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
is a step if by it we climb That ladder will advance us to see him If we tread our vices under and by it show They 'r fixt unto the Earth that is below Where the foot doth rest but we must leave behind Our vain delights the frailties of Mankind And studiously be industrious for such gain As will requite the trouble and the pain Our progress must be constant and not slack A holy pace if that we once look back Into the plain the world will steal our sence From climbing with a religious reverence O Lord how doth this subject meet my case That am cast down into a stony place I mean a place unpleasant ' cause not free But it haâ—h mounted me to come to thee Thou hast shew'd to me a ladder thy blest ways Enliven me O Lord to give thee praise Had I bin rich and had of plenty store I should have scorn'd this ladder as heretofore I thought on pleasures and the worlds vain guise Did too too much affect and bleere these eyes That now look up to thee O let my sight Be clear to see the blest eternal light Thy abundant graces oh thou which truly art The great Physitian which can cure my heart Give me a holy longing and inflame In me a servent zeal to praise thy name If bitter potions be for my souls health Apply them Lord although it purge my wealth There is more true riches in thy love in store Than ever I could lose all times before Thou hast given thou hast taken thy blessed will be done Give me thy mercies in thy only Son To be my ransom I shall be richer then Then e're I was amongst the sons of Men. This casting down will raise me to that Throne Of mercy in whom is my faith alone And I therein rejoyce though thus cast down That thou look'st not on me with angry frown But hast often sent thine Angels to support My feeble state when they to me resort And cherish this frail body 'T is from thee That so much love and bounty comforts me Give me thy grace so far to use thy love With temperate meekness and from me remove All carnal confidence and humbly bend My studies to please him that me defend Thy promises O Lord do never fail And yet how careless are we that are frail Thou shewest us the living way unto thy self Yet we are blinded with the love of pelf Of this deluding world we 're loth to walk Thy pathes yet proudly do we brag and talk Of coming to thee but we are loth to climb That ladder that will mount us to see him That sits upon the Throne O how weak and lame Are our devotions 't is our greater shame To see how nimbly we do thus pursue The perishing delights within our view But make so little progress in that race That thou hast set all ways before our face Oh quicken and make us earnest with holy love To invocate our Christ that sits above To give us of thy spirit that we may move With holy zeal to the Altar of thy love Where the blest Angels do ever attend As ministring spirits that ascend and descend Proverbs 18.14 But a wounded spirit who can bear HEark O my soul consider this wise prince Mark well his Councel and not stir from thence Incline thine ear to wisedom don't delay To mind his pious precepts let it sway VVithin thy heart O let instruction learn Thee to delight and study to discern These many moral virtues which are taught And may by grace be obtain'd if they be sought VVith a holy zeal O let true virtue be Thy chief desire then oyntment it will be Unto thy neck as Bracelets to thine arm If thou these precepts keep 't will keep from harm Therefore so value them as a rich price And observe how fully it correcteth vice And helpeth much mans spirits to chear But alas a wounded spirit who can bear VVhere shall I find a temper can endure Such stings of conscience of the sad pressure Beyond belief which rageth and is mad At every gripe and pain the soul is sad The very Earth trembles and can't sustain It self it groans and travels with its pain To be delivered the Ambitious Angels fell And through their foul despair do roar in hell How dolorous is despair that wound is deep VVhere mercy is shut out and Devils do keep The festerd wound a bleeding without sence Oh the Horror of a wounded conscience It so afflicts and startles all the parts VVith the terrors of the pains rais'd by such arts Yea all the tortures which the Martyrs felt VVere flea-bites to those pains raised by this guilt Tortures of cruelst shape would well become Be easy sufferings a pleasing Martyrdom Compared unto those never dying pains Those living deaths those tortures and those Chains That so strongly hold the sences Captive in Satans foul bands the reward of their sin VVhat can there be compar'd not all our sence Can paralel a wounded conscience The shreiks of oyls which add blackness to the night Offends the ears yea dying groans that fright And fill our souls with sadness at such cries As conscience makes it even rends the skies With the screetches of those pains their conscience utter It beats within and horrid pains they suffer Despair so rageth with a furious voice That it distempers all with its hideous noise It descants it writes Satyrs against it self Sad dying elogies alas poor Elfe VVhat fatal Ideas dost thou thus shape VVithin thy fancy what a tone dost make Surrounded with all the tortures black grief Can add oh 't is so far beyond belief To express that suffering in a perfect sence Oh the terrors of a wounded conscience Did David walk on mourning all the day And night his prickt conscience to allay Did not his eyes run over with his tears These weeping springs rais'd by his many fears He breaths nought but such sad trembling accents As ariseth from his souls sad discontents Despairing Ecchoes thinking it too late He sighes he moans and thus he expostulates Dear God is thy Mercy shut up for ever Shall my poor soul enjoy it never That attribute of thy Mercy and thy love VVhich thou hast treasur'd in the Heavens above Oh shut not up from me that humbly crave But grant thy pardoning mercy Lord to save My afflicted soul I hope thou wilt not be A God of love to all and none to me Let any other torment fright me hence Than the terrors of a guilty conscience Let me for ever dwell in dungeons deep Or such a cell as light durst not to peep In some forsaken vault or dismal place So as I may enjoy thy glorious face Let all the poverty that can attend A wretched man yet if thy Love thou send And cover my naked soul that is thus storm'd All Leprous with sin and much deform'd VVith the terrors of thy Judgments which may take Vengeance on me if thou dost once forsake My spotred
wandring sinners at what time You shall repent indeed and humbly mourn I 'le meet you if with faith you do return And he whose piety hath any taste Of heavenly Joyes will never vainly waste His precious time nor no more fondly range But long and be ambitious of his change Lord it was thy Almighty power did save Good Lazarm being carried to his grave Return'd him Living 'T was thy love divine That made thy Almightiness so far to shine And made thee to discover that great power Which can raise mortals every day and hour Oh let thy grace concur in me to raise And to reform my soul that all my days I may improve endeavors to fulfill Thy pious precepts and perform thy will Which bind my conscience dear Christ do this rather By that dear love which drew thee from thy father To save lost Man let th'Scepter of thy word Have influence on me that may afford All spiritual comfort which may ne're depart From me but live for ever in my heart That I may live a Life of Joy and bliss ' Mongst the blest Saints in perfect happiness Where nothing else but Sin can shut me out Lord grant thy mercy then I shall not doubt Genesis 2.8 And the Lord God Planted a Garden Eastward in Eden WAS God a Planter Did he thus take pain So early for us with some hopes to gain Our Souls Immortal how hath poor vain Man Fancy'd some other place tell me who can Where was the Garden plac'd Leave thy vain quest It was in Eden Eastward be at rest See how ambitious Mortals here are tost With nice enquiries since Old Adam lost That there was such a place we need not doubt it Our Parents sin'd and therefore went without it So quickly doth our sin blast our enjoyment Man walk'd and view'd and lost it in a moment Was suddenly expell'd the rising Sun But newly warm'd the Earth Mans Joyes were done This Ball was withered into a dry complection And Man deprest to servile base subjection The Heavens scarce seated well in their right Orb By Pride the Angels fell that did disturb The frame Divine and the base Serpents breath Cast out contagion over all the Earth In that sweet Paradise epitomiz'd For its rare fragrancy was Man surpriz'd Shut out excluded from those purer smells Of new created flowers took his farewells Thus man being stript of his most glorious prize By that foul friend the father of all lies He takes the fig-tree for his last retreat His leaves for cloathing and his fruit for meat How perfectly hath Adams issue spent Their vain desires and their affections bent On fond felicities and gainless Toyes Selling Heavens Paradise and all its Joys Covetous man doats on his god of gold As though there were no other to behold Counts his chief happiness is only there Though stampt in hell it self and if it were The Image of the beast it will not deter Man from it But he 'l be competitor With Prince of darkness for some glorious Toy Of Terrene pomp slighting his chiefest Joy Makes wantonness his heaven and carnal pleasures His chief divinity wanting right measures In this his choice But he will quickly find These upstart lights but darkness to his mind Sent by the King of darkness in derision To cast affronts and puzzle our religion Ecclipse the Gospel by their vain pretences To bleer our eyes and to benight our sences When they pretend to cloath us with more skill They strip us of our cloathing at their will They'd shut us out of heaven I 'd rather bee For ever blind than by their balme to see Of Satans making nor yet be partaker Of such a lesson to distrust my Maker So miserably are we by frailties tost Not only Paradise but Heaven is lost We loofe not only pleasures here below But joys divine which thou wilt sure bestow On us poor Mortals he that then was chief Monarch of the whole world doth now with grief Groan under his great burden and doth flie Amongst the shades in sad obscurity We might ev'n all have bin for ever cast Out of Gods sight but he that 's first and last Breathed a new life into our ' clipsed state By his prevailing merits and he sate A mediator for our bould transgression Lord grant in mercy wee may have possession Of Heaven and heavenly Joys disdain the Dross Of pleasures and indeed may fear the loss Of our poor souls that when we do expire We may be carried to the heav'nly Quire Into that paradise that never fades To sit for ever in celestial shades Luke 10.25 And behold a certain Lawyer stood up and tempted him saying Master what shall I do to Inherit Eternal Life BEhold Christ's mission he doth freely send His chosen seventy for this blessed end To preach the Gospel and he doth admonish Them to have humble hearts and not astonish His zealous ones that do desire to learn The mysteries of faith and would discern The way unto salvation by such guide Not following the over active pride Of fond Enthusiasts and their bold intent That skip so fast and run before they 'r sent No God 's the God of order law and right As the lawyer here observes at the first sight His faith was quick ingenious bold and rife VVhat shall I do to attain eternal life T' was the best query that ever he made It gain'd him more than all his pleading trade Could ever get him he was bid to look Into the law for fear that he mistook T' was no disgrace to follow such a suit As did concern his soul had he bin mute Then he had mist the time for to enquire The way to bliss which was his chief desire This was the highest cause he'ere could plead T' was for him self Gods spirit did him lead To make that happy question in such sort For he had never read of a report Given in this case no not in all his reading Of judged cases 't was not his learned breeding Philosophy indeed doth reach no higher Than moral virtue it doth not inspire The spirit of grace 't is that which works by love That doth acquaint us with the joyes above T' was this inspir'd our Lawyer to this task To run to Christ and him so boldly ask 'T was now high time indeed for him to run To move this question or hee 'd been undone For he had bin retain'd too long to plead In others causes leaving his own in dread He almost had forgot his better part I mean his soul which prickt him to the heart And it did all his vital senses seize Which made him strongly plead for writ of ease How natural are enquiries after bliss Even pagans study it darkly and amiss The joyes they fancy Paradise will yield Are meer Chimera's their Elysian field Of carnal pleasures fill'd are thought to be Which they affect as their felicity But it s the genuin sense of a good mind Full fraught with virtue carefully
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
cannot stay They have no business that doth tend that way Such cunning slights they often do relate Let them have care they meet not with such fate And then their cruelty may be required And their harsh dealings in which they delighted He 's the divine Hermit that can gainsay His carnal motions and nobly obey His virtue which will quickly mount him high If he pursue the arts of Charity And not so slight the poor suffering Man But add unto his comfort all he can And make him musick with his Christian love Which will intitle him to the joyes above These are such graces in which God delight It Will have good acceptance in his sight If I am in a Cave Lord let me be Refreshed and comforted alone in thee Thy mercies doth refresh me every morn Though by my friends I have been held in scorn Thou hast given support to me from hands unknown And many mercies unto me have shown Give me a thankful heart in my distress That I may follow thee in the wilderness Oh let me worship with a reverence due To thy great love whose voice did thrice subdue Thy murtherers oh teach me to submit My self to what thy wisedom shall think fit Teach me all humility to make A prison comfortable and therein take My whole delight in thee and of thy ways And sing forth Halelujahs to thy praise With Paul and Siloas let me sweetly sing The praise and glory of my God and King O let not griefs confound me in this loss But bear with patience this so heavy Cross Which would sink frail flesh and blood did not thy hand Support my weak and feeble soul to stand First to my confidence alone in thee Which hath appeared a Loving God to me Which truly is my hope and help to save Which did relieve the Prophet in a cave Wherein he lodged and did take quiet rest And was in thy preserving power blest That I may do so Lord grant me thy spirit To give due praises then I shall inherit Eternal mansions thou my soul wilt save And raise me from a Prison or a Cave Into eternal bliss the highest sphear ' Mongst Saints and Angels to be lodged there Genesis 28.12 And he dreamed a Dream and behold a Ladder set upon the Earth and the top of it reached unto Heaven and behold the Angels descending and ascending on it DId Isaac call surely he did no less And with a holy zeal his Son to bless And give him charge how to demean his life Forbidding Canan's Daughters for a Wife He bids him rise and go unto none other But unto Laban his own Mothers Brother At Padan-aram withour any stay And God Almighty bless thee in the way And multiply thy seed that thou mayst be A mighty Nation next posterity May inherit the blessed promise in good deed Which was made unto Abraham and his seed Jacob obeys and travels all the day Until the Sun declin'd he made no stay Then laid he down his weary bones to rest Stones were his pillow where his sleep was blest He dreamt and behold a ladder there was set Where Angels did descend ascend on it No sooner had good Jacob's soul tak'n rest His contented humility was blest With an heavenly vision which salutes his sence That blest obedience that brought him thence Was ravisht with an object that did prove A blessed guide unto the Heavens above Where these blest spirits so enricht his sence With a sweet and harmonious influence These divine Travellers not contending But orderly ascending and descending Oh happy solitude that thus doth meet A heavenly company so rich and sweet A blessed interview that did requite The hardness of his lodging with delight In such an object did his soul take rest And with such dreams was his stir'd fancy blest That the Lord of all the Earth should not dispence To make good his fore promis'd providence By Angels which did gradually ascend Up to that Heaven which never shall have end When I behold the posture of this sleeper Whom Angels had the charge of as his keeper And his hard lodging which gave him delight He had eternal glory in his sight I cannot choose but wonder in derision At them that lasily expect a vision Upon their beds of down when most at leisure Expecting apparitions in their pleasure Their spirits would grow sick of some disease If visions should disturb or move their ease They quickly would catch cold and loath to say At midnight I 'le arise my vows to pay 'T was holy Davids zeal he did not slumber Being fully awak'd his sins did cumber His new refined soul Took much delight In humility to prostitute in the sight Of his offended God did oft confess How much he sinned ' gainst his holiness With many a sorrowful plaint and piercing fears He often washt his couch in penitent Tears God drops not miraclesin the wantons lap Nor communicate grace by chance or hap But confers his rich glories chiefly to those That study virtue and are vices foes And are cast down in trembling sorrows deep Are comforted with visions in their sleep John must be an exile and brought low to pine Before he be enabled a divine And confer with Angels in a holy trance Before his humane learning can advance And make him a fit Harbinger for Heaven Such gifts are not attain'd but divinely given By the wise disposer of all events Which turneth sufferings to their hearts contents This Holy Mans obedience made him leave All carnal thoughtsbehind him least it bewreave Him of the blest fruition of that bliss Prepared for him in true happiness His prayers and meditations only keep Him company it caused an happy sleep So pleasant that he for ever disclaim'd All converse with the world and it disdain'd All secular interests he did entertain More noble thoughts which prov'd his richer gain And made him an happy instrument of glory As 't is recorded in the sacred story Jacob had only a rich Canopie The azure spangled Curtains of the skie His lights the lamps of Heaven O safe and blest Where Angels did protect and guard his rest Ever in motion with their care defending In a holy zeal ascending and descending Oh how securely doth he ever rest That leans on providence and is not prest With worldly cares but joyfully doth make Providence his guard and therein chiefly take His sole felicity he cannot miscarry If divine thoughts become his sanctuary Nor need he fear disturbance in his sleep Where God and Angels do him safely keep Yea his very dreams will chear his soul with joy No dangers nor assaults can him annoy Good Jacob having no sooner clos'd his eyes But by an inspir'd fancy he espies These holy Porters with endeared love Inviting him unto the Heavens above Presenting him a ladder whereby he sees There is no leaping there but by degrees VVe must carefully climb Heaven that Throne is high By gradual steps of faith and charity Every virtue
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
influence Attracts all Eyes with holy reverence And all in raptures proud of company That led him Heaven-ward in such Majesty Thus came the scribe attendant for to be Saying aloud Lord I will follow thee Nor could his poverty stop his intention Of following Christ he could have no prevention But suffer all the miseries can attend So good a Master that can him defend In whose deep wants there is more fulness hid Than Earth amounts unto if valued This scribe's a Coppy ought we not to write After this Jew and yet how blind's our sight We cannot see our senses are bereav'd Of the true light our souls they are deceiv'd Else would we not suffer this publican Out strip us in our duty ah vain Man Where are thy thoughts that thou dost thus despise That guide that leads to that blest place where lies All the hid treasures which can be exprest Of Saints and Angels in the heavenly rest Were we to follow through a bed of flowers Who would not run who now his visage lowres The sensualist would walk but that he scorns To prick his tender feet amongst such Thorns With prickles sharp this rose is all surrounded He cannot follow that 's with care confounded Cares of this world nor can the Epicure Follow cause abstinence he cannot endure He cannot fast this this will spoile his mirth And hinder his enjoyment on this Earth Which prizeth pleasures and at greatest cost Them to endulge although at last he 's tosh Into the Dungeon ' mongst eternal pains The just reward of his licentious strains So hard it is for to correct our blood To leave the world and follow that is good The blandishments of sence invalids bliss And robs us of the fruits of happiness Fruits that attends endeavors if we took A Serious prospect and with care would look Into the ways of virtue we might spie The sad effects of vain morality Which are but tinkling Simbals to our ears Though fill'd with musick it may end in tears And yet how many are there that pretend To follow Christ and will their ways amend Yet still are strangers to his footsteps pure Treading their own tracts and can not endure Sound councel but do beat these pathes anew Scarce ever trod but lately with a crew Of confident assertors that can find A nearer pathe which more disturbs the mind In their blind zeals they do too boldly say That th' holy Martyr'd fathers mist the way They think they have a neerer cut to Heaven And that a better guide to them is given Then Christ and his disciples their new light Indeed will lead them to eternal night So various is their zeal and given to change Which make them wander and most fondly range To find fresh oyl for to enflame new light Though meet impostures yet they think them right Scorn ancient foot-steps and approved form Of holy Church which doth so much adorn The grandure of true worship but they 'l find Meanders and Euthusiasts still are blind For in the darkness they do sadly grope And for to find the door they 'r sans all hope Wanting good government to keep them in From their blind zeal the occasion of their sin But hear the poor Man doth not make delay To come to Christ who is the persect way His humble resolutions he did press In begging confidence he made address How vile am I O Lord thou only know'st Oh! I will follow thee where e're thou goest So raise our souls from off the world O Lord In seeking thee we friendly may accord Thou art ascended to thy heavenly Throne Where all true joyes are lodg'd in thee a lone O draw our souls in raptures of thy love And spiritual exhalations from above That may enrich our souls and make us be True converts shunning sin and following thee Which art the only fountain from whence springs All streams of mercy thou art King of Kings Grant us admittance for to wait on thee Then shall our souls enjoy eternity Sir Anthony Bateman being then a Prisoner in the House lay the next Chamber to the Author He having received the sad and sudden news of the death of his beloved Daughter which died the Tenth day of December last It being the very day Twelve moneth that her Mother the Lady Bateman died and neer about the same hour the day before The deceased was much busied about thoughts of death and writ her Will and something about ordering her funeral yet went to bed Seemingly much grieved and very p … The Author to comfort him writ as followeth SIR Death hath surprized your Daughter so that she Thereby's translated to eternity Her virtues follow her that golden Chain Whose links are purest gold doth still remain Unblemist her pure soul with joy to find A heavenly rest her charitable mind Richly rewarded is with heavenly treasure Her sorrows turn'd to joyes beyond all measure Her mirth is endless and she doth aspire To sing sweet Anthems in the heavenly quire Cease then your tears and forbear thus to grieve She 's gone before where death hath no reprieve VVe all must follow her no writ can move Our day of hearing 's fixt in heaven above VVhere Angels can chant forth praises and still sing Most divine Anthems to our God and King I◠which she bears apart I hope on high VVhere Saints are crown'd with bliss eternally An Elogy on the name and death of the virtnous Lady Martha Bateman who departed this life the Tenth of Decemb. 1674. Most happy Saint by the eternals will Amongst the Gods where thou art ever still Rankt with the heavenly sitters most sublime To teach us mortals that abuse our time Here in this vail of Earth where we may see As in thy mirror how weak and frail we be But now a flower of a sweet fragrant smell Amongst the roses anon the passing bell Tolls the sad ditty of her last farewel Even under the sore pangs of mortal death Most willingly surrenders up her breath Altering her earthly shape she did lie down Natures frail case for a celestial Crown Nature expostulating with death Grim death why dost thou aim thy fiery dart In so direct a posture at my heart Be not mistaken My flesh is tender And will not yet admit of a surrender Of my pure vitals why so cruel bent ' gainst this afflicted family for thy rent For to exact it the same day ô why so cruel Might hot my dearest Mothers precious Jewel Be price enough to stay thy angry fate But must pursue her issue with thy hate And that same very Tenth day of December Must our sad family with sobbs remember Ah is it so be not in hast to kill My panting heart O let me write my Will Let me have nought to do but sigh and die Then farewel mortal come immortality Into which joyes no prying eye can peep It is beyond our knowledge and too deep To search into ô le ts a while admire Her great perfections that
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
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
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
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