the Church the Spouse of Christ and of every chosen Child of God and Member of the Body mysticall after Regeneration Neverthelesse of all the tryals troubles and temptations they are to meet with in the strait way II. Secondly in particular there is represented the sad condition and sharp affliction of the Child of God under desertion made appear in a threefold consideration 1. First More felt then real Debated from Page 8. to 23. Where it is made evident that the Child of God after Regeneration may be wrapt under fearfull clouds of darknesse and discouragement and impossible to be comforted till there come a reviving from the inward Comforter And this is most properly Love sicknesse being for tryal and prevention Psa 42. Psa 30.7 8 9 10. 2. Secondly Real and felt And this is debated from Page 23. to 49. Wherein there is notice taken of the severall most prevailing tentations upon several ranks of persons viz. The Court-bred the School-bred the Countrie-bred and the Citty-bred the Civilian also and the most savage of conversation Neverthelesse the party deserted not able to discern the speciall cause of the affliction untill the means be sanctified by inward supply And this is for chastisement and correction tending to humiliation Psal 51. 1 Sam. 1.16 3. Thirdly More real then felt Debated from p. 49. to 76. Where it is made appear that the believer may be lying under much guilt unsensible unâ—ill a timous wakning come and when it is come under much perplexity untill a word of peace be pronounced And this is for tryall and wakening Isa 39.12 2 Sam. 24.10 11 12 13. III. Thridly After all this serious debate unto small purpose the smoaking flax being long smoothered and now breathed upon it kindleth swiftly and breaks out sweetly in an excessive flame of spirituall fervour And whereby then and not till then the party being prevailed with there appears a correspondent alteration of affections in the whole strain and uniforme expressions of the whole Society 1. First The perplexed person under absence is now upon renewed sense elevated unto a most sublime soul-ravishing rapture in a SONG p. 76. and the continuation thereof p. 77 78. 2. Secondly The Associates sympathising therewith in extasie SONG 2. p. 79. 3. Thirdly The continuation of the Sympathy in extasie SONG 3. pag. 80 81. 4. Fourthly The Soul-rapture upon renewed sense again renewed SONG 4. pag. 82 83. 5. Fifthly Solide grounds of spirituall security by way of Echo p. 84. 6. Sixthly A timous warning to guard against carnall security with comforts and incouragements unto chearfulnesse against trials and troubles till he end his journy p. 85. to 96. 7. Seventhly The grounds of Gospel-ordinances presented under the name of the Pallace-garden from p. 96. to 107. wherein there are nine severall MAZES making up the Garden viz. First A Border of Restriction p. 98. Secondly A Beam of Instruction 99. Thirdly Cordials for Incouragement 100. Fourthly Loves Mystery 101. Fifthly The Fountain unexhaustible 102. Sixthly Loves Labyrinth 103. Seventhly Loves Mirrour 104. Eighthly Loves Emblem 105. Ninthly Loves Union 106. 8. Eightly The Jewel of Jewels a Vade-mecum for heart impression and preservation p. 110. to 114. 9. Ninthly The Symphonicall desires and delights of the Redeemed in their retirements closing with that Song Rev. 15.3 4. p. 114. to 121. 10. Tenthly A harmonious Consort and a Song of praise p. 121. to 126. 11. Eleventhly Reviving Recollections and Solliloquies closing with the Song of all Saints Rev. 7.12 p. 127 to 1â—4 12. Twelfthly An Objection by the mere natural man answered and the party advised p. 134. to 142 In all which there is represented sure grounds of â—oud comfort under all the trials incident to the Child of Goâ— after regeneration from his birth in his life and death and after death his soul injoyments boâ—es rest and resurrection soul and bodies second conjunction small absolution and endlesse beatitude carrying also through the whole discourse from infallible truth the terrours of the Law against all that be under the Law all â—eâ—ding to 〈◊〉 serious study of keeping a Communion with God in the Spirit with a spiritual and chearfull conversation undeâ— all dispensations crosse or comfortable in that humblenesse and singlenesse of heart the fruits of saving faith which workes by love to the praise of the Author and our own peace And as to the additions of a preparatory Paradox explained in a comparison betwixt the first and second birth going before a subsequent survey of the first and second death resurrection and generall judgement they bâ— hereto annexed for making compleat the intended designe of delineating the pedigree of the new Creature from the right stock of his portraict from his true Parentâ— and Procreation his crosses conflicts comforts and confidences from the right Fountain in life and in death his restauration from death and darknesse unto immortall life and light of glory from the all-glorious and ever blessed Author of his being and this his most blessed well-being TO THE OBSERVANT READER UPON THE ENSUING POEM YOu who desire to know the plain tho strait Path-way to new Jerusalems high gate Whose pav'ment bright emboss'd with Gems be far More rich and fine then the most glistring Star In glore excells the boundlesse saphire bounds Of lights vast Curtain these pure Christall-â—ounds Whose azure Canopy and pleasant fields Great ground of soul-amazing wonder yeelds If any in designs so high aspires As to resolve through waters and through fires Of tort'ring trouble to climb the steep yee-rocks 'Twixt Heaven and earth in spight of Satan's strocks And will rest satisfi'd with nothing lesse Then Heav'n yea God Himself eternall blesse Resolving to endure all grief all pain All losse this great prize All in all to gain Lo here 's a Pilgrim who being guided by Truths sacred threed and Gods directing eye Is now come near his journies end not stayed By fained fraud or vain hopes not dismayed By force frowns hate or groundlesse fears expecting Gods call to enter Jordan and neglecting Fond vanities he 's looking from the top Of Pisgah by the eye of faith and hope Toward the Promis'd Land which to enjoy Through 's time he mainly did himself imploy But while God spares soul-wasting idlenesse He loaths and therefore on the Wildernesse Through which he 's come and all that did befall Him in his way there-through and in his call Thereto reflecting all he well observes And unto others carefully preserves Lo therefore here held forth thou 'lt clearly see Of Christian cases the diversity Sometimes rapt to the third heav'ns by loves wings They see their strange soul-ravishing sights and things Vnutterably glorious whence doth spring Amazing joy true peace which makes them sing Here neither reason faith nor hope but love And sense cause the soul-chariot-wheels to move Sometimes these soul-transporting objects be Vail'd whence flow darknesse great perplexity Afflicting trouble tort'ring grief of mind By which they are
the naturall man by natures light Convinced be but never see aright Till by the Holy Ghost he be renewed And in the heart by speciall grace indued And led unto the new and living way Where closing with his Saviour he may Discern from whence these waters spring that flow And make the barren fruitfull ground to grow Come then incline divine assistance can From nature thee renew a spâ—ritual man Aright to see His condescensions Applying by firm apprehensions Him shining clear in His Anointed Who is for thy approach appointed For He unmov'd all motions moves Which minutly His praises proves Extracting from most clear distractions A cluster sweet of solide actions For all that is was or shall be Is His eternall wise decree Whose high designs ador'd as His duration Admits no parallel or alteration Whom we in Christ our Saviour sweet must see Imbrace enjoy or die eternally But come and do not in your dreg remain Take up the Book and read and read again A serious Survey of this journey take This Child of Grace through all his tryals tract Here shalt thou see an unseen strength sustain The weakest that hath at the battel been And wisdome shining in the most unwise Might make affections in a rapt to rise Which in the Babe new born again doth grow Whereby he doth in Songs of Praises flow A Garden here with arbors for reposing A Jewel clear the ground of all rejoycing A Fountain whence waters of life do spring A Mountain thence thou may'st with safety sing A Spirit here perceive our sp'rits inspires With sighs and groans and answers such desires Come then in faith and as thou seeks receive Light life relief from darknesse grief and grave In brief behold these whole assertions here By proof from truth believed made appear And He above believing shall convoy Thee with Himself Himself for to enjoy Himself who is thy Potent Prince Victorious Light Life Delight and Lover only Glorious Come then attend His call and humbly say Come Lord thy servant hears and shall obey A SURVEY Of the FIRST and SECOND DEATH Closing with a SEPARATION-KISSE Betwixt two intimate FRIENDS The SOVL and BODY By way of DIALOGUE betwixt NATURE and GRACE Under the Names of FLESH and SPIRIT Heb. 9.27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die but after this the judgement Ephes 2.1 And you hath he quickned who were dead in sins and trespasses 1. THE body of man is of the earth naturall earthy 2. The soul of man is of a spirituall nature spirituall 3. The two joyned together in the time of life make up a person 4. The separation of the soul from the body is the naturall death of the person 5. The separation of Gods favourable Presence by His Spirit from the soul is the spirituall death of the person 6. All the Off-spring of the first man by his apostasie and disobedience are deservedly deprived of Gods favourable Presence by his spirit so come to the world dead in sins and trespasses 7. All these the naturall Off-spring of the first man that be left in this forlorn condition living and dying in this darknesse and ignorance of God and do never attain unto the first resurrection do ly under the first and be lyable unto the second death at the last day 8. The Elect and Chosen of God be by His free grace in a time of love called and by the effectuall working of His Spirit moved to believe His word and to joine with Jesus Christ for Salvation By whom neverthelesse that they be spiritually dead in sins and trespasses they are by His Spirit quickned to see and serve the living God dying unto sin and living unto righteousness and thereby made partakers of the first resurrection Against whom the second death at the generall resurrection shall have no place 9. To be spiritually-dead the mere naturall man knows not nor by reason of his atheism can know till the second death sieze upon him first at the seperation of the soul and body and secondly again at the resurrection and judgment 10. The Believer knows by woefull proof what it is to be spiritually dead by the dead works wherein they have walked before they knew themselves under darknesse 11. The Believer knows likewise what the second death means by being sometimes from provocation and sometimes from tryall deserted and often kept at distance and of such continuance as hath been both a hell of torments and hes bred fearfull anxiety and knows also and believes the Scripture-descriptions of the eternall torments never dying death and dolour that the wicked atheist must endure and perish under everlastingly As also by being condemned in themselves and saved by the Lord they know what it is to be absolved from that dreadfull condemnation 12. As to the dissolution of the body albeit it be a beginning of the second death to the wicked as it is a preparation to the second resurrection of the Godly whose souls are then feasting upon their Saviour His Face in Paradice It may be more properly named a Sleep as it is often in Scripture especially seeing the soul hes had her night of partiall separation in the body suppose but short in comparison of time yet under many sufferings whereas the bodies night in its element is free of trouble and for the length of time it is to rest there under darknesse It is not considerable in respect of the splendor of that day of eternal glory which is at the out-breaking And seeing it is with this temporall death of the bodie that the Believer hes only adoe let us look a little more particularly upon it and specially as it concerns the Believer It is appointed for all men to die naturall death being the separation of the soul from the body is rightly named unto mere naturall man the King of terrours A metaphor from a King or Tyrant who is unresistable for power unsatiable and unexorable for cruelty undefatigable for persistence furnisht with all manner of forces for execution in all places at all times through all the Continent where any of the sons of men takes life attending them constantly till every one of them fall under the fatall and finall stroak And there is nothing created in this Universe whether from within us or from without us from the furthest remote of the Stars to the least pile of grasse or pickle of dust which were all created for our good but hath been or may be the occasion of this dissolution As also by what means amongst so many and at what time so uncertain unto any that it is a wonder that the rationall creatures who knows themselves subject to it can think of it without terrour and most terrible that the most of men are over-turned before they think seriously of it But here appears the greatest wonder that ever any of the blind-born deservedly forsaken and self-lost generation of apostate man should come to know any more hereof then
rode I read in letters fair Love unconceivable and wisdome there And ever since when I such whisperings hear Flow from that buzing snake I stop mine ear ANNA We of the Citty sumptuously do live And to maintain our wealth do mainly strive So avaritious and luxurious grow As we in wealth and worldly honours flow But when our Lover doth remove the vail We see the rotten ship wherein we sail And fecklesse wares whereon our souls we waste Then to the death we do our selves detest But being bred in such societies As do advert unto varieties Of outward formes must civile be and neat According to our rank degree and state I have been shew'd by one that 's most sincere That many dangers ' mongst them do appear And that her self was fearfully afraid Lest unknown fear her weakness had bewrai'd And if I warned had not been before I might have splitted on this deadly shore But after deeper search I did perceive My self was nothing but a living grave Where noysome serpents in the members crawl The faculties infecting of the soul The soul again vain arrogant and proud For all her wak'nings walking under cloud Then after this I had a fearfull blink Which under desperation made me shrink But then even at the twinkling of an eye My Saver present set me fully free So as unto his praise I must record A self-lost soul was saved by the Lord. Thus my Redeemer so did me Redeem My danger and deliverance seen did seem So near and I so filled with conceiving Sense led me from the way of firm believing But in that sweetnesse when I fell asleep I swell'd up in a deadly fever deep And moving miss'd the Author of my joy So then my nearest friends I did imploy Who helps prescrib'd and potions did prepare To swage my swelling and my health repair But then there did such fears my soul assail Which through my weakness often did prevail To bring in question how to persevere Before the straits and tryals that appear I was brought very low but never heal'd Untill compassion with my Prince prevail'd Me to restore and make me surely see A stedfast faith was firm stability So when I look'd unto my Lovers might All faithlesse fears evanisht out of sight GRISSILLA We in the Academie that be nourish'd And fruitfull grow when we have early flourish'd Physick Laws Metaphysicks we debate What serves for mans soul body or estate And by our science and inventions then Reduce to order for the use of men But swell in pride and in disdain when we Others so far below us we espy And often our too curious spirits swerving Do over-turn our selves by our deserving For by deep speculation we do see Wonders that by none other seen can be Produc'd by natures force and render'd then In rare effects to be admir'd of men The stars in severall places we espy In constellations as they ordered be Desing'd for signs in ev'ry Variation Ascent descent degrees and inclination Severall effects on every severall thing That from the earth from air and oceans spring Gold Pearles Stones precious in the earth secured Deep steeping closely till they be matured Where by the stars they do procure their strength Of bodies short continuance and their length Of Animals Herbs Flowers their vertues all Their birth and growth their durance and their fall Which as in this clear prospect we do see By proof their operations learn'd have we And I one day these marvels so admiring Their causes and effects too much desiring To search by natures light And not adoring The God of nature but by nature poring In this deep study I was sorely stained With infidelity and then arraigned And left forlorn a little as I shewed Untill that by contrition renewed I accesse had and granted was to see That my dear Lover and Life-giver He Was natures Author and that her effects Were done directly still as he directs Afflictions fears and too much carnall care Temptations be which lead unto despair Again by grace resisting and repelling A devillish drift doth lift the heart to swelling And herein I much weaknesse have bewrayed But happily therewith hath been essayed For of his goodness I again do gain To guard against these vile debourdings vain ELIZA We who into the Country bred have been And little of the Court or Citty seen But in the Wildernesse alone were living Our bleitting droves unto the fountains driving Alongst the quickning springs and cooling streams Sheltr'd with sweetest sprigs from scorching beams Delighted in our silent Cipresse Bowers Adorned with the fairest rarest flowers And satisfied herewith as with silk Preferring to their sharpest spice our milk But under all this smooth sobriety Ingenuous care and frugall industry We live and die in ignorance indured And ly in gross profanity obdured And cannot see untill by speciall grace A brighter light do shine upon our face But after I was call'd and causâ—d to see And made asham'd of my profanity Thereby affected with my Lovers love That nothing else near to my heart could move The Devil then under a glist'ring vail My weaknesse unawares did so assail That I had drunk the poyson'd cup so deep My senses by the venom were asleep For he some instruments had so deceiv'd And to most impious principles beslav'd Under pretext of love to Christ alone Exalting him up to his Royall Throne With all that unto him do truly cleave That they by doctrines were not now to live That they are clean and cannot be defil'd Illuminate and cannot be beguil'd That all are theirs and all things common be Unto that love-bred love-fed Family With others such-like hatcht-patcht proofs so specious And drest with speeches seeming very gracious My carnall heart did presently affect To bring a present heaven in respect But when the way so pleasant did appear To flesh and blood I did begin to fear And took me to consult with truth divine So as the Majesty therein did shine Of Holinesse and Righteousnesse so clear The filthinesse and folly did appear Wherein they swell perverting truth so far That they obdur'd unto conviction are And hereby found I also out again That I unstable facil was and vain And so alas have blasted been and broken With all these blustrings whereof you have spoken Have seen my self self-lost self-damn'd and saved And yet so senslesse and so self-depraved So far corrupt so foolish and so frail Conceits impure so much with me prevail And yet with mercy and compassion clear Am compassed more than I can admire For I to wrath my self do still expose But my Redeemer still doth interpose And when I would my self in darknesse cast I rescu'd am for he doth hold me fast And when despar'dly I would make retreat From this new City and these pleasures sweet And searches every postern gate and lirk My own destruction cruelly to worke By separating yet I am surrounded In so wise windings wherein I am bounded And breath'd upon even
how far above All finite apprehensions And unconceiv'd dimensions is His unchanged love Essentiall Simplicity Only sublime Infinity Supream transcendent Blesse Eternities unreachable Perfections unsearchable are absolutely His. This is our King He doth us claim And takes EMMANUEL for His Name us for his Spouse redeem'd Who unto sin and satan slav'd He sanctified hes and sav'd adopted Sons esteem'd Who is it then condemne that can The faithfull fruitfull Christian to Him that doth advert Where is that tribulation Affliction or tentation that can procure thy smart In this life Christian canst thou crave Better then did thy King receive since He so well allows Full freedom from these felt annoys And feelings of eternall joyes for all that Him avows Should we not chearfully with fear His dying in our bodie bear with Him who are to live Whose life shall be made manifest In such as purely have profest His Truth and thereto cleave Take courage then let come what can Christ and his crosse O Christian doth now the Crown preceed Delight to see the old man slain The New man form'd in thee again now by the divine seed Reviving Recollections and Soliloquies closing with the song of all Saints Rev. 7.12 SONG IV. O What sore troubles we endure By listning to the lyars lure What rescues rare do we injoy From dangers that should us annoy Bemisted under shadows here See not the perils that appear Till after trials we do track Them to the spring by looking back Darts of destruction daily flees From devils swift like swarms of bees The noysome Pestilence by night Maliciously pursues with might On Scorpions and on Serpents dread And on the Cockatrice we tread But sheltered be and and well preserv'd When they upon their spleen are starv'd And when we any pain abide Is it not when we step aside That on this stage we may fulfill Our task by time the truth untill And we by these characters spell The power that hes no parallel And by observance due do see That He hes an all-searching eye His retributive justice here And mercy precious doth appear Here doth the Well of Wisdome spring Knowledge and truth whereof we sing For in all generations Regions respective Nations In all imaginable places And in all conceived cases To all all times and every one All things are done by Him alone And done so well and wondrously That all men may admiring be And as they do admire adore His Royall Attributes before Whereby in time we timely taste And after time shall ever feast Upon that fulnesse when we shall Himself enjoy in and for all But Oh! How is 't that we can move In this infinity of love In this sublime simplicity Perfections and purity Immutable and all things moving Eternall Omnipotent proving O! What infirmity it is To slumber under so high blesse But Oh! How is 't we are not dying Th' excellencies that passes seeing Hearing knowledge or conceiving Till they come out above our craving When the Members all shall meet Incorp'rate in the Head compleat And as they have preserved been Unsearchably as they are seen Till one by one they be prepar'd And in appointed time declar'd All members moved by the mind Of him to whom they are inclin'd As by the weak resemblance here Of flesh and spirit may appear A fabrick wonderfully fram'd And strangly from the fountain stream'd Compos'd commixt conjoin'd divisive Wov'n var'ously visive invisive Hundreds above in numerous places Which from their office never ceases So naturally by nature led And by the vitall spirits fed Which by the soul her influence pure Unseen is set in order sure And seated in the brain doth move Each member for the mans behove And every instant at her will All powers do their part fulfill And she is every where perfecting Preparing dressing and directing As may make for the common right Wherein she daily doth delight How much more may we then believe Above what here we can conceive Of Him our Head who hes received More spirit then can be conceived And measures out abundantly To every member mightily All sp'ritual graces and anoints us As in His wisdome He appoints us Into our stations as seems meet To Him in whom we are compleat Anone alone that glorious day His Saints He shall so sweetly swey When we in regions ordered are Shining above the brightest Star Or as in constellations standing Minding only His commanding Who only minds the glorious blesse Of God who Universall is O happy day of all delights Wherewith compar'd are nought but nights The best of by-past dayes alone Compact and quintessenc'd in one One glimpse of which desired day Shall all afflictions past defray All anguish and perplexities Digested in festivities Of sp'rituall joyes for ever springing In His face to give us singing Renewing every minut store To raise our notes for evermore When all the mysteries manifold In Heavenly Pallaces inrold To admiration be revealed And nothing can be known concealed Which wondring still then shall we move Wrapt and rapt up in very love When many mighty men shall mourn And unto dens of darknesse turn Who desp'ratly did grace despise And mercy offered could not prise God to offend would not refrain And wisdomes warning did disdain Are now forsaken and in anguish Left eternally to languish And before felt-wrath shall flee Like lightnings sclenting through the skie Under the doom of torments chief Dying ever never relief Where Saints the righteous judgment reads That from their righteous Judge proceeds And all about the Throne the more Him in his mercy shall adore Then judgment just and mercy free The Dâ—apason sweet shall be Of all that Harmony compleat From members seeming infinite Ordered through these vast dimensions Extending over apprehensions And comprehended only be By the infinite Deity About the Throne of Glory then These millions of Elect men Through all that blessed boundlesse bounds With various and with vocall sounds With Angels pure pure Seraphims Exalt their King with holy Hymns For as the soul is full refin'd When glory thereupon hath shin'd So shall the body be made meet For to possesse the Holy Sp'rit By whom these curious Organs may Well managed His praise display In soul and body both to bring All Glory to our Glorious King SONG V. Of all Saints Rev. 7.12 Amen Blessing And Glory And Wisdome And Thanks-giving And Honour And Power And Might Be Vnto Our God For Ever And Ever Amen  AMEN AMEN for evermore Blessing to God whom we adore And to His Name which Glorious is Glory ascend in Glorious blesse And to the adored Deity Wisdome in all excellency And unto Him free Grace doth give Thanks-giving be by all that live And to His all-honoured Name Honour duely do proclaime And to Him who us preserves Power ascribe who power deserves And to the King Almighty high Might and eternall Majesty Be by all the Elect moving Unto God in Jesus loving Our God alone One Holy Sp'rit God
they be of a spirituall nature yet know not neither can they put any thing in practice but naturally Yet herein further consists the unhappinesse of man that he cannot conceive nor will he be taught to understand that there is any more excellent happinesse attainable than that whereunto they have attained or may naturally come by Whereas the Believer after many calls wakenings warnings purposes promises shifts and debates being in the peremptory time of Gods appointment the time of love effectually wrought upon by the Spirit and word of grace and truth unto a gracious wakning quickened and illuminate to see themselves under darknesse and spiritually dead without God in the world and posting on in the way of destruction and so deservedly wondring that he is not long ago swallowed up in the gulf of irrecoverable wrath Seeing also the Vail rent and the entry made by the New and Living Way for a gracious relief and hereby beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord is translated from that naturall darknesse to his marvelous light And lanching forth into this Ocean of eternall unconceivable love where the deluge of unsearchable and self-destroying misery meets with the incomprehensible deeps of infinite mercy where plunged as in the extreams of contrary Tides swelling to such heights being heaved as it were to the Region of the Air and hurled as if they should be instantly sunk in these death-destroying surges of despair And yet so strengthened that they see the wonders of the Lord who before they be aware commands peace to appear maketh all quiet and by the breathing of a sweet and soft gale brings safe to the shoar And now reflecting upon the by-past and naturall lost condition first in the guilt of the most base and irrationall revolt of Originall defection and then in the stain and stintlesse superfluities of naughtinesse daily sprouting out in actuall provocations grieving Gods Spirit and now vexing the New Man Observing also and recenting the long-suffering patience rich mercy free grace eternall and unchangeable love that hes followed them in that miserable condition melted and made them up in a new mould so as the old things are past and all things are become new to them They are set upon a two-fold task 1. Of selfdetestation as self-destroyers and 2. Of Saviour-admiration in their deliverance hating denying and forsaking themselves loving imbracing and relying upon him in a continued fast of abstinence from all that hes been offensive to His good Spirit and studious to know and delighting to do whatsoever may be well-pleasing unto Him who hes been doing all things well for us when we were disdaining his divine bounty and this being the vast difference betwixt the man in his naturall estate and in the state of grace and that no man hes ground of boasting of any thing in themselves more then another and that there is no warrant to any man to despair but for confidence in following the means appointed sincerely And the matter being of greatest consequence I have been taking the more particular notice by way of comparison betwixt the first and second BIRTH and growth in a most familiar way how any under the least degree of grace may most easily discern what progresse they have made And have annexed hereto the portraict both of the new and old man the better to inflame the affections to the love of the one and loathing of the other Not that it is possible by any comparison imaginable whether real or supposed to decipher the unsearchable mysterious way of the spirit in the soul of the elect in the Ordinances of conversion or that either Ordinances or instruments can make effectuall the work of God begetting and bringing forth the new creature unto life without the enliving power of the spirit of the new life in the Ordinances Nevertheless seeing the Lord hes appointed and blessed means wherein he will shine and whereby he dispenseth His grace very reason is convinc'd that the means are to be followed And this comparison is no further to be streached then in a rationall way to incite the reasonable party to a reverent attending with attentivenesse to the Ordinances and a confident dependance upon the truth and tendernesse of the Author obedience to whose authority is ever well taken and never any forsaken that have been sincere seekers of Him according to the perfect rule of Scripture-truth THE COMPARISON AS the mater of the body of man by the supreme Ordinance of God in the ordinary â—ct of generation is conceived brought into form and capacitate to receive the spirit of life and the â—oul being created and infused in the body doth operate unto the perfecting of the body and so by the Lord 's singular and gracious preordination they do become one compound creature for the discharging of the offices of an intelligible spirit joyned with the Organs of a bodily substance whereby to conceive and by words and actions to expresse according as they shall be by means ordinar or extraordinar naturall or supernaturall taught as the first Mover shall see meet Even so the word of the Gospel containing the seeds of the New Man by the Ordinance of Preaching and the ordinar act of hearing impressions are left upon the understanding and will for conceiving and bringing it into form quality and capacity to receive the spirit of spiritual life which creats and infuseth grace in the soul whereby every Elect Child of God according to God's gracâ—ous preordination in this new creature by tâ— efficacious operation of the Holy Ghost is ingrafted in the Head Jesus Christ and by thâ— Union inabled unto the performance of all Christian duties incumbent to the New Man anâ— that by degrees according to our growth and increase in knowledge and experience either unto doing or suffering according as they be moved oâ— called thereunto But as in the naturall generation after the Infant hes received form life senses and faculties but not come out unto the light and so withouâ— the object and exercise of them but lying undeâ— darknesse in this weak condition the brittle embrio is in hourly hazard of imminent destruction from causes seen and unseen innumerable and often proves abortive by an over-slow or over sudden birth Even so the life of grace by the Spirit and Word of the Gospel being conceived yet is the New Man overclouded with much naturall darknesse the Devil taking advantage of the time sets to work all his machinations musters up all his legions lies in ambush with swarms of temptations assaulting from all airts uncessantly from corruption from carnall reason from suggestions naturall and unnaturall wearying the poor youngling with fearfull wrestlings â—ut faithfully guarded against this malice by the â—uthor of his reviving Only the yoke of â—ondage from the undeniable endictment and â—itnesse in his own guilty conscience dragging â—im back to the justice seat of a sin revenging â—od to receive the righteous doom of his own â—righteousnesse
delihgts most eminently move His countenance the Suns bright rayes obscures His love the adamantine heart allures His wisdom all His works in order dresses His might maintains His right and pride suppresses And I am bound His bountie to believe Which changes not but shall my sp'rit relieve In His good time on whom I do rely And studie shall my self how to deny Sam. Now art thou happy and my heart is glad To see thy faithfull heart from fainting fred Hold fast and follow hard with firm desires Faith quenches not but kindles sacred fires Hele. It doth become me well to wait I see But Oh again that He would smile on me How shall I find Him out and where I pray Sam. Hold straight believe me thou art in the way Deck up thy self approach He sees thee come And with His comforts shall thee overcome The Royal King a Princely Garden plants With curious flowres and thither daily haunts Feeding among the Lillies smelling Roses Nuts Spices and perfums composing Poses A sweet Loves feast for thee He doth prepare Down in the fruitfull flow'ry valleys there And from the valley shall convey thee thence Where thy try'd faith in that long long'd for sence Is swallowed up there where the marriage loves Exceeding all conceiv'd desires thou proves There where He shall thy faith bred soul imbrace Within the consolations of His face Wherein the splendor of that brightnesse poring And in the glory of that glore adoring Renewed rayes immortall life restoring Admiring magnifying and sweetly soaring High up amongst these holy heavenly hosts Of glorious and glorified ghosts With golden harps about the throne who sing New songs of their redemption to their King Hele. O but these sweet expressions relish well My frozen heart begins to melt I feel These words unto my wearied soul I think Like precious oyl so savingly do sink Slides down like my Beloveds wine so sweetly Wakens from sleep my tongue to speak compleatly O that once for Himself He would me seal What can be nam'd that may with love prevail Insist therefore For I do gladly hear And till the tongue be loos'd shall lend the ear Sam. The weakest means have force enough to move Affections when they be surpriz'd with love He cals and sees thee come from mountains steep Which Leopards and cruel Lyons keep Leaning on thy Beloved who doth love His truth and strength at length to see thee prove Observe with me this brief gradation now And I shall cease a space and hearken you For help to our capacity compare The outward splendor of this fabrick where By nature from the caverns of the womb Out of which dungeon to the world thou came Again compare the difference aright Betwixt this Paradice and that dark night Of nature which the other so transcends As over bodies lively sp'rits ascends And there the diff'rence vast again conceive Betwixt the life of sense we shall receive And this of faith wherein we forward thrust Untill we be refined in the dust When interruptions all shall be removed And we inlarg'd to love as we be loved In knowing and injoying him who is The Author of our everlasting blesse In this gradation we may something see But under what it is infinitley SONG I. Light out of Darknesse Hel. INfinitely most certainly for feeble we Conceive aright cannot these mysteries The spot upon our blotted eyes rejecting These rayes which yet with splendor bright reflecting Upon the then capacitated sp'rits Which warming beams affections invites But so transcendent that our present case Such super-excellency cannot imbrace For dazled with these glistring gleams What we receive seems be but dreams When we let slip by our secure neglectings The grip of faith glaming at these reflectings Spare therefore to compare our deepest apprehensions Do but impair his praise whose love 's above dimensions He is more fragrant when he 's most remote Then nearest dearest loves whereon we doat Conjecture then when he appears so near That thou may'st touch and taste and smell and hear Tell if thou can this other man And so we shall recall our long debate And treat of love for all For mine he is and I am his And who could wish so high a blesse As to be treas'ring up a stock of praise While we are hurling through these whirling dayes Sam. Now my dear friends it seems to me ye shrink And I may well conjecture what ye think I shew'd you first that you should surely see Matters to make you much a musing be Eliza. This sudden change makes me indeed admire And yet the reason must of thee enquire And that she may be prayed to proceed That on her fulnesse we may further feed Song I. continued Hel. God in his Saints ador'd admir'd My soul exalts this day desir'd Of his free grace he hath appointed Among this fellowship anointed With ghostly graces for my grieves So as my life a new revives Surpriz'd with sense of love so far That flaming my affections are And for the time can do no more But th' Author of this love adore And gladly would be set to sing The praises of my Spouse and King And to record his noble acts Who passeth by my fond mistakes And smiles upon my face again That I may faithfull hence remain Now all you sweetest saints that uses To haunt these shads you sacred Muses And Graces that with me did groan In my distracted mourning moan Earth rivers all below above Come sympathize in songs of love Of love above all parallell so far As stars above the earthly glob that are You Groves and Downs where erst I deadly lay I 'le rise and dance about your doors this day Eliza. Oh now for stirring spirits that could move Amongst the flames of this heart-forcing love Amongst the wonders of this world most strange What can compare with this sweet sudden change This day of gladnesse let us now agree To solemnize this glorious victory I reverence do the Providence Divine Which in this meeting doth so clearly shine But for to sing or say confused here I cannot speak or do but still admire Sam. Come I will take thee by the hand we 'll go With her alongst these Downs and Groves also Where she hath wandred in her weighty dayes And cease their sorrow with a song of praise Then South begin and blow upon our Myrtle trees And North proceed to show thy strength to eternize This glory in each airt a crosse the continent The whole Creation may with our Love-songs consent Now rocks begin to roar for ye's the Treble take And trees attend your lowre for ye's the Tenor make My self the Base shall be Muses be ye the Meen So we shall seriously sing Solace we have seen SONG II. Life out of Death Sam. SAy on say on solaced sweetly surely we have been Jea Play on play on sense-moving mater surely we have seen Rocks We's roar and cry Trees Our strength we's try Our roots lay by With startling
affections were Fixed upon this glorious Star Which lightens all the Stars above And on poor welps lets out this love MAZE 8 Types and emblems Rev. 5.6 9 10 HEre does the Rose in Sharon lively grow The faces of the comers colouring Here living waters from the fountain flow And graces be abundant bullering Here feeds the Pelican her fainting brood Dying but being revived by her blood The Phenix tasting death death to subdue Life to restore and nature to renew Captives to rescue here the Lyon dread see and adore The Lamb in suffering death a ransome made man to restore Thy faith-bred thoghts unto these theams confine Where these transcendent mysteries do shine For every minut in eternity New marvels in this mirrour thou shalt see Join with heavens holy host in heavenly hymnes Sing hallelujahs with the Seraphims Amongst these pregnant Spirits ever poring In this abysse of blesse and joy adoring Adoring God whose wisdome bountie bright Doth shine so fair in this dark cloudy night Infer confer when thou com'st out to see These mysteries clear what shall that glory be MAZE 9. Loves union Joh. 17.22 23 NOw Happy Holy Ones who sees The Myst'ry sweet of Mysteries How from that Myst'ry myst'ries flow And from that Wonder wonders grow Fitting for souls eternall thinking When the Redeem'd are ever drinking At the Cisterns of salvation In the cups of consolation Life from the ever-living Fountain Moving on the unmoved Mountain In that celestial Communion Sublime and unconceived Union Where never then incensing stain Unto rebuke shall us arraign Nor possible again seclude From this felicity so good Of joyes transcending and exceeding All that on his face are feeding Past separation quite which is The Crown of our eternall blesse That blesse all finite thoughts above Feasting upon eternall love Where from the splendor of illustrious beams Grace in immortall glory ever streams THE FIRST STEP TO THE JEWEL NOw in this Garden where we have been using And in these Mazes moved unto musing And be returning to our Cypresse bowres To take a breathing for some silent hours Let us beware for we in danger be To sleep away our sweet tranquillity We members of the Body mysticall Which Militant we ordinarly call Are to regard the universall cases Of all the parties in their sev'rall places Common desires delights designs devoted As this State-int'rest best may be promoted So when in person most remote we are We may in sp'rit be best imployed far Now let us try this course in our retirings Fervent and faithfull be in all desirings And dutifull endeavours for our King And for His cause so shall we daily sing And let us ever in the faith be eyeing Him in His glorious actings as by seeing We may the more by grace enlarged be His glorious Name for to exalt on hie And in our secret Soliloquies then How God hath granted grace for gracelesse men Recent resume and so the sp'rit compose As you in sp'rit may sp'ritually rejoice But O! what drousinesse and what decay Infirmity and failing we bewray When from the Garden we debarred be For any space untill for new supply The Silver Trumpet sounding in our streets For fainting souls a new approach invites For help this precious Jewel as the Root Of all the Garden spices flowers and fruit For spirit feeding feasting smelling healing Apply'd to thy affections for prevailing Effectuall prove for in these Gemmes imbosed All vertue efficacious is inclosed With fixed eyes and warm affections ponder And as thou dost revive rejoice and wonder The second Step to the JEWEL THis Microcosme Man of wonders full By God made wonderfully wonderfull And in his lively image made to live By breathing in this life that he doth give A compend of the whole Creation bright In whom the Divine Nature took delight There to converse as in a mansion meet Doth join with lifelesse dust a living sp'rit This soul doth all in all the parts remain Of all the body for the bodies gain Relief and preservation in all cases Her self unmov'd whose action never ceases So and infinitely above what can Imagin'd be by any soul of man The glorious Creator doth possesse His blessed Self in all this Universe Containing all things uncontain'd unmoving His glory in all motions promoving Which shining in His Name and nature prove No change to be in His eternall Love As by his operations appear That Majesty to man and angel clear By dyving wherein there is true delight Untill through darknesse we arrive at light The JEWEL of Jewels The LORD our GOD who 's only PURE In TRUTH and GOODNESSE doth endure PERFECTION JUST OMNIPOTENT OMNISCIENT and OMNIPRESENT INFINITE ONE WONDERFUL All these rich Gemmes in this fair Jewel seen All in all All all 's involves In our believing all resolves Believing knowing presupposing Fervent love and full rejoicing In these most sweet enliving Beams True living reviving Streams frō this one All who shining is In Bounty Beauty boundlesse This Pearle rare transparent doth contain ETERNALL BLESS and MERCIFUL EMMANUEL and high COUNSELLER LOVE LIFE and only COMFORTER UNCHANGEABLE and WISDOM bright LONG SUFF'RING sweet GRACIOUS LIGHT The use of the JEWEL THis firmament of starry constellations Planets Signs Poles in sep'rate scituations Which from the Sun the Prince of Stars receive Inliving vigour to the life they have On this Terrestial Glob from every Airt Their influence on bodies all impart To every sev'rall kinde by sweet infusion Diffused variously without confusion Wherein infinite multiplicity Each one may plead these heav'ns were made for me Like Iron and Adamant alike affecting And all things else except themselves neglecting Since then the God of nature hath impos'd This naturall necessity compos'd Dead Elements to quicken and revive Procreate preserve restore and to enlive The vegetives and sensitives what then Can be the glory he for elect men Reserv'd hath in himself to let them prove The force of servent free and fountain love In moving to discern with open eyes Aright a sight of divine mysteries This Garden treasure JEVVEL every jem Spring from that sweet sublime eternall stem In Gospel Ordinances so resplendent Industrious divinely condescendent And every one in every one so vive That every one doth every one revive Whence flow these various flowers that do affect Spirituall senses to a sweet reflect Cordials of comforts here ingrafted grow And soveraign balm from precious spices flow That by the influence of refreshing beams And constant current of spiritual streams Upon the proper object so effecting Directed duely by divine directing And straightly darted out from every point Curing securing every severall joynt From that One-All unmov'd eternall pure Where infinit perfection doth endure That Omnipotent Omnipresent is And Omniscient savingly to blesse In Him the Son of righteousnesse by name Emmanuel high that only glorious beam Where wisdom full of wonder shines so bright In ord'ring all these works of wonder right That goodnesse may be seen
distrust Him for our Conduct through death unto that Life and Kingdom that He hath purchast for us at so dear a price Or shall we not rather desire to endure what we can be able for him and to be with him who hath indured for us so much to have us with him from under the power and out of the reach of the sting of death which is now a vanquished enemy and not to be feared but become a friend to be especially loved And albeit the carnal part would keep us in exercise under the apprehension of a swift and sudden death which were dreadfull is not the spiritual part to be the more studious to make our calling and election sure and to be the more vigilant with the wise Virgins for the coming of the Bride-groom And if a lingring disease be apprehended it may prove a precious time for better preparation If violent and extreamly painfull it is the more speedily past If inflicted by the Persecutor of the Profession in whatsoever maner then it is accompanied with the highest degree of blessednesse for the Spirit of God and of glory rests upon you and great is their reward in heaven who suffer for righteousnesse And if by that which the natural man calls accident seeing all things in his eyes fall out alike to the good and to the evil Yet the Believer knows that nothing falls out but by a well-ordered providence not so much as a hair of their head to their hurt much lesse shall they be forsaken when they have most ado with present and immediate supplie And whereas some of Gods Children who have been of a long continuance in the Profession singular in their conversation and zealous in duties have been at a very low ebb for mater of comfort in the time of their departure And others also kept under much wrestling and conviction when as some of lesse note and esteem have had all their sails filled with the sense of that soul-saving sweetnesse that meets them from the Mediator at the time of their removall As also some very weak men have been wonderfully born out under most fearfull torments inflicted upon them by the Persecuter and others of far greater expectation have fainted and fallen off when the peril appeared and yet have been reclaimed by repentance and found mercy Some also we see that have lived very civilly all their dayes have died under much darknesse and without any signs of a gracious wakening while as others that have been most abominable in their lives have made a glorious end And now in contemplation of all these various dispensations may we not and must we not see and adore the glory of the Lord both in Soveraignty and Wisdom And is not every Believer unto their own felt and sensible experience in every passage of their severall exercises exceedingly benefited unto their increase of their inward and spirituall consolation And the beholders that are as yet making on to the way helped unto incouragement and confirmation Hereby also may all flesh be taught to finish their salvation in fear to beware of swelling under sense and of sinking under absence of prescribing Providence or ascribing any thing to our selves but subscribing and submitting absolutely in all things to the holy and good pleasure of His will with whom we have to do denying our selves relying and depending upon Him like little children making our entry into the kingdom of heaven by what way He will have us to go who is the Author of our vocation preservation perseverance and perfecting resting in quietnesse and confidence till we see the great salvation of God THE CLOSE IN A SEPARATION-KISSE Betwixt two most intimate FRIENDS The SOVL and BODY By way of DIALOGUE betwixt NATURE and GRACE Under the Names of FLESH and SPIRIT Spirit DEar Saviour now my soul receive Flesh blood and bones slide to your grave And separate sleep from grief and pain Till gloriously we meet again Flesh Shall now these tearms so oft repeated Be instantly for all compleated And must I now in dreadfull night Deprived be of Life and Light Oh had it not far better been This life that I had never seen Sweet Ghost is there no remedy But thou must go and I must die For of a meeting who can think When sinfull I in slime must sink Spirit It 's true no man by nature sees Nor can perceive these mysteries That by believing we conceive And do the earn'st thereof receive When our affections have been feasted Upon the fruits that we have tasted We part a space our grace to try Thou' rt not annihilat more then I And thou redeemed art from death As I and from eternall wrath Flesh I do confesse and call to mind At former warnings of this kind By force of these truths truly tende'rd Sometimes my soul have freely render'd But now it seems that too too slightly I have past by not ponder'd rightly How I to thee or thou to me Shall come or when I cannot see Were we not first immortall made And but by accident do fade Canst thou not now who grace hes found Find also how we two be bound So fast incorporat may remain Untill our Saviour come again Spirit Dear Flesh resist these carnall notions So marring and untimely motions Thou know'st it was our vile revolt That Paradice did on us bolt But now no losse incurres thereby Our Head exalted lifts us hie 'Bove by creation what we were Then earth 's below the highest star When I was sent thee to assume Could'st thou then know that I should come That seed whereof thou was congeal'd Thy Parents from their food did yeeld Digested which from fish flesh grain And fruits they had receiv'd again These grosse ingredients whence were they But from worms water grasse and clay Do not therefore dear mate repine But to thine element incline Till the refreshing time returne And turne thee up out of thine urne When all the Elements shall sweat Purging their drosse with fervent heat And tendering out our substance true Like drops refin'd of Cristal-dew While every soul shall be attending Their bodies fitted for ascending In that dread revolution glorious Dreadlesse thou shalt ascend victorious When all this world these wordly frameâ— Shall be burnt up in fiery flames When all the Heavens shall be roll'd And at an instant roundly scroll'd Sun Moon Stars Signs and Planets seen No more then if they had not been The glory of the Lord obscuring All sights and lights were most alluring He He alone then only being The sweetest Object of our seeing Nor shall there in this swirle be seen Confusions but conclusions clean Appear from these purpos'd decrees Establisht from eternities Perform'd peremptorly in time Now at the tinkling of this Chyme Like as our Horologe in part Keeping the method of the airt Unto the stinted time doth carry Not wearying nor seen to vary But at the period of the hours When she is most to shew her powers What