for the frames Yielding such fruit as few have born but he Zealous for Heaven where he in Glory reigns so his Losses turn'd to be his Gains ¶ On Christ's Death MY God my God turn not to night my day Shall Mans black Crimes be Darts my heart to slay Must my dear blood on sinful dust be spilt To pay his debt and wash away his guilt My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Must I come from a Diadem to Death Leaving my joys in sorrow spend my breath Must I that am coequal with the Father Be crucifi'd that man may comfort gather My God my God c. I that e're now was cloath'd in state of Glory Am now in Rags of Flesh to tell my story I that fill ev'ry place in spight of danger Yet I in fear was cradled in a Manager My God my God c. To Egypt I compelled was to fly I am the Life yet I my self must die I am the sole Dictator of the Law Yet must be subject now and stand in aw My God my God c. 'T was I that both the Earth and Heavens made But working now at Joseph's homely trade Children of men I have ye ost exempted Can binde the Devils yet must I be tempted My God my God c. I made the World of Nothing Man of Dust Yet I have hungred and have been athirst I am become Life to the Lunatick If God can die Nature may well be sick My God my God c. Must I that keep the Keys of Death and Hell Pay visits now where griefs and terrours dwell Must Kings be made the subjects of their scorns And wear instead of Stars a Crown of Thorns My God my God c. My Senses all extreamly are agriev'd My eyes beholding whom I have reliev'd Mine ears with hearing lewd blasphemous Taunts Instead of Hallelujahs sung by Saints My God my God c. Smelling I finde my nostrils streight grow full O' th' evil scent of some corrupted skull My Taste is chang'd with Liquor like my Thrall Sower and bitter Vinegar and Gall. My God my God c. My Feeling with the Spear that pierc'd my side That man might live I thus was crucifi'd At length my Father heard me bad me die But nothing fear sor he himself stood by ¶ An Hymn By St. Ambrose and St. Augustine OUr tongues O God thy praise record We thee consess our Soveraign Lord. To thee Eternal Father all Who dwell on Earth do prostrate fall To thee the Angels at all hours To thee the Heavens and heav'nly powers To thee with voice incessantly The Seraphins and Cherubs cry Thou Holy Holy Holy one Of Sabbath Lord and God alone Fill'd is the Earth the Heavens the Skie With glory of thy Majesty The bless'd Apostles glorious Quire The Prophets whom thou didst inspire And all the White-rob'd Martyrs sing Eternal praise to thee their King The holy Church does loudly sound Thy blessed Name throughout the ronnd Of the whole Earth confessing thee Father of boundless Majestie The same is dutifully done To thy sole Venerable Son And to the Holy Ghost that arms The Soul with consolating Charms Thou Christ hast Kingly Glories won Thy Father 's dear Eternal Son Thou man to free from endless pain A Virgins womb didst nor disdain That death subduing didst unlock Heav'ns Realms unto thy faithful Flock On God's right hand thou fit'st as bright As in thy Father's radiant light Our Judge to come thou art esteem'd Thy servants therefore help redeem'd With thy most precious blood and make Us with thy Saints of Bliss partake Lord save thy people in distress Thy Heritage vouchsase to bless Rule and exalt them without end Our dayly blessings thee attend Thy glorious Name we magnifie From age to age eternally This day sweet Lord we now are in Preserve us from committ'ng sin Have mercy on us Lord efface Our sins with thy Coelestial grace Let mercy on us Lord be seen As in thy self our hopes have been Lord I have fix'd my hopes on thee Then let me ne're confounded be ¶ On Christ's Cross. CAn we spell Chris-cross row and yet not read That Christ for us was dead How he himself did humble unto death Loosing his life to give us breath But now he shines in the Coelestial Frame And hath receiv'd a Name To which all knees shall bow and tongues shall say This is the Lord we must obey He that doth disregard the Cross of Christ Of Happiness hath mist Destruction is his end his glory shame But happy he doth love the same I will not hate the Cross nor yet adore Any but he it bore I 'll not blaspheme the Cross because t was dy'd With his rich blood was crucifi'd Rich beyond price for when that blood was spilt It cleans'd a world of guilt It bought mankinde for when Christ's blood was flown As Lord he call'd us all his own Wherefore I will not worship any one But my dear Lord alone Take up my Cross and bear my Cross I will I 'll love it and embrace it still But to adore my Cross I will not dare All knees should that forbear In reverence to his Name all hearts shall bow With pious Zeal as mine does now Christ never wanted crosses scoffs and scorns His ways were strew'd with thorns Then may we judge by his most sacred birth He 's cross'd wants crosses here on Earth ¶ The Cross. Then let us count all things as loss And Dung compared with the Cross. This is the Figure of that Tree That bore the fruit of life for me The Emblem of Humility Express'd in him did on it die To it was nail'd the God of Life Who did in Love to end our Strife God had one Son who had no sin But all his Sons have crossed bin ¶ The Resurrection HE 's risen now behold the stone is gone Which late was rolled to inclose the Son Had the weak Jews so little wit or grace To trust to that when he fills ev'ry place Earth is his foot-stool yet he dwells on high Holy his Name himself 's Eternity ¶ The Ascention HOw nimbly and with what a quick ascent Heaven was scal'd by the Omnipotent But one days speedy journey surely then Sinners are sots that won't be happy men ¶ An Adoration to the Lord of the Sabbath BEhold we come dear Lord to thee And bow before thy Throne We come to offer on our knee Our Vows to thee alone Whate're we have whate're we are Thy bounty freely gave Thou didst us here in mercy spare And wilt hereafter save But oh can all our store afford No better gifts for thee Thus we confess thy Riches Lord And thus our Poverty 'T is not our tongue or knee can pay The mighty Debt we owe For more we should than we can say Far lower than we bow Come then my Soul bring all thy powers And grieve thou hast no more Bring ev'ry day thy choicest hours And thy great God adore
his own teeth doth dig his Grave Who loves his Humour to fulfil His Humour is himself to kill Who doth aspire be great and tall Should carefully beware a fall Who with good works delights to dwell Sails fair for Heaven far from Hell ¶ On Age. THe Painter's Pencil sure must go astray In painting to the life a lump of Clay Who does but seem to live dies every day How can he lively paint a man that hath The cold effigies in his face of Death ¶ On Man and Wife SIlence and Patience are the Twins that make Concord 'twixt Couples never to forsake A Husband good in Words ought to be wise In Conversation wary hating lies Careful Provision ought he to provide In ordering circumspect a careful Guide A Father Master and a Friend beside The good Wife when abroad she should be grave Discreet in governing at home and have Patience to bridle Passions when they move Learning her Husband to obey and love Kinde to her Neighbours courteous unto all Careful of Children be they great or small But chiefly herein there should be no flaws She should her Husband fear and he the Laws ¶ The free Prisoner WHat though a Prisoner I am now Time doth allow Instead of liberty to walk To write or talk What though 〈◊〉 make me sicken They do me quicken My body in confinement lies But my Soul flies What though by nature I am dumb Then I be â—…ome A silent sinner and my tongue Doth no man wrong Or what although I loose my sight Yes if the light Of Divine Graces shine in me My Soul can see Let sorrows come when God thinks best They are my Rest For in afflictions 't is my Psalm The Bruise 〈◊〉 Balm If I 'm afflicted in this World I am but huâ—…'d â—…o Heaven where all pleasures stand At God's right hand Th' afflictions of this world of care Cannot compare To those blest Mansions Christ hath wrought And dearly bought Dear may I say because his blood Is that choice flood That drowns my sorrows and my grief Gives me relief Thus all things work together for their good That have lov'd God and for his honour stood A Jayl's the centre of this Iron-age Yet not my Prison but mine Hermitage He that can boldly dare yet justly do Fortune 's his Subject and his Vassal too ¶ On Sunday THis is the day the Lord hath made Then let not Christians be afraid Laying aside all sin Rejoyce therein The clearest radiant day that shines Upon the Christians golden Mines God's holy Torch and Light That leads aright The day of our Consession The Ease of our Oppression The day of Peace and Rest Churches our Nest. A Light it is to all the Week A Summons to the Proud and Meek That says to Conscience Fie Ye go awry The day that pulleth man from Death And crowns his head with holy Wreath That guides him to his Grave Yet doth him save The Day of God so God of Days It is above my reach of praise God's with his free accord The Sabbaths Lord. It is the Day-book of a Saint A Spring for those that thirst or faint Nor can we say there 's one day Like to Sunday But we 'll such thoughts in silence smother Till we can finde out such another ¶ The Petition STand by me Lord when dangers STARE Keep from my Fruit such choaking TARE That on Confusion grounded ARE. Thou that from Bondage hast me BROUGHT And my deliverance hast ROUGHT 'T is thee that I will praise for OUGHT O Lord to evil make me CHILL Be thou my Rock and holy HILL So shall I need to fear no ILL ¶ Faith's Mystery WIth all the pow'rs my poor Soul hath O humble Love and loyal Faith Thus low my God I bow to thee Whom too much love bow'd low for me Down busie Sense Discourses die And all adore Faith's Mysterie Faith is my Skill Faith can believe As fast as Love new Laws can give Faith is my eye Faith strength affords To keep pace with those pow'rful words And words more sure more sweet than they Love could not think Truth could not say O dear Memorial of that death Which still survives and gives us breath Live ever Bread of Life and be My Food my Joy my All to me Come glorious Lord my hopes increase And fill my Portion in thy Peace Come hidden life and that long day For which I languish come away ¶ On the Judgment GReat God that hast at thy command Both Leaden feet and Iron hand How shall I stand How can I look When thou call'st for thy Dreadful Book Oh save me Lord I then shall say I do confess I went astray Thy Judgment stay O let thy Rod Chastise with mercy O my God O Christ my Saviour may it please Thee thy dear Father's wrath appease And making peace Then I alwaies Will strive to magnifie thy praise Some it is like may shew a Book So full of Blanks that when you look Thereon a Rook You 'll think that man That shews a Scrole with nothing on But so to do is highly vain For he that doth just Judgments rain Can see each stain Keeps just account How ev'ry Sinner's sins amount I am resolv'd when God doth call To hide not one but shew him all That wrought my fall But if my will Exceed my skill Lord do not kill ¶ On the Pharisee and the Publican TWo men into the Temple went to pray The one a Pharisee who thus did say I thank thee God I am no common man No unjust person As this Publican Twice in the week I fast from my excess And I give tythes of all that I possess The humble Publican at distance stood With head and eyes dejected as if food Or heavenly Manna then was to be found Carelessly scatter'd on the dusty ground But as in bitterness of Soul distrest He with his hand smote on his troubled breast Of his Petition this was the beginner O God be merciful to me a sinner The other shew'd rather than Zeal his pride But the poor Publican went justifi'd God doth delight the proud look to abase And on Humility bestows his grace ¶ To God the Father BEfore the closing of the day Creator we thee humbly pray That for thy wonted mercies sake Thou us into protection take May nothing in our mindes excite Vain dreams and fantoms of the night Our Enemy repress that so Our bodies no uncleanness know To Jesus from a Virgin sprung Be Glory given and Praises sung The like to God the Father be And holy Ghost eternallie ¶ To God the Son LEt others take their course And sing what Name they please Let Wealth or Beauty be their theam Such empty sounds as these I never will admire A lump of burnish'd Clay For though it shines it is but dust And shall to dust decay Sweet Jesus is the Name My Song shall still adore Sweet Jesus is the charming Word That does my Life restore When I
But above all prepare thy heart Whilst now 't is called day In humble duty bear thy part To sing to love and pray Glory to thee Eternal Lord Thrice blessed three in one Thy Name at all times be ador'd Till time it self be done ¶ Of God HE is the Author of the Worlds Creation Foundation The great and mighty Judge of mans Salvation Damnation The glorious Lord and only God Above Of Love That both to men and Angels is A God A Rod. He did the World create and by his hand Or word Foundations laid of Sea and Land Can save or damn as he doth best approve Will be our God or Rod as we shall love Thou that canst hold the Winds within thy fist Have mercy on us oh thou God in Christ. ¶ Of Christ. HE it is that gives us Peace Increase He to poor Souls cries I 'm your Jesu IESU He it is that is our Good Food The Saints with him do trust their Treasure Pleasure He it is can end our Life Strife He it is that gives us Breath Death He is to us a Judge and King Sting He is our Peace Increase our Jâ—…u and An Ease to those that wait on his Command Our Good our Food our Treasure and our Joy Our Life to see no Strife shall us annoy He gives us Breath can give us Death as King And unâ—…o death he is become a Sting He punish can or help us in our thrall For Christ is God's and God is all in all Wouldst farther know what God is silly Elf Go study first to be a God thy self ¶ God is Love GIve praise unto the Lord above Omit no thanks that thou canst move Dost thou not know that God is love In Word and Deed make him thy aim So shall thy Soul be free from blame Let his Commandments be in ure Obedience cannot be a clod Vs he hath spar'd and doth endure Ev'n still such is the love of God ¶ The Remembrance ANd now my Soul canst thou forget That thy whole life is one long debt Of Love to him who on the Tree Paid back the flesh he took for thee Lo how the streams of pretious blood Flow from five wounds into one flood With these he washes all thy stains And buys thy Ease with his own Pains Tall Tree of Life we clearly now That doubt of former ages know It was thy wood should make a Throne Fit for a more than Solomon Large Throne of Love royally spread With Purple of too rich a red Strange costly price thus to make good Thine own esteem with the Kings blood Hail fairest Plant of Paradise To thee our hopes lift up their eyes O may aloft thy branches shoot And fill the Nations with thy fruit O may all reap from thy increase The Just more strength the Sinner peace While our half-wither'd hearts and we Engraft our selves and grow on thee Live O for ever live and reign Bless'd Lamb whom thine own love hath slain And may thy lost Sheep live to be True lovers of thy Cross and thee ¶ Of Death 1 Cor. ch 15. v. 55 56. O Death where is thy sting The sting of death is sin O. Death forbear I yet must live Stay Death till God your Warrant give And then where you see best this heart Most willing is to seel your Dart. But Lord O let thy servants breath Preserv'd be from the sting of Death ¶ Of Grief THe tears come slowly Lord my sins remain O sting my shallow fords and make them rain Rivers of waters or if so thou please Send daring death my sorrows to decrease My grief is great 't is time to rise or fall Then cleanse me Lord from sin and ease my thrall That I may say O death where is thy sting And tell the world The sting of death is sin ¶ A Christian and Death A Dialogue Chr. COme valiant Death and welcome do thy worst Shew me the power thou claimst as being King Dea. Poor mortal know alas thou art but dust And I the Sexton that thy Knell must ring Chr. Away lean half-starv'd wretch go daunt a sool Think not to fright me with Thy glass is run Dea. Thou art my Scholar therefore come to School Delays but waste that time which might be gone Chr. Thou seemst a Student for thou lookst so poor That Famine in thy face I plainly read Dea. Come silly wretch you word it must no more See here 's thy Glass thy Doom and thou art dead Chr. Then boldly strike thou dost the body kill My Soul shall wait upon its Master's will Dea. Lie there proud dust all flesh is born to die Chr. This is the Road unto Eternitie ¶ The Altar A broken ALTAR Lord to thee I raise Made of a Heart to celebrate thy praise Thou that the onely Workman art That canst cement a broken heart For such is mine O make it thine Take out the Sin That 's hid therein Though it be Stone Make it to groan That so the same May praise thy Name Melt it O Lord I thee desire With Flames from thy Coelestial fire That it may ever speak thy Praise alone Since thou hast changed into Flesh a Stone ¶ Death Man and Grave A Dialogue Death COme down proud Lust. Man To what to Dust Grav I that you must and shall Man Thou thing of bones Grav That fetcheth groans Death From very stones and all Man From Dust I came Grav Thou must again Death Sin is thy bain and thrall Man That 's thee away Death With mortal Clay Grav Why do you stay you must Death Come leave your groans Man To go with bones Grav You must go once poor dust Death Nay do not frown Man Away rude Clown Death I 'll strike thee down proud lust Man Then I submit forbear your storms Seeing I must return a Guest To my Acquaintance old the worms Farewel fond World I 'll take my rest Grav I have a Charm will make you sleep And all you have you here may trust For Watchmen not a few I keep The harmless Worms that are so just With care they do befriend him That cometh here within this path Thus man one world of servants hath And when he on his Death-bed lies Another doth attend him ¶ Nature's Delight HArk my Soul how every thing Strives to serve our bounteous King Each a double tribute pays Sings its part and then obeys Natures chief and sweetest quire Him with chearful notes admire Chanting every day their Lauds Whilst the Grove their song applauds Though their Voices lower be Streams have too their melody Night and day they warbling run Never pause but still sing on All the flowers that gild the Spring Hither their sweet musick bring If Heaven bless them thankful they Smell more sweet and look more gay Only we can scarce afford Due thanksgivings to our Lord. We on whom his bounty flowes All things give and nothing owes Wake for shame my sluggish heart Wake and gladly sing thy part Learn
Wine enough when this is gone we 'll then Revive the Banquet with the blood of men Jud. My Lord now will I drink because my state Is more by much exalted now of late Then e're it was since Nature did display Over mine eyes the banner of the day Hol. This Wine benums my joynts my limbs do feel As if each one would with the other reel Since so it is I 'll stretch me on my bed Jud. Do so my Lord And I 'll secure thy head Thou need'st not fear those at Jerusalem They shall not come to thee thou go'st to them ¶ Judeth's Song of Thanksgiving WIth Timbrels and with Cymbals raise A tune wherewith our God to praise Divinity afford me Balm For sins and skill to sing a Psalm Of praise to God did Heaven frame Exalt him call upon his Name He breaks the Battels of the strong And I that was the Camps among Of proud King Assur even then When Israel seem'd a Prey to men Then did the Lord direct my ways I came from thence to sing his praise Out of the Mountains from the North The Enemy came thundring forth Their strength did threaten dismal ills Their numbers covered the hills He brag'd he would my Borders burn And make Jerusalem an Urn And kill my young men with the Sword Dash Infants brains against the board And make my Virgins prove their spoil But God prevented hath their toyl A Female hand By his command Hath conquer'd the Assyrian Land Our mighty foe he did not fight Nor did the Sons of Titans smite Neither did Giants force his care But Beauty was his only snare The daughter of Merari went With resolution to the tent Of Holofernes drank him dead And safely brought away his head Thus Lord I ventur'd to commit Two sins and sacrifice my Wit But with a chast and holy eye I shun'd ways of Carnality My people Lord I knew should live And thou art ready to forgive I boldiy went was not afraid Because assured of thine aid And to allure I thought it good The Garments of my Widowhood To lay aside and did attire My head to raise my beauty higher My Sandals ravished his eyes And he became my beauties prize For then to give his pride a check I strook his Faulchin through his neck Which act did make The Persians quake The Medes stout hearts did likewise ake Thus my exterminating arm By inspiration did alarm A mighey Host and did destroy Their chief Commander once their Joy A new Song to the Lord I 'll sing Thou art a great and glorious King Wonderful in strength and might Invincible the God of Fight To praise thy Name all things accord For thou mad'st all things with a word In thee all Creatures shall rejoyce Not any can resist thy voice Mountains and Waters shall remove Rocks melt as wax if they not love Shall man be subject to obey And his Inseriours go astray Do we not see year after year God's merciful to them that sear All Sacrifice too little is For him that is the God of Bliss The savour of the heart is sweet And he that sears the Lord is great Wo to those Nations that arise Against my Kindred they a prize Shall be to Worms their flesh as meat The Ravens of the field shall eat Whilst in Bethulia all my days I 'll spend to celebrate his praise ¶ On Man's Greation WE were created with a Word a Breath Redeemed with no less than Blood and Death How much a greater labour is it then Sinners to cleanse or breathe Souls into men ¶ The Mornings Ejaculation NOw that the Day-star doth arise Beg we of God with humble cries All hurtful things to keep away Whilst we in duty spend the day Out tongues to guide so that no strife May breed disquiet in our life To shut the casement of our eye Lest it admit of vanity Preserve the heart both pure and free From vain and troubled phantasie To tame proud flesh while we deny it A full cup and a wanton diet That when the day-light shall go out Time bringing on the night about We by leaving worldly ways May in silence sing God's praise ¶ The Evenings Ejaculation O Lord now night 's return'd again Our Bodies and our Souls refrain From being soil'd with filthy stain Let not dull sleep oppress our eyes Nor us the enemy surprize Nor fearful dreams our minde affright While the blackness of the night Holds from us the cheerful light To thee who dost by rest renew Our wasted strength we humbly sue That when we shall enclose our eyes Pure and chast we may arise Making Morning-Sacrifice All honour Lord to thee be done Thou ever-blessed Virgins Son With the Father and the Spirit As is thine eternal merit E're and ever to inherit ¶ On Tears TEars the sweet Musick of harmonious Souls Angels rejoyce and ready are in shouls To dance thereto it is their heav'nly skill Their Master's bottle with such pearls to fill And when the Soul in Sin 's consumption lies No Balsam's better than the briny eyes God loves not waters of a common ford All Rivers are not pleasing to the Lord. When Esau wept it was to think upon His Brothers fraud with indignation His Tears were mix'd his whispring thoughts within Cry'd 'T is my loss I prize beyond my sin Tears of Dissimulation too invite Men to believe God knows the Hypocrite When in devotion we our Case impart We should remember God requires the heart Tears of Contrition give the piercing voice At which both God and Angels do rejoyce Such as were Mary Magdalens who spent Full thirty years in weeping to repent St. Peter likewise waking look'd as sleeping His face b'ing surrow'd with continual weeping The Spouse of whom in 〈◊〉 her fears Like pools of Heshbon glaz'd her eyes with Tears As Musick on the water sounds more sweet Than on the land so Pray'rs with Tears they greet Almighty God with prevalence all hours God listens to effectual Oratours Then let our Tears into a deluge flow To drown our sins and wash away our woe May they shoot forth like showers in the Spring To bathe our Souls in 't is an Offering Well pleasing to the Lord. When Peter wept He look'd more lovely than as when he slept David pathetically ever sung When Heart and Harp with Penitence was strung When to repose he laid his weari'd head Not Diamonds but Tears adorn'd his bed And in the sacred Quire there 's much more mirth For one repentant sinner so by birth Than persons just Repentance needing none Though of an hundred there should want but one To Heav'n comes none but what are pure and cleer Heaven would not be Heav'n if Sin were there ¶ On Humane Frailty THe World 's a Monster And a humane life So full of strife That a dry morsel better may suffice With quiet than contentions sacrifice Man is conceiv'd In sin when born Become a scorn Addicts himself to vanities and lyes Poysons himself
In Winter judge how leaveless then it stood But I confirm it when I see the Bud. In Thomas 't was a fault To hault In waving Faith until His will Was satisfied but 't would a madness been So to continue having felt and seen Belief it may indeed Exceed The strength of Reason yet Doth let No opposition in Faith likewise will suspence 'T will get above but not against the Sense Whilst Faith assures I eat My sweet Redeemer with direct Effect Sense cannot so in ignorance allure me As that I cat not bread but will assure me Although I see not all that I believe Yet those things that I see I must believe Christians must guard their mouths and watch their actions Be pure in heart and keep their faiths from factions ¶ On Christ's Nativity expected WHen blessed Lord shall we Our safe Salvation see Dear Lord arise For our saint eyes Have long'd all night and 't was a long night too Poor man could never say He saw more than a day One day of Edeu's seven The guilty hours were blasted with the breath Of sin and death And have e're since worn a Nocturnal hue But in thy birth is hopes that we At length a splendid day shall see Wherein each poor neglected place Grac'd with the Aspect of thy face Shall glister like the porch and gate of Heav'n How long bless'd Lord how long The Nations thirst and throng All humane kinde Are now combinde Into one body wanting thee their Head Large is our multitude And almost vile and rude Headless Great God for lack of thee Unhappy for the want of thy bless'd face Then come apace And thy bright self to our dull body wed That thorough thy Almighty power Each part that hath confusion wore May order take so to appear Fresh as the dawning of the year When thou dear Lord shalt so united be ¶ The Call COme away my Lord my Life Thy presence doth preserve from strife Come away my Lord my Way Thy presence 〈◊〉 to obey Come away my Lord my Truth Thy presence turneth Age to Youth Come away my Lord my Light Thou dost both Sin and Satan fright Come away my Lord my Feast That my poor Soul may be thy Guest Come away my Lord my Strength By thee my days have health and length Come away my holy Joy Guard my Rejoycings from annoy Come away my dearest Love Lord let my Call thy presence move Come away Divinest Lamb My sins deface that seek to damn Come my Shepherd come away Thy Flock in danger are to stray Come my Safeguard and my Shield In Fights assist me lest I yield Come away Lord hear my Call Make no stay Thou All in All. ¶ The Extasie SUch a Lord and such a Life Whose presence bringe h Pleasures rise Such a way as leads to Bliss Who walks therein can't walk amiss Such a Truth whose Ray defies The Father and the Prince of Lyes Such a Light as leads us to Eternal Comforts not a few Such a Feast as doth rejoyce Compounded of the best and choice Such a Strength as doth desend Not for a day but to the end Such a Joy that giveth store Of Pleasures lasting evermore Such a Love as heard my cry Though sin made me his enemy Such a Lamb whose sweet abode Makes ev'ry Saint a Lamb of God Such a Shepherd of his Sheep There 's none can stray whom he doth keep Shuch a 〈◊〉 and such a Sun Desends 〈◊〉 shines till all is won Open my heart and such a God receive He 's All in All to them that do believe Delights of the Minde JEsus the only thought of thee Fills with delight my memorie But when thou dost thy presence show Heav'n seems into my breast to flow No Theam so sweet for voice can be Nor to the ear such harmonie No heart can thoughts for charming frame As Jesus his most pretious Name Jesus when for our sins we grieve Thy mercies all our wants relieve If good to those that seek thy Grace What art thou when they see thy face Jesus in whom we comsort finde Fountain of Life Light of the Minde Thou dost our hearts with comforts feed Our utmost wish thy gifts exceed No Eloquence of Tongue can teach Nor art of Pen this secret reach Only th'experienc'd Soul does prove What sweets they taste who Jesus love Him then I 'll seek retir'd apart Shutting the world out of my heart And midst my business him I 'll strive With fresh pursuit still to retrive Early with Magdalen I 'll come A Pilgrim to my Saviour's Tomb Weeping my sins in mournful cries I 'll seek him with my minde not eyes My Tears shall on his Grave distill And faithful Sighs the Garden fill Prostrate before him on my face His sacred feet I 'll fast embrace Jesus in thy bless'd steps I 'll tread Striving to follow where they lead Nor shall my Soul give o're to mourn Till to thy favour I return O Jesus most admired King Who didst triumph o'r deaths sharp sting Thy mystick sweetness first excites Then satisfies all appetites Thy quickning visits Life bestow Thy lights true good so cleerly show That they who once have relish'd thee Know all the World 's meer Vanitie Come then dear Lord possess our hearts Enflame our loves with thy chast darts All Clouds of errour drive away And change our N ght to thy bright day To thee our hearts and voices sing To thee our vows and pray'rs we bring That when we end this life 's short racc In Heav'n with thee we may have place ¶ On Death O Death the Serpents Son Where is thy sting once like thy Sire With Hellish torments ever burning fire But those dark days are gone Thy peevish spite buri'd thy sting In the sacred and wide Wound of a Saviour's side Now thou' rt become a tame and harmless thing A toy we scorn to fear For we hear That our triumphant God to conquer thee For the assault thou gav'st him on the Tree Hath took the keys of Hell out of thy hand And forc'd thee stand As Porter to that gate of Life O thou who art the gate be pleas'd that he When we shall die And that way flie May ope the Courts of Heav'n to us through thee ¶ On Judgment JUdge of the World we wretched sinners quake Our Consciences do ake And well they may whenas we think Of the fierce dreadful fire Of thine Ire And Phials thou fhalt make Us sinners drink For thou the Wine-press of thy wrath wilt tread With feet of lead Wretched notorious duft what uncouth place Can shelter from thy face The Earth will shrink out of thy sight The Heavens too that cannot erre Then shall fear Thee and thy Laws and from thee take their flight So burnt with glory their bright eyes shall dead Burst from their head Great God can we Thy Enemies abide to see Such a glorious Majesty We beg thy mercy Lord Thy Judgment-seat We dare not to
upright heart Curses shall him oppress Cursed thrice cursed shall he be Covers his Father's breast And that man curst shall be as he That lieth with a beast Curs'd let him be with Sister lies Oâ—… Mother though in Law Such fins do make those horrid cries That dreadful curses draw Cursed be he that secretly His silent Neighbour smites Murtherers too that cause to die When a reward invites The wicked shall be curs'd at home And likewise in the field His basket and his store at last Shall Blessings cease to yield Cursed be all his sinful fruit Of body and of land His Kine and Flock though they are mute And all he takes in hand Cursed be he when going out And when returning in That happy 't were for him no doubt If he had never been ¶ Praises to God Psal. 65. 1. Praise waiteth for thee O God in Zion PRaise the most high Oh clap your hands Praise him for he the world commands Praise him Mount Zion Praises sing Praise him that is your Cities King Praise him with loud and silent Air Praise ye the Lord that heareth Pray'r Praise him makes Morning hear his voice Praise him makes Evening to rejoyce Praise him that doth prepare our Corn Praise him all ye that are forlorn Praise him that duly sends us Rain Praise him for Fruits Herbs Flow'rs and Grain Praise him for his refreshing showers Praise him for recreating Bowers Praise him that doth our Pastures fill Praise and rejoyce each little Hill Praise him ye Birds and ev'ry Tree Praise him that did divide the Sea Praise him for Waters from the Fount Praise him for Grass grows on the Mount Praise him that gives and nothing ows Praise him with Sacrifice and Vows Praise him that form'd us in the Womb Praise him that guides us to our Tomb. Praise him that makes us blest in Heaven Praise him from whom all Food is given Praise him his holy Name adore Praise him O praise him more and more Praise God the Father of the just Praise him doth raise the Poor from dust Praise him that makes the barren bear Praise him with duty love and fear Praise ye the Lord for dayly Food Praise ye his Name for it is good Praise him who gives success in Wars Praise him who numbereth the Stars Praise him that builds Jerusalem Praise him whose Word is more than Jem Praise him that lifteth up the meek Praise him that doth support the Weak Praise him who doth the Ravens feed Praise him our meetly help at need Praise him doth cause his Winds to blow Praise him that makes the Waters flow Praise him in his Angelick Coasts Praise him all ye his mighty Hosts Praise ye his Name both Sun and Moon Praise him ye Lights that shine at noon Praise him ye Heavens never fade Praise him for ye by him were made Praise ye the Lord ye Dragons fell Praise him ye Deeps his wonders tell Praise him Fire Hail Vapour and Snow Praise him ye stormy Winds that blow Praise him ye Cedars Beasts o' th' field Praise him all things can Praises yield Praise him ye Kings of highest birth Praise him ye Judges of the Earth Praise him ye Rulers whom he rais'd Praise for he 's greatly to be prais'd Praise ye the Lord both great and small Praise him that did create us all Praise him within his holy Tower Praise him for his Almighty Power Praise him for what he to us gave Praise Jesus Christ that did us save Praise ye the Holy Spirit too Praise each with all Devotions due Praise all strive who shall praise the most Praise Father Son and Holy Ghost Praise each with pious Harmony Praise ye the blessed Trinity Praise ye the Lord with Trumpets sound Praise him that heal'd us with his wound Praise him with Harps loud Melody Praise him with Song and Psaltery Praise him with Timbrel let the Flute Praise him with Organ Pipe and Lute Praise him with instrumental String Praise him with Cymbals loudly sing Praise him with joy and skilful voice Praise with new Songs the chief and choice Praise him that is our Guide our Light Praise him because his Word is right Praise him whose works are done in truth Praise him that no injustice doth Praise him all people great and less Praise him that loveth Righteousness Praise him whose Goodness fills the Earth Praise him with Zeal and pious Mirth Praise him the Author is of days Praise him that gives us power to praise Praise him whose Word the Heavens made Praise him whose breath requir'd no aid Praise him that doth the Wind command Praise him that makes the Waters stand Praise him whom Sun and Moon obey Praise him doth Heaven's Scepter sway Praise him that doth the Heathen awe Praise him whose ev'ry Word 's a Law Praise him who doth from Heav'n behold Praise him ye Rich Poor Young and Old Praise him that fashions all our hearts Praise him alone doth heal our smarts Praise him that is the King of kings Praise him in grief that comfort brings Praise him that governs Sea and Coasts Praise him that is the Lord of Hosts Praise him who can the Lion tame Praise him that Mighty is by Name Praise him that guards us day and night Praise him the God of Peace and Fight Praise him that makes the stoutest yield Praise him that is our Help and Shield Praise him with both thy heart and mouth Praise him in Age in Strength and Youth Praise him who are with sorrows sad Praise that the humble may be glad Oh let the Nations all accord To praise and magnifie the Lord. Amen Amen ¶ Gloria in Altissimis Or the Angelical Anthem ANgels Saints and all men cry Glory be to God on high And that glory ne'er may cease Grant us Lord on earth thy peace When there 's good will towards men We shall praise and praise agen ¶ On Fatherly Affection AS in the street I walking cast my eye It was my chance two Children to espie Fighting together by aâ—…d by in hast The Father of the one who saw what past Stept in and suddenly without delay He parted both and took his Son away And lâ—…ke a Father careful of his Son Gave him correction for the sauâ—…t he 'd done The other Lad was left without a check Which made him strut and boast and stretch his neck Believing he had surely won the day Though both alike were equal in the fray I thought it hard that one should punish'd be And not the other he escaping free At last I guess'd 't was a Paternal care One to correct to teach him to beware For over him he a dominion had But was a stranger to the other Lad. So when the wicked sin the godly smart God in chasâ—…sing shews Paternal art He chastens whom he loves whilst wicked men Pursue their sins and act them o're agen The reason common sense cannot avo d Sinners are spar'd only to be destroy'd What need a whip for stubborn
Handmaid am but of a short time and too weak for the understanding of thy Judgments and Laws Although a man be never so perfect among the children of men yet if thy Wisdom be not with him he shall be of no value O send her out therefore from thy Holy Heavens and from the Throne of thy Majesty that she may be with me and labour with me that I may know what is acceptable in thy sight for she knoweth and understandeth all things and she shall lead me soberly in my works and preserve me in her power So shall my works be acceptable by Christ our Lord to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all Honour and Glory World without end Amen The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom and the price of Wisdom is above Rubies HOLY RULES FOR The Devout Christian. IF thou art learned be also pious for Learning sanctified is an Ornament to Grace but Learning corrupted is an Advocate for the Devil Call to minde and oftentimes examine thy self accounting thy thoughts thy words and deeds especially after much business discourses pastime c. Silence is commendable in things that appertain not to thee to the end thou mayest the better call to minde the sufferings of a crucified Saviour If God hath blessed thee with an Estate relieve thy Brother and so live as having little yet possessing all things For remember that Meat Drink and Cloath are the Riches of a Christian and since Christ gave himself for thee well may'st thou give some Fruits of thy labour unto his Let Death be oftentimes the subject of thy Meditations yield thy self wholly to God If thou art poor and hast nothing to requite him with but thy prayers and thy self yet if thou givest thy self to his disposal thou then givest all thou hast The Apostles left their Ships and their Nets The poor Widow gave only her two Mites to the poor mans box and she was preferred before a wealthy Croesus He easily despiseth all things of this world that doth but remember he must die In open Assemblies use not ordinarily all spiritual things lest thou shalt be thought to be singular except thou may'st edisie others and by thy example stir them up to the like On all occasions prefer the glory of God and his service above all things Be a comfort to the Afflicted reconcile Dissentions visit the Sick and the Imprisoned and forget not to relieve the Poor and needy Above all things have servent love for love shall cover a multitude of sins Fast one day in each month or oftner if the strength of thy body will bear it and remember to distribute thy Alms for Fasting and Alms are the wings of Prayer If perturbation or discontents arise in thy minde apply thy self to Prayer Go not to thy rest in wrath lest thou givest the common enemy to mankinde an opportunity to surprize thee Beware of immoderate Cares lest you dishonour or deny God for such cares are 1. Needless 2. Bruitish 3. Bootless 4. Heathenish 1. Needless What need we care when Our heavenly Father knoweth we have need of these things And saith Be careful for nothing but let us cast our cares on him for he careth for us 2. Bruitish Consider the fowls of the air and ravens that he feeds they toyl not 3. Bootless and in vain Which of you by taking thought 〈◊〉 one cubit to his stature or peny to his estate 〈◊〉 4. Heathenish For after all these things the Gentiles seek Repent dayly let not the Devil have the Flour of thy age and God the Bran. The Spirit of Prayer is far more pretious than Treasures of Gold and Silver Despise not the Ministers of Christ for Christ is the Word and they are his Embassadors God requires we should mortisie our lusts for Prayer without that is the service of a Hypocrite Sin bringeth shame and sorrow but Piety hath the portion of everlasting joys Let us cloath our selves with Righteousness it is the safest Armour against the darts of Satan The two Roads that lead to Heaven are Innocence and Repentance Sin is the Christians greatest sore and Repentance his surest salve who then would want the rare Jewel of Repentance since If ye seek ye shall finde An Alarm to the Drowsie PErmit not sluggish sleep To close your waking eye Till you with judgement deep Your dayly actions try He that his sin as Darling keeps when he to quiet goes More desperate is than he that sleeps Amidst his mortal foes At night lie down prepar'd to have Thy sleep thy death thy bed thy grave DIVINE ADVICE TO THE Devout Soul THy Soul is spiritual and thy Body is flesh make not then flesh of thy spirit for an habitual familiarity with corrupt lusts perverts it into the basest flesh God hath made man a lovely Creature do not then make thy self a Monster He dignified thee at first to glorifie thee at last Then let not Carnality deprive thee of thy Blessings With thy sins God will not own thee then tremble to think who it is will take thee If by Lust thou hast lost the sence of Honour and Glory study to recover it by Grace Thy Soul is immortal cannot die thy Body is mortal must die Let not then thy Body be preferred above thy Soul Thy Body hath but a lease for Life then let not a Moment be preferred before Eternity Study not to satisfie thy Body and neglect the salvation of thy Soul It is madness to seek for an unreasonable welfare for the body and thereby eternally ruine both soul and body For so the immortal is made damnably mortal and dies to bliss and the mortal miserably immortal ever living to wo. Remember thy Soul is the noble part of Humane nature wherefore to set thy affections on Earth is infinitely below thee such is thy Nobility Thy Arms are the Minde and Will which were created to embrace Mercie Truth Justice Charity c. and all the Vertues of a heavenly life Thy Body is servant to thy Soul let it tread upon the Earth for that is likewise its subject Let not then the Soul which is the Soveraign of the body set its heart upon that Earth on which its subject sets his foot In thy Soul is the Image of God let it not then be stained with the similitude of beast Let Reason not Sense direct thee a Rational will not the appetite of a Bruit He that lives a negligent and careless â—…ife does what he can to outdo the Deâ—…il in his own undoing For God hath given him Reason â—…nd his depraved nature acts against 〈◊〉 If thou wouldst be in eternal bliss act like man but appear like God for Heaven hath no room for beasts If a wicked Spirit hath deformed thee let an holy one transform thee Every child of God should maintain his Father's likeness that he may enjoy his inheritance Thy Soul is the Spouse of God the great Creator is its Husband no Creature is worthy
every person is his work 19. It is a spiritual injustice to desire to know the secrets of others and to conceal our own 20. We ought not to love our Neighbour onely because he is good or because we hope he will be so but because God commands us so to do 21. In holy duties we should speak little think much but do more 22. It is a great evil not to do good 23. The just man never dies unprepared for he is well prepared for death who perseveres in Christian justice to the end 24. Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth and a foot out of joynt 25. As he that taketh away a Garment in cold weather and as Vinegar upon Nitre so is he that singeth Songs to a heavy heart 26. It is no shame to be poor Nature brought us so into the World and so we must return 27. Dost thou want things necessary grumble not perchance it was necessary thou shouldest want however seek a lawful remedy if God bless not thy endeavour do thou bless him that knoweth what is fittest for thee Thou art God's Patient prescribe not thy Physician 28. Art thou calumniated examine thy Conscience if that be spotted thou hast a just correction if not guilty thou hast a fair instruction Use both so shalt thou distil honey out of gall and make to thy self a secret friend of an open enemy 29. If thine enemy be hungry give him bread if thirsty give him drink thou thereby heapest coals of fire upon his head and a reward unto thy self 30. Charity makes God our debtor for the Poor are his receivers 31. Hast thou an Estate and wouldst increase it divide thy Riches to the Poor those Seeds that are scattered do encrease but hoarded up they die 32. Correction without instruction makes the Master a Tyrant and the Servant a novice 33. That man is a Conquerour that can subdue his own passions 34. Faithful are the wounds of a friend but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful 35. Arm thy self against a profest enemy but he that dissembleth friendship strikes beyond a caution and wounds above a cure from the one thou mayst deliver thy self but from the other Good Lord deliver thee 36. A man that flattereth his Neighbour sâ—…eadeth a Net for his feet 37. The Touch-stone trieth Gold and Gold trieth men 38. Virtue must be the guide of all Qualities otherwise the Professors are undone 39. As the servants of God are known by their two Vertues Humility and Charity so the servants of the Devil are known by their opposite Vices Pride and Cruelty 40. The best way to keep good acts in memory is to refresh them with new 41. To boast is to be vain since the greatest Conquerour if he measure his own shadow shall finde it no longer than it was before his victory 42. Believe not Soothsayers for Prophesies are never understood till they are accomplished 43. The World is a wide Prison and every day an execution-execution-day 44. Our Stomachs are common Sepulchres for Birds Beasts and Fish they all die to feed us Lord with how many deaths are our poor lives patched up How full of death is the life of man 45. Beware of Drink where Drunkenness reigns Reason is an exile Vertue a stranger and God an enemy Blasphemy is Wit Oaths are Rhetorick and Secrets are Proclamations 46. Whosoever will arrive at a New life must pass by the death of the Old 47. He that is truly humble never thinks himself wronged 48. The good man lives contented with a moderate Estate not so much taking notice of those that have more as those that have less than our selves 49. He that most mortifies natural inclinations receives most supernatural inspirations 50. To shun the accidental troubles of this life is to meditate often upon Eternity 51. It is the great misfortune of man to desire those things which he should only use 52. To have a desire to be poor and not to receive the inconveniencies of it is too great ambition For it is to desire the honour of Poverty and the commodity of Wealth 53. There is no better way to end happily a true spiritual life than daily to begin it 54. He that would have a part with Jesus glorified must first take part with Jesus crucified 55. We should live in this present World as if our Souls were in Heaven and our Bodies in the Grave 56. In the death of our Passions consists the life of our Souls 57. It is not Humility to acknowledge our selves miserable that onely is not to be a beast but it is Humility to desire that others should esteem us so 58. There is no reason to be given for the fault we commit in sin for the fault would not be sin if it were not against Reason 59. Virtues never have their full growth but when they bring forth desires of advancing which like spiritual seeds serve to produce new degrees of Vertues 60. We should never speak of God or of things which concern his service carelesly by way of discourse or entertainment but always with great respect and humble minde 61. We should sear the Judgement of God without discouragement and encourage our selves without presumption 62. The ready way for the Soul to have peace with it self is to obtain its peace with God 63. We may perform many holy actions yet not please God if we neglect to do what he requires of us no more than a Painter in representing an Eagle pleaseth him that desired a Bee 64. Let us never look on our Crosses but through the Cross of Christ thereby we shall finde them pleasant and have fresh desires to be afflicted 65. Desire to obtain the love of God makes us meditate but that love once obtained makes us contemplate THE TABLE A ANgel and Man A Dialogue Page 6 On Ambition 9 An Adieu to the World 14 Almost a Christian 21 St. Ambrose's Hymn 62 St. Augustine's Hymn ibid. The Ascension 66 An Adoration ibid. The Altar 72 The Ant 78 Antiphon 79 Of Angels 82 On Age 94 Acknowledgments 111 Advice to Prisoners 126 St. Austin's Prayer 134 On Alexander the Great 161 B On the Book misprinted the Tree of Life 21 On Beauty 41 The Bible 81 The Beatitudes 82 The Believer 136 Bad at Best 159 On Blasphemy 166 Blessings of the Righteous as they are recorded in Holy Writ 172 C The Christian and Worlding 11 On Conscience 24 On Contentation 30 The Christians Alphabet 59 On Christ's Death 60 On Christ's Cross 63 The Cross 65 On Christ 68 Christian and Death 71 The Candle 77 Of Christ's Passion 83 On Christ's Praying 84 On Christ's Nativity 102 Christ's Triumph to Jerusalem 103 Of Christ's Birth in an Inne 104 To the Creator 105 The Caution 112 On the Conscience 133 On Christ's Nativity expected 137 The Call 138 The Check 149 Christ all in all 152 The Careless Christian 154 The Colestial Painter 156 To the divine Creator 157
begins He never thinks with a true pious wrath How many darling-sins his bosom hath Nor Alms nor Prayers ne're fall unless he spy Although at distance certain witness by As if he doubted whether God would own Receiving them and is so wary grown That left the World should not discern his worth His mouth 's the Trumpet that doth sound it forth And when his Bags run o're bethinks to build An Hospital and that is straightway fill'd With persons indigent did aged grow Poor as when born for he had made them so With flesh on Frydays he will not be fed He more abhors it than his Neighbours bed Will at the Name of Jesus bow or nod At Church anon at Tavern swear by God When his Step-mother's sick and seems to creep Towards her Grave he then brings Tears to weep When he hath cause to fear she will not die He forces a rejoycing-sympathie With her best friends 'T is hard to rightly paint An Hypocrite To strangers he 's a Saint A meer pretender to the Poors relief Private Extortioner his Neighbours grief The blot of goodness scoff in good mens fight A rotten Stick to trust in dark of night A Candle temper'd ill with a large snuff The Poor man's Plague and a religious Huff The Fool 's great Idol and the Wife man's scorn A choaking Poppy in a field of Corn Abroad an Angel free from least of evil At home none more implacable a Devil And when an Angel worse a guide amiss But when a Devil shews but what he is As the Apostle's Phrase is many men Are servants of the eyes for they shall when They are beheld act Vertue with a grace And in their Zeal run with a thorow pace When they perceive Spectators all are gone They change their habits for the Play is done They curious Searchers are in others acts Careless Correctors of their own foul facts They to their Lust and Lewdness are so prone They think they 're safe because espi'd by none Thus an ill nature leadeth man to sin And corrupt custom bids him ' bide therein When carnal Constitutions get a head They like Commanders do weak mortals lead But for the Hypocrite he seems a friend Will promise much but not without an end Nothing perform but many he hath broke Receiving substance but returning smoke And he whose quality is eminent More foul's the quality of his intent Acts that dishonourable are look great In them by blood or parts have Honours seat The Publican and Sinner have more right To Heaven's Mansions than an Hypocrite I with Prolixity might spoil my Pen For he 's in verity the scum of men The worst of damned Souls their portion have With him in hot and horrid scorching Cave There leave we him and his tormented bone Measuring minutes with deep sighs and groar ¶ On Envy ALl lusts reduced are to Three-fold heads Lust of the eyes the flesh and that which leads To as much Vice and a continual Strife The haughty humour or the pride of life But Envy is the chiefest lust of eyes Seeing another good with him it vies Not to be farther good his envy grew Seeing good men belov'd and honour'd too Envy thinks all men made of equal stuff Why may not envious men be good enough It for the Innocent defends a Cause To seem a Saint and to procure applause But 't is a Plague within a man 's own brest And a Disease will not admit of Rest. If such a thing as Admiration be It 's heart doth whisper That belongs to me It is a furious wind which to rehearse Sometimes breaks forth to shake the Universe A sharp Malignity most quick of sight An Ostrich with an eager appetite Cherish a Doâ—… and you may make him tame Lions by gentleness become the same But man grown â—…vious if you speak him fair Yet keep at distance of his wiles beware For if he sees you creep then he proves worse May smile upon you when his heart doth curse 〈◊〉 the World's frowns do force you to comply He gluts himself with your adversity And Beetle-like as I have heard it sung When hungry grown doth eat its fellows dung Whilst Envy doth obliquely look upon The good of others all his own is gone Or at the least takes no delight the smart Is like a Vulture seeding on the heart The Basilisk by nature kills all Trees And Shrubs it breatheth on and when he please Doth scorch and burn all Herbs and Leaves of Grass Over the which his body chance to pass So Envy is an Aetna in a man Like the Cantharides if seeding can Encompass as its stomach doth dispose And often diets on the fairest Rose It is a Passion doth ones Health deser And proves at last a man's Self-murtherer 'T is Couzen-German to the sin of Pride And each may well be call'd a Homicide Wrath kills the foolish man when in his way The envious man the silly Soul doth slay The eye alas is the unhappy pit That first doth this destructive guest admit And when it gets a full possession once It shrinks the Nerves and rots into the bones Till with Consumption it doth man environ Feeding on him as Rust doth seed on Iron Envy believes its will should be its law Socrates saith 'T is to the Soul a Saw Grates without mercy when it doth behold Its dross and sees another shine in gold Like the poor Fly to put the Candle out Doth burn it self with buzzing round about Or like the Bee that with a humming flies Looses his sting and then at once he dies Or Viper-like to make a Paul expire Leaping on him is cast into the fire Envy 's a Canker in the Heart and Minde Spleen to the good Great Charity is kinde ¶ On Supplication AS in a Ship when sailing from its Port The Sails are Loised thereby to exhort Some skilful Mariner to shew his art Who presently doth to the Rudder start So every morning when we rise from rest Our hearts should study for a just Request For that 's the Rudder of our life and age To guide us through our Earthly Pilgrimage Heav'n is our home and God alone to him Through Rivers of our Tears we ought to swim For when God's wrath is kindled to a fire No other water can allay his ire Christians no better Messengers can send Than Prayers and Tears Angels on them attend Moses by Prayer that prevailing Word Harm'd Amalik much more than Israel's Sword Th' Apostle Paul this golden Rule hath laid Let supplications for all men be made In which great duty let this be observ'd First a due preparation not with carv'd Or starch'd Expressions made by Wit and Art God doth desire truth in the inward part Consider thou the Supplicant art dust A vile and sinful man a heap of Lust. The Lord to whom thou dost thy Prayers apply Is Holy Wise of Sacred Majesty Let Meditation guide thee in thy way Lest thy frail minde distracted be and ftray Pray
providence doth think it fit To hit the mark sometimes by missing it Let me not now appear so idly rude To pay my God with my Ingratitude And give my thanks to Fortune as if she Were Governess of my Tranquillity But if my thanks may make a recompence I 'll pay them to the eye of Providence Narrow was my escape be it my charge That therefore I my thankfulness inlarge Lest my ingratitude should justly cause That since this Arrow seemingly did pause By touching of my hat but miss'd my head The next may pierce my heart and strike me dead The ancient Romans did this Law contrive Ingrateful ones should be devour'd alive He that receiv'd and thankfulness would want Was cast whilst living to the Cormorant Lycurgus made no Law to punish such Thinking no wretch could dare to sin so much ¶ On Disturb'd Devotion THis morning Lord I visited my friend But ill came of that good I did intend Unhappy I that then should finde the way When he to his apartment went to pray If I 'm uncapable my self to build Shall I snatch Tools from him is thorow skill'd Certainly better far more pious 't were And Christian-like to joyn with him in Prayer But now how shall I study an amends That as before we may continue friends Lord what he wanted if it be thy will Be pleas'd to grant for he 's thy servant still Thou knowst for what he did intend to sue And my Petition for him 's doubly due That neither he nor I may loosers be Lord hear our Saviour both for him and me ¶ On Sin and Sorrow OUr Sin and Sorrow two Companions are Sin leads us in and Sorrow feeds the snare If our short moments merrily are spent Into eternal mournings we are sent He that won't weep while he may pardon have Hereafter may in vain for pity crave One bottle full of Tears thy sins may quell But a whole Cloud not quench the flames of Hell Then let the careless sinner laugh and scorn I 'll weep at present not for ever mourn Valleys of Tears do shew their cleansing skill And raise a sinner unto Sions hill But the fool's heart is in the house of mirth His Joy's his Sorrow and his Heaven Earth But he whose Cup is fill'd unto the brink With sin he shall in Seas of Sorrow sink Wherefore my Sins I 'll here in Sorrow steep And so weep now as not for ever weep ¶ On Mortality LOrd what a Shadow is the Life of man A nothing less than is a little span Just as a Bird when as it takes its flight From off the owners hand is out of sight Our present time is as a fading flower A flying minute or a running hour The time to come after the present's fled Uncertain is next Sun may see us dead Lord in this hour oh make me sure of thee Lest in the next I miss Felicitie ¶ On St. Peter's Enlargement WHen the good Angel brought Saint Peter out From Prison there was neither noise nor shout That should for joy awake the Iron-gate Yet of its own accord it open'd straight But see how all things in their duties vary He chang'd his Prison for the house of Mary Mother of John yet stood and knock'd at door Could not get in with ease got out before The Iron-gate obedience understood Yet he found opposition by the Wood. Easie the answer is There no man was The Gate to open or to guard the pass But as in course it usual was before A Portress was design'd to wait the door God would not shew his finger where the hand Of man impower'd was to bear command Lord should a wooden Obstacle increase Or be a bar unto our hopes of Peace An arm of flesh might set a â—…ter free Without those Miracles are wrought by thee But shou'dst thou leave usâ—… Lord do what we can We cry Alas Vain is the help of man To God alone all glory be ascrib'd Jaylors extort but God cannot be brib'd ¶ The Soul's Search LIke weeping Mary holy sorrow lays Wait for the Lord and seeks him divers ways And Saving Faith like wrestling Jacob finds Its Saviour out and firmly to him binds Like the devoted Spouse so fervent love Doth dwell with Christ not thinking to remove This brings the Soul to Pastures fresh and green And leads it to the Chamber of the Queen Hereafter Christ the blessed Soul doth bring To the Coelestial-chamber of the King So that to lodge with Christ and view his face Is the perfection of eternal Grace Lord oh my Soul doth love no other he I sought have found and thirst to dwell with thee ¶ On Prosperity IF wicked men in Gold and Silver shine Should I at their Prosperity repine When I indeed behold their spreading Eay And view their Quails methinks I 'm apt to say They happy are but 't is when I forget Their shining-sun doth with a twinkle set For when into God's Sanctuary I Once place my foot I easily descry That all the Blossoms of their splendid Glory Are as dull shadows meerly momentory The scum of Vanity a useless froth Blasted with one breath of Almighty wrath External Pleasures on which they rely Fill up the measures of their misery Like the deceitful Salute Joab gave To Amasa so all their great and brave Bespangled Honour mounts them up in Vice Only to cast them from a precipice Or like the Mule of Absalom doth bear Them to the Gallows and so leaves them there Like Jaels present in a lordly dish It seems to pleasure the luxurious wish But in the end when sensual Lusts prevail The dire conclusion shews a fatal nail And very frankly chalketh out the way For a sad Summons to the Judgment-day Thus their Prosperity doth first betray With tempting smiles and in conclusion slay As a poor Ox in fatning Pasture feeds To day the next he 's singled out and bleeds What envy will at Malefactors flie Because the day is fair wherein they die Why doth Iniquity in Glory flourish In Pastures large it only is to nourish Them for the slaughter Hear the sum of all Experience tells it Pride will have a fall For Mediocrity bent Agur's art He knew Prosperity doth swell the heart ¶ On Humility NOsce teipsum hard is to be learn'd A mans own faults are not with ease discern'd The faults of other men are writ in Text Easie to read when ours are not annext The eye that 's fixt on Natures choicest shelf Can all things see yet not behold it self Presumptuous Confidence goes bleeding home When humble Fear triumphantly doth come Great Alexander would be deifi'd Confess'd himself a man his blood espi'd The humble man within another minds All things are excellent but when he finds He doth decline in Vertue noble Elf He is the first that shall condemn himself His eyes are full of his continual want Sees others worth and grieves himself is scant When he hath but a mite of his deserts Others he
Piety And Trismegistus this assertion brings Religion is the ground of publick things God did not cast man out of Paradise That man might make another by advice Be therefore wary during time and leisure 'T is dangerous to take delight in Pleasure For 't is a Syren doth deceive us all It gives us dainties but they 're mix'd with gall The Pitch and Tar of Sin so close do cleave That Pleasure waiteth only to deceive Riches seem pleasant things to banish Care But are at best but an intangling Snare Our Meat and Drink when taken with excess Breaks forth to Surfeitings and Drunkenness Silver and Gold seem pleasant things yet they Like thieves from God do steal our hearts away That man that loveth pleasure shall he poor But God's right hand hath pleasures ever more ¶ On an Hour-Glass AS I in haste did through a Chamber pass I had almost destroy'd a Christal Glass With fear affrighted I too soon believ'd That I had broke it thereupon I griev'd But how much time more pretious than that sand Have I neglected and with ready hand Pursu'd my solly being round beset With sins yet I not thinking of regret Though that but Christal I my self condemn But minde not Time though every hour 's a gem The thought of breaking that did me affright The other 's minded not though lost outright That were but casual if it had been done But with consent my pretious Time hath flown A better Hour glass may be had for cost But Time ill-spent is once and ever lost For toys our griess can finde a certain leisure But have no vent for an unvalued treasure Lord let that Hour-glass for its service win me Not that stands by me but shall be within me Teach me to number so my days that I Right soon my heart to wisdome may apply ¶ Salve for the Sick WHenas some sharp Disease shall visit me I sear with pain I shall impatient be For I am Cholerick by nature made By temper tender apt to be afraid And such a stranger unto sickness am 'T would prove a Lions conquest o're a Lamb. O whither will my minde with wavering sail When a Disease shall over me prevail O whither will my giddy fancy stride When a Distemper's the unstable Guide Wilde-fire will sit upon my burning tongue When with a Feaver every Sense is stung Wherefore O Lord if it disclose my shame Let it give no dishonour to thy Name Teach me the Art of Patience whilst I 'm well That when grown sick that Vertue may excel In that day let me not assistance lack Lighten my burthen or improve my back In God I 'll trust when Life hath spun its length For In the Lord is everlasting strength ¶ On Perfection IN Humane life there no perfection can Be said to be an attribute of man Lust and the Senses have a constant Jar The Flesh and Spirit do maintain a War Against each other man may make his moan He perfect is in Imperfection None but the Lord that Badge of Honour wears But man may gain it with his Prayers and Tears Cannot enjoy it here but he must fly Where it is crowned with Felicity They are Coelestial plants or flowers both Of Paradise not of Terrestrial growth The best in this his Pilgrimage doth hault Like Jacob with one leg 't is Natures fau't Though we have many tongues as Paul are apt To climb like him till i' th' third Heaven wrapt Though we with Moses have in Egypt sought For all the Learning the Egyptians taught Though we as Ezra did should understand Each Article of every Command Within the Law of God Though eloquent In Scripture as Apollos we indent Too far with Sin and Satan that our care Hath no perfection but a perfect snare We are but Scholars here to use our Arts In pious duties to improve our parts The clearest Christian hath some soil or spot Noah with Drinking did himself besot Peter with Perjury eclips'd his fame And with Dissimulation Abraham With loud Contention Paul and Barnabas The Psalmist truly doth express the case The sons of men are so profusely prone None perfect are nor none good no not one The Vertue that a just man hath doth lie In Pious works and in Humilitie The Author to the Hebrews quotes the name Of many Worthies blemish'd in their fame Gideon an Ephod made and that let in Idolatry he Israel made to sin Had many Wives to nourish his designe Of Lust and with those Wives a Concubine Barak although a Souldier waxed faint Sampson a strong and a couragious Saint Defil'd himself with Strumpets Wretched fate Made Jepthe rash and Inconfiderate David was tainted with two horrid sins Murther Adultery as if two twins Or brethren both have his great honour checkt Samuel observ'd his Children with neglect No Prince or Prophet but his weakness had Virtues have opposites in things are bad Yet they were men that did with God accord And were most highly honour'd by the Lord Faithful to God obedient to his Law That Chrystal perfect is that hath no flaw Shew me a Garden that 's without its weeds I 'll yield man perfect by his words and deeds Yet let us not upon their errours play The Righteous man offendeth every day And if the righteous scarcely can be sav'd It plainly shews whole Nature is deprav'd Wouldst thou of a Perfection have thy share Repent like them for now they perfect are ¶ On a Rose-tree 'T Was in September I observ'd a Tree That then bore Roses stranger 't was to me Others of like kind round about it grew Yet all were barren and those not a few The Gardner kindly did the reason give In May 't was closely clipt that it might thrive And bud in Autumn Lord had I been kept Curb'd in my tender years whenas I slept Secure from punishment my life had been Grey in its Youth and when grown aged Green He that intends to win the happy Race Must learn in tender years to grow in Grace ¶ The Christians Alphabet AN Angel good Satan himself can make But the Apostles true bid men beware Christ had his Paul the drowsie to awake Daring even Death it self such was his care Earnest in zealous works did sharply tast Fortunes ill will in stripes of cruel measure Great was his troubles he did oft forecast Honour for God in counting Death his treasure In Prisons frequent from the fight o' th' Sun Kill'd oftentimes and yet he did revive Lashes five times he had forty save one Menacing terms did frequently receive Night and day in the deep and shipwrack'd thrice Once was he ston'd and three times beat with rods Perils came often cold he was as Ice Quips oftner came than did his days by odds Render he did his thanks to God for all Such was his holy love and fervent Zeal Though first he was a persecuting Saul Undoing such as bless'd the Commonweal Wreaths crown his head because he was a Tree Xactly good too pretious
of Beasts of Springs and Flowers How to use thy noble Powers Call whole Nature to thy aid Since 't was he whole Nature made Joyn in one eternal Song Who to one God all belong Live for ever glorious Lord Live by all thy works ador'd One in Three and Three in One Thrice we bow to thee alone ¶ Of Flesh. ALI Flesh is Grass doth therefore rot For why Can man be born to live and not to die 'T is happiness to leave this life and world And have our names where joys are rife enroll'd The dead ne're fear what Death can do his blast Will come no more for why that wo is past Then to the Soul appeareth Love and Joy For God will not his Turtle-Dove destroy Then though a Torch-light here 't is better far To be put out and after rise a Star ¶ The Grave THough Clay my Cottage is secure Princes do dwell with me And my foundations do endure for aye Death waits on me and with his dart Sends me the stoutest he And Champion-like commands the heart to stay Then be he Rich or be he Poor A Spark or else a Clown They lie together on the floor and so They sleep as if they lay upon The softest Bed of Down Troubles are fled and Griefs are gone for though The Body naked in the cold Earth lies The Soul sings Hallelujahs 'bove the Skies ¶ An Infant EArths little Morsel Man's small Letter And Adam's Copy no one better Before he tasted Eve Nature's fresh Picture drawn in oyl Which time and handling oft doth spoil His Soul appears like Paper white That yet had scarce bore word aright Neither knew how to grieve But purest colours without pains Are subject most to spots and stains He is above the tempts of Devil Since he can't understand an evil His days are raw and dull Nor hath he yet agreed with sin To banish joys let sorrows in He cannot yet be counted wise And being dumb he with his eyes Sings silent tunes of Lull He kisses all doth them approve His Innocency is his Love Nature and Parents much alike Do sometimes dandle sometimes strike With hidden sugred bait They him intice and he doth sup Whate're he finds within the Cup. Could his weak body finde the way To Bliss and here no longer stay He 'd have a happy fate Not knowing sin or mortal crime He 'd reach Eternity betime ¶ The Candle LIke as vain man I downward grow My life is ever wasting I fall by fire still waxing low As man did fall by tasting My house of Tallow doth decrease And I that am but Cotten Within one hour live and decease Am in the next forgotten O Lord pour Oyl into my Lamp To light me to thy home That when it shall extinguish't be I may a Star become ¶ The Ant. ALthough a creature small yet all My labour pains and care 't is rare Is in the Summer to provide Against the Cold and Winter-tide And though so small yet I an eye Can have to things for when weak men Waste time in Feasts and Riot I study for my Diet. Idleness breeds Distempers Povertie Gives room for Sin ye Sluggards learn of me ¶ The Thanksgiving COme let 's adore the gracious hand That brought us to this light That gave his Angels strict command To be our Guard this night When we laid down our weary heads And sleep seal'd up our eye They stood and watch'd about our beds To let no harm come nigh Now we are up they still go on And guide us through the day They never leave their charge alone Whate're besets our way And oh my Soul how many snares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before our feet In all our hopes in all our cares Some dangers still we meet Sometimes the sin does us o'retake And on our weakness win Sometimes our selves our ruine make And we o'retake the sin O save us Lord from all those darts That seek our Souls to slay Save us from us and our filse hearts Lest we our selves betray Save us O Lord to thee we cry From whom all Blessings spring We on thy Grace alone rely Alone thy glory sing Glory to thee eternal Lord Thrice blessed Three in One Thy Name at all times be ador'd Till time it self be done ¶ Antiphon A Dialogue in three parts Chor. THanks be to the Lord on high Angels That gave his Son Men. For us to die Chor. He that is the holy One Ang. Lov'd us of old Men. For us was sold. Chor. He that is the God of might Men. Made us of Dust Ang. For us did fight Chor. He that is the God most just Ang. Set us aright Men. To us gave light Chor. He that made the Heavens Earth Men. And all therein Ang. He is more worth Chor. He it is that knew no sin Ang. Yet suffered death Men. To give us breath Chor. Blessed he hung on the Cross Men. For our great gain Ang. But his own loss Chor. He that heal'd the Blinde and Lame Ang. Yet sought as thief Men. For our relief Chor. He that died with a kiss Men. From wretched man Ang. Is now in Bliss Chor. He that can the Heavens span Men. And do much more Ang. Him we adore Chor. He that was bound to Herod sent Men. And spit upon Ang. He is our Tent. Chor. He that melteth hearts of stone Ang. With us doth stand Men. Doth us command Chor. He that pardon can our sin Ang. Hath broke our snare Men. But we fall in Chor. He with whom none can compare Men. He gave us eyes Ang. He made us rise Chor. He was scourg'd with heavy lash Men. For us lost blood Ang. And us did wash Chor. He it is that is the good Men. Great God alone Ang. Heaven 's his Throne Chor. He that wore a Crown of Thorns Men. That doth us keep Ang. And us adorns Chor. He the Shepherd of the Sheep Ang. Our choicest stock Men. Our only rock Chor. Praise him then that did us make Men. Doth us defend Ang. And us did take Chor. Bless his Name World without end Men. For his great love Ang. To us above Angels and Men praise ye the Lord for aye Oh all ye Nations praise the Lord and say Amen ¶ The Bible The Book of Books The only good To him that looks For heav'nly food A Holy Light In darkest night The blessed Word Of God the Lord. Divinitie In it doth lie Indeed it is The Gate of Bliss ¶ The Dream I Dreamt my Death was but a sleep My Grave and Bed both one And when the morning forth did peep Life came and Death was gone Since so it is that none can be Asleep but such as die O Lord I 'll sleep to all but thee And make my bed on high ¶ The Beatitudes BLess'd are the poor that is the meek in spirit For they the Heav'n God's Kingdom shall inherit Blessed are they that mourn away their years God hears their sighs hath bottles for their tears Blessed
no ill Nor yet no good they hurt when fill To little purpose lying still And such a hurt may kill When I am praying to the Lord my God They often on my Prayers have trod And when I hope'd to scape the rod My sins have still abode The reason sure why I am thus possest With such a bold unwelcome guest Unto my shame be it consest It is because his Nest With my consent before was builded there Who now lies lurking like a Bear Watching my sinful Soul to tear When once got in his snare Lord be my Surgeon heal my wounded heart And give me grace that by that Art I may devise a Bolt or Dart To cause such thoughts depart For with repentant tears it is con'est Thou art a help to men opprest When we are most of all distrest Thou art our chiesest rest With fervent Zeal unto thy aid we flee Thou art our Rest Truly our hope 's in thee ¶ On Repentance REpentance is a gift which comes from high We are not with it born None of themselves repentantly can cry Or make the World his scorn They 're carnal Christians think it is enough To mingle Lord have mercy with their stuff We Jewels buy and they prove counterfeit So man himself undoes Thus in Repentance Souls themselves do cheat And their rich Jewel loose Which made one say Repentance would not lin Until it damned many more than sin If we repent for sin 't is nothing worth Unless we do refrain From it as well for if we from our birth Delighted to be vain Yet sometimes weep but still our hearts do harden God will us with a Contradiction pardon The sorrow of this World it worketh Death But godly sorrow that Repentance works and that eternal breath The Lord himself doth hate Man for his sins that numberless do flush And for those sins doth love as much the blush Repentance strips us of those Garments black That the first Adam's was It kills our sins and keep us from the wrack Though now we are but Grass It doth revive Our Tears do water so That we like Plants of Paradise do grow All above all thou art O God most just Repentance grant to me That I may cleanse my Carnal house of Dust And make it fit for thee Teach me that Lesson which doth still remain With dayly Tears to wash my dayly stain Repentance should appear before I die Nor can I know the when My dying-day shall come or when I flie From hence to thee agen Therefore gâ—…ve me Repentance ev'ry day So shall my flight be clear and thou my way No better showers extinguish can the flames Of Hell than sinners Tears Begin â—…etimes trust not to after-games Forthey bring after-fears Have little cause to say Wo's me that I Who liv'd a sinner must a sinner die We all are apt to think it is too soon Repentance to begin We put it off from morning until noon From thence do farther spin Whenas we hourly should prepare a room To entertain our God when he shall come Beda makes mention of a certain man Who lying very sick Was counsell'd by his Friends his life to scan And to repent while quick Who said His sins he would not yet shake off Lest if he should recover then a scoff To his Companions he himself should make But still he waxed worse His Friends then counsell'd him again to take Repentance not his Curse He answered them That then it was too late For he was plung'd in a condemn'd estate Better it is by far from sin to flie Than lack Repentant cure For he that hath no wounds fears not to die But liveth safe and sure 'T is good for any man more for his ease Neither to know the Cure nor the Disease ¶ On the Day of Judgment AH come it will that dreadful day Which shall the World in Ashes lay As David and the Sibyl both could say How men will tremble and grow pale When Justice comes with Sword and Scale To weigh the faults and sort the fates of all A Trumpet first shall rend the Skies And all whereever laid must rise And come unto the Bar in Pris'ners guise Nature and Death amaz'd will stand To see each one rebodied and Brought to reply himself to each demand A written Book lie open shall Containing each ones Charge and all By those grand Evidences stand or fall Then sits the Judge himself and tries No shifting from All-seeing eyes Nor scaping seen whoe're deserves it dies Oh then poor I what shall I do Which Friend or Patron take me to When Saints themselves are scarce secure from wo Dread Lord to thee thy self run I Who sav'st the sav'd without a why And so mayst me thou source of Clemencie Think who did once thy pity move And drew thee from thy Throne above Cast me not off at last thy former Love Thou tir'dst thy self in seeking me And for my sake di'dst on a Tree Let not in vain such pangs and labour be True thou hast dealt thy mercies home Yet acts of grace mayst deign to some At least before that day of Reckoning come I guilty am e're thou me try My looks and blushes me descry But Mercy Lord O Lord do not deny Thou who didst once a Magd'len spare And of a Thief condemn'd took'st care B'dst me by these examples not despair Not that my Prayers ought can claim But thou art good be still the same That wretched I burn not in endless flame When from the Goats thou shalt divide Thy Sheep let me with thee abide Plac'd in Eternal Bliss on thy right side And then those great 〈◊〉 ssizes done The Curs'd to flames tormenting thrown Say Come ye blessed meaning me for one Lord this I beg on bended knee With heart contrite as ashes be That thou take care both of my end and me ¶ On Sighs and Groans SIgh on sad Heart as hard as Diamond-stone At ev'ry breathing usher forth a groan For such although thou dost not speak Sufficient are thy minde to break Or if thy groans are smothered with grief And steal out softly as a cunning thief God hears and understands the cry Better than he that lets them fly For many sighs and groans are poured out Loaded with thoughts so that this heavy scout Hath such an Errand then to tell Where to begin he knows not well God hath a Bottle for the sinners Tear And ready is as we to speak to hear Heav'n is attentive to a sinners sute And sighs are vocal though the tongue be mute ¶ Knots WHo reads a Chapter when to bed Shall not have Aches in his head Who opes his Purse unto the Poor Shall finde it filling more and more Whose heart and tongue obey God's Word Both beats the bush and gets the bird Who keeps his thoughts from things amiss Is thinking on his way to Bliss Who keeps his Conscience pure and clear Is always feasting year by year Whose stomach doth for Dainties crave With
am dead in grief Or what is worse in sin I call on Jesus and he hears And I to live begin Wherefore to thee bright Name Behold thus low I bow And thus again yet is all this Nothing to what I owe. Down then down bow my knees Still lower to the ground While with mine eyes and voice lift up Aloud these Lines I sound Live Heaven's glorious King By Angels bright ador'd Live gracious Saviour of the World Our chief and only Lord Live and for ever may Thy Throne establish'd be For ever may all hearts and tongues Sing Praises unto thee ¶ To God the Holy Ghost COme into us Holy Ghost From thy bright Coelestial coast Send us a resplendant Beam Come thou Father of the Poor Come thou willing Gift-bestow'r Come thou heart-reviving Gleam Thou of Comforters the best Thou the Souls delightful Guest A refreshing sweet relief Thou in toyl a resting seat Temper in excessive heat Solace to a Soul in grief O thou blessedest of Lights Those that love t' observe thy Rites With thy self their bosoms fill While thou' rt absent nothing can Be regardable in man Nothing can he act but ill What is for did mundifie Water what is over-dry What is wounded render sound Pliant make what 's hard to yield Cherish what with Cold is chil'd Govern what is vagabond In the faithful that confide In thy mercies cause reside All the train of Sev'n-fold Grace Give what Vertue 's merit is Give th' accomplishment of Bliss Joys of an eternal Race Amen ¶ On the Holy Trinity IN Sacred sheets of either Testament 'T is hard to finde an higher Argument More deep to sound more busie to sâ—…uss More useful known unknown more dangerous ¶ On Christ's Nativity MYsterious Miracle the same should be A Lamb a Shepherd and a Lion too Yet so was he Whom first the Shepherds knew And readily became Sheep to their Shepherd-Lamb Shepherd of Angels Men and Lamb of God Lion of Judah by these Titles keep The Wolf from all thy harmless Sheep Let the whole World flock to thy Fold Jews and Gentiles may they all come In multitudes not to be told Thy Lambs that wander bring them home Glory be to God on high Glory to the Deity ¶ On Christ's Triumph to Jerusalem BEhold we stay Lord come away Thy Road is ready and thy Paths made strait With languishing expect and wait The Consecration of thy beauteous seet Ride on triumphantly see Lord we lay Our carnal lusts and wills all in thy way Hosanna welcome to our hearts Lo here Thou hast a Temple too and full as dear As that of Sion but more full of sin Nothing but Thieves and Robbers dwell therein Then enter Lord chase them and cleanse the floore Crucifie all that they may never more Profane that holy place Where thou hast chose to set thy face And if our stubborn tongues shall be Mute in the praises of thy Deitie The stones from out the Temple-wall Shall cry aloud and call Hosanna And thy glorious foot-steps greet ¶ The Shepherds Dialogue In three parts 1. COme let us finde the Babe That hath made This our World so full of joy And expectation That glorious blessed boy That crowns each Nation With his triumphant Wreaths of blessedness 2. Doubtless he is within the throng Just among His Angels that divinely sing Taking wing So as to eccho to his voice They rejoyce With Wing with Tongue and Heart That so they do perceive their happiness 3. But attended is as now With a Cow The Ox and Mule do all behold With wonder An homely Stable should unfold The Thunder Chor. What an Almighty God have we Great great as is our Miserie ¶ On Christ's Birth in an Inne BLess'd be that Virgin travel'd without pain And lodg'd within an Inne A splendid Star the signe No greater guest did ever come that way For therein lay The glorious Lord of Night and Day Who doth o're Heav'n and over Angels reign He came i' th' time of great Augustus tax All cry'd He comes To pay the sums Or ransom of our lost Humanitie To set us free From an Impious Emperie Of Satan Sin that then bore sway Inspire our Hearts to be thy lodging place In each ones brest Take up thy rest Temples are fitter for thee than an Inne And let not sin Profane the Sacred Deity within So to defile the Ornaments of Grace ¶ Of Thoughts To think upon the Pow'r of God doth awe me To think upon Gods Justice doth affright me To think upon the Love of God doth draw me To think upon God's Mercy doth delight me To think upon God's Bounty that doth please me To think upon God's Favour doth endear me To think upon God's Goodness much doth ease me To think upon God's Promises doth chear me Thus thinking what I think doth make me say The more I think the more methinks I may Lord let my thoughts so firmly fixed be That I may think on nothing more than thee ¶ To the Creator DIvine Creator bear in minde That thou of our Corporeal kinde The form didst take when heretofore 'T was thee a Sacred Virgin bore Bless'd Mary pre-ordain'd to be Mother of Grace and Clemencie Defend us from our mortal foe Receive us when from hence we go Jesus all glory to thy Name Born of a Virgin and the same To th' Holy Ghost and Father be Through Ages to Eternitie ¶ The Godly Garden A Godly heart 's a Garden full of Flowers Well kept and trim'd where Herbs of Grace do flourish Tears of unfeign'd Repentance are the showers That kindly do those Herbs refresh and nourish Faith is the Prime-rose that doth first appear Which being rooted well stands firm and fast Then grows for ev'ry Season of the year The choicest Flowers for odour or for tast If Weeds amongst them spring to give offence The Gard'ner plucks them up and casts them thence Lord give me Grace to keep my Garden so That nothing there but Herbs of Grace may grow ¶ The Soul's Alarm A Wake my Soul chase from thine eyes This drowsie sloath and quickly rise Up and to work apace No less than Kingdoms are prepar'd And endless Bliss for their reward Who finish well their race 'T is not so poor a thing to be Servants to Heav'n dear Lord and thee As this fond world believes Not even here where oft the wise Are most expos'd to injuries And friendless vertue grieves Sometimes thy hand lets gently fall A little drop that sweetens all The bitter of our Cup O what hereafter shall we be When we shall have whole draughts of thee Brim-full and drink them up Say happy Souls whose thirst now meets The fresh and living stream of sweets Which spring from that bless'd Throne Did you not finde this true even here Do you not finde it truer there Now Heaven is all your own O yes the sweets we taste exceed All we can say or you can read They fill and never cloy On Earth
sacred Three One undivided Deity As it hath been in Ages gone May now and ever still be done ¶ Of Life AN humane life is but a Play of Passion What is man's Mirth but Musick of Division Our Mothers Wombs the Tyring-houses be To deck us up for Time's short Tragedie The World 's the Stage Heav'n the Spectator is To sit and judge who'ts doth act amiss The Clouds that shade us from the scorching Sun Are but drawn Curtains till the Play be done ¶ The Power of Prayer THe Sun by Pray'r did cease his course and staid The hungry Lions sawn'd upon their Prey A Walled passage through the Sea it made From furious fire it banish'd heat away It shut the Heav'ns three years from giving Rain It open'd Heav'ns and show'rs pour'd down again O may our Pray'rs dear Lord approach to thee Petitions hear and then propitious be Teach us to praise thy Name with one accord That we may sing due praise to thee O Lord. ¶ God and Caesar. Render to Caesar and to God c. 'T Is God's command we should be just why then Let 's not wrong him giving his right to men Honour to God it is our due to render And Caesar's due we justly ought to tender To both we stand indebted all we have Must Caesar's be if Caesar please to crave What matter is it wherein lies the odds We all are Caesar's Caesar's all is Gods ¶ Gabriel and Mary THe Salutation which the Angel brings Imports that joys come and depart with wings Gab. Hail blessed Mary never cast thy mind To trace the passage of this pleasing wind Mary What voice is this that calls me blessed when Gab. Stay wandring thoughts 't is I thou' rt bless'd agen Blessed of women Mary Oh I faint I die Gab. Eternally thou liv'st Again 't is I God hath thee favour'd so as to entomb A blessed Saviour in thy blessed Womb. Mary How shall this be alas my Lord how can I bear a Childe that never knew a man But am a Virgin pure Gab. Farther attend Of his Dominions there shall be no end Thou shalt be shadow'd by the Holy One And what thou bearest shall be call'd his Son Mary Then Lord behold thy Hand-maid let it be As thou hast said All shall be bless'd in me That Angels may rejoyce and Men may sue That Devils may believe and tremble too ¶ Judeth's Prayer THus lowly on my face with Sack-cloath spread To God on high with Ashes on my head I come to pay my Vows to him alone The Lord God of my Father Simeon Who with his Sword became a just Revenger On a Virginity polluting stranger O Lord my God I pray thee bow thine ears Unto my Pray'rs accompani'd with tears The Widow of Manasses lifts her voice Let all that put their trust in thee rejoyce Behold O God though Enemies may smile An Israelite in whom there is no guile To thee I trust Experience teacheth well They 're not all Israel are of Israel Th' Assyrians do multiply each hour With Horse and man they glory in their pow'r They trust in Shield in Spear in Bowe and Sling Not knowing thee the Lord whose breath can bring Destruction to them all and lay their Fame In Ashes God the Lord it is thy Name Gird me with strength unto the Battel Lord Teach me to manage Holofernes Sword Turn thou its edge until at thy command Thy servant Judeth take it in her hand Then be my Battel-ax for Lord with thee I 'll Kingdoms ruine and make Nations flee The Horse-man and his Rider shall no more Isr'el defie their Captains shall adore 〈◊〉 no longer for thy Rod Shall make them understand that thou art God I though a widow have conceiv'd a pow'r But my designes lie harbour'd in a Bower Of pleasing fancies for O Lord at length I must to thee for Judgment and for Strength Let my deceitful lips finde craft to smite Th' Assyrian Prince and those in him delight Bring down their pride that they may understand Thou canst work wonders by a womans hand For Lord thy power is not bound by scope Thou sav'st in dangers when there is no hope And in thy Name I 'll go and dare to do That those Thy Foes Shall fear and tremble too ¶ Judeth and Holofernes Hol. BE of good comfort woman let not fear Presume to have an habitation here I never injur'd any man or thing That willing was to serve the Earth's chief King What now is hapned to thy people they By their perverseness have hewn out the way But fairest of your Country let me know Whither your wandring Beauty means to go And why thou fledst to us leaving those whom Dame Nature hath commanded from thy Womb Thy name in golden Letters to entomb Jud. Receive the Cause thy Hand-maid shall relate Who will resolve in truth the same to state Follow the way thy servant shall direct And God will thee undoubtedly respect As lives Nebuchodonozor thy King Who sent thee to support each living thing Man shall obedience pay to thee and all The Beasts Fowls of the Air and Cattel shall Live under thy command for we have hear'd Thy wisdome makes thine Enemies afeard Most true it is a Sword is not the Rod Can scourge our Nation till against their God They sin Now Death hath got the upper hand Their Meat and Water fail they 're at a stand What to do next and do resolve to cause Some things to be consumed which the Laws Of God have held unlawful Tenths or Oyl Which was once for the Priests is now for spoil A License from the Senate they expect As if that Cloak can cover their neglect Now when 't is brought they 'll doat without delay And Justice shall condemn them that same day And I thine Hand-maid knowing this am fled To work such wonders with thee when they 're spread Those that shall hear shall stand astonished Thy servant serveth God both day and night And is religious trusting in his might Let then thine Hand-maid to the Valley go And pray to God then shall she surely know The time that they intend to act their sin And consequently when thou may'st begin To seize upon Judea for thine own And make their great ones to become as none And it shall come to pass that there shall be Not one shall dare to lift his hand to thee Thus will I lead thee through the midst of them Until thou com'st before Jerusalem And in the midst thereof thy Throne shall stand And give to Nations far and neer command Hol. God's strength be with thee sure he sent thee here T' encourage us and put our foes in fear Your Beauty and your wisdome do conspire The World should Judeth's vertuous name admire Proceed fair Lady surely if thou do As thou hast spoken then will I be true To thee and to thy God and thou shalt dwell With Nebuchodonozor We will tell The Nations how thy Vertues do excel Here 's
it was and sweetly grew ¶ Prayer for Peace BLessed Saviour God of Peace When storms arise or shall increase Say thou the word and they shall cease Allay their fury quench their rage Whose factions would disturb the Age Their fiery zeal do thou asswage Be thou a Comforter to those That never do the Truth oppose Them strengthen and convert their 〈◊〉 ¶ On Mercy MErcy is comfort to the Poor 'T is that the Rich desire Lord we thy Mercies do implore 'T is that the Saints require Mercy it was that gave us life To move to think or say Mercy is Physick for our grief And teacheth us to pray O how can we for mercy call That have so wicked been Our Parents gave us such a fall 'T is hard to rise agen Yet 't is for Mercy still we crave 'T is that which must us raise Mercy first made and now will save And teach us how to praise Our sins increase more than our days Yet Mercy lets us live 'T is God that we for all must praise That doth these mercies give And shall we still run on the score Not paying any part Of what we ought to him before He asketh but a heart My Soul pay what thou canst of all thy store He that pays nothing ever owes the more ¶ The Swine LOrd I am thine Although possest O be thou mine And give some rest To me a beast O Christ be good To sinful man And with thy blood Lord wash me clean Be thou my food My staff my stay My King my God And thee alway I will obey Command my sins into the Sea That I may praise and honour thee ¶ The Penitent LOrd I 'm a sinner and my sins increase To such an unknown sum That should my rockie heart and eyes Nay my whole Microcosm a flood become And drown it self in Tears 't would not suffice To name my score Not then to pay But Lord thy blood is my rich store Thou art the Patron of the Poor But all the Balsam of thy blood Alas I know will do no good Unless I wash my griefs with Tears before O thou whose sweet and pensive face To laughter never gave a place Instruct mine eyes Without delay To melt away And then the less of Balsam will suffice ¶ The Soul awaked LOrd we again lift up our eyes And leave our sluggish beds But why we wake or why we rise Comes seldom in our heads Is it to sweat and toyl for wealth Or sport our time away That thou preserv'st us still in health And giv'st us this new day No no unskilful Soul not so Be not deceiv'd with toys Thy Lord's Commands more wisely go And aim at higher joys They bid us wake to seek new Grace And some fresh vertue gain They call us up to mend our pace Till we the prize attain That glorious Prize for which all run Who wisely spend their breath Who when this weary life is done Are sure of Rest in Death Not such a rest as here we prove Disturb'd with Cares and Fears But endless Joy and Peace and Love The Pleasures of the Spheres Glory to thee O bounteous Lord Who giv'st to all things breath Glory to thee Eternal Word Who sav'st us by thy death Glory O blessed Spirit to thee Who fill'st our Souls with Love Glory to all the mystick Three Who reign one God above ¶ St. Paul's Petition FRom Enemies where're they be My God do thou deliver me From them that do against me rise From private Foes inventing lyes From bloody men who loving strife Endeavour to ensnare my life The Mighty are against me bent Because I sinn'd and do repent Arise and visit with thy Rod Those Enemies of thine O God Their follies shew that they may be At last true followers of thee ¶ On the Conscience COrruption now adays doth spring so fast So regarded And rewarded That if my tender Conscience would be sold Or if for it a Dispensation Could be but got I doubt it not I 'd store up wealth in this our Nation One spark of Flattery would so increase My evil goods So that my woods Would make a lasting fire when I decease The World 's fond love might easily be bought If I could tell The way to sell The little honesty that I have got Were but this World my home perhaps I might Be apt to trade But here things fade Give me the Riches wherein Saints delight Though now I live in a corrupted Cell Which doth annoy I would enjoy The peace of Conscience there where Angels dwell Love upon Earth is good 〈◊〉 that doth last But the choice love Of God above Is everlasting and doth never wast Tush wicked World Heav'n is my Merchandize If in my way My sight should stray My home shall be the curtains of mine eyes A desp'rate fate it is the Worldlings run A Pearl to sell To purchase Hell They must be great or to be just undone ¶ St. Austin's Prayer Recommended to the devout Christian by P. Vrban the 8th BEfore thy holy eyes O Lord We sinners heartily accord Humbly to own our griefs of heart Are nothing to our just desert The evils we have done exceed What we can write or may be read Our Consciences our Souls affright And say Thy Chastisements are light We feel the punishments of sin And yet we do persist therein Weak Nature faints at ev'ry scourge Yet perverse wills do dayly urge Our restless minds do still provoke Thy Justice and despise thy Yoke We sigh away our days in grief Yet sorrow gives us small relief For when our sighs do once expire We wallow in our former mire If we repent 't is at a rate That we had need repent for that If thou revenge our stubbornness Thy Justice doth our hearts depress Thy anger fills our Souls with fears We weep but soon forget our Tears If thou stretch out thy hand we then Promise to turn to Saints from men But if thy Sword suspension shows We then forget to pay our Vows If thou dost strike we pardon crave And when thou pardon letst us have We sin again and ne're give o're With provocations more and more Thus we our guilty selves accuse Thus we thy mercies do abuse Yet Mercy Mercy still we cry Or we are drench'd in misery Then Lord O let thy goodness give Those streams by which the Angels live Our Souls inspire amend our days Touch thou our tongues and we shall praise All glory be to God on high The Father of Eternity To Three in One and One in Three ¶ The Believer HAppy is he that doth The truth Believe for he it is Shall kiss The Son of Righteousness shall surely come By his believing to believers home Let thy belief be true But few There are that do make that Their State Abraham left a Pattern good behinde him But few there are that seek him less that finde him I do believe a Tree Will be Pleasantly green when I With eye
intreat For we are all condemned there Lord then O cast a look On thy Book Of Life behold we read A Saving Jesus here And in that Name our sure Salvation see Lord make us free And cross within Our scores of sin That cancel'd all our debts are paid by thee ¶ On Heaven BRight glorious Lord uncircumscribed Treasure Of everlasting Pleasure Thy Throne is placed far Above the richest Star Where thou prepar'st a splendid place Within the glory of thy face That each Spirit May inherit Who builds his hopes 〈◊〉 thy merit And thee adores with holy charity No ravish'd heart seraphick tongue or eyes Inspir'd can once surmise Or speak or think or see So bright Eternity The glorious King 's transparent Throne Is of pretious Jasper-stone Where the eye O' th' Chrysolite With a Skie Of Di'monds Rubies Chrysoprase But above all thy brighter face Speaks an eternal Charity When thou thy Jewels bindest up that day Forget not us we pray But there where the Beryl lies Christal too above the Skies That there thou mayst afford us place Within the glories of thy face And enroul Each ones Soul In the Scroul Of Life and Blessedness that we May praise thy Name unto Eternitie ¶ On Hell DIsmal darkness sad and sore An everlasting Night Groans and Shricks when sinners roar In their abyssful plight No corner there but hath a Snake Breeding in the infernal Lake Heaps of Fire and Beds of Snow Are the chief delights below A Viper springing from the fire Is his hire That prizeth moments to Eternity O thou God of Day and Night Fountain of eternal light Allelujahs Hymns and Psalms Holy Coronets of Palms Adorn the Temple evermore Almighty God Let not thy Iron Rod Bruise our bones with an eternal pressure Let thy mercy be the only measure If thou shouldst hoard up wrath in store We shall all die Not one be left to glorifie The Lord and tell How thou preserved hast our Souls from Hell ¶ The Salutation of Saints JEsus who man's Redeemer art The solace of each godly heart The ransom'd World's great Architect Chast light of Souls which thee affect What mercy conquer'd thee my God That thou wouldst bear our sinful load And innocent wouldst death endure That us from death thou mightst secure Still let commiseration press To give our damages redress And by fruition of thy sight Inrich us with a blessed light Thou guide to Heav'n and path to Rest Be thou the scope of ev'ry brest Be thou the comfort of our tears Our sweet reward above the Spheres ¶ On Pride THe proud man looks that ev'ry one should shew A Reverence to him though none they owe. I 'll value such as we do coyn set forth Just what they go for rather than their worth Pride unto Reason seemeth ever strange Is Reason absent there 't is Pride doth range And then for Reason there is none beside That is so highly opposite to Pride For Reason maketh Art Dame Nature's ape And Pride turns Nature out of Nature's shape ¶ Jeremiah's Lamentation For Jerusalem's Desolation COnsider Lord the wretched poor and vile A glorious City no sh 'as lost that stile She and her joys are under an Exile Behold and see Thou Lord as in a Wine-press hast her trod And crush'd her Virgins with an Iron Rod Sin was the cause but Lord thou art her God May it please thee To wipe away her Tears that do pour down Cause thou that art the Comforter dost frown O let repentant Tears offences drown And send relief O all ye passing by behold her sorrow Jerusalem Jerusalem would borrow Tears of ye all but none will say Good morrow The more 's her grief Her Sucklings sigh and cry for Corn and Wine Whilst she her self for want thereof doth pine Jerusalem was ever grief like thine Behold and weep She that was call'd the Joy of all the Earth Is Desolation now and nothing worth Her sorrows to her Enemies are mirth Her Lovers sleep The apples of her eyes do finde no rest Their streams o'reflow the flood-gates she 's distrest And sorrow doth become a constant guest Doth never fail Her old and young ones both lie on the ground Her Priests and Prophets thou dost deeply wound Terrours on ev'ry side beset her round On hill and dale Wormwood besots she seems as she were drunk This angry tempest hath her treasure shrunk She that was full of people now is sunk And desolate Her Soul 's remov'd from any glimpse of Peace Prosperity is fled there doth increase But sad effects of groans which never cease Such is her fate They that on Delicates were wont to feed In Dust and Ashes now lament their need Jerusalem is bow'd and broke indeed But God is just The Enemies they did her Maidens finde And ravished her Young men forc'd to grinde Confider Lord how she with grief hath pinde Upon the dust Remember Lord her Wormwood and her Gall Oh hear her sad complaints and ease her thrall Lord hear my Pray'rs and Tears for her I call In mercy see Oh lay that darksome Cloud from off thy face One smile will say thou think'st upon her case Oh hear and help her Lord of thy good grace Thou glorious Three Judge and revenge her cause O Lord my God Behold her scorners how they mock and nod In mercy towards her withdraw thy Rod. Lord let her cry Unto thee fly And let her not Be quite forgot As if O Lord she never were That she may sing Of thee her King That unto thee none may compare ¶ On Sin SIn is such an uncouth thing I cannot well define it Death doth own it is his sting God bids me undermine it But it so cunning is that when I think to win the day It now comes over under then And blows my baits away It seiz'd my Parents and beguil'd More learned men than I And when I think it is most milde I have most cause to fly At Church when I Devotion have It hovers o're my book And bids me think upon my Grave And off the other look Invisible it is no doubt And felt before 't is seen It subtilly can wheel about And like an Angel seem Good deeds I know accepted are And will be evermore But if I do not well I sear Sin lieth at the door Sin as a Serpent cunningly Doth lurk upon the scout That if my foot but tread awry My sins they finde me out If I with Brother break my word The fact may not be great But if I sin against the Lord Who shall for me intreat Many the faults are of my Youth I have been oft misled But they are blessed faith the truth Whose sin is covered Wherefore O Lord I will confess What in those days I did O grant thy merciful redress And let my sins be hid But I with heart and knee will bow In duty to adore thee Then recollect and study how To set my sins before me Shap'd in Iniquity I was A
will rectifie my course Grant me that Grace which breedeth true remorse ¶ On Life and Death THe life I live on Earth uncertain is Being attended with a certain death Which will produce eternal Bane or Bliss Waiting the expiration of my breath It doth behove me then to have a care How I my short and pretious time do spend Left I through sin be trapt in Satan's snare Griefs then beginning when my life doth end Lord grant as Life and Death do here begin My Life may be to grace my Death to sin ¶ The 〈◊〉 AWay fond Youth Vertue is hid in Truth Your Vanities can no contentment bring Alas give o're Thy pleasure 's but a sore Honey at first but in the end a Sting Seek not in vain So to augment thy pain Such is thy grief that nothing surer is Fond Youth give ore Woo not a festring sore When thou hast found thou 'lt wish that thou didst miss Love not this world but minde the things above In seeking so thou shalt finde love for love ¶ The Steward IT is not much I have yet I have more Than some that live more splendidly than I. Although I am not rich I am not poor But have enough to vanquish penury All that I have is lent me and I must Give an account to God how I do use it Or if I hide it up and let it rust Or by miss spending wastfully abuse it It had been better I had poorer been Than ti'd a slave in chains of gold to sin Lord grant my Talent so on me bestown May be employ'd as thine and not mine own ¶ The Coelestial Painter O Thou most holy God of Bliss Who paintst the Heaven's centre cleer In burning brightness fair address With goodly lights as doth appear Who on the fourth day didst ordain The fiery circle of the Sun And for the Moon an order set And Stars their wandring course to run That thou might'st give the Nights and days Divided bounds to keep them in As an allured mark to know How duly all the Months begin Illuminate the heart of man Wipe out the soulness of the minde Cast down the heaps of our misdeeds The bands of guilt do thou unbinde Grant this O holy Father most And eke the Son equal to thee Together with the Holy Ghost That reigns in all Eternity ¶ The Holy Innocents HAil you sweet and building flowers Whom when you life began to taste The enemy of Christ devours As whirlwinds down young Roses cast First Sacrifice to Christ you went Of offered Lambs a tender sort With Palms and Crowns you innocent Before the sacred Altar port Glory O Lord be given to thee Whom the unspotted Virgin bore All glory to the Trinitie From all both now and evermore ¶ To the Divine Creator O God which diddest man create And hast alone all things assign'd The Earth to bring forth savage Beasts And creeping things each in their kind Great bodied Creatures are ordain'd By thy great Word and Will to live In times and seasons man to serve To whom they all subjection give Put from thy servants far away What to uncleanness may allude It self in manners to suggest Or in our actions to intrude Give us the recompence of jovs And yield to us thy graces free In sunder break the bands of strife Confirm the bands of Unity ¶ The New Birth A Multitude of Creatures do agree To give their Documents to wretched man As Emblems and Examples whereby he May learn to write himself a Christian. The Eagle casts her bill the Ass his hair The Peacoak 〈◊〉 is plumes the Snake his skin And shall not Man a Creature far more fair Renew himself by shaking off his fin Old fins retain'd do fester as they lie To the new man belongs felicity He that would clear himself from worldly stain To sin must die to life be born again Die to the flesh and if you would inherit Eternal life be born then of the Spirit This is the Birth a Christian should prefer For being born of God he cannot err Lord let thy Grace my idle thoughts subdue That I may change the Old man for the New ¶ Degrees of Love IF I a Creature love it may not know The Channel whence my flood of Love doth flow But God knows all mens hearts and will approve Of love to him for God himself is Love If I a Creature love it no regard May have to make amends God doth reward But when my kinde affections do intrude The Creature answers with ingratitude If I a Creature love that Creature may Be captious peevish making me its prey The love of God exceeds the love of men For loving him I 've love for love agen A humour too may make a Creature fly me But loving God I have him always by me If I a Creature love that very thing On which I dote may prove to me a sting But to love God brings comfort joy and ease For he 's the everlasting Prince of Peace If I a Creature love my care must be For that but God will Angels charge with me If I a Creature love my hearts desire Is all inflam'd but with Terrestrial fire But loving God my Soul and Senses feel The holy flames of a Coelestial Zeal If I a Creature love for face parts limb That moves God dwells in me and I in him If I a Creature love it doth not know All my affairs God knows whate're I do If I a Creature love it doth deceive me If I love God he 's ready to relieve me If I a Creature love much pain and grief Attend but loving God I finde relief If I a Creature love we both must die But God gives life to all eternitie If I a Creature love I oft behold Those slights and faults which make my love grow co'd But if on God I firmly fix my love The love of God doth make my love improve He is so good so noble rich sweet fair Mighty and wise so exquisitly rare I 'll court his love as he hath taught with Prayer ¶ Bad at Best MY Practice gives the lye to my Profession I give too large a rein unto my Will I do not grieve enough for my Transgression But do delight in contemplating ill I wish for Heav'n but tread the path of Hell I love the day but more the deeds o' th' night Little I have yet that I use not well I covet much but covet not aright Good deeds ill done run clearly 'gainst the byas Wishes and words are winds our deeds must try us My ways are evil sin doth too much attend them Open mine eyes O Lord and I shall mend them Time's Travel THe uberous womb of Time since its creation Innumerable issues hath brought forth Of strange and of prodigious generation And glorious things of beauty and of worth It 's never barren but is ever breeding Unwonted forms and various shapes of things It was it is and will through time succeeding Continue
chance He call'd her his Sweet Sister Temperance When at her Table she sate down to eat She seldom us'd more than one sort of meat And did in Temperance so much delight She ever rose up with an appetite Nature is with a little satisfi'd Ebriety and Gluttony have tri'd And conquer'd many who to Death did dance One of the spirits fruits is Temperance ¶ On Persecution AS the poor Sheep is to the slaughter led In all humility and free from dread So all God's people may be said to be As Sheep the Emblems of Humility They harmless are and profitable too Obedient to their Shepherd in a crew Led into Folds and Pastures where as strangers They are obnoxious to many dangers Wolves Bryars Thieves Dogs Plagues both great and small But God their Shepherd rids them out of all Many desire the number may increase Of God's good Sheep but 't is a golden Fleece Which they desire to wear However they Most happy are that follow him their way Excellent things the Church of God hath won She 's like a woman cloathed with the Sun Crowned with Stars treading upon the Moon Yet travelling in Birth at night and noon The Dragon in pursuit of her and hers But under God they still ride Conquerers He that would be an Israelite indeed Must arm himself compleatly taking heed Of all assaults all persons places times Guard his own vertue resist others crimes Elias spoke against the craft of sin Then Ahab's hate against him did begin Isaiah as we read was sawn in two It was Manasses pleasure so to do And Jeremiah he was ston'd to please The cruel humour of Tahaphanes Stephen was stoned of the Jews and John Beheaded was Herod would have him gone Ignatius to the Lions had his doom The Clergy likewise hated Chrysostom But Justin Martyr slights these things as dirt Sayâ—… Persecutors kill but cannot hurt Tertullian well observ'd the more they mow The Christians down they much the faster grow Large Volumes might be fill'd with the bright names Of sufferers by swords by stones and flames True saith St. Paul all that will shun the grave Of hellish fin shall persecution have Well may the Christian with his God comply In persecution Christ himself could die ¶ On Sleep DEath in the Scripture is compar'd to Sleep When Death approacher then with care we keep A schedule of our wealth so to dispose Of those Estates we then are forc'd to lose So when Sleep comes methinks my Ev'ning-prayer Is like the making of my Will my care Ought therefore to provide betimes for why There 's danger in a drowsie Lethargy In perfect memory and when awake I 'll leave my Soul to God for if he take Not charge of me and me in safety keep The Devil will attempt me in my sleep Though day and night he seeketh to devour He keeps his markets in the darkned hour I on my pillow do my sleep confirm Thus mans Vacation is the Devil 's Term. ¶ Blessings of the Righteous as they are recorded in Holy Writ HEarken unto the Lord thy God His Covenants observe So will he kindly spare his Rod And not afflict a Nerve Bless'd shalt thou in the City be Thy God will Blessings yield At home abroad at bed at board And likewise in the field Blessed shall be thy bodies fruit and that upon the ground The wicked be they loud or mute Shall neither of them wound Thy Cattel shall inrich thy store With increase of their Kine Thy Sheep shall still wax more and more Thy Grapes shall yield thee Wine Bless'd shall thy Store and Basket be Blessings shall thence accrew Comings and Goings shall agree To make thee blessed too The Lord shall smite thine Enemies And put them to disgrace The chiefest he will make to flie And that before thy face Thy foes one way shall thee attempt But flie before thee seven From Judgement none shall be exempt But as the Chaff be driven Thy Store-houses the Lord will bless And all thou tak'st in hand And give to thee a large increase Of plenty in the land The Lord as he himself hath sworn He will establish thee And farther to exalt thy horn His people ye shall be Keep thou the Lord's Commandements And all the Earth shall see That thou art great in innocence And stand in fear of thee The Lord he shall his treasures ope The Heav'ns shall give thee rain If head or hand with business cope It shall be for thy gain No discontent shall thee attend As free from grief or sorrow To many Nations thou shalt lend But have no need to borrow Blessed are they that in him trust He will them bless with speed For do they hunger do they thirst He is their help at need Blessed is he whose sin is hid He may with gladness smile Whose errours all are covered Whose Spirit hath no guile Blessed are they that now lament As being poor in Spirit For they are promis'd by the Lord His Kingdom to inherit Blessed are they that now do mourn Thinking their joys are fled For though as yet they seem forlorn They shall be comforted The meek are blessed too for they That love not strifes increase Shall on the Earth bear happy sway Delighting much in Peace The hungry too and they that thirst For Righteousness as meat They shall be fill'd when those accurst Shall nothing have to eat Bless'd be the merciful to those Whom they observe in pain For he that mercily bestows Shall mercy reap again Thrice blessed are the pure in heart Whose Souls and hands are free From vanity and wicked oaths For they their God shall see Bless'd the peace-makers are for they His children shall be call'd And he that loves and doth obey Shall never be enthrall'd Blessed are they for Righteousness Do persecution bear Their great reward none can express But Heav'n it lieth there Blessed are they that are revil'd Because they seek the Lord Be they at home or if exil'd His grace will strength afford Rejoyce and be exceeding glad For great is your reward The Prophets by such usage bad Did get into regard ¶ Curses of the Wicked HE that doth hear the poor mans cry Shall never fare the worse But whoso turneth back his eye Shall never want a curse He that himself hath others curst His servant curseth him The blessings of his flowing Purse Shall him to ruine swim He that bla phemeth God his Lord Ought to be ston'd to death And cursed be that man abhorr'd Serves other God beneath Cursed be he that setteth light By Father or by Mother The people shall him dayly slight And none his Curses smother Cursed be he that doth remove His Neighbours Land-mark then The people shall him curse none love But each one cry Amen Cursed be he that leads the blinde In an erroneous way The Lord for him will torments finde And be the blinde man's stay Cursed be he that doth pervert The window fatherless Or stranger from an
sinners backs When 't is decreed their heads are for the axe ¶ On the Gospel THe Gospel ancient as Moses is Nay Adam it was preacht in Paradise 'T is true before the Gospel came the Law Yet from the Gospel we most vertue draw Likewise before the Day appear'd the Night Yet above Darkness we esteem the Light And before Man was made all Creatures were Yet he excells them they his servants are He that before his Lord the Sword doth bear Is not suppos'd superiour to the Mayor All things which in this world we splendid see Are not esteem'd by their priority Saâ—…th Jâ—…hn There comes one after me whose shooes I am unworthy too low to unloose The Law is most compos'd of forms of fears But in the Gospel streams of love appears The Law makes God our foe with pointing thus The Gospel cries Emanuel God with us The office of the Law is to accuse That of the Gospel is to heal a bruise The Law a killing letter 's stil'd by merit But th' holy Gospels is a quickning Spirit Besides the Gospel is the bell whereby We all are called to Eternity ¶ On the Lord's Prayer THat Pray'r of Pray'rs how meanly doth it look Of late as if Religion's frame were shook But if the Lord were just to use his powers With how much anger might he look on ours Some think that Lesson may their Spirits grieve Lord us forgive as others we forgive Others like Witches when in haste they pray They it repeat but do it backward say Many with zeal desire their dayly bread Thy Kingdom come not much concerns their head Thus temp'ral benefits we do prefer Before eternal blessings and adhere To what our present wants require but oh When Death appears and whispers we must go Then our Petitions all that we can gather From his take pattern crying Our Father Christ so began to teach us being weak So we conclude when we can hardly speak ¶ The Free Giver GReat Alexander when he youthful was A check received from Leonidas His Governour for being too profuse In wasting his perfumes in pious use For on a day being to sacrifice Unto the Gods to shew himself unnice Fill'd both his hands with Frankincense that done Gave it the fire as his devotion But afterwards when he became a man He conquered Judea over-ran That Country whence those spices took their birth Then to conclude his piety with mirth He sent Five hundred Talents weight by odds Too much to him grutch'd what he gave the Gods Thus they that sowing plentifully keep A zeal unspotted plentifully reap He that doth niggardly his Talent spare Shall sow but in the end reap but a Tare Give God the choicest branches of thy fruit For by that means God may give thee the Root ¶ The Friendly Advice THe Roman Senators as we may read Thirsted that Julius Caesar might be dead Wherefore they then conspir'd to seek his end Artemidorus who was Caesar's friend Gives him a Paper wherein lay his lot His life to save by finding out the Plot But Caesar being busie with applauds With salutations and the peoples lauds Pockets the Paper as if it had been Petition-like at leisure to be seen So onward walks not dreaming of that train And going to the Senate-house was slain The World the Flesh and Devil do beset Poor man contriving divers ways to get Him in their gin God's Ministers accord To bring a Letter namely God's own Word Wherein their plot is publickly reveal'd The wounded man hath offers to be heal'd Nay God himself in clemencie doth crie Oh house of Israel why will ye die But most men generally busie are About the worlds concerns though things of air They cannot mind their friends advice to write Is to present them with a Paper-kite Thus men run headlong to expend their breath Forgetting they before were doom'd for death ¶ On Sloath. THe idle man is like the heavie drone That wasts his time in contemplation This present hour he 's mightily perplext With studv'ng which way he shall spend the next Not like the wise man who with lesser pain Contrives to make Expences prove his Gain Winter he loves because the days are short Walks in the Summer as if A-la-mort When in the morning he bethinks to rise First stretcheth arms and legs then wipes his eyes His manners-lets the morning rise before him And when the Sun shines seeming to adore him Then he bethinks to stir but first affords A Prayer to God not making many words And sometimes none well knowing he can do With thoughts as much as words though more than few He commonly lies still his bed to keep More out of sloath than a desire to sleep Then yawns and turns himself for want of rest Anon for Dinner calls before he 's dâ—…est Which having eat he seems to be in pain At last concludes 't is best to sleep again That done he rises to his Neighbour goes And in sew words doth thus his minde disclose How do you Neighbour 't is a pleasant day What 's the best news what price are Mackrel pray The days do lengthen strangely and the Spring Bids us attend the Birds that sweetly sing Then in the end bethinks to bid adieu But first he yawns and cries What shall we do So he concludes his Speech Perhaps in fine They both agree to drink a pint of Wine When from the Church all Auditors are gone He is found sleeping in his seat alone He enters into Bond ne'er minds to pay But forfeits that 'cause he forgets the day To be a Jury-man is his disease Rather than fetch his wood he 'll chuse to freeze He 's half a Christian and half a Turk His Principle's to steal and not to work He is indeed a proper Standing-pool That needs must get corruption 'T is a rule Observable those Pâ—…ts do â—…oonest stink Whose mud assâ—…ns to overflow the brink The idâ—…e Soul shall finde his food grow scant Sloath casts a man into deep sleeps and want ¶ On Desperation CHear up my Scul thy griess in time will cease Despair is Satan's only master-piece Hearken to that the Devil soon will tell The ready road that leads the way to Hell My sin 〈◊〉 Cain is great and I am driven Justly to â—…ear 〈◊〉 never be forgiven With Murther first he did his Curse begin And furthers that by 〈◊〉 sin to sin Then to despair give neither ear nor scope Lay hold on Christ the Anchor of thy hope A PANEGYRICK To the Right Reverend And most nobly descended Prelate HENRY by divine Providence Lord Bishop of London ILlustrious Prelate whom the World must own A Father of the Church a Martyr's Son Of sacred Function and of noble Blood 'T is a dispute whether more great or good Thou second Ambrose of the Mitred Lords Northampton's Helmets joyn'd with London's Swords Will keep thy Vineyard from the Forest-boar Beyond the skill of them who went before In Rev'rend Heachman we beheld a Look