no Path of Life in which I go But what thou view'st every Step dost know If in the Way of Vertue I go on Immediately its by Thy Wisdom known Nor dost thou Unrewarded let me pass But Crown'st with Benefits my Running Glass And if deluded from this happy Way Of Virtue I erronious go astray Into the privatest closest Path of Sin I presently perceive Thee Looking in And with thy Glance dost strike me with a Terror Of future Judgements for my Sinful Error In vain do I endeavour to conceal What thy All-seeing Eye must needs reveal My Heart has no retired secret Thought But openly is to thy Knowledge brought Nor dos a Word through my whole Life tho nere So softly Whisper'd scape thy Righteous Ears O let me with Humility admire This great Omniscience and no more desire The dark Perverseness of a Sinful Course Since thou discoverest All and what is worse Condemn'st it to the Miserable State Of Hells great Torment and thy endless Hate MEDITATION V. If ye love me keep my Commandments Joh. 14.15 MUst there an IF be made for Loving thee In whom the Mirror of Perfections be Fairer than Light thy Charming Beauties shine No Angel's Form was ever so Divine Never did Prince of such an Offspring come Nor Lover like thee suffer Martyrdom An Angel's Quill I want to write the Story Of thy great Passion High Descent and Glory But stopp'd with Wonder now I would say most My Ravish'd Soul is in a Rapture lost Who should I Love but thee where can I find An Object like thee to inflame my Mind Should any Fellow-creature ask me this Love you the Mighty Lord of Life and Bliss I should injuriously the Question take In such a case should they a scruple make And in a vehement Heat be apt to cry Judge of my Love by what I now reply He is the only Regent of my Heart I scorn the Rival that should claim a part Confin'd in a Lone Desert I could be Having an Intercourse 'twixt him and me The want of Food I could contented bear So I might have but my Beloved near I 'de wander all my Life through Sun and Wind In Tears if Tears alone my Dear could find Compar'd to him my Friends Relations Birth Each all I hate all that is dear on Earth My Blood I 'll spend and Life will Sacrifice For his dear Honour which I so much prize These great Pretensions would be apt to skip From my most passionate unwary Lip But thou hast try'd me at an easier Hand By bidding of me keep thy Bless'd Command In which no rigid Task thou dost impose Or least true Satisfaction bid me lose Love God and Love my Neighbour Watch and Pray Oh! Can I wish in these to disobey What can be easier sweeter less severe Or to my Mind more rational appear Pleasing while I perform and in th' event Of Happiness the certain Consequent Oh let me shew I these Commands approve And by my keeping of them dearly Love MEDITATION VI. Set your Affections on things above Çol. 3.1 ALas Dull Earth where can I place on thee Affection and one moment happy be I 've view'd thee through I 've minded all events Of VVorldly Grosses and its Blandishments And as the first by few can be desired The last as little is to be admired One is a Thorny Trouble still perplexing T'other an Empty Show and therefore vexing Experimenting Both I too well try'd Grosses vext and Pleasures never satisfied This made my Thoughts damp liveless sad slow Each Minute tiresome while they staid below And wearyed much into Impatience grew Till they left Earth and up with vigour flew Then soaring in all true Delights above I quickly found where I might fix my Love Perceiving Bliss which never met controul And Satisfaction Solid as the Soul A Joy so great untrifling and so blest If I might in the Meditation rest I nere should Love a Thought of Earth again More than a Fit of Sickness or of Pain For nothing less I contemplate and See Than the vast Joys of large Eternity Contenting Vision how may I possess For ever ever this dear Happiness There 's no way to it but the Gates of Death The dolorous Pangs of an extinguish'd Breath But why should this so terrible appear Or either my Aversion move or Fear I know it 's this must that Advantage bring O Frightful Ghastly Death where is thy Sting O Conquering Grave where is thy Victory When even the vanquish'd tryumph through thee Lies our Ascent to vast Eternity MEDITATION VII On Isaiah 5. ver 1.2 HO every One almost to Drought accurst Who Famish with the cruelty of Thirst Come drink ye Waters freely take your fill Refresh your selves with Plenty drink at will Here 's Milk that gives a Nourishment divine Not only Heart but here 's Soul cheering Wine A Prophet calls and gives you this Advice 'T is Purchased without Mony without Price Why spend you Mony for what is not Bread When here you may with Delicates be fed On John Baptist being Painted in the Wilderness with a Lamb by him and Angels descending to him THE Sun 's my Fire as well as Light The Moon and Stars my Lamps at Night Springs are my Cellars of choice VVine A Desart's Parlour where I dine The Rocks and Woods my Dainties give On Locusts I and Hony live This Lambs my Guest when ere I eat Who equal with me takes his seat My Garments of the Flocks I take And on the Earth my Bed I make Voluptious Greatness I think base My Company 's of Heavenly Race O happy Life from nauseous Pleasures free And from distracting Cares blest should I be Were I t' enjoy Mine in a state like Thee On Herodias Daughter being Painted with the Head of John Baptist in a Charger giving it to her Mother SEE dearest Mother what my Charms has caught And to your hand a welcome Present brought The powerful Tongue that at a Breath before Shook our whole Grandeur now shall speak no more Nor stern nor threatning does this Brow appear Whose Look was wont to cast a Dread and Fear As my Adorer Languishing he lies Imploring Favour from my killing Eyes Vanquish'd by me alone and quite supprest Now undisturb'd does in my Arms take Rest Augment my Joys with yours which else will fade Whilst here the Hermit I 've a Courtier made Blest Martyr is it thus the Impious scoff The Tyrant at a word thy Life cutts off Hard case so great a Prophet living stands A Sacrifice to Wanton Feet and Bloody Hands No matter let them play their Rigorous Part Thou hadst the Blow but they must feel the Smart They have sent thee from a World wretched friendless To dwell with Joys unspeakable endless To a Young Lady that desired a Verse of my being Servant one Day and Mistress another MORE than a King 's my Word dos rule to day His Subjects His my Betters Mine obey Quality Fortune
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
does Israel's Sin declare They had all GOD's Prophets slain nor him would spare Now is he bid to ascend that Mount a Place Which great Jehovah's presence deign'd to grace Where all descending from his Throne more high As the Omnipotent pass'd radiant by The Mountains rent with Wind the frighted Earth did quake The Adamantine Rocks in shatter'd pieces shake Then blaz'd a stream of Fire the Harbinger Of the great GOD for yet GOD was not there Now spoke a still small Voice bids him appoint Two Royal Successors and both anoint To these a third and greater Successor Heir to his own Divine Prophetick Power A Tongue whom Oracles should all inspire Touch'd with a Coal from his own Heavenly Fire Now thou dear Prophet whose resigning Breath Had ask'd before no Boon of GOD but Death Time hastens that thy Toils must be releast Thy Sufferings ended and thy self at rest Within the Regions of the Ever-blest How supernatural was thy Defire Crown'd with a Chariot of Triumphant Fire Which flew more swift than ever Motion run And carried thee above the Stars and Sun Thus fledst thou up to thy immense Reward And nothing could thy heavenly Flight retard O unexampled Man who Earth resign'd Earth and its Vanities all left behind Feltst not the Pangs of an expiring Breath The Course of Sickness or the Stroke of Death Sure then our Father Abraham thou wast greater For he like others fell weak Nature's Debter Kept in a Grave turn'd to Original Dust Consin'd there till the rising of the Just. If then a Saint incomparable rare One of the greatest Prophets ever were Led all his Life but sorrowful and poor I must conclude in Poverty there 's more Design'd by Heaven for Guidance or Defence Than ever was found out by Human Sence 'T is a mysterious Thing that Want should be The leading Path that joyns Felicity And those who least are trusted and approv'd To enjoy Estates are most by Heaven belov'd Strange is the Method but I cannot fear There is a Secret in 't divine and clear To Heaven's eye alone and never yet to Mortals did appear ' Cause this blest Man did undergo that State That seem'd his very Choice as well as Fate Fate he could change we see his Prayers alone That Wonder had perform'd and had he known Poverty a Curse sure he had chang'd his own Besides as he foresaw the prickly Thorn A Wreath should even the Brow of GOD adorn Poor Humble Low in Shilo's blest Record Reserv'd the Titles of the World 's great LORD The Path of Poverty well hast thou trod Blest Prophet to be follow'd by thy GOD. On the worthily honour'd Madam Mary Fountayn Weep weep ye Clouds distill into her Urn Such Tears to quench a Flame unapt to burn The Uurn it self shall weep perpetual Store Because this noblest Friend of mine 's no more Let Nymphs attend the Glory of the Plains Whose charming Brightness is ador'd by Swains With Sable Vestments cloath'd in mournful state To solemnize her Funeral Rites tho' late While I dejected strive for to reherse Unspotted Vertues in Eternal Verse In tuneful Lays tho' dismal are the Strains Which chills the circling Blood runs thro' my Veins Witness ye Heavenly Powers the Favours she Daily bequeath'd my Parents and to me Who lov'd my tender Mother to the end And show'd herself a thousand Ways her Friend In all Extremities stood her Defence Under the goodness of Omnipotence If Wisdom Love or Honour could defeat The Stroke of Death this Star had never set But still been shining in her splendid Sphere And influential Beams around her Cheer Ye Fountains now your gliding Currents cease And fertile Nile forbear your vast Increase Since I 'm depriv'd by fatal Sisters three Of this great Blessing O! so dear to me You 'l say no Discomposure ought profane Much less despair my well fix'd Morals stain But he who Precepts gave as well as kept Could not forbear his dearest Friend but wept Oft have I wish'd from Business to retire To contemplate the griefs of my Desire There in some secret Grove where none might see I might for ever mourn her Obsequy In Sorrow's Rills condole with pitious Moan To grateful Eccho's which resound each Groan And harmless Flocks their Lamentations ring While the poor Birds with doleful warbling sing Let then this sad uncomfortable Verse Embalm her Memory and bedew her Herse Unmix'd preserve these Relicks faithful prove O Marble Urn and constant as her Love 'T is Love that all do court but few can find Springing from Actions rooted in the Mind Sweet Rich and Strong she to the Centre drew As Honey Jewels and as Marrow do None by the Storms of Life was e're opprest But still might find a Haven in her Breast Why do such Blessings end in sharpest Pain By being given to take back again Stay run no farther my impetuous Soul This Answer does your flowing Grief controul Compute the Sum of your unwise Complaint 'T is pious she liv'd and dy'd too soon a Saint Consider there 's not only a Regard Due to your Interest but to her Reward You ought your Loss with Patience to sustain Since what 's your Loss is her immortal Gain Can you repine since she in Beams of Light Soars in the Heavenly Regions pure and white Her Deeds resplendant in a Crown more bright With a Victorious Palm and Radiant Seat Reigns there among MARIA'S Good and Great Whilst you'r depending on your Future State Her lovely Vertues strive to imitate On my dear Friend Mr. Robert Harding HOw have I wisht and begg'd no Pen might send A sad reviving Thought of this my Friend Nor mention make now he is gone but I Might let my Grief in hush'd oblivion lye In vain I urge such Means to sind retreat From Mourning Thoughts my Sorrows to defeat The loss of such vast Worth so true a Friend In all dissolv'd Mortality must end And if my Verse may live to blaze his Praise Which like the Sun darts with refulgent Rays His Merit must in Characters sublime Outlast the envious mouldring Fate of Time In Friendship 's Orb no brighter Star appear'd Since by his good all was reviv'd and chear'd And in his Nuptial Rites example may Proclaim his Life to be one Halcion-day Detested Paths of Vice he nobly scorn'd Whilst vertuous Precepts in his Breast he form'd While Vice he scorn'd Fidelity he lov'd 'T was Honour guided him and Pity mov'd Whatever Object was there in distress Compassion could and did not soon reverse To adverse Fate distant and near it slew And Prisoners in pale Want his Kindness knew Lofty indeed his Temper was to soar But never turn'd his Back upon the Poor Whose pious Acts aspiring to reherse I lose his GLORY in submissive Verse Could Prayers avail for him which cannot be What store is due and should be made by me Yet e're I end let me call o're the Fate Did his great Kindness first to me create Pardon if I