One Theef was sav'd that no Man might despair And but one Theef that no Man might presume 244. The Life of Man is but a Breath a Blast A Tale a Dream a Buble Therefore Count Each Day you live as of your Life the Last And put not off To make up your Account 245. How Many hath the Morn beheld To rise In their Youth 's Prime as glorious as the Sun Who like a flower Cropt have had their Eyes Clos'd up by Death before the Day was done 246. Poison a Knife a Pistol Thousands more Sad Instruments set Periods to our Fates Nature lets in to Life but at one Dore But To go out Death opens Many Gates 247. Do at not on Life What hath it that can please Some few false Joyes But of true Sorrows Store T is but a Clog a Prison a Disease By how much longer 't is 't is So the more 248. That Death is horrid is a Thing Untrue Be not affraid She but a Vizard Wears That once remov'd She hath a lovely Hue. The Child is laught at that a Vizard fears 249. Nature Expects a Death by Law of Sin Our Longest dayes unravell like a Clue Make not this World your Palace But your Inn The Reck'ning Pay and bid your Host Adue 250. Do as that Prince of Whom We read in Story Who day by day did meditate his End If you be good A good Memento mori Will keep you so If Bad 't will make you Mend. 251. In all the Course of your Life's Pilgrimage So on the Load-Star Heav'n cast your Eye As not to Shame your Parts upon the Stage Nor when your Exit comes repine To Die 252. Now may the glorious Triple Unitie That Made Redeem'd and Sanctifies us all So guide preserve and in all puritie Bind up your Souls that you may never fall 253. May You O May you with all Graces fill'd As your Dayes grow in Goodnes so increase That your Thred spun your last Glass distill'd You may all reign in Everlasting Peace FINIS To CRITICKS MEthod is wanting Here You le say 'T is true And needs must wanting be since the whole Clue Consists of sev'rall Ends Which who shall knit In one smooth knotles Line must have more Wit And Skill Then I. Method I must confesse Is of especiall use and gives a dresse Of Comelines But Matters whose each Part Little Coheres with other to this Art Submit not much Such Miscellanies are And of Such chiefly This Wherein a Care Is mostly taken You may cull from Hence Quadrin by Quadrin and not marr the Sense And though in their Disposall I might show Something of Order T is enough To Know That the main Scope whereat my Thoughts do flie Is To teach Well to Live And Well to die THE PENITENT CHRISTIAN HIS METAMORPHOSIS By H DELAUNE In nova mutatas deformes dicere Formas Corpora fert Animus pretioso Sanguine Christi LONDON Printed for Henry Seile over against St. Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet 1651. THE DEDICATION TO You Whom a true Sense of What you are And would not be invites to a Desire To be Such as you are not Do I spare To you alone This Coal of Sacred Fire Whose Heat I wish may warm you So As This Here may become your Metamorphosis To OVID. OVid confesse Thy Metamorphosis Though choisely rare comes mainly short of This. Thine makes Men Beasts This turns Beasts into Men. Thine makes Men die This makes Men live agen I blame Thee not For Herein lyes the Ods This know but One and Thine knew many Gods This One moves All Thine could not see nor go This One is true But None of Thine were so By how much then Truth beyond Falshood is By so much Ovid Thine comes short of This. THE CHRISTIAN METAMORPHOSIS 1. MOst glorious Essence In whose sight The Angels bright And Saints dare scarce appear Thou art so Holy How then may Worms Ashes Clay Adventure To draw near 2. Ido Confesse with contrite Heart I have no Part By Right in any Good For as I was conceiv'd in sin And born therein In sin I still have stood 3. And to that Ill which Nature brought Deed Word and Thought Have added more and more Commission and Omission reign In Me these Twain Have heaped up the Store 4. He that can ballance in his Hand The Sea and Land Count Aâ—tomes Starrs and Times He He alone the Weight can tell And reckon well The Number of my Crimes 5. If He that oweth but a Mite By Law and Right Must to a Dungeon go Oh then In what a Case is He Let Any See That doth a Million ow 6. Such is my Debt Nay ten times more Is on my Score And Whips and Tortures be Prepar'd in the grim Jaylor's Hands Who roughly Stands Ready to Seize on Me. 7. I have no Means the Debt to pay Or run away From Hell's wide open Gate What shall I do To whom shall I My Self apply For Help in this Estate 8. Shall I to Saints and Angels go To Cure my Wo And ease my Pain and grief Alas They blush and Sorrow too At what I do But can give no Relief 9. The Aid of Princes States and Kings And such like Things It is in vain to crave For Each of them as well as I Is doom'd To Die And None himself can save 10. Whither Oh whither then shall I For Succour flie Ay me most wretched Wight The griesly Fiends with Iron teeth Hook'd hands and feet Come on with main and might 11. Hold hold Hands off I do descry Mount Calvary That much contemned Place But unto Me in this strong Strife A Hill of Life And onely Seat of Grace 12. And there behold rais'd upon high I do espie That ever blessed Crosse Which unto Men not doubly born Is mock and scorn Strife Scandall Dung and Drosse 13. Upon it hangs that Holy One Who can alone Whole Worlds of Sins deface See how with stretched Arms he stands Gor'd Feet and Hands Poore Clients to embrace 14. Stand farther off Accursed Crew In spight of You I 'le thither haste and hie Faith and Repentance come along And make me strong Till at his Feet I lie 15. O thou that wert ere Time began Moon Wax or Wan Sun Shine or Stare appear Ere Fire Water Air or Earth By refin'd Birth Knew Day Week Month or Year 16. Thou Thou that art the only Word That Made Staid Stir'd The huge Materiall Out of the which by wise Dispose Thou did'st Compose This goodly Mighty All. 17. Thou Thou I say Who God above Did'st Man so Love As for his only Sake Thou would'st thy glorious Throne forgo To come below And his frail Nature take 18. That as Man's Life who first had breath First Sin then Death Establisht in their Reign So might Man's Death who knew no Ill Sin and Death kill And Life restore again 19. Help Help O Lord I humbly crave And quickly save My Soul from Death and Hell See how
Noted q. 89 Equal Justice to be distributed without respects q. 90 A just Judgment given and but one side heard makes an unjust Judge q. 91 The Poore in Justice must be dispatched first q. 92 Not to infult upon any in distresse q. 93 No Man may be tearmed happy till his Death q. 94 Against Slanders and Tale-bearing q. 95 To deal with others as we would be dealt with q. 96 To speak well of all men but chiefly of the dead and absent q. 97 Solid content consists onely in the Minde q. 98 Saladine his insinuation of the worlds vanity q. 99 Our Love and Thoughts not to be fixed on this world but on Heaven q. 100 The instabilitie of this world and of all things in it q. 101 The Revolutions of Life and to provide for them q. 102 Adversitie is the triall of mens spirits q. 103 Fortune deceitfull and not to be trusted unto q. 104 T is wisdom to be warned by other mens harms q. 105 Actions not to be judged of by Events q. 106 Titles of Honour are to be gained by Merit not by Money q. 107 Vertue leads to Honour and Humilitie to Vertue q. 108 Humilitie opens the Gate to eternall Happiness q. 109 Honour is in him that giveth not in him that received it q. 110 The Definition of Honour q. 111 Against vain glorious boasting q. 112 Against Out side Men and Roarers q. 113 How to know a gallant Man q. 114 Worth must Cement our Affections to Men. q. 115 T is good to be Cautious still but not mistrustfull q. 116 Timely prevention is the best Medicine of Evils q. 117 Privacie in dangerous times most secure q. 118 T is no shame to learn even of the Meanest Man q. 119 Vertue in a fair and noble Subject pleaseth more q. 120 Fame which Vertue bestows is to be sought after q. 121 Knowledge of our self is the best Knowledge we can have q. 122 By how much a Man knows by so much more he hath Gods Image in him q. 123 A too early opinion of sufficiencie of Knowledge obstructs the increase q. 124 Knowledge by imparting it shines more bright q. 125 Some progresse in Vertue is to be daily made q. 126 T is in our power to make Reports of us either false or true q. 127 To end one work before we undertake another q. 128 Perseverance brings a work to perfection q. 129 To commit what we blame in others is no little fault q. 130 A Guest may with lesser shame be kept out then when admitted used ill q. 131 Praise and not Time is the best measure of Life q. 132 That which is Good must still be done Well q. 133 Against Wanton Dalliance q. 134 Emptines must not vant nor worth be a Cypher q. 135 Each Man to be weigh'd and to regulate our anger q. 136 T is not good to take alwayes Notice of what doth offend us q. 137 Against rashnesse in Belief of Reports and Tales q 138 Against Detractors q. 139 When we have erred 't is no shame to recant our Error q. 140 Against Men of double Tongues q. 141 Not to insult where we are in authority q. 142 Every one ought to confine himself within his own Bounds q. 143 All things have due set Limits of Lesse and More q. 144 Good Turnes may be marred in their Manner of doing q. 145 Good Men rise from their falls the Bad lie still q. 146 Men in Years must more mind their End then the World q. 147 A parallel between a sentenced Prisoner and a carking aged Man q. 148 Not to write much without good abilities q. 149 Not to procrastinate or precipitate but seasonable time to be taken for all things q. 150 T is wisdome not to search for what we would not find q. 151 Against Sacriledg q. 152 Against such as use Friends to gain their Ends and afterwards neglect them q. 153 Not to do Injury to Any For the Meanest may sometimes either help or hurt q. 154 A many headed multitude not to be confided in q. 155 Nâ—t to presume upon hope of Successe in our undertakings q. 156 Not to vex when we cannot reform what is a misse q. 157 Silence in times of Danger brings safety q 158 Not to be fainthearted in Straights and Dangers q. 159 Not to contest with stranger then our selves Nor relie upon Friends afar off q. 160 Promises to the Dead must religiously be performed q. 161 To better our selves daily in Goodnes and Knowledg q. 162 How to use reading of Books and Study q. 163 Love of Vertue not fear of punishment must restrain from Ill. q. 164 Of Good and Bad Work and Word q. 165 Liberality captivates Observance q. 166 Ill oft proceeds by accident from Good q. 167 Look how to speak Words cannot be recalled q. 168 T is easier not to learn Ill then to depose the habit of it q. 169 Such is the praise as they are that give it q. 170 Corrections from Heaven must be humbly submitted to q. 171 Not to presume but Mend when Heaven shows mercy to us q. 172 Wants bring no shame from Gods hand but from our own Vices they do q. 173 T is better sometimes to want then to abound q. 174 Authority must be submitted unto q. 175 Things Indifferent when they give offence must be abstained from q. 176 T is not good nor prudenciall to struggle against Powers q. 177 Power overthrows most where it is most opposed q. 178 Princes and States cannot be talked of without some Inconvenience q. 179 Against Ficklenes Change of Friends and bad Resort q. 180 The benefit of conversing with ones Betters q. 181 In the lowest Condition still to prefer Fame before Fortune q. 182 It is no shame in necessity to do any thing that is honest q. 183 T is good to be at home with our selves q. 184 The definition of the Rich Man q. 185 Wisedome bewares where it hath smarted once q. 186 Against Vnderminers and Supplanters q. 187 Socrates his Counsell to his Schollars touching Vertue q. 188 Meat and Drink must only be used to sustain Nature not abused in wantonnes q. 189 Wit and Mirth must be so used as not to offend q. 190 Against such as speak or do what they afterwards deny q. 191 Discretion is the Salt that Seasons Words and Actions q. 192 To provide carefully for those whom we have taken into charge q. 193 No good Penniworth over to be had of bad wares q. 194 Christian fortitude is a strong Bulwark against Adversitie q. 295 The Shortnes of Life and the length of Arts require an Active Vertue q. 196 Time is to be taken hold of whilst it is present q. 197 Faith and trust not to be broken or defrauded q. 198 Pearls must not be thrown before Swine q. 199 Like to like makes the best Consortship q. 200 Mild words are most proper to allay Anger q. 201 Against Sycophants Dissemblers and Bawds q. 202 Self-conquest is the greatest victory q. 203 Against rashness in censure of Men. q. 204 The frowns and disfavours of the World oft turn to our Good q. 205 Actions take their qualities of good or bad from their Objects q. 206 Esteeme must still be a spur to Merit q. 207 To beware of Fraud under the mask of Friendship q. 208 Mischief from false Friends or Kindred hardly to be prevented q. 209 To value every thing with Discretion q. 210 To shun bad wayes and not wilfully run into Dangers q. 211 To assist a Friend but with due respect to our own Safetie q. 212 The best ground of Trust is Piety towards God q. 213 Fair shews and semblances must not always binde our belief q. 214 Of Justice Conscience Religion Gain and Self-ends q. 215 Contest with base persons is still disadvantagious q. 216 To bear the Worlds Traverses with Patience q. 217 Not to take things upon trust as the vulgar doth q. 218 Mediums rightly disposed work the End q. 219 Courage and Resolution wade through deep Designes q. 220 Weightie Resolves must be slow in growth and speedy in Execution q. 221 Gentle Admonitions are more prevalent then harsh Reproofs q. 222 Good Deeds are to be done whilest we are living q. 223 Persecution for a good Cause is not shamefull q. 214 Contempt of sound Advice brings many to ruine q. 215 He best knows how to spend that hath sweated in the purchase q. 216 A Man's Freedom if possibly not to be ingaged q. 227 Fidelitie c. in service recommended q. 228 The more a Man is wise the lesse he is presumptuous q. 229 Hospitalitie recommended with due Caution q. 230 The Beggar 's bush is ever near a lean Barn and a fat Kitchin q. 231 Families ought to be governed by Rule and Order q. 232 How Servants ought to be used q. 233 Servants are not to be much trusted with Secrets q. 234 Of the single State Marriâ—ge a Wife and Portion q. 235 Parents ought to educate their children vertuously q. 236 Parents must walk in these precepts they give their Children q. 237 Children must imitate what is good iu Parents and decline what is bad q. 238 All vertuous Actions are to he imbraced as solid Props q. 239 Every thing that is bad is to be avoided as destructive q. 240 Not to depend upon the shortnes and uncertainty of this life q. 241 To begin early our Journey towards Heaven q. 242 Against those who never think of Death till they be ready to die q. 243 To account each day our last and to be prepared for Death q. 244 Many have risen in perfect strength and gone to bed to their Graves q. 245 We come into Life at one Dore go out at Many q. 246 Life not to be doted on being full of Miseries q. 247 Death in its self hath nothing that is terrible q. 248 We ow a Death to Nature by the Law of sin q. 249 The Continuall Meditation of Death very usefull and necessary q. 250 So to live as not to shame to have lived Nor repine to Die q. 251 The blessings of the holy Trinity implored q. 252 Daily increase of Grace and eternall happines supplicated q. 253 FINIS
I am beset O Pay My Debt I pray And all these Haggs repell 20. One little Drop of thy Dear Blood Can do more good To wash my Sins away Then Ganges Nilus Euphrates And such as These Or the vast Ocean may 21. Grant it O grant it Lord For Lo A Stream doth flow From thy Feet Hands and Side And till I may attain that Grace In this blest Place Thus prostrate I 'le abide 22. My Suit is gain'd Up Faith Go stand With ready Hand But pure have speciall Care And from his Hand receive it You Repentance true Come and all Things prepare 23. Bring now now bring that precious Balme From the blest Palme Of my dear JESUS sent Bathe Bathe me in 't from Head to Foot And so look to 't As none in vain be spent 24. Ha! Dare I trust mine Eyes O strange What blessed Change Do I both feel and see I am become more white then Snow Just now a Crow All Terrors vanisht be 25. The horrid Brood of Barathrum That were Here come To hurry Me away Look how they fly And in Despair Do tear their hair That they have lost their Prey 26. O my Redeemer For this Grace In ev'ry Place I will for evermore Set forth and Magnifie thy Praise In sacred Layes And thy great Name adore 27. And now led by thy holy Spirit Roab'd with thy Merit I 'le to the Father go In full assurance of his Love And one Suit move Which he will grant I know 28. Father dear Father For his Sake Who did me take To Mercy Mercy have And to the Kingdom of thy Son When Life is done Translate my Soul I crave FINIS A Table shewing the chief Matters contained in the severall Quadrins as they stand in their Order and Number THe Introduction or Adresse Quad 1 Prayer and Praise to God and the benefit thereof q. 2 Soundnesse in Faith and stedfastness in Religion q. 3 Honour and Reverence to Parents brings a blessing q. 4 Concord and amitie among brethren addeth strength q. 5 Invocation of God upon any work we toke in hand q. 6 Outward shew and longest prayers not most acceptable to God q. 7 Against Hipocrisie in Religion q. 8 Magistrates the Aged and Wise to be reverenced and why q. 9 Friends and such as are in distresse to be respected and relieved q. 10 Rash Ingagements and Vows not to be run into q. 11 The best not the most are to be pleased q. 12 To bear a like mind in Prosperitie and Adversitie q. 13 The Goods of the Minde are only properly our own q. 14 Election to be made of persons with whom to converse q. 15 Not to do Ill though unseen of Man q. 16 To speak in due time and season and how q. 17 Who is apt to speak much must learn to speak wisely q. 18 The habit of lying begets often an unbeleif of the Truth q. 19 Ill mnst not be done upon any Pretence of Good q. 20 Against Oaths and all prophane and impure talk q. 21 Against the societie of loese Dames and the Mischiefs thereof q. 22 Against Drunkenness q. 23 Against Gaming and Quarrels q. 24 Conscience is to be made of the meanest sin q. 25 The Point of Honour to be cherished but much mistaken by many q. 26 Life is a rich Treasure not to be idly wasted q. 27 Our Countrey Friends and Kindred have enterest in us q. 28 A moderation in Expences is to be used q. 29 Apparrell must be fitted to the Person and his place q. 30 Not to gote Law but upon pressing Necessity q. 31 Money onely to be loved for its use well regulated q. 32 Goodness more to be sought after then Riches or Greatness q. 33 Prudence must be the guide of all our Actions q. 34 A Medium between the two Extreams in the safest Course q. 35 Against Dissimnlation Yet not to speak all we think q. 36 Against Suretiship q. 37 Against Idleness q. 38 Education gives what Nature and Fortune cannot bestow q. 39 The Excellencie of Beasts above Man in body qualities q. 40 The minde of Man may receive some information from Beasts q. 41 Instances in sundry Brutes to the information of the minde q. 42 Travel into forrain Countreys not to be undertaken without Means q. 43 Certain Rules to be observed in Travel q. 44 The Emblems for Travel explained q. 45 Fair Comportments gain favour and love q. 46 Good Parts to be kept in use but not to be too intent upon any one q. 47 Wealth very necessarie to the setting forth of Vertue q. 48 It is not good to be rich too soon q. 49 We must so feed others as not to starve our selves q. 50 To preserve is no lesse vertue then to purchase q. 51 Against self-will and self-conceit q. 52 A Certaintie not to be left for an uncertaintie q. 53 Against running into Debt q. 54 Expences must be limited by the Comings in q. 55 Industrie in Yruth must provide for Age. q. 56 In greatest Prosperity to be most humble minded q. 57 Not to have too good nor yet too mean an opinion of self-worth q. 58 Not to carry a greater Port then our Estate will bear q. 59 Vnsettledness in Thoughts and oft removing much prejudiciall q. 60 Against Excesse in Meat and Drink q. 61 To give something to the Poore of what God gives to us q. 62 Deeds of Charitie not to be done with ostentation q. 63 Not to be busie and inquisitive into other mens Affairs q. 64 The Tongue to be restrained q. 65 Why Nature hath doubly fenced in the Tongue q. 66 Base Gain must not byas our Thoughts to unworthy Actions q. 67 Vprightness in Dealings and keeping of word recommended q. 68 What None should know not to be imparted to a Friend q. 69 Secrets received in trust not to be revealed q. 70 Vertuous Emulation to be followed and Envy shunned q. 71 Vertue is still the Butt of Envy q. 72 Goodnes for it self to be loved and all for it q. 73 The first Motions to Evil are to be resisted q. 74 Ill not onely to be shunned but all the semblance of it q. 75 Terror dogs Guilt Innocence is confident q. 76 Good turns received are to be had in remembrance q. 77 No Records to be kept of Injuries received q. 78 Better give Examples of Vertue then to boast of our Ancestors 79 To take more care of adorning the Brain then setting forth the Body 80 Courtesie to be used to All Councels imparted but to few q. 81 By the Counsell given to judge of the Counsellor q. 82 How to make triall of a Friend q 83 Another way of triall of a Friend q. 84 When Friends may best be purchased q. 85 A true Friend is a rich Treasure q. 86 Applause and Detraction neither make nor marr him that is Good q 87 Pride and Scorn bring always Vengeance and Shame q. 88 Men the more eminent they are the more their failings are