SECTION II.

THE MYSTERY OF THE SAINT'S LIFE, STATE, AND FRAME.

My life's a pleasure a and a pain ; b

A real loss, a real gain; c

A glorious paradise of joys, d

A grievous prison of annoys. e

I daily joy, and daily mourn, ƒ
Yet daily wait the tide's return: g

a Prov. iii. 17. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

b Psalm cxx. 7. Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar.

c Phil. iii. 7. loss for Christ.

But what things were gain to me, those I counted Chap. i. 21-24. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor: yet what I shall choose I wot not, for I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better: nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.

d 1 Pet. i. 8. Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory.

e Psalm cxlii. 7. Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name.

f 1 Pet. i. 6. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season (if need be) ye are in heaviness, through manifold temp

Then sorrow deep my spirit cheers,
I'm joyful in a flood of tears. h

tations. 2 Cor. i. 4. Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. Job xxx. 28. I went mourning without the sun, &c.

g Isa. viii. 17. And I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.

h Zech. xii. 10. And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born. Ezek. xxxvi. 31, 32. Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loathe yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities, and for your abominations. Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel. Hos. xii. 3, 4. He [Jacob] took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God: yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us. Luke vii. 38. And [a woman which was a sinner] stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. John xx. 15, 16. Jesus saith thou? whom seekest thou?

unto her, Woman, why weepest She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him,

Good cause I have still to be sad, i
Good reason always to be glad.j
Hence still my joys with sorrows meet, k
And still my joys are bitter sweet. I

I'm cross'd, and yet have all my will; m
I'm always empty, always full. n

and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni, which is to say, Master. Ver. 20. Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord.

i Rom. vii. 24. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

j 2 Cor. ii. 14. Thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ.

k 2 Cor. vi. 20. As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing.

Zech. xii. 10. See letter h. Psalm cxxvi. 5. They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy. Isa. Ixi. 2, 3. The Lord hath sent me to comfort all that mourn: to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, &c. Matt. v. 4. Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted.

m Luke xxii. 42. Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done. Acts xxi. 14. And when he [Paul] would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.

n 2 Cor. vi. 10. As having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

I hunger now, and thirst no more, o
Yet do more eager than before.p

With meat and drink indeed I'm blest, q
Yet feed on hunger, drink on thirst. r

o John vi. 35. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me, shall never thirst.

p Psalm xlii. 1, 2. As the hart panteth after the water-brooks so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? and lxiii. 1, O God, thou art my God, early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is. And lxxiii. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. Isa. xxvi. 8, 9. Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O Lord, have we waited for thee; the desire of our scul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. With my soul have I desired thee in the night, yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early.

q John vi. 55. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

r Job. xxix. 2, 3, 4. Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me; when his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness: as I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle. Psalm lxxvii. 10, 11, 12. I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High, I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.

My hunger brings a plenteous store, s
My plenty makes me hunger more. t

Strange is the place of my abode,
I dwell at home, I dwell abroad. u
I am not where all men may see,
But where I never yet could be. v

I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings. Song v. 8. I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my Beloved, that ye tell him that I am sick of love. Chap. viii. 1. O that thou wert as my brother that sucked the breasts of my mother! when I should find thee without, I would kiss thee, yea, I should not be despised.

s Matt. v. 6. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.

t 2 Cor. v. 2. For in this we groan earnestly, desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven. Phil. i. 23. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better, &c. Song ii. 3, 4, 5. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. He brought me to the banqueting-house, and his banner over me was love. Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples; for I am sick of love.

u Job. iv. 19. How much less them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth? Psalm xc. 1. Lord, thou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations. And xci. 1. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.