The Turtledove (an emblem of the new Creature) her properties described.  
THe Turtledove truly resemble can  
Of any thing, in nature, the Newman,  
In heart and whole affections constant, pure,  
Does loyal only to her choice endure:  
Most searching, piercing storms and darkest night,  
In presence of her Lover, she doth slight:  
But thoughts of separation be so sad,  
Created comforts cannot make her glad:  
Whiles vexing grief from self-suspition grows,  
That his removal from her motion flows:  
This Animal the Rational so exceeds,  
She for preferment of affection pleads.  
They born again this case can only state,  
Prevail and far exceed in the debate;  
For they reframed, refined, revived be,  
By that anointing makes them hear and see  
Himself, who so elects, allures and loves,  
His Dove redeemed, reproves, proves, and approves,  
Most blessed they thus taught, thus framed, thus gained  
To God by grace, and from the world weaned.  CANT. 2.12, 14. 
The voice of the Turtle is heard in our Land. 14. O my Dove, that art in the clefts of the Rocks, in the secret places of the Stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voices for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.  PSAL. 68.13. 
Though ye have lain among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a Dove, covered with Silver, and her feathers with yellow Gold.   

THE TURTLE-DOVE, UNDER THE ABSENCE & PRESENCE OF HER ONLY CHOICE: OR, DESERTION & DELIVERANCE REVIVED.  
1. Ushered with the NICODEMIAN PARADOX explained in a Comparison betwixt the First and Second BIRTH; and closed with the Characters of the Old and New Man.  
2. And seconded with a SURVEY of the First and Second DEATH: which enclosed with a Sepation-kisse betwixt two most intimate Friends, the Soul and Body of Man.  
3. And a Glimmering of the First and Second Resurrection and General Judgement: closing with a Song of Degrees, from what we were to what we are, and from thence toward what we shall be.  
By a Lover of the Celestial Muses.  JOHN 3.8▪ 
The wind bloweth where it ●is●, etc.  
EDINBVRGh, Printed by Andrew Anderson, Printer to the CITY and COLLEGE. Anno DOM. 1664.   

The Presentation of the Turtle-Dove, to the Lady VISCOUNTESS of KENMOOR.  
RIght Noble Madam, Please your Honour now,  
Accept this present of a Turtle Dove,  
Which in the Ark reserved, secure hath been,  
And both the worlds, new and old hes seen;  
The Nations of the old, deaths captives living,  
The natives of the new, in death reviving,  
She sees preserved from fear, from pit, from snare,  
Where wretched worldlings wamble in despair:  
Those old ascendent shining and shut out,  
These born anew with Songs of safety shout:  
Eternal purposes revealed she weighs,  
And timous precious promises applies,  
Timely performances she truly proves,  
And feels how fervently her Lover loves:  
Now when you have considerately seen  
Her Songs, and found them clear and Christ-all-clean,  
Then let her sweetly by your licence fly,  
Amongst true mourners with her melody;  
These discords well composed abounding there  
In concord's move a sweet soul-melting air:  
Ladies and Lovers, Lidia-like advert,  
Till spiritual motions mollify your heart:  
That moulded new, in love true and divine,  
Then in your Lover's likeness you may shine.   

An ACROSTIC upon the NAME of the Right Honourable LADY, JEAN CAMPBEL, VISCOUNTESS of Kenmoor,  

L LOve-bred designs from deep divine desires,  
A A Spirit inspires, transcending humane skill,  
D Dilating still the will with heavenly fires,  
I Inflamed wherewith▪ admires her Lover still.  
E Elected Lady elevated Lover,  
I Enjoy the object of thy Love sublime,  
A Adore the dictates of thy Divine Mover:  
N Now training thee to treasures after time.  
E Eternal troubles, inward trials strong  
C Come out to make thee famous in thy fight,  
A And managed be the mysteries among  
M Make up thy life-translation unto light.  
P Press through the straits, the precious prize perceive,  
B Bounty bestows, and blessed souls receive:  
E Eternal triumphs, glory infinite,  
L Love's Darling comes thy comforts to complete.   

The Minion of the Muses here,  
Great Mistress of this gracious Choir,  
Whose study unto self-denial  
Had suffered to shine, the trial,  
Should made the Muse's homage do  
Her Pen and Person both unto.    

An ACROSTIC upon the name of that very Religious and Famous GENTLEWOMAN, MARION McKNAICHT.  

M Moore happy than imagined can be,  
A And blessed are such as with heart sincere,  
R Resolve to cleave to Christ to live and die,  
I In Him, with Him, and for Him to appear,  
O O What transcendent glory grows from grace!  
N None but, no not the soul refined shall  
M ᶜ Make to appear, that Light, that Life, that peace,  
K Known only to the pure Possessors all.  
N Now▪ thou by grace art unto glory gone,  
A And gained the Garland of eternal bliss,  
I In seeing Him, who on the glorious Throne,  
C Created, uncreated, glory is:  
H Heavens Choir did sing at thy conversion sweet,  
T Time posts thy final comforts to complete.   

Those names among the living worthily  
Preserved be, that true Belivers be.  
And such they be that truly do believe,  
Who living, learn to die, dying, to live.    

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE, Noble, and Religious LADY, JEAN, VISCOUNTESS of KENMOOR.  
Right Honourable,  
BEing past controversy, and universally acknowledged, that bitter Experience is the best Teacher and Schoolmaster of fools: amongst which rank I do esteem myself to be inferior to very few; And therefore must be educate under such exercises and discipline, as the only wise Parent (who knows well the frame, disposition and inclination of every one of his children) sees meet, for instructing, rectifying, and reclaiming of the blind-born ignorant, prone to all manner of perversity, out of that natural darkness, by the illumination of the holy Ghost, unto the life of grace whereby God makes himself known to the Elect, and themselves to themselves, and whereby they be moved to hate and abhor themselves, to love and believe Him, so clearly manifested to them▪ that the Devil or his instruments, from without or from within, cannot gain ground so far, against the work of his begun grace, as to raze it. Nevertheless the subtle Hunter, cruel and violent Persecutor of such as are thrusting through the straight gate, ceaseth not to prepare and set many snares privily in our way: partly by entangling our minds with too much worldly affairs and other vain inventions: and partly by presenting well-polished idols, for our humours, as means of diversion, whereby we be marred in our growth, and come slowly unto maturity. But our only good God, and gracious Father, who, out of his infinite goodness, hath begun, knows also how to accomplish his work in every one of his own. For proof whereof, I have made bold to let your Ladyship know, that, after many multiplied compassions, unchangeable love, and long-sufferings, wherewith my Lord hath been driving me nearer to Himself: now at length to lead me apart, as it were, out of the world, by a singular and unexpected providence, unto the wilderness, not to be tempted by the Devil, as my dear Saviour was before me, who alone was able to endure and overcome: but to be alured and enlarged (by freedom from outward, and supply against inward intanglement) to recent the variety of most observable Dispensations wherewith I have been exercised these 70. years, and to read over the Endictment of provocations, upon the travels and troubles that I have been tossed with in that time allotted me: hereto being sustained under, and rescued from the distractions of all the trials and temptations that I have tasted of, unto this day: But specially, since the time that, by grace, I have had, in any measure, my senses exercised, to discern the benefit of his presence and Providence, ordinary and extraordinary: and the burden and bitterness of his absence, the deepest and darkest hell that the child of God meets with; and therefore carries the name of Desertion, (albeit not properly) being partial) and, blessed be the Lord) but temporal, and not according to the measure. But I forbear, knowing that the exercises of God's children are various and all wonderful, both in manner and measure. And seeing I have found that the most sad, tart, distractive or destructive whereof I have tasted, whether upon the mind, conscience, name, means, body, or friends, have been prescribed by such wisdom, inflicted by such favour, qualified by such compassion, timed by such prescience, and sweetened by such deliverance: and thereby produced such inward consolation, that I have been overcome in admiring and adoring that depth of excellency that hath therein appeared: and thereby become desirous to impart some part thereof unto others, that the Christian Believers, who have been sustained under the like trials, feasted upon the like furniture, and delighted with the like deliverances, may take occasion to renew their songs of thanksgiving and praise to their Royal Provisor, and Captain of their Salvation.  
And likewise, that such who scar at the Profession, and keep at distance by reason of the Cross and contumelies that cleave unto the Professor, unto whom nothing is certain but what is seen and present: whereas, unto the Believer, things future and unseen for the time, be most certain: and yet will, out of curiosity, glance at every thing, as if they were making use of all things; May know that it is for want of spiritual discerning and senses, so exercised, to taste and smell the sweet fruits of a sanctified Cross, that keeps them from closing with, and coming under the Colours of the Captain of Salvation, who leads through, and feeds with such freedom and furniture, as should make them sing under all their sufferings.  
The project and end of all being, to induce and persuade unto the ardent study of this secret and saving way of God upon the soul, unto convincing and converting, whereby the faith of His eternal Love being increased, all the desires and delights of the heart may be fixed upon, and fervently intended for a Communion with Him, who is altogether delectable and only desirable.  
The matter, manner and circumstances being consonant to Scripture-verity, Scripture-president, and the experience of the most sound and sincere, the figures and metaphors familiar and significant, the composing and personating thereof to the life, whereby the matter may be the more perspicuous, and leave the better impression, I trust shall not offend any. And now, most Noble and truly Religious Lady, although your Ladyship hes been honoured with the patronage of the most exquisite exercise of practical Divinity that hes seen the light in our days, yet I trust your L. shall not esteem it inconsistent with that well deserved reputation enjoyed by you, that your L. name is here most deservedly prefixed as sole Lady and Mistress of this Choir; being so well versed in exercises of this nature, being also of a continued standing in the way of Christianity from your infancy, untainted and undaunted by temptation or tribulation, from within or from without, how plausible or how perilous soever they have appeared: constantly keeping the path that is called holy, by the line of Truth and Righteousness, as the fruits of that saving faith once given to the Saints (without reversion) which works by love clear and sufficient evidence hereof, removing all grounds of suspi●ion of private respects or vulgar ends; and who can discern aright the virtue, or attain unto the utility of such supplies of His gracious presence and providence but such as have seen and felt, tasted and feasted upon the sweet and soul-ravishing fruits of eternal, infinite and unchangeable love, wisdom, mercy, power and faithfulness of God in them? The sensible fruition, whereof at some times unto the Saints, is like sweet ointment poured out, and gives such fragrant smells, as sets the Virgins upon a Love-ardour and ecstasy in enquiring after Him when He seems absent, whom they have found altogether Lovely and only desirable, when in His Garden of Grace He hes been letting down the Dew of Heaven upon the spices of His own planting.  
Here your Ladyship hes been nourished, cherished and refreshed amongst your associates, flourished and been fruitful, and instrumental to the comfort and encouragement of others, under the diversity of several cases incident to these of your fellowship.  
I have likewise, after your Ladyship, remembered the name of that famous and memorable Matron, Marion Macknaught, whose memory hes left a sweet smell behind her; and whose soul is now so overjoyed in Saviour-love, that she rests superexceedingly satisfied, attending the final consummating of all things, subject to alteration, and the glory that is to be revealed: through which she hes been well guided and guarded, and after whom, and others that be gone before, Your Ladyship is advancing through the windings and mazes of this labyrinth, the task and trial of a Christian Believer, where is to be obtained the greatest victories imaginable, and also, to be gained the richest treasures of all desirable excellencies attainable, only by the guiding of the holy Ghost, in holding fast the well twisted thread of sacred truth, whereby we make a sweet entry, a sure progress, and a victorious retreat: whereas in letting this grip slip, we fall amongst Rocks & Robbers: and being bemisted amongst soul-murderers, head-notions, and heart-motions, perverting both wit and will unto unevitable and unrecoverable ruin, with the multitude who, slumbering in their sensualities, are swallowed up in the groundless gulf of endless oblivion, unless it please the Lord in an extraordinary way to interpose, and wonderfully work our rescue, thereby witnessing His unsearchable sovereignty in saving some (while others are suffered to sink in their own devices) who seeing themselves self-lost and so saved; they are bred unto self-denial, simple submission unto, and sole dependence upon their guide: with songs of joyful deliverance from dangers past, with confidence and courage for future supply.  
All which, for recreation in spare hours, is offered unto your Ladyship, not being prejudicial to your more solemn and serious exercise, wherein being daily sprinkled with the dew of grace, and throughly purified by the blood of sprinkling, and so prepared for the places that be prepared for you: when corruption and all things corruptible being dissolved, glory and immortality put on, and you admitted (amongst others that stand by) to feast upon the superexcellencies of joys that are in the King's face, and pleasures that be enjoyed at His right Hand for evermore, who out of His eternal Love, in an incomprehensibl● way of infinite wisdom hes purchased this peace, this grace, this glory to all the members of the body mystical, whereof He the glorious Head, i● the fullness of Him who filleth all in all: And unto whose grace and faithfulness, your Ladyship is fervently recommended, by,  
Noble Madam, Your Ladyship's most affectionate and humble Servant, JOHN FULLARTOUN of Careltoun. Edinburgh, Feb. 8. 1664.   

THE EPISTLE TO THE Weak and wrestling Believer.  
DAughters of Jerusalem, This weak, and wearied Pilgrim, now coming your way, who, being long detained in the house of bondage, hath been (amongst others) called out and guided through the Red-sea by a more miraculous deliverance, and guarded by a greater and better Guide than Moses to Israel: from the pursuit of more numerous enemies, and oftener at the brink of despairs until peremptor Providences of powerful preserva●on appearing, have caused the raging Seas of most dreadful trials to recoil for our passage, unto the utter ruin of unreconcilable enemies: and yet must take journey through a waste and wearisome wilderness, where we are brought low, and kept under by troubles and trials unexpressible: and all for our good, till we have fulfilled our course.  
And now at the length this Passenger, being arrived at the borders of the Holy-land, and having tasted of the first fruits thereof: and thereby being encouraged to attend the appointed time, when he shall be called to pass on after those that are gone before him through Jordan: so long as the Priest's feet stand firm in the midst of the River, with the Ark of the Covenant upon their shoulders; And in the mean time doth take occasion to recent the most notable evidences of his supply and support, under greatest crosses, conflicts, dangers, and deliverances, by mediate and immediate helps of His Presence and Providence, who hath been his God and his Guide, his Sun and his Shield unto this day: and therefore conceives it to be his duty, to convey some Clusters of the Grapes, as the first Fruits of that Country (for encouragement) to such as are upon their journey through the waters of Mara, through fiery serpents swarming in the wilderness: and must endure what Balak, with the advice and device of Balaam, can do, that they may be the less afraid of these fierce assaults that they be to conflict with.  
And the sense whereof puts him upon this singing strain, and extracts (rom him these solemn Song of singular deliverance from all these furious, assaults and slavish fears that has infested his faith or fostered his dejections: specially unto the conviction of carnal Professors of this generation, who● under the frequency of Gospel-ordinances, having attained unto the theory of Theological Truths swimming in the brain, are satisfied, and set down under a carnal security, not affected with the preciousness of the adorable Divinity that is in them: So as by sucking them in, they may sink down to the heart, and therefrom elevate the soul to press forward for the prize, with such wakening and warming zeal to the glory of such multiplied mercies, in the Gospel-ministry, as might produce the sweet smelling fruits of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, the proper result of true, living and saving faith, which works by love in these that, being born again, do walk in the Spirit, and discern aright in things that differ.  
The Course and Method taken, is by a Survey of four several Subjects.  


1. The first, Upon the First and Second BIRTH, by way of Comparison betwixt the Generation, and Growth of MAN in Nature: and the Regeneration and Growth of the NEW MAN in Grace; And closing with the Portrait of the New and Old Man, under the Names of Virtue and Vice.  
2. The second, Upon the Exercises of the weak Believing CHRISTIAN, under Desertion and Deliverance: And closing with an Objection of the Carnal Man, answered with a Rational Advice to the Party.  
3. The third, Upon the First and Second DEATH; And closing with a SEPARATION-KISSE betwixt two intimate Friends, the Soul and Body.  
4. The fourth, Upon the First and Second RESURRECTIONS and GENERAL JUDGEMENT: And closing with a SONG of DEGREES.    
The first of them being a Rational Discourse, most tending to inform and convince the Natural Man.  
The second Practical, and for Spiritual Application.  
The third for Deliberation.  
The fourth for Consolation.  
Which being so ordered, have been laid aside for these six years and above: Not intending that they should have seen the light, until I had come to the possession of a greater light than is accessible under mortality. But now, in all probability, drawing near to the close of my time in the body: And by providence being in this place, where I have the offer of service assistant for that effect: and conceiving it doubtful which of us shall see the one, or other light, first, that where grace, or this where glory shines, I have now resolved to let them out, to make a Visit among the Daughters of Jerusalem; With whom a professed Pilgrim may have much assurance of hearty welcome, for discourses: and so much the more, that he hath been admitted unto intimacy, and honoured with a kiss of the hand of so truly Noble, Religious, and Virtuous a LADY, under whose Patrociny he makes his appearance: but specially will be in request with such as have undertaken, or do intend to undertake the like travels: Not for the holy Grave, but for the grace of Holiness, wherein to make our approaches: Not to see the place where our Lord was laid, but where he lives, and prepares for us to live with him: Not to carry with us, as a monument, some of that earth wherein our Saviour was interred for a time, but to receive the promised Comforter, who is only able to conduct, and protect, through all the passages of our Pilgrimage, to the end of our journey.  
And it will be granted, that experiences are most able to make the best report for difficulties or dangers by Sea or by Land, of ●po●ling by Robbers, or splitting on Rocks, and may be most able to guard, and give encouragement against the sons of Anak: And so much the more, as we may gather grounds of certain victory after a short Conflict: and a never-ending triumph after some transitory trials, wherein we are sustained by Him, in whom we be more than conquerors. And that you may believe, and be established, shall be the fervent desire of  
Your Fellow-pilgrim, and Servant in Christ Jesus, J. F.   

THE OCCASION AND CONTENTS OF THE ENSUING DISCOURSE▪  
AMongst many other innumerable testimonies of Gods unspeakable goodness (when contrary to all appearance or probability of expectation) there was by a gracious dispensation offered unto me, the liberty, freedom and benefit of a long wished for retirememt, I took the opportunity of the time, to take notice of the most observable passages of 72. years' time passed me: Wherein for the space of 36. years from my birth, being carried by the sway of mine own natural and native inclination the concourse of the like company and the current of time and place.  
1. First, in my minority I have had much fearful proof of what impiety the blind-born, fu●-born, wrath-born, brutish atheist is naturally poisoned with, and pro●e unto.  
2. And secondly, after the years of discretion, and the benefit of breeding a more fearful proof of the vanity and deceit of self-confidence, upon the ground of civil carriage and commerce.  
3. Thirdly, and most dreadful of all, the conviction of that villainy of hypocrisy, under a formality of profession.  
After all, it being the good pleasure of my God, in a time of love, by the Ministry of the Word, and convoy of the Spirit, to clear mine eyes, and open mine ears, unto a right uptaking of mine own bypast madness and misery, and of His marvellous long-sufferings and mercy, so as (by grace) might have both humbled me, and helped me.  
And now again, for the space of other 36. years, being under the name of a standing (but more properly stammering) Professor, I have found by better (although bitter) experience, that the way of God's Children through the wilderness is strawed with innumerable piercing thorns of divers afflictions and variety of temptations: And that the most searching trials and sharpest afflictions are so unseparably conjoined, as fire and heat, under the exercise of desertion, being unto the spiritual man and renewed party a present (but temporary) hell, and yet carrying a heaven in the heart of it: Whereas the Fool's paradise of sinful pleasures produces in a short time an everlasting hell. And finding that out of the most terrifying and tormenting troubles, songs of joyful deliverance were enjoyed, like sweet out of the strong, and meat out of the eater, although it should seem to the natural man a Paradox: Yet I shall speak a word to such as are inclining to better clearness then as yet they have attained unto. That they would make it their study to know that the Child of God after regeneration, in whom the seed of Grace is graciously infused, by the effectual operation of the Holy Ghost, in the ministry of the word, whereby the new Creature is form in the soul, where the old man of the flesh or corrupt nature, formerly carried sway without control, that these two parties now in one person, being of as different qualities as fire and water; dispositions, designs, desires & delights, as God, the Author of the one, and Belial of the other: the one being a young and new Intrant, & the other an old possessor strongly fortified: they enter an intestine war with as great hostility, as is betwixt Michael and the Dragon: Where the new man endures daily incursions by the violence and subtle wranglings of the adversary, the advantage of the one proving the prejudice of the other: Which conflict being continued in the Beliver, there is prepared for beating down the old works of the Devil, and purging out the pollutions of the flesh, potions and antidotes answerable to all the poison vented upon our nature by the old serpent, and whereby we are naturally infected, until the vice, vanity and villainy of the first generation be fully mortified, and the work of grace, virtue and verity be implanted, and promoved unto maturity and perfection: And in the evidence whereof the soul is inwardly overjoyed under all the outward and temporary annoyances that she suffers, humbly submitting unto all such dispensations, finding them prove her sensible advantages, and the means of her advancement unto present growth in Grace, and hope of glory. But this being the secret work of God in His own Children, unseen and not discernible by the carnal man, in whose eyes they be but abject and despicable persons who can pretend such principles, or presume upon so unsensible grounds, not able to conceive, far less to give credit that such daily seen and sad sufferings, as the Believer is subject unto, could produce such sweet soul-satisfying fruit, as can make them sing for joy, and shout for gladness of heart, whence flows the most of mistakes.  
And by this perpetual repugnancy and constant opposition betwixt the spirituality of the new, and the carnality of the old man: being throughly pondered, it shall easily be agreed upon, that what is affirmed●nent the beatitude of the Believer, and grounds of encouragement they have under all their most grievous afflictions, is confirmed: For it may be asserted (being generally acknowledged by all the Children of God) that the least spunk of confidence, preserved by grace in the heart of the Believer, under the conflict of faith powerfully working, produceth incomparably more real ground of true inward and spiritual comfort, than all the splendour, pomp and external glory that the invention or imagination of man and Angel with the accession of all the cretures of the universe concentered in one, and flowing out upon the best capacitat and apprehensive person, habilitute to swim without sinking, or swelling in that Ocean of all carnal and temporary delights, without the least disturbance or annoyance unto the largest extent of time, that any of the sons of Adam hes attained unto; And that (although there were no more, albeit in the second place) by reason of the brevity of all these carnal, transitory and perishing pleasures, extinguishing in present stink, and closing in perpetual torment: And the duration, accomplishment and perfection of the other in eternal glory, above all conceiving, sense or believing: Which finding, and still the more looking and delighting to see, and dive in the Majesty of that wisdom, knowledge and providence that appears in the progress of that work of His grace in His chosen, called and faithful Children, inferior to none of the wonders of the Lord: Excepting, first, that great and unsearchable mystery of godliness. 2 Tim. 3.16.  
2. And secondly, that secret and unseen way of infusing the seed of saving grace in the soul, for forming of the new Creature, John 3.3. to the 9 Out of which considerations▪ from the experience attained, and insight of the breeding, forms and dispositions both of Court, Country, School and City, the best by breeding, and the worst by birth that can be expected of many; I have set about, composed and personate the purpose and project in this order, manner, invention and verse, under Scripture-figures and metaphors, succinct, significant, and sententious, for taking best impression upon mind, memory and affections: Not by art or humane learning, wherein I am little versed, but by the Rudiments of Christianity, and experienced observations, most material and applicable to the purpose.  
I. And first, in the general and whole complex of this discourse, there is held out the most blessed condition, freedom and felicity of the Church, the Spouse of Christ, and of every chosen Child of God, and Member of the Body mystical, after Regeneration: Nevertheless, of all the trials, troubles and temptations they are to meet with in the straight way.  
II. Secondly, in particular there is represented, the sad condition and sharp affliction of the Child of God under desertion, made appear in a threefold consideration.  
1. First, More felt then real.  
Debated from Page 8. to 23. Where it is made evident, that the Child of God, after Regeneration, may be wrapped under fearful clouds of darkness and discouragement, and impossible to be comforted, till there come a reviving from the inward Comforter: And this is most properly Love sickness, being for trial and prevention, Psa. 42. Psa. 30.7, 8, 9, 10.  
2. Secondly, Real and felt.  
And this is debated from Page 23. to 49. Wherein there is notice taken of the several most prevailing tentations, upon several ranks of persons. viz. The Court-bred, the School-bred, the Countrie-bred and the City-bred, the Civilian also, and the most savage of conversation. Nevertheless, the party deserted, not able to discern the special cause of the affliction, until the means be sanctified by inward supply: And this is for chastisement and correction, tending to humiliation, Psal. 51. 1 Sam. 1.16.  
3. Thirdly, More real than felt.  
Debated from p. 49. to 76. Where it is made appear, that the believer may be lying under much guilt, unsensible un●ill a timous wakning come: and when it is come, under much perplexity, until a word of peace be pronounced: And this is for trial and wakening, Isa. 39.12. 2 Sam. 24.10, 11, 12, 13.  
III. thirdly, After all this serious debate, unto small purpose, the smoking flax being long smothered, and now breathed upon, it kindleth swiftly, and breaks out sweetly in an excessive flame of spiritual fervour: And whereby then, and not till then, the party being prevailed with, there appears a correspondent alteration of affections in the whole strain, and uniform expressions of the whole Society.  

1. First; The perplexed person under absence is now upon renewed sense, elevated unto a most sublime, soul-ravishing rapture, in a SONG, p. 76. and the continuation thereof, p. 77, 78.  
2. Secondly, The Associates sympathising therewith in ecstasy, SONG 2. p. 79.  
3. Thirdly, The continuation of the Sympathy in ecstasy, SONG 3. pag. 80, 81.  
4. Fourthly, The Soul-rapture, upon renewed sense, again renewed, SONG 4. pag. 82, 83.  
5. Fifthly, solid grounds of spiritual security, by way of Echo, p. 84.  
6. Sixthly, A timous warning to guard against carnal security, with comforts and encouragements unto cheerfulness against trials and troubles, till he end his journey, p. 85. to 96.  
7. Seventhly, The grounds of Gospel-ordinances presented under the name of the Pallace-garden: from p. 96. to 107. wherein there are nine several MAZES making up the Garden, viz. 

First, A Border of Restriction, p. 98.  
Secondly, A Beam of Instruction, 99  
Thirdly, Cordials for Encouragement, 100  
Fourthly, Loves Mystery, 101.  
Fifthly, The Fountain unexhaustible, 102.  
Sixthly, Loves Labyrinth, 103.  
Seventhly, Love's Mirror, 104.  
Eighthly, Loves Emblem, 105.  
Ninthly, Loves Union, 106.    
8. Eightly, The Jewel of Jewels, a Vade-mecum for heart impression and preservation p. 110. to 114.  
9 Ninthly, The Symphonicall desires and delights of the Redeemed, in their retirements, closing with that Song, Rev. 15.3, 4. p. 114. to 121.  
10. Tenthly, A harmonious Consort, and a Song of praise, p. 121. to 126.  
11. Eleventhly, Reviving Recollections and Solliloquys, closing with the Song of all Saints, Rev. 7.12 p. 127 to 1●4  
12. Twelfthly, An Objection by the mere natural man answered, and the party advised. p. 134. to 142   
In all which there is represented sure grounds of ●oud comfort, under all the trials incident to the Child of Go● after regeneration, from his birth, in his life and death and after death his soul enjoyments, bo●es rest and resurrection, soul and bodies second conjunction, small absolution and endless beatitude, carrying, also, through the whole discourse from infallible truth▪ the terrors of the Law, against all that be under the Law, all ●e●ding to 〈◊〉 serious study of keeping a Communion with God in the Spirit, with a spiritual and cheerful conversation unde● all dispensations, cross or comfortable, in that humbleness and singleness of heart, the fruits of saving faith which works by love, to the praise of the Author, and our own peace.  
And as to the additions of a preparatory Paradox. explained in a comparison betwixt the first and second birth going before, & a subsequent survey of the first and second death, resurrection▪ and general judgement, they b● hereto annexed for making complete the intended design of delineating the pedigree of the new Creature from the right stock of his portrait from his true Parent● and Procreation, his crosses, conflicts, comforts and confidences from the right Fountain, in life and in death, his restauration from death and darkness unto immortal life and light of glory, from the all-glorious and ever blessed Author of his being, and this his most blessed well-being.   

TO THE OBSERVANT READER, UPON THE ENSUING POEM.  
YOu who desire to know the plain (though straight)  
Pathway, to new Jerusalem's high gate,  
Whose pav'ment bright (embossed with Gems, be far,  
More rich and fine then the most glistering Star)  
In glore excels the boundless saphire bounds  
Of lights vast Curtain, these pure Christall-●ounds,  
Whose azure Canopy, and pleasant fields,  
Great ground of soul-amazing wonder yields:  
If any in designs so high aspires,  
As to resolve through waters and through fires  
Of torturing trouble, to climb the steep yee-rocks  
'Twixt Heaven and earth, in spite of Satan's strocks;  
And will rest satisfied with nothing less  
Than Heaven, yea, God Himself, eternal bless,  
Resolving to endure all grief, all pain,  
All loss, this great prize, All in all, to gain.  
Lo, here's a Pilgrim, who (being guided by  
Truth's sacred thread, and Gods directing eye)  
Is now come near his journey's end (not stayed  
By feigned fraud or vain hopes not dismayed  
By force, frowns, hate or groundless fears) expecting  
Gods call to enter Jordan, and neglecting  
Fond vanities: he's looking from the top  
Of Pisgah, by the eye of faith and hope,  
Toward the Promised Land, which to enjoy,  
Through's time, he mainly did himself employ:  
But while God spares, soul-wasting idleness  
He loathes, and therefore, on the Wilderness,  
Through which he's come, and all that did befall  
Him in his way therethrough, and in his call  
Thereto, reflecting; all he well observes,  
And unto others carefully preserves;  
Lo, therefore, here held forth, thou'lt clearly see,  
Of Christian cases the diversity▪  
Sometimes rapt to the third heavens by loves wings,  
They see their strange soul-ravishing sights, and things  
Vnutterably glorious, whence doth spring  
Amazing joy, true peace, which makes them sing:  
Here neither reason, faith, nor hope, but love,  
And sense cause the soul-chariot-wheels to move.  
Sometimes these soul-transporting objects be  
Veiled, whence flow darkness, great perplexity,  
Afflicting trouble, torturing grief of mind,  
By which they are consumed, in which they're pined:  
Then reason's corrupt, faith's weak, sense is gone,  
Hope fails, love still remaining's left alone,  
Which surely, though unsensibly, unites  
The soul to Christ, Christ to the soul invites.  
Lo, likewise, here thou'lt see the ground, on which  
Some Christians are so tossed, some not so much,  
With their procuring causes and occasions,  
Grave warnings, suiting all such dispensations;  
Lest when they be advanced they swell in pride,  
And turn secure, then sadly fall, or slide  
With heartless frettings, When they cannot have  
All things, at all times, their vain hearts do crave:  
In all which things, his words he fitly squares,  
With sound experience its norm, and dares  
With open face avow, all here declared,  
To have been clearly known, found, seen and heard:  
Come therefore, read, and with all care peruse  
His words; for love to thee did cause him choose  
To publish them: Thy good he did intend,  
Next to God's glory, and if this great end  
Be reached, he's recompensed for all his pain:  
Give praise to God, thank him, for thine's the gains  
W. G.   

To my highly Honoured, and very obliging FRIEND, upon his rare and suitable Choice in the ensuing POEM.  
Much honoured Sir, the stately peerless worth  
Of your high soaring spirit, is held forth  
In slighting things terrene, divine desiring,  
With most undaunted boldness, high aspiring,  
To know, see, yea, enjoy him, whose perfections  
Cannot be reached by most enlarged conceptions  
Of most capacious spirits, and deeply dyves  
In these hid ●hings, which knowing souls in lives:  
Your progress since engaged in this abstruse  
Deep art (being helped by the heavenly muse)  
Appears in these well framed lines, which contain  
A Christians present toil, but future gain.  
O but your warnings wise, and counsels, be  
Wholesome: conveyed with moving gravity▪  
Your skilful, well tuned Songs show that you're taught  
In heavenly Poesy, and fully fraught  
With free Urania's gifts; your lofty strain  
Holds forth a heaven sprung, high Poetic vein;  
Surely such soul-transporting Songs, could not  
By any (not transported) be begot;  
How hes your soul been filled with rapting joys?  
O how enlarged by the melodious noise  
Of these celestial hosts, and glorious throngs?  
How elevated by their pleasant Songs?  
When such sweet parallels were by your pen  
Conveyed (of so great use) to blind-born men?  
Great Sir, well done, ye have not basely spent  
Your noble and broody spirit (forced to vent  
Itself on somewhat) in devising vain  
Utopian stories, which Romanticks fain,  
Who busk Chymerick notions, which are not  
Else where, but in the fanciers brain begot:  
And with high-flown decked words, great things portend,  
Which tried, into a noisome nothing end.  
Your gravity would not permit you choice  
Such themes; you fancy not a birthlesse noise;  
Your subject's grave, your drifts not transient pleasure,  
But solid joy, true peace, these lasting treasures.  
W. G.   

TO THE JUDICIOUS READER, Upon the excellency and suitableness of the AUTHOR, his Choice and Subject of the Turtledove in the ensuing POEM.  
HO, curious Spirits, who love to spend your time,  
In reading strange new things, in Prose or Rhyme:  
Come here, a Creature rare described you'll see.  
No Monster, yet more strange than Monsters be.  
She's styled a Turtledove, herebies held forth  
Her Clement Nature, Properties and Worth:  
But if ye'll mark her with a searching eye,  
Ye'll find her wonderful, made wondrously:  
She is begot, she's born, and yet (O strange!)  
Created, nay, renewed: ne'er such a change  
Was heard of by Philosophers: Yet more,  
By that same act by which she's made (adore!)  
She is espoused, yea matched: Her Maker is  
Her Lover, yea her Mate, and she's made his:  
His milk's her food, her Collactaneus Mother  
Sucks the same breasts, their Nurse is als their B●,  
Yet, both his members are▪ He's soul and head,  
They Feasters, He's the Table and the Bread.  
He's Prophet, Sacrifice, Priest, Judge and King,  
They Judges, Priests and Kings with him shall reign:  
And though these seem to be more when alone,  
Yet, Husband, Mother, Spouse, Nurse, makes but one.  
WILLIAM GORDOUN.   

The POEM with the accomplishmenes Epitomised.  
BEauty and Valour many Volumes prove,  
To be the Object of most ardent Love,  
And subject, where the most profound confine  
Their deepest thoughts, both moral and Divine:  
The Streams of Truth unto the Fountain leads,  
Where Virtue true from verity proceeds:  
Unfading Beauty does in Virtue shine,  
And Valour strong triumphs in Truth Divine:  
Virtue Truth still victorious doth grace,  
And Truth in Virtue Beauty fair embrace:  
What foes fair Virtue to deface contend,  
Truth overturns, and doth her cause defend▪  
From Truth what Rival Virtue would allure,  
Virtue disdains, and does his death procure:  
Fair Virtue does a constant Conflict keen,  
From foes within and foes without sustain:  
But by the Truth her Standart-bearer stands  
Against the malice of these mighty bands:  
Most happy they, and right Heroick sure,  
Can faithful hearts unto this fight procure:  
But all these conflicts, and these battles be  
Spiritual, and discerned sp'ritually:  
Yet carnal minds for substance shadows take:  
But who for substance shadows does forsake:  
True Valour, Virtue, Beauty, Love (come see)  
The Subject of these Songs ensuing be;  
Where shining in this Portrait shall appear,  
The lineaments of a lively Christian clear,  
Delineat from his birth and breeding glorious,  
●raught with the Trophies of triumphs victorious.   

THE NICODEMIAN PARADOX, EXPLAINED By a COMPARISON betwixt the Natural Generation of MAN, and the Spiritual Regeneration of the NEW CREATURE: CLOSING With the CHARACTERS of the OLD and NEW MAN.  

THE PARADOX.  
1. Except a Man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of GOD.  
2. That, before we can come to GOD, we must know ourselves captives and slaves to Satan.  
3. That, before we enter the way to Heaven, we must see ourselves in the way to hell.  
4. That the most sad Cross produceth the most sweet fruit of most kindly comfort.  
5. That the Believer keeps a daily Feast, and also a daily Fast.  
6. That there is no true contentment attainable in any thing present.  
7. That the Believer enjoys joys unspeakable in things unseen.  
8. That the poor, that have nothing, possess all things, and make many rich.   
THese, and the like of these, are unto every man in the state of nature, clear contradictions: for no Creature is able to surpass its own Sphere.  
The Vegetative attains not unto Sense.  
The Animal attains not unto Reason.  
The Rational can as little apprehend the things of God, which are only discernible by the Spirit of God.  
The most able of men, for judgement, understanding or other parts natural, or by learning and industry acquired, or extraordinarly given by revelation, are but common gifts of the Spirit: as proper to the Believer in grace, so to the unbeliever in nature, and by the man wholly in nature, naturally received and naturally practised.  
As also, the very devils are known to have more light (by the many advantages and occasions they have of knowledge, both by experience and revelation) than all the sons of men: and although they be of a spiritual nature, yet know not, neither can they put any thing in practice, but naturally.  
Yet herein further consists the unhappiness of man, that he cannot conceive, nor will he be taught to understand, that there is any more excellent happiness attainable, than that whereunto they have attained, or may naturally come by: Whereas the Believer, after many calls, wakenings, warn, purposes, promises, shifts and debates, being, in the peremptory time of God's appointment, (the time of love) effectually wrought upon, by the Spirit, and word of grace and truth, unto a gracious wakning, quickened and illuminate to see themselves under darkness, and spiritually dead without God in the world, and posting on in the way of destruction: and so deservedly, wondering that he is not long ago swallowed up in the gulf of irrecoverable wrath; Seeing also the Veil rend, and the entry made by the New and Living Way, for a gracious relief: and hereby beholding, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, is translated from that natural darkness to his marvellous light; And launching forth into this Ocean of eternal & unconceivable love, where the deluge of unsearchable and self-destroying misery meets with the incomprehensible deeps of infinite mercy: where plunged as in the extremes of contrary Tides, swelling to such heights, being heaved (as it were) to the Region of the Air, and hurled, as if they should be instantly sunk in these death-destroying surges of despair; And yet so strengthened, that they see the wonders of the Lord, who, before they be aware, commands peace to appear: maketh all quiet, and, by the breathing of a sweet and soft gale, brings safe to the shore. And now reflecting upon the bypast and natural lost condition: first in the guilt of the most base and irrational revolt of Original defection, and then in the stain and stintless superfluities of naughtiness, daily sprouting out in actual provocations, grieving God's Spirit, and now vexing the New Man.  
Observing also, and recenting the long-suffering patience, rich mercy, free grace, eternal and unchangeable love that hes followed them in that miserable condition, melted and made them up in a new mould, so as the old things are past, and all things are become new to them.  
They are set upon a twofold task, 1. Of selfdetestation, as self-destroyers: and 2. Of Saviour-admiration in their deliverance, hating, denying and forsaking themselves, loving, embracing and relying upon him in a continued fast of abstinence, from all that hes been offensive to His good Spirit, and studious to know, and delighting to do whatsoever may be wellpleasing unto Him, who hes been doing all things well for us, when we were disdaining his divine bounty: and this being the vast difference betwixt the man in his natural estate, and in the state of grace, and that no man hes ground of boasting, of any thing, in themselves more than another, and that there is no warrant to any man to despair, but for confidence, in following the means appointed, sincerely; And the matter being of greatest consequence, I have been taking the more particular notice, by way of comparison, betwixt the first and second BIRTH, and growth in a most familiar way, how any under the least degree of grace, may most easily discern what progress they have made: And have annexed hereto the portrait, both of the new and old man, the better to inflame the affections to the love of the one, and loathing of the other:  
Not that it is possible by any comparison imaginable, whether real or supposed, to decipher the unsearchable mysterious way of the spirit in the soul of the elect, in the Ordinances of conversion, or that either Ordinances or instruments can make effectual the work of God, begetting and bringing forth the new creature unto life, without the enliving power of the spirit, of the new life, in the Ordinances: Nevertheless, seeing the Lord hes appointed, and blessed means, wherein he will shine, and whereby he dispenseth His grace; very reason is convinced that the means are to be followed.  
And this comparison is no further to be streached, then in a rational way, to incite the reasonable party to a reverend attending, with attentiveness to the Ordinances, and a confident dependence upon the truth and tenderness of the Author; obedience to whose authority is ever well taken, and never any forsaken that have been sincere seekers of Him, according to the perfect rule of Scripture-truth.  

THE COMPARISON.  
AS the mater of the body of man, by the supreme Ordinance of God, in the ordinary ●ct of generation is conceived, brought into form and capacitate to receive the spirit of life, and the ●oul being created and infused in the body, doth operate unto the perfecting of the body, and so by the Lord's singular and gracious preordination, they do become one compound creature for the discharging of the offices of an intelligible spirit, joined with the Organs of a bodily substance, whereby to conceive, and by words and actions to express, according as they shall be by means ordinar, or extraordinar, natural, or supernatural taught, as the first Mover shall see meet: Even so, the word of the Gospel, containing the seeds of the New Man, by the Ordinance of Preaching, and the ordinar act of hearing, impressions are left upon the understanding and will, for conceiving and bringing it into form, quality and capacity, to receive the spirit of spiritual life, which creates and infuseth grace in the soul; whereby every Elect Child of God, according to God's gracious preordination in this new creature, by t● efficacious operation of the Holy Ghost, is engrafted in the Head Jesus Christ, and by th● Union enabled unto the performance of all Christian duties, incumbent to the New Man; an● that by degrees, according to our growth and increase in knowledge and experience, either unto doing or suffering, according as they be moved o● called thereunto.  
But as in the natural generation, after the Infant hes received form, life, senses and faculties but not come out unto the light, and so without the object and exercise of them, but lying unde● darkness in this weak condition, the brittle embryo is in hourly hazard of imminent destruction from causes seen and unseen, innumerable; and often proves abortive, by an over-slow or over sudden birth. Even so the life of grace, by the Spirit, and Word of the Gospel, being conceived, yet is the New Man overclouded with much natural darkness: the Devil taking advantage of the time, sets to work all his machinations, musters up all his legions, lies in ambush with swarms of temptations, assaulting from all airts uncessantly: from corruption, from carnal reason, from suggestions natural and unnatural, wearying the poor youngling with fearful wrestle; ●ut faithfully guarded against this malice by the author of his reviving. Only the yoke of ●ondage, from the undeniable endictment and ●itnesse in his own guilty conscience, dragging ●im back to the justice seat of a sin revenging ●od, to receive the righteous doom of his own ●righteousnesse; he is under dreadful confusion's and hesitations, in hazard of miscarriage, and ●ady to give over, until it please the Lord to re●eal Himself more clearly, and thereby making ●o the work of faith with power, brings out the prisoner of hope, unto the open air of the Go●el, to lay hold upon the Prince of life; and by beholding Him, the Captain of our Salvation, 〈◊〉 giving His Life to the death for penitent and ●elieving sinners, hes destroyed death, spoiled 〈◊〉 of the sting and the law of its strength, quie●ng the conscience in satisfying justice, and so ●eeing the fearful soul from the rigorous exacti●s of a fierce and fiery law unto a further growth ●f grace, and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ: But being by much weakness, almost overcome in these wrestle, and like an unwise ●n, having stayed long in the breaking forth of ●ildren; by gracious assistance, having gained ●me better ground of confidence, I break out in ●is contest with myself.  
Ho! hellish heath, dost thou not tyre to toil  
Thyself, alongst this stinking Stygian Lake?  
What canst thou like in this forsaken Soil,  
Where all that drove of damned devils quake:  
Ah, dost thou look for Limbos Patrum here,  
For Purgatory, or poor Infant's pain?  
No, the eternal wrath of God severe  
Doth ever burn, none doth return again.  
Ho! lo these swelling sulphurous floods that roar,  
Gaze no more on these griefly ghosts forlorn,  
Wambling in woeful endless torments sore,  
Blaspheming God that ever they were born.  
Return, withdraw now, do ye danger dread,  
Despair attends, and can ye overturn:  
Thou hadst dropped down, if not upheld indeed,  
Where all these ever-dying damned mourn:  
He that upholds thee bids thee turn in haste,  
To taste and feast upon this fervent Love:  
Return, my soul, therefore unto thy rest,  
Prepare thy heart His mercy's force to prove:  
How canst thou be so base, as misbelieve  
Him, who hes shed His blood, to set thee free?  
Wilt thou, by incredulity, deprive  
Thyself of peace, so purchased for thee?  
Thy guilty Conscience, and the Law exact  
He silenced hes, that ye can say no more:  
And now, thou may, this day, come see and take  
His truth, His grace, Himself thee to restore:  
Is it not now so natural to thee.  
Him to believe, since thou art born again,  
As once it was His truth to vilify,  
When thou in natural darkness did remain?  
Thy bands, thy bondage, all thy torturing terrors,  
From infidelity, unpurged, do spring:  
May not this ransom now remove thy errors,  
When death and hell hereby hes lost the sting?  
The Law like the Lawmaker doth remain,  
Righteous and holy, spiritual and just:  
So doth thy Conscience here bear witness plain  
Of what thou dost amiss, for that it must:  
But none of these can hinder thee to hold  
The grip that thou hast got of God, by grace:  
No, they do let thee see that thou art sold,  
By sin, a slave to satan, and do chase  
Thee now, with speed, timous supply to take,  
And wonder that thou art prevented so,  
Before the Law thy conscience did awake:  
For then remediless had been thy woe.  
Thy reason cannot thy relief receive,  
Thy guilt will ever keep thee under grief:  
Then shalt thou so thine own poor soul deceive,  
And it bereave of offered relief.  
Arise therefore, and mourn the more for sin,  
That now, thou seest, it hes procured Gods ire:  
Again to see slain Christ for thee begin,  
Whose blood doth quench that feared infernal fire.  
Doubtless I would be fred of this wanrest,  
Wherein I wrestle as a wretch forlorn,  
Under the weight of guilt and wrath suppressed,  
And with the torment of these terrors torn:  
But now I see I must for life believe  
On Him, who freely loves and freely gives:  
Not that for my believing I may live,  
That I may live, He gives me to believe,  
And firmly now to fix upon His Love  
His Mercy, Truth and power infinite,  
And by the motions of His Grace to move,  
As He shall give assistance by His Spirit.  
And yet, as the natural man, before he com● to the years of discretion, by education and experience, is exposed unto many dangerous trials and troubles, wherein he is often in danger o● ruin, being like an untamed Colt, or a wild● Ass in the Wilderness, snuffing up the wind brutishly exposing himself unto the peril of perishing, every day, in his riot and insolency.  
Right so, the new Man, albeit come out of the womb of Regeneration, wrestled through the straits and travels of new Birth, escaped the powe● of the Law, bondage and darkness where unde● he was kept: and that for the time, corruption hes been kept far under, that it could not get up the head, having tasted how good the Lord is and doth grow up by sucking in the sincere Mil● of the Word.  
Yet, the old and bold Serpent, that vigilant, subtle and restless enemy of our Salvation sleeps not, but lies at all advantage, by all means, to make use of every time, under all cases, for undoing all that God hes done in us so far as lies in his power.  
Who seeing us so satisfied with what we have received, lets us swell a little, and then like an Angel of Light lifts us up, and leads us ou● of the humble and holy way of self denial and sincere dependence, for daily and immediate support, unto self-confidence and carnal contentment, abusing the rich mercy, and turning the free grace, received, unto wantonness: so that, before I was aware, was left in the dark, pestered with many piercing temptations, and much foiled under some fearful devices; Which perceiving● and after some serious pause, turning to my strong hold, and putting on the armour of proof, entered the fight of faith, under his Banner who overcame for me: Confident that He would also overcome in me, to the praise of the glory of His Grace, I break out in this passion.  
Thou damned Devil, go to the hells and die  
That never dying death, thy portion just:  
Infernal Fiend, fall down, and scoarchingly  
For ever. Why? It is thy doom, thou must  
Down, downly, die, and there thy power restrain;  
The Lord reprove thy pride and malice vain.  
This passion thou puts me to perforce,  
because thou dost perplex and vex me still:  
Who, by thy wiles, would me from God divorce,  
●nd drag me after thy pernicious will:  
In plots profound thy wits thou dost employ,  
By treacherous trains, poor souls for to destroy;  
Thou, like a Siren, canst thy song enchant,  
Until the carnal part thereto incline:  
When in resemblance thou dost seem a Saint,  
This cruel craft is found in thee and thine:  
The world & worldlings at thy wish thou hast,  
And mine own flesh to keep me in unrest:  
My facile mind thou also much dost mar,  
With many foolish fantasies confuse,  
And to my judgement errors also dare  
Present, maintain with lies, and bid me choose  
The rules of reason and of carnal sense:  
So to destroy my faith, on this pretence,  
Thou lets my sins forsaken me before,  
And shows, my sorrow is below my sin,  
And that to quench the wrath of God the more,  
I must to mourn again for sin, begin:  
So friend-like teaching me how to remeed  
My own undoing, by thy treacherous deed:  
And wouldst have me believe, that by repenting  
I must redeem myself, or lost remain:  
And so ensnare me by thy wise inventing,  
And waste my substance in this subtle train;  
For better wouldst thou never seek of me,  
Then in these fetters perishing to see.  
As if my Lord, who hath me freely loved,  
Did not revive me when my life were spent▪  
As if, again, this Love I had not proved,  
Which moved my heart sincerely to repent:  
So as alone He hath done all for me,  
That by His death I may victorious be.  
Hereby again, thou dost advantage take,  
Careless to make, and carnally secure,  
Both sluggishly and senslesly to slack  
In duties, whereto Love doth me allure:  
As if His Love were not of force to guide  
Me through the straits, wherein I may be tried.  
And when my Lord (better to let me see  
Myself, whereof I daily stand in need)  
The influence of his grace restrains from me,  
Then butcherlike thou follows me with speed,  
And dost surmise, that I do beat the air,  
And notions print, to press me to despair:  
And when thou canst not, by thy wit, prevail,  
Because I do, by faith, thy darts resist,  
Then, lion-like, thou dost in arms assail,  
And, by thy wicked instruments, insist  
To persecute, in body, state and name,  
Thereby to bring me unto public shame.  
Thus didst thou first begin with lying lewd,  
And therein counterfeited▪ as thou can:  
And then thy flattery did convert to feud,  
Burning in malice, to betray the man.  
The Siren first, and then the serpent grim,  
Now from thy lurking hole, the Lion's limb.  
But now thy fury to thy face shall turn,  
And vex thee in quotidian ecstasy  
Of endless woe, for evermore to burn  
In pain, when I am from thy spite set free:  
For all thy trains shall both increase thy charge,  
And for triumphs victorious us enlarge.  
For certainly, what thou hast done or can,  
Yet ever do: in time to come, I know,  
Shall do but heap hap on the hopeful man,  
And, in the end, turn to thy overthrow;  
For, as he is in battle tried, the more  
Into his rest, shall he enjoy of glore.  
And this I do not gloss upon in pride;  
For weakness, with the weakest, I confess:  
And when my Lord doth leave me to be tried,  
Then dwining do I lie in deep distress:  
But then, even then, whole hell cannot bereave  
Me of this faith, I know whom I believe.  
Thus, Satan old, thou seest not how I soar  
Above thy sight, upon the Eagles wing:  
EMANUELS might protects me evermore,  
And, in thy spite, shall me to safety bring.  
So, go: for lo, I leave thee here to lie,  
And, with thy mates, eternally to die.  
And now again, as the natural man, being brought to the light, and through the trials and travels incident to him, in his infancy, and under age, unto the years of discretion and experience, is to be exercised in serious and important affairs concerning himself, his Country, and concernment: and thereby is to give proof of his gifts and endowments, grounded upon justice, temperance, prudence, and fortitude, with all other subordinate requisites: and yet meeting with so many difficulties in the progress of his best intended and most approvable actions, is subject to much halting, and deviation, in many things turning to his reproach.  
The New Man, in like manner, being come through these, and many such assaults, and come up to some growth in light and experience, is to be exercised as a Professor of Christianity, and to exercise himself therein, both in his general and particular calling, being strengthened by the gifts and grace received, both to do and endure, as it shall please the Giver to give the calling: And for this end, that he be endued with these requests.  

1. So much knowledge of himself, as may produce sincere self-denial.  
2. So much of GOD, as may make up a sole dependency upon a Providence.  
3. Faith, whereby to sacrifice his Isaac, his dearest darling, to the service of God, upon a known call.  
4. A fixed confidence, that if he should slay thee, thou wilt trust in him.  
5. Love above comparison, so far as God is above the creature.  
6. Zeal, like Phineas, impartial in the execution of justice, in the Cause of God and our Country.  
7. Submission, in what he takes as in what he gives.  
8. Patience, in resting quiet and confident in all he doth.  
9 Humility, tending to the increase of grace, thankfulness under the cross, as under comfort.  
10. cheerfulness, so shall the joy of the LORD be thy strength.   
These be the approven grounds, whereby to walk with approbation: but how short every man comes in the practice, it is too well seen, whether from the world, when it flattereth or frowns, affecting or repining. And in the unregenerate part, what a filthy fume flows daily out of that stinking puddle, where the dregs and spawn of all the devilry of hell is engrossed: and but in part purged, or rather born down and kept under from out-breaking in palpable enormities: And yet the Devil knows well what coal to blow at, and how to quicken more damnable and deadly Vipers, to suck out our spiritual life▪ unseen or adverted unto, as, spiritual pride, carnal security under the exercise of our best actions, taking growth with our gifts: whereby God's Spirit is grieved, desertion procured, crosses, afflictions and corrections inflicted, for humbling, reclaiming, keeping under, and in order, the light and facile heart, which would miscarry unto ruin, if not prevented. But, for this misery of self-deceiving deceit, and desperate wickedness of the heart, the many inventions it finds out (being prompted thereunto by the old Serpent) to undo itself: and how far the remnants of this corruption may prevail, even in the Regenerate, it is better seen then guarded against by too many, as much fearful and bitter experience can witness.  
But thus it becometh every one, that knows so much as that God knows the heart, to make search, till they attain to know the plague of their own heart, that they may be confounded in themselves, not lifting up their face for shame, seeing God is pacified towards them for all that they have done, because of the stability of His Covenant, Ezek. 16.62, 63.  
But naturally every man being so conceited of himself, scarce any man will believe, that such things, as both Scripture and experience make clear to be in the heart of man, can be in his heart, but will be ready to say, Am I a dog, that I should be tempted to do such things? Till under the trial we become taught, by woeful proof, the folly of our faithlesness in our defections.  
And having been much toiled in pruning and suppressing these sproutings, and superfluities of naughtiness that are always taking life in the body of death: So Hydra-like, that as one head is stricken off, another more monstrous and menstruous springs up to be conflicted with, from that fruitful Scorpion of corruption which multiplies the conception, and make the burden so unsuperable, that the delivery works her own destruction, but, by the grace of God, crushed, suppressed and partly purged out, the life of grace is preserved in the Believer.  
And yet nevertheless, there remains an itching dreg in the heart, that it will needs have some latitude (if no other ways attainable) yet under pretence of lawful liberty, for recreation or preservation of the outward man, and under the colours, and in the shadow whereof, some well smelling Apple, or amiable Idol, may steal in and present itself in such glistring, as dazzles the eye o● spiritual discerning: So, as the judging part is blunted and benumbed under the prevalency of this well masked and bewitching darling, or Dalilah, doted on unto destruction; and herewith being not only toiled, but often foiled, I have been driven to fall under this conception, that suppose a man, even a Child of grace, while he is under mortality, carrying the remanents of corruption within him, were ravished to heaven and got a blink of the bless that is to be enjoyed there, and again plunged into hell to behold these terrible torments, prepared for impenitent sinners, and thereafter, set up for a season to act a part upon the stage of this world, although it should not fail to seem to himself and others, that henceforth he should live like a Saint upon the earth, yet let him be left a little to himself, and the devil permitted to try him with a bait agreeable to his humour, or an idol well trimmed to his fancy, under such deceivable pretext, pretence, or otherwise, as the subtle serpent can well insinuate: It might be too justly feared that he should be in so great peril as ever our first Parents were in Paradise, so as to conceive a possibility of standing, but by immediate grace sustaining, it were most palpable presumption: and that the only way to preserve and increase grace, is by conversing in Heaven, keeping a Communion with God, and the frequent use of Ordinances, to lead us out of ourselves, unto a sincere dependence upon God, and out of the world, so as to use it, as if we used it not, in a humble and cheerful submission unto all His gracious dispensations, whether bitter or sweet to the natural part; which (I suppose) very hardly any man who is too conversant in the things of the world, and active about them (further then a pressing calling calls him to) can attain: the world being but the Pander, or Cater to furnish fuel for the Old Man, to feed the affections, and inflame the fiery lusts of the flesh, the eye, and the pride of life: But it is possible with God to carry the cable through the eye of the needle, suppose the straight way must be thrust through, and the kingdom of grace and of glory taken with violence.  
But, reflecting upon this Old Man, and the troubles and trials that the soul is put to under his jurisdiction, which cannot consent unto tha lawless law that he would maintain in the members: and to dismantle, unmask, and ripe him up in some specials; I have here tinkled a little at the description thereof under the name of Vice. And because all things directly contrar, and opposite one to another, together presented, are most lively, and best discerned: I have therefore also herewith delineate the New Man, under the name of Virtue: so as the one and the other may allure, and procure the heart, unto the affections of desire and detestation.   

THE PORTRAIT AND CHARACTER OF VIRTUE: OR, The New Man shining in Virtue, DESCRIBED.  

COme ye, whose curiosity  
Rare, precious, pleasant things would see:  
And you who can discern aright  
Fair Virtue in her beauties bright,  
Her post and gesture well perceive,  
Holy, humble, sweet and grave,  
So rarely mixed, so fairly shine,  
So lovely, in their lustre fine;  
Each in its Orb so ordered see,  
That nothing can so pleasant be▪  
Behold her flourishing forehead,  
Where Generosity doth spread,  
Her brow's a Stage, where, joining hands▪  
Both Stateliness and meekness stands;  
Look in her eyes, for there is seen  
That she is prudent, chaste and clean▪  
The comely portrait of her nose  
A searching wit doth well disclose;  
Her sweetest cheeks, full of delight,  
All love, but loyal, banish quite;  
Both strength and resolution deck  
The fairness of her fairest neck:  
Her breasts so beautiful appear,  
Both liberal and frugal clear:  
Her heart and hands do well agree,  
In clemency and charity:  
A midst this frame of beauty fair,  
A tongue well taught and tamed, where  
Expressions proper, sweet and plain,  
Witness where wisdom doth remain:  
Her noble parts her health preserves,  
With nutriture the spirits serves:  
Out of that store the sellers keep,  
Of heavens, earth, seas their height, their deep▪  
In all wherein contained she dives,  
True good extracts to goodness cleaves:  
And doth bring out of projects ill,  
The means to save was made to kill:  
When stormy winds of trouble blow,  
Doth firmly stand and fairly grow;  
Out of afflictions she can find,  
Both patience and peace of mind:  
And in the midst of sorrows see,  
Where best refreshments furnished be:  
Contempt and malice she doth prize  
As manure rich, to make her rise:  
From care, disdain, distrust and grief,  
Envy, despair, of mischiefs chief,  
She sees and knows, and can compose,  
By all things gain, by nothing lose:  
Time never can her beauty stain,  
Nor tyranny approach her gain:  
Her riches are beyond the reach  
Of all that policy can stretch:  
Old Satan when he comes to spoil,  
At all encounters gets the foil:  
Fond lust and all that carnal crew,  
Her feet below she doth subdue:  
Be slaved by none, she serves her Maker,  
And all her strength unto Him facer:  
Deep in the Well of Life she drinks,  
And feeds upon the River brinks:  
Where that Ambrosia sweet distils,  
From Sacred Truth the soul full fills:  
She searches all God's ways, and sees  
Divine and heavenly mysteries:  
Converts her food in courage strong,  
And by sincerity along,  
As by the nerves for new supply,  
Doth act her part most cheerfully?  
●ointly conjoined by sinews sure,  
Of strongest truths which do endure,  
Till all her foes she does outface,  
That would her fairest grace disgrace.   

Objections  
But pause a little, answer here,  
How may this matter so appear▪  
What fairer, rarer excellency  
Had Adam in his innoncencie?  
How now can his rebellious race  
This beauty and this bless embrace?  
For of a man what can you crave,  
If he be holy, humble, grave,  
Modest, meek, generous, prudent,  
chaste, courteous, lovely, sapient,  
Strong, temperate, full of charity,  
Circumspection, courage, clemency,  
Resolute, liberal, frugal, able,  
Patient, active, prompt and stable,  
Possessed with truth, delight and peace,  
And still sincere, this grace to grace?  
Where is the man hereof may boast,  
God's Image seeing he hes lost?   

Answer.  
Now justly left, (it's true indeed)  
None of this poisoned, perverse seed  
Can to true happiness attain,  
But dotes on durelesse shadows vain:  
And natural gifts now never can  
Accomplish or complete a man:  
But thou art carnal that objects,  
And doth discover thy defects:  
A little ponder, understand,  
Shall that Alwise, All-working hand,  
All-just, All-good, All-holy King  
Miss in that most intended thing  
His Eyes were on, when He gave being  
To all things subject unto seeing?  
Did He this spacious Globe erect,  
And by their source the seas collect▪  
Becircled by the firmament,  
Illustrious and so excellent:  
With plenteous store to entertain  
Poor wretched men, that lost have been:  
No, from eternity He knew,  
All what was past, what should ensue:  
And in a Second Adam sweet,  
Made man again with God to meet:  
Who for the Elect Surety stood,  
And them restored by His own Blood:  
Their flesh assumed for that end▪  
And doth His Spirit unto them send:  
Which Holy Spirit their spirit inspires,  
With sp'rit-renewing sacred fires,  
Quickening, purging and perfuming,  
Grace increasing, vice consuming,  
Eyes, and heart, and minds enlarging,  
With His Image supercharging,  
Such searching souls as do embrace  
The splendour of his pleasing face:  
Rapt, and made apt, with open eyes,  
To dyve in these excellencies:  
And in that source of sweet delight,  
To feast upon his beauty bright:  
Whereby he doth our souls decore,  
And to his Image us restore:  
On whom by faith firm fixed solely,  
The whole affections are made holy,  
And humble, by a self-reflect  
Upon thyself, for self neglect,  
So modesty shines in the face,  
And gravity, that Christian grace:  
That generous Spirit that doth ●acer  
Herself, to serve her Saving Maker:  
That Sapience that far, far sees,  
To compose content from contraries:  
That chastity, that can contain  
Affections all in order clean:  
That love, that virtue doth allure.  
And all licentious lusts can cure:  
That liberal mind, that lively spreads,  
And frugally preserves the seeds:  
That charity, that cheerfully  
Knows when, how, where to give supply:  
That temperance, that can subdue,  
Proud passions, as they do renew;  
That courtesy, that neatly can  
Carry the master, like a man:  
That clemency, that can declare  
The colours clear of virtue fair:  
That patience, that prudence leads,  
That peace, which pious Spirits feeds,  
That fortitude that fairly founded,  
With resolutions firmly grounded  
On truth, with strong stability,  
Expressed with alacrity,  
Courage and circumspection, so  
That never storm can overthrow  
That single heart sincere and sweet,  
Where comfort and delight do meet?  
That spirit of contemplation piercing,  
And heavens holy mysteries searching,  
Longing, thronging, thirsting, till  
The fruit of faith the Soul full fill:  
Then God, beholding the effects  
That by his beams, on Saints reflects,  
And looking on that beauty rare,  
Accounts and calls them sweet and fair,  
For grace, in virtue, so doth shine,  
That virtue doth become divine,  
This is the virtue, I avouched,  
The virtue that I would have touched,  
The virtue true, that clarifies  
And qualifies the qualities:  
That doth illustrate and ingrain,  
And turns in substance shadows vain:  
That giveth smell and taste unto  
All that we think, or speak, or do.  
This virtue well accomplish can  
And complete the Christian man:  
Gain this virtue, and thou shall  
Inherit Heaven, and Earth, and all:  
More solid solace sweet possess,  
Then heart can think, or pen express:  
Limb out her lineaments, conceive  
Such riches where thou can receive;  
Try her parts, taste every place,  
Such sweet thou can no where embrace;  
Drink her in with all desire,  
Until she set thy heart on fire;  
Her beams, they will thy breast inflame,  
Her streams will qualify the same:  
Choice of choises, chief content  
Of all beneath the firmament,  
Search her, for she waits to see,  
Who for her love will fervent be;  
And if thou join, thou shalt enjoy  
That bliss, which nothing can annoy:  
For than thou shalt into his Image grow,  
From whom this virtue fair doth freely flow.    

The Portrait and Character o● the Old Man, Under the name of Vice, described.  

COme you, who wonders curious are to see,  
Or monsters, such as most detested be,  
And you, who can indeed discern aright  
(This Brat begot in hell) by heavenly light:  
Vice here behold, stripped naked to the skin,  
Look on her outside, see her well within:  
Her port, and gesture, here how vile behold,  
Vain, proud, implacable, presumptuous, bold,  
Disorderly, by satins order placed,  
As basely in the heart they be embraced:  
Each ruling in his sphere, rounding the brain,  
And heart, with humours perverse and profane:  
Where generosity should bud and flourish,  
Debate, deceit, there doth she neatly nourish;  
There, where the truth sincerely should be stated,  
Faithless hypocrisy is firmly seated:  
Malice, envy, and horrid hatred there,  
Where love should move, is in her breast made bare;  
Under the show of chastity most clean,  
Closs, impudent, incontinency is seen:  
Ambition, avarice, wrath and cruelty,  
Watch, as they may most serviceable be:  
Within a cloud of Christian clemency  
And humane gentleness, dissimulately  
She sets her subtle snares, for to entice  
The weak, for she in wickedness is wise:  
Her sottish slaves who serve her, she doth lead  
Their souls, on sensual lusts to live and feed:  
Or otherwise to pry, how to surprise  
Their nearest, dearest friends, that they may rise  
To treasure, state or store, honour or ease,  
As they may their beloved Idol please.  
And for those ends, do study to devise,  
By all the means that be below the skies,  
Without control, directly to content  
That humour, in its fixed element.   

Objection.  
Can all that you have heretofore asserted  
Be held for truth? Is poor man so deserted,  
And by that devilish villainy possessed,  
Which here you have so peremptory pressed?  
Is man, who is the creature rational,  
Below the brute so fallen by his fall?  
You see, most men do something civil live,  
Vice misregard▪ and unto virtue cleave:  
It seems, that he doth some true light retain▪  
Suppose it suffered hath a fearful stain,  
And if it were as you affirm, than he  
Not only should below the brutish be,  
But might be ranked in degree with devils,  
The Author of these specified evils.  
What find we more in that apostate spirit,  
Final impenitency to complete,  
Then you of man, each man forlorn hath said,  
Is it not for His wrack that he was made?   

Answer.  
Our Glorious King, Eternal, only Wise,  
Almighty Mover, moved by advice  
Of uncreated wisdom, that he can  
No less have done, than well in making man:  
Man was made holy, righteous and good,  
But he did stumble when he should have stood  
Before the trials of the tempter sly,  
And slew himself and all his progeny,  
By misbelieving Him by whom he lived,  
Is left to live to him whom he believed:  
And being left of God, he is possessed  
Of all the devilry that is here expressed.  
Man unregenerate is below most sure,  
The vildest bruit on earth, and most impure▪  
What Lion, Tiger or destroying Boa●,  
So fervent, fierce or cruel to devour?  
What can with that vild murderer compare,  
Who, for to feast his idol, will not spare  
His nearest friends, brothers or native seed,  
And will imbrue his hands in parricide:  
And in his own hot blood, for to fulfil  
His humour, give the fatal stroke and kill?  
What Crocodil, what scorching Scorpion can  
Obscurely watch, to catch the prey, as man?  
The beast, whose colour every object changes,  
And that Hyena through the desert ranges,  
And with the voice of man, man to ensnare,  
With man's hypocrisy cannot compare:  
Who can pretend for Truth and Piety,  
Yet tramp on Truth to raise himself, you see.  
Who of the bruitare so degenerate,  
As with the other kind to generate,  
Or sex, (O horrible!) but only he,  
Who was appointed most for purity?  
In sp'rit-defilements, which no beast do know  
Man tempted is, and thereby beasts below▪  
Malice and envy in the brutish brood  
Was never seen, as in our poisoned blood:  
And man in light the liar is below,  
For God he knows, and trembling stands in awe;  
But man forsaken, now no better sees,  
Being by the liar led to follow lies:  
And look what e'er the devil hes to do,  
But man he finds an instrument thereto.  
How should the beast such levies with him lead,  
If man did not for him in arms proceed?  
How could man for his acts apologi●e,  
If satan taught him not to subtilise?  
When the old serpent in the chair him sets,  
Pride and disdain, the lying tongues he gets:  
The world the avaricious gets for hire,  
And the ambitious honour at desire:  
Some unto satan offer service will,  
That they by him may gain that hellish skill,  
Themselves to help, and in malicious slight  
Others destroy, out of revengeful spite;  
Some do conceive themselves profoundly wise,  
Satan to serve them as they do devise;  
And if some curious spirits be more strange,  
Incontinent, directly he can change  
The bait, and lead them on the stars to gaze,  
Put them by nature's products in a maze,  
By demonaicall demonstrations feeding  
The fancy, till he fix them for proceeding;  
For he to all their dote doth apply,  
Gaining his gain this cruel craft hereby:  
Apples and idols trimmed he hes for all  
Humours, that under finity can fall:  
So is he served, then doth he smile to see,  
Some others wallow in their vice, and die:  
For what remains of all man's natural light,  
Tends still unto his more conviction right:  
But that there is some sort of order civil  
In some, and that in all men every evil  
Doth not appear alike, yet certainly  
The seed of vice in every one doth lie:  
In some, by providence, vice is restrained,  
Some be, by breeding, unto virtue trained:  
Some be bound up, by bit and bridle so,  
That what they would, they cannot come to do▪  
And some there be beyond the common line,  
By study do to goodness much incline:  
But they not knowing right their glorious Maker,  
Do not their doings to his glory sacre:  
But vainly glory in themselves, to gain  
A name and fame, which is their idol vain;  
So vile an idol never yet was named,  
Whereby most men have most been blamed and shamed,  
As is vile man himself, more meet be placed  
With devils, then with divine worship graced:  
And yet the strong man in his strength will glore,  
The wordling in his wisdom glory more,  
The rich man in his treasure put his trust,  
And dote upon himself in gathering dust:  
The man to contemplation addicted,  
Though he, of any, lest can be convicted,  
Yet can an aerial Image fancy feign,  
And idolise the vapours of his brain:  
And who is he who is not prepossessed,  
With some heart-darling, hardly dispossessed?  
Even by such as press to purge the will  
Of all that holy spiritual motions kill;  
No, too much spiritual pride finds place,  
Even where are sown the seeds of saving grace;  
How then can such, as do no better see▪  
Some darling want doting whereon to be?  
So that even those who have aspired highest,  
Have fallen short and sunken as thou seest:  
Scripture indites, and conscience gives the doom,  
All flesh is justly damned, until he come,  
Who justice satisfies for them elected  
By God, from all eternity respected;  
And now in time true members do remain,  
Been born of water, and of blood again▪  
Thus as his justice glorious is clear,  
So doth his merit glorious appear:  
For then, when all concluded were in sin  
And under wrath, his mercy did begin  
So as without all shadow of excuse,  
Twice damned they be that this free grace refuse;  
So, never think it strange that man in sin,  
And vice, lie rotting, till he die therein:  
For he is poisoned with the spawn of hell  
And seed of satan, since he did rebel:  
But wonder! O! this wonder strange behold,  
Above what ever can with tongue be told,  
That we, in this contagion died so deep,  
Should cleared be, pure colours white to keep;  
But set thyself thy self before in sin,  
And to detest thy sinful self begin:  
Study thyself, thy Saviour then shall see  
And shall preveen● thy soul-perplexity  
Most timously, who knows to save alone,  
And will advert unto thy hopeful moan;  
Open thine ears to hear, thine heart to hold,  
The marvels of those mercies manifold,  
Held ●ut so much, with such incitements sweet,  
As lost man may his comforts yet complete:  
So shalt thou find, and by experience prove,  
Thy Maker is thy God, that man doth love.  
But if thou dost reject his voice allu●ing,  
Thy heart in induration obduring▪  
Thy conscience wakened shall be witness sure,  
Destruction to thyself thou dost procure.     

THE TURTLE-DOVE▪ UNDER ABSENCE & PRESENCE OF HER ONLY CHOICE: OR, DESERTION & DELIVERANCE REVIVED.  
WHEREIN By way of DIALOGUE, in a POEM, under several significant Figures and Allegories, the most ordinary exercises of the Child of God after Regeneration, until, by many most searching trials, he become strong and able to discern aright in doing and enduring, as he shall be called to i●, in his way and warfare through the wilderness to his journeys' end, is shadowed out.  
WITH A necessary WARNING against Security, in most secure times.  
AND Closing with a Word for wakening of the natural Man.  ●●. 7. 
Lord by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong▪ Thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled   

ERRATA.  
Page 4. Line 12. read, his Royal. p. 8. l. 1. r. With cunning. p. 10. l. 20. r. but helpless. p. 12. l. 8. r. thy Lover. Ibid. l. 25. r. world new. p. 26. l. ult. r. unknown fire. p. 38. l. 12. r. And re-deliv'ry. p 52. l. 14. r. life's reviving. p. 55. l. 22. r. in the blood, p. 60. l. 13. r. the stony. p. 66. l. 13. r. with his pernicious tares. p. 71. l. 11. r. then left. p. 85. l. 9 r. Thy Spirits. p. 87. l. 7. r. These wak'ning. p. 94. l. ult. begins the next Speaker (Helen.) p. 122. l. 9 r. man's most deep conceiving. p. 128. l. 29. r. are not weighing.   

The NAMES of the SPEAKERS in this Dialogue, and what they represent. The Signification of the NAMES. SAMUEL, a learned, judicious and experienced Christian. Placed of God. JEANNA, a Honourable and Religious Lady of much experience. Gracious. HELENA, a Christian afflicted in spirit under desertion, and comforted upon deliverance. Pitiful. MARIONA, a Christian conversant in Heaven. Sweet perfume. GRISSELLA, a School-bred Christian. Grave Lady. MARIA, a Court-bred Christian. Exalted. ANNA, a City-bred Christian. Merciful. ELIZA, a Country-bred Christian. God save. THOMA, a Civilian Justiciary converted. A Twin. ANDREA, a licentious Savage converted, and become a zealous monitor. Manly. The Echo, Isa. 30.21.    

THE ARGUMENT.  
A Noble Lady notice takes,  
And many other worthies makes  
Acquainted with a Christian, moved  
By absence of her best Beloved.  
They to her present case advert,  
And do speak kindly to her heart:  
Questions they do propone, explain,  
Natural, spiritual for her gain;  
But under absence of her Lover  
No comfort can her heart recover:  
Yet they insist, that she may see  
Of her mistakes the mystery;  
They represent the happiness  
Of her condition, not the less:  
Of present darkness then debating  
The mater, many questions stating,  
Clearing, discussing and revolving,  
She is convinced at the resolving;  
And then so moved at the discourse,  
By comfort coming from the source,  
She plainly doth herself express,  
Whereby their endeavours increase  
So fervently in this pursuit,  
That seasonably they reap the fruit:  
O'rejoyed join, Loves Songs solemnly sing  
To their compassionate Comforter and King.   

THE DIALOGUE.  

Jeana, Samuel, Helena.  Jea. 
Much graced Sir, who prudently doth spare  
This time for recreation and repair,  
Whereby we may timous occasion take  
You with our cases to acquainted make:  
Your doctrine sound, sincere, and sober living,  
Full confirmations be of firm believing.  
For such as present things so little prize,  
Must have more permanent before their eyes.  
And what can that man of this world make,  
When it doth him, and he doth it forsake?  
Now what we have for to impart, concerns  
Another World than this vain world discerns,  Sam. 
Most noble and religious Lady, sure  
You are of what my service can procure.  
There hes a world of Believers been,  
Dispersed through this world, and unseen:  
●ut hated so, that whosoever professed  
sincere believing, them did this world detest.  
For as the Head, so must the Members be,  
prepared by sufferings, ere they be set free;  
But, as our sufferings do abound, so sure  
Our Captain comforts doth for us procure,  
Which qualifies, and swallows up the sore,  
That, by our troubles, we triumph the more▪  
For in this transient march, through worlds of woes▪  
Our heaven within-begun makes us rejoice:  
While all our furious Persecutors fell,  
Their present pleasures but preceded their hell.  
This, I suppose, you partly know: therefore  
Propose your purpose, we shall parley more.  Jea. 
We know, there's nothing can preferred be  
Unto that peace and true tranquillity,  
Procured by our Prince of peace and grace,  
To true Believers, that do him embrace:  
And that, albeit we be the only Butt,  
At whom both devils and men their arrows shoot,  
Maliciously to murder by their might,  
Yet are we ever conquerors in fight:  
And while the wicked make their cup to flow  
Of wrath, our comforts in our crosses grow,  
With pleasures present, far above the pain,  
Which doth but for some minutes short remain.  
Much more that store, which, by believing, is  
Confirmed to them of everlasting bless.  
But we who for Professors do appear▪  
And make acquaintance with them most sincere,  
Follow the means, and meetings on the Mountain,  
Flock to the Streams of the Life-giving Fountain:  
Fed with that Milk and Honey Heaven distils,  
Which every fainting, panting heart full fills.  
Yet when again our King doth call us out,  
And to some special charge we go about,  
Then, ere we be aware, we are surprised  
By subtle slights, against us that's devised:  
So as we cannot change so many places,  
But trials more we meet of divers cases.  
And for an instance clear, we do present  
An Israelite contrite, in mourning spent,  
Well known to be in duties diligent,  
Grave, humble, gracious, to devotion bend:  
Cheerful, and choysing, for her greatest gain▪  
Others unto the Well of Life to train.  
But now you see, what sadness doth possess  
Her soul, and how her sighing doth increase:  
And still, the more by us she is exhorted,  
She doth the more refuse to be comforted,  
And often answers us, Who can but grieve,  
When he is gone, that should my grief relieve:  
And that her Life, her Light, and her Delight,  
In deaths dark shades, doth shut her out of sight:  
Consuming daily under slavish fears,  
Become benumb, beneath untimely tears.  Sa. 

The seed of Grace is, with such sweetness, shed  
Into the soul, where the new birth is bred:  
And she, delighted in these feelings sweet,  
Cannot, with patience, pains of childbirth meet:  
And, till the Newman form be again,  
From fainting cannot make the heart refrain:  
So as a pleasant life we have, until  
We come to act, and there our cause we spill.  
For when on duties we delight to dwell,  
And are assisted, we are apt to swell:  
And when we find not access, as we think,  
Then under sadness we are like to sink;  
But if, in sense, we were ourselves denying,  
And, under absence, on His grace relying:  
And made our life witness our true believing,  
And on believing ground our upright living▪  
We should attain unto some progress then,  
And so enjoy the lot of loved men.  
For now Believers are by faith to act,  
As if themselves most happy they could make:  
And clearly yet to see themselves self-lost,  
That of their actings they can nothing boast.  
Like little children to the parent cleaving,  
Possess the Patent of this Royal giving:  
And yet, by force of faith, through Bulwarks break,  
And with all violence, the Kingdom take:  
For it's by grace, through faith, His gift, that we  
Are safe preserved and victorious be:  
Nor may we think our daily trials strange,  
Nor that to divers crosses we do change.  
Till this old man of flesh be fully slain,  
He's looking back to the fleshpots again:  
Made up he is of many naughty notions,  
Imaginations and superfluous motions:  
Must be by many strange restraints restrained,  
Before he be from vice to virtue gained.  
But the Believer only wonder can,  
A self-lost, blind-born brute, a saved man  
Become: and such to Satan slaves have been▪  
Adopted Sons to God, and washed clean!  
To see the poison, in our Nature spewed  
By Satan, to be purged, and subdued!  
To see this viperous brood in us suppressed,  
And there a work of grace again increased!  
The mystery great of Godliness doth here,  
God manifested in the flesh, appear!  
The work mysterious of God's Spirit divine,  
In our Regeneration doth shine:  
The work of faith, whereby Believers feed  
And fruitful grow, by joining to their Head,  
A mystery deep; for as we do employ  
Him, in his faithfulness, we do enjoy,  
In every trial when we tempted be;  
But often do mistake most fearfully,  
Whereby we do procure our own torment,  
And call our faith in question, and repentings.  
This the Believer only knows and proves,  
Discerns, observes, and his Preserver loves;  
For the Believer is the subject, where  
God doth his glorious wonders most declare,  
The portrait vile of the old man defacing,  
And the new man with his own Image gracing.  
There be, for the Believer, wonders wrought,  
Above the apprehensions of our thought:  
Wonders in the Believer daily move,  
Rounded in the unbounded Orb of love:  
Wonders are by Believers brought about,  
That cruel tyrants cannot cancel out:  
And by Believers to be enjoyed are  
Joys wonderful, above conceiving far.  
But we shall spare: for more exactly those  
Matters we must debate before we close.  
Now to the purpose, and the Person precious▪  
Whom I have seen, and still esteemed gracious,  
Notable in the Assemblies of the Saints  
And solemn Meetings, where Believers haunts.  
I know the case, and truly see it clear,  
Fraught with the fruits of faith, of love and fear▪  
But she is not in that condition now,  
So to confess, far less this to avow;  
But in this sentence most succinct, I'll show  
The matter, and the meaning shall pursue▪   

And this it is,  
" Heavens child of hope, doth faint for want of sight,  
" Resolved to grope through darkest deeps for light:  
And this assertion sure for to explain,  
Take notice now, and answer you again.  
You see Celestial from terrestrial things  
Exhaling vapours, that much darkness brings.  
Eclipses do our natural Sun surprise,  
Which yet we see most royally arise.  
The world's first birth, from Gods most pure intention,  
Eternal purpose, and divine invention,  
Was made to be, by no materials  
Existent▪ pre-existent Seminals;  
In darkness swaddled up, until the bright▪  
Creating word in time commanded light;  
And when this light aright composed stood,  
Night to preceded daylight, God saith is good.   Jea. 
This dispensation sad, you take, I see,  
To flow from causes one or more of three:  
The first from provocation, I conceive,  
The second, what for trial we receive,  
The third, to Sovereignty ascends,  
The Cause supreme, where causes all depends.  
You know, suppose that natural things be used,  
And to illustrate spiritual matters choosed▪  
Spiritual things are not demonstrate clearly  
By natural, that work by nature merely:  
The one by the prefixed Rule doth run,  
The other Arbitrary, how and when.  
And yet suppose these generals should contain  
Much to this purpose, when by searching seen,  
Yet ye must nearer come, her case to clear  
From such effects as may be seen appear;  
For if she be bemisted, left alone  
In this confused condition, she is gone.  Sam. 
Will ye not condescend that all things be  
Good in their time appointed certainly:  
And that our only wise and holy King  
Profoundly hath contrived every thing,  
Spiritual, natural, moral, arbitrary,  
Contingent, voluntar, and necessary,  
And ordered so, this contrary to that,  
Man may with dread and reverence stand thereat.  Jea. 
We trust your charity hes so conceived  
That Scripture-truths are all by us believed:  
Albeit that under trials several may,  
By strong assaults, much weakness oft bewray:  
We know He's the supreme and only good,  
And all things to his glory do conclude:  
And that suppose rejected we should be,  
It were our place his grace to magnify;  
His wisdom, justice, truth, and holiness  
We question not, but our untowardness  
In not adverting to his counsels grave,  
Which only could and should from swerving save:  
And yet our tender Lover hath appointed,  
And with spiritual unction hath anointed,  
With coming some, and cordials stored that be,  
Sovereign for Soul-diseases seasonably.  
●Mongst whom ye be of special esteem,  
In binding up the wounds that desperate seem.  
I pray you speak in proper speeches plain,  
As this perplexed party best may gain:  
And lead us in these mysteries divine,  
Until the Sun begin again to shine.  Sam. 
I know it worthy of our pains shall prove,  
To dyve in this deep mystery of love:  
Therefore▪ I shall not spare to condescend,  
Some of our precious time herein to spend.  
This mourning Bride (sure) has propined been  
With precious, sweet sp'rit-consolations clean,  
Whereby the King of Kings doth recreate,  
Replenish, purify, and elevate  
The soul that to espouse he is, whereby  
She in his absence sick of love doth lie.  Jea. 
Be pleased more specially us to acquaint  
With these so precious presents, and how sent,  
And how received, that so effectual prove,  
As to procure such firm and fervent love.  Sam. 
He cleared hes her bleared and blinded eyes,  
Inflamed her heart, so as she feels and sees.  
Her Comforter convey himself with kiss,  
And breath into her soul supernal blessings▪  
The beauty of whose visage her invites  
To trace him out when he doth make retreats;  
For in her heart so hes he shed that seed,  
Which her affections after him doth lead:  
And at a word, created now anew,  
She bids the whole Creation adieu,  
And in this Sphere of Love celestial sore,  
Not stooping to terrestrial trifles more,  
Until her Lover come, and do relieve  
Her weighted spirit, and heart contrite revive.  Jea. 
Why doth she not in patience possess  
Her soul, and so attend his timousnesse?  Sam. 
Baseness of mind such patience she esteems,  
Which would suspend her of these warming beams,  
By influence whereof she alone doth live,  
And therefore closely unto him doth cleave.  Jea. 
But is her project lawful? let me know.  Sam. 
True love was never limited by law.  Jea. 
But earthly minds in mounting high do burn.  Sam. 
The Spirit by habit heavenly doth turn.  Jea. 
Doth she the body than the more disdain?  Sam. 
No, but doth tune it to a sp●rituall strain:  
For it's the organ ordained for to sing  
The praises of her Lovely Prince and King.  Jea. 
How doth she then so sadly lie and still?  Sam. 
She doth attend his presence and his will,  
Preparing strait his praises to express,  
But, till his coming, lurks in heaviness,  Jea. 
But where is then the hold of Faith and Hope  
Fast held, but pressing nearer hard to grope,  
Desiring still the Marriage-day to see,  
When in His Robes she may arrayed be.  
And joining then his sweet soul-feeding face,  
Her firm affections fervent may embrace.  Hele. 
Poor Pilgrim I, in dole and deep unrest,  
For want of Faith, with hellish fears suppressed,  
Here wand'ring as a woeful wretch alone,  
So void of sense, can do no more but moan.  
Unworthy of respect, regard, or view,  
Much less your face, my spirits to renew:  
It is my wonder that your worth should stay,  
So to respect this crocked clog of clay,  
So hardened, that affections cannot melt  
To mould a new, by any motions felt:  
Yet happy you, you Blessings do procure,  
Who would conduct, and doth instruct the poor:  
But from the ways of wisdom I have gone  
So far astray, that I may mourn alone,  
And groan for grief, now when I cannot mend,  
But all my days in dole and dolour spend:  
And for to understand your friendly speech,  
Or meaning thereof, hardly can I reach.  
But true it is, sometimes I have expressed  
Some secrets that should not have been confess,  
Of feelings sweet, above expression far,  
Which for the time but seeming shadows are:  
For now deserted, like a desert owl,  
I hopeless lie, and can but hopeless howl,  
Bewailing oft that ever I was born,  
For all is gone and I am left forlorn.  Sam. 
Dear friends, convened here for this intent▪  
With mysteries of Love to be acquaint:  
Let us unweary, willingly attend,  
For all her griefs shall sure in gladness end.  Jea. 
Our true desire and most delight shall be,  
We may more clear this Divine science see,  
And with the whole affections of our heart,  
To learn the Heavenly Methods of this Art.  
I know the heart contrite and broken sp●rit  
Is for our King a Receptacle meet▪  
I know with timous comforts he doth turn  
Unto the pure in spirit who for him mourn.  
I know, the thirsting soul, and hungry heart,  
In His sweet face, have fullness for their part.  
I know, that pleasures in eternity  
Attend their souls that fleshly follies flee.  
I know, the penny-earn'st of Peace and Bless,  
Received by the meek and lowly is,  
And wisely witnessed here may we see,  
The might of truth, and height of mercy free,  
The strength of Faith, shining through filial fear,  
The wing of Love, weak ones to hide and bear.  Hele. 
I wonder much that you so wise and grave,  
Such groundless expectations can conceive!  
For showed you are so far of this my case,  
That I presumed should have made you cease:  
But presuppone that these your strange conceits  
Were true of me, which unto me relates,  
But nothing unto me I think belong,  
Yet were it fearfully free Love to wrong,  
And should bewray ingratitude, so far,  
As justly might me from his grace debar:  
For, sure I am, I had not been cashiered,  
If to offend my King my heart had feared:  
But gading I, so far astray have stepped,  
And in confusions such myself have wrapped,  
That now mine eyes are dimmed, my tongue bedumbed,  
Mine ears are deafened, and my heart benumbed,  
That what I hear I do not apprehend,  
But sure I see my well you do intend.  Jea. 
Yet with permission, and submission now,  
My friend, let me obtain this suit of you.  
This is a day of grace, and it may prove,  
If you improve it well, a time of love.  
Unto this timous counsel grave advert,  
Gainstand these griefs, that do disturb thy heart.  
Think on what light, life, liberty and peace,  
Thou lately tasted hes by special grace,  
The earnest of these Treasures rich procured,  
For thee, and by the Lover sweet secured;  
But under cloud eclipsed thou must be,  
By proof to find thine own infirmity.  
In Patience, Faith, Dependency, Submission.  
Importunately press, thou hes commission:  
Then look, and long, and to this promise cleave,  
And when thou art rebuked, yet believe.  Herald 
Madam, your counsel gracious, grave, and good,  
Does all desired felicities include:  
But I have forfault all these offers fair,  
And of these Blessings now am stripped bare:  
And when I hear of former happiness,  
Grief, horror and despair, the more increase.  
Once was I light, and now in darkness lie,  
Once was I life, now in death's jaws I die,  
Once had I freedom, now in bondage bound▪  
Once had I peace, now in vexation stound,  
You speak of pleasures, in a word anew,  
But dolefully may I bid them adieu.  
For I an earn'st of wrath endure I think,  
Might all the sinful sons of Adam sink:  
The evil spirit, when he does depart,  
Returning, enters in the empty heart:  
And every devil, of whatsoever deceit,  
May in this soul receive a several seat.  
And I will tell you more.  Jea. 
No more; Refrain,  
There is too much of this untimely strain.  
O fearful but it be, for to let slip,  
Of Sacred Truths, by Faith, the saving grip!  
And O! how bitter are the agonies  
Of absence in soul-searching secrecies?  
O horror, terror, dread, what dreadful height  
Is absence total, in eternal night!  
When timely tastes do so the godly tore,  
Where shall the godless go beneath despair?  
But I forbear, Sir, speak to her so plain,  
That she may be brought to herself again.  Sam. 
This darkness does th'approach of day presage:  
And us the more unto the means engage.  
Thou harden dost thyself in thy mistakes,  
And of our tenderness advantage makes:  
Thou dost expose thyself a present prey,  
Siren deceits of Satan to obey:  
Misled with carnal wit, by acquaint convoyance,  
So subtly to work thy souls annoyance.  
Wilt thou prescribe his coming, or confine  
His counsels to these finite thoughts of thine?  
Dare thou his faithfulness draw in debate,  
Because he doth not on thy humours wait▪  
Doth he his influence dispense for hire?  
Dar'st thou a reason of his rules require?  
But these demands in time and place recall:  
Examine, and answers receive we shall.  
And now in patience yet we shall persist,  
And with convincing arguments insist:  
Think on, when we from darkness unto light  
Translated were, and did receive our right  
Unto His Royal Court, and House of Wine,  
Where loves bright banner over thee did shine:  
Then didst thou see in darkness thou hadst been,  
Closed, Embrion-like, into the womb unseen;  
Until thy Lover, Mover in this place,  
The fruits of His free love made thee embrace:  
Then didst thou clearly see, that gracious He  
Endured to be obscured, for graceless thee:  
And that He might thy glorious days begin,  
Assumed thy flesh, and suffered for thy sin:  
Purged and perfumed thee His Bride to be,  
And did present himself Bridegroom to thee,  
Thy King, thy Captain, and thy Husband now:  
And to engage thee more him to avow,  
His Princely Robes thou saw him lay aside,  
Enter the lists, and in his armour bide,  
Till all thy foes he had defied in fight,  
And from their malice fred thee by his might,  
And led thee here among these sweet contents,  
Where only children of the King frequents.  
But that thou may'st convinced be the more,  
I shall this Country set thy face before:  
For as it seems, thou dost so sullen lie,  
Thou art surprised with a lethargy:  
Or for a proof, art left a little space  
To try what love thy Lover can displace.  
Thou know'st the City of our Royal King▪  
Where He to breed and woe his Bride doth bring:  
What glory and excellency, alone  
Believers, shining see about the Throne?  
Thou seest Him righteous Judgements daily read:  
Give doom unto thy foes, thy causes plead.  
When from His Ivory palaces he comes  
Thee to embrace, the smell of His perfumes  
Affect the Virgin-bowels for to move,  
Frames and inflames the quickened heart to love:  
For certainly unto Believers true,  
That be renewed, all things becometh new;  
And in this World of wicked workers, we  
A World enjoy of sweet felicity,  
Consisting in a Righteousness procured  
For us, with spiritual joy and peace secured.  
And this new heaven, and earth, and city fair,  
Whether the Elect chosen called are,  
Above comparison, you know, excels  
The rarest, fairest, richest parallels.  
The River that out-through the City slides  
For every several Citizen divides  
Unto refreshment: and the fruitful tree,  
That renders various fruits abundantly  
For every season, unto all affections,  
And sovereign physic, health for all complexions.  
Our everlasting light, without declining,  
Advancing gloriously, and brightly shining:  
Curse from the Cross, force from affliction shed,  
The sting from death, from fear and bondage fred:  
Where we may daily sing among the branches,  
And swim among the streams, our thirst that quenches  
And bathe us in that River, sweetly flowing,  
And feed upon the Spices, neatly growing  
About the banks of these delicious fields,  
That honey, milk and wine so pleasant yield▪  
Where we no task are set, but for to sing  
The praises of our Liberal Royal King:  
And to adore him in our nature now;  
Moved by his spirit, his name for to avow,  
As Members of His Body mystical,  
And diving still in Divine mysteries all:  
In Oracles and Ordinances seeing  
Him, and Him in His dispensations eyeing.  Herald 
These Metaphors I know not what they mean,  
Nor to discern your plainest speech attain:  
The one enfolding deepest mysteries,  
The other not discerned with carnal eyes.  Sam. 
Thou dost not only in the Faith bewray  
Thy weakness, but doth wilfully betray  
Thyself, in contradicting sweetest feelings▪  
Experimented sensible revealings,  
Flowing and falling timous tides of love,  
Which did thy-then lively affections move.  
Thou knowst what every word we speak doth mean,  
And that it is thy Lover's language clean,  
Appointing for our weakness figures frail,  
The splendour of spiritual things to veil,  
As wine and milk, apples and honey sweet,  
Under his shadow feasting we delight:  
Lest in His light we should be rapted so,  
That souls should suddenly abortive go.  
Canst thou the body of the Sun behold,  
And not be dazzled, if thou wert so bold?  
Whose light and operations yet thou may  
Enjoy, and not thy weakness so bewray:  
Amongst the shadows thou may'st feed securely  
Upon the substance that doth then allure thee:  
Where diving daily in this depth by seeing,  
From glory unto glory form being,  
We come to true tranquillity at length,  
And there enjoy our Lover's joy, our strength●  
So as we may, with peace, a space suspend  
That Glories breaking up, that doth attend  
To be imparted, for eternity,  
When we by grace matured for it be.  
Eyes, ears and hearts, see, hear not, nor conceives  
Now, what the true Believer than receives:  
Farlesse, who can our King conceive aright,  
Until we be admitted to his sight,  
Who, in such Glory inaccessible,  
Enjoys Himself, to us impenetrable?  
But by the grace of faith, so apprehended,  
As, for our comfort, He hath condescended:  
So as we must be bred, led, fost'red here,  
For sights unseen, by such as do appear.  
This is the life, ye know. Believers live,  
To whom both grace and glory He doth give.  
Up then, my heart, take heart among thy mates,  
Lie not so sad, thy Well-beloved wait●  
To see thee stir: for He will thee sustain,  
Suppose both weak and wanting thou hast been.  
Up, up, come, come, go, go with us.  Hel. 
No, no,  
What thou hast said, I do believe; But lo,  
I am but blind, although to see I seem,  
And what I seemed to see, falls out a dream  
Or vision, vanished by the way it came,  
Nor know I how I do, or what I am.  Sam. 
This is not unto death, I thee assure,  
But shall His honour, and thy health procure:  
What thou hast seen and felt, do not deny,  
But His unchanged love believe, apply.  Hele. 
How can the blind, the deaf, the dumb confess,  
Believe, apply, faith, or felt-love profess?  
Doubtless I have His fervent love again  
Provoked, and forsaken am.  Sam. 
Refrain,  
Thy sense is gone, it seems: but where's thy reason?  
For thou art boarding with a birth of treason.  
Because through weakness thou canst him provoke,  
Must he his constant counsel then revoke?  
When in thy birth and blood thou lay, in bands  
And hands of death, did he not give commands,  
Death to be gone, and thee ordained to live,  
What merit for this mercy didst thou give?  
Knows he not well, that thou no good canst do▪  
Without his presence, and supply thereto?  
And shall he now reputed be a changer?  Hele. 
No: but to me he makes himself a stranger.  Sa. 
Strange! when thou hast thyself from him estranged,  
Thy reason should conclude that he is changed:  
Or that he hath estranged himself so far,  
While such love-tokens resting with thee are.  
Hast thou not, biding still beside thee here,  
A Mirror full of beauty, passing clear:  
Wherein thou dost his portrait true possess,  
Full means to keep thy heart from heaviness?  
He wooed thee in a time of fervent love,  
That thou shouldst constant, faithful, loyal prove:  
Preparing, trimming, purifying, till  
The Nuptiall-rites he should complete fulfil.  
Do not what he hath done for thee deny,  
Extol his act, and on his truth rely.  Hele. 
What thou hast said, that surely have I seen  
Acted by him, for me hath truly been,  
I am convinced, and more than any speech,  
Or largest heart-conceptions can reach.  
But true it is, when I to admiration.  
His deeds had found, surpassing declaration:  
And then far, far, far over and above,  
Had felt his sweetness in a time of love:  
My melting heart within his heart relenting,  
That almost warms affections in recenting.  
But in that sweetness than I fell asleep,  
Surprised with such sopor sad and deep:  
That when I did awake, my only One  
Was gone, and now poor I, do die alone;  
For in his absence. I'm become a block.  
A wretched, fruitless, and a withered stock.  Sa. 
Dost thou conceive, these blinks, these smiles, these smells,  
These melting motions, whereof now thou tells,  
Were tendered out, thy fancy for to feed?  
No: but to strengthen faith, for fruit and feed.  Hele. 
Then shall I no more look to see my Love.  Sam. 
Sense follows such, as do most faithful prove,  
And feelings flee, when they are followed most:  
But when we stand by faith, there's nothing lost.  Hele. 
Oh! lost? What loss can be compared to this,  
To lose the only (Author) of my bliss?  Sam. 
Thy Bless? Conceive me, and resolve me this:  
If thou hadst thy desire unto thy wish,  
Shouldst thou in this poor dusty, rusty shrine,  
Endure that splendour, by these beams should shine  
Upon thy spirits? Thou knowst how soon they failed,  
When with a little blink thou wast assailed.  
Look up, make bold, take hold, hold fast by hoping:  
And till thine eyes anointed be, be groping  
Amongst thy Mates, where I have seen thee there,  
Press forward with thy pith, do not despair.  Herald 
I know not what, nor yet whereof ye mean.  Sam. 
I witness will, as yet, what I have seen.  
When first thy Princely Lover, to this place  
Translated thee, couldst thou then sleep or cease?  
But with Associates of the City using,  
Uncessantly in deepest mysteries musing.  
A frequent waiter at solemnities,  
Much moved in minding our immunities,  
About the River spying out thy spots,  
And washing in the Streams away thy blots:  
Upon the Mountains, where heavens dew distils.  
And Fountain, that with all refreshments fills.  
Thou art so framed, and to a habit new,  
Inflamed with firm affections, pure and true:  
Exactly set, uncessantly to sing  
The praises of thy ever-glorious King:  
The rarest Airs and sweetest music matching,  
And unto new inventions nightly watching;  
Adorned with such ornaments ingrain,  
That most infective tempests never slain.  
What hes endured been by men of mights,  
For to defend our privileged rights,  
Thou hast observed, and deeply pondered then,  
Composed to be wondered at by men.  
These things deny thou canst not, witness clear  
The Citizens thine own Associates here:  
Witness thy vestures new, these shining Robes,  
From mourning more refrain, restrain thy sobs.  
This world new no dolour such admits,  
Felt-love, believe, forbear these faithless fits.  Hele. 
That world of yours no falsehood doth admit,  
Faithless profession is a feigned fit:  
You in the faithful witness do believe,  
And by believing faithfully do live:  
You grafted in the lively Olive grow,  
Where substance sweet doth from that fatness flow.  
I formerly have in these courses gone,  
With others, as you instantly have shown,  
But I have stepped aside in following lies,  
Upon the mount of many vanities:  
What could it make, suppose I should explain  
The folly and the figments of my brain,  
The levity of my affections vile?  
Some seeming goodness under secret guile.  
You by your importunacy do press  
Me more particularly to express:  
If better more, than prejudice it could,  
Or pertinent it were, I surely should.  Sa. 
Whence comes this conscience of those heart-conceits?  
Whence flow these conflicts of these soul-debates?  
Corruption 'gainst corruption doth not side,  
Satan against himself doth not divide.  
Weakness and wand'ring do in us remain,  
And yet our Lover doth us not disdain,  
He fails us not, as we do (doting) deem,  
But that he absent to our sense doth seem:  
That we may see what of ourselves we may  
Expect, if he should our supply delay:  
And what can make us more ourselves forsake,  
Then hell-black us, milk-white for Heaven to make?  
Such sweetness from the breasts thou hast been sucking,  
That weaned now, thou dost but fall a drooping:  
Thou hast been dandled on thy keeper's knees,  
And fed with suggared soul-festivities:  
But now for to obtain the Royal prize,  
Thou must to work, and run, and fight; arise.  Hele. 
It's easy Sailing in a gentle Gale,  
But grievous when the tempest strieks the Sail:  
It's easy fight with your fleeing foes,  
But dreadful when it turns to bloody blows:  
It's easy speaking to a wounded heart,  
But not so easy to retreat the dart:  
And searching trials light to some may be,  
Which work to others much perplexity.  
I pray you therefore leave me now alone,  
You, may I hurt, help can you make me none  Sa. 
In darkest days, and sharpest storms that blow,  
Our Pilot, how to land us safe, doth know:  
And we within the vail, our Anchor sure  
Do cast, and so can ride it out secure.  
Our Captain stands victorious in the field,  
He never lost a man that did not yield.  
Our sweet Physician, full of science, sees  
Our wounds, diseases, and their remedies,  
And doth with cordials unto us address,  
When dwining we do dream of nothing less;  
And it is good thou dost not us regard,  
Lest at thy hands we should expect reward.  
But till you take a breathing, we shall walk,  
Beside thee here, and to the matter talk.  
Now ye my friends devote, and Ladies dear,  
Who this discourse (of ours) do overhear,  
Speak your opinion from experience plain,  
And we shall to our purpose turn again;  
For in her griefs, if we cannot be grieved,  
We shall be grieved when she shall be relieved:  
But of her burdens who doth take a part,  
Her comfort shall reflect upon their heart.   

Maria, Anna, Grissilla, Eliza. Thomas.  Maria. 
IT seems it shall not easy be to find  
The bands that do her in this bondage bind:  
But let us now recite our special failings,  
Their causes and effects, and our prevailings▪  
And to avoid contest, I shall break in,  
And as you bid, be bold for to begin:  
Court-breeding leading us to high aspire,  
Swelling in such ambitious desirings,  
We can for self-promotion, formal prove  
In every project where we mind to move:  
And can (Chamelion-like) all colours take,  
As for the gaining of our point may make:  
And from what airt we see the air to swirle,  
For that same course quickly our sails can hurl.  
But when we of ourselves do get a sight,  
We guard against this Idol with our might,  
Most deeply humbled at the heart, that we  
Are wasted in this frothy vanity:  
For than it pleased my King to clear mine eyes,  
Divinely to discern deep mysteries,  
And take a Pardon in that time of love,  
Which made my frozen heart in melting move.  
Yet after this, anon I must you tell,  
A fearful trial unto me befell:  
Even after tasting many comforts sweet,  
Intent some meditations to repeat,  
Of most concernment, pressing to procure,  
In supernatural truths, my standing sure;  
Such as of souls the immortality,  
Whose being in and out of bodies be:  
The resurrection, and immortalising  
Of bodies mortal, natural, spiritualizing:  
And minding thence, some higher to ascend,  
So far as finite thoughts might comprehend  
Of God, his goodness, wisdom and his might,  
Pre-ordinating all in order right:  
By His eternal counsel, pleasure, will,  
Who all things works, moving, unmoved still:  
But instantly, a voice, both pure and plain,  
My musing moved unto another strain.  
So friend-like and so friendly muttering then,  
Must thou be found the only fool of men:  
What business is this thou goes about?  
What strange chymaeraes shall we see come out?  
We guided be by reason, and by sense,  
Where be thy groundless grounds? on what pretence  
Dost thou entangle, and perturb thy mind  
In courious qui●ks, whereto thou art inclined?  
Art thou so senseless, as thus to conceive,  
Dust turned to dust, turn ghostlesse from the grave:  
Or that thy vanished spirits shall return,  
These ashes to inspire, spent in that urn?  
Some giddy-headed people wonders tell,  
Of God, of Heaven, satan, sin and hell:  
But these be foolries, fitted to deceive  
Some facile Spirits, that fancies do conceive▪  
Canst thou defraud thyself of all thy bliss,  
By framing to thyself a hell like this?  
While as thou might in many pleasures flouri●  
And nature in her native notions nourish.  
But even then, when I (perplexed) though  
What could it be that this diversion wrought:  
Unto my sense, there was reply so clear  
Returned in my behalf, which made appear  
The devil, his drift, and his deluding lure,  
Discourse of me by flatt'rie to procure:  
But my firm faithful Watchman and my Love●  
Seeing the malice of this murdering mover,  
Preveens this cruel plot, and interposes  
His subtlety, and sophistry discloses:  
Objections more than now I can recent▪  
Which none but very devils could invent,  
Confuted and refuted were so clear,  
By him alone, who did for me appear.  
But then, said I, (in this confusion vexed)  
Since it is so, how am I thus perplexed?  
Then instantly, my great deliverance wrought,  
Was wondrously by my Redeemer brought:  
When to gross Atheism, the tempter, he  
Had cast his baits for to have hooked me:  
And if the inward Teacher had not taught  
Me, how to answer these his reasons, fraught  
With subtleties, so mystic, that again  
I had been tortured in that fearful train.  
But sad and bitter were the sore rebukes  
Of my dear Lover, and the frowning looks  
That I endured, for daring to adventure  
With this deceiver in the lists to enter:  
Moreover, fears not only me affright,  
But, also, I must with afflictions fight:  
With many terrors, and with troubles toiled,  
And by infirmity am often foiled:  
But yet I find it for my best to be  
Pressed and distressed in this perplexity:  
For on the road I read, in letters fair,  
Love unconceivable, and wisdom there:  
And ever since, when I such whisper hear  
Flow from that buzzing snake, I stop mine ear.  ANNA. 
We of the City, sumptuously do live,  
And to maintain our wealth do mainly strive.  
So avaricious and luxurious grow,  
As we in wealth and worldly honours flow▪  
But when our Lover doth remove the vail,  
We see the rotten ship wherein we sail,  
And fecklesse wares, whereon our souls we waste▪  
Then to the death we do ourselves detest:  
But being bred in such societies,  
As do advert unto varieties  
Of outward forms, must civil be and neat,  
According to our rank, degree and state.  
I have been showed by one that's most sincere,  
That many dangers 'mongst them do appear:  
And that herself was fearfully afraid,  
Lest unknown fear her weakness had bewrayed▪  
And if I warned had not been before,  
I might have split on this deadly shore:  
But after deeper search, I did perceive  
Myself was nothing, but a living grave,  
Where noisome serpents in the members crawl,  
The faculties infecting of the soul:  
The soul again, vain, arrogant and proud,  
For all her wak'ning walking under cloud.  
Then after this I had a fearful blink,  
Which under desperation made me shrink:  
But then even at the twinkling of an eye,  
My Saviour, present set me fully free:  
So as unto his praise, I must record,  
A self-lost soul was saved by the Lord.  
Thus my Redeemer so did me Redeem.  
My danger and deliverance seen did seem  
So near, and I so filled with conceiving,  
Sense led me from the way of firm believing:  
But in that sweetness, when I fell asleep,  
I swelled up in a deadly fever deep:  
And moving missed the Author of my joy,  
So then my nearest friends I did employ,  
Who helps prescribed, and potions did prepare  
To suage my swelling, and my health repair.  
But then there did such fears my soul assail,  
Which through my weakness often did prevail,  
To bring in question, how to persevere  
Before the straits and trials that appear.  
I was brought very low, but never healed,  
Until compassion with my Prince prevailed  
Me to restore, and make me surely see,  
A steadfast faith was firm stability.  
So when I looked unto my Lover's might,  
All faithless fears evanisht out of sight.  GRISSILLA. 
We in the Academy that be nourished,  
And fruitful grow, when we have early flourished:  
Physick▪ Laws, Metaphysics we debate,  
What serves for man's soul, body, or estate:  
And by our science and inventions then,  
Reduce to order for the use of men:  
But swell in pride, and in disdain, when we  
Others so far below us we espy:  
And often our too curious spirits swerving,  
Do over-turn ourselves by our deserving;  
For by deep speculation, we do see  
Wonders, that by none other seen can be;  
Produced by nature's force, and rendered then  
In rare effects, to be admired of men.  
The stars in several places we espy,  
In constellations, as they ordered be:  
Designed for signs in every Variation,  
Ascent, descent, degrees and inclination:  
Several effects on every several thing,  
That from the earth, from air and oceans spring.  
Gold, Pearls, Stones precious in the earth secured,  
Deep steeping closely, till they be matured:  
Where by the stars, they do procure their strength,  
Of bodies short continuance, and their length:  
Of Animals, Herbs, Flowers, their virtues all,  
Their birth and growth, their durance and their fall▪  
Which as in this clear prospect we do see,  
By proof, their operations learned have we.  
And I one day these marvels so admiring,  
Their causes and effects too much desiring,  
To search by nature's light: And not adoring  
The God of nature, but by nature poring,  
In this deep study I was sorely stained  
With infidelity, and then arraigned,  
And left forlorn, a little, as I showed,  
Until that by contrition renewed,  
I access had, and granted was to see  
That my dear Lover, and Life-giver, He  
Was nature's Author, and that her effects  
Were done directly, still as he directs.  
Afflictions, fears and too much carnal care,  
Temptations be, which lead unto despair:  
Again by grace, resisting and repelling,  
A devilish drift doth lift the heart to swelling,  
And herein I much weakness have bewrayed,  
But happily therewith hath been essayed,  
For of his goodness I again do gain,  
To guard against these vile debourdings vain.  ELIZA. 
We who into the Country bred have been,  
And little of the Court or City seen,  
But in the Wilderness alone were living,  
Our bleitting droves unto the fountains driving.  
Alongst the quickening springs and cooling streams,  
Sheltered with sweetest sprigs from scorching beams,  
Delighted in our silent Cypress Bowers,  
Adorned with the fairest rarest flowers:  
And satisfied herewith as with silk,  
Preferring to their sharpest spice, our milk:  
But under all this smooth sobriety,  
Ingenuous care, and frugal industry,  
We live and die in ignorance endured,  
And lie in gross profanity obdured,  
And cannot see, until by special grace.  
A brighter light do shine upon our face:  
But after I was called, and caused to see,  
And made ashamed of my profanity:  
Thereby affected with my Lover's love,  
That nothing else near to my heart could move:  
The Devil then, under a glistering vail,  
My weakness (unawares) did so assail,  
That I had drunk the poisoned cup so deep,  
My senses by the venom were asleep;  
For he some instruments had so deceived,  
And to most impious principles beslaved:  
Under pretext of love to Christ alone,  
Exalting him up to his Royal Throne,  
With all that unto him do truly cleave:  
That they by doctrines were not now to live,  
That they are clean, and cannot be defiled:  
Illuminate, and cannot be beguiled:  
That all are theirs, and all things common be  
Unto that love-bred, love-fed Family:  
With others suchlike hatcht-patcht proofs so specious▪  
And dressed with speeches, seeming very gracious:  
My carnal heart did presently affect  
To bring a present heaven in respect:  
But when the way so pleasant did appear  
To flesh and blood, I did begin to fear,  
And took me to consult with truth divine:  
So as the Majesty therein did shine  
Of Holiness, and Righteousness so clear,  
The filthiness, and folly did appear,  
Wherein they swell, perverting truth so far,  
That they obdured unto conviction are:  
And hereby found I also out again,  
That I unstable, facile was, and vain:  
And so alas! have blasted been, and broken  
With all these blustrings, whereof you have spoken:  
Have seen myself, self-lost, self-damned, and saved,  
And yet so senseless, and so self-depraved,  
So far corrupt, so foolish, and so frail,  
Conceits impure so much with me prevail:  
And yet with mercy and compassion clear  
Am compassed, more than I can admire;  
For I to wrath myself do still expose,  
But my Redeemer still doth interpose:  
And when I would myself in darkness cast,  
I rescued am, for he doth hold me fast:  
And when despar'dly I would make retreat  
From this new City, and these pleasures sweet,  
And searches every postern gate, and lirk,  
My own destruction cruelly to work,  
By separating, yet I am surrounded  
In so wise windings, wherein I am bounded:  
And breathed upon, even when the breath is failing,  
And helped up by everlasting healing:  
Whereby my safety doth proceed, I prove▪  
From infinite, and from unchanged love;  
For as I am confounded and ashamed,  
To see myself in such convictions blamed,  
So am I more comforted, to repose  
Upon my Prince, and in his peace rejoice:  
And now I grant, that by His grace I gain  
In watchfulness, and also do refrain,  
To taste, or touch, or to approach too near,  
Where peril of infection doth appear.  TH0MAS. 
O deep profound! O! what a deepness is  
●he wisdom, knowledge and eternal bless,  
●f this, who is the glorious King of Saints?  
●d graciously among his children haunts?  
●d O! How many are our miseries?  
●d O! How rescued by such mysteries?  
●re I by providence above perceiving,  
●ght lessons once receive, above conceiving  
●any, but by these are taught aright  
〈◊〉 see themselves, and to abhor that fight.  
〈◊〉 we this while a main Professor been,  
●use I hated vice, and sin obscene,  
●eigh'd against it, and did virtue love,  
〈◊〉 vicious hate, and virtuous did approve:  
〈◊〉 in this gracious fellowship have seen,  
●t hitherto I have but blinded been:  
〈◊〉 do I see Believers and their rights,  
●ir world new and their renewed lights:  
〈◊〉 trials and the straits they did endure,  
●ork for their well, and they preserved sure:  
As also, I have seen these lad assailings  
Of satan, and your special prevailings,  
Whereof I never knew, nor less nor more,  
For they were mysteries great to me before.  
We in the wilderness that have been bred,  
Amongst the brute, on brutish lust were fed:  
Your breeding been in School, in Court, and City,  
Delicious, curious, delicate and witty:  
But not exeem'd from trials more than we,  
Exposed to many that most dreadful be.  
You do by curious speculations give  
Place to the serpent, darts at you to drive:  
But as he hes into his fang so fast,  
Such windings He for us needs not forecast:  
For this I do confess, albeit I could  
My heaven upon this love to virtue hold,  
Yet Satan of hypocrisy a spice,  
Hes in the heart shed, where it slily lies:  
For seeing you with others, who assemble  
At solemn meetings, I would them resemble,  
Dissemble what within my bosom grew,  
And learn to prattle things I never knew:  
Likewise, I find too great a trial here  
At meetings, when both Sexes do appear,  
And ordered so, that oppositely airted  
The venom of much vanity is darted  
Out from the poison of infective eyes,  
At civil and sacred festivities.  
Now these and many such enormities,  
Naughty, profane, vain superfluities,  
We civil men do see, and do forbear  
To mortify, when they do most appear▪  
But you the flesh who do subdue so far,  
That fairly springing up afresh you are,  
Like fruitful branches, and like garden-flowers,  
That wat'red be by sweet Celestial showers,  
Preserve your peace, when we ourselves consume,  
In making up Indictment for our doom.   

Andrea, Grissilla, Anna.  And. 
GReat, good, grave Ladies, wise and Virgins pure▪  
Ye know ye could not well our sight endure:  
For we, what folly in the flesh remains,  
By much experience, tasting have with pains,  
Do make it now our trade for to travers  
Through all the corners of this Univers:  
Unvailing vice, and bearing witness good  
Against that venom, which infects our blood:  
And every one of you, in all your places  
With this sweet fellowship of gracious faces,  
Cannot deny, but ye had warning all,  
Against these slights, which might procure your fall.  
Now are we glad to hear you so confess  
Your weakness, and your Lover's lovingness.  Anna. 
The most sincere, and self-denied agrees  
Upon these sacred sweet solemnities,  
Which we frequent: for there, by cords of love,  
After our Lover, we are moved, and move:  
In all sincere devotion avowed,  
And unto new obedience are bowed.  
Nor doth our liberal Lord us quite deprive  
Of recreations▪ whilst we warily live.  And. 
True, this the mind of many is indeed,  
But may no● us discourage to proceed.  
The kindness of our King doth us constrain  
To seek his glory, and your spiritual gain.  
Daily and doleful proof doth witness well  
Our weakness, and we may much folly feel  
Possess our hearts: for, when we tempted be,  
Surprised we are, and can it not foresee.  
Many affected seem, and make a show  
To follow us, that back again do go.  
The cunning Serpent sleeps not, but by flight,  
Knows how to enter our corruption right:  
Can give it life, and then a bait most sweet,  
Prepared for our pleasure, we shall meet,  
Coloured with recreations, in the name  
Of lawful liberties, to save the blame.  
This I may say, and can it now avow,  
We doing are, ourselves for to undo,  
All that we can; But, when we are intent  
The sacred Mysteries for to frequent,  
Advancing still in faith, ourselves forsaking,  
Tending our King, and his sweet Cross up-taking:  
(And who is he that doth aright detest  
Himself, and on his Lover's favour feast▪  
And is not this poor ignorance engrain,  
When recreations we prefer profane,  
Which profit not, nor pleasure, but do perish,  
Before the fruit appear from-out the flourish?  
Whereas, if we (even here in our traversings)  
Had with our King constant and clean conversings)  
Than should our tasting, smelling, hearing, seeing,  
Render a relish, unto all admiring.  
When in the galleys he himself were showing▪  
Feed on his face, enlivening grace renewing:  
And when he doth himself again retreat,  
We have his Word and Works for to repeat,  
Where from the least, most common that is named,  
Most wondrous ways of wisdom are proclaimed.  
And if these marvels we did rightly see,  
Then recreated should we fully be,  
Above what all created comforts can  
Confer upon the sp'rituall-graced man.  
Ye know, though we translated be to light,  
Yet all of us our natural temper right  
Retain, so as a stronger potion will  
Some person save, which would another kill:  
So with the gracious we do still consent,  
In sowing seeds of spiritual nourishment:  
But then the sturdy ground must break and bruise,  
So as the season may the seed infuse.  An. 
We know your meaning unto us is good,  
And better seen it is then understood:  
Out of zeal in every thing you are,  
From self-experience bidding us beware:  
And in this present purpose to proceed,  
It seems that this discourse may be applied:  
For we of several ranks, degrees, professions  
Presented have our case and our confessions:  
And as there be of several persons here,  
So do our trials diversely appear:  
And doubtless, what would helpful be to some▪  
Should most untimous to another come.  
You see it so, not one of us doth find  
What bands in bondage doth this dam'sell bind:  
So sure there doth concur, as seems to me,  
Some other grounds of this variety  
Of exercise, unto us incident,  
Who all are sprung from one root and descent,  
Such as to our effectual calling may  
Refer, or to the manner, time or way.  Grissel. 
Certain, if we exactly ponder would  
All that upon our nature and this mould  
Had influence, it verily should prove▪  
Our feeble, frail conceptions far above:  
We in the general jointly do confess,  
Stars, constellations, signs celestial hes  
Much operation in our bodies all,  
Their generation, standing and their fall;  
Bodies of Elements compounded been  
Of humours, some more gross, and some more clean,  
In some more equal, some less equalling:  
Whence strength and weakness, health and sickness spring:  
Hence dispositions and affections move,  
Which in some less, in some more vicious prove:  
Our distance also from the temp'rat Zone,  
The frigid and the hot, the Horizon,  
Climate, our customs and our education,  
Our frequent fellowship and conversation:  
All these, and many more have force upon  
Our facile minds, and fond affection.  
By this connexion of so many things,  
Distinguishable by so many signs:  
So many various thoughts impression have,  
That poisoned inclinations do receive:  
Hence is it that some sole-commanding thing  
Bears rule in every one as Sovereign King:  
Which in the fervour of a strong respect,  
Follow the Apples that they most affect:  
And in the frenzy of these carnal fires,  
Dote on the idol of their chief desires:  
And from that folly never can refrain,  
Until the sting of death revive their pain:  
So when the soul physician comes to cure,  
Our sickness (sees) and what we can endure:  
And unto our infection he applies,  
For all contagions, several remedies,  
Corrections, crosses, that we may relent;  
Comforting cordials, lest our heart should faint.  
And when we have been gained and alured,  
And of his favour faithfully assured,  
By real feeling of our lost condition,  
And ●deliv●ry by our Lord's tutition:  
Yet not the less, we must be humble held,  
So as the devils darts may be repelled:  
He did in Paradise with our Parents plead.  
And prosecutes his splen against their Seed  
Nor is the old man yet so fully slain,  
But that he can recover life again:  
If we be left a little to be tried  
By light temptations, we shall step aside,  
Unless we be prevented or restrained,  
And so by free immediate grace maintained.  
Now these strong reasons and right grounds may be  
Of Christian cases the variety:  
Nor do I doubt, but that the Christ'an-call,  
Manner and time be not alike in all:  
Some saved are with fear, some love constrains,  
Some hurled from the fire with harder pains:  
Much difference of exercise can make,  
Which also may the name of trial take.  And. 
Enough, dear friend, now have you made us see  
Our own experience more perspicuously:  
For we be of our birth and breeding wild,  
As likewise of all people most defiled:  
But as by times some of us hes been tamed,  
Then of ourselves we have been much ashamed:  
Made it our study vice for to detect.  
Destroy, and to draw virtue to respect:  
We censured be by many that are good▪  
To be too rigid, being people rude:  
Who to be too far kerbed do disdain,  
And plead for recreations too profane,  
But since it pleased our King us to recall  
To this His Paradise spiritual:  
And since we did with you assemble here▪  
We have been set to get the heart sincere:  
And what by speculation we take,  
Make it impressions unto practice make:  
And with much order do ourselves address,  
To show to men their natural naughtiness,  
And that even in the best there doth remain  
Some of the life of death, as yet, unslain:  
But as for us, we have been so ingrained  
In that corruption, which all flesh hath stained,  
It so habitual unto us became▪  
That we converted were unto the same:  
And when our eyes at first to see were cleared,  
Our misery and mercy most admired,  
The causes and the wrath so vively seen,  
His everlasting arms to intervene:  
There did concur force, fear, love infinite,  
Our full reclaiming thereby to complete:  
And now our crosses and corrections we  
Find for the death of sin in us to be:  
Even such, by which, heaven's wisdom does reform us,  
And to our King and Comforter conform us.  An. 
This grave and graced person in his speech,  
If pondered well it were, might many teach:  
For this we know, that of one propagation,  
Country and clime, and of one education  
Are all that tribe, and surely such as here  
Arrived be, most zealous do appear.  
And as for us who came from every airt,  
Of several qualities partake apart:  
As also, some more early, some more late  
Have called been unto this happy state,  
Some, by our Sovereign King his ointments sweet,  
By love came running, when he did invite:  
Some, from the sense of wrath when they did cry,  
Such mercy felt, that they did melt thereby.  
Thus we by conference find, that there must be  
Strong reasons ' for this strange diversity  
Of exercise, and that it is to train  
Us to the truth, from trifles false and vain.  
And this we know, though we be civil bred,  
And in the platform fair of virtue led,  
And have not been brought under public blame,  
That could have brought us unto open shame,  
That yet the seed of every vice remains  
In us, as others only grace restrains:  
And as we more or less infected are,  
Our antidotes stronger or weaker were.  
And more particular or plain to be,  
You pardon will, to save our modesty:  
For our dear Lover, who by grace hath loved us,  
Above the grace bestowed, hath never proved us:  
And when our Sex to suffer for their love  
Is called, they constant do and loyal prove.  Tho. 
We as these Lady's congregated are  
From every airt, where shines the morning star,  
different by birth, humours and education,  
By sight, society and conversation:  
Some in their youth have hither been translated,  
Some in their age here happily been stated.  
Some saved by fear, and some by force constrained  
To come, but all by Love and mercy gained,  
So that with us strange differences must be:  
But far more strange is this strange harmony,  
Where contrare inclinations do incline  
All to one end: O endless depth divine!  
And that the rod upon our folly lies,  
More happiness it is then we can prise.  
Chastised we be as children for our good,  
When through the fire, or the most furious flood  
Of sore afflictions, we be safely led,  
Who in the barren wilderness are bred.  
The purest white drinks in the blewest die:  
And if you do take pains for to apply  
Some red, some green, according to the grain:  
But unto white shall never turn again:  
Right so, though we be stained, we can receive,  
By industry and education grave,  
Civility and righteous colours sweet:  
But the first tincture never shall delete,  
Until by blood and water both our blots  
Be purged out, for cleanging all our spots.  
This is the mystery deep that we should mind▪  
How we may be unto our King combined,  
By bands of love, in sucking in His blood,  
Which doth our consolations all include:  
While we perceive the spawn of our proud foes  
Remain unpurged, wherein can we rejoice?  
We suffer not, it is but this old man,  
And we should beat him down in what we can:  
Delight to see him totally destroyed,  
And all devices for that end employed:  
That we unto the image of our King  
May once appear, and so his praises sing▪   

Mariona, Grissella.  Ma. 
WE do not deem that this distressed Maid  
Is tainted with the things that we have said:  
Or that such guilt, so gross, could find a place  
For to obscure such gravity and grace;  
But we by bitter proof have truly proved  
Matter in us remaining, unremoved,  
Which can such motions bring unto respect,  
When on these painted Portraicts we reflect,  
That are suggested by the serpent sly,  
Or by the sense sent to the fantasy;  
But though we cannot shun, we see the craft,  
And Arrows keen he doth against us shaft;  
Armour of proof we stand in, and resist  
The sharpest dart he at our heart can thrust,  
The fairest Idol that he can invent,  
The sweetest Apple that he can present:  
And when we sleeping be, surprised and foiled,  
And ere we be aware, betrayed and spoiled:  
Our Captain sees, and cannot long refrain  
Us to relieve, and set us right again,  
So as to him we do more closely cleave,  
And watchful walk for all the time we live:  
This subtle hunter he is ever spying  
Where we be weakest, and is ever trying  
By all means set, to make us swell or swither,  
The spunk of life by spouts of hell to smother.  
This impure spirit, prince of the air, doth carry  
Into the brain many vain vapours airy,  
Which the affections surely should infect,  
If timously we did them not detect:  
But if this airt the carnal part incline  
To blink asquint when he doth Saintlike shine,  
Then are we overclouded, and we know  
Our Jealous Lover must us then reprove:  
For he corrival never could endure▪  
But sealed for himself will have us sure:  
Since all that we can wish conjoined in one  
Of bless, combined is in him alone:  
And we convinced be abundantly,  
Of love-obligements unto loyalty,  
And when he sees us truly humbled much  
Under these trials which the heart doth touch,  
Then in his tenderness to us doth turn  
With comforts, as we in his absence mourn.  
Thus when we stand, or fight, or faint, or fall,  
He is so near that we are saved all:  
This love, above all finite reach ascending,  
Unalterable, and so condescending.  
That even when we are secluded sore,  
We obliged be for to believe the more;  
For if we were not so rebuked, then  
Careless we should become, like carnal men.  
These are the flames, this is that force of love,  
Floods cannot quench, might, slight cannot remove.  
This is our King, our Sun, our Shield, our Friend,  
Who by his blood hes us to him combined:  
Whose splendent rays, full fraught with virtue, shall  
From this gross dross affections pure exhale,  
And fix within that element of love,  
Where our delights alone on him may move.  Grissel. 
Much graced Matron, your discourse devote,  
Much verity and charity doth note.  
Ye who above us do so far resort,  
Can best discern these Arrows to retort,  
That from the prince of darkness darted still  
Within the dark for to infest the will.  
Your charity (grave Matron) most agrees  
With rich experience and with cleared eyes.  
The mystery of mercy you have seen  
Melted in love, and moulded have you been,  
So as no evil you can think or wrest  
To worst, but all interpret to the best:  
But many novices come to this place,  
Who tasted have and do belong to grace,  
Are often on extremes, as they abound  
In feelings, or are under absence drowned:  
And in their hal●y on days will not allow  
Esteem, to any that be them below,  
As little for themselves do they preserve,  
When under darkness drooping they do starve.  
And we be ever checking those mistakes,  
But self-conceit obdurate many makes:  
Till they be tortured under many trials,  
And taught to live by faith, in self-denyals:  
But for the number wherewith we must meet,  
Not possible it is for to repeat.  
Some hes been spoken to by our dear friends,  
Both from intention, purpose good. and ends,  
And suffer me as yet to signify,  
Of these our travels the necessity.  
As by this simile we'll better see,  
If we dissect our own Anatomy.  
The matter, composition and the Art  
Of Heaven, admirable in every part,  
Flesh, blood, bones, nerves, veins, arteries sustaining.  
Humours, hot, cold, moist, dry, and mixed containing;  
Seat and assistance, offices and ends,  
Each other serving, none another offends;  
And all dispersed through all this fabric rare,  
By instruments above a thousand pair:  
From top to toe by searching we may see  
No less than wonders in variety.  
The very head a magazine is made  
Of marvels, most magnificent and dread.  
And whoso should down to the foot descend,  
And on the parts therein contained spend  
Some space, in every place they should perceive  
Hundreds, which wonders were for to conceive:  
And every one that charge for to fulfil,  
Appointed by the glorious Maker's will:  
As by pre-ordination God doth give  
These souls immortal, whereby we do live:  
Ye likewise see that all these parts and powers,  
Composed in this little world of ours,  
And animated by this living breath,  
Lies dwining now under the sting of death,  
And that through this defiled body spreads  
These soul-preserving, now life-poys'ning threads;  
For as the body doth in part defect,  
Then can the soul thereby work no effect.  
Ye likewise see, the soul cannot be seen,  
Which in the body hath infused been:  
That both might be an instrument to raise  
The Author's greatness, and his goodness praise.  
And for this end, endowed above conceiving  
With large capacities, fit for receiving  
All that our Maker shall reveal, to make  
Us see him, and his service undertake:  
So as her gifts in such excellencies,  
In number, worth and great varieties,  
Exceeds what ere be said of bodies may,  
As doth the breath of God excel this clay:  
Not only ample, simple, pure, capacious,  
But also subtle, pregnant and sagacious:  
To dyve, to search, to soar and never cease,  
Until she do her Author once embrace,  
In whom she shall (far, far above desiring)  
Be fed with wonders unto all admiring;  
But now in all her parts so far depraved,  
By listing to her lust, and so beslaved,  
That when she's taught, and rescued, yet again  
Constant she cannot in her course remain:  
But steps aside, and doth herself deprive  
Of these revivings that should her enlive.  
And as it is most strange, aright to see  
These contraries corporeal to agree,  
This structure of the body to maintain,  
Until it must turn to the dust again:  
Albeit some interruptions often make  
The soul in all her agitations slack;  
But how much more incomparable ye know  
Were it to keep in frame? These fancies move  
In our light minds, imaginations vain,  
From which the carnal part cannot refrain,  
Which most doth mar that special consolation  
We should enjoy by spiritual contemplation,  
By diving in these mysteries divine,  
Wherein the glory of our King doth shine:  
And whereby we are by his light delighted,  
Until by this his grace we be perfected.  
But when his Spirit, to prevent our swelling,  
Or from the vapours of that venom dwelling  
In us, obstructed is, who then, oh! who  
So overclouded can but sadly go?  
For he's the soul by which the soul doth live;  
Even as the soul the body keeps alive:  
Then never think it strange to see us grieve  
When he is gone, who should our heart relieve:  
Nor strange to see him forced for to retire,  
But rather wonder that he should appear,  
And through the latters lend a friendly blink,  
When he perceives the fainting heart to shrink:  
And rather think it strange that so remiss  
We prove, in searching what the quarrel is  
Of such desertions as the heart do vex,  
And with dejection do the spirit perplex.  
I do confess believing were the best,  
In quietness and confidence to rest:  
But saving faith to holiness adheres,  
And guarded is with many filial fears,  
And out of love is ever sorely moved,  
When evidences are of love removed.  
Though you conversant are, and so enured  
In heavenly matters, and so well secured,  
Can stand before the gates of hell and make  
Your progress, yet the weak may stumbling take  
For in this case much grace we take to be,  
Hopeful, sincere, in heart humility.  
And studying to make out a true disjunction,  
From every motion can obstruct that unction,  
Whereby we be conjoined in that communion  
With our dear Lover, in a spiritual union.  
So as by grace, grafted in him we grow  
Up, by that influence that from him doth flow,  
Until we be into his image form,  
And most devotly to his will conformed:  
But you appear so prudent, that therefore  
We leave to be considered less and more.  
These our essays at your command pursued,  
To be by you corrected and renewed:  
And as ye do think meet in time and place,  
Composed and right applied to the case.   

Samuel, Helena.  Sam. 
MOst precious people, saved and secured,  
By force of felt and fervent love alured:  
Your conferences free I have been hearing,  
And do approve, and for your better clearing  
Do certify, that your most Princely Love  
These actings in his children doth approve.  
We who be named gracious, be it known,  
No grace, but what is given, have of our own,  
And by that grace immediately maintained,  
Converted, called, as you, and so sustained.  
The difference only doth consist in this,  
The King his pleasure good was us to bless;  
●ince from the womb we came to humane sight,  
To sanctify us by his heavenly light;  
And separate we be for this effect,  
To do and suffer as he does direct:  
●ot specially his elect Flock to feed,  
And them unto the living Fountain lead.  
You have been overhearing what was said,  
●n reference to this distressed Maid:  
You have been careful hereby to conceive  
The mystery of her case, I do perceive:  
You have been searching out for second causes,  
Which cautioned would be with certain clauses.  
●ut you are sober, and are satisfied▪  
●om solid grounds of reason certified.  
And this is right; for never one as yet,  
Of soundest and profoundest searching wit  
In nature's secrets, by the Physics poring,  
Or winged with the Metaphysics soaring,  
Exactly could, the causes and effects,  
Matter and form, with all their due respects,  
Produced by natures infinite variety,  
On several objects, marvellous rariety,  
Conceived by science, or by all their Art  
Ever demonstrate to the thousand part:  
Our princ'ples are with much experience fraught▪  
So by our practice we are daily taught:  
And new essays are set on work, again  
More light by new discoveries to attain.  
Our King, the God of Nature, only knows  
The nature, matter, form, effects and cause  
Of all things: for by Him they are, and shall  
Bring forth his glory and our gladness all.  
This Microcosm (Man) a world contains  
Of various parts, his Maker all maintains:  
And this great world, in all its several acts,  
Subservient unto man's up-making makes;  
Bodies celestial, in their several Spheres,  
And all that to the Firmament adheres,  
In all their various courses, contribute,  
To our continuance, comfortable fruit.  
What herb, fruit, flower, beast, fowl or fish there is,  
But bend their best concurrence to our bliss?  
The weak, the strong, the bitter, sour and sweet,  
The hot, the cold, in their degrees complete,  
In all their concord's and their sympathies,  
Discords, divisions and antipathies,  
Find mater for their master (Man) to make  
Him see, they do his service undertake.  
And who can doubt but man immortal might  
Have stood, if not deprived of that light  
(Deservedly) which in his soul did shine,  
And did all knowledge necessary confine,  
His present being to preserve, if he  
Preserved had his prime integrity?  
They stand in force, but we, now fallen blind  
Judicially, death and destruction find  
Amidst the means of life: but yet our King  
Doth us to light and life from darkness bring,  
So as that now we may most clearly see,  
That every case we come through doth agree  
With our condition present, presuppose  
We should much weakness under wrath disclose.  
And as, amongst the sons of men, we find  
That many are, in many things, inclined  
Alike, none of all Adam's race have been,  
That in all things to sympathise were seen;  
For as we different in our faces be,  
So in our gifts is great diversity.  
But as all Simples, from the earth that grow,  
Or from th' elementary Ocean flow,  
By skilful composition refined,  
Wonders do work when they are well combined:  
Even so with men, in all their several motions,  
Deeds, dispositions, and their various notions,  
There doth result, by heavens high decree,  
To our great King, a heavenly harmony.  
Let it our study deep be, to devise  
The Author of these wonders how to prise▪  
How we are wonderfully made to be  
From nothing, and maintained wondrously.  
How wonderfully have we wandered far?  
How wonderfully we reclaimed are?  
Wonder upon that glorious Majesty  
That shines on all his works so wondrously!  
Wonder upon his condescensions sweet,  
Whereby these wonders with our weakness meet!  
Him, him, who perfect is and infinite,  
Simple, eternal, essentially complete,  
Surpassing wonder, sacredly adore,  
And in adoring humbly wonder more!  
Wonder upon his wisdom's deep contriving!  
By death to bring thy death-bound life's relivieng▪  
That his eternal Son thy flesh assumed,  
To ransom thee that unto death was doomed:  
That he eternally did so delight  
T'obscure his glory, to procure thy light:  
That by th'eternal Spirit he us inspires,  
With grace divine, faith and devote desires:  
To know, believe himself, his truth and love,  
And thereinto most loyally to move.  
These be the contemplations best, that can  
Beseem and do become the love-bred man.  
These thoughts sublime can elevate alone  
The heart, soul-savory fruit to feast upon:  
To seal an union and communion sweet,  
In all transcendent love, divine, complete:  
With him in heaven, who hath man's nature placed,  
And by his spirit us on earth so graced.  
Let us suppose, that all the worlds of men  
Stood up on life that ever lived, then  
That every man a different world were,  
Of all things that hath been, shall be, or are,  
And variously these all were animated,  
With all endowments that have been created;  
These all were, also, into one compacted,  
And all were in one quintessence extracted.  
Those spirits pure, most piercing sure should prove,  
And yet be dazzled at this depth of love.  
In darkest clouds this love finds out a cleft,  
To send a death-bound soul a quickening lift;  
And when our Sun seems be eclipsed far,  
Faith plays her course by the least twinkling star.  
The Wran may flighter on this oceans brim,  
The Dolphin dyve, the Elephant may swim.  
For loves sweet sympathies consist in looks,  
Blinks, smiles and smells, whereby the Lover hooks  
The loved, and the loved thence again,  
From passion strong cannot itself refrain.  
Let this suffice, and ere we do remove,  
We'll consolate this Lady sick of love:  
Her Lover shall, ere it be long, be sure,  
Shine on her soul, and so her peace procure:  
For she in childbirth of fair grace doth lie,  
Let us some cordials for her pangs apply.  
And now speak damosel, and let us hear  
What fruit from our endeavours doth appear,  Hele. 
Now am I so o'ercome, constrained to note  
Your travels for my well have been devote:  
For every parcel of your free confessions  
Renews the sense to me of like transgressions:  
But now in special, you have specified  
Some errors, that I would were rectified▪  
And all that ye have said, I must confess,  
For every word my grief may well increase.  
When I look up, what my most Princely Love,  
Before he brought me here, made me to prove;  
And likewise, also, since he brought me here,  
What kingly bounty daily doth appear,  
Freely bestowed upon a fondling poor,  
Whose worth could never thing, but wrath procure?  
And now I am convinced, for I have proved.  
That with such fervent love he hath me loved:  
That for my frailties, and infirmnesse great,  
His grace and mercy he would not retreat:  
Or that his bowels, which for me were moved,  
By this my stumbling should have been removed;  
But this rich bounty, and this love divine  
I lost, and am, deservedly, left to dwine  
And pine away, in spiritual poverty,  
For pride of spirit, unseen takes root in me:  
Which now I find the cause of all my anguish,  
Wherein I do consume away and languish:  
Nor should I yet have seen this vain conceit,  
But by the fruit of that vile root of late:  
For I did suffer my fond heart to think  
That I was settled, so I could not sink:  
And that by grace received I could sustain,  
Till from this tent translated I had been:  
I doted on his gifts, did not adore  
Himself, of whom I did enjoy that store▪  
The idol of the heart was set in place  
Above the Author of my grace and peace:  
And now, therefore, of force confess I must,  
His judgements are both righteous and just:  
For grace abused, thus graceless here to lie▪  
In place of peace, in deep perplexity.  Sam. 
And art thou past recovery, canst thou say?  
Is there no ground of hope whereon to stay?  
Or art thou so vaingloriously affected,  
Even when that seed of Satan is dissected?  Hele. 
No, but I am therewith infected sore,  
That separate I cannot any more  
Therefrom, then from myself, for it's become  
Deaf to rebuke, and to defence but dumb.  Sam. 
Dost thou not know, for this is still confes●,  
Remnants in us remain undispossest:  
Of much perversity, which all our life  
To purge, will keep us in continual strife?  Hele. 
And I immunity do not, indeed,  
From provocation, or correction plead▪  
But this a sprig so privily doth sprout,  
And with the root and fruit of grace break out  
So sp'ritually, and so commixed convoyed,  
Until it get the life of grace destroyed.  
Even as these spirits, whereby we be enliv'd,  
By veins and arteries, the blood derived  
Out from the heart the body to maintain,  
Unknown contains therewith the body's bain;  
For what I do, or what I do endure,  
Progress in grace to make, or growth procure▪  
In mortifying self, self to reform,  
This venom unawars doth all deform:  
I cannot speak a word by rule of reason,  
Nor think nor act religiously in season:  
But this vile poison of spiritual pride,  
Doth slily in the heart deceitful slide.  
This is the thing our King could not endure  
In Angels, for by pride they fell impure:  
What may I then (base wretch impure) expect,  
Who on some drams of grace received reflect?  
I am as if of grace a treasure sure  
In store I could at my command procure,  
Whereas my conscience shows that I am stained  
With all that justly may make me disdained:  
And that which might this mighty monster check,  
His subtlety perverse, detect and break:  
But with this tincture now I am so tainted,  
And throughly as I were therein indented:  
Which when I see, and am ashamed sore,  
Haughty hereof I do become the more.  Sam. 
And what but grace, in this most fearful sight,  
Could thee sustain against the Serpent's slight?  
Whereby thou formerly hes still prevailed  
'Gainst all the policy he hes assailed.  Hele. 
The flesh and spirit defiled with thoughts impure▪  
Which carnal hearts do unto lusts allure:  
I see and do gainstand by grace, but this  
Bred up with grace, grace to displace it is;  
And cannot pitch but on the print of grace,  
Sincerity of grace for to deface.  Sam. 
How then is this thou can so moved be,  
Since grace thou does confess remains in thee:  
Whereon this witch doth fix and keep thee waking,  
And cast thee over in this fever quaking?  
Consider, when a King provoked hes been  
By his own Son, by many pranks obscene,  
Should give commands in bands to make him lie  
In prison dark, to humble him thereby:  
And yet indulgently again relent,  
To try if he his folly would repent,  
Give orders for his further liberty,  
Out of the prison dark to set him free:  
And yet this ranting child should still remain  
So senseless as to think he could retain  
This life of freedom, and abused light,  
By his own industry or natural right:  
Were it not then convenient for to cast  
Him in the darkest pit in fetters fast,  
Till he by pain and pinching hunger there,  
Were taught of vain conceits for to despair?  
Doth this comparison thy palate please?  
Canst thou apply it to thy own disease?  
And if thou can, then shall it truly prove  
The strong effects of a parental love.  Hele. 
Nothing in nature can decipher more  
The case and cause of my distractions sore:  
But natural causes have a natural cure,  
Yet who a wounded spirit can endure?  
How far the heavens above the earth doth bend,  
Spiritual things our natural thoughts transcend.  
My Princely Parent penetrats the spirit,  
And loves the single humble heart contrite:  
He, He alone, with searching piercing eyes,  
This privy pride and arrogancy sees:  
And cannot passeed, for it doth derogate  
Most from His dispensations intimate.  
Hereby in bondage I endure these stounds,  
These hellish torments and these deadly wounds  
Of conscience, wherein I to death am bleeding,  
Forced by the folly of this fancy feeding▪  Sam. 
I would have thought thou shouldst preferred far  
Thy Lover's wisdom, and affections were  
All similes before could be devised  
By any finite creature, or advised:  
Thou by his secret censures sees, he sees  
The deepest of these damned subtleties:  
And throws thee under bondage, till thou be  
Taught how to guard against this devilry.  
Now then consider him who sees so brightly,  
And in such wisdom makes the wound so rightly:  
Physic appoints the poison for to drain  
From the infected soul, and flesh to strain:  
Which by experience many children knows  
Is tended with the like tormenting throws:  
But wants He skill or will, who is our King,  
Both health and heaven out of this hell to bring?  
Albeit this tumour must retain a tent,  
The remnant of the humour for to vent,  
Faith in thy Lover hath this strong perfume,  
Which can this poison pestilent consume.  Hele. 
This devilrie so close to me doth cleave,  
Which man and angel from my King doth drive,  
That I am tottering much on this turmoil,  
And tortured so, most like to take the foil.  Sam. 
Come, come, we lie too long aloof, I see,  
Towards the shore now let us tackling be.  
Mistakes, misapplications most miscarries  
The minds of many, when their judgements varies:  
Bemisted in the want of faith, whereby  
They should distinctly see, weigh and apply.  
We have been speaking of much fervent love,  
Which in thy Lover doth His beloved move;  
But now, Oh thou, much loved once, admire,  
What most transcendent love doth here appear,  
When He redeemed thee thou wast lost, and yet  
Thou wilt thyself destroy, if He permit.  
That grace thy Lover's gift (thy glory) should  
Thy bain become, imagine this who could?  
Or could thou have imagined that thy flourish  
A cancar-worm into the bud could nourish?  
Or that when thou was satisfied with singing,  
Thou was unto thy idol incense bringing?  
This cockatrice to kill in secret lies,  
But being seen, she by her venom dies.  
Grace from the Author, as from the fountain water,  
When cut, becometh putrified mater,  
Like blood, which from the heart, through all the veins  
In circular motion by the nerves retains  
Strength in the members, and returns again,  
To pay the tribute and more vigour drain.  
But being obstructed, it corrupt becomes,  
The member wanting nourishment benumbs,  
Or as our curling brooks and silver streams,  
Which from the fountain to the river foams,  
By secret crannies, through the ground, the same  
Sweet current turns unto from whence she came.  
Right so our Lover and our Princely King,  
The ocean unexhausted and the spring,  
Of whom we have, from whom do derive  
All that we do enjoy, in whom we live.  
While from this source we daily vigour drive,  
Life to preserve, and let it passage have,  
Uninterrupted to the font amain,  
Then it's increased, and we refreshed again:  
But when these gifts of grace we do seclude  
From this right course, we do ourselves denude  
Of all our comfort, whence doth swiftly grow,  
(If not foreseen) our sudden overthrow:  
Loves darling then, dost thou not thence conclude,  
Thy ardent Lover hath thee dearly loved:  
Who for a little space his grace restrains,  
That thou may seek himself, where grace remains.  
This love transcendent might a heart of steel  
Melt, when affections do such fervour feel.  Hele. 
My heart is rather like a heart of flint,  
Which cannot melt, but doth endure the dint.  Sam. 
Love's force to flesh thy stony heart converts▪  Hele. 
Love unto pride my fleshly heart perverts.  Sam. 
A fleshly heart is vices willing slave,  
A heart of flesh impressions doth receive  
Of grace and virtue, whereby vice it sees,  
Resists, subdues, rejoice in victories.  Hele. 
Oh now! was any ever sunk so far  
In deaths dark shade, and yet delivered were.  Sam. 
Believe me, for I do assure thee, this  
Of many children the condition is:  
And ne'er an abject did as yet bemoan  
This ground of grief where-under thou dost groan:  
But so it is, that till experience teach,  
We do not to the rule of practice reach.  Hele. 
Happy, thrice happy should I such esteem,  
Who by experience so well taught had been,  
To keep that order in his princely sight,  
As His sweet company continue might.  Sam. 
It's true we are new born again indeed,  
And planted here upon heaven's dew to feed:  
But our Bridegroom, with whom there is no change,  
Most faithful bides, in all our failings strange:  
Yet will permit to tempt us, for our trial,  
As we may best be bred to self-denial:  
The gravel also of this poisoned flesh  
Seeds do engross, that would spring up afresh,  
Unless by crosses and corrections meet  
They were suppressed, and we more purified.  
But this in general we may all conclude,  
That every stripe we get is for our good:  
Though bitter, biting, sad and fretting sore,  
Sweet fruit unto thy taste shall come the more:  
And when by proof we find the sweet effects  
Produced in every one our King elects;  
As purging potions life and health preserving,  
Preventing us from sinking in our swerving:  
The old man and his notions so subduing,  
The new man and his motions so renewing,  
That we in our infirmnesse do rejoice,  
And under all our sufferings do repose  
In such submission as sweet peace doth bring,  
Whence, out of sorrow, heaven on earth doth spring:  
Whereof if we did not ourselves deprive  
By fond mistakes, we should delightful live.  
Then for to condescend of force we must,  
That no affliction springeth from the dust,  
Nor yet temptation doth from fortune flow,  
But do by Providence directly grow,  
And by heaven's wisdom unto us applied,  
That we may be perfected when we're tried.  Hel. 
In ev●ry thing this day that can be named,  
find myself most worthy to be blamed;  
As in this solitar reserved design,  
Which certainly much detriment doth bring  
To many, and if that the force of love,  
Which in this famous fellowship doth move,  
Me to attend, so for my help inclined,  
Far contrar to my self-conceited mind,  
I should have been in this confusion longer,  
weakened myself, and made my bands the stronger;  
For, till these free discourses do appear,  
In this society assembled here,  
And by this timous and this tender treating,  
Wherein your Grace hath been with me debating,  
I never could have thought a soul could live,  
To which so much contagion should cleave:  
At least a person, in this land of grace,  
That could the tract of such vain idols trace.  
But now more perfectly I do perceive,  
That he who freely sought us out, must save,  
And by immediate grace must still preserve:  
For daily we to be disgraced deserve.  
Now to believe, O but I do desire!  
But senseless prove when I would most aspire.  Sam. 
Thou show'st thyself most sensible of hearing:  
Consent therefore, thou shalt come unto clearing.  Hel. 
Some of God's sons, as they have heard have seen.  
Some, that they might endure, have suffered been  
To take a blink of Him cannot be seen.  Sam. 
Now may we clearly see what thou dost mean:  
Thou senseless provest, indeed, in thy desirings,  
Which properly in thee are proud aspire:  
Its strange thou shouldst be satisfied so slightly,  
Not vapouring for high visions more brightly,  
Or looking to be rapt above heaven's arches,  
About the borders of the divine marches.  
Must thou be steward of the Royal treasure?  
Will no less serve thy sense than Moses measure?  
Hast thou for such a charge so strong a back?  
Should not thy brains below the burden break?  
Job, faithful in incomparable trials,  
In darkest days, gave dev'ls and men defyalls:  
And never got a blink of light, until  
He fell submissive to his Maker's will.  
Thou knows we live by faith, and not by sight,  
By faith we suffer, and prevail in fight.  
Where is the fruit of all that sense received  
By thee before: and what if all that's craved,  
Were streamed out upon thy strong desires,  
Shouldst thou not spend them on thy carnal fires?  
And when these sparkles of thy heart were spent,  
So much the more thy sorrow should augment,  
The child of light, through fearful darkness groping,  
Takes faster grip and firmer hold, by hoping.  
Thou canst not deem, and nothing now thou knows,  
Who at the coals of this corruption blows:  
Nor see how slily Lucifer can slide,  
At twilight time, a plant of privy pride:  
Even when we do in all our strength resist,  
Then can he at the part best fenced thrust,  
And cunningly cause us lie open there,  
Whereat the poisoned dart he doth prepare.  
This venom all of us do clearly see,  
This child of grace her great vexation be:  
And when she armed best against it is,  
How Satan can infest her with a kiss.  
Advert with wonder, heavenly, earthly hosts,  
Wonder, all glorious, glorified ghosts:  
Wonders are seen which make you all adore,  
Renewed marvels make you wonder more.  
Pure spirits, fill the souls of your desirings,  
Extend your minds unto these deep admirings,  
The quintessence of heaven's counsel glorious,  
Man murdered, on his murderer victorious,  
In suffering Satan sift, and so surprise,  
And with such depth of subtlety devise  
Uncessantly, and in such windings lurking  
Even in our duties, our destruction working.  
But here the mystery of salvation is  
Crowned with the cape-stone of eternal bless  
Of preservation, by our glorious King,  
Who our deliverance by his death doth bring:  
An instance clear hereof, before our eyes,  
All the beholders evidently sees:  
A chosen, called, faithful child of grace,  
Who for the prize most fervently doth press,  
Too much neglecting what she had before,  
And strongly stretching to increase the more.  
One much enriched with light, and lively motions▪  
Experience deep, and many spiritual notions,  
In darkness for deliverance debating,  
Her poor condition and her case relating,  
Sincerely set, our counsel to receive,  
But syloured, can herself not undeceive;  
For at her best attainment now you see,  
How Satan snatches opportunity:  
He sees the cup she doth delight to drink,  
And in the liquor doth the poison sink.  
Let us infer, from what we have been hearing,  
And from this pregnant instance here appearing:  
Since all the children of the first Creation  
Deservedly are under condemnation,  
And that the cause even to the Elect cleaves  
So close, as unto any one that lives:  
And that we every one are severally,  
According to our humours diversely,  
To some deceit or other more propense,  
Then can appear by search unto our sense,  
Which would unto infiniteness amount  
Above what finite we could make account:  
And that so many legions of lights,  
Malicious devils and spiritual mights,  
Our natures, cases, places, erudition,  
Daily attend our changes and condition;  
And every one with every several bait,  
For every posture on us all await.  
For this proud wretch doth desp'ratly disdain,  
That we should be restored by grace again:  
Or that our nature now should be renewed,  
Or venom purged out, that he had spewed  
Therein, whereby we in his Image stood,  
Till it be blotted out by divine blood;  
Yet we, even we that most enlightened be,  
Too careless live, before this cruelty▪  
Much more, and most for to be blamed we prove,  
Not studying still this boundless depth of love,  
Which in our Lover moves him feed and keep  
His straying, starving and restored sheep;  
Yet all that we can do, doth but increase  
Our debt, but more his mercy doth express.  
This love we clearly cannot look to see,  
Until this body clarified be,  
At least, until it be dissolved, that so  
The soul her Lover to enjoy may go.  
But how is this that we cannot submit  
Unto this wisdom, and ourselves acquit  
By firm believing, as the duty chief,  
Whereby from bondage we receive relief?  
We see not that our drooping and dejections  
His faithfulness dishonours, by reflections,  
The growth of grace and inward peace obstructs,  
The seeds of weeds into the heart conducts,  
Th'envious man with all his snares and cares,  
The serpent sly with all his slights and snares,  
Canst thou before the fiery trial stand,  
When men and devils do against thee band?  
Such are in store, and more, thee to befall,  
If fond conceits thy folly foster shall:  
Ambition such were much to be commended,  
Which with sobriety might be defended:  
But ye who by confiding quiet may  
Repose, beware presumption to bewray.  
The Lark, the Princely Eagle ne'er envies,  
Suppose she see him skifting through the skies:  
Ten thousand stage above her highest higher,  
The suns resplendent beams and beauty nigher.  
I am too tedious, but to be excused,  
Such disputs to anticipate are used.  
Dear daughter, once disdain for to repine  
At dispensations that are so divine:  
Restrain the rising of such gross deceits:  
Refrain devising of such cross debates.  
A little faith finds out a fair relief.  
Say, I believe, Lord help my unbelief,  
And once resolve submission sincere,  
Like to the pupil in the father's fear,  
Till which thou cannot put thy faith in act,  
To comfort thee, though thou thy brains should crack:  
Come then, threap kindness yet upon thy King,  
Tell him that in the prison thou wilt sing  
His praises, and ne'er cease until thou see  
His face in grace, and then embraced be.  
This counsel, daughter, for to practice strive,  
For it shall prove the way to make thee thrive;  
He either shall the cloud of mist remove,  
Or thee remove the clouds and missed above,  
Where thou's be feasted in a minute's space,  
With all the fruits of thy believing grace:  
And from that instant, in eternity  
Thy King enjoying shall rejoicing be.  Hele. 
O fearful cloud of separation sad,  
What heart can hear and not for fear fall mad?  
Oh, wonderful! that ye so wise can move  
Me to unmoved stand, who must remove,  
Where death bound ghosts down go, deprived of light,  
And suffer so in an eternal night.  Sam. 
How art thou now come up at words to carp?  
Perverting sense, and using censures sharp,  
And wherein thou convinced art before,  
Would lead us unto repetitions more:  
But lend a blink unto our travels past,  
And thou thyself wilt censure for thy haste,  
For we are leading thee into believing,  
While thou unto thy facile sense art cleaving.  Hele. 
Oh, to believe 'twere possible for me,  
But till I can, excuse, I cannot lie:  
And well I know it is God's love constrains  
You to this more than ordinary pains:  
And I shall let you see I do not slight  
Your travels, but do still recent them right:  
For I confess, your presence all before,  
There's not a word hath passed you less or more,  
In reference to my condition duly,  
But found so plain, I do apply it truly:  
And I shall not deny but I have tasted  
The Heavenly Manna, and thereon have feasted:  
And at the fountain have refreshed been,  
Therein revived and returned clean.  
And that when (slumbering) I began to swell,  
I have been left in darkness for to dwell,  
Until it pleased my King, who knows my pain,  
For my relief me to revive again.  
I likewise do confess what ye have said,  
In ref'rence unto provocations made,  
Which have recited been by several here,  
And pertinently made for to appear  
From sound experience, much diversity,  
And nearest numberless variety,  
That with the like I have been led astray▪  
And drawn upon myself a cloudy day:  
The cross did with corruption so increase,  
I forced have been my folly to confess,  
For I might read in every several rod  
Real offences against a righteous God,  
Who yet from wretched me did not remove  
His tender mercy, faithfulness and love:  
For in his coming I might daily see  
His goings were for wak'ning unto me.  
Again, I shall not take unto denials,  
But that I have acquainted been with trials  
From all the Fiends and their infernal states,  
Where I have often felt and dealt debates.  
His brood within his instruments without,  
Environ and invest me round about,  
And yet from all their cruelty and spite  
Have been preserved from that malicious might,  
And where they had permission to perplex,  
Turned to my good, and them the more may vex:  
And as this is by you my friends affirmed,  
Is likewise now by me again confirmed.  
But not the less, ●lace, that I can say,  
I have no benefit thereby this day:  
You have been arguing long and I replying,  
Contending much, and many things denying,  
Wherein convinced that ye the right maintain,  
Yet know ye not what sorrows I sustain,  
For I had never darkness known aright,  
If once I had not seen the shining light,  
Nor what it were to be beslaved with devils,  
If of their seed I had not seen the evils,  
Nor what deliverance or defence could mean,  
If fearful danger were not something seen,  
But while so many eminent I see,  
For light and life, enlargement, liberty,  
Forsaken, and before the trial fail,  
How can I then presume for to prevail,  
Who now so long, so fearfully do lie,  
Without relief or hope of remedy?  
If ye my dolours knew, ye would deplore  
That woeful anguish and vexation sore  
That I am wrangled with and wrapped in,  
When terrors of the second death begin,  
Of outward suffering I make no acount,  
Although they do (ye know) too much amount:  
A raging devil in the wicked reeling,  
Venting their venom with villainous reviling.  
Professed friends do privily supplant  
The most engaged in their ranting taunt:  
And being held in fetters, raging roar,  
Because they cannot reach for to devour  
My person, means, profession and my name.  
To bury in the dust of death they dream.  
But when the prince of darkness doth begin,  
This dark and dozned heart again within,  
To raise his works, and to enlive his brood,  
What can I (men) less than lost wretch conclude?  
And more, this tyrant hath attained the leading  
Of my affections, even while I am pleading  
Against his fauning and his flattering baits,  
Whereby I dragged am in dangerous straits,  
And cannot stint, because I have no strength,  
Nor hope to be relieved at the length;  
For this I sigh, for this I weep and mourn,  
For this my bowels in my belly turn,  
For this I separate myself alone,  
For this my blood and moisture both are gone.  
Because the Comforter, that can relieve  
My heart, no answer for my grief doth give:  
But in this desperate case, at distance keep,  
While all these serpents do about me sweep  
With open jaws, sharp claws and cruel sting,  
Trusting to sink, and swallow quick, they sing▪  Sam. 
Well I perceive, you have at length been plain,  
Yet all doth turn unto one thing again,  
Except some aggravation of the space,  
The measure and ingredients in the case:  
This close eclipse, with storms of flying fire,  
Darkness and thundering bolts of dreadful ire  
From devils and from every instrument  
They could devise, to work they detriment,  
And than least for thyself to stand and fight,  
So far above thy cunning and thy might:  
Partly, because that thou hes known them fall,  
Compared with thee a shrub, were cedars tall;  
But yet look over thine accounts, and cast,  
Thou may come to a reckoning right at last.  
These persons eminent at first did yield,  
They never tried the fight upon thee field:  
And look again aright, and thou shalt see  
Such as thyself triumph in victory:  
Who in the fight by slight have oft been foiled,  
And yet by strength renewed, the spoiler spoilt:  
Consider also, if thou couldst have stood  
Before old Belial and his brutish brood:  
If they were not by chains of strength restrained,  
And thou to use thy arms aright were trained.  
The measure and the space which most doth move thee,  
Is the appointment of thy Prince to prove thee:  
That thou may taste His power in preserving,  
Under thy want and weakness of deserving.  
Do no more plague thyself with this debate,  
Against this blessed and believing state.  
A fixed faith all slavish fear removes,  
And in its orb unto the Author moves:  
For measure, time and means, simply surrender  
Thyself to Him, He is wise, kind and tender,  
Whereof much rich experience thou abuses,  
And for tranquillity this torment chooses:  
Wherein be sure thou shalt be tortured, till  
Thou do submit sincerely to His will.  Hele. 
Now do I well perceive by your discourse,  
I have not sound looked to the source  
Of dispensations, as I might have seen,  
A secret providence did me sustain,  
Even in these darkest days and dangers dread,  
Which all my torture and my torment breed:  
For if I had, than had I never thought  
These fiery-brands, that my vexation wrought,  
Had loosed been, but were in fetters tied,  
And suffered but to bark till I were tried.  
I likewise see (as you have said) that such,  
Who in a flourish hes professed much,  
The field did never by confession face▪  
But turned in searching trials with disgrace.  
And for the measure and the space, I know  
It's good for me so to be keeped low:  
I suffered was many essays to take,  
Which weighed aright, might many humble make,  
And upon me there lies, unto believing,  
More real bands then upon any living:  
And now, that I should limit him, doth wound  
Me most, to whom I am so deeply bound:  
And that I have so wilfully resisted  
The spirit, whereby you have with me insisted;  
For I have doing been what in me lay  
My soul unto the murderer to betray:  
But now my Saviour worthily shall have  
His will, for He, I see, will me but save:  
And here I do acknowledge my mistakes,  
And that my diffidence the dottage makes:  
Bemisted in the mud so have I been,  
And so gainsaid what I have felt and seen:  
The truth of all that ye have now expressed  
Is clear to me, and so by me confessed;  
For He my Lover, is not only wise,  
And strong and fair, and lovely in mine eyes,  
But He is wisdom, beauty, might and love,  
Where all delihgts most eminently move,  
His countenance the Sun's bright rays obscures,  
His love the adamantine heart allures,  
His wisdom all His works in order dresses,  
His might maintains His right, and pride suppresses:  
And I am bound His bounty to believe,  
Which changes not, but shall my spirit relieve,  
In His good time, on whom I do rely,  
And study shall myself how to deny.  Sam. 
Now art thou happy, and my heart is glad  
To see thy faithful heart from fainting fred:  
Hold fast and follow hard with firm desires,  
Faith quenches not, but kindles sacred fires.  Hele. 
It doth become me well to wait, I see;  
But, Oh again, that He would smile on me:  
How shall I find Him out? and where, I pray?  Sam. 
Hold strait, believe me, thou art in the way:  
Deck up thyself, approach, He sees thee come,  
And with His comforts shall thee overcome.  
The Royal King a Princely Garden plants  
With curious flowers, and thither daily haunts,  
Feeding among the Lilies, smelling Roses,  
Nuts, Spices and perfums, composing Poses.  
A sweet Love's feast for thee He doth prepare  
Down in the fruitful flowery valleys there;  
And from the valley shall convey thee thence,  
Where thy tried faith in that long longed for sense  
Is swallowed up, there, where the marriage loves  
Exceeding all conceived desires thou proves:  
There, where He shall thy faith bred soul embrace  
Within the consolations of His face:  
Wherein the splendour of that brightness poring,  
And in the glory of that glore adoring,  
Renewed rays, immortal life restoring,  
Admiring, magnifying, and sweetly soaring  
High up amongst these holy, heavenly hosts  
Of glorious and glorified ghosts,  
With golden harps about the throne who sing  
New songs of their redemption to their King.  Hele. 
O but these sweet expressions relish well,  
My frozen heart begins to melt I feel▪  
These words unto my wearied soul I think,  
Like precious oil so savingly do sink,  
Slides down, like my Beloved's wine so sweetly,  
Wakens from sleep, my tongue to speak completely.  
O that once for Himself He would me seal!  
What can be named that may with love prevail:  
Insist therefore, For I do gladly hear,  
And till the tongue be loosed shall lend the ear.  Sam. 
The weakest means have force enough to move  
Affections, when they be surprised with love.  
He calls and sees thee come from mountains steep,  
Which Leopards and cruel Lions keep,  
Leaning on thy Beloved, who doth love  
His truth and strength at length to see thee prove.  
Observe with me this brief gradation now,  
And I shall cease a space and hearken you.  
For help to our capacity, compare  
The outward splendour of this fabric, where  
By nature from the caverns of the womb,  
Out of which dungeon to the world thou came:  
Again compare the difference aright  
Betwixt this Paradise and that dark night  
Of nature, which the other so transcends,  
As over bodies lively spirits ascends,  
And there the difference vast again conceive,  
Betwixt the life of sense we shall receive,  
And this of faith, wherein we forward thrust,  
Until we be refined in the dust.  
When interruptions all shall be removed,  
And we enlarged to love as we be loved,  
In knowing and enjoying him who is  
The Author of our everlasting bliss.  
In this gradation we may something see,  
But under what it is infinitley.    


SONG I. Light out of Darkness.  Hel. 
INfinitely, most certainly, for feeble we  
Conceive aright cannot these mysteries:  
The spot upon our blotted eyes rejecting  
These rays, which yet with splendour bright reflecting  
Upon the then capacitated spirits,  
Which warming beams affections invites:  
But so transcendent, that our present case  
Such super-excellency cannot embrace;  
For dazzled with these glistering gleams,  
What we receive seems be but dreams,  
When we let slip, by our secure neglectings,  
The grip of faith, glaming at these reflectings:  
Spare therefore to compare,  
our deepest apprehensions  
Do but impair his praise,  
whose love's above dimensions;  
He is more fragrant, when he's most remote,  
Then nearest, dearest loves whereon we dote.  
Conjecture then, when he appears so near,  
That thou may'st touch, and taste, and smell, and hear.  
Tell, if thou can, this other man,  
And so we shall recall our long debate,  
And treat of love for all;  
For mine he is, and I am his,  
And who could wish so high a bless,  
As to be treas'ring up a stock of praise,  
While we are hurling through these whirling days.  Sam. 
Now, my dear friends, it seems to me ye shrink,  
And I may well conjecture what ye think:  
I showed you first, that you should surely see  
Matters to make you much a musing be.  Eliza. 
This sudden change makes me indeed admire,  
And yet the reason must of thee inquire:  
And that she may be prayed to proceed,  
That on her fullness we may further feed.  
Song I. continued.  Hel. 
God, in his Saints adored, admired,  
My soul exalts, this day desired,  
Of his free grace, he hath appointed,  
Among this fellowship anointed,  
With ghostly graces for my grieves,  
So as my life a new revives:  
Surprised with sense of love so far,  
That flaming my affections are,  
And for the time can do no more,  
But th' Author of this love adore,  
And gladly would be set to sing  
The praises of my Spouse and King:  
And to record his noble acts,  
Who passeth by my fond mistakes,  
And smiles upon my face again,  
That I may faithful hence remain.  
Now all you sweetest saints that uses  
To haunt these shades, you sacred Muses  
And Graces, that with me did groan  
In my distracted, mourning moan:  
Earth, rivers, all below, above,  
Come sympathise in songs of love,  
Of love, above all parallel, so far  
As stars above the earthly glob that are.  
You Groves and Downs, where erst I deadly lay,  
I'll rise, and dance about your doors this day.  Eliza. 
Oh now! for stirring spirits, that could move  
Amongst the flames of this heart-forcing love:  
Amongst the wonders of this world, most strange,  
What can compare with this sweet sudden change?  
This day of gladness, let us now agree  
To solemnize this glorious victory;  
I reverence do the Providence Divine,  
Which in this meeting doth so clearly shine:  
But for to sing or say, confsed here,  
I cannot speak, or do, but still admire.  Sam. 
Come, I will take thee by the hand, we'll go  
With her, alongst these Downs and Groves also,  
Where she hath wandered in her weighty days,  
And cease their sorrow with a song of praise:  
Then South begin, and blow upon our Myrtle trees,  
And North proceed to show thy strength, to eternize  
This glory in each airt, a cross the continent,  
The whole Creation may with our Lovesongs consent.  
Now, rocks, begin to roar, for ye the Treble take:  
And trees. attend your lower, for ye the Tenor make:  
Myself the Base shall be: Muses, be ye the Mien,  
So we shall seriously sing, Solace we have seen.   

SONG II. Life out of Death.  Sam. 
SAy on, say on, solaced sweetly surely we have been.  Jea. 
Play on, play on, sense-moving mater surely we have seen.  Rocks. 
We's roar and cry,  Trees. 
Our strength we's try,  
Our roots lay by,  
With startling on our stumps.  Seas. 
Huge Oceans we,  Mounts. 
Main Mountains high,  Hills. 
We Hills that be,  
resound shall your transumpts.  
Our solace is in thee, who loves the heart contrite,  
And is a sanctuary unto the broken spirit:  
Great joys to thine thou dost propine,  
By love divine, up with thyself eternal:  
When all thy foes, with the godless goes  
In endless woes, down to the pit infernal.  
Thus all the joy of mind,  
And solace we have seen,  
Is his sweet face, inclined,  
In love still springing green:  
So glory we, in knowing Thee, our King to be,  
our Life, our Love, our Light:  
Who bought us dear, and keeps us here,  
till we appear,  
by grace in glory bright.  Jea. 
Sweet maid, thou dost to melody incline,  
Our minds to move in mysteries divine:  
Rapt up, in most Seraphick-love, to sing  
The praises of our high exalted King.   

SONG III. Liberty out of Bondage.  Sam. 
NOw thou, who diving is in this abyss of bliss▪  
Conveyed through all these wonders▪  
To be enjoyed by so many numbers,  
Who were by Adam old depraved,  
And by the second Adam saved:  
Thou having then seen what thou can  
In that great mystery, of Divine Majesty,  
GOD-MAN.  
And doth aspire, with all desire,  
to pry, and to admire  
These excellencies, the quintessences  
Of all felicity, in their simplicity:  
Yet think these things to be more high,  
Then can conceived be, under mortality,  
More than the child unborn, by its sagacity,  
Hes of capacity, for to conceive aright  
Of this large Universe, where we converse,  
until it come to light;  
So should it be with thee in heavenly places,  
Amongst these faces, made so fair,  
By the splendour shining there,  
That thou shouldst disdain,  
And mourn to turn again  
Unto these earthly treasures,  
And all created pleasures:  
And shouldst admire so much, and more,  
As if thou wert designed  
Alive to be enshrined  
in that live-tomb  
Of the mother's womb, for evermore;  
Yet think again, what shall become of some  
who never dreams of these sad themes,  
Till they be hurled in everlasting flames,  
without remission, or relenting,  
When time is passed of pardon by repenting.  Hel. 
Oh now, my soul! shall these thee now exceed  
In Songs, alongst these streams whilst  
they thee lead?  
Thou dazzles, doting where thy guides do go:  
But prostrate be, and here in excess show,  
With joy of heart, that none can equalise  
A soul thus ravished, who shall eternize  
The praises of her Love with such content,  
Who freed her from so fearful detriment:  
Who feeds her now with so delicious fare,  
And doth propine her with such riches rare:  
And leads her to the Land, where she may see  
His face, by grace, where joy and glory be.  
Now, that I may your sweetest songs excel,  
I'll on my Lover's face adoring dwell:  
And as I see, and do receive, I shall  
Report, unto your mutual comfort all:  
Be elevate with full consent again,  
To prosecute this Evangelic strain.   

SONG IU. The Joy of the LORD.  Hel. 
OUr glorious, our victorious King doth reign,  
The hosts of heaven do sing about his Throne,  
Where he is gone in all delights to live,  
Whence we derive our light and life alone.  
Know him who would, make bold, treat for a smile:  
He never did beguile a true Believer;  
He is a River, full of divine delights:  
None like Him in the depths, nor in the heights.  
For He was dead, and is alive again:  
He did sustain hell's pain, when he was slain:  
Our freedom to procure, he did endure  
What we deserved, and never swerved:  
And of these stounds he bears the wounds.  
Thus shalt thou know him, for he is non-such,  
And thou shalt say, too much cannot be said  
of such a One  
Whom man and angel, heaven and earth, alone  
Have their dependency eternally upon:  
So shalt thou need no more,  
One blink shall heal thy sore,  
And thou shalt thirst no more:  
For He a Fountain is  
of bless supernal,  
And this eternal is:  
For on his eyes, indeed,  
With soul-festivities they feed,  
so sweet, so sure,  
They cannot more endure to gade▪  
And when He hides His face,  
sad, sad they be:  
B●t groping still, and hoping, till  
He smile again,  
Or do translate them to his heavenly Train,  
Where all the Members mystical delighted,  
Triumph in him, in whom they are perfected.  Sam. 
I do rejoice in this thy heart-content.  Hel. 
And I rejoice that thou wast hither sent.  Jea. 
And I rejoice here with you both to be.  Hel. 
And I rejoice, and praise my King for thee.  Sam. 
Now I must go unto my charge again.  Hel. 
I pray thee do not so, but stay.  Sam. 
Refrain.  Hel. 
Then one word by thine Echo bid me speak.  Echo. 
Speak.  Hel. 
Now, need I any more, but to believe?  E. 
Live.  Hel. 
And any more to do, but live exact?  E. 
Act.  Hel. 
What if I tempted be, shall I endure?  Echo. 
Dure.  Hel. 
In suffering what will free me from disgrace?  E. 
Grace.  Hel. 
Shall I promove, and constantly persevere?  E. 
Ever.  Hel. 
And will my dear Love go from me, or no?  E. 
No.  Hel. 
Then shall I sure believe, and live, and act,  
Endure by grace, and perseverance make.    

The Warning.  Jea. 
OUr dearest friend unto his charge again  
Is gone, and I no longer may remain:  
But ere we part, sweet girl, I must thee give  
Some warnings, that thou may more warily live.  
Thou hast been weighted in this absence short,  
But sees not what the journey may import,  
Now thou art glistering fair upon the mountain,  
Extracting life from the life-giving fountain,  
They Spirits sp'rituallized are, and poring,  
Thy clearer apprehensions highly soaring,  
Both bred and fed by divine excellencies,  
And breathe of the sweetest influences,  
And so delighted art to shine by grace,  
And holiness before thy Lover's face:  
But yet remember when thou sadly lay  
In bondage, under absence, than this day  
Of so clear seeing, if thou couldst conceive  
Right, so bethink, if now thou canst believe,  
That ever such a thing should thee befall,  
As may again thy liberty enthrall:  
But in the body while thou art, beware,  
For we are tempted, and in danger are  
To be ensnared, for the old man is prone  
To snatch at every bait before us thrown:  
For this, I wish thee wisely to uptake  
The case of every child of God, and make  
The difference right 'twixt the rebellious man  
And the obedient, newborn Christian;  
The last a weakling, but a willing child.  
The first both wicked, false, perverse and wild,  
Upon whose back the cross, the rod must lie:  
The serpent's brood may be born down thereby  
Which both so numerous and so nimble be,  
As atoms in the air before thine eye:  
Or vapours-like from brooks corrupt that rise  
And do the shining of the Sun surprise:  
Such is the sinning sin, such is the seed  
Of Satan in the soul, such is the breed  
Whereby the newborn Christian is annoyed,  
Till by the grace of Christ they be destroyed.  
Worldly desires, delights, cares, fears to daun.  
The weeds of carnal lust how to supplant,  
So as the seed of grace may sweetly spring,  
Which success makes us under sadness sing;  
Believing certainly the truth of this,  
That all these troubles shall increase thy bless.  
And presuppose, by dispensations yet,  
Thou wert rapt up into an higher fit,  
Whereby in Paradise thou couldst behold  
Above what either should or could be told:  
Couldst thou, who dost in this flesh temple dwell,  
Endure these rays, and neither rust nor swell?  
No, under cloud again thou must retreat,  
And with the messenger of Satan meet:  
Enter the lists therefore▪ by faith defend  
Thy Crown, by perseverance to the end;  
For if thou carnally become secure,  
Thy fall shall all thy comeliness obscure.  
When under sad desertion thou wanders,  
And know'st not what thou dost, nor where thou danders,  
But dost what all thy days makes thee ashamed,  
When thou art smittenand by grace reclaimed.  
These dreadful, doleful these disastrous days,  
When on our souls the subtle Serpent prayers:  
These weakenings, warn, warmings dipped in love,  
These smells from heaven, which affections move,  
Are meas'red out according to the need  
Of every member, by the careful Head:  
And if to do, or to endure thou be  
Appointed, then anointed thou shalt be  
With grace sufficient unto steadfastness,  
And get a blink to comfort in distress:  
So as a Christian, in thy sufferings all  
Christ's glorified, wherein thou glory shall:  
And argue may thou art in Him complete,  
When Head and members in affliction meet.  
But thou must be upon thy guard, and watch,  
Against the Serpent▪ at thy soul doth snatch:  
He will uncessantly against thee fight  
By stratagems, renewed by day and night,  
With snares, and nets, and grins laid in the way,  
To hold thee fast, when thou dost slide or stray;  
And where he finds thee weak or wand'ring, will  
Enter thy breach, and break thee by his skill.  
Corruption from within makes open doors,  
To what temptations from without occurs.  
And sometime Siren-like he will assail  
With flatteries, but if he do not prevail,  
He will affright thee with a thousands fears,  
Which on thy spirit that evil spirit rears.  
There is no course God for our help doth take,  
To keep us humble or our comfort make▪  
But he doth thereunto himself apply,  
To make us dote or else despair thereby.  
By mediate means when he doth not prevail,  
Then by his fiercest darts he will assail,  
And level at thy faith, the fruit of grace,  
Thy hope and love, the new man to deface.  
He will suggest, inject vile monstrous notions  
Into distrust, of Atheism the motions,  
And seek no better party than our reason,  
To parley with him on the points of treason:  
Capitulation-proof, he knows to be  
Means to o'ercome, experimentallie.  
Now than the spiritual armour timous take,  
And to the fight of faith with fervour make,  
Under the Royal standard of thy love  
Advance, and by his martial motions move.  
Thou knowst Gods secret ones to circumveen,  
No hellish plots have unattempted been;  
And what cannot the devil yet contrive,  
According as his malice doth him drive?  
And what is it he can contrive, but sure,  
A man to act it out, he shall procure?  
For unto such an instrument he can  
Masked materials furnish for the man:  
And wicked men have still an open ear,  
The serpent's subtle whisper to hear:  
And at a wink can change his voice and sight,  
Shining Saintlike in much angelic light:  
To gain his point how far he shall prevail  
By feigned friendship, fawning shall assail.  
In such commixtion, and so deep devise,  
Here to supplant, and there for to surprise:  
But when this craft doth cross his close design,  
Then in a spleen he sharps his cruel sting,  
And in his fury kindles fiery trials  
For all that dare give his commands denials.  
And never think it strange that man forsaken  
Of God, hath now of Satan service taken:  
Since Law, nor Gospel, Instance, Word or Rod  
Will waken, or reclaim lost man to God:  
But they in wicked obduration, will  
Persist, their father's lusts for to fulfil.  
Or that the devil rational man can make,  
Sometime the colours of a Saint to take:  
Another time in tyranny to boil,  
By cruelty the blood of Saints to spoil:  
For he of every man the Idol knows,  
And at his feet his full contentment throws,  
And lets him see this is the way alone  
To rise, to stand, to settle in his throne:  
And cannot this deceiver, thus deceive,  
In making him vain-vile-man to conceive,  
That when he hath received the world in hire  
To his ambitious carnal hearts desire:  
That as a Saint he hath it to possess,  
And for his followers as their properness.  
So as they may by any slight or might  
People suppress, for to maintain that right.  
Is not this truth whereon we fix our standing  
Clear, that the devil hath man at his commanding.  
Prophets, Apostles false, false Christ's, also  
We warned are to guard against, ye know.  
Who when like ravening Wolves they be within,  
Clothed like sheep, can so present their skin.  
Since Cain first his brother's blood did spill,  
The firstborn man, the second man did kill:  
Unto this day men-murd'rers are lurking,  
And as they moved be do fall a working.  
But lest man should, when he is settled, think  
Upon his wicked course, and then forethink  
His villainy, the devil leads him fair  
Upon exploits and deep devices rare:  
To make him famous and his fancy feed,  
So as his thoughts no further may proceed.  
And see ye not some worldly Monarches great,  
For to maintain and to increase their stare,  
Are only set their neighbours to disthrone,  
That they may reign and only rule alone:  
And therefore guard against this strong temptation,  
This trying flame of cruel tribulation:  
But be not moved, for they cannot smite,  
But as God for his glory doth permit;  
And in the trial of his Saints he will  
Them humble, but thereby their joys fulfil.  
For thy triumphant King, and Captain just,  
These mights, their slights down at his feet shall thrust.  
The shining Cherub from his brightness shall  
Together with the fairest Cedar fall.  
The Beast, the Prophet and the Whore flagitious,  
With all their pomp, their spleen and pride pernicious,  
Whose terror troubled men while they did live,  
The fiery lake the fatal stroke shall give.  
Then be not moved, the change may glad thy heart,  
When from their heaven they to their hell depart.  
Thou from thy hell at heaven shall arrive,  
While they in bail, in bless thou's ever live:  
For when the devil, by his instruments,  
With the blood of Saints doth mix the Elements.  
Shall not these sufferings, than so much the more,  
Shorten their journey and increase their glore:  
And are they not o'rejoyed when they see  
Their blood include the Church felicity.  
But for thy further trial, yet again,  
What if the Lord the influence should restrain  
Of light, and life, and liberty, even when  
Thou art the butt of hell and hellish men?  
This▪ this is it should make the trial sad,  
For if his face upon thy soul thou had  
Shining, thou shouldst disdain that dreadful crew  
Of devils and all the darts they could renew:  
But in this exigent he is so near,  
That when thou least expects he shall appear:  
And when thou hast thine own frail faintings felt,  
Immediate love and mercy shall thee melt:  
And yet what if that thy good God advise  
A deeper draught, thy folly to surprise.  
We are so prone to fix on proofs, we prove  
Both natural in our faith, our hope, our love:  
What then when in the light thou seems to live,  
And in much lively liberty revive,  
And with much confidence thou dost conceive  
That all that thou hast sought, thou shalt receive▪  
And yet thou art not only quite denied,  
But the response is contrary replied:  
Well this is sharp, but certainly it's sweet,  
That divine checks should with our idol meet.  
That when vain we would our own morsels carve,  
We should be left in hazard for to starve:  
Himself, Himself alone, and nothing else,  
But what of him, and of His virtue smells.  
He, and not we, knows what is for our good,  
And never will His own thereof denude;  
Both how and when to help, for he doth hear  
Our spiritual supplications, all sincere:  
Which qualified according to His will,  
He fails not for our well, but shall fulfil.  
What if again, poor weakling, yet alace,  
Thou shouldst lie groaning at the Throne of grace,  
And know'st not how to seek, or what to say,  
Far less can press or pertinently pray?  
Yet this is good, God sees thy strong desires,  
And flames the sacrifice with sacred fires:  
And to His praise, doth make our peace appear,  
Out of the odours of our sighs sincere:  
So that, as yet, we may convinced be,  
That all His gifts are grace and mercy free:  
For though the way be straight and full of snares,  
And we infirm, possessed with fears and cares:  
Our fault it is, we do not soar above  
What tempests all the gates of hell can move.  
We should an heaven upon earth enjoy,  
If thus we did believe, thus him employ,  
On him repose, him love, in him delight:  
Who is th'engraven-form, and glory bright  
Of the eternal God, in whom we have  
Access by grace, to come, seek and receive  
All that is for our good, who so doth give  
Above what we can ask, seek or believe.  Hele. 
Enough, enough, there needs no more,  
My Lover doth my life restore:  
●n him alone I move, I live,  
And bound I am him to believe:  
Affections cannot have the force  
From his dear love me to divorce.  
The flatteries, frowns, the hooked baits,  
Whereby the cunning hunter waits  
To snatch me unawars, my eyes  
Anointed are, and clearly sees  
The lying Serpent slily lurking,  
And in his brood most boldly working  
Both from within and from without.  
But my most Royal Captain stout  
Hath crushed the Serpent's cruel head,  
And pleads my cause against his seed,  
And daily helps me to subdue  
The old man and his notions new,  
To purge the heart and make it clean,  
And in temptation doth sustain  
My fainting, and my failings crave  
Both food and physic, these I have.  
And when I suffer with my Love,  
Such comforts as come from above,  
And on my spirit conferred be,  
By His good Spirit, spiritually:  
That if the Devil knew, he would  
Restrain his malice if he could.  
So what can interrupt my peace  
In this free, full, unchanged grace:  
Until through times and trials we  
Make entry in eternity.  Jea. 
Enough, enough, I do confess indeed  
With this, which is, in watchfulness proceed,  
Guard well against security, and sure  
Thou shalt from swerving be the more secure.  
These wak'ning, and these warmings of affections,  
As antidotes unto thy dull dejections▪  
Out of the cisterns of salvation spring,  
Whence we, in sucking consolation, sing:  
And if we hereby do our strength renew,  
For stormy tempests that be to ensue,  
Then happy we, when we have rightly used  
These mercy's rich; But when they be abused,  
By fond conceiving that they shall endure,  
We fall asleep, and carnally secure:  
And sure, before we be aware, we shall  
In slippery places slide, or catch a fall:  
And in that slumber be surprised again,  
And with disgrace shall our Profession stain.  
Most bitter proof and sad experience dear  
Hes made this truth in ages all appear:  
That many sons go groaning to the grave,  
For grieving him, so graciously does save:  
By whose immediate merciful supply  
They be sustained that still dependent be:  
There is no reason for our standing, but  
Eternal love that choised us, changed not.  
Infinite mercy seen can also move  
The finite thing, infinite love to love.  
Thus living diving in this sweet abyss▪  
I leave thee, in a most transcendent bless:  
And to my charge again shall now apply,  
And thou by sure experience shalt try  
The precious fruit of precious time so spent,  
That these thy pains thou never shalt repent.  
But as of my infirmnesse thou wast tender,  
My Lord to thee shall recompenses render  
Abundantly▪ above what finite we  
Can seek, believe, or think, infinitely.  Grissel. 
I likewise go, farewell, my friends most dear,  
Who witness were unto these wonders here.  
Our King, how comely in his come be,  
And in his goings, for our goods is He?  
You see what sadness in his absence is,  
And in his presence what a heaven of bliss:  
And that through godly sorrow from within,  
Our spiritual comforts rise▪ and do begin.  
Now seek His Name, for therein ye shall see  
His mercy meeting with your misery:  
And that His grace and His unchanged love  
●s greatly our ingratitude above:  
And that His Name, as precious ointments sweet  
Of fragrant smell, the Virgin's pure invite;  
For in these ornaments he doth appear  
Amongst us in the Pallace-garden here,  
Where, by his breathe, mixed with warming showers,  
●eds out in flourishes our sweetest flowers,  
●nd spices, that he doth delight to see,  
●mell, taste, defend, and cause to fructify.  
●here shall we find our friends frequent that place,  
●ceiving and communicating grace,  
●o know our King, as he doth visits give;  
〈◊〉 there the dwyning soul he doth revive:  
●e blind, the deaf, the dumb, the lame also,  
●o see, and hear, and speak, and come, and go,  
And for the stately palace royal, fair,  
He purifies the comers and prepare.  
Come, let us come, for here his glorious Name  
Of all the Students is the only theme:  
And all these curious Mazes and Meanders  
Delightful be unto the understanders:  
Attending still till they translated be  
Into the mansions of eternity.   


THE INTRODUCTION TO The Palace Garden.  
THe first Man Adam, of the earth earthly, made a living Soul, forfeited to himself▪ and all his posterity, the greatest natural happiness imaginable by the natural Creature: and that after possession received thereof in Paradise, that Garden of all pleasures and preferments tha● the whole Universe, and all therein containe● could afford; and being crowned with the height of that beatitude, a communion with God, in the manner, and measure of manifestation, whereby the creature could be most capable of the Creator▪  
But this folly of the mutable creature could not frustrate the eternal design of the only wise, and wonderful God, whose wisdom in the last ADAM, a quickening Spirit, the Lord from heaven, took delight to be conversant with the children of men: and out of these lost generations, hath revived, and brought forth from the Womb of Regeneration, a fair Family of Believers: and by the Gospel-ordinances, gathered them into his Garden of grace, by the New and Living Way, where the Fountain and Well of Life is opened, free for all that will come to smell the Flowers, and feast upon the Fruits of eternal and unchangeable Bounty, infinitely preferable to all their losses: where he, conversing with them, prepares them for the Pallace-Royall, the Place of his Habitation, where Mansions are appointed for them, that they may be where He is, that they may see His Glory, and re●oice in Him for evermore: And that, as they have born the image of the earthly, so we may ●ear the Image of the Heavenly.  
And here is the prime and most precious Sub●ect of Christian Contemplation, where the Believer may expatiate, and ingratiate himself, in the sweetest Recreations and Consolations: by attaining unto, and entertaining of, an unseparable communion with God in Christ, by the Holy Ghost, ●nseparably One, and only adorable.   

MAZE 1. for restriction, Job 37.33, 34  
HEnce, carnal minds, that apprehend Erroneously,  
The Incomprehensible to comprehend most impiously:  
Lights glorious Centre, inaccessible, who can behold?  
Lifes-life eternal, unexpressible, who can unfold?  
How then shall men come to conceive  
Of this rare Bless some do receive,  
By God's preordinate appointing, who be renewed,  
And by the Holy Ghosts anointing, who be endowed,  
Brightly to see that Majesty  
Of God-Man, that great Mystery,  
Of love unto the Elect-seed,  
Whence admiration doth proceed,  
May come and see, and so confess,  
Profess His Name, and praise express?  
And you, who humbled in the sense of wants,  
And search to know the privilege of Saints,  
May come in faith, with reverence and fear:  
See that without this frame you do forbear.   

MAZE 2. for instruction, 1 John 3.2  
IN all these Mazes where we move,  
The ground we walk upon is love:  
And where we make approachings near,  
Let's come in reverence and fear  
Before His glorious Name, who is  
A Beam supreme of boundless bless:  
But so resplendent and transcendent,  
To make appear, convincing clear.  
Behold this natural Sun, whose gleams doth apprehend us,  
And whose illuminating beams doth comprehend us:  
And thence infer, how far  
The supreme Author of this all excels this Star.  
In this all comprehensive name I AM, so condescending,  
Eternal, simple, still the same, all comprehending:  
And in Emanuel sweetly seen,  
In this fair Garden ever green,  
Where daily with celestial showers  
Be nourished His rarest flowers,  
Until He glorify His grace,  
In such as here do Him embrace.   

MAZE 3. For encouragement, Isa. 55 John 1.27  
HEre Sovereignty doth shine,  
In condescensions so divine,  
That ye whose lights are now anointed,  
And for these glorious sights appointed,  
On whom the Holy Ghost alone  
Hes left impressions upon:  
Look in loves Crystal mirror clear,  
Where loves sweet mystery does appear  
Firmly fixed till acquainted,  
Thou be (by faith) therein indented  
This is the Mountain of our rest,  
This sweetest Fountain, only best:  
Come drink salvation at this cup,  
And on these consolations sup:  
Where pleasures, joy and peace abounds,  
And glory to His Grace redounds:  
Who (Wonderful) will not conceal  
His Excellence, but does reveal  
Himself so clear, that we may read  
Him in His Name, and on Him feed.  
This Food who tastes shall thirst no more,  
For fading gain or earthly glore:  
But longing still to be translated,  
Where they may be for ever stated.   

MAZE 4. Love's mystery, 1 Tim. 3. 1●  
YE all, who find yourselves secure,  
By lively saving faith, and sure:  
Who hes smelled, and who hes tasted,  
Who hes felt, and who hes feasted,  
On these Love-dazling Mysteries divine,  
Which on our cleared eyes do shine,  
Of Man in God, and God in Man,  
Who sp'ritually, destinctly scan  
Humanity, still unconfounded  
With Deity, and conjunctly bounded:  
And do before  
The Unity in Trinity adore,  
Advance that most admired Grace,  
And feed upon that fairest Face:  
For there alone, and no where else,  
That Love is found of love that smells,  
That can be feasted on, and felt,  
The heart of Adamant can melt:  
It's life alone to be resolved:  
In this, this love to be dissolved:  
Tract it still, and be allured,  
So shall ye surely be secured.  
O for these breathe of this Love,  
That would the whole affections move!   

MAZE 5. The fountain inexhaustible.  
I 
 AM 
 THAT 
 I 
 AM 
 GOD 
 All 
 Glorious 

I am that pure, immense Ens, entium Ens.  
Am I not wisdom infinite, and love,  
That omnipotent, omnipresent, whence  
I in my justice and my mercy move?  
Am I not that sublime profound Abyss,  
God, Trinity in Unity complete:  
All truth, all light, all life, eternal bless,  
Glorious, & holy Father, Son & Spirit.    

GOD  
Holy Ghost,  
eternal and infinite,  
All Light, all Life,  
all Virtue pure complete,  
Irradiant being, by whom all beings be,  
Most blessfull breathe of the Unity:  
Sublime, all-piercing and  
all-searching Spirit,  
God▪ Holy Ghost,  
Eternal and  
Infinite.   

E Expressed Splendour of the Deity,  
M Might, Majesty admired in Man Divine:  
M Mercy rejoiced with Justice to agree,  
A And Justice seen with joy in Mercy shine,  
N Nerve of substantial Truth, Illustrious, fair,  
V Wisdom and Well of Life where beauty springs,  
E Eternal God of God, God to declare,  
L Lights Centre, where all Saints enlightened sings.    

MAZE 6. Love's Labyrinth, Eph. 5.23.  
THe race of man, sprung from th'apostate reins deplorable!  
And bitter root that all the branches stains restorable.  
The mystery of man's defecting ponder,  
The mind of God in man's perfecting wonder:  
Perfected man, degenerate by defection:  
Defected man, regenerate to perfection.  
Adam by nature damned, when he defected,  
Damned Adam now reframed, by grace perfected.  
O happy they! may now we say,  
Are such as sees, with spiritual eyes aright, these mysteries,  
And do with reverence adore  
This Glorious Majesty before,  
Fixed by faith till they prevail,  
By pregnant prying through the vail.  
The root of man elected, leads this round,  
And with the fruit of this great mist'ry's crowned:  
Come then and see the King, as ye would live,  
And by believing herein deeply dyve:  
His power and his promise both believe,  
So shalt thou see, delight, and love, and live;  
And with heavens Choristers adore and sing  
High Hallelujahs to this Glorious King.   

MAZE 7. Love's mirror, Isa. 45.22  
LOve-dazled eyes, look up and see,  
Where purest spirits prying be,  
And with seraphic love inflamed,  
You shall by fixing prove reframed:  
God's only Son, God's rebell-wrath endure,  
O love alluring!  
God's Sonship to God's rebels to procure,  
O large procuring!  
We lay in darkness till His glory shined,  
And now He hes our souls in His combined:  
Engraved upon His Heart and Hands we be,  
Engrafted in His God-Man-Flesh be we:  
Members & more, made Mates for Marriage loves  
To Him, for whom the whole Creation moves:  
In heaven, and earth, and hell, whose sceptre sweyes,  
And dazzles humane eyes with divine Rays:  
This Love all limits far exceeds,  
Of length, and depth, and height, and breadth,  
Past comprehension by perusing,  
A tractat for eternal musing.  
Oh, that our whole affections were  
Fixed upon this glorious Star:  
Which lightens all the Stars above,  
And on poor welps lets out this love.   

MAZE 8 Types and emblems, Rev. 5.6, 9, 10  
HEre does the Rose in Sharon lively grow,  
The faces of the comers colouring:  
Here living waters from the fountain flow,  
And graces be abundant bullering:  
Here feeds the Pelican, her fainting brood  
Dying, but being revived by her blood:  
The Phoenix tasting death, death to subdue,  
Life to restore, and nature to renew.  
Captives to rescue here the Lion dread, see and adore!  
The Lamb in suffering death a ransom made, man to restore.  
Thy faith-bred thoughts unto these themes confine  
Where these transcendent mysteries do shine:  
For every minute in eternity,  
New marvels in this mirror thou shalt see.  
Join with heavens holy host in heavenly hymns▪  
Sing hallelujahs with the Seraphims:  
Amongst these pregnant Spirits ever poring,  
In this abyss of bliss and joy adoring:  
Adoring God, whose wisdom, bounty bright,  
Doth shine so fair in this dark cloudy night:  
Infer, confer, when thou comest out to see  
These mysteries clear, what shall that glory be?   

MAZE 9 Love's union, Joh. 17.22, 23  
NOw Happy Holy Ones, who sees  
The Mystery sweet of Mysteries:  
How from that Mystery mysteries flow,  
And from that Wonder wonders grow,  
Fitting for souls eternal thinking,  
When the Redeemed are ever drinking  
At the Cisterns of salvation,  
In the cups of consolation:  
Life from the everliving Fountain,  
Moving on the unmoved Mountain.  
In that celestial Communion,  
Sublime and unconceived Union;  
Where never then incensing stain,  
Unto rebuke shall us arraign:  
Nor possible again seclude  
From this felicity so good:  
Of joys transcending and exceeding  
All that on his face are feeding:  
Past separation quite, which is  
The Crown of our eternal bliss:  
That bless, all finite thoughts above,  
Feasting upon eternal love:  
Where from the splendour of illustrious beams,  
Grace in immortal glory ever streams.    


THE FIRST STEP TO THE JEWEL.  
NOw in this Garden, where we have been using,  
And in these Mazes moved unto musing,  
And be returning to our Cypress bowers,  
To take a breathing for some silent hours:  
Let us beware, for we in danger be  
To sleep away our sweet tranquillity.  
We members of the Body mystical,  
Which Militant we ordinarily call,  
Are to regard the universal cases  
Of all the parties, in their several places,  
Common desires, delights, designs devoted,  
As this State-int'rest best may be promoted.  
So when in person most remote we are,  
We may in spirit be best employed far.  
Now let us try this course in our retire,  
Fervent and faithful be in all desirings,  
And dutiful endeavours for our King,  
And for His cause so shall we daily sing:  
And let us ever in the faith be eyeing  
Him, in His glorious actings, as by seeing,  
We may the more by grace enlarged be,  
His glorious Name for to exalt on high:  
And in our secret Soliloquies then,  
How God hath granted grace for graceless men,  
Recent, resume, and so the spirit compose,  
As you in spirit may sp'ritually rejoice.  
But O! what drowsiness, and what decay,  
Infirmity, and failing we bewray,  
When from the Garden we debarred be  
For any space, until for new supply,  
The Silver Trumpet, sounding in our streets,  
For fainting souls▪ a new approach invites:  
For help this precious Jewel, as the Root  
Of all the Garden, spices▪ flowers and fruit,  
For spirit feeding, feasting, smelling, healing,  
Applied to thy affections for prevailing,  
Effectual prove: for in these Gems imbosed,  
All virtue efficacious is enclosed.  
With fixed eyes, and warm affections ponder,  
And as thou dost revive, rejoice and wonder.   

The second Step to the JEWEL.  
THis Microcosm (Man) of wonders full,  
By God made wonderfully wonderful:  
And in his lively image made to live,  
By breathing in this life that he doth give:  
A compend of the whole Creation bright,  
In whom the Divine Nature took delight  
There to converse: as in a mansion meet,  
Doth join with lifeless dust a living spirit▪  
This soul doth all, in all the parts remain  
Of all the body, for the body's gain,  
Relief, and preservation in all cases,  
Herself unmoved, whose action never ceases:  
So and infinitely above what can  
Imagined be by any soul of man:  
The glorious Creator doth possess  
His blessed Self in all this Universe:  
Containing all things, uncontained, unmoving,  
His glory in all motions promoving:  
Which shining in His Name and nature, prove  
No change to be in His eternal Love,  
As by his operations appear,  
That Majesty to man and angel, clear:  
By diving wherein there is true delight,  
Until through darkness we arrive at light.   

The JEWEL of Jewels  

The LORD our GOD, who's only PURE,  
In TRUTH and GOODNESS doth endure:  
PERFECTION, JUST, OMNIPOTENT,  
OMNISCIENT, and OMNIPRESENT,  
INFINITE, ONE, & WONDERFUL   

All these rich Gems in this fair Jewel seen,  

All in all,  
All alls involves:  
In our believing all resolves.  
Believing, knowing, presupposing,  
Fervent love, and full rejoicing,  
In these most sweet enliving Beams,  
True living, & reviving Streams.  
from this one All, who shining is  
In Bounty, Beauty,  
boundless   
This Pearl rare transparent doth contain.   

ETERNAL, BLESS, and MERCIFUL,  
EMMANUEL, and high COUNSELLOR,  
LOVE, LIFE, and only COMFORTER,  
UNCHANGEABLE, and WISDOM bright,  
LONG SUFFERING, sweet & GRACIOUS LIGHT.    

The use of the JEWEL.  
THis firmament of starry constellations,  
Planets, Signs, Poles in separate situations!  
Which from the Sun, the Prince of Stars, receive  
Inliving vigour, to the life they have.  
On this Terrestrial Glob from every Airt  
Their influence on bodies all impart;  
To every several kind by sweet infusion,  
Diffused variously without confusion:  
Wherein infinite multiplicity,  
Each one may plead these heavens were made for me.  
Like Iron and Adamant alike affecting,  
And all things else, except themselves neglecting.  
Since then the God of nature hath imposed  
This natural necessity, composed,  
Dead Elements to quicken and revive,  
Procreate, preserve, restore and to enlive  
The vegetives, and sensitives, what then  
Can be the glory he for elect men  
Reserved hath in himself, to let them prove  
The force of servant, free and fountain love?  
In moving to discern with open eyes  
Aright, a sight of divine mysteries.  
This Garden treasure, JEWEL, every gem  
Spring from that sweet, sublime, eternal stem▪  
In Gospel Ordinances so resplendent,  
Industrious divinely condescendent:  
And every one in every one so vive▪  
That every one doth every one revive.  
Whence flow these various flowers that do affect  
Spiritual senses to a sweet reflect:  
Cordials of comforts here engrafted grow,  
And sovereign balm from precious spices flow:  
That by the influence of refreshing beams,  
And constant current of spiritual streams  
Upon the proper object, so effecting,  
Directed duly by divine directing,  
And straightly darted out from every point,  
Curing, securing every several joint.  
From that One-All unmoved eternal, pure,  
Where infinite perfection doth endure.  
That Omnipotent, Omnipresent is,  
And Omniscient savingly to bless:  
In Him the Son of righteousness, by name  
Emmanuel high, that only glorious beam,  
Where wisdom, full of wonder, shines so bright  
In ordering all these works of wonder right,  
That goodness may be seen exceeding good:  
It shines in glory on ingratitude:  
That mercy may in God admired be,  
He makes an object of our misery.  
Justice adored shines bright in Jesus bleeding,  
By merits, mercy for our persons pleading.  
Eternal love shines clear in timous grace,  
Gaining the elect of the rebell-race.  
Counsel and comfort for the heart contrite,  
Long suffering, to convince the haughty spirit:  
That life and light by which we see and live,  
That spirit of truth whereby we do believe,  
By whom alone these glorious rays transcendent  
Become so bountifully condescendent:  
And from the grounds of these ingredients green  
sovereign preservatives to save are seen:  
For feeding, breeding, feasting, framing right,  
The Babe of Grace, translated unto light:  
A spiritual sympathy of inclination  
'Twixt Head and Members, by a new creation:  
As natural grafts well grafted in the root,  
Come timely to their known and kindly fruit,  
By shedding out, and sucking substance sweetly,  
Incorp'rate and corroborate completely:  
This practical Divinity could make,  
Which of the Divine Nature doth partake;  
For through the vail admitted, by believing,  
We instantly receive above conceiving.  
To see ourselves blind-born sin-born▪ and more,  
Death-born, wrath-born, forlorn for evermore:  
And in that minute then immediately,  
Light, life, relief and true tranquillity:  
By looking up, and in this JEWEL diving,  
Presented for perpetual reviving:  
As on the heart it doth impression take,  
And kindly motions to the Mover make:  
So as with longings we enlarged may be,  
This glory to enjoy triumphantly:  
From this One-all, One-uncreated Bless,  
Who glorious in the whole Creation is:  
Till face to face we (Called) come to see,  
And changed from glory unto glory be▪    


The Symphonicall Desires and delights of all Saints in their Retirements. SONG I.  

Darkness depart, do not our eyes deprive  
Of this bright Star of day, that doth appear  
To usher in the Sun, that can revive  
Our fainting hearts, and clouded spirits clear.   

The Rose of Sharon, all our banks and bowers  
Perfumes with odours of all ointment sweet:  
Our fields be sending forth the fairest flowers,  
The singing birds our slowness do invite.   

The Turtle mourning for her Mate doth moan,  
Because his coming he so long delays:  
And we, affected with her griefs, do groan,  
And tune our Lutes unto her mourning lays.   

Most glorious Sun of righteousness, consent  
To hear, to see, to cause thy face to shine:  
The clouds dispel, make clear the firmament,  
And for thy coming move us to incline.   

Oh, that we could Thee know, believe, and love!  
Then could we not but for thy coming long;  
Wonder, importunate we do not prove,  
Until our sighs be turned to a song.   

Most glorious King out through the continent,  
The glorious Gospel gloriously convey:  
Make all the Nations come with one consent▪  
To kiss the Son, and on his statutes stay.   

The Devil, that by delusion doth deceive  
The world lost, roaring in fiery rage,  
Of whom the Beast, and Prophet false, receive  
Babel and Balaam's ruin for their wage:  
Indite, condemn, discover, give them doom,  
With these the Whore flagitious detect:  
The Serpent, and the Man of Sin consume,  
From all their drifts redeem thy dear Elect.   

Triumphant Monarch, for thy Truth appear▪  
And with thy brazen legs these tyrants turn  
Out of the way, with eyes of flaming fire,  
These fiends pursue, and in thy fury burn.   

When shall thy garments stained with blood be seen▪  
Of these proud foes, that do thy grace disdain?  
The glory of these wonders doth pertain  
To thee, this might and malice to restrain.   

How this wild Lion through the earth doth reel,  
And prey upon poor blind-born Adam's race,  
Whirling the worldly minded, like a wheel,  
Up by his gins, thy Image to deface.  
Thou sees, O Thou, who power hes to prevent  
This vile, inveterate, and invective spleen:  
And for destroying Satan's works was sent,  
Our evil deserts let not thy help detain.   

Dread King, who question dare thy just decrees,  
Mysterious, holy, righteous and profound?  
For, out of all apparent contraries,  
Glory and might, right doth to thee redound.   

Let all the hosts in heaven and earth be still,  
And with submission simple thee adore,  
The Projects of thy wise, eternal will  
To see fulfilled, rejoice for evermore.   

All revolutions strange our King aright  
Doth by a change of providence direct:  
By death and darkness, making life and light  
Brightly appear for all his dear Elect.   

heavens King, our spirits more sp'ritually dispose,  
And shine upon the seed of saving grace:  
That faithfully, and fruitfully repose  
We may, and all the sway of flesh displace.   

The time, that thou art glorious to appear,  
Hasten, impediments out of the way  
Remove, that seeing eyes cleared to admire  
The magnified in thy members may.   

The wicked world, that doth in lies delight,  
The voice of truth and wisdom doth disdain,  
And will not see, till everlasting night  
Close up their fight in soul-tormenting pain.   

Longing we be when we himself may see  
Shining in glory, on his glorious Throne:  
Where feasting in his glorious face we'll be,  
When immortality we have put on.   

Welcome, great King, let now the glorious Day  
Begin to dawn, of thy eternal reign:  
In righteousness thy Royal Sceptre sway,  
Of mercy and of judgement we may sing,   

Time mend thy pace, unto thy period post,  
Stir up thy strength, do not retard nor slide:  
All shall be done anon, be gone thou must,  
Eternity to sink thee down doth glide.   

Let us our spirits a little time compose,  
And fix upon the starry Firmament,  
And all the Stars that are, let us suppose,  
Full as the Sun did shine, so excellent;  
And that this glob of earth transparent were,  
And every star, out from his glorious Sphere,  
Darting his rays and influence so far,  
As all dimensions of the world appear:  
●oor worms we never could a blink endure  
Of this created glory we conceive:  
●ut in the beauty of this brightness, sure,  
Be razed, because we could it not receive.  
●gain, by faith, in contemplation ponder  
What places for the Elect are prepared:  
●o far surpassing all the Stars in number,  
●nd to the glory of the Sun compared.  
〈◊〉 immortality when we're arrayed,  
●nd for these places pure spiritualised,  
transparent in this splendour there displayed,  
●nd yet humane remain, so subtillized.  
Yet our great King those changes, we perceive,  
From natural darkness to this light of grace  
Exceeds more fully than we can conceive,  
Till we receive that fullness in His face,  
Where that all-glorious, increated light  
Remains, whence we our light and life derive,  
And shall enjoy joys in His joyful sight  
Unseen, unheard, till there we do arrive.   

Who see these marvels but they must admire:  
Who see, admire, but doubtless they do long;  
Who see, admire, and long, but do aspire  
Seated to be these miracles among.   

But rather how is it we do not weigh  
The wisdom of our King, and condescend  
Simply unto His dispensations high,  
Who our desires unruly doth suspend,  
Until by trial's strong through truth sustained  
Our lost condition, and His love we see;  
And by His grace be from the world weaned,  
And fitted for this Life of Glory be?   

Our glorious King, eternal, only wise,  
Incomprehensible all things contains;  
Who never doth the heart contrite despise,  
But by His Spirit the broken spirit maintains.   

By worlds of men thy will fulfilled be  
Through all the earth, and let thy glory shine  
Jehovah high in Heaven eternally,  
And all the Elect to thy praise incline.    

SONG II. A Song of triumph, Rev. 15.3, 4.  
Great 
 And 
 Marvellous 
 Are 
 Thy 
 Works 
 Lord 
 God 
 Almighty 
 , Just 
 And 
 True 
 Are 
 Thy 
 Ways 
 Thou 
 King 
 Of 
 Saints 
 . Who 
 Shall 
 Not 
 Fear 
 Thee 
 O 
 Lord? 
 And 
 Glorify 
 Thy 
 Name 
 , For 
 Thou 
 Only 
 Art 
 Holy 
 , For 
 All 
 Nations 
 Shall 
 Come 
 And 
 Worship 
 Before 
 Thee 
 For 
 Thy judgements 
 Are 
 Made manifest 
GReat greatness doth unto our God belong,  
And Majesty to be adored alone:  
Marvellous and admired, thy Saints among,  
Are thy decrees eternal every one.  
Thy works within thy Sanctuary are seen,  
Works full of wonder thou to light hast brought;  
Lord, Lord, thy purposes are pure and clean,  
God, only God, that thou in us hast wrought.  
Almighty might, all finite light transcending:  
Just justice uncontrolled, in wisdom right,  
And righteousness in all thy acts extending:  
True God of truth conjoined with glorious might.  
Are not the Hosts of heaven, our heavenly King,  
Thy Mercy, Justice, Statutes, truth desiring,  
Ways, Wisdom, works to see, and seeing sing,  
Thou King of Saints, thy Majesty admiring.  
King, King of Kings, before whose glorious face  
Of glory Kings created Crowns cast down:  
Saints separate and sanctified by grace,  
Who thee embrace thy praises shall resound.  
Shall not the Nations thy great Name regard?  
Not thee, by whom their beings only be?  
Fear thee, who for thy people hast prepared  
The consolations of eternity?  
O thou who doth so far our faith exceed!  
Lord lead us to thy truth, thereto to cleave,  
And firmly fix our eyes on thee to feed;  
Glorify thy Name in us: us Lord, revive.  
Thy name is like to ointments only sweet:  
Name, O ye Nations! His dread Name with fear,  
For He in all perfections is complete,  
Thou seest Him past comparison appear.  
Only thyself, Self-soveraignity,  
Art thou incomprehensible alone:  
Holy, immense, adored Majesty,  
For thou art glorious, Heavens and earth upon.  
All, only All, in all thy Name is seen:  
Nations in thy Salvation shall rejoice:  
Shall not the captives that delivered been  
Come, and upon thy grace and peace repose?  
And who will not unto thy greatness still  
Worship, and homage do, with heart sincere,  
Before the Throne, in ardency of will,  
The Saints among, when there they shall appear?  
For now the wisdom of thy wise decrees,  
Thy judgements deep, and so divine, so cleared  
Are to the sense of every eye that sees,  
Made manifest, and ever are admired.    

A Harmonious Consort in a Song of Praise. SONG III. Part. 3.  
Throne's and dominions now adore  
This deep profound abyss before,  
Of Wisdom, and of knowledge high,  
Shining in just mercy free,  
Flowing from that fountain love,  
That both the head and members move,  
And made the dying head to live,  
And all the members dead revive.  
The mights, and slights did him defy,  
Below His feet down thrown do lie:  
They bruised His heel, but from His hand,  
Now must they feel an iron brand,  
Which breaks the necks of all His foes,  
And makes the Hosts of Heaven rejoice.  
For now our Glorious Head doth render  
To God the Kingdom, and doth tender  
Himself unto His Spouse redeemed,  
And members so by Him esteemed;  
That so His long desires, that day,  
For evermore enjoy He may:  
And they refined and inflamed  
With sacred fires and so reframed:  
Which the most glorious Head inspires,  
And Members glorified admires:  
The Universal Heavens filled  
With all this influence instilled,  
By our victorious King alone,  
Christ mystical, God-Man in One,  
Whose generations account,  
Who can? which doth so far surmount  
All rational men's conceiving,  
Believing, all poor spirits perceiving:  
But O! admired doth invite  
Finite unite, with infinite!  
And in their stations sp'ritualized,  
And gradation authorized,  
Cordially, with all consents,  
Above the Orbs and Elements:  
The Region of the fire and air,  
Adoring be. Echo. Beware: Now spare,  
Till there you do approach, and then  
Let Angels, and immortal Men  
Like Stars resplendent shining sing  
Praise to their Author, Spouse, and King.  
Do not, I pray thee, so inhibit?  
For we cannot be prohibit,  
To conceal that grace, that glory  
That in this very middle story  
We do enjoy by faith and hope,  
Which giveth latitude and scope;  
With much alacrity to sing:  
And when we be eclipsed to bring  
Unto the Altar timous tears,  
And bemoan our faithless fears:  
For He is firm who us affects,  
And cannot fail who us protects:  
And there shall in the darkest night  
Arise for us a glorious light:  
And in the deepest, deadly hell,  
The Balm of Paradise shall smell▪  
Which shall increase of grace procure,  
And shall our souls in peace secure:  
Then do us not discharge to sing  
Praise to our Royal Spouse and King.  
Sing on, but in sobriety,  
Beware of soaring too too high,  
Flight'ring above the lofty line,  
Where Love resides, and doth refine  
Affections to incline aright  
To live by faith, until we come to sight.  

The second Part of the third SONG.  
THen by this liberty to sing  
Of our most Royal Spouse and King,  
whose Love doth us allure:  
His Deity in glory we,  
Triunity adoring be,  
our comforts to secure:  
There unapproachable He is,  
In all eternity of bliss,  
above our feelings far:  
For at the word of His command  
All things appeared where they stand,  
from nothing, as they are:  
We do these wonders all believe,  
And that He hes come to relieve  
us, who did so disdain  
To do His will and hear His voice,  
But wilfully made woeful choice  
to sin, which hes us slain.  
Here is the Text, here is the Theme,  
Here is the Fountain, here the Stream  
whence all our comforts spring:  
Here all the Angels ever dive,  
Hence all the Saints their life derive,  
here doth our glory sing.  
His power experimentally,  
By working in us mightily,  
we know do, and believe:  
For we in ignorance were born,  
And in the bands of death forlorn,  
till He did us receive.  
Who can His wisdom but adore,  
And providence so much the more,  
as we are ever seeing,  
From wonderful varieties.  
And seeming contrarieties,  
harmonious agreeing.  
Him in His truth we worship must,  
He being only worthy trust,  
as we do daily try:  
Far, far above our weak believing,  
In every straight He is relieving,  
as we His word apply.  
His knowledge, whose all-seeing eye  
All things that are, were, or shall be,  
are ever strait before:  
All persons, places, cases right  
Divinely ordered in His sight,  
which Angels do adore.  
And O! how righteously our King  
Doth to the rule of justice bring,  
and equally compose,  
Above our weak capacity,  
Unmoved by partiality,  
alike to friends and foes.  
His pitying mercy we admire,  
Whereby He doth our miseries clear,  
and leads us to be cured:  
Who in our blood were lying blind,  
That we our light and life may find,  
by Him, for us procured:  
In these excellencies our King  
Does shine, we Him enjoy, and sing:  
but O! how far above  
All finite apprehensions,  
And unconceived dimensions  
is His unchanged love!  
Essential Simplicity,  
Only sublime Infinity,  
Supreme, transcendent Bless:  
Eternity's unreachable  
Perfections unsearchable  
are absolutely His.  
This is our King, He doth us claim▪  
And takes EMMANUEL for His Name,  
us for his Spouse redeemed:  
Who unto sin and satan slaved,  
He sanctified hes and saved,  
adopted Sons esteemed:  
Who is it then condemn that can  
The faithful fruitful Christian,  
to Him that doth advert?  
Where is that tribulation,  
Affliction or tentation,  
that can procure thy smart?  
In this life, Christian, canst thou crave  
Better than did thy King receive,  
since He so well allows  
Full freedom from these felt annoys,  
And feelings of eternal joys,  
for all that Him avows?  
Should we not cheerfully with fear  
His dying in our body bear,  
with Him who are to live?  
Whose life shall be made manifest  
In such as purely have professed  
His Truth, and thereto cleave.  
Take courage then, let come what can,  
Christ and his cross, O Christian,  
doth now the Crown preceded.  
Delight to see the old man slain,  
The New man formed in thee again,  
now by the divine seed.    

Reviving Recollections and Soliloquies, closing with the song of all Saints, Rev. 7.12. SONG IU.  
O What sore troubles we endure  
By listening to the liars lure!  
What rescues rare do we enjoy  
From dangers, that should us annoy?  
Bemisted under shadows here,  
See not the perils that appear:  
Till after trials we do tract  
Them to the spring by looking back,  
Darts of destruction daily flees  
From devils swift, like swarms of bees:  
The noisome Pestilence by night,  
Maliciously pursues with might.  
On Scorpions and on Serpent's dread,  
And on the Cockatrice we tread:  
But sheltered be and and well preserved  
When they upon their spleen are starved:  
And when we any pain abide,  
Is it not when we step aside?  
That on this stage we may fulfil  
Our task by time the truth until:  
And we by these characters spell,  
The power that hes no parallel:  
And by observance due do see  
That He hes an all-searching eye:  
His retributive justice here,  
And mercy precious doth appear.  
Here doth the Well of Wisdom spring  
Knowledge and truth, whereof we sing:  
For in all generations,  
Regions, respective Nations,  
In all imaginable places,  
And in all conceived cases;  
To all, all times, and every one,  
All things are done by Him alone,  
And done so well and wondrously,  
That all men may admiring be,  
And as they do admire, adore  
His Royal Attributes before:  
Whereby in time we timely taste,  
And after time shall ever feast  
Upon that fullness, when we shall  
Himself enjoy, in and for all.  
But Oh! How is't that we can move  
In this infinity of love?  
In this sublime simplicity,  
Perfections and purity:  
Immutable and all things moving▪  
Eternal, Omnipotent proving.  
O! What infirmity it is  
To slumber under so high bless?  
But, Oh! How is't we are not dying?  
Th' excellencies that passes seeing  
Hearing, knowledge, or conceiving,  
Till they come out above our craving.  
When the Members all shall meet,  
Incorp'rate in the Head complete;  
And as they have preserved been  
Unsearchably, as they are seen,  
Till one by one they be prepared,  
And in appointed time declared,  
All members moved by the mind  
Of him, to whom they are inclined:  
As by the weak resemblance here  
Of flesh and spirit may appear,  
A fabric wonderfully framed,  
And strangely from the fountain streamed,  
Composed, commixed, conjoined, divisive,  
Woven var'ously, visive, invisive:  
Hundreds above in numerous places,  
Which from their office never ceases,  
So naturally by nature led▪  
And by the vital spirits fed:  
Which by the soul her influence pure,  
Unseen, is set in order sure,  
And seated in the brain, doth move  
Each member for the man's behoof:  
And every instant, at her will,  
All powers do their part fulfil:  
And she is every where perfecting,  
Preparing, dressing, and directing:  
As may make for the common right,  
Wherein she daily doth delight.  
How much more may we then believe  
Above what here we can conceive  
Of Him our Head, who hes received  
Moore spirit than can be conceived:  
And measures out abundantly,  
To every member mightily,  
All spiritual graces, and anoints us,  
As in His wisdom He appoints us:  
Into our stations as seems meet  
To Him, in whom we are complete:  
Anon, alone, that glorious day,  
His Saints He shall so sweetly sway:  
When we in regions ordered are,  
Shining above the brightest Star:  
Or as in constellations standing,  
Minding only His commanding,  
Who only minds the glorious bless  
Of God, who Universal is.  
O happy day of all delights!  
Wherewith compared are nought but nights,  
The best of bypast days alone,  
Compact and quintessenced in one:  
One glimpse of which desired day,  
Shall all afflictions past, defray:  
All anguish and perplexities,  
Digested in festivities,  
Of spiritual joys, for ever springing  
In His face, to give us singing:  
Renewing every minute store,  
To raise our notes for evermore:  
When all the mysteries manifold,  
In Heavenly Palaces enrolled;  
To admiration be revealed,  
And nothing can be known concealed.  
Which wondering still then shall we move,  
Wrapped, and rapt up in very love,  
When many mighty men shall mourn,  
And unto dens of darkness turn,  
Who desp'ratly did grace despise,  
And mercy offered could not prize:  
God to offend would not refrain,  
And wisdom's warning did disdain:  
Are now forsaken, and in anguish  
Left eternally to languish,  
And before felt-wrath shall flee,  
Like lightnings sclenting through the sky.  
Under the doom of torments chief,  
Dying ever, never relief.  
Where Saints the righteous judgement reads,  
That from their righteous Judge proceeds:  
And all about the Throne, the more  
Him in his mercy shall adore.  
Then judgement just and mercy free  
The Diapason sweet shall be  
Of all that Harmony complete,  
From members seeming infinite,  
Ordered through these vast dimensions  
Extending over apprehensions:  
And comprehended only be  
By the infinite Deity.  
About the Throne of Glory then,  
These millions of Elect men,  
Through all that blessed, boundless bounds,  
With various, and with vocal sounds,  
With Angels pure, pure Seraphims,  
Exalt their King, with holy Hymns.  
For as the soul is full refined,  
When glory thereupon hath shined:  
So shall the body be made meet,  
For to possess the Holy Spirit:  
By whom these curious Organs may,  
Well managed, His praise display,  
In soul and body, both to bring  
All Glory to our Glorious King.   

SONG V. Of all Saints, Rev. 7.12.  
Amen, 
 Blessing 
 And 
 Glory 
 And 
 Wisdom 
 And 
 thanksgiving 
 And 
 Honour 
 And 
 Power 
 And 
 Might 
 Be 
 Unto 
 Our 
 God 
 For 
 Ever 
 And 
 Ever 
 Amen. 
  
AMEN, AMEN, for evermore,  
Blessing to God whom we adore:  
And to His Name, which Glorious is,  
Glory ascend in Glorious bless.  
And to the adored Deity.  
Wisdom in all excellency:  
And unto Him free Grace doth give,  
thanksgiving be by all that live,  
And to His all-honoured Name,  
Honour duly do proclaim:  
And to Him who us preserves,  
Power ascribe, who power deserves▪  
And to the King Almighty high,  
Might and eternal Majesty  
Be, by all the Elect moving  
Unto God, in Jesus loving.  
Our God, alone, One Holy Spirit,  
God ever blest, Trin One complete.  
For evermore our songs shall be  
Ever renewed uncessantly:  
And His praises to express,  
Ever shall ourselves address.  
AMEN: O Lord, so let it be,  
So be it in Eternity.     

THE NATURAL MAN Debated with.  
HOw come, say some, such sacred flames can boil  
So sweet perfumes out of this sullen soil?  
This curious question'st with carnal eyes  
Bemisted, sees not in these mysteries:  
How singing doth from sighing flow,  
And gladness, how from sadness grow:  
How mourning, melting motions move,  
In frozen hearts hot flames of love:  
From bitterness how sweetness springs,  
Refreshment what felt-ruine brings:  
How from the groans of inward grief,  
Clear freedom rises and relief▪  
In deepest darkness sure direction,  
In dreadful danger safe protection.  
Result, and what can be the root  
That renders this admired fruit.  

For Answer, this.  
BY Grace we see ourselves with shame  
Under abominable blame;  
And not the less so freely loved,  
Affections feelingly are moved,  
And overflow like Nilus' River  
In the heart of the believer.  
Whence grief, and gladness, love, and he at  
Reside as in the proper seat,  
Whence bitter mourning, grief and woe,  
For grieving such a Lover so:  
Who surfeited hes been with grief,  
From grief to purchase our relief.  
Whom seeing vively through the vail,  
Love and delight thereby prevail:  
So that as by approaching near  
Unto that splendour in its sphere,  
Be in Combustion dazzled so,  
Within these gleams we undergo,  
And in this current strong contesting,  
Securely in his shadow resting:  
Zeal, the birth of love and hate,  
Daily abates this love-debate,  
Wherewith no concord can compare,  
One end discussing all their care:  
Being to be made pure and clean,  
This fervent love to entertain:  
Grace 'gainst corruption doth begin  
A furious fight the soul within:  
So that in one poor person here,  
Betwixt two parties doth appear  
A hot contest, with fatal blows,  
Tending to others overthrows.  
Whence grows this bitter-sweet debate  
In this grace-grieved divided state:  
Hence flow these tides, contrary turning,  
Mourning to mirth, mirth unto mourning:  
The old man being pinched repines,  
The new man sweetly sings and shines:  
The old man dwyning in his living,  
The new man rising, and reviving:  
What dolour the old man endures,  
Delight to the new man procures.  
When grace is most o'erswayed, it swings  
Corruption under foot, and sings:  
For on a mountain of increasement,  
And at a fountain of refreshment,  
Bullering up eternal love,  
With spiritual breathe from above,  
Revived by all these blessefull beams,  
Shining through our crystal streams,  
We in these glist'rings flight'ring be,  
Until we take our flight on high,  
These be the Northern gales that blow,  
And breathe from the South that flow  
Upon the Spices sweet, and Flowers,  
Seasoned with Celestial showers:  
And in this Garden do agree  
Spouses to feast deliciously,  
Upon these fruits and spices sweet,  
Where all their comforts are complete:  
Who do discern aright to rise,  
These mercies rich rightly to prize:  
But the Believer only sees  
That Majesty in these mysteries,  
And substance through the shadows more  
Of glory, than he can adore.  
But that the rational man yet we may lead  
Some length, let us by natural reason plead,  
Seeing this natural Sun we daily see  
On natural bodies work effectually:  
Vapours exhaling out of earthy things,  
Which rarified, and clarified, brings  
(Repelled by colder air) our early showers,  
Enamelling the earth with fruits and flowers.  
Shall not the Sun of Righteousness far more,  
Nature's Creator, whom we do adore,  
By his almighty Influence divine,  
Which on the long-benighted soul does shine,  
Affect, attract, and elevating, move  
Affections for the element of love:  
Which purified, prepared and matured,  
Are for the service of their Lord allured.  
And further yet, by natural things to learn  
Spiritual mysteries best to discern,  
This supposition make, Conceive the bounds  
Of this vast Ocean, that the earth surrounds,  
If all the Floods therein were the extracts,  
And quintessence that best ingredients makes,  
And daily that some of these crystal drops  
Melt from such sweet, and sun-refined sops,  
And in this Ocean be ingulfed, shall  
They not be then transchanged in the fall?  
Our reason shows us, that this strong perfume  
Should soon the dross of this sweet drop consume.  
Consider then, when this immortal spirit,  
By these divine irradiations sweet,  
Here in the Region of grace matured,  
For glory, and the love thereof allured,  
Doth from this cloud come out embraced to be  
In that incomprehensible excellency,  
At the first blink transchanged be so far,  
As heat from cold, and light from darkness are,  
And though the rising of our bodies be,  
From death to life again, a mystery:  
Yet when we do behold how nature brings  
About, life to restore to lifeless things:  
The earth renewing daily flowers and fruits,  
From dozened dead, corrupt and rotten roots:  
The vapour that's exhaled from the brim,  
Where shoals of herring leave their spawn to swim,  
Congealed in a cloud again shall pour  
Of herrings on the ground a swimming shower.  
Oh, woeful, wretched, wreaked naturalist,  
That naturally doth see, and not insist,  
To see aright, believe, love and know more  
Who natures Author is, and him adore:  
For in His time, thou with thy very eyes,  
Disclosed, shall see these divine mysteries:  
Our body from the Elements arise,  
And sp'rited be, to meet Him in the skies:  
And at the peep of first appearance pass  
To pain or pleasure, as the Indictment was  
Recorded clearly, on the conscience grand,  
Rendering response respective, damned, saved:  
And all these revolutions orderly  
Accomplished in the twinkling of an eye:  
For this the period peremptor is,  
Eternally determinat for this.  
That Glorious righteous Justice shining clear  
And glorious, righteous mercy may appear:  
Where all the damned, convinced, in anguish lie,  
The saved on their Saviour do rely.  
And yet, poor natural atheist, that inquires,  
Where is this bless, and where these burning f●es?  
Conceive of God aright, who comprehends  
All things (incomprehended) and extends  
His glory, in His dispensations free  
Of mercy and of justice righteously:  
Wherein such Majesty adored does shine,  
As moves to admiration divine.  
Through all these vast dimensions created,  
Where all the rational creatures are stated,  
Sin-poysoned persons, wheresoever they be,  
Unpurged are, under wrath perpetually:  
Likeas the Saints are, wheresoever placed,  
Within the glorious love of God embraced.  
This is the hell beneath, and heaven above,  
Here flames of wrath abide, there beams of love:  
Justice effects producing so contrarious,  
Upon the Objects so directly various.  
This natural Sun by nature putrifies,  
Some matter, and some matter purifies:  
Some matter harden, and some soften more,  
Some strike to death, and some to life restore;  
In Summer shining with so fervent heat,  
And on the vild defiled puddle beat:  
The filth therein doth such a fume disclose,  
As doth in darkness all the dung enclose.  
Ingend'ring serpents vile, and cruel frogs  
Crawling and sprewling in their poisoned drogs.  
Right so the Sun of Righteousness shines pure▪  
While such the poison of their pest endure▪  
●or all the perturbation, torment, anguish  
Is of themselves, wherein they living languish.  
Thus may the natural man, by nature's light,  
Convinced be, but never see aright,  
Till by the Holy Ghost he be renewed,  
And in the heart by special grace endued:  
And led unto the new and living way,  
Where closing with his Saviour, he may  
Discern from whence these waters spring that flow,  
And make the barren, fruitful ground to grow.  
Come then incline, divine assistance can  
From nature, thee renew a spiritual man,  
Aright to see His condescensions  
Applying by firm apprehensions,  
Him shining clear in His Anointed,  
Who is for thy approach appointed;  
For He unmoved, all motions moves,  
Which minutly His praises proves,  
Extracting from most clear distractions  
A cluster sweet of solid actions.  
For all that is, was, or shall be,  
Is His eternal, wise, decree.  
Whose high designs adored as His duration,  
Admits no parallel or alteration,  
Whom we in Christ our Saviour sweet must see,  
Embrace, enjoy, or die eternally.  
But come, and do not in your dreg remain,  
Take up the Book and read, and read again:  
A serious Survey of this journey take,  
This Child of Grace through all his trial's tract.  
Here shalt thou see an unseen strength sustain  
The weakest, that hath at the battle been:  
And wisdom shining in the most unwise,  
Might make affections in a rapt to rise:  
Which in the Babe new born again doth grow,  
Whereby he doth in Songs of Praises flow,  
A Garden here with arbours for reposing,  
A Jewel clear, the ground of all rejoicing;  
A Fountain, whence waters of life do spring;  
A Mountain, thence thou may'st with safety sing;  
A Spirit here, perceive, our spirits inspires,  
With sighs, and groans, and answers such desires:  
Come then in faith, and as thou seeks, receive  
Light, life, relief from darkness, grief and grave.  
In brief, behold these whole assertions here,  
By proof, from truth believed, made appear,  
And He above believing shall convoy  
Thee with Himself, Himself for to enjoy:  
Himself who is thy Potent Prince, Victorious,  
Light, Life, Delight, and Lover, only Glorious:  
Come then, attend His call, and humbly say,  
Come Lord, thy servant hears and shall obey,    

A SURVEY Of the FIRST and SECOND DEATH; Closing with a SEPARATION-KISSE Betwixt two intimate FRIENDS, The SOLDIER and BODY. By way of DIALOGUE betwixt NATURE and GRACE, Under the Names of FLESH and SPIRIT.  Heb. 9.27. 
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement.  Ephes. 2.1. 
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in sins and trespasses.  
1. THE body of man is of the earth, natural, earthy.  
2. The soul of man is of a spiritual nature, spiritual.  
3. The two joined together in the time of life, make up a person.  
4. The separation of the soul from the body, is the natural death of the person.  
5. The separation of God's favourable Presence by His Spirit from the soul, is the spiritual death of the person.  
6. All the Offspring of the first man, by his apostasy and disobedience, are deservedly deprived of God's favourable Presence by his spirit, & so come to the world dead in sins and trespasses.  
7. All these the natural Offspring of the first man, that be left in this forlorn condition, living and dying in this darkness and ignorance of God, and do never attain unto the first resurrection, do lie under the first, and be liable unto the second death at the last day.  
8. The Elect and Chosen of God be, by His free grace, in a time of love, called, and by the effectual working of His Spirit, moved to believe His word, and to join with Jesus Christ for Salvation.  
By whom (nevertheless that they be spiritually dead in sins and trespasses) they are by His Spirit quickened to see and serve the living God, dying unto sin, and living unto righteousness, and thereby made partakers of the first resurrection: Against whom the second death, at the general resurrection, shall have no place.  
9 To be spiritually-dead, the mere natural man knows not, nor (by reason of his atheism) can know, till the second death seize upon him: first, at the separation of the soul and body: and secondly, again, at the resurrection and judgement.  
10. The Believer knows by woeful proof, what it is to be spiritually dead, by the dead works wherein they have walked, before they knew themselves under darkness.  
11. The Believer knows likewise what the second death means, by being (sometimes from provocation, and sometimes from trial) deserted, and often kept at distance, and of such continuance, as hath been both a hell of torments, and hes bred fearful anxiety: and knows also and believes the Scripture-descriptions of the eternal torments, never dying death and dolour that the wicked atheist must endure, and perish under, everlastingly: As also, by being condemned in themselves, and saved by the Lord, they know what it is to be absolved from that dreadful condemnation.  
12. As to the dissolution of the body, albeit it be a beginning of the second death to the wicked, as it is a preparation to the second resurrection of the Godly, whose souls are then feasting upon their Saviour His Face in Paradise: It may be more properly named a Sleep, as it is often in Scripture, especially, seeing the soul hes had her night of partial separation in the body, suppose but short in comparison of time, yet under many sufferings; whereas the body's night in its element is free of trouble: and for the length of time, it is to rest there under darkness: It is not considerable, in respect of the splendour of that day of eternal glory which is at the out-breaking. And seeing it is with this temporal death of the body that the Believer hes only ado, let us look a little more particularly upon it, and specially as it concerns the Believer. It is appointed for all men to die, natural death being the separation of the soul from the body, is rightly named unto mere natural man, the King of terrors: A metaphor from a King or Tyrant, who is unresistable for power, unsatiable and unexorable for cruelty, undefatigable for persistence, furnished with all manner of forces, for execution, in all places, at all times, through all the Continent, where any of the sons of men takes life: attending them constantly, till every one of them fall under the fatal and final stroke. And there is nothing created in this Universe, whether from within us, or from without us, from the furthest remote of the Stars, to the least pile of grass or pickle of dust, which were all created for our good, but hath been, or may be the occasion of this dissolution. As also, by what means amongst so many, and at what time, so uncertain unto any, that it is a wonder that the rational creatures, who knows themselves subject to it, can think of it without terror: and most terrible, that the most of men are over-turned before they think seriously of it: But here appears the greatest wonder that ever any (of the blind-born, deservedly forsaken, and self-lost generation of apostate man) should come to know any more hereof then any other: but this being the prerogative of the regenerate by grace, to see themselves by nature lost, and saved by the Lord; This death is nothing terrible nor troublesome to them, but pleasant and comfortable, in what colours, by what knife, at what time, or in what place they commit their souls to the Father of spirits, and surrender their bodies to the Elements, whereof they were, and are to be preserved unto the day that all things be restored; for they see and know that this dissolution of the body is but the laying off, or suffering the old spotted and defiled garments to be rend from us till they be refined: and not that we may be unclothed, but clothed upon with glory and immortality, until we receive again these natural, mortal, corruptible bodies, immortal, incorruptible receptacles, habilitate and fitted to embrace and enjoy without interruption the glory that a glorified soul is admitted unto: So that unto the Believer, this natural death is swallowed up of life, being no more death unto them then the pinching of the body of the Infant in coming through these straits of ordinary Childbirth, should be to the Child, if it were capacitate to know the present case and place of its imprisonment, and the light and liberty it were to come to.  
But here nature, even pure nature, doth propose some most sensible and searching trials for impugning my arguments and resolutions, viz. Seeing this World was created for me, and I created immortal without separation by death, if I had stood in my integrity, then should I never have had any further desire but of things present. Now, presuppone that the offer were made me, of the allowance of all created contentments, perpetually to my desire, with the blessing upon them, and the blessed use of them, with that peace which should make up a continued feast: should not we than rather be content to remain in the body, then desirous to separate from it?  
1. For answer: The case is so far altered, that the difference is very vast, we not being by creation, nor should have been by generation, in the estate of innocency, capable of any greater bless then that wherein the first man was created, which was to enjoy the allowed use of the creature, and to converse with the Creator, at such times, by such means, and in what measure, as the divine Majesty should think meet.  
2. Whereas by regeneration, the Believer attains unto, and is made capable of, a more sublime and supernatural bless, by being made a member of Christ mystical, to see and enjoy God in Him, by grace, and to be translated unto glory after death, which makes it desirable.  
It is Objected, Suppose the offer were made of a healthful and lively body, with the liberty and allowance of all outward contents, with the special blessing of inward peace in the use of them, and freedom from all disturbance, which might allay that relish in the fruition of them, until the end of time, and the coming of the Lord to the general Judgement: Should I not then rather make choice to remain in the body unto that day, then to separate from it, that it may be consumed in the dust, for that time?  
For answer: Let the supposition be strengthened with all the Arguments that may warrantably be alleged, they cannot weaken the resolution of a Believer, nor balance his disposition of an instant and sincere desire to be dissolved (with submission to the good pleasure of Gods will, both for the time, place and manner of his removal) that, mortality being swallowed up of life, we may put on, and be clothed with immortality, life and glory, freed of all ground of provoking God, or grieving God's Spirit, and admitted unto His Presence, in whose Face is the fullness of joy, and at whose right hand are all true, complete and incomprehensible pleasures for evermore: the body never being sensible of any loss, and the soul being overjoyed in the continued sense of unconceivable advantage.  
Hereby the Believer, according to the growth of his faith and affection, is looking and longing for that day, when he may take possession in that house, which is from heaven, and is eternal in heaven.  
And these Truths are so convincingly verified unto us by God himself, by Jesus Christ our Lord, and by the holy Spirit of God and of Christ, speaking in his Prophets and Apostles, and justified by instances of raising up the dead to life again: as, being past controversy, all objection is removed, except it be by the obstinate atheist, giving thereby undeniable signs of utter and irrecoverable rejection.  
And how is it then that the Believer can be any thing moved at the approach of that happiest of his days, unless it were unto an excess of joy, from the sense of so joyful a separation from a dying body lying under darkness, unto a living Head, stated in all light and delight?  
Shall the pangs of death restrain our desires, or abate our resolutions, in making through that straight entry, unto such certain and eternal felicities?  
Would the Child in the mother's womb (if it were capable of sense and reason) make choice to remain everlastingly in that dark Cell, rather than to hazard upon what pains there may be in pressing out unto the light?  
Would not the Prisoner, fettered in the Galleys, and there held under most cruel slavery (if he should be called out of that bondage) not only unto liberty, but also, in stead of his rags, Princely Robes presented to him: and of bands, the enjoyments of all desirable delights that the most flourishing Nation under the Sun could render, crowned with many days and years in the society of Princes and all Princely pleasures: would not the change be most joyfully embraced by any that were not more than brutish? Now then, how far above comparison is this change, that the believing Christian is called unto, from so many sorrows and sufferings as our sin hath brought, and keeps us under, while we are in the body, unto a Crown of glory and immortality, to be clothed upon with the Robes of our Redeemer his Righteousness, and feasted with the joys that flourish in the Face of our Mediator: being the fruits of that Land, where there is no less than everlasting life, light, love, delight, resulting in superexcellent hymns and songs of eternal praise, in exalting the King and Saviour of Saints?  
Is it not from the weakness of our faith, and not keeping our spiritual senses in action, but sluggishly suffering our affections to frieze: that we are not still attending when we shall be called, to come out of the body, to enjoy this beatitude?  
And why should we be so anxious of the manner, time or place of laying down our old clothes? It becomes us well to intrust all to Him, of whom we are, and for whom we are, without whom nothing can befall us: who is goodness itself, and of whom we had such real proof, that He makes all things work together for our good.  
And shall we distrust Him for our Conduct through death unto that Life and Kingdom that He hath purchased for us at so dear a price? Or shall we not rather desire to endure what we can be able, for him, and to be with him who hath endured for us so much, to have us with him, from under the power, and out of the reach of the sting of death: which is now a vanquished enemy, and not to be feared: but become a friend, to be especially loved. And albeit the carnal part would keep us in exercise, under the apprehension of a swift and sudden death, which were dreadful: is not the spiritual part to be the more studious to make our calling and election sure: and to be the more vigilant, with the wise Virgins, for the coming of the Bridegroom. And if a lingering disease be apprehended, it may prove a precious time for better preparation. If violent, and extremely painful, it is the more speedily passed; If inflicted by the Persecutor of the Profession, in whatsoever manner, than it is accompanied with the highest degree of blessedness: for the Spirit of God, and of glory, rests upon you: and, great is their reward in heaven who suffer for righteousness. And if by (that which the natural man calls) accident: seeing all things, in his eyes, fall out alike to the good and to the evil: Yet the Believer knows, that nothing falls out but by a well-ordered providence; not so much as a hair of their head, to their hurt, much less shall they be forsaken, when they have most ado with present and immediate supply.  
And whereas some of God's Children, who have been of a long continuance in the Profession, singular in their conversation, and zealous in duties, have been at a very low ebb, for mater of comfort, in the time of their departure. And others also kept under much wrestling and conviction, when as some, of less note and esteem, have had all their sails filled with the sense of that soulsaving sweetness that meets them from the Mediator, at the time of their removal.  
As also, some very weak men have been wonderfully born out, under most fearful torments inflicted upon them by the Persecuter: and others of far greater expectation have fainted and fallen off, when the peril appeared: and yet have been reclaimed by repentance, and found mercy.  
Some also we see, that have lived very civilly all their days, have died under much darkness, and without any signs of a gracious wakening: while as others, that have been most abominable in their lives, have made a glorious end.  
And now, in contemplation of all these various dispensations, may we not, and must we not see, and adore the glory of the Lord, both in Sovereignty and Wisdom? And is not every Believer, unto their own felt and sensible experience, in every passage of their several exercises, exceedingly benefited, unto their increase of their inward and spiritual consolation? And the beholders, that are as yet making on to the way, helped unto encouragement and confirmation. Hereby also may all flesh be taught to finish their salvation in fear: to beware of swelling under sense, and of sinking under absence: of prescribing Providence, or ascribing any thing to ourselves: but subscribing, and submitting absolutely, in all things, to the holy and good pleasure of His will, with whom we have to do: denying ourselves, relying and depending upon Him, like little children: making our entry into the kingdom of heaven by what way He will have us to go, who is the Author of our vocation, preservation, perseverance and perfecting: resting in quietness and confidence, till we see the great salvation of God.   

THE CLOSE, IN A SEPARATION-KISSE Betwixt two most intimate FRIENDS, The SOLDIER and BODY. By way of DIALOGUE betwixt NATURE and GRACE, Under the Names of FLESH and SPIRIT.  Spirit. 
DEar Saviour, now, my soul receive,  
Flesh, blood and bones, slide to your grave,  
And separate sleep from grief and pain,  
Till gloriously we meet again.  Flesh. 
Shall now these terms, so oft repeated,  
Be instantly, for all, completed?  
And must I now in dreadful night,  
Deprived be of Life and Light?  
Oh, had it not far better been,  
This life that I had never seen?  
Sweet Ghost, is there no remedy  
But thou must go, and I must die?  
For of a meeting, who can think,  
When sinful I in slime must sink?  Spirit. 
It's true, no man by nature sees,  
Nor can perceive these mysteries,  
That by believing we conceive,  
And do the earn'st thereof receive,  
When our affections have been feasted  
Upon the fruits that we have tasted,  
We part a space our grace to try,  
thou'rt not annihilat more than I:  
And thou redeemed art from death,  
As I, and from eternal wrath.  Flesh. 
I do confess, and call to mind,  
At former warnings of this kind,  
By force of these truths truly tende'rd,  
Sometimes my soul have freely rendered:  
But now it seems that too too slightly  
I have passed by, not pondered rightly,  
How I to thee, or thou to me  
Shall come, or when, I cannot see.  
Were we not first immortal made,  
And but by accident do fade?  
Canst thou not now who grace hes found,  
Find also how we two be bound?  
So fast incorporate may remain  
Until our Saviour come again▪  Spirit. 
Dear Flesh, resist these carnal notions,  
So marring and untimely motions:  
Thou knowst it was our vile revolt,  
That Paradise did on us bolt:  
But now no loss incurs thereby,  
Our Head exalted lifts us high,  
'Bove by creation what we were,  
Then earth's below the highest star.  
When I was sent thee to assume,  
Couldst thou then know that I should come?  
That seed whereof thou was congealed,  
Thy Parents from their food did yield,  
Digested, which from fish, flesh, grain,  
And fruits they had received again:  
These gross ingredients whence were they,  
But from worms, water, grass and clay?  
Do not therefore, dear mate, repine,  
But to thine element incline:  
Till the refreshing time return,  
And turn thee up out of thine urn.  
When all the Elements shall sweat,  
Purging their dross with fervent heat,  
And tendering out our substance true:  
Like drops refined of Cristal-dew,  
While every soul shall be attending  
Their bodies fitted for ascending.  
In that dread revolution glorious,  
Dreadless thou shalt ascend victorious,  
When all this world, these worldly frame●  
Shall be burnt up in fiery flames:  
When all the Heavens shall be rolled,  
And at an instant roundly scrolled:  
Sun, Moon, Stars, Signs and Planets seen  
No more, then if they had not been:  
The glory of the Lord obscuring  
All sights and lights were most alluring:  
He, He alone, then only being  
The sweetest Object of our seeing:  
Nor shall there in this swirle be seen  
Confusions, but conclusions clean  
Appear from these purposed decrees,  
Established from eternities:  
Performed peremptorly in time,  
Now at the tinkling of this Chime.  
Like as our Horologe, in part,  
Keeping the method of the airt,  
Unto the stinted time doth carry,  
Not wearying nor seen to vary:  
But at the period of the hours,  
When she is most to show her powers,  
What strange combustion does it make,  
As if in shivers it should shake:  
And when that revolution's spent,  
The second to essay is bend:  
But when the time prefixed is run,  
Must be renewed before begun:  
Right so our hourly changes are,  
Which seem to us irregular,  
They be by divine art composed,  
And wisely done, as well proposed:  
So that this last of time shall crown  
All that is past, with high renown▪  
Believe, believe, this shalt thou see,  
With these thine eyes most certainly:  
Were there not thousands in thy case,  
When I was sent thee to embrace  
Into the womb: and can God miss,  
Now in accomplishing thy bliss,  
Me to direct again aright,  
To fetch thee up unto his sight?  
And I, so long who was conversant  
With thee, and with thy case acquaint,  
Shall I not know thee, love thee, move thee,  
And thou delighted be to prove me:  
So now confirmed in the faith to meet,  
This be a kiss of separation sweet.  FLESH. 
Dear soul, I dow not let thee go,  
Nor dare I, sweet soul, say thee no:  
Shall I refuse thee, thou my life?  
Shall I consent? O fearful strife!  
I must agree my life to give,  
Or grieve him, dying, by whom I live.  
I am convinced I ought to yield,  
Creation only wields the shield:  
But death by sin doth beat it down:  
Now new Creation is my crown:  
It moves me likewise, dearest Lover,  
Who art alone my nearest Mover,  
To see thee thus so long detained  
With me, where we be daily stained.  
The Galleyslave in fetters tied,  
With sad affliction daily tried,  
Can have no more desire to be  
Delivered hence, than thou of me:  
And reason more, for he's but fred  
Of grief, but thou with glory clad.  
I from this life have thee deferred  
Too long, now let me be interred:  
Suppose with loss of life I be  
Divorced from thy society.  
So as thou may more bless enjoy,  
Then can compare with my annoy:  
Sprent out, spring up at thy desirings,  
Possess the prize of thy aspyring:  
For here I do consent, and say,  
Angels conduct thee in the way:  
And I am moved to believe,  
That thou wilt come me to relieve,  
In that day of refreshing clear,  
Which we confide shall soon appear.  Spirit. 
Enough, enough, it's all I crave,  
Sincere submission to have:  
For that I entered this debate,  
Lest out account should come too late.  
Now shall I further let thee see,  
Thou shalt me fail, or I fail thee:  
And would thou have me with thee hence,  
When thou denuded art of sense:  
Thee to enjoy was my delight,  
Albeit it was my drowsy night,  
As thou a time must be absented▪  
Yet are we so by faith indented▪  
And sure engrafted in our Head,  
Living we be, when seeming dead:  
Let us, while we do live, believe,  
And so we shall, by dying, live.  
Hence carnal thoughts, hence nature's night,  
Welcome now sweet celestial light,  
Light, light, light, light, light, light so bright,  
What we have seen sets out of sight,  
And makes us to conceive of seeing,  
Above the bounds of this our being.  
Hence incredulity, vile guest,  
That faithless fears does still suggest;  
O happy choice, by closely cleaving  
Unto our Life, by firm believing,  
Thy glory, by degrees begun,  
Now fred of suffering, and of sin:  
And I shall still attending be,  
Again to be possessed of thee.  
The fathers of the former ages,  
The greatest, and the gravest sages,  
The clearest Saints that e'er were seen,  
Our meeting there shall not preveen:  
Where We our Husband, Head, and King  
Enjoying, shall his praises sing,  
In glory unconceivable, where we  
Shall God, for evermore, adoring be.   

The FIRST and SECOND RESURRECTION, AND THE GENERAL JUDGEMENT; Closing with a SONG of DEGREES, Ascending from what we were, to what we are: and from thence, to what we shall be after time: AS AN INTRODUCTION TO That New SONG of endless PRAISE, ot be taught in and entered unto, when there shall be no more time.  Matth. 25.31. to the end. 
When the Son of Man shall come in His glory, etc.  1 Cor. 15.12. to the end. 
Now if Christ be preached, etc.  
THe Resurrection of the body, and the General Judgement, is universally acknowledged where Christianity is known, except amongst the brutishly ignorant, or the professed Atheist. But if it were so known and believed, as it is condescended unto, it would put Believers to a more serious study to try their condition, than they be at as yet; for, who could endure to know believingly, that, living and dying in their natural estate, (without the interposition of a Mediator, and Saviour for their restauration) they being raised up to join with their soul again, should then be cast down in utter darkness finally, and rejected of God totally, deprived of all further expectation of grace: the gnawing worm of conscience wakened, the wrath of a sin-revenging God upon the guilty person, where, in these everlasting burnings, amongst innumerable legions of devils, and numberless multitudes of condemned men, they be to endure eternal torment: Can it be imagined (say I) that any person, so believing, and that there were a possibility of recovery, could be in rest, until they had (unto their utmost endeavour) used all imaginable means: not thinking any pains too great, if it were in compassing the Continent and the coasts of the sea, for timous relief.  
If we, seeing one of our neighbours in the extremity of a Gout, a Gravel-stone or Gangrene: And that we were certainly persuaded, that within such a short space we should be in the very like condition, unless we did apply ourselves to such a Person, who could assuredly prevent this so fearful, terrible and horrible torment: would there be any delay made, or difficulty impede us in our journey, for finding out the Physician? Much more, if he were at hand, making offer of our relief, and the removal of all our fears, could we make the refusal?  
Again, Is it not evident, that the most part of men do entangle themselves in most dangerous travels and troubles, for gaining of a little uncertain treasure, pleasure or preferment, whereunto few attain? And where attained, is passed before it be well possessed.  
Is it possible then, that if the Resurrection of the body, and the General Judgement were believed, and the blessed condition of those that have accepted of the offer of grace in time: and the utter ruin and eternal perdition of all such as have contemned this Great-salvation, to seize upon them, in that day when they shall call to the mountains to fall upon them, and cover them from that fierce wrath, which undoubtedly they must underly for evermore? No certainly, it is neither probable nor possible, but, if these Truths were believed, there would be little rest amongst the Believers▪ until they attained to that assurance of relief that might give them solid rest: And yet every man is so convinced, that none (that is worthy to have the name of a man) dar be so shameless as to deny such unquestionable truths: seeing, that thereby, they should be found to deny the Scriptures of God, dyted by His own Spirit, and the power of God, seen in the creation, and conservation of all things, the Son of God and the Saviour of the World, who in our own flesh hath died and risen again; who hath testified all these truths, and recorded them in His Testament to us, according as He had Himself experimentally tried the unutterable joys of the one, and the unsuperable dolours of the other to have been wrestled with, sustained and fred of; but by Himself alone, who was God to sustain, as He was man to suffer.  
And yet for all this conviction and formal profession, what is the greatest part of all ranks doing, but deceiving themselves, satisfied with a brain-light, without any heart-change; a lip-religion, without any life-reformation? So reasonless is the rational creature become, as to deny Him reasonable service, who is the Author of their reason in believing Him, and acquainting themselves with Him for their good. But to proceed: According to the difference betwixt the Believer and the unbeliever in life and death, so is it after death when the Righteous Judge of all men shall give the final sentence: Then shall the carnal man, who refused that great Salvation, which is now obtained by believing in the only Son of God, for the remission of sin, being laid down in the grave, bathed in the abominations of His apostasy, and impenitency, be raised up again at the Latter-day, soul and body joining to receive the irrecoverable sentence of eternal condemnation, and rejection from the gracious presence of God, unto the place appointed for them: And for the further manifestation hereof, the Lord hath been pleased to suffer some, being spiritually dead, and refusing to come to the Physician of souls for life: and being thereby self-condemned, to lie under desperation and torment of conscience, even in this life: So that both word and example may join to the conviction of such as will not be converted.  
Whereas the true Believer, who in their life had been dying unto sin, and attained unto the first Resurrection in living unto righteousness, laid down the body under hope, shall at the second Resurrection, both soul and body being joined again in that spiritual and incorruptible constitution, agreeable unto immortality, lift up the head with joy in coming before the Judge▪ knowing that all judgement is committed to the Son of God, who is their Kinsman, Mediator and Redeemer, who knows well for whose transgressions He hes made Himself an offering, for satisfying the justice of God, that He may see His seed, the travel of His Soul, and be satisfied: That the pleasure of the Lord, in justifying many, does prosper in His Hand, and in congregating, and uniting to Himself, who is the glorious Head, and making up all the Members in one Body, to become the fullness of Him who fills all in all, that the Marriage-day may be solemnised, and the marriage fully accomplished before God and all the Hierarchy of Angels, Arch-Angels, Throns', Dominions, Powers, Seraphims and Cherubins, with Hosannas and Hallelujahs, shouting for joy and sympathising in all cordial harmony, the praises of their King, the Author and Finisher of their Salvation, with songs suitable and acceptable to that all-glorious Auditory, and the glorified associates and assistants in that unlimited circumference, whereof the All-blessed and infinite Essence of God is the incomprehensible Centre, and that from minutly renewed and revealed matter, without intermission for evermore.  
And for the further establishment of which truth, some of God's Children, even in this life, have attained the fore-tastes of the first Fruits of these eternal Consolations, that they are to feast upon after this life everlastingly.  
And seeing it is so, and known to be so by the Believer, where should the furthest extent of his deepest apprehensions and greatest fervency of his affections be fixed, but upon Him alone, by whom he shall enjoy all this bless, salvation and consolation.  
And to this end, that as they know, they may commend, and as they prove, they may love and praise Him, according as they can attain to see and conceive Him, by the mirror wherein He shines, making Himself and His excellencies the matter of our songs, in the house of our pilgrimage, until we come up to see Him as He is, and enjoy Him in the fullness of that bless, by the earnest whereof we are sustained under Hope.  
And for this end, let our study be to take Him up more particularly.  

1. First, what He is in Himself.  
2. And secondly, what He is to us. 

1. He is in Himself, 

1. The mighty God, the everlasting Father, wonderful Counsellor, the Prince of Peace, Isaiah 9.6.  
2. He is the second Person of the all-adored Trinity.  
3. His delight hes been from all eternity to be conversant with the sons of men,       
And for that end, and that the fullness of the Godhead might dwell in him bodily, hes (by the operation of the Holy Ghost) assumed unto Himself the nature of man, from the seed of the woman, in the womb of the Virgin, whereby He becometh the kinsman, flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bone, subject to all our infirmities (sin except) that He might be a merciful and a compassionate high Priest, and a propitiatory sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour unto God, in giving full satisfaction unto justice for the sins of the Elect, in cancelling the hand-writing that spoke against them, and nailing it unto the tree of the cross, when after the agony of His Soul, He gave His Body to be crucified, and His Blood to be shed for the Redemption of His beloved inheritance, whom He hes thereby justified, and will sanctify and espouse to Himself: delighted to see the increase of His grace in the Believer, as the fruit and offspring of the travel of His Soul, and to whom He hes made Himself known to be the only Messias.  

1. First, As Christ anointed Priest, Altar and Sacrifice, to satisfy, and intercede for, and reconceal us to God: Prophet, to instruct us in a●l truth, and reveal the Fathers will to us: and King, to renew and defend His ransomed flock.  
2. Jesus, a Saviour, able to save to the utmost, and cleanse them from all their sins.  
3. The Word incarnate, from whom all our spiritual life comes.  
4. The Fountain opened, from whence flows all our consolation.  
5. The true Vine, and prime branch, whence influence ascends to all the members.  
6. The morning Star, and Sun of righteousness, by whom we are illuminate and revived.  
7. The Rock invincible, and Cornerstone, whereon our Salvation is built.  
8. The Mediator, to procure acceptance to our persons, and grants to our petitions.  
9 The Captain, who is only able to conduct us through the wilderness with safety.  
10. The bountiful Provisor for us, in the midst of all our malicious enemies.  
11. The faithful Witness, who for all our failings and faithlesness, will not deny Himself, who changes not.  
12. This is our Emanuel, our strong and mighty God, who being with us, what is it to us who be against us; He hes trod the winepress of God's wrath alone, and none with Him.   
He hes bruised the head of the old serpent, that was lifted up against us.  
He hes given the deadly stroke to all our enemies, led them captive, and cast them under chains of darkness, unto the condemnation of the great day: and were there ever man or Angel, could have imagined of such things to have been done for them?  
And is it possible for us, out of the deepest of our conceivings, to think seriously of these wonders that the Lord hes eternally designed for us, and in time done for us, and not be ravished with the admiration of them, and overjoyed in belief of them?  
And yet, what less could He have done for us? seeing it was His holy and eternal determination to espouse us to Himself; and for that end, to sprinkle us with His blood, that we may be embraced, and put beauty upon us that we may be loved by Him who is all love, and admitted to His Bedchamber, and Breasts of consolation, where feasting upon that all-fulness and unconceivable sweetness that is in Him, we may say and sing.  

As we have heard, so have we seen  
In the City of our God and of our King.    

A SONG OF DEGREES, Ascending from what we were in Nature, to what we are in Grace, and thence to what we shall be by believing.  
NOw Saviour dear, my soul receive,  
Flesh, blood and bones slides to the grave  
Grace hath procured, by argument  
Of Nature, now, a full consent,  
That the body shall remain  
Asleep till I return again;  
And that I shall approach and prove,  
Sweet Saviour, now, thy saving Love,  
Amongst these mansions shining bright,  
Where souls are feasting on thy sight▪  
And at what instant thou dost call,  
The body then assume I shall;  
That thence restored for evermore,  
We in thy face may God adore:  
That seeing there as we are seen,  
Where never cloud doth intervene,  
Nor subtle serpent shall appear,  
With siren's songs to tempt the ear,  
Nor interrupt our Songs of love,  
So set our present thoughts above;  
As is the Heaven of heavens so far  
From thoughts infirm, that finite are:  
But yet because the Glory there  
Transcends believing, let us spare,  
And set our Songs in order right,  
According to our present Light  
Of faith, which fraught with wonders clear,  
By pondering makes grac'd-men admire.  
His Love and beauty still increasing,  
While we His praises be expressing:  
Let us make His Glorious Name  
Our deepest thoughts, our chiefest theme:  
So as we may with singing move,  
In joyful Songs of Praise and Love.  
His Name, His Name most highest high,  
Essential God in Majesty;  
Who with the Father and the Spirit,  
As Counsellor, did take delight  
In this most Glorious Universe,  
And here with men for to converse,  
By wisdom viewing all the wonders  
That now appear, surpassing numbers;  
In these magnificent degrees,  
And statutes of eternities:  
All things by Omnipotency,  
From nothing, opening instantly.  
Omniscience, all things observing,  
His providence all things preserving,  
In all their come, goings, courses,  
Places, cases, and recourses,  
According to their inclination,  
Set by supreme preordination,  
Of that eternal counsel standing,  
And unsearchably commanding:  
Seen and unseen varieties,  
Diversities, rarieties,  
From that Infinity proceeding,  
Transcending this dim twilight reading:  
Even in these clear excellencies,  
That obvious be unto our eyes;  
Far less find out Him infinite,  
In His perfections full complete:  
Incomprehensible and pure,  
Uncheangable, that does endure:  
But let our faithful thoughts be fixed  
Upon that new creation next,  
Wherein we deeply be concerned  
To dive, and be divinely learned:  
Not by the line of humane learning,  
But by the spirit of discerning;  
To know how that most fatal fall  
The race of Adam damned all,  
Deservedly left (and so forlorn)  
In bands of death and darkness born:  
Till in that Counsel now admired,  
That wisdom wonderful umpired,  
Mercy and justice entering band,  
In upright righteousness to stand,  
To ransom from that rotten stock,  
And so redeem a saved flock;  
By separating a second Root,  
That should produce a precious fruit.  
And by a sappy substance firm,  
Regenerate, renew, confirm:  
Whereby the power of His Spirit,  
The marvel of all marvels meet,  
When Members mystical implanted  
Be in the divine nature fainted;  
As being in the Head divine,  
Where God doth in His fullness shine:  
For by this mystery adored,  
Christ mystical's from death restored.  
Here Sovereignty does shine,  
And Love anterior to time,  
Unto the Elect does appear  
Illustrious, and shining clear,  
Omniscience, observing all.  
And every one about this ball,  
In every one, and all their cases,  
That by His pleasure He embraces:  
Omnipotency, such preserving,  
As be convinced of no deserving:  
His providences likewise prove  
The firmness of His faithful Love;  
The travel of His Soul reviving,  
In that all-wonderfull contriving,  
And fully satisfied therein:  
Because the fruit should purge our sin,  
Whereby we lie in bands of wrath,  
Until we do apply His death:  
Opening our eyes to see, with grief,  
Ourselves, and Him a sure relief:  
Firmly fixing in our thought  
The wondrous ways, whereby he brought▪  
From nothing us to nature, then,  
From reasonless to rational men:  
From reason rendered reasonless,  
Not standing in our steadfastness;  
But prostitute to sinful lust,  
Were under death and darkness thrust:  
Again, this true, eternal Love,  
Moved by His Spirit, again to move  
Upon that then confused mass,  
More marred than the first Chaos was.  
When this good Spirit to order wrought  
That glorious work from nothing brought:  
Whereby we may our weakness see,  
The more observant hence to be:  
Impressions pressing on the heart,  
From which he never will depart,  
Until His Image be repaired,  
And we for glory be prepared,  
But guides us all the way we go:  
And when we wander warns us so,  
That through a world we are led  
Of snares, that be before us spread:  
Where swarms of devils are devising  
Daily, our darkened souls surprising;  
And what a fray of lusts unclean,  
Are from the spawn of satan seen;  
Kindled, and cannot quenched be,  
Until corruption crushed be.  
O wonder now! and wondering sing▪  
The praises of this wondrous King:  
God His own Son, God's sole delight,  
The life of man, the world's light;  
Man to redeem man's nature taking,  
That he might die for man's up-making:  
Obscured, be put to grief and bruising,  
And all with chiefest pleasure choosing,  
In time prefixed, His Seed to see,  
EMANUEL marvellous will be:  
And now, as then, divinely seeing,  
Embraces in this glorious being:  
Every minute under time,  
Souls redeemed from every clime,  
Where this glorious Gospel's sounding,  
Alairts and parts this globe surrounding;  
Swarming up in several Legions,  
Received in celestial regions:  
And ordered in prepared places,  
According to their gifted graces.  
This is our glorious King of Hosts,  
Sing to His praise, you blessed ghosts:  
For at His feet you● foes do fall,  
While He conveens, combines you all:  
Because your high and glorious Head,  
His fullness you and Members made:  
His pains your gains, His glory now  
Made Him delight to be with you.  
Angels in these wonders using,  
Minds apted rapted be in musing:  
And ministering their service still,  
Adoring do His glorious will;  
And Souls redeemed their songs begin,  
This glory as they enter in:  
And we in contemplation now,  
Delight to sympathise with you:  
In your triumphant state adoring  
Your King, and in His glory soaring:  
Swimming in Oceans of delights,  
And visions of transcendent sights.  
These glorious objects of your seeing,  
The subject of your singing being,  
When His comfortable reflectings  
Shines upon your cross neglectings,  
And your putting Him to grief  
Meets with this Royal Grace-relief:  
Seeing now as you are seen,  
And knowing that you might have been  
Amongst the damned, by your deserving,  
Under utter darkness starving:  
Where millions every minute rumble,  
And in endless torments tumble:  
While you upon His face do feed,  
And the righteous reasons read  
Of all His judgements, just and high,  
That holy and unchanged be.  
When all the Generations  
Of men, since the creations,  
And Angels, come, both good and bad,  
To hear their sentence sweet and sad:  
When at the twinkling of an eye,  
The wicked shall rejected be,  
And will endure eternal pain,  
Rather than see that face again,  
In righteous judgement justly burning,  
For their grievous guilty spurning:  
When the Faithful fathered aright,  
Remain rejoicing in His sight:  
Who be of His rich grace the seed,  
And now incorporate in the head:  
Wherein of God all fullness grows,  
And on the Members overflows;  
Here men and Angels clearly see  
The Counsels of eternity,  
Wherein the Son of God rejoiced  
Eternally to see proposed  
This state of Sonship to the Saints,  
With whom espoused now He haunts  
In heavens of bless so far above,  
As is the heavens we see to move  
This earth above, and pass accounts,  
As infinite finite surmounts,  
From every several soul, whose cases,  
Differs further than their faces:  
But when in these infinities  
We enter, and eternities,  
And in the pleasures thereof placed,  
And glory there by grace embraced;  
According to the great design  
Of God, our Lord doth then resign  
Power, Kingdom and authority  
To God alone, who sets him free  
Of all his foes, who be brought down,  
When he receives the Royal C●own  
Of triumph, now Christ mystical,  
Fully complete who filleth all:  
Now in Hi● Bride redeemed rejoicing,  
And she with joy on Him reposing,  
In these vast dimensions bright,  
Where He alone is all her light.  
Life, diet and delight alone,  
The subjects of their Songs each one:  
Nor could created-heavens contain  
These glorious Songs, there heard and seen,  
Sounding out from every airt,  
And every soul a several part:  
And in such order sweet composed,  
As all the heavens shall be rejoiced  
In the uncessant consolation  
Of this redeemed corporation,  
When the King of Kings, the Head,  
A King hes every Member made,  
And Priest, to offer praises due,  
And constantly their Songs renew.  
But as we said, so let us cease,  
Towards these mysteries to press:  
Eye hes not seen, ear cannot hear,  
Nor heart conceive, till we appear,  
What for the Chosen was prepared,  
And then it duly be declared:  
Only by believing this,  
Shall be above believing bless:  
And blessedness, which might allay  
All our wrestle in the way,  
And under hope the soul sustain,  
Until we may the fruit obtain;  
When we shall join, and be victorious,  
In that triumphant state so glorious;  
And springing through the Skies, shall sing  
All joyful praises to our King.  
FINIS.