Part 2

As in the time of Winter The Earth doth fruitlesse and barren lie, Till the Sun his course doth run Through Aries, Taurus, Gemini; Then he repayres what Cold did decay, Drawing superfluous moistures away, And by his luster, together with showers, The Earth becoms fruitful & plesant with flowers That what in winter seemed dead, Thereby the Sun is life discovered.

So though that in the Winter Of sharp Afflictions, fruits seem to dy, And for that space, the life of Grace Remayneth in the Root only; Yet when the Son of Righteousnesse clear Shall make Summer with us, our spirits to chear, Warming our hearts with the sense of his favour, Then must our flowers of piety savour, And then the fruits of righteousnesse We to the glory of God must expresse.

And as when Night is parted; The Sun ascending our Hemisphear, Ill fumes devouers, and opes the powers Which in our bodies are, and there He drawes out the spirits of moving and sence As from the center, to the circumference; So that the exterior parts are delighted, And unto mocion and action excited, And hence it is that with more delight We undergo labor by day then by night.

So though a Night of Sorrows May stay proceedings in piety Yet shall our light like morning bright Arise out of obscurity, Then when the Sun that never declines Shall open the faculties of our mindes, Stirring up in them that spirituall mocion Whereby we make towards God with devocion When kindled by his influence Our Sacrifice is as pleasing incense.

Now when we feel Gods favour And the communion with him we have, Alone we may admit of joy As having found what most we crave, Store must we gather while such gleams do last Against our tryalls sharp winterly blasts So dispairacion shall swallow us never, Who know where God once loves, there he loves ever Though sence of it oft wanting is Yet still Gods mercies continue with his.

So soon as we discover Our souls benummed in such a case, We may not stay, without delay We must approach the Throne of Grace, First taking words to our selves to declare How dead to goodnesse by nature we are, Then seeking by him who for us did merit To be enliv'd by his quickening Spirit, Whose flame doth light our spark of Grace, Whereby we may behold his pleased face.

From whence come beams of comfort, The chiefest matter of tru Content, Who tast and see, how sweet they be, Perceive they are most excellent, Being a glimce of his presence so bright, Who dwelleth in unapproachable light: Whoso hath happily this mercy attayned, Earnest of blessednesse endlesse hath gayned, Where happinesse doth not decay There Spring is eternall, and endlesse is day.

A Song declaring that a Christian may finde tru Love only where tru Grace is.

No Knot of Friendship long can hold Save that which Grace hath ty'd, For other causes prove but cold VVhen their effects are try'd; For God who loveth unity Doth cause the onely union, Which makes them of one Family Of one mind and communion.

Commocions will be in that place, VVhere are such contraries, As is inniquity and grace, The greatest enimies, Whom sin doth rule shee doth command To hold stiff opposicion Gainst grace and all the faithfull band Which are in her tuision.

This is the cause of home debates, And much domestick woes, That one may find his houshold mates To be his greatest foes, That with the Wolfe the Lamb may 'bide As free from molestacion, As Saints with sinners, who reside In the same habitacion.

By reason of the Enmity Between the womans Seed And mans infernall enimy, The Serpent and his breed, The link of consanguinity Could hold true friendship never, Neither hath neare affinity United freinds for ever.

For scoffing _Ishmael_ will scorn His onely true born brother: _Rebeckahs_ sonns together born Contend with one another, No bond of nature is so strong To cause their hearts to tarry In unity, who do belong To masters so contrary.

The wicked ordinarily Gods dearest children hate, And therfore seek (though groundlesly) Their credits to abate, And though their words and works do show No colour of offences Yet are their hearts most (they trow) For all their good pretences.

And those that strongest grace attain, Whereby sin is vanquished, By Sathan and his cursed train Are most contraried; Because by such the Serpent feeles, His head to be most bruised, He turnes and catches at their heeles, By whom he is so used.

His agents he doth instigate, To vex, oppose, and fret, To slander and calumniate, Those that have scap't his net, Who servants are so diligent, That like to _Kain_ their father They whose works are most excellent They mischiefe will the rather.

Yet there are of the gracelesse crew Who for some private ends Have sided with prefessors tru As trusty pious friends, But to the times of worldly peace Their friendship was confined. Which when some crosses caus'd to cease The thred of league untwined.

Such friends unto the _Swallow_ may Be fitly likened, Who all the plesant Summer stay But are in Winter fled: They cannot 'bide their freind to see, In any kind of trouble, So pittyfull (forsooth) they bee That have the art to double.

Such will be any thing for one Who hath of nothing need, Their freindship stands in word alone, And none at all in deed, How open mouth'd so e're they are, They bee as closely handed, Who will (they know) their service spare, They're his to be commanded.

Therefore let no true hearted one Reliefe at need expect, From opposits to vertue known, Who can him not afect: For his internall ornaments, Will ever lovely make him Though all things pleasing outward sence Should utterly forsake him.

In choise of Freinds let such therefore Prefer the godly wise, To whom he may impart the store That in his bosome lies: And let him not perniciously Communicate his favours, To all alike indifferently, Which shewes a mind that wavers.

Gods children to each other should Most open hearted bee; Who by the same precepts are rul'd, And in one Faith agree, VVho shall in true felicity, Where nothing shall offend them Together dwell eternally, To which I do commend them.

Another Song exciting to spirituall Mirth.

The Winter being over In order comes the Spring, Which doth green Hearbs discover And cause the Birds to sing; The Night also expired, Then comes the Morning bright, Which is so much desired By all that love the Light; This may learn Them that mourn To put their Griefe to flight. The Spring succeedeth Winter, And Day must follow Night.

He therefore that sustaineth Affliction or Distresse, Which ev'ry member paineth, And findeth no relesse; Let such therefore despaire not, But on firm Hope depend Whose Griefes immortall are not, And therefore must have end: They that faint With complaint Therefore are too blame, They ad to their afflictions, And amplify the same.

For if they could with patience A while posesse the minde, By inward Consolacions They might refreshing finde, To sweeten all their Crosses That little time they 'dure; So might they gain by losses, And harp would sweet procure; But if the minde Be inclinde To Vnquietnesse That only may be called The worst of all Distresse.

He that is melancolly Detesting all Delight, His Wits by sottish Folly Are ruinated quite; Sad Discontent and Murmors To him are insident, Were he posest of Honors, He could not be content: Sparks of joy Fly away, Floods of Cares arise, And all delightfull Mocions In the conception dies.

But those that are contented However things doe fall, Much Anguish is prevented, And they soon freed from all; They finish all their Labours With much felicity, Theyr joy in Troubles savours Of perfect Piety, Chearfulnesse Doth expresse A setled pious minde Which is not prone to grudging From murmoring refinde.

Lascivious joy I prayse not, Neither do it allow, For where the same decayes not No branch of peace can grow; For why, it is sinister As is excessive Griefe, And doth the Heart sequester From all good: to be briefe, Vain Delight Passeth quite The bounds of modesty, And makes one apt to nothing But sensuality.

This song sheweth that God is the strength of his people, whence they have support and comfort.

My straying thoughts, reduced stay, And so a while retired, Such observacions to survay VVhich memory hath registred, That were not in oblivion dead.

In which reveiw of mentall store, One note affordeth comforts best, Cheifly to be preferd therfore, As in a Cabinet or Chest One jewell may exceed the rest.

God is the Rock of his Elect In whom his grace is incoate, This note, my soule did most affect, It doth such power intimate To comfort and corroberate.

God is a Rock first in respect He shadows his from hurtfull heat, Then in regard he doth protect His servants still from dangers great And so their enimies defeat.

In some dry desart Lands (they say) Are mighty Rocks, which shadow make, Where passengers that go that way, May rest, and so refreshing take, Their sweltish Wearinesse to slake.

So in this world such violent Occasions, find we still to mourn. That scorching heat of Discontent VVould all into combustion turn And soon our soules with anguish burn,

Did not our Rock preserve us still, Whose Spirit, ours animates, That wind that bloweth where it will Iohn 3.8 Sweetly our soules refrigerates, And so distructive heat abates.

From this our Rock proceeds likewise, Those living streames, which graciously Releives the soule which scorched lies, Through sence of Gods displeasure high, Due to her for inniquity.

So this our Rock refreshing yeelds, To those that unto him adhere, Whom likewise mightily he sheilds, So that they need not faint nor fear Though all the world against them were.

Because he is their strength and tower, Whose power none can equalize. VVhich onely gives the use of power Which justly he to them denies, Who would against his servants rise.

Not by selfe power nor by might, But by Gods spirit certainly, Zach. 4. Men compasse and attain their right, For what art thou, O mountain high! Thou shalt with valleys, evenly.

Happy was _Israell_, and why, Jehovah was his Rock alone, Deu. 33.29 The _Sword of his Excellency_, _His sheild of Glory_ mighty known, In saving those that are his own.

Experience of all age shewes, That such could never be dismayd Who did by Faith on God repose, Confessing him their onely ayd, Such were alone in safty stayd.

One may have freinds, who have a will To further his felicity, And yet be wanting to him still, Because of imbecility, In power and ability.

But whom the Lord is pleas'd to save, Such he is able to defend, His grace and might no limmits have, And therefore can to all extend Who doe or shall on him depend.

Nor stands he therefore surely, Whose Freinds most powerfull appeare, Because of mutabillity To which all mortalls subject are, Whose favours run now here, now there.

But in our Rock and mighty Fort, Of change no shadow doth remain, His favours he doth not Transport As trifles movable and vain, His Love alone is lasting gain.

Therefore my soule do thou depend, upon that Rock which will not move, When all created help shall end Thy Rock impregnable will prove, Whom still embrace with ardent Love.

Another Song.

The Winter of my infancy being over-past Then supposed, suddenly the Spring would hast Which useth every thing to cheare With invitation to recreacion This time of yeare.

The Sun sends forth his radient beames to warm the ground The drops distil, between the gleams delights abound, _Vèr_ brings her mate the flowery Queen, The Groves shee dresses, her Art expresses On every Green.

But in my Spring it was not so, but contrary, For no delightfull flowers grew to please the eye, No hopefull bud, nor fruitfull bough, No moderat showers which causeth flowers To spring and grow.

My Aprill was exceeding dry, therfore unkind; Whence tis that small utility I look to find, For when that Aprill is so dry, (As hath been spoken) it doth betoken Much scarcity.

Thus is my Spring now almost past in heavinesse The Sky of pleasure's over-cast with sad distresse For by a comfortlesse Eclips, Disconsolacion and sore vexacion, My blossom nips.

Yet as a garden is my mind enclosed fast Being to safety so confind from storm and blast Apt to produce a fruit most rare, That is not common with every woman That fruitfull are.

A Love of goodnesse is the cheifest plant therin The second is, (for to be briefe) Dislike to sin. These grow in spight of misery, Which Grace doth nourish and cause to flourish Continually.

But evill mocions, currupt seeds, fall here also whenc springs prophanesse as do weeds where flowers grow VVhich must supplanted be with speed These weeds of Error, Distrust and Terror, Lest woe succeed

So shall they not molest, the plants before exprest Which countervails these outward wants, & purchase rest Which more commodious is for me Then outward pleasures or earthly treasures Enjoyd would be.

My little Hopes of worldly Gain I fret not at, As yet I do this Hope retain; though Spring be lat Perhaps my Sommer-age may be, Not prejudiciall, but benificiall Enough for me.

Admit the worst it be not so, but stormy too, He learn my selfe to undergo more then I doe And still content my self with this Sweet Meditacion and Contemplacion Of heavenly blis,

VVhich for the Saints reserved is, who persevere In Piety and Holynesse, and godly Feare, The pleasures of which blis divine Neither Logician nor Rhetorician

Another Song.

Having restrained Discontent, The onely Foe to Health and Witt, I sought by all meanes to prevent The causes which did nourish it, Knowing that they who are judicious Have alwaies held it most pernicious.

Looking to outward things, I found Not that which Sorrow might abate, But rather cause them to abound Then any Greife to mittigate Which made me seek by supplicacion Internall Peace and Consolacion

Calling to mind their wretchednesse That seem to be in happy case Having externall happinesse But therewithall no inward grace; Nor are their minds with knowledg pollisht In such all vertues are abollisht

For where the mind 's obscure and dark There is no vertu resident, Of goodnesse there remaines no spark; Distrustfullnesse doth there frequent For Ignorance the cause of error May also be the cause of terror

As doth the Sun-beames beutify The Sky, which else doth dim appeare So Knowledg doth exquisitly The Mind adorn, delight and cleare Which otherwise is most obscure, Full of enormities impure.

So that their Soules polluted are That live in blockish Ignorance. Which doth their miseries declare And argues plainly that their wants More hurtfull are then outward Crosses Infirmities, Reproach, or Losses.

Where saving Knowledg doth abide, The peace of Conscience also dwels And many Vertues more beside Which all obsurdities expels, And fils the Soule with joy Celestiall That shee regards not things Terrestiall.

Sith then the Graces of the Mind Exceeds all outward Happinesse, What sweet Contentment do they find Who are admitted to possesse Such matchlesse Pearles, so may we call them; For Precious is the least of all them.

VVhich when I well considered My greife for outward crosses ceast, Being not much discouraged Although afflictions still encreast, Knowing right well that Tribulacion No token is of Reprobacion.

Another Song.

Excessive worldy Greife the Soule devouers And spoyles the activnesse of all the Powers, Through indisposing them to exercise What should demonstrate their abilities, By practicall improvment of the same Unto the Glory of the givers name. Though Envy wait to blast the Blossoms green Of any Vertu soon as they are seen, Yet none may therfore just occasion take To shun what Vertu manifest should make, For like the Sun shall Vertu be beheld VVhen Clouds of Envy shall be quite dispeld; Though there be some of no disart at all Who no degree in worth can lower fall, Prefer'd before the Verteous whom they taunt Onely because of some apparent want, Which is as if a Weed without defect Before the Damask Rose should have respect, Because the Rose a leafe or two hath lost, And this the Weed of all his parts can boast; Or elce as if a monstrous Clout should be Prefer'd before the purest Lawn to see, Because the Lawn hath spots and this the Clout Is equally polluted thoroughout Therefore let such whose vertu favours merits, Shew their divinly magnanimious spirits By disregarding such their approbacion Who have the worthlesse most in estimacion, For who loves God above all things, not one Who understands not that in him alone All causes that may move affection are, Glimpses wherof his creatures doe declare, This being so, who can be troubled When as his gifts are undervalued, Seeing the giver of all things likewise For want of knowledg many underprise.

Another Song

Time past we understood by story The strength of Sin a Land to waste, Now God to manifest his Glory. The truth hereof did let us taste, For many years, this Land appears Of usefull things the Nursery, Refresht and fenc'd with unity.

But that which crown'd each other Blessing Was evidence of Truth Divine, The Word of Grace such Light expressing, Which in some prudent Hearts did shine, Whose Flame inclines those noble minds To stop the Course of Prophanacion And so make way for Reformation.

But He that watcheth to devour, This their intent did soon discry, For which he strait improves his power This worthy work to nullify With Sophistry and Tiranny, His agents he forthwith did fill Who gladly execute his will.

And first they prove by Elocution And Hellish Logick to traduce Those that would put in execucion, Restraint of every known abuse; They seperate and 'sturb the State, And would all Order overthrow, The better sort were charged so.

Such false Reports did fill all places, Corrupting some of each degree, He whom the highest Title graces From hearing slanders was not free, Which Scruple bred, and put the Head With primest members so at bate Which did the Body dislocate.

A Lying Spirit mis-informed The common peeple, who suppose If things went on to be reformed They should their ancient Customs lose, And be beside to courses ty'd Which they not yet their Fathers knew, And so be wrapt in fangles new.

Great multitudes therefore were joyned To Sathans plyant instruments, With mallice, ignorance combined, And both at Truth their fury vents; First Piety as Enimy They persecute, oppose, revile, Then Freind as well as Foe they spoyle.

The beuty of the Land's abollisht, Such Fabericks by Art contriv'd, The many of them quite demollisht, And many of their homes depriv'd Some mourn for freinds untimely ends, And some for necessaries faint, With which they parted by constraint.

But from those storms hath God preserved A people to record his praise, Who sith they were therefore reserved Must to the heigth their Spirits raise To magnify his lenity Who safely brought them through the fire To let them see their hearts desire

Which many faithfull ones deceased With teares desired to behold, Which is the Light of Truth professed Without obscuring shaddowes old, When spirits free, not tyed shall be To frozen Forms long since compos'd, When lesser knowledg was disclos'd.

VVho are preserv'd from foes outragious, Noteing the Lords unfound-out wayes, Should strive to leave to after-ages Some memorandums of his praise; That others may admiring say Unsearchable his judgments are, As do his works alwayes declare.

Meditacions

The first Meditacion.

The Morning is at hand, my Soule awake, Rise from the sleep of dull security; Now is the time, anon 'twill be to late, Now hast thou golden opportunity For to behold thy naturall estate And to repent and be regenerate.

Delay no longer though the Flesh thee tell, Tis time enough hereafter to repent, Strive earnestly such mocions to expell, Remember this thy courage to augment The first fruits God requir'd for sacrifice, The later he esteemed of no price.

First let's behold our natural estate How dangerous and damnable it is, And thereupon grow to exceeding hate With that which is the onely cause of this; The which is Sin, yea Disobedience Even that which was our first parents offence.

The reasonable Soule undoubtedly Created was at first free from offence, In Wisdom, Holinesse, and Purity, It did resemble the Divine Essence, Which being lost, the Soule of man became Like to the Serpent, causer of the same.

The Understanding, Will, Affections cleare, Each part of Soule and Body instantly Losing their purity, corrupted were Throughout as by a loathsom Leprocy The rayes of Vertu were extinguisht quite And Vice usurpeth rule with force and might.

This sudden change from sanctitude to sin Could but prognosticat a fearfull end, Immediatly the dollour did begin, The Curse that was pronounc'd, none might defend, Which Curse is in this life a part of some, The fulnesse thereof in the life to come.

The Curse that to the Body common is The sence of Hunger, Thirst, of Sicknes, Pain: The Soules Calamities exceedeth this, A Tast of Hell shee often doth sustain, Rebukes of Conscience, threatning plagues for sin, A world of Torments oft shee hath within.

Unlesse the Conscience dead and feared be, Then runs the soule in errors manifold, Her danger deep shee can in no wise see, And therefore unto every sin is bold, The Conscience sleeps, the Soule is dead in sin, Nere thinks of Hell untill shee comes therein.

Thus is the Conscience of the Reprobate, Either accusing unto desperacion, Or elce benummed, cannot instigate Nor put the Soule in mind of reformacion; Both work for ill unto the castaway, Though here they spent their time in mirth and play.

Yet can they have no sound contentment here, In midst of laughter oft the heart is sad: This world is full of woe & hellish feare And yeelds forth nothing long to make us glad As they that in the state of nature dy Passe but from misery to misery.

Consider this my soule, yet not despaire, To comfort thee again let this suffice, There is a Well of grace, whereto repaire, First wash away thy foul enormities With teares proceeding from a contrite heart, With thy beloved sins thou must depart.

Inordinate affections, and thy Will, And carnall wisdom, must thou mortify, For why, they are corrupt, prophane and ill, And prone to nothing but impiety, Yet shalt thou not their nature quite deface, Their ruines must renewed be by grace.