wretch of little worth In sin my Mothers womb alas Conceiv'd and brought me forth Lord with thy grace enrich my heart Take out the filth therein Let fools pursue their idle Art To make a mock at sin Wo unto them their sins do draw With ropes them fast to tie That bind Iniquity their Law With cords of Vanitie If sinners could but count their score They'd fear a future doom Let him that sinneth sin no more Lest worser things shall come Whoso doth his transgression love Careless or lose or win He strangely doth himself approve To be a slave to sin Lord fix my heart still towards thee Especially at Pray'r Lest my Petition on my knee Become to me a snare Surely the quintessence of sin Satan that Judas is He turns a murtherer when in Leads the poor Soul amiss And kills it with a kiss ¶ The Check PEace rebel Sin and dare not to rebel For thou art dead Without the Law and thou that cam'st from Hell Art Captive led How durst thou say to him that dwells on high The Holy One Look on the World where all my wealth doth lie 'T is all as none Or yet how durst thou say unto the Christ If there be none Like thee or if by thee men do subsist Make bread of stone I read the sting of Death is sin but yet Sin that came first Poor Infant-man no sooner on his feet But fell and burst 'T is said that sin the Child is of the Devil But sin thou art His elder and the very self-same evil Caus'd him to start Then prithee say What is thy name for Death and Devil they Right understood Are both too good ¶ To the God of Heaven BRight builder of the heav'nly Poles Eternal light of faithful Souls Jesus Redeemer of Mankinde Our humble Pray'rs vouchsafe to minde Who lest the fraud of Hell's black King Should all men to destruction bring Didst by a strong impulse of Love The fainting World's Physician prove Who from a sacred Virgins womb Didst an unspotted Victim come Unto the Cross to cleanse the sin The wretched World was plunged in The sound of whose high Pow'r and Name No sooner any voice can frame But all in Heav'n and those that be In Hell how down their trembling knee Thee Christ who at the later day Shalt be our Judge we humbly pray Such Arms of heav'nly Grace to send As from our foes may us defend Be glory giv'n and honour done To God the Father and the Son And to the Holy Ghost on high From Age to Age eternally ¶ The Flower O That I were a lovely Flower In Christ his Bower Or that I were a Weed to fade Under his shade But how can I a Weed become If I am shadow'd with the Son ¶ On Darkness HOw Sinner Darkness better far than Light To be preferr'd It is because the Night Draws a thick Curtain over your black deeds But God's All seeing eye no Curtain heeds If he should shew severity to men And you in Hell you 'd hate your Darkness then ¶ On Love and Hatred I Love too much to hate what I should love I love too much to love what I should hate My Love and Hatred in wrong Centres move Such hateful love God doth abominate I love not Goodness neither hate I Evil My Hate to Vertue 's hot to Vice is cold I love too little God too much the Devil My Love and Hate wrong Objects do behold Lord change my Love to Hate my Hate to Love That so thy Just ce may of both approve ¶ On Justice and Mercy JUstice doth call for Vengeance on my sins And threatens Death as guerdon for the same Mercy to plead for pardon then begins With saying Christ hath undergone the shame Justice shews me an angry God offended And Mercy shews a Saviour crucifi'd Justice says I that sinn'd must be condemned Mercy replies Christ for my sins hath di'd Grim Justice threats with a revengeful Rod Meek Mercy shews me an appeased God Lord though my sins make me for Justice fit Through Christ let mercy triumph over it ¶ On Food A Man with all things needful may be sed God for both Soul and Body Food hath sent That for the Body is material bread And for the Soul his Word 's the nutriment If Bread I want my Body then must perish Without the Word my Soul will fail to thrive He that sends both sends both of them to cherish To keep both Body and the Soul alive Famine of Bread is a destructive Curse But Famine of the Word is much more worse Lord to my Soul thy Heav'nly Food apply Give that a life although my body die ¶ Christ All in All. CHrist is the Rock on which my Faith must build Christ is the Staff on which I safe may lean Christ is for my defence the safest Shield Christ is the Fountain that must wash me clean Who builds not on that Rock doth build on Sand Who leans from him trusts to a broken Reed He falls that fights not under his Command His Blood alone doth make me clean indeed Christ cleanses saves supports my feet from fall He is my only Rock my All in All. Lord to my Soul such Heav'nly Grace impart Thou may'st be Lord and Tenant of my heart ¶ I would but cannot I Would be rich but Riches fly away I would be great but 't is with Envy blended I would be fair but Beauty doth decay I would be brave but 't is with Pride attended I would be worldly-wise but that is Folly I would be strong but 't is a Beast-like guise I would be thought religious that 's unholy I would be learned but it makes not wise These vain Endowments soon draw to an end To each there is a But that doth attend Thus Fate who stops the race of worldly glory Shews such Endowments are but transitory ¶ The Voyage THe World 's a spacious Sea that 's large and wide And man a little Barque that sails therein His thoughts do drive him like the Wind and Tide The shelf that threatens shipwrack is his Sin His Heart 's the Pylot that this Ship doth guide Faith is the Freight with which he freely trades His Anchor Hope Thus doth he safely ride Heav'n is the Haven where the Barque unlades Needs must the Merchant in his Voyage thrive That safely doth at such a Port arrive Lord be thou Pylot to this Ship of mine That both the Ship and Lading may be thine ¶ The Careless Christian. I Do desire my Prayers may be heard Yet I my self regard not how I pray I fear God's wrath yet have I no regard To what I do or what I think or say I know his Promises are just and true Yet do I live as I believ'd them not I hear he Judgements hath for each ones due Yet careless I not terrifi'd a jot Searching my heart to finde the cause of this I find that in my heart no grace there is Lord since thy Grace
the luck For daring boldly to be Thunder-struck He that will be familiarly bold With Heavens mysteries them to unfold May with his judgment overwhelmed be As Adâ—… was with his unhappy Tree The 〈◊〉 must pâ—…y into the Ark God's Judgment was serene though theirs was dark For their presumption this became their gain They by the Lord had Fifty thousand slain Then hover not about this flame which brings Soul fatal falls by scorching of its wings I will improve by what we have reveal'd Not strive to know what God would have conceal'd Lord to preseâ—…ve me from the Devil's gins Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins ¶ On Death SInce nothing is so certain as our death And nothing more uncertain than when breath Expires we ought each minute to prepare Death sends no Summons but comes unaware The grand decry is past dispute not why All men have sinned and all men must die Man's days are numbred he can finde no aid 'T is God hath man upon the balance laid And found him wanting God's all-searching eye Hath thus determin'd men are Vanity Corruption is man's father and the Worms His sisters they have their corrupt conforms The Grave it is his Bed the Sheet his Shrine The Earth his Cover Grass his Carpet fine At last Death comes and he concludes the Theam Finds man asleep and darts him in his Dream Such is our sluggish life a shadow frail A bubble vapour and a trifling tale So vain a story that when we grow old We spend our days before the tale is told The World 's of contraries a vast compound Nothing within it solid is or sound Four Elements in opposition move Each to the other The degrees of Love Cannot be found in a conâ—…used heap 'T is Heaven doth that holy Order keep Death gives our earthly bodies a new cast Refines us that we may prove cleer at last What is corrupt within the grave must lie Till Mortal puts on Immortality No mans corruption can be laid aside Until his body in the Earth abide He chiefly 't is that is afeard to die Hath little hope of an Eternity The time we have to live it is but small Less than a point that 's Geometrical Our common Enemy doth promise fair This world to cheat us of a world more rare Our pleasures do deceitfully entangle Smiling ev'n then when they intend to strangle The world is kindest when it most doth frown And honours list us up to cast us down The Christian then should ready be to cry When God shall call Behold Lord here am I. For they of their Salvation never mist Have been partakers of the death of Christ. God on the Righteous alway hath an eye His ear is ever open to their cry And he that doth a righteous man regard He shall receive a righteous man's reward Be truly zealous shew no vain pretext But live each hour as if to die the next ¶ On Conscience THe Conscience is a Function of the Minde A Guide to Straglers to the Lame and Blinde Over the Will the Conscience sits commanding And is a Guardian to the Understanding For what the Pen of Nature doth engrave Upon that general Knowledge which we have Or to our Thoughts our Minds or to our Acts Conscience applies and summons up our Facts Paul our Example was of Innocence Having a Conscience void of all offence Both towards God and towards men so cleer That his own Conscience was his Overseer Christian unto thy Conscience have an eye Lest Conscience doth accuse for that 's a spie ¶ On Memory MEmory is the Store-house of the Soul The Will 's Dictator Understanding's Scroul There we hoard up the treasures of our Minde And fetch them out as we occasion finde But well it may with filthy Ponds compare Wherein fish die but frogs are nourish'd there So we retain trash that doth sowre and rot Whilst admirable mercies are forgot Thus we that should be Temples of God's praise Are Graves to bury what his love displays All Injuries most men to Marble trust But Courtesies are written in the Dust. What 's bad they can sufficiently retain But what is good is idle thought and vain Like Nets our Memories let clear waters go And nothing catch but sticks and weeds of Wo Or else like Sieves so rashly are we born That do retain the Chaff let go the Corn. But like an holy Ark the Soul should be And as the pot of Manna Memorie Our faculties herein need no excuse Preserving holy Truths for holy use ¶ On a Death-bed-Repentance THis Speech though sad it did a King survive I now must die e're I begin to live And such is the condition of that man That dies e're his Repentance is began That wants his weapons can for none implore For why Behold Death knocketh at his door What signâ—…fie Petitions of a Heart That trembling lies when Death presents his Dart Unhappy certainly must be their Dooms Have Oyl to seek just when the Bridegroom comes Death and the Devil do their Souls pursue And they no refuge have to fly unto The seven years of Plenty all are gone And years of Famine are not thought upon Time that is swift hath took his nimble flight Travel doth tire yet we want rest at night I 'll therefore finish every Work I have So shall I go with Peace unto my Grave ¶ On the Mariner THe Mariner that 's drove by Boreas breath Doth sail within four inches of his death So of the Soul the saying may be true That e're it bids its Cabinet adieu Four inches is the most that it doth keep Betwixt its life and an eternal sleep If the Ship splits or by a fire doth shrink The Ship is swallow'd and the Sailers sink So if our earthly Vessels break the Soul Doth to another Habitation roul For ever plung'd into a boundless Sea The bankless Ocean of Eternity The Soul should therefore careful be and strive To swim before it come to sink or dive ¶ On an Israelite AS the Tree falls so doth it lie And when Death strikes all men must die Only herein the difference is God gives us misery or bliss As in the Red Sea if I go An Israelite though waters flow In triumph I shall tell my story And land rejoycing full of Glory While all mine Enemies lie spread Upon the shore and each one dead But if Egyptian-like I croud And be on this side of the Cloud On this side of the Covenant And yet run hardned in for want Of Grace amongst proud Pharaâ—…h's Troops The Sea shall open all her Poops And e're I finde my Journeys length Justice shall swallow me with strength An Inundation shall destroy My Soul and drown my future Joy O Lord then by thy powerful might Make me thine own an Israelite ¶ On Shame THe age is impudent in which we live Men seem asham'd to be asham'd of blame And to their Errours such a licence give That they delight to glory in
every person is his work 19. It is a spiritual injustice to desire to know the secrets of others and to conceal our own 20. We ought not to love our Neighbour onely because he is good or because we hope he will be so but because God commands us so to do 21. In holy duties we should speak little think much but do more 22. It is a great evil not to do good 23. The just man never dies unprepared for he is well prepared for death who perseveres in Christian justice to the end 24. Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth and a foot out of joynt 25. As he that taketh away a Garment in cold weather and as Vinegar upon Nitre so is he that singeth Songs to a heavy heart 26. It is no shame to be poor Nature brought us so into the World and so we must return 27. Dost thou want things necessary grumble not perchance it was necessary thou shouldest want however seek a lawful remedy if God bless not thy endeavour do thou bless him that knoweth what is fittest for thee Thou art God's Patient prescribe not thy Physician 28. Art thou calumniated examine thy Conscience if that be spotted thou hast a just correction if not guilty thou hast a fair instruction Use both so shalt thou distil honey out of gall and make to thy self a secret friend of an open enemy 29. If thine enemy be hungry give him bread if thirsty give him drink thou thereby heapest coals of fire upon his head and a reward unto thy self 30. Charity makes God our debtor for the Poor are his receivers 31. Hast thou an Estate and wouldst increase it divide thy Riches to the Poor those Seeds that are scattered do encrease but hoarded up they die 32. Correction without instruction makes the Master a Tyrant and the Servant a novice 33. That man is a Conquerour that can subdue his own passions 34. Faithful are the wounds of a friend but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful 35. Arm thy self against a profest enemy but he that dissembleth friendship strikes beyond a caution and wounds above a cure from the one thou mayst deliver thy self but from the other Good Lord deliver thee 36. A man that flattereth his Neighbour sâ—…eadeth a Net for his feet 37. The Touch-stone trieth Gold and Gold trieth men 38. Virtue must be the guide of all Qualities otherwise the Professors are undone 39. As the servants of God are known by their two Vertues Humility and Charity so the servants of the Devil are known by their opposite Vices Pride and Cruelty 40. The best way to keep good acts in memory is to refresh them with new 41. To boast is to be vain since the greatest Conquerour if he measure his own shadow shall finde it no longer than it was before his victory 42. Believe not Soothsayers for Prophesies are never understood till they are accomplished 43. The World is a wide Prison and every day an execution-day 44. Our Stomachs are common Sepulchres for Birds Beasts and Fish they all die to feed us Lord with how many deaths are our poor lives patched up How full of death is the life of man 45. Beware of Drink where Drunkenness reigns Reason is an exile Vertue a stranger and God an enemy Blasphemy is Wit Oaths are Rhetorick and Secrets are Proclamations 46. Whosoever will arrive at a New life must pass by the death of the Old 47. He that is truly humble never thinks himself wronged 48. The good man lives contented with a moderate Estate not so much taking notice of those that have more as those that have less than our selves 49. He that most mortifies natural inclinations receives most supernatural inspirations 50. To shun the accidental troubles of this life is to meditate often upon Eternity 51. It is the great misfortune of man to desire those things which he should only use 52. To have a desire to be poor and not to receive the inconveniencies of it is too great ambition For it is to desire the honour of Poverty and the commodity of Wealth 53. There is no better way to end happily a true spiritual life than daily to begin it 54. He that would have a part with Jesus glorified must first take part with Jesus crucified 55. We should live in this present World as if our Souls were in Heaven and our Bodies in the Grave 56. In the death of our Passions consists the life of our Souls 57. It is not Humility to acknowledge our selves miserable that onely is not to be a beast but it is Humility to desire that others should esteem us so 58. There is no reason to be given for the fault we commit in sin for the fault would not be sin if it were not against Reason 59. Virtues never have their full growth but when they bring forth desires of advancing which like spiritual seeds serve to produce new degrees of Vertues 60. We should never speak of God or of things which concern his service carelesly by way of discourse or entertainment but always with great respect and humble minde 61. We should sear the Judgement of God without discouragement and encourage our selves without presumption 62. The ready way for the Soul to have peace with it self is to obtain its peace with God 63. We may perform many holy actions yet not please God if we neglect to do what he requires of us no more than a Painter in representing an Eagle pleaseth him that desired a Bee 64. Let us never look on our Crosses but through the Cross of Christ thereby we shall finde them pleasant and have fresh desires to be afflicted 65. Desire to obtain the love of God makes us meditate but that love once obtained makes us contemplate THE TABLE A ANgel and Man A Dialogue Page 6 On Ambition 9 An Adieu to the World 14 Almost a Christian 21 St. Ambrose's Hymn 62 St. Augustine's Hymn ibid. The Ascension 66 An Adoration ibid. The Altar 72 The Ant 78 Antiphon 79 Of Angels 82 On Age 94 Acknowledgments 111 Advice to Prisoners 126 St. Austin's Prayer 134 On Alexander the Great 161 B On the Book misprinted the Tree of Life 21 On Beauty 41 The Bible 81 The Beatitudes 82 The Believer 136 Bad at Best 159 On Blasphemy 166 Blessings of the Righteous as they are recorded in Holy Writ 172 C The Christian and Worlding 11 On Conscience 24 On Contentation 30 The Christians Alphabet 59 On Christ's Death 60 On Christ's Cross 63 The Cross 65 On Christ 68 Christian and Death 71 The Candle 77 Of Christ's Passion 83 On Christ's Praying 84 On Christ's Nativity 102 Christ's Triumph to Jerusalem 103 Of Christ's Birth in an Inne 104 To the Creator 105 The Caution 112 On the Conscience 133 On Christ's Nativity expected 137 The Call 138 The Check 149 Christ all in all 152 The Careless Christian 154 The Colestial Painter 156 To the divine Creator 157
¶ The Soul's Soliloquy COme Holy Ghost our Souls inherit With Beams of thy Coelestial Spirit Inflame our Hearts we thee desire With Sparks from thy Coelestial Fire Thou the anoynting Spirit art Who dost thy Seven-fold gifts impart Thy holy Unction from above Is Comfort Life and Fire of Love Enable with perpetual Light The dulness of our blinded Sight Cherish and cleer our soiled face With the abundance of thy Grace Keep far our Foes give Peace at home Where thou art Guard no ill can come Teach us to know the Father Son And thee of both to be but one That through the Ages all-along This may be our endless Song Praise to the Almighty merit Father Son and Holy Spirit ¶ The Enquiry TEll me my Soul where doth thy passion bend Doth it on Heaven or things on earth attend If worldly Objects do thy Reason guide Thou mayst desire but not be satisfi'd If thou dost Beauty love it is a shade But Righteousness doth shine and never fade If worldly Wisdom 't is but as a blast But heav'nly Wisdom doth the World outlast If earthly Riches they have wings and fly But heav'nly Gems do last eternally Estates on earth do as in shipwracks reel In Heaven's harbour are no thieves to steal All thou canst compass here is trifling store In Heav'n are Crowns laid up for evermore Would'st thou have Honour which the World depaints What Honour can be greater than the Saints Or is it Pleasure 't will thy Soul destroy The Just shall enter in their Masters joy But tell me farther what is 't thou wouldst have Both Heav'n and earth on this side of thy Grave Away vain fancies ye are Vertues moth Pitty 〈◊〉 the promise of them both These lustful thoughts lead thee to splendid folly But if thou wouldst be happy then be holy ¶ On Dives SEe with what splendor Dives sits at meat With choice of Dainties courting him to eat His Habit Purple and his Lâ—…nnen fine As if drest up on purpose here to dine How the Spectators look and seem to say There 's too much store provided for one day How many wretched Souls do beg for Bread Whilst this same Glutton hath his Table spread With all varieties And thus they show Their envy But alas did they but know And well consider what his wants are then They'd pity him as if the worst of men His Talent's rich on earth there 's none above it But he wants Grace and Wisdom to improve it All his Estate is but a mighty spoil He hath a Lamp but that Lamp hath no Oyl He hath a Soul but what doth that embrace Vain worldly Lusts the opposites to Grace His House shines gloriously but when all 's done He hath the Star-light but he wants the Sun A Friend to Vice and Vertue 's mortal hater Having the Creature but not the Creator This world 's a Torrent of false Joys the boat Is his vain life doth on it dayly float His Silver Anchor is as weak as Sand Nor can his Gold conduct him safe to Land But rather sink him to the Misers Cell There to inhabit where damn'd Spirits dwell Can he be worth your envy then forbear Rather in pity shed a Christian tear If he be happy May it be thy will O Lord that I be miserable still Give me thy Grace although I 'm clad in Rags Let Vice attend the Miser and his Bags ¶ On Lazarus THe wicked Worldling spends his time in laughter Having his Heaven here his Hell hereafter Contrarywise the good man whilst he 's here Lives as in Hell to sigh and shed his tear But when to Heaven he hereafter flies God wipes away all tears from off his eyes Though here he suffer scorn the worlds annoy Yet He that sows in tears shall reap in joy The Rich man hath his good things in this life Lazarus evil things slights scorn and strife But meets at last with what he here doth miss Eternal joy it is the poor mans bliss Whilst Dives lies as if with Scorpions stung Wishing for Lazarus to cool his tongue That Lazarus who whilome lay before The gilded Postern of the rich mans door Begging some mean remainings of his table Dives rapt up in Silks and costly Sable Glutted with sumptuous food and choice of wine Hath neither time nor ear for them that pine The very kinder Dogs in pity then Licked his Sores thereby instructing men To Love and Charity Observe the end Angels upon the Begger did attend He dies and they to Abraham's bosom fly Leaving him there to all Eternity Whilst Dives striving others to excell When here tormented is in flames of Hell Thus Worldlings ride in pomp to Hell's hot Nest And Penitents in Tears swim to their Rest. The Penitents Praise LOrd now the time returns For weary men to rest And lay aside those pains and cares Wherewith we are opprest Or rather change our thoughts To more concerning cares How to redeem our mis-spent time With Sighs and Tears and Prayers How to provide for Heav'n That place of Rest and Peace Where our full Joys shall never wain Our Pleasures never cease Blest be thy love dear Lord That taught us this sweet way Only to love thee for thy self And for that love obey O thou our Souls chief hope We to thy mercy fly Wheree're we are thou canst protect Whate're we need supply Whether we wake or sleep Either to thee is done By night we through our eye-lids peep As if the night were gone Whether we live or die Both we submit to thee In death we live as well as life If thine in death we be Glory to thee great God One Co-eternal three To Father Son and Holy Ghost Eternal Glory be ¶ Angel and Man A Dialogue Ang. LIsten Oh Sinner I shall make it plain Mankind is wicked altogether vain Nature instructs the bruâ—…ts to bear in mind A friendly consort to each others kind But Man more monstrous than of bruitish hue First preys on them then doth himself undo Devouring Widows houses in his way Pretending Piety seems oft to pray Will with himself and sins oft-times be vext When as his zeal is only a pretext Their very Prayers do themselves condemn As Citizens o' th' new Jerusalem They would appear whenas their chiefest care Should be to crave a Pardon for their Prayer Man What glorious Creature can a tongue rehearse May be compar'd to Man the Universe Is subject to him all things with applause Pay Homage to him and obey his laws God did not from the Angels nature frame His own he took the seed of Abraham Man hath his saults which causeth melancholy Even ye Angels God doth charge with folly Ang. Well have ye said therein we do agree For we are charg'd with such vain things as ye We are your Guardians so to direct Ye safely sleep we Watchmen do protect So great a truth it is no more but thus They are well kept that are secur'd by us And from the
their shame They have a specious Cloak for each offence And study how to palliate their Vice The Covetous hath Husbandry's pretence The Prodigal is free perhaps at Dice The Lecher shrouds his sin i' th' mask of Love The Drunkard to good fellowship pretends The Cheat doth for his Family improve Ill-gotten goods each have their private ends They blush not at the fact yet will not own The Title by the which we may conclude The sense of shame when to perfection grown Restrains from sins can hide a multitude But he that is this apprehension past Le ts loose the Reins of his suborned will Goes hand in hand with Satan till at last Madness and Mischief are his joy and skill The World says to him Take thy pleasure swim In Lust and Liquor Heart the Minde and Eye Are lively merry careless and so trim He doth not care though God's his enemie Fools shew their folly as it sutes their name But prudent men will be asham'd of Shame ¶ On the Wilful Impenitent TEll me fond Worldling why dost thou deride A godly Christian Is 't thy natures pride Dost thou not dayly see his weeping eye Shed Tears to wake thy sleeping Lethargie See how he trembles at the sight of sin Whilst thou lewd actor longest to begin And look'st on him as pusillanimous A Coward or a Drone I tell thee thus Thou' rt rashly valiant and dost spend thy breath On Toys whilst he dare boldly look on Death He 's truly noble and when he appears Is not appall'd before the King of Fears Heav'n is his harbour Grace doth most delight him Hell's horrours may appear but not affright him But as a Conqueror over Death and Hell Can with his Smiles all their Bravadoes quell And with a chearful heart this Ditty sing As if in scorn O Death where is thy sting Or like a Cherubim that flies on high Can say O Hell where is thy victory This is the Valediction of a Saint Whilst Sinners toyl and in their labours faint Where is the Worldling's glory He can sin Can vitious be and he can boast therein Can silence Conscience and outface a Crime And shun a blush to damn his Soul betime That man a Coward is and fights by stealth For if a sickness doth impair his health He then believes Death doth a summons beat And his large Spirit sneaks to a retreat Doth he not tremble when he once hath got A shaking Ague or a Feaver hot And when he feels the heavy hand of Fate He begs for quarter though it be too late What heaviness then fits upon his look Terrour appears Conscience unfolds its book Charges him to consider well and read And just as he begins Death strikes him dead A true Repentance cannot be too late Early Repentance is a blessed state Thus doth a sinner to Perdition fall And that which was his Throne becomes his Thrall ¶ On a Glorious Soul WHenas the Moon her constant course hath run And draws to a Conjunction with the Sun It to the Heavens shines more bright and pure And towards Earth seemeth the more obscure So as the Soul draws neer as like a Spouse Shines fair to Christ is to the World a Blouse He that is pretious unto God that man Is by the World esteem'd a Puritan And he whose Soul in Glory doth inherit Appears but odious to an earthly Spirit For he that looks with a Terrestrial sight Is Lustre-dazled with Coelestial light Shine fair to God if thou'lt to Heaven go Beauty on earth is a beclouded show ¶ On Contentation CYae as asking Pyrrhus his intent What he would do after his hazard spent In many Victories Pyrrhus did reply He 'd take his ease and then live merrily To whom Cyneas That you might have done Before were you contented with your own 'T is not the largeness of the Cage doth bring Notes to the Bird instructing him to sing Moreover though a Bird hath little eye Yet he hath wings by which he soars on high Can see far wider and abundance better Than may an Ox although his eye be greater 'T is not the great Estate that brings Content But Piety the Christian's Ornament The Righteous having little no promotion Yet what he hath when joyned with Devotion May seel more comfort more enjoy God's bounty Than he whose Incomes may command a County But few can be content with what they have He that hath hundreds still for more doth crave If his Possessions be in Houses Land He grasps at more and with a ready hand Omits no mischief that his Craft can nurse To fill his Coffer or enlarge his Purse The greatest thing in little compass can Be comprehended is Content in man And this great Vertue hath its safe abode Only in him that is a Childe of God Who sees and to his brethren cries Content ye Enough 's a feast and Piety hath plentie As when a Traveller comes to his Inn He for a Lodging-room does first begin T' enquire but if he cannot please his minde He is content with such as he shall finde Although perhaps his Room may not delight Well knowing that it is but for a night So is it with the Christian Pilgrim he Can use a large Estate if it should be God's will to bless him with it yet his mind To Heaven's pleasure alway is confin'd A little of the Creatures will asswage Hunger and Thirst in Christian Pilgrimage For let his Journeying be sweet or rough He knows his Father's house hath bread enough Therefore as sweetly feeds in going home As Sampson did upon his Honey-comb Let no man's mind on Earthly things be bent But Having food and rayment be content ¶ On the Hypocrite THe Hypocrite of Actors is the worst His own pretences making him accurst By so much as he acts the better part And Janus-like with double face and heart He can compose his forehead to be grave Although his heart be then his humours slave His modest face doth shew the Characters Of Justice and Religion nor forbears His tongue and gestures so much to proclaim But heart and hands they do recant the same When to the Church he comes he there salutes One of the Pillars and on knee confutes The Atheist worshiping that God in part Whose Precepts never could affect his heart He rises looks about and takes his seat Complains that Charity is not so great As he could wish or heretofore hath been Perhaps bestows an Alms but to be seen Always sits where he may embrace the look Of all Spectators And his Table-book In Sermon-time comes from beneath his coat As seeming fearful he should loose that Note Then takes his Bible hums to rear his voice And turns to some Quotation with a noise Then doubles down the leaf as if the same Were found and loudly asks the Preacher's name And that his Zeal may fervently appear Repeats it that the standers by may hear He can command his Tears reckon up sins With detestation but when he
for the frames Yielding such fruit as few have born but he Zealous for Heaven where he in Glory reigns so his Losses turn'd to be his Gains ¶ On Christ's Death MY God my God turn not to night my day Shall Mans black Crimes be Darts my heart to slay Must my dear blood on sinful dust be spilt To pay his debt and wash away his guilt My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Must I come from a Diadem to Death Leaving my joys in sorrow spend my breath Must I that am coequal with the Father Be crucifi'd that man may comfort gather My God my God c. I that e're now was cloath'd in state of Glory Am now in Rags of Flesh to tell my story I that fill ev'ry place in spight of danger Yet I in fear was cradled in a Manager My God my God c. To Egypt I compelled was to fly I am the Life yet I my self must die I am the sole Dictator of the Law Yet must be subject now and stand in aw My God my God c. 'T was I that both the Earth and Heavens made But working now at Joseph's homely trade Children of men I have ye ost exempted Can binde the Devils yet must I be tempted My God my God c. I made the World of Nothing Man of Dust Yet I have hungred and have been athirst I am become Life to the Lunatick If God can die Nature may well be sick My God my God c. Must I that keep the Keys of Death and Hell Pay visits now where griefs and terrours dwell Must Kings be made the subjects of their scorns And wear instead of Stars a Crown of Thorns My God my God c. My Senses all extreamly are agriev'd My eyes beholding whom I have reliev'd Mine ears with hearing lewd blasphemous Taunts Instead of Hallelujahs sung by Saints My God my God c. Smelling I finde my nostrils streight grow full O' th' evil scent of some corrupted skull My Taste is chang'd with Liquor like my Thrall Sower and bitter Vinegar and Gall. My God my God c. My Feeling with the Spear that pierc'd my side That man might live I thus was crucifi'd At length my Father heard me bad me die But nothing fear sor he himself stood by ¶ An Hymn By St. Ambrose and St. Augustine OUr tongues O God thy praise record We thee consess our Soveraign Lord. To thee Eternal Father all Who dwell on Earth do prostrate fall To thee the Angels at all hours To thee the Heavens and heav'nly powers To thee with voice incessantly The Seraphins and Cherubs cry Thou Holy Holy Holy one Of Sabbath Lord and God alone Fill'd is the Earth the Heavens the Skie With glory of thy Majesty The bless'd Apostles glorious Quire The Prophets whom thou didst inspire And all the White-rob'd Martyrs sing Eternal praise to thee their King The holy Church does loudly sound Thy blessed Name throughout the ronnd Of the whole Earth confessing thee Father of boundless Majestie The same is dutifully done To thy sole Venerable Son And to the Holy Ghost that arms The Soul with consolating Charms Thou Christ hast Kingly Glories won Thy Father 's dear Eternal Son Thou man to free from endless pain A Virgins womb didst nor disdain That death subduing didst unlock Heav'ns Realms unto thy faithful Flock On God's right hand thou fit'st as bright As in thy Father's radiant light Our Judge to come thou art esteem'd Thy servants therefore help redeem'd With thy most precious blood and make Us with thy Saints of Bliss partake Lord save thy people in distress Thy Heritage vouchsase to bless Rule and exalt them without end Our dayly blessings thee attend Thy glorious Name we magnifie From age to age eternally This day sweet Lord we now are in Preserve us from committ'ng sin Have mercy on us Lord efface Our sins with thy Coelestial grace Let mercy on us Lord be seen As in thy self our hopes have been Lord I have fix'd my hopes on thee Then let me ne're confounded be ¶ On Christ's Cross. CAn we spell Chris-cross row and yet not read That Christ for us was dead How he himself did humble unto death Loosing his life to give us breath But now he shines in the Coelestial Frame And hath receiv'd a Name To which all knees shall bow and tongues shall say This is the Lord we must obey He that doth disregard the Cross of Christ Of Happiness hath mist Destruction is his end his glory shame But happy he doth love the same I will not hate the Cross nor yet adore Any but he it bore I 'll not blaspheme the Cross because t was dy'd With his rich blood was crucifi'd Rich beyond price for when that blood was spilt It cleans'd a world of guilt It bought mankinde for when Christ's blood was flown As Lord he call'd us all his own Wherefore I will not worship any one But my dear Lord alone Take up my Cross and bear my Cross I will I 'll love it and embrace it still But to adore my Cross I will not dare All knees should that forbear In reverence to his Name all hearts shall bow With pious Zeal as mine does now Christ never wanted crosses scoffs and scorns His ways were strew'd with thorns Then may we judge by his most sacred birth He 's cross'd wants crosses here on Earth ¶ The Cross. Then let us count all things as loss And Dung compared with the Cross. This is the Figure of that Tree That bore the fruit of life for me The Emblem of Humility Express'd in him did on it die To it was nail'd the God of Life Who did in Love to end our Strife God had one Son who had no sin But all his Sons have crossed bin ¶ The Resurrection HE 's risen now behold the stone is gone Which late was rolled to inclose the Son Had the weak Jews so little wit or grace To trust to that when he fills ev'ry place Earth is his foot-stool yet he dwells on high Holy his Name himself 's Eternity ¶ The Ascention HOw nimbly and with what a quick ascent Heaven was scal'd by the Omnipotent But one days speedy journey surely then Sinners are sots that won't be happy men ¶ An Adoration to the Lord of the Sabbath BEhold we come dear Lord to thee And bow before thy Throne We come to offer on our knee Our Vows to thee alone Whate're we have whate're we are Thy bounty freely gave Thou didst us here in mercy spare And wilt hereafter save But oh can all our store afford No better gifts for thee Thus we confess thy Riches Lord And thus our Poverty 'T is not our tongue or knee can pay The mighty Debt we owe For more we should than we can say Far lower than we bow Come then my Soul bring all thy powers And grieve thou hast no more Bring ev'ry day thy choicest hours And thy great God adore
of Beasts of Springs and Flowers How to use thy noble Powers Call whole Nature to thy aid Since 't was he whole Nature made Joyn in one eternal Song Who to one God all belong Live for ever glorious Lord Live by all thy works ador'd One in Three and Three in One Thrice we bow to thee alone ¶ Of Flesh. ALI Flesh is Grass doth therefore rot For why Can man be born to live and not to die 'T is happiness to leave this life and world And have our names where joys are rife enroll'd The dead ne're fear what Death can do his blast Will come no more for why that wo is past Then to the Soul appeareth Love and Joy For God will not his Turtle-Dove destroy Then though a Torch-light here 't is better far To be put out and after rise a Star ¶ The Grave THough Clay my Cottage is secure Princes do dwell with me And my foundations do endure for aye Death waits on me and with his dart Sends me the stoutest he And Champion-like commands the heart to stay Then be he Rich or be he Poor A Spark or else a Clown They lie together on the floor and so They sleep as if they lay upon The softest Bed of Down Troubles are fled and Griefs are gone for though The Body naked in the cold Earth lies The Soul sings Hallelujahs 'bove the Skies ¶ An Infant EArths little Morsel Man's small Letter And Adam's Copy no one better Before he tasted Eve Nature's fresh Picture drawn in oyl Which time and handling oft doth spoil His Soul appears like Paper white That yet had scarce bore word aright Neither knew how to grieve But purest colours without pains Are subject most to spots and stains He is above the tempts of Devil Since he can't understand an evil His days are raw and dull Nor hath he yet agreed with sin To banish joys let sorrows in He cannot yet be counted wise And being dumb he with his eyes Sings silent tunes of Lull He kisses all doth them approve His Innocency is his Love Nature and Parents much alike Do sometimes dandle sometimes strike With hidden sugred bait They him intice and he doth sup Whate're he finds within the Cup. Could his weak body finde the way To Bliss and here no longer stay He 'd have a happy fate Not knowing sin or mortal crime He 'd reach Eternity betime ¶ The Candle LIke as vain man I downward grow My life is ever wasting I fall by fire still waxing low As man did fall by tasting My house of Tallow doth decrease And I that am but Cotten Within one hour live and decease Am in the next forgotten O Lord pour Oyl into my Lamp To light me to thy home That when it shall extinguish't be I may a Star become ¶ The Ant. ALthough a creature small yet all My labour pains and care 't is rare Is in the Summer to provide Against the Cold and Winter-tide And though so small yet I an eye Can have to things for when weak men Waste time in Feasts and Riot I study for my Diet. Idleness breeds Distempers Povertie Gives room for Sin ye Sluggards learn of me ¶ The Thanksgiving COme let 's adore the gracious hand That brought us to this light That gave his Angels strict command To be our Guard this night When we laid down our weary heads And sleep seal'd up our eye They stood and watch'd about our beds To let no harm come nigh Now we are up they still go on And guide us through the day They never leave their charge alone Whate're besets our way And oh my Soul how many snares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before our feet In all our hopes in all our cares Some dangers still we meet Sometimes the sin does us o'retake And on our weakness win Sometimes our selves our ruine make And we o'retake the sin O save us Lord from all those darts That seek our Souls to slay Save us from us and our filse hearts Lest we our selves betray Save us O Lord to thee we cry From whom all Blessings spring We on thy Grace alone rely Alone thy glory sing Glory to thee eternal Lord Thrice blessed Three in One Thy Name at all times be ador'd Till time it self be done ¶ Antiphon A Dialogue in three parts Chor. THanks be to the Lord on high Angels That gave his Son Men. For us to die Chor. He that is the holy One Ang. Lov'd us of old Men. For us was sold. Chor. He that is the God of might Men. Made us of Dust Ang. For us did fight Chor. He that is the God most just Ang. Set us aright Men. To us gave light Chor. He that made the Heavens Earth Men. And all therein Ang. He is more worth Chor. He it is that knew no sin Ang. Yet suffered death Men. To give us breath Chor. Blessed he hung on the Cross Men. For our great gain Ang. But his own loss Chor. He that heal'd the Blinde and Lame Ang. Yet sought as thief Men. For our relief Chor. He that died with a kiss Men. From wretched man Ang. Is now in Bliss Chor. He that can the Heavens span Men. And do much more Ang. Him we adore Chor. He that was bound to Herod sent Men. And spit upon Ang. He is our Tent. Chor. He that melteth hearts of stone Ang. With us doth stand Men. Doth us command Chor. He that pardon can our sin Ang. Hath broke our snare Men. But we fall in Chor. He with whom none can compare Men. He gave us eyes Ang. He made us rise Chor. He was scourg'd with heavy lash Men. For us lost blood Ang. And us did wash Chor. He it is that is the good Men. Great God alone Ang. Heaven 's his Throne Chor. He that wore a Crown of Thorns Men. That doth us keep Ang. And us adorns Chor. He the Shepherd of the Sheep Ang. Our choicest stock Men. Our only rock Chor. Praise him then that did us make Men. Doth us defend Ang. And us did take Chor. Bless his Name World without end Men. For his great love Ang. To us above Angels and Men praise ye the Lord for aye Oh all ye Nations praise the Lord and say Amen ¶ The Bible The Book of Books The only good To him that looks For heav'nly food A Holy Light In darkest night The blessed Word Of God the Lord. Divinitie In it doth lie Indeed it is The Gate of Bliss ¶ The Dream I Dreamt my Death was but a sleep My Grave and Bed both one And when the morning forth did peep Life came and Death was gone Since so it is that none can be Asleep but such as die O Lord I 'll sleep to all but thee And make my bed on high ¶ The Beatitudes BLess'd are the poor that is the meek in spirit For they the Heav'n God's Kingdom shall inherit Blessed are they that mourn away their years God hears their sighs hath bottles for their tears Blessed
his own teeth doth dig his Grave Who loves his Humour to fulfil His Humour is himself to kill Who doth aspire be great and tall Should carefully beware a fall Who with good works delights to dwell Sails fair for Heaven far from Hell ¶ On Age. THe Painter's Pencil sure must go astray In painting to the life a lump of Clay Who does but seem to live dies every day How can he lively paint a man that hath The cold effigies in his face of Death ¶ On Man and Wife SIlence and Patience are the Twins that make Concord 'twixt Couples never to forsake A Husband good in Words ought to be wise In Conversation wary hating lies Careful Provision ought he to provide In ordering circumspect a careful Guide A Father Master and a Friend beside The good Wife when abroad she should be grave Discreet in governing at home and have Patience to bridle Passions when they move Learning her Husband to obey and love Kinde to her Neighbours courteous unto all Careful of Children be they great or small But chiefly herein there should be no flaws She should her Husband fear and he the Laws ¶ The free Prisoner WHat though a Prisoner I am now Time doth allow Instead of liberty to walk To write or talk What though 〈◊〉 make me sicken They do me quicken My body in confinement lies But my Soul flies What though by nature I am dumb Then I be â—…ome A silent sinner and my tongue Doth no man wrong Or what although I loose my sight Yes if the light Of Divine Graces shine in me My Soul can see Let sorrows come when God thinks best They are my Rest For in afflictions 't is my Psalm The Bruise 〈◊〉 Balm If I 'm afflicted in this World I am but huâ—…'d â—…o Heaven where all pleasures stand At God's right hand Th' afflictions of this world of care Cannot compare To those blest Mansions Christ hath wrought And dearly bought Dear may I say because his blood Is that choice flood That drowns my sorrows and my grief Gives me relief Thus all things work together for their good That have lov'd God and for his honour stood A Jayl's the centre of this Iron-age Yet not my Prison but mine Hermitage He that can boldly dare yet justly do Fortune 's his Subject and his Vassal too ¶ On Sunday THis is the day the Lord hath made Then let not Christians be afraid Laying aside all sin Rejoyce therein The clearest radiant day that shines Upon the Christians golden Mines God's holy Torch and Light That leads aright The day of our Consession The Ease of our Oppression The day of Peace and Rest Churches our Nest. A Light it is to all the Week A Summons to the Proud and Meek That says to Conscience Fie Ye go awry The day that pulleth man from Death And crowns his head with holy Wreath That guides him to his Grave Yet doth him save The Day of God so God of Days It is above my reach of praise God's with his free accord The Sabbaths Lord. It is the Day-book of a Saint A Spring for those that thirst or faint Nor can we say there 's one day Like to Sunday But we 'll such thoughts in silence smother Till we can finde out such another ¶ The Petition STand by me Lord when dangers STARE Keep from my Fruit such choaking TARE That on Confusion grounded ARE. Thou that from Bondage hast me BROUGHT And my deliverance hast ROUGHT 'T is thee that I will praise for OUGHT O Lord to evil make me CHILL Be thou my Rock and holy HILL So shall I need to fear no ILL ¶ Faith's Mystery WIth all the pow'rs my poor Soul hath O humble Love and loyal Faith Thus low my God I bow to thee Whom too much love bow'd low for me Down busie Sense Discourses die And all adore Faith's Mysterie Faith is my Skill Faith can believe As fast as Love new Laws can give Faith is my eye Faith strength affords To keep pace with those pow'rful words And words more sure more sweet than they Love could not think Truth could not say O dear Memorial of that death Which still survives and gives us breath Live ever Bread of Life and be My Food my Joy my All to me Come glorious Lord my hopes increase And fill my Portion in thy Peace Come hidden life and that long day For which I languish come away ¶ On the Judgment GReat God that hast at thy command Both Leaden feet and Iron hand How shall I stand How can I look When thou call'st for thy Dreadful Book Oh save me Lord I then shall say I do confess I went astray Thy Judgment stay O let thy Rod Chastise with mercy O my God O Christ my Saviour may it please Thee thy dear Father's wrath appease And making peace Then I alwaies Will strive to magnifie thy praise Some it is like may shew a Book So full of Blanks that when you look Thereon a Rook You 'll think that man That shews a Scrole with nothing on But so to do is highly vain For he that doth just Judgments rain Can see each stain Keeps just account How ev'ry Sinner's sins amount I am resolv'd when God doth call To hide not one but shew him all That wrought my fall But if my will Exceed my skill Lord do not kill ¶ On the Pharisee and the Publican TWo men into the Temple went to pray The one a Pharisee who thus did say I thank thee God I am no common man No unjust person As this Publican Twice in the week I fast from my excess And I give tythes of all that I possess The humble Publican at distance stood With head and eyes dejected as if food Or heavenly Manna then was to be found Carelessly scatter'd on the dusty ground But as in bitterness of Soul distrest He with his hand smote on his troubled breast Of his Petition this was the beginner O God be merciful to me a sinner The other shew'd rather than Zeal his pride But the poor Publican went justifi'd God doth delight the proud look to abase And on Humility bestows his grace ¶ To God the Father BEfore the closing of the day Creator we thee humbly pray That for thy wonted mercies sake Thou us into protection take May nothing in our mindes excite Vain dreams and fantoms of the night Our Enemy repress that so Our bodies no uncleanness know To Jesus from a Virgin sprung Be Glory given and Praises sung The like to God the Father be And holy Ghost eternallie ¶ To God the Son LEt others take their course And sing what Name they please Let Wealth or Beauty be their theam Such empty sounds as these I never will admire A lump of burnish'd Clay For though it shines it is but dust And shall to dust decay Sweet Jesus is the Name My Song shall still adore Sweet Jesus is the charming Word That does my Life restore When I
chance He call'd her his Sweet Sister Temperance When at her Table she sate down to eat She seldom us'd more than one sort of meat And did in Temperance so much delight She ever rose up with an appetite Nature is with a little satisfi'd Ebriety and Gluttony have tri'd And conquer'd many who to Death did dance One of the spirits fruits is Temperance ¶ On Persecution AS the poor Sheep is to the slaughter led In all humility and free from dread So all God's people may be said to be As Sheep the Emblems of Humility They harmless are and profitable too Obedient to their Shepherd in a crew Led into Folds and Pastures where as strangers They are obnoxious to many dangers Wolves Bryars Thieves Dogs Plagues both great and small But God their Shepherd rids them out of all Many desire the number may increase Of God's good Sheep but 't is a golden Fleece Which they desire to wear However they Most happy are that follow him their way Excellent things the Church of God hath won She 's like a woman cloathed with the Sun Crowned with Stars treading upon the Moon Yet travelling in Birth at night and noon The Dragon in pursuit of her and hers But under God they still ride Conquerers He that would be an Israelite indeed Must arm himself compleatly taking heed Of all assaults all persons places times Guard his own vertue resist others crimes Elias spoke against the craft of sin Then Ahab's hate against him did begin Isaiah as we read was sawn in two It was Manasses pleasure so to do And Jeremiah he was ston'd to please The cruel humour of Tahaphanes Stephen was stoned of the Jews and John Beheaded was Herod would have him gone Ignatius to the Lions had his doom The Clergy likewise hated Chrysostom But Justin Martyr slights these things as dirt Sayâ—… Persecutors kill but cannot hurt Tertullian well observ'd the more they mow The Christians down they much the faster grow Large Volumes might be fill'd with the bright names Of sufferers by swords by stones and flames True saith St. Paul all that will shun the grave Of hellish fin shall persecution have Well may the Christian with his God comply In persecution Christ himself could die ¶ On Sleep DEath in the Scripture is compar'd to Sleep When Death approacher then with care we keep A schedule of our wealth so to dispose Of those Estates we then are forc'd to lose So when Sleep comes methinks my Ev'ning-prayer Is like the making of my Will my care Ought therefore to provide betimes for why There 's danger in a drowsie Lethargy In perfect memory and when awake I 'll leave my Soul to God for if he take Not charge of me and me in safety keep The Devil will attempt me in my sleep Though day and night he seeketh to devour He keeps his markets in the darkned hour I on my pillow do my sleep confirm Thus mans Vacation is the Devil 's Term. ¶ Blessings of the Righteous as they are recorded in Holy Writ HEarken unto the Lord thy God His Covenants observe So will he kindly spare his Rod And not afflict a Nerve Bless'd shalt thou in the City be Thy God will Blessings yield At home abroad at bed at board And likewise in the field Blessed shall be thy bodies fruit and that upon the ground The wicked be they loud or mute Shall neither of them wound Thy Cattel shall inrich thy store With increase of their Kine Thy Sheep shall still wax more and more Thy Grapes shall yield thee Wine Bless'd shall thy Store and Basket be Blessings shall thence accrew Comings and Goings shall agree To make thee blessed too The Lord shall smite thine Enemies And put them to disgrace The chiefest he will make to flie And that before thy face Thy foes one way shall thee attempt But flie before thee seven From Judgement none shall be exempt But as the Chaff be driven Thy Store-houses the Lord will bless And all thou tak'st in hand And give to thee a large increase Of plenty in the land The Lord as he himself hath sworn He will establish thee And farther to exalt thy horn His people ye shall be Keep thou the Lord's Commandements And all the Earth shall see That thou art great in innocence And stand in fear of thee The Lord he shall his treasures ope The Heav'ns shall give thee rain If head or hand with business cope It shall be for thy gain No discontent shall thee attend As free from grief or sorrow To many Nations thou shalt lend But have no need to borrow Blessed are they that in him trust He will them bless with speed For do they hunger do they thirst He is their help at need Blessed is he whose sin is hid He may with gladness smile Whose errours all are covered Whose Spirit hath no guile Blessed are they that now lament As being poor in Spirit For they are promis'd by the Lord His Kingdom to inherit Blessed are they that now do mourn Thinking their joys are fled For though as yet they seem forlorn They shall be comforted The meek are blessed too for they That love not strifes increase Shall on the Earth bear happy sway Delighting much in Peace The hungry too and they that thirst For Righteousness as meat They shall be fill'd when those accurst Shall nothing have to eat Bless'd be the merciful to those Whom they observe in pain For he that mercily bestows Shall mercy reap again Thrice blessed are the pure in heart Whose Souls and hands are free From vanity and wicked oaths For they their God shall see Bless'd the peace-makers are for they His children shall be call'd And he that loves and doth obey Shall never be enthrall'd Blessed are they for Righteousness Do persecution bear Their great reward none can express But Heav'n it lieth there Blessed are they that are revil'd Because they seek the Lord Be they at home or if exil'd His grace will strength afford Rejoyce and be exceeding glad For great is your reward The Prophets by such usage bad Did get into regard ¶ Curses of the Wicked HE that doth hear the poor mans cry Shall never fare the worse But whoso turneth back his eye Shall never want a curse He that himself hath others curst His servant curseth him The blessings of his flowing Purse Shall him to ruine swim He that bla phemeth God his Lord Ought to be ston'd to death And cursed be that man abhorr'd Serves other God beneath Cursed be he that setteth light By Father or by Mother The people shall him dayly slight And none his Curses smother Cursed be he that doth remove His Neighbours Land-mark then The people shall him curse none love But each one cry Amen Cursed be he that leads the blinde In an erroneous way The Lord for him will torments finde And be the blinde man's stay Cursed be he that doth pervert The window fatherless Or stranger from an
sinners backs When 't is decreed their heads are for the axe ¶ On the Gospel THe Gospel ancient as Moses is Nay Adam it was preacht in Paradise 'T is true before the Gospel came the Law Yet from the Gospel we most vertue draw Likewise before the Day appear'd the Night Yet above Darkness we esteem the Light And before Man was made all Creatures were Yet he excells them they his servants are He that before his Lord the Sword doth bear Is not suppos'd superiour to the Mayor All things which in this world we splendid see Are not esteem'd by their priority Saâ—…th Jâ—…hn There comes one after me whose shooes I am unworthy too low to unloose The Law is most compos'd of forms of fears But in the Gospel streams of love appears The Law makes God our foe with pointing thus The Gospel cries Emanuel God with us The office of the Law is to accuse That of the Gospel is to heal a bruise The Law a killing letter 's stil'd by merit But th' holy Gospels is a quickning Spirit Besides the Gospel is the bell whereby We all are called to Eternity ¶ On the Lord's Prayer THat Pray'r of Pray'rs how meanly doth it look Of late as if Religion's frame were shook But if the Lord were just to use his powers With how much anger might he look on ours Some think that Lesson may their Spirits grieve Lord us forgive as others we forgive Others like Witches when in haste they pray They it repeat but do it backward say Many with zeal desire their dayly bread Thy Kingdom come not much concerns their head Thus temp'ral benefits we do prefer Before eternal blessings and adhere To what our present wants require but oh When Death appears and whispers we must go Then our Petitions all that we can gather From his take pattern crying Our Father Christ so began to teach us being weak So we conclude when we can hardly speak ¶ The Free Giver GReat Alexander when he youthful was A check received from Leonidas His Governour for being too profuse In wasting his perfumes in pious use For on a day being to sacrifice Unto the Gods to shew himself unnice Fill'd both his hands with Frankincense that done Gave it the fire as his devotion But afterwards when he became a man He conquered Judea over-ran That Country whence those spices took their birth Then to conclude his piety with mirth He sent Five hundred Talents weight by odds Too much to him grutch'd what he gave the Gods Thus they that sowing plentifully keep A zeal unspotted plentifully reap He that doth niggardly his Talent spare Shall sow but in the end reap but a Tare Give God the choicest branches of thy fruit For by that means God may give thee the Root ¶ The Friendly Advice THe Roman Senators as we may read Thirsted that Julius Caesar might be dead Wherefore they then conspir'd to seek his end Artemidorus who was Caesar's friend Gives him a Paper wherein lay his lot His life to save by finding out the Plot But Caesar being busie with applauds With salutations and the peoples lauds Pockets the Paper as if it had been Petition-like at leisure to be seen So onward walks not dreaming of that train And going to the Senate-house was slain The World the Flesh and Devil do beset Poor man contriving divers ways to get Him in their gin God's Ministers accord To bring a Letter namely God's own Word Wherein their plot is publickly reveal'd The wounded man hath offers to be heal'd Nay God himself in clemencie doth crie Oh house of Israel why will ye die But most men generally busie are About the worlds concerns though things of air They cannot mind their friends advice to write Is to present them with a Paper-kite Thus men run headlong to expend their breath Forgetting they before were doom'd for death ¶ On Sloath. THe idle man is like the heavie drone That wasts his time in contemplation This present hour he 's mightily perplext With studv'ng which way he shall spend the next Not like the wise man who with lesser pain Contrives to make Expences prove his Gain Winter he loves because the days are short Walks in the Summer as if A-la-mort When in the morning he bethinks to rise First stretcheth arms and legs then wipes his eyes His manners-lets the morning rise before him And when the Sun shines seeming to adore him Then he bethinks to stir but first affords A Prayer to God not making many words And sometimes none well knowing he can do With thoughts as much as words though more than few He commonly lies still his bed to keep More out of sloath than a desire to sleep Then yawns and turns himself for want of rest Anon for Dinner calls before he 's dâ—…est Which having eat he seems to be in pain At last concludes 't is best to sleep again That done he rises to his Neighbour goes And in sew words doth thus his minde disclose How do you Neighbour 't is a pleasant day What 's the best news what price are Mackrel pray The days do lengthen strangely and the Spring Bids us attend the Birds that sweetly sing Then in the end bethinks to bid adieu But first he yawns and cries What shall we do So he concludes his Speech Perhaps in fine They both agree to drink a pint of Wine When from the Church all Auditors are gone He is found sleeping in his seat alone He enters into Bond ne'er minds to pay But forfeits that 'cause he forgets the day To be a Jury-man is his disease Rather than fetch his wood he 'll chuse to freeze He 's half a Christian and half a Turk His Principle's to steal and not to work He is indeed a proper Standing-pool That needs must get corruption 'T is a rule Observable those Pâ—…ts do â—…oonest stink Whose mud assâ—…ns to overflow the brink The idâ—…e Soul shall finde his food grow scant Sloath casts a man into deep sleeps and want ¶ On Desperation CHear up my Scul thy griess in time will cease Despair is Satan's only master-piece Hearken to that the Devil soon will tell The ready road that leads the way to Hell My sin 〈◊〉 Cain is great and I am driven Justly to â—…ear 〈◊〉 never be forgiven With Murther first he did his Curse begin And furthers that by 〈◊〉 sin to sin Then to despair give neither ear nor scope Lay hold on Christ the Anchor of thy hope A PANEGYRICK To the Right Reverend And most nobly descended Prelate HENRY by divine Providence Lord Bishop of London ILlustrious Prelate whom the World must own A Father of the Church a Martyr's Son Of sacred Function and of noble Blood 'T is a dispute whether more great or good Thou second Ambrose of the Mitred Lords Northampton's Helmets joyn'd with London's Swords Will keep thy Vineyard from the Forest-boar Beyond the skill of them who went before In Rev'rend Heachman we beheld a Look