Proposition in the understanding before there is any misapplication in the will and 't is through the swimming of the head that the feet slip and lose their station And yet the sinner is no way excusable for this his deception because 't is the ignorance of that which he habitually knows and he might have attended better and 't was his fault that he did not 9. And 't is the recovering and awaking up into this Conviction that is the Principle of Repentance and reformation of life When a man by the aid of grace and the use of due attention resumes his interrupted Judgment of Sins being the greatest evil he then comes again to himself forms new resolutions never to commit it and returns to the wisdom of the just So great reason had the Psalmist to pray O grant me understanding and I shall live THE PRAYER O My God who art pure light and in whom there is no darkness at all who art pure Love and hatest nothing but sin and hatest that infinitely give me an heart after thine own heart that I may also abhor it without measure and without end Open thou mine eyes that I may see those two wondrous things of thy Law the Beauty of Holiness and the deformity of sin Inspire me with that Charity which seeketh not her own that I may ever propose and follow that great and excellent end which thou proposest that I may ever adhere to that which is simply and absolutely best and never for any self-advantage disturb the order of thy Creation O let me never so far abuse those facultys thou hast given me as to thwart the designs of thy goodness and wisdom and to interrupt that Harmony wherein thou so delightest But let all my designs be generous unselvish and sincere so as chiefly to rejoyce at the good of thy Creation at whose very material Beauty the Morning Stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy Holy Father 't is thy will that this thy great Family should be prosperous and happy and the better part of it thy Angels strictly conform to it O let this thy will be done here on Earth as it is in Heaven and grant that every member of this great Body may so study the good of the whole that thou may'st once more review the works of thy hands and with a Fatherly complacency pronounce them good Grant this for the sake of him who gave his life for the Happiness of the world thy Son Jesus Amen II. GIve me wisdom that sitteth by thy throne and reject me not from among thy children That wisdom which was with thee from the Beginning which knoweth all thy works and was present when thou madest the world and knew what was acceptable in thy sight and right in thy Commandments O send her out of thy holy Heavens and from the throne of thy glory that being present she may labour with me that I may know and thoroughly consider what an evil it is to affront thy Authority to break through the bounds which thou hast set to rebel against the most excellent and divine part of my nature and to oppose that which thou lov'st and which is of all things the most lovely O let thy wisdom dwell with me let my loins be always girt and this my Light always burning that I may never be deceiv'd through the deceitfulness of sin nor seek death in the errour of my life Thy words have I hid within my heart that I might not sin against thee O grant me understanding and I shall live Keep I beseech thee this conviction still fresh and fully awake in me that Sin is the greatest of all evils that so the fear of none may ever drive me to do the thing which thy Soul hates Consider and hear me O Lord my God lighten mine eyes that I sleep not in death Amen Amen AN IDEA OF HAPPINESS IN A LETTER to a FRIEND ENQUIRING Wherein the greatest Happiness attainable by Man in this Life does consist Sollicitis vitam consumimus annis Torquemurque metu caecaque cupidine rerum Aeternisque Senes curis dum quaerimus aevum Perdimus nullo votorum fine beati Victuros agimus semper nec vivimus unquam Manilius lib. 4. OXFORD Printed at the THEATER 1687. An Idea of Happiness c. SIR 1. THO you have been pleas'd to assign me the Task of an Angel and in that Respect have warranted me to disobey you yet since a considerable part of that experimental Knowledg which I have of Happiness is owing to the Delight which I take in your vertuous and endearing Friendship I think 't is but reasonable I should endeavour to give you an Idea of that whereof you have given me the Possession 2. You desire to know of me wherein the greatest Happiness attainable by man in this Life does consist And here tho I see my self engaged in a work already too difficult for me yet I find it necessary to enlarge it For since the greatest Happiness or Summum Bonum of this Life is a Species of Happiness in general and since it is call'd Greatest not because absolutely perfect and compleat but inasmuch as it comes nearest to that which indeed is so it will be necessary first to state the Notion of Happiness in General and then to define wherein that Happiness does consist which is perfect and compleat before I can proceed to a Resolution of your Question 3. By Happiness in the most general Sense of the word I understand nothing else but an Enjoyment of any Good. The least Degree of Good has the same Proportion to the least Degree of Happiness as the greatest has to the greatest and consequently as many ways as a man enjoys any Good so many ways he may be said to be happy neither will the Mixture of Evil make him forfeit his Right to this Title unless it either equals the Good he enjoys or exceeds it And then indeed it does but the Reason is because in strictness of Speaking upon the whole Account the man enjoys no Good at all For if the Good and the Evil be equal-balanc'd it must needs be indifferent to that man either to be or not to be there being not the least Grain of good to determine his Choice So that he can no more be said to be happy in that Condition than he could before he was born And much less if the Evil exceeds the Good For then he is not only not happy but absolutely and purely miserable For after an exact Commensuration supposed between the Good and the Evil all that remains over of the Evil is pure and simple Misery which is the Case of the Damn'd And when 't is once come to this whatever some Mens Metaphysics may perswade them I am very well satisfied that 't is better not to be than to be But now on the other side if the Good does never so little out-weigh the Evil that Overplus of Good is as
have done But he to whom as chief was given The whole Militia of Heaven That Mighty He Declines all Guards for his defence But that of his inseparable Innocence And quietly gives up his Liberty He 's seiz'd on by the Military bands With Cords they bind his sacred hands But ah how weak what nothings would they prove Were he not held by stronger ones of Love. VI. Once more my weary'd Muse thy Pinions try And reach the top of Calvary A steep Ascent But most to him who bore The Burthen of a Cross this way before The Cross ascends there 's something in it sure That Moral is and mystical No Heights of Fortune are from thee secure Afflictions sometimes Climb as well as fall Here breath a while and view The dolefull st Picture Sorrow ever drew The Lord of Life Heavens darling Son The Great th' Almighty one With out-stretch'd Arms nail'd to a cursed Tree Crown'd with sharp Thorns cover'd with Infamy He who before So many Miracles had done The Lives of others to restore Does with a greater lose his own Full three long hours his tender body did sustain Most exquisite and poignant pain So long the Sympathizing Sun his light withdrew And wonder'd how the Stars their dying Lord could view VII This strange defect of light Does all the Sages in Astronomy affright With fears of an Eternal Night Th' Intelligences in their Courses stray And Travellers below mistake their way Wondring to be benighted in the midst of Day Each mind is seiz'd with Horror and Despair And more o respread with darkness than the air Fear on t is wondrous all and new 'T is what past Ages never knew Fear on but yet you 'll find The great Eclipse is still behind The lustre of the face Divine Does on the Mighty Sufferer no longer shine God hides his Glories from his sight With a thick Skreen made of Hells grossest night Close-wrought it was and Solid all Compacted and Substantial Impenetrable to the Beatifick light Without Complaint he bore The tortures he endur'd before But now no longer able to contain Under the great Hyperbole of pain He mourns and with a strong Pathetick cry Laments the sad Desertion of the Diety Here stop my Muse stop and admire The Breather of all Life does now expire His Milder Father Summons him away His Breath obediently he does resign Angels to Paradice his Soul convey And Calm the Relicts of his grief with Hymns divine Annotations THis Ode is after the Pindaric way which is the highest and most magnificent kind of writing in Verse and consequently fit only for great and noble Subjects such as are as boundless as its own Numbers The nature of which is to be loose and free and not to keep one settled pace but sometimes like a gentle stream to glide along peaceably within its own Channel and sometimes like an impetuous Torrent to roul on extravagantly and carry all before it Agreeable to that description of Horace Nunc pace delabentis Hetruscum In mare nunc lapides adesos Stirpesque raptas pecus domos Volventis una non sine montium Clamore vicinaeque Sylvae And this may serve to explain the Introduction of the Poem And hatch'd with kindly heat the Vniverse Love in the Gentile Theology is made the most ancient of the Gods and the Sire of all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says Plutarch And it is described by Simmias Rhodius in a pair of Wings which suited well with the Symbolical representation of the Chaos by an Egg which was brooded and hatch'd under these Wings of Love. This whole matter is rarely well and at large express'd by Aristophanes in Avibus The plain and undisguised meaning of it is this That the Creation of the World was the effect of the Divine Love God having no other end in it besides the Communication of his own Happiness As th' Elements are weighty proved When from their Native Station they 're removed This is according to the Aristotelean Hypothesis that the Elements are not heavy in their own places which whether it be true or no I shall not now dispute However it serves for an Illustration which is sufficient for my present purpose He saw the foul Ingratitude of those c. The bitter Ingredients of our Lord's Cup mention'd hitherto were taken from things relating to his own personal concern But this last motive of his Sorrow proceeds wholly on the behalf of others of whose final Impenitence he is suppos'd to have a foresight This I take to be a good and proper insinuation of the excellency of our Blessed Lord's temper his exceeding great Love and Philanthropy when among the other Ingredients of his Passion this is supposed to be one that there would be some who by their own default would receive no benefit from it Vnseal'd to him the Book of Gods decree c. Whether the Angel used these topicks of Consolation or no is a thing as indifferent to my purpose as 't is uncertain In the Scripture it is only said in general that there appear'd an Angel from Heaven strengthning him However these Arguments are such as are probable and pertinent and that 's sufficient In haste for news the heavenly people ran And joy'd to hear the hopeful state of man. It is highly reasonable to believe that those blessed and excellent Spirits who out of their compassionate love and concern for mankind usher'd in the news of our Saviour's Nativity with Anthems of Praise and Thanksgiving and are said likewise to rejoice at the Conversion of a Sinner were also mightily transported with joy when they understood that our Saviour notwithstanding the reluctancy of innocent Nature was at length fully resolv'd to undertake the Price of our Redemption Full three long hours his Tender Body did sustain Most exquisite and poignant pain It is supposed by the Ancient Fathers that the Sufferings which our B. Saviour underwent in his Body were more afflictive to him than the same would have been to another man upon the account of the excellency and quickness of his sense of feeling And this opinion I take to be as reasonable as 't is pious For since according to the Principles of Philosophy the sense of feeling arises from the proportion of the first Qualities it follows that the better the complexion or temperament of any man is the better his Feeling must needs be Now 't is very reasonable to believe that that man who was to be substantially united to the Godhead and who was begotten by the miraculous overshadowings of the holy Spirit should have a Body endow'd with the best Complexion and most noble Harmony of Qualities that could be that so it might be a suitable Organ for his excellent Soul. And if so then it follows that the flesh of our Lord's Body was so soft and render and his feeling so exquisitely quick and sensible as never any man 's was before And consequently the severe usages which he
But when thou' rt driven by too officious gales Be wise and gather in the swelling sails The Discouragement I. WHat wou'd the wise men's Censure be I wonder should they hear me say I was resolv'd to throw my Books away How wou'd some scorn and others pitty me Sure he 's in love 't is for some Charming Eve That he like Adam Paradise does leave This only difference would be Between my great grandsire and me That I my Paradise forgo For want of appetite to know II. 'T is not that Knowledge I despise No you misconstrue my design Or that to Enthusiasm I incline And hope by Inspiration to be wise 'T is not for this I bid my Books adiew No I love Learning full as well as you And have the Arts great Circle run With as much Vigour as the Sun His Zodiac treads till t'other day A thought surprised me in my way III. Thought I for any thing I know What we have stamp'd for science here Does only the Appearance of it wear And will not pass above tho Current here below Perhaps they 've other rules to reason by And what 's Truth here with them 's Absurdity We Truth by a Refracted ray View like the Sun at Ebb of day Whom the gross treacherous Atmosphere Makes where it is not to appear IV. Why then shall I with sweat and pain Digg Mines of disputable oare My labour 's certain so is not my store I may hereafter unlearn all again Why then for Truth do I my spirits wast When after all I may be gull'd at last So when the honest Patriarch thought With seven years labour he had bought His Rachels love by morning light He found the errour of the night V. Oâ— grant some Knowledge dwells below 'T is but for some few years to stay Till I 'm set loose from this dark house of Clay And in an Instant I shall all things know Then shall I learn t' Accumulate Degrees And be at once made Master of all Sciences What need I then great summs lay out And that Estate with care forestall Which when few years are come about Into my hands of Course will fall The 63 Chap. of Isaiah Paraphrased to the 6 Verse A Pindarique Ode I. STrange Scene of glory am I well awake Or is 't my Fancy's wild mistake It cannot be a dream bright beams of light Flow from the Vision 's face and pierce my tender sight No Common Vision this I see Some Marks of more than Human Majesty Who is this mighty Hero who With glorys round his head and terrour in his brow From Bozrah lo he Comes a scarlet die O'respreads his cloaths and does out-vy The Blushes of the Morning Sky Triumphant and Victorious he appears And Honour in his looks and habit wears How strong he treads how stately does he go Pompous and solemn is his pace And full of Majesty as is his face Who is this mighty Hero who 'T is I who to my promise faithful stand I who the Powers of Death Hell and the Grave Have foil'd with this all-conquering hand I who most ready am and mighty too to save II. Why wear'st thou then this scarlet die Say mighty Hero why Why do thy garments look all red Like them that in the winefat tread The wine-press I alone have trod That vast unweildy frame which long did stand Unmov'd and which no mortal force cou'd e're command That ponderous Masse I ply'd alone And with me to assist were none A mighty task it was worthy the Son of God. Angels stood trembling at the dreadful sight Concern'd with what success I should go through The work I undertook to do Inraged I put forth all my might And down the Engine press'd the violent force Disturb'd the universe put nature out of Course The blood gush'd out in streams and checquer'd o're My garments with its deepest gore With Ornamental drops bedeck'd I stood And writ my Victory with my Enemy's Blood. III. The day the Signal day is come When of my Enemys I must vengeance take The day when Death shall have its doom And the Dark Kingdom with its Powers shall shake Fate in her Kalendar mark'd out this day with red She folded down the iron leaf and thus she said This day if ought I can divine be true Shall for a signal Victory Be Celebrated to Posterity Then shall the Prince of light descend And rescue Mortals from th' Infernal Fiend Break through his strongest Forts and all his Host subdue This said she shut the Adamantin Volumn Close And wish'd she might the Crouding years transpose So much she long'd to have the Scene display And see the vast event of this important day And now in midst of the revolving years This great this mighty one appears The faithful Traveller the Sun Has number'd out the days and the set Periods run I lookt and to assist was none My Angelic guards stood trembling by But durst not venture nigh In vain too from my Father did I look For help my Father me forsook Amaz'd I was to see How all deserted me I took my fury for my sole support And with my single arm the Conquest won Loud Acclamations fill'd all Heavens Court The Hymning guards above Strain'd to an higher pitch of Joy and Love The great Iehavah prais'd and his Victorious son The Elevation I. TAke wing my Soul and upwards bend thy flight To thy Originary Fields of Light. Here 's nothing nothing here below That can deserve thy longer stay A secret whisper bids thee go To purer air and beams of native Day Th' ambition of the towring Lark outvy And like him sing as thou dost upward fly II. How all things lessen which my Soul before Did with the groveling Multitude adore Those Pageant Glorys disappear Which charm and dazle mortals eyes How do I in this higher Sphere How do I mortals with their joys despise Pure uncorrupted Element I breathe And pitty their gross Atmosphere beneath III. How vile how sordid here those Trifles shew That please the Tenants of that ball below But ha I 've lost the little sight The Scene 's removed and all I see Is one confused dark mass of night What nothing was now nothing seems to be How calm this Region how serene how clear Sure I some strains of Heavenly music hear IV. On on the task is easy now and light No steams of Earth can here retard thy flight Thou needst not now thy strokes renew 'T is but to spread thy Pinions wide And thou with ease thy seat wilt view Drawn by the Bent of the Ethereal tide 'T is so I find How sweetly on I move Not let by things below and help'd by those above V. But see to what new Region am I come I know it well it is my native home Here led I once a life divine Which did all good no evil know Ah who wou'd such sweet bliss resign For those vain shews which Fools admire below 'T is true but don't of
voices join Their Praise to the Applause divine The Morning stars in Hymns combine And as they sung play'd the jocant Orbs danc't round XIV With this thy Quire divine great God I bring My Eucharistic Offering I cannot here sing more exalted layes But what 's defective now I will supply When I enjoy thy Deity Then may'st thou sleep my Lyre I shall not then thy help require Diviner thoughts will then me fire Than thou tho playd on by an Angels hand canst raise Plato's two Cupids I. THe heart of man's a living Butt At which two different Archers shoot Their Shafts are pointed both with fire Both wound our hearts with hot desire II. In this they differ he that lyes A sacrifice t' his Mistress eyes In pain does live in pain expire And melts and drops before the fire III. But he that flame 's with love divine Does not in th' heat consume but shine H' enjoys the fire that round him lyes Serenely lives serenely dyes IV. So Devils and damned Souls in hell Fry in the fire with which they dwell But Angels suffer not the same Altho their Vehicles be flame V. The heart whose fire 's divine and chast Is like the Bush that did not wast Moses beheld the flame with fear That wasted not for God was there A Wish I. WHatever Blessing you my Life deny Grant me kind Heaven this one thing when I dye I charge thee guardian Spirit hear And as thou lov'st me further this my Prayer II. When I 'm to leave this grosser Sphere and try Death that amazing Curiosity When just about to breathe my last Then when no Mortal joy can strike my tast III. Let me soft melting strains of Music hear Whose Dying sounds may speak Death to my ear Gently the Bands of life unty Till in sweet raptures I dissolve and dye IV. How soft and easy my new Birth will be Help'd on by Music s gentle Midwifery And I who ' midst these charms expire Shall bring a Soul well tuned to Heaven's Quire. To Dr. More Ode I. GO Muse go hasten to the Cell of Fame Thou kow'st her reverend aweful seat It stands hard by your blest retreat Go with a brisk alarm assault her ear Bid her her loudest Trump prepare To sound a more than Human name A name more excellent and great Than she could ever publish yet Tell her she need not stay till Fate shall give A License to his Works and bid them live His Worth now shines through Envys base Alloy 'T will fill her widest Trump and all her Breath employ II. Learning which long like an inchanted Land Did Human force and Art defy And stood the Vertuoso's best Artillery Which nothing mortal could subdue Has yielded to this Hero's Fatal hand By him is conquer'd held and peopled too Like Seas that border on the shore The Muses Suburbs some possession knew But like the deep Abyss their iuner store Lay unpossess'd till seiz'd and own'd by you Truth 's outer Courts were trod before Sacred was her recess that Fate reserv'd for More III. Others in Learning's Chorus bear their part And the great Work distinctly share Thou our great Catholic Professour art All Science is annex'd to thy unerring Chair Some lesser Synods of the Wise The Muses kept in Universitys But never yet till in thy Soul Had they a Councel Oecumenical An Abstract they 'd a mind to see Of all their scatter'd gifts and summ'd them up in thee Thou hast the Arts whole Zodiac run And fathom'st all that here is known Strange restless Curiosity Adam himself came short of thee He tasted of the Fruit thou bear'st away the Tree IV. Whilest to be great the most aspire Or with low Souls to raise their fortunes higher Knowledg the chiefest Treasure of the Blest Knowledg the Wise man's best Request Was made thy choice for this thou hast declin'd A life of noise impertinence and State And what e're else the Muses hate And mad'st it thy one business to inrich thy mind How calm thy life how easy how secure Thou Intellectual Epicure Thou as another Solomon hast try'd All Nature through and nothing to thy Soul deny'd Who can two such examples shew He all things try'd t' enjoy and you all things to know V. By Babel's Curse and our Contracted span Heaven thought to check the swift career of man. And so it prov'd till now our age Is much too short to run so long a Stage And to learn words is such a vast delay That we 're benighted e're we come half way Thou with unusual hast driv'st on And dost even Time it self out-run No hindrance can retard thy Course Thou rid'st the Muses winged horse Thy Stage of Learning ends e're that of Life be done There 's now no work left for thy accomplish'd mind But to Survey thy Conquests and inform mankind The Passion of the Virgin Mother Beholding the Crucifixion of her divine Son. 1. NIgh to the Fatal and yet Soveraign wood Which crouds of wondring Angels did surround Devoutly sad the Holy Mother stood And view'd her Son sympathized with every wound II. Angelic piety in her mournful face Like rays of light through a watry cloud did shine Two mighty Passions in her breast took place And like her Son sh ' appear'd half human half divine III. She saw a blacker and more tragic Scene Than e're the Sun before or then would see In vain did nature draw her dusky Skreen She saw and wept and felt the dreadful Agony IV. Grief in the abstract sure can rise no higher Than that which this deep Tragedy did move She saw in tortures and in shame expire Her Son her God her worship and her Love. V. That sacred head which all divine and bright Struck with deep awe the Votarys of the East To which a Star paid Tributary light Which the then joyful mother kiss'd adored and blest VI. That head which Angels with pure light had crown'd Where Wisdom's Seat and Oracle was plac'd Whose air divine threw his Traitours to the ground She saw with pointed circles of rude thorns embrac'd VII Those hands whose soveraign touch were wont to heal All wounds and hurts that others did endure Did now the peircings of rough iron feel Nor could the wounded heart of his sad mother cure VIII No No it bled to see his body torn With nails and deck'd with gems of purple gore On four great wounds to see him rudely born Whom oft her arms a happy burthen found before IX It bled to hear that voice of grief and dread Which the Earths pillars and foundations shook Which rent the Rocks and ' woke the sleeping dead My God my God O why why hast thou me forsook X. And can the tide of Sorrow rise more high Her melting face stood thick with tears to view Like those of heaven his setting glorys dye As flowers left by the Sun are charged with evening dew XI But see grief spreads her empire still more wide
it This is that whereby a Man is chiefly distinguish'd from a Child and a Wise man from a Fool. For as the Son of Sirac observes a man may be known by his look and one that has understanding by his countenance when thou meet'st him And again speaking of levity and dissoluteness of behaviour A man's attire excess of laughter and gaiety shew what he is that is it shews he is none of the wisest And that this was his true meaning we may be assured from another Character of his where he expresly makes the signs of wisdom and folly to consist in these two propertys viz. that a Fool lifts up his voice with laughter but a Wise man does scarce smile a little There is indeed a near Relation between Seriousness and Wisdom and one is a most excellent Friend to the other A man of a serious sedate and considerate temper as he is always in a ready disposition for Meditation the best improvement both of knowledg and manners so he thinks without disturbance enters not upon another Notion till he is master of the first and so makes clean work with it Whereas a man of a loose volatile and shatter'd humour thinks only by fits and starts now and then in a Morning interval when the serious mood comes upon him and even then too let but the least trifle cross his way and his desultorious fancy presently takes the Scent leaves the unfinish'd and half-mangled notion and skips away in pursuit of the new game So that altho he conceives often yet by some chance or other he always miscarrys and the issue proves Abortive Indeed nothing excellent can be done without Seriousness and he that courts wisdom must be in earnest S t James assures us that 't is to no purpose for a wavering and unstable man to pray because he shall be sure not to speed And as 't is in vain for such a one to Pray so is it in vain for him to study For a man to pretend to work out a neat scheme of thoughts with a magotty unsettled head is as ridiculous and non-sensical as to think to write streight in a jumbling Coach or to draw an exact Picture with a Palsy hand No he that will hit what he aims at must have a steddy hand as well as a quick eye and he that will think to any purpose must have fix'dness and composedness of humour as well as smartness of parts And accordingly we find that those among the Philosophic Sects that profess'd more than ordinary eminency in wisdom or vertue assumed also a peculiar gravity of Habit and solemnity of Behaviour and the most sacred and mysterious rites of Religion were usually perform'd with silence and that not only for decency but for advantage Thus the Italians who are the gravest are also the most ingenious people under heaven and 't is a known observation of Aristotle's concerning melancholy that it furthers Contemplation and makes great Wits Thus again the Discipline of Silence was a considerable part of the Pythagoric institution and we have it storied of our B. Lord himself who was the wisdom of his father that he never laugh'd But because a solemn deportment may somtimes disguise an unthinking mind and grave in some men's Dictionarys signifies the same as Dull I shall put the Character a little more home and define more closely wherein the true Idea of Seriousness consists or what it is to be in good earnest a serious man. And 1st I shall remove it from the neighborhood of those things which by their symbolizing with it in outward appearance prove oftentimes the occasion of mistake and confusion It does not therefore consist in the morosity of a Cynic nor in the severity of an Ascetic nor in the demureness of a Precisian nor in the deadness and sullenness of a Quaker nor in the solemn meen of an Italian nor in the slow pace of a Spaniard 'T is neither in a drooping head nor a mortify'd face nor a Primitive Beard 'T is somthing very different and much more excellent than all this that must make up a serious man. And I believe I shall not misrepresent him if I say he is one that duly and impartially weighs the moments of things so as neither to value Trifles nor despise things really excellent That dwells much at home and studys to know himself as well as Books or men that considers why he came into the world how great his business and how short his stay in it how uncertain 't is when he shall leave it and whither a sinner shall then betake himself when both Heaven and Earth shall fly from the presence of the Judg. That considers God as always present and the Folly of doing what must be repented of and of going to Hell when a man may go to Heaven In one word that knows how to distinguish between a moment and eternity This is to be truly serious and however the Pretenders to gaiety and lightsomness of Humour may miscall and ridicule it by the names of Melancholy dullness and stupidity c. He that is thus affected cannot miss of being wise and good here and happy hereafter And then 't will be his turn to laugh when the others shall mourn and weep Of the slightness of all Secular and the importance of minding our Eternal Interest IDleness and Impertinence a doing of nothing or of nothing to the purpose are always signs of a vain loose and inconsiderate spirit but they are never more so than when there is some very momentous and weighty business to be done The man that sleeps away his happy Retirements or with the Roman Emperor spends them in killing flies betrays a great deal of weakness and incogitancy but should he do the same at the Bar when he 's to plead for his life he would certainly be thought a mere changeling or mad-man And yet this I fear will prove the case of the most of those who stile themselves Rational For besides that the generality of men live at random without any aim or design at all and those that propose some ends seldom take up with any that are important and material or if they do they seldom proportion their care to the weight of things but are serious in trifles and trifling in things serious I say besides all this there is nothing relating purely to this world that can deserve the name of Business or be worth the serious thoughts of him who has an immortal Soul and a Salvation to work out with fear and trembling The greatest secular affairs and interests are but Specious Trifles and all our designs and emploiments about em Excentrical Motions and solemn impertinencies And yet this is made the Center of all our studys and endeavours the great Bent of the world points this way hence are taken the measures of Wisdom and Prudence and Religion it self is forced to truckle to worldly Policy Whereas in the mean time there is an
Nature But whoever considers the great usefulness of Love and Benevolence to the interest of Society will quickly perceive that he ought not to be disingaged from the observance of so necessary a Duty upon so slight a ground as anothers default in it I grant 't is neither Reasonable nor possible to love an enemy for being so that is no proper motive of love but yet 't is very reasonable to love the man notwithstanding his enmity Because the necessity of Charity is so indispensable that it ought to oblige in all cafes And besides as by this means all enmity is certainly prevented on one side which is of very great consideration to the public peace so is it the likelyest method to bring over the other Kindnesses will at length prevail upon him who is proof against all the sense of Duty and Conscience and the coals of fire which are heap'd upon his head when nothing else will do it will melt him down into Love and Sweetness 36. There is one instance more wherein the Christian Law seems not to consult the interest of human life and that is in the matter of Divorce which our Saviour allows in no case but that of Adultery Now this also seems to be one of the hard sayings For the natural propension to procreation is not to be satisfy'd out of marriage and marriage by this appendage seems to be such a Burthen that the Disciples might well say if the case of a man be so with his wife it is not good to marry But yet upon consideration this also will appear to be a very Reasonable confinement For 1st all the supposable inconveniences of this restraint may be in a great measure prevented by prudent and wise Choice But suppose they cannot yet 2ly as 't would be most advisable for some men to marry tho with this restraint so is marriage with this restraint better for Society than without it For were there liberty of divorce upon other grounds every petty dislike would never want a pretence for a Dissolution and then the same inconveniences would ensue as if there were no such thing as the matrimonial Institution such as diminution of affection to children neglect of their education and the like besides the perpetual quarrels and animositys between the parties themselves so divided and their respective relatives all which would bring more inconveniencys upon Society than those which are pretended to be avoided by distending and enlarging the licence of Divorce 37. Now if to this Apology for the reasonableness of Christianity taken from its conduciveness and natural tendency to the interest of Human life we further add the Dominion and Right that God has over us the great Benefits wherewith he has already prevented us and the exceeding weight of glory laid up in Reversion for us And would we further consider that Holiness has a natural Ordination to the Happiness of Heaven as well as of Earth that 't is among the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things that accompany or are essentially retaining to Salvation so that would God in mercy dispense with it as a Conditionary yet we could not be happy without it as a natural Qualification for Heaven Further yet would we consider the great easiness as well as manifold advantage of Christianity that many instances of Duty are agreeable to the inclinations of Nature and that where there is a Law in our members that runs counter to that of the mind we have the aids and assistances of grace that God has required nothing of us but what is substantially within the verge and compass of Human nature For to believe repent and love are all natural acts we believe some storys we repent of some follys we love some men and God obliges us but to believe him to repent of follys against him and to love him The Acts are the same for their substance tho not in their determination Lastly would we consider how much all this is confirm'd by the Argument of Practice and Experience that the Devil has more Apostates than Christ that the number of those who leave sin and come over to vertue is much greater than of those that leave vertue and come over to sin which is the Apology that the Platonist Simplicius makes for vertue the Conclusion would be placed beyond the reach of controversy that Christianity is a Reasonable Service and that the Precepts of our excellent Lawgiver both begin continue and end with a Beatitude 38. I can now foresee but one Objection of any moment which the Argument of this Discourse is liable to which is that altho vertue and vice have a natural ordination to the Happiness and Misery of life respectively yet it may so happen by the intervening of some accidents that this connexion of things may be broken off and that a man may be a loser by vertue and a gainer by vice as in the instances of martyrdom and secure theft And here the Question will be whether it be then reasonable to act vertuously and unreasonable to do the contrary To this I answer 1st that it may be justly question'd notwithstanding the intervention of any accidents whether a man may be vertuous to his disadvantage or vicious to his advantage even as to this present state considering the internal satisfaction and ácquiescence or dissatisfaction and molestation of spirit that attend the practice of vertue and vice respectively But supposing he may then 2ly I reply that here come in the rewards and punishments of another life to supply the natural sanction of the law Then 3ly to the second instance I offer this in peculiar that altho in some circumstances I might be dishonest to my present gain yet 't is very reasonable that all should be obliged to the law of Justice Because if every one should be permitted to use secret Frauds and all may as well as one the evil would come about again even to him whom we just now supposed a gainer by his theft and as to the public 't would be all one as if there were no Property and then for want of encouragement and security the final issue of the matter would be an utter neglect and disimprovement of the Earth and a continual disturbance of the public peace So that when all 's done Honesty is the best Policy and to live most happily is to live most vertuously and religiously So true is that of the Psalmist I see that all things come to an end but thy Commandment is exceeding broad 39. From what has been hitherto discours'd I shall now briefly deduce some practical inferences and conclude Since then our Religion is so Reasonable a Service 't will follow hence in the first place that there may be a due exercise and use of Reason in divine matters and that whatsoever is apparently contrary to Reason ought not to be obtruded as of Divine Authority nor be accounted as any part of the Christian Religion An Inference wherein the
Faith of the Church of Rome is not a little concern'd 40. 'T will follow 2ly that no man ought to be persecuted or have any external violence done him for his Religion supposing that by overt acts he give no disturbance to the Public For since God has required nothing of us but what is agreeable to our Reason why should man 41. 'T will follow 3ly that sin is the very Height and Extremity of Folly and Disingenuity Of Folly because it crosses and defeats the excellent end of Man which is to live happily and commodiously And of Disingenuity because 't is committed against him who when he might by vertue of his supream Dominion have imposed upon us arbitrary Laws as that given to Adam or hard and severe ones as that to Abraham has been graciously pleas'd to make nothing the Condition of our Happiness but what upon other accounts would have been most advisable to be done This certainly will render sin exceeding sinful and leave the sinner without the least shadow of an excuse We commonly derive the aggravations of sin from the greatness of God but without question his goodness will supply us with as many and in this sense also 't will be true to say as is his Majesty so is his Mercy 42. Lastly hence 't will follow that we ought to perform this Rational will of God with Angelical alacrity and constancy partly for its own excellency as 't is a persuance of our interest and partly out of gratitude and generosity to God for giving us such excellent Laws in keeping of which there is so great Reward For not only the End of our Religion is Happiness but even her very ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace Quintilian I remember inquiring why former ages afforded better Oratours than the latter resolves the Problem into this because there were then greater encouragements and rewards And if great encouragements will make good Orators why should they not make good men Let us then make it our daily endeavour as we do our daily Prayer that this excellent will of God may be done here on Earth as it is in Heaven and the more we do so the more we shall still be convinc'd that it is our Reasonable Service A DISCOURSE CONCERNING PERSEVERANCE IN HOLINESS A DISCOURSE CONCERNING Perseverance in Holiness 1. ALL that is of any moment for the full Discharging of this Subject will be absolv'd in these three Considerations 1st that man has one way or other sufficient power to persevere in a course of Holiness if he will otherwise all exhortations would be in vain 2ly that 't is also possible for him to fall from a state of Holiness otherwise they would all be superfluous And lastly by shewing him what vast encouragements what infinite engagements he has to stand 2. I begin with the first that man has one way or other sufficient power to persevere in a course of Holiness if he will. Where by Perseverance I do not understand a continuedly uniform equal course of obedience and such as is not interrupted with the least act of sin for this is a perfection not to be hoped for under the disadvantages of mortality but only such a constancy of obedience as excludes all contrary Habits and likewise all such acts of sin as are said directly to wast the Conscience those I mean which are committed against the clear and express Dictate either of natural Reason or supernatural Revelation And withall to compleat the Character such an Obedience as is attended with a sedulous care and hearty endeavour to correct and subdue even those pittiable infirmitys which can never be wholly put off in this state but will always adhere like spots to the brightest Star in the Firmament This I conceive to be all one with that disposition of Soul which with more compendiousness we usually call sincerity in opposition to a perfect and sinless obedience Now that man has sufficient power to persevere in such a course of life as is here described not to call in the assistance of any other Argument seems to me evidently demonstrable from this single consideration that to be found in the state above mention'd is the condition of the New-Covenant upon the fulfilling of which all our hopes of Pardon and Salvation depend I do not say 't is the indispensable Condition of our Salvation that we persevere uninterruptedly even in this state of Evangelical Righteousness it being possible for a man after an interruption of a salvable state to recover into it again as is plain from the case of David St. Peter and many others but that we be found finally in this state is the Condition of our Salvation For if the Righteous man turneth away from his Righteousness and committeth iniquitys and dies in them the righteousness that he hath done shall not be mention'd in the sin that he hath sinn'd shall he dye Well then if Salvation be not to be had out of this state then it follows that it must never become impossible to a man without his own fault to be found in it since 't is repugnant to the very nature of a Covenant much more of this great Covenant of mercy to have a condition annex'd to it which in some circumstances and that without our fault may prove impossible 3. The Condition then of this new Covenant must be as possible to man in this state of degeneracy now his locks are shaven and his great strength is departed from him as the Condition of the first Covenant was to him in his primitive might and vigour Do this and live is equally common to both the only difference lies in the This that is to be done not in the possibility of the performance Or if there are degrees of possibility the advantage ought to lie on this side this being as was hinted before a Covenant of Grace and Mercy 4. Well then if to be found finally in the state above describ'd be the indispensable condition of our Salvation and if for that very reason as it has been prov'd it must not in any circumstance become impossible without our fault it unavoidably follows that 't is also possible to persevere in it without interruption because otherwise we having not the disposal of our own lives it will oftentimes prove impossible for us and that without our own fault to be found finally in that state which is the Condition of Salvation which is contrary to the supposition The short is to speak all in a word the possibility of being found in a salvable state cannot be sufficiently secured without a possibility of always persevering in it and therefore I conclude it possible for a man to do so which was the thing I undertook to prove 5. But now lest man upon a survey of his natural strength and of the Auxiliarys of the Divine grace should pronounce himself absolutely impregnable and should begin to say in his heart as the Psalmist did in
HEROIC PIETY 1. SInce the Practice of Religion in general is not only the Natural Instrument of our present Happiness but also the only and indispensable condition of our Future one would think there were but little left for the Orator to do here the naked efficacy of Self-love and a serious consideration of our true and main Interest being sufficient to engage us upon Religious performances But he that shall undertake to recommend the Practice of Heroic Piety has a much heavier task not only because he perswades to higher degrees of Vertue but because he is to address himself wholly to a weaker Principle For since our interest is secured by the performance of necessary Duty there remains nothing but a Principle of Generosity to carry us on to the higher advances the more glorious Atchievements in Religion And what small probability there is that it will often do so may appear from the ill success of the former and more prevailing Principle For if the greatest interest imaginable can prevail with so very few to perform what is indispensably necessary to secure it sure there is little hopes that Generosity which is a much weaker Principle should engage many upon greater performances 2. But yet notwithstanding these discouragements since our Blessed Saviour has taught us to pray not only for the performance of God's will in general but that it be done on Earth as it is in Heaven that is with the greatest zeal readiness and alacrity with all the degrees of Seraphic ardency that frail Mortality is capable of I think a Perswasive to Heroic Piety may be a proper and useful undertaking it being very reasonable we should make that the object of our endeavours which our Saviour thought fit to make the matter of our Prayers 3. In discoursing upon this subject I shall proceed in this Method 1. I shall state the notion of Heroic Piety and shew what I mean by it 2. I shall demonstrate that there is such a thing And 3. I shall offer some Perswasives to recommend the practice of it 4. The Notion of Heroic Piety will be best understood by considering what the Moralists mean by Heroic Vertue For the one carries the same proportion in Religion that the other does in Morality But before I proceed to explain the Thing I suppose it will not be amiss to give some short account of the Name That it is derived from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is very obvious all the difficulty is concerning the derivation of the Greek word it self And here I find the Grammarians are very much divided some derive it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but that seems somwhat hard others derive it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because 't was supposed by the Ancients that the Souls of the Heroes had their abode in the Air where they had a near prospect of human affairs and accordingly Xenon in Laertius lib. 7. calls Heroes the Souls of wise men separated from their Bodies and ranging about in the Air others derive it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the Heroes are a kind of terrestrial Gods according to that definition which Lucian gives of an Hero 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that is neither God nor man but a compound of both Others derive it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the name of Juno who was the President Goddess of the Air intimating thereby either the Habitation or the light aereal Nature of the Heroes And this Etymology I remember is approv'd of by St. Austin lib. 10. de Civ Dei cap. 21. But methinks the most natural and significant one is that of Plato who derives it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of that ardent and passionate Love which the Heroes are supposed to have for God. And as the word Hero is very doubtful as to its Etymology so is it also various in its acceptation Somtimes it is attributed to illustrious and eminent Personages while living such as act and live above the ordinary strain of Mortality and render it a very disputable Point whether they are Gods or men A Character which Homer gives of the great Hector Iliad â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in this sense the word Hero is used by Hesiod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Somtimes by Heroes are meant the Souls of wise and good men departed as is evident from the fore-cited testimony in Laertius But in the Platonic Philosophy by Heroes is understood a middle sort of Being inferiour to those whom they stile the Immortal Gods and superiour to Man as is to be seen at large in Hierocles 5. Beyond these three acceptations of the word I do not know of any other But this is certain that in whatsoever sense it is used it always denotes somthing great and extraordinary So that from hence 't is easie to collect what is meant by Heroic Vertue viz. Such a vehement and intense pursuance of a mans last and best end as engages him upon such excellent and highly commendable actions which advance him much above the ordinary level of human Nature and which he might wholly omit and yet still maintain the Character of a good man. Aristotle in his Ethics l. 7. c. 1. calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Vertue that is above us By which I suppose he does not mean that it is above our reach and unattainable but that it is above our obligation and that when it is attain'd it will elevate us above our selves 6. In proportion to this Notion of Heroic Vertue I understand by Heroic Piety those excellent degrees and eminences of Religion which tho to arrive at be extremely laudable yet we may fall short of them without Sin God having not bound them upon us as parts of Duty or made them the Conditions of our Salvation but only recommended them by way of Counsel and left them as instances of Generosity Of this sort are those high and singular Exercises of Religion which are the fruits and effects of a profound and steady contemplation of God Such as are the passionate applications of Seraphic Love acts of ecstatic joy and complacency in the Perfections of the Divine Nature holy transports of Zeal and Devotion Praise and Adoration earnest contentions and very numerous returns of Prayer actual references of our most natural and indifferent actions to Gods glory extraordinary works of Charity great severities of Mortification and Self-denial abstemiousness from many lawful Pleasures perpetual Celebacy and whatsoever else are the excellent products of a contemplative and affectionate Religion 7. Thus far of the Notion of Heroic Piety I come now to my second Undertaking which was to shew that there is such a thing Tho universality and sincerity of Obedience be indispensably required of every Christian and consequently every part of Religion obliges under the penalty of Damnation as to its kind yet that there may be some degrees to the attainment of which we are
pure and unallay'd in its Proportion as if there were no such Mixture at all and consequently the Possession of it may properly be call'd Happiness 4. I know the Masters of Moral Philosophy do not treat of Happiness in this Latitude neither is it fit they should For their Business being to point out the ultimate End of Human Actions it would be an impertinent thing for them to give any other Idea of Happiness than the highest But however this does not hinder but that the General Idea of Happiness may be extended farther even to the Fruition of any Good whatsoever Neither is there any reason to find Fault with the Latitude of this Notion since we acknowledg Degrees even in Glory 5. In this General Idea of Happiness two things are contain'd One is some Good either real or apparent in the Fruition of which we are said to be in some measure or other happy The other is the very Fruition it self The first of these is usually called Objective Happiness and the latter Formal Some I know divide Happiness into these as distinct Species but I think not so artificially For they are both but constituent Parts which joyntly make up one and the same Happiness Neither of them are sufficient alone but they are both equally necessary That the last of these is a necessary Ingredient I think no doubt can reasonably be made For what would the greatest Good imaginable signifie without Fruition And that the former is likewise necessary is no less certain For how can there be such a thing as Fruition without an Object I grant 't is not at all necessary that the Object be a real substantial Good if it appear so 't is sufficient 6. From this Distinction of real and apparent Good some have taken occasion to distinguish of Happiness likewise into two sorts real and imaginary But I believe upon a more narrow Scrutiny into the matter 't will be found that all Happiness according to its Proportion is equally real and that that which they term Imaginary too well deserves the Name there being no such thing in Nature For let the Object of it be never so Phantastic yet it must still carry the Semblance and Appearance of Good otherwise it can neither move the Appetite nor please it and consequently be neither an Object of Desire nor of Fruition and if so the Happiness must needs be real because the Formality of the Object tho 't were never so true and real a good would notwithstanding lie in the Appearance not in the Reality Whether it be real or no is purely accidental For since to be happy can be nothing else but to enjoy somthing which I desire the Object of my Happiness must needs be enjoy'd under the same Formality as 't is desired Now since 't is desired only as apparently good it must needs please me when obtained under the same Notion So that it matters not to the Reality of my Happiness whether the Object of it be really good or only apprehended so since if it were never so real it pleases only as apparent The Fool has his Paradise as well as the Wise-man and for the time is as happy in it and a kind Delusion will make a Cloud as pleasing as the Queen of Heaven And therefore I think it impossible for a man to think himself happy and during that Perswasion not really to be so He enjoys the Creature of his own Fancy worships the Idol of his Imagination and the happiest man upon Earth does no more For let the Circumstances of his Life be what they will 't is his Opinion only that must give the Relish Without this Heaven it self would afford him no Content nor the Vision of God prove Beatific 'T is true the man is seated at the Spring-Head of Happiness is surrounded with excellent Objects but alas it appears not so to him he is not at all affected with his Condition but like Adam lies fast in a dead Sleep in the midst of Paradise 7. The Sum of this Argument is this Good is in the same manner the Object of Fruition as 't is of Desire and that is not as really good in its own Nature but as 't is judged so by the Understanding And consequently tho it be only apparent it must needs be as effectual to gratifie the Appetite as it was at first to excite it during that Appearance So long as it keeps on its Vizor and imposes upon the Understanding what is wanting in the thing is made up by an obliging Imposture and Ignorance becomes here the Mother of Happiness as well as of Devotion But if the man will dare to be wise and too curiously examine the superficial Tinsel-Good he undeceives himself to his own Cost and like Adam adventuring to eat of the Tree of Knowledg sees himself naked and is ashamed And for this reason I think it impossible for any man to love to be flatter'd 'T is true he may delight to hear himself commended by those who indeed do flatter him but the true reason of that is because he does not apprehend that to be Flattery which indeed is so but when he once throughly knows it 't is impossible he should be any longer delighted with it I shall conclude this Point with this useful Reflection That since every Man's Happiness depends wholly upon his own opinion the foundatiou upon which all envious men proceed must needs be either false or very uncertain False if they think that outward Circumstances and States of life are all the Ingredients of Happiness but uncertain however For since they measure the Happiness of other Men by their own Opinion 't is mere Chance if they do not misplace their Envy unless they were sure the other Person was of the like opinion with themselves And now what a vain irrational thing is it to disquiet our selves into a dislike of our own Condition merely because we mistake another Man's 8. Thus fa◠of the Notion of Happiness in General I now proceed to consider that Happiness which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Plato speaks sound and entire perfect and compleat Concerning the general Notion of which all men I suppose are as much agreed as they are in the Idea of a Triangle That 't is such a State than which a better cannot be conceiv'd In which there is no Evil you can fear no Good which you desire and have not That which fully and constantly satisfies the Demand of every Appetite and leaves no possibility for a desire of Change or to summ it up in that comprehensive Expression of the Poet Quod sis esse velis nihilque malis When you would always be what you are and as the Earl of Roscommon very significantly renders it do Rather nothing 9. This I suppose is the utmost that can be said or conceiv'd of it and less than this will not be enough And thus far we are all agreed For I suppose the many various Disputes maintained by
Another Spring of tears begins to flow A barbarous hand wounds his now senseless side And death that ends the Son 's renews the Mother's woe XII She sees now by the rude inhuman stroke The Mystic river flow and in her breast Wonders by what strange figure th' Angel spoke When amongst all the Daughters he pronounc'd her Blest XIII Thus far did Nature pity grief and love And all the Passions their strong efforts try But still tho dark below 't was clear above She had as once her Son her strengthning Angel by XIV Gabriel the chiefest of th' Almighty's train That first with happy tidings blest her ear Th' Archangel Gabriel was sent again To stem the tide of grief and qualify her fear XV. A large Perspective wrought by hands divine He set before her first enlightned eye ' 'T was hewn out of the heaven Christalline One of whose ends did lessen th' other magnify XVI With that his sufferings he exposed to sight With this his Glorys he did represent The weight of this made th' other seem but light She saw the mighty odds adored and was content Damon and Pythias Or Friendship in perfection Pyth. I. 'T Is true my Damon we as yet have been Patterns of constant love I know We have stuck so close no third could come between But will it Damon will it still be so Da. II. Keep your love true I dare engage that mine Shall like my Soul immortal prove In friendship's Orb how brightly shall we shine Where all shall envy none divide our love Pyth. III. Death will when once as 't is by fate design'd T' Elysium you shall be remov'd Such sweet Companions there no doubt you 'l find That you 'l forget that Pythias e're you lov'd Da. IV. No banish all such fears I then will be Your Friend and guardian Angel too And tho with more refined Society I 'l leave Elysium to converse with you Pyth. V. But grant that after fate you still are kind You cannot long continue so When I like you become all thought and mind By what mark then shall we each other know Da. VI. With care on your last hour I will attend And lest like Souls should me deceive I closely will embrace my new-born friend And never after my dear Pythias leave The Indifferency I. WHether 't is from stupidity or no I know not but I ne'r could find Why I one Thought or Passion should bestow On Fame that gaudy Idol of mankind Call me not Stoic no I can pursue Things excellent with as much zeal as you But here I own my self to be A very luke-warm Votary II. Should thousand excellencys in me meet And one bright Constellation frame 'T is still as men's phantastic humours hit Whether I 'm written in the book of Fame So tho the Sun be ne're so fair and bright And shine with free uninterrupted light 'T is as the Clouds disposed are E're he can paint his image there III. The world is seldom to true merit just Through Envy or through Ignorance True worth like Valour oft lies hid in dust While some false Hero's graced with a Romance The true God's Altar oft neglected lies When Idols have Perfumes and Sacrifice And tho the true one some adore Yet those that do blaspheme are more IV. Yet grant that merit were of fame secure What 's Reputation what is Praise who 'd one day's toil or sleepless night endure Such a vain Babel of esteem to raise Pleas'd with his hidden worth the great and wise Can like his God this forreign good despise Whose happiness would ne're be less Tho none were made to praise oâ— bless V. Even I who dare not rank my self with those Who pleas'd into themselves retire Find yet in great Applauses less repose And do Fame less less than my self admire Let her loud trumpet sound me far and near Th' Antipodes will never of me hear Or were I known throughout this ball I've but a Point when I have All. VI. Then as for glory which comes after Fate All that can then of me be said I value least of all it comes too late 'T is like th' embalming of the sensless dead Others with pleasure what me labour cost May read and praise but to me all is lost Just as the Sun no joy does find In that his light which chears mankind VII Or should I after Fate has closed my eyes Should I my living glorys know My wiser improved Soul will then despise All that poor Mortals say or think below Even they who of mens ignorance before Complain'd because few did their works adore Will then the self same Censure raise Not from their silence but their praise VIII Or grant 't wou'd pleasure bring to know that I After my death live still in Fame Those that admire me too must shortly dye And then where 's my Memorial where my name My Fame tho longer-lived yet once shall have Like me its Death its Funeral its Grave This only difference will remain I shall that never rise again IX Death and Destruction shall e're long deface The World the work of hands divine What Pillars then or Monuments of brass Shall from the general ruin rescue mine All then shall equal be I care not then To be a while the talk and boast of men This only grant that I may be Prais'd by thy Angels Lord and thee The Infirmity I. IN other things I ne'r admired to see Men injured by extremity But little thought in Happiness There might be danger of excess At least I thought there was no fear Of ever meeting with too much on 't here II. But now these melting sounds strike on my sense With such a powerful excellence I find that Happiness may be Screw'd up to such extremity That our too Feeble facultys May not be said t' enjoy but suffer Bliss III. So frail 's our mortal state we can sustain A mighty bliss no more than pain We lose our weak precarious breath Tortured or tickled unto death As sprights and Angels alike fright With too much Horrour or with too much light IV. Alas I 'm over-pleas'd what shall I do The painful joy to undergo Temper your too melodious song Your dose of bliss is much too strong Like those that too rich Cordials have It don't so much revive as make me rave V. What Cruelty 't wou'd be still to confine A mortal ear to Airs divine The Curse of Cain you have on me Inverted by your Harmony For since with that you charm'd my ear My Bliss is much too great for me to bear VI. Relieve this Paroxysm of delight And let it be less exquisite Let down my Soul 't is too high set I am not ripe for Heaven yet Give me a Region more beneath This Element's too fine for me to breath The Arrest I. WHither so fast fond Passion dost thou rove Licentious and unconfined Sure this is not the proper Sphere of Love Obey and be not deaf as thou