cannot stay They have no business that doth tend that way Such cunning slights they often do relate Let them have care they meet not with such fate And then their cruelty may be required And their harsh dealings in which they delighted He 's the divine Hermit that can gainsay His carnal motions and nobly obey His virtue which will quickly mount him high If he pursue the arts of Charity And not so slight the poor suffering Man But add unto his comfort all he can And make him musick with his Christian love Which will intitle him to the joyes above These are such graces in which God delight It Will have good acceptance in his sight If I am in a Cave Lord let me be Refreshed and comforted alone in thee Thy mercies doth refresh me every morn Though by my friends I have been held in scorn Thou hast given support to me from hands unknown And many mercies unto me have shown Give me a thankful heart in my distress That I may follow thee in the wilderness Oh let me worship with a reverence due To thy great love whose voice did thrice subdue Thy murtherers oh teach me to submit My self to what thy wisedom shall think fit Teach me all humility to make A prison comfortable and therein take My whole delight in thee and of thy ways And sing forth Halelujahs to thy praise With Paul and Siloas let me sweetly sing The praise and glory of my God and King O let not griefs confound me in this loss But bear with patience this so heavy Cross Which would sink frail flesh and blood did not thy hand Support my weak and feeble soul to stand First to my confidence alone in thee Which hath appeared a Loving God to me Which truly is my hope and help to save Which did relieve the Prophet in a cave Wherein he lodged and did take quiet rest And was in thy preserving power blest That I may do so Lord grant me thy spirit To give due praises then I shall inherit Eternal mansions thou my soul wilt save And raise me from a Prison or a Cave Into eternal bliss the highest sphear ' Mongst Saints and Angels to be lodged there Genesis 28.12 And he dreamed a Dream and behold a Ladder set upon the Earth and the top of it reached unto Heaven and behold the Angels descending and ascending on it DId Isaac call surely he did no less And with a holy zeal his Son to bless And give him charge how to demean his life Forbidding Canan's Daughters for a Wife He bids him rise and go unto none other But unto Laban his own Mothers Brother At Padan-aram withour any stay And God Almighty bless thee in the way And multiply thy seed that thou mayst be A mighty Nation next posterity May inherit the blessed promise in good deed Which was made unto Abraham and his seed Jacob obeys and travels all the day Until the Sun declin'd he made no stay Then laid he down his weary bones to rest Stones were his pillow where his sleep was blest He dreamt and behold a ladder there was set Where Angels did descend ascend on it No sooner had good Jacob's soul tak'n rest His contented humility was blest With an heavenly vision which salutes his sence That blest obedience that brought him thence Was ravisht with an object that did prove A blessed guide unto the Heavens above Where these blest spirits so enricht his sence With a sweet and harmonious influence These divine Travellers not contending But orderly ascending and descending Oh happy solitude that thus doth meet A heavenly company so rich and sweet A blessed interview that did requite The hardness of his lodging with delight In such an object did his soul take rest And with such dreams was his stir'd fancy blest That the Lord of all the Earth should not dispence To make good his fore promis'd providence By Angels which did gradually ascend Up to that Heaven which never shall have end When I behold the posture of this sleeper Whom Angels had the charge of as his keeper And his hard lodging which gave him delight He had eternal glory in his sight I cannot choose but wonder in derision At them that lasily expect a vision Upon their beds of down when most at leisure Expecting apparitions in their pleasure Their spirits would grow sick of some disease If visions should disturb or move their ease They quickly would catch cold and loath to say At midnight I 'le arise my vows to pay 'T was holy Davids zeal he did not slumber Being fully awak'd his sins did cumber His new refined soul Took much delight In humility to prostitute in the sight Of his offended God did oft confess How much he sinned ' gainst his holiness With many a sorrowful plaint and piercing fears He often washt his couch in penitent Tears God drops not miraclesin the wantons lap Nor communicate grace by chance or hap But confers his rich glories chiefly to those That study virtue and are vices foes And are cast down in trembling sorrows deep Are comforted with visions in their sleep John must be an exile and brought low to pine Before he be enabled a divine And confer with Angels in a holy trance Before his humane learning can advance And make him a fit Harbinger for Heaven Such gifts are not attain'd but divinely given By the wise disposer of all events Which turneth sufferings to their hearts contents This Holy Mans obedience made him leave All carnal thoughtsbehind him least it bewreave Him of the blest fruition of that bliss Prepared for him in true happiness His prayers and meditations only keep Him company it caused an happy sleep So pleasant that he for ever disclaim'd All converse with the world and it disdain'd All secular interests he did entertain More noble thoughts which prov'd his richer gain And made him an happy instrument of glory As 't is recorded in the sacred story Jacob had only a rich Canopie The azure spangled Curtains of the skie His lights the lamps of Heaven O safe and blest Where Angels did protect and guard his rest Ever in motion with their care defending In a holy zeal ascending and descending Oh how securely doth he ever rest That leans on providence and is not prest With worldly cares but joyfully doth make Providence his guard and therein chiefly take His sole felicity he cannot miscarry If divine thoughts become his sanctuary Nor need he fear disturbance in his sleep Where God and Angels do him safely keep Yea his very dreams will chear his soul with joy No dangers nor assaults can him annoy Good Jacob having no sooner clos'd his eyes But by an inspir'd fancy he espies These holy Porters with endeared love Inviting him unto the Heavens above Presenting him a ladder whereby he sees There is no leaping there but by degrees VVe must carefully climb Heaven that Throne is high By gradual steps of faith and charity Every virtue
transgression Against thy sacred name let me implore Thy heavenly grace to help me oh restore To me an humble heart that may submit To what thy knowing wisedom shall think fit For me poor mortal who am weak and frail VVhose only hopes in Christ is to prevail Lord wash me in his blood then shall I be Though black by nature yet made white by thee And though I am in Prison cast full low Raise me again good God and now bestow Thy abundant graces let thy will be done I am resolv'd thy will to wait upon Until my change shall come do not delay That happy hour that I may see the day VVhen thou by death wi lt perfectly restore me Lord let a prisoners sighes now come before thee Psalm 86.17 Shew some good token upon me for good that they which hate me may see it and be ashamed because thou Lord hast holpen me and comforted me Phillippians Chap. 4. v. 12. I know how to abound and how to suffer need c. DIvinest Saint there 's few on Earth but thee Have learnt contentment a felicity Beyond all Arts th'Apostle only can Approve himself the best contented Man A Lesson which the World hath long forgot To set in practice Men affect it not This is a thing unpleasing to their tast Therefore in sad repining time they wast Were Heavens delightful Paths beset with pleasures For Sence to revel in our chiefest Treasures Would there be plac'd our sensual hearts would be Too full of Joy in Earths felicity Were there no rubs nor stops to make us faint Who would not be a Convert and a Saint The Crown of Glory it would truly be As the sweet Garlands of Eternity But he that enters Heavenly bliss must wear A Crown of Thornes e're he attain that Sphear Fond Worldlings are so vainly stufft with Pride That a Holy meekness can not abide Unless it carry pleasing Pomp aloft Religious Meekness it is seldom lâ—â—â— Preaching of Patience it doth Clearly Show There are sublime enjoyments which we owe Due reverence to and yet we will not learn This holy Lesson fully to discern Our vain repinings at the Almighties ways Who can cast down and in a moment raise Our better fortunes But th'Apostle here Hath nobly learnt for to Sustain and bear His pinching wants sans Murmurings or grudge At his Corrections that 's a righteous Judge He that hath bid us seek the heavenly glory Tells us that earthly things are transitory And after this vain Heathens they do walk And shall we Christians like the Heathens talk And have no higher prospect than this world For which the Angels from the heavens were hurl'd Shall we lye groveling in this lower Sphear Rowling our selves in Carnal pleasures here Making morality our only bliss And have no other thoughts of Heaven than this Was it for this that the Eternal Lord Bow'd the high Heavens and came with free accord Leaving his Throne to bring us unto glory Then let us cease from things so Transitory And raise our souls unto sublimer Joys For terrene pleasures are but foolish Toys Vain is that Man which foolishly doth wrap His chief felicity in natures Lap And all the dull enjoyments of his Sence With care and vehement Toyle to fetch it thence Tell me then man That doest in pleasures swim And hast the Cup with joy fil'd to the brim Hast thou forgot thy God thy Guide thy Maker Be not so stupid least thou be partaker Of endless Torments should the Luminaries Loose their bright Lusters that but seldom varies And put on purple Robes that Direful sight Of bleeding planets would thy soul affright Or if the air were turn'd into a stream Of blood by that most powerful hand Supream Or could thy deafned ear but hear the blast Of the last direful Trump what speedy hast wouldst thou then make be most fully bent To check thy Fancy posting to repent Such things prodigious greatly would affright The Bold'st prophaner that took delight In actions Sacrilegeous wicked ways The memorie then of former sinful days Will fill the inner man with dismal fright And make the Sinner restless day and night Oh man remember this 'T is truth alass The enjoyments of the world are poor and pass Away like empty aire there 's no fruition But Dives like we make a sad petition So doth the vain voluptuous worldling laugh At pure religion and do vainly quaff Scorning the poor oppressed Suffering Man And shew him all the envious spight they can As though a pious life could not enjoy Some tides of pleasure but have still annoy His sight 's bemisted he can't yet descry The expected hopes of blest eternity He thinks himself Secure and free from strife And knowes no Joyes but in this present life Did we but know these rich rewards will fall On the religious poor to crown them all What happiness attendeth on the Motion Of suffering Saints in their most pure devotion 'T would make us triumph in our low estate And be in love with hardship at this rate Imbracing poverty with a holy zeal To enjoy that bliss which we cannot reveal 'T would comfort in our very low estate When suffering by the cruel hand of fate From Men enrag'd but we are still to learn The Apostles rule to wait till the return Which crowns with bliss the patient waiting Soul That still expects in faith without controul And yet how hardly do we grief endure When smallest troubles do our souls inure With so much passion that we hardly can Bear the least brunt of Scorne so vain is man So sensless are we of Gods greatest power Forgetful wretches that even every hour We censure and accuse thy providence Like faithless persons scarce enricht with sence Lord ope our eyes and make us plainly See The worlds vain shews Mans insufficiency That empty air the pleasures here below Grant these Joyes that from thy presence flow To these good Lord let our hearts still stand bent So shall we evermore have full content Job 2.10 In all this did not Job Sin with his Lips WAs Job a statue was his noble heart Impenetrable could not Sorrows Smart Move his so fixed Soul nor yet Hells hate His so Strong bulwark conscience penetrate Behold him then mirror of patience Whom all the Legions could not fright him thence Nay he could breath divinity in groans Make sighs his Musick and in sacred tones Turn sorrows into Sermons and his pains To pious Lectures improving for gains Even saddest sufferings and did never vent The least invective from foul discontent How wondrous is that soul that is so fixt Valiant in conflict and indeed not mixt With base repinings but can bear his Cross And triumph in it without sence of loss By suffering much humility hath taught Job patience which with greatest care he sought So nobly that it doth adorn his parts And makes them lovely ev'n beyond all arts Like the Philosophers stone that with each touch Turns all to gold and
is a step if by it we climb That ladder will advance us to see him If we tread our vices under and by it show They 'r fixt unto the Earth that is below Where the foot doth rest but we must leave behind Our vain delights the frailties of Mankind And studiously be industrious for such gain As will requite the trouble and the pain Our progress must be constant and not slack A holy pace if that we once look back Into the plain the world will steal our sence From climbing with a religious reverence O Lord how doth this subject meet my case That am cast down into a stony place I mean a place unpleasant ' cause not free But it haâ—h mounted me to come to thee Thou hast shew'd to me a ladder thy blest ways Enliven me O Lord to give thee praise Had I bin rich and had of plenty store I should have scorn'd this ladder as heretofore I thought on pleasures and the worlds vain guise Did too too much affect and bleere these eyes That now look up to thee O let my sight Be clear to see the blest eternal light Thy abundant graces oh thou which truly art The great Physitian which can cure my heart Give me a holy longing and inflame In me a servent zeal to praise thy name If bitter potions be for my souls health Apply them Lord although it purge my wealth There is more true riches in thy love in store Than ever I could lose all times before Thou hast given thou hast taken thy blessed will be done Give me thy mercies in thy only Son To be my ransom I shall be richer then Then e're I was amongst the sons of Men. This casting down will raise me to that Throne Of mercy in whom is my faith alone And I therein rejoyce though thus cast down That thou look'st not on me with angry frown But hast often sent thine Angels to support My feeble state when they to me resort And cherish this frail body 'T is from thee That so much love and bounty comforts me Give me thy grace so far to use thy love With temperate meekness and from me remove All carnal confidence and humbly bend My studies to please him that me defend Thy promises O Lord do never fail And yet how careless are we that are frail Thou shewest us the living way unto thy self Yet we are blinded with the love of pelf Of this deluding world we 're loth to walk Thy pathes yet proudly do we brag and talk Of coming to thee but we are loth to climb That ladder that will mount us to see him That sits upon the Throne O how weak and lame Are our devotions 't is our greater shame To see how nimbly we do thus pursue The perishing delights within our view But make so little progress in that race That thou hast set all ways before our face Oh quicken and make us earnest with holy love To invocate our Christ that sits above To give us of thy spirit that we may move With holy zeal to the Altar of thy love Where the blest Angels do ever attend As ministring spirits that ascend and descend Proverbs 18.14 But a wounded spirit who can bear HEark O my soul consider this wise prince Mark well his Councel and not stir from thence Incline thine ear to wisedom don't delay To mind his pious precepts let it sway VVithin thy heart O let instruction learn Thee to delight and study to discern These many moral virtues which are taught And may by grace be obtain'd if they be sought VVith a holy zeal O let true virtue be Thy chief desire then oyntment it will be Unto thy neck as Bracelets to thine arm If thou these precepts keep 't will keep from harm Therefore so value them as a rich price And observe how fully it correcteth vice And helpeth much mans spirits to chear But alas a wounded spirit who can bear VVhere shall I find a temper can endure Such stings of conscience of the sad pressure Beyond belief which rageth and is mad At every gripe and pain the soul is sad The very Earth trembles and can't sustain It self it groans and travels with its pain To be delivered the Ambitious Angels fell And through their foul despair do roar in hell How dolorous is despair that wound is deep VVhere mercy is shut out and Devils do keep The festerd wound a bleeding without sence Oh the Horror of a wounded conscience It so afflicts and startles all the parts VVith the terrors of the pains rais'd by such arts Yea all the tortures which the Martyrs felt VVere flea-bites to those pains raised by this guilt Tortures of cruelst shape would well become Be easy sufferings a pleasing Martyrdom Compared unto those never dying pains Those living deaths those tortures and those Chains That so strongly hold the sences Captive in Satans foul bands the reward of their sin VVhat can there be compar'd not all our sence Can paralel a wounded conscience The shreiks of oyls which add blackness to the night Offends the ears yea dying groans that fright And fill our souls with sadness at such cries As conscience makes it even rends the skies With the screetches of those pains their conscience utter It beats within and horrid pains they suffer Despair so rageth with a furious voice That it distempers all with its hideous noise It descants it writes Satyrs against it self Sad dying elogies alas poor Elfe VVhat fatal Ideas dost thou thus shape VVithin thy fancy what a tone dost make Surrounded with all the tortures black grief Can add oh 't is so far beyond belief To express that suffering in a perfect sence Oh the terrors of a wounded conscience Did David walk on mourning all the day And night his prickt conscience to allay Did not his eyes run over with his tears These weeping springs rais'd by his many fears He breaths nought but such sad trembling accents As ariseth from his souls sad discontents Despairing Ecchoes thinking it too late He sighes he moans and thus he expostulates Dear God is thy Mercy shut up for ever Shall my poor soul enjoy it never That attribute of thy Mercy and thy love VVhich thou hast treasur'd in the Heavens above Oh shut not up from me that humbly crave But grant thy pardoning mercy Lord to save My afflicted soul I hope thou wilt not be A God of love to all and none to me Let any other torment fright me hence Than the terrors of a guilty conscience Let me for ever dwell in dungeons deep Or such a cell as light durst not to peep In some forsaken vault or dismal place So as I may enjoy thy glorious face Let all the poverty that can attend A wretched man yet if thy Love thou send And cover my naked soul that is thus storm'd All Leprous with sin and much deform'd VVith the terrors of thy Judgments which may take Vengeance on me if thou dost once forsake My spotred