mind And no Tears fall but those of joy Which Nilus like while they orewhelm are kind IV. But though with all this pomp of words we prate And paint the happy glories Which grace the triumphs of a future State Yet sure we think 'em sensless stories The pageantry of some distempered Head Which fancies Pencil did delineate The broken visions of the living when they dream'd ' o th' dead That we are so loth to die Proceeds from infidelity For whatsoe're the mighty Men of Sense Those skulls of Axiome and Philosophy By reasons Telescope pretend t' evince Beyond this World we can no other see And not to be Worse than lifes greatest storm appears Than all its Hurricanes of hopes and fears So some baulkt Gamester who hath but one poor Stake Left of his Stock and knows not when he may Get more to keep in play Does his last chance with trembling take And fain he would the fatal throw delay The Box once lost to him for ever 's past away V. Or if we 're fully satisfied The Soul is to Divinity allied That its impenetrable hypostasis Is of a lasting and substantial make Which Death's arrest can never shake But from our scattered Ashes shall arise Bekindled with exhalted energies If this her fixt perswasion be Doubtless 't is guilt that makes us pale and grone When fate sends out the black Decree Of dissolution As a debauch't Gallant That 's just embarquing for a foreign Land ' Midst throngs of Creditors does worried stand Who for quick payment with wild fury rant So Conscience rallies up Of crimes the worst of Debts ten thousand Bills Embitters with new poysons Death 's ungrateful Cup And the departing Soul with shame and horror fills So that Mankind doth lye Under a sad necessity Of strong desire to live and wretched fear to die Which way so ere their faith they turn A forcible Dilemma's Horn Wounds them in each Hypothesis The Atheist would for ever live in this 'Cause there 's no other World the Theist 'cause there is By Mr. Walrond of All Souls An addition by another hand VI. But the true Christian whose firm Faith doth sway His Heart and Life who humbly doth obey That Gospel he believes and in good earnest makes Heaven his end and Holiness the way Wherein he constantly doth walk Whilst he thro' this low World his journey takes And leaves great things which others use to talk This gallant Man can Death outbrave Which if a Monarch fear that Monarch is a Slave Mean Slave is he who fears to die He lives yea dies in daily fear Death tho' far off he thinks and makes it near Afraid of every Man that passeth by Of every Beast and Bird and every Fly Of every Bit and every Draught Which is ever poysoned by his own dire thought Fain the poor Wretch would longer live And yet he fears what longer Life must give He dare not Eat he dare not Sleep Tho' thousand armed Guards strict watch do keep O're him the mighty Prisoner Day and Night They watch as if 't were to prevent his flight These aw'd with threats and hir'd with great rewards To keep him safe yet cannot save his breast From fears which still disturb his rest Alas the Tyrant fears those very armed Guards VII But the true Christian free From this ignoble painful slavery O're fear of Death has got the Victory And o're the love of Life and all that 's here Which this low Life to Mortals doth endear His Soul by Grace refin'd from drossie Earth From sordid Lusts and love of Sin Made mindful of its own high Birth It will not be confin'd within These narrow bounds of Matter and of Time But up into Eternity will clime With wings of Faith and fervent Love doth soar To the Aethereal Regions there to share Those Glories which our Lord is gone before For all his faithful Followers to prepare Our Lord who drove away dark shades of Night Brought Life and Immortality to light And with that darkness banisht fear And by that Light our minds did chear The Christian he doth teach to wait And long for Death that shall translate His Soul to its most blissful State And makes him patient to endure The cares of Life or miseries of old Age Even when the torturing Stone the Gout or Colick rage He bears with courage what he cannot cure VIII Not love of Life but hope of Heaven does give This courage and makes him content to live In midst of Racks and cruel Pain Who in the midst of joys counts Death his gain Strong and untir'd he acts th' allotted part Undauntedly he bears th' inflicted smart Not that he fondly cares still to repeat Lifes tedious Circle still to eat To Drink to Talk to Work and Sleep Still to roll the Stone up Hill The Stone which tumbles downward still Only he knows he must his Station keep Untill the General bids sound a Retreat And when he hears that joyful sound Gladly he doth himself prepare To march away and doth himself his breast make bare When Death draws nigh to give the healing wound He dare not on his Life commit a Rape Heaven is not taken by that Violence But he dare meet Death in the horrid'st shape He nothing fears from that kind Providence Which wisely orders all Axes and Halters Flames and Swords Whatever else we dreadful call What are they all but Bugbear words To fright weak Childish minds but cannot fright That Man of Wisdom and of Might The valiant Christian not afaid to die For Death is all those great words signifie IX If Death be all what does the good Man care Whether an Halter or a Quinsie choke And stop that breath which he doth freely yield Whether an Ax or Apoplexy give the Stroke The gentle Stroke of Death The good Man generously dare In a good cause die in the open Field As well as in his Bed give up his breath Nor does he fear the stormy Ocean's Wave In a Sea Monsters Paunch dare make his Grave Is unconcern'd whether he expire In some Malignant Fevers fire Or in the nobler flames of Martyrdom Elias-like he be conducted home O're all he is a Conqueror And somewhat more ' i th' midst of all he can in triump sing O Death where is thy Sting Of that long since thou was bereft For in our dying Lord that sting was left In stead whereof Death now hath got a Wing Which helps to waft the Heaven-born Soul on High When once releas'd from this dull earthly Clod There the free Soul to her own home doth fly For ever there to make her blest abode Where she no more doth fear to sin to smart or die But there she clearly doth behold her God Her God she there loves and enjoys eternally Midnight Meditations LOOK here my Soul how sparkling and how bright These Stars do shine in this cold frosty Night From the Sun's absence they advantage take Their native lustre visible
to make Their beams set in array adorn the Skie As if they did Nights black approach defie This cold which freezeth us it does but clear The Air and make their brightness more appear Let these fair Stars be patterns unto thee And teachers too shewing what thou should'st be When sacred Providence the Heavenly Law Made up of Love and Wisdom shall withdraw That pleasing Sun-shine of prosperity Which from thy Cradle hath attended thee And by its Revolutions shall this state Into afflictions dark cold night translate Or if thy body sickness should confine To a dark room to languish there and pine In pain or malice should attempt thy fame And with black Slanders strive to cloud thy name Or what 's thought worse than either should thou be Stark naked stript and pincht by Poverty Or shouldst thou be for some great merit sent To a dark Prison or a Banishment Then muster all thy powers up O my Soul Whose shining may these Clouds of Night controul Let all these oppositions serve to raise But greater Trophies to thy virtue's Praise Virtue like valour is a thing ne're known If in encountring dangers never shown Now let a bright unspotted innocence In sweet Contentment Courage Patience Shed its mild beams let Hope and Joy display Lustres which turn night into lightsome day So shall the Darkness as a foil be friend Thy Beauty and a greator glory lend So thy Eclipse shall but attract more Eyes So from oppression thou shalt greater rise So by our treading thrives the Chamomil As if our feet did but manure the Soil Nor is affliction 's night the only case Wherein thy brightness should the dark shades chase But when my Soul temptations unto Sin Like foggy darkning mists shall from within Or from without arise striving to stain And fully thee with guilt then ler disdain Break forth in virtuous Sparklings and dispel Those noysome Vapours which arise from Hell Yea when at last that King of terrors Death Shall summon thee to yield thy utmost Breath And with its dismal shape strive to affright Thee with the horror of eternal night With an undaunted mind his Message hear With chearful smiling looks his presence hear Dread not his aspect turn not from his Dart But with resolvedness present thy Heart Thy Heart now burning most with Heavenly fire Which Heavenwards wafts thee there thou shalt expire True Phoenix in the flames of Love and Joy Death shall not hurt thee thou shalt it destroy And though to Mortal Eyes thou disappear Thou shalt shine brighter in an higher Sphear Even like these Stars thou n'ere shalt find a Night But shalt be swallowed up in greater Light. A Description of True Prayer whether with a Form or without GOD is a Spirit and in Spirit will By us be Worshipp'd But this Holy skill Of Worshipping aright is not an Art Of Words from Brain or Book but in the Heart 'T is plac'd An Heart that with the Lips doth move Venting the breathings of its inward Love. An Heart that 's awed with greatest Reverence Which may consist with filial Confidence An Heart whose ardent longings do aspire After those Blessings which our Tongues desire And puts upon endeavours to attain The grace we crave which else we crave in vain This Heart prays right such Cordial Prayers as these Profit our selves and do our Maker please Thus let us pray and when we end our days Prayer shall be chang'd for everlasting Praise How to get and keep a quiet Mind in all Conditions WOuldst thou enjoy an easie quiet mind Let thy own will to God's will be resign'd Follow his conduct serve him with delight With Pious awe live still as in his sight Banish fond Dreams of earthly happiness With Prudence use the Goods thou dost possess To Proud and Sickly Fancy give no place But follow Nature over-ruled by Grace Nature craves little Grace sometimes takes less Pride Avarice and Lust demand excess Examine well all earthly things and see Thy love but to their worth proportion'd be Let not excess of Joy corrupt thy mind Pleasures too luscious leave a sting behind Regarding this World as a Travellers Stage Seek the delight but of a Pilgrimage Converse with thy own mind get so much leisure As oft to entertain thy self with pleasure Whom Crouds of Men and business still employ Such not themselves nor Friends nor God enjoy In all enjoyments most God's goodness taste In all designs make him the first and last Let Joys and Pains both quicken holy Love And earnest longings after God above Never depend on things without thy power Things which chance may time quickly will devour Calmly forethink what evils may betide Not to torment thy self but to provide Courage and Comfort which attend the Wise Whilst common changes are no great surprise To rule the outward World never design This is God's work to rule thy Passions thine Doing thy part leave all to him who knows How all events most wisely to dispose All thy desires make known to God in Prayer And then alone on God cast all thy care Mind not the World's opinion much nor grow Unhappy meerly 'cause Men think thee so Their thoughts or words can leave no mark behind Thy self dost make th' impression on thy mind If thou feel real smart make it not more Anger and Grief do but increase the Sore Know that the greatest hurts are from within And misery proceeds only from Sin. Sin above all things flee and never cease Till thou with God thro' Christ hast made thy Peace And all thy Life pursue that innocence And usefulness which inward joyes dispence Grow in all Grace chiefly in Holy Love To God and Man which fits for Heaven above In hope whereof rejoyce and so partake The first-fruits of those joys which Heaven do make Yea now the Soul that with his God doth dwell By Faith and Love finds Heaven within a Cell Then wholly live on God make him thy all With Faith and Patience waiting for Death's call Thy Soul thus fixt nothing can much annoy Till God shall fix thee in eternal joy A PRESERVATIVE AGAINST Temptations to Sin. REmember when Temptations do begin Satan would have God would not have thee sin Satan and God about thee do contend Which do'st thou think thy Foe and which thy Friend Thy Flesh be sure with Satan soon will joyn Wilt thou with both against thy God combine O horrid and unheard of Treachery to close Against our dearest Friend with Mortal Foes Against our Friend who came to give us aid Lest we to those our Foes should be betray'd Shall Satan by thy help obtain the day Whil'st God as griev'd and conquer'd goes away Shall Satan be imbrac'd whilst God shall be Resisted so that he will flie from thee What shall the Spirit 's movings on our Hearts Be quencht and not the Devils fiery Darts Remember then the best and worst of sin Thy Flesh and Satan take delight therein Both thy sore Enemies But then
Heart and Mouth may give thee praise As in thy Temple keep there residence Within my Soul and never part from thence Till I am fram'd and fitted by thy hand A Pillar in God's House above to stand ON Ascension Day ART thou ascended blessed Lord on high And do I on this earth still grovelling lye In muddy sensual fading pleasures drown'd Where pain and grief horrours and Hell are found O pity dearest Lord some pity take On a poor fainting Soul for thy names sake Help Lord Lord help to thee I lift mine Eyes Stretch forth thy helping hand and make me rise O raise my sinking Soul above the Mud And dirt of low delights which Flesh and Blood Relish and crave Let my exalted mind It's pleasures in thy Love and Service find But ne'r let that seem pleasant to my taste Which grieves thy Spirit and doth my Conscience waste Keep my Soul mindful of its heavenly birth That it may Heaven-ward tend wean'd from this Earth By all my falls upon this slippery Ground Grant that I nearer may to Heaven rebound And let all streams of comfort here below Up to the Fountain lead me whence they flow Let Faith and Love and Longings raise my Heart Up to the blissful place where Lord thou art Let my chief joy spring from this Faith and Love Till I ascend to thee and joyes above Divine Love. WHose Soul is once betroth'd can ever he From that engagement disobliged be The hearts which love unites in loyal bands Are chain'd as fast as by their tongues and hands Even thus am I in heart engag'd my mind Is firmly fixt but on no Female-kind The blessed Jesus is my Lord my Love He is my choice from him I 'll never move Away then all you objects that divert And seek to draw from my dear Lord my heart Go Riches Honours Beauty Bravery go Tempt these mean Souls who nothing better know That uncreated Beauty which hath gain'd My ravisht Heart hath all your glory stain'd His loveliness my Soul hath prepossest And left no room for any other guest Cease then with knocking 's to assault my Door Disturb not my repose attempt no more These gates which to the King of Glory be Made to fly open and to none but he For him I sigh I wishly look and long To be releas'd from this ensnaring throng Of poor bewildred Mortals from whose sight My Soul doth meditate a nobler slight Into the Regions of eternal Joy Where nothing shall her blessful peace annoy There 's her own home her Country 's there above That blessed Land of Life of Light and Love There my dear Friends fled hence with God are blest Thither are swiftly hasting all the rest There lives my Lord and there I long to live He gave these longings and himself will give Hast then pale Death accomplish my design Thou that break'st others wedlocks finish mine This naked breast strike with thy sharpest Dart The sweetest Cordial to a fainting Heart Release my pained Soul from this dull clod Of prisoning Earth and take her to her God That there she may her Nuptials solemnize Where neither Sin nor Death shall spoil her Joys Lord hear these groanings and some pity take On a poor gasping Soul which for thy sake From earthly home Freinds Joys and all would part To be with thee for ever where thou art O make me meet for this Translation and Then on this happy message death command In the mean time Lord shew thy self to me Till thou shalt please to take me up to thee So to mine Eyes thy glory still display That they may never look another way So let me taste the sweetness of thy Love That no allurements may my mind once move Quicken my longings and encrease that flame Which Heaven-wards lifts the Soul from whence it came Let flames of holy Love all others burn And opposition into fewel turn Let thy Sun-beams on a dark heart shine clear All our earth kindled fires will disappear In thee now let me find so much of Rest As may with more impatience fill my breast Till fill'd with thee the pains of love increase Till they shall in a full fruition cease So seize on me that we ne're more may part Till thou shalt take my Soul Lord keep my heart And dwell in me till I with thee shall dwell This Earth with thee is Heaven without thee Hell. ON DEATH I. TEll me some kind Spirit tell How comes death so terrible Thou who art already fled in triumph say Why the embodied Soul is so in love with Clay By what strange Magnetisms woo'd She so adheres to Flesh and Blood That fate must force her from that dull abode Or she would groveling lye Th' eternal Tenant of Mortality The wretch whom a malignant Fever fires And at each pore in liquid flame expires Cold death's refreshing hands to shun Doth to th' unkinder Doctor run For Juleps Blistrings and Phlebotomy And other medicinal Artillery The Fever 's vanquish'd and the Man is free But all this stir and torment only gains The priviledge of being rack'd again by these Or the severer pains Of sorne more merciless Disease Had not the Patient better fled to ' a Tomb Th' Asylum which distempers give but where they never come II. Old age it self which one would guess Should with a kind of lust Lye down and sleep in Dust Does yet the grand fatigue of life caress And gapes for its last dregs with unextinguishable Thirst When the dull eyes spirituous fire is lost Like cooling Metals fixt by Winters Frost When the bald Head depopulate and bare Looks white like some smooth Globe of Ice And of its once fair flourishing spring the Hair All that remains will not suffice The mighty summ to count To which the numerous Years that have gone or 't amount Yet even this feeble piece of Hums and Ha's That 's but the Monument of what he was Doth with his Cordials and Elixirs treat To make his wearied Pulses beat With momentary heat Still he abhors the dismal thoughts of Death Still on his guard he stands And fain he would defend his breath 'Gainst the great Conquerour's stroke though but with Crutches in his hands III. Strange Riddle of mysterious desire That Man should hope his vital fire Should Vestal prove and ne're expire That he should wish th' Eclipsed beams Like Arethusa under ground might stray In a decrepit Body's dark inglorious way And never disembogue their shining streams Into the glorious Ocean of inexhausted day Is this the Reason which we so much boast That sure unerring Guide No less our safety than our pride And would this have us in a tempest ride And endlesly be tost When one kind Shipwrack would convey us to our native Coast A coast where we might pleasure taste High with the gust of all peril past Where a perpetual spring of bliss Blooming in all the rich Luxuriancies Of never withering Ecstasis Satiates but does not cloy The ravish'd
and quiet times would owe But to the Valour which subdues his Foe O daring conqu'ring Virtue 't is we prize As this claims Glory as its just desert Shelves Sands and Tempests are the Exercise And Honour of the skilful Pilots Art. Who boasts a Virtue that was never tri'd Is a stout Seaman by a Fire-side Great Praise we to our wise Creator owe Who tho he hath not which he eas'ly could Made all things sweet and smooth to make them so Gives us the pow'r all Earth he made not Gold But gives th' Elixir which can do as much Turning course Stones to pure Gold by its touch On the Rain that fell in June 81. after a long Drought from the beginning of April begun in my Iourney WHilst gracious Lord thy Creatures all around Give thee what praise they can shall Man be found The only sensless dull and silent Thing Shall he be mute whilst ev'n the Fields do sing Their pleasedness is in their Colour seen How soon the parched Earth looks fresh and green The thankful Corn its head doth humbly bend Flow'rs and Herbs sweet Odors heaven-ward send The chearful Birds which in all Weathers sing And thereby chide and shame Mans murmuring Now use their utmost Art and strain their Throats To warble forth their sweet melodious Notes The duller Beasts hear this and straightway they As dancing to this Musick Frisk and Play. A noble gratitude they teach whilst for these showrs They thankful are whose benefit is ours And what shall we who more receive than they And more can render shall not we repay Those thanks to which the lower Creatures all As well as our Creator do us call And both we disobey and both we wrong If we with all the rest joyn not our Song Since they by us their Praises send to Hea'vn By us who know all good Things thence are giv'n And who with Speech and Reason were indu'd First to conceive then shew our Gratitude Wherefore I do adore that Providence Which these enriching Showers doth dispence That to the languishing and parched Earth And dying Grain and Herbs gives life and birth The thirsty Fields which could no moisture get From Springs or Rivers are refresht with wet In such a way as would mirac'lous seem Did not the commonness abate esteem What makes the Vapours to ascend on high And there condense to Clouds that fill the Sky What makes those hollow Clouds strong to contain Within their Wombs vast Treasuries of Rain And what supports them when thus weighty grown To keep them from a sudden tumbling down Justly we may applaud justly admire The Chymistry of that Coelestial Fire Which from salt Seas fresh Vapors doth extract Like thanks and wonder doth that Art exact Which makes the Clouds to hover as they fall And breaks and parcels them in drops so small Which on the Earth whilst gently they distil Revive those Fruits which Flouds and Spouts would kill Thus Lord thy Works thy Glory do proclaim Both Heav'n and Earth conspire to praise thy Name Ev'n every pile of Grass and every Show'r Which makes that Grass to grow doth shew thy Pow'r No less they shew thy Bounty to us all On whom thy Sun doth shine thy Rain doth fall How wondrous is that Bounty which renews Daily those Gifts which daily we abuse Mercy is thy delight O teach us more To imitate that Mercy we adore And whilst the Earth improves the Sun and Rain Let us not still receive thy Gifts in vain Let warmth and softness in our Hearts be wrought And holy Fruits unto perfection brought Such Fruits as may our Benefactor please Who sends these Gifts and greater Gifts than these He gave his Son his Son did shed his Blood By goodness God designs to make us good And this design his Goodness doth pursue Whilst he affords the rich and heavenly Dew Of 's Word and Grace to quicken and renew Our thirsty Souls O God thou art all Love On this alone we live here and above This doth preserve that Life which first it gave From this the comforts of our Life we have This now gives Grace and Glory hath prepar'd By this we Work from this have our reward And since this Love with blessings fills our days Lord give us Hearts as full of Love and Praise Such Hearts as may direct our Hands and Tongues To pious Actions and to grateful Songs And as each Moment brings from God above Mercy through which we live and breathe and move So Lord let every pulse and every Breath And every action praise Thee until Death Which stops that Breath our Souls shall thither raise Where love's our Life and all our Work is praise And what Crowns all where Death shall not destroy This blessed Life of Love and Praise and Joy. On a Cross with a Crown upon it in Burton betwixt Lancashire and Kendale Sept. 18. 80. THis day in Riding through a Town Upon the Cross I saw a Crown Which straightway brought unto my mind What we in Holy Writ do find That Christ did first his Cross sustain Before he was advanc'd to reign And this is every Christians case Who wins the prize must run the race Our selves we first must well behave E're modestly Rewards we crave Bearing the burthen of the day E're we receive the evening-pay And Conquer in our Christian fight Before we have to Triumph right And many sorrows undergo Before the Joys of Heav'n we know Lord to thy Orders I submit Confessing they are just and sit Reason doth teach us and thy Word The Servant 's not above his Lord By Patience and Obedience he To Glory went and so must we But since thy Grace alone doth send Help in the way bliss in the end Such measures of this Grace impart As may both give strength and desert Lord furnish me with pow'r and skill To do and suffer all thy Will Make me but willing to obey And what commands thou pleasest lay Make me but able to abide And how thou wilt let me be tri'd Lord help me so thy yoke to wear Help me my burdens so to bear That when they shall be both laid down I may receive a glorious Crown On the sight of Furness Fells Iune 19. 71. OFT have I seen a barren Mountain shroud Its lofty head within a liquid Cloud There at its will thus height still makes things proud Quaffing up Vapours which had else been Rain Drinking all up yet sending nought again But still a barren Mountain doth remain Whilst humble Valleys which do lye below Waiting till Heaven its kindly Dews bestow In Corn and Wine in Milk and Honey slow Thus greedy proud impatient minds that crave Still more and more from Heaven or nothing have Or yield no Fruit of whatsoere it gave Whilst humble Souls by silent patience Which strongly wooes soon get great blessings thence And thither still return their recompence On the Parting of Ways in a Iourney I Often as I Travel find Divided ways
Iohn Rawlet B. D. Died Septemb r 28 th 1686. Aetat 44. Poetick Miscellanies OF M r JOHN RAWLET B. D. And late Lecturer of S. Nicholas Church IN THE TOWN and COUNTY OF New-Castle upon Tine Et prodesse valent delectare Poetae A verse may find him who a Sermon flies And turn delight into a Sacrifice Herbert LICENSED Novemb. 22. 1686. Rob. Midgley LONDON Printed for Samuel Tidmarsh at the King's-Head in Cornhill near the Royal Exchange 1687. An Epitaph on the Reverend and truly pious Mr. Iohn Rawlet B. D. made by his sorrowful Friend I. M. RAwlet's Remains lodge in this humble Cave As he was free from pride so is his Grave But Virtue needs no Pyramids It s worth Bribes not the Heraulds pains to blaze it forth As Diamonds shine by their own native Rayes And Phoebus his own glittering beams displays So great deserts are their own Monument No Tomb no Epitaph's so eloquent Whilst others therefore their proud Marbles boast He rests with greater honour but less cost On his Divine Poems REader expect not here the filth of th' Stage Poems that please but more debauch the Age. His chaster Muse such heavenly strains doth sing As Angels chant to their Immortal King. By such pure harmony he tun'd his heart In the Coelestial Choir to bear a part THE CONTENTS AN Epitaph on the Reverend and truly Pious Mr. John Rawlet Pag. i On his Divine Poems ii An Invitation to the Holy Communion with directions c. Pag. 1 On the Holy Communion 4 Another Poem of the same 6 Directions for receiving the Holy Communion 8 For early rising on a Lord's-day Morning 11 Morning Thoughts 13 Directions for the Evening 16 On Whitsunday 18 On Ascension 23 On Divine Love. 25 On Death 30 Midnight Meditations 46 A description of True Prayer 51 How to get and keep a quiet mind in all Conditions 53 A Preservative against Temptations 57 On Solitude 59 The sum of our Duty 68 Whilst I was hearing Musick 70 On a great Thunder and storm June 1. 1671 72 Calmness in a Storm c. 74 On the Rain that fell in June 1681. 77 On a Cross with a Crown upon it in Burton 83 On the sight of Furness Fells 86 On the parting of ways in a Iourny 88 An account of my life in the North. 90 Paraphrases Of Palm 19. 57. Thou art my Portion O Lord. 94 Of Psalm 39. 6 7. 96 Luke 11. 14 c. 101 Of Seneca ' s Thyestes Act. II. 103 A Plain Paraphrase 104 His first Epistle to Lucilius 105 His 70 Epistle 109 Of Horace's Ode 22. 128 Martial's Epigram lib. 1. 6. 132 Inscriptions and Epitaphs For M. M. upon her recovery at Antwerp 133 Written on Dr. Patrick's Devout Christian given to a Friend 135 An Epitaph designed for William Banks Esquire 136 On A. M. a tender Infant 138 On Bishop Wilkins's Picture 139 True Beauty 141 On my own Picture 142 AN INVITATION TO THE Holy Communion WITH DIRECTIONS FOR THE Due Receiving it HArk we are call'd O friends Away away All things are ready make no more delay Are all things ready and shall only we For whom they are prepar'd unready be We that forbidden Fruit did long to taste Shan't we when call'd to our Lord's table haste When food provided is which will restore The blessedness our eating lost before Let us then hasten and this Call obey 'T is with the Prince that we must dine to day Whose Sacred presence calls us to prepare And fit our selves Hast must not banish care Hither approach all fair and clean within From the defiling love of every sin All bath'd in purest streams of hallowed tears Which help to wash our stains and drown our fears The Souls first dipt in this preparation flood Are fit for farther cleansing by Christ's blood Repentance is a second innocence Joyn'd with resolves for new obedience Draw nigh with faith and holy love adorn'd And deep humility which though it 's scorn'd By blinder mortals is in Gods own Eye The Souls true beauty richest gallantry With ardent longings come enflam'd to tast The deepest sweets of this divine repast The grace and comfort here diffus'd abroad And on the well-prepared Soul bestow'd Beg him to fit you thus who did invite You hither for both meat and appetite Do come from him and by the hand that spread Our Table must our Souls be furnished And when in th' Wedding garment we are drest With humble boldness to this Sacred feast Let us approach this wondrous banquet where The Master of the Feast becomes our cheer ON THE Holy Communion THE Son of God made Man his life laid down To save our Life to purchase us a Crown He bore the Cross and that we might retain The memory hereof he did ordain His Sacred Supper as his Churches Feast When he bestows upon each humble Guest Those greater blessings which he represents By Bread and Wine the outward Elements He doth himself in this familiar way With Pardon Grace and Glory too convey To such who whilst by faith they these receive To him themselves entirely back do give Thus is a Marriage union finisht and Christ and the Soul linkt in a mutual band Thus at one Feast we mingle griefs and joyes Christ's death and our own Nuptials solemnize And if indeed our Faith and Love herein Are with Repentance joyn'd if we for sin Sincerely grieve sincerely plight our Troth In Heaven we shall enjoy the fruits of Both. ON THE Holy Communion OUR blessed Lord who loved us and gave Himself for us us by his death to save That this his love and death might never be Forgotten hath ordain'd a feast when we With grateful hearts should still record his love And to blest purposes his death improve Oft let 's remember then and praise our Lord At 's Holy Table where he doth afford To worthy Guests Peace Pardon Grace and Joy Pleasures that satisfie but never cloy And let us still set Jesus in our sight In all our actions by this Copy write That our dear Lord beholding us may find His Sacred Image in our Life and Mind Thus let us with great Zeal and Holy strife Christ's death remember imitate his Life So shall we grow in grace till from this state Our Lord to Glory shall his friends translate Then shall we be where blessed Jesus is And feast with him in perfect endless bliss DIRECTIONS FOR RECEIVING THE Holy Communion CHrist calls us to his Table but who 's fit In such an High and Holy place to sit Only the Souls that are adorn'd with Grace May here in presence of their Lord take place Such whom the knowledge of his wondrous love To deepest sorrow for their sins doth move Who place on him their Love and Confidence And render a sincere Obedience To all his Laws who make God's Love their Treasure Preferring it above Wealth Honour Pleasure Who do in Charity with all Men live And those who wrong them from their
believe It wounds thy Soul and doth God's Spirit grieve Satan and Sin their Servants do destroy God to his Servants gives eternal joy Wherefore O Lord I yield my self to thee Let not sin have dominion over me Thy easie Yoak I 'll wear when that 's laid down Let thy Free grace vouchsafe a glorious Crown ON SOLITUDE I. WElcome sweet Solitude who loves not thee Loves not himself for only he Who from the busie throng is quit He to retire into himself is free He with himself may sit II. Than our Dear self is any thing more Dear Shall we then seem to hate or fear What most we love yet so do they Who rather had be rambling here and there Than with themselves to stay III. Some hideous frightful thing there is within Even a consciousness of Sin That if alone doth them affright Which to torment them when it doth begin Straightway they take their flight IV. Even from themselves poor Men they strive to fly Thrust into vicious Company There hoping for a little Peace From Noise from Sport from Riot and thereby Their Torments they increase V. Who weary of himself himself still flies And Vice for a diversion tries Hence greater weariness shall feel The Plaister which his folly doth devise Wounds worse than did the Steel VI. Thus the Slave loaden with his Guilt and Chain From Prison breaks but not from pain His Irons gall him in the road Untill at last he 's hurried back again To feel a double Load VII Thus in the numerous herd the wounded Hart Would shroud himself but still the Dart Sticks in his Flesh widens his Wound He cannot in the Croud shake off his smart Nor scape the following Hound VIII Then welcome Solitude abhor'd by none But Fools and vicious Men alone Whilst courted by the Wise and Good Who by Fruition have its blessings known Its pleasure 's understood IX Whilst they hither from the World remove In all that 's Good they do improve And here where nothing can annoy Rendring themselves worthy of their own love Themselves they do enjoy X. Wearied with Noise and Hurry here we have The Rest and Silence of a Grave The Mind too freed from stir and noise Begins to feel what pious minds most crave Foretasts of Heavenly joyes XI The Moon from view retir'd receives most light From Heaven and Heaven-ward shines most bright But what time we her Full do call When she comes forth expos'd to common sight 'T is then Eclipses fall XII Here Virtue 's fixt which justling Crouds did shake Here it doth Sanctuary take When Lusts and Passions it pursue Here gathering strength doth brave resistance make And all her Foes subdue XIII The mind exhausted by the multitude Here hath its strength renew'd Like Fields opprest by constant Plough It doth when Fallow laid in Solitude More Rich and Fertile grow XIV They who from others seem the most recluse For others Good most Fruit produce Who labour under Ground there find The Gold which after serves for common use And doth enrich Mankind XV. Rich Streams of Blessings from the Hermits cell O'reflow the World which none can tell From whence they flow but like some Fountain Unknown as th' head of Nile he oft doth dwell In the obscurer Mountain XVI The learned tribe whose works the World do bless Finish those works in some recess Both the Philosopher and Divine And Poets most who still make their address In private to the Nine XVII Thus on the Banks of Thames great Cowley chose His private Chertsey for repose Cowley whose Verse like those rich streams So deep as clear in various numbers slows And long shall last as Thames THE Sum of our Duty LOve God with all thy Heart and Soul and Mind To Friend and Foe be just be true and kind Obey they Parents and thy Rulers Laws Never rebel but suffer in God's Cause Be Meek and Patient Humble Sober Chast In these good ways be constant to the last And when thou hast done all then humbly cry An useless sinful Servant Lord am I. My strength and grace is from thy Holy Spirit My hope is in thy Mercies and Christ's Merit Whilst here I live let not thy Spirit leave me And when I die O Blessed Lord Receive me Whilst I was hearing Musick Feb. 1. 1671. LOrd take my Soul and tune it to thy will It wanteth tuning but thou want'st no skill O let thy Grace my mind bring into frame So shall I love and praise thy glorious name In thy great goodness shall my heart rejoyce Thy goodness I will praise with chearful voice Also my Life I 'l study so to frame That all my works may glorifie thy name Thus shall my Feet my Tongue and Heart agree This harmony thou lov'st this pleaseth me Thus will I spend my time on Earth thus I Will serve thee whilst I live and when I die I in a nobler sort thy name will praise Let Grace raise me so I 'l thy Glory raise On a great Thunder and Storm Iune 1. 1671. THY power O Great Iehovah I adore Whose voice in Thunder through the Clouds doth roar This voice I 'l entertain with awful fear With greater aw I will thy threatnings hear Thy lightning which doth pierce where 't is not felt It spares my Body but my heart shall melt Much more thy Spirit shall whose flames divine Consume our lusts but do our Souls refine Showrs which gush forth when the Clouds broken be Purge Me and th' Air soften the Earth and Me. Afflictions Storms and Showrs of Love and Peace This Purity and Softness shall encrease Thus Ear and Eye and Mind Reason and Sense Each hath its Object learns its Lesson thence Which way so ere I turn my eye or thought I something find whence Piety is taught Lord teach me ever duly to improve The tokens of thy Wisdom Pow'r and Love. CALMNESS IN A STORM Made in a Stormy Iourney Septemb. 1672. IN rough foul Ways my Mind is smooth and clear When the Winds roar then do I loudest Sing When the Sky low'rs Smiles in my Looks appear Clouds weeping Rain no Tear from me can wring What is it can disturb that inward Peace Which from disturbances receives increase This Wisdom and this Courage sometimes I Can in my little Stormy Journies use In th' Storms of Life there 's much more reason why The same brave Resolution I should chuse Life is a Journey full of Troubles these Wisdom may turn into Advantages Do I grow poor I 'le more enrich my Mind Am I defam'd I 'le make my Virtue shine More brightly through those Mists are Friends unkind God shall be dearer Doth my Health decline My Soul to Heaven shall thrive when Death shall give The mortal Wound then shall I truly live Thus the great Hercules from Iuno's spite Favours receiv'd this made his fame encrease First Toils and Dangers gave him first Delight And Glory thus the martial Man is Peace Not to bare chance
which reconciles The Savage Beasts and angry Elements Turns rage and fury into friendly smiles And mischief either conquers or prevents To him vvho doth the great Creator love The World of creatures all vvill harmless prove This Armour 's strong tho light a Coat of Mail Not to be pierc'd by Bullet or by Steel It gives a strength o're vvhich nought can prevail May I its force vvithin my breast but feel Fearless I 'le follovv vvhither Fate shall call Smiling I 'l bear vvhatever shall befall Place me on Northern Hills of frozen Snovv On vvhich the Pole-star doth directly stand There will I give the love and praise I owe To him whose love makes that a pleasant Land. 'Gainst frosts and Snows Love is the only charm These flames melt Snows these flames my breast shall warm Or throw me on the parched Lybian Sands Where flaming Sun-beams do the Trav'ler burn Love all Divine those scorching heats withstands Gods Love will Deserts to a Garden turn His Smiles his Words are Fountains Shades and Breeze Each place is Paradice when I have these No Winter frosts this holy Love shall chill No prosp'rous Summer's heat shall it abate But higher it shall flame and higher still Till it to Heav'n my Soul in Flames translate God's Love is all I crave in Heaven above On Earth below I only craves Gods Love. Lib. 1. Martial Epigram 6 tum AN Eagle once a Child aloft did bear The Child secure the Eagle most in fear Thus Caesars Lions sport them with their Prey The Hare in their wide Mouth doth safely play Which then the greater Wonder shall be thought A mighty Power each to pass hath brought Jove did the first the latter Caesar wrought For M. M. upon her Recovery when at Antwerp OH praise the Lord my Soul humbly adore The riches of his Grace which more and more To me his Handmaid hath been still exprest Let Love and Praise be equally encreast 'T was God who first did Life and Reason give By him I am preserv'd in him I live His Mercy and his Pow'r did lately save My Soul from Death my Body from the Grave 'T is just I to my God should wholly live Who hath renew'd the Life he first did give Thou that didst make me put my mind in frame Make me thy Servant who thy Creature am As thou hast lately made my Body whole So do much more for my more precious Soul. What thou hast wrought without now work within My pain is gone Lord cleanse me from my Sin Thy healthful Spirit upon me bestow That I in Grace may daily stronger grow So strengthen me that I may walk in ways Of Holiness and Peace through all my daies Till thou shalt take me hence to live above In endless Joys with thee the God of Love. Written on Dr. Patrick's Devout Christian given to a Friend IN Prayer the Tongue hath but the lesser part Devotion 's chiefly seated in the Heart This with our Lips we humbly must express And in our Lives by serious Holiness They who on Earth with Heart Lips Life adore Their God in Heav'n shall praise him evermore Whilst then our Pray'rs begin and end the Day Let 's daily live as strictly as we pray Au Epitaph design'd for that most excellently accomplisht and Publick-spirited Gentleman William Banks Esq of Winstantly in Lancashire who died at Chastleton in Oxfordshire Iuly 6. 76. UNder this Monument the Reliques lie Of a Great Man all that of him could die Who whilst he liv'd liv'd to the noblest ends To serve his God his Country and his Friends Wherefore his God his Friends his Country give Freedom from Death and make him still to live His Soul with God in Regions lives above In Regions like his Soul all Peace and Love With dearest Friends his precious Memory Lives fresh and fragrant nor with them shall die His grateful Country doth preserve his name Just Praises and true Tears Embalm the same His lovely Picture still hath Life and Breath In hopeful Children so small Power hath Death Over good Men who when they seem to yield Then like their dying Lord they win the Field Only the Grave in peace retains their Dust Until the Resurrection of the Just. Multis ille bonis flebilis occidit Nulli flebilior quam mihi On A. M. a tender Infant HEre Sweetness lies and Innocence whose Breath Was stopt by early not unfriendly Death She 's gone to rest just as she did begin Sorrow to know before she knew to sin Death that doth Sin and Sorrow thus prevent Is the next Blessing to a Life well spent ON Bishop WILKINS'S Picture Decemb. 30. 82. THis is his Shadow who was once the Glory And Pillar of our British Church whose Story Ages to come shall wondring read this Age Shall mourn his death tremble at its presage He was all that which makes men great and good But 's loss will make his Worth best understood His just Description I no more can give Than th' Painter can make this his Picture live His truer Picture lives within my mind And in the pious Works he left behind In both my sorrows some relief shall find Till his great Soul ere long I meet above Amongst blest Spirits in Heav'nly Joy and Love. True Beauty LET blind Admirers handsom Faces praise And graceful Features to great Honour raise The Glories of the red and white express I know no beauty but in Holiness If God of beauty be the uncreate Perfect Idea in this lower State The greatest beauties of an human mold Who most resemble Him we justly hold Whom we resemble not in flesh and blood But being pure and holy just and good May such a Beauty fall but to my share For Curious Shape or Face I ne're shall care On my Picture SEE here the Shadow of another Shade Which like its Picture soon away will fade To Worms and Moths a Portion soon will fall Both short-liv'd Copy and Original And yet rejoice my Friends since th' unseen mind Lives when dead Shades and Corps are lest behind And shall we be concern'd what will become Of fading Faces rotten Bones and Tomb Whilst th' unseen Mind whose form no art can draw Exempted is from Deaths severer Law Virtue doth Life and lasting Beauty give Virtue and virtuous minds for ever live With God they live in joys together where Of losing God Joys Friends is no more fear Rejoice then Friends this Glory make your choice Always do good always in God rejoice FINIS Books Written by Mr. John Rawlet B. D. and sold by Samuel Tidmarsh in Cornhil A Treatise of Sacramental Covenanting with Christ shewing the ungodly their contempt of Christ in their contempt of the Sacramental Covenant With a Preface chiefly designed for the satisfaction of Dissenters and to exhort all men to Peace and Vnity An Explication of the Creed the Ten Commandments and the Lords Prayer with the addition of some Forms of Prayer A Dialogue betwixt two Prorestants in answer to a Popish Catechise called a short Catechism against all Sectaries plainly shewing That the Members of the Church of England are no Sectaries but true Catholicks and that our Church is a sound part of Christ's holy Catholick Church in whose Communion therefore the People of this Nation are most strictly bound in Conscience to remain The Christian Monitor containing an earnest Exhortation to an Holy Life with some directions in order thereto written in a plain and easie Stile for all sorts of people Poetick Miscellanies