Passions in severest Awe Reject Usurping Arbitrary Law And when no Safety can from Tempest find Retires within the Halcyon of her Mind Thus ne'r engaging meets with no defeat But gains a Victory by a wise Retreat A. L. Esquire To Mrs. Tipper on her Divine Poems AS we are told That all they do above Cowley Is only that they Sing and that they Love What wondrous Charms must endless Hymns inspire When the Immortal Songsters of the Choir Not ev'n their whole long Eternal Chant can't tire And the Celestial Muse whilst all around The Extasi'd continu'd Raptures sound That honour'd Head what Glories has she given Thus grac'd to furnish half the Work of Heaven The Muses yes in that Seraphick Sphear Are all Urania's and Apollo there Beneath the Footstool of JEHOVAH's Throne Kneels to a Brighter Sun than was his own If Harmony with that enlightning Beam Tunes her loud Musick to that Mighty Theme Madam Your MUSE tho' with a feebler Voice The same High Subject makes her Sacred Choice Tun'd to the Great Creator's just Applause That Pen writes best that from Luke's Pensil draws And 't is that Poetry does truly shine That Copies from Originals Divine E. S. Gent. To Mrs. Tipper on her Miscellany of Divine Poems AMongst the various Actions of Mankind Rivals in Wit as well as Love we find But you alone the glorious Prize must gain You merit it by so Divine a Strain Urania is thy Muse the Heavenly Quire Thy Soul with purest Raptures does inspire Chaste as thy Self and Sacred are thy Rhimes Which not polluted by corrupting Times Shall make Profaner Scriblers all submit And own thee as the Type of Heavenly Wit Thy Theme and Inspirations from above Heaven is thy Parnassus and thy Love Each rising Thought does with the blushing Morn The Beauties of thy chaster Soul adorn A Harmony in every Line appears Much like the Heavenly Musick of the Spheres Phillips and Behn whose Praise Fame still rehearse In all their Works don't paralel thy Verse Which unto after Ages shall remain And the sweet Odour of thy Worth retain Parnassus is but low thy flighty Soul Her Head above that Mountain does Extol The Mystick Scite of Heaven is thy Aim Celestial LOVE not Carnal is thy Theme Tho' the most Nice of Criticks do combine They cannot Damn a thing that 's so Divine John Hallum To Mrs. Eliz. Tipper on her Super-excellent Miscellany of Divine Poems Gratior est Virtus e corpore pulchro veniens HAd Herbert Quarles or other Sacred Pen These Meditations tun'd Encomiums then Were but just Tributes to the Work Divine But since thy Lips the Verses more refine Celestial Hymns should sound before thy Shrine What shall I say in such a spacious Field Where th' meanest Shrubs large Contemplations yield Thy Wit 's Refin'd thy Theme as Heaven Sublime Each Breathing Accent makes a Clouse Divine Oft I have seen like Parrats in a Cage Men Prate by Rote upon the publick Stage Tell this and that and Precepts largely Preach Tho' few like thee by try'd Experience Teach Experienc'd Knowledge Mistress of True Art In Sweetest Lays thou dost to us impart Go on Chast Maid thy Virtues still renew Whilst in thy Lines at once we clearly view Minerva and the Beautious Venus too Many Daughters have done virtuously but thou excellest them all Prov. 31.29 E. Steele On the Holy Bible NOT mortal Wit but blest Aetherial Fire Assist me and my sacred Muse inspire My Subject's greater than those Glories all That glister in the splendor of Earths Ball Scepters and Crowns fall much below my Theme And Heroes warlike Deeds are but a Dream No Extasy of Lovers soft Delight But of the Oracles of God I write Shall I with reverence strive to show the worth Alas 't is not for Clay to set it forth All that the largest Soul on Earth can crave Within this sacred Volume they may have This is Perfections Clew by whose blest guide Full Streams of Joys divine for ever tide Where each distrusting Soul may swim with ease In all the blissful Billows that can please The Learned may on choicest Knowledge feed The Ignorant of greatest Wisdom speed The Poorest here see vaster Riches shine Than sparkle in the Spaniards golden Mine Here wearied Souls a sweeter Rest does crown Than Bodies on the softest Beds of Down And troubled Minds find Peace in larger measure Than Ages give in Halcyon Days of Pleasure The Sad with more exalted Joys be fill'd Than all the Mirth of this vain World can yield Through Faith in These the Weak are Stronger made Than Gyants which the World with Arms invade Wisdom Strength Riches Joys Rest Peace abound And all the Good of Life in Them is found How vain is She that seeks for Comfort Lord In any thing but in Thy Self and Word Some Experimental Passages of my LIFE with Reflections upon Jacob 's Words Few and Evil have the days of the years of my Life been 'T Is strange that he Unborn ere he saw Light Destin'd a Victor and Heaven's Favourite Should almost at the Period of his Age Give this relation of his Pilgrimage Yet 't is not strange since mortal Life we see No more from Sorrow than from Death is free My Life the assertion much has verifi'd From Part to Part by sad Experience try'd In all my Undertakings still been crost And like a Ball from hand to hand been tost Five Years i' th Prime of all my Youth I spent Recluse as 't were from the World in Banishment And Hermit like in all things did I dwell An uncouth Cottage serving for my Cell For several Days and Nights sometimes been driven To Silence save the Words I spoke to Heaven My constant Visits Fields and Woods receiv'd Who at my oft resorting never griev'd But bounteously with Sunshine Air and Shade Their frequent Visitant still happy made One dear and courteous Tree above the rest Did oft invite me to become her Guest Upon her root I hourly sate and Read Her towering Branches sheltering my Head And when I Kneel'd the kind officious Grass The verdant Covering of my Cushion was The like Good-will have Hedges to me born And distant Furrows of the growing Corn To this the Evening oft hath met my Fast And Tears the longest day been my Repast Yet these Afflictions Lord more Joy I own Than have the Vicious who possess a Throne Nor can I at a Flood of Tears repine Till I forget that Bloody Sea of Thine O grant me Resignation till I see How 't is Thy Pleasure to dispose of me My Penance now seem'd something to abate And glimering Beams of Sun-shine dart from Fate Two of my greatest Wants at once supply'd IMPLOYMENT and SOCIETY beside My Happiness this large Addition found New Joys with Honourable Friendship crown'd No more my Brow contracted now appears Nor Eye-Balls fretted Red with Briny Tears Save when in Penitence and Care I mourn'd That GOD's withdrawing Beams might be return'd
recovery of my Fall Shall it suffice to Celebrate one Day Not the whole seven the Acknowledgment can pay A larger Stock of Gratitude I crave That on my Heart this MERCY Heaven engrave Beyond the Race of Time and Fortune's Lot With glad Remembrance ne're to be forgot Observation on the Life of Epictetus POor Epictetus born the Slave of Fate Unparalell'd for abject mean Estate Rapt in a Cloud of unkind Fortune's Jars And Destiny that seem'd to have no Stars Dark as the Eye of Chance which some call blind Obscure from Light in all things but his Mind Which was enricht with Faculties could reach The rarest things Philosophy did teach Yet by Laborious Burthens bath'd in Sweats He every Day must Earn the Bread he eats But he the Envy of his Fate beguiles And for her rigorous Frowns gives pleasing Smiles Contentment plain'd and smooth'd each step was rough And in his Wants still made him rich enough Set him above the Top of Fame's Renown And higher than the Envy of a Crown More happy than the Miser whose proud Share Of Wealth is equall'd with a Load of Care Thus liv'd he free brisk satisfi'd and gay As if for Earth he scorn'd to throw away A single Wish and as he studied said My Thoughts just now my present State have laid In view and as I look this I behold In my Condition I am Poor and Old And Happy therefore knowing 't is the best Because the GODS have chose it from the rest To give it me their Wisdom cannot err And I the Gift before all things preferr O wondrous Kertue in a Heathen Man With what Impatience with what Face then can A Christian murmur sorrow or repine That reads this vast Humility of thine But who alas retains a peaceful Thought More than by Heaven's Diviner Hand is wrought Heaven is the Giver and Preserver too Of every spark of good we think or do Observation on the Life of Joab WIth ghastly Grief this Man of War I see His Noble Deeds and Sad Catastrophe Who can at first but fall into Confusion To trace his Life and see the strange Conclusion Permit then with Compassion I may Write While I his Actions and his Fate Recite Few ever with more Loyalty ador'd The Int'rest of a Lov'd and Soveraign Lord And as an Omen of Heroick Glory We find it mention'd in the Sacred Story Heaven and his King did trust in him repose For of great Israel he was General chose And he a Reverence too to both did pay In the auspicious and victorious Day When Syria's Host before him fled away These Cares and Dangers and the Victory still Seem small to please his Royal Master's Will For when in Sin he ask'd him to combine With too fond readiness he strait did joyn And poor Uriah falls by the Design To Rabbah Ammon's Royal City then He leads the Bands of his undaunted Men Where soon the Potent Foes in Strength decline Their weakned Army's ready to resign Their Post their Arms Themselves and Magazine He to his Lord in hast the News exprest See Rabbah yields Come thou and do the rest The City of Springs I have already tane Take thou the Royal City that thy Fame May make it call'd by thine and not my Name Then to compleat the Pleasure of his Soul He did by Wile the Rule of State controul To fetch his Darling Absolom from Exile For whom the Indulgent Father pin'd the while And when this Charming Youth with flattery stole The Hearts of Israel Joab's constant Soul Defies the Treason as a thing abhorr'd And never left the Service of his LORD Till even against his own express Commands He David's Shield and Israel's Champion stands Piercing that Heart where Rebel-thoughts arose Against his Soveraign's Life and safe Repose When this was ended Sheba's Plot begins And thrives as fast as all new growing Sins Here Amasa is sent to number all That would declare to answer David's call But slack in his return the King 's no less Than put in fear of Sheba's great Success At which enrag'd with Choler Joab slew Good Amasa then like a Lion flew With his Couragious Troops for Warriours Fates To Abel of Beth-Maacah City-gates There with a brave Revenge his Forces spread Till o're the Walls they throw the Traitor's Head Now David with a secret Pride inspir'd The Number of all Israel desir'd From Dan to Beersheba o're Jerdan's Ford To see of what vast People he was Lord And that the Accompt might be exactly made On Joab his Commands he straitway laid Joab not pleas'd in Modesty replies May He that blesses all bless my Lord's Eyes To see that People whose great Sums untold Tho' ne're so numerous now increase a hundred-fold But why my Lord the most religious King Delight his Sacred Self in such a thing Good was the answer but to no effect David's the same and Joab's great respect To him o'recomes his own Reluctancies His King he serves whate're neglected lies Tho' Fame and Conscience both he sacrifice Who cou'd have thought a Man of this Renown So true and long a Servant to the Crown Should from the best of Masters when he came to die Receive a fatal unkind Legacy And that his Prince with his expiring Breath Should give his Silver Hairs a Crimson Death Which when the Royal Head in Dust was laid Was quickly by his Heir with Rigour paid Heaven's Justice order'd this and we may see There 's no escape from its Divine Decree Nothing secure but what is purely done With upright Thought before that Holy One Who does the secret of the Heart regard And as we think gives openly reward O Joab hadst thou sought thy GOD in all No Human Power could have made thee fall Better hadst thou at King and Kingdom spurn'd And to thy GOD for Counsel always turn'd Then safe and blameless had thy Actions been Without the Stain or Punishment of Sin From thy Example may I never trust In those Illustrious Names Great Good and Just A Princely Patron or a Noble Friend Their Smiles no true Security can lend Give me Integrity to GOD no less Than the Almighty's Smiles can truly bless 'T is he alone that must defend me still Man may be a Friend 't is true GOD I am sure will Observation on the Life of Elijah Prophet of the Lord. CAn pregnant Honour from her swelling Store Of none but glorious Gifts distribute more Than this high Title Or can Earth afford Ought greater than a Prophet of the Lord To whom the general World Respect should bear And whom crown'd Heads do Honour Love and Fear In this great Dignity Elijah he Was of the Highest Rank Noblest Degree For Heavenly Graces don't all equal shine And there are Classis even of Beams Divine For an Immortal Mark of Honour more This Man the Type of blest Messiah bore But see for all these Wonders how he liv'd Tortur'd afflicted hated poor and griev'd And he whom Miracles as Means
THE Pilgrim's Viaticum OR THE DESTITUTE but not FORLORN BEING A DIVINE POEM Digested from MEDITATIONS UPON THE Holy Scripture By ELIZ. TIPPER Oh how love I thy Law It is my Meditation all the Day Psal 119. Ver. 97. LONDON Printed by J. Wilkins near Fleet-street and Sold by the Booksellers of London and Westminster 1698. TO THE Right Honourable and Renownedly Vertuous THE Lady COVENTRY MADAM THE Corruptions of this Age are so strangly increased and complyed with that few complain of them as Temptations but with a Modish Curiosity rather affect them as things fashionable so that to rebuke Vice boldly requires more Courage than our Sex usually pretend to and not to fall in with it looks like a piece of Singularity But thanks be to GOD that Piety and Vertue have still a good Name in the World and there are some Illustrious Persons who by their great Examples give them Countenance and a just Patronage Hence it is I address Your Ladyship for Sanctuary knowing that amidst the Storms and Persecutions of a degenerate Age my humble Endeavours can meet with no securer Harbor than under Your Ladyships Protection I have in this Essay presented Your Ladyship with some Consolatory Thoughts under the uneasy Circumstances of my own Life This can affect Your Ladyship no otherwise than as You are surrounded with the Contraries or in that You have nobly conquer'd those Sorrows which weaker Minds are forced to labour under all their Days May Heaven continue its Blessings to the Age by preserving Your Ladyship as the great Luminary of Devotion and Charity and the Patroness of all those who in their Order practise the same Vertues in Sincerity Which is the Prayers of MADAM Your Ladiships most Humble Obedient and most Devoted Servant Elizabeth Tipper In Laudem Dominae ELIZABETHAE TIPPERAE Divinae Poetioes Studiosae nec non horum Miscellaneorum Authoris Percellebris LUX tua fulgescat latum diffusa per Orbem O Decus Sexûs Gloria Magna tui Dulces scribe modos Sacris incumbe libellis Dum sis Angelicis Mista Puella Choris Summa petas Nisae Nobis eris altera Sappho Cantabunt numeros secula sera tuos Dulcia Tipperae resonabunt laudibus Antra Parnassi Cirrhae concava saxa sacrae Carmina Tipperae doctus laudavit Apollo Musae versiculis obstupuêre tuis Carmina mirata est Tipperae docta Minerva Mollia Divinae Pieridumque Chori Laurea Tipperae porrexit serta Thalia Atque ait Haec vestris indue Signa Comis O Tibi quà m dulcis quà m lucidus ingenii fons Quantum Divino manat ab Ore melos Ornamenta gerit Sexus Pius altera Tipper Ornata est hederis tempora docta sacris Jos Perkins A.B. Thus Englished THy brighter Lustre doth it self disperse And like the Sun inform the Universe Thou Glory of Thy Sex Write Gharm and Gain The Angel-Consort by thy Sacred Strain Climb Nisa MAID Thou shalt our Sappho be Thy Pious Odes sung by Posterity The pleasing Cells of all inspired Verse Parnassus Cyrrha shall Thy Name rehearse By learn'd Apollo Thou art lov'd and prais'd And at Thy Skill the Muses stand amaz'd Minerva and the Pieridian Quire Thy soft and sublime Poetry admire Thalia holds the Lawrel-Garland forth And cries This Trophy well becomes Thy Worth How sweet's Thy slowing Wit How pure Thy Hymns With grateful Musick store the Seraphims By others of Thy Sex be Top-knots worn The Immortal Ivy shall Thy Head adorn John Torbuck Rector of Lurgershall Wilts To Mrs. Tipper on her incomparably Ingenious and Divine Poems HAil Mirrour of thy Sex in whom we find Resplendant Rays in your Seraphick Mind Whilst Great JEHOVAH does your Soul inspire And Cherubs sing their Anthems to your Lyre Then you salute with Bays and Ivy crown'd Wreath'd by Minerva's Hand in Mistick round Your Muse proclaim tuning Immortal Sound Whence Sacred Flights do Balmy Sweets propose More fragrant far than Jass'min or the Rose And your Perswasive Sounds for to rehearse Oblige High Adoration in your Verse For none Oblation pay to Truths Divine But Reverence owe to those made them sublime For how can Precepts strike obedient Awe Unless imprinted by those made the Law Hence Paul politely Rhetorician plays David allures with Hymns and Spiritual Lays Consult the God-like Rules of Levy's Tribe The Heathens Envy but Religion's Pride In all the Maze of Ignorance you 'l see Tradition Worship rais'd to One and Three As these by God inspir'd perpetuate Fame By Pious Acts and an All-glorious Name So you both Darling of the Powers Above And Muses too their Mansion of true Love Elected are their White and Galless Dove What other Ladies write is Hate or Ire Or else soft Strains heated thro' Passion 's Fire Whose Thoughts to wanton Bliss devoted are Whilst Hallow'd Rites are your peculiar Care Whose finite Joys scarce reach a barren Praise When Your's with Transports Emulation raise Compar'd to that so vast transcendant's this Of Theirs and Yours no more proportion is Than fleeting Joys of momentary stay To Millions of Millions there in endless Day Go on bless'd Maid this Galaxy pursue By God's above decreed alone for you Your beatifick Visions Glory sing Whilst Eccho's jocound Acclamations bring And Io-Paeans ever ever ring With rilling Cadence eternize the Nine Indeliable to perishing Fate of Time Till your Translation to the Heavenly Throne Their Hallelujahs sound to the All-great Three One W. P. Gent To Mrs. Tipper on her Paraphrastical Poems upon several Select Passages of Scripture CEase Trumpet cease and gentle Stars inspire Our long distracted World with nobler Fire Art Science Wit whose Empire War invades Rise with thy Lawrel from the Northern Shades While meaner Monarchs justle in their Claim Assert thy Right of Universal Fame Thus far propitious Heaven implor'd does yield And to Minerva's Off-spring leaves the Field An harder Task my Suppliant Muse does vex While I command not court the aspiring Sex Their trifling Glories vanquish'd to submit Prostrate to this She-Oracle of Wit Whose Sacred Muse in Hallalujahs move To sing and praise the GOD of Peace and Love The modern Wits embroider with a Grace As Prostitutes do an uncomely Face Immodest Themes so bold with Art so fine And Wythes like first rot before they shine The Lawrel he usurps whose least divine Striving to ease our Cares but cannot please And intermit those Pains they ne'r can ease Such Balm in her Philosophy is found As makes the bitter Cup of Life go round Purl'd with the Quintessence of Moral Wit Which all that read may taste but none can get David to see his Songs restor'd from the Dark Rejoic'd as once he did before the Ark And from the Willows takes his tuneful Lyre Whilst in her Hand he kindles Sacred Fire By which he did the cruel Saul asswage To quench worse Spirits of our Modern Age. What Paul and Seneca in Labours wrote She in her Life has to Perfection brought To keep the
digress to sing the Fame Of his bright spotless Virgin-Daughter's Name Whom Grace like the Sun-shines did adorn When beauteous Rays guild first the bashful Morn In whose lovely Youth was the same Sweetness shewn As Flowers in Spring or Roses newly blown ALICIA bright that cast her pleasing Eye To my indifferent State of Poverty The charming dear One yet could love so true Scarce for a Minute I her Absence knew Each place abroad at home where e're I be She Angel-like goes meets or follows me Perpetual Kindness LOVE immensly breeds LOVE that all slight in Poetry exceeds Where flowing Kindness tided to excess And mine proportion'd more than hers not less Had Fate propos'd a Choice one I must have This fair one 's Death or my own sudden Grave The last I should have thought the mildest Doom To Engrave her Friendship on my finite Tomb. But cease my Muse cease lest I now despair To think how I lost her that was so dear Marriage which fixes Lovers in one State Divides us two to Places separate The Daughter's loss the Father would repair By a High Friendship and Paternal Care Whose worthy Soul with Vertue quite is fled And in his Sex for ought I know true Kindness wholly dead Sighs may condole But hold some Cherub sure Allays my Grief with this blest balmy Cure Think and consider well observe the End Who was it gave and took away your Friend He that gives all things good and can restore What-e're you want cease Mortal to deplore Use pious Job's Expression and no more An EPITAPH on the Pious Madam Mary Carter BRight Soul whose Sacred Relicks I must mourn Till from my Toils I sleep in peaceful Urn Then follow thee to make one Witness more Of all thy righteous Deeds heap'd up in store Thy Pious Days Heaven does already know By Prayers that minutely did from thee flow Such was thy Converse so Divine below Thine Alms Christ's needy Members every-where Refresh'd with Love and Bounty will declare O! with what dazling Glories art thou crown'd What Songs in Heaven did at thy Entrance sound A SATYR AS Dungeons are for Criminals prepar'd Tyburn and Gyves too is their just Reward So Satyr's Lash dipt poison'd in Disgrace Is fit to Scourge the Vice of Human Race Did not the Lamb of God with Sacred Terror Reprove all Pharisaic Sins and Error Where 's then my Muse Does my Poetick Vein Want Skill or Courage for this useful Strain Baptismal Vows engage Heroick Minds Women are valiant tho' of different Kinds And tho' my Sex is weak my Heart 's not so Lead on my Chief I fear not where I go Instruct me LORD I wait for thy Command Without it I dare stir not Foot or Hand I begg'd again and then my LORD reply'd My Precepts and Example be your Guide Go follow them Strait then I call'd to mind His Golden Rule propitious left behind First cast away the Beam that hides the Light Of thine own Eye deluded Hypocrite Which once remov'd thou better may'st discern The little Mote thy Brother does concern And with more reason ask to pull it out When thy clear Light dispels his darker Doubt But if black Vice thy Life it self betray And thou pretend'st to Guide the perfect Way 'T is like a blind Man raving in a Heat Inspir'd by some ridiculous Conceit He 's able to lead all that go astray His Tongue crys out his Feet quite miss the way Sometimes his Steps are right but rarely so Still with invective Bawls You falsly go Should this his Conduct be by Prudence try'd Would he be thought a Madman or a Guide Our Saviour e're such Work he did begin Ask'd Which of you convinces me of Sin And must his spotless Life a Pattern be Imitable for such a Worm as me The great Example I can never reach Alas I want time more to Watch than Preach My Self is Task sufficient to look o're I find no Moment where I need explore The Faults of others but my own deplore And now I beg since my Design has mist Make me true Christian tho' no Satyrist Of the HEART WHat tho' the Soul mysterious is to Art And all in all and all in every part Yet we conceive the Heart by Nerves and Veins Does vivifie the Body and the Brains For as the Senses from the Spirits move Inspiring Rays with Simpathetick Love So GOD's Essential Goodness most requires By Consecrating Gifts to Mens Desires Say but from thee the smallest Present came It kindles all Acceptance in a Flame Hence hence the Pulse that gives Life's Lamp its ease Hence all the endearing Ties that Lovers please So rare a Jewel sure has no deceit Nothing that 's vain but Vertue all compleat My Thoughts sincerely blest in my esteem All pure divine immaculate did seem Whilst my consenting Heart in rapture vow'd Henceforth no Sin shall be by me allow'd But that my Conscience should in Empire reign Never to be oppos'd by Vice again And as my weary Knees the Centre press'd It seem'd convulsive in my trembling Breast Darting full Torrents through mine Eyes in Tears And shivering gasp'd almost expir'd in fears Implor'd the LORD in this distress of need T' assist a Heart that for Offence does bleed Kind Heaven assents and with propitious Grant Assur'd the Comfort that my Heart did want And from the depth of Sin drew it as high As the bless'd Region of Immortal Joy From this Divine Ascent transported cry'd Vain is that Fool that does in Sin abide My Lips o'rejoy'd at the Conversion sung As David when his tuneful Harp he strung And to my pleasing Thoughts these Words I mix'd My Heart to Sacred Joys is ever fix'd Thus liv'd I in Serenity and Mirth An Angel's Life almost upon the Earth But O! the Blast this pious Life destroys Hypocrisie the blissful Stream annoys My Conscience to whose Empire my Heart swore Strives to depose the Conduct of its Power Till with a hideous Guilt by horrid Sin Agast I durst not cast a Look within And tho' my conscious Heart stood knowing by That Acts nor Thoughts from the Omniscient Eye Was hid in vain Delusion seem'd to think That the All-just should at our Frailties wink And when my Private Prayers I do direct With Holy Praise and most Divine Respect Yet when GOD's Sacred Court I come within I contemplate and gaze all dark with Sin And while the Pteacher tells what I should learn My Thoughts rove busie in some strange Concern Confus'd with odious Things I cannot speak And which to shun Mortality's too weak My Mind grows wild my Soul in terror rav'd By what I trusted thus to be deoeiv'd Then to my GOD with weeping Eyes I turn In deep distress I supplicate and mourn All-powerful GOD this Heart from me receive Since by Despair I must for ever grieve Or if this longer must with me remain Vouchsafe great GOD once more to make it clean I know thy Blood can wash out every stain And
whilst I live henceforth I 'll set a guard Surpizing Thoughts not good shall be debarr'd A Watch I 'll keep as long as I keep Breath To help secure my Vertue till my Death I 'll send to all my Friends to do the same And trust to more this rarity of Fame But always Watch and Pray Suspect and Fear While thou dost justify and make me Clear Thinking on the Life of our Blessed Saviour WHy did my Lord whom Heaven could not contain Chuse to spend Life on Earth in toil pain And not the Ease and Splendour of a Raign Why did he like a Man unfortunate Walk thousand weary Walks No Pomp or State A Servant to that World he did create Why did he let his spotless Name be us'd With Lips that slandrously that Name abus'd Why did he who was all pure Innocence Endure such Rigours as attone Offence Or bring the Wicked into Penitence Methinks an inward Whisper tells me why Tells me my LORD was pleas'd to do 't that I Might not despise those Methods he approv'd Nor hate that sort of Life himself has lov'd Reflections upon my extraordinary Joy at the Certain and Sudden News of Peace being concluded Sept. 1697. NIne Years Bellona brandish'd in full Pride Till Christian Land with Blood was ruddy dy'd But Kings are reconcil'd and Wars must cease To give admittance to a glorious Peace PEACE is the Cry assured Peace is come The charming Wonder strikes my Senses dumb Felicities in Loads a Peace repair And fill my Mind with more than I can bear My Knees fall on the Earth to hear the Sound And Tears of Joy run rowling to the Ground The heating Beam does take away my Sleep Exhales that Dew did my lull'd Spirits steep Like Philomel my watchful Thoughts employ Her Thorn keeps her less waking than my Joy Give me Assistance some kind Power to bear The Extasies while this bless'd News I hear I did not think all Earth could give or find Such Pleasure to my Pleasure-hating Mind 'T is true the Joy is rational and just Fitting to be allow'd But dare I trust My Thoughts to rove in such a vast Content And Raptures of unlimitted Extent When this is not the Peace my Soul must calm Nor this the fair white Dove that brings my Palm The great IRENE that secures me blest In endless Joys the Eternity of Rest No that 's 〈◊〉 Peace in my own Empire-mind A Place of Residence for GOD design'd By Actions just and pure of every kind 'T is on this Peace that I must build alone Tother I may enjoy yet be undone This is the Peace resplendant Beings praise And to the Spangl'd Roof the Eccho's raise The lofty Arches mightily resound And Heaven's Inhabitants in Raptures drown'd The joyful Chorus charm Eternal round O! New Jerusalem for thy Peace I long Thy Io-Peons in Immortal Song To Heavenly Lyres and Hallelujah's tun'd Ayrs that Britannia's Peace can never sound Thy Triumphs are magnificent and rare Thy Joys unmix'd with Sin with Fright or Care Brighter than Sun more lasting far than Time Eternal bless'd unparalell'd sublime O! that my Hours to come may all be spent In seeking this above all Earth's content O! that I could express what Joy there lies In but a Hope of this unfading Prize The Universe comes short to equal this In Glory or Duration State or Bliss Go then my Pilgrim-Soul pursue the Way Through Brakes and Rocks Black Seas and Stormy Day Through wonted Conflicts and tremendous Griefs Through narrow Passages and straitned Cliffs Through Vanities to allure and Foes to Fright The Snares of Flattery and the Darts of Spight Through Pains and Miseries Tears Toil Doubts and Strife All the whole long-train'd Cavalcade of Life Through Slanders Slights Wrongs Wants the swelling Flood That does but Tempest-toss poor Flesh Blood Through these all these and thousand thousand more Sail happy Voyager to that bless'd Shore Where no Waves dash nor Winds nor Tempest roar To that Divine true Halcion Nest above The Mansions of Beatitude and Love That Union no dividing Foes shall sever But the white Flag of Peace hangs out for ever To my Mother the CHURCH UNfeign'd as Martyrs in the Days of Yore Whose precious Blood their Testimonials bore Grant Holy Mother high Oblation due My Humble Lays I consecrate to you Whose Pious Care in Infancy did bloom With Fruit selected from corrupted Rome Your Hallow'd Rites inspir'd me first to see And from Exreams of Peril set me free Guiding to blissful Rest the Milky Way Whose Streams of Light point to Eternal Day No Superstition does your Precepts stain Nor Zeal enthusiastick with you reign But Love divine slows with a kind Embrace Kindles Seraphick Flames enlightning Grace Whilst Heaven like Life which centures in the Heart Inflames religious Beams through every part By Spiritual Manna fed I Wisdom sind Blest Mistick Rules invelope in my Mind Free-will directs my Actions how to square But Sacred Instinct cautions to beware It bids me not this World and Life abjure But checks my Paths where vicious Baits allure Instructs with Hallelujahs praise to sing Unerring Truths of Sion's gracious King True Dictates of Parental Heavenly Guide Which does ensure Salvation on my side These and the rest more fully to reherse More Volumes crave than Tribute of my Verse But as in Duty bound Devotion shall For ever pray for you as you for all Whilst Cherubs sound in their melodious Choir And I still Offerings pay on constant Lyre Reign Phoenix-like thy Ashes gives new Birth Nor finite perish in the mouldring Earth But as in Sickness Nature's Power will strive The Patients strong do grow and Pains survive So let the past Convulsions reinstate Immortal Health to foil the Stroke of Fate The Triumphs of thy Toils shall endless be And sweet too as the Love I bear to thee On the VERSES some Gentlemen presented me which are placed at the beginning of my Book VAst is the Joy when Transports do inspire Which Lightning-like strikes with Poetick Fire Ravish'd I gaze and wonder to reherse Those high Encomiums you vouchsafe my Verse But O what Chill does Nature's Frailty raise Truth strikes a Damp in Contemplations maze I view like him that sees the Weapon fly But can't avoid the Dart that makes him dye Such dazling Flights so great Surprize impart As does confuse and wound my sinking Heart A thousand strange Reflections seize my Breast And trembling Fits my peaceful Hours molest Discourses grave and mystick use to move Perplex my Mind with Wisdom from above As Nathan's Charge to David did controul That Man of GOD with Anguish in his Soul So you like faithful Monitors declare My Time and Life but transitory are Tell me of my Translation and of Powers Of Finite Beings and of Fleeting Hours Inferr the Grave compleatly all devours Dismal and heavy Thoughts methinks to me Your lofty Verse proclaims Mortality As tho' it were my Living Elegy Deck'd with a Theme of Praise and Mournful State Like warning Trumpets o're my Death and Fate I 'm flatter'd with a Crown of Sacred Bays With polish'd Sence express'd in tuneful Lays Melodious Peals which charm me to apply Some Tears to suit the Solemn Obsequy Tears that allay and quench disorder'd Strife Fitting Attendants for a Dying-Life Whil'st your harmonious Muse in Vertue sings Sweet Strains of Death which happy Life to me here-after brings FINIS