The Glorious Lover, Book 2 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
Shewing the policy of Satan in keeping the Soul from a full cloſing with Chriſt. Alſo the nature of a boſom ſin.
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 cheeks 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 …its ſeem to aſpire,
As if ſhe could paſs through hot flames of …ire,
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:
Put 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 Ag…g 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 breaſ….
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 diſdainf
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 ſ…ite,
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 Hevenly 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 ſel… 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.
Theologue.
Conſcience, thou knowſt, and privy art to all
The ſecret ſtrivings, and the words let fall
To bring the Soul to join in bonds of love
With Jeſus Chriſt, and finally remove
Her heart from ſin, yea from the ſmalleſt evil;
One ſin belov'd will ſend her to the Devil.
Speak therefore now, her inward parts reveal:
What faith hath ſhe, what love, and O what zeal,
What indignation, care, and what deſire?
Is ſhe inflamed, is ſhe all on fire
In love to him, who out of love did die,
Her to eſpouſe, and ſave Eternally?
Conſcience.
She loves, (but who?) ſhe ſighs, Sir, ſhall I ſpeak?
She's doubtfull ſtill, ſhe knows not which to take.
Some kind of love, ſome faint deſires do riſe
Within her breaſt, but then the Enemies
Immediately ſuch great diſturbance cauſe,
That ſhe's amaz'd, and put into a pauſe.
Although ſhe dos love Chriſt, I muſt confeſs,
Some ſecret ſin is favour'd ner'theleſs.
She wants ſome glorious Rays, her eyes are dim,
She never yet had a true ſight of him.
I muſt ſpeak all, e'en the whole truth impart;
Alas! ſhe has new Objects in her heart.
Her love is treach'rous, her affections burn
Chiefly to ſelf, loves Chriſt to ſerve her turn.
And ſuch a Legaliſt ſhe's become now,
To her own drag ſhe blindfoldly do's vow
To offer Incenſe; in her ſeeming grace
She glory's much, nay, ſets it in the place
Of Jeſus Chriſt, and on that Idol pores;
This is the Object now ſhe moſt adores.
Theologue.
Wilt thou expoſe thy ſelf to ſcoff and ſhame.
And bring a blot for ever on thy name?
A Monſter (thou) in Nature wilt appear,
To all who of thy faults and folly hear.
Canſt be ſo vile, ſo impudent, and baſe?
Diſloval Soul! how canſt thou ſtill give place
To Jeſus's Foes, and up an Idol ſet?
What, offer ſacrifice to thy own Net?
I ſtand ama…'d … what guilt is on thy head?
Remember that black Bill, what crimes are ſpread
Before thine Eyes already. But, now, further,
… to charge thee with another Murther,
Committed on a ſpotleſs Man; nay, worſe,
Thou letſt him be betrayed to the Curſe
Of a moſt ſhameful Death; nay, what exceeds,
His hands, feet, ſides die, and his Soul ſtill bleeds;
And what is worſt of all, he is God's Son,
On whom this bloody Tragedy was done;
Thy Friend (O Soul) who came down from above,
To ſue to thee for kindneſſes and love.
And yet doth he, whoſe blood thy hands have ſhed,
Sue unto thee; nay his deep wounds do plead
For mercy, and he's able to forgive:
He's God as well as Man; dead, yet doth live,
What Object is't thou haſt got in thine eye?
Doſt think the Law can help thee? make haſt, fly;
For 'tis by that thou ſtand'ſt condemn'd to die.
Seek a Divorcement: ſtand'ſt thou ſtill in doubt
'Twixt Law & Grace? ſtrange! canſt thou not find out
What Judgment told thee? ſure thou knoweſt better:
It is ſevere, O! 'tis a killing Letter.
'Tis time to leave that Husband, and for-go
All hopes from him, who ſeeks thy overthrow.
Chriſt has fulfill'd it, he alone has life;
And if thou once art his eſpouſed Wife,
Thou wilt receive a full diſcharge from all
Thoſe Debts, thoſe Deaths, and dangers wch inthral
The Souls of thoſe, whoſe blind deceived breaſt
Seeks to ſelf-righteouſneſs for peace and reſt.
Thou canſt not (Soul) become a Virgin Spouſe,
Until thou art divorced from all vows
To that, nay to Relations, though they're dear
Muſt thou the leſſer love, and kindneſs bear.
Thy Fathers houſe, and all, thou muſt forſake,
If thou this happy Contract e're doſt make.
Yield thy whole heart to Chriſt, bend to his feet
In pure ſimplicity; there's ground for it:
For he that lay within a Virgins Womb,
And who was buried in a Virgin-Tomb;
He that alone did lead a Virgin-Life,
Muſt have a chaſt and holy Virgin-Wife.
Needſt thou more motives ſtill? what ſhall I ſay,
What ſhall I ſpeak to move thee? I will lay
The nature of the Soul unto thy view:
Wouldſt know its worth? read then what dos ensue,
Firſt.
'Tis capable, ſuch is its nature, State,
On Great Jehovah's Pow'r to contemplate:
It ſearches, prys and nicely looks about
On Nature's frame, and finds the former out.
David's amaz'd when he doth caſt his Eye
On all the glorious things beneath the skie;
He looked up and down, above, and under,
And ſtood aſtoniſh'd, ſeeing cauſe of Wonder;
And then reflecting his own frame, did ſee
Nature's great Volume, bleſt Epitome.
Fearfully am I made: how canſt tell?
His Anſwer is, My Soul knows it full well.
We ſhould have known no more of Earth, or Heav'n
Than the brut… beaſts, had not Jehovah given
This precious Soul to us: O then be wiſe,
And it secure as the chiefeſt Prize.
Secondly.
Nay more then this, the Scripture makes relation
'Tis capable of glorious Inſpiration.
There is in Man a Soul, a Spirit do's live
And move in him, to which the Lord doth give
By Inſpiration, Wiſdom, Knowledg, Fear,
That fools know more than the Philoſopher.
The Soul's God's Candle, a light of acceptation,
But from himſelf muſt come its Information.
Shall not this Candle (pray you) lighted be?
O let God's Spirit (Soul) inlighten thee.
Thirdly.
Nay, once again, it's Nature to declare,
'Twill ſweet Impreſſions take, God's Image bear.
It bore it once, O then, how did it ſhine!
A glorious ſhadow of him, who's Divine:
But now 'tis blurr'd, and ſoil'd by filthy duſt;
O 'tis defac'd and ſpoil'd by means of Luſt.
But he who ſtamp'd it there at firſt, can make
It once again a new Impreſſion take:
He can waſh off the ſoil, refine the Ore,
And make it ſhine fairer than heretofore,
O what a glorious thing! how rare 'twill be,
When God renews his Image once in thee?
Loſe not the Soul, (the wax) for nought can bear
This Image then, nor can that loſs repair.
Fourthly.
The Soul's glorious Piece, wherein doth lie
So great an Excellence, as doth out-vy
All outward Glory: for 'tis only ſhe
That's capable of ſo great Dignitie
To be eſpouſed to the Glorious Three.
Strange condeſcention! an amazing thing!
What joy and raviſhment from hence may ſpring
Up unto thee, when into 't thou doſt pry;
Will the high God take ſweet complacency
In ſuch a one? What, doth he pleaſe to chuſe
Thee for his dear Conſort, make thee his Spouſe?
May'ſt thou in Chriſt's dear Arms and Boſom lie?
Ah! is the Soul the Jewel of his Eye?
Can any joy and ſweetneſs be like this?
Can worldly Comforts raiſe thee to ſuch bliſs?
What, is thy Soul capable of ſuch Union;
And doth there flow from thence ſuch rare Communion?
Admire it! is not one kiſs worth more,
Than all the Riches of the Eaſtern ſhore?
O! loſe not then thy Soul! Ah! who would miſs
Of this ſweet Union and Eternal Bliſs?
Fifthly.
It's nature, worth, and rare tranſcendency,
Appears in that great i…congruity,
And weakneſs of all Creatures to ſuffice it;
And from this ground great cauſe haſt thou to prize it.
Nothing but God himſelf can ſatisfie
That precious Soul, which in thy breaſt do's lie.
The Univerſ…s too little, th' whole Creation
Will not appeaſe its longing expectation.
How vaſt's the Deeps? how lotty the deſires
Of Man's poor Soul, above all bounds aſpires▪
It ſeeks, it prys, and views all kind of Treaſure,
And ſtill it craves, its wiſhes know no meaſure.
It walks again, it rambles, O it flies,
And ranſacks all the ſecret Treaſuries
Of Art and Nature, hurried, nay 'tis driven
To and fro, being reſtleſs, till to Heaven
It caſts a look, and Jeſus does eſpy,
And then full ſoon with greateſt joy doth cry,
O there's the Pearl! I muſt have him, or die.
Thou muſt expect no peace, there's nought can ſtill it,
Nor give it reſt till God himſelf do's fill it,
Hark to its ſighs, do not befool and cheat it,
Nor of its wiſhings baffle and defeat it:
For nothing but that God that made it, can
Suffice the Soul, the precious Soul of Man.
Sixthly.
What thinkſt thou of that price, that price of blood
Which Chriſt laid down? does it not cry aloud?
O precious is the Soul! it coſt full dear:
Doth not this noiſe ſound always in thine Ear?
Seventhly.
Don't Satan's rage, his enmity, and wrath
Againſt the Soul, ſhew forth its precious worth?
Take pleaſures here, and Coffers fill with Coin,
The Shop with Wares, & Cellars with rich Wine:
Let him but have the Soul, he does not care,
Take what you pleaſe beſides, and do not ſpare.
He rages when one Soul eſcapes his paws;
Ah! that's the Prize his black and bloody jaws
Are open for. Theſe Demons grin, and ſwell
With venom great, and Councils hold in Hell,
(As hath been hinted) that by craft they may
Catch the poor Soul, and this Pearl bear away,
That, that's the Morſel, that's their only prey.
Eighthly.
Its bleſt Infuſion, and God's conſtant care
For food and Ornaments which he does ſpare,
For to adorn her on th' eſpouſal day,
Fully declares this Truth, therefore we may
Amazed ſtand, and wondring all ways cry,
O precious Soul! thy worth and exc'llency
Is very great, who can it comprehend?
It's that which does oft-times to Chriſt aſcend
In ſtrong deſires, and longings: O! 'twill pry
Into all places for his Company.
She in his ſight rejoyces, and is glad;
But when once gone, ſhe ſighs, ſhe mourns, is ſad.
All other joy's but meer perplexity;
Without his love, 'twill ſwoun'd away, nay die.
Nothing but Grace, Heaven's off-ſpring, can revive it;
And nought but ſighs of Jeſus can …nlive it.
Theſe things conſidered, may make thee ſee
Its worth, nay more, how alſo 'tis with thee.
Ninthly.
How ſhall we prize the Soul? what rate ſhall we
Upon her ſet? O what againſt her weigh?
Come, bring the ballance, and now let us try
What further worth or preciouſneſs doth lie
In the fair Soul: 'tis done, all Golden Ore
Of both the Indies are ith' ſeales, yet more
We ſtill do want, more Riches pray put in,
All precious Stones and Pearls; now weigh agin.
Alas the ballance flies, here yet wants weight,
The Soul out-vi…s them all: Lord, here's a ſight
Th' whole world at once is in yet 'tis too light.
Add world to world, and heap ten thouſand more,
Were there ſo many, could you find ſuch ſtore,
Yet would the Soul in worth exceed them far.
Nay, I might multiply, and yet not e…r.
Oh! then take heed thou doſt not chaffer ſo,
To get the World, and in exchange let go
This precious Soul: nor let it be thought ſtrange,
What ſhall a Man for's Soul give in exchange?
Tenthly.
She is Immortal, O ſhe cannot die;
Though 'twas not ſo from all Eternity.
She was created, but in ſuch a ſtate,
Man can't her kill, nor h…r annihilate.
Her Beings ſuch, h…r Life ſhall ſtill remain
(Although the body die) in bliſs or pain.
Then haſt then not good ground to watch & ward
With wary eye, and ſet a conſtant guard
Upon the portals of the treach'rous heart,
Leſt of this Jewel thou dec…ived art?
What Man to gain a ſhilling, would let go
A Pearl of ſuch great price and value? who
Would think that Men, accounted grave and wiſe,
…or toys and trifles ſhould their Souls deſpiſe?
Many, I fear there be, who day by day,
To gain a Gr…at, unjuſtly, giv…t away;
Whilſt others proſtitute it to their luſt:
Nay, do by it, as by a bone or cruſt
That's caſt unto the Dog for him to knaw.
This Dog's the Devil, whoſe wide ſtretcht…out jaw
Stand gaping for 't: his Eyes are upon all,
Knowing when e're they ſin, they let it fall.
O then take heed; and if this Dog ſhould fawn,
Or wag his Tail, let not ſo ſweet a pawn
Of future Glory be contemn'd or loſt,
Think, think from whence it came, & what it coſt.