and ever was To declare thy birth all creatures do obey Save us wild Mortals that do vainly stray And stop our Eares to the harmony of thy law But these wise Men inspir'd no sooner saw The Star of light which did foretell thy birth But immediately did run with Joy and Mirth And grew angry with time least it delay To begin their Journey in that happy day Which to direct a Star became their guide And attracts their Eyes which in a holy pride They still lift up with reverence to behold With humble zeal this Mystery to unfold Oh Lord so elevate our eys to thee Which art the Star of blest eternity And take us from the vain delights of sin And kindle an holy fire of faith within Of love and zeal oh let his mercy great Ravish our souls with Joy let us repeat Loud Hallelujahs to thy name and sing Most thankful Anthems for our Christ and King As the good wise Men with a chearful voice Having seen the Star exceedingly rejoyce Ecclesiastes 12.13 Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole duty of Man WHat needs the preacher more is not this verse It self a sermon why should he rehearse So many precepts but he doth espie Mans weak estate subject to vanity Therefore he taught the people to take heed And shun disorders every evil deed He wisely sought out all due means to find Words acceptable that would please the mind That with Compliance with them he might gain Upon them to believe all things are vain Save to fear God and serve him all we can This is the all that is required of Man And yet how few are they that will observe This precept as a duty though it serve To their advantage in that great great day When all Mankind formed of Earth and clay Shall cited be before the glorious Throne Of Christ the lamb who then shall Judge alone Oh be advis'd in time to take delight To adore thy maker study it aright And be in love with wisedome and her ways Living to God unto his dayly praise Glorifie him alone above all things Then shall he shroud thee under his blest wings Thy labor shall be gain no time mispent Then fear thy God and keep his Commandment But ah how few there be of Davids spirit That prize Gods laws and would indeed inherit Eternal bliss which he did meditate Both day and night and often sadly sat Wailing his sins but we delight to break His holy law opening our mouths to speak Rudely of God his worship and his lore Letting our tongues run lavish on that score We pray not him to close our vainer lips But still give way to vent those frothy slips That dayly arise from our Corrupted heart All which exposes us to the biting smart Of his severest Justice thus poor Man Ruins himself not doing what he can Some think it is an honor to fly high In vile attempts and loose debauchery And to be bold in sins affecting oaths Like to vile Atheists that are virtues foes Which count it valor for to stab religion Having its practice in such vile derision And make a paradox of the preachers wit A meer Apocrypha and jeer at it And Scandalize the law and them that speak it And think it but a piece of wit to break it It is no wonder Atheism doth abound And that religion sadly falls to ground Search all the ancient records page by page Vice ne'r engendred so in any age The VVorld ne'r multiply'd so much in sects Because Men don 't fully consult this text Prophaneness it descendsby propagation In next posterity this vitious Nation Is like to be of a heathenish complexion If God prevent not by our due subjection To his blest law Atheism will gather ground And Men grow proud because the 'r Atheists found Bold sons of Belial glory will in it And boast in slighting as a piece of wit Do ye blind followers of the world intend To laugh at Heaven and therein your time spend And make divinity a cloak to cover Your fouler parts that none may them discover Your outsiide piety and cunning trades Your specious shews and guilded pious frauds No no you cannot thus delude the Eye Of the all seeing God he will espy Your want of zeal though painted fair they be There 's nothing hid from him that all things see Oh Lord how sadly do we thus forget To do thee homage and to pay the debt VVe owe unto thy love that didst make Thine only Son an offering for our sake But like ungrateful wretches we do still Most rudely scoff at thy revealed will And cast thy precepts from us which should be Our guide unto the blest eternity Good God! it was thy bounty to bestow Gifts of reason on us for which we owe All thanks unto thee for so great a boon VVhich we do misemploy much much too soon Turning our reason ' gainst thy Laws most right And act disorderly with all our might Teach us to see our failings and endeavor To hearken to that voice that lives for ever That the Oratory of thy sacred word May win us to thy Love with one accord Renounce prophaneness planting in its place Desired virtue and each heavenly grace Let not blind heathens which do not know thee Out strip us in their moral honesty Then we which have sure hopes by faith and love To be received into the joyes above As thou dost by thy holy word reveal Thy self in Christ to whom alone appeal Is to be made make us to understand The advantages we have from thy good hand Of mercy grant our minds be fully bent To fear our God and keep his Commandment VVith all the holy fervency we can This duty is required from every Man Matthew 8.2 And behold there came a Leaper and worshipped him saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean SIn 's an infectious Leprofie that is spread It self all over from the foot to head Is this the Leapers prayer only no It is all sinners too that have let go The rains of virtue that it should restrain All vitious ways unto an holy aim He that had seen the Leapers body over VVould think his prayer proper to discover His loathsome parts and yet would he but view His soul he 'l find it of a blacker hiew A sadder object to affright his sence VVith horror if he strickly look from whence It did proceed O the miseries of his blood VVhich lost its verdor and became a flood Of putrid nurtriâ—â—re yet it mov'd guilt To cry with faith Oh Lord if that thou wilt And he whose never failing goodness lacks To shew compassion and it never slacks His power and mercy where it is concern'd To cure those limbs that were fully discern'd To be already so o'rewhelm'd with grief That was new bath'd by it receiv'd relief By the bounty of a touch he was made clean VVhich was before both loathsome and obscene Thus thus the
place their trophies in their amorous walks Where there ghosts revels and their fancie talks Of pleasures but can we O Lord forget Thy Kingdom and not once look after it He that prophanely wanders is a stranger To heavenly Joyes and sure is still in danger To loose that would enrich him beyond measure With splendid glories and with heavenly treasure How wretched then are they that so mistake And for themselves no allegation make But thrive in sin and still the world do court And with its fading glories make a sport Exchanging a rich diadem of bliss For feigned pleasures that are sure amiss Were the whole world a scene of choicest pleasures Zeraglio of delights were all the treasures Of the Arabian region made a field For man to revel in these joyes would yield But low fruitions truly without thee Our God which only makes frail Man to see How he is kept in pleasures temporary From an eternal weight of heavenly glory And yet how many are there which would pawn Their consciences and eagerly do fawn Upon these vain allurements here below Slighting heavens mercies whilst they do bestow Their time in some vain study to invent New modes of wickedness and with intent T' increase their credit in the world's account And do not care how far they swell and mount Their store in sin for their content to bee Laborious in a sweet impiety Are there no nobler ways to eternize Our memories than thus to loose the prize I mean of souls it's savage cruelty Them to destroy to all eternity For to espouse our names to fowlest shame And ever vainly glory in the same Making a mock of sin and loose all sence Of loosing our religions reverence Unto our Maker which makes no Man worse By serving him aright with true remorse But makes Men sweeter in a heavenly frame Of rich contentment and doth breed no shame But gain enlargement of his bounteous love For which we owe our praise to God above That is the only giver of our bliss And ought to have our humblest thankfulness Lord raise in us those aims that truly tend To heavenly joyes and let our cares most bend Our thoughts that way then we need not to fear Misfortunes cross nor harms ev'n when they 'r neer This is a policy that will non plus The poring worldling hel'd be baffled thus And after generations they must yield That pious policy shall win the field How senceless of our chiefest good are we That doe prefer the world's felicity Before thy glory and can spend in sin Our precious hours which should indeed have bin Devoted in sincere returns to thee Behold in mercy Lord how frail we be That we account a little moment spent In serving thee a tiresome punishment So sottish are we in the ways of pleasure That for to do thy will we find no leisure We morgage our dear souls for vainest toyes And fondly undervalue richest joys Fading contentments which we fancy here We purchase at a rate extreamly dear Lord raise our Heaven born souls that we may see Our vain delights in sin and turn to thee By true repentance give us grace to leave These low enjoyments that in truth bereave Us of our purer Joyes O give content In stooping to thy holy regiment Let our dear souls for ever more despise The flatteries of the world with its disguise And as our souls are made by and for thee So keep them Lord to all eternity Enable us to breath forth thy high praise And give us of thy blessing all our days What ever we do receive it is from thee The fountain of all true felicity Who only canst our pretious souls advance To heavenly dwellings Saints inheritance To which we seek a promised access Lord grant thy Kingdom and thy righteousness John 13.23 And there was Leaning on Jesus bosom one of his Disciples whom he loved c. HEre Christs transcendent love to John is seen Being admitted on his breast to lean And as a bosome friend whom Jesus lov'd He took the boldness and was not reprov'd How freely did he make his Saviours breast His pillow and the place of sweetest rest Oh blessed Kindness would not Monarchs great Ambitious be of this and leave their seat And royal Canopies for to repose In such a bosom as all wisdom knows The most ambitious souls can climb no higher To better rest poor mortals can't aspire Then in that bosom Saints Securest nest VVhich is the eternal mansions of the blest What carping worldling can find out a treasure To satiate himself with fuller pleasure The amorous wanton would with speed forsake Admired beauty if he might partake Of such a bed of spices heed insist On Courtship to so fair an Amorist Was not this happiness above the rest To have procedency in Jesus brest A dignity might give him much delight To be accounted the chief favorit How pleasingly doth John here lay his ear So close Christ heart it did him greatly chear And raise such raptures in his longing breast As well might rock him into sweetest rest And make his dreams occasions for to raise His heart to joy and gladness thanks and praise Stop here my soul behold admire and see The emblem of most true felicity A perfect shew of meekness and of love Mercies great tipe descending from above See Christ upon his Cross his armes extended T' imbrace lost Man was his heart blood expended To wash us from Our guilt of sin and shame Lord let me ever glorifie his name Repose my self on 's breast the seat of love And thereby have true comforts from above Did Mary whose compassions quickly turn'd Into a flood of teares Her grief so mourn'd Had shee bin graced with so great a favor As to lean on the bosom of our Saviour Her eyes as living springs that sweetly meet Her haires to wipe her blessed Saviours feet Such grace and priviledge would ev'n let out Her noblest blood in passion it would spout Out into grateful streams for such a price And blest acquaintance 't would require her eyes That sent forth streames yet it would make clean Her putrid soul had she but leave to Lean 'T would transport her in raptures of true mirth For such a blessing to enjoy on earth Which John enjoyed as a favor to him given A blessed Emblem of the joyes of Heaven Did Peter give a beck and did John ask Who should commit that bold and bloody task Did Christ make answer did his God reply O blessed condescention that the high And the Almighty King should so submit To mortals as to daign with him to sit And commune with them o let mankind learn All humble meekness and in truth discern This holy love of Christ to man on earth And see how lovingly he invites new birth To be born a new by faith and repentance Such holy practice will his soul advance Into the bosom of God do not delay Thy turning from the vain and idle way Of
sin which causeth endless shame and death Consider it ye mortals of the Earth Who now carouse in sin and sport away Thy blessed time of love by your delay Be not bewitcht with sin return and blest Behold our Christ admits you to his feast Oh let the endearments of a comon sence Of love and lively faith arise from thence And let sweet raptures of a holy zeal Raise in my soul such joyes as may reveal My constant faith and love to him alone That is for ever seated in the Throne Of heavenly glory Lord do thou permit Me in his arms of love and cause me sit Amongst the Saints above which take delight To sing sweet Hallelujahs day and night To that blest quire good Lord in time unite me And let thy praises ever more delight me Then shall my longing soul have quiet rest In the bosom of that glory ever blest Luke 19.9 This day is Salvation come to thy house BEhold our Jesus trav'ling for to gain Lost Man and see with what a loving pain He passeth Jericho after he 'd wrought Such mighty works and cur'd them all that sought To him in faith of which Zacheus hearing Hastning he climbs to see his Christ not fearing The publicans could hinder his good nature His zeal being warm although but low in stature He takes the Sicamore as here we find To raise his body equal with his mind VVell warm'd with faith and a desire to see His Lord and Christ from branches of a Tree VVhere being seen and call'd he made no stay But with all Joy of heart he did obey His infant faith did soon break forth in action And chearfully he vowed satisfaction And restitution no Man did ever more Largely express his Love unto the poor By all he did it truly demonstrate That Christ assur'd to be with in his gate T' was time for him to hast and not desist To entertain so merciful a guest That did so passionately express his love Calling Zacheus from the Tree above He leaves the branches that did him advance Prostrates himself with humble reverence Had his low limbs been of a higher extent He might have wanted that true zeal he meant But being low in stature high in grace Hee 's call'd to see his Christ ev'n face to face Oh humble kindness of the King of glory As it s recorded in the sacred story See how coldly th' world doth entertain The Lord of life which finds too much disdain 'T is he invites who well could pay the cost That came to seek and save such as were lost The Jew doth vainly look for his Redeemer To come in pomp which shews he 's an esteemer Of worldly majesty but hee 's become A wandring vagrant till the day of doom Stop stop ye glorious mortals which do ride In golden Chariots stuft with carnal pride See your Redeemer a blest president To true humility with care repent Place not felicity on Thrones of Gold But on the Scepter of Gods word take hold And if you 'l climb climb like Zacheus here Not after pomp but with an awful fear Cast down your selves even from the lofty Tree Of carnal Lusts Hear Christ saith come to me All that decline a Carnal conversation To them he offers life joy and salvation Who would not welcome such a noble guest And treat his Saviour at a Bounteous feast And sacrifice even all with joy and love Sith every perfect gift is from above And giv'n by him that can repay us double Conferring perfect happiness for trouble But there are some that think it to much charge If vestry ornaments be something large To express th' honor dignity and worth Of sacred things and decently let forth As late religious arts perform'd in order They say that on Romes Church we neerly boarder If they see Gap or Surplice Hood or Scarse Like silly momes they flout and jeer and laugh But such must know uniess they will be fools These are distinctions in the learned Schools How happy was Zachem with the favor Of Christ his presence whose persumes did savor Of humility in that he 'ed condescend To come to sinners as unto a friend And be a guest unto such a kind of Man As was a meer professed publican Nor is his mercy shut up here alone But it extends to all that sigh and groan Yea every houshould that indeed doth clime And mounts by virtue surely shall see him Hark you that sacrifice your lives and blood And with a hearful zeal do fly from good That foot the musick of a vainer life And with true virtues ever are at strise Strangers to God his holy ordinance The precious sacraments that sure advance The flight toward Heaven and make thee see Like good Zachem here as from a Tree Of grace if this be planted in thy heart Then Christ will be thy guest and nere depart If this be water'd with repenting tears Then it will bring forth fruit in which appears A holy life which will the comfort give And in true Joyes thou shalt for ever live After thy body is by death mowed down Thy soul shall have a pretious heav'nly crown Oh Lord we are as nothing in thy sight 'T is thou haft rais'd us by thy power and might And when the least desire we feel or find To come to thee 't is thou that stirs the mind And makes us climb for we are low of stature Lame and decrepit poor weak things by nature Unless we take advantage by the Tree Of faith and holy life wee see not thee And climb O Lord wee can't without thy grace Raise us O Lord by it to see thy face Infuse in us each holy good desire Blow up in us a zeal as hot as fire A zeal that may a doubtless warmth sure bring Then shall we praise thee and for ever sing Loud Halelujahs to thy blessed name That art th' Almighty God ever the same Whose mercies condescend to every one And gives assurance of salvation Luke 9.57 Lord I will follow thee wheresoever thou goest BEhold our Saviour here who doth reprove Revenging rashness prompting peace and love When his Apostles fill'd with desire To be reveng'd would set a Town on fire And in that passion were so fully bent They urged to Christ a former president Saying did not Elias do such things As'tis recorded in the book of Kings But Christ reprov'd them with a serious frown And pull'd their high avenging spirits down I came not to destroy mens lives but save All such as in humility do crave This heard the scribe professeth without boast Lord I will follow thee where e're thou goest Oh blessed boldness in that resolution A happy confidence to make intrusion Into such company there 's none can blame His passionate affection it became Holy desires which did indeed express His fervent zeal to God and holiness The wondrous miracles which thus were wrought Brought him to Christ whom he with fervor sought That divine light whose powerful
did thus inspire Her more diviner soul that did prepare Her funeral and friends with love and care Her earthly part she did as sleep lay down Her temporal for a Celestial Crown So that henceforth it truly may be said She is transplanted rather than decayed Meditations written by William Williams Gentleman Prisoner in the Kings Bench Anno 1676. And in the sixty third year of his age Numbers 27.16 17. Let the Lord the God of the spirits of all flesh set a Man over the congregation Which may go out before them and which may go in before them and which may lead them out and which may bring them in that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shepherd DId God command good Moses to ascend The Abarim mount unto that very end To see the promised Land did he not express How that he sinned in the wilderness At Meribab was he denied possession Of Canan's land for this his his foul trangression The which he shall no sooner see but die Yet ceas'd he not unto the Lord to cry Let God the Lord of spirits continue on A shepherd to the congregation Did not the Lord soon grant to his request Behold take Joshua my spirit 's in his brest But lay thine hands upon him give him charge In presence of the people not at large Set him before Eleazar the chief priest He hath the Urim and Thummim thou seest Let all go in and out at his sole word Yea all the congregation of the Lord. Moses obeys sets Joshua in their sight Lays on his hands with reverence and might Behold this mission did the Lord want power To send out Joshuah at that very hour Needed he the help of Moses to compleat A holy priesthood to succeed his feat Needed he the hands of Moses to confirm The blessed orders and decrees of Heaven No 't was his wisedom to make all to know That God's the God of order to which we owe All possible obedience with submission To his blest precepts taking a commission And run not on in a furious presumption Scorning all order and the holy unction Did not this tipe in Meses represent Christ's mission to his holy Government Of his succeeding Church T' adorn the Station VVhen Christ bids go and preach to every Nation His Apostles boldly went and not till then They were not made the blest fishers of Men. Then stop thou bold Intruder Learn and heark VVas not Uzzah struck for touching the Ark VVithout a Call Let his Example learn The meekness that thou may'st truly discern The way of order continued in all ages And is from thence descended to the sages And Governors of the Church it doth preserve A holy Ministry faithfully to serve As Ministring spirits truly to represent Our dayly wants and help us to repent And bewail the times never be at rest Still praying to send laborers in the harvest No prayers so needful in this presumptuous age When persons run like players on a stage Venting their fancies their vain shapes and guise Their fond delusions which amuse the wise Who would not labor and devoutly pray To be freed from these blind leaders astray Which proudly prattle of their gifts and vaunt Their inward calls I compassionate their want Of sober meekness by which they may be Instructed in the rules of Modesty Who can be hold this Garden become a field For beasts to revel in and their hearts not yield Compassionate tears to see foxes pray On silly lambs and bear their souls away To wild and strange delusions by their prate And bold assertions do insinuate How vainly do they thus pretend new light When they do strip their mother of her right And cry up the rash fancies of their brain Beyond the decent holy gospel strain Can there be want of Laborers in this rout No no there are too many go about To lead away souls by their vain delusion Thinking it zeal to bring in such confusion Where sheep become shepherds their brains are sickle Presumptuously handling the Gospels sickle Yea he that can but talk in a Gospel phrase Doth think himself inspir'd but doth not pause On the hid mysteries contain'd therein But vomits forth his ignorance and sin And climbs a pulpit in some publick heard And there to vent his folly is not affear'd He that doth love his Saviour will delight To honor his spouse the Church and in her right Lay out his interest firmly to maintain Her reverence and esteem is all his aim And triumph in the felicity of her health And beg the perpetuity of her wealth In whose arms alone he can be mounted high Into the Throne of blest eternity He deserveth not to be sharer in bliss That eternal harvest of true happiness That will not labor and devoutly pray To send forth Laborers in that needful day And shepherds that most faithfully will feed Their flocks and keep them in the time of need And save them from those wolves that would devour Their harmless lambs if gotten in their power Oh Lord who can behold this bleeding spouse And not shed tears and ev'n with fervor rouze His very soul in contemplation Of this afflicted Church and Nation Shee that not long since was but little less Than a Princess amongst the provinces Is become a widow weeps sore all night And is bereav'd of comfort and her right Her lovers have forsaken her in such sort That many flout few yield her true comfort She once was worthy the kisses of his love That priz'd her highly as a Queen above And at her glory did no whit repine But magnified her love better than wine But now she 's black but comely to the view Of Heaven though her locks are werted with the diew Yet is continued that sweeter breath Tell me O thou who my soul so loveth Where thou feedest and sets thy flocks to rest Besides the shepherds Tents they are safe and blest Such a sweet dialogue the Church once had Though now grown pale with grief heavy and sad Yet is she still belov'd though in mourning dress The time will come to cast of heavyness Oh! let the accustomed mercies of thy love Protect thy Church from rapine and remove Those Boars and Foxes that strive to devour Thy vine Oh keep it by thy Almighty power From envious storms for thou hast plac't it high Where all may see it and with hearts apply Oh! le ts approach to it not turn'd away By such blind guides that vainly go astray Let ne're thy sacred Oracles want power Nor priest to lead us in our latest hour Nor let the gladsome tidings of our peace Be turn'd to silence Oh! let it never cease Thy holy Ministry but O Lord supply Their defects pardon the wild vanity And ignorant phantastick zeal of those That thus abuse thy Church and are thy foes Give them true light thy mercies quite dispel That darkness which will lead them down to Hell Let us rejoyce in the Mercies
soul oh hide these spots of mine Then shall I be a beauty that will shine And invite thine Eye again for to look on A wretch that was furlorn lost and gone Consider this ye Riotors in lust VVhich dally with damnation till ye burst VVhat agonies they endure whilst void of sence By the griping of a wounded conscience VVhich so doth rack them into many a fear Of grief but a wounded spirit who can bear Oh who can mind his Murthering sins with pleasure And recount his bitter sweets at his sad leisure He 'l meet an ill account sin leaves behind Having mispent his nobler parts his mind VVer 't thou to die would not thy parting groan Mind thee of thy sad life so past and gone Flattery will prove small comfort in that hour VVhen vain excuses will have little power To still the conscience or thy thoughts to chear VVith joy a wounded spirit who can bear Shew me that Sampson conscience with his strength But that this ugly vulture will at length Both master and subdue what frozen soul Those ashes would not melt and so controul The sturdy sinner laden with loads of guilt VVhich hangs so heavy that his conscience felt That nasty load of crimes that down hath hurl'd His active parts into the lower world Not all his art or courtship cannot save His Treacherous soul from the terrors of the grave They are but trifles to it could it but shroud The guilty soul from darkness oh how proud VVould the soul be if that he might be free From the terrors of a future misery But these are empty shadows cannot keep The tortur'd soul it cannot sweetly sleep Sum all the crosses that the soul surrounded The Catalogue of afflictions thus confounded There 's none like this which his vices thus inherit The grief and anguish of a troubled spirit That intolerable grief which admits no chear Or joy but a wounded spirit who can bear VVhat burthen then doth a wounded spirit endure Unsupportable of his pains griefs are sure Still charged with the frights which ariseth hence By the terrors of a wounded conscience Oh let nor the apprehensions of thy wrath So far afright us thy sweet mercy hath Much balm in store to cure a wounded spirit Which being applied by faith we may inherit Eternal bliss in our bosom thou hast set A perfect Register let us not forget To summ them up in tears without delay Recounting all the ills that did bear sway In our most raging lusts then shall we be Cur'd of our festred wounds O Lord by thee Which art the great Physitian which can heal All wounded spirits when they with faith appeal Lord ope our eyes then shall we clearly see Our many fold transgressions against thee Then shall we by thy mercy sure inherit That blessed balm will cure a wounded spirit Matthew 24.38 And knew not untill the flood came and took them all away HOw great 's the love of Christ that did condescend To acquaint his belov'd disciples with the end Of the old world as the days of Noah were Before the flood whose lofty waves did bear The preserving Ark he saith they all shall see That so the coming of the Son of Man shall be For in those days before the raging flood They eat they drank did little that was good Marry and give in marriage till that day The flood came on and took them all away How fondly and securely did they feast Themselves for ruin they did make a jest Of sin they only striv'd to feed their lusts And cram'd themselves in riot till they burst For lust and luxury took up their heart And so possest it that they could not part Till deaths divorce they were so firmly married Unto their lusts until the Ocean carried Them all away oh how sad's that feast Where overflowing Judgment takes the guests Just Noah's preaching could not yet perswade This drunken Crew that still did swine-like wade Into all filth his fluent admonition Could not prevail to bring them to contrition But the rougher waves made a language to detect Their ranting noise in their own dialect The prodigious raging of the angry deep Silenc't their prophane noise in deaths last sleep Had not God bound himself by promise sure That the Earth no more a deluge should endure And hath his party colored bow so fixt As that there is no doubting with it mixt But how often hath our debauch'd vain ways Corrouz'd and rioted in those our days That we can teach the Epicure to revel And so provoke incensed wrath to level Just judgments on our heads if we aspire Our next refining will be all of fire The former vices of our predecessor Come very short of the present transgressor Of these our times we 're giants now in growth In sin by our unwairy lazy sloth That doth beset us and subdue our sence That we grow monsters without penitence We study vices dayly as though the Earth Like an infernal Affrick hatcht new birth Of ugly monsters such huge prodigies Of minted sins which dayly doth arise It startles reason and as though we were Only to feast in sin and frolick here Was the world drown'd did not the waters stay But carried these living dead Men away And were they taken in their great excess And shall we think to escape this wickedness And be careless of our lives shall we not cry That have lived so long in such impenitency And here behold them drown'd that thus did scatter And freely drank iniquity like water And were shipwrackt in their houses thus surpriz'd By death and Judgment which they so dispit'd So righteous art thou Lord in thy judgment And pure in justice if we not repent Thy hand of justice will us overtake For our impenitency if we don't forsake Our foul transgressions it will so incense Thy justice in thy wrath to sweep us hence And yet how good is thy transcending love That never sendest punishments from above But when our faults encrease so boldly high As to provoke thy sacred Majesty By our impenitencies we do provoke Thy divine justice to the heavy stroak Of judgment which doth thus highly incense Thy wrath in justice for to sweep us hence Lord 't was thy mercy out of thy great love To assure us by thy promise from above To free us from so great a punishment Its memory should make our hearts relent And to admire thy mercy meekly turn Our hearts to holy penitence and mourn And meditate how thy judgments did o'retake Them that all virtuous precepts did foresake Let their example mind us to repent Least we fall under such just punishment Luke 7.5 For he loved our Nation and hath built us a Synagogue WAs the servant sick and did his Masters love So far exceed his charity to move As to send for help to him that was able To cure his soul though born in a stable He knew it was his Jesus which had power To heal he was his only Saviour To
the Matter indifference is like to have a better composure and my Adversary is become my friend When I returned to the Kings-Bench I took it to be my duty to return thanks and praises to God for his so great a mercy never to be forgotten The which I did in the manner as is hereunto annexed which I hope God hath accepted of For since which time I began to write these following meditations which never before did dare to adventure on such subjects But since I am never well nor at quiet with my soul but when I am about such exercises and I was so far from helps as it is well known that I had to many hindrances I will not say to you that I present you with the fruits of idle hours but of the best hours that ever I spent For it hath set more gladness in my heart than when the Corn and wine and oyl encreased It may be that the reverend Clergy will be offended with me for presuming to take upon me to descant on Scriptures I humbly beg their pardons Yet I hope I have not abused any text that I have insisted on But kept close to the matter of it without making any vain fictions and truly I had scarce any book but the bible And I was without that too until I complained of it as one of my greatest wants for my spiritual refreshment to a very good Lady Madam Scawen who presently sent me a very good Bible And I was beholding to Mr Stretch the Minister of the Kings Bench which really is a very civil person to prisoners doing them any good offices that lies in his power he lent me also Doctor Featleys Sermons And from thence as in my dayly practice and observations as my fancy led me I took some things to meditate on for my divertisement The which I hope they will charitably censure these weak exercises and accept them not as coming from a colledg but a Prison I have much hopes of their favors for I have communicated some of these to several good Divines from whom I have had good encouragement which I shall ever most thankfully acknowledge I believe that there be some that will taxe me for too much boldness for coming forth in print And condemn these as weak and indigested I am sensible enough of the weakness of them and therefore they may save that Labor But should I be without reproof I should fare much better than many far my betters who cannot escape the tongues of such carping Zoilus's who have only wit to censure and not to amend and think nothing well done because they do it not yet will quarrel at the private divertisements of a poor Prisoner Should I to add to the heat of their fiery tongues burn these papers or let them rot by me I am sure it would do less good than they will do now For though they want the rethorical streins of great learning yet they are the plain and harmless exercises of an old man a Prisoner that may have the good hap to meet with more charitable and courteous persons that will friendly accept them from a Prisoner under so long and severe a Calamity These Boanerges or Sons of Thunder I shall not Court but leave them to their carping dispositions But you whose pious Charity will be pleased to take this little Babe into your hands and dispise it not though born in a Prison It speaks the language of the Scriptures I have some eminent predecessors and presidents even from Prisons and I hope I do shew the duty and honor I have ever born to the doctrin and discipline of the Church of England In which I was born and bread And I have ever taken it to be my duty to defend it even in the worst of times to my irreparable ruin as is too visible Therefore I hope it will meet with more charitable humble and good dispositions that will friendly accept of and charitably pass by a Prisoners failings And if they may have the good fortune to find acceptance It will give much satisfaction for the pains taken by Your hearty well wishing friend William Williams Psalm 32.11 Whoso putteth his trust in the Lord mercy embraceth him on every side INTRODUCTION A Prisoners thanksgiving that was by Habeas Corpus brought to the Chancery Bar by one that he had trusted with his Estate the first day of Trinity term where having exprest himself it moved so much pitty that it pleased God to raise to his assistance Sir Francis Winnington and Sir John King most effectually to plead his cause without ever being spoke to or retained meerly out of principles of pitty and charity for which the Prisoner at his return to the Kings-Bench wrote as followeth CAn I forget thy mercies Lord this day So freely shew'd me can I make delay To give thee praise oh Lord 't was by thy power I spake so feelingly that happy hour Wherein thou shewd'st thy goodness Lord 't was thine All powerful providence not art of mine Thou didst direct great councel to assist A prisoner poor encountred in the list With other councel whose design yet mist me Lord thou didst ' ope their mouths for to assist me For which I shall for ever praise thy name Too weak's my pen for to express the same Accept dear Lord my thankful hearts expression That 's fill'd with praises let not the Transgression Of my frail heart be hindrance to declare Thy prasses in a work so plous rare That Lawyers which are men design'd for hire Should freely speak 't was cause thou didst inspire Their hearts and made them unto pitty bent To plead the cause of the poor innocent That was by wiles and promises seduc'd Being assured much good should be infus'd To me and mine But Lord thou truly art The God of truth and searcher of the heart Thou know'st what cruel threats I have endur'd That did expect relief and be assur'd Of some kind usage but that I must see My whole dependance is alone on thee Thou hast still by thy own Almighty power Preserv'd me to this very day and hour Dear Lord 't was thou that dost provide for me Means of support when prest with misery Continue still thy all preserving power Leave me not helpless in my latest hour A waken still in me a thankful heart That from depending on thee may not part But let my hope be cast on thee that can Preserve me from the cruel rage of Man VVhose projects are to starve this body frail Oh keep me Lord that they may not prevail Thou that canst bless the little stock of meal And by thy power art able to reveal VVonderful providences to preserve The weakest mortals who in faith thee serve Give me content oh let me not repine At thy just dealings for those sins of mine Pardon my youthful wandrings aged faults My many weaknesses and numerous halts My crooked walks oh let my sad condition Excite a pious grief for my
transgression Against thy sacred name let me implore Thy heavenly grace to help me oh restore To me an humble heart that may submit To what thy knowing wisedom shall think fit For me poor mortal who am weak and frail VVhose only hopes in Christ is to prevail Lord wash me in his blood then shall I be Though black by nature yet made white by thee And though I am in Prison cast full low Raise me again good God and now bestow Thy abundant graces let thy will be done I am resolv'd thy will to wait upon Until my change shall come do not delay That happy hour that I may see the day VVhen thou by death wi lt perfectly restore me Lord let a prisoners sighes now come before thee Psalm 86.17 Shew some good token upon me for good that they which hate me may see it and be ashamed because thou Lord hast holpen me and comforted me Phillippians Chap. 4. v. 12. I know how to abound and how to suffer need c. DIvinest Saint there 's few on Earth but thee Have learnt contentment a felicity Beyond all Arts th'Apostle only can Approve himself the best contented Man A Lesson which the World hath long forgot To set in practice Men affect it not This is a thing unpleasing to their tast Therefore in sad repining time they wast Were Heavens delightful Paths beset with pleasures For Sence to revel in our chiefest Treasures Would there be plac'd our sensual hearts would be Too full of Joy in Earths felicity Were there no rubs nor stops to make us faint Who would not be a Convert and a Saint The Crown of Glory it would truly be As the sweet Garlands of Eternity But he that enters Heavenly bliss must wear A Crown of Thornes e're he attain that Sphear Fond Worldlings are so vainly stufft with Pride That a Holy meekness can not abide Unless it carry pleasing Pomp aloft Religious Meekness it is seldom lâ—â—â— Preaching of Patience it doth Clearly Show There are sublime enjoyments which we owe Due reverence to and yet we will not learn This holy Lesson fully to discern Our vain repinings at the Almighties ways Who can cast down and in a moment raise Our better fortunes But th'Apostle here Hath nobly learnt for to Sustain and bear His pinching wants sans Murmurings or grudge At his Corrections that 's a righteous Judge He that hath bid us seek the heavenly glory Tells us that earthly things are transitory And after this vain Heathens they do walk And shall we Christians like the Heathens talk And have no higher prospect than this world For which the Angels from the heavens were hurl'd Shall we lye groveling in this lower Sphear Rowling our selves in Carnal pleasures here Making morality our only bliss And have no other thoughts of Heaven than this Was it for this that the Eternal Lord Bow'd the high Heavens and came with free accord Leaving his Throne to bring us unto glory Then let us cease from things so Transitory And raise our souls unto sublimer Joys For terrene pleasures are but foolish Toys Vain is that Man which foolishly doth wrap His chief felicity in natures Lap And all the dull enjoyments of his Sence With care and vehement Toyle to fetch it thence Tell me then man That doest in pleasures swim And hast the Cup with joy fil'd to the brim Hast thou forgot thy God thy Guide thy Maker Be not so stupid least thou be partaker Of endless Torments should the Luminaries Loose their bright Lusters that but seldom varies And put on purple Robes that Direful sight Of bleeding planets would thy soul affright Or if the air were turn'd into a stream Of blood by that most powerful hand Supream Or could thy deafned ear but hear the blast Of the last direful Trump what speedy hast wouldst thou then make be most fully bent To check thy Fancy posting to repent Such things prodigious greatly would affright The Bold'st prophaner that took delight In actions Sacrilegeous wicked ways The memorie then of former sinful days Will fill the inner man with dismal fright And make the Sinner restless day and night Oh man remember this 'T is truth alass The enjoyments of the world are poor and pass Away like empty aire there 's no fruition But Dives like we make a sad petition So doth the vain voluptuous worldling laugh At pure religion and do vainly quaff Scorning the poor oppressed Suffering Man And shew him all the envious spight they can As though a pious life could not enjoy Some tides of pleasure but have still annoy His sight 's bemisted he can't yet descry The expected hopes of blest eternity He thinks himself Secure and free from strife And knowes no Joyes but in this present life Did we but know these rich rewards will fall On the religious poor to crown them all What happiness attendeth on the Motion Of suffering Saints in their most pure devotion 'T would make us triumph in our low estate And be in love with hardship at this rate Imbracing poverty with a holy zeal To enjoy that bliss which we cannot reveal 'T would comfort in our very low estate When suffering by the cruel hand of fate From Men enrag'd but we are still to learn The Apostles rule to wait till the return Which crowns with bliss the patient waiting Soul That still expects in faith without controul And yet how hardly do we grief endure When smallest troubles do our souls inure With so much passion that we hardly can Bear the least brunt of Scorne so vain is man So sensless are we of Gods greatest power Forgetful wretches that even every hour We censure and accuse thy providence Like faithless persons scarce enricht with sence Lord ope our eyes and make us plainly See The worlds vain shews Mans insufficiency That empty air the pleasures here below Grant these Joyes that from thy presence flow To these good Lord let our hearts still stand bent So shall we evermore have full content Job 2.10 In all this did not Job Sin with his Lips WAs Job a statue was his noble heart Impenetrable could not Sorrows Smart Move his so fixed Soul nor yet Hells hate His so Strong bulwark conscience penetrate Behold him then mirror of patience Whom all the Legions could not fright him thence Nay he could breath divinity in groans Make sighs his Musick and in sacred tones Turn sorrows into Sermons and his pains To pious Lectures improving for gains Even saddest sufferings and did never vent The least invective from foul discontent How wondrous is that soul that is so fixt Valiant in conflict and indeed not mixt With base repinings but can bear his Cross And triumph in it without sence of loss By suffering much humility hath taught Job patience which with greatest care he sought So nobly that it doth adorn his parts And makes them lovely ev'n beyond all arts Like the Philosophers stone that with each touch Turns all to gold and
doth the same enrich His very grave becomes a cabinet Of precious dust the which is all beset With Saphires like a Rock that stoutly braves The raging Sea and its tempestuous Waves Or like the morning Sun that shines most bright After 't hath long bin clouded from our sight And more transparent shines to the eye of sence Attracting many muddy vapors hence For like the conquering palm that still doth flourish Under its pressures which doe never nourish His spreading limbs into a full extent Maugre the cloggs and weights of punishment Job these are but poor emblems of thy glory Like as the Lower Sphears are transitory Hurri'd with storms but still thy high-born soul Like the true loadstone points the heavenly pole And turns no other way although surrounded With griefs abounding thou art not confounded Tell me of stones whose power can expell Or herbs whose virtue can indeed repell The dangerous Thunder these are of small power Compar'd with that most glorious sparkling Tower His soul that these flames only purifie And brighter made so that we may descry Our conquering glory o're the worlds great same In which he is a Mirror still the same And shall our light afflictions temporary Discourage us from climing to thy glory And drive us from thy service by such Toyes As Satan casts to hinder purer Joyes No thou dost skreen thy love in discontent And shewest thy goodness in our punishment And whilst we do most foolishly repine And grumble at this providence of thine Being two much troubled at the smallest cross Of wealth and Honor which doe us so toss With vain affections shews we cannot take Danger of sufferings for thy blessed sake But are without true sence of thy dear Love And the Celestial Glory that 's above Treasur'd for us our duty 's to submit To thy blest will and all thou thinkest fit Triumphing in our sufferings not repine Lord bow our wills unto that will of thine Eternal wisdom Let it now be done To thine own Glory and thine only Son Romans 6.12 and part of 21. Let not Sin therefore raign in you mortal bodies that you should obey in the Lusts thereof For the end of these things are Death THe Blest and Learn'd Apostle here doth Preach Attonement made by Christ doth likewise teach Th' effects and power of Baptism here on earth Saying we'er all Baptiz'd into his Death And shall be surely raised from the Grave By th' only power of him that did us save From Death Eternal and may freely walk In a renewed Life and thereof talk To th' comfort of our Souls and Crucifie Our foul affections wherein we descry Sins large dominion in us it 's recoyl'd Which only Christ in Love did reconcile Made us alive to God by 's intercession Therefore let sin not raign to the transgression Of Gods most Holy will nor yet obey The raging Lusts thereof which do bear sway Within our mortal bodies while w'have breath Remembring that the end thereof is Death who 'l fancy such felicity on earth Which quite expireth with this present breath And the reward of Lusts will surely be Filled with horror and calamity Had we no hopes and were our sences gone Had we no thoughts of a Resurrection To raise again decayed natures frame To a more noble shape than is the same Then might we well thus drown our selves in pleasure And think on Heaven at our remotest leasure Like Epicures Study and still invent New fashioned Luxury with an intent For to be thought ingenious Rich in Wit And take felicity to revel in it Thinking that all confusion would do well And make no reckning either of Heaven or Hell But mingle all into a wild confusion By making such Athistical conclusion Yea deem 't no scandal for to be thus hurld To Blasphemy as for to think the world Is without God no stop thy prophane breath Sins certain wages is eternal death 'T is not the fear of death that takes thee hence But the horror of a guilty conscience That doth affright thee when the sting of death Seizeth our vital parts and stops our breath The memory of our sins doth smartly sting Awakened conscience when we'er hovering Over our Graves where we must soon be laid Then Hell and Judgment make us most afraid Who suffred sin to vaunt thus in our blood Following our Lusts and shunning what is good Tell me O thou who makest Earth thy Treasure And wrapst thy self up in the softest pleasure 'T is but a little Span before thine eyes With age grown weak and weary yea despise Such objects when each tired limb doth crack With anguish of those pains thy crimes did make Which were th'officious instruments to act Sins fatal Scene and following the tract Of Lusts and Luxury rev'ling with heat That sets thy darling body in a sweat Afflicts thee with the terrors of these fires Which thou hast kindled with thy foul desires Strictly examine now thy self vain man Whether these flattering false enjoyments can Restore thy soul which they have stoln from Heaven Recover it again and so make even That long and vast accompt which heretofore Thou hast laid by and set it on the score Of thy blest Saviour stop I say bewail The memory of thy crimes and so prevail To get that pardoning mercy that doth heal All broken hearts that unto Christ appeal Breathing such aires whose Musick soon would charm Like Davids Harp 't will drive away all harm Still conscience cries make Musick to delight Th' Almighties ears and bring thee to his sight Where are those fond diversions that did take Up thy vain thoughts and did as shadows make A transcient splendor which prov'd little gain It could not bribe thy pardon nor obtain The least reprieve to keep thee from the Grave Or be a means at all thy soul to save See ye blind Lovers of this Mass of Clay How quickly your enjoymonts fade away Being built on such Foundations which do slide And turn to Rubbish it will not abide Your vain felicities they have no power For to secure you in the latest hour Yea that impartial Conqueror pale Death Will seize your Vitals and stop your Breath Such as delight in pleasures live in flame And Death will bring them Torments Hell and Shame All that now spurn at Virtue and it Scoff Following vain pleasures and the Lusts thereof Bewitching World thou thou betray'st our sence And smoothly wheels us to impenitence Making transitory pleasures our delight And through dark mists leads to Eternal night Yet we imbrace and hug the waies of Sin And with a pleasing madness live therein Stopping our ears to the profers of thy Love The which would raise us to the joyes above Wildly we follow the dictates of sence And all those vile affections flowing thence Pitty O Lord our Captiv'd natures frail And give us such desires as may prevail Over our Lusts that our whole Souls may be Breathings in perfect longings after thee With holy servency whilst
to find Something above the world therefore how vain Are worldlings which so foolishly take pain Making their chief enquiries but for dross Vexatious vanities subject to loss Without a holy care this Lawyer wise Makes right enquiry and demands advice Of the best councel T'whom he doth resort Ev'n him that best can answer and report Some Some there are that only do enquire After good titles make it their desire 'T is there divinity lead them that way So they grow rich they care not who decay If they cant Rant and swagger cheat and prate They 'l sell eternity at any rate So sadly doe our vices drown religion That to enquire of heaven is held derision There 's no such airy questions in their books It 's trivial of no worth 't will spoil their looks And marr their pleading yea their gain that 's chief Have no such memorandum in their brief Stop then vain Man consider with thy self Why dost thou covet to grasp so much pelf It 's not the flattering title of a name Guilded with massey Gold can keep thy shame From the Almighty's eyes so full of light That do observe thy pleadings wrong or right Plead like the Lawyer here for a possession It 's suitable to every Mans profession To plead for Heaven The client must not leave That suit unfollowed least he doth deceive His Heaven born soul for they must both appear Before one bar in trembling and in fear There 's no delay when cal'd no writ can move Our day of hearing 's fixt in Heaven above Lord let us with delight approach to thee Which art chief counsel in extremity And not reflect on parts demurs of wit But eye that Throne whereon indeed doth sit The Judge of all the Earth from whose clear sight No flesh can hide it self Let our delight Be to enquire thy waies which chiefly tend To that true glory ne'r shall have an end The Lawyers most importunate request Let it with zeal ev'n always warm our breast And stir up in our hearts a holy strife To get assurance of eternal life John 11.36 Jesus Wept STop O my soul and here behold and see Thy Saviour sweet in his humanity His passions did prevail he could not keep His eyes of mercy dry but soare did weep For Lazarus and in him for us all That wrapt are and involv'd in sin and thrall Oh who can hear this and yet have the power To hold his eyes from streaming out a shower Of tears what frozen heart can choose but melt Into a flood of teares if they e'r felt A touch of conscience for those sins of theirs And yet will not accompany his tears Behold we see the marble hearted Jew Censuring his grief with malice to pursue Their envious taunts corruption of their mind And jearing said can't he that cur'd the blind Keep Lazarus alive do not deride It was that God and Christ be glorified And clearly did determine that vain strife I am the Resurrection and the life No wonder if they did refuse to be Mourners which acted such a villany And had such small compassion on his grief That were become his Murderers in chief And op'd that fountain stream of his dear blood Which gushed out like water from a flood Which still lies op where we may have access To him by faith and truth and holiness And yet how many are there that do bear Thy title and boldly pretend to wear The livery of thy name but do refuse The characters of thy Cross and still are Jews How coldly sure are they stand thus affected That are not touched with grief nor yet dejected For his harsh sufferings at his latest breath Which seems to be forgetful of his death How richly are good Mary's tears requited Which wash't her Saviours feet which she delighted Her eyes were moving bathes still running over To see his brim full drops that did discover His love divine which nothing could remove To shew his power his mercy and his love Whom Martha did diswade for want of faith Lazarus come forth our blessed Saviour faith Had Lazarus but known what a rich prize He was esteem'd in the Almighty's Eyes He would have dy'd and not repented To be thus buried and so much lamented Have such a mourner wait upon his pall Which is the Almighty Saviour of us all Divinest Saviour thou didst weep for those That could not weep nor yet fully disclose Their vile affections it was sin that kept Them prisoners to their lusts their sences slept Thou pourest out thy tears thy life and blood And shall we not pour ours even in a flood That fully should speak out unfained sorrow For sin and not defer it till the morrow But we 're so plung'd in sin and many feares That we cannot accompany thy tears It is to sad a walk for flesh and blood Unless thy spirit lead us to what is good Shew us thy purer ways least we intrude And give us hearts of pious gratitude That we may glorifie thy name with praise For our redemption and that all our days May be a thanks giving not to say we slept Remembring always that our Jesus wept Matth. 6.33 But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you c. OUr blest Redeemer doth continue here His precepts teaching Gospel course to steere Contained in his Sermon on the Mount A heavenly subject worthy our account But we poor wealkings an how frail are we That 's last in thought which ought the first to be Our duller parts are now so dead and numb All clog'd with earthly cares our tongues are dumb To make enquiry after thy purer ways Which should express our duty and thy praise Such loyterers are we Heav'n ward that we make Small speed and have more mind and care to take Our carnal considerations with us so That we cannot effectually let go Our thoughts from sins but cause our Maker stay Our leisure oh the wretched sad delay Of sinful flesh that studies to provide Superfluous things for to abett our pride Mean while our better parts lie to th' view Of Heavens great Eye with whom we have to do Such strangers are we to our souls concern That wee indeed don 't in the least discern Thy love and favor to us whence we miss These joyes above ev'n Heavens eternall bliss We gaze no higher than the Lower sphear Rowling in meer morality whilst there As though we had nothing beyond our breath To look for when wee 'r snatcht away by death What thoughts ambitious do we ever carry For terrene Joyes how little for Gods glory Vain Jolities and worldly pleasures swallow The thoughts of Heaven not suffering us to follow Gods heavenly Preceps we do sadly lie Dead in our thoughts of immortality Vain man what is' t that thou dost sacrifice Thy idle thoughts unto or wherein lies Thy chief felicity The pagans can Fancy a bliss amongst the shades vain Man And
of his love In sending us his Son which from above Hast left a holy Ministry to be our guide Oh keep us safe that we may never slide Into such pathes that may lead us astray But follow our shepherds in a holy way And from a peevish zeal good Lord restore us And grant us shepherds that may go before us Matthew 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God c. GOd of his abundant love did send his Son Into the world to preach salvation Upon the mount whereon he freely taught His blessed precepts unto all that sought To him in faith and obedience to his will Minding his holy precepts to fulfil He pronounced nine blessings with their recompence If we observe them with true reverence And keep his holy Lawes not from it start Surely blessed are they are pure in heart Who would not then strive earnest to be pure See David's fervent zeal for to assure His panting soul which long'd full sore to find A place of rest for his so grieved mind To attain the which he passionately cri'd Lord from thy precepts let me never slide That he would cleanse his heart he might inherit The gifts and graces of his holy spirit Hath piety such a reward no disgrace Shall the pure in heart behold him face to face And with blest spirits ever happy raign In endless glory and true peace obtain Who will not labor to imitate the just VVho have such heavenly visions in their dust Shall the treacherous vanities we enjoy Steal off our hearts and rob us of true joy And bereave us of the glory of that light VVhich is of endless splendor power and might So strengthen me That I may rather choose The divine light and all false lights refuse A sight the which in glory doth surpass All triumphs in the world that ever was VVhat splenders are there compared to this It is an empty air Nothing less A sight which no eye ever saw but may If the worlds objects lead them not astray After the harmony of deluding Charms VVhich lulls frail flesh a sleep in natures arms The Idea of this sight cannot be drawn In lively colors least we do prophane The speculations of the brain can never Portract him truly that doth live for ever Then cease thy fancie and forbear thy art His liveless Character is in thy heart The divine Traveller though but newly there Could give no full description of that sphear Scripture Characters doth but even allude And set it forth but in similitude And shew how infinitely transcendent Is that glory which is omnipotent VVere diamonds all join'd to make one splendor They were but Attoms to the Sun not render The smallest glimps to that luminary Of life and heat the which by motions vary And feed a throng of sparkling stars that are Inlivened with his light which from a far VVe do behold each one in 's proper place How dim's it to the glory of thy face VVho then would thus so vainly sacrifies Himself to sin and so bewreave his eyes Of that blest vision and the chiefest good To gratifie his wild extravagant blood And revel in delights of sin and shame And stiffle his nobler passions and that flame Of holy zeal that should chiefly delight us To the triumphs of thy bliss Good Lord unite us He that would dwell amongst those sacred fires And holy spirits by whose true light inspires The mind with holy motions he must turn His heart unto an altar and their burn The holy sacrifice of penitence And lively faith with all due reverence And humbleness of heart which will do well For the graces of Gods spirit there do dwell The heart that mourns within us there must be The only seat of life and love to thee The graces of the spirit there must rest And be so firmly fixed in the brest Naturalists do well observe that to the heart Is first giv'n life then death it doth them part Oh Lord our hearts are frail there cannot be Strength to support unless it come from thee Give thy supporting graces we are weak Touch thou our hearts and tongues that we may speak To the glory of thy name and so dispise The vanities of the world with its disguise O raise our contemplations to thy glory Cast down our vain affections transitory That proudly do oppose it self in error Correct our thoughts oh let it be a terror Unto our hearts and make us plainly see The horror of our crimes Lord against thee Sanctifie to thy self our whole devotion That we live holy lives in godly motion Oh let our chiefest contemplations raise A holy zeal in us to give thee praise Let it be our delight to do thy will And all thy holy precepts to fulfill That when we shall lay down our lives in dust VVe may be glorified with the Just And sweetly seated in that blessed place VVhere we may all behold thee face to face Daniel 12.3 And they that be wise shall shine as the Brightness of the firmament and they that turn many to Righteousness as the Stars for ever and ever DId Michael th'archangel not stir thence But stood most valiant like a mighty prince To assist Gods people in their times of trouble And said their sufferings would be requited double If that their hearts would be to wisdom bent Should shine for ever in the firmament And such as by their pious pains do turn Others from sin so that they sigh and mourn Shall shine as starrs and be for ever blest VVith glory in everlasting rest Who then would not be studious for to gain True knowledge that he might thereby attain Such promised glory and become most pure Holy Celestial to be ever sure To shine forth as the Sun oh blessed sight In whose most glorious raies is the chief light Where man 's diviner part not only lives As living splendor it for ever gives Transcending beams of lustre which shall shine In the imperial heavens most divine And there be ever fixt and never sever But shine as stars for ever and for ever Look here ye blind admirers of Earths bubble A robe of purple or some glorious trouble A diadem of honor in this Earth Which brings forth care small comfort after death So vain is Man that fondly doth desire Such trifling honors that do soon expire Which carrieth not that light will give access And by its virtue turn to righteousness Which would make them Stars but some desire t' enjoy Their fading pleasures such a splendid toy Hear this all ye that can on shadows dote And you that can to Transitory pomp devote Your souls and care not for immortal bliss And think there is no other Heaven but this Sublunary pleasures couldst thou call down A robe of morning Stars to deck thee round Such Royal luminaries it would be But gloomy splendor a bright obscurity Compared to that lustre 'T will shine but faint Not like that glory that enwraps a Saint That
Leapers bodied a new But we don't see what good there doth accrue Unto his better parts and that perhaps Lies bed-rid in a very sad relaps His successor was happier whose disease And sin were both remov'd which did appease His piercing pains at the Phisicians talk Which said arise take up thy bed and walk How many are there like the Leaper foul Look no higher than their bodies do controul All other considerations but to cover Their fowler parts and willingly do smother And slight their nobler parts which should adorn It lies infected and exposed to scorn We are so eager to procure Chimestry And all that art can make to prompt Luxury To make our natures feed upon its flame While our better parts lie naked to the shame Of mankind that should with right zeal desire To feed not quench the true Celestial fire By which our souls shall ever truly be Enlivened and preserved O Lord for thee How do the Torments of a limb an hour Move us to feel and want thy healing power VVe practice more devotion in that fit Than many a moneth before we did feel it The loath'd deformities of our worser parts Gives us more grief and more aflicts our hearts Than those pale and infernal shapes that thus Dissigureth Heaven's Character in us Come shew that beauty is without a blot That hath no blush of guilt no Leprous spot That saintlike infant Man that knows no guile I 'le sit and here admire him for a while VVe're all conceiv'd in sin and cannot be VVithout our spots until we 're washt by thee VVere our vains purer than the violets smell And could perfume the air yond paralel VVere Adams sin a stranger to our blood And could our innocency have withstood Thy justice our rebellious going astray VVould Check our Lusts and prompt us thus to pray The blackness of our thoughts would proclaim Though silently sin is our chiefest aim Yet was there not a generation That thought themselves clean without contagion VVere right in their own Eyes and did deride The world as Leapers in their scorning pride The Pharisee was the more polluted Man Than the soft hearted humble Publican VVhich did so proudly his best plums display VVhich carried more contagion in that sway Of pride and ostentation but he 's the winner Oh God be merciful to me a sinner But he that trusts to merit and its paint And thinks himself a convert and a Saint May loose these Joyes if that he doth despise The mercy seat where the true comfort lies And rely on his so great stock of parts His humane Learning and his skill in arts VVithout thy polishing they cannot be Made useful in our returns O Lord to thee No saint nor Angel can procure us bliss But the only begotten son whose merit it is The leaper is a beauty far beyond My soul 's more foul and my vile courses tend Yea Lazarus which had so many soars Are less in number far than my vile scores Which I have run in sin and am as lame As the poor criple cur'd of sin and shame Oh wash me Lord in thy Bethesda pure I shall be cleansed and be ever sure Of thy healing mercies let me not be One of the nine ungrateful Lord to thee It will make my soares loathsome in thy sight And me eject unto eternal might But I do know thy goodness and thy power Doth still preserve us mortals every hour That ever can keep us in a holy mean Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean 1 Kings 19.9 And he came unto a Cave and Lodged there DId the good prophets zeal so far provoke Proud Jezabel to threat the heavy stroak Of death did he then fle th'threatned rage Of a furious woman to be more at large He came to Beershaba in so great fear And in much hast he left his servant there While he journied on in his so great distress Until he came unto the wilderness Where under a Juniper tree he humbly sate With heavy sobs sadly bewail'd his fate Come Lord it is enough do not delay Thy severe Justice take my life away But a good Angel he doth interpose And wakes the sleeping prophet from 's repose And bids him eat and cease this moan to make Behold a cruze of water and a cake By divine providence prepar'd to be A support to natures necessity He eat he slept and willingly obeys And in that strength he travel'd forty days To Horcb the Mount of God though still in fear He came into a cave and lodged there Behold enraged Malice it doth force Eliah to a Cave there 's no remorse In a Womans fury there is no suspence No liberty for life or conscience He must fly to a narrow compass to save both They are in danger if he admit of sloth Behold him now a Hermit to his pain For prophesying against wicked Ahabs reign 'T was but a kind of tipe that did foretel To after ages such a paralel Those votaries of the Church the which did turn Caves into cloisters and therein did mourn And fill these silent grots with divine love And chant forth ecchoes with the saints above And make them Chappels there to laud and praise In sacred Halelujahs all their days The purity of their zeal I much admire Make solitude it's mirth in such retire Can make Melancholly devotion fit Object of glory and the Joyes of it And sequester themselves from vain delight To contemplate with Angels day and night So those divine retirers have done well If they ring not too loud their merit bell If in imitation of the King of glory They fast and pray I such a votary Do highly prize but if his vain tradition Take place he must be brought unto contrition If that those pious exiles in devotion Not studying humane praise but virtues motion Do contemplate with Heaven and of its glory Abandoning the world that 's transitory Such self denial no Man ought to blame But worldlings court it to their greater shame Not caring what vile courses they pursue To satisfie their lusts it is too true All rapine and disorder they commit And fondly brag and boast and glory in it But these our pious exiles they do give Up both their names and lives that they may live Religiously devout 't is strange to have A Prophet now retir'd unto a Cave No no they 've higher thoughts and their devotion Tends much the way to get the best promotion But he 's the Man that humbly can deny His tempting lusts when fortune cast him high And can out face the world and conquer it And with our Prophet in a Cave down sit VVith sweet contentment lodge in it all night VVhen high revenging rage sets him to flight Prisons and Caves are solitary places VVhere friends think it much if that they shew their faces And give a word of comfort in that condition But leave poor prisoners to their said contrition They 'l say 't is out of the way they
him he sent and did passionately say I am not worthy Lord that thou shouldst stay Under my roof but speak and he shall be Healed and give his praises unto thee To which the great Physitian freely saith I have not found in Israel so much saith The elders importunity exceeds Most gratefully magnifying his deeds And his love unto his nation did express He built a Temple unto holiness Behold the character of a pious Man Which by virtue doth oblige all that he can And lay out his outmost interest to encrease His countries good prosperity and peace And as a father he doth still endeavor To serve his comon wealth in all what ever Lies in his power that he is justly stil'd A vertuous patriot ever meek and mild This good Centurion was not only high In place alone but lov'd true piety Where he was chief and all Judea over Could not paralel his worth it did discover A mine of treasure in his soul lay hid Of precious faith most richly valued Did they not hate Idolatry to prize They would his person too much Idolize And pay respect unto with adoration Who was so great a lover of their nation Herod indeed their Temple did repair But it was not for love but panick fear 'T was but in policy for him to get The Crown that ambitiously aspir'd to it Devotion had in him the smallest aim Not a religious zeal for to maintain 'T was not his aim he did not mind the thing His whole religion was to become King And as a Tyrant live for to suppress Christ's purer ways which tend to holiness Such is the sanctity that worldlings shew By pretence to virtue whilst they bestow All their endeavor to guild o're their crimes Make seeming virtue footstools to their aims Pretence of zeal a passage to ambition Thinking they creep along without suspicion But the Centurion's zeal was nobly bent To honor his nation with a full intent To befriend religion with his countenance And pious acts of virtue to advance With sincere intention not pretending But faithfully their souls and church defending Unlike those rulers which do set aside Religion to set up their haughty pride And think themselves the wisest of the crew If they have no religion in their view And as our new Enthusiasts do delight To pull down holy Temples in despight To holy things and raise even to the ground The carved works of structures and abound In novelties and think it good to fight ' Gainst Kings entrusted with protecting right Which sparkles like to Diamonds in their Crown And fills them full of splendor and renown They are the Churches patriots to preserve All divine right and faithfully to serve As conservators of that dignity Which they do hold from God in humility No these material Temples cannot be Sure monuments to all posterity Could we build Pyramids to reach the sky Or Alablaster piles carv'd curiously Or plates of brass to eternize our name They were but empty shadows to the frame That building without â—ands which none can sever From the immortal soul which lives for ever The Synagogue which the Centurion raife Became a greater monument to his praise And lasted longer it engaged the Jews To gratitude and wonder they did muse At such unwonted favor they swift did run And became advocates to heal his son And prest him with such arguments to move His pitty towards him shew'd so much love In such abundant measure he did raise A synagogue to his immortal praise Such honor is return'd to all that aim To advance thy glory and to praise thy name Such as have zeal for glory shall be blest With spiritual joy and ever be at rest The meanest offering they do make to thee It shall not only here accepted be But so rewarded in eternal bliss Where all true joy and every comfort is And stir up emulation who should be Most forward to express true plety Lord let not those are ignorant of thy power Outstrip us in devotion that each hour Depend on thee and seemingly profess The true religion in truth and holiness Oh! Let our holy carriage so adorn Thy publick worship and not be a scorn Let our bodies be Temples not a cell That grace and all the virtues there may dwell So teach us Lord our living souls may be Temples where praises may be given to thee And raise our hearts ever to make address To thee alone who art only goodness And let us not think building structures will Eternize names unless we do fulfill Thy holy precepts and there fix our thought All other buildings are but vain and naught John 20.11 But Mary stood without at the Sepulchre weeping and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the Sepulchre DId Mary weep and can our Eyes be dry Will nought afflict our sence no misery No loss so great make us shed tears but stay Consider it is the resurrection day When her blest body bowed to look in there Where he was laid the loathed Sepulchre Where she beheld her Saviours tomb with grief Which was her sweetest comfort and relief See how religiously she stoops to look Into the grave with care least she mistook When her younger sisters vainly did mispend Their precious time in dressing which doth tend To carnal pleasures some will scarce allow A modest kneeling or an humble bow In their religious worship they so slight All reverence due to Majesty and might See see the power of love that is divine Made Mary look into a loathed Shrine Which could strike the world with paleness and affright The boldest Champion Saint and put to flight Our faith had not the perfumes which came thence Rarified the air with its sweet influence And perfum'd thac nasty vault amongst hardstones And crazy coffins rotten dead mens bones Which were his pillow till that joyful Morn When he arose in triumph to adorn The heavenly Throne and there doth ever shine In perfect glory which is most divine See how the Martyrs Triumpht in their flame And gloried in their suffrings for his name And were carried in raptures through the fire In holy love and zeal they did aspire Into true joy that element did warm Their earthy parts and did their souls no harm They nobly met with death their souls did sing Most divine Anthems unto Christ their King Their chains were Musick they did seem to be Rather Priests than victims in that solemnity How sweetly did the blessed Martyr Stephen Expire he having seen his Christ and Heaven That heap of Cursed stones rais'd to torment His earthy part prov'd a blest monument Far richer than the chiefest Artists skill In the proudest marble it could paralel He cimited it with his blood and made it faster By the undaunted spirit of the first Martyr Thus did the suffring saints their tortures turn To pleasures and the terrors of the urn To a stream of mirth not all their rage Of fiercest Tyrants could once disengage Their souls
length Could we unwind time and reverse its wheel Stop the celestial posts and make them reel And set the worlds great clock far back again What shall we get by it but trouble and pain Imaginary selicities here Sliding contentments purchas'd very dear And when we 're listed in the dismal book That accursed catalogue of the damned look And ask Dives without any controul What did it profit him to lose his soul Oh Lord what is there in this world to prize And weary our selves with vain desires to raise A temporary felicity and name Which quickly vanisheth as a blast or flame 'T is hard to him that 's to thy law a stranger To apprehend the misery and danger Of covetous desires the length of time Hath made that vice a habit and incline Our natures to the breaches of thy law Oh Lord teach me with care to stand in aw Of losing thee my God my only pleasure Whom to enjoy is the divinest treasure O let the blessings thou hast freely given Quicken our duller souls with thanks to Heav'n From whom we have receiv'd the chief promotion Let it not flack but quicken our devotion And raise contemplations not vainly rude But with obedience and humble gratitude That so the vanities that are here below May be our scorn but the graces with do flow From thy abundant mercy may delight'us To the bosom of thy Church good Lord unite us And raise our spirits our vices to controul And think no profit for to lose our soul Canticles 2.1 I am the Rose of Sharon and the Lilly of the valleys 'T is Solomons song his most Seraphick strein That in high and transcendent raptures aim To express Christs love to his Church the sacred spouse Doth not his fervent divine fancy rouze These high passionate expressions divine The Rose of Sharon love better than wine Lilly of the valleys turtle undefil'd Love of delights sweeter than spices mild Spikenard and Mirrhe Saphron and Frankincense All these allusions in an amorous sence Of divine love as in a holy song VVith lofty ejaculations all along In a devout harmony doth allude In allegory and similitude The Rose is natures perfume it displays Its treasures through the air unto its praise It delighteth sence both in color and smell Whose odoriferous beauty none can paralel Other flowers like Hypocrites are fair of color And in a painted shew they do seem fuller Of various shapes but they have not the scent Of that sweet Rose that still is fragrant And retains its sweetness ev'n in withered dust When other flowers of Color pine and burst Into a nasty shape of the Rose is made A cordial so that it doth never fade It 's virtues are still useful of great price Of vegetables natures paradise In this wonder of flowers we may espy Not only Physick but Divinity It wears Heaven's livery in its beauteous color Natures master piece nothing is fuller Than the sweet lovely blushes of the Rose That Rose of Sharon which all wisedom knows With many prickles was his head surrounded VVith tanting scoffs was his pure soul confoundad The perfumes of his prayers rais'd a richer smell Than all Arabia's spices can paralel His divine miracles were higher scented Than all odoriferous gums if sublimated Into one perfume it s a rifle to that sweet That cordial posie where the God-head meet As join'd in one and sent such perfume thence VVhich should enamor our hearts with reverence To adore that Rose of Sharon which will never Lose its perfume but will smell sweet for ever Oh let us run with meekness not presume After the odors of thy sweet perfume And have fervent desires for thee alone And for the streams that do flow from thy Throne Imprint in me such rays of divine grace A purity capable to see thy face The greatest perfections in creatures lie But a drop of transcendent excellency That is in thee let me have a longing strife To imitate the purity of thy life And in an humble meekness to submit To such indignities as thou think'st fit And when I shall lay down this earthy feature I may be raised a renewed creature And be comforted with perfumes of thy love VVhich are prepared with the Saints above In the eternal paradise of rest VVith the true Rose of Sharon ever blest Psalm 119.92 If my delight had not been in thy Law I should have perished in my trouble FINIS To the Honorable the Lord Chief justice Raynsford upon his adding St. George's Church to the rules of the Kings Bench. THanks noble Raynsford for this bounteous favor To prisoners restrained it doth sweetly savor Of a pious clemency thus to enlarge The footsteps of those Men under thy charge You 've outdone loyal Keeling that act we 'le sound He'n larg'd the rules thou givest us holy ground St. George's Church Englands Titular Saint VVhere we may freely go and make complaint Of our hard ereditors and devoutly pray That he 'l enlarge his mercies in the day Of your account we 'l study to express All ways of gratitude for this happiness With thanks unto our Marshal for his love VVhich doth oblige us faster far above All other obligations we 'l express All cordial love with humble thankfulness Pardon Dear Sir that I this silence break That am the meanest how could others speak An Elogie on the death of Edmund Lenthal Esq late Marshal of the Kings Bench. ARe prisons sad is' t not a place of grief To be restrain'd from liberty the chief Desire of Man but here a comforts given VVhen a mild keeper is decreed from Heaven Such one we had but suddenly snatcht hence By the impartial hand of providence Death with his pale fac'd Envy hath bereav'd Of comfort in which we were not deceiv'd His carriage was obliging sweet and kind Expressing still a bounteous noble mind And generous Courtesy yet his care was just Preserving them that did oblige his trust In such an harmony his acts did meet Mixt mercy with justice in consort sweet My meditations of Joy and gladness Are turn'd to Elogies and songs of sadness He 's taken hence which my sad soul did chear I cease to write surpriz'd with mournful tear THE TABLE Of the FIRST PART Philippians Chap. 4. v. 12. 1. I Know how to abound and how to suffer need c. Job 2.10 2. In all this did not Job sin with his Lips Romans 6.12 and part of 21. 3. Let not sin theresore raign in your mortal bodies that you should obey it in the Lusts thereof For the end of these things are death 7 Matthew 15.28 4. And he said unto her O Woman great is thy Faith 11 John 12.2 5. But Lazarus was one of those that sat at the Table with him 14 Genesis 2.8 6. And the Lord God planted a Garden East-ward in Eden 17 Luke 10.25 7. And behold a certain Lawyer flood up and tempted him Master what shall I do to inherit Eternal Life 20 John 11.36 8. Jesus Wept 23 Matthew 6.33 9. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you c. 25 John 13.23 10. And there was leaning on Jesus bosom one of his Disciples whom he loved c. 29 Luke 19.9 11. This day is Salvation come to thy House 32 Luke 9.57 12. Lord I will follow thee wheresoever thou goest 36  A Copy of Verse to Sir Anthony Bateman on the Death of his Daughter 40  An Elogy on the Name and Death of the Virtuous Lady Martha Bateman who departed this Life the Tenth of December 1674. 41 THE TABLE Of the SECOND PART Numbers 27.16 17. 1. Let the Lord the God of the Spirits of all flesh set a man over the Congregation Which may go out before them and which may go in before them and which may lead them out and which may bring them in that the Congregation of the Lord be not as Sheep which have no Shepherd p. 1. Matthew 5.8 2. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God c. 6 Daniel 12.3 3. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament and they that turn many to righteousness as the Stars for ever and ever 9 Matthew 2.18 4. And when they saw the Star they rejoyced with exceeding great Joy 12 Ecclesiastes 12.13 5. Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole duty of Man 16 Matthew 8.2 6. And behold there came a Leaper and worshipped him saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean 20 1 Kings 19.9 7. And he came unto a Cave and lodged there 23 Genesis 28.12 8. And he dreamed a Dream and behold a Ladder set upon the Earth and the top of it reached unto Heaven and behold the Angels descending and ascending on it 27 Proverbs 18.14 9. But a wounded Spirit who can bear 33 Matthew 24.38 10. And knew not until the Flood came and took them all away 37 Luke 7.5 11. For he loved our Nation and hath built us a Synagogue 40 John 20.11 12. But Mary stood without at the Sepulchre weeping and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the Sepulchre 44 Ecclesiastes 12.1 13. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth 47 Luke 18.11 14. The Pharisee stood up and pray'd God I thank thee I am not as other men are 50 Matthew 16.26 15. For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul 53 Canticles 2.1 16. I am the Rose of Sharon and the Lilly of the Vallies 57  A Copy of Verses to the Right Honorable the Lord Chief Justice Raynsford  An Elogy on the Death of Edmund Lenthal Esq FINIS
we have breath Knowing that sins reward is certain Death Matthew 15.28 And he said unto her O Woman great is thy Faith BLest importunity that did procure An answer so Divine that did assure The poor impatient woman in distress Of'r Daughters cure to ease her heaviness Her answers were so pious they did tell That in her breast did all the graces dwell And richer Mines of Treasure there were hid Then Princes Crowns though highly valued All Palestine and the rich Spices there Could not procure a Cordial to compare With her strong Faith which could have no denial But cur'd two Souls sans any further trial Save only this the great Physitian saith Unto this suppliant Great is thy Faith Faith is a grace prevails with God above To work great wonders Mountains to remove To smooth the rugged Ocean for a walk For Peters feet to hear his Saviour talk It stops the Mouths of Lyons quenches fire 'T was the Centurians Faith got his desire It cures the blind in Scripture we may see Our Saviour saith Thy Faith hath saved thee And yet the Faith that hath such wonders wrought Is quite neglected and not duly sought Some place the greatness of their Faith in merit And think thereby Salvation to in herit In many such a fancy there doth dwell They think it Faith enough for to do well But naked speculations will not get The heavenly prize 't is vanity to set Our faith in our abilities parts This is a doctrine which exceeds all arts Faith 's rooted in the soul most firm and stable By which the Blessed Abraham was able For to believe Gods promise true to bless His seed which God did count his righteousness 'T is not profession only that makes noise But wee must practice to obtain true Joyes Yet mourning souls when they do sigh and groan Are in the road unto the heavenly Throne They 'l find acceptance pardon for defects Which doth our souls and bodies thus perplex Let no one think he can take to much pain To be assur'd that Heaven he shall attain Thus was the Womans faith so firmly fixt That it no shew of doubting with it mixt The eccho of the voice did straight affright Foul Sathan from his hold not all his might Could keep possession when our Saviour Spake He quickly vanisht and did her for sake Thus doth our faiths divine all powerful Charmes Drive Satan to his Chain and free all harmes Raiseth immortal statues to the Just And makes their names venerable in dust Yea seals their happiness for ever sure With Christ in glory ever to endure Thou sent'st thy Son O Lord for us to Die That we through him might gain eternity Him whom thou hast advanc'd above all things Is pleas'd to take us under his blest wings That we may have the triumphs of his Cross And afterward Heavens glory without loss Let not the miseries of our patures frail Which first did with thy mercies rich prevail Oh let not these which only know thy power More zealously acknowledge thee each hour Than we to whom thou manifests thy love And claim an interest in thy Christ above Let us be ever thankful for his merit By whose rich bounty we shall sure inherit The heavenly mansions and shall ever be Above faith there to wait all times on thee That faith with which thou givest every grace And without which we nere shall see thy face Teach us thy mercies so far to apply That we neglect not means and so relie On faith that 's dead or on a vaine dissembling Salvation's had by faith faith 's Join'd with trembling John 12.2 But Lazarus was one of those that sat at the Table with him DId Jews take Councel for to put to Death The blessed Lord of Life which gave them breath Was he aware of their most barbarous talk That openly with them he would not walk But came to Bethani where Lazarus lay And there he freely Supt and made some stay Where Martha ferv'd as well as she was able And Lazarus one of them that sate at Table Could Lazarus eat and did his stomack crave That was so lately risen from the Grave Is his late Tomb a Table now his dress That bound his head his Napkin at that Mess He that but now feasted the worms for meat Doth feast himself and with the Living eat The Mercies of our God's above all things He sets at Table with the King of Kings There hath been some all liveless pall stretcht out For Coffin until others went about To tin that spark of life that close lay hid As glimering in the heart not wholly dead And by endeavors have call'd back that heat Which hath enabled them again to eat But here 't was otherwise with Lazarus As Holy Writings testifie to us He 's rais'd from real death yet Martha cry'd Lord if thou hadst been here he had not dy'd Behold him now as risen from his bed All flesh and life no whit disfigured Perfect and whole really rendred able To feast himself with joy at the same table Where his redeemer supt a blessed feast Where Lazarus is admitted to be Guest He 's throng'd with multitudes aged and younger Which came to be spectators of the wonder Yet would not believe the power that wrought it But wickedly oppos'd and never sought it Thy thought of beaven on earth inricht with treasures Elysian fields or such like feigned pleasures Restored Lazarus though thou hast new breath There is a time will bring a second death Yet thou art happy in the sacred story Inricht with that entitles thee to glory A happiness indeed beyond expression Death will thee bring unto the full possession Of the blest Mansions with the Saints in bliss Where Angels Sing and every Comfort is Come tell me Lazarus didst thou e're believe T' enjoy the world again and to receive Thy rise from grave before the general day And grand assize which we must obey Thy sisters doubted it but yet did see This miracle of mercy shewed to thee Who wilt so walk and be a great adorer Of breath divine That was thy great restorer What numbers of expiring souls are frighted At the horror of those crimes that once delighted Their sensual appetites The dying man Scar'd with his pains would leng then out his Span And gladly turn their late profaner ayres To penetential sighs and earnest prayers New tune their lives into most pious strains And be sufficient gainers for their pains He that defers it to the latest hour Shall find his weakness will not have the power And vigor of that zeal that should invoke Mercy divine for to remove the Yoke Of sin that doth so heavy on us lie And so benumbs us that we can't descry Our sins aright the which we must confess With truth of heart and humble holiness Therefore we should make use of strength and parts To invocate that God which searches hearts And though his Judgments high are and sublime He saith to