with the Violence of a hot Brain and too much Light may strike a Man quite blind yet humble as the Original is I have sometimes adventur'd to soar a little but never out of Sight To compensate for the meanness of the Stile I have drest it out in the greater Variety of Numbers and have tuned them to the Judicious Ear so as nothing in them may sound harsh or ungratefully and instead of the Original Chapters I have put a Text of Scripture generally pretty apposite in the head of every Division It may now perhaps supersede the Common English Prose Translation but I 'm not for discarding even Sternhold and Hopkins for a worse Version of David 's Psalms nor that Prose for tedious and ill-sounding Rhimes The 3d Book being all Dialogue I have given all fitting Variety to without resolving it into Stanza's In short by the Smoothness of the Verse the general Correctness of the English and that pious Air which runs thro' the whole some I hope may be drawn to admire Divine Poetry and to court a native Loveliness more than a flaunting adulterated Beauty The Employ was a happy Diversion of those Melancholic Thoughts which else might have affected one too much who had met with no extraordinary good Usage from the World In it I endeavour'd as much as possible to make the Author's Sentiments so far as justifiable my own and the Peruser may read my Heart and the Original Composer's together And indeed whoever would Translate or Paraphrase an Author well must try to work up himself to the same temper he was in when he wrote the Original A narrow Soul can't exhibit the Excellencies of Homer or Virgil in another Language nor will David 's Harp sound well in any Hand but where the same Spirit who influenced that sweet Singer of Israel has in some measure possest the Heart and harmoniz'd the Life and Conversation I expect the Criticks should spend their Verdicts upon the Performance As for the Subject it 's too much out of the road of the Witty Tribe they 'l let it alone for the same reason for which Aretine spoke no evil of God But they 'l carp at an Epithet or nibble at a Phrase and look upon it as very Affrontive that a little Theologue should pretend acquaintance with the Muses that he should presume to censure the Brethren of Parnassus or divert Poetry from the Service of lewd Mistresses from Burlesquing the most Divine Truths from profane Rants and blasphemous Flights from the Slavery of an obscene Stage and gratifying a corrupted Populace To all this He must plead Guilty He owns he loves and reverences that Holy Religion which they scoff at and ridicule and here as a late Author expresses it Is a Field of Satyr open'd to Him But he had rather spend his Time in composing Hymns to the Glory of his Maker than Satyrs upon an Atheistical Crew not that he fears their Returns but he thinks every Minute mispent which is laid out upon them I pretend not yet that I have made a compleat Poem of the Christian Pattern perhaps even the great Corneille fail'd in that tho some say his Paraphrase on our Author was his Masterpiece I dream not of having honour'd my Country exalted my Mother Tongue that I have wrong'd my Author less than others have done that my Faults are neither gross nor frequent and all that Those who are us'd to admire themselves can't forbear it when they have one Foot in the Grave but the old Hound deserves the Cudgel who thinks he can pinch as close when his Teeth are out as he could in his more vigorous Years If a good Christian as well as a good Critick shews me my Error I 'll correct it Criticism should aim only at mending what 's amiss The true Critick distinguishes of the Stiles of Authors gives us an Authentick Text and the true Import of Words in particular Writers shews the difference between spurious and genuine Pieces that Relation there is between Mens Writings and the Laws and Usages of the Countries or Places they write in or about He tries to fix the Aera's of great Revolutions and of particular if considerable Events and endeavours to shew the Cryptick Sense of the most learned or obscure Authors The Critick who employs himself thus deserves not the Character of ill Nature he only helps to set things in their true Light where he shews any Man his Mistakes he gives him an opportunity of rectifying 'um that he may look out into the World with the Eulogies of some reasonable Creature beside himself He lets the World see how much they are oft impos'd on by Names and Noise and how justly they may complain Grandia saepe quibus mandavimus Hordea sulcis Infelix Lolium steriles nascuntur avenae Which notwithstanding the New Version of that great Poet I 'd render thus Oft where with fairest Grain we sow'd the Fields Darnel and barren Oats the luckless Harvest yeilds Some Gentlemen perhaps who by the Religion they profess claim kindred with Heathens Jews and Mahometans for it 's good to be of the strongest side may think I have gone out of my way that 's the Word under the last Head to meet with them I must confess I have some Obligations to them which in due time God willing I shall very faithfully discharge I can't wonder that those who have call'd my Mother Whore should fix a malicious Character upon Me. They are a Generation formidable not for their reasoning Faculty but for their Jesuitism and Impudence They deal with the Defenders of Truth as Aethiopian Apes with their Enemy the Lion they fling all the Sand and Dust they can rake together into his Mouth and Eyes and then run away grinning and hope to escape in a Cloud of their own Raising They shelter their Sawciness under the Pretence of a fine new Discovery they have found doubtless after much Fasting and Prayer as Father Laelius of old that there are Nominal and Real Trinitarians and who would regard them who are so divided among themselves as if those who assert the Father Son and Holy Ghost to be real distinct Persons or Subsistences in the same Divine Nature and those who assert That every particular Person has his own peculiar Mode of Subsistence in that Divine Nature did not both believe a real Trinity Or as if They were not to be credited in their most solemn Asseverations when these Night-Birds declareing their Agreement with the Church of England that superannuated Beldam that Empire of King Oberon as they sometimes very respectfully call Her expect to be believed tho to believe them a Man must crack more Flashoods and notorious Contradictions than all those Mysteries amount to which they have pretended to break their Teeth upon Indeed if they 'd own once that the Father in and by Himself is infinite Eternal Incomprehensible c. that the Son is in and by Himself Infinite Eternal Incomprehensible
which fly In my crazy Brain defy Save Me O endless Truth from Vanity O come sweet Jesus come to Me All my Lusts will fly from Thee Pardon O pardon Lord my wandring Mind Which when for earnest Prayers design'd Can such foolish Objects find I love the World too well and Thoughts will fly Where e're the vain Affections lie And the Tempter's always nigh Oft with my Lips I pray when Lord my Heart Will from that holy Duty start And from Thee my God depart Truth spoke the Word The Treasure holds the Mind The Good are all to Heaven inclin'd But I with worldly Glory blind I love the Flesh and fleshly Things pursue But could the Spirit the Flesh subdue To my God I should be true Of what I love I love to talk and hear And home the fair Ideas bear And esteem them always dear Blest Lord is He who leaves the World for Thee And by a perfect Victory Lives from Nature's Furies free Calm is his Conscience and his Prayers are pure And He 's of Angels Bliss secure Nor can the Thoughts again of worthless Earth endure XLIX I have fought a good Fight henceforth there remains for me a Crown of Righteousness Christ MY Son Since from above thou feel'st a sacred Flame For from above those holy Ardours came Long'st to be gone and with a cloudless Eye To see my Face and grasp Eternity Enlarge thy Heart and with a vast Desire Blow up thy Wishes and advance thy Fire Thank thank thy God whose kind indulgent Love To visit Thee stoops from those Realms above Enflames thy Soul and with a powerful Hand Supports thy Heart and makes thee firmly stand This neither from thy Thought nor Labour flows But wondrous Grace the wondrous Boon bestows To make thy Valour shine more dreadful bright To humble Thee before the Ghostly Fight And Thee to Godlike Loves and holy Works excite The Fire may burn but Smoke attends the Flame And holy Souls whose inward Fervours aim At heavenly Bliss yet never hope to be From fleshly Lusts or dark Temptations free They love their God but with severe Allays Nor can thy Fire without incumbrance blaze Flesh has its own Convenience first in view And can't with perfect Love Eternal Joys pursue Ask not abundance nor Delights for Thee But what accepted with thy God may be Think well Thou 'lt find my Orders wiser far Than all thy Wishes or Attainments are I know thy Wishes and have heard thy Groans Thou long'st for Palaces and glittering Thrones Shining with endless Joys and fix'd on high Where God's blest Sons enjoy their Liberty But stay a while To Day 's a time for Fight For Pains and Trials thou wouldst glut thy sight With boundless Good but must thy Heats rebate I only AM for ray approaching Kingdom wait Thou must be longer exercis'd and tri'd Have Comforts here but not be satisfi'd Take Courage then be strong to do to bear A Man quite new a Man quite chang'd appear Renounce thy Will and oft against it move Not Thine but other Mens Designs improve They shall be heard when all thy Prayers are lost They shall but ask and have thy Words and Hopes be croft They shall be talk'd of Thou in Silence die They trusted useless Thou and slighted lie Nature will flinch at this but bravely born Victorious Silence will thy Life adorn God's Servant Thus Thus must his Son be taught Thus to deny and rule Himself be brought It 's to be mortifi'd indeed to see And suffer what 's so hard my Son to Thee And tho subjected to a Power Divine It 's hard rebellious Nature to confine And the resisting Will to God's Commands resign Weigh then my Son the Fruits of all thy Pains Their swift Conclusion and their mighty Gains Such Meditations will no Wounds procure But raise thy Courage and thy Heart obdure Thy Will here quitted shall be gain'd above There thou 'lt obtain thy Wishes and thy Love Good thou shalt have and never fear to lose Thy Will as Mine no private Interest chuse None shall resist Thee there nor stop thy Way But to thy utmost Hopes thy Soul convey I 'll give thee Honours for Disgraces past For Sorrows Praises and a Throne to last Tho when on Earth beneath the meanest cast Thus shall the Fruits of just Obedience shine And humblest Penitents obtain Rewards Divine O then to human just Commands submit Beneath their Laws with humble Patience sit Thy King 's thy Friends thy Parents Pastor's Will Take well and with sincere Address fulfil Let Brutes in various ways their Thoughts engage Enjoy the Praises of a flattering Age Brag of a thousand Honours spread their Fames And to the Stars exalt their lofty Names Boast not of such Atchievements but when Grace Makes Self to God resign its darling place Come Life come Death let Love thy Heart enflame And in new Hymns of Praise thy gracious Lord proclaim L. Turn Thee unto Me and have Mercy on Me for I am desolate and afflicted Bel. MY God dear holy Father may My Soul Eternal Blessings pay To Thee whose just Resolves have stood Whose Deeds are always kind and good Let Me blest Lord rejoice in Thee But not in other Men nor Me. Thou Lord canst all my Hopes employ My Crown my Glory and my Joy Ah to what can I pretend But what God himself must send All is thine from thee it flow'd But my Age is Lord bestow'd All in Sorrows all in Tears All in tedious Doubts and Fears While the Tyrant Lust appears Lord give thy Childrens Peace to Me Who feed in Comforts light with Thee Thy Peace thy heavenly Gifts infuse And I 'll thy Holy Gifts produce And all to sing thy Praises use But shouldst Thou dear Lord withdraw I should soon forget thy Law Such a Change would make me droop Make me tremble make me stoop Not as when I felt the Streams Of thy Mercies lively Beams And beneath thy Wings could be From design'd Temptations free The Time O righteous Father's now Which must thy faithful Servant prove This happy Moment Lord will show My suffering patient lasting Love That Time Dear Father known of old To Thee has laid its hands on Me When outward Woes my Life should hold But still my Heart should live to Thee I tho grosly slighted here I the weight of Passions bear Yet from thence should quickly rise And above the lofty Skies Bask in thy refulgent Eyes Thus thy Word of old ordains it Thus my present State explains it Lord it 's a Friendly Test of Love When I repeated Sorrows prove From thy All-guiding Providence The great Events on Earth commence I for my Good thy Scourge have known Now better wiser humbler grown Tho Confusion hides my Face I implore thy saving Grace And thy Judgments deeps admire While the Good and Bad expire Since thy prudent Orders shew Equity and Mercy too I Lord thy glorious Name adore Tho compass'd round with mighty Foes Since I
thy heavy Lashes bore And inward Pangs and outward Woes Great Physician Lord of Souls Thou whose Hand our Hearts controuls None above and none below Can such Wounds and Balms bestow Thou to Hell canst cast me down Thou my Life with Health canst crown All the Sufferings laid on Me All my Comforts flow from Thee In thy blest Hands Dear Father I Beneath thy Rod's Correction lie Lash cut me deep that I may be In all submissive Lord to Thee Make me Obedient Humble Meek That I thy Will alone may seek My Self I yield my All to Thee Here not hereafter punish Me Thou knowst my Conscience throughly Lord Each brooding Thought each winged Word Past Present Future Matters lie At once before thy piercing Eye Thou my Interest only knowst What to purge my Rust it cost Let me Lord thy Subject be Work thy Pleasure Lord on Me Ne'r despise Me ne'r neglect Me Nor for Nature's Taint reject me I thy Jurisdiction own I to Thee am throughly known Lord teach Me what I ought to know And Love to lovely things to show To praise what only pleases Thee True Worth in what thou lovest to see While what Thou hat'st grows vile to Me. Let me never judg by sight Nor in empty Tales delight Wisdom's Methods let me learn And superiour Things discern From those little Toys below And thy Laws exactly know Mens Senses oft in Judgment fail And Toys on Earthy Minds prevail Who only grasp at what they see And scorn Invisibility Who tho the Rabble lift them high May still in common Ordure lie For when Cheats the Cheaters praise When the Vain their Fellows raise When the Blind conducts the Blind When the Weak's a Guide design'd All 's Deceit from first to last All their Praise an empty Blast For a Man's repute should be Only as He 's priz'd by Thee LI. Who hath despis'd the Day of small things Christ MY Son Tho now thy inward Flames supreamly shine Thy Prayers are Raptures and thy Flights Divine Yet Nature's Weakness oft will Lure thee down And Life's rough Cares thy soaring Fancies drown The Heart still of its mortal Load complains And needs must groan beneath its slavish Chains Since cramp'd so oft when it attempts the Skies And would to heavenly things and lofty Subjects rife With humble Thoughts then Holy Works pursue Till coming I thy smother'd Flames renew With heavenly Dews refresh the drowthy Plains Bless thee with Peace break thy weighty Chains Thy Heart enlarg'd thro Scripture-Vails shall rove And Thou to run my holy Ways shall love Till sure what e're thy present Sufferings are They can't with heavenly Bliss and future Crowns compare LII I have born Chastisement I will not offend any more Believer LORD I 'm unworthy of thy Comforts thy Love And thou mayst justly from my wreched Heart remove Vast Seas of flowing Tears could never make me pure My great my crying Sins might all thy Plagues endure But boundless Goodness Lord and Mercy lives with Thee And thy supporting Hand thy fading Creatures see Thou mak'st my drooping Soul thy wondrous Comforts know And find how far they pass our weak Attempts below What can I do my God to gain thy heavenly Grace So slow to Penitence so swift in Satan's Race I nothing Lord can plead if thou my Crimes survey But Hell and hellish Flames must all my Guilt repay I know I merit Lord thy utmost Hate Scorn Nor can my Name among thy Holy Saints be born Harsh tho the Reckoning prove I must the Test endure If I 'd thy Mercies Springs thy Comforts Streams procure What shall I say when at thy dreadful Bar accus'd What can a Sinner plead with inward Guilt confus'd I 've sinn'd great God I 've sinn'd O Mercy Mercy show O let my Eyes a while with unfeign'd Waters flow E're I to Death's black Shades the Lands of Darkness go A contrite humble Heart thy Bar for Sin demands In true Repentance all our hope of Pardon stands That stills those rugged Storms which o're the Conscience roll Our dying Gifts repairs shields the trembling Soul From Judgment 's dreadful Flames till delug'd round with Sweets The Soul its smiling God in Love's Embraces meets A contrite Heart to Thee 's a nobler Sacrifice Than all those Odours which from fuming Incense rise Sweet as those fragrant Oils which wash'd thy sacred Feet And as it 's humble must thy constant Favours meet Thy Arms a Refuge sure from Hellish Rage appear And our Pollutions all thy flowing Mercies clear LIII Love not the World neither the Things of the World Christ MY Smiles are pure my Son unmix'd with those Poor Comforts which inferiour Things disclose Wouldst thou obtain them Cast thy Clogs aside Thy Self within thy private Chambers hid There with thy God not Men Discourses nod Thy Mind and Conscience there with Sighs unfold Laugh at the World that sweet Recess prefer Before a King 's invidious Character For Mine and worldly Loves thou ne'r canst find A Time of leisure or an easy Mind From fondest Friends and Earth's Incumbrance free There thou mayst dedicate thy self to Me And like a Stranger and a Pilgrim move Thro' wastful Desarts here to Canaan's Rest above With what strange Joys that happy Man may die Whose Thoughts discharg'd from Earth's Engagements lie Words can't express nor curious Arts descry The real Saint the World's Concerns will leave And chiefly fears Self should Himself deceive Subdue thy Self thou'lt soon the World subdue That Conquest only is a Conquest true He who his sensual part by Reason guides Then with his Reason to his Lord subsides O're Earth o're himself a King triumphant rides Wouldst thou reach this Then like a Man begin And lay the Ax close to the Roots of Sin Heâ— down Self-love and every Thought inclin'd â—o vulgar Blisses or the Creature-kind Self-love alone the Little World confounds That master'd Peace the quiet Heart surrounds How few compleatly to themselves can die Their Bird-lim'd Wings no gallant Heights can fly But here in common Cares entangled lie But those who would at large converse with Me Must from deprav'd unruly Passions be And from their darling selves and Creature-Comforts free LIV. The natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God Christ MY Son Nature and Grace in all their Steps attend Soft is their Motion and oppos'd their End Only by men of inward Light perceiv'd Most aim at Good but are alas deceiv'd Sly Nature has a thousand Arts and Snares And only for its own Delights prepares Grace is sincere and all that 's ill declines Cheats none but all for God and Godlike Works designs Death Sufferings and Subjection Nature hates Grace struggling Lust with holy Art rebates Fain would be humble and would fain obey And not at large in fleshly Desarts stray Love's Discipline and on its Good would rest And for his sake it self of Self divest Nature for Pleasure seeks and seeks for Gain Grace only
filleth the Hungry Soul with Gladness Believer SWeetest Jesus Dearest Lord For whom my eager Passions long O now my pointed Griefs record How weak my Heart my Wants how strong How lost in Vices how immerst in Woes Tempted disturb'd opprest by angry Foes Tainted without poison'd within With the baleful Weeds of Sin Lord to Thee for Help I fly For Comfort and Support to Thee I O All-knowing God apply Who all my private thoughts canst see From Thee true Comfort true Assistance flows Thy Wisdom my defective Nature knows More indigent than all beside Till with Vertue 's Sweets supply'd Naked here and Poor I stand And pitying Grace with Tears desire O feed Me with a bounteous Hand Enflame my Heart with Love's soft Fire With thy bright Presence scale my gloomy Eyes Embitter what my Soul on Earth can prize To Patience all my Woes convert And from Creatures purge my Heart Lift my Heart above the Skies Nor let it wander here below Let me all Earthly Joys despise And Sweets which from the Creature flow Be thou my richest Bread my noblest Wine My Love Essential and my Joy Divine Ever O Dearest Jesus be All that 's sweet and good to Me Let thy Presence Lord enflame Me O warm O burn O change me quite And to thy Own blest Nature frame Me Endu'd with Vigour Beam'd with Light Let Me with Thee in Secret Vnions move And melt Me throughly with the Flames of Love Nor from thy Table let my Heart Thirsty e're or Hungry part Let thy Mercies work on Me Wondrous as in thy Saints of old O may with a Prodigy Celestial Heats my All enfold I sink but Thou the bright Eternal Fire In Me make me above the Clouds aspire My Intellectuals six above And refine my Soul with Love XVII But the Fruit of the Spirit is Love Joy c. Believer WIth true Devotions and with fervent Love And with a Heart resign'd And with an Ardent Mind Tow'rd thy Altars Lord I move Thy Holy Saints thy Servants Lord of old Were very rarely in Devotion cold But with Humility They'd bow before thy Face O may I so approach to Thee Dear Lord great Source of Heavenly Grace And with a faithful Soul thy offer'd Loves embrace I know I merit Nothing but I bring A willing Heart to Thee As if my Love could be Rais'd from some Eternal Spring Whatever Vows the purest Minds conceive I with submissive Veneration leave Before my God my King Nor would I Part detain My All I for an Offering bring Let others Sacrilege maintain I 'd with a Heart entire my Saviour entertain O Thou my Lord my God whose wondrous Art First rais'd my curious Mould And when to Follies sold Did the Kind Redeemer's part Let Me my Lord with such firm Loves embrace Such Awe such thankful Praise such humble Grace Such Faith Hope Purity As that blest Maid of old When what her Womb 's blest Fruit should be With Smiles the cheerful Angel told Lo I thy Servant Lord Thy kind Engagements hold So thy great Harbinger the Baptist too Tho in his Mother's Womb Before thee found a Room His exulting Joys to shew And when He saw thee passing humbly cry'd Lo there the Bridegroom of the Glorious Bride And I his Friend with Joy His sacred Language hear O may I so my Thoughts employ When I before thy Face appear May my exulting Heart the Robes of Gladness wear I 've heard of Holy Saints with Joys enflam'd Till the contending Soul Could not the Force controul Which their inward Joys proclaim'd I 've heard of Extasies and wondrous Lights And Glorious Visions and Mysterious Flights I 've heard the Creature loud Thy mighty Acts resound May I with inward Heat endow'd Spread thy Illustrious Glories round My Heart with boundless Joys and heavenly Raptures crown'd Accept my Vows Dear Lord accept my Praise Those holy Hymns which I Would to Infinity Vast as thy Immenseness raise Praise Lord I owe Thee and would give Thee Praise Thro' shortest Moments and thro' longest Days Nor would I Lord alone Thy Praises celebrate I 'd draw the blessed Angels down I 'd move the World's united State Till they in Deathless Songs thy Gracious Acts relate May the wide World the many-Languag'd Tribe With Fervour Lord proclaim Thy Ever-glorious Name And to thy Renown subscribe May We who here with awful Reverence feed From Faith to Faith from Love to Love proceed Till we with mutual Prayers Each others Health implore And freed from all inferiour Cares And fed from thy Immortal Store We live and ever love but jar and faint no more XVIII The secret things belong unto the Lord our God Christ SEE how the dreadful Pest o're-flows How swift the dark malignant Angel flies Enters the Heart and thence infects the Eyes See how the Fiend triumphant grows And spreads the curious fatal Temper round And makes the shallow Fool attempt the Deeps profound Poor Man abus'd by Reason's Glare Will needs into his Maker's Secrets pry And comprehend Mysterious Majesty And all his boundless Powers declare Reason a Star till Sin obscur'd the World And from its lofty Sphere the radiant Substance hurl'd It shines still but with faded Light Dim and uncertain and with Scurf o'relaid Yet now would those superiour Orbs invade It shunn'd with native Lustre bright Then Man his mighty Soveraign's Nature knew But from the dark Research with awful Wisdom flew They 'd now with false Philosophy False Reason false Discourse and false Design Beyond the harmless Protoplast refine And with a sawcy daring Eye Anatomize and quite decipher Me And like themselves would bound and mould the Delty Can't they discern how Three are One Can't they conceive how One subsists in Three Can't they my Graces smallest Movements see Thro' Holy Institutions drawn Tho Scripture both in plainest Words descry They 'l unfelt Truths abjure and give their God the Lâ—â— With rotting Limbs and tainted Souls They scorn the modest Christians humble Flight Banter's their Sense and Blasphemy their Light Yet while to Hell they sink in Sholes Men must their worldly Wisdom's Reach admire Who for a Carnal Crew a Carnal God desire Blind with the Beams of sacred Light As Batts they flutter in a Cloudless Air Nor can my Majesty's Refulgence bear But gasp and sicken at the Sight They'd my vast Sphere to their short Span confine Or like the swelling Toad with Oxlike Greatness shine For shame let Brutes at last believe God may be more than Man can Vnderstand Nor can they reach to his All-powerful Hand The humble Soul may Truth retrieve And He who bows his Head to Antient Lore May grow more wise at last tho but a Fool before Blest ever blest be sober Minds Who won't for needless Questions wildly range Nor Revelation for their Reason change What Heaps eternal Darkness finds Who with their humbler Sense dissatisfi'd Too near the scorching Sun on waxen Wings would ride I in a favour'd Saint demand Not such