length Could we unwind time and reverse its wheel Stop the celestial posts and make them reel And set the worlds great clock far back again What shall we get by it but trouble and pain Imaginary selicities here Sliding contentments purchas'd very dear And when we 're listed in the dismal book That accursed catalogue of the damned look And ask Dives without any controul What did it profit him to lose his soul Oh Lord what is there in this world to prize And weary our selves with vain desires to raise A temporary felicity and name Which quickly vanisheth as a blast or flame 'T is hard to him that 's to thy law a stranger To apprehend the misery and danger Of covetous desires the length of time Hath made that vice a habit and incline Our natures to the breaches of thy law Oh Lord teach me with care to stand in aw Of losing thee my God my only pleasure Whom to enjoy is the divinest treasure O let the blessings thou hast freely given Quicken our duller souls with thanks to Heav'n From whom we have receiv'd the chief promotion Let it not flack but quicken our devotion And raise contemplations not vainly rude But with obedience and humble gratitude That so the vanities that are here below May be our scorn but the graces with do flow From thy abundant mercy may delight'us To the bosom of thy Church good Lord unite us And raise our spirits our vices to controul And think no profit for to lose our soul Canticles 2.1 I am the Rose of Sharon and the Lilly of the valleys 'T is Solomons song his most Seraphick strein That in high and transcendent raptures aim To express Christs love to his Church the sacred spouse Doth not his fervent divine fancy rouze These high passionate expressions divine The Rose of Sharon love better than wine Lilly of the valleys turtle undefil'd Love of delights sweeter than spices mild Spikenard and Mirrhe Saphron and Frankincense All these allusions in an amorous sence Of divine love as in a holy song VVith lofty ejaculations all along In a devout harmony doth allude In allegory and similitude The Rose is natures perfume it displays Its treasures through the air unto its praise It delighteth sence both in color and smell Whose odoriferous beauty none can paralel Other flowers like Hypocrites are fair of color And in a painted shew they do seem fuller Of various shapes but they have not the scent Of that sweet Rose that still is fragrant And retains its sweetness ev'n in withered dust When other flowers of Color pine and burst Into a nasty shape of the Rose is made A cordial so that it doth never fade It 's virtues are still useful of great price Of vegetables natures paradise In this wonder of flowers we may espy Not only Physick but Divinity It wears Heaven's livery in its beauteous color Natures master piece nothing is fuller Than the sweet lovely blushes of the Rose That Rose of Sharon which all wisedom knows With many prickles was his head surrounded VVith tanting scoffs was his pure soul confoundad The perfumes of his prayers rais'd a richer smell Than all Arabia's spices can paralel His divine miracles were higher scented Than all odoriferous gums if sublimated Into one perfume it s a rifle to that sweet That cordial posie where the God-head meet As join'd in one and sent such perfume thence VVhich should enamor our hearts with reverence To adore that Rose of Sharon which will never Lose its perfume but will smell sweet for ever Oh let us run with meekness not presume After the odors of thy sweet perfume And have fervent desires for thee alone And for the streams that do flow from thy Throne Imprint in me such rays of divine grace A purity capable to see thy face The greatest perfections in creatures lie But a drop of transcendent excellency That is in thee let me have a longing strife To imitate the purity of thy life And in an humble meekness to submit To such indignities as thou think'st fit And when I shall lay down this earthy feature I may be raised a renewed creature And be comforted with perfumes of thy love VVhich are prepared with the Saints above In the eternal paradise of rest VVith the true Rose of Sharon ever blest Psalm 119.92 If my delight had not been in thy Law I should have perished in my trouble FINIS To the Honorable the Lord Chief justice Raynsford upon his adding St. George's Church to the rules of the Kings Bench. THanks noble Raynsford for this bounteous favor To prisoners restrained it doth sweetly savor Of a pious clemency thus to enlarge The footsteps of those Men under thy charge You 've outdone loyal Keeling that act we 'le sound He'n larg'd the rules thou givest us holy ground St. George's Church Englands Titular Saint VVhere we may freely go and make complaint Of our hard ereditors and devoutly pray That he 'l enlarge his mercies in the day Of your account we 'l study to express All ways of gratitude for this happiness With thanks unto our Marshal for his love VVhich doth oblige us faster far above All other obligations we 'l express All cordial love with humble thankfulness Pardon Dear Sir that I this silence break That am the meanest how could others speak An Elogie on the death of Edmund Lenthal Esq late Marshal of the Kings Bench. ARe prisons sad is' t not a place of grief To be restrain'd from liberty the chief Desire of Man but here a comforts given VVhen a mild keeper is decreed from Heaven Such one we had but suddenly snatcht hence By the impartial hand of providence Death with his pale fac'd Envy hath bereav'd Of comfort in which we were not deceiv'd His carriage was obliging sweet and kind Expressing still a bounteous noble mind And generous Courtesy yet his care was just Preserving them that did oblige his trust In such an harmony his acts did meet Mixt mercy with justice in consort sweet My meditations of Joy and gladness Are turn'd to Elogies and songs of sadness He 's taken hence which my sad soul did chear I cease to write surpriz'd with mournful tear THE TABLE Of the FIRST PART Philippians Chap. 4. v. 12. 1. I Know how to abound and how to suffer need c. Job 2.10 2. In all this did not Job sin with his Lips Romans 6.12 and part of 21. 3. Let not sin theresore raign in your mortal bodies that you should obey it in the Lusts thereof For the end of these things are death 7 Matthew 15.28 4. And he said unto her O Woman great is thy Faith 11 John 12.2 5. But Lazarus was one of those that sat at the Table with him 14 Genesis 2.8 6. And the Lord God planted a Garden East-ward in Eden 17 Luke 10.25 7. And behold a certain Lawyer flood up and tempted him Master what shall I do to inherit Eternal Life 20 John 11.36 8. Jesus Wept 23 Matthew 6.33 9. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you c. 25 John 13.23 10. And there was leaning on Jesus bosom one of his Disciples whom he loved c. 29 Luke 19.9 11. This day is Salvation come to thy House 32 Luke 9.57 12. Lord I will follow thee wheresoever thou goest 36  A Copy of Verse to Sir Anthony Bateman on the Death of his Daughter 40  An Elogy on the Name and Death of the Virtuous Lady Martha Bateman who departed this Life the Tenth of December 1674. 41 THE TABLE Of the SECOND PART Numbers 27.16 17. 1. Let the Lord the God of the Spirits of all flesh set a man over the Congregation Which may go out before them and which may go in before them and which may lead them out and which may bring them in that the Congregation of the Lord be not as Sheep which have no Shepherd p. 1. Matthew 5.8 2. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God c. 6 Daniel 12.3 3. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament and they that turn many to righteousness as the Stars for ever and ever 9 Matthew 2.18 4. And when they saw the Star they rejoyced with exceeding great Joy 12 Ecclesiastes 12.13 5. Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole duty of Man 16 Matthew 8.2 6. And behold there came a Leaper and worshipped him saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean 20 1 Kings 19.9 7. And he came unto a Cave and lodged there 23 Genesis 28.12 8. And he dreamed a Dream and behold a Ladder set upon the Earth and the top of it reached unto Heaven and behold the Angels descending and ascending on it 27 Proverbs 18.14 9. But a wounded Spirit who can bear 33 Matthew 24.38 10. And knew not until the Flood came and took them all away 37 Luke 7.5 11. For he loved our Nation and hath built us a Synagogue 40 John 20.11 12. But Mary stood without at the Sepulchre weeping and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the Sepulchre 44 Ecclesiastes 12.1 13. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth 47 Luke 18.11 14. The Pharisee stood up and pray'd God I thank thee I am not as other men are 50 Matthew 16.26 15. For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul 53 Canticles 2.1 16. I am the Rose of Sharon and the Lilly of the Vallies 57  A Copy of Verses to the Right Honorable the Lord Chief Justice Raynsford  An Elogy on the Death of Edmund Lenthal Esq FINIS
to find Something above the world therefore how vain Are worldlings which so foolishly take pain Making their chief enquiries but for dross Vexatious vanities subject to loss Without a holy care this Lawyer wise Makes right enquiry and demands advice Of the best councel T'whom he doth resort Ev'n him that best can answer and report Some Some there are that only do enquire After good titles make it their desire 'T is there divinity lead them that way So they grow rich they care not who decay If they cant Rant and swagger cheat and prate They 'l sell eternity at any rate So sadly doe our vices drown religion That to enquire of heaven is held derision There 's no such airy questions in their books It 's trivial of no worth 't will spoil their looks And marr their pleading yea their gain that 's chief Have no such memorandum in their brief Stop then vain Man consider with thy self Why dost thou covet to grasp so much pelf It 's not the flattering title of a name Guilded with massey Gold can keep thy shame From the Almighty's eyes so full of light That do observe thy pleadings wrong or right Plead like the Lawyer here for a possession It 's suitable to every Mans profession To plead for Heaven The client must not leave That suit unfollowed least he doth deceive His Heaven born soul for they must both appear Before one bar in trembling and in fear There 's no delay when cal'd no writ can move Our day of hearing 's fixt in Heaven above Lord let us with delight approach to thee Which art chief counsel in extremity And not reflect on parts demurs of wit But eye that Throne whereon indeed doth sit The Judge of all the Earth from whose clear sight No flesh can hide it self Let our delight Be to enquire thy waies which chiefly tend To that true glory ne'r shall have an end The Lawyers most importunate request Let it with zeal ev'n always warm our breast And stir up in our hearts a holy strife To get assurance of eternal life John 11.36 Jesus Wept STop O my soul and here behold and see Thy Saviour sweet in his humanity His passions did prevail he could not keep His eyes of mercy dry but soare did weep For Lazarus and in him for us all That wrapt are and involv'd in sin and thrall Oh who can hear this and yet have the power To hold his eyes from streaming out a shower Of tears what frozen heart can choose but melt Into a flood of teares if they e'r felt A touch of conscience for those sins of theirs And yet will not accompany his tears Behold we see the marble hearted Jew Censuring his grief with malice to pursue Their envious taunts corruption of their mind And jearing said can't he that cur'd the blind Keep Lazarus alive do not deride It was that God and Christ be glorified And clearly did determine that vain strife I am the Resurrection and the life No wonder if they did refuse to be Mourners which acted such a villany And had such small compassion on his grief That were become his Murderers in chief And op'd that fountain stream of his dear blood Which gushed out like water from a flood Which still lies op where we may have access To him by faith and truth and holiness And yet how many are there that do bear Thy title and boldly pretend to wear The livery of thy name but do refuse The characters of thy Cross and still are Jews How coldly sure are they stand thus affected That are not touched with grief nor yet dejected For his harsh sufferings at his latest breath Which seems to be forgetful of his death How richly are good Mary's tears requited Which wash't her Saviours feet which she delighted Her eyes were moving bathes still running over To see his brim full drops that did discover His love divine which nothing could remove To shew his power his mercy and his love Whom Martha did diswade for want of faith Lazarus come forth our blessed Saviour faith Had Lazarus but known what a rich prize He was esteem'd in the Almighty's Eyes He would have dy'd and not repented To be thus buried and so much lamented Have such a mourner wait upon his pall Which is the Almighty Saviour of us all Divinest Saviour thou didst weep for those That could not weep nor yet fully disclose Their vile affections it was sin that kept Them prisoners to their lusts their sences slept Thou pourest out thy tears thy life and blood And shall we not pour ours even in a flood That fully should speak out unfained sorrow For sin and not defer it till the morrow But we 're so plung'd in sin and many feares That we cannot accompany thy tears It is to sad a walk for flesh and blood Unless thy spirit lead us to what is good Shew us thy purer ways least we intrude And give us hearts of pious gratitude That we may glorifie thy name with praise For our redemption and that all our days May be a thanks giving not to say we slept Remembring always that our Jesus wept Matth. 6.33 But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you c. OUr blest Redeemer doth continue here His precepts teaching Gospel course to steere Contained in his Sermon on the Mount A heavenly subject worthy our account But we poor wealkings an how frail are we That 's last in thought which ought the first to be Our duller parts are now so dead and numb All clog'd with earthly cares our tongues are dumb To make enquiry after thy purer ways Which should express our duty and thy praise Such loyterers are we Heav'n ward that we make Small speed and have more mind and care to take Our carnal considerations with us so That we cannot effectually let go Our thoughts from sins but cause our Maker stay Our leisure oh the wretched sad delay Of sinful flesh that studies to provide Superfluous things for to abett our pride Mean while our better parts lie to th' view Of Heavens great Eye with whom we have to do Such strangers are we to our souls concern That wee indeed don 't in the least discern Thy love and favor to us whence we miss These joyes above ev'n Heavens eternall bliss We gaze no higher than the Lower sphear Rowling in meer morality whilst there As though we had nothing beyond our breath To look for when wee 'r snatcht away by death What thoughts ambitious do we ever carry For terrene Joyes how little for Gods glory Vain Jolities and worldly pleasures swallow The thoughts of Heaven not suffering us to follow Gods heavenly Preceps we do sadly lie Dead in our thoughts of immortality Vain man what is' t that thou dost sacrifice Thy idle thoughts unto or wherein lies Thy chief felicity The pagans can Fancy a bliss amongst the shades vain Man And
cannot stay They have no business that doth tend that way Such cunning slights they often do relate Let them have care they meet not with such fate And then their cruelty may be required And their harsh dealings in which they delighted He 's the divine Hermit that can gainsay His carnal motions and nobly obey His virtue which will quickly mount him high If he pursue the arts of Charity And not so slight the poor suffering Man But add unto his comfort all he can And make him musick with his Christian love Which will intitle him to the joyes above These are such graces in which God delight It Will have good acceptance in his sight If I am in a Cave Lord let me be Refreshed and comforted alone in thee Thy mercies doth refresh me every morn Though by my friends I have been held in scorn Thou hast given support to me from hands unknown And many mercies unto me have shown Give me a thankful heart in my distress That I may follow thee in the wilderness Oh let me worship with a reverence due To thy great love whose voice did thrice subdue Thy murtherers oh teach me to submit My self to what thy wisedom shall think fit Teach me all humility to make A prison comfortable and therein take My whole delight in thee and of thy ways And sing forth Halelujahs to thy praise With Paul and Siloas let me sweetly sing The praise and glory of my God and King O let not griefs confound me in this loss But bear with patience this so heavy Cross Which would sink frail flesh and blood did not thy hand Support my weak and feeble soul to stand First to my confidence alone in thee Which hath appeared a Loving God to me Which truly is my hope and help to save Which did relieve the Prophet in a cave Wherein he lodged and did take quiet rest And was in thy preserving power blest That I may do so Lord grant me thy spirit To give due praises then I shall inherit Eternal mansions thou my soul wilt save And raise me from a Prison or a Cave Into eternal bliss the highest sphear ' Mongst Saints and Angels to be lodged there Genesis 28.12 And he dreamed a Dream and behold a Ladder set upon the Earth and the top of it reached unto Heaven and behold the Angels descending and ascending on it DId Isaac call surely he did no less And with a holy zeal his Son to bless And give him charge how to demean his life Forbidding Canan's Daughters for a Wife He bids him rise and go unto none other But unto Laban his own Mothers Brother At Padan-aram withour any stay And God Almighty bless thee in the way And multiply thy seed that thou mayst be A mighty Nation next posterity May inherit the blessed promise in good deed Which was made unto Abraham and his seed Jacob obeys and travels all the day Until the Sun declin'd he made no stay Then laid he down his weary bones to rest Stones were his pillow where his sleep was blest He dreamt and behold a ladder there was set Where Angels did descend ascend on it No sooner had good Jacob's soul tak'n rest His contented humility was blest With an heavenly vision which salutes his sence That blest obedience that brought him thence Was ravisht with an object that did prove A blessed guide unto the Heavens above Where these blest spirits so enricht his sence With a sweet and harmonious influence These divine Travellers not contending But orderly ascending and descending Oh happy solitude that thus doth meet A heavenly company so rich and sweet A blessed interview that did requite The hardness of his lodging with delight In such an object did his soul take rest And with such dreams was his stir'd fancy blest That the Lord of all the Earth should not dispence To make good his fore promis'd providence By Angels which did gradually ascend Up to that Heaven which never shall have end When I behold the posture of this sleeper Whom Angels had the charge of as his keeper And his hard lodging which gave him delight He had eternal glory in his sight I cannot choose but wonder in derision At them that lasily expect a vision Upon their beds of down when most at leisure Expecting apparitions in their pleasure Their spirits would grow sick of some disease If visions should disturb or move their ease They quickly would catch cold and loath to say At midnight I 'le arise my vows to pay 'T was holy Davids zeal he did not slumber Being fully awak'd his sins did cumber His new refined soul Took much delight In humility to prostitute in the sight Of his offended God did oft confess How much he sinned ' gainst his holiness With many a sorrowful plaint and piercing fears He often washt his couch in penitent Tears God drops not miraclesin the wantons lap Nor communicate grace by chance or hap But confers his rich glories chiefly to those That study virtue and are vices foes And are cast down in trembling sorrows deep Are comforted with visions in their sleep John must be an exile and brought low to pine Before he be enabled a divine And confer with Angels in a holy trance Before his humane learning can advance And make him a fit Harbinger for Heaven Such gifts are not attain'd but divinely given By the wise disposer of all events Which turneth sufferings to their hearts contents This Holy Mans obedience made him leave All carnal thoughtsbehind him least it bewreave Him of the blest fruition of that bliss Prepared for him in true happiness His prayers and meditations only keep Him company it caused an happy sleep So pleasant that he for ever disclaim'd All converse with the world and it disdain'd All secular interests he did entertain More noble thoughts which prov'd his richer gain And made him an happy instrument of glory As 't is recorded in the sacred story Jacob had only a rich Canopie The azure spangled Curtains of the skie His lights the lamps of Heaven O safe and blest Where Angels did protect and guard his rest Ever in motion with their care defending In a holy zeal ascending and descending Oh how securely doth he ever rest That leans on providence and is not prest With worldly cares but joyfully doth make Providence his guard and therein chiefly take His sole felicity he cannot miscarry If divine thoughts become his sanctuary Nor need he fear disturbance in his sleep Where God and Angels do him safely keep Yea his very dreams will chear his soul with joy No dangers nor assaults can him annoy Good Jacob having no sooner clos'd his eyes But by an inspir'd fancy he espies These holy Porters with endeared love Inviting him unto the Heavens above Presenting him a ladder whereby he sees There is no leaping there but by degrees VVe must carefully climb Heaven that Throne is high By gradual steps of faith and charity Every virtue
transgression Against thy sacred name let me implore Thy heavenly grace to help me oh restore To me an humble heart that may submit To what thy knowing wisedom shall think fit For me poor mortal who am weak and frail VVhose only hopes in Christ is to prevail Lord wash me in his blood then shall I be Though black by nature yet made white by thee And though I am in Prison cast full low Raise me again good God and now bestow Thy abundant graces let thy will be done I am resolv'd thy will to wait upon Until my change shall come do not delay That happy hour that I may see the day VVhen thou by death wi lt perfectly restore me Lord let a prisoners sighes now come before thee Psalm 86.17 Shew some good token upon me for good that they which hate me may see it and be ashamed because thou Lord hast holpen me and comforted me Phillippians Chap. 4. v. 12. I know how to abound and how to suffer need c. DIvinest Saint there 's few on Earth but thee Have learnt contentment a felicity Beyond all Arts th'Apostle only can Approve himself the best contented Man A Lesson which the World hath long forgot To set in practice Men affect it not This is a thing unpleasing to their tast Therefore in sad repining time they wast Were Heavens delightful Paths beset with pleasures For Sence to revel in our chiefest Treasures Would there be plac'd our sensual hearts would be Too full of Joy in Earths felicity Were there no rubs nor stops to make us faint Who would not be a Convert and a Saint The Crown of Glory it would truly be As the sweet Garlands of Eternity But he that enters Heavenly bliss must wear A Crown of Thornes e're he attain that Sphear Fond Worldlings are so vainly stufft with Pride That a Holy meekness can not abide Unless it carry pleasing Pomp aloft Religious Meekness it is seldom lâ—â—â— Preaching of Patience it doth Clearly Show There are sublime enjoyments which we owe Due reverence to and yet we will not learn This holy Lesson fully to discern Our vain repinings at the Almighties ways Who can cast down and in a moment raise Our better fortunes But th'Apostle here Hath nobly learnt for to Sustain and bear His pinching wants sans Murmurings or grudge At his Corrections that 's a righteous Judge He that hath bid us seek the heavenly glory Tells us that earthly things are transitory And after this vain Heathens they do walk And shall we Christians like the Heathens talk And have no higher prospect than this world For which the Angels from the heavens were hurl'd Shall we lye groveling in this lower Sphear Rowling our selves in Carnal pleasures here Making morality our only bliss And have no other thoughts of Heaven than this Was it for this that the Eternal Lord Bow'd the high Heavens and came with free accord Leaving his Throne to bring us unto glory Then let us cease from things so Transitory And raise our souls unto sublimer Joys For terrene pleasures are but foolish Toys Vain is that Man which foolishly doth wrap His chief felicity in natures Lap And all the dull enjoyments of his Sence With care and vehement Toyle to fetch it thence Tell me then man That doest in pleasures swim And hast the Cup with joy fil'd to the brim Hast thou forgot thy God thy Guide thy Maker Be not so stupid least thou be partaker Of endless Torments should the Luminaries Loose their bright Lusters that but seldom varies And put on purple Robes that Direful sight Of bleeding planets would thy soul affright Or if the air were turn'd into a stream Of blood by that most powerful hand Supream Or could thy deafned ear but hear the blast Of the last direful Trump what speedy hast wouldst thou then make be most fully bent To check thy Fancy posting to repent Such things prodigious greatly would affright The Bold'st prophaner that took delight In actions Sacrilegeous wicked ways The memorie then of former sinful days Will fill the inner man with dismal fright And make the Sinner restless day and night Oh man remember this 'T is truth alass The enjoyments of the world are poor and pass Away like empty aire there 's no fruition But Dives like we make a sad petition So doth the vain voluptuous worldling laugh At pure religion and do vainly quaff Scorning the poor oppressed Suffering Man And shew him all the envious spight they can As though a pious life could not enjoy Some tides of pleasure but have still annoy His sight 's bemisted he can't yet descry The expected hopes of blest eternity He thinks himself Secure and free from strife And knowes no Joyes but in this present life Did we but know these rich rewards will fall On the religious poor to crown them all What happiness attendeth on the Motion Of suffering Saints in their most pure devotion 'T would make us triumph in our low estate And be in love with hardship at this rate Imbracing poverty with a holy zeal To enjoy that bliss which we cannot reveal 'T would comfort in our very low estate When suffering by the cruel hand of fate From Men enrag'd but we are still to learn The Apostles rule to wait till the return Which crowns with bliss the patient waiting Soul That still expects in faith without controul And yet how hardly do we grief endure When smallest troubles do our souls inure With so much passion that we hardly can Bear the least brunt of Scorne so vain is man So sensless are we of Gods greatest power Forgetful wretches that even every hour We censure and accuse thy providence Like faithless persons scarce enricht with sence Lord ope our eyes and make us plainly See The worlds vain shews Mans insufficiency That empty air the pleasures here below Grant these Joyes that from thy presence flow To these good Lord let our hearts still stand bent So shall we evermore have full content Job 2.10 In all this did not Job Sin with his Lips WAs Job a statue was his noble heart Impenetrable could not Sorrows Smart Move his so fixed Soul nor yet Hells hate His so Strong bulwark conscience penetrate Behold him then mirror of patience Whom all the Legions could not fright him thence Nay he could breath divinity in groans Make sighs his Musick and in sacred tones Turn sorrows into Sermons and his pains To pious Lectures improving for gains Even saddest sufferings and did never vent The least invective from foul discontent How wondrous is that soul that is so fixt Valiant in conflict and indeed not mixt With base repinings but can bear his Cross And triumph in it without sence of loss By suffering much humility hath taught Job patience which with greatest care he sought So nobly that it doth adorn his parts And makes them lovely ev'n beyond all arts Like the Philosophers stone that with each touch Turns all to gold and
wandring sinners at what time You shall repent indeed and humbly mourn I 'le meet you if with faith you do return And he whose piety hath any taste Of heavenly Joyes will never vainly waste His precious time nor no more fondly range But long and be ambitious of his change Lord it was thy Almighty power did save Good Lazarm being carried to his grave Return'd him Living 'T was thy love divine That made thy Almightiness so far to shine And made thee to discover that great power Which can raise mortals every day and hour Oh let thy grace concur in me to raise And to reform my soul that all my days I may improve endeavors to fulfill Thy pious precepts and perform thy will Which bind my conscience dear Christ do this rather By that dear love which drew thee from thy father To save lost Man let th'Scepter of thy word Have influence on me that may afford All spiritual comfort which may ne're depart From me but live for ever in my heart That I may live a Life of Joy and bliss ' Mongst the blest Saints in perfect happiness Where nothing else but Sin can shut me out Lord grant thy mercy then I shall not doubt Genesis 2.8 And the Lord God Planted a Garden Eastward in Eden WAS God a Planter Did he thus take pain So early for us with some hopes to gain Our Souls Immortal how hath poor vain Man Fancy'd some other place tell me who can Where was the Garden plac'd Leave thy vain quest It was in Eden Eastward be at rest See how ambitious Mortals here are tost With nice enquiries since Old Adam lost That there was such a place we need not doubt it Our Parents sin'd and therefore went without it So quickly doth our sin blast our enjoyment Man walk'd and view'd and lost it in a moment Was suddenly expell'd the rising Sun But newly warm'd the Earth Mans Joyes were done This Ball was withered into a dry complection And Man deprest to servile base subjection The Heavens scarce seated well in their right Orb By Pride the Angels fell that did disturb The frame Divine and the base Serpents breath Cast out contagion over all the Earth In that sweet Paradise epitomiz'd For its rare fragrancy was Man surpriz'd Shut out excluded from those purer smells Of new created flowers took his farewells Thus man being stript of his most glorious prize By that foul friend the father of all lies He takes the fig-tree for his last retreat His leaves for cloathing and his fruit for meat How perfectly hath Adams issue spent Their vain desires and their affections bent On fond felicities and gainless Toyes Selling Heavens Paradise and all its Joys Covetous man doats on his god of gold As though there were no other to behold Counts his chief happiness is only there Though stampt in hell it self and if it were The Image of the beast it will not deter Man from it But he 'l be competitor With Prince of darkness for some glorious Toy Of Terrene pomp slighting his chiefest Joy Makes wantonness his heaven and carnal pleasures His chief divinity wanting right measures In this his choice But he will quickly find These upstart lights but darkness to his mind Sent by the King of darkness in derision To cast affronts and puzzle our religion Ecclipse the Gospel by their vain pretences To bleer our eyes and to benight our sences When they pretend to cloath us with more skill They strip us of our cloathing at their will They'd shut us out of heaven I 'd rather bee For ever blind than by their balme to see Of Satans making nor yet be partaker Of such a lesson to distrust my Maker So miserably are we by frailties tost Not only Paradise but Heaven is lost We loofe not only pleasures here below But joys divine which thou wilt sure bestow On us poor Mortals he that then was chief Monarch of the whole world doth now with grief Groan under his great burden and doth flie Amongst the shades in sad obscurity We might ev'n all have bin for ever cast Out of Gods sight but he that 's first and last Breathed a new life into our ' clipsed state By his prevailing merits and he sate A mediator for our bould transgression Lord grant in mercy wee may have possession Of Heaven and heavenly Joys disdain the Dross Of pleasures and indeed may fear the loss Of our poor souls that when we do expire We may be carried to the heav'nly Quire Into that paradise that never fades To sit for ever in celestial shades Luke 10.25 And behold a certain Lawyer stood up and tempted him saying Master what shall I do to Inherit Eternal Life BEhold Christ's mission he doth freely send His chosen seventy for this blessed end To preach the Gospel and he doth admonish Them to have humble hearts and not astonish His zealous ones that do desire to learn The mysteries of faith and would discern The way unto salvation by such guide Not following the over active pride Of fond Enthusiasts and their bold intent That skip so fast and run before they 'r sent No God 's the God of order law and right As the lawyer here observes at the first sight His faith was quick ingenious bold and rife VVhat shall I do to attain eternal life T' was the best query that ever he made It gain'd him more than all his pleading trade Could ever get him he was bid to look Into the law for fear that he mistook T' was no disgrace to follow such a suit As did concern his soul had he bin mute Then he had mist the time for to enquire The way to bliss which was his chief desire This was the highest cause he'ere could plead T' was for him self Gods spirit did him lead To make that happy question in such sort For he had never read of a report Given in this case no not in all his reading Of judged cases 't was not his learned breeding Philosophy indeed doth reach no higher Than moral virtue it doth not inspire The spirit of grace 't is that which works by love That doth acquaint us with the joyes above T' was this inspir'd our Lawyer to this task To run to Christ and him so boldly ask 'T was now high time indeed for him to run To move this question or hee 'd been undone For he had bin retain'd too long to plead In others causes leaving his own in dread He almost had forgot his better part I mean his soul which prickt him to the heart And it did all his vital senses seize Which made him strongly plead for writ of ease How natural are enquiries after bliss Even pagans study it darkly and amiss The joyes they fancy Paradise will yield Are meer Chimera's their Elysian field Of carnal pleasures fill'd are thought to be Which they affect as their felicity But it s the genuin sense of a good mind Full fraught with virtue carefully
did thus inspire Her more diviner soul that did prepare Her funeral and friends with love and care Her earthly part she did as sleep lay down Her temporal for a Celestial Crown So that henceforth it truly may be said She is transplanted rather than decayed Meditations written by William Williams Gentleman Prisoner in the Kings Bench Anno 1676. And in the sixty third year of his age Numbers 27.16 17. Let the Lord the God of the spirits of all flesh set a Man over the congregation Which may go out before them and which may go in before them and which may lead them out and which may bring them in that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shepherd DId God command good Moses to ascend The Abarim mount unto that very end To see the promised Land did he not express How that he sinned in the wilderness At Meribab was he denied possession Of Canan's land for this his his foul trangression The which he shall no sooner see but die Yet ceas'd he not unto the Lord to cry Let God the Lord of spirits continue on A shepherd to the congregation Did not the Lord soon grant to his request Behold take Joshua my spirit 's in his brest But lay thine hands upon him give him charge In presence of the people not at large Set him before Eleazar the chief priest He hath the Urim and Thummim thou seest Let all go in and out at his sole word Yea all the congregation of the Lord. Moses obeys sets Joshua in their sight Lays on his hands with reverence and might Behold this mission did the Lord want power To send out Joshuah at that very hour Needed he the help of Moses to compleat A holy priesthood to succeed his feat Needed he the hands of Moses to confirm The blessed orders and decrees of Heaven No 't was his wisedom to make all to know That God's the God of order to which we owe All possible obedience with submission To his blest precepts taking a commission And run not on in a furious presumption Scorning all order and the holy unction Did not this tipe in Meses represent Christ's mission to his holy Government Of his succeeding Church T' adorn the Station VVhen Christ bids go and preach to every Nation His Apostles boldly went and not till then They were not made the blest fishers of Men. Then stop thou bold Intruder Learn and heark VVas not Uzzah struck for touching the Ark VVithout a Call Let his Example learn The meekness that thou may'st truly discern The way of order continued in all ages And is from thence descended to the sages And Governors of the Church it doth preserve A holy Ministry faithfully to serve As Ministring spirits truly to represent Our dayly wants and help us to repent And bewail the times never be at rest Still praying to send laborers in the harvest No prayers so needful in this presumptuous age When persons run like players on a stage Venting their fancies their vain shapes and guise Their fond delusions which amuse the wise Who would not labor and devoutly pray To be freed from these blind leaders astray Which proudly prattle of their gifts and vaunt Their inward calls I compassionate their want Of sober meekness by which they may be Instructed in the rules of Modesty Who can be hold this Garden become a field For beasts to revel in and their hearts not yield Compassionate tears to see foxes pray On silly lambs and bear their souls away To wild and strange delusions by their prate And bold assertions do insinuate How vainly do they thus pretend new light When they do strip their mother of her right And cry up the rash fancies of their brain Beyond the decent holy gospel strain Can there be want of Laborers in this rout No no there are too many go about To lead away souls by their vain delusion Thinking it zeal to bring in such confusion Where sheep become shepherds their brains are sickle Presumptuously handling the Gospels sickle Yea he that can but talk in a Gospel phrase Doth think himself inspir'd but doth not pause On the hid mysteries contain'd therein But vomits forth his ignorance and sin And climbs a pulpit in some publick heard And there to vent his folly is not affear'd He that doth love his Saviour will delight To honor his spouse the Church and in her right Lay out his interest firmly to maintain Her reverence and esteem is all his aim And triumph in the felicity of her health And beg the perpetuity of her wealth In whose arms alone he can be mounted high Into the Throne of blest eternity He deserveth not to be sharer in bliss That eternal harvest of true happiness That will not labor and devoutly pray To send forth Laborers in that needful day And shepherds that most faithfully will feed Their flocks and keep them in the time of need And save them from those wolves that would devour Their harmless lambs if gotten in their power Oh Lord who can behold this bleeding spouse And not shed tears and ev'n with fervor rouze His very soul in contemplation Of this afflicted Church and Nation Shee that not long since was but little less Than a Princess amongst the provinces Is become a widow weeps sore all night And is bereav'd of comfort and her right Her lovers have forsaken her in such sort That many flout few yield her true comfort She once was worthy the kisses of his love That priz'd her highly as a Queen above And at her glory did no whit repine But magnified her love better than wine But now she 's black but comely to the view Of Heaven though her locks are werted with the diew Yet is continued that sweeter breath Tell me O thou who my soul so loveth Where thou feedest and sets thy flocks to rest Besides the shepherds Tents they are safe and blest Such a sweet dialogue the Church once had Though now grown pale with grief heavy and sad Yet is she still belov'd though in mourning dress The time will come to cast of heavyness Oh! let the accustomed mercies of thy love Protect thy Church from rapine and remove Those Boars and Foxes that strive to devour Thy vine Oh keep it by thy Almighty power From envious storms for thou hast plac't it high Where all may see it and with hearts apply Oh! le ts approach to it not turn'd away By such blind guides that vainly go astray Let ne're thy sacred Oracles want power Nor priest to lead us in our latest hour Nor let the gladsome tidings of our peace Be turn'd to silence Oh! let it never cease Thy holy Ministry but O Lord supply Their defects pardon the wild vanity And ignorant phantastick zeal of those That thus abuse thy Church and are thy foes Give them true light thy mercies quite dispel That darkness which will lead them down to Hell Let us rejoyce in the Mercies
azure spangled Heaven which we do see Where the magazin of Stars so fixed be Which stocks the world with light it s but a vail Or curtain drawn to keep our sences frail From over prying into th' almighties Throne Where only is felicity alone Which no eye ever saw nor yet shall see The hidden glories of eternity Tombs are but wardrops or Chambers of death Hung'd with their winding sheets beneath the Earth Where we shall all after this life be laid Till to our fathers we be gathered If that same heavenly glimps which did appear Upon the mount did the disciples chear Which made them wish that they might there strait raise Three Tabernacles to eternal praise And there abide Oh if that beauty then Reveal'd from Heaven unto these blessed Men Was so Transcendent how will th' enjoyment be Oh ravish us with desires that we may see Where Christ is gone before 't was the Martyrs Joy Amid their tortures valued as a toy Though their limbs were broken and mangled Yet they were sure their hairs were numbred If Peters shadow had that healing power To cure the sick which applied to him each hour How powerful is that shining glory then Which doth such wonders for the Sons of Men. Let no one doubt nor be at any strife If once his name be in the book of life Though his earthly Tabernacle be laid down Yet he shall have an everlasting Crown Of endless glory beyond expression far And shine in Heaven like a glorious Star Who is it would not slight and disregard The vanities of this life for such reward And welcome poverty with all its chains And triumph in the assurance of such gains As that nobly divine transcendent love That is prepared in the Heavens above Where there 's assurance for to live for ever And sweetly rest in the bosom of the father Thou didst create us Lord for to serve thee But by our frailties we 'r become to be For ever lost But thou of thy great love Didst restore us to true joyes above Oh fill us with meditations of thy praise Which may elevate our spirits all our days That we may walk in some measure divine That by a holy practice we may shine As Stars in the lower orb and express that light We have by faith received by thy might And power divine Oh let our hearts be ever Filled with praises and be silent never And still express our thanks and not have done Until we shine in brightness like the Sun And from a holy walking never sever But shine as Stars for ever and for ever Matthew 2.10 And when they saw the Star they Rejoyced with exceeding great Joy I 'm still surpriz'd with wonder at the love Of our offended God that from above Should shew his Star to wise men of the Fast Which welcom'd such an object did not rest But gave it reverence with an holy fear They well knowing the motions of the sphear That blessed object that unwanted Star Which they did with much joy behold from far And there was kindled in them a desire To post unto Jerusalem to enquire Where 's he that is born King we 've seen his Star To worship him with joy are come from far Herod seem'd troubled at such sudden news And all the congregation of the Jews On went these Men the Star being still their guide It rested where the blessed Babe was laid There they rejoyce no frights did them annoy Seeing the Star they had exceeding joy Rouse then my soul in a holy contemplation Of this bright Star whose radiant beams and motion Did quickly spread it self Judea over It s powerful influence did soon discover Divine effects that it did fully tend To be a tipe of mercy to the end To save lost Man oh beauteous Star of light The effects whereof will keep us from that night Of utter darkness in which we all lay hid And by it's mercy shall be glorifi'd Had the ancients known this Star't would raise their sence And enrich their genius with due reverence This sparkling splendor did surely outshine The knowledge of that age it was divine T' was such a lustre That it did adorn The orb beyond the glory of the morn That powerful luminary that directeth time That blessed morning Star shin'd more divine And prov'd a happy guide them safe to bring With holy offerings unto Christ their King And in a joynt harmony with one voice They having seen the Star did much rejoyce See how these pagans footed it what pain They took in travel for that happy gain And blest fruition of that gâ—orious fight Though poor is full of Majesty and might They nimbly walk from the remotest parts In pure devotion and with chearful hearts When some that boldly do profess thy name Will scarce come forth their chamber O! the shame Of such besotted souls as will not rise And prostrate themselves before the eyes Of their offended God though ne're so cheap But snug and snore in sin and fondly heap Crime upon crime not from their vices part Though th' offering small an humble penitent heart But these wise Travellers did freely bring Gold Frankenscence and Myrrhe to Christ the King And made an Inn a Temple there to pay Their tribute O the miserable delay Of pure devotion 'T is their greater shame That stript him of the glory of his name It should exalt all hearts for to rejoyce With adoration and a thankful voice They 'd but one single Star to be their guide But we have many that with active pride Do darken religion and have it in derision Such quaking Comets making an apparition And fiery aspect that will fright away Rather than lead will cause us go astray Into their sottish errors to prevent Le ts keep close to the holy government Which Christ and his Apostles left behind To rectifie the errors of mankind Which if we practice and study aright We need not fear Sathan with all his might Pretended illuminations in religion Eclipseth real light with foul derision And such a nasty Mist doth often gather That in stead of clearing Eyes do blind them rather 'T was a true light by which the wisemen steer'd Which brought them in such triumph that it cheer'd Their hearts with joy that they did see the day Which some do study to forget and lay A load of obliquy on such pretence Not allowing it a day of reverence But let them wallow in their haughty pride It prov'd a blessed day and happy guide To unwearied Travellers but for such as they That sottishly and wildly run a stray And have no Star to guide them but let them wander And fall in their own pitts that thus do slander Thou that hast stockt the world with so much light And enricht it with so many Stars so bright To serve us Mortals 'T was fit thou shouldst take One to thy self thy herald for to make And cause the brightness of that Star surpass All other Stars that now
is a step if by it we climb That ladder will advance us to see him If we tread our vices under and by it show They 'r fixt unto the Earth that is below Where the foot doth rest but we must leave behind Our vain delights the frailties of Mankind And studiously be industrious for such gain As will requite the trouble and the pain Our progress must be constant and not slack A holy pace if that we once look back Into the plain the world will steal our sence From climbing with a religious reverence O Lord how doth this subject meet my case That am cast down into a stony place I mean a place unpleasant ' cause not free But it haâ—h mounted me to come to thee Thou hast shew'd to me a ladder thy blest ways Enliven me O Lord to give thee praise Had I bin rich and had of plenty store I should have scorn'd this ladder as heretofore I thought on pleasures and the worlds vain guise Did too too much affect and bleere these eyes That now look up to thee O let my sight Be clear to see the blest eternal light Thy abundant graces oh thou which truly art The great Physitian which can cure my heart Give me a holy longing and inflame In me a servent zeal to praise thy name If bitter potions be for my souls health Apply them Lord although it purge my wealth There is more true riches in thy love in store Than ever I could lose all times before Thou hast given thou hast taken thy blessed will be done Give me thy mercies in thy only Son To be my ransom I shall be richer then Then e're I was amongst the sons of Men. This casting down will raise me to that Throne Of mercy in whom is my faith alone And I therein rejoyce though thus cast down That thou look'st not on me with angry frown But hast often sent thine Angels to support My feeble state when they to me resort And cherish this frail body 'T is from thee That so much love and bounty comforts me Give me thy grace so far to use thy love With temperate meekness and from me remove All carnal confidence and humbly bend My studies to please him that me defend Thy promises O Lord do never fail And yet how careless are we that are frail Thou shewest us the living way unto thy self Yet we are blinded with the love of pelf Of this deluding world we 're loth to walk Thy pathes yet proudly do we brag and talk Of coming to thee but we are loth to climb That ladder that will mount us to see him That sits upon the Throne O how weak and lame Are our devotions 't is our greater shame To see how nimbly we do thus pursue The perishing delights within our view But make so little progress in that race That thou hast set all ways before our face Oh quicken and make us earnest with holy love To invocate our Christ that sits above To give us of thy spirit that we may move With holy zeal to the Altar of thy love Where the blest Angels do ever attend As ministring spirits that ascend and descend Proverbs 18.14 But a wounded spirit who can bear HEark O my soul consider this wise prince Mark well his Councel and not stir from thence Incline thine ear to wisedom don't delay To mind his pious precepts let it sway VVithin thy heart O let instruction learn Thee to delight and study to discern These many moral virtues which are taught And may by grace be obtain'd if they be sought VVith a holy zeal O let true virtue be Thy chief desire then oyntment it will be Unto thy neck as Bracelets to thine arm If thou these precepts keep 't will keep from harm Therefore so value them as a rich price And observe how fully it correcteth vice And helpeth much mans spirits to chear But alas a wounded spirit who can bear VVhere shall I find a temper can endure Such stings of conscience of the sad pressure Beyond belief which rageth and is mad At every gripe and pain the soul is sad The very Earth trembles and can't sustain It self it groans and travels with its pain To be delivered the Ambitious Angels fell And through their foul despair do roar in hell How dolorous is despair that wound is deep VVhere mercy is shut out and Devils do keep The festerd wound a bleeding without sence Oh the Horror of a wounded conscience It so afflicts and startles all the parts VVith the terrors of the pains rais'd by such arts Yea all the tortures which the Martyrs felt VVere flea-bites to those pains raised by this guilt Tortures of cruelst shape would well become Be easy sufferings a pleasing Martyrdom Compared unto those never dying pains Those living deaths those tortures and those Chains That so strongly hold the sences Captive in Satans foul bands the reward of their sin VVhat can there be compar'd not all our sence Can paralel a wounded conscience The shreiks of oyls which add blackness to the night Offends the ears yea dying groans that fright And fill our souls with sadness at such cries As conscience makes it even rends the skies With the screetches of those pains their conscience utter It beats within and horrid pains they suffer Despair so rageth with a furious voice That it distempers all with its hideous noise It descants it writes Satyrs against it self Sad dying elogies alas poor Elfe VVhat fatal Ideas dost thou thus shape VVithin thy fancy what a tone dost make Surrounded with all the tortures black grief Can add oh 't is so far beyond belief To express that suffering in a perfect sence Oh the terrors of a wounded conscience Did David walk on mourning all the day And night his prickt conscience to allay Did not his eyes run over with his tears These weeping springs rais'd by his many fears He breaths nought but such sad trembling accents As ariseth from his souls sad discontents Despairing Ecchoes thinking it too late He sighes he moans and thus he expostulates Dear God is thy Mercy shut up for ever Shall my poor soul enjoy it never That attribute of thy Mercy and thy love VVhich thou hast treasur'd in the Heavens above Oh shut not up from me that humbly crave But grant thy pardoning mercy Lord to save My afflicted soul I hope thou wilt not be A God of love to all and none to me Let any other torment fright me hence Than the terrors of a guilty conscience Let me for ever dwell in dungeons deep Or such a cell as light durst not to peep In some forsaken vault or dismal place So as I may enjoy thy glorious face Let all the poverty that can attend A wretched man yet if thy Love thou send And cover my naked soul that is thus storm'd All Leprous with sin and much deform'd VVith the terrors of thy Judgments which may take Vengeance on me if thou dost once forsake My spotred