to th'elect by Adam's fall defil'd â—he womans seed did break the Serpents head â—he Lamb was slain for Saints and buried Christ hath Redemption purchased for men â—nd intercession he doth make for them â—hose he redeem'd to them he doth apply â—his purchase made by him effectually â—nd by his word a perfect Declaration â—eveal'd to them of th' misteries of salvation â—nd by his spirit in their inner parts â—oth work Obedience and doth guide their hearts And all their enemies he doth overcome By 's Power Wisdome and Dominion Of Free Will MAn in the state of Innocency had A power to will and do both good and bad He badly did and he by doing ill Lost both the power and freedome of his will He disobey'd and lost his happy station To will or do what might obtain Salvation To what is good he wholly is averse And also dead in sins and trespasses Man of himself thus merg'd in misery Can nothing do for his recovery Till God convert him and do him translate Into a godly and a gracious state Then he doth free him from his natural sin And from the bondage he before was in And by his Grace doth give him power and skill Spiritual works as well to do as will Yet still the seeds of unregeneration Remain in him till death remove his station And when he comes into eternal bliss Free to all good and not till then he is Of Efectual Calling ALL those that unto life by God's decree Predestinated are assuredly His Heirs shall be and Heaven shall inherit And shall be called by his word and spirit Out of the state of death and deadly sin In which by Nature they were plunged in Into a state of grace and of Salvation By Jesus Christ and through his mediation And their blind minds shall filled be with light To understand the things of God aright From them shall taken be their hearts of stone And hearts of flesh infused in the room And in their wills they shall renewed be To do what 's good then grace shall make them free This calling is by special grace alone And not for any thing foreseen or known That is in man therein he passive is God by his spirit freely calleth his And them enables also to embrace His gracious offer when he offers grace Elected Infants in their Infancy Are sav'd by Christ although the Infants die Persons elect depriv'd of outward call by 'th Ministry yet they are saved all Men not elected though they called be by 'th outward call of word and Ministry And have some operation of the spirit shall not be saved by Christ Jesus merrit And those that be not Christians they can never Salvation have by any way whatsoever Though they their lives do frame by natures light And keep that Law wherein they do delight Of Iustification ALL those that called are effectually The same God doth most freely justifie And into them doth righteousness infuse They are the Children God doth freely chuse Their sins he pardons and their persons takes As righteous all for Christ our Saviour's sake Not for the works or deeds which they have done Their debts discharg'd by Jesus Christ his Son He by his sufferings did acquit from sin All those that rest and do rely on him By lively faith his righteousness is theirs This Faith God gives to his Adopted Heirs And they receave the same beleivingly And by their faith God doth them justifie All saying graces do attend this one Faith works by love and never goes alone And for all those that are thus justifi'd To answer Justice our dear Saviour di'd Man 's justify'd this done by Gods free grace And yet observe that Justice keeps his place That all the elect for which our Saviour dy'd By Gods decree were freely justifi'd Yet though elected they are not just men Till Christ by 'th spirit be apply'd to them Man justifi'd can never lose that treasure Yet he by 's sins may suffer Gods displeasure And lose the favour of his countenance Till he be humbled by true penitence And do confess his sin and pardon get Renew his faith and so remove the lett Believers under the Old Testament As under new herein is also meant And of God's mercy freely did pertake And justify'd were for our Saviours sake Of Adoption ALL those by God that justified be For his Sons sake adopted are and free God for his Children them doth freely take They have access unto the Throne of Grace And Abba Father they may boldly cry And he will help them in their misery He pities them and them he doth protect He is their father and will them correct Yet he his Children never will forsake Co-heirs with Christ he doth his Children make Of Sanctification ALL the Elect that are regenerated In them new hearts and Spirits are created And all such Saints are sanctifyed more By God's good spirit then they were before And they not only are more sanctifi'd But sins dominion is in them destroy'd And that dominion being so destroy'd Their several Lusts in them are mortifi'd More quickning and more fading graces then Appear in all such sanctified men More power they have to practise holiness Which brings them to eternal hapiness Yet notwithstanding Saints proceed so far Still their corruptions raise a dealy warr The flesh and spirit alwaies are at strife Flesh fights for death the spirit strives for life And in this fight the flesh doth many maime And then the spirit conquer's it again And then the Saints in saving graces grow More flesh doth fight more grace it self doth show Of saving Faith by 'th word and spirit saving faith is wrought In all th'elect and they thereby are brought Into the way that leads to perfect bliss And then their Faith by Prayer increased is Then by the Sacraments they get more strength By Faith in Christ their souls are sav'd at length By this true Faith all Christians do accord To all the truths in the revealed word And square their actions by the Rule and Line Of God's good word as he doth them incline Doing and suffering what he doth require Doing the same with hearts that are intire Trembling at threats the promises imbraceing Resting on Christ our Saviour for salvation Of Repentance unto Life BY Gods good spirit and by his Holy Word Which are as sharp as any edged sword True penitence may be so wrought in him That was defiled by notorious sin That by Gods grace and by the sence and sight Of sins defilement he may grow contrite And greatly greive that he did ever sin Against the Lord that suffer'd death for him And may endeavour with a true intent To walk the waies of God's Commandements Man by Repentance cannot pardon merit And yet without it cannot bliss inherit No sins so small but it deserves damnation No sin 's so great but man may have salvation By true Repentance but observe herein He ought t'repent of all and every sin And them
their part We have not visited the sick We have not cloath'd the naked We have not log'd the stranger nor Him compassionated Our souls and bodies are unclean By thoughts and words and actions We have defil'd our sinful souls We have corrupt affections And rotten speeches do proceed From our corrupted hearts Our eyes and ears do let in sins Which poyson every part We have not made a Covenant With hearing sight and senses We have not watch'd and pray'd and fasted We have not shun'd intemperance We have not used all good means To further the estate Neither of our selves or neighbours but Have been inordinate We have not labour'd to maintain Or justly to defend Our neighbours credit or good name For any holy end We have not been contented with Our Callings and Estate But have unjustly coveted Our selves to elevate Now Lord since we have sinned so And done so wickedly We justly merit to inherit With Dathan's family Eternal pain and misery VVithin the pit of Hell And with the Divel and the damn'd We do deserve to dwell For if thou didst not Angels spare Which had such glorious stations But hurl'st them down from Heaven high And from their habitations Into the place and pains of Hell In darkness there to lye Who sinned once and sin'd but once Against thy Majesty And our first Parents did'st expel From pleasant Paradise Who broke one law and them to that The Divel did intice What vengeance then may we expect For all our filthiness Who dayly sin like water drink And dayly do transgress And have not broken only one But all thy Lawes most holy Thy Precepts Statutes and Commands We have neglected wholly Sin upon sin we heaped have And do deserve the sentence Due unto those that thee oppose And sin without Repentance We all are vile and wretched men Thy Law our souls condemns Yet Lord thy Gospel us assures Thy Grace thy Law transcends Thy goodness doth delight to raigne Where sins do most abound Thy mercies master all thy works Thy mercy wears the Crown O therefore Hallowed be thy name Who of thy self art holy Thy judgements just do shew the same Thou art a God of Glory Thou art Jehovah Lord of Hosts Thy power is very great Thou Father Son and Holy Ghost We humbly thee intreat Give us such knowledge of thy self And of the Trinity And of thy word and works that we Thy Name may glorifie Good Lord let us thy word beleive And fear thy dreadful name Good Lord grant us fidelity To Sanctifie the same O Lord make us fear thee alone Give us Humility And Patience that we from hence May yield most willingly And may submit our selves unto Thy just correcting rod Who dost in love correct th'elect And art a gracious God O give us Grace that we may praise And hallow thy great name And by our Conversations may Give Glory to the same Lord let not sin nor Satan reigne But let thy Kingdome come And let thy spirit in our hearts Strive for Dominion Abolish Satans Kingdome Lord And from captivity Inlarge thy Saints and break their bands And set thy servants free Collect and gather thine Elect O do it speedily And to that end do thou set up A faithful Ministry And let the blessing of thy spirit Accompany thy word O slay the sins of all thy Saints By that two edged Sword And dayly more increase the gifts And graces of thy spirit In all thy Saints and servants that Thy Kingdome shall inherit And by thy word and spirit rule The hearts and lives of them Kill their corruptions curb their lusts And make them watchful men Raise up Religious Magistrates That truly may adore The Beauty of the Spouse of Christ And hate the Romish Whore Root out dumb dogs and purge the Church From all impurity Remove those Rocks that give offence Root out Idolatry Root out all greedy Wolves O Lord Root out those Currs with speed That fleece and fley and snarle and bite And take no care to feed O finish Lord with hast and speed The Kingdome of thy Grace Call all th'lect that are uncall'd Give thine a glorious place Come quickly Lord dissolve the world Destroy this earthly station Shew thy respect to thine elect O hasten their salvation Stir up thy strength and come at length Thy deadly foes destroy Who do oppose both thee and those That love thy Majesty On thee we rest thy time is best Thy blessed will be done O grant we may from day to day Obey thee every one And that we may thee so obey Lord grant that we from hence May willingly submit to thy Good will and providence And all at once may now renounce Our evil inclinations The World the Flesh and Satan's will And labour for Salvation And may the Angels imitate And Saints that are in Heaven And such obedience yeeld to Christ As should to him be given Give us this day our dayly bread O Lord we thee intreat Give life and health and cloathes and wealth And food for us to eat And give us grace on thee to place Our trust and confidence Till life doth end let us depend Upon thy Providence Forgive our debts as even we On debtors pity take Remit our sins and blot them out For Jesus Christ his sake And lead us not into temptation But free us from all evil And grant to us thy preservation From World and flesh and Devill Now unto thee all prayses be O Lord that didst elect Us to salvation before Creation And others didst reject Lord thy free Grace in this great case Most plainly doth appear That such as we should saved be And Christ our scores should clear O blessed Son thou hast well done To die for thine Elected For thou wast slain and sufferedst pain That we might be protected Great was thy merit with holy spirit Thou fully wast anoynted And full of Grace fit for the place Thy Father had appointed To mediate and undertake For us poor sinful creatures Thy Fathers will thou didst fulfil And didst assume our natures And in due time the Cross did'st Climb And suffered'st grievous pain Wast after dead and buried And then didst rise again And through the skie to Heaven high Unto a glorious place Then didst thou go and mount up to Thy Fathers Throne of Grace And reconcile that bloody broile That Adam's sin procured Which being done by Gods own son His Saints are all secured Thou art indeed the womans seed That broke the Serpents head And with a flood of thy own blood A Pardon purchased Thy sacrifice did pay the price For us poor sinful creatures Lord thou didst dye and satisfie Sin suffered in our natures O blessed son since thou hast done This mighty work of merit The same apply effectnally By thy most holy spirit That thy redeem'd may be esteem'd By God and godly men Thou blessed son O still go on And interceade for them In thy good word thou dost record A perfect Declaration
To all thy sons and chosen ones Of ' th misteries of Salvation Now in their hearts and inner parts Work by thy spirit in them Obedience that they from hence May live like holy men By thy Dominion overcome Their Enemies O Lord And to that end be pleas'd to send Thy spirit with thy word To good and bad we freewil had But now since Adam's fall It is not so to will or do We are unable all We are both dead and buried Till thou shalt us translate Till thou convert and bring the heart Into a gracious state Then shall we be for ever free From our old natures clogg And from the sin that we are in And freely serve our God And in a case that by his grace We shall have power and skill Both readily and spiritually Good works to do or will Yet still the breed of the old seed Of Unregeneration In us remains till mortal pains Remove our earthly station And we enjoy in heaven high The Saints felicity Then we shall be made fully free To do good perfectly In the mean time those that are thine And Heaven shall inherit O gracious Lord call by thy word And by thy holy spirit Out of the sin that they are in Into a state of grace Through Christ thy Son let it be done For thy own mercies sakè O Lord give light to blind give sight Remove their hearts of stone And hearts of flesh good and upright Lord give them in the Room Renew their wills and give them Grace By'd them renewed be Lord give them grace to grow apace For Lord thy grace is free And there is none but thee alone Can give this special grace Thou offerest it and mak'st us fit Thy offer to imbrace This is our case 't is thy free grace And thy free grace alone 'T is not for any grace in us That was foreseen or known Lord pierce our hearts and inner parts We are but passive all Let thy good spirit for thy sons merit Give us an innward call O Lord accept us thine elect Lord freely justifie Us thy poor Saints Lord hear our plaints Thy son for us did dye He paid the debt remov'd the lett He suffered for our sin O for his sake Lord pitty take We do rely on him Lord we beleive for sin we greive Lord help our unbeleif Let thy free Grace good Lord take place Thou sav'st the sinful theif Adopt us sons and set us free Us for thy children take Not for the works that we have done But for Christ Jesus sake Give us access to make address Unto the Throne of grace Let us repent cry and lament Our sad and sinful case O Lord accept do not reject Our Prayers and tears and cry Adopt us Heirs for thy sons sake Who for our sins did die Give us new hearts and better parts Then ere we had before Let sins dominion in us all Be weakned more and more Our several lusts destroy in us Corruptions mortifie Let us more practice Holiness And dayly sin destroy Let saving faith in us be wrought Good Lord most perfectly Let us into the way be brought Of true felicity Increase this grace in us apace O multiply it more This master grace deserves the place Increase it Lord therefore And let it work by love alwaies In us and every one Producing fruits of Holiness Faith never goes alone By word and Prayer and Sacraments Let it increased be Let us be justifi'd by it And sav'd eternally O Gracious Lord let us accord To all the truths that be Revealed in the written Word For all Posterity Lord let our hearts and inner parts By faith be purifi'd And by that Sword thy Holy Word Let sin be mortifi'd Give us desire with hearts intire To love thee cordially O give us grace that track to trace That leads to bliss and joy Some crumbs of comfort Lord we cravâ— Our faith is very weak We almost are brought to despair O let thy spirit speak A word of comfort to our hearts In this our misery Let us from hence have perfect sence Of our felicity We Agar like have lost our sight And now are in distress Remove the scales Lord give us light To see our happiness Lord we Repent and do lament Our infidelity O make our faith more evident Remove our malady The well of life it open lies Yet we no comfort find We water want for want of Eyes Our feares our Faith do blind Therefore O Lord grant unto us Assurance of Salvation O clear our states from all mistakes And free us from Damnation And when we such assurance have Grant we may carefully Preserve the same and praise thy name And live Religiously Thy Church and People Lord protect From all their Enemies Be graciâ—â—s is Lord to thine Elect Hear their complaints and cryes O bless the King and councel him His Royal Spouse direct And in her heart and every part True Holiness erect Lord bless Duke Iames let all his aims Be for thy Glory bent Bless all the Royal Family And guide the Parliament Remove the wicked from the King His godly Councel bless Establish Lord the Throne of him And his in Righteousness O fit us all both great and small To meet our Blessed Lord When he shall come and justly Doom And sentence all the world When he shall sit let us be quit And cleared from damnation By Faith in him that dy'd for sin To purchase our salvation Lord when this dreadful day will come To us it is unknown â—ts by decree and known to thee And unto thee alone Let 's watch and pray both night and day Therefore most fervently That Christ may say at that great day You have dealt faithfully You have well done O therefore come And enter into joy Receive a Crown with great renown Bliss and Felicity Lord hear our Prayers accept our Tears And pitty on us take Not for our worth which merits wrath But for Christ Jesus sake To Father Son and Holy Ghost By Angels and by men All Power and Glory be ascrib'd For ever more Amen An Epitaph upon the death of the Right Worshipful Anne Cokaine Widdow who Dyed the 29th of August 1664. By Edward Manlove Esq HEre lies inter'd one that deserv'd Great Honour Praise and Fame Who comely was and did surpass Most of her Noble Name In liberallity and Hospitallity This Lady did delight O Muses rise do not despise Her praises to indite Yea ring her knell her praises tell She humble was though great Her comly parts and humble heart Her prayses may compleat A comly Creature for form and feature Proper and tall of stature Noble by Birth lies in the earth Death conquer'd comly nature This Flower was cut down like Grass Which flourished many a day She quit the Stage in her old age Grimm Death took life away God call'd for her she made no stir But yeilded patiently She knew full well none need her tell All mortal men must die To Rich and Poor respect she bore She did no sort despise She patiently did live and die And so she clos'd her eyes Now in the Dust as all we must Ere long interred be This Lady is Lord bring to Bliss Her whole Posterity An Epitaph upon the Death of Mr. William Waine Vicar of ASHBORN Composed by Edward Manlove Esq SInce that pale death hath stopt the breath Of Learned William Wain Friends and Allies dry your wet eyes To Weep it is in vain He 's in the Dust where all men must Ere long interred be Whilst he liv'd here he did appear A Learned man to be Of judgement great tho not so neat In words as many are But for his parts in learned Arts With most he might compare Yet they can tell that knew him well He was not puff'd with Pride Nor soared high ambitiously But humbly liv'd and dy'd And in his Grave as in a Cave This learned Rabby lies Where he must stay till that great day That Christ shall say arise Then Learned Wain must rise again From dusty earth and Clay To judgement just as all men must And after live for aye Books newly Printed for Richard Mills at the Peste and Morter without Temble Bar. PAndion and Amphigenia or the History of the Coy Lady in large Octavo Divine Contentment or a Medicine for a Disconted man in small Octavo FINIS
Imprimatur Ex Aedib Lamb. March 6. 1666 7 DIVINE Contentment OR A MEDICINE for a Discontented Man AND A Confession of FAITH And other POEMS upon several SUBJECTS By EDWARD MANLOVE of Ashborne in the County of Derby ESQUIER LONDON Printed for Richard Mills at the Pestel and Mortar without Temple Barr. 1667. To the READER REad and peruse this Poem to prevent The prejudice that comes by Discontent Which is a Sin not only Capitall But Catholick and Epidemicall Both to and fro man 's toss'd with discontent Filld with disquiet and distemperment He 's full of murmuring nothing doth him please His restless spirit 's like the rageing Seas Alwaies tempestuous full of rage and heat Often perplexed with amazements great His troubled heart is like a little Hell Wher 's discontent the Divel loves to dwell Then strive O man against this mortal sin Prize contentation Peace is found therein Peruse this Poem drest in mean attire Let true Contenment be thy hearts desire EDW. MANLOVE A MEDICINE for a Discontented MAN By Edward Manlove of Ashborn in the County of Derby Esquier CAst off distrustful and distracting care The love of Riches brings a sudden snare If with thy Wealth thou do dishonour God T will surely hasten his Correcting Rod Wouldst thou be Rich Paul for thy pattern take Learn thou Contentment in a low estate Content's great gain unto a godly soul Run fast make hast to get this Glorious Goale Engrave this lesson on thy humble heart Lay out thy self and labour for this Art The way to get it may be best discern'd By Gods good word this lesson there is learnd Then read and hear the Gospel full of Grace In this transparent glass behold Gods face When read and heard remember this thing more Safe in thy heart this sacred treasure store This truth 's a treasure all men cannot get Then lay it up in thy cheif Cabinet And prize it high preserve it for thy need To curb thy sin for thou art Adam's seed And many Lusts from thy corrupted heart Wage dayly warre against thy better part Then stoutly strive the mastership to win Not by thy strength thou art a sink of sin By prayers and tears seek thou for help to him That can both help and pardon all thy sin O murmure not but meekly walk with God Make bare thy back if he lift up the Rod. And be content to his submit thy will For he can sweeten every bitter Pill If thy condition bitter seem to thee Yet be content it comes by Gods decree Who knowes thy state and eke this precept gave Content your selves with such things as ye have Thou must obey Gods word it is his will At his command the rageing Sea stood still He is thy King a Loyal Subject be Submit unto his Royal Majestie If thou be poor and pinch'd with Povertie Thy God is rich and can provide for thee Hast thou no moneys goods nor earthly soyle God can sustein thee with a Cruce of Oyle Hast no Estate thy Children may possess God is a Father to the fatherless Hast nothing left for thy beloved Wife Leave her to God he can preserve her life Art thou in pain thy God can give thee ease And in thy sickness make thy sickness cease Art thou in Prison God can thee release Art spoyl'd with Warre thy God can send thee peace But for the present learn to be content Repine at nothing Providence hath sent Art thou plac'd in a high or lower Sphere It is God's Providence that plac'd thee there If thou be placed in the lowest Orb Submit with Patience to the living Lord God sees it good thou shouldst be placed there Else he would place thee in a higher Sphere The highest Orb is not the safest state Low shrubs are quiet when high Cedars shake Are many Rich and no Affliction feel And thou but poor observe the inner wheel Ezekiel minds thee of more wheels then one The inner wheel turns all or else turns none Gods providence the inner wheel and best Doth strongly move and turneth all the rest It is the Helme that turns about the Ship The Vniverse is overrul'd by it And yet its compass it doth not exceed But doth concurr to perfect what 's decree'd Let thou and I this lesson learn from hence Strive not at all against God's providence But be contented with thy present lott The wheel may turn although thou knowst it not Let God choose for thee be not over nice Lest Adam like thou make an evil choice He had great choice excepted was one tree He are of that was curst and so were we Lott made his choice he had his hearts desire He Sodome chose which soon was burnt with fire Remember Rachel blessed Iacobs wife Her choice was Children one cost her her life Take what God gives let that give thee content God can supply thee when thy store is spent If God give more beware of wilful wast If God give less praise God for what thou hast By providence mans life preserved is More then by Wealth which is the worldlings bliss The quiet mind in the contented man Yeeldeth more comfort then his Riches can It makes him happy cheatful yea content Makes Poor men Rich when all their Treasures spen But discontent disturbs turns peace to strife It doth eate up the comfort of mans life This inbred thief doth rob us of no less Then all the Riches that we do possess This bitter Dram imbitters all the cup This sowre sop all sweetness drinketh up This fretting moth doth fret the purest part This eating Canker eats the very heart Wouldst thou have comfort banish discontent â—or it doth cloud thy comforts eminent But true content doth all to comfort turn This Oyle keeps in the Lamp and makes it burn Then pump thy heart draw out all discontent Stop up the leak the danger to prevent For troubled waters if they do get in May drownd thy ship and sink thy soul in sin This discontent the better to avoid Be humble man and eke beware of Pride With that condition God hath plac'd thee in Be thou content for discontent is sin Keep to thy calling think it not too low Tax not God's wisdome he hath made it so Art thou a Tradesman follow then thy Trade Old Adam he despised not a spade Our father Iacob kept his fathers sheep Where God hath plac'd thee there thou ought's to keep But now a daies this discontent and pride Makes many a man his calling lay aside It is too low or he too high for it This Pride makes him his lawful calling quit And strange Cameraes do possess his brain He seeks for something in a higher strain The Cobler then the Pulpit needs must climbe His words are losty and his thoughts sublime The Spirit moves him how can he mistake His words are stiched well and well they take He is improv'd and you shall hear anon He 's Pastor of some Congregation His purblind brethren love
to hear him teach And this proud Patcher he presumes to Preach And when he doth this new found way forsake 'T is doubt he will begin to Rant or Quake Alas he 's gone so far beyond his Last He 's like to fall by running over fast Pride puff'd him up the Cobler climing high Ape like hath shewd his great'st deformity Alas poor man t is time that all lament T is much adoe for man to be content If he be poor then envious he will be If Rich puff'd up with his Prosperity With Iacobs Talent learn to be content Praise God that hath thee food and raiment sent If thou be Rich and yet dost covet more It better is to be content and poor Or if thy Riches fill with worldly care Thy empty heart thy riches are a snare Or if thy riches cause thy discontent Thy riches are an empty Complement But art thou rich and godly and content Thy riches are a gratious suppliment If thou imploy them for Gods glory then God will thoe bless thou wilt have praise of men Pray not for Riches nor for Poverty But food convenient that is best for thee A mean estate may yeild as much content As Riches great or places eminent Sorrow sometimes far better is then joy A low estate far better then a high What greater Honour canst thou do to God Then with submission humbly kiss his Rod Then be content in want learn to abound This sweet condition is with comfort crownd Contentment here the first fruit of Heaven is But true content is in eternal bliss But discontent doth discompose the heart Doth gaul the spirit vexeth every part It is a Gangrein and a festring sore â—t turns both faith and patience forth adore It is a breed bate making jars and fractions It fumes it frets it stirreth up distractions It hurts the body it disjoynts the soul It makes ill worse it is a Kindle coal It makes repining when we should rejoyce It alwaies wants it 's full of avarice It is a passion that doth often robb Man of his reason makes him slight his God But true contentment in the inner part Workes trouble out of every troubled heart As Physick doth Diseases purge away So doth contentment greatest gains alay It doth refresh and chear the fainting heart Of every one that gains this godly Art It makes the Lame to leap the Sad to Sing Divine Contentment doth sweet solace bring There is great Virtue in Divine Content This Golden Shield beats back discouragement This gallant ship the heart from sincking saves And makes it Sail above the rageing Waves This true Content doth set mans heart in tune By fervent Prayer his God to importune It brings the heart into a holy frame For God accepts no Sacrifice that 's lame Content breeds courage in a godly Saint He beares his burden when the wicked faint If God command him he takes up his Cross And by Contentment he makes gain of loss Impatience and discontent are Twins But true Content doth banish these two sins But discontent much murmuring doth produce To let in sin it is the very sluce This murmuring sin the Divels Musick is He likes no Tune so well as he likes this This Discontent a restless Spirit is That haunts so many and so few doth miss It makes a man means indirect to use To get such things as Nature bids him choose Contentment doth temptations strong prevent Though th' World and flesh and Devil all do temp But discontent made Iob's wife foolish be Unto her Husband say Curse God and die This discontent a man an Atheist makes He turns Apostate and his God forsakes He thinks that God of man doth take no care He 's not contented with his Bill of Fare He nothing wants and yet is discontent He hath enough and yet is indigent Out of the Blossome of this discontent Growes bitter Fruit an evil consequent But with content a little is enough This Anchor staies the Ship when storms are rough This turns the bitter water into Wine And makes it tast the Nectar from the Vine This Crosses great to Comforts great doth turn And makes him merry that before did mourn It makes his heavy burden seem but light He hopes for Glory of a greater weight If this be then the fruit of contentation O labour man to get this consolation This Honey Comb drops sweetness every where This comfort lasts because content is there But discontent a sowre Leaven is Our greatest comforts are Eclipst by this It lessens mercy trebbles every Cross Turns sweet to sowre the purest Gold to dross But true contentment waits on Providence And takes God's dealings in a better sence If God send sickness Pain or Poverty All 's for the best if thou contented be Doth God Refine thee in a Furnace hot To purge away thy dross why should be not Thou art his Gold he makes thee sparkle more Thou art made purer then thou wast before He in his Wisdome makes thy body smart To bring thee to a better frame of heart Shouldst thou be Rich be sure that Christ be thine Of Grace and Wisdome he 's the golden Mine He is a Pearle a sparkling Diamond His worth all worldly Treasure goes beyond Sell all thou hast to get this pretious prize And buy the Feild wherein this Treasure lies In Christ both Fulness and true Riches is By this inriching Pearl comes glorious Bliss Induring Riches in this Treasury Are locked up from all Eternity If worldly Wealth be wanting live by Faith He that hath Christ the greatest Treasure hath This richly decks the Soul with true content These are the Riches that are permanent If thou be rich and yet thy soul be poor What art thou better for thy worldly store But if thy Soul bespangled be with Grace Thou art prepared for a better place The high Plantation Heavens Paradise The glorious Heaven of Eternal Joyes There are true Riches there 's true consolation There is full freedome from all Reprobation All other things are like the Butterfly Whose Wings are painted very curiously Yet touch them they thy fingers do defile All Earthly things are apt thy soul to soyle They do corrupt they cannot long endure Fix not thy heart on things that are impure But be content let God thy portion be He hath a godly heritage for thee The world is empty only full of sin In God is fulness make address to him He can give Riches he can make thee poor Iob lost much wealth yet God did give him more Then do not kick against the Lords decree He knowes thy state and knowes what 's best for thee Submit to God imbrace his blessed Son Pray as he taught O Lord thy will be done God is well pleased with his Children when They like that portion he allots to them He hath his end in that they do submit To Providence and Acquiess in it Then be content to Satan do despight In discontent the Devil doth delight All evil
passions labour to prevent Displease the Divel learn to be content By discontent the Devil 's gratifi'd And by this sin thy Soul may be destroy'd Take heed of discord t is the Devils joy Fly discontent it brings much misery Subdue thy self strive for this Victory Keep down thy flesh it is an enemy Art thou reproached or in Prison cast Bear it with patience till the storm be past God can repair thee and release thee thence But he is pleas'd to prove thy Patience He knowes what 's in thee but this exercise Will make thee learn his mercy more to prize Iob was corrected with a sharper rod Yet under sufferings he did Worship God He lost both Flocks and Heards and Children dear Yet in all this he did God's Justice clear He was Divested of a great Estate The Lord that gave the Lord away did take His body suffered in a high degree From Biles and Botches there was no place free Then he a Potsheard took himselfe to scrape And humbly he down in the ashes sate O here behold the fruit of true content Iob suffered much and yet was Patient He got much Gain by this correcting Rod All works for good to them that love their God God in his Wisdome maketh many times Our Maladies to be our Medicines Art thou then poor are Earthly comforts gone God can make Physick of Affliction Unto the Righteous godly and upright In greatest darkness there ariseth light Afflictions great may prove an excellent Cathalicon against thy discontent And also teach thee much Humility For much proud flesh within thy heart doth lie But sharp corrections are Gods Corrowsives To eat it out proud flesh is apt to rise Yea Gall and Wormwood God doth oft provide To purge his Children from the sin of Pride By Gods Chastisements man is often brought To true Repentance which thereby is taught Repentance is the pretious fruit that growes Upon the Cross this Thorne doth beare a Rose Afflictions do Gods children truly trie They are the touchstone of sincerity They make them zealons when they pray to God They are most fervent when they feel the Rod. Ionah securely in the ship did sleep But Ionah prayd in danger in the deep Affliction sifts the soul of sinful man It tries his Faith 't is Gods refining Fan. Faith propt with Patience bears the greatest weight This far shines brightest in the darkest night T is God that doth our Graces often trie Submit to him much comfort comes thereby Do not withstand Gods way which works out sin Thy heart 's impure much dross is found therein By Gods chastisements man receives no loss This fiery furnace purgeth out the dross Tho Shadrach Mesach and Abednego Were in the Furnace hot they felt no woe They were fast bound and cast into the fire It burnt their bonds it burnt not their attire So doth the fire of our Afflictions trie And burns the bonds of our iniquity We are Gods people and his husbandry Within our hearts the seeds of sin do lye He Ploughs them up destroyes the wicked weed And in our hearts he sowes a holy seed He kills the Tares he Harrowes every part Afflictions help to make a holy heart True Faith put forth most pure and noble acts In times of tryal faith beats fearing back The Torch that 's beaten gives the greater light Faith in affliction shineth far more bright The Bay and Cipress flourish in the shade But in the Sun these fragrant flowers fade The shade of sorrow more improves thy Grace Then shining solace in a pleasant Place Then murmur not submit to God most high Accept that well which makes thee fructifie By discontent our Prayers we do confute We pray thy will be donâ— this is our suite And yet we murmur in Adversity Which shewes our Prayers are in Hipocrysy Hast thou more sorrow then some others have Then seek to God and his assistance crave He can support thee in thy sorrowes all And set thee free from all thy Bonds and thrall The Prophet Daniel was by wicked men Accus'd and cast into the Lyons Den. Yet was preserv'd by Gods Almighty power The hungry Lions did not him devoure But his accusers found them violent Their bones they brake God sav'd the innocent Great sufferings are the way to glory great God's blessed Son did blood and water sweat He suffered death and yet was free from sin He payd thy debt wilt thou do nought for him O be content do not thy case condole Afflictions help to cure a sin sick soule But male content of grief and anger both A mixture hath and raiseth stormy wroth Within thy soul this spirit restless is T is never quiet something is amiss The man 's not sick and yet he 's never well Aske what he ailes alas he cannot tell What is the matter his great discontent Hath discompos'd his heart and made a rent There is no state can please his wavering mind In no condition he can comfort find He runs the round he ends where he begun Moves to and fro dislikes both shade and sun Faith looks beyond the help of earthly things And feeds upon both hope and promisings Faith will trust God where him it cannot trace And will adventure of his word and grace But discontent no reason will obey The rules of faith it wholly casts away Great sinfulness is found in discontent Both in the causes and the consequent Pride Envy Avatice and Unbeleif Of discontent these are the causes chief Pride makes a man too highly to esteem His own deserts and others meanly deem His own condition he conceives too low And so blames God because he made it so And this proud man presume to tax the Lord Because he plac'd him in no higher Orb. So Envy is a very divellish sin Adam was holy Satan envyed him The sacrifice of Abel was accepted Cain envyed him because his was rejected And Avarice doth cause great discontent T is ever craveing alwaies indigent For Covetousness contentedness doth thwart They cannot both live in a holy heart Distrust's an evil greater then distress 'T is inconsistent with contentedness And discontent it is a dayly grief It is the Eccho of mans unbeleif And this distemper causeth such discord That man with gladness cannot serve the Lord For discontent doth alwaies live in want Unthankfulness is its concomitant This discontent made Ahab Naboth stone That Naboths Vineyard might be come his own And Absolom it caus'd to seek a Crown To raise himself and pull his Father down This discontent doth dayly stir up strife It takes away the comfort of mans life Iâ— man hath much and yet do thirst for more He 's discontent this makes the Rich man poor We nought deserve and yet we much desire If God deny us we are full of ire When Ionahs Guard that withering vanity Was smitten Ionah in a Pet would die All live in want that live in discontent Rich men are rob'd by this distemperment Through discontent some
murmur some do mourn Which maketh God their mercies to adjourn Wouldst thou have mercy seek to God and pray This murmuring doth God's mercy much delay When children struggle they are beaten worse Our sinful passions cause a heavy curse The Isralites by murmuring discontent Procur'd from God a heavy punishment They were rewarded for their peevishness They wandred long within the wilderness Then strive O man against thy discontent This evil spirit labour to prevent The world is such that men the more they have Are less content which makes them more to crave Doth Wealth increase the worldly mans desire Increaseth more this Oyle inflames the fire The heart of man triangular is found The world is very Circular and Round There is nothing man's soul can satisfie But God the Lord the Holy Trinity Then covet not much wealth strive for content Life is a vapour and is quickly spent Sometimes the Sun goes down before noon day Before old age grim death takes life away Sometimes the Sun of life sets presently Death doth approach the dawning Infancy Sometimes it is Eclipsed in the Womb The mothers belly doth the babe intombe Man's here to day to morrow he is gone Our winged Time goes very swiftly on Life is uncertain long it cannot last It is a wheel that 's running ever fast Man's life it is compared to a day Or to a Post that rideth fast away Our life is short long here we cannot stay And little will our charges here defray It is not far unto our journeys end And after death we need no more to spend If Farmers should great summes of money spend In Building when their terme is neer an end They would be deemed very indiscreet For building where they have no better right So he that doth immoderately give His mind to Wealth and hath short time to live May be accounted for a carnal man That slights his soul he is no Christian Then learn content for wealth cannot delay The Pangs of Death which take thy life away Sad thoughts and troubles often here attend A great Estate and terrour in the end T is not aboundance that a man enjoyes That is the thing wherein contentment lies An evil spirit haunts the Worldlings Chest So that the Miser cannot be at rest His heaps of Gold he strives to hide them sure He takes great care his Riches to secure His worldly wealth he labours to increase His anxious thoughts destroy his inward peace The World affordeth many pleasant things This Bee gives Honey but it often stings Within the Sunshine is the pleasant seat Yet it is troubled with the scotching heat Most men they do delight in dainty fare The Rich mans table often is his snare He quickly may ingulf himself too deep And drowned be within these waters sweet T is difficult to know how to abound Good Salve ill us'd may make a greater wound So many times mans great Prosperity Doth make him Proud and cause security And yet aboundance few mens hearts doth fill But many souls this Plurisy doth kill Then with a little learn to be content Srive to be good not to be eminent When Iacob for his Pillow had a stone And when his body lay the earth upon He sweetly slept and did enjoy his rest For Food and Rayment Iacob made request Doth wealth increase it doth increase thy cares And may thee draw into a world of snares Small Pinaces ride safe upon the Sea When storms and winds cast gallant Ships away Our Father Adam fell in Paradise Iob from the Dunghil had a glorious rise Strong Sampson slept securely on the lap O Dalilah that sought his life to trap The fawning world is worse then when it frownes The greatest cares attend the Richest Crownes When men grow rich their hearts begin to swell The sin of Pride in rich mens hearts doth dâ—â—â—ll Observe how mad men when the Moon declines Are quieter then when it 's in the prime When mens Estates are low and in the Waine They humble are and less mind worldly gain Then be contented with thy present lott If thou have less then others envy not A great Estate great envy to it drawes Men hate Superiours that 's the greatest cause When David kept his Father Iesse's sheep None did him envy none his life did seek But when he did enjoy a Kingly Crown Then envy sought to bring his Honour down An envious man he hath an evil Eye He hates to see good mens Prosperity Then be content seek not too high to mount The more thou hast the greater's thy account Trade for Gods Glory hast thou less or more Lay out thy money on this publick score Cast in thy Mite into this Treasury Improve thy Talent for Eternity Art thou exalted to a high degree Then in good Works man labour Rich to be Remember that thou art a Steward here Prepare thy self and make thy reckoning cleare Against thy Lord and Master call for it Thou must account for this thy Stewardship And when this great account is clearely past Then thou art free this reckoning is thy last Then what if thou some hardship here indure Death ends thy Hell and then thy Heaven 's sure Rich Dives did poor Lazarus disdain Who craved crumbs his life for to sustein And yet the doggs some pitty took on him As if those doggs had his Physitians been They lickt his sores when Lazarus did lie At Dives gate to beg his Charity But Lazarus he from sorrow soon was quit Here was his Hell he was releast from it And was by Angels carried clear away To Paradise where he shall be for aye But Dives was sent to the lowest Hell Where he with Divels shall for ever dwell And in his torments in the flaming fire A little water Dives did desire To cool it tongue but could it not obtain The damned must endure eternal pain He that would not afford the poor a crumb For water cryd to cool his burning tounge Observe Gods Justice upon wicked men That have no mercy he hath none for them And seek by prayer Gods Judgements to prevent Use well thy wealth and learn to be content â—t is a judgement for a man to have A great Estate and yet still more to crave The greedy man will never be content He cryes give give he 's alwaies indigent He eats and drinks and yet 's not satisfi'd This glutton hath a greedy appetite For avarice doth foster discontent â—t is a sin it is a punishment It is accounted for a secret curse For goods ill gotten makes the gainers worse The more they have the less they are content The more they crave the more 's their punishment For heaps of silver cannot satisfie Him that loves silver here 's his misery Then strive for grace and greatness set aside Be not content till sin be mortifi'd Though sin in the regenerate remain Yet sin in them doth never rule not reign Be not contented with thy natural state Gods Wrath pursues the Unregenerate
And how canst thou indure his wrathful ire Or who dwell with everlasting fire A natural man is under Satans power This roaring Lion seeketh to devóure Be not contented with thy wicked state Get true Repentance ere it be too late He that 's indebted till the debt be paid May be Arrested and in Prison laid Thou art indebted man by Adam fell Thou mayst be carried Prisoner unto Hell Thou canst not pay who will thy surety be There 's none but Christ can undertake for thee O then Repent lay hold on Christ by Faith O be contented thou art under wrath Change thy condition hasten out sin Thou wilt be damned if thou die therein Lott Sodome quit that City full of sin Was all destroy'd and all that stayd therein The longer man continues in his sin The stronger hold doth Satan get in him A Gartison that 's strongly fortifi'd And victuall'd well soon cannot be destroy'd A Plant that 's young soon plucked up may be But thou canst not pluck up a rooted tree If thou be rooted in the sin of Pride And unbeleif and nature be thy guide T is hard to pluck up those great roots of sin Which all thy life thou hast been rooted in Break off thy sins and choose the better part O man Repent and get a broken heart Thou better hadst abide the grief and pain Of setting bones then all thy life be lame That trouble 's blest that brings the soul to God With patience beare the Lords chastising Rod. A Conscience bad and quiet needs must be An evil state a sinful Lichargy Let no condition that dishonour brings Unto the Lord who is the King of Kings Give thee content therein's no inward peace And outward comforts they will shortly cease Take heed of trading in a course of sin God never call'd thee for to trade therein Art thou a servant labour speedily To get into some godly Family Continue not be not content to dwell Within the Suburbs or the smoak of Hell But hasten out of wicked sinners tents Lest thou incurr their heavy punishments Or be infected with the Poysoning sin Of ill example that abounds therein When Ioseph liv'd and greatest sway did beare In Pharohs Court he learned there to swear An ill example soon is sucked in Our eyes behold our eares do let in sin Good men by bad may sooner be perverted Then bad by good to godliness converted A master bad a servant bad doth make Men by their Masters do example take When Labans flock the pilled rods did see Of Poplar Hasle and the Chesnut tree They did conceive and brought forth speckle Goaâ— With white Ring-straked and with spotted coate Men quickly learn the tune that others sing Examples draw and are prevailing things In Kedars tents then do not thou reside Lest with the wicked thou shouldst be destroyd If in a wicked Family thou dwell Thou dost inhabit in a little Hell A good mans house with blessing is perfum'd The evil mans in wrath shall be consum'd When on the head the holy Oyle of Grace Is poured out it much perfumes the place And doth diffuse it self most pleasantly Upon the skirts of all the family Then labour thou to live in such a place Where by Gods blessing thou maist get more Grace For good examples are magnetical But ill examples do in danger all Be not contented with a little grace But strive for more be growing up apace T is not enough that thou have only life Grace is increased by a holy strife Paul pressed hard towards the Holy place Still striving for a greater stock of grace Some Stars in brightness others do transcend More Grace more Glory bringeth in the end Then strive for Grace but seek not for content In worldly wealth which is not permanent Let Holiness then be thy hearts delight Of Holiness God is the Prototype He is the Pattern and Original Of Holiness but we are sinners all Divine Contentment is a happy thing From this sweet Root doth consolation spring Contented Spirits chearful spirits are These Golden Shields keep off distracting care A cheerful Christian will himself submit Unto Gods dealings and rejoyce in it The inward joy of him doth not abate That is contented with his present state He that 's contented hath a thankful heart And all Afflictions taketh in good part Sweet Contemplations holy hearts do raise They strive to be the patterns of God's praise To the contented nothing comes amiss In all conditions he contented is Contented Christians they are only those Who wholly do submit to Gods dispose And will not run into a course of sin To rid themselves from troubles they are in But are contented willingly to wait Gods leisure till he free them from their streight Disquietness proceeds from unbeleif This want of Faith doth cause this inward grief Faith scatters fears and doubtings puts to flight It stills the heart when passions would affright Faith chides down passion and prevents that siâ—â— When reason sinckes then Faith aloft doth swiâ—â— Faith shewes the soul that all its tryals are From God in love who of the soul takes care Then humble be and learn to be content If Crosses come be not impatient Keep Conscience clear indulge not any sin Guilt breeds disquiet if it be therein When as the More is got into the eye It makes it sore it makes it watery And so doth sin raise tempests in the soul And brings a curse it brings a flying roule But if thou keep the eye of conscience clear This flying roule can never enter there Then pray to God invoke his holy name O get thy heart into a praying frame Prayer will prevail against thy discontent In greatest grief Prayer gives a holy vent The Key of Prayer well oyl'd with bryny tears Unlocks the heart of its affrighting fears By Prayer to God unbosome then thy soul And eke thy self upon thy Saviour roul Make known thy mind unto thy faithful friend Who to thy heart can ease and quiet send Unload thy soul into thy Saviours brest Where it may have all sweet content and rest Though God and man and both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Give true contentment to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS Poems of Praise and Poems upon several other Subjects GOod Hezekiah pleasant Poems sings To God the Lord the only King of Kings Who heard his Prayers and granted his request Who heald his Plague and freed him from the Pest A good example from a godly King The godly ones God's Praises ought to sing When they are cumbered with the greatest fear Terrors and troubles of their Conscience where Can they have help but from their gracious God Who whips his Children after burns the rod. Both Rich and Poor then pay your chief age to The Lord of Lords the Rent of Praise you owe. Can you pay less unto so good a Lord Who gave his only Son his Holy Word To save his Saints to free their Souls from pain To die for them that
they might live again Who all were dead by Adams sinful fall But now revived by Christ's Funeral Who all were slaves till Jesus made them free Till Christ did die and climb the cursed Tree Praise God praise God praise God the Lord on high Praise God the Lord the Holy Trinity Christ hath redeem'd thee and discharg'd thy scorâ— Praise God the Lord praise him for evermore Proverbs Chap. 18. Ver. 14. Mans spirit will Infirmities sustein But who can beare the woundea spirits pain MAns spirit that is furnished with Grace And fortifi'd with favour of God's Face May pass the Pikes and Conquer all his foes Why should he fear when God keeps back thâ— blowe If God be for us who can us withstand Who can oppose Iehovah's mighty hand Whose mercy to his people hath no bounds Nor stint nor limit it is so profound Th' impetuous current of the rageing Sea He made Recoyle to make his people way He made the flames of hot and burning fire From his three Children swiftly to retire He made the Roaring Lyons couch and quake And change their natures for his Daniels sake He made the Locusts lice and Froggs and Flies In battel ray at his command to rise To save his people from their cruel foes To curb proud Pharoh that did them oppose He fed Elijah by the croking Crow When Iezebel did seek his overthrow He made the Furnace like a downy bed To blessed Bainham that was Martyred When David hunted was by wicked Saul Acts Monuments 1030 When robbed of his wives and children all When Zigglag was to ashes burnt with fire When David had no place of safe retire When David's Souldiers spake of scorning him When Holy David was great troubles in Then in distress poor David wept full sore Then David wept till he could weep no more Then David did unto Iehovah crie Then David prayd to God in misery Then David's courage was by God stir'd up Then to the sword th' Amalekites he put Then by the sword he made his enemies fall Then by Gods help he did recover all Then all true Saints take courage in the Lord Trust him in trouble read his Holy Word By weak without against means he can free His Saints and Servants from their misery Sith a good Conscience and a stock of grace Be'th only means t' incounter and out face Poems of reproof Our grand opposer and to draw the stings Out of our sorrowes and our sufferings And in the dreadful day so soveraign are To save the soul from sinking in despair Then be reproved those that take no care But are secure and sleight these Jewels rare Those Fools and Bedlams that have such a price Put in their hands and yet are not so wise It to improve for their eternal bliss But all their life and health imployed is In sensual lusts and on their Dunghil pleasures Whilst they neglect rich and eternal treasures What do you think to such poor souls belongs That pleasure take in Satans Syren songs And drink themselves drunk with Prosperity And take no care about Eternity But swiming down the current of the times Neglect Gods grace and grasp at Golden Mines Abuse misuse unthankfully mispend Their time and Talents to an evil end Neglect the Harvest time of ining grace And all their lives licentious tracks do trace For wealth and riches run and ride and strive And sayl a pace at Honour to arrive Alas poor souls they seek to bear great sway But will that help them in the evil day When the hot gleam of earthly glory 's past Great Clouds of dismal darkness draw on fast The grisly King of terrours stops their breath And they are haled to the port of death Then fiery flames shall make them fear and quake They must be drowned in the burning lake What will these sleepers in the Harvest say When they be waked at the dreadful day When guilty conscience gnawing at the heart Like to a Vulture fiercely plaies his part What will become of all the wicked then What is portion of such wicked men O vile ungrateful wretch then hide thy face God did capacitate thy soul for grace Why then dost thou so lull thy self in lust Self love and Pride are not God's Judgements just Wast made for naught but drink and sleep eate Laugh and be merry that 's a vain conceit Is Conscience seard then ther 's no more to say But to adjourn thee to the dreadful day But yet I pray thou maist reform thy waies Redeem the time the remainder of thy daies Awake awake and strike upon thy thigh Wrastle with God by servent Prayer and crye Faith and Repentance is the onely way Against despairing in the evil day Of all bad men Of the saving Light most pestilent are those That impiously God's Ministry oppose And by their hatred malice and despight Study and strive to quench the saving light All that oppose the saving word of grace Do strike directly at Christ's blessed face Who is as tender of his Ministry As he is of the Aple of his Eye O then Repent to God make thine address Wound not thy Conscience with such wickedness The sin of Persecution lowdly cries At Gods Tribunal makes a hideous noise For just revenge the vengeance of Gods ire For tempests great for showres of flaming fire To be distill'd and poured down on them That are such cruel and blood thirsty men How long O Lord O holy just and true Avenge our blood pay wicked men their due These spightful spirits heated with hell fire Flesht with the blood of Saints do much desire To cloud the Sun the Gospel of Gods Grace In which transparent glass Saints see his face The Nature of a Wounded Spirit FRom wounded spirits there ariseth fear A wounded Conscience what proud heart can beare Man doth conflict in this great misery With God himself a God of Majesty Can sinful man contend with God most high Or dust and ashes with eternity When God is angry no poor soul can stand Against the fierceness of his heavy hand Can stubble dry'd repel the flaming fire No more can we resist Iehovah's ire When we are whipt and lashed with his rod And do behold the frowning face of God Then we like leaves with wind soon shaken are And tertifi'd with flashings of despair Our heavy hearts for fear both faint and faile Our silly souls will then our sins bewail Then with our selves we are at enmity And do inlarge the rent most grievously For when our souls are in this trembling case We love too much in Satan's Glass to gaze Who labours much by lying cruelty Our sins both to inlarge and multiply Of every Molehil he a Mountain makes That wounded spirits may no comfort take To every sin he adds a bloody sting That he poor sinners to despair may bring Then what they think remember see or hear Is turnd to terrour and to hideous fear The dreadful fancy then doth bear its part
By fained horrors with the trembling heart Which is perplexed with most grievous pain And restless anguish doth therein remain And brings the Patient into such a rage That he his present horrour to asswage Would rather die then live and choose to dwell With Hellish Furies in the Pit of Hell Such are the terrours of a troubled mind Bruised and wounded in this woful kind As may appear both by the desperate cry Of Cain and Iudas damn'd eternally As also by the mournful sad complaints Of Iob and David and such glorious Saints These flames of horrour how shall we endure What Balsome can a wounded Conscience cure In friends not Physick nothing's to be found The Blood of Christ An admonition to the unconverted can only cure this wound Ye unconverted be perswaded then To turn to God for unconverted men Though they awhile in pleasant places dwell They 'l be transplanted in the Pit of Hell Then t is too late Repentance then is past Redeem the time whilst thy short life doth last Forsake not mercy but thy sins forsake God freely offers Christ his offer take If thou refuse how wilt thou then avoid The wrath of God which wicked men abide Art sick and senceless dost thou feel no smart Thou hast the symptom of a stony heart When Conscience stings and sins in Battail ray Do set themselves then in the evil day What wilt thou do those Lions then will tear Thy trembling heart and thee confound with feare Then subtil Satan he will play his part And shoot tentations at thy fainting heart He was thy Master thou dist him obey Thou didst walk with him in the damned way Now in thy sickness thou wouldst him forsake But now the Devil doth advantage take And doth indite thee for thy evil acts And now thy Conscience proves thy filthy facts Thou tookst ful draught of carnal peace and pleasure Thou dist carrouse tipple in great measure Thou didst God's faithful Ministers despise And with thy tongue by slanders scoffs and lyes Didst much abuse them and with great despight Didst labour much to quench the â—â—ving light Thou didst thy will and power and purse imploy God's faithful Saints and servants to destroy Such crying sins as these and many more Stand on the unconverted sinners score Ye that are washed from the filth of sin An admonition to the Converted Free'd from that damned state your souls were in Flie sinful Lusts defile your souls no more By such Rebellion as you did before Sin is most hateful in the sight of God And doth procure his smart correcting rodd God loves all creatures that he ever made But hateth sin with everlasting hate Sin wounds the soul brings men to misery Sin was the cause that God's dear Son did die Sin Satan made sin sunk him into hell Sin sunk the Pit where all the damned dwell Sin God offends sin is the greatest evil Sin damns the soul sin is the rankest Devil Object Is sin so ugly why doth most delight In sinful waies why doth not sin affright Them from pursuing of their Carnal pleasures And make them strive to get eternal treasures Answer Now Satan puts on sin in such a case A seeming fairness on a hellish face He paints this Harlott in a handsome dress And souls to sin draws by deceitfulness Were this deformed Hagg without false hair And painted face she could not scules insnare The grisly face of sin would men affright But by false colours it seems fair and bright Thus Satan covers sins deformity And makes it pleasant to the sinners eye Though of it self it 's filthy foul and naught Compar'd to meat thrust out into the draught All other filth the body doth defile but sin's contagious and the soul doth soyle It 's most infectious like a Leprosie Infects the walls the cloathes Posterity The sin of Adam to his seed remains Till Christ's warm Blood doth wash away the staines The misery of Man not Reconciled to God in Christ O Wretched man where shall my Muse begin To state the case that thy poor soul is in Who art condemned to eternal death Adjudg'd to Hell before thou drawest breath Thy Father Adam was by God created In innocence in Paradise was placed That he and his Posterity might have â—mmortal life and conquer Hell and Grave To him all earthly Creatures were made free For meat and use excepted was one tree That was forbidden under pain of Hell He ate thereof and so thy Father fell Pride puff'd him up he did beleive the Devil He tasted of the Tree of Good and Evil By this foul fall eternal misery Intailed was on his Posterity And made them subject to sore punishment Whilst they like thee remain impenitent Finis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A DIVINE POEM OR A Confession of FAITH Composed in Meeter By E. Manlove Esq Of the Scriptures and Argments to prove them the Word of God BY God's good word the way unto salvation Is truly taught by holy Inspiration O then beleive it and the same obey Give no such credit to Appocrypha Nor to traditions of the Romish See All saving truths in Scripture written be And are recorded for Divinity By truth it self the holy Trinity Depending not upon the testimony Of any Church the Pope of Rome or any But God the Author our most blessed Lord Receive them therefore as his Holy word But we by witness of the Church may deem The Scripture worthy of a high esteem O prize it highly 't is a pretious thing Sweet tidings of Salvation it doth bring The stile and doctrine challenge reverence The efficacy gives great evidence Of Gods known will it makes a full discovery And shewes the way for sinful man's recovery Though mortal man of Scripture was the writer Yet God's good spirit was the sole Inditer Some Secretaries God did set apart Who spoke and wrote but he inspir'd the heart These Writers did for Holiness surpass All Popes and Doctors of the Romish Mass And by their works such depth of wisdome shoâ—â— As learned men could not attain unto Yet never trained up in Learned Schooles With them compar'd Phylosophers are fooles The Prophet Amos he did far surpass Some learned Rabbies yet a Heardsman was And Peter Iames and Iohn but fishermen Admired by the Elders of Jerusalem Amongst the writers ther 's a sweet concord Which proves the Scripture is the Holy Word None disagree at which we may admire For God himself the Penmen did inspire They wrote such things as never wit could hatch No History this History doth match And what they wrote was full of Majesty Profoundness Wisdome and Authority Commanding Credit to be had to them Denouncing threats against all wicked men The end and scope of all the Scriptures be For God's great glory and mans felicity The writers antient for Antiquity Aoses more antient then the Heathens be The deadly hatred that the Divels beare â—gainst the Scriptures yet believe and fear Do prove them plainly
and do them deifie But for their error and their false Tradition They do deserve our utter opposition Regard them not beleive not Romish Fables Abhor their Idols Crosses Beades and Bables Their Agnus Dei which Pope Urban tells Will work strauge feats and evil sprights dispel Their creeping crouch their kissing of the Pax Their Medals Roses and such Romish knacks Their hallowed swords their false equivocations In sacred Oathes their mental reservations Their worshiping of wooden stock and stones Their Adoration of old rotten bones Their Altars Vestures Images and Tapers Their Censings Offerings Shrifes and holy Waters Their new found Faith of Transubstantiation Their Prayers to Saints a Popish Innovation Their Cancelling Christ's Will and Testament By mangling of the Holy Sacrament Their Bulls their Pardons and their Purgatory Their Latine service and such Ceremony Their Pilgrimage their Merits and Processions Their five new Sacraments their forc'd Confessions Their deifying of the Romish Whore Vain sacrifice and many errors more These Popish errors totally discard These Apish toyes good Reader disregard And so farwel what followes now peruse Imbrace the Truth my errors all excuse POEMS Against Popery Composed by Edward Manlove Esq I. Against the Popish Tenent of Justification by inherent Righteousness INherent Justice no man Justifies Our Righteousness in Christ our Saviour lies And his made ours by faith it doth suffice To make us Righteous in Gods Righteous Eyes And all his Members clearly will acquit A'â—h Judgement sear when Jesus Christ shall sit The Romish Whore a Bastard brood did nurse Who blast this truth with a tridentine curse Christ's righteousness imputed must give plaâ—â— To righteousness by our inherent grace This horrid point Pelagius did invent And 't was confirmed at the Councel Trent Till then this point of Faith did not intrude Till then this error Councels did exclude Also Chrisostome Ambrose Bernard Gregory Jerom Which now for truth the Romish Church reteit This new sound faith doth still at Rome remain But Austin doth this Popish point deny Inherent justice cannot justifie In vain the Papists wrangle and dispute This Popish point which Scripture doth confute We are unjust our hearts are all unclean Our righteousness Ec. 7.20 Pr. 20.9 Es 64.6 Ro. 7.23 as filthy raggs remain And in our members are the law oâ— sin Which leads us Captain waging war therein In many things all mortal men offend We sinners are James 3.2 Joh. 1.8 Act. 13.39 Rom 3.24 Eph 8.9 2 Cori. 5.21 till sinful life do end We are deceived if we do deny This sacred truth and full of falcity Through faith in Christ beleivers are made just By his free grace to works we dare not trust Our blessed Saviour was for us made sin And we the righteousness of God in him Can filthy raggs poor sinners justifie Or save them from eternal misery Repent beleive to God for mercy pray Christ's blood alone can wash thy sins away Against the Doctrine of Merit HOw can man merit all that he can do Is less then duty strictly ties him to And halfe done duties how should God respect Or what reward is due for such neglect Eternal death is wages due for sin Neglect of duty needs must fall therein Through Jesus Christ God gives eternal bliss Ro. 6.13 Salvation comes no other way but this God works accepts if faith do them evert And them rewards but not for their desert These merit-mongers therefore much mistake That look for Heaven for their merits sake Against the Doctrine of Transubstantiation THe Romish Prelates labour by coertion To make men own this marvellous conversion Have Priests such power by words of consecration Of Bread and Wine to make such transmutation A point Prodigious that a Popish Priest Can make his God or re-create his Christ This Novelty of Transubstantiation At Lateran Councel An. dom 1215 500. years before had its confirmation But Protestants may Pope Gelasius quote Who long before against this error wrote This Cockatrice was hatcht in latter time Nurst up at Rome by such as Bellarmine This Monstrous Bratt the Roman Church begot The Greeks abhor'd it Ancients own'd it not Augustine he doth learnedly maintain That Bread and Wine substantially remain The Scripture saith 1. Cor 11.26 that after consecration The bread is bread wher 's then this transmutation How can Christ's body crucifi'd for thee At once Acts 3.21 Binius in many thousand places be If thou remain in Christ and Christ in thee Thou hast receiv'd this sacred Mistery Against the Doctrine of the Half Communion THis Romish error Anno 1453 lately started up The Councel Constance took away the Cup. And thus they then presumptuously did wrent Our Saviours blessed will and Testament By Christs Example they will not be lead They to the Laicks only give the bread Though Christ himself all Christians do enjoyn To eat the Bread and also drink the Wine Yet Popish Prelates 1 Cor. 11.28 Christ's Commandment sleight And rob his people of a holy right By this Presumption all may plainly see How Sacriledgious Popish Prelates be Against Missal Sacrifice OUr Blessed Saviour Heb. 10.10.11.12.13.14 on the Cross A sacrifice for sin His body offered once for all For such as trust in him There needs no further sacrifice Our sins to do away Vain is the Missal sacrifice That 's offer'd every day Against Image Worship THis Worship well deserves the name Of gross Idolatry God's holy word 's against the same And all Antiquity Lev. 26. ver 1. Deut. 16.22 Esa 42 17 45 16. Deut. 27 15. Mic. 5.13 Ye shall your selves no Idol make Nor Graven Image reare Nor bow to it nor Worship give The Scripture makes it clear Against Papal Indulgences and Purgatory THe Romish Clergy labour much This error to maintain This fire doth make their Kitchins smoak This crast brings in their gain This brings their Pardons into play This puts them off with speed To all such silly souls as do Beleive the Romish Creed This dreadful Doctrine makes mens hearts To tremble and to fear Away for Pardons then they pack Although they buy them dear Yet there 's no torment after death To those that faithful be Their sins dispersed as a Cloud And their iniquity They into judgement shall not come Their souls are free from pain And in eternal peace and joy For ever shall remain Against Divine Worship in an unknown Tongue BArbarian like those Bablers are That Service say oâ— Cant In Greek or Latine unto those That understanding want This profits not 't is not the way God's Glory to advanâ—e This Romish practice in the Church Produceth Ignorance 1 Cor. 14 5 6 9 11 13 14 23. Five words with understanding spoke More profits people then Ten thousand words in unknown tongues Spoke to unlearned men Against forced Sacramental Confession BOth good and beneficial use There may be of Confession By such as burden'd are with sin And griev'd
for great transgression But setting them upon the rack And straining them so high As strict confession of all sins Is Romish Tyranny No such Confession is requir'd As doth to sin invite And nameing fleshly pleasures doth Much move the Appetite For who can tell how oft he sins Or gives to God offence He alwaies sins that so presumes Upon his innocence As that he can enumerate His great transgressions all For he that thinks them less then great Doth into greater fall Christ did not to the sinner say That had Faith and Contrition Thy sins must numbred be or else Thou canst have no remission He Absolution freely gives Unto his children dear Mar. 9.2 Thy sins forgiven are saith he My son be of good chear Against Invocation of Saints 1 Kings 8.39 Eccl. 9.5.6 Esai 62.16 Ps 7.10.44.20 â— 9.4.11 Prov. 15.10 17.3 24.12 Jer. 21 20 87 10 10 11. Psal 50 14 Against Eph 2.8 THe Saints in Heaven do not know Our hearts they cannot hear Our Prayers or supplications Made in this lower Sphear Our God alone our Prayers doth hear Prayers made to Saints are vain God knowes the secrets of our souls And tryeth all our Reins Call on the name of God the Lord For ease in pain and grief And in thy greatest troubles he Will send thy soul releif Against the seven Sacraments OUr blessed Saviour none but he Could make a Sacrament He made but two he made no more Is very evident 1 Cor. 10 1 2 3 4. St. Austin Baptisme the Supper of the Lord These flowed like a flood Out of the side of Jesus Christ In Water and in Blood The one it is the Sacrament Of our Initiation The other Sacrament is for Our holy confirmation Against the Doctrine of Tradition THe Law of God's a perfect law And needeth no supply What 's needful to salvation Is fully taught thereby In vain do many worship God Matth. 15.9 And teach for doctâ—ine sound Commandements oâ— wiâ—ked men Thus errors do abound Against the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome POpe Gregory the great Inveighs Against this Lordly name As insolent the Churches plain As wicked and Prophane A great corruption of the faith To God a great abuse Against the Canons of the Church Against th'Apostles use Whosoever use this loâ—ty stile And glory in the same Forerunners are of Antichrist And glory in their shame Against Challenged Infallibility THis Arrogation doth appear A Paradox to be For former Popes have fowlly faln Into flat Heresie And Councels have condemned them For errors manifest The Councel held at Basil take Multi poncifices errores he resies lapsi esse leguntur Consi Basil in Ep. Sinod For one among the rest Against the Popes Superiority to General Councels VVEll near a thousand Fathers of The Romish Church did Vote Against this Dommineering Power Pretended by the Pope And in the Councel Constance thus Determin'd punctually An. 1415 If General Councels make Decrees The Pope is bound thereby Against the Presumption of Papal Dispensations POpes had no power in former time To grant a Dispensation â—gainst Decrees by Councels made This comes by Usurpation These boundless Dispensations are A wicked Innovation This great Presumption plainly shewes The Popes degeneration Against the Popes Domineering over Kings and Emperours Po. Gregory said thus Mauritius vobis Obedientiam prebere desidero THe Pope to Theodosius came With Cap and bended knee â—ut now the greatest Monarch must Stoop to the Romish See Now Popes their lawful Soveraign sleight These Prelates greater be Then all the Princes of the World In Power and Dignity Now Popes pretend a lawful power Their Emperours to dethrone And of their Empires to dispose As if they were their own The Emperour like a Serving man When as the Pope commands Must hold a Basin whilst that he Doth wash his Holy Hands And sometimes like a Stable Groom His Horse must lead and guide And hold his Stirrup whilst that he On Horsback gets to ride And sometimes like a Porter must Upon his Shoulder bear His Holiness the Pope forsooth And Homage to him swear This domineering over Kings And Emperours doth shew How Pontificial Prelates have Rob'd Caesar of his due These Romish Tricks in former times Nor better were then Treason Against God's holy Word they are Against both right and reason All Christian Kings and Princes great Abhorr the Romish Whore Break off her Bonds cast off her Yoak And never own hâ—r more A form of Prayer Composed in Meeter By Edward Manlove Esq O God most great whose Glorious seat Is in the Heavens high â—t thy command both Sea and Land Obey thy Majesty â—nd at thy will the Seas stand still And neither rage nor foame â—rom side to side to Winds and Tide Thou mak'st thy power known Thou glorious art in every part Thou art Omnipotent Be 't far or near thou dwellest there Thou art Omniscient The Heavens high nor lofty skie Thy Glory can contemn Thou raign'st on high thy Majesty Doth Winds and Waves restraine To those that do by shipping go Into the Waters deep By works of wonder and words like thunder Thou shew'st thy power and might And thou the Storm turn'st to a calme And then the Waves are still Thou makest glad them that were sad And sav'st them from all ill We therefore all may fear to call Upon thy dreadful name For our vile lips they are unfit To nominate the same We here abide the stubble dry'd Thou art consuming fire Thou might's us burn and make us turn To ashes in thine ire In our own eyes we all are vile Our waies are very wicked Then in thy sight whose eyes are bright How shall we be acquitted We are unfit to kneel or fit Before thy gracious Throne Or to draw nigh thy Majesty To make our cases known But Lord we come to thee alone For Jesus Christ his sake Accept our Prayers which we present And through thy spirit make We are unworthy to be call'd Thy sons or have the name Of any of thy servants yea The meanest of the same Our duties unto thee and man O Lord we have neglected And not obey'd thy Holy Word But have thy Lawes rejected We have not honoured thee O Lord With fear and reverence But sin'd against thy just Precepts By disobedience O Lord we have not Worship'd thee According to thy will Nor in our hearts have had delight Thy statutes to fulfil But we confess we have abus'd Thy great and glorious name And also we irreverently Have often us'd the same We have Prophan'd the Sabbath day In whole or else in part By needless thoughts and words and works We all have carnal hearts By murderous thoughts and wicked words We have our neighbours wrong'd Our wicked words have cut like swords We all have evil tongues We have not sought our neighbours good Nor had a tender heart To our poor brethren in distress Nor pleaded on