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
There be no Ears no Eyes to hear to see The living Soul have not such rest as he Who stands upright in Courts with unshaken Mind For the Test proves him and he is found refin'd If thy superiour happen to incense His jealous wroth at thy suppos'd Offence Do thou thy part yield for yielding slacks The raging flame great transgressions makes He that shall dig a pit that shall prepare A snare shall be ensnar'd in his own snare Happy is the Just and Holy for who but he Can judge of things or what their Natures be For these are Heavens favorits sent down from thence Unfolding secret Mysteries in Heavenly Eloquence Knowing there 's a time true Justice shall preceed On every purpose upon every deed With God all future Times are present ALL Times to Heaven are now both first and last God sees things present yea future as we see them past But we transgress his Laws 't is time to part For why the Laws of Nature break the rules of Art. A smiling Conscience a contented Mind A sober Knowledge with true Wisdom joyn'd Sleep seasonable moderate and secure Actions heroick constant blameless pure A life as long as fair and when expir'd A glorious Death unfear'd as undesir'd The World is a Book writ by the eternal Art Of the great Maker Printed in Mans Heart 'T is falsely Printed tho Divinely Pen'd And all the Errata will appear at the End. Believe it Christian by how much near Thou get'st to Heaven the less will Earth appear Call home thy dearest wishes and recal Thy hopes expect the worst that can befal Grace giveth Virtue opinion not Glory For Princely favours are but transitory Humane Nature curious without corrupt within A glorious Monument of inglorious Sin Yet much our Saviour have endured yea more To make us Kings that were but Slaves before He that grieves because his grief is so small Has a true grief and the best Faith of all He vows his Faith and the sincere perfection Of undissembl'd and intire affection And such in doing well Shall seek for Heaven not find the flames of Hell. ` Oh! let the Church my Mother instruct me Give savory Meat Cloath and Conduct me Into my Fathers Arms These Hands shall never Trust to the poorness of their own endeavour Bring I a Kid but of my Mothers dressing 'T will please my Father and procure a Blessing Most Sins at least please Sense but some are Treason Not only against the Crown of Sense but reason But 't is an error as foul to call Our Sins too great for Pardon as too small The reason is easie to be riddled out One's dispair the other not doubt Lord weaken this Rebellious Flesh That 's apt to oppose Grace Oh! quicken and refresh My dull and coward Spirit that would yield And make Proud Satan Master of the Field Because 't is Grave not Bed that I am in Not a-sleep but dead in Sin. Serve God in Plenty and in Affliction trust No thanks to serve our God when he feeds us Promise is a Debt and Debt implies a Payment How can the Righteous then doubt Food and Rayment Let not my Thoughts so divided be But they mix again and fix on thee Oh! thou who didst appear in cloven Tongues oâ— Fire Direct my Thoughts and with thy self inspire That I may search the Scripture to increase In the Diviner Knowledge of thy Peace That when all things shall cease that are transitory Thy Gifts of Grace may be Crown'd with perfect Glory The Rich Mans sum of untold descended Wealth Can give his Body Plenty but no Health The Poor in pains and want possesses all The other in plenty finds no Peace at all 'T is strange and yet the cause is easily known The one 's at Gods finding the other at his own The formers filken Robes his costly Diet Can lend a little Pleasure but no Quiet The latter seldom slacks his Thirst but from the Pump And yet his Heart is blithe his Visage plump Such Truths are Subjects far more fit For Holy Admiration than for Wit. 'T is said of Alexander that he complain'd And wept because there was no other Worlds to gain His griefs and thy complaints are not amiss He has grief enough that finds no World but this Our trust in God for Riches never must Exclude our Care nor Care exceed our truâ—t Thy Sacred Will be done Great God To spend or to suspend thy Rod If possible my Will 's to miss it If otherwise to stoop and Kiss it However submit we shall not be this the worse If Conscience Bless what if Shimei Curse ' Some say the Sacrament's a Supper and 't is fit 'To use the posture of a Meal to fit ' Can thy Discretion Phares or thy Zeal ' Give Carnal gestures to a Spiritual Meal 'A Heavenly Supper and a Fleshy Heart ' Thy posture has discover'd what thou art Of those Sacraments which some call Seven Five were Ordain'd by Man and Two by Heaven As saith the Eternal Word whose high Decree Admits no change and cannot frustrate be What thing is Man that Gods regard is such Or why should Heaven love wretchless Man so much His age is Sinful and his youth 's Vain His life 's a Punishment his death 's a Pain Yea Man who ought to be a Watch-light in the Temple Is as a Snuffer wants the Oyl of good Example Can he be said to fear the Lord that flys him Can Word confess him when as Deed denys him For this Men should strive to have their Hearts relent Such Hearts which never knew what Mercy meant Gods Love is boundless apt and free To turn to Man when Man returns to thee Adjourn thy Sanguine Dreams awake arise Call in thy Thoughts and let them all advise Before the Soul can a true comfort find The Body must be prostrate and the Mind Truly contrite and repentive within And loath the fawning of a bosom Sin But Lord can Man deserve or can his best Do justice equal right which he transgrest When Dust and Ashes mortally offends Can Dust and Ashes make Eternal mends â—s Heaven unjust must not the recompence Be full equivalent to the offence What mends by moral Man can then be given To the offended Majesty of Heaven O mercy mercy on thee my Soul relies â—n thee we build our Faith we bend our Eyes If thou wilt thou canst change our lot That we and ours may Live and perish not Thy Glorious Wisdom and tender Love Transcends thy sharper justice will remove ' Judge not that Field because its stubble ' Nor him that 's poor and full of trouble ' Tho the one look bare the other thin ' Judge not their Treasure is within Injur'd inocency while the Enemies Unhallow'd Tongueâ— Makes her a Glorious Martyr in their wroâ—gs The Devils believe all know they do But their belief does make them tremble too Men rail at Iudas him that did betray The Lord of Life yet doâ—t Day
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