thing hath two handles and a foole alwayes takes it by the left Quicquid recipitur recipitur in modum recipientis BIte Cynick if thou wu't And fill thy invenom'd gut with poyson Burst Spider if one Bee Get one sweet smatch 't shall be M'rich foison Hence Momus be n't so rude S'unmannerly to intrude Dar'st venture The House is mine and thou 'Rt a Thiefe I 'l not allow Thee enter But wu't thou break the doore Turn not a Paper more 'T is Burglarie Steale not a glance upon A syllable be gone Thou Plagiary Chantez a l'asne il vous fera des coups BRing yee an Asse unto the Harp And he will at the Musick carp Skill hath no enemies but those Whose pride their ignorance doth pose But th' man that learnes humility Knowes Musick for with God dwels he And he-and-he full sweetly agree Whose very tunings Musick be MAy never eye great God behold this booke Whose eye-affected heart with thee 's not tooke O thou that mad'st the dead alive Speak but the word these words revive Thou free and freeing spirit that blowest where When as thou list'st O that thou wouldst blow here Let him that life to all things gives Reade to the Reader and he lives Carmina secessum scribentis otia quaerunt Ovid. At Anglica nostra Carina Pontificûm insanis exagitatur aquis Ac agitetur aquis etiam cantabimus illis Viribus ipsa suis Roma superba ruit Roma superba ruit resonantque Superna canorà Voce ruat summo pondere strata suo VVHat matters that from whom these Poems came Hee 's but the silent pen that ownes the blame God's be the praise the pleasant profit thine Bate thy mistakes be the misprisions mine For whatso'ver amisse thou 't see There wants discretion in thee or mee There wants discretion in thee and mee Beare Thou with me as I with thee Thinke th ' faults are thine I le thinke they 're mine And so they 'll be nor mine nor thine While each to lay'm on th' other's loth They 'll fall to th'ground between us both A politicke piece of charity To sweeten all in amity SOLILOQVIES THEOLOGICALL A Psalme a Hymne a spirituall Song A Ballad and Masse-chanting tongue A Davids Harp an aiery veine A vagrant Fiddle vapouring straine Fond wilfull blinde ind'stinct Devotions Th'inutterable sighs of faithfull Notions A Heaven diffused Supplicancie A torpid Rome-bred Lethargie A pompous gaudy Ceremony A Gospell-Simple decency Selfe-prating Priests Christ-preaching Pauls Gods and the worlds Episcopals These and a thousand more resemble Each other each other most disresemble Discretion is discerning He That sees but white from black can't see But he 'tis sees that seeth well That white fro'th ' brightest gray can tell To see sins of the foulest dye What i st But th' fair'st t 's a spirituall eye * Heb. 4.2 with 1 Cor. 2.14.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Iude 19. Soulie Betwixt the most clearly sensuall the most penctratingly rationall Soule and the Spirit T'divide betwixt the Soul and Spirit That that the name o' discretion merits Disguised Vertue Painted Vice The Proverbe turn'd More wise more nice But he who turnes this turnes to vice Is nice for want of being nice Her 's two men both high-minded be 'T is pride that this humility And her 's two more in feare each is 'T is courage that 't is cowardize this And so along of all the rest S' alike is good and evill drest Things most alike oft most unlike Doe prove and most unlike alike The wiser He that can descrie Th'great Distance when so close they lie Lay right i'th'East and wrong i'th'West E'rie fool'd be wise-and know what 's Best Cou'd they be clear'd by generall Rules Where'd be the Academicque Schooles But Limitings Sublimitings With often Subsublimitings And every Action 's of a Rate As duly Circumstantiate Who i st that naturally wu'd not good Yet all all ill by nature wu'd And how haps this but good and bad Are in the same apparell clad Or rather ' cause our sight 's so dull We can't the fruit fro'th ' refuse cull 'T is hence I feare my mirth is sad 'T is hence I finde my griefe is glad 'T is hence I feele my Melancholy Divine Delights my Laughter Folly 'T is hence I all things so suspect And what 's most pleasing most reject Till by the touch-stone I shall trie Whether 't be'nt th'delusion of the eye And what need Sences spiritualiz'd And those so often exercised Were't easie to be wise to know The discrepance from Concords flow Were't easie to be wise to know The Concords from Discordings flow Sages held Sots Sots Sages be Not view'd with perspicacity The * Esa◠3. with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To 〈◊〉 reason ◠gue red ◠gue wi◠Ioh. 7. ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sights an unjust Judge if judge Aright he doe who all must judge 'T is not so subtle edg'd to decide An haires bredth and besides 't is brib'd To often blindnesse by the affections Thus humane light takes false inspections I 'le ne'r believe the man that will Believe's own eyes but count him will Among the Fooles that 's not acquaint 2 Thes 3.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 With Faith the Topicks of a Saint Unskili'd and feigned Sounds may cheat The Eare Sents the Smell the Palate meat Th'Touch Tangibles There 's Sophistrie Plenty in Hell for Fallacies Th' world Flesh Divle's so Legier de main Th'acut'st nimbl'st Look may be mista'ne And when we thinke a Blow's put by VVee're over-reach't by'a Falsisie Sense Reason's grosly cozen'd but Faith Can never for'ts information hath From Truth it selfe 't may be mista'ne But can't mistake There is a vaine A fansied Faith So still here 's worke For D'scretion Snakes i th' Verdure lurk ' i th' Snakes rich Cordials Who wise wu'd prove ' Mselfe 's rarest wisdome't doth behove T' have rarified by that great Light That shewst the brightest day but night To see men both of the same Clay And mould and both of the same way Substance and faculties of Soule Yet the one as faire as Heaven as foule As Hell the other and if there seeme To thee a difference thou 'd'st esteeme The Heaven were Hell the Hell were Heaven So soone so much maist be deceiven For what 's the best morality But finer spun hypocrisie While hee 'd be thought be godly too That with our God hath nought to doe So Heaven and Hell may weare th' same clothes The Troubles that and this th' Repose Th'World's God inrob'd'n Angelicque Light The God of gods in sable Night 'T is this that hurles the world to Hell Because they can't the difference tell 'Twixt good and bad 'twixt God and them 'T is only those that he condemnes That know him not but so mistake As that themselves their gods they make And so doe all that will not learne 'Twixt things that differ to discerne 'T is this that makes the soule
who hath made these latter ordinances in their time as well as those former And that the God of nature who made nothing in vaine hath given forth such a diversitie of commands not with most wise ends To shew what concord he can make in such a seeming discrepancie betweene worke and worke men and men betweene heaven and earth in such a multiplicitie of imployments in due time and place while they are all According to his will And make an inconceiveable melody in the answering of a good conscience to him To shew thorough what a varietie of occurrents he can carry the faithfull soule while he still keepes it with Him And that hee might keepe them in an humble dependencie on him to learne how to bring forth their fruits in due season To set forth the glory of Christianitie in the sutable composure of such a change of Ornaments The excellencie of it in over-comming so many difficulties in passing so many turnings and windings conducted by the thus-more-commended manifold wisedome power goodnesse of God That takest it for so much superstition so much idolizing of the best duties and therefore for so much no duties while they are set up against the will of God Thou whom prosperitie keepes praying adversitie praysing That art exalted by thy humiliation incouraged by thy feare rejoyced by thy sorrow that gettest thy life by throwing it away that findest thy selfe by losing it that art watchfull in every thing carefull in nothing That art encountred with often doubts scruples irresolutions self-disputes and yet livest at the highest rate of assurance of the divine favour That yea by feeding thy selfe with feare thy watchings prayings fastings art carryed forth in the liveliest vigorousnesse and luxuriancy of spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mic. 4. Thou that art now at the top of the third Heavens in the highest exaltations of thy spirit and now againe at the bottome of the lowest Hell while thou still lyest as fast in the hugging imbraces of the omnipresent as ever Thou whose modest sober pure peaceable guilelesse discreet unblamable zealous lively active deportment of thy selfe speakes the one that hath been brought up at thee feet of Jesus Thou whose generous magnanimous God-resembling Spirit stoopes to humilty and overtops Pride That while thou lyest below the lowest dejection of the meanest Sainted Pesant bearest thee above the most disastrous dismallest aspects of the arrogantest Prelatickst highest-aspiring Kingdome-dooming Comet as far as the third Heaven is above the Meteory Region Thou that canst gladly stoope with that meeke Lamb to wash the feete of the meanest Minister of the Gospell Lay downe thy life for the God-loved and therefore world hated brethren while Lyon-like thy righteous soule rouseth up it selfe against the Hypocriticall Pharisee with the most contemptuous and undervaluing disdaine Thou that with a heartie willingnesse canst gladly abase thy selfe to unloose the latchet of the meanest Saint while thou knowest not how to give a Pontificall Peacocke the dissembling Complement of thy hast though he swell though he burnish though he bustle though he crow it never so domineeringly till he be furtivis nudatus coloribus Thou that like thy Heavenly Father knowest how to bee afflicted in all the afflictions of his holy ones his humble ones while wherein soever the Presumptuous deale proudly Thou wilt in Him be above them and make their proudest wrath to praise Him Thou that seest far more beauty on the very feet of the poorest Embassadour of the Gospel then on the honour-pleasure-profit-Triple-crowned head of those enemies to the Crown because to the vertue because friends to the signe of the Crosse of Christ In making the earth their study their belly their God their glorious Titles their shame themselves destruction and their Country distraction Thou that knowest how to turn the other cheeke to him that smites thee and to let goe thy cloake too to him that wud take away thy coate and yet knowest thy time too when to sell it for a sword and thy life by it as deare as thou canst While yet thou seekest not so much the destruction of the enemy no nor the preservation of thy selfe as the obedience too as the glory of God by it Thou that hast learnt how to render blessing for cursing and pray for them that despitefully use thee while still thou remembrest that the same Michael that brought no railing accusation against the devill called the Pharisees a generation of Vipers the evill-working Jewes the children of the devil Thou whose well tempered soule knowest the meaning of a zealous meeknesse a milde indignation a faceat gravity a sollid pleasantnesse c. Thou who while thy cautelous heart is still agitated with the most quick resentments readiest apprehensions of dangers art most firmly setled in a most unshaken peace of a providentiall security Thou whose giving heart is streaming it selfe forth in the most inlarged and selfe-loosing compassions the most liberall supplyes and contributions to the suffering Saints and hast thy awakened feare continually exercised with the alarmes of war and death while thou standest with an undaunted magnanimity in a close fast fixed Communion with thy God like Mount Sion that cannot be shaken triumphing over Hell and Death That while thou bleedest in their wounds art bound in their bonds dyest in their death blessest for thy wounds art freed with thy bonds livest in thy death That walking in the shadow of death in the presence of thine enemies hast a set banquet of heavenly delicacies thy head annointed with the oyle of joy and gladnesse by the over-shadowing hand of the Almighty Redeemer while thy soule is like a brim-full Cup over-running with joy and praises with joy and praises Thou that amandest the wicked from thee that thou maist keep the Commandements of thy God whom thou findest so so inapprehensibly good Thou that abhorrest none more then pragmaticall busie-body censorious men as the most slight-spirited idle self-ignorant worthlesse men that are and yet seekest not thine own things but the things of others and canst not so hate thy brother in thy heart as not to rebuke him and therefore as not to rebuke him in love Thou in whose eyes a vile person is contemned whose God-acquainted spirit can not sit with vaine empty triviall-spirited persons Sons of Belial whose foolish hearts are not lift up in-to the wayes of God that are above to the wise Triflers away of precious houres in frothie frivolous fruitlesse communications that have no and therefore can administer no grace to the hearer Men not of Heaven-ascending discourse spirit life Thou that hast found the two edged sword of the word dividing between the soule and the spirit and raising this as far above that as that is above the body That thou mayest serve him in the spirit of thy minde in the more extracted as it were and more sublimed quintessence the morefree noble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of life love zeal Thou that like that Purites
the ground This Palace Thou perkt up to Heaven adorn'st Thee'n specious self-admired Parts and scorn'st Thy neighbouring Underling whose humble heart Shall raise his praise as choosing th' Better part Who deeply founded on his Rock outstands The proudest structure on the crumbling sands That over-charg'd with its owne pondeur shall With lower-shooting violences fall Intomb'd in its owne ruines ' ith'Abysse 'T wixt which and Heaven the vastest Chasma is BEE proud who can Dost constant use to bow Thy serious minde by an intentive view Of God How Great How Good Vile Sinfull thou Mercies how excellnnt and those not few God! Man Mercie Such from Such to such a man These and their Suches Weighed So Where 's the man NO All. And now what letts what 's now between Why not now joyne claspe in a mutuall close And twine in full embraces Why not lose My Name my Life in Thee so ever bee With Thee with Thee the only Heaven I 'd see No No All All be gone For I have lost have lost my selfe in One. For ever ever Lord that I may feare No more to be my self but still be here And if thy wisdome see my foolish heart Wu'd surfet on thy kisses and convert This Grace to wantonnesse shu'dst still impart Unsowred sweets yet though our lips must part But shall they part never never shall our hands Though then in Hell I be yet what withstands But I may Vault my self to Heaven on This hold Whose touch is strength whose strength is uncontrol'd I Wonder how I live I 'm but a Shade A Ghost Doe dead men eat then I 'le eat too My life is hid with Christ in God I 'm made To men a stranger to my self nor doe I know ought aft'r th'flesh live in the Spirit Survey the Glories that I Now inherit How black 's this Sun how grim a night this cleare This flearing day O what an Aegypt's here While in my Heaven-illumin'd Goshen stand I viewing the palpablely-obscured land Which did they feel it as they think they see 't How to our Dwellings wu'd they speed their feet But still the world 's the world When shall I see The Sun the Day that make these thus to mee I see else knew I not these thus wu'd see More yet more that more knowing I might be I see but oft a cloud intrudes between And make's me say 't is darknesse to have seen I see one beam through th'Cranie blear's mine eye When all are pointed there O where am I My Light shall strength my sight nay I shall be All light for as He is I shall Him see No Dark of Folly-Sin-Sorrow shall there bee VVhen I Allight Allight shall Alwaies see ACTS 10.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T Is good 't is good being Here. Shall I go downe Shall I goe eat whose stomack kindly swels VVith for by Food-indeed Shall I goe drowne My Faith in Sence Or may my spirits as well Be lost as dull'd so too the work not hast Then goe flesh goe but dip but sip but Tast Goe not unenvyed of those precious houres VVherein thou laiest me out for dead and yet Extortest more for Life where funerall flowers Are welcome sweetes But what a sad regret Comes over if not overcomes my spirit To heare them talk of straws that Thrones inherit Nay t' heare them talk like two wh'ave but one soul bound for the same Heaven-Voyage They fall foule Keep up my Faith and there the while thee feed VVhere when I am no more I food shall need Keep up my Faith and talke thee there the while Where when I am this feare shall be my Spoile Keep up my Faith and then I may goe downe And through my Crosse the better view my Crowne HOw is my soule distracted with content How full of Joyes and yet how fill'd with Griefe How well compos'd my heart and yet how rent How often straights and yet as oft reliefe Impatient of delaies I patient stay Oh come away deare Lord I 'le not away The more I have the more I still desire The more I still desire the more I have Thrice happy thirst whereby I so acquire The drinke who drinkes he never more shall crave I aske no more but this but more of this No more this th' only blisse more still there 's misse Oh could I ever dwell where I have been Or once could be where I shall ever dwell In Kedars Tents I mourne when I have seen Th' Invisible how soon my heaven to hell Is turn'd The only hell that I can see To see the face reflects no God on me Cast me into those Roomes of this great Inne Where I may heare them talke that talke of Home And when these worldlings which thee ne'r have seen Chance in my-thy appointed way to come Oh iet me be so prepossest with thee Hearing I may not heare nor seeing see When highest I arise I lowest fall And when I lowest fall I highest rise The higher my sin and shame me more appall The lower the greater's mercy in mine eyes I fall rise rise fall move but nev'r remove So stedfast am I founded on his love Mount up my spirit what not Higher yet Yet Higher Higher yet this is too low Till quite above my selfe advanc'd I get Where my New self shall me His Glory show In this third Region shall my Eagles eye Th'unclouded splendour of his face descrie Before I heard but Now I Now behold Those holy beauties that first struck me dead Those holy beauties that first did unfold The riches of my life thus thus is bred Death out of Life Life out of Death by his Light More black 's mydark mydark his Light more bright Oh how I love to love such * Desirablenesses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Can. 5.16 Lovelinesses As Thou art Altogether how I hate My selfe I cannot love oh th'expedite distresses That my self-jealous soule doe intricate Cares Cleerings Feares Desires Zeale Indignation Revenge one smile caus'd cur'd blest perturbation By'agreeing discord how delight 's augmented By these harsh touches how well grac't the close VVith a full harmony never be repented Shall this Repentance VVhen thou dost Lord compose A heart thus broken 't is then an instrument And ne'r till then can give thine ears content For never thou pleas'd with thy self alone Break'st one in two but bring'st two hearts in one So am I whole again ' cause one with Thee So love my self ' cause Loving Lov'd of Thee O VVhat a Consort is thy Word VVhen Place falls into Place O what a Beauty is thy VVord VVhen Grace is matcht to Grace But what a What then is That Word That shews all Face to Face HOw faire a Casket is thy VVord VVhat broken sparkes it doth afford From every corner to invite My eyes to frequenter delight My eyes my wondering eyes to see Such radiant Christianity Cu'd I but sett these sparks in one VVhat floods of lustre thence were flow'n One's worth a world Heaven
night This black-Prince-ruled world but where in thine Thy Word Saints Spirit thou art pleas'd to shine My soul is dark my brightest light but dim This yet 's my joy all I have I have from Him VVith Wanes and Changes now I oft decline But in the Full shall shortly ever shine Freed from this Leasehold earth this shady night Fully possesse possessed by the Light VVhose beaming favours from his Darkelesse face Condign'd his Choice Coheires of Glorious Grace I See no light and yet so much I see As darkes all other lights I feele no love And yet so much I feele as makes me flee All other loves when other joyes can't move My heart that sad perplexities annoyes I joy this griefe and grieve all other joyes Lord art thou gone What shalt thou so be lost Thy glorious eye into this heart hath sent The spark hath took the whole an Holocaust It restlesse mounts unto its Element Fire of the Spirit it is 't will make no stay Till to the Spirit of fire't hath burnt its way Shew me the Father and it shall suffice Whom ne'r man saw and liv'd yet seen of men If death wu'd doe it 't were well for wicked eyes Nor dead nor living yet seen of men how then Dead and alive in thee and by thy Light I feed on that full satisfying sight 'T is not the predisposed Organ here That needs the Medium of a Mediator Quicks deadned eyes th'obscured Object cleares To th'lightlesse Creature the great Light Creator Here see I all I 'd have the world is want The Bed's too short the Coverings are too scant BLack thoughts as black as hell and yet more black Their paines extort their lies Not Good What lack Hast thou of all content but only this I cannot see not say Good Good He is Mad thoughts As mad as Hell and what 's more mad Then to confesse He is and yet is bad More reason 's in m'unreasonablenesse VVhen say there is no God then not confesse Him Good Him only Good O could I thinke My heart so gone in love so brought to 'th brinke Of those Celestiall Rivers thence shu'd shrink And steale me to th' infernall Lake I think VVho did so deeply of his goodnesse drink That this was in my heart my heart in Heaven Ne'r will I trust what hath me so deceiven No no nor what I say for if I doe 'T will cheat me in That Resolution too Ah Lord what wo'nt I do whom even now Thou feasted'st with the sweets of God yet how How soon my mouth was full of gaulie taste That thou shu'dst throw away the world as waste And Fire-fit refuse yet so sure combine Me in that Jesu bundle of Life with Thine Elect who'st room enough in Him for all Or might'st have kept them from their former fall Blest God! 't is therefore that I love thee so That thou these wise-hid-depths to Babes wu'dst show VVhen Fools proud wisdome scorns to stoop so low Thou nothing do'st because 't is Good 't is Good Because Thou do'st it Thy good pleasure wu'd That this be so even so be it who will Doe what They will may thank themselves for th' ill Ensu's but what Thou wu't Thy grace VVho'rt plac'd to dwell in Satans Place O love The God of glory Come Good God! in th'unclean Spirits room VVhat am I Lord And what thy whole Creation That Thou shu'dst condole VVer 't but a Man but Millions so condole As t'beare the Shame Blame Death the whole Evils of thy Sainted Rebels whom Justice judg'd meriting one doome Love Goodnesse shu'd I praise extend Unto its due I shu'd ne'r end Nor wu'd nor will but make my dayes Expire in Panegyrick laycs TEach me Thy Foolish wisdome Lord and let The blindfold world choose wiser Follies set My heart in frame to Learn-Love-Doe Thy will To feare to Think Speak Act the smallest ill Here wisdome takes beginning only Here Where feare shall teach me wisdome wisdome feare Thou art Only-Wise-Immortall God and He That 's taught of Thee but only taught is he VVhose humble feare dives in those depths too deep For haughty Ignorance Sleep fondlings sleep And hug your dreames of wit but when you wake You 'le dearely rue your obstinate mistake HOw pleasantly I weare away my dayes I' th' sence o'renewed strength My strength decaies And rises by his ruines I melt away How sweetly melt still drop proud flesh defray Your marrow to maintain these flames still burne Ble'st spirit burne me all to fire turne Thoughts will prey on my spirits life will away Then live my sprightfull thoughts on your decay Life Life of Lives 'T is only Then I Live VVhen ready stand prepar'd with Joy to give Up my Accompt and speed me to that day That gives me Life Indeed because for Aye O When shall I put off these fleshly Clothes And in my Earthy Bed take sweet repose Untill that Morning come that Holy day In holy Pleasures I shall ever Play On well tun'd Heart that Heart inamouring ditty That is the Consort of that Heavenly Citie Even so Lord Jesus Come when breakes the day Show's us Thy face the shadow 's flowne away Even so Lord Jesus Come when breakes the day Amen Amen the Bride and Spirit say I Come I Come so come that we may come Riding o' th' Cloudes unto our Fathers Home MElt in thy Fire my Earth blest Spirit blow M'into a Glasse through whose transparent pores My radiant streames of holy luster flow Into my light-enliv'ned soule now poares On those dim glimmerings thorough this darksom dust Yet more ob scured by th'False-lights of Lusts More then more strong be those thy glorious rayes To lift my heart up to thy heavenly wayes Till thou shalt spiritualize my very flesh And make my glorious body see no lesse I Cannot hold so full so full of Thee Sweet Father help the more 's the Revelation Of Truth the more th'more strong the test'mony Of love the more th'more strong is the temptation My Love burnes still and from that fire comes light Restores the day unto my darkest Night For still I say I know I 'm ignorant And very bad but Thou art Wise and Good I can't but love Thee Thy Love-Letter I can't But I must reade thus Truth is understood Receiv'd with love without delusion so By knowing I learn to Love by loving Know. A holy Life 's the clearest Commentary I finde o' th' sacred Text the Spirit 's actuall Interpretation 'T unites what seemes contrary Parts One in Two show's how 't is it doth call Griefe joyfull faithfull feare lofty humblenesse Destinguisheth of Prayer Faith show's who confesse Who makes the Word a Lanthorn to his feet God to his pathes to mak 't a Light think 's meet HOw giddy I am with viewing the Sea I 'd know Why Thou't so ebb to some to some so flow Why this man 's left the other Love doth take But woe t' him dares debate with h's Maker make O
Thy Wise-knowing depth's unsounded be Since I cannot take Thee take take Thou mee Into Thy mercies Ocean be I receiven I know 't will beare me to my Haven Heaven That shall declare Thy righteousnesse that shall Thy Judgements manifest God's Judge of All Great Wonderfull Thy Workes Just true Thy Waies Shall be the ditty of Thy worthy Praise MY Head 's lost in my Heart sure I 'm in love Forget all yea m'own thoughts while thus above And now what 's this steales slily in my head My spirits thus in my heart concentered Don't I believe My heart my life wo'nt say it And for my thoughts what need I so much weigh it Thoughts oft confound themselves I love I live The God the Life that none but Christ can give Am crucified dead buried risen ascended Begin the Life that never shall he ended MY Head doth ake and yet my Head Doth feel no pain My Head is well and yet my Head Doth still complain Well I 'le goe lay it on my Husbands knee Where stroake it with His gentle hand shall Hee His Palm's a medecine Soveraign If He but touch The Feaver leaves if He refrain Yet I 'le not grutch Ther 's somewhat in 't He 's Wise Good ake's't still well 'Ts Thy mercy Lord 't shall never ake in Hell Ne'r ake in Hell then ever in Heaven Triumph o're griefe And sha'nt this all thy Sowers unleav'n With sweet reliefe But weigh them well they 'le overpoise them quite What 's Earth to Heaven Finite to Infinite And now my Faith what do'st where art What Yeeld to Sence Or hast forgot thy Heavenly Art How to dispence Joyes suiting every sorrow I wonder too Wer't in the Martyrs flames how Then thou 'dst doe Lord give me strength and Thou shalt take the praise Lord take my strength and That shall give Me praise NOw mouldring Earth why hang'st the head Hast not a Soul why why so dead Or shal't be more enslaved by Thy pains whose pleasures conquered lie No no 't is more ingenuous bred With courage as well as wisdome sped My spirit not mine 's egregious I 'M among the Exc'llent who so high That I not Aemulate And can I'ndure to see a Publican Thus match me He can blesse i' th' warme Sun but I 'd blesse i' th' sharpest storme I 'd pray I 'd praise my paines away And lull my griefe asleep a way Of sweet successe I 'd drown my swine This touchy grunting grumbling repine In my own waving passions Swage By reg'lar passions passions rage By this my heavenly indignation Appease this earth-fum'd perturbation Attempts to Shipwrack peace in vain That still 's afloat o' th' calmed Plaine Thy breath the windes did blow away Thy Word the boistrous billows stay Thou said'st I shu'd do greater things For Faith in 'ts power all things brings thou 'dst be commanded by 't I shu'd B' as sure of what so e're is good As if thou wert at their Commands Who humbly-bold wait watch thy hands But I wu'd doe what thou hast done I 'd make dim eyes play with the Sun Dead spirits from their graves wu'd bring And make deaf eares to heare them sing This dumb-grown tongue thy wonders tel I wu'd doe all things wondrous well I 'd th'lowest dullest flatnesse raise To th' highest tones of clearest praise I 'd fighting humours reconcile But if they 'le fight I 'd feast the while I 'd tune distempers to thy praise Turn cloudy nights to Sun-shine dayes Teach fainting hands to ring applaud And parched bones to spring with laud Smooth wrinkling gripings with a smile But if they wo'nt I 'd sing the while How ere it be yet Thou art good And better ditty I ne're wu'd Hold up declining Armes hold up Poure praises from an empty Cup For Grace is no more void then Nature Where th' creature wants ther 's the Creator Where that goes out there He comes in As well as where there goes out sin When then there 's place that 's empty o' thee Then not till then I 'le empty be Thy presence then when Thou sha't cease Then not till then I 'le cease to blesse Then never sha't Thou be unblest By him wh'hath thee a constant Guest Though in the dark a while we be Yet cause I see the Dark I see The world or want All 's one to me The while in either I ha'thee M'thinkes I can't but often pray That thou wu'dst take this world away For while 't is seen it bars my sight And I finde faith the sweet'st delight But all thy counsels have their beauty And all my comfort 's in my duty For thou hast taught my faith the way Through all to passe t' m'eternall stay Thee Thee O wu'dst thou take me now Thy childe that to thine armes doth bow Its straining soule loth to be held By th' world in'ts pleasing'st usage yeelds But paines O Thou that all things made And can'st revive them when they fade Thou that the Chaos fram'dst so faire And from foure discords match't so rare A set of healthy harmony Can'st when thou please make all agree And what 's my Musick but thy pleasure And but thy selfe what is my treasure Then let it goe and goe my health So will 's my musick so my wealth Be packing packing get thee gone No more dear friend He 's all or none Be packing packing get thee gone No more deare health Hee 's all or none Be packing packing get thee gone No more deare self He 's all or none Be packing packing get thee gone No more deare Nothing He 's all or none 'T is very well then I am ill If this be ill be I so still Till thou sha't see it fit to tell M'its very well that I am well 'T is very well friend I thee misse The misse o' th' world 's a world of Blisse Leave out thou sai'st this paltry Crotchet 'T will sound but ill and shall I botch it Into the Song sound it as 't will And so say I ha'th'better skill How too it grates my curious eares My tender Bowels wracks and teares M'observant head sets m'teeth on edge Against my self essay'd t' abridge My joy my stretching it besides Thy Will where all my joy resides And when all 's done so must I play The sweet the while lost by delay Strike off the sin strike as thou please Blot out th' offence I seek not ease And yet my ease because it is Thy pleasure t'keep me still in Blisse My ease my pleasure therefore is Or strike or not I 'm still in Blisse Nay this my ease my pleasure is Strike or forbeare the hand is His. Thankes thankes Think'st th'Angels now are still The just mens perfect spirits sill Not Heaven with their chanting voice Thou' rt o' the Choire my soul rejoyce Thou maist thou must praise with the gods The God makes musique with his rods He 's one Entire Pure Perfect Happinesse No shaddo ' o' change in him thou art e're Blest
th' creature can For he hath most of God and who hath so He little cares which way the world will goe 'T shall never touch his heart nor taske his braine To lay about to fetch it backe againe As he whose lines are fallen in a faire Large pleasant place is made for th' worse to care If 't 'll come by faire meanes well and good hee 'le use It when and as he thinks convenient loose 'T he will ere hee 'le imploy the smallest foule Imploy't he doth that lets it pinch his soule T 's the soundest body that feeds o' th' simplest fare The soundest soule that makes his God his fare A happy man the spirit ' f a healthie mind Can in a health-injoying body finde A happie man the spirit ' f a healthy minde Can in a health-deprived body finde LIft up prevailing hands in praysing action ' Gainst Edom and the Edomitish faction There are they fallen proud Prilistims withall Their Ashdod brats so let them let them fall And never rise while on our Harpes we sing The song of Moses and the Lambe our King Victorious meekenesse gird thy all-conquering sword Unto thy potent thigh give give the word Unto thy Heavenly Host they 'l straight conjoyne With earths celestiall Armies then combine Rome Spaine France Hell take the devill and all The Mitred Captaines of the high Priests Hall Come on brave Borgias with your pransing horse Yee Popes deare Nephewes or which sounds the worse Though th' same his Base Sons whom he hath begot On an unwedded Church Change Cannon shot Into the shot of Cannon Tout d'an coup Devoure th' Presicians they 're a slender soup T' a Pulpit full of Sack a slippery yolke In lustie Muskadine they 'l never choake So well wash't downe with blood but if you thinke You'z finde as hard worke as ye had to get a drinke O' th' wary Scot close noddles constult together Hoord up i' th' deep'st Abbisse ' f y'r holy Father Jesuitick plots say a confederacie But 't shall not stand till truth it selfe can lie Come gather then together and be ye broke T'irrecomposible peeces He hath spoke Still will he thinke ye ride upon an Asse No no his white steed 's mounted Hee 'l surpasse Your forciblest finenesses Jerusalem Leape leape for joy Thy King comes and doth hem Thee round with mightie mountaines and his Hoste Is all prepar'd thine enemies to accoast For His are thine for thou art His then boast The in thee Lord thy God when thou art in th emost Inextricable dangers Here I here 's A Saint-like patience thus to chant the blisse Of bleeding wounds while their Te Deums charmes Fond soules with Swan-like songs our harmelesse harmes Shall sweetly breathe in sighes triumphant layes Of conquering Iös while our blood shall praise That name above the proudest wrath and raise A generation that shall Babell raze Stones shall be Churches and dead bones shall live E're God his glory unto Rome shall give Ther 's breath enough in heaven and dust on earth To build more men to ruine all her mirth How heaven derides these Gotham sages wu'd Drowne Eeles i' th' water drowne the Church in blood What 's the Parisian massacre forgot How crown'd with many a thousand Huganot Or th' Marian flames how oft th' Prelatique hands Were crowded with increasing Puritans Or those Ten Prim'tive persecutions what But more Christs-honourers hath their crueltio got But still the devill 's the divill although he know He workes the Saints more weale himselfe more woe So mad is envie 't had rather loose both eyes Then 'ts neighbour's one shud see 'ts deformities Courage my hearts we nor our cause can die Nay we may live to see proud Aegipt lie Dead on the shore What feare we Th' Wonderfull In Skill Power Peace Love 's ours what shall they pull The Palme from Him or shall they rend a Limbe Fro' th' Father of Spirits hurt the eye of Him Whose voyce is thunder and his eves are fire Who hands their breath then have they their desire And ne'r till then Thus in my Fort my Peace My Castle-Christ my flaming Wall ne'r cease There are they fallen yea though I thinke I fall And all my fellow souldiers for thus call We death because we thinke it so when 't is The onely rise unto our perfect blisse Th' irrevocable word 's past decree 's sign'd All things are present to a faithfull minde For hee sees all in God but he sees all At once and thus while he beholds hee 'le call Things past and future present things that are As they were not that are not as they were Let kingdomes clash and their foundations shake Haughtie hearts shrinke to their heele let fury take The loftiest Hills and hurle them in the Maine Let th' lively Sun his sprightly raies refraine And wraps 's in sable might let heaven and earth Meet in confusion while hell yawnes our mirth Shall that be swallowed up by this our joy That none can take away no foe n' annoy Rouse up brave spirits glorifie the name Of that great God that ever is the same And we in Him life death principalities Powers things present things to come shall these Disjoyne us from our God if once in Him One as He is One What is it that can dim Our glorious inutterable joy That sparkles purer luster from th' alloy That streames more radiant luster from th' alloy Of foyling griefe A joy whose native heate Growes stronger by the winter winds that beate Upon 'ts concentred spirits A joy that rises Higher yet higher by the fresh surprises Of 'ts Arke-secured braveries from all The Ocean-inundations can befall Nay leade me captive griefe yet one I know Shall captive thy captivitie and show Thy open spoyles as Trophes while I sing How sweet's the memory of sower to bring To minde those tempests past while hous'd in heaven I feast on Leelesse Wines rich marrow and leaven Untouched bread So great ill turn'd to well 'T is makes his glory-and-my good excell Ther 's nothing nothing ill but all is well Is alway well to those whose wayes excell Thus is th' upright as farre from 's neighbour as hell From heaven here well is ill there ill is well Nullius addictus jurare in verba Magistri NO give me A Philosophick Ingenuitie A Bacon Luther truth-exploring braine Can cull the Wheate from th' Chaffe and bring a graine To th' graynarie of knowledge no lazie pate Will nothing else but reade heare transcribe translate And take what 's brought it at adventure an idle drone Will suffer any thing ere 't will worke but one Whose naturalls can't indure t' be Aristotl'd With ipse dixits nor his spiritualls throtl'd W'th a Spirituall Lord's irrefragable propositions But h's free-borne spirit mak's exquisite inquisitions I' th' depths of grace and nature scornes to have His judgement strangled like a Turkish slave B' usurping tiranny a noble soule Whose understanding w'll suffer no controule But from
And teach my grievingst griefe delight Heavens harpers did Romes Epicedium play Hundreds of yeares before her fatall day Then come sweet Lute with gentle Aires Come kindly touch me with the Cares Of Christs-Crosse-bearing soules whose share Of common woe and weale I beare With Voltos then come raise my spirits Unto the Triumphs they inherit Whose wo's their weale whose wound 's their cure whose Heaven 'S their sweet whose want's their wealth whose hel's their Heaven VVHere am I How this turne hath giddied mee Decemb. 1640. Can hardly credit what I plainly see So farre fro'th doore so backward on the stage Still to protract this wearie pilgrimage Blest Lord so turnd'st our feare-led captive thoughts As those that dreampt we saw devouring Vaultes Heapt by the foaming Beast with Virgin Slaine Indign'd his I doll-lust We dreampt againe Christs-warre-preventing Throne became the Theame Of speedy praise but fear'd this was a dreame But we awake in Paradise And that no fooles be we but wise To keepe our hold'our God so close Nor becks nor blowes shall make us loase Then prove the former dreame yet true Change but the time the latter's too AS he whose braines are weak and businesse much Walks here there now this now that will touch Takes up layes down wu'd somewhat knows not what Even so my Good my God I had forgot Craz'd by my fall Still were my braines imploy'd With swarmes of busie follies still annoy'd With great paines taking in great trifles void Of all successe and got as soone was cloy'd Thus hither thither flew but ne'r cu'd finde An object sutable unto my minde Beauty honour riches seem'd an empty shade Before I saw the substance ere I 'd made Discovery of the Truth they seem'd a lie But that being seen they seem'd a lying lie A shade of shades Natures dim glimmering light Burnt clearer in my heart and shew'd me a sight Far worthyer choyce A soule a beautious soule Inrich'd with rarer honour a prudent soule A meek-sweet lovefull heart whose noble spirit Scornes a few-thousand-miled world shu'd bury it ' N a petty speck of dirt but pleasures in Its larger glories by the eye unseen Then after this while carefull search I made Straite shun a light shew'd this too but a shade A Heaven-sent light was darted in my heart And made me this perverting course divert The world in 'ts richest ornaments is but A show a show th'compleat'st nature but Thon only good and therefore only true Give m' in a recapitulated view Those Scripture-scattered Glories O cu'd I those Thy analysized Graces well compose Into their lovely face How deep I de fall In love and say thy beauty darkens all The creatures beautie's but a skin-deep lawne That by some slight distemper soon undrawne Reveales the lurking messengers of death That lie in waite to snatch away the breath And so possesse their Master of the face That seem'd but now above a creatures grace But take the purest in 'ts admired'st hew If modest else 't is none it dares but shew Its hands and face but He but alwayes Hee Is altogether Lovelinesses Hee Is Lovelinesses altogether every one Is in Him and but in Him there is none The creatures Vertue 's but a fairer foule Lodg'd in too straite a roome t' content my soule That only recreated splendors loves Whereon simplicity and infin'ty moves And where may I enjoy it better then Admitted to its near'st approaches when No intervenient object bars my sight In its impure and narrow Channell Light Pure perfect boundlesse inaccessible light VVhen shall I live in thy delighting sight I live but I wu'd live another life VVhere light and darknesse know no longer strife I live but I wu'd live another life That might informe me what a death 's this life How how m'abhorring spirit starts me back When by thy faire I see their ugly black VVhen by thy wisdome I their folly see And by their folly may the wiser be With what a mightier force my soule returnes To thee in thee with mightier fervour burnes O Light of Lights when shall I see Thee as I 'm seen VVhen shall I bee Thou Love of Loves with Thee i' th' high'st VVho long to learn yet what 's my Christ May Thoughts Men Bookes may all I see But answers to this question be May Thoughts Men Bookes may all I see Be Thoughts Men Bookes be All of Thee May every Sermon that I heare But breake the Clouds this Sun may cleare May every thing I heare or see Be all but Testaments of Thee And when th 'ave told me all they can I still must aske as I began VVell satisfied in seeking till My search with satisfaction fill VVHat 's white compar'd to blacke to browne to gray What mar'le 't excels but take the lightest gray Nay th'purest white the strongest sight e're saw Sublime thy apprehension yet and draw A purer unto which this bright'st's as black As th' face of Hell and yet beleeve there lacks As much resemblance in this draught to th' Life As Earth of Heaven of Heaven for all our strife 'S but pourtrai'd with a coale revealed God In h's holyest glories by a dirty Clod O' th' work-besoiling Clay and yet beleeve Thou' rt altogether unable to beleeve The difference till thou seest it Thou't see a light Is able to discerne an Hypocrite A man s'inlightned he hath skill enough To cheate himselfe and all the world this snuffe This dying snuffe shall burne as black as Hell When with its Christ sincerity shall dwell But what 's that all-surpassing splendor O Where 's he Where 's he will lead me to that show And teach my thoughts my rude and artlesse lines To draw the features of that face divine Divine That every foolish fondling w'll blurt On a neat piece of finer-formed durt O beauty Cu'd I speak but I have lost Expressions in impressions I 'de rather lie Admiring Adoring More sweetnesses suck I So but fire will out must speak of him Rightly if I can however speak of him The best of things so earnestly I covet Th'Unspeakable Gift yet can I say I love it And love will praise its object so must I And yet now I begin to praise I die O may my life so porutrait forth my Love To win Corrivals mount their spirits above With sacred flames while I stand peering there Where all Terrestriall beauties shad dowes are O see prie gaze b'inamour'd here is fare For Myriads of Love-sick worlds and spare O see prie gaze b'inamour'd here is fare Whose Rivals bring each other greater share For many eyes hearts see love more then one Fresh Graces spie to feed fresh hungers on O here 's a banquet where the guests finde ever The more the merrier for the cheare failes never Discovered such a goodly plenty show's Whose there can grieve but that his friends it loose Whose there can grieve but that his griefe 's his sauce To make him rellish more his wiser choice
thought rul'd in Thy princely mind thou cou'dst not cou'dst not sinne 'T is death to such a one to sinnne Nay death thou d'st runne to death to free thee from this death Live like thy selfe then Christian act act act Set keepe thy faith on worke in every fact In vain 's the power that 's not produc'd to act Where what is had 's not us'd what 's had is lack't O Leave me not my head O stint the strife Canst pull my head off Canst see me so to flutter Bustle and struggle So labour for my life Do'st pleasure in my paine or hear'st me utter ' Blasphemous word yet with the tender Fowle Or quiet lambe I de faine retaine my soule My soule Thou art 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 31.24 Hold fast and now I 'm ' ready die Canst see me gripe and graspe the cloathes my heart Not strength yet Canst heare me say I die I die griev'd nothing but with Thee to part Deare friend dear'st husband and yet thou my death What shall our children doe too O give breath Breath still blest spirit and while I am alive I le have a care to see thy graces thrive VVHat sweet repasts when God and hunger meet And stay the hungry soule whose hunger's sweet How sweet the draughts when God and thirstings meet And stay not quench their thirsts whose thirst's so sweet I here 's the soule shall eate drinke once for all When want of praise no more for prayer shall Oh cu'd I praise what need I pray But I shall praise shall praise for aye That 's m' onely worke both here and there What is no praise can be no prayer I 'M dull I 'm dull with this my clod O breath these earth-rejecting veines and make Them full with praise of purer worth I 'm full I 'm full of Thee my God O breath my blessing-turgent veines and make Them run them spring Thy prayses forth Winde up my soule to those Seraphique straines Wherewith that noble Quire entertaines Their farre-above all praise-exalted Maker That joyes in this that thou art his partaker Whose joy 's his glory glory will will thine Thine his will-pleased joy his glory thine Who onely happy will not happy be Unlesse thee as himselfe hee happy see I tremble and this shaking gives a grace Unto my singing voice VVhat This my place I tremble and this shaking opes my pores And thrusts my sluggish humors out of doores I tremble and this shaking makes me catch My God more fast in h's faster foulds doth catch I tremble and this shaking cleares my wings Rouses my spirits up the speedier brings To sit among the gods t' exalt the name That deignes to Christian creatures by the same To sit among the gods to give receive Eternall blessings thus to interweave My joy inseparably with his glory Be all my pleasures hushed with this story Admire Let this still musicke still my griefe Till sence supply what 's wanting in beleefe For carnall sence is not so farre below My faith but spirituall may overflow To powre out mutuall blessings and to be Most blessed by my blessing so to see It is more blest to give then to receive Honor'd by him all honour with him leave To power out mutuall blessings whilst I lie Drown'd in the fountaine where no sooner I Cry blessed but my blessing strait redounds With millions to my brest and heaven resounds With Echoed praises of those beautious creatures Are all in love with one anothers features Spirits spiritualiz'd rarifide to such Sublim'd simplicitie there 's not so much As th' smallest specke of dust the Atom'st moate With 'ts interpos'd obscurity to floate Betwixt their light and beautie God and them Their every-way-surrounding glorious stem I tremble and this shaking gives a grace Unto my singing voyce is this my place I heare eternitie speake and say I love Thee as my selfe whom no affections move I 'le be thy crowne of everlasting glory While thou sha't banquet on the endlesse story Of all my councells and survey the depths Highth breadths lengths of my er'st-untracted steps While thou sha't heare my thwarting feet agree I' th' perfect'st set o' th' pleasant'st melodie While still perfused i' the richest savours Th' art fed with kisses e're refreshing favours Still lost in admiration of thy blisse Thou't finde so blessed ' cause s'admir'd it is Well if the master of the feast shall say Friend sit up here shall I dare disobey God knowes no compl'ments hee 's sinceritie A word 's enough where all 's realitie Mount mount my soule and keepe upon the winge Jehovah see and Hallelujah sing O How my soule 's inheaven'd in the sound That descants on so beautifull a ground See eye love heart sing glory and all accord To make my life the musicke of my Lord. Rejoyce my spirits and all my thoughts within Ride triumph with the speedie Cherubim While death and hell attend my conquering Carre Whose glory duskes the brightest glizning Starre The brightest Sun in all his Summers pride 'S a cloud of darkenesse when together ey'd Thankes thankes my soule for when my soule sings thanks Then onely then my joy 'ore flowes its bankes Praise praise my spirit for while my spirit sings praise Then onely then I weare the crowning bayes Blesse blesse my heart for when my heart sings blesse Then onely then my heart feeles blessednesse Heart soule spirit spirit heart soule zeale fire Breake breath burne blaze and in his brest expire Earth hold me not O pinnion me no more When shall I be whence I shall be no more Still hold me earth for heaven wu'd be no heaven Shu'd not my will keepe time and fall in eaven With his O could I blesse thee here here were My heaven but want both heart and art how ere Can 't hold while some want matter for their words I words f'r Immatteriatnesse yet like the tender Birds That in the silent shadow sit forlorne Bill dresse their feathers by the dawning morne Stand perking pearing in the blooming Sunne And teach their light-delighted tongues to run Their chirping welcomes to its glorious raies So doe I strive to chatter forth Thy praise Praise praise him soule I le never cease to praise And when I cry I le cry I cannot praise Why sorry but for sinne t is folly why For sinne but that unthankfull praiselesse I Praise my petitions praise him my confessions Praise deprecations praise him intercessions And if my tongue cease praise in griefes and feares I le make my tongue recant in praysing teares In every thing give thankes for 't is his will That gives me cause to sing 't is well 't is ill O praise praise praise let me no longer live Then doe my masters businesse prayses give Nay life is praise for then I truly live When joy then truly joy when praises give The life is best 's most like the life above Hence I so much Psalme-singing tempers love The man is best comes nearest to
show Drawne in Thy stateliest Chariot thou' rt too low Too base an object for my high disdaine Contemne the world I wud wer 't worth contempt Or give my indignation footing or On what shalt trample tell me of somewhat for My vilifying or how w'lt cause more contempt then tempt All th' world is lesse then nothing none is but Who is I Am and by whom every thing Is what it is they 're not then rich that bring Th' world in possession since when 't is got 't is not I De have the World at will And yet I care No more for 't then to buy me food and frize I de have 't th' obedient toole I de make to reare My building soule and when my Master sees It meet lay 't by and take me to my hands Faith freer workes the lesse the sence withstands And this is all I care for th' carefull world To keepe it by my hand and from my heart To have 't an inferiour helpe away to hurle't When told here is a worke of curious art Derides the bunglings of unskilfull sense A heaven-silenc'st active patience THe World 's a straw through which I draw My Canaan-milke's sweet nourishment But if 't be tane away I gaine The wider draughts of deep content While he thinkes fit I 'le sucke through it But if he speake but halfe a word A way it goes and well he throwes That hath i' th' steede such store confer'd DId not I feare Thee Lord The world hath not the cord Cu'd binde this strong desire From what it doth require So vehement yet so stai'd 'S the motion 'ts not afraid Of Hell Onely thy Love Maintaines the fight and proves Of power to withhold What else were uncontrol'd And yet the fight is sore And yet I can't give ore O were I not so free Or had more libertie And yet if neither must Thou' rt very good and just Even this too is for good The more the selfe 's withstood The more the spirit is That crownes with victories Good very good are all thy wayes Thou onely wise and he who staies His marking minde thereon shall know What loving kindnesse thou dost show THou heart-rein-searching spirit-pondering God Turne mine eyes inward teach my head to plod To looke to what thou look'st the maine the man The soule the selfe for when I gadding ranne So oft abroad the divill he gat him home And made my wanton heart the teeming wombe Of stolen pleasure stoale th' word and sow'd instead A world of tares a world of griefe doe breed Still may I watch my yessell keepe sincere Th'infusion else corrupts though ne're so cleare And yet if thou deare God wu't please to come Into my heart my heart'l sincere become Tho' ne're so foule And long'nough may 't contrive Wayes how to cleanse it and to th' utmost strive And all in vaine unlesse that foulenesse cu'd Make faire My sorrowes watchings cares what good Can all from him who of himselfe is all Pollution VVu't heare the humble call O come come come away and doe not stay Untill thou comest and then for ever stay Sure there is somewhat of thee here so longs To see thee while my spirits in such throngs Come forth to welcome thee nay a' nt I all Lovely in my Christ unto thy sight yet shall My blacke abide still will I sweetly grone To hast thy comming till I 'm to mine owne Then come blest day come inside outside turne And try each thought by th' all discerning Sunne How humbly then sinceritie shall smile When proud Hipocrisies unpainted guile Shall show her devill-like face More humble were I I must needes become the more sincere Cause I have more o' th' God-of-puritie Sincerity holinesse and while I spie More beautious glories th' obstacles more remov'd He needs must be more humbly belov'd POwre out the pretious oyntment of thy name That sumptuous box inrich'd with all 's divine Upon my wounded soule so heale the same Allay its dolours make its surface shine Smooth 'ts rigor's cleare its rust soften its hard Make dulnesse nimble mend what pride hath mard Perfume the roome thy guests doth entertaine Free't from those brimstone fumes o'ne overcame My tender Virgin-thoughts had not I tane A scent of life to life so aptly came With rescuing redolencies O open 't wide Powr 't freely forth thou hast enough beside O how these welcome Savours steale my heart And make me shrug for joy at this depart O how this pawne e'ne makes me wish more hearts That I might feele such more desir'd departs O how I love these sweets my sweet O how My pleased midriffe trims my smiling brow O how my humble thoughts revived aspire Borne up with spirits to their high desire How how my unstraitned soule doth boundlesse flie Its gazing circuits through the highest high Where am I now am I a man I see I see but cannot say Mine eyes have borrowed all they may Of tongue of all doe what I can My assembled spirits cannot yet devise To tell my tongue the pleasure of mine eyes Stupendious sights O cu'd I reade The world a lecture of those joyes The cleere-eyd soules so richly feed How they'd indigne these cheating toies And hourely watch at wisedomes gate a glance Might ope their eyes and thence their soules advance Transcendent sounds O too too rare 'S this Nay too grosse these carnall eares O tones O tunes what compasse beare's This stately consorts curious Aires Their strings are true high wound incessant play Musitians skilfull play well well they may Pure understanding zeale responds To God Christ h's Spirit Endlesse straines Of multiplied blisse detaines The blessed soules in boundlesse bonds But if such sights such sounds such distance brings O what 's the mid'st where Glory shines Grace sings O Cud I keepe me in this Option I Wu'd wish to live because I wish to die How like a little God I wu'd converse With men let downe a while here to rehearse Those joyes above till I had drawne up more Harbour'd their Hearts upon thy Haven's shore He onely lives wh ' inthron'd In 's mansion can Yet condescend to sejourne with for man He onely lives who in his Jesus lives But he so liv'd who h's life to if for gives How he derides his feares his cares his griefe That seeke to hast his so-much-sought reliefe O how he pleasure's pleasure 's in his paine That but contrives more treasure to his gaine Christ is his life his death is more of Christ His joy 's now high but then shall be at th' high'st Now ebbes now flowes then an e're-flowing tide O're flowes and swallowes all the woes of pride Morne even eclipse now then a constant no one Th' Sunne lights to th' earth-uninterposed moone O draw this earthy Curtaine draw that darkes M' inlightned eyes from their beloved sparkes Those lovefull beames of dreadfull Majestie In whose exchanged rayes my life doth lie O how I strive I wrastle to be
command them off is indeede to command a mans selfe the most noble conquest And surely this magnanimitie this inlargeing this heighthning heate and vigour of heart is conveyed in equally with those beames of divine illumination Which wonderfully marvellous light which kingdome of Heaven first entering into us and wee into it at our first entrance on Mount Sion workes thus diffusively on the understanding-the-heart-the whole All things are as they are compared to God but him in the face of Christ I see the onely good and therefore as contraries illulustrate each other whom have I in earth in Heaven but Thee I see nothing in the whole creation in its best and setledest state but a blacke and horrid Caos of vanitie of deformitie farther then it partakes of him farther then I can espie in it the scatterings of the divine Raies And surely the men of the world comparing themselves with themselves and the things with the things of the world are not wise Rectum est index sui obliqui The light of the manifestation of it selfe and darkenesse He then that doth truth commeth to this light to see whether his workes be of God T 's the shining Sunne discovers those motes of sinne Those subtler mists of fleshie steames betweene Our spirit our light our life and us those beames Of shadowing lusts that darke our lightfull beames Still shine lo'd Sunne discovering still dispell And in dispelling discover our heart-bred hell Those uncouth Cells those shades of dismall death Those haunts of horrid Fiends whose mickle skeath Of mortall wounds hous'd in a golden sheath Of minion comforts steale away the breath With fatall kisses whilst th' guile-favouring night Maskes their infernall shapes till th' friendly light Of faithfull truth appeare and put to flight Their wilely force b' its wisely succouring might Thus more commended it my triumph more Increast such enemies so triumphed o're Thus the sincere heart brings himselfe and all the world to this all-revealing Sunne to see what they have of him in whom hee hath approved the onely and onely fincere-making excellencies by that single eye of faith that singles him out as its onely object as desiring to see nothing but him at least mediately if not immediately And though this latter is the way wherein the earnestly heartie desires of the soule run after the full and uninterrupted in oyment of God yet in regard of the frailtie of the flesh the weakenesse slendernesse imbecilitie of the intermediate spirits that are as the ties and ligaments betwixt the foule and the body and could not long conteine themselves without being utterly dissolved shud they be unintermittedly bent and held up to that extensive intensivenesse whereunto they are wrought by those great and glorious thoughts of those savoury and cordiall apprehensions which in the Lord Christ they have and without him they cannot have of that simple and infinite good which not onely carry forth the soule in a glad venture but transport it in an eager pursuit of this happy dissolution yet bethinking it self that there may be a selfe-seeking in this selfe-loosing that it is to live to others not it selfe to doe not receive it is willingly forced with a kind of unpleasant pleasantnesse to further entertaine its faith in naturall sense least it should wholly vanish into supernaturall So may our soules O Lord be incessantly continually devoted to thy feare so may they be devout even in all their earthly affaires may se devovere vow themselves from themselves and pay their vowes continually So may they ever live in thy fight in thy light that they may never depart from thy feare that they may never more give the lie to their professed knowledge fellowship with the light by walking in the wayes of darknes but shew forth the glory of their father in Heaven by the reflection of their serene sincere light some conversation on earth And certainly could we stand with this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this stretching forth of the head in an earnest looking on him and longing for him wee shu'd have such an assuence of light and life breake in upon our soules and shine on our wayes that we shu'd walke up and downe like starres shot from Heaven till having dazled the eyes of the world into an envious astonishment wee shu'd remount for ever fixed in our highest spheare Now according as our aspect is on Him so is it also to others if that but oblique this but dimme and obscure but if that perpendicular this lively and glorious O that wee were more excellently skilled in these holy optickes we cu'd not but be in Theologie and therefore in Ethicks Oeconomicks c. And cu'd we but live soberly righteously and godlily upon as we ran not but cannot chuse but upon the sight of God avant then false lights false comforts for ever then he that shall come will come and will not tarry for the Lord is certainly waiting to bee gratious to that soule that is thus stedfastly waiting to be guided by him This indeed being the product the effect of the sense of that Neither know I any such if any other sincere and constant seeking as that when I thought of an absent God I was troubled and refused to be comforted by any thing but himselfe as knowing nothing else true comfort Neither can there be such seeking but from a true and lively saith not such a waiting but from a sincere-and-fervent love therefore not unlikely the Apostle thus intimating the nature of these graces translates those passages of Esaiah 11.10 with Rom. 15.12 1 Cor. 2.9 with Isa 64.4 seeke trust waite love Seeking faith and waiting love Here is that great Art of a Christian to be seeking still seeking the face of God I have set the Lord Alwayes before my face therefore c. Seeke yee the Lord and seeke his face Evermore I am Continually With thee Be in the feare of the Lord all the day long Here is that great difference of sinceritie and hypocrisie Will the hypocrite pray alwayes Will he seeke God in prosperitie as well as in adversitie At mid day in his businesse all the day long hourely and minutely as well as morning evening and at the solemne assembly Will he live the life of faith in the flesh in all sensuall things is he crucified to the world and the world to him Is he dead and this that even his mortall body lives is it by the quickning of the spirit doth hee walke up and downe the world as a man that hath neither life nor soule but onely as inlivened as animated hence is he ever lifting up his face to God that that flood of light and life that thence with such mighty incomes flowes in upon the soule might beare downe before it every thought that exalts it selfe against the kingdome of the Lord Christ c. that wholy given over to the power sway and guidance of it wholly casting it selfe into its imbracings while it