Being through weakness to the house confin’d, My mentall powers seeming long to sleep, were summond up, by want of wakeing mind, Their wonted course of exercise to keep, And not to waste themselves in slumber deep; Though no work can bee so from error kept But some against it boldly will except: Yet sith it was my morning exercise The fruit of intellectuals to vent, In Songs or counterfets of Poesies, And haveing therein found no small content, To keep that course my thoughts are therfore bent, And rather former workes to vindicate Than any new conception to relate. Our glorious God his creatures weaknesse sees, And therefore deales with them accordingly, Giveing the meanes of knowledg by degrees, Vnfoulding more and more the Mystery, And opening the Seales successively, Rev. 6. So of his goodnesse gives forth demonstracions, To his Elect in divers Dispensacions. In legall wise hee did himself expresse To be the only Lord Omnipotent A just avenger of all wickednesse, A jelous God in power emminent, Which terror workes, and pale astonishment; Sith plagues for sin are holden forth thereby, But with no strength to crush inniquity. Now with the Law the Gospell oft appeares, But under vailes, perspicuous unto few Who were as those which of good tydings heares, Rejoyceing much at the report or show Of that the Saints now by possessing know; Oft spake the Prophets Evangelicall, Whose words like kindly drops of rain did fall. But when the plenerie of time was come The springs of grace their plesant streams out deald Felicitie did evidence on her some Salvacion and the way thereto reveald, Who wounded were in spirit, might be heald; Here God declares the Beauties of his Face, Great Love, rich Mercy, free Eternall Grace. This time was when the Sonne of Righteousnesse His Luster in the world began to spread, Which more and more to his he doth expresse In tearms so large that they that run may read, And to himselfe he doth the weaker lead; He to his bosum will his Lambs collect, And gently those that feeble are direct. Isa. 40. 11 And so in them a life of grace instill Whereby they shall be able to obay All Gospell precepts suting with his will, And that without regard of servill pay, But with free hearts, where Christ alone doth sway Causing the apprehensions of his love, To gender love, which still doth active prove. Where Christ thus ruleth, I suppose remaines No heart that hankers after Novelties Whose ground is but the Scum of frothy braines Perhaps extracted from old Heresies, New formd with Glosses to deceive the eyes Of those who like to Children, do incline To every new device that seemes to shine.