Hand To serve and chear thy frailty up command Indulge thy weary Flesh with new supplies And change of Garments of the purest die Refresh thy limbs annoy'd with sweat and toil With costly Baths thy Head with precious Oyl What e'er thy Hand endeavours that may gain Contentment spair not either cost or pain For there is no Hand to work no Power to save No Wisdom to contrive within the Grave I find the swift not always win the prize Nor strength of Arm the Battel nor the Wise Grow rich in Fortune nor the Men of skill In favour all as Time and Fortune will â—en knowing not their time as Fishes are â—ar'd in the Net Birds tangled in the snare So be the Sons of Men surpriz'd with fears When mischief falls upon them unawares This Wisdom have I seen beneath the Sky Which wisely weigh'd deserves the Wiseman's Eye â—ut when I set my busie Heart to know â—isdom and Heavens strange workings here below For Night and Day my studys did deny Sleep to my Eye-lids slumber to my Eye Striving to note each action under Heaven Endeavouring to observe and have given My Soul to God in due Obedience having Sought for true spiritual Wealth worth keeping But the poor fruitless labours of deluded Man Are vainly spent being short as a span Or seeming pleasures serves to requite Long leagues of travel for one drops delight Of airy froth how are ye forc'd to borrow Strong gales of hope to sail through Seas of Sorrow Why do we thus afflict our labouring Souls With dregs of Wormwood and carouse full Bowls Of boyling Anguish to what hopeful end Dâ—oyl we our craizy Bodies and expend Our sorrow wasted Spirits to acquire A good not worth a breath of our desire A good whose fulsome sweetness clogs and cloys The Soul but never lasts nor satisfies How poor an Object pleases and how soon That pleasure finds an end how quickly noon How quickly Night and what to Day we prize Above our Souls to morrow we despise Beneath a trifle what in former times We own'd as Virtues now we tax as Crimes Tell me my Soul What would'st thou buy Go in and Cheapen let thy curious Eye Make her choice they will present thy view With numerous Joys buy something that 's new The Wiseman's Eyes are in his Head they stand Like Watchmen in the Tower to guard the Land. At length I cast my serious Eyes upon My painful Work and what my Hands had done And there I find my Hearts delight was all my gains My pleasure was the portion of my pains I gave my Eyes what e're my Heart requir'd I denied my Soul no Mirth my Spirit desir'd All sorts of Musick the Spirits delights had I To please my Spiritual Ear was beauties to my Eyes Yet knowledge then affords my Soul no rest My roving Thoughts tried Mirth and was possest Of all the pleasures Earth could lend yet I Found Mirth and Pleasure all but Vanity I laugh'd at laughter as a toyish antick And counted all Earths pleasure no less than frantick Since Hearts that wisely foolish do incline To costly fare and frolick Cups of Wine For in those pleasures I find but little solid good To Crown the short liv'd Days of Flesh and Blood Tho some build great magnifick Palaces and fraim Vast buildings to the glory of their name Planting Vineyards whose plump clusters might Make them fruitful Orchards for their delight Rejoycing their Souls with Earthly treasures With curious Gardens to refresh their pleasures Yet true Wisdom can discern but little real good Mistaken Earth so much admiring stood What profit hath my Wisdom then thought I The height of Wisdom hath her Vanity The foolish bauble and the learned bays Are both forgotten in succeding Days Impartial Death shall Cloath the dying Eyes Both of the Ignorant and also of the Wise Therefore I hated life for from the events Of humane actions flows many discontents Then slighted I all that my Hand had done In seeking happiness beneath the Sun For what I did I cannot call my own â—nothers Hand must reap what mine has sown Who knows if my surviver is to be A Wiseman or a Fool However 't is he Must spend with ease what I have earn'd with pain And Souls vexation this is all so vain For which my Soul thus fool'd with vain persuits Of blossom happiness that bears no Fruits Some Men there be whose elaborate gains The fruits of lawful cares and prudent pains Descend to those who know not pains nor art This is a sore vanity and afflicts the Heart For what reward hath Man of all his droyl His Evening trouble and his Morning toyl His Hearts vexation and his griefs that run Through all his labours underneath the Sun. ' I view'd the Chair of Judgment where I saw ' Instead of righteousness a perverted Law. ' I view'd the Courts of Equity and spy'd ' Corruption there and Justice wrap'd aside ' Oh! then thought I the of Judge Heaven shall do ' Right to the Wicked and the Righteous too Then puzzel'd in my Thoughts I thus advis'd Heaven suffers mortals to be exercis'd In their own miseries that they may see They are yet not much more happy than the Bee They substance of Flesh tho not the same Yet dust to dust both must turn from whence they came Which rightly way'd it seems the better choice For Man to suck his labours and rejoyce Since flashly troubles doth all things so unframe That Earths Content doth scarce deserve the name Considering this what can we advise Since we berefit of Wisdom labouring to be Wise Alas is it not enough that we poor Farmers pay Quit-rent to Nature at the very Day And at our dying Hour bequeath to thee Our whole substance for a Legacy I mus'd again and found when pains had crackt The harder shell to some heroick act Pale envy strikes the kernel with taxation Oh this is vanity and the Souls vexation Thus pausing Contemplation shew'd mine Eye A new prospect of humane vanity When the droyling Hand thinks nothing can supply The greedy wants of his insatiate Eye He robs himself not knows for whose relief This is a vanity and a wounding grief Woe to the Man whom danger meets alone For there 's no Arm to help him but his own But if some help put in a timely stroak The Cord that 's three-fold is not quickly broke If eithers feeble Shoulders be betray'd To a sad burden there 's a mutual aid To be a poor Wise Child is judg'd a thing More honourable than to be a vain King. My Soul to what a strange disguis'd good Art thou bewitch'd oh how hath Flesh and Blood Betray'd thee to a happiness that brings No comfort but from transitory things Are not the shady Bowers of Death more sweet Than the scorching Sunshine where we Hourly meet Fresh evils like a Temes whose deluded breath Tickles our Fancies till we laugh to Death When thou hast bound thee to
and Glories of thy Kingdom Thou O Lord hast opened the Kingdom of Heaven to all Believers let the Everlasting Gates be opened and receive his Soul let the Angels who Rejoyce at the Conversion of a Sinner Triumph â—nd be Exalted in his Deliverance and Salvation make him partaker of the Benefits of thy Holy Incarnation Life and Sanctity Passion and Death Resurrection and Assension and of all the Prayers of the Church of the Joy of the Elect and all the Fruits of the Blessed Communion of Saints and daily add to the number of thy beatified Servants such as shall be saved that thy coming may be hastned and the expectation of the Saints may be fulfiled and the Glory of thee our Lord Jesus be advanced all the whole Church Singing Praises to the Honour of thy Holy Name who Livest and Reignest ever one God World without end Amen OH Most Merciful Jesu who didst die to redeem us from Death and Damnation have Mercy upon this thy Servant whom thy Hand has visited with Sickness of thy Goodness be pleased to forgive him all his Sins and Seal his hopes of Glory with the refreshments of thy Holy Spirit Lord give him Strength and Confidence in thee asswage his Pain repel the assaults of his Gostly Enemies by thy Mercies and a Guard of Holy Angels preserve him in the Unity of the Church keep his Senses intire his Understanding right give him a great measure of Contrition true Faith a well grounded Hope and abundance of Charity give him a quiet and a joyful departure let thy Ministring Spirits conveigh his Soul to the Mansions of Peace and Rest there with certainty to expect a joyful Resurrection to the fulness of Joy at thy right Hand where there is pleasure for evermore Amen A Prayer for a Penitent O Thou who still remainest the same Richfulness in thy self and the same bright Glory to all the Blessed have Mercy upon me and all Mankind in the 〈◊〉 and full Pardon and forgiveness of all our Sins that ever we have committed from our Infancy to this present Moment and indue us with thy preventing and assisting Grace that we never fall into those Sins of the which we have Repented but fill us with thy Holy Spirit that we may increase in all Goodness in the Spirit of Might of Wisdom and Counsel Knowledge Piety and thy Holy Fear that we may do all such good Works as thou hast prepared for us to walk in by the assisting Power and Might of thy Holy Strength which we beseech thee constantly to afford us to our last Breath that when we shall breathe out our Souls they may be received instantly to Glory And this we begg for thy sake who didst begin to Bleed and Suffer for our Sin even thee O Blessed Jesus who tookest that Heavenly Name thy Blessed purpose to Proclaim Oh! may we bow our Heartâ— and Knee bright King of Names to Glorious thee who thus beginest our Bliss thus carriedest on our Happiness to thee all Praise be paid O Great Misterious Three for ever Live and ever be Obeyed Beloved Adored by Men and Angels all abroad Hallelujah O Lord make us eminent Examples of Perfect Christianity and kindle in our Hearts Zealous Emulations of thy Grace that here immitating thy Life O Christ we may be constant in the Truth to our last Breath that in our Mouths there may not at any time be found a lie that we may be worthy to be presented without spot before thy Throne O God and thou maiest exalt us to thy Kingdom and there admit us to tast of thosâ— Glorious Joys which incurcel thy Blessed Thronâ— above to which we are Intituled by the Suffering oâ— Christ our Lord. Oh give us true Repentance that wâ— may not fail of attaining of them though I have noâ— been strong enough to be perfectly Innocent Yet makâ— me Humble enough to be truly Penitent make mâ— Heartily sorry that ever I have done amiss and never again dare to do that for which I am sorry but perpetually Watch and Change my Thoughts to more diligent and concerning Cares how to redeem my mispent Time with Sighs and Tears and Prayers and prepare our Understanding to assent to thy Truths and our Wills to follow thy Divine Inspirations that thou O God maiest fill our Memories with innumerable Mercies and our whole Souls with the Glory of his adorable Atributes that thy Blessed Spirit may come and breathe thy spacious Odor into our Hearts in these dull Regions here beneath to fill our Souls with thy sweet Grace and Inspire us to give all possible Glory to that secret Three One ever Living Sovereign Lord as at the first still may be Beloved Praised Feared and Adored Hallelujah O Lord open the Eyes of our Understanding and shew us thy clear and supernatural Light even 〈◊〉 thou didst to the Apostles together with the whole Army of Martyrs that we may confidently â—ffirm to others what we know so Infallibily cerâ—ain our selves And be pleased to infuse into all â—â—ens Hearts the fulness of thine own Divine Charity that every one may instruct his Family and with Courage and Patience overcome their Oppressors that being thus Illuminated with a pure and clear â—â—ight and inflamed with the ferver of Grace â—hey may mightily shew forth thy Glory and Conâ—ert many Souls to thee that thy Grace may run â—nd be Glorious over all the World and thy Holy â—pirit be aimable in the Hearts of every Creature â—hat all dulness may be removed from them and they â—nay with swift Glances understand the sweet Will 〈◊〉 their Divine Master that they may Daily more and â—ore increase in Virtue and be inebriated with thy â—eavenly Wine and filled with an Heroick Spirit â—â—at may keep alive in their Hearts the Primitive Grace Grant this O God who art still the same and with an equal Spirit Governs the World replenish us all we beseech thee with the Holy Ghost which warms without scorching and shines without dimâ—ess and inlightens without consuming Kindle in every one of our Hearts this Holy Spirit of Meekness Peace and Unity that all the World may know that we belong to thee That exercising those Virtues of Meekness Long Suffering Patience Contentedness and Charity thou maiest difuse thy Holy Joy into our Breast that may fill our Hearts with Strength and undaunted Courage that may duly qualify us to ascend to those satisfing Joys above where all our Faculties shall be exercised in Adoring and Worshiping thee O Lord our God who wilt fill our Souls full of Joy and Ravish our Hearts with overflowing Pleasures and make us ever give Glory to Father Son and Holy Ghost the undivided Three One equal Glory one same Praise from henceforth and for ever be Hallelujah A Prayer for the Rich and Noble O Lord I beseech thee make the Great and Honourable become Good and Just O suffer them never to consent nor combine with the Counsel of the Wicked but teach the Rich and
Noble to learâ— to wait for thy Kingdom cause them to imâ—ploy their Wealth and Power in Piety for Religioâ— and Charity for the Poor let them not loosâ— their Courage in thee O King of Kings for any diffiâ—culties they meet with in their way but increase theiâ— Faith and support their Hope that they may go oâ— cheerfully in their Duty firmly trusting in thee withâ—out being removed from the Hope of a Blessed acceâ—â—tance and a sure Reward O make them diligent 〈◊〉 all their indeavours by removing all lets and hinderances of Piety cause them Religiously to trust in thy never failling Goodness which will rather work a Miracle which thy Power can do Then forsake or slight thy Servants which thy Goodness cannot let the firm assurance of this support them in every Centre of their Lives that they may always dedicate themselves to thy Service striving to be beneficial to the Poor that so at â—ength both Poor and Rich may meet together in the Kingdom of Glory to Praise the Eternal King for ever and ever Amen A Charitable Prayer for the Conversion of all Hereticks O Thou all-knowing Being have Mercy upon the Church of Rome bless her with the choicest and â—he richest of thy Blessings power on her a double Portion of thy Spirit illuminate her with thy Truth â—urge out of her all Errors Heresie and Superstition â—nd whatsoever is contrary to Truth make her such â—s she once was a Pure Spotless and Holy Church â—â—ee her from all those Abominations which now she 〈◊〉 involved in illuminate her once again with the â—right Beams of thy pure Truth that she may see â—er Errors and forsake them and cleave only to thee 〈◊〉 God that she may become such as thou canst not â—huse but love and be delighted with take from her â—hatsoever displeaseth thee make her Pure Spotless â—nd Innocent full of Charity and good Fruits free â—er from all those Superstitions and Corruptions she â—ave of late imbrac'd With her be merciful to all â—ther Churches which differ from the Ancient Truth â—ake us all one Sheepfold under one Shepherd Christ â—â—sus that we may all give thee Honor and Praise is most justly due compleat that Promise of giving thy Son the Heathen for his Heritage and the utmost parts of the Earth for his Possessions Bless the King 's Most Excellent Majesty JAMES by thy Grace of Great Brittain and Ireland Supream Governor bind up his Soul in the Bundle of Life give him a long and prosperous Reign with abundance of Peace and Plenty and when at length it shall please thee to gather him to his Fathers Crown him with Immortal Glory And with him bless his Queen with Queen Dowager their Royal Highnesses William and Mary the Prince and Princeses of Orange and the Princess Anne of Denmark make them Instruments of much Good to the Church of England and these Nations and give them a Crown of Immortal Glory in thy Heavenly Kingdom Bless all the Nobility the Judges and the Gentry with the whole Commonalty of these Nations give them all True Faith and Fear to thee their God Loyalty to our Gracious Sovereign and Brotherly Love and Charity one towards another and Bless with the choicest of thy Blessings the Clergy of this Nation the Most Reverend the Arch-Bishops and the Right Reverend the Bishops with all Priests and Deacons Grant we beseech thee that thy Grace may illustriously appear in them that by the Holiness of their Lives and the Soundness of their Doctrine they may bring many Souls to the Obedience of our Most Holy Faith and because no Man's Greatness or Wisdom can secure him from the Grave We beg thee bless all Schools and Nurseries of Piety and Learning especially the two Universities of our Land that from thence may proceed Men able and willing to tell Judah of her Sins and Israel of her Transgressions and be mindful oâ— those who suffer Affliction with Joseph comfort all those who in this transitory Life are in Trouble Sorrow Need Sickness or any other Calamity supporâ— them under and give them a happy Issue out of alâ— their Troubles bind up their Souls Wounds and fiâ—â— their Spirits with Joy and Gladness be with all those that are going through the Valley of the Shadow of Death let thy Holy Angels conduct them safe to thy Eternal Kingdom let the Blood of Jesus bespeak their Peace with thee appoint those blessed Spirits to bring their Souls safe into Bliss and Glory make us all we pray thee mindful of our Departure that from thenceforth we may be for ever happy Mean time make us all truly thankful to thee for all Spiritual and Temporal Mercy to us for the blessed Use of thy Word and Sacraments for Food and Nourishment and for all the Blessings we daily injoy Health Peace and Liberty for all the Conveniencies of this Life and for the Means and Hopes of a better O impress in our Minds the lovely Idea of thy Majesty that we may seek to worship and adore thee according to thy excellent Greatness who art infinitely worthy of all Praise Honour and Glory O inlarge our Souls to pay thee such Praises as may be in some degree worthy of thee or at least such as thou wilt be graciously pleased to accept These Mercies we beg of thee for Jesus Christ's sake To whom with thee O Father and the Eternal Spirit be all Honour Glory Power and Praise Might Majesty and Dominion now henceforth and for ever Hallelujah O Lord I beseech thee to magnify thy Power in my Preservation that my feeble Knees fains not preserve me from all unconstancy and deceitfulness of Heart that I may be presented to thee pure and unblamable Be not wroth with us very sore neither remember our Iniquities for ever but cause thy Face to shine upon thy Sanctuary which is in danger of being desolate Give Ease to those that are in Pain Supplies to all that are in Want. Give presumptious Sinners a deep Sense of their Sins and a true Sight of thy Mercies to all that are in despair that they may â—ot cast away their Confidence in thee nor place it any where but in thee Abhor them not nor cast them away in displeasure but wean all our hearts from the love of this World and dispose of us as thy all-wise Counsel have determined but câ—use us to set our Affections above where thou O King of Glory seteth at the Right Hand of thy Father to interceed for us that all our Weaknesses may be pitied our Sins pardoned our Graces strengthened and our Souls eternally saved In all our Pains of Body and Agonies of Spirit give us thy refreshing Comforts endew us with Patience and Courage Fortitude and a full measure of Faith to bear to undergo and to overcome Look with Compassion upon all poor Creatures that draw near the approaches of Death open the Gates of thy everlasting Mercy to them and receive them to thy Favour cause Death to be to them a Joyful Gate of Glory and an Entrance into everlasting Bliss for thine own bowels and compassion sake Amen A Prayer for a Member of the Church of England O Lord take not off thy afflicting hand till I am reformed and my Sins consumed suffer me never to receive the least check against nor disaffection to the True Religion Established in the Church of England Let me return an humble denial to all that shall propose such an unreasonable Question to me but if my denial will not suffice in this case give me courage rather to part from my Life than to forsake my Faith and if my case be so happy give me Grace with chearfulness to pray for my Persecutors though dying by their Cruelty that I may deeply impress constancy and true courage in the hearts of all my Spectators that we all may sacrifice our Wills to God before our Bodies and both whenever it shall please him to require them at our hands assist us in the doing this by the powerful Operations of thy Divine Grace which we beseech thee always plentifully to supply us with for thy Mercy sake Amen O Lord have Mercy upon our Parents let thâ— Souls be bound up in the bundle of Life grant them Grace to live a quiet and peaceable just and honest Life here that when they come tâ— die they may live with thee and thy Christ in thâ— Heavenly Kingdom Look not upon their Merit but pardon their Offences for thy Bowels anâ— Compassions sake to whom be all Honour and Glorâ— World without end Amen A Prayer at receiving the Holy Sacrament O Lord and Heavenly Father we thy humble Seâ—â—vants beseech thy Fatherly Goodness to looâ— down from Heaven thy Holy Habitation thâ— Throne of thy Glory with an Eye of Pitty and Compassion upon us thy Servants let not our Sins hindeâ— our Prayers from ascending up unto thee or prevenâ— thy Mercies coming down upon us but come we pray thee and Sanctifie these Souls and Bodies oâ— ours and make them fit Habitations for thy Holy Spirit to dwell in and come Sanctifie these thy Creatures to the end for which we receive them that the receiving the Blessed Sacrament may be unto us for the Conformation of our Faith for the Strengthning our Hope and for the Pardoning of all our Sins and for the increase of all thy Graces in us that the Palâ—ate of our Souls may be so changed thereby that we may relish nothing besides thee but Hunger and Thirst after this Bread of Life and Cup of Salvation till we change this place of Misery to enjoy thy Presence in thy Heavenly Kingdom for ever and ever Amen FINIS ERRATA PAge 1. line 6. for whose read what p. 7. l. 21. r. the Judge of p. 24. l. 2. r. nor repine p. 70. l. 29. 〈◊〉 exclude
by Day They Curse that Traytor Life and Limb Tho Curse themselves in Curfing him The Thief and Slanderer are almost the same The one steals my Goods the other my good Name The one lives in Scorn the other dies in Shame But from these dark som Clouds Good Lord deliver us Let them not interpose betwixt thy Glory and us For thou alone art our Creator in whom we trust Some trust too much in their doing well In seeking Heaven they find the flames of Hell But the pure of Heart have Power to refuse Being endow'd with Wisdom the Evil and Good to chuse He that gives Wisdom to refuse Inspires the Art which to chuse ' In thee O King my pensive Soul respires ' Thou art the fulness of my choice desires ' Thou art that Sacred Spring whose Waters burst ' In streams to him that seeks with Holy Thirst ' Thrice happy Man Thrice happy Thirst to bring The fainting Soul to so sweet a Spring God is just what his deep Counsel wild His Prophets told and justice hath fulfill'd But Man the Child of ruin to avoid Less dangers by a greater is destroy'd Whose Spring is like a Flower for a Days delight At Noon we flourish and we fade at Night If Plants be cropt because their Fruits are small Think you to Thrive that bears no Fruit all But who so Fruitful is and worthy to Drink this Shall be receiv'd unto Eternal Bliss Such cannot Dye the Sacred Nine deny All Souls that merits Fame shall ever Dye For these must survive for their self clos'd Eyes That now lie slumbering in the dust shall rise The highest Heavens have Decreed to Bless The Fruitful Souls and with a fair success For that they built their Bliss not on the blaze of Glory Nor seated their Happiness in things transitory O Lord how great is the Power of thy Hand Glorious is thy Name in every Land Great God Unlimited are thy Confines And assistest Man in his good Designs Thy Mercies like the dew of Hermon Hill Or like the Oyntment dropping downward still Thy Love is boundless thou art apt and free To turn to Man when Man returns to thee â— Sacred Subject of a Meditation Thy Works are full of Admiration Thy Judgments all are just severe and sure They quite cut off or else by lancing Cure. ' My Faith not Merits hath assur'd thee mine Thy Love not my Desert hath made me thine Unworthy I whose drousie Soul rejected Thy precious Favours and secure neglected Thy glorious Presence how am I become A Bride befitting so Divine a Groom ' It is no Merit no Desert of mine Thy Love thy Love alone hath made me thine Since then the bounty of thy dear Election Have styl'd me thine Oh let the sweet reflection ' Of thy Illustrious Beams my Soul inspire ' And with thy Spirit inflame my hot Desire ' Unite our Souls oh let thy secret rest ' Make a perpetual home within my Breast ' Instruct me so that I may gain the skill 'To suit my Service to thy secret Will. Then shall my Soul that suffers through dispite Of Error and rude Ignorance have right Then shall my Soul injoy within this Breast A Holy Sabboth of Eternal rest And my dearest Spouse shall Seal me on his Heart So sure that envious Earth may never part Our joyn'd Souls let not the World remove My chast Desires from so chast a Love. ' All you that wish the bountiful encrease ' Of dearest Pleasures and Divinest Peace ' I charge you all if ought my charge may move ' Your tender Hearts not to disturb my Love ' Vex not his gentle Spirit nor bereave ' Him of his Joys that is so apt to grieve That he may teach his living Plants to thrive And such as are a dying to revive He walks about such tender Plants To smell their Odours and supply their wants That he may leave his secret Spirit in their Breast As Earnest of an Everlasting rest To thy Creatour hast my Soul and let thy Sacreâ— Vows Plight Holy Contracts with so sweet a Spouse His Left Hand 's full of Treasure and his Right Of Peace and Honor and unknown Delight Then shall it please our gracious Lord To Crown with Audience his suppliants Word O Glory chace Disloyal Thoughts let not thiâ— World allure My chast Desires from a Spouse so pure He 'l endow my ardent Soul with sweetness and inspire With Heavenly ravishment my rapt Desires O let all times be prosperous and all places Be Witness to our undefil'd imbraces Sure is the Knot that true Religion ties And Love that 's rightly grounded never dies ' If Error lead not my dull Thoughts amiss ' My genius tells me where my true Love is ' He 's busie labouring in the flowry Banks ' Inspiring Sweetness and receiving Thanks ' Watering those Plants whose tender Root are dry ' And Pruning such whose Crests aspire too high ' Transplanting Grafting Reaping from some ' And covering others that are newly come Then take from each to make one perfect Grace Yet would my Love out-shine that borrow'd Face So perfect are his Graces so Divine So full of Heaven are those fair looks of thine O Sacred Symetry O rare Connexion Of many Perfects to make one Perfection O let my Lips like a perpetual Story Divulge thy Graces and declare thy Glory Hear comes a Critick close thy Page Thou art no Subject for this Age Thou hast no Guilt that does require That thou should'st lurk nor yet retire Thou hast no Lustre of thy own But what 's deriv'd from Heaven alone Fear not thy Heaven instructed Page Will either please or teach the Age For the Wise with ease shall riddle out Which is the voice of Wonder which of Doubt For God sends an Angel to protect As well from Evil as to Good direct O thou the beginning and the end before whom Things past and present and things to come Are all alike O prosper my Designs And let thy Spirit inrich my feeble Lines Rejoyce my Soul and give my Pen the Art Wisely to move and me an understanding Heart Earthly Glories are scarce worth craving to obtain They are Happinesses that must be lost again Gasp not for Honour wish no blazing Glory For these will perish in an Ages Story Nor yet for Power Power may be carv'd To Fools as well as thee that hast deserv'd Thirst not for Lands nor Mony wish for none For Wealth is neither lasting nor our own Riches are fair Inticements to deceive us They flatter while we live and dying leave us What fit of Madness makes us love them thus We leave our lives and pleasure leaveth us Pleasure is fleeting still and makes no stay It lends a smile or twain and steals away The pleasures of this World soon abate They are lively emblems of our own Estate Which like a Banquet at a Funeral show But sweeten Grief and serve to flatter Woe How slight a
thing is Man how frail and brittle How seeming great how truly little We rise securely with the Morning Sun But unregarded Die e're Day be done Yet his Estate was level and he hath Free-will To stand or fall unforst to Good or Ill. Such is the State Man was created in Within his Power a Power not to Sin His life 's a bubble full of seeming Bliss The more it lengthens the more short it is The swelling of his outward Fortune can Create a prosperous not a happy Man. 'A peaceful Conscience is the true content ' But Wealth is only her Golden Ornament ' I care not so my Kernel relish well ' How slender be the substance of my shell ' My Heart being Virtuous let my Face be wan ' I am to God I only seem to Man. To him the searching of Mens Hearts belong Mans Judgment sinks no deeper than the Tongue Let shame prevent our Lips recant and give To the Almighty his Prerogative He overlooks thee and in one space Of Time his Eye is fixt on every place A Disswasive from placing our Hopes in transient Happinesses BUild not your Bliss upon the blaze of Glory Can perfect Happiness be transitory Nor in the use of Beauty place your end Nor in the enjoyment of a Courtly Friend These if injoy'd are crost with Discontent If not in the pursuit yet in the event Apply thy Heart to Wisdom with good attention For 't will inrich thy Soul with fair prevention That no foul Treason against thy Blood intended Thy Life thy State will Loyally be defended For Worship Honor and true respect Shall be done to him whom the Heavenly King do affect Peerless Honours and Princely Rights Be done to them in whom this King delights The highest Heavens will still conspire to Bless All faithful Seed and with a fair success Their Enemies he 'll ty they shall not make reply Not daring to answer nor deny The Heavens grown great with Age must soon decay â—â—e pondrous Earth in time shall pass away â—â—t yet his Sacred Words shall always flourish Though Days and Years and Heaven and Earth do perish â—an sees like Men and can but comprehend â—â—ings as they present are not as they end Man wants the Strength to sway his strong affections What Power he has is from Divine direction Which oft unseen through dulness of the Mind We Nick-name Chance because our selves are Blind And that 's the cause Man's first beholding Eye Oft Loves or Hates and knows no reason why If he be Poor that wanteth much how Poor he that hath too much and yet wants more â—â—ice happy he to whom the bounty of Heaven â—fficient with a sparing Hand hath given â—e fairest Crop of either Grass or Grain â—ot for use undew'd with timely Rain The Wealth of Crcesus were it to be given Were not Thank-worthy if unblessed by Heaven 〈◊〉 Riches which fond Mortâ—â—s so imbrace â—re not true Riches it not enlightned with true Grace Wealth interpos'd with too too gross a Care â—hey lie obscur'd and no Riches are Let not the fawning World to pleasure then invite Thy wandering Eyes the Flesh presents delight â—sist me in my Combat with the Flesh â—elieve my fainting Power and refresh 〈◊〉 feeble Spirit I will not wish to be Casâ—t from the World Lord cast the World from me To be afraid to die or wish for death Are Words and Passions of disparing Breath But wretched Man were thy condition mine I 'de not dispair as thou do'st not repine But offer up the broken Sacrifice Of an humble Soul before his gracious Eyes Whose Works are Miracles of Admiration He mounts the Meek amidst their desolation Confounds the Worldly Wise that blindfold they Grope all in darkness at the Noon of Day But guards the humble from reproach of wrong And stops the current of the crafty Tongue Thrice happy is the Man his Hands correct Beware lest fury force thee to reject The Almighties Tryal he that made thy Wound In Justice can in Mercy make it sound â—ear not tho multiply'd affliction shall Bâ—siege thee he at length will rid them all In Famine he shall feed in War defend thee Shield thee from Slander and in Griefs attend thee Thy House shall thrive replenisht with Content Which thou shalt Rule in prosperous Government For Man â—â—licted by the Almighties Hand His Faith doth flourish and securely stand Yet the worst I 'le look for that I can project If better come 't is more then I expect If other ways I am Arm'd with preparation No Sorrows sudden to an expectation Lord to thy Wisdom I submit my Will I will be thankful send me Good or Ill. If Good my present state will pass the sweeter If Ill my Crown of Glory will be greater All this experience tells when I advise Those who have taught many may themselves bâ— Wise Tho rising early with the Morning Sun Yet unregarded die e're Day be done No Gold is pure from dross tho oft refin'd The strongest Ceder's shaken with the Wind. The â—est of Men have Sins none lives secure In Nature nothing's perfect nothing pure â—â—om mudded Springs can Crystal Water come 〈◊〉 some things all Men Sin in all things some Since that my Vesture cannot want a stain Assist me lest the Tincture be in Grain To thee my great Redeemer do I fly It is thy Death alone can change my Dye Tears mingled with Blood can scowr so That Scarlet Sins shall be as white as Snow But wretched Man be not in thought too sure Sin steals unseen when we sleep most secure By Craft there are who season error with the taste of truth And tempt the frailty of our tender Youth What pleasure is in Dainties if the tast Be in it self distemper'd better fast Lord in my Soul a Spirit of Love create me And I will Love my Neighbour tho he Hate me I Love the World to serve my turn and leave her Tho I 'll not say 't is no Deceit to cozzen a Deceiver She 'll not miss me I less the World shall miss To loose a World of Gâ—ief to injoy a Life Bliss By thy Mercy Lord to Glory receive me in Aâ—though my Soul is burthen'd with my Sin For thou art Just and bent to a Wise Decree Which certain is and cannot alt'red be It seems a Paradox beyond belief Tâ—â—t Men in trouble should prolong relief We poor weaklings when we sleep in Sin Knock at onr droâ—sie Hearts and never lin Till thou 〈◊〉 our sin congealed Eyes Lest drown'd in 〈◊〉 we sink and never rise The approaching 〈◊〉 might be at once prevented With Praâ—rs and Pains râ—â—â—red reattented We try new ways dispairing of the old Love quickens Courage makes the Spirits bold Our God bids go our Credit bids us stay Our guilty fear bids fly another way O Earthy Men make not your Righteous Laws A trick for gain let Justice râ—â—e the Cause ' O worthless Man arise and see ' There 's not a twiny
a vail I mention this not to divert any from aspiring to the highest degrees of Perfection but to reprove that preposterous course many ta 〈…〉 est weight upon those things 〈…〉 least and have more Zeal for 〈…〉 then for express downright Comm 〈…〉 the one to commute for the contemp 〈…〉 For some Men are apt to scruple small thi 〈…〉 not startle at Injustice or Oppression which 〈…〉 to be rectified that Men may have an equa 〈…〉 to all the Commands of God not letting any 〈…〉 slip their Observation For he that breaks the 〈…〉 command is guilty of all not but that he that brea 〈◊〉 them all is guilty of more severe Punishments then he that breaks but one But the meaning is he that breaks one shall not go Unpunished being deeply guilty of Disobedience God having required an equal regard to all his Precepts and who so gives him not their whole Heart offers to him but a lame and unacceptable Sacrifice for any thing less than the full power of our Wills cannot please God who is of purer Eyes than to behold any the least Evil with approbation for his Wisdom being so pure a Majesty cannot be pleased with any thing that is impure of Heart Necessary is it therefore to give him the full of our Mind Will and Soul or as our Catechism expresses it To serve him with all our strength in every Centure of our Lives For the more we serve him the more and better shall we be regarded honoured and rewarded by him the searcher of all Hearts Of the excellent Qualification of the Soul from its high Extraction ALthough Men do not know the Soul neither can they see it because it is like the Eyes of our Bodies it sees every thing but it self but it self 〈…〉 assuredly know that by it we 〈…〉 inabled to do actions of Piety 〈…〉 Consciences dictates to us what is 〈…〉 done for that is a good and faith 〈…〉 that whensoever we do amiss we do 〈…〉 our Souls and stupifie our Consciences 〈…〉 Evil or cause others so to do But to a 〈…〉 let us begg of God to give us a chast Spi 〈…〉 is the Crown of faithful Souls Wherefore 〈…〉 said of Virginity that it is the Life of Angels 〈…〉 animal of the Soul the advantage of Religion which is a mutual a strong and voluntary inclination to the Worship of God for it is empty of Cares and ought to be full of Prayers which are fed with Fastings it is very advatagious to Devotion and Retirement for whosoever is careful of his Time and Behaviour shall not be robbed of his reward for his good intentions Secondly Then fail not of being eminent in your Generations for Virtue and Piety by being burning and shining Lights unmingled with any manner of Evil that you may follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth But above all be Humble for that is the Ornament of our Holy Religion and it makes you to differ from the Wisdom of the World. For our Learning is then best when it teaches us Humility for to be proud of our Learning is the greatest Ignorance in the World for our Learning is so long in getting and so very imperfect that the Learnedest person in the World knows not the Thousandth part of that which he is Ignorant of so that he cannot attain to any Maturity of Knowledge proportionable to that of Angels No Man therefore has any cause to boast of his excellency for what thou hast thou hast received from God and art the more Obliged to return him Thanks for it and thou art bound to improve the Grace that he hath given thee to his Glory Consider then that thou wer't nothing before thou as Born and what wer 't thou in the first Regions of â—y dwellings before thy Birth but uncleaness What â—â—ast thou for many Years after but Weakness and â—â—ailty As the Psalms expresses It even as the smoak â—at vanisheth away Ps 102. 3. A great debtor then â—â—t thou to God to thy Parents to the Earth and all â—â—e Creatures For all Men that have ever been were â—â—ressed with Hunger and the Frailties of human Naâ—re so that the best and wisest Persons are subject â—o the Necessity of Nature wherefore there is great â—â—ause of Humility for the Spirit of Man is light and â—oublesome his Body is bruitish and sickly he is conâ—ant in his Folly and Errour inconstant in his Manâ—er and Good Purposes his Labours are vain intriâ—ate and endless his Fortune is changeable but selâ—om pleasing his Wisdom comes not till he be ready 〈◊〉 die or at least till he have spent great part of his â—â—me in wast His death is certain always ready at â—he Door but never far off upon these or the like Meâ—â—itations If we dwell on them or frequently retire 〈◊〉 consider them we shall see nothing more reasonable â—an to be Humble and nothing more foolish than to â—e Proud Humility consists not in railing against our â—â—lves or wearing mean Cloaths or going softly or â—â—bmissively but in a hearty and real mean Opinion â—f our selves Thirdly Believe thy self then an unworthy Person 〈◊〉 heartily as thou believest thy self to be Hungry Poor 〈◊〉 Sick when thou art so love to be concealed and 〈◊〉 esteemed off Be not troubled when thou art â—ighed and undervalued and when thou hast done â—ny thing worthy of praise return it to God who is â—â—e Giver of the Gift and Blesser of the Action and â—â—ive him thanks for making thee the Instrument of is Glory Secure a good Name to thy self by being â—irtuous Pious and Humble and when People have â—n occasion to speak well of thee take no content in â—raise when it is offered thee but let thy rejoycing be in Gods Gift but let it be alay'd with Fear lest thâ— Good bring thee to Evil. Pray often for Gods Gracâ— with Humility of gesture and passion of desire thaâ— God may be Glorified by thy Example of Humility which may be as well in a low condition as in a ricâ— Begg God 〈◊〉 irriâ—h thy Soul with all Graces anâ— when thou had attained them give God thanks 〈◊〉 them Pâ—ide hinders the acceptance of our Prayerâ— Humility pierceth the Clouds and will not give oveâ— till God accepts neither will it depart till the mosâ— high regards For he resisteth the Proud but 〈◊〉 Grace to the Hâ—mble St. Jam. 4 6. Then begg Gâ—acâ— and Pardon that it may be a remedy and relief aâ—gainst Misery and Oppression and be content in 〈◊〉 conditions begg Tranquility of Spirit Patience iâ— Affliction that we may gain Love abroad and Peacâ— at home Coâ—sider the blessed Sâ—â—iour of the World 〈◊〉 who left the 〈◊〉 of his Father the Lord of Glory 〈◊〉 who took upon him the liâ—e of Labour and came tâ— a State of Poverty to a Death of Malâ—fâ—ctouâ—s to thâ— Grave of Death and the intolerable Calamitiâ—s which we deserved Therefore it 's but reasonable that wâ— should be as Humble in the