Poetical fragments heart-employment with God and it selfPoetical fragments heart-imployment with God and it self

The various places where my Lot did fall, Were all appointed to me by thy Call. I never was to any of them brought, By the Direction of my own forethought: Much less was ever any by me sought; And least of all, by price or bargain bought. I near found cause of one place to repent; (Although my sins in all I must lament.) None were foreseen; yet after seen to reason, To be the fittest for the work and season. ⟨p. 46⟩But among all, none did so much abound, With fruitful mercies, as that barren ground, Where I did make my best and longest stay, And bore the heat and burden of the day; Mercies grew thicker there than Summer flowers: They over-numbered my days and hours: There was my dearest Flock, and special Charge. Our hearts in mutual love thou didst enlarge: 'Twas there that mercy did my Labours bless; With the most great and wonderful success.

The various places where my Lot did fall, Were all appointed to me by thy Call. I never was to any of them brought, By the Direction of my own forethought: Much less was ever any by me sought; And least of all, by price or bargain bought. I nere found cause of one place to repent; (Although my sins in all I must lament.) None were foreseen; yet after seen to reason, To be the fittest for the work and season. ⟨p. 46⟩But among all, none did so much abound, With fruitful mercies, as that barren ground, Where I did make my best and longest stay, And bore the heat and burden of the day; Mercies grew thicker there than Summer flowers: They over-numbered my daies and hours: There was my dearest Flock, and special Charge. Our hearts in mutual love thou didst enlarge: 'Twas there that mercy did my Labours bless; With the most great and wonderful success.

Yet there were Sons of Belial, whose rage Reason with Truth and Love could not assuage: Who Loved and Hated, just as Satan bid them; Ruled by the Reins of Lust by him that rid them: In swinish drunkenness they drowned their wits: Most furious in their rude tumultuous fits. As Boars or Stags, at other times more tame; When lustful heats their blood and brains inflame; Fiercely assault such as stand in their way; None's safe before them till their heats decay: So doth the love of revellings and sport, Poor brutish fleshly sinners so transport, That ragingly they fly in that man's face, Who doth by sacred Truth their sin disgrace: And as in Armies Drums and Trumpets sound, The frightful cries of wounded men to drowned; And even the fearful in the furious crowd, Are carried on to death through streams of blood: