which reconciles The Savage Beasts and angry Elements Turns rage and fury into friendly smiles And mischief either conquers or prevents To him vvho doth the great Creator love The World of creatures all vvill harmless prove This Armour 's strong tho light a Coat of Mail Not to be pierc'd by Bullet or by Steel It gives a strength o're vvhich nought can prevail May I its force vvithin my breast but feel Fearless I 'le follovv vvhither Fate shall call Smiling I 'l bear vvhatever shall befall Place me on Northern Hills of frozen Snovv On vvhich the Pole-star doth directly stand There will I give the love and praise I owe To him whose love makes that a pleasant Land. 'Gainst frosts and Snows Love is the only charm These flames melt Snows these flames my breast shall warm Or throw me on the parched Lybian Sands Where flaming Sun-beams do the Trav'ler burn Love all Divine those scorching heats withstands Gods Love will Deserts to a Garden turn His Smiles his Words are Fountains Shades and Breeze Each place is Paradice when I have these No Winter frosts this holy Love shall chill No prosp'rous Summer's heat shall it abate But higher it shall flame and higher still Till it to Heav'n my Soul in Flames translate God's Love is all I crave in Heaven above On Earth below I only craves Gods Love. Lib. 1. Martial Epigram 6 tum AN Eagle once a Child aloft did bear The Child secure the Eagle most in fear Thus Caesars Lions sport them with their Prey The Hare in their wide Mouth doth safely play Which then the greater Wonder shall be thought A mighty Power each to pass hath brought Jove did the first the latter Caesar wrought For M. M. upon her Recovery when at Antwerp OH praise the Lord my Soul humbly adore The riches of his Grace which more and more To me his Handmaid hath been still exprest Let Love and Praise be equally encreast 'T was God who first did Life and Reason give By him I am preserv'd in him I live His Mercy and his Pow'r did lately save My Soul from Death my Body from the Grave 'T is just I to my God should wholly live Who hath renew'd the Life he first did give Thou that didst make me put my mind in frame Make me thy Servant who thy Creature am As thou hast lately made my Body whole So do much more for my more precious Soul. What thou hast wrought without now work within My pain is gone Lord cleanse me from my Sin Thy healthful Spirit upon me bestow That I in Grace may daily stronger grow So strengthen me that I may walk in ways Of Holiness and Peace through all my daies Till thou shalt take me hence to live above In endless Joys with thee the God of Love. Written on Dr. Patrick's Devout Christian given to a Friend IN Prayer the Tongue hath but the lesser part Devotion 's chiefly seated in the Heart This with our Lips we humbly must express And in our Lives by serious Holiness They who on Earth with Heart Lips Life adore Their God in Heav'n shall praise him evermore Whilst then our Pray'rs begin and end the Day Let 's daily live as strictly as we pray Au Epitaph design'd for that most excellently accomplisht and Publick-spirited Gentleman William Banks Esq of Winstantly in Lancashire who died at Chastleton in Oxfordshire Iuly 6. 76. UNder this Monument the Reliques lie Of a Great Man all that of him could die Who whilst he liv'd liv'd to the noblest ends To serve his God his Country and his Friends Wherefore his God his Friends his Country give Freedom from Death and make him still to live His Soul with God in Regions lives above In Regions like his Soul all Peace and Love With dearest Friends his precious Memory Lives fresh and fragrant nor with them shall die His grateful Country doth preserve his name Just Praises and true Tears Embalm the same His lovely Picture still hath Life and Breath In hopeful Children so small Power hath Death Over good Men who when they seem to yield Then like their dying Lord they win the Field Only the Grave in peace retains their Dust Until the Resurrection of the Just. Multis ille bonis flebilis occidit Nulli flebilior quam mihi On A. M. a tender Infant HEre Sweetness lies and Innocence whose Breath Was stopt by early not unfriendly Death She 's gone to rest just as she did begin Sorrow to know before she knew to sin Death that doth Sin and Sorrow thus prevent Is the next Blessing to a Life well spent ON Bishop WILKINS'S Picture Decemb. 30. 82. THis is his Shadow who was once the Glory And Pillar of our British Church whose Story Ages to come shall wondring read this Age Shall mourn his death tremble at its presage He was all that which makes men great and good But 's loss will make his Worth best understood His just Description I no more can give Than th' Painter can make this his Picture live His truer Picture lives within my mind And in the pious Works he left behind In both my sorrows some relief shall find Till his great Soul ere long I meet above Amongst blest Spirits in Heav'nly Joy and Love. True Beauty LET blind Admirers handsom Faces praise And graceful Features to great Honour raise The Glories of the red and white express I know no beauty but in Holiness If God of beauty be the uncreate Perfect Idea in this lower State The greatest beauties of an human mold Who most resemble Him we justly hold Whom we resemble not in flesh and blood But being pure and holy just and good May such a Beauty fall but to my share For Curious Shape or Face I ne're shall care On my Picture SEE here the Shadow of another Shade Which like its Picture soon away will fade To Worms and Moths a Portion soon will fall Both short-liv'd Copy and Original And yet rejoice my Friends since th' unseen mind Lives when dead Shades and Corps are lest behind And shall we be concern'd what will become Of fading Faces rotten Bones and Tomb Whilst th' unseen Mind whose form no art can draw Exempted is from Deaths severer Law Virtue doth Life and lasting Beauty give Virtue and virtuous minds for ever live With God they live in joys together where Of losing God Joys Friends is no more fear Rejoice then Friends this Glory make your choice Always do good always in God rejoice FINIS Books Written by Mr. John Rawlet B. D. and sold by Samuel Tidmarsh in Cornhil A Treatise of Sacramental Covenanting with Christ shewing the ungodly their contempt of Christ in their contempt of the Sacramental Covenant With a Preface chiefly designed for the satisfaction of Dissenters and to exhort all men to Peace and Vnity An Explication of the Creed the Ten Commandments and the Lords Prayer with the addition of some Forms of Prayer A Dialogue betwixt two Prorestants in answer to a Popish Catechise called a short Catechism against all Sectaries plainly shewing That the Members of the Church of England are no Sectaries but true Catholicks and that our Church is a sound part of Christ's holy Catholick Church in whose Communion therefore the People of this Nation are most strictly bound in Conscience to remain The Christian Monitor containing an earnest Exhortation to an Holy Life with some directions in order thereto written in a plain and easie Stile for all sorts of people Poetick Miscellanies
Iohn Rawlet B. D. Died Septemb r 28 th 1686. Aetat 44. Poetick Miscellanies OF M r JOHN RAWLET B. D. And late Lecturer of S. Nicholas Church IN THE TOWN and COUNTY OF New-Castle upon Tine Et prodesse valent delectare Poetae A verse may find him who a Sermon flies And turn delight into a Sacrifice Herbert LICENSED Novemb. 22. 1686. Rob. Midgley LONDON Printed for Samuel Tidmarsh at the King's-Head in Cornhill near the Royal Exchange 1687. An Epitaph on the Reverend and truly pious Mr. Iohn Rawlet B. D. made by his sorrowful Friend I. M. RAwlet's Remains lodge in this humble Cave As he was free from pride so is his Grave But Virtue needs no Pyramids It s worth Bribes not the Heraulds pains to blaze it forth As Diamonds shine by their own native Rayes And Phoebus his own glittering beams displays So great deserts are their own Monument No Tomb no Epitaph's so eloquent Whilst others therefore their proud Marbles boast He rests with greater honour but less cost On his Divine Poems REader expect not here the filth of th' Stage Poems that please but more debauch the Age. His chaster Muse such heavenly strains doth sing As Angels chant to their Immortal King. By such pure harmony he tun'd his heart In the Coelestial Choir to bear a part THE CONTENTS AN Epitaph on the Reverend and truly Pious Mr. John Rawlet Pag. i On his Divine Poems ii An Invitation to the Holy Communion with directions c. Pag. 1 On the Holy Communion 4 Another Poem of the same 6 Directions for receiving the Holy Communion 8 For early rising on a Lord's-day Morning 11 Morning Thoughts 13 Directions for the Evening 16 On Whitsunday 18 On Ascension 23 On Divine Love. 25 On Death 30 Midnight Meditations 46 A description of True Prayer 51 How to get and keep a quiet mind in all Conditions 53 A Preservative against Temptations 57 On Solitude 59 The sum of our Duty 68 Whilst I was hearing Musick 70 On a great Thunder and storm June 1. 1671 72 Calmness in a Storm c. 74 On the Rain that fell in June 1681. 77 On a Cross with a Crown upon it in Burton 83 On the sight of Furness Fells 86 On the parting of ways in a Iourny 88 An account of my life in the North. 90 Paraphrases Of Palm 19. 57. Thou art my Portion O Lord. 94 Of Psalm 39. 6 7. 96 Luke 11. 14 c. 101 Of Seneca ' s Thyestes Act. II. 103 A Plain Paraphrase 104 His first Epistle to Lucilius 105 His 70 Epistle 109 Of Horace's Ode 22. 128 Martial's Epigram lib. 1. 6. 132 Inscriptions and Epitaphs For M. M. upon her recovery at Antwerp 133 Written on Dr. Patrick's Devout Christian given to a Friend 135 An Epitaph designed for William Banks Esquire 136 On A. M. a tender Infant 138 On Bishop Wilkins's Picture 139 True Beauty 141 On my own Picture 142 AN INVITATION TO THE Holy Communion WITH DIRECTIONS FOR THE Due Receiving it HArk we are call'd O friends Away away All things are ready make no more delay Are all things ready and shall only we For whom they are prepar'd unready be We that forbidden Fruit did long to taste Shan't we when call'd to our Lord's table haste When food provided is which will restore The blessedness our eating lost before Let us then hasten and this Call obey 'T is with the Prince that we must dine to day Whose Sacred presence calls us to prepare And fit our selves Hast must not banish care Hither approach all fair and clean within From the defiling love of every sin All bath'd in purest streams of hallowed tears Which help to wash our stains and drown our fears The Souls first dipt in this preparation flood Are fit for farther cleansing by Christ's blood Repentance is a second innocence Joyn'd with resolves for new obedience Draw nigh with faith and holy love adorn'd And deep humility which though it 's scorn'd By blinder mortals is in Gods own Eye The Souls true beauty richest gallantry With ardent longings come enflam'd to tast The deepest sweets of this divine repast The grace and comfort here diffus'd abroad And on the well-prepared Soul bestow'd Beg him to fit you thus who did invite You hither for both meat and appetite Do come from him and by the hand that spread Our Table must our Souls be furnished And when in th' Wedding garment we are drest With humble boldness to this Sacred feast Let us approach this wondrous banquet where The Master of the Feast becomes our cheer ON THE Holy Communion THE Son of God made Man his life laid down To save our Life to purchase us a Crown He bore the Cross and that we might retain The memory hereof he did ordain His Sacred Supper as his Churches Feast When he bestows upon each humble Guest Those greater blessings which he represents By Bread and Wine the outward Elements He doth himself in this familiar way With Pardon Grace and Glory too convey To such who whilst by faith they these receive To him themselves entirely back do give Thus is a Marriage union finisht and Christ and the Soul linkt in a mutual band Thus at one Feast we mingle griefs and joyes Christ's death and our own Nuptials solemnize And if indeed our Faith and Love herein Are with Repentance joyn'd if we for sin Sincerely grieve sincerely plight our Troth In Heaven we shall enjoy the fruits of Both. ON THE Holy Communion OUR blessed Lord who loved us and gave Himself for us us by his death to save That this his love and death might never be Forgotten hath ordain'd a feast when we With grateful hearts should still record his love And to blest purposes his death improve Oft let 's remember then and praise our Lord At 's Holy Table where he doth afford To worthy Guests Peace Pardon Grace and Joy Pleasures that satisfie but never cloy And let us still set Jesus in our sight In all our actions by this Copy write That our dear Lord beholding us may find His Sacred Image in our Life and Mind Thus let us with great Zeal and Holy strife Christ's death remember imitate his Life So shall we grow in grace till from this state Our Lord to Glory shall his friends translate Then shall we be where blessed Jesus is And feast with him in perfect endless bliss DIRECTIONS FOR RECEIVING THE Holy Communion CHrist calls us to his Table but who 's fit In such an High and Holy place to sit Only the Souls that are adorn'd with Grace May here in presence of their Lord take place Such whom the knowledge of his wondrous love To deepest sorrow for their sins doth move Who place on him their Love and Confidence And render a sincere Obedience To all his Laws who make God's Love their Treasure Preferring it above Wealth Honour Pleasure Who do in Charity with all Men live And those who wrong them from their
mind And no Tears fall but those of joy Which Nilus like while they orewhelm are kind IV. But though with all this pomp of words we prate And paint the happy glories Which grace the triumphs of a future State Yet sure we think 'em sensless stories The pageantry of some distempered Head Which fancies Pencil did delineate The broken visions of the living when they dream'd ' o th' dead That we are so loth to die Proceeds from infidelity For whatsoe're the mighty Men of Sense Those skulls of Axiome and Philosophy By reasons Telescope pretend t' evince Beyond this World we can no other see And not to be Worse than lifes greatest storm appears Than all its Hurricanes of hopes and fears So some baulkt Gamester who hath but one poor Stake Left of his Stock and knows not when he may Get more to keep in play Does his last chance with trembling take And fain he would the fatal throw delay The Box once lost to him for ever 's past away V. Or if we 're fully satisfied The Soul is to Divinity allied That its impenetrable hypostasis Is of a lasting and substantial make Which Death's arrest can never shake But from our scattered Ashes shall arise Bekindled with exhalted energies If this her fixt perswasion be Doubtless 't is guilt that makes us pale and grone When fate sends out the black Decree Of dissolution As a debauch't Gallant That 's just embarquing for a foreign Land ' Midst throngs of Creditors does worried stand Who for quick payment with wild fury rant So Conscience rallies up Of crimes the worst of Debts ten thousand Bills Embitters with new poysons Death 's ungrateful Cup And the departing Soul with shame and horror fills So that Mankind doth lye Under a sad necessity Of strong desire to live and wretched fear to die Which way so ere their faith they turn A forcible Dilemma's Horn Wounds them in each Hypothesis The Atheist would for ever live in this 'Cause there 's no other World the Theist 'cause there is By Mr. Walrond of All Souls An addition by another hand VI. But the true Christian whose firm Faith doth sway His Heart and Life who humbly doth obey That Gospel he believes and in good earnest makes Heaven his end and Holiness the way Wherein he constantly doth walk Whilst he thro' this low World his journey takes And leaves great things which others use to talk This gallant Man can Death outbrave Which if a Monarch fear that Monarch is a Slave Mean Slave is he who fears to die He lives yea dies in daily fear Death tho' far off he thinks and makes it near Afraid of every Man that passeth by Of every Beast and Bird and every Fly Of every Bit and every Draught Which is ever poysoned by his own dire thought Fain the poor Wretch would longer live And yet he fears what longer Life must give He dare not Eat he dare not Sleep Tho' thousand armed Guards strict watch do keep O're him the mighty Prisoner Day and Night They watch as if 't were to prevent his flight These aw'd with threats and hir'd with great rewards To keep him safe yet cannot save his breast From fears which still disturb his rest Alas the Tyrant fears those very armed Guards VII But the true Christian free From this ignoble painful slavery O're fear of Death has got the Victory And o're the love of Life and all that 's here Which this low Life to Mortals doth endear His Soul by Grace refin'd from drossie Earth From sordid Lusts and love of Sin Made mindful of its own high Birth It will not be confin'd within These narrow bounds of Matter and of Time But up into Eternity will clime With wings of Faith and fervent Love doth soar To the Aethereal Regions there to share Those Glories which our Lord is gone before For all his faithful Followers to prepare Our Lord who drove away dark shades of Night Brought Life and Immortality to light And with that darkness banisht fear And by that Light our minds did chear The Christian he doth teach to wait And long for Death that shall translate His Soul to its most blissful State And makes him patient to endure The cares of Life or miseries of old Age Even when the torturing Stone the Gout or Colick rage He bears with courage what he cannot cure VIII Not love of Life but hope of Heaven does give This courage and makes him content to live In midst of Racks and cruel Pain Who in the midst of joys counts Death his gain Strong and untir'd he acts th' allotted part Undauntedly he bears th' inflicted smart Not that he fondly cares still to repeat Lifes tedious Circle still to eat To Drink to Talk to Work and Sleep Still to roll the Stone up Hill The Stone which tumbles downward still Only he knows he must his Station keep Untill the General bids sound a Retreat And when he hears that joyful sound Gladly he doth himself prepare To march away and doth himself his breast make bare When Death draws nigh to give the healing wound He dare not on his Life commit a Rape Heaven is not taken by that Violence But he dare meet Death in the horrid'st shape He nothing fears from that kind Providence Which wisely orders all Axes and Halters Flames and Swords Whatever else we dreadful call What are they all but Bugbear words To fright weak Childish minds but cannot fright That Man of Wisdom and of Might The valiant Christian not afaid to die For Death is all those great words signifie IX If Death be all what does the good Man care Whether an Halter or a Quinsie choke And stop that breath which he doth freely yield Whether an Ax or Apoplexy give the Stroke The gentle Stroke of Death The good Man generously dare In a good cause die in the open Field As well as in his Bed give up his breath Nor does he fear the stormy Ocean's Wave In a Sea Monsters Paunch dare make his Grave Is unconcern'd whether he expire In some Malignant Fevers fire Or in the nobler flames of Martyrdom Elias-like he be conducted home O're all he is a Conqueror And somewhat more ' i th' midst of all he can in triump sing O Death where is thy Sting Of that long since thou was bereft For in our dying Lord that sting was left In stead whereof Death now hath got a Wing Which helps to waft the Heaven-born Soul on High When once releas'd from this dull earthly Clod There the free Soul to her own home doth fly For ever there to make her blest abode Where she no more doth fear to sin to smart or die But there she clearly doth behold her God Her God she there loves and enjoys eternally Midnight Meditations LOOK here my Soul how sparkling and how bright These Stars do shine in this cold frosty Night From the Sun's absence they advantage take Their native lustre visible
and quiet times would owe But to the Valour which subdues his Foe O daring conqu'ring Virtue 't is we prize As this claims Glory as its just desert Shelves Sands and Tempests are the Exercise And Honour of the skilful Pilots Art. Who boasts a Virtue that was never tri'd Is a stout Seaman by a Fire-side Great Praise we to our wise Creator owe Who tho he hath not which he eas'ly could Made all things sweet and smooth to make them so Gives us the pow'r all Earth he made not Gold But gives th' Elixir which can do as much Turning course Stones to pure Gold by its touch On the Rain that fell in June 81. after a long Drought from the beginning of April begun in my Iourney WHilst gracious Lord thy Creatures all around Give thee what praise they can shall Man be found The only sensless dull and silent Thing Shall he be mute whilst ev'n the Fields do sing Their pleasedness is in their Colour seen How soon the parched Earth looks fresh and green The thankful Corn its head doth humbly bend Flow'rs and Herbs sweet Odors heaven-ward send The chearful Birds which in all Weathers sing And thereby chide and shame Mans murmuring Now use their utmost Art and strain their Throats To warble forth their sweet melodious Notes The duller Beasts hear this and straightway they As dancing to this Musick Frisk and Play. A noble gratitude they teach whilst for these showrs They thankful are whose benefit is ours And what shall we who more receive than they And more can render shall not we repay Those thanks to which the lower Creatures all As well as our Creator do us call And both we disobey and both we wrong If we with all the rest joyn not our Song Since they by us their Praises send to Hea'vn By us who know all good Things thence are giv'n And who with Speech and Reason were indu'd First to conceive then shew our Gratitude Wherefore I do adore that Providence Which these enriching Showers doth dispence That to the languishing and parched Earth And dying Grain and Herbs gives life and birth The thirsty Fields which could no moisture get From Springs or Rivers are refresht with wet In such a way as would mirac'lous seem Did not the commonness abate esteem What makes the Vapours to ascend on high And there condense to Clouds that fill the Sky What makes those hollow Clouds strong to contain Within their Wombs vast Treasuries of Rain And what supports them when thus weighty grown To keep them from a sudden tumbling down Justly we may applaud justly admire The Chymistry of that Coelestial Fire Which from salt Seas fresh Vapors doth extract Like thanks and wonder doth that Art exact Which makes the Clouds to hover as they fall And breaks and parcels them in drops so small Which on the Earth whilst gently they distil Revive those Fruits which Flouds and Spouts would kill Thus Lord thy Works thy Glory do proclaim Both Heav'n and Earth conspire to praise thy Name Ev'n every pile of Grass and every Show'r Which makes that Grass to grow doth shew thy Pow'r No less they shew thy Bounty to us all On whom thy Sun doth shine thy Rain doth fall How wondrous is that Bounty which renews Daily those Gifts which daily we abuse Mercy is thy delight O teach us more To imitate that Mercy we adore And whilst the Earth improves the Sun and Rain Let us not still receive thy Gifts in vain Let warmth and softness in our Hearts be wrought And holy Fruits unto perfection brought Such Fruits as may our Benefactor please Who sends these Gifts and greater Gifts than these He gave his Son his Son did shed his Blood By goodness God designs to make us good And this design his Goodness doth pursue Whilst he affords the rich and heavenly Dew Of 's Word and Grace to quicken and renew Our thirsty Souls O God thou art all Love On this alone we live here and above This doth preserve that Life which first it gave From this the comforts of our Life we have This now gives Grace and Glory hath prepar'd By this we Work from this have our reward And since this Love with blessings fills our days Lord give us Hearts as full of Love and Praise Such Hearts as may direct our Hands and Tongues To pious Actions and to grateful Songs And as each Moment brings from God above Mercy through which we live and breathe and move So Lord let every pulse and every Breath And every action praise Thee until Death Which stops that Breath our Souls shall thither raise Where love's our Life and all our Work is praise And what Crowns all where Death shall not destroy This blessed Life of Love and Praise and Joy. On a Cross with a Crown upon it in Burton betwixt Lancashire and Kendale Sept. 18. 80. THis day in Riding through a Town Upon the Cross I saw a Crown Which straightway brought unto my mind What we in Holy Writ do find That Christ did first his Cross sustain Before he was advanc'd to reign And this is every Christians case Who wins the prize must run the race Our selves we first must well behave E're modestly Rewards we crave Bearing the burthen of the day E're we receive the evening-pay And Conquer in our Christian fight Before we have to Triumph right And many sorrows undergo Before the Joys of Heav'n we know Lord to thy Orders I submit Confessing they are just and sit Reason doth teach us and thy Word The Servant 's not above his Lord By Patience and Obedience he To Glory went and so must we But since thy Grace alone doth send Help in the way bliss in the end Such measures of this Grace impart As may both give strength and desert Lord furnish me with pow'r and skill To do and suffer all thy Will Make me but willing to obey And what commands thou pleasest lay Make me but able to abide And how thou wilt let me be tri'd Lord help me so thy yoke to wear Help me my burdens so to bear That when they shall be both laid down I may receive a glorious Crown On the sight of Furness Fells Iune 19. 71. OFT have I seen a barren Mountain shroud Its lofty head within a liquid Cloud There at its will thus height still makes things proud Quaffing up Vapours which had else been Rain Drinking all up yet sending nought again But still a barren Mountain doth remain Whilst humble Valleys which do lye below Waiting till Heaven its kindly Dews bestow In Corn and Wine in Milk and Honey slow Thus greedy proud impatient minds that crave Still more and more from Heaven or nothing have Or yield no Fruit of whatsoere it gave Whilst humble Souls by silent patience Which strongly wooes soon get great blessings thence And thither still return their recompence On the Parting of Ways in a Iourney I Often as I Travel find Divided ways
divide my mind Perplext I stand and don 't well know Whether I here or there should go At length I forward must advance Guided by guesses or by chance And when I have some paces gone I find they both do meet in one This gives my mind some recompence For th' former trouble and suspence Thus in Religions nicer ways One here and there another strays Each fiercely cries that he 's i' th' right And both my tender mind affright Then to the Sacred Rule I go To see if this my way doth show This humble Souls in great things guides But subtle trisles ne're decides When nothing thence is understood The footsteps of the wise and good With care I trace and on I hold Till my maturer thoughts grow bold To slight this trifling difference As seeming of mean consequence Since in all things of weight they both agree And I in them with both this quiets me An account of my Life in the North. Bene qui latuit bene vixit SInce you dear friend wonder how here I live This homely Verse a brief account shall give I live if not in pleasure yet at case Not in loud laughters but in silent peace And tho I rarely meet with merriment I more a stranger am to discontent Here 's no excess nor are things needful scant I seldom feast but yet I never want No dainties here to luxury invite Our food serves well the sober appetite Which need not be with poignant Sawces drest Our healthful Hunger of all Sawce is best Doctors we have none nor much need them here The Doctors we more than Diseases fear For Country-folks think they sell death to dear Altho I lie not on a rich Down-bed Yet do sweet sleeps refresh my weary head No Walks or Gardens here but yet the Field And fragrant Meadows equal pleasures yield No Lutes or Viols entertain my ear But more melodious Birds I daily hear Riches I have not nor do riches need Whilst here at easy rates we clothe and feed I have no Servants whom I may command Nor have I work that needs a Servants hand I am not high enough to envied be Nor do I one whom I should envy see Here 's no applause to make me proud or vain Nor do I meet with censures or disdain My people if they are not wise and great Are not untractable through self-conceit No factious giddy heads that make a Schism For fear of Popery or Arminianism No sawey arrogant controllers such That cry This is too little this too much No such vile wretches who their Preacher hate 'Cause he reproves sin at too smart a rate Wherefore I envy not flocks of more wealth Which give more trouble whilst they have less health If of Companions I have no great store With my own mind I may converse the more And from my old Friends tho I am confin'd Letters may keep us in each others mind Or if whilst buried here I lose their love I 'l fix my mind on surer things above But need I Friends need I Companions crave Whilst I as many Friends as Neighbours have Or if I want the joy of bosom Friends I 'scape the pain which still that joy attends For whilst they live our hearts oft ake with fear But break and bleed when of their death we hear And if I want the comfort of a Wife I have the pleasures of a single life If I no Gallants here nor Beauties see From slavish Love and Courtship I am free What fine things else you in the South can name Our North can shew as good if not the same Ev'n as in Winter you have shorter Nights But Summer us with longer Days requites Thus if my want of joy makes life less sweet Death then will seem less bitter when we meet But what is this Worlds Joy 'T is Innocence And Virtue that do truest joys dispence If Innocence and Virtue with me dwell They 'l make a Paradice of an Hermits Cell On Psal. 19. 57. Thou art my portion O Lord. DIstemper'd men whose Souls are all on fire For earthly toys do heighten their desire By what they reach to and the more they have The less content the more they still do crave Wealth Honours Pleasures all do but enflame Corrupted Appetites not fill the same As Oil when thrown upon a raging fire Quenches it not but makes the flame rise high'r So they in burning Fevers whilst they think To cool their heat encrease it with cold drink The best of creatures never were design'd By their Creator to content the mind But are bestow'd to lead us unto him We up these Streams should to the Fountain swim Only those blessed Souls who place their love On God himself and on the Joys above That solid satisfaction do attain Which others hunt the World for all in vain God is our centre and our place of Rest He fills alone the most enlarged breast He who enjoys him always of excess Will ne're complain nor be of emptiness Who doth enjoy him fully Once but tast His sweetest goodness and thou ne're wilt wast Thy time or love thy serious thought or pains Of things that merit not the name of gains Him thou wilt make thy Portion and thy Lot Nor spend thy Coin for that which profits not In him are heighths and depths of good to move And satisfy his peoples boundless love On Psalm 39. 6 7. IN a retired Hermitage I dwell Where no disturbance can approach my Cell Where scarce with any noise my ears are struck But th' gentle murmurs of a purling Brook Or the soft whispers of the Winds that move The trembling Leaves of an adjoyning Grove Or the sweet musick of the winged Quire Unto whose mirth and freedom I aspire Here with a calm and easie mind I sit From throngs from bus'ness and from passions quit And hence as from an higher Region I The ways of mortals on this Earth descry Their toilsom follies and their fruitless pains Heavy their toils alas but small their gains Shadows they follow dote on painted toys Strangers to manly solid lasting joys Here see the Earthworm lab'ring in a Mine For heaps of Clay which tho he doth refine It 's still but glittering Clay yet the poor slave Here digs till unawares he finds his Grave Where down he lies but leaves behind his Gold For which his Liberty his Ease his Soul he sold His Gold he leaves oft to an unknown Heir Who wildly wasts the fruits of all his care Strange madness this which Misers hath possest Who starve themselves to make their Heirs a feast Here see the proud Man hunting after Fame And yet by vice and bus'ness blots his name Adores himself and would have all adore And therefore is by all despis'd the more Scorns to submit to any Man and yet To his own Passions vilely doth submit He lavishes much labour skill and time Up into some high dignity to climb On which his vain designs if Fortune smile Tott'ring and
Learning whilst thou liv'st learn how to live Receive this necessary truth from me Who'm old my self old men should learners be But Oh the madness of our age when I As in my way you know to th' Schools pass by Th' Italian Theater what crowding's there So men about the Cryer flock to hear The Graecian Musick here Oh toyish pride Who tunes his Pipes best Auditors decide Mean while those places where good men should be We only full of empty Seats do see Yea and their few frequenters most deride As dronish fools men lazily imploy'd Welcome such jeers with smiles encounter them A fools contempt a wise man will contemn On on Lucilius now thy Studies ply Lest growing old thou Scholar turn as I Am glad to do Now hasten or undone Thy age will leave the work thy youth begun Why why what progress should I make Dost ask What yet hast done what thinkst Believe 't a task Wisdom to get high titles may I know And unsought Honours be conferred so Men may be wealthy by inheritance But where 's the man whose virtue came by chance This this with pains is got 't will cost no less The man that would in one all goods possess What 's honest only's good those things that please The fancies of the vulgar nor in these Is certainty or truth I 'le tell you why I think thus for I did not justifie You say in th' letter that I sent before This my assertion but did praise it more Than prove it In a word then each thing 's known Good by what 's first and properly its own Thus we commend the cluster-laded Vines The industrious servant and good tasted Wines Why is the Carriers horse made strong i' th' back But 'cause he is appointed for the pack 'Mongst a variety of dogs in those That hunt the Game by th' sent we praise the nose Swiftness in them that take their prey by flight Fierceness in those which with wild beasts do fight In every creature what 's most genuine And self-peculiar answering the design 'T was made for that it 's best is judged then Reason's the best accomplishment of men Reason doth man farthest from brutes remove Exalts him nearest to the Gods above 'T is this alone is mans propriety In other things beasts share as well as he Is he indu'd with strength so Lions are With beauty why the Peacock may compare With him Or is he swift so is an Horse I need not say Man in all these is th' worse Excluding accidents what can he claim For his He hath a body true the same Have Trees Or voluntary motion so Have worms A voice but Dogs we know Have shriller mouths A Bull can louder roar Than he can hollow Nightingales have more Melodious throats Reason is therefore his His happiness depends alone on this If Beings have a proper good and then Begin to be accounted happy when The good they were design'd for they possess Reason consummate is mans happiness 'T is this we call Virtue or Honesty Synonimous both these expressions be We now enquire not what in general Is good but what we may a mans Good call Virtue thou say'st is eas'ly understood That it is a but not the only good Yet it appears so since in all you love Virtue by 't self in all Vice disapprove Suppose a man blest with o'reflowing wealth Honours Retinue Friends all great good health Yet can these outside bravenesses scarce fee You to approve him if he vicious be On th' other hand imagine one in wants Friendless ne're waited on by Supplicants Claiming no honour as his birthright no Continued line of Ancestors can show Yet his known goodness will thy love procure Maugre those disadvantages Then sure We must allow that th' only Good of man Which in the absence of all other can Get that esteem nought else can wanting this The like in other things apparent is A painted fineness Gold or Silver beak Rich lading Ivory Ceilings do not speak Ships therefore good but a close-jointed building Well rigg'd into a firmness neither yielding To waves or storms a sitness to obey The Pilots hand that doth direct its way The Sword it self we praise not for the gilt Belt that it hangs in for a Silver Hilt Or Scabbard set with Pearls but when it 's made Of well-wrought steel an Armour-piercing Blade So in his Rule the skilful Architect Doth straightness not fine workmanship respect Each thing claims praise for th' innate properties That serve its end not bare appendices It skills not what men have then how they fill Their Chests with Us'ry how much Land they till How many crouching Honourers they have What costly Glass they drink in or how brave Rich Beds they lie on what fine Clothes they wear How high they live No but how good they are And then they 're good when in their actions they Reason conform'd to Nature's Laws obey This Virtue is which doth its owners make Blessed and works as they of this partake Goodness derive since nought but what doth flow From this is good sure it alone is so If you will grant all humane goods consin'd To vvhat 's most properly the man his Mind Virtue alone will be admitted vvhich Confirms enlarges to the noblest pitch Exalts the soul Whatever else incites And seems to gratifie or appetites Enfeebles and corrupts them in the end Such objects whilst they speciously pretend To heighten our conditions they but raise An empty swelling pride and so debase Our minds and with the pageantry of Shews And pompous Nothings they our hopes abuse In all our actions reference must be had For guidance of our lives to Good and Bad. From those impartially consulted we Learn what perform'd what must omitted be Let the resolv'd good man his duty know He will thereto through hardships losses go And threatning dangers but no proffer'd price No honour safety ease can him intice To what dishonest seems no hopes invite Him to what 's ill from good no fears affright Virtue and Vice seem only good and ill Since a respect to these should rule our will And give us Law 's whereby our lives to frame An even Virtue which all times the same Tenour retains is of all goods the best Because who own it once are dispossest Thereof by no attempts of force or art This Wisdom ne're to folly can revert We meet with frequent instances of those Whose inconsulted rashness doth expose Them to those hardships common spirits fear Who trample on what others hold most dear Thus have some Voluntaries dar'd to hold Their hands like fire-brands in the flames whose bold Resolved laughter not the tort'ring rack Disturb'd but they could smile whilst sinews crack Men of such hardned tempers oft have been Whose tearless eyes their Children dead have seen Who have encountred Death in fearless sort Thus Love Ambition Rage dare dangers court And should judicious Constancy do less Than but a sit of furious senslesness Nor good