Divine Poems, Epilogue
The Epilogue.
CHRIST IESVS Who is made vntounto us Wiſedome Rightouſneſſe Sanctification Redemption 1 Cor. 1. 30
the whole World lieth in Wickedneſſe 1. Ioh. 5. 19
Rom. 7. 24. O Wretched man that I am who ſhall deliuer me from ye body of this death
Behold the Lambe of GOD which taketh away ye ſin of ye world.Ioh.1. 29
Deliuer him from going down to the pit I hauehave found a ranſome. Iob. 33. 24.
Rom. 6. 23. the Wages of ſinne is Death
ii Timo. 2. 26. That they may recouer themſelues out of ye ſnare of the deuil who are taken captiue by him at his will
Though no fleſh this Law obey,
In it ſelf; In Chriſt it may:
Though it frighteth us for ſin;
Yet our peace, it uſhers in:
And, in us prepareth place,
For the ſaving Law of Grace.
When this Grace hath taught to Love,
Hardeſt works will eaſy prove,
And that ſin we ſhall abhor,
Which we doted on before.
THE Epilogue.
The Law from God's meer love proceeds,
Though ſtrict it ſeems and Terror breeds.
NOW having well obſerv'd this glorious Law
(A Creature cloath'd with Majeſty and awe.)
Methinks the Body of it ſeems to me,
Compos'd of ſuch eſſential parts to be,
That, he may find, who rightly from them ſhall
All as but one; each one of them as all;
And, that who ever breaks or keepeth one,
Obſerves or breaketh all, in what is done:
As will appear to him, who well attends
How ev'ry Precept, on the reſt depends.
He cannot poſſibly or love or fear
One God aright, who willfully doth err
In Idol worſhippings; in vainly uſing
God's holy Name; In holy Times abuſing;
Or, in permitting ſo perverſe a nature
As to abuſe Himſelf, or any Creature
Belonging to this God, with ſuch a mind
As may Contentment in ſuch evils find.
And what is of this Law averr'd; we may
In ev'ry other Precept boldly ſay.
Moreover I conceive, it cannot be
Of leſs impoſſibility, that he
Who gives the Creature ev'ry way his right,
Should in his heart his good Creator ſlight:
Or actually offend him without ſenſe
And ſorrow, for ſo hainous an offence.
He that right Conſcience makes to keep one Law,
Of breaking all the other ſtands in awe.
He that his Parents honours as he ought,
Can never favour Murther in his thought,
Or thirſt for Vengeance: never will his eyes,
Or heart, or members act Adulterys:
No due from any Creature will he take,
He dares of none conceive, receive or ſpeak,
Untruths or ſlanders: He will never crave
(Or by a ſecret longing wiſh to have)
What may not be deſir'd; Nor ought commit
Which his profeſſion may not ill befit,
But penitence, will ſmite him for the deed,
And in his heart a faithful ſorrow breed.
Much leſs will he grow wilfully to blame,
In Prophanation of Gods Days, his Name,
His Worſhip, or his Eſſence; For, in one,
Well doing, all good Dutys will be done,
And this which from one Law, is here expreſt,
May really be ſaid of all the reſt.
The like we may as doubtleſly averr
Of them who 'gainſt one Law perverſly err:
Begin at which you pleaſe, they ſo are chain'd,
All ſins are in the breach of one contain'd.
One wickedneſs contracts another ſtill,
And that another; either to fulfill
Or hide the firſt; until all guilt comes in
And wheels him round the curſed Orbe of Sin.
For, what hath he to bar him from the reſt,
Who but in one hath wilfully tranſgreſt?
What other ſin would he have left undone,
Which might have hindred his beloved one?
Or, if perpetually he do not act
All wickedneſs, and ev'ry filthy Fact?
Why is it ſo, unleſs (perchance) becauſe,
His finite Nature cannot break all Laws,
At once in Act; Nor his deſires extend,
To ev'ry thing wherein he might offend?
For ev'ry ſacred Law, is in his Will
(Incluſively at leaſt) infringed ſtill,
And Guiltineſs would actually appear,
If power and fit occaſions preſent were.
For, as the Laws fair Body is compos'd
Of portions qualified and diſpos'd,
In ſuch a manner that we plainly ſee,
The perfect Eſſence, of the whole to be
In ev'ry part; ſo, likewiſe, hath our Sin
An ugle Body, and each Limb therein
Containeth (whether it be great or ſmall)
Eſſentially, the perfect Guilt of all,
And, by this Body, Death a means hath found
To give to all Mankind a mortal wound.
But, prais'd be God, his Grace provided hath
A Light, a Guard, an Armour, and a Path
By which we may be quite delivered from
The Body of this Death; and alſo come
To walk the way of life, which elſe had bin
For ever barr'd againſt us by our ſin.
The Lamb of God by whom we do poſſeſs
Redemption, Wiſdom, Juſtice, Holineſs,
With ev'ry matchleſs token of his Love;
The Guilt of that tranſgreſſion doth remove,
Which woundeth firſt our Nature; and from him,
We have a cure for ev'ry actual Crime.
He, hath fulfilled what we could not keep:
He, gives us power to walk, who could not creep:
He, paid the price of that which we had bought:
He, got our Pardon e're the ſame we ſought:
He, bore the ſtripes for us which we did merit:
He, purchas'd Crowns that we might them inherit:
Our Fears he doth prevent; our loſs reſtore,
And (to the true Believers) tendreth more
Than Adam loſt. Yea, he doth freely give
To ev'ry Soul a power which may believe
And perſevere, if well he ſhall employ,
The Talents and the Grace he doth enjoy.
And with a mind in all Temptations meek,
This power in Chriſt, not in her ſelf doth ſeek.
Ev'n they that periſh, till they do contemn
God's profer'd Love: potentially in them
Retain this power by God's Free grace, until
Their Fleſh ſeduc'd, like Eve, doth move their Will,
Like Adam, to conſent and then to Act
A wickedneſs, and to approve the Fact
Againſt their Conſcience: For then God departs
From their polluted and rebellious Hearts;
And back returneth not until from thence,
That Guilt be waſhed by true penitence,
The means whereof he alſo muſt beſtow,
Or elſe into obdurateneſs they grow.
Affirm we may not, that God will not come
To any (whom he ſo departeth from,)
Twice, thrice, or oftner: For we cannot know
How far the limits of his Mercys go;
Nor by what meaſure, or by what degree
Of wilfulneſs, he ſo diſpleas'd ſhall be.
As to forſake for ever, ſince he may
Shew mercy where he pleaſeth while the day
Of life-time laſteth there is hope of Grace
For every ſinful Soul of Adams race.
Juſt Job confeſſeth that God oft aſſays
To draw the ſinner from delicious waysJob 33. 14.
The raiſing up of Lazarus from death,
When he had four days yeilded up his breath,
Inferreth alſo that ſome few obtain
God's mercy who had dead and ſtinking lain
In their tranſgreſſions; till there was no place
For help by outward means, or common grace.
But this his mercy is the higheſt pitch,
And if a God who is in mercy rich
Vouchſafe it any where, he doth afford
Much more than he hath promis'd in his word;
For, though he may confer it when he pleaſe,
Yet, to have left ſuch promiſes as theſe
Had better'd none; but made thoſe worſe, by far
Who, for the Grace obtained, thankleſs are.
"Oh who enough can praiſe thy matchleſs Love
"Moſt gracious God! Who pleaſeſt from above
"To look upon the Vaſſals here below
"Our Nature, and diſtempers tempring ſo;
"And ſo providing that the bleſſing loſt
"Is purchas'd for us, at anothers coſt,
And may by every Soul enjoyed be
Who ſhall accept the means ordain'd by thee.
Though as did once the Jews ſome Chriſtians grudge
As if the Childrens teeth were ſet on edge
By what their Fathers eat and doubtful grow
(Although thou makeſt Oath, it is not ſo)
That moſt of thoſe, which are or which have bin
Since time began, ſhall die in Adam's ſin;
And are in him rejected without place
Or means of hope of truly ſaving Grace;
Yea, though this be an error whereby ſuch
As err that way have urg'd thy Juſtice much;
Yet we who fear and truſt thee (and to whom
The knowledge of thy ſecrets therefore come)
Remember well (and therefore heed have took)
That Thou, the general Covenant being broke)
Which firſt was made in Adam) pleas'd haſt bin
To tell us of a new one, ſince brought in,
And made with all men ſo particularly
That no man for anothers Crime can die:
A Covenant in Chriſt from whom both Will
And Power we have receiv'd to fulfil
So much as ſhall to thee be acceptable,
If we endeavour, as thou doſt enable:
And whereas, when this knowledge we did want,
We dreamed that thy New made Covenant
Concern'd but few, we doubtleſs did aver
A Doctrine which from Truth did widely err,
For that which we did ignorantly call
A Covenant, is no ſuch thing at all:
Becauſe we then ſuppoſed nothing done,
Nor ought believ'd, but on one ſide alone.
A Covenant (as men of Judgment know)
Is that which is contracted betwixt two;
But, thou by that which ſome of us do ſay
Doſt all thy ſelf; and giv'ſt nor power nor way
To Act or will what abſolutely can
Be ſaid to be the Act or Will of Man.
We ſtand for nothing thou alone believ'ſt,
Thou acteſt all thou giveſt and receiveſt;
Yea, if we this aſſertion muſt allow
None truly worketh good or ill but thou;
Man's but a ſufferer, whatſoe're he does,
He doth becauſe he can nor will nor choſe.
Lord let us know the better, and ſo know
What powers and faculties thou doeſt beſtow
On us, to fear and ſerve thee, that we might
In work, and word, and thought ſtill do thee right;
For, thou ſo equally haſt all things done,
And ſhew'ſt ſuch mercy unto every one,
That ev'n by thoſe who ſhall thy wrath abide,
In every thing thou ſhalt be juſtifi'd,
And none ſhall truly ſay, when call'd they are
Before thy Throne of Judgment to appear,
That thou haſt more exacted any way
From any man, than he had power to pay,
Till by forſaking thee he forfeit made
Of that enabling Grace, which once he had.
This Law of thine which an appearance hath
Of Terror, of Severity and Wrath
To thoſe dull naturaliſts, who have not weighed
How by the Law of Grace it is allay'd;
Even this fear'd Law when firſt the ſame was made,
No other end but Man's well being had;
Nor hath as yet, except it be to thoſe
Who ſleight thy kindneſs, and believe thy ſoes.
The former Table, which we weakly fain
(Doth only to thy glory appertain)
Concerneth in the points of higheſt nature,
The Welfare and the glory of thy Creature.
To thee what is it, whether we adore
Thee for our God, or none, or twenty more?
Thine Honour was at full e're we were made,
And would be ſo though we no being had.
'Tis our Advantage that thou let's us know
To whom in our neceſſities to go,
And leav'ſt us not as when we Gentiles were,
To wander all our life times out in fear,
In Darkneſs and in Error; yet to find
Nor eaſe of Body neither peace of mind.
'Tis our advantage that we may be bold
To ſcorn thoſe Bugbears, which in times of old
Men trembled at; and that the power and fame
Of what was nothing, but an empty Name
Enſlav'd us not to come with vows and praiſe
To worſhip it, as in our Heathen daies,
Which benefit we by this Law obtain'd,
And which without this Law we have not gain'd.
'Tis our avail that ſuch a God we have
Who lets us know that he hath power to ſave,
And, that when we our ſelves to him apply,
We need not fear a Rival Deity
Will angry grow; and do us in deſpight
A greater Wrong, than thou haſt power to right.
Or, that a Jealous Juno can make void
The hopes which in thy Love we have enjoy'd.
It is our gain to honour thee alone,
And that we need not now to Cyprus run
To worſhip Venus; then to ſeek Apollo
At Delphos; and from thence a courſe to follow
As far as famous Epheſus to ſee
If great Diana in her Temple be:
And thence again to poſt, in hope to meet
With Jove inſhrined in the Iſle of Creet.
Our Times and Subſtance waſting to receive
That from them, which they had not power to give.
What were it unto thee; (but that our peace
Thou loveſt) if we dayly ſhall increaſe
Our vain will-worſhippings, till we deviſe
As many Superſtitious Fopperies
As we have ſenſleſs Dreams? Or if our daies
We ſpend on Idols, forging Puppet plays,
And falſe Ideas, till all truth be loſt?
And then, (which is effected now almoſt)
Fight, brawl, and preach, to make up Sects and Factions
To help maintain the Whimſies and Diſtractions
Which fool us, till we find ſome Chrotchets new
Unknown to Chriſtian, Heathen, Turk, and Jew?
Moreover, (but, that our own harm it were)
To know no power whereof we ſtood in fear,
And were it not a merciful prevention
Of miſeries, of miſchiefs, and contention
Which elſe would rage among us if we had
No name, in which with Reverence might be made
Vows, Oaths, and Proteſtations; Or if we
Should not believe a Will and Power in thee
To heed and puniſh it, when wrong were done;
What benefit to thee, enſu'd thereon,
For which thou ſhouldſt vouchſafe to make a Law
To keep the damn'd For-ſwearers hearts in awe?
What ſuft' reſt thou, when mad Blaſphemers rave
Againſt thy holy Name, that thou need'ſt have
A Law to curb them? Or, what have they done
More than thoſe Dogs, which bark againſt the Moon
If they themſelves, or, others of their kind
No damage by thoſe Blaſphemies did find?
And but, that ſweetly provident thou art
Ev'n for the meaneſt and leaſt worthy part
Of all thy Creatures; what was that daies reſt
To thee, which thou ordain'ſt for Man and Beaſt?
Their pain or eaſe, Thy Reſt augmented not,
Nor, profit by the Sabbaths haſt thou got;
Or, by the Feſtivals ordain'd by thee,
For, they, not thine, but mans advantage be,
Our Eſſence being of a double Nature,
And, thou beſt knowing what beſt fits the Creature,
Requireſt all men ſo their time to uſe,
That Soul and Body, may receive their dues
But, what misſalls to thee if any ſpends
His Times in vain or to prepoſterous ends?
Some of us peradventure fancy may,
That thou haſt honour by the Sabbath day,
And that it adds to thy contentment then,
To hear and ſee great multitudes of men
Aſſemblies make, to invocate thy Name,
And in their ſongs to magnifie the ſame.
Indeed this is our Duty, and when this
Upon thy days by ſome performed is:
Thou tak'ſt it as a honour done to thee;
That in ſuch Dutys, we might ſerious be,
Yet, ſtill the benefit is all our own.
Thy praiſe is neither more nor farther blown,
To thy avail, nor doth our holineſs
Conduce to ought, but our own happineſs.
The days on which we memorize thy Graces;
And meet together in thy holy places,
Are much for our avail; for then and there
Thou teacheſt us, our, Croſſes how to bear;
What to believe and hope there we may learn
How we 'twixt Good and Evil may diſcern,
How Truth from curſed Error we may know,
What Path to ſhun or take, what work to do,
And how and whom to love (which is the Sun
And height of all whereto on Earth we come)
Which manifeſts that only for our ſake,
It pleaſed thee ſome days of Reſt to make.
Sure ev'ry mean capacity is able
To underſtand, that in the ſecond Table▪
Mans welfare is immediately intended,
And that therefore, thoſe Laws be recommended
To univerſal practice; ſo to ſtay
Our minds from running out another way.
For if our lives ambitiouſly we ſpend
In brawls for honour: If we ſet an end
To all our kind by Murthers: If we pleaſe
To plague our ſelves with ev'ry foul diſeaſe,
And ev'ry grief of Heart, which will ariſe
From Fornications and Adulterys:
If all our Labours ſhould be made a prey
To Thieves, till want had worn us quite away;
If we ſhould plague each other by our Lies,
By ſlanders or in humane Perjurys;
Or, if our hearts upon the Rack were ſet
By luſting after what we could not get,
Theſe madneſſes our miſchiefs only be,
But neither harm nor diſcontent to thee;
Except in this reſpect, that having took
Our Nature thy Compaſſion cannot brook,
To ſee thy Members injur'd by the Sin,
Which lawleſs people are delighted in?
Thou haſt affirm'd; (the better to apply
Thy workings to our mean Capacity)
That all things for thy Glory thou haſt wrought,
And, yet it is not therefore to be thought
Thou wanteſt Glory, and didſt work for more,
Or, that it gain'd ought wanting heretofore.
Nor may we think a power ſo truly wiſe,
Should work for that which we are bid deſpiſe.
But rather that thou honour doſt expect
To be to thee aſcrib'd as an effect,
Of fruitfulneſs belonging to the Natures,
And undeſpis'd condition of thy Creature,
Yea, I believe unfainedly oh God,
By what I from thy ſelf have underſtood,
Thou wrought'ſt for Love. Not meerly to attain
Thy Creatures love, for that had been as vain:
Becauſe indeed, as little need thou haſt
Of their imperfect love, as of the blaſt
Of their weak praiſe. Oh Lord thy love it was
Thy Love eſſential which did bring to paſs,
The works thou mad'ſt; That bleſſed love of thine
Which is thy Self (Oh Eſſence moſt Divine)
For, being All, and all at full poſſeſſing
In thy Self-being, thou conceivd'ſt a bleſſing
To be conferr'd on others: not to add
Ought to that Bleſſedneſs, thy Eſſence had.
Thy wiſedom infinite, a paſſage found
(By thy eternal Power, which hath no bound)
Diſtinct, and finite Natures forth to bring
(without impairing or deminiſhing
Thy perfect Eſſence) which of thy perfection
Should give ſome Demonſtration, by reflection.
Among the reſt one Creature thou did'ſt name,
Compos'd of all, which th' vniverſal Frame
Therein contained; And the ſame did'ſt make
Not only ſo, as that it might partake
Of all Created things, and alſo be
A certain Medium 'twixt them and thee,
But, which is to the honour of it more,
Thine Image in it ſelf it likewiſe bore,
And had … poſſibility to be,
United (undiviſibly) to thee.
A Species of this Creature, Lord I am,
And, for what end created we became
As I conceive it, here, I mean to tell
Oh teach me better, If I ſay not well,
Thou being Love it ſelf, and therefore kind,
It was thy gracious and eternal mind,
Mankind a Sharer in thy bliſs to make
And grant him Licenſe alſo to partake
That Glory which thou didſt enjoy alone,
Before all other Beings were begun,
And this great favour Lord thou pleaſed wert,
(As well became thy Wiſdom) to impart
By Means, Degrees, and on the ſame condition
Through which we beſt might gain the beſt fruition
Of what was purpoſed; and come to be
United (as I ſaid before) to thee.
To Adam this great Myſtery appear'd
Till diſobedience, Foggs in him had rear'd
Which dull'd his Reaſon, and his heart declin'd
From Thee, within himſelf, this bliſs to find.
The Law thou gav'ſt him, was not (as is thought
By ſome of us) that proof might ſo be ſought
Of his Obedience: For thou knoweſt all
Before it is; and what ſhall ſtill befall,
Much leſs (as other ſome conceited are)
Was that Command intended as a Snare
Thoſe to entrap whom thy eternal Hate,
Had fore-decreed. Oh God! to reprobate?
Far it is from the Goodneſs of thy Nature,
To be a God ſo Cruel to thy Creature,
And far, far be it from thy Creatures too,
To their kind Maker ſo great wrong to do.
This, rather, ſeems the cauſe there could not be
A poſſibility, that Thou and We
Should make a perfect Unity, unleſs
Our Nature had Eſſential Righteouſneſs:
For, otherwiſe, thy Juſtice would abhor
That which thy Mercy did endeavour for,
And, from uniting us, become ſo far
That thine own Attributes would be at War.
When therefore Man ſeduced fail'd in that,
Which might have perfected his bleſt Eſtate,
And, that perform'd not whereby Juſtice might,
In our Advancement take a full delight,
Behold, thy powerful Mercy did prevent
Our total ruin by a Wonderment
Beyond the Worlds Creation, out of nought.
For, when by Sin we further off were brought,
From what thou had'ſt intended us, then by
The not obtaining of an Entity
Thy all-inventing wiſdom found a mean
Through which our Eſſence made e're while unclean
Should be re-purifi'd and ſo perfum'd
That perſonally it might be then aſſum'd
Unto thy ſelf; and Man thereby attain
A Happineſs not to be loſt again.
If ſome few eaſy Duties he will do
When Grace enables Nature thereunto.
And doubtleſs every Man ſhall one day know
That thou on him ſuch portions didſt beſtow
(Ev'n pers'nally) that if he be undone,
It was not Adams, but his fault alone.
This Myſtery thy goodneſs brought to paſs,
And for no other end, Oh Lord it was
But for our good; for neither doſt thou need
Our Praiſe or Love; nor is it for the deed
Of Love or Praiſe, or Worſhip or of ought
Which by our faculties to paſs is brought,
That thou requireſt them of us; but that we
Should not unto our ſelves defective be
In doing our endeavours to attain
So much as lieth in our power to gain
Leſt it indamage us, and in the way
Unto our true perfections ſtops may lay.
Eſſential goodneſs hath eſſential peace
Without all diminution or increaſe,
And therefore he who bleſſedneſs deſires
To that above all other thing aſpires.
To love and give due praiſe, is better far
Than to be lov'd, or to be praiſed are
To him that hath ſubſiſtance of his own
Ev'n I my ſelf (whoſe heart is overgrown
With imperfections) love without reſpect
Of any end but meerly to affect
Thoſe whom I love, and rather would have done
Ten thouſand kindneſſes than ſought for one.
And Lord if ſuch a failing love as mine,
May reach to this; how infinite is thine?
And, Oh how far art thou from things ſo vain
As loving meerly to be lov'd again
By ſuch poor worms as we whoſe beſt affection
Is but a paſſion full of imperfection!
Indeed thou bid'ſt us love thee; but, for what
Save to preſerve us capable of that,
Which we receive; and that we might not miſs
The comfort which in Virtue placed is,
And of whoſe hapleſs want, he cannot chuſe
But feel the loſs whoſe conſcience doth accuſe:
Yea thou commandeſt love, that love may make
Our nature of thy nature to partake:
Without which quality there cannot be
The true Communion 'twixt us and thee,
Which is the very height of all our bliſs,
Or which indeed the Eſſence of it is.
For could we be of thee, Oh God! approv'd,
Or, could we of all creatures be belov'd
Tho' we no love return'd (nor had in us,
An object for the love conferred thus)
Which were impoſſible; we ne'retheleſs
Should ſuffer by our own unworthineſs
An inward Hell, and to our ſelves invent,
Occaſions of continual diſcontent,
As to thoſe envious men, it may appear
Who cauſleſly injurious often are.
To thoſe their honeſt neighbours whom they find
To them as friendly as they are unkind,
For outward plagues purſueth ſo this ſin,
Nay alſo, ſo affects him ſtill within,
And till his nature be depraved quite,
His own Injuſtice will his heart affright.
Yea they whoſe Crimes are pardon'd are not free
From ſuff'rings though they well aſſured be,
That neither God nor Man will blame them for,
The paſſed Frailties, which they do abhor.
For then our hearts will grieve do what we can,
If they have injur'd either God or Man.
And then more favour is vouchſaf'd to them,
The more themſelves they cenſure and condemn.
Therefore, although I can forgive my Friend,
Yet, I would have him wary to offend,
Leſt, when he finds his error griev'd he be,
Within himſelf, that he hath wronged me,
And in his heart a torment ſuffer ſhould,
From which my love would keep him if I could.
Ev'n ſo oh Lord my God (though in degree,
More infinite than can conceived be:
And, in a manner, which I am not able
By any Figure to make demonſtrable)
In meer Good-will to Man, thou pleaſed art
To preach unto his ear, or to his Heart
Thoſe Dutys, which to thee from him belong,
That he, unto himſelf, may do no wrong.
Becauſe we ſeem a great eſteem to have
Of Love and Praiſe, and thereby to receive,
Content and profit; thou doſt oft propoſe
By us to be perform'd; ſuch things as thoſe,
As Dutys which are much of thee deſired,
And at our hand, for thy avail required,
But doubtleſs thou doſt only ſeem to be
Like us, that thou might'ſt make us like to thee,
And that, (if thee we love) we might be won
To do as for thy ſake what ſhould be done.
For our own Good; As Parents kind and wiſe
Have dealt with Children in their Infancies.
And whereas, Lord, it hath been ſaid by thee,
That thou wilt of thine honour Jealous be:
Thou only Jealous art, leſt our neglect
Of thee, our own perdition may effect.
Thou doſt things Honourable; and though none
Did praiſe thee for them, they ſhould ſtill be done.
Thine honour is eſſential: That we give
And which from us thou pleaſeſt to receive
Is but an accident; which ever may,
Without thy loſs, be preſent or away.
And when thou either thanks or praiſe requireſt
To perfect us, thoſe Dutys thou deſireſt.
This we long time have ſo miſunderſtood,
As if we did conceive thou wert a God,
Affected with Self-Love, or Fruitleſs Fame,
(Although we mannerly expreſs the ſame)
Yea we have dream'd that thou this world did'ſt make
And us and all things for thy Glorys ſake.
In ſuch a ſenſe, and for ſuch praiſes too
As we effect, when our beſt works we do.
I would we thought no worſe; or would we knew
What damnable abſurdities enſue,
Our groundleſs Fancies; For by them thou gain'ſt
Some fear, but little hearty love obtain'ſt.
By theſe falſe thoughts of thee, we do encreaſe
Our own ſelf Love, and all vain gloriouſneſs,
Within our ſelves hence is all we intend,
Our whole endeavours for a private end,
And that a froward peeviſhneſs is own'd,
In moſt of all our actions to be found,
For who can poſſibly be juſt or wiſe,
Who to his God imputes abſurdities?
Lord now we better know thee; and are ſhown
Both by thy words and works what ſhould be done;
Our ſelves we yet improve not as we ought,
By what thy Workings and thy Word have taught,
But both Self-love and Vanity have ſhare,
Ev'n in our Actions that moſt pious are.
We Counſel, we Relieve, Write, Preach and Pray,
That Honour, Gain, or Pleaſure bring it may,
To our own Perſons; and would little care
How wicked and unhappy others are,
Had we our aims; and ſtill might them poſſeſs
Amid'ſt our Sins and their unhappineſs,
Ev'n I my ſelf who love a better mind,
Do in my ſelf ſo much corruption find,
That (I confeſs) received Injuries,
More mov'd me to reprove Impieties,
Than mine own goodneſs, and that from my ſin
My beſt performances did firſt begin,
For which let pardon, Lord, vouchſafed be,
And more ſincere hereafter make thou me,
For, this may peradventure be the cauſe,
We preach thy Goſpel, and pronounce thy Laws,
And write without effect; ev'n this that our
Corruption makes the means, to want the power
It might have had; Elſe 'tis becauſe we hide
Thy Love, and have that ſaving Grace deny'd,
Which thou to all extendeſt; and which none
Shall want, who ſtriveth to lay hold thereon.
To help amend theſe faults now I have ſaid,
What, I believe thy Spirit hath convey'd
Into my heart: If I have err'd in ought
Let me, oh Lord, by thee be better taught
If truth I ſpeak, let other men from hence
Partakers be, of my Intelligence,
Make me and them thy love ſo fully view,
That we in our affections may be true,
And give us Grace the truth of them to ſhow
In doing well, the Duties which we owe.
Amen.