wandring sinners at what time You shall repent indeed and humbly mourn I 'le meet you if with faith you do return And he whose piety hath any taste Of heavenly Joyes will never vainly waste His precious time nor no more fondly range But long and be ambitious of his change Lord it was thy Almighty power did save Good Lazarm being carried to his grave Return'd him Living 'T was thy love divine That made thy Almightiness so far to shine And made thee to discover that great power Which can raise mortals every day and hour Oh let thy grace concur in me to raise And to reform my soul that all my days I may improve endeavors to fulfill Thy pious precepts and perform thy will Which bind my conscience dear Christ do this rather By that dear love which drew thee from thy father To save lost Man let th'Scepter of thy word Have influence on me that may afford All spiritual comfort which may ne're depart From me but live for ever in my heart That I may live a Life of Joy and bliss ' Mongst the blest Saints in perfect happiness Where nothing else but Sin can shut me out Lord grant thy mercy then I shall not doubt Genesis 2.8 And the Lord God Planted a Garden Eastward in Eden WAS God a Planter Did he thus take pain So early for us with some hopes to gain Our Souls Immortal how hath poor vain Man Fancy'd some other place tell me who can Where was the Garden plac'd Leave thy vain quest It was in Eden Eastward be at rest See how ambitious Mortals here are tost With nice enquiries since Old Adam lost That there was such a place we need not doubt it Our Parents sin'd and therefore went without it So quickly doth our sin blast our enjoyment Man walk'd and view'd and lost it in a moment Was suddenly expell'd the rising Sun But newly warm'd the Earth Mans Joyes were done This Ball was withered into a dry complection And Man deprest to servile base subjection The Heavens scarce seated well in their right Orb By Pride the Angels fell that did disturb The frame Divine and the base Serpents breath Cast out contagion over all the Earth In that sweet Paradise epitomiz'd For its rare fragrancy was Man surpriz'd Shut out excluded from those purer smells Of new created flowers took his farewells Thus man being stript of his most glorious prize By that foul friend the father of all lies He takes the fig-tree for his last retreat His leaves for cloathing and his fruit for meat How perfectly hath Adams issue spent Their vain desires and their affections bent On fond felicities and gainless Toyes Selling Heavens Paradise and all its Joys Covetous man doats on his god of gold As though there were no other to behold Counts his chief happiness is only there Though stampt in hell it self and if it were The Image of the beast it will not deter Man from it But he 'l be competitor With Prince of darkness for some glorious Toy Of Terrene pomp slighting his chiefest Joy Makes wantonness his heaven and carnal pleasures His chief divinity wanting right measures In this his choice But he will quickly find These upstart lights but darkness to his mind Sent by the King of darkness in derision To cast affronts and puzzle our religion Ecclipse the Gospel by their vain pretences To bleer our eyes and to benight our sences When they pretend to cloath us with more skill They strip us of our cloathing at their will They'd shut us out of heaven I 'd rather bee For ever blind than by their balme to see Of Satans making nor yet be partaker Of such a lesson to distrust my Maker So miserably are we by frailties tost Not only Paradise but Heaven is lost We loofe not only pleasures here below But joys divine which thou wilt sure bestow On us poor Mortals he that then was chief Monarch of the whole world doth now with grief Groan under his great burden and doth flie Amongst the shades in sad obscurity We might ev'n all have bin for ever cast Out of Gods sight but he that 's first and last Breathed a new life into our ' clipsed state By his prevailing merits and he sate A mediator for our bould transgression Lord grant in mercy wee may have possession Of Heaven and heavenly Joys disdain the Dross Of pleasures and indeed may fear the loss Of our poor souls that when we do expire We may be carried to the heav'nly Quire Into that paradise that never fades To sit for ever in celestial shades Luke 10.25 And behold a certain Lawyer stood up and tempted him saying Master what shall I do to Inherit Eternal Life BEhold Christ's mission he doth freely send His chosen seventy for this blessed end To preach the Gospel and he doth admonish Them to have humble hearts and not astonish His zealous ones that do desire to learn The mysteries of faith and would discern The way unto salvation by such guide Not following the over active pride Of fond Enthusiasts and their bold intent That skip so fast and run before they 'r sent No God 's the God of order law and right As the lawyer here observes at the first sight His faith was quick ingenious bold and rife VVhat shall I do to attain eternal life T' was the best query that ever he made It gain'd him more than all his pleading trade Could ever get him he was bid to look Into the law for fear that he mistook T' was no disgrace to follow such a suit As did concern his soul had he bin mute Then he had mist the time for to enquire The way to bliss which was his chief desire This was the highest cause he'ere could plead T' was for him self Gods spirit did him lead To make that happy question in such sort For he had never read of a report Given in this case no not in all his reading Of judged cases 't was not his learned breeding Philosophy indeed doth reach no higher Than moral virtue it doth not inspire The spirit of grace 't is that which works by love That doth acquaint us with the joyes above T' was this inspir'd our Lawyer to this task To run to Christ and him so boldly ask 'T was now high time indeed for him to run To move this question or hee 'd been undone For he had bin retain'd too long to plead In others causes leaving his own in dread He almost had forgot his better part I mean his soul which prickt him to the heart And it did all his vital senses seize Which made him strongly plead for writ of ease How natural are enquiries after bliss Even pagans study it darkly and amiss The joyes they fancy Paradise will yield Are meer Chimera's their Elysian field Of carnal pleasures fill'd are thought to be Which they affect as their felicity But it s the genuin sense of a good mind Full fraught with virtue carefully
of his love In sending us his Son which from above Hast left a holy Ministry to be our guide Oh keep us safe that we may never slide Into such pathes that may lead us astray But follow our shepherds in a holy way And from a peevish zeal good Lord restore us And grant us shepherds that may go before us Matthew 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God c. GOd of his abundant love did send his Son Into the world to preach salvation Upon the mount whereon he freely taught His blessed precepts unto all that sought To him in faith and obedience to his will Minding his holy precepts to fulfil He pronounced nine blessings with their recompence If we observe them with true reverence And keep his holy Lawes not from it start Surely blessed are they are pure in heart Who would not then strive earnest to be pure See David's fervent zeal for to assure His panting soul which long'd full sore to find A place of rest for his so grieved mind To attain the which he passionately cri'd Lord from thy precepts let me never slide That he would cleanse his heart he might inherit The gifts and graces of his holy spirit Hath piety such a reward no disgrace Shall the pure in heart behold him face to face And with blest spirits ever happy raign In endless glory and true peace obtain Who will not labor to imitate the just VVho have such heavenly visions in their dust Shall the treacherous vanities we enjoy Steal off our hearts and rob us of true joy And bereave us of the glory of that light VVhich is of endless splendor power and might So strengthen me That I may rather choose The divine light and all false lights refuse A sight the which in glory doth surpass All triumphs in the world that ever was VVhat splenders are there compared to this It is an empty air Nothing less A sight which no eye ever saw but may If the worlds objects lead them not astray After the harmony of deluding Charms VVhich lulls frail flesh a sleep in natures arms The Idea of this sight cannot be drawn In lively colors least we do prophane The speculations of the brain can never Portract him truly that doth live for ever Then cease thy fancie and forbear thy art His liveless Character is in thy heart The divine Traveller though but newly there Could give no full description of that sphear Scripture Characters doth but even allude And set it forth but in similitude And shew how infinitely transcendent Is that glory which is omnipotent VVere diamonds all join'd to make one splendor They were but Attoms to the Sun not render The smallest glimps to that luminary Of life and heat the which by motions vary And feed a throng of sparkling stars that are Inlivened with his light which from a far VVe do behold each one in 's proper place How dim's it to the glory of thy face VVho then would thus so vainly sacrifies Himself to sin and so bewreave his eyes Of that blest vision and the chiefest good To gratifie his wild extravagant blood And revel in delights of sin and shame And stiffle his nobler passions and that flame Of holy zeal that should chiefly delight us To the triumphs of thy bliss Good Lord unite us He that would dwell amongst those sacred fires And holy spirits by whose true light inspires The mind with holy motions he must turn His heart unto an altar and their burn The holy sacrifice of penitence And lively faith with all due reverence And humbleness of heart which will do well For the graces of Gods spirit there do dwell The heart that mourns within us there must be The only seat of life and love to thee The graces of the spirit there must rest And be so firmly fixed in the brest Naturalists do well observe that to the heart Is first giv'n life then death it doth them part Oh Lord our hearts are frail there cannot be Strength to support unless it come from thee Give thy supporting graces we are weak Touch thou our hearts and tongues that we may speak To the glory of thy name and so dispise The vanities of the world with its disguise O raise our contemplations to thy glory Cast down our vain affections transitory That proudly do oppose it self in error Correct our thoughts oh let it be a terror Unto our hearts and make us plainly see The horror of our crimes Lord against thee Sanctifie to thy self our whole devotion That we live holy lives in godly motion Oh let our chiefest contemplations raise A holy zeal in us to give thee praise Let it be our delight to do thy will And all thy holy precepts to fulfill That when we shall lay down our lives in dust VVe may be glorified with the Just And sweetly seated in that blessed place VVhere we may all behold thee face to face Daniel 12.3 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 DId Michael th'archangel not stir thence But stood most valiant like a mighty prince To assist Gods people in their times of trouble And said their sufferings would be requited double If that their hearts would be to wisdom bent Should shine for ever in the firmament And such as by their pious pains do turn Others from sin so that they sigh and mourn Shall shine as starrs and be for ever blest VVith glory in everlasting rest Who then would not be studious for to gain True knowledge that he might thereby attain Such promised glory and become most pure Holy Celestial to be ever sure To shine forth as the Sun oh blessed sight In whose most glorious raies is the chief light Where man 's diviner part not only lives As living splendor it for ever gives Transcending beams of lustre which shall shine In the imperial heavens most divine And there be ever fixt and never sever But shine as stars for ever and for ever Look here ye blind admirers of Earths bubble A robe of purple or some glorious trouble A diadem of honor in this Earth Which brings forth care small comfort after death So vain is Man that fondly doth desire Such trifling honors that do soon expire Which carrieth not that light will give access And by its virtue turn to righteousness Which would make them Stars but some desire t' enjoy Their fading pleasures such a splendid toy Hear this all ye that can on shadows dote And you that can to Transitory pomp devote Your souls and care not for immortal bliss And think there is no other Heaven but this Sublunary pleasures couldst thou call down A robe of morning Stars to deck thee round Such Royal luminaries it would be But gloomy splendor a bright obscurity Compared to that lustre 'T will shine but faint Not like that glory that enwraps a Saint That
we have breath Knowing that sins reward is certain Death Matthew 15.28 And he said unto her O Woman great is thy Faith BLest importunity that did procure An answer so Divine that did assure The poor impatient woman in distress Of'r Daughters cure to ease her heaviness Her answers were so pious they did tell That in her breast did all the graces dwell And richer Mines of Treasure there were hid Then Princes Crowns though highly valued All Palestine and the rich Spices there Could not procure a Cordial to compare With her strong Faith which could have no denial But cur'd two Souls sans any further trial Save only this the great Physitian saith Unto this suppliant Great is thy Faith Faith is a grace prevails with God above To work great wonders Mountains to remove To smooth the rugged Ocean for a walk For Peters feet to hear his Saviour talk It stops the Mouths of Lyons quenches fire 'T was the Centurians Faith got his desire It cures the blind in Scripture we may see Our Saviour saith Thy Faith hath saved thee And yet the Faith that hath such wonders wrought Is quite neglected and not duly sought Some place the greatness of their Faith in merit And think thereby Salvation to in herit In many such a fancy there doth dwell They think it Faith enough for to do well But naked speculations will not get The heavenly prize 't is vanity to set Our faith in our abilities parts This is a doctrine which exceeds all arts Faith 's rooted in the soul most firm and stable By which the Blessed Abraham was able For to believe Gods promise true to bless His seed which God did count his righteousness 'T is not profession only that makes noise But wee must practice to obtain true Joyes Yet mourning souls when they do sigh and groan Are in the road unto the heavenly Throne They 'l find acceptance pardon for defects Which doth our souls and bodies thus perplex Let no one think he can take to much pain To be assur'd that Heaven he shall attain Thus was the Womans faith so firmly fixt That it no shew of doubting with it mixt The eccho of the voice did straight affright Foul Sathan from his hold not all his might Could keep possession when our Saviour Spake He quickly vanisht and did her for sake Thus doth our faiths divine all powerful Charmes Drive Satan to his Chain and free all harmes Raiseth immortal statues to the Just And makes their names venerable in dust Yea seals their happiness for ever sure With Christ in glory ever to endure Thou sent'st thy Son O Lord for us to Die That we through him might gain eternity Him whom thou hast advanc'd above all things Is pleas'd to take us under his blest wings That we may have the triumphs of his Cross And afterward Heavens glory without loss Let not the miseries of our patures frail Which first did with thy mercies rich prevail Oh let not these which only know thy power More zealously acknowledge thee each hour Than we to whom thou manifests thy love And claim an interest in thy Christ above Let us be ever thankful for his merit By whose rich bounty we shall sure inherit The heavenly mansions and shall ever be Above faith there to wait all times on thee That faith with which thou givest every grace And without which we nere shall see thy face Teach us thy mercies so far to apply That we neglect not means and so relie On faith that 's dead or on a vaine dissembling Salvation's had by faith faith 's Join'd with trembling John 12.2 But Lazarus was one of those that sat at the Table with him DId Jews take Councel for to put to Death The blessed Lord of Life which gave them breath Was he aware of their most barbarous talk That openly with them he would not walk But came to Bethani where Lazarus lay And there he freely Supt and made some stay Where Martha ferv'd as well as she was able And Lazarus one of them that sate at Table Could Lazarus eat and did his stomack crave That was so lately risen from the Grave Is his late Tomb a Table now his dress That bound his head his Napkin at that Mess He that but now feasted the worms for meat Doth feast himself and with the Living eat The Mercies of our God's above all things He sets at Table with the King of Kings There hath been some all liveless pall stretcht out For Coffin until others went about To tin that spark of life that close lay hid As glimering in the heart not wholly dead And by endeavors have call'd back that heat Which hath enabled them again to eat But here 't was otherwise with Lazarus As Holy Writings testifie to us He 's rais'd from real death yet Martha cry'd Lord if thou hadst been here he had not dy'd Behold him now as risen from his bed All flesh and life no whit disfigured Perfect and whole really rendred able To feast himself with joy at the same table Where his redeemer supt a blessed feast Where Lazarus is admitted to be Guest He 's throng'd with multitudes aged and younger Which came to be spectators of the wonder Yet would not believe the power that wrought it But wickedly oppos'd and never sought it Thy thought of beaven on earth inricht with treasures Elysian fields or such like feigned pleasures Restored Lazarus though thou hast new breath There is a time will bring a second death Yet thou art happy in the sacred story Inricht with that entitles thee to glory A happiness indeed beyond expression Death will thee bring unto the full possession Of the blest Mansions with the Saints in bliss Where Angels Sing and every Comfort is Come tell me Lazarus didst thou e're believe T' enjoy the world again and to receive Thy rise from grave before the general day And grand assize which we must obey Thy sisters doubted it but yet did see This miracle of mercy shewed to thee Who wilt so walk and be a great adorer Of breath divine That was thy great restorer What numbers of expiring souls are frighted At the horror of those crimes that once delighted Their sensual appetites The dying man Scar'd with his pains would leng then out his Span And gladly turn their late profaner ayres To penetential sighs and earnest prayers New tune their lives into most pious strains And be sufficient gainers for their pains He that defers it to the latest hour Shall find his weakness will not have the power And vigor of that zeal that should invoke Mercy divine for to remove the Yoke Of sin that doth so heavy on us lie And so benumbs us that we can't descry Our sins aright the which we must confess With truth of heart and humble holiness Therefore we should make use of strength and parts To invocate that God which searches hearts And though his Judgments high are and sublime He saith to
azure spangled Heaven which we do see Where the magazin of Stars so fixed be Which stocks the world with light it s but a vail Or curtain drawn to keep our sences frail From over prying into th' almighties Throne Where only is felicity alone Which no eye ever saw nor yet shall see The hidden glories of eternity Tombs are but wardrops or Chambers of death Hung'd with their winding sheets beneath the Earth Where we shall all after this life be laid Till to our fathers we be gathered If that same heavenly glimps which did appear Upon the mount did the disciples chear Which made them wish that they might there strait raise Three Tabernacles to eternal praise And there abide Oh if that beauty then Reveal'd from Heaven unto these blessed Men Was so Transcendent how will th' enjoyment be Oh ravish us with desires that we may see Where Christ is gone before 't was the Martyrs Joy Amid their tortures valued as a toy Though their limbs were broken and mangled Yet they were sure their hairs were numbred If Peters shadow had that healing power To cure the sick which applied to him each hour How powerful is that shining glory then Which doth such wonders for the Sons of Men. Let no one doubt nor be at any strife If once his name be in the book of life Though his earthly Tabernacle be laid down Yet he shall have an everlasting Crown Of endless glory beyond expression far And shine in Heaven like a glorious Star Who is it would not slight and disregard The vanities of this life for such reward And welcome poverty with all its chains And triumph in the assurance of such gains As that nobly divine transcendent love That is prepared in the Heavens above Where there 's assurance for to live for ever And sweetly rest in the bosom of the father Thou didst create us Lord for to serve thee But by our frailties we 'r become to be For ever lost But thou of thy great love Didst restore us to true joyes above Oh fill us with meditations of thy praise Which may elevate our spirits all our days That we may walk in some measure divine That by a holy practice we may shine As Stars in the lower orb and express that light We have by faith received by thy might And power divine Oh let our hearts be ever Filled with praises and be silent never And still express our thanks and not have done Until we shine in brightness like the Sun And from a holy walking never sever But shine as Stars for ever and for ever Matthew 2.10 And when they saw the Star they Rejoyced with exceeding great Joy I 'm still surpriz'd with wonder at the love Of our offended God that from above Should shew his Star to wise men of the Fast Which welcom'd such an object did not rest But gave it reverence with an holy fear They well knowing the motions of the sphear That blessed object that unwanted Star Which they did with much joy behold from far And there was kindled in them a desire To post unto Jerusalem to enquire Where 's he that is born King we 've seen his Star To worship him with joy are come from far Herod seem'd troubled at such sudden news And all the congregation of the Jews On went these Men the Star being still their guide It rested where the blessed Babe was laid There they rejoyce no frights did them annoy Seeing the Star they had exceeding joy Rouse then my soul in a holy contemplation Of this bright Star whose radiant beams and motion Did quickly spread it self Judea over It s powerful influence did soon discover Divine effects that it did fully tend To be a tipe of mercy to the end To save lost Man oh beauteous Star of light The effects whereof will keep us from that night Of utter darkness in which we all lay hid And by it's mercy shall be glorifi'd Had the ancients known this Star't would raise their sence And enrich their genius with due reverence This sparkling splendor did surely outshine The knowledge of that age it was divine T' was such a lustre That it did adorn The orb beyond the glory of the morn That powerful luminary that directeth time That blessed morning Star shin'd more divine And prov'd a happy guide them safe to bring With holy offerings unto Christ their King And in a joynt harmony with one voice They having seen the Star did much rejoyce See how these pagans footed it what pain They took in travel for that happy gain And blest fruition of that gâ—orious fight Though poor is full of Majesty and might They nimbly walk from the remotest parts In pure devotion and with chearful hearts When some that boldly do profess thy name Will scarce come forth their chamber O! the shame Of such besotted souls as will not rise And prostrate themselves before the eyes Of their offended God though ne're so cheap But snug and snore in sin and fondly heap Crime upon crime not from their vices part Though th' offering small an humble penitent heart But these wise Travellers did freely bring Gold Frankenscence and Myrrhe to Christ the King And made an Inn a Temple there to pay Their tribute O the miserable delay Of pure devotion 'T is their greater shame That stript him of the glory of his name It should exalt all hearts for to rejoyce With adoration and a thankful voice They 'd but one single Star to be their guide But we have many that with active pride Do darken religion and have it in derision Such quaking Comets making an apparition And fiery aspect that will fright away Rather than lead will cause us go astray Into their sottish errors to prevent Le ts keep close to the holy government Which Christ and his Apostles left behind To rectifie the errors of mankind Which if we practice and study aright We need not fear Sathan with all his might Pretended illuminations in religion Eclipseth real light with foul derision And such a nasty Mist doth often gather That in stead of clearing Eyes do blind them rather 'T was a true light by which the wisemen steer'd Which brought them in such triumph that it cheer'd Their hearts with joy that they did see the day Which some do study to forget and lay A load of obliquy on such pretence Not allowing it a day of reverence But let them wallow in their haughty pride It prov'd a blessed day and happy guide To unwearied Travellers but for such as they That sottishly and wildly run a stray And have no Star to guide them but let them wander And fall in their own pitts that thus do slander Thou that hast stockt the world with so much light And enricht it with so many Stars so bright To serve us Mortals 'T was fit thou shouldst take One to thy self thy herald for to make And cause the brightness of that Star surpass All other Stars that now
Leapers bodied a new But we don't see what good there doth accrue Unto his better parts and that perhaps Lies bed-rid in a very sad relaps His successor was happier whose disease And sin were both remov'd which did appease His piercing pains at the Phisicians talk Which said arise take up thy bed and walk How many are there like the Leaper foul Look no higher than their bodies do controul All other considerations but to cover Their fowler parts and willingly do smother And slight their nobler parts which should adorn It lies infected and exposed to scorn We are so eager to procure Chimestry And all that art can make to prompt Luxury To make our natures feed upon its flame While our better parts lie naked to the shame Of mankind that should with right zeal desire To feed not quench the true Celestial fire By which our souls shall ever truly be Enlivened and preserved O Lord for thee How do the Torments of a limb an hour Move us to feel and want thy healing power VVe practice more devotion in that fit Than many a moneth before we did feel it The loath'd deformities of our worser parts Gives us more grief and more aflicts our hearts Than those pale and infernal shapes that thus Dissigureth Heaven's Character in us Come shew that beauty is without a blot That hath no blush of guilt no Leprous spot That saintlike infant Man that knows no guile I 'le sit and here admire him for a while VVe're all conceiv'd in sin and cannot be VVithout our spots until we 're washt by thee VVere our vains purer than the violets smell And could perfume the air yond paralel VVere Adams sin a stranger to our blood And could our innocency have withstood Thy justice our rebellious going astray VVould Check our Lusts and prompt us thus to pray The blackness of our thoughts would proclaim Though silently sin is our chiefest aim Yet was there not a generation That thought themselves clean without contagion VVere right in their own Eyes and did deride The world as Leapers in their scorning pride The Pharisee was the more polluted Man Than the soft hearted humble Publican VVhich did so proudly his best plums display VVhich carried more contagion in that sway Of pride and ostentation but he 's the winner Oh God be merciful to me a sinner But he that trusts to merit and its paint And thinks himself a convert and a Saint May loose these Joyes if that he doth despise The mercy seat where the true comfort lies And rely on his so great stock of parts His humane Learning and his skill in arts VVithout thy polishing they cannot be Made useful in our returns O Lord to thee No saint nor Angel can procure us bliss But the only begotten son whose merit it is The leaper is a beauty far beyond My soul 's more foul and my vile courses tend Yea Lazarus which had so many soars Are less in number far than my vile scores Which I have run in sin and am as lame As the poor criple cur'd of sin and shame Oh wash me Lord in thy Bethesda pure I shall be cleansed and be ever sure Of thy healing mercies let me not be One of the nine ungrateful Lord to thee It will make my soares loathsome in thy sight And me eject unto eternal might But I do know thy goodness and thy power Doth still preserve us mortals every hour That ever can keep us in a holy mean Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean 1 Kings 19.9 And he came unto a Cave and Lodged there DId the good prophets zeal so far provoke Proud Jezabel to threat the heavy stroak Of death did he then fle th'threatned rage Of a furious woman to be more at large He came to Beershaba in so great fear And in much hast he left his servant there While he journied on in his so great distress Until he came unto the wilderness Where under a Juniper tree he humbly sate With heavy sobs sadly bewail'd his fate Come Lord it is enough do not delay Thy severe Justice take my life away But a good Angel he doth interpose And wakes the sleeping prophet from 's repose And bids him eat and cease this moan to make Behold a cruze of water and a cake By divine providence prepar'd to be A support to natures necessity He eat he slept and willingly obeys And in that strength he travel'd forty days To Horcb the Mount of God though still in fear He came into a cave and lodged there Behold enraged Malice it doth force Eliah to a Cave there 's no remorse In a Womans fury there is no suspence No liberty for life or conscience He must fly to a narrow compass to save both They are in danger if he admit of sloth Behold him now a Hermit to his pain For prophesying against wicked Ahabs reign 'T was but a kind of tipe that did foretel To after ages such a paralel Those votaries of the Church the which did turn Caves into cloisters and therein did mourn And fill these silent grots with divine love And chant forth ecchoes with the saints above And make them Chappels there to laud and praise In sacred Halelujahs all their days The purity of their zeal I much admire Make solitude it's mirth in such retire Can make Melancholly devotion fit Object of glory and the Joyes of it And sequester themselves from vain delight To contemplate with Angels day and night So those divine retirers have done well If they ring not too loud their merit bell If in imitation of the King of glory They fast and pray I such a votary Do highly prize but if his vain tradition Take place he must be brought unto contrition If that those pious exiles in devotion Not studying humane praise but virtues motion Do contemplate with Heaven and of its glory Abandoning the world that 's transitory Such self denial no Man ought to blame But worldlings court it to their greater shame Not caring what vile courses they pursue To satisfie their lusts it is too true All rapine and disorder they commit And fondly brag and boast and glory in it But these our pious exiles they do give Up both their names and lives that they may live Religiously devout 't is strange to have A Prophet now retir'd unto a Cave No no they 've higher thoughts and their devotion Tends much the way to get the best promotion But he 's the Man that humbly can deny His tempting lusts when fortune cast him high And can out face the world and conquer it And with our Prophet in a Cave down sit VVith sweet contentment lodge in it all night VVhen high revenging rage sets him to flight Prisons and Caves are solitary places VVhere friends think it much if that they shew their faces And give a word of comfort in that condition But leave poor prisoners to their said contrition They 'l say 't is out of the way they