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Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
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A33986
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Divine songs and meditacions composed by An Collins.
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Collins, An, 17th cent.
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1653
(1653)
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Wing C5355; ESTC R20679
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35,368
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106
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life and that in coggitacion Is not-with-standing subject to damnacion Thus when the heart is fitted and prepard The seeds of Faith foth-with are cast therein VVhich in their orders briefly are declard The first is when one wearied under sinne To feel the wiaght thereof doth now begin And thereupon acknowledgeth with speed That of a Saviour much he stands in need The second is a vehement desire Or ardent longing to participate Of Christ and eke his benifits entire And nothing else can this desire abate Consume oâ— limit quench or mittigate As doth the Hart the water brook desire So humble Souls a Saviour doth require The third iâ— flying to the Throne of grace Even from the sentence of the Law so strict Which doth profane security deface Becaâ—se that thereby the Conscience is prict Which doth the humble man for good afflict By shewing such the danger of their case And for a euer sending them to grace Now this is done by fervent supplications By constant prayer most prevailing known â—xprest with hearty strong ejacculacions For Gods especiall grace in him alone In the forgivenesse of his sins each one And in his prayer persevear will hee Vntiâ—l the thing peticion'd granted bee Then God as he hath promised will prove Propicious to the sinner penitent And let him feel th' assurance of his Love His Favour Grace and Mercy Excellent The which in Christ appears most emminent A livâ—ly Faith this full assurance is Wrâ—â—◠〈◊〉 by Gods Spirit in the hearts of his But there are divers measures or degrees Of Saving Faith the least whereof is this When he that hath a humble Spirit sees He cannot feel his Faith so little is As yet the full assurance inward bliss Of the forgivenesse of his sinnes so free Yet pardonable findeth them to bee And therefore prayeth they may be pardoned And with his heart the same of God requires Recals himself as formerly misled Giveing no rest unto his large desires His Soul it faints not nor his Spirit tires Although he be delayd yet still he praies On God he waites and for an answer staies That such a man hath Faith it doth appeare For these desires doe plainly testifie He hath the Spirit of his Saviour dear For t is his speciall work or property To stir up longings after purity Now where his Spirit is there Christ resides And where Christ dwels is true Faith though weak abides Of saveing Faith the largest quantity Is when a man comes on in Faith untill He finds the full assurance happily Of Gods free mercy favour and good will To him in Christ which doth his joy fulfill Finding he hath obtained free remission And that he 's safe in Gods divine tuision This full assurance of his grace and love The Lord vouchsafes his servants true who he Doth for their inward sanctity approve VVhose outward doeings also righteous be For such alone the evidence may see Of his inheritance true happinesse VVhich for Christs merits sake they shall possesse A Christian in his insantcy in grace Finds not this full assurance usually Vntill he hath been practis'd for a space By sound Repentance with Sincerity And finds Gods Love to him aâ—undantly Then shall his soul this full perswasion see VVhich is the strength of Faith or highest degree By Faith in Christ much profit we do gain For thereby only are we justifide At peace with God free from eternall pain And thereby only are we sanctifide VVhere faith is by those friuts it may be tride True faith being by friuts discovered A barren faith must deeds be false and dead Now to be justifide is to be freed From gilt and punishment of sin likewise To be accepted as for just indeed VVith God whose grace it is that justifies And not our works as vainly some surmise But that we may still orderly proceed It followeth next how we from sin are freed The sins of those that God will justifie Were by Chriâ—â—s sufferings so abolished As that they caâ—not hurt them finally VVere they as Scarlet or the Crimson â—ed They shall be wâ—ite as Snow and clâ—ared Esay 16.16 Even by Christs Blood the w to free was sp nâ— The faithfull from deserved punishâ—ent Now comes to bâ— considered how tâ—ey may VViâ—h God for Perfect just accepted be VVho of them-selves by nature truth to say Are in no part from sinnes corruption free How such are tane for just here may we see Christs righteousnesse is theirs by impâ—â—â—cion And so esteem'd by gracious accâ—pâ—acion The true beleevers benifits are great VVh ch they by beig justâ—fiâ—â— poâ—â—esse For such shall stand be ore Gods judgment seat As worthy of Eternaâ—l Happinesse Even by the merits of Christs Righteâ—usnesse For of themselves they cannot merit ought Who are not able to think one good thought Then far from doing any work whereby They might deserve Salvation on their part For God whose only perfect purity Will fâ—nd in our best works no true disart But rather matter of our endlesse smart For in Christs Blood the Saints which are most dear Must wash their Robes before they can be clear Though by good works we do not gain Salvacion Yet these good Duties that our God requires We must perform in thiâ— our conversacion With all our might endevours and desires Before this short uncertain time expires And at perfection must we allwaies aime Though in this life we reach not to the same For he that by his Faith is justifide It followeth also necessarily That such by Faith are likwise Sanctifide Corrupcion of our naâ—ure is thereby Disabled so as that inniquâ—ty No longer rules being by grace subdude Whereby the heart to goodnesse is renude Corrupcion of our nature purged is By vertue of Christs Precious Blood only Which when by Saving Faith applyed is Serves as a corrasive to mortifie And kill the power of inniquity Whence t is that those who Sanctified bee From sins dominion happily are free The other paâ—t of true Sanctificacion Is life or quickenning to holinesse And may therefore be called reâ—ovacion Like a Restorative it doth redresse And him revive that is dead in trespasse T is by the power of Christs Resurrection That we are rais'd from sinne to such perfection Sanctificacion must be then entire Not for the present perfect in degree Yet in respect of parts and true desire Each part and power Sanctified must bee Although no part from all Corruption's free Yet every power must with goodnesse sute Though in this life no part be absolute Like as a Child new born without defect A perfect man he may be sayd to bee Because his body 's perfect in respect Of parts though not in stature or degree Of grouth untill of perfect age he bee So have the faithfull imperfections some Till to a perfect age in Christ they come The graces of the Spirit will appeare And spring up in his heart that 's Sanctifide And these the fruits of Righteousnesse will beare Which in his conversacion
sort offend Who like the Bee by natures secret act Convert to sweetnesse fit for some good end That which they from small things of worth extract Wisely supplying every place that lackt By helping to discover what was meant Where they perceive there is a good intent So trusting that the only Sov'rain Power Which in this work alwaies assisted mee Will still remain its firme defensive Tower From spite of enemies the same to free And make it useful in some sort to bee That Rock I trust on whom I doe depend Will his and all their works for him defend The Discourse YOu that indeared are to pietie And of a gracious disposicion are Delighting greatly in sinceritie As your respects to godly ones declare For whose society you only care Dain to survay her works that worthlesse seem To such as honnest meanings dis-esteem But those that in my love I have preferd Before all creaturs in this world beside Me works I hope will never dis-regard Though some defects herein may be espide Which those that have their judgments rectifide Can but discern yet not with scornfull eye As their mild censures cheefly testifie Vnto the publick view of every one I did not purpose these my lines to send Which for my private use were made alone Or as I said if any pious friend Will once vouchsafe to read them to the end Let such conceive if error here they find T was want of Art not true intent of mind Some may desirous bee to understand What moved mee who unâ—kilfull am herein To meddle with and thus to take in hand That which I cannot well end or begin But such may first resolve themselves herein If they consider t is not want of skill That 's more blame worthy than want of good will 1 Then know I cheefly aim that this should bee Vnto the praise of Gods most blessed name For by the mouths of sucking babes doth he Reveal his power and immortall fame Psal 8. Permitting Children to extall the same When those that were profound and worldly wise In ignominious sort did him dispise 2 Next in respect of that I have receiv'd Is nothing to that some have I do confesse Yet he to whom one Tallent was bequeath'd Was cald to strict account nevertheless As well as he that many did possess Mat. 25. From which I gather they have no excuse Which of ability will make no use 3 Moreover this is thirdly in respect Of some neare Kindred who survive mee may The which perhaps do better works neglect Yet this they may be pleased to survay Through willingnesse to heare what I could say VVhereby they may bee haply drawn to look And read the Scriptures touched in this book 4 And lastly in regard of any one VVho may by accident hereafter find This though to them the Auther bee unknown Yet seeing here the image of her mind They may conjecture how she was inclin'd And further note that God doth Grace bestow Vpon his servants though hee keeps them low Even in my Cradle did my Crosses breed And so grew up with me unto this day Whereof variety of Cares proceed Which of my selfe I never could alay Nor yet their multiplying brood destray For one distemper could no sooner dy But many others would his roome supply Yea like the messengers of Iob they hast One câ—me before another can be gon Alâ— mocions of delight were soon defast Finding no matter for to feed upon They quickly were disperced every one Whereat my minde it self would much torment Vpon the rack of â—estless discontent The summers day though chearfull in it selfe Was wearisom and tedious unto me As those that comfort lack content or health To credit this may soon'st perswaded be For by experience truth hereof they see Now if the summers day cause no delight How irksome think you was the winters night 'T were to no end but altogether vain My several crosses namely to express To rub the scar would but encrease the pain And words of pitty would no griefe release But rather aggrevate my heaviness Who ever chose my crosses to conseale Till to my griefe they would themselves reveale So to be briefe I spent my infantcy And part of fresheâ—t yeares as hath been sayd Partaking then of nothing cheerfully Being through fâ—ailty apt to be affraid And likely still distempered or diâ—maâ—d Through present seâ—ce of some calamity Or preconceipt of future mâ—sery But as the longest wâ—nter hath an end So did this fruitlesse discoâ—tâ—nt eâ—â—â—re And God in mercy â—me refreshâ—ng â—end whereby I learn'd h â— gâ—odnesse to admire And also larger bâ—essings to desire For those that onâ—e â—aâ—e 〈◊〉 grace â—ndeed Will thirst for more and â—â—aâ—e it till they â—peed But that I may proceed Meâ—â—â—all When first â—â—e â—eâ—t eâ—â—e wâ—nâ—eâ— ngs oâ— my mâ—nde Began to â—etâ—e and â—e â—â—â—e with aâ—l No more to bee 〈…〉 with every winde It such a pâ—eâ—â—ng exerciâ—e did finde Which was 〈…〉 Woâ—â—â—â— day The â—eâ—â—e oâ— Heaâ—eâ—ng shou d â—o it â—onvay But liveing where profanenesse did abound VVhere little goodnesse might be seen or heard Those consolacions could be but unsound Haveing to godlinesse no great regard Because that of the means I was debard Through ignorance of better exercise I then delighted plesant histories Whereof the most part were but fain'd I knew Which not-with-standing I no whit dispised Imagining although they were not true They were convenient being moralized Such vanities I then too highly prised But when profane discourses pleasd mee best Obscenities I allwaies did detest But all this while the sumes of vanities Did interpose betwen my soules week sight And heavenly blisse devine felicities Vntill that morning starr so matchlesse bright The Sun of righteousnesse reveald his light Vnto my soule which sweet refreshings brings Because he coms with healing in his wings Whose blessed beames my mind eradiates And makes it sensible of pietie Mal 4 2 And so by consequence communicates Celestiall health to ev'ry faculty Expeling palpable obscurity Which made my soule uncapable of grace Which now she much desires for to imbrace Perceiving well that nothing can afford Her either finall rest or full content But saveing Graces and Gods holy word Which is a means those Graces to augment VVith Praier and the blessed Sacrament VVhich means with reverence my soul affects And former pleasing vanities rejects Together with unnecesary griefe VVhose ill effects can hardly bee exprest For certainly it argues unbeleife Which hinders many from eternall rest who do not seek in time to be redrest Heb. 3.19 Therefore I would establish inward peace How-ever out-ward crosses doe increase If cross disgrace or dismall accident Indignity or loss befalleth mee Immediatly distempers to prevent I cald to mind how all things orderd bee Appointed and disposed as we see By Gods most gracious providence which is I am perswaded for the good of his Yet am I not so firm I must confess But many times discomforts will