Or playing on a Bag-pipe or a Fiddle But hath not learned how to Live and Die Nor where his Soul must dwell eternally God and all wise men judge him but a fool Who is not wise enough to save his Soul When Heav'n's made sure all Knowledge then is good For Faith and Love can turn it into food It 's pleasant then to study any Book When we see GOD the sense where ere we look When as the way to Heav'n we know each place And see God's beauty in each creature's face And when we stick not in the form and letter But all our Knowledge tends to make us better When still the more we Know the more we Love And draw more with us to the Joys above Fine Fancies are not like clear minds nor those Like Love by which the Soul with God doth close Wisdom it self will make the Mind most wise He that ascends to God doth Highest rise Sure Pisgah was Parnassus or the Mount Where three Apostles did three Glories count Christ's living streams are the true Helicon None make true Poets but Heav'ns springs alone What poor low toyish work make frothy wits Like Bacchus Scholars in their Pot-wise fits Like Childrens Poppets drest with Lace and Pin Like handsom Pictures something wants within A painted Feast carv'd with a painted Knife A Living Soul can feel it wanteth Life Without a Holy Subject End and Spirit True Wisdom's sacred Titles none can merit O my Dear God! how precious is thy Love These are the drops what are the streams above Immortal thanks my Soul doth owe my God For his well-order'd needful healing Rod The Book and Rod do well befit thy School Correction is the portion of the Fool The Rod it self will make the Sluggard rise The Rod and Book make foolish Children wise I felt or fear'd no evil at the first But my Soul's misery which is the worst Whilst for a Soul-remedy I did look Thy angry storm my Body overtook Languishing weakness shortens strength breath Consumes my flesh and threatens speedy death And what I felt reviv'd the fears of more For now my Judgment seemed at the door I knew not but it might be a foretast Of greater woe which I might feel at last My new awaken'd Soul amazed was To think that unto Judgment it must pass And see the unseen World and stand before The dreadful God whom Heav'n Earth adore I was unready to behold thy face Having no more assurance of thy Grace Having but lately too familiar been With my seducing flesh and hateful sin My Thoughts of Thee were terrible and strange And of so great and an untimely change The threatned Ruine I did thus condole O must my scarce-born unprepared Soul Before my dreadful Judge so soon appear And the decisive final Sentence hear And all my Reckonings so soon bring in And give account to God for every sin Before I do my Soul's condition know Or any scaled Pardon have to shew What if I prove an unconverted Wretch And Justice should my Soul to torments fetch How know I but the endless flames of Hell May be the place where next my Soul shall dwell Mercy would save me but I did reject it Christ's Blood would cleanse it but I did neglect it And though I am not hopeless who can bear To die uncertain under so great fear I O that my Tunes had all been better spent And that my caâ—â—y Thoughts had all been bent In preparation for the Life to come That now I might have gone as to my home And taken up my dwelling with the blest And past to everlasting Joy and Rest O that the pleasures of my sports and toyes Had all been turn'd to man-like holy Joyes And those Delights which Vanities engrost And spent on fleshly Lusts were worse than lost Had all been sweet Rejoycings in the Lord And in his holy Service and his Word O that I could my wasted Time call back Which now my Soul for greater works doth lack What would I give now for those precious daies Which once run out in pleasures and delaies O had I liv'd a strict and holy Life Though under hatred and malicious strife Though Men's and Devil's fury I had born And been the world's reproach contempt scorn Then welcome Death would but have quencht my thirst And bid the envious world now do their worst Their malice would but to my Joyes accrew And well-spent Time be sweet to my review O happy men whose portion is above Whose hearts to God and to his Service clove Who made him and his Word their chief delight And walkt in uprightness as in his sight Approv'd their Hearts and Waies to him alone As ready to appear before his Throne Now I had rather far be one of them Than one of worldly Wealth or Princely Stem O now my undrest Soul is passing forth I see both what the World and Christ are worth Thus did the face of Death my Soul awake The bonds of dead stupidity it brake Strict holy Truth I easily confest I saw that Godliness is not a jest My late besotted mind is now past doubt That Folly's careless Wisdom is devout I saw more clearly than I did before What lies on an ungodly Sinners score For what man's pow'rs were made what is their use To what all means and mercies do conduce What is man's business while he 's here below How much his creatures to their Maker owe Whether the Saint or Brute be in the right Whether it 's best to live by Faith or Sight What is true Wit what Learning 's most sublime How I and all should value precious Time I saw it 's not a thing indifferent Whether my Soul to Heav'n or Hell be sent Death also further taught me how to pray And made me cry unto thee every day It set me on the trying of my state Lest I should prove deceiv'd when 't was too late Often and carefully I searcht my heart Whether in Christ by Faith I had a part It shew'd me so much work to do at home That alien needless matters found small room It curb'd my Pride and buryed my Ambition Made me not only bear a low condition But chuse it and all things to estimate As God my Soul and Heav'n should set the rate For now as clearly as I saw the Sun I saw in lines which they may read that run That Endless things are All when we compare And transitory trifles Nothing are That Worldlings in their sleep do talk and go And all their lives are but a dreaming shew Only the true Believer lives awake And doth not spend his daies in meer mistake That all who are not Saints are worse than Brutes These O my Father were thy Rod's first-fruits O my Dear God! how precious is thy Love Thus we rebound up to the Joyes above Long thus before my God I lay prostrate Begging for healing mercy at his gate And for some longer time to know his Truth And
Run fastest when the Truth 's behind No Heresies with you are sown There 's not a Truth but all will own A mixture we get here by rote And Errour keeps the major Vote There Pride and Faction cannot enter There 's no Division in the Center The Saints there play not Satan's part They use not any Carnal Art Their Righteous Brethren to Defame And by untruths to blot their Name There you are Comely and not Black Each One hath All yet None do lack What sin or smart can you befall Where SELF 's put off and God is All. Look up and see now VINES is gone Are not the Stars the more by One No but One fewer in our sight For we have forfeited his Light And such an One as all do miss Save those whose pleasure darkness is And who can Number Stars above When Saints so fast to Heav'n remove If but three such in all our times As USHER GATAKER and VINES Were taken hence by fatal sleep Three Nations should consent to weep And if an Age this loss repair The Church will think it very fair They shine in Glory now to God Who shin'd and burn'd here to a Clod. May such a sinful Worm as I Aspire and ascend so high That Kingdom 's mine in Hope and Right Which you possess by Love and Sight That God that Christ hath loved me Whose Glory blessed VINES doth see We were both washed in one stream And both enlightned by one beam One Garment also did us cloath At once One Pulpit held us both Much more One Church for we agreed Both in One Method and one Creed One Evil we did both condole As animated by One Soul Methinks where thou art I should be Although the lowest in degree Though thou art gone and I am here Yet is my Passing-hour near Time is at work both Night and Day Even when it seemeth to delay My Grave and Coffin are at hand My Glass hath but a little Sand Now I am writing and anon They 'l also say of me He 's gone Then I shall see the shining face Which is the Glory of your Place But lest in vain I hope and run Lord perfect what thou hast begun 14. A Dialogue between Death and the Believer A Rustick Song set to a pleasant Tune Death COme with me poor Mortal Quickly come away My Name is Dreadful Death Through this narrow Portal Come without delay For here I 'le stop thy Breath Presently my Dart Shall pierce thee to the Heart And away thy Life I 'le have It is in vain to fly Or any Friend to try For there 's none that can thee save Believer 2. Welcome friendly Death What canst thou do to me ' That I have cause to fear Though thou shalt stop my breath Yet I in Life shall be When thou shalt not be there And though the Gate be streight It leads unto that height Where I shall defie thy Dart Willingly I yield As armed by that Shield That will save my nobler part Death Come away frail Man And open now thy Breast And take thy mortal wound Let Friends do what they can And Physick do its best They 'l all too weak be found Lay now aside thy mirth And turn unto thy Earth I will give thee the fatal blow It is in vain to wish Thou canst not save thy Flesh For my Power thou shalt know Believer 4. Readily I come As being not the first That hath past through thy door Thou shalt but help me home When thou hast done thy worst And thou shalt be no more By drawing out my blood Thou shalt but do me good And ease me of my grief And though thou look so grim Thou shalt bring me to him That will give me full relief Death 5. Thy Flesh I 'le turn to Clay And all thy Bones to Dust And leave thee in the Grave Make no longer stay For come away thou must It is in vain to crave Cloathed from head to feet But with a Winding-sheet My Prisoner thou shalt be Bearing my loathsom Mark Thou shalt lie in the dark And the face of no man see Believer 6. Thou shalt but dig the ground Where God his Seed will sow And raise it at the Spring And there I shall be found And Christ his own will know And unto Glory bring When here I cease to live A better Life he 'l give Which thou shalt not destroy And though This Life thou spill My Soul thou canst not kill Nor again with fears anoy 7. When thou put'st out these Eyes I shall receive my sight My Day will all be Noon Above the spangled Skies Where never shall be Night Nor need of Sun or Moon The Grave also shall keep My Dust in quiet Sleep Till the Coming of my Lord That Flesh shall shine with God That now is but a Clod And must lie as a thing abhorr'd Death 8. Thy merry Daies are gone Thou shalt no longer stay Thy Life shall end in pain Thy Time and work is done And all thy Sport and Play And never shall come again Here take thy leave of Health And of thy Goods and Wealth And of every pleasant Friend Bid farewel to them all For here thy Corps shall fall And the World to thee shall end Believer 9. Boast not O conquered Foe For thou could'st have no strength But what comes from my sin My Lord will overthrow Thy Power at the length And will thy Prisoners win Thou could'st not keep my head When he lay in thy Bed But he rose and now doth Reign He 'l take away thy sting And endless Life will bring And with him shall I remain 10. How oft have I undrest me And laid my Garments by And dyed till the next day I do but go to rest me And shall rise speedily My Lord will not delay When thou hast broke this shell My Soul with Christ shall dwell And with Saints and Angels bright This World is but the Womb From which my Soul must come Into the Eternal Light 11. And what though Death be painful The pain is quickly past My Soul shall soon be freed My Lord shall make it gainful The gain shall ever last And Joy shall Grief succeed And though the Place seem strange And Nature fear a change Yet I with Christ shall be And when with him I dwell I know I shall be well And his glorious Light shall see 12. Thou shalt but kill my sin And crown my painful Race And end my Grief and Fear Thou shalt but let me in To see the blessed face Of my Redeemer dear And is it any loss To follow with my Cross Till I attain the Crown It 's he that truly dyes That Mercy doth despise And at last God will disown 13. I knew that from my Birth I was a mortal man My frailty is confest I knew my Flesh was Earth My Life was but a span And here is not my Rest If thou canst say no more All this I knew before And yet thy threats defie Have I long sought in pain And would I not obtain Joyful Eternity 14. O feeble thing How canst thou conquer Christ And make his Promise void First overcome my King And his Command resist By whom thou art employ'd First win the World above And conquer endless Love And then I 'le be thy slave Kill an immortal Soul And we will all condole And fear a darksome grave 15. It 's Christ that doth thee send To bring about his end And him thou must obey He is my dearest Friend And doth no harm intend In calling me away And why should he fear ill Whom Love it self doth kill And numbreth with the Blest Why should not Death fulfil His good All-ruling WILL My SPRING my GUIDE my REST. Hoc migraturus scripsi sub imagine Carmen FArewel vain World As thou hast been to me Dust and a shadow such I leave to thee The unseen Life and Substance I commit To him that 's Substance Life Light Love to it Some Leaves and Fruit are dropt for soil seed Heaven's Heirs to generate to heal and feed Them also thou wilt flatter and molest But shalt not keep from Everlasting Rest Vel Munde dolose vale mihi vera palestra fuisti Perficitur Cursus certa corona manet Vita fugax cessat Praestant aeterna caducis Mens superos visit Pulvere pulvis erit Excipe Christe tuum Tibi vixi Errata remitte Spe tibi commissum perfice Christe tuum Tu mortis mors es Vitae tu vita perennis Gloria nostra Tua est Gloria Lumen Amor. Non loca non coetus non hinc sperata videntur Optimus Omnividens Maximus illa videt THE English Verses written on a fair Marble over the Grave where my Wife and her Mother are buried in the upper end of Christ's-Church Chancel broken and lost by the fall of the Church when burnt were these Thus must thy Flesh to silent Dust descend Thy mirth and worldly pleasure thus will end Then happy holy Souls but woe to those Who Heav'n forgot and earthly pleasures chose Hear now this Preaching Grave without delay Believe Repent and work while it is day FINIS Mar. 3. 20. 21. 2. Cor. 5. 13. Matth. 20. v. 21. Matth. 19. v. 29. * Thuanus Davila * The Earl of Orery's Answer to a Petition * He dyed suddenly on the Lord's Day at night after he had Preacht and Administred the Sacrament * Mr. Anthony Burgesse was Minister at Lawrence Church Mr. Love succeeded him and was beheaded by the Remnant of the Long Parliament which cut off the King for sending Money to some about the present King Mr. Vines succeeded him * Those that saw me stand in his Pulpit at Lawrence Church between his Leggs when I Preacht for him because he could get no other Room in the Church understand this †See his Letter in the end of my Confession
Can turn away from or despise the bait Flesh Must I be made the foot-ball of disdain And call'd a precise fool or Puritane Spirit Remember him that did despise the shame And for thy sake bore undeserved blame Thy journey 's of small moment if thou stay Because dogs bark or stones lie in the way If life lay on it wouldst thou turn again For the winds blowing or a little rain Is this thy greatest love to thy dear Lord That canst not for his sake bear a foul word Wilt thou not bear for him a scorners breath That underwent for thee a cursed death Is not Heav'n worth the bearing of a flout Then blame not Justice when it shuts thee out Will these deriders stand to what they say And own their words at the great dreadful day Then they 'd be glad when wrath shall overtake them To eat their words and say they never spake them Flesh How Forsake all Ne're mention it more to me I 'le be of no Religion to undo me Spirit Is it not thine more in thy Fathers hand Then when it is laid out at sins command And is that sav'd that 's spent upon thy lust Or which must be a prey to thieves or rust And wouldst thou have thy riches in thy way Where thou art passing on and canst not stay And is that lost that 's sent to Heav'n before Hadst thou not rather have thy friends and store Where thou maist dwell for ever in the light Of that long glorious day that fears no night Flesh But who can willingly submit to Death Which will bereave us of our life and breath That laies our flesh to rot in loathsom graves Where brains and eyes were leaves but ugly caves Spirit So nature breaks and casts away the shell Where the now beauteous singing bird did dwell The secundine that once the infant cloath'd After the birth is cast away and loath'd Thus Roses drop there sweet leaves under-foot But the Spring shew's that life was in the root Souls are the Roots of Bodies Christ the Head Is Root of both and will revive the dead Our Sun still shineth when with us it's night When he return's we shall shine in his light Souls that behold and praise God with the Just Mourn not because their bodies are but dust Graves are but beds where flesh till morning sleep's Or Chests where God a while our garments keeps Our folly thinks he spoils them in the keeping Which causeth our excessive fears and weeping But God that doth our rising day foresee Pitties not rotting flesh so much as we The birth of Nature was deform'd by sin The birth of Grace did our repair begin The birth of Glory at the Resurrection Finisheth all and brings both to perfection Why should not fruit when it is mellow fall Why would we linger here when God doth call Flesh The things and persons in this world I see But after death I know not what will be Spirit Know'st thou not that which God himself hath spoken Thou hast his promise which was never broken Reason proclaims that noble heav'n-born Souls Are made for higher things than Worms Moles God hath not made such faculties in vain Nor made his Service a deluding pain But Faith resolves all doubts and hears the Lord Telling us plainly by his holy Word That uncloath'd Souls shall with their Savior dwell Triumphing over Sin and Death and Hell And by the Power of Almighty Love Stars shall arise from graves to shine above There we shall see the glorious face of God His blessed presence shall be our abode The face that banisheth all doubts and fears Shuts out all sins and dryeth up all tears That face which darkeneth the Sun's bright rayes Shall shine us into everlasting joyes Where Saints and Angels shall make up one Chore To praise the Great Jehovah evermore Flesh Reason not with me against sight and sense I doubt all this is but a â—ain pretence Words against Nature are not worth a rush One Bird in hand is worth two in the bush If God will give me Heav'n at last I 'le take it But for my Pleasure here I 'le not forsake it Spirit And wilt thou keep it brutish flesh how long Wilt thou not shortly sing another Song When Conscience is awakened keep thy mirth When sickness death comes hold fast this earth Live if thou canst when God saith Come away Try whether all thy friends can cause thy stay Wilt thou tell Death and God thou wilt not die And wilt thou the consuming fire defie Art thou not sure to let go what thou hast And doth not Reason bid thee then forecast And value the least hope of endless Joyes Before known vanities and dying toyes And can the Lord that is most just and wise Found all man's duty in deceit and lies Get thee behind me Satan thou dost savour The things of Flesh and not his dearest favour Who is my Life and Light and Love and All And so shall be whatever shall befall It is not thou but I that must discern And must Resolve It 's I that hold the stern Be silent Flesh speak not against my God Or else hee 'l teach thee better by the rod. I am resolved thou shalt live and die A servant or a conquered enemy Lord charge not on me what this rebell sayes That alwaies was against me and thy wayes Now stop its mouth by Grace that shortly must Through just but gainful death be stopt with dust The thoughts and words of Flesh are none of mine Let Flesh say what it will I will be thine Whatever this rebellious Flesh shall prate Let me but serve thee Lord at any rate Use me on earth as seemeth good to thee So I in Heav'n thy Glorious face may see Take down my Pride let me dwell at thy feet The humble are for earth and heav'n most meet Renouncing Flesh I Vow my self to thee With all the Talents thou hast lent to me Let me not stick at honour wealth or blood Let all my dayes be spent in doing good Let me not trifle out more precious hours But serve thee now with all my strength and powers If Flesh should tempt me to deny my hand Lord these are the Resolves to which I stand Octob. 29. 1659. Richard Baxter 8. The Prayer of the Sick in a Case like Hezekiahs To the Tune of the 51 Psalm The First Part. 1. ETernal God whose name is Love Whose mercy is my hope and stay O hear and help me from above That in distress to thee do pray Ashamed to lift up my face Hence from the dust to thee I cry Though I have sinn'd against thy Grace Yet unto it alone I fly 2. I was at first in sin conceiv'd Then liv'd a vain and sinful life Rebellious flesh which I receiv'd Is still against thy Grace in strife Long it was Lord alas too long Before I knew my self or thee Vanity rul'd my heart and tongue And O that yet my Soul
were free 3. But while I sinned thou wast kind And sent'st thy Word and Spirit of Grace Thy Light did change my darkened mind And shewed me my wretched case Though I drew back thou didst prevail And I gave up my self to thee Thou undertook'st for wind and sail Both Ship and Pilot thou would'st be 4. I turn'd my back on worldly toyes And set my face toward Glory's Shore Where thou hast promis'd highest Joyes And Blessedness for evermore I took my leave of Sin and Earth What I had lov'd I now did hate Ashamed of my former birth I gave my Life a newer date 5. But since that time how am I tost Afraid of every storm and wave Almost concluding I am lost As if thou would'st not help and save If I look out beyond thine Ark Nothing but raging Seas I see On this side Heav'ns all 's deep and dark But I look further unto thee 6. Censures and scorns and frowns I hear Storms which before I never found And yet all these I should not fear If all at home were safe and sound But thy displeasure wounds my heart I have but two parts Flesh and Soul Both of thy wrath do bear their part And thou hast left me neither whole The Second Part. 7. All this is just Lord I confess I staid too long ere I came in And how should healing grace do less When I brought with me so much sin Much Pride and Vanity I kept Too oft my heart was looking back Though God stood by me yet I slept Heav'n was at hand yet I grew slack Spare Lord and pity thy poor dust That fled into thy Ark for Peace O cause my Soul on thee to trust And do not my distress increase O keep up life and peace within If I must feel thy chastening Rod Yet kill not me but kill my sin And let me know thou art My God 9. Folly dwelt in my childish breast Sin rob'd me of my youthful daies Let not thy wrath cut off the rest And stifle thine intended praise Whilst I forgot thee thou didst bear Thy kindness did invite me home O rack me not with grief and fear Kill me not Lord now I am come 10. The silent Dust speaks not thy fame Nor in dark Graves art thou renown'd The living Saints declare thy Name And in thy Church thy Praises sound Yet let me with thy houshold dwell Though I be numbred with thy Poor And with thy Saints thy Wonders tell Although I sit behind thy door 11. Set not thy strength against frail man O turn not yet this flesh to Clay My life thou know'st is but a span If I should see the longest day Break me not all to pieces Lord Or else let each piece have a tongue To cry till thou relief afford But not to say Thou dost me wrong 12. Pity this poor unworthy Soul That here devotes it self to thee Resolve my doubts my fears controul And let me thy Salvation see O let that Love which gave me groans And taught my needy Soul to pray Remove my fears and hear the moans Which sorrow breaths forth night and day The Third Part. 13. Why art thou fainting Soul cast down And thus disquieted with fears Art thou not passing to thy Crown Through storms of pain and floods of tears Fear not O thou of little Faith Art thou not in thy Saviour's hand Remember what his promise saith Life and Death are at his command 14. To him I did my self entrust When first I did for Heav'n imbark And he hath proved kind and just Still I am with him in his Ark. Could'st thou expect to see no Seas Nor feel no tossing wind or wave It is enough that from all these Thy faithful Pilot will thee save 15. Lord let me not my Covenant break Once I did all to thee resign Only the words of comfort speak And tell my Soul that I am thine It 's no Death when Souls hence depart If thou depart not from the Soul Fill with thy Love my fainting heart And I 'll not fading flesh condole 16. Health is but Sickness with thy frowns Life with thy wrath is worse than Death My comforts thy displeasure drowns And into groans tunes all my breath Where is that Faith and Hope and Love By which thou markest all thy Saints Thy Joyes would all my griefs remove And raise this heart that daily faints 17. Am I the Jonas dost thou mean To cast me out into the deep It shall not drown but make me clean Until thou raise me there I 'll sleep O Death where is thy poisonous sting O Grave where is thy Victory Thy dust shall shortly rise and sing God's Praise above the Starry Sky 18. My God my Love my Hope my Life Shall I be loth to see thy face As if this world of sin and strife Were for my Soul a better place O give my Soul some sweet foretast Of that which I shall shortly see Let Faith and Love cry to the last Come Lord I trust my self with thee John 11. 14. or 16. O let not unbelieving Thomas words Be now my answer But my dearest Lord's Amen 9. The Covenant and Confidence of Faith To the common Tunes 1. My whole though broken heart O Lord From henceforth shall be thine And here I do my Vow record This hand these words are mine All that I have without reserve I offer here to thee Thy Will and Honour all shall serve That thou bestow'dst on me 2. All that exceptions save I lose All that I lose I save The treasure of thy Love I choose And Thou art All I crave My God thou hast my heart and hand I all to thee resign I 'll ever to this Covenant stand Though flesh hereat repine 3. I know that thou wast willing first And then mad'st me consent Having thus lov'd meat the worst Thou wilt not now repent Now I have quit all Self-pretence Take charge of what 's thine own My Life my Health and my Defence Now lie on thee alone 4. Now it belongs not to my care Whether I die or live To love and serve thee is my share And this thy grace must give If life be long I will be glad That I may long obey If short yet why should I be sad That shall have the same pay 5. If Death shall bruise this springing seed Before it come to fruit The Will with thee goes for the Deed Thy life was in the root Long life is a long grief and toil And multiplieth faults In long wars he may have the foil That scapes in short assaults 6. Would I long bear my heavy load And keep my sorrows long Would I long sin against my God And his dear mercy wrong How much is sinful Flesh my Foe That doth my soul pervert To linger here in sin and woe And steals from God my heart 7. Christ leads me through no darker rooms Than he went through before He that into God's Kingdom comes Must enter by this Door
Come Lord when Grace hath made me meet Thy blessed Face to see For if thy work on Earth be sweet What will thy Glory be 8. Then I shall end my sad complaints And weary sinful daies And joyn with the triumphant Saints That sing Jehovah's Praise My Knowledge of that Life is small The Eye of Faith is dim But it 's enough that Christ knows all And I shall be with him This Covenant my Dear Wife in her former Sickness subscribed with a cheerful will Joh. 12. 26. 10. A Psalm of Praise To the Tune of the 148 Psalm 1. YE holy Angels bright Which stand before God's Throne And dwell in glorious Light Praise ye the Lord each one You there so nigh Are much more meet Than we the feet For things so high 2. You blessed Souls at Rest That see your Saviour's face Whose Glory even the least Is far above our Grace God's Praises sound As in his sight With sweet delight You do abound 3. All Nations of the Earth Extol the World's Great King With Melody and Mirth His glorious Praises sing For he still reigns And will bring low The proudest Foe That him disdains 4. Sing forth Jehovah's Praise Ye Saints that on him call Magnifie him alwaies His holy Churches all In him rejoyce And there proclaim His Holy Name With sounding voice 5. My Soul bear thou thy part Triumph in God above With a well-tuned heart Sing thou the Songs of Love Thou art his own Whose precious Blood Shed for thy good His Love made known 6. He did in Loves begin Renewing thee by Grace Forgiving all thy sin Shew'd thee his pleased face He did thee heal By his Son's Merit And by his Spirit For Glory Seal 7. In saddest thoughts and grief In sickness fears and pain I cry'd for his relief And it was not in vain He heard with speed And still I found Mercy abound In time of need 8. Let not his Praises grow On prosperous heights alone But in the Vales below Let his great Love be known Let no distress Curb and controul My winged Soul And praise suppress 9. Let not the fear or smart Of his chastizing Rod Take off my fervent heart From praising my Dear God What ere I feel Still let me bring This Offering And to him kneel 10. Though I lose friends and wealth And bear reproach and shame Though I lose ease and health Still let me praise God's Name That fear and pain Which would destroy My Thanks and Joy Do thou restrain 11. Though humane help depart And flesh draw near to dust Let Faith keep up my heart To love God true and just And all my daies Let no disease Cause me to cease His joyful Praise 12. Though sin would make me doubt And fill my Soul with fears Though God seem to shut out My daily cries and tears By no such frost Of sad delayes Let thy sweet Praise Be nipt and lost 13. Away distrustful care I have thy Promise Lord. To banish all Despair I have thy Oath and Word And therefore I Shall see thy face And there thy grace Shall magnifie 14. Though Sin and Death conspire To rob thee of thy Praise Still towards thee I 'll aspire And thou dull hearts canst raise Open thy Door And when grim Death Shall stop this Breath I 'll praise thee more 15. With thy Triumphant Flock Then I shall numbered be Built on th' Eternal Rock His Glory we shall see The Heav'ns so high With Praise shall ring And all shall sing In Harmony 16. The Sun is but a Spark From the Eternal Light It s brightest beams are dark To that most glorious sight There the whole Chore With one accord Shall praise the Lord For evermore 11. The Complaint WHat mean impatient men to call it Pain That do the creatures wrath alone sustain But alas how much greater is my woe That must God's sharp displeasure undergo If a Worm's fury seemeth hard to bear Who dare before an angry God appear I thought my God had blotted out my sin And it no more remembred should have bin And wilt thou now call up what 's past and gone And charge upon me all that I have done Why then where is my Saviour ' where 's his blood Shall not thy Promises be all made good Where are thy tender bowels where 's that grace That shew'd me once thy reconciled face Dost thou repent or can God changed be O no! it 's I that falsly turn'd from thee Yet be not angry with me O my God! If thy Child cry and plead against the Rod Not daring to accuse thy narrow path But humbly bold to deprecate thy wrath Is it thy pleasure to behold my grief When thou canst with a word send full relief Dost thou delight to see me drencht in tears And overwhelm'd with doubts and horrid fears Wilt thou stand by and see my Soul thus sink While wasting flesh doth stand at the pits brink Shall grief and sickness leave but skin and bones And shall I know no breath but sighs and groans Have I no passions left but griefs and fears Are groans the only musick for thine ears And have I sense only to feel my woe And reason only misery to know And wilt thou suffer sinful unbelief To banish Joy and keep out all Relief How can that gracious Lord my woe desire That did so much to save me from the fire How can that Saviour be against my good That dy'd in love and washt me by his blood Can the same voice now pass so sad a doom That from my sin so lately call'd me home Wilt thou now frown me down to fears death That lately gav'st me a new life and breath Or can that hand that snatcht me from the flame Tear me and cast me back into the same Pity my God this sinking trembling Soul And let the hand that wounds me make me whole Friends would but cannot all their help is vain But thou canst quickly give me joy for pain What can friends do but make my grief their own And will not give me leave to die alone They can but add their fruitless tears and moans To joyn in a sad consort with my groans Their pity doth but make my wounds more deep While in compassion they stand by and weep Through me thou woundest them my pains are theirs And every tender friend a portion bears They can but pray for that which thou must give They strive in vain if thou wilt not relieve O spare me Lord and press me not too low Lest I should pievish and impatient grow Lest I should have unworthy thoughts of thee Forgetting what thy Love hath done for me Lest blind distrust get ground against my faith And I grow mindless what thy Promise saith Lest griefs consume the soul which thou hast made And lest thy Praises with my Comforts fade Lest I thine antient Loves no more rehearse But all my Thanks as a mistake reverse And lest unruly grief should make me break
Thy holy Laws and things unseemly speak And lest the Tempter should advantage take The heav'n-built structure of my Hopes to shake Lest I be drawn with Job to curse the day In which my Soul was marryed to Clay Lest this rash tongue thy precious Loves deny And in distress should call thee Enemy Break not the heart on which thou wrot'st thy Name Lest those blest Letters perish with the frame Thy Word commands us alwaies to rejoice Fain I would do it but thou stop'st my voice Can I rejoyce when as thine angry Dart Is piercing night and day my wounded heart Can I rejoyce and bleed Rejoyce and die Can I rejoyce when thou dost Joy deny Can I mix night and day or death and life Or heat and cold or quietness and strife Or twist the highest joy with deepest sorrow Dwelling near Hell to day Heaven to morrow Will joyes agree with heavy sighs and groans And sweetest comforts dwell with broken bones When I would rise and sing thy Love's renown Then comes another wave and strikes me down Brimstone and flames methinks upon me rain As if I were adjudg'd to Sodom's pain O my Dear God! why dost thou me forsake And all my bones and heart in pieces shake I took thee for my only Life and Joy O do not now this trembling Soul destroy The Answer WEak Child why dost thou make all this ado Dost thou remember whom thou speakest to Dost thou consider what thy passion saith Is this the language of a stable Faith Is this thy Patience and thy Self-denyal Wilt thou thus shrink shake in time of tryal May I not with my own do what I list And use my creature as to me seems best Am I not wise enough to use the Rod Wilt thou prefer thy self before thy God Who 's fittest to be Ruler thou or I Whose Wisdom's best and whose Fidelity When prov'd I false unto thee or unkind When didst thou seek aright and didst not find Look homeward Man there dwells thine Enemy It is thy Self and Sin It is not l. The thing thou should'st complain of is within Turn all thy charge against thy Self and Sin Sin is so bad that it can do no better God cannot fail thee and remain thy debter Such intimations should not pass thy tongue As if the Righteous God could do thee wrong Were Conscience but as tender as thy flesh And Sin as grievous to thee as the lash Hadst thou but lived as beseems a Saint I might have spar'd my Rod and thou thy Plaint Canst thou suspect I am against thy good When I have prov'd my Love by streams of blood Have I not lov'd thee from Eternity And caus'd my only Son for thee to die Have I not call'd thee from a life of sin When thousands round about thee live therein Remember how I us'd thee at the first When in thy blood I found thee at the worst Who gave thee notice of thy sinful state Wakening thy Soul before it was too late Who did convince thee of the worldlings folly And shew thee that it 's better to be holy Who sav'd thee from the world's deceits and lies And wean'd thee from thy former vanities Who taught thee to bewail thy heavy load And made thee long to know and love thy God If thou art willing that I should be thine It is because at first I call'd thee Mine I offered Christ I made thee to consent And in the terms of grace to rest content When thou wast ignorant who did thee teach And made thee long a higher state to reach Who made thee love and chuse the scorned way And cleave to Christ whatever flesh could say Who made thee pray and who thy prayer heard And sav'd thee from the Plagues thy Conscience fear'd Who made thy sinful heart long to be better Art thou not for all this to me a debter That thou dost miss me and my pleased face That thou dost mourn groan is from my grace Freely I did forgive thee what was past And all thy deadly sins behind me cast And yet must I be taken for thy Foe And all these accusations undergo After all this canst thou my love suspect And all my comforts peevishly reject Dar'st thou deny my Love and Grace as none Because that all the work is not yet done Who wrought that grace whose should the honour be While thou condemn'st thy self thou wrongest me Watch and reform and cheerfully obey For what thou wantest wait and strive and pray Thy Love and cheerful duty I require It 's not thy self-tormenting I desire Humbly look back remember what thou wast Be not unthankful for the grace thou hast Deny it not but wait at mercy's door Thankfulness is the way to get thee more If thou art weak look upto Christ thy strength He 'l perfect what he hath begun at length Is not his grace sufficient for thee still He 'l give the rest that freely gave the Will If thou stand still or loyter in thy Race And if my Spur do bid thee mend thy pace Let not the smart make thee lie down and whine And at the needful quickening Rod repine But Up Repent cheerfully do thy best The day 's at hand when thou shalt have the Rest The Submission FAther forgive my passion and rash words Yet I 'le be thine I 'le own no other Lords Seeing thou wilt accept so frail a Worm That can without thee no good thing perform Still I 'le be thine and stand to what I said When I my Covenant and Resignment made I 'le rather groan within and suffer more Than laugh with them that stand without thy door O let thy Will attract and perfect mine Hereafter not My Will be done but Thine And let the roughest way seem fair and eaven That hath thy presence and doth lead to Heaven And as thou bidst me Evermore Rejoyce Give me a joyful heart and praising voice Suffer not sin to soil thy grace and me But make me such as thou wouldst have me be Let streams of Love flow from thy open breast And let me wait and long to feel the REST. 12. The Return To the Tune of Pas Mes Galliard OR The common Psalm Tunes 1. WHO was it that I left behind When I went last from home That now I all disorder'd find When to my self I come 2. I thought I had the door fast lockt When I went last away And long might strangers there have knockt If none had found my Key 3. When I was here the fire did burn That now is almost out Half dead with cold I sit and mourn Perplext with many a doubt 4. I left it light but now all 's dark And I am fain to grope Were it not for one little spark I should be out of hope 5. The Rooms I carefully did sweep But now I find all foul Serpents do crawl and Vermine creep In my polluted Soul 6. My Gospel-Book I open left Where I the Promise saw But
now I doubt it 's lost by theft I find none but the Law 7. And when my Soul I had undrest And thought some ease to find I found distress instead of rest Through anguish of my mind 8. For Thorns were put into my Bed Where I was wont to sleep Grief is the pillow for my head On which I lie and weep 9. And if I slumber up I start My dreams awake my fears The thorns have pierced head and heart And drawn forth more than tears 10. The stormy Rain an entrance hath Through the uncovered top How should I rest when showers of wrath Upon my conscience drop 11. My goods I fear are gone to waste The best I cannot find The rest are in disorder cast Which yet are left behind 12. I lock'd my Jewel in my Chest I 'le search lest that be gone If this one Guest had quit my breast I had been quite undone 13. I know it's Sin that did all this For nothing else could do it I 'le charge upon it all I miss And with the Law pursue it 14. My treacherous flesh hath plaid its part And opened Sin the Door And they have spoil'd and rob'd my heart And left it sad and poor 15. How shall I see my Landlord's face How shall I pay his Rent When I have thus abus'd his grace And have his Treasure spent 16. Yet have I one great trusty friend That will procure my Peace And all this loss and ruine mend And purchase my release 17. When I the Prodigal had plaid And all my Portion spent He told me he my Debts had paid And bade me but Repent 18. Yea this by his supply was done Whose Covenant bade me do it Because I had not of my own So much as would serve to it 19. And after this when my false heart Forgot my Dearest Lord He did perform a Saviour's part And still my Soul restor'd 20. I fear'd lest as but once he dy'd He would but once forgive But still when in distress I try'd He did my Soul relieve 21. Still when He took me by the hand My Father on me smil'd Oft have I broken his Command And yet he call'd me Child 22. I know his Power And for his Love It spoke by pains and blood Largely doth he his kindness prove And make his Promise good 23. Therefore I 'le never more despair Nor take my self for lost For he will all my loss repair Though at the dearest cost 24. Yea more I have his hand to shew That when my Lease is out A Kingdom he 'l on me bestow He chides me if I doubt 25. I 'le trust on him and use his Name Whatever be my need And I shall scape the wrath and shame And shall be sure to speed 26. And for that sin that plaid the Thief I 'le stop its poisonous breath Or pine it with consuming grief And famish it to death 27. And I 'le take heed for time to come Of wandering abroad With my best constant friend at home I 'le settle mine aboad 28. The Bellows I 'le yet take in hand Till this small spark shall flame Love shall my heart and tongue command To praise God's holy Name 29. Once more I mean to sweep all clean And cast out filthy sin And Christ again I 'le entertain And wait on him within 30. I 'le mend the Roof I 'le watch the Door And better keep the Key I 'le trust my treacherous Flesh no more But force it to obey 31. I 'le make a Covenant with my eyes My tongue shall know its Law I 'le all the baits of sin despise And keep my heart in awe 32. My Bed shall be made soft by Love And there I 'le take my rest Or else I 'le wake till I remove Where none dwell but the Blest 33. What have I said That I 'le do this That am so false and weak And have so often done amiss And did my Covenants break 34. I mean Lord All this shall be done If thou my heart wilt raise And as the work must be thine own So also shall the Praise 12. The Lamentation Jan. 18. 1660 1. For Sin afflicting the Sinner especially by the grievous sufferings of Friends With the Relief of the Self-condemning Soul O Mercy Mercy Mercy O my God! Must I feel nothing but thy smarting Rod Must I be daily on the rack of sears And have no drink to quench my thirst but tears Where is the Spring that feeds this bitter stream That stops not either when I wake or dream These Worms of Fear and Grief whose food I am Into the world as brethren with me came Youthful diversions cast them once asleep But Light awaken'd them to bite more deep Since then I liv'd between thy Book and Rod And in thy School of Discipline abode Sometimes thy gentle twigs toucht but the skin Sometimes thy sharper stroaks did enter in Most of them fell but on my outward part But now they pierce they wound they kill my heart Spare Lord I sigh I groan I weep I cry O spare before I bleed I sink I die O spare the Heart or wound none but mine own And let me sigh and weep and mourn alone It 's I that sinn'd these Sheep what have they done I sinn'd but with One Heart O break but One Shall I that have extoll'd thy peoples Joyes And told men of the sweetness of thy waies Now by my plaints and dolor make them think Thou giv'st us Gall and Vinegar to drink Set me not as a spectacle of wrath To frighten commers from the holy path Be silent flesh my God is Wise and Just Hast thou not sinned stoop and kiss the dust If Passion did not blind thee thou might'st see Justice is good even when it falls on thee It is not causless if he pierce the Heart He doth but chuse the foul the guilty part Had not the door been open'd first to sin Terrour and sorrows could not have got in If it have room for thoughts of Pride and Iust That trouble should dwell with them is but just Where should the tent be put but in the wound We cleanse the ulcerous part and not the sound Where should Jehovah's battering Cannons play But at the Fortress where his Enemy lay Thence came the viperous brood there was the root Of all the bitter poisonous deadly fruit There God should have been entertain'd in Love His Will as End Spring each wheel should move But how unkindly was he there abus'd His tender Love and healing Grace refus'd Oft have I shut the door when he hath come I play'd or slept or would not be at home Should God be sleighted by a stubborn Heart And not rebuke its folly by its smart I sinn'd and laugh'd I lightly pass'd it over Should God do so and not his wrath discover Just is the Lord My sin hath found me out I find his threatenings true beyond all doubt What have I done All 's now to Conscience known It s