will rectifie my course Grant me that Grace which breedeth true remorse ¶ On Life and Death THe life I live on Earth uncertain is Being attended with a certain death Which will produce eternal Bane or Bliss Waiting the expiration of my breath It doth behove me then to have a care How I my short and pretious time do spend Left I through sin be trapt in Satan's snare Griefs then beginning when my life doth end Lord grant as Life and Death do here begin My Life may be to grace my Death to sin ¶ The 〈◊〉 AWay fond Youth Vertue is hid in Truth Your Vanities can no contentment bring Alas give o're Thy pleasure 's but a sore Honey at first but in the end a Sting Seek not in vain So to augment thy pain Such is thy grief that nothing surer is Fond Youth give ore Woo not a festring sore When thou hast found thou 'lt wish that thou didst miss Love not this world but minde the things above In seeking so thou shalt finde love for love ¶ The Steward IT is not much I have yet I have more Than some that live more splendidly than I. Although I am not rich I am not poor But have enough to vanquish penury All that I have is lent me and I must Give an account to God how I do use it Or if I hide it up and let it rust Or by miss spending wastfully abuse it It had been better I had poorer been Than ti'd a slave in chains of gold to sin Lord grant my Talent so on me bestown May be employ'd as thine and not mine own ¶ The Coelestial Painter O Thou most holy God of Bliss Who paintst the Heaven's centre cleer In burning brightness fair address With goodly lights as doth appear Who on the fourth day didst ordain The fiery circle of the Sun And for the Moon an order set And Stars their wandring course to run That thou might'st give the Nights and days Divided bounds to keep them in As an allured mark to know How duly all the Months begin Illuminate the heart of man Wipe out the soulness of the minde Cast down the heaps of our misdeeds The bands of guilt do thou unbinde Grant this O holy Father most And eke the Son equal to thee Together with the Holy Ghost That reigns in all Eternity ¶ The Holy Innocents HAil you sweet and building flowers Whom when you life began to taste The enemy of Christ devours As whirlwinds down young Roses cast First Sacrifice to Christ you went Of offered Lambs a tender sort With Palms and Crowns you innocent Before the sacred Altar port Glory O Lord be given to thee Whom the unspotted Virgin bore All glory to the Trinitie From all both now and evermore ¶ To the Divine Creator O God which diddest man create And hast alone all things assign'd The Earth to bring forth savage Beasts And creeping things each in their kind Great bodied Creatures are ordain'd By thy great Word and Will to live In times and seasons man to serve To whom they all subjection give Put from thy servants far away What to uncleanness may allude It self in manners to suggest Or in our actions to intrude Give us the recompence of jovs And yield to us thy graces free In sunder break the bands of strife Confirm the bands of Unity ¶ The New Birth A Multitude of Creatures do agree To give their Documents to wretched man As Emblems and Examples whereby he May learn to write himself a Christian. The Eagle casts her bill the Ass his hair The Peacoak 〈◊〉 is plumes the Snake his skin And shall not Man a Creature far more fair Renew himself by shaking off his fin Old fins retain'd do fester as they lie To the new man belongs felicity He that would clear himself from worldly stain To sin must die to life be born again Die to the flesh and if you would inherit Eternal life be born then of the Spirit This is the Birth a Christian should prefer For being born of God he cannot err Lord let thy Grace my idle thoughts subdue That I may change the Old man for the New ¶ Degrees of Love IF I a Creature love it may not know The Channel whence my flood of Love doth flow But God knows all mens hearts and will approve Of love to him for God himself is Love If I a Creature love it no regard May have to make amends God doth reward But when my kinde affections do intrude The Creature answers with ingratitude If I a Creature love that Creature may Be captious peevish making me its prey The love of God exceeds the love of men For loving him I 've love for love agen A humour too may make a Creature fly me But loving God I have him always by me If I a Creature love that very thing On which I dote may prove to me a sting But to love God brings comfort joy and ease For he 's the everlasting Prince of Peace If I a Creature love my care must be For that but God will Angels charge with me If I a Creature love my hearts desire Is all inflam'd but with Terrestrial fire But loving God my Soul and Senses feel The holy flames of a Coelestial Zeal If I a Creature love for face parts limb That moves God dwells in me and I in him If I a Creature love it doth not know All my affairs God knows whate're I do If I a Creature love it doth deceive me If I love God he 's ready to relieve me If I a Creature love much pain and grief Attend but loving God I finde relief If I a Creature love we both must die But God gives life to all eternitie If I a Creature love I oft behold Those slights and faults which make my love grow co'd But if on God I firmly fix my love The love of God doth make my love improve He is so good so noble rich sweet fair Mighty and wise so exquisitly rare I 'll court his love as he hath taught with Prayer ¶ Bad at Best MY Practice gives the lye to my Profession I give too large a rein unto my Will I do not grieve enough for my Transgression But do delight in contemplating ill I wish for Heav'n but tread the path of Hell I love the day but more the deeds o' th' night Little I have yet that I use not well I covet much but covet not aright Good deeds ill done run clearly 'gainst the byas Wishes and words are winds our deeds must try us My ways are evil sin doth too much attend them Open mine eyes O Lord and I shall mend them Time's Travel THe uberous womb of Time since its creation Innumerable issues hath brought forth Of strange and of prodigious generation And glorious things of beauty and of worth It 's never barren but is ever breeding Unwonted forms and various shapes of things It was it is and will through time succeeding Continue
it was and sweetly grew ¶ Prayer for Peace BLessed Saviour God of Peace When storms arise or shall increase Say thou the word and they shall cease Allay their fury quench their rage Whose factions would disturb the Age Their fiery zeal do thou asswage Be thou a Comforter to those That never do the Truth oppose Them strengthen and convert their 〈◊〉 ¶ On Mercy MErcy is comfort to the Poor 'T is that the Rich desire Lord we thy Mercies do implore 'T is that the Saints require Mercy it was that gave us life To move to think or say Mercy is Physick for our grief And teacheth us to pray O how can we for mercy call That have so wicked been Our Parents gave us such a fall 'T is hard to rise agen Yet 't is for Mercy still we crave 'T is that which must us raise Mercy first made and now will save And teach us how to praise Our sins increase more than our days Yet Mercy lets us live 'T is God that we for all must praise That doth these mercies give And shall we still run on the score Not paying any part Of what we ought to him before He asketh but a heart My Soul pay what thou canst of all thy store He that pays nothing ever owes the more ¶ The Swine LOrd I am thine Although possest O be thou mine And give some rest To me a beast O Christ be good To sinful man And with thy blood Lord wash me clean Be thou my food My staff my stay My King my God And thee alway I will obey Command my sins into the Sea That I may praise and honour thee ¶ The Penitent LOrd I 'm a sinner and my sins increase To such an unknown sum That should my rockie heart and eyes Nay my whole Microcosm a flood become And drown it self in Tears 't would not suffice To name my score Not then to pay But Lord thy blood is my rich store Thou art the Patron of the Poor But all the Balsam of thy blood Alas I know will do no good Unless I wash my griefs with Tears before O thou whose sweet and pensive face To laughter never gave a place Instruct mine eyes Without delay To melt away And then the less of Balsam will suffice ¶ The Soul awaked LOrd we again lift up our eyes And leave our sluggish beds But why we wake or why we rise Comes seldom in our heads Is it to sweat and toyl for wealth Or sport our time away That thou preserv'st us still in health And giv'st us this new day No no unskilful Soul not so Be not deceiv'd with toys Thy Lord's Commands more wisely go And aim at higher joys They bid us wake to seek new Grace And some fresh vertue gain They call us up to mend our pace Till we the prize attain That glorious Prize for which all run Who wisely spend their breath Who when this weary life is done Are sure of Rest in Death Not such a rest as here we prove Disturb'd with Cares and Fears But endless Joy and Peace and Love The Pleasures of the Spheres Glory to thee O bounteous Lord Who giv'st to all things breath Glory to thee Eternal Word Who sav'st us by thy death Glory O blessed Spirit to thee Who fill'st our Souls with Love Glory to all the mystick Three Who reign one God above ¶ St. Paul's Petition FRom Enemies where're they be My God do thou deliver me From them that do against me rise From private Foes inventing lyes From bloody men who loving strife Endeavour to ensnare my life The Mighty are against me bent Because I sinn'd and do repent Arise and visit with thy Rod Those Enemies of thine O God Their follies shew that they may be At last true followers of thee ¶ On the Conscience COrruption now adays doth spring so fast So regarded And rewarded That if my tender Conscience would be sold Or if for it a Dispensation Could be but got I doubt it not I 'd store up wealth in this our Nation One spark of Flattery would so increase My evil goods So that my woods Would make a lasting fire when I decease The World 's fond love might easily be bought If I could tell The way to sell The little honesty that I have got Were but this World my home perhaps I might Be apt to trade But here things fade Give me the Riches wherein Saints delight Though now I live in a corrupted Cell Which doth annoy I would enjoy The peace of Conscience there where Angels dwell Love upon Earth is good 〈◊〉 that doth last But the choice love Of God above Is everlasting and doth never wast Tush wicked World Heav'n is my Merchandize If in my way My sight should stray My home shall be the curtains of mine eyes A desp'rate fate it is the Worldlings run A Pearl to sell To purchase Hell They must be great or to be just undone ¶ St. Austin's Prayer Recommended to the devout Christian by P. Vrban the 8th BEfore thy holy eyes O Lord We sinners heartily accord Humbly to own our griefs of heart Are nothing to our just desert The evils we have done exceed What we can write or may be read Our Consciences our Souls affright And say Thy Chastisements are light We feel the punishments of sin And yet we do persist therein Weak Nature faints at ev'ry scourge Yet perverse wills do dayly urge Our restless minds do still provoke Thy Justice and despise thy Yoke We sigh away our days in grief Yet sorrow gives us small relief For when our sighs do once expire We wallow in our former mire If we repent 't is at a rate That we had need repent for that If thou revenge our stubbornness Thy Justice doth our hearts depress Thy anger fills our Souls with fears We weep but soon forget our Tears If thou stretch out thy hand we then Promise to turn to Saints from men But if thy Sword suspension shows We then forget to pay our Vows If thou dost strike we pardon crave And when thou pardon letst us have We sin again and ne're give o're With provocations more and more Thus we our guilty selves accuse Thus we thy mercies do abuse Yet Mercy Mercy still we cry Or we are drench'd in misery Then Lord O let thy goodness give Those streams by which the Angels live Our Souls inspire amend our days Touch thou our tongues and we shall praise All glory be to God on high The Father of Eternity To Three in One and One in Three ¶ The Believer HAppy is he that doth The truth Believe for he it is Shall kiss The Son of Righteousness shall surely come By his believing to believers home Let thy belief be true But few There are that do make that Their State Abraham left a Pattern good behinde him But few there are that seek him less that finde him I do believe a Tree Will be Pleasantly green when I With eye
to be thy Match or Mate then consult thy Honour if thou lovest the World and embracest the Earth canst thou hate Adultery with man and be an Adultress to God Let not a Strumpet stand in thy sight but especially suffer not thy heart to whore after Vanity If thou fallest into ill Company that shall court thee let not the Devil wooâ—… thee O my Soul thou most beloved above all Creatures that hast God for thy Huâ—…band Heaven for thy Dower and Eartâ—… for thy Service suffer not Hell to 〈◊〉 thy Pander to dote upon the World let thy Heart be an Habitation for Goâ—… and Heaven Thy Soul is the Lord of thy Body take then thy bodies homage not thine own ruine let thy Soul act the will of God and command the body to execute thine Let not thy body be thy God lest thou becomest a Devil to thy self Thy Soul is an Angels peer let it not then be a companion for Satan Let not thy Lordship be sold for slavery and misery for if thou maintainest not thy right Hell must be thy harbour Torments thy terrour and wicked Spirits thy company Thy Soul under God is the supream Soveraign of thy body be not then a subject to thy subject let not the law of the Members be the law of the Minde for the Senses are Handmaids to the Soul and she is the Princess of Heaven Thy Soul is a free-born-childe of Eternity Heir of Immensity the Daughter of Almighty God who is beyond all bounds of Time and Being to whom then oughtest thou to pay thy duty but to him alone Thy Body is but a prison to thy Soul thou art inclosed in the walls of Mud and gates of Sense Can there then be more pleasure in a Prison than a Palace Shall a Bodily Restraint be preferred before a Spirits Liberty Canst thou count thy Bondage to be thy Bliss Are Chains of Iron to be esteemed above the Treasures of Gold Are Fetters better than Freedom Earth is but a Goal to Heaven then be not so rash as to prize thy Goal before thy Delivery lest thou art cast into that Goal from whence there is no redemption It is most just that the Soul that prizeth the Devil's Chain before God's Liberty should have the Devil's Prison instead of God's Palace and befor ever his slave in Hell that would not be God's servant for a time on Earth O thou beloved Dove of God fly to thy Coelestial home belime not thy spiritual wings in slime and mud in Heaven is thy Treasure and where canst thou finde more Riches to invite thee Be not like the Crow to feed upon Carrion or like the blinde Beetle to place thy blessedness in Boggs Make not sale of thy self to buy a Goal when thou partest with a Palace for the purchase and becomest a Familiar to Bolts and Shackles Thy Soul is God's Jewel and thy Body is the Casket then keep thy Body clean that thy Soul may the better be preserved It is a bright Diamond of Heaven a Spark of the Divinity a Ray of Divine Glory set for a time in the Foil of Flesh till it pleaseth God to take it to himself and keep it for ever in his Cabinet Let not then thy Soul that transparent Diamond be an ornament to the Devil's finger when it may sit at the right hand of God where there are Pleasures for evermore Thy Soul is the Purchase of Christ bought with no less than the blood of the Son of God then sell not that for a Trifle which cost thy Saviour so great a price it is better to enjoy the Riches of Eternity than to purchase Vanity for a Moment Is thy body distemper'd then thou requirest Physick if wounded thou sendest for a Chirurgeon if naked it must have Cloaths and if hungry it must have Food For these thou shouldest depend upon God for he knoweth all these things are necessary But when thy precious Soul lies sick of sin hath wounds of the spirit stript of its innocence and starv'd for grace no regard is given thereunto not considering though thou usest humane helps it is God that gives the Blessing and is the Physitian both of Soul and Body That Soul that acts the part of a faithful servant to the Lord shall have a double reward The Crown of a Saint and of a Sufferer Certain Considerations worthy the Devout Souls Meditation THe Soul is Spiritual sin makes it Carnal The Soul is Immortal sin is the death of the Soul it makes it die to Grace and live in Grief The Soul is Noble sin makes it Ignominious The Soul is Lord sin enslaves it The Soul is Soveraign sin brings it in subjection The Soul is God-like sin makes it beastial The Soul is the Spouse of God sin makes it the Strumpet of the Devil The Soul is the Jewel of God sins casts it in the Devil's fire The Soul is a free-born Citizen of Heaven sin keeps it in perpetual imprisonment The Soul is God's Purchase sin cheats God of his due and the Soul of eternal Bliss A MISCELANY OF Divine Maximes OR Words fitly spoken Like Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver 1. WOuldst thou be truly perfect love God with all thy heart and thy Neighbour as thy self 2. Let thy eye be always upon God and thy self and thou shalt never see him without goodness nor thy self without misery 3. None shall see God so much as he is visible and none shall ever love God so much as he is amiable 4. He that doth not covet to love God more and more can never love him enough 5. To whom God is all the World ought to be nothing at all 6. Let us be what God will so we be but his and let us not be what we will our selves against the will of God 7. In the service of God there is nothing little enough to be rejected 8. To meditate much upon God is good but the Souls greater advancement in Vertue consists in much loving him 9. He to whom God alone is pleasing is displeased with nothing but that which displeaseth God 10. In Divine matters a generous Soul finds greatest contentment in believing things most difficult 11. All our actions take their value from their conformity to the Will of God 12. Love and Suffering are the greatest duties we owe to God they being the two causes for which he died for us 13. He that neglects his own will complies best with God's 14. So love thy Neighbour upon Earth as that thou mayst enjoy his love in Heaven 15. Thou canst not love thy Neighbour too much but thou mayst too much shew thy love 16. One great argument of our love to our Neighbour is to bear with his imperfections 17. We should never endure to hear evil spoken of any but our selves 18. We should never under value any person the workman loves not that his work should be despised in his presence wherefore beware for God is present every where and and
¶ The Soul's Soliloquy COme Holy Ghost our Souls inherit With Beams of thy Coelestial Spirit Inflame our Hearts we thee desire With Sparks from thy Coelestial Fire Thou the anoynting Spirit art Who dost thy Seven-fold gifts impart Thy holy Unction from above Is Comfort Life and Fire of Love Enable with perpetual Light The dulness of our blinded Sight Cherish and cleer our soiled face With the abundance of thy Grace Keep far our Foes give Peace at home Where thou art Guard no ill can come Teach us to know the Father Son And thee of both to be but one That through the Ages all-along This may be our endless Song Praise to the Almighty merit Father Son and Holy Spirit ¶ The Enquiry TEll me my Soul where doth thy passion bend Doth it on Heaven or things on earth attend If worldly Objects do thy Reason guide Thou mayst desire but not be satisfi'd If thou dost Beauty love it is a shade But Righteousness doth shine and never fade If worldly Wisdom 't is but as a blast But heav'nly Wisdom doth the World outlast If earthly Riches they have wings and fly But heav'nly Gems do last eternally Estates on earth do as in shipwracks reel In Heaven's harbour are no thieves to steal All thou canst compass here is trifling store In Heav'n are Crowns laid up for evermore Would'st thou have Honour which the World depaints What Honour can be greater than the Saints Or is it Pleasure 't will thy Soul destroy The Just shall enter in their Masters joy But tell me farther what is 't thou wouldst have Both Heav'n and earth on this side of thy Grave Away vain fancies ye are Vertues moth Pitty 〈◊〉 the promise of them both These lustful thoughts lead thee to splendid folly But if thou wouldst be happy then be holy ¶ On Dives SEe with what splendor Dives sits at meat With choice of Dainties courting him to eat His Habit Purple and his Lâ—…nnen fine As if drest up on purpose here to dine How the Spectators look and seem to say There 's too much store provided for one day How many wretched Souls do beg for Bread Whilst this same Glutton hath his Table spread With all varieties And thus they show Their envy But alas did they but know And well consider what his wants are then They'd pity him as if the worst of men His Talent's rich on earth there 's none above it But he wants Grace and Wisdom to improve it All his Estate is but a mighty spoil He hath a Lamp but that Lamp hath no Oyl He hath a Soul but what doth that embrace Vain worldly Lusts the opposites to Grace His House shines gloriously but when all 's done He hath the Star-light but he wants the Sun A Friend to Vice and Vertue 's mortal hater Having the Creature but not the Creator This world 's a Torrent of false Joys the boat Is his vain life doth on it dayly float His Silver Anchor is as weak as Sand Nor can his Gold conduct him safe to Land But rather sink him to the Misers Cell There to inhabit where damn'd Spirits dwell Can he be worth your envy then forbear Rather in pity shed a Christian tear If he be happy May it be thy will O Lord that I be miserable still Give me thy Grace although I 'm clad in Rags Let Vice attend the Miser and his Bags ¶ On Lazarus THe wicked Worldling spends his time in laughter Having his Heaven here his Hell hereafter Contrarywise the good man whilst he 's here Lives as in Hell to sigh and shed his tear But when to Heaven he hereafter flies God wipes away all tears from off his eyes Though here he suffer scorn the worlds annoy Yet He that sows in tears shall reap in joy The Rich man hath his good things in this life Lazarus evil things slights scorn and strife But meets at last with what he here doth miss Eternal joy it is the poor mans bliss Whilst Dives lies as if with Scorpions stung Wishing for Lazarus to cool his tongue That Lazarus who whilome lay before The gilded Postern of the rich mans door Begging some mean remainings of his table Dives rapt up in Silks and costly Sable Glutted with sumptuous food and choice of wine Hath neither time nor ear for them that pine The very kinder Dogs in pity then Licked his Sores thereby instructing men To Love and Charity Observe the end Angels upon the Begger did attend He dies and they to Abraham's bosom fly Leaving him there to all Eternity Whilst Dives striving others to excell When here tormented is in flames of Hell Thus Worldlings ride in pomp to Hell's hot Nest And Penitents in Tears swim to their Rest. The Penitents Praise LOrd now the time returns For weary men to rest And lay aside those pains and cares Wherewith we are opprest Or rather change our thoughts To more concerning cares How to redeem our mis-spent time With Sighs and Tears and Prayers How to provide for Heav'n That place of Rest and Peace Where our full Joys shall never wain Our Pleasures never cease Blest be thy love dear Lord That taught us this sweet way Only to love thee for thy self And for that love obey O thou our Souls chief hope We to thy mercy fly Wheree're we are thou canst protect Whate're we need supply Whether we wake or sleep Either to thee is done By night we through our eye-lids peep As if the night were gone Whether we live or die Both we submit to thee In death we live as well as life If thine in death we be Glory to thee great God One Co-eternal three To Father Son and Holy Ghost Eternal Glory be ¶ Angel and Man A Dialogue Ang. LIsten Oh Sinner I shall make it plain Mankind is wicked altogether vain Nature instructs the bruâ—…ts to bear in mind A friendly consort to each others kind But Man more monstrous than of bruitish hue First preys on them then doth himself undo Devouring Widows houses in his way Pretending Piety seems oft to pray Will with himself and sins oft-times be vext When as his zeal is only a pretext Their very Prayers do themselves condemn As Citizens o' th' new Jerusalem They would appear whenas their chiefest care Should be to crave a Pardon for their Prayer Man What glorious Creature can a tongue rehearse May be compar'd to Man the Universe Is subject to him all things with applause Pay Homage to him and obey his laws God did not from the Angels nature frame His own he took the seed of Abraham Man hath his saults which causeth melancholy Even ye Angels God doth charge with folly Ang. Well have ye said therein we do agree For we are charg'd with such vain things as ye We are your Guardians so to direct Ye safely sleep we Watchmen do protect So great a truth it is no more but thus They are well kept that are secur'd by us And from the
But above all prepare thy heart Whilst now 't is called day In humble duty bear thy part To sing to love and pray Glory to thee Eternal Lord Thrice blessed three in one Thy Name at all times be ador'd Till time it self be done ¶ Of God HE is the Author of the Worlds Creation Foundation The great and mighty Judge of mans Salvation Damnation The glorious Lord and only God Above Of Love That both to men and Angels is A God A Rod. He did the World create and by his hand Or word Foundations laid of Sea and Land Can save or damn as he doth best approve Will be our God or Rod as we shall love Thou that canst hold the Winds within thy fist Have mercy on us oh thou God in Christ. ¶ Of Christ. HE it is that gives us Peace Increase He to poor Souls cries I 'm your Jesu IESU He it is that is our Good Food The Saints with him do trust their Treasure Pleasure He it is can end our Life Strife He it is that gives us Breath Death He is to us a Judge and King Sting He is our Peace Increase our Jâ—…u and An Ease to those that wait on his Command Our Good our Food our Treasure and our Joy Our Life to see no Strife shall us annoy He gives us Breath can give us Death as King And unâ—…o death he is become a Sting He punish can or help us in our thrall For Christ is God's and God is all in all Wouldst farther know what God is silly Elf Go study first to be a God thy self ¶ God is Love GIve praise unto the Lord above Omit no thanks that thou canst move Dost thou not know that God is love In Word and Deed make him thy aim So shall thy Soul be free from blame Let his Commandments be in ure Obedience cannot be a clod Vs he hath spar'd and doth endure Ev'n still such is the love of God ¶ The Remembrance ANd now my Soul canst thou forget That thy whole life is one long debt Of Love to him who on the Tree Paid back the flesh he took for thee Lo how the streams of pretious blood Flow from five wounds into one flood With these he washes all thy stains And buys thy Ease with his own Pains Tall Tree of Life we clearly now That doubt of former ages know It was thy wood should make a Throne Fit for a more than Solomon Large Throne of Love royally spread With Purple of too rich a red Strange costly price thus to make good Thine own esteem with the Kings blood Hail fairest Plant of Paradise To thee our hopes lift up their eyes O may aloft thy branches shoot And fill the Nations with thy fruit O may all reap from thy increase The Just more strength the Sinner peace While our half-wither'd hearts and we Engraft our selves and grow on thee Live O for ever live and reign Bless'd Lamb whom thine own love hath slain And may thy lost Sheep live to be True lovers of thy Cross and thee ¶ Of Death 1 Cor. ch 15. v. 55 56. O Death where is thy sting The sting of death is sin O. Death forbear I yet must live Stay Death till God your Warrant give And then where you see best this heart Most willing is to seel your Dart. But Lord O let thy servants breath Preserv'd be from the sting of Death ¶ Of Grief THe tears come slowly Lord my sins remain O sting my shallow fords and make them rain Rivers of waters or if so thou please Send daring death my sorrows to decrease My grief is great 't is time to rise or fall Then cleanse me Lord from sin and ease my thrall That I may say O death where is thy sting And tell the world The sting of death is sin ¶ A Christian and Death A Dialogue Chr. COme valiant Death and welcome do thy worst Shew me the power thou claimst as being King Dea. Poor mortal know alas thou art but dust And I the Sexton that thy Knell must ring Chr. Away lean half-starv'd wretch go daunt a sool Think not to fright me with Thy glass is run Dea. Thou art my Scholar therefore come to School Delays but waste that time which might be gone Chr. Thou seemst a Student for thou lookst so poor That Famine in thy face I plainly read Dea. Come silly wretch you word it must no more See here 's thy Glass thy Doom and thou art dead Chr. Then boldly strike thou dost the body kill My Soul shall wait upon its Master's will Dea. Lie there proud dust all flesh is born to die Chr. This is the Road unto Eternitie ¶ The Altar A broken ALTAR Lord to thee I raise Made of a Heart to celebrate thy praise Thou that the onely Workman art That canst cement a broken heart For such is mine O make it thine Take out the Sin That 's hid therein Though it be Stone Make it to groan That so the same May praise thy Name Melt it O Lord I thee desire With Flames from thy Coelestial fire That it may ever speak thy Praise alone Since thou hast changed into Flesh a Stone ¶ Death Man and Grave A Dialogue Death COme down proud Lust. Man To what to Dust Grav I that you must and shall Man Thou thing of bones Grav That fetcheth groans Death From very stones and all Man From Dust I came Grav Thou must again Death Sin is thy bain and thrall Man That 's thee away Death With mortal Clay Grav Why do you stay you must Death Come leave your groans Man To go with bones Grav You must go once poor dust Death Nay do not frown Man Away rude Clown Death I 'll strike thee down proud lust Man Then I submit forbear your storms Seeing I must return a Guest To my Acquaintance old the worms Farewel fond World I 'll take my rest Grav I have a Charm will make you sleep And all you have you here may trust For Watchmen not a few I keep The harmless Worms that are so just With care they do befriend him That cometh here within this path Thus man one world of servants hath And when he on his Death-bed lies Another doth attend him ¶ Nature's Delight HArk my Soul how every thing Strives to serve our bounteous King Each a double tribute pays Sings its part and then obeys Natures chief and sweetest quire Him with chearful notes admire Chanting every day their Lauds Whilst the Grove their song applauds Though their Voices lower be Streams have too their melody Night and day they warbling run Never pause but still sing on All the flowers that gild the Spring Hither their sweet musick bring If Heaven bless them thankful they Smell more sweet and look more gay Only we can scarce afford Due thanksgivings to our Lord. We on whom his bounty flowes All things give and nothing owes Wake for shame my sluggish heart Wake and gladly sing thy part Learn
his own teeth doth dig his Grave Who loves his Humour to fulfil His Humour is himself to kill Who doth aspire be great and tall Should carefully beware a fall Who with good works delights to dwell Sails fair for Heaven far from Hell ¶ On Age. THe Painter's Pencil sure must go astray In painting to the life a lump of Clay Who does but seem to live dies every day How can he lively paint a man that hath The cold effigies in his face of Death ¶ On Man and Wife SIlence and Patience are the Twins that make Concord 'twixt Couples never to forsake A Husband good in Words ought to be wise In Conversation wary hating lies Careful Provision ought he to provide In ordering circumspect a careful Guide A Father Master and a Friend beside The good Wife when abroad she should be grave Discreet in governing at home and have Patience to bridle Passions when they move Learning her Husband to obey and love Kinde to her Neighbours courteous unto all Careful of Children be they great or small But chiefly herein there should be no flaws She should her Husband fear and he the Laws ¶ The free Prisoner WHat though a Prisoner I am now Time doth allow Instead of liberty to walk To write or talk What though 〈◊〉 make me sicken They do me quicken My body in confinement lies But my Soul flies What though by nature I am dumb Then I be â—…ome A silent sinner and my tongue Doth no man wrong Or what although I loose my sight Yes if the light Of Divine Graces shine in me My Soul can see Let sorrows come when God thinks best They are my Rest For in afflictions 't is my Psalm The Bruise 〈◊〉 Balm If I 'm afflicted in this World I am but huâ—…'d â—…o Heaven where all pleasures stand At God's right hand Th' afflictions of this world of care Cannot compare To those blest Mansions Christ hath wrought And dearly bought Dear may I say because his blood Is that choice flood That drowns my sorrows and my grief Gives me relief Thus all things work together for their good That have lov'd God and for his honour stood A Jayl's the centre of this Iron-age Yet not my Prison but mine Hermitage He that can boldly dare yet justly do Fortune 's his Subject and his Vassal too ¶ On Sunday THis is the day the Lord hath made Then let not Christians be afraid Laying aside all sin Rejoyce therein The clearest radiant day that shines Upon the Christians golden Mines God's holy Torch and Light That leads aright The day of our Consession The Ease of our Oppression The day of Peace and Rest Churches our Nest. A Light it is to all the Week A Summons to the Proud and Meek That says to Conscience Fie Ye go awry The day that pulleth man from Death And crowns his head with holy Wreath That guides him to his Grave Yet doth him save The Day of God so God of Days It is above my reach of praise God's with his free accord The Sabbaths Lord. It is the Day-book of a Saint A Spring for those that thirst or faint Nor can we say there 's one day Like to Sunday But we 'll such thoughts in silence smother Till we can finde out such another ¶ The Petition STand by me Lord when dangers STARE Keep from my Fruit such choaking TARE That on Confusion grounded ARE. Thou that from Bondage hast me BROUGHT And my deliverance hast ROUGHT 'T is thee that I will praise for OUGHT O Lord to evil make me CHILL Be thou my Rock and holy HILL So shall I need to fear no ILL ¶ Faith's Mystery WIth all the pow'rs my poor Soul hath O humble Love and loyal Faith Thus low my God I bow to thee Whom too much love bow'd low for me Down busie Sense Discourses die And all adore Faith's Mysterie Faith is my Skill Faith can believe As fast as Love new Laws can give Faith is my eye Faith strength affords To keep pace with those pow'rful words And words more sure more sweet than they Love could not think Truth could not say O dear Memorial of that death Which still survives and gives us breath Live ever Bread of Life and be My Food my Joy my All to me Come glorious Lord my hopes increase And fill my Portion in thy Peace Come hidden life and that long day For which I languish come away ¶ On the Judgment GReat God that hast at thy command Both Leaden feet and Iron hand How shall I stand How can I look When thou call'st for thy Dreadful Book Oh save me Lord I then shall say I do confess I went astray Thy Judgment stay O let thy Rod Chastise with mercy O my God O Christ my Saviour may it please Thee thy dear Father's wrath appease And making peace Then I alwaies Will strive to magnifie thy praise Some it is like may shew a Book So full of Blanks that when you look Thereon a Rook You 'll think that man That shews a Scrole with nothing on But so to do is highly vain For he that doth just Judgments rain Can see each stain Keeps just account How ev'ry Sinner's sins amount I am resolv'd when God doth call To hide not one but shew him all That wrought my fall But if my will Exceed my skill Lord do not kill ¶ On the Pharisee and the Publican TWo men into the Temple went to pray The one a Pharisee who thus did say I thank thee God I am no common man No unjust person As this Publican Twice in the week I fast from my excess And I give tythes of all that I possess The humble Publican at distance stood With head and eyes dejected as if food Or heavenly Manna then was to be found Carelessly scatter'd on the dusty ground But as in bitterness of Soul distrest He with his hand smote on his troubled breast Of his Petition this was the beginner O God be merciful to me a sinner The other shew'd rather than Zeal his pride But the poor Publican went justifi'd God doth delight the proud look to abase And on Humility bestows his grace ¶ To God the Father BEfore the closing of the day Creator we thee humbly pray That for thy wonted mercies sake Thou us into protection take May nothing in our mindes excite Vain dreams and fantoms of the night Our Enemy repress that so Our bodies no uncleanness know To Jesus from a Virgin sprung Be Glory given and Praises sung The like to God the Father be And holy Ghost eternallie ¶ To God the Son LEt others take their course And sing what Name they please Let Wealth or Beauty be their theam Such empty sounds as these I never will admire A lump of burnish'd Clay For though it shines it is but dust And shall to dust decay Sweet Jesus is the Name My Song shall still adore Sweet Jesus is the charming Word That does my Life restore When I
wretch of little worth In sin my Mothers womb alas Conceiv'd and brought me forth Lord with thy grace enrich my heart Take out the filth therein Let fools pursue their idle Art To make a mock at sin Wo unto them their sins do draw With ropes them fast to tie That bind Iniquity their Law With cords of Vanitie If sinners could but count their score They'd fear a future doom Let him that sinneth sin no more Lest worser things shall come Whoso doth his transgression love Careless or lose or win He strangely doth himself approve To be a slave to sin Lord fix my heart still towards thee Especially at Pray'r Lest my Petition on my knee Become to me a snare Surely the quintessence of sin Satan that Judas is He turns a murtherer when in Leads the poor Soul amiss And kills it with a kiss ¶ The Check PEace rebel Sin and dare not to rebel For thou art dead Without the Law and thou that cam'st from Hell Art Captive led How durst thou say to him that dwells on high The Holy One Look on the World where all my wealth doth lie 'T is all as none Or yet how durst thou say unto the Christ If there be none Like thee or if by thee men do subsist Make bread of stone I read the sting of Death is sin but yet Sin that came first Poor Infant-man no sooner on his feet But fell and burst 'T is said that sin the Child is of the Devil But sin thou art His elder and the very self-same evil Caus'd him to start Then prithee say What is thy name for Death and Devil they Right understood Are both too good ¶ To the God of Heaven BRight builder of the heav'nly Poles Eternal light of faithful Souls Jesus Redeemer of Mankinde Our humble Pray'rs vouchsafe to minde Who lest the fraud of Hell's black King Should all men to destruction bring Didst by a strong impulse of Love The fainting World's Physician prove Who from a sacred Virgins womb Didst an unspotted Victim come Unto the Cross to cleanse the sin The wretched World was plunged in The sound of whose high Pow'r and Name No sooner any voice can frame But all in Heav'n and those that be In Hell how down their trembling knee Thee Christ who at the later day Shalt be our Judge we humbly pray Such Arms of heav'nly Grace to send As from our foes may us defend Be glory giv'n and honour done To God the Father and the Son And to the Holy Ghost on high From Age to Age eternally ¶ The Flower O That I were a lovely Flower In Christ his Bower Or that I were a Weed to fade Under his shade But how can I a Weed become If I am shadow'd with the Son ¶ On Darkness HOw Sinner Darkness better far than Light To be preferr'd It is because the Night Draws a thick Curtain over your black deeds But God's All seeing eye no Curtain heeds If he should shew severity to men And you in Hell you 'd hate your Darkness then ¶ On Love and Hatred I Love too much to hate what I should love I love too much to love what I should hate My Love and Hatred in wrong Centres move Such hateful love God doth abominate I love not Goodness neither hate I Evil My Hate to Vertue 's hot to Vice is cold I love too little God too much the Devil My Love and Hate wrong Objects do behold Lord change my Love to Hate my Hate to Love That so thy Just ce may of both approve ¶ On Justice and Mercy JUstice doth call for Vengeance on my sins And threatens Death as guerdon for the same Mercy to plead for pardon then begins With saying Christ hath undergone the shame Justice shews me an angry God offended And Mercy shews a Saviour crucifi'd Justice says I that sinn'd must be condemned Mercy replies Christ for my sins hath di'd Grim Justice threats with a revengeful Rod Meek Mercy shews me an appeased God Lord though my sins make me for Justice fit Through Christ let mercy triumph over it ¶ On Food A Man with all things needful may be sed God for both Soul and Body Food hath sent That for the Body is material bread And for the Soul his Word 's the nutriment If Bread I want my Body then must perish Without the Word my Soul will fail to thrive He that sends both sends both of them to cherish To keep both Body and the Soul alive Famine of Bread is a destructive Curse But Famine of the Word is much more worse Lord to my Soul thy Heav'nly Food apply Give that a life although my body die ¶ Christ All in All. CHrist is the Rock on which my Faith must build Christ is the Staff on which I safe may lean Christ is for my defence the safest Shield Christ is the Fountain that must wash me clean Who builds not on that Rock doth build on Sand Who leans from him trusts to a broken Reed He falls that fights not under his Command His Blood alone doth make me clean indeed Christ cleanses saves supports my feet from fall He is my only Rock my All in All. Lord to my Soul such Heav'nly Grace impart Thou may'st be Lord and Tenant of my heart ¶ I would but cannot I Would be rich but Riches fly away I would be great but 't is with Envy blended I would be fair but Beauty doth decay I would be brave but 't is with Pride attended I would be worldly-wise but that is Folly I would be strong but 't is a Beast-like guise I would be thought religious that 's unholy I would be learned but it makes not wise These vain Endowments soon draw to an end To each there is a But that doth attend Thus Fate who stops the race of worldly glory Shews such Endowments are but transitory ¶ The Voyage THe World 's a spacious Sea that 's large and wide And man a little Barque that sails therein His thoughts do drive him like the Wind and Tide The shelf that threatens shipwrack is his Sin His Heart 's the Pylot that this Ship doth guide Faith is the Freight with which he freely trades His Anchor Hope Thus doth he safely ride Heav'n is the Haven where the Barque unlades Needs must the Merchant in his Voyage thrive That safely doth at such a Port arrive Lord be thou Pylot to this Ship of mine That both the Ship and Lading may be thine ¶ The Careless Christian. I Do desire my Prayers may be heard Yet I my self regard not how I pray I fear God's wrath yet have I no regard To what I do or what I think or say I know his Promises are just and true Yet do I live as I believ'd them not I hear he Judgements hath for each ones due Yet careless I not terrifi'd a jot Searching my heart to finde the cause of this I find that in my heart no grace there is Lord since thy Grace