d The greatest troubles worst of times and things cannot draw a Christians love from Christ but still in his heart he hath his lodging place In darksome night in time of fear When others leave him yet will I 'Twixt my brests lay him because there Within my brest he loves to lye 14 e The fruit received from Christ as redeemer is both abundant and full durable and lasting Much like the clustring camphire-tree In Engedi her vineyards grows My welbeloved's such to me Vertue from that more from him flows 15 f A Christians holiness is his chiefest comliness and Christ doth ever praise and delight in that grace which himself bestows Th' art fair my love thy comeliness Doth far exceed the brightest day Doves eyes thou hast not wantonness But chastity they do bewray 16 g A soul enriched decked and beautified with grace from Christ cannot but be affected with praise and delight in him who is the fountain and welspring of all grace Behold beloved thou art fair Yea and most pleasant to be seen With thine no beauty may compare h Where Christ can joyns in spiritual union great increase follows thereon Also our fruitful bed is green 17 i The Church of Christ which is the house of the living God is both firm and stable built upon the rock and cannot be moved to decay Our glorious house is very strong The beams thereof sweet Cedar tree The rafters firr both lasting long And stand it shall though shaken be Chapter II. 1 I k Christ describes his glorious excellency which the worldling despises but is owned and honoured by the godly Am the rose in Sharon grows Decking each heart that doth me wear And lilly white pure sweet and bright l The heart of the humble and lowly person is a fit habitation for Christ In lowest valleys am found there 2 m The way to heaven is a thorny way sin affliction and wicked men are always as thorns in the sides of the godly As lillys fair when found they are Among the thorns by thorns are rent Yet them exceeds as lillys weeds In beauty bravery sweetness sent So my love she must galled be With vexing thorns which her surround n The spouse and true Church of Christ excels all other assemblies in grace here and shall exceed them in glory hereafter Yet she 's alone and like her none Amongst the daughters can be found 3 o Nor angels nor men comparable to Christ he is the only one that surpasses all other Him I love best excels the rest Of all the sons though ne're so good As apples do the fruits that grow Upon the wild trees of the wood p Christ is a Christians sweet refreshment when most weary and heavy loaden When I am spent what great content I take to sit me down and rest Under the shade which he hath made For weary souls and sore opprest q Every true believer by a living faith doth pluck from this tree of life both remission of sin sanctifying grace inward peace and the comforts of the holy Ghost flow in continually How various are the fruits so rare That on this living tree still grows Their vertu's much there is none such The sweetness he that tasteth knows 4 r Christ in and through his holy appointments affords gracious souls sweet refreshment thereby filling the heart of every true believer with joy and comfort He did me leade my foul to feed With his fine dainties choice and rare Into the place of sweetest grace Where purest joys and comforts are s Christ doth guide preserve and incourage all his servants in what he requires at their hands though they meet with never so many difficulties in the performance For to protect and me direct His banner o're me is display'd When strength abates it animates None fighting under it are dismayd 5 t The comforts of Christ are full satisfying and yield the greatest refreshment to the thirsty soul broken in heart and languishing spirit Let thy comforts be my supports With flagons full me overflow With apples stay me from decay That on the tree of life do grow u The glorious excellencies transcendent beauty and unparallel'd love of Christ doth so deeply strike and wound the heart of a Christian that nothing can cure it but the injoyment and possession of Christ himself Why there is need my heart doth bleed Thy love it gave my heart the wound And wounded I love-sick do lie To cure me none els can be found 6 w The dear embraces of Christ his vehement affection and almighty power is the preservation and restoration of souls when sinking or falen into the lowest state His left hand 's layd under my head To bear it up each day and hour And he doth cover me all over With his right hand of love and power 7 x Each gracious soul will be very careful of displeasing Christ and use all lawfal means to prevent the sins of others and stir them up to their duty Church members all both great smal I charge you as you 'l answer me By roes and hindes or any kindes Of things besides that lovely be That my dear love ye do not move Provoke stir up nor 's spirit greive By evil ways nor till he please Awake him not but still believe 8 y Christs sheep know his voice from a strangers they hear and follow him Lo he appears my soul now hears The voice of my beloved one z When Christ will save his people and destroy his and their enemies he will be both speedy therein and successful Loe he doth come my foes to doom And judge them to perdition He leaps in hast and skips full fast Ore hills and mountains in his way When he will save no let he 'l have Nor enemy to make him stay 9 a The Lord Christ is both ready and present in time of trouble No roe can be more swift then he No hart though young can run so fast b He wayes to be gracious He stands and calls behind our stalls Knocking to let him in at last c And takes a strict survey of all things done whether good or evil Oh do not sin for he looks in As at a window he espies What we are doing while he is shewing Himself so plain to open eyes 10 d The best of Saints have an aptness to and somtimes are found upon the bed of security My best belov'd with mercy mov'd Seeing me sluggish and secure And in my minde to sin inclin'd A thing his grace cannot endure e The voyce of Christ and his gracious call doth strongly move a sleepy soul to arise from sinful rest to have communion with himself He calls and crys to me arise My love my fair one come away Forsake thy rest vain things detest Make hast and have no longer stay 11 f No affliction
more acceptable then the choicest of things My sister spouse thy love is wondrous fair And in my eye beyond all imitation The choicest wines that ever were or are Like thy love are not in my estimation q Saints have received of the anoynting from the father who by diffusion into all actions spiritual civil makes them have a fragrant and sweet savour every where Thy oyntments smells so odoriferous The sweetest spice is not so sweet as those 11 r The words of the Lord in the mouths of his servants are not only pure precious and sweet in themselves but also pleasing to God and profitable to them that receive them Thy lips drop like an honey combe my spouse Each open eare thy gracious words are filling Beneath thy tongue honey and milke it flows Much like a fountain pleasantly distiling s Christs righteousness is the saints rayment and spiritual clothing who by faith puts it on is of incomparable redolency admirable sweetness The garments pure that I have put thee on Smels sweeter then the scent of Labanon 12 t The Church of Christ is as a garden fruitfull and delectable beset with enemies on each side yet encompast with the power and presence of Christ so that they cannot waste nor spoyle it Thou art a garden both for fruit and flower My sister spouse a garden well inclos'd And fenc'd with walls of my almighty power T'keep thee from foes to which thou art expos'd u In the Church of Christ there doth always rise up a fresh-spring of spiritual life and grace from Christ the head to water and refresh it A spring shut up a fountain sealed casting Up waters in thee to life everlasting 13 w Those plants set by Christ fenc'd by his power and watered by his grace cannot be barren but bring forth much fruit by which the father is glorifyed here and they with the father and son glorifyed hereafter Thy plants an orchard of pomegranats are Thy branches are a paradice of pleasure All sorts of fruits most excellent and rare Are found in thee without compare and measure Camphire with spiknard oh what fruits are growing There where my grace is always overflowing 14 x Christ out of his fulness doth communicate freely abundantly and in divers kinds his graces to his Church so that nothing can be wanting for his edification and comfort There 's spikenard sweet and cordiall saffron too Mirh aloes calamus and cinamon All trees of frankincense in it do grow Each thing it hath a precious operation Her spices choice for vertue for worth Nor man nor angels tongue can set them forth 15 A garden full of fountains precious pure y Christ the living fountain set open for sin and uncleanness is to be found in his Church with grace in abundance ready and willing to supply succour support and comfort every soul that waits for him A well of living waters springing still Each sinful sickly silthy soul to cure And all are cal'd to wash and drink that will And as the streams do flow from Lebanon So flows all streams of grace from Christ alone 16 z A gracious soul doth earnestly desire and much long after the powerful workings of the spirit of Christ producing its divers yet all glorious effects in the soul Breath holy spirit on my garden now That every spicy flower may bloome and spread a Nor will expect solid sound comfort before some Gospel breakings and spiritual castings down For as the north-wind thou mak'st me to bow And with thy southern gales lifts up my head b From Christ we have all of his fulness we receive we must therefore return him his own for it is not ours or that from as but his own and that which proceeds from himself that is acceptable to him Come my beloved I have thee invited And eat the fruit in which thou art delighted CHAP. V. 1 a The prayers of saints are very prevailing Christ is prone and ready to hear no sooner can we call but we have our answer NOw I am come my spouse Into my garden gay Thy call it did me rouse I hear when thou dost pray It doth suffice b Christ doth inable and impower his people to labour and bring forth pious pure precious fruits of faith love holynesse self-denyal and suffering for his sake all very pleasant unto him I gather'd have that which I gave my mirrh with spice c No comb of wantingness weaknes imperfection in grace or dutys can harm the saints while there is the honey of sweet sincerity and truth of grace to be found Oh with what great delight My honey comb I eat And feed my appetite With sucking honey sweet And though the best May fail or fall yet sincere all Of them are blest d As wine and milk are to us so the pure holy sincere services of saints are unto Christ My wine and milk together Being my delightful fare I took and drunk for neither Of them that I can spare e Christ prepares his table sets on his spiritual daintys invites his friends and feasts their souls with his fat things in great abundance Sure 't none offends That ye eat such with me drink much That are my freinds 2 f A gracious soul is ever sensible of its security and will ingenuously confess it I sleep and slug which makes Me sorely to complain g Findes an opposition between flesh spirit the part regenerate and wakefull heart is always working upward towards Christ though lust and the part unregenerate would refrain But yet my heart it wakes Though lust would it restrayn h Christs sheep both know and hear the voice of Christ which doth powerfully awaken and rouze up the sloathful sleepy soul His voyce doth move Who knocks and says clear thou my ways My spotlesse dove i When Christ begs and sues for admission he gives power to open it is then the wisdom and duty of every Christian to let him in Oh let me enter in And lodge within thy breast Ingratitude 's thy sin Receive me as thy guest k The more and greater things Christ hath suffred for us the greater obligation lyes upon us to love and serve him and the greater is the sin to refuse and neglect him For my head 's fill'd With dews of wet and vapours great Cold night doth yeild 3 l Man is apt to frame vain excuses and cast in small obstructions to prevent the kindly entertainment of Christ though the chiefest of ten thousand and none so worthy to be received I am disrobed quite And may not take the cold My feet are washen white If I rise they 'le be foulld I 'le take my ease Sad are the shifts when fleshly drifts Are flesh to please 4 m When Christ puts forth his spiritual power he breaks in sunder the strongest bars sets wide open the closest heart and makes way
out p. 54. l. 13. for heavy r. hairy l. 29. for do r. to p. 57. l. 18. for from r. fro p. 58. l. 4. for excell r. exceeds p. 61. l. 4. for best r. brest l. 19. for would r. could l. 31. for of falshood r. or falshood Also take notice That whereas in many places on Jona there is no distinction between that part of the history and what is observed from it therefore to avoid confusion know that where you finde it thus marked l there the Observation begins and where it is again thus marked l there it ends CHAPTER I. 1 THe Song of Songs most excellent Of Solomon who by the guide Of Gods spirit doth represent Christ and his Church the lovely bride 2 a Saints do desire to enjoy more simptomes seals and assurances of the love of Iesus Christ Oh let him come and me embrace And with his mouth let him me kiss For my soul's longing for the grace That flows from that sweet spirit of his b In adversity and prosperity the fruition of Christ is better then the choicest chiefest of all things beside For why thy loves are better far And night and day make me more glad Then all the choicest wines that are Or were or ever shall be had 3 c The graces of Christ and the anoyntings of his holy spirit are sweet precious pure and powerful in working Thine oyntments Lord all of the best Are sweeter then the choyce perfume Their vertue heals the soul opprest That sin Satan would consume d His blood powred out and life spilt upon the cross Thou wast pour'd out like ointment pure Thou emptied wast me for to fill e A fountain set open for sin and uncleanness Zach. 13.1 a well of water springing up to life everlasting Yet thou art full and shalt endure An overflowing fountain still f The love of Christ constrains souls to be obedient Thy grace diffus'd the virgins move Thy love shed forth 's the only cause The pure in heart and life thee love g True love is made manifest in keeping Christs precepts And loving thee they keep thy laws 4 h The Church of Christ sensible of her own and members nothingness weakness backwardness and remisness prays for assistance and promises a good improvement Draw me and mine to goodness slack Perswad 's to come to thee in hast Put forth thy power when we draw back We 'l run and follow thee full fast i There is a special intimacy between Christ and saints he will shew them his secret which angels desire to peep into Psal 25.14 The Royall king just strong and wise Not only outward kindness shews But all his chamber secresies To them that fear him he 'l disclose k Christ is the object of a Christians joy a divine contemplation of Christ begets divine affection unto Christ Much more then wine thy love we mind With joy most pure it glads our heart More we think on thee more we finde Thou by the upright loved art 5 l A sensibleness of deformity works deep humility ingenious confession I now deformed am and black As black as kedars tents by name Afflictions great and sin alack Hath brought me to confess the same m The saints are beautiful through grace without spot through Christ yet their glory is within Yet daughters of Jerusalem Like to the curtains bright and fair Which once surrounded Solomon I comely am through Christ as they 're 6 n The Churches discoulorings last not always 't is but for a moment in wrath the Lord hides his face therefore divide not despise not enemies dispare not friends With evil eye behold me not Though beauty mine be turn'd to stain The suns hot beams hath caus'd this spot And time will wipe it off again o Friends degenerate do often if not always turn the most implacable enemies My mothers children angry were To keep the vinyards when they stept Aside they made me oh severe p The Churches devastation gives cause of sad complaint Therefore my vineyard is not kept 7 q A fense of ignorance and weakness drives to Christ for strength and direction Oh tell me where thy flock doth feed Thou whom my soul doth dearly love r Christ is a Christians sweetest shade in the hottest persecution Where they lie down i' th days of dread When scorching heat their faith doth prove s Christs sheep are careful to follow him John 10. and fearful of false teachers and corrupt and false assemblies For fear lest I should go astray After the flocks to turn aside Of thy companions in the way Thy faithful followers never try'd 8 t They that abase themselves shall be exalted and they that ask shall receive directions Mat. 7.7 If thou know not that art so fair My word and spirit shall thee guide u New converts are as meek lambs Joh. 10. gathered into flocks must keep from those folds Christ hath not appointed Thy tender kids them take with care And feed the shepherds tents beside w We must follow the faith and good works of those before us and make their pattern our example Go thy way forth get out with speed From all false ways and worships go To th' footsteps of the flock take heed Conform thy ways their ways unto 9 x The Church of Christ is orderly powerful and speedy in executing the good pleasure of Christ her head Much like to Pharaohs chariot horses My love my dear I thee compare Who goodly are and keep their courses Through me thou' rt as choice as they are 10 y A conversation becoming the Gospel is the Churches duty and outward beauty Phi. 1.19 1 Pet. 3.3 4. Thy cheeks with jewels thou dost deck A sight most comely to behold z The Church observing Christs appointments is not enthrald thereby but in glorious freedome And thou hast round about thy neck Chains that are wrought of purest gold 11 a The three and yet but one are ingag'd by promise to make the Church very glorious through divers precious spiritual Gospel endowments Both father son and holy Ghost Will make for thee borders of gold With studs of silver things that most Will make thee glorious to behold 12 b True grace is not idle cannot be hid but is powr'd out like the sweetest perfume or most pretious oyntment in our solemn approaches to God to the pleasing of him greatly and the good and benefit of our brethren That I may please the King full well When at his table he sits there My spiknard shall send sorth its smell In love in mercy praise and prayer 13 My welbeloved is to me For mine he is and one we are c Nothing can be more sweet then Christ to that soul that once tasted how gracious the Lord is More sweet then bags of mirrh can be Or precious gums or things most rare
nor presecution should keep from Christ for they are but for a moment of no continuance The winters blast is gone and past Tempestuous storms no more arise Gods wrathful shours no more he pours On freinds but on his enemies 12 g The hearts of men are like barren earth till planted by the spirit and sown with grace then they are fruitful the flowrs appear shew summer's near h There is a time to mourn a time to rejoyce Saints know it and in due season warble forth Gods praises Each chirping bird doth fit and sing The turtles voice doth make a noise All which bespeak a glorious spring 13 The figtree puts forth her green shoots Her unripe figs are sweetned well The vines also do dangling grow With graps that give forth a good smell Each token says that summer days Are hasting on without delay i though men be unwilling to come yet Christ is not weary to call to them over and over by many moving arguments to come to him Wherefore arise from worldly toys My love my fair one come away 14 k Christs spouse is both harmless and pure neither without presecution nor then without a hiding place in God Now oh my dove what can thee move Sith thou art in the secret stairs And rocky clifts free from the drifts And storms of foes and other fears The barb'rous foes do thee inclose And thou lyest hid in secret place l Faith prayer the best practise very requisite in time of affliction Yet let me hear thy voyce in prayer m Good works joyned with prayer and a conversation becoming the Gospel is acceptable to and lovely in the eye of the Lord Jesus And see the beauty of thy face For there 's no creature hath a feature Like thine so comely to behold Thy praying voice it hath a noise More sweet then by words can be told 15 n Those that hurt the Church by fraud or force doctrine or manners ought to be reproved punished The foxes take that spoyl do make Upon our vines for every tree o The weak and infirm in Christs Church must be cared for for they are equal with others in his love and Favour Young grapes do bear and with great care Such tender plants preserv'd must be 16 p Every true Christian is given up wholy to Christ and by faith makes Christ his own Mine my love is and I am his My all on him I will bestow q Christ is much delighted with the sweet and beautifying graces of his people He rests and feeds not among weeds But where the purest lillys grow 17 r Till Christ the sun of glory break in upon a soul it sits in darkness and shadows of death Whilst it is night and till the light Of day do break it grow clear Whilst shady clowds the brightness shrouds Till they disperse and thou appear s The true Church begs Christs speedy and special presence to support her under all her pressures and to put an end to all differences Be like a roe young hart or doe On mountains where divisions are Turn dearest one and be thou known Of me to take a special care CHAP. III. 1 t Carnal security will give Christ cause to withdraw and hide himself WHen I had lost the present sight u True love is always working and puts thee upon to seek for Christ when withdrawn Of him whom my soul loveth best I sought him in the darksom night His absence gave me such unrest I sought him and must seek him still be found at first he seldome will 2 x That soul that makes Christ her beloved will rise and rouze up to seek him without delay I will arise up from my ease And seek my love in every street w Falne Christians are not easily restor'd and those that do desert Christ do not quickly see the light of his countenance shining upon them y Christ is not always found in those places that men seek him in yet must we not leave to seek him in any of his appointments From thence I 'le pass to the broadways To seek him where the assemblies meet I sought him there to please my mind But seeking there him could not finde 3 Thus restless I still wandring was z Sometimes gratious souls wanting Christ do enquire for him of those that know not how to direct to him Till by the watchmen I was found As they along the City pass Tending their watch walking the round To whom I said for grace did move Saw ye him whom my soul doth love 4 a We must leave men and their devices and wayt upon the Lord in his own ways and he will soon discover manifest himself gratious to us No answer good they gave to me Direction from them I had none How my soul satisfi'd should be But when I left them and was gone Away from them a little time I found him that was wholly mine b We must hold what we have of Christ stand fast in that liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free When I of him fast hold had caught Again I would not let him go c A Christian desires to enjoy Christ in the inner man mostly and to see his goings in his sanctuary also Till my late-found dear love was brought My mothers dwelling house into And till my souls most secret place Were lodging chambers for his grace 5 * Every true Christian hath a care lest he should offend Christ and will use his best endeavour that others also do neither provoke nor displease him Ye daughters of Jerusalem I charge you have a special care By roes and hindes and each of them Or other things that lovely are That ye wake not by wicked ways Nor stir my love untill he please 6 d Those souls delivered from a lost and bewilder'd estate by Christ their redeemer must needs rise up heaven-ward in fervency of spirit and dear affection What glorious one oh who is this Like smoaky pillars doth ascend Out of the desart wilderness Sure 't is my love my dove my freind e The prayers praises and all the spiritual sacrifices of Saints are exceeding sweet when perfumed by the intercession of Christ the mediator Who 's all persumd as it is meet With mirrh and frankincense so sweet 7 f Each true believer beds his beloved in his bosome which is Christ Jesus Behold the bed that bed of his The great and mighty Solomon Each gratious heart a lodging is For him to take his rest upon g A Christians priviledge is to be kept by Christ and he as a good souldier doth resist the adversary There valiant Israelites and stout Compass this princely bed about 8 h Gods people have many enemies to withstand are always in danger to be surpriz'd and therefore have need of skilfulness and courage As valiant so they many are They
and in a prudent way delivers her self from it Thy nose is like the tower Of Lebanon so high From whence the foes great power From Siria men did spy Thou cry'st arm arm Lest enemies when they do rise Should do thee harm 5 i Christ is the head of his Church he both rules and governs her is also her defence and glory Thy head that ruleth well The rest of thy body Is like unto Carmel In glorious dignity Thy hair also Upon thy head like purple red Doth neatly grow k The spiritual glory which Christ hath put upon his Church is a thing that holds him in continual delight and greatest pleasure The beauty which thou hast It doth me captivate That I am held full fast In a delightful state Of sweetest pleasure Each sight of thee affecteth me Above all measure 6 l Christ still affected with the Churches beauty continues or rather renews his praises of her How fair art thou my dear For pleasure of each kinde Such beauty any where I yet could never finde I must admire Thy comelines which I profess My heart doth fire 7 m The Church of Christ holds fast what she has received will grow in grace and spiritually flourish though adversarys rise up against her to depresse keep down or root her up Thy stature's like the tree Whereon the palms do grow That flourishing will be Though men will keep it low Like grapes well fild Thy brests are such and comfort much To souls they yeild 8 n Christ being ascended on high will have a special eye to his Church preserve her from evil comfort in and under her trouble and make her abundantly fruitful in good To th' palm-tree I will go For it is my decree To comfort mine and to Protect and oversee Each bough so green I 'le take and dress that fruitfulnesse May there be seen o Those cannot be barren but abandant in all good fruit over whom Christ hath a spiritual eye with whom he is in sweet Communion Like clusters of the vine Now shall thy brests be such There is not one of mine But fruit is yeelding much They do abound In heavenly grace that have my face And favour found p Those that are faithful labourers in the Lords work shall not be without honour here and a great reward hereafter Thy nose like apples sweet Doth send it's smell abroad Great fame is for them meet That watch the flock of God Their memory It shall be blest when they in rest And silence lye 9 q Saints of all sorts have learn'd the language of Canaan their mouths fild with words full of goodnesse speeches gracious tending to edify all that hear them The pallate of thy mouth Is like the purest wine Thy words are for thy growth And edifying mine It glads their heart And doth enlive like wine revive Them in each part r The word of the Lord is quick and powerful of a piercing dividing discerning nature so known to those that feel the vertue thereof How efficacious then Are words thou givest forth They please me and all men That tast their precious worth Their power is much If men digest what 's soundly prest Their souls to touch s Those that have tasted of the good word of the Lord and felt the working power thereof will not cannot be be silent but declare to others what God hath done for their souls For it the sleep doth break Of those that sleepy are Causing their lips to speak In praises and in prayer They 'l publish soon And tell abroad the things that God For them hath done 10 t When souls partake of the sweetness of Christs love they are then caryed forth to give up themselves to him becoming wholy his Now my assurance is From it I 'le not be mov'd That I am wholy his That is my best belov'd And yet more see His whole desire which I admire Is toward me 11 u Christ is a Christians best companion whose presence they beg and â—â—ize above all things else Now come with me my dear Let 's go into the field w Gospel fruit is most pleasing to and acceptable to Christ Jesus The fruit that 's gathe'rd there Doth great contentment yeild x The poor low and humble in spirit and places mean and poor are fit receptacles for Jesus Christ Let 's lodge and rest In places poor for they full sure By thee are blest 12 y Those souls that have miscarryed and are once humbled for it will be diligent for time to come Oh let us rise betime And to the vinyards go Much sleeping was the crime That made my heart full wo Let 's up and see Though some repines whether the vines Flourishing be z The stronger the Christians are and most indued with grace the greater care will they have of those that are weak and tender in the growth of Christianity Whether the grape so young And tender be in growth And pomgranate among The other fruits bud forth a All that the saints have or can do is too little for Christ hence it is they resigne all they have unto him who is worthy of more then they have or can give There I am free For to resigne all that is mine My loves to thee 13 b The saints are always ready and prepared with oyl in their lamps furnisht with all things excellent to meet and entertain Christ Jesus The mandraks sweetly smell And at our gates be there Such things as most execl And for thee ready are Fruits of all kinde That can be told both new and old Thou maist there finde c Saints do all they do for and unto Christ have received of his fullnesse and return to him and lay up for him as it is their duty obedience thankfulnesse and love Which I lay up and save As in a treasure The choycest that I have Is not too good for thee None can me move But had I more I would it store For my dear love CHAP. VIII 1 a The Church of Christ is ever desirous Communion with him do readily embrace him cheerfully obey him not mattering the worlds reproaches OH that thou werst even as my brother dear That suckt the brests of her that did me bear Where I should find thee there I would thee kiss And should not be despis'd a jot for this 2 b Christians having found and layd hold on Christ hold him fast will not let him go still desirous of his presence I would thee lead and bring thee to no other But to the mansions of my own sweet mother Thither full readily I will conduct thee c The truths of Christ for instruction correction and comfort are And there full readily she will instruct me d Kept and to be found in his Church every true Christian hath the pure juyces of faith obedience and love to please and delight Christ There of pure
fast they bind To praise the Lord that sav'd them from the deep And all their day's this vow they mean to keep When God in wond'rous manner doth appear And to mens souls in mercy doth draw near Observ from the sea-mens devoting themselves to God When he puts forth his power to touch the heart Men are made willing from their sins to part Till by the fear of God their souls are mov'd They will not leave what they so long have lov'd But when Gods power doth form a creature new The divel world and flesh they bid adieu They break their bonds with them that tied them fast And cleave to God with purposes to last Come view the care and providence of God Who though he did chastice with 's angry rod Yet mercy shews when justice might take place And after frowns shews forth a pleasant face And now to satisfy his love and care A mighty whale before hand did prepare For to devour and in devouring save His belly now it must be Jonah's grave In which dark vault the Lord did him imbarque Three days and nights as safe as in an arke Where deaths black terrors do surround his soul His passing bell in 's eare doth always toul Where now we leave him thus begirt with fear Till in another wonder God appear CHAP. II. The Argument How Jonah unto God did pray Now he is in his grave God heard and in a wondrous way How he did Jonah save NOw see how good afflictions often prove They are not only tokens of Gods love Observa from Jonah's reducement by his affliction Sins past correct and future sins prevent But for some other causes they are sent The wandring roving steps for to bring back And quicken souls to dutyes that are slack Then Jona in the depth of misery Who seeks not God in time of liberty But runs and flees and hides him from his face Doth now cry to him in this dismal case He now is cast into deaths darksome bed It s sable curtains wrap about his head The king of terrour terrible appears And Jonah's heart doth melt away with fears Out of the fishes belly Jonah's grave Jonah had hope that God would Jonah save His faith begetteth prayer he prays in faith And to the Lord his God these words he saith When faith gets strength and hope takes ancor hold The soul that feard before doth now grow bold With great and greivous troubles being prest He knocks at heavens gates and will not rest Until his suit do finde acceptance there And gracious answer be return'd to prayer Hee 'l seek hee 'l sue hee 'l cry and not give ore Till God do open what was shut before Oh Lord my soul is brought into distress I have deserv'd it yet a great deal lesse Then what I do deserve I undergo Thou art a gracious God then mercy show 'T was my affliction great that made me cry And 't was thy mercy t' hear so speedily My earnest sute thou didst it not say nay When I out of this hellish grave did pray Thou heardest me when I thy face had sought And thou hast for me great salvation wrought No labor 's lost when we are in distresse To make to heaven by humble addresse With hearts all melting Observa from the good success Jonah had in turning cleaning to God in his affliction broken and contrite A thing in which God takes so much delight When in this frame of spirit we make sute To God alone in Christ then that will do 't When we confesse our sins with grief and shame And do reform our lives the flesh to tame Such blest endeavours never proves in vain Though God were gone it brings him back again 'T was not the seamen but it was the Lord That took me up and cast me overboard They did fulfil even as thou Lord didst please 'T was thou by them cast me into the seas Into the midst and heart of them where those Proud waters did me secretly inclose The floods the seas rais'd high with winde and tide They do encompass me on every side All thy proud billows which do mount on high At thy command yet else do smoothly lye And towring waves which I poor fool alas Thought to get ore yet now all ore me pass When gracious souls are brought under the rod That is i' th hand of a displeased God Observation from Jonah's looking at the hand of the Lord and not at the instrument be made use of Nor this nor that who is the instrument But God they eye who hath affliction sent Not like the dog that gnawing is the stone Regarding not the hand by which it s thrown And then I said for I was in great fear And lab'ring was betwixt hope and despair The darknesse having dim'd the clearest light Then said I Lord I 'm cast out of thy sight Yet notwithstanding all the grace thou hast Seemeth to me as if 't were lockt up fast And that no beam of light I can espy Yet will I look again with stedfast eye Toward thy temple and that holy place Where Lord thou promist hast to shew thy face Two contraries are in the best of men The party vanquisht Observa from the warr between the flesh and spirit in the best fain would rise again The flesh and spirit do oppose each other The elder 's loth to serve the younger brother Great contestation is twixt faith and doubt Hopeless despair strives hard true faith to rout These two opponents bicker in the feild Nor one nor other of these two will yeild Till faith puts forth at last and striketh home With blows that doubting fear do overcome A man that 's brought into a woful state Will oftentimes his misery relate And will enlarge himself to tell his grief Thinking by telling it to finde relief So Jonah does his misery repeat And says the water 's plentiful and great They did inviron me they did me wrap As swadling bands the babe in mothers lap Three days and nights they do about me roul And deaths black herse encompasses my soul The waters deep were dayly ore me spread And stinking weeds did wrap about my head Unto the bottome of the mountains steep Then I went down still fathoming the deep Sometimes I was aloft upon the main And soon plungd down into the depths again I was in prison and the earth did barr me And horrid fears do every minute scar-me For ever hopeless to set foot on shore Unlesse thou by a wonder me restore Yet thou O Lord my God was pleas'd to save And brought my life again up from the grave That cruel corrupt loathsome stinking pit Where death had almost swallow'd me in it There 's no condition that can be so sad Observa from Jonah's obtaining deliverance and his thankfulnesse for the same Nor state of man that ever was so bad There is no burden can so heavy lye Nor vexing grief nor pressing misery But