But above all prepare thy heart Whilst now 't is called day In humble duty bear thy part To sing to love and pray Glory to thee Eternal Lord Thrice blessed three in one Thy Name at all times be ador'd Till time it self be done ¶ Of God HE is the Author of the Worlds Creation Foundation The great and mighty Judge of mans Salvation Damnation The glorious Lord and only God Above Of Love That both to men and Angels is A God A Rod. He did the World create and by his hand Or word Foundations laid of Sea and Land Can save or damn as he doth best approve Will be our God or Rod as we shall love Thou that canst hold the Winds within thy fist Have mercy on us oh thou God in Christ. ¶ Of Christ. HE it is that gives us Peace Increase He to poor Souls cries I 'm your Jesu IESU He it is that is our Good Food The Saints with him do trust their Treasure Pleasure He it is can end our Life Strife He it is that gives us Breath Death He is to us a Judge and King Sting He is our Peace Increase our Jâ—…u and An Ease to those that wait on his Command Our Good our Food our Treasure and our Joy Our Life to see no Strife shall us annoy He gives us Breath can give us Death as King And unâ—…o death he is become a Sting He punish can or help us in our thrall For Christ is God's and God is all in all Wouldst farther know what God is silly Elf Go study first to be a God thy self ¶ God is Love GIve praise unto the Lord above Omit no thanks that thou canst move Dost thou not know that God is love In Word and Deed make him thy aim So shall thy Soul be free from blame Let his Commandments be in ure Obedience cannot be a clod Vs he hath spar'd and doth endure Ev'n still such is the love of God ¶ The Remembrance ANd now my Soul canst thou forget That thy whole life is one long debt Of Love to him who on the Tree Paid back the flesh he took for thee Lo how the streams of pretious blood Flow from five wounds into one flood With these he washes all thy stains And buys thy Ease with his own Pains Tall Tree of Life we clearly now That doubt of former ages know It was thy wood should make a Throne Fit for a more than Solomon Large Throne of Love royally spread With Purple of too rich a red Strange costly price thus to make good Thine own esteem with the Kings blood Hail fairest Plant of Paradise To thee our hopes lift up their eyes O may aloft thy branches shoot And fill the Nations with thy fruit O may all reap from thy increase The Just more strength the Sinner peace While our half-wither'd hearts and we Engraft our selves and grow on thee Live O for ever live and reign Bless'd Lamb whom thine own love hath slain And may thy lost Sheep live to be True lovers of thy Cross and thee ¶ Of Death 1 Cor. ch 15. v. 55 56. O Death where is thy sting The sting of death is sin O. Death forbear I yet must live Stay Death till God your Warrant give And then where you see best this heart Most willing is to seel your Dart. But Lord O let thy servants breath Preserv'd be from the sting of Death ¶ Of Grief THe tears come slowly Lord my sins remain O sting my shallow fords and make them rain Rivers of waters or if so thou please Send daring death my sorrows to decrease My grief is great 't is time to rise or fall Then cleanse me Lord from sin and ease my thrall That I may say O death where is thy sting And tell the world The sting of death is sin ¶ A Christian and Death A Dialogue Chr. COme valiant Death and welcome do thy worst Shew me the power thou claimst as being King Dea. Poor mortal know alas thou art but dust And I the Sexton that thy Knell must ring Chr. Away lean half-starv'd wretch go daunt a sool Think not to fright me with Thy glass is run Dea. Thou art my Scholar therefore come to School Delays but waste that time which might be gone Chr. Thou seemst a Student for thou lookst so poor That Famine in thy face I plainly read Dea. Come silly wretch you word it must no more See here 's thy Glass thy Doom and thou art dead Chr. Then boldly strike thou dost the body kill My Soul shall wait upon its Master's will Dea. Lie there proud dust all flesh is born to die Chr. This is the Road unto Eternitie ¶ The Altar A broken ALTAR Lord to thee I raise Made of a Heart to celebrate thy praise Thou that the onely Workman art That canst cement a broken heart For such is mine O make it thine Take out the Sin That 's hid therein Though it be Stone Make it to groan That so the same May praise thy Name Melt it O Lord I thee desire With Flames from thy Coelestial fire That it may ever speak thy Praise alone Since thou hast changed into Flesh a Stone ¶ Death Man and Grave A Dialogue Death COme down proud Lust. Man To what to Dust Grav I that you must and shall Man Thou thing of bones Grav That fetcheth groans Death From very stones and all Man From Dust I came Grav Thou must again Death Sin is thy bain and thrall Man That 's thee away Death With mortal Clay Grav Why do you stay you must Death Come leave your groans Man To go with bones Grav You must go once poor dust Death Nay do not frown Man Away rude Clown Death I 'll strike thee down proud lust Man Then I submit forbear your storms Seeing I must return a Guest To my Acquaintance old the worms Farewel fond World I 'll take my rest Grav I have a Charm will make you sleep And all you have you here may trust For Watchmen not a few I keep The harmless Worms that are so just With care they do befriend him That cometh here within this path Thus man one world of servants hath And when he on his Death-bed lies Another doth attend him ¶ Nature's Delight HArk my Soul how every thing Strives to serve our bounteous King Each a double tribute pays Sings its part and then obeys Natures chief and sweetest quire Him with chearful notes admire Chanting every day their Lauds Whilst the Grove their song applauds Though their Voices lower be Streams have too their melody Night and day they warbling run Never pause but still sing on All the flowers that gild the Spring Hither their sweet musick bring If Heaven bless them thankful they Smell more sweet and look more gay Only we can scarce afford Due thanksgivings to our Lord. We on whom his bounty flowes All things give and nothing owes Wake for shame my sluggish heart Wake and gladly sing thy part Learn
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
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 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
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