Sad Rejoyce And the lov'd Laz'rus did return From the close Prison of his Urn. As thou was pleas'd to raise from dust His sensless Carkass so I trust Thou 'lt call my Soul from ev'ry trust And from this earthly Prison free It to a glorious Liberty To Death 1. SInce Adam sinn'd and by that fatal Fall Gave thee a Sov'raign Power over all It is decreed we must obey thy Call 2. To thy dark Cell when thou command'st I 'le go Since my dear Lord hath trod that Path I know No Terrors I shall meet in th' Shades below 3. Pale Fear adieu go find some other Breast For thine abode ne're think that thou shalt rest Within my Bosom I 'le have no such Guest 4. And since it is decreed my Body must Return from whence it had it's Birth at first Pronounce thy Sentence discharge thy Trust 5. But know thy conq'ring-Dart in time will fly Into thy cruel-Heart then thou shalt dye But ne're with me enjoy Eternity 6. Yet I declare thou art my real Friend Since from this earthly Prison thou dost send My Soul unto those Joys which have no end The Morning Sacrifice 1. NO sooner doth the chearful Light Dispel the Horrours of the Night But like the Lark my Soul aloft Mounts to her God in Notes most soft Recounts to Him with great delight All her past Mercies of the Night 2. And since thou dearest Lord do'st prize A thankful Heart since in thine Eyes It is of value ev'ry day This grateful Tribute I will pay And 't were a madness since no more Thou do'st exact to run o' th' Score 3. For O my Soul what more befits Thee to return for benefits Than what the Angels do always Chant forth his most deserved Praise Who ev'ry dawn doth give new Birth To all thy solid Joys on Earth On Reprobation 1. I Cannot think my God thou didst create Some Men on purpose for no happier State Than endless Torments which shall know no date 2. Nor dare I own a thought that Christ did dye Only for Some not All intention'lly These Doctrines I abhor most perfectly 3. That Man the noblest of thy Works should be By thee design'd for endless Misery To shew thy Justice and thy Sov'raignty 4. My Soul shall never entertain a thought Of so much horrour of that God who sought Our Restauration and redemption bought 5. When all along thou promises do'st make To all Mankind who will their Sins forsake Thou wilt forgive shall I thy Word not take 6. Yes Lord I will though boldly some declare Thy known and secret Will so diff'rent are When thou say'st live thou ne're intend'st to spare 7. 'T is strange they should some few dark places wrest To speak their Sense when Lord thou dost protest Such thoughts were never harbour'd in thy Breast 8. How vile's that Man whose heart doth not agree With 's Tongue good God and just how is' t that we What Man 's asham'd of attribute to thee 9. What in my heart I think to All I 'le tell Such contradictions sure can never dwell With perfect Purity their Mansion's Hell 10. Were I to represent to th' publick-View A Devil Hypocrite or Trayt'rous Jew I would delineate them as these do you 11. What strange presumption do these Gnosticks show To make as if they did thy Secrets know Which none can tell who doth converse below 12. In thy most sacred Writ 't is manifest There 's none excluded all Men may be blest If they are willing with eternal Rest 13. For thou art good and gracious unto all Long-suffering to us Sinners and dost call All to repentance would'st have none to fall 14. And for this purpose Christ for all did dye He hath affirm'd this Truth who cannot lye To doubt of which confronts Divinity 15. Most safe it is to rest on this belief Most satisfactory it eases Grief And yields a poor desponding Soul relief A Meditation on Mans Folly LOrd what a foolish thing is Man How fond is he of Toys How doth he spend that little Span Of his in empty Joys But for that precious Soul of his He takes no future care To fit it for immortal Bliss Such thoughts too serious are Himself to ev'ry pleasure gives And drowns his Soul in Lust In all destructive Sins he lives Till levell'd with the Dust Give me O Lord that pious care And that obsequious love That all my Actions may declare I seek that place above Where we from Sin exempt shall be From Sorrow and from Tears And where no Trouble we shall see Nor frighted be with Fears A Vow I Vow Lord give me grace no beauteous smile No Wedg nor Honor shall my Soul beguile From strict obedience no not all the art Of the seducing Fiend shall tempt my Heart Though all the Glories of the World should be Amass'd together in one Treasury And by him tender'd yet I would not bow To his damn'd Scepter but I 'de keep my Vow Deus mi. BLess me with peace of Conscience And in my Soul with innocence Love of my God and dearest Friends And my Ambition hath its ends This Lord 's the All I must confess I dare on Earth call happiness I limit not thy Providence To act according to my sence Dispose of me as thou think'st fit And make my Will to thine submit Domine Jesu 1. THe Vertue of that Balm which did distill From thy pierc'd side infuse into my Will That thy good pleasure here I may fulfill 2. Make me to Thee as to the Center move Each thought and act refine inslame my love To all thy ways that I may faithful prove 3. And since to thee the Cross must be my guide That joy which made thee make me to abide Its weight till I in Paradise reside To a young Person that was about to Vow Celibacy 1 Tim. Chap. 5. Ver. 14. I will therefore that the younger Women marry bear Children guide the House give none occasion to the Adversary to speak reproachfully SHe who her Reason lays aside And Superstition makes her Guide Can never hope by that false Light To do an action that is right In all religious Duties know Most principally e're we Vow Right Reason should be sought unto Those which endure her rigid Test Them to embrace and leave the rest Then must thou love that state as best Which God in Paradise hath blest There Marr'age took its early Date There they began to Procreate Gen. 2.18 1.21 A single Life He did foresee Was inconvenient Multiply The great Creator did command And what he Wills none should withstand Had not his Wisdom lik'd by far The marryed Life though link'd to care As tending to a nobler end Than Celibacy can pretend Thy Sex had never had its Birth Thy Being was to Man the Earth And not to live a strict Recluse Neither to God or Man of use Is it in thee a pious part The great Design of Heav'n to thwart To vow a
a lovely Face nor Eye Wherein we can contentment find 'T is none of all these things that can Yield solid comforts to a Man 4. It is a faithful-hearted-Friend Whose kindness to me knows no date Though Poverty should be my end Scorns to convert his Love to hate Who when I sin will always be A Faithful Monitor to me 5. Unto whose breast I dare commit A secret safe as in my own Who ne're will in angry fit Betray his Trust to any One Nor from my Interest will be Withdrawn by Frowns or Flattery 6. If such a Friend I chance to find I 'le Center all my Joys in this I have a Jewel to my mind There 's not on Earth a greater Bliss Ambition may eck on desire Mine here shall rest and soar no higer The Sensualist ALL that below this heav'nly Orb doth move For Man was made and so ordain'd above What reason is there that he should deny Himself the Pleasure to content his Eye Woman that lovely Creature here was plac'd For his delight to gaze on and to taste That fragrant Balm which on her Lips doth grow For him to wanton in her Vale below All those rich Treasures both of Sea and Land Were they not made to bow to his Command And whatsoever his vast mind doth crave Was he not freely his desires to have Then where 's the Sin or how doth he amiss If he doth use them as his pleasure is Sure Man by God above the Brutes was grac'd With Reason and for nobler ends here plac'd As Soveraign over all than to allow His Reason should to 's Will and Passions bow This never could be the Creator's thought When out of Clay this curious piece he wrought And none but Folly will pretend to own This he design'd in his Creation 'T is true that Woman by the lib'ral hand Of Heav'n was fram'd to be at Mans command So as to make a loyal loving Wife And prove a Comfort in his tedious Life But not to gaze on with a lustful Eye Much less unmarryed in her Arms to lye And though the Treasures of the wealthy Shoar And Sea are subject to Man's lordly Pow'r Yet can't he without yielding up his sense And proving guilty of an high offence Claim as a Soveraign with a wanton Hand At will to rifle both the Sea and Land And make them bow unto his boundless Lust Then own the action not to be unjust He had not his Dominion to abuse The things created for his needful use But was to have a most regardful Eye Not to enslave them to his Luxury If so there 's no Man but a Fool will say He as his pleasure is may them enjoy A Prayer 1. GReat God! whose providential Care Is over all bow down thine Ear Unto my Pray'r permit not Thou The Devil my invet'rate Foe To work my final overthrow 2. So closely on our Souls he waits With his bewitching-tempting-Baits That straight our Sensual parts we please Embrace a short and transient ease And hazard all than Flesh displease 3. With-hold not then thy saving-Grace From me my God one Minutes space Lest this my brittle House of Clay With my immortal Soul a Prey Becomes to him the damn'd obey 4. O let thy Love procure for me An easier Fate than Misery 'T is just in thee my God I know Since unto Satan's Lure I bow Not to exalt but cast me low 5. Low as that Pit of Horrours where The Damned Howl and tortur'd are Where ' midst those Flames which them torment Which ever Blaze but ne're are spent They day and night their Curses vent 6. Although my Sins these Flames deserve Yet from their lasting Heats preserve My trembling Soul this I implore Except the same thing o're and o're I know not what to ask Thee more God's Goodness and Man's Folly WHen trembling Dust with awful fear Unto thy Throne of Grace draws near And in an humble posture brings To Thee his Catalogue of Sins No sooner he imparts his Grief But thou afford'st thy quick Relief And with forgiveness ready art To ease the Sorrows of his Heart Yet rather than we will forgo Some short-liv'd-Pleasures endless Wo We fondly Court and slight that Love Which will at length our Ruine prove Whereas would we obey thy Will Not suffering ours to have their fill If we thy Laws would not refuse Nor Favours willingly abuse We should enjoy that happiness The glorious Saints in Heav'n possess An Admonition 1. SOul let thy Contemplation be On Heaven and Eternity To fix thy thoughts on this base Earth Becomes not Thee of heav'nly Birth 2. Since all these worldly-Glories quite Will like thy empty Dreams i' th' Night Vanish e're thy bright Morn doth break Why should'st thou pleasure in them take 3. When the last dreadful Trump shall all With its shril Voice to Judgment call Those who their God this World did make Must not of heav'nly Joys partake 4. The Crown of Glory only shall As a Reward to Virtue fall It never shall the Temples bind Of those who earthly things did mind The Penitent 1. I Who that precious time which thou hast lent Have dearest God! in sinful courses spent I who have chose to feed on Husks with Swine Rather than live under thy Rules Divine I thy ungracious Son unto thee home With bleeding heart weeping Eyes do come Asham'd that I so miserably have Mispent those Favours which thy bounty gave 2. And yet what reason have I to presume That e're thy Lips will pass a gentle Doom On my rebellious Life since it hath been wholly devoted to the ways of Sin No I in Justice cannot think thou'lt own Such an ungrateful Wretch to be thy Son Whose wanton Ear would never yield to hear The wholsome counsels of a Parent dear 3. But O my Father by that pow'rful word Look on thy humbled Creature and afford Some glimps of Comfort to my troubled mind And as thou stil'st thy self to be a kind And gracious Father be thou so to me Forgiving him who truly turns to Thee Look not upon me with a rig'rous Eye Of Justice but of Mercy lest I dye A Prayer before the Sacrament THou God who always tak'st delight to be Conferring good on those who trust in Thee Who from thy Bosome by eternal Doom Did'st send thy Son from whence all Joys do come To take our nature on him and to dy Th' accursed death for our Impiety Let me adore Thee for this mighty Love For this my Soul do thou obedient prove And grant dear Lord that I who humbly now Approach thine Altar to remember how And what Christ suffer'd may of Thee obtain Those dear-bought Mercies which his Death did gain I must confess when I consider Lord How I have sinn'd against thy sacred Word How oft I have refus'd to come and eat When I was summon'd to this heav'nly Treat I have not left within my troubled Breast A glimm'ring hope to be a welcome Guest Yet should I still absent should I forbear T' approach thy Table where such offers are How can I ever hope dear Christ to be Partaker of thy Love and Victory No I must never think thou 'lt own me when Thou sits in Judgment on the Sons of Men. Therefore to thee my God I come and bring My Soul and Body for an Offering Vouchsafe that at thy Hands they may a kind And gracious entertainment this day find And be enabled by thy Grace to move In the delightful Steps of holy Love Let not my Sins of Youth or riper Years Engage thee to forsake me to my Tears Have some regard and let me now partake Of thy Sons Mercies for his merits sake Amen and Amen A Farewell to the World THou glorious Nothing now adieu I 'le be no more a Slave to you Hence-forward all my time will I To a more serious Court apply Heaven and all its Joys above Shall be the Object of my Love And study of my Life each day Till I my borrow'd Earth repay And thou immortal God who art The rightful Sov'raign of my Heart Dispose my Thoughts and Actions now Strictly to keep this sacred Vow Thou know'st what mighty Foes they are I must engage with in this War The World on one hand will be sure To bring its Glories to allure And its Temptations will combine To shake this firm Resolve of mine My Flesh will all its vigour show To make me to its Dictates bow And the industr'ous-wily-Fiend Against me all his Pow'rs will bend Forces too great to be withstood By a Compound of Flesh and Blood Needs must I Faint and be subdu'd Unless with heav'nly force indu'd Yet I am fully bent to try Their Strength and Fight them till I dye And do not doubt but at my Death To have the never-fading-Wreath SOLI DEO GLORIA FINIS
that thou shalt conceive She who is barren call'd Elizabeth Is now with Child To Zach'ry I brought down The joyful Message of a wisht-for Son Six Months with Child she 's gone with God there 's nought How strange soe're but he can bring 't about The Conception it self Behold said she the Handmaid of the Lord Be it to me according to thy Word For ever Lord thy Glorious Name be prais'd Who from a low and abject State hast rais'd And in renown exalted me above The rest of Women by this mark of Love Mary's saluting Elizabeth No sooner Gabriel had his Message done But back he flew to Heaven's Glorious Throne Up from her bended Knees the Virgin rose And straightway went to Zacharia's house Within Judeas hilly Country where She found her Cousin and saluted her The welcome Greeting did no sooner sound Within her Ears but she the Infant found To leap within her Womb and straight her Breast With a Prophetick Spirit was possest And thus she spake Elizabeth's Exclamation Blessed art thou most lovely Maid above The rest of Women in th' Almighty's Love Blessed for ever Blessed is that Son Of the Great God within thy Virgin Zone O what a joy is it for me to see The Mother of my Lord to visit me For loe mine ears no sooner heard thy Voice But in my Womb the Infant did rejoyce Blessed art thou because thou didst believe The Angels Message it shall never grieve Thee that thy Faith was so much wrought upon For e're nine Months thou shalt bring forth this Son Then Mary said Magnificat My Soul doth praise the Lord for evermore And Spirit joyes in God my Saviour For he regarded hath the low estate Of his poor Servant and hath made her great So great that Generations henceforth shall Respect my name and highly-Blessed call For he that mighty is great things hath done For me beyond imagination His Mercy is from Age to Age on them Who serve him blessed be his Glorious Name He with his Pow'rful Arm hath to the great And proud Designers given a Defeat He from their Seats the Mighty hath put down And rais'd the humble Soul unto a Crown He hath the needy with good things supply'd But to the proud his Mercies hath deny'd He in remembrance of his promise made To Abra'm and his Seed hath now made glad And holpen Isr'el for within my Womb There lies inclos'd the promis'd Seed to come S. John's Birth Well nigh three Months within her Cousins House Remain'd the lovely new betrothed Spouse Of Joseph till she plainly did perceive Her Womb contain'd him who the World should save Then she took leave and forthwith to her home Poor and despised Nazareth did come Some few days after of a lovely Boy Eliz'beth was deliver'd to the joy Of all her Neighbours her Relations were Glad when they heard how God a Son and Heir Had given to her and had Mercy shown Making her pregnant who was barren known On the Eighth Day they all together came To Circumcise and give the Child a Name The bloody Act perform'd they voted all Him by the name of Zachary to call But when the Mother heard how they her Son Had Zachary nam'd she gave the name of John They told her none of her Relations were Call'd by that Name as ever they could hear Unto the Father they made signs to know How he would have him call'd 't should be so He made them signs to have a Book which brought Within it John unto their wonder wrote Which having done his Tongue immediately From its restraint was set at liberty And in most thankful manner the first thing Was the Almighty's praise which he did sing When they heard this who round about did dwell A reverential fear upon them fell Believing all this Child in time would prove Some mighty man whom Heaven so did love Who in the Womb and ever since hath been By God so favour'd as was never seen Old Zacharias who was musing on What Gabriel said of his and Mary's Son A sacred flame arose within his Breast And thus divinely sung the inspir'd Priest Benedictus Blest be the God of Isra'l and esteem'd Who hath his People visited and Redeem'd And rais'd within his servant Davids house A mighty King and Saviour unto us As by his holy Prophets mouths he spake Which have been since he the vast World did make That we should be delivered from all those Who are our secret or our open Foes To keep his mercy which he promised To our Fore-fathers and their num'rous Seed The Oath he swore to Abraham on this wife That he would free us from our Enemies That we securely may devote our days To do his Will and sing his worthy praise And thou my Child of the most High I know Shalt be a mighty Prophet thou shalt go Before the Christ t' instruct the World how they May him imbrace and all his Laws obey To teach them how when they have evil done Through him they may obtain Remission All through the mercy of our God whereby Christ hath to us descended from on high To give them Light who do in Blindness sit Within the Vale of Death and guide our Feet Into the path of peace which pleasant way Will lead us all to joys which ne're decay Thus sung the aged Priest unto his joy In Spirit strong and stature grew the Boy John's Education Within the Mountains of Judea he Severely past his tender Infancy There he abode until the day wherein His Ministerial Function did begin Now in the forty fourth year of his Raign The great Augustus Caesar did ordain And strictly charge that all in every Town Within the Roman Empire should set down Their Names Fortunes in those Cities where Their Ancestors were born of whom they were When this first Taxing was by Caesar made Cyrenius for his Province Syria had To their respective Cities each one went To be enroll'd in Caesar's Government From Galilee out of Naz'reth Joseph came With Mary big with Child to Bethlehem Because they both of David's Princely Race Descended were who born was in that place It came to pass they were no sooner there But Mary found the happy time drew near Wherein she must her first born Son bring forth The Word by whom God made both Heav'n and Earth The Birth of Christ Within the Inn no room she could obtain Although she sought it o're and o're again Into the Stable she was forc'd to go Then on the ground her Knees did humbly bow And in the midst of glorious thoughts the Son Of the Most High brought forth without a groan In Swadling-Cloaths she wrapp'd her First-born Child And on the Straw she laid him in the Field Were Shepheards who by nightly turns did look Unto their innocent and wealthy Flock When lo an Angel from the glittering Throne Of the Almighty came and round them shone The daz'ling brightness of his presence made The watchful Shepheards
The joyful Mary came and did declare How she had seen the Lord and likewise what He did command but they believ'd her not When in the Ev'ning of that day they were Assembled with the Doors close shut for fear Of the malicious Jews in Jesus came They knew not how anâ—â—â—hers saâ—uted them Peace be unto you when he had so said They trembling stood most terribly affraid Concluding that it could not Jesus be But a delusion which they tâ—ere did see Yet when he show'd his Hands and wounded Side Those Marks which he receiv'd when Crucify'd The Souls rejoyc'd and all with one accord Acknowledg'd him to be their Sov'raign Lord. He therefore to confirm their Faith begun T' expound the Scriptures which had long foreshown His cruel Death and Resurrection And by his Spirit made them plainly see The full import of ev'ry Prophecy And now farewell said he yet 'fore I go The same Commission I do give to you Which I receiv'd to plant a Church I came Do ye succeed me and compleat the same Be of good comfort to assist you here I 'le send you down the blessed Comforter But here attend ye till he doth come down Then did he go and breath on ev'ry one And by so doing did his Followers fit For that unerring guide the Holy Sp'rit Which at the Feast of Pentecost came down And sate like flaming-Fire on ev'ry one He gave the Keys of Heav'ns glorious Gate Into their Hands to Excommunicate The stubborn Sinner to absolve or bind They Power had as they just cause did find But Thomas called Dydimus the Twin Who was not with them when the Lord came in Now being come they up and told him how Jesus had with them been but even now But he declar'd unless his Eyes did see And Hands did touch his Wounds he 'd faithless be When his Disciples that day sev'nights were Met at their usual Place to joyn in Pray'r The Lord of Life the second time did come They knew not how into the close-shut Room Thomas said he since you will not believe Your Fellow-Servants that I am alive Except your Hands do touch and Eyes do see Those cruel Marks bestow'd on me Behold my Wounds thy Fingers thrust into This Side of mine and be not faithless now My Lord and God! said Thomas now I know And am convin'd the very God art thou Had'st thou before believ'd what thou hast seen Thy Faith said Jesus had then nobler been Than now it is my blessing I do give To them who see me not and yet believe His Ascension Full forty days th' Eternal Son of God After he rose again on Earth abode Teaching his Followers what they ought to do To make the World his Fathers Will to know And now just ready to ascend his Throne To take possession of his purchas'd Crown He went unto Mount Olivet with them Sev'n Furlongs distant from Jerusalem Upon whose lofty Brow with Hands lift high Unto the sacred Throne of Majesty He blessed them which having done a bright And shining Cloud convey'd him from their sight Up to the glorious Seat of Bliss where He Triumphant sits to all Eternity To the Eternal Three above Father Son and Spirit of Love By all the glorious Host in Heav'n And Men on Earth be Glory giv'n On Christ's Sufferings LOrd what is Man that thou from Bliss Where Love in full perfection is Should'st send thy Son thine only One To be contemn'd and spit upon To be the abject and the scorn Of ev'ry Villain to be torn With cruel Rods to be revil'd And live as 't were a live exil'd And after all this ignomy To hang on the accursed Tree That the eternal God above Should chuse this way to show his love To such as we who do return Instead of gratitude our scorn That he his only Son should send To suffer an inglorious end And make the Innocent to be An Offering for Impiety It raises wonder but 't was so Jesus did all this undergo Not by compulsion 't was his choice He suffer'd that we might rejoyce All this he did for to regain Lost Souls from an eternal pain And Jesus shall not we express Our thanks to thee for happiness Had'st thou not dy'd we had remain'd As Satans Victims ever chain'd No act of ours could e're have wrought That Reconcilement thou hast bought With thy dear Blood thou Heav'ns Rage Did'st fully with thy Death asswage Such obligations Lord should move Our stony-hearts to melt with Love And in the strictest duty bind To thee the Souls of all Man-kind CANTATE DOMINO CANTICVM NOVUM Praise the Lord up on the harp sing to the harp with a psalm of thanksgiving EIGHTEEN OF David's PSALMS PARAPHRAS'D By the same Hand LONDON Printed by R. E. for R. Bentley and M. Magnes in Russel-Street in Covent-Garden 1680. Eighteen of Davids Psalms Paraphras'd PSALM 22. MY God my God! Why am I left Helpless in my distress bereft Of that protection I have had Why are my Foes with Conquest clad I call and weep both day and night To thee my God to thee for right But O my Crys and Tears are vain There 's no redress no ease of pain All this shall not discourage me Since I do know thou just wilt be And true to ev'ry promise Thou Hast bound thy Self to me by Vow And though Thou let'st mine Enemys Insult and deaf art to my Crys Yet Lord thou holy art and still Deserv'st the praise of Israel Our Fathers they rely'd on thee Thou Lord wast their security When dangers did their Souls surround To thee they call'd and freedom found But I my Foes most deadly scorn With patience hitherto have born The vulgar and ignobler sort Do make my misery their sport In an insulting way they cry Let his Salvation now draw nigh He trusted in the Lord that he Would help him in adversity Let him stretch out his arm and save If either strength or pow'r he have But Lord their scorn and cruelty Shall not dismay or trouble me Since I have always found thine arm Able to rescue me from harm Since from the Womb I came alone Thou hast been my Salvation And from my Mothers tender Breast My God my hope wert and my rest Now be not far from me but save Permit not the triumphing Grave Insaâ—â—te as my cruel-Foes My Life untimely to enclose Redeem my Soul there 's none I know Except my God can help me now For I am close besieg'd and brought To that distress I can't get out Like as a rav'ning Lyon doth Roaring pursue with open mouth The helpless Creature that he may Affrighted fall and be his Prey So do my Foes threaten and rave To bring my Soul unto the Grave So week and feeble I am grown Wasted to nothing ev'ry bone Disjoynted from its place doth start Like Wax dissolv'd so is my Heart And as a Potsheard so my strength Is dryed up my Tongue at length Cleaves to my Jaws my earthly-Frame
the end of these Mens days 16 Sure on High thou do'st them set That their fall may be more great In a moment they come down Headlong in destruction 17. O those Horrours that possess Their sad Souls who can express Sins like Furies on each hand In most dreadful Forms do stand 18. Thou shalt make their Shaddow fly In the twinkling of an Eye Riches Pleasures and their All Vanish and to nothing fall 19. Then what Folly was 't in me To conceive a slight from thee Like a Beast to show dislike VVhen thy Rod did friendly strike 20. For thou had'st a careful Eye Over me partic'larly Free from danger did I stand By thine All-protecting hand 21. Thou shalt me most safely lead Through those troubles which I dread Bringing me to great Renown And a never-fading Crown 22. Than thy Self I do not know Any God that can do so Thou the God art whom I love Other Gods I don't approve 23. For I find thou ever art VVhen Afflictions seize my Heart Always to me a strong Fort Whereunto I may resort 24. As for those who put their trust In another 't is but just That they should for ever dye For their base Apostacy 25. But for me I will adhere Lord to thee while I am here And excite Men to a Sense Of thy gracious Providence PSALM 49. HEar all ye People my Discourse will be A Meditation fit for each degree I 'll treat of Wisdom that both Rich and Poor May gather Knowledg from her immense Store When Death and the Distempers of old Age Knock at my Door to leave this earthly Stage Wherefore should I repine and show more Love To this low Mansion than that blest above Where I shall far more lasting Treasures find In value greater than those left behind They who in Riches trust and do adore Within their Iron-Shrines their Idol Oar Cannot with it themselves or others save From the close Hug of the respectless Grave Riches were never known to have that strength To rescue Men from Death they must at length Turn to their Mother Earth from whence they all Had their first Birth and back again must fall The VVise this Fate as well as Brutish have Death takes not one and doth the other leave Yet do these Wretches live as if they were Exempt in this same Doom to bear a share They heap up Riches but their Treasures will Fly from their own and others Coffers fill For dye they must and when they dye who knows But all their Stores go to enrich their Foes Yet their Possessions by their Names they call And fondly think their Dwellings firmly shall Last while the World remains their Heirs we see Have the same thoughts of their Posterity But Death will come where in the Grave that hold They all must lye as Flocks together fold Until the Resurrection of the Just Who with the Lord that day in Judgment must Help to condemn them Lord I hope that Morn Thou wilt my Temples with a Crown adorn As for the Honours and the large encrease Of the Ungodly and his short-liv'd peace None should be troubled for that dismal night In which he sets his Glories take their flight Though while he liv'd he thought himself most blest And said unto his Soul ' Soul take thy rest ' For I have laid me up a lasting Store ' Of Wealth Honour which the World adore ' These high will raise me on the Wings of Fame ' And give me here a never-dying Name ' But when Death comes in that same needful day ' These like deceitful Friends will slip away ' Nor can they as thou think'st an Arch of praise ' Upon their Airy-Bottoms for thee raise ' Nothing but heav'nly Wisdom can ensure ' Praises unto thy Name which shall endure ' Wisdom which for the future doth take care ' And seeks for Treasures which immortal are ' Man that in Honour in Wealth doth grow ' And understands not whence these Blessings flow ' Than the dumb Beasts doth no more Wisdom show Such Fools as he shall never have a sight Of those eternal Joys of the upright PSALM 78. ATtend ye Sons of Jacob I 'le unfold To you those Parables our Fathers told To us that we should to our Children show What mighty deeds God did for Isr'el do That all succeeding Ages may sing forth His noble Acts the greatness of his Worth This duty God did lay on Israel And strictly charge they should their Children tell That Generations which were yet unborn Might know the wondrous-Work of their return And not his Mercies and his Judgments scorn And like their Fathers slight his easie Yoke Contemn this God and other Gods invoke The Ephramites well Arm'd with Swords and Bows Able to Conquer fled before their Foes And why they did forsake their chiefest stay Forgot the Wonders done the other day How God had brought them out of Pharoah's Land From their hard Tasks by his All-conqu'ring hand The Sea divided and the Waters round As Bulwarks stood they past through on dry ground A Cloud did Vail them as they walk'd by day I' th' night a Firy-Pillar show'd the way He water'd them as Shepheards do their Flocks Not in hew'n-Cisterns but from unhew'n Rocks Streams from those craggy-Pyramids did flow And step by step did with his Isr'el go Yet still they murmur'd as they did before And with fresh Sins provok'd him more more They quarrell'd God and did his care distrust They ask'd for Meat not for their wants but Lust Can God say they here furnish us a Table Of Flesh and Bread he can't he is not able 'T is true he quench'd our thirst from yonder Rock But where 's the Flesh to feed his hungry Flock When God heard this his wrath like Fire did burn His long-try'd Mercy did to anger turn Because they disbeliev'd what he had done And gave no credence to 's Salvation Though he had shown such tokens of his Love By op'ning all the Clouds of Heav'n above And raining Manna that they all might eat That heav'nly-Bread he gave them for their Meat He fill'd and fed them with the Angels Food And as the Waters when they make a Flood Come tumbling down so Flesh showr'd on the ground Vast heaps of Quails did all their Camps surround Yet though at their requests he sent this Meat They disbelieve him still and murm'ring eat Then was his Anger kindled and the Chief Of all their Tribes he slew for disbelief Though Plagues throughout their Camps like Lightning run Their hearts were stubborn and they would not turn But still they Sinn'd and sinning did declare They'd not believe in vain his Wonders were Therefore their Rebel-lives he made them waste In that same place but two escap'd at last But when exemplar punishments did fall They then return'd and on their God did call Then they acknowledg'd that they were his Flock He was their Saviour and their mighty Rock Their Tongues did
this declare their Hearts the while Were as before as hollow and as vile But God being full of Mercy did forgive Their feign'd Repentance willing they should live His Justice to his Mercy did give way Unwilling to consume them in one day For he remember'd what they were alas But as a Wind which soon away doth pass Ten times their diffidence they did express And long'd for Egypt in the Wilderness So sensless were they that they never thought What there they suffer'd nor how God had brought Them forth from thence and by their Moses hand Destroy'd the Pride and Glories of that Land He turn'd their wholesome Rivers into Blood Vast Swarms of Flies and Frogs devour'd their Food The fruitful burdens of the Earth were lost Their Vines with Hail were kill'd their Trees with Frost Their Cows their Sheep their Asses and their Colts Either with Hail were slain or Thunder-bolts So great his Anger was his Wrath so fierce He did his Plagues throughout the Land disperse But while poor Egypt was thus fore opprest To have their first-born slain of Man and Beast His Mercies and his care did still attend On Israel he did their All defend He led them through the Sea as on dry ground In which proud Pharoah and his Hosts were drown'd He led them all along and Wonders wrought Till at the length he them to Sion brought Then dreadful Fears upon the Heathen fell These Tribes o'recame them in their Tents did dwell They had not long possest but soon were cloy'd They wanted something though they all enjoy'd And as their Fathers did Apostatize So they to Idols offer'd Sacrifice When God heard this he suffer'd Ark and all His chosen Ones in Heath'nish hands to fall So sore displeas'd and angry was the Lord He gave them up to the devouring Sword Their young-Men were destroy'd their Virgins now Liv'd single lives by force and not by Vow Their sacred Priests did perish by their Swords Their Wives exprest no sorrow by their words But Grief sate lively painted on each Face Such consternations were in ev'ry place That God took pity and arose at length Gave their enfeebled-Hearts and Arms fresh strength He smote with Botches in their hinder parts The Philistims and gave them tim'rous Hearts Their Dagon-God they in their Temple found Before the Ark lye shatter'd on the ground So what they got they durst not now defend But richly laded back again it send Moreover Judah of all Jacobs race God chose and Sion for his resting-place And this conspic'ous-Hill 'bove all he blest Decreeing here his Ark should ever rest He lowly David from his Sheep did take From that Employ he made him undertake The care of all his People which with skill He did perform according to his VVill. He govern'd them with Wisdom and with Art Walking before his God with all his heart PSALM 90. 1. THou who art God from all Eternity Long 'fore this Globe of Earth was form'd by thee Thou who hast since blest be thy glorious Name Upheld both us and this same earthly Frame Hear thou the fervent Pray'rs the hearty-Groans That are sent up by thine afflicted Ones 2. When Man thine Image which thou did'st create Apostatiz'd from his first happy State Unhappy we by our Fore-fathers deed Have an entail of Death upon our Seed Our times are in thy Hands and 't is but just When thou command'st we should return to dust 3. Should we be suffer'd Lord to linger here A tedious Life as our Forefathers were That length of time Methusalah did see What is it Lord to thy immensity A thousand years are nothing in thy sight As yesterday or as a Watch i' th' night 4. Death as a Torrent sweeps us clean away And in a moment all our Joys decay Like as the Grass i' th' Morn so ev'ry one Doth flourish then but is at Noon cut down So vain are we and of so short a time That all our Glories wither in their Prime 5. Thus are we snatch'd from off this worldly-Stage In the full strength and verdure of our Age For thou hast set before thy searching Eyes As well our close as known Apostacies In thy displeasure all our days we spend And as a Vapour so our Lives do end 6. Threescore and ten is the computed length Of our Terrestrial Lives but if through strength We do attain unto the fourthscore year Then they are interwove with Grief and Care Like as a Dream so soon they pass away So fading are our Joys so short's our stay 7. And though thy Wrath is equal to our fear Yet we so sensess are and void of care That we contemn thy Rod and think we shall Inhabit here and never dye at all But teach us so to number all our days That we may hate the Follies of our ways 8 Return O Lord at length how long wilt thou Look on thy Servants with an angry Brow O give us now thine everlasting Love And from our harrass'd-Souls do thou remove The sentence of Excision long have we Expected Lord thy promis'd-Land to see 9. Give days of Joys so many as may last Longer than all those years of Sorrows past Now magnifie thy glorious work of Grace Not only unto us but to our Race Thy gracious Favour and thy Mercy show And frame our Wills thy sacred Will to do PSALM 91. 1. He who his whole concern entirely flings Under the Shaddow of the Almighty's Wings Shall find a pow'rful God a faithful Friend A certain Refuge to his Journeys end 2. This never-failing Axiome makes me go To him as to a Fort in which I know No bloody-Wars nor sweeping Pestilence Nor wit of Man can snatch my Life from thence 3. For as the stately Eagle guards from wrong Under her spreading Wings her helpless Young So will the God of all the Earth be sure Under his care that I shall live secure 4. Though Deaths empoyson'd Arrows take their flight And slaughter thousands both by day night Not one of all these deadly Shafts shall be So rightly levell'd as to mischief me 5. Yet I shall see the Wicked's just reward Vast piles of those who did not fear the Lord 〈◊〉 in these heaps my Carkass shall not lye Because I did upon the Lord rely 6. For he his holy Angels shall command When heavy Judgments post throughout the Land That neither I nor those within my Wall Shall taste those evils on the Wicked fall 7. The Lyon and the Adder without dread I shall encounter on their Necks shall tread The rav'nous Beasts like tame ones shall submit And yield themselves as conquer'd at my Feet 8. Because my whole delight was to fulfill The Laws of God and to obey his Will Because I did respect his glorious Name With honour he 'll exalt me for the same 9. I shall no sooner call but he will hear And free me from those Judgments others bear He 'll crown my Life with length of days below And me above
Hunter but fall down and dye 7. Jerusalem did to remembrance call When she afflicted was and made to fall Those pleasant and delightful things which she Lost when she went into Captivity Her jeering Foes upon her Sorrows play'd And May-Games at her sacred Sabbaths made 8. Jerusalem hath sinned grievously And is remov'd for her Impiety All that ador'd her do her now despise Having beheld her lew'd Adulteries Sighing she turns her mounful Face aside And vents her Sorrows in a Briny Tide 9. Fill'd with Pollution in her wanton mind Her fearful end could no admittance find Therefore when least she did of Judgment dream Down from her fancy'd Bliss she headlong came In a most fearful manner and no Eye Let fall a Tear at her Calamity Behold O Lord the troubles of my Breast And how they are by a proud Foe encreast 10. His impious hand hath from her Eyes remov'd Those sacred things which she so dearly lov'd Within her Courts the Heathen have been seen Who were forbad by Thee to enter in 11. Her starving People for the want of Bread Do sighing sit not to be comforted All their delightful things they given have For Food to save them from the noisome Grave Behold O Lord consider how I now Am held in no esteem and made to bow 12. Have ye no sense of my afflicted case Ye savage Monsters who this way do pass Stay but a while and tell me if your Eyes Have seen such sad amazing Miseries As my incensed God is pleas'd to lay Upon my Soul in this his wrathful day 13. He from above into my Bones hath sent Consuming-Fire as a punishment He for my Feet an unseen Net hath spread Amid'st those sinful Paths I us'd to tread And backwards turn'd me so that now I lye Wasting and fainting in my Misery 14. He round my Neck hath put the heavy Band Of my Transgressions with his angry Hand And my Herculean Strength hath weaken'd so That I am captiv'd by a feeble Foe Nor shall I ever able be again To burst asunder my uneasie Chain 15. The Lord hath trampled under foot the strong And valiant Men which did to me belong In fury he hath sent an armed Host To slay my Youth and spoil my fertile Coast As in a Wine-Press the Almighty hath Trod Judah's Daughter in his burning Wrath. 16. No downy Sleep can on mine Eye-lids creep For these Afflictions day and night I weep Adown my Cheeks the briny Tears do rowl Because the Lord who should relieve my Soul Is far from me my Children des'olate are And Pris'ners made unto the Foe in War 17. Sion for Succour hath her Hands stretch'd out But all in vain the Lord hath round about Girt Jacob with his Foes Jerusalem Is as a menstr'ous Wretch abhorr'd by them 18. The Lord is Righteous and his Judgments all For my notorious Sins do justly fall Upon my wanton head I all my days Have been a Rebel to his sacred ways Hear I beseech you all ye passers by Look how forsaken I in Sorrow lye My Maids and young Men by a conq'ring-hand Are Captives led into another Land 19. I call'd on those whom I my Lovers thought To come and help me but they help'd me not My Priests and Elders in the Streets fell Dead Famish'd with Hunger for the want of Bread 20. Behold O Lord the Judgments of my Sin My Bowels work my heart can't rest within Sad and dejected in the midst of Woes I trembling sit to see the slaughtring Blows Of the devouring Sword abroad the while Within my Gates pale Famine makes a spoil 21. My treach'rous Friends have heard how sadly I Have mourn'd but none would to my help draw nigh My Foes have likewise all my Trouble known And greatly joy at what thy Hand hath done But thou wilt bring their stablish'd day at last And plague them sorely who have laid me waste 22. Then let their Sins in their full measure come Before thy Face and let them have their Doom A Doom as sharp as I have found from thee Do unto them as thou hast done to me It 's time O Lord that thou should'st take my part And ease the Pains of my afflicted Heart CHAP. II. 1. Jeremiah lamenteth the Misery of Jerusalem 20. He camplaineth thereof to God 1. HOw hath the Lord forsaken his delight And mask'd his Sion in the Shade of Night Took from her lovely Brow the awful Crown And hath from Heav'n to Earth her Beauties thrown Rememb'ring not in this his wrathful day The sacred Temple where we us'd to Pray 2. He ruin'd hath and utterly destroy'd Those pleasant Tents which Jacob long enjoy'd Thrown down the Holds of Judah's Daughter round And raz'd and made them level with the ground Yea as a thing unclean hath made the Land And all her Princes in his Eye-sight stand 3. He in his Fury Isr'els Strength hath quell'd And his all-sisting-Arm from him with-held Before the Foe in his consuming Ire Hath Jacob wasted with devouring Fire 4. To its full bent like a revengeful Foe His sin'wy-Arm hath drawn the fatal Bow And slew whate're in Sions Tent was known To be with pleasure and delight look'd on 5. He as a Foe hath Isr'els Land laid waste And all his Forts and Palaces defac'd In universal sorrow Judah lies Rending the gentle Air with mournful Cries 6. He from his Temple hath his presence took Like an unfruitful Garden it forsook In Rubbish laid his hallow'd House and those Scatter'd who there to serve in Course were chose Hath caus'd the solemn Feasts and Sabbaths too Of Sion to forgotten be and go Without their due observance and in 's Wrath The sacred King and Priest despised hath 7. No mounting Flames upon his Altar rise His Temple hateful is unto his Eyes Her Walls within whose Guards we us'd to stand Are given up into the Heathens Hand As in a solemn Feast their Voices are Heard in our Courts to rend the sounding Air. 8. The Lord hath purpos'd level as the ground To lay the Walls that compass Sion round And hath stretch'd out a Line resolved on Her utter Ruine and Subversion Therefore the shielding-Rampart and the Wall Together sunk and to the ground did fall 9. Her Brass-Ribb'd Gates which none could ever wound And Iron-Bars lye broken on the ground Her Kings and Princes who in Purple sate Dispencing Justice in her peaceful Gate Are Captives now among the Heathen gone No Law nor Justice in her Gates are known Her Prophets find no Vision from the Lord Nor in his House sounds forth the sacred Word 10. In a deep silence on the dusty ground The Elders sit with Woes encompast round With fulsome Dust strow'd on each hoary-Head And with repenting Sack-cloath covered The lovely Maids of Sion who would not Within their Breasts admit a ruffling thought Prest down with sorrow like the Aged go With palsi'd Limbs and Heads that downwards bow 11. My spungy Eyes which from their Channels ne're
Virgin cloister'd Life Since thou art fit to be a Wife No 't is an impious act in thee Being young to vow Virginity 'T is though Devotion 's the pretence ' Gainst God and Nature an offence For whatsoe're thou thinkest sure Destructive Vows God can't endure And none can more destructive be Than those of Cloister'd Chastity Should all thy Sex be of this mind The Peopled Earth would quickly find Its self bereft of either Kind Of Millions now a He or She In one short Age there would not be Then think not on so rash a Vow Which aims at Ruine quickly now Be thou a Pros'lyte to that state For which God did thy Sex create And be not tempted to do ill By a misguided Zeal or Will To undertake what cannot be Safely resolved on by thee Perchance thou fondly think'st that they Who married are want time to Pray And exercise their Piety This is a great mistake in thee They have their times of Vacancy 'T is true so long they cannot be As Sanctimon'alists on the Knee Because attended with more care And bus'ness than the Cloyster'd are Yet this their care their duty is Time so imploy'd doth lead to Bliss And is no bar to Happiness Reiigion's active hates a Drone Who buzzing spends each day alone In Pray'r and Contemplation Both fitting duties to be done Great Pillars of Religion But she who wholly rests on these Though she may fancy what she please Spends but her days in idleness So lives the lazy Nun the Wife Who truly virtuous is a Life Devouter leads than any she Who vows Recluse Virginity No sullen humour clouds her mind Nor superstitious Zeal doth blind Her Reason so much to despise That state which Heaven dignifies Her God she honours honours too Her Husband as she ought to do Hazards with an undaunted mind Her Life to propagate her kind Shuns not the World nor bus'ness here But walks in both with so much care That neither proves her Conquerour And though Temptations do around Beset her Soul she keeps her ground Sure such a courage bears away The Palm from her who shuns the fray And out of fear to be o'recome Within close Walls her Life doth doom Too tedious 't were to tell the ways And pious actions of her days She loves industrious is obeys Each morn she brings a Sacrifice Of Pray'r and Thanks before her Eyes Close up at Night a holy Flame Dissolves her Soul in Pray'r again Nor doth the duty of the day From Heaven steal her heart away For while her hands most busied are In managing her house-affair She breaths a short yet grateful Pray'r Such grapple Blessings prove more strong Than cloyster'd Pray'rs a whole day long They mount and with a quicker Wing To all her Wants fresh Succours being Than a more tedious Offering And for the good of all Mankind As full and quick returns do find Thus lives the virtuous Wife and so Thou being young should marry too And live as she 's describ'd to do For 't is not good to live alone Eccl. â— 9 10. Two being better much than one In Health or sad Affliction In the chaste blessed Nuptial Twine Women gives much a brighter shine More good Examples in that State Shows than the fruitless Celibate To God more grateful presents gives Holy'r and full as chastly lives If not much more than any She Immur'd within a Nunnery I 'le say no more but chuse that Life Which God approves off be a Wife Justice JUstice should all our Actions steer It our embodied Souls will rear Above the reach of anxious Fear When Death our earthly-Frame destroys 'T will crown our Souls with perfect Joys 'T will free our Bodies from the Grave That they a Resurrection have And safely seat us in that Bliss Which fades not but eternal is The Prodigal Son 1. WHile lib'ral Fortune did dispense Her Favours in great affluence And his beloved God his Chest Deny'd his Ryots no request He like a frantick-Beast did run The Stages of Destruction 2. But when a total emptiness Did his consumptive Bags possess His Belly pinch'd his Treasure gone He then consider'd what he had done And to his Father goes in haste Implores forgiveness for what 's past 3. Thus want a reformation wrought And the luxurious Youth was taught To chuse the good with care to shun Those Follies he so doted on O happy change which made him know The danger which he ran into Thou didst hide thy Face and I was troubled WHen from my sinful Soul that glorious Sun Thy blessed Spirit Lord was forc'd to run Soon did the actions of my Life betray The want of that pure Light then did I stray In those dark Regions where no heav'nly Ray Affords one lightsom glance to guide my way Immortal God! in what a dismal case Was my poor Soul when thou withdrew'st thy grace As in a Garden the enamell'd Flow'rs When the Sun 's mask'd with sullen Clouds or Show'rs Close up their Leaves and sad and pensive look To miss that warmth which from his Beams they took Till he again doth dart a liv'ning Ray Their Beauty fades and sweetness doth decay So when thy Beams of Mercy thou didst quite Vail from my Soul what an Egyptian-Night Did cover it how did its Beauty fade And Glory wither in that dismal Shade But when again that Sun-shine did appear Which doth inspirit all our actions here My Soul forthwith reviv'd and vows to sing Perpet'al Hallelujahs to my King On Mary Magdelene weeping THe Scene is chang'd that lovely Grace Which sate triumphing in her Face Which whosoe're beheld streight found The Darts of Love his Soul to wound Grief hath o're-cast those wanton Eyes Whose Glances challeng'd Victories Shed penitent Show'rs and that Hair Each Curl of which did prove a Snare To fetter Youth dishevel'd lyes And serves for Towels to those Eyes Which over-flow with happy Tears Whose drops gain'd Heav'n and calm'd her Fears On the ten Lepers made clean THe ten were heal'd and all but one Unthankful prov'd for what was done You may as well confine the Wind To constancy as think to bind With kindness an ungrateful Mind Yet when afflictions prest them sore How ready were they to implore Their Saviour's help his Cross once o're They never thought upon him more Good God! that mercies oft should prove Destructive Rocks to Shipwrack Love Riches and Beauty are deceitful but a faithful Friend is the Medicine of Life 1. THat glittering Idol most adore Within her Temple others may Pay their Devotions I ne're more Will Idolize what will destroy What though she wealthy Treasures plead Gold-Chains will unto Torments lead 2. Beauty shall ne're my Soul debase Under that form there oft do ly A rotten Soul though lovely Face Full of mis-shap'd deformity Scarce one of thousands can we find Who lovely is in Shape and Mind 3. 'T is not a Fabrick rear'd on high Nor Riches that can ease the Mind 'T is not