rare and sweet they sing My senses now are ravisht quite My Soule is fill'd with such delight That if I now my choice might have They should my body lay in grave And say That I did chuse to dye And let my body on earth lye Till it most glorious should bee Like to Those Angels that we see The holy Spirit there doth bide For in the Son they all reside No bodily presence doth appear But of that God that sufferd here These glories cannot limned bee By my frail pencell well I see Now let us down those banks like green Rich Velvet whereupon are seen Bright orient Pearl and Rubies fair Strow'd on the velvet here and there Bright Diamonds scattered there doe lye Look there springs up the violet by As if a pride that sweet flower took Her face in that bright Gem to look The pure white Violet doth delight To hang upon that Ruby bright The sweet Carnation Pink that growes By that rich Pearl howe fine it show's Now let us on these sweet bancks rest Methinks we are divinely blest Look by those christall stremas there grows The Lilly fair and lovely Rose How in the waters they doe show Bright er then they do where they grow A Lustre fine those waters give Unto those plants that by them live Come let us now goe walk and see Like whom we shall hereafter be See there Elias doth appear Like to the Angels that are here I did forget we shall in light Be like his glorious body bright But hark Methinks I hear one say Thou must from Heaven to Earth away You must your children goe and teach How they this blessed place may reach T will be a pleasant sight to see Their faces like those Angels bee The which ere while we did behold In Robes more bright then is the gold The which on earth we think so fine When we in those base mettals shine But yet before you goe away Here me a little what I say If crosse you find things goe below On earth a while it must be so Let it not trouble your blest mind In Heaven you shall no crossness find If any aske you how I fare Then tell them sure I 'me free from care For I 'me in heaven you left me there The Vision WHy from celestiall bliss did you Draw me these meaner things to view Through those faire gates of pearl get I And that most pleasant wall past by Up that pure river strait I went That from the throne takes his ascent Then to the glorious throne I got Where I did see O God what not For whatsoever doth excell In thee doth in perfection dwell That glorious Lustre and bright ray Made me forget my mortallday Me thought that fine Orientall light Made me like it appear as bright From these sweet joyes why draw you me My self in meaner Robes to see For since I us'd to heaven to go All things on earth do sordid show The Heart TWo hearts in one breast can there not remain The one heart puts the other heart to pain My heart I will still keep take thou thine own My heart is happy when disturb'd by none Without a heart I know you cannot live Therefore your own I freely to you give Mine is in Heaven and will admit no change To leave my rest in heaven on earth to range I 'de have it written in my happy story None had my heart but heav'ns great prince of glory My youths affection to him I did send None can have any but what he will lend From mortall thraldome deare Prince keep thou me So though on earth I as in heaven shall bee The Bride SIth you me ask Why borne was I I 'le tell you t was to heaven to fly Not here to live a slavish life By being to the world a wife When I was born I was set free From mortals thraldom here to bee For that great Prince prepar'd a bride That for my love on earth here dy'd May not I then earths thraldom scorn Sith for heavens Prince I here was born If match't in heaven I weare a Crown But earthly thra'dome puls me downe On the day dedicated to the God of Heaven LOrd if this day belongs to thee No part of it pertains to mee Then sith this Day is wholly thine Let thoughts and actions be divine Let my soule be divinely clad And let me be like Angels glad With Angels food this day feed mee And let heav'ns Nectar my drink bee And to compleat my hearts desire Send downe a beam of heav'ns bright fire By it let me that pure path see That leads to glorious bliss and thee The Defiance COme now tumultuous flouds and show Your spite by tumults you shall know Eliza's plac'st above your reach Upon her soul you make no breach Unto the world you do let see You 'd have her loose but gain shall shee What you can get she doth not mind Her treasure lies not in your wind When my Brother was sick IF that my Brother thou wilt take from me Lord with thy will make me contented be But if it be thy blessed will my Lord To my request to bend and to accord And if no harm to him that it might bee In this request then gracious God hear me And grant that well and long he here may live And honor thee and glory to thee give And be an instrument here of thy praise And in thy service spend and end his daies But if in his young years my Lord thou please From paine and grief to take him unto ease And if thou fitter dost my Brother see With thee to raign in glory then to be Here subject to a world of slavish fears For in this mortall world we must have cares Onely in heaven we shall sweet freedom gain In heaven there is no fear no care nor pain Then to thy holy will my gracious Lord Make me thy servant ever to accord And if to Heaven thou wilt my Brother take I pray thee teach my soul for to forsake Vain earthly thoughts and flee from earth to thee So with my Brothers soul my soul shall bee My wishes are those beams may ravish thee That wrapt me now in sweet felicity The Guard YOu blessed Angels that still live And tendance on us mortals give From my most dear Lord you are sent To tend on me for the intent From harm and danger me to keep You are my guard while I do sleep I do not grudge for to confesse Nay my poor soul can say no lesse I am unworthy of that favour Granted to me from my Father That you on me should tendance give Yee which in glory still do live I have offended him each hour And done the ill lay in my power Then you that still obedient be Oh! why should you attend on me This is a mystery full deep You being righteous sinners keep My God I pray thee make me know Why those blest Angels should do so For should
His Spirit much he will inspire What thou desirest that shall be Thou hast thy wishes granted thee With thee needs must I wish to live That mak'st me wish what tâ—ou wilt give Lord harden thou my heart as hard as steel And loves vaine passion let me never seel Onely in Heaven my soul shall seek her rest In Heaven perpetually to be blest On Earth a while I must tormented be Because that sin too much abides in me It is the injoying of thy Spirit That makes my soule here true joy inherit And here to shew me that thou hat'st my sin Thy Spirit like the Sun-beams is drawn in Then doth my Soul full wo and sad remaine Till that sweet spirit doth appeare againe Then when thy Spirit againe reigns in me Then comes my joy away my paine doth flee For when thy Spirit my Soul doth injoy Nothing can then my happy Soul annoy For why No cause of sorrow I can see Because beyond my selfe it raiseth me Anguish FRom this distraction Lord my poor soul bring That still thy heavenly prayses I may sing For this distemper doth my soul affright My Lord it takes from me all my delight And pleasure that I had in serving thee This trouble great vaine folly brings to me If from thy holy service I be tane No comfort can I find but endlesse paine For what can yeeld our Souls here true content If to serve thee we are not wholly bent For here I see vaine pleasures quickly fly And that which I did love must surely dye But in thy service if I pleasure take And thy sweet word my whole delight do make That word doth still my drooping soul assure That for the best it shall be all to me If patiently I doe awaite on thee Of Submission WHat comes to me Lord comes from thee Nought comes to me but comes from thee What though against my will it be If thou it fitting seest for me Let be and Master thou my will That I thy servant may fulfill Thy holy will and thee obey Make me obedient be I pray If I obey thy Majesty I need not fear although I dye Hope WHat though my morning be debard of light For me thou shalt break forth a noon most bright The onely Comforter WHat in this world doe I deerer esteem Or greater in my minde here still do deem Then that Spirit which floweth still from thee Which makes my soule in happy blisse to be For nothing in this world here can me please Nor yet my Soule from paine and grief can ease But thy sweet spirit which abides for aye For these vaine worldly things doe fade away My soul immortall did proceed from thee And pleas'd with mortall things she cannot bee You earthly pleasures I can use you all But treasures of my soule I le not you call Goe flee vaine pleasures for sure all must grant Nought can us please but what is permanent In thee my Lord my soul alone is blest In thee alone I doe attaine sweet rest The Soules Flight WHither away my Soule do'st high That thou so fain from me would'st fly Sure it is to some holy place That thou thy selfe there may'st solace Thou wilt not here abide with me But goe to God there to be free To him thou liv'st to him thou flyest That is the reason that thou highest And here I wish thee not to stay I wish to Heaven thou mighst away From Prison oft I wish thee free That thou mayst be at liberty The Virgins Offring WIth thee blest Virgin I would bring An Offering to please my King Two Turtle Doves thou didst present Can there be better by me sent A Lambe more pure then they could be I heard was thither brought by thee These two small Turtles now of mine To him I do present with thine The Lambe will serve for thee and mee No better offering can there be Thus with thee Virgin doe I bring An offering will please my King To my Doves YOur life I ment not till my death Might give you freedome with my breath And when I breath'd in Heavens Aire free I did intend your libertie But offer'd now you sure must be A Sacrifice of thanks from mee When we are dead we cannot give Our offerings must be while we live Two Doves no Phenix you must be I must see that live comes from me You as an offering goe from me But on your wings my heart must be My heart now free from all desire But what is kindled by heavens fire To him I doe present as free As ever he did give it me I on your wings would sore aloft And still live free from humane thought Accept great God what I present Thy glory is my Souls intent Goe now my Doves and soar aloft The drooping heart raise you full oft To such a heigth bear it away That it may see celestiall day And never lett it on earth rest But leave it in Heavens glorious brest The Trimph SIth thou from thrall hast sett me free I will sing prayses unto thee Thou hast brought me from Temptation And fild me with contemplation Of thy heavenly habitation In which lives a glorious Nation Which triumphantly doe sing Praise and glory to their King No darknesse nor no dolefull night Obscures their Vision of delight No noise doth interrupt their voice They doe incessantly rejoyce Mayst thou my Soule now be so bold That glorious place for to behold And say how that faire Cities blest In which the righteous shall have rest The wals are rais'd of Gems more bright Then are the Diamonds here in sight The Saphire Diamond Ruby fine Their beauty in each one combine The other Gems their lustre bright With them doe give so fine a light That like the Rainbow it doth show But far more bright you 'l think I know Most glorious things are said of thee Thou City where the mighties bee The streets are of the purest mold Exceeding farr the brightest gold And from Gods glorious Throne doth spring A River that sweet pleasures bring Adorn'd with many a goodly tree Which fresh and flourishing ever bee They doe not onely please the eye But heal the wounds would make us dye Nor fruitlesse doe their trees appear But pleasant fruit yeeld all the year I doe not wonder fruit so rife Upon these goodly Trees of life No change doth in this place appeare No scorching heat nor cold is here This heav'n the bright Lamb his wife gives And she in this place alwayes lives She is more lovely then the Rose Fresh faire and beauteous and still goes In long white Robes so pure and clear Like Orient Pearl she doth appear And on her head a Crowne more bright Then is the Sun here in our sight The pure white Lilly at her feet And pleasant Rose there strive to meet For all their beauty and their grace Is from reflexion of her face These lovely flowers doe never fade But for eternity were made How can
perfume that ever proceeded out of the earth was joyn'd with the odoriferous scent of righteousnesse from heaven Blessed Ioseph knew thy perfect body needed no imbalming That pure Balsam that came from heaven at the beginning kept thy precious body from corruption On the crosse was all that that was to be suffered in the body finished God would not suffer his holy one to see corruption truth made hast and sprung the third day from the earth and righteousness shewed her selfe from heaven in thee met mercy and truth righteousnesse and peace there kissed each other Now are they in thee conjoyn'd never againe to be separated 'T is not for ignorant man seeing thou hast not reveal'd it to examine what thou didd'st with thy precious soul when thy body was in the grave My Lord I will not search into those secrets kept in thine owne Cabinet Thou hast reveal'd enough to confirme my faith and to make me happy Thou hast told me That righteousnesse looked downe from heaven I will not expect thy coming from any other place The Acknowledgement MY Omnipotent God faine would I say something to thee but I am afraid But shall my womanish fear make thee loose thy glory My God it must not Thy glory must so dazle mine eyes that I must not regard the censure of the world And if thou O all-seeing eye seest ought of my selfe in what I write or say restraine my hand from writing and my tongue from speaking but if thy glory be the intention of my heart let not my hand and tongue be asham'd to confesse that I cannot but see those infinite blessings that thou hast bestowed on me which thou hast not as yet bestowed on all My Lord I were a fool if I did not see them I were a beast if I did not acknowledge them but thou hast taught me to know the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent into the world to take away my sins this wisdome given me by thee inlightens mine eyes to see thy blessings and that I must not be like a beast which receives many favours from thee without acknowledgment Then with infinite thankes I doe acknowledge to thy glory thou hast inriched me with a multitude of thy blessings And that I may know that whatsoever is in me tending to good is from thee there are times that I cannot see any thing that hath any appearance of good in me for when by thy mercies I lay me down in peace to take my rest being happy in the consideration of thy infinite mercies and full of thy goodnes yet in my fleep I finde my thoughts busied in nothing but a multitude of confused follies and vaine imaginations which plainly represent to me my naturall condition that by nature I cannot think a good thought but thou remembring thy mercies in the morning againe restorest to me thy gifts and graces in which I was happy the night before So that thou makest me to lye downe in peace and to rise with joy when I see that thou dost each day renue to me thy heavenly gifts for thou art to me as thou art to all that fear thee the light of my eyes the joy of my heart and a Crowne of glory to my head My Lord shall not these blessings of thine be acknowledged by me to thy praise and glory for fear the world should say I were proud of them Most people glory in something or other and thou hast said Let them that glory glory in the Lord. My God! thou hast heard my prayer that I leanrt of thy fervant that thou wouldst give me a glorying heart and now thou makest me with him to rejoyce in the God of my Salvation My Lord experience hath taught me to know that if I delight in earthly things thou wilt take them from me for thou wilt not have thy children delight in any thing more then in thy selfe But if we love thee thou wilt manifest thy selfe to us and wilt give us more full possession of thy desired selfe But my beloved Lord if after the expression of my excessive joy for being thine I shall through the frailty of mine owne nature and thy sufferance fall into any great transgression to make thee for a while to withdraw from me the pleasing and joyfull light of thy countenance My tender Father assure me that thou wilt againe restore me to the joy of thy salvation here in this world or thou wilt in thy mercy take me to a more full possession of thee in the felicity of thy chosen where I shall perpetually rejoyce with thy children But to make me carefull of my selfe let me remember thy warning Let him tha thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall The invincible Souldier MY Lord the Lord of Hosts I being in sweet security under thy banner cannot but acknowledge with thankes thy mercy to me for the meanes that brought me to this felieity Thou art mercifull to me in letting me be borne of Parents who were listed under thy command and to be brought up by her that did survive who knew thy service was perfect freedom She that was happy in being a Souldier of thine used her authority by love to bring her children under the obedience of that Generall whom she serv'd and â—o make me love him in my child-hood whom her experience had taught to love and admire inforc'd me to read his Royall story wherein I might see his victorio us conquest who was neverfoil'd There did I see his enemies had all their forces from him wherewithall they resisted him His wisdome his power his valour stole into my heart a little desire to follow him But when I came to consider what a great Prince I should serve what impenetrable weapons and armour he had provided for me to defend my self what rewards he had promis'd to give to all that did overcome I began to contemn the thoughts of serving any but that victorious Prince of glory And seeing greaâ— God thou hast bid us take that impenetrable armour I will not willingly ever goe without it Then dear Prince bestow on me the Girdle of Truth and put on me the brest-plate of thy Righteousnes and let my feet be shod with the Gospel of peace and let me have the shield of Faith and set on my head the Helmet of Salvation and instruct me how to weild the Sword of the Spirit and when I am so arm'd I shall not fear the fiery darts of the assailing enemies Though they be principalities and powers and rulers of darknes in this world My Prince whom I serve is a Ruler of those Rulers and will assist me yea the stars shall aid us in their courses against our adversaries That bright morning star shall arise on our side to enlighten us and to dazle and afright our weak-sighted resisters with his exceeding brightness The sweet influence that flows from that over-ruling star shall make us to renew our strength each houre to maintaine the