Meat out of the Eater, Poems 6
In Solitude Good Company.
TO be alone sometimes
And want no Company
Whil'st men are Musing; this you'll say
Is no great Rarity.
But when we are alone
To have Good Company,
The best that ever man enjoy'd,
This is a Mystery.
How such a thing can be,
Although Religion teach it,
And many can discourse thereof,
Yet Nature cannot reach it.
[1]
MAn's Nature sociable
Delights in Company,
Declines and dreadeth Solitude,
And loves Society.
Hence to be stript of Friends,
And to be left alone,
Psal. 102.6, 7.Must needs be grievous in it self,
A sore Affliction.
[2]
But bitter though it be,
God's Presence can allay
The Bitterness of Solitude,
And take it quite away.
Our Sav…our tells the Twelve,
You all desert me w…ll:John 16.32.
Yet I am not alone, b…cause
The Father's wi…h me still.
[3]
And as he was with Christ
So is he nigh to all
(For Christ his sake) that call on him,
In truth that on him call.Psal. 145.18.
And he hath promised
To be with his alwayes:
And that he never will forsakeJosh. 1.5.
Nor leave them all their dayes.
[4]
That when they p…ss through fire
Or water, hee'll be there:Isa 43.2.
The fire it shall not burn, nor floods
Them drown, 'cause he is neare.
He dwells i'th'burning Bush.Exod. 3.2, 3.
To see the Fire so blaze,
And yet the Bush keep unconsum'd,
Good Moses did amaze.
[5]
Affliction, though a fire,
God's Saints cannot devour;
Because the Lord dwells in the Bush,
And keeps it by his Power.
The Lord is present still,
And maketh his aboad
With all true Saints; such Company
Hath every Childe of God.
[6]
John 14.23.If any man me love
He will my words obey;
My Father loves him: we will come
And with him make our stay.
The holy Spirit of Truth,
That sweetest Comforter,
Ver. 16.He will for ever dwell with those
That true Believers are.
[7]
Oh glorious Priviledge
Of such as God do fear!
Psal. 27.10.Though other Friends forsake them, yet
The Lord is alwayes near.
Christ holds them in his hand,
John 10.28, 29.And none shall pluck them out:
The Father, who is more then all,
Them holds; they need not doubt.
[8]
They dwell in Solitude,
Are in a lonely case,
That have no int'rest in this God,
Nor comfort from his Grace.
For such poor Souls as these
My heart could even bleed:
For when their Creature-comforts fail,
They're left alone indeed.
[9]
I can remember still
That dismal Solitude;
The horrour of that Lonesomness
(And state of Widowhood)
Wherein my Soul was once,
From God estranged farre:Prov. 15.29.
That was a wilderness indeed.
Such onelyonly Lonesome are.
[10]
But he is not alone
That hath the Trinity,
The Father, Son, and Holy-Ghost,
To keep him company.
Such comforters as theseIsa. 61.3. Zeph. 3.14, 17.
Can chear the Desolate:
And make them sing for joy, who sit
In solitary state.
[11]
Psal. 41.3▪ Deut. 33.27.When such a man is sick,
The Lord will make his Bed:
And when he languisheth, his Arms
Are underneath his head.
And when he sits alone,
The Lord will with him talk:
Or if he wander in the Woods,
His God will with him walk.
[12]
Psal. 3.5. Psal. 4 8.And when he lieth down
He may securely sleep:
Because the Lord in his own Arms
Will him most safely keep.
He may repose himself
Psal. 91.1, 4, 5.Under th'Almighty's shade:
And in the time of danger great
He need not be afraid.
[13]
God watcheth over him
For good, and not for ill:
When he lies sleeping in his Bed,
The Lord is with him still.
And when he doth awake,
Psal. 139.….He may with God converse,
Make known to him his wants, and all
His hearts desires rehearse.
[14]
Who truly pities himPsal. 103.13. Psal. 34.6, 7, 10.
Who can his wants supply,
Support him in, and bring him out
Of all his misery.
Of Christ's redeemed ones
This is the happy case:
To such high Fellowship as this1 John 1.3.
We are advanc'd through Grace.
[15]
Speak then all you that reade:
Can that man be alone?
That hath his God so near, to whom
He may his wants make known.
Had ever any manPsal. 73.25.
A better Friend then this?
Lord may I but enjoy thee more,
I others less shall miss.
[16]
O turn to me thy face,
And on me mercy show:Psal. 25.16, 17, 18.
For I am in a lonely case,
Afflicted, poor also.
Mine hearts straits be enlarg'd
Bring me out of distress:
My pain and my affliction see,
And all my sins release.
SONG II.
[1]
ANd now for such as are
Of dearest Friends bereft,
That in a solitary state
Most desolate are left:
Oh might I speak a word
That might allay your grief,
Instruct you how to bear your Cross,
Or lend you some relief.
[2]
Suppose a Friend had lent thee
A Stock at thy desire,
To make thy best improvement of,
Till he should it require.
Would'st think thy Fried unkinde
For taking of his own,
When as in lending it at all
Great Courtesie was shown?
[3]
Thy Wife, or Childe, or Friend,
They were but Blessings lent thee:
They were the Lords both first and last;Psal. 24.2. Mat. 20.15. Job 1.21.
And doth not this content thee?
May not the Lord require,
When he sees fit, his own?
Thou may'st be thankfull unto him
They were no sooner gone.
[4]
Hast thou a part in God?
Canst him thy Father call?John 20.17.
Assure thy self thou hast a Friend
That doth surmount them all.
This Friend doth still remain,Psal. …7.10. & 102.27.
When other Friends are gone:
Therefore thou needest not to mourn
As if thou wert undone.
[5]
But if thou hast not got
Assurance of this Friend:
Acquaint thy self with him in timeJob 22.21. Joh. 13.1.
Who lives and loves to th'end.
He is a better Friend
Then Father, Mother, Wife,
Or any other dearest Friend
Thou hadst in all thy life.
[6]
Let but Christ Jesus come,
And dwell within thy Heart:
Isa. 57.15. Psal. 68.5.And he will chear thee wondrously,
And mitigate thy smart.
He will a Father be
U…to the Fatherless,
A Husband to the Widow sad,
A Judge in her distress.
[7]
Rev. 3.2….Behold! he stands and knocks;
Haste, open speedilie,
And hee'll come in, and thou shalt sup
With him, and he with thee.
Psal. 24.7, 9.Lift up your heads ye Gates;
Ye Doors that last for ay
Be ye lift up, that enter in
The King of Glory may.
[8]
That Soul may change her chear▪
And be no longer sorry,
That entertaineth such a g…est,
Even the King of Glory.
Thou canst not be alone,
Nor want Society,
When God the Father, Son, and Spirit,
Shall be thy Company.
This following Song was penn'd
Eight years agone at least:
I hope it may be useful here
As any of the rest.
SONG III.
A Dialogue between the Flesh and Spirit.
Flesh.
[1]
LOrd any Cross but this
I'le be content to bear:
But oh I cannot part with one
Whom I esteem so dear.
Sp.
Shall mortal man presumeJob 4… 2.
His Maker to instruct?
Or teach Jehovah in what Paths
He shall his Soul conduct?
[2]
Unto the Lofty OneIs…. …7.15.
Becomes it thee to say,
I will not go to Heaven, Lord,
In such a rugged way?
Fl.
Alas! what means the Lord
To chasten me so sore?
I thought my load was great enough▪
And yet he layes on more.
Spirit.
[3]
1 Pet. 1.6.God doth no more inflict
Then he doth needful see:
To need more load where was so much
Should greatly humble thee.
Had gentler Means prevai…'d
To make thee turn to God:
Lev. 26.21.'Tis like there would have been no need
Of this more smarting Rod.
Flesh.
[4]
What then? am I more vile
Then all the world beside?
That none but I in such a sort,
That none but I am try'd.
Sp.
Job. 40.4.'Twere good thou wert more vile,
At least in thine own eyes:
Another's faults excuse not thine;
Thy sin for vengeance cryes.
Flesh.
[5]
But oh my loss is such
As none have had but I.
Did ever any feel the like
To my Calamity?
If every Circumstance
Of mine Affliction
Be weighed well; in such a Path
I think no man hath gone.
Spirit.
[6]
Thou may'st be much deceiv'd
To think thy case more sad,
And thine Afflictions heavier
Then ever any had.
What if the way be such
As never foot did tread?
Some must go foremost: why not thou,
As well as others, lead?
[7]
What if through uncouth wayesJer. 2.6, 7.
God make thee long to trace?
If yet at last he bring thee safe
Unto a resting place:
Shalt thou not have good cause
His mercy to adore?
And to extoll and magnifie
His Name for evermore?
[8]
Are not thy sins much more
Then all thy Sufferings?Job 11.6.
And do'st not thou deserve from God
Ten times more bitter things?
Small reason hath the man
To murmure at the Cross,
Whom God might justly punish with… ….22, 3… ▪
Eternal Pain and Loss.
[9]
Be silent then frail Flesh:
Impatience hold thy tongue,
And murmu…e not against the Lord,
As if he did thee wrong.
Job 34.10, 17.Justice can do no wrong▪
Nor Mercy cruel be:
Wisdome sees this condition
To be the best for thee.
[10]
Love ordereth all for good;
Rom. 8.28. Psa. 41.3. Heb. 13.5.Power hath undertaken
To give thee strength: And Truth hath said
Thou shalt not be forsaken.
Take courage then, my Soul,
And moderate thy fears:
Rev. 7.17.For God himself, who causeth grief,
Will wipe away thy tears.
[11]
1 Pet. 5.6.Under his mighty hand
Do thou thy self abase:
Hos. 6.1, 2.Return to him with all thine heart,
And sue to him for Grace.
Thy Darkness into Light
He speedily will turn,
Isa. 57.15Who After-mercies hath in store
To comfort them that mourn.