from comfort nay the newest pain Of studied torments could not hinder their gain Or force them from their pious Christian love They ever bore to Christ who sits above He that so loves his Saviour will arise And stoop with Mary to enrich his eyes With the fruition of that desired sight That is so full of splendor power and might And not only stoop but step into a tomb And embrace a coffin in that dismal room And look on death but as the door to bliss The Messenger of glory and happiness And with St. Paul in raptures all in flame Begging a dissolution of this frame While his soul in extasies transports its sence Into a holy zeal to be mov'd hence O Lord with what regret do we forsake Earths vanishing pleasures in which we do take So great delight the which should make us sorry That we do strive so little for thy glory But are ever unwilling to let down Our lives our pleasures for an immortal Crown In obedience to the law of the blest Kingdom Which saith thy service is a perfect freedom And yet we count the sweetest sanctuary A Prison and trouble if we find it vary From our vile lusts and think our selves to blame If that we pay due honor to thy name Pardon O Lord the corruptions of our frame And teach us how to love and prize thy name But whether we live or die we may delight In that which is most pleasant in thy sight That when this Tabernacle shall dissolve Our earthy bodies may surely involve Into everlasting joyes the seat of bliss The only residence of happiness And stoop withal due reference and fear And look into a loathed Sepulchre Ecclesiastes 12.1 Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth HOw sweet's the preachers voice that doth invite Youth to a plous care and doth excite A holy life it is the best expression In all his sermon checking youths transgression Here younger Ones are bid to have a care Of spending time least that they do ensuare Their souls in sin for none indeed can tell How soon young Men may hear their passing bell Toll the sad ditty of their latest breath Surrendring up their sences all to death The divine preachers chiefest aim is this To stir youth up to early holiness And yet the worlds not pleased with the strain It sounds too harsh though it design their gain Look on the creatures with a single eye And you this doctrine quickly will espy They plainly preach it yet we slug and slumber With open eyes our duller thoughts do cumber Our purer meditations which should be Of our backslidings and returns to thee Regardless youth delighteth not to hear This silver trumpet sounding in his ear It spoils his mirth and sours his sweeter Muse Stirs thoughts of Heaven too soon he 'd rather choose His Carnal sports than thus to dull his wit Make him look grave before he attain to it His spritely blood thinks it too hard a task To be religious he prefers a mask And rather ravel out his time in pleasure Whose vainest sports are held his chiefest treasure Fond youth call in these thoughts lament thy way Remember the approaching judgment day When we to God a sure account must give Of all our actions whilst we here do live Let not these fleshly objects of thy pleasure Transport our sences beyond a due measure From Heaven and heavenly things which should rejoyce Our very hearts to hear the Preachers voice And shall these lusts which we pursue in pleasure Bewreave us of our joy our only treasure Shall we have greater zeal for to transgress Than for to magnifie thy holiness And shall those pleasures that do quickly die Quite drown the thoughts of immortality My life that 's but a span let it decay And shorten rather than mispend my day Better this earthy tabernacle be Dissolved than I by sin should fall from thee Much better 't is that I should quickly pay Nature her debt and turn again to clay Than with thy justice run too far in score That so thy goodness may again restore Me to thy blessed self which cannot be But by thy mercies Lord alone to me 'T was thou didst bring me from the lowest dust To serve thy self not base and filthy lust Thou didst implant in me a sacred ray Of thine own self to light the ready way Of thy commands which if we do pursue With upright bearts then surely will ensue Such joyes as do accompany thy grace Then cause me Lord no longer to misplace My roving sence but henceforth fixt it fast In my desires to follow Christ at last Make me O God ever to prize thy glory Declining pleasures meerly transitory And teach me for to use this vain vain world As that which may again by thee be hurl'd Into a Chaos let me not lose thee Nor the blest mansions of eternity Dear friends prize virtue though your blood gainsay Love and delight therein 't is the true way Other are by pathes which do tend to sin Much joy you 'l find if that you walk therein Pursue it strictly 't is a serious truth Remember your Creator in your youth Luke 18.11 The Pharisee stood up and pray'd God I thank thee I am not as other Men are DId Christ reprove by parable these Men Which trusteth in themselves and rudely bin Despisers of others in a haughty pride An humble sanctity could not abide But overvalued in a fair pretence Of self conceit not giving reverence And humility to those parts they had receivid But boasting of themselves they had deceiv'd The world till Christ did sharply them reprove In which he shew'd his mercy and his love How proudly do the Pharisee give thanks He stands on tip-toe venting his vain pranks Ungrateful pride hath alter'd his disposition Which used long prayers and vain repetition The fits not now upon him for to pray He 's out of tune but opes his mouth to bray Not to adore his God but commend himself In such proud boasting but alas poor elf That is so highly ravisht with his parts Not caring for to study divine arts But with so cold a zeal a posture ill 'T were better he had bin unthankful still He exceeded other Men in his own sence In a superlative kind of impudence How largely doth he set forth his own worth Making no Apology for his filthy froth He thanks God with a mind that 's fully bent To praise himself 't is rather complement Than prayer he thinketh it Idolatry To worship images yet his vain folly Makes him adore himself with his own praise As do the Catholick Pharisees of our days In works of superarrogation high And think by it strait unto Heaven to fly Having numbred o're their beads their Ave-Mary's Their superstitions rights that fouly varies From the true Catholick Church that blessed spouse Of Christ whose splendid glory doth even rouse My soul in contemplations of its love Which will ne're be perfected till
influence Attracts all Eyes with holy reverence And all in raptures proud of company That led him Heaven-ward in such Majesty Thus came the scribe attendant for to be Saying aloud Lord I will follow thee Nor could his poverty stop his intention Of following Christ he could have no prevention But suffer all the miseries can attend So good a Master that can him defend In whose deep wants there is more fulness hid Than Earth amounts unto if valued This scribe's a Coppy ought we not to write After this Jew and yet how blind's our sight We cannot see our senses are bereav'd Of the true light our souls they are deceiv'd Else would we not suffer this publican Out strip us in our duty ah vain Man Where are thy thoughts that thou dost thus despise That guide that leads to that blest place where lies All the hid treasures which can be exprest Of Saints and Angels in the heavenly rest Were we to follow through a bed of flowers Who would not run who now his visage lowres The sensualist would walk but that he scorns To prick his tender feet amongst such Thorns With prickles sharp this rose is all surrounded He cannot follow that 's with care confounded Cares of this world nor can the Epicure Follow cause abstinence he cannot endure He cannot fast this this will spoile his mirth And hinder his enjoyment on this Earth Which prizeth pleasures and at greatest cost Them to endulge although at last he 's tosh Into the Dungeon ' mongst eternal pains The just reward of his licentious strains So hard it is for to correct our blood To leave the world and follow that is good The blandishments of sence invalids bliss And robs us of the fruits of happiness Fruits that attends endeavors if we took A Serious prospect and with care would look Into the ways of virtue we might spie The sad effects of vain morality Which are but tinkling Simbals to our ears Though fill'd with musick it may end in tears And yet how many are there that pretend To follow Christ and will their ways amend Yet still are strangers to his footsteps pure Treading their own tracts and can not endure Sound councel but do beat these pathes anew Scarce ever trod but lately with a crew Of confident assertors that can find A nearer pathe which more disturbs the mind In their blind zeals they do too boldly say That th' holy Martyr'd fathers mist the way They think they have a neerer cut to Heaven And that a better guide to them is given Then Christ and his disciples their new light Indeed will lead them to eternal night So various is their zeal and given to change Which make them wander and most fondly range To find fresh oyl for to enflame new light Though meet impostures yet they think them right Scorn ancient foot-steps and approved form Of holy Church which doth so much adorn The grandure of true worship but they 'l find Meanders and Euthusiasts still are blind For in the darkness they do sadly grope And for to find the door they 'r sans all hope Wanting good government to keep them in From their blind zeal the occasion of their sin But hear the poor Man doth not make delay To come to Christ who is the persect way His humble resolutions he did press In begging confidence he made address How vile am I O Lord thou only know'st Oh! I will follow thee where e're thou goest So raise our souls from off the world O Lord In seeking thee we friendly may accord Thou art ascended to thy heavenly Throne Where all true joyes are lodg'd in thee a lone O draw our souls in raptures of thy love And spiritual exhalations from above That may enrich our souls and make us be True converts shunning sin and following thee Which art the only fountain from whence springs All streams of mercy thou art King of Kings Grant us admittance for to wait on thee Then shall our souls enjoy eternity Sir Anthony Bateman being then a Prisoner in the House lay the next Chamber to the Author He having received the sad and sudden news of the death of his beloved Daughter which died the Tenth day of December last It being the very day Twelve moneth that her Mother the Lady Bateman died and neer about the same hour the day before The deceased was much busied about thoughts of death and writ her Will and something about ordering her funeral yet went to bed Seemingly much grieved and very p … The Author to comfort him writ as followeth SIR Death hath surprized your Daughter so that she Thereby's translated to eternity Her virtues follow her that golden Chain Whose links are purest gold doth still remain Unblemist her pure soul with joy to find A heavenly rest her charitable mind Richly rewarded is with heavenly treasure Her sorrows turn'd to joyes beyond all measure Her mirth is endless and she doth aspire To sing sweet Anthems in the heavenly quire Cease then your tears and forbear thus to grieve She 's gone before where death hath no reprieve VVe all must follow her no writ can move Our day of hearing 's fixt in heaven above VVhere Angels can chant forth praises and still sing Most divine Anthems to our God and King I◠which she bears apart I hope on high VVhere Saints are crown'd with bliss eternally An Elogy on the name and death of the virtnous Lady Martha Bateman who departed this life the Tenth of Decemb. 1674. Most happy Saint by the eternals will Amongst the Gods where thou art ever still Rankt with the heavenly sitters most sublime To teach us mortals that abuse our time Here in this vail of Earth where we may see As in thy mirror how weak and frail we be But now a flower of a sweet fragrant smell Amongst the roses anon the passing bell Tolls the sad ditty of her last farewel Even under the sore pangs of mortal death Most willingly surrenders up her breath Altering her earthly shape she did lie down Natures frail case for a celestial Crown Nature expostulating with death Grim death why dost thou aim thy fiery dart In so direct a posture at my heart Be not mistaken My flesh is tender And will not yet admit of a surrender Of my pure vitals why so cruel bent ' gainst this afflicted family for thy rent For to exact it the same day ô why so cruel Might hot my dearest Mothers precious Jewel Be price enough to stay thy angry fate But must pursue her issue with thy hate And that same very Tenth day of December Must our sad family with sobbs remember Ah is it so be not in hast to kill My panting heart O let me write my Will Let me have nought to do but sigh and die Then farewel mortal come immortality Into which joyes no prying eye can peep It is beyond our knowledge and too deep To search into ô le ts a while admire Her great perfections that
length Could we unwind time and reverse its wheel Stop the celestial posts and make them reel And set the worlds great clock far back again What shall we get by it but trouble and pain Imaginary selicities here Sliding contentments purchas'd very dear And when we 're listed in the dismal book That accursed catalogue of the damned look And ask Dives without any controul What did it profit him to lose his soul Oh Lord what is there in this world to prize And weary our selves with vain desires to raise A temporary felicity and name Which quickly vanisheth as a blast or flame 'T is hard to him that 's to thy law a stranger To apprehend the misery and danger Of covetous desires the length of time Hath made that vice a habit and incline Our natures to the breaches of thy law Oh Lord teach me with care to stand in aw Of losing thee my God my only pleasure Whom to enjoy is the divinest treasure O let the blessings thou hast freely given Quicken our duller souls with thanks to Heav'n From whom we have receiv'd the chief promotion Let it not flack but quicken our devotion And raise contemplations not vainly rude But with obedience and humble gratitude That so the vanities that are here below May be our scorn but the graces with do flow From thy abundant mercy may delight'us To the bosom of thy Church good Lord unite us And raise our spirits our vices to controul And think no profit for to lose our soul Canticles 2.1 I am the Rose of Sharon and the Lilly of the valleys 'T is Solomons song his most Seraphick strein That in high and transcendent raptures aim To express Christs love to his Church the sacred spouse Doth not his fervent divine fancy rouze These high passionate expressions divine The Rose of Sharon love better than wine Lilly of the valleys turtle undefil'd Love of delights sweeter than spices mild Spikenard and Mirrhe Saphron and Frankincense All these allusions in an amorous sence Of divine love as in a holy song VVith lofty ejaculations all along In a devout harmony doth allude In allegory and similitude The Rose is natures perfume it displays Its treasures through the air unto its praise It delighteth sence both in color and smell Whose odoriferous beauty none can paralel Other flowers like Hypocrites are fair of color And in a painted shew they do seem fuller Of various shapes but they have not the scent Of that sweet Rose that still is fragrant And retains its sweetness ev'n in withered dust When other flowers of Color pine and burst Into a nasty shape of the Rose is made A cordial so that it doth never fade It 's virtues are still useful of great price Of vegetables natures paradise In this wonder of flowers we may espy Not only Physick but Divinity It wears Heaven's livery in its beauteous color Natures master piece nothing is fuller Than the sweet lovely blushes of the Rose That Rose of Sharon which all wisedom knows With many prickles was his head surrounded VVith tanting scoffs was his pure soul confoundad The perfumes of his prayers rais'd a richer smell Than all Arabia's spices can paralel His divine miracles were higher scented Than all odoriferous gums if sublimated Into one perfume it s a rifle to that sweet That cordial posie where the God-head meet As join'd in one and sent such perfume thence VVhich should enamor our hearts with reverence To adore that Rose of Sharon which will never Lose its perfume but will smell sweet for ever Oh let us run with meekness not presume After the odors of thy sweet perfume And have fervent desires for thee alone And for the streams that do flow from thy Throne Imprint in me such rays of divine grace A purity capable to see thy face The greatest perfections in creatures lie But a drop of transcendent excellency That is in thee let me have a longing strife To imitate the purity of thy life And in an humble meekness to submit To such indignities as thou think'st fit And when I shall lay down this earthy feature I may be raised a renewed creature And be comforted with perfumes of thy love VVhich are prepared with the Saints above In the eternal paradise of rest VVith the true Rose of Sharon ever blest Psalm 119.92 If my delight had not been in thy Law I should have perished in my trouble FINIS To the Honorable the Lord Chief justice Raynsford upon his adding St. George's Church to the rules of the Kings Bench. THanks noble Raynsford for this bounteous favor To prisoners restrained it doth sweetly savor Of a pious clemency thus to enlarge The footsteps of those Men under thy charge You 've outdone loyal Keeling that act we 'le sound He'n larg'd the rules thou givest us holy ground St. George's Church Englands Titular Saint VVhere we may freely go and make complaint Of our hard ereditors and devoutly pray That he 'l enlarge his mercies in the day Of your account we 'l study to express All ways of gratitude for this happiness With thanks unto our Marshal for his love VVhich doth oblige us faster far above All other obligations we 'l express All cordial love with humble thankfulness Pardon Dear Sir that I this silence break That am the meanest how could others speak An Elogie on the death of Edmund Lenthal Esq late Marshal of the Kings Bench. ARe prisons sad is' t not a place of grief To be restrain'd from liberty the chief Desire of Man but here a comforts given VVhen a mild keeper is decreed from Heaven Such one we had but suddenly snatcht hence By the impartial hand of providence Death with his pale fac'd Envy hath bereav'd Of comfort in which we were not deceiv'd His carriage was obliging sweet and kind Expressing still a bounteous noble mind And generous Courtesy yet his care was just Preserving them that did oblige his trust In such an harmony his acts did meet Mixt mercy with justice in consort sweet My meditations of Joy and gladness Are turn'd to Elogies and songs of sadness He 's taken hence which my sad soul did chear I cease to write surpriz'd with mournful tear THE TABLE Of the FIRST PART Philippians Chap. 4. v. 12. 1. I Know how to abound and how to suffer need c. Job 2.10 2. In all this did not Job sin with his Lips Romans 6.12 and part of 21. 3. Let not sin theresore raign in your mortal bodies that you should obey it in the Lusts thereof For the end of these things are death 7 Matthew 15.28 4. And he said unto her O Woman great is thy Faith 11 John 12.2 5. But Lazarus was one of those that sat at the Table with him 14 Genesis 2.8 6. And the Lord God planted a Garden East-ward in Eden 17 Luke 10.25 7. And behold a certain Lawyer flood up and tempted him Master what shall I do to inherit Eternal Life 20 John 11.36 8. Jesus Wept 23 Matthew 6.33 9. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you c. 25 John 13.23 10. And there was leaning on Jesus bosom one of his Disciples whom he loved c. 29 Luke 19.9 11. This day is Salvation come to thy House 32 Luke 9.57 12. Lord I will follow thee wheresoever thou goest 36  A Copy of Verse to Sir Anthony Bateman on the Death of his Daughter 40  An Elogy on the Name and Death of the Virtuous Lady Martha Bateman who departed this Life the Tenth of December 1674. 41 THE TABLE Of the SECOND PART Numbers 27.16 17. 1. Let the Lord the God of the Spirits of all flesh set a man over the Congregation Which may go out before them and which may go in before them and which may lead them out and which may bring them in that the Congregation of the Lord be not as Sheep which have no Shepherd p. 1. Matthew 5.8 2. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God c. 6 Daniel 12.3 3. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament and they that turn many to righteousness as the Stars for ever and ever 9 Matthew 2.18 4. And when they saw the Star they rejoyced with exceeding great Joy 12 Ecclesiastes 12.13 5. Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole duty of Man 16 Matthew 8.2 6. And behold there came a Leaper and worshipped him saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean 20 1 Kings 19.9 7. And he came unto a Cave and lodged there 23 Genesis 28.12 8. And he dreamed a Dream and behold a Ladder set upon the Earth and the top of it reached unto Heaven and behold the Angels descending and ascending on it 27 Proverbs 18.14 9. But a wounded Spirit who can bear 33 Matthew 24.38 10. And knew not until the Flood came and took them all away 37 Luke 7.5 11. For he loved our Nation and hath built us a Synagogue 40 John 20.11 12. But Mary stood without at the Sepulchre weeping and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the Sepulchre 44 Ecclesiastes 12.1 13. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth 47 Luke 18.11 14. The Pharisee stood up and pray'd God I thank thee I am not as other men are 50 Matthew 16.26 15. For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul 53 Canticles 2.1 16. I am the Rose of Sharon and the Lilly of the Vallies 57  A Copy of Verses to the Right Honorable the Lord Chief Justice Raynsford  An Elogy on the Death of Edmund Lenthal Esq FINIS