Heaven and Earth in a Dialogue betwixt the Soul and Christ.
1. AH Foolish Soul! how often have I displayed unto thee the Beauties, and Riches of Heaven, propos'd such Glories as thy dim eyes were too weak to behold; Why wilt thou feed on huskes? empty pleasures, when thou mayest be satisfied with Heavenly Manna, and [Page 2] Fountains of ever Living Waters? why will you walk in the wayes of Sin? which are black as Egyptian darkness, horrid and full of precipices, and decline the milkie paths of Heaven which are smooth, and full of Innocency.
2. True Lord, but yet my Darling World, comes with ten thousand charms, and ravishes my Soul, and can those paths be unpleasant, which are strewed with pleasure, and paved with love, if thy paths are so smooth, how then comes it that thy Servants so often stumble in them, sure they are either rugged, or as you say hells are, so they are dark, tis the Poets milkie way is full of Stars.
3. Thy Darling, and all her Charme will soon leave thee; doest [Page 3] thou trust to terrene pleasures? Alas the World is but a rotten staire to mount up to Glory; Had Jacobs Ladder had one such round in it, he could never have mounted up to Heaven by it; Could'st thou by the eye of Faith, but see the beauty of holiness, the charms of thy Saviour, how would thy enlarged Soul be ravished with them; and if there be any rubbs in Heavens path, there are no precipices, they do but stumble, not fall; whereas the wicked, when they are once fallen, are like the Elephant, they seldome rise; and as the Poets, so is Heavens milkie way full of Stars; it is stuck full of the Pious Examples of my Saints, which may serve as so many Constellations to guide thee; And I thy Saviour am thy North Star, by which if thou doest stear, thou canst not erre.
4. But Lord are not thy paths more rugged then those of sin, Loves fire with a kind of mistick heat onely cherishes our Souls, and who would not rather live in such a flame, then such as do thy Servants, who are consumed by that of Martyrdom; what are thy cares but deaths heads, sighs and tears, and are these thy pleasures? is this Heavens banquet?
5. The Paths of sin seem smooth, but alas they are paved with thorns, though sin hath subtilly covered them with flowers, and guilded her poison: Hells flames are not so black as those of lust, instead of cherishing thy Soul, it preyes upon it; whereas the Fire of Martyrdom, doth make you like Gold to come out of it more [Page 5] glorious: And if Deaths Heads, Sighs and Tears, are such harsh food unto thee, it is because thou knowest not how to use them aright, and besides this thou shalt eat Celestial Manna, and if all this will not please thee thou shalt by faith eat my Flesh, and drink thy Saviours Blood.
6. When I assault a Beautie, what delight it is to see what prettie shifts it will make, to avoid being conquered, how sometimes I am forced to let mine eyes, showre on her stonie heart, till their continual dropping have worn away its hardness? what prettie devices it makes us invent, when Doves are our Post-Masters, how sometimes I seek to bribe my prettie Enemie with gifts, and then how I glory in my Conquest? my thinks [Page 6] Caesar did not so well deserve a triumph, for subduing the Universe, as I for Vanquishing my little World.
7. And I will teach thee how thou shalt woe Heaven, how thou shalt make the Heavens bow, and come down, and catch thy pious whispers, and my Holy Dove shall be the Carrier of them, and bring them into my Fathers bosome, and thus shalt thou subdue Heaven, and thousands of Angels shall rejoyce at thy Victory, and thou shalt ride in Triumph on a Cherubs wings, and thus shalt thou enter the everlasting Gates of the King of Glory.
8. How do the Ravishing Charms of a beautious Face allure my Soul? Who would not be an Astronomer in such a Skie? O! I [Page 7] could eternally gaze on her faire Stars, and view the mistick Circles, and Lines of that little Heaven.
9. How then wouldest thou be ravished at thy Saviours Beauties? when Angels themselves, are not Eagles enough, to behold such a Sun, without vailing their faces with their wings.
10. Oh but then her eyes have a powerfull influence over me? with what a Divine Light they pierce through my Soul? How doth it ravish my heart to behold those prettie Babies in them? how like airie Cherubs they dance on our twisted Beams? Had Adam fallen for such Apples, he had in some sort been more excusable.
11. And wilt thou loose Heaven [Page 8] again for an Apple? If her eyes are Stars, they are blazing ones, and such as portend thy Ruine. Troy had stood, had not Hellens eyes set it on Fire; Thou wilt prove but a bad Pilate if thou Stearest by those Stars; Ah how Glorious, how full of charming Innocency must thy Saviours eyes be, which as my Spouse sings, are as the Doves, washed with milk.
12. Who can see her cheeks? and not admire their rich Carnation? or who but views the Cherries of her Lips, and would refuse such a Banquet?
13. And canst thou not forbear to quaffe poison, because it is in a ruby Cup, If her Cheeks be Beds of Roses, dost thou not care if thou art smothered in [Page 9] them? Oh how fragrant are the Roses of thy Saviours Cheeks? how soft are those beds of Spices? how sweet must his Lips be? That like Lillies drop with sweet smelling Myrrhe.
14. Can she be lesse then Heaven? From whom the same effects proceed? Doth not the Lightning of her eyes, like that of Heaven, melt the soul, yet spare its sheath▪ Is there not the Harmony of the Sphears, in her tongue? If man be called a little world, surely woman is a little Heaven, and then what mistick fetters are her locks? when Kings in the midst of Mighty Armes have been enchained by them? And how Lord am I able to break those fetters, when the great Sampson, he to whom the strongest bonds, were but as Flax [Page 10] before the Fire, was manacled by them?
15. And if Beauty do spread her locks to catch thee? must thou needs be taken? Tis the degenerate Flie, is trapt in the subtil net of a Spiders web, the Noble Eagle breaks through such a weak toile.
16. How doth the presence of my fair one Chear my heart? those Clouds of sorrow which benighted my Soul, fly away at the approach of my fair Sun; But ah! her absence is my Hell? then my eyes are loath to open their lidds, since that which onely was pleasing to them is gone, unlesse it be to free a tear, which they detained in their Cristal Prisons.
17. Foolish Soul, thus to Joy [Page 11] when thy ruine is near, and bewail it absent? were those tears shed, because thy Son of Righteousnesse had withdrawn his face, they were worthily spent, indeed thou shouldest resemble the pretty Mary Gold, which when night is come, and it is deprived of its beloved object, it hangs down its weak head, and washes its Cheeks in tears; but as soon as its Sun appears, it advances its Crown, and displaies its Saffron Cheeks, and if any tears appear on them, they are tears of Joy; For after a while I will come unto thee again, and comfort thy sick soul with Apples, and kisse away thy tears with the kisses of love, and I will fill thy heart with joy, till it over-flow its banks, and I will leave thee no more, but we will fly to the Mountains of Myrrhe, to the Hills of [Page 12] Frankincense, and there will I give thee my Loves, there shalt thou enjoy pleasures and beauties, as lasting as yours are fading.
18. Can that Beauty be fading, that hath a continuall Summer in its Cheeks for forty years? And how can the Lillies of her Cheeks wither? seeing they have two such Chrystal Fountains, as her eyes to water them, two such Suns to cherish them, with their heat and influence.
19. Alas how short a moment is thy forty years, to the eternity of thy Saviours Beauty? Dost thou place thy Felicity in such fading Beauties, when in that space its Lillies and Roses shall wither? and then not all her Charms, nor her Angels voice shall bribe Death; [Page 13] the silent Rhetorick of her eyes shall not woe him to defer the stroke one moment; but those Chrystal Fountains shall be dryed up, and darknesse possesse the Orbes of those fair Suns.
20. But Lord there are more variety of pleasures in the service of sin, then in thine; sometimes sweet society joyes my soul; sometimes again I recreate my self, sitting by the sweet murmurs of some purling Brookes, and bathing in it, or under the shade of some lovely Grove.
21. This, and more then this can I give thee, thou shalt sit with greater pleasure under the shaddow of my wings, thou shalt sit by the streams of Righteousnesse, and bath thy Soul in them, thou [Page 14] shalt commune with Heaven it self and quiers of Angels with Joyful Hallelujahs, shall salute thy Eare.
22. Sometimes my Fancy i [...] both pleased and busied, to view magnificent Palaces, how thei [...] Towring heads seem to kisse th [...] Clouds, the statelinesse of their Gates, the Richnesse of their pavements, and glittering with Gold.
23. And I will carry thee to the New Jerusalem, to my Fathers Mansions, whose every Gate is Pearle, the Streets are paved with Gold, and precious Stones, that which is now thy Idol, thou shalt then tread under thy feet, and how glorious a reflex must they make, being guilded by the Beams of the Son of Righteousnesse, there is no other Son, the Glory of God [Page 15] and the Lamb are the Light thereof; And then wilt thou say, Fool that I was, I had thought that thy Jerusalem, had been like one of our Citties.
24. They say Riches have wings and fly away; true they fly away, but then they send me home in their stead, sweet Wines delicious Cates, and gorgeous Apparrel, and who would part with such beloved Minions, since they make me respected of all? Nay I think my self almost a God, whilst I walk in the midst of my thousands of Angels.
25. If they are Angels, they are evil ones, they fly away, and send thee home sweet Wines, and delicious Cates, that is Feavers, and Surfets, dost thou trust to such [Page 16] helps? as are swallowed in the curling of Neptunes, or thy Princes frown? But wilt thou be Rich indeed? Oh! then Treasure up thy Wealth in Heaven, if thou wilt put out thy money to the highest Interest, put it out to the Poor, and then thou needest not fear to loose it, for God himself is their security, and surely he is sufficient to repay thee?
26. Surely they are deceived, that say a Crown hath more Thorns then Jewels in it; That Ambition is a Mountain, whose ascent is craggie, and its top of Glasse; If State be a Prison, tis a Golden one, and who can be more secure then he that is encompassed with huge Armes? with what raptures is my soul inspired, to see it self elevated above the Common [Page 17] Rank, like some New Star stuck in the Firmament, the Object of all mens eyes and wonder.
27. If thy Prison be of Gold, the more is thy misery, for it is the stronger. A silly Shepheard is a far more happy King then thou; whiles he makes a Mole-Hill his Throne, none seek to rend it from him, and being but low, his Fall cannot be Great, his Innocent Subjects obey his Voice, and without murmuring pay him the Tribute of their Silver Fleeces: But thou deceivest thy self in thy Security on a Throne; Do'st thou think to escape Storms and Thunder by ascending a Mountain? If thou wilt ascend unto the Stars indeed, thou must do it by descending, for humility is the readiest flight to Heaven, and that is a path so plain [Page 18] and smooth, thou needest not sea [...] falling, and there alone tho [...] can'st rest secure, for Legions o [...] Angels shall be thy Guard, an [...] thousands of Cherubins wit [...] their flaming Swords defend the [...]
28. But Lord I am a Souldie [...] and shall I forego my Fame whic [...] speaks me great, and Ring [...] through the Universe? Whilst [...] carve out a Monument of my ow [...] Glory with my Sword, where if [...] perish it is Nobly, and in the Be [...] of Honour.
29. Thy Fames story must b [...] writ with thy own Blood, thy ga [...] ping wounds must be the mouth [...] to speak thee Famous, see at wha [...] a rate thou purchasest empty Honour? And wilt thou for a blast o [...] breath, lose thy own breath, and [...] [Page 19] [...]t be in a bad Cause, thy Soul too? But if thou fightest under my Banners, thou shalt subdue Sin and Hell, Monsters and Devils, and every drop of blood thou loosest, I will Esteem as a Pretious Ruby.
30. What though I have not Virtue? Yet I can look so like her, that simple ones can call me pious.
31. But thou must be pious, and not onely seem so, else thy God when he comes to bind up his Jewels, will easily discern such Bristow Stones from Diamonds, and give thee the reward of Hypocrites.
32. But Lord, thy Servants, do not only lead a life full of Misery, but often leave this Life with a bloody Exit.
33. Alas, my Yoak is easy to all them that bear it, for my Spirit strengthens them in all their troubles, nay I can make them even in love with Death it self, and sweeten that bitter Cup to them.
34. Surely Death is a grim Servant, what can there be in him to enamour me, is it his Beauty? Ah no! Night and Darkness are in his face, his Embraces are rough, he darts not smiles, but a deadly shaft, and is this a Beauty to be ravished with?
35. Is a Feast the worse, because a Black-amoore Ushers thee to it? Such is Death, or else Death is but like a dark Vaile drawn o're thy face; and although thou dost sit in a scarlet Cloud, yet thou shalt [Page 21] rise again with greater Lustre of Immortality and Glory.
36. Thou art all sweet oh my Saviour, thou hast overcome, and now I find all my supposed delights but as a dream; Now I see my Delila's Deformity, She that I once thought fair as Heaven, but I now look on her eyes as Nauplius false Light set to draw the Grecians to their Ruines; on her Cheeks, as beds that for one Rose bear a thousand Thorns; on her lips, as soft wax wherewith we sealed many a wicked bargain; on her locks as fatall Giues that have kept me too long a Prisoner; that bosome which I called Loves Tempe, is now as a Valley hideous with Thorns; her voice is as the Screetch Owles which bodes destruction; Oh that foolish man should trust [Page 22] these Syrens; Farewell, for eve [...] all you false Beauties, farewell my Delilahs: I will sigh no more, to puffe the spark of Affection into a flame in my Minions breast, to thee sweet Jesu shall they be sent; to thee shall all my vowes be paid, thou shalt be the Sun under whose sweet influence I will desire to live, thy Armes the Prison, from which I will pray never to be freed; when I fit by the murmurs of a Brooke, it shall be to consider its Obedience to its Makers Command, in paying the Tribute of its water to the Sea; And how I have run backwards; when I lye under a Tree's fair shade, it shall be to admire the soft musick of its leaves, as if every leafe were a tongue to sing its Makers Praise, and how mine hath either been silent or else Blaspheming of him. I will be [Page 23] Ambitious, but it shall be of thy Favour; My Riches I'le distribute to the Poor, and then they will have wings indeed and take their flight to Heaven; The desires of my heart shall be to be dissolved, and to be with my Saviour; For Lord, the Walls of my Clayey Prison hinder my Soul from viewing thee fully, it can but peepe through the Casements of my eyes, and so by reflex in thy word, see some weak glimmerings of thee; This, this is the way to make me a Conquerour, me thinks already my wars are done, and I have nothing now to expect but Rewards and Triumphs, hence forward is laid up for me a Crown of Life and Glory.
A PREPARATION TO THE LORDS SUPPER.
OUr Blessed Saviour knowing how weak man is to perform his Duty, least we should faint in our Pilgrimage to the New Jerusalem, hath provided for our Sustenance his own flesh and blood: A Food which the Angels have not; do thou therefore run often, and with Joy, to the Supper of thy dearest Lord, and not [Page 26] with the Israelites, seem to have Manna so long about thy Tents, that now thou loathest it; thou often faintest in thy Combat with Satan, and therefore hast often need of this Cordial, of this Chalice of blessing to comfort thee, and canst thou too often remember thy Saviour? Or is that which he hath done for thee not worthy thy memory? But have a care that thou comest prepared, for Bees suck honey from this flower, but Spiders poyson: And if thou unworthily receivest, this water of life will become as the waters of Marah, it will be bitter unto thy Soul: It is the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, put on therefore thy Royal Robes; but Purples or Tyrian silks is not the wedding Garment, wherewith thou must be cloathed, but Faith, Hope, Repentance, [Page 27] Eucharist, and Charity; and now that Christ will come in and Sup with thee, let not the filthiness of the Room drive him away.
And that spotlesse Dove will not dwell in a polluted Soul; and therefore thus do thou prepare the Cabinet of my heart, first wash it throughly with Repentance tears, then make it bright with Charity, for the money thou givest in Alms guilds thy soule; hang it round with Purity and Innocence; let it be paved with Love; and least it seem dark, alight in it the Lamp of a holy Zeal. Thou must examine thy self, and repent thee of all thy sins; Ah Crucifie them which have Crucified thy Saviour; thou must [Page 28] not have the least affection for any of them, no, not for thy Darling Crown it with hatred and contempt, which hath Crowned him with Thorns, and why shoulde [...] thou spare thy Darling sins, whe [...] the Almighty spared not his Beloved? And then think of th [...] greatnesse of thy sins; which could not be expiated but by th [...] death of the Son of God: and th [...] with humble thoughts of thy sel [...] with a broken heart receive a broken Saviour. Christ will not dwel [...] in a Den of Theeves, thou must overturn the Tables fill'd with unlawfull gain, and cast out Frau [...] and Covetousness, whipping the [...] out of the Temple of thy heart thou must lay aside Anger, and without Malice approach the Table of the Lamb of peace; and though the worldling had rather [Page 29] [...]st sins false Delicates, yet do thou hunger and thirst after this [...]ood, Oh it proves sweet to the [...]hirsty Soul.
This duty of preparation ought not to be the work of an hour, or a day, for thy Soul is too filthy to be cleansed in an hour, and thy Rebellious Lusts too stubborn to be subdued in a day; and when thou hast with the most diligent care, and strictest zeal, prepared thy heart, yet still confess thine own filthiness, for indeed thou mayest justly fear that thou shalt lodge thy Saviour, as he was at his birth, in a Stable amongst Beasts, in a foul soul, amongst bad thoughts, and evil desires; and therefore pray that he would cleanse thee, and then thou wilt be clean indeed; thy poverty can be no excuse to thee, for this is such a Garment [Page 30] as every one may purchase.
The happy hour being come approach with reverence, imagin [...] your self at Gods Table, that yo [...] are at Supper in Heaven; hereb [...] the eye of Faith thou mayest represent to thy self thy Saviour Passion writ in red Characters; th [...] Sun of Righteousness setting in [...] ruddy Cloud. Here thou maye [...] behold that lovely Rose of Sharo [...] purpled with his own blood; th [...] Lamb of God worried by Wolves now he truly seems as a Lilly amongst the Thorns, whilest Crucified betwixt two Theeves; tho [...] mayest behold him denyed b [...] men whom Devils confessed, scoffed, and wounded, whom th [...] Angels count i [...] their highest Glory to reverence.
When thou seest the bread broken, ah then remember a torn Saviour; [Page 31] as thou tastest the sweetness of the wine, think what a bitter Cup he drank: see, see him stretching out his Arms ready to embrace thee, and fix'd with nails, as if to signifie they would be ever open: See those hands which healed others, now wounded; that mouth praying for those which fill'd it with Gall and Vinegar: Consider what a weight did thy sins add to his Crosse, when he sunk under it; The Jewes Crown'd him with Thorns, but how many Thorns in that Crown were thy sins? The Thorns prick'd his Temples, and thy sins his Soul. Then remember the infiniteness of his love, doth he delight in the death of a sinner, who dyed that he might live? Would he have bought thee at such a dear rate, if he had not lov'd thee? He paid [Page 32] for thee every drop of his hear [...] blood; Those were the Rubie [...] wherewith he purchased thy Redemption; and Lord what an ill bargain thou seem'st to have of it and almost to have been too profuse of thy Coelestial Treasure, to pay down such a price for a poo [...] worm, a clod of earth: How short is all love to thine, who ever fed his Friend with his own flesh and blood? This Lord thou dost; and least we should doubt of the reality of thy love, thou sufferest a window to be made in thy side that through it we might look, and see the sincerity of thy heart▪
When thou canst thus represen [...] to thy self the Dolour of thy Saviours Passion, what tears should this extract from thy eyes? What sighs from thy bosome? And if thou art not fill'd with Compassion, [Page 33] the very Earth and Rocks will rise up in Judgement against thee, for the Earth trembled, and the Rocks groan'd, and were rent a sunder at his sufferings.
But this is not all, thou must not only commemorate thy Saviours death, but withall believe, that his wounds make thee whole; that his blood cleanses all thy spots, appeases his Fathers wrath, and subdues sin and hell, his Crosse was the Club wherewith our spirituall Hercules subdued all his and our Enemies; If thou canst thus receive thy Saviour, he will not only come in and Sup, but abide with thee for ever: A bundle of Myrrhe will thy Beloved be, and will lye all night betwixt thy breasts: thou mayest then be assured that thy sins are forgiven, thou hast Gods hand in the Scriptures, and the [Page 34] broad Seals of Heaven, in this Sacrament, for the pardon of them How bitter will the Worlds Delicates tast after this feast? It is sai [...] of one, that he sold a Kingdom for a Cup of water; ah who woul [...] not, though he were Master of th [...] Universe, sell it for one drop of th [...] Chalice?
And now thy Christ being entred into thy Soul, entertain th [...] great Guest with holy Discourse [...] desire him, since he hath cast or the strong man, now to keep po [...] session; and Satan, knowing th [...] he who hath so often overcom [...] him is within, will be discourage to assault thee any more; and if th [...] Blind and Lame, the Sick and Leprous, were cur'd but with a touc [...] of his Garments: Surely thou wil [...] be throughly healed, seeing tha [...] Jesus dwells in thy Soul; and the [...] [Page 35] return him Praises and Thanksgiving, because he hath brought thee to his Banquetting House, and displayed his Banner of Love over thee; and hath made thee sit down under his shaddow with great delight whilest his fruit hath been sweet to thy tast; and do not thou refuse to feed his Members with Bread, who hath fed thee with the Bread of Life; and now thou art cleansed, take heed thou Defile not thy self again; Alas, spots add not to the Beauty of Christs Spouse; and seeing he to Espouse thee hath become bone of thy bone, and flesh of thy flesh: and hath left Father and Country, Heaven and Glory, for Love of thee: Ah, do not thou run after a second Love; do but compare thy Spouse to the deformity of Satan, and then sure thou canst not be so stupid, [Page 36] as to exchange a spotless Dove [...] for a Vulture: beauty, and him that is the choicest of ten thousands, for a Blackamore, and Deformity: Let his Love therefore alone satisfie thee, and thus whe [...] the night of thy death is come thou shalt go and enjoy thy Spouse for ever.
CHARACTERS OF THE • PIOƲS, , and • IMPIOƲS, Man. • GOOD, , and • WICKED, Woman.
A Pious Man,
IS the only Ʋlysses that can passe by the Syrens of the Earth, and not be taken by them: the Strumpet World, spreads forth her Dangling Tresses to insnare him, warbles her most Ravishing Layes to Court him to her Embraces; but he like Sampson snaps his bonds in sunder, and all her Charming can [Page 38] never induce him to Dance afte [...] her Pipe. In the Glasse of h [...] Wisdome, he sees the Vanity o [...] the Delights of Lust; by it he perceives the Lillies which the La [...] vious fancy in their Minio [...] Cheeks, to be Lillies indeed, no [...] some and unsavory, therefore cha [...] he is, and under the Roses of h [...] Lips, are hid prickles, which the [...] lye in Garrison to defend the [...] from the Rude Assaults of Lus [...] His House is a little Church, h [...] Heart the Altar, whereon conti [...] ually flames a Holy and Religion Fire; Temptations may Assaile but not Conquer him, or if an [...] pleasure do take hold of him, it but to make him tast their bitt [...] sweetness, that so he may the mo [...] abhor them: He is above th [...] World, and being founded on th [...] Rock of his Salvation, he the [...] [Page 39] sits and laughs to see how the Ambitious man puffs and sweats, to Climbe the craggy Mountain, Honour, from which he often irrecoverably falls. He is a Pious Dove, not Gall enough in him to provoke an injury, his mind is a Sea alwayes calme, neither the adverse puffs of Fortune, nor the nipping blast of Malicious Tongues, can raise one wave, or make it swell into the least Intemperate Anger, Afflictions cannot dismay him, for he knows them to be the Corrections of a Gracious Father, yea even at the Martyrs stake, like the pretpy Nightingale against a Thorn, he can sweetly chaunt forth Hallelujahs to his God; and therefore needs not be smothered in a Chamber full of Roses, as a Tyrannous Emperour did his Servants, that they might meet with sweetnesse, [Page 40] even in the bitternesse of Death for he can find it in the middest o [...] the flames, which is to him but a bed of Roses; he hath often tug [...] g'd and wrastled with Satan, an [...] though the Divel may give him [...] half turn, or some little foiles, ye [...] yet he is alwayes fain to take th [...] fall himself; Nay sometimes h [...] will prevaile with God, and b [...] his fervent Prayer, disarme th [...] Almighty, as it were of his Thunder, and with his tears quench th [...] fire of his sparkling Anger; Hi [...] Virtues Crown him with a starry wreath of Glory, in which hi [...] Wealth, which others count thei [...] greatest Diamond, he Esteems hi [...] least spark, and if he rejoyce i [...] them, it is only that by possessin [...] them he is able to do good, an [...] sustaine the bruised Reed; Him selfe is a Pearle above all hi [...] [Page 41] Riches, for in Poverty he appears most Glorious, his Wealth at best is but the Guilded Casket, which incloses this Jewel, and the Shroud being gone, his Soul being open and uncovered, shines with greater Glory and Luster: In all Conditions he is content, and so in Rags injoys a Kingdom, and will rather fit down with his poor Pittance, then make the Backs of the Poor, the Ladder to climbe to the Gawdy Seat of Wealth. He thinks every Man Good, because he is so Himself; chide him, if your reproof be just, he will thank you; if unjust, his Innocence is his only Defence, and indeed an Impenetrable Armour, on which the Darts of Malice may Graze, but never Pierce: There is a Composed Calmness in his Soul, the Elements Warr not with one another, [Page 42] the Fire makes not the Water boyle, Choller justles not Mildness away; but all the Pegs being wound up to their just height, his Soul like a well tun'd Instrument, strikes an Harmony equall to that of the Sphears. He esteems a moderate State best, and therefore like the humble Briar, hath chosen a middle Station; not so low that Contempt can step upon him, nor so High, but that the Storms and Billows passe over his head. He is a Star of the first Magnitude; a Tree, which like those in the Hesperian Garden bears Golden Apples. A Nose-gay, wherein his Vertue's like so many pretty Flowers send forth a Fragrant Sweetnesse, and happy is she whose Bosome i [...] possest of so pleasing a Posy. He i [...] never in better Company then when he is alone, for then will [Page 43] his Soul commune with his God. He is knit unto his Friend by his Heart-strings, and nothing but the Sword of Death can dissolve the Gordian Knot. His life is a well Acted Comedy, which alwayes ends with a happy Exit. Death which to others seems so Grim to him, appears of a Smiling Countenance, and that deadly Draught but a Spicy Cup. His good Name is a Pretious Ointment, a sweet Flower which shall Bud in Eternities Garden, and ever be a fragrant Odour in the Nostrils of Posterity. Lastly, He is a Phaenix, it is rare to see two of his Kinde together, and out of his Funeral Ashes shall arise, young and glittering with the Beams of Immortality and Glory.
The Impious Man,
IS a strange Kinde of Monster [...] made up of Swine, Goat, an [...] Vulture. The Tavern is hi [...] Church, his Mistris the Golde [...] Calf, to which he dulier payes hi [...] Devotion, then to his Maker. Hi [...] Mouth is a Cannon, which he alwayes keeps Charged with at Oath, and will out-goe any Can [...] noneer in the Celerity of Discharge. He loves Mirth as hi [...] life, and cares not if he Dance a Jig to Hell. He is a weak un [...] man'd Fort; no Vice, but at first Battery, makes a Breach into his Soul; if Satan does but present him with a Cherry from his Mistris's Lip, or an Apple of her eye [Page 45] he is as soon taken with the Beauty of them, as was Adam with his in Paradice, and never imagins it to be Forbidden Fruit, if he taste [...]hose Cherries in Lasciviousnesse. Before he could speak, he could speak Mischief; before he could goe, he could run in the wayes of [...]in. His Heart by its hardnesse, [...]hould be a Flint, and yet is none, for that hath Fire in it, but his not one sparke of Grace. Yet if God in his Mercy causes any Streams of Righteousness to slow out of him, [...]e renues his Miracles in the Wildernesse; and brings Water out of [...] Rock. He is a strange kinde of [...]oyle, in which though Vertues [...]eeds be sowne, will still bring up Wilde Oats, a Medly of Wickednesse, Pandoras Box was never fill'd with so many Evills. He has his Paradoxical custome to repair [Page 46] to, a Hot-house in the midst of Summer, [as if he would practise Hell here on Earth] and that no [...] to heat him, but quench hi [...] Flames; but alas it often prove [...] too hot for him, and he is Scorcht [...] and by a Hellish Fire too, and so comes home by Weeping Crosse He rises up early to Sin, and scorn [...] to be out-done by any man in mischief, and so takes pains to purchase Destruction, and large stride [...] to Hell. His Drunkennesse depriving him first of his rational Soul, makes him a Beast, and then of his Senses also, and so h [...] becomes a meer Stock, and ye [...] this man thinks himself in th [...] Right Way; but let him res [...] assured, that though we read o [...] the Good Thief who at last stol [...] into Heaven, yet never of any man that Stagger'd in thither; H [...] [Page 47] greedily feeds on the Fruits of sin, and is ravished with their false sweetness, although they are but Dainties drest by Hells Fire; He is made up of wiles, and whilst he smiles every dimple is a pit of destruction, and every Syllable he speaks a nooze to catch thee; he [...]s a slave to his Wealth, Satan detains him Prisoner in Golden Chains, and he is content with such Fetters, and had rather injoy the [...]ompany of an Angel in his poc [...]et, then in Heaven; but having [...]y extortion wrung an Estate out [...]f the very bowells of the Poor, [...]r by deceit increased his Store; [...]he Worme growes proud, and [...]alks as if his head were above the Clouds, or knockt at the Battlements of Heaven, and every man must strike saile to his pride, but whilst he deceives his poor Neighbour, [Page 48] at the same time Satan cheats him of his Soul. Thus in his prosperity he seems to have the heart of a Lyon, or out-rore the Thunder, but in misery that of a Child, like a bladder he swell [...] with the least puffe, and is down again with the least prick; and yet sometimes his passions so blind him, that the Wasp with an eage [...] fury will pursue an imaginary injury; his revenge must be writ in bloody Characters; but alas whereas by other sins he goes by degrees, by this he oftentimes from the place of Combate, make [...] but one leap into Hell; He is an uselesse drone, and spends the greatest part of his life in Gluttony and Drunkennesse, in Gayeties and empty Vanities, and i [...] may for fashion-sake, may send forth a few Prayers, and Ejaculations, [Page 49] but they also are lame and [...]aggy wing'd, and never reach to [...]eaven; Thus he regardlesse lets [...]is Glasse run, as if his time were [...] no value, whilest the Pious Man [...]y spending it virtuously, esteems [...]nd makes every grain of sand a [...]earle, and those very pleasures [...]e imagines to injoy here, are [...]oth vanishing and imperfect; In [...]e midst of his delights, his con [...]ience the bird in the breast, in [...]ead of a sweet Lullaby, sings him [...]small notes, interrupts his sleeps, [...]nd soure's his pleasures; This is [...]is portion here, and without Re [...]entance he will be hereafter a [...]ire-Brand of Hell, the object of [...]he Almighties Indignation, the [...]ceptacle of all those Torments which the wrath of Incensed Ma [...]sty, and Justice can Inflict.
The Good Woman,
IS a white Rock, that Repells a Shocks of Temptations, brea [...] those fiery waves, and turns the [...] into froath; And as the pret [...] Mary-Gold, will not turn it se [...] nor open its leaves, to any oth [...] Light, to any other Star, but on [...] the Sun; So this sweet flower [...] all but her Husband is shut and r [...] served; he is the Sun to who [...] alone she opens her leaves, and h [...] embraces; her arms are chai [...] strong enough to keep her Hu [...] band at home, and he is so tak [...] with that pleasing Captivity, th [...] when he considers how far t [...] Nectar of her kisses, surpasse h [...] sweetest wines, and the cherries [...] her lips the fruits of sin, they e [...] sily [Page 51] perswade him to forsake all [...]lewd society. Columbus never discovered such Mines of Treasure in the vast Universe, as are in this little World. She blushes at the hearing of an obscene Speech, as if her Cheeks hung out their red flaggs of defyance, to such a rude party.
She is commonly silent, or at least she will be but the treble in the consort, for low musick, and a soft tongue, make alwayes the sweetest Harmony; She is of an an humble spirit, and to all Courteous and Affable, the windy praises of flatterers cannot puffe her into pride, for beauty she knows like the Glory of a Rain-bow, soon passes away, and that those eyes which they compare to the Sun, are out-shined by the dwindling Beams of a farthing Candle; If a [Page 52] storm arise in her Husbands breast as rain the winds, so one little shower of her tears will allay its blustering; her sighs will puffe out the fire of his anger; she opposes not his rising fury, but counts it the best Victory, if as the Scythians she can conquer by retreating. Her Apparrel is decent, though not costly, she can be fair without patches, and if her own native beauty be not charming enough to purchase her a Consort, she thinks that none but fooles will be taken with such poor baits, for surely a good beauty, as well as good wine needs no Bush; She seldome fixes her eyes on any man, least some one be vanquished, by continually discharging her darts from those Chrystal Quivers; neither will she let those subtill spies to wander, for the roving arrow, as well as the [Page 53] directed shaft may chance to hit the mark; Her husbands afflictions she makes her own, and by a secret sympathy seems to partake of the same griefs; he is her head, no wonder then, if she be troubled when her head akes; She loves not to dally with the flames of lust, nor play with Cupids shaft, for she knows edge tooles are sharp, and may cut her fingers.
Tears are the Beads of her Devotion, and she wooes heaven so Nobly, and with such perseverance, that she will seldome let her God go without a blessing from him; She is up with the early Lark, and as that pretty Quirister when he first rises from his bed of Grasse, she sings some prayer or Ejaculation, and when her husband rises, it is like Phaebus full of blushes to see his Hesper, his [Page 54] Morning Star, so duly usher him to his taske.
She is a Casket full fraught with Rich Jewels; when Satan shewed our Saviour all the Glories of the World, this little World surely was the greatest Wonder, the greatest Temptation; The saying proves false in her, that there is no Fortresse so strong, but that an Asse laden with Gold may enter, for the English mens Angels can neither tempt her, nor their Crowns allure her, nor the French Pistols shoot her Chastity dead; She is the Crown of her Husbands joy, and it sweetens his Labour to think when his course is done, and his work at an end, he shall go and rest his wearied neck in his Theti [...] Lap; As her life is sweet, so whe [...] she dies, she expires like the Phaenix all in spices, and leaves a perfume behind her.
The Wicked Woman,
IS a Basiliske, for with her eyes she will look thee dead, and as Archimedes Glasses were said to burn Ships afar off, so her false Opticks often fire at a distance; At the first assaults of Lust, she blusht, and wept, and her eyes bewail'd the sad Conquests they had made, till her Lover came and wip'd away her tears, and whisper'd his false story in her eares, and she was charm'd, and was willing first to be drawn by the Cords of Vanity, and then she could run without drawing, and entice frail man to tast of her Forbidden Fruit; So by degrees she grew a proficient in Wickednesse, and at last she committed sin with [Page 56] greedinesse, and as of a Viper, alwayes a Viper proceeds, so I use brought forth Murder, and thus as her face was tainted with a false fucus, so was her Soul with the blood of her Infant; She is a strange kind of fortresse, that not onely yields without resistance, but also sues to be taken; She will out-vie Cupps with men, but whilst she Carouses others healths, she drinks away her own; Her body is often faire to a wonder, but by her wicked deeds she seems to confirm the Opinion of the Moors, that there are white Devils; Her chiefest pleasure is to catch young Birds and Fishes; but whereas in others the chiefest of their Art is in the subtil concealing of their snares, she hopes to catch most, when she most discovers hers; Her Locks are the lines, her bar'd [Page 57] Breasts, the Baits wherewith she goes a Fishing, and hopes to catch some silly one with those Flesh-baits; sometime in a moment she catches her silly Prey; otherwhile like a cunning Angler, she lets the wanton Frie sport with the Bait, till they are taken in the Snare: Which having taken that which seems strangest, is that contrary to others, she only Strips them of their Skales, and so lets them goe; She is a strange kinde of Butcher that sells her own Flesh, and that for lesse then would buy a Calf; She is Loud and Stubborn, her Tongue is no sooner heard in the House, but like a Fatal Alarum Bell, it sets the whole Family in an Uproar; With a thousand Arts▪ she indeavours to Hide and Prop the defects of Time, and Nature, but who will not judg that which [Page 58] is so Be-patch't, a Ruinous Fabrick; She is a Salamander that lives in the Fire of Lust, an Ordinary open to all comers; She may well be called the Weaker Vessel, he that relies upon her, Launches his Honour in a Leaking Barke; She is surely an Athiest, for Pleasure is her God. Bride-well her Hell, and the Constable or Marshal, all the Devils she fears; Her Favour is more Fatal then her Malice, for that at most can but Kill thy Body, but her Smiles will perswade thee to destroy thy own Soul; the burnings of Granado's, is a gentle and Lambent Fire, to that of her Eyes; She perswades the silly Youth to turn his Land into Gold, till at last, she leaves him nothing but the Water of Repentance and Tears; Her Strength and Stomack seem beyond Belief, for she will [Page 59] swallow two Acres of Land for a Breakfast, and carries two more upon her Back; When she sayes she is your Servant, it is no Complement; She is a common Puddle, wherein every Stallion comes and Quenches his Thirst: Lastly, It is but a [...]ust Judgment of God upon her, that she who would live in a hot house here, should live Eternally in one hereafter.
THE FOUR Quarters OF THE YEAR.
THE Glorious Preparation which Dame Nature makes, [Page 62] declares the Springs approach, tha [...] season wherein she layes in, and i [...] delivered of her wonderful Births▪ And the pretty Flower no soone [...] peeps out of the Bosome of it [...] Mother, but it is Enamel'd with Pearly drops, a true Emblem o [...] thy Infancy; for when thou wer [...] first brought foorth, thy Eye [...] distill'd with Tears, the forerunners of thy future Miserie; No in this onely doth it resemble thee but as the Flower, is subject to be cropped by Beasts, to be Blaste [...] with Winds, so is it in every one [...] power that passes by, to Ravis [...] thy Life from thee; Afflictions an [...] Sicknesse can Disroab thee of a [...] thy Beauty, and see thou wert n [...] sooner Born, but thou offendes [...] the Flower ill prospers, and th [...] Pretty Lilies droops its wea [...] head, loaden with Dew and Tears [Page 63] Darknesse and Affliction surround thee, but canst thou but Repent, as the Comfortable Beams of the Morning Sun, dries up the Dewy Purles on the Lillies Cheeks; so will the Sun of Righteousnesse wipe away all Tears from thy eyes, and Dissipate those Clouds of Darknesse: It is thy Sins which Ecclipses the Sunshine of his Glorious Face. But perhaps thou mayst aske me, which of the Trees or the Flowers of the Field I would have thee Resemble? Not the Cedar, for that is the Ambitious Man, and besides it bears no Fruit; Nor the Birchen Tree, for that is the Tyrant, Gods Scourge; whose Crimson hue, shews it Delights in Blood. Nor the Lilly, for that is the Hipocrite, Faire without and Unsavory within; But it is the Rose I would have thee imitate, let [Page 64] its Blushing Cheeks teach thee Modesty, its Prickles Watchfulnesse, and alwayes to stand upon thy Guard; the expanding its Leaves at the Suns approach, thy Willingnesse to Receive thy Saviour; but above all, Matchlesse are its inward Vertues, such would I have thee, thy inward Graces, like that sweet Flowers, to surpasse thy outward Beauties. In this season all Nature seems to Rejoyce, the Fields are Diapred with Fragrant Flowers, Neptune Smiles, not one Wrinckle in his Front; The Lillies are Cloathed with Beauty above Solomons Royalty; and thou least thou shouldst be left Naked; Intseat of thy Saviour, and he will Cloath thee with the Robes of Righteousnesse; let Penitent Tears be thy Pearls, make Bracelets of thy Folded Armes, and [Page 65] thus attired; Oh! how lovely wilt thou be in Gods sight? not Solomon, or the Lillies of the Field, did ever parallel thy Glory.
Oh teach thy Infant steps to walk in the wayes of thy God; How fragrant is the budding Rose? how sweet will the perfume of thy Infant piety be to him? the very Birds by their pretty warbling, the purling Brooks by their sweet murmurs, seem to caroll their praises to their Maker; and wilt [...]hou be more ingrateful then these? Oh! Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy Youth; Christ is in Love with little ones, and bids [...]hem come unto him; Ah! he will embrace thee in his Everlasting Arms, and cherish thee in his own Bosome; Do but thy indea [...]our, and he will Guide and Sup [...]ort thy weak feet, and thou wilt [Page 66] highly need his aide, for the young Bird is easily ensnared, and Satan will lay his baits for thee, swee [...] wines, and luscious delicates, to please thy taste, the charming laye [...] of lacivious Syrens, to lull the asleep, shew thee the Roses of thei [...] Cheeks, and Lillies of their hand [...] and then aske thee if thou an [...] afraid of a few flowers; But ah [...] sly from them, for under tho [...] flowers lurks a Serpent. Ʋlysse gifts cannot be safe to Troy, a [...] these are but his Gins, which [...] thou art not wary will soon entrap thee; but thou wilt say, th [...] match is unequal, a child again [...] such a potent Enemy; Oh! b [...] thy Christ will gird thee wit [...] strength to cope with him; an [...] then again thou dispairest becau [...] thy lusts are untamed, and perhap [...] dost say, what can a green hat [...] [Page 67] Apple please my Saviours tast, who [...]s altogether sweetness? Oh! but he can sweeten the bitter waters of Marah; the sowre Apple by time grows sweet and mellow, and [...] clouded morne, may prove a glo [...]ious day.
Summer, OR YOUTH.
THe Sun and thou are climbing towards the Meridian; The [Page 68] Birds by this time have chosen themselves Mates, & this being the greatest Act to felicity in this life; I can find no Nobler Example to follow then the Dove, that Emblem of innocent Love, looks not to the Richnesse and Gayety of her mates feathers, but to the sweet composure of its limbs, and the charming effects of his sweeter nature for him she will reject the gaudy Peacock; These two harmless one [...] will sweetly sit and bill, whilst the ravinous Vulture is engaged i [...] wounds and quarrells; take hee [...] least being too covetous, thou sellest thy content for a little drosse [...] and it may be to one who may prodigally spend it; chuse but [...] pious and loving Consort, and b [...] assured thou hast a Pearle worth the Worlds Treasure; And no [...] being joyned in Hymens bonds [Page 69] let the twining Vine teach thee, how indissolvable the Marri [...]e Knot is, for it will sooner suffer its arm to be rent off, then [...] be separated from the strikt Embrace of its Beloved Elm; So must thou [...]eave all for thy Spouse, let neither the Iron teeth of time, or necessity be able to dissolve that knot; But methinks, I see thee with admiration gaze on the great ones of the World, and sighest at thy own lesse Glorious Condition, but grieve not because thou art none of those Loftier Cedars; true, thou [...]rt low, but the lesse subject to [...]torms and Thunder, the high Mountain is barren, tis the low Val [...]ey, and Humble Heart, that brings [...]oorth the best Fruit; And yet I [...]ould have thy Contemplations [...]are to Heaven; The Lark builds [...]er Nest on the ground, yet when [Page 70] she sings, she Towers above the Clouds, as if she disdained Earth; Earth is unworthy the Larks Harmony and thy thoughts, thou wilt not need the wings of a Dove, on the wings of Contemplation, thou wilt out-strip the Lark, and sooner reach Heaven; But let Heaven be the object of thy Meditations, which surpasses the Earth as much in Excellency, as in immensity [...] Earth hath Flowers for its pavement, and Heaven Stars, or rather those Stars are the knotty ends o [...] Heavens Tapistry; Ah! how Glorious then must those Mansions be whose superficies is so beautifull [...] but all this cannot perswade thee to forsake thy darling World, thy wedges of Gold fasten thee to it, the arms and tresses of Laciviou [...] Strumpets enchain thee, and thou unmindful of Heaven, carried on [Page 71] with thy Youthful heat, swimmest in a Sea of pleasure; this Stage of thy life seems delightfull to thee, strewed with Perfumes and Flowers, and thy Glass fill'd with Golden Sands, and thou with the Marigold, in pride advancest thy glittering Crown, but poor blossome, whence springs this vain pride, is [...]it from thy Beauty? Alas, that will soon fade, and no Rose will sooner wither then that in thy Cheeks; or from thy prosperous Felicities? But how many sorrows meet each minute to interrupt them, which may soon turn thy quiet calm into a storm? Or is it from thy Valour, and frequent Victories ore thy Foes? Oh! that were better turned against thy self, and thou shalt obtain more Glory by subduing thy self, the little World, then by being Conquerour [Page 72] of the great One; Have a care that neither Prosperities, not delight sooth thee into a security; How often is the pretty Nightin-Gale, even whilst she sits, and Carolls foorth her sweet Layes, kill'd by the Archer; And we see many in the midst of their jollity, carried aloft on the wings of pleasure, shot by Death, and tumble from the height of their mirth into the grave; Oh! forsake the World, and all her empty delights, suck no longer her false breasts, her milk is but sugar'd poison, thou art now a man, and at these years, it is time for thee to be wained.
AUTUMN, OR Manhood
GOne are thy Mirthsome days, thy Summer is done, till now thou wert a young Sprig, and the sweet Breath Zephyr onely wanton'd with thy tender Leaves, thou hast danc't out thy Youth in Loves and Pleasures, but now it [Page 74] is time for thee to bear Fruit; thou mayest trifle away no more hours, but as thy Years, so let thy Faith increase; indeavour that the Seeds of it may take firme Root in thy Soul; intreat the Sun of Righteousnesse to shine on it, omitt not sometimes to water it with a few Repentant Tears, and no doubt it will Prosper; And do not think to purchase Heaven by sitting still; how doth the little Emmet toil before she possesses her store; the Husbandman purchases his encrease with the sweat of his Brows; Heaven like the Hesperian Garden is guarded by a watchfull Dragon, and no coming to the golden Fruit, nor entring this Paradise, till thou hast Vanquished him: The Sheep yield their Silver Fleece to their Carefull Pastor; The Springs and Rivers pay their Tribute to the [Page 75] Sea; and wilt thou return no Fruit? either be barren or bear evil Fruit; Oh no! thou art now grown a goodly tree, thy boughs are extended to Heaven, and canst now not only be good thy self? but do good unto others; Oh let the parched Rose, the Sun-burnt Traveller, enjoy the comfort of thy shade; Let the Mate-deprived Dove, the Mournfull Widdow pearch under thy Roofe; Untwist no [...] the weak Wreathing Jvy from thy Armes, but support the Poor and Needy; but perhaps thou thy self art Poor and Thirsty; and seest the Joyful swain Feast on the Fruits of his Happy Labour; O do thou but ask of thy Saviour, and he will give thee of the Fountains of ever Living Waters, Co [...]stial Manna, and the Bread of Life to satisfie thy Hunger; but some say the Meat is [Page 76] sweetest that is nearest the Bone, and so thou mayest desire one: Well then, take a Deaths Head, for out of it, a Pious Man will pick Heavenly Food. Oh here is a Feast indeed! that great Shepheard will not let his Sheep to want; for he hath promised they shall feed among the green and fat Pastures, and that he will lead them to the cooling Streams; from him thou receivest all that thou hast, 'tis he Communicates all those Blessings, all those Beauties and Graces thou Enjoyest; It is the Sun beams that Damask the Apples Cheeks, and it is the Sun of Righteousnesse that makes thy Soul blush for its Sins; White and Red are the Compounds of an Earthly Beauty, and White and Red Innocence, and Pious shamfac'dness, are the chiefest of the souls perfections. Christs [Page 77] Beloved Spouse was White and Ruddy, thou of thy self art Poore and Naked, if he do not Enrich thee; But thy Autumn is done, the trees begin to shed their leaves, and thou thy hairs; and now thou beginst by piece meale to fall into the Grave; thou hast but one strain more to the top of thy Life, and that a Rotten one too; Age that subtile Thief steals swiftly on thee; Learn therefore willingly to submitt thy spirit into thy Saviours hands, like the Corne, to fall and Kiss the Feet of him that cuts thee off, canst thou Murmur at him that doth but fell the tree to transplant it into a better soile; but above all things be prepared for thy end, that when thy houre comes, thou mayest fall like Fruit, full ripe for Heaven.
WINTER, OR Old Age.
THat Season is come that covers the ground and thy Head with Snow; the Lillyes have lost their Milky hue; the Trees have nothing to hide their naked Armes; the Springs are Congealed, their Waves no more wanton with the Shoare, nor thy [Page 79] Blood in thy Veins. See Worldlings, see; What is bocome of the Idoll thou so much Adorest? Where are all those charming Beauties which shin'd in thy Face? that Face which some have called a little Heaven, wherein thy Eyes like two Suns Displai'd their Beams; but now alas thy Heaven is Clouded, thy Suns are eternally Ecclip'd, and nothing remains of thy beautiful Fabrick, but the gastly Ruines, so Fraile is Serene Beauty; thy Life at longest was but a Span, but how short a space of that span hast thou to Live? Old Wood soon Blazes out, soon will thy shortened Tapour sink into its Urne; now or never is the time for thee to be Fruitfull; if thou prodigally wastest this thy last inch of thy Tapour, thou art irrecoverably lost; The Lillie Withers, but with the [Page 80] next Spring wil appear in a fresher beauty; but if thy Sun set in a Cloud, it will never more arise. See, see the Heavens weep for thee, and seem to shew thee thy duty, the violent blasts that Boreas sends from his swollen Cheeks, intimate that thy sighs should be fervent; Its distilling in plentifull showers, that those eyes which in thy youth were Lustfull flames, should now be trickling Fountains; Oh! quench those Flames with Penitent Tears; hast thou mispent thy time, yet dispaire not, if thou wilt return, there is mercy for thee; those tears are pearls of vallue enough to redeem thy time? What if time have Furrowed thy Face; Plowed Land the better bears Fruit; but methinks I hear thee say, What must Trees bear Fruit in Winter? Oh yes! Man is a Tree must bear [Page 81] in all the Seasons, especially in the Winter of his Age, and shall either for being fruitful be transplanted into Heavens Garden, there eternally to flourish, or else for his Barrennesse, be hewen down for the Devils Fire; But alas! thy heart is colder then the Season, the curled stream is [...]ockt up in Ribs of ice, and that [...]s frozen; Oh! beg of the Sun of Righteousnesse to shine on it, and [...]e will dissolve thy Icy heart, and make it flow into streams of Righteousnesse; Time hath silver'd thy [...]aire, do thou silver thy time; and [...]hough in thy Youth, like the silver Swan, thou wert a stranger to Harmony, yet at the last thou must [...]ither like her sing melodiously, or [...]owle in Hell for ever; Summon [...]ogether all thy strength, all that [...]hou hast of pious in thee, that [Page 82] thou mayest expire like the dying Tapour in a Glorious Blaze; Oh let the sweetest be at the bottome, if the sand of thy Youths-Glasse were of Gold, that of thy old age is powder of Rubies, every grain [...] of it is worth a Universe, and doe [...] thou so slightly value this Inestimable Jewel; Is this a time fo [...] thee to dance lustful measures when every minute thou maye [...] dance into thy Grave? when lik [...] an aged tree, with every wind tho [...] totterest, when every sickness [...] shakes thy very heart-strings, tak [...] heed for if Death catch thee dancing; the flying bird is the faires [...] mark, and that black Archer wi [...] not neglect his advantage, and [...] thou mayest caper into Hell.
Historical Applications.
1.
HEnry the fifth King of England, in his Younger years was a most Dissolute Prince, addicted to Robberies, and many other lewd Practises, which made the world guesse by these pretty Tyrannies, those High ones, he would afterwards commit; But this Crooked Twig, prov'd as Goodly an Oake, as ever grew in Brittains Forrest, For when he came to be King, he [...]orsook both them, and all those of [Page 84] his Companions that would not turn over a new leaf with him.
I have spent the best part of my Youth in pleasures, Oh! that I could now with this good King, devote the rest of my dayes, unto the service of my God; When I was a Child, I did like a Child, but now I am a Man, I will do like a Man; then I was Ignorant, but now I have reason to Consider, that all things here below are Vanity [...] Therefore will I leave off my Drunkennesse, to tast of the Fountains of ever Living Waters, in comparison of which, the best o [...] Wines, are as the bitter waters o [...] Marah; I will forsake my Gluttony to tast of the Bread of Life; My Christ shall be my Riches, will contemn the Worlds Delilahs, that I may enjoy him for my Spouse; is there any beauty in [Page 85] them? Oh! but he is more lovely, the choicest often thousand; The fairest earthly Beauties, in comparison of Him, are but blear-eyed Leahs; tis he only is the lovely Rachel, that deserves our seaven Years, yea all our lifes Service.
2
THe Fabulous Poets report of Ixion, that in his Lustful heat, thinking to embrace an armfull of pleasure, in the enjoyment of fair Juno, was deceived, and found it but a mist.
Thus foolish man pursues, fleeting delights for realities, and perswades his heart that he shall long enjoy them; He grasps the mist in his armes, but alas, he will find that their glittering gayeties will disappear; His shining Taper will out in a snuffe, his pleasing dream will pass away, his Syrens Song [Page 86] will end, his Juno, his Darling pleasure will vanish into smoak, and prove at last sowre like the Grapes of Sodom, or like those Apples which are said to turn into ashes if but touched; so will they, and we shall have nothing left of them, but their Cinders to increase out Torments in Hell.
3.
CAesar after his Victories, and Glorious Triumphs, was murdered in the Senate-House; Herod in the midst of his Glory, eaten up by Worms; Swedelands Mirrour cut off by Death, in the strength of his Years.
Alas! what a vain thing is man a meer bubble, a walking shaddow, one blow cuts his thred in twain, one little bullet stops his breath, one sicknesse pulls him into his Grave; it is most certain, that we [Page 87] shall all take up our Lodging in Deaths darke Retiring-room, the Grave; but nothing more uncer [...]ain then the time, when? Oh! that we could therefore be always [...]bout that taske which we have here to doe, like the Heliotropium, still turning towards our sun, Our Sun of Righteousnesse: Thus if we live whereas the Waftage of the Wicked out of this world, is Stormy and Tempestuous, and are rou [...]ed by the Horrours of never dy [...]ng Torments; our shall be calm and gentle: Our Deaths will prove but a short sleep, and when we awake, we shall finde our selves in Abrahams bosome, incompassed with incomparable Felicities.
4.
MEn whilest they are in this World, do but play the Industrious Bee, always buzzing about, [Page 88] seeking some Flower, some occasion by which they may encrease their Stock: their chiefest Garden is the Exchange, to which they in Numbers resort, there it is they meet with most bargains, and from thence with loaded thighs they fly unto their Hives or Houses.
Thus should the Life of every Christian be, could we be but as wise for Heaven as we are for the World; with the Emmet, carry but one grain of corn, do but one Pious deed a day; this day draw a line of Christian Charity, that of Obedience, and another day of Humility, we should soon draw the whole Image of our saviour in our souls; and at the years end, finde our spiritual treasure encreased to a massy heap. Heavens Exchange-Royal is the Church, for there we may hear glad tidings of our Coelestial [Page 89] affairs; there we shall be sure to meet with good bargains; it is there only that the Exchange never falls, but is always at a high Rate: for a few odd pence bestowed in Alms, we shall receive innumerable Treasures; for a few trickling penitent Tears, Inestimable Jewels; and for a few old rags given to the needy, the Cloathing of a Glorious Immortality.
5.
ZEuxis a Famous Painter, Pourtraying a Vine and a Man by it on the same Tablet, the Grapes were so exquisitely drawn, that the deceived Birds flew and peckt them; yet by this we may see, that though Art may Imitate, yet it is farr short of Nature; for had he drawn the Man so well to the Life, they would have been more afraid of [Page 90] him, then allured by the Grapes; Art may Pourtray a Rose of a fresh Carnation, but compare its Beauty to a reall one, of how faint a die it will seem to the others native Crimson.
And yet how many have we in this age who daube over the works of Nature, and think to borrow a Beauty from a few colours: but poor souls, do they think to mend Gods work? hath thy God commanded thee, Not to make unto thy self any Graven Image, or the likenesse of any thing, and doest thou make one of thy self? could you but see how like unskillfull Painters, you marr what you would mend. Tis Satan presents you with a false mirrour, wherein that seems faire, which indeed is deformity it self; did you but see your selves in Vertues Glasse; you [Page 91] would confesse that a Moore with his Darke-lanthorn face, is a farr more Reall and Lovely Beauty then yours: Christs Spouse went not thus disguis'd, he will never know you with such a v [...]zzard on, neither shall those have any share in his Victory, who wear and serve under the Devils Colours.
6.
SInon was a Crafty Grecian, most expert in the Art of dissembling: This Sinon by his Deceit, and Feign'd tears perswaded the Credulous Trojans to draw in the Wooden Horse, and with it their Ruine.
Every Fair shew must not be trusted, for Cain could friendly parley with his Brother, and slay him; And Judas come with a Haile Master in his mouth, and betray his Lord: Man busies himself [Page 92] to invent mischief, and with dissimulation covers his snares; His heart is crooked and full of guile, a forge of iniquity, a mint wherein lies are coyn'd to deceive the Innocent; He sings thee asleep, as Mercury did Argus, that he may slay thee; In the one hand he carries a Rose, wherewith smiling in your face, he pleasingly tickles your nose; in the other a Dagger to stab thee to the heart: In thee therefore Oh my God will I put my Confidence, for Just and True are thy wayes, and all thy paths are Righteous.
7.
IT is said of Demosthenes, that being to deliver an Oration to the People in the Market-Place, he had very few Auditors, whereupon he whooping, whistling, and acting the Fool, the People prest [Page 93] in great numbers to see him, when he rebuking their folly, got them by this device to stay and hear his Eloquent Oration.
And alas! how thin are our Churches now a dayes? How few come to hear Gods divine Oratours, and were every one to give a shilling or two in Alms when they come to Church, as they do to see a Stage-play, I fear our Temples would have fewer Auditors then they have; whereas at a Comedy, the thronged Theaters almost crack with numbers. Thus can we lay out our money, for that which is not Bread; and mens perverse hearts are so stubborne, that scarce any persuasions can prevaile to draw them from this folly: Fools thus to dispise Coelestial Manna, for dirty crums, and the sacred word of a God, for a [Page 94] few humane inventions.
8.
THersites was of such a currish disposition, that he was always barking at those who had done him no injury; he could not see Ʋlysses, but he must term him Coward; no [...] Menelaus, but he must beat him with his broken Ribb, with his Wives dishonour.
Just thus have I seen some sit snarling all the day at others; they whet their Tongues to pierce the sides of the Innocent: they cannot see a man passe by without casting some of their filth upon him; but give me, Oh my God, a quiet Conscience! the best Antidote against their poison, then shall I injoy a continual Feast within me, although their Malice seek the desturbance of my Peace; and at length, their Calumnies shall return [Page 95] upon their own heads; That pitch wherewith they intended to blurr my Innocency, shall stick upon their own fingers; then shall I Triumph in my Innocency, but they be ashamed of their hatred and folly.
9.
WE read, that Aesops Cock finding a Pearle, contemned it for one Barley Corn: Christ is our Pretious Pearle; but alas! how many reject him for a little worldly gain? How many will sell their Saviour for a lesse price then did Judas? but oh my God! grant that I may indeavour, yea give all I have to purchase this Pearle, then shall I prove a happy Merchant; for none but those who have this Pearle shining in their Bosomes, can enter Heaven. That is the Sacred Badge by which St. Peter knows who he [Page 96] is to let enter those Everlasting Gates. Let Worldling scrape this Dunghill World, but I, when I have got this Pearle, my Christ, have attained such riches, to which theirs is but Drosse and Dung.
10.
DIogenes was a man so much despising Riches, y t being proferd great Wealth by Alexander, he bid him stand out of the Sun-shine, as being a comfort, that all his Riches could not bring him; He chose a Tub for his Pallace, a Wooden dish was all his Houshold-stuffe, and Water and Herbs his chiefest Sustenance: Though some may take this for a Tale of a Tub; yet surely it is a great example of a Generous and Moderate life, which without doubt was full of a perfect Tranquility. His minde was calm, not like the Merchants tossed [Page 97] with every Wind more then his Ship, nor alarum'd with Thieves seeing he had nothing but his Wooden dish to loose; and Christians may be ashamed to be so farr out-gone by a Heathen in Morral Vertue: but yet we finde this Diogenes, whose diet was so spare to desire the unchaste embraces of a Lais; Ah! how then doth the Pampring of our bodyes now a dayes put oyle to the flame, and increase our natural lustful desires; [...]t is a worthy sentence of Hesiod, that half is better then the whole; one dish will serve nature better then ten, for with our many Courses, we course away our Health; though Bread and Water be all my Food, as long as the Sun of Righteousnesse shines on me, I will not envy Sardanapalus all his daints of the Sea and Land.
Scripture Applications.
This Book of the Law shall not depart out of thy Mouth, but thou shalt Meditate therein Day and Night.
1.
UNmatchable was the strength of Sampson, yet could he notwithstand the charming allurements of Delilah; but by her treachery, his so admired strength was brought to nought.
[Page 99]How carefull therefore ought we to be, to eschew the company of these subtill charmers, to stop our ears to these Syrens Harmony: doth their pleasing Warbling Ravish thee? Oh! consider their Lustfull Layes will lull thee a sleep to thy ruine: Doest thou admire them for their Lilly hands? Know that therewith they will lead thee to all uncleannesse: Perhaps their Golden Locks may ensnare thee, but be assured, that every curle is a chain to hold thee to thy sin: Or if their twinkling eyes have bewitched thee, consider them as false Lights, as the fatall Funeral piles of thy honour and chastity; thy Saviour had not whereon to lean his Head, and wilt thou rest on a downy Bed with thy lewd Minion: Oh no! but reject these Delilah's, since they like Sylla and Charybdys, [Page 100] miserably Shipwrack all those that approach them.
2.
NAaman Captain of the Host of Assyria was a Leaper, who was Cured by Elisha, by being dipt seaven times in the River Jordan.
Most Leaprous is my soul, wash it therefore, Oh my Saviour! in the Jordan of thy blood; but are not Abana and Pharphar Rivers of Damascus, better then the Streams that flow from thee? Oh no! they may wash the filth from our bodies, but never from our souls. Tis only the Rivolet of thy blood can make us perfectly clean: Oh! be thou my Jesus, or the Physitian to my sick soul, and heal me; and for my Cure, I will not return thee money, or coyne, nor offer up unto thee Sheep, or Oxen; but Prayers, Thanks, and Tears; Sacrifices [Page 101] most acceptable unto thee; Incense which smells sweetest in thy Nostrills.
3.
VVHen the Israelites abode in Shittim, the Daughters of Moab, allured then to commit Whoredoms; and thence we see a sad story of Cozby, arise; who was slain in the lustfull embraces of her Lover, in the sight of all the Congregation.
And yet how many Daughters of Moab have we in these dayes; Ah! how many Delilahs, which wear the Sun of Darknesse in their Faces, and I fear to in their hearts; who preferr a white Cheek or a Cherry Lip, before the beauty of Holinesse it self; and which covet no other Heaven, but their Lovers Armes. Fools thus for a moment of fading pleasures, to purchase [Page 102] everlasting Torments: For let them know, their Patches do not Beautifie their Faces, but set so many black spots upon their Souls; their Anointing and Painting, causes them to slide the quicker into Hell; and their Pouders and Perfumes, do but make them a daintier bit for Divels.
4.
VVHen Goliah Encountred David, he was Armed with a Helmet of Brasse, and a Coat of Maile, with a Sphear like a Weavers Beam; but on the contrary, David comes in the Name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of the Armies of Israel; and thus with a Sling and a Stone only, he Slays this mighty Phylistine.
Victory is in the hand of God, and in vain is the strength of man without his assistance: if God be [Page 103] on thy side, let not the number of Enemies dismay thee, for he can defend his Elisha with Charriots of fire, and save his David both out of the Paw of the Lion, and out of the Hand of the Phylistine: He that comes in the name of the Lord of Hosts, is sufficiently armed against all Encounters; thus Guarded, I'le not fear the World, the Flesh, no nor Satan himself, for when the Tempter comes, I will meet him with my Saviours answer; [It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him onely shalt thou serve;] This, this is the way with these Weapons, with David I will strike the Monster in the forehead and slay him.
5.
SInfull Soddom sinned against God, and Just God Punished Soddom; But what was [Page 104] wretched Sodoms sin, which hath not been in our habitations? what Crime did miserable Gomorrah perpetrate, which we have not committed? Niniveh in forty days, could Repent at the Preaching of one Jonas, and we not in fourty years, though hundreds thunder daily in our ears, the emminent Judgments of God upon us. Purples and Silks are the Sack-cloath, and Powders and Perfumes the Ashes which we Repent in. Ah! our God, we have justly deserved, that thou shouldst make our Land a place of dead mens Sculls, an Island encompassed with her own Blood. Once, what Land more Righteous then England? and alas! now who more sinfull? she was once the Daughter of Nations, the joy and perfection of the whole Earth; but now her [Page 105] Beauty is departed from her, she is black, but no more comely: Lord we were once thy Darlings, as dear unto thee as the Apple of thine eye; Oh! therefore do not leave [...]is nor forsake us, but draw us with the Cords of thy Love, that we may once more run after thee; Poure the Oyle of thy Mercy into our Souls, and heal us, that thou again mayest be our God, and we thy People.
6.
WHen I call to mind my Christs Death, I cannot but admire the goodness of my Saviour, that he the Son of the King of Kings, should suffer his precious side to be pierced with a Spear; His Sacred Temples, those beds of sweetest Spices to be rent and torn, and all to preserve me from destruction: But must no less [Page 106] then the blood of the King of Heaven be the Balm to heal our wounded Souls? Shall my Jesus shed forth more drops of Blood then I shed tears? Shall he be Crucified for me, and I not Crucifie my Sins? Ah no! I will not be ingrateful to such a Saviour, to such a sweet Redeemer; But I will bath my self in Repentant Tears, I will weep day and night because of my sins, my mouth shall continually Praise my ever Blessed Redeemer.
7.
WE Read, that though the Prodigall had spent his Wealth in Riot, yet when he came to his Father with the confession of his fault in his mouth, he not onely pardons him, but kills a fatted Calf, for joy of his return, and receives him gladly.
Men cannot be readier to sin, [Page 107] then God to forgive a penitent Sinner; Art thou turn'd Prodigal and hast forsaken thy Heavenly Fathers House, spent thy Coelestial Treasure by turning his Grace into Wantonnesse? Yet if thou wilt at length return, Oh! he will Receive thee with Embraces of Love, and kisse thee with the kisses of his mouth; yea there will be rejoycing in Heaven, and it will be a day worthy an Angels joy, wherein a Son is new born to the King of Glory: Dispair not then, Oh my Soul! to find pardon at the hands of thy Mercifull Father, it is in his power alone to make a Blackamore white; nay wert thou stai'd as much as was Manasses that made the Temple slow with innocent blood; if thou wilt but wash thy wounds with penitent tears, he will poure the oyle of his mercy into them, and heal thee.
8.
THe poor Widdow casting but two Mites into the Treasury, was more praised by our Saviour, then those Rich men which cast in plentifully of their Abundance.
It is not the largeness of Almes, but the freeness of heart by which it is given; not the length of Prayer, but its fervency that is pleasing unto God; The short but humble Petition of the Publican was sooner accepted, then the long vain Glorious Prayer of the Pharisee; and the Widdows two Mites before the Rich mens great gifts; let the Wealthy cast in of their Abundance, but I, though I cannot with Solomon Sacrifice thousands of Oxen, yet will I endeavour to offer up unto thee my heart; This Lord is the Mite I give thee, give thee dId I say? Alas! that was [Page 109] thine before, and I must pay thee Tribute with thine own Coyne; But I have so defac't the Image of the Great Caesar of Heaven, which was stamped on it, that thou wilt scarce know it for thine own; yet Lord if I can sincerely tender it to thee, even this dispised Mite thou wilt not contemn.
9.
CHrist going to see Jerusalem, Rode thither not in one of Caesars Glittering Charriots, but on an Humble Asse; The King of Kings, he that Rides in Triumph on the Clouds, he that Sits mounted on Cherubins, dained to Ride on an Asse, and surely a better Triumph then any of the Caesars; and by this we may see how far above all men he was meek, whose Triumph the subject of our greatest pride, was more humble then others [Page 110] humblest actions; and wherefore did he thus debase himself, but to teach us Humility? what do we see in our selves to be proud of? Is it our frailty, or because we are born of the dust? How goodly a thing it is to see a poor worm, a clod of dust, clad in the pomps of the silk worms spoils, to vaunt it self? Oh! our God give us humble Souls; Pride and Ambition puffs up the heart of man, and the path to Heavens gate is too narrow for the swelling ambitious Soul to walk in; those who in their own conceits are goodly Caedars, in Gods are but dispised Shrubs, fit stubble for Hells Fire.
10.
HOly Peter by that Excellent Sermon of his Crucified Saviour, converted thousands to the Faith.
[Page 111]Great Orpheus, who with the Musick of thy tongue, didst not only make Trees, and Stones, but very Beasts to dance; Those Brests which were Barbarous, and Raging like a Tempestuous Sea, thou madest smooth as the brow of a Cherubin: Thy Saviours words are now true, thou art become a Fisher of Men, and hast taken no less then three thousand at a draught; If this be so, what then is the reason, that instead of having three thousand converted at a Sermon, I fear we have three thousand Sermons, and scarce one converted? Have the Dispensers of the Word now a dayes less skill in Angling for Souls, then this Blessed Fisher? Oh no! surely it is the hardness of our hearts, which were they not more obdure then Stones, the Hammer of the Word [Page 112] would break them; were we not exceeding secure, those Sons of thunder would waken us, not deafer then Adders, those Sacred Charmers would Charm us.
OCCASIONAL Applications.
Vel bonas cogitationes alat animus, vel statim malas extinguat.
1. On a Withered Rose.
THis Flower in the Gayeties of her Youth, was Fresh and Glittering like a New Married Bride; but being Coy, and Self-conceited, She defended her self [Page 113] from all those that would crop her, with her prickles; At last time, blasting her Orient hue, she is rejected of all, and stands in a corner unregarded, bedewing her Cheeks each Morn for her former folly: Thus Lord in the pride of my youth have I disdained thee, thou hast woed me till thy locks were wet with the dew of Heaven, thou didest promise to transplant me into thy Garden, water me with thy tears, and nourish me under the shaddow of thy wings; Oh! what a happy flower had I then been, but I like a sullen Rose stubbornly denyed, Crucified thee afresh, and prickt thy fingers: I knew Lord that the Offering of the first Fruits were most pleasing unto thee, that the blooming Rose, and early morning virtues, smelt sweetest in thy nostrills; Yet have I continued [Page 114] in sin, whilst I was able to sin, and now return unto thee because I can sin no more; Whilst my Tapour was long, and its flame shining as the Lamp of Heaven; I spent my Light in Satans Court, and now come to burn my Snuff in thy Palace; Oh! that my head were waters, and my eyes Fountains of tears, that I might weep night and day for my Youths follies; Oh! how justly may I fear that thou wilt refuse Satans leavings, that because in my Youth I rejected the things that did belong unto my peace, that now they are hid from my eyes: Is a wrinckled Beauty a fit Spouse for the King of Glory? Will he inhabit Ruines? But Lord thou art merciful, if our Return be hearty, we can never come too late unto thee; therefore will I not dispair to be admitted, amongst [Page 115] that Blessed Posy of Flowers, which thou wilt place in thine own Bosome.
2. The Fly in the Candle.
THis Fly, and Ambitious Icarus, soaring too nigh its Sun, the Candle, scorches its wings, and so perishes.
Thus too many poor Christians dallie with Hell, and nibble too long till they are taken with the snare, they deem the day far off, and themselves secure, though at the brink of the Burning Lake; they take an Ignis Fatuus for their Guide, and never consider that it leads, unto Pitts or Precipices; With the Fly, the Light of the Candle, Lusts flames seem pleasing [Page 116] to them, but they are unmindfull that they will burn them: Thus miserable wretches buzzing too nigh the fire their wings are scorched, and they perish; too much Sun shine, too many Pleasures so blind their eyes, that they cannot see their danger, and so are precipitated into the Pit.
3. On a Blotted Paper.
PAper whilst fair serves for many good uses, but being once blotted, is not fit to have Characters upon it, but onely to supply some servile Occasion, or the Fire.
Hath not God Created most of us a fair sheet, pure and without blemish? and shall our pride commaculate [Page 117] our faces with patches; every patch we wear is a blur in the fair story of our lives? and where do we think there is space for God to set his Impressions, and Characters upon us, to mark us out for his, being already blotted, and full of the Devils stamps; Our bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost, and shall we thus Soil them? Oh no! for God will never dwell in such defiled lodgings, Christ will never own us for his, seeing the mark of the Beast in our Foreheads; But that Immaculate Lamb will separate such spotted Goates from his unblemisht Sheep, with a depart from me you workers of Iniquity, I know you not.
4. The Sow in the Mire.
A Brutish Nature will alwayes act accordingly, nothing can perswade a silly Swine from its nasty Mire, nay were a Bed of Doves Feathers set before it, it would rather chuse to wallow in its filth, then repose in it, although it often meets with a stone which molests its imaginary rest.
What a true Emblem of a worldling is this? for oh! how it tickles his fancy to wallow in the Mire of sin? Earth is his delight, he is alwayes tending to the Ground his thoughts, his Meditations are all Earthly, as if his Creator had not made his countenance erected, but groveling downwards like these [Page 119] brute Beasts: He will not be withdrawn, although he often meets with a stone, and his dainties have too soure a sauce, for he cannot laugh heartily but the tears will stand in his eyes; Thus the best of Earthly Felicities have a tart farewell, yet will he not forsake them, but prides himself in his sports, and like the Swine, because he sees them not, he thinks himself Beautifull; But the wise-mans eyes see how vilely he is bedaubed: Lord we are all vile and filthy, Oh! do thou wash us in thy Sons Blood, and then though we are never so unclean, we shall be white as Snow.
5. On the whipping of a top
THe oftner the Child strikes the Top, the better it spins, but if the stroke be omitted, of it self it ceaseth to go, if too violent it over-turns it.
Thus Lord is it with us, as long as thy Rod of Affliction lies on us, we go and walk the better in thy wayes; the more stripes thou givest, the more prayers send we up unto thee; But often when thou ceasest scourging of us, then we cease glorifying of thee: But oh! my Saviour remember the smart of thy own Stripes, and so have pitty on mine; Consider Lord, what a powerfull Arm sets on the blow, thou needest not whet thy Sword [Page 121] to destroy a broken and bruised Reed; but chear up, Oh my Soul! thy Prayers are heard; me thinks I see my Jesus Mediating for me, and smiling in his Fathers Face, interposes his hand betwixt every blow; thou hast such an Advocate, as cannot, will not he denied; when he undertakes thy sute, thou mayest boldly presume of Pardon.
6. On a Fleet of Ships in the Night.
SEe with what a nimble security the Fleet glides through the Bosome of the deep, though Darknesse surround it, and Rocks on each side threaten Destruction; guided onely by the skill of the Pilot, and the little light in their Admirall.
[Page 122]Our Saviour that Blessed Pilot, hath made the most perfect discovery of the new Jerusalem unto us; and if we will but follow his course, we shall finde sufficient Light in him to guide us; and who can doubt of a Prosperous Voyage, having such a Pilot: canst thou fear Storms, when both the Wind and the Sea obey him; or Pyrats, when he hath already carried away that grand Pyrat the Devill, captive in Chains. Oh my Jesu! Thou Coelestial Palinurus, do thou steer, for thou onely canst do it, this crazy Barke of my Soul, Securely through all Enemies, by all Rocks, by Scylla and Charybdys the Devill and the Flesh, till it arrive at Heaven, the Saints Indies; where is such Treasure, as Eye hath not seen, Eare hath not heard of, neither hath it entred into the Heart of Man to conceive.
7. On the dropping of the Eaves.
VVOnderful are the Effects of these little drops of Water, for they falling on a Stone, not onely soften it, but wear it away.
Lord, I have a Flinty, Rocky Heart; Ah! do thou let fall the Drops of thy Grace and soften it, till it bow's in Obedience unto thee; What Heart so Stubborn, which the Distillations of thy Mercy cannot make pliable. But yet alas! we see to our sorrow, that though thy Mercies come unto some, rather like Showers then by Drops, yet are they not at all [Page 124] Mollified, but rather Hardned in their Obstinacy towards thee; Stony ground, Barren Souls, which such sweet showers cannot make fruitfull; for every little favourable blast puffs them up, and they think their Causes must needs be Just because they Prosper; but let them not deceive themselves, for they are but Exalted with wofull Capernaum, to the Heavens; that their fall may be the greater into Hell.
8. On a Ship-Wrack.
POore Passengers in a Storm, being Ship Wrackt by the Furious Sea; know not where to turn in their Distresse, but unto the same Rock, which was the cause of their Destruction.
[Page 125]Lord, thy Waves and thy Billows have gone over me; Oh! whither, whither shall I turn but unto thee? Lord, I know that if thou doest lead me through the Wilderness Hungry and Thirsty, thou canst Rain down Manna from Heaven, and draw Water out of the Rocks for me, if one of thy Hands is arm'd with a Rod, in the other thou hast the Balm of Gilead; thou Lord art the strong Tower of Israel, and the Rock of Jacob; under the Shaddow of thy Wings I shall Rest secure: the Winds may blow, and the Seas swell, but all their Rage shall prove but Froth: he that relies on any other defence trusts to a Fort of Sand, which the least winde scatters; tis thou Lord alone, art able to deliver my Soul out of the deep Waters.
9. The Castle.
MAn is a Fortresse, Beleaguerd All his Life with Armies of innumerable sins, and Satan is their Captain-General. His Forces are devided into three Squadrons; The first is composed of Scarlet Troops, and under these, fight Blood-thirstinesse. Revenge, and Murder; and these commonly take the Fortresse by Storme. His second Squadron hath black Ensignes, under which fight Dispair, and he gives a furious Assault; Next comes Covetousnesse, who seeks to Bribe and Betray the Fortresse, and with these are all other deeds of Darknesse; but his third Squadron have White Ensignes, and under these, [Page 127] are all catching Pleasures and Allurements; Ambition, Fame, Pride, Riot, and Lasciviousnesse: 'Tis these that come with the white Flag of Truce, and yet mean War; tis these that seem to be the least considerable Troops, and yet the most to be feared; tis these lay all the Ambushes, with these are his Artillery, and that is Woman; out of the Loop-holes of her eyes, she discharges her murderers; this is the fatal Flame that sets the whole Fortresse on fire, and besides these, that he may not omitt any thing on his part, he hath intelligence within, even thy own thoughts; thou thy self art foe to thy self, and Satan beats thee with thy own Weapons; but that which shews the height of his Policy is, that he will be sure to storm the Fort in the Weakest place: but do thou Jesu [Page 128] stand in the breach, and repell him back; do thou Man the Castle with Assurance and Constancy; Strengthen Faith, that it may keep its Ground; cause Repentance to open the Flood-gates of his Eyes, and drown its Foes; and thus shall the Siege be raised, and thou remain Conquerour and Faithfull Souldier to the King of Heaven, who will reward thy Victory with a Wreath of Glory.
10. The Ship.
THis World is a Sea, Man is the weak Barke that is tossed in that Restlesse and Stormy Ocean; our hands are two of the Oares that Row us thither, and every good Deed we Act, we fetch a [Page 129] Stroak towards Heaven; and the Almighties Spirit is the gentle Blast that fills our Sails, for without it we are becalm'd. He that sails with the Tide glides towards Hell; Orphans sighs, are the winds that drive him swiftly on, he hath often a merry Gale, and he seldom thinks on the sadnesse of his Voyage, till he almost arrive at the Dismal Haven of Death; and though God the Searcher of Hearts, who knows if he liv'd longer, whether he would steer a new course, may pardon him; yet this is dangerous, and he often Miserably Perishes. But he that will steer in a direct course to Heaven, must Saile against the Tide, and he must always be Rowing; for whilest he is idle, the Stream carries him backwards; he will often meet with a thousand Impediments in [Page 130] his Voyage. Though Historians doubt whether there be any Syrens, yet in this Sea he will meet with many. Riches is the Fatall Remora, which sticks to the bottome of the Vessel and hinders its course; but above all, he must have a care he doth not Shipwrack himself against the White Rock of a Womans Breast. And besides these, he shall meet with other Storms, which will drive him back again; but he must Wrastle with these difficulties, and tug against the Stream, and if he chance to overcome the Tempest; Zephyrus gently filling his Sailes, and he enjoys Peace and Tranquillity; let him consider, that after the wanton play of Porposes there comes a Storm, and therefore repair the Breaches which the Tempest hath made; hath Dispair enterd? cast [Page 131] it out and resume thy Anchor of Hope; and at last thy Voyage shall be Prosperous, and thy Barke shall unlade its Pretious Fraight in the Bosome of its Saviour, that Great Factor of Souls; who will Treasure it in his Coelestial Store-house, and binde it up amongst his Jewels to all Eternity.