address their Cry On tender Mercies still by Faith rely To them that trust him shall be Mercy shewn Although in Deeps at present they are thrown For he attends unto the humble Pray'r Of those that to the Throne of Grace repair And though amazing Terrors may invade They shall be sure to meet with timely Aid And he that thinks it fit they should be try'd When done their Feet in Paths of Joy will guid That so with Songs of Praise they may advance His Name that shines with helping Countenance And hast thou now my Soul true Comfort found And with Salvations are thy Temples crown'd Improve the Peace thou hast obtain'd at length The Joy of God is sent to be thy Strength That thou may'st lively walk unto his praise Who doth revive thy Soul with quickning Rays The outward Man under Weariness and Fears of not holding out reliev'd by the Soul Soul Body Bo. WHat need is there dear Soul of so much haste Let 's take more time I cannot move so fast So. Our Christian Life's a Race and must be run With active speed until the Prize be won Bo. Is there no smoother Path that may be found Then this same rough uneven stony Ground That so our lab'ring Feet relieved may With greater ease run the remaining way So. No no my dear associate Wisdom hath Set this before us as our fittest Path It 's onely they which lawfully do strive That shall with Conquest at the Goal arrive Then let 's with Patience run and vigorous force Press forward till we finish up our course These Agonists that strove in Graecian Games Once celebrated on Olympick Plains That from Elaean Judges sought Applause How strictly kept they to Her culean Laws The Runners with their nimble Feet did hold The bounded Tract to the appointed Goal With strained Limbs how did they forward thrust Vnto the long'd for Mark in Clouds of dust And with contending Strife did agonize To crown their Brows with the desired Prize Which being won the Cities with Renown Receiv'd their Victors through their Walls thrown down As if it were inferior to their Sate To make the Entrance at the common Gate If they with strech'd out Limbs did strive to come Encircled with a fading Garland home And thought it worth their pains for sading Breath To trumpet forth their Glory here on Earth How strictly then should we with flying pace Press forward daily in our Christian Race Where Saints and Angels our Spectators are And the great Judge sits in Tribunal Chair For to reward the Victors in this Strife With an immortal glorious Crown of Life Who in the Records of Eternal Fame Shall always have an everlasting Name Bo. Those Souls are blest indeed that win the Prize Whose Conquest Saints and Angels solemnize That enter Heav'n with triumphant shout But as for me I fear I shan't hold out So. Fear not but view that great encircling Cloud Of Worthies that with Acclamations loud And vailed Crowns ascribe unto free Grace Their strength to run and conquer in this Race But above all behold with fixed Eye Our great Fore-runner Thron'd and Crown'd on high Who to the Faint gives power to hold on Increaseth Strength to them whose Might is gon It 's he by whom the Work of Faith 's begun It 's he upholds it till the Race be run Come then press on thy Feet are drawing nigh Unto the Borders of Eternity Put forth thy utmost Might stretch out thy hand The Goal's in sight the Crown doth ready stand The Souls Meditation upon Eternity Soul So. LOng Age of Ages how long to demand Makes pos'd Arithmetick in silence stand To reckon up its date she is not able Wants places in her Numeration Table Could we together in one sum amass The Stars of Heav'n and the Piles of Grass The numerous Sands that on the Sea-shore lie The Minute Atomes in the World that fly The Drops of Rain and Fleeces of the Snow The Grains of Corn that ever yet did grow The Leaves that Autumn from the Trees hath cast The thoughts that through the Heart of Man have past This would not make a Measure for to stretch Unto its end or yet its middle retch Duration not divided by what 's past Or yet to come but still the same doth last Eternal NOW that always doth remain Wheeling about to the same point again A Circle without Radius that doth run Into it self beginning not begun Immensurable by the longest Line That can be stretched out by aged Time Could we a Line of Figures lengthen out Enough to gird the highest Sphere about And the last number to be reck'ned there Stood for the Vnites place of Plato's year Yet all those Millions would not rise to be The smallest Fraction in Eternity Oh number numberless unto whose store Addition is not able to add more Oh endless ever where we must confess Subtraction cannot make it one jot less Oh bitter Sin Oh dear bought Lust For which the Soul Eternally is thrust From the Supream and Vniversal Good Into the Torrent of the Sulphurous Flood Depart from me a Sentence full as Dire As go you Curst into Eternal Fire If when the Body with the Soul doth part Such Mortal Pangs and Gripes do seize the Heart Who can conceive the Souls convulsive Strife In its seclusion from the Spring of Life A loss that doth in one all Loss express Full Separation from all Happiness Besides this Loss cast into burning Deeps Where Terror reigns and Sorrow never sleeps That without ease or respit undergo The constant Rackings of eternal Woe Vessels of dreadful Wrath prepared wide To hold full measure swallow'd up beside Plunged in Gulphs of Sulphurous Whirl-pools bound Sinking in Horrour where no Bottom's found Perpetually with bitter Anguish tost For mispent Time and golden Seasons lost Whose Songs are turn'd to Scritches and their Mirth Into the Pangs of everlasting Death Where damned Souls can neither fain or fear Greater or worser Torments than they bear Oh wretched Souls that in dire Flames must dwell Longer than Words can utter Numbers tell That ev'ry moment whil'st in liquid Fire They burning are think this must ne'r expire That do fetch in unto each moments pain That EVER which in it they must remain And add unto their present Misery The endless Torments of Eternity Oh blessed be those Souls that through rich Grace Are ransom'd from this ever dreadful place In whom Eternal Life is here begun Running through this into the World to come Death changeth not our State but the Degree Grace here begun in Heav'n shall perfect be Where weary Saints enjoy their long'd for rest And hungry Souls on choicest Dainties feast Where Shields and Swords are turn'd to Harps and Palms And Sighs and Sobs to blessed Hyms and Psalms Where Saints with Angels in sweet comfort sing With well tun'd Lyres the Praises of their King And there behold that Beatifick Sight That fills their Souls with unconceiv'd Delight Viewing the
like small Balls of Flame to us below And if sev'n Orbes beneath this Roof are hurl'd With rapid Motion round this lower World In which seav'n Planets variously do steer Most of them greater than this globous Sphere How many thousand miles yea millions high Hath God above us stretch'd the starry Skie And yet how far beyond in Altitude Is that thir'd Heav'n which doth these Orbs include Which doth his Greatness and his Grace declare Whose Mercies far above the Heav'ns are And who in height doth highest Heav'ns excell And uncontained in himself doth dwell And if so vast and high these Bodies be What Tongue can tell their great celerity What motion can set forth how swift they role In their diurnal course about their Pole How blessed then may those be truly said Upon which Heav'ns God rideth for their aid And who like Jes'runs God in excellence That rideth on the Skie for their defence And if these Globes so swift by fixt Decree Still wheel about in Even Harmony If Constellations keep their distance due And wandring Planets wander always true And keep by Ord'nance given to them all Their Revolutions periodical And orderly do run their bounded way In lucent paths from which they never stray But move exactly in their Heav'nly Sphere To give the various seasons of the year And this by vertue of a Cov'nant past Which must endure so long as time shall last How firm is then the Covenant of Grace Which he hath freely made to Israel's Race Heav'ns Ordinances shall be sooner broke Than any Promise that the Lord hath spoke And how stupendious is that Pow'r above Which such swift Bodies doth so ev'nly move Oh what is Man or his Posterity That God should spread so rich a Canopy And garnish forth this great Coelestial Roof With such refulgent Lights on his behoof He that for all Men hath this Structure rear'd What Glory for his own hath he prepard Vpon the Moon OBserve the Moon that monthly makes her way Through the twelve Signs and over Night bears sway One of the greater Lights for so in shew As seated next to us that live below The nearer in Approaches she doth come Unto the luminous Body of the Sun The brighter doth she cast her Rays above And darker shews to those that here do move So do those Souls to Heav'nly Eyes shine bright That hold Communion with the God of Light Whil'st the dark World no Glory can espy Because it 's hidden from a Carnal Eye And as the Moon with borrowed Light displays Reflected Beams sent from the Suns bright Rays So from the Sun of Righteousness Divine The Saints with perfect Comeliness do shine Again observe her in her oblique Sphere Where Days and Nights much vary in the year In Winter time when the declining Sun His shortest Arch doth in the Heav'ns run And quickly posteth from our Hemisphere Whil'st dusky Night long Sable Robes do wear Then doth the Moon opposed in her sign Mounted on high in largest Circle shine Supplying comfort to the tedious Night By long continuance of her chearing Light Whereas in Summer when there is less need She from us to th' Antipodes doth speed And there lifts up her silver beaming Head Where the moist shades of Night are longest spread You that search out his Works Oh praise the Lord Who when most need doth then most Light afford The Moon though glorious hath opacous veins And from her Full doth hasten to her Wains With various Phaces moving through the Sky And constant always in unconstancy So are all sublunary Comforts here With Spots they shine then change and disappear Oh happy Souls that by true Grace are led Upon these mixt and fading things to tread Tryals arising from cruel Mockings Soul Body Bo. THeir troubles my dear Soul what words can tell That meet with those whose Tongues are fir'd from Hell From which as from a cruel Bow that 's bent Are bitter words like poison'd Arrows sent How do the Ishmaels of the World us flout The Rabshakes their Railing thus cast out These are the holy Seed that must possess The promis'd Land we in the Wilderness Must be cast forth as those in Bondage born Wandring in Desart Ways with Steps forlorn These are the Gifted Brethren that can preach And dress their Nonsense in affected Speech That pray Tautologies with moving Groans And take the simple with affected Tones These are the nice precisions not content With that old path in which their Fathers went But must have new These from the Church do stray And yet pretend to Heav'n the nearest Way To be the onely Ones that walk aright Such as do still attain unto New Light Meteors of Flame and Zeal from whence doth fall Direful Effects where they are Verticall Disturbers of the Peace in ev'ry Town Turning the World in Faction upside down So. That Troubles and Commotions do arise It is from those that do the Truth despise This is declared in the Sacred Word The Prince of Peace did come to send a Sword Which accidental proves from the fierce Rage Of those that do against his Ways engage As Torrents stopt swell high to overflow So Lust oppos'd doth more outragious grow Besides the Devil with his own doth joyn That so no Light may in his Kingdom shine And those that do against his pow'r contest Are cri'd down as the Men that do molest As for Reproach fear not a taunting Word The Servant is not greater than his Lord Black Mouths against him belch'd forth Obloquy Both whil'st he liv'd and when he came to die Who when revil'd reviled not his Foes But like the silent Lamb to Slaughter goes If that the Head indured such Contempt The Members must not think to be exempt If he drunk deep of this same bitter Cup Let not his Servants then think much to sup If he for us a Crown of Thorns did wear Let 's follow him and his Reproaches bear Bo. It is but just and equal what you say But yet it is a sad and dismal Way So. The Way faring Man that carefully doth mind Those given Marks whereby his Way to find As when he hath crost o'r a pleasant Plain He then must pass a deep and dirty Lane Then by a Wood where Savage Beasts frequent Then climb a craggy and a high Ascent When as instructed he doth thither come Out of a longing Mind to be at home Though at the way he taketh no delight Yet joys in this to see himself i' th' right So though Afflictions grievous are to Sense Yet may they yield a joyful Evidence For in this Way the Saints to Heav'n went Against whose Names reproachful Tongues were bent Thus Patient Job whose Record was on high Vnder hard words of Friendless Friends did lie Besides young Boys this worthy Soul did mock Whose Fathers were too mean to tend his Flock Such as to Desart Want and Famine drive To dig up Roots to keep themselves alive Chased by Man from
their Society Follow'd like Flying Thieves with Hue and Cry Hidden in Holes conceal'd in gaping Rifts Dwelling as Men forlorn in Rocky Clifs Children of Fools and such as had no name Viler than was the Earth from whence they came To these was Job a by-word these vile Wretches Made him the Subject of their gibing Catches Such as the Abjects of the People were With bitter Scoffs did David's good name tear With Hypocrites in their Voluptuous Feasts They nasht their Teeth and flung forth Taunting Jests The sordid Drunkard with defaming Tongue Made him the matter of his jeering Song The great Apostles fill'd with Gifts divine Derided were as drunken with new Wine And many more with cruel Mockings tri'd That trod this Path and now are glorifi'd Bo. It is enough dear Soul come let 's go on This is the Way I see the Saints have gone Moses the Meek this Thorny Path did tread Leaving the Court where he was Princely bred The fruitful Plains that fatning Nile o'r-run The high-rais'd Title of a Princes Son The great Preferments of a Potent King The Wealth and Pleasures Peace and Plenty bring With a despised People to partake Of Sharp Reproaches for his Saviours sake And these as greater Riches by him chose Then all the Treasures Aegypt did inclose The Souls Speech to Revilers Soul So. YOu are arrived to the Scorners Chair Learnt how to mock and we must learn to bear Is it not Folly in a high degree For Persons drawing to the Fatal Tree Upon their way to jeer all else beside That will not so to Execution ride Vain Sons of Earth who fling about your Wit As Mad-men Fire-brands care not whom you hit And make it but your sport for to blaspheme Those that in Heaven dwell and Heav'n in them Yea in your Drolling Language think it fine To cast forth Scoffs against the Spirit Divine Poor daring Moths that make it but your Game To sport and play about the burning Flame Will nothing serve the turn but you must try How through the Light your Wanton Wings can fly No wonder then if this be your repast With scorched Wings you tumble down at last Come be advis'd to leave your Slandrous Tongue You do your selves not us the greatest wrong And are exposed to those Curses dire Sounded by trembling String on Hebrew Lire Against that Man who fir'd by Envious Flames With open Mouth and lying Tongue defames My God my glory leave not in distress Mr. Sandys his Paraphrase on the 109th Psal Nor let prevailing Fraud the Truth oppress They who delight in subtilties and wrongs Afflict me with the poyson of their Tongues With Slander and Detraction gird me round And would without a cause my life confound Good turns with evil proudly recompence And Love with Hate my Merit with Offence But I in these Extreams to thee repair And pour out my perplexed soul in pray'r Subject him to a Tyrants stern command Subverting Satan place at his right hand Found guilty when arraign'd in that fear'd time Let his rejected Pray'rs augment his crime May he by Violence untimely die And let another his Command supply Let his distressed Widdow weep in vain His wretched Orphans to deaf Ears complain Let them the wandring paths of Exile tread And in unpeopled Desarts seek their Bread Let griping Vsurers divide his Spoil And Strangers reap the Harvest of his toil In his long Misery may he find no Friend None to his Race so much as pity lend Let his Posterity be overthrown Their Names to the succeeding Age unknown Let not the Lord his Fathers sins forget His Mothers infamy before him set Oh let them be the object of his Eye Till he out-root their hated memory Nuncius Nun. AS mighty Billows swell'd with stormy wind Come trooping on and where repulse they find There in tumultuous Waves their pow'r stretch And fiercely charge to gain an entring Breach So the proud Tempter put unto retreat Rallies again in hope for to defeat His conquering Foes whom in disdain he views And with fresh fury his Assaults renews But like a Rock that makes its standing good Against the rushing of the roaring Flood So stand all those are strengthened by the might Of him that helps to conquer in the Fight The Complaints and Fears of the Flesh removed by the Soul particularly concerning Persecutors Soul Body Bo. HOw far dear Soul how far have we now gon So. Mind not dear self what 's past but let 's press on Bo. What thorny rugged way have we past o'r So. Forget it all and reach to things before Bo. How much remains of this same tedious way So. Dear self it shortens on us ev'ry day Bo Let 's rest a while from this same weary race So. Depart dear self it 's not thy resting place Bo. Dear Soul I 'm feeble let 's a little stay So. The way for strength is to keep on our way Bo. I fear I shall not persevere or stand So. Look up to him that holds with his right hand Bo. Troubles dear Soul upon us daily grow So. Support and Comfort likewise daily flow Bo. With doubtful mind we oft perplexed are So. But yet upheld and kept from sad despair Bo. On ev'ry side Afflictions on us waits So. Yet are we not distrest in all our straits Bo. We meet with Persecution day by day So. Yet are we not forsaken in our way Bo. With castings down we often are annoi'd So. But yet preserv'd dear self and not destroy'd Bo. Must we dear Soul pass on this dangerous way How shall we scape those Troops that lurk for prey See how their Scouts already do appear Let 's fly dear Soul before they do come near So. Not so dear Self let 's not our duty quit Here lies our way and therefore keep to it We need not fear though Men and Devils rave We have a Guard sufficient for to save See how the Mountains shine with glittering Spears And all the Hills how fill'd with Curiassiers And fiery Charets that like Lightning run And with swift motion like the Whirlwind turn Seest thou that gallant File on the right wing Whose dazling Targets back the Sun Beams fling Those bound the mighty Babilonian King That from Jerusalem the Spoils did bring That lofty Tree that unto Heav'n grew Whosespreading Branches all the World did view Under whose cooling shade the Beasts did rest And in whose Boughs the Fowls did build their nest Vpon whose Twigs fair Leaves themselves did spread And by whose Fruit all Flesh was nourished These hew'd him down these did his Branches cut Shak'd off his Leaves and scatter'd all his Fruit. From Pallace cast him drove him out from men To range the Woods and lodge in Savage Den. His Limbs bedew'd he from cold Earth doth raise And with Wild Asses runs about to graise With Beastial Heart upon the Shrubs and Boughs How doth this Royal Bruit delight to browse Until this Heav'nly Lamp the days bright Sun Had
makes affraid Or gives disturbance to his peaceful shade Swords beat in Plow-shares dig the fertile Earth Spears turn'd to Cickles reap its fruitful Birth Like Eden's Garden doth the barren Field Great heaps of Plenty to the Dresser yield The Desarts now with streams of Water flow The stately Pine and Fir-tree in it grow The Mirtle Box and Oil-tree here abides And lofty Cedars raise their Pyramides The Wilderness with fruitful Crop is spred Like Sharon where King Davids Cattle fed The Forest and the solitary Land Cloathed with Carmel's Glory joyful stand The Hill of Zion with exalted head On top of Mountains stands established No Thorn or Brier in her Path doth grow All Nations to her Worship freely flow The ransom'd of the Lord that her surround With Wreaths of everlasting Joy are crown'd Sorrow and sighing now shall fly away And Songs of Triumph celebrate this day God with Defence will all her Glory bless The Man of this World shall no more oppress The Earth with knowledge of the Lord is spred Like the great Sea with Waters covered Now Holiness extends her glorious Rays And Grace fills up the Duties of these days The Sons of Zion shine with Sanctity Fill'd by the Spirit poured from on high The Restitution of all things is come The trav'ling pains of the Creations done Now Saints enjoy their glorious Liberty And groaning Creatures are from Bondage free The Heav'ns and Earth new Robes of Glory wear The Creatures all in Eden's dress appeer And Righteousness throughout the World will Reign So long as Sun shall shine or Moon shall wain Nuncius Nun. SAtan inraged by his overthrows With new Attemps assaults his conqu'ring Foes And now by flatt'ring Wiles he doth pursue That which he saw by frowns he could not do His deadly Hook under gilt Baits now lies As that most likely to obtain his Prize Just like the Panther that his Prey would win Conceals his Head and shews his spotted Skin That whilst his Gawdy Colours do invite His grisly Visage may not put to flight So Satan hopes by offers large he may To hidden jaws of Death allure his Prey But all in vain by Wisdom from on high They see where ruin lurks and from it fly A Brief account of the intermixture of Providences in our Pilgrimage Soul Body Bo. COme my dear Soul Aurora hangs the Skies With Arras bright against the Sun doth rise The Eastern Hills with welcome day are spread Phaebus makes haste to raise his Orient head Dark Clouds are fled and left the Heav'ns fair Our way is pleasant and the perfum'd Air. With various sweets breath'd from the flowry Spring Doth gently fan with Odoriferous Wing The cheerful Birds upon green Branches raise Melodious Notes and warble forth sweet Lays Like the alternate seasons of the year So is our Life and Way whil'st Pilgrims here We have our Winter and our gloomy Days And then our Summer with bright chearing Rays Sometimes strong Flaws at other times sweet Gales Sometimes dark Clouds then lucid intervales It 's good it should be thus that so we may Not faint whil'st here nor yet delight to stay Winds purge the Air dark Clouds are not in vain But spend themselves in fructifying rain Sharp Frosts do mellow and prepare the ground To bear that Fruit with which the year is crown'd The Spring brings forth what Winters Bosom kept And Summer ripens what in Autumn's reapt Our changes here if rightly understood Are ord'red forth in Wisdom for our good So. I 'm glad dear Self you have so true a sense Of that which God in Wisdom doth dispence Let 's then improve our time the Winter 's gone The Spring is come let 's cheerfully go on Fair Days and pleasant Ways should mend our Pace And quicken forward in our Heav'nly Race Bo. But who are these dear Soul whose nimble Feet Make towards us as if they would us greet Temptations arising from Pleasure Honour Riches Soul Body Pleasure Honour Riches Plea A Merry day we wish you why so fast Come joyn with us and take your sweet repast The Season and the flow'ry-mantled Earth Invite to take some recreative Mirth So. We wish you well but must improve our day Our Pleasure lies in keeping on our way We Pilgrims are in waste we must not spend That time should help us to our Journeys end Plea What mean you thus to take this course severe And tie your selves unto such rules austere In curious Gardens stor'd with choicest Flow'rs Go take your Walks and rest in shady Bow'rs Of Jessemine and Honey-suckle sweet Where Philomel the youthful Spring doth greet There hear the feather'd Minstrels caroling With chanting Notes teaching their Young to sing In heat of day procure refreshing sleep In flowry shades where purling drils do creep Go take what pleasure either Streams or Field Mountains or Dales Meadows or Heaths do yield With pleasing Objects feast your careful Eyes Your weary limbs refresh with exercise Look how the silver Swan in all her Pride With arched Neck through Chrystal Streams doth slide And to the Ozier'd Island flotes in State To hatch her Young and to relieve her Mate See how the wary Trout that deep did lie Springs up to catch the Artificial Fly The greedy Pike darts to the trouling Bait And being struck flies when it is too late The nimble Hawk no sooner spies his Prey But to the Clouds doth take his tow'ring way And with high Airy Plumes hastens to fling The trembling Fowl down from his mounted Wing Twice doth the doubling Hare trace the same Grounds Thrice leaps to cast off the pursuing Hounds The eager Dogs the lost Sent having found Open and make the neighbouring Woods resound But if these rural Pleasures don't invite Repair unto the City for delight With Masques and Plays and Triumphs please your Eyes From Feasts and flowing Cups let Mirth arise With Musick 's sweetest Airs your Paces measure And gratifie all Senses with full pleasure So. Forbear vain trifl'ing Youth that only feels Delight in that which sensual pleasure yields Poor empty Joys that in such ways are had Mouths fill'd with Laughter whil'st the Heart is sad Vain Mirth where Sadness fained smiles doth bring And Sorrow 's forc'd against her will to sing Not only vain but vexing such as first Makes shows to quench but yet increaseth thirst Like the Sea-Water that at present wets Whil'st drinking down but then inflames and frets Poor bitter Sweets Pleasure that with it brings A little Honey arm'd with many Stings Short at the best as by experience found How many chant unto the pleasant sound Of Harp and Organ and sweet Lessons sing Vnto the well-tun'd Viols quav'ring string Who in slight Mirth their flying days do spend And in a moment down to Hell descend Should the condemned Man whose time is short To get his Pardon spend that time in sport Yet many such poor cheated Souls there be That play away their opportunity Or should those Souls
highest Object ever prais'd With highest Acts of Understanding rais'd With such clear Views as infinitely will The Soul with perfect Satisfaction fill And by the Visions of that Light Divine Transform and make them with his Glory shine For through th' enlivening influence of his Face He perfects and draws forth their quick'ned Grace Here all imparted Glory that 's made known They view it so as that which is their own And all the good that from Effects do flow They in the first and chiefest Good do know And know it so as to enjoy the same At the Spring Head from whence all Goodness came No Good shall blessed Souls desire or will But at this Fountain shall receive their fill United always to that Good supream Which evermore into their Souls shall stream For Saints shall have with him a perfect Union And so all Good from him in full Communion Oh happy State where no dark shade doth fall For Glory here is always vertical No sable Cloud shall once obscure their Sun No Night or Sleep shall hinder Joys begun No long continuance shall abate Delight Nor full Enjoyment dull our Appetite But still Desires as large Delights as fresh As the first moment we did them possess No Sorrow shall those blessed Souls annoy That enter once into their Masters Joy Not onely that same Joy their Master gives But that same Joy in which their Master lives Not onely filled with their Masters Bliss But swallowed up in that same Joy of his Oh blessed Ever where all Joys remain Full and unchang'd Eternally the same The Comforts that we do enjoy below Successive are and ebb as soon as flow In those are past we have no interest Of what 's to come we are not yet possest Onely the present's ours if that we may Call that our own which fleets so soon away But in Eternity it is not so Our Comforts there no alteration know Thou shalt not then desire more than thou hast Nor canst thou wish for any Comfort past But all together shall enjoyed be And that unchang'd unto Eternity Glad and welcome Tidings to the Soul Soul Angels So. WHat is it these swift Messengers do bring Cutting the Plyant Air with golden Wing Whose Faces as the flaming Light'ning show And Garments wear white as the bleached Snow Their dazling Brightness fills with trembling fears Though in their chearful Looks good News appears Ang. Fear not for we your Guardian Angels are And have from Heav'n glad Tidings to declare Victorious Soul successful Sword lay down And now put on the Star-enchased Crown Come set thy Feet in this triumphant Close Upon the Neck of all thy conquer'd Foes Thy Warfar's finish'd and thy Race is run The day 's thy own the glorious Prize is won The flaming Sword that guardeth all the ways Vnto the Tree of Life with fiery blaze Is ready to give way to thee choice Soul As having right to eat without controul Make haste ascend with us and take thy share With Crowned Saints that Verdant Palms do bear Drink of those Streams of Bliss which he bestows At whose right hand Rivers of Pleasure flows Inherit all things in that good Supream From whose bright Face all Happiness doth beam So. Oh welcome News more welcome unto me Than Trumpet sounding to a Jubilee But what am I that Heav'nly Pow'rs should come For to convey me to my long'd for home I 'm ready blessed Guard onely I find Disturbing thoughts to leave my Friend behind We long have liv'd together and have far'd Alike in Joy alike in Sorrow shar'd We hand in hand waded the Vale of Tears And joyntly fought and wrastled through our Fears Have been but one and must we sever'd be Ang. Yes for a while it s by Divine Decree And but a while yea soon shall meet again And never part but always one remain And one invested in that happiness Which thou before art going to possess Go take thy leave with Comfort chear thy Friend On Cherubs Wings to Glory then ascend Vnto that House of Bliss not made with hand Which in the Heav'ns Eternally doth stand Into whose gladsom Windows shine alway The joyful Beams of everlasting day The Soul and Bodies mutual Valediction to each other Soul Body So. FArewel dear Body now for ever blest From weary Labour take thy lasting rest Fear not within this shade to lodge thy Head Thy blessed Sav'our hath perfum'd thy Bed And in the Morn will raise thee with his Voice That we united may in him rejoyce Corruption shall in Incorruption rise Stript from the Rags of all Infir mities No Pain no Sickness shall this State invade Nor meager Death threaten with gloomy shade But Mortal puts on Immortality And conquer'd Grave yields up the Victory No Tears from hence-forth shall bedew thine Eyes Nor shall sad thoughts within thy Breast arise Dishonour shall be rasi'd in Glory bright With radiant Beauty in meridian height Each part proportion'd in right Symetry And all things temper'd in sweet Harmony Frail Weakness shall in mighty pow'r appear That so it may a weight of Glory bear And with unwearied Strength his Praise resound ' That gave forth Grace and Grace with Glory crown'd This Natural Body shall from Dust arise A Spiritual Body as to Properties Inabled in an instant for to fly Beyond the Convex of the spangled Sky And with the Soul in highest Acts Divine With chearfulness for ever fully joyn Rest then in hope thy weary Eye-lids close Lie down in Peace and take thy sweet repose In Jesus sleep thy Vnion still doth hold Though thou return'st again to thy first mold Each Atome of thy Dust he 'll safely keep Till he shall raise thee from this silent Sleep And by his Pow'r this Clod of Earth calcine That it may like the Sun in Splendor shine And this vile Body in Corruption sown Change like that glorious Body of his own That as the Earthly Image thou did'st bear So in the Heav'nly thou may'st then appear Bo. Farewel dear Soul Oh blessed be that Name That did infuse thee in this Terrene Frame Prais'd be the great Creator that inform'd This Body with thee thee with Grace adorn'd Whereby my wand'ring Feet were guided right From dark Maeanders into Paths of Light And though to Dust I must again return Yet I shall rise in Glory from my Vrn. If Chymist can that Gold extract again They mixt with other Metals to a Grain And if opacous heaps of Dust and Sand May be transmuted by a skilful hand Into such Bodies which transparent shine As doth appear in Glasses Christaline Why then should foolish Atheists think it strange That God should gather'd Dust to Glory change So. Once more farewell until we meet a-again We that together suffer'd then shall reign As thou dear Friend with me the Cross did'st bear So thou with me the Crown of Life shalt wear We that together here in Tears have sown Shall reap those Joys to Mortals yet unknown Oh blessed State for worthless ones prepar'd Where God himself becomes their great Reward As causally he gives all Good to his So formally himself will be their Bliss The Great Supream and Fountain Good will be Immediately our full Felicity Bo. Again farewell I shall no longer be As I have been a hindrance unto thee When next we meet I shall be tun'd to sing The high rais'd Praises of our Heav'nly King No Darkness Dulness shall this Heart arrest No straitning Hardness any more molest But then unwearied I for ever shall With thee dear Soul and Pow'rs Angelical Be exercis'd in Services Divine As freely as the chearful Sun doth shine THE EPILOGUE THe Soul by Angels guarded swiftly flies Beyond the reach of all her Enemies To take Possession of that Mansion bright Which is the Portion of a Saint in Light And after short and light Affliction bears Triumphant Palm and Crown of Glory wears On peaceful Throne from weary Labour rests On Beatifick Vision always feasts Encircled round with all the Bliss above Lodg'd in the Bosom of Eternal Love The Happiness whereof who can declare If thou would'st farther know it get a share FINIS THE CONTENTS OF THIS POEM THe Soul Contemplating upon the powerful Work of Effectual Vocation page 1. The Souls Epithalamium or Nuptial Joy page 2. The Nuncius or Interpreter of the Scenes page 4. 8. 41. 52. 64. The Diffidence of the Flesh arising from Difficulties reason'd against by the Soul page 5. The Soul preparing for Tryals page 10. Temptations arising from Old Companions page 15. She Souls improvement of time in Meditation upon Light the first days Work page 19. Tryals arising from Displeasure of Parents page 21. The Souls Evening Meditation page 26. Meditations upon the Moon page 30. Tryals arising from cruel Mockings page 32. The Souls Specch to Revilers page 38. The Complaints and Fears of the Flesh removed particularly concerning Persecutors page 42. Gamaliel's Specch to Persecutors page 46. The Soul administring Cordials to the outward Man to prevent Faintings under Sufferings page 53. The Soul so lacing her self in those Apprehensions she hath of the future Peaceable Kingdom of Jesus Christ page 57. A brief Account of the intermixture of Providence in our Pilgrimage page 65. Temptations arising from Pleasure Honour Riches page 66. The Exceptions of the Flesh as to Self-denial in reference to the Things of the World answered page 82. The Soul encountring with various Errors page 86. The Souls Morning Meditation upon the rising of the Sun page 90. The Souls Tryals arising from Desertion page 94. The Soul Conflicting with the Assaults of Satan page 100. Contemplations suited to the Soul that hath found Morning Comfort after a Night of sad Desertion page 104. The outward Man under Weariness and Fears of not holding out relieved page 107. The Souls Meditation upon Eternity page 111. Glad and welcome Tidings to the Soul page 118. The Soul and Bodies mutual Valediction to each other page 121. FINIS