all thy score If thou a Widow or an Orphan be Husband and Father both he 'l be to thee A Husband that does live yea live for ever Match here poor Soul where Death can part you never Or art thou weak canst not go alone He is thy strength O thou mayst lean upon His mighty Arm for that is thy support Art thou beleaguer'd he 's thy Royal Fort. In times of danger and of trouble great Unto his holy Name do thou retreat Which is a Tower strong to all that fly With care and speed from all iniquity Under his wings he 'l hide his purchas'd One Till these calamities are past and gone Or art thou dying and dost fear the grave He is thy life from Death he will thee save They cannot die who such a Husband have Or art a Sinner he 's thy Righteousness He 's more than I can any ways express The good in Christ is so exceeding sweet None understand until they tast of it He is a Good which none can comprehend He is a Good which doth all others send The chiefest Good good of himself alone When carnal joys and pleasures all are gone That 's not the good that fills not the desire That can't be chief if there be yet a higher God is so good noughts good if him we want Small things with him will satisfie a Saintâ— He is so good that nought can bitter make him Unto that Soul who chearfully does take him And his sweet love and precious grace enjoys Yet this rare Good ne'r gluts nor sweetness cloys The best of earthly sweets which fools do prize By sin and sickness doth much bitter rise They loath them straight and can't abide to hear Of that which lately they esteem'd so dear That that 's the Good on which thou shouldst depend That is desired for no other end Than for it self O tast of him and try And thou 'lt be filled to Eternity That 's not the Good which suddenly doth leave us That 's not the Good of which Death can bereave us Christ is a Good that 's lasting and abides All other Good alas will fail besides Make him thy choice dear Soul O do but try How sweet it is in Jesu's Arms to lie Make him thy joy and thou 'lt see cause to sing Whatever days or change may on thee bring Soul Sad times alas here is a sudden change Nought can I hear of now but rumors strange Of Wars and Tumults with perplexity Which do encrease and swell most vehemently Within the regions of my inward man Which causes tears and makes my face look wan Cross workings in me clearly I discover I am distrest about this glorious Lover The counsel which my heart did lately give I cannot take I dare not it receive Great slaughters there will be in my small Isle For without bloud be sure this fearful broil Will never cease which side now shall I take I tremble much yea all my bones do shake Some of my sins which I have loved dear Are forc'd to fly and others can't appear Lest Conscience should upon them fall for he Crys out Kill all let not one spared be Nay Judgment too is all-most at a stand Which doth amuse me much o' th other hand Yet Will and Old-man are resolv'dly bent To hinder me from granting my consent Yet if I could but have some glimm'ring sight Of this great Prince I know not but it might Work strange effects in me for I do find My Eyes are out my Understanding blind Lord pity me for I a wretch have bin To slight thee thus and love my cursed sin Thus whilst God's Word was preacht and she also Began to cry I did observe and lo A Friend was sent from the blest Prince of Light The glory of whose Face did shine so bright That none were able to behold for he Seem'd not infer'our to the Majesty Of the great God and his eternal Son For they in Essence are all three but one His Power 's great and Glory is his merit His nature 's like his Name most holy Spirit Who to the Soul did presently draw near And toucht her heart and then unstopt her ear And from him shone such glorious rays of light Some scales flew off and she recover'd sight Which straitway did her judgment rectifie Who to this purpose did himself apply Unto the Soul whom he had led astray I must confess my faults to thee this day Judgment For want of light false judgment I have given And treacherously conspired against Heaven And ' gainst thy life and happiness have I Been drawn into a vile conspiracy Of th' highest nature for I did consent With thy base Foes who hellishly are bent To tear thee into pieces quite undo thee Whilst smilingly they proffer pleasures to thee And now though not t' extenuate my sin I 'le tell thee how I have been drawen in Thy heart 's corrupted and from it proceeds The cursed Old-man with his evil deeds They with Apollyon jointly did unite To draw a Curtain 'twixt me and the light And thus though I sometimes was half inclin'd To judge for God they bâ—sely kept me blind T hey've me corrupted with thy wilful Will Who I do fear remains most stubborn still Which if 't be so and he 's not made to bend Conclude the match thou canst not wth thy friend And I poor I can't make him condescend Some higer Power 't is must make him yield Or he 'l stand out and never quit the Field For he 's a churlish piece and thou wilt find To what is evil he is most enclin'd But hath no will at all to what is right A very Traytor to the Prince of Light But as for me my thoughts are clearly now Thou oughtst forthwith to yield and meekly bow To the great King thy miâ—hty Lord and Lover And more then this to thee I must discover Now now I know thy Soveraign Lord will pry Into thy very heart his piercing Eye Will find that 〈◊〉 amongst the Company Who wants the Wedding-garment and will sever That unprepared man in Wrath for ever From his sweet presence Soul his Word doth shew Nothing will serve but universal new He is a jealous God will not endure To see thee only counterfeited pure O now I see he will not take a part But claims both ears eyes hands yea the whole heart Now now I see 't is pure simplicity That is alone accepted in his Eye That sin which has been like to a right hand For profit sweet thou must at his command Cut straight-way off Nay Soul look thou about For Right-eye sins must all be pulled out Though they for pleasure have to thee bin dear Yet must they have no room nor favour here Of every sin thou must thy self deny One sin will damn thee to Eternity If thou to it dost any love retain Nay hark to me Soul listen once again The Law must also unto thee be dead And thou to it or
o're the Grave And from them all he able is to save If thou wilt but consent grant his request Thou never more by Foes shalt be distrest Ah Soul is 't not a very glorious thing Daily to be thus courted by a King And such a King shall Jesus woo in vain Shall such a Prince not thy sweet love obtain The Wisdome of Christ What say'st to Wisdom from whose Odour springs That wch makes glorious inferiour Men as Kings This spreads the sweet perfume of Solomon's fame 'T was this that rais'd his most illustrious Name The noise of Wisdome made so great report 'T was heard as far as Sheba's Princely Court It made the Lady's Charriot-wheels to run Most swift like to the new-rais'd Eastern Sun Mâ—unting aloft and vanquishing black Clouds She hasts away and through obstructions crouds Defying danger she 's resolv'd to see What Fame reports touching this Prodigie The emulous Queen 's arriv'd she stands amaz'd She lessens wonders and be'ng over-daz'd With this great Beam she breaks forth could not hold But must express that what to her was told In her own Country was in no wisâ— nigh Half what she found did in his Wisdom lie What 's Riches Bounty Honour Beauty rare Unless true Wisdom also do dwell there If Wisdom may a person recommend Christ is all Wisdom Shall I now descend Into particulars wilt lend an Ear Whilst I endeavour to make it more clear Alas I stand amaz'd Can Infinite Perfections be exprest what shall I write He 's wise all-wise only wise shall I speak Wisdom it self i' th' abstract Can I take Upon me then to ope this Mystery When in him doth all depths of Wisdom lie The Wisemans wisdome if 't compar'd might be Was like a drop of Water to the Sea Nay far a greater disproportion's there Should we Christ's wisdom once with his compare 'T was he which did to Solomon impart That wisdom and that understanding heart 'T is he which makes all good men grave and wise To hate all evil and true Vertue prize He to our Fathers doth right knowledg give And 't is by him all pious Judges live Th' infinite wisdome of th' Eternal One Shines forth in him nay 't is in him alone All is laid up he is God's Treasury Where Wisdom and true Knowledg both do lie He knows all things and persons here below Nay perfectly does he the Father know And all Decrees and Counsels which of old Have been and their events he can unfold He knows each glorious purpose and design In him alone do all Perfections shine The frames the thoughts the ways the fears the wants Temptations burdens the grief of Saints Most perfectly he knows and quickly can Save and deâ—end from th' greatest rage of Man For Counsel and wise conduct he exceeds And in the midst of paths of Judgment leads The crafty Counsel of Achitophel He can defeat though laid as deep as Hell He over-turns the wisdome of the wise Confounds their plots and shews what folly lies In their grand Councils making them to know Their purposes can't stand if he says no. He orders things that no design shall take Further than 't will for his own Glory make None like to Christ he is without compare He 's wise as well as wealthy great and fair What 's thy opinion Soul canst not espy All Glory hid in his blest Majesty What hinders then but that without delay Triumph may celebrate th' espousal day CHAP. IV. Shewing how the Conscience of the Sinner comes to be effectually awakened together with the effects thereof THIS being said with bowels of Affection Tho often mixt with gall of sharp detection Her former stubbornness being all laid o'pe Yet this nor that nor nothing gave much hope He should prevail which put him in a maze And did his voice and spirits higher raise He still went on with sweet commiseration Yet was his pity mixt with some small passion And to this purpose did this good man speak Not knowing how his last farewel to take Theologue Poor stupified Soul Alas alas What is the cause whence doth it come to pass Thou art so sensless why dost thou despise All those Soul-melting tears those sighs and crys What is thy heart more harder than the Rocks That thou canst bear these oft repeated knocks And never break at all O strange O strange Thy heart poor Soul isâ—t harder than a stone That feeble drops of water fall upon And makes impression What shall stones relent And yield themselves and as it were consent These frequent droppings should impression make And showers move thee not Awake awake Before the dreadful Message I impart Shall rouse thy hard and sin-congealed heart Thy night comes on thy Sun 's a going down Thy seeming favourites begin to frown So all thy pleasures with their wanton charms Are flying from thee Death spreads forth his Arms To take thee hence unto another place Canst thou poor wretch this ghastly King imbrace What will become of all thy wealth and pleasure Behold alas Death 's come to make a seisure Upon thy poor deceived Soul this night Then all thy joys and empty vain delight Will vanish like the smoke and thou shalt be Cast iuto Prison for Eternitie Where thou shalt evermore bewail thy loss In changing Gold for that that 's worse than dross Shall Beauty Wealth or Honour make thee yield Much more that Wisdom wherewith Christ is fill'd Shall Love and Patience be so ill rewarded By thee by whom he should be most regarded And sensual Objects harbour'd in thy heart Then wilt thou hear what further I 'le impart Soul now thou must be anathematiz'd And when Christ comes how wilt thou be surpriz'd For those that love not Jesus are accurst And when he doth appear for ever must That fearful doom and sentence then receive O may the thoughts of this cause thee to cleave To him with speed before this day is gone I le now break off adieu this think upon Poor drousy wretch let sin no more deceive thee Give me thine Answer now before I leave thee O may these Soul-confounding terrors break Thy stony-heart and make thy Conscience speak Eternal God do thou thy Spirit send 'T is he which must the Soul in pieces rend The work 's too hard for weakness Alas I Shall not prevail if help thou dost deny Speak to her heart set home the Word with Pow'r Shall this be the good day the happy hour Her Conscience touch O wound her let her see What 't is to be a Captive unto thee Open her Eyes blest Spirit thou canst do it Sad is her state O come and let her know it Let not my pains nor labour quite be lost For dear she has my Master Jesus cost Thou canst effectually change her bad mind Which unto sensual Objects is inclin'd O shed and scatter precious Love abroad And unto her some of that grace afford Moral persuasions barely ne're will bring The Soul to love
never canst thou wed With Jesus Christ If thy first Husband live Who to another Husband can thee give The smallest sin thou ever didst commit The Law 's so strict it damns the Soul for it Let this divorce thee from it 't is severe No life nor help alas canst thou have there And therefore unto Jesus come with speed For such a Bridegroom 't is which thou dost need And th' glory of the blessed Bridal-state Will far exceed the greatest Potentate What 's he Ah Soul what grace and favor's this Where dwels that Queen nay where that Emperess Whose splendent glory can e're equal thine When thou canst say I 'm his and he is mine â— Consultation held between the Prince and Powers of Darkness hearing how the Judgment was rectified and the understanding of the Soul somewhat enlightened Apollyon Most mighty Pow'rs who once from Heav'n fell To raise this Throne and Monarchy in Hell Do not despair rouse up all is not gone The Conqueror han't yet the Conquest won 'T is far below your noble extract thus To stand amaz'd is there no pow'r in us For to revive our scattered force let 's try What may be done we can at last but fly Ne'r let us yield that she should raised be To such a height to such great Soveraigntie What she whose birth and pedigree was mean To what our's was shall she be crowned Queen Whilst we are made the Objects of her scorn Hated of God and Man This can't be born What shall eternal Arms embrace the Soul Whilst we in chains of Darkness do condole Our former loss in spite of Heaven let 's try Yet once again to spoil th' Affinity Satan Bravely resolv'd and if in Hell there are A legion of such Spirits never fear But we the Conquest yet o're Heaven shall gain And all the hopes and pride of Mortals stain We venture very little yet shall win All at one blow if we prevail agin And there 's great hopes methinks for ev'n success Makes foes secure and makes our danger less Lo don 't you see how the fond Soul doth lie Ope to our Arms in great security And though some ground is lost yet seek about View well our force within and that without We in her house have a strong party yet Who in our bands keep her unwary feet Let 's make a search and now more careful be For sad it is the wretch such light should see Without all doubt there has been some neglects Which has produc'd such undesir'd effects Could none keep out the light or has her heart Always so true to us play'd a false part Sure Will and Old-man both do stand and pause Or some grand Foe hath quite betray'd our cause We must be-stir us and give new directions And by all means keep fast the Soul's affections Affection's still by Old-man is directed And Will to us does yet stand well affected Let us pursue our present enterprize With all the craft and pow'r we can devise Our Prince I see is very much offended And thus in short the Consultation ended Apollyon with whole troops of hellish Fiends Immediately into the Soul descends To raise sad storms and tempests in her breast Who being curst hates any should be blest And that he might the better have his ends Accomplished he thus bespeaks his Friends The Flesh with all its lusts to whom he said Old-man my grand Ally I am afraid â—y tottering Kingdom has not long to stand 〈◊〉 to my aid thou dost not lend thy hand 'T is thou old Friend that must my cause maintain Or otherwise thou wilt thy self be slain Hark! dost not hear that flesh-amazing cry Kill the Old-man O kill O crucifie The Old-man with his deeds rise up and slay Let not that Foe survive another day It is that cursed Old man works our bane Then let him die let the Old-man be slain Be stir thy self and try thy utmost skill Undoubtedly thou must be kill'd or kill 'T is not a time to pause or slack thy hand Negligence will not with thy int'rest stand Tell tell the Soul in vain thou dost deny Thy self of that which satisfies the Eye Adorn thy self with Pearl be deckt with Gold Such pleasant things are lovely to behold Avoid all those penurious Nicities That makes thee hateful in thy Neighbour's eyes Delight thy self in that the world ' counts brave And let thy senses have what e're they crave Say to the Soul let not thine Ears and Eyes Be satisfy'd alone but please likewise Thy Appetite grant all the Soul desires And if it chance to kindle lustful fires Tel her the earth was fil'd with boundless treasures That she thereby might take her fill of pleasures And for that end the senses are united In one fair body there to be delighted And tell her if she do restrain one sense Of what it craves she offers violence Unto her self and doth her self deny Of the best good and chief'st felicity The Old-man's Reply This Hellish Lecture past the Old-man breaks His Silence and half Angry thus he speaks Renowned Father let thy Servant borrow A word or two to mitigate my sorrow This Counsel might have done some time ago But now enlighted Judgment lets her know All these are painted pleasures and their date Ends with her life dread Prince it is too late To mind this Counsel she will not receive it Her Understanding now will not believe it I by thy Aid have oft endeavoured In â—itter times such kind of things to spread Before her eyes but now of late we find There is an alteration in her mind Could you have took the Gospel quite away 'T would not have been as 't is you do delay Apollyon No more of that Old-man take my direction Improve thy int'rest now with her affection I know Affection still 's inclin'd to love That which the Understanding doth reprove This being so if we improve our skill And can but keep firm unto us the Will If he 's not over-powr'd thou maist gain Thy former strength and long thou mayest reign For Conscience thou may'st once again hereby Lulâ— fast asleep and then also her Eye Will grow so weak her light diminished That Judgment by Affection shall be led And if thou canst but once this way persuade her Will and Affection quickly will invade her To please her senses and for those intents Affection may use weighty Arguments And thus being overcome she will be more Intangled in our fetters than before Lusts of the eyes and pride of life these be My Agents both they are employ'd by me Old-man therefore proceed the Intrest's mine But be victorious and the Conquest 's thine Once lose the day and thou be sure must die Which being lost thou 'lt suffer more than I. Old-man Most dread Apollyon thou must understand As I have ever been at thy command And am thy Servant so I will remain And fight until I slay or else am slain Yet let me lodg this secret in