University of Virginia Library

No sooner was this sharp Encounter over,
But in a little time you might discover
The Soul half vanquish'd by her weak opposing,
Sometimes resisting, and then faintly closing.
Sometimes you'l see her just as 'twere consenting,
And presently you'l find her much lamenting,
Beset on every side with troops of fears;
Which makes her to bedew her cheeks with tears;
Complains to Conscience, hoping for relief,
Till Conscience checks her, and renews her grief.
Sometimes she's drawn to fix her tender Eye
Upon the Gospel's pure Simplicitie.
Her love-sick thoughts at sits seem to aspire,
As if she could pass through hot flames of fire,
And say with Peter, Though all should deny
Thee, my blest Lord, yet so will never I.
But when the Soul once comes to see the Cross,
Its courage fails, O! 'tis at a great loss.
When she perceives she and her lusts must part,
O that sticks close, go's to the very heart.
The thoughts of that is hard; 'tis Self-denial
That puts the Soul upon the deepest tryal.
Some ready are to make a large profession
In hopes of somewhat, perhaps the possession
Of Heav'n at last; but straight sounds in their Ear,
Deny thy self; come, part with all that's dear
For Jesus sake. Ah! this they cannot bear.
The Young-man ran, he seem'd to be in haste,
But news of this, did all his courage blast.
The gate is strait; O! 'tis no easie thing
To for-go all in love to this blest King.
The way is narrow which leads unto life,
'Tis Self-denial, that begets the strife.
'Twixt Flesh and Spirit there's a constant War,
They opposite, and quite contraries are.
As Fire and Water, Light and Darkness be,
Such diff'ring Natures never can agree;
So between these is like antipathie.
The flesh is like the Young-man, give's attention
To what the Preacher says, until he mention
His bosom-sin, the Lust he so much loves;
This makes him face about, and back removes.
He goes away, yet lov'd to hear Christ preach
Up Legal works; but when he came to reach
His Dalilah, that blow so griev'd his heart,
That Christ and he immediately must part.
His great possessions could not give to th' poor,
Though he had th' promise of abundance more
Treasures above; but being not content
To pay that price for Heaven, away he went.
How loth's the Flesh to yield, that Grace may win
The happy Conquest of a Bosom-sin?
How will it plead, how wittily debate,
Excuse, or argue, to extenuate
The Crime? at length it yields, forc'd to give way.
But first cry's out, O give me leave to stay
A year, a month, a week, at least one day:
But when it sees it cannot that obtain,
The loser looks, and pleads yet once again:
Ah! let my fond, my fainting, breaking heart
Hug it the other time, before we part.
Much like Rebeckah's Friends, the flesh appears;
It parts with sin, but 'tis with floods of tears.
Each has his Darling, his beloved sin,
Whilst unconverted, much delighted in.
Give me, say some, but leave to heap up Treasure,
And I'le abandon all forbidden pleasure.
Others again there be that only prize
The popular applause of being wise,
A name of being learn'd, judicious, grave,
Able Divines, 'tis this too many crave.
Some boast their natural and acquired parts,
Which take the ears of some, seduce the hearts
Of many simple Souls who go astray;
While others are for feasting day by day.
There's some delight in drinking choice of Wine,
Whilst others are to Gaming more inclin'd.
That sin that finds more favour than the rest,
That is thy darling sin, thou knowst it best.
O search thy bosom well, pry, pry within,
Till thou findst out thy own beloved sin,
That gives thee kisses, that's the lust that slays thee,
O that's the cursed Judas which betrays thee.
Ah! see how blind, how foolish Sinners are;
Like to rebellious Saul, they'l Agog spare,
They entertain this Lust close in their heart,
And are indeed as loth with it to part,
As with a Hand or Eye; and therefore she
Crys out with Sampson, O this pleases me.
Ah! I will freely part with all the rest,
Might I but hug this Darling in my breast.
Souls once convicted, quickly do begin
To hate, detest, and leave all grosser sin;
Sins visible unto the natural Eye,
Such which are of the black and deepest die,
They are possest with such a dread and fear,
They'l not touch them, nor venture to come near
These foul defilements—nay, such spots disdain;
Then presently conclude they'r born again,
And shall be sav'd, though bosom lusts remain.
And if at any time some beams of light
Discover secret Sin, or Conscience smite,
Or touch the Dalilah, they then begin
To think of making covers for such sin,
(Which in the secret of the bosom lies)
With the fair Mantle of Infirmities.
But if at any time the searching Word,
Which cuts and trys like a two-edged Sword,
Pierces the heart, and will divide asunder
The soul and spirit, and e're long bring under
These Soul-deluding Covers, and espies
Those secret Lusts which in each corner lies;
And doth unmask those evils, and disclose,
The Soul's hypocrisie, yea and expose
It's nakedness to view, unto its shame:
Now, now the Flesh begins to change the name
Of every Lust that lies so closely hidden,
Soul, touch not, saith the Lord, 'tis Fruit forbidden.
O! saith the Flesh, 'tis pleasant in mine eyes;
Yea, says the Tempter, Soul, 'twill make thee wise;
Taste, it is sweet, the liberty is thine;
And Wisdom is a Vertue most divine.
And Vertue, saith the flesh, will make thee shine.
Christ he prohibits Souls from taking pleasure
In laying up their bags of Earthly Treasure;
For these things have in them a secret Art,
To steal away th' affections of the Heart:
Christ tells the Soul, Our Heavenly Father knows
What 'tis we want, and so much he allows
Which he sees best, which we contentedly
Should take from him, who will our wants supply,
And no good thing from us will he deny.
But hark! What saith the Flesh? O Soul, saith she,
In this give ear and harken unto me:
'Tis not unlawful here to lay up Treasure,
Provided thou therein tak'st no great pleasure.
The World thou seest disdains those wch are poor;
And if thou 'rt Rich, thou'lt be ador'd the more.
Nay, if thou once arrivest at the pitch
Of being by the World accounted Rich,
Thy words will far the greater influence have,
And may'st thereby perchance more rich ones save.
Besides all this; when Rich, thou mayest feed
With thy abundance such who suffer need.
And this also will take thee off from care,
Which is to some a most perplexing snare,
And thou for God may'st the more hours spare.
If thou art poor, and of strict conversation,
That will not be a fit Accommodation
To draw men by; for some thereby are frighted,
Who might by temporizing be invited.
Accommodate thy self to all; become
All things to all men, that thou mayst gain some.
These subtil Covers doth the Flesh devise,
To hide those sins which in the bosom lies;
And by this crafty course perhaps a while
The poor unwary Soul it may beguile.
And if Apollyon sees the Creature yield
In this respect, he's Victor in the Field;
He glory's in the Conquest he has gain'd,
As if a Diadem he had obtain'd.

But now, behold, here comes her former Friend,
Christ's precious Love this once to recommend.
True Ministers are filled with compassion,
As their long patience's worth all commendation.
The preciousness now of the Soul you'l hear,
And how things go within he will declare.
He'l call her Conscience to examination;
For Conscience 'tis must give a full Relation
Of all false Covers—Nay, and will reveal
Those secret Lusts the Flesh seems to conceal.