The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924013169598 1 rofitable Hesitations; A POEM WRITTEN BY JOHN gUNYAN, WHILST CONFINED IN BEDFORD JAIL. NOW FIRST REPRINTED FROM A UNIQUE COPY DISCOVERED BY THE PUBLISHER, AND EDITED WITH INTRODUCTION AND NOTES BY GEORGE OFFOR. LONDON: JOHN CAMDEN HOTTEN, PICCADILLY. i860. ^ JOHN BUNYAN'S CONFERENCE BETWEEN CHRIST AND A SINNER. A POEM WRITTEN IN PRISON, 1661. INTRODUCTION. HE well-known voice of John Bunyan, the prince of allegorifts, falutes us in very homely but pungent rhymes, upon the moft important of all fubjedtSj th^Salvation of an Immortal Soul. Shut up in prifon for proclaiming divine truth, through having, unlicencedby the ft ate, en forced the necefllty of perfonal holinefs, proving that obedience to the laws of God is eflential to human happinefs ; folemn duties which were then deemed to be crimes worthy of imprifonment, tranfportation, and death. The reftoration of a licentious monarch opened the flood-gates of vice and profanenefs. A voluptuous court, full of fplendid courtefans, fet a baneful example to the people. In addition to the natural enmity of fallen man to the golpel, all pious men.were now branded as repub- licans, and moft unjuftly treated as enemies to monarchy. The fabbathswere fpent in profanenefs and vulgar fports by royal command ; the inhabitants of the villages and country towns were invited, by ringing the bells of the VI IntroduSiion. parifh churches, to join in May-games, dancing, and fimilar recreations. With fuch a commencement of the week it may very readily be imagined that the ordinary days were fpent in labour and hcentioufnefs. In the midft of all this Vanity Fair there were found a feed to ferve God. This excited the enmity of the feed of the ferpent. Godly minifters were filenced, ejeded from their hvings, im- prifoned, baniflied, or murdered as felons for noncon- formity. Bunyan had been for fome years diftinguifhed for his converfion from moft degraded habits to piety and holi- nefs of conduit, — for his furprizing knowledge of the facred Scriptures, — for his zeal for the honour of the Gofpel, — and his fuccefsful exertions for the falvation of finners. He had been for feveral years fent, by the church of which he was a member, as a meflenger of mercy to the villages round Bedford ; and had founded many churches which flourifh to this day. Upon the fierce outbreak of wickednefs and perfecution thefe little inofFenfive flocks were driven to meet in private houfes, fecluded barns, or wild woods. The peculiar talent, the unfpotted life, and the mental courage of Bunyan eminently fitted him to comfort his brethren in tribulation. He opened to them the " unfearchable riches of Chrift," — " the come and welcome to Jefus Chrifl:," — " the greatnefs of the foul, and the unfpeakablenefs of the lofs of it," — " the holy city and its eternal extatic enjoyments, from which no human power could difinherit them," and " the Pilgrim's Progrefs to the Celeftial City."* * The title to fome of his fermons preached in prifon. IntroduBion. Vll While in the enjoyment of Hberty he maintained his family by his trade as a brazier, preaching the gofpel free of charge to his hearers. His whole condudl, talents, and difinterefted invaluable labours, eminently fitted him for the honour of being the firft confeflbr, worthy of bonds for Chrift's fake, in that county. This Angularly talented and energetic man lived through times moft eventful. His birth was accompanied by that fecond Magna Charta, the Bill of Rights, wrung from the vacillating Charles ; — his death took place at the flight of James, foon followed by the A6t of Toleration, then as great an honour as it is now a difgrace to our flatutes. The ages preceding his birth exhibited a long- continued, dreary, defolate night of perfecution. A glim- mer of light had broken through the darknefs at the Reformation. The mind, which had been hitherto blinded, when it was vifited by the early dawn had fcarcely powers to diftinguilh " men from trees walking." It flowly gained powers of difcrimination, until, under the Pro- tedtorate, it became emancipated from the fetters of edu- cation, which had been riveted by ftringent and fanguinary laws. In the ftruggle between monarchy and republi- canifin the people ran wild in their fpeculations. Quef- tions which had been ihut up in impenetrable darknefs to laymen were examined with fearlefs hafte and confequent peril. It has been very generally fuppofed that becaufe Eunyan was a difTenter therefore he was a republican and an enemy to his king. But the contrary was the faft ; his devoted loyalty to monarchy, in all temporal things, is fprinkled throughout his works. He was not a republican. Vlll IntroduEiion. but a maintainer of royal authority ; his hardy frame and indomitable courage fitted him for military life, and be- fore his converfion he was in the royal army, probably one of Rupert's roifterers, but never one of the praying Ironfides. He was at the fiege and murderous capture of Leicefter, and had a narrow efcape of his life ; but that city was not befieged by the republicans, it furrendered to them without a fiege, nor was any life loft when it was retaken. It has grieved fome of Bunyan's devoted admirers to find him arrayed with Rupert's dragoons; but they forget his lines to the reader of " the Holy War :" — " When Manfoul trampled upon things divine. And wallow'd in filth as doth a fwine. Then I was there and did rejoice to fee Diabolus and Manfoul fo agree." Such grief is a little like the exclamation of a Roman Catholic lady, who, upon being told that " our blefled lady" was a Jewefs, fwore that fhe fhould never like her again as long as {he lived. From the time of Bunyan's converfion he was moft ftridtly moral, well-behaved, and eminently loyal ; to this may be attributed the comparatively kind treatment he experienced under perfecution, and even the faving of his life. How ftrange that fuch a man fliould have fuiFered twelve years' incarceration, in the prime of his life, in a damp miferable prifon, under a kingly government, in a country called Chrifliian ! Well may it excite the inquiry, how came you here, honeft, pious John Bunyan ? His anfwer would have been IntroduSiion. IX to this effeft : I am a Chriftian, and I dare not " render unto Cffifar the things that are God's ; " the fame caufe that plunged the Hebrew youths into the fiery furnace, and hurled Daniel into the lions' den, has fent me here ; but God will watch over and honour me as he did over them. The hiftory is fhort and afFeding, carrying with it a Chriftian leflbn that fliould tend to fix our principles. Bunyan was a married man, with a much-loved wife deferving all his afFedions. He had four children, to whom he was tenderly attached ; one of them was deprived of fight. With a moft fertile imagination he combined an extraordinary memory, which was a well arranged and immenfe ftorehoufe of Biblical truths and of general ufeful information. Bunyatfs Afprehenfton and Committal to Frijon. Upon the lath Nov. 1660, having promifed to preach at the village of Samfell, Juftice Wingate iffued a warrant to apprehend him. The people met, Bunyan prayed with them, they opened their Bibles, and he diredted them to John ix. 2Si " -^°^ *'^°" believe in the Son of God ?" intending to ftiow the abfolute need of faith in Jefus Chrift, and that it was of the higheft concern for men to inquire whether they had faith or not. The conftable, before he could commence his fermon, ordered him to come down ; his anfwer was, " I muft obey God rather than man ; " the officer exhibited his warrant, and took hold of his coat ; Mr. Bunyan fixed his " fharp quick eye" upon him — the man let go, looked pale, and retired ; upon which Bunyan faid, " See how this man trembles at the IntroduSiion. word of God !" He was allowed to fpeak a few words to the people of counfel and encouragement, and he then went with the oiEcer. When brought before the juftice he anxioufly inquired what the meeters did, expedting to hear that they had arms or fpoke of treafon. Upon being fatisfied that it was fimply a religious meeting, he was defirous of difmifling the prifoner, but, as he refufed any promife of not meeting again for the worfhip of God, he was committed to prifon. It was a moft trying time ; fome hours were allowed for refledtion ; neighbours tried to perfuade him to relin- quifh preaching and preferve his liberty : but his religious convidtions were dearer to him than life itfelf. He de- fcribes his feelings in parting with his family as " pulling the flefh from the bones." He was peculiarly diftrefled on account of his blind daughter : " Oh, the thoughts of the hardfhips my poor blind Mary might go under would break my heart in pieces!" In this diftrefs the promife came to his relief, " Leave thy fatherlefs children, I will preferve them alive ; and let thy widows truft in me." His integrity triumphed, he forgot his forrows, his fpirit was cheered, the burthen was removed ; and he thus records his feelings : " Verily, as I was going forth of the doors, I had much ado to forbear faying to them that I carried the peace of God along with me, and, blefled be the Lord, I went away to prifon with God's comfort to my poor foul." O happie he who doth poflefle Chrift for his fellow prifoner, who doth gladde With heavenly funbeams goales that are moft fad." Written by Prynne, on his prifon wall in the Tower. IntroduEiion. His noble high-minded but modeft wife partook of his own energy of charafter. She appeared before the judges at the affizes, and pleaded his caufe with dig- nified Chriftian humility. Failing in this, fhe went to London with a petition to the Houfe of Lords ; and when the king was crowned, and thoufands of vagabonds were fet at liberty, ftie ftrove to obtain his liberation : but, his offence being againft the church, it could only be granted by fuing out his pardon at a far greater fum than his friends could raife. Had he been fet at liberty he probably would have returned immediately to his habit of preaching, and his life might have been placed in greater peril. Doubtlefs his pious wife returned to the prifon with the bittereft feelings, believing that it would be the tomb of her beloved hufband! How natural for the diftrelTed, infulted wife to have written harlh things againft the judge ! She could not have conceived that, under the ftately robes of Hale, there was a heart affefted by Divine love. And when the nobleman afterwards met the de- fpifed tinker and his wife, on terms of perfedt equality, clothed in more glorious robes in the manfions of the blefled, how Inconceivable their furprife ! It muft have been equally fo with the learned judge, when, in the pure atmofphere of heaven, he found that the illiterate tinker, harafled by poverty and imprifonment, produced books the admiration of the world. As Dr. Cheever eloquently writes : — " How little could he dream, that from that narrow cell in Bedford jail a glory would fhine out, illuf- trating the grace of God, and doing more good to man, than all the prelates and judges of the kingdom would accomplifli." xn IntroduSiion. BunyarCs Prifon Life. His great concern now was by humble fubmiflion to the Divine will to glorify his heavenly Father ; his firfl: and prayerful objedt was to levy a tax upon his afflidlion, and to endeavour to draw honey from the carcafs of the lion. Three important duties prefTed upon him, — to cherifh pure religion in his foul, to provide for his family, and to prepare himfelf foi: further fufFerings. Not all the craft and fubtilty of wicked men and devils could chain his free fpirit, or fhut the gates of heaven againft his intelledtual communion with God. The ftudy of his Bible, and the extreme uncertainty of life, kept him, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, in conftant intercourfe with the invifible eternal world. Thus his prifon became his Bethel — the houfe of God — the very gate of heaven. In his prifon thoughts he thus rejoices : — " My feet upon Mount Sion ftand." " For though men keep my outward man Within their locks and bars. Yet by the faith of Chrift I can Mount higher than the ftars." " Here come the angels, here come faints. Here comes the Spirit of God, To comfort us in our reftraints. Under the wicked's rod." " We change our drofly duft for gold. From death to life we fly : We let go (hadows, and take hold Of Immortality." Among other great favours he was permitted to have IniroduEiion. Xlll his Bible and " Fox's Book of Martyrs,"* with pens and ink. Much of his time was fpent in prayer, meditation, and fearching the Scriptures ; fome portion in tagging laces, fold by his children and friends to provide a fcanty main- tenance, aided alfo by the fale of poems and tra6ts which he compofed. We have the teftimony of two of his friends, who were vifitors to him in the prifon, and for a {hort time fellow prifoners, that, during his imprifonment he writ feveral excellent and ufeful treatifes,- particu- larly " The Holy City," " Chriftian Behaviour," " The Refurredtion of ; the Dead," . " Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners," the moft furprifing narrative of a new birth that has ever been printed ; and his friend Charles Doe ftates that, of his own knowledge, in prifon Bunyan wrote " The Pilgrim's Progress," which he had from his own mouth. Well might Doe fay, " What hath the devil or his agents got by putting our great gofpel minifter in prifon ?" They prevented his preaching to a few poor ruftic pilgrims in the villages round Bedford, and it was the means of fpreading his fame, and. the knowledge of the gofpel, throughout the world. , , The i' Pilgrim's Progrefs" is an imperifliable : monument to the folly and wickednefs of perfecution to prevent .the fpread of religious principles. From a narrow cell, in Bedford gaol a glory fhone out which has illuminated the world, and aided in overthrowing .the .. kingdom of Satan — a kingdom of darknefs, of bigotry, and of intolerance. Although warned by his judges " not to fpeak irreve- Now in Bedford Town Library. XIV IntroduEiion. rently of the Book of Common Prayer, under the fevered penalties, yet, while completely in their power, from their gaol he felt it his duty to fend forth a fearlefs treatife on " Praying with the Spirit," condemning all fet forms of prayer in public worfhip. From his prifon ten books, the production of his pen, were known to have emanated ; and to thefe we now add SOME SMALL PoEMs which efcaped all the diligent re- fearches of the editors of his works. None of the great efFefts of his imaginative mind are to be found in thefe little poems. Publifhed to provide a fcanty means of exiftence for his family, all his effort was to fix upon the memory of his reader the uncertainty of life, the folemnities of the world to come, and the only hope of folid happinefs, here and in eternity, by faith in Chrift, and unhefitating obedience to his gofpel. With a flight effort of the imagination we may pidure to ourfelves the humble, pious, and high-fpirited wife, after vainly but powerfully pleading for her hulband's liberty with the judges of the land, going or fending her children to her Chriflian neighbours, and by their aid extending the fale of the unpretending poems, " A Conference between Christ and a Sinner," by the fale of which means were provided for prolonging the life of the immortal author of the " Pilgrim's Progrefs," and " Holy War," and of furnifhing daily bread to his family. Thefe circumftances render this little volume moll deeply interefting. Thofe readers who, like the editor, carefully examine every Scripture reference will feel their peculiar power to imprefs upon the foul the vaft importance of eternal realities. IntroduEtion. XV " Take none offence. Friend, at my method here, 'Caufe thou in verfes fimple truth doll fee. But to them foberly incline thine ear. And with the truth itself affefted be." Having attained his firft objed, the means of humble maintenance for his family, thefe loofe flieets were foon worn out and deftroyed ; nor were they republifhed, their place being fupplied by his poems on fimilar fubjedts. Every trace of them was obliterated, until a copy pre- ferved in a volume of trads fell into the hands of the publifher, who, out of refpedt to the author's memory, and to gratify the wifhes of his numberlefs admirers, has republifhed thefe praftical fugitive poems. The pious refignation of the author to a dreary and moil unjuft imprifonment is perfedly manifeft ; he be- trayed no impatience, no anger, no fear, but devoted all his powers to aroufe his fellow finners to a fenfe of their danger. He contemplated all the horrors of tranfpor- tation, or an ignominious death, with the moft lingular refignation. " I have reafoned about the fore eftate of a baniflied and exiled condition — expofed to hunger, to cold, to peril, to nakednefs, and a thoufand calamities ; and at laft, it may be, to die in a ditch like a poor forlorn de- folate flieep : but, I thank God, thefe delicate reafonings have not moved me." — " This lay much upon my fpirits that my imprifonment might end at the gallows — oft I was as if I was on a ladder with the rope about my neck — only this was fome encouragement unto me to fpeak my laft words to the multitude who would come to fee me die, and if by thefe God would but convert one foul I fhall not count my life thrown away." The prifon XVI IntroduSiion, fheltered him during the hotteft feafon of the perfecution, under which the Quakers and other Diflentersmoftfeverely fuffered. The clerk of the peace, Mr. Cobb, was fent by the juftices to perfuade him to conform, and had a very long and interefting conference with him in the prifon. This fhows that the magiftrates were well convinced that he was a leader in nonconformity, who, if brought over, would afford them a fignal triumph. In faft, he was called, by a beneficed clergyman, " the moft notorious fchifmatic in all the county of Bedford." It is perhaps to the arguments of Cobb that he refers in his "Advice to Sufferers." " The wife of the bofom lies at him, faying, O do not caft thyfelf away ; if thou takeft this courfe, what fhall I do ? Thou haft faid thou loveft me ; now make it manifeft by granting this my Jmall requeft — Do not ftill remain in thine integrity. Next to this come the children, which are like to come to poverty, to beggary, to be undone, for want of wherewithal to feed, and clothe^ and provide for them for time to come. Now alfo come kindred, and relations, and acquaintance ; fome chide, fome cry, fome argue, fome threaten, fome promife, fome flatter, and fome do all to befool him for fo unadvifed an aft, as to caft away himfelf, and to bring his wife and children to beggary for fuch a thing as religion." Thefe are fore temptations." ' • , The Chriftian world is indebted to Dr. Cheever for a beautiful pifture of Bunyan's devotional exercife in his cell. " It is evening ; he finiflies his work, to be taken home by his dear blind child.' He reads a portion of Scripture, and, clafping her fmall hands in his, kneels on IntroduEiion. xvii the cold ftone floor, and pours out his foul to God ; then, with a parting kifs, difmifles her to her mother. The rude lamp glimmers on the table ; with his Bible, pen, and paper, he writes as though joy did make him .write. HisTace is lighted as from the radiant jafper walls of the celeflial city. .He clafps his hands, looks upward, and blefles God for his goodnefs. The laft youfee of him — is alone, kneeling on the prifon floor ; he is alone with God." , , ' Charles Doe, who manifefted moft laudable anxiety to hand down the works of Bunyan to pofterity, bears honourable teftimony to his condud while in prifon. : " It was by making him a vifit in prifon that I firfl: faw him, and became acquainted with him ; and I muft profefs I could not but look upon him to be a man of an excellent fpirit, zealous . for . his Mailer's honour, and cheerfully committing all his own concernments unto God's difpofal. When I was there, there were about fixty diffenters befides himfelf there,' taken but a little before at a religious meet- ing at Kaiftoe, in the ^county of. Bedford; befides two eminent Diflenting minifters, Mr. Wheeler and Mr. Dun (both very well known in Bedfordfliire, though long firice with God), by which means. the prifon was very much crowded; yet, in the midfl; of, all that hurry. which fo many new-comers occafioned, I have heard Mr. Bunyan both preach and pray' with that mighty /pirit of faith and plerophory. of divine afliftance that has made, me ; (land and wonder." Here they could fing, without fear of being overheard; no informers, prowling round. The world was fhut out ; and, in communion with heaven, they could forget their forrows, and have a rich ' foretafte of the XVIU IntroduSiion. inconceivable glory of the celeftial city. It was under fuch circumftances that Bunyan preached one of his moft remarkable fermons, afterwards publifhed under the title of " The Holy City or the Nevjr Jerufalem, 1665." " Upon a certain firft-day, being together with my brethren in our prifon-chamber, they expefted that, according to our cuftom, fomething fhould be fpoken out of the Word for our mutual edification. I felt myfelf, it being my turn to fpeak, fo empty, fpiritlefs, and barren, that I thought I ihould not have been able to ipeak among them fo much as five words of truth with life and evi- dence. At laft I caft mine eye upon this prophecy, when, after confidering awhile, methought I perceived fome- thing of that jafper in whofe light you find this holy city defcended ; wherefore, having got fome dim glimmering thereof, and finding a defire to fee farther thereinto, I with a few groans did carry my meditations to the Lord Jefus for a blefling, which he did forthwith grant, and helping me to fet before my brethren, we did all eat, and were well refrefhed ; and behold, alfo, that while I was in the diftributing of it, it fo increafed in my hand, that of the fragments that we left, after we had well dined, I gathered up this balketful. Wherefore, fetting myfelf to a more narrow fearch, through frequent prayer, what firft with doing, and then with undoing, and after that with doing again, I thus did finifh it." To this Angular event the religious public are indebted for one of Bunyan's ableft treatifes, full of the ftriking fparkles of his extra- ordinary imagination. It was a fubjeft peculiarly adapted to difplay his powers — the advent of New Jerufalem, her impregnable walls and gates of precious ftones, golden IntroduEiion. XIX ftreetSj water of life, temple, and the redeemed from all nations flocking into it. Bunyan's popularity and fame for wifHom and know- ledge had fpread all round the country, and it naturally brought him vifitors, with their doubts, and fears, and cafes of confcience. Among thefe a Angular inftance is recorded in the " Life of Badman :" — " When I was in prifon," fays the narrator, " there came a woman to me that was under a great deal of trouble. So I afked her, flie being a ftranger to me, what {he had to fay to me ? She faid fhe was afraid fhe fhould be damned. I afked her the caufe of thofe fears. She told me that ftie had, fome time fince, lived with a fliopkeeper at Welling- borough, and had robbed his box in the fhop feveral times of money, and pray, fays fhe, tell me what I fhall do ? I told her I would have her go to her mafter, and make him fatisfadbion. She faid fhe was afraid left he fhould hang her. I told her that I would intercede for her life, and would make ufe of other friends to do the like ; but fhe told me fbe durfl not venture that. Well, faid I, fhall I fend to your mafler, while you abide out of fight, and make your peace with him before he fees you ? and with that I afked her matter's name. But all fhe faid in anfwer to this was, pray let it alone till I come to you again. So away fhe went, and neither told me her matter's name nor her own ; and I never faw her again." He adds, " I could tell you of another, that came to me with a like relation concerning herfelf, and the robbing of her mittrefs." How different the conduft of Bunyan to that of papitts and pufeyites in fimilar cafes ! XX IntroduEiion. ;WhiIe ,bufily' occupied, in prifoti with his "Grace Abounding" and " Pilgrim's Progrefs," he wrote a. poeti- cal epiftle in anfwer to' the kind inquiries of his' numerous friends 'and vifitprs. • After, thanking them for counfel and advice, 'he defcribes his. feelings in pirifon. His feet ftood oh Mount: Zioh ; ; his body, within locks and bars, while his. mind was free . to 'ftudy . Chrift, and elevated higher, than: the ftars. Their fetters could not tame his fpirit, nor prevent his corhmunion with God. The more his enemies raged,' the more peace he experienced. In prifon.he received, the vifits of faints, of angels, and, the Spirit of God. ." I have been able to laiigh at deftrucSion, and to fear, neither the hoi-fe nor his rider. I have had fweet fights, of. the forgivehefs of my fins in this place, and of my being with Jefus in another world." At length the king was reminded by a Quaker that he had affifted his majefty's efcape to Frahce, after the defeat at Worcefter, ' by carrying him afhore at Fecamp on his fhoulders. Upon this he releafed many, huhdreds of the focietyof friends fromimprifonmerit,andallowed Bunyan's name to be numbered with them.. During his confine- ment he was elefted paftor of the church at Bedford, and before his releafe he received a royal permiffion or licence to preach, and he became for popularity and ufefulnefs the Spurgeon of his day. , Reader, it will be afked, why, while we are in the enjoy- ments of the bleflings of toleration fhould the fufFerings of our fathers in the faith be fo prominently portrayed ? It is to prefs on the happy time when toleration fhall be denounced — when religious liberty, for which the Chriftian pants, ftiall be obtained, — when the ftate fhall equally patronife and cherifh all good citizens of every fedbj — when that abomination of defolations, the arming of one favourite fedh with power to opprefs, and haughtily to tyrannize over all their fellow-Chriftians, fliall ceafe ; a power known by its ever being accompanied with hypocrify, perfecution^ and mifery. When the faints of God fhall enter upon their eternal Hofannas, and the perfonal prefence of the Moft High fhall abforb their whole powers and all their holy feelings ; then may be committed to eternal oblivion all the hideous cruelties through which have pafled thofe " of whom the earth was not worthy." George Offor. Hackney, May, i860. PROFITABLE MED ITATIONS, Fitted to Mans Different Condition. IN A CONFERENCE BETWEEN CHRIST and a SINNER. y In Nine Particulars. By Johti Bunyan, Servant to the Lord Jesus. LONDON, Printed for Francis Smith, at the fign of the Elephant and Cajlle, without Temple-Bar. (1661.) THE CONTENTS. HERE is in this fmall Piece thefe following things difcourfed, I. Of M.zn by Nature. Of the Sufferings ©/"Chrift. Of the Saints or Church. A Difcourfe between Satan and a tempted Soul. A Difcourfe between Chrift and a Sinner. A Difcourfe between Chrift and a doubting Soul. A Difcourfe between Death and a Sinner. A Difcourfe between Death and a Saint. A Difcourfe of the Day o/" Judgement, both with the Godly and Ungodly. TO THE READER. AKE none ofFence, Friend, at my method here, Caufe thou in Verfes fimple Truth doft fee : But to them foberly incline thine ear. And with the Truth itfelf afFedted be. Deut. xxxi. ■:;. 19, ZZy and 30. 'Tis not the Method, but the Truth alone. Should pleafe a Saint, and mollify his heart : Truth in or out of Metre is but one ; And this thou know'ft, if thou a Chriftian art. You alfo that content yourfelves to fee Man's Wit in verfes, and no further look : You will not by them edified be -, You fee only the outfide of the Book. Man's heart is apt in Metre to delight, Alfo in that to bear away the more : This is the caufe I here in Verfes write. Therefore affedl* this Book, and read it o're. Affedl, to prize, to endeavour after. Qbjohte. To the Reader. When Dodlors give their Phyfic to the Sick, They make it pleafing with fome other thing : Truth alfo by this means is very quick. When men by Faith it in their hearts do fing. I am thine in Chrift, John Bunyan of Bedford. ^wo-t^^. profitable iWlelittattons. I. Of Man by Nature. HAT Man is blind, that doth not plainly fee. The woe that Sin doth bring upon the foul : And yet thus blind the moft of Sinners be. The cafe is plain, their hearts for Heav'n are cool. Mat, xi. 25. Mat. vii. 14. II. For I fee plainly, if Man did but know What Wrath and Vengeance hangeth o're his head ; He then would fly from Sin his mortal Foe, Rather than have his part among the Dead. Pfal. lii. Pfal. Ixxx. III. But here, alas ! the Devil with his Wit, Doth out go Sinners, to their mortal woe ; And with his Snares he doth fo catch their feet. That they with joy unto his place do go. Prov. V, 6. a Cor. iv. 4, 8 Profitable Meditations, Deut. xxxii. 6, IV. 'Tis marvellous to fee that Man, fo wife Jer. iv. 22. And noble by Creation, as is he. Should in this manner let Sin blind his eyes. Eph.iv. 1 8. That neither Heaven nor Hell he well can fee. Jer. 1.38. V. But like one blind, or mad, or worfe, he runs Luke xxi. 35. At Satan's beck, to his perpetual fliame : Mat. xxiv. 39. Till into ruin headlong down he comes. , Into the fearful Fire, and endlefs Flame. Jam. iii. 7. VI. When Man doth ftudy of things here below. I Cor. ii. 8. What pretty Arts will he invent in time ? I Cor. i. 21. He'l find out much, and do it neatly to ; But yet he doth not fee the Gofpel fhine. Rom. i. 19, 20. VII. Oh 'tis a fliame for thee, who know'ft fo much Job V. 34. Of God, by Creatures, Scriptures, Mercies great ; Rom. ii, 17 — 22. To let thy Converfation be fuch. That God mufl; with his ftripes thee foundly beat. VIII. Ifa. i. 3. The Ox is wifer in his kind than thee. For he doth make his Matters Crib his Choice : Jer. viii. 7. Condemned by him therefore thou may'ft be. For he, not thee, obeys his Matters Voice. Profitable Meditations. 9 rx. But what's the reafon Man fhould be fo vain. To difregard himfelf, and glory, fo ? Prov. vii. 21, 22. The reafon is, he doth not feel the pain. That for his fins he fhortly mufl; come to. X. He doth not really believe the Word, Job V. 38, 40. That God hath fpoken againft finful men : A(fts iii. 37. For if he did, 'twould pierce him like a Sword, Afts xvi. 30, 31. 'Tis Chrift in whom he would feek to ftand then. XI. Alfo he of his Soul knows not the worth ; Mark viii. 36, 37. For if he did, he would be wifer, than To fell it : But to Chrift he would come forth. 2 Cor. vi. 17. And clofe with Him that proffers Grace to men. Prov. ix. I — 4. XII. Awake, therefore, thou Fool, and lay to heart Eph. V. 14. Thy latter end, and ftir thee timely too ; Deut. xxxii. 29. Get Heav'n, and thou wilt play a wife man's part Or elfe not I, but thou fhalt feel the woe. lO Ezek. xvl. 6—8. I Cor. vi. 20. Ifa. Ivii. 15. Pfal. vUi. 4. Gen. vi. 5 — 7. I Pet. 1!. 24. Matk xiv. 34., Ifa. liii. 5, 10. Ifa. lii. 14. Profitable Meditations. II. Of the Sufferings of Christ. XIII. HE God of Grace beholding Man fo vile. To tumble in his gore and wicked vice, Did yet vouchfafe upon poor man to fmile. And buy him to Himfelf with heav'nly price. XIV. 'Tis wonderful to think that God on high Should fet on man fo much his Heav'nly Love : That for him he Ihould give his Chrift to die. To bring his Soul from Hell to Heaven above. XV. When man had made of Sin an heap fo great And weighty, that it made the world to quake : God did his Son Chrift with this burthen break. Which made his very Soul and body ftiake. XVI. For why, the weight of Sin which he did bear What time he in our ftead flood before God : It did his Precious Soul and Body tear, Becaufe his Father Scourg'd him with his Rod. Profitable Meditations. 1 1 XVII. The Wicked Sin'd, the Juft did bear the blame. Here is the Myft'ry of the Gofpel-love : That Chrift for us fhould bear the curfed Shame, And Wrath (that we deferved) from above. I Pet. iii. 1 8. Heb. xii. 3. Eph. i. g. XVIII. The pains he bore were more than we can think Which by his bloody fweat and wounds we fee : For he the Cup of God's Wrath up did drink. That he us bondflaves by it might fet free. Luke xxii. 44, Mac, xxvi. 42. Gal. iii. 13. XIX. Its plain enough, for though he was moft ftrong. So that he could the World make and uphold : Yet did our fins this blefled Chrift fo wrong That he to death for them fometime was fold. Heb. i. 3. I Cor. XV. 2 — 5. XX. The Rocks did rend, the earth did ftiake full fore. The Sun that fhone, was all amaz'd to fee The Son of God upon the Crofs to roar ; Which clearly fpeaks his grief full fad to be. Mat. xxvii. 51, 52. Luke xxiii, 44. Pfal. xxii. I. XXI. Befides his Father from him hid his face. Which moft of all did wound his tender heart : Thus was our Chrift in miferable cafe When he for our accurfed Sins did fmart. Mat. xxvii. 46. Ifa. liii. 10. 12 Profitable Meditations. XXII. Sweet Jefus though our Sins to us be Light Prov X. 23. That we can carry them with pleafure, yet Luke xxiii. 46. They made thee groan, and did thee forely fright, John xix. 34. Before the Spear with thy heart Blood was wet. XXIII. Ifa. liii. 3. Pfal. xxii, 13 — 17, Mark xiv. 34. 7. Tim. i. 10. Heb. ii. 14 — 16. Hof. xiii. 14. I Cor. iii. 21 — 23. Tit. i. z. Luke xxii. 30. Rom. viii. 28. Thy forrows were as great, as great could be. For all were fet againft thee for our Sin : Both Heav'n and Hell, Death, and the Devil, he Left no means unaflay'd thy Soul to win. XXIV. But here's thy love, and eke* our comfort great. Thou didft Triumphantly o'ercome them all : Though in thy work thou hadft a bloody Iweat, Yet thereby we are kept from fatal fall. XXV. Now Heaven and Earth, yea Death and Hell are thine. To do with them, as thou moft wife feeft beft : And thou haft promis'd Glory fhall be mine. And all things here fhall for thy fake be bleft. Rom. viii. 33- XXVI. .35, Why fliould I then fear Sin, or Death, or Hell, Or Wrath, or Devil, with his Firy Darts ? Let them fear thofe, who for Sin, Chrift do fell,t And care not for his blood to cleanfe their hearts. * Eke, alfo ; obfolete. t See Bunyan's extraordinary temptation recorded in his " Grace Abounding," Nos. 133 — 139. Profitable Meditations. 13 III. Of the Saints, or Church. XXVII. s ^?^Y this means is the Sinner made a Saint i^^@ And brought from under every curfe of God : ^^S Which is the caufe his Sinful Soul don't faint. Rom. iv. 25. 1 Rom. viii. 32—34. Though he do feel his Father's fcourging Rod. XXVIII. Here now with Joy I can behold God's Face, Rom. V. I, Though I am vile and bafe, as bafe may be : I am encourag'd in the heav'nly Race, Becaufe Chrift died and fpilt his Blood for me. Rom. vii. 2.4., Rev. i. 17, 18. XXIX. If Satan fpeak of Sin, then here's Chrift 's Grace ; Rom. V, 20. If Death, or Hell, or Law doth me aflail. I Cor. XV. 55, 56. Then to my JESUS I do run apace ; For he's a Friend that never doth me fail. Heb. xiil. 5. XXX. He is become my Righteoufnefs and Life, His Blood was flied to make me white as Snow ; Phil. iii. 7 — 9. Rev. i. 5. By this means alfo I am made his Wife : Who then dare hurt me, or become my Foe ? Eph. V. 26—31. H Profitable Meditations, XXXI. Heb. X. 5, And this is not againft his Father's Will, Phil. iv. 4- But his Confent in this doth alfo run : Col. i. 19. Therefore of Joy I now may take my fill ; For it hath pleas'd him that this fliould be done. XXXII. Num. xxiv. 5. But am not I in cafe moft excellent. Num. xxiii. 21, zz. Who have this blefTed Peace in Chrift my Lord ? His tender Love on me is fo much bent. John xvil. 24. That he to me will Heav'n and Life afford. XXXIII. I Cor. ii. 9. Lord I never thought on this rich Grace, Hof. xi. 2. When I in Wickednefs did fpend my time ; Ifa. Ixv. I. For then I was ftill running from thy Face, And thought not on my own good, much lefle thine. xxxiv. Eph. ii. 1—3. But now when I fo little did regard, I John iv. 10. To fear thy Name, and afk thee for thy Love : I Cor. XV. 9. Thou mightft for Sin have giv'n me that Reward, As ne'er to let me come to Heaven above. xxxv. Deut. vii. 7. But though fo gracious thou haft been to me. Deut. ix. 5. It is not for my righteoufnefs fo good : Rom. V. 8. But for the love thy Father bears to thee. That I am wafhed in thy precious Blood. Profitable Meditations. 15 xxxvr. I of my felf am vile as other men, Rom. iii. 9. ' Like unto them in heart, and word, and life ; Rom. vii. 18. It muft be Grace that juftifies me then. Eph. ii, %. and v. And fets me blamelefs in thy heav'nly fight. 25—27. XXXVII. Seing 'tis thus. Lord, let my Soul enjoy Pfal. XXV. 1,4. Thy blefled Spirit of Grace, and Faith, and Love . Pfal. li. 10. O let me not thy heav'nly ways annoy. Pfal. Ix. 5. But take my heart from Karth, to Heav'n above. Luke xii. 34. XXXVIII. Thus am I fair, though alfo very black ; Cant. i. 5. Fair in my Chrift, though black in Nature's deed : Ezek. xvi. 14. And I, though vile, no Righteoufnefs do lack. Cant. vi. 3. For Chrift is mine, to help me at my need. XXXIX. Now then, if Jefus Chrift ftands, fo ftiall I ; John xiv. 1 9. For he is my Compleatnefs all the day : Col. ii. 10. rie look no further, here Tie live and die ; John vi. 40. Come Death or Judgment, CHRIST wil ne'er decay. XL. Though many times I caufe my Chrifi to hide Pfal. cvii. 17. His face ; yet he'll not leave me in my doubt. Pfal. XXX. 5—7. But ftill my Help and Friend he will abide ; Pfal. xxxi. 22. And when I'm loft, he'l feek and find me out. i6 Profitable Meditations. XLI. Zech. xii. g. Rev i. 17. This Is the ftate of Saints, both weak and ftrong, They have this Help, this Profit, and this Stay : For Chrift doth walk his Candlefticks among. To keep his Weak- ones, left they pine away. XLII. Heb. xii. 12. Ifa. xli. 10. Micah vii. 8. Hold up thy head therefore, thou doubting Saint, Thy tender-hearted Chrift is very fweet ; His loving-kindnefs will not let thee faint ; Look elfe upon his fide, his hands and feet. IV. A Discourse between Satan and the Tempted Soul.* XLIII. Jer. iii. 3. Jer.vi. 15. Sat. |wj ^ HOU wretch, how dar'ft thou once lift up g9^ ^ thy head ? ^!*«i^ Look to thy life that's paft, and blufti for ftiame: You may prefume, but yet your heart is dead. And may beguile yourfelf with Chrift his Name, • Bunyan is peculiarly rich in thefe mental dialogues. See Pilgrim's battle with Apollion, and " The Jerufalem Sinner Saved." Profitable Meditations. XLIV. Soul. I know I am as ba& as baie may be. My fins are mighty, and my heart is haid : But yet my Jejus faith he will iave me. And thenefote I will not thy rage teg^ad. XiV. Sat. God feith the Wicked he will damn for aye,* He is ib holy, and they are fb bad : Tis bat in vain that thou to him fhouldft pray, BeUeve me, there's no Mercy to be had. XXVI. Soul. The Scripture faith Chrift bled for finners great. To fave them from their Sins, the Law and Hell — His Flefh and Blood, by Faith I'le drink and eat. And truft by Mercy yet I fhall do well. XL VII. Sat. Thou painted Hypocrite how dar'fl thou think Of Mercy ? don't thy heart thy mouth condemn ? Thou may's: at Sin now, like a Rebel wink ; But Death is coming, what wilt thou do then ? XL VIII. Soul. God knows, my Sins have reach'd unto the cloud. Sins of all forts, as thou doft truly fay : But fince the Blood of Chrifl doth cry fo loud, I fear not but they fhall be done away. * " For aye," for ever — tbfolete. 17 I Tim. L 15, 16. PfeLcvS. iz. Ezek.xxxvi.a5,a6. P61.ir.i-'. ^ih-L 13. EPI..L7- EpIi.iL 13. I JohnL 8. Rom.SL iz. Rom. iiL 23. Job ™L 13. Jam. ii. 10. Heb. ziL 14. Mc. ™. i8, 19. i8 Profitable Meditations. XLIX. Eph. i. 13, 14. Sat. But where's thine Evidence for Heav'n ? thou fool ! John vi. 45. How can'ft thou tell the work of Grace is true ? Gal. vi. 3. Waft ever taught by God in Chrift his School ? If not, for all thy brags thy Soul muft rue. Pfal. xxxviii. 3, 4. L. Soul. I have been made to fee my fins moft vile. Jer. xxxi, 9. And to abhor them alfo with my heart : Pfal. xxxviii. 6. And this frame I was in a pretty while. And for them God hath made me foundly fmart. Gen. iv. 1 3. LI. Sat. If this be all, then hear me what I fay. Mat. xxvii. 3. Thou yet art fhort of feeling faving-grace : John xvii. iz. For thus were Cain and Judas in their day. And yet, thou knowft, were banifht from his face. John vi. 51, 52. LII. Soul. But I have tafted of his heav'nly Love, Rom. V. 5. Which he hath fhed abroad within my heart : Cant. ii. 14. And he hath faid to me, I am his Dove, Pfal. cxvi. 7. And this hath rid me of my guilt and fmart. Heb. vi. 4— 6. LIII. Sat. But yet you know that men may taft of this, Gal. iv. 15. So as to wonder at the bleflednefs ; Luke xiii. 26, 27. How know you therefore but yet you may mifs. And undergo God's juftice ne'erthelefs. Profitable Meditations. 19 LIV. Soul. God hath confirm'd me more than once or twice 2 Tim, iv. 17, 18. By feveral blefled Promifes of his : I Sam, xvii. 37. And warm'd my heart, when 'twas as cold as Ice, 2 Pet. i. 4. Therefore I hope I fhall enjoy his blifs. LV. Sat. But tell me plainly, ha'n't ye* quench't your light. Heb. A. 26. And knowingly fm'd againfl: the Lord of Hoft ? Heb. xii. 17. If fo ; for all you are at fuch a height. Luke xii. 47. You may have fin'd againfl: the Holy Ghofl:. LVI. Soul. Now Satan, you have touch't me at the quick. Pfal. li.4. For many fins I fin againfl: my Light : Rom. vii. 15. But yet this don't my fpirit greatly prick. Jonaii i. 2, 3. For Chrifl: his Blood is fl:ill within my fight. Jonah ii. 4, 7. LVII. Sat. Though Chrifl: his Blood was flied for Sinners great. Heb. X. 26, 27, Yet feeing thou hafl: fin'd as thou hafl: faid ; Mat. xii. 32. Thou mufl: not dare of Chrifl: his Flefh to eat. Heb. vi. 6. 'Tis not for thee, thou well mayfl; be afraid. LVIII. Soul. If all that fin'd againfl: their Light, did fin 2 Sam. xi. 4. Againfl: the Holy Ghofl:, as thou dofl; fay : What cafe was Veter then and David in ? Mat. xxvi. 47. For, by your faying, they were cafl: away. * " Ha'n't ye," contraftion of" have you not." 20 Profitable Meditations. 2 Sam. xxUi. 5. Mat. xix. 28. LIX. Sat. But God chofe them before the World began. And fo thou canft not fay he hath done thee : And therefore it is but a folly, man. To ftrive againft the ftream ; y'are gone you fee. Luke XV. 18, 19. Jobxii!. 15. John XV. 16. LX. Soul. Thefe men committed Sin as well as I, Why therefore fhould I be difcourag'd fo ? rie flee to Jefus Chrift, I can but die ; That Grace that faved them will fave me too. 2 Sam. xii. 13. I Pet. ii. 24. Luke xxii. 32. LXI. Sat. But they had heav'nly Pardon from their God, And that too, after they had fin'd fo fore : And fo were faved, though they were fo bad, But thou poor Ample wretch art in thy gore. LXII. Pfal. cxvi. I — 3. Pfal. cviii. 13. Hof. xiv. 4. Soul. I blefs the Name of Chrift my deareft Lord, For all I have thus finned in his fight. He doth his Comforts ftill to me afford. And pardoneth my Sins againft my Light, LXIV.* Mat. iv. 6. Gen. iii. 4. Sat. But how can you tell that your Comfort comes From God ? for I can mock you with a word : And yet you fliall not get fo much as crums From Chrift, to feed you underneath his board. * Lxiii. is omitted in the original. Profitable Meditations. LXV. Soul. Thou art indeed a cunning Devil, yet Thou fhalt not beat me from my fteadfaft Faith : For Chrift into his heart will let me get. So can I tell thee what my Jefus faith. LXVI. Sat. Your Faith is Fanfy, like the Spider's web. You cheat yourfelf in faying you have Grace : Come down to Hell, man, for there is your ebb. And give way to defpair ; for there's your cafe.* LXVII. Soul. Methinks I fee my loving Jefus fmile. He fhows me now his blefled hands and feet : And gives me comfort with his Word fo mile :f The bitter's thine, but I muft have the fweet. LXVIII. Sat. How doft thou know thou fhalt hold out to th' laft I Thine heart is weak and that thou knowft full well : He follow thee with many [a] curfed blafl:,J But I will make thee tumble down to Hell. * See dialogue between Giant Defpair and the pilgrims in Doubting Caille. — Pilgrim's Progrefs. t " Mile;" a poetic licence to make the word " mild'' rhyme with " fmile." See alfo verfe 88. X The Scripture references exhibit the malignant ingenuity of Satan. Each of his hellifli darts are dipt with appropriate portions of holy writ ; well may they be called " fiery darts." 21 2 Cor. ii. II. I Pet. V. 8, 9. Jam. iv. 7, 8. Gal. vi. 3. Rev. iii. i. Rev. iii. 17. John XX, 27. Luke xxiv. 39. John xiv. 26, 27. Rev. ii. II. Mat. xxiv. 13. Ezelc. xviii. 24. Rev. iii. i. 22 Profitable Meditations. LXIX. Pfal. xxiv, 6 — lo. Soul. My Chrift is now in Heav'n at God's right hand Pfal. Iv. 22. And maketh Interceffion there for me. Heb. vii. 25. So that I fear not but he'l make me ftand ; Pfal. xxvii. 14. For by him I fhall triumph over thee. LXX. Jer. xxxii. 40, 41. Befides, I find he hath engag'd my heart Cant. i. 3, 4. Unto his fear. O blefled be his Name : Cant. ii. 51. He tells me alfo he will take my part. Alfo his Grace fhall be to me the fame. LXXI. Job i. 13— 17, fife. Sat. rie follow thee with fire, and eke with fword. Thou ftialt have all the World againft thee fet : 2 Pet. ii. 8. I know no favour that ilk* thee afford ; Rev. ii. 10. rie ufe all means to catch thee in my Net. LXXII. Deut. xxxii. 10. Soul. He that hath fet his Love upon me now. Gen. iii. 15. Will always keep me with his tender eye ; Luke xvi. 22. Thou alfo knowft thine head hath he made bow ; This is he, in whofe bofom I muft lie. LXXIII. Lulce iv. 8. Depart thou curfed Dragon from mine heart. The Blood and Death of Chrift hath broke thy ftrength ; Ifa. xxvii. I. For he and I fhall meet, and never part. When thou in Hell for ayef muft fry at length. * « Ilk," Saxon word. " alfo," " \\Vs.^\{e'—obfolete. t " For aye," for ever. Profitable Meditations. V. A Discourse between Christ and a Sinner. LXXIV. Chr. Sin. OOR Sinner, hear me, I thee Tidings bring, I fay 'tis Tidings of the greateft worth : Look up, man, here's the excellentefl: thing. E'en Heav'n, if from thy fins thou wilt come forth. LXXV. Thy Mercy, Lord, I do accept, as mine. Thy Grace is free, and that thy Word doth fay : And I will turn to thee another time. Hereafter, Lord, when 'tis my dying day. LXXVI. Chr. My Mercy's thine, if thou wilt it embrace. It comes unto thee in my Crimfon Wounds ; Take heed thou do not from it turn thy face. And fo thy fhare be not in Mercy's bounds. LXXVII. Sin. I fear not but thy Love I fliall obtain. Though I with Sin be ftill in hearty love : I need not yet forfake my worldly gain, 'Tis Grace, not Works, that brings to Heav'n above. 23 Prov. viii. i — 4. A£ts xiii. z2. Prov. viii. 11. Job xii. 26. Deut. xxix. 19. Rom. iii. 24. Lul<.e xiv. 18, 19. Heb. xi. 13; £ph. i. 7. Afls xiii. 40, 41 . Rom. iii. 18. Deut. xxix. 19, T Tim. vi. 5, 6. Eph. ii. 8, 9. 24 Profitable Meditations. LXXVIII. Gal. iii. 13. Chr. When I did hang upon the Curfed Tree, Hof. xiii. 14. It was to fave men from the pangs of Hell : Tit. li. II, 12. From Sin, both Guilt and Filth, them to fet free. I Pet. ii. 9. That they in Life and Holinefs may dwell. LXXIX. Mat. xix. 2Z. Sin. I have a mind to Heav'n, I muft confefs. Num. xxiii. 10. I fear to feel the fore revenging fmart ; Job XX. 12. Yet Sin give me, though Heav'n I have the lefs ; £zek. xxxiii. 31. Take thou my mouth, but let Sin have my heart. LXXX. Deut. xxxii. 6. Chr. Is this thy love ? Am I no more to thee ? Jer. ii. II — 13. Doth not niy bleeding Wounds and Mercies fweet. Heb. V. r, 8. My Groans, my Tears, which broke the heart of me Luke xxiv. 38, 39. AfFedt thy heart ? behold my Hands and Feet. LXXXI. Mai. iii. 15. Sin. Here I have eafe and pleafure for the flefti. Jer. viii. 6. Here I am fweetly comforted with joy ; Pfal. Ixxiii. 5. I can run every day to fin afrefh : Ifa. i. 15. Lord don't, though I love fin, my foul defl:roy. LXXXII. Rom. iii. II. Chr. man without an underftanding heart. Deut. xxxii. 29. And quite forgetful of thy latter end. Prov. i. 22. To flight my Mercy is no wife man's part. Ecclef. viii. 12, 13. 'Tis Heav'n, not Hell, at lafl: will fl:and thy friend. Profitable Meditations, 25 LXXXIII. Sin. This World is prefent, that World is to come. And I for my part am for prefent pay. Take thou all that, give me of this but fome, I will not for thy wages make delay. Pfal. xvir. 14. Pfal. iv. 6. 2 Tim. iv. 10. a Kings vi. 33. LXXXIV. Chr. What profit wilt thou get by doing thus ? Doft think twill pleafe thee when thou com'ft to die ? Poor Sinner turn, or thou for Sin wilt blufh ; O flight not me, but from thy evils fly. IWark viii. 36. Hof. vii. 14. Rev. iii. 17. I John ii. z8. LXXXV. Sin. If I ihould turn, then I fliould lofe my fame. My friends and all, which cuts my heart full fore. But I by this means flill keep up my name ; rie hold on therefore, trouble me no more. I Cor. i. 28. Mat. xxiv. 9. John xii. 42, 43. Zech. vii. 12, 13. LXXXVI. Chr. Poorfoul! onethoughtofDeathandVengeancegreat, Will fpoil thy name and fame, and glory too : When for the lofs of Mercy thou doft fret ; Be rul'd then, turn, and fave thee from this Woe. Ezek. xxii. 14. Prov. xiii. 5. Luke xiii. 28. Ezek. xviii. 32. LXXXVII. Sin. I have fo much employment now, that I Can't tend it yet, to turn to thee for Grace : When I feel Death, then to thee Tie fly, I may repent of Sin in little fpace. Luke xiv. 18, 19. 26 Profitable Meditations. LXXXVIII. Heb. ii. 3. Chr. If now thou flight me in. my Love fo mile, a Cor. vi. ■2.. And wilt not have me in my Mercy fweet : Rom. i. 28— 31. To fin I leave thee, which will thee defile, Luke xix. 27. And will hereafter flay thee at my feet. LXXXIX, Sin. My Work is great, my Time is fliort alfo. My Childrens Portions I have ftill to get :' The World muft be my Friend, and not my Foe ; rie come hereafter, though I can't come yet. The man's a Fool that makes this Plea ; And yet thus foolifli many be. VI. Between Christ and the Doubting Soul. xc. A£fa ii. 37, xvi. 30. Rom. vii. 24. Prov XXX. 2. Ifa. XXX. 1. Soul. ^^^ SAD and heavy heart, and all for Sin, Oh ! blind and wretched Sinner as I am ! I grieve to think how foolifli I have been. More like a Rebel than a fober man. xci. Job xlii. 6. Ezek. xvi. 63. Rev. ii. 17. Rom. xiv. 9. Chr. Dofl: fee thy Vilenefs, and abhor it to ? Art thou confounded when thou dofl: it fee ? Come hither Sinner, I thee good will do, I bled and died, and reviv'd for thee. Profitable Meditations. XCII. Soul. Ah deareft Lord, I dare not now prefume To think on Mercy, 'caufe I am fo vile : In Juftice now my foul thou mayft confume. My heart is ftone, it will not reconcile. XCIII. Chr. Poor foul, my bowels yearn, my heart doth move, I can't forbear, but mufl; embrace thee now: My Mercy I do give to thee, my Dove ;* Ben't daunted, I thee pardon will allow. xciv. Soul. My loving Lord, my Sin it is fo ftrong. And mighty, that it foils me, though I ftrive Againft it : and I fear 'twill do me wrong. Oh ! I befeech thee, let my foul revive. xcv. Chr. I love thee dearly, groaning heart, I come With Grace, and Faith, and Love, to lift thee out Of Sin, and Death, and Hell ; and to my home rie have thee. This by Grace I'le bring about. xcvi. Soul. But Lord, my ftrength is weak, my heart is fad. The Devil tells me, he will overthrow My foul, if fo, my cafe would be moft fad. Let me therefore thy pleafure further know. * A term of endearment, taken from Canticles ii. 14, v. z. 27 Luke xviii. 13. Rom. iii. 4. £zek. xxxvi. 26. Jer. xxxi. 18 — 21. Ifa. xiv. 25. Ifa. xlvi. 12, 13. 2 Cor. xii. 7, 8. Rom. vii. 19. Pfal. cxix. 25. 28. Ifa. Ixvi. -^. Pfal. cxvi. 5, 6. Luke i. 74. I Pet. V. 10. Pfal. xxii. 6. Pfal. xxxviii. 4. I Pet. V. 8. Plal. XXXV. 3. 28 Profitable Meditations. XCVII. Micah vii. i8, 19. Ifa. xli. 10. 13. Pfal. I. 15. John X. 28, 29. Chr. Let not this daunt thee, I have Mercy ftore, I will thee hold and help, and ftrengthen too. And that thou mightft me for my Love adore, rie bring thee fafe to Reft from Satan's woe. XCVIII. Luke V. 8. Mark viii. 38. Luke xiii. 27, 28. Soul. Ah deareft Lord ! doft thou love me fo vile, Art^not afham'd tow'rds me to turn thy face ? Methinks, to me thou fhouldft not reconcile Thyfelf, but quite exclude me from thy Grace. XCIX. Eph. ii. 6, 7. I Tim. i. 15, 16. Pfal. Ixviii. 18. Luke XV. 10. Chr. My Dear, I have defign'd to fliow my Love, And by this means to get my felf a Name : By making Rebels to become my Dove, Will make the Angels to extol my Fame. Pfal. cxliv, 15. Pfal. Ii. 8. Pfal. ciii. 12, 13. Pfal. iv. 3. c. Soul. happy man am I, good Lord, help me To keep alive thefe Comforts on my heart : Sweet JESUS help me to admire Thee, And fet me from the World to come apart. 2 Chron. xx. 20. Luke xxiv. 38, 39. Heb. vii. 25. Heb. ix. 24. Rev. ii. 24, 25. CI. Chr. Believe my Word, and meditate the fame : Look to my Wounds, and know afliiredly, I now in Heav'n make mention of thy name : Hold faft by me, fear not, thou flialt not die. Profitable Meditations. CII. Soul. O Grace moft mighty, and exceeding free, Muft I be faved from all evil then ? Lord make me live a life befitting me, O Lord for Chrift his fake fay thou. Amen. VIL A Discourse between Death and a Sinner. CIV.* Sin. ^i^^ AM the man that hath the World at will. Both Houfe and Land, and Chattel very much. Of thefe things therefore. Soul, take thou thy fill. There was befides thefe Sweetnefs never fuch. cv. Befides, my Wife and Children very brave. With Friends and Kindred, alfo goodly Fare : I am the man that fweeteft pleafures have. And need not therefore any further care. cvi. Dea. Friend, I come for thee, with me thou mufl: go ; Therefore make hafte, I for thee cannot flay : The World, thy Friends, no good now can thee do. Come quickly, therefore, with me go away. * Verfe cm. is not in the original. 29 I Cor. ii. 9. Titus iii. 5. Pfal. Ivri. 13. Rev. xxii. 20. Luke xii. 19. Pfal. iv. 6. Job xxi. 7 — 13. Pfal. xxxiii. 6, 7. Luke xii. 20 . Eccl. ix. 12. Job XX. 5. 3° Profitable Meditations. CVII. Job xxi. 9. Sin. From whence came you, Sir .? pray keep fingers ofF, Touch not my Beauty, nor my fine array : 'Tis not the Fever, nor Confumption Cough That fears me, I have not liv'd half my day. CVIII. Pfal. ii. 9. Rev. ii. 27. Jer. xviii. 6. Ifa. xl. 6, 7. Bea. Thou painted brittle Potfherd, fading Grafs, I have command to take away thy breath : Thou art as brittle as the Venice Glafs,* Thy Life I fuddenly mufl: turn to Death. Job xviii. 10 — 15. Zeph. i. 1 8. Job XX. 22 — 29. CIX. Sin. That will I try, call for the Doftor, quick ; Give me my Chamber, alfo Phyfic, fuch As may me help, if once you find me fick ; Though Gold and Silver it doth coft me much. Job xviii. 18. 21. Ifa, xiv. 22. Pfal. ix. 9. ex. Dea. There's none of thefe fliall do thee any good. For God hath blafted them, and therefore come : Thou muft be gone, the Worms do lack their food. The Grave and Darknefs now muft be thine home. Deut. xxviii. 66. Ifa. xxviii. 18, 19. Prov. xi. 4. Ezek. vii. 19. CXI. Sin. But pray do me that favour, as to ftay But two years longer ere you ftop my breath. rie give you Gold, if you'l depart away. The World is Iweet, my heart's afraid of Death. * Venice Glafs — A beautiful thin glafs, delicately ftreaked with colours ; the manufafture of which was in Bunyan's time limited to Venice. Profitable Meditations. 31 CXII. T>ea. I know not how to favour fuch as thee ; Eccl. viii. 8. 'Tis not thy Gold I care for. Come away : Look, here's thy Coffin, come along with me. Thy Glafs is run, thine heart muft break to day. CXIII. Sin. Alas, I have not made my Peace with God, 'Tis but for time to do that work I pray : Num. xxiii. 10. O therefore fpare, and do not with your Rod Strike yet, to turn my body into clay. CXIV. Dea. God gave thee time before, how didft it fpend ? Prov. xvii. 1 6. Haft fool'd away thy Life, thy Soul and all. God faith, he will thee time no longer lend. Before I leave thee, I muft fee thy fall. Rev. ii. 21, ^^.' cxv. Sin. O fick at heart ! I pray Sir, hold your hand. You gripe fo hard, my wind is almoft gone : ProT. i. 26 — 31. You fee my Wife and Children weeping ftand. Oh ! be not mercilefs, let me alone. Ifa. xiii. 6—8. CXVI. 'Dea. Death is my name. Death is my nature too. Ezek.vii. 25. I know no pity, mercy I have none : 'Tis not thy Children's tears, that will me woo. I come to fetch thee, and thou muft be gone. 32 Profitable Meditations. Sin. CXVII. Who's that behind thee. Death, pray what's his name ? His looks are fearful, oh ! he frights me fore. And whither will you have me, fince you came To fetch me hence, where I fhall be no more. CXVIII. Rev. vi. 8. Dea. He that doth ftand behind me, is my friend, Luke xii. 58, 59. Hell is his name, my brother comes to fee Me do my work ; and when that's at an end, He'l take thee to him, till thou pay thy fee.* cxix. Sin. Oh heavy heart ! I fee you'l kill me quite, Luke X. 23—26. Nay, worfe, for now I clearly fee my doom : I muft go where I fhall fee nought but night. Oh fad ! in fire I muft have my room. cxx. Would God that I had left my fins betime. And clos'd with Chrift ; but now my day is done. What will become of this poor foul of mine ? Oh Death and Hell, that I could from you run. cxxi. My heart it fails, mine eyes have loft their fight. My foul fees fire, and hellifli Devils too : God fights againft me alfo with his might. Oh miferable, fad, and dreadful woe ! ♦ The uttermoft farthing— Matt. v. 26. Profitable Meditations. 33 CXXII. The World, my Beauty, and my Pleafures great Have left me quite, and help me not at all : 'Tis not mine heart or tongue that can repeat The dreadful Dungeon into which I fall. VIII. A Discourse between Death and a Saint. CXXIII. St. ■^^'^^F I might have my choice, I would be gone ^ ^ To Paradife among the Saints in Light : ^i@ With JESUS alfo, I would be anon. For there's my proper place, and purchas'd right. Phil. i. 23. 2 Cor. V. 8. Luke ii. 28, 29. CXXIV. Dea. Who's that, that is fo willing to go hence ? Thou fool, doft thou know what it is to die ? If I come, I fhall give thee fuch a wrench. Will make thee feel't to all Eternity. cxxv. St. You talk too faft. Sir, pray begin again. Do you know JESUS, who the Saviour is ? 'Tis he that bare for me your fearful pain. And triumphs over you in heav'nly blifs. Rom. vi. 9. Heb. vii. 3, 4. Hof. xiii. 14. 34 Profitable Meditations. CXXVI. Job xviii. 14. Zeph. i. 14. Rev. vi. 15. Dea. I am the King of Terrors, that's my name. I throw down Kingdoms, none can me withftand : Both Kings and Princes tremble at my fame. Thou fall'ft when I upon thee lay mine hand. CXXVII. I Cor. XV. 55. Mat. xxiv. 42. Col. ii. 14, 15. St. Death, I fay to thee, where is thy fting ? • Stir up thy ftren gth, and now make known thy might : My JESUS hath me underneath his Wing, 'Tis he that triumph'd over thee in fight. CXXVIII. Judges xvi. 30. I Sam. xxxi. 4. I Kings ii. 10. Dea. I flew both Sampfon, Saul, and David fl:rong. With thoufands more, that were as good as thee : And I will quickly have thee all along, And then among the dead thou'lt be with me. CXXIX. Job xviii. 13. Pfal. Ixviii. so. St. Though thou doft kill the Wicked, yet the Saint Recovers, and efcapeth from thine hand : I have no caufe therefore at thee to faint, Becaufe I fliall break from thy difmal band. CXXX. Afls X. 39. Rom. viii. 34. Dea. Thou fimple man, hark now what I fhall fay. Thou talk'fl; of having conqueft over me. When I thy very Jesus Christ did flay ; Thus thou my fl:rength mayft manifeftly fee. Profitable Meditations. CXXXI. St. And didft thou holdHimwhenthouhadfthimdown? Or haft Him ftill ? fpeak truth, and do not lie : Pray, who was he that rofe out of the ground. The third day after He for Sin did die ? CXXXII. I know, O Death, thou may'ft my body Ipoil, And bring it down : yet I thee do not fear. — For that ftiall laft with thee no longer while. Than till my JESUS in the Clouds appear. CXXXIII. And then he will with Trumpets royal voice Raife up his Dead, and gather them on high ; Then we ftiall live who have made Him our choice, When thou in fiery flames with Hell ftialt lie. OT-4 T fi- The Godly. F THE Day OF JUDGMENT, WITH ^' ™ „^ •' ' (.2. The Wicked. Also the Objections of the Wicked answered. [i. Of the Godly :\ CXXXIV. 'ND now becaufe this JESUS hath begun E'en thus to fave his People from their fin ; He'l never leave their fouls till He hath done ; Heav'n Gates ftand ope, and he will have them in. IS A&s ii. 24—27. Luke xxiv. 34. I Cor. XV. 3 — 5. Job xix. 25 — 27, I Theft, iv. 16. I Cor. XV. 52. I Cor. XV. 26. Rev. xxii. 14. Phil. i. 6. Rom. vlii, 20 — 24 Heb- ix, 27, 28. 36 Profitable Meditations. cxxxv. Mat. XXV. 31. Jude 14, 15. I Cor. XV. 52. Rev. vi. 15. I Thefs. i. 8— 10. Rev. xix. 7. Mat. XXV. 34. Mat. xxiv. 41 . Luke xxiv. 25, 26, Heb. iv. 3. John xvii. 9. z Cor. xi. 1, z. John xiv. 1 — 3. I Thefs. iv. 14 — 17. Rev. vii. 15, 16. And therefore he will come in Glory great, r th' Clouds with Trumpets, and with Angels too. To give his Saints their long expedted meat. And help them from their long perplexed woe. cxxxvi. And though his Coming will the World amaze. When they fhall fee his Glory and his Fame ; Yet fhall his Saints with comfort on him gaze. And wonderfully magnify his Name. cxxxvii. For, Come up hither, will he fay to them. You are the Souls for whom I bled and died ; I bought you with my Blood, though finful men. My Angels fhall you into Glory guide.* CXXXVIII. You have believed in my Blood for Life, You are the Souls for whom I pray'd to God, Now you mufl be my wel-beloved Wife, And ever freed from his revenging Rod. CXXXIX. Come bleffed Souls, I have prepared your place In Glory, and among my Angels high. I thought on this when they fpat on my face. And when to Calvary I went to die. * Beautifully difplayed in the clofing fcene of the " Pilgrim's Pro- grefs," part firil. Profitable Meditations. CXL. I know you have deferved none of this. But rather Death, if you fhould have your due ; But rie forgive you all thaf s done amifs. Though I this kindnefs fhew to but a few. CXLI. My Father loved you, and that full dear. Before he made the World, and fo did I : Which is the caufe that you with peace be here. And fo muft be to all Eternity. CXLII. It was my Love to give you Grace in time. Not your Deferts, and that full well you know ; And alfo I did mark you to be mine E'en when you lived in the world below. CXLIII. Thus did I fit you then with Faith and Love, When you among your enemies did live. And did then reckon you my deareft Dove, And now to you myfelf and Heav'n I give. 37 2 Tim. i. 9. A£b iii. 19. Mat. vii. i^. Eph. . 4—6. Prov. ■viii. 31. Luke xii. 32. Afts xiii. 48. Rom. xi. 7. Rom, «. 23. Eph. i ■ 13. '4 I Pet i. 2. John lii. 16. 2 Tim. iv. g. I Pet U.9. I Cor. XV. 52. John V. 28. Dan. xii. 2.. Ifa. xxvi. 21. Rev. XX. II, 12. Dan. vu. 9, 10. Rom. ii. 14 — 16. Rom A. 21. Prov. i. 24, 25. Mat. xxiji. 37. Gen. vi. 3. Heb. ii. 3. Heb. xii. 25. Mat. xxii. 13. Pfal. xxxi. iS. 2. O/'M^ Wicked. CXLIV. RISE, ye Dead, my Trumpet founds amain. Forth of your Graves you that the Wicked be j^^.^^^ O Earth, I fay, deliver up thy flain. Both fmall and great, come and be judg'd by me. CXLV. Behold the Books wherein your Names are fet. Shall open now, and in them I will fee How often you ran into Satan's Net, And fo flood off from coming unto me. CXLVI. How oft did I you call with Gofpel fweet ? How oft did you your back upon me turn ? How oft did you with ftrong conviftions meet ? Depart, in flaming fire you muft burn. CXLVII. You did abufe my Mercy and my Grace, You alfo hated thefe my Lambs fo dear : Therefore you Ihall be banifht from my face, 'Tis Juftice now and Judgment you muft hear. Profitable Meditations. 39 CXLVIII. You loved Sin, you hated Godlinefs, You fpake againft my Word and Ways fo good ; Now will I leave your fouls in fad diftrefs. Repentance now fliall do your fouls no good. Pfal. cix. 17, 1%. Afts xiii. 45. Luke xvi. 26. Luke xiii. 28. CXLIX. There's nothing to be faid or done but this : Hark to your doom that you for Sin muft bear, I do for ever fhut you out of blifs ; With Devils, you, of Wrath muft have your ftiare. Mat. xxii. 11 — 13. Mark ix. 44 — 46. CL. Depart therefore ye Rebels from my face. The Gates of Life I fhut againft you all : My dreadful Wrath (hall follow you apace ; Into Eternal Fire now do you fall. Mat. XXV. 41. Ifa. XXX. 33, Ifa. xiii. 9. Rev. XX. 15. Their Plea. CLI. W^^^ LORD ! but we are not in all the fault, /^ra)| 'Twas long of others that we were fo vile i ^^^^ Our daubing Preachers made us thus to halt. They are to blame, for they our fouls did fpoil. Ezek. xxxiii. 6. Jer. vi. 14. Jcr. viii. 10, II. Mat. XV. 14. 40 Profitable Meditations. CLII. I Cor. XV. 3 -, . Afts vii. 51. Befides, O Lord, our Company was bad, We dwelt with them that would have none of thee : Mat. xxiii. 31 — 33. They tempted us to live a life fo fad, Which did fo blind our eyes we could not fee. CLIII. Rom. i. 21, 22. With thefe the World, and alfo naughty Sin, Eph. iv. 18, 19. Did fill our hearts fo full of Wickednefs : Afts xxviii. 27. Lord forgive us, and to Mercy bring Thefe fouls of ours, and fave us from diftrefs. The Anfwer. CLIV. Luke xiii. 27. Mat. vii. 22, 23. Luke xiii. 28, 1 rar»^J:iib Will not lerve your turn, ror iviercy s pait, 1^ The day of Grace is over long ago : rSS^ Be filent then, by Judgment you are caft, "here's nothing left but fearful Wrath for you. CLV. Ecclef. ix. 10. Your fobs, your tears, and lamentable. cry. Ecclef. xi. 3. Should have been fooner, if you would have fped ; Ifa. ix. 14. But as the Tree doth fall, fo it muft lie. Your Portion now muft be amongft the Dead. Profitable Meditations. CLVI. You tell me that your Guides led you amifs. Whofe fault was that ? not mine, but yours I trow. You did not with your heart my Mercy kifs. And therefore to Hell fire I will you throw. CLVII. Did you with fighing heart alk me the way To Life ? Or, did you truly hate your fin ? Did you not of Repentance make delay ? Thus 'tis ; therefore Hell gapes, and you muft in. CLVIII. You fay your Company did lead you wrong : Well, but I afk, who bid thee with them go ? If Wickednefs then with thee was fo ftrong, 'Tis fit thou now be fharer in their woe. CLIX. You fay the World and Sin fo fill'd your heart. That you for them no way to Heav'n did know : 'Tis true, and therefore go and take your part With them, for I no Mercy will you fliow. CLX. Come, blefl"ed Souls, for whom I bled and died. Inherit you your Lords eternal blifs : Be gone, ye wicked, from you I will hide My face. Your Portion therefore fhall be this. 41 Jer.v. 31. ' Tim. iv. 3,4. Pfal. ii. 12. Job xxii. 14, 15. £zek. ix. 4. Jer. X. 25. Pfal. Ixxix. 6. Luke xiv. 18 — 20. 2 Cor . vi 17 Prov. V. 22. Rev. (xi. 8. Mat. xviii. 3. 2 Pet. ii. 12. 2 Pet. iii 7- Mat. XXV. 21 — 23. Rev. iii. zi. 42 Profitable Meditations. CLXI. Rev. xiv. 9— II. In Fire, in Darknefs, and in Wrath you muft Abide, while I and mine enjoy the Light : Mat. xxv. 46. You get no eafe, though you with pain do burft. You fhbuld have clos'd with Mercy while you might. A Discourse between a Saint in Heaven, AND A Sinner in Hell : alluding TO THE I 6th of Luke, CLXII. St. l5t^^Y Lord hath brought me into Glory fweet. And faved me from my deferved Woe, Though he for this hung by the hands and feet. For this I'le blefs his Name, and thank him too. Sin. St. CLxm. My cafe is fad, I am depriv'd of life, Heav'n I have mifs'd, and loft my foul fo dear : My fins prick at my heart now like a knife, I now enjoy nothing but pain and fear. CLXIV. What is the caufe of this your fad Complaint, Man ? for I hear you make moft doleful moan ; In Hell I know there's caufe enough to faint. Yet further tell me wherefore thus you groan ? Profitable Meditations. CLXV. Sin. Alas, I groan to think of life that's paft. Of that alfo which now I do poflefs ; My foolifhnefs it hath me hither caft. And brought my foul into this fore diftrefs. CLXVI, St. I lived in the World as well as you. And ferved Sin, until I heard the Word : But when I faw by that, for Sin my Woe, I fought to Chrift me mercy to afford. CLXVII. Sin. Alas, I heard of Chrift and Mercy much. The Preacher told me Sin would me undo ; Yet I did flight this Mercy, though 'twas fuch, As would have fav'd my Soul and Body too. CLXvin. St. When I did hear of Grace it broke my heart, And won me over to abhor my Sin ; It alfo rid me of my guilt and finart. It faid Heav'n Gates ftood ope, and I muft in. CLXIX. Sin. I Wretch did fee my ftate fometime fo fad. That I for grief could fcarce reft in my Bed : But yet my Lufts fuch prevalency had. That now my portion is amongft the dead. 43 Col. i. 4 — 6, Tit. in, 3, 4. Rom. A. 16 — 20. Ifa. Ixvi. z. John xiv. 26, 27, 2 Pet, ii, 20, 21. 44 Profitable Meditations. Cant. ii. 5. I Cor. ii. 2. Phil. iii. 7, 8. St. CLXX. fweet ! me thought the world to come did fo AfFed my Soul, and make it long to be With JESUS, that I nothing elfe would know. But how I might his precious Beauty fee. Heb. vi. 4— 6. Mat. xix. 16 — 22. Sin. CLXXI. I did feel fweetnefs fometime this way too, Methought that Heaven was worth the feeking for. But this, alas ! doth aggravate my Woe ; Though I this knew, I did not Sin abhor. Heb. xi. 14 — 16. Pfal. xvii. 14, 15. St. CLXXII. Sometimes my Sin, the World, and Satan they. Would tempt me to let go my hold of Grace : But thefe my Soul to CHRIST ftill more did fray ;* The more they tempt, the more I fought his face. ■J. Tim. ii. 26. Prov. vii. 22. Jer. ii. 10—13. Sin. CLXXIII. It was not thus with me God wot ; f for when They tempted me, I yeelded prefently, And left off feeking God, to follow them ; For following which, the fecond Death I die. Rom. viii. 33 — 39. Heb. iii. 7, 8. St. CLXXIV. dear! me thought Salvation was fo rare That neither frowns nor fmiles of thefe could ftay My Soul ; it could no longer now forbear. But leave the World for Chrift, while 'twas to day. * " Fray," fright, terrify— a feeling of danger if he left the Saviour's fanftuary. — See Imperial Diflionary. t " God wot," God knoweth. Profitable Meditations. CLXXV. Sin. Sometime my Confcience, when in ficknefs I Did lie, would much afBid me for my Sin. But yet when health came, I forgot to die,* I fought the World, inftead of Chrift, to win. St. Sin. St. Sin. CLXXVI. When I did fee the Saints thrive more than me, Then I was fmitten for my fluggifhnefs : I would not leave the Lord till I did fee His Grace to flourifli in me more or lefs. CLXXVII. 'Twas quite contrary with me. Wretch I am, I did not learn of them that thus did grow, But rather learned of the lukewarm man, To flagarj till I did myfelf undo. CLXXVIII. I fpeak not of thefe Vertues, as if they Did flow from nature, 'twas Chrifl: did me keep ; And by his Grace he did my Soul thus fl;ay, I blefs his Name therefore, for Mercy fweet. CLXXIX. Neither do I at all the Lord accufe. As if the fault was his that I am here : The fault was mine, his Grace I did refufe, I loved Sin, His Name I did not fear. « " To die," to die to fin.— I Cor. xv. 3 1, Rom. vii. 9. f " To flagar," to flacken, go flower on account of the way being miry and flippery.— Halliwell. 45 Hof. vii. 14. Luke xiv. 1 8 — 20. Heb. vi. 12. Heb. X. 24. Heb. vi. II. I Cor..xv. 33. Mat. XV. 14. Tit. iii. 5. 2 Tim. i. 9. Jolin XV. 16. Rev. xxii. I2. Rev. iii. 19. Ifa. V. 4. 46 Rev. V. 9, lo. Rev. xiv. 3. Ifa. xxvi. 19. Ifa. xxviii. 19. Ifa. Ixv. 14. Luke XVI. 27, 28. Prov. v. 1 1 —1 3. Heb, xii. 25. Matk ix, 45, 46. Luke xiii. ^S. Luke X. 12 — 14. Mat. xi. 21 — 24. SL Profitable Meditations. CLXXX. My work then is above to fing his Praife, Among his Angels to exalt his Name : Becaufe from Sin and Death he did me raife. By Grace ; and put upon me heav'nly Fame. CLXXXI. Sin. Oh heavy heart ! the more I think of life, And how I loft it, doth encreafe my Woe : Time was when I enjoy'd convincing Light ; But I did flight it, and my foul undo. CLXXXII. Let them that yet have life and time to fee. By Gofpel light their Sin, and need of Grace : Take Warning by thefe heavy fobs of me. And feek by Chrift to fhun this dolefuU place. CLXXXIII. For Man to lofe Eternal Life for Sin ; For Man to flight the Grace of God fo good : Will make him figh and fob, if he comes in, Where we do roar for flighting Chrift his Blood. CLXXXIV. Oh fad ! that I had clos'd with Chrift ; or would I had not heard of Him at all, then I Had either faved been, or elfe I fliould Have had lefs torment to Eternity. Profitable Meditations. 47 The Conclusion. CLXXXV. g^prtMfeHO e er thou art that read IL Uus liLLle liuuk, MM^ Slight it not for its method, fo as to ^^1^ Rejeft it ; but into it [I] pray thee look. It may meet with thine heart before thou go. CLXXXVI. And if it do, the Mercy will be thine ; Lift up thine heart to God (man,) for his Grace : The failings only I will own as mine ; The reft is God's : unto Him lift thy Face. THE END. CHISWICK PRESS ! PRINTED BY WHITTINGHAM AND WILKINS, TOOKS COURT, CHANCERY LANE.