Divine meditations upon several subjects whereunto is annexed Gods love and man's unworthiness, with several divine ejaculations / written by John Quarles. Quarles, John, 1624-1665. 1671 Approx. 223 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 92 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2005-12 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A56850 Wing Q124 ESTC R4731 11057912 ocm 11057912 46179 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A56850) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 46179) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1429:3) Divine meditations upon several subjects whereunto is annexed Gods love and man's unworthiness, with several divine ejaculations / written by John Quarles. Quarles, John, 1624-1665. [8], 174p. Printed by T.J. for Peter Parker, London : 1671. Reproduction of original in the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign Campus). Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Religious poetry. 2005-06 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2005-07 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2005-08 Judith Siefring Sampled and proofread 2005-08 Judith Siefring Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion DIVINE MEDITATIONS UPON Several Subjects . Whereunto is annexed GODS LOVE , AND Man's Vnworthiness . WITH SEVERAL Divine Ejaculations . Written by JOHN QUARLES . LONDON , Printed by T. J. for Peter Parker , and are to be sold at the first shop in Popes-head Alley on the right hand next Cornhil , 1671. To my Esteemed Friend , JAMES HOBARTE of Hales , in the County of Norfolk , Esquire . SIR . IF I am bold , it is in fulfilling your desires : I am confident you well remember when we were Prisoners together , that your self gave me the several subjects of these short Meditations ; I confess I have no cause to blush at the subjects , but I fear you will find cause to blush at the bad performance of your desires ; however , I have done my endeavor ; and if you please to own it worth your acceptance , I shall own your acceptance worth my labor , and ever remain Affectionately yours , JOHN QUARLES . TO THE READER . Kinde Reader , LEt me lay this Injunction upon thee before thou permittest thy eye to survey this little Volume , that thou wilt resolve to pardon , I will not say for what , for fear thou shouldest be scrupulous and not read ; The subject is Divine , and I confess too good to be so badly handled ; however , I have done my endeavour , and Alexander did no more when he conquered Kingdoms : But Reader , because I will not detain thine eye too long in one place , I bid thee Farewel . To my Muse . TEll we presumptuous Muse , how dar'st thou treat Vpon a Subject so sublime , so great ! Alas how dare thy infancy aspire So high as Heaven , where the Celestial Quire Of Soul-enchanting Angels , hourly sing , Anthems of joy to their mellifluous King ! This is a task that invocates the best And loftiest quills ; Heav'ns love must not b'exprest With wanton language : he that shall presume To labour in this work , must first perfume His Soul with true Divinity , and breathe Celestial ayrs , that Readers may perceive Their Author labours with a serious heart T'embalm his actions with divinest art ; This is a field whose spacious bounds extend Themselves to infinite ; who strives to end Shall still begin , and having once b●gun This pleasing progress , must not cease to run Vntil he stops in Heaven , there lies the gain , Who runs with Faith is certain to obtain . If then my Muse , thou canst divinely mount This sacred Stage , thou needst not fea rt ' account Thy actions prosperous , strive thou to stand Guarded with Faith , and Heav'n will lend a hand To prop thee up , his power will infuse Sufficient matter for an active Muse To work upon , his wisdome will direct Thy painful hand , his Mercies will correct Thy rambling thoughts , and teach thee to proclaim Th' unsumm'd up glories of his Royal Name ; Abandon Earth , and bid vain thoughts adieu , Thou canst not serve thy God and Mammon too ; Rouse then , and let thy well-prun'd Eagles wings Mount thee aloft , let not terrestial things Disturb thy resolutions , let them all Evade thy mind ; thy thoughts must grow too tall For such low toyes : stir up thy zealous fire , And what thou canst not well express , admire . DIVINE MEDITATIONS Upon several subjects . I. GRoans , midnight groans , usurp the Commonwealth , Oh my infringed Soul ! I know no health , Nor feel no pleasure , all my joyes are fled I know not where , and I am worse than dead . Heav'n shouldring Atlas , if compar'd to me Bears nothing , mine 's a weighty misery . II. Ah me , can nothing cure me , is my grief So much insanable , that no relief Can flow from Gilead ? do my sins obstruct Those tydes of grace which usually conduct Refreshments to me ? Oh most dismal fate ! He feels a plague too soon , that grieves too late . III. Cimmerian mists , alas ! and what are they ? ( Compar'd to me ) less than a glorious day . The sense of my own blindness makes me know The blindness of my senses . Can a woe Be more exub'rous ? here 's a grief refin'd , A seeing Body , and a Soul that 's blind . IV. The sight-deprived wretch , whose darkned fate Makes day and night ( as 't were ) incorporate , And knowes no difference , but still gropes about , And finds his Day within , his Night without : But I , sad I , being muffled up in sin , Find Day without , alas ! but Night within . V. Saddest of thoughts ! Oh that I could espy One gracious Sun-beam , that my willing eye , Might , like the dawning of the Infant-day , Grow by degrees , and at the last display Some glorious rayes to my endarkened heart ▪ I 'de hug that light , and never let it part . VI. But I , unhappy I , whose former dayes Consum'd in ill , have quite expell'd the rayes Of future happiness ; and now I see All evil is epitomiz'd in me . Too late I grieve , for what I feel too soon ; The Sun le ts fall his fiercest rayes at noon . VII . Though foggy vapours oftentimes ascend , Being exhaled by a Solar friend , From Earths chill brest , and for a season shroud Themselves within an entertaining cloud . Yet at the last , ( unwilling to remaine ) Discloud themselves , and fall to Earth again . VIII . But ah ! my sin-exhaling soul is fill'd With noysome fogs that cannot be distill'd ; They keep a forc'd possession , and encrease Within me , nay , and riot out my peace . Needs must the Empire of a troubled brain Feel store of torments where such Neroes raign . IX . Corporeal griefs , compartivelay , merit The name of Pleasures to a troubled spirit : Martyrs have taught , that temporary pains ( If well improv'd ) swell into future gaines . Grief 's banisht quite from him that dyes forgiven ; A Storm on Earth portends a Calm in Heaven . X. As woe and trouble commonly await Upon the frailty of a humane state ; So Grace and Mercy evermore are found Attending , where Divinity sits crown'd . Ah! would it not be undiscreetly done , To sit in darkness to avoid the Sun ? XI . If Heaven should please to banish from our sight His glorious Lamp , whose most diffusive light Gives life to nature , all things would retire Into a Chaos , and the world expire . The Soul 's a World-divine , and Christ's the Sun , Who shining not , the World is chang'd , not done . XII . We may observe , when happiness concludes , How soon the sad and fatal interludes Of Misery appear : for Grief and Joy Are Initiators . When our sins destroy The happiness we had , Ah then appears Mischief attended with an hoast of fears . XIII . Adam ( unhappy man ! ) with what a grace Could he present himself before the face Of his well-pleas'd Creator , till the heat Of his own lust compel'd him to retreat From Gods commands . Ah then , his new-bred fear Made him afraid to see , as well as hear . XIV . Let but the apples of the tender eye Receive a sudden touch , and by and by The sympathizing part will quickly be Frighted ( as 't were ) into a mutiny , So when the Sin : toucht soul begins to smart , The sentiate faculties must bear a part . XV. Courage in Sin , is but a Sin enlarg'd ; Which like a deep-mouth'd Cannon over-charg'd Recoyles or breaks . Had Peter found no vent For his denying-sins , his soul had rent It self in pieces . Blest is he and wise , That can discharge his sorrow at his eyes . XVI . Sins that do float in tears , are often drown'd In their own floods ; When real sighs abound , They raise a tempest , and our sins are tost Against the rocks of Mercy , till they 're lost . When sins beleaguer us with hostile fears , There 's no Artillery like Davids tears . XVII . Curst ( like the Fig-tree ) is that barren eye That in a flood of Sins is alwayes dry . Teares are the choicest Jewels which are set Like Orient Pearls in Heaven's rich Cabinet . When Faith implores , th' Almighty One that lent A vent for tears , will send us tears to vent . XVIII . Faith is the Souls best Orator ; 't is known , There is no Musick like a faithful groan . A Whisp'ring faith will find a ready ear , When a loud-thundring faithless voice must steer From whence it came , no audience will be given , A soft tongu'd Faith on Earth speaks loud in Heaven . XIX . Faith feeds the hungry , and it safe-guards those , That fear the danger of incensed Foes . T is Heavens proof-armor , he that wears this shield May safely meet Goliah in the Field . 'T is heavenly mirth to hear a David sing ; 'T was Faith that kill'd Goliah , not a sling . XX. The precious balsom of a sound belief , Expels the poyson of a raging grief . The womans bloody issue could not be Cur'd , but by Faiths Divine Chirurgery . When grief assailes , the patient must be sure T' apply warm prayers , and Faith will end the cure . XXI . Reason and Faith are Combatants , the One Demands a ( why ) the other will be known Without a reason , for the powerful hand Of Faith can fight , where reason cannot stand . He that believes what 's possible , can strain His Faith no higher than a humane brain . XXII . Faith is the mindes establisher , should we Believe but what we understand , and see , We should prove Infidels : had Abraham try'd His Faith by humane sence , his Faith had dy'd . But barren Sarah , when her time was run , Blest aged Abraham with a smiling Son. XXIII . When our estranged ashes , shall lye hid In their corruptions , reason will forbid Their re-uniting , but a faithful eye Sees them inclining to their unity . If we observe , we shall be sure to find T hat Faith sees best , when humane reason 's blind . XXIV . A well-deserving eye , shall always find Faith and Theology , as close combin'd As Marth ' and Mary were ; who strive to smother The one , must needs extirpate the other . Accurst be they that separate such friends : Destroy the consort , and the musick ends . XXV . Th' inflamed Lamp shines in a darksome night , And fills each corner with a trembling light ; But when extinguisht our benighted eye , Leaves every object in obscurity . So shining Faith ( snuft out by sin ) expires And leaves us muffl'd in our dark desires . XXVI . Faith 's a Monoculist , and can descry The Sun of Glory with a single eye . It comprehendeth all things , every place Where she aboads , is beautifi'd with grace . He 's like a pregnant Land that knows no dearth , But brings forth many off-springs at one birth . XXVII . Faith can unnaturalize a Lion , and Make him lye subject to a strict command , Or Daniel had not liv'd , his Lamb had power , To make the Lions tremble , not devour : Be pleas'd Oh Lord , to look upon our Sion , And send this Lamb to chase away our Lion. XXVIII . When once despised Faith is laid aside , Needs must the Fabrick of Religion slide . An unpropt-house , with danger is enjoy'd , And Pallaces prove rubbish when destroy'd . Oh how unblest is that declining Nation , Where Faith 's quite lost , Religion 's out of fashion . XXIX . Faith and Religion like the Turtle-dove , Having lost her first , admits no second love . The troubled Ocean is not eas'ly still'd , 'T is far more easie to destroy than build . When Faction thrives , Religion starves at nurse , Who sins with Aegypt , must have Aegypts curse . XXX . Sure sad Religion , cannot chuse but groan Under deformity , when every one Shall dress her at his pleasure : is it good To cancel that , which Martyrs seal'd with blood ? Sure no it is not , blessings are despis'd , When pure Religion 's so much Proteuniz'd . XXXI . I 'd rather want a blessing , than abuse The blessing that I have , th' apostate Jewes Can evidence this truth , for whilst they stood To save the evil , they destoy'd the good . Did it not add to Pilates sin , who cry'd , I find no fault , and yet our Saviour dy'd ? XXXII . Had Judas known the blessings he possest , In being private to our Saviours breast , Sure then his most inordinate desires , Had found no fuel to maintain his fires . Best things in their corruption prove the worst , Truth speaks aloud , for Judas was accurst . XXXIII . Alas how fondly did our thoughts despise These sacred joys , which now we chiefly prize Because we want them , and we sadly prove The want of blessings tutors us to love The blessings that we had , if I transgress , Let David witness what my thoughts express . XXXIV . Th' unfathom'd gulf of mans unsatiate mind Proves most outragious , when 't is most confin'd , I could perswade my self , if 't were a sin Not to be sinful , Man would soon begin To practise goodness , for the flesh would be Oppugnant to the Spirits faculty . XXXV . The raging fire , the more it is deprest The more it burns , our Parent Eve transgrest Because she was forbid , although she knew What unavoided danger would accrew . Yet her unsatisfi'd desires were such , She could not chuse but tast as well as touch . XXXVI . Faction's the worst of Evils , 't is a sin Beyond addition ; when we once begin To fall to Heresie , we know not how Nor what to act , alas we can allow A firm respect to nothing , for to day , We hug what we to morrow cast away . XXXVII . If we observe , it may be quickly seen How great a disproportion is between The Schools of God , and Nature , we conceive In Natures Schooles , before we can believe ; But in the Schools of God we must aspire , First to believe , conceive , and then admire . XXXVIII . Affliction is the Christians badge , who knows Earths greatest pleasure , find her greatest wees , Alas what are th' injoyments of this life , But fleeting shadows which denote a strife ? If Davids troubles sojourn in my brest , Lord give me Davids heart , and I am blest . XXXIX . He that endures Affliction , must abide The harsh directions of his knowing Guide : For they that travel in this world must take Affliction by the hand , or else they 'l make A fruitless journey . He 's a senseless slave , That dances with Earth's Musick to his grave . XL. Affliction is sins Nursery , and they That kill the Brat , must take the Nurse away ; If not , they must expect what 's much more worse , For sin is known to be the Devils Nurse . Then may they cry with lamentable breath , No wages will content the Nurse , but death . XLI . Wouldst thou prevent affliction ? then draw near , I 'le tell thee how , when sin begins t' appear , Drown it in teares , teares of a heavenly race , He that includes a sin , excludes a Grace . Sin often growes too aged for relief : There is no danger like a non-ag'd grief . XXLII . The wise man grieves not , that he undergoes Affliction , but because he fully knowes His many sins deserv'd as many more , If ten times doubl'd , than he did before . Patience in things adverse , like Stars , shine bright , And most transparent in the darkest night . XLIII . 'T is good to be afflicted , or else he That spoke it took delight in Misery . If Davids sins infect thee , let thy heart Be bath'd in Davids tears , and then thou art Indeared unto Heaven : for he that lent Much time to sin , must borrow to repent . XLIV . Repentance leaps to Heav'n , if we expect A future blessing , we must not neglect This present business , which if we delay , Wee 'l want to morrow , what we lost to day : But let 's consider e're our time be spent , How soon we sin , and yet how late repent . XLV . He that delayes Repentance , makes great haste To his own ruine , and commits a waste Upon his Soul , for every hour we spend And not repent , we wilfully befriend Our Adversary , Hell , whose Gins being set , He lyes and watches , when to draw the Net. XLVI . The Net being drawn , well may we run about , And make our selves more fast , attempting out . Then our betrayed Souls may sadly say Had we repented , when 't was said , to day , This Net hath not insnar'd us , nor we cry , We that did ever sin , must ever dye . Gods Love , AND Mans Vnworthiness . GOD ! how that word hath thunder-clapt my Soul Into a ravishment ; I must condole My forward weakness ; Ah , where shall I find Sufficient Metaphors t' express my mind ? Thou heart-amusing word , how hast thou filld My Soul with Halelujahs , and distil'd Wonders into me ! Oh , that I could break My heart in pieces , and divinely speak My mind in Raptures , that the frantique Earth May bath it self in these sweet streams of mirth . Then rouze my Soul , and practise how to turn Thy wonders into language ; do not burn Thy sacr●d fuel in a place where none Can have the benefit but thee alone Hoist up thy Sails , and let thy speedy motion Hurry thee hence into the boundless Ocean : Observe thy Compass , keep a constant pace , And Heav'n will steer thee to the Port of Grace . 'T is strange to think , how the Almighty can ( That is so pure ) love such a thing as Man , Whose primitive corruption makes him worse Than nothing , whose Rebellion claims a Curse , More than affection : How can Heav'n endure A thing that can be nothing but impure ? Man ( like a word that 's void of reason ) sounds In every ear , his very name expounds A misery ; at best , he needs must be But vain ; And how can Heav'n love vanity ? Man ( like a shadow ) flies before the Sun Of his Afflictions , and is still undone By his own doing , he 's his own pursuer ; And how can Heav'n love such a self-undoer ? Man ( like a naked worm ) is often found Digging himself into the loathsom ground Of ruine , he 's a Traitor to his Bliss ; And how can Heav'n love such a worm as this ? Man ( like a flash of lightning ) courts the world With lavish flames , and by and by is hurl'd Into that Nothing , whence at first he came ; Then how can God love such a short-liv'd flame ? Man ( like a Reed ) is evermore inclin'd To shake , and totter with each blast of wind ; He 's always running to the ground with speed : And how can Heav'n love such an earthly Reed ? Man ( like the dust ) is always blown , and tost From place to place , and flies , till it has lost Its Center ; never resting in one place : Then how can Heav'n love that which flies in 's face ? Man ( like a Fly ) still buzzes up and down From cup to cup , and sips on , till he drown Himself in pleasure ; fears no stander by : And how can Heav'n love such a drunken Fly ? Man ( like a Rain-bow ) oftentimes appears Clothed in colours , but can claim no years , No days , nay hardly hours , but must decay ; And how can heav'n love that which loves no stay ? Man ( like a bubble ) floats upon the waves Of his desires , whilst every blast enslaves His brittle substance , fill'd with windy troubles ; And how can heav'n love such unconstant bubbles ? Man ( like the froth ) spew'd from the Oceans brest Is tyded up and down , but knows no rest , Nor Perpetuity ; and can betroth It self to nothing : Heav'n loves no such froth . Man ( like the wind ) is every moment flying To every place , and hares to be complying Or resting any where ; how can it be ? That Heav'n can love so much inconstancy ? Man ( like a Swallow ) loves the fragrant spring Of earths delights , but with a spreading wing Flies from the Winters more congealed Brest ; And how can Heav'n love such a Summer Guest ? Man ( like a smoak ) presumptuously aspires Into the air , and by and by retires Himself to nothing , nothing's his conclusion ; And how can Heav'n love such a base confusion ? Man ( like a fire ) whose green and scragged fuel Denies to burn until it fights a duel With the encountring Bellows , which at last Obtains the conquest , then it burns as fast , And seems as 't were , ambitious to expire ; Then how can Heav'n love such a raging fire ? Man ( like an Arrow ) being once let go Out from the Archers well commanded Bow , Affronts the Clouds ; at last , having spent the store Of his small strength , sals down , & seems t' adore Th' inferior Earth , which , with a welcome , hides His down-cast head within her wounded sides , Where he remains , and scorns to be withstood : Man can be anything , but what is good . And cannot Man be good ? strange kind of tone ! What ? has he wept himself into a stone , Like Niobie ? no sure ; I fear his eyes Were never loaded with such large supplies : Ah , could he weep a Flood , Heav'n that prepares His ears to hear , would bottle up his tears In his remembrance ; every drop should shine Like Pearls absconded in a golden Myne : His sins command a Deluge ; could his head Be turn'd into a fountain , could he shed An Ocean at a drop , it could not cover His sins ( which are mountainous ) from the Lover Of real drops , for he would soon descry Those sand excelling crimes , where ere they lie : Yet would his Soul so much compassionate The flowing sorrows of his watry state , That with a calming hand he would remove His rocky sins , and hide them with his Love ; He would have pity , and with speed consent T' express his love , when all our tears are spent . Should Heav'n , who justly may , for every sin Drop down a Plague , and make it live within Mans guilty Soul , the world would quickly be Transform'd , and chang'd into a leprosie . Let none despair , for Heav'ns known mercies can Out infinite the greatest sins of man. Oh love beyond degree ! Shall Heav'n indulge Himself to Man ? and shall not Man divulge A gratefulness to him , whose hand prepares To wipe away his sin-poluted cares ? Ungrateful Miscreant , how canst thou view Thy former Miseries , and not renew Thy thanks to him whose Power set thee free , And brought thee back from thy Captivity ? Hast thou abandon'd Love ? wilt thou imprint Thy Soul with baseness ? Ah , what obvious flint Hath turn'd Affections edge ? what , art thou bent To shoot at him , that labours to prevent The Arrows of thy ruine , which will fly Into thy brest , except he puts them by ? Hast thou transform'd thy heart into a rock That will not move ? Shall mercy call and knock , And thou not hear ? What ? hast thou arm'd thy heart With senseless marble , that no flaming dart Of love can enter ? Hast thou vow'd to stand In opposition ? Cannot Gods Command Force thee to bow ? Art thou resolv'd to sport With thy destruction , and not yield the Fort ? Oh yield betimes ; do not resolve to be Too much a slave to Infidelity : For know ( frail wretch ) thy strength consists in clay When Mercy 's lost , then Judgment finds the way . Rally thy thoughts together , and throw down Thy brazen walls , thy yielding yields a Crown : For 't is in vain to oppose an arm that can Out-grasp the measure of so small a span . Alas , Alas ! it may be quickly seen What a large disproportion is between Thy God , and thee : Consider , he is all , And thou art nothing ; what can be more small ? Or what more great ? for he is infinite , And thou art finite : He is full of light , And thou of darkness ; He is fill'd with love , And thou art stuff'd with baseness ; He 's a Dove , And thou a Worm : Thus , thus thou mayst descry His firmness , and thine own infirmity . Then be not obstinate , but strike the Sails Of thy desires to him that never fails ; And know , 't is easie in an inch of time To take a worm ingarrison'd with slime ; For such a thing thou art , and all thy power Must yield to Heavens assaults ; thy April shower Has no continuance : therefore do not strive Against a God , whose wisdom can contrive What pleases him : Alas ! thy state is grounded Upon contingencies , thou art compounded Of nothing but uncertainties ; thy Arm Assumes no power , except it be to harm Thy wilful self : Then why wilt thou contend With him that importunes to be thy friend ? Thy friend , ( soul-saving word ) what higher bliss Can crown a heart , than such a friend as this ? Oh life of Ravishment ! how can it be A God , a worm , and yet a Sympathie ? Strange condescention ! was the like e're known Or fpoke by any mouth , except his own ? Hie balmy breath declares , that he will save And succor those that faithfully do crave His blest assistance : Hark , and hear him say , Ye that are heavy loaded , come away , Oh come to me , I am content to bear Your burthens , and extenuate your care . What higher note of love was ever strain'd To any ear ? Oh how hath man obtain'd So great a friendship ! 'T is a happy lot , Nay , and a wonder not to be forgot . And yet it is not strange , that he should prove So true a Lover , that 's compos'd of Love , And can do nothing else : If he correct , 'T is for thy crimes : he only has th' effect Of anger : for his grieved spirit moans To punish Sinners , and to hear their groans : His Soul takes no delight to crush to death The offending pris'ners of th' inferior Earth : He is the rich Exchequer of all good , And is by nothing ( except man ) withstood . All things perform what they were made to do , But only man , that strives to prove untrue To his Creator : nothing can be found Within thy brest , but that which is unsound . How sad it is to hear th' Almighty say , I 've nourish'd children , that are gone astray , And scorn to own me ! Oh rebellious dust ! That hate my paths , because my ways are just . The Ox will know his Owner , and the Ass His Masters crib ; but Israel , alas , Will not acknowledge me , but have destroy'd Themselves , & made their understanding void : Has not my fury then just cause to swell , Because they can do nothing but rebel ? Nefandous Creature , how canst thou endure Thy wretched self ? Ah , why wilt thou procure Thine own destructions ? shall all creatures be Obedient to their owners , only thee ? And wilt thou not acknowledge him that gave Large blessings to thee , and desires to save Thy Soul from torments , if thou wouldst incline Thy will to his , whose thoughts are all divine ? Forget obduracy , and learn the Art Of loving him , that loves an upright heart : Go ruminate upon thy base estate , And be unto thy self , compassionate . Yield to thy Maker with a cheerful brow ? First know what 't is to love , and after , how ▪ Love is the Laws fulfiller ; he that will Love God aright , must practise how to fill His Soul with true affection ; for the ways Of Heav'n are pav'd with Love : Immortal praise Attend his Courts ; he that forgets to love Forgets his God : They that desire to prove Heav'ns amatorious Guests , must first admire How such a spark as man came to aspire To such a flame , and how he came to be , Not only Earths , but Heavens , Epitomie : Be serious then , and let thy thoughts reflect Upon Heav'ns goodness , and thy disrespect . God out of Nothing ( except Love ) compil'd This spacious World , as if some princely child Were to be born : His providential care Was ( as it were ) ambitious to prepare The quintessence of pleasures to invite Some stately Guest to banquet with delight . First he extracted from a darksom Cell A glorious Light , whose beauty pleas'd him well ; Then he prepar'd a Canopy , inlayd With glittring Pearl , whose twinkling luster made A Heav ▪ nly shew ; and afterwards his hand Dasht back the waters from the naked Land : Then he commanded , that the Earth , being come Out from the Oceans new delivered womb , Should be adorn'd with an imbroidered Gown , That so her new-warm'd bowels might abound With several fruits . — — Thus having plaid his part Upon this Theatre , this life of Art , He usher'd in a thing , which pleas'd him best , ( He made the Feast , and after made the Guest ; ) Call'd by the name of Man , a naked , small . And dusty , shiftless Creature ▪ this was all , And all this nothing , but a lump of death , Until inspir'd by Heav'ns all-quickning breath . Vain , simple wretch ; ah , how couldst thou behave Thy self before a Judge so great , so grave ? Hadst thou but seen thy self , thou wouldst have cry'd Thy self to death , and with a blush , defy'd Thy base estate , to think that thou should'st be Natures most base and rude Anatomie . Couldst thou expect that Heav'n would entertain A thing so poor ? so weak ? so vile ? so vain ? Which like a spark blown from a new-made fire , Can onely shew it self , and then expire , Was it for this the All-Creator made Such large provision ? Was 't for this he laid Such rich Foundations ? Was 't for this his Power Deckt this well-pleasing odoriferous Bower ? Was it for this ( this little world ) he form'd A world so great ? was it for this he warm'd The Earths chill bosom ? was 't for this he spent His six days Labor ? was 't for this intent He made a Paradise ? where Flora spred Her fragrant off-spring , and made Earth a Bed Of rare compounded pleasures , where he plac'd This new-come Guest , whose very looks disgrac'd The Face of Beauty , to whose thriftless hand He gave that Government , with this Command : Of all the Trees that here thou dost behold , Thy lips being authoriz'd , thou mayst be bold To taste with freedom , only one , which I Conjure thee from , therefore restrain thine eye From lusting after it ; if not , thy breath Shall glut it self in everlasting death : Forget not my Commands , but let thy brest Be always faithful , and thou shalt be blest . Thus the Recorder having spoke at large This well-deliver'd ( although ill-kept ) Charge , He after said ; It is not good that man should be alone Without a help , I le therefore make him one . Oh sacred prudence ! Here we may discern A sweet conjunction ; here our Souls may learn Wisdom and Love , both which , if not enjoyd , Pleasures prove vanities , and blessings void . Heav'n , whose unidle art-full hand had set Man , as a Jewel , in his Cabinet , Thought it unfit , that those delights which he Had made by his most powerful Love , should be Monopoliz'd by one , he therefore laid Adam asleep , and having done , he made Out of a crooked Rib ( strange kind of Art ) A woman , fair , compleat , in every part ; Nay , and a helper too : for in conclusion She helpt poor Adam to his own confusion . Oh most detested deed ! Unconstant wife , To prove a Traitor to thy Husbands life As soon as made : Fond wretch could nothing suit With thy nice palate , but forbidden fruit ? Ah , could thy longing lie no longer hid ? What ? didst thou long , because thou wert forbid ? Was there no tree that could content thy eye , But only that which was forbidden ? Fie , Oh shame to think thou shouldst so quickly waste Thine hours of pleasure for a minutes taste : Couldst thou not like , or fall in love with any But that ? Heav'n had but one , & thou hadst many Wherewith to please thine appetite ; and yet Wouldst thou prove so ambitious , as to sit Upon the highest twigg ? Ah , could th' advice Of Satan tempt thee to this avarice With so much ease , and make thee rashly do So foul a deed , and tempt thy Adam too ? Preposterous wretch , how hast thou spread a cloud Over thy head ? what ? didst thou think to shrowd Thy self from vengeance ? Having eat thy death , Couldst thou expect to live ? Oh no , thy breath Offended Heav'n : but ah , hadst thou but thought ( Before thy heart had entertain'd a fault So great as this ) what 't was to die , thy mind Had made thee more abstemious , and confin'd Thy base inordinate desires ; thy meat Had prov'd delightful , and thy comforts great : But now , unhahpy now , thy crimes have made Thy Soul Deaths Debtor , and thou art betrayd By thine own self ; therefore prepare to meet Thy wrathful Judge : 't is said stoln goods are sweet , But thine prov'd sour , the fruits w ch thou hast stole Sugar'd thy mouth , but wormwoodiz'd thy soul : When thou hadst eaten , Ah! why didst thou not Tremble to death , to think thou hadst forgot Thy Gods Commands , & that his Judgments must Follow thy Soul , and blow thee into dust ? Thus Eve , thus Adam , having vilipended Their Gods Commands , their happines soon ended Their joys were turn'd to mourning , & their light Was turn'd to darkness , and their day to night ; Both being too much conscious , fled with speed To hide themselves from God , but not the deed . Even as some poor distressed wretch desires To hide himself from the enraged fires Of his incensed Foe , runs up and down To shun the rage of a condemned frown ; At last observing his enquiring Foe Approach the place , lies still , and dares not blow , For fear the wordless Eccho of his breath Should soon betray him to a sudden death : Being at last descry'd , his throbbing heart Gives an Alarum to each trembling part ; Fear , like an Earthquake , then begins to shake His loosen'd joynts , he knows not how to make A ready answer to his foes demands ; But , as a sad convicted man , he stands Subjected to his will , that can dispence With nothing , but with death , to calm th' offence . Even so Guilt-loaded Adam having done A deed so foul , prepares himself to run To some close shelter where he might immure His naked body , and repose secure : But ah , in vain , in vain he strove to hide Himself from God , that need implore no guide To teach him where his sad offender lay ; He needs must find when sin hath chalk'd th' way ; But when Heav'ns shril-enquiring voice surrounded The ears of Adam , Adam was confounded With deep distress , his heart began to call His quivering Senses to a Funeral : Fear , like a powerful fire , began to thaw His frozen thoughts , and keep his Soul in awe ; He breath'd in a Dilemma , and could find No Sanctuary for a perjur'd mind : At last the Language of th' Eternal God Storm'd his Sin-armed Soul , and like a Rod Whipt him from his security , and cry'd , Adam , where art thou ? Adam thus reply'd , I heard thee walking in the pleasing shade Of the cool ev'ning , and I was afraid , And hid my self , because I must confess , I blusht to see my shameful nakedness . GOD. Tell me , thou trembling wretch , how dost thou know That thou art naked ? say , who told thee so ? What ? has thy lips usurp'd the fruit which I Conjur'd thee not to touch ? if so , reply . Adam . The woman which thou gav'st me , gave to me , And I did eat of the forbidden tree . GOD. Unconstant woman ! Ah , why hast thou run Beyond thy bounds ? what 's this that thou hast done ? Woman . The Serpents flowing language swel'd too great For my low banks : he tempted , and I eat . Gods Curse against the Serpent . Because thou hast thus subtilty deluded The lustful woman , thou shalt be excluded From future good ; more shall thy curses yield Than all the Beasts and Cattel in the field : Thy belly shall ( because thou hast done this ) Give to the earth a life-remaining kiss ; Thou shalt not taste of any thing that 's good , Dust shall supply the place of wholsome food . Curst be thy ways , thou shalt no more be seen By me : I will put enmity between Thy seed and hers ; hereafter thou shalt feel A bruised head , and she a bruised heel . Gods Curse against the Woman . And as for thee , oh Woman , I 'le enlarge Thy grief and thy conception ; I 'le discharge Thy joyes , and load thee with a weighty grief ; Thy pains in child-bed shall find no relief ; Thou shalt desire thy Husband , and his hand Shall over-rule thee with a strict command . Adams Curse . Rebellious Adam , unto thee I 'le give A Life as bad as Death , for thou shalt live To see thy sorrows more and more abound , And for thy sake I 'le curse the loathed ground ; For thou hast hark'ned to the conquering voice Of thy frail wife , and made my fruit thy choice , And sepulchred my words within the grave Of thy false heart ; begon , thou self-made slave : The thorny ground shall give a large increase To thy laborious hand ; the name of Peace Shall prove a stranger to thy ears , and thou Shalt eat thy bread with a sweat-dropping brow ▪ I 'le murther all thy joys ; thy brest shall burn With flaming care , until thy corps return Into the bowels of th' inclusive earth ; From whence thou hadst thy substance , and thy birth : For base thou art , and therefore thou shalt be A food for gnawing worms , and not for me : As thou art dust , to dust thou shalt retire ; Hereafter let not dust presume t' aspire . Strange ▪ alteration ! Oh pernicious fate , Too quickly bred in such an Infant - state ! He that but even now enjoy'd a life Ballanc'd with pleasures , now is fill'd with strife : He , whose Majestick Soul was lately crown'd With blest content , is now ingulf'd , and drown'd In sorrows Ocean ; He , which was before Inrich'd with happiness , is now as poor As poverty can make him ; He , which had The countenance of Heav'n to make him glad ▪ Is now eclipst ; he knows not where to run , Sin having interpos'd between the Sun And his dark Soul , the Center of whose rest Is now remov'd , and he survives unblest : He , which but even now had leave to dwell And revel in Heav'ns eye , desires a Cell To entertain him ! he which liv'd in Peace , Is now thrown down , and forfeited his Lease : Great was his Crime , great was his sudden Fall , Great was his Tenement , his Rent but small : Poor Adam's taken by his own decoys ; Sin is the Sequestrator of all j ys . Sad Pilgrim of the world , where wilt thou find ( In the unpathed earth ) a place so kind To entertain thee ? Ah , where wilt thou keep ( Thus tumbled from a Precipice so steep ) The sad unpeopl'd rendezvouz ? Oh where Wilt thou procure a hand that will unsnare Th'intangled Soul ? Alas thy wearied life Hath two most sad companions ; first a Wife , Than a bad Conscience , what two greater crosses Can hang upon a brest , whose cares ▪ whose losses , Are grown so infinit , that no relief , But what distills from Heav'n , can ease their grief ? Thou wert the first of men that entertain'd So grand a sorrow , thou the first that stain'd So pure a colour , thou the first that dwelt In Edens garden , thou the first that felt The scourge of fury ; hadst thou not transgrest , Vengeance had found no hand , nor grief a brest . Ah , hadst thou not offended , sin had found No habitation , nor thy Soul a wound : Had not thy hand so wilfully unlock'd The door of Death , Destruction had not knock'd At thine impenetrable gates , or ventur'd T' approach so near , but being open'd , enter'd Bold Customer of fate , that sought about To come within , and turn poor Adam out ; Thy strength out strength'd his strength , & made him weak , A vessel crack'd , how can it chuse but leak ? Sin prov'd Deaths father , & mans heart the womb That brought it forth ; this Deatb shall find a tomb When the Determiner of time hath hurl'd A finis to the volume of the world ; Till then , man ( mortaliz'd by sin ) must be A subject unto Deaths Soveraigntie . Poor man , in what a wilderness of sorrow Dost thou now ramble in : where wilt thou borrow A minutes rest ? On what inclining ear Wilt thou expend thy groans ? what canst thou hear But dialects of misery to vex ( hear Thy bankrupt thoughts ? The fatal disrespects Of Heav'n will blow and toss thee up and down From place to place , his still renewed frown Will follow thee ; therefore provide t' endure The hot pursutes of such a fierce Pursuer : Canst thou expect that this thy grand abuse ( Which runs beyond the limits of excuse ) Can be forgotten ; dost thou think t'out-live Thy long-liv'd crimes , or hope for power to give Due satisfaction to thy God , whose rage ▪ Thy heart cannot endure , much less asswage ? Most lachrymable state ! What canst thou do , Oh man , that may ingratiate or renew Thy former love ? Alas , thy base condition Makes thee incapable of a Petition . Prepare thy self , see if thou canst invade His Soul with pray'rs , see if thou canst perswade His Heart to yield unto thy sad request , And re-inthrone thee with thy former rest ; Dissect thy Soul with groans , anatomize Thy Heart with sighs , and let thy winged cries Fly through the Angles of his sacred ear , And breed a harmony within the Sphere Of his blest Soul ; be circumspect , and lay The best foundation ; hear what Heav'n will say . Adams Petition to God. Incensed Father of eternal light , Permit a darkened Soul t' approach the sight Of thine incomparble eye ; unmask Thy Anger-clouded Soul , and let me ask Forgiveness for those loading Crimes which press My stagg'ring Soul ; I know not whom t' address My apostate self unto , but only thee , Whom I offended ; Please to pity me : I have no pleasing sacrifice t' attone Thy wrathful Brest , except a hearty groan That 's quadrupl'd with grief ; Oh deign to look Upon the lines of my all-blotted book : Although I 'm full of most detested spots , Yet Lord , I know that thou canst read my blots ; Oh read them then , and let thy mercies run With thy progressive eye ; I am undone , If not forgiven ; Lord I thee implore To shew some mercy to me , thou hast store , Decipher all my sins , and let them not Bear record in thy Rouls , but rest forgot ; Revoke this Act of death , that I may sing Th' admired mercies of so blest a King. Oh lift me up , that now am thrown below ; Make not my Soul the Custom-house of woe . Oh hear these bitter groans that I have spent , And send some comfort from thy Parliament . Gods Reply . Thou Skelleton of baseness , hie thee hence , Disturb me not ; return , I say , from whence Thou cam'st at first ; thou shalt as soon remove A mountain , as my mind : I cannot love , No nor I will not , nothing shall intreat My resolutions , for my fury 's great . Begone , proud Rebel , do not think thy prayers , Thy vows , thy groans , thy sighs , thy sobs , thy tears Shall make my brest their receptacle ; No : How can I be a friend to such a foe ? Surcease thy importunities , let fall Thy high desires , I will not hear thee call , Thy Sins have bart'd my ears ; I 'le not be won With thy base airy words , for thou hast spun The thread of thy destruction , therefore wear What thou hast labour'd for , and so forbear T'intrench upon my patience ; 't is in vain To seek for that which thou shalt not obtain . And is it thus , that Heav'n will not regard My cryes ? Ah me ! and must my groans be heard With disrespect by him , whose tongue affords Nothing , but grief , involv'd with bitter words ? Alas , alas ! what greater woe can crowd Into a brest than to be disavow'd By Gods high voice , whose most enraged breath Darts forth the Arrows of eternal death ? What shall I do ? Oh , whither shall I run To hide my self , until the glorious Sun Of his affections usher in the day Of welcom Joy ? Oh , whither shall I stray ? If I am silent , then my , silence turns My thoughts to fire ; If speak , my speech returns Trebl'd with wo , into the brazen Tower Of my sad heart , my language has no power To work upon his ears , my words ( like balls Banded , and thrown against th' obdurate walls Unyielding brest ) bounds back again , and breaks Into my heart , and every sorrow speaks A volume at a word ; yet , yet must I Return unheard ; 't is misery to dye , And pain to live ; thus in despair I draw The loathsom air : Destruction knows no Law. Grief rains a flood of doubt into my Soul ; Ah me ! I can do nothing but condole : I am despis'd ; and if I bend the force Of my desires to him , he will divorce All thoughts of pity , and with rage re-double Th'unsum'd up sums of my infringing trouble . I sail into the Straits , both wind and tyde Prevail against me , and I have no guide To Pilot me unto the long'd-for Port Of pleasing happiness ; I am a sport To threatning Ruine , whose presumptuous waves Out-dares my Soul , whilst every blast enslaves My reeling Pinnace : If I strive to go Towards Scylla , Scylla will contemn my wo , Alas in vain I can expect relief , Scylla will bark at my unbridled grief ; Or if my head-long vessel chance to hit Against Charybdis , I am torn and split Into ten thousand peices ; Oh hard hap ! Thus am I tossed in Destructions lap . Where shall I find a heart that will advise My friendless Soul , and audiate my cries ? I will not thus desist , I must implore , He that 's lost once , sure can be lost no more . Adams Petition to God. Once more , thou Metropolitan of all The spacious world , I here presume to call Upon thy mercy ; Oh let me inherit The pleasing fruit of thy re-pleased Spirit : I am thy fabrick , Oh some pity take , Preserve the building for the Builders sake . Cloath not thy brow with frowns , but let thine eye ( That rests inshrin'd with glorious Majesty ) Reflect upon my sorrows ; Oh encline Thy willing ears to hear this grief of mine : Oh do not say I shall as soon remove A mountain as thy heart , thou canst not love ; Let not such harsh imbitter'd language flow Out of a mouth so sweet ; I know , I know , Thou art as good as great ; oh therefore bow Thy sacred ears to hear , oh hear me now : Bestow some scraps on me , that have deserv'd Nothing but stripes ; for I have fondly swerv'd From thy commands & have committed treason Against thy Majesty : Great God of Reason , View my en-humbled Soul , see how it lies Before thy sight , a weeping Sacrifice , I know thou knowst I am a hainous sinner , Yet pity me , that am a young beginner In this rich art of begging : Do not slight My real prayers ; I know thou tak'st delight In being merciful ; Oh let me not Return unanswer'd , or my prayers forgot : Oh hear the sorrows of my bleeding state , Let my complaints make thee compassionate . And let the fervor of my language turn Thy thoughts to pity ; quench these flames that burn My wasting Soul ; speak peace to me that find A civil war in my uncivil mind : Oh I have tasted of thy hot displeasure Too much , Ah shall thy vengeance know no measure ? Say 't is enough ; though ( Lord ) I must confess I have deserved more , yet give me less . Thus with a melting heart I end my Suit , Ah me ! how bitter is forbidden fruit ! Gods Reply . Thou bold-fac'd Orator , how dar'st thou come Before me , or be otherwise than dumb ? Tell me , how dar'st thou interrupt my brest ? I hate to see thee , or hear thy Request . Audacious wretch , What , has my Judgment made Thy heart grow peremptory ? Have I laid Too small a burthen on thee ? If I have , I 'le lay a greater , thou apostate slave : I will not note thee , nor I will not hear Thy words , which have usurp'd my deafned ear : Love thee , for what ? be 't known , sad wretch , I scorn To love a thing so base , so vile , forlorn ; And if I cannot love , how can it be , That I can pity such a worm as thee ? I le neither love , nor pity , for my heart Is Adamantine ; thou shalt feel the smart Of my displeasure ; Go , my Soul disdains To look upon thee ; thou art so fill'd with stains , And smel'st too much of Fruit to find respect , Thou art the subject of my great neglect : Thou art a barren Soil , nothing will grow Upon thy heart , except the seeds of woe . Tell me , from what conceit thou dost derive Thy working confidence , that thou dar'st drive Thy language to my ears , and be so bold T' approach my sight , and wilt not be control'd ? Art thou resolv'd to make ( what dost thou mean ) My ears thy stage , and every word a scean ? Sum up thy small , thy weak deserts , and see What large respects thou hast deserv'd from me , I plac'd thee in a Garden , not to eat The fruit for bidden , but to keep it neat : Had not the violation of my Laws Mov'd me to anger , thou hadst had no cause T' have felt the burthen of my weighty stroke , Or live thus much subjected to the yoke Of thine owns sins ; most shameful is that Loss That 's crown'd with negligence , & great the cross That 's made with a self-hand ; & they that clime Above their strengths impropriate a crime To their own Souls ; Destruction is the end Of all Rebellion : Ruine knows no friend . Suppose I should invest and entertain Your Soul with Love , and call thee back again , The Tree is still the same , the fruit as sweet , Thy appetite as great , and thou mayst meet A Serpent too , whose oratorious skill May soon entreat thee to enact his will : He has a voice to tempt , and thou an ear Will re-assume the priviledge to hear : He has a hand to give , and thou another Freely to take : thus wouldst thou smother Thy new delights ; therefore I will not trust A heart that can be nothing but unjust . Thou great Mugul of baseness , cease to plead , Thy tongue 's a canker , and thy words are lead ; Thy sins have made thee not deserve the air Thou entertain'st ; hadst thou imploy'd thy care To serve me , when I lov'd thee , thou hadst had My heart-delighting joys to make thee glad ; But now expect no favour , for no Art Of thine shall ever captivate my heart . Hie thee unto the shades of grief , bewail Thy sequestrated happiness , no bail Of thy procuring will I take to set Thy Soul at liberty ; I will not let The vision of a comfort creep within Thy rambling thoughts , thou art a slave to sin : Hadst thou but lov'd or fear'd me at the first , Th'adst been as happy , as th' art now accurst : If now thou lov'st me , I shall quickly prove It is for fear alone , and not for love . Thy heart is steel'd with wickedness , thy faults Are sparks enlivened by thy flinty thoughts . Breath out thy groans unto a senseless rock , And let thy sighs ( like hammers ) beat and knock Against her scragged sides , thou shalt as soon Have her consent , as mine , to grant thy boon : 'T is therefore vain to multiply thy words , For ah , my brest , my hardened brest , affords . Thy Soul no pity : and the more thy cry Attempts my ear , the less I will reply , Alas ! thy guilt-o're-burth'ned words renew Fresh thoughts of rage , I cannot hear thee sue Without impatiency ; for ah , the longer Thou crav'st , thou mak'st my sury grow the stronger . Avoid my presence , for I will no more Give audience to thy voice , then cease t'implore . Adams Lamentation . Undone , undone ! what mountain now will hide My loathed body from the swelling tyde Of raging Vengeance ? Whither shall I fly T' involve my Soul with true security ? Stretch , stretch my lungs , and roar unto the deep T' entertain me : Oh that I might sleep Within her wavy bowels , till the blast Of Heav'ns all-shaking thundring Voice were past . Oh that some Rock would hear my sad request , And give me burial in her frigid brest ! Oh that my grief-extended voice could cleave The solid Earth , and make her to receive My wretched limbs ! Oh that some ranging beast Would prove so courteous to devour , and feast Upon my corps ! Oh that I could contrive A way to live , and yet not be alive ! Ah , thus my sorrow-shaken fancy flies , And envies at impossibilities . I fain would dye , but that I have no heart To kill my self , and yet I feel a smart Transcending death ; I see I cannot shun The wrath of Heav'n : Ah , thus I am undone By my own doing , this it is to eat Forbidden fruit : Oh most pernicious meat ! I was too rash , and rashly have I taken A deadly fall , and falling , am forsaken : I 'm bruis'd to death , and yet I cannot dye ; Ah , what can be so much unblest as I ? I am inflamed , and I dayly drench My Soul with tears , and yet I cannot quench My raging fires ; the more I strive t' asswage And mitigate my pains , the more they rage . What shall I do , or whither shall I go , To hide me from this Labyrinth of woe ? I am compos'd of sorrow , and my veins , In stead of blood , are fil'd with griping pains . Curst be these eyes of mine , which have let in The lawless tyrant of imperious Sin : Curst be these lips of mine , which at the suit Of my fond wife receiv'd forbidden fruit : Curst be these ears , that entertain'd the Charms Of that Inchantress , which procur'd my harms : Curst be these hands of mine , which took , and fed My greedy Soul , and struck my Conscience dead : And now my lips , my ears , my hands my eyes , Must see , hear , taste , and feel , my miseries . Oh sad condition ! Since there 's no relief , I must be subject to perpetual grief . Here we will leave poor Adam in the state Of woe , and thus begin to ruminate . Are there not many in this toilsom age That meditate themselves into a rage , And wonder how a Serpent could express Himself , and reason with such readiness ; Being by nature brute , nay and the worst Of living creatures , that he should at first Perswade and conquer , and instruct his will. How to determine both of good and ill ? It would seem strange , if Reason were without Her wings , and could flie above this doubt : We may ( and yet not stain the truth ) declare It was the work of Satan to ensnare Frail Eve ; although he was not nam'd at all By Moses in the Hist'ry of the Fall , It may not trouble us , for we must know , The bending Serpent was the Devils bow , By which he shot the arrows of his spire , Which did [ Oh grief to speak it ! ] flie too right : And he that dares so high a Crime to act ( Though by another ) needs must own the fact : And this our tongues may never cease to tell , The Serpent was the Intrument of Hell , Tun'd to the Devils voice : thus we may see His fraud , his malice , and his subtiltie . First when he saw he could not over-turn The great Creator , he begun to burn With flames of envy , lab'ring to invade , And to disturb that order God had made In the Creation , and to change the features Of his own Image in the best of Creatures , That so he may by his too sooth delusion Make Man run headlong to his own confusion : Thus having laid the platform of his work , He then begun to agitate , and lurk For opportunity , which was effected As soon , nay if not sooner , than expected ; He gave the blow , and by that blow he found The weakest Vessel had the weakest sound ; But yet it strongly eccho'd to the voice Of his desires , and made him love his choice . Even as some bold-fac'd General , that dares To storm a well-man'd Town ; at first prepares A potent Army , which he soon sets down Before the Walls of the alarum'd Town ; He after views the ruine-threatning-Fort , Which speaks defiance , and begins to sport Their several shots , and with a sad delight Ingage each other in a bloody fight ; Then if the fierce Besiegers once perceive Themselvs out-strength'd , they think it fit to leave So hot a work , and for a little space Desist , and fall upon a weaker place , Where finding smaller opposition , venture With greater Courage , and at last they enter The yielding Town , and cruelly begin To take revenge of them which are within . Even so the grim look'd , malice-armed Devil , The base-resolved General of Evil , Perceiving that he could by no means take The sublime Fort of Heav'n , plots how to make A fresh attempt , upon a weaker part , And so prepares to storm the flexive heart Of unresisting Eve ; that could not grapple With such a Foe , but yielded for an Apple To those most false alarums which surrounded Her , much obedient , and soon confounded Her inward parts , and gave her Soul a wound , Which cannot be by time or art made sound , Except the grand Physitian please to slake His swelling fury , and some pity take . Thus are our conquer'd parents sadly left In a deplor'd condition , and bereft Of all their comforts ; they which have enjoy'd The life of happiness , are now destroy'd ; And man ( his wretched off-spring ) must be made Sorrows sad heir , and Peace must not be said T' inhabit in him . Adams actual sin Made ours original ; for we begin , As soon as made , to entertain the guests Of sin , and lodge them in our infant-brests . Now may our weak and despicable eyes Behold in them , our ample miseries : Now we may glut the air with this sad cry , The root being dead , the branches needs must dye ; For Adam's gone beyond all humane call : Rebellion never ends without a Fall. But stay my Muse , here let us rest a while ; Our Journey 's long , and 't is not good to toyl Too much at first , for Reason sayes 't is best To pause a time , and take a little rest : Know then ( kind Reader ) that my Muse shall meet Thy serious eyes within another sheet . The end of the first Book . THE SECOND BOOK OF GODS LOVE , AND Mans Vnworthiness . ARe all hopes fled ? and is there no relief ? Must man still wander in the shades of grief ? Will not the eye of Heav'n be pleas'd to shine Upon his Soul , but leave him in the brine Of his own Sins ? Is there no warbling voice Can charm his ears , and woo him to rejoice In being pitiful ? Will nothing move The much incensed Soul of Heav'n to love ? Man [ Map of Misery ] who can prevail In thy requests ? Or who can cut off th' entail Of thy distress ? 'T is not a Writ of Error Can satisfie , or guard thee from the terror Of thine own Conscience , which will alway stare Upon thy face , and load thee with despair : 'T is not a Habeas Corpus will remove The body of thy sin , none can disprove The Will of God , what he resolves to do Must neither be withstood , nor div'd into : It lies beyond thy power to perswade Thy God to pity , whom thy Sins have made A wrathful Judge ; what he intends , must be , Derived from himself , and not from thee ; For thou hast nothing in thee worth the name Of good , because thy glory 's turn'd to shame : Thou art corrupt and vile in every part , And who can know the evil of thy heart ; Which like the Ocean , that no art nor eye Can search her bottom , or her banks descry : Therefore til heav'n shall please to change the state Of thy condition , Reason bids thee wait ; For be assur'd , the promis'd seed will spread It self abroad , and bruise the Serpents head . Even as the Fountain , whose exuberous brest Is always fluent , and admits no rest ; But with a cheerful willingness she sends Her Christal tokens to her smaller friends . Even so our God d●stilleth from above The healing streams of his refreshing love ; For ah the lustre of his Sun-bright eye Is drown'd in tears , when our sad Souls prove dry ! Oh admiration ! that a God so just Should rain down flouds upon a heap of dust ! Oh Mercy ! that so much incens'd a God Should send forth Mercy , and keep in his Rod ! His Soul is fill'd with pity , and his eyes Begin to view th' unsariate miseries Of Adams down-cast off-spring : Though his ear Seems unto us resolved not to hear Their bitter cries , nor note the sad Devotions Of their contristed hearts ; yet by the Motions Of his blest Soul , he sends his Son and Heir Into this wretched world , that he might bear The Cross of our Transgressions , and expel The clouds of Sin , and conquer Death and Hell : Thus by his death we liv'd , and by his grief Our new-calm'd Souls were furnisht with relief . Oh sudden change ! That winde which did before Drive wretched man upon the threatning shore Of unavoiding ruine , fills the sails Of his desires with mild and prosperous gales ; The Boreas of his sin does now surcease His full-mouth'd blasts , and Zephyrus speaks peace Unto his ship wrack'd Soul , and now he rides Upon the new-tam'd backs of pleasing Tydes . Oh that my tongue were able to rehearse The love of God with an Angelike Verse ! Oh that some Heav'nly Deity would fill The black mouth'd concave of my wandring quil With pure celestial Ink , that I might write In heav'nly characters , and learn t' indite Jehovahs praises in a style as high As my desires , and make the lofty Skie Eccho with Hallelujahs , that the Earth May ( like a Mid wife ) hug the joyful birth Of every word , and make each corner ring ( With peals of joy ) the Glories of our King : Is man deliver'd from the painful womb Of his foul sin , and raised from the tomb Of everlasting death ? and shall not we Applaud that hand which set such pris'ners free ? What , shall we be afraid to crack and break The chains of silence , and attempt to speak The dialects of Angels ? No ; let 's call Upon his name , that rais'd us from a Fall. Let 's stretch our lungs , & with a warbling breath Sing to the life , how we were rais'd from death : And when our tongues are wearied , let 's express By heav'nly signs our real thankfulness . But stay , where runs my quill ? what , have I lost My self in raptures ? or else am I tost Into the Air of pleasure by the wind Of true delight ? If passion proves so kind , I am content , Oh may I always rest Adorn'd and crown'd with a heav'n ravisht brest ! O love ineffable ! Must wretched Man , The spawn of baseness , and the unmeasur'd span Of everlasting infancy , be made Loves object ? Must th' Almighty's love be said To dwell in Man , whose tongue cannot deliver The least of thanks unto so great a Giver ? Will the Sun-gazing Eagle , that soars high , Descend t' assist the web-infolded Fly ? Will he that hearkens with a willing ear To pleasing musick , turn away to hear Confounding discords ? or will any woo A perjur'd enemy to come and go Into his Courts ? will any hand forbear To strike at him that labors to impair His worth , and contumeliously upbraid His upright deeds ? Will he that is betray'd Affect the Trayor , and with patience sue For reconcilement , when as death is due ? All this blest Heav'n will do , that he might place Vain man within the Covenant of Grace . Consider man , how often hath this Mirror Of pure affection woo'd thee from thine error ? Thou inconsiderate dust , which every winde Can puff away , how canst thou prove unkinde To such a Lover , that delights to spin His bowels out , to nourish thee within His milky bosom ? Shall his bounty crave Thy base acceptance ? Shall he be a slave To his own slaves ? Ah , shall thy God implore , And beg of beggars to receive his store ? Does he , whom Heav'n and Earth cannot contain , No nor the Heav'n of Heav'ns , stoop down to gain Thy dull respects ? And ah , wilt thou not raise Thy stupid Soul an inch to give him praise ? Thy fervent Prayers he always will admit , Then how canst thou remember to forget A God so mindful ? How canst thou forbear To numerate his love without a tear ? How can thine eyes ( when thou observ'st the Sun ) Refuse to weep , to see him daily run His painful Progress , and rejoyce to greet . The Earth with lustre to direct thy feet , Thy sinful feet , which every moment slide Into Rebellion , loaded with thy pride ; How canst thou choose , when thou behol'dst the ground Whereon thou tread'st , but voluntary drown'd Thy self in briny flouds , to think what care Indulgent Heav'n hath taken to prepare For thee , before thou wert , and how his hand Hath for thy profit , fertiliz'd the Land ? How can thy rocky heart refuse to vent A stream of bloud , when thou beholdst th'extent Of the unbounded Ocean , how it hides Within the bosom of her swelling Tydes , Diversities of Fish , which live to seed Thy gulf of gluttony at time of need ? Uncloud thy thoughts ( O Man ) and thou shalt set He who ordained all these things for thee , Created thee for him , that thou mayst give The praise to him , that lends thee leave to live . Be serious Man , consider how thou hast Converted all these blessings into waste : Know that the great Edificer of things Furnisht thy Soul with Reason , gave thee wings To fly above all mortals , and hath crown'd Thy head with heaps of Honor , and hath bound Inferior creatures , prentice to thy will ; And this he did , because thou shouldst fulfill Thy Gods Commands ; but thou that wert the best , Hast made thy self more loathsome than the rest , And by thy most derested deviation Abus'd thy glory , of thy free Creation : Though the Majestick Eagles will despise To be assistant to th' intangled Flies ; Yet Heav'n will from his lofty Throne descend And with a speedy cheerfulness defend The sons of men , who dayly are betray'd By those insidious snares which Satan lay'd T' intrap their Souls : Alas , how void of care Is heedless man ! How subject to a snare ! But he , whose more than superficial love Is always active , lab'ring to improve Our hearts with thankfulness , denies to let Our Souls be taken in th' eternal net Of unconceived misery , and live In lasting death , not having power to give The least of drops unto our howling tongues , But suck the Flames , until our sulphurous lungs Crackle , and belch forth brimstone , till we tire Our Carbonado'd members in a fire That 's inextinct ; the more we strive to turn Our parched Souls , still more and more they burn . Resolve these things within thy serious mind ; Oh Man ! let Love instruct thee to be kinde To him that 's loving ; do no disrespect A God , whose Soul so dearly can affect : Pour out thy thoughts , and practise to relent , And let thy thoughts induce thee to repent : Grasp opportunity , Time 's always flying ; God's always living , and thou always dying : Dye then , before thou dy'st , redeem the time , Because thy days are evil ; learn to clime Jacobs erected ladder ; thou shalt see Th'adst better clime a Ladder , than a Tree , As Judas did : Be wise , and do not fan Thy Soul with air ; remember what a span Thou art ; remember whose inspired breath Made thee a Soul ; forget not whose sad death Made thee alive ; be mindful that thou art Th' Epitomy of Heav'n ; inure thy heart To love the best of loves , so shall thy brest Be fill'd with comfort , and thy Soul with rest : Prepare and know , the very fowls delight To prune their wings before they take their flight . Although terrestial Kings will not permit A Traitor to his Courts , nor let him sit Before his presence , though they will not hear A Malefactors prayers ; yet Heav'ns blest ear Is always open , and his tongue invites Repentant sinners , for his eye delights To view them in his Courts when they appear ; For muddy waters , may at last prove clear ; 'T is not unlike ; ill scented dunghils may , At last bear flowers ; that which is foul to day , To morrow may prove fair ; the thing that cost Millions of silver , may as well be lost , As things of smaller value ; Heav'n can spy A mi●e , as well as mountains ; for his eye Is lodg'd in every cranny of mans heart , And he knows all , that searches every part . Where breathes that Mortal that can comprehend The ways & thoughts of God , who knows the end Of his beginning ? — He that can break a rocky heart in twain , And re-unite it ( if he please ) again ; He that can part the boiling waves , and stand Upon the Seas , as on the dryest Land ; He whose celestial power can make the graves To open , and command their slumb'ring slaves To rise ; nay more , to stand ; nay more , to walk ; Nay more ( if more than this may be ) to talk : He that can make a Whale to entertain A Jonah , and to spue him out again ; He whose almighty power can unlock The flinty bowels , of a scragged Rock , And make her headlong-gushing streams abound To wash the bosom of the thirsty ground ; He that can transmutate by power divine The poorest water into richest wine ; He that can curb rude Boreas , and asswage The lawless passion of the Oceans rage ; He that can rain down Manna to supply . The craving stomacks of mortality ; He that can , like an all-commanding God , Make Almonds flourish from a sapless rod ; He that can make the Sun and Moon stand still , Or run according to his sacred Will ; He that sav'd a Daniel from the paws Of Lyons , and can muzzle up their jaws ; He that can make the greedy Raven carry Food to his Servants like a Commissary ; He that can , with an unresisted hand , Dash fire into Ice , and counter-mand The wanton flames , & charm them , that they dare But burn his Servants cords , and not their hair ; He that can cause ten thousand to be fed With two small fishes , and five loaves of bread ; He that can cloth himself with fire , and name Himself , I AM , and make a bush to flame Without consuming ; He that can convert A Rod into a Serpent , and not hurt ; He that can make his visage shine so bright , That not a Moses can behold the light ; He that can strike a hand with leprosie , And cure it in the twinkling of an eye ; He that can in a moment cut and break Tongue-tying cords , & make the dumb to speak ; He that can out of unregarded stones Raise unto Abraham many little ones ; He that can heal the Cripple with a touch , And free him from the thraldom of his Crouch ; He that can cure the deaf , and can expel A thousand Devils in despite of Hell ; He that can perfect what he first begun , Expects that man should say , Thy Will be done . Consider man , and thou shalt find it true , Heav'n can do all , but what he will not do : Think not because thou art of low estate , That he will scorn to love , and love to hate : Remember Dives , whose unsumm'd up store Improv'd so much , until he prov'd as poor As ever Job was : Job ! unhappy I To speak it , he was rich in poverty ; Heav'n made poor Job so rich , that Satans wealth Could purchase nothing from him , but his health , And that corporeal too ; he could not boast His bargain , for 't was Job that purchas'd most . " Happy is he that can at last inherit " Riches obtain'd by an impov'rish'd spirit : " We'd better lick with Lazarus the crumbs , " Than gripe with Dives for Soul-damning sums . Wealth cannot bribe the flames , yet scraps may feed The hungry wretch ; he that has wealth ▪ may need The Crumbs of comfort : David did condole Th' abundant famine of his hungry Soul : Gods Love 's not mercenary , to be sold For brain-distracting , heart-confounding gold . Hast thou not heard ( O Man ) the heav'nly cry Of him that says , Ye that are poor , come buy , Come buy of me ; your pen'worth shall be such , That for a little you shall purchase much . Here 's Love that 's spun unto the smallest thred , Though thou want'st mony , yet thou mayst have bread Do thou but ask , thou shalt not fail to have For God's more free to give , than thou to crave : Fear not to ask of him , whose ready ear , Before thy tongue can ask , is apt to hear . Heav'n loves the language of a broken heart , And he will harken , and with joy impart His love into thee , and his milk and wine , Without the price of mony shall be thine . Th' ingrated Pris'ner , whose dull tongue is whet With sharp'ned hunger , will not fear , to let His language fly to every ear that comes Within his audience ; and he always sums The totals of his grief in hungry words , Whilst thousands pass along , but few affords The blessing of an Alms ; perhaps they 'l grieve , And seem to pity , but will not relieve : Yet will he not desist , but hourly cry , Bread , bread , for Heav'ns sake bread , or else I die . Hard hearted Man , why wilt thou not relent To hear thy Brother , almost hunger-spent , Craving thy succour ? Where 's thy love become ? Because th' art deaf , ah ! wu'dst thou have him dumb Or dost thou think , because thy panch is fill'd , He cannot hunger ? He that first distill'd Those mercies on thy head , expects that thou Shouldst feed thy Brother with a cheerful brow ; Say not thou canst not give , thy treasure's light : But let thy heart record the widows mite , So Heav'n will fill thy Cisterns to the brim , And feed thy Soul , because thou hast sed him . Should the Grandfather of true Charity Pass by the gates , and hear thee beg and cry , And not relieve thee ; should he slight thy prayers And scorn to take a survey of thy tears ; Wouldst thou not grieve , and pine thy self to dust And almost say thy God was much unjust To turn away his ears from thy complaint , And disrespect thy pray'rs , and let thee faint For want of food ? Ah , whither wouldst thou fly To feed thy famish'd Soul , should Heav'n deny ? But ah he cannot , for his melting Soul Is always free , and willing to condole The sad conditions of distressed Man , Who only strives to do , but what he can To contradict him ; yet he 'l hear our grief : In multitudes of mercies lies relief . When our impris'ned Souls peep throw the grates Of this corrupting Earth , our God dilates Himself unto us , and he sends us meat From the rich store-house of his lofty seat ; He hears ; and hearing pities ; pitying , sends ; And sending , blesses ; and with blessing ends . Even as the Sun , which every day surrounds The sublime Globe , and pries into the bounds Of this dark Center ; let his Beams reflect Upon a Molehil with as much respect As on a Mountain ; for his glorious Beams Shine always with equivalent extreams , Even so the great and powerful Three in One , That sits upon his all-inlight'ning Throne , Does not deny to let his mercy crown The poorest Peasant with as much renown As the most stateliest Emperor ; though he Invests his body with more dignity , Yet he 's but earth , and must at last decay , For Prince and Peasant go the self same way ; Their earth must turn to earth , their Souls return To him that gave them , or for ever burn ; There 's no distinction , one infused breath Made them alike , and both must live in death Or everlasting life ; both must commence Divines in Heav'n ; there 's no preheminence , But all equality , all must express , With equal Joy , their equal Happiness . Rouse up dull man , and let thy wak'ned Soul Be vigilant ; oh let thy thoughts enroul The love of God , engrave it in thy brest , That his resounding tongue may read thee blest . O let thy sighs , like Pens , and let thy tears Like Ink , transcribe the Love , th'indulgent cares Of thy Creator , that himself may find ( Within th' unblotted volume of thy mind ) Himself recorded , so will he imbrace Thy spotless Soul , and fill thee with his grace . Incline thine ears , and let th● heart rejoyce To hear the strains of his harmonious voice : Harken , and thou shalt hear his Prophets sing Th' admired Mercies of the glorious King. Thus saith the great , and ever-living One , That rules the heav'ns , & governs earth alone , 43. Thus saith the Lord , that takes delight to dwel Amongst his Saints , that formed Israel , Created Jacob , let thy sorrows flee Out of thy brest , I have redeemed thee : 'T was I that made thy clouded visage shine , And call'd thee by my Name , for thou art mine . I will be with thee , when thy feet shall wade Thorow the waters ; I will be thy aid ; I le make thee walk through Rivers , and the waves Shall prove ambitious to become thy slaves : And when thou walkest through the raging fire , Th' unruly flames shall not presume t' aspire Or kindle on thy garments . I alone The Lord thy God , and Israels holy One , And thy dear Saviour , that was always true , Gave Aegppt , Seba , and Ethiopia too , To ransome thee ; for thou wert my delight , And always pretious in my gracious sight : Honors were heapt upon thee , and thou wert The tender love of my affecting heart ; Therefore even I , that am well pleas'd , will give People for thy dear sake , that thou mayst live . Fear not , for I am with thee , and I 'le stand In thy defence , and my all-grasping hand Shall bring thy seed from the remotest places , And fill thee with my satisfying graces . 6. My tongue shall call unto the North , and say Unto the South , Give , and they shall obey ; Bring from a far my Sons and Daughters all , Hear my loud voice , be active when I call . 7 I have created them , and I proclaim They shall be call'd and honour'd by my Name . I 'le usher forth the blind , and make them see The splendent Glories of my Majestie : I le cure the deaf , and make their hearts rejoyce To hear the Ecchoes of my warbling voice . Thus hath our God unty'd the tongues , and broke His Prophets lips ; thus have his Prophets spoke : And wilt thou be ( O man ) so much obdure , As not to credit him that will assure Perpetual happiness ? Thou canst not ask That which he cannot give ; do but unmask Thy shamefac'd Soul , that so thou mayst discry Jehovahs mercies with a faithful eye : Descant upon his promises , advise With thy own thoughts , let reason make thee wise ; Inspect thy self , weigh well thy own condition , And thou shalt find thou want'st a good Physitian To cure thy maculated Soul : Alas ! Thou art like water stop'd up in a glass , So weakly fortifi'd , and fenc'd about , That one weak knock soon lets the Pris'ner out . Vain lump of vanity , what can this Earth Afford thy thoughts more than a short-liv'd mirth ? A mirth that fills thee with deluding toys , And like a Tyrant afterwards destroys . Dot'st thou on Earth ? For what ? because her pleasure Can guild thy wanton eye ? because her treasure Can cram thy bags ? because her Syrens song Can ravish thee ? because her power can throng Thy Soul with luxury ? because her charms Can court thee with delight ? because her arms Can pleasingly imbrace thee , and impost Thy heart with gold , and lull thee , when th' ast lost Thy self in sleep ? Is this the little All That this great World can boast of ? Must we call These things our pleasures ? No , they 'l prove our Our golden Fetters , and our silken Snares : These are the Joys we love , these are the things cares That make us fly with our Icarian wings Up to Ambitions Court , and there presume To gaze so long , until our waxen plume Dissolve with heat , and like presumptuous slaves Tumble our selves into the raging waves Of speedy Ruine ; Ruine's all that we Must hope t' obtain from Earths base treasurie . Let 's scorn her wealth , and say , O Earth , thou art A painted Mistress with a rotten heart : Let 's hate to love , that we may love to hate Th'unconstant glory of her fickle state . Even as the subtile Crocodile prepares Her flatt'ring heart , and eye-commanding , tears To woo her Prey to come within the power Of her command , that so she may devour With more facility , and make her jaws To execute by her tyrannike Laws : Even so this World , those Crocodile-like eyes Are always flowing , wanting no supplies Of gliding tears to wash the rugged faces Of her designs with falsifying graces , That so she may by her too smooth delusion Make Man the Author of his own confusion . Frail flesh and blood , how canst thou take delight To love this World , that cannot give a mite Of comfort to thee but will still intrap , And daily lull thee in her lustful lap . Shee 'l rock thy Soul to ruine , and shee 'l spawn Baseness into thee ; shee 'l deceive , and fawn Upon the heart , and with her guilded baits Shee 'l hook thy Soul unto the worst of fates : There 's nothing in her that deserves the name Of Constancy ; her glory is her shame . Smile at her tears , for every drop she vents Harbors ten thousand thousand discontents : Believe her not ; but when she speaks the best , Believe the worst ; and if she promise rest , Assure thy self of trouble ; if she chance To promise Treasure , let thy thoughts advance Above her promises , contemn her dross , For what thou gain'st from her will be thy loss : Let not her wealthy Donatives perswade Thy heart t' accept ; when once thou art betray'd There 's no resistance : They that well advise Before they act , deserve the name of wise : But they that study in her frantick Schools May prove her wise men ; but Heav'ns out-cast fools Ask her the way to Bliss : try if her skill Can give directions , ask her if she will Fill thee with blest Eternity , conjure Her helpless aid , see if she can assure A safety to thee , ask her if she can Prescribe a cure for a despairing Man ; Tell her thy Soul is sick , thou canst not live A minure longer ; see if shee can give A Cordial to thee , see if she can heal A broken heart ; see if she can reveal Celestial Joys unto thee , and impart A heav'nly comfort to thy grieved heart : If so , cheer up , and prosecute thy mirth , And say there is no other Heaven but Earth , Do thus ( fond Man ) and thou shalt quickly see A baffl'd World that cannot answer thee , But must be silent , for she cannot plead For her own self ; she knows she cannot lead The way to Heav'n , she 's but a bad Director , A base Believer , and a worse Protector . Thus shalt thou make her envy swell and burst , And , like the Basilisk , discover'd first , She needs must dye ; but if she should discover Thee first , farewel , th' art murder'd by thy Lover : Then shalt thou hear the Soul-amazing tone Of him that sits on his immortal Throne , Pronounce against thee at the dreadful day Of thy accounts ; thus shalt thou hear him say : Depart , ye cursed off-springs of a Father As curst as you , avoid my sight , go gather The fruits of your deserts ; you have forgot The God that made you , and I know ye not : See if the World , within whose folding arms You always slept , can quit thee from the harms That must ensue ; see if her flatt'ring power Can shelter thee , from the ore-flowing shower Of my fast-dropping rage ; see if her brest Can entertain thee with eternal rest . Be gone , be gone , my fury hates to see Such Miscreants ; had you remember'd me , I now had known you ; had you made me eat When I was forc'd to importune for meat , I now would bless you with celestial dyet , And crown your Souls with everlasting quiet : Had you but quencht my raging thirst , or gave A single drop , that very drop should save Your death-adjudged Souls , and you should sup Abundant comforts from my streaming Cup : Had you ( sad sons of vengeance ) but supply'd My nakedness with Garments , when I cry'd And calld upon your charity to send Relief unto me , I had been your friend ; Or had your ( more than marble ) hearts reliev'd M'impris ned body , now ye had not griev'd : Had you , your world-affined Souls addrest Your selves unto me when I was opprest With lingrging sickness , then I would have fed Your Souls ( which now are starv'd ) with heav'nly bread ; But since you have not done it unto those Which I esteem'd , y 'ave prov'd your selves my foes Therefore be gone , let darkness be your lot , Learn to remember that ye have forgot My mercies ; go , and let my judgments dwell Within your guilty hearts ; let black-mouth'd Hell Plague you with torments , let him always lash Your hearts with flames , until ye howl , and gnash Your teeth together ; Go , depart my sight , And taste the fruit of everlasting night . But as for you whose better deeds have found Acceptance in my heart , ye shall be crown'd With unremoved happiness , because Ye have obsequiously perform'd my Laws ; You fed my craving stomach , and you cloath'd My naked body , and you have not loath'd To visit me ; and when I was a stranger , Ye took me in , and guarded me from danger : Go then my Lambs , and let your Oratory Proclaim the greatness of your Fathers glory : Go revel in my Courts ; no discontent Shall breed a faction in my Parliament : I 'le pass an Act of Peace , and it shall be Sign'd by the hand of my Eternity . My tongue shall style you blessed , and my voice Shall raise your Souls , and teach you to rejoyce : Your unexcised pleasures shall abound To infinite ; your ravisht hearts shall sound The depth of my delights ; all things shall move Within the sphere of uncontrouled Love : Be well assur'd , your pleasures shall be great ; Then fly from Judgment to my Mercy-seat , And there rejoyce with a tryumphant mirth ; My Love shall live with them that hated Earth . Obdurate Man , here , here thou mayst descry Judgment and Mercy , one to terrifie , The other to perswade ; and yet wilt thou Prove adamantine , and refuse to bow To thy Redeemer ? Canst thou ruminate Upon his Love , and yet wilt not dilate Thy Soul unto him ? Is thy brazen heart Impenetrable ? Will no flaming dart Of true affection enter ? Hast thou vow'd To stop thy ears ? Shall mercy call aloud , And thou not hear ? Shall thund'ring Judgments rattle About thy ears , and yet wilt thou imbattle Against the Lord of Hosts ? wilt thou invoke Perpetual vengeance to entail a stroke Upon thy stubborn heart ? What , dost thou think Hell's void of flames , or that thy God will wink At thine enormities ? Go , rally all Thy thoughts together , and discreetly sall Into a serious study . — — Let thy mind Be absolute , and really enclin'd To meditation ; contradict the rage Of thine own passion : labour to asswage The fire of lust , that so thou mayst behold With more serenity , how manifold His mercies are , that every day prevents The sad incursions of deprav'd events . Think but in what a most defam'd condition The Soul was in , before the grand Physitian Of Heav'n and Earth spontaniously set down A balm from his own Gilead to crown The sons of grief : think what we did endure , Before his wounds had perfected thy cure . Remember how undauntedly he stood , And sweat himself into a crimson flood To ransom thee ; remember how his woes Were asperared by his raging foes ; Remember how his sacred temples wore A spiny Crown , remember how it tore His sublime Front ; remember how they broach'd His brest with Spears , and shamefully reproach'd His spotless fame ; remember how they nail'd His spreading hands , remember how they scal'd His Ivory Walls , remember how they spawl'd Upon his face , remember how they bawl'd And banded at his Agony , whilst he Prov'd patient Martyr to their tyranny ; Remember when he came unto the brink Of death , they gave him vinegar to drink : Nay more ( because they vowd to empty all Their poys'ned malice out ) they gave him Gall. Oh bitter deed ! Oh most abhorred Crimes ! ( Too nearly parallel'd in these our times . ) Thus having put a period to their plots , They thought it good to cast their hellish lots For his ( I dare not say mean ) clothes ; I know They were our Saviours , to whose worth we owe Perpetual thanks ; 't was his well finished breath Redeem'd our Souls from everlasting death . Here 's Love ( O man ) that does as far transcend Thy thoughts as thy deserts , that heav'n shu'd send His Son and Heir to be incarnated , And suffer death for thee , that wert as dead As sin could make thee ; 't was for thy offence He dy'd ; Ah , how , how canst thou recompence Such high-bred Favors ! Favors unexpected Deserve to be imbrac'd , and not neglected . Do not ( rash Soul ) like Cleopatra nurse Imbosom'd Vipers ; blessings prove a curse , If once abus'd ; Ingratitude cuts off Th'intail of Love ; it is a shame to scoff At Benefactors ; after thou art fed , Wilt thou contemn the hand that gave thee bread ? Wouldst thou not love that friend that should bestow A super anuated crust , and shew Respect unto thee , when the ebbing tyde Of Fortune runs so low , that thou mayst ride Upon the sands of Poverty ? Fond Man , Strive to be grateful , study how to scan The mercies of thy God ; remember how He feeds thy Soul with Manna ; learn to bow Th' unruly thoughts ; ( with admiration ) think How often , and how much imbitter'd drink Thy Saviour drank ; with what a doleful cry He beg'd of God to let that cup pass by ; But knowing that his pleasure must be done , He prov'd himself his most obedient Son. And wilt thou not ( copy wretch ) drink one poor sup Of bitter drink for him , that drank a cup To sweeten thine ? thou need'st not fear nor scorn To taste , because Heav'ns sacred Vnicorn Hath purg'd the wa'ers , and they must be sweet Except they 're reimpoys'ned by thy feet : If so , what wilt thou do ? where wilt thou find An Antidote for an invenom'd mind ? It is reported , if the Spider chance To meet the obvious Toad , they 'l both advance Their inward force , and mutually proclaim An open War ; brave Combatants of fame ! And having fummon'd their imbowel'd might , March boldly on , and both incens'd , they fight : The Toad being heavy loaded , cannot go , Or wheel about , like his encountring foe , But keeps his ground , & makes a small resistance : The Spider scorning to be kept at distance , Falls in upon him , and with nimble rage Assaults his foe , who now begins t' asswage His former fury , and would fain retreat From his small Foe , whose strength is grown too great For opposition ; being thus distress'd He crawls away , and with a crop-sick brest Seeks for relief , and by and by discries A Plantain leaf , within whose veins there lies A secret Antidote , which did at length Expel his poyson , and renew his strength : Having disgorg'd himself , he soon returns Into the Camp , where for a time he burns To be in action , and at last he sees The crafty Spider creeping by degrees To seize upon him , then his courage fails , He knows not what to do , his foe assails With all his might , constraining him to yield The conquest , and with shame to quit the field : Then he begins to seek , and hunt about , To find the soveraign healing Plantain out , Which had before reliev'd him , and supply'd His wants ; but that being gone , he burst , and dy'd Even so , if Hells black Spider chance to crawl From his infernal Web into the Hall Of this all-dusty World , he soon prepares Himself to sight , and suddenly declares , That he , the grim-look'd General of Hell , Dares to encounter any Souls that dwell Within the limits of the spacious Earth , And in a moment qualifie their mirth ; Thus Satan boasts , and if he chance to meet A single Soul , he 'l thus begin to greet . A DIALOGUE Between the Soul and Satan . Sat. SOul , th' art well met . Soul. 'T is true , for I am well . Sat. Say , whither art thou going ? Soul. Not to Hell. Sa. Pish , talk no more of that , but tel me whither Thou go , st . ; come , prithee let 's go both together . Soul. A pretty motion ; when I want a guide I 'le send for thee , till then thou art deny'd To be my Usher . Sat. Prethee tell me why Thou art so obstinate , as to deny So free a courtesie as I have shown ; Mischance oft falls to them that walk alone ; Be not so much a verse as to neglect This opportunity ; I can protect Thy feet from sliding ; dangers still attend Those that despise the favors of a friend . Sou. A friend ! how canst thou prove that title ? Sat. How ? As thus ; because I 'm willing to allow The best assistance of my ready arm To guide , nay and protect thee from all harm ; Therefore a friend . So. What you pretend to show Is but external ; he that can bestow Internal friendship on a Soul distress'd Is a true friend ; no matter for the rest . If Heav'n will guide my Soul I shal not stray , Or fear the evils of a dangerous way : But as for you , I needs must borrow leave To say , your friendship 's onely to deceive ; Con●●●ion paths your ways , and if I run By your advise , Ineeds must be undone . God bids me fly from sin if I refuse Obedience to his will , I shall abuse His just commands ; then will my sorrows cry , When Mercy stops , Judgment begins to fly . Sat. Desist ( fond Soul ) and labor to divorce Thy lips from this too fabulous discourse ; Guild not thy words with vanity , perswade These thoughts ( which are erroneous ) to evade Thy serious mind ; advise and thou shalt see My ways are best , be principl'd by me ; Let not the swing of passion strike thee down , But follow me , 't is I must give a Crown To thy deserts , 't is I that can advance Thy down-cast Soul above the reach of chance ; 'T is I ( mistaken Soul ) 't is I alone That must conduct thee to the sublime throne Of true Salvation ; 't is my hand must bring Thy trembling Soul before th'all-judging King Of Heaven and Earth ; it is my power can fill Thy heart with joy ; believe me , and I will. Trust not the babling languages of those That seem thy friends , but are thy greatest foes ; They 'r great to thy destruction , they 'l connive stories And fawn , nay almost bury thee alive ; They 'l talk of Heavn and Hell , they 'l tell thee Of endless , boundless , unconceived glories ; They 'l tell thee of Eternity , and woo Thy Soul out of thy ears , if thou ' lt bestow Thy pains to hear them ; they 'l infuse , and brew Their own designs , and tell thee all is true That they declare ; they 'l tell thee that they 're sent As Messengers from Heav'ns high Parliament . Believe me Soul , 't is I that can display The Gospels Colours better far than they ; There 's nothing in that Volume so abstruse , But I can winde and twist it to my use : And there is nothing in this world can be Stil'd worth a Work , but can be done by me : I can do all , it lies within my power To make thee poor or rich in half an hour : I can command whole Legions to attend Upon my honor : Say , what nobler friend Canst thou embrace ? I 'le be a friend to all That will give audience to my faithful call ; I 'le make them swell with riches , they shall have As much , nay if not more , than they can crave : Am I not rare , and rich , and high , and great , Incomprehensible ? Is not my seat The throne of happiness ? Yet cannot I Invite thee to my sweet eternity ? Come gentle Soul , into my twining arms , I 'le hug thee , I 'le delight thee with my charms , I 'le shew thee all my Joys , nothing shall lie Hid from the view of thy all gazing eye : Happy , beyond expression . Soul. Satan , slay The Progress of thy tongue , and give me way , That I may vent my thoughts , for you have spoke At large already ; and is this the stroke Which you intend shall wound me ? Be assur'd , The blow's but small , and well may be endur'd . Sat. What , mov'd to passion ! Is thy mind disturb'd With foul mistrust ? pray let those thoughts be curb'd ; What , dost thou think I am perfidious ? Fie ; 'T is folly to condemn before you try . Alas , alas ! what profit can accrue To me by wronging such a Soul as you ? What I express is onely for your good , But what is more than grave advice withstood ? I doubt these weak , these empty thoughts presage A tempest , guarded with a storm of rage : Well then , storm on , and when thy storm is spent , Sit down and meditate , and then repent . Soul. Repent , Oh happy word ! although exprest By a foul mouth ; those that repent are blest . How dare thy hellish lips usurp a word Fill'd with divinity , but will afford No rest , no comfort , to thy horrid Soul ? Be gone , be gone ; and if thou canst condole Thy self , thou art ( if Logick prove but true ) Curst in the Major , and the Minor too . Bless me , ô heav'n : what blust'ring stormy weather Drove such a vile prodigious Monster hither ? Touch-stone of baseness , dost thou come to prove Whether I 'm gold , or dross ? thou mayst remove Thy forward hopes , because I hope to be Metal at last for Heav'n , and not for thee . Be gone , fallacious wretch , I cannot brook Thy golden baits , I have descry'd thy hook : Father of Lyes , thy policy is built Upon the sands , and plaister'd o're with guilt : Thy tongue foretells a storm ; if so , be sure Thy sand-built policy shall not endure : Flattery 's the life of baseness , and that Art Is well imprinted in thy subtile heart : Dost thou believe that I can entertain Belief from thee ? Or dost thou think to reign Within my brest ? No , no ; thy cloudy powers Are at the best but falsifying showers : Be satisfi ▪ d , I cannot give the least Of credit to thee , nor I dare not feast My thoughts with such uncertainties ; I know Thy dyet must and will corrupt to woe . Thou bidst me not condemn , before I make Some tryal of thy trust ; If I should take Such green advice , I quickly should undo My wretched self ; and in condemning you What profit could I have ; or what relief Could I epect to mitigate my grief , My accusations would be blown as dust Before the wind ; I 'le neither try , nor trust . Sat. Nor try , nor trust ? Art thou resolv'd to cross My real motions ? Do , and see whose loss Will prove most weighty ; if I lose the heat Of thy weak love , my loss will not be great , But if I should withdraw my love from thee , How like a Map of well-drawn misery Wouldst thou appear ? be wise , corect thy thoughts Neglected favors prove the greatest faults . Take my instructions , for 't is I must bring Content unto thee ; 't is a glorious thing To be immortal : prethee Soul decline Thy former ways ; say shall I call thee mine ? Mine , mine thou art ; I 'le load thee with renown ; Let me but conquer , thou shalt wear the Crown . How pleasing are my joys ! how full of peace Are all my ways ! my glories still increase : I 'm great and good , I take delight to win Distressed Souls , and lead them from their sin ; I cannot chuse but pity those that lye Vpon the beds of sensuality ; My melting Soul is always free to give Comfort to them that study how to live . Alas , the care and trouble that I take Is more for their content , than my own sake : My gates are always open , they that venture To come to me shall ( with a welcom ) enter ; And when they call , and cry , I will appear My self unto them , and rejoyce to hear Their sad complaints ; I will not hide my face From them that seek the glory of my grace : I cannot be unconstant ; I must grieve To hear their sorrows , and I will relieve . I will be pitiful to them that trust In me alone , I cannot be unjust ; I cannot , no I cannot ; Earth shall move Sooner than I will falsifie my love : I am eternal ; they that will endeavor To gain my love , shall have my heart for ever . Soul. 'T is not your empty words shall make my brest Stoop to the flatt'ry of thy vain request ; Though I have ears to hear , I have a mind That will not shake at the hard-breathing wind Of your discourse ; what you pretend for reason Is nothing but the froth of private treason : 'T is not your multiloquious tongue can turn The Biass of my Soul , or make me spurn At Holy Writ ; 't is not your fond conceit Of being good , shall make me to retreat From Heav'ns Commands ; 't is not your promis'd joys Can make me chearful ; or your painted toys Can lure me to your fist ; 't is not the dart Of your vain love can penetrate my heart ; 'T is not your seeming clemency can make My Soul to love you , for your Pities sake ; 'T is not your always-open gates that shall Entice my steps to your large Guilded Hall ; 'T is not your self-appearance shall invite My well-composed thoughts to your delight ; 'T is not your greatness that shall make me yield To your desires ; Religion is my shield : I le neither fear nor love your rash evasions , Nor give attendance to your smooth perswasions : ' Nis difficult to serve two Masters well ; Who strays from Heav'n , must needs approach to Hell. I am advis'd to shun the broad-path'd ways That lead to ruine ; what the Scripture says I must believe ; 't is dangerous to fly Without the wings of true Divinity : The Scriptures are my way , my light , my guide , And they that go without them needs must slide : The paths are strait in which I ought to run The course of grace , until my days are done ; And they that change a Vertue for a Vice , Deserve no fruit from Heav'ns blest Paradise . Sat. Surcease those fond conceits , thou dost but spin Thine own destruction , and connive at sin : Urge not the Scriptures , for I dare maintain My paths are best , and other ways are vain : Thy Scripture - conscience will at last confound Th' amazed thoughts , and give thy Soul a wound That hates a cure , then shalt thou prove unblest , Whilst others find the plainest Road's the best . Suppose thou wert ( I speak it for thy sake ) Mov'd by occasions , forc'd to undertake A long-way'd journey , wouldst thou not enquire The readiest way , but run into the mire ? If thou shouldst act a crime so fouly bad , Folly would style thee fool , and Wisdom mad . Stray not into the Wilderness of grief , But come to me , take courage and be brief In thy designs ; perswade thy self , that I Am both thy light , thy way , and best supply In time of need ; I am thy prop , thy stay ; Therefore resolve , and trifle not away Thy thriftless Soul ; be not thy self destroyer ; I 'le be thy Love , and thou my Loves enjoyer : Know that my real brest contrives no end , But what may merit so divine a friend As thine own self : folly and wisdom lies Before thy face ; be either fool , or wise : Protract no time , but make a speedy choice , Thy welfare shall instruct me to rejoyce ; Observe my actions , pry it to my parts , Let 's know each other by exchange of hearts ; I 'le give thee mine , and for my love restore Thine unto me ; grant this , I le ask no more . Be free to give , as I am free to crave ; Th'adst better live my friend , than die my slave : For if thou shalt deny what I desire , I 'le make my bellows to advance the fire Of thy distress , and sorrows shall corrode Thy stubborn heart , and care shall make abode Within thy brest ; perpetuated grief Shall find a voice , but ramble from relief . I 'le gripe thee , till I make thee understand The fiery language of my furious hand : Sighings , and groanings , sobs , and rears , and cries Shall be thy sad Concomitants ; thine eyes Shall stare upon ( well may I call them new And horrid ) Lights , such Lights as shall renew Thy growing torments ; every thing shal be Thy fellow-slaves in servile miserie : I 'le yoke thee with distress , nay , and I 'le chain Thy struggling Soul with everlasting pain ; I 'le crow'd thee full of sorrows , and I 'le double Thy unconceived , uncontrouled trouble , Whilst I , triumphing I , will sit aloft , And be ador'd , and scoff to see thee scoft : Pity shal be a stranger to my brest ; My care shal be to make thy Soul unblest ; The tydes of woe shall overflow thy thoughts , And be equivalent unto thy faults ; Be sure , that what extremity can be Thought worth the using , shall be us'd on thee : Now I have spoke , if thou wilt not repent , I 'le cease to speak , and study to torment . Sou. How full of poyson's every word that flows Out of thy mouth ? what trust can I repose In such a flatterrer ? I dare not try , Or throw my self upon thy courtesie : I know thou canst not answer my request ; There is no truth in a self-praising brest . If I should dive into the deep abyss Of thy black thoughts , what glory , or what bliss Should I discern ? Or if I should deliver My heart to thee , thou'dst disrespect the giver ; Though at the first perhaps thou wouldst express A seeming-unbeseeming thankfulness , Yet at the last I know thou would decline Thy promis'd ways , and style me to be thine . Fair words find eafie passage , they proceed But from the tongue , th' event stil crowns the deed Three things denote a friend ; first to conceal A secret speech ; the next is to reveal A private good ; the ●ast , is to advise The safest way t' obtain an enterprise And he that can do this , as you pretend , Deserves the title of a real friend : But my Religion tutors me to say , ( Nay and affirm , ) You neither can , nor may ; I 'm sure it is ( if reason dare prove true ) One thing to speak , another thing to do . Your words are ayry messengers , which fly Into my ears , and there enroul a Lye ; Many untruths have broken the common Goal Of thy foul mouth ; thou sayst thon canst prevail To make me glorious , aud thou canst encrease My joys , and crown me with eternal peace : Thou sayst th' art good and great , & that thy paths Lead to Salvation ; thou declar'st thy Laws To be most just ; if all these things be true , I needs must call the Scriptures false , or you ; Truth bids me tell thee boldly , when thou cry'st Th' art great , and good , and rich , and rare , thou lyst : If thou art good , and great , pray tell me why Thou wilt behold so vile a wretch as I ? These things bespeak thee humble , unto which Thou plead'st not guilty ; and if thou art rich , How can it be , that thou wilt condescend To feed my wants , that am so poor a friend ? Strange is that charity , which seems to shine From such a diabolick brest as thine . If my belief could keep an equal pace With my swift tongue , how ful of Faith & Grace Should I appear ? Such Faith as would devast My wanton Soul , and make mee weep as fast It is impossible to find a Sion That has no Governor , except a Lyon. The Souls Petition to God. Oh Heav'n , I crave that thou wouldst keep me stil From this most vile Progenitor of Ill : Suffer him not t'infold me in his arms , Or overcome me with his wanton charms ; Oh make my heart obdure that he may knock Upon my Soul , as on a marble Rock ; Be thou my Fort , and then I shall endure His furious On sets , and repose secure ; Give me thy Grace , that I may be content ; Make me as strong , as he is impudent . Now let the spring-tyde of thy fierce desires Flow to the height , thou shalt not quench my fires Know Satan , know , my heart reserves no place For thy abode , I scorn thee to thy face ; The well-dy'd colours of my Soul declares Defiance to thee , and my brest prepares To give thee battle ; strike , I rear thee not ; Who 's arm'd with Faith , needs fear no Cannon sho Sat. What impious tongue is that which dares defie My power with so much boldnes ? So. Wretch , 't is I ; 'T is I ( infernal Traytor ) that will spend My strength to prove thou art flatt'ring feind . Sat. Move me to anger , do , and thou shalt find A courteous friend at last may prove unkind : Have I not woo'd thee almost night and day To goe to Heaven ? Sou. The quite contrary way . Sat. Have I not labour'd like a watchful father To nourish thee ? Sou. Or like a Devil rather . Sat. Have I not always taken great delight ? Sou. To take away good gold , and give me light . Sat. How much nocturnal and diurnal care Have I sustain'd for thee ? Sou. True , t' insnare . Sat. Have I not been assiduous to await Upon thy pleasure ? Sou. and corrupt my state . Sat. Have I not proffer'd all that can be given To a sick Soul ? Sou. To drive my Soul from Heaven San. Did I not promise to be true and just ? Sou. Did I not say , I 'de neither try nor trust ? Sat. Did I not promise that I 'de make thee wise ? Sou. Did I not say thou wert compos'd of lies ? Sat. Did I not promise to encrease thy store ? So. Did I not say such wealth would make me poor Sat. Did I not promise to advance thy fame ? Sou. Did I not say thy honors were thy shame ? Sat. Did I not promise to uphold thy peace ? Sou. Did I not say such wars would never cease ? Sat. Did I not promise thee a Crown of life ? Sou. Did I not say that Crown would Crown my Sat. Did I not promise thee eternal glory ? ( strife ? Sou. Did I not say that promise was a story ? Sat. Did I not promise I would give thee all ? Sou. Did I not say such promises were small ? Sat Did I not tell thee I was great and good ? Sou. Did I not answer 't was in shedding blood ? Sat. Did I not tell thee that my ways were best ? Sou. Did I not answer that they were unblest ? Sat. Did I not tel thee that thou shouldst have joy ? Sou. Did I not answer such as would destroy ? Sat. Did I not tell thee that I did lament ? Sou. Did I not answer that I was content ? Sat. Did I not tell thee what a friend I 'd prove ? Sou. Did I not answer that I could not love ? Sat. Thus by fair terms I labour'd to obtain , Sou. Thus in foul terms I told thee 't was in vain . Sat. Then I began to threaten thee with grief , Sou. And then I fled to Heav'n , and found relief . Sat. I threatened to afflict thee with large pains , Sou. I told thee such afflictions were my gains . Sat. I told thee more than now I will express , Sou. My answers made thee wish I had spoke less . Sat. But now I see my real words can find No rest within the Center of thy mind ; For 't is in vain to sow the seeds of life In a dead heart that is manur'd with strife : I 'le therefore cease my importuning love , I 'le shew my Serpent , and keep close my Dove . Do , do thy worst , vile wretch , I le make thee know Griefs abstract , and the quintessence of woe ; I 'le load thee with extremities , thy brest Shall always crave , but find no place of rest : Had but my grave advice receiv'd a place Within thy heart , thou hadst been fil'd with grace ; But now the inundations of thy trouble Shall overflow thee , and I will redouble My new-contrived plagues ; I 'le make thee feel My melting heart is now transform'd to steel : Thy tongue shall ( like a bolt of thunder ) roul And roar within thy mouth ; thy sulphurous Soul Shall flash forth lightning , and thy blood-red eyes Shall blaze like Comets in the troubled Skies : Thy teeth shall gnash , as if they scorn'd to be Concomitants in so much misery ; Oh how I 'le carbonado every part , And fill thy body with increasing smart ; Thy Soul shall lure for death , but that shall hate To pierch upon thee , and contemn thy state : Life shall be still incroaching , but thy breath Shall scorn that life , and hate it unto death ; Thy flesh shall drop forth brimston , and thy bones Shall court each other in their crackling tones ; Horror shall be thy watchman , curses shall Possess thy rongue , one torment still shall call Upon another ; when thy voice shall cry But for a drop ; Confusion shall reply , No , no , thou shalt not , if a golden Myne Could buy a drop , that drop should not be thine : Then shalt thou say , if thou hadst been at first Advis'd by me , thou hadst not been accurst : Thus in this sad Dilemma shalt thou roar , And crave my succour , but I 'le not deplore Thy woful state , because thou wert averse To goodness , after folly comes a curse : Then shalt thou know and find I will exile All thoughts of pity , and I 'le rather smile Than grieve at thy distress ; ah know 't is bard To force an entrance where the gates are bar'd : Fond Soul , be serious , let thy thoughts reflect On my indulgency , and give respect Unto my clemency ; believe I will Be good to thee , do but forsake thy ill ; Forsake , forsake that evil which will turn To thy destruction ; do not , do not burn The precious fuel of thy chaste desires In idle , wanton , all-consuming fires , The post of time is swift , and knows no stay ; 'T is time to go when Reason calls away : Protraction's dangerous ; it is not good To strive with that which scorns to be withstood . Then do not thou procrastinate , but take This opportunity , do but forsake Thy former ways , and readily incline Thy self to me , and I will make thee shine With so much lustre , that all eyes shall gaze Upon thy brightness , and admire with praise : Oh may my language reach thee too believe , That so my torments may not make thee grieve In utter darkness , that thou mayst imbrace Those glories , which adorn my peaceful place : Repent , ( dear Soul ) repent what thou hast done , Then call me Father , and I 'le love my son : Thus having told thee all , I 'le here desist ; Be thou more apt to yield than to resist . Sou. I find , I find you first in flict a wound , And then with balsome strive to make it sound : You make me smile at first , but after groan ; One hand incloses bread , the other stone ; I fain would take the bread , but that I stand In fear and danger of the stony hand : Therefore , to shun all danger , I 'le despise Your fond advice , and practise to be wise : If all should prove , that you have told me , true , I know the best and worst that thou canst do ; As for your threatnings , they shall not disturb My peaceful thoughts , my faith shall be their curb : Urge me no mote , but let me rest in quiet , Strong is that stomack can digest thy dyet . Sat. And is it so ? will no perswasions work Upon thy thoughts ? Those pregnant crimes that lurk Within thy brest , will , like to Scorpions , gnaw Thy groaning heart ; such sorrow knows no Law ; But since thou wilt not be advis'd , expect To find reward , as I have found neglect . Ah , why fond wretch , why dost thou thus provide Thy feeble self to strive against the tyde ? Alas , alas ! why art thou lull'd asleep In follies Lap ? Rouze up for shame , and weep For thine infirmities ; be not thus cross To him that would preserve thee from a Loss : 'T is time to cast away the works of night , And cloath thee with the shining robes of light . Sou. If your strong Oratory had the skill To make me yield to your unsatiate will , It were enough ; what more could you desire , Than a bad period to your bad desire ? But stay ( bold friend ) I 'le meditate and see What fruit will spring from thine infernal tree . Sat. What , must I stay ( vile wretch ) till you dispute And prove the goodness of my pleasing fruit ? Must I be always waiting on the train Of your desires , and spend my time in vain ? No , no , I will not : for it is unfit I should attend , if you will not submit ; Th' incensed fury of my spirits burn To be in action , I will not adjourn A minute longer ; go , and hug thy vice , Thou lov'st the bargain , but abhor'st the price : Urge me no more , away , I have forgot All thoughts of friendship , and I know thee not : And here I leave thee to the Lawless power Of thine own passion ; Cursed be that hour That brought thee forth ; if all this will not do , May all men curse thee , and I 'le curse thee too . Sou. And can the spring of thy affections find So soon an Autumn ? Canst thou be unkind With so much ease ? and can your real brest ( As you so call 't ) be so soon dispossest Of Love and Patience ? Oh how bad and strange Is the effect of such a sudden change ! 'T is disputable , for I know not whether Anger , or ' policy , or both together , Wharst thee to these extreams : well then pursue Thine own desires , and I will bid adieu To all thy follies ; yet my heart begun T' expand it self before the glim'ring Sun Of thy perswasions ; if thy sharp'ned rage Had not so soon exploded me the stage , I fear , I fear , I had before this hour Been prostituted to thy tameless power : Be gone , be gone ; but stay , hark Satan , hark , Go boast you shot , but fairly miss'd the mark . Sat. Why dost thou bid me go ? I m sure you speak ( As I have done ) in jest , thou wilt not break The bonds of friendship ; though thou hast exprest Thy self in anger , yet thou ar● in jest : Those good conceits that live in th'inner places Of my close heart , tels me th' art fill'd with graces : But there is none that can proclaim and cry They 're free from rage , no not so much as I : When I am angry , then my heart is pleas'd , Because I 'm satisfy'd ; my mind is eas'd Of a most pressing load , which seems to tire And waste me with a brest-consuming fire . " A wise mans ear must always entertain " Things spoke in passion to be void and vain : " The tongue's a restless member , and oft-times " Out-runs the wit , and then it flyes and climbs Above all sense : " When Reason finds divorce , " The tongue proves subject to a headlong course . What I have spoke observe , and thou shalt find Proceeded from my passion , not my mind : The misconstruction of a word may make The dearest friends to vary , and forsake The plains of friendship , tho' their hearts are free From the curst evils of inconstancy : Therefore mistake me not , nor do not thou Construe my words with an incensed brow ; Smile on me then , and cheerfully impart The loving childings of a friendly heart ; Then shalt thou see with what a willing arm I will conduct and guide thee from all harm ; Believe me Soul , I am not come to scatter Uncertain stories , but a real matter ; What I hold forth unto thee , is the stem Of a pure heart , thou art the only Jem Shall grow upon it ; come , and let 's combine , I shall rejoyce to see thee prove divine . Sou. The Biass of thy Love runs now so strong , That I much fear 't will not continue long ; I find , I find thou hast the art to sail With any wind ; thou labour'st to prevail , But 't is in vain , for know , I trust thee not , My zealous heart is fearful of a plot ; I cannot be so foolish as to trust Without assurance that thou wilt be just : Wilt thou be true ? Speak with a real breath . Sat. I will be just ( believe me ) unto death ; I will , I will ; oh may I never be True to my self , it I am false to thee . Sou. If thou art just and constant , tel me where Thy seat is plac'd , and who is Prince of th' air ; Be true in this , and thou shalt find that I , According to thy answer , wil reply . Sat. I 'le tell thee then ( because I 'le now fulfil The vast desires of thy enquiring will ) Where my refulgent Seat is plac't ; prepare Thy ears to hear , I 'le speedily declare . The large extent of my unbounded grace Cannot be comprehended in one place , Because I am immortal , unconfin'd To time or place ; I live in every mind That 's truly real , and not disagreeing To my known Laws ; I have no local Being : The World 's a spacious Body , I the Soul Which lives in every part compleat and whole : Thus this dispute is easily decided , For what 's immortal cannot be divided . Nay more , because I 'le fill thee with content , I say I 'm Prince of every Element , Therefore of air : Now if thou canst enquire Any thing more , I 'le answer thy desire . Sou. Before I suffer my swist thoughts to slide Into more questions , I 'le be satisfi'd In what is past : If so it be , you have No local Being , how then will you save Those Hosts of Souls which you intend shall be Seal'd with the Signet of Eternity ? Did you not tell me , that your peaceful Seat Was rich , sublime , ( and without measure ) great ? If thus it be , as 't is exprest by you , 'T is more than strange that 't is not local too ; Clear but this doubt , and thou shalt quickly find Those duties that attend an honest mind Flow from my brest , till then I 'le rest in peace , As you perform , so shall my Love encrease . Sat. Ambiguous Soul , why dost thou thus connive At thine own follies ? Why dost thou deprive Thy self of comfort , comforts that will heal Th'exulcerous sores of thy distemper'd weal ? Why art thou thus inquisitive ? the thing That thou desir'st to know ( if known ) will bring Small satisfaction to thy dubious brest ; He 's wise enough that knows he shall be blest ; If you enquire in such a doubtful case , You l loose your rest in seeking out the place : Surcease thy thoughts , and do not proudly knock Thy self in peices , now thou knowst the rock ; Pry not too sarl et secret things alone , My Zodiack has more signs than must be known ; 'T is not the Heav'n of Heavn's that can contain Me , the Creator , and my glorious train ; I am even what I please and what I will be Even where I will. So. Where 's that ? Sa. what 's that to thee The knowledge of my seat does no way tend To thy salvation , therefore cease to spend Such fruitless thoughts , cast by this needless care , Learn to know what I am , no matter where . Sou. I must confess , it is not good to pry In things that suit not the capacity ; But seeing 't was your pleasure to express So much of friendship , I made bold t' address My self unto you ; pardon then my crimes , You know that wisest men may doubt sometimes : Your weights are light , or else your courage fails , You have not strength enough to turn the scales Of my affections , yet you had almost Droven my ill man'd ship upon your Coast , The winds of your perswasions rage and roar Within my brest , I cannot find a shoar For my desires ; I 'm tost from wave to wave , And am become a most distracted slave ; Those heavenly thoughts which formerly frequenred The closet of my brest are now prevented By base bred fancies , fancies that arise From a soul brain , and makes me to despise Almost my self ; I know not what to do , I dare not , oh I dare not yield to you ; And yet I hardly can believe thou wilt Burthen thy conscience with so foul a guilt As to betray me , sure thou art morekind Than to abuse a well-affected mind ; But yet I dare not trust a Soul pursuer , Because thou kil'st when thou pretend'st to cure . I reel , I reel ( if not sustain'd ) I shall Receive a sudden and a deadly fall ; What shall I do in this deplor'd condition ? I fear , I fear I 've lost my best Physitian : Try Satan , try , and see what may be done For a sick Soul , that foolishly has run Beyond it self ; oh see what thou canst do To give me ease , and then I 'le call the true . Sat. Now Soul I love thee ; rouze , bid grief depart Thou hast the symptomes of an honest heart : Me thinks I could , with much content , afford To say thou speak'st a Christian at a word ; Cheer up , and know that many troubles wait Upon the changes of an ancient State ; The work of Reformation always brings Trouble at first , but afterwards it sings Anthems of Peace , whose fortunate event Will more than countervail thy discontent . He that has spent the treasure of his days Under one Roof , has reason to dispraise The troubles of removing ; yet at last ( When his defatigating cares are past ) He may declare himself to be a debter To fortune , and confess that Life the better . Even so mayst thou ( dear Soul ) hereafter say , Blest be that hand which led thee from the way And paths of Ignorance , although at first [ 'T is often known , beginnings are the worst ] Thou feel'st a private nakedness within , Because thou hast uncloath'd thy self of sin : Although , I must confess there cannot be A vacuum in Nature , yet in thee There is an emptiness , and must be still , For what is empty , craves a time to fill : If he whose stomach hath sustain'd the rage Of sharp'ning hunger , should at first asswage His appetite with fulness , would it not Produce a surfeit , and impose a blot Upon his wisdom , raising such a strife Within his Microcosmus , that his life Would be endanger'd ; therefore learn by rote , That moderation is the chiefest note ; In all my Gammut , none can sing so high A note as moderation , only I. If I should let thee make too large a meal Of my rich joyes at first , I should reveal Too much of folly ; for it thou shouldst take A surfeit at the first , it needs must make Thee fear , nay hate , to entertain my diet ; 'T is better far to spare at first than riot : Moreover , should I let thee taste thy fill At first , I know the reins of thy fierce will Would scorn a hand , 't is dangerous to trust ; Presumptions spur can never want for rust : Come Soul , let reason rule thee , do not stain Thy well-dy'd judgment , 't is a greater pain To fear , than sufler ; come , I long to see Thee wanton with mee in Eternitie ; Then doubt no more , resolve , and let 's away , There is no greater grief than to delay A happiness ; be well inform'd of this , Procrastination is a foe to Bliss . Sou. Thy words imposthumate my heart , I feel A greater pain than ever Ixions wheel Knew how t' inflict , extremities still crowd Into my thoughts ; my sorrows call aloud , And none will hear ; what shall I do ; for I Unworthy am to live , unfit to dye ; Except th' all ruling power above will please T'inspect my Soul , and furnish me with ease , To whose blest ears I 'le recommend my suit , My sorrows will not let my tongue be mute . Great Auditor of groans , oh let my cries , My sighs , my tears , invite thy eares , thine eyes To hear , and view me ; for I must confess , My crimes are great , and I am nothing less Than what is least ; alas ! and nothing better Than what is worst , oh pardon me thy debter : I 'm rost with grief , and know not where to fleer My shipwrack'd self , but still my fins appear Before my face , whose looks almost affright , And make me start into eternal night : What shall I do ? or whether shall I flee , That am an alien ( Lord ) except to thee ? From thee I cannot , and I am too vile To come unto thee , having made a spoyl Of those most sacred mercies , which thy hand Confer'd upon me ; there is no command But I have broke ; yet gracious Lord , I know That thy abounding mercies can o'reflow My sand excelling sins , which cannot lie Absconded from thine all-surveying eye . With shame I must confess the subtile art Of Satan hath impoysoned my heart ; Oh I am sick to death , I swell , I burst , Never was any Soul so much accurst . There 's none but thee , thou sacred Antidote Can cure my grief , be therefore pleas'd to note My sad condition , let my sorrows lye Before thy face , oh hear me when I cry ; Grant me the shield of Faith , that I may stand In opposition to the powerful hand Of active Satan , weaken ( Lord ) his power And add unto my strength ; let every hour Afford new mercies , mercies that may sail Into my brest , ah should my Foe prevail , Oh , then I perish , shorten ( Lord ) his chain And lengthen out my patience , oh make vain His fierce attempts , that he my feel , and see When he is strongest , I 'm as strong as he , Then shall my lips extol thee , and proclaim The greatness of thy glory , and his shame . Give but thy grace unto me ( Lord ) and then Say what thou wilt , my tongue shall say Amen . Let everlasting plagues and horror dwell Within so fit a soul , let black-mouth'd Hell Remove his scituation , and take An everlasting Lease , oh let him make A Ten'ment of thee ; dost thou think that I Will hear thy prayers ? oh no , I scorn thee , fye Away , begon — Sou. What voice is this , that makes this bold intrusion Into my ears and grumbles out confusion ? Me thinks I see a storm-portending cloud , Bowel'd with thunder , and I hear a loud And horrid noyse , a noyse that will confound A wel-prepared ear , to hear the sound ; Who would not quake at such a voice as this That roars forth Malice with an Emphasis ? My thoughts are interrupted , and amazement , Flashes like Lightning through the brittle casement Of my ill glased-brest ; it cannot be The voice of Heav'n , a God so pure as he Hates to be envious , malice cannot spring From such a good and ( Love-composed ) King : Although his voice ( made terrible ) oft-times By the addition of mans dayly crimes Thunders against a sinner , yet his breath Can take no pleasure in a sinners death . Hereafter ( Lord ) when malice finds a voice To speak , my understanding shall rejoyce , In knowing who it is , this heart of mine Shall never quake at any voice but thine ; Then let hels deep-mouth'd blood-hound , roar and thunder I le neither fear , nor love , nor quake , nor wonder . For 't is not strange to hear a Lyon roare That wants his prey , the more he has , the more He seeks for more , imploying still his power In seeking how , and whom he may devour : Know therefore Sathan , that I am prepar'd To meet thee , and I will not be out-dar'd ; 'T is not thy false malicious tongue shall tempt My heart to love , no , nor thy rage exempt My thoughts from heav'n , although thy craft still For opportunity to stop good works ; When I compose my self , and strive to pray , lurks Thou seek'st to turn my thoughts another way . Thou great corrupter of Diviner parts , Thou watchful thief that steal'st into the hearts Of silly mortals , think not to devour My armed heart , with thy pursuing power . Sat. Wil nothing move thee ? wilt thou stil mistrust If fair means will not move thee , foul means must . What dost thou think , my arm is grown so short It cannot reach thee ? dost thou think to sport With my commands ? say , thou imperious mite Who gave thee being , who created light , Who made the Heav'ns , the Earth , the Sea , reply Audacious wretch , speak , was it thee , or I ? Thou vain contender , dost thou think to gain By striving with me , any thing but pain , Oh no , thou shalt not , for I 'le still renew Thy pinching sorrows : therefore bid adieu To all thy comforts , for thou shalt no more Injoy those blessings thou injoy'dst before , Oh how thy horrid tongue shall roar and cry With Dives for a drop , but no supply Shall dare t' appear ; the more thou crav'st , the less Thou shalt be heard , for nothing shall express The least of pleasure to thy per-boyl'd heart , Thy chiefest food shall be perpetual smart . Be well assured that thy ears , thy eyes Shall hear , nor see , nought but extremities , Be gon , be gon , my fury hates delay , Hell , and Damnation be thy lot , away . Sou. Experience makes me understand thou art A lively actor , of a deadly part , I find the greatness of your swelling rage ; Your Prologue speaks 't would be a bloudy stage If you might act as King , but Heav'n prevent The cursed plots of your accurst intent ; I fear thee not , because I know thy power Is limitted , and thou canst nor devour Without commission , therefore do thy worst , And let thy envy swell until it burst And fall to nothing , my Creator gives Me faith to say that my Redeemer lives , And will protect me from the rage of those That are my known and secret deadly Foes . Thy thundring words shall not make me complying For he 's unwise that dyes for fear of dying ; Thus being guarded with the shield of grace I 'le spit defyance in thine impious face . Thou art a Lyon , and thou seek'st for blood How bad 's that soul that dares to think thee good ; Urge me no more , cashiere thy fruitless trouble , The more thou strivst , the more I le strive to double My resolutions , for I dare not venture To rest my heart on such a bloudy center , Oh no I dare not ; he that shall let go , A certain friend , for a most certain foe , Justly deserves , to have no other same , But what reproach can build upon his name ; Should I permit my rambling thoughts to glance Upon thy love , the Plea of Ignorance Could not be prevalent , because 't is known Unto the blest-united three in one That I ( by his assistance ) have descry'd Thy real flatt'ry , and thy humble pride ; I dare affirm no greater pride can be Than that that 's acted with humility , But here I 'le stop , and leave thee to inherit Th' effects of a diabolique spirit . Sat. Accursed Caitiffe , dost thou think to scape The fury of my hand , or make a rape Upon my goodness ? no , the Sun and Moon Shall stop their usual progresses as soon As I will change my mind ; Vengeance is mine And I 'le repay it , on that Soul of thine . Be gon , be gon , expect thy sudden doom , It is thy sins give punishment a room : Let everlasting Plagues , and horrour dwell Within so fit a Soul ; let black-mouth'd Hell Remove his scituation , and so take A still continuing Lease , on her him make A ten'ment of thee , dost thou think that I Will hear thy prayers ? oh no I scorn thee , fie Away , begon — Sou. If words could kill , I had been ere this time Worded to death , but now I hope to clime Above the reach of words in thy despight , Where thou mayst grumble at me , but not bite . Even as the surly blood-desiring Dog Ty'd with a chain , or loaded with a clog Growes fiercer with restraint , and stands in awe Of nothing but his Master , to whose Law He must submit and keep within his list ; For fear will not permit him to resist : But if some wandring passenger should chance To walk along , he quickly would advance His watchful head , and running to and fro From place to place , he tuggs but cannot go Beyond his bounds , but labors still in vain ( With fruitless bring of his senseless chain ) To free himself , but when he finds his strength Is not sufficient to out-go the length Of his well-fastned chain , he soon divides His sharp fang'd jawes , and bauls until his sides And lungs are weary , then he runs the round Until he layes himself upon the ground : Where he remaineth much displeas'd and vext , Seeming to threaten ruine to the next . So thou ( hels ty'd-dog ) if thou couldst but strain And quit thy self from heav'ns fast-holding chain What Soul should scape thy jaws , or be possest Of lasting peace , or comfortable rest ? How sad , how miserable had it been For patient Job , had but thy power been seen Upon his heart ; but Heaven that will controul In spight of malice , chain'd thee from his soul : Alas , alas ! Thy chain is not so long , To reach a soul , not is thy power so strong To break it at thy pleasure , thou mayst baul And bark forth envy , but not hurt at all ; If thou art God [ as thou pretendest ] why , Why dost thou suffer such a thing as I T' expostulate so long , and dost not show Thy Judgements in my speedy overthrow ? Sat. It is my goodness , and not thy desert That breeds forbearance in my tender heart , Alas , alas , what honour would accrue To me in conquering such a thing as you , I could within a moments time asswage , ( But that my clemency out-vies my rage ) Thy swelling fury , for I could discharge Vollies of wrath , and easily inlarge They restless torments , I could make thee run ( Like morning mists before the rising Sun ) Out of my presence , If I should but say The word be gon , alas thou couldst not stay , But ah , I cannot , for I hate to harm , Love guids my strength , & that strength guids my arm . Even as the Shepherd with bedewed locks Watches the feeding of his harmless flocks For fear the bold-fac'd Wolf should chance to peep Into the coasts of his beloved sheep , And like a lawless Tyrant , soon commence ( Against those Emblems , of pure innocence ) A bloody action , which would soon incite The Shepherds grief , to see so sad a sight , So I th' eternal Shepherd daily watch My wel-fed lambs , for fear Hels wolf should catch Or fright ( not being fearful to be bold ) My gentle flocks from their delightful fold ; I am beloved , and mine own , will own My sacred Name , my voice is not unknown Unto my sheep , they always will be all Firmly obedient to my cheerful call , For which obedience they shall find reward Nay such a one , as always shall accord To their desires , thrice happy shall they be In truly calling , and in owning me To be their Shepherd , nothing can more please M'indulgent soul , than such dear flocks as these , I will preserve them , and no wolf shall dare To seize upon them , or presume to tear Their downy fleeces , nothing shall be nearer Unto my heart , and nothing shall be dearer In my affections , for I will affect Even where , and when I finde a true respect . Sou. What strange contusions hath thy language bred Within my serious thoughts ? how hast thou fed My ears with flatteries , but it is in vain ; Because my heart hath vow'd not to retain Thy sain'd expressions , nothing shall remove My Love from God , nor nothing make me love Thy wretched self ; then be content , and cease To urge my mind , or interrupt my Peace . Go , do thy worst , and when that worst is done Sit down as wisely , as thou hast begun . Sat. Art thou resolv'd ? Well then , let vengeance Upon thy cursed head , be gon , thou mite ( Nay less ) of goodness , go , make haste t' inherit light Those plagues that wait upon so damn'd a spirit . Sou. May this be call ▪ d a farewell , if it be , The self same farewell must attend on thee ; I hate , nay , scorn to bid farewell to you , 'T is charity enough to bid , adieu . The Souls Thankfulness , and Request to God. MOst gracious God , I having lately felt The fervor of thy mercies , needs must melt Into a thankfulness , Ah should I be Ungrateful to so blest a God as thee 'T were pity , ah 't were pity , that the ayr Should give me breath , or thy fierce hand forbear To through me headlong to the deep abyss Of speedy ruine , where no comfort is : Oh glorious Lord , be pleased to inflame My heart with raptures , to extol thy Name ; Alas I 'm weak , and if thou shouldst deny Thy aid , nothing could be more weak than I. If thou wilt help me , I shall be so strong That nothing can prevail to do me wrong . Lord , I am blind , oh therefore let thy light Expel those clouds , that thus eclipse my sight ; Be thou my guid , my strength , my sight , my way , Or else ( being weak ) I shall , or fall , or stray ; Oh leave me not , but as thou hast begun To shew me mercy , let thy mercy run With my desires , and grant that I may be A true forgetter of all things , but thee : And rather than I should forget thy call , Oh let me have no memory at all ; Wean me , oh wean me from this nursing earth , Make it my sorrow , and thy Throne my mirth . Let every morning make me know , and say Thy Lawes are Just , or let me know no day ; Let every ev'ning , make me take delight In thy commands , or let me know no night . Inspire my heart [ O God ] and make it glad Always in thee , or make it always sad ; If thou afflict'st me , make me understand , Thou hast a storming , and a calming hand ; If Poverty oppress me , whilst I live , Oh let thy mercy send me friends to give ; Or if thy goodness please to send me store , Oh give me grace to think I may be poor . It matters not , O Lord , how poor I be Vnto the World , if I am rich to thee : If I am hungry , ô be thou my meat , If I am weary , ô be thou my seat ; Or if I feast , O Lord be thou my guest ; If I am restless , Lord be thou my rest ; If I am thirsty , Lord , be thou my spring ; If I am subject , Lord , be thou my King ; If I have Vertue , make me dote upon her ; If Honourable , be thou my Honor : And if I cannot know that which I would , Be pleas'd to make me know , Lord , what I should ; Then shall my ready lips express and show I know no more , than thou wu'dst have me know . My unty'd tongue shall evermore proclaim Th'attendant glories of thy sacred Name . Divine Ejaculations . 1. GReat God , whose Scepter rules the Earth , Distil thy fear into my heart , That being rapt with holy mirth , I may proclaim how good thou art , Open my lips , that I may sing , Full praises to my God , my King. Ejaculation 2. Lord , make the torments we endure The Symptomes of thy Love , not wrath ; Thou art our Chiron , we thy cure Our Crime 's , our sores , thy blood 's our bath ; O we are weak , be thou as strong ; How long O Lord ; O Lord , how long ? Ejaculation 3. Just Judge of Earth , in whom we trust , Make sharp thy sword , and bend thy bow , Consume the wicked ; save the Just , For thou the Reins , and heart dost know : Then shall our tongues sing forth thy praise , And praise thy justice all our days . Ejaculat. 4. Lord , teach us timely how to pray , And give us patience to expect ; Thou hatest sin ; Oh guide our way ; Judge thou our Eoes : The Just protect : Then shall the wicked fall with shame , And we will sing that love thy name . Ejaculat. 5. Great Son of the eternal God , To whom the world subjected lyes , Break not , but breed us with thy rod : O we are foolish , make us wise : And if thy wrath begin to flame , Wee 'l seek protection in thy Name . Ejaculat 6. Lord , if our enemies encrease , And we invoke , bow down thine ear ; Be thou our shield , and make our peace , And we will scorn what worldlings fear . Great God of health , great Lord of rest , O make us thine , and we are blest . Ejaculat. 7. Thou righteous Hearer of Requests , Make void the counsels of th'unjust ; Send peace into our trembling brests , And fill our hearts with fear and trust : If thou wilt make thy face to shine , Let others joy in corn and wine . Ejaculat. 8. Lord , thou whose equal hand allays The poor mans grief , whose help thou art , Encline my heart to give thee praise , And I will praise thee with my heart : For sake me not ; for , Lord I trust , As men are cruel , thou art just . Ejaculat. 9. Lord , crush my Lyon-hearted Foes , Rout them that seek to ruine me ; Rise up , O God , forget not those Whose wrongs refer their cause to thee : Or if the wicked must oppress , Be thou not far from my distress . Ejaculat. 10. Great God , thy Garden is defac'd , The Weeds do thrive , thy Flowers decay ; O call to mind thy promise past , Restore thou them , cut these away : Till then , let not the weeds have power To starve or taint the poorest Flower . Ejaculat. 11. Lord , leave us not too long a space ; O view our griefs , and hear our pray'r , Clear thou our eyes , unvail thy face , Lest Foes presume , and we despair . Lord , make thy mercy our repose , And we will sing amidst thy Foes . Ejaculat 12. Lord , teach me to renown thy Name , Which through the World is so renown'd : Let man thy glorious works proclaim , Whose head with glory thou hast crown'd . As Beasts to men subjected be , So Lord subject mans heart to thee . Ejaculat. 13. In all extreams , Lord , thou art still The Mount whereto my hopes do flee ; O make my soul derest all Ill , Because so much abhor'd by thee , Lord , let thy gracious tryals show That I am just , or make me so . Ejaculat. 14. Great God , whom Fools deny , how dare Our lips request thy glorious eyes ! If thou but see , thou canst not spare , And what thou seest thou must despise . Lord , make us hear thy saying voice , Then may'st thou see , and we rejoyce . Ejaculat. 15. Lord , cleanse my heart , and guide my tongue , Preserve my lips from false deceit ; Protect my hands from doing wrong , Teach whom to love and whom to hate : Instruct me how to take and give ; Lord , grant me this , and I shall live . Ejaculat. 16. Lord , teach my Reins , that in the night My tutor'd Reins , may tutor me ; And keep me always in thy sight , For in thy sight all pleasure be : Let not my soul in darkness stray , O thou my life , O thou my way . Ejaculat. 17. Behold my Right , and right my wrongs Thou Saviour of all those that trust ; O I am weak , my Foes are strong , Lord thou art gracious , thou art just . O make me rightly prize this life , And let thy glory be my strife . Ejaculat. 18. Great God , my strength , at whose command Whil'st I serve thee all creatures serve me , Protect me from my Foe mans hand ; O , as thou hast preserv'd , preserve me : With peaceful conquest crown my days , And I will crown thy power with praise . Ejaculat. 19. Great God , the work of whose high hands The glory of thy Name declare , How perfect sweet are thy Commands ! How purely just thy Precepts are ! Cleanse all my sins , clear every spot , Both open , secret , known , forgot . Ejaculat. 20. Accept , O God , my holy fires , Lead thou our Armies , give success , Bless our designs , grant our desires ; O hear and help in our distress : Preserv'd by thee , we shall prevail , When Chariots flee , and horses fail . Ejaculat. 21. O God , whose Judgments are severe , And mercies full of sweet compassion , Scourge thou thy Foes , save those that fear , Ravish my Soul with thy Salvation ; And I will spend my joyful days In Psalms of thanks , and Songs of praise . Ejaculat. 22. My Jesus , thou that wert no less Than God , and yet with men forlorn , Earths Comforter , yet comfortless , Heavens Glory , yet to men a scorn . What thanks shall I return to thee , That wert all this , and more for me ! Ejaculation 23. Great Shepherd of my Soul , thy hand Both gives me food , and guides my way ; Subject my will to thy command , And I shall never starve , nor stray . If thou wilt keep me in thy sight , Thy House shall be my whole delight . Ejaculat. 24. Lord , purge my heart , and cleanse my hand , Direct my tongue , and guide my will ; For nothing that 's unclean can stand Within thy great , thy glorious Hill. Lift up my heart , deprest with sin , And let the King of Glory in . Ejaculat. 25. Lord , guide my footsteps in thy truth , And let thy grace be my repose ; Forgive the frailties of my youth , And free me from my causeless Foes : Redeem thine Israel from their hand , And bring me to thy promis'd Land. Ejaculat. 26. Lord , keep me just and judg my right , Prove thou my reins , and try my heart ; O make thy Temple my delight , And fix my dwelling where thou art : Redeem my Soul , confirm my ways , And give me power to give thee praise . Ejaculat. 27. My God , whose fear drives fear away , Shew me the beauty of thy House ; Preserve me in the evil day , That I may sing and pay my vows . Lord , grant me fear , and guard my path ; Give patience , and with patience , Faith. Ejaculat. 28. O God , be thou my living Rock , Whereto my restless soul may fly : Blest be thy Name , when I invoke , Thou hear'st my suit and send'st supply . My Foes confound , or else convert Or weaken , that they may not hurt . Ejaculat. 29. Shall Mountain , Desert , Beast , and Tree , Yield to that heavenly Voice of thine , And shall that voice not startle me , Nor stir this stone , this heart of mine ? No , Lord ; till thou new-bore mine ear Thy Voice is lost , I cannot hear . Ejaculat. 30. Lord , let the evening of my grief Be followed with a morning joy ; Hear thou my cry , and send relief , That tak'st no pleasure to destroy : If thou wilt lengthen out my days , Their task shall be to sing thy praise . Ejaculat. 31. Lord , thou ' that hoord'st thy grace for those That love and fear thy sacred Name , Redeem me from my conqu'ring Foes , And vindicate my trust from shame : Give me fair Conquest at the end , Till then , true courage to attend . Ejaculat. 32. Let my confession launce my sore , And let forgiveness cure my wound ; Lord , teach me early to implore , For I am lost till thou art found : Then shall my joyful Songs express Thy praises , and my thankfulness . Ejaculat. 33. Great Lord of Wonders , thou by whom My heart was fram'd and form'd alone , From whose high Power all powers come , That didst but say , and it was done ; Appoint the remnant of my days To see thy Power , and sing thy praise . Ejaculat. 34. Lord , let the Sun-shine of thy face So clear mine eyes , so cleanse my heart , That being season'd with thy grace , My soul may taste how sweet thou art . O let thy mercy make me just , And then my heart shall fear and trust . Ejaculat. 35. Lord plead my cause , and right my wrong , And take my Snarers in their snare ; O be not from me , Lord , too long , Lest they triumph , and I despair . Let all my foes be cloth'd with shame , Whilst I sing praises to thy Name . Ejaculat. 36. Fountain of Light , and living breath , Whose mercies never fail nor fade , Fill me with life that hath no death , Fill me with light that hath no shade : Confound the proud in their pretence , And let thy wings be my defence . Ejaculat. 37. Be thou my Trust , my God , and I , When sinners thrive , will not repine ; Or if my wants should want supply , I will not fret , I will not whine : What if their wealth , my wants , increase , They shall have plagues at last , I peace . Ejaculat. 38. Lord , in thy wrath correct me not , For I confess and hate my sin ; My flesh consumes , my bones do rot , I 've pains without , and pangs within . O thou that art the God of rest , Release my sin , relieve my brest . Ejaculat. 39. Lord , curb my tongue , and make me see How few my days , how short their length : Incline my heart to trust in thee ; Remove thy scourge , or give me strength : I am a Pilgrim , hear my cry , And send some comfort e're I dye . Ejaculat. 40. Lord , thou whose mercies do exceed , O fill my language with thy praise , Stand thou my Helper at my need , Confound the wicked in their ways : Be thou my comfort in my grief , And crown my patience with relief . Ejaculat. 41. Lord , if thy pleasure make me poor , Thou wilt bless them that give me bread ; If thy sick hand hath scourg'd me sore , That hand that struck will make my bed . Sustain me , Lord , be thou my store , I shall be neither sick nor poor . Ejaculat. 42. My God , full tears are all the dyet That seed my sad , my drooping brest : In my distress , in my disquiet , Be thou my Stay , be thou my Rest : Be thou my God in my relief , And I will triumph in my grief . Ejaculat. 43. Lord , right my wrongs , and plead my right Against all those that seek my Ill ; O let thy perfect Truth and light Conduct me to thy holy Hill : Then shall thy Altar make relation Of thy due praise , and my Salvation . Ejaculat. 44. Lord , our fore-fathers found redress In all their frights , in all their fears ; Wilt thou be dumb to my distress , And not my God , as well as theirs ? Redeem my Soul whose loyal knee Ne're bow'd to any God , but thee , Ejaculat. 45. Great Bridegroom , fill thy dearest Spouse With outward glory , inward graces ; May she forget her fathers house , And only cling to thy embraces : Affect her heart with Love and Duty , And then take pleasure in her beauty . Ejaculat. 46. Lord , help me when my griefs do call , In my distress O be thou near ; Then if earth change , or mountains fall , I will not faint , I will not fear . Shew me thy wonders , and inflame My heart to magnifie thy Name . Ejaculat. 47. Lord , let thy Judgments fill all those That love thy Mount with joy and mirth ; Confound and crush all Sions Foes , Sion the glory of the Earth : Let all that love thy Sions glory , Recount her State , repeat her Story . Ejaculat. 48. Lord , teach me wisely to contemn All goods that transitory be , Let me not stand possest of them , If they be not possest in thee . If I be wealthy , and nor wise , I live but like a beast that dyes . Ejaculat. 49. Lord God of Gods , before whose Throne Stand fire and storms , O what shall we Return to Heav'n that is our own , When all the world belongs to thee ! We have no offering to impart , But praises , and a wounded heart . Ejaculat. 50. Lord , if thy mercies purge my heart , Conceiv'd in lust , and born in sin , Breath truth into my inward part , Renew me a firm spirit within : Then let thy goodness not detest The ruines of a broken brest . Ejaculat. 51. Let others boast in gold , and prize Ev'l more than good , and love deceit , Thy mercies ▪ Lord , are my supplies , And on thy Name will I await . Lord , let thy Mercies still inure My brest to love the thing that 's pure : Ejaculat. 52. Lord , if thou take away thy hand , How all compos'd of fears are we ! What arm can save ? what strength can stand ? When man , poor man 's forsook by thee ? Lord , keep my faith in thee unshaken , For thou forsak'st not till forsaken . Ejaculat. 53. Lord , let thy name secure and free My threat'ned Soul from all my foes ; Stand thou with them that stand for me , Support all these , suppress all those : Then shall my Soul division run Upon thy praise till time be done . Ejaculat. 54. Hearer of prayers , confound my Foes , That bruise my tortur'd Soul to dust : In man , alas , there 's no repose ; Foes have no pity , friends no trust . My trust is in thy word , which says , They shall not live out half their days . Ejaculat. 55. O God , the malice of my Foes Encreaseth daily more and more ; But Lord , thou art my safe repose , Thou art my strength , thou art my store : Be thou my gracious God , and then I will not fear the pow'r of men . Ejaculat. 56. Be gracious , Lord , unto my grief , For in thy shadow do I trust ; O send me plentiful relief , For thou art merciful and Just ; Then shall my spirits utter forth Twi-light Hosanna's to thy worth . Ejaculat. 57. Lord , keep me from those hearts and tongues That practice mischief from the womb ; Weigh right to them that weigh us wrongs , And let confusion be their doom ; But let the just be fill'd with mirth , And fear that God that rules the earth . Ejaculat. 58. Lord , save me from my Foes ; make void Their plots , and all their Counsels vain ; For ever let them be destroy'd , For in thy hand my hopes remain : And I will always spend my days In Hymns of thanks , and Songs of praise . Ejaculat. 59. Lord , though we feel the bitter taste Os thy displeasure for a while ; Yet thou art gracious , and at last Thy angry brow that frown'd will smile . Oh when that storm is over-blown , Thou 'lt trample those that tread us down . Ejaculat. 60. Lord , hear my troubled voice , and bring My Soul to that sweet Rock of Rest ; Protect all those that strive to sing Thy praises with a cheerful brest : Let comfort with our years increase , That we may praise thy name in peace . Ejaculat. 61. Lord God , from whom all mercy springs , Instruct my hopes to wait on thee ; Teach me what vain and fruitless things The helps of what is earthly be . All strength belongs to thee alone , 'T is thou , my God , must help , or none . Ejaculat. 62. Lord , how I long to see thy face , That I might spend me in thy praise ; Thou art my glory in disgrace ; Sustain my steps , direct my ways : Thou art my refuge ; when oprrest With grief , my joy ; with toyl , my rest . Ejaculat. 63. Lord , hide me from my bloody Foes For in thy goodness do I trust ; Protect my sought-for life from those That shoot in secret for the just . So then shall I that fear thy Name Have cause of glory , they of shame . Ejaculat. 64. Thou gracious Hearer of Requests , Hide all my sins behind thy merits ; Shower down thy Spirit into our brests , And drop thy Grace into our Spirits ; That from our Faith rich works may spring , And give us cause to shout and sing . Ejaculat. 65. Lord , if thy flame must needs be felt , Let us be purged in that flame ; Let our rebellious spirits melt Into the praises of thy Name ; That we being tutor'd , and kept under , May fear with Love , and love with Wonder . Ejaculat. 66. Lord , let thy favour still inflame Our light'ned hearts to walk thy ways , That all the World may praise thy Name , And all the Earth may sing thy praise ; So fructifie our hearts , that we May bless thy Name being blest by thee . Ejaculat. 67. Lord , rise in power within mine heart , And chase my sins , thy Foes , and mine , Then shall I see thee as thou art , In Glory great , in Power divine . So I , more white than Snow , shall sing Thy ways , and praise my God , my King. Ejaculat. 68. To that sweet Lamb , which did sustain Grief above weight , Pain above measure ; Whose stripes , and scoffs , and grief , and pain , Were only purchas'd by our pleasure . Be Honor , Glory , Praises , given By Souls on Earth , by Saints in Heaven . Ejaculat. 69. Let shame be their due recompence . That seek to wound my Soul with shame ; Be thou their help and strong defence , That seek thee , Lord , and love thy Name . Make haste , O God , for I do waste My Soul with grief ; O God , make haste . Ejaculat. 70. Lord , thou that underneath thy wing Didst keep me in , and from the womb , Assist my age , that it may sing Thy praise in ages yet to come . Preserve my Soul , protect my name ; Shame be to them that seek my shame Ejaculat. 71. Great Prince of peace , whose Kingdome brings Justice , Redemption , power , and peace , That bends the knees and hearts of Kings , And fill'st all Nations with encrease , All praises , Honour , Glory , be Ascrib'd alone , great Prince , to thee . Ejaculat. 72. O God , whose dreadful Voice , like Thunder , Affrights the Earth , and shakes the Air , Whose Works and Ways are full of wonder , That hear'st my plaints , and grant'st my pray'r . Forsake me not , but when I stray , O let thy Crook reform my way . Ejaculat. 73. O thou , whose mercy did begin Before all Time , unty'd to Times , As thou forgav'st our Fathers Sin , Be likewise gracious to our Crimes : Th' art now a God , as well as then And we as they no more than men . Ejaculat. 74. O God , the Sion of my Soul Is wholly deso ate and waste , Where thou shouldst rule , my lusts controul ; O Lord , relieve ; O God , make haste : Then shall my heart and tongue proclaim Eternal praises to thy Name . Ejaculat. 75. Glorious Creator , once more shine On this our poor distressed Land ; Defend , and dress thy fading Vine , And bless the man of thy right hand : Let thy Free-grace inflame our hearts , And we will sing thy praise in parts . Ejaculat. 76. O God , our Song , our Strength , whose hand Hath broke our Bonds , and set us free , Incline our hearts to thy Command , And we will own no God but thee ; Conduct and feed us as thy Flock , And give us honey from thy * Rock . Ejaculat. 77. Direct , O God , the Judges brest , Preserve his hand●s , his eyes upright That he may vindicate th' opprest , And guardhim from injurious might : O let him know that he shall be , As Judge of others , judg'd by thee . Ejaculat. 78. Lord , cast thine eyes upon thy Foes , Confound their Troops , that are combin'd Against thy Flock , , which thou hast chose , Make them like chaff before the wind : Defeat their Plots with sudden shame , That they may seek Jehovah's Name . Ejaculat. 79. Lord , teach mine Eyes , my Will , my Heart , To see , to choose , and to desire Thy beauteous Courts , wherein thou art ; O fill my thoughts with holy fire . Be thou my Sun , whose glorious Rayes May light my Soul to sing thy praise . Ejaculat. 80. O God , remit thy Peoples Sin , And shew the Sun-shine of thy face , Repress thy fury , and begin , T' inspire us with thy saving Grace ; That Righteousness and truth may meet , And light our hearts , and lead our feet . Ejaculat. 81. Great Spring , from whence all mercy flows To them that trust and love thy Name , Give me thy strength , and then my Foes Shall see thy greatness , and their shame : Be thou my Way , my Truth , my Light , So shall I live and die upright . Ejaculat. 82. Sim , the glory of the Earth , And subject of my holy Passion , May all the Well-springs of my mirth Be founded upon thy foundation : Of all delights I wish no other , Than to be Son to such a Mother . Ejaculat. 83. Lord , let thy fury cease to burn , Or else my Soul must cease to be ; Can praises issue from the Urn ? What thanks can ashes give to thee ? Enough , if thou but undertake me , Let death surprise , let friends forsake me . Ejaculat. 84. Lord , thou whose mercy fails not those That build their trust upon thy Name , Protect my Soul from all my Foes , Then shall my tongue thy worth proclaim : So shall the remnant of my days Be crown'd in Peace , and thou with Praise . Ejaculat. 85. Eternal God , before whose Eyes A thousand years seem as a day , Direct our hearts , and make us wise To use that time we cannot stay : Send joy in our sad hearts , and bless Our prosperous actions with success . Ejaculat. 86. Though thousands here , ten thousand there , Do daily fall before mine eye , I will not faint , I will not fear , Beneath the wings of the most High : Let me be guarded , Lord , by thee , Then I 'le not fear , nor faint , nor flee . Ejaculat. 87. Lord , purge my Soul , that I may learn To read my fortunes by thy hand ; Let my instructed Soul discern , That worldly bliss is not thy brand . Lord , in thy Mercy make me thine , I have enough , shower thou , or shine . Ejaculat. 88. Great Monarch of the World , disclose Thy Power , and make thy Glory known ; Out-flood the floods of all my Foes , And in my heart fix thou thy Throne : Plant Holiness within my brest , O Lord , my strength , O God , my rest . Ejaculat. 89. Just God of Vengeance , cast an eye Upon my poor afflicted brest ; O send me help , O hear my cry , And let thy comforts be my rest : Suppress my Foes , and set me free , That have no Hope , no Help but thee . Ejaculat. 90. Great God of Gods , Great King of Kings , From whom , by whom we live , we be , In whom my Soul her triumph sings , To whom alone bowes every knee : Teach me thy way ; thy Will 's my Feast , Thy Crook my Guide , thy Fold my Rest . Ejaculat. 91. Lord , let our Jesus , and thy Christ , Be all the subject of our mirth , Let Satans power be dismist , And let him rule , and judge the earth : Then , then Eternal Peace shall be Return'd to us , and praise to thee . Ejaculat. 92. Great King of Glory , who art drest In Clothes of Clouds , in Robes of Fire , Make evil hateful to my brest , Then shall I love thee most intire : Then shall my bosome reap that light Which thou hast sown for the upright . Ejaculat. 93. Great God of Wonders , that dost ope The Gate of Life to our glad days , And found'st a help beyond all hope , O give us mouths to give thee praise ; So guide our ways , just Judge , that we May joyfully be judg'd by thee . Ejaculat. 94. Great God , whose promise is to hear , Whose practise is to pardon Sin , Let my petitions find an ear , And cleanse my leprous Soul within . Thou , Lord , art holy , teach my heart To sing thy praises as thou art . Ejaculat. 95. Eternal Maker , grant that we May praise thee with a chearful heart ; Guide thou our ways , and let us be The sheep , where thou the Shepherd art : For , Lord , thy truth is always sure , And thy great Mercy shall endure . Ejaculat. 96. Lord , teach my heart to walk upright In publique rev'rence , private fear ; Keep thou the humble in thy sight , And to the proud be thou severe : Then shall thy Saints in triumph show Thy Mercy , and thy Justice too . Ejaculat. 97. O God , how poor a thing is man ! Begot in sin , and born in sorrow ; Our breath 's a blast , our life a span , But here to day , and gone to morrow . How needfnl , Lord , is thy support ! Our days are bad , our times are short . Ejaculat. 98. O thou , within whose tender brest Full streams of sweet compassion flow , Whose Mercies cannnot be exprest By Saints above , or Men below ; My Soul shall praise , my heart shall bless That goodness , tongues cannot express . Ejaculat. 99. Lord , every creature writes a story . Of thy full Majesty and Might , The contemplation of whose Glory Shall always be my hearts delight : Accept that praise my Soul can give , And it shall praise thee while I live . Ejaculat. 100. Dear God , the Pharaoh of our Souls Afflicts the Isr'el of our hearts ; Where thou shoulds govern , he controuls ; What thou command'st his power thwarts : Confound his strength , and let thy hand Conduct us to the promis'd land . Ejaculat. 101. Lord , shouldst thou punish every sin , Or strike as oft as we offend , How quickly would our plagues begin ! How soon this sinful world would end ! But Lord , thy tender Mercies stand Within the gap , and hold thy hand . Ejaculat. 102. Lord let thy wonders , and thy ways , Inflame my heart , my tongue , my pen , That pen , and tongue , and heart may praise Thy Name before the Sons of men . Look where I list , high , low , or under , I see to learn , and learn to wonder . Ejaculat. 103. O Lord whose mercies , and whose paths Transcend th' expressions of my tongue Instruct my heart to keep thy lawes And I will praise thee in my Song . Lend me thy pow'r , or strengthen mine , And I will crush my Foes , and thine . Ejaculat. 104. O thou that sit'st in Heaven , and seest My deeds without , my thoughts within , Be thou my Prince , be thou my Priest , Command my Soul , and cure my sin : How bitter my afflictions be , I care not , so I rise in thee . Ejaculat. 105. Lord , teach my humble eyes the art To see aright , and hands to do , Then will I praise thee with my heart In publique , and in private too : Set thou thy fear in all my ways To make me wise , to give thee praise . Ejaculat. 106. Lord , plant thy fear before mine eyes , For in thy fear my Soul is blest ; Thy Fear 's that Spring , from whence arise My Crown , my Treasure , and my Rest . What fear I , fearing thee ? and what Not fearing thee , Lord , fear I not ? Ejaculat. 107. Highest of Highests , that dost raise The poor and needy from the dung , Advance my thoughts to give thee praise , And Lord , unty my stam'ring tongue : So shall my heart and tongue proclaim Rare Halelujahs to thy Name . Ejaculat. 108. O God , the Mountains and the Seas Confess thee , Lord of Sea and Land , They quake and tremble , if thou please To shew the power of thy hand : So shall my heart , when thou think'st good , To turn my flint into a flood . Ejaculat. 109. Lord , teach our loyal hearts to build Their constant hopes upon thy hand ; Thou art our Help , thou art our Shield , Wherein our hopes of safety stand : Send down thy blessings , and then we Will send all praises up to thee . Ejaculat. 110. My God , thy mercies so abound , That every minute speaks their story ; They have no limits , have no bound ; Ours are the comforts , thine the glory : And what thy mercy more displays , Thou art contented with our praise . Ejaculat. 111. Surpassing Lord , whose mercies have surpast The limits of the worlds expression , Whose truth continues firm and fast To thy elect , and their succession . To thee perpetual praise be given By Saints on Earth , and Souls in Heav'n . Ejaculat. 112. Good God! thy mercy and thy might What heart conceives ? What tongue can tell ? Thou fillest my darkness with thy light , And hast redeem'd my Soul from Hell. Thou art my God , thou onely art The strength , and musick of my heart . Ejaculat. 113. O God thy Law 's a field , in which The fruitful seed of life is sown ; No seed so rare , no soil so rich ; It renders infinite for one . O God , how fair these fields appear ! O God , what pearls are buried he re ! Ejaculat. 114. Great God , whose ever-wakeful eye Doth never slumber , never close , Teach all my dangers to rely Upon thy help , their safe repose : Be thou my shade , be thou my stay , I will not fear by night , by day . Ejaculat. 115. Lord let the fire of my true zeal Unto thy house for ever flame , Where let my thanks , and praise reveal The hidden honour of thy Name . Let Sions glory still increase , And bless her walls with plenteous peace . Ejaculat. 116. O God to whom thy thoughts direct Their constant hopes , and hopeful cries , Let not my Soul in vain expect For mercy , from such gracious eyes : Maintain thine honour ; 'T is not me The proud contemn , Great God , but thee . Ejaculat. 117. Lord give me a believing heart , Though wanting strength I fear not man , If thou be pleas'd to take my part , Let malice do the worst it can . Although insnar'd I will not fear , For thou art stronger than a snare . Ejaculat. 118. Give me the heart , O God to trust , And lead my Footsteps in thy ways ; Quell thou the power of the unjust , That righteous hearts may give thee praise . Do good to good men , and encrease Their number , plenty , and their peace . Ejaculat. 119. Lord , we are Captives , and we bow To Satans burthen every hour , We sow in tears , oh when wilt thou With joy requite the weary sower ? So bless my labors that I may , With comfort long to see that day . Ejaculat. 120. What I possess , or what I crave Brings no content great God , to me , If what I would , or what I crave Be not possest , and blest in thee . What I enjoy , oh make it mine In making me , that have it , Thine . Ejaculat. 121. Lord , plant thy fears within my brest , That I may walk thy perfect ways ; Then shall I prosper and be blest In all my deeds , in all my days : Then shall I see the fair encrease , Of Sions glory , Israels peace . Ejaculat. 122. Lord since there must be always Foes T' afflict the Souls of flesh and blood , Let mine be such as do oppose Thy Churches peace , thy Sions good : Then let that righteous arm of thine , Confound , or cure thy foes , and mine . Ejaculat. 123. Hearer of prayers , O whom should I Implore , but thee , in my distress , For mercy harbors in thine eye , And thou art fill'd with righteousness . To thee , O God , my hopes shall flee , My Soul expects no help but thee . Ejaculat. 124. Lord if mine eyes should look too high , Or ranc'rous heart begin to swell , Break thou the tumor , curb mine eye , Lest one grow fierce , the other fell . So shall my Soul grow wise , and flee From her own strength , and trust in thee . Ejaculat. 125. Lord let mine eyes not sleep until I build thy Temple in my brest , Take pleasure then , and make it still The chosen Palace of thy rest : Let all her foes be trodden down , And let thy Glory be her Crown . Ejaculat. 126. Lord we are several members joyn'd To make one whole , whose head thou art , Let all our thoughts but make one mind , And give one body , but one heart . United Souls of Saints appear The sweetest musick in thine ear . Ejaculat. 127. Light thou the Lamps , great God , that they Light'ned by thee may give us light , Let their bright lustre drive away All darkness from thy Courts by night ; Bless us and them , that they : and we May bless thy name , first blest by thee . Ejaculat. 128. Let every wonder that I see In Heav'n , and Earth , and in the Seas , Advance some honour , Lord , to thee That didst , and canst do , what thou please , Let others worship wood and stone , My Soul shall bless thee , Lord , alone . Ejaculat. 129. Good God , where e're I cast mine eye , On Earth beneath , or Heaven above , I see thy goodness , and I spy Perpetual pledges of thy love . Thy favors through the world extend , And of thy mercy is no end . Ejaculat. 130. Lord , if my tongue , and busie quill Be not in Sions praise imploy'd , Then let my hand forget her skill And be my tongue for ever ty'd ; Thy praise shall be my chief delight Whilst tongue can speak , or hand can write . Ejaculat. 131. Kindle O Lord , my love with zeal , Light my affections with thy flame ; Give my tongue courage to reveal The secret glory of thy name . Be thou my God , in all distress , And let thy hand be my redress . Ejaculat. 132. Lord , thou that mad'st me , and dost pry Into the secrets of my heart , From whose all presence none can fly Nor hide them there , but where thou art , Inform my Soul , inflame my brest , And lead me to eternal Rest . Ejaculat. 133. Lord keep me from my self that am The greatest Foe , I need to fear ; O cover thou my face with shame And give my sins no dwelling here . Subdue my flesh ; and then my spirit , Shall sing the praises of thy merit . Ejaculat. 134. Lord when my grief shall find a tongue To cry for help , find thou an ear , Whilst others seek to do me wrong , Make thou O God my conscience clear . In those self-snares they have prepar'd Let my insnarers be insnar'd . Ejaculat. 135. When winter fortunes cloud the brows Of summer friends ; when eyes grow strange , When plighted faith forget their vowes , When Earth , and all things in it change , O Lord thy mercies fail me never , Where once thou lov'st , thou lov'st for ever . Ejaculat. 136. Judge not my actions by the Laws , For then my sorrows are but just , But let thy mercies plead my ●●●se , For in thy mercy is my trust . Those that oppose my Soul , oppose ; I am thy servant , they thy foes . Ejaculat. 137. What is there , Lord , what is in me To hope for safety from thy power ? What help can I expect from thee , That merit vengeance every hour ? How great so e're my sins have bin , Thy mercy's greater than my sin . Ejaculat. 138. Great God , whose Kingdome hath no end , Into whose secrets none can dive , Whose mercy none can apprehend , Whose Justice none can feel , and live , What my dull heart cannot aspire To know , Lord , teach me to admire . Ejaculat. 139. O Lord my Judgment 's dark , and blind , It cannot judge 'twixt good , and ill , My will is captiv'd and confin'd , It wants a freedome how to will , Great Lord of power , great God of might Release my bands , restore my sight . Ejaculat. 140. Great God whose goodness doth repleat , And fill our Coasts with full encrease , That feed'st us with the fat of wheat , And glad'st thy Sion with thy peace . How more than others are our days Extreamly bound to give thee praise . Ejaculat. 141. Shall frost and snow give praise to thee , And shall my Soul not bear a part ? Lord frost and snow appear to be Not half so cold as is my heart . Shine glorious Sun , thy beams but felt , My frost will thaw , my snow will melt . Ejaculat. 142. Great God to whom all praise belongs Whom Sion fings , and Israel fears , O stop those lusts that stop our tongues And fright thy glory from our ears . Do thou enlarge what flesh retains , And bind those Kings , our lusts , in chains . Ejaculat. 143. Lord season my unsavory sprite And bridle my too head-strong will , That I may always take delight In acting good , and shunning ill . O give me grace to understand , My life is always in thy hand . Ejaculat. 144. Direct my steps , Lord , be my way , And make thy paths my sole delight , That like a traveller I may Not fail to rest with thee at night , O me , how happy , and how blest , ( Lord ) should I be in such a Rest ! Ejaculat. 145. Lord , let the morning of my grief , Find out a night of lasting pleasure , Thou art the God of my relief , In poverty , thou art my treasure . I care not , Lord , how poor I be Unto the world , if rich to thee . Ejaculat. 146. Lord let thy sacred fire thaw The Ice of my hard-frozen zeal , And let thy will be my known Law , So shall my heart , thy worth reveal , And with a halalujous Song My tongue shall praise thee all day long . Ejaculat. 147. Great King of Peace , be pleas'd to send Thy peace to our distemper'd Land , O we are bad , reach us t' amend , And let not ruine be our brand , Then shall our lavish lips deliver . Our thanks in Peace , to our Peace-giver . Ejaculat. 148. If it be so that we must fight , Lord make our crimes to prove our Foes , For thou ( our God ) dost take delight , To see such pleasant Wars as those . O may such wars as these encrease , Until our conquests end in Peace . Ejaculat. 149. Lord let the praises of thy Power , Advance the power of thy praises , Let every day , let every hour , Praise thee till hours fail , and days . To thee all power and praise be given , By Saints on Earth , by Souls in Heaven . THE END . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A56850-e6070 Isa . Notes for div A56850-e42830 * Psal . 81. 16.