Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A00049
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Thrifts equipage Viz. fiue diuine and morall meditations, of 1. Frugalitie. 2. Prouidence. 3. Diligence. 4. Labour and care. 5. Death.
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Aylett, Robert, 1583-1655?
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1622
(1622)
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STC 1004; ESTC S118663
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33,126
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66
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euâ—r found For by this Diligence all well succeed No idle hower on her head doth shine She her best howers spends with prudent heed And all her businesse aright doth line She finds to all things an appointed time Except it be for Slouth and Idlenesse If idle words be iudged such a crime Much more the losse of times high preciousnesse Which cannot be regain'd with cost and carefulnesse Wherefore good fathers of a Family First rise and latest go to bed at night And those that loue the Musâ—s company Do vse their eyes to read by Candle-light Artificer good-Husband Merchant Knight And Magistrate this Vertue doth defend Nothing so difficult but by the might Of Diligence is conquer'd in the end Therefore in all affaires she is our surest friend But nonâ— more enemies than Negligence Slouth Dulnesse Carelesnesse and Idlenesse Impurest mire of foule Concupiscence The forge of Lust and draught of filthinesse Whence come all Vices Sinne and Wickednes Which turne men into Beasts like Sirens charmes Oh Slouth the nurse and mother of excesse Like Statue standing still with folded armes And neuer moues to good for feare of future harmes Vnnecessary Burthen on the ground Who when he hath consumed all his owne Deuoures his friends and then a theefe is found More false yea than a begger bolder growne For though the beggers-bodies hands are sown And 's mind is all on slouth and idlenesse Yet often in his mouth Gods Name is knowne But God all honesty and shamefastnesse He loaths that is possest of slouth and sluggishnesse A Sluggard is vnto himselfe and all A most pernicious wicked enemy By Slouth his mind and body soone do fall To sicknesses and all impurity He is the bane to all good company The stinking Sepulchre of one aliue Shadowes of men Tunnes of Iniquity Whose soulâ—s base ease of Reason doth depriue Whilst as a Swine with Mast their bodies fat and thriue We Sloth like Lazy Asse at home do finde But listen out you lowd shall heare him bray Iust like a coward dogge of currish kinde That doth at harmelesse Pilgrims barke and bay But comes a Wolfe for feare he runnes away Like fearefull Hart when as he comes to fight But as a Lyon greedy of the prey All day asleepe but in the dead of night He woorrieth the fould for hunger and despight Oh Diligence perfection of all When as thou dost with truth and vertue dwell But if to Vice and errour thou doe fall Thou passest Hâ—ggs and Furies all of Hell Hels waking Cerberus is not so fell As popish priests who compasse Sea and Land Into Cymmerian darknesse to compell Those that in Sun-shine of the Gospel stand Thus diligently they obey their Lords command Oh would we be for Truth as diligent As they for errours and traditions vaine But I haue too much of my hower spent Against the Vice the Vertue to maintaine To Diligence I now returne againe Which like heau'ns glorious Sun doth neuer rest But like a gyant runnes his Course amaine Vntill she of the garland be possest This life 's no mansion but a way to heau'nly rest In heau'n are many Mansions heere we stay Onely to finish that for which we come If trewanâ—like we spend our time in play And be with drinke or sleeping ouercome Oh! when our fatall hower-glasse is runne And we are call'd to render our account Of good and euill in the body done Our debts alas will all our wealth surmount And our Omissions more than numbers vp can count This Diligence is like one in a Myne That digges much earth a little gold to find Like Silkeworme who her slendrest silken twine By Diligence doth on a bottome wind Like husbandman who little sheaues doth bind Wherewith he fils his Barnes and Garners full Like little stones by Morter fast combin'd Raisd to a Temple large and beautifull Like mighty hostes which Dukes of single men do cull Some by a night-Owle and a Dragons eyes This vertue Diligence haue figured And therefore Poets Fables do deuise The Golden-fleece so highly valued Kept by a Dragons diligence and heed The Golden-fleece the Kingdomes Peace I call The Dragon him by whom all 's ordered For on whose shoulders such a charge doth fall He must be vigilant and diligent in all This Vertue is indeed most soueraigne In highest Rulers which the Publique sway Who are set ouer vs for our owne gaine If them as Gods Vicegerents we obay They keepe continuall watch both night day For all our goods so they be diligent God grant such Rulers euer gouerne may His little Fold within this Iland pent To ioy of all our friends and foes astonishment The Latines Diligence deriue from Loue For he that loueth doth eu'n all fulfill Yea nothing hard or difficult doth proue To him that knowes 't is his beloueds will Whose hearts this glorious Grace of Loue doth fil They here despise all losses griefe and paine Let heau'nly loue into mine heart distill I worlds discouragements will all disdaine For Diligence on earth I loue in heau'n shall gaine This loue in Dauids heart doth so abounâ— It from his eyes and eye-lids did expell All sleepe till he a resting place had found Wherein the Lord of life might alwaies dwell This made the Mount of Sion so excell That it the glory of the earth became This diligence makes all to prosper well Though but a sparke of Loues celestiall flame It gaines vs loue in heau'n on earth eterâ—â—ll fame Oh blessed Paul had I thy eloquence Thy indefatigable paines to sound Thy wondrous trauell care and diligence Thy Masters will to know do and propound How many Sees of Bishops didst thou found How didst thou preach by day and work by night How diligently Heretickes confound And eu'n in Hels Worlds Tyranâ—s Iewes despight By Diligence declare the power of Loues might Should I the Fathers liues trace to the Floud And into Egypt follow them from thence From thence through wildernesse to their abode By Iordans bankes in Houses Cities Tents They all are Maps to vs of Diligence From Genesis vnto the Reuelation Their Pilgrimages all haue reference To new Ierusalem Saints habitation And we all stones and Builders on that one foundation As God so we must worke before we rest We may not cease till all be finished In heau'n we shall enioy eternall Rest Which by the Sabbaoth was prefigured The Spouse may seeke but finds not in the Bed Her Bridegroome he is like the nimble Hind He must be diligently followed But if by Diligence we once him find He skipping comes o're hils and mountains like the wind But if I onely speake of Diligence And image-like to others point our-right Yet liue in Carelesnesse and Negligence I like the blind may others Lampes inlight But stray and wander all the while in night Our life 's a moment here if we regard Eternity A cloud to heau'nly light Like drop vnto the Ocean compar'd Is earthly Ioy to that