out go them both Sir Fulk Grevil Lord Brook a man of great note in his Age hath a Poem lately Printed for Subjects Liberty which I greatly wonder this Age would bear There are no Books that have been Printed these twenty Years that I more wonder at that ever they were endured than Richard Hookers eight Books of Ecclesiastick Policy dedicated by Bishop Gauden to our present King and vindicated by him and these Poems of Sir Fulk Grevill Lord Brook Davie's Nosce Teipsum is an Excellent Poem in opening the nature Faculties and certain Immortality of Man's Soul But I must confess after all that next the Scripture Poems there are none so savoury to me as Mr. Herbert's and Mr. George Sandys's I know that Cooly and others far excel Herbert in Wit and accurate composure But as Sencca takes with me above all his Contemporaries because he speaketh Things by words feeling and seriously like a man that is paâ—â— jest so Herbert speaks to God like on that really believeth a God and whose business in the world is most with God Heart-work and Heaven-work make up his Books And Du Bartas is seriously Divine And Sandy's Omne tulit punctum dum miscuit utile dulci. His Scripture Poems are an elegant and excellent Paraphrase But especially his Job whom he hath restored to the original glory O that he had turned the Psalms into Metre fitted to the usual Tunes It did me good when Mrs. Wyat invited me to see Boxley Abby in Kent to see upon the old Stone Wall in the Garden a Summer-house with this inscription in great golden Letters that In that place Mr. G. Sandys after his Travels over the World retired himself for his Poetry and Contemplations And none are fitter to retire to God then such as a retired with seeing all the vanities on Earth Sure there is somewhat of Heaven â—â— Holy Poetry It charmeth Souls into â—oving Harmony and Concord We â—â—we two Brothers in this City of â—hom one hath written a Book called â— friendly debate to make those seem â—ious or contemptible who were aâ—â—inst his way It had too much sucâ—â—ss and so far destroyed Love and â—oncord as will not easily be recoveâ—â—d in this age His Brother Mr. Paâ—ike of the Charter-house hath with â—â—ous skill and seriousness turned into â—new Metre many of David's Psalms â—â—d the advantage for holy affections â—â—d harmony hath so far reconciled â—â—e Non-Conformists that divers of â—â—em use his Psalms in their Congreâ—â—tions though they have the old â—â—es Rouses Bishop Kings Mr. Whites â—â—e New Englands Davisons the Scotsâ—â— â—â— agreed on by two Nations in â—â—mpetition with it But I digress too â—â—r All that I have to say for these Fragments is 1. That being fitted to Women and vulgar wits which are the far greatest number they may be useful to such though contemptible to those of higher elevation expectation 2 And being suited to afflicted sick dying troubled sad and doubting persons the number of such is so great in these calamitous times as may render them useful to more than I desire 3. And if my present grief may but excuse the Publication he that needeth them not may let them alone Some of them need an Exposition which I must not give the world I have added two or three Printed heretofore that they may be altogether The Lord by his merciful providence and his Grace tune up our dull and drooping Souls to such joyful praises as may prepare us for his everlasting praise in Heaven Amen London At the Door of Eternity Aug. 7. 1681. Rich. Baxter LOVE Breathing THANKS and PRAISE The First Part. ETernal God this Worm lifts up the head And looks to Thee by Thee encouraged Cheer'd by thy Bounty it would speak thy praise Whose wondrous Love hath measur'd all my daies If thou vouchsafe to make a Worm rejoyce Give him a thankful praising heart and voice Thy shining Glory blessed Angels see Angels must sing thy Highest praise not we But if thy warming beams cause Worms to speak Their baser part will not the Consort break When Time was yet no measure when the Sun It s rapid motion had not yet begun When Heav'n Earth Sea were yet unfram'd Angels and Men and all things else unnam'd When there did nothing else exist but Thee Thou wast the same and still the same wilt be When there was none to know or praise thy Name Thou wast in perfect Blessedness the same The Father Word and Spirit One in Three Trinity doth with Unity agree Th' Eternal Life that quickens all that lives The soul of souls the Light which all Light gives Immense and boundless present every where Beyond all place and creatures thou art there Uncomprehended comprehending all Foreknowing whatsoever shall befall Uncaus'd thou causest all that hath a Being Unknown thou know'st unseen thou art all-seeing Though necessary yet without constraint Unmov'd yet moving all dost never faint All things depend on Thee and Thou on none And changing all things art unchang'd alone One in th' innumerable multitude Perfectly ordering things which seem most rude Infinite Power one accent of whose breath Can sentence Heav'n and Earth to life or death Yea by one act of efficacious Will Canst make and unmake worlds give life and kill Reason transcending all created Reason Not only knowing all things in their season But with a Knowledge perfect infinite Knowing Thy self in Thine Eternal Light A knowledge which doth utterly excel The Knowledge of the Earth the Heav'ns Hell To know ten thousand worlds were but to know The finite streams which from thy Will do flow Existents Futures all Contingencies Conceal'd from man are naked to thine eyes Of every thing thou know'st the Form and Cause As giving all their Nature and their Laws Nature's whole frame is but one piece to thee The Place and Use of all things thou dost see The Globes of Heav'n and Earth are in thy span Thou seest not things by parcels like poor Man Our narrow minds see here and there a letter Not rightly plac'd and therefore read no better We make the Events of this day our sorrow Because we know not what will be to morrow Things present past and future old and new Thou see'st entirely with one single view Thou seest all at home that 's understood Loving thy self thou lovest all that 's Good Goodness it self and perfect Excellence Transcending humane Reason Will and Sense Good in thy self and to thy self alone Before thou wast to any creature known Blest in thy own Eternal pleasing sight Thy own Eternal Love Thy own Delight Those that can find in Thee no greater Good Than that thou giv'st them life and health food And bountifully from thy ample Treasure Blessest thy creatures with desired pleasure Set up themselves and do the worst they can To make themselves the Gods and Thee the Man They that can love thee but for loving them Make thee the casket and themselves the gem To love
where 's the quickening coelestial fire I know the Eye of Heav'n is on my Heart God looks my Soul should bear the chiefest part It 's winged Faith and flaming Love within That must the pleasant Melody begin The holy Spirit must tune and touch each string Else smoothest Verse will be a harsh dull thing Display thy Love shoot down thy vital Raies Teach this cold heart the works of Love Praise O then what Life and Joy these Psalms will bring When it 's thy Spirit and my Soul that sing And though low streins with stops are here my best Yet Perfect Love and Praise shall be my REST. 6. The Threefold Nativity Prima dies hominem peperit sanctumque secunda Natalis pariet Mors tertia glorificatum MY first Birth-day brought forth a Man in sin But one that could not work nor go nor speak My second did a Life of Grace begin But such alas as yet 's diseas'd and weak The third from fleshly bonds will me release And bring me to the world of glorious Light Where all my sins and vexing griefs shall cease And Faith shall end in perfect Love and Sight This Death begins but 't is the Resurrection That fully shall obliterate sins story And state both Soul and Body in perfection Where Grace and Nature shall be crown'd with Glory As Nature taught me first complaining cryes Before it did acquaint me with Delight So Grace with grief first fill'd my Heart and Eyes Before it shewed me the joyful sight Why should not Death then be a straiter Door Than either that of Nature or of Grace Which brings us unto the Eternal Store Of Joy and Glory in God's shining face 7. Self-Denial A Dialogue between the Flesh the Spirit Flesh WHat become Nothing ne're perswade me to it God made me Something and I 'le not undo it Spirit Thy Something is not thine but his that gave it Resign it to him if thou mean to save it Flesh God gave me Life and shall I choose to die Before my time or pine in miserie Spirit God is thy Life If then thou fearest death Let him be all thy soul thy pulse and breath Flesh What! must I hate my self when as my brot her Must love me and I may not hate another Spirit Loath what is loathsom Love God in the rest He truly love's himself that love 's God best Flesh Doth God our ease and pleasure to us grudge Or doth Religion make a man a drudge Spirit That is thy Poyson which thou callest Pleasure And that thy drudgery which thou count'st thy treasure Flesh Who can endure to be thus mewed up And under Laws for every bit and cup Spirit God's Cage is better than the Wilderness When Winter comes Liberty brings distress Flesh Pleasure 's mans Happiness The Will 's not free To choose our misery This cannot be Spirit God is mans End with him are highest joyes Sensual pleasures are but dreams and toyes Should sin seem sweet Is Satan turn'd thy friend Will not thy sweet prove bitter in the end Hast thou found sweeter pleasures than Gods Love Is a fools laughter like the Joyes above Beauty surpasseth all deceitful paints What 's empty mirth to the delights of Saints God would not have thee have less joy but more And therefore shew's thee the eternal store Flesh Who can love baseness poverty and want And under pining sickness be content Spirit He that hath laid his treasure up above And plac't his portion only in Gods love That waits for Glory when his life is done This man will be content with God alone Flesh What good will sorrow do us Is not mirth Fitter to warm a cold heart here on earth Troubles will come whether we will or no I 'le never banish pleasure and choose we Spirit Then choose not sin touch not forbidden things Taste not the sweet that endless sorrow brings If thou love pleasure take in God thy fill Look not for lasting joyes in doing ill Flesh Affliction 's bitter life will soon be done Pleasure shall be my part ere all be gone Spirit Prosperity is barren all men say The soil is best where there 's the deepest way Life is for work and not to spend in play Now sow thy seed labour while it is day The Huntsman seeks his game in barren plains Dirty land answers best the Plowmans pains Passengers care not so the way be fair Husbandmen would have the best ground and air First think what 's safe and fruitful There 's no pleasure Like the beholding of thy chiefest Treasure Flesh Nature made me a Man and gave me sense Changing of Nature is a vain pretence It taught me to love women honour ease And every thing that doth my senses please Spirit Nature hath made thee Rational and Reason Must rule the sense in ends degrees and season Reason's the Rider Sense is but the Horse Which then is fittest to direct thy course Give up the reins and thou becom'st a beast Thy fall at death will sadly end thy feast Flesh Religion is a dull and heavy thing Whereas a merry Cup will make me sing Love's entertainments warm both heart and brain And wind my fancy to the highest strain Spirit Cupid hath stuck a Feather in thy Cap And lull'd thee dead asleep on Venu's lap Thy brains are tipled with some wantons eyes Thy Reason is become Lust's sacrifice Playing a game at Folly thou hast lost Thy wit and soul and winnest to thy cost Thy Soul now in a filthy channel lies While fancy seems to soar above the Skies Beauty will soon be stinking loathsom Earth Sickness and Death marr all the wanton 's mirth It is not all the pleasure thou canst find Will countervail the sting that 's left behind Blind brutish Souls that cannot love their God! And yet can dote on a defiled clod Why should I think of what will be to morrow An ounce of mirth is worth a pound of sorrow Spirit But where 's that mirth when sorrows overtake thee Will it then hold when Life and God forsake thee Forgetting Death or Hell will not prevent it Now lose thy day thou 'lt then too late repent it Flesh Must I be pain'd and wronged and not feel As if my heart were made of flint or steel Spirit Dost thou delight to feel thy hurt and smart Would not an Antidote preserve thy heart Impatience is but self-tormenting folly Patience is cordial easie sweet and holy Is not that better which turns grief to peace Than that which doth thy misery encrease Flesh When sport and wine and beauty do invite Who is it whom such baits will not incite Spirit He that perceives the hook and sees the end Whither it is that fleshly Pleasures tend He that by faith hath seen both Heav'n and Hell And what sin costeth at the last can tell He that hath try'd and tasted better things And felt that love from which all pleasure springs They that still watch and for Christs coming wait
Can turn away from or despise the bait Flesh Must I be made the foot-ball of disdain And call'd a precise fool or Puritane Spirit Remember him that did despise the shame And for thy sake bore undeserved blame Thy journey 's of small moment if thou stay Because dogs bark or stones lie in the way If life lay on it wouldst thou turn again For the winds blowing or a little rain Is this thy greatest love to thy dear Lord That canst not for his sake bear a foul word Wilt thou not bear for him a scorners breath That underwent for thee a cursed death Is not Heav'n worth the bearing of a flout Then blame not Justice when it shuts thee out Will these deriders stand to what they say And own their words at the great dreadful day Then they 'd be glad when wrath shall overtake them To eat their words and say they never spake them Flesh How Forsake all Ne're mention it more to me I 'le be of no Religion to undo me Spirit Is it not thine more in thy Fathers hand Then when it is laid out at sins command And is that sav'd that 's spent upon thy lust Or which must be a prey to thieves or rust And wouldst thou have thy riches in thy way Where thou art passing on and canst not stay And is that lost that 's sent to Heav'n before Hadst thou not rather have thy friends and store Where thou maist dwell for ever in the light Of that long glorious day that fears no night Flesh But who can willingly submit to Death Which will bereave us of our life and breath That laies our flesh to rot in loathsom graves Where brains and eyes were leaves but ugly caves Spirit So nature breaks and casts away the shell Where the now beauteous singing bird did dwell The secundine that once the infant cloath'd After the birth is cast away and loath'd Thus Roses drop there sweet leaves under-foot But the Spring shew's that life was in the root Souls are the Roots of Bodies Christ the Head Is Root of both and will revive the dead Our Sun still shineth when with us it's night When he return's we shall shine in his light Souls that behold and praise God with the Just Mourn not because their bodies are but dust Graves are but beds where flesh till morning sleep's Or Chests where God a while our garments keeps Our folly thinks he spoils them in the keeping Which causeth our excessive fears and weeping But God that doth our rising day foresee Pitties not rotting flesh so much as we The birth of Nature was deform'd by sin The birth of Grace did our repair begin The birth of Glory at the Resurrection Finisheth all and brings both to perfection Why should not fruit when it is mellow fall Why would we linger here when God doth call Flesh The things and persons in this world I see But after death I know not what will be Spirit Know'st thou not that which God himself hath spoken Thou hast his promise which was never broken Reason proclaims that noble heav'n-born Souls Are made for higher things than Worms Moles God hath not made such faculties in vain Nor made his Service a deluding pain But Faith resolves all doubts and hears the Lord Telling us plainly by his holy Word That uncloath'd Souls shall with their Savior dwell Triumphing over Sin and Death and Hell And by the Power of Almighty Love Stars shall arise from graves to shine above There we shall see the glorious face of God His blessed presence shall be our abode The face that banisheth all doubts and fears Shuts out all sins and dryeth up all tears That face which darkeneth the Sun's bright rayes Shall shine us into everlasting joyes Where Saints and Angels shall make up one Chore To praise the Great Jehovah evermore Flesh Reason not with me against sight and sense I doubt all this is but a â—ain pretence Words against Nature are not worth a rush One Bird in hand is worth two in the bush If God will give me Heav'n at last I 'le take it But for my Pleasure here I 'le not forsake it Spirit And wilt thou keep it brutish flesh how long Wilt thou not shortly sing another Song When Conscience is awakened keep thy mirth When sickness death comes hold fast this earth Live if thou canst when God saith Come away Try whether all thy friends can cause thy stay Wilt thou tell Death and God thou wilt not die And wilt thou the consuming fire defie Art thou not sure to let go what thou hast And doth not Reason bid thee then forecast And value the least hope of endless Joyes Before known vanities and dying toyes And can the Lord that is most just and wise Found all man's duty in deceit and lies Get thee behind me Satan thou dost savour The things of Flesh and not his dearest favour Who is my Life and Light and Love and All And so shall be whatever shall befall It is not thou but I that must discern And must Resolve It 's I that hold the stern Be silent Flesh speak not against my God Or else hee 'l teach thee better by the rod. I am resolved thou shalt live and die A servant or a conquered enemy Lord charge not on me what this rebell sayes That alwaies was against me and thy wayes Now stop its mouth by Grace that shortly must Through just but gainful death be stopt with dust The thoughts and words of Flesh are none of mine Let Flesh say what it will I will be thine Whatever this rebellious Flesh shall prate Let me but serve thee Lord at any rate Use me on earth as seemeth good to thee So I in Heav'n thy Glorious face may see Take down my Pride let me dwell at thy feet The humble are for earth and heav'n most meet Renouncing Flesh I Vow my self to thee With all the Talents thou hast lent to me Let me not stick at honour wealth or blood Let all my dayes be spent in doing good Let me not trifle out more precious hours But serve thee now with all my strength and powers If Flesh should tempt me to deny my hand Lord these are the Resolves to which I stand Octob. 29. 1659. Richard Baxter 8. The Prayer of the Sick in a Case like Hezekiahs To the Tune of the 51 Psalm The First Part. 1. ETernal God whose name is Love Whose mercy is my hope and stay O hear and help me from above That in distress to thee do pray Ashamed to lift up my face Hence from the dust to thee I cry Though I have sinn'd against thy Grace Yet unto it alone I fly 2. I was at first in sin conceiv'd Then liv'd a vain and sinful life Rebellious flesh which I receiv'd Is still against thy Grace in strife Long it was Lord alas too long Before I knew my self or thee Vanity rul'd my heart and tongue And O that yet my Soul
POETICAL FRAGMENTS Heart-Imployment WITH GOD and IT SELF THE Concordant Discord of a Broken-healed Heart Sorrowing-rejoycing fearing-hoping dying-living Written Partly for himself and partly for near Friends in Sickness and other deep Affliction By RICHARD BAXTER Ephes 5. 19. Speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs singing and making Melody in your hearts to the Lord. 2 Corinth 5. 4. For we that are in this Tabernacle do GROAN being burdened Laeta ferè laetus cecini Cano tristia tristis Published for the use of the Afflicted LONDON Printed by T. Snowden for B. Simmons at the a Golden Cocks at the West end of St. Pauls 1681. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Reader THese Poetical Fragments except Three heretofore Printed were so far from being intended for the Press that they were not allowed the sight of many Private Friends nor thought worthy of it Only had I had time and heart to have finished the first which it self according to the Matter and designed Method would have made a Volume far bigger than all this being intended as a thankful Historical Commemoration of all the notable passages of my Life I should have published it as the most self-pleasing part of my Writings But as they were mostly written in various Passions so Passion hath now thrust them out into the World God having taken away the Dear Companion of the last Nineteen Years of my Life as her sorrows and sufferings long ago gave Being to some of these Poems for reasons which the World is not concerned to know so my grief for her Removal and the Revived Sense of former things have prevailed with me to be passionate in the open sight of all I confess that Passion is oft such a hinderance of Judgment that a man should be very suspicious of himself till it be laid But I am assured that God made it not in vain and that Reason is a sleepy half-useless thing till some Passion excite it and Learning to a man asleep is no better for that time than Ignorance And God usually beginneth the awakening of Reason and the conversion of Sinners by the awakening of their useful Passions their Fear their Grief Repentance Desire c. I confess when God awakeneth in me those Passions which I account rational and holy I am so far from condemning them that I think I was half a Fool before and have small comfort in sleepy Reason Lay by all the passionate part of Love and Joy and it will be hard to have any pleasant thoughts of Heaven In short I am an Adversary to their Philosophy that vilifie Sense because it is in Brutes and am past doubt that the noble spirits of Sensitives are debased ignorantly by pretending Wits that know not what they say or glory in And humane Souls are not less sensitive for being rational but are eminently sensitive Yea Reason hath in it more of eminent internal Sensation than those men think that debase Sense The Scripture that saith of God That he is Life and Light saith also That he is Love and Love is Complacence and Complacence is Joy and to say God is Infinite Essential Love and Joy is a better notion than with Cartesians and Cocceians to say that God and Angels and Spirits are but a Thought or an Idea What is Heaven to us if there be no Love and Joy I will do my wise Friends whose Counsel I have much followed that Right as to acquit them from all the guilt of the Publication of these Fragments Some of them say that such Work is below me and those that I think speak wiselier say I am below such Work These I unfeignedly believe I have long thought that a Painter a Musician and a Poet are contemptible if they be not Excellent And that I am not Excellent I am satisfied But I am more patient of contempt than many are Common Painters serve for poor men's work And a Fidler may serve at a Country-Wedding Such cannot aspire to the Attainments of the higher sort And the Vulgar are the greater number Dr. Stillingfleet saith I seldom follow my Friend's Advice In this I justifie him Though in other things my Advisers contradict him I know that natural temper maketh Poetry savour to several Wise and Learned men as differently as Meats do to various Appetites I know such Learned discreet men that know not what a Tune is nor can difference one from another I wonder at them and oft doubt whether it be an Accident or an Integral of Humanity which they want Annatus the Jesuit in his Answer to Dr. Twisse De Scientia Media commends his Poetry for a Poem added in the end in scorn as if it were a disgrace to a School Divine I take one sign of an Acumen of Wit to make it likely that the man hath the same Wit for other work For my self I confess that Harmony and Melody are the pleasure and elevation of my Soul and have made a Psalm of Praise in the holy Assembly the chief delightful Exercise of my Religion and my Life and hath helped to bear down all the Objections which I have heard against Church-Musick and against the 149 150 Psalms It was not the least comfort that I had in the converse of my late Dear Wife that our first in the morning and last in Bed at night was a Psalm of Praise till the hearing of others interrupted it â—et those that savour not Melody leave others to their different Appetites and be content to be so far strangers to their delights These Times have produced many Excellent Poets Among whom for strength of Wit Dr. Abraham Cooley justly bears the Bell. I much value Mr. Woodford's Paraphrase on the Psalms though his Genius or somewhat else expound some Psalms so as the next Age will confute A Woman's Poems the Lady Philip's are far above contetmp But that is bestto me which is most holy I have known good men that were skilled in Musick and much delighted in it and yet had a conceit that it was unlawful in a Psalm or holy Exercise I so much differed from them that I scarce cared for it any where else and if it might not be holily used it should never have been used for me Honest George Withers though a Rustick Poet hath been very acceptable as to some for his Prophecies so to others for his plain Country-honesty The Vulgar were the more pleased with him for being so little Courtly as to say If I should have been hung I knew not how To teach my Body how to cringe and how And to embrace a fellows hinder quarters As if I meant to steal away his Garters When any bow'd to me with Congees trim All I could do was stand and laugh at him Bless me thought I what will this coxcomb do When I perceiv'd one reaching at my shooe Quarles yet out went him mixing competent Wit with Piety especially in his Poem against Rest on Earth Silvester on Du Bartas seems to me to
and helps abound And all that will may hear the joyful sound My Parents here thy skilful hand did plant Free from the snares of Riches and of Want Their tender care was us'd for me alone Because thy providence gave them but One Their early Precepts so possest my heart That taking root they did not thence depart Thy Wisdom so contriv'd my Education As might expose me to the least temptation Much of that guilt thy Mercy did prevent In which my spring-time I should else have spent Yet Sin sprung up and early did appear â—n love of play and lyes produc'd by fear An appetite pleas'd with forbidden fruit A proud delight in literate repute Excess of pleasure in vain Tales Romances Time spent in feigned Histories and Fancies In idle talk conform to company Childhood and Youth had too much vanity Conscience was oft resisted when it checkt And holy duty I did much neglect Yet patience bore thy Spirit still did strive Restless Convictions still were kept alive Thou wouldst not give me over till thy Grace Reviv'd thy Image which sin did deface Thou strangely putst such Books into my hand As caused me my case to understand As toucht my conscience wakened my heart And laid it under careful fears and sinart And made me question with a deeper sense Whither my soul must go when it goes hence Then did thy Light detect the vanity Of all the Joys and Hopes below the Sky The fruitless bussle which the Worldling makes The madness of the course the Sinner takes The wicked world I thought a Bedlam was And sensless Sinners hearts were stone or brass I wondred men could live so carelesly Ready to pass into Eternity And O how easily could I confute All that against a holy life dispute I wondred at my self that staid so long So little toucht with Arguments so strong Laughing and playing as if all were well For ought I knew near to the brink of Hell I marvell'd at my former senslesness My sin and misery I did confess And now what horrid darkness on my mind Never before lamented did I find Sin was like sickness in my flesh and bone Which only by the Book before was known Christ's Office now I better understood The need my Soul had of his cleansing Blood How insufficient of my self I was To bring my own deliverance to pass Now I began to feel as well as see How near the Word of Grace concerned me That all means else in Heaven and Earth were vain My Peace with God and pardon to obtain To whom else should my sinful Soul have gone But for my Saviour I had been undone Oh my dear God! how precious is thy Love Thus thou prepar'st us for the Life above The heav'nly Powers which made my heart to quake My Prison bonds and doors did open shake Sin now was folly villany and shame God Heav'n Christ Holiness seem not the same How thou wouldst use me yet I did not know Whether my sin thou wouldst forgive or no But well I saw there was no turning back Nature is loth to go to Hell awake Thy Gospel told me I might mercy find Nothing but Hell and Darkness was behind At last thy Grace brought me to this conclusion To HOPE and SEEK I fixt my resolution O my dear God! How precious is thy Love Thy Griefs prepare us for the Joys above Yet these my wounds and smart were not so great As many's who sate long in scorners seat Nor did the change so suddenly begin As to make known when special Grace came in In my young years thou hadst convinc'd my Soul Conscience did childish vanity controul I lik'd thy waies as best I honour'd those That Folly shun'd and Holy Wisdom chose Thou hadst prevented Oaths and horrid crimes And the enormous vices of the times Preserving me from youthful lusts and rage The thoughts of Thee increasing with my Age. This greatest Change began when I was green Having not much above three lustres seen Therefore I doubted whether it were true Because its entrance I no better knew Long was I sadly questioning thy Grace Because thy Spirits steps I could not trace The difference is so great 'twixt Heav'n and Hell That those must differ much who there must dwell I fear'd the change which rais'd my soul no higher Would not suffice to save me from Hell fire But above all I thought so Hard a heart Could not among the living have a part I thought thy Son would never heal my sore Unless my tears and sorrow had been more I wonder'd at my great stupidity That could not weep when I deserv'd to dye I wonder'd things so great as Heav'n and Hell Did on my heart with no more feeling dwell That words which such amazing things import Did not sink deeper and my soul transport That things of Everlasting consequence Did not affect me with a deeper sense And that a soul so near its final doom Could give these worldly trifles any room That on these shadows I could cast an eye While Death Judgment Heav'n Hell stood by I wonder'd when my odious sin was nam'd I was no more confounded and asham'd Many a time I beg'd a tender heart And never pray'd so much for joy as smart I could have kiss'd the place where I did kneel If what my tongue had spoke my heart could feel These were my cryes when I to Thee did speak O that this heart of stone might melt or break These were my groans this was my daily breath â— save me from Hard-heartedness and Death This was the title which I us'd to take Sensless Hard-hearted wretch that cannot wake But as thy Wisdom gives in fittest measure Not all at once It 's meet we wait thy leisure â— thought that things unseen should pierce and melt With as great Passion as things seen and felt But now I find it is their proper part To be most valu'd to be next the Heart To be the highest Interest of the soul There to command and all things else controul Thus must the little spark of fire be blown Or else it will not flame nor scarce be known New-lighted Candles darkened by the snuff Are ready to go out with every puff So it was long before the heav'nly spark Conquered my snuff and shined in the dark My feeble new-born soul began with crying My Infant-life did seem to be still dying Betwixt supporting Hope and sinking Fears My doubting soul did languish many years O my dear God! how precious is thy Love Thy troubling Motions tend to Rest above Thus GRACE like NATURE entereth in a seed Which with man's labour heav'nly dews must feed Whose Virtue and first Motions no eye sees But after comes to ripeness by degrees Our Father 's tender Love doth much appear When he with useless crying Babes can bear When we the Houshold's grief and trouble are He shews the more his patient nursing care At first I wisht that I could pray and weep Thus when I could
Or playing on a Bag-pipe or a Fiddle But hath not learned how to Live and Die Nor where his Soul must dwell eternally God and all wise men judge him but a fool Who is not wise enough to save his Soul When Heav'n's made sure all Knowledge then is good For Faith and Love can turn it into food It 's pleasant then to study any Book When we see GOD the sense where ere we look When as the way to Heav'n we know each place And see God's beauty in each creature's face And when we stick not in the form and letter But all our Knowledge tends to make us better When still the more we Know the more we Love And draw more with us to the Joys above Fine Fancies are not like clear minds nor those Like Love by which the Soul with God doth close Wisdom it self will make the Mind most wise He that ascends to God doth Highest rise Sure Pisgah was Parnassus or the Mount Where three Apostles did three Glories count Christ's living streams are the true Helicon None make true Poets but Heav'ns springs alone What poor low toyish work make frothy wits Like Bacchus Scholars in their Pot-wise fits Like Childrens Poppets drest with Lace and Pin Like handsom Pictures something wants within A painted Feast carv'd with a painted Knife A Living Soul can feel it wanteth Life Without a Holy Subject End and Spirit True Wisdom's sacred Titles none can merit O my Dear God! how precious is thy Love These are the drops what are the streams above Immortal thanks my Soul doth owe my God For his well-order'd needful healing Rod The Book and Rod do well befit thy School Correction is the portion of the Fool The Rod it self will make the Sluggard rise The Rod and Book make foolish Children wise I felt or fear'd no evil at the first But my Soul's misery which is the worst Whilst for a Soul-remedy I did look Thy angry storm my Body overtook Languishing weakness shortens strength breath Consumes my flesh and threatens speedy death And what I felt reviv'd the fears of more For now my Judgment seemed at the door I knew not but it might be a foretast Of greater woe which I might feel at last My new awaken'd Soul amazed was To think that unto Judgment it must pass And see the unseen World and stand before The dreadful God whom Heav'n Earth adore I was unready to behold thy face Having no more assurance of thy Grace Having but lately too familiar been With my seducing flesh and hateful sin My Thoughts of Thee were terrible and strange And of so great and an untimely change The threatned Ruine I did thus condole O must my scarce-born unprepared Soul Before my dreadful Judge so soon appear And the decisive final Sentence hear And all my Reckonings so soon bring in And give account to God for every sin Before I do my Soul's condition know Or any scaled Pardon have to shew What if I prove an unconverted Wretch And Justice should my Soul to torments fetch How know I but the endless flames of Hell May be the place where next my Soul shall dwell Mercy would save me but I did reject it Christ's Blood would cleanse it but I did neglect it And though I am not hopeless who can bear To die uncertain under so great fear I O that my Tunes had all been better spent And that my caâ—â—y Thoughts had all been bent In preparation for the Life to come That now I might have gone as to my home And taken up my dwelling with the blest And past to everlasting Joy and Rest O that the pleasures of my sports and toyes Had all been turn'd to man-like holy Joyes And those Delights which Vanities engrost And spent on fleshly Lusts were worse than lost Had all been sweet Rejoycings in the Lord And in his holy Service and his Word O that I could my wasted Time call back Which now my Soul for greater works doth lack What would I give now for those precious daies Which once run out in pleasures and delaies O had I liv'd a strict and holy Life Though under hatred and malicious strife Though Men's and Devil's fury I had born And been the world's reproach contempt scorn Then welcome Death would but have quencht my thirst And bid the envious world now do their worst Their malice would but to my Joyes accrew And well-spent Time be sweet to my review O happy men whose portion is above Whose hearts to God and to his Service clove Who made him and his Word their chief delight And walkt in uprightness as in his sight Approv'd their Hearts and Waies to him alone As ready to appear before his Throne Now I had rather far be one of them Than one of worldly Wealth or Princely Stem O now my undrest Soul is passing forth I see both what the World and Christ are worth Thus did the face of Death my Soul awake The bonds of dead stupidity it brake Strict holy Truth I easily confest I saw that Godliness is not a jest My late besotted mind is now past doubt That Folly's careless Wisdom is devout I saw more clearly than I did before What lies on an ungodly Sinners score For what man's pow'rs were made what is their use To what all means and mercies do conduce What is man's business while he 's here below How much his creatures to their Maker owe Whether the Saint or Brute be in the right Whether it 's best to live by Faith or Sight What is true Wit what Learning 's most sublime How I and all should value precious Time I saw it 's not a thing indifferent Whether my Soul to Heav'n or Hell be sent Death also further taught me how to pray And made me cry unto thee every day It set me on the trying of my state Lest I should prove deceiv'd when 't was too late Often and carefully I searcht my heart Whether in Christ by Faith I had a part It shew'd me so much work to do at home That alien needless matters found small room It curb'd my Pride and buryed my Ambition Made me not only bear a low condition But chuse it and all things to estimate As God my Soul and Heav'n should set the rate For now as clearly as I saw the Sun I saw in lines which they may read that run That Endless things are All when we compare And transitory trifles Nothing are That Worldlings in their sleep do talk and go And all their lives are but a dreaming shew Only the true Believer lives awake And doth not spend his daies in meer mistake That all who are not Saints are worse than Brutes These O my Father were thy Rod's first-fruits O my Dear God! how precious is thy Love Thus we rebound up to the Joyes above Long thus before my God I lay prostrate Begging for healing mercy at his gate And for some longer time to know his Truth And
deep remorse tells me What I have done What have I done It 's graven all in Stone This heart of flint feels now What I have done What have I done my pained flesh and bone Cry out with anguish O what have I done What have I done I see I feel I groan The sad effects proclaim What I have done What have I done My friends distress and moan Cry to me night and day This thou hast done Melt sinful heart and spare not welcome grief Away delights I 'le none of your relief Shew me the Wilderness the secret Cell Where grief and I may still together dwell Where Hills and Woods may eccho all my groans And hearers may not interrupt my moans Where mortal Eyes may see no more the face Which folly hath confounded with disgrace Where I may Die alive and Live in Death And spend in Lamentation all my breath Seeing deceitful heart-tormenting sin So cunningly is crept and woven in Break it in pieces turn this Heart to dust Melt out the dross purge out the filth and rust Spare not the Lance Or if that will do good Drench it in tears Stop not this brinish flood Jesus Peace troubled Soul I 'le wash it in my blood Woman why weepest thou was the first word After his Rising spoken by our Lord To which his Angels Preface did accord John 20. 13. 15. The Relief Jesus PEace troubled Soul It 's not thy brinish flood Nor troubling Passions that must do thee good Come freely drank and bathe thee in this Blood Sinner What I so vile a wretch it cannot be Alas I fear it was not shed for me Jesus Yea even for thee So far 't was shed for all That they may come and welcome at my Call Sinner Alas Lord I have trampled on thy Blood And thy Reproofs and Calls of Grace withstood Jesus And yet I call thee Take my Mercy yet I 'le answer for thee I have paid thy debt Sinner What mine that have provoked thee so long And done thy Blood and Spirit so much wrong Jesus I dy'd for Enemies It is my Glory To wash foul hearts and blot out all their story Sinner What! one so long so terrible so sad Love one so hateful pardon one so bad Jesus Hast thou such sins as I cannot forgive Or any wants which I cannot relieve Sinner I know thy Blood can wash away my guilt I doubt not thou canst heal me if thou wilt Jesus How hath my Will deserved thy suspicion When I have made Acceptance the condition Consent and all is thine My Gift is free The purchase is not to be made by thee Sinner â— know what thou wilt do shall sure be done â—ut some God hates I fear that I am one Jesus And must the Love declar'd at such a rate So vail'd by the suspicion of Hate For this I came to Men from God above To manifest his great abundant Love Mark what my Doctrine Life and Death intend This is their principal design and end God's Power and Skill But chiefly his Great Mercy and Good Will Sinner Yet he will save none but his own Elect Not those that his Salvation neglect Jesus My Promise and thy Duty thou may'st see But canst not search the depth of God's Decree Mercy intreats thee here it 's brought unto thee Take it and God's Decree shall not undo thee All are Elect that do not to the last Refuse me and my Grace behind them cast Sinner This I have done and fear I shall do still Till I the measure of my sins fulfil Though God be Love it self I shall have none I fear my Day of Grace is past and gone Methinks I feel Grace doth my Soul forsake Thy Holy Spirit thou dost from me take Jesus Here thou art yet alive my Grace attends thee And from the jaws of Death and Hell defends thee Satan would fain at once thy Soul devour What dangers dost thou walk in every hour Yet thou art safe and hear'st the Preacher's voice Come close with Mercy and Heav'n will rejoyce Dost thou not feel my Spirit still contend And tell thee what it is that thou must mend If yet thou 'lt be but willing to be mine I and my Benefits will sure be thine I seek I knock thou find'st I have not done Yet dost thou say thy Day of Grace is gone Sinner O but I have a Heart as hard as Steel I see my misery but cannot feel Jesus Fully to feel what thou deserv'st is Hell What measure 's best it 's I that best can tell Sinner I can scarce weep a tear for sin This Heart Was never melted yet by all thine Art Sure it 's a sign my Day of Grace is gone When this unhumbled Heart remains a Stone Jesus Consent but to my Covenant and be sure The remnant of thy Hardness I will cure I 'le put a tender heart into thy breast Believe in me and I 'le forgive the rest It is no Mortal Hardness if thou chuse My Covenant and dost not me refuse Should'st thou but fully feel thy sin thou 'dst die None could sustain so great a load but I. I felt it for thee Leave it to my care To wound or heal to break afflict or spare Sinner My sin my wants my misery is such That I can never feel and grieve too much Jesus Such breaking 's good as breaks the heart of sin And maketh way for Love to enter in But not the grief that only breaketh ease Weakning the Soul and strengthning the Disease Hinder not Love and Joy but grieve in measure My Blood and not thy Tears must be thy Treasure Sinner Indeed my purest streams are too impure And cannot thy severity endure The grief of an impatient selfish spirit Cannot thy Pardon or Acceptance merit But if this hardened Heart do not relent And so great sin and misery lament How canst thou smile on such a brazen face As never felt the want and worth of grace Jesus Whence 〈◊〉 I this complaining language hear If neither want nor worth of grace appear I 'le save thee if but so far thou Repent As to my Gospel-Covenant to consent Wilt thou be healed Truly say I will And trust the cure on thy Physicians skill Sinner O there 's my sin and woe though Grace be free I cannot take thy Grace or come to thee My heart is hardened I cannot repent My Will 's enthrall'd I cannot consent This will condemn me at the dreadful day I may have Life but will not when I may Jesus Art thou not willing why then dost thou crave it Dost thou complain for grace wouldst not have it If thou hadst rather be ungodly still It seems thou speak'st all this against thy will Sinner Would not the worst of men be sav'd from Hell And in delight and endless pleasure dwell But to be Holy I have no desire But as a means to keep me from Hell fire When I seem to do good or ill forbear It is not out of