he In leading them there-through by day and night Both by a shady cloud and fiery light In giving them from Heaven Angels bread Wherewith for forty years they were all fed In causing flinty Rocks to give them drink When they through thirst seemed to be at pits brink How did he by a Serpent made of brass Erected heal their wounds and made them pass Safely through mid'st of swelling Seas and floods Drave out seaven Nations and their lands and goods Divided to his people to possess That they his Name for evermore might bless And all might see That they who serve God have A great preserver who them all will save And recompence with good and that To Bliss The only certain way to serve God is How did he ruddy David while a youth Because he served him in upright truth Take from the sheep-folds and with oyl anoint him And to rule over Israel appoint him And though he from Saul's envy suffred much While he Gods favour did unto him grutch And many dangers too of death sustain'd Before the Crown and Kingdom he obtain'd Yet how did God him keep uphold and save In many a desert mountain hill and cave Till having humbled him he his promise Remembred and cut off his enemies Gave him the Sovereign power and government So that he ruled long with great content Inlarg'd his Territories and increast His power among the great ones of the East Till in his great prosperity he fell Into the sins whereof the Scriptures tell When that it might appear that God regards Mens actions and unto them gives rewards And punishments according thereunto He met with sad corrections and much woe Though mixt with mercies manifold because He did through grace repent and to my laws Return How strangely did he Mordecay And the Jews help whom Haman sought to slay Turning upon his Head those evils which He for them had devis'd into the ditch He for them dig'd he himself was cast down That thereby both Gods favour and his frown He might at once declare How helped he Those worthies which are call'd the children three They walkt in mid'st of fiercest flames no smell Of fire their garments had when they down fell Dead at the furnace mouth who east them in Such difference is 'twixt righteousness and sin How helpt he Daniel in the Lyons den And him deliver'd when those very men Destroy'd were who devis'd his ruine How Did he oft help his servants when brought low In times of Macchabees and all along When they dispersed were and suff'red wrong How helped he the holy men that dy'd In faith of me whom the World crucifi'd Through many Storms and Tempests by the rage Of persecutors rais'd in every age For love of me they willingly did yield To Death so as by Death they won the field Triumphing over every worst torment That was devised by the curst Serpent And his inraged instruments until By their deaths and their doctrine they did fill The World with fruits and made proud error fall Before the truth confessed by them all For those same ignominious Deaths and crosses Those heavy sufferings and most grievous losses Whereat the World doth stumble and whereby They with the Devil in confederacy Endeavour to affright thee from my Word More comfort and more glory far afford Then all those pleasures and those braveries By which they do bewitch the mind unwise Yea many have more peace and joy exprest In cruel Deaths through me then they who rest And quiet in the World injoy as far As a glow-worm's exceeded by a Star Of greatest magnitude or by the Sun Which with great glory doth its courses run Which moved Moses though both Learn'd and Wise The riches of all Egypt to despise And all its pleasures to take part with those Who suff'red great oppressions from their foes For sake of me because he well perceived That greater glory then can be believed Is thence received yea more then can be found Form all the best injoyments of this Round Who are more honour'd in this World's esteem Then they who do their life and blood out teem And many watchings fastings combates great And hardships suffer which each hour them threat To do their Countrey service or maintain Its liberties or greater rule to gain Unto it and shall those who for the sake Of their most high creator undertake His truth and Kingdom to assert be thought The only persons to be set at nought Or be the worse accounted because they Do many cruel things sustain all day Are they not therefore far more worthy praise For suff'ring so great things so divers ways The worst of Deaths and Torments that the wit And malice both of Men and Devils knit Together could devise and bear the shame Of vilest imputations for my Name Shews it not forth their greater love to me And is' t not meet I should so loved be Who for their sakes my state of glory left And suffered my self to be bereft Of all things even of life and to sustain The greatest agonies in Soul and pain In body even the dreadful curse to bear Of God's most righteous Law because they were Thereof the breakers and thereby concluded To be from Gods most joyful sight extruded Is it not too a commendation to My person and my kingdom that they so Dare suffer for them for therein they show That they such excellencies in them know That for the sake thereof they do contemn The greatest mischeifs can be done to them Rather then be thereof depriv'd yea sure The patience too wherewith they do endure Their gloryings also and great joys therein Which often in that case exprest hath been Unlike to those who suffer otherwise Some excellency clearly testifies In what they suff'red for and that they found Some such strong satisfactions to abound As nothing in this World can them afford But only the Divine power of the Lord. And sure if they who for their Countrey dye With Monuments and Trophies gloriously Are honour'd and the more by how much they More willingly and greater suff'rings may Have undergone those ignominious things Which the confession of my doctrine brings Through Sathan's and the World's malice upon My followers as oft times it hath done Their glory and their praise esteemed should be And so they are esteemed too of me And of my Father who will recompence Such glory to them as such patience And love to him and me may challenge yea According as of us they taken be Of our great grace and favour who account Them worthy of such glories as surmount All humane merit and though they do owe Such service to us yet great things bestow By way of recompence such as surpass All humane understanding as far as The Heavens exceed the Earth or th' Ocean large Exceeds the compass of some Boat or Barge For 't is the glory of the Majesty Of God to give rewards exceeding high As Kings give gifts like Kings and not like those
what thou wilt or right or wrong What Lord should thee controul what hast a nose And is' t not made to smell the sweetest Rose The bravely sented posies sweet perfumes Which may disperse such vapours as consumes Thy vital spirits or that do bind them so That they are not at liberty to go After those objects which may please the sight And ravish all thy senses with delight Which nature doth present thee with what hast Thou Nerves and Sinews Flesh and Blood to waste In melancholly dumps religious frames In dwelling upon words adoring names Were they not made to touch and taste and feel The pleasures of the Flesh ar't made of Steel Or Stone that thou should'st not affected be With what Dame Nature doth present to thee That patiently thou up thy self should'st yield To bear those burthens which thou well might'st wield Thy self from under as if thou wert made To be an Ass or like some Hackney Jade Listen to that fine spritely Lass and hear Her court-like language boldly do not fear Harlot Well met sweet Sir I 'm glad to see your face I love you at my heart come let 's embrace Let 's joyn our lips fear not I 'm all-ore sweet Nothing but pleasures dwell from head to feet I have peace-off'rings with me I a feast Have ready made for thee where 's not the least Thing wanting that may give thy heart delight Come let me have thy company to night I have prepar'd my bed with Tapestry And with fine Linnen there let 's softly lie And take our fill of Love perfum'd it is With Myrrhe and Cinnamon and Aloes Come then let 's take our fill of Love and Pleasure There 's none to interrupt we may have leisure The good man 's gone from home nor will he yet Return again we time enough may get To satisfie our selves with all delights Which Love afford us may these days and nights Chr. Take heed dear Soul to my good counsels Let That Harlots speeches no advantage get Upon thy heart give me thine eyes and heart Let not my words out of thy mind depart For Harlots are deep ditches narrow pits He scarce gets out again that in them gets Her lips drop like the Honey-comb her mouth Is smoother then the Oyl but yet in truth Her latter end more bitter is then gall Unhappy Man who into her doth fall His after-misery no tongue can tell For why Her guests are in the Depths of Hell Look off from her to me far better I Thy hearts desires and wants can satisfie If thou lovest beauty beauty dwels in me I 'm fairer then mans children Look and see I 'm white and Ruddy God and Man in one With me to be compared there is none If pleasures thee delight with me is pleasure My ways are all delightful above measure For I those that imbrace me do possess With rich assurance of eternal bless The pleasures of this World in endless pain Do end my pleasures evermore remain They do give Life in Death and ever dwell With mine when rais'd again when those in Hell Shall ever more lie down who me despise To everlasting torments they shall rise Let neither riches honours pleasures or What ere this World can give inchant thee for With better riches honours pleasures I Will satifie thee to Eternity F.W.D. Poor Man what can'st thou hope for after death When nature spent with sorrows shall thy breath Yield up into the gentle air to vanish And thy dead corps the living men shall banish From their society to lie and rot Within its grave till it be quite forgot Think'st thou it possible that after it Unto the Earth or Sea men shall commit And there it is consum'd to slime or mold Or eat of Worms or Fishes rise it should Or that thy vanish't breath and rotted flesh Can life resume again and live a fresh Either in joys or pains Let Reason rule Let not fond faith worse then the Horse or Mule Thee make by giving credit to such things As from deluded fancy only springs For they enjoy those pleasures and contents Which bounteous nature unto them presents Shall man alone who capable was made The World more to enjoy be so betray'd Into a fancy by too light belief With his own senses so to play the theif As them to rob of all those pleasures rare Whereof above all other things they are Most apprehensive Oh no! stop thine ear Against those sounds that thou so oft do'st hear From that same Spirit which oft is Wisdom stil'd Of such as by her sayings are beguil'd Come give thy self the reins and do not fear Come come we say and taste the dainty chear The World presents thee Waters stoln are sweet Pleasures they have who Bread in secret eat Who satisfie their senses to the full And please their appetites untill they lull Their minds a sleep from those fanatick fears Which make men spend in grief their youthful years This World 's the Paradise where grow all fruits Fit for delight and thy desires best suits Come pluck and take and eat of them thy fill None other after these succeed there will Christ. Thus oh my Dear thy subtle enemies Suggest unto Thee setting forth their lies With fair pretences both of love and reason But trust them not their words are full of Treason These are the same that thee at first deâ—eved Oh let them not be any more deceived Unto thy misery they Thee betray'd And like to Beasts which perish they thee made So that unless I had thee ransomed Thou in their snares hadst wholly perished Minist Their voice and language doth of him proceed Of whom in the beginning thou do'st read The subtle Serpent who of old allur'd Mankind unto his snares and so procur'd His utter ruine drew him into sin By which a flood of miseries came in By him was hatch't and begot in mans mind A spawn or seed like to himself in kind Whose Head 's the carnal mind its Heart is lust These with the old Serpent combin'd do thrust Men into mischief and while these to guide Him do presume they lead him quite aside For they are void of truth a hellish light Possesses them like unto that i th' night Which William with a wisp some men do call An ignis fatuâ—s which leads to fall Into some dangerous downfal ditch or pit Those who as their sure guide do follow it Such errour is or Fleshly Wisdom which Stept up in place of truth both poor and rich Misleading to their ruine because blind It is and knows nought of Gods holy mind And yet conceits it self the only wise And that it sees aright with open eyes And knows what 's good what 's evil and can tell A man the way how he may prosper well Especially if it improved be And somewhat more then ordinarily Inlarg'd with learned Sciences and Arts Which when they added be to nat'ral parts Do much adorn a man and make him shine And lift
doth beforehand lively here present Shewing what dreadful Horror shall surprize All who to Christ and his are Enemies And have them Persecuted scorn'd or slighted How such shall stand amazed and affrighted At that strange turn and though 't will nought avail Their former foolish sinful ways bewail And with most bitter lamentations rue That they their lusts and pleasures to pursue Should God neglect and what might have prevented Their being so unspeakably Tormented And how the Saints in their most blessed state Their dear Redeemer's praise shall celebrate With Songs of Tryumph reigning gloriously As Kings with Him to all Eternity And then from both doth strongly reinforce His former suit that we would take the course Which he perswades namely with Christ to close Unfainedly not fearing wants or foes Which fears and doubtings in us to prevent Christ to us he again doth represent As all-sufficient to preserve and guide us And all things necessary to provide us Shewing Christ's tender love and special care Which he for all his Servants will declare That they shall have no reason to repent Their choice and then gives great incouragement That though we many strong corruptions have Christ's grace shall us from those corruptions save That we o're them through him shall conquest get And also over whatsoever let May interpose And that the only thing Which Christ desires is that we be willing To give our selves wholly to him and then He will give back himself to us agen And with himself whatever good thing he Shall needful for our souls and bodies see This and much more our hearts for to allure The Author doth I' th' Name of Christ assure These and many other things no less Remarkable then these which to express Or over them particularly to run Were but to light up candles to the Sun Since you in Reading may them find and see More fully then if hinted here by me On which I say when I had cast mine eye Observing also how judiciously Full and compendiously he doth express Each thing me thought that I could do no less Then leave some small memorial of my love To signifie how highly I approve The Authors Labour in this following Book Although I know not how it may be took Only I 'll hope the best desiring thee Who Read'st this Book thou would'st not tired be Nor grutch thy labour though it seemeth long Lest in so doing thou thy self do'st wrong And to thy shame declare how little thou Esteem'st of Christ Whose Excellence to shew This Author much more time and pains did spend As knowing none can him enough commend By all the Words or Books that can be writ Considering also there 's enough in it To Recompence thy labour if thou hast A Spiritual heart to relish and to taste Those Spiritual dainties and that Heavenly chear Which by this Author is presented here Or if as yet thou hast not yet through grace Whil'st thou herein behold'st with open face As in a glass that Glorious Love Divine Which in this Sun of Righteousness doth shine Who courts and wooes thee here with him to wed Thou may'st I say be Metamorphosed Into that Glorious Image whence we fell And then I know such Books will please thee well And to thy soul much joy and solace bring Yea thou wilt in a feeling manner sing That Song of Loves * p. 257 compos'd by this thy Friend And from thy own experience Christ commend As far more lovely than thou can'st conceive Which wishing to thee I shall take my leave March 10. 1672. R. T. If you would know my NAME This Accrostick shews the same Reader this Book presents a Match unto thee One of great Worth who for his Bride would have thee By this his Servant earnestly doth wooe thee Eternally to dignifie and save thee Refuse not then but take him at his word The whole World can't thee such a Match afford Think not his terms propos'd too strict and hard Or that he bids thee to thy loss But know Without him thou art quite undone and marr'd Since none but he can pay what thou do'st owe Or stand thy Friend at Death and Judgment day No more will he except thou him obey By Another SIR I have read your ex'llent wooing fit And find it coucht in plain but soaring wit The truest wisdom Sir your lines unfold How to make Christ the Husband of our souls Let Momus carp let Sycophants revile At this thy plain but Heaven aspiring stile We 'll leave them as they are and wave their scorn In his good time God will exalt his Horne Jn this thy heavenly wooer thou hast shown Our Saviours mercy and his love in one Here soul thy Christ to thee proposeth Heaven Nay he doth wooe thee to 't let not sins leaven Harbour in thee t' obstruct thy way to bliss O Soul admire that Christ thy wooer is Render him thanks for this his mercy great Never refuse so glorious a seat Eternal horrour will be thy retreat On the ensuing Poem THis Author minding God's great Love to us Was thereby mov'd to represent it thus No flaring dress nor gaudy Robes here worn And yet enough to keep his Muse from scorn Not a-la-Mode yet handsome neat and spruce To gain respect and stop or dam the sluce Of that prophaness which licentious rimes Sets ope in these our sad declining times The wooing here Divine no complement Needed nor us'd by way of supplement It treats of high and heavenly misteries Brought down to suit meanest capacities The heir of all God's first begotten Son Is here commended yet when all is done That all 's too short his praises to set forth Much here 's exprest but more admire his worth Praised be God for this sweet Melody Thanks also to that Instrument whereby The Match is here advis'd well may he speed In such endeavours and at every need Find such supplies of mercy from the Lord As he hath promis'd in his Holy Word May they too profit who shall read these Songs Praise be to God to whom all praise belongs James Horne On the foregoing Commendations of the following Poem OThers affect that by some Learned men Some Doctors Students Preachers or the pen Of some great Person what they put to Press Should be commended or delight to dress It with some curious Frontispeice my mind In good men's approbation more doth find It to content that such as God believe And his instructions likewell to receive Who godliness endeavour after fleeing What ever things are therewith disagreeing Commend my studies and endeavours for Such Persons praises God doth not abhor By such he 'll be commended when by those Who to true godliness are real foes Though great and rich and learned too they be To be extolled much disdaineth he Nor did that Kingly Poet David whose Praises were great in songs who did compose The sweetest Poems unto him invite The great or Learned Persons that they might Turn in to him
and his Companions be But such as fear'd the Lord thereto did he Invite and call they in God's mysteries Have the best judgment are the truly wise Nor God nor good men for their poverty Do any such despise why then should I Better by one poor good man prais'd to be Than by a thousand bad of high degree In such though mean men in this World God's treasures Have oft been put and they of divine pleasures Have oft the largest deepest draughts the Saints Or holy men what ever outward wants Have them attended Christ's inheritance With all its glorious riches doth advance If such then like my works if what I 've pen'd Those that be truly pious do commend It is enough if they be pleas'd I much Pass not for their accounts that are not such Though that 's the lot of goodness too that oft Some such it praise too who themselves are naught Such virtu's beauty that it oft attracts Their eyes and tongues who yet refuse its acts Who loving sensual pleasures can't endure Themselves unto those labours to inure Whence those good fruits are reap't which who so taste Shall joys injoy which evermore shall last Such forcedly though th' act not praise what 's right But vertues foll'wers praise her with delight J Horne THE Divine VVooer Canto I. A wake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Eph. 5.14 The Call The man upon his Soul doth call To view it's state original And what it 's now through Adam's fall The Soul it 's bad estate espies And ready to despair out cries A Minister thereto replies Directing it to Christ He shews Of him the gladsome heavenly news Yea Christ himself for its love sues Declares his worthy facts his love And what to close with him might move And shews what doth it most behove Then warns it of it's subtle foes Who seek to bring to it great woes And there this Canto hath it's close Man ROwse up thy self my Soul consider well What of thy state I herein do thee tell What was thy first condition what it 's now That what behoves thee thou mayst better know Good was thy state at first before thy fall For thou from God hadst thine original A pure off-spring of his heavenly breath Thou wast not subject unto sin or death Or grief or fear or any thing might harm thee Till the old Serpent from thy God did charm thee For we in Gods own image and likeness At first were framed and he did express Great love and bounty to us he withheld Nothing of good from us our state excel'd All creatures here below for to us he Gave the Dominion over Land and Sea And all that in them were yea all above He made also for us such was his love A pleasant Garden even a Paradise Of pleasures also full of rarities He for us planted and therein a Tree Of life by which we might from Death been free Yea whatsoever might yield us delight To Soul or Body touch or taste or sight He therein did provide with different sex For more content and off-spring nought did vex Or cause disquiet then yea thou didst know The nature of all things and couldst it show And such agreeing names on them impose As might their inward properties disclose Yea even with God himself thou to converse Wast fitted and his praises couldst rehearse And hadst thou still obey'd his just commands And had'st not broke by Sin the sacred bands Of friendship wherewith to himself he ty'd thee Nothing should ere have power had to divide thee From his affections nor should any thing Befaln thee but what good to thee should bring But now alas thy state is altered Since thou by sinning from thy God hast fled By listning to the Serpents subtlety And giving heed to his false glozing lye Of all the good thou had'st thou art berest And nought but what 's bad now in thee is left The Image of thy God wherein did stand Thy cheifest glory thou hast marred and Like to the Beasts that perish now hast made thee And Satans lies to ruine have betray'd thee His poyson hath thy heart infected so That nought but wickedness therefrom doth flow So that of God thou nought deserv'st but hate Yea and all creatures thee to ruinate May well conspire since thou so wretchedly Hast turn'd away from God their enmity Against thee is but just that as before Thou waft Heavens favourite and all things bore Respect unto thee now they should neglect thee And unto answerable woes reject thee To what thy blesses were for oh my Soul Thou art become a Dungeon very foul Nasty and dark and loathsomâ—sin and evil Have got possession in thee and the Devil Hath thee inslav'd so to his will and lust That thou art full of all that is unjust And hateful unto God who therefore hath From Paradise expel'd thee in his wrath And unto Death hath thee condemned so That from the force thereof thou can'st not go Of unclean Birds thou art become a cage Thy lusts and passions in thee rule and rage And drive thee to and fro and thee expose Unto the Malice of Infernal foes All thou do'st mean think love or joy in now What is it but what 's vain and brutish Thou In whom Gods Wisdom sometime had delight Art now become a very loathsom sight Wholly for her pure fellowship unmeet And for his service for from Head to Feet Thou full of sores and ulcers art In thee Nothing that 's right or lovely can He see Thou neither knowest him nor thy self nor how Thou may'st thy self recover nor can'st thou His favour re-obtain by any thing Which thou by way of off'ring can'st him bring For unto him no reall love thou hast Nor any virtuous thing of all good waste And empty now thou art To Sathans power And to Gods wrath obnoxious every hour Oh then how sad's thy state where ere thou go Thou art in danger of eternal wo. While thou art in thy sins over thy Head Gods wrath doth hang his wrath whom Angels dread And all the Creatures and whose furious ire When poured forth is like devouring fire So as the Rocks are thereby rent and fall Asunder for it 's able to turn all Into its Antient Chaos and to bring The whole Creation to a mere nothing Bethink thee then my Soul what course to take Is there no way thy peace with God to make Is there no way his wrath to pacifie To scape his vengeance that thou may'st not die Not die for ever while thou yet hast space Mayst thou not seek for and implore his grace Soul And is it so indeed is this my case Doth sin in me Gods image so deface And render me so loathsom in his eye Is his wrath so provok't am I to dye By his just law so doom'd oh whither then Shall I betake my self what can we men Devise or do whereby his anger we May pacifie
slaughter and shame Did valiantly fustain 188. For every one of which Praises to God and thee The lamb by whom all that did come Well ordered was we see 189. Through thee it was for good That such things we did bear Yea sins also whence griefs did flow As they permitted were 190. By our unrighteousness And our offences sore Thy righteousness was more express And our ingagements more 191. Thou turnst them all to good Though from us they were ill And thou thy praise from thence didst raise By thy great power and skill 192. It was for good that Death Thou didst to us ordain Diseases pains and such remains As brought to dust again 193. For by the thoughts thereof And sights and feelings too Thou didst us wake more hast to make To scape from endless woe 194. They moved us the less The flesh and world to mind And unto thee the more to flee And seek thy Grace to find 195. They made us less to prize What did from thee allure Death did present their injoyment Falling and unsecure 196. They made us less to dread What men us scared by While Temporal we see them all And that no way but dy 197. Yea while we also see That common Death no less Torments had oft then what down brought Those that did Thee confess 198. Yea further Death and grave This good unto us brought They gave us rest from what opprest When all our work was wrought 199. We bless thee for them all For all together wrought For our great good even death and blood And more joy to us brought 200. While greater proofs we had Of thy great faithfulness How great each hour thy love and power To help our weaknesses 201. For as our tryals did Thereby abound and grow So thy supports and our comforts Did more upon us flow 202. Oh happy was that time Happy the means by which Perswaded we became by Thee To take a course so rich 203. Thy words to intertain And thy servants to be Sustain the loss and bear the cross And follow after Thee 204. Oh blessed be that grace That power and truth and love Which did us draw and keep in awe Notletting us remove 205. For herein also Thou Our mighty Captain stood Our Enemy foild his Armies spoild And filledst us with good 206. For though our flesh fell down And Death it overcame And Fire or Grave did it outbrave Yet we receiv'd no shame 207. Yea more than Conquerors In all those things we were Through thy great love which did Thee move Our sin and Death to beare 208. This was our victory The faith we had in Thee That turn'd to meat what did us eat And made us life to see 209. But yet the full conquest Over that Enemie Thou didst not make till thou didst take From Grave our dead Body 210. Though when Death had us seis'd And Bodies dead did ly Our Spirit with Thee thou took'st to be In thy joy and glory 211. Where safety thou us gav'st And freedome from all ill In peace to rest in thy sweet brest Our rising time untill 212. Yet Death and grave had so Our Bodies quite deprav'd As that it seem'd not to be deem'd That thence they could be sav'd 213. Such transmutations they Did so long time sustain They were so jumb'd disperst and crumbl'd How could they rise again 214. But all this made but way For greater glory yet And to compleat thy Conquest great Which thou could'st not but get 215. For by thy powerful voice The Graves and place all Where we lay hid presently did Yield us up at thy call 216. They had no power and might Against thy power and will Us to retain and make remain Under corruption still 217. Thy Angels thou sentst sorth And gatheredst thine Elect That we by thee might honoured be With great love and respect 218. And now we do injoy The Kingdom gloriously With Thee we raign and shall remain To all Eternity 219. Oh what a Warriour stout Art thou Thou meekest Lamb There 's none could stand against thy hand But thou them overcame 220. And Thou hast given to us Thy Victories each one Our Enemies all thou mad'st to fall And would'st not reign alone 221. Thy Conquests now are full The field is fully clear There is no moe left any foe Not one doth now appear 222. For now thou hast them all Destroyed totally They down are gone where help is none In endless flames they fry 223. And we we reap the fruits Of all thy wars so great We have the end we did intend Thy pleasant fruits we eat 224. Now we are fully sav'd From all our miseries Broke is the Net and we are set Above our Enemies 225. All praise is due to thee Thou all things hast well done Thou first and last hast all outcast Now sorrows we have none 226. A toilsome path we trod A tedious journey had A Wilderness of great distress But now thou 'st made us glad 227. In all our Pilgrimage And great temptations thou Didst with us bide hast us supply'd And we be happy now 228. Oh happy now our state Our joys who can express Well sing we may Hallelujah And thee for ever bless FINIS Another to the same Tune 1. A New triumphant Song Fil'd full of mirth and praise To Thee our King now will we sing Extolling thee always 2. And well we may rejoyce O're all that wretched crue Who took delight with great despight Our ruine to pursue 3. Where are they all become That did us sore oppress They all are gone left there is none That may impair our bless 4. Where is that old Serpent That dreadful Dragon fell Hallelujah hee 's not to day For Hee 's thrust down to Hell 5. He and his Angels all That vexed us full sore Lying in wait for us with hate Destroy'd are evermore 6. That dreadful burning Lake Of wrath so large and deep They 'r thrown into to bear their woe Where Sinners wail and weep 7. Where are those dreadful Beasts That were his instruments With horns and heads so full of dreads Breathing out punishments 8. Where is their pompous train Their Names of blasphemy There 's not a Crown unfallen down There 's none of them on high 9. Where now 's the false Prophet Who all the World deceiv'd Who up did cry and magnifie The Beast and him believ'd 10. Who did him worship give And to his Image fall Name Image Mark are all ' th' dark And their Adorers all 11. Both Beas and Prophet false Are gone into the lake To bear their hire in that great fire Whose burnings never slake 12. Where is that painted Whore Which rode in Pomp and State Her gilded Cup which was fil'd up With poysonous liquors late 13. Whom Earthly Kings ador'd As if she sure had been The only fit in State to sit As Soveraign Lady-Queen 14. Who sought and suckt out blood As if it had been sweet Greatest and least she
's the top and height Of all our happiness That God with us we enjoy thus The Fountain of all bless 184. All which we have in Thee And with Thee perfectly Who can Thee reach or who can preach All thy perfections high 185. Oh thanks for evermore To God and to the Lamb Through Gods grace good and the Lambs blood It is that here we came 186. Where sulness of alâ— joy And pleasures evermore Our portion be therefore we Thee For ever do adore 187. The Scriptures we need not In dark they were our light Thou art our book on Thee we look And all things see aright 188. Tou art our GENESIS In Thee we were create Thou' rt our Beginning without Beginning And End beyond all date 189. By thee we out of dust Or nought our beings had All things in Thee to us are free And we have nothing bad 190. Thou art our EXODUS Our goings out of thrall Thou didst us save deliverance gave By thy high heav'nly call 191. Thour' t our LEVITICUS Through Thee to God we clave Through thy Priesthood and offrings good He never did us leave 192. We also to be Priests Were all by thee anneald Our Leprosie is cleans'd by Thee And all our issues heal'd 193. Thou art our NUMBERER In thee inrold we be Where God doth own in thee is shown Our Genealogie 194. Thou art our Second LAW A perfect summary Of Gods mercies and our duties We do in thee descry 195. Thou art our JOSHUAH Our Saviour Judge and King What we omitted or else forgetted Thou to our mind dost bring 196. It s thou in EPHRATA That hast done worthily Poor Gen iles thou when they did bow Hast lifted up on high 197. Thou art the perfect Scribe The writer of Gods Law Freedome declar'd and all repaird By thee we also saw 198. The poor and patient JOB Made poor and rich again Who thee opprest at thy request Yet mercy did obtain 199. Thou the sweet Singer art The chief Musitian who The Instrument didst first invent And play'st upon it too 200. Thou art our PSALM and Song Our hearts and tongues always Thou through thy love dost tune frame move To fing forth all thy praise 201. Thou only fulness hast All without thee is vain Thou art the Preacher and heavenly Teacher Who dost in Salem Raign 202. Thou' rt the Beloved one The swift Roe or young Hart The Song of Songs to Thee belongs Who its chief Subject art 203. Thy Testimony is Of all the Prophets old The quintessence and thou the sense Of Proverbs dost unfold 204. Thou from a low degree Hast rais'd us to the Throne The Righteous seed Thou hast all freed Here 's Lamentations none 205. Thou art the Gospels sum The tidings of great joy Blessings have we and peace in Thee Nothing doth us annoy 206. Thou Gods Epistle wert His mind in Thee He writ When we absent were he thee sent And Thou discoveredst it 207. Thou art the end of all In Thee God doth unfold And hath reveal'd what lay conceal'd In Thee we All behold 208. Thou all art and in all ALPHA and OMEGA Wherefore to Thee ever do we Sing Oh Hallelu-sah To the Holy Spirit 1. ANd yet again wee 'll sing and strike our strings Wee 'l shew forth whence the spring Of joy that makes us sing Oh 't is a glorious Fountain whence it springs 2. It is the Holy Spirit which he inherits Who did redeem us when We all were but lost men And purchast us to God by his great merits 3. The Spirit of Life which hath fil'd up our Faith And quenched all our griefs With his Cordial reliefs Hee 's Author of our good rejoyc'd us hath 4. He fils us with divine life as with wine And always flows into us And doth such glory show us That to rejoyce we jointly do combine 5. And cannot but rejoyce with pleasant voice And that continually And to Eternity With joys and gloryings in him rare and choice 6. That holy Spirit we will With utmost skill Set 〈◊〉 and magnifie And 〈◊〉 his love glory By whom God and the Lamb did all fulfil 7. He one is of the three in whom do we Live love and whom we doe Worship and bow unto Whose glory 't is our happiness to see 8. The glorious Father wild the word as skild Being that deep wisdom In which the will doth come Devâ—'d the Spirit of might it all fulfil'd 9 The Father and the word with one accord Decree'd devis'd to give Being to all that live And was the Spirit that being did afford 10. He is the mighty hand which the command Of the Father and the Son Which did through all things run Effected gave the world to be and stand 11. He the Heavens high out spred and adorned According as Gods will Holy and wise in skill Pleas'd to determine He them fashioned 12. The very crook't Serpent to his intent He form'd and all beside That was or doth abide According to Gods great commandement 13. He man to understand and to command All things in Earth and Sea That he did make to be Did form and fashion by his mighty hand 14. He is the fulness which is the most rich Forth-going of the High Father and Son whereby All things He built and as a tent did pitch 15. In him there is no less then all the bless And blessed vertues high Which do dwell perfectly In God and in the word and they possess 16. The fulness of all good like a great flood From the Ocean going And all overflowing Yea fuller 't is than can be understood 17. He from God and his word with them one Lord Searcheth the things most deep Which God in Christ doth keep The knowledge of them t is he doth afford 18. One with them twâ—â—â— was He As well know wee In all their councels old Most high and manifold Therefore they all by him declared be 19. Blest be that Spirit of grace who in its place Did both a body frame For the Word and th same Sanctifie that no sin might it deface 20. The eternal Spirit the same who did us frame Seeing us in sin dead And helpless pittyed Us all and blessed be his holy Name 21. He that we might from sin be freed wherein We lay condemn'd prepar'd As He had fore declar'd That blessed body unto us a kin 22. And fild it with his power that in the hour Of death and darkness He Upheld was did not flee From that great cup of vengeance sharp and sour 23. To which he by this Spirit that he might merit For us Redemption Accurst the Cross upon Did yield himself that we might Life inherit 24. Thou Spirit most blest didst raise within three days That body up again Loosing of Death the pain To justifie us for which we thee prasse 25. And for those infinite perfections bright That are in Thee and all Thy works both great and small Thou carryedst up that body to
Light might love infinite 71. To Thee oh Trinity in unity Eternal happiness Eternal endless Bless That art without all change eternally 72. We sing and shout alway Hallelu-jah Praise thee we will always Throughout our endless day And sing with heigth of joy Hallelujah Hallclujah Such things but far more pure and excellent Then any humane tongue or pen can vent Or any heart of man while here alive Can by all he may hear or read contrive Conceive or think of shall those gloriously Blest persors utter when they shall their high And everlasting Kingdome have and hold For their great joys and glories can't be told They 'r far above what mortal man can speak Thine heart to apprehend them is too weak For never any since the World began Hath ever heard no nor Angel nor man Hath by the care perceiv'd or by their eye Have seen the greatness of the dignity Or brightness of the glory foreprepar'd For those who unto God give due regard Who love him and for his appearance wait None but God see 's and knows their happy state Canto VI. The Worlds Vanity Seek ye first the Kingdome of God and his righteousness c. Matth. 6.33 In the sixth Canto Christ presents In brief the former two's contents The Damneds woes Saints merriments Perswades the Soul to chase the best The Man consults with his own brest Couâ—sâ—ls the Soul the way to rest Chriâ—â—s Servant doth the same perswade The Soul inclines but is afraid To its Objection answer's made By Christ and by his Minister Christ doth himself and Name declare Gives Counsels which the safest are Renews â— is suits with earnestness With arguments the Soul doth press Him more to value the World less And by some instances 't is plain That their both ways and ends are vain Who judge this world to be the Main Chr. SEE I have set before Thee good and ill I say not chuse whither of them thou will But chuse the Life and good that thou mayst be Happy for ever and destruction flee Think on these things the doleful state of those Who do rebel against me and oppose My truth and my most equal government How dreadfull then will be their punishment Think if thou canst be able to endure So woful torments as sinners procure By sin unto themselvs think how great bless If me thou closest with thou shalt possess Accept my profer'd kindness me embrace Submit unto my Doctrine so my grace And favour thou shalt have and never know The woful plight of them that ly below Oh be perswaded now to let go all That doth pollute Thee and obey my call Follow my counsels let me have thy heart Thou shalt have mine and il'le ne're from thee part I 'le be thy friend for ever thou shalt have More happiness than thou canst think or crave Man Hast thou not heard my Soul what thy great Lord Proposeth to thee in his holy word Such things thou there hast heard wilt thou not then Unto his wholesome Counsels say Amen Consider with thy self how bad thy state In Adam was how thou deservedst hate What sinfulness unto thee yet doth cleave How good the Lord hath been who did not leave Thee in thy fallen state but such an one Hath sent forth for man even his only Son What he hath done for thee how he thee woes Unto himself that thou with him wouldst close How in his word and what it doth contain He answers the Objectors cavils vain That unto Atheism would thee fain move Shew's what will be hereafter dost approve His profer'd love Wilt thou of him accept Part with thy Idols or shall they be kept Without all doubt its best to let all goe To close with Christ who doth thee love and woo Consider with thy self if thou him slight All besides him to help thee have no might For they 'r poor sorry vanities can 't give Thee solid comfort or cause thee to live For ever or with full content while here They cannot satisfie thy soul not chear Tâ—y drooping Spirits when Death shall draw nigh And summons thee to yield thy breath and dy Alas how short and how uncertain be The lives of men as we may daily see How many dy while yet their bones are moist With marrow Even while they have much rejoyâ—'t In their firm strength while milk was in their brest How suddainly hath pale death them opprest Mini. If thou an Atheist wer 't and couldst not tell Whether in truth there be an Heaven or Hell Yet were it not far better so to think And seek for Heaven than only eat and drink Injoy this world a while and then down ly In a forgotten dark obscurity For if there be such things as thou hast heard If Heaven be never sought for Hell ne're fear'd Gods way and word despis'd his truth neglected And all his profer'd love and grace rejected Thy case must needs be sad for it doth tend Unto those miseries that never end And that there may be such things reason can't Any good warrant fancy not to grant Seeing the being of the world and all Therein with many things that do befall Evince a Deity and what so great But may be well conceiv'd as well as that This so great world a being given it had He that sees and believes this sure is mad To think impossible what e're beside Is as from him that made it testify'd Whereas if no such things should be which yet Who can suppose except that he can get All principles of Reason blotted out And wholly all those things which round about He sees so great denie to be yet then What shall he loose who them believeth when He comes to dy â— 't is but uncertain joys Which when Death comes men look upon as toys Some poor and fancâ—â—d injoyments which Do either ly without men and the pitch Of inward worth doth nought advance nor give Increase of quietness while men do live Yea oft increase disquiets fears and troubles Or if they something add within 't is bubbles Which swell a little and a while appear And then if looked for they are not there When as also they that perswaded be To chuse Gods ways and trust in him we see To live as well oft-times in outward state As they that mind this world and Gods ways hate And commonly express more inward peace When they afflicted be and when they cease Here to abide in life with joys far more Depart than they who have themselves up-bore By worldly riches honours injoyments Of pleasures or of any Earth-contents Man Sure 't is the best mysoul with him to close Who with such love and promises thee wooes Seeing such bless he gives as none besides Can give even bless that evermore abides Soul I do his promises like well and what He saith unto me they are very great It s my desire him to imbrace and take No better choise or bargain can I make But here 's a world so
By which means seeing I the conquest 〈◊〉 O're death and hell and overthrew the plot Of the old Serpent subde and crasty Let those my doings of me testify They show my love my power and wisdom too And they my faithfumess and truth do show Would I have 〈◊〉 in any thing I say Sure it would there have been wherein there lay So many diffiâ—â—â—â—ties in my way Behold me then dear Soul and duty mind What I am and have done and thou â—halt find Encouragement enough against these things Which do occasion those my waveringâ— Why dost thou 〈◊〉 or care for things below Seeing thy wants and dangers all I 〈◊〉 And I can any thing on thee bestâ—â—â— What if men should thee hate and 〈◊〉 And band themselves against thee 〈◊〉 I Secure thee from all harm that may befall To thee or thine from any of them 〈…〉 Are they not in my hands â— their 〈◊〉 hears I can dispose and order all their part And power and time and breath are in my hand And I can that of 〈◊〉 way theâ—â— command And If thou mindst â—â—y love thou mayst be sure That in obeying me 〈◊〉 thee 〈◊〉 From what may harm thee although because I All-wise am I shall thy security And safety in such manner prosecute As may best with thy after we sare suit In which because thoâ— childish art or blind Or foolish and canst not in thy wear mind Discern or comprehend my ways or see The method of my walkings towards thee Nor canst well judge what may be for the best And that the rather because in thy bâ—est Lust bears so great a sway which covereth After those things that â—â—nd unto thy death Shrinking away from that wherein thou mayst Find more felicity if then thou stay'st Thy self upon me and on me sely Plucking quite out and casting by that eye Though thy right eye which seeing things amiss Moves thee to stumble at my ways in this Or that thing which I order and suspect That I do not things for the best effect Thou shalt do wisely And thou may'st me trust With thee and thine 〈◊〉 since I am just And righteous and sindâ— I love thee too And being to order thing to thy best good As may in what in said be understand If thy ways please 〈◊〉 I thine enemies Can and will make thee to befriend their eyes Shall towards thee be good thee for to spare For their affections too in my hunds art If great men hate thee I can safely hide Thee from their malioâ— I can curb their pride Or break their power or take away their breath Or thee from them for by such ways I Death Make mine befriend or else I can divert Their enterpriser as when Saul begirt Poor David I the Philistins did send To find Saul other work and so befriend My persecuted Servant or I can And often imeâ— I doe the wrath oâ— of man Turn to my praise and that that doth remain Beyond what may me praise I can restram See how the Sparrows though of value small Among the Birds of prey do live â—â—one fall No not one of them to the ground 〈◊〉 by My Fathers pleasure though they often 〈◊〉 In midst of dangers If my Father hath Such care of â—parrows where is then thy saith To crost me with thy safety and him who Doth value and esteem of mankind so As all the Birds and Beaâ—ts too never were As what â—suff'red for you makes appear Trust me then with thy safety verily Except I see it good thou shalt not dy Or suffer by the hands of men I will Be shield end Buckler to thee â— and thee still Will hide and 〈◊〉 so that though men fret And do themselves also against thee ser They shall not harm thee But if I do 〈◊〉 That it will for thy good be that I thee Deliver up into their hands to 〈◊〉 Imptison banish take away thâ— right Or kill thy body do thou them not feaâ— For all their malice shall be ended there For more they cannot do then kill the 〈◊〉 And when that 's done I 'le raise it up 〈◊〉 And seeing I so love thee thou may'st know For certain that if me thou dost follow I will not let them â—ill 〈◊〉 except Do see I may advantage thee thereby For such my pow'â— is that even Death and Hell And all their torment I can easly â—â—â—ll Make them serâ—â— my designe those to advance To glory who are my inheritance Feare nothing therefore of what may befall thee But yeild thy self and go where ere I call thee And do my service cheatfully with Thee I I thy Saviour evermore will be I that Almighty am and can desend thee I that do love thee well will succor send thee Thou shalt not be alone I will not leave thee I will go with thee and will not deceive thee I 'le strengthen thee to bear what shall befall thee I 'le thee support and â—â—ear where ere I call thee In all afflictions my love that 's better Then wine thou shalt rast of I that am greater Then all against thee will in my arms bear thee And mitigate the sense of what may dear thee I gave my self for thee and grief sustained A bitter death I bare in love unfeigned For thee and for thy sake fear not to give Thy life and body to me as I live I 'le take the care of them I will thee cherish And no hair of thy head shall from thee perish In life and death I will be faithful to thee And notwithstanding Death â—onor I 'le do thee I 'le make thy sufferings bearable and sweet And with my good spirit thou shalt surely meet If I into deep waters do thee lead I will go with thee and bear up thy head So as they shall not overflow or drown thee No though they should no ev'ry side surround theâ— Into the fire if I do lead thee yet No dammage thou from its fierce flames shalt get For I 'le safe keep thee bear thee in my armes And I 'le secure thy soul from all ill harms Fear none of those things then that unto thee By Sathan or his Servants done may be Though into prison they ten days thee cast And there with chains of Iron make thee fast I will be with thee there and bring thee out Be confident of me my love don't doubt Be faithful unto me and I will give A Crown of life to thee and thou shalt live And as for other things why should'st thou care Seeing my Father for thee did not spare To give me up to Death and gives me too To be thy Head and portion How canst thou Suspect or fear that any thing He will Withold from thee that 's good No. He will fill Thy cup with what 's who some for thee to drink If thou away from my words dost not shrink All things are mine and what I have shall be Thine and I 'le give of them what 's good for
of the creature and the Lord forsakes For what advantage can it be unto The soul when it its body shall forego That it had Wife or Husband House or Land Riches Honours or pleasures at command Yea Crowns and Scepters while the body it Inlive'ned Oh what profit will it get From any or from all those things when in The depths of Hell oppressed with its sin It shall have its abode can they relieve Its misery when it shall mourn and grieve And wail its folly No alas too gross For it a Spirit they are its sad great loss Of me and of my favour cannot be Made up by any thing it here could see For then no drop of comfort can it have How ever earnestly it may it crave This that thou may'st the better see mind well Another true story that I shall tell There was a certain rich and wealthy man Who far'd deliciously each day that ran Over his head was clothed with the best And finest silks and linnens wherewith drest he glitter'd bravely and all things he had Which this world could afford to make him glad There also was a poor and piteous man Cal'd Lazarus a Cripple lean and wan And full of sores who used to resort To th' rich mans dore and beg for some comfort His hunger-starved body to relieve But the hard hearted Churl would little give His dogs more kind than he would very oft His sores lick gently Death at length hence caught Poor Lazarus whom Angels did attend To guard his soul from every evil Fiend And carred him to Heaven where he did rest With great content in Father Abrahams brest Soon after 't came to 'th rich mans turn to dy And leave the world for no satiety And fulness of this world could always keep Him here alive but the black dismal sleep Of Death surpris'd him when a quiet end He seem'd to have circled with many a friend Amending on him till his life did fail When they did seem his death much to bewail Although his heirs were glad enough at heart That they might share to each of them a part Of those vast heaps which he had laid in store For after times and witheld from the poor From all which now they beare him to the grave Where rich and poor like intertainment have Save that they on his Funeral bestow'd More cost and worship and his greatness show'd On a more stately Tomb or Monument Whereon they ingrav'd his name to the intent It might not be forgot but before then His wretched Soul was hurri'd to the Den Of damned Spirits even to the pit of Hell Where what his torments were what tongue can tell This wretched man stript of his pomp and state And all his riches which he had of late Lay then in flames of fire tormented sore Because he had abus'd his wealth before Spent it on 's lusts relieved not the poor Had slighted God his truth and grace contemn'd Therefore to torments he was there condemn'd Where not one drop of water could he get Whereby he might allay the burning heat Wherein his wretched tongue that us'd to boast Great things blaspheme God curse the poor did roast And fry in flames which caused him to cry And howl and roar and yell most hideously When lifting up his woful eyes aloft He ' spyed that poor Lazarus whom oft He had disdained to behold before When he lay lame and begging at his doore In Abrahams bosome full of peace and joy Disturb'd with nothing that might him annoy Then calling out to Abraham he did cry Oh Father Abraham hither turn thine eye For I was of thine off-spring and from thee And thy blest stock deriv'd my pedegree Father shew forth thy pitty now behold I ly in torments here that can't be told My Soul is on a flame with scorching wrath Nothing in it now ease or quiet hath That tongue wherewith it secretly did speak More wickedness than ever forth did break From out my bodies lips see how it fries And flames tormented in these miseries Dear Father Abraham even for the sake Of those thy bowels whence I issu'd take Some pitty on thy child and Lazarus Send from thee to help me tormented thus Oh let him but one drop of water fetch One drop of comfort me to ease poor wretch Oh might he but the very end and tip Of one poor finger in cold water dip And to the tip of my scorcht tongue apply Which flames of fiery wrath do wondrously Afflict with sharpest pains 't would mitigate Somewhat these wofull torments 't would abate My heat a little Oh dear Father send That Beggar hither me now to befriend To whom that good old Patriarck reply'd Ah Son for that thou wast so 'ts not deny'd Remember how thou didst thy self abuse In thy life time and Gods good gifts misuse When this poor man lay begging at thy doors Unpitty'd by thee hungry full of sores Thou hadst enough wherewith to have reliev'd His penurie then yea therefore thou receiv'd Gods gifts of bounty but thou letst him ly Neglected then thou scornd'st his poverty Now therefore he with me doth rest possess And thou hast torments now without redress Yea now a gulf is fixt twixt us and thee So that though we each others state may see We cannot change them so as that we may Pass hence to you your torments to allay Nor can you come to us us to molest Or take part with us in our endless rest We joys have whereof you may not partake You endless burnings which we may not slake Your riches now have end your pleasure 's past Your torments and your miseries shall last Learn hence that 't is not riches nor great State Nor any fleshly priviledge will bate Nor yet preserve from endless misery Those persons who in sin do live and dy Who me neglecting and my gifts abusing And my now profer'd grace and love refusing Prefer their lusts and riches thereunto And in vain worldly ways do chuse to go All their now present injoyments shall fail them And after death none of them shall avail them Be now advised by me Dear Soul therefore If thou wouldst happy be for evermore Seek first Gods Kingdome and his righteousness So shalt thou have them and therein Gods bless Accept my profer'd love imbrace my grace When I say seek the Lord seek thou my face Get wisdom get true knowledge in thy heart Receive my words and let them not depart Out of thy heart and mind but let them ly Between thy tender breasts continually Then other things as they will lead thee thou May'st better look for and shalt find them too It is but reason that I do propoud No better course can for thy good be found For if thou seekest first the world or what Of it thou likest before thou hast got That which thou seekest thou may'st chance to dy And perish from my presence endlesly As in the former parable even now I did for admonition to
thee show But if thou hast me first thou happy art When or however thou dost hence depart Yea and I pow'r have every other thing As I see good for thee to pass to bring If Husband Wife or friends or riches I Do see thee want I can thy want supply They 'r all at my dispose thy way lies fair If thou l't be rich be marryed to the heir All things are theirs who have me theirs to be They heirs of all are by vertue of me Men Angels Paul Apollo and Cevhas World life Death things that are and what to pass Shall come hereafter though 't is in my dispose And they may not take any thing of those But as I give it them even as an heir To some great Lord though under Age and bare As to his own possession yet hath all In 's Guardians dispose and he may call Or ask for what he wants but he must have His Guardians grant for that which he doth crave And may not take but what he will allow Who being wise and 's Father well doth know His Childes desires and needs and consident The Child may be of 's Fathers good intent In all he doth and that he will supply Him with what 's good in his necessity And give what he doth ask or else what he As wiser than the Child doth better see So that the child may well himself submit Unto his Fathers will judging what 's fit For him hee 'l give him and nothing deny If pleasd with him that good is in his eye Such is the case between my Father and Those that me loving obey my command Or as the Wife who from the Dunghill base Nought having of her own if by the grace And special favour of some Prince shee 's took Into the bond of marriage well may look On his estate as hers especially If he a joynture hath her made whereby He hath her interessed in it all And may it thenceforth also hers well call And thence expect to be maintained too And have her wants supplyed all although Her Lord do its dispose keep in his hand And will have her depend on his command For the receipt of all supplies and not Turn out his Tenants take away their Lot Or rights therein and do here pleasure but Go to him for allowance to him put The ord'ring of her maintenance even so An interest thou shalt in mine have though I the dispose keep in my hand and thou Must come to me for what I will allow Resign thy wil up unto mine and pray Thy will be done Give me Lord day by day What needful is and there 's no cause to fear I will thy needs regard thy pray'rs I 'le hear I 'le give thee what is meet do but thou me Imbrace and follow and then thou shalt see I will be thy good Lord a husband loving That will deny thee nothing that 's behoving May'st thou not trust me seeing I did give My very lise for thee that thou might'st live And when thou wast of me most ignorant And did'st not love me I to thee did grant The knowledge of me canst thou think that I Can any thing that 's good for thee deny When thou to me art reconciled and Espoused too surely that cannot stand With my good honour Nor think thou it will Be any hindrance to Thee to fulfill My good advise and pleasure it will be A very great advantage unto thee Like as if some poor woman would have all Her wants supplyed should a rich man call Her to him and make tender to espouse her Unto him for a wife and with him house her Could her accepting him an hindrance be To the supplies of her necessitie Nay were 't not the best way them to obtain Far better than with Vagabonds and vain Poor Raskals her self to associate Thinking by them to get a good estate Even so thy seeking first my Kingdome and My righteousness will excellently stand With thy best having other wants supply'd For I am rich in grace and on thy side I then shall stand and give thee what is best For thy injoyment that thou mayst be blest I wise am too and better understand Then thou thy self dost what in Sea or Land May be best for thee and I power have too What ere I see best for thee that to do Doth not that child do better who doth take His Father to be with him and to make Choâ—se of a Hat or suir then for to go Without his Father and his own will do Especially if he be weak and childish Or led away by vain men being wildish Or have to do with cheats who will a prey Make of him and get from him what they may But hath a Father loving wise and willing To chuse the best for him and for his shilling Such is thy case here for I have more skill To know what 's for thâ— good or bad what will The consequent of this or that thing prove And as I oft have said I do thee love Whereas thou led by blind affection art In danger to run upon thine own smart And this most wicked world is false and double And where it pleasure promiseth gives trouble WISEDOME with an Inheritance is good But an Inheritance not understood Or without wisedome proves the hurt and harm Of him that hath it and of times doth charm Him into snares and troubles which undo him While into divers noysom lusts they throw him Besides all things remain in my dispose Whither thou dost with me or dost not close Thy folly may thy self indammage but It hurts not me nor possibly can put Me our of my possession thererefore I Can and may justly if thou me deny Give or deny thee what thou dost prefer Before me and my love in mine anger To be a snare and by what thou dost chuse Can punish thee because thou dost refuse My guidance and my blessing as I did The Israelites who oft times with me chid And would have meat their lusts to satisfy I gave it them and punisht them thereby And when a King they would from me extort Against my mind after the Heathen sort A King unto them in my wrath I sent To be unto them for a punishment Alas I can thee blast in thy injoyments And curse thee in thy ways and thy imployments If thou neglecting me thine heart dost set Upon the things below how them to get I can give thee a wife may make thee poor A sickly costly wife an arrant whore If thou for beauty chuse preferring that Before my grace I can give one shall hate Thee and her self to others prostitute There 's many a Crab that looks like pleasant fruit I can an husband give if one thou l't have Without me that shall prove a very knave Riches with snares vexations suits and trouble Or pleasures mixt with griefs and forrows double I can give children if thou must them have That may as Rachels bring thee to thy
Quis leget aut emet haec SEE here my friends that which with much expence Of time and money if without offence I may suggest it I prepared have Your good to further and your souls to save Is here exposed to you will you read it So as with seriousness to mind and heed it Will you with little charge and cost that buy Which doth me in far greater charges lye Your pains in Reading it will be far less Than mine it to Compose and in this dress To make it ready for you and your gain Will far exceed your cost if it remain Upon your Reading it in memory And if unto the practise you apply Your hearts of what it tends to as you ought You will not then repent that you it bought But I observe it some men's humour is To slight and undervalue things like this They 'll rather idle Ballads buy and read Or such bad Books as vice do breed and feed And what their souls tend to spoil and destroy For pride or belly chear they will imploy Their time and money and it is a grief To find such humours in some men so brief To see no more regard to what with pains And cost prepar'd is for their endless gains Yea sometimes I with such could angry be When such like carriages in them I see Or marvail at their stupidness to slight What their own welfare much advantage might But then when I look higher and reflect Upon the sad regardless disrespect That too too commonly we all express To God and Christ who far more for our bless And endless happiness than any man By all his study and expences can Have done and have prepar'd and tender to us Whereto with much long suff'ring they do wooe us It doth allay my grief and wonder too As to my labours or what others do Of like import for what am I or any Who labour in such studies whereby many Might benefitted be with him compar'd Who hath eternal life for us prepar'd By such a costly way as by the Death Of his dear Son who for us spent his breath And 's life and soul expos'd to many a grief To bring unto our souls endless relief Find we not Christ himself sometime complain That he had labour'd and his strength in vain Had spent while they among whom he had wrought Did all his love and labour set at naught Though he doth freely tender all the good Which he hath bought by his most precious blood For mankind unto whosoever will Accept thereof and take thereof their fill Yet because something he again requires That men do value and which their desires And love are bent upon they should forsake That of his better things they might partake Because he bids us of him his things buy Men do refuse them too too generally Though all he doth require us to forgo Or unto him to offer up that so We might be happy in what he doth give And might with him in joys for ever live Is nothing worth nor worthy to be ey'd Compar'd with what he gave when as he dy'd For us and for our sins his life and blood More precious far than can be understood Or else compar'd with what he gives again Even joys and glory that ever remain If we resent it if our labours be And cost neglected Oh then what may he With whose both pains and cost if we compare Any or all of ours they nothing are His labour and his patience very great Beside his agonies and bloody sweat He went about by Land and Sea that good He might do unto those who shed his blood Which he most freely poured out that we Drinking thereof might blest for ever be Yet amongst men how slender his reward How few his love or labours do regard Such is the Worlds guise such it constantly Hath been to cast their best concernments by While vanity they love and follow after Mere leasings or fond things of mirth and laughter Yea not only such things they disrespect As tend their greatest weal most to effect But oft repay with hatred and disdain The greatest love and things of greatest gain Whereof as Christ himself the Sovereign Lord Of glory so his choise servants afford Sufficient proof and evidence how great Their pains and labour the World to intreat To save their souls how great their diligence By Preaching Writing Travail Patience In good and bad reports and yet how bad Their intertainment every where how sad Their ill requitals oh at how great cost Have we our Bible truths how many lost Their precious lives laid out their strength and time That we might know the way whereby we climb May up to Heaven and happiness yet who Will even for Heaven it self their lusts forgo Well then may I not grutch at cost or pains Nor grumble at any neglects disdain Or what like things me for my labours shall From any man at any time befall Yea if I for my labours disrespect May meet with it may make me to reflect Upon my self and smiting on my thigh To say Thus thus too much and oft have I Requited God Christ and the holy Ghost And those his servants who unto our coast With pains and travail God's truth carried forth Truths of unspeakable and boundless worth Why then should I complain if I should find Such disrespects as suit less with my mind Or why should I expect respect or look For better likement unto any Book Than usual is for all good things to have Hatred they must expect who souls would save When I and others mend and better be To God they will deal well enough with me AN EPITAPH UPON Mr. THOMAS LILLY Of South-Lin I. THou that go'st by cast here thine eye I sometime walked there I was a Flower I stood my hour And now I 'm fallen here II. I in my time was of the prime That lived in this Town A Lilly fresh but I was flesh And Death hath cut me down III. ALl flesh is grass it 's grace doth pass The best is but a flower The stoutest man do what he can Must dye when 't is his hour IV. If riches could Death's force withhold I had not dyed yet Riches good store I had Death's sore Yet thence no cure could get V. I thought of this I sought for bliss I good attention gave To what I heard the Lord I fear'd And as I sought I have VI. O man thou must return to dust What ever now thou art Dust was thy breed and 't is decreed Thou and the World must part VII Yet thou may'st live if thou do'st give Good heed to mend thy ways For though thou dye yet certainly God will again thee raise VIII For Death came in by loathsom sin But Christ for all did dye And unto those who with him close He 'll give the victory IX Nothing beside will long abide But soon will fade away Consider well Take heed of Hell Think on thy dying day X. So farewel friend and God thee send To live so holily That Heaven may be a place for thee When 't is thy turn to dye FINIS Reader there be too many mistakes of Words Letters and Points the chief of them thou hast here a note of and how thou may'st correct them viz. as follows IN the Title page vers last for inot r. into In the Epistle p. 1. vers 14. for too r. two v. 16. r. woe In the Apology p. 3. l. 32. r. such woers p. 4. l. 36. r. I my self submit In the body of the Poem p. 2. l. 30. put out the full stop at bands p. 5. l. 30. r the vile p. 6. l. 33. for to r. so p. 8. l. 14. put out the stroke of the parenthesis and put it in l. 17. after back p. 11. l. 22. r. the better and their talk p. 34. l. 13. r. they may make p. 39. l. 14. r. good God p. 42. l. 30. r. naught p. 44. l. 20. for vow r. bow p. 54. l. 14. for left r. lift p. 58. l. 10. r. in my joys p. 60. l. 20. r. reprov'st us p. 65. l. last for can r. did p. 66. l. 1. and 3. for make r. made p. 69. l. 24. r. that they in their p. 72. l. 34. r. fill us p. 111. l. 14. for whom r. when p. 131. l. 4. for once r. over p. 139. l. 17. for abhorred r. adhered p. 138. al. 140. l. 33. for to r. so p. 148. l. 9. for is r. if and l. 29. put out is p. 151. l. 30. r. fading p. 161. l. 15. for nosh r. now p. 164. l. last r. do pierce p. 167. l. 14. r. show'd p. 172. l. 15. for best r. blest p. 181. l. 24. for but r. by p. 186. l. 15. the word Lamentations should have been in a great and different character as also diverse other words in the foregoing pages p. 211. l. 22. r. death honour p. 224. l. 33. r. between p. 228. l. 5. for thy r. thee p. 232. l. 26. for caret r. care p. 234. l. 16. r. stinch p. 235. l. 6. r. though p. 244. l. 30. r. thy pledge my holy p. 243. l. 27. for fashion r. fathom p. 254. l. 6. put our the stop at so p. 259. l. 27. r. heart p. 256. l. 22. r. ay p. 260. l. 4. for lovely r. lowly p. 264. l. 4. for this r. his p. 267. l. 28. put out not p. 268. l. 7. for soul r. love p. 276. l. last for oft r. oft p. 295. l. 6. r. and their portion Other mispointings I leave to thy discretion to observe and rectifie in thy Reading