Divine songs and meditacions composed by An Collins.

A Song shewing the Mercies of God to his people, by interlacing cordiall Com∣forts with fatherly Chastisments.

AS in the time of Winter The Earth doth fruitlesse and barren lie, Till the Sun his course doth run Through Aries, Taurus, Gemini; Then he repayres what Cold did decay, Drawing superfluous moistures away, And by his luster, together with showers, The Earth becoms fruitful & plesant with flowers That what in winter seemed dead. There by the Sun is life discovered.

So though that in the Winter Of sharp Afflictions, fruits seem to dy, And for that space, the life of Grace Remayneth in the Root only; Yet when the Son of Righteousnesse clear Shall make Summer with us, our spirits to chear, Warming our hearts with the sense of his favour, Then must our flowers of piety favour, And then the fruits of righteousnesse We to the glory of God must expresse.

And as when Nigh•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 pa••••ed, The Sun ascending our Hemisphear, Ill fumes devouers, and opes the powers Which in our bodies are, and there He drawes out the spirits of moving and sence As from the center, to the circumference; So that the exterior parts are delighted, And unto motion and action excited, And hence it is that with more delight We undergo labor by day then by night.

So though a Night of Sorrows May stay proceedings in piety Yet shall our light like morning bright Arise out of obscurity, Then when the Sun that never declines Shall open the faculties of our mindes, Stirring up in them that spirituall mocion Whereby we make towards God with devocion When kindled by his influence Our Sacrifice is as pleasing incense.

Now when we feel Gods favour And the communion with him we have, Alone we may admit of joy As having found what most we crave, Store must we gather while such gleams do last Against our tryalls sharp winterly blasts So dispairacion shall swallow us never, Who know where God once loves, there he loves ever Though sence of it oft wanting is Yet still Gods mercies continue with his.

So soon as we discover Our souls benummed in such a case, We may not stay, without delay W must approach the Throne of Grace, First taking words to our selves to declare How dead to goodnesse by nature we are, Then seeking by him who for us did merit To be enliv'd by his quickening Spirit, Whose flame doth light our Spark of Grace, Whereby we may behold his pleased face.

From whencc come beams of comfort, The chiefest matter of tru Content, Who tast and see, how sweet they be, Perceive they are most excellent, Being a glimce of his presence so bright, Who dwelleth in unapproachable light: Whoso hath happily thi•• mercy attayned, Earnest of blessednesse endlesse hath gayned, Where happinesse doth not decay There Spring is eternall, and endlesse is day.