Liberty Mount then to Heaven with mighty Raptures blest Where They in sweet Fruition rest He who looks thro the masking World's Disguise Is taught by God and truly Wise He by Heaven's inward Light directs his Ways No gaudy Show his Course delays Each where a Place each Hour a Time can find To exercise his soaring Mind Sweet Meditations are his whole Delight Nor can this World his Thoughts invite No foreign Cares or Business curb his Soul Or his superiour Sense controul Well-pois'd within he ne're regards nor fears The Rage of headstrong Mutineers But knows distracting Madness only springs From Trifling Sordid Worldly things Wer 't thou well purg'd from darling Vices free All things would turn to Good to thee But now a thousand Cares thy Dreams displease A thousand Crosses break thy Peace Thy Soul not yet enough from Earth retires Nor art thou Dead to vain Desires The Love of Earth pollutes the purest Heart All Earthly things the Plague impart Mount then and all Enjoyments here despise So thou to outward Joys and endless Bliss shall rise II. He who humbleth himself shall be exalted NE're vex thy self to think what powerful Friend May thy lost Cause defend Ne're vex thy self to think what powerful Foe May work thy Overthrow Keep but thy Conscience pure thy God shall be Thy Saviour and a sure Defence for thee Where God assists the World in vain may frown And strive to keep thee down He 'll soon if thou'lt with humble Patience wait Relieve thy sinking State He knows His time Thy Faults thy Neighbours know And humblest Thoughts from Errors known should flow The Soul cast down for Sin soon reconciles His angry Neighbour's Smiles In Woes God views his true Humility And saves and sets him free To him his Comforts and his Grace incline And make him after Sufferings brighter shine His Secrets God to humble Souls reveals And such with Sweetness heals Tho scorn'd by Men he still secures their Peace Till Worldly Furies cease Don't then thy self for wondrous Gains esteem Till thou less to thy self than all around thee seem III. The Fruit of Righteousness is sown in Peace of them that make Peace IF Peace and Love within thy Bosom reign Thou others mayst to Love and Peace allure The peaceful Man may greater Glory gain Than Learning could or mighty Parts procure The Man of Spite in all things Poison finds And all things Ill of all the World believes The peaceful Man their Goodness only minds And ne're to jealous Dreams reception gives The Male-content with jealous Furies torn To others Rest Rest to himself denies His Sense by Rage and boundless Heats o'reborn But what 's his Work with mad Contempt defies He nicely scans what Others Duties are But what 's his Own as wisely casts aside Judg thou thy self first with impartial Care And to thy Neighbour then thy Thoughts divide Thou canst a thousand fine Excuses make For Crimes but hat'st what others make to thee Thy Wisdom Pleas for others Faults should take And on it self the sharpest Censor be Else thou' rt to Charity a Stranger quite No humble Thoughts approach thy surly Breast But meek good Men in Anger can't delight Or think they on themselves improve it best With kind sweet temper'd Friends in Peace to live Is Nature's Rule for Love Returns will claim But Peace with such as bold Disturbance give With rough hewn Boors becomes a Christian's Name This happy Man enjoys an easy Mind And Peace with Others wisely still maintains That with Himself nor Others Peace can find Bad to Himself to Others worse remains Yet all our Quiet in our State of Wo In humble Suffering not Enjoyment stands And he who best can thro Affliction go The calmest Thoughts the surest Peace commands He all the World with patient Faith subdues And o're himself a mighty Conquest gains To him his Saviour endless Friendship shews And he a King at last in Heaven's bright Kingdom reigns IV. Purity and Sincerity ON two fair Dove-like Wings the pious Saint may rise From Earthly Sorrows tow'rd the peaceful Skies A Heart sincere a spotless Mind In all that 's Lov'd and all Design'd This tow'rds its Maker hastes That all his Goodness tastes How kind how free He 'll always be Thy Thoughts shall all succeed From loose Affections freed If thou Heaven's Will resolve to do And all thy Neighbours Good pursue Then Nature's Frame the noblest Book shall be And every Plant present thy Mighty God to thee Purge but thy self from Sin thy Sense enlarg'd shall go Thro Heaven's vast Tracts and Hell 's dark Womb below All things to well-purg'd Souls are fair All vile to those polluted are Pure Hearts perhaps may know Some little Joys below But Horrour rolls O're guilty Souls While bright as Aetna shows When th' inward Sulphur glows So clear will real Converts shine With Heavenly Zeal and Love Divine The Luke-warm Wretch the smallest Labour fears The firm good Man unmov'd thro fiercest Danger steers V. CONSIDER HOw oft our Grace and Sense of Grace decays How weak's our inward Light how faint its Blaze How oft extinguish'd quite while we remissly gaze Rarely we can our inward Darkness find Our Deeds are foolish our Excuses blind And a wild mad-brain'd Heat miscall'd a zealous Mind We soon the Motes in others Eyes can spy But in our own can scarce the Beams descry Our Sins we slightly pass but Theirs severely try We feel the Feather on our Shoulders laid But not how much that massive Mountain weigh'd To which our Neighbours were by our ill Arts betray'd That Man who with impartial Eyes looks o're His own great Sins and their advancing Score Will find his Task at home and gad abroad no more The wise Man first his Own Concerns pursues Condemns Himself to Others Candour shews And oft severe Disputes within Himself renews Dost thou thy God with just Affections love No more will earthly things thy Fancy move But all thy Thoughts will dwell on endless Joys above If not at home where lives thy wandring Mind What Good canst thou thy self neglected find True Peace and Rest were all for inward Cares design'd How vast how sweet will thy Advantage be When from inferiour Cares and Tortures free Thou l't all the worthless Heap of Earthly Glories see There 's nothing Great or Good or Just or High With which weak Nature can thy Soul supply Such Treasures all in God's Eternal Bosom lie The pious Soul all for his God defies He Lives Fills all things is Immense and Wise From him all Pleasures spring and solid Comforts rise VI. And herein do I exercise my self to have always a Conscience void of Offence A Conscience free a Conscience clear From inward Pangs of guilty Fear The happy Soul with peaceful Glory crowns Feeds him with Joys tho crost with Woes And bids him smile at angry Foes While Guilt still trembles at their angry Frowns Sweet be his Peace and calm his Rest Who by no dark
perverts thy Mind When most to Prayers and most to Heaven enclin'd He hates Confessions and to find Thee there Where Sacred Flesh and Blood to Faithful Souls appear Trust not believe Him not his Hellish Snares Are strongest then when He for Peace declares Say to Him Hence be gone false Fiend for shame No more thy Lies in pious Ears proclaim Hence vile Seducer ne're expect a Part In Me My Jesus now defends my Heart Too strong for Hellish Arms nay Death would be More welcome far than vile Consent to Thee Hold thy deluding Tongue I 'll hear no more Should'st Thou a thousand wheedling Arts explore The Lord 's my Light my Health I scorn to fear Tho round my Soul Infernal Bands appear My God 's my ready Help my Kind Redeemer near Now like a valiant Souldier keep the Field And tho sometimes thy native Frailties yield Resume thy Courage and resist thy Foe My Grace shall freely to assist Thee flow But when the Fiend shall from thy Sword retreat Beware of flattering Words or vain Conceit By these surpris'd the gallant Hero fails And easeless Blindness o're the World prevails O ne'r since warn'd approach that rocky Shore Made rich with scatter'd Wrecks of thousands lost before VII He giveth more Grace unto the Humble Christ MY Son has bright Devotion 's Flame possest With inward Sacred Heat thy Zealous Breast Then boast not of it nor too loud proclaim The wondrous Force of that Celestial Flame Fill not the Temple with an empty Noise Nor to amuse the Croud exalt thy Voice Think 't was a Grace on thy dull Soul bestow'd To make thee groan beneath thy sinful Load Think how the Prince of Hell may cheat Thee How Thy Breast may with a false Devotion glow A Lip and Tongue-Devotion where the Heart In all the Business never bears a Part. Think how a little time may quench the Fire The glaring Torch in nauseous Fumes expire Or if it were a Heavenly Gift indeed Think of thy Beggar'd State thy pinching Need Till lowly Thoughts those Heavenly Flames succeed Thou begg'st for Comforts but mayst rise as High When Comforts at a greater Distance lie If with a lowly Heart an easy Mind With Self-denial and with Thoughts resign'd Thou bear thy Wounds if still with ardent Vows With Prayers on God thy pondrous Cares repose If still thy Heart to pious Works enclines With bold Endeavours and with Wise Designs Thy struggling Arms above the Waters are Not yet by Woes opprest nor sunk by black Despair Some when they miss Success impatient prove Man can't Himself nor where He pleases move Man acts on God the whole Success depends Who where he will his blest Assistance sends Some with imagin'd Heats themselves destroy Nor can Themselves in modest Bounds enjoy But swelling with Enthusiastic Rage Beyond the Bars of sober Sense engage And while they dream above the World they fly The flashy Meteors quickly faint and die So low they fall who would so wildly soar And don't the Refuge of my Wings implore So Men unskill'd in Ways of Vertue fail Unless to guide their Feet some Wiser Heads prevail If Man who fondly in Himself confides From all the Paths of sober Goodness slides It can't be strange if Madmen scorn the Rein And hate the Doctors who their Heats restrain Mean Sense with lowly Thoughts securer far Than mighty Parts with Pride exalted are It 's more unhappy to be Proud than Poor That Man 's unwise who in his Mirth secure Forgets past Poverty and never dreams How soon a Cloud may vail Heavens kindest Beams And He 's imprudent who when prest with Woes Off all his Hopes of Peace and Favour throws And on my Mercy can't with steady Faith repose Where haughty Pride in peaceful Times prevails In Wars too oft the bloaty Courage fails Couldst Thou thy modest Thoughts with Temper guide Between th' Extremes of Baseness and of Pride thou 'dst both in Straits and Storms securely ride Be sure when warm'd within with Heavenly Light To meditate on long succeeding Night When That comes on conclude again the Day May quickly dawn and make a longer stay That for my Glory and thy Good before I brought the Night so soon and can the Day restore A Peace unshock'd has greater Dangers far Than all the Bickerings of a Ghostly War The Soul where Charity and Meekness reigns A nobler Character of Glory gains Than Those who boast of Visions and of Light And all their Cant in Scripture-Phrase indite Or on Preferment 's Pinacle can light Who seeks God's Honour best secures his Own And He who meanest in Himself is grown Who shoots bright Honour from his vigorous Eyes When scornful Worlds his humble Fates despise Must to the noblest Heights in Heavenly Favour rise VIII I abhor my self in Dust and Ashes Believer DUST and Ashes tho I be Let me speak dear Lord to Thee Should I Lord to Merit fly On my own vain Works rely Thou becom'st my Enemy All my Sins against me rise All my Sins my Heart surprize But if with a lowly Heart I from wretched Self can part If contemn'd dejected I In the Dust before Thee lie Then again thy Light thy Grace Shall my sinking Soul embrace All my Vanity and Pride That submissive Veil shall hide Lord to Me my Self display What I was and am to Day Whence I come and where I go For alas I nothing know If I Lord am left to Me All I am's Infirmity But if Thou thy Favour show O how strong my Graces grow How my bubbling Joys o'reflow Strange my God! how wondrous strange Is the sudden blissful Change When my Soul with Guilt opprest Is by thy Embraces blest From thy Springs of boundless Love My preventing Guardians move All my Wants to Thee are known Off those mighty Dangers thrown Numberless and Nameless grown In what horrid Snares I fell While I lov'd my Self too well When I lov'd and long'd for Thee I retriev'd my God and Me. How Love 's sacred Sparks enflam'd me How my own Reflections sham'd me When in Love's bright Mirror I Saw my own Deformity Found sweet Jesus found how free All thy Favours were to me When desertless hopeless grown Bright on Me thy Favours shone Sing my Soul O sing his Praise Hymns to our Redeemer raise Whose All-searching Eyelids found me Whose All-pitying Loves unbound me All my Sins and Follies past And with tendrest Arms embrac't Turn O turn us Lord to Thee That submiss and grateful we May in pleasing Sacrifice Make our Songs as Incense rise And possest with Heavenly Flame Thee our Health and Strength proclaim IX And your Life is hid with Christ in God Christ IF thou my Son wouldst be with Glories blest Make Me thy chiefest Good thy final Rest So thou too much to meaner Joys inclin'd Shalt be from those inferiour Loves refin'd It 's vain to fix thy Heart on things below Which only inward Heat and Thirst bestow Turn then to Me for I
here if thou 'dst to Glory rise Take up the Cross if Thou with Me wouldst reign Those who embrace the Cross shall Life's pure Light obtain Believer Dear Jesus since to walk with Thee I by the World despis'd and crush'd must be Teach Me to scorn the World teach Me to cleave to Thee Servants beneath their Masters are And must to suffer with their Lords prepare Life from thy precious Life O let thy Servant share What e're abroad I read or hear Refreshments all in that and noblest Joys appear Christ My Son since Thou so much hast heard and known That Knowledg O with holy Practice crown He loves Me best who knows and keeps my Will His Soul I 'll with endearing Glories fill And He shall reign with Me on Sion's sacred Hill Believ Holy Jesus Dearest Lord O perform thy sacred Word See! The Cross I gladly bear Since thy Hand has laid it here Thence my better Life shall rise It 's my Guide to Paradise Lord I 'll bear it I 'll endure it Never never Lord abjure it Believ Forward Brethren let us move Jesus now our Guide will prove For his sake the Cross we bear For his sake we 'll persevere He 's our Captain he will aid us And thro' greatest Dangers lead us Come let 's boldly march behind him We in greatest Straits shall find him While our Duties we deny not While from Wars with Hell we fly not LVII Count it all Joy when Ye fall into divers Temptations Christ I Son in humble Patience more delight Those Vertues which a World of Woes excite Than all that brisk Devotion which appears In warm Professors in their calmer Years Thy Soul why should a petty Scandal tear Which should unmov'd the greatest Scandal bear Fie let it pass It 's not the first or last Life must a thousand sharper Potions taste Thou' rt brave and canst couragious Thoughts diffuse While like a Hand the distant Danger shews But when a sudden Storm o're-spreads the Skies Thy Wit and Courage sinks and faints and dies Think then how frail thou art how soon subdu'd To make thee wiser yet such Tests are oft renew'd Thou know'st the Truth then wretched Fears disdain And uninvolv'd thou may'st thy Lot sustain The Test with Joy at least with Patience bear Repress thy Passions let not others hear One Word unfitting from thy Lips proceed Lest such in weaker Souls should scandal breed Grace will both Woes and inward Lust resist And as I live I 'll soon thy Soul assist With new and greater Comforts visit Thee If Thou with faithful Prayers devoutly call on Me. Gird Thee to Sufferings with an easy Mind Temptations oft in their Effects are kind No God no Angel Thou but Flesh and Blood And since nor Man nor purer Angels stood Not these in Heaven nor those in Paradise Some crafty Sin thy Vertues may surprize But I the Mourning Soul can raise and those Who their own Frailties know with Godlike Joys compose Bel. Thy Words are sweeter Lord to Me Than dropping Hony-combs can be What should I do in Straits and Woes Did not thy Word thy Thoughts compose O may I suffer all things here May I a thousand Tempests bear If I at last my Port may gain If I may endless Life obtain O let Me in thy Favours die Let Me to Abraham's Bosom fly Thy Servant Dearest God respect And to thy Kingdom 's Joys thro' peaceful Ways direct LVIII How unsearchable are his Judgments and his Ways past finding out Christ MY Son dispute not of that Gloom profound Those Deeps which my obscurer Ways surround Ask not why God that Man to Glory chose Why This to Hell's dark Flames rejected goes Why That should under long Afflictions groan And This exalted mount the sacred Throne These things all humane Sense surpass nor can Man's short-lin'd Sense unfathomable Judgments span If Hell then or if impious Men disclose A curious Humour thus their Dreams oppose God must be just and all his Judgments right Clear are his Judgments and his Justice bright My Ways are to be fear'd not vainly scann'd Nor can created Sense beneath the dreadful Burden stand Ask not what Grace was on the Saints bestow'd Who reigns the Greatest near their smiling God Dispute not what their Interests are above Nor seek by them to gain their Maker's Love Some fondly dote on those extinguish'd Lights Such Love not Heaven but Hellish Art excites Turn all thy Thoughts thy zealous Loves on Me I rais'd the Saints to their supream degree To them my strong effectual Grace was free I not Desert their Heads with Honours crown'd Their Weakness my preventing Graces found I knew them e're this World from nothing rose And them before its first Foundations chose They chose not Me but I by pity mov'd Them thro' corrupted Nature's horrors lov'd And by Afflictions surest Test improv'd With Comforts blest and Perseverance too And crown'd their Faith at last with promis'd Glories due The First the Last alike I kindly know And Love alike on all their Souls bestow I only in my Saints am justly prais'd In Them my Name above the Stars is rais'd While Poor Unactive Undeserving They Meer Objects of unbounded Mercy lay Love made 'um ONE made 'um Lights to Thee And to be follow'd where they closely follow'd Me. Saints but instruct Thee in thy Duty still I not themselves their vast Affections fill Rapt high above themselves they ever prove Unbounded Blisses and unbounded Love They live unchang'd while Truth their Souls invests And holy Flames enlarge their heavenly Breasts They serve Me only and in that should be Loves and Devotions Patterns to the World Thee It 's not thy Work with curious Art to pry Into the Mystick Secrets of the Sky What Saints departed do concerns not Thee Thy Vows thy Honours all belong to Me. Think how thy Sins in Bulk and Number rise How little Goodness in thy Bosom lies How far Thou mayst of their Attainments fail Who now on Joy's unstormy Ocean sail But don 't to them for Grace or Aids repair I only aid the Poor I only answer Prayer Could They alas thy vain Devotions hear They'd ne'r those misappli'd Devotions bear They know they merit nothing nor can do What foolish Men with foolish Vows pursue They love their God their Joys unbounded flow Nor happier by misguided Worship grow Before my Feet their starry Crowns they lay To him who ever lives submisly pray And to the spotless Lamb their Adorations pay Don't in those lightsom Realms at Greatness aim Thy Merits can't the smallest Favours claim Thy Sins thy weighty Sins would sink thee down And wouldst thou thoughtless Wretch deserve a Crown First be a Child in harmless Innocence From that low State thy happy Days commence Be humble first and leave the rest to Me Vast as thy largest Hopes thy vast Reward shall be Wo to those haughty Souls who scorn to be Harmless as Babes and yet pretend to Me Heaven's Gates
unfit Thee more to feast with Me Than to be far in Worldly Fancies lost What can a greater mischief be Than a Vain Heart by carnal Joys engross'd O fly the World's alluring Cheat And to enjoy thy God from Crowds retreat Of Me thy dearest Lord possest No crafty Thief can rob thy Breast Lo I am He who all thy Bosom claim I can't endure a Rival's Name Put off thy self then hide thy Life in me And live from every Care and every Torment free XIII With my Whole Heart have I sought Thee O let Me not wander Believer WHO Lord will give that Grace to Me That I may close with None but Thee And to enjoy my Soul 's Dear Object may My Bosom and my faithful Arms display Then shall I all inferiour Things despise No Creature shall distract my Eyes My Words with Thee my Life and Thine with Me Shall soft as whispering Lovers be Or Friends when they with Friends agree This Lord my utmost Wish shall be To live and to be One with Thee That I withdrawn from all the World below May fonder of Eternal Glories grow Swiftly to thy ador'd Communion fly And oft to Thee my Heart apply Ah when shall I Dear God! engulph'd in Thee Forget my self and only be Ever in Thee and Thou in Me Thou art my best Belov'd my Dear In whom my Soul's Delights appear Search thro the World view all the Wise the Fair None None can with my God my Life compare Thou lay'st those rugged Storms which rend my Heart Thy Smiles unfading Peace impart Thy Counsels Dearest Lord are dark but wise Thy Way obscur'd to Impious Eyes Yet plain to th' Meek and Humble lies Lord how thy Spirit gently blows How sweet thy charming Kindness flows That to thy Own thou mightst thy Love declare thou 'dst with Celestial Food their Strength repair None Lord like Vs can boast of God so near None to their Maker seem so Dear To make our Souls on Wings of Comfort rise Thy Flesh thy Blood our Want supplies And lifts us high above the Skies No Tribes e're gain'd so bright a Fame As those who bear their Saviour's Name What Creature e're was to his Lord so near As He whom pure Devotion 's Flames endear Man whom his Maker enters whom He feeds Whose Life from Mystic Flesh proceeds O condescending Grace O Love Immense Beyond our Words beyond our Sense Beyond all Dreams of Recompence What shall I render Lord to Thee For all thy wondrous Loves to Me A Heart a humble Heart is all my Store I 'll give Thee That nor can I give Thee more Vnite my Heart with Thee and all within Shall Hymns of Holy Praise begin Call then My Heart shall Eccho Lord to Thee I 'm Thine O live My God in Me That Prayer of all my Hopes the Central Point shall be XIV Whose Faith follow considering the End of their Conversation Believer O How deep the Treasures are Dear Lord of thy Immortal Sweets How inexhaustible the Share Which There thy happy Servant meets When I on that Prodigious Flame reflect Which fill'd thy happy Saints of old When I their Grace their Love their Zeal respect Their Acts in Starry Books enroll'd I die with One Eternal Blush confus'd By my Own luke-warm Heart accus'd Which had thy Loves so oft thy sacred Feasts abus'd Lord I blush to think how dry How unaffected there I came My Soul untouch'd by Sympathy Unmov'd by any purer Flame Others by vast Desires and Loves possest To Tears unsluc'd their Joyful Eyes The Floods the Flames with equal violence prest Would both with equal Fulness rise They 'd pant for Drops from Life's pure Springs distill'd Nor would their sacred Longings yield Till with Immortal Food and endless Pleasures fill'd O how soon their Faith could pierce The Shell of that Mysterious Feast How broken Bread to Longings fierce Their wounded dying Lord exprest But Lord how oft my cold Affections fail What Damps my Infant-Heats o'reflow Jesus for Pity let my Sighs prevail Some Cordial on a Wretch bestow O let my Faith my Hope my Love renew'd With more extensive Strength endu'd Only for Manna long and loath inferiour Food But thy Mercies Lord are great And can the Graces beg'd bestow And fill me with Superiour Heat And make my Passions fiercely glow Tho short of Heroes yet thy Grace may find Some Seeds in my unmanag'd Heart Tho short of Heroes my aspiring Mind Grasps at the better nobler Part. O let my Failures be by Mercy past Till with thy happy Heirs at last I may Eternal Sweets Eternal Glories taste XV. I dwell also with Him who is of a Contrite and Humble Spirit Christ WOuldst Thou Devotion 's Grace obtain Or inward holy Ardour gain O seek it Early seek it Late Let thy Petitions prove Importunate With Patience and with Faith expect the Dole Embrace it closely in a lowly Soul Improve it when it 's gain'd but leave God to appoint the Time when thou shalt Grace receive If Thou no Heat within canst find No lively Flames enlarge thy Mind O let that Thought abate thy Pride Yet not between thy Soul and Hopes divide One happy Moment oft that Gift bestows Which many tedious Years could ne're disclose God answers oft the Prayer at last Which seem'd refus'd before ere half the Suit was past Should Flames rush in at once the Soul Could ne're their rapid Force controul O then with Hopeful Patience wait If Sins obstruct or Sins thy Zeal rebate Small Sins may oft obscure or hinder Grace If those be small which mighty Gifts deface But Small or Great when once subdu'd Grace may be new infus'd or Grace decay'd renew'd To God submit thy Self thy All And ne're thy lingring Lusts recal Then Calms will soon o'respread thy Mind In Vnion with thy mighty Lord combin'd God's Will shall then thy utmost Longings move 'T will Sapid all and all Delightful prove He 's only fit for Heavenly Fires Who to his God resign'd subdues his Vain Desires A Heart from Earthly Passions free Empty of Creature-Vanity A Heart all Clean a Soul all Bright Will all the Blessings of its Lord invite The Man who these inferiour Things defies The more He to Himself corrupted dies Grace Fuller Swifter Stronger gains And his unfetter'd Soul to endless Glory strains He 'll see and Heaven's vast Stores admire And glowing with Etherial Fire He 'll to his Father's Hand resign And His to God's Eternal Will confine That happy Man who with a single Heart Seeks God and won't from Heavenly Reason start That Happy Man must sure be blest Of God so warmly sought and Godlike Grace possest When He before my Table kneels He Extasy and Rapture feels And from above swift Flames Divine With his bright Soul 's internal Glories twine And since his Master's Praise He values more Than his own Comforts or his private Store To be for ever One with Me Of His Self-Conquests all the great Reward shall be XVI He