be Give me some mean obscure Recess a Sphere Out of the Road of Business or the fear Of falling lower where I sweetly may My self and dear Retirement still enjoy Let not my Life or Name be known unto The Grandees of the Times tost to and fro By Censures or Applause but let my Age Slide gently by not over-thwart the Stage Of Publick Action unheard unseen And unconcern'd as if I ne'r had been And thus whilst I shall pass my silent daies In shady privacy free from the noise And bustles of the World then shall I A good Old Innocent Plebeian die Death is a mere Surprize a very Snare To him that makes it his lifes greatest care To be a Publick Pageant known to all But unacquainted with himself doth fall There 's no such thing as Pleasure here 'T is all a perfect Cheat Which doth but shine and disappear Whose Charm is but Deceit Th' Experienc'd Prince then reason had Who said of Pleasure it is mad I said of Laughter it is mad and of Mirth what doth it Eccl. 2.2 On Man's Mortality LIKE as the Damask Rose you see Or like the Blossom on the Tree Or like the dainty Flower in May Or like the Morning to the Day Or like the Sun or like the Shade Or like the Gourd which Jonas had Even such is Man whose Thred is Spun Drawn out and cut and so is done The Rose withers the Blossom blasteth The Flower fades the Morning hasteth The Sun sets the Shadow flies The Gourd consumes and Man he dies Like to the Grass that 's newly sprung Or like a Tale that 's new begun Or like the Bird that 's here to day Or like the Pearly dew of May Or like an Hour or like a Span Or like the Singing of a Swan Even such is Man who lives by Breath Is here now there in Life and Death The Grass withers the Tale is ended The Bird is flown the Dew's ascended The Hour is short the Span not long The Swan's near Death Man's life is done Like to the Bubble in the Brook Or in a Glass much like a look Or like the Shuttle in Weavers hand Or like the Writing on the Sand Or like a Thought or like a Dream Or like the gliding of the Stream Even such is Man who lives by Breath Is here now there in Life and Death The Bubble's out the Look's forgot The Shuttle's flung the Writing's blot The Thought is past the Dream is gone The Water glides Man's Life is done Like to an Arrow from the Bow Or like swift course of Watery flow Or like the time 'twixt Flood and Ebb Or like the Spider's tender Webb Or like a Race or like a Goal Or like the dealing of a Dole Even such is Man whose brittle State Is alwaies subject unto Fate The Arrow 's shot the Flood soon spent The Time no Time the Webb's soon rent The Race soon run the Goal soon won The Dole soon dealt Man's life is done Like to the Lightning from the Skie Or like the Post that quick doth hie Or like a Quaver in short Song Or like a Journy three daies long Or like the Pear or like the Plum Or like the Snow when Summer 's come Even such is Man who heaps up sorrow Lives but this day and dies to morrow The Lightning's past the Post must go The Song is short the Journy's so The Pear doth rot the Plumb doth fall The Snow dissolves and so must all It is appointed for all men once to die and after that the Judgment Memor esto brevis aevi Be thou mindful of thy short Life FArewel poor World I must be gon Thou art no home no rest for me I 'le take my Staff and travel on 'Till I a better World may see Now we desire a better Country that is an Heavenly for we look for another City which hath Foundations whose Builder and Maker is GOD. HElp me my GOD O let me find That noble Fortitude of mind Not to be shak'd with every puff of Wind With every puff of Wind let me Be driven nearer unto THEE Else Holy GOD How can I happy be How can I happy be indeed 'Till joyned to that Holy Seed That makes man happy when he has most need Need LORD thou knows I have of THEE To kill the Root of Sin in me LORD let the Root of Sin consumed be Consumed be destroyed quite That Spotless I may in THY sight Appear and THOU in me mai'st take delight SOME USEFUL SAYINGS IN PROSE 1. THE Fear of the LORD is the first step to be accepted of HIM and true Wisdom obtaineth HIS Love. 2. Blessed is that Soul that heareth the LORD speaking in her and receiveth from HIS Mouth the Word of Comfort 3. Blessed are those Ears that hearken only to the Divine Voice and listen not to the Allurements of the World. 4. He that hath little Understanding and feareth GOD is better than he that is exceeding Wise and transgresseth the Law of the most HIGH 5. He that intends to attain to the more inward Spiritual things of Religion must with JESUS depart from the multitude and press of People 6. 'T was Sir Henry Wotton's Motto after all his Travels and Embassies I have at length learn'd That the greatest Wisdom is got by a quiet retirement Let it be our care to live here as we ought contented with the Condition Providence allots us whatever we may meet with in the way we shall be Happy in the end Which the Wise considers 7. Learn to overcome thy self in all things for the Love of thy CREATOR 8. If thou spend the Day profitably thou wilt have cause to rejoyce in the Evening 9. Simple Obedience is to be preferred before all Worldly Wisdom 10. The Glory of a good Man is the Testimony of a good Conscience have That and thou wilt have inward Peace in the midst of many troubles 11. To do alwaies well and to have low thoughts of thy self is a sign of an Humble Soul. 12 They that follow Sensuality stain their own Consciences and lose the favour of GOD. 13. Withdraw thy self violently from that to which nature is viciously inclin'd 14. They that avoid not small faults by little and little fall into greater 15. They that live at liberty and ease shall ever live in disquiet 16. True quietness of Heart is got by resisting our Passions not by obeying them 17. Remember alwaies thy end and how that lost time never returns 18. If we engage into a large Acquaintance and various Familiarities we set open our Gates to the Invaders of most of our time 19. Time fruitlesly passed away will in the end cause an aking Heart 20. Defile not thy Mouth with Swearing neither use thy self to the Naming of the Holy ONE 21. Let the Name of GOD be sparing in your Mouth but abundantly in your Heart 22. The Jews of Old accounted the Name JEHOVAH so Sacred that they durst not utter it the High
Priest alone and that in the Temple only but once in the Year at their Solemn Feast while he blessed the People might have leave to mention it for others it was Death Buxt Lex 23. It is a mark of solly and ill nature to hate reproof 24. Sin and Sorrow are unseparable Companions thou canst not let in the one and shut out the other he that swims in Sin must sink in Sorrow 25. Corrupt Examples may sway with weak minds but the wise in heart will regard and consider their own Duty 26. Oppose no Man willfully neither follow any in evil Courses 27. The clean Soul of a Christian is the House of GOD and also the House of Prayer whose Body is his Temple 28. There are some that Pray often yet are not heard to speak much There are many that make long Prayers yet Pray not at all acceptably 29. Prayer is a more Spiritual and Secret thing in the Sanctified than is understood by most 30. Religion however pull'd several waies is of it self a quiet and strifeless thing Holy indeed but Harmless and Divine yet still shining forth in much Plainness and Simplicity Be you of that Religion which gives Glory to GOD on High on Earth Peace and Good-will towards Men. 31. True Religion is not to fill Heads with Notions and Opinions but to Sow in the mind the Seed of Virtue to direct how to Govern Passions and to destroy self-will 32. Virtue and Goodness ought to be owned in all Parties and Opinions and if these were practised it would reconcile all Men to each other 33. Obstinacy is an Advantage to our Enemies a Trouble to our Friends and the assured overthrow of our Selves 34. So gracious is Providence that every Man has a Light set up within himself for a Guide 35. Cordially espouse all Virtue constantly decline and hate all Vice. 36. To be humble to Superiors is Duty to Equals Civility to Inferiors Courtesie to all Safety 37. It is to be Observ'd that the Poor Man sings at his Plow while the Rich Man frets in his Palace This shews that 't is the mind not the fortune that makes us happy 38. Art thou desirous of a Kingdom saies the Philosopher I will presently shew thee one Rule wisely over thy Self 39. The Glory of the Aged is their Experitence and their Wisdom the Glory of a young Man is his Modesty and Submission 40. He that is a Companion of Riotous Men shameth his Father and dishonoureth his Moher 41. 'T is not for young Men to drink Wine nor for lovers of Virtue to be Drinkers of strong Drink 42. Be not a Companion with Wine bibbers nor with Riotous eaters of Flesh Prov. 23.20 43. He that will be lavish in his Superfluities will afterwards find himself unavoidably straitned in his necessities 44. Conscience once embased the Heart once polluted by vicious Courses is not easily recovered to the true Fear of the LORD 45. Youth should be a Pattern for Virtue not a Priviledg for Vice Therefore let thy Virtues be Grave whilst thy Years are Green. 46. Be meek and courteous to all yet choose only the Virtuous and Harmless for your Companions The Dove flocks not with Ravens 47. Let thy Speech be sober and seldom To know how to be silent is a great advantage to speak well and he that knows not how to do the one knows not the other 48. Who heareth much and speaketh little may best discern Falshood from Truth 49. We ought alwaies to keep a Bridle at our Mouths even in Religious and Holy Occasions because it is hard to fall into arguing without offence to GOD and our Neighbour 50. Let thy Speech be short comprehending much in few Words For long Discourses Amplifications and Repetitions are a sign of Ostentation in the Speaker tedious and irksom and of no real good to the Hearer Even in a good cause or on a good subject a man may say too much 51. The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out Water therefore leave off Contention before it be medled with Prov. 17.4 52. Silence is a Guard of the Conscience a Bridle from Insolence and a sign of Innocence and preserves from many Evils 53. They that turn an others words to a worse end than was intended shews an evil mind and are far from doing therein as they would be done unto 54. There is more desireableness in Meekness and Innocency than in all the Mountains of Prey or Self exaltation 55. A virtuous Man is more Patient in Adversity than a Vicious in Prosperity 56. I will learn contentment by considering others wants and my own enjoyments and not learn discontent from others enjoyments and my own wants 57. A Rich Worldling is rather to be pitied for what he wants than envied for what he has 58. Unsatiable desires in Temporals make a man poor in Spirituals 59. How little soever the thing be if it be inordinately loved it defileth the Soul and hindreth the injoyment of the chiefest Good. 60. There is nothing in the World conduceth more to the Composure and Tranquility of the Mind than the serenity and clearness of the Conscience keep but That safe and untainted the Mind will enjoy a Calm and Tranquility in the midst of all the Storms of the World. And altho the Waves beat and the Sea works and the Winds blow the Mind that hath a quiet and clear Conscience within will be as stable and as safe from Perturbation as a Rock in the midst of a tempestuous Sea and will be a Goshen too and within it self when the rest of the World without is like an Egypt for Confusion and Darkness Judge Hales Contempl. 373. 61. Whatever thou dost hazard or lose keep the Integrity of thy Conscience both before troubles come and under them it is a Jewel will make thee Rich in the midst of Poverty a Sun that will give thee Light in the midst of Darkness a Fortress that will keep thee safe in the greatest Danger and that is never to be taken from thee unless thou thy self betray it and deliver it up p. 374. 62. Many words do not satisfie the Soul but a good Life comforteth the Mind and a pure Conscience giveth great assurance in the sight of GOD. 63. He that keeps the Law of GOD and abstains from the impurity of the World that is the good Man the just Liver he is the Apostles true Jew and Circumsition 64. The Curse of the LORD is in the House of the Wicked but HE blesseth the Habitation of the Just 65. Whoso feareth the LORD it shall go well with him at the last and he shall find favour in the day of his Death 66. If I choose the LORD for my Portion then Mercy and Goodness shall follow me whilst I live and Glory and everlasting happiness shall be my Portion when I die 67. Let reason go before every Enterprise And Counsel before every Action 68. Tho a good Life hath but few daies yet a good
MVLTVM in PARVO Or Some useful SAYINGS IN VERSE and PROSE COLLECTED By a Lover of Virtue and Goodness in Whomsoever The Heart of him that is upright In Heavenly knowledge takes delight I will delight my self in THY Statutes If thou would'st true Wisdom win Then thou must retire within That which may be known of GOD is manifest in them Rom. 3.19 LONDON Printed for Samuel Manship at the Black Bull in Cornhill 1687. MVLTVM in PARVO Or some Useful SAYINGS IN VERSE and PROSE c. TO work aright O LORD instruct thou me That in THY Sight I may approved be Then shall my Soul have Rest and Peace for ever In THEE which neither Death nor Hell can sever IT matters not how I appear to Man A Witness in my Soul there is that can This record to the FATHER bear that I Seek not Mans praise but Immortality That so a Crown of Rest I may receive Which Mortals have not in their Power to give If I yet pleased Men I should not be the Servant of Christ THo' all the World my Actions discommend I am at Peace when Conscience is my friend And herein do I exercise my self to have alwaies a Conscience void of offence towards GOD and towards Man. THe Glories of our Birth and State Are Shadows not Substantial things There is no Armour against sate Death laies his Icy-hand on Kings Scepter and Crown must tumble down And in the Dust be equal made With the poor crooked Sythe and Spade All heads must come to the cold Tomb Only the actions of the Just Smell sweet and blossom in the Dust Vivit post funera virtus Virtue lives after Death ALL outward Honour is a Painted fable The humble Man is truly honourable Of virtues all there 's none more wisht by me Than that which graces all Humility The greater thou art the more humble thy self HOnour thy Parents to prolong thy end With them tho' for a Truth do not contend Tho' all should Truth defend do thon lose rather The Truth a while than lose their Loves for ever Honour thy Father and forget not the Sorrows of thy Mother Eccl. 7.27 AS GODS dear See d to learn give heed That when thy Head is hoary Wisdom may be a Crown to thee Transcending Earthly Glory Thy Peace and Rest from GODS own Breast Then Death nor Hell shall sever But thou shall see thy Joys shall be Amen in HIM for ever The Wise in Heart shall inherit Glory but shame shall be the Promotion of Fools Prov. 3.35 TRue virtue is a Coat of Mail ' Gainst which no Weapons can prevail Virtus vera nobilitas Virtue is true Nobility TRuth opprest we often see But quite supprest it cannot be He left not himself without a Witness Acts 14.17 THink that is just 't is not enough to do Unless thy very Thoughts are upright too If well thou do'st and well intend Thou shalt be Crowned in the End. Be thou faithful unto Death that thou maist receive a Crown of Life THE surest Riches he shall gain Who alwaies Faithful doth remain Tutum praesidium integritas Honesty is the best Policy A Blessing will with him abide That hath true Virtue for his Guide Blessings are upon the Head of the Just Pro. 10.6 NO Temper more Mans life doth bless Than simple prudent harmlesness Hugo Grotius a Man of Universal Learning and profound Policy said I would give all my Learning and Honour for the plain Integrity and harmless Innocency of Jean Vtrick ABove thy Knowledg do not rise But with Sobriety be wise Quae supra nos nihil ad nos Those things that are above us are nothing to us WHat matter is it Man for thee to know The reason why the Sea doth Ebb and Flow Or what course the variable Moon doth steer Or how the Sun doth run throughout the year It is thy Wisdom and would better please To fear thy MAKER than to know all these The fear of the LORD is the instruction of Wisdom Prov. 15.33 HE that Commands himself is more a Prince Than he who Nations keeps in Awe And they that yield to what their Souls convince Shall never need another Law. The word is nigh thee in thy Mouth and in thy Heart to obey it and do it Ro. 10.8 Deu. 30.14 HE 's still himself when company is gone Too well employ'd ever to be alone He takes no thought to be observ'd or seen Whil'st all his Acts are eccho'd from within Ama te nesciri pro nihilo reputari Love to be unknown and nothing accounted HE dares not wish nor his own fate propound But if GOD send reads love in every wound And would not lose for all the joys of sense The inward comfort of Obedience Remember Abraham the Father of all the Faithful Who with their present State are not content Oft worser find for their just punishment The Murmuring Israelites are a dreadful Monitor Content's the Crown of Earthly Happiness OPinion is the rate of things rom whence our peace doth flow I have a better fate than Kings Because I think it so Animus omnia facit The mind does all WHen all the stormy World doth roar How unconcern'd am I I cannot fear to tumble lower Who never would be high The lowliest mind is safest HAppy that Soul that is content alone And needs no entertainment but it s own Nunquam minus solus quam cum solus Never less alone than when alone AT length this secret I have learn'd Who will be happy must be unconcern'd Must all their Comfort in their bosom wear And seek their Treasure and their Power there We have this Treasure in Earthen Vessels 2 Cor. 4.7 FLy Tales and Rumours lest of News The Inventer thou be thought For Silence seldom hurts a man But Speech much harm hath wrought Vir sapit qui pauca loquitur That man is wise that speaks little AGainst thy Friend with force of Words Strive not in any wise Sometimes of Words which are but Wind Great Controversies rise Beati pacifici Blessed are the Peace-makers WHat faults thou find'st in other men Let not be found in thee Great shame in him that Vice reproves Himself not to be free T is bad when Vice corrects Sin. TO carp at others words let not thy Wit be ill apply'd Lest by thine own Example taught another thee deride He that keepeth his Tongue keepeth his Soul from troubles Prov. 21.23 IF with a Stranger thou discourse first learn By strictest observation to discern If he be wiser than thy self if so Be dumb and rather choose by him to know But if perchance thy self the wiser be Then do thou speak that he may learn by thee Refrain not to speak when there is an opportunity to do good Eccl. 4.23 SAge Counsel from thy Servants mouth Disdain not to respect Nor any man's advice that may Thy proper good effect Fas est ab hoste doceri 'T is fit to learn even of an Enemy IN all thy