 | Divine Songs and Meditacions |  |
The Preface.
Being
through weakness to the house confin'd,
My mentall powers seeming long to sleep,
were summond up, by want of wakeing mind
Their wonted course of exercise to keep,
And not to waste themselves in slumber deep;
Though no work can bee so from error kept
But some against it boldly will except:
My mentall powers seeming long to sleep,
were summond up, by want of wakeing mind
Their wonted course of exercise to keep,
And not to waste themselves in slumber deep;
Though no work can bee so from error kept
But some against it boldly will except:
Yet sith it was my morning exercise
The fruit of intellectuals to vent,
In Songs or counterfets of Poesies,
And haveing therein found no small content,
To keep that course my thoughts are therfore bent,
And rather former workes to vindicate
Than any new concepcion to relate.
The fruit of intellectuals to vent,
In Songs or counterfets of Poesies,
And haveing therein found no small content,
To keep that course my thoughts are therfore bent,
And rather former workes to vindicate
Than any new concepcion to relate.
Our glorious God his creatures weaknesse sees,
And therefore deales with them accordingly,
Giveing the meanes of knowledg by degrees,
Vnfoulding more and more the Mystery,
And opening the Seales successively,
So of his goodnesse gives forth demonstracions,
To his Elect in divers Dispensacions.
And therefore deales with them accordingly,
Giveing the meanes of knowledg by degrees,
Vnfoulding more and more the Mystery,
And opening the Seales successively,
So of his goodnesse gives forth demonstracions,
To his Elect in divers Dispensacions.
In legall wise hee did himself expresse
To be the only Lord Omnipotent
A just avenger of all wickednesse,
A jelous God in power emminent,
Which terror workes, and pale astonishment;
Sith plagues for sin are holden forth thereby,
But with no strength to crush inniquity.
To be the only Lord Omnipotent
A just avenger of all wickednesse,
A jelous God in power emminent,
Which terror workes, and pale astonishment;
Sith plagues for sin are holden forth thereby,
But with no strength to crush inniquity.
Now with the Law the Gospell oft appeares,
But under vailes, perspicuous unto few
Who were as those which of good tyding's heares,
Rejoyceing much at the report or show
Of that the Saints now by possessing know;
Oft spake the Prophets Evangelicall,
Whose words like kindly drops of rain did fall.
But under vailes, perspicuous unto few
Who were as those which of good tyding's heares,
Rejoyceing much at the report or show
Of that the Saints now by possessing know;
Oft spake the Prophets Evangelicall,
Whose words like kindly drops of rain did fall.
But when the plenerie of time was come
The springs of grace their plesant streams out deald
Felicitie did evidence on her some
Salvacion and the way thereto reveald,
Who wounded were in spirit, might be heald;
Here God declares the Beauties of his Face,
Great Love, rich Mercy, free Eternall Grace.
The springs of grace their plesant streams out deald
Felicitie did evidence on her some
Salvacion and the way thereto reveald,
Who wounded were in spirit, might be heald;
Here God declares the Beauties of his Face,
Great Love, rich Mercy, free Eternall Grace.
This time was when the Sonne of Righteousnesse
His Luster in the world began to spread,
Which more and more to his he doth expresse
in tearms so large that they that run may read,
And to himselfe he doth the weaker lead;
He to his bosum will his Lambs collect,
And gently those that feeble are direct.
His Luster in the world began to spread,
Which more and more to his he doth expresse
in tearms so large that they that run may read,
And to himselfe he doth the weaker lead;
He to his bosum will his Lambs collect,
And gently those that feeble are direct.
And so in them a life of grace instill
Whereby they shall be able to obay
All Gospell precepts suting with his will,
And that without regard of servill pay,
But with free hearts, where Christ alone doth sway
Causing the apprehensions of his love,
To gender love, which still doth active prove.
Whereby they shall be able to obay
All Gospell precepts suting with his will,
And that without regard of servill pay,
But with free hearts, where Christ alone doth sway
Causing the apprehensions of his love,
To gender love, which still doth active prove.
Where Christ thus ruleth, I suppose remaines
No heart that hankers after Novelties
Whose ground is but the Scum of frothy braines
Perhaps extracted from old Heresies,
New form'd with Glosses to deceiue the eyes
Of those who like to Children, do incline
To every new device that seemes to shine.
No heart that hankers after Novelties
Whose ground is but the Scum of frothy braines
Perhaps extracted from old Heresies,
New form'd with Glosses to deceiue the eyes
Of those who like to Children, do incline
To every new device that seemes to shine.
I am perswaded they that relish right,
The Dainties of Religion, Food divine,
Have therby such a permanent delight,
And of best Treasures, such a lasting mine,
As that their hearts to change do not incline,
I therfore think theyr tastes of Truth is all,
Who Truths profession quickly alter will.
The Dainties of Religion, Food divine,
Have therby such a permanent delight,
And of best Treasures, such a lasting mine,
As that their hearts to change do not incline,
I therfore think theyr tastes of Truth is all,
Who Truths profession quickly alter will.
I speak not this to manifest despight
To tru Religions growth or augmentacion,
Nor do J take offense of greater Light
Which brings probatum est, or commendacion
From Truth it selfe, having therto relacion,
But rather with the Saints I doe rejoyce,
When God appeares to his in Gospel voyce.
To tru Religions growth or augmentacion,
Nor do J take offense of greater Light
Which brings probatum est, or commendacion
From Truth it selfe, having therto relacion,
But rather with the Saints I doe rejoyce,
When God appeares to his in Gospel voyce.
Now touching that I hasten to expresse
Concerning these, the ofspring of my mind,
Who though they here appeare in homly dresse
And as they are my works, I do not find
But ranked with others, they may go behind,
Yet for theyr matter, I suppose they bee
Not worthlesse quite, whilst they with Truth agree.
Concerning these, the ofspring of my mind,
Who though they here appeare in homly dresse
And as they are my works, I do not find
But ranked with others, they may go behind,
Yet for theyr matter, I suppose they bee
Not worthlesse quite, whilst they with Truth agree.
Indeed I grant that sounder judgments may
(Directed by a greater Light) declare
The ground of Truth more in a Gospel-way,
But who time past with present will compare
Shall find more mysteries unfolded are,
So that they may who have right informacion
More plainly shew the path-way to Salvacion.
(Directed by a greater Light) declare
The ground of Truth more in a Gospel-way,
But who time past with present will compare
Shall find more mysteries unfolded are,
So that they may who have right informacion
More plainly shew the path-way to Salvacion.
Yet this cannot prevayl to hinder me
From publishing those Truths I do intend,
As strong perfumes will not concealed be,
And who esteemes the favours of a Freind,
So little, as in silence let them end,
Nor will I therfore only keep in thought,
But tell what God still for my Soule hath wrought.
From publishing those Truths I do intend,
As strong perfumes will not concealed be,
And who esteemes the favours of a Freind,
So little, as in silence let them end,
Nor will I therfore only keep in thought,
But tell what God still for my Soule hath wrought.
VVhen Clouds of Melancholy over-cast
My heart, sustaining heavinesse therby,
But long that sad condicion would not last
For soon the Spring of Light would blessedly
Send forth a beam, for helps discovery,
Then dark discomforts would give place to joy,
Which not the World could give or quite destroy.
My heart, sustaining heavinesse therby,
But long that sad condicion would not last
For soon the Spring of Light would blessedly
Send forth a beam, for helps discovery,
Then dark discomforts would give place to joy,
Which not the World could give or quite destroy.
So sorrow serv'd but at springing raine
To ripen fruits, indowments of the mind,
VVho thereby did abillitie attaine
To send forth flowers, of so rare a kinde,
VVhich wither not by force of Sun or VVinde;
Retaining vertue in their operacions,
VVhich are the matter of those Meditacions.
To ripen fruits, indowments of the mind,
VVho thereby did abillitie attaine
To send forth flowers, of so rare a kinde,
VVhich wither not by force of Sun or VVinde;
Retaining vertue in their operacions,
VVhich are the matter of those Meditacions.
From whence if evill matter be extracted
Tis only by a [illeg.]ider generacion,
Whose natures are of vennom so compacted,
As that their touch occasions depravacion
Though lighting in the fragrantest plantacion:
Let such conceale the evill hence they pluck
And not disgorg themselves of what they sucke.
Tis only by a [illeg.]ider generacion,
Whose natures are of vennom so compacted,
As that their touch occasions depravacion
Though lighting in the fragrantest plantacion:
Let such conceale the evill hence they pluck
And not disgorg themselves of what they sucke.
So shall they not the humble sort offend
Who like the Bee, by natures secret act
Convert to sweetnesse, fit for some good end
That which they from small things of worth extract,
Wisely supplying every place that lackt,
By helping to discover what was meant
Where they perceive: here is a good intent.
Who like the Bee, by natures secret act
Convert to sweetnesse, fit for some good end
That which they from small things of worth extract,
Wisely supplying every place that lackt,
By helping to discover what was meant
Where they perceive: here is a good intent.
So trusting that the only Sov'rain Power
Which in this work alwaies assisted mee,
Will still remain its firme defensive Tower,
From spite of enemies the same to free
And make it usefull in some sort to bee,
That Rock I trust on whom I doe depend,
Will his and all their works for him defend.
Which in this work alwaies assisted mee,
Will still remain its firme defensive Tower,
From spite of enemies the same to free
And make it usefull in some sort to bee,
That Rock I trust on whom I doe depend,
Will his and all their works for him defend.
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