Rocks Improved
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Project Note
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The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
ROCKES IMPROVED, COMPRISING CERTAINE POETICALL MEDITATIONS, Extracted from the contemplation of the Nature and Quality of ROCKES; a barren and harsh Soyle; yet a Fruitful, and Delightfull subject of Meditation. By WILLIAM PRYNNE, late Exile, and close Prisoner in Mount-Orgueil Castle in the Isle of Iersy.
Psal. 18. 2. 31. 46. 2 Sam. 22. 2. 3. 32.
The Lord is my
Rock
and my Fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my strength in whom I will trust, my buckler, and the horn of my Salvation, and my high Tower my Savior, thou savest me from violence. Who is a Rock save our God? The Lord liveth, and blessed be my Rock, and let the God of my Salvation be exalted.
Psal. 40. 1, 2, 3.
I waited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry: He brought me also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a
Rock,
and established my goings, &c.
London, Printed by T. Cotes for Michael Spacke, dwelling at the blue Bible in Green A • bor 1641.
TO THE RIGHT WORshipfull his most highly honored, special kind Friend, the truly virtuous, and religious Lady, Anne Carteret, wife to Sir Philip Carteret Knight: Lievetenant Governor, and Baylisse of the Isle of Jersy.
M
Adame,
Vouchsafe to own and patronize
These Meditations, which did first arise
Within those walls, which your bright virtues grace,
The
Poem's
like the
Subject,
barren, rude,
Uncompt, yet wholesome to an heart renu'd:
Your kind acceptance will it crown, and raise
Above its worth, and be the Poets Bayrs
Who for your Noble Favors whilst that he
Remain'd close Prisoner, Exile in
Jerse.
Sequestred from all friends access, shall rest
Whiles any sparks of life stay in his Brest
Your Ladyship's most obliged, most devoted friend and servant WILLIAM PRYNNE.
Courteour Reader, I shall request thee to correct these few Press errors, which have scaped in some Copies in my absence. Errata.
Page 1. line 10. for the, read this. p. 3. l. 12. r. make. p. 28. l.3. when whom. 1.6 them r. him p. 19. l. 8 to r. in. p. 32. l. 24. of, on p. 33. l. 18. sin, weeds. p 34. 7. they, these. p. 47. l 5 must, much. p. 65. l. 15. be, lie. p. 71. l. 19 greatest. p. 82. l. 21. lose, close. p. 83 l. 13. others, I. p. 93. l. 21. fined, fixed. p. 95 l 22. and, Oh. l. 23, Satan, Satin. p. 98. l. 25. them, then l. 27. stations, passions. p. 103 l. 15. over, ever. p. 108. l. 21 thee, they. p. 119 l. 6. to. or. p 125. l. 23 arrived, armed. l. 25. slattering. p. 149. l. 6. shall, should. p. 164. l. 1. the, then. p. 165. l •• , the one, thine. p. 169. l. 11. prints' paints
Printers
oft err, but not as other men;
Their
Errors
are
corrected
with a
Pen.
THE PROEME.
The ragged Rocks, which round about it lie;
My Working thoughts begin from thence to raise
And mine own Profit: which my heart may warm,
Yea mount to Heaven, and vain fancies charm.
Meditations of the first Ranke, Parallelling Christ and Rocks together.
ANd first, the Rocks do lively represent
A complete Image, full of sweet content,
Of Christ our Rock; since that both They and He
In Name and Nature fitly do agree.
Are they called Rocks? So he in sacred Writ
1.
The Stony Rocks no other Father know
So Christ (both God and Man) no Father knows
Men's shallow Thoughts,
and in them wonder breeds.
2.
And found such buildings as shall not decay.
But last and stand in spite of Floods, Stormes, wind,
Which may beat on them, yet no entrance find,
On which the Church is built:
On Him alone
Our Souls so safe, fast, firmly, founded lie,
That they shall stand for all eternity
Unshaken, undemolisht,
maugre all
Through Men or Devils Malice: Happy they
Who on this firm Rock, all their buildings lay.
3.
From Christour Rock,
Men's drooping souls to cheare
And sweeten all sour Crosses which they hear.
4.
All precious Stones, and Jewels Rocks do breed:
The first, our Bodies decke, but for a space;
The first, in Mans eyes are a lovely sight;
The last in God's eyes makes us shine most bright.
O let us then, these Jewels only prize,
5.
The richest
Mines of Silver, Gold, Tin, Lead,
Whence not dig'd out with pains, they useless lie
And none are bettered, or enriched thereby.
Thus all the Mines, and
Treasures of God's Grace
Yet none do happy, rich, or wealthy grow
By these hid Treasures, though they overflow;
With Prayers, Tears, Faith, Hope, and Patience.
O let us then be ever drawing Oare
Out of our Rock Christ, in whom there's such store
May there their Souls, and Bags forever fill.
6.
The
purest, best, and pleasantst waters spring
To Man and Beast,
whose
Thirst they quench and stay,
Their bodies bathe, and wash their filth away.
Thus from our Rock Christ, and his pierced side,
(To
save, bathe, cleanse, refresh all broken Hearts,
And quench hell flames, with Satan's, fiery Darts:)
As far surpass the purest Streames that flow,
From all the Rocks, or Fountaines here below.
Whence streams of waters gushed to redress,
And
quench the Peoples Thirst, when Moses Rod
It
smote, and pierced by command from God.
(Yea every Rock whence Cristall waters spring)
Our Rock Christ
to our Minds, and to present
Him to our eyes, and Hearts with great content:
From whose pierced Hands and side with Nayles and Spear,
Did sweetly flow, God's wrath to quench, allay,
His people's Thirst, and wash their sins away.
We need not then a Crucitixe, to bring
Christ to our Minds, since every Rock and Spring
Present Christ and his Passion to our Eyes;
Let Papists then behold their painted sticks;
Each Rock to me shall be a Crucifix,
Than all the Pictures of the Roman Whore;
7.
The scorching Sun and Storms that on Men beat;
Which sweet Refreshment to the weary brings,
And cools them more than any limpid Springs.
Against all Heates that scorch, all sins that lad
•
.
His Saints; whose weary Sin-burnt Souls can gain
That they an Heaven here on Earth possess
•
.
O let us still abide in this blest shade,
Where-with our souls are eased, and happy made.
8.
In times of Danger, for Security;
Feet, Hands, wherein our Souls may safely hide
Themselves against all storms that D
••••
, Hell,
World, flesh, or Sin can raise up, them to quell.
O let us to these blessed Holes, Clifts fly
For Shelter, and in them both live and die.
Yea let each Hole and Clift which we espy
In Rocks, present Christ's wounds, Holes, to our Eye,
And so imprint them in our Hearts and Mind,
That they may still sweet Solace in them find.
9.
N
••
hing
•
s,
while Things, Seas still ebb, and flow
About them. So our Rock
Christ lasts for aye
And still the s
•••
for all eternity,
When all things else decay, wax, old and die.
Friends, P
•••
nts, Kindred, G
••
ds, Lands, Cities, States,
Falls, Chang
••
, Periods;
and do pass away;
He still
•
ontinues in the self-same plight,
Friend, Tr
••
sure, Portion,
who thus lasts for aye,
Then when all Friends, Helps, Stayes, Hopes else fail,
He
Oh prize Him most who doth all else excel,
And still remains when they bid us farewell.
10.
F
•
rt, R
•
fuge in all Dangers:
and from hence
Most
Castles, Towns, Forts on them settled ar,
Which guard whole Kingdoms, both in Peace and war;
To these men
in all places
us
•
to fly
F
•
r aid and shelter in extremity,
And is not Christ our Rock, the strongest Mound,
Their Forts, strength, fafty upon Him, and
fly
To him alone in all their Miserie?
Where they in
safety
live, and dare defy
Both Men and Devils with security.
O let us then on Him alone repose
11.
Build, dwell and hide themselves:
Christ's chosen
seed
From all such Perills as shall them betide.
Let this their wisdom teach all others grace
In this Rock Christ, their Strength, Nests, Homes to place.
12.
Him whiles they view Him but with carnal Eyes.
And yet as Rocks,
though ragged,
vile and bare
In outward form, contain within them rare
And precious Jewels, Stones, Mines, of all Kinds;
So though our Rock, Christ, unto carnal Minds
In outward show seems base; yet
in Him lie
Nought else but
Dust, Drosse, Dung, within them have.
13.
Rocks fence the Land against the raging Seas,
Which else would swallow it with speed, and ease.
Gainst Deviils, Tyrants, Wolves; who else would sweep
Them clean away, and speedily devour,
If not pr
•
t
•
cted by his Mighty Power.
O give Him then the praise of this sweet Grace
Who thus preserves us safe in every place.
14.
Rocks oft times Harbours make for Ships to ride
In safety both from Pirates, Stormes, winds, Tide.
Who fly to Him, and for help on him call
In all their Troubles;
where they may repose
Themselves in
safety,
maugre Stormes, or Foes.
15.
Rocks through the world near hand dispersed lie
A Rock to shield, and guard his chosen Band,
In all their Dangers, and perplexities,
Thrice happy he who in him fenced lies.
16.
God well accepted
in most grateful wise,
And by
some wonder graced the Sacrifice
And offer to him;
not on Altars gay:
Thus God
those Praises, Alms, Tears, Prayers, Cries,
Doth most regard,
and
them alone approve
Of his rich Odors, which their stink consume.
17.
And that all Altars, Offerings must proceed
From Him, or else theyle stand us in no steed.
And sure to fall,
which on Christ do not stand;
All Altars but Himself, both old and new.
18.
No lazy, fearful Persons can ascend
Their Minds, Force, Might thereto, who hardly get
Upon them but with earnest pain and sweat,
Nay falls, ofttimes, and Bruises: so all those
A Rock so Narrow, craggy, steep, Sublime
They climb upon Him, and a building rear.
O then let all who think this Rock to mount
Unto this work,
which will their pains requite.
19.
Rocks are too Hard, on which to sleep secure:
Those who intend on this Rock safe to lie,
Lest world, flesh, Devil them surprise and slay.
20.
Rocks in, or near the Seas, and waters are;
So
Christ,
our Rock, on
earth did oft reside
Neare to the Sea; yea, on it, walk and ride:
Lifting his Head above the proudest Seas,
And calming all their raging waves with ease:
Yea, prove a footstool for his
feet to tread,
All other Rocks in waters sink, Christ Sails,
Swimmes, walks upon, and over them prevails.
21.
Most, ragged Rocks contemn, neglect, forsake,
Themselves unto them for security,
And then they praise, and highly magnify
Those Rocks they held before in such disgrace,
As the most strong, sweet, best, and safest place.
Enforce them to Him, to protect and free.
Them from the Evils which they fear and flee.
And then no place so sweet, safe, delicate
As this our Rock before left desolate.
But yet as those who unto Rocks do fly,
Not out of love, but mere necessity,
So, such
whom Feares, or Perills force, and send
Depart from Him, and will no longer stay,
When as their Dangers, Troubles, Feares are gone,
And most unkindly leave Him all alone.
Hence may all Popelings Learn, that
Multitude,
22.
Rocks humble are, and never upwards tend,
Himself,
but
never sought high state or Place;
Moving from Heaven down to Earth below,
To quench all Pride, and make men humble grow.
Who then dares swell with Pride, or Haughtinesse
When Christ, Himself did thus so low depress;
Nay second Person in the Deity?
23.
Sea, Land, nay Heaven
may the better Ken.
And with delight see farther, and far more
Than they on lower ground beheld before.
Thus men high mounted on our Rock, Christ, view
And glorious Sights of God, and things above
As rap their souls, and make them sick of Love.
Thence they behold all Earthly things below
With other Eyes, and both discern and know
And very small when viewed thus from on high.
24.
They leave no tract, way, steps, that can be spide.
When that old
Serpent Satan crept upon
Our
Rock Christ,
with his strong Temptation,
Of him or his Assaults on Him took place.
25.
When
Christ our Rock for forty days and nights
Hid fasted, then the Devil Him incites
Which He denide,
though then he bread did need:
Yet of his tender Mercy to Mankind,
And their poor souls, which are with hunger pinde,
Of life, wherewith their hungry Souls are fed.
Yea, rather than his chosen, Bread shall need,
The Rocks and Stones their Souls shall fat and feed,
Nay feast with those
sweet wafers,
which their Mind,
Let then our Hearts be right, we
need not fear
Since every Rock and Ston's a Magazine
To feed, store, feast them still with Bread Divine.
26.
When
God himself
of his abundant Grace
Shew'd forth his glorious Presence, and blest Face
To Moses and Elias;
he
them placed
With this grand Honor, Him to view.
When we
Our Souls to ravish; we must stand, and hide
Within the Clifts of our Rock, Christ's peirc'd side
Wherein we may with Comfort view God's face.
O let our Souls in these Clifts dwell and stay,
In such sweet manner, and such lively sort,
As will our Souls with Love and Joy transport.
27.
And stumble on them;
yea, oft times withal,
Themselves to bruise, maim, break, and hurt so sore,
That they expire therewith, and rise no more;
Thus
Christ
becomes to many a wicked one
Who on Him stumble, slip, and headlong fall,
And dash themselves in pieces therewithal.
O then beware how we against Him hit
28.
And supple hardest swellings, when they rage.
Heale wounds, and Ulcers; supplest
Oyles of Grace,
Proceede from Christ,
a Rock
most firm and sure.
Lord give us store of this soft Oil, that we
Our Hearts made soft, our wounds quite healed may see.
29.
The Mines and
Treasures which in Rocks hid lie,
The Sacred
hidden Treasures
which do
dwell
Vast, boundless, endless, that
they far exceed
Saints largest thoughts and in them wonder breed.
O let us still contemplate more and more
To fill our Souls with sweetest joys,
and make
Them for the Love of these,
all else forsake.
30.
Cry, stir,
though Tempests, Seas, Winds, Axes, Rain,
Nay Sledges beat upon them, and them bruise,
Break, hew, cleave, pierce, cut, lance, & much misuse.
His Cross, wrongs, sufferings, Death without all cry,
Complainte, resistance; like a Sheep before
Her shearer, which doth never bleate, stir, roar.
Learn to bear crosses with like Patience.
31.
They still exposed are to Cold, or Heate:
Sometimes the Seas surround & drown them quite
And oft the ye and snow them hide from sight:
Floodes, Tempests, Heate, Cold, Crosses of all Kinds,
Which for a time did hide,
immerge,
at last,
Quite over-whelme Him, till the Storm was past.
From Stormes, Winds, Floods, since Christ did them endure?
32.
The Death of this chief Rock for to lament:
Yea, to bear witness of his Deity,
That Heart is harder, worse than Rock or Stone,
Which Christ's Death cannot rent, nor cause to moan.
In pieces, when Christ shall it shake, smite, call
By his Almighty Hand, or voice which make
Lord let the Thoughts of thy Death quite relent
Our Rockie Hearts, and move them to repent.
33.
Free from corruption, Him for aye to praise.
O fear not then, though we return to dust,
Drosse, and Corruption; and our Corps restore
To such a State, that it shall die no more;
But live in endless Glory, and excel
34.
Rocks though they drowned be, appear again,
And fixed in their Places still remain:
So
Christ, though Dead, and laid in Grave, arose
Above the reach of Floodes;
where he on high
Here shall this
ever-living
raised Rock
35.
Our Rock Christ being dead
entombed lay
But our
dead Rock, a Rock had for his Urne,
Which Him received, and harbor'd even when,
Themselves,
His bloody Passion to Lament!
And then Him in their Bosomes lodge, and placed,
When men Him slew, forsook, and most disgraced!
Who never, pity, feel, regard, bemoan
Christ's cruel Death and Passion; nor receive
Him, when the Rocks rent, and Him House-room give!
O let us learn from hence, how hard, unkind,
More pity, harbor, love, from Rocks than we,
Untill our Hearts by Grace relented be.
And let this Thought our Hearts of Rock now thaw,
And Floods of bitter Tears out from them draw.
36.
Intombed in a Rock; yet the third day
Rose up from thence:
it makes each Hole and Cave
We see in Rocks, no other but a Grave:
Which done, it then revives our souls again
In Gr
•
ve forever; since our Savior rose
From thence again, to raise us, and all those
In endless Bliss, where he doth now remain.
Let these sweet Speculations ever cheare
Our drooping Souls, and banish all their Fear.
Thus Barren Rocks unto a pious Mind
When they in Name and Nature thus express
Unto the life, with Fruit and Pleasantnesse;
Far better than all Pictures which the Blind,
Dull Papists make, to bring them to their Mind,
The truest, best Idea that we can
Have of Him)
with each Rock, Stone they espy
Were not enough to show him to their eye,
Without those Idols, which have thrust aside
These better Pictures, and Christ from them hide.
38.
And Refuge art of thine Elected Flock,
Teach us thus sweetly to behold, and view
Thee in each Rock we see; for to renew,
Melt, change, delight, rejoice our Hearts, & make
The only Rock, where they full safe shall be.
Meditations of the second Kind, comparing Rocks and Sins together.
AGaine, Me thinks, the Rocks do typify, the nature of those Sins which in us lie.
1.
To those who them upon their shoulders bear:
Yet Light, not ponderous to their proper place:
So, to all Hearts renu'd with saving Grace
2.
Rocks press and bruise Them sore on whom they lie,
And for mere anguish make them Roare
and Cry.
Sins do fo too; when God doth once awake
Our souls, and work naught else but their distress.
Each day they sink men lower than they were,
Till by degrees they them to Hell down-bear.
And sink our Souls to Hell, without redress.
4.
All such, within whose Hearts they Lodgings take:
Beware then how such Guests we entertain,
By which our Souls are deadened, hurt and Slaine.
5.
Rocks make men oft to stumble, slip, and fall;
And break their Bones, Limbs, Neckes, oft times withal:
From Slips and Break-neck-falls, we must them flee.
6.
These make Men ugly, filthy, Steril, base,
And all their Glory, Beauty quite deface;
7.
And none but God can move them thence again:
East
•
entered, till God's own Almighty hand
Expell them thence.
O then let no Sins lie
Upon our Souls, but out them presently,
Within them, they are hardly dispossessed.
8.
Mine, pierce, demolish.
So let all Men speak,
We ruin, break them still with much ado.
He who doth think his Sins with ease to quell,
Shall never tame, nor from him them expel.
9.
Of Foes or Perils, and to think all sure:
Who fear no dangers till they sink to bell.
O then beware lest Sins make us secure.
No State's so ill, as that which seems most sure!
10.
Sins are so too, naught can then daunt, relent.
That they no Sin, Blush, shame, disgrace can feel.
Take
•
eede then lest Sin, first, us shameless make,
Then Senselesse, Gracelesse, fit for Hells dread Lake.
11.
12.
And naught will spring, or grow there, till men take
Them thence:
So Rocks and Stones of
Sin decay,
No fruits of Grace will ever grow, or sprout
Up in them, till these Stones be digged out.
13.
And all both far and near may them espy.
Themselves to all both far and near descry;
Let all, but Great ones chiefly, all Sins fly;
14.
Though they their souls at last will quite destroy▪
O Madness! thus in Sins to take delight;
15.
The
Steepe high Rocks, and Forts which on them stand
Much Paines, Long Seige, or Famine, which do pine,
Or starve their Men, and cause them to resign.
The steep, high, craggy Rocks and Forts of sin
But by strong hand, much cost, pains, sweat, strife, care,
Long Seige, and Fasts, by which they starved are,
And forced at last for very want to yield,
Where else they would have made us leave the field.
Its then no easy thing to conquer Sin:
They must bestir them who its Forts would win.
16.
And drown those Souls which on them dash or hit;
Not in Sea-waters, but in
Lakes of fire,
Where they shall ever feel God's scorching Ire.
17.
Instruct us then, O Christ, our Rock, to shun
All Sins as Rocks, and not on them to run,
For fear of ruin, and still give us Grace
To fly these Rocks of Sin in every place,
Those noted Rocks,
which thousands have destroyed;
Not once presuming to approach or hit
Against such Rocks, as others Souls have split.
Mirth, Pastimes, Pleasures, (whe
•
e we le
•
st suspect,
Or fear a danger) most souls still have wre
•
kt;
Teach us these Rocks to see, and then to fly
With chiefest care, and them not to come nigh.
Yea, since no Sea so fraught with Rocks can be,
As this whereon our Souls sail towards Thee:
O Shield us from these Rocks by thy great Power,
Which else will Split and Sinke us every hour:
That so we may at last arrive secure
In Heaven's blest Port, where Joyes for aye endure.
Meditations of the third Sort, suiting Rocks, and God's Elect together.
BEsides, these Rocks present before our Eyes
The State of God's Elect, in lively wise.
1.
Rocks fixed are, not tossed to and fro,
Adhere to Him in all their Troubles, Smarts:
No Stormes, Winds, Crosses, Changes can remove
Them from his Word, Son, Spirit, Truth or Love:
They cleave to him as to their only Stay.
3.
Rocks meekly bear and suffer Stormes that fall,
And never fret, rage, or repine at all:
Their Crosses, Losses bear most quietly;
Submitting unto God, whose Providence
All bitter Potions doth to them dispense.
4.
And of all
trusty friends, the Saints are best.
And to them in all Dangers safely fly.
6.
Yet though Rocks Outsides be but base and rude,
They richest Mines within their wombs include:
So though
Saints Outsides be but ragged, base,
7.
Stone
•
digged out of Rocks and hewed
square
So God's Elect,
though vile whiles that they lie
In
Natures Quarries in deformity;
Yet hew'de out thence, squar'd, polished by God's Grace,
And laid in order in their proper Place,
And do all other structures far excel,
In worth, and glory:
Lord thus square, and lay
Us in these Sacred walls, which last for aye.
8.
Rocks for the most part lowly are and meek:
In this vain world; where they dejected lie
Till God advance them to the Starrie sky.
9.
Rocks Kingdoms, Islands guard and fortify
Gainst raging Seas, Floods, Stormes, and Enemy:
States surest Guards; Forts, both in Peace and war;
These Shield-off Judgments, Foes, Plagues, yea God's Ire,
Which else would wast, and scorch them worse than Fire.
10.
Men's Thirst to quench, their wounds and sores to cure:
To Sin-sick Souls, and those who feel the Sting
Gripes, Torments, Flames of Hell and Conscience?
Or bind up broken, hearts, and chase from thence
All fears and horrid
Terrors? Which an Hell
On Earth oft make in those wherein they dwell?
Hence all such
wounded Souls do ever fly
Since no ungodly wretch can cheare, or ease
A Sin-sick Soul, nor aking Heart appease.
11.
Rocks most despised and neglected are,
As worthless Creatures: Thus
God's Saints oft fare
Though of Mankind the only Pearls, Stars, Grace.
12.
Themselves against them; and so break or split:
So God's Elect do never hurt, break, quash
Bruise, break themselves against them;
who must check
And blame themselves, not them, for this their wreck.
13.
God
first
ingrav'd his Sacred Laws upon
Not brittle Glass, soft Paper; that they might
Out last all time:
God, still, his Laws doth write
They Time survive, and gain eternity.
The
two first Stony Tables
whereupon
God stamped his Laws,
broke, lost were long agon:
These harder Tables of Saints Hearts remain,
And in them God's blest Laws for aye retain.
Therein thy Laws, from which it may not swerve
And since it shall out-dure the firmest Rock,
O, this rich treasure ever in it lock!
Yea, make each Saints Stone-Heart the Treasury
Of thy sweet Laws, for all eternity.
14.
Rocks in most places thinly scatred are;
In secret Corners in obscurity;
Driven from Country, Lands, House, Home, by those
15.
Stones in all Buildings,
and them free from rent:
Yea; laid on barren Grounds where naught would spring,
They make them fertile, and great Crops to bring:
So God's Elect, when melted by the Flame
And Stones of his Church here on Earth together,
And keep out Errors, Sects that would it sever:
Yea, sent to barren Soiles where grew no Grace,
16.
Rocks cut and polished, turn to
richest Gems
Saints squar'd and polished from their dross by Grace,
Lord so refine me that I may be set,
A Stone, Pearl, Jewel in thy Coroner.
Amidst those Saints which thou reput'st such Gems
As far excel, out-shine all Diadems.
Sweet Jesus make me of thy Chosen Flock,
That I, like them, may be a blessed Rock.
Meditations of the fourth Classe, sampling Rocks, and Rockie Hearts, with ungodly Men, together.
YEt more, me thinks Rocks represent to all
Mans Rockie Heart, and Nature, since the fall,
In some Respects, wherein they well agree
With Stony Hearts; from which God make us free.
1.
Nought will them daunt, or cause for to relents
Faces of Rock, which no blush, shame can feel.
No shameful Sin, Convictions, or Disgrace
Will daunt, or cause them once to hide the Face.
And vaunt of that which doth them most defame.
2.
Break, bruise, or hurt, all those on whom they fall.
And break, bruise, tear, crush, all they do oppress.
No Cries, Parts, Virtues, Merits can asswage
Their cruel Projects, nor divert their Rage.
O let me
rather fall into the Pawes
3.
The Corn we use, to make us Bread, or Beer:
Press, bruise God's Chosen,
till they be refinde
From all their Huskes of sin, and made meet Food
For God's sweet Pallate, to their greatest Good.
4.
Some Rocks burnt in the Fornace harder grow;
Which serves to break, hew, polish, fit, and square
Rude Rocks and Stones, and Stately piles to rear:
God's fery Fornace
Rockie Hearts makes more
Yea all its scorching Heate the which they feel,
Serves but to turn them into harder Steele,
Or Iron; for to break, hew, polish, pare
The Rocks and Stones which God lays in the rare
And choifest Buildings of his Church: whose walls
Have in the Temples which they help to rear.
5.
The most mischievous Instruments of war
As Canons, Musquets, Bullets, Sword, Bills, Speares
With other weapons, where with Man kills, tears,
Torments, Maimes, Stabs his Brother in despite,
As if he did in naught but Blood delight:
All Mischiefes, Murders, Wars, Sins, each ill thing:
These were the Artists which did first invent
Each bloody, murth'ring, warlike Instrument;
The Shops in which they forged were, the Arms
That wield them still, & work a world of Harmes.
O cursed Hearts of Rock from whence do flow
All Evils, Mischiefes, woes we hear, see, know!
Lord free and ever keep us from such Hearts,
Which are the Cause of all our Sins, Ills, Smarts.
6.
From fear of Danger:
Stony Hearts are sure
Them in great Mischieses ere they be aware.
Than squar'd or polished with the Axes stroke:
Men's Stony Hearts so hard and flinty are,
Them to his Rules, nor cause them to amend,
And sooner break than rent, or make them bend.
His Sacred Laws,
upon a Rockie Brest
Cannot engrave them: Lord what Hearts of Flint
Have Men, whereon thy Laws can make no Print!
And square then to the Models if God's Law
8.
No heat of Sun or Fornace Rocks will melt,
But harden rather, and their Heat's not felt:
His fiery Fornace, and his frowning fa
•
e,
Men's Rockie Hearts will neither warm, relent,
Affect, melt, change, nor more them to repent.
9.
Or Belly, that Mankind or Beasts do lack:
No Fruits of Grace, Faith, V
•••••
in it
〈◊〉
.
10.
Fruitefull in nothing, but those
〈◊〉
of vice,
And sin, which bar them out of Paradise.
11.
Rocks Deafe and Sencelesse are of good, and ill:
God's Word, Law, Works regard, Hear, understand;
Nor, fear his angry; kiss, his soothing hand.
12.
And though they seldom feel God's stroke or Curse;
13.
The pleasant Showres, Drops, Dewes that on Rocks light.
Make them not fruitful, nor in better plight:
But glide away forthwith, not sinking down
To make them Mellow, good, or sin to drown:
And frequent slowres of God, blest Word; remain
Still Barren, Hard, and Sencelesse; naught will stay
That drops upon them, but all slides away
Sinke down with speed, and freely enter in.
14.
Their Labors lost who do it, naught will grow.
Obdurate Hearts few use to Plough or Till
With Godly Precepts, Counsels; since
they still
The seed is lost
which on the Rocks doth fall.
15.
Rocks blunt, and hurt the edge of Tooles that smite,
Or square them for good uses; yea in spite
Their Chips and Shivers dash against the Eyes,
Face, Shins of those that hew them. Loe the guise
Who check their sins, and hate them as their Foes.
Yea, let their Pastors in their Ministry
But touch their Sores, into their Face they fly:
So zealous are they for those Sins, which end
In hell, when they will not God's cause defend.
O that our zeal for God were half so much
As for our darling Crimes, when Men them touch:
Our dearest Sins; and thank, not them gain-say.
16.
Out of their Places;
nor mount up above
Down to the Center; whence they did ascend
To all that good is; prone to naught but Ill:
No Love, Heate, zeal to God within them flame;
His Cause they will not stir in for Love, nor Shame:
And never upwards Soare to view, mind, know
Of Death, Hell, Danger
up them screw or rear
Against their Wills: which past, to Earth they hie
With greater poise, and there still groveling lie.
17.
For good Discourse have neither Tongue, nor Tone
When any fall to godly Conference.
18.
Their Nakednesse, and gross Deformitie.
Their Barenesse, vileness, wants exposed are
To all Men's view; till Christ's rich Robes of Grace
Cloath or Adorn them,
and these wants deface.
19.
No life of Grace was ever in them bred:
(Who knows how soon) and dead as Rocks shall lie.
20.
Rocks till by force they broken be, and slit,
To build his House, Church, Temple, useless are.
21.
Since
all our Slips, Falls, Bruises, Sins proceed
From Stony Hearts, which make us take no heed.
22.
And sunken Rocks to split Ships most prevail:
Thus Rockie Hearts unless we from them fly
When neither Felt, nor Seene:
for then we run
With full-sails on them, and are quite undone.
23.
Rocks feel no Burthens, weights that on them lie;
Under the Weights and Burthens of their Crimes,
And why? because they never feel their poise
Till it them sink to Hell, and quite destroys.
24.
Not all the Men on Earth, with all their Art
Can make one Rock, or Stone; much less an Heart;
Not God:
O wonder, that Men should create
Nought but Hard Rockie Hearts which God doth hate:
Such Hearts can none else but Men, Fathers call,
Which sink still downwards, till to Hell they fall.
25.
O then when ever we a Rock shall see,
Let these thoughts to our Minds recalled be:
By Sin and Nature: then New, soft Hearts crave,
With fervent Prayers, Grones, Sighes, Tears; so we
Our
Hearts of Rock, to flesh transformed shall see.
And if we find, feel, know by signs most sure
Our hearts thus changed, and made soft, and pure;
Let us forever in Word, Deede, Life, Thought,
Extoll and (y) praise Him who this Change hath wrought;
Over our cheating Hearts; for fear lest the:
Yea turn to Rocks, and so for aye remain.
26.
And give us hearts of flesh,
we humbly pray;
And of all other Plagues, from us avert
This as the greatest, an obdurate Heart.
And since of all our Parts Thou dost
require,
Such
broken, contrite tender Hearts, as
may
Delight Thee most; and never from Thee stray.
Make our Hearts such; then happy shall we be.
Miscellanie Meditations of the fifth Kind.
TO wind up all; Rocks to our Minds present
Some other useful Thoughts, with great content.
1.
Dig'd out of Rocks, and taken from the Quarres;
To build some Stately Church; whiles others stay
Still there, unwrought; though quite as good as they:
It minds us of that common Rock wherein
Mankind corrupted lay, through
Adams
Sin:
Culls out some Stones (though few) which he doth place
Within his Churches Buildings; where they lie
Fast join'd to Christ, for all Eternity:
And of the self same Rock, Quar, Lump, and Clay:)
•
ye still unpolisht, in the rotten Mass,
And State of Sin, until to Hell they pass;
2.
Are broken pieces of some Rocks; I then
Behold my Tomb-stone, in each Rock I ken:
And say; Loe here's the lasting Monument
Wherein my Body must ere long be pent,
When all its Rust and Bolts shall fall away.
Which Thought digested, makes me still amend
My Life; and fits me always for mine End.
Let all revolve it oft within their Mind,
And they shall Treasure, Honey in it find.
3.
When I behold
some people dwell, live, lie
He who a Cottage wants his Head to Hide,
Shall find some Rock, or Hole where to abide;
In which he may sleep freer from fears, Foes,
And Cares, than those whom Castles, Guards, inclose.
What need we care then here for House or Home,
If these should fail, yet Rocks will give us Roome
Have liv
•
d, and bid oft times without Complaints;
And been more happy in these caved Stones
Than greatest Monarchs in their royal Thrones.
Repine not then though Clifts of Rocks should be
Thine House or Home, since there thou mayst be free,
Safe, blessed, cheerful, and to God more nigh
Than those who in the fairest Palace lie.
4.
Lockt up and bid in coarsest Rocks,
declare
God's dearest Saints and Jewels common Case,
And State on Earth: who thrust out with disgrace
From House and Home,
enforced are to fly
Whence driven out again by bloody Foes
(Like Gold or Jewels out of Rocks;)
they close
Unti
•
l
〈◊〉
Fl
•
mes them into Ashe
•
fry.
Ye
•
•••
rag
•
Noble S
•
ules,
whiles thus you fare
And God▪ Choyce Tre
••
ure,
since you under Locke,
Thus lie,
•
ike Gold, Gems in some Casket, Rock:
Because kept closest, and not seen of many.
5.
When they beheld it, and did bide for shame,
Till they with Coates of Fig-leaves veiled the same.
Those wanton Females then that take delight,
To show to others, without Blush or shame,
In spite of God, Men, who them tax and blame:
Are rather shameless Rocks than
Adams
Race;
And for the most part void of Sence, shame, Grace;
Since most is
common
which doth
open
lie.
6.
When we behold Men with much Danger, Swet,
Paines, Trouble, vilest wrack to gather, get,
And draw from Sea-Rocks, for to burn, or dress
Their tilled Grounds, and mend their fruitfulness.
What Paines these take for Dung, whiles they and we
Do not take half the Care, Paines, Travel, Sw
•
et
The richest Gems of Grace to dignity, fetch, get
From Christ our Rock, which would not only cheare
And warm our Souls, and make them fruit to bear;
That they all else as vile Dung would despise.
These richest Gemmes,
than they base wrack
to gain.
7.
When I a Rent or Clift in Rocks espy,
It minds me of the dreadful Majesty,
And mighty Power of our God which make
And duly pondered would in pieces tear
Our Rockie Hearts, & make them quake for fear
8.
When I behold Men, Tempests, Waves, Rain, Wind,
At which though Christ (who seeks our Souls to save)
Saints, Preachers, Motions; and oft times them smite
With sundry Judgments, Tempests, Seas, Malles, Winds
Or makes an Entrance:
nay
though many years,
He thus beats on them, yet no fruit appears:
O Hearts more hard than any Rock, Flint, Steele,
Which all these strokes upon them never feel!
With such hard hearts,
which will not melt nor tear!
9.
When I behold Rocks, Stones, most ragged, base,
Rude and deformed in their Native place,
Turn'd into goodly Structures of each Kind
Yea, set in Gold and royal Diadems.
I thence conclude, that God with much more ease
Speede, Art, can turn, when ever he shall please,
Into rich Temples, Jewels, Gemmes most rare;
Yea set them in Christ's very royal Crown
Like precious stones unto their great renown.
Most glorious Saints which Heaven doth now inclose.
Let no man then though never so mean, vile, base,
Lewd, sinful, once despair of God's free Grace,
Him from his wretched to a glorious state.
10.
And gush from stony Rocks,
me thinks they seem
From Rockie Hearts, when they once tender grow.
Through God's sweet Grace and Spirit, which can melt
The hardest Hearts to Tears, and them relent
By streams when He them either smote or crushed.
Blessed Lord Jesus, soften, break, relent
Our Hearts of Rock, and cause them to repent,
And send forth Streames, nay Floods of Tears to wash,
Our sins away, and all their force to quash.
11.
And from their Toppes their Prey far off espy:
God's chosen Saints whom
Scriptures oft compare
And thence they seek, find, take their sacred prey.
Lord make our Souls with Eagles wings to fly,
To this sweet Rock, and there to live and die.
12.
Which serve to moisten, soften other Things,
Make trees, herbs, grass, plants, flowers spring and grow;
And queneh the Thiest of all things here below;
Yet neither moisten, soften, fructify
The Rocks themselves, still barren, fruitless, dry:
Me thinks I view in them some Rockie Hearts,
Endew'd with rare, rich, profitable Parts
Of Art and Nature; which do good to many,
Yet to their Owners good, they do not any.
How many Preachers
others help to save
The Food of life, have starved themselves to death:
Others made Fertile, themselves barren Heath?
Except themselves, and so through folly fall:
Its hardly worth the Name of Good Art, Skill
That betters others, makes the Owners Ill.
13.
When I espy Rocks trampled on by all,
Christ's and true Christians States, to mind I call.
Throughout the world, and valu'd at no rate.
Complaine not then of any dis-respect.
No greater Honor than Ill men's neglect.
14.
Each vast, high-towering, massy Rock we eye
Presents to us the strength and Potencie
Did in a moment, both by Sea and Land
Raise up so many vast high Piles, and Packe
Such Massy Rocks on one another's back;
And them so strongly solder one to one
That all the Art, Wit, Strength, in Man's to weak
To rase these Mounts, and them in Peeces break.
A few large stones, pil'd up not very high
On one another's head,
and think it strange,
How men such ponderous Stones eould rear and range,
In such a manner, though these great stones be
But Pigmies, Pebbles to the Rocks we see.
How much more then with wonder and amaze
Should we upon those Massy high Rocks gaze
Which them so far in Bulk, weight, height exceed,
And may true admiration in us breed
Of God's Almighty Power, which could raise
Such grand, rare, lasting Trophies to his praise.
To which all Structures made by men do seem
But Mole-hills, Attomes, and of no esteem.
He who such heavy Rocks could make, lift, rear,
With greater ease
can lift and elevate
All who with Him or Them presume to clash.
15.
The very Rocks,
and them to waste, eat, tear;
Think and contemplate then, how time, age, space
All things consume, waste, weaken and deface;
How can mere Dust and Ashes think to last,
When time and age the hardest Rocks do wast?
16.
Those who in
lofty, fenced, steep Rocks dwell
Most others in these vices, slighting all,
As if no Mischiefe could upon them fall.
Whence sudden Dangers, Ruines them surprise
(To quell their Pride) from those they most despise;
Thus carnal Men advanced and fortifide
Deride all Dangers, Foes, grow so secure,
As if their Props and Stayes should still endure.
Whence God their Pride to punish and abate
Casts them down head-long by some sudden Fate.
Which should make all, but great men specially
Beware of Pride, and gross Security,
Which them and theirs will soon to pieces mall.
17.
When as we see Men with must cost and pain
To Mine the Rocks, and Treasures thence to gain
Of sundry Sorts; where with they much increase
Their wealth, and make things meet for war and Peace:
It forth-with minds us how with far more care,
Cost, Paines, Sweat, Labor all who Christians are,
In Christ their Rock; in whom there is such store
Of peerless Mines, and Treasures of each Kind
And store all Christians with all Things they need
In Peace and War, Life, death! Let this then breed
A Resolution in us, still to Mine,
And draw these Treasures from this Rock Divine.
18.
Whiles that we view Men Rocks to smite, pierce, rent
With Sledges, Axes, or like Instrument;
We then should ponder, how we all each day
A fresh with those accursed Sins and Crimes
Where-with we grieve, pierce, wound Him at all times:
Which Thought should turn the Edge, and Point of all
Our Sins from Him; upon ourselves to mall
Break, wound our Rockie hearts, because we rent,
Abuse Christ thus; and cause us to repent.
19.
When we espy Rocks dart out Sparkes of fire
When smote, or cut with Tooles of Steele or I're:
It sweetly minds us, how the
Hand of God
Should from our Hearts of Rock extract and draw
Such sacred Sparkes, yet flames as should them thaw,
Purge all their Drosse away, and them inflame
With a most ardent Love, unto his Name.
Lord when thy Rod shall ever on us lite,
Let it such Sparkes, and Flames in us excite.
20.
Springs, Quarries, Mines in Rocks, never drawn quite dry;
Present most sweetly to each Mind and Eye
Springs, Treasures, Stares, and vastest Magazines
Of Grace and Goodness, which enclosed lie,
Within the Bosom of the Deity.
To feed, feast, fill, enrich, each hungry, poor,
Sad, pined Soul, with all their matchless store.
The very thoughts whereof our Hearts should fill
With sweetest Solace, and delight them still.
21.
In Floods, as deep as greatest Rocks;
I think
How smallest Sins are deadly, and as well,
As soon almost, as Great, sink Men to Hell.
O then beware of all sins,
since the small
Let Papists talk of Veniall sins, I trow
No sin is venial, when all sink so low.
22.
The worthless Rubbish in each Rock exceeds,
And hides the Mines and Precious stones it breeds:
Yea, richest Mines have ever greater Store
Of dross and off all, than refined Oare.
More Bad than Good: that Good Men's Ill, exceeds
Their
Goodness: that the Bad, Good Men obscure
As Rubbish hides, Surmounts
the Oare that's pure.
Hence Multitude, and visibility
Appeare ill Markes a Churches Truth to try.
23.
To pieces, or at least them bruise and quash:
To powder, upon whom be doth once fall.
O then beware how we pull on our backs
This Massy Rock which Men to pieces crackes.
24.
Upon them,
whiles such, who on Bogges, Floods, Sand
Yea oft times drowned without special care.
Hence may we learn that those who walk, rest, stay,
Themselves on Christ (the surest Rock) always
Stand firm, safe, stable; never sinking down;
Whiles those who on Bogges, Sands sink, stand, and drown.
O let our feet on this Rock still abide
Then are we certain not to sink, fall, slide.
25.
But those who Scale them, hurt, bruise and offend.
Who rest upon Him, doth them safely keep.
Who dare presume Him, and them to oppose.
26.
All of the
Day of Judgment,
yet behind:
So full of dreadful Terror and Affright
Shall quake and shake for very fear; and call
Unto the Rocks and Hills on them to fall;
And into Caves, H
•
les, Clifts of Rocks shall fly
To hide them from th
•
W
•
ath, S
••
ht, Maje
•
tie
Of Christ our Rock, before
〈…〉
The Rocks shall then melt, fill, quake, change their place.
Who did Himself, Word, Grace, Saints here oppose.
Shall be so daunted, stonisht, struck with fear
Till dragged perforce before Christ's Barre and Face,
Where tried, convict, condemned; with all disgrace
They shall be cast for all Eternity
Into Hels fiery Flames, there still to fry.
O let the Terror of this dismal Day,
For ever scare us from all Sin, and make
Our Stony Hearts to melt, bleed, sigh, break, ache:
And cause us now with speed to fly and hide
Our selves within the Holes of Christ's pierced side,
With joyful cheare, when others hang them down;
Where we shall reign for all Eternity.
O Christ (our only Rock) of thy free Grace
Advance, and bring us to this blissful Place:
And let each Rock, Clist, Stone we henceforth see
Instruct us thus, and bring us home to Thee.
The Conclusion.
WIth these sweet useful Thoughts, and thousands more
The Barren Rocks, our Hearts, and Minds may store
When we behold them: and if Natures Book,
And Rocks, whiles we upon them daily look,
Can teach us Nothing which our Lives may mend,
Or cause our Hearts, Minds, Thoughts up to ascend
To Christ their Rock, God, and the Things above,
Them to contemplate with the greatest Love;
Our Hearts are Rockie; We, quite void of Grace;
And Rocks than we, are yet in better Case.
FINIS.