except some two or three Who rank't among the greatest Hero's be For some strange facts which are of them recorded And yet their present ages scarce afforded Such honour to them because they did foil Their actions by that humour which doth spoil All it possesses because it declines The common road where the Worlds glory shines Though they the hap had by the after ages To be inrol'd among the wiser Sages But think'st thou that the World is now the same It was before it had the Christian name Nay sure for then it was not as yet drencht In that religious water which hath quencht Its former fiery Meteors and hath taught How men may freed be from all that 's naught Though yet they practise it for being wet With that same water they a new form get For that suffices any to make clean Especially if they the golden mean Of moral virtue joyn'd with pollicy And a prudential conformity Unto the most and greatest therewith hold And to reprove their faults be not too bold Now the broad way is best though heretofore When men were blinder and did stocks adore The narrow way was best The case is not The same it was because we now have got God and the World in one so reconcil'd That nothing may be counted now defil'd But what the common road doth go beside Yea now the World it self is Deifi'd Its power its ways its pleasures all are Gods What now is joyn'd in one set not at odds Bow down and worship therefore without fear The power the greatness and the customs here Do as the most do and as those that be The greatest in esteem and thou shalt see Nothing but good betide thee what dissents Therefrom avoid Be sure thou make no rents In that great body nor to other spirit Incline thine heart then what it doth inherit Swim down the tide fear not but it runs even And carries thee the direct way to Heaven Think of no other Heaven or happiness Then what the World doth now and shall possess Dream of no other pow'r of God then what Doth in the Worlds great persons terminate Nay give thy heart and senses scope enjoy What pleases them avoid what doth annoy Come do as we do be not overwise To think of things unseen believe thine eyes It 's a fanatick fancy to believe In and for things that thou canst not perceive By verdict of thy senses and thy Reasen Against their Soveraignty commit not Treason Still those loud noises then that thou dost hear So frequently to sound in fancies ear Alluring thee to mind strange things unseen Which they do promise thee there ne'r hath been Nor shall be greater happiness and bless Then what thou now in this life mayst possess For sinee the old Fathers have faln a sleep We see all things their wonted courses keep And all those glorious things they promised Appear but fancies of some doting head Let not vain hopes into thine heart intrude And of thy present comforts thee delude Nor let vain fears prevail upon thee so As to cause thee those pleasures to forgo Which here thou mayst enjoy while thou do'st gaze After unseen enjoyments and amaze Thy self with dismal fears while Heaven and Hell Thou think'st on thou thereby away do'st sell Those opportunities the World doth give A merry pleasurable life to live Take hold thou fool o' th' opportunity And be not gul'd so as to pass it by Go joyn thy self with yonder gallant boys Go hawk and hunt with them go taste their joys Roysters Come on young man with us cast in thy lot Do as we do come take a pipe and pot Let 's lay in wait for blood let 's take a prey Let 's rob some innocent that rides this way We 'll swallow them alive whole as the pit Rich spoils and booties to our selves we 'll get We shall all pretious substance catch and find Such booties as will satisfie our mind Cast in thy lot amongst us le ts have all One purse in whatsoever shall befall We 'll share alike come we shall such fruits reap As will rejoyce our hearts and make them leap Christ. Take heed dear Soul avoid them do not go In the same way with them it leads to woe However sweet and profitable it May seem to thee thou there wilt ruine get For they do lay in wait for their own blood They 'll loose their Souls in stead of getting good Roysters Come let us feast and frolick let us dine At yonder Tavern ther 's a cup of Wine Most rarely brisk it moves it self i th' cup It 's generous Wine and saith come drink me up Let 's have a game at Billiards or at Cards Be merry now think not of afterwards Christ. Take heed dear Soul mind what will be the end Thou may'st thy self a while in pleasures spend But in the end thou wilt it sadly rue Be warned by me what I say is true The Drunkards and the Gluttons poor shall be They shall be cloth'd with rags Look not to see The colour of the Wine or whatsocre To sight or Taste delightful may appear T' will sting thee as an Adder at the last Bite as a Serpent when the pleasure 's past Woe sorrow and contentions and babling Wounds without cause redness of eyes 't will bring Hardness of heart too so that on thou'lt go And nothing fear till thou art drown'd in woe They that love pleasures will be poor at last And they not rich who love good chear to taste F.W.D. While life and youth and strength wit do last Do not thou them in Melancholly waste In thinking of a God and Heaven and Hell And such strange Objects as on man can tell What kind of things they be embrace the breasts Of this brave World frequent her costly feasts Let not the pleasant flowers of the Spring Pass by unpluckt away thy fancies fling Possess the joys this present World affords Break thou the bands and east away the cords Which that religious Spirit doth bring to bind Thy Soul withal so strait Set not thy mind On those conceits it doth to thee suggest Shake out those blacker motions from thy breast See yonder 's a brave Damsel a spruce Lass Ready to court thee can'st thou let her pass See what an amorous look she hath her eyes Sparkle like Diamonds beauty in her cheeks lies Her lips drop Honey and her mouth 's like oyle No Wen or blemish her fair face doth soil Her very garments sweet perfumes do breath Sure she is more delightful underneath What do'st thou think that witty nature made Thy senses and thy members to be laid Aside as dead and stupifi'd while yet Thou art alive shall such a fancy get Possession of thee as thy self to make Like to those images thou do'st forsake That thou should'st eyes have and nought with them see Ears and not hear the things that spoken be Or what may please thee shalt thou have a tongue And not say
's the top and height Of all our happiness That God with us we enjoy thus The Fountain of all bless 184. All which we have in Thee And with Thee perfectly Who can Thee reach or who can preach All thy perfections high 185. Oh thanks for evermore To God and to the Lamb Through Gods grace good and the Lambs blood It is that here we came 186. Where sulness of alâ— joy And pleasures evermore Our portion be therefore we Thee For ever do adore 187. The Scriptures we need not In dark they were our light Thou art our book on Thee we look And all things see aright 188. Tou art our GENESIS In Thee we were create Thou' rt our Beginning without Beginning And End beyond all date 189. By thee we out of dust Or nought our beings had All things in Thee to us are free And we have nothing bad 190. Thou art our EXODUS Our goings out of thrall Thou didst us save deliverance gave By thy high heav'nly call 191. Thour' t our LEVITICUS Through Thee to God we clave Through thy Priesthood and offrings good He never did us leave 192. We also to be Priests Were all by thee anneald Our Leprosie is cleans'd by Thee And all our issues heal'd 193. Thou art our NUMBERER In thee inrold we be Where God doth own in thee is shown Our Genealogie 194. Thou art our Second LAW A perfect summary Of Gods mercies and our duties We do in thee descry 195. Thou art our JOSHUAH Our Saviour Judge and King What we omitted or else forgetted Thou to our mind dost bring 196. It s thou in EPHRATA That hast done worthily Poor Gen iles thou when they did bow Hast lifted up on high 197. Thou art the perfect Scribe The writer of Gods Law Freedome declar'd and all repaird By thee we also saw 198. The poor and patient JOB Made poor and rich again Who thee opprest at thy request Yet mercy did obtain 199. Thou the sweet Singer art The chief Musitian who The Instrument didst first invent And play'st upon it too 200. Thou art our PSALM and Song Our hearts and tongues always Thou through thy love dost tune frame move To fing forth all thy praise 201. Thou only fulness hast All without thee is vain Thou art the Preacher and heavenly Teacher Who dost in Salem Raign 202. Thou' rt the Beloved one The swift Roe or young Hart The Song of Songs to Thee belongs Who its chief Subject art 203. Thy Testimony is Of all the Prophets old The quintessence and thou the sense Of Proverbs dost unfold 204. Thou from a low degree Hast rais'd us to the Throne The Righteous seed Thou hast all freed Here 's Lamentations none 205. Thou art the Gospels sum The tidings of great joy Blessings have we and peace in Thee Nothing doth us annoy 206. Thou Gods Epistle wert His mind in Thee He writ When we absent were he thee sent And Thou discoveredst it 207. Thou art the end of all In Thee God doth unfold And hath reveal'd what lay conceal'd In Thee we All behold 208. Thou all art and in all ALPHA and OMEGA Wherefore to Thee ever do we Sing Oh Hallelu-sah To the Holy Spirit 1. ANd yet again wee 'll sing and strike our strings Wee 'l shew forth whence the spring Of joy that makes us sing Oh 't is a glorious Fountain whence it springs 2. It is the Holy Spirit which he inherits Who did redeem us when We all were but lost men And purchast us to God by his great merits 3. The Spirit of Life which hath fil'd up our Faith And quenched all our griefs With his Cordial reliefs Hee 's Author of our good rejoyc'd us hath 4. He fils us with divine life as with wine And always flows into us And doth such glory show us That to rejoyce we jointly do combine 5. And cannot but rejoyce with pleasant voice And that continually And to Eternity With joys and gloryings in him rare and choice 6. That holy Spirit we will With utmost skill Set 〈◊〉 and magnifie And 〈◊〉 his love glory By whom God and the Lamb did all fulfil 7. He one is of the three in whom do we Live love and whom we doe Worship and bow unto Whose glory 't is our happiness to see 8. The glorious Father wild the word as skild Being that deep wisdom In which the will doth come Devâ—'d the Spirit of might it all fulfil'd 9 The Father and the word with one accord Decree'd devis'd to give Being to all that live And was the Spirit that being did afford 10. He is the mighty hand which the command Of the Father and the Son Which did through all things run Effected gave the world to be and stand 11. He the Heavens high out spred and adorned According as Gods will Holy and wise in skill Pleas'd to determine He them fashioned 12. The very crook't Serpent to his intent He form'd and all beside That was or doth abide According to Gods great commandement 13. He man to understand and to command All things in Earth and Sea That he did make to be Did form and fashion by his mighty hand 14. He is the fulness which is the most rich Forth-going of the High Father and Son whereby All things He built and as a tent did pitch 15. In him there is no less then all the bless And blessed vertues high Which do dwell perfectly In God and in the word and they possess 16. The fulness of all good like a great flood From the Ocean going And all overflowing Yea fuller 't is than can be understood 17. He from God and his word with them one Lord Searcheth the things most deep Which God in Christ doth keep The knowledge of them t is he doth afford 18. One with them twâ—â—â— was He As well know wee In all their councels old Most high and manifold Therefore they all by him declared be 19. Blest be that Spirit of grace who in its place Did both a body frame For the Word and th same Sanctifie that no sin might it deface 20. The eternal Spirit the same who did us frame Seeing us in sin dead And helpless pittyed Us all and blessed be his holy Name 21. He that we might from sin be freed wherein We lay condemn'd prepar'd As He had fore declar'd That blessed body unto us a kin 22. And fild it with his power that in the hour Of death and darkness He Upheld was did not flee From that great cup of vengeance sharp and sour 23. To which he by this Spirit that he might merit For us Redemption Accurst the Cross upon Did yield himself that we might Life inherit 24. Thou Spirit most blest didst raise within three days That body up again Loosing of Death the pain To justifie us for which we thee prasse 25. And for those infinite perfections bright That are in Thee and all Thy works both great and small Thou carryedst up that body to
heavens height 26. To glorious dignity and Majesty And him also thou dost Fill full oh holy Ghost The fulness of the Godhead bodily 27. Through him Thou gifts did give That we might live Even Thou from him sent forth Gav'st heavenly gifts of worth Whereby men through thy grace errour outdrive 28. And 't was all times before Upon that score Of that great sacrifice Which Thou didst fore-promise That thou didst testify the love God bore 29. Thou blessed Spirit forth came And in Gods name The spirit of Truth thou did What before time lay hid Take and unto Men didst declare the same 30. Yet not to all that were Didst thou so clear Their minds and manifest Gods councels ever blest But unto some as thou pleas'dst didst appear 31. Through Christ the Father did his counsels hid By thee declare to some To whose minds thou didst come And with whom as thou pleasedst thou abid 32. And those things to be writ thou didst commit Moving those thereunto To whom thou didst them show According as thou wisely didst judge fit 33. Though Thou didst also go convince and wooe The world of mankind bad When they by their sins had Themselves destroy'd in a great overthrow 34. Thou art the wisdome high Of God whereby All called were to turn Though many men did spurn Yea we rebelled also grievously 35. That Spirit which did strive with men alive Before the flood of old With reproofs manifold Who did their souls of happiness deprive 36. Of that sweet peace comfort and great support Thou gave'st to those that clos'd With thee and not oppos'd With them thou dealt'st after another sort 37. Thou would'st not strive with them who did contemn Thy counsels always but Did'st give them up and shut Them up in blindness yea did'st them condemn 38. But unto those that turn'd though they had spurn'd Sometimes against thee too Thou didst declare and show The secrets of the Lord with love that burn'd 39. Thou art the Spirit of love From God above Who 's love it self and from The Word his only Son And thou in great love did'st reprove and move 40. That thou to good might'st move thou didst reprove And where thou found'st a way Thou man'st it didst convey Thy grace like waters even thy sweetest love 41. 'T was love thou shew'dst from God when as his rod Sometimes upon our bace Because we were so slack To goodness he did lay in love thou chod 42. Thou art that power and strength whereby at length We though we stubborn were Were brought to approach neare To God to see and hear him Thou gav'st strenght 43. Thou wrestled'st with us so Oh there is no Such wrestler as thou art That thou o'recame'st our heart And made'st us from our sins depart and go 44. In and from thee we felt Gods love to melt And bow our hearts and draw Them when they frozen were In thee power dwelt 45. And dwels for evermore Thou heald'st our sore For 't was by Thee our Lord In and by his good word Did heal us we thee laud and praise therefore 46. As thou gav'st forth Gods mind Thou did'st it find Also in this good word So it was thou O Lord That mad'st it of such force to break and bind 47. Thou mad'st it powerful to convince us so That what we were as we Were in our selves we see That we did nothing rightly see or know 48. Nor that we could that do that us unto God might bring back or keep Us from the dreadful Deep Of Hell or us again redeem therefro 49. Thou therein did'st display and 'fore us lay The glorious things of Christ Worthy ay to be blist So as thou mad'st our hearts on him to stay 50. 'T was thou and Christ in Thee whom so long we Provck't and made to wait Upon us at the gate Of our hard hearts Blest let that patience be 51. It was thy long-suffring that did us bring Salvation while thou there Our many faults didst bear Thou brak'st our stiffness well we may thee sing 52. Hadst thou been quick and rough T 'had been enough To have destroy'd us quite For cause enough thou might Have found to have destroy'd us much bad stuff 53. But 't was thy truth thy grace and that sweet face Of Christ which thou didst show Which did prevail to bow Us to thee while thou gav'st us such good space 54. Thou wer 't that strength and power whereby each hour We were supported all And kept from that sad fall Which would us have destoy'd Thou sweet'st our sout 55. Thou art that strength whereby the victory Over our Enemies We gat and did arise Up from our foiles and falls and did not dy 56. Thou wert our Comforter by thee we were In all our sorrows chear'd By thee our eyes were clear'd Thou didst us in thine arms carry and beare 57. All good from Thee we had for we were bad Love joy peace patience Meekness faith abstinence All our good fruits and all that made us glad 58. 'T was thou that drew us so as made us go After the Lamb although Through much sorrow and woe Losses crosses and what the world could doe 59. Thou art that Spirit of hope which at the scope Didst make us look the Rest And great reward possest Now by us Thou did'st shew 't beyond all trope 60. Thou shew'dst it and our eye it to espy And wistly to behold Whereby we were made bold Thou didst direct and fix continually 61. When Death had seis'd upon Our flesh and bone And grave had unto dust Converted us Thou just And holy Spirit raisedst us alone 62. By the Good will of God and him that trod The grave down in his strength Thou didst us up at length Raise and revive Thou art the mighty God 63. Thou art that River claer that free from fear Hast set us fully and Mak'st us firmly to stand With joy in presence of the Lamb most Deare 64. A mighty River pure constant and sure Thou with thy sorce hast thrown All oppositions down Ans Thou us fill'st with joys that shall endure 65. With joy with peace with good as with a flood Fed from the Ocean great The mighty Throne and seat Of God and of his Lamb which shed his blood 66. Thou fillest us for ever for they can never fail or abate but flow Without all end no low Ebb shall befall us Nought from God shall sever 67. Nought from that Ocean and Sea without Sand Those wates Christalline Most pure and most divine In their enjoyments we shall ever stand 68. For Thee in every heart evern thee who art Th' eternal powerful spirit We do ard shall inherit A band so firming us as we can't part 69. From God or Christ or each by any breach From other thou dost give Us without change to live Eternally and ever Thee to preach 70. Thy glory 's infinite thy glory bright Oh Fountain of de ight Oh Ocean infinite Oh infinite
them all doth take Into a nearer union and doth make An everlasting Covenant with them Their sins to pardon their souls not condemn He 'll be their God and guide their portion great Their Head and Husband they with him shall eat And drink and rest and dwell and see his face He will them dearly love He 'll them embrace He 'll kiss them satisfie their souls with good He 'll over flow them with a mighty flood Of peace and happiness and they remain Shall ever with him ever with him reign The Soul of Man like to a female is Anima f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And its desire is strongly after bliss And to some other thing as to its male It doth subject it self for it would fail If left alone as by it self to dwell For then it doth sink down to death and Hell And many things there are like Males to it To which it turns it self seeking to get From them its pleasure and subsistance and Subjects it self too unto their command The World or Spirit of it Mundus m. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that magnifies The things below and such vertue as lies In them that courts the soul which nat'rally Since it from God is fallen sets its eye Vpon its pleasures pomps riches and fare And what the objects of its senses are To this it turns it self to this it flies On this for peace and safety it relies For this it lusts and its imbraces wishes Opens it self thereto likes well its kisses In it delights and to it it self yields Desires its gifts of Money Houses Fields What ere may please it and protection give And make it in good plight and rank to live But this World 's empty fading false and vain And if the Soul match to 't 't will prove its bane The Wicked one even the soul spirit Diabolus m. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that sets The heart on Mischeif when He therein gets Possession stirs up unto strife debate Oppression violence pride envy hate He courts the Soul too and it s oft beguil'd By him and with those wicked seed's defil'd Conceiting sweetness oft in any thing Which unto other men may mischief bring A Spirit of error and false Prophecy Is He ofttimes to Heaven but by a lye Pretending and in divers shapes appears And some great how and port He often bears As if he came from Heaven and led thereto Yea usually the name of Christ also He can assume though 't is but in deceit Th' unwary Soul the easlier to cheat For He doth always turn the Soul away From the true Christ who down his life did lay For our offences and from that good word Th' Apostles preach't and what it doth afford Not singly leading it to Christ that He Its Lord and Saviour in all things might be On him to trust his counsells to observe But to some fancy leadeth it to swerve Or else some other work law power or name Doth joyn with Christ Adultery with the same Leading the Soul to practise whereby it Misseth Christ's blessing and his wrath doth get For Christ indeed the only one is Chirstus m. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who Hath power received from God the Soul to woo And He alone that for the Soul hath done And that can and will do for it that none Besides him could or can and therefore He Alone its Bridegroom worthy is to be He all things hath that may the Soul enrich Content and cherish He from all things which May danger it will safely it defend And bring it to an happy glorious end But naturally the Soul doth not Him know Nor what a one He is but looks below To things unto its senses manifest Thinking in their enjoyments to be blest And if it see a need of any thing Beside to after-Bliss it for to bring Then usually it plays the wanton whore Some form of godliness it will adore Wherein the World and Devil too it may Have fellowship withal and with them play And sport it self and yet be godly too And some fine easie outside service do Or if some stricter course it yields to take As it can be at cost and pains to make It self a graven Image as of old The Israelites to make a Calf of Gold Would with their Jewels part its the design While with the Spirit of error 't doth combine To be its own Redeemer or to get A righteousness or Name wherewith commit Adultery it may for oft with more Than one false Spirit the Soul doth play the Whore But only Christ is worthy it to have Who from the Heavens descended it to save From Sin and Death and pow'r hath all to give Which may make Soul and Body both to live And He by 's Word and Spirit and those in whom These are and work unto mens Souls doth come Inviting them to him but not that He With other things only should partner be In their affections and their worships but That all things else from the heart being shut He might alone the Sovereign power obtain It to command and over it to reign That it to him its love and confidence May singly give in the belief and sense Of his great worth and goodness and submit In all things to his wise dispose of it The Spirit of Wisdom which comes from on high And doth of Christ and his things testifie And into their hearts who have him received Inspired hath the Truth to be believed And by them wrought such miracles as none Besides them in the World have ever done He calls men unto Christ his voice is Come To Christ for Righteousness and for Wisdom For Pardon Peace for Strength for Holiness For Freedom from all evil for all bliss The Church or Spouse the Bride of Christ who knows And singly to him cleaves she him forth shows And not her self as the false Church she wooes For him alone Yea every one his voice That hears and in his goodness doth rejoyce Is both allow'd and bid to call men to This Blessed one and them for him to woo It 's only the false Church that magnifies Her self and hides his glory from mens eyes Oh come ye come ye then to Christ I pray Come all that thirst all that want help and stay Support life comfort guidance righteousness And what may satisfie the Soul with bless All that are heavy laden and opprest Come unto Christ and He will give you rest Come come here is a Fountain open set Exposed to you all whence you may get Freely what good you want Here 's what will make You fully happy Come these waters take Here 's no restraint ye may all come and buy Wine water milk without price or Money Only let go your lusts your Idols and What with the love of Jesus will not stand Part with your sloth with diligence attend At all his posts and pillars in the end Ye shall him find and whatsoere ye want That is good for you
Judgment too This Canto fullyer doth show That men must reap as they do sow Which by examples manifold Both in the bad and good is told Where all God's justice may behold Yet that nor good nor bad have here Their full rewards is here made clear Till Jesus Christ to judge appear Which that he shall is here exprest The Resurrection and the Rest Of the just too made manifest IT being reasonable that the Lord Who doth such eminent favours afford To man should give to him a holy law Requiring that of him he stand in awe Him worship and obey with thankfulness For all the love he doth to him express He will too as with men its usual Him in due time forth unto judgment call And render to him as his works shall be Rewards and punishments as ye may see All Laws and Governmens are guarded so By promising rewards and threatning woe To those that under them do live as they Those laws do either keep or disobey To what good purpose should laws order'd be If they who break them may yet escape free And not for any thing they do sustain Due punishment by either loss or pain And if th' observers thereof be neglected And nothing better be therefore respected Even so God who his laws unto man gave Observes too how men do themselves behave Whether they do submit their necks unto them Believe his sayings readily to do them Or whether they the reins to lust do give And to themselves and their corruptions live And them accordingly he will reward As they regard him or him disregard See'st thou not this discovered oftentimes While evil men who do commit great crimes Though they do think themselves to be secure Are brought most heavy judgments to endure Is not God by his righteous judgments known While wicked men are thereby overthrown In their devises witness that great flood Which overflow'd the old World and which stood Above the highest mountains when the World Which wicked was was into ruine hurl'd For those abominations which they Committed stubbornly from day to day Refusing by good Noah to be warn'd Yea me in him they set at naught and scorn'd For it is I the Wisdom and the Word Of the Almighty and eternal Lord Who by my Spirit do dwell in holy men And lead them forth with boldness to condemn And fault the Worlds great wickedness because They take no heed unto my righteous laws It was my judgment executed in Those five great Cities famous for their sin Sodom and her near neighbours overthrown By Fire and Brimstone so as ne'r was known Before or since because they cast away My counsels from them would not me obey The Word and Wisdom of my Father high Who to the sons of men do use to cry To shew them what is right and what is wrong What doth to them and what doth not belong My words those sinful Cities thrust away And after strange flesh vilely went astray Pride idleness and riotous excess Was in them and the poor they did oppress And lewdness they committed therefore I In flames of Fire from Heaven did make them fry What should I mention Egypts haughty King Who proudly my commands away did fling And with his people badly did intreat My people and did them abuse and beat How did I judge them and with plagues them break Because their bad ways they would not forsake Making them warnings to all Tyrants that In after ages me and mine should hate I Plung'd them strangely into that great flood Or Sea whose waves mean while on both sides stood Of my Elect whom I had chose to be A special lot or people unto me What should I speak of Saul and Haman and The Jewish Nation for in every Land Such monuments of judgment oft have been In whom and what befel them 't may be seen That there 's a God above whose eyes behold The proud who him contemn and are so bold To break his laws and walk in their own pride Nought can them from his powerful vengeance hide Whereas on th' other side He doth protect And shew his favour unto his Elect His worshippers all such as do him fear And to my wholesom counsels do adhere Though He be pleas'd their faith sometimes to try Them from the dross of sin to purifie And divers ways to exercise them till His gratious purpose He on them fulfil That so their vertues might more brightly shine And God more fully shew his pow'r divine In their support and in that inward might Wherewith He them indues in the Worlds fight When all the old World who from me had swerv'd Was drowned how was righteous Noe preserv'd And in an Ark was with his houshold kept From that great deluge which the wicked swept Away without escape so Righteous Lot When Sodom was consum'd was not forgot But by an Angel was deliver'd out From that strange show'r of fire which round about All things burnt up so soon as he from thence Was carry'd out And what a sure defence To Abraham Isaac and Jacob too Was the Almighty Lord when they did go Into strange Countries few and strangers how Did he defend them because they did â—ow To him and his words keep yea how did God Rebuke Kings for their sakes and with his rod So frighted them that they durst nothing do Against them which their harm might tend unto How did he help chaste Joseph and him keep In those great suff'rings and those dangers deep To which his envious brethren did him sell And by his wanton Mistress him befell Who falsly him accus'd because he did Refuse her unclean lust of God forbid To satisfie at her unchaste request Preferring a clean conscience in his brest Before the amorous kisses of a whore Which would have ruin'd him for evermore How did the Lord in him his power display And goodness too both in the time he lay In prison-house where irons pierc'd his Soul God gave him patience in that sad and foul And painful tryal and was with him so As that he favour found the Jaylour fro And when God from the prison him released Having him thereby tryed as he pleased For unto such great honour he him brought As never by him could have been forethought To make him Ruler over all the Land Of Egypt that all men might understand That though God try his friends and them prepares Thereby for mercies yet he for them cares And when they fitted are he them advances Above their foes designs and all bad chances Did he not Israel in Egypt too And in the Wilderness cause him to know To be their mighty helper and their aid Their strong Redeemer from those griefs that made Them sigh and grone and from those dismal fears Which them encompassed for may years How did he bring them out from that hard Land Of bondage by his great and mighty hand What wonders wrought he for them at the Sea And in the Wilderness what things did
woes from us proceed It was not long of him or of his creatures Their parts their sweetness beauty goodness features Nay Nay these Devils though they at us thrust By their inticements moving us to lust Are not the reason of our punishment For God against them did us so prevent That had we him but minded and obey'd We had resisted them also and made Them flee away But wo wo unto us We were the reason why we perish thus Though it be true that we in Adam fell Yet we are not for that damn'd to this Hell Though thereby we fell into death and grave Yet Christ from that Destruction did us save So as from them we were rais'd up again And shall not those things any more sustain That Death and Hell have given us up and we Now in a worser pit tormented be Though we were dead in sins and trespasses And could not our selves quicken or redress Yet Christ who died for us and doth live Did by his quickning Spirit such power give When he did call us in the day of grace That then we might been able to imbrace His counsels and instructions 'T was our will Our wilful choice of evil did us kill The creatures which we sinned by were good Had we by Christ's assisting power withstood Our lusts and the temptations of the Devil Christ would us have defended from all evil Oh had we now again those things which we Abus'd to our destruction we would be More thankful for them and would better use them And not as we have done before abuse them How would we serve the Lord with all our store Which we unjustly kept or spent before Oh we would be more righteous and more just Deny our selves and would not serve our lust Oh had we but those opportunities We have mispent before we would be wise How would we hear and read and fast and pray Watch against sin our Idols cast away None should by force or flattery withdraw Our hearts and service from God's holy law We would obey the Laws and Magistrates So far as in the Lord we might Debates And strifes and hatred avarice and lust We would detest with all that is unjust Oh how would we serve God! we would him fear And have a care never to come more here But now it is too late the Door is shut The time of grace is past and we are put Here by an irreversible Decree Whence never more delivered we shall be This is that Tophet prophecy'd of old 'T is large and deep indeed for it doth hold Innumerable more then may be told And for the King the greatest sinners it Prepared was and they are in this pit The cursed Serpent with his Angels all Who did from their first habitation fall And mightyest men who mightily have sin'd Most mighty miseries do herein find The mighty Spirit of God his mighty Power Like to a stream of Brimstone every hour Doth seed these dreadful flames while it doth show And make us feel that we do justly owe The bearing of these torments because we Rebel'd against his light and would not see But wilfully reject his profer'd grace Would not his counsels nor his love embrace Which things he doth to us so evidence And set so strongly on our conscience That we can't now out of our breasts them shake As we were wont Oh none these flames can slake These flames of wrath God's wrath did burn before But Christ did quench it by his sufferings sore But we by our rebellions have again New kindled it and we must bear our pain No other Sacrifice doth now remain For Christ will no more dye for us Oh we Must bear for evermore God's just decree Had we been but admonished before The time of grace was out before the door Of mercy was bar'd up we might have lived But now of all hope we are quite deprived Now we be helpless hopeless easless too Nothing can now avail that we can do Nothing is here but wrath nothing of love No help nor hope of help now from above And all our earthly comforts are quite fled With which we all our days sins committed While we did live on Earth we had our health Meat drink cloath fire warm lodgings houses wealth Yea many of us rich attire did wear Had great attendance lived without fear And if at any time we were not well Yet many mercies still with us did dwell We had our beds to ease us neighbours and Friends oftentimes were ready at our hand Servants to wait upon us and attend us Chyrurgions and Physitians to amend us We had our mitigations intermittings Changes of postures lyings walkings sittings Varieties of meats or drinks to see Whether with this or that we pleas'd might be But now alas these comforts all are gone And mitigation of our pains here 's none No variations here to lessen grief No intermissions nothing for relief We us'd to guzle down excessively Cup after cup but now we are thirsty For something to refresh and cool the tip Of our now flaming tongues but none may dip His fingers end into cold water but All means of easing us are hence out shut We cannot now call for this or that meat This or that cooler to allay our heat No sweet perfumes or odoriferous smell Nothing but Brimstone and the fire of Hell Immixed wrath and which doth yet extend Our misery there is thereof no End Eternal punishment eternal grief Oh never never end never relief Oh might we live ten thousand years as slaves Might we but then go back into our graves Or twenty times ten thousand years might lye In these most dreadful flames might we then dye Were we but mortal as we were before But oh this Endless Wo this Evermore It sinks and breaks us Yet we cannot dye To sense of torment to Eternity This us up swallows 't is the Hell of Hell And passeth all things else that we can tell Wo wo wo wo oh wo and well-a-day Wo wo unto us wo wo wo who may Our misery conceive oh doleful state No heart can it conceive no tongue relate Oh doleful state of those that wicked are Hear oh dear Soul be warn'd and keep thee far From what doth lead thereto be rul'd by me And this Condition thou shalt never see Canto V. Or the Joyful Canto The joys of Heaven and Songs of the Righteous Awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust Isa 26.19 This Joyful Canto doth declare The happy state and great welsare Of those that in Christ's joys shall share What songs may fit that happy state Though their injoyments then so great Will be as no pen can relate First songs the Father cheifly eyes The second the Son magnifies And praises his great victories The third songs wholly to this tend The Holy Spirit to commend And then this Canto hath an end BUT on the contrary the Righteous men Shall have great pleasures and rejoycings when They go into eternal life
They who refus'd And it abus'd His justice must abide CIII Those things that we Could not so see While mortal flesh we had For then our sight Was not so bright Though we saw what did glad CIV These things we now Do clearly know Their reason now we see Our vails are gone Darknesses none Within our hearts now be CV We see it 's true In time most due God sent his only Son Of woman made As he had said As ne'r before was done CVI. Angels it see And did agree With joy it to declare Angels and we Agreed now be And knit together are CVII Though in our flesh Us to refresh It was that Christ appear'd For us to dye Our death thereby To vanquish which we fear'd CVIII Angels had not Our flesh or spot Of sin therein as we Yet they who stood I' th truth were good And joy'd our good to see CIX Under the Law The Word us saw Under the Law came he That he that way Our debts might pay And by Death set us free CX Our bands to break He did them take And with them he was bound God's cords we burst Christ was accurst That he might heal our wounds CXI We were condemn'd Who had contemn'd God's holy Word and will He was contemn'd Misus'd condemn'd Our evils did him kill CXII For us he dyed Being crucified Sustain'd a cruel death Was broke with grief Us'd as a thief Till he gave up his breath XVIII His grave was made And body laid With the rich and unjust His honour high Despis'd did lye All cover'd up with dust CXIV Oh wondrous sight Oh love most bright Never the like was seen That one so high So low should lye Poor caytiffs to redeem CXV Of men what one For men undone His Son would so abase For enemies That him despise That they might be in place CXVI Yet such a love The Lord above To us when poor did show For bankrupt us He made him thus To pay what we did owe. CXVII His wisdom here Did strange appear The World was pos'd hereby Its eye was blind And could not find Hereof the mystery CXVIII This it befool'd This it quite gull'd This cross so cross did lye They stumbled here And could not bear That 't was God's Son did dye CXIX It did deride And crucifi'd This mystery again As if that he God could not be That such things did sustain CXX This wisdoms height Did dim the sight O' th' Serpents eye so sore He could not see Those heights here be Yet did against them roar CXXI This brake his head This down did tread His craft and power who Had man brought down And quite ore-thrown Into a pit of wo. CXXII Here wisdom we And power did see When God did clear our eyes The law fulfil'd Its curse was quel'd Whon Christ from grave did rise CXXIII For here it was That God did pass Sentence upon our sin He judg'd it here Christ did it bear For us who fell therein CXXIV This vanquisht Death Appeased wrath Did justice satifie Pardon for more Then Adam's score Was purchased hereby CXXV Great pleasure here As did appear God took who the third day Without delays Did him up raise From the grave where he lay CXXVI And did him take Even for the sake Of what he suffered To be on high In his body And of all power the Head CXXVII Here God did lay A certain stay And sure foundation Of all his acts And mighty facts For man's salvation CXXVIII Of all our hope The under-prop While we had not attain'd Of all the bless We do possess Now we the end have gain'd CXXIX Here lay the ground Here God did found Our slidden hearts and feet Hence all the flood Of all the good Wherewith we ere did meet CXXX Yea on this ground God did new found The Earth and World again Both as it was Till it did pass And as it doth remain CXXXI Here he fulfil'd What was forth-held Of a prepared Feast All ready here That might us chear So as no want i' th' least CXXXII The holy Spirit As he did merit Fully God did him give That for his praise He might us raise From Death and make us live CXXXIII From darkness great Wherein we sate From Death to Life from Thrall To Liberty Of his mercy Thereby he did us call CXXXIV He sent forth light He gave us sight And turn'd our hearts to mind What he held forth That so its worth And goodness we might find CXXXV He gave his speech And did beseech Us to consider well He gave an ear That we might hear The things that he did tell CXXXVI Full oft when we His light did see We winked with our eyes It did displease us It did dis-ease us Faulting our vanities CXXXVII Ofttimes we heard But then we fear'd Least what we heard should mar Our false pretences Wrong confidences And put it from us far CXXXVIII Ofttimes we felt The power that dwelt In him and in his truth Almost we turn'd And yet oft spurn'd Thus dealt we from our youth CXXXIX Oh how we lov'd What he reprov'd How loath with it to part From idols vain How loath t' abstain Although they caus'd us smart CXL But oh his love That did him move To pass by our misdeeds He did forgive And made us live His gratiousness exceeds CXLI In misery That we should dye He had no will at all He interceded And for us pleaded And yet again did call CXLII His patient Good deportment His lamb-like gentleness His suffering long Our many a wrong Oh what tongue can express CXLIII How oft his love Did our hearts move And make us to him look How oft did we Look back to see The Idols we forsook CXLIV It was the strength The power and length Of his dear love unto us His words of grace His pleasant face His constancy to wooe us CXLV His excellence His love immense The freeness of his grace Which caught our heart And made us part With all him to embrace CXLVI Oh had he not Ofttimes forgot Our great unkindnesses And look't away From what each day We acted quite amiss CXLVII If with his eyes Iniquities Against us he had markt How we rebel'd Our lusts fast held The light he gave us darkt CXLVIII We had been then Like yonder men Who cast out of his fight Do yell and cry Most hideously Throughout their endless night CXLIX But there is none Save him alone None like him constant is His constancy Was our safety And brought us to this bliss CL. Can it be told How manifold Our stubbornesses were Our great neglects And disrespects Committed year by year CLI How much to do He had to wooe Before he did obtain How oft in heart We did depart When wooed from him again CLII. What vanities Did draw our eyes From looking him upon How often we Refus'd to see His great salvation CLIII How dull we were His voice to hear How oft we stopt our ears How we
thus Can so set forth as suits it's worth Here 's work enough for us LXXVII Thy mighty arme O Lord Did to thy self obtain This vishory though we thereby The benefit did gain LXXVIII Thy glorious Father who Had chosen thee to this Who thee beheld and in 't upheld Then took thee up to bliss LXXIX Oh how his soul was pleas'd To see this field thus won Such conquest got over that plot Which had us all undone LXXX Oh how he did delight Thee to receive up then Placing thy Throne his right hand on Above Angels and Men. LXXXI And as he had thee chose This battel for to fight So did he chuse thee still to use In all his acts of might LXXXII He made thee to be Lord O're all things low and high That they should be subject to thee To all eternity LXXXIII And that thou might'st us bring To all this happiness Thee he appointed and eke anointed To glorious Offices LXXXIV A Prophet he thee made To us to prophecy To shew the way which to thee lay And guide us in 't safely LXXXV And our High-Priest to be Having such sacrifice Up-offered so accepted As God will ne'r't despise LXXXVI And that thou may'st always Before his face appear For men to plead and intercede Their sins away to bear LXXXVII And be the way whereby We might an access have To th' holy place to see God's face And fully us to save LXXXVIII And also to be King Of Saints and Nations too Such to protect as be subject And all their foes ore-throw LXXXIX To all which Offices As Man he thee ordain'd As a reward of that most hard Service which thou sustain'd XC And that unto all these Thou might'st well furnish'd be That his fulness thou should'st possess He granted unto thee XCI Of which he did thee judge Most worthy so do we Angels and Men both now and then That thou should'st highest be XCII Thou only worthy art Oh Judah's Lyon stout To take that Book and on it look That 's seal'd within without XCIII The Book of Prophecy Or of God's counsels deep That none unseal 't could or reveal 't None now have cause to weep XCIV Thou Lamb was 't found most meet To open it and read It to unfold thou may'st be bold Who for our sins did'st bleed XCV And by thy blood us bought From every Land to be God's Priests and Kings and o're all things On Earth now reign do we XCVI Yea all the Angels too Fully agree to this That thou who was 't slain for us hast Most worthily all bliss XCVII Power wisdom riches strength Who may like thee possess Thou art worthy Kingly glory And as a Priest to bless XCVIII That what thou did'st obtain Thou may'st distribute too Such honour bear as every where Thy Fathers will to do XCIX For such was this exployt In which thou won'st this field That every thing to thee as King All honour well may yield C. And worthily thou hast In all thy power behav'd Thy self in all did since befall Wherein thou hast us sav'd CI. For other battels yet Remain'd for thee to fight In which thou too thy love did'st show Thy wisdom strength and might CII When thou had'st won that field And right to us had'st got Such yet our state we did thee hate Or to thee yielded not CIII Although the Serpent had No right to us at all His arms were gone law he had none To keep us still in thrall CIV Yet by his subtlety He still did hold us fast And to him we subject would be And freedom would not taste CV For what we had from him Received formerly Did yet remain in every vein Working effectually CVI. We yet were ignorant Errour our minds possest Lust in us lay and bare the sway No good was in our brest CVII For yet we knew no thee Who such things for us wrought Yea falsly we conceiv'd of thee In our vain mind and thought CVIII Oh what a do had'st thou To gain us to thee here For through the lies of th' enemies We much bewitched were CIX So much aâ—hored we To their false flatteries Our eyes we clos'd our selves oppos'd Against thy verities CX Against us then to fight We caused thee that we Our foes might leave and thee receive Our God and guide to be CXI Though not against us so As what did us mislead And us detain'd fast bound and chain'd Did'st thou therein proceed CXII It still was thy design Our sinful souls to save But to destroy what did annoy Our souls and them inslave CXIII A double edged sword Proceeded from thy mouth One edge kil'd sin and did us win To love thee and thy truth CXIV The other edge cut down Those who held fast their lust Cleaving to it into the pit Of wrath thou them hast thrust CXV And such our folly was Our loathness sin to leave That with th' unjust we might been thrust Our portion to receive CXVI But blessed be thy love The spring of all our good And blest thy truth which from thy mouth We heard and understood CXVII And blest thy patience And thy forbearance great Away to throw us thou wast slow But thou did'st for us wait CXVIII Oh had'st thou been but quick Our many faults to mark We had our lot with those forgot Who perish in the dark CXIX And blest thy holy Spirit Which â—o thy truth display'd That by his hand it t' understand At length he us all made 120. Blest be thy wisdome too And thy great skilfulness In ordering all that did befall In all occurrences 121. Thou hast the Learned's tongue In skill thou art expert Both to imbrace and hide thy face To kill and to convert 122. Thy way is in the deep Thy footsteps who hath known Hadst thou nere frown'd and us nigh drown'd We had been overthrown 123. By Chastisements Reproofs Darkness and waters deep Thou hast us oft fought out and taught And us from Hell distd keep 124. By them thou us hast oft So nurtur'd from our youth As us inclin'd and bow'd our mind To listen to thy truth 125. Which through thy gentleness And grace therein display'd Though oft withstood yet 't was so good As us 't obedient made 226. Thou rod'st on prosperously In meekness truth and love Which did us melt when we it felt And our hearts to thee move 127. Such were the ways whereby Our hearts thou didst subdue Error expelling and Sathan quelling And making us anew 128. Though divers methods thou With us was pleas'd to take As thou didst see might meetest be Thy people us to make 129. When thou didst us espouse To thy self by thy grace Us in thee planting and to us granting To have a fixed place 130. Wherein thy love was rich Surpassing every thought That we of thee branches should be Who formerly were naught 131. For we deserv'd â—â—ave been Cut down and wholly cast Into the fire to have the hire Of all our evils
of the creature and the Lord forsakes For what advantage can it be unto The soul when it its body shall forego That it had Wife or Husband House or Land Riches Honours or pleasures at command Yea Crowns and Scepters while the body it Inlive'ned Oh what profit will it get From any or from all those things when in The depths of Hell oppressed with its sin It shall have its abode can they relieve Its misery when it shall mourn and grieve And wail its folly No alas too gross For it a Spirit they are its sad great loss Of me and of my favour cannot be Made up by any thing it here could see For then no drop of comfort can it have How ever earnestly it may it crave This that thou may'st the better see mind well Another true story that I shall tell There was a certain rich and wealthy man Who far'd deliciously each day that ran Over his head was clothed with the best And finest silks and linnens wherewith drest he glitter'd bravely and all things he had Which this world could afford to make him glad There also was a poor and piteous man Cal'd Lazarus a Cripple lean and wan And full of sores who used to resort To th' rich mans dore and beg for some comfort His hunger-starved body to relieve But the hard hearted Churl would little give His dogs more kind than he would very oft His sores lick gently Death at length hence caught Poor Lazarus whom Angels did attend To guard his soul from every evil Fiend And carred him to Heaven where he did rest With great content in Father Abrahams brest Soon after 't came to 'th rich mans turn to dy And leave the world for no satiety And fulness of this world could always keep Him here alive but the black dismal sleep Of Death surpris'd him when a quiet end He seem'd to have circled with many a friend Amending on him till his life did fail When they did seem his death much to bewail Although his heirs were glad enough at heart That they might share to each of them a part Of those vast heaps which he had laid in store For after times and witheld from the poor From all which now they beare him to the grave Where rich and poor like intertainment have Save that they on his Funeral bestow'd More cost and worship and his greatness show'd On a more stately Tomb or Monument Whereon they ingrav'd his name to the intent It might not be forgot but before then His wretched Soul was hurri'd to the Den Of damned Spirits even to the pit of Hell Where what his torments were what tongue can tell This wretched man stript of his pomp and state And all his riches which he had of late Lay then in flames of fire tormented sore Because he had abus'd his wealth before Spent it on 's lusts relieved not the poor Had slighted God his truth and grace contemn'd Therefore to torments he was there condemn'd Where not one drop of water could he get Whereby he might allay the burning heat Wherein his wretched tongue that us'd to boast Great things blaspheme God curse the poor did roast And fry in flames which caused him to cry And howl and roar and yell most hideously When lifting up his woful eyes aloft He ' spyed that poor Lazarus whom oft He had disdained to behold before When he lay lame and begging at his doore In Abrahams bosome full of peace and joy Disturb'd with nothing that might him annoy Then calling out to Abraham he did cry Oh Father Abraham hither turn thine eye For I was of thine off-spring and from thee And thy blest stock deriv'd my pedegree Father shew forth thy pitty now behold I ly in torments here that can't be told My Soul is on a flame with scorching wrath Nothing in it now ease or quiet hath That tongue wherewith it secretly did speak More wickedness than ever forth did break From out my bodies lips see how it fries And flames tormented in these miseries Dear Father Abraham even for the sake Of those thy bowels whence I issu'd take Some pitty on thy child and Lazarus Send from thee to help me tormented thus Oh let him but one drop of water fetch One drop of comfort me to ease poor wretch Oh might he but the very end and tip Of one poor finger in cold water dip And to the tip of my scorcht tongue apply Which flames of fiery wrath do wondrously Afflict with sharpest pains 't would mitigate Somewhat these wofull torments 't would abate My heat a little Oh dear Father send That Beggar hither me now to befriend To whom that good old Patriarck reply'd Ah Son for that thou wast so 'ts not deny'd Remember how thou didst thy self abuse In thy life time and Gods good gifts misuse When this poor man lay begging at thy doors Unpitty'd by thee hungry full of sores Thou hadst enough wherewith to have reliev'd His penurie then yea therefore thou receiv'd Gods gifts of bounty but thou letst him ly Neglected then thou scornd'st his poverty Now therefore he with me doth rest possess And thou hast torments now without redress Yea now a gulf is fixt twixt us and thee So that though we each others state may see We cannot change them so as that we may Pass hence to you your torments to allay Nor can you come to us us to molest Or take part with us in our endless rest We joys have whereof you may not partake You endless burnings which we may not slake Your riches now have end your pleasure 's past Your torments and your miseries shall last Learn hence that 't is not riches nor great State Nor any fleshly priviledge will bate Nor yet preserve from endless misery Those persons who in sin do live and dy Who me neglecting and my gifts abusing And my now profer'd grace and love refusing Prefer their lusts and riches thereunto And in vain worldly ways do chuse to go All their now present injoyments shall fail them And after death none of them shall avail them Be now advised by me Dear Soul therefore If thou wouldst happy be for evermore Seek first Gods Kingdome and his righteousness So shalt thou have them and therein Gods bless Accept my profer'd love imbrace my grace When I say seek the Lord seek thou my face Get wisdom get true knowledge in thy heart Receive my words and let them not depart Out of thy heart and mind but let them ly Between thy tender breasts continually Then other things as they will lead thee thou May'st better look for and shalt find them too It is but reason that I do propoud No better course can for thy good be found For if thou seekest first the world or what Of it thou likest before thou hast got That which thou seekest thou may'st chance to dy And perish from my presence endlesly As in the former parable even now I did for admonition to
That thou mayst me imbracing Thy loves to me impart 85. And all the night of darkness Mayst lodge within my brest And I in thy imbraces May find sweet peace and rest 86. Oh make me subject to thee That thou mayst be above Uniting me unto thee And fill me with thy love 87. And let my loving-kindness Such love again beget That I my heart and bowels May open to thee set 88. And thou thy Word put in me As an immortal seed Fil'd with that Life and Spirit Which doth from thee proceed 89. That thou mayst make me fruitful With fruits of righteousness An of-spring which thine Image May livelily express 90. That thou thy pleasure in me Subject to thee mayst take And I have pleasures in thee Which may me chearful make 91. Oh make thou me so lovely That thou mayst count me meet For such communion with thee As is so pure and sweet 92. That chaste I may be to thee And content in thee find That none else I may look to Or covet in my mind 93. May never go a whoring From under thee my Lord But may be fully pleased With what thou dost afford 94. Nor only let me love thee Like to some Concubine So as for pleasures only Me to thee to incline 95. But as a Spouse and chaste one Though thou shouldst them withhold Yet I may love thy person And vertues manifold 96. And thine affaires take care of As things that are mine own And faithfully observe what Thou shalt to me make known 97. Leaving it to thy wisdom Those pleasures to impart Which cannot but be pleasing And satisfie my heart 98. But let me not love pleasures So as if thou delay Thine to impart unto me I should to others stray 99. But make me ever willing To stay and waite for thee Who when thou seest it fitting Will thine impart to me 100. Thou art the only worthy To be lov'd and obey'd Oh that my heart upon thee More fixed were and stay'd 101. Oh sanctifie me to thee And my soul purifie Bless rods and mercies to me That I to sin may dye 102. And unto all that from thee Would steal my heart away That I may live unto thee In what I do and say 103. Thou art the lovely portion Riches and honour dwell In thee with whatsoever Delights and doth excel 104. Oh were my heart reduced To that simplicity That I might chuse and love thee And cleave to thee only 105. I would not change my lot there For any of the heigths Of highest greatest persons My earnest groans and sighs 106. Shall reather be through suff'rings To have thy company Then live else where without thee In greatest jollity 107. With all the greatest fulness This World to them affords Who live in its embracements As high and mighty Lords 108. Yet thou hast room for them too In thy high palaces Oh make thou them acquainted With thy sweet embraces 109. Oh make them see how empty All things without thee are That they may flock unto thee Seeing thee only fair 110. All honour be unto thee Thou only worthy one For it is due unto thee And unto thee alone 111. In oneness with the Father And with the holy Spirit Thou worthy art all blessing For ever to inherit 112. To thee it 's my desire To leave my self and all I am with whatsoever I through thy gift mine call 113. Lord pardon my abuses Of thy great love to me And make my soul both upright And constant unto thee 114. So that thy blessing ever May on my soul remain And cleanse me so as that thou Mayst not my work disdain 115. Purge out what doth offend thee And make me white and pure That thou mayst ever own me And I be ever sure 116. Of thy love and thy favour Which life doth far excel And in thine heavenly mansions May with thee ever dwell Amen and Amen FINIS A Posie Improved UPON THE POSIE of a RING Love Love Love EPAVCIS MVLTA I. AMongst the pretty Poseys I have seen Which either friends or lovers have invented I have on none to discant tempted been Nor hath any my fancy more contented If rightly 't be apply'd then this above This one word thrice repeated Love Love Love II. What man it was who did the same invent From whom or unto whom the token came Whether some Love to his Love it sent Or for what other cause some did it frame It matters not nor what they did thereby Intend unto their friend to signifie III. Perhaps some young man who his Mistress loved Or else some Mistress who did love her Friend And want of love again or fear'd or proved In them they loved did this token send Their love to quicken and their constancy To them the better to provoke hereby IV. Like as some person who while he assays To do or reach for something and doth fall Into some danger whence he cannot raise Or save himself most earnestly doth call Help Help Help tripling it vehemently As like to suffer greatly else thereby V. So possibly some lover while he sought The pleasing object of his love to gain Being into some doubt or question brought Thereof or meeting with slights or disdain Might in his earnestness cry as above As one else like to perish Love Love Love VI. Perhaps some wanton who had lust mistook For love seeking his lust to satisfie Might send it to his Harlot to provoke Her fond affection unto him thereby Exhorting her to love love love again That oft his will with her he might obtain VII Perhaps some person who had lov'd too much Some other person and loves flames had felt Sadly to scorch him when they did him touch His folly wailing on this subject dwelt As crying out upon a thing so hot Whence He much heart smart and much hurt had got VIII That carnal love I mean wherein the creature Is made the object of a blind affection Doteing upon its beauty parts or feature Which when it meets with slighting and rejection As oft it s foolishly misplac't on what Either's unlawful or repays with hate IX Brings forth instead of pleasure doleful grief Stinging the soul with fears and sad despairs Distractions jealousies without relief And many fruitless dumps and waking cares Causing such one out of this love to cry Bewailing thus his fortune bitterly X. Love Love Love thou art a most cruel thing When fixt on some disdainful one thou' rt found Thy sweets are bitter thou leav'st many a sting Infusest venom and the heart dost wound Oh had thy fond deceits my soul ne'r tainted Oh had I with thy force ne'r been acquainted XI Love Love Love that fond thing which men so call Woe worth the time I did thee intertain Expecting sweetness where I meet with gall And pleasures where I nothing find but pain Unhappy soul that longedst after fruit That may not be obtained by any suit XII Would I had hardned against thee my heart
worshippers from death Either of body or of soul though they Did do their service to them every day Dead fouls with dead things suit the living God Who quickens what is dead and with his rod Corrects the Nations living things likes best Even living groans of an inspired brest The World such living service can't perform It hates the pow'r and only likes a Form Of Godliness which they may leave or take Use or lay by as for their turn 't doth make Mistake me not herein as if I thought Or else intended to judge all pray'rs naught That are taught by a Book or as if none Might pray acceptably who pray thereon It is the Worlds bad guise I here reprove Who serve God with pretences their sins love Which many too may do that pray without A Book and so too many do no doubt Delight themselves in their own gifts and parts While yet their lusts they love with all their hearts Witness the pride or avarice of some Who yet as Saints into God's presence come I know a Book that service may hold forth Which God requires and shews to be of worth And so each sacred Bible doth declare What worship God requires of praise and pray'r Or other ways of service but no ground Of any such distinction so is found As if some Bibles did not shew the way How we should serve God and unto him pray I do suppose it was some other thing That you did signifie in your saying Likely those Form's of Pray'r you meant thereby That are injoyned by Authority If so pray know that I the words of them Do not except against much less condemn The Prayers are pithy Orthodox and good More gen'rally if rightly understood And such as whereto I Amen can say Heartily when with them I hear men pray And so may others too I think although Some few things there among scruple I do Unto the pure all things are pure and good But that must warily be understood For what I am not satisfied in I cannot say I am without my sin Nor would I thereby stain my Conscience Or unto others give cause of offence But why you Sir those Prayers the Service call I can't well tell nor much inquire it shall I call them not my Service they that do May lay them on the Altar I think so They might be off'red up although they there Should lye untouch't or unread all the year As a sum of the Churches pray'rs and praise And so less grief to some men they would raise And they the same are and as pithy too Though never read as when men read them do Though I the reading of them too allow To such as please if any would them know Or in those words would their desires express I can mine sometimes too with readiness Though I profess I ne'r could find it yet In any passage of the holy writ That God requires or holy men did use To read their pray'rs to God but pray excuse That passage in me I leave others free Let others leave me so and we agree Sententious Verses of an unknown Author COnfession is to cure our sin A very present Medicine Thy Saviour on his Cross did choose To save thy life his own to loose Our Saviour cry'd Repent Repent As John who fore our Saviour went Blessed be the Name of Jesus Who tormented was to ease us The grace of Jesus is to me The only true felicity Christ's Cross my Crown I do esteem What ever earthy men do deem My hope in Christ is fixed sure Who wounded was my wounds to cure My hope shall never be confounded Because my hope on Christ is grounded My soul cleave fast to Christ above For nought on earth deserves thy love Fear not my soul be not dismaid For Jesus Christ thy debts hath paid The Death of Christ is life to thee If thou a Christian truly be Faith is not faith unless it be A faith that works by charity Christ is by marriage knit to thee If thou to him by Sanctity Admire my soul the mystery Of Jesus Christ's nativity Christ was conceiv'd i' th' Virgins womb That thou might'st a Son of God become Christ unto thee if thou be his Both light and food and Medicine is If thou polluted art with sin The fountain's open enter in He that doth eat and drink by â—aith Christ's flesh and blood salvation hath Be wise do not too far inquire For what thou rather shouldst admire Christ is ascended up on high And we must up as Eagles flie God sealeth by his holy Spirit As many as shall life inherit Great is the Churches dignity That chosen is Christ's spouse to be In Christ we are of God elect What 's out of Christ God doth reject Our prayers do pierce the starry sky And fetch down blessings from on high The Angels of the Lord protect All those that are the Lord 's elect The Devils treacheries who knows A thousand ways he seeks our woes He 's only wise who God doth know And doth by life his knowledge show To live it is not but to dye To live in sin securely Christ's life must be a Rule to thee If Christ's Disciple thou wilt be Thou from thy self must first depart Before thou can'st in Christ have part Thy soul can nothing satiate But God who did the same create Labour to have thy conscience pure When all things fail that will endure What is a bubble such is man Whose life in length is but a span The man that Covets is but poor Although he riches have great store The sign by which the Saints we know It is by love their faith to show The soul that chaste is is Christ's Spouse His bed of rest his lodging house The life of man's a rolling stone Mov'd to and fro and quickly gone Love not the World the World is vain But love the things that will remain The Palme-tree grows the more prest down And crosses prove the Churches crown Take up thy cross and it endure Then of a crown thou shalt be sure Let not tentations cast thee down For perseverance will thee crown Think every day to be thy last And when that 's come thy life is past Grieve not when Christian friends do dye They gain by Death eternity Remember that Christ Jesus shall Thoughts words and deeds to judgment call All earthly things tread under thee And let thy thoughts in Heaven be The Saints are Pilgrims here below And towards Heaven their country go If thou beest here a child of grace ' Mongst Angels thou shalt have a place If into Hell thou would'st not fall Think dayly on 't and mind God's call The pains of Hell do far extend Beyond all time World without end Doth Adam dye Christ in thee live Christ shall eternal life thee give Upon the carelesness and covetousness of some that regard not to Read much-less are willing to buy good and useful Books and the wickedness of others that traduce them