Rocks Improved, Part 3
Meditations of the third Sort, ſuiting Rockes, and Gods Elect together.
BEſides, theſe Rockes preſent before our Eyes
The State of Gods Elect, in lively wiſe.
1.
Rockes fixed are, not toſſed to and fro,
With every Winde, Storme, Tempeſt: Even ſo(b) Job 18. 4. Mat. 7. 25. 26.
Gods Choſen Sheepe with cRom. 8. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39.firme and ſtable Hearts
Adhere to Him in all their Troubles, Smarts:
No Stormes, Windes, Croſſes, Changes can remove
Them from his Word, Sonne, Spirit, Truth or Love:
When dJoh. 6. 66. 67. 68. 2 Pet. 1. 10. 11.Troopes of others ſhrinke, and fall away,
They cleave to him as to their onelyonly Stay.
2.
Rockes many eMat. 7. 25. 26.Winds, Stormes, Tempeſts undergoe:
And doe not all the fPſal. 34 13. Act. 23. 22. Pſa. 73. 14.Saints, whiles here, doe ſo?
3.
Rockes meekely beare and ſuffer Stormes that fall,
And never fret, rage, or repine at all:
Gods gPſal. 39. 2. 9. 1 Sam. 3. 8. 2 Sam. 15. 25. 26. 27. c. 18. 4. to 14.Saints without all murmur, fret, or cry
Their Croſſes, Loſſes beare moſt quietly;
Submitting unto God, whoſe Providence
All bitter Potions doth to them diſpenſe.
4.
All men on hMat. 7. 25. 26.Rockes may ſafely build and reſt:
And of all truſty friends, the Saints are beſt.
On i3 Ioh. …. 6. Prov. 17. 17. c. 18. 24. Joh. 15. 13.whom we may all times with truſt relye,
And to them in all Dangers ſafely flye.
5.
Rockes kIſa. 2. 21. Ezech. 26. 4.bare and ragged are: The Saints oft lPſa. 37, 26. Jam. 2. 5. 1 Cor. 4…. …. 1. 12. c. 16. 1. 2. 2 Cor. 6. 10. c. 8. 2. 4. Rom. 15. 26.Poore,
In outward State; but ſeldome begge at doore.
6.
Yet though Rockes Outſides be but baſe and rude,
They richeſt Mines within their wombes include:
So though Saints Outſides be but ragged, baſe,
Within them mJam. 2. 5. Pſal. 45. 13. Epheſ. 3. 19. Phil. 1. 11. Col. 1. 9. 10. 11. Heb. 11. 37. 38.hidden lye gold-Mines of Grace.
7.
Stone… digged out of Rockes and hewed ſquare
The n1 King. 5. 17. 18. c. 6. 7. 8. c. 7. 3. 10. 11. 2 Chron. 2. & 3. 2 King. 12. 12. Ezech. 40. 42.faireſt Temples, Buildings make that are.
So Gods Elect, though vile whiles that they lye
In Natures Quarries in deformitie;
Yet hew'de out thence, ſquar'd, poliſht by Gods Grace,
And layd in order in their proper Place,
Become oPſal. 14, 4. 12. Iſa. 11. 11. 12. 1 Cor. 3. 16. 17. 2 Cor. 6. 16. Epheſ. 2. 21.rich Temples wherein God doth dwell,
And doe all other ſtructures farre excell,
In worth, and glory: Lord thus ſquare, and lay
Us in theſe Sacred walls, which laſt for aye.
8.
Rockes for the moſt part lowly are and meeke:
The pPſa. 131. 1. 2. 3. Col. 3. 1. 2. 3. Heb. 11. 13. 14. 15. 16. 24. 25. 26. 35. 36. 37. 38. 2 Cor. 4. 9. to 13.Saints are ſo, and no high places ſeeke;
In this vaine world; where they dejected lye
Till God advance them to the Starrie skie.
9.
Rockes Kingdomes, Iſlands guard and fortifie
Gainſt raging Seas, Floods, Stormes, and Enemie:
qExod. 32. 11. to 15. Jam. 5. 16. 17. 18. 2 King. 2. 12. c. 6. 9. to 24. c. 8. 9. c. 2…. 6. Gen. 28. 23. to 25. Act. 27. 24. 2 King. 13. 14. 23.Saints holy Lives, and frequent Prayers ar
States ſureſt Guards; Forts, both in Peace and war;
Theſe Shield-off Judgements, Foes, Plagues, yea Gods Ire,
Which elſe would waſt, and ſcorch them worſe than Fire.
10.
Rockes from their Sides ſend forth rNumb. 20. 10. 11. 12. Deut. 8. 15. Pſal. 105. 41.Springs ſweete and pure,
Mens Thirſt to quench, their wounds and ſores to cure:
And who but Chriſt and Saints can sIſa. 61. 1. c. 4…. 1. 2. 2 Cor. 1, 4. 5.Comfort bring
To Sinne-ſicke Soules, and thoſe who feele the Sting
Gripes, Torments, Flames of Hell and Conſcience?
Or binde up broken, hearts, and chaſe from thence
All feares and horrid Terrors? Which an Hell
On Earth oft make in thoſe wherein they dwell?
Hence all ſuch wounded Soules doe ever fly
To t2 Cor. 1. 4. 5. 6. Act. 9. 10. to 20.theſe for Comfort in extremity:
Since no ungodly wretch can cheare, or eaſe
A Sinne-ſicke Soule, nor aking Heart appeaſe.
11.
Rockes moſt deſpiſed and neglected are,
As worthleſſe Creatures: Thus Gods Saints oft fare
v1 Cor. 4. 9. to 13. Heb. 11. 36. 37. 38. Mal. 3. 14. to 18.Contem'd, abhor'd of Moſt, as vile and baſe,
Though of Mankinde the onelyonly Pearles, Starres, Grace.
12.
Rockes hurt no Shippes, Boates, Men, but ſuch as xAct. 27. 29.hit
Themſelves againſt them; and ſo breake or ſplit:
So Gods Elect doe never hurt, breake, quaſh
Any, but thoſe who y1 King. 13. 4. 6. Act. 9. 4. 5.wilfully rune, daſh,
Bruiſe, breake themſelves againſt them; who muſt check
And blame themſelves, not them, for this their wreck.
13.
God firſt ingrav'd his Sacred Lawes upon
A Marble Rocke zExod. 24. 12. c. 31. 18. c. 34. 29. Deut. 4. 13. c. 5. …2. c. 9. 10. 11. 15. 17.a Table made of Stone;
Not brittle Glaſſe, ſoft Paper; that they might
Out laſt all time: God, ſtill, his Lawes doth write
On hardeſt Rockes; Saints ſtable aJer. 31. 33. 2 Cor 3. 3.Hearts, whereby
They Time ſurvive, and gaine eternity.
The two firſt Stony Tables whereupon
God ſtampt his Lawes, broke, loſt were long agon:
Theſe harder Tables of Saints Hearts remaine,
And in them Gods bleſt Lawes for aye retaine.
Lord, I my heart a bEzech. 11. 19. c. 36. 26.Rocke have made: O carve
Therein thy Lawes, from which it may not ſwarve
And ſince it ſhall out-dure the firmeſt Rocke,
O, this rich treaſure ever in it locke!
Yea, make each Saints Stone-Heart the Treaſury
Of thy ſweete Lawes, for all eternity.
14.
Rockes in moſt places thinly ſcatred are;
Saints in all places are moſt cLuk. 13 23. 24. Iſa. 17. 6.thinne and rare.
d1 Pet. 1. 1. 2. Heb. 11. 36. 37.Diſperſed here and there, where hid they lye
In ſecret Corners in obſcurity;
Driven from Country, Lands, Houſe, Home, by thoſe
Who for their ePſal. 38. 20.Goodneſſe onelyonly are their Foes.
15.
Rockes burnt to fIſa 33. 12.Lime, doe faſten, joyne, ſement
Stones in all Buildings, and them free from rent:
Yea; laid on barren Grounds where nought would ſpring,
They make them fertile, and great Crops to bring:
So Gods Elect, when melted by the Flame
Of his ſweete Spirit, gEph. 4. 3. to 17. Rom. 15 5. 6. 7 c. 16. 17. 18. 1 Cor. 1. 10. 11. 12. 13. c. 12 4. to 3…. Phil. 1. 27. 28. Jud. 3. 4. Rev. 2. 14.knit, unite the Frame
And Stones of his Church here on Earth together,
And keepe out Errours, Sects that would it ſever:
Yea, ſent to barren Soiles where grew no Grace,
They make them hAct. 26. 17. 18. Rom. 1. 13. c. 15. 18. 19. 20. Col. 1. 6fruitfull, and in better caſe.
16.
Rockes cut and poliſht, turne to richeſt Gems
Become Kings Treaſures, iZech. 9. 16. 2 Sam. 12. 30.crowne their Diadems.
Saints ſquar'd and poliſht from their droſſe by Grace,
Prove Gods rich kMal. 3. 17.Jewels, in his Crowne have place.
Lord ſo refine me that I may be ſet,
A Stone, Pearle, Jewel in thy Coroner.
Amidſt thoſe Saints which thou reput'ſt ſuch Gems
As farre excell, out-ſhine all Diadems.
Sweete Jeſus make me of thy Choſen Flocke,
That I, like them, may be a bleſſed Rocke.