For any other Life than this short Span. If Cloathing hide thee from thy Neighbours sight Let it not hide thee also from thine own Look on thy self thy Nature is a Light Shall knowing Souls be to themselves unknown Now know thy self before thou art undrest And tho through flesh Men cannot see thy heart Open thy Eyes unveil thy Face at least That Men may see thou hast a better part How vile a thing is Man if Flesh be he Can he look high who thinks himself so base His bruitish sleepy Thoughts and Life must be A dreaming doating or despairing Case Where was that Flesh one Year before thy birth What is it now but warmed moving Clay What will it be e're long but common Earth To this thy Pomp and Pleasure is the way Where did Gods Art that curious Body form As in a Dunghil even in Natures sink Though Skin and Cloathing now do it Adorn 'T was bred between the Dung and Urins stink What was it made of but the Mothers Food Curdled and quickned by the Makers pow'r And there it lay in darkness filth and blood Unmeet for sight till Births appointed hour In pain and danger then it is brought forth A speechless helpless and polluted thing Entring the World with crying at its Birth Foretelling greater griefs which time will bring How long by patient Mothers care and love Doth feeble useless troubling Age subsist Should Man continue such we could not prove That he in kind is better than a Beast Long do these unripe fleshly Bodies keep The Soul from shewing its essential Power Sense Rules while Reason lyeth half asleep Vain toys and folly spend our Childish hours By use and prepossession flesh gets strength Resisting Light and all that 's Wise and Holy Till Reason be its servile slave at length And greatest Wit become the greatest Folly Then Carnal Man lives like a crafty Beast Only to pamper Flesh and please its Lust To make the Worms and Hell a costly Feast When Souls must part and leave Flesh to the Dust. If Flesh be Man how many Men are one From Birth to Death when as the Rivers flow Daily new Flesh succeeds that which is gone And none is what he was one Year ago That beauteous Face that pamperd Body stood But lately on thy Table as thy Meat 'T was Mutton Bief Pork Chicken or such Food What now thou art is what thou then didst eat Part of a Fish a Swine a Calf or Lamb Is turn'd into a Lady Lord or King This Metamorphosis of Beast to Man Is surely done by some great unseen thing Yea all of Man that 's seen did lately grow In Fields and that was Corn or Fruit or Grass Which now is Flesh or from the Springs did flow To shew what Flesh will be by what it was Vain Man knowst thou no deeper than thy Skin Go see an opend Corps and that will shew What Garbage Filth and Dung are hid Within What thy vile Body is thou there maist know Think that thy noisom stinking Excrement Is one part of that Sumptuous Pleasant Food Whose other part a while of better scent Is turned into that proud Flesh and Blood If yet deceitful Beauty cheat thy Eyes Look on a Face that 's crusted with the Pocks Or a white Breast where stinking Cancers rise And pity fools whom Fleshly Pleasure mocks If Health Wealth Pomp or Pow'r delude thy mind Go to the greatest dying sick Mans Bed Ask him what safety he in these doth find Yea go yet further look upon the Dead Here much unlike to what it was before Is that now loathsom Flesh that ghastly Face What hath it now of all its Power and Store Remember this must shortly be thy Case How long the sight and scent can you abide Of your Dead greatest wisest dearest Friend Unless some Art the frightful Visage hide And from the smell your tender Sense defend We can devise no better a dispose Of dearest Friends than a deep darksom Grave Where to lie rotting we may them repose The living from their sight and scent to save The worms without repulse there feasted be They feed on Heart and Face without offence VVhat pamperd Bodies are there you may see If you dig up that Corps a few Months hence But though what 's out of sight grows out of mind Pictures and guilded Tombs are also set The sensless Hearts of Men further to blind That what Flesh is they may the more forget Yet the next opened Grave casts up in sight The Skull whose holes of Eyes Mouth you see Where enter'd formerly the dear delight Think then thus shortly it will be with me The harmless pretty Bird with Pleasure sings Not so deform'd in Life or Death as we The cruel Bowels of great Lords and Kings To her an honourable Tomb may be Save that to be devoured by bad Men Turns guiltless things into a guilty wight And makes them sinful and more fetide than If they had rotted in the open light The labouring Ant less burdensome Flesh hath Thousands in peace in one stor'd heap can dwell In peace by crowds they travel the same path And being dead annoy none by their smell The working Bees in peace together live Fetching their Hony home from many Flowers Dwelling in quiet order in one Hive But Man destroys them and their store devours God who by Nature gives them flying Wings And their rare mellifying power gave Doth give them also their defensive Stings Their House and Young and Property to save Men kill them and eat up their gathered Food But make the like no King no Artist can Their Work yea their dead Corps are sweet good But sweetest things corrupt and stink in Man How swiftly do thâ— unwearied Swallows flee And mount and sport even to an unseen height Their active fiery part is quick and free Not clog'd as Men are by a fleshly weight The mounted Lark hovering with nimble wings Dwells above Earth till strength and spirits sail And peering towards the Sun she sweetly sings But falls down mute when earthly parts prevail Some say all motion tends to ceasing rest Of Earths forc't lifeless motion this is true To Spirits perfect Action is the best Uncessant Love and Pleasure is their due Experience sadly tells Man that his Soul Is clog'd by Flesh perverted by its bent So that dark heathens did its case condole As for old Sins into this Body sent Did not Gods Holy Spirit quicken ours And cause us unseen things by Faith to see Renew and raise our dead corrupted powers None could from Flesh Lust Sin Hell saved be Flesh is not Sin it s made for Holy use In it Souls here must seek and serve the Lord But it s the tempting object of abuse While we its Life and Lust too much regard The Body as a Servant we must love But Souls have Sense and Sense to Flesh is ty'd And so drawn down from God and things above The Soul that hath
thing God now is all Love makes all Common for it makes all One Zeal for good Works Patience in bearing wrong Were the true Marks by which Christs flock was known Had not Christ added this convincing Seal Tongues Miracles and Sanctifying Grace The Wonder of Redemption is so great That Faith to unbelief must needs give place Apostles Mortal were before they Die For future Ages they Christs sacred word His Deeds Laws Doctrine by the promis'd Spirit To guide the Church infallibly record As Moses gave the Iews the only Law Which following Priests and Prophets were to Teach So th' Holy Ghost by the Apostles wrote The word which after Ages were to Preach As Moses Law was Seal'd with Miracles When such the following Ages did not need So Christs Apostles did by Wonders Seal Those Records which the after Ages read The Spirit promis'd to the Apostles was To lead them to all needful saving Truth And bring Christs words to their rememberance What they by his Commission did Christ doth Their Writings are the Holy Ghosts own Book Though human Imperfection do appear In Modes and Phrases it 's no just offence But leaves the Truth and Use still sure and clear Words but the Vehicle of matter be Gods Spirit owns not the Translators words But if as signs they with his Words agree The Sense and Matter of them is the Lords This Spirit helps the Church but not to bring Another Gospel Law or Word from Heav'n Nor mend or change Gods Laws in word or sense But to preach and obey the word once given To bring new Laws or Messages from God A Prophets Office is and not a Priests To forge such or make Laws for all the Church The Authors prove false Prophets or false Christs Christian Religion is one stablisht thing Which all the Church from first to last may know It is not human changeable or new Nor doth by Mens decrees increase and grow If Canons no part of Religion be But Laws for Rites and things indifferent Why must all Christians needs in these agree Or not agreeing by Church-Wars be rent The Church hath all one Head one perfect Law All justified be by Christs Blood and Merit All that are true though weak Christ doth receive For all are Sanctified by one Spirit The Holy Ghost in all true Christians dwells He doth illuminate and make them New This is Christs Agent and his Body formes His Witness proving that his Word is true This Spirit did the Gospel first Indite And on it did Gods Image first Ingrave And then by it as his great Instrument That Image Prints on all that he will save Though it be long of their resisting Will That any of this Grace deprived be Yet Scripture and Experience clearly tell That diffrencing electing Grace is free In Children it appears when God doth choose He gives a reachable and willing Mind Good Dispositions and Capacity By Grace their Nature is to good inclin'd Grace chooseth Parents careful of their Souls Helps them to educate them in Gods fear To commend Virtue and disgrace all Vice Teach them Gods word causeth them to hear Gods Seed in such is often early Sowd And as they grow it springs up by degrees As Plants and Fruits by Sun Moisture grow'd Whose present growth and motion no Man sees The first beginnings of the Spirits work Is in a learning Mind and fear of Sin A love and liking of good things and Men 'Gainst Sins for Duty Conscience strives within Grace watcheth over them provides them helps Meet Teachers Books Examples Company Keeps off temptations causeth them to hate Lying bad Words and Deeds and Ribaldry Bad Childrens Hearts are quite averst to good They love not Virtue relish not Gods Law Tempting Discourse Examples Vanities Catch on their Hearts as Fire doth on Straw If early helps Parents and Teachers fail And Sin the childish Mind and Life pervert If Folly Flesh and tempting Baits prevail Yet God his chosen will in time convert Hee 'l either give them better Company Or better helps and Teachers whom hee 'l Bless Or bring some useful Book unto their Eye And make their Snares their Temptations less Or hee 'l some sharp Affliction on them lay Which may awake the hardened sleepy Heart Or Conscience shall some quickning motion feel Tell them their Sins their Danger and Desert O! How the Case with Sinners now is chang'd Things all appear now in another Shape Sin now is Madness Mad he calls himself For loving Death and thinks now how to Scape Now God is Holy Just his Word is True He is in earnest though Sinners be in jest The Face of all his Works and Ways seem New Those things seem worst which formerly seem'd best The common Texts and Truths he daily heard Do now begin to have some Life and Sence He wonders how he past them by before As if they had been of no Consequence That wounds shames and grieves and breaks his heart Which formerly was his Delight and Pleasure That 's Vanity and mortal Poyson now For which he hungred as his Food and Treasure Now the Mad Prodigal comes to himself Perhaps the World doth him its Husks deny Why saith he did I leave a Fathers House There none do want here I must starve and die O that I had not tasted Satans Bait Nor Pampred Flesh and pleas'd vain Appetite Neglected Grace and things of greatest Weight Nor medled with Sins poysonous Delight But the time lost can never be recal'd The works of Madness cannot be undone I have undone my self is there no help I know all else is Vain there is but one A Fathers Love affordeth me some hope The World gives none I must return or die I 'le go and humbly all my Sin confess And cast my self upon his Clemency But God is Just and Holy how can I Defil'd with Sin and Guilt stand in his sight Now the sick Soul a sure Physicion needs There is one Saviour who is Gods Delight He is the Way by whom Men come to God He is the Truth to save the World from Errour He is the Life to save from endless Death Self-Murdering Souls subject to Hellish Terrour And now the Gospel's better understood Redemption seemeth not a needless thing His Thoughts are precious of Christs precious Blood His Mediator Prophet Priest King The Gospel now is Tydings of great Joy Pardon of Sin Adoption Peace with God Freedom from Terrour Satan Sin and Hell Mans self-made and Gods just Revenging Rod. He sees why Love in Mans repair must be As much Admir'd as Power in our Creation Sinners cannot immediatly God see But by a Mediator have Salvation Now all things else seem loss and dung for Christ Wisdom is folly where Christ is left out To know him is the true Philosophy The rest doth teach Men but to prate and doubt Some glimps of God and Heav'n blurd Nature yields But it s but as a Candle to this Sun Others towards God
not Faith is bruitify'd The Interest of Flesh perverts the will It conquers Reason and corrupts the Mind No other Enemy doth so much ill To self-destroying perishing Mankind ANd now oh Man is Flesh all that thou art Worthy of all thy stir and cost and care Live not as if thou hadst no better part Mens Souls like God and Kin to Angels are Even Bruits have Souls possest of Life and Sense Made to serve Man who 's made his God to praise Whither Distinct or One when taken hence Subject to us whom God will higher raise What 's Flesh but Water mixt with sensless Earth Viler than dirt when Souls a while are gone It 's unseen Spirit which causeth Life and Birth This moveth all that 's mov'd doth all that 's done Mans Soul is made the Image of his God Substantial Virtue of Life Light and Love And though in Flesh it now have its abode Its tendency is to the world above It came from God and unto God returns Though in this Flesh its Life of Tryal be It daily wasts the Oyl as Fire that burns Consumes its Fuel and then is set free As flames mount upward Souls tow'rd Heav'n ascend And are still restless till they be at home If Sin depress them not tow'rd God they tend Blessed and joyful when to him they come As things Inanimate are rul'd by force By Sense and Objects Bruits determined be Both these are carried on in Natures course Mans will more undetermin'd is and free Bruits are not Ruled by a Moral Law Nor moved by the hopes of Life to come Nor of Gods Threats and Justice stand in awe Nor after Death fear any other Doom Man 's made in his degree to know the Lord To know his Duty and to please Gods will To learn and love trust and obey his word In hope of Heav'n his course here to fulfil God is Mans supreme King his Guid his End His Soul and Life should have no other scope From Sin and Devils God will his defend In Life and Death God is our only hope You see not whither Souls departing go But Heav'n and Hell are visible to Faith God hath reveal'd enough to make us know That all shall be performed which he saith We no more need to fear his word should fail Or God forsake the Souls that do him please Or any final Hurt Christ's Flock assail Than Earth to bear or Sun to shine should cease Is not a Sober Righteous Holy Life In certain hope of everlasting Joys Better than Sin Despair Care Fear and Strife For short deceitful pleasant Dreams and Toys IF yet blind Man thou thinkst thou art a Beast And hast no higher Hopes Work to mind Become a Tame and gentle One at least Not of the wild fierce hurtful bloody Kind Serpents Toads Wolves are harmless things Yea Lions Tigers and such Beasts of Prey Compaird with many Conquerors and Kings Who do Ten Thousand fold more hurt than they If this short Fleshly pleasure be thy best What need of Wars Blood Rage debate Sweet Love and quiet Peace afford more rest Than Pow'r Wealth with hurtful Plots Hate What need of large Dominions to prepare For Dying Pangs a Coffin and a Grave Quiet Content and Kindness fitter are Thy Neighbours welfare thy own to save But of all Beasts the Man-Beast is the worst To others and himself the cruelst Foe And turning Serpent doth become Accurst A Scourge to others his own endless Woe As Holiness fits Souls for endless Bliss And here hath its beginning and foretast So Sin the Plague of Unman'd Nature is And turns Man-Beast to Devil at the last If all Men made themselves are their own And have no Ruler but Self-will and Sense If Man be nothing else but Flesh and Bone Can live here still and say I 'le not go hence If Man can Conquer God and him Dethrone Kill Christ again and shut up Paradise Then Saints are Fools and Worldly Men alone Choosing a Shadow and Despair are wise But sure if Man be only Mortal Flesh A Squib a Bubble a vile Earthy Clod He never will have Pow'r what e're he wish To save himself by overcoming God But Heav'n is quite above Malignant Powers Our Peace Safety 's far above their reach Christs Kingdom is not of this World nor ours It 's unseen Blessedness which he did Preach There Holy Spirits free from Sin and Fear From Cruel Tyrants Devils Death and Hell The sweet Celestial Melody still hear In perfect Light and Love together dwell There 's no dark Error no perplexing doubt No Selfish Envy Strife or Discontent All hurtful troubling things are there shut out No Wrathful Sting no Malice no Dissent Numberless Numbers there are all but One Of the same Body each a Member is Each hath his due degree and place but none A Selfish separated part of Bliss All have one God one Head one Vital Spirit All Love God with one Love and all Rejoice With one Joy All one Kingdom do Inherit All sweetly sing Gods Praise as with one Voice True Unity with Diff'rence well Accords And makes up Beauty Consort though there Self Numbers Many and such parting words Have not the same dividing sence as here Thus hath one Soul more than one Faculty One Sun each sort of Life Three formal Powers Some Image of the Divine Trinity But none on Earth so excellent as ours And as in Being so in more respects Unity doth with Number well agree Many Concauses have the same effects Yea all Gods Creatures One and Many be So divers Fruits are but parts of one Tree And every Tree is Rooted in one Ground All Grounds of this One Earth but parcels be This Earth a small part of the World is found Souls are unseen and so their Union is Many united Individuals Their distinct persons make some think amiss That they are incoherent Integrals God only hath a perfect Unity Of the same World some Blest some Cursed be Some Union stands with great Diversity Apples and Crabs may grow on the same Tree Blest Union is of Good-things near of Kin To things Discordant Union causeth pain An aking Tooth is better out than in To lose a Rotting Member is a Gain The nearest Fuel is Consum'd by Fire Gods Wrath is near the Wicked to destroy To Holy Souls who Gods Love most desire He is their full and everlasting Joy Ten Thousand Stars and Candles give one Light Concordant Sounds make one sweet Melody Two Ears One hearing Cause Two Eyes One Sight But Light Darkness have no Unity Here Wicked Men are every where in Wars Men against Men as Tigers fiercely Rave Our Minds Wills Passions have their Jars Our Souls and Bodies Mortal Discords have Though Life be short Death is at the Door Impatient Foes think posting Time too slow They grudg to let us live a few Days more Revenge and Malice long to give the Blow But Heav'n