frown'd upon my Birth Nor to this Hour allows one Minute's Mirth Yet still I 'm flatter'd with deceitful Air That always says to Morrow shall be fair No Morrow yet has darted one kind Ray But still proves darker than the former Day The ruffling Winds oftimes disturb the Main But soon the Billows grow compos'd again No Leaves in Winter on the Grove are seen Which yet the next Spring Cloaths with fresher Green When sudden Storms eclipse the Morning's Light Those once dispers'd the Day returns more bright My gloomy Thoughts no Interval can find The Tempest always rages in my Mind My Sighs are all the Musick I employ My Sighs are all the Musick I enjoy With these I pass the tedious Night away With these I pass the yet more tedious Day My Friends 't is true their Counsel oft address Advise me oft to make my Sorrows less I took their Council gave to Mirth the Rein Mirth only brought more sharp Returns of Pain For when my Griefs with Laughter I 'd beguile Tempestuous Sighs destroy'd the Infant Smile And when I try to Sleep my Griefs to Rest Their Crys fright from my Door the gentle Guest Ye Streams and Groves my long frequented Seats Ye Rocks Caves my Sorrows last Retreats You know how oft my Groans in vain supprest Have with recoiling Fury torn my Breast While Eccho gentle sharer of my Woe Returns a Sigh to ev'ry Sigh I throw Here Progne do's her mournful Story tell Answer'd by sadder Notes of Philomel Each in her Turn renews the doleful Strain While Halcyons from the distant Shoars complain With these the Turtle joins eternal Moan Like me she mourns and murmurs all alone Thus Fate do's cruelly my Life prolong Of all my suffrings Life the greatest Wrong Out of Hermannus Hugo I Charge you O Daughters of Jerusalem if ye find my Beloved that ye tell him I am sick of Love Cant. 5. 8. YE happy souls of Heavenly Salem's Race Whose snowy Feet the Azure Temples grace You you I charge attend my sacred Strain If ye by chance shou'd find my Love again Tell him I Languish with a Fire unknown As Iasmins saint beneath th' Assyrian Sun For ' midst the Darts he lately scatter'd round He fell himself a Shaft and I a Wound At least his own Blood ting'd the pointed Steel ' For I more His than my own Sufferings feel Ah! with what fires was then my Soul possest As if whole Aetna heav'd within my Breast If he 's inquisitive as Lovers are And should enquire of each particular Talk all the Forms of Languish and Distress Which Pain forbids the Sufferer to express He 'll ask if I am Feaverish tell him No My Spirits are too weak my Pulse too low He 'll ask if danger of my Life appears Tell what your Eyes discover not your Ears Tell him you bid me speak whilst my faint breath Imported nothing but the signs of Death Perhaps he 'll ask you how I did appear What Looks and what my other symptoms were This or like This let your Description be That he my danger with its Cause may see A pale a frightful trembling Ghost I lye Condemn'd O Fate neither to live nor dye I pant and struggle for my hovering Breath Labouring for either perfect Life or Death With heavy Eyes that sink in gloomy Shade My faint Right hand within my Bosom laid No rosy Colours no young Native heat No Pulse tho' touch'd can be perceiv'd to beat A floud of Tears wash my faint Life away And dying Sighs to him my Soul convey Whilst in these sad Complaints I still admire To feel I burn yet know not what 's the fire Unless 't is Love which doth these Passions move For every accent of my Pain is Love From hence I find from hence proceeds my flame I know not Love but yet a Lover am Love made my Plaints so loud my Sighs so deep Love taught my unexperienc'd Eyes to weep From hence th' Abruptness of my Language came That I could utter nothing but his Name This in these words Let my Beloved hear That I fond of my pain his Fetters bear Tell him I burn with such a gentle fire As Roses in the Summers heat expire Tell him that I with long Desires decay As hoary Lillies droop and fade away I charge ye tell him I am sick of Love And my last Sickness tell him it will prove ON EASTER-DAY By an unknown Hand 1. HArk Sure I hear Urania play I hear her tune the heavenly Strings Some wondrous Tidings sure she brings Oh! now methinks I hear her say The Sun of Rightcousness To day Must break must rise must come away With Healing on his Wings 2. 'T is done behold the God appear Fulfilling all that he hath said Captivity is Captive led Death of his old invenom'd Spear Behold disarm'd and conquer'd here The Grave no more the Members seat Since risen is the Head 3. In vain the silly Rabbins strove A Stratagem of Force to find The Lord Omnipotent to bind Too weak to stop Almighty Love Their Guards their Stone their Seal must prove The trembling Earth doth all remove Like Dust before the Wind. 4. Let ransom'd Men in Praises vie Let every faithful Soul rejoice And tune to Angels Notes his Voice Hail Son of David let them cry Hail Thou that Livest and didst Dye That list'st thy glorious Seat on high And Sufferings mad'st thy Choice 5. Unfold ye Everlasting Gates That Guard the great Iehovah's Towers Those Sacred My stick Leaves of yours The King of Glory for you waits Receive him O ye blissful Bow'rs Ye Thrones Dominions Sceptred Powers He comes accomplish'd are the Hours Appointed by the Fates 6. Be now thy Foes thy Footstool made Exalted high on God's Right-hand A Priest for ever mayst thou stand Thy dear Redeeming Blood to plead Th' imperfect Sacrifice to aid Which is by wretched Man convey'd And never must be scann'd A Preparation to PRAYER By the same Hand 1. LET no bold Prayer presume to rise Let no unhallowed Incense go A fruitless Progress through the Skies Whilst here thy Heart remains below Thy Heart adorn'd in all its best desires Thy Father kindly courts thy awful God requires 2. Think with what Reverence and State Thy Maker is ador'd Above What mighty Beings round him wait And pay their Worship and their Love That Cherubims are in his Sight afraid And with enfolded Wings their glorious Faces Shade 3. How must that Guardian Angel grieve That to attend thy Soul is sent Such cold Petitions to receive As his warm Zeal can ne'er present How must he grieve thy empty Forms to see In Spirit and in Truth his God must worshipt be 4. How will it swell thy final Cares How will it all thy hopes defeat To see thy Sins increas'd by Prayers Which only could their force abate How can'st thou hope t' escape those foreign Harms Who thus against thy self turn'st thy defensive Arms GOLD is try'd in the Fire
S Gribelin in et sculps Whom have I in Heaven but Thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire in comparison of Thee Psal. 73. ver 25. Miscellanea Sacra OR POEMS ON Divine Moral SUBJECTS Collected by N. Tate Servant to His MAJESTY 'T is not that which First we Love But what Dying we approve Mr. Waller LONDON Printed for Hen. Playford in the Temple-Change in Fleetstreet MCDXCVI TO HER ROYAL HIGHNESS The PRINCESS ANNE of DENMARK MADAM THE Reformation of Poetry and Restoring the Muses to the Service of the Temple is a Glorious Work and requires a Patroness whose transcendent Quality and Virtues can give Sanction to what she is pleased to favour 'T was therefore my Duty as well as Ambition to present these pious Composures to your Royal Highness's Protection which like an Altar should only be approach'd with Religious Offerings A Book design'd for Publick Benefit cannot want Encouragement from a Princess who declines no Opportunity of doing Good Piety Madam has appear'd in all your Actions and Deportment with such prevailing Charms as have engaged many to become her Votaries even in so deprav'd an Age as This. Your Royal Brest is the Sacred Court where the Graces and Virtues have their respective Stations and where Charity has her Throne But Madam 't would be Presumption for any Pen to attempt your Panegyrick as it is written in the Souls and Sentiments of All who are Admirers of exemplary and accomplish'd Worth Although 't is the Transport of pious Minds to Contemplate that exalted State of Glory Reserv'd for you in the Regions of Eternal Happiness Yet Madam in Pitty to an Age where your Pattern and Presence are so Necessary Your long and prosperous Continuance Here is the National Wish from the Great to the Meanest and amongst them the Prayer of Madam Your ROYAL HIGHNESS'S most humble and Obedient Servant N. Tate PREFACE THE Publishing an Annual Miscellany of Poems on Divine and Moral Subjects can displease no Persons who have any respect for Virtue and She has few profest Enemies That Religion and Morality are capable of all the Embellishments of Poetry has been confirmed by the Suffrage and Performance of best Poets in all Ages 'T is there the Muses breath their native Air. After all their Prodigal persuits of Vanity 'T is thither they must come to recover Strength and Beauty to appear like Themselves in a Dress that is suitable to their Quality Those are only to be accounted legitimate Off-springs of Wit which are useful to the World or at least Inoffensive For such Births which the Muse that conceiv'd them cannot look upon with Satisfaction should be excluded the Favour and Patronage of noble Minds Cui non risêre Parentes Nec Deus hunc Mensâ Dea nec dignata Cubili est Perhaps there is no Talent or Genius more capable of being serviceable to Mankind than That of Poetry But 't is the Misfortune of that generous Soil to be over-run with poysonous Weeds and thin stockt with wholsome Plants Otherwise I had not inserted in this Collection any of my own Essays Neither will I pretend those from other Hands to be All of 'em choicest in their Kind However they had generally the private Approbation and many of them the Applause of able Iudges Some of 'em carry their Sanction in the Names of their Authors such as Dr. Jeremy Taylor Dr. Fuller Earl of Roscommon and Others Several also amongst the Anonymous will approve themselves to come from Eminent Hands Amongst which the Ladies may have the Entertainment to find that our Age and Country have produc'd more than One Orinda In so good a Design 't is hop'd the Ingenious will timely supply a second Freight and Pardon what they think defective in this first Adventure Youthful Minds will have their Diversions where Poetry comes in for no small Share 'T is therefore a Publick Service to furnish them with such as may be instructive and entertain their Fancy without viciating their Morals For which Reason the Encouraging a Book of this Nature is the Interest of all Parents and Masters of Families who are best Obey'd in Both Capacities when their Children and Servants have a Sense of Piety Nay Religious Poetry may be one Means of reclaiming even profligate Persons by its insinuating Charms in the Sweetness of its Streins and Harmony of its Numbers according to that of our divine Herbert A Verse may take him who a Sermon flies And turn Delight into a Sacrifice If Verse has such Allurements they will doubtless exert themselves most happily on Divine and Moral Subjects which naturally excite all the innocent Passions of our Minds Nothing furnishes the Fancy with more charming Ideas and Imagry No other Topicks or Occasions suggest such exalted Notions and Sentiments nor is any Thing capable of nobler Expression Which I think are all the Requisites a Poet can desire He will certainly find the Holy Scriptures his best Magazine of which Writings Mr. Cowley has truly asserted That They are already either the most accomplish'd Pieces of Poetry in the World or the best Materials for it POEMS ON DIVINE and MORAL SUBJECTS A Morning HYMN by Dr. Fuller formerly Bishop of Lincoln THou wakeful Shepherd that dost Israel keep Rais'd by thy Goodness from the Bed of sleep To Thee I offer up this Hymn As my best Morning Sacrifice Like grateful Incense may to Rise And raise me with it from the bed of Sin And do I Live another day to view O! let me with the Day my Thanks renew And by its Light thy righteous Paths persue Could I redeem the Time I have mispent In sensless Scenes of sinful Merriment Such Exemplary Penitence I 'd practise for each past Offence That ev'n the Innocent Should always wish themselves like me When with such Crimes they such Repentance see An Evening HYMN By Ezr. Simson ANother Day is past But can I say That I have Liv'd not lost another Day For Days and Years if spent in vain Can never to Life's Summ amount 'T is only adding to Death's black Account And must be Reckon'd for again Thou Setting Sun Art Witness how I 've been employ'd If One good Action I have done Worthy the Light that I this Day enjoy'd Thou seest my conscious Fears Therefore kind Planet let thy Ev'ning Beams Before they sink in Western Streams Set first in my Repenting Tears That when thy Lustre is withdrawn From these benighted Eyes To chear my Soul a fairer Dawn And brighter Sun of Righteousness may Rise The Sun who only can send forth a Ray That makes the Morning to Eternal Day INNOCENCE Or the Inestimable Gemm Written by a Young Lady WHat 's Innocence A brighter Gemm Than e'er enricht a Diadem A Gemm that bears a Price so high As Crowns and Empires cannot Buy Yet by the poorest Mortal's Brest This matchless Treasure is possest A Treasure not like other Wealth That 's liable to Fraud or Stealth No Soul of this can be
Divine let my glad Voice proclaim His mighty Goodness and Eternal Name Let my loud Praises thro' the World resound While crowding Nations listen all around 4. But oh my God thy Wonders are too great For Tongue to speak or Verse to celebrate So vast thy Mercies and thy Truths so high They pierce the Clouds and reach beyond the Sky A PARAPHRASE on the 79th Psalm 1. HOw long O Lord of everlasting Might Shall the successful Heathen make abode In thy Inheritance O God! How long defile thy Temple and usurp thy Right See! how the once Proud City Lies Salem a heap of Stones for pity cries Nor here does their unbounded Fury stay Thy Priests they on the Altars slay And cast 'em forth to Birds and savage Beasts of prey Witness the Blood that now on every side Surrounds the City with a Purple Tide Witness the Bodies they deny to have The common Privilege of a Grave This is our Woe and this our Fate While neighbouring Nations to encrease the Weight Triumphantly Rejoice in our unhappy State 2. But O! Thou God of Mercy and of Love How long wilt thou remove Thy dearest Attributes from Thee How long with Anger burn and fiery Jealousy Rather thy irresistless Wrath employ Upon the Kingdoms who thy Name Have never known or known disclaim And durst thy Iacob's Dwellings impiously destroy Forget our Sins O Lord And with a Father's Love relief afford Us like thy Children treat And let thy Mercy be as our Affliction great 3. Help O God of our Salvation Help for the Glory of thy Name Nor let thy own thy own tho' sinful Nation By Thee deserted suffer shame Let not deriding Heathens cry O! where is now their fancy'd Deity And smile and wonder At Thy great Power and yet unactive Thunder Rise Lord and let that Bloud the Heathen shed Dye them again with Red And let thy Vengeance publick be That what they suffer we O God may see 4. Let the loud Groans of Captives pierce the Sky And hear and in a timely Hour Rescue from Death who sentenc'd are to Dye Shew boundless Mercy join'd with boundless Power But for those Wretches who blasphem'd thy Name Cloath them with Everlasting Shame That by their Suffering they may see And dread the Wrath of thy Divinity So we that are Thy darling Flock and thy peculiar Care May in most thankful Numbers raise To Thee Eternal God Eternal Praise Hallelujah The CONVERT An Ode Written by Mr. George Herbert 1. IF ever Tears did flow from Eyes If ever Voice was hoarse with Cries If ever Heart was sore with Sighs Let now my Eyes my Voice my Heart Strive each to play their Part. 2. My Eyes from whence these Tears did spring Where treach'rous Syrens us'd to sing Shall flow no more until they bring A Deluge on my sensual Flame And wash away my Shame 3. My Voice that oft with foolish Lays With Vows and Rants and sensless Praise Frail Beauty's Charms to Heav'n did raise Henceforth shall only pierce the Skies In Penitential Cryes 4. My Heart that gave fond Thoughts their Food Till now averse to all that 's Good The Temple where an Idol stood Henceforth in Sacred Flames shall Burn And be that Idol's URN The Prophet ELIJAH Translated up to Heaven By Mr. Tate ELijah long and faithful Service boasts Under the Banner of the Lord of Hosts Who now his signal Conquests to Reward A Chariot for his Triumph has prepar'd Such matchless Virtue nobly to require Translates him Body'd to the Realms of Light The Prophet now with gen'rous Scorn surveys This Earth where He but for a Passport stays And do's entirely his fir'd Thoughts employ On those bright Regions He must soon enjoy But first for in his Road to Heav'n they lay A Visit to the Prophet's Schools He 'll pay In Legacy where He his Progress goes His Councel and his Blessing He bestows Elisha do's his Master's steps attend A Servant worthy to be stil'd a Friend From Gilgal's Plain to Bethel Journeying on The Prophet Courts his Servant to be gone Near Iericho once more his Charge repeats But still Commands in vain in vain Entreats When Love and Duty once dispute the Field Duty it self must to Affection yield The Prophet now to Iordan's Bank is come The last short Stage to his Celestial Home His Mantle's Sacred Force the Iordan knew And consciously in parting Tides withdrew That Stream long since subdu'd at his command Was disciplin'd to fall to swell or stand The naked Channel now with ease pass'd o'er And Both arriv'd to the remoter shore On that last spot of Earth his Feet must tread The Prophet to his Faithful Servant said O for thy Truth and Love my Servant say How shall a grateful Master Thee repay E'er to Eternal Mansions born away For Thee who still must Earthly Toils pursue Instruct thy willing Master what to do Who wou'd to Thee be Kind as thou to him wer 't True The Favourite with such Indulgence blest So kindly urg'd to make his own Request A while with modest Gratitude stands mute Delays to utter his important Suit Who else might instantly his Wish impart For 't was already form'd within his Heart So vast a Boon he trembles to express Yet must depart unsatisfy'd with less Not Pow'r or Pomp not Safety Wealth or Ease His gen'rous and enflam'd Desires can please Too narrow All for his expanded Mind It will not be to Nature's Bounds confin'd His Soul can Revelation only prize Rapture and Correspondence with the Skies The World do's no proportion'd Scene present No less than Heav'n on Earth can his vast Soul Content O Man of God he cry'd let me inherit A double Portion of thy Sacred Spirit These impious Times such strong Convictions need I cannot else to thy great Charge succeed My Weakness this Concession do's require E'er to thy Sacred Office I aspire To perfect the Foundation Thou hast laid Elisha must have ' twice Elijah's Aid The Prophet grants but grants with this Reserve If me at paiting thy fix'd Eyes observe If in that Minute on their Watch they 'r found Thou hast thy Wish 't is else an empty Sound A Tempest to their Consrence puts an end The fiery Steeds and flaming Wain descend What mean these Terrors This impetuous Air Can Death so dreadful as this Change appear Who wou'd not choose to pass his brazen Gate If such fierce Blessings must on Rapture wait Mistaken Thought the Charriot and the Storm Of Terrour only have the Sound and Form The Vision do's but Lambent Flames present For Speed not Violence the Whirl-wind's sent Elisha the whole Scene with still-fix'd Eyes Beholds and to his tow'ring Master crys My Father O my Father Israel now Has lost her Chariot and her Horse men too Tearing his Garments as on him he calls In Recompence Elijah's Mantle falls While of the Rest his weeping Sight 's bereav'd His Arms the kind descending Pledge receiv'd Now pensive back to Iordan's Bank
and acceptable Men in the time of Adversity By the same Hand 1. IF all th' appointed Days of Man were fair And his few Hours mov'd o'er him like a Breeze That gently fans the waving Trees Soft and Smooth and void of Care As Infants balmy Slumbers are How should we ere assured be That even Temper we might see Were Vertue not Prosperity 2. Not so th' Almighty Wisdom has design'd We should in Ease and Luxury remain Untry'd by Sorrow or by Pain No the great Searcher of the Mind Unshaken Vertue there must find Tho' low as to the Dunghil brought With him whose sifted Patience taught He serv'd for Duty else for nought 3. We see the wealthiest Oar the Earth doth hide Is not receiv'd or pass'd for current Gold Nor by the greedy Miser told Till by the Cleansing Furnace try'd It doth the seven fold Test abide So must the Path of Grief be trod That certain Purifying Road By all th' accepted Sons of God 4. God in this Method to our Needs has bow'd Nor is it Reason guides when we complain Favours alas but fall in vain And the good Things that are allow'd Instead of happy make us proud Let us not then refuse this part But wisely learn the Saving Art Which Tears to Comforts do's convert On AFFLICTION By the same Hand 1. WElcome what e'er my tender Flesh may say Welcome Affliction to my Reason still Tho' hard and rugged on this Rock I lay A sure Foundation which if rais'd with Skill Shall compass Babels aim and reach th' Almighty's Hill 2. Welcome the Rod that do's Adoption shew The Cup whose wholsome Dregs are giv'n me here There is a Day behind if God be true When all these Clouds shall pass and Heaven be clear When those whom most they shade shall shine most glorious there 3. Affliction is the Line which every Saint Is measur'd by his Stature taken right So much it shrinks as they repine or faint But if their Faith or Courage stand upright By that is made the Crown and the full Robe of Light PSALM the 137th Paraphras'd to the 7th Verse By the same Hand PRoud Babylon thou saw'st us Weep Euphrates as he past along Saw on his Banks the Sacred Throng A heavy Solemn Mourning keep Sad Captives to thy Sons and Thee When nothing but our Tears were free A Song of Sion they require And from the neighbouring Trees to take Each Man his dumb neglected Lyre And Cheerful Sounds on them awake But Cheerful Sounds the Strings refuse Nor will their Masters Griefs abuse How can we Lord thy Praise proclaim Here in a strange unhallow'd Land Lest we provoke them to blaspheme A Name they do not understand And with Rent Garments that deplore Above what e'er we felt before But thou Ierusalem so dear If thy lov'd Image e'er depart Or I forget thy Sufferings here Let my Right hand forget her Art My Tongue her Vocal Gift resign And Sacred Verse no more be mine The Second Chapter of the Wisdom of Solomon Paraphras'd By the same Hand The first 12 Lines being an Introduction HOw weak is Man that would himself perswade Out of his Interest and his Tempter aid Misled by present Ioys and humane Pride Would gladly lay his future Hopes aside Uncloath himself of all he holds Divine And to the Earth his Ashes would confine Consent his Soul all pains on it to spare Shou'd vanish like the soft and silent Air This Doctrin which in ancient Times was penn'd Th' industrious Devil took care shou'd still descend And we by Atheists now the same are told Which Israels wisest Prince describes of old The CHAPTER begins THus reason'd they said he but not aright Deluded by the Charms of vain Delight Tho' Life be short how tedious is the day Which some new Pleasure doth not drive away Death hastens on all humane Things to seize And there 's no remedy for that Disease None from the Grave return nor Moses Laws Have seen him come to vindicate their Cause Chance made the World and the same Hand of Chance Did blindly Man into that World advance And when the date of certain years expires As he had never been he back retires That active Fire which animates the Heart And thence all Life and Motion do's impart By some contending Element opprest Extinguish'd fails and quits the darken'd breast The Vapour in our Nostrils steals away And all that row remains is common Clay Time preys upon our Memory and Name And deep Oblivion swallows up our Fame Like a swift Cloud we pass unheeded by No track is left no mark where it did fly Nor shall it e'er return to shade the Sky Since past and future we at distance see And present time can only useful be Voluptuous and in Pleasures let us live And freely spend what Moments we receive Still let us gay and warm Affections hold And when in Age forget that we are old Roses about our youthful Tresses ty Roses shall when they fall their place supply The cheerful Spring shall round our Temples shine Whilst our full Bowls flow with Autumnal Wine The polish'd Skin with Ointments shall begay Circling Perfumes shall usher on the way And soft harmonious Airs about us play Diffusing as we pass Luxuriant Bliss This is our Portion and our Lot is this Justice shall lay aside her useless Scales And Force shall Justice be when Force prevails No Law shall govern no dull Rule take place The Widow nor the hoary Head find grace Oppression shall the righteous Man devour Fashion'd by Conscience for the Tyrant's pow'r Who meekly yields to wrong or vile disgrace Yet from th' Immortal God derives his Race And by himself is arrogantly stil'd Of him he Worships the apparent Child Him let us wait for that upbraids us still With Breach of Laws and Education ill That but at distance views our loose Delight And blasts our Mirth with his reproachful sight Who not like us his Youth to Pleasure gives But singular and solitary lives And does his Eyes on distant Prospects bend Saying the Iust is blessed in his End That let us hasten and his Patience prove And his cool Temper with rough usage move If Son to him whom he Almighty calls He sure will Save when in our hands he falls Let us in Shame and Tortures make him dye And so his Truth and his Protector try Full place did such Imaginations find With Men in Mists of Sin and Error blind That knew not God nor did his Laws regard Unmindful of the Work or the Reward That shall on blameless Souls hereafter rest When with Eternity of Pleasures blest God stampt his Image on created Earth And made it so Immortal in its Birth And tho' th' Inferrial Fiend with Envy fill'd Brought Death into the World and some has kill'd Yet only those that do his part embrace Shall fall to him and his appointed place SOLITUDE HOw far the sweets of Solitude excel The World's loud Mirth and clam'rous
Sports Of Theaters and crowded Courts Only the vertuous Heavenly Soul can tell Which when retir'd and loos'd by Faith Love From the gross Body upward flies Climbs o'er th' impurer lower Skies To gain sweet Converse with blest Minds above Ravish'd with This she seeks a clearer sight And chides the interposing Clay And bars of Flesh that take away Her heavenly Prospect and retard her flight She do's her scorn of this low World express Derides the Pompous Trifles here Honours and Wealth to Sinners dear And wonders why Men call it Happiness Safe in those happy Realms of Light and Love From Clouds and stormy Wind that blow O'er this tempesteous World below She mourns she cannot always keep above In those bright Fields no fears her Joy controul Securely seated from on high She sees the ruddy Lightning fly And hears below the distant Thunder roll She 's there safe guarded from fal'n Angels pow'r That stray in this low void of Air. And watching with unwearied Care First tempt to sin then vanquish'd Souls devour Those Minds become more excellent and pure That Heav'ns calm Regions most frequent Free from Earth's Damps and noisom Scent As wholesom Climates Mens sick Bodies cure And when such Minds descend to Earth agen Their heav'nly Language cheerful Face Fresh Beauty and Celestial Grace Declare the happy Seats where they have been This World is still so turbulent and loud That Heav'ns soft Voice cannot be heard Angels have oft to Men appear'd When all alone but never in a Crowd In silent Groves the Men of old grew wise There prostrate Votaries ador'd And invocated the true Lord There Heathens worship'd too their Deities Sage Druids there Heav'ns Councils understood The Soul does there her Thoughts compose Calmly devout and silent grows Aw'd by the shade and stillness of the Wood. There th' Essens Sect their Innocence were taught Of the next Silver Stream they drank Got a cheap Meal from some green Bank And far from worldly Cares they Liv'd and Thought In Fields and Woods may I safe Pleasures find Nature's Almighty Cause adore Admire the Works but th' Author more Where Objects both delight and teach my Mind May Vallies teach me to be fruitful too May Hills excite me to aspire Like them to Heav'n with rais'd Desire And may my Thoughts flow pure as Fountains do From Birds I 'll learn to sing my Maker's Praise The Sheep shall make me wish I may Grow useful and as meek as they And hear the Pastor that directs my ways Both Birds and Beasts shall my distrust condemn That trust Heav'n's Goodness rove about Free from all Care and anxious Doubts And teach me to depend on Heav'n like them Motives I ne'er shall want of Love and Praise For Heav'n and Earth will still supply My Thoughts with such variety As will new wonder fresh Devotion raise Oh may I something learn from all I see And by the Creatures still ascend To the first Cause whilst I attend To Nature's Volumes of Divinity Let me sweet Solitude's Delights enjoy And Those repair to sensual Sport To Wine and Theaters resort Who know not how their Leisure to employ A Closet or a secret Field with thee Shall Lord to me be far more dear Than all the sensual Pleasures here Than all the poyson'd sweets of Ease Luxury The ENQUIRY By the same Hand I 'VE searcht the barren World but cannot find A Happiness for an Immortal Mind Honours Delights and Riches have all spent Their Smiles in vain to give my Thoughts Content The Joys they yield but for a Moment last And shrink to nothing when they 're close embrac't They never satisfy but feed desire And bring fresh Fuel to a restless Fire What 's one poor drop to him that almost bursts With fierce desires and for an Ocean thirsts My Mind can hold both the rich Indy's store And find it self as empty as before The Treasures Earth throws in their purpose miss Swallow'd and lost in that immense Abyss I 've look'd o'er all the Riches Earth can shew All that it Promises but gives to few And still some Intellectual Good I want Some Happiness this World can never grant Hence mighty God my Thoughts ascend to Thee The spring of Good and Man's Felicity 'T is only thy Immensity can fill The thirsty Soul 's vast and immortal Will This single Thought that all Earth's Joys at Death Will end and cease for ever with my Breath Quite chills my Love and lessens my Esteem And makes a Kingdom but a trifle seem I find my Soul 's misplac'd it longs to see Some higher Good some fix'd Felicity Which it despairs to meet with but in thee I 'm blest with Faculties to entertain Thy self and sure thou mad'st them not in vain And as I can so I desire to be Made happy only in Enjoying thee My Wishes else unsatisfy'd return And make me all my lost Endeavours mourn Thou dost to All but Man Perfection grant That with their Happiness upbraid my want No Hopes or Fears the quiet Stones molest That sweetly in the Earth's low bosom rest Trees to their height and perfect Stature grow No farther Tendencies or Wishes know Rich Flowers with daz'ling Glory crown the Year And in their Smiles a perfect Beauty wear Beasts that have all for which their Nature calls Pleas'd with themselves are happy Animals Above the Earth their Wishes never fly Nor thirst for Heav'n and Immortality No Prospect of a greater Excellence Makes them despise the low Delights of Sense No knowledge of Eternity can shew To them how short these Pleasures are below They can no Dangers while at distance see To interrupt their present Peace and Rest From thoughts of Death and future Sorrows free They are with undisturb'd Enjoyments blest While Souls that can to higher Regions climb And look beyond the whirling Pool of Time Become unhappy by their Eminence And serve but to disturb the sweets of Sense When the sad Mind its sober thoughts emploies And finds it self born for Eternal Joys How Earth's unmanly short Delights displease It rather will have none than such as these It thinks of all its noble Faculties Then looks on Earth and do's its Joys despise Since I have such a Mind as this would I Had never been or may I never dy If no Delights are to be found above What shall I seek on Earth what shall I Love If this be all the Happiness design'd For anxious Man wretched Immortal Mind Happy the Bruits that can't their State resent That know no nobler Joys and are content If Man then can't a perfect State attain His Soul and Appetites are made in vain Man only is Felicity deny'd Vex'd with desires not to be satisfy'd The Lord of All is most unhappy left Of that Perfection Beasts enjoy berest But th' Author sure will not be most unkind To his best Workmanship the Heav'n born Mind He 's so benign he can't but let us have Objects for all the Appetites he
the vanquisht fit My self to Death's cold Arms I freely give While you to shield our State and Altars live You Rate my useless Life at Price too high To make me yours and Israel's Victim Dye More than my Merits or my Hopes could claim To purchase with few Years Immortal Fame With Comfort to your Palace Sir repair To cherrish Her that 's now your only Care My tender Mother's Sorrow to asswage For only You can check the Tyrant's Rage Forget your Worthless Daughter and survive By your Example to keep Her Alive You else resign your Laurels to the Foe And Conquer'd Ammon Triumphs in your Woe Or have you lavish'd all your Love away On my past Years Reserv'd no Kindness for my latest Day If my past Life did you in ought offend In Death at least I wou'd my Fault amend And to the Shades a guiltless Soul descend O Torture the distracted Father crys With Arms extended and uplifted Eyes Too much ye conscious Skies for Man to bear For This is Torment that exceeds despair The weeping Crowd around he then survey'd O if the Death of this Illustrious Maid You wretched makes her Death you only see What must the Murtherer her Father be In Innocence your Sorrow finds Relief I bear the double Load of Guilt and Grief Worldly Greatness By Mr. Ezr. Simson WHat 's worldly Empire Pomp Pow'r The Pageant-Triumph of an Hour Or if the Courtesy of Fate Prolong the Scene an Age's Date 'T is all that Fortune can bestow And if for Life's time lasts the Show Not to a Minute 't will amount In vast Eternity's Account Were Heav'n so pleas'd one Monarch may Arrive to universal Sway Mankind in sole Subjection have Yet to his Passions be a Slave Their stronger Forces shall invest Alarm Assault and Storm his Brest And with the Havock there they make Keep Him as He the World Awake HUMILITY By the same Hand MUch injur'd Grace for being Mild Meaness of Spirit Thou art stil'd Thus sensless Mortals Thee defame Who dost with Heav'n Alliance claim 'T is Thou alone that dost inspire The Greatness that brave Souls Admire The proudest Heroes of the Field To Thee the Prize of Fame must yield To Thee belongs the first Renown Thou only can'st the Glory own To Triumph o'er Fate 's outmost Force And Steer in Storms a steddy Course When Fortune tempts with flatt'ring Wiles Thou only canst resist her Smiles And when her angry Tempests rise Thou only canst her Frowns despise On the Day of Iudgment By the E. of Roscommon THe Day of Wrath that dreadful Day That shall the World in Ashes lay 'T is coming will not cannot stay The Last loud Trumpet 's wondrous Sound Shall through the cleaving Graves rebound And Wake the Nations under Ground Nature and Death shall with supprise Behold the conscious Wretches rise And view their Judge with frighted Eyes Then shall with universal Dread The sacred Mystick Rolls be read To try the Living and the Dead The Judge ascends his awful Throne But when he makes all Secrets known How will a Guilty Face be shown What Intercessor shall I take To save my last important stake When the most Just have cause to quake Thou mighty Formidable King Mercy and Truths eternal Spring Some Charitable Pity bring Forget not what my Ransom cost Nor let my dear bought Soul be lost In storms of guilty Terror tost Thou who for me hast felt such Pain Whose precious Blood the Cross did stain Let not thy Birth and Death be Vain Thou whom avenging Powers obey Remit before the Reckoning Day The Debt which I can never pay Surrounded with amazing Fears Whose Load my Soul with Anguish bears I sigh I weep Accept my Tears Thou who wast mov'd with Mary's Grief And by Absolving of the Thief Hast given me Hopes oh give me relief Oh! let thy Blood my Crimes deface And fix me with those Heirs of Grace Whom Thou on thy Right-hand shalt place From that Portentuous vast Abyss Where Flames devour and Serpents hiss Call me to thy Eternal Bliss Prostrate my contrite Heart I rend My God my Father and my Friend Do not forsake me in my end When Justice shall her Sword unsheath How will they Curse their second Breath Who rise to a severer Death Great God of Mercies pitty take On Souls thou didst Immortal make Nor let their State be that of Woe Which must if Once be ever so FINIS THE CONTENTS THe Morning Hymn by Dr. Fuller formerly Bp. of Lincoln Page 1 An Evening Hymn by Ezr. Simson 2 Innocence Or the Inestimable Gem by a Young Lady 3 By Dr. Fuller 5 By the same Hand 6 By the same Hand 7 Hymn 8 The Passing-Bell 9 Job's Curse by Dr. Jeremy Taylor 11 The Words by a Young Lady 12 A Dialogue between two Penitents 13 Vpon a Quiet Conscience by K. Charles the First 16 A Dialogue betwixt Dives and Abraham Ibid. Soliloquy 18 Psalm the 104 by Mr. Tate 21 The Evening Hymn 27 On our Saviour's Passion pag. 28 The Penitent by Dr. Jeremy Taylor 29 The Blessed Virgin 's Expostulation when our Saviour at 12 Years of Age had withdrawn himself by N. Tate 30 On Pilate's exposing our Lord to the Jews and saying to them Behold the Man 32 Translations out of Boethius Lib. 2. Metre the Fourth 35 Metre Fifth 36 Metre Sixth 37 The last Trumpet by Mr. Tate 38 The Slaughter of the Innocents By the same Hand 39 Vpon the Sight of an Anatomy by Mr. Tate 40 Psalm the First by Capt. Walker 45 Psalm 57. 8 9 10. By the same Hand 47 A Paraphrase on the 79th Psalm 48 The Convert An Ode written by Mr. Geo. Herbert 51 The Prophet Elijah translated up to Heaven by Mr. Tate 53 Hymn by H. W. 58 Hezekiah's Sickness and Recovery by Mr. Tate 60 On the Death of Mr 〈◊〉 who was found Dead upon his Kn 〈…〉 hamber 65 A Paraphrase on several Texts of Scripture expressing the Sighs of a Penitent Soul Translated from Herm. Hugo 68 On Psalm 6. Vers. 3 69 On Ieremiah 9. Vers. 1. 71 On Psalm 69. Vers. 15. 73 On Psalm 143. Vers. 2. 74 A Psalm 75 On Psalm 31. Vers. 10. By N. Tate 77 Out of Hermannus Hugo 79 On Easter-day By an unknown Hand 82 A Preparation to Prayer By the same Hand pag. 85 Gold is try'd in the Fire and acceptable Men in time of Adversity By the same Hand 87 On Affliction By the same Hand 89 Psalm the 137 Paraphras'd to Verse 7th By the same Hand 91 The Second Chapter of the Wisdom of Solomon Paraphras'd The first 12 Lines being an Introduction By the same Hand 93 The Chapter begins 94 Solitude 98 The Enquiry By the same Hand 102 Soliloquy By the same Hand 107 The Safety of a low State Translated out of Seneca's Agamemnon Chor. Argiv By the same Hand pag. 112 Right Zeal By the same Hand 116 Temptations By the same Hand 119 Vpon a most Virtuous and Accomplish'd Young Gentleman who Died of the Small-Pox By S. H. Esq 123 To a Lady upon the X. Commendments cut by her on White-paper and Presented to S. John's College in Oxford 126 Hymn Veni Creator Spiritus Englished by Mr. Wright 129 Jeptha's Vow by N. Tate 132 Worldly Greatness by Mr. Ezr. Simson 136 Humility By the same Hand 137 On the Day of Iudgment By the E. of Roscommon 138 TWo Books of Harmonia Sacra in which are several Hymns c. of this Collection Set to Musick by Dr. Blow the late famous Mr. Henry Purcell and other Masters Bound both Parts 15 s. or the 2 d Part 4 s.