to be thy Match or Mate then consult thy Honour if thou lovest the World and embracest the Earth canst thou hate Adultery with man and be an Adultress to God Let not a Strumpet stand in thy sight but especially suffer not thy heart to whore after Vanity If thou fallest into ill Company that shall court thee let not the Devil wooâ—… thee O my Soul thou most beloved above all Creatures that hast God for thy Huâ—…band Heaven for thy Dower and Eartâ—… for thy Service suffer not Hell to 〈◊〉 thy Pander to dote upon the World let thy Heart be an Habitation for Goâ—… and Heaven Thy Soul is the Lord of thy Body take then thy bodies homage not thine own ruine let thy Soul act the will of God and command the body to execute thine Let not thy body be thy God lest thou becomest a Devil to thy self Thy Soul is an Angels peer let it not then be a companion for Satan Let not thy Lordship be sold for slavery and misery for if thou maintainest not thy right Hell must be thy harbour Torments thy terrour and wicked Spirits thy company Thy Soul under God is the supream Soveraign of thy body be not then a subject to thy subject let not the law of the Members be the law of the Minde for the Senses are Handmaids to the Soul and she is the Princess of Heaven Thy Soul is a free-born-childe of Eternity Heir of Immensity the Daughter of Almighty God who is beyond all bounds of Time and Being to whom then oughtest thou to pay thy duty but to him alone Thy Body is but a prison to thy Soul thou art inclosed in the walls of Mud and gates of Sense Can there then be more pleasure in a Prison than a Palace Shall a Bodily Restraint be preferred before a Spirits Liberty Canst thou count thy Bondage to be thy Bliss Are Chains of Iron to be esteemed above the Treasures of Gold Are Fetters better than Freedom Earth is but a Goal to Heaven then be not so rash as to prize thy Goal before thy Delivery lest thou art cast into that Goal from whence there is no redemption It is most just that the Soul that prizeth the Devil's Chain before God's Liberty should have the Devil's Prison instead of God's Palace and befor ever his slave in Hell that would not be God's servant for a time on Earth O thou beloved Dove of God fly to thy Coelestial home belime not thy spiritual wings in slime and mud in Heaven is thy Treasure and where canst thou finde more Riches to invite thee Be not like the Crow to feed upon Carrion or like the blinde Beetle to place thy blessedness in Boggs Make not sale of thy self to buy a Goal when thou partest with a Palace for the purchase and becomest a Familiar to Bolts and Shackles Thy Soul is God's Jewel and thy Body is the Casket then keep thy Body clean that thy Soul may the better be preserved It is a bright Diamond of Heaven a Spark of the Divinity a Ray of Divine Glory set for a time in the Foil of Flesh till it pleaseth God to take it to himself and keep it for ever in his Cabinet Let not then thy Soul that transparent Diamond be an ornament to the Devil's finger when it may sit at the right hand of God where there are Pleasures for evermore Thy Soul is the Purchase of Christ bought with no less than the blood of the Son of God then sell not that for a Trifle which cost thy Saviour so great a price it is better to enjoy the Riches of Eternity than to purchase Vanity for a Moment Is thy body distemper'd then thou requirest Physick if wounded thou sendest for a Chirurgeon if naked it must have Cloaths and if hungry it must have Food For these thou shouldest depend upon God for he knoweth all these things are necessary But when thy precious Soul lies sick of sin hath wounds of the spirit stript of its innocence and starv'd for grace no regard is given thereunto not considering though thou usest humane helps it is God that gives the Blessing and is the Physitian both of Soul and Body That Soul that acts the part of a faithful servant to the Lord shall have a double reward The Crown of a Saint and of a Sufferer Certain Considerations worthy the Devout Souls Meditation THe Soul is Spiritual sin makes it Carnal The Soul is Immortal sin is the death of the Soul it makes it die to Grace and live in Grief The Soul is Noble sin makes it Ignominious The Soul is Lord sin enslaves it The Soul is Soveraign sin brings it in subjection The Soul is God-like sin makes it beastial The Soul is the Spouse of God sin makes it the Strumpet of the Devil The Soul is the Jewel of God sins casts it in the Devil's fire The Soul is a free-born Citizen of Heaven sin keeps it in perpetual imprisonment The Soul is God's Purchase sin cheats God of his due and the Soul of eternal Bliss A MISCELANY OF Divine Maximes OR Words fitly spoken Like Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver 1. WOuldst thou be truly perfect love God with all thy heart and thy Neighbour as thy self 2. Let thy eye be always upon God and thy self and thou shalt never see him without goodness nor thy self without misery 3. None shall see God so much as he is visible and none shall ever love God so much as he is amiable 4. He that doth not covet to love God more and more can never love him enough 5. To whom God is all the World ought to be nothing at all 6. Let us be what God will so we be but his and let us not be what we will our selves against the will of God 7. In the service of God there is nothing little enough to be rejected 8. To meditate much upon God is good but the Souls greater advancement in Vertue consists in much loving him 9. He to whom God alone is pleasing is displeased with nothing but that which displeaseth God 10. In Divine matters a generous Soul finds greatest contentment in believing things most difficult 11. All our actions take their value from their conformity to the Will of God 12. Love and Suffering are the greatest duties we owe to God they being the two causes for which he died for us 13. He that neglects his own will complies best with God's 14. So love thy Neighbour upon Earth as that thou mayst enjoy his love in Heaven 15. Thou canst not love thy Neighbour too much but thou mayst too much shew thy love 16. One great argument of our love to our Neighbour is to bear with his imperfections 17. We should never endure to hear evil spoken of any but our selves 18. We should never under value any person the workman loves not that his work should be despised in his presence wherefore beware for God is present every where and and
every person is his work 19. It is a spiritual injustice to desire to know the secrets of others and to conceal our own 20. We ought not to love our Neighbour onely because he is good or because we hope he will be so but because God commands us so to do 21. In holy duties we should speak little think much but do more 22. It is a great evil not to do good 23. The just man never dies unprepared for he is well prepared for death who perseveres in Christian justice to the end 24. Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth and a foot out of joynt 25. As he that taketh away a Garment in cold weather and as Vinegar upon Nitre so is he that singeth Songs to a heavy heart 26. It is no shame to be poor Nature brought us so into the World and so we must return 27. Dost thou want things necessary grumble not perchance it was necessary thou shouldest want however seek a lawful remedy if God bless not thy endeavour do thou bless him that knoweth what is fittest for thee Thou art God's Patient prescribe not thy Physician 28. Art thou calumniated examine thy Conscience if that be spotted thou hast a just correction if not guilty thou hast a fair instruction Use both so shalt thou distil honey out of gall and make to thy self a secret friend of an open enemy 29. If thine enemy be hungry give him bread if thirsty give him drink thou thereby heapest coals of fire upon his head and a reward unto thy self 30. Charity makes God our debtor for the Poor are his receivers 31. Hast thou an Estate and wouldst increase it divide thy Riches to the Poor those Seeds that are scattered do encrease but hoarded up they die 32. Correction without instruction makes the Master a Tyrant and the Servant a novice 33. That man is a Conquerour that can subdue his own passions 34. Faithful are the wounds of a friend but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful 35. Arm thy self against a profest enemy but he that dissembleth friendship strikes beyond a caution and wounds above a cure from the one thou mayst deliver thy self but from the other Good Lord deliver thee 36. A man that flattereth his Neighbour sâ—…eadeth a Net for his feet 37. The Touch-stone trieth Gold and Gold trieth men 38. Virtue must be the guide of all Qualities otherwise the Professors are undone 39. As the servants of God are known by their two Vertues Humility and Charity so the servants of the Devil are known by their opposite Vices Pride and Cruelty 40. The best way to keep good acts in memory is to refresh them with new 41. To boast is to be vain since the greatest Conquerour if he measure his own shadow shall finde it no longer than it was before his victory 42. Believe not Soothsayers for Prophesies are never understood till they are accomplished 43. The World is a wide Prison and every day an execution-day 44. Our Stomachs are common Sepulchres for Birds Beasts and Fish they all die to feed us Lord with how many deaths are our poor lives patched up How full of death is the life of man 45. Beware of Drink where Drunkenness reigns Reason is an exile Vertue a stranger and God an enemy Blasphemy is Wit Oaths are Rhetorick and Secrets are Proclamations 46. Whosoever will arrive at a New life must pass by the death of the Old 47. He that is truly humble never thinks himself wronged 48. The good man lives contented with a moderate Estate not so much taking notice of those that have more as those that have less than our selves 49. He that most mortifies natural inclinations receives most supernatural inspirations 50. To shun the accidental troubles of this life is to meditate often upon Eternity 51. It is the great misfortune of man to desire those things which he should only use 52. To have a desire to be poor and not to receive the inconveniencies of it is too great ambition For it is to desire the honour of Poverty and the commodity of Wealth 53. There is no better way to end happily a true spiritual life than daily to begin it 54. He that would have a part with Jesus glorified must first take part with Jesus crucified 55. We should live in this present World as if our Souls were in Heaven and our Bodies in the Grave 56. In the death of our Passions consists the life of our Souls 57. It is not Humility to acknowledge our selves miserable that onely is not to be a beast but it is Humility to desire that others should esteem us so 58. There is no reason to be given for the fault we commit in sin for the fault would not be sin if it were not against Reason 59. Virtues never have their full growth but when they bring forth desires of advancing which like spiritual seeds serve to produce new degrees of Vertues 60. We should never speak of God or of things which concern his service carelesly by way of discourse or entertainment but always with great respect and humble minde 61. We should sear the Judgement of God without discouragement and encourage our selves without presumption 62. The ready way for the Soul to have peace with it self is to obtain its peace with God 63. We may perform many holy actions yet not please God if we neglect to do what he requires of us no more than a Painter in representing an Eagle pleaseth him that desired a Bee 64. Let us never look on our Crosses but through the Cross of Christ thereby we shall finde them pleasant and have fresh desires to be afflicted 65. Desire to obtain the love of God makes us meditate but that love once obtained makes us contemplate THE TABLE A ANgel and Man A Dialogue Page 6 On Ambition 9 An Adieu to the World 14 Almost a Christian 21 St. Ambrose's Hymn 62 St. Augustine's Hymn ibid. The Ascension 66 An Adoration ibid. The Altar 72 The Ant 78 Antiphon 79 Of Angels 82 On Age 94 Acknowledgments 111 Advice to Prisoners 126 St. Austin's Prayer 134 On Alexander the Great 161 B On the Book misprinted the Tree of Life 21 On Beauty 41 The Bible 81 The Beatitudes 82 The Believer 136 Bad at Best 159 On Blasphemy 166 Blessings of the Righteous as they are recorded in Holy Writ 172 C The Christian and Worlding 11 On Conscience 24 On Contentation 30 The Christians Alphabet 59 On Christ's Death 60 On Christ's Cross 63 The Cross 65 On Christ 68 Christian and Death 71 The Candle 77 Of Christ's Passion 83 On Christ's Praying 84 On Christ's Nativity 102 Christ's Triumph to Jerusalem 103 Of Christ's Birth in an Inne 104 To the Creator 105 The Caution 112 On the Conscience 133 On Christ's Nativity expected 137 The Call 138 The Check 149 Christ all in all 152 The Careless Christian 154 The Colestial Painter 156 To the divine Creator 157
wretch of little worth In sin my Mothers womb alas Conceiv'd and brought me forth Lord with thy grace enrich my heart Take out the filth therein Let fools pursue their idle Art To make a mock at sin Wo unto them their sins do draw With ropes them fast to tie That bind Iniquity their Law With cords of Vanitie If sinners could but count their score They'd fear a future doom Let him that sinneth sin no more Lest worser things shall come Whoso doth his transgression love Careless or lose or win He strangely doth himself approve To be a slave to sin Lord fix my heart still towards thee Especially at Pray'r Lest my Petition on my knee Become to me a snare Surely the quintessence of sin Satan that Judas is He turns a murtherer when in Leads the poor Soul amiss And kills it with a kiss ¶ The Check PEace rebel Sin and dare not to rebel For thou art dead Without the Law and thou that cam'st from Hell Art Captive led How durst thou say to him that dwells on high The Holy One Look on the World where all my wealth doth lie 'T is all as none Or yet how durst thou say unto the Christ If there be none Like thee or if by thee men do subsist Make bread of stone I read the sting of Death is sin but yet Sin that came first Poor Infant-man no sooner on his feet But fell and burst 'T is said that sin the Child is of the Devil But sin thou art His elder and the very self-same evil Caus'd him to start Then prithee say What is thy name for Death and Devil they Right understood Are both too good ¶ To the God of Heaven BRight builder of the heav'nly Poles Eternal light of faithful Souls Jesus Redeemer of Mankinde Our humble Pray'rs vouchsafe to minde Who lest the fraud of Hell's black King Should all men to destruction bring Didst by a strong impulse of Love The fainting World's Physician prove Who from a sacred Virgins womb Didst an unspotted Victim come Unto the Cross to cleanse the sin The wretched World was plunged in The sound of whose high Pow'r and Name No sooner any voice can frame But all in Heav'n and those that be In Hell how down their trembling knee Thee Christ who at the later day Shalt be our Judge we humbly pray Such Arms of heav'nly Grace to send As from our foes may us defend Be glory giv'n and honour done To God the Father and the Son And to the Holy Ghost on high From Age to Age eternally ¶ The Flower O That I were a lovely Flower In Christ his Bower Or that I were a Weed to fade Under his shade But how can I a Weed become If I am shadow'd with the Son ¶ On Darkness HOw Sinner Darkness better far than Light To be preferr'd It is because the Night Draws a thick Curtain over your black deeds But God's All seeing eye no Curtain heeds If he should shew severity to men And you in Hell you 'd hate your Darkness then ¶ On Love and Hatred I Love too much to hate what I should love I love too much to love what I should hate My Love and Hatred in wrong Centres move Such hateful love God doth abominate I love not Goodness neither hate I Evil My Hate to Vertue 's hot to Vice is cold I love too little God too much the Devil My Love and Hate wrong Objects do behold Lord change my Love to Hate my Hate to Love That so thy Just ce may of both approve ¶ On Justice and Mercy JUstice doth call for Vengeance on my sins And threatens Death as guerdon for the same Mercy to plead for pardon then begins With saying Christ hath undergone the shame Justice shews me an angry God offended And Mercy shews a Saviour crucifi'd Justice says I that sinn'd must be condemned Mercy replies Christ for my sins hath di'd Grim Justice threats with a revengeful Rod Meek Mercy shews me an appeased God Lord though my sins make me for Justice fit Through Christ let mercy triumph over it ¶ On Food A Man with all things needful may be sed God for both Soul and Body Food hath sent That for the Body is material bread And for the Soul his Word 's the nutriment If Bread I want my Body then must perish Without the Word my Soul will fail to thrive He that sends both sends both of them to cherish To keep both Body and the Soul alive Famine of Bread is a destructive Curse But Famine of the Word is much more worse Lord to my Soul thy Heav'nly Food apply Give that a life although my body die ¶ Christ All in All. CHrist is the Rock on which my Faith must build Christ is the Staff on which I safe may lean Christ is for my defence the safest Shield Christ is the Fountain that must wash me clean Who builds not on that Rock doth build on Sand Who leans from him trusts to a broken Reed He falls that fights not under his Command His Blood alone doth make me clean indeed Christ cleanses saves supports my feet from fall He is my only Rock my All in All. Lord to my Soul such Heav'nly Grace impart Thou may'st be Lord and Tenant of my heart ¶ I would but cannot I Would be rich but Riches fly away I would be great but 't is with Envy blended I would be fair but Beauty doth decay I would be brave but 't is with Pride attended I would be worldly-wise but that is Folly I would be strong but 't is a Beast-like guise I would be thought religious that 's unholy I would be learned but it makes not wise These vain Endowments soon draw to an end To each there is a But that doth attend Thus Fate who stops the race of worldly glory Shews such Endowments are but transitory ¶ The Voyage THe World 's a spacious Sea that 's large and wide And man a little Barque that sails therein His thoughts do drive him like the Wind and Tide The shelf that threatens shipwrack is his Sin His Heart 's the Pylot that this Ship doth guide Faith is the Freight with which he freely trades His Anchor Hope Thus doth he safely ride Heav'n is the Haven where the Barque unlades Needs must the Merchant in his Voyage thrive That safely doth at such a Port arrive Lord be thou Pylot to this Ship of mine That both the Ship and Lading may be thine ¶ The Careless Christian. I Do desire my Prayers may be heard Yet I my self regard not how I pray I fear God's wrath yet have I no regard To what I do or what I think or say I know his Promises are just and true Yet do I live as I believ'd them not I hear he Judgements hath for each ones due Yet careless I not terrifi'd a jot Searching my heart to finde the cause of this I find that in my heart no grace there is Lord since thy Grace
Handmaid am but of a short time and too weak for the understanding of thy Judgments and Laws Although a man be never so perfect among the children of men yet if thy Wisdom be not with him he shall be of no value O send her out therefore from thy Holy Heavens and from the Throne of thy Majesty that she may be with me and labour with me that I may know what is acceptable in thy sight for she knoweth and understandeth all things and she shall lead me soberly in my works and preserve me in her power So shall my works be acceptable by Christ our Lord to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all Honour and Glory World without end Amen The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom and the price of Wisdom is above Rubies HOLY RULES FOR The Devout Christian. IF thou art learned be also pious for Learning sanctified is an Ornament to Grace but Learning corrupted is an Advocate for the Devil Call to minde and oftentimes examine thy self accounting thy thoughts thy words and deeds especially after much business discourses pastime c. Silence is commendable in things that appertain not to thee to the end thou mayest the better call to minde the sufferings of a crucified Saviour If God hath blessed thee with an Estate relieve thy Brother and so live as having little yet possessing all things For remember that Meat Drink and Cloath are the Riches of a Christian and since Christ gave himself for thee well may'st thou give some Fruits of thy labour unto his Let Death be oftentimes the subject of thy Meditations yield thy self wholly to God If thou art poor and hast nothing to requite him with but thy prayers and thy self yet if thou givest thy self to his disposal thou then givest all thou hast The Apostles left their Ships and their Nets The poor Widow gave only her two Mites to the poor mans box and she was preferred before a wealthy Croesus He easily despiseth all things of this world that doth but remember he must die In open Assemblies use not ordinarily all spiritual things lest thou shalt be thought to be singular except thou may'st edisie others and by thy example stir them up to the like On all occasions prefer the glory of God and his service above all things Be a comfort to the Afflicted reconcile Dissentions visit the Sick and the Imprisoned and forget not to relieve the Poor and needy Above all things have servent love for love shall cover a multitude of sins Fast one day in each month or oftner if the strength of thy body will bear it and remember to distribute thy Alms for Fasting and Alms are the wings of Prayer If perturbation or discontents arise in thy minde apply thy self to Prayer Go not to thy rest in wrath lest thou givest the common enemy to mankinde an opportunity to surprize thee Beware of immoderate Cares lest you dishonour or deny God for such cares are 1. Needless 2. Bruitish 3. Bootless 4. Heathenish 1. Needless What need we care when Our heavenly Father knoweth we have need of these things And saith Be careful for nothing but let us cast our cares on him for he careth for us 2. Bruitish Consider the fowls of the air and ravens that he feeds they toyl not 3. Bootless and in vain Which of you by taking thought 〈◊〉 one cubit to his stature or peny to his estate 〈◊〉 4. Heathenish For after all these things the Gentiles seek Repent dayly let not the Devil have the Flour of thy age and God the Bran. The Spirit of Prayer is far more pretious than Treasures of Gold and Silver Despise not the Ministers of Christ for Christ is the Word and they are his Embassadors God requires we should mortisie our lusts for Prayer without that is the service of a Hypocrite Sin bringeth shame and sorrow but Piety hath the portion of everlasting joys Let us cloath our selves with Righteousness it is the safest Armour against the darts of Satan The two Roads that lead to Heaven are Innocence and Repentance Sin is the Christians greatest sore and Repentance his surest salve who then would want the rare Jewel of Repentance since If ye seek ye shall finde An Alarm to the Drowsie PErmit not sluggish sleep To close your waking eye Till you with judgement deep Your dayly actions try He that his sin as Darling keeps when he to quiet goes More desperate is than he that sleeps Amidst his mortal foes At night lie down prepar'd to have Thy sleep thy death thy bed thy grave DIVINE ADVICE TO THE Devout Soul THy Soul is spiritual and thy Body is flesh make not then flesh of thy spirit for an habitual familiarity with corrupt lusts perverts it into the basest flesh God hath made man a lovely Creature do not then make thy self a Monster He dignified thee at first to glorifie thee at last Then let not Carnality deprive thee of thy Blessings With thy sins God will not own thee then tremble to think who it is will take thee If by Lust thou hast lost the sence of Honour and Glory study to recover it by Grace Thy Soul is immortal cannot die thy Body is mortal must die Let not then thy Body be preferred above thy Soul Thy Body hath but a lease for Life then let not a Moment be preferred before Eternity Study not to satisfie thy Body and neglect the salvation of thy Soul It is madness to seek for an unreasonable welfare for the body and thereby eternally ruine both soul and body For so the immortal is made damnably mortal and dies to bliss and the mortal miserably immortal ever living to wo. Remember thy Soul is the noble part of Humane nature wherefore to set thy affections on Earth is infinitely below thee such is thy Nobility Thy Arms are the Minde and Will which were created to embrace Mercie Truth Justice Charity c. and all the Vertues of a heavenly life Thy Body is servant to thy Soul let it tread upon the Earth for that is likewise its subject Let not then the Soul which is the Soveraign of the body set its heart upon that Earth on which its subject sets his foot In thy Soul is the Image of God let it not then be stained with the similitude of beast Let Reason not Sense direct thee a Rational will not the appetite of a Bruit He that lives a negligent and careless â—…ife does what he can to outdo the Deâ—…il in his own undoing For God hath given him Reason â—…nd his depraved nature acts against 〈◊〉 If thou wouldst be in eternal bliss act like man but appear like God for Heaven hath no room for beasts If a wicked Spirit hath deformed thee let an holy one transform thee Every child of God should maintain his Father's likeness that he may enjoy his inheritance Thy Soul is the Spouse of God the great Creator is its Husband no Creature is worthy
the luck For daring boldly to be Thunder-struck He that will be familiarly bold With Heavens mysteries them to unfold May with his judgment overwhelmed be As Adâ—… was with his unhappy Tree The 〈◊〉 must pâ—…y into the Ark God's Judgment was serene though theirs was dark For their presumption this became their gain They by the Lord had Fifty thousand slain Then hover not about this flame which brings Soul fatal falls by scorching of its wings I will improve by what we have reveal'd Not strive to know what God would have conceal'd Lord to preseâ—…ve me from the Devil's gins Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins ¶ On Death SInce nothing is so certain as our death And nothing more uncertain than when breath Expires we ought each minute to prepare Death sends no Summons but comes unaware The grand decry is past dispute not why All men have sinned and all men must die Man's days are numbred he can finde no aid 'T is God hath man upon the balance laid And found him wanting God's all-searching eye Hath thus determin'd men are Vanity Corruption is man's father and the Worms His sisters they have their corrupt conforms The Grave it is his Bed the Sheet his Shrine The Earth his Cover Grass his Carpet fine At last Death comes and he concludes the Theam Finds man asleep and darts him in his Dream Such is our sluggish life a shadow frail A bubble vapour and a trifling tale So vain a story that when we grow old We spend our days before the tale is told The World 's of contraries a vast compound Nothing within it solid is or sound Four Elements in opposition move Each to the other The degrees of Love Cannot be found in a conâ—…used heap 'T is Heaven doth that holy Order keep Death gives our earthly bodies a new cast Refines us that we may prove cleer at last What is corrupt within the grave must lie Till Mortal puts on Immortality No mans corruption can be laid aside Until his body in the Earth abide He chiefly 't is that is afeard to die Hath little hope of an Eternity The time we have to live it is but small Less than a point that 's Geometrical Our common Enemy doth promise fair This world to cheat us of a world more rare Our pleasures do deceitfully entangle Smiling ev'n then when they intend to strangle The world is kindest when it most doth frown And honours list us up to cast us down The Christian then should ready be to cry When God shall call Behold Lord here am I. For they of their Salvation never mist Have been partakers of the death of Christ. God on the Righteous alway hath an eye His ear is ever open to their cry And he that doth a righteous man regard He shall receive a righteous man's reward Be truly zealous shew no vain pretext But live each hour as if to die the next ¶ On Conscience THe Conscience is a Function of the Minde A Guide to Straglers to the Lame and Blinde Over the Will the Conscience sits commanding And is a Guardian to the Understanding For what the Pen of Nature doth engrave Upon that general Knowledge which we have Or to our Thoughts our Minds or to our Acts Conscience applies and summons up our Facts Paul our Example was of Innocence Having a Conscience void of all offence Both towards God and towards men so cleer That his own Conscience was his Overseer Christian unto thy Conscience have an eye Lest Conscience doth accuse for that 's a spie ¶ On Memory MEmory is the Store-house of the Soul The Will 's Dictator Understanding's Scroul There we hoard up the treasures of our Minde And fetch them out as we occasion finde But well it may with filthy Ponds compare Wherein fish die but frogs are nourish'd there So we retain trash that doth sowre and rot Whilst admirable mercies are forgot Thus we that should be Temples of God's praise Are Graves to bury what his love displays All Injuries most men to Marble trust But Courtesies are written in the Dust. What 's bad they can sufficiently retain But what is good is idle thought and vain Like Nets our Memories let clear waters go And nothing catch but sticks and weeds of Wo Or else like Sieves so rashly are we born That do retain the Chaff let go the Corn. But like an holy Ark the Soul should be And as the pot of Manna Memorie Our faculties herein need no excuse Preserving holy Truths for holy use ¶ On a Death-bed-Repentance THis Speech though sad it did a King survive I now must die e're I begin to live And such is the condition of that man That dies e're his Repentance is began That wants his weapons can for none implore For why Behold Death knocketh at his door What signâ—…fie Petitions of a Heart That trembling lies when Death presents his Dart Unhappy certainly must be their Dooms Have Oyl to seek just when the Bridegroom comes Death and the Devil do their Souls pursue And they no refuge have to fly unto The seven years of Plenty all are gone And years of Famine are not thought upon Time that is swift hath took his nimble flight Travel doth tire yet we want rest at night I 'll therefore finish every Work I have So shall I go with Peace unto my Grave ¶ On the Mariner THe Mariner that 's drove by Boreas breath Doth sail within four inches of his death So of the Soul the saying may be true That e're it bids its Cabinet adieu Four inches is the most that it doth keep Betwixt its life and an eternal sleep If the Ship splits or by a fire doth shrink The Ship is swallow'd and the Sailers sink So if our earthly Vessels break the Soul Doth to another Habitation roul For ever plung'd into a boundless Sea The bankless Ocean of Eternity The Soul should therefore careful be and strive To swim before it come to sink or dive ¶ On an Israelite AS the Tree falls so doth it lie And when Death strikes all men must die Only herein the difference is God gives us misery or bliss As in the Red Sea if I go An Israelite though waters flow In triumph I shall tell my story And land rejoycing full of Glory While all mine Enemies lie spread Upon the shore and each one dead But if Egyptian-like I croud And be on this side of the Cloud On this side of the Covenant And yet run hardned in for want Of Grace amongst proud Pharaâ—…h's Troops The Sea shall open all her Poops And e're I finde my Journeys length Justice shall swallow me with strength An Inundation shall destroy My Soul and drown my future Joy O Lord then by thy powerful might Make me thine own an Israelite ¶ On Shame THe age is impudent in which we live Men seem asham'd to be asham'd of blame And to their Errours such a licence give That they delight to glory in
their shame They have a specious Cloak for each offence And study how to palliate their Vice The Covetous hath Husbandry's pretence The Prodigal is free perhaps at Dice The Lecher shrouds his sin i' th' mask of Love The Drunkard to good fellowship pretends The Cheat doth for his Family improve Ill-gotten goods each have their private ends They blush not at the fact yet will not own The Title by the which we may conclude The sense of shame when to perfection grown Restrains from sins can hide a multitude But he that is this apprehension past Le ts loose the Reins of his suborned will Goes hand in hand with Satan till at last Madness and Mischief are his joy and skill The World says to him Take thy pleasure swim In Lust and Liquor Heart the Minde and Eye Are lively merry careless and so trim He doth not care though God's his enemie Fools shew their folly as it sutes their name But prudent men will be asham'd of Shame ¶ On the Wilful Impenitent TEll me fond Worldling why dost thou deride A godly Christian Is 't thy natures pride Dost thou not dayly see his weeping eye Shed Tears to wake thy sleeping Lethargie See how he trembles at the sight of sin Whilst thou lewd actor longest to begin And look'st on him as pusillanimous A Coward or a Drone I tell thee thus Thou' rt rashly valiant and dost spend thy breath On Toys whilst he dare boldly look on Death He 's truly noble and when he appears Is not appall'd before the King of Fears Heav'n is his harbour Grace doth most delight him Hell's horrours may appear but not affright him But as a Conqueror over Death and Hell Can with his Smiles all their Bravadoes quell And with a chearful heart this Ditty sing As if in scorn O Death where is thy sting Or like a Cherubim that flies on high Can say O Hell where is thy victory This is the Valediction of a Saint Whilst Sinners toyl and in their labours faint Where is the Worldling's glory He can sin Can vitious be and he can boast therein Can silence Conscience and outface a Crime And shun a blush to damn his Soul betime That man a Coward is and fights by stealth For if a sickness doth impair his health He then believes Death doth a summons beat And his large Spirit sneaks to a retreat Doth he not tremble when he once hath got A shaking Ague or a Feaver hot And when he feels the heavy hand of Fate He begs for quarter though it be too late What heaviness then fits upon his look Terrour appears Conscience unfolds its book Charges him to consider well and read And just as he begins Death strikes him dead A true Repentance cannot be too late Early Repentance is a blessed state Thus doth a sinner to Perdition fall And that which was his Throne becomes his Thrall ¶ On a Glorious Soul WHenas the Moon her constant course hath run And draws to a Conjunction with the Sun It to the Heavens shines more bright and pure And towards Earth seemeth the more obscure So as the Soul draws neer as like a Spouse Shines fair to Christ is to the World a Blouse He that is pretious unto God that man Is by the World esteem'd a Puritan And he whose Soul in Glory doth inherit Appears but odious to an earthly Spirit For he that looks with a Terrestrial sight Is Lustre-dazled with Coelestial light Shine fair to God if thou'lt to Heaven go Beauty on earth is a beclouded show ¶ On Contentation CYae as asking Pyrrhus his intent What he would do after his hazard spent In many Victories Pyrrhus did reply He 'd take his ease and then live merrily To whom Cyneas That you might have done Before were you contented with your own 'T is not the largeness of the Cage doth bring Notes to the Bird instructing him to sing Moreover though a Bird hath little eye Yet he hath wings by which he soars on high Can see far wider and abundance better Than may an Ox although his eye be greater 'T is not the great Estate that brings Content But Piety the Christian's Ornament The Righteous having little no promotion Yet what he hath when joyned with Devotion May seel more comfort more enjoy God's bounty Than he whose Incomes may command a County But few can be content with what they have He that hath hundreds still for more doth crave If his Possessions be in Houses Land He grasps at more and with a ready hand Omits no mischief that his Craft can nurse To fill his Coffer or enlarge his Purse The greatest thing in little compass can Be comprehended is Content in man And this great Vertue hath its safe abode Only in him that is a Childe of God Who sees and to his brethren cries Content ye Enough 's a feast and Piety hath plentie As when a Traveller comes to his Inn He for a Lodging-room does first begin T' enquire but if he cannot please his minde He is content with such as he shall finde Although perhaps his Room may not delight Well knowing that it is but for a night So is it with the Christian Pilgrim he Can use a large Estate if it should be God's will to bless him with it yet his mind To Heaven's pleasure alway is confin'd A little of the Creatures will asswage Hunger and Thirst in Christian Pilgrimage For let his Journeying be sweet or rough He knows his Father's house hath bread enough Therefore as sweetly feeds in going home As Sampson did upon his Honey-comb Let no man's mind on Earthly things be bent But Having food and rayment be content ¶ On the Hypocrite THe Hypocrite of Actors is the worst His own pretences making him accurst By so much as he acts the better part And Janus-like with double face and heart He can compose his forehead to be grave Although his heart be then his humours slave His modest face doth shew the Characters Of Justice and Religion nor forbears His tongue and gestures so much to proclaim But heart and hands they do recant the same When to the Church he comes he there salutes One of the Pillars and on knee confutes The Atheist worshiping that God in part Whose Precepts never could affect his heart He rises looks about and takes his seat Complains that Charity is not so great As he could wish or heretofore hath been Perhaps bestows an Alms but to be seen Always sits where he may embrace the look Of all Spectators And his Table-book In Sermon-time comes from beneath his coat As seeming fearful he should loose that Note Then takes his Bible hums to rear his voice And turns to some Quotation with a noise Then doubles down the leaf as if the same Were found and loudly asks the Preacher's name And that his Zeal may fervently appear Repeats it that the standers by may hear He can command his Tears reckon up sins With detestation but when he
of Beasts of Springs and Flowers How to use thy noble Powers Call whole Nature to thy aid Since 't was he whole Nature made Joyn in one eternal Song Who to one God all belong Live for ever glorious Lord Live by all thy works ador'd One in Three and Three in One Thrice we bow to thee alone ¶ Of Flesh. ALI Flesh is Grass doth therefore rot For why Can man be born to live and not to die 'T is happiness to leave this life and world And have our names where joys are rife enroll'd The dead ne're fear what Death can do his blast Will come no more for why that wo is past Then to the Soul appeareth Love and Joy For God will not his Turtle-Dove destroy Then though a Torch-light here 't is better far To be put out and after rise a Star ¶ The Grave THough Clay my Cottage is secure Princes do dwell with me And my foundations do endure for aye Death waits on me and with his dart Sends me the stoutest he And Champion-like commands the heart to stay Then be he Rich or be he Poor A Spark or else a Clown They lie together on the floor and so They sleep as if they lay upon The softest Bed of Down Troubles are fled and Griefs are gone for though The Body naked in the cold Earth lies The Soul sings Hallelujahs 'bove the Skies ¶ An Infant EArths little Morsel Man's small Letter And Adam's Copy no one better Before he tasted Eve Nature's fresh Picture drawn in oyl Which time and handling oft doth spoil His Soul appears like Paper white That yet had scarce bore word aright Neither knew how to grieve But purest colours without pains Are subject most to spots and stains He is above the tempts of Devil Since he can't understand an evil His days are raw and dull Nor hath he yet agreed with sin To banish joys let sorrows in He cannot yet be counted wise And being dumb he with his eyes Sings silent tunes of Lull He kisses all doth them approve His Innocency is his Love Nature and Parents much alike Do sometimes dandle sometimes strike With hidden sugred bait They him intice and he doth sup Whate're he finds within the Cup. Could his weak body finde the way To Bliss and here no longer stay He 'd have a happy fate Not knowing sin or mortal crime He 'd reach Eternity betime ¶ The Candle LIke as vain man I downward grow My life is ever wasting I fall by fire still waxing low As man did fall by tasting My house of Tallow doth decrease And I that am but Cotten Within one hour live and decease Am in the next forgotten O Lord pour Oyl into my Lamp To light me to thy home That when it shall extinguish't be I may a Star become ¶ The Ant. ALthough a creature small yet all My labour pains and care 't is rare Is in the Summer to provide Against the Cold and Winter-tide And though so small yet I an eye Can have to things for when weak men Waste time in Feasts and Riot I study for my Diet. Idleness breeds Distempers Povertie Gives room for Sin ye Sluggards learn of me ¶ The Thanksgiving COme let 's adore the gracious hand That brought us to this light That gave his Angels strict command To be our Guard this night When we laid down our weary heads And sleep seal'd up our eye They stood and watch'd about our beds To let no harm come nigh Now we are up they still go on And guide us through the day They never leave their charge alone Whate're besets our way And oh my Soul how many snares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before our feet In all our hopes in all our cares Some dangers still we meet Sometimes the sin does us o'retake And on our weakness win Sometimes our selves our ruine make And we o'retake the sin O save us Lord from all those darts That seek our Souls to slay Save us from us and our filse hearts Lest we our selves betray Save us O Lord to thee we cry From whom all Blessings spring We on thy Grace alone rely Alone thy glory sing Glory to thee eternal Lord Thrice blessed Three in One Thy Name at all times be ador'd Till time it self be done ¶ Antiphon A Dialogue in three parts Chor. THanks be to the Lord on high Angels That gave his Son Men. For us to die Chor. He that is the holy One Ang. Lov'd us of old Men. For us was sold. Chor. He that is the God of might Men. Made us of Dust Ang. For us did fight Chor. He that is the God most just Ang. Set us aright Men. To us gave light Chor. He that made the Heavens Earth Men. And all therein Ang. He is more worth Chor. He it is that knew no sin Ang. Yet suffered death Men. To give us breath Chor. Blessed he hung on the Cross Men. For our great gain Ang. But his own loss Chor. He that heal'd the Blinde and Lame Ang. Yet sought as thief Men. For our relief Chor. He that died with a kiss Men. From wretched man Ang. Is now in Bliss Chor. He that can the Heavens span Men. And do much more Ang. Him we adore Chor. He that was bound to Herod sent Men. And spit upon Ang. He is our Tent. Chor. He that melteth hearts of stone Ang. With us doth stand Men. Doth us command Chor. He that pardon can our sin Ang. Hath broke our snare Men. But we fall in Chor. He with whom none can compare Men. He gave us eyes Ang. He made us rise Chor. He was scourg'd with heavy lash Men. For us lost blood Ang. And us did wash Chor. He it is that is the good Men. Great God alone Ang. Heaven 's his Throne Chor. He that wore a Crown of Thorns Men. That doth us keep Ang. And us adorns Chor. He the Shepherd of the Sheep Ang. Our choicest stock Men. Our only rock Chor. Praise him then that did us make Men. Doth us defend Ang. And us did take Chor. Bless his Name World without end Men. For his great love Ang. To us above Angels and Men praise ye the Lord for aye Oh all ye Nations praise the Lord and say Amen ¶ The Bible The Book of Books The only good To him that looks For heav'nly food A Holy Light In darkest night The blessed Word Of God the Lord. Divinitie In it doth lie Indeed it is The Gate of Bliss ¶ The Dream I Dreamt my Death was but a sleep My Grave and Bed both one And when the morning forth did peep Life came and Death was gone Since so it is that none can be Asleep but such as die O Lord I 'll sleep to all but thee And make my bed on high ¶ The Beatitudes BLess'd are the poor that is the meek in spirit For they the Heav'n God's Kingdom shall inherit Blessed are they that mourn away their years God hears their sighs hath bottles for their tears Blessed
are they that thirst for Righteousness They shall be fill'd more than we can express Bless'd are the tender mercifus of minde They that in mercy give shall mercy finde Bless'd are the pure of heart their Sanctitie Shall lead them to the Holy Deitie Bless'd are peace-makers they shall make abode As Children with their Father and their God Blessed are they that suffer in a cause That 's just their suffering is their applause Blessed are they that persecuted are And when relivers do no venom spare When Disconcent sets all things out of frame Patience is Physick Prophers us'd the same Of Angels MY Soul in thy Devotions always say O God my God Lord hear me when I pray Let not or Saint or Angel though sublime Share of that honour which is due to him For if you give not God your Heart your All You Caesar rob to pay your Tythes to Paul Nor ought we to the Saints to shew neglect As if the objects of our disrespect Dives in his distress cry'd out for water To Abraham a Saint It is no matter We know what Dives was and will forbear To follow him that ran into a snare ¶ Of Christ's Passion FRom Circumcision to the hour of death Alas sad sate Christ's Passions still kept even with his breath Such was his state He first was in a Manger wrap'd In dangers nurs'd and often scap'd As he of Graces had the richest store So likewise he Of Tears of Sweat of Blood and yet much more Could not be free For Emulation then was understood As now it is 't was dangerous to be good And he that seeks for Peace 'mong men Shall finde it But the Lord knows when On St. Paul's Conversion SO shin'd that glorious Sun upon this Saint That falling down he did both fear and faint It was the Light of God that shin'd whose weight Might sorely press coming from such a height Encompass'd round so that he could not â—…lee From that same vo ce Why persecut it thou me From that same date St. Paul's Conversion came And he grew Master of a shining Fame ¶ On Christ's Praying CHrist in the Garden prays enclos'd with Trees And earnestly importunes on his knees That Cup might pass but see his Son-like skill In praying Father if it be thy will From whence I learn the duty of a Son It is to say Father thy will be done ¶ On Honour and Valour HOnour and Valour being once at strise Which should atchieve most glory in their life Honour did much went on would not give o're Valour flew boldly on and did much more The World 's uncertain Honour he was beat Yet Valour 's head must serve for Honour's seat ¶ On Tinder TO Tinder like each strike That Satan gives My Soul receives With ev'ry Match a Catch My Soul does get When he doth hit Hereafter I will flie Temptations all so shall My Voice be rightly tun'd and apt to say I 'll worship none but God and him obey ¶ The Litany O God the Father God the Son That made and did redeem each one And God the Holy Ghost look on us miserable sinners By thy most bloody sweat and Cross By thy pretious death and loss By thy ascending up from dross Good Lord deliver us In all our troubles time of wealth In time of sickness or of health In Deaths sad hour which comes by stealth Good Lord deliver us We sinners do beseech thee Lord To prosper and increase thy Word Unto thy Church good Rules afford We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to endue All Ministers with knowledge true That we with profit may it shew We beseech thee c. That Grace and Wisdome may increase That Wars and Jarrings all may cease That we thy people may have peace We beseech thee c. That it may please thee to bestow On us thy servants here below Hearts that shall praise for what we owe We beseech thee c. That it may please thee be the way For their return that do each day Deceive themselves and go astray We beseech thee c. That it may please thee by thy hand To strengthen those aright do stand Others to raise by thy command We beseech thee c. That it may please thee succour those That grief and tribulation knows When persecuted by their foes We beseech thee c. That it may please thee to preserve Captives in danger like to starve And from Childe-bearers not to swerve We beseech thee c. That it may please thee to desend The Fatherless and to the end Thy blessings to the Widows send We beseech thee c. That it may please thee pity all And keep our Enemies from thrall Fetch home their hearts that from thee fall We beseech thee c. That it may please thee to defend On us the kindly fruits that grow Be God and friend unto thy foe We beseech thee c. That it may please thee to forgive Our sins that we upright may live According to thy Word and thrive We beseech thee c. O Son of God we pray thee hear O Lamb of God do not forbear To look in mercy on each Tear We beseech thee c. After our sins O do not us regard Nor after our iniquities reward Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Let us pray Our Father c. ¶ On St. Michael the Archangel WE praise thee Christ among the quires Of Angels who thy voice obey That art the life of Heart-desires Thy Father's Power and shining Ray. Whole myriads of heav'nly Peers Fight for thy cause in close aray But Michael who thy Standard bears The Cross of Safety does display He the pernicious Dragon threw Into the flames of Hell's Abyss The Captain with his Rebel-Crew He thundred from Coelestial Bliss Under this Prince let 's every one Against Pride's Captain combat so As that the Lamb may from his Throne Crown Glories upon us below To God the Father God the Son And to the Holy Ghost in Heaven As hitherto it hath been done Let Glory evermore be given ¶ Oppositions GOd is light and sin is dark God lives above and sin beneath God is just but sin 's a Shark God is Life and sin is Death God is Heaven sin is Hell God is fair and sin is foul God saves many that rebel Sin 's Damoation to the Soul Adam in Paradise did stand Angels in Heaven by God's command But sin doth with a gilded Dart Not only tempt but wound the heart God doth entreat the Soul by love Sin with deceit the Soul doth move Sin laid the corner-stone in Hell Sin made this World a Monster swell In all to God 't is flatly opposite It wants the good of Vertue and of Light ¶ On Thoughts STill I am thinking thoughts that are not good They are as common as my food And do increase like Beans in mud As thick as any Wood. Suppose I harbour some that do
our Cup was sweet but mix'd Here all is pure refin'd and fix'd All quintessence of Joy Hear'st thou my Soul what glorious things The Church of Heav'n in triumph brings Of their bless'd life above Chear thy faint hopes and bid them live All these thy God to thee will give If thou embrace his love Great God of rich rewards who thus Hast crown'd thy Saints and wilt crown us As both to thee belong O may we both together sing Eternal praise to thee our King In one eternal Song ¶ On Greatness and Goodness GReatness is with a strong desire affected And often sought with hazard cost and pain Goodness of greater worth is less respected Priz'd as a thing both needless is and vain Greatness aspires and sets it self on high While Goodness walks below with humble pace The first is follow'd with an Eagle's eye The last is thought unworthy of the Chace But Greatness seeks that which is transitory And Goodness aims at Grace which leads to Glory Lord let thy Grace my mundane thoughts defeat That I may study to be Good not Great ¶ The Soul's Yearnings MY Soul pants towards thee My God Fountain of Light and Life Flesh strives with me Conclude the strife That so in blessed peace I may Unclay My Spirit that done swiftly take My flight to thy refreshing Spring Where for thy sake Who art my King I may wash all my griefs away That day And conquer Sin and Death Thou great Triumpher o're the Grave Whose life and breath Was spent to save A wretched World make me be stil'd Thy Child And grant that when I die And leave this World that then my Soul Above the Skie Thou wilt enroul That in thy arms for ever I Even unto Eternity May lie ¶ The Divine Inquest TEll me you bright Stars that shine Round about the Lambs high Throne How though bodies once like mine How you are thus glorious grown Heark with one voice they reply This was all our happy skill We on Jesus fix'd our eye And his em'nent followers still As we clearly saw their mind Set and rul'd we order'd ours Both this state alone design'd Up towards this strain'd all our pow'rs Taught by Temp'rance we abstain'd From all less for greater goods Slighting little drops we gain'd Full and sweet and lasting floods Arm'd with Fortitude we bare Lesser evils worse do flie Mortal Death we durst out-dare Rather than for ever die Justice we observ'd by giving Ev'ry one their utmost due That in peace and order living All might freely Heav'n pursue Prudence govern'd all the rest Prudence made us still apply What was fittest what was best To advance great Charity On those golden wheels of Grace That Love 's fiery Chariot bear We arriv'd at this bright place Follow us and never fear O sure Truth O bless'd Attesters O that all the World may prove Of both these such strong digesters That both these may feed their love Him who made us all for this Him who made himself our way Him who leads us unto Bliss May all praise and all obey ¶ The Sinners Tears SHed forth apace and make a Bath To cure my Soul of sin Haste out for God a bottle hath To keep ye in Every Tear is worth a Crown It lifts the Soul to Heav'n Supports the same from sinking down To filthy Leav'n They 're comfort to the Heart they 're case Embassadors to God To beg he may his wrath appease And spare his Rod. They 're holy Messengers of Saints Sent to him to impart They 're godly sorrows each Tear paints Their grief of heart Then flow amain and weep those fords Or little Rivers dry And when I 've vented all my hords Then I Will groan because no longer cry And die That I may live eternally ¶ On St. John's day TO day Let 's sing Joy to the friend of Heaven's King He in his bosom lay Secur'd the Keys Of his profound and hidden Mysteries Those to the World dispensed by his hand Did make it stand In admiration to behold that light Happily came From the Throne of the Lamb And to invite Our sinful eyes which nothing else could see But Fire and Sword Hunger and Miserie Anticipating by their ravish'd sight The beauty of Coelestial delight Great Lord of all O hear me when I pray That when my heap of Clay Shall fall away O let thy gracious hand support me up That on the Lambs rich Viand I may supâ—… And that in this last supper I May with thy friend in thy rich bosom lie For ever to eternitie ¶ Acknowledgements MY God had I my breath from thee This hour to speak and sing And shall my voice and shall my song Praise any but their King My God had I my Soul from thee This pow'r to judge and chuse And shall my Brain and shall my Will Their best to thee resuse Alas not this alone or that Hast thou bestow'd on me But all I have and all I hope I have and hope from thee And more I have and more I hope Than I can speak or think Thy blessings first refresh then fill Then overflow the brink Glory to thee Immortal God O great Co-equal Three As at the first beginning was May now and ever be ¶ The Wish OH that I once were in that City Where Hallelujah is the Ditty Where Contemplation is the Diet Sure that 's the place where man is quiet Oh that I once were in that Court Where all good Spirits do resort Where Love and Joy and Grace abound Sure that 's the place where man is crown'd Oh that I once could sly the wav From my unfurnish'd house of Clay For should my Landiord sue for Rent Too late it would be to repent But sighs and tears will pay my score He 's merciful and asks no more Then whilst thy Fountain hath one Tear to yield Weep oh my Soul and to th' Elizium field Swim in a River of Repentant Tears Thy Rent is paid and thou art freed from fears ¶ The Caution OPen thine eyes my Soul and see Once more the light returns to thee Look round about and chuse thy way Thou meanst to travel o're to day Think on the dangers thou mayst meet And always watch thy sliding feet Think where thou once hast fall'n before Observe the place and sin no more Think on the helps thy God bestows Contrive to steer thy life by those Think on the sweets thy Soul doth feel When thou dost well and do so still Think on those pains that shall torment Those sinners bold that neâ—…e repent Think on the joys that wait above To crown the head of holy Love Think what at last will be thy part If thou go'st on where now thou art See Life and Death set thee to chuse One thou must take and one refuse O Lord be thou my perfect Guide So shall I never step aside Still make me walk still make me tend Be thee my way to thee my end All Glory to the
Wine enough when this is gone we 'll then Revive the Banquet with the blood of men Jud. My Lord now will I drink because my state Is more by much exalted now of late Then e're it was since Nature did display Over mine eyes the banner of the day Hol. This Wine benums my joynts my limbs do feel As if each one would with the other reel Since so it is I 'll stretch me on my bed Jud. Do so my Lord And I 'll secure thy head Thou need'st not fear those at Jerusalem They shall not come to thee thou go'st to them ¶ Judeth's Song of Thanksgiving WIth Timbrels and with Cymbals raise A tune wherewith our God to praise Divinity afford me Balm For sins and skill to sing a Psalm Of praise to God did Heaven frame Exalt him call upon his Name He breaks the Battels of the strong And I that was the Camps among Of proud King Assur even then When Israel seem'd a Prey to men Then did the Lord direct my ways I came from thence to sing his praise Out of the Mountains from the North The Enemy came thundring forth Their strength did threaten dismal ills Their numbers covered the hills He brag'd he would my Borders burn And make Jerusalem an Urn And kill my young men with the Sword Dash Infants brains against the board And make my Virgins prove their spoil But God prevented hath their toyl A Female hand By his command Hath conquer'd the Assyrian Land Our mighty foe he did not fight Nor did the Sons of Titans smite Neither did Giants force his care But Beauty was his only snare The daughter of Merari went With resolution to the tent Of Holofernes drank him dead And safely brought away his head Thus Lord I ventur'd to commit Two sins and sacrifice my Wit But with a chast and holy eye I shun'd ways of Carnality My people Lord I knew should live And thou art ready to forgive I boldiy went was not afraid Because assured of thine aid And to allure I thought it good The Garments of my Widowhood To lay aside and did attire My head to raise my beauty higher My Sandals ravished his eyes And he became my beauties prize For then to give his pride a check I strook his Faulchin through his neck Which act did make The Persians quake The Medes stout hearts did likewise ake Thus my exterminating arm By inspiration did alarm A mighey Host and did destroy Their chief Commander once their Joy A new Song to the Lord I 'll sing Thou art a great and glorious King Wonderful in strength and might Invincible the God of Fight To praise thy Name all things accord For thou mad'st all things with a word In thee all Creatures shall rejoyce Not any can resist thy voice Mountains and Waters shall remove Rocks melt as wax if they not love Shall man be subject to obey And his Inseriours go astray Do we not see year after year God's merciful to them that sear All Sacrifice too little is For him that is the God of Bliss The savour of the heart is sweet And he that sears the Lord is great Wo to those Nations that arise Against my Kindred they a prize Shall be to Worms their flesh as meat The Ravens of the field shall eat Whilst in Bethulia all my days I 'll spend to celebrate his praise ¶ On Man's Greation WE were created with a Word a Breath Redeemed with no less than Blood and Death How much a greater labour is it then Sinners to cleanse or breathe Souls into men ¶ The Mornings Ejaculation NOw that the Day-star doth arise Beg we of God with humble cries All hurtful things to keep away Whilst we in duty spend the day Out tongues to guide so that no strife May breed disquiet in our life To shut the casement of our eye Lest it admit of vanity Preserve the heart both pure and free From vain and troubled phantasie To tame proud flesh while we deny it A full cup and a wanton diet That when the day-light shall go out Time bringing on the night about We by leaving worldly ways May in silence sing God's praise ¶ The Evenings Ejaculation O Lord now night 's return'd again Our Bodies and our Souls refrain From being soil'd with filthy stain Let not dull sleep oppress our eyes Nor us the enemy surprize Nor fearful dreams our minde affright While the blackness of the night Holds from us the cheerful light To thee who dost by rest renew Our wasted strength we humbly sue That when we shall enclose our eyes Pure and chast we may arise Making Morning-Sacrifice All honour Lord to thee be done Thou ever-blessed Virgins Son With the Father and the Spirit As is thine eternal merit E're and ever to inherit ¶ On Tears TEars the sweet Musick of harmonious Souls Angels rejoyce and ready are in shouls To dance thereto it is their heav'nly skill Their Master's bottle with such pearls to fill And when the Soul in Sin 's consumption lies No Balsam's better than the briny eyes God loves not waters of a common ford All Rivers are not pleasing to the Lord. When Esau wept it was to think upon His Brothers fraud with indignation His Tears were mix'd his whispring thoughts within Cry'd 'T is my loss I prize beyond my sin Tears of Dissimulation too invite Men to believe God knows the Hypocrite When in devotion we our Case impart We should remember God requires the heart Tears of Contrition give the piercing voice At which both God and Angels do rejoyce Such as were Mary Magdalens who spent Full thirty years in weeping to repent St. Peter likewise waking look'd as sleeping His face b'ing surrow'd with continual weeping The Spouse of whom in 〈◊〉 her fears Like pools of Heshbon glaz'd her eyes with Tears As Musick on the water sounds more sweet Than on the land so Pray'rs with Tears they greet Almighty God with prevalence all hours God listens to effectual Oratours Then let our Tears into a deluge flow To drown our sins and wash away our woe May they shoot forth like showers in the Spring To bathe our Souls in 't is an Offering Well pleasing to the Lord. When Peter wept He look'd more lovely than as when he slept David pathetically ever sung When Heart and Harp with Penitence was strung When to repose he laid his weari'd head Not Diamonds but Tears adorn'd his bed And in the sacred Quire there 's much more mirth For one repentant sinner so by birth Than persons just Repentance needing none Though of an hundred there should want but one To Heav'n comes none but what are pure and cleer Heaven would not be Heav'n if Sin were there ¶ On Humane Frailty THe World 's a Monster And a humane life So full of strife That a dry morsel better may suffice With quiet than contentions sacrifice Man is conceiv'd In sin when born Become a scorn Addicts himself to vanities and lyes Poysons himself
it was and sweetly grew ¶ Prayer for Peace BLessed Saviour God of Peace When storms arise or shall increase Say thou the word and they shall cease Allay their fury quench their rage Whose factions would disturb the Age Their fiery zeal do thou asswage Be thou a Comforter to those That never do the Truth oppose Them strengthen and convert their 〈◊〉 ¶ On Mercy MErcy is comfort to the Poor 'T is that the Rich desire Lord we thy Mercies do implore 'T is that the Saints require Mercy it was that gave us life To move to think or say Mercy is Physick for our grief And teacheth us to pray O how can we for mercy call That have so wicked been Our Parents gave us such a fall 'T is hard to rise agen Yet 't is for Mercy still we crave 'T is that which must us raise Mercy first made and now will save And teach us how to praise Our sins increase more than our days Yet Mercy lets us live 'T is God that we for all must praise That doth these mercies give And shall we still run on the score Not paying any part Of what we ought to him before He asketh but a heart My Soul pay what thou canst of all thy store He that pays nothing ever owes the more ¶ The Swine LOrd I am thine Although possest O be thou mine And give some rest To me a beast O Christ be good To sinful man And with thy blood Lord wash me clean Be thou my food My staff my stay My King my God And thee alway I will obey Command my sins into the Sea That I may praise and honour thee ¶ The Penitent LOrd I 'm a sinner and my sins increase To such an unknown sum That should my rockie heart and eyes Nay my whole Microcosm a flood become And drown it self in Tears 't would not suffice To name my score Not then to pay But Lord thy blood is my rich store Thou art the Patron of the Poor But all the Balsam of thy blood Alas I know will do no good Unless I wash my griefs with Tears before O thou whose sweet and pensive face To laughter never gave a place Instruct mine eyes Without delay To melt away And then the less of Balsam will suffice ¶ The Soul awaked LOrd we again lift up our eyes And leave our sluggish beds But why we wake or why we rise Comes seldom in our heads Is it to sweat and toyl for wealth Or sport our time away That thou preserv'st us still in health And giv'st us this new day No no unskilful Soul not so Be not deceiv'd with toys Thy Lord's Commands more wisely go And aim at higher joys They bid us wake to seek new Grace And some fresh vertue gain They call us up to mend our pace Till we the prize attain That glorious Prize for which all run Who wisely spend their breath Who when this weary life is done Are sure of Rest in Death Not such a rest as here we prove Disturb'd with Cares and Fears But endless Joy and Peace and Love The Pleasures of the Spheres Glory to thee O bounteous Lord Who giv'st to all things breath Glory to thee Eternal Word Who sav'st us by thy death Glory O blessed Spirit to thee Who fill'st our Souls with Love Glory to all the mystick Three Who reign one God above ¶ St. Paul's Petition FRom Enemies where're they be My God do thou deliver me From them that do against me rise From private Foes inventing lyes From bloody men who loving strife Endeavour to ensnare my life The Mighty are against me bent Because I sinn'd and do repent Arise and visit with thy Rod Those Enemies of thine O God Their follies shew that they may be At last true followers of thee ¶ On the Conscience COrruption now adays doth spring so fast So regarded And rewarded That if my tender Conscience would be sold Or if for it a Dispensation Could be but got I doubt it not I 'd store up wealth in this our Nation One spark of Flattery would so increase My evil goods So that my woods Would make a lasting fire when I decease The World 's fond love might easily be bought If I could tell The way to sell The little honesty that I have got Were but this World my home perhaps I might Be apt to trade But here things fade Give me the Riches wherein Saints delight Though now I live in a corrupted Cell Which doth annoy I would enjoy The peace of Conscience there where Angels dwell Love upon Earth is good 〈◊〉 that doth last But the choice love Of God above Is everlasting and doth never wast Tush wicked World Heav'n is my Merchandize If in my way My sight should stray My home shall be the curtains of mine eyes A desp'rate fate it is the Worldlings run A Pearl to sell To purchase Hell They must be great or to be just undone ¶ St. Austin's Prayer Recommended to the devout Christian by P. Vrban the 8th BEfore thy holy eyes O Lord We sinners heartily accord Humbly to own our griefs of heart Are nothing to our just desert The evils we have done exceed What we can write or may be read Our Consciences our Souls affright And say Thy Chastisements are light We feel the punishments of sin And yet we do persist therein Weak Nature faints at ev'ry scourge Yet perverse wills do dayly urge Our restless minds do still provoke Thy Justice and despise thy Yoke We sigh away our days in grief Yet sorrow gives us small relief For when our sighs do once expire We wallow in our former mire If we repent 't is at a rate That we had need repent for that If thou revenge our stubbornness Thy Justice doth our hearts depress Thy anger fills our Souls with fears We weep but soon forget our Tears If thou stretch out thy hand we then Promise to turn to Saints from men But if thy Sword suspension shows We then forget to pay our Vows If thou dost strike we pardon crave And when thou pardon letst us have We sin again and ne're give o're With provocations more and more Thus we our guilty selves accuse Thus we thy mercies do abuse Yet Mercy Mercy still we cry Or we are drench'd in misery Then Lord O let thy goodness give Those streams by which the Angels live Our Souls inspire amend our days Touch thou our tongues and we shall praise All glory be to God on high The Father of Eternity To Three in One and One in Three ¶ The Believer HAppy is he that doth The truth Believe for he it is Shall kiss The Son of Righteousness shall surely come By his believing to believers home Let thy belief be true But few There are that do make that Their State Abraham left a Pattern good behinde him But few there are that seek him less that finde him I do believe a Tree Will be Pleasantly green when I With eye
labouring The fruit she brings Savours of goodness but much more of evil Extols che Maker but adores the Devil Lord since there is a time to laugh to weep 'T is high time I awake out of the sleep Of sin and death O then propitious be And in due time let true Repentance free My Soul and I 'll be convert unto thee ¶ The Widows Mite ROom for a wealthy Benefactor he Behold draws neer unto the Treasury Others approach with their abundant store But here 's a Widow who although she 's poor Hath outdone all her bounty to display For her's was giv'n and theirs but cast away And she was noted for a true believer For God delighteth in a cheerful giver ¶ Gabriel and Zacharias Gab. BLess'd Zacharias cease to be afeard A John shall call thee Father thou art heard He shall be richly stor'd with Grace and Mirth The God of gods shall celebrate his Birth Zac. O Lord whereby can I know this my life Is well-nigh spent likew se my ancient Wife Her years are so in number I am bold To say for bearing Children she 's too old Gab. Is any thing impossible to God Whose Power can do it with a word or nod I that am Gabriel am sent down from high To do this message from the Deity And seeing thou believ'st not what I say Behold thou shalt be dumb until that day Then will I loosen that which now I strung Thou shalt have John with that John a tongue ¶ On Alexander the Great THou Earth's great Monarch to thy Valour 's praise Be it recorded thou didst spend thy days In Mars his School but one thing did remain Thou shouldst have made thy Piety thy gain Not Ostentation Flesh was made thy slave But wherein didst thou Satan's works deprave Those being vanquish'd thou might'st take thy rest And weep for joy as being stout and blest Alas his Conquests are as good as none That fights for Worlds and never finds but one ¶ Jesus Wept HEnce may we see Tears are the only things When watring well revives our fading Springs Martha and Mary sprinkling pious Tears Over their Brother four days freed from fears With the sole help of Jesus when they wept His Tears and theirs reviv'd a Saint that slept The very words Come forth bore such a sound Laz'rus straight came but left death in the ground Such love our Saviour shew'd his friend his eye That knew no sin could weep when he should die The Antients have this observation kept Jesus was never seen to laugh but wept ¶ Martha and Mary AS Contemplation is the bane of ill By that our good is so continued still Happy that house which never doth m scar y Yielding a Martha to complain of Mary ¶ On Worldly Gain THis World yields nothing more than Caâ—…es and Crosses Yet my forc'd heart dotes on it ne'retheless If I cast up my gains they are but losses For more and more I languish in excess It shews varieties of sweet content Alluring me with fair and golden baits But in the taste I finde them different No real pleasures but meer counterfeits Delusions are the knacks that do excell For cheats they shew as Heaven lead to Hell Lord plant thy heav'nly wisdome in my heart That world and worldly things I may desert ¶ On St. Peter's Perjury SHeathe up that sharp keen Sword which did befriend thee In smiting him who gave his car to end thee But yet consider he that doth salsely swear Is by the Law condemn'd to loose an Ear. I tell thee Peter e're the Cock crow twice Thou art my friend that shalt deny me thrice But Peter thou art favour'd take 't from me Instead of paying one Ear thou hast three ¶ On Pusillanimity REligion made the Martyrs dare and die Honour abhors to dread an Enemie Our Actions try our Courage and our hearts As Icie weather with its chilly smarts Do try our health and this we yearly find Withered leaves fall with the breath of wind As rotten Bows no longers hold debate With strength but break when they 're opprest with weight So Earthen Vessels may be said t' expire Expos'd when empty to the heat of fire This trivial passion of Faintheartedness Dispirits man and makes a dull impress Upon his body as if there were writ Hire stands a house but no one dwells in it Cowardise doth express a man to be An easie prey unto his Enemie Whose cruel mercy suddenly is spent Whilst for the Victim no man doth lament He grew in misery became forlorn Was both to friend and to his foe a scorn The righteous man is bold bids fear adieu The wicked flee when no man doth pursue ¶ On the Spring SInce Winters cold blasts are expell'd by the Sun And Fields that did penance in snow Have put Madam Nature's gay Liveries on Embroyder'd with flowers to make a fine show The Hills and the Vallies in duty abound And men praise the Lord so the duty goes round Heark heark how the Birds in sweet consort conspire The Lark and the Nightingale joyn In every note is an amorous Quire With an innocent mirth to entertain time The Hills and the Vallies in duty abound And Men praise the Lord so the duty goes round Methinks the God Pan whose glad subjects we are Doth sit on his flowery Throne We accept his kinde Offerings every year With Garlands of Roses and Flowers new grown The Hills and the Vallies in duty abound And Men praise the Lord so the duty goes round ¶ On Science MAny for Science seek with care and Art When Conscience is the Science of the heart Yet that most sacred Knowledge is become In mens esteem of Knowledge but the scum When as the Heart with Conscience doth converse Infinite mysteries they then rehearse A Conscienoe good and pure relies upon The sacred Title of Religion That is a Knowledge puffs not up to boast But is the Temple of the Holy Ghost Built so for Beauty equalled by none Rich as the Temple of a Solomon The fruitful field of Bonediction The joy of Angels and the Sinners sting The Subjects ark the treasure of the King An Habitation for the Saints abode The Book of Life the Princely Court of God The Book that 's seal'd to keep Deeds from decay And to be open'd at the Judgement-day A rich Persume and a most happy Guest A pleasant Friend and a continual Feast A Castle Tower a Rock to build upon A certain Fabrick of Salvation The poor man's Comfort his most trusty Staff The rich man's Elegy and Epitaph Wouldst thou be farther in this Science read Then Purge thy conscience from all works are dead ¶ On Drunkenness THis is a Vice that fights without defence He that doth finde this sin doth loose his sense I formerly have read of one who stood Amaz'd as lost within a spatious Wood When in one Vice he was to build his Nest Which of these three he judg'd to be the best To kill his