Imprimatur Ex Aedib Lamb. March 6. 1666 7 DIVINE Contentment OR A MEDICINE for a Discontented Man AND A Confession of FAITH And other POEMS upon several SUBJECTS By EDWARD MANLOVE of Ashborne in the County of Derby ESQUIER LONDON Printed for Richard Mills at the Pestel and Mortar without Temple Barr. 1667. To the READER REad and peruse this Poem to prevent The prejudice that comes by Discontent Which is a Sin not only Capitall But Catholick and Epidemicall Both to and fro man 's toss'd with discontent Filld with disquiet and distemperment He 's full of murmuring nothing doth him please His restless spirit 's like the rageing Seas Alwaies tempestuous full of rage and heat Often perplexed with amazements great His troubled heart is like a little Hell Wher 's discontent the Divel loves to dwell Then strive O man against this mortal sin Prize contentation Peace is found therein Peruse this Poem drest in mean attire Let true Contenment be thy hearts desire EDW. MANLOVE A MEDICINE for a Discontented MAN By Edward Manlove of Ashborn in the County of Derby Esquier CAst off distrustful and distracting care The love of Riches brings a sudden snare If with thy Wealth thou do dishonour God T will surely hasten his Correcting Rod Wouldst thou be Rich Paul for thy pattern take Learn thou Contentment in a low estate Content's great gain unto a godly soul Run fast make hast to get this Glorious Goale Engrave this lesson on thy humble heart Lay out thy self and labour for this Art The way to get it may be best discern'd By Gods good word this lesson there is learnd Then read and hear the Gospel full of Grace In this transparent glass behold Gods face When read and heard remember this thing more Safe in thy heart this sacred treasure store This truth 's a treasure all men cannot get Then lay it up in thy cheif Cabinet And prize it high preserve it for thy need To curb thy sin for thou art Adam's seed And many Lusts from thy corrupted heart Wage dayly warre against thy better part Then stoutly strive the mastership to win Not by thy strength thou art a sink of sin By prayers and tears seek thou for help to him That can both help and pardon all thy sin O murmure not but meekly walk with God Make bare thy back if he lift up the Rod. And be content to his submit thy will For he can sweeten every bitter Pill If thy condition bitter seem to thee Yet be content it comes by Gods decree Who knowes thy state and eke this precept gave Content your selves with such things as ye have Thou must obey Gods word it is his will At his command the rageing Sea stood still He is thy King a Loyal Subject be Submit unto his Royal Majestie If thou be poor and pinch'd with Povertie Thy God is rich and can provide for thee Hast thou no moneys goods nor earthly soyle God can sustein thee with a Cruce of Oyle Hast no Estate thy Children may possess God is a Father to the fatherless Hast nothing left for thy beloved Wife Leave her to God he can preserve her life Art thou in pain thy God can give thee ease And in thy sickness make thy sickness cease Art thou in Prison God can thee release Art spoyl'd with Warre thy God can send thee peace But for the present learn to be content Repine at nothing Providence hath sent Art thou plac'd in a high or lower Sphere It is God's Providence that plac'd thee there If thou be placed in the lowest Orb Submit with Patience to the living Lord God sees it good thou shouldst be placed there Else he would place thee in a higher Sphere The highest Orb is not the safest state Low shrubs are quiet when high Cedars shake Are many Rich and no Affliction feel And thou but poor observe the inner wheel Ezekiel minds thee of more wheels then one The inner wheel turns all or else turns none Gods providence the inner wheel and best Doth strongly move and turneth all the rest It is the Helme that turns about the Ship The Vniverse is overrul'd by it And yet its compass it doth not exceed But doth concurr to perfect what 's decree'd Let thou and I this lesson learn from hence Strive not at all against God's providence But be contented with thy present lott The wheel may turn although thou knowst it not Let God choose for thee be not over nice Lest Adam like thou make an evil choice He had great choice excepted was one tree He are of that was curst and so were we Lott made his choice he had his hearts desire He Sodome chose which soon was burnt with fire Remember Rachel blessed Iacobs wife Her choice was Children one cost her her life Take what God gives let that give thee content God can supply thee when thy store is spent If God give more beware of wilful wast If God give less praise God for what thou hast By providence mans life preserved is More then by Wealth which is the worldlings bliss The quiet mind in the contented man Yeeldeth more comfort then his Riches can It makes him happy cheatful yea content Makes Poor men Rich when all their Treasures spen But discontent disturbs turns peace to strife It doth eate up the comfort of mans life This inbred thief doth rob us of no less Then all the Riches that we do possess This bitter Dram imbitters all the cup This sowre sop all sweetness drinketh up This fretting moth doth fret the purest part This eating Canker eats the very heart Wouldst thou have comfort banish discontent â—or it doth cloud thy comforts eminent But true content doth all to comfort turn This Oyle keeps in the Lamp and makes it burn Then pump thy heart draw out all discontent Stop up the leak the danger to prevent For troubled waters if they do get in May drownd thy ship and sink thy soul in sin This discontent the better to avoid Be humble man and eke beware of Pride With that condition God hath plac'd thee in Be thou content for discontent is sin Keep to thy calling think it not too low Tax not God's wisdome he hath made it so Art thou a Tradesman follow then thy Trade Old Adam he despised not a spade Our father Iacob kept his fathers sheep Where God hath plac'd thee there thou ought's to keep But now a daies this discontent and pride Makes many a man his calling lay aside It is too low or he too high for it This Pride makes him his lawful calling quit And strange Cameraes do possess his brain He seeks for something in a higher strain The Cobler then the Pulpit needs must climbe His words are losty and his thoughts sublime The Spirit moves him how can he mistake His words are stiched well and well they take He is improv'd and you shall hear anon He 's Pastor of some Congregation His purblind brethren love
By fained horrors with the trembling heart Which is perplexed with most grievous pain And restless anguish doth therein remain And brings the Patient into such a rage That he his present horrour to asswage Would rather die then live and choose to dwell With Hellish Furies in the Pit of Hell Such are the terrours of a troubled mind Bruised and wounded in this woful kind As may appear both by the desperate cry Of Cain and Iudas damn'd eternally As also by the mournful sad complaints Of Iob and David and such glorious Saints These flames of horrour how shall we endure What Balsome can a wounded Conscience cure In friends not Physick nothing's to be found The Blood of Christ An admonition to the unconverted can only cure this wound Ye unconverted be perswaded then To turn to God for unconverted men Though they awhile in pleasant places dwell They 'l be transplanted in the Pit of Hell Then t is too late Repentance then is past Redeem the time whilst thy short life doth last Forsake not mercy but thy sins forsake God freely offers Christ his offer take If thou refuse how wilt thou then avoid The wrath of God which wicked men abide Art sick and senceless dost thou feel no smart Thou hast the symptom of a stony heart When Conscience stings and sins in Battail ray Do set themselves then in the evil day What wilt thou do those Lions then will tear Thy trembling heart and thee confound with feare Then subtil Satan he will play his part And shoot tentations at thy fainting heart He was thy Master thou dist him obey Thou didst walk with him in the damned way Now in thy sickness thou wouldst him forsake But now the Devil doth advantage take And doth indite thee for thy evil acts And now thy Conscience proves thy filthy facts Thou tookst ful draught of carnal peace and pleasure Thou dist carrouse tipple in great measure Thou didst God's faithful Ministers despise And with thy tongue by slanders scoffs and lyes Didst much abuse them and with great despight Didst labour much to quench the â—â—ving light Thou didst thy will and power and purse imploy God's faithful Saints and servants to destroy Such crying sins as these and many more Stand on the unconverted sinners score Ye that are washed from the filth of sin An admonition to the Converted Free'd from that damned state your souls were in Flie sinful Lusts defile your souls no more By such Rebellion as you did before Sin is most hateful in the sight of God And doth procure his smart correcting rodd God loves all creatures that he ever made But hateth sin with everlasting hate Sin wounds the soul brings men to misery Sin was the cause that God's dear Son did die Sin Satan made sin sunk him into hell Sin sunk the Pit where all the damned dwell Sin God offends sin is the greatest evil Sin damns the soul sin is the rankest Devil Object Is sin so ugly why doth most delight In sinful waies why doth not sin affright Them from pursuing of their Carnal pleasures And make them strive to get eternal treasures Answer Now Satan puts on sin in such a case A seeming fairness on a hellish face He paints this Harlott in a handsome dress And souls to sin draws by deceitfulness Were this deformed Hagg without false hair And painted face she could not scules insnare The grisly face of sin would men affright But by false colours it seems fair and bright Thus Satan covers sins deformity And makes it pleasant to the sinners eye Though of it self it 's filthy foul and naught Compar'd to meat thrust out into the draught All other filth the body doth defile but sin's contagious and the soul doth soyle It 's most infectious like a Leprosie Infects the walls the cloathes Posterity The sin of Adam to his seed remains Till Christ's warm Blood doth wash away the staines The misery of Man not Reconciled to God in Christ O Wretched man where shall my Muse begin To state the case that thy poor soul is in Who art condemned to eternal death Adjudg'd to Hell before thou drawest breath Thy Father Adam was by God created In innocence in Paradise was placed That he and his Posterity might have â—mmortal life and conquer Hell and Grave To him all earthly Creatures were made free For meat and use excepted was one tree That was forbidden under pain of Hell He ate thereof and so thy Father fell Pride puff'd him up he did beleive the Devil He tasted of the Tree of Good and Evil By this foul fall eternal misery Intailed was on his Posterity And made them subject to sore punishment Whilst they like thee remain impenitent Finis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A DIVINE POEM OR A Confession of FAITH Composed in Meeter By E. Manlove Esq Of the Scriptures and Argments to prove them the Word of God BY God's good word the way unto salvation Is truly taught by holy Inspiration O then beleive it and the same obey Give no such credit to Appocrypha Nor to traditions of the Romish See All saving truths in Scripture written be And are recorded for Divinity By truth it self the holy Trinity Depending not upon the testimony Of any Church the Pope of Rome or any But God the Author our most blessed Lord Receive them therefore as his Holy word But we by witness of the Church may deem The Scripture worthy of a high esteem O prize it highly 't is a pretious thing Sweet tidings of Salvation it doth bring The stile and doctrine challenge reverence The efficacy gives great evidence Of Gods known will it makes a full discovery And shewes the way for sinful man's recovery Though mortal man of Scripture was the writer Yet God's good spirit was the sole Inditer Some Secretaries God did set apart Who spoke and wrote but he inspir'd the heart These Writers did for Holiness surpass All Popes and Doctors of the Romish Mass And by their works such depth of wisdome shoâ—â— As learned men could not attain unto Yet never trained up in Learned Schooles With them compar'd Phylosophers are fooles The Prophet Amos he did far surpass Some learned Rabbies yet a Heardsman was And Peter Iames and Iohn but fishermen Admired by the Elders of Jerusalem Amongst the writers ther 's a sweet concord Which proves the Scripture is the Holy Word None disagree at which we may admire For God himself the Penmen did inspire They wrote such things as never wit could hatch No History this History doth match And what they wrote was full of Majesty Profoundness Wisdome and Authority Commanding Credit to be had to them Denouncing threats against all wicked men The end and scope of all the Scriptures be For God's great glory and mans felicity The writers antient for Antiquity Aoses more antient then the Heathens be The deadly hatred that the Divels beare â—gainst the Scriptures yet believe and fear Do prove them plainly
to th'elect by Adam's fall defil'd â—he womans seed did break the Serpents head â—he Lamb was slain for Saints and buried Christ hath Redemption purchased for men â—nd intercession he doth make for them â—hose he redeem'd to them he doth apply â—his purchase made by him effectually â—nd by his word a perfect Declaration â—eveal'd to them of th' misteries of salvation â—nd by his spirit in their inner parts â—oth work Obedience and doth guide their hearts And all their enemies he doth overcome By 's Power Wisdome and Dominion Of Free Will MAn in the state of Innocency had A power to will and do both good and bad He badly did and he by doing ill Lost both the power and freedome of his will He disobey'd and lost his happy station To will or do what might obtain Salvation To what is good he wholly is averse And also dead in sins and trespasses Man of himself thus merg'd in misery Can nothing do for his recovery Till God convert him and do him translate Into a godly and a gracious state Then he doth free him from his natural sin And from the bondage he before was in And by his Grace doth give him power and skill Spiritual works as well to do as will Yet still the seeds of unregeneration Remain in him till death remove his station And when he comes into eternal bliss Free to all good and not till then he is Of Efectual Calling ALL those that unto life by God's decree Predestinated are assuredly His Heirs shall be and Heaven shall inherit And shall be called by his word and spirit Out of the state of death and deadly sin In which by Nature they were plunged in Into a state of grace and of Salvation By Jesus Christ and through his mediation And their blind minds shall filled be with light To understand the things of God aright From them shall taken be their hearts of stone And hearts of flesh infused in the room And in their wills they shall renewed be To do what 's good then grace shall make them free This calling is by special grace alone And not for any thing foreseen or known That is in man therein he passive is God by his spirit freely calleth his And them enables also to embrace His gracious offer when he offers grace Elected Infants in their Infancy Are sav'd by Christ although the Infants die Persons elect depriv'd of outward call by 'th Ministry yet they are saved all Men not elected though they called be by 'th outward call of word and Ministry And have some operation of the spirit shall not be saved by Christ Jesus merrit And those that be not Christians they can never Salvation have by any way whatsoever Though they their lives do frame by natures light And keep that Law wherein they do delight Of Iustification ALL those that called are effectually The same God doth most freely justifie And into them doth righteousness infuse They are the Children God doth freely chuse Their sins he pardons and their persons takes As righteous all for Christ our Saviour's sake Not for the works or deeds which they have done Their debts discharg'd by Jesus Christ his Son He by his sufferings did acquit from sin All those that rest and do rely on him By lively faith his righteousness is theirs This Faith God gives to his Adopted Heirs And they receave the same beleivingly And by their faith God doth them justifie All saying graces do attend this one Faith works by love and never goes alone And for all those that are thus justifi'd To answer Justice our dear Saviour di'd Man 's justify'd this done by Gods free grace And yet observe that Justice keeps his place That all the elect for which our Saviour dy'd By Gods decree were freely justifi'd Yet though elected they are not just men Till Christ by 'th spirit be apply'd to them Man justifi'd can never lose that treasure Yet he by 's sins may suffer Gods displeasure And lose the favour of his countenance Till he be humbled by true penitence And do confess his sin and pardon get Renew his faith and so remove the lett Believers under the Old Testament As under new herein is also meant And of God's mercy freely did pertake And justify'd were for our Saviours sake Of Adoption ALL those by God that justified be For his Sons sake adopted are and free God for his Children them doth freely take They have access unto the Throne of Grace And Abba Father they may boldly cry And he will help them in their misery He pities them and them he doth protect He is their father and will them correct Yet he his Children never will forsake Co-heirs with Christ he doth his Children make Of Sanctification ALL the Elect that are regenerated In them new hearts and Spirits are created And all such Saints are sanctifyed more By God's good spirit then they were before And they not only are more sanctifi'd But sins dominion is in them destroy'd And that dominion being so destroy'd Their several Lusts in them are mortifi'd More quickning and more fading graces then Appear in all such sanctified men More power they have to practise holiness Which brings them to eternal hapiness Yet notwithstanding Saints proceed so far Still their corruptions raise a dealy warr The flesh and spirit alwaies are at strife Flesh fights for death the spirit strives for life And in this fight the flesh doth many maime And then the spirit conquer's it again And then the Saints in saving graces grow More flesh doth fight more grace it self doth show Of saving Faith by 'th word and spirit saving faith is wrought In all th'elect and they thereby are brought Into the way that leads to perfect bliss And then their Faith by Prayer increased is Then by the Sacraments they get more strength By Faith in Christ their souls are sav'd at length By this true Faith all Christians do accord To all the truths in the revealed word And square their actions by the Rule and Line Of God's good word as he doth them incline Doing and suffering what he doth require Doing the same with hearts that are intire Trembling at threats the promises imbraceing Resting on Christ our Saviour for salvation Of Repentance unto Life BY Gods good spirit and by his Holy Word Which are as sharp as any edged sword True penitence may be so wrought in him That was defiled by notorious sin That by Gods grace and by the sence and sight Of sins defilement he may grow contrite And greatly greive that he did ever sin Against the Lord that suffer'd death for him And may endeavour with a true intent To walk the waies of God's Commandements Man by Repentance cannot pardon merit And yet without it cannot bliss inherit No sins so small but it deserves damnation No sin 's so great but man may have salvation By true Repentance but observe herein He ought t'repent of all and every sin And them
To all thy sons and chosen ones Of ' th misteries of Salvation Now in their hearts and inner parts Work by thy spirit in them Obedience that they from hence May live like holy men By thy Dominion overcome Their Enemies O Lord And to that end be pleas'd to send Thy spirit with thy word To good and bad we freewil had But now since Adam's fall It is not so to will or do We are unable all We are both dead and buried Till thou shalt us translate Till thou convert and bring the heart Into a gracious state Then shall we be for ever free From our old natures clogg And from the sin that we are in And freely serve our God And in a case that by his grace We shall have power and skill Both readily and spiritually Good works to do or will Yet still the breed of the old seed Of Unregeneration In us remains till mortal pains Remove our earthly station And we enjoy in heaven high The Saints felicity Then we shall be made fully free To do good perfectly In the mean time those that are thine And Heaven shall inherit O gracious Lord call by thy word And by thy holy spirit Out of the sin that they are in Into a state of grace Through Christ thy Son let it be done For thy own mercies sakè O Lord give light to blind give sight Remove their hearts of stone And hearts of flesh good and upright Lord give them in the Room Renew their wills and give them Grace By'd them renewed be Lord give them grace to grow apace For Lord thy grace is free And there is none but thee alone Can give this special grace Thou offerest it and mak'st us fit Thy offer to imbrace This is our case 't is thy free grace And thy free grace alone 'T is not for any grace in us That was foreseen or known Lord pierce our hearts and inner parts We are but passive all Let thy good spirit for thy sons merit Give us an innward call O Lord accept us thine elect Lord freely justifie Us thy poor Saints Lord hear our plaints Thy son for us did dye He paid the debt remov'd the lett He suffered for our sin O for his sake Lord pitty take We do rely on him Lord we beleive for sin we greive Lord help our unbeleif Let thy free Grace good Lord take place Thou sav'st the sinful theif Adopt us sons and set us free Us for thy children take Not for the works that we have done But for Christ Jesus sake Give us access to make address Unto the Throne of grace Let us repent cry and lament Our sad and sinful case O Lord accept do not reject Our Prayers and tears and cry Adopt us Heirs for thy sons sake Who for our sins did die Give us new hearts and better parts Then ere we had before Let sins dominion in us all Be weakned more and more Our several lusts destroy in us Corruptions mortifie Let us more practice Holiness And dayly sin destroy Let saving faith in us be wrought Good Lord most perfectly Let us into the way be brought Of true felicity Increase this grace in us apace O multiply it more This master grace deserves the place Increase it Lord therefore And let it work by love alwaies In us and every one Producing fruits of Holiness Faith never goes alone By word and Prayer and Sacraments Let it increased be Let us be justifi'd by it And sav'd eternally O Gracious Lord let us accord To all the truths that be Revealed in the written Word For all Posterity Lord let our hearts and inner parts By faith be purifi'd And by that Sword thy Holy Word Let sin be mortifi'd Give us desire with hearts intire To love thee cordially O give us grace that track to trace That leads to bliss and joy Some crumbs of comfort Lord we cravâ— Our faith is very weak We almost are brought to despair O let thy spirit speak A word of comfort to our hearts In this our misery Let us from hence have perfect sence Of our felicity We Agar like have lost our sight And now are in distress Remove the scales Lord give us light To see our happiness Lord we Repent and do lament Our infidelity O make our faith more evident Remove our malady The well of life it open lies Yet we no comfort find We water want for want of Eyes Our feares our Faith do blind Therefore O Lord grant unto us Assurance of Salvation O clear our states from all mistakes And free us from Damnation And when we such assurance have Grant we may carefully Preserve the same and praise thy name And live Religiously Thy Church and People Lord protect From all their Enemies Be graciâ—â—s is Lord to thine Elect Hear their complaints and cryes O bless the King and councel him His Royal Spouse direct And in her heart and every part True Holiness erect Lord bless Duke Iames let all his aims Be for thy Glory bent Bless all the Royal Family And guide the Parliament Remove the wicked from the King His godly Councel bless Establish Lord the Throne of him And his in Righteousness O fit us all both great and small To meet our Blessed Lord When he shall come and justly Doom And sentence all the world When he shall sit let us be quit And cleared from damnation By Faith in him that dy'd for sin To purchase our salvation Lord when this dreadful day will come To us it is unknown â—ts by decree and known to thee And unto thee alone Let 's watch and pray both night and day Therefore most fervently That Christ may say at that great day You have dealt faithfully You have well done O therefore come And enter into joy Receive a Crown with great renown Bliss and Felicity Lord hear our Prayers accept our Tears And pitty on us take Not for our worth which merits wrath But for Christ Jesus sake To Father Son and Holy Ghost By Angels and by men All Power and Glory be ascrib'd For ever more Amen An Epitaph upon the death of the Right Worshipful Anne Cokaine Widdow who Dyed the 29th of August 1664. By Edward Manlove Esq HEre lies inter'd one that deserv'd Great Honour Praise and Fame Who comely was and did surpass Most of her Noble Name In liberallity and Hospitallity This Lady did delight O Muses rise do not despise Her praises to indite Yea ring her knell her praises tell She humble was though great Her comly parts and humble heart Her prayses may compleat A comly Creature for form and feature Proper and tall of stature Noble by Birth lies in the earth Death conquer'd comly nature This Flower was cut down like Grass Which flourished many a day She quit the Stage in her old age Grimm Death took life away God call'd for her she made no stir But yeilded patiently She knew full well none need her tell All mortal men must die To Rich and Poor respect she bore She did no sort despise She patiently did live and die And so she clos'd her eyes Now in the Dust as all we must Ere long interred be This Lady is Lord bring to Bliss Her whole Posterity An Epitaph upon the Death of Mr. William Waine Vicar of ASHBORN Composed by Edward Manlove Esq SInce that pale death hath stopt the breath Of Learned William Wain Friends and Allies dry your wet eyes To Weep it is in vain He 's in the Dust where all men must Ere long interred be Whilst he liv'd here he did appear A Learned man to be Of judgement great tho not so neat In words as many are But for his parts in learned Arts With most he might compare Yet they can tell that knew him well He was not puff'd with Pride Nor soared high ambitiously But humbly liv'd and dy'd And in his Grave as in a Cave This learned Rabby lies Where he must stay till that great day That Christ shall say arise Then Learned Wain must rise again From dusty earth and Clay To judgement just as all men must And after live for aye Books newly Printed for Richard Mills at the Peste and Morter without Temble Bar. PAndion and Amphigenia or the History of the Coy Lady in large Octavo Divine Contentment or a Medicine for a Disconted man in small Octavo FINIS