'd 'Cause Sin for Grace and Grace for Sin we chang'd Thy Son my Lord was perfectly so pure As had not I on Him my Sins fixt sure And clad my selfe with his bright-shining Grace Not Him but Me Death had had pow'r t' embrace Then stead of me sith Wrath seaz'd on thy Son He ther-by Death I ther-by Life have won This is my rest I rest upon my Lord Lord let me live according to thy Word The Man in this strong confidence of his In Life in Death no whit deceived is For God on Him in Mercy doth bestow What he to him for his Christs sake doth owe. First Life of Grace with some false woes opprest Next Life of Glorie with all true joyes blest Which woes are truly called false for why They vanish straight like mists or cloudy Sky And then come-in to make od reck'nings eav'n Th' eternall true substantiall joyes of Heav'n In th' Interim whiles He is militant In honest labours He is conversant Vsing the things with sober moderation That God affords Him for his Preservation Abusing nothing ord'ring all aright As alwayes being in his Makers sight If God give much He thanks the Giver much Or if but little yet His Heart is such As He 's content for that his little serves To let Him know 't is more than He deserves 'Mongst whom He lives He lives with warie eyes That He nor envie Rich nor Poore despise And with his Equals He just equall waighes Nor up nor down for fear or favour swaies To all He 's friendly humble charitable Iust constant chearfull patient peaceable And waits all turns when with heart hands voice He may or work or rest sigh or rejoice As turns and returns turn Him many waies So still He turns his heart to pray or praise The great All-turning God who for Mans good Turn'd Death to Life hard Rocks into a flood Whose Greatness is so good Goodness so great As Mans most worthy praise when most complete Is all-unworthy the all-worthy fame To blazon-out of Gods most worthy Name Nathles to doe his best Man stands resolv'd But wishes daily that He were dissolv'd That so He might send-forth some perfect strains Of perfect glory 'mongst the glorious Trains That spend their nere-spent time in holy layes Chanting-aloud their Alleluiahs Till when 'mongst Saints on earth assembled thickly He cryes to Heav'n ô come Lord Iesus quickly Lord Iesus come the end of all I crave I crave the end of all my Soule to save To save my Soule Lord Iesus no time spend Spend though to 'gin that time time cannot end FINIS Triumphans Eus tumidus tenuis fulsi cecidi resilivi Dives inops ingens sorte dolore fide The Light and glory of the Lord is risen upon thee Isai. 60. 1. As Man aspiring penitent I stood I fell I ris ' Most rich most poore most eminent In state through woe to Bliss The Creation of Man by God who is a Spirit Omnipotent Mans perfection being made in the â—mage of God rarely understood The image of God in Man expounded The 3 persons of the Trinity resemblâ—d by 3 faculties in the soul. Minde Will A Power to doâ— As 3 Persons and but one God so divers faculties but one Soule As no priority of Persons in the Deity so neither of faculties in the Soule The image of Gods infinitie in man Memorie Vnderstanding ProvideÌ„ce Mans Soveraignty The excellency of the Souleâ— facultieâ— Minde Intellect Reason Will. Wit Heart ConscieÌ„ce Affections Inward Senses Common-Sense Fantasie Memory Outward Senses Touching Seeing Hearing Tasting Smelling Body Head Speech Face Hands Feet Man aspâ—ring â—verthrew Himselfe and his posteritie The entrance of Sin The guilt and reward of Sin The effects of Sin in his Person In his Soule In his Body Manifested in his actions The wages of Sin Death temporall eternall wher-upon Man fleeth feareth God findeth him examineth his fault and proceeds to censure Satan The Serpent The Woman The Man for whose sake God curseth the earth the living creatures and all other creatures Man punished in his person by the creatures coelestiall accidentally intentionally By his Wife By his Children By his Neighbours Mans miserable condition Mans Redemâ—tion pâ—opounded and discust by the Heavenly Powers moved by Pitie granted by Mercy resisted by Iustice. They appeale to Truth Truth resolveth against Mercy and sideth with iustice Wherupon Mercy complaineth expostulateth prayeth Wrath interrupts Mercy and joineth with Iustice and Truth exalteth Gods zeal and threatneth Mans punishmeÌ„t Peace mitigateth Wrath pacifieth Iustice and Truth cheareth and animateth Mercy and admonisneth to refer the cause to Wisdome They applaud it Wisdome undertaketh it openeth it decideth it and ascribeth to every one their due Her decision is applauded Reasons Quaere to which Goodness answers Truth replieth that Reason is not yet satisfied for one alone cannot make satisfaction Whereupon Charity inciteth all the divine Powers to joyn in one for the business They all meet and promise assistance God approveth their consent and declareth how Mans Redemption shall be wrought by his Word incarnate to fulfill righteousness and to suffer punishment for Man For which work He promiseth to enable the Messias This promise was found effectuall upon the revealing of it both to Iew and Gentile CHRIST conceived and born Being one Person He is joyntly described in his Divine and Humane Nature His works His intertainment What the woâ—ld thought of Him few well most ill How dearly He was affected of those â—ew How the great ones band against him The Multitude at first applaud him but after to humour their great ones deride Him They watch attache arraign condemâ— and kill Him The end of his death Their manner of killing Him The effects of his death His Resurrection Ascension and Glorification His comming to Iudgment Mans Naturall parts refined Mans corruption Sin abâ—lâ—sâ—ed by Baptism and the Lords Supper The miseries of this life sweetned His death is made the way to eternall life where He is rewarded with joyes privative positive Hiâ— emploiment in Heaven His plea at the bar of Gods Iudgement The issue of his plea.
constantly the same Hee was according to that stamp and tincture which Hee received from God in his Creation So that Mans perfection is not so excellent as his Makers no nor any whit equivalent ther-unto because perfection in Man is but as a beame of glorie issuing from God the fountain of glory wheras in God it is originally essentiall and everlastingly infinite Again Man is not so excellent as his Maker for wee must consider his originall matter wher-on He was made which was Nothing now this Nothing by the operative Goodness of God was made something and this something was made Man bearing the stamp of his Creators goodness Yet this goodnes in Man though derived from the unchangeable goodness of God was not otherwise than changeably good because it was now seated or inherent in a dissoluble subject of a changeable disposition able to stand in or fall from its goodnes as it selfe should resolve Now I say the receptivitie of created matter affords no room for unchangeable goodnes As it stood with Gods goodnes to make Man good yea and very good so it stood with the nature of Mans essence being a made matter not to be capable of unchangeable goodnes For unchangeableness and immutability in goodness is proper onely to Omnipotency or the creating Power because that onely hath subsistence in it selfe which subsistence in it selfe is that onely which gives life and being to unchangeablness Nor againe can the thing created comprehend the Creators goodness because that is finite this infinite and it is a certaine rule Minus non habet in se majus and therefore Man cannot comprehend his Makers goodness Which if we should fondly imagine that God if Hee had pleased might have made Man absolutely and constantly good like Him-selfe no way liable to change or alteration then we must also imagine that Man should have bin more than made in the image of God or after his likeness for then hee should have bin all one with his Creatour both in Essence and qualitie for there is less difference betwixt the Essence of God and unchangeable goodness than betwixt fire and the heat thereof or the Sunne and the light thereof though the one really and inseparably express the other For set any subject in such an equall distance to the fire as that it shall receive the heat thereof and yet not be enflamed therewith or conveigh the light of the Sunne by a reflecting object to enlighten a darke body yet that heat or this light thus divided from their proper seats and subjects is neither the heat of the fire nor yet the light of the Sun their subjects being hot or light remissis gradibus perhaps that but warme it may be this but dim Whereas the true heat of the fire in its proper nature and quality doth alwaies burne and consume and the true light in the body of the Sun doth alwaies dazle and confound the sense of all humane sight to behold it And yet it must be confessed that that heat being but warm and this light being but dim did both of them come originally the one from the very fire the other from the very Sun So likewise touching the Goodness that is in Man though it came originally from the unchangeable Goodness that is in God yet being now seated or inherent in a created substance whose continent is infinitly less than the originall of the thing infused it is no more of that unchangeable condition which is in God than either the forementioned heat or light can truly and properly be said to be either Sun or fire But here I know some object the condition of the blessed Angels saying that sith they kept their first station and perfection and never lost that goodness and holiness they were created in therfore their goodness is unchangeable to which I answer it followes no more that because they have not fallen from their goodness that therefore their goodness is unchangeable then because a cleare Cristall glass is not yet broken or a faire timber-house is not yet burnt that the one is not brickle nor the other combustible Though we grant that the blessed Angels neither ever did nor ever shall fall from their goodness yet we must know it was in their nature to have fallen as well as the Angels that did fall who as some are bold to affirm were not inferiour but more excellent in glory than the constant Angels But these good Angels have resisted all inducements and allurements to procure their change and happily by their resistance are now so confirmed in their goodness or else by some other than by an infused or created power are now so upholden and enabled that they shall never fall the Providence of God over them enabling them to stand But to returne to the goodness in Man let us know it was changeable that is might continue or vanish even as him-selfe would as that warm heat or dim light might last or be extinct as their subjects were kept to or removed frō their originall causes So whiles Man kept that state disposition that God created him in so long he continued cōstant perfectly such as he was created but going-about to alter or ad any thing to his state being which by Satans procurement he did he ther-upon did alter his qualitie and condition the image of God in him after which he was made to wit in his Naturall Personall Essence remaining what it was but the likenes or similitude of God in that image being altogether depraved and spoiled in the beautifull form qualities ther-of his Good being turned into Ill his Knowledge into Ignorance his Holines into Pollution his Domination into Subjectiō his Glory into Shame his Life into Death and all his Felicity into extreme Misery Now this change was simply Man 's owne act and no way imputable to his Creatour for God had made Him such as if Hee had would Hee might as well have stood stedfast in his perfection and integritie as thus to have fallen into this state of corruption and iniquitie But He lost that heat of Life which hee had received from the all-quickning fire of Gods breath Hee put-out that light of Grace which reflected upon him from the all-enlightning Sun-shine of Gods Love and all because hee tooke-upon him-selfe contrarie to Gods will to alter his state and being from that which God had set him in This extinguishment came from him-selfe and not from the will of God God had indeed given him freedome of Will but hee used it in pejorem partem to his owne destruction not for that God had made him for that end to destroy him but for that he used not his freedome to stand and continue in that state of holy Life and light of Grace which Hee might have stood and continued in if him-selfe had would And thus He made not Him-selfe onely but all his Posteritie subject to Death and Damnation For as by his Creation He had received
Life and Grace from God not for him-self only but for all that should come of him so likewise by his transgression he made all his whole Posterity liable to Gods wrath as well as himselfe so that all were alike changed with him into the same state of corruption and all were fallen alike with Him into the same pit of perdition There being no difference nor degrees at all as if his Posteritie were some of them less some more or deeper plunged ther-in than other For the same Death that by Sin entred upon the first Offender I say the same Death both in measure and degree went-over all Mankinde alike because all had in Adam alike offended all were alike deprived of the Glory of God Thus all Mankinde was by Creation perfect by Sinne corrupted and by the guilt of Sinne accursed Now then for Mans Redemption as God at first consulted with Him-selfe how and after what manner Hee might make Man and at last resolved to make Him in his owne Image after his likeness so here againe finding Man to be thus fallen from that happy state into this wofull plight surely much more did Hee now consult with Himselfe how and by what meanes Hee might set Man on his feet againe and so restore Him and his whole Race into their former state and happy being This being a work if we may compare Gods workes one with another of greater glorie difficultie and labour humano more loquor than that of Creation Which Consultation I mention not here for that I imagine that God did not thinke nor provide for Mans Redemption before He was fallen for I beleeve as Gods all-seeing eye did fore-see the fall so his insearchable Wisedome did provide for the same even from all eternitie Yet seeing I have taken-in hand to speake of this Consultation it falleth best into our order and method to speake of it here in this place Here then to express and set-forth this wonderfull work of God for the Redemption of Mankinde wee imagine him first to be moved ther-to by his Compassion or Pitie his Pitie to stir up his Mercy his Mercy for Truth and Iustice sake to submit her selfe to his Wrath his Wrath to be asswaged by his Peace and so one Grace to advise deale with another till at last they sweetly agree and joyne all in one how to perfect and effect a worke for the deliverance of all Man-kinde out of its misery Which work was put upon Christ the anointed Messias who chearfully undertooke it and for his part effectually performed it And as many of all Man kinde as according to Gods purpose doe receive this blessed and gratious Mediatour apprehending Him by Faith cleaving unto Him by Hope giving obedience unto Him through Charity so many are freed from their thraldome and miserie are restored to the inheritance and participation of life and felicity Those againe that either carelesly neglect or wilfully reject this great love of God in Christ they not only still remaine over-whelmed in the same pit of perdition into which they were plunged by the sin of the first Father but they also provoke God againe unto further wrath for so lightly respecting his love and casting his Mercy behinde them For Grace not offered will it-selfe plead mercy for the offender but offered contemned justly cals for more wrath and severity of punishment But for those that thirst for deliverance and embrace that meanes which is offered to them in Christ Iesus they are borne-anew they are inspired with good Graces they are freely justified sanctified and assured of Salvation and shall at last attaine eternall Happiness Now for the further divulging of this happy meanes to the encrease of Gods glorie as also for the better winning and alluring of moe to embrace the same for the saving of their Soules did I take-in hand to compose this Subject into a Historie and to set it out in a familiar verse that so the yonger who are more ready to reade Poetry than Prose may as in a Mappe or Glass behold one personating them selves and chalking out the way or treading as it were those very steps whereby them-selves have departed from that Excellency and Perfection they were created in and runne headlong into most cursed miserie and thraldome and yet againe how by new means offered and by circumspect walking therein they may come to the fruition of eternall Life and Felicitie These together are the scope of my intendment which if in any measure I shall further and promote I trust it shall repent neither mee to have spent some houres stollen from my ordinary studies for the worke of the Ministerie in my Pastorall charge upon this kinde of writing nor any other of their paines in reading but shall occasion us all more seriously to praise the Lord for whose sake I desire to become all unto all to winne some TO THE COVRTEOVS READER Kinde Friend IN friendly kindness I thee send This little Book which I have penn'd A Book unworthy yet doth bring Of what is penn'd the worthiest thing Thy Life or Death it doth thee shew In matter old in methode new The matter then doe not reject Sith Life or Death it doth reflect And if the methode thee distast My good-will for amends thou hast Yet reade it not for ought that 's mine But 'cause the subject is divine Stirpe sacrâ morsu scelerato sanguine Divo Integer infoelix benedictus Homo THE PERFECT-CVRSED-BLESSED MAN The Argument In h's form in h's fault through Christs peace-making blood Man's Perfect Cursed and again made Good The Argument enlarged WHen-as by cursed Disobedience Man first did fall from perfect Innocence He purchas'd to Him-selfe and his whole Race The gain of endless Pain the loss of Grace Heav'n Hell Earth Sea Wife Children all maintain His wofull gain of Loss his sense of Pain Whose cursed state by blessed Consultation Is blessed made through perfect Consolation So loss of Pain at last he findes in this That Life must die that Death may bring him Bliss The Authors Preamble upon it THou Infinite that canst in every place Breathe into poor yea dead Soules Life and Grace And them indow with rich gifts from thy treasure O powre into my barren heart such measure Of wisdome knowledge truth humility Faith holinesse grace and ability That I may after serious meditation Commend unto the world a true relation How thou didst frame Man in his excellence A curious Modell of thy glorious Essence How Him again having Him-selfe defac'd Thou didst vouchsafe thy Son should be abas'd By humane Life by Death by h's unknown Passion To re-invest in Grace and glorious station A work of no less wonderment I ween Than that which was in his Creation seen Both infinite in Goodness Love and Glory Not what but that they are shall be my story In which discourse I shun industriously All idle vernish of quaint Poētrie In speaking of Gods simple veritie Naught more beseems
that rebellious unbeleeving Crew That his milde Precepts stubbornly refus'd And their own carnall mindes to follow chus'd Nor will his comming be to these selfe-foes More terrible than joyfull unto those His friends that in chearfull obedience In Faith and Hope and humble Patience At that his glorious return expect To reap of all their labours the effect For though they Sinners were their sins yet laid On Christ his Passion the debt is paid For sith Christ dy'd for Sin and Sin had none Sins debt was paid by that his Death alone Thus Christ b'ing free for Mans Sin became bound Thus Sin bound Man through Christ was guiltles foūd Thus was the Lord enthrall'd at last enthron'd Thus was the Slave enlarg'd and God atton'd VVhich being done Mans enemies b'ing foil'd The Tort'rers torments 'gainst themselves recoil'd Disabling them his welfare to impeach VVhen He for help his faith to Christ doth reach For ev'n for Man as for Him-selfe Christ had Pow'r to resist and overcome the bad And base assaults of th' enemies of Grace That would from endless Bliss Mans soule erace Yea this puissant matchless Conquerour Not only did expell Sins venom rancour Or satisfie for Mans Iniquitie Or re-invest Him-selfe in Majestie But also did Mans Nat'rall Pow'rs controule By breathing life of Grace into his Soule His Intellect He did illuminate With beams of Truth all error dissipate He his Affections all did sanctifie And his crookt-perverse Will did rectifie For howsoe're Mans will was first made free As well to Good as to Iniquitie But choosing Ill in Ill confirm'd it stood Yet Grace in Christ reclaimes it all to Good Yea Grace converts his Bodies Faculties To the right use of their Abilities His Head his Feet his Tongue his Heart his Hand Moved by Grace to Good inclined stand And all Man 's other parts b'ing all declin'd Grace doth reduce into their proper kinde And though Gods Image in which Man was made By Sins approach was totally decaid That He could then nor doe nor think aright All was so faulty in his Makers sight Yet is 't by Grace in Christ so well refin'd That God with Man-renu'd no fault will finde For Man therby is all so purifi'd As that He can Gods fiery triall bide Nathles though Christ redeem'd Him perfectly Yet what He doth He doth imperfectly For old corruption still sticks close unto Him And all 's imperfect that is known come fro Him Which imperfections Christ the perfect heals Affording perfect help under his Seals Of those two saving Sacraments for by The first of them Christ biddeth Him relie That all the leven of Soule-slaying Sin Wherewith He poison'd was is purged clean And He thence-forth by Grace renued stands Though weakly yet to doe what God commands In which when He through humane frailty falls By new-enspired Grace his Saviour calls Reclaiming Him and bids Him first abhor it And bring forth fruits of due Repentance for it Laying his hand his constant hand of Faith On that Obedience his Saviour hath To all Gods Lawes in full perfection wrought In 's Life in 's Death beleeving He hath bought The full remission of each sev'rall Sin That he through want of Grace offended-in And so in humble confidence appeal Vnto the cov'nant of that other Seal Trusting that guilt of Sins both old and new With whatsoever can from thence acrue Are all abolisht if He strive to rise By Grace from Sin to holy exercise And though in this his military strife To please his God by holiness of life Some bitter storms of Miseries befall Him Yet Grace so calmeth them that none appall Him For He is taught to trust on his Protectour Who sorrows how to bear was his Directour Is He from Regall Dignity depos'd Is He to basest Povertie expos'd Is He to joyless banishment cast-out Is He with deadly foes beset-about Is He with foulest slanders vilifi'd Is He for fairest qualities envi'd Is He with Bodies pain distempered Is He with griefe of Minde entortured Is He by faithless friends to danger set Is He in stead of joy with sorrow met Is He with shame to live or die mad◠thrall Is He with one of these Is He with all It matters not His Saviour hath afore Him Endur'd them all and in all doth restore Him To this true light of Grace to know his state Is from Gods certain love though seeming hate To give God hearty thanks when things work well Or take with silent patience what comes ill And then cross Accidents Him none can move B'ing all substantiall tokens of Gods love For though 't be true great troubles on Him chance 'T is also true God sends deliverance And greater ones nay none so great betide Him As did to Christ when God it seem'd deny'd Him It seemed so to seem so though to Man Sometimes they seeme hopeless of help yet can Th' Almightie God the Father of all aid No more forbear to help Man so dismaid Than dearest Mother can her dearling-Son Who newly born unholpen is undone From 's infant-cradle to his dying-bed The Man is still by God's Grace succoured And in his Death what waves soever toss him Be 't sense of pain or pangs of fear that crosse him Christ bids him fix his hopes in h's wounded side For He Deaths killing instruments hath tri'd And spoil'd them all None then hath pow'r to sting His Soule to death they 'r Porters it to bring From-out Deaths gastly dungeon to the Hill Of Heav'nly Life where Heav'nly joyes it fill Where Christ th' Al glorious King with glory crown'd Crowns all his subjects that are loyall found With his own glory making them all Kings Enjoying Him in Him t' enjoy all things Thus Grace conducts Man through the miseries Of Life and Death to Heav'ns felicities VVhere no misfortune cold nor hunger dwels VVhere no proud hope Him with ambition swels VVhere stormes of clowding cares none hang o're's head VVhere pale-lookt sickness nere sends Him to bed VVhere fearfull dreams affright Him not asleep VVhere crasie Old-age on Him cannot creep VVhere fatall vespers Ill-portending stars VVhere bloodless fear where noyse of bloody wars VVhere none of these to vex Him once are found VVhere no false showes but true delights abound VVhere alwaies is the absence of all evill VVhere never comes nor Sin nor Death nor Devill VVhat e're is to be wisht b'ing wisht is there All Knowledge Goodness Truth Content And where Soe're He turns his eye or eare they light Vpon some welcome objects of delight So what He hears or sees He sees it raise Ioy to Himselfe and to his Maker praise Pray there He needs not Pray'r complains of need Need breedeth Pain and Pain Complaint doth breed But no Complaint no Pain no Need no Pray'r Hosannas none all Alleluiahs there His Body there 's not subject to corruption His Soule new cloath'd with flesh shines in perfection His Soule and Body both in one rejoyn'd Finde fulness of