The mind of the frontispiece.  

REader, observe, and see Jehovah stand  
Showering down blessings to the grasping hand  
Of new-made, naked Man, that takes delight  
To take the Crowns, but cares not to requite  
The gracious giver of such gifts as those,  
With any thing, except it be with blows;   

A fair reward: but sure it much redounds  
To man's disgrace, to give God blows, for Crowns    

God's love man unworthiness By Jo: Qu:  Lord what is man that thou art mindful of him and the son of man that thou so regardest him Ps: 8. v. 4 
London Printed for Jo: Stafford dwelling in St. bride's Church: yard   

God's LOVE AND man's unworthiness: Whereunto is annexed a Discourse between the SOUL & SATAN.  
With several Divine Ejaculations.  
Written by JOHN QUARLES.  
LONDON, Printed for John Stafford, and are to be sold at his house in S. bride's Church yard, and by Humphrey Moseley at the Prince's arms in St. Paul's Church yard, and John Holden at the blue Anchor in the new Exchange. 1651.   

TO My much-honoured and Esteemed Friend, Edward Benlowes, Esq.  
SIR,  
I Am confident you cannot have greater cause to wonder at my boldness, than I have reason to admire at your Learning, and Piety; for indeed the rare example of your virtues add●d much alacrity to my endeavours, which are but shallow if compared to the depth of your understanding. Sir, the limits of my request (though they are large) extend themselves no further than this, That You would be pleased to permit this my unfleged bird to rest under the wings of Your protection, that I may ever be engaged to boast of so worthy a Patron: Sir, as I know I have errors, so I know you have goodness to excuse them, and I a heart to be thankful, and always be a faithful honourer of Your Virtues, whilst I am  
Sir, Your Servant to Command, JOHN QUARLES.   

To the Reader.  
Kind Reader,  
LET me lay this Injunction upon thee, before thou permittest thy eye to survey this little Volume, which is. That thou wilt resolve to pardon; I will not say for what, for fear thou shouldst be s●rupulous and not Read: The Subject is Divine, and I confess too good to be so badly handled; however I have done my best endeavour, and Alexander did no more when he conquered kingdoms; But Reader, because I will not detain thine eye too long in one place, I bid thee  
Farewell.   

To my Muse.  

Tell me presumptuous Muse how dar'st thou treat  
Upon a Subject so sublime, so great!  
Alas how dare thy infancy aspire  
So high as Heaven, where the celestial choir  
Of soul-enchanting Angels, hourly sing,  
Anthems of Joy to their mellifluous King!  
This is a task that invocates the best  
And loftiest quills; heaven's love must not be expressed  
With wanton language; he that shall presume  
To labour in this work, must first presume  
His Soul with true divinity, and breathe  
Celestial airs, that Readers may perceive  
Their Author labours with a serious heart  
T' embalm his actions with divinest art;  
This is a field whose spacious bounds extend  
Themselves to infinite; who strives to end  
Shall still begin, and having once begun  
This pleasing progress, must not cease to run  
Until he stops in Heaven, there lies the gain,  
Who runs with Faith is certain to obtain.   

If then my Muse, thou canst divinely mount  
This Sacred Stage, thou needst not fear t'account  
Thy actions prosperous, strive thou to stand  
Guarded with Faith, and heaven will lend a hand  
To prop thee up, his power will infuse  
Sufficient matter for an active Muse  
To work upon, his wisdom will direct  
Thy painful hand, his mercies will correct  
Thy rambling thoughts, and teach thee to proclaim  
Th' unsumed up glories of his royal Name;  
Abandon earth, and bid vain thoughts adieu  
Thou canst not serve thy God and Mammon too;  
Rouse then, and let thy well-pruned eagle's wings  
Mount thee aloft, let not terrestrial things  
Disturb thy resolutions, let them all  
Evade thy mind; thy thoughts must grow too tall  
For such low toys: stir up thy zealous fire,  
And what thou canst not well express, admire.    



See, here, a Phoenix rare, raised from the dust  
of precious Parents; Fathers Effigies just  
Who for his Genius & ingenious Parts,  
Of Learning, Worth, & wit, to Conquer hearts  
By pleasant Poetry; seems to inherit  
(By Transmigration) his rare father's Spirit,  
As, old Pythag'ras held: So sweetly, he  
Doth Patrizare, in full excellency     

God's Love, AND man's Unworthiness.  

GOD! how that word hath thunder-clapt my Soul  
Into a ravishment; I must condole  
My forward weakness; Ah, where shall I find  
Sufficient Metaphors t'express my mind?  
Thou heart-amusing word, how hast thou filled  
My Soul with hallelujahs, and distiled  
Wonders into me! Oh, that I could break  
My heart in pieces, and divinely speak  
My mind in Raptures, that the frantic Earth  
May bathe it self in these sweet streams of mirth.  
Then rouse my Soul, and practise how to turn  
Thy wonders into language; do not burn  
Thy sacred fuel in a place where none  
Can have the benefit but thee alone.  
Hoist up thy Sails, and let thy speedy motion  
Hurry thee hence into the boundless Ocean:  
Observe thy compass, keep a constant pace,  
And heaven will steer thee to the Port of Grace.   

●is strange to think, how the Almighty can  
(That is so pure) love such a thing as Man,  
Whose primitive corruption makes him worse  
Than nothing, whose Rebellion claims a curse,  
More than affection: How can heaven endure  
A thing that can be nothing but impure?  
Man (like a word that's void of reason) sounds  
In every ear, his very name expounds  
A misery; at best, he needs must be  
But vain; And how can heaven love vanity?  
Man (like a shadow) flies before the Sun  
Of his afflictions, and is still undone  
By his own doing, he's his own pursuer;  
And how can heaven love such a self-undoer?  
Man (like a naked worm) is often found  
Digging himself into the loathsome ground  
Of ruin, he's a traitor to his Bliss;  
And how can heaven love such a worm as this?  
Man (like a flash of lightning) courts the world  
With lavish flames, and by and by is hurled  
Into that Nothing, whence at first it came;  
Then how can God love such a short-lived flame?  
Man (like a Reed) is evermore inclined  
To shake, and totter with each blast of wind;  
He's always running to the ground with speed:  
And how can heaven love such an earthly Reed?  
Man (like the dust) is always blown, and ●ost  
From place to place, and flies, till it has lost  
Its centre; never resting in one place:  
Then how can heaven love that which flies in's face?  
Man (like a Fly) still buzzes up and down  
From cup to cup, and sips on, till he drown  
Himself in pleasure; fears no slander by:  
And how can heaven love such a drunken Fly?  
Man (like a rainbow) oftentimes appears  
Clothed in colours, but can claim no years,  
No days, nay hardly hours, but must decay;  
And how can heaven love that which loves no stay?  
Man (like a bubble) floats upon the waves  
Of his desires, whilst every blast enslaves  
His brittle substance, filled with windy troubles▪  
And how can heaven love such unconstant bubbles?  
Man (like the froth) spewed from the ocean's breast,  
●s tided up and down, but knows no rest,  
Nor perpetuity; and can betrothe  
Itself to nothing: heaven loves no such froth.  
Man (like the wind) is every moment flying  
To every place, and hates to be complying  
Or resting anywhere: How can it be,  
That heaven can love so much inconstancy?  
Man (like a Swallow) loves the fragrant Spring  
Of earth's delights, but with a spreading wing  
Flies from the winter's more congealed breast;  
And how can heaven love such a Summer guest?  
Man (like a smoke) presumptuously aspires  
Into the air, and by and by retires  
Himself to nothing, nothing's his conclusion;  
And how can heaven love such a base confusion?  
Man (like a fire) whose green and scragged fuel  
Denies to burn, until it fight a duel  
With the in●ount●ring Bellows, which atlast  
Obtains the conquest, than it burns as fast,  
And seems, as 'twere, ambitious to expire;  
Then how can heaven love such a raging fire?  
Man (like an arrow) being once let go  
Out from the Archers well-commanded bow,  
Affronts the Clouds; at last, having spent the store  
Of his small strength, falls down, and seems t●ador●  
Th'inferior Earth, which, with a welcome, hides  
His down▪ cast head within her wounded sides,  
Where he remains, and scorns to be withstood:   

Man can be any thing, but what is good.  
And cannot Man be good? strange kind of tone!  
What? has he wept himself into a stone,  
Like Niobie? no sure; I fear his eyes  
Were never loaded with such large supplies:  
Ah, could he weep a flood, heaven that prepares  
His ears to hear, would bottle up his tears  
In his remembrance; every drop should shine  
Like Pearls, absconded in a golden mine▪  
His sins command a deluge; could his head  
Be turned into a fountain, could he shed  
An Ocean at a drop, it could not cover  
His sins (which are mountanious) from the Lover  
Of real drops; for he would soon descry  
Those sand-excelling crimes, where e'er they lie:  
Yet would his Soul so much compassionate  
The flowing sorrows of his wa●●●y state,  
That with a calming hand he would remove  
His rocky sins, and hide them with his Love;  
He would have pity, and with speed consent  
T'express his love, when all our tears are spent.  
Should heaven, who justly may, for every sin  
Drop down a plagne, and make it live within  
Man's guilty Soul, the world would quickly be  
Transformed, and changed into a leprosy.  
Let none despair, for heaven's known mercies can  
Out-infinite the greatest sins of man.  
Oh love beyond degree! Shall heaven indulge  
Himself to Man? and shall not Man divulge  
A gratefulness to him, whose hand prepares  
To wipe away his sin-polluted cares?  
Ungrateful Miscreant, how canst thou view  
Thy former miseries, and not renew  
Thy thanks to him, whose power set thee free,  
And brought thee back from thy captivity?  
Hast thou abandoned Love? Wilt thou imprint  
Thy Soul with baseness? Ah, what obvious flint  
Hath turned Affections edge? What, art thou bent  
To shoot at him, that labours to prevent  
The arrows of thy ruin, which will fly  
Into thy breast, except he puts them by?  
Hast thou transformed thy heart into a rock  
That will not move? Shall mercy call, and knock,  
And thou not hear? What? hast thou armed thy  
With senseless marble, that no flaming dart  
Of Love can enter? Hast thou vowed to stand heart  
In opposition? Cannot God's Command  
Force thee to bow? Art thou resolved to sport  
With thy destruction, and not yield the Fort?  
Oh yield be times; do not resolve to be  
Too much a slave to infidelity:  
For know (frail wretch) thy strength consists in clay;  
When Mercy's lost, than judgement finds the way▪  
Rally thy thoughts together, and throw down  
Thy brazen walls, thy yielding yields a Crown:  
For 'tis in vain to oppose an arm that can  
Out-grasp the measure of so small a span.  
Alas, Alas! it may be quickly seen  
What a large disproportion is between  
Thy God, and thee: Consider, he is all,  
And thou art nothing; what can be more small?  
Or what more great? for he is infinite,  
And thou art finite; He is full of light,  
And thou of darkness; He is filled with Love,  
And thou art stuffed with baseness; He's a Dove,  
And thou a worm: Thus, thus thou mayst descry  
His firmness, and thine own infirmity.  
Then be not obstinate, but strike the sails  
Of thy desires to him that never fails;  
And know, 'tis easy in an inch of time  
To take a worm ingarrisoned with slime;  
For such a thing thou art, and all thy power  
Must yield to heavens' assaults; thy April shower  
Has no continuance: therefore do not strive  
Against a God, whose Wisdom can contrive  
What pleases him: Alas! thy state is grounded  
Upon contingencies, thou art compounded  
Of nothing but uncertainties; thy arm  
Assumes no power, except it be to harm  
Thy wilful self: Then why wilt thou contend  
With him that importunes to be thy Friend?  
Thy Friend, (Soulsaving word) what higher Bliss  
Can crown a heart, than such a Friend as this?  
Oh life of Ravishment! how can it be  
A God, a worm, and yet a sympathy?  
Strange condescension▪ was the like e'er known,  
Or spoke by any mouth, except his own?  
His balmy breath declares, that he will save  
And succour those that faithfully do crave  
His blessed assistance: Hark, and hear him say,  
Ye that are heavy loaded, come away,  
Oh come to me, I am content to bear  
Your burdens, and extenuate your care.  
What higher note of love was ever strained  
To any ear? Oh how hath man obtained  
So great a friendship! 'Tis a happy lot,  
Nay, and a wonder not to be forgot.  
And yet it is not strange, that he should prove  
So true a Lover, that's composed of Love,  
And can do nothing else: If he correct,  
'Tis for thy crimes; he only has th'effect  
Of anger: for his grieved Spirit moans  
To punish sinners, and to hear their groans.  
His Soul takes no delight to crush to death  
Th'offending pris'oners of th'inferior Earth▪  
He is the rich exchequer of all good,  
And is by nothing (except man) withstood.  
All things perform what they were made to do,  
But only man, that strives to prove untrue  
To his Creator: nothing can be found  
Within thy breast, but that which is unsound.  
How sad it is to hear th'Almighty say.  
I've nourished children, that are gone astray,  
And scorn to own me! Oh rebellious dust!  
That hate my paths, because my ways are just.  
The Ox will know his Owner, and the Ass  
His Master's crib; but Israel, alas,  
Will not acknowledge me, but have destroyed  
Themselves, and made their understandings void:  
Has not my fury then just cause to swell,  
Because they can do nothing but rebel?   

Nefandeous Creature, how canst thou endure  
Thy wretched self? Ah, why wilt thou procure  
Thine own destructions? Shall all creatures be  
Obedient to their owners, only thee?  
And wilt thou not acknowledge him that gave  
Large blessings to thee, and desires to save  
Thy Soul from torments, if thou wouldst incline  
Thy will to his, whose thoughts are all divine?  
Forget obduracy, and learn the art  
Of loving him, that loves an upright heart:  
Go ruminate upon thy base estate,  
And be, unto thyself, compassionate.  
Yield to thy Maker with a cheerful brow;  
First know what 'tis to love, and after, how.  
Love is the Laws Fulfiller; he that will  
Love God aright, must practise how to fill  
His Soul with true affection; for the ways  
Of heaven are paved with Love: Immortal praise  
Attend his Courts; He that forgets to love  
Forgets his God: They that desire to prove  
Heavens' amatorious Guests, must first admire  
How such a spark as Man came to aspire  
To such a flame, and how he came to be,  
Not only Earths, but heaven's, epitome:  
Be serious then, and let thy thoughts reflect  
Upon heaven's goodness, and thy disrespect.   

God out of Nothing (except Love) compiled  
This spacious World, as if some princely child  
Were to be born: His providential care  
Was (as it were) ambitious to prepare  
The quintessence of pleasures to invite  
Some stately Guest to banquet with delight.  
First he extracted from a darksome Cell  
A glorious Light, whose beauty pleased him well:  
Then he prepared a canopy, inlaid  
With glittering Pearl, whose twinkling luster made  
A heavenly show; and afterwards his hand  
Dashed back the waters from the naked Land:  
Then he commanded, that the Earth, being come  
Out from the ocean's new delivered womb,  
Should be adorned with an embroidered Gown▪  
That so her new-warmed bowels might abound  
With several fruits.—   

— Thus having played his part  
Upon this Theatre, this life of art,  
He ushered in a thing, which pleased him best,  
(He made the Feast, and after made the Guest;)  
Called by the name of Man, a naked, small,  
And dusty, shiftless Creature; this was all,  
And all this nothing, but a lump of death,  
Until inspired by heavens' all▪ quick'ning breath.  
Vain, simple wretch; ah, how couldst thou behave  
Thyself before a judge, so great, so grave?  
Hadst thou but seen thyself, thou wouldst have  
Thyself to death, and with a blush, defied (Cried  
Thy base estate, to think that thou shouldst be  
Natures most rude and base anatomy.  
Couldst thou expect that heaven would entertain  
A thing so poor? so weak? so vile? so vain?  
Which, like a spark blown from a new-made fire,  
Can only show itself, and then expire▪  
Was it for this the All-Creator made  
Such large Provisions? Was't for this he laid  
Such rich Foundations? Was't for this his Power  
Decked this well-pleasing odoriferous Bower?  
Was it for this (this little world) he formed  
A world so great? Was it for this he warmed  
The earth's chill bosom? Was't for this he spent  
His six days' labour? Was't for this intent  
He made a Paradise? where Flora spread  
Her fragrant offspring, and made Earth a bed  
Of rare compounded Pleasures, where he placed  
This new-come Guest, whose very looks disgraced  
The face of beauty, to whose thriftless hand  
He gave that Government, with this Command:   

Of all the trees that here thou dost behold,  
Thy lips being authorised, thou mayst be bold  
To taste with freedom, only one, which I  
Conjure thee from, therefore restrain thine eye  
From lusting after it; if not, thy breath  
Shall glut itself in everlasting death:  
Forget not my Commands, but let thy breast  
Be always faithful, and thou shalt be blessed.   

Thus the Recorder having spoke at large  
This well-delivered (although ill-kept) Charge,  
He after said;  
It is not good that Man should be alone  
Without a help, I'll therefore make him one.  
Oh sacred Prudence! Here we may discern  
A sweet Conjunction; here our Souls may learn  
Wisdom and Love, both which, if not enjoyed,  
Pleasures prove vanities, and Blessings void.  
heaven, whose unidle artful hand had set  
Man, as a Jewel, in his Cabinet,  
Thought it unfit, that those delights which he  
Had made by his most powerful Love, should be  
Monopolised by one, he therefore laid  
Adam asleep, and having done, he made  
Out of a crooked rib (strange kind of art)  
A woman, fair, complete, in every part;  
Nay, and a helper too; for in conclusion  
She helped poor Adam to his own confusion.  
Oh most detested deed! Unconstant wife,  
To prove a traitor to thy husband's life  
As soon as made: Fond wretch, could nothing suit  
With thy nice palate, but forbidden fruit?  
Ah, could thy longing lie no longer hid?  
What? didst thou long, because thou wert forbid?  
Was there no tree that could content thine eye,  
But only that which was forbidden? Fie,  
Oh shame to think thou shouldst so quickly waste  
Thine hours of pleasure for a minute's taste:  
Couldst thou not like, or fall in love with any  
But that? heaven had but one, & thou hadst many  
Wherewith to please thine appetite; and yet  
Wouldst thou prove so ambitious, as to sit  
Upon the highest twig? Ah, could th'advice  
Of Satan tempt thee to this avarice  
With so much ease, and make thee rashly do  
So foul a deed, and tempt thy Adam too?  
Preposterous wretch, how hast thou spread a cloud  
Over thy head? What? didst thou think to shroud  
Thyself from vengeance? Having eat thy death.  
Couldst thou expect to live? Oh no, thy breath  
Offended heaven: but ah, hadst thou but thought  
(Before thy heart had entertained a fault  
So great as this) what 'twas to die, thy mind  
Had made thee more abstemious, and confined  
Thy base inordinate desires; thy meat  
Had proved delightful, and thy comforts great;  
But now, unhappy now, thy crimes have made  
Thy Soul death's debtor, and thou art betrayed  
By thine own self; therefore prepare to meet  
Thy wrathful Judg: 'tis said, stolen goods are sweet;  
But thine proud sour▪ the fruits which thou hast stole  
Sugared thy mouth, but wormwoodized thy Soul;  
When thou hadst eaten, Ah! why didst thou ●o●  
Tremble to d●ath, to think thou hadst forgot  
Thy God's Commands, & that his judgements must  
Follow thy Soul, and blow thee into dust?   

Thus ●iv●▪ thus Adam, having vilipended  
Their God's Commands, their happiness soon ended;  
Their joys were turned to mourning, & their light  
Was turned to darkness, and their day to night:  
Both being too much conscious, fled with speed  
To hide themselves from God, but not the deed.   

Even as some poor distressed wretch desires  
To hide himself from the enraged fires  
Of his incensed Foe, runs up and down  
To shun the rage of a condemning frown▪  
At last observing his enquiring Foe  
Approach the place, lies still, and dares not blow,  
For fear the wordless echo of his breath  
Should soon betray him to a sudden death:  
Being at last descried, his throbbing heart  
Gives an Alarum to each trembling part;  
Fear, like an Earthquake, than begins to shake  
His loosened joints, he knows not how to make  
A ready answer to his foes demands;  
But, as a sad convicted man, he stands  
Subjected to his will, that can dispense  
With nothing, but with death, to calm th'offence.  
Even so guilt-loaded Adam having done  
A deed so foul, prepares himself to run  
To some close shelter, where he might immure  
His naked body, and repose secure:  
But ah, in vain, in vain he strove to hide  
Himself from God, that need implore no guide  
To teach him where his sad offender lay;  
He needs must find, when sin hath chalked the way:  
But when heavens' shril-enquiring voice surrounded  
The ears of Adam, Adam was confounded  
With deep distress, his heart began to call  
His quivering Senses to a Funeral:  
Fear, like a powerful fire, began to thaw  
His frozen thoughts, and keep his soul in awe;  
He breathed in a Dilemma, and could find  
No Sanctuary for a perjured mind:  
At last the language of th'eternal God  
Stormed his sin-armed soul, and like a Rod  
Whip● him from his security; and cried,  
Adam, where art thou? Adam thus replied,  
I heard thee walking in the pleasing shade  
Of the cool evening, and I was afraid,  
And hid myself, because I must confess,  
I blushed to see my shameful nakedness.   

GOD.  

Tell me, thou trembling wretch, how dost thou know  
That thou art naked? say, who told thee so?  
●hat? has thy lips usurped the fruit which I  
●●njur'd thee not to touch? if so, reply.    

Adam.  

The woman which thou gav'st me, gave to me,  
●●d I did eat of the forbidden tree.    

GOD.  

Unconstant woman! Ah, why hast thou ru●  
●●●ond thy bounds? what's this that thou hast done?    

Woman.  

the Serpents flowing language swelled too great  
〈◊〉 my low banks: he tempted, and I eat.    

God's Curse against the Serpent.  

Because thou hast thus subtly deluded  
〈◊〉 lustful woman, thou shalt be excluded  
●●●m future good; more shall thy curses yield  
●●●n all the beasts and cattle in the field▪  
〈◊〉 belly shall (because thou hast done this)  
●●●e to the earth a life-remaiming kiss;  
●●●u shalt not taste of any thing that's good,  
●●●t shall supply the place of wholesome food.  
〈◊〉 be thy ways, thou shalt no more be seen  
●●me: I will put enmity between  
Thy seed and her●; hereafter thou shalt feel  
A bruised head▪ and she a bruised heel.    

God's Curse against the woman.  

And as for thee, oh woman, I'll enlarge  
Thy grief, and thy conception; I'll discharge  
Thy joys, and load thee with a weighty grief;  
Thy pains in childbed shall find no relief:  
Thou shalt desire thy husband, and his hand  
Shall overrule thee with a strict command.    

Adam's Curse.  

Rebellious Adam, unto thee I'll give  
A life as bad as death, for thou shalt live  
To see thy sorrows more and more abound,  
And for thy sake I'll curse the loathed ground;  
For thou hast hark'ned to the conquering voice  
Of thy frail wife, and made my fruit thy choice,  
And sepulchred my words within the grave  
Of thy false heart; be gone, thou self-made slave:  
The thorny ground shall give a large increase  
To thy laborious hand; the name of Peace  
Shall prove a stranger to thy ears, and thou  
Shalt eat thy bread with a sweat-dropping brow.  
I'll murder all thy joys; thy breast shall burn  
With flaming care, until thy corpse return  
Into the bowels of th'inclusive earth,  
From whence thou hadst thy substance, and thy birth▪  
For base thou art, and therefore thou shalt be  
A food for gnawing worms, and not for me:  
As thou art dust, to dust thou shalt ●etire;   

Hereafter let not dust presume t'●spire.  
Strange alteration! Oh pernicious Fate!  
Too quickly bred in such an infant▪ state!  
He that but even now enjoyed a life  
Balanced with pleasures, now is ●ll'd with strife▪  
He, whose majestic Soul was lat●ly crowned  
With blessed content, is now ingulfed, and drowned  
In sorrows Ocean; He which was before  
Enriched with happiness, is n●w as poor  
As poverty can make him▪ He▪ which ●ad  
The countenance of H●av'n to m●k● him glad,  
Is now eclipsed; he knows not where to run,  
Sin having interposed between the Sun  
And his dark Soul, the centre of whose rest  
Is now removed, and he survives unblessed:  
He, which but even now had leave to dwell  
And revel in heaven's eye, desires a Cell  
To entertain him; he, which lived in Peace,  
Is now thrown down, and forfeited his lease:  
Great was his Crime, great was his sudden Fall,  
Great was his Tenement, his rent but small:  
Poor Adam's taken by his own decoys;   

Sin is the Sequestrator of all joys.  
Sad Pilgrim of the world, where wilt thou find  
(In the unpathed earth) a place so kind  
To entertain thee? Ah, where wilt thou keep  
(Thus tumbled from a Precepes so steep)  
Thy sad unpeopled rendezvous? Oh where  
wilt thou procure a hand that will unsnare  
Th'intangled Soul? Alas, thy wearied life  
Hath two most sad companions; first a Wife,  
Then a bad Conscience; what two greater crosses  
Can hang upon a breast, whose cares, whose losses,  
Are grown so infinite, that no relief,  
But what distils from heaven, can ease their grief?  
Thou wert the first of men that entertained  
So grand a sorrow, thou the first that stained  
So pure a colour, thou the first that dwelled  
In Eden's garden, thou the first that felt  
The scourge of fury; hadst not thou transgressed,  
Vengeance had found no hand, nor grief a breast.  
Ah, hadst not thou offended, sin had found  
No habitation, nor thy Soul a wound:  
Had not thy hand so wilfully unlocked  
The door of Death, Destruction had not knocked  
At thine impenetrable gates, or ventured  
T'approach so near, but being opened, entered.  
Bold Customer of fate, that sought about  
To come within, and turn poor Adam out;  
Thy strength outstrengthd his strength, & made him weak;  
A vessel cracked, how can it choose but leak?  
Sin proved death's father, & man's heart the womb  
That brought it forth; this death shall find a tomb  
When the Determiner of time hath hurled  
A finis to the volume of the world;  
Till then, man (Mortalized by sin) must be  
A subject unto death's sovereignty.   

Poor man, in what a wilderness of sorrow  
Dost thou now ramble in▪ where wilt thou borrow  
A minute's rest? On what inclining ear  
wilt thou expend thy groans? what canst thou hear  
But dialects of misery to vex  
Thy bankrupt thoughts? The fatal disrespects  
Of heaven will blow and toss thee up and down  
From place to place, his still-renewed frown  
Will follow thee; therefore provide t'endure  
The hot pursuits of such a fierce pursuer.  
Canst thou expect that this thy grand abuse  
(Which runs beyond the limits of excuse)  
Can be forgotten? Dost thou think t'outlive  
Thy long-lived crimes, or hope for power to give  
Due satisfaction to thy God, whose rage  
Thy heart cannot endure, much less assuage?  
Most lachrymable state! What canst thou do,  
Oa man, that may ingratiate or renew  
Thy formor love? Alas, thy base condition  
M●●●s the●●●capable of a Petition:  
Prepare thyself, see if thou canst invade  
His Soul with prayers▪ see if thou canst persuade  
His ●eart to yield unto thy sad request,  
And ●●inth one thee with thy former rest;  
D●●●●ct thy Soul with groans, anatomize  
Thy heart with sighs, and let thy winged cries  
Fly through the angles of his sacred ear,  
And breed a harmony within the sphere  
Of his blessed Soul; be circumspect, and lay  
The best foundation; hear what heaven will say.    

Adam's Petition to God.  

Incensed Father of eternal light  
Permit a darkened Soul t'approach the sight  
Of thine incomparable eye; unmask  
Thy anger▪ clouded Soul, and let me ask  
Forgiveness for those loading Crimes which press  
My stagg●ing Soul; I know not whom t'address  
My apostare self unto, but only thee,  
Whom I offended; Please to pity me:  
I have no pleasing Sacrifice t'atone  
Thy wrathful breast, except a hearty groan  
That's quadrupled with grief; Oh deign to look  
Upon the lines of my all-blotted book:  
Although I'm full of most detested spots,  
Yet Lord, I know that thou canst read my blots;  
Oh read them then, and let thy mercies run  
With thy progressive eye; I am undone,  
If not forgiven; Lord, I thee implore  
To show some mercy to me, thou hast store.  
Decipher all my sins, and let them not  
B●ar record in thy rolls, but rest forgot:  
Revoke this act of Death, that I may sing  
Th'admired mercies of so blessed a King.  
Oh lift me up, that now am thrown below;  
Make not my Soul the Custom-house of woe.  
Oh hear these bitter groans that I have spent,  
And send some comfort from thy Parliament.    

God's Reply.  

Thou skelleton of baseness, hie thee hence,  
Disturb me not; return, I say, from whence  
Thou cam'st at first; thou shalt as soon remove  
A mountain, as my mind: I cannot love,  
No nor I will not, nothing shall entreat  
My resolutions, for my fury's great.  
Begone, proud Rebel, do not think thy prayers,  
Thy vows, thy groans, thy sighs, thy sobs, thy tears,  
Shall make my breast their receptacle; No;  
How can I be a friend to such a foe?  
Surcease thy importunities, let fall  
Thy high desires, I will not hear thee call,  
Thy sins have barred my ears; I'll not be won  
With thy base airy words, for thou hast spun  
The thread of thy destruction, therefore wear  
What thou hast laboured for, and so forbear  
T'intrench upon my patience; 'tis in vain  
To seek for that which thou shalt not obtain.  
And is it thus, that heaven will not regard  
My cries? Ah me! and must my groans be heard  
With disrespect by him, whose tongue affords  
Nothing but grief, involved with bitter words?  
Alas, alas! what greater woe can crowd  
Into a breast, then to be disavowed  
By God's high voice, whose most enraged breath  
Darts forth the arrows of eternal death?  
What shall I do? Oh, whither shall I run  
To hide myself, until the glorious Sun  
Of his affections usher in the day  
Of welcome Joy? Oh, whither shall I stray?  
If I am silent, than my silence turns  
My thoughts to fire; If speak, my speech returns  
Trebled with woe, into the brazen Tower  
Of my sad heart, my language has no power  
To work upon his ears, my words  
Banded, and thrown against th'obdurate walls (like balls  
Unyielding breast) bounds back again, and breaks  
Into my heart, and every sorrow speaks  
A volume at a word; yet, yet must I  
Return unheard; 'tis misery to die,  
And pain to live; thus in despair I draw  
The loathsome air: Destruction knows no Law.  
Grief rains a flood of doubt into my Soul;  
Ah me! I can do nothing but condole▪  
I am despised; and if I bend the force  
Of my desires to him, he will divorce  
All thoughts of pity, and with rage redouble  
Th'unsummed up sums of my infringing trouble.   

I sail into the Straits, both wind and tide  
Prevail against me, and I have no guide  
To pilot me unto the longed-for Port  
Of pleasing happiness; I am a sport  
To threatning ruin, whose presumptuous waves  
Out-dares my Soul, whilst every blast enslaves  
My reeling Pinnace: If I strive to go  
Towards Scylla, Scylla will contemn my woe.  
Alas, in vain I can expect relief,  
Scylla will bark at my unbridled grief;  
Or if my headlong vessel chance to hit  
Against Charybdis; I am torn and split  
Into ten thousand pieces: Oh hard hap!  
Thus am I tossed in Destructions lap.  
Where shall I find a heart that will advise  
My friendless Soul, and audiate my cries?  
I will not thus desist, I must implore,  
He that's lost once, sure can be lost no more.    

Adam's Petition to God.  

Once more, thou Metropolitan of all  
The spacious world, I here presume to call  
Upon thy mercy; Oh let me inherit  
The pleasing fruits of thy repleased Spirit!  
I am thy fabric, oh some pity take,  
Preserve the building for the builder's sake.  
Clothe not thy brow with frowns, but let thine eye  
(That rests enshrined with glorious Majesty)  
Reflect upon my sorrows; Oh incline  
Thy willing ears to hear this grief of mine:  
Oh do not say I shall as soon remove  
A mountain as thy heart, thou canst not love;  
Let not such harsh, imbittered language flow  
Out of a mouth so sweet; I know, I know,  
Thou art as good as great; oh therefore bow  
Thy sacred ears to hear, oh hear me now:  
Bestow some scraps on me, that have deserved  
Nothing but stripes; for I have fondly swerved  
From thy Commands, & have committed treason  
Against thy Majesty: Great God of Reason,  
View my in-humbled Soul, see how it lies  
Before thy sight, a weeping Sacrifice.  
I know thou know'st I am a heinous sinner,  
Yet pity me, that am a young beginner  
In this rich art of begging: Do not slight  
My real prayers; I know thou tak'st delight  
In being merciful; oh let me not  
Return unanswered, or my prayers forgot:  
Oh hear the sorrows of my bleeding state,  
Let my complaints make thee compassionate,  
And let the fervour of my language turn  
Thy thoughts to pity; quench these flames that burn  
My wasting Soul; speak peace to me, that find  
A civil war in my uncivil mind:  
Oh I have tasted of thy hot displeasure  
Too much; Ah, shall thy vengeance know no measure ●  
Say 'tis enough; though (Lord) I must confess  
I have deserved more, yet give me less.  
Thus with a melting heart I end my Suit  
Ah me! how bitter is forbidden fruit!    

God's Reply  

Thou bold faced Orator, how dar'st thou come  
Before me, or be otherwise then dumb?  
Tell me, how dat'st thou interrupt my breast?  
I hate to see thee, or hear thy Request.  
Audacious wretch, what, has my judgements made  
Thy heart grow peremptory? Have I laid  
Too small a burden on thee? If I have,  
I'll lay a greater, thou apostate slave:  
I will not note thee, nor I will not hear  
Thy words, which have usurped my deafened ear.  
Love thee, for what? be't known, sad wretch, I scorn  
To love a thing so base, so vile, forlorn;  
And if I cannot love, how can it be,  
That I can pity such a worm as thee?  
I'll neither love, nor pity, for my heart  
Is adamantine; thou shalt feel the smart  
Of my displeasure: Go, my Soul disdains  
To look upon thee; thou art filled with stains▪  
And smelest too much of fruit to find respect▪  
Thou art the subject of my great neglect:  
Thou art a barren soil, nothing will grow  
Upon thy heart, except the seeds of woe.  
Tell me, from what conceit dost thou derive  
Thy working confidence, that thou dar'st drive  
Thy language to my ears, and be so bold  
T'approach my sight, and wilt not be controlled?  
Art thou resolved to make (what dost thou mean)  
My ears thy stage, and every word a scene?  
Sum up thy small, thy weak deserts, and see  
What large respects thou hast deserved from me.  
I placed thee in a garden, not to eat  
The ●●uit forbidden, but to keep it neat!  
Had not the violation of my Laws  
Moved me to anger, thou hadst had no cause  
T'ave felt the burden of my weighty stroke,  
Or live thus much subjected to the yoke  
Of thine own sins; most shameful is that loss  
That's crowned with negligence, & great the cross  
That's made with a self-hand; and they that climb  
Above their strengths, impropriate a crime  
To their own Souls; Destruction is the end  
Of all Rebellion: ruin knows no friend.   

Suppose I should invest and entertain  
Your Soul with love, and call thee back again,  
The tree is still the same, the fruit as sweet,  
Thy appetite as great, and thou mayst meet  
A Serpent too, whose oratorious skill  
May soon entreat thee to enact his will:  
He has a voice to tempt, and thou an ear  
Will reassume the privilege to hear;  
He has a hand to give, and thou another  
Freely to take: thus wouldst thou quickly smother  
Thy new delights; therefore I will not trust  
A heart that can be nothing but unjust.   

Thou great Mugul of baseness, cease to plead,  
Thy tongue's a canker, and thy words are lead;  
Thy sins have made thee not deserve the air  
Thou entertain●st hadst than implayed thy care  
To serve me, when I loved thee, thou hadst had  
My heart-delighting joys to make thee glad;  
But now expect no favour, for no art  
Of thine shall ever captivate my heart.  
Hie thee unto the shades of grief, bewail  
Thy sequestrated happiness, no bail  
Of thy procuring will I take to set  
Thy Soul at liberty; I will not let  
The vision of a comfort creep within  
Thy rambling thoughts, thou art a slave to sin:  
Hadst thou but loved or feared me at the first,  
Th''ve been as happy, as thou'rt now accursed:  
If now thou lov'st me, I shall quickly prove  
It is for fear alone, and not for love▪  
Thy heart is steeled with wickedness, thy faults  
Are sparks enlivened by thy flinty thoughts.  
Breathe out thy groans unto a senseless rock,  
And let thy sighs (like hammers) beat and knock  
Against her scragged sides, thou shalt as soon  
Have her consent, as mine, to grant thy boon:  
'Tis therefore vain to multiply thy words,  
For ah, my breast, my hardened breast, affords  
Thy Soul no pity; and the more thy cry  
Attempts my ear, the less I will reply.  
Alas! thy guilt-o're-burth'ned words renew  
Fresh thoughts of rage, I cannot hear thee sue  
Without impatiency; for ah, the longer  
Thou cravest, thou mak'st my fury grow the stronger.  
Avoid my presence, for I will no more  
Give audience to thy voice, then cease t'implore.    

Adam's Lamentation.  

Undone, undone ● what mountain now will hide  
My loathed body from the swelling tide  
Of raging Vengeance? Whither shall I fly  
T'involve my Soul with true security?  
Stretch, stretch my lungs, and roar unto the deep  
To entertain me: Oh that I might sleep  
Within her wavey bowels, till the blast  
Of heavens' all-shaking, thundering voice were past.  
Oh that some rock would hear my sad request,  
And give me burial in her frigid breast!  
Oh that my grief-extended voice could cleave  
The solid Earth, and make her to receive  
My wretched limbs! Oh that some ranging beast  
Would prove so courteous to devour, and feast  
Upon my corpse! Oh that I could contrive  
A way to live, and yet not be alive!  
Ah, thus my sorrow-shaken fancy flies  
And envies at impossibilities.  
I fain would die, but that I have no heart  
To kill myself, and yet I feel a smart  
Transcending death; I see I cannot shun  
The wrath of heaven: Ah, thus am I undone  
By my own doing; this it is to eat  
Forbidden fruit: Oh most pernicious meat!  
I was too rash, and rashly have I taken  
A deadly fall, and falling, am forsaken:  
I'm bruised to death, and yet I cannot die;  
Ah, what can be so much unblessed as I?  
I am inflamed, and I daily drench  
My Soul with tears, and yet I cannot quench  
My raging fires; the more I strive t'assuage  
And mitigate my pains, the more they rage.  
What shall I do, or whither shall I go,  
To hide me from this Labyrinth of woe?  
I am composed of sorrow, and my veins,  
Instead of blood, are filled with griping pains.   

Cursed be these eyes of mine, which have let in  
The lawless Tyrant of imperious Sin:  
Cursed be these lips of mine, which at the suit  
Of my fond wife received forbidden fruit:  
Cursed be these ears, that entertained the charms  
Of that enchantress, which procured my harms:  
cursed be these hands of mine, which took, and fed  
My greedy Soul, and struck my Conscience dead:  
And now my lips, my ears, my hands, my eyes,  
Must see, hear, taste, and feel, my miseries.  
Oh sad condition! Since there's no relief,  
I must be subject to perpetual grief.  
Here we will leave poor Adam in the state  
Of woe, and thus begin to ruminate.   

Are there not many in this tollsom age  
That meditate themselves into a rage,  
And wonder how a Serpent could express  
Himself, and reason with such readiness,  
Being by nature brute, nay and the worst  
Of living creatures, that he should at first  
Persuade and conquer, and instruct his will,  
How to determine both of good and ill?  
It would seem strange, if Reason were without  
Her wings, and could not fly above this doubt:  
We may (and yet not stain the truth) declare  
It was the work of Satan to ensnare  
Frail Eve; although he was not named at all  
By Moses in the history of the Fall,  
It may not trouble us; for we must know,  
The bending Serpent was the devil's bow,  
By which he shot the arrows of his spite,  
Which did [Oh grief to speak it,] fly too right:  
And he that dares so high a Crime to act  
(Though by another) needs must own the fact:  
And this our tongues may never cease to tell,  
The Serpent was the Instrument of Hell,  
Tuned to the devil's voice: thus we may see  
His fraud, his malice, and his subtlety.  
First when he saw he could not over-turn  
The great Creator, he begun to burn  
With flames of envy, labouring to invade,  
And so disturb that order God had made  
In the Creation, and to change the features  
Of his own Image in the best of Creatures,  
That so he may by his too-sooth delusion  
Make man run headlong to his own confusion:  
Thus having laid the platform of his work,  
He then begun to agitate, and lurk  
For opportunity, which was effected  
As soon, nay if not sooner, then expected;  
He gave the blow, and by that blow he found  
The weakest vessel had the weakest sound;  
But yet it strongly echoed to the voice  
Of his desires, and made him love his choice.   

Even as some boldfaced General, that dares  
To storm a well-maned Town; at first prepares  
A potent Army, which he soon sets down  
Before the Walls of the alarmed Town;  
He after views the ruine-threatning-Fort,  
Which speaks defiance, and begins to sport  
Their several shots, and with a sad delight  
Engage each other in a bloody fight:  
Then if the fierce Besiegers once perceive  
Themselves out-strengthed, they think it fit to leave  
So hot a work, and for a little space  
Desist, and fall upon a weaker place,  
Where finding smaller opposition, venture  
With greater courage, and at last they enter  
The yielding Town, and cruelly begin  
To take revenge of them that are within.   

Even so the grim-looked, malice-armed Devil,  
The base-resolved General of Evil,  
Perceiving that he could by no means take  
The sublime Fort of heaven, plots how to make  
A fresh attempt upon a weaker part,  
And so prepares to storm the flexive heart  
Of unresisting Eve, that could not grapple  
With such a Foe, but yielded for an Apple  
To those most false alarms which surrounded  
Her, much obedient, and soon confounded  
Her inward parts, and gave her Soul a wound,  
Which cannot be by time or art made sound,  
Except the grand Physician please to slake  
His swelling fury, and some pity take.   

Thus are our conquered parents sadly left  
In a deplored condition, and bereft  
Of all their comforts; they which have enjoyed  
The life of happiness, are now destroyed;  
And man (his wretched offspring) must be made  
Sorrows sad heir, and Peace must not be said  
T'inhabit in him: Adam's actual sin  
Made ours original; for we begin,  
As soon as made, to entertain the guests  
Of Sin, and lodge them in our infant-brests.  
Now may our weak and despicable eyes  
Behold in them our ample miseries▪  
Now we may glut the Air with this sad cry,  
The root being dead, the branches needs must die;  
For Adam's gone beyond all human call:  
Rebellion never ends without a Fall.   

But stay my Muse, here let us rest a while;  
Our Journey's long, and 'tis not good to toil  
Too much at first; for Reason says 'tis best  
To pause a time, and take a little rest:  
Know then (kind Reader) that my Muse shall meet  
Thy serious eyes within another sheet.   
The end of the first Book.    

THE SECOND BOOK OF God's LOVE, AND man's Unworthiness.  

ARe all hopes fled? and is there no relief?  
Must man still wander in the shades of grief?  
Will not the eye of heaven be pleased to shine  
Upon his Soul, but leave him in the brine  
Of his own sins? Is there no warbling voice  
Can charm his ears, and woo him to rejoice  
In being pitiful? Will nothing move  
The much incensed Soul of heaven to love?  
Man [Map of Misery] who can prevail  
In thy requests? or who cut off th'entail  
Of thy distress? 'Tis not a writ of Error  
Can satisfy, or guard thee from the terror  
Of thine own Conscience, which will always stare  
Upon thy face, and load thee with despair.  
'Tis not a Habeas Corpus will remove  
The body of thy sin, none can disprove  
The Will of God, what he resolves to do  
Must neither be withstood, nor dived into:  
It lies beyond thy power to persuade  
Thy God to pity, whom thy sins have made  
A wrathful judge; what he intends, must be  
Derived from himself, and not from thee;  
For thou hast nothing in thee worth the name  
Of good, because thy glory's turned to shame:  
Thou art corrupt and vile in every part  
And who can know the evil of thy heart?  
Which like the Ocean, that no art nor eye  
Can search her bottom, or her banks disery:  
Therefore till heaven shall please to change the s●●  
Of thy condition; Reason bids thee wait:  
For be assured, the promised seed will spread  
Itself abroad, and bruise the serpent's head.  
Even as the Fountain, whose exuberous breast  
Is always fluent, and admits no rest;  
But with a cheerful willingness she sends  
Her crystal tokens to her smaller friends:   

Even so our God distilleth from above  
The healing streams of his refreshing love;  
For ah the luster of his sunbright eye  
Is drowned in tears, when our sad Souls prove dry!  
Oh admiration! that a God so just  
Should rain down floods upon a heap of dust!  
Oh Mercy! that so much incensed a God  
Should send forth Mercy, and keep in his Rod!  
His Soul is filied with pity, and his eyes  
Begin to view th'unsatiate miseries  
Of Adam's downcast offspring: Though his ear  
Seems unto us resolved not to hear  
Their bitter cries, nor note the sad Devotions  
Of their contristed hearts; yet by the Motions  
Of his blessed Soul, he sends his Son and Heir  
Into this wretched world, that he might bear  
The Cross of our Transgressions, and expel  
The clouds of sin, and conquer Death and Hell:  
Thus by his death we lived, and by his grief  
Our new-calmed Souls were furnished with relief▪  
Oh sudden change! That wind which did before  
Drive wretched man upon the threat'ning shore  
Of un●voyding ruin, fills the ●ails  
Of his desires with mild and prosperous gales;  
The Boreas of his sin does now surcease  
His full mouthed blasts, and Z●phyr●● spea●s peace  
Unto his ship-wracked Soul, and now he rides  
Upon the new-tamed backs of pleasing tides.  
Oh that my tongue were able to rehearse  
The Love of God with an angelic Verse,  
Oh that some heavenly deity would fill  
The black-mouthed concave of my wandering quill  
With pure celestial Ink, that I might write  
In heavenly characters, and learn t'indite  
I ch●●ahs praises in a stile as high  
As my desires, and make the lofty Sky  
Echo with Hallelujahs, that the Earth  
May (like a Midwife) hug the joyful birth  
Of every word, and make each corner ring  
(With peals of Joy) the Glories of our King:   

Is man delivered from the painful womb  
Of his foul sin, and raised from the tomb  
Of everlasting death? and shall not we  
Applaud that hand which set such prisoners free?  
What, shall we be afraid to ●rack and break  
The chains of silence, and attempt to speak  
The dialects of Angels? No; let's call  
Upon his name, that raised us from a Fall.  
Let's stretch our lungs, & with a warbling breath  
Sing to the life, how we were raised from death:  
And when our tongues are wearied, let's express  
By heavenly signs our real thankfulness.  
But stay, where runs my quill? what, have I lost  
Myself in raptures? or else am I tossed  
Into the air of pleasure by the wind  
Of true delight? If Passion proves so kind,  
I am content, oh may I always rest  
Adorned & crowned with a heau'n-ravished breast:  
O love ineffable! Must wretched Man,  
The spawn of baseness, and the unmeasured span  
●f everlasting infancy, be made  
Loves object? Must th' Almighty's love be said  
To dwell in Man, whose tongue cannot deliver  
The least of thanks unto so great a Giver?   

Will the Sun-gazing Eagle, that soars high.  
Descend t'assist the web-infolded Fly?  
Will he that ●arkens with a willing ear  
To pleasing music, turn away to hear  
Confounding discords? or will any woo  
A perju●'d enemy to come and go  
Into his Courts? will any hand forbear  
To strike at him that labours to impair  
His worth, and contumeliously upbraid  
His upright deeds? Will he that is betrayed  
Affect the traitor, and with patience sue  
For reconcilement, when as death is due?  
All this blessed heaven will do, that he might place  
Vain man within the Covenant of Grace.  
Consider man, how often hath this mirror  
Of pure affection wooed thee from thine error?  
Thou unconsiderate dust, which every wind  
Can puff away, how canst thou prove unkind  
To such a lover, that delights to spin  
His bowels out, to nourish thee with in  
His milky bosom? Shall his bounty crave  
Thy base acceptance? Shall he be a slave  
To his own slaves? Ah, shall thy God implore,  
And beg of beggars to receive his store?  
Does he, whom heaven & Earth cannot contain,  
No no● the heaven of heavens, stoop down to gain  
Thy dull respects? And ah, wilt thou not raise  
Thy stupid Soul an inch to give him praise?  
Thy fervent prayers he always will admit,  
Then how canst thou remember to forget  
A God so mindful? How canst thou forbear  
To numerate his love without a tear?  
How can thine eyes (when thou observest the Sun)  
Refuse to weep to see him daily run  
His painful progress, and rejoice to greet  
The Earth with luster to direct thy feet,  
Thy sinful feet, which every moment slide  
Into Rebellion, loaded with thy pride?  
How canst thou choose, when thou beholdest the ground  
Whereon thou treadest, but voluntary drowned  
Thyself in briny floods, to think what care  
Indulgent heaven hath taken to prepare  
For thee, before thou wert, and how his hand  
Hath for thy profit fertilized the Land?  
How can thy rocky heart refuse to vent  
A stream of blood, when thou beholdest th'extent  
Of the unbounded Ocean, how it hides,  
Within the bosom of her swelling tides,  
Diversities of fish, which live to feed  
Thy gulf of gluttony at time of need?  
Uncloud thy thoughts (O Man) and thou shalt see  
He who ordained all these things for thee,  
Created thee for him, that thou mayst give  
The praise to him, that lends thee leave to live.  
Be serious Man, consider how thou hast  
Converted all these blessings into waste:  
Know that the great Edificer of things  
Furnished thy Soul with Reason, gave thee wings  
To fly above all mortals, and hath crowned  
Thy head with he●ps of honour, and hath bound  
Inferior creatures prentice to thy will;  
And this he did, because thou shouldst fulfil  
Thy God's Commands; but thou that wert the best  
Hast made thyself more loathsome than the rest,  
And by thy most detested deviation  
Abused the glory of thy free Creation:  
Though the majestic Eagles will despise  
To be assistants to th'▪ entangled Flies;  
Yet heaven will from his lofty Throne deseend,  
And with a speedy cheerfulness defend  
The sons of men, who daily are betrayed  
By those insiduous snares which Satan laid  
T'entrap their Souls: Alas, how void of care  
Is heedless man! how subject to a snare!  
But he, whose more then superficial love  
Is always active, labouring to improve  
Our hearts with thankfulness, denies to let  
Our Souls be taken in th'eternal net  
Of unconceived misery, and live  
In lasting death, not having power to give  
The least of drops unto our howling tongues,  
But uck the flames, until our sulphurous lungs  
Crackle, and belch▪ forth brimstone, till we tire  
Our carbonadoed members in a fire  
That's inextinct; the more we strive to turn  
Our parched Souls, still more and more they burn.  
Revolve these things within thy serious mind;  
Oh Man, let Love instruct thee to be kind  
To him that's loving; do not disrespect  
A God, whose Soul so dearly can affect:  
Pour out thy thoughts, and practise to relent,  
And let thy thoughts induce thee to repent:  
Grasp opportunity, Time's always flying;  
God's always living, and thou always dying:  
Die then; before thou diest, redeem the time,  
Because thy days are evil; learn to climb  
Jacob's erected ladder; thou shalt see  
Th''ve better climb a Ladder, than a Tree,  
As Judas did: Be wise, and do not fan  
Thy Soul with air; remember what a span  
Thou art; remember whose inspired breath  
Made thee a Soul; forget not whose sad death  
Made thee alive; be mindful that thou art  
Th'Epitomy of heaven; enure thy heart  
To love the best of loves, so shall thy breast  
Be filled with comfort, and thy Soul with rest:  
Prepare and know, the very fowls delight  
To prune their wings before they take their flight.  
Although terrestrial Kings will not permit  
A traitor to his Courts, no● let him sit  
Before his presence, though they will not hear  
A Malefactors prayers; yet heaven's blessed ear  
Is always open, and his tongue invites  
Repentant sinners, for his eye delights  
To view them in his Courts when they appear;  
For muddy waters may at last prove clear:  
'Tis not unlike; ill scented dunghills may  
At last bear flowers; that which is foul to day,  
To morrow may prove fair; the thing that cost  
Millions of silver, may as well be lost,  
As things of smaller value; heaven can spy  
A mite, as well as mountains; for his eye  
Is lodged in every cranny of man's heart,  
And he knows all that searches every part.  
Where breathes that Mortal that can apprehend  
The ways and thoughts of God, who knows the end  
Of his beginning?——   

He that can break a rocky heart in twain,  
And reunite it (if he please) again;  
He that can part the boiling waves, and stand  
Upon the Seas, as on the driest Land;  
He whose celestial power can make the graves  
To open, and command their slumb●ring slaves  
To rise; nay more, to stand; nay more, to walk;  
Nay more (if more than this may be) to talk:  
He that can make a Whale to entertain  
A Jonah, and to sp●e him out again;  
He whose Almighty Power can unlock  
The flinty bowels of a ser●gged Rock,  
And make her headlong-gushing streams abound  
To wash the bosom of the thirsty ground;  
He that can transmutate by power divine  
The poorest water into richest wine;  
He that can curb rude Boreas, and assuage  
The lawless passion of the ocean's rage;  
He that can rain down Manna to supply  
The craving stomachs of mortality;  
He that can, like an all-commanding God,  
Make Almonds flourish from a sapless rod;  
He that can make the Sun and Moon stand still,  
Or run according to his sacred Will;  
He that saved a Daniel from the paws  
Of lions, and can muzzle up their jaws;  
He that can make the greedy Ravens carry  
Food to his Servants like a Commissary;  
He that can, with an unresisted hand,  
Dash fire into Ice, and countermand  
The wanton flames, and charm them, that they dare  
But burn his servants cords, and not their hair;  
He that can cause ten thousand to be fed  
With two small fishes, and five loaves of bread;  
He that can clothe himself with fire, and name  
Himself, I AM, and make a bush to flame  
Without consuming; He that can convert  
A Rod into a Serpent, and not hurt;  
He that can make his visage shine so bright,  
That not a Moses can behold the light;  
He that can strike a hand with leprosy,  
And cure it in the twinkling of an eye;  
He that can in a moment cut and break  
Tongue tying cords, and make the dumb to speak▪  
He that can out of unregarded stones  
Raise unto Abraham many little ones;  
He that can heal the Cripple with a touch,  
And free him from the thraldom of his Crouch;  
He that can cure the deaf, and can expel  
A thousand Devils in despite of Hell;  
He that can perfect what he first begun,  
Expects that man should say▪ Thy will be done.  
Consider Man and thou shalt find it true▪  
〈…〉 can do all, but what he will not do:  
Think not, because thou art of low estate,  
That he will scorn to love, and love to hate:  
Remember Dives, whose unsumed up store  
Improved so much, until he proved as poor  
As ever Job was: Job! unhappy I  
To speak it, he was rich in poverty;  
Hea●'n made poor Job so rich, that Satan's wealth  
●●uld purcha●● nothing from him, but his health,  
And that corporeal too; he could not boast  
His bargain, for 'twas Job that purchased most.  
" Happy is he that can at last inherit  
" Riches obtained by an impou'rished spirit:  
" We'd better lick with Lazarus the crumbs,  
" Then gripe with Dives for Soul-damning sums.  
Wealth cannot bride the flames, yet scraps may feed  
The hungry wretch; he that has wealth, may need  
The crumbs of comfort: David did condole  
Th'abundant famine of his hungry Soul:  
God's Love's not mercenary, to be sold  
For brain-distracting, heart-confounding gold.   

Hast thou not heard (O Man) the heavenly cry  
Of him that says, Ye that are poor, come buy,  
Come buy of me; your pen'worth shall be such,  
That for a little you shall purchase much.  
Here's Love that's spun unto the smallest thread.  
Tho thou want'st money, yet thou ma●● have bred▪  
Do thou but ask, thou shalt not fail to have;  
For God's more free to give, than thou to crave:  
Fear not to ask of him, whose ready ear,  
Before thy tongue can ask, is apt to hear.  
heaven loves the language of a broken heart,  
And he will hearken, and with joy impart  
His love unto thee, and his milk and wine,  
Without the price of money, shall be thine.   

Th'ingrated prisoner, whose dull tongue is whet  
With sharpened hunger, will not fear to let  
His language fly to every ear that comes  
Within his audience; and he always sums  
The totals of his grief in hungry words,  
Whilst thousands pass along, but few affords  
The blessing of an Alms; perhaps they'll grieve,  
And seem to pity, but will not relieve:  
Yet will he not desist, but hourly cry,  
Bread, bread, for heaven's sake bread, or else I die.  
Hard hearred Man, why wilt thou not relent  
To hear thy brother, almost hunger spent,  
Craving thy succour? Where's thy love become?  
Because thou'rt deaf▪ ah! wouldst thou have him dumb?  
Or dost thou think, because thy paunch is filled,  
He cannot hunger? He that first distilled  
Those mercies on thy head, expects that thou  
Shouldst feed thy brother with a cheerful brow;  
Say not thou canst not give, thy treasure's light;  
But let thy heart record the widow's mite,  
So H●a●'n will fill thy Cisterns to the brim,  
And feed thy Soul, because thou hast fed him.   

Should the Grandfather of true Charity  
Pass by thy gates, and here thee beg and cry,  
And not relieve thee; should he slight thy prayers,  
And scorn to take a survey of thy tears;  
Wouldst thou not grieve, and pine thyself to dust,  
And almost say thy God was much unjust  
To turn away his ears from thy complaint,  
And disrespect thy prayers▪ and let thee ●aint  
For want of ●o●d? Ah▪ whither wouldst thou ●ly  
To feed thy famished Soul, should heaven deny?  
But ah he cannot, for his melting Soul  
Is always free, and willing to condole  
The sad conditions of distressed Man,  
Who only strives to do, but what he can  
To contradict him▪ yet he'll hear our grief:  
In multitudes of mercy lies relief.  
When our imprisoned Souls peep through the  
Of this corrupting Earth, our God delates  
Himself unto us, and he sends us meat  
From the rich store-house of his lofty Seat;  
He hears; and hearing, pities; pitying, sends;  
And sending, blesses, and with blessing ends.   

Even as the Sun, which every day surrounds  
The sublime Globe, and pries into the bounds  
Of this dark centre; lets his Beams reflect  
Upon a molehill with as much respect  
As on a Mountain; for his glorious Beams  
Shine always with equivolent extremes.  
Even so the great and powerful three in one,  
That sits upon his all-enlightening Throne,  
Does not deny to let his mercy's crown  
The poorest Peasant with as much renown  
As the most stateliest Emperor; though he  
Invests his body with more dignity,  
Yet he's but earth, and must at last decay,  
For Prince and Peasant go the selfsame way;  
Their earth must turn to earth, their Souls return  
To him that gave them, or for ever burn;  
There's no distinction, one infused breath  
Made them alike, and both must live in death,  
Or everlasting life; both must commence  
Divines in heaven; there's no pre-eminence,  
But all equality, all must express,  
With equal Joy, their equal Happiness.  
Rouse up dull Man, and let thy wak'ned Soul  
Be vigilant; oh let thy thoughts enrol  
The Love of God, engrave it in thy breast,  
That his resounding tongue may read thee blessed.  
O let thy sighs, like Pens, and let thy tears,  
Like Ink, transcribe the Love, th'indulgent cares  
Of thy Creator, that himself may find  
(Within the unblotted volume of thy mind)  
Himself recorded, so will he embrace  
Thy spotless Soul, and fill thee with his grace.  
Incl●●● thine cars, and let thy heart rejoice  
To ●ear the strains of his harmonious voice;  
Harken, and thou shalt hear his Prophets sing  
Th'admired Mercies of thy glorious King.  
Thus saith the great, and everliving One, 
Isa.   
That rules the heavens', and governs Earth alone; 
43.   
Thus saith the Lord, that takes delight to dwell 
1.   
Amongst his Saints, that formed Israel,  
Created Jacob, Let thy sorrows slay  
Out of thy breast, I have redeemed thee:  
'Twas I that made thy clouded visage shine▪  
And called thee by my Name, for thou are mine.  
I will be with thee, when thy feet shall wade 
2   
Thorough the waters; I will be thy aid:  
I'll make thee walk thorough rivers, and the waves  
Shall prove ambitious to become thy slaves:  
And when thou walkest thorough the raging fire,  
Th'unruly flames shall not presume to aspire,  
Or kindle on thy garments. I alone 
3   
The Lord thy God, and Israel's holy one,  
And thy dear Saviour, that was always true,  
Gave Egypt, Seba, and Ethiopia too,  
To ransom thee; for thou wert my delight, 
4   
And always precious in my gracious sight:  
Honours were heaped upon thee, and thou wert  
The tender love of my affecting heart;  
Therefore even I, that am well pleased, will give  
People for thy dear sake, that thou mayst live.  
Fear not, for I am with thee, and I'll stand 
5   
In thy defence, and my all-grasping hand  
Shall bring thy seed from the remotest places,  
And fill thee with my satisfying graces.  
My tongue shall call unto the North, and say 
6   
Unto the South, Give, and they shall obey;  
Bring from a far my sons and daughters all,  
Hear my loud voice, be active when I call.  
I have created them, and I proclaim 
7   
They shall be called and honoured by my Name.  
I'll usher forth the bl●●d, and make them see  
The splendent Glories of my Majestic:  
I'l● cu●● th●deaf, and make their hearts rejoice  
To ●●a● the 〈…〉 of my warbling voice.  
Thus hath our God untied the tongues, and broke  
His prophet's lips; thus have his Prophets spoke:  
And wilt thou be (O Man) so much obdure,  
A● not to credit him that will assure  
Perpe●●al happiness? ●h●u canst not ask  
That which he cannot give; do but unmask  
Thy sham●●ae▪ d Soul, that so thou mayst descry  
〈…〉 mercies with a faithful eye▪  
●●●●aut upon his p●omi●es, advise  
With chine own thoughts, let Reason make thee wise  
●●sp●ct thyself, weigh well t●ine own condition.  
And thou shalt find thou wa●t'st a good Physician  
●o cure thy ●●aculat●d Soul Alas!  
Thou a●● like water stopped up in a glass,  
So weakly fortilyed, and feneed about,  
That one weak knock soon le●● the pris●ner out.  
Vain lump of vanity, what can this ●irth  
Afford thy thoughts more than a short●liv'd mirth?  
A mirth that fills thee with deluding toys,  
And like a Tyrant afterwards destroys.  
Dotest thou on Earth? for what? because her pleasure  
Can guild thy wanton eye? Because her treasure  
Can cram thy bags? Because her Sirens song  
Can ravish thee? Because her power can throng  
Thy Soul with luxury? Because her charms  
Can court thee with delight? Because her arms  
can pleasingly embrace thee, and embossed  
Thy heart with gold, and lull thee, when th''ve lost  
Thyself in sleep? Is this the little All  
That this great world can boast of? Must we call  
These things our pleasures? No, they'll prove our cares,  
Our golden fetters, and our silken sna●es:  
These are the joys we love, these are the things  
That makes us fly with our Icaria● wings  
Up to ambition's Court, and there presume  
To gaze so long, until our wa●en plume  
Dissolve with heat, and like presumptuous slaves  
Tumble ourselves into the raging waves  
Of speedy ruin; ruin's all that we  
Must hope to obtain from earth's base trea●ur●●.  
Let's scorn her wealth, and say, O Earth, thou art  
A painted Mistress with a rotten heart:  
Let's hate to love, that we may love to hate  
Th'unconstant glory of her sickle State.   

Even as the subtle Crocodile prepares  
Her flattering heart, and eye-commanding tears,  
To woo her prey to come within the power  
Of her command▪ that so she may devour  
With more facility, and make her Jaws  
To execute by her tyrannic Laws.  
Even so this World, whose Crocodile▪ like eyes  
Are always slowing, wanting no supplies  
Of gliding tears to wash the rugged faces  
Of her designs with falsifying graces,  
That so she may by her too smooth delusion  
Make man the Author of his own confusion.  
Frail flesh and blood, how canst thou take delight  
To love this world, that cannot give a mite  
Of comfort to thee, but will still entrap,  
And daily lull thee in her lustful lap:  
She'll rock thy Soul to ruin, and she'll spawn  
Baseness into thee; she'll deceive, and fawn  
Upon thy heart, and with her guilded baits  
She'll hook thy Soul unto the worst of Fates:  
There's nothing in her that deserves the name  
Of constancy; her glory is her shame:  
Smile at her tears, for every drop she vents  
Harbours ten thousand thousand discontents:  
Believe her not; but when she speaks the best,  
Believe the worst; and if she promise rest,  
Assure thyself of trouble; if she chance  
To promise treasure, let thy thoughts advance  
Above her promises, contemn her dross,  
For what thou gainest from her will be thy los●!  
Let not her wealthy Donatives persuade  
Thy heart t'accept; when once thou art betrayed  
There's no resistance: They that well advise  
Before they act, deserve the name of wise:  
But they that study in her frantic Schools  
May prove her wise men; but heavens' out-cast fools  
Ask her the way to Bliss: Try if her skill  
Can give directions, ask her if she will  
Fill thee with blessed Eternity, conjure  
Her helpless aid, see if she can assure  
A safety to thee, ask her if she can  
Prescribe a cure for a despairing Man;  
Tell her thy Soul is sick, thou canst not live  
A minute longer; see if she can give  
A Cordial to thee, see if she can heal  
A broken heart; see if she can reveal  
Celestial Joys unto thee, and impart  
A heavenly comfort to thy grieved heart:  
If so, cheer up, and prosecute thy mirth,  
And say there is no other Heaven but Earth.  
Do thus (fond Man; and thou s●ale quickly see  
A bassled World, that cannot answer thee,  
B●t must be silent, for she cannot plea●  
For her own self; she knows she cannot lead  
The way to heaven, she's but a bad Director,  
A base Reliever, and a worse Protector.   

Thus shalt thou make her envy swell and burst,  
And, like the Basilisk, discovered first,  
She needs must die; but if she should discover  
Thee first, farewell, thou'rt murtheted by thy lover:  
Then shalt thou heat the Soul▪ amazing tone  
Of him that sie● on his immortal Throne,  
Pronounce against thee at the dreadful day  
Of thy accounts; thus shalt thou hear him say:   

Depart, ye cursed offsprings of a father  
As cursed as you, avoid my sight, go gather  
The fruits of your deserts; you have forgot  
The God that made you, and I know ye not:  
See if the world, within whose folding arms  
You always slept, can quit thee from the harms  
That must ensue; see if her flattering power  
Can shelter thee from the o'●●▪ flowing shower  
Of my fast▪ dropping rage; see if her breast  
Can entertain thee with eternal rest:  
Begone, begone, my fury hates to see  
Such Miscreants; had you remembered me,  
I now had known you; had you made me eat  
When I was forced to importune for meat,  
I now would blessed you with celestial diet,  
And crown your Souls with everlasting quiet,  
Had you but quenched my raging th●●st, or gave  
A single drop, that very drop should save  
Your death-adjudged Souls, and you should ●up  
Abundant comforts from my streaming cup:  
Had you (sad sons of vengeance) but supplied  
My nakedness with garments, when I cried  
And called upon your charity to send  
Relieve unto me, I had been your friend!  
Or had your (more than marble) hearts relieved  
M'impris'ned body, now ye had not grieved:  
Had you, you world▪ affined Souls, addressed  
Yourselves unto me when I was oppressed  
With lingering sickness, than I would have fed  
Your Souls (which now are starved) with heavenly bread.  
But since you have not done it unto those  
Which I esteemed, yo'ave proved yourselves my foes:  
Therefore begone, let darkness be your lot,  
Learn to remember that ye have forgot  
My Mercies; go, and let my judgements dwell  
Within your guilty hearts; let black▪ mouthed Hell  
Plague you with torments, let him always lash  
Your hearts with flames, until ye howl, and gnash  
Your teeth together; go, depart my sight,  
And taste the fruits of everlasting night.   

But as for you whose better deeds have found  
Acceptance in my heart, ye shall be crowned  
With unremoved happiness, because  
Ye have obsequiously performed my Laws;  
You fed my craving stomach, and you clothed  
My naked body, and you have not loathed  
To visit me; and when I was a stranger,  
Ye took me in, and guarded me from danger;  
Go then my Lambs, and let your Oratory  
Proclaim the greatness of your father's glory:  
Go revel in my Courts; no discontent  
Shall breed a faction in my Parliament;  
I'll pass an Act of Peace, and it shall be  
Signed by the hand of my eternity.  
My tongue shall style you blessed, and my voice  
Shall raise your Souls, and teach you to ●ejoyce▪  
Your unexcised pleasures shall abound  
To infinite, your ravished hearts shall sound  
The depth of my delights; all things shall move  
Within the sphere of uncontrolled Love:  
Be well assured, your pleasures shall be great;  
Then fly from judgement to my Mercies Seat,  
And there rejoice with a triumphant mirth;  
My Love shall live with them that hated Earth.   

Obdurate Man, here, here thou mayst descry  
judgement and Mercy, one to terrify,  
The other to persuade; and yet wilt thou  
Prove adamantine, and refuse to bow  
To thy Redeemer? Canst thou ruminate  
Upon his Love, and yet wilt not delate  
Thy Soul unto him? Is thy brazen heart  
Impenetrable? Will no flaming dart  
Of true affection enter? Hast thou vowed  
To stop thy ●ars; Shall Mercy call aloud,  
And thou not hear? Shall thundering judgements rattle  
About thy ears, and yet wilt thou imbattle  
Against the Lord of Hosts? Wilt thou invoke  
Perpetual Vengeance to entail a stroke  
Upon thy stubborn heart? What, dost thou think  
Hell's void of flames, or that thy God will wink  
At thine enormities? Go, rally all  
Thy thoughts together, and discreetly fall  
Into a serious study.——   

——— Let thy mind  
Be absolute, and really inclined  
To meditation; contradict the rage  
Of thine own passion: labour to. assuage  
The fire of lust, that so thou mayst behold,  
With more serenety, how manifold  
His mercies are, that every day prevents  
The sad incursions of depraved events.  
Think but in what a most defamed condition  
Thy Soul was in, before the grand Physician  
Of heaven and Earth spontaniously sent down  
A balm from his own galliard to crown  
The sons of grief: Think what he did endure,  
Before his wounds had perfected thy cure.  
Remember how undauntedly he stood,  
And sweat himself into a Crimson flood  
To ransom thee; remember how his woes  
Were asperated by his raging foes;  
Remember how his sacred temples wore  
A spiny Crown; remember how it tore  
His sublime Front; remember how they broached  
His breast with Spears, and shamefully reproached  
His spotless fame; remember how they nailed  
His spreading hands, remember how they sealed  
His Ivory w●lls, remember how they spawled  
Upon his face, remember how they baw'ld  
And banded at his Agony, whilst he  
Proved patient Martyr to their tyranny;  
Remember when he came unto the brink  
O● death, they gave him vinegar to drink▪  
Nay more (because they vowed to empty all  
Their poisoned malice out) they gave him Gall.  
Oh bitter deed! oh most abhorred Crimes!  
(Too nearly paralleled in these our times.)  
Thus having put a period to their plots,  
They thought it good to cast their hellish lots  
For his (I dare not say mean) clothes; I know  
They were our Saviours, to whose worth we owe  
Perpetual thanks; 'twas his well finished breath  
Redeemed our Souls from everlasting death.   

Here's Love (O Man) that does as far transcend  
Thy thoughts as thy deserts, that heaven should send  
His Son and Heir to be incarnated▪  
And suffer death for thee, that wert as dead  
As sin could make thee; 'twas for thy offence  
He died: Ah, how, how canst thou recompense  
Such high br●d favours! Favours unexpected  
Deserve to be embraced, and not neglected.  
Do not (rash Soul) like Cleopatra, nurse  
Embosom vipers; blessings prove a curse,  
If once abused; Ingratitude cuts off  
Th'intail of Love; it is a shame to scoff  
At Benefactors; after thou art fed,  
Wilt thou contemn the hand that gave thee bread?  
Wouldst thou not love that friend that should bestow  
A super●nuated crust, and show  
Respect unto thee, when the ebbing tide  
Of Fortune runs so low, that thou mayst ride  
Upon the sands of Poverty? Fond Man,  
Strive to be grateful, study how to scan  
The mercies of thy God; remember how  
He feeds thy Soul with Manna; learn to bow  
Th'unruly thoughts; (with admiration) think  
How often, and how much imbittered drink  
Thy Saviour drank; with what a doleful cry  
He begged of God to let that cup pass by;  
But knowing that his pleasure must be done,  
He proyed himself his most obedient Son.  
And wilt thou not (●●y wretch) drink one poor sup  
Of bitter drink for him, that drank a cup  
To sweeten thine; thou needest not fear, or scorn  
To taste, because heaven's sacred Unicorn  
Hath purged the waters, and they must be sweet,  
Except they're reimpoys'ned by thy feet:  
If so, what wilt thou do? where wilt thou find  
An Antidote for an envenomed mind?   

It is reported, if the Spider chance  
To meet the obvious Toad, they'll both advance  
Then inward force, and mutually proclaim  
An open War; brave combita●●s of Fame!  
And having 〈◊〉 their imboweled might,  
Ma●ch boldly on, and both incensed, thy fight▪  
The Toad being heavy loaded, cannot go,  
Or wheel about, like his encountering foe,  
But keeps his ground, and makes a small resistance:  
The Spider scorning to be kept at distance,  
Falls in upon him, and with nimble rage  
Assaults his foe, who now begins ●●asswage  
His former fury, and would fain retreat  
From his small foe, whose strength is grown too great  
For opposition; being thus distressed  
He crawls away, and with a crope-sick breast  
Seeks for relief, and by and by discries  
A Planton leaf, within whose veins there lies  
A secret Antidote, which did at length  
Expel his poison and renew his strength:  
Having disgorged himself, he soon returns  
Into the camp, where for a time he burns  
To be in action, and at last he sees  
The crafty Spider creeping by degrees  
To seize upon him, than his courage fails,  
He knows not what to do, his foe assails  
With all his might, constraining him to yield  
The conquest, and with shame to quit the field:  
Then he begins to seek, and hunt about,  
To find the sovereign healing Planton out,  
Which had before relieved him, and supplied  
His wants; but that being gone, he burst, and died   

Even so, if hell's black Spider chance to crawl  
From his infernal Web into the Hall  
Of this all-dusty World, he soon prepares  
Himself to fight, and suddenly declares,  
That he, the grim-looked General of Hell,  
Dares to encounter any Souls that dwell  
Within the limits of the spacious Earth,  
And in a moment qualify their mirth:  
Thus Satan boasts, and if he chance to meet  
A single Soul, he'll thus begin to greet.    

A DIALOGUE between the Soul and Satan.  Sat. 
SOul, thou'rt well met.  So. 
'Tis true, for I am well.  Sat. 
Say, whither art thou going?  Sou. 
Not to Hell.  Sat. 

●ish, talk no more of that, but tell me whither  
Thou go'st; come, prithee let's go both together.   Sou. 

A pretty motion; when I want a guide  
I'll send for thee, till than thou art denied  
To be my Usher.   Sat. 

Prithee tell me why  
Thou art so obstinate, as to deny  
So free a courtesy as I have shown;  
Mischance oft falls to them that walk alone:  
Be not so much averse as to neglect  
This opportunity; I can protect  
Thy feet from sliding; dangers still attend  
Those that despise the favours of a friend.   Sou. 
A friend! how canst thou prove that title?  Sat. 

How?  
As thus; because I'm willing to allow  
The best assistance of my ready arm  
To guide, nay and protect thee from all harm;  
Therefore a friend. So. What you pretend to show  
Is but external; he that can bestow  
Internal friendship on a Soul distressed  
Is a true friend; no matter for the rest.  
If heaven will guide my Soul, I shall not stray,  
Or fear the evils of a dangerous way:  
But as for you, I needs must borrow leave  
To say, your friendship's only to deceive;  
Confusion paths your ways, and if I run  
By your advice, I needs must be undone.  
God bids me fly from sin, if I refuse  
Obedience to his Will, I shall abuse  
His just Commands; then will my sorrows cry,  
When Mercy stops judgement begins to fly.   Sat. 

Desist (fond Soul) and labour to divorce  
Thy lips from this too fabulous discourse;  
Guild not thy words with vanity, persuade  
These thoughts (which ate erroneous) to evade  
Thy serious mind; advise, and thou shal● see  
My ways are best be principled by me 〈◊〉  
Let not the swing of passion strike thee down,  
But follow me, 'tis I must give a Crown  
To thy deserts, 'tis I that can advance  
Thy downcast Soul above the reach of chance;  
'Tis I (mistaken Soul) 'tis I alone  
That must conduct thee to the sublime throne  
Of true Salvation; 'tis my hand must bring  
Thy trembling Soul before th'all-judging King  
Of Heaven and Earth; it is my power can fill  
Thy heart with joy; believe me, and I will.  
Trust not the babbling languages of those  
That seem thy friends, but are thy greatest foes;  
They're great to thy desruction, they'll connive  
And fawn, nay almost bury thee alive;  
They'll talk of heaven and Hell, they'll tell thee stories  
Of endless, boundless, unconceived glories;  
They'll tell thee of Eternity, and woo  
Thy Soul out of thy ears, if thou'lt bestow  
Thy pains to hear them; they'll infuse, and brew  
Their own designs, and tell thee all is true  
That they declare; they'll tell thee that they're sent  
As Messengers from heavens' high Parliament.  
Believe me Soul, 'tis I that can display  
The gospel's Colours better far than they;  
There's nothing in that volume so obstruce,  
But I can wind and twist it to my use;  
And there is nothing in this world can be  
Styled worth a work, but can be done by me:  
I can do all; it lies within my power  
To make thee poor or rich in half an hour:  
I can command whole Legions to attend  
Upon my honour: Say, what nobler friend  
Canst thou embrace; I'll be a friend to all  
That will give audience to my faithful call;  
I'll make them swell with riches, they shall have  
As much, nay if not more, than they can crave:  
Am I not rare, and rich, and high, and great,  
Incomprehensible? Is not my seat  
The throne of happiness? Yet cannot I  
Invite thee to my sweet eternity?  
Come gentle Soul into my twining arms,  
I'll hug thee, I'll delight thee with my charms,  
I'll show thee all my Joys, nothing shall lie  
Hid from the view of thy all-gazing eye;  
Happy, beyond expression.   Sou. 

Satan, stay  
The progress of thy tongue, and give me way▪  
That I may vent my thoughts, for you have spoke  
At large already; and is this the stroke  
Which you intend shall wound me? Be assured,  
The blows but small, and well may be endured.   Sat. 

What, moved to passion! Is thy mind disturbed  
With foul mistrust? pray let those thoughts be curbed:  
What, dost thou think I am perfidious? Fie;  
'Tis folly to condemn before you try.  
Alas, alas! what profit can accrue  
To me, by wronging such a Soul as you?  
What I express is only for your good,  
But what is more (Than grave advice) withstood?  
I doubt these weak, these empty thoughts presage  
A tempest, guarded with a storm of rage:  
Well then, storm on, and when thy storm is spent,  
Sit down, and meditate, and then repent.   Sou. 

Repent, Oh happy word! although expressed  
By a foul mouth; those that repent are blessed.  
How dares thy hellish lips 〈◊〉 a word  
Filled with divinity, but will afford  
No rest, no comfort, to thy horrid Soul?  
Begone, begone; and if thou canst condole  
Thyself, thou art (if logic prove but true)  
Cursed in the Major, and the Minor too.  
Bless me, O heaven: What blust'ring stormy weather  
Drove such a vile prodigious Monster hither?  
Touchstone of baseness, dost thou come to prove  
Whether I'm gold, or dross; thou mayst remove  
Thy forward hopes, because I hope to be  
Metal at last for heaven, and not for thee.  
Begone, fallacious wretch, I cannot brook  
Thy golden baits, I have descried thy hook▪  
Father of lies, thy policy is built  
Upon the sands, and plastered o'er with guilt▪  
Thy tongue foretells a storm; if so, be sure  
Thy sand-built policy shall not endure:  
flattery's the life of baseness, and that art  
Is well imprinted in thy subtle heart▪  
Dost thou believe that I can entertain  
Belief from thee? Or dost thou think to reign  
Within my breast? No▪ no▪ thy cloudy powers  
Are at the best but falsifying showers▪  
Be satisfied, I cannot give the least  
Of credit to thee, nor I dare not feast  
My thoughts with such uncertainties; I know  
Thy diet must and will corrupt to woe.  
Thou bidst me not condemn before I make  
Some ●●●al of thy trust▪ If I should ●●●●  
Such green advice, I quickly should undo  
My wretched self; and in condemning you  
What profit could I have? or what relief  
Could I expect to mitigate my grief?  
My accusations would be blown as dust  
Before the wind; I'll neither try, nor trust   Sat. 

Nor try, nor trust? Art thou resolved to cross  
My real motions? Do, and see whose loss  
Will prove most weighty; if I lose the heat  
Of thy weak love, my loss will not be great;  
But if I should withdraw my love from thee,  
How▪ like a Map of well drawn misery,  
Wouldst thou appear? Be wise, correct thy thoughts;  
Neglected favours prove the greatest faults.  
Take my instructions, for 'tis I must bring  
Content unto thee; 'tis a glorious thing  
To be immortal: prithee Soul decline  
Thy former ways; say, shall I call thee mine:  
M●●e, mine thou art; I'll load thee with renown;  
Let me but conquer, thou shalt wear the Crown.   

How pleasing are my Joys! how full of peace  
Are all my ways! my glories still increase:  
I'm great and good, I take delight to win  
Distressed Souls, and lead them from their sin:  
I cannot choose but pity those that lie  
Upon the beds of sensualli●y!  
My melting Soul is always free to give  
Comfort to them that study how to live.  
Alas, the care and trouble that I take  
●s more for their content, than my own sake:  
My gates are always open, they that venture  
To come to me shall (with a welcome) enter!  
And when they call, and cry, I will appear  
Myself unto them, and rejoice to hear  
Their sad complaints; I will not hide my face  
From them that seek the glory of my grace:  
I cannot be unconstant; I must grieve  
To hear their sorrows, and I will relieve▪  
I will be pitiful to them that trust  
In me alone: I cannot be unjust;  
I cannot, no I cannot; Earth shall move  
Sooner than I will falsify my love:  
I am eternal; they that will endeavour  
To gain my love, shall have my heart for ever.   Sou. 

'tis not your empty words shall make my breast  
Stoop to the flattery of thy vain request;  
Though I have ears to hear, I have a mind  
That will not shake at the hard-breathing wind  
Of your discourse; what you pretend for reason,  
Is nothing but the froth of private treason:  
▪ 'tis not your multiloquious tongue can turn  
The Bi●s of my Soul, or make me sp●●n  
At holy Writs; 'tis not your fond conceit  
Of being good, shall make me to retreat  
From heavens' Commands▪ 'tis not your promised joys  
Can make me cheerful, or your painted toys  
●●● sure me to your fist▪ 'tis not the dar●  
Of your va●● love can penetrate my heart;  
'Tis not your seeming clemency can make  
My Soul to love you, for your pity's sake;  
'Tis not your always-open gates that shall  
Entice my steps to your large Guilded Hall;  
'Tis not your self-appearance shall invite  
My well-composed thoughts to your delight;  
'Tis not your greatness that shall make me yield  
To your desires; Religion is my shield:  
I'll neither fear nor love your rash evasions,  
Nor give attendance to your smooth persuasions▪  
'Tis difficult to serve two Masters well;  
Who strays from heaven must needs approach to Hell.  
I am advised to shun the broad-pathed ways  
That lead to ruin; what the Scripture says  
I must believe; 'tis dangerous to fly  
Without the wings of true divinity:  
The Scriptures are my way, my light, my guide,  
And they that go without them needs must slide▪  
The paths are straight in which I ought to run  
The course of grace, until my days are done;  
And they that change a virtue for a vice,  
Deserve no fruit from heavens' blessed Paradise.   Sat. 

Surcease those fond conceits, thou dost but spin  
Thine own destructions, and connive at sin▪  
Urge not the Scriptures, for I dare maintain  
My paths are best, and other ways are vain:  
Thy Scripture-conscience will at last confound  
Th'amazed thoughts, and give thy Soul a wound  
That hates a cure, then shalt thou prove unblessed,  
Whilst others find the plainest roads the best▪  
Suppose thou wert (I speak it for thy sake)  
Moved by occasions, forced to undertake  
A long-wayed journey, wouldst thou not inquire  
The readiest way, but run into the mire?  
If thou shouldst act a crime so foully bad,  
Folly would style thee fool, and Wisdom mad.  
Stray not into the wilderness of grief,  
But come to me, take courage, and be brief  
In thy designs; persuade thyself, that I  
Am both thy light, thy way, and best supply  
In time of need; I am thy prop, thy stay;  
Therefore resolve, and trifle not away  
Thy thriftless Soul, be not thy self-destroyer;  
I'll be thy Love, and thou my love's enjoyer:  
Know that my real breast contrives no end,  
But what may merit so divine a friend  
As thine own self: Folly and Wisdom lies  
Before thy face; be either fool, or wise:  
Protract no time, but make a speedy choice,  
Thy welfare shall instruct me to rejoice;  
Observe my actions ●●●●●● my 〈◊〉,  
Let's know each other by exchange of hearts;  
I'll give thee ●●●ne, and for my love restore  
Thine unto me; grant this, I'll ask no more:  
Be free to give, as I am free to crave;  
Th''ve better live my friend, then die my slave:  
For if thou shalt deny what I desire,  
I'll make my bellows to advance the fire  
Of thy distress, and sorrows shall corrode  
Thy stubborn heart, and care shall make abode  
Within thy breast, perpetuated grief  
Shall find a voice, but ramble from relief:  
I'll gripe thee, till I make thee understand  
The fiery language of my furious hand:  
Sighings, and groaning, sobs, and tears, and cries,  
Shall be thy sad Concomitants; thine eyes  
Shall stare upon (well may I call them new  
And horrid) lights, such lights as shall renew  
Thy growing torments; every thing shall be  
Thy fellow slaves in servile misery:  
I'll yoke thee with distress, nay and I'll chain  
Thy struggling Soul with everlasting pain:  
I'll crowed thee full of sorrows, and I'll double  
Thy unconceived, uncontrolled trouble,  
Whilst I, triumphing I, will sit aloft,  
And be adored, and scoff to see thee s●offt:  
Pity shall be a stranger to my breast;  
My care shall be to make thy Soul unblessed▪  
The tides of woe shall overflow thy thoughts▪  
And be equivalent unto thy faults,  
Be sure, that what extremity can be  
Thought worth the using, shall be used on thee:  
Now I have spoke, if thou wilt not repent  
I'll cease to speak, and study to torment.   Sou. 

How full of poyson's every word that flows  
Out of thy mouth? what trust can I repose  
In such a flatterer▪ I dare not try,  
O● throw myself upon thy courtesy:  
I know thou canst not answer my request;  
There is no trust in a self-praising breast.  
If I should dive into the deep abyss  
Of thy black thoughts, what glory, or what bliss  
Should I discern? Or if I should deliver  
My heart to thee, thou'dst disrespect the giver;  
Though at the first perhaps thou wouldst express  
A seeming-unbeseeming thankfulness,  
Yet at the last I know thou wouldst decline  
Thy promised ways and style me to be thine.  
Fair words find easy passage, they proceed  
●ut from the tongue 〈…〉 crowns the deed,  
Three things denotes a friend; first, to conceal  
A secret speech; the next is, to reveal  
A private good; the last is, to advise  
The safest way t'obtain an enterprise:  
And he that can do this, a● you pretend,  
Deserves the ti●le of a real friend▪  
But my Religion tutors me to say,  
(Nay and affirm,) You neither can, nor may;  
I'm sure it is (if Reason dare prove true)  
One thing to speak, another thing to do.  
Your words are airy messengers, which fly  
Into my ears, and there enrol a lie▪  
Many untruths have broke the Common Goal  
Of thy foul mouth; thou sayst thou canst prevail  
To make me glorious, and thou canst increase  
My Joys, and crown me with eternal Peace:  
Thou sayst thou'rt good and great, & that thy paths  
Lead to Salvation; thou declarest thy Laws  
To be most just; If all these things be ●●ue,  
I needs must call the Scriptures false, or you:  
Truth bids me tell thee boldly, when thou criest  
thou'rt great, and good, and rich, and rare, thou liest:  
If thou art good and great, pray tell me why  
Thou wilt behold so vile a wretch as I▪  
These things bespeak thee humble, unto which  
Thou pleadest not guilty; and if thou art rich,  
How can it be, that thou wilt condescend  
To feed my wants, that am so poor a friend?  
Strange is that charity▪ which seems to shine  
From such a ●iabolick breast as thine.  
If my belief could keep an equal pace  
With thy swift tongue, how full of Faith & Grace  
Should I appear? Such Faith as would devast  
My wanton Soul, and make me weep as fast.  
It is impossible to find a Zion  
That has no Governor, except a lion.   

The soul's Petition to God.  

Oh heaven, I crave that thou wouldst keep me still  
From this most ●ile Progenitor of Ill;  
Suffer him no● t'infold me in his arms,  
●r overcome me with his wanton charms:  
Oh make my heart obdure, that he may knock  
Upon my Soul, as on a Marble Rock;  
Be thou my Fort, and then I shall endure  
His furious onsets, and repose secure:  
Give me thy grace, that I may be content;  
Make me as strong, as he is impudent.   

Now let the springtide of thy fierce desires  
Flow to the height, thou shalt not quench my ●●●●!  
Know Satan, know, my heart reserves no place  
For thy abode, I scorn thee to thy face:  
The well-dyed colours of my Soul declares  
Defiance to thee, and my breast prepares  
To give thee battle; strike, I fear thee not;  
Whose armed with Faith needs fear no Canon-shot.  
What impious tongue is that which dares defy   Sat. 

My power with so much boldness? So. Wretch, 'tis I;  
'Tis I (infernal traitor) that will spend  
My strength to prove thou art a flattering friend.   Sat. 

Move me to anger, do, and thou shalt find  
A courteous friend at last may prove unkind:  
Have I not wooed thee almost night and day  
To go to Heaven?   Sou. 
The quite contrary way.  Sat. 

Have I not laboured like a watchful father  
To nourish thee?   Sou. 
Or like a Devil rather.  Sat. 
Have I not always taken great delight?  S●ll. 
To take away good gold, and give me light.  Sat. 

How much nocturnal and diurnal care  
Have I sustained for thee?   Sou. 
True, t'ensnare.  Sat. 

Have I not been assiduous to a wait  
Upon thy pleasure?   Sou. 
And corrupt my state.  Sat. 

Have I not proffered all that can be given  
To a sick Soul?   Sou. 
To drive my Soul from Heaven.  Sat. 
Did I not promise to be true and just?  S●ll. 
Did I not say, I'd neither try nor trust?  Sat. 
Did I not promise that I'd make thee wise?  Sou. 
Did I not say thou wert composed of lies?  Sat. 
Did I not promise to increase thy store?  Sou. 
Did I not say such wealth would make me poor?  Sat. 
Did I not promise to advance thy flame?  Sou. 
Did I not say thy honours were thy shame?  Sat. 
Did I not promise to uphold thy peace?  Sou. 
Did I not say such wars would never cease?  Sat. 
Did I not promise thee a Crown of life?  Sou. 
Did I not say that Crown would crown my strife?  Sat. 
Did I not promise thee eternal glory?  Sou. 
Did I not say that promise was a story?  Sat. 
Did I not promise I would give thee all?  Sou. 
Did I not say such promises were small?  Sat. 
Did I not tell thee I was great and good?  Sou. 
Did I not answer 'twas in shedding blood?  Sat. 
Did I not tell thee that my ways were best?  Sou. 
Did I not answer that they were unblessed?  Sat. 
Did I not tell thee that thou shouldst have joy?  Sou. 
Did I not answer such as would destroy?  Sat. 
Did I not tell thee that I did lament?  Sou. 
Did I not answer that I was content?  Sat. 
Did I not tell thee what a friend I'd prove?  Sou. 
Did I not answer that I could not love?  Sat. 
Thus by fair terms ● laboured to obtain.  Sou. 
Thus in ●oul terms ● told thee 'twas in vain.  Sat. 
Then I begun to threaten thee with grief.  Sou. 
And then I fled to heaven, and found relief.  Sat. 
I threatened to afflict thee with large pains.  Sou. 
I told thee such afflictions were my gains.  Sat. 
I told thee more than now I will express.  Sou. 
My answers made thee wish I had spoke less.  Sat. 

But now I see my real words can find  
No rest within the centre of thy mind;  
For 'tis in vain to sow the seeds of life  
In a dead heart that is manured with strife:  
I'll therefore cease my importuning love,  
I'll show my Serpent, and keep close my Dove.  
Do, do thy worst, vile wretch, I'll make thee know  
Griefs abstract, and the quintessence of woe;  
I'll load thee with extremities, thy breast  
Shall always crave, but find no place of rest:  
Had but my grave advice received a place  
Within thy heart, thou hadst been filled with grace,  
But now the inundations of thy trouble  
Shall overflow thee, and I will redouble  
My new-contrived plagues; I'll make thee feel  
My melting heart is now transformed to steel:  
Thy tongue shall (like a bolt of thunder) roll  
And roar within thy mouth; thy sulphurous Soul  
Shall flash forth lightning, and thy blood-red eyes  
Shall blaze like Comets in the troubled Skies;  
Thy teeth shall gnash, as if they scorned to be  
Concomitants in so much misery:  
Oh how I'll carbonado every part,  
And fill thy body with increasing smart;  
Thy Soul shall lure for death, but that shall hate  
To pierce upon thee, and contemn thy state:  
Life shall be still encroaching, but thy breath  
Shall scorn that life, and hate it unto death;  
Thy flesh shall drop forth brimstone, and thy bones  
Shall court each other in their crackling tones;  
Horror shall be thy watchman, curses shall  
Possess thy tongue, one torment still shall call  
Upon another; when thy voice shall cry  
But for a drop, Confusion shall reply,  
No, no, thou shalt not; if a golden mine  
●ould buy a drop, that drop should not be thine;  
Then shalt thou say, if thou hadst been at first  
Advised by me, thou hadst not been accursed:  
Thus in this sad Dilemma shalt thou roar,  
And crave my succour, but I'll not deplore  
Thy woeful state, because thou wert averse  
To goodness; after folly comes a curse:  
Then shalt thou know and find I will exile  
All thoughts of pity, and I'll rather smile  
Then grieve at thy distress; ah know, 'tis hard  
To force an entrance where the gates are barred:  
Fond Soul, be serious, let thy thought reflect  
On my indulgency, and give respect  
Unto my el●mency; believe, I will  
●e good to thee, do but forsake thy Ill;  
Forsake, forsake that evil which will tur●  
To thy destruction; do not, do not burn  
The precious fuel of thy chaste desires  
In idle, wanton, all consuming fires:  
The Post of Time is swift, and knows no stay;  
'Tis time to go when Reason calls away:  
Protraction's dangerous; it is not good  
To strive with that which scorns to be withstood:  
Then do not thou procrastinate, but take  
This opportunity; do but forsake  
Thy former ways, and readily incline  
Thyself to me, and I will make thee shine  
With so much lustre, that all eyes shall gaze  
Upon thy brightness, and admire with praise:  
Oh may my language teach thee to believe,  
That so my torments may not make thee grieve  
In utter darkness, that thou mayst embrace  
Those glories which adorn my peaceful place:  
Repent, (dear Soul) repent what thou hast done,  
Then call me father, and I'll love my son:  
Thus having told thee all, I'll here desist;  
Be thou more apt to yield then to resist.   Sou 

I find, I find, you first inflict a wound,  
And then with balsam strive to make it sound:  
You'll make me smile at first, but after groan;  
One hand encloses bread, the other stone;  
I fain would take the bread, but that I stand  
In fear and danger of the stony hand▪  
Therefore, to shun all danger, I'll despise  
Your fond advice, and practise to be wise:  
If all should prove, that you have told me, true,  
I know the best and worst that thou canst do;  
As for your threatenings, they shall not disturb  
My peaceful thoughts, my faith shall be their curb▪  
Urge me no more, but let me rest in quiet,  
Strong is that stomach can digest thy diet.   Sat. 

And is it so? will no persuasions work  
Upon thy thoughts? Those pregnant crimes that lurk  
Within thy breast, will, like to Scorpions, gnaw  
Thy groaning heart; such sorrow knows no Law:  
But since thou wilt not be advised, expect  
To find reward, as I have found neglect.  
Ah, why fond wretch, why dost thou thus provide  
Thy feeble self to strive against the tide?  
Alas, alas! why art thou lulled asleep  
In folly's lap? Rouse up for shame, and weep  
For thine infirmities; be not thus cross  
To him that would preserve thee from a loss:  
'Tis time to cast away the works of night,  
And clothe thee with the shining robes of light.   Sou. 

If your strong Oratory had the skill  
To make me yield to your unsatiate will,  
It were enough; what more could you desire,  
Than a bad period to your bad desire?  
But stay (bold friend) I'll meditate, and see  
What fruit will spring from thine infernal tree.   Sat. 

What, must I stay (vile wretch) till you dispute,  
And prove the goodness of my pleasing fruit?  
Must I be always waiting on the train  
Of your desires, and spend my time in vain?  
No, no, I will not; for it is unfit  
I should attend, if you will not submit:  
Th'incensed fury of my spirits burn  
To be in action, I will not adjourn  
A minute longer; go, and hug thy vice,  
Thou lov'st the bargain, but abhorest the price:  
Urge me no more, away, I have forgot  
All thoughts of friendship, and I know thee not:  
And here I leave thee to the lawless power  
Of thine own passion; cursed be that hour  
that brought thee forth; if all this will not do,  
May all men curse thee, and I'll curse thee too.   Sou. 

And can the spring of thy affections find  
So soon an Autumn? Canst thou be unkind  
With so much ease? And can your real breast  
(As you so call't) be so soon dispossessed  
Of love and patience? Oh how bad and strange  
Is the effect of such a sudden change!  
'Tis disputable, for I know not whether  
Anger, or policy, or both together,  
Whar●t thee to these extremes: Well then, pursue  
Thine own de●i●●s, and I will bid ad●e  
To all thy follies; yet my heart begun  
T'expand itself before the gl●●'ring Sun  
O●●hy persuasions; if thy sharpened rage  
I ●●d ●ot so soon exploded me the stage,  
I 〈…〉, I fear, I had before this hour  
B●●n prostituted to thy tameless power:  
B●●gone, begone; but stay, hark ●atan, hark,  
Go b●●st you shot, but fairly miss the mark.   〈◊〉 

Why dost thou bid me go? I'm sure you speak  
〈…〉, in ●●st, thou W●l● not break  
〈…〉 of 〈…〉; though thou hast expressed  
Thy 〈…〉 the●●●●●● j●st:  
〈…〉 go●d 〈…〉 which l●ve in th●inner places  
〈…〉 with graces:  
〈…〉 and c●y  
〈…〉▪  
〈…〉  
〈…〉'd  
〈…〉  
〈…〉 fire▪  
〈…〉  
〈…〉 ●ain:  
〈…〉  
〈…〉  
`` Above all sense: when Reason finds divorce,  
`` The tongue proves subject to a headlong course.  
What I have spoke observe, and thou shalt find  
Proceeded from my passion, not my mind:  
The misconstruction of a word may make  
The dearest friends ●o vary, and forsake  
The plains of friendship, though their hearts are ●r●●  
From the cursed evils of Inconstancy:  
Therefore mistake me not, nor do not thou  
Construe my words with an incensed brow:  
Smile on me then, and cheerfully impart  
The loving chidings of a friendly heart;  
Then shalt thou see with what a willing arm  
I will conduct and guide thee from all harm:  
Believe me Soul. I am not come to scatter  
Uncertain stories, but a real matter;  
What I hold forth unto thee, is the stem  
Of a pure heart, thou art the only ●●m  
Shall grow upon it, come, and let's combine,  
I shall rejoice to see thee prove divine.   Sou. 

The Bias of thy Love runs now so strong,  
That I much fear 'twill not continue long;  
I find, I find thou hast the art to sail  
With any wind; thou labourest to prevail,  
But 'tis in vain, for know, I'll ●●ust thee not,  
My zealous heart is ●ea●●ul of a plot▪  
I cannot be so foolish as to trust  
Without assurance that thou wilt be just▪  
Wilt thou be true? speak with a real breath.   Sat. 

I will be just (Believe me) unto death;  
I will, I will; oh may I never be  
True to myself, if I am false to thee.   Sou. 

If thou art just and constant, tell me where  
Thy seat is placed, and who is Prince of th'●ir▪  
Be true in this, and thou shalt find that I,  
According to thy answer, will reply.   Sat. 

I'll tell thee then (because I'll now fulfil  
The vast desires of thy enquiring will)  
Where my refulgent Seat is placed; prepare  
Thy ears to hear, I'll speedily declare.   

The large extent of my unbounded grace  
Cannot be comprehended in one place,  
Because I am immortal, unconfined  
To time or place; I live in every mind  
That's truly real, and not disagreeing  
To my known Laws; I have no local Being:  
The World's a spacious Body, I the Soul  
Which lives in every part complete and whole:  
Thus this dispute is easily decided▪  
For what's immortal cannot be divided.  
Nay more, because I'll fill thee with content,  
I say I'm Prince of every Element,  
Therefore of Air; Now if thou canst inquire  
Any thing mo●e, I'll answer thy desire.   Sou. 

Before I suffer my swift thoughts to slide  
Into more questions, I'll be satisfied  
In what is past: If so it be, you have  
No local Being, how then will you save  
Those Hosts of Souls which you intend shall be  
Sealed with the Signet of eternity?  
Did you not tell me, that your peaceful Seat  
Was rich, sublime, (and without measure) great?  
If thus it be, as 'tis expressed by you,  
'Tis more than strange that 'tis not local too:  
Clear but this doubt, and thou shalt quickly find  
Those duties that attend an honest mind  
Flow from my br●st, till th●● I'll ●●st in 〈◊〉,  
As you perform, so shall my love increase.   Sat. 

Ambiguous Soul, why dost thou thus connive  
At thine own follies? Why dost thou deprive  
Thyself of comfort, comforts that will heal  
Th'exulcerous sores of thy distempered weal?  
Why art thou thus inquisitive? the thing  
That thou desir'st ●o know (if known) will bring  
Small satisfaction to thy dubiours' breast;  
He's wise enough that knows he shall be blessed▪  
If you inquire in such a doubtful case,  
You'll lose your rest in seeking out the place.  
Surcease thy thoughts, and do not proudly knock  
Thyself in pieces, now thou know'st the rock:  
Pry not too far, let secret things alone,  
My zodiac has more signs than must be known:  
'Tis not the heaven of heaven's that can contain  
Me, the Creator, and my glorious train:  
I am even what I please, and I will be  
Even where I will. So. where's that? Sa. What's that to thee?  
The knowledge of my Seat does no way tend  
To thy Salvation, therefore cease to spend  
Such truitless thoughts, cast by this needless care,  
Learn to know what I am, no matter where.   Sou 

I must confess, it is not good to pry  
In things that suit not the capacity;  
But seeing 'twas your pleasure to express  
So much of friendship, I made bold t'address  
Myself unto you, pardon then my crimes,  
You know that wisest men may doubt sometimes:  
Your weights are light, or else your courage fails,  
You have not strength enough to turn the scales  
Of my affections, yet you had almost  
Droven my ill-maned ship upon your Coast;  
The winds of your persuasions rage and roar  
Within my breast▪ I cannot find a shore  
For my desires; I'm tossed from wave to wave,  
And am become a most distracted slave:  
Those heavenly thoughts which formerly frequented  
The closet of my breast, are now prevented  
By base-bred fancies, fancies that arise  
From a foul brain, and makes me to despise  
Almost myself; I know not what to do,  
I dare not, oh I dare not yield to you;  
And yet I hardly can believe thou wilt  
Burden thy conscience with so foul a guilt  
As to betray me, sure thou art more kind  
Then to abuse a well-affected mind▪  
But yet I dare not trust a Soul-pursuer,  
Because thou killest when thou pretend'st to cure.  
I reel, I reel, (if not sustained) I shall  
Receive a sudden and a deadly fall;  
What shall I do in this deploted condition?  
I fear, I fear I've lost my best Physician:  
Try Satan, try, and see what may be done  
For a sick Soul, that foolishly has run  
Beyond itself; oh see what thou canst do  
To give me ease, and then I'll call thee true.   Sat. 

Now Soul I love thee; rouse, bid grief depart,  
Thou hast the symptoms of an honest heart:  
Methinks I could, with much content, afford  
To say thou speak'st a Christian at a word;  
Cheer up, and know that many troubles wait  
Upon the changes of an ancient State:  
The work of Reformation always brings  
Trouble at first, but afterwards it sings  
Anthems of Peace, whose fortunate event  
Will more than countervail thy discontent.   

He that has spent the treasure of his days  
Under one roof, has reason to dispraise  
The troubles of removing; yet at last  
(When his defatigating cares are past)  
He may declare himself to be a debtor  
To fortune, and confess that life the better.  
Even so mayst thou (dear Soul) hereafter say,  
Blessed be that hand which led thee from the way  
And paths of Ignorance, although at first  
● 'Tis often known, beginnings are the worst  
Thou feel'st a private nakedness within,  
Because thou hast unclothed thyself of sin:  
Although, I must confess, there cannot be  
A 〈…〉 in nature, yet in thee  
There is an 〈…〉, and most be still,  
For what is empty craves a time to till.   

If he whole stomach hath sustained the rage  
Of sharp'ning hunger. should at first assuage  
His appe●●ce with sulness, would it not  
Produce a ●u●sere, and impose a blo●  
Upon his wisdom, ra●●ing such a st●●fe  
Within his 〈…〉, that his ●●●e  
Would be endangered? Therefore learn by rote,  
That moderation is the chiefest note:  
In all my Gammut, none can sing so high  
A note as moderation, only I.   

If I should let thee make too large a meal  
Of my rich Joys at first, I should reveal  
Too much of folly; for if thou shouldst take  
A surfeit at the first, It needs must make  
Thee fear, nay hate, to entertain my diet;  
'Tis better far to spare at first then riot:  
Moreover, should I let thee taste thy fill  
At first, I know the reins of thy fierce will  
Would scorn a hand, 'tis dangerous to trust;  
Presumptions spur can never want for rust:  
Come Soul, let Reason rule thee, do not stain  
Thy well-dyed judgement, 'tis a greater pain  
To fear, then suffer; come, I long to see  
Thee wanton with me in eternity;  
Then doubt no more, resolve, and let's away,  
There is no greater grief then to delay  
A happiness; be well informed of this,  
Procrastination is a foe to Bliss.   Sou. 

Thy words imposthumate my heart, I feel  
A greater pain than ever Ixion's wheel  
Knew how to inflict, extremities still crowd  
Into my thoughts; my sorrows call aloud,  
And none will hear; what shall I do? for I  
Unworthy am to live, unfit to die;  
Except th●all▪ ruling power above will please  
T'inspect my Soul, and furnish me with ease,  
To whose blessed ears I'll recommend my suit,  
My sorrows will not let my tongue be mute.   

Great Auditor of groans, oh let my cries,  
My sighs, my tears, invite thine ears, thine eyes  
To bear, and view me, for I must confess,  
My crimes are great, and I am nothing less  
Than what is least; alas! and nothing better  
Than what is worst, oh pardon me thy debtor!  
I'm tossed with grief, and know not where to steer  
My shipwrecked self, but still my sins appear  
Before my face, whose looks almo●t affright,  
And make me start into eternal night:  
What shall I do? or whither shall I d'ye.  
That am an allen (Lord) except to thee▪  
From thee leann●●, and I am ●●o vile  
To come unto thee, having made ●●po●l  
Or those most sacred mercies which thy hand  
〈◊〉 upon me, there is no Command  
But I have broke; vec, gracious Lord, I know  
That thy abounding mercies 〈…〉  
〈…〉 excelling 〈◊〉, which cannot lie  
〈…〉 ●urveying eye.  
With shame I must confess the subtle art  
Of Satan hath empoisoned my heart;  
Oh I am sick to death, I swell, I burst  
Never was any soul so much accursed:   

There's none but thee, thou sacred antidote  
Can cure my grief, be therefore pleased to note  
My sad condition, let my sorrows lie  
Before thy face, oh hear me when I cry;  
Grant me the shield of faith, that I may stand  
In opposition to the powerful hand  
O● active Satan, weaken (Lord) his power  
And add unto my strength; Let every hour  
Afford new mercies, mercies that may sail  
Into my breast, ah should my Foc prevail  
Oh then I perish, shorten (Lord) his chain  
And lengthen out my patience, oh make vain  
His fierce attempts, that he may feel, and see  
When he is strongest, I'm as strong as he,  
Then shall my lips extol thee, and proclaim  
The greatness of thy glory▪ and his shame  
Give but thy grace unto me (Lord) and then  
Say what thou wilt, my tongue shall say dmen.   Sat. 

Let everlasting plagues and horror dwell  
Within so fit a soul, let black-mouthed Hell  
Remove his situation, and take  
An everlasting Lease, oh let him make  
A Tenement of thee; dost thou think that I  
Will here thy prayers, oh no, I scorn thee, fie  
Away, begone—   Sou 

What voice is this that makes this bold intrusion  
Into my ears, and grumbles out confusion,  
Me thinks I see a storme-portending cloud,  
Boweled with thunder, and I hear a loud  
And horrid noise, a noise that would confound  
A well-prepared ear to here the sound;  
Who would not quake at such a voice as this  
That roars forth Malice with an Emphasis?  
My thoughts are interrupted, and amazement,  
Flashes like Lightning through the brittle casement  
Of my ill-gla●ed breast; It cannot be  
The voice of heaven, a God so pure as he  
Hates to be envious, malice cannot spring  
From such a good (and love-composed) King;  
Although his voice (made terrible) ofttimes  
By the addition of man's daily crimes  
Thunders against a sinner, yet his breath  
Can take no pleasure in a sinner's death.   

Hereafter (Lord) when malice finds a voice  
To speak, my understanding shall rejoice,  
In knowing who it is; this heart of mine  
Shall never quake at any voice but thine;  
Then let hell's deep-mouthed bloodhound, roar & thunder  
I'll neither fear, nor love, nor quake, nor wonder,   

For 'tis not strange to here a lion roar  
That wants his prey, the more he has, the more  
He seeks for more, employing still his power  
In seeking how, and whom he may devour;  
Know therefore Satan, that I am prepared  
To meet thee, and I will not be out dared;  
'tis not thy false malisluous tongue shall tempt  
My heart to love, no, nor thy rage exempt  
My thoughts from heaven, although thy craft still lurks  
For opportunity to stop good works;  
When I compose myself, and strive ●o pray,  
Thou seek'st to t●r● my thoughts another way:   

Thou great corrupter of Diviner parts,  
Thou watchful thief that stealest into the hearts  
Of silly mo●t●ds, think not to devour  
My armed heart with thy pursuing power.  
Will nothing move thee, wilt thou still mistrust,   Sat. 

If fare means will not move thee, foul means must  
What dost thou think my arm is grown so short  
It cannot reach thee, dost thou think to sport  
with my commands; say, thou imperious mite  
Who gave thee being, who created light,  
Who made the heavens', the earth, the sea, reply  
Audacious wretch, speak, was it thee, or I,  
Thou vain contender, dost thou think to gain  
By striving with me, any thing but pain,  
Oh no, thou shalt not, for I'll still renew  
Thy pinching sorrows, therefore bid adieu  
To all thy comforts, for thou shalt no more  
Enjoy those blessings thou injoydest before,  
Oh how thy horrid tongue shall roar and cry  
With Dives for a drop, but no supply  
Shall dare t'appear; the more thou cravest, the less  
Thou shalt be heard, for nothing shall express  
The least of pleasure to thy per boiled heart,  
Thy chiefest food shall be perpetual smart,  
Be well assured that thy ears thy eyes  
Shall hear, nor see, nought but extremities,  
begone, begone, my fury hates delay;  
Hell, and damnation be thy lot, away.   Sou. 

Experience makes me understand thou art  
A lively actor, of a deadly part,  
I find the greatness of your swelling rage;  
Your Prologue speaks 'twould be a bloody stage  
If you might act as King, but heaven prevent  
The cursed plots of your accurst intent;  
I fear thee not, because I know thy power  
Is limited, and thou canst not devour  
Without commission, therefore do thy worst,  
And let thy envy swell until it burst  
And sall to nothing, my Creator gives  
Me faith to say that my Redeemer lives,  
And will protect me from the rage of those  
That are my known and secret deadly Foes.  
Thy thundering words shall not make me complying  
For he's unwise that dies for fear of dying;  
Thus being guarded with the shield of grace  
I'll spite deffiance in thine impious face.  
Thou art a Lion, and thou seek'st for blood  
How bad's that soul that dares to think thee good;  
Urge me no more cashier thy fruitless trouble,  
The more thou strivest, the more I'll strive to double  
My resolutions, for I dare not venture  
To rest my heart on such a bloody centre,  
Oh no I dare not; he that shall let go  
A certain friend for a most certain foe  
Justly deserves to have no other fame,  
But what reproach can build upon his name;  
Should I permit my rambling thoughts to glance  
Upon thy love, the Plea of Ignorance  
Could not be prevalent, because 'tis known  
Unto the blest-united three in one  
That I (by his assistance) have descried  
Thy real slat'ry, and thy humble pride;  
I dare affirm no greater pride can be  
Then that that's acted with humility,  
But here I'll stop and leave thee to inherit  
Th' effects of a diabolique spirit.   Sat. 

Accursed chat●ffe, dost thou think to scape  
The fury of my hand, or make a rape  
Upon my goodness, no, the Sun and Moon  
Shall stop their usual progresses as soon  
As I will change my mind, vengeance is mine  
And I'll repay it on that Soul of thine.  
begone, begone, expect thy sudden doom,  
It is thy sins give punishment a room:  
Let everlasting Plagues, and horror dwell  
Within so ●it a Soul, let black-mouthed Hell  
Remove his situation, and so take  
A still continuing Lease, oh let him make  
A ten'ment of thee, dost thou think that I  
YYill hear thy Prayers, oh no I scorn thee, fye  
Away, begone   Sou 

If words could kill, I had been ere this time  
Worded to death, but now I hope to climb  
Above the reach of words in thy despite,  
Where thou mayst grumble at me, but not bite   

Even as the surly blood-desiring dog  
Tied with a chain, or loaded with a elog  
Grows si●r●●r with restraint, and stands in awe  
Of nothing but his master, to whose law  
He must submit and keep within his list;  
For fear will not permit him to resist;  
But if some wandering passenger should chance  
To walk along, he quickly would advance  
His watchful head, and running too and fro  
From place to place, he tuggs but cannot go  
Beyond his bounds, but labours still in vain  
(With fruitless biting of his senseless chain)  
To free himself, but when he finds his strength  
Is not sufficient to outgo the length  
Of his well-fastned chain, he soon divides  
His sharp-fanged jaws, and bauls until his sides  
And lungs are weary, than he runs the round  
Until he lays himself upon the ground  
Where he remaineth much displeased and vexed  
Seeming to threaten ruin to the next:   

So you (Hells ty●dog) if thou couldst but strain  
And quit thyself from heaven's fast-holding chain  
What Soul could scape thy jaws, or be possessed  
Of lasting peace, or comfortable rest,  
How sad, how miserable had it been  
For patient Job, had but thy power been seen  
Upon his heart; but Heaven that will control  
In spite of malice, chained thee from his soul:  
Alas, alas! thy chain is not so long  
To reach a soul, nor is thy power so strong  
To break it at thy pleasure, thou mayst bawl  
And bark forth envy, but not hurt at all;  
If thou art God [as thou pretendest] why,  
Why dost thou suffer such a thing as I  
T' expostulate so long, and dost not show  
Thy judgements in my speedy overthrow.   Sat. 

It is my goodness and not thy desert  
That breeds for bearance in my tender heart,  
Alas, alas, what honour would accrue  
To me in conquering such a thing as you,  
I could within a moment's time assuage,  
(But that my clemency outvies my rage)  
Thy swelling fury, for I could discharge  
Volleys of wrath and easily enlarge  
Thy restless torments, I could make thee run  
(Like morning mists before the rising sun)  
Out of my presence, If I should but say  
The word begone, ah lass thou couldst not stay,  
But ah I cannot, for I hate to ha●me,  
Love guides my strength, & that strength guides my arm   

Even as the shepherd with bedewed locks  
Watches the feeding of his harmless flocks  
For fear the boldfaced wolf should chance to peep  
Into the coasts of his beloved sheep,  
And like a ●awlesse Tyrant, soon commence  
(Against those Emblems of pure innocence)  
A bloody action, which would soon incite  
The shepherd's grief, to see so sad a sight,  
So I th' eternal shepherd daily watch  
My well-fed Lambs for fear hell's wolf should catch  
Or fright (not being fearful to be bold)  
My gentle flocks from their delightful fold;  
I am beloved, and mine own, will own  
My sacred Name, my voice is not unknown  
Unto my Sheep, they always will be all  
Firmly obedient to my cheerful call,  
For which obedience they shall find reward  
Nay such a one, as always shall accord  
To their desires, thrice happy shall they be  
In truly calling, and in owning me  
To be their shepherd, nothing can more please  
My indulgent soul, than such dear slocks as these,  
I will preserve them, and no wolt shall dare  
To seize upon them, or presume to rear  
Their downy fleeces, nothing shall be nearer  
Unto my heart, and nothing shall be dearer  
In my affections, for I will affect  
Even where, and when I find a true respect.  
What strange contusions hath thy language bred   Sou 

Within my serious thoughts, how hast thou fed  
My ears with flatteries, but it is in vain;  
Because my heart hath vowed not to retain  
Thy feigned expressions, nothing shall remove  
My love from God, nor nothing make me love  
Thy wretched self; then be content, and cease  
To urge my mind, or interrupt my Peace.  
Go, do thy worst, And when that worst is done  
Sit down as wisely as thou hast begun:   Sat. 

Art thou resolved? Well then, let vengeance light  
Upon thy cursed head, begone, thou mite  
(Nay less) of goodness, go, make haste t'inherit  
Those plagues that wait upon so damned a spirit?   Sou 

May this be called a farewell, if it be,  
The self same farewell must attend on thee;  
I hate, nay scorn to bid farewell to you,  
T●is charity enough to bid, 〈…〉.    

The soul's thankfulness, and Request to God.  

MOst gracious God, I having lately felt  
The servont of thy mercies, needs must melt  
Into a thankfulness, Ah should I be  
Ungrateful to so blessed a God as thee  
'Twere pity, ah 'twere pity, that the air  
Should give me breath, or thy fierce hand forbear  
To throw me headlong to the deep abis●  
Of speedy ruin, where no comfort is:  
Oh glorious Lord be pleased to inflame  
My heart with raptures, to extol thy name;  
Alas I'm weak, and if thou shouldst deny  
Thy aid, nothing could be more weak than I  
If thou wilt help me, I shall be so strong,  
That nothing can prevail to do me wrong,  
Lord I am blind, oh therefore let thy light  
Expel those clouds that thus eclipse my sight;  
Be thou my guide, my strength, my sight, my way,  
O● else (being weak) I shall or fall, or stray;  
Oh leave me not, but as thou hast begun  
To show me mercy, let thy mercy run  
With my desires, and grant that I may be  
A true forgetter of all things, but thee,  
And rather than I should forget thy call,  
Oh let me have no memory at all?  
Wean me, oh wean me from this nursing earth  
Make it my sorrow, and thy Throne my mirth.  
Let every morning make me know, and say  
Thy Laws are Just, or let me know no day;  
Let every evening make me take delight  
●n thy commands, or let me know no night.  
Inspire my heart [O God] and make it▪ lad  
Always in thee, or make it always sad;  
If thou affictest me, make me understand,  
Thou hast a storming and a calming hand;  
If Poverty oppress me, whilst I live,  
Oh let thy mercy send me friends to give,  
Or if thy goodness please to send me store  
O give me grace to think I may be poor,  
It matters not, O Lord, how poor I be  
Unto the world, if I am rich to thee;  
If I am hungry, ● be thou my meat,  
If I am weary, ● be thou my seat;  
Or if I feast, O Lord, be thou my guest;  
If I am restless, Lord, be thou my rest;  
If I am thirsty, Lord, be thou my spring  
If I am subject, Lord, be thou my King;  
If I have virtue make me dote upon her  
If honourable, be thou my honour:  
And if I cannot know that which I would,  
Be pleased to make me know, Lord, what I should;  
Then shall my ready lips express and show  
I know no more, than thou wouldst have me know  
My untied tongue shall evermore proclaim  
Th' attendant glories of thy sacred Name.     


The sacrifice of y●●icked is an abomination to the Lord, ●●● the 〈…〉 of the ●pright is his delight. Pro: 15. 8    

Divine Ejaculations.  

I.  
GReat God whose sceptre Rules the earth  
Distil thy fear into my heart.  
That being rapt with holy mirth  
I may proclaim how good thou art.  
Open my lips that I may sing,  
Full praises to my God, my King.   

Ejaculation. II.  
Lord make the torments we endure  
The symptoms of thy Love, not wrath:  
Thou art our Chiron, we thy cure  
Our crime's our sores, thy blood's our bath,  
O we are weak, be thou as strong  
How long O Lord; O Lord, how long.   

Ejaculation 3.  
Just Judge of earth, in whom we trust  
Make sharp thy sword, and bend thy bow,  
Consume the wicked; Save the Just,  
For thou the reins, and heart dost know  
Then shall our tongues sing forth thy praise,  
And praise thy justice all our days.   

Ejaculat. 4.  
Lord teachus timely how to pray,  
And give us patience to expect;  
Thou hatest sin; O guide our way;  
Judge thou our Foes: The Just protect:  
Then shall the wicked fall with shame,  
And we will sing that love thy name.   

Ejaculat. 5.  
Creat Son of the eternal God  
To whom the world subjected lies,  
Break not, but breed us with thy rod:  
O we are foolish, make us wise:  
And if thy wrath begin to flame,  
we'll seek protection in thy Name.   

Ejaculat. 6.  
Lord, if our enemies increase,  
And we invoke, bow down thine ear;  
Be thou our shield, and make our Peace,  
And we will scorn what worldlings fear.  
Great God of health, great Lord of Rest,  
O make us thine, and we are blessed.   

Ejaculat. 7.  
Thou righteous Hearer of Requests,  
Make void the counsels of th●unjust▪  
Send peace into our trembling breasts,  
And fill our hearts with fear and trust:  
If thou wilt make thy face to shine,  
Let others joy in corn and wine.   

Ejaculat. 8.  
Lord, thou whose equal hand allays  
The poor man's grief, whose help thou art,  
Incline my heart to give thee praise,  
And I will praise thee with my heart:  
Forsake me not; for, Lord, I trust,  
As men are cruel, thou art just.   

Ejaculat. 9  
Lord, crush my lion-hearted Foes,  
Rout them that seek to ruin me;  
Rise up, O God, forget not those  
Whose wrongs refer their cause to thee:  
Or if the wicked must oppress,  
Be thou not far from my distress.   

Ejaculat. 10.  
Great God, thy Garden is defaced,  
The Weeds do thrive, thy Flowers decay;  
O call to mind thy P●o●●●●se past,  
Restore thou them, cut these away:  
Till then, let not the Weeds have power  
To starve or tain● the poorest Flower.   

Ejaculat. 11.  
Lord, leave us not too long a space;  
O view our griefs, and hear our prayer▪  
Clear thou our eyes, unv●●● thy face,  
Lest Foes presume, and we despair.  
Lord, make thy mercy our repose,  
And we will sing amidst thy Foes.   

Ejaculat. 12.  
Lord, teach me to renown thy N●●●,  
Which through the world is so renowned:  
Let man thy glorious Works proclaim,  
Whose head with glory thou hast crowned.  
As beasts to men subjected be,  
So Lord subject man's heart to thee.   

Ejaculat. 13.  
In all extremes, Lord, thou art still  
The Mount whereto my hopes do flee;  
O make my Soul detest all ill,  
Because so much abhorred by thee.  
Lord, let thy gracious trials show  
That I am just, or make me so.   

Ejaculat. 14.  
Great God, whom Fools deny, how dare  
Our lips request thy glorious Eyes!  
If thou but see, thou canst not spare,  
And what thou seest thou must despise.  
Lord, make us hear thy saving voice,  
Then mayst thou see, and we rejoice.   

Ejaculat. 15:  
Lord, cleanse my heart, and guide my tongue,  
Preserve my lips from false deceit;  
Protect my hands from doing wrong,  
Teach whom to love, and whom to hate:  
Instruct me how to take and give;  
Lord, grant me this, and I shall live.   

Ejaculat. 16.  
Lord, teach my Reins, that in the night  
My tutored Reins may tutor me;  
And keep me always in thy sight  
For in thy sight all pleasures be:  
Let not my soul in darkness stray,  
O thou my life, O thou my way.   

Ejaculat. 17.  
Behold my Right, and right my wrongs,  
Thou Saviour of all those that trust:  
O I am weak, my Foes are strong;  
Lord thou art gracious, thou art just.  
O make me rightly prize this life,  
And let thy glory be my strife.   

Ejaculat. 18.  
Great God, my strength, at whose command,  
Whilst I serve thee, all creatures serve me,  
Protect me from my foeman's hand;  
O, as thou hast preserved, preserve me:  
With peaceful conquest crown my days,  
And I will crown thy Power with praise.   

Ejaculat. 19  
Great God, the work of whose high hands  
The glory of thy Name declare,  
How perfect sweet are thy Commands!  
How purely just thy Precepts are!  
Cleanse all my sins, clear every spot,  
Both open, secret, known, forgot.   

Ejaculat. 20.  
Accept, O God, my holy fires,  
Lead thou our Armies, give success,  
Bless our designs, grant our desires;  
O hear and help in our distress:  
Preserved by thee, we shall prevail.  
When Chariots flee, and horses fail.   

Ejaculat. 21.  
O God, whose judgements are severe,  
And M●c●s full of sweet compassion,  
Scourge thou thy Foes, save those that fear,  
Ravish my Soul with thy Salvation;  
And I will spend my joyful days  
In Psalms of thanks, and Songs of praise.   

Ejaculat. 22.  
My Jesus, thou that wert no less  
Than God, and yet with men forlorn,  
Larths' Comforter, yet comfortless,  
Heaven's Glory, yet to men a scorn.  
What thanks shall I return to thee,  
That wert all this, and more for me!   

Ejaculat. 23.  
Great Shepherd of my Soul, thy hand  
Both gives me food, and guides my way;  
Subject my will to thy Command,  
And I shall never starve, nor stray.  
If thou wilt keep me in thy sight,  
Thy House shall be my whole delight.   

Ejaculat. 24.  
Lord, purge my heart, and cleanse my hand,  
Direct my tongue, and guide my will;  
For nothing that's unclean can stand  
Within thy great, thy glorious Hill.  
Lift up my heart, depressed with sin,  
And let the King of Glory in.   

Ejaculat. 25.  
Lord, guide my footsteps in thy Truth,  
And let thy grace be my repose;  
Forgive the frailties of my youth,  
And free me from my causeless Foes:  
Redeem thine Isr'el from their hand,  
And bring me to thy promised Land.   

Ejaculat. 26.  
Lord, keep me just, and judge my right,  
Prove thou my reins, and try my heart;  
O make thy Temple my delight,  
And fix my dwelling where thou art:  
Redeem my Soul, confirm my ways,  
And give me power to give thee praise.   

Ejaculat. 27.  
My God whose fear drives fear away,  
Show me the beauty of thy House;  
Preserve me in the evil day,  
That I may sing, and pay my vows.  
Lord, grant me fear, and grard my path;  
Give Patience, and with Patience, Faith.   

Ejaculat. 28.  
O God, be thou my living Rock,  
Whereto my r●stless Soul may fly:  
B●●st be thy Name; when I invoke,  
Th●u hear'st my suit, and send'st supply.  
〈…〉, or else convert▪  
Or weaken, that they may not hurt.   

Ejaculat. 29.  
Shall Mountain, Desert, Beast, and Tree,  
Yield to that heavenly voice of thine,  
And shall that voice not startle me?  
No● stir this stone, this heart of mine?  
No, Lord; till thou new-●o●e mine ear  
Thy voice is lost, I cannot hear.   

Ejaculat. 30.  
Lord, let the evening of my grief  
Be followed with a morning joy;  
Hear thou my cry, and send relief,  
That tak'st no pleasure to destroy:  
If thou wilt lengthen out my days,  
Their task shall be to sing thy Praise▪   

Ejaculat. 31.  
Lord, thou that hoordest thy Grace for those  
That love and fear thy sacred Name,  
Redeem me from my conquering Foes,  
And vindicate my trust from shame▪  
Give me fair Conquest at the end,  
Till then, true courage to attend.   

Ejaculat. 32.  
Let my confession launch my sore,  
And let forgiveness cure my wound;  
Lord, teach me early ●o implore,  
For I am lost till tho● art found:  
Then shall my joyful Songs express  
Thy Praises, and my thankfulness.   

Ejaculat. 33.  
Great Lord of Wonders, thou by whom  
My heart was framed and formed alone,  
From whose high Power all powers come,  
That didst but say, and it was done;  
Appoint the remnant of my days  
To see thy Power, and sing thy praise.   

Ejaculat. 34.  
Lord, let the sunshine of thy face  
So clear mine eyes, so cleanse my heart,  
That being seasoned with thy grace,  
My Soul may taste how sweet thou art.  
O let thy mercy make me just,  
And then my heart shall fear and trust.   

Ejaculat. 35.  
Lord, plead my cause, and right my wrong,  
And take my Snarers in their snare;  
O be not from me, Lord, too long,  
Lest they triumph, and I despair,  
Let all my Foes be clothed with shame,  
Whilst I sing praises to thy Name.   

Ejaculat. 36.  
Fountain of Light, and living Breath,  
Whose Mercies never fail nor fade,  
Fill me with life that hath no death,  
Fill me with light that hath no shade:  
Confound the proud in their pretence,  
And let thy wings be my defence.   

Ejaculat. 37.  
Be thou my Trust, my God, and I,  
When ●●●ners thrive, will not repine;  
Or if my wants should want supply,  
I will not fret, I will not whine:  
What if their wealth, my wants, increase,  
They shall have plagues at last, I p●ace.   

Ejaculat. 38.  
Lord, in thy wrath correct me not,  
For I confess and hate my sin;  
My flesh consumes, my bones do rot,  
●▪ ●● pains without, and pan●s within.  
O thou that art the God of Rest,  
Release my sin, relieve my breast.   

Ejaculat. 39  
Lord, curb my tongue, and make we see  
How few my days, how short their length:  
Incline my heart to trust in thee;  
Remove thy scourge, or give me strength:  
I am a Pilgrim, hear my cry,  
And send some comfort ere I die.   

Ejaculat. 40.  
Lord, thou whose Mercies do exceed,  
O fill my language with thy praise,  
Stand thou my Helper at my need,  
Confound the wicked in their ways:  
Be thou my Comfort in my grief,  
And crown my Patience with ●elief.   

Ejaculat. 41.  
Lord, if thy pleasure make me poor,  
Thou wilt bless them that give me bread;  
If thy sick hand hath scourged me sore,  
That hand that struck will make my bed.  
Sustain me, Lord; be thou my Store,  
I shall be neither sick nor poor.   

Ejaculat. 42.  
My God, full tears are all the diet  
That feed my sad, my drooping breast!  
In my distress, in my disquiet,  
Be thou my Stay, be thou my Rest:  
Be thou my God in my relief,  
And I will triumph in my grief.   

Ejaculat. 43.  
Lord, right my wrongs, and plead my right  
Against all those that seek my Ill;  
O let thy perfect Truth and Light  
Conduct me to thy holy Hill:  
Then shall thy Altar make relation  
Of thy due Praise, and my Salvation.   

Ejaculat. 44.  
Lord, our forefathers found redress  
In all their frights, in all their fears;  
Wilt thou be dumb to my distress,  
And not my God, as well as theirs?  
Redeem my Soul, whose loyal knee  
Ne'er bowed to any God, but thee.   

Ejaculat. 45.  
Great Bridegroom, fill thy dearest Spouse  
With outward glory, inward graces;  
May she forget her father's house,  
And only cling to thy embraces:  
Affect her heart with Love and Duty,  
And then take pleasure in her Beauty.   

Ejaculat. 46.  
Lord, help me when my griefs do call,  
In my distress O be thou near;  
Then if Earth change, or Mountains fall,  
I will not ●aint▪ I will not fear.  
Show me thy Wonders, and inflame  
My heart to magnify thy Name.   

Ejaculat. 47.  
Lord, let thy judgements fill all those  
That love thy Mount with joy and ●●rth;  
Confound and crush all zions Foes,  
Zion the glory of the Earth:  
Let all that love thy zions glory,  
Recount her State, repeat her Story.   

Ejaculat. 48.  
Lord, teach me wisely to contemn  
All goods that transitory be,  
Let me not stand possessed of them,  
If they be not possessed in thee.  
If I be wealthy, and not wise.  
I live but like a beast that dies.   

Ejaculat. 49.  
Lord God of gods, before whose Throne  
Stand fire and storms, O what shall we  
Re●ues to heaven that is our own,  
When all the world belongs to thee!  
We have no offering to impart,  
But praises, and a wounded heart.   

Ejaculat. 50.  
Lord, if thy Mercies purge my heart,  
Conc●●●'d in lust, and born in sin▪  
Breathe truth into my inward part,  
Renew me a firm spirit within:  
Then let thy goodness not detest  
The ruins of a broken breast.   

Ejaculat. 51.  
Let others boast in gold, and prize  
Eu'l more than good, and love deceit,  
Thy Mercies, Lord, are my supplies,  
And on thy Name will I await.  
Lord, let thy Mercies still enure  
My breast to love the thing that's pure.   

Ejaculat. 52.  
Lord, if thou take away thy hand,  
How all composed of fears are we!  
What Arm can save? what strength can stand?  
When Man, poor man's forsook by thee?  
Lord, keep my Faith in thee unshaken,  
For thou forsakest not till forsaken.   

Ejaculat. 53.  
Lord, let thy Name secure and free  
My threatened Soul from all my Foes;  
Stand thou with them that stand for me,  
Support all these, suppress all those:  
Then shall my Soul division run  
Upon thy Praise; till Time be done▪   

Ejaculat. 54.  
Hearer of Prayers, confound my Foes,  
That bruise my tortured Soul to dust:  
In man, alas, there's no repose;  
Foes have no pity, Friends no trust.  
My trust is in thy Word, which says,  
They shall not live out half their days.   

Ejaculat. 55.  
O God, the malice of my Foes  
Increaseth daily more and more;  
But, Lord, thou art my safe repose,  
Thou art my strength, thou art my store:  
Be thou my gracious God, and then  
I will not fear the power of men.   

Ejaculat. 56.  
Be gracious, Lord, unto my grief,  
For in thy shadow do I trust;  
O send me plentiful relief,  
For thou art merciful and just;  
Then shall my spirits utter forth  
Twi light hosannas to thy worth.   

Ejaculat. 57  
Lord, keep me from those hearts and tongues  
That practise mischief from the womb;  
Weigh right to them that weigh us wrongs,  
And let confusion be their doom:  
But let the Just be filled with mirth,  
And fear that God that rules the Earth.   

Ejaculat. 58.  
Lord, save me from my Foes; make void  
Their Plots, and all their Counsels vain;  
For ever let them be destroyed,  
For in thy hand my hopes remain:  
And I will always spend my days  
In Hymns of thanks, and Songs of praise.   

Ejaculat. 59  
Lord, though we feel the bitter taste  
O● thy displeasure for a while;  
Yet thou art gracious, and at last  
Thy angry brow, that frowned, will smile.  
O when that storm is overblown,  
Thou'lt trample those that tread us down.   

Ejaculat. 60.  
Lord, hear my troubled voice, and bring  
My Soul to that sweet Rock of Rest;  
Protect all those that strive to sing  
Thy praises with a cheerful breast:  
Let comfort with our years increase,  
That we may praise thy Name in peace.   

Ejaculat. 61.  
Lord God, from whom all mercy springs,  
Instruct my hopes to wait on thee;  
Teach me what vain and fruitless things  
The helps of what is earthly be.  
All strength belongs to thee alone,  
'Tis thou, my God, must help, or none.   

Ejaculat. 62.  
Lord, how I long to see thy face,  
That I might spend me in thy praise!  
Thou art my glory in disgrace;  
Sustain my steps, direct my ways:  
Thou art my Refuge; when oppressed  
With grief, my Joy; with toil, my Rest.   

Ejaculat. 63.  
Lord, hide me from my bloody Foes,  
For in thy goodness do I trust;  
Protect my sought-for life from those  
That shoot in secret for the just.  
So then shall I that fear thy Name  
Have cause of glory, they of shame.   

Ejaculat. 64.  
Thou gracious Hearer of Requests,  
Hide all my sins behind thy merits;  
Shower down thy Spirit into our breasts,  
And drop thy grace into our spirits;  
That from our faith rich works may spring,  
And give us cause to shout and sing.   

Ejaculat. 65.  
Lord, if thy flame must needs be felt,  
Let us be purged in that flame;  
Let our rebellious spirits melt  
Into the Praises of thy Name;  
That we being tutored, and kept under,  
May fear with love, and love with wonder.   

Ejaculat. 66.  
Lord, let thy favour still inflame  
Our light'ned hearts to walk thy ways,  
That all the World may praise thy Name,  
And all the Earth may sing thy Praise:  
So fructify our hearts, that we  
May bless thy Name, being blessed by thee.   

Ejaculat. 67.  
Lord, rise in power within my heart,  
And chase my sins, thy Foes, and mine,  
Then shall I see thee as thou art,  
In Glory great, in Power divine:  
So I, more white than Snow, shall sing  
Thy ways, and praise my God, my King.   

Ejaculat. 68  
To that sweet Lamb, which did sustain  
Grief above weight, Pain above measure,  
Whose stripes, and scoffs, and grief, and pain,  
Were only purchased by our pleasure,  
Be honour, Glory, Praises, given  
By Souls on Earth, by Saints in Heaven.   

Ejaculat. 69.  
Let shame be their due recompense  
That seek to wound my Soul with shame:  
Be thou their help, and strong defence,  
That seek thee Lord, and love thy Name.  
Make haste, O God, for I do waste  
My Soul with grief; O God, make haste.   

Ejaculat. 70.  
Lord, thou that underneath thy wing  
Didst keep me in, and from, the womb,  
Assist my age, that it may sing  
Thy praise in ages yet to come▪  
Preserve my Soul protect my name;  
Shame be to them that seek my shame.   

Ejaculat. 71.  
Great Prince of Peace, whose Kingdom brings  
Justice, Redemption, Power, and Peace,  
That bends the knees and hearts of Kings,  
And fill'st all Nations with increase,  
All Praises, honour, Glory, be  
Ascribed alone, great Prince, to thee.   

Ejaculat. 72.  
O God, whose dreadful voice, like Thunder,  
Affrights the Earth, and shakes the air,  
Whose Works and Ways are full of wonder,  
That hear'st my plaints, and grantest my prayer,  
Forsake me not, but when I stray,  
O let thy Crook reform my way.   

Ejaculat. 73.  
O thou, whose Mercy did begin  
Before all Time, untied to Times,  
As thou forgavest our father's Sin,  
Be like wise gracious to our Crimes!  
thou'rt now a God, as well as then,  
And we, as they, no more than men.   

Ejaculat. 74.  
O God, the Zion of my Soul  
Is wholly desolate and waste▪  
Where thou shouldst rule, my lusts control;  
O Lord, relieve, O God, make haste:  
Then shall my heart and tongue proclaim  
Eternal Praises to thy Name.   

Ejaculat. 75.  
Glorious Creator, make thy face to shine  
On this our poor distressed Land;  
Defend, and dress thy fading Vine,  
And bless the Man of thy right hand:  
Let thy Free▪ grace inflame our hearts.  
And we will sing thy praise in parts.   

Ejaculat. 76.  
O God, our Song, our Strength, whose hand  
Hath broke our bonds, and set us free,  
Incline our hearts to thy Command,  
And we will own no God but thee:  
Conduct and feed us as thy Flock,  
And give us honey from thy 
* Psal▪ 81. 16  Rock.   

Ejaculat. 77.  
Direct, O God, the judge's breast,  
Preserve his hands, his eyes upright,  
That he may vindicate th'oppressed,  
And guard him from injurious might:  
O let him know that he shall be,  
As judge of others, judged by thee▪   

Ejaculat. 78.  
Lord, cast thine eyes upon thy Foes,  
Confound their Troops, that are combined  
Against thy Flock, which thou hast chose,  
Make them like chaff before the wind:  
Defeat their plots with sudden shame,  
That they may seek Jehovah's Name.   

Ejaculat. 79.  
Lord, teach mine eyes, my will, my heart,  
To see▪ to choose, and to desire  
Thy beauteous Courts wherein thou art▪  
O fill my thoughts with holy fire.  
Be thou my Sun, whose glorious Rays  
May light my Soul to sing thy praise.   

Ejaculat. 80.  
O God, remit thy people's Sin,  
And show the sunshine of thy Face,  
Repress thy fury, and begin  
T'inspire us with thy saving grace;  
That Righteousness and Truth may meet,  
And light our hearts, and lead our feet.   

Ejaculat.. 81.  
Great Spring, from whence all mercy flows  
To them that trust and love thy Name,  
Give me thy strength, and then my Foes  
Shall see thy greatness, and their shame:  
Be thou my Way, my Truth, my Light,  
So shall I live, and die upright.   

Ejaculat. 82.  
Zion, the glory of the Earth,  
And Subject of my holy Passion,  
May all the Well-springs of my mirth  
Be ●ounded upon thy Foundation▪  
Of all delights I wish no other,  
Then to be Son to such a Mother.   

Ejaculat. 83.  
Lord, let thy fury cease to burn,  
Or else my Soul must cease ●●●e▪  
Can praises issue from the Urn?  
What thanks can ashes give to thee?  
Enough, if thou but undertake me,  
Let death surprise, let friends forsake me.   

Ejaculat. 84.  
Lord, thou whose Mercy fails not those  
That build their trust upon thy Name,  
Protect my Soul from all my Foes,  
Then shall my tongue thy worth proclaim:  
So shall the remnant of my days'  
●● crowned in Peace, and thou with Praise▪   

Ejaculat. 85.  
Eternal God, before whose Eyes  
A thousand years seem as a day,  
Direct our hearts, and make us wise  
To use that time we cannot stay:  
Send Joy to our sad hearts, and bless  
Our prosperous actions with success.   

Ejaculat. 86.  
Though thousands here, ten thousands there,  
Do daily fall before m●ne eyes,  
I will not faint, I will not fear,  
Beneath the wings of the most High:  
Let me be guarded, Lord, by thee,  
Then I'll not fear, nor faint, nor flee.   

Ejaculat. 87.  
Lord, purge my Soul, that I may learn  
To read my Fortunes by thy hand;  
Let my instructed Soul discern,  
That worldly bliss is not thy brand.  
Lord, in thy Mercy make me thine,  
I have enough, shower thou, or shine.   

Ejaculat. 88  
Great Monarch of the World, disclose  
Thy Power, and make thy Glory known;  
Out-flood the floods of all my Foes,  
And in my heart fix thou thy Throne:  
Plant Holiness within my breast,  
O Lord, my Strength, O God, my Rest.   

Ejaculat. 89.  
Just God of Vengeance, cast an eye  
Upon my poor afflicted breast;  
O send me help, O hear my cry,  
And let thy comforts be my rest:  
Suppress my Foes, and set me free,  
That have no Hope, no Help, but thee.   

Ejaculat. 90.  
Great God of gods, great King of kings,  
From whom, by whom, we live, we be,  
In whom my Soul her triumph sings,  
To whom alone bows every knee:  
Teach me thy way▪ thy will'● my Feast,  
Thy Crook my Guide, thy Fold my Rest.   

Ejaculat. 91.  
Lord, let our Jesus, and thy Christ,  
Be all the subject of our mirth;  
Let Satan's Power be dismissed,  
And let him ●ule, and judge the Earth:  
Then, then eternal Peace shall be  
Returned to us, and praise to thee.   

Ejaculat. 92.  
Great King of Glory, who art dressed  
In Clothes of Clouds, in Robes of Fire,  
Make evil hateful to my breast,  
Then shall I love thee most entire▪  
Then shall my bosom reap that light  
Which thou hast sown for the upright.   

Ejrculat. 93.  
Great God of Wonders, that dost ope  
The Gate of Life to our glad days,  
And found'st a help beyond all those,  
O give us mouths to give thee praise:  
So guide our ways, just judge, that we  
May joyfully be judged by thee.   

Ejaculat. 94.  
Great God, whose Promise is to hear,  
Whose practice is to pardon Sin,  
Let my Petitions find an ear,  
And cleanse my leprous Soul within.  
Thou, Lord, art holy, teach my heart  
To sing thy Praises as thou art.   

Ejaculat. 95.  
Eternal Maker, grant that we  
May praise thee with a cheerful heart;  
Guide thou ou● wa●s, and let us be  
●h● sh●●p, where thou the Shepherd ●●●:  
●●●, 〈◊〉▪ thy ●●●th ●● always s●●e,  
And thy great Mercy shall endure.   

Ejaculat. 96.  
Lord, teach my heart to walk upright  
In public reverence, private fear;  
Keep thou the humble in thy sight,  
And to the proud be thou severe:  
Then shall thy Saints in triumph show  
Thy Mercy, and thy Justice too.   

Ejaculat. 97.  
O God, how poor a thing is Man!  
Begot in si●, and born in sorrow;  
Our breath's a blast, our life a Span,  
But here to day, and gone to morrow.  
How needful, Lord is thy support!  
Our days are bad, our time is short.   

Ejaculat. 98.  
O thou, within whose tender breast  
Full streams of sweet compassion flow,  
Whose Mercies cannot be expressed  
By Saints above, or Men below▪  
My Soul shall praise, my heart shall bless  
That goodness, 〈…〉 cannot express▪   

Ejaculat. 99  
Lord, every creature writes a Story  
Of thy full Majesty and Might,  
The contempl●tion of whose Glory  
Shall always be my heart's delight:  
Accept that praise my Soul can give,  
And it shall praise thee while I live.   

Ejaculat. 100  
Dear God, the Pharaoh of our Souls  
Afflicts the Isr'el of our hearts;  
Where thou shouldst govern, he controls;  
What thou command'st, his power thwarts:  
Confound his strength, and let thy hand  
Conduct us to the promised Land.   

Ejaculat. 101.  
Lord, shouldst thou punish every sin,  
Or strike as oft as we offend,  
How quickly would our plagues begin!  
How soon this sinful world would end!  
But Lord, thy tender Mercies stand  
Within the gap, and hold thy hand.   

Ejaculat. 102.  
Lord let thy wonders, and thy ways,  
Inflame my heart, my tongue my Pen,  
That Pen, and tongue, and heart may praise  
Thy name before the Sons of men.  
Look where I list, high, low, or under  
I see to learn, and learn to wonder.   

Ejaculat. 103.  
O Lord whose mercies, and whose paths  
Transcend th' expressions of my tongue  
Instruct my heart to keep thy Laws  
And I will praise thee in my song,  
Lend me thy power, or strengthen mine  
And I will crush my Foes, and thine.   

Ejaculat. 104.  
O thou that sit'st in Heaven, and seest  
My deeds without, my thoughts within;  
Be thou my Prince, be thou my priest,  
Command my soul, and cure my sin:  
How bitter my afflictions be,  
I care not, so I rise to thee.   

Ejaculat. 105.  
Lord, teach my humble eyes the art  
To see aright, and hands to do,  
Then will I praise thee with my heart  
In public, and in private too:  
Set thou thy fear in all my ways  
To make me wise, to give thee praise.   

Ejaculat. 106.  
Lord, plant thy fear before mine eyes,  
For in thy fear my Soul is blessed;  
Thy Fear's that Spring, from whence arise  
My Crown, my Treasure, and my Rest.  
What fear I, fearing thee? and what  
Not fearing thee, Lord, fear I not?   

Ejaculat. 107.  
Highest of Highests, that dost raise  
The poor and needy from the dung,  
Advance my thoughts to give thee praise,  
And, Lord, untie my stam'ting tongue:  
So shall my heart and tongue proclaim  
Rare hallelujahs to thy Name.   

Ejaculat. 108.  
O God, the Mountains, and the Seas  
Confess thee, Lord of Sea and Land,  
They quake and tremble, if thou please  
To show the Power of thy hand:  
So shall my heart, when thou think'st good,  
To turn my ●●int into a flood.   

Ejaculat. 109.  
Lord, teach our loyal hearts to build  
Their constant hopes upon thy hand;  
Thou art our Help, thou art our Shield,  
Wherein our hopes of safety stand:  
Send down thy blessings, and then we  
Will send all Praises up to thee.   

Ejaculat. 110.  
My God, thy Mercies so abound,  
That every minut● speaks their story;  
They have no limits, have no bound;  
Ours are the comforts, thine▪ the glory:  
And what thy Mercy more displays,  
Thou are contented with our Praise▪   

Ejaculat. 111.  
Surpassing Lord, whose mercies have surpassed  
The limits of the world's expression  
Whose truth continues ●●●me, and ●●st  
To thy elect, and their succession.  
To thee perpetual praise be given  
By Saints on earth, and souls in heaven.   

Ejaculat. 112.  
Good God thy mercy and thy might  
What heart conceives? what tongue can tell?  
Thou fillest my darkness with thy light,  
And hast redeemed my soul from hell.  
Thou art my God, thou only art  
The strength, and music of my heart.   

Ejaculat. 113.  
O God thy Law's a field, in which  
The fruitful seed of life is sown;  
No seed so rare, no soil so rich;  
It renders infinite for one.  
O God, how fair these fields appear!  
O God, what pearls are buried here!   

Ejaculat. 114.  
Great God, whose ever-wakeful eye  
Doth never slumber, never close,  
Teach all my dangers to rely  
Upon thy help, there safe repose:  
Be thou my shade, be thou my stay,  
I will not fear by night, by day.   

Ejaculat. 115.  
Lord let the fire of my true ze●l  
Unto thy house for ever flame  
Where let my thanks, and praise reveal  
The hidden honour of thy name.  
Let zions glory still increase,  
And bless her w●lls with plenteous peace.   

Ejaculat. 116.  
O God to whom my thoughts direct  
Their constant hopes, and hopeful cries  
Let not my soul in vain expect  
For mercy, from such gracious eyes:  
Maintain thine honour; 'Tis not me  
The proud con●●●●●, Great God, but thee.   

Ejaculat. 117.  
Lord, give me a believing heart,  
Though wanting strength I fear not man▪  
If thou be pleased to ta●e my part▪  
Let malice do the worst it can.  
Although in snared I will not fear▪  
For thou art stronger than a snare.   

Ejaculat. 118.  
Give me the heart▪ O God to trust▪  
And lead my footsteps in thy ways▪  
Quell thou the power of th' unjust,  
That righteous hearts may give thee praise▪  
Do good to good men▪ and increase  
Their number▪ plenty, and their peace.   

Ejaculat. 119.  
Lord we are Captives▪ and we bow  
To Satan's burden every hour,  
We sow in tears, oh when wilt thou  
With Joy requite▪ the weary sower.  
So bless my labours that I may▪  
With comfort long to see that day.   

Ejaculat. 120.  
What I possess, o● what I crave  
Brings no content▪ g●●●● God▪ to me  
If what I would▪ o● what I crave  
Be not possessed, and blessed in thee▪  
What I enjoy, oh make it mine  
In making me, that have it, ●●●●e▪   

Ejaculat. 121.  
Lord plant my fears within my breast  
That I may wall● thy perfect ways  
Then shall I prosper and be blessed  
In all my deeds in all my days▪  
Then shall I see the fair increase  
Of Syo●● glory, Is●●●●▪ peace▪   

Ejaculat. 122.  
Lord since there must be always Foes  
T' afflict the souls of flesh and blood,  
Let mine be such as do oppose  
Thy church's peace, thy zions good  
Then let 〈…〉 of thine▪  
Confound, or ●●re thy foes, and mine.   

Ejaculat. 123.  
Hearer of prayers, to whom should I  
Implore, but thee, in my distress  
For mercy harbours in thine eye,  
And thou art filled with righteousness.  
To thee, O God, my hopes shall flee,  
My soul expects no help but thee.   

Ejaculat. 124.  
Lord if mine eyes should look too high,  
Or rancorous heart begin to swell,  
Break thou the tumour, curb mine eye,  
Lest one grow fier●●, the other fell.  
So shall my soul grow wise, and flee  
From her own strength, and trust in thee.   

Ejaculat. 125.  
Lord let mine eyes not sleep until  
I build thy Temple in my breast,  
Take pleasure then, and make it still  
The chosen palace of thy rest:  
Let all her Foes be trodden down,  
And let thy glory be her crown.   

Ejaculat. 126.  
Lord we are several members joined  
To make one whole, whose head thou art,  
Let all our thoughts but make one mind,  
And give one body, but one heart.  
United souls of Saints appear  
The sweetest music in thine ear.   

Ejaculat. 127.  
Light thou the Lamps, great God, that they  
Lightened by thee may give us light,  
Let their bright luster drive away  
All darkness from thy Courts by night,  
Bless us and them, that they, and we  
May bless thy name, first blessed by thee.   

Ejaculat. 128.  
Let every wonder that I see  
In heaven, and earth, and in the s●●●,  
Advance s●me h●n●●, Lord, to thee  
That didst, and canst do, wh●t thou please,  
Let others worship wood and stone,  
My soul shall bless thee, Lord, alone.   

Ejaculat. 129.  
Good God, where e'er I cast mine eye.  
On earth beneath, or heaven above  
I see thy goodness, and I spy  
Perpetual pledges of thy love.  
Thy favours through the world extend  
And of thy mercy is no end.   

Ejaculat. 130.  
Lord if my tongue, and busy quill  
Be not in zions praise employed  
Then let my hand forget henskill  
And ●● my ●●ngu● for, e●e●●y●d,  
Thy praise shall be my chief delight  
Whilst tongue can speak, or hand can write▪   

Ejaculat. 131.  
Kindle O Lord, my love with zeal,  
Light my affections with thy flame  
Give my tongue courage to reveal  
The secret glory of the name  
Be thou my God, in all distress,  
And let thy hand be my ●●d●●s●e▪   

Ejaculat. 132.  
Lord thou that mad'st me, and dost p●y  
Into the s●o●ors, of my heart  
From whose all presence none can fly  
Nor hide them there, but where tho●●●t,  
Inform my soul, inflame my breast  
And lead ●● to eternal Rest.   

Ejaculat. 133.  
Lord keep me from myself that am  
The greatest Foe, I need to fear  
O cover thou my fa●● with s●●●●●  
And give my sins no dwelling here  
Subdue my flesh▪ and then my Spirit,  
Shall sing the praises of thy merit.   

Ejaculat. 134.  
Lord when my grief shall find a tongue  
To cry for help, find thou an care,  
Whilst others seek to do m● wrong,  
Make thou O God my con●ci●n●●●●●●●  
In those self-snares they have prep●r'd  
Let my insnar●●● be ensnared.   

Ejaculat. 135.  
When winter fortunes cloud the brows  
Of summer friends▪ when eyes grow strange▪  
When plighted faiths forget their vows,  
When earth, and all things in it change,  
O Lord thy mercies fail me never,  
Where once thou lov'st, thou lov'st for ever.   

Ejaculat. 136.  
Judge not my actions by thy Laws  
For then my sorrows are but just,  
But let thy mercies plead my cause  
For in thy mercy is my trust.  
Those that oppose my soul, oppose;  
I am thy servant, they thy Foes.   

Ejaculat. 137.  
What is there Lord, what is in me  
To hope for safety from thy power?  
What help can I expect from thee  
That merit vengeance every hour?  
How great so ere my sins have been,  
Thy mercy's greater than my sin.   

Ejaculat. 138.  
Great God, whose kingdom hath no end,  
Into whose secrets none can dive,  
Whose mercy none can apprehend  
Whose justice none can feel, and live,  
What my dull heart can not asp●re  
To know, Lord, teach me to admire,   

Ejaculat. 139.  
O Lord my judgements dark, and blind,  
It cannot judge twi●t good, and ill,  
My will is captived, and confined,  
It wants a freedom how to will,  
Great Lord o power, great God of might  
Release my bands, restore my sight.   

Ejaculat. 140.  
Great God whose goodness doth replete  
And fill our coasts with full increase  
That feedest us with the fat of wheat,  
And glad'st thy Zion with thy Peace.  
How more than others are our days  
Extremely bound to give thee praise.   

Ejaculat. 141.  
Shall frost and snow give praise to thee  
And shall my soul not bear a part▪  
Lord, frost and snow appear to be  
Not half so cold as is my heart.  
Shine glorious sun, thy beams but felt,  
My frost will thaw, my snow will melt.   

Ejaculat. 142.  
Great God to whom all praise belongs  
Whom Zion sings and Israel ●ea●s  
O stop those lusts that stop our tongues  
And fright thy glory from our ears.  
Do thou enlarge what flesh reta●es,  
And bind those Kings, our lusts in chains.   

Ejaculat. 143.  
Lord season my unsavoury spi●i●,  
And bridle my too headstrong will,  
That I may always take delight  
In acting good, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
O give me grace to understand,  
My life is always in thy hand.   

Ejaculat. 144.  
Direct my steps, Lord, be my way  
And make thy pathe● my sole delight,  
That like a traveller I may  
Not fail to rest with tho● at night,  
O me, how happy, and how blessed,  
[Lord] should I be in such a rest●   

Ejaculat. 145.  
Lord let the morning of my gri●fe,  
Find on't a night of lasting pleasure▪  
Thou art the God in my relie●  
In poverty, thou art my treasure.  
I care not Lord how poor I be  
Unto the world, ●rich to thee.   

Ejaculat. 146.  
Lord let thy sacred f●●e thaw  
The Ice of my hard fro●en zeal,  
And let thy will be my known Law▪  
So shall my heart, thy wor●h reveal,  
And with a ha●●●ujous Song  
My tongue shall praise thee all day long.   

Ejaculat. 147.  
Great King of Peace, be pleased to send  
Thy Peace to our diste●pen'd Land,  
O we are bad, teach us t'amend,  
And let not ruin▪ be our brand,  
Then shall our lavish lips deliver  
Our thanks in Peace, to our Peace-giver.   

Ejaculat. 148.  
If it be so that we must fight,  
Lord make our crimes to prove our Foes,  
For thou (our God) dost take delight,  
To see such pleasant wars ●● those.  
O may such wa●s as these encreas●,  
Until our conquest's end in Peace.   

Ejaculat. 149.  
Lord let the praises of thy power,  
Advance the power of thy praise,  
Let every day, let every 〈◊〉  
Praise thee till 〈◊〉 f●il, and days.  
To thee all power and praise be given,  
By Saints on Earth, by Souls in Heaven.   
THE END.