University of Virginia Library

When Man transgress'd 'twas I, Eternal I,
Gave forth the Sentence, Thou shalt surely die.
'Twas I that curs'd the Serpent, who remains
Unto this day, and shall in lasting Chains.
When Cain did shed his righteous Brother's bloud,
I sentenc'd Cain; 'twas I that brought the Flood
Upon the Earth. By me the World was drowned
Proud Babels Language was by me confounded.
I am Jehovah's everlasting Word,
Who in my hand do bear th' two-edg'd Sword.
'Twas I, and only I that did Command
The dismal darkness in the Egyptians Land.
'Twas at my Word the Seas divide in twain,
And made an even passage through the Main.
At my Command Pharaoh and all his Host
Were utterly within the Red-Sea lost.
'Twas I that made Belshazzers joints to quake,
And all his Nobles tremble when I spake.
'Twas I that made the Persian Monarchs great,
And threw them with the Grecians from their Seat.
I say the Word, and Nations are distress'd;
I spake again, and the whole World's at rest.
Let all Men stand in fear and dread of me;
I was the first, and I the last will be.
All knees shall bow to me when I reprove,
And at my Voice the Mountains shall remove.
The Earth shall be dissolved at my Threat,
And Elements shall melt with fervent heat.
My Word confines the Earth, the Seas, the Wind,
I am the great Jehovah unconfin'd.
'Tis I divide between the joints and Marrow;
No place so close, no cranny is so narrow,
But, like the Sun's bright beams, I enter in,
Discovering to each heart, the darling Sin
That lodges in the Soul. 'Tis I alone,
Who by my piercings make them sigh and groan.
If from true sense and sorrow they complain,
I graciously bind up those wounds again.
'Tis I that save the humble and contrite,
And do condemn the formal Hypocrite.
My circuit's large, I coast the World about,
No place, nor secret, but I find it out.
All Nations of the World I rule at pleasure,
To my Dominion's neither bound nor measure.
Therefore, dear Soul, chear up, and do not fear,
I'le confound all thy Foes both far and near.
And now I do command to bring to th' Bar
That inward Foe, Old-man, I wo'nt defer
His Tryal longer, his Indictments read,
And he had leave and liberty to plead,
And on his Trial he deny'd the Fact;
But Conscience swears she took him in the act,
And other witness too; but to be brief,
All prove him the Soul's Foe, nay and the chief
And only cause of all the horrid Treason
Acted against the Lord unto this season.
He was deny'd to speak, the Proofs being clear,
You shall therefore his fatal Sentence hear:
Come thou base Traytor, impure Mass of Sin;
That, Villain-like, dost seek revenge agin
Upon the Soul, and striv'st to raise up strife,
Nay thirsts again to take away her life;
Hear, hear thy Sentence, Old-man, thou must die,
I can no pity shew, nor mind thy cry:
Thy Age! away, 'tis pity thou hast bin
Spared so long, when guilty of such Sin.
Soul, thou must see to bring him in subjection,
With every evil lust, and vile affection.
This heap of Sin thou must strive to destroy,
That so thou maist all perfect peace enjoy:
Under the strictest bonds let him abide,
Till he is slain, or throughly crucify'd.

The Old-man being sentenc'd, and confin'd,
The Soul is consolated in her mind.
Affection, Judgment, Will, do all rejoyce,
And are united now: O happy choice!
Ah! she admires the excellence and worth
Of her Beloved, that she sets him forth,
As one that's ravish'd in the contemplation
Of his great Glory, and her exaltation,
In this her sacred choice: and this so raises
Her ravish'd senses, that Angelick praises
She thinks too low; O now she doth discover,
And not till now th' affections of a Lover.
There's nothing now so tedious as delay,
Betwixt the 'spousal and the Marriage-day.
Her former joys in which she much delighted,
She treads them under-foot, they are quite slighted,
Nay altogether loathsom in her Eye,
Compared with his sacred Company.
Unto the place where he appoints to meet her,
Thither she runs with speed, there's nothing sweeter;
Nay there is nothing sweet, nothing is dear
Or pleasant to her, if he be not there.
O! saith the Love-sick Soul, in such a case
May I but have one kiss, one sweet Imbrace,
O how would it rejoyce this heart of mine!
His Love is better than the choisest Wine.
His Name is like an Ointment poured forth,
And no such Odour e're enrich'd the Earth.
The Eastern Gums, Arabian Spices rare,
Do not perfume, nor so enrich the Air,
As the Eternal and renowned Fame
Of his most precious and most glorious Name!
Perfumes my Soul, it elevates my voice,
Whilst gladness fills my heart: O happy choice!
My sacred Friend, my Life, my Lord, and King,
Doth me into his secret Chambers bring;
Although ten thousand fall on either hand,
My Soul in safety evermore shall stand.
Tell me, my Lord, tell me, my dearest Love,
Where thou dost feed, whither the Flocks remove,
And where they rest an Noon in soultry gleams,
Bring me into those Shades, where silver streams
Of living Waters flow, most calm and still,
There, there I'le shelter, there I'le drink my fill.
The Fountains ope, O see it runs most clear,
Green Pastures by; a Lodg is also near,
To hide in safety, and to save from fear
Of scorching heat; under this shade I'le rest,
My Love shall lie inclosed in my breast.
My heart shall be his lodging-place for ever,
Nothing shall me from my Beloved sever.
The terrors of the Night shall never harm me,
He saves from heat, in Frosts his love doth warm me.
You Virgins who yet never felt the smart
Of Love's soul-piercing and heart-wounding Dart.
If all these sacred Raptures you admire,
Know, Virgins, know that this Celestial Fire
That's kindled in my breast, comes from above.
And sets my Soul into this flame of Love.
O he that has endured so much pain
To gain my Love, is worthy to obtain
Ten thousand times more love than his poor Spouse
Is able to bestow; yet shall my Vows
Be daily paid to him, in whose sweet breast
My love-sick Soul shall find eternal rest.
Know, know I ne'r obtain'd true peace, before
My soul cast Anchor on this sacred shore.
All earthly pleasures are but seeming mirth,
His presence is a Heaven upon Earth.
How heavy, O how bitter was the Cross
Once unto me? to think upon the loss
Of temporal comforts, made me to complain;
But now I find such losses are my gain.
Terrestrial joys, as dross to me appear;
My joy's in Heaven, O my treasure's there.
Had I all Riches of both th' India's shore
At my command, ten thousand times told o're,
My soul would loath them, they should be abhor'd
Being worse than dung, compared to my Lord.
O may these Sun-beams never cease to shine,
By which I see that my Beloved's mine.
He is my flesh and bone, therefore will I
Rejoyce the more in this Affinity.
He is my All, my soul's to him united,
As Jonathæn's to David, who delighted
So much in him that in his greatest trouble
Dear Jonathan did his affections double:
When David was in great distress and fear,
Then did his love and loyalty appear.
So when my dear Beloved is distrest,
My love to him shall chiefly be exprest.
But why, said I, distrest? What, can my Lord,
Who hath consuming power in his Word,
Be touch'd by Mortals? what, can he be harm'd,
Who with all strength of Heaven and Earth is arm'd?
No, no; I must recall that lavish strain:
No hand can touch him, he cannot sustain
The smallest injury from th' greatest Pow'r;
For in a breath he can his Foes devour.

But now, methinks, I presently espy
Upon the Earth the Apple of his Eye;
Which are his servants, nay his members dear,
Which wicked men do oft oppress; O there
My Lord's distrest: for if his Children smart,
O that doth pierce and wound his tender heart.
If cold or nakedness afflicts their souls,
He sympathizes, and their state condoles.
If sick they be, or if by cruel hands
They are in Prison cast, and under bands,
And there with hunger and with thirst opprest,
He feels their grief, he is in them distrest.
What wrong soever they on Earth receive,
'Tis done to him, for which my soul doth grieve
To see th' afflictions of his servants here;
This is the fruit true loyal Love does bear.
Her sorrows are his woes; for they alone,
Being his members, are my flesh and bone.
And all make but one Body, he's the Head,
From whence all flows, 'tis he alone has shed
His love abroad, in this my love-sick heart,
Whereby I feel when any members smart.
My bowels move and tender heart does bleed,
VVhich makes me for his sake supply their need.
Thus for my Christ, and for his Children's sake
I'le suffer any thing; yea I do take
My life, and goods, and all into my hands,
To be disposed of as he commands:
But know for certain evermore that I
For aid and help on him alone rely.

These pleasant Fruits, O these delight the King,
And hereby 'tis that we do honour bring
Unto his Name; all souls of the new birth,
VVho are sincere, this precious fruit bring forth,
Let not these things seem strange, because so few
Do bear such Fruit, believe the Maxim's true,
That as the Sun doth by its warm reflection
Upon the Earth, produce a resurrection
Of all those Seeds, which in the Earth do lie
Hid for a time in dark obscurity:
Ev'n so the Sun of Righteousness doth shine
Into this cold and barren heart of mine;
The precious seeds that have been scattered there
Take root and blossom, nay their branches bear
Sweet fruit, being the product of those Rays,
VVhich that bright Sun into my soul displays.
'Tis precious and most lovely in his Eye,
Both for its Beauty and Veracity.
You Virgins all who are by Love invited
Into his Garden, where he is delighted
VVith all his pleasant Fruits, come, come and see,
How choice, fair, sweet, and beautiful they be:
One cluster here's presented to thy view,
That thou mayst see, and then believe 'tis true.
These be the Fruits which I shall now express,
Love, Joy, and Peace, Long-suffering, Holiness,
Faith, Goodness, Temperance, and Charity,
These are uhe products of th' Affinity
That's made between me and my dearest Friend;
Nay, more than these, Eternal life i'th' end.
But if (through sin) thou canst not cast thine Eye
On these rare Fruits, then know assuredly
VVhen th' Vintage comes, and thou beginst to crave
For one small taste, one taste thou canst not have.
The fruitful Soul it is the King will crown
VVith th' Diadem of Glory and Renown.
O let these things the Soul's affections raise,
In grateful Songs to celebrate the Praise
Of great Jehovah, who is King of Kings,
VVhose glorious Praise the heav'nly Quire sings:
Then let us sing on Earth a Song like this,
My well-beloved's mine, and I am his.

Praise in the Highest, Joy betide
The sacred Bridegroom, and his Bride,
Who doth in spendor shine:
Let Heaven above be fill'd with Songs,
In Earth beneath let all Mens Tongues
sing forth his Praise Divine.

If sullen Man refuse to speak,
Let Rocks and Stones their silence break;
for Heaven and Earth combine
To tie that sacred Bridal Knot,
O let it never be forgot,
the Contract is Divine.

You holy Seraphims above,
Who do admire Jesus's Love,
O hast away and come,
With Men on Earth your joys divide;
Earth ne'r produc'd so fair a Bride,
nor Heaven a Bridegroom.

'Tis not the gracious lofty strain;
Nor record of great Hector's glory,
Nor all the conquering mighty Train,
Whose Acts have left the World a story;
Nor yet great Cesar's swelling fame,
Who only look'd, and overcame.

Nor one, nor all those Worthy Nine,
Nor Alexander's great Renown,
Whose deeds were thought almost Divine,
When Vic'tries did his Temples crown;
But 'tis the Lord, that Holy One,
Whose Praises I will sing alone.

My Heart and Tongue shall both rejoyce,
Whilst Angels all in Consort sing
Aloud with a melodious voice
The praises of sweet Zion's King:
O 'tis his praise, that Holy One,
I am resolv'd to sing alone.

My Heart indites whilst I proclaim,
The Praises of the God of Wonder,
My lips still magnifie his Name,
Whose Voice is like a mighty Thunder:
I'le praise his Name, and him alone,
Who is the glorious Three in One.

Whose feet are like to burning Brass,
Whose Eyes like to a flaming Fire,
Who bringeth mighty things to pass,
'Tis him I dread, and do admire:
I'le magnifie his Name alone,
Who is the glorious Three in One.

My Heart and Pen shall both express,
The Praises of great Juda's Lion,
The sweet and fragrant Flower of Jess,
The holy Lamb, the King of Zion.
To him that sitteth on the Throne,
Be everlasting praise alone.

Whose Head is whiter than the Snow
That's driven by the Eastern Wind,
Whose Visage like a flame doth show,
Confining all, yet unconfin'd:
For ever prais'd be Him alone,
Who is the glorious Three in One.

I'le praise his Name, who hath reveal'd
To me his everlasting Love,
Who with his stripes my Soul hath heal'd,
Whose Foot-stool's here, his Throne above,
Let Trumps of Praise be loudly blown,
To magnifie his Name alone.

This sacred Subject of my Verse,
Though I poor silly Mortal should
Neglect his Praises to rehearse,
The ragged Rocks and Mountains would
Make his deserved Praises known,
Who is the glorious Three in One.

You twinkling Stars that Day and Night
Do your appointed Circuit run,
Sweet Cynthia in her monthly flight,
Also the bright and flaming Sun,
Throughout the Universe make known
The Praises of the Holy One.

Let every Saint on Earth rejoyce
Whom Christ hath chosen, let him sing,
Whilst I to him lift up my Voice
To sound the Praises of my King:
For He it is, and He alone,
Hath made me his Beloved one.