shall a Prince be thus ore-come by thee And brought into contempt to this degree Sure this may melt an heart of hardest Stone When 't is consider'd well and thought upon But no less worthy note is it to hear The manner how this Soveraign did appear Was it in Pomp and outward Splendor bright Which doth the sensual heart of man invite To cast a view and deep respect to show As unto haughty Monarchs here they do Like to a Prince or like himself did he His beams display that every eye might see In his blest Face most radiant Majesty No no so far was he from being proud That he thought fit his Glories all to shroud And like the Sun invelop'd in a Cloud Did vail his Heav'nly Lustre would not make Himself of Reputation for the sake Of that poor Soul he came for to seek out He saw 't was good that he might work about His blest Design himself thus to deny And shew a pattern of humility His glorious Robes he freely did lay off Though thereby made th' object of men's scoff Who viewing his despised mean condition Welcom'd him with contempt scorn and derision For 't was 'i th form of a poor servant he Appear'd to all the very low'st degree Which amongst all the sons of Adam are And doth not this still wondrous Love declare The people of that Country too I find To gross mistakes so readily inclin'd They judg'd him a poor Carpenters Son born And stigmatiz'd him with it in great scorn Nay some affirm he worked at the Trade For which they did him mightily upbraid How ever this we must to all proclaim He that all Riches had most poor became That so the Soul through his sad poverty Might be enriched to Eternity The Foxes of the Earth and Birds of th' Air Had more alas than fell unto his share In holes the one in nests the other fed But he poor he no where to lay his head Not one poor Cottage had this precious King Although the rightful Heir of every thing The meanest man almost of Adam's Race Seem'd to be in as good nay better case Respecting outward Wealth and Glory here Those things no Price in his affections bear Silver and Gold the Muckworm Wordling's Gods He knew to be but more refined Clods Of that same Earth which he himself had made Ripe by a Sun scarce fit to be his shade No Mony doubtless had this Prince at all In purse or coffer for when some did call For Cesars Tribute then behold must he Dispatch in haste a Servant to the Sea In an uncertain Fishes mouth to spy A piece of Coyn Oh wondrous Treasury With which he straight did Caesars Tribute pay Though small Engagement on the Children lay Rather than hee 'l be disobedient thought To raise the Tax a Miracle is wrought But here t is like some may desire to know The cause why he abas'd himself so low The Answer to which Query's very plain His Errand so requir'd if he 'd obtain The Soul for whom his Country he did leave He of his Glory must himself bereave 'T was Love that brought him into this disguise To come incognito to haughty Eyes To lay aside awhile his Robes of State And thus in Pilgrims weeds upon her wait Without this Form assum'd these Raggs put on The mighty Work could never have been done She grov'ling lay below unable quite Once to aspire unto his Glorious Sight Therefore must he a Garb suitable take To raise her up and his dear Consort make He must descend that she might mount above And joyn in a fit Entercourse of Love So the kind Sun beams do the Dunghil gild That it to Heaven may Exalations yeild With pregant Show'rs to fertilize the Field CHAP. III. Shewing how upon the arrival of the glorious Prince thâ— Vice-Roy of that Country contrived in a barbarous maner to take away his Life And of the horrid Massacre that fell out upon it in the Town of Bethlehem And how the Prince escaped and fled nto Egypt Also discovering how the Creature he came to be a suiter to was preingaged by the black King to the Monster oâ— defâ—rmity a Bastard of his own begetting calleâ— Lust And of the great and fearful battel that fell ouâ— between the Prince of Light and Apollyon Prince of Darkness and how Apollyon was over-come and after three amazing Incounters forc'd tâ— fly THough Goodness still 's oppos'd by envious Hate Vertue like Palms thrives by th' oppressing weight Our Princes Welcome is in part exprest But what ensues is worse than all the rest Of his sad usage further I 'le declare And the curs'd cruel Foes he met with there No sooner flutt'ring Fame the news had told Of his arrive and that some Seers of old Heralds of Fate proclaim'd him on Record To be a high-born Prince and mighty Lord But presently the Voyce-Roy of that Land Was fill'd with Indignation on each hand Fearing 't is like he might deposed be Or much diminisht in his Dignitie That this great stranger might assume his Crown Or quite eclipse his perishing Renown For when the Sun doth rise and shine so clear The Moon and Stars do all straight disappear Not knowing what strange evils might arise He therefore did a bloody Plot devise Such was his Rage and undeserved spight He needs would butcher this sweet Lamb of Light Who though to none he thought one dram of ill Yet he resolves his precious Blood to spill But failing of one Treacherous Design He and his Gang do in a worse combine Which was by strict Inquiries for to hear When this bright Star did first to men appear That so he might exactly know the Day When he arriv'd and in a Manger lay Which known to make all sure he straight contrives To sacrifice a thousand harmless Lives And kill the Males yea every one of them Which had been born in famous Bethlehem From two years old or under ever since The late prediction of this new-born Prince Judging this way 't is like might be the best To cut off him unknown amongst the rest Which horrid Massacre he brought to pass And one more bloody sure there never was If Circumstances were but weighed well Both what they were and why that day they fell On the poor Babes they no compassion have But hurle them from the Cradle to the Grave The weeping Mothers rais'd a swelling flood Of their own tears mixt with their Childrens blood In every street are heard most dismal Cries Be wailing those untimely Obsequies As had been prophesied long before By Rachel's moans refusing to give o're She sighs and weeps and has no comfort got Because her hopeful Children now are not Great was the slaughter yet their hopes were crost The precious Prey these raging Blood-hounds lost For th' Prince of Peace had notice of this thing And fled to Egypt from this wrathful King And there remaining graciously was fed Until this Savage Murderer was dead And
still encreases ours decays Words without Actions are but faint delays The rarest Wit amongst us must look out With wariness to bring this thing about I 'le tell you what I newly have contriv'd Let my Lord Lucifer the King of Pride Make one amongst their Rulers in the Seat Of seeming Justice Tell them they are Great And Prudent men yea Learned ones likewise And in their Breasts alone true Wisdom lies Yea tell them that the Soveraign Lord of Heaven To them the name of Gods on Earth hath given Tell them both God and men have though it fit That they like Gods should in this Grandeur sit And answerable to this lofty station The people have them in great veneration Thus when h' has put their Honours in a Heat And swell'd them up with Pride and self-conceit Tell them 't is much below their high Degree That such a low inferiour Man as he Should be their Prince or 〈◊〉 them bear sway Who rather ought their 〈◊〉 to obey Then when the uncontrouled â—reath of Fame Has spread abroad the Glory of his Name And fill'd each Eye and Ear with Admiration Giving to him Applause and Veneration Then let our envious Friend once more take's place And sit as pale as Death in every Face And let him tell them if they do not take Some speedy course their Honours lie at stake He grows so famous in the peoples Eyes They shortly will their Soveraignty despise Satan Nay I can tell them yet another thing The people seek by force to make him King Which if the Roman Pow'r should understand They 'd quickly come and take away their Land This sure will work or other ways I 'le find Good Mariners can sail with every wind Thus these Infernals seeking to prevent Their future but deserved punishment Far swifter than the lofty Eagle flies Did set upon their Hellish enterprize The King of Pride threw forth his poisonous Darts Which did not miss to pierce the yielding Hearts Of those that sat at Stern who should delight To do the thing that 's equal just and right But disregarding great Jehovah's Laws They sought poor Souls for popular Applause Puft up with Pride and swoln with vain Ambition That Tympany of th' Soul They had suspition That if the Prince of Light were once affected They by the people soon should be rejected For first they saw his Miracles were great His Vertues rendred him still more compleat And made him so illustriously to shine He gain'd the Appellation of Divine Nay furthermore they heard now some did sing Hosanna in the Highest to the King Of Israel the fragrant Flower of Jess The Root of David Oh! who can express The depth of Envy which in them did burn With-raging flames almost at every turn Close Consultation in their Courts appears And i' th mean while strange Rumors fill their Ears The Miracles which he before had wrought Into the minds of people fresh are brought Those wond'rous things did much encrease the strife He rass'd said some the Dead again to Life Gave sight unto the Blind who from their Birth Had never seen the Light that guilds the Earth The Dumb the Deaf the Lepers and the Lame In all Distempers whosoever came Had perfect Cure in every Disease Nay he could hush the Winds and calm the Seas Could dispossess the black Infernal Rout And cast whole Legions of fierce Devils out Of five mean Barly loavs and two small Fishes He made above five thousand plenteous Dishes Thus many talkt what he before had done Grieving to think what now was coming on His gracious words and vertuous Life commended Him to the Multitude but much offended Th' inraged Rulers yet his Innocence Was still so sure a Guard and strong defence That they could not their wicked ends obtain Yet from their malice would they not refrain How often did they in clandestine way Endeavour their blood-thirsty hands to lay Upon this Sacred Prince yet still through fear The people would rise up they did forbear Sometimes they thought to trap him in his words That Law Justice then might draw their Swords And cut him off And then again devise Another course charg'd him with Blasphemies Against the God of Heaven by which way They surely thought they might his Life betray But never could they over him get pow'r Untill his time were come Now now 's their hour The work must needs be carried on with speed When Heaven and Hell about it are agreed Though different ends in these great Agents are Yet in the thing they both consenting were That Christ should be of his dear Life depriv'd Though Hell alone the guilty Act contriv'd Yet God indeed from all Eternitie Knowing what rage and curs'd malignity Would be in their base Hearts resolved then He would permit and suffer these vile men To bring his Purpose and Decree to pass Which for our Good and his own Glory was CHAP. VIII Shewing how the Lord Jesus died in the Sinner's stead Such was his love and yet the Soul an Enemy at that time to him and hated him A full discovery of Christ's bloody Passion enough to make a heart of stone to melt The Prince gives up the ghost Death the King of Terrors insults over Jesus Prince of Light Death is threatned with Death shewing also what fear there was amongst the Devils lest the Prince should rise again and overcome Death A second Council held in Hell the Devils tremble Death subdued Heathen Oracles cease The Devil 's destroyed upon the Prince's resurrection and put to open shame Joy in Heaven Angels sing Saints rejoyce The end of the First Part. BUT to proceed Will you lift up your Eyes And view the Rage of Hellish Enemies The final troubles of the Prince of Light Are coming on Behold a frightful sight A multitude with Clubs and Swords and Spears About his Sacred Person now appears This wretched Rabble's come on a design Which wounds and breaks this stony heart of mine To think upon 't behold they are conducted By the grand Traitor and by him instructed How to proceed on this great Enterprise Which he by Hellish power did devise Arm'd as you heard they seiz'd on him as if He had indeed been some notorious Thief Fond men If you this Prince's Nature knew Your Weapons are too many or too few As Man so meek you need no rescue fear As God so strong he can in pieces tear A thousand Troops that should approach him near Of which a present Instance did appear Some little rays of his dread Deitie He caused to break forth and suddenly They stagger'd and fell backwards on the ground That they might see he quickly could confound Them utterly and lay them at his feet But that he saw it better to submit Unto his Father's Will and take the Cup Which was prepared for him to drink up But they recov'ring strength got up again Regardless of all dread and now amain Resume their purpose and with wicked hands
Take hold of him wâ—o Heav'n Earth Commands He 's taken Prisoner and strongly bound Who in one moments time could quite confound send The Universe and all that him offend Down to Hell's bottom quick with vengeance Yet like a Lamb he 's to the slaughter led And as a Malefactor suffered Most dreadful sorrows did his Soul indure That peace and Joy for her he might procure To bring his purpose to an happy end He manifests himself indeed a Friend A bounteous Friend who thinks his Life not dear But freely lays it down doth freely bear The stroke of Justice that he might recover Her forfeit Life again Oh! Sacred Lover Oh! Matchless Love and Grace Let every Eye Open its Sluces draw its Fountains dry If he for us such bitter sorrows felt Then let the thoughts of his strong Passion melt Our sin-congealed hearts our hearts of stone What was the reason why this Sacred One Did bear all this Were not our sins the cause He suffers but 't was we had broke the Laws Is he betray'd to Death Weep o're his Herse who only di'd our Death for to reverse You Sin-sick Souls think on his bloody Passion And then take up this bitter Lamentation Dear God! I sin'd and did a Saviour need And must the Lord of Life and Glory bleed Ah! must his dear and precious blood be spilt To free me from my vile and horrid Guilt Didst thou sweet Lord my heavy burthen bear And shall not I lament nor shed a Tear Shall not my hard and flinty heart dissolve To think how nought but thy own blood could salve My fester'd wounds What heart is so condens'd That cannot by these thoughts be influenc'd And mov'd unto remorse and great Contrition I' th sense of the Lord Jesus's Crucifixion They hal'd him bound unto the High Priests Hall Where Priests and Council did for witness call They search'd about for such but none could find Who did agree together in one mind They us'd him like a Thief put him to shame Who bore it with great patience like a Lamb. They blindfold him in a disgraceful sort And ignominiously made him their sport They smote him on the face pluckt off his hair And bid him prophesy then who they were That did him strike that so they might thereby His Office of a Prophet vilifie His own dear Servants in this dismal Day Did him forsake and from him fly away They they in whom his Soul took sweet delight His cursed Foes did so amaze and fright That they disown'd him too and left him all To stand alone or otherwise to fall Yea Peter who would have his Lord confide In him above the rest stoutly deny'd He ever knew him nay and furthermore To put it out of doubt he curst and swore Ah! What is man when God withdraws his hand A Peter then one moment cannot stand This doubtless did add grief unto his Heart To see his own Disciples to depart And leave him thus in his Adversitie When in their stead it was he came to die He after this bore much rebuke and shame Scoffs blows reproaches stripes oh who can name The many Cruelties he underwent Before his painful Death and not lament They cru'lly smite him on his precious Cheeks Which he with patience bears and never seeks To free himself from this their Insolence Although he knew his spotless Innocence O gracious Lord how how wast thou abus'd Unjustly judg'd and falsely too accus'd Accus'd as guilty of some grievous fact Who thoughtst no Evil none didst ever act No stain nor spot of sin was found in thee Though thus thou suffer'st for Iniquity The Injuries which thou that Night did'st bear How great my God! how numberless they were When he had past away that tedious Night Early next morning they with Hellish spight Like some great Malefactor him present To Pontius Pilate where with innocent And pleasant Countenance he then did stand To know what 't was of him they did demand Then with an humble Silence held his peace Which made the sury of his Foes increase Next was he unto wicked Herod sent Who at his presence seemed much content Hoping he might some Miracle behold Because he had been of strange Wonders told But he that knew the secrets of all Hearts Who tries the Reins and views the inward parts Knew well his curious but presumptuous mind Was only unto wickedness inclin'd Christ Answer'd not when he lookt for Replies Which made King Herod and his men despise Our precious Lord the Prince of Peace whilst he Became the pattern of Humilitie Thus Sinners contradict and dare reprove The Lord of Life who quickly could remove The lofty from their Seats and them confound But nought but Love and Mercy doth abound This was the Day of his Humiliation He 's first abas'd then comes his Exaltation But oh that ever men should be so vile To smite those Lips that never utter'd guile He at whose great Command the Seas were still Is now commanded by each Tyrant's will Heâ—s sent to Herod then sent back again Unto the Judgment-Seat But oh what pain Did he indure there by most wicked men Pen What Heart can think what Tongue express what Can set it forth Their sacrilegious Hands Bound him about with strong and cruel bands They mock'd and did deride him shamefully And then aloud set up a cursed Cry Hold hold him fast deliver Barabbas Who a notorious Malefactor was A Barabbas is now prefer'd before Him whom the glorious Angels do adore A Murderer shall spared saved be When JESVS shall be hanged on a Tree With torturing whips they scourged him most sore Until his flesh was dy'd with Purple Gore O dreadful dismal Cup what heart can think On what he underwent and 's flesh not shrink The Blood that once run through his sacred Veins Is now let out by Soul-tormenting pains And all the blushing Pavement gilds not stains Ah! don't you see how it fell trickling down Yet unto him was no compassion shown The Blood that issued forth from every wound Descends in pearly drops unto the ground Oh Earth that didst receive that holy Blood Nor fruitful Nile nor Tagus golden Blood Could ever yield like Vertue or such good Neâ—re such a stream did water thee before Nor shall again refresh thee any more Nor were these cruel barb'rous scourgings all That he endur'd in that remorsless Hall For after this they clothed him in scorn With Purple when his flesh was lasht and torn And in derision of his Princely State Their impious hands a Crown of thorns did plate Pressing it on his gracious Head with pain Till Sacred Drops did issue forth again In ruful sort as they had done before Spreading his precious Neck and Face all o're Thus like a Lamb amongst those Wolves he stood From head to foot besprinkled o're with blood His Kingly Office further to debase ' Stead of the Scepter due to Judah's Race They put a Reed in 's hand then kneel
slight her Her drousy Conscience also now awakes Alas she startl'd much she weeps she quakes She crys out for a Christ but non's in sight And all her other Lovers fail her quite She yields she loves but with a servile heart When other Lovers slight her and depart She loves thee not Lord Christ for what thou art But what thou hast and should she spared be She 'd shew her love to Sin more than to thee No sooner the sad Soul her state laments But bowels mov'd in Jesus he relents In her afflictions he 's afflicted too And can't be long e're he 'l compassions shew He sent relief he eas'd her of her pain And rais'd her up to former health again But as 't was hinted so it came to pass The wretched Soul proves vile as ere she was Affliction will not bring to Jesus's feet Unless great Pow'r do go along with it The Soul 's like Phar'oh crys when smitten sore Then then for Christ and O'twill sin no more But when rais'd up and has sweet health restor'd It cleavs to Sin afrecsh forgets the Lord. But the affections of the Prince of Peace Abated not but rather did increase His love and patience both alike shine forth To ' stonishment of all who live on Earth And that he might obtain the Soul at last His Servants call'd and sent away in hast To recommend his love and in his stead To o'pe those precious Glories which lie hid To her and to all those who carnal be Alas they ca'nt behold they cannot see Those high perfections which in Jesus are Nor can they think his beauty is so rare Exceeding all conception all compare Dear Reader prethee mark what here insues Mind mind the Arguments this man dos use To move the Soul to tears of true contrition Fetch'd from Christ's love and from her lost condition Theologue By Jesus sent by such a Prince as he Ah! 't is a work too great too high for me What glory Lord hast thou conferr'd on those Thou do'st imploy thy secrets to disclose What! be a Spokesman for a Prince so great To represent his Love and to entreat Poor Sinners in his stead to entertain His Sacred Person Lord I 'le try again Since thou command'st me forth what may be done Thou bidst me go my duty is to run Did Abraham's Servant readily comply With his Command with great'st fidelity And shall I be unfaithful unto thee No Lord I will not do but strengthen me Prosper my way and let me have success That I with him thy Sacred Name may bless And how shall I poor nothing I rejoice To see the Soul thy Spouse thy Father's choice What next thy love 's so sweet Lord unto me Than to bring in poor Sinners unto thee CHAP. II. Shewing the evil of Sin and how compar'd HAIL precious Soul once glorious noble born But now debas'd defil'd in garments torn Nay naked quite yet mindst it not at all Thy wounds do stink and Vipers in them crawl So many sins of which thou guilty art So many Serpents cleave unto thy heart Whatâ—s Sin is 't not a frightful Cockatrice No Serpent like the Serpent called Vice And dost thou love to play with such a thing Ah fool take heed view view its poisonous sting Brute Beast by Natur 's instinct are aware Of the gilt bait and sence-beguiling snare Though it seems ne'r so sweet or ne'r so fair And art thou such a fool to hug a Snake And in thy breast such great provision make That it may harbour there both day and night Ah! Couldst thou see or hadst a little sight 'T would soon appear a very loath'd delight No evil like the evil called Sin Which thou dost love which thou tak'st pleasure in For what is Sin is 't not a deadly evil The filthy spawn and off-spring of the Devil And is thy mind on folly wholly bent What love the Devils odious excrement Shall that which is the superstuity Of naughtiness be lovely in thine Eye What dost thou value Christ and all he hath Not worth vain joys and pleasures on the Earth Has he so much esteemed thee and must Thou value him less than a cursed Lust Dost thou more good in that soul Brat espy Than is in all the glorious Trinitie That which men judge is best they strive to chuse Things of the smallest value they refuse O wretched Soul what thoughts dost thou retain Of thy dear Lord and blessed Soveraign Come view thy choice see how deprav'd thou art In judgment will affection thy whole heart Is so corrupt defiled and impure Thou canst not Christ nor Godliness indure Again what 's Sin is 't not a trait'rous Foe A Traytor unto God and Rebel too It first of all against him took up Arms And made his Angels fall by its false charms Nought is so contrary to God as that Nor more the perfect object of his hate The Devil was God's Creature good at first 'T was sin that made him hateful and accurst Sin ne'r was good its essence is impure Evil at first so now so will indure And darest thou O Soul conceal this Foe Nay hide him in thy house and also show Such deared love to him as to delight In his base company both day and night Nay sport and play and merry be with him What Gods dos hate and loath dost thou esteem Dost not O Soul deserve for this to die What greater crime what greater enmity Canst thou be guilty of or canst thou show Than thus to harbour God's most traitrous Foe The chiefest room he can always command Whilst my dear Master at thy door must stand And can't one look nor one sweet smile obtain Who is thy Saviour and thy Soveraign What 's Sin a thing that 's worser than the Devil Sin made him so sin is a thing so evil 'T is worse than Hell it dug that horrid pit 'T is sin that casts all Sinners into it No lake of Fire no Tophet had there bin For souls of Men nor Devils but through sin 'T is that which lays them there heap upon heap Sin was the cause 't was made so large and deep Sin is the fuel that augments Hell-fire Wer 't not for sin Hell-flames would soon expire And wilt thou dandle sin still on thy knee Wilt make a mock of it wilt jolly be Wilt sin and say alas I am in sport Ah! see thy folly ere thou pay'st dear for 't Is sin God's foe and is it so to thee Then part with sin break that affinitie Dissolve the knot with speed do thy endeavour Which will destroy thee otherwise for ever Nay what is Sin it is a Leprosy When Scripture so compares it may not I Call it a sickness or a loathsom sore That quite covers the Soul and spreads all o're Like to an Ulcer or infectious Biles That do corrupt that poisons and defiles The Soul afflicted and all others too That dwell with him or have with him to do Oh how
mourns Ah! how she weeps she crys And water runs like fountains from her â—ys Now her whole Souls dissolved into tears By Love-sick passions yet she 's fill'd with fears Lest Christ should now with angry frown deny To give her one sweet aspect of his Eye Because his love she had so long refus'd And wondrous patience shamefully abus'd Oh! now she spends whole days nights in prayer She sighs and grieves but canâ—t see Christ appear The panting Hart ne'r long'd for Water-brooks More than does she for some reviving looks From the great Prince the God of Love Grace But he at present seems to hide his face But stop my Musâ— hark how the Winds do roar All storms i' th Soul alasâ— are not yet o're No sooner did the Old-man cast his Eyes And view'd this change but in great wrath did rise For to renew the War he joins afresh With scatter'd force of Will and Lusts of th' flesh To make what strength they can with hellish spite The Devil 's with these conquer'd pow'rs unite Arm'd with despair and like to Lamps wch make The greatest blaze at going out they take Their blunt and broken Weapons in their hand Resolving Christ in her shall not command Nor she desert their cause nor break her Vows With Sin and Self and so become Christ's Spouse But now I find in vain they do resist True Grace is come the Spirit doth assist Sin World the Flesh nor Devil can long stand Before the Spirits strong and pow'rful hand See how the Spirit now doth search about To find each Sin and cursed Darling out Did you never behold in what dread sorâ— The wide-mouth'd Canon plays upon the Fort And how by whole-sail it doth batter down The shattered walls of a besieged Town Even so the Spirit with his powerful Sword Makes glorious slaughter will no Truce afford Kills all before him will no Quarter give Nor will he suffer any Lust to live The Strong-man Satan quakes good reason why A stronger's come a stronger he doth spy Is enter'd in O therefore he 's much pain'd All all is gone and he himself is chain'd The Old-man trembling likewise thinks to fly Into some lurking-corner secretly To hide himself but th' Spirit 's piercing Sight Discovers him and now with heavenly might Laid on such strokes and gave him such a wound Wch with dire vengance brought him to the ground Now the Affections's chang'd and Will doth yield Being willing made says Grace shall have the Field O happy season and thrice long'd-for hour This is the day of God's most mighty Power Upon the Soul But hark methinks I hear Most bitter sighs and groans sound in mine Ear. The Soul 's afflicted it is she doth mourn To think what sorrows for her Christ hath born She hates nay loaths her self to th' very dust And seeks to mortifie each former Lust And something more doth still perplex her mind Him whom she dearly loves she cannot find Her heart I fear will quickly burst asunder If any long time she should be prest under This heavy weight no grief like hers is there Who can alas a wounded Spirit bear She 's almost swallow'dâ— up in deep despair You next shall hear if you attention lend How she bewails the absence of her Friend Soul Ah me I faint my Spirits quite decay And yet I cannot die O who can stay My sinking Soul whilst I these sorrows feel My feeble knees under their burden reel Infâ—rnal deeps black gulphs where horror lies Open their ghastly mouths before mine Eys O wretched Soul curs'd Sin I might have been The Lamb's fair Bride and a Celestial Queen Had I imbrac'd my Lord my King my Love Who was more faithful than the Turtle Dove O had I then receiv d him in mine Arms He would have sav'd me from eternal harms But now I fear those happy days are past And I poor wretch shall into Hell be cast Bound up in fetters and eternal chains Of burning Wrath and everlasting pains O sinful Soul I who have lightly set By the blest Prince who would have paid my debt O he that would have freely quit my score Ah! Now I fear I shall ne're see him more Could I but once more hear his Sacred Voice I would make him my joy and only choice But 's Wooing-time I fear is out of date 〈…〉 but dread it is too late I mâ—lt Lord into tears whilst thou the Sun Of precious Light art hid where shall I run For Light and comfort in this dolesom hour Whilst I lie drenched in this brinish shower More would she speak but her great passion stops Her mournful speech whilst her eys stood-gates opeâ— Smote with despair so faint she scarce appears To breath or live but by her sighs and tears A Friend amidst this passion straight arriv'd Whose shining beams and lustre much reviv'd The troubl'd Soul on every side that she Cry'd out O heavenly Spirit it is thee Who with Diviner and mysterious Art Did such illustrious beams of Glory dart Which did not only tend to joy and peace But much inflam'd her heart made love increase And lo before her Eys she doth behold The Prince to stand whose Glory to unfold Is 'bove the reach of Man or Seraphim And thus had she a blessed sight of him Like as the Sun breaks forth beneath a Cloud Whose conqu'ring light cast off each envious shroud And round about his beauteous beams displays Making her Earth like Heav'n with his bright rays This glorious Aspect of his lovely Eye Which she through Faith beheld did by and by With such transports or Raptures on her seize And from her former sorrows gave her â—ase Yet could she not be fully satisfy'd Until the Marriage-knot was firmly ty'd A Promise she endeavours to procure To make Christ's Love and Pardon to her sure She to this purpose does her self address To him she loves with sweet composedness Of heart and mind tho thinking what she 'd bin She 's under fears and oft distrest again Much questioning for want of Faith how he Could e're forget past wrongs and injurie Soul Life of my life alas Lord what am I A wretched Creature who deserves to die A thousand deaths nay and a thousand more For wounding thee within without all o're In every part O this doth make me mourn It melts my heart to think what thou hast born For a vile worm But wilt thou view the wound That 's made in me Lord I am drench'd drown'd In bloud and brinish tears my wasting breath And sighing Soul will period soon in Death Unless thou seal and dost confirm to me Thy Love by promises O! shall I see Thy hand stretch'd out or shall I hear thee say Come come to me poor Soul O come away 'T is thou that wilt not bruise the broken reed Hurt not my sores nor crush the wounds that bleed O let my chilled Soul feel the warm fires Of thy sweet Voice that my dissolv'd
you must know Of the black horror of this Land of Wo Whither the wretched wandring Soul was gone And whence her Lover now must fetch her home It was indeed an howling Wilderness A Region of dispair and all distress Where Dragons Wolves Lyons and ravenous Beasts Had their close Dens and Birds of Prey their Nests Besides throughout the ruinated Land A Black and fearful King had great Command Who had revolted many years before From his Liege Lord and to him since has bore Most cruel spight and curs'd malignity Assuming to himself the Soveraignty The greatst Usurper that e're being had Sylla nor Nero never were so bad For 't is well known he was th' original Syre Of Tyrants all and taught them to aspire Ambitious through the World to spread his Arms He fill'd the Earth with Blood and sad Alarms And like a ravenous Lyon rang'd about To seek his Prey and find new Conquests out Full of State-Policies and Subtil wiles Where 's Force attempts in vain his Fraud beguiles Most cruel to those Slaves he can betray And yet the Fools besotted to his sway Court their own ruine and blindly obey His Antient Lord he hated most of all And such as were his offspring great and small He was resolv'd to be reveng'd upon And them for to destroy e're he had done From whence his name was call'd Apollyon A name which doth his Nature full express And you of him thereby my further guess This greedy Dragon hungry of his prey With wide-stretcht Jawes stood waiting for the day When this dear Prince should come nay for the hour That so he might him instantly devour Oh Tyrant Love dost thou no pity take Wilt thou the PHAENIX of both worlds thus make A prey to such a Fiend who by some snare Hopes to entrap this long expected Heir And then to take Possession and alone Rule on an undisturbed Hellish Throne See how the Troops of his Infernal Power Combine this Sacred Person to devour Needs must that be a sad and dismal Land Where this damn'd Monster hath so great Comand What Prince would come from such a Mount of bliss Unto a Cave where Poysonous Serpents hiss Come from his Father's Bosom where he lay To be the Wolves and Dragons chiefest prey To leave his glorious Robes and Cloth of Gold And clothed be with Raggs and Garments old From ruling men and Devils now to be Tempted by both of them scarce ever free To leave a Paradise of all Delight And come into a Land as black as night A glorious Crown and Kingdom to forsake That he his bed might on a Dunghil make To leave a sweet and quiet Habitation To come into a rude distracted Nation Where Wars Blood and Miseries abound Where neither Truth nor Faith nor Peace is found To leave his Friends who loved him most dear To dwell with such as mortal hatred bear To him and to his blessed Father and All such as do for them most faithful stand To come so many Millions of long miles To be involv'd in Troubles and sad Broils And all this for a Creature poor and vile A Traiterous Vagabond and in Exile Yea one that still remain'd a stubborn foe â—ating both him and his blest Father too Who ponders all in extasy can't miss To cry out Oh! what manner of Love is this Sure this is Love that may our Souls amaze And to the height our wondring Spirits raise In grateful Hymns to celebrate its praise CHAP. II. Shewing what entertainment the Prince of Light meâ— with at his first arrival How there being no room for him in the Inn he was forced to lie in the Stable and make his bed in the Manger As also how he having laid aside his Glorious and Princely Robes was not known by the people of that Country and how he was wronged and abominably abused by them AWake my Muse I hear the Prince is come Go and attend him view the very Room Where he at first doth lodg see how they treat A King whose Pow'r is so exceeding great Much Rumor of his coming I am told Was spread abroad amongst them there of old And many waiting for him long'd to see What kind of King and Person he should be Oh! what provision now to entertain Him did they make my Soul 's in grevious pain To hear of this Doth not the Trumpet sound And Joy and melody sweetly abound I' th hearts of all who heard of this good News How did they carry 't to him or how use This lovely One whom Angels do adore And Glorious Seraphims fall down before Ah! how methinks should they now look about Some curious stately Structure to find out Some Prince's Palace for his Residence Or strong fair Castle for his safe Defence Don't people leap for Joy whil'st Angels sing To welcome in their long expected King Do not the Conduits through all streets combine In stead of Water wholly to run Wine Do not great Swarms of people 'bout him sly Like to some strange and glorious Prodigy What dos't thou say my Muse Art wholly mute Doth this not with thy present purpose suit Ah! yes it does but how shal't be exprest The grief that seizes on my panting Breast My heart into a trembling fit doth fall To think how he contemned was of all The Savage Monsters did this Prince reject And treat him with affronts and disrespect When he for them had taken all this pain They neither would him know nor entertain The very Inn where first he went to lie For to vouchsafe him Lodging did deny No Room alas had they but if 't were so He would be there to th' Stable he must go To 'th Stable then goes he contentedly Without the least reflection or reply The silly Ass and labouring Ox must be Companions now to Sacred Royalty Expos'd by Greater Brutes he must alas Take up with the Dull-Oxe and painful Ass Who their great Maker and Preserver was And in the Manger's forc'd to make his bed Without one Pillow to support his Head Let Heav'n astonisht Earth amazed be At this ungrateful Inhumanity Let Seas rise up in heaps and after quit Their Course these Barbarous people to affright Oh! what a mighty condescention's here What story may with this with this compare Is this the entertainment they afford And this a Palace for so great a Lord Is this their kindness to so dear a friend Do they him to a filthy Stable send Is that a Chamber suiting his Degree Or fit the Manger should allotted be For him to lay his Glorious Body in Of whom the Prophet saith he knew no Sin Whose footstool's Earth and Heaven is his Throne What ne're a better Bed for such an one That has so vast a Journey undertook And for their sakes such Glory too forsook Is this great Prince with such mean Lodging pleas'd So that he may of love-sick pains be eas'd O what a Lover's this Almighty Love How potently dost thou affections move What
thy curst design Most horrid hatred is that love of thine Thou seek'st her life her blood nought else will do But her most desperate final overthrow I likewise see how the sad game is laid How she by treacherous Loves to Sin 's betraid But I that League resolve to break asunder Dissolve your Charms quickly bring thee under Although I know thou art a Son of Thunder I 'le spoyl all your designs and make appear That only I that Soul do love most dear I 'le spill my dearest blood upon the Ground But your Infernal Plots I will confound I am her friend and will so faithful prove That all shall say I 'm worthy of her love My Life is in my hand I le lay it down E're she shall miss of the Eternal Crown Thou damned art and wouldst I fully know Bring her into the same eternal wo But know vile Fiend 't is more than thou canst do Unless thou can'st this day prevail o're me Those dreadful Torments she shall never see At this Apollyon's parched Lips did quiver These words like darts struck through his heart and liver He gnaw'd his very tongue for pain and wo And stampt and foam'd and knew not what to do Till e're a while like to a Lyon bold Upon his Spear he furiously takes hold And doth the second time the Lord engage With greater violence and fiercer rage As when loud Thunder roars and rends the Skie Or murdering Cannons let their Bullets fly So did he cause as 't were the Earth to quake When he at him the second time did make And by the force of his permitted power Snatches him up as if he would devour Him like the prey which hungry Lyons eat But not prevailing down he did him set Upon a Pinacle 'o th Temple high And then again upon him does let fly But finding he no hurt to him could do He strives him headlong down from thence to throw Pretending if he were so great an one His foot could not be dasht against a Stone But then our Prince did draw his Sword again Not doubting in the least he should obtain Another victory against this foe And did indeed give him so great a blow That he fell down being forced to give ore And shamefully retreated as before Now would one think the Battel quite were done And time for the black Prince away to run But he reviv'd and did fresh Courage take As men would do when all doth ly at stake And a third Battel was resolv'd to see What ere the fatal Consequence might be Apollyon now to his last shift was driven Almost of all his Magazine bereaven But one poor Weapon more he had to try If worsted there resolved was to fly And here indeed God suffer'd him once more To take him up as he had done before Ah! t was a sight most dismal to behold What foe was e're thus impudently bold That so was bafled forced to retreat And found his Enemie too wise and great A thousand times for him yet would essay By force of Arms to carry him away Don't Heaven and Earth and all amazed stand To see the Prince of Light in Satan's hand Or rather in his Arms carry'd on high As if he would have kill'd him secretly But on a mighty Mountain him he set Hoping he might some great advantage get A cunning Stratagem he did devise Thinking thereby our Saviour to surprize And him 'orecome by subtile Policy And that was to present unto his Eye The Glory of this World the only Snare By which poor Mortals often ruin'd are This Hellish Prince is full of Craft and Wiles And with 's inventions all the World beguiles From him the Politick Achitophel And our more modern famous Machiavel With other States-men learn't their puzling Arts To plague the World that Science he imparts To imbroil Nat'ions and cheat honest Hearts Sly Stratagems in War most wise men know Have oft prevail'd where Force no good could do The Walls sometimes of Castles down do fall When n'ere a Bullet hath been shot at all Unless discharged from a Silver Gun Thousands alas this way have been undone Strong Citties Gates we know have open'd been With Golden Keyes and Enemies let in Which force nor strength could ne're have made to fly Nor been broke down by fiercest Battery The Maxime's true which frequently we read That Policy doth very far exceed The Strength and pow'r of great haughty Kings And to subjection mighty Nations brings But all the Strength nor Craft nor power either Which Satan hath with all his fiends together Could with this Glorious Lord prevail i' th least Who hath the strength of Heaven to assist And was himself Omnipotent in power Doth Satan think he can a God devour Can fading Glories of vile Earth intice Or break his purpose off when Paradise Could not upon him any Influence have To turn his love from her he came to save How soon deep Policy is overthrown And crafty fraud to foolish madness come Art thou Apollyon such a wretched Sot Hast thou no other Bait nor weapon got Is this thy wit and can'st thou do no more Than give him that which was his own before How prodigal thou seem'st wilt thou bestow At once on him all Kingdomes here below What then will all thy flattered Subjects do If thus thou rashly giv'st them all away What wilt thou do thy self another day What! is poor Soul worth more than all the world That all thou hast shall thus away be hurld Rather then thou of Soul would'st be bereav'd 'T is time for her to see she ben't deceiv'd What! all the Kingdoms of the world Pray who Did give them all or any unto you Ah! what a Traytor 's here Is 't not a shame Before thy Soveraign's face to make a Claim Unto those Kingdoms where thou hast no right Thou know'st they do belong to 'th Prince of light Thine if thou call'st them 't is by Usurpation No other right hast thou to any Nation But we discourse too long behold a sight Apollyon rallies all his scattered might Now nothing else than a full Conquest will The haughty Wretch his wild Ambition fill How fain would he Majestick Steps have trod And worship'd be nay worship'd by a God But the wise Prince of Light doth straight advance To check his bold and vain Extravagance Declares his pow'r and shakes the awfull Rod Thou shalt not what tempt who the Lord thy God This well-plac'd stroak did Satan quite confound He cannot stay yet 's loth to quit the ground But seeing that he needs must now be gone Looks back and grins and howling thus goes on Apollyon Although I find thou art for me too strong Yet I 'le revenged be for all the wrong I have sustain'd either on thee or thine For which the powers of Hell shall all combine T' engage thee in another sort of Fight Although at present I am bafled quite Moreover this I further have to say So
aloud Poor wretches who with Devils were possest And sorely griev'd could see no hopes oâ— rest Were all deliver'd by his mighty Hand Such Pow'r had he Hell's power to Command That if he said Satan come out straight-way He forced was this Prince for to obey Thus as with smallest touch he heal'd their Evils He with a word cast out the foulest Devils Nay more than this that he might quite remove All doubts from her he did so dearly love That she might know he power had to save He rais'd the dead to Life though in the Grave The Corps had buried been full four days This very thing must needs his Glory raise He still went on and more strange things did do Though very few to him did kindness show Is it not plain he can do what he list Who holds the mighty Winds as in his fist He that gave bounds unto the Sea and Land What is not in his Power to command He that doth suck the Clouds out of the Seas And makes them fall again where e're he please He that doth brake th' amazing Thunder-Crack And bid the raging frightful Seas go back That doth the dreadful angry Ocean still And call Heavn's Meteors to obey his Will That counts the Sands and doth the Stars survey And Hills and Mountains in a Ballance weigh No other Name for him can be Assign'd But God most high Jehovah unconfin'd The precious Name which to this Prince is given Shews who he is he 's call'd The Lord from Heaven Another Title doth the same express He is Jehovah our Righteousness Do not his Works and his most glorious Name His blessed Nature unto all proclaim Shall not the Soul this gracious Lord receive Who worketh Wonders that she may believe Sure if the Soul did doubt of his descent She now has cause with sorrow to repent The vilest Atheist it might satisfie Touching his glorious Birth and Dignity But notwithstanding this those Evil men In most base sort did this great Prince contemn Him impiously they grand Impostor call And with foul Blasphemies upon him fall Though in his life there was no stain nor spot Yet they would needs his Conversation blot Behold said they a person gluttonous You seldom read of any charged thus But that 's not all Drunkenness next did they Unto the charge of this Just Person lay They did him often a Wine-bibber call That odious they might render him to all His holy Doctrine too they did despise And horrid things on that Account devise As if he taught all men to violate God's holy Law and thereby tolerate All kind of sin pollution and offence Though of the Law he had such reverence As none had more and daily shew'd his Love Unto the same in striving to remove Those false and evil Glosses whereby they Its purer spiritual part had thrown away His Company and Country they upbraid Yea and the Education which he had But that which may all persons most amaze Was those Reports which they of him did raise As if that he some curs'd Familiar had They cry he hath a Devil and is mad When he the unclean spirits does cast out By th' Prince of Devils he brings it about Those strange and wondrous things we see are done Are all perform'd by Belzebub alone Thus did Apollyon shew his hellish spight And them to coyn Black-slanders still invite Against this glorious Prince of Peace and Light But though they did blaspheme and him disdain He bore it all reviling not again But still retains his kindness hopes to find The Soul hereafter in a better mind For now he saw she was of sense bereav'd And by the Devil grievously deceiv'd But oh consider what a Lover's here Who all these oft-repeated wrongs would bear And not be gone in fury and disdain Leaving her subject to Eternal pain To suffer thus in 's Person and his Name And undergo all this Reproach and Shame And yet continue constant in his Love This from her breast might sure all scruple move Nor was this all for still he 's tost about And Malice daily finds new projects out How to torment and grieve his tender heart Yet nothing could from her his kindness part They now with slie temptations on him set To draw him in and some Advantage get This with kind Anger curled his blest Blood To see how stoutly they withstood their good It fill'd his Heart with sorrow made him grieve They so hard-hearted were not to believe Tho he most mighty works among them wrought Yet to ensnare him they occasions sought Their tempting him I find did grieve him more Than all the vile Affronts he met before Here might I stop to reason with the Jews Who him deny and slight the Gospel news May not his Miracles convince you quite He was the true Messias Prince of Light How dare you to deny matter of Fact That he those great and mighty things did act For they were not in private Corners done But before all in open face 'o th Sun Your Fathers might with ease laid o'pe the cheat Shame the Imposture and the plot defeat If any grounds they had for to decry The Man himself or his strange works deny Besides you know Josephus he doth own There was at that same time such a blest One And for him had so great a veneration That thus I find of him he makes Relation In the time of Tiberius's Reign saith he One JESVS liv'd a Man if 't lawful be To call him so For He strange things did do Yea mighty Miracles This Records show But you perhaps in your forefathers stead Are apt to think he by the Devil did Those great and wondrous things of which we read Now this is so absurd ridiculous And vain 't is strange men should be cheated thus Can any think the God o' th Universe Would be unfaithful as to change the course Of Nature meerly to assert a Lye What Odium here is thrown on 's Majesty Could Satan all these real Wonders do He all Religion quickly might o're-throw The foulest Errors make the world believe And him for the â—ue God men would receive This is to set the Devil in God's place And bring the Holy One into Disgrace T' ascribe his glorious Attributes to one That fain would be exalted in the Throne What Help or Touchstone then can Mortals have Their precious Souls from Satan's wiles to save If real Miracles perform he can This too would show God mindless were of Man And Moses who in Egypt Wonders wrought Might into Shame and great contempt be brought If this once granted be which you would have Moses of old your Fathers might deceive Why might not he by th' Devil's power do Those mighty Miracles which Scriptures Show He wrought in Egypt and at the Red-Sea Against your Law 't would be as strong a plea And thus both Testaments 't would throw away To the Magicians could the Devil have given Such power as Moses had receiv'd from Heaven
Yea and ript up their filthiness within Through each Religious Mask and trim disguise Their canker'd Breasts lay open to his Eys He knew their Hearts them he would not spare And thence to him such Malice they did bear But 't was Apollyon whose deceit and Lies Abroad amongst the people did devise Most of these Troubles which on him did rise No stone that Monster left unturn'd that he Might bring this Soveraign Prince to misery Though all in vain For he miscounts his sum Alas the fatal hour 's not yet come Christ still persists the stubborn Soul to woo Intreats her not her self thus to undo He is not gone behold he 's at her door And patiently Admission doth implore He knocks he calls and doth his Suit renew Until the Heavens his gracious Head bedew Until his Locks with drops o' th Night are wet And yet from her can no kind Answer get Oh! hark I pray unto his melting words Enough to pierce ones heart like sharpest swords Prince of Light Soul Harken to me or thou art undone I cannot leave thee thus nor yet be gone I see thy state thy state I pity too Thy treacherous Lovers seek thine overthrow It is in vain for me to ask thy Love Until thou breakst with them and dost remove Thy Heart from those that thy Affections have Who to vile Lusts thy Faculties inslave What dost thou think I can have in mine Eye What self-advantage will accrew thereby What gain I if thou grantest my request All that I beg's thy greatest Interest I ever happy was and so shall be Although at present thus distrest for Thee How can'st thou cruel Soul thus let me stand Barr'd out of Doors whilst others do command The choicest Room within thy yielding Breast Lodgings too good for such destructive Guests Believe me poisonous Toads and Serpents lurk Within thine Arms which will thy ruin work Those Lovers which thou keep'st so close within Are Murderers Trust not that Monster SIN Nor any of his Hellish Company For though no harm thou dost at present spy But wantonly presum'st to sport and play And canst not see the fatal snares they lay Soul o'pe the Door and I 'le discover all The secret Plots devised for thy fall Or push the Window back let in some light And I will shew thee a most dismal sight Thy self I 'le shew thee which couldst thou behold thou 'dst see thou art undone betray'd and sold To slavery from whence there 's no Redemption Torments from wch ther 's not the least exemption Then wake look now behold thy wretched plight Or straight thou r't seized with eternal Night The Soul is deaf or certainly she 's dead Or by some pow'rful Magick Charms misled For she no Answer in the least doth give Sad 't is with them whom Satan doth deceive How blind are Creatures in their natural state Oh! how insensible and desperate They sleep securely and will never hear Till direful Thunder bore their stupid Ear Boldly they frollick on Hell's smoaky Brink And never on its gaping dangers think Till swallow'd down to endless flames they sink But silence now Here comes a Reverend Friend A Servant to the Prince pray Sirs attend He 's sent about the Business that 's depending Oh! that it might obtain an happy ending He is a man his Master loves most dear And he to him doth like Affection bear His int'rest he will now be sure t' improve That all obstructions he may quite remove Which in the way of the poor Soul doth lie For whose sad state lo tears stand in his Eye His Heart is full his Spirit greatly griev'd To think how she by crafty Sin 's deceiv'd And seeing what his glorious Master bears His Soulâ—s almost dissolved into Tears Theologue I from the Great and mighty Prince am sent To see vile Soul If thou wilt yet repent And o'pe thy Eyes to view what thou hast done In piercing the dear heart of such an one As is that Soveraign Lord thou dost abuse And all his offers shamefully refuse Two things consider throughly first of all Thy sad and wretched state under the Fall Which thou receivedst many years ago When Eden's Groves bewail'd thine overthrow Ah! Didst thou know thy lost undone Condition Sure it must move thee unto great Contrition 'T would make thee roar and mightily condole Thy woful state O! thou condemned Soul The second thing is this O! mind with speed The worth of him whose Soul for thee doth bleed Didst thou but know his Dignity and Birth Soon wouldst thou say none's like him upon Earth Nor is this all for further I declare No other help thou hast far off or near 'T is he who is thy choice and only Friend Reject him still and sad will be thine end Shall he such grief and sorrow undergo And unto him wilt thou no kindness show Would he thy guilty Soul from Treason free By making of a marriage-League with thee Shall not his Love nor thy distressed Case Court thee in prudence to his safe Embrace Will nothing work upon thee to Relent Nor be a means to bring thee to Repent I pray thee Soul these things lay to thy heart And unto me thy true Resolve impart Soul What mean you thus to vex and grieve my mind My Heartâ—s to other Lovers more inclin'd It lies not in your power to command Against my will and well I understand What 's best for me I am for present case He suits not my Conditions doth not please My curious fancy Iâ—le content mine Eye Will you the liberty of Choice deny You must indeed have some mysterious Arts To change the secret sympathies of Hearts If that you ever make me to comply So as to loath the Jewel of mine Eye What! force Affection who can violate The Law of Nature weigh my present state Can Earth forget her burthen and ascend Or yet can Flames aspiring downward bend For if Fire should descend and Earth aspire Earth were no longer Earth nor Fire Fire Even so dear Sir I find it is with me Consenting I no more my self shall be As Love is free so are its bonds as strong As Death to break them is a grievous wrong Can the kind Heavens do a damage greater Than to destroy and ruin their poor Creature Or shall I think the Righteous God will fill me With such strange Joys which if enjoy'd will kil me Can I believe things 'bove my sense and reason And ignorant be when guilty of high Treason How can I think my self a Criminal When of the fact I nothing know at all My present state is good I know no cause To blame my self for breach of unknown Laws Why shall injurious Friends such things alot To have me place my Heart where I love not And break the League with those I love so dear These hardships are too great for me to bear Those Joys therefore in which I have delighted Shall not for fancied sweetness e're be slighted He whom
broke which doth all Lust forbid My Sin I know from thee cannot be hid Although methinks Justice seems too severe For the whole Charge hee 'l scarcely make appear Jehovah Art guilty of that first and hainous Crime Which was committed Soul in Ancient time By him who was thy Representative From whom thy evil Nature didst derive If guilty of that one horrid Offence 'T is easie for thee to perceive from thence Thou art under my Just and fearful Curse Condemned by thy God what can be worse Soul To Adam's Sin Lord I must guilty plead Nay and to many an actual Evil Deed. Divine Justice The Prisoner does confess her vile offence And now there needs no further Evidence Shall Execution Lord on her be done How canst thou bear such a Rebellious one Lord let me straightway strike the fatal blow Let her with vengeance to Hell-torments go She 's guilty even by her own Confession Of heaping up Transgression on Transgression She 's in my Debt she cannot it disown And I demand my Right Come pay it down Ten thousand Talents Soul thou owest me Which must be paid and that full speedily Soul That I am in thy Debt I don't gainsay But I have not one farthing now to pay Some pity show I for forbearance cry Since thy Demands I cannot satisfy Justice Full satisfaction 't is that I must have In vain from me you compositions crave My Name is Justice and my Nature so I never did nor can I mercy show Soul If there 's no mercy then my state is sad And never was there any News so bad For Adam's seed who under Sin do lie All then must perish to Eternity Theologue That God is gracious Soul is not deny'd Yet Justice will also be satisfy'd Consider if thou canst the matter reach One Attribute God never will impeach To magnify another He 's so Just As to take vengeance on each Sin and Lust Each Attribute know thou assuredly Must meet together in sweet Harmony Soul What will thy Wrath O Justice then appease Upon what terms wilt thou afford some ease To me after this terrifying News Vouchsafe to tell the means that I must use To satisfie a Judge that 's so severe And will not of sweet Acts of pardon hear Justice There 's nothing can appease me that is less Than a compleat and perfect Righteousness Like that thou hadst whilst thou in Eden stood Nothing save this will do thee any good What e're is due to me of the old score Must be paid down or never any more Will the great God with thee concerned be On gracious terms of Peace and Amitie A Sacrifice can only make thy peace That that alone will cause my wrath to cease Soul If that be all I 'le get a Sacrifice Let me consider what shall I devise A thousand Rams and Rivers of sweet Oil I 'le offer up but for one gracious Smile With fat of firstling Lambs I 'le Heaven invoke And purest Incense up like Clouds shall smoke Each Morn Iâ—le sacrifice whole Hecatombs With Frankincense and sweet Arabian Gums I these O Lord I offer up to thee Mâ—â— they atone for mine Iniquity Justice Oh no! give o're those trifling low designs The Eastern Spices and the Western mines United are too mean an Offering To satisfy this great incensed King In such poor offerings God does take no pleasure Couldst Thou therefore procure all Europes Treasure Nay all the Wealth that in the World has bin ' Tould not his wrath appease for one small sin Shouldst thou thy dearest Son or Daughter take For Sacrifice 't would no Atonement make The fruit of thine own Body were in vain For thy Soul's sin a pardon to obtain No Friend or Brother can'st thou now find out To pay thy Ransom or release thee out Their Riches never can be help for thee Nor once redeem thy Soul from misery Nay couldst thou yet ascend to Heaven above And holy Angels with compassion move For to engage for thee and signify That in thy stead and for thy sake they 'd die It would not do for in them 's no such worth As to remove thy guilt appease God's wrath Their Glory 's great as holy Scriptures show Yet all they have and are to God they owe. They cannot help thee in thy great distress Nor satisfy the Law thou dost transgress In brief look where thou wilt no Balsam's fouâ— In any Creature for to cure thy wound No Surety can'st thou get then come away Eternal Torments must thy Reckoning pay Soul Hold hold thou art too hasty and severe To one word more I pray thee lend an Ear. I will amend my life if this be so The Promise runs to such as truly do Their Evil courses leave I hope hereby Thou wilt some pity show not let me die Divine Justice â—ond Soul though such thy promises indeed So often broke deserve but little heed Yet grant thou shouldst henceforth with strictest care Endeavour thine offences to repair Couldst thou so live as never to sin more Will this dost think pay off thy former score Can thine imperfect Righteousness to come Discharge of by-past ills so vast a sum When even that which thou callst Righteousness It self wants pardon and must Guilt confess When thy Bond 's su'd thou dost thy self forget To offer menstruous Rags to pay thy Debt For what is past not future I demand And thou shalt feel the rigors of my hand Soul Lord then I 'm drown'd in an Abyss of seats If hearty Sighs nor penitential Tears Can wash me clean nor yet relieve my wo My case is desp'rate what shall Mortals do Divine Justice If thou with Tears couldst the vast Ocean fill Or grieve till thou thy self with sorrows kill And make ten thousand Rivers with thy blood 'T would not contribute the least dram of Good Nay couldst thou live and never more offend Yet for old sins to Hell I must thee send To th' place of Execution thou must go Lord shall I strike O shall I strike the blow Lo here the Soul condemned wretch doth stand My Ax is up if thou but giv'st command I presently will cut her down with Ire Fit fewel for an Everlasting fire Divine Mercy Stay Justice hold forbear to strike shall I My Glory lose to all Eternity Though thou art just as just as God can be Yet something Mortals still expect from me 'T is gracious Love and pity I afford In me shines forth the Glory of the Lord In me God doth O Justice take delight Though thou art pleasant also in his sight How shall we both then meet in Harmony And shine in spendor to Eternity Divine Wisdom I have found out the way which will you both With equal Majesty and Glory cloath God is as just as Justice doth require And yet as kind as Mercy can desire Here is a glorious Prince come from above Who all obstructions quickly will remove Which in the way of the poor Soul doth lie And you appease
of Man Oh! let our Souls be arm'd with courage bold Whilst we this furious Battel do behold Before the Fight begins do you not hear How he doth cry unto his Father dear O let this Cup from me Lord pass away If it be possible Let it I pray Pass from me that of it I may not drink Until this time he never seem'd to shrink From any pain conflict or suffering This Combat is alas a different thing From what before he ever met withal From hence he did unto his Father call Once and again repeating of his cry It 'h sense of what was now approaching nigh Some may at this 't is likely much admire That our dear Saviour should so loud desire To be deliver'd from that bitter Cup Which was prepared for him to drink up It did not rise for his unwillingness But from the pain the anguish and distress 'T would bring him to this humane Nature's weak From thence he might such supplications make Ah! wrath Divine what humane Soul can beaâ— But of Divinity he hath his share Which doth again his fainting spirit chear And such support he needs Cast but an Eye See how the Combatants with fury fly Upon each other What a Battel 's here Enough to melt our Souls into a tear Lo the first blow that Sin and Wrath doth give It is the worst he ever did receive Behold how frightfully grim Wrath doth frown Nay more the Prince seems by their strength cast down Now Sin Wrath upon him both do lie Which makes him groan and bitterly to cry With panting breast and half-expiring Breath My Soul is sorrowful ev'n unto Death Can the great Prince of Earth and Heaven feel Such heavy strokes as thus to make him reel The dismal weight of Sin this doth declare None but a JESVS could it fully bear Happy are we as the blest Prophet said Our Help was upon One that 's mighty laid Could man or Angel ev'r have born all this And not have been cast down to th'deepst Abyss Nay of this mighty One Saint Mark hath rais'd Our Wonder higher He was sore amaz'd Nay more than this he fell upon the Ground No Soul before such anguish ever found To see the Lord of Life brought to the Earth Under the pressure of God's heavy Wrath And that he suffer'd all this in our stead May make our Souls to stand astonished Especially if to these Trials we Shall add his great and bloody Agony Wherein the sweat fell from him as he stood In Crimson dy like trickling drops of blood Ah! precious Lord this work was very sore But still thy Love and it s blest Vertue 's more Through all these Toils thou graspst at Victory And Captive lead'st at last Captivity If Sin that day had not receiv'd a fall Grim Death and Hell had quickly swallow'd all The race of Man we all had been undone No help no hope no life for any one Sin was condemn'd it had a fatal blow That now to Saints it little hurt can do But to proceed here I shall now relate Some things which very much do aggravate The sufferings which Christ in 's Soul indur'd When he this Conquest for our Souls procur'd No greater sorrows did he ever know Than those which then his Soul did undergo Several Circumstances which demonstrate the Greatness of our Saviours sufferings in his Soul in the Garden First They did not seize him with the least surprize From thence oft-times doth great Amazement rise Unto poor Mortals we are not aware Oft-times what 's nigh know nothing of the snare But thus 't was not with the blest Prince of Light What can be hid from Great Jehovah's sight He knew full well what would upon him fall Yet when it came so great surpassing all Were th' Griefs he felt he in amaze doth call Unto his Father dear most earnestly If 't were his will to let that Cup pass by Secondly It was the very thing he came to do And yet cry'd out in such sad sort O who Can then conceive what he did undergo He freely did his precious Life give up And yet he 's ready to refuse the Cup. He takes it as it were into his hand Most willingly but presently doth stand Pausing a while then puts it to his Lip And after he had took one bitter sip Looks up to Heav'n and cryes O may it be Thy will dear God this Cup might pass from me Thirdly He knew unless he drank it up that we Must perish All to all Eternitie And that his coming would prove all in vain If he refused for us to be slain And yet with sighs and groans how did he cry In sense of wrath and that extremity Which he beheld would quickly overtake him When once his blessed Father did forsake him Fourthly The Angels which did there to him appear Demonstrate plain how great his sorrows were For like as one distressed makes complaint Quite tired out and all his spirits faint Needs to be strengthned by some faithful Friend So God to him did Holy Angels send For to relieve and comfort him that Day When Sin and Wrath so heavy on him lay Fifthly But what 's Assistance from an Heavenly Host To the great Power of the Holy Ghost Some little measure of the Spirit hath Caused blest Saints to triumph over Death How have they sung with flames about their Ears Contemning pains regardless of all fears This Spirit rested on him bodily Without measure and yet how doth he cry As scarce well knowing which way to bear up Whilst he partakes of this most painful Cup. This greatly doth his suff'rings amplify To humane sense if weighed seriously Sixthly O Lord what means these melting sighs and Tears Why is thy Soul amaz'd why fill'd with Fears Ah! 't is enough to break our hearts to think Upon that bitter potion thou didst drink Thou knewst thy sorrows would be quickly o're And then thou shouldst ne'r sigh nor suffer more 'T was from thy worth both Wrath and Justice cryes We are appeas'd with this thy Sacrifice Might not the shortness of this Conflict yield Thee some Relief Besides thou knew'st the Field Thou shouldst obtain the Conquest was thine own And quickly too the Conflict would be gone I' th midst of Wars or anguish Men indure If any can them certainly assure That in short time their Troubles will be over They straight rouse up their spirits to recover And patiently resolve to bear the smart For this is like a Cordial to the Heart All this thou knew'st and more abundantly Yet Sins dire weight so heavily did lie That with strong groans horror thou didst cry The Torments Lord of Hell took hold on thee Our Souls from that devouring Wrath to free But why didst thou into a Garden go Thus to encounter with the hellish Foe Was it because there first began our woe Or was it Lord to have us call to mind When we in Walks and Gardens pleasures find What thou didst
before him And in Derision feignedly adore him Thus thus did they the Sacred Prince abuse Crying in scorn All hail King of the Jews Then in Disdain they spit in 's his lovely Face Could Devils offer God a worse Disgrace Oh depth of Love alone that knows no bounds To suffer such dire stripes such mocks wounds 'T was we that sin'd 't was thou that sufferst shame To free us from the guilt Oh let thy Name Thy Sacred Name for ever honour'd be Who thus wast us'd to set poor Sinners free But yet alas these sufferings were not all More bitter things did unto him befall Off next they took the Robe his own put on And now as if their malice fresh begun Not satisfy'd their God for to deride They loud cry'd out Let him be Crucify'd His Blood they thirst for Pilate gives consent Though Conscience told him he was Innocent And had deserved neither Death nor Bands Yet up he gives him to the Rabbles hands He knew of malice they had brought him thither Yet he and they at last combine together 'T imbrew their guilty hands in guiltless Blood Who never did them harm but always good Rather than Pilate will displease the Jews Hee 'l stifle Conscience utterly refuse All Admonitions though his bosom Friend A timely warning unto him did send Uses Intreaties urges Arguments But nothing would prevail nothing prevents Their wicked purpose Sentence being past Unto his Execution now they hast Though he was wounded very much before His flesh his Virgin flesh with stripes made sore Yet they upon his Martyr'd shoulders lay His heavy Cross till fainting by the way By reason of th' intolerable pain His bleeding wounds procured they constrain A Country-man of Cyrene who did pass Along that way to bear his pond'rous Cross And coming up to dismal Golgotha Without remorse of Conscience dread or awe They still persist in putting him to Death A Death the worst that e're stopt humane Breath The cruel Death oâ—th Cross matchless for pain And by God's Curse most liable to shame To cause the Just to die was crueltie But Crucifixion's more than 't is to die Prodigious Rage strange metamorphos'd mind What kill the Lord who was to you so kind What was his Crime what his so great offence That not contented to remove him hence By violent Death but you must look about Whereby to find exquisite torments out The vilest wretch that ever did draw breath Or in the strictest sense deserved Death Could never meet with more severitie From barb'rous Foes and brutish Tyranny He meets with no compassion every heart And every hand is set to throw a Dart. So far from shame in this their villany They chuse for time to act the Tragedy Their chiefest Feast when to Jerusalem From every part thousands of people came Then then they chose this cursed work to do That he the greater shame might undergo When Priest and Pilate finisht had their Court. Dear Jesus must be fetcht to make them sport And now behold if yet thy delug'd Eyes Can stay to see so sad a Sacrifice Behold him lift up on the cursed Tree Expos'd to Torture Death and Infamy His Arms spread wide as ready to imbrace His bitter'st Foes if they 'd accept his Grace Quite through each hand foot sharp nails they drive And fix him there to wait for Death alive Hanging betwixt two Thieves Numbred among Transgressors by the giddy partial Throng For passers-by did rail on him with scorn Wagging their heads who ought rather to mourn With taunts and scoffs the vulgar him abuse Prompted by the Chief Priest and barb'rous Jews And when he thirsts through his excessive pains Behold what favour at their hands he gains All they afford to quench his drought withal Was Vinegar mixed with bitter Gall. Was ever such a perfect hatred known No Dram of pity but all malice shown He that for them had Water turn'd to Wine And shown his Pow'r and Charity Divine Now Wine nor Water now could be allow'd T' asswage his thirst from this ungrateful Croud But into 's tender side they thrust a Spear From whence there came both blood water clear Thus hand and foot and head and every part They pierce and wound for to encrease his smart Ah! see that stream wch from his Heart-blood flows The precious Balm and Cure of all our woes Each pious Soul which truly doth believe It s Soveraign Vertue freely may receive One drop of that most Sacred Blood is worth Ten thousand Thrones Kingdoms of the Earth When you by Sin do see your selves undone Think on that Blood which from his Side did run Those cordial Drops apply'd unto thy heart Will heal thy Soul and cleanse thy inward part Ah! canst thou of Christ's dismal passion hear And not dissolve thy Soul into a Tear But to return There 's something still behind Which makes strange meltings in my grieved mind That 's worse than all the rest oh hear his moan And how his poor distressed Soul doth groan His Father hides his face that gracious Eye Casts forth an angry frown which made him cry After he had these bitter torments felt From cruel hands and found his Soul to melt His spirits fail and wounded heart to break Why why my God Oh why dost thou forsake Me in this needful hour Hard is the case When thou my God from me shalt hide thy face My Servants who forsook me are but Dust Poor flesh and blood alas what stay what trust Is there in man the best of men are frail Such as conside in them their strength will fail But ah My Trust my Hope my Confidence Thou thou that art my Rock and safe Defence Even thou my God! O thou O thou hast left me And this at last has of all Peace bereft me Whilst Souls can see their Interest in their God They can bear up under the sharpest Rod But when thy face is hid as 't is from me They sink they die they die Eternally Thus thus the Prince of Peace in sore distress His bitter moan doth unto God express Great depths of sorrow did oppress his Soul When his sad portion thus he did condole He saw himself forsaken and forlorn When in our stead this anguish great was born That which was due for our Iniquity Did heavy on our gracious Saviour lie For Justice spar'd not but laid on her Hand Whilst in the room and stead he seeks to stand Of the poor Soul he came from Heaven to save Justice alas will the last farthing have The torments Saints have born's another thing From what befel their Soveraign Lord King His Spirit 's gracious great magnanimous Yet ne're was any Soul distressed thus That much renowned holy Martyr Stephen He had so glorious a prospect from Heaven As fill'd his Soul brim-full of Consolation And by that means with joy he bore his passion Should I attempt to walk the spacious Field Of instances how many would it
heard a Sacred Story told Fill'd full of Wonders Wonders which unfold Such depths of Wisdom depths of Grace and Love Which none can comprehend it is above The reach of men no knowledg is so high That can conceive of it nay Angels pray Into this thing this Myst'ry is so deep It all the glorious Seraphims doth keep In holy admiration they 'r amaz'd To see how all the Attributes are rais'd In equal Glory and do sweetly shine In their own proper Sphere alike divine Here by diviner Art you all may find What was in our great God's eternal mind Before the Earth's foundation long was laid Or e're bright Sol his glorious beams display'd Respecting Man whom he foresaw would fall And bring his Soul thereby into sad thral Here may you with much ease and joy espy The great result of the blest Trinity In that eternal Council held above About the Soul the object of Christ's Love Here also here 's a proof of true affection And how to love from hence let 's take direction Who ever had or shew'd such love as he Who for his Love was nailed to the Tree But hark some do enquire they long to hear What is become of th' Soul he loves so dear Lo from the Grave he 's come he looks about He searches every place to find her out What is the fled and where in what strange Isâ—â— Of 〈◊〉 and darkness lurks she all this while Good Reader urge me not I 'le let thee hear That which may melt thy Soul into a tear Excuse my Pen for what its lines shall speak Such Marble hearts as cannot melt must break To leave off here I 'm sure it is not fit Nor would I write what you would have unwrit But since it doth upon the Soul reflect It matters not how much we do detect The folly which doth in the Sinner lie When Soveraign Grace exalted is thereby My Heart and Pen seem both to be at strife To paint unkindness forth unto the life Wilt Thou who dost the Muses aid afford Divine assistance that each pow'rful word May rend a heart at least and every line Turn Kingdoms and whole Nations into brine Of their own tears teach me O Lord the skil T' extract the spirit of grief O let my Quil Like Moses Rod make Adamants to fly That tears may gush like Rivers from each eye How can it once be thought that such a Friend Who loveth thus doth thus his love commend And in such sort so strangely condescend Should when all 's done by her contemned be Though he 's most high and she of base degree The grand design the end and reason why This Prince from Heaven came was scourg'd did die Was to redeem the Soul and so endeavour To get her love and marry her for ever As is before declar'd But will you hear How things are carry'd how they manag'd are The time is come you 'l find by what ensues That this great Lord his Suit a-fresh renews When Sacred Love runs thus with greatest force What pity is 't ought should disturb its course How can the Soul refuse to entertain A Lover which for her with shame was slain But stop again my Muse thou must give o're The Prince is come lo he is at her door Jesus Prince of Light Most precious Soul I now am come again Behold 't is I who for thee have been slain How is 't with thee hast thou not heard the news What for thy sake I suffer'd by the Jews That through a Sea of blood and sorrows great I now am come with bowels to intreat Thee to embrace the offer I present And first of all with tears do thou repent That ever thou hast entertained Sin That has to me so very bitter bin Soul Repent This is a melancholly strain It suits with such whose lives are fill'd with pain And guilty are of some notorious crime Whose glass is near run out whose precious time Draws to an end 't is good for such indeed To look about them and repent with speed But thus 't is not with me I know no sorrow I 'le wave that work I 'le wave it till to morrow To morrow I mean till some fitter season I see no cause alas I know no reason To hark to thoughts that may disturb my peace When joys abound and sweat delights increase Repent of what strange kind of voice shall I Amazed stand yet can no danger ' spy JESVS No reason why Ah Soul art still so blind Wounded from head to foot and canst thou find No ground of grief no cause to lay to heart Thy horrid guilt nor yet the bitter smart Which I indur'd for thee to prevent Severer Wrath severer punishment And dost not savour this sweet word Repent 'T is well there 's room a call a season fit There 's thousand Souls who are denied it Dar'st dar'st adventure still to live in Sin What crucifie thy dying Lord agin Were not my pangs sufficient must I bleed Afresh O must thy sinful pleasures feed Upon my torments and augment the story Of the sad passion of the Lord of Glory Is there no pity in thee what no remorse Within thy breast Seek seek a firm divorce Betwixt thy self and Sin do thy endeavour To break that league depart depart for ever Did I not suffer to dissolve the knot Between thee and all Lust and wilt thou not Regard me now but entertain my Foe What cruel unto me and thy self too I prethee Soul bethink thy self and yield And let thy Lovers for my sake be kill'd Ah let them die who if they live will be Thy death at last who have bin death to me Soul Thosâ— joys are sweet which do delight my heart Ah! how can I and sinful Objects part Must gainful Lusts and those which honour's yield At once be put to th' Sword And those be kill'd Which so much pleasure unto me afford How can it be alas it is too hard The thoughts of it's a perfect death to me Lord say no more I cannot yield to thee Jesus Ah! Didst thou know poor Soul what 't is to sin And how my Soul for it has tortur'd bin Thou wouldst revenged be on it I 'm sure And a divorcement speedily procure Or didst thou know what grief it is to me To be contemned and despis'd by thee Such churlish Answers wouldst thou not return To him whose soul fervent love do's burn To thee poor wretch and only for thy good 'T is that I seek and sought with tears of blood Once more I ask thy love I cannot leave thee Until my everlasting Arms receive thee Soul If I may have those pleasures which delight me Whose amorous glances sweetly do invite me To love them dear who stollen have my heart J am contented thou shouldst have some part Of my affection Worldly joy is sweet And I resolve to take some part of it Jesus Ungrateful Soul did I not wholly give My self for thee and shall I now receive
A piece of thine nay but a little part That have deserved more than a whole heart 'T is all the heart or none do'st think it fit Sin and the Devil should have part of it Would any Lover such strange love receive To be contented that his Spouse should have Some other Suiters and to them should cleave What sayst deceived Soul why standst thou mute Disclose thy inward thoughts and grant my Suit O speak or if thy doubtful mind be bent To silence let that silence be consent If thou wilt grant me that whole heart of thine We 'l exchange hearts I 'le give thee all of mine She look'd about she mus'd she paus'd a while Whilst he on her cast forth an Heav'nly smile Sweet rays of Glory glanced from his Eye Enough to ravish all the standers-by So great a lustre from his garments shone It dazl'd all weak eyes to look upon Like as the Sun his glorious beams displays Dispersing every way his sparkling rays When in his strength splendor bright doth shine So glister'd forth his Glory all Divine Ne're such a beauty carnal eyes beheld Ah! one sweet sight of him has wholly fill'd The greatest Soul that liv'd and there is still Enough in him millions of Hearts to fill And none but Him alone can satisfie The Soul of Man the Soul-enlightned eye But stay and hear the Answer which is given By the deceived Soul O let the Heaven And Earth astonish'd stand whilst stubborn she Deny'd his Suit will not persuaded be To o'pe her door who longs to enter in To fill her Soul with joy destroy her sin Soul Strange 't is to me such beauty should be there What so amazing glorious none so fair When I no loveliness in him can see The World and outward pleasures seem to me More rare and spriteful far the better choice Such things I like but for this Lover's voice His Face and Favour I ca'nt so esteem Nor can I leave all things for love of him Therefore be gone and cease thy suit for I Have fixt my mind elswhere my heart and eye Is set on that which outward eyes can see Lord let me not be troubl'd more with thee O stay my Muse reach me an Iron Pen Tâ— engrave this on the marble hearts of men Let Sinners look within then let them read Themselves ungrateful blind and dark indeed Would not each Soul conclude this Creature were Besides her self or else deserv'd to bear The great'st contempt and pity'd be by none That bids such a dear Lover to be gone How oft has he by precious motives try'd The Soul from sin and evil to divide And make her too obdurat heart relent And take such ways as Wisdom do's invent His Passions Sighs and Tears are ready still As the officious agents of his Will To work her to a sence of her estate But she 's alas so dark and desperate That his sweet voice of so divine a strain So moving mov'd her but seems all in vain He sighs for her he knows her sad distress He asks her love but still without success Ah Sinners view your rocky hearts and then Smite on your breasts lament and read agen The glorious Lord his love 's so strange so great He knows not how to think of a retreat His soul is griev'd yet takes not her denial But makes a new Essay another Trial. Jesus Did did I love thee from Eternity And my celestial Kingdom leave for thee Did I Man's humane nature freely take Did I my bed in a poor Manger make Did I engage the cruel'st of all Foes Did I from men and Devils meet with blows Did I such kind of tortures undergoe Which men nor Angels can't conceive or know Did Wrath pursue and Justice fall on me And did I bear it all for love to thee Ah! did I sweat great drops of Sacred Blood Until the ground was sprinkled where I stood And were my feet and hands nail'd to the Tree Whilst my dear Father hid his Face from me Have I with joy delight and chearful heart Indur'd all this excessive pain and smart And out of precious love to thee I bore And must I still be kept out of thy door Shall shall I leave thee then and take my flight Into some foreign Land and let the Night Of dismal darkness be thy lot for ever Where direful Wrath all graceless souls do sever From all sweet shines of my Eternal Face That thou mayst there bewail with shame thy case When shades of frightful darkness thee do cover Thou wilt condole the loss of such a Lover Must I be gone must I my farewel take And leave thee to thy self my heart doth ake To think upon thy state when I do leave thee Far rather would I have these Arms receive thee What slight a Saviour thus a Friend indeed An early Friend a Friend who chose to bleed For thee and in thy stead that so thereby He might enjoy thee to Eternitie Farewel false Soul I bid thee now adieu Take what will follow dread what will insue Grief sorrows sickness and a troubled mind Will thee pursue until thou com'st to find A changed heart and vengeance do's allot Ruin to those thou lov'st who love thee not I 'le kill them all who have insnar'd thy heart Before from thee for ever I depart Ah! how my Soul with a tempestuous tide Of tears is overwhelm'd whilst I 'm deny'd My Suit by thee my passions overflow To see thee slight me and my passion too What tread me underfoot whilst vanity And worldly joys are Jewels in thine eye As if best good and sweet'st content lay hid In that gay fruit which is alone forbid He woo's the Soul says no he still replies He sweetly sues she wickedly denies He woos afresh she answers with disdain I cannot love but he intreats again At last he leaves her and his Suit adjourns He views the Soul and griev'd away returns He bids farewel and yet he bids it so As if he knew not how to take her No. He bids farewel but 't is as if delay Did promise better farewels than his stay He now withdraws but 't is with a design His absence might her heart the more incline To th' love and liking of him or to see What by some other means perform'd may be As Lovers often times by rules of Art Devise new ways to gain upon the heart Of such they love to bring them to their bow Like things sometimes doth Jesus also do T' incline the Sinners heart he hides his face And brings them into a distressed case He lays them on sick beds for to discover The worth and need of such a Sacred Lover Poor Sinners ponder well what you do read And mind those thoughts which woo you to take heed How you neglect slights the day of Grace Or to base lust and vain delights give place Now sickness comes Death begins to fright her And 't is no marvel if the Lord do
stable Moths can't corrupt them nor can Thieves be able To rob us of them Nay yet further-more He that hath them what e're comes can't be poor His Riches can't be spent his Treasury Cannot exhausted be nor yet drawn dry These Riches will rejoyce thee make thee glad Revive thy heart and God will never add Sorrow with them whilst thou dost live on earth They 'l quiet thee and fill thy Soul with mirth They 'l be a breast of such sweet Consolation That when all other dwellers in the Nation Shall be perplext through loss of earthly gain Thou shalt be satisfied and remain In perfect peace nought shall distress thy mind When they shall nought save horrid anguish find Though Gold and Silver will not satisfie The Soul of Man yet this I do espy The loss of them and other earthly things It grief and sorrow to the Spirit brings And so uncertain are things of the world Though here to night e're morning all are hurlâ—d Away from him who now possession hath Like to a bubble are all things on Earth He that on wordly Riches sets his mind Strives to take hold on shadows and the wind But if Christ's Riches once thou dost obtain The loss of them thou never shalt sustain Nor will they leave thee when thou com'st to die But cleave unto and thee accompanie Beyond the Grave ev'n to Eternitie What dost thou say canst make a better choice Than close with Christ O hearken to his voice And don 't with fraud the proffer made to thee If any good thou dost in Riches see Christ's Bounty What sayest thou what hast thou in thine eye Will not Christ's Riches move thee then I 'le try To gain thee by some other property He 's bountiful and of a generous heart Most free and noble ready to impart What e're he hath unto the Soul he loves O see how his Heroick Spirit moves In him whose generous whose bounteous hand Holds forth to thee what e're thou canst demand 'T is thine for asking do but speak the word Thou hast it done O! none like this dear Lord Some mens great Riches seem to overflow Who do a base ignoble Spirit show They treasure up their bags lay heap on heap Yet with a narrow covetous spir't keep All from the poor Nay their own Wives can get But now and then a little in a fit In a good mood sometimes perchance they 'l be Kind unto them though but unfreely free But Christ's rich Bounty does to all extend He stretches forth his hand to Foe and Friend Refined Gold Eye-salve and Rayments white Ev'n all choice things for profit and delight Sweet Frankincense Spicknard Calamas fine Myrrh Saffron with all choice of spiced Wine He freely gives to all O come who will He 'l bid you welcome and your Treasures fill O what doth he then to his Friends impart Unto his Spouse the Soul who has his heart Come eat O Friends and drink abundantly Beloved ones 't was for your sakes that I This Banquet made There 's nought says he too good For those that I have purchas'd with my blood Take Grace and Glory all I have I give you And to my self I will e're long receive you Ask that your joy may now be full for I Can't any thing that 's good your souls deny The Soveraign Power and Dignity of Christ What can I now do more if still thou art Resolved to deny Jesus thy heart If Beauty will not move thee to incline To close with him who longs till he is thine Strange Beauty oft prevails great Conquests gains Like to a mighty Victor binds in chains Those wch would not by other means e're yield Such is the nature of his pow'rful Shield Triumphantly it has obtain'd the Field No standing out against its piercing Darts It hath a secret way to wound those hearts Whose constitution leads them naturally To steer that course and on it cast an Eye To search the sweet which Fancy says doth lye Hid in the same For human Beauty's vain Which some have sacrific'd their lives to gain But Christ's sweet Beauty is a real thing And doth substantial joys and pleasures bring Such pleasures also which will still abide For evermore like Rivers by thy side Shall Beauty which is spotless without slain Nor Riches neither sweet Imbraces gain Nor generous Bounty win thy purer love Then let Ambition thy affections move Is Greatness barren quite of solid joys Are all her Merchandize but empty toys If it be earthly 't is an Airy thing Though 't were to be a Spouse unto a King But let it not be so lookâ—d on by thee To be espous'd to that great Majestie From whom alone true Honour dos descend This Greatness lasting perfect ne'r will end Come Soul let us most seriously now pry Into Christ's Pow'r and regal Soveraignty And next let me his glorious Pow'r show By which he works and all great things can do Some have a Pow'r whereby they can command But to accomplish things do want a hand But Christ in both excels 't is he alone Hath regal Pow'r and what he will have done He can effect i' th twinkling of an eye Though all combine against him far and nigh He 's over Angels as thou heardst before They gladly him do rev'rence and adore The Head o' th Church makes Laws and governs it According as he sees 't is best and fit His regal Pow'r also doth descend And over all the Devils doth extend The Keys of Hell and Death to him are given 'T is he alone can shut and open Heaven Power to Rule to command to forbid To punish or deliver they 'r all hid In him alone 't is he can bind or loose To damn or save 't is all as he doth chuse He 's King of Kings all mighty men below To him their Princely Crowns Kingdoms owe. Yea such an universal Monarch's he Commands the mighty Winds and stils the Sea 'T was by his hand the glorious Heav'ns were made And wondrous Earth's foundations first were laid The Sun the Moon and Stars receivâ—d their light From him at first to rule both Day and Night His Power 's absolute without controle He governs all the World from Pole to Pole His Soveraign Pow'r was not gain'd by fight Or Usurpation but a lawful Right As he is God 't is his essentially Born Heir of it from all Eternity And as he 's Mediator th' God of Heaven This glorious Power unto him has given His Pow'rs Infinite it hath no bound No ends or limits of it can be found He made the World which by him doth subsist Nay he can make ten thousand if he list He can do more than we can think or know Can kill and make alive save or o'rethrow The Conquests he has gain'd demonstrate The matchless Pow'r of this dread Potentate Sin is ore-come the Devil 's forc'd to fly Nay 〈◊〉 hath obtain'd a perfect Victory O're Death o're Hell o're Wrath
and like our Heav'nly King But I 'le return and speak yet one word more Unto her Conscience e're I do give o're Speak Conscience if alive thou us'd to keep A faithful watch what art thou now asleep Hath she not slighted Christ like unto those That him reject and cleave unto his Foes What dost thou say speak I adjure thee rouse Conscience I speak to thee shake off thy drouse Gripe this deluded Soul who puts her trust In those that seek her Life 't is thou that must Stop her vain course what shall the Sinner die When Conscience God's Vicegerent is so nigh And gives not one sad sigh nor groan nor cry Strange what 's befallen thee art lost oâ— fled Who shouldst the tidings bring that all are dead Like Job's last Messenger thou shouldst declare How all the faculties corrupted are Wilt thou betray that trust repos'd in thee And lose thy regal Right and Soveraignty Wilt thou connive and wink at such a crime Or fault which she commits O no 't is time Now to awake and fiercely her reprove What hate that Prince whom she pretends to love Immediately the Spirit sweetly spake And touch'd her heart and Conscience did awake Conscience What Soul-amazing voice is this I hear What Heav'n-rending Thunder fills mine Ear Awake why do I sleep can Conscience nod That keeps a watch betwixt the Soul and God If so yet when Heav'ns voice cryes out amain That will awake and make me rouse again I have most basely Sir corrupted bin By Satan and that poisonous Evil SIN A Register I kept but then alas It has so fallen out so come to pass That I unfaithful was for always when I should have set down scores I set down ten Nay to their party so entic'd have bin That I have often winked at her sin And when my Office was for to accuse 'T was to wrong endâ— her Light I did abuse My faults I see I 'le watch that no offence May pass the Soul without intelligence Sir Strange it is it puts me in a muse As one amaz'd to see the Soul refuse To hearken to your voice which constantly Like pointed Darts against her breast doth fly I 'le take up Arms and fight for Jesus now And make her bend to him if I know how I now declare my self though for a season I silence kept to hear what Goodman Reason Could find to say whereby he might excuse her But he 's most blind and surely doth abuse her I know her byass'd Judgment will conjecture She 's not oblig'd to hearken to that Lecture She lately heard although it was Divine Her will and judgment doth with Hell combine To work her ruin do you what you can Till Judgments rectifi'd and the Old man Be put to death she 'l be rebellious still Yield to her lusts and please her vicious will Theologue Doth Conscience yield Blest day I 'le try again With hope of a full Conquest to obtain Good service may'st thou do act well thy part Whilst the great King doth thus besiege the heart Keep thou a narrow watch look well about Observe who doth come in and who goes out In one thing am I glad I know from hence I shall by thee have true intelligence How things are manag'd in her house always Thou know'st her thoughts hâ—â—â—st all the words she says Apollyon Prince of Darkness Apollyon that degraded Seraphim And Grand-fire of that Hell-bred Monster Sin No sooner did of these late tidings hear How Conscience was awakened but in fear Presently calls a Council to advise Which way they might the Soul by craft surprize And hinder her from being crowned Queen Which to prevent successful have we been Saith he till now but I am in great doubt Much longer we shall hardly hold it out The Preacher doth his business follow so I am afraid of some great overthrow Satan Dread Prince fear not we yet possession have And want no skill Can't subtilty deceive Can't strength subdue besides she 's in our chain Though one links broke we 'l fasten it again And if grave Judgment will with us abide Conscience will not be able to decide The diffâ—rences nor right dicision make No matter then which side the fool doth take But since my Lord I see what grieves your mind No safety shall these Gospel-Preachers find Our Vassals we 'l prepare with Hellish rage Them to extirpate and drive off the stage Lucifer I do approve of that last Counsel given Let not a place nor corner under Heaven Be found for those our int'rest dare oppose Or once attempt to move the Soul to close With him whom we account our mortal Foe Satan for this I bless and thank thee too The brave design which we have now in hand Will soon effect this thing in every Land That Enterprise let us pursue with care But mind us wâ—ll how things more inward are To Judgment look lest he from us should run If once his Eyes are ope we 're all undone Soul Lord what sad gripes and lashes no I feel My courage fails and resolutions reel Strange thoughts disturb my mind no rest alas Can heart or eyes obtain whole nights do pass Whole weeks and months and nought can I possess But horror great sad grief and weariness What 's my condition now who 'le shew to me My present state and future misery Hark what 's within a very frightful noise It mars my hopes imbitters all my joys My moâ—n's ore-cast my fair day proveth foul My Conscience terrifies and makes me howl Lash after lash and blows succeeding blows He 's void of mercy and no pity shows Here ends my joy and here begins my woes O how my mind is hurried to and fro I know not where to fix nor what to do My unresolv'd resolves do greatly vary This way one while and then the quite contrary Who is 't will counsel give to whom must I Go for some case in this perplexity My Conscience says I wickedly have acted Not breaking the vile contract I 've contracted With those sweet Lovers which my sensual heart So long a time has lov'd how shall we part Must I be forc'd by Conscience to imbrace One whom I cannot love 't is a hard case Yet have I cause to love him dearly too But how shall I for him let others go Depraved Judgment Poor silly Soul and is thy choice so hard In two extreams can thy weak thoughts reward Two so unequal with the like respect Know'st thou not which to slight which to affect Submit to me â—tis Judgment must advise In this great case take heed and be thou wise Fix where thou wilt thy doubt-depending cause Can ne'r expect a Verdict 'twixt two Laws Which differ and are opposit in kind Yet a fit medium I 'le attempt to find To ease thy sad and sore perplexed mind Divert those thoughts by some rare Speculations And vanquish all these dolesome cogitations Look look abroad and view the world pray mark
The Wise and Prudent and the Courtly Spark Will they direct thee so such counsel give That thou an Hermits life on Earth shouldst live What marry one that in possession hath Not one small house or foot of Land on Earth When Wealth and Honour Dignity and Power Are offer'd to thee as a present Dower Thou may'st be deckt with Bracelets rich and rare And live on Earth free from perplexing care If thou dost look about and take advice And suffer Men nor Conscience to entice Or thee allure such a choice to make Those joys to leave and utterly forsake Which most men do nay all accounted wise Pursue amain esteem and highly prize But if thou hast a thought to change thy state Be wise and stay don't holy Writ relate He that believes doth not make hast O why Shouldst thou have thoughts to mind it presently Come pause a while be not so hot alas By inconsiderateness it comes to pass So many Souls are spoil'd and ruined Be wary then not rashly be misled Nay furthermore I 'le speak to thee again Thou mayst love him and yet mayst thou retain Respect and love to other Objects too Love thy God well but why shouldst thou let go This world with all the precious joys therein But don't mistake thou must leave off thy sin For Holiness I must tell thee is right And very pleasant in Jehovah's sight But know O Soul yet over and above Thy Soveraign Lord and Prince hath set his love So much upon thee that his gracious Eye Will overlook thy smaller vanitie Ne'r doubt but thou shalt have his favour still Though in some things thou satisfie thy will Dost think that he who came down from above And dy'd for thee will ever quite remove His dear affection from thee or e're hate And leave the Soul he bought at such a rate It is enough and happy wilt thou be If thou escap'st all gross impurity Thus the base heart be'ng inflam'd by the Devil Vndoes the Soul No Enemy's more evil Than that curst Foe we harbour in our breast Which all enlighten'd ones have oft exprest Corrupted Judgment blindly would inform her Christ having dy'd her sins can never harm her Alas saith Reason do not all men sin Nay more than this the very best have bin To blame in many things and yet esteem'd As righteous ones and as the Lord 's redeem'd If famous Men of old offenders were What needst thou be so nice what needst thou fear The glorious King is filled with compassion Besides he sees in thee great reformation Thy love to sinful lusts is but in part To what it was and thou must know thou art Plac'd in this world and therefore must comply In some respects with smaller vanity When Reason to the vicious Will gives ear How can the Vnderstanding then be clear When vile Affection thus corrupteth Reason All works and thoughts are turn'd to perfect Treason O see how blind poor Souls by Nature are How vain their thoughts how ready 〈◊〉 insnare Themselves are they with false Imaginations With earthly toys and idle speculations To learn and understand all humane Arts Most apt they are they 'l magnifie their parts How very quick and dext'rous are they when They talk of things that appertain to men But things of God are quite above their sphere Can 't them discern nor do they love to hear Of God or Christ they count that man a fool That daily goes to learn at Jesus's School Vnto the blindness of the natural mind Add this besides most evident you 'l find It doth resist the Truth 't will not receive it Nay 't is incredulous 't will not believe it Apt to believe false tales and stories vain Nay like to Eve 't will quickly entertain Suggestions of the cursed Prince o' th Night But what God says seems evil in their sight Nay more than all this treach'rous faculty Is so deprav'd St. Paul doth plain descry Much enmity to God therein to lie Vnto God's Law it will not subject be For in the mind is great malignity But I must not the Reader here detain Because that our old Friend is come again CHAP. V. Shewing how the Judgment of the Soul comes to be enlightened and the effects thereof Theologue MY patience's not yet tyr'd my bowels move With bended knees shall I now gain thy love To Jesus Christ how shall I leave thee quite When I behold such terrors which afright My trembling Soul wch soon will thee o're-take Unless thou dost with speed this Contract make Thy Judgment 't is which I would fain convince Thy danger 's great I do perceive from thence When Conscience had almost in truth persuaded Thee to repent it was straightway invaded By thy blind Understanding and dark mind From whence thou art to evil still inclin'd Thou ofen-times hadst listen'd unto me And left thy sin but they deceived thee And chang'd thy thoughts as Conscience doth relate Till thy condition 's grown most desperate Wilt thou once dare to harbour such a thought Because with bloud thy Soul by Christ was bought Thou mayest sin and take thy pleasure here And prize the world as equal nay more dear To thee than him How canst thou be so dark This to imagine Soul I prethee hark Did he not bleed and die upon the Tree Thee to redeem from all iniquitie And that to him thou shouldst espoused be Should a great Prince love a poor Virgin so As for her sake ten thousand sorrows know And be content at last when all is done Another should enjoy her for his own Oh! ope thine eyes imbrace the chiefest Good Let him be dear to thee who with his Bloud Hath thee redeem'd from Sin the chiefest ill Be not unto thy self so cruel still And void of Reason foolishly to chuse The greatest Evil and chief'st Good refuse The good in Christ with every state agrees It suits the Soul when troubles on it seize When thou art sick he 'l thy Physician be He all distempers cures Nay it is He And he alone that heals the precious Soul And with a word can make the Body whole Art dark O he can straightway make thee see Nay if born blind he can give eyes to thee If thou art weary he alone 's thy rest Or art thou sad and grievously deprest He is thy comfort and thy joy will be Like to the deep and overflowing Sea If thou an hungry art he is thy food O tast and see and thou wilt find him good The Fatling's slain and all things ready are Thou'â—t welcome too O come and do not spare But freely eat and drink his spiced Wine Wch will make glad that drooping heart of thine The Father calls the Spirit says O come And Christ doth say here 's in my heart yet room O Sinner come to me hark he doth cry O come to me poor Soul why wilt thou die Art thou in Prison he will ope the door He 'l pay thy debts and wipe off
corrupt Affection's Reply One word I 'le briefly drop and speak no more Thou 'st put thy case to Conscience heresofore And what redress pray had you what didst gain Did he not gripe thee sorely for thy pain Wilt thou neglect so sweet advice as this Judgment and Conscience both may judg amiss But if thou lik'st it and canst be contented By knawing Conscience still to be tormented Then I 'le be silent and improve thy skill Yet will I love and like where I did still â—adst thou been counsel'd to forsake the Lord Would I do'st think have spoken the least word Once to dissuade thee from so just a thing Nay Soul thou oughtst nay must respect this King But whilst he 's absent whilst he dwells on high Thou hast no other Object for thine Eye Then these Consult with Conscience now do what you please But as for me I am for present case CHAP. VI. Shewing the policy of Satan in keeping the Soul from a full closing with Christ Also the nature of a bosom sin NO sooner was this sharp Encounter over But in a little time you might discover The Soul half vanquish'd by her weak opposing Sometimes resisting and then faintly closing Sometimes you 'l see her just as 't were consenting And presently you 'l find her much lamenting Beset on every side with troops of fears Which makes her to bedew her cheeks with tears Complains to Conscience hoping for relief Till Conscience cheeks her and renews her grief Sometimes she 's drawn to fix her tender Eye Upon the Gospel's pure Simplicitie Her love-sick thoughts at â—its seem to aspire As if she could pass through hot flames of â—ire And say with Peter Though all should deny Thee my blest Lord yet so will never I. But when the Soul once comes to see the Cross Its courage fails O! 't is at a great loss When she perceives she and her lusts must part O that sticks close go's to the very heart The thoughts of that is hard 't is Self-denial That puts the Soul upon the deepest tryal Some ready are to make a large profession In hopes of somewhat perhaps the possession Of Heav'n at last but straight sounds in their Ear Deny thy self come part with all that 's dear For Jesus sake Ah! this they cannot bear The Young-man ran he seem'd to be in haste But news of this did all his courage blast The gate is strait O! 't is no easie thing To for-go all in love to this blest King The way is narrow which leads unto life 'T is Self-denial that begets the strife 'Twixt Flesh and Spirit there 's a constant War They opposite and quite contraries are As Fire and Water Light and Darkness be Such diffâ—ring Natures never can agree So between these is like antipathie The flesh is like the Young-man give 's attention To what the Preacher says until he mention His bosom-sin the Lust he so much loves This makes him face about and back removes He goes away yet lov'd to hear Christ preach Up Legal works but when he came to reach His Dalilah that blow so griev'd his heart That Christ and he immediately must part His great possessions could not give to th' poor Though he had th' promise of abundance more Treasures above but being not content To pay that price for Heaven away he went How loth's the Flesh to yield that Grace may win The happy Conquest of a Bosom-sin How will it plead how wittily debate Excuse or argue to extenuate The Crime at length it yields forc'd to give way But first cry's out O give me leave to stay A year a month a week at least one day Put when it sees it cannot that obtain The loser looks and pleads yet once again Ah! let my fond my fainting breaking heart Hug it the other time before we part Much like Rebeckah's Friends the flesh appears It parts with sin but 't is with floods of tears Each has his Darling his beloved sin Whilst unconverted much delighted in Give me say some but leave to heap up Treasure And I 'le abandon all forbidden pleasure Others again there be that only prize The popular applause of being wise A name of being learn'd judicious grave Able Divines 't is this too many crave Some boast their natural and acquired parts Which take the ears of some seduce the hearts Of many simple Souls who go astray While others are for feasting day by day There 's some delight in drinking choice of Wine Whilst others are to Gaming more inclin'd That sin that finds more favour than the rest That is thy darling sin thou knowst it best O search thy bosom well pry pry within Till thou findst out thy own beloved sin That gives thee kisses that 's the lust that slays thee O that 's the cursed Judas which betrays thee Ah! see how blind how foolish Sinners are Like to rebellious Saul theyâ—l Agâ—g spare They entertain this Lust close in their heart And are indeed as loth with it to part As with a Hand or Eye and therefore she Crys out with Sampson O this pleases me Ah! I will freely part with all the rest Might I but hug this Darling in my breasâ— Souls once convicted quickly do begin To hate detest and leave all grosser sin Sins visible unto the natural Eye Such which are of the black and deepest die They are possest with such a dread and fear They 'l not touch them nor venture to come near These foul defilements nay such spots disdainf Then presently conclude they 'r born again And shall be sav'd though bosom lusts remain And if at any time some beams of light Discover secret Sin or Conscience sâ—ite Or touch the Dalilah they then begin To think of making covers for such sin Which in the secret of the bosom lies With the fair Mantle of Infirmities But if at any time the searching Word Which cuts and trys like a two-edged Sword Pierces the heart and will divide asunder The soul and spirit and e're long bring under These Soul-deluding Covers and espies Those secret Lusts which in each corner lies And doth unmask those evils and disclose The Soul's hypocrisie yea and expose It's nakedness to view unto its shame Now now the Flesh begins to change the name Of every Lust that lies so closely hidden Soul touch not saith the Lord 't is Fruit forbidden O! saith the Flesh 't is pleasant in mine eyes Yea says the Tempter Soul 't will make thee wise Taste it is sweet the liberty is thine And Wisdom is a Vertue most divine And Vertue saith the flesh will make thee shine Christ he prohibits Souls from taking pleasure In laying up their bags of Earthly Treasure For these things have in them a secret Art To steal away th' affections of the Heart Christ tells the Soul Our Hevenly Father knows What 't is we want and so much he allows Which he sees best which we contentedly Should take from him who will our wants supply
And then I trust thou wilt with sacred Vows Contract thy self to him become his Spouse Whose left hand 's full of Treasure in his right Are Honours great and Pleasures infinite A Prince you know dispos'd to make Election Of a Consort before he 'l place Affection Will first enquire if the Virgin be In Person Parts Estate or Pedigree Equal unto himself but if in case She be of low descent of Parents base Compar'd with his or not so noble born Or has debas'd her self or is forlorn He thinks it is below him once to place Or fix his love on her he fears disgrace But if the Lady chance to equalize him She 's not so much oblig'd to love or prize him ' Yond common bounds because saith she I am No whit inferiour unto him my name Records the noble stock from whence I came But if a Prince should chance to set his love Upon a person that has nought to move So great a Lord to make that choice then she Amazed yields with all humilitie Can do no less than humbly give consent Yield up her self with great astonishment But she who doth reject such love is acted Like one bereav'd of sense nay quite distracted Misguided Soul and is not this the case What worth 's in thee to him O! vile and base Instead of love deservest to be hated Since from thy God thou hast degenerated And yet the blessed Jesus don't despise thee But from thy loathsom dunghil fain would raise thee But to proceed I now will give to thee Of Christ's sweet Love a short Epitome 1. 'T is a first-love as soon as he past-by And saw thee in thy blood he cast his Eye Whilst thou in that sad gore didst weltring lie Nay unto thee most precious love he had Before the fabrick of this World mas made 2. It is attracting Love its nature 's such 'T is like the Loadstone hadst thou once a touch 'T would make thy Iron-heart with speed to move Nay cleave to him in bonds of purest Love 3. 'T is a free Love there 's nought at all in thee Which can deserve his favour yet does he Not grutch thee his dear Love although so great The glorious King of Kings does oft intreat Those Souls to his imbraces who contemn His proffer'd grace and still love shews to them 4. 'T is ' bounding Love like Nilus overflows All banks and bounds his Grace no limit knows 5. 'T is a delighting Love there 's nought more sweet She found it so who washt his precious feet He takes delight and sweet complacency In those he loves his heart affects his Eye He resteth in his love and who can turn His heart away or damp those flames that burn In his dear breast none ever lov'd as he Who for his Spouse was nailed to the Tree 6. It is a Victor's Love he 'l wound and kill All Enemies who do oppose his Will Where he lays Siege he 'l make the Soul to yield By love he overcomes and wins the Field His Captive Soul thou certainly must be His love is such 't will have the Victorie 7. It is abiding and Eternal Love 'T will last as long as he nought can remove His love from such on whom he casts his Eye And for whose sake alone he chose to die The love which did appear to Saints of old Did graciously this glorious Truth unfold I with an everlasting Love saith he Have set my heart upon or loved thee And therefore I have drawn thee unto me Know he who thus doth his sweet love commend To his dear Saints loves them unto the end 8. 'T is a great Love most powerful and strong Hence 't is he thinks each hour and minute long Till he imbrace thee in his Sacred Arms Where he 'l secure thee from all the harms And dangers great by Men or hellish charms Fathers although they love their Children dear Yet never did from them such love appear David lov'd Absolom yet gives consent Nay he himself decrees his banishment A Mother may forget her sucking Child As some have done although of nature mild Yet forc'd by famine cruelly have shed Their Childrens bloud and of their flesh have fed But Ah! his Love 's so free so strong so great He gives his bloud to drink his flesh for meat Unto the Soul and those who it receive Shall never die and none but such can live 9. His Love is matchless 't is without compare Who neither flesh now bloud nor life did spare The love of Women which the World esteems Most strong in sweet affection their love seems An empty shadow and not worth regard When with his Sacred Love it is compar'd The Husbands Wives and Fathers may abound Yet no such love as Christ's was ever found Abraham and Isaac both lov'd their Wives Yet neither of them sacrific'd their lives Jonathan's love to David did exceed The love of Women 't was a Love indeed But what was Jonathan â—s great love to this Ah! less than nothing when compar'd to his Christ's love exceeds all natural Love as far As bright Aurora doth the smallest Star But Oh! in vain do we compare his Love With any thing below no 't is above Comparison 't is so immense so great We cannot find it out though Man's concert Is larger than expression though profound Yet Man's conception never yet could sound The depth of Love's unfathomable bliss So great so deep so bottomless it is Betwixt his Love and ours the disproportion Is like one drop of Water to the Ocean Or as the smallest dust that 's fiercely driven To the whole Globe or like as Earth's to Heaven The Sun for clearness with his splendent face The Moon for swiftness in her Zodiack Race The Saâ—ds for nomber and the Heaven for height The Seas for depth the ponderous earth for weight Yet with more certainty and with less doubt Be weigh'd and measur'd than Christ's love founâ— out O depth O heigth O breadth O wonderous length Of this great Love O uncompared strength Of true affections Love that is Divine What 's natural love Lord when compar'd to thine Such a redundancy of Love is found Whoever dives into these depths is drown'd Ten thousand Sea ten thousand times told o're Add to these Seas ten times as many more Let all these Seas become one deep Abyss They'd all come short in depth compar'd to this The Moral Natural nor the Spiritual Man With all their Understanding never can Find out the Nature of Christ's Love alas It doth all Knowledg ' nfinitely surpass O may these Depths Heigths have pow'r to move On thee till thou art swallowed up in Love That that which cannot comprehended be By Men nor Angels may comprehend thee And thou being fill'd with it may'st sweetly lie In depths of Love unto Eternitie The Spir't with this let fly a piercing Dart Which wounded dreadfully her stubborn heart It pierc'd to th' very quick and made her smart Now now she
desires May turn a soveraign Balsam to make whole Those wounds my sins have made in thy dear Soul Ah! wilt thou let me swoun'd away and die Whilst thou standst looking on Lord cast an eye On me for whom thou on the Cross didst bleed Some comfort Lord now in my greatest need No Corrosives some Cordial Spir'ts or I For ever perish must Lord hear my cry Jesus Afflicted Soul the purchase of my Bloud Come hear come hear a consolating Word Shall I who have through sore Afflictions past For love of thee refuse thee now at last No no! I cannot Soul I cannot bear Such piercing moans that wounds my tender Ear Now will I magnifie my Pow'r and rise To scatter thy malicious Enemies I 'le thee enlighten with my glorious Rays And make thee happy happy all thy days Who will betroth or give this Soul to me Let 's Celebrate with great'st Solemnity And glorious Triump the espousal Day Come come my Dear let us no longer stay The Father 'T is in my Pow'r 't is I I give her thee As th' fruit of my own Choice Love and Decree CHAP. VIII The mutual and blessed Contract between Christ and the Sinner Jesus GIVE me thy heart then Soul I do betroth Thee unto me that no approaching Wrath May any ways be hurtful unto thee In Righteousness I thee betroth to me In Judgment also thou betrothed art And all I have to thee I do impart In faithfulness and tender mercy so That thou thy Lord thy Friend God shalt know I do betroth thee unto me for ever And neither Death Nor Earth nor Hell shall sâ—ver Thy Soul from me If thou wilt pay thy vows I will be thine and thou shalt be my Spouse I take thee now for better and for worse Give me thy hand let 's jointly both of us With mutual love tie the conjugal Knot Which on my part shall never be forgot My Covenant with thee is seal'd by bloud 〈…〉 than the Oath at Nâ—ah â—s â—lood 〈◊〉 my folded 〈◊〉 I now do take thee 〈…〉 that I never will forsake thee â—spandâ— cast behind my back and I Will 〈…〉 future inâ—â—â—mitie The Sinners closing with Christ Soul Upon my bended knees I do this day Accept of thee my Lord my Life my Way By whom alone poor Sinners have access Unto the Father nay and do confess Declare pronounce i' th' sight of God that I Do enter now with all simplicity Into a Contract with thee make my Vows That I will be to thee a faithful Spouse O blessed Jesus I 'm as one undone A naked vile loathsom and guilty one Unworthy far to wash the very feet Of th' Servants of my Lord O how is it That thou the glorious Prince shouldst ever chuse Such an unworthy Worm to be thy Spouse O what 's thy Love O Grace beyond expression Doth the great God on me place his affection But sith 't is so this I engage to do I 'le leave all for thy sake and with thee go And in all things own thee alone as Head And Husband dear by whom I will be led And in all states and times will thee obey What ever comes unto my dying-day I take thee as my Prophet Priest and King And my own worthiness in every thing I do renounce and further vow that I Upon thy Bloud and Righteousness will lie On that and that alone will I depend By Faith always until my life shall end I covenant with thee and so I take thee And whatsoe'r falls out I 'le ne'r forsake thee But run all hazards in this dolesom day And never from thy holy ways will stray All this and more I promise shall be done But in thy strength Lord in thy strength alone Th' Solemnity thus ended presently The glorious Prince the Bridegroom casts his Eye Upon the Soul and bound up all her sores Nay healed them and cancellâ—d all her scores But be'ng her self defil'd she soon espy'd A precious Fountain flowing from his side A Fountain for uncleanness to wash in In which she bath'd and wash'd away her sin Then gloriously by him she was array'd With Robes imbroid'red very richly laid With Gold and Diamonds that she did seem Like an adorned Heav'nly Seraphim One Vâ—sture was especially most rare Without a seam much like what he did wear It is the Wedding Robe both clean and white Whose lustre far exceeds the Morning-light And other garments also which she wore Curiously wrought with Silk and spangl do're With stars of Gold or Pearl of precious Stone Enough to dazle all to look upon Which be'ng made up of every precious Grace Did cause a splendent Beauty in her Face That whilst he did behold her could discry His Father's Image clearly in her Eye Which did so please him that he now admires And after this her Beauty much desires O see the change she which was once so foul Is now become a sweet and lovely Soul Her beauty far 〈◊〉 what it had been In ancient days 〈…〉 Eye hath seen So sweet a 〈◊〉 no such Virgin Queen Yet all her Beauty â—ow's but spots and stains To what it will be when her Saviour raigns O hear the melody Angels rejoice Whilst she triumphs in thâ—â— most happy choice Who would not then all Earthly Glories slight To gain a minutes taste of such delight No sooner did Apollyon cast his Eyes On what was done but furiously did ' rise To damp her joy or cause her mirth to cease And by some stratagams to spoil her peace He first stirs up the Old-man's broken force For to estrange her if he can't divorce Her from her Friend yet raises inward strife How to deprive her of those joys of life Which do abound in Lovers every way Betwixt th' espousal and the Marriage-day A thousand tricks contriv'd before had he How to delay or spoil th' Affinitie But if he can't rob us of inward joy Our name or goods or life he will destroy For failing in the first he stirs up Foes To lay upon her persecuting blows He that will follow Christ must look each day To have his worldly comforts took away Besides the Old-man being not yet slain Great troubles in her mind there rose again But her dear Friend so faithful is that he Will never leave her in Adversitie And to the end her joy may more abound A way by him immediately is found To free her from the Old-man's hellish spite He must be crucify'd but first they cite Him to the Bar to hear what he can say Why now his life should not be took away But hear before that 's done how the blest Lover Doth his dread threats and awful frowns discover Against the Foâ—s of her he loves so well Who e're they be Men Lusts or Fiends of Hell He reads his great Commission lets them know He in a moment can them overthrow The dread Power and awful frowns of Jesus Prince oâ— Peace over his Saints Enemies When Man transgress'd 't was I
All my soul 's to him united As Jonathaen's to David who delighted So much in him that in his greatest trouble Dear Jonathan did his affections double When David was in great distress and fear Then did his love and loyalty appear So when my dear Beloved is distrest My love to him shall chiefly be exprest But why said I distrest What can my Lord Who hath consuming power in his Word Be touch'd by Mortals what can he be harm'd Who with all strength of Heaven and Earth is arm'd No no I must recall that lavish strain No hand can touch him he cannot sustain The smallest injury from th' greatest Pow'r For in a breath he can his Foes devour But now methinks I presently espy Upon the Earth the Apple of his Eye Which are his servants nay his members dear Which wicked men do oft oppress O there My Lord 's distrest for if his Children smart O that doth pierce and wound his tender heart If cold or nakedness afflicts their souls He sympathizes and their state condoles It sick they be or if by cruel hands They are in Prison cast and under bands And there with hunger and with thirst opprest He feels their grief he is in them distrest What wrong soever they on Earth receive 'T is done to him for which my soul doth grieve To see th' afflictions of his servants here This is the fruit true loyal Love does bear Her sorrows are his woes for they alone Being his members are my flesh and bone And all make but one Body he 's the Head From whence all flows 't is he alone has shed His love abroad in this my love-sick â—eart Whereby I feel when any members smart My bowels move and tender heart does bleed VVhich makes me for his sake supply their â—eed Thus for my Christ and for his Children's sake I 'le suffer any thing yea I do take My life and goods and all into my hands To be disposed of as he commands But know for certain evermore that I For aid and help on him alone rely These pleasant Fruits O these delight the King And hereby 't is that we do honour bring Unto his Name all souls of the new birth VVho are sincere this precious fruit bring â—orth â—et not these things seem strange because to few Do bear such â—ruit believe the Maxim's true That as the Sun doth by its warm reflection Upon the Earth produce a resurrection Of all those Seeds which in the Earth do 〈◊〉 Hid for a time in dark obscurity Ev'n so the Sun of Righteousness doth shine Into this cold and barren heart of mine The precious seeds that have been scattered there Take root and blossom nay their branches bear Sweet fruit being the product of those Rays VVhich that bright Sun into my soul displays 'T is precious and most lovely in his Eye Both 〈◊〉 it Beauty and Veracity You Viâ—gâ—â—â— all who are by Love invited Into his 〈◊〉 where he is delighted With all his pleasant Fruits come come and see â—ow choice fâ—ir sweet and 〈…〉 they â—e One cluster â—ere's presented to thy view That thou mayst sâ—e and then believe 't is true Theâ—e be 〈…〉 which I 〈◊〉 nâ—w 〈◊〉 â—â—ve Joy and Peace â—ong 〈◊〉 Holiness â—aith Goodness Temperaâ—â—â— aâ—d Charity â—hese are the products 〈◊〉 th' Aâ—â—inity That 's made between me and my dearest Friend Nay moâ—e than these Eternal 〈◊〉 i' th' end But iâ— through sin thou canst not cast thine Eye On these 〈◊〉 Fruits then know assuredly VVhen th' Vintage comes and thou beginst to crave For one small taste one taste thou canst not have The â—ruitful Soul it is the King will â—â—own VVith th' Diadâ—m of Glory and Renown O let theâ—e things the Soul's affections raise In grateful Songs to celebrate the Praise Of great Jehovah who is King of Kings VVhâ—se glorious Praise the heav'nly Quire sings â—hen let us sing on Earth a Song like this 〈…〉 and I am his An Hyâ—â— of Praise to the Sacred Bridegroom PRaise in the Highest Joy betide The sacred Bridegroom and his Bride Who doth in spendor shine Let Heaven above be fill'd with Songs In Earth beneath let all Mens Tongues sing forth his Praise Divine 〈◊〉 sullen Man refuse to speak 〈◊〉 Rocks and Stones their silence break for Heaven and Earth combinâ— To tie that sacred Bridal Knot O let it never be forgot the Contract is Divine You holy Seraphims above Who do admire Jesus's Love O hast away and come With Men on Earth your joys divide Earth ne'r produc'd so fair a Bride nor Heaven a Bridegroom Another 'T is not the gracious lofty strain Nor record of great Hector's glory Nor all the conquering mighty Train Whose Acts have left the World a story Nor yet great Cesar's swelling fame Who only look'd and overcame Nor one nor all those Worthy Ninâ— Nor Alexander's great Renown Whose deeds were thought almost Divine When Vic'tries did his Temples crown But 't is the Lord that Holy One Whose Praises I will sing alone My Heart and Tongue shall both rejoyce Wâ—ilâ—t Aâ—gâ—ls all in Consort sing Aloâ—d with a melodious voice The praises of sweet â—ion's King O 't is his praise that Holy One I am resolv'd to sing alone My Heart indites whilst I proclaim The Praises of the God of Wonder My lips still magnifie his Name Whose Voice is like a mighty Thunder I 'le praise his Name and him alone Who is the glorious Three in One. Whose feet are like to burning Brass Whose Eyes like to a flaming Fire Who bringeth mighty things to pass 'T is him I dread and do admire Iâ—le magnifie his Name alone Who is the glorious Three in One. My Heart and Pen shall both express The Praises of great Juda's â—ion The sweet and fragrant Flower of Jess The holy I 〈◊〉 the King of Zion To him that sitteth on the Throne Be everlasting praise alone Whose Head is whiter than the Snow That 's driven by the Eastern Wind Whose Visage like a flame doth show 〈◊〉 all yet unconfin'd For ever prais'd be Him â—â—one Who is the glorious Three in One. I 'le praise his Name who hath revealâ—d To me his everlasting Love Who with his stripes my Soul hath heal'd Whose Foot-stool's here his Throne above Let Trumps of Praise be loudly blown To magnifie his Name alone This sacred Subject of my Verse Though I poor silly Mortal should Neglect his Praises to rehearse The ragged Rocks and Mountains would Make his deserâ—ed Praises known Who is the glorious Three in One. You twinkling Stars that Day and Night Do your appointed Circuit run Sweet Cynthia in her monthly flight Also the bright and flaming Sun Throughout the Vniverse make known The Praises of the Holy One. Let every Saint on Earth rejoyce Whom Christ hath chosen let him sing Whilst I to him lift up my Voice To sound the Praises of my King For He it is and He alone Hath made me his Beloved one FINIS There will be suddenly Publish'd another Treatise of this Author's intituled Zion in Distress or The Groans of the true Protestant Church * Sat. 6. Cessant oracula Delphis †Excessere omnes Adytis Arisque relictis Dit quibus Imperium hoc steter â—t c.