My Prayer in my Youth.

MY Lord, whose mercies to me are unspeakable; Who in thy works art great and powerfull, wholly bend mine affection on that which is certain, and not subject to varibility; to that which no sinister mishap can alter; Oh, let not my Soul which thou hast made to be fed with heavenly Manna (which still will last) here seek to be satisfied with vain delights, which soon will vanish. Banish from me the Thoughts of vaine de­lights, and make me know that they must end. And for those infinite blessings which thou hast deigned to bestow upon me, make me for ever to admire thee, and from my heart send up the sweet incense of thanks and praise for thy heavenly benefits bestowed on me thine unworthy servant.

The Temptation.

MY Soul! Woulst thou finde favour with the Lord, be not then afraid to goe to him; Let not the feare of thy former past sins, nor of thy continuall weak­ness be an occasion to hinder thee of thy happiness, but let the assurance of the pardon of thy sins, and the certainty of the promise to strengthen thy weakness, animate thee to goe confidently to the throne of grace. There do not imagine that thou seest thy sins stand as [Page 60] a thick cloud to keep thy prayers from ascending to the presence of thy God, nor think that through that dark cloud thou seem'st unseemly in the eyes of thy loving father; be not thou ignorant that the bright beames of his gracious favour, hath dispersed those clouds of thy sins, never to be gathered again together, before his pure eyes. Know thou, that he will not let such fear­full sights, and sad appearances, to stand in his presence, to afright his dear chosen children; No my Soul! such sights are not there; he that cals thee hath removed from thee all those things which should hinder thy pas­sage to him; or disturbe thy quiet appearance, before him. He cals thee, and bids thee be confident in his presence; He assured thee by his word that thou shalt finde his spirit strengthning thy weakness, and inabling thee to performe that which thou thoughtest impossi­ble for thee to overcome.

My Soul! he hath brought thee from thy straying er­rours, he hath inabled thee to overcome the manifold temptations of thy suttle enemy, when he would have made thee to have thought there was no God, then thy God manifested himself to thee, when he would have had thee taken pleasure in the vaine delights of this wicked world, then thy dear father having a watchfull eye, and a carefull minde over thee, sent a heavy dulnes into all the powers of thy soul & body, inforcing thee as it were to leave those earthly vanishes, because neither soul nor body could take delight in those things, which o­thers call pleasures, by reason of thy exceeding heavy dulness. Then dost thou my soul, think that a most se­vere punishment on thee from thy father, when thou sawest others injoy the blessings of thy God with great contentment; Then in the height of this distemper wert thou my soul almost brought to the pit of despair. When as the enemy pictur'd before the eyes of thy soul, the sad appearance of the anger of thy God, and still he [Page 61] [...]ersisting in his pernicious temptations, bid thee leave [...]is service, telling thee it was to no purpose to be so [...]arefull to serve him, for thy prayers were not heard, [...]hy tears not regarded, thy heaviness not removed; and [...]f Gods word be true, he hears all that cals upon him, [...]nd removeth from them their griefs. Thus subtly [...]elt my enemy with me, thinking to have in wrapt me in his hidden nets of most pernicious temp­ [...]ations. First, making me to think my God was angry, then that he heard not my prayers, and that his word was false: thus by consequence faine would he have made me to have doubted of thy being, O my eternall and ever-being Father. By these snares would he have bereft me of the hope I had in thy word, by which I was brought to know thee. Thy creatures teach us (I acknowledge O Lord) to know that there is a God, but they cannot teach us to know how to come to this God, or how to finde comfort in thee our God; 'tis onely thy word can declare to us what thou art, and thy spirit it is that must assure us, that this word is thine. It was thy selfe O Lord, who art able to performe what thou hast decreed, that hast brought this flinty heart of mine to the knowledge of thee. My Lord, I must [...]eeds confess thy powerfull working in framing this heart of mine to the belief of thy word, and thee; for before thy spirit mollified this heart of mine, thy word was to it like water gliding over the hardest marble, no whit entring or piercing the same.

My gracious Lord, thy divine Majesty in all the chan­ges and chances of my life, hath had a most peculiar care of me, for now hast thou taught me to know, that those temptations, and those perplexities, in which my soul was in, have been all disposed for the good and happiness of my Soul. Now thou makest me to know that thy word is true, and that our grief doth work for our good: for though our temptations be never so [Page 62] great, thou canst and wilt deliver thy children.

It was thy Majesty that kept me from doubting of thy being; it was thy fatherly goodnes that stupified the powers of my Soul and Body with that heavy dul­ness, not because thou wouldest punish me for my sins, no! thou didst teach me to know, that my gracious Saviour had already indur'd the punishment that my sins deserv'd; My Lord, thy Majesty did not lay that dejection on me proceeding from thy justice, but thy mercy. For my God! I must confess to thee, that which thou then didst know, for then I did love the world, more then I loved thee, and because thou wouldst have me love the pleasure that should never end; thou madst me to take no pleasure in these delights, which never end but in sorrow. That heaviness was then a bitter pill to purge my Soul from the grosse hu­mours of earthly love, that afterwards she may be made more fit and apt to receive the sweet blisse of thine e­verlasting love. This thy love to me kept me from fal­ling into the miserable pit of despaire; thy loving kind­nesse it was that moved thee to let that word of comfort with which thou sustainest thy servant St. Paul, sound ever in my ears, That thy grace should be sufficient for me without which grace of thine, I not having sufficient strength of my self, should have fallen into the gulf of e­verlasting misery. Thy love likewise kept mē constant to thee and thy service, & kept me from doing or saying that in my dispairing thoughts, that had not been fit for thy servant to doe or utter. Thy unwearied love and great wisdome it was that sent those tryals and tempta­tions to me in my youth, that thou mightest sanctifie my youth to thy service, and make me carelesse of those pleasures, that my young years were too much addicted to.

For if thy Majesty had suffered me to have run on, to have taken pleasure in those vanities, till I had been in­wrapt [Page 63] in them, and had set my whole delight in those vanishing pleasures. Then had it been more hard and grievous to me to have left them; But thou, O my Lord, didst deal more graciously with me; for before I knew what pleasures meant, thou took'st from me the [...]ove of pleasure, for which great mercy of thine, I ren­der thee most hearty thanks.

My Lord! When I consider of these thine infinite mercies, I cannot chuse but admire thy goodness, and admiring, say unto thy heavenly Majesty. O Lord, what am I that thou shouldest have such a peculiar care of me; I am not worthy to be in thy thoughts, much more unworthy to be belov'd of thee; yet it doth evi­dently appear that thou dost love me, in that thou takest off from me the love of the world; for my Lord-unless thou lovest me, thou wouldest not have cared for my love, and I know that it was in love that thou wea­ [...]nedst me from the world, because that I should love thee alone, and not the world.

The Angels Joy.

YOu blessed Angels, by my Father are we honoured to have you for our attendance. Sure your lovely faces could not but look sad when my Saviour suffered: for methinks it was a sad fight to behold, your loving Lord hang tormented on a cursed tree, and for those too, whose sins caused his torment; and then for you to hear him cry out in the bitterness of his Soul, My God, my God, Why hast thou forsaken mee? Methinks it should have so incens'd your wrath against us poor mor­tall creatures, that you should have petitioned to your All-powerfull Lord▪ that all humane flesh should have [Page 64] suffered endlesse torment, seeing they had so justly de­served it, rather then your righteous Lord should have dyed.

But whether my Soul; in the deep consideration of the undeserved suffering of thy righteous Saviour dost thou run? Shall the Angels which are our attendants be grieved at our happinesse? My Soul, wrong not those blessed spirits with such vain thoughts; for God was not pleased, nor his wrath appeased towards us till that time: Oh sad time, yet pleasant time, the time of thy most gracious dying: Sad, in respect of thy torments, O blessed Saviour; yet pleasant in respect of the unex­pressable liberty, and endless happiness, which by thy powerfull dying we obtain'd.

Oh Blessed Spirits, I cannot now thinke, that you were displeas'd with us, for your nature doth so concur with his will, that it cannot be opposite to it.

But yet God was angry; yea, to the very apprehen­sion of his onely Son, What else made him cry out so grievously, My God, Why hast thou forsaken mee? God was angry then with his Son, for us; you had rea­son then of grief for him, not anger towards him: but yet sure to see him angry with his Son, and to see his onely Son so grievously tormented, you could not but be mov'd, what then must move you? sure it could be nothing, but our sins for which he suffered.

Oh you heavenly Spirits. I finde you rejoycing, when we had our Saviour born, and sure you could not but re­joyce, when the worke of our salvation was finished, your joy was then intermingled with your sorrow, if you be capable of sorrow, for you could not but sor­row, to see your God so grievously to suffer; you could not but rejoyce, to see that they on whom you atten­ded, should be so happy, that by his death they should be admitted to injoy eternall life.

If you joy at our repentance, sure your joy at our [Page 65] [...]rgivenesse, and then was the time of our forgivenesse [...]ome, when he willingly yeelded up his life, that we [...]ight live eternally, then was our debts paid, when as [...]y now glorified body, Oh Son of glory, was debar'd [...]f the heavenly appearance, of thine eternall God­ [...]ead.

Yee blessed Angels, yee joyed in your sorrow, and [...]ot we, but our sins were hatefull to you, which were [...]he cause of his most grievous suffering.

On Earthly Love.

FRom thee, O Heaven of glorie flowes that celestiall stream, that being taken hath power to make us forgetfull of our earthly love, the which must vanish, and alone can set us free from those tormenting pas­sions.

Thou sweet stream, having cur'd us of those distem­pered passions, hast then the power to work in our hearts a more peaceable and durable affection: earthly affection, ever brings distemper, sometimes distraction; but that sweet love, which thou O pearly fountain, rai­sest in our breast, flameth in our hearts, peace, rest, joy, and it worketh a perpetuall assurance of still injoy­ing what we love, wish, or can in heart desire.

My Lord! My soule is ravisht with the contemplati­on of thy heavenly love; and I cannot chuse but infi­nitely admire thy mercies to me thine unworthy ser­vant; [Page 66] for grievous were the perturbations which I was subject to, when I was infected with the poison-bane of earthly affections, the which a time thou wert pleas'd to let reigne and tyrannize in my brest, which like a thorne in the flesh, not being drawne out, by the hand of art, lies throbbing and working torment, not onely to the place where it hath taken up its abode, but brings distemper to the whole body: So that unruly passion ha­ving taken up his place in my heart, did not onely ty­rannize there, but wrought destraction in my Soul, and bred distemper in my body; But blessed be thy Maje­stie for that distemper, for in that time of my weaknes, thou Oh all-powerfull hand, by thy most heavenly art, didst draw from my heart that tormenting passion, and by the addition of thy heavenly love, which thou didst leave in the room thereof; thou repairedst in me the breaches that that unrulie passion had made.

HOSEA 2.19. My Contract.

MY Lord! Doth not thy Majestie send thy messages of love and favour, to those that will take hold of them, and beleeve there shall be a performance of what is promis'd, Thy Word tels us, That they that beleeve in thee shall have eternall life: My Lord, I do beleeve it, and that this Message, sent by thy royal Embassador, be­longs [Page 67] to mee, aswell as to any other; [I will marry thee to mee for ever] Thou art righteous and wilt perform it; who would now refuse so great, and so good a King? I disdain not marriage, I desire it with this great Prince, who is the Prince of Kings, and at whose foot-stool they must one day lay down all their Crowns, and bring in all their riches at his command: The greatest of them must confess they hold their Scepters of him, and to him they must doe service, at his will. This is a Prince of such exact perfection, that I cannot see any thing in him any way to be dislik't. When I consider any creature, I can finde in it but little to be belov'd, but a great deal of inconvenience with it, to be dislik't; why then should I set my minde on the creature of so little worth? and not wholly have my minde intent on the Creator, who alone is excellent. Most mighty Prince, I must confess my self unworthy to be the least servant in the Court of so magnificent a King; much lesse to be one who shall have the honour to be marryed to thee; but because I doe thinke my selfe unworthy of thee, shall I be such a fool to refuse so great a fortune? No, I will not. My Lord! I now challenge thy promise, for I doe think thou hast prepared me a minde for thy selfe, for thou madst me long since to be ambitious of perfection, but when I saw it was not to bee obtain'd in this world, how slightly did I esteem of all things in it? thou having prepared my mind for thy self, by the dislike of all imperfect creatures, and the love of perfection, Thou madst me to see a clear perfection in thy self, and wroughst in me a love to thee; and because I dare not presume to the thoughts of possessing thee, thou seeing my desires, sent that comfortable message to me, and to all that doe sincerely love thee, that thou wil receive us to thy selfe, and wilt marry us to thee for ever.

The Soules Agitation.

MY great and glorious God! In what a strange agita­tion is my Soul, being assail'd by two contrary con­siderations; the one of my heavenly bliss, in which thou didst at first make me, and to which thou hast and wilt, in the fulness of time againe restore me; the other of the sordid and vile condition, in which I had by my re­bellion inwrapt my selfe. The thoughts of the first fils me with a sweet contenting joy; the consideration of the other with a hatefull detestation of my selfe; for when I record in my minde, how thou at the first mad'st me a creature of a rare composition, one part of thine owne divine spirit, the other of earth purified, by thy heavenly art, and built up fit for a Temple for thy divine greatnesse to inhabite; these thoughts fill me with a pleasing contentment. But when the considera­tion of my vile condition, in which by my too much yeelding to please my earthly companion, comes into my minde, I then hate my selfe, for I have thereby made my self subject to all painfull diseases, yea, to mortality, by my intemperance; for how justly might I have pleas'd my selfe in the lawfull and temperate use of all thy other creatures; and could not a whole world of pleasures content us, but we must take that one for­bidden? My God! I am to my selfe, a hatefull crea­ture, how much more must I needs be to thee, whose eyes can behold no impurity? but my dear Father look not now on me as I have cloath'd my self, but look on me as new arrai'd by thy blessed Son, the King of Saints.

And to settle the disturbed motion of my mind, send [Page 69] downe a beam from thy glorious divinity, that might so inlighten the eyes of my Soul, that I might now behold my selfe, as cloathed with thy self, for thou wert pleas'd to cloath thy divine nature with my mortality; that my mortall nature might be made immortall, by being joy­ned to thy divinity. My great God! these thoughts will not onely take off my hatred from my self, but I fear, if it be possible, make me too much love and admire my selfe: but it cannot be; for that bright beame from thee, makes me see my selfe, not but in thee, and with these thoughts hast thou so rais'd my Soul beyond what it was, that I see my self cloath'd with the bright white robes of thy pure innocence; for thou knowest no sin. I now look on my selfe as sacred, and on this flesh as immortall, onely because it hath spo [...]ted it selfe with sin, after thou hadst made it purer then the common earth; therefore in the earth must it be laid again to be purified till it be fit to be new built up a glorious structure for her divine companion: Then wilt thou take us both up into thy glorious habitation, where we shall not be capable of doing any thing that shall any more cause us to part from our selves or thee.

The Contempt of the World.

MY Gracious God! Doe I offend thee, if I contemn the world? I finde thy blest Apostle counting all [Page 70] but dung in respect of the knowledge of thee; then by his example I hope I offend thee not; but yet, when I consider it is thy workman-ship, which is most ex­cellent, and thou hast given it to the sons of men, I cannot but call my thoughts in question with some sus­pition of fear of offending thee; for my dear God! I confess, that what I see most desired by people, for themselves or for others, is to me most displeasing and distastefull. My powerfull God! if I doe not offend thee in it, still keep me in this minde; if I doe, root out (as it is my daily prayer) this contempt, and all things else that within me disliketh the pure eyes of thy divine Majesty.

My Lord! Somewhat to clear my selfe to the world, that I doe not offend in this point (for thou knowest my heart) I doe not contemn any thing in it, as thinking meanly of it, as thou hadst made it; My great God! thou madest all things good at the beginning, but since the making of them, the perfection of all things is much changed. Our sins altered the purity of all things in the world; then as it is made sordid, by our sins, I distaste those odde things I see pleasing to the most.

But my Lord! This may draw me into another in­convenience, and make some thinke, I thinke better of my selfe then of others, for distasting those things sully­ed with sin; But I know thou wilt answer for me, that I confess to thee that by nature I am sinfull, addicted to love those things soyled by our sins; so that it doth not make me think well of my self, but it makes me love and admire thee the more; when I see thy abundant mercy to me, in giving me a minde, so contrary to the most; for I doubt not but thou hast made many in the world as happy as thou hast made me, in giving them such a minde; For my deare Father! What do they atchieve when they attaine that here which they desire, a few conveniences, accompanied with ten thousand troubles, [Page 71] [...]ears, and distastefull cares; for I have often heard some express, how happy they should be but for such and such inconveniences, when I having food and raiment [...]ufficient, and possesse a heaven of felicity in thee, am happy without a But.

The Royal Gods.

MY Lord! With what a Title hast thou honored the Kings of the earth: I have said yee are Gods; and the Children of the most high. Thou hast given them that Ti­tle their desires pretended too, to be Gods, and to be of their race, they that knew not thee, my great God! nor from what true immortall race they sprung; yet would have the world think them to be of divine linage, and themselves to be gods. And shall not wee, who know from whom and by whom Kings reigne, think our Prin­ces to be as they are stil'd by that great King, who set them to reigne for him? God forbid, but that we should so think of them, and they of themselves. He is the great God of the world, and hath set them as lesser Gods un­der him, to governe and protect that people over which he hath plac'st them. The people must then honor their King, as a God under him, not observe or adore him above him; and hee must esteem himselfe as a God [...]oo [...]; if he be of that great immortall race he will not degenerate, but will be like to him: He will be like a fiery pillar in the night of ignorance and darknesse, to direct them which way they shall walk; and as a cloud in the day of persecution, to keep them from the pursuing adver­sary: he will my God with thee hide them under his wings, and they shall be safe under his protection: hee will be just too; punishing those who seek the destru­ction [Page 72] of thine and his people. His bowels of mercy will be extended, and he will not punish according to their deserts; and rather then destruction shall shall come to thine and their people, they will follow the example of that renowned Prince, thy first-born Son, they will with him a while leave their glory, and take up with him an humble deportment, and cry with him, Thy will be done not mine: They thus imitating thee, their great patterne, shall be blessedt by thee with eternall renown, and crow­ned by thee in immortal glory: but first thou hast said, They must dye like men.

The Rule.

MY Lord! What an infallible rule hast thou left us, to know, whether we be thine or no; for if the preach­ing of the Gospel of our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ, be to us foolishnesse, and as a thing we delight not in, we may justly feare we are to perish: but if it be esteem'd by us the power and excellent wisdom of God, which de­lights our hearts; we may be confident we shall be sav'd; for the preaching of the Gospel is to them that perish foolishnesse, but to us that are saved it is the pow­er of God, 1 Cor. 1.18.

PSALME 119.165. The Soules Peace.

MY great God! how often dost thou make us to see, and by experience to know the truth of thy most [Page 73] [...]cred Word, 'tis great peace indeed, that they possesse who love thy law: thou keepest them in such secure and pleasant pavillions, that nothing shall ofiend them, they must speak to thy praise, whom thou hast blest, and if I have been thought too mean to speake in the praise of [...]n earthly King; My God, I cannot but confess my self too mean, too ignorant to speak off, and in the praise of the Majesty of Heaven.

But Oh thou greatest and highest Ruler of all the Great on earth, under whose feet lye all their crownes of Majesty: Thou hast told us thou art no respector of persons, but thou acceptest of the prayers and praises of thy meanest creatures. Then must my Soul speak to the praise of thy Sacred Majesty, for the peace that thou hast given mee, since the time that thou hast taught mee to love thy Law; thou hast made me to delight in the multitude of peace, thou hast given me peace in thee, thy blessed Son set me at peace with thee, and I have such a peace in thee, that all the oppsition of the world cannot take from me. I am at peace with thy ser­vants, I am sure they will not hurt me; I am at peace with thy creatures, for thou hast made the stones, and beasts af the field to be at league with them that feare thy name; I passe by thy creatures, and thorow them without fear, for they are at peace with me.

But canst thou my Soul say, thou thus possessest a hap­py peace withall No, I cannot: for then they that have sought to disturbe my peace, by their odd untruths, will tell me, I said not true; for I have seen and felt their Arrows of uncivill war strike against my heart: But my God thou hast so strongly arm'd it, that their arrows have recoyl'd back, and not pierc'd my heart: How can I chuse then most blessed and sweet finger of Israel but speak in thy own words;

The Support.

MY Lord! When in my young years, the considera­tion of thy infinite mercies, had penetrated my heart. I confess there was with it, an earnest desire i [...] me to doe or suffer something, whereby I might manifest my love to thy Majesty, for those great unexpressable fa­vours that thou hast deigned to bestow on me thy un­worthy servant. But then had I no other thoughts in me, but that if the contrary Religion (which then too much abounded) had prevail'd, I then might have offer­ed up my life in flames, with devotion to manifest my love to thee: But now thou hast turn'd the tide, and art pleas'd to suffer two great powers to rise, both pro­fessing to maintain the truth of our Religion, so that now thou hast taken off my thoughts for suffering so for thy sake, but thou hast put me on another: My Lord! I will not say worse for me: for whatsoever is done by thee, with me or by me: I am confident, it is the best and fittest for me, though death to some spirits be easier to bear then reproachfull speeches: And I con­fesse with impatience heretofore did my unruly Spirit, detest reproachfull words, and thought a religious death far better: For my Lord, thou knowest what reproach­es and slanderous speeches they are subject to, that pro­fesse thy name, or declare thy mercies to them.

But let them now speak, and in their speech, declare [Page 75] their little love to thee my Lord, and their malice and spite to thy children, thou shalt set my spirit beyond the reach of their contempt, where with a holy contempt with thee, I shall laugh such fools to scorne. And now I dare not say, I am an ignorant woman, and unfit to write, for if thou wilt declare thy goodness, and thy mercy by weak and contemptible means, who can re­sist thy will. My gracious God, I will be now so farre from being unwilling to doe it, that I will not rest till I have done it, for in all ages thou wilt not leave thy selfe without a witnesse of thy mercy and goodnesse to thy children, and therefore I will send out my words to speak thy praise, and as thou hast made them comfort to some troubled mindes, so I wish they may be to more, when they shall see the truth of thy mercifull dealing with me, and how thou hast made me so happy in this world, as my heart can wish; for thou hast gi­ven me my hearts desire, and hast fulfil'd the request of my lipps; for there is not that thing in the world that I can desire more, then what thou hast given to me. For long since, my Lord, when thou hadst given me sence to see, that no earthly thing though never so ex­cellent or pleasing could give us a perfect contentment, then made I my prayer to thy divine Majesty, that thou wouldst be pleased to give me that which the world could not give; and though I confesse I did then think it was unpossible ever to possesse a true content in this world, yet my dear Father, I must now aske thee par­don for those misdoubting thoughts; for I have seen thou canst give us a joy, and a true content, beyond the expression of our souls, in this world; for when we possesse thee with, and in thy creatures, we injoy a feli­city that fils our hearts with an unexspressable delight; My Lord! when thou art pleased to manifest thy selfe unto our souls, thou bringest all that can be desired. Death that to some natures, the mention of it is bitter▪ [Page 76] to thine, thou mak'st it a pleasing companion, and with paine thou makest them pleas'd and happy, and for the bitter speeches of the world, which thy children must heare, thou mak'st us to forget or contemne them.

I must confesse to thy honour, my great King, that thou makest me not to remember the bitternesse of this life, thou answering me with such joyes in my heart, and thus wilt thou at length, my gracious God, blesse all thy children that with an upright minde, and a sin­cere heart, doe earnestly seek their happinesse alone in thee, and not from the world.

PSALME 85.10. The Perfume.

IN thee most blessed Prince, are those two excellent ingredients mix'd, which yeeld so sweet a sent to the world, that no corrupted aire of our unsavoury e­nemy is able to disperse. Thy most blessed body, the sweetest and truest perfume that ever proceeded out of the earth, was joyn'd with the odoriferous scent of righteousnesse from heaven. Blessed Ioseph, knew thy perfect body needed no imbalming; That pure Bal­sam that came from heaven at the beginning, kept thy precious body from corruption.

On the crosse was all that that was to be suffered in the body, finished, God would not suffer his holy one to see corruption; truth made hast, and sprung the third day from the earth, and righteousness shewed her selfe from heaven; in thee met mercy and truth, righ­teousnesse and peace there kissed each other. Now are [Page 77] they in thee conjoyn'd never againe to be separated. 'Tis not for ignorant man, seeing thou hast not reveal'd it, to examine what thou didd'st with thy precious soul, when thy body was in the grave. My Lord! I will not search into those secrets, kept in thine owne Cabinet: Thou hast reveal'd enough to confirme my faith, and to make me happy. Thou hast told me, That righteousnesse looked downe from heaven; I will not expect thy coming from any other place.

The Acknowledgement.

MY Omnipotent God, faine would I say something to thee, but I am afraid. But shall my woman­ish fear make thee loose thy glory; My God it must not! Thy glory must so dazle mine eyes, that I must not regard the censure of the world.

And if thou, O all-seeing eye! seest ought of my selfe, in what I write or say, restraine my hand from writing, and my tongue from speaking; but if thy glory be the intention of my heart, let not my hand and tongue be asham'd to confesse that I cannot but see those infinite blessings that thou hast bestowed on me, which thou hast not as yet bestowed on all. My Lord! I were a fool if I did not see them; I were a beast if I did not acknowledge them; but thou hast taught me to know the onely true God, and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent into the world, to take away my sins; this wisdome given me by thee, inlightens mine eyes to see thy blessings, and that I must not be like a beast which receives many favours from thee, without acknowledg­ment; Then with infinite thankes I doe acknowledge to thy glory, thou hast inriched me with a multitude of thy blessings.

[Page 78]And that I may know, that whatsoever is in me ten­ding to good, is from thee: there are times that I can­not see any thing that hath any appearance of good in me; for when, by thy mercies, I lay me down in peace to take my rest, being happy in the consideration of thy infinite mercies, and full of thy goodnes; yet in my sleep I finde my thoughts busied in nothing but a mul­titude of confused follies, and vaine imaginations, which plainly represent to me my naturall condition; that by nature I cannot think a good thought; but thou re­membring thy mercies in the morning againe, restorest to me thy gifts and graces in which I was happy the night before; So that thou makest me to lye downe in peace, and to rise with joy, when I see that thou dost each day renue to me thy heavenly gifts, for thou art to me as thou art to all that fear thee, the light of my eyes, the joy of my heart, and a Crowne of glory to my head.

My Lord! shall not these blessings of thine be ac­knowledged by me, to thy praise and glory? for fear the world should say, I were proud of them: Most peo­ple glory in something or other, and thou hast said, Let them that glory, glory in the Lord. My God! thou hast heard my prayer, that I leanrt of thy servant, that thou wouldst give me a glorying heart, and now thou makest me with him to rejoyce in the God of my Sal­vation. My Lord! experience hath taught me to know, that if I delight in earthly things, thou wilt take them from me; for thou wilt not have thy children delight in any thing more then in thy selfe. But if we love thee thou wilt manifest thy selfe to us, and wilt give us more full possession of thy desired selfe. But my beloved Lord, if after the expression of my excessive joy, for being thine, I shall through the frailty of mine owne na­ture, and thy sufferance fall into any great transgression, to make thee for a while to withdraw from me, the plea­sing [Page 79] and joyfull light of thy countenance. My tender Father, assure me that thou wilt againe restore me to the joy of thy salvation here in this world, or thou wilt in thy mercy take me to a more full possession of thee in the felicity of thy chosen, where I shall perpetually rejoyce with thy children. But to make me carefull of my selfe, let me remember thy warning, Let him tha thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

The invincible Souldier.

MY Lord, the Lord of Hosts; I being in sweet security under thy banner, cannot but acknowledge with thankes thy mercy to me, for the meanes that brought me to this felicity. Thou art mercifull to me in letting me be borne of Parents, who were listed under thy command, and to be brought up by her that did survive, who knew thy service was perfect freedom. She that was happy in being a Souldier of thine, used her authority by love, to bring her children under the obedience of that Generall, whom she serv'd, and to make me love him in my child-hood, whom her experi­ence had taught to love and admire; inforc'd me to read his Royall story, wherein I might see his victorio us conquest, who was never foil'd. There did I see his e­nemies had all their forces from him, wherewithall they resisted him. His wisdome, his power, his valour, stole into my heart a little desire to follow him. But when I came to consider what a great Prince I should serve, what impenetrable weapons and armour he had provided for me to defend my self, what rewards he had promis'd to give to all that did overcome; I began to contemn the thoughts of serving any but that victori­ous Prince of glory. And seeing great God, thou hast [Page 80] bid us take that impenetrable armour. I will not wil­lingly ever goe without it. Then dear Prince bestow on me the Girdle of Truth, and put on me the brest-plate of thy Righteousnes, and let my feet be shod with the Gospel of peace, and let me have the shield of Faith, and set on my head the Helmet of Salvation, and in­struct me how to weild the Sword of the Spirit, and when I am so arm'd, I shall not fear the fiery darts of the assailing enemies, Though they be principalities, and powers and rulers of darknes in this world; My Prince whom I serve, is a Ruler of those Rulers, and will assist me: yea the stars shall aid us in their courses against our adversaries. That bright morning star shall arise on our side, to enlighten us, and to dazle and afright our weak-sighted resisters, with his exceeding brightness. The sweet influence that flows from that over-ruling star shall make us to renew our strength, each houre to maintaine the battail: his gracious aspect will make all his fighting Souldiers victorious Conquerors, and at the length he will take them up into a Triumphant chariot of glory, to raigne with him as Kings in his Kingdome of immortall felicity, where he will place on their head a Crown of eternall glory.

On ECCLES. 9.7. Goe eat thy bread with joy, &c.

MY Dear Lord! with what a sweet and pleasing ob­ject this morning hast thou presented mine eyes, that they may deliver it to my heart, for to my heart, thou art pleas'd to speak it, and if any shall aske if that message was sent to me, I will aver it was, for they who [Page 81] by the hand of faith lay hold on the promises of God, are and shall be partakers of those promises; My hand presented that object to mine eyes, mine eyes delivered it to my heart, my heart took hold of it by the hand of faith; so that I may confidently say, It belongs both to Soul and body; And now methinks I hear my God saying to me, Go, But some may say, Goe is a word of separation, and so he will say to those that shall for ever be debar'd of his happy presence: but yet to me he sayes, Go, but it is not from him, but with him, to that blessed place from which Adam fell; and I am sure it is not from him, but with him; for from him is hell, but here is joy and gladnesse to my heart, and delicacy of cloathing, and in his presence is the fulnesse of joy and at his right hand is life everlasting. But did I say it is to that place from which Adam fell; my thoughts then hover'd too neer the earth; it is to heaven my God bids me goe with him; for I must eat my bread with joy, and drink my wine with a merry heart, and let my garments be alwayes white, and my head must want no odoriserous oyntment, for God accepts thy workes.

My Lord! When I consider that those words were spoken to those whose works thou acceptest: My confi­dence is somewhat shaken; whether or no those words were spoken to me, for thou art a God of pure eyes, and canst not behold iniquity. I am a creature unclean, defil'd with originall and actuall sin. How then canst thou O God accept my workes, for unclean hands de­file what they touch.

But stagger not my soul, nor doubt; for now to my memory is presented, that to the house of David was a fountain set open, for sin, and for uncleannesse: Hast thee thither my soul, that thou maist be clean, for thou needst not doubt, but that fountain belongs to thee; for from eternity by election wert thou affianc'd to [Page 82] him, that was to be the immortall son of David, and so thou being of his linage, the priviledge of that fountain must belong to thee: yea my Soule, thou hast heard himselfe cry out; If any thirst let him come to him and drinke, and out of him shall flow rivers of living wa­ter.

I wil not stay, but will hast and run to thee O blessed fountain of life, and I will drinke abundantly of that de­sired water, that shall make me capable of so great a blisse, and purge me clean from my actuall and originall pollutions, so that my God may accept my works, and I goe with confidence to eat my bread and drinke my wine with a merry heart.

But stay my Soul! dost thou thinke to run to hea­ven in a full career of felicity and pleasure; thou canst not but remember that the servants of God, have eaten the bread of affliction, and drunke the wine of astonish­ment, and mingled their drinke with their tears; this was their portion heretofore; I confesse it was so, but I finde in this message at (now) which cals to my minde that there was a time when I could not do so; for when I lay polluted in the deformity of my sins, and had my hands foul with the poison of mine iniquities; 'tis no wonder, if then our bread be the bread of affliction, and our wine the wine of astonishment, and how can we chuse but mingle our drinke with our tears, when we feed our selves with those hands which we have washt in poison? how can we chuse but thinke that that bread must end us here, and carry us from a fearfull life in this world to be tormented in a hideous place of misery for ever.

On [...]y God! How can they either eat or drink with contentment, who have not first sought out that foun­taine wherein they may wash themselves clean from that dreadfull poison: But my Soul, have heard thee [...]ay, thou wouldst hast to that pure stream, and wash thee [Page 83] cleane from thine iniquities, and thou being clean, maist now goe and possesse those free liberties.

My Soul, Thou must now flee to heaven, and there eat that living bread, and drinke that wine of life, which cannot be taken but with excessive joy, so that out of them shall flow rivers of living waters; springs of joy shall rise in thee, and streams of thanks and praise shall flow from thee, to thy dear God, for his infinite blessings; these will be to thee rivers of life.

And from heaven my soul maist thou take those white garments with which thou maist always be cloath'd, for his garments were white and glistering: then aske for those robes of purity that are his, for thou maist be sure thou shalt obtaine; and being cloath'd in those gar­ments thou needst not fear thou sholdst ever be found naked or unseemly drest, for thou shalt be gloriously habited, because God will make thy righteousnes in him as clear as the light, and thy just dealing as the noon day; and now my Soul thou loving and desiring those garments of righteousnesse, needst not fear that thy head shall want any precious ointment; for if thou with and in that great King, lovest right and hatest ini­quity; God, even thy God will annoint thee with the oyle of gladnes.

And now my Soul, Thou seest the priviledges that are presented to thee in this speech: but thou saidst ere-while, it belonged to thy body too; I confesse it did, but my thoughts were so taken up with the considera­tion of the infinite felicity of my Soul, that I had al­most forgot my body; and truly did not she accord to the action of my Soul, and desire with her onely to be happy by the priviledges that adhere to her by rea­son of my Soul, I would never seek to content her, nor regard any priviledges that belongs to her, but she is an assenting companion to my Soul, and an instrument to convey the promises of God to her, and shall here­after [Page 84] be a perfect glorious companion with her in eter­nall blisse, I will now regard the priviledges that belong to her in this message: And though I thought tha [...] place from which Adam fell too mean for the felicity o [...] my Soul, yet for my body it is a place sufficiently consi­derable; and seeing the benefits that were lost by the first Adam, are all, with many more restor'd to thee by the second: My body, thou maist goe with my Soul, and eat thy temporall bread with joy, and drinke thy wine with a merry heart, and thy garments may be pleasant and delighting, and thy head want no odorife­rous ointment, for our bountiful and liberall God, hath given us many creatures for pleasure and delight, as well as for necessity; but 'tis with a restraint, our bo­dies are of Adams race, we must not touch that which is forbidden; thou maist use them all with an innocen­cy, not with any sinister end, or to thinke to make thy selfe like a God, by them or with them; but thou maist lawfully use them all to praise thy God, for them and with them.

Thus my body, thou seest thou art happy with my Soule, and my Soul is happy in thee, and you shall be both glorious together in Heaven; and now my heart can wish no greater blisse on earth, but my tongue must ever say,

Ambition.

MY Lord, I will not [...]inely desire to pry into thy Ca­binet of secrets, to finde out what was the reason, why thou didst cast down those sometime bright Angels in Heaven, now tormenting & tormented spirits in hel; but I have heard that some have thought that it was for having too ambitious and too high desires.

My Lord! Could their desires be rais'd higher then are mine? for I confesse mine reach unto thy Throne; Nothing will now satisfie me, but to be inthron'd with thee in glory. I am grown so confident too, that I aver those high desires in me to be lawfull, and know that for them thou wilt not cast me from thee, but wilt in­throne me with thee,

My Lord! I see 'tis dangerous to doe any thing in thy service without a command, or a message from thee: For I see many things done by thy command, blest with felicity, when without, punisht with misery. I finde no command given them for such desires; but methinkes I hear that blest Apostle of thine, When returned from his heavenly rapture, cals to me, and tels me from thee, that I must seek those things that are above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God, and that my life is hid in Christ with thee: so that now I seeking to attaine my high desires, made lawfull by thy command, am not onely placed on thy Throne, by thee, but I am in thee; and those rebellious Spirits that sought to obtain their ambitious desires, without thy commands, are not onely cast out of thy blessed presence, but also are for ever to be tormented in eternall misery.

MY God! I will not doe good on earth to shine with thee in glory: But because I will shine with thee in glory, I will doe good on earth.

Ʋpon Peters denyall.

SAint Peter! How well had it been, hadst thou spoke and kept thy word; for why shouldst thou be offen­ded at thy good Master; he telling thee that himselfe should be smitten, you should but be scattered: Had he told you that you should be smitten, and he separa­ted from you, there might have been some reason, you might have been offended; but when himselfe was to be smitten, and for your sakes too, to secure you from eternall destruction; Methinks the offence was taken on the contrary side. But if in thy family, it was so taken, thou strict Prince of perfection, no wonder if it be so in families of looser libertie, and full of imperfection. I doe not wonder to hear thee say, Thou wilt not be of­fended, but I wonder that thou were not over-joyed to hear him telling thee, that for all he should so suffer, yet he would after he was risen, goe before you into [Page 87] [...]alille. Methinks, I should hear you filling the world [...]ith songs of thanks-giving, for joy of that Kingdome [...]e hath promised you, from his Father, and for the assu­ [...]nce he gave you of his resurrection; rather then hear [...]ee denying such a powerfull and loving Master, with [...]athes. My Lord! Let me, with him, not be ashamed [...]o professe thee; but keep me from the shame of de­ [...]ying thee, or if thou maist gain glory by my fall, give [...]e with him, abundance of teares, and a heart and [...]ongue to confesse my fault to thee, and to the world, [...]hat thou and they may see with him, my repentance.

My Redemption acknowledged.

MY Lord! Hast thou spoken it, and shall it not be performed? It is impossible? Thou the Ruler of [...]ll the world, hast by thy blessed Prophet, bid, that [...]hey which are redeemed by the Lord, declare with praise, how he hath redeemed them from the hand of the oppressor, rather then thy word should not be ful­ [...]l'd to thy faithful friend; Thou vvilt raise him children [...]ut of the dust of the earth, rather then this command not be performed, thou vvilt raise me who am as one out of the dust to be one of them, that must declare vvith praise, hovv thou hast delivered me from the hands of mine enemies. And though I finde it a thing now adays done but by few; and so by doing it, may make my self a wonder, and ridiculous to the world, and some o­ther womanish reasons, that might detaine me from it; yet I cannot but know thou hast redeemed me [...] and I must confesse, it was thou alone, my great God that hast done it, for it was none but the great God, and Ruler of the world, that could deliver me [...] of the Lands of that great enemy of mine, and of all man-kind; [Page 88] that Prince that rules in the aire, who goes about like roaring Lyon, seeking each minute to devour us: O [...] of the arms and power of that fiery enemy, hast tho [...] unparalel'd Conqueror delivered me, else had I bee [...] led captive to his will; For that great deliverance [...] thine, my Soul shall render thee continuall praise: I was thou, O great Prince of life and death, that trium­phed over death, thou only canst deliver me from th [...] feare of death, and make me imbrace it with a Heave [...] of contentment. It is onely thou my Lord, who alon [...] dost arise to them that fear thy name, with healing i [...] thy wings, canst, and hast cur'd me of, (to man) uncu­rable diseases. Thou hast cur'd me too of the plague o [...] my own heart.

PSALME [...] Thou hast compast me about with Songs of Deliverance.

BLessed King! Well maist thou say, Thou shouldst b [...] compast about with Songs of deliverance, when th [...] Lord of Hosts was thy hiding place; with him are n [...] Complainers; in his presence is nothing but joy; thos [...] that are under the protection of his pleasant wings, can­not but have their hearts full of excessive joy, which [Page 89] moves their tongues to sing songs of praises and thanks­giving to their great and powerfull protector for deli­vering them out of all their troubles; needs must thou be compassed about with Songs of delight, thou couldst not chuse but sing thy Self too, those Songs thou did­dest teach to thy chief Singers; that they might in­close thee in the sweet aire of delighting praises, and with thee my Soule must desire to sing, when with thee I am so protected.

Saint Stephen.

GOd can make our faces to shine like Angels to daunt our enemies; and he here can make us to see his face to shine in glory, to comfort our Souls: Why then should we fear our fiercest enemies; why then should we not be confident of the aide of our loving and powerfull God.

MY Soul being plac'st on the wings of contemplati­on, with them raises me to the Regions of feli­city.

The foundation and felicity.

MY great God! Thou that hast aided me in laying the foundation of assurance, assist me still now [...]owring [Page 90] in the turrets of contentment; and let all know, that they can never with safety ascend the turrets of de­lighting contentment; if they have not first laid the true foundation of assurance.

Ʋpon the Temptation of the doubting of Heaven.

MY Soul! Though that subtle enemy of thine, and of all men, doe seek to seduce thee, by his insinua­ting perswasions, to doubt of that unexpressable and immortall felicity of thy Soul and body: yet my Soule, faint not! For if the holy Writ be true, thy felicity is certaine; the which my gracious God I doe most confidently believe, to be the written word of the God of all the world, by whose word and will, I, and this FabriCk were created; though that pernicious enemy, seeks to perswade me that it is a fancy of a stu­dious braine, and writ to keep people in awe to human obedience. And because nothing doth please our Souls, but the thoughts of eternall blisse, nor afright them, but the dread of eternall punishment, therefore have they fained a heaven for reward of the vertuous, and a hell for punishment of the disobedient; and that those felicities, of which I have written, are but fictions of my owne braine, and somewhat like they that invented it, and partly taken out of it.

But my gracious God, keep me, that I fall not by these temptations, but let me know why he is, and hath been so busie in drawing me to doubt of thy being, and of that glorious heaven, which I do notwithstanding his temptations, believe I shall possesse with thee.

My God is it to draw me to a loose liberty of my life, [Page 91] and so by disobeying thee, I might live in fear of being cast out of thy favour to eternall punishment? if so! I will tell him, that he may cease his labour: for if that which I beleeve to be the holy word of God, be a fancy of any braine, it is so just and pleasing to my soul, that with all my power and might; I will endeavour to lead my life according to the direction of that exact and roy­all Law; and so hatefull is any thing to me that is con­trary to it, that when thorow my frailty I doe what in it is forbidden, I am hatefull to my selfe, till I am as­sured that that offence be washed from me, and that something within me assures me, that the breach of that transgression, is pardon'd. This is a strong argument to me against that temptation, and of the divinity and e­ternity of my Soul; for if my Soul were not to be eter­nally either happy or miserable, why should the ex­pectation of eternall misery, trouble me, and the assu­rance of eternall blisse so exceedingly joy me. Tempter goe! Reason and experience teacheth us to see, that likenesse breeds love; our Souls, our minds (for such things there are) can never love nor delight in what is not; but our Souls affect eternall glory, then sure such a thing there is: but be it so, or be it not, such a thing is presented to our consideration, and if I am not to live a life of eternall blisse hereafter; yet for the hap­pinesse of my present life, I will so neer as I can run in the paths that lead to that heaven, which I so much af­fect, that I might live with a confident hope that I shall possesse it, for nothing can truely satisfie my Soul, but a heaven of eternity, and with these thoughts I can live on earth in a heaven of felicity.

Tempter! Thou art like to loose thy labour, for I must take up that resolution, not to live a sensuall and vicious life; for if I have no grace, such a life is hate­full to my disposition, and such a life would not I live, were there no God to give blessednesse, or no Devil to [Page 92] torment. But one thing more I have now to tell thee; I in the Sanctuary of the great God of all the world, presenting my petitions to him, that by something I might be assur'd that thy wicked suggestions to make me doubt of his being, were false, I was directed to consider the glorious Sun, which then shined bright in mine eyes; so that I plainly see, that great God, of whose being thou wouldst have me doubt, doth aid and assist me against thy wicked temptations: for it can­not be but a great God, that can make and governe so glorious and so great a light, the God that made that, made me; that God I did offend in my first parents, and since in my owne person, but to him am recon­ciled in his first borne Son Jesus Christ, who is God and man, and for his sake shall I possesse a Kindome of feli­city here, and at the last a Kingdome of eternall glory.

On the Sun-rising.

AS the appearance of the Sun-beams, disperseth the clouds of darkness, which brings sadness to the earth: so let the bright shining beams of thy Spirit, O heavenly Son of light disperse the clouds of darke de­spairing thoughts and vaine imaginations, the which do darken the brightness of my Soul, and bring sadness to my heart. Let them purifie and raise my minde, that I may still be singing praise, and let me ever say.

Heaven upon Earth.

MY Lord! Though thou wilt not take me from earth to live in Heaven with thee; yet thou comming [...]rom heaven to live on earth with me, makes me on [...]arth to live in heaven with thee.

The Temple.

MY God! Is my body the Temple of the Holy Ghost? What Palace can there be in this small Fabrick, fit [...]o entertaine so great a Prince; yet thou hast said, If my love thee, thy Father will love them, and thou, and [...]ee, and thy holy spirit, which cannot be separated [...]rom thee, will come and make thy abode with him. My Lord and King! thou knowest I love thee, for [...]ong since I was willing to have left the world, and all [...]he blessings that thou hast given me in it, to have gone to live with thee: but what talke I, leaving the world to come to live with thee. Thou art come into [...]he world to live with mee and in me. But my great Lord, where in me, shall I finde thee; hast thou in­ [...]hron'd thy selfe in my heart, give me then thy assist­ance, that no proud imagination, for my own greatnes, may arise to disinthrone thee, and make the distaste that habitation; but be thou in my heart, ever atten­ded by sweet humility and humble obedience. Let all the members of my body be imployed in thy service; Let my hands administer to thy Saints, and not stretcht [...]ut to covetousnesse. Let my feet be swift to run in the wayes of thy commandements, and not to shed in­nocent blood: or if in my head thou hast taken up thy [Page 94] seat, there let humility attend on thee too, or I sha [...] fear thou wilt goe from me; for thou resistest th [...] proud: but though thou beest high, and instabitest e­ternity, yet thou, O great Prince will dwell with th [...] humble. Then in my head, and in all that belong to [...] doe thou finde humble obedience, that there I migh [...] retaine thee. Let not mine eyes have any proud look nor be windows to lett in vanity, but let them be eve [...] looking to the hils from whence cometh my salvation▪ Let not my tongue which thou hast given me to serv [...] thee, be imployed to back-bite or defame any th [...] least of thy children, or any one; for how know I who ar [...] thine, or who not, but let my tongue be ever speakin [...] to thy praise and glory; and let the words of mout [...] be accptable in thy sight; nor let mine ears listen t [...] any idle or unseemly discourse, that may displease th [...] divine Majesty, and let my nostrils be ever filled wit [...] the sweet savour that comes from thy heavenly gar­ments: So if all the faculties of my body be imploye [...] by my Soul, humbly to serve thee, I shall live and ex­presse a glorying heart, because I know this body is th [...] Temple of the Deity.

The true Object of Love.

MY Lord! When thou wert pleas'd to take my thoughts quite off from the world, I was directed to regard that place, where thou bidst us cease from man, for wherein is he to be accounted of, for his breath is in his nostrils, yet he a creature after thine owne i­mage, and the excellentest of all thy workman ship on earth yet this rare creature, his love, his hatred not to be regarded, for thou canst in an instant take away that [Page 95] thin fume of life, and then what power hath he to love or hate. My Lord! He is indeed a most contemptible creature in respect of thee. But when my Soul enters into the consideration of thy greatnesse and deep a­bisse of thy endlesse power and mercy. My Soul is struck dumbe, and knows not what to say, but silence giving me opportunity to consider of thy infinite love to me, power, forme, beauty and excellency, in, and about thee; my Soul is wounded with a deep affection to­wards thee, and love cannot, will not be silent: And [...]ow my great and powerfull God, was it not enough for thee, to make so great and beautifull a structure for me, and for all men; but when I had run from thee, by my disobedience into the territories and torment­ing arms of my enemy, for thee, O most glorious Prince of eternall blisse, to leave thy Kingdome where thou [...]ert attended by a multitude of bright Angels, and blessed Saints, which continually sing thy praises with [...]heir heavenly voices; for thee to leave such transcen­dent delights, to take on thee my frail flesh, and come [...]o me, and subject thy selfe to all the contempts that [...]n insulting enemy could impose: had nor this been enough to have manifested an unanswerable love to so contemptible a creature, but thou, My dear Prince I who wouldest set a perfect patterne of humility and [...]ove, for all that were thine to follow for love to mee, [...]hou wert content to dye, and the most painfull and ig­ [...]ominious death that could be inflicted on the mean­ [...]st person: Thou who wert serv'd by all the world, was [...]leas'd thus to serve for me, and to dye, to save me from [...]ternall death; and before I knew into what torment­ [...]ng habitation I had plung'd my selfe by my rebellion, [...]hou wert pleas'd to declare to me how thou hadst re­ [...]eem'd me out of those most cruel inthralments, by [...]hy willingly yeelding to dye for me; for none could [...]ave power, O great Prince of Heaven and earth, to [Page 96] have taken away thy life, hadst thou not laid it down [...] of thine owne accord thou wert please to tell me too though I live here among thy enemies and mine, yet [...] should not be afraid of them, for they can but kill my body, and that too not without thy leave, for none ca [...] take thy children out of thy hand, unlesse thou ar [...] pleas'd to deliver them into the hand of their persecu­tors, and by that fiery Chariot to convey us to that im­mortall Kingdome, which thou hast promised to thou that beleeve on thee; where we shall receive from th [...] hand the beautifull Crowne of our eternall glory. [...] my God! Who can chuse but be ravisht with thy unfa [...] ­dom'd mercy, and unexpressable love to thy poor, ye [...] by thee inriched creatures. My dear Prince! Wha [...] shall I doe, to let all the world know what engage­ments my Soul hath to thee. I do wish it were in my power, as in my desires, that all the world may sing Ha­lalujahs to thee for the saving of my Soul from tha [...] cruel adversary, and for the glory that thou wilt inve [...] her in, and that they would sing publick praises unt [...] thee, for thy mercies to themselves too: would tha [...] were their imployment, then should not thy service be so much slighted, nor thy name so much dishonoured nor thy servants so much contemn'd; But

Rom. 12.1.

MY Lord! I cannot plead ignorance, for I must con­fesse I have often read it, and knew that I was to [...]er up my self a living sacrifice to thy Majesty, and to [...]ve my selfe wholly to thy disposing, and not to have [...]y sequestred thoughts from thee, dedicated to mine [...]wn ends, in either my actions, words or thoughts: but [...]y dear Father, I now plainly see the necessity of entring [...]to thy Courts, to hear thee, most gracious Prince [...]eake to us by thy Embassadors; And I, nor any other [...]ught to say; what should I go thither, to hear a man [...]ell me, but what I knew before? But my Lord, thy Ordi­ [...]nces are powerfull, and thou workest more effectually [...]n our hearts for the most part, by the preaching of [...]y word from them, then by our own reading and stu­ [...]y, and now I begin to suspect, I have not offered up my [...]lse so exactly to thee, as I should; for me thought, [...]e besought me from thee, to offer up my self a living [...]acrifice, wholly and acceptably to thee, My Lord! I [...]ave heretofore long since given my selfe to thee by [...]ierce meals; but I fear, reserving something from thee, [...]nd if offering my selfe wholly to thee, be but a reaso­ [...]oble serving of thee, sure when I reserved any thing [...]om thee, that service was contemptible: But graci­ [...]us Father, pardon all that heretofore I have done a­ [...]isse in thy service, for now I doe give up my selfe wholly to thee; But how shall I dare to say my self, I [...]are not appeare by my selfe in thy presence, yet with, [...]nd in my self I may; Thou hast taught me out of thy [...]oyall story, to know that thou hast given me that Princely Son of thine, I cannot chuse but accept so [...]ich a present; then seeing he is mine, and I am his, I am confident to present my selfe to thee, with and in [Page 98] him; My Lord, thou canst not but take the care [...] me, now I have given my selfe wholly to thee; th [...] gracious Father let me live without fear of falling fr [...] thee; for if I fall from thee, wilt not thou loose pa [...] of thy glory? My Lord, I know it stands not wi [...] thine honour to let that perish which is committed i [...] to thy hands; then sith I have commited my self wh [...] ­ly to thee, let me with confidence sit downe and re [...] and fear no evill,

Ʋpon Adams fall.

MY Dear God! did thy Majesty make Adam wi [...] before he fell, then any man; or hast thou si [...] his fall given man the gift of Faith, or had he no nee [...] of Faith, or did Adam not beleeve thee the maker [...] all things, so much as we beleeve each other? Su [...] Adam did not beleeve thee, when thou toldst him th [...] the day he should eat of that tree, he should dye t [...] death. We thinke men wise when they avoid what [...] told them will hurt them. I finde Adam not so wi [...] and if one tell us, Mercury will cause our death, w [...] that are called the depraved Sons of Adam, will not ea [...] it, if we be in our right senses, though the purenesse [...] the colour may tempt us, and it be onely a morta [...] man that tels us so, who neither made it, nor eve [...] try'd it. Adam beleev'd not the O Lord, who made that tree, and gavest the nature to it; O Adam, wha [...] made thee to eat of that tree, hadst thou not this grea [...] world full of all pleasures to content thee, a beautifu [...] healthfull active body, a minde indued with all exce [...] ­lent and pleasing knowledge: No where couldst tho [...] cast thine eye but it had pleasing objects: nothin [...] [Page 99] couldst thou tast, but it was delicious; no troubled mind, no distracted thoughts, to take thee one minute, from these delights, or cause thee to wish a change. Oh what then was it? But now I must check my selfe; Great God pardon me, I now sin with Adam, whiles I am in­quiring why Adam [...]inn'd: he would know what he should not, I what I cannot; Thou hadst made him so wise as was sufficient for any mortall man; and hadst given him such qualities of his Soul as were requisite to have made him for ever happy, in that blessed condi­tion. Frail Adam, I will no more examine, whether thou hadst faith or no, or whether thou didst thinke to have been happier by what was kept from thee, then in possessing what was so plentifully given to thee.

Great God, I will content my self to know thou hadst made him at first in a happy condition, and us so in him; and will be patient now I see my selfe in a worse: because thou hast given me faith to beleeve I shall be in a better. And as Adam made himselfe unhappy by expecting to be happier; So I shall be more happy by beleeving I shall be gloriously perfect hereafter.

Security in Danger.

MY Lord! When with that blessed servant of thine I send up to thee my petitions for security against those that rise up against us; Let me receive his assu­rance that thou hearest me out of thy holy hill, and let me say with him, I will lay me downe and also sleep in peace, for thou Lord onely makest me dwell in safe­ty. I will not be afraid, of ten thousand of people, that should beset me round about; for seeing it hath pleas'd thee to let me be in a Kingdome of division, though blessed be thy name who hath yet preserv'd me, I am now in a place of peace, yet for ought I know I might to [Page 100] morrow be incompassed with ten thousand enemies, though not to me in particular, yet to those among whom I am now in safety: But if thou art pleas'd I shall be so inclos'd, then let not me be afraid of them, shr thou canst preserve me, either by destroying those that would harme me, or by letting me finde favour in the sight of mine enemies, or by their hands canst thou send me to thy blessed Tabernacle of security, where I shall never need any more to send up prayers for deli­verance, but shall alwayes sing praises to thee, for ha­ving so many wayes to deliver me.

The Royall Priest-hood.

PEace! Present now no more to me (to take my spi­rit from the height of felicity) that I am a creature of a weaker sex, a woman. For my God! If I must live after the example of thy blessed Apostle, I must live by faith, and faith makes things to come, as present, and thou hast said by thy servant, that we shall be like thy blessed Son: then thou wilt make all thy people as Kings and Priests, Kings are men, and men are Kings; And Souls have no sex; the hidden man of the heart, makes us capable of being Kings; for I have heard it is that within makes the man; then are we by election capable of as great a dignity as any mortall man; But thoughts of mortals! now Adieu; I will close the eyes of my Soul, to mortality, and will not open them but to eternity; seeing that by thy grace and faith in thee, thou hast made us partaker of thy divine nature, by thy assistance I will live by faith; I will no more [Page 101] now see my self as mortall, but as an immortall King will I begin to live, that hidden man never dies, but when mine immortall King, that plac'st me in this King­dome of felicity with him; shall see it fit time, he will raise me on a triumphant Chariot, compos'd of the wings of bright Angel, to his immortall Kingdome of Glory, where I shall reigne with him for all eternity, and never more desire to change. And as a Royall Priest must I be to thee; ever offering up the sweet incense of my praises to thy divine Majesty, for thy in­finite mercies to me, thy unworthy servant.

The secure Pavillion.

MY God, Thy children need not now pray that those lips may be put to silence that speak grievous things against them; they have long since had a freind, and thou a servant, that sent up his petitions to thee for that, and as if he been ravisht with a present an­swer from thee, he cryes out; O how great is thy good­nesse, that thou hast laid up in store for them that fear thee, before the Sons of men, that would dishonour thy servants. And now he hath brought us so pleasing a message from thee, that it is no wonder if we with disregard slight those unsavory words which we hear. And now look here all you who shall any way slight or annoy his children, by your odd speeches; they are plac'st above your reach, for God will laide them in the secret of his presence, from the pride of men, he will keep them secretly in his Pavilion, from the strife of tongues, you may shoot, but your aime must be a­bove your head, if you think to hit them, and when you have shot, your arrows cannot reach them, but they may light where you would not have them, on your own heads.

A Question.

MY God! What businesse on earth is worth detain­ing a Soul from Heaven, that is prepar'd with de­sire to come from earth, to live in heaven with thee.

Palmer! Why told you me, God hath something here remarkable for mee to doe, before I leave the earth; else could I have laid downe my head each night, with expectation of a mornings rise in heaven; now I doe lay it downe onely with a contenting joy, that I am his, and that when his will is done with me, or by me here; I shall then goe to possesse tha Heaven which onely can content the desire of my immortall Soul: Had you not told me so, I might have hop'd, that excessive joy, for the glory which I shall possesse, might have rais'd me to that blisse to which I doe a­spire. My God, my Soul breaths after thee, and can­not be satisfied, till she comes to a full possession of thee.