THRIFTS EQVIPAGE: Viz.  
Five Divine and Moral Meditations, OF 

1. Frugality.  
2. Providence.  
3. Diligence.  
4. Labour and Care.  
5. Death.    Prou. 28. 19 He that tilleth his Land shall have plenteousness of bread, but he that follows idle persons, shall have poverty. 
LONDON, Printed for john Teage, and are to be sold at his shop in Paul's Churchyard at the sign of the Ball. 1622.   

I Meddle not with news of Parliament,  
Court-favourites, or Kingdom's government;  
I on King's secrets, and affairs of State,  
Nor know, nor need, nor care to meditate:  
Let gods, who have the charge of all, bear sway,  
The Muses must not censure, but ob●y.  
I sing what most I wish; what's that? to thrive,  
Without least wrong to any man alive:  
A grateful Work to all, to young and old,  
That seek to get or to increase their gold:  
But why goes Death then with this thrifty train?  
Because I hold, it is the greatest gain  
To die well: For we no man truly call  
Or rich, or happy, till his Funeral.   

To the Author.  
Virtue thine Object, thou her Subject art;  
Thou deckest her in thy verse, she decks thine heart:  
Each th' other doth deservedly set forth;  
From thee her praises flow, from her thy worth.  R. C.  

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE, WILLIAM, LORD MAYNARD, MY very good Lord.  

TO whom should I these pleasing pains commend,  
My Muse hath ●ane Frugality to trade?  
But to the Muses dear and noble friend,  
Who, as in Honour, seeks to thrive in Grace:  
Who, truly nob●e, honoureth his Place;  
Nor f●r his Place is only honoured:  
Whom should the Muses more desire to grace,  
Than whom they have up in their Bosoms bred,  
And who with bounteous gifts them ●ath reguerdoned?   

Such Bounty is true Thrift: Thus thou dost lay  
Thy treasure up in heaven; thus thou dost gain:  
By giving of some fading goods away,  
True honour, which for ever shall remain:  
If thou wilt pleased be to entertain  
Thrift and her train, into thy Patronage,  
I boldly dare in her behalf maintain,  
She is fair, bounteous, sober, grave and sage,  
And fit to counsel thee, in Youth, in Strength, and Age.   

Next, Providence shall guide thee and 〈◊〉,  
In all wherein 〈◊〉 hand is diligent,  
And holy Care and Labour shall direct  
Thy Counsels to a just and good 〈◊〉,  
To haven of Rest, to harbour of Content:  
And if thou please to read Death's Meditation,  
Thou shalt perceive her as an Herald sent,  
To summon thee to heavenly habitation,  
To blessed Bride and Bridegroom's marriage-consummation:   

Most happy end of all, that rightly run  
Their courses in the days of vanity!  
With Wisdom's study Solomon begun,  
But ends all with this Epithalamic:  
Sweet Swanlike Farewell of Mortality!  
Taste of true joy which ever shall remain!  
Then know, it is thy highest Dignity,  
This Earnest sure, of heaven on earth, to gain;  
Which I will pray for, Thou must labour to attain.   Your Lordship's most devoted in all affectionate duty and service, Robert Aylet.  

MEDITATION 1.  
Of Frugality, or Thrift.  

MY Muse now fares like some plain country Maid,  
Walking in fairest Garden for delight,  
With all variety and choice arrayed,  
Of herbs and flowers to please the Sent & Sight;  
Who with the choicest flowers doth first bedight  
White silken pillows of her bosom fair;  
But after their rich colours her invite,  
With them to deck her head and golden hair,  
That as she them adorns, so they may all begay her.   

For when Bride's garden first I entered  
Of Graces, for delightful meditation,  
I only some choice Flowers gathered,  
For holy Life, and heavenly Contemplation:  
But passing forth with choice of Delectation,  
Such sweet and rich variety I find,  
Fit to adorn my life and conversation,  
Out of those pleasant knots I cannot wind,  
Which with new choice of flowers & herbs delight my mind.   

But amongst all the fragrant herbs and flowers,  
That in the Grace's garden do abound,  
I find none of more sovereign grace and powers,  
Than this of Thrift, which next I do propound:  
An herb indeed that's hardly to be found,  
Because she most what in a corner grows,  
And matteth low upon the fattest ground,  
And many her mistake for likely shows,  
But scarce one of an hundred that her truly knows.   

Oh heavenly Muse! that taught the shepherd's swain,  
( As he his flocks was following great with young,  
To feed them on fair Iordans flowery plain)  
Divinest skill in Tunes and heavenly Song;  
With some such holy Fury touch my tongue,  
Whilst I now of Frugality do sing;  
Who, though she little doth to me belong,  
Yet if thou help● to touch my harsher string,  
I may teach some her practice, whilst her praise I ring.   

She is that Virtue, or that golden Mea●e,  
'Twixt Avarice and Frodigalitie,  
The constant Moderation between  
Base Niggardize, and wasting Luxury.  
We Temp●rance, Abstinence, and Modesty,  
With Continence, in this word THRIFT contain;  
And yet exclude not Liberality.  
Who doth to name of 
a 〈◊〉 frugi  frugal man attain,  
One of the highest Titles due to man doth gain.   

And such indeed have only right fruition  
Of all such fruits, as God to man doth send;  
Who prudently here weighing their condition,  
Preserve the Substance, and the fruits do spend:  
Who flocks and cattle diligently tend,  
Grass, Vines and Corn that in the fields do grow,  
To them their lambs for clothing, Wool will lend;  
From Goats and Kine great store of milk shall flow,  
To feed their household, and large gifts abroad bestow.   

There is a Thrift in Substance, and in Grace;  
One temporal, the other spiritual:  
They that the one, without the other, trace,  
Do neither of them find perpetual:  
God is of both the Cause effectual;  
Apo●lo water, Paul may plant and sow,  
But God it is that work to all in all:  
As all spiritual Thrift from him doth flow,  
So, by his blessing all in substance thrive and grow.   

This did the 
a Laban  Churl by good experience prove,  
So long as he good jacob could retain,  
He saw great blessings come from heaven above,  
And therefore sought him ay to entertain:  
Whilst joseph with th' Egyptian doth remain,  
All prospers in his house, and in his field,  
And in the prison h● doth favour gain,  
Because all well succeeds that he doth wield:  
By heaven's sweet influence the earth her fruits doth yield.   

Thrift eldest daughter is of Temperance,  
By Prudence nursed in her tender years,  
But when to riper years she doth advance,  
A Standard under Fortitude she bears:  
She, graced by these three most noble Peers,  
By their advice directs her actions right,  
By Temperance she feeds, and clothing wears;  
By Prudence store provides with wise foresight;  
By Fortitude against Fortune's blasts she stands upright.   

She moderateth all delights and pleasure,  
Not that she us forbids all sports or play,  
But makes us recreate ourselves with measure,  
That from ourselves they take us not away:  
As he that moderates, upon the way  
His ●iercer Steed, is said to use him right;  
Not he that let's him run about and stray:  
So only he doth pleasures use aright,  
That serves not them, but makes them serve to his delight.   

For she not only is a Moderation  
In meats, and what to clothing doth pertain,  
But she eke moderates our recreation,  
Lest for it we do lose a greater gain:  
She doth too much of any thing refrain,  
And cuts off all luxurious vain expense.  
If thou to thrift and riches wouldst attain  
Here, seek not to increase and raise thy rents,  
But moderate Desire, and vain Concupiscence.   

I ever from Frugality exclude  
All sordid baseness, want of aliment,  
She out of plenty always doth seclude  
Some few things necessary for Content:  
For to be frugal and magnificent,  
May both well in a prudent man combine,  
Else Thrift no daughter is of Temperment;  
ay only those for frugal men define,  
Who use their store, but suffer it not to decline.   

I oft do find in some a simulation,  
Or ostentation of Frugality;  
When great men follow thrifty imitation  
Of those, which are of meaner quality:  
And this may be too much Rusticity,  
Be it in Diet, Vessels, Ornament;  
Best rule for Thrift in all, is Modesty:  
For where it meets with one that's provident,  
he's temperate, modest, frugal and magnificent.   

But the most dear and faithful friend to Thrift,  
Is careful Husbandry, and Providence:  
This is the thriving Virtue, which is grift  
On stock of Labour, Care, and Diligence.  
This brings in sewell to Magnificence,  
And like good huswife fetcheth food from far.  
The thrifty handmaid of Beneficence,  
In Summer for the Winter taketh care;  
And, ere she builds, Materials doth abroad prepare.   

Fie on the lazy Grasshopper, that sings  
All Summer, and in Winter starves for cold,  
Unlike the frugal Pismire, which still brings  
In new provision, ere she spend her old:  
Like many youthful Gallants, who their gold,  
In summer of their youth do sport away;  
But when their coin is spent, and land is sold,  
Too la●e, find Ryo● cause of their decay:  
But prudent Thrift foresees and shuns such evil day.   

By civil Law, the mad and prodigal  
Are interdicted the administration  
Of their own Goods; and have Curators all,  
To manage their estate in frugal fashion:  
And so long must they both abide Curation;  
The furious till he gets his wits again,  
The Prodigal, till he to emendation  
Doth of his Manners and his Thrift attain:  
'Tis good for Commonwealth, none spend his state in vain.   

One, Thrift unto the Temples doth compare  
Amongst the Heathen, which, most sure Asyle,  
And Sanctuaries for all Debtors were:  
Another likes a thrifty man, erewhile,  
To ground well compassed, and well tilled with toil:  
For as such lands grow foul by slothfulness,  
But fruitful, where the plough doth stir the soil:  
So men grow gross and foul by Idleness,  
But pure and healthful by laborious Thriftiness.   

Heathen, such fruitful frugal men compare  
Unto the gods, who had so little need,  
Though they had all, that they it all could spare  
To mortals, who did here their blessings need:  
far otherwise 'tis with our rich-man's breed;  
They nothing spare, but spend e'en all and more,  
Their Flesh and Lusts luxuriously to feed:  
Thus they, in plenty swimming, are but poor,  
When those that have but little, yet have greater store.   

This their rich misery doth not proceed  
From any fault, that is in outward store,  
But from Lusts and Cupidities which breed  
In Soul and Body, as I said before:  
Like some in fits of Agues, who the more  
Cool Beer they drink, the more they do desire,  
Their drinking thirst increaseth: He therefore  
Must purge the humours, cause of all this Fire,  
Else drink till he burst, he grows within the drier.   

Me thinks I rightly may this Thrift compare  
Unto the seven ●at Kine on Nilus' shore,  
Or those seven goodly ●ares of Corn, which were  
To Egypt's Monarch signs of Thrift and store:  
The blasted ears, and Bullock's lean and poor,  
I liken unto Prodigality:  
Who all the fruits devowers up, and more,  
That are provided by Frugality:  
Thus she with her own bowels feeds her enemy.   

As when the Air sucks immoderately  
Up moisture from the ground, the clouds do fall  
From thence again on Earth most lavishly:  
e'en so, when Misers here do lick up all,  
For to enrich their heyers therewithal,  
Soon as the long-expected day doth come  
Of their most welcome, tearless funeral,  
Their wealth all lavishly about doth run,  
Till their rich cloud be spent, and they be quite undone.   

It is most terrible, prodigious,  
To see an Earthquake, with dread violence,  
Swallow a Country, City, Town, or House;  
Yet Prodigals, oft by profuse expense,  
Do swallow Towers, Houses, Farms and Rents:  
Then they, saith one, them vomit up again,  
Not truly sell them; for they have long since  
Them spent in drinking, lusts and pleasures vain;  
They only now are faint to spew them out for pain.   

Many good precepts find I of the wise,  
Us to instruct in true Frugality;  
But David doth the only way advice,  
In his most sweet divinest Psalmody:  
He shall have plenty and prosperity,  
That fears the Lord, and scatters to the poor,  
His name be blessed to Posterity.  
He that disperseth shall have greater store:  
For goods-disposer gives him all his wealth therefore.   

Abel's first frugal man I of do read,  
Who gave the fairest firstlings of his Flocks,  
Because there was no poor that then had need,  
To him that gave him all his store and stocks.  
This gave to Isaac great and castie Shocks,  
When in one year he reaped an hundred-fold:  
jacob, that went out with a staff, now stocks  
All Shechims' country with his Herd and Fold:  
The land of Canaan scarce can all his substance hold.   

The Heathen say, that heavenly Providence  
To mortals here for labours Blessings sell:  
And therefore do require all diligence  
Of all, that would have all things prosper well.  
Of Abstinence and Continence some tell,  
That give a man with little, much content;  
Which of another's inch will make an ell,  
By whom nought lavishly on Lusts is spent,  
But only needful wants of Nature to content.   

Fabricius thus with little, doth despise  
Great Princes presents, and the gifts of Kings:  
His Flocks him clothe, his Farms with food suffi●e.  
Scranus is his plough a-following,  
When as the Senate comes, him news to bring,  
That they him their Dictator had elected.  
Brave Curius, who, for Empires managing,  
Was after of all Consuls most respected,  
Dwelled in a country-Cottage all alone neglected.   

More royal's sure Content in Poverty,  
In little homely B●●res, which can defend  
Us from Sun's heat, and Ayers injury,  
Than glistering Towers, where they waste & spend  
In pomp and luxury, what God doth lend:  
There, costly Dainties oft with poison wound:  
Here, without cost, the earth sound Cates doth send:  
There, golden Vessels, purple Beds are found:  
Here, all the flowery banks do rest and quiet sound.   

When Alexander, in a little Tun,  
Saw a great Tenant with content of mind,  
The Cynic, Lo, saith he, that here doth wu●  
More rest, than I in all the world can find:  
I covet all, he nothing less doth mind.  
They surely have more pleasure, and less pain,  
Who are with little unto Thrift inclined,  
Than they that seek a world of wealth to gain,  
That they may more indulge to ease and pleasure vain.   

One praiseth hunger, as best sauce to meat,  
Because it cost him least, yet savoured best,  
And always with delight did drink and eat,  
Because he ne'er did without hunger feast.  
Some only live to eat, drink and digest,  
But we ought only eat and drink to live;  
To live to feed, is to be like a beast:  
Who would in reason more, than sense, be thrive,  
To body needful things, to Soul must plenty give.   

Xantippe's said once Socrates too blame,  
For that he often made an invitation  
Of greatest friends; yet's fare was still the same,  
Avoiding always costly preparation:  
Soon he replied thus to her allegation:  
If, as they seem, they be our friends indeed,  
They will respect our Thrift; but if for fashion  
They make a show: let's to ourselves take heed,  
And not spend our estate, them daintily to feed.   

These patterns are of frugal abstinence,  
Which, as you see, the Heathen e'en adore;  
Now see the holy father's providence  
To raise themselves to plenty being poor:  
No●, Abraham, Booz, and a thousand more,  
Live upon Tillage, Grazing, Husbandry,  
And tend their flocks, come, cattle, grass, and store:  
Yea, Kings did hereunto themselves apply,  
To join Magnificence with this Frugality.   

e'en after Saul anointed is a King,  
He followeth the cattle from the field,  
And they that death to Ishbosheth did bring,  
Came to buy Corn; it seems he Tillage held.  
None e'er did so magnificently wield  
A Sceptre, as did royal Solomon,  
To which his Thrift such wondrous store did yield:  
To his sheep-shearing sprucest Absalon,  
Invites e'en princely David, and his eldest son.   

See how great Princes, and the sons of Kings  
Are not ashamed of Frugality.  
Priests lived indeed of Tithes and Offerings,  
And therefore looked most to God's husbandry:  
Paul had a trade, although a Pharisie;  
And though he to th' Apostleship attain,  
Yet works he in his Trade and Mystery,  
His living with his labour here to gain,  
Nor will he charge the Church, though bound, him to maintain.   

Th' Apostles all were Fishermen, and gained  
Their living, by enduring wet and cold:  
Divines think, joseph blessed jesus trained  
In his own Trade, till he thrice ten years told.  
I could be yet three times as manifold,  
This Virtue with examples to commend,  
But I had rather be a little bold,  
And you persuade her practice to intend;  
One's for her praise, but this is counsel for a friend.   

Oh what a happiness it is to live,  
And do much good, without offence, to all!  
To eat secure those cates our ground doth give,  
To lie so low, one can no lower fall.  
Yet have e'en there Content imperial:  
No wickedness can enter such a Cell,  
Highest delights, that can a Prince befall,  
This private Cottage may afford as well,  
Where care not half their sorrows unto thee will tell.   

To many, Ri●t from mean to great estate,  
Is not an end, but change of Misery:  
The fault is in the Mind,( not in the Fate,)  
Which is the same in wealth and poverty:  
Who only mind change and variety,  
Live ill, because they still begin to live:  
They rightly here enjoy prosperity,  
That so much pleasure to their Bodies give,  
As they not for, but in the Body sought to live.   

Happy is he, who never saw that one  
With whom he would exchange his mean estate;  
Most miserable, who to that are come,  
They things, which were superfluous of late,  
Have now made necessary to their state:  
Such are e'en slaves, not masters of their pleasure;  
They love their ills, which is the hardest fate.  
Alas! there is no remedy nor measure  
Of Vices, when as men esteem them as a treasure.   

No good befalls a man under the Sun,  
The which his mind is not prepared to lose:  
No loss more easy is to any one,  
Than of the things he hath no need to use:  
He's never poor, who Nature's rules doth choose;  
Nor rich, that liveth by Opinion:  
Natures desires be finite; boundless those,  
That false Opinion depend upon,  
Loathing no Salad: Hunger likes an Onion.   

Sure he is best, to whom with sparing hand,  
God gives sufficient, let him wish no more:  
In need of things superfluous to stand,  
Is miserable want, in greatest store.  
Excess oppresseth many, who before  
With little could have lived and been content:  
These, though they have enough, yet still be poor,  
Because they first beyond their compass went:  
This evil prudent Thrift betimes seek to prevent.   

Who is not made in Husbandry to sweat,  
May sweat in Arts or Laws political;  
'Tis fit all earn their bread, before they eat:  
Nothing is more expensive, prodigal,  
Than to have nothing here to do at all:  
Want of employment, Ease, and Idleness,  
Have caused more noble Houses here to fall,  
Than Fortune's blasts, or Envy's bitterness.  
Let him not live to spend, that nothing doth profess.   

Then let him never live, that doth profess  
What's worse than nothing, basest Usury:  
Herein is certain profit, I confess,  
But always with another's misery:  
Is this the virtue of Frugality?  
By others losses to increase our store?  
Then so is rapine, theft, and robbery,  
Selling of justice, which oft bring in more,  
Than all the frugal Trades I named have before.   

Since Nature with so little is content,  
Who here would use unlawful Arts for gain?  
We are but Stewards here of what is sent,  
If we our Talents use aright to gain,  
We twice as many shall of God obtain:  
But if to hide them in the earth we choose,  
Or spend them on our Lusts and Pleasures vain,  
They shall be ta'en from us, who them abuse,  
And given to such as shall them to God's glory use.   

But I so worldly Thrift have followed,  
That I forgotten have to thrive in Grace,  
And as it in the world is practised,  
Must put her off unto the second place:  
For I so near have finished my race,  
I must defer this to another time:  
God grant we may them both aright embrace.  
Now, like good husbands, knock we off betime,  
And be at work to morrow in the morning's prime.   

BEhold! how Birds for morrow take no care;  
Secure, God will due food for them prepare:  
Can worthless Birds be confident of meat?  
And is a farthing-Sparrowes Faith so great,  
She knows, but by God's will, she cannot fall?  
And shall God's sons, Christ's images, once call  
In doubt their Maker's will, to do then good?  
No sure: who lends them life, will give them food.    

MEDITATION 2.  
Of Providence.  

THe frugal Husband, which I erst described,  
So soon as Titan with his glistering Beams,  
Begilds' the locks of stately Pines, which hide  
The tops of Mountains from his hotter gleams;  
Walks forth amongst his cattle, flocks & teams,  
His Land to open to Sun's mellowing heat,  
And feed his Herds along the silver streams,  
To drink and bathe, when they their fill have eat,  
That fat they him may feed, that now provides them meat.   

Thus early rising; as the Proverb says,  
Brings Thrift in body, in estate, and mind;  
The early riser spends in health his days,  
And by his diligence doth plenty find;  
And in the morning better is inclined  
To Prayer, and divinest Meditation:  
Thus, in a threefold Cord, he Thrift doth wind;  
He driveth Sloth far from his habitation,  
His Soul in Grace, his Body 〈◊〉 by recreation:   

For these respects the Husband's country life  
Transcends the City trades mechanical,  
Or shows at Court, where reigns Ambition strife,  
Or Merchants which on hazard stand or fall:  
For though Thrift in estate these oft befall;  
And Thrift in Grace, in many there we find,  
Yet scarce a strong sound Body amongst them all,  
They want pure air whereby the blood's refined  
And wholesome exercise to country life assigned.   

Well as I could, I rich Frugality  
Did late, as her beseemed well, array:  
I next describe four of her company,  
Which always with this thrifty virtue stay:  
The first two well I name the daughters may  
Of Prudence, Providence, and Diligence,  
Next two themselves from Temperance convey,  
Thrifts Sisters, Abstinence and Continence:  
Of these four I would sing, and first of Providence.   

Oh! thou by whose most powerful only Word,  
All was of nothing made and finished,  
And of this All, mad'st man the little Lord,  
That by him All might well be ordered:  
Who hayers of our head hast numbered,  
Nor lettest the least Sparrow fall to ground,  
But as thou hast before determined,  
Make heavenly Wisdom in mine heart abound,  
That I may wade, not drown, in Providence profound.   

There is Divine and humane Providence,  
Divine is infinite, unlimited  
Transcending Reason, more than Reason Sense,  
And may to glorious Sun be likened:  
The Stars who thence their light have borrowed,  
Doth humane Providence resemble right,  
Which by divine is aye enlightened,  
And though like Stars it oft appeareth bright,  
Yet when the heavenly shines, it is obscured quite.   

Then pardon, Reader, if my Muse's eye  
Dazzled with glory great, and splendour bright  
Of Providence divine, here to descry  
Unable is the dark obscured light  
Of humane; as indeed I ought by right:  
When I come to her Sister D●l●gence,  
I may recover well again my sight,  
My Muse now rapt with heavenly Providence  
Can not descend to highest humane excellence.   

But that I may describe her as a Grace,  
And link her in the virtues golden Chain,  
● her th' Almighty's Sceptre call or Mace  
Which doth all Peace and Order here maintain:  
The bounteous hand, which all things doth sustain,  
Whose eyes for nourishment up to her look,  
Who iust's rewards, and eke the wickeds Pain  
Doth register for ever in a book:  
Thus, as God's Truth and Love, she far a grace is taken.   

Thus one eternal powerful Providence  
here governs all things being by Creation:  
The necessary Age, is, wanting sense,  
Receive their motion by her ordination:  
The voluntary by her moderation  
Are aye disposed, and ruled by their own will,  
Which will she useth as a Mediation;  
No man against his will doth good or ill,  
Though without Grace we of ourselves no good can wil●.   

Sure Ad●m in pure innocence was free  
To eat the fruit forbidden, or abstain:  
Else justly how could he condemned be,  
Except he had a power to refrain?  
But since that gu●lt original did stain,  
With him, all imps which from that stock proceed;  
We still retain freewill, none dares gainesaine,  
But it is only unto evil deed,  
Grace only by New birth a will to good doth bre●d.   

Schools may dispute; the Truth is plainly this:  
As we are men, we power have to will,  
As men corrupt, we always will amiss,  
As borne again, to good we have a will.  
Thus Nature Freewill gives, Sin bends to ill;  
Grace unto Good: But now I seem to stray  
From Providence divine, to man's freewill,  
But this as needful show I by the way,  
How Providence doth voluntary agents sway.   

Her Nature yet more plain to understand,  
We must conceive the world's great marshal,  
As he made all things by his mighty hand,  
So he for ever them disposeth all  
By Providence; not only general,  
By which the Spheres in their due motions ride,  
And Summer and the winter seasons fall,  
But as he by his special doth guide  
And orders every thing, that doth on earth betide.   

And this we call divine Necessity,  
Free from Coaction, which doth all dispose  
To proper ends, yet with free liberty  
Of Will, the things we do to leave or choose:  
Thus in respect of God, that future knows  
As present, all effects are necessary,  
And, in respect of second causes those,  
To us contingent are: Last voluntary,  
As they respect man's will, and motion arbitrary.   

God wonders sees in Moses weeping face,  
When Pharao's Daughter him in Ark doth find,  
As she by chance, did wash her in that place,  
And's mother for his nurse, by chance assigned;  
And when to leave the Court he was inclined,  
His brethren's ●●uell bondages to see,  
He went forth with a free and willing mind;  
Lo thus in this example all the three,  
Divine foresight, man's will, and Chance in one agree:   

And therefore when of Fortune you do read,  
With reference to man it understand,  
Who most to the event of things take heed,  
Not to the Cause, God's most Almighty hand:  
Else Chance and Providence can never stand  
Together in th' Almighty's government;  
Who being Cause of all he doth command,  
Them orders all unto a sure event,  
Though far above man's limited intendment.   

Of things indeed which seem by chance to be,  
The Order, Cause, Necessity and end  
Are hid, in God's close Counsel and Decree:  
We only able are to apprehend  
By the event, how God doth them intend:  
Thus Clerk's a threefold working do observe  
Of Providence; which far their reach transcend,  
And yet they all to one same end do serve,  
To show God's glory, and his creatures to preserve.   

Thus means and second causes she doth use,  
Oft works without, by power immediate,  
And oft to work against means she doth choose:  
Two last men call Necessity or Fate,  
Because the Cause they can not calculate:  
( Oh richest Wisdom, Knowledge without bound  
Of the Almighty! without time, or Date,  
Thy judgements no man able is to ●ound,  
Beyond all men's conceit, thy counsels are profound.)   

Like this is that Philosophers assign  
To Counsel, Nature, Chance and Providence;  
By Counsel, they meant Will and Reason's line;  
By Nature, force of heavenly influence;  
By Chance, when they below beheld events,  
But not their Cause: Last when some Grace did fall  
Past Natures, Chance, and Counsels evidence,  
That Special Providence divine they call,  
Not but they understood she had her ●and in all.   

Sweet fruit of Providence to be persuaded,  
That all below is ordered by God's hand,  
Nothing by Chance: Thus when we are invaded  
By Foes, Death, Hell, we most undaunted stand:  
We, God prime cause of all things understand,  
Respecting yet inferior in their place,  
Which always wait upon the first's command,  
And all are to the glory of his grace,  
Whereby God his elect doth aye in love embrace.   

Oh what inestimable quietness!  
From hence ariseth to a godly mind,  
Though evils without number him oppress,  
Which like so many Deaths he than doth find,  
Knowing not how his wretched self to wind  
From Cruelty, which him fast followeth,  
And doth so fast with cords and fetters bind,  
That every minute threateneth his Death;  
And scarcely suffers him to draw his languid breath.   

Yet if this Light of heavenly Providence  
Shines to his Soul; then all Anxiety,  
Fear, Care, Distrust, are banished quite from thence,  
And he relieved in all extremity:  
Then knows he that one gracious Majesty,  
here by his power so directeth all,  
By wisdom rules, and by his Bonity  
Disposeth so, that nothing ever shall,  
But for God's glory and his own good him befall.   

To flesh's obloquy, some giving way,  
Confess the highest Powers govern all,  
But that with mortals here they use to play,  
As we at hazard toss a Tennis-ball:  
Some all would have by Chance and Fortune fall;  
Some others grant that God doth all incline,  
But that man's wit, and will must work withal,  
These men with God in government, do join  
And his most constant purpose to man's will confine.   

Some, to excuse God, grant that Power divine  
Permitteth evil, but not with his will,  
And suffreth Satan here to blind the eyen  
Of Reprobates; but no ways ill doth will,  
But sure God willingly permitteth ill,  
Since by his power he goodness able is,  
To draw from ill, his purpose to fulfil;  
For thus did Pharaoh wilfully amiss,  
Yet God turns all to's glory, and his chosens bliss.   

As Sun's pure beams exhale from filthy Oose  
Fowl vapours, which no whit the Sun defile,  
So doth God's Providence of ill dispose,  
Yet of no evil he partakes the while:  
And as not in Sun's Beams, but in the soil,  
The matter of th● vapour doth consist,  
So in man's heart is Bitterness and bile,  
And not in God, who evil doth resist,  
Or turns such evil into Goodness, as he list.   

Thus Kings, Priests, Rulers, Elders all combined  
Against the Lord, and his anointed Son:  
And Pilat●, Herod, jews and Gentiles joined,  
To do what God decreed to be done:  
But they meant wickedly e'en every one,  
The people a vain thing imagined,  
To crucify the Lord of Life they run,  
But God, we see, thereby hath quickened  
The members all, whereof he is the glorious head.   

As when we see fair Phoebus' gentle beams,  
United in a burning glass, inflame,  
We use not to accuse Suns gracious gleams,  
For such offence, but Burning-glasse do blame,  
Wherein, without the Sun, 's nor heat nor flame.  
So when we see the wicked man abuse  
The fairest gifts of Nature to his shame;  
The Author of them we must not accuse,  
But wilful man, that doth them here unduly use.   

Good, Powerful, Wise, Disposer of all things!  
So w●se thou all Disorders orderest right,  
So good thy Goodness good from evil brings,  
So powerful all subsist upon thy might:  
How should an ignorant, weak, wicked wight,  
Conceive thy Wisdom, Power, and Providence?  
Much less by Simile it more inlight,  
It far surpasseth mine intelligence:  
Things known I do admire, the rest I reverence.   

But I by Providence divine am led  
To pass the bounds of frugal meditation:  
Pardon, great Clerks, that I have meddled  
To taste a mystery, by Contemplation,  
Worthy your argument, and disputation:  
I was desirous to resolve my mind  
In this high point of heavenly moderation,  
Wherein most wondrous comfort I do find,  
To see how things on earth are first in heaven designed.   

Who can suppose this world so perfect, rare,  
Not governed by one powerful providence?  
Since all which without moderat●urs are,  
Consisting of the four first elements,  
Can not continue; Houses, ●enements,  
Without a tenant, ruin and decay:  
unpruned Vines do lose their excellence,  
Man's Body fails, when soul doth pass away;  
So would this Universe, should God forbear a day.   

As members of a man aright do move  
First by his understanding and his will,  
So doth this Universe by God above,  
And all concord his pleasure to fulfil:  
Who duly wait on Providence, he will  
Make happy here, and blessed evermore:  
Not that he doth the careless idle fill  
With blessings temporal, or heavenly store.  
Who will not row on Sea, shall never come ashore.   

It is a dangerous and impious thing,  
Thus to dispute with Providence divine,  
Mine arm nor good, nor bad, to pass can bring,  
All's done by the Almighty's firm design:  
The written Word must be our square and line,  
God's secret purpose, and revealed Will  
Confound not by a vain conceit of thine:  
Thus thieves may, blameless, true men rob and kill,  
And say they but Gods secret purposes fulfil.   

For Providence doth not us mortals tend,  
As mother's infants newly brought to light,  
Which have no strength themselves then to defend  
Against airs injuries, or foreign might:  
But as the Father that his Son hath dight  
With strength, and weapons against his enemies,  
Directeth him to order them aright,  
And to defend himself from injuries,   

Religion never negligent and idle lies.  
They that are godly and religious,  
With Providence sweet Diligence do join,  
God that without ourselves hath fashioned us,  
Without thyself saves neither thee nor thine:  
And therefore prudent men provide in time,  
Against all future want that happen may;  
When therefore we for morrow do design  
Things necessary; none can justly say,  
Or judge us too much careful, for the following day.   

The Lord of all did needful things provide,  
Therefore the bag false judas carried,  
The Loaves and Fishes which he did divide  
Amongst five thousand which him followed,  
Th' Apostles carried for their daily bread:  
Paul temporal Alms provideth for his Nation,  
Where he the spiritual had published:  
joseph from N●le comes to make preparation,  
To save alive old jacob and his generation.   

Of these learn to provide things necessary:  
Of Beasts to shun and to avoid all ill;  
Who near things hurtful to them do not tarry,  
Nor nigh unto those places travel will,  
Where they into a Ditch have lately fill;  
The Bird escaped, eschews the Fowler's gin,  
Nor will be tempted more with all his skill:  
The fish that finds the hook the bait within,  
Thence to provide against such danger doth begin.   

Things past, for future, are sound documents,  
He that is wise, the evil doth foresee,  
And hides himself from many nocuments,  
Which can not by the fool avoided be:  
Most admirable, virtuous, wise is he,  
That things foreseeing wisely can provide,  
Nothing on earth without a cause we see,  
Though them the highest Wisdom so doth hide  
They can not by our feeble reason be descried.   

The World may be compared to a Stage,  
We mortals to spectators, they that stay  
Without to see her antique equipage;  
Do truly as they ought behold the play:  
The curious that about the Stage do stray,  
And pry into the secret tiring room,  
Are by Stage-keepers often driven away:  
All must not into Nature's secrets come,  
Although she many Mysteries reveal to some.   

How dares proud man inquire so curiously  
Of Gods ●id counsels, and his secret will?  
The Bethshemites into the Ark did pry,  
And God with sudden vengeance them doth kill.  
Provide thee good things, and avoid the ill,  
So mayst thou many live, and happy days,  
Presume not to be wise above thy skill,  
By Gods revealed will guide all thy ways,  
His secret Counsels search not, but admire and praise.   

And yet because God all doth here dispose,  
Thou like a senseless Idol must not stand:  
God gave thee not for nought, ears, eyes, hands, nose,  
A will to do, a wit to understand:  
Employ these always by his just command,  
The whole success leave to his Providence,  
Acknowledge all good blessings from his hand,  
And labour, with all care and diligence,  
To thrive in Goodness, Grace, and all Intelligenc●▪   

But above all from murmuring refrain,  
Or magnifying flashes arm or might:  
So axe may boast, that it along hath lain  
The Cedars; and the Plane may claim, as right,  
That by its work thy roof so fair was dight:  
So may the rod of Moses brag and boast,  
It all the Wonders did in Pharao●s sight:  
The Ass' jawbone, that it slew an host:  
But most the house, when Samson pulled down the post.   

On whom we ought to cast e'en all our care,  
To him we must ascribe the Praise of all:  
In his hand both our Souls and Bodies are,  
By Power of his Breath we stand and fall:  
From him all was, is now, and ever shall:  
Of all the things done underneath the Sun,  
The 
a Eecl. 8. 17  Wiseman sought a reason natural,  
But was as blind, as when he first begun,  
Though first he thought he could discover any one.   

God's counsels shall for evermore endure,  
His thoughts stand firm in every generation;  
Our hearts he fashions, and conceiveth sure,  
Our works▪ and secretest imagination:  
Who to the Rau'ns gives food and sustentation,  
So governs all, they nothing here shall need,  
That wait on him with patient expectation:  
With temporal and heavenly he doth feed  
All those, that crave aright of him spiritual ●eed.   

In number, measure, weight, he doth dispose  
Of all things; He preserves both man and beast:  
When care and pains may save thee from thy foes,  
Use diligence, to God commit the rest:  
And when thou art so mightily distressed,  
Thou canst no help in arm of flesh behold,  
Upon his providence that made thee, rest:  
That in thy mother's womb thy members told,  
And in his Book hath every one of them enrolled.   

Good counsel gave that Heathen, Have a care  
Unto thyself; most of thyself take heed:  
He meant, Lusts and Corruptions which are  
Within us; which to us most danger breed:  
With others we deal warily indeed,  
Lest they deceive us by their subtlety,  
But our own vile affections little heed,  
Although we have no greater enemy;  
Thus we escape Gaths sword, and on our own do di●.   

The jews may with their Orator conspire  
Paul's ruin; nothing shall to him befall,  
But to advance his Crown, and Gospel's hire:  
So as his bonds in Caesar's judgement hall,  
Are manifest and famous amongst them all:  
To the Elect, and those that truly love,  
Nothing but for the best shall ever fall:  
This by examples thousand I could prove,  
Happy who finds it written in his heart by love.   

The Lion's want and hunger may endure;  
Who se●kes the Lord, wants nothing that is good,  
The Angel of the Lord him keeps secure,  
From his own lust's hell's fury, wickeds mood.  
This of the weakest may be understood.  
If aught here passeth thine intelligence,  
Suck thou the milk, and leave the stronger food.  
Here ends my song of heavenly Providence,  
Next, follows her attendant humane Diligence.    

MEDITATION 3.  
Of Diligence.  

WHo, with a prudent heart, and godly mind,  
Will take a view how things are wrought below,  
In all effects shall good and evil find,  
As cause is good or ill, from whence they flow;  
Thus God first Cause of all thy actions know,  
As they be good; thyself as they be ill;  
Which doth God's power and goodness greater show,  
In using here man's vile corrupted will,  
As second cause his sound, good purpose to fulfil.   

All evil then comes from man's vicious will,  
Not moved thereto by mere necessity,  
As senseless Agents are to good or ill,  
But gives consent thereto most willingly:  
By Nature's Light we good from ill descry,  
But this us only leaves without excuse,  
When seeing better we the worst do try,  
And thus God of man's malice makes good use,  
And he is justly punished for his abuse.   

Oh man's perverseness! grant him lest freewill,  
And he becomes vain, proud and insolent:  
Deny him any power to do or will,  
And he grows lazy, slothful, negligent:  
First kind are meritorious, impudent,  
And merit for themselves and others will,  
The other Epicure-like, take content  
In pleasure, eating, drinking of their fill,  
Or in an idle, melancholic sitting still.   

But Diligence, the Grace I next propound,  
For this last evil is best remedy,  
This Viper which most dangerously doth wound  
Our souls with senseless spiritual Lethargy,  
And brings too aspish-lazy Accidy:  
Most perilous, because we feel least harm.  
Oh, this is Satan's subtlest Lullaby,  
Our souls with stupid laziness to charm,  
And then of spiritual arms and weapons to disarm▪   

Thou that hast promised endless happiness,  
To all which at thy coming thou dost-find  
Intent unto their Master's business,  
And diligent in body and in mind,  
Make all my Souls and Bodies powers inclined  
To Diligence, whilst I her praises write,  
Unloose the chains, the fetters strong unbind  
Of Sloth and Dullness, which, to blackest night  
Lead blindfold, drowsy souls that take therein delight.   

Vigilance, Industry, and Diligence  
So like indeed one to another are,  
My plainer Muse scarce sees a difference,  
And therefore all will but as one declare;  
Our souls and bodies powers they prepare,  
In every noble Virtue to transcend,  
Nothing on earth that's admirable rare,  
Without these can be brought to perfect end,  
On these do honest care and labour aye attend.   

For godly, just and necessary cares  
Are parts substantial of Diligence,  
And as she for the future thus prepares,  
Having to Truth and justice reference,  
She is a Grace of wondrous excellence:  
But if she spring from Envy, emulation,  
Ambition, Fear, or other base pretence,  
She is a curious base abomination,  
The busy vice that author is of desolation.   

Industry best agreeth to the mind,  
In which she frames a quick Dexterity,  
In Arts and Sciences the right to find,  
And they that know her wondrous energy,  
In Physic, Law, and in Divinity,  
Know, that she tends the nearest to perfection,  
And is to humane imbecility  
Most sound defence, secure, and safe protection,  
Against Satan's Malice, their own Lusts, & world's infection.   

We well Dame Nature may the Mother name  
Of noble Industry and Diligence,  
Yet oft we see their wondrous force doth tame,  
Things against Nature, without violence;  
All other Virtue's glorious excellence,  
Which we in Heroes justly do admire,  
Have their Beginning and Perfection thence:  
Where Industry and Diligence conspire,  
Wants nothing that we can in mortal man desire.   

For as she many evil things amends,  
So is she of all good the consummation,  
Most dissolute base manners she commends  
Soon, unto honest thrifty reformation.  
An infirm body by exercitation,  
And Diligence, becometh strong and sound:  
She frees old-Age from grievous molestation  
Of painful sharp Diseases that abound.  
Fields of the diligent are fruitful ever found.   

For by this Diligence all well succeed,  
No idle hour on her head doth shine,  
She her best hours spends with prudent heed,  
And all her business aright doth line,  
She finds to all things an appointed time,  
Except it be for Sloth and Idleness.  
If idle words be judged such a crime,  
Much more the loss of times high preciousness,  
Which cannot be regained with cost and carefulness.   

Wherefore good fathers of a Family,  
First rise, and latest go to bed at night:  
And those that love the Mus●s company,  
Do use their eyes to read by Candle-light.  
Artificer, good-Husband, Merchant, Knight,  
And Magistrate, this Virtue doth defend.  
Nothing so difficult, but by the might  
Of Diligence, is conquered in the end,  
Therefore in all affairs she is our surest friend.   

But non● more enemies than Negligence,  
Sloth, Dullness, Carelessness, and Idleness,  
Impurest mire of foul Concupiscence,  
The forge of Lust, and draught of filthiness;  
Whence come all Vices, Sin and Wickedness,  
Which turn men into Beasts, like Sirens charms.  
Oh Sloth! the nurse and mother of excess,  
Like Statue standing still with folded arms,  
And never moves to good, for fear of future harms.   

Unnecessary Burden on the ground,  
Who when he hath consumed all his own,  
Devours his friends, and then a thief is found,  
More false, yea, than a beggar bolder grown;  
For though the beggers-bodies hands are sown,  
And's mind is all on sloth and idleness,  
Yet often in his mouth God's Name is known:  
But God all honesty and shamefastness,  
He loathes that is possessed of sloth and sluggishness.   

A Sluggard is unto himself, and all  
A most pernicious wicked enemy,  
By Sloth his mind and body soon do fall  
To sicknesses, and all impurity:  
He is the bane to all good company,  
The stinking Sepulchre of one alive,  
Shadows of men! Tons of Iniquity,  
Whose soul●s base ease, of Reason doth deprive,  
Whilst, as a Swine with Mast, their bodies fat and thrive.   

We Sloth, like Lazy Ass, at home do find:  
But listen out, you loud shall hear him bray,  
Just like a coward dog of currish kind,  
That doth at harmless Pilgrim's bark and bay;  
But comes a Wolf, for fear he runs away:  
Like fearful Hart, when as he comes to fight,  
But as a Lion greedy of the prey;  
All day asleep, but in the dead of night,  
He woorrieth the fold, for hunger and despite.   

Oh Diligence! perfection of all,  
When as thou dost with truth and virtue dwell,  
But if to Vice and error thou do fall,  
Thou passest H●ggs and Furies all of Hell;  
Hells waking Cerberus is not so fell,  
As popish priests, who compass Sea and Land,  
Into Cymmerian darkness to compel  
Those that in Sunshine of the Gospel stand:  
Thus diligently they obey their Lords command.   

Oh would we be for Truth as diligent,  
As they for errors and traditions vain!  
But I have too much of my hour spent,  
Against the Vice, the Virtue to maintain.  
To Diligence I now return again,  
Which like heavens glorious Sun doth never rest,  
But like a giant runs his Course amain,  
Until she of the garland be possessed.  
This life's no mansion, but a way to heavenly rest.   

In heaven are many Mansions, here we stay  
Only to finish that for which we come,  
If trewan●like we spend our time in play,  
And be with drink, or sleeping overcome:  
Oh! when our fatal hourglass is run,  
And we are called to render our account,  
Of good and evil in the body done;  
Our debts, alas! will all our wealth surmount,  
And our Omissions more than numbers up can count.   

This Diligence is like one in a Mine,  
That digs much earth a little gold to find;  
Like Silkworm, who her slenderest silken twine,  
By Diligence doth on a bottom wind:  
Like husbandman, who little sheaves doth bind,  
Wherewith he fills his Barns and Garners full:  
Like little stones by Mortar fast combined,  
Raised to a Temple large and beautiful:  
Like mighty hosts which Dukes of single men do cull.   

Some by a night-owl, and a Dragon's eyes,  
This virtue Diligence have figured,  
And therefore Poets Fables do devose,  
The Golden-fleece so highly valued,  
Kept by a Dragon's diligence and heed.  
The Golden-fleece, the Kingdom's Peace I call:  
The Dragon, him by whom all's ordered:  
For on whose shoulders such a charge doth fall,  
He must be vigilant, and diligent in all.   

This Virtue is indeed most sovereign,  
In highest Rulers which the Public sway,  
Who are set over us for our own gain,  
If them as God's Vicegerents we obey:  
They keep continual watch both night & day  
For all our goods, so they be diligent:  
God grant such Rulers ever govern may  
His little Fold within this Island penned,  
To joy of all our friends, and foes astonishment.   

The Latins, Diligence derive from Love:  
For he that loveth, doth e'en all fulfil,  
Yea nothing hard or difficult doth prove  
To him, that knows 'tis his beloved's will;  
Whose hearts this glorious Grace of Love doth fill,  
They here despise all losses, grief, and pain:  
Let heavenly love into mine heart distil,  
I world's discouragements will all disdain:  
For Diligence on earth, I love in heaven shall gain.   

This love in David's heart doth so abound,  
It from his eyes and eyelids did expel  
All sleep, till he a resting place had found,  
Wherein the Lord of life might always dwell.  
This made the Mount of Zion so excel,  
That it the glory of the earth became.  
This diligence makes all to prosper well,  
Though but a spark of Love's celestial flame,  
It gains us love in heaven, on earth eter●●ll fame.   

Oh blessed Paul! had I thy eloquence,  
Thy indefatigable pains to sound,  
Thy wondrous travel, care, and diligence,  
Thy Master's will to know, do, and propound.  
How many Sees of Bishops didst thou found?  
How didst thou preach by day, and work by night?  
How diligently Heretics confound?  
And e'en in Hells, Worlds, Tyran●s, Iewes despite,  
By Diligence declare the power of Love's might.   

Should I the Father's lives trace to the Flood,  
And into Egypt, follow them from thence;  
From thence, through wilderness to their abode,  
By Iordans banks, in Houses, Cities, Tents,  
They all are Maps to us of Diligence:  
From Genesis unto the Revelation,  
Their Pilgrimages all have reference,  
To new 
a Reu. 21. 1●  jerusalem, Saints habitation:  
And we all stones, and Builders on that one foundation.   

As God, so we must work before we rest,  
We may not cease till all be finished:  
In heaven we shall enjoy eternal Rest,  
Which by the Sabbaoth was prefigured.  
The Spouse may seek, but finds not in the Bed  
Her Bridegroom: he is like the nimble Hind,  
He must be 
b Ca●. 3. 1.  diligently followed:  
But if by Diligence we once him find,  

c Cant. 2. 8  He skipping comes o'er hills, and mountains like the wind.   

But if I only speak of Diligence,  
And image-like to others point our-right,  
Yet live in Carelessness, and Negligence:  
I, like the blind, may others Lamps inlight,  
But stray and wander all the while in night.  
Our life's a moment here, if we regard  
Eternity: A cloud to heavenly light:  
Like drop unto the Ocean compared,  
Is earthly joy, to that which is in Heaven prepared.   

The Air without motion putrifies:  
The standing-pool becomes unsavoury:  
The hottest Fire without blowing dies:  
The Land with thorns and weeds doth barren lie,  
That is not exercised with husbandry.  
Thy house and householdstuff do soon decay,  
Except they be employed continually:  
Thy lockt-up garments are to Moth's a prey:  
All things not used, like Steel by rust, consume away.   

Look on the nimble Motions of the sky,  
How all move diligently to their end:  
Look on the Beasts that creep; the Birds that fly,  
How they no time to Idleness will lend:  
Earth, though the dullest Element doth spend  
Her strength, for all the Creatures preservation:  
The Creatures e'en their blood and life do send  
To man, for Life's and Body's sustentation.  
Thus all are diligent here in their occupation.   

Oh man! though Lord of all, who yet art borne  
To labour, as the Sparks do upward fly,  
To learn here of thy Vassals do not scorn,  
But eat thy Bread in sweat continually.  
In Labour did the Fathers live and die,  
To do God's will was Christ his drink and food,  
Not to dispute thereof with subtlety,  
And nice distinctions, which do little good,  
But make things easy erst, now hardlier understood.   

One thing is necessary, do and live:  
Practice and Knowledge, must go hand in hand:  
The gods for labours, blessings here do give,  
Not curious knowledge: They that understand,  
And yet forbear to do their Lords command,  
Thereby most inexcusable become,  
When all before the dreaded judge shall stand,  
More than shall hear the final dreadful doom,  
For things omitted here, than things which they have done.   

Like Plutarch's Lamiaes, we are quick of sight  
Abroad, at home we lay aside our eyes:  
If each his own affairs could order right,  
That town would soon to wealth and honour rise:  
The street, where each his door sweeps, cleanly lies.  
I do not here forbid all foreign care:  
To pair of Compasses I like the wise,  
Half of their thoughts at their heart's centre are,  
The other, round about, do for the public care.   

The Cynic, that he might his hate express  
To Sloth, would often tumble up and down  
His Tun, to keep himself from Idleness.  
Base Commodus, of all the Caesars known  
To be most wicked, was not of his own  
Nature so vile: but when his youth by ease,  
Into contempt of Business was grown,  
This was the Empire's fatal last disease,  
Which lost the Caesars all their fathers did increase.   

Oh cursed Negligence! that dost confound  
Souls, Bodies, Churches, Cities, Families;  
No gracious Thrift will grow upon thy ground,  
Thy field like wilderness all barren lies.  
It Souls, like deadly Opium, stupifies:  
It with diseases doth our Bodies fill,  
Pulls down our Temples, which did dare the skies,  
Lays open the City walls to Victor's will,  
And thorough houses roofs rain-droppings makes distil.   

Bewail with me the ruthful Tragedy,  
That Sloth hath made within this holy Land,  
I mean, those 
a Abbeys, etc.  Houses fair of Sanctity,  
Which like so many Pyrami'ds did stand,  
Erected first by holy Founder's hand:  
First raised by Diligence, now razed to ground  
By Sloth, those lazie-belly-gods to brand  
With shame, whose Idleness did thus confound  
Those Places, where Gods holy Worship should abound.   

Behold, with Solomon, the sluggards field,  
Which all o'ergrown with Moss and Bushes lies,  
Whilst Rents and Sales to him abundance yield,  
He looks not after Industries supplies,  
Like Grasshopper, he skipping lives, and dies,  
Or starves, if Winter bringeth Poverty:  
Th' industrious Ant, and Be he doth despise.  
Oh Sloth! the sink of all iniquity,  
That changest men to swinish Bestiality.   

Awake you sluggards, you that power in wine,  
The day's at hand, when you account shall make;  
As of your works, so of your idle time:  
To some employment do yourselves betake,  
And sail not always on the idle Lake:  
It is a filthy, muddy, standing pool,  
No good, or honest mind can pleasure take,  
To row at ease in such a muddy hole,  
Though there his vessel's subject to no winds control.   

Oh you, whom God, e'en gods on earth, doth style,  
Withdraw not from the weight of government  
Your shoulders, nor let Ease your souls beguile  
Of time, which should be in devotion spent:  
Rulers must most of all be diligent,  
All evil cleaves on them by Idleness.  
Look on all States, and foreign Regiment,  
They all corrupt by Ease and slothfulness,  
But flourish, and grow strong by frequent Business.   

You heau'nly-Watchmen, of whom I desire  
Rather to learn, than teach you aught to mend,  
Mark only what Paul doth of you require,  
With diligence yourselves and flocks attend;  
God made you overseers for that end:  
As nought more than assiduous Exercise  
Of Soul and Body, doth from sin's defen●,  
So nothing fills them with iniquities,  
More than this sluggish sloth, and idle vanities.   

Elian doth of th' Egyptian Dog report,  
That when he drinks, he never standeth still  
By River's side, lest poisonous beasts him hurt,  
Who li● in wait, him whilst he drinks, to kill:  
Oh could we see the poisoning serpent still,  
Waiting occasion with envenomed sting,  
Our bones with Lust, and Luxury to fill▪  
And us by sloth, and idleness to bring  
To carelessness of God, and any holy thing.   

That thus would wind us from all Diligence,  
Like lazy Sluggards, only to rely  
Upon th' Almighty's care an● Providence;  
But lo, the Israelites send first to spy  
The earthly Canaan, which did typify  
That heavenly; whither, through this Wilderness,  
We must not hope to pass so easily;  
They won the cities which they do possess,  
With pains and Diligence, not sloth and idleness.   

This was their way, this also must be ours;  
Priests feet the floods of jordane may divide,  
Their trumpets throw down Iericho's proud towers:  
But Ai will many bloody blows abide.  
He little thinks Hell's force, that never tried.  
Th' Amalekites, and Moa● will assay  
To stop thy course to Iordans fruitful side:  
Thou must with Diligence maintain thy way,  
And fight with hardy resolution night and day.   

Lord grant I may, like Paul, be diligent,  
Who wrought his own, and all the Souls to save,  
That with him in the ship to Caesar went:  
And though he knew, that God, who to him gave  
e'en all their lives, his promise would not wau●▪  
Yet see, he leaves not any means untried.  
Lord grant me Diligence aright to crave,  
And Patience thy leisure to abide,  
So nothing that I ask, shall be to me denied.   

My Muse would feign aboard, but Diligence  
Would never let my Meditation end,  
And blames me sore, that I with Negligence,  
Too brief the story of her Praise have penned;  
But Care and Labour next I must attend;  
Which two, with Diligence, go hand in hand:  
God, better luck, me in their praises send!  
I now will drive my little Boat to land,  
And rest, that I more stoutly may to labour stand.    

MEDITATION 4.  
Of Care and Labour.  

MY freer Muse now like a Falcon flies,  
Who having stooped a Mallard at the Brook,  
Remounts again up to the azure skies,  
And for a second sauce at him doth look:  
But suddenly she hath that prey forsook,  
And towereth at a Heron in the Air:  
So though at first my Muse had undertook  
Fair Abstinence; yet seeing Thrift doth pray her,  
To sing of Care and Labour next, I will obey her.   

This Book indeed I wholly did intend  
Unto the honour of Frugality,  
And moral virtues that her Grace attend:  
But so my Muse doth love her liberty,  
And at the fairest is so used to fly;  
She will not leave her heavenly Meditation,  
For any Flower of Humanity:  
Her food divine of holy Contemplation,  
For any earthly Good, Content, or Delectation.   

I grant indeed, that moral Meditation  
May much amend our manners, and our mind,  
But no such pleasing taste and sustentation,  
As in divine, the soul of man can find:  
And therefore though I often am inclined,  
The Praise of moral Virtues here to sing,  
My freer Muse that will not be confined,  
Runs strait on 〈…〉 string,  
Else I, in others 〈…〉 not meddeling.   

And yet I hope no wiser Clerks will blame  
My boldness, here to taste, by meditation,  
The Mysteries, whose knowledge they proclaim  
To us, as necessary for Salvation:  
Thereby to square our Lives and Conversation.  
And though indeed my Writings I intent,  
For others minds and manners reformation,  
Yet if hereby I may mine own amend,  
I have attained more than half my wished end.   

It is no part of holy Contemplation,  
To seek revenge for undeserved wrong;  
Meekness and Patiences meditation  
Have taught my Muse to sing another song:  
God send me more Wit, them a better Tong.  
Now Thou, that Adam in his uprightness,  
( To show, that Labour doth to man belong)  
Didst place in Eden, it to plant and dress,  
Help me, the praise of Care and Labour to express.   

Care's an attended intention of the mind,  
To any thing that's needful to be done,  
Which good and honest for ourselves we find,  
And may unto the public profit come:  
Labour puts Care in execution,  
And is our minds and bodies Energy,  
In any business by Care begun:  
For when to Business we do apply  
Ourselves, we call that Labour, Paines, and Industry.   

Care comes from Wits chief Vigour, Strength, and Light,  
And ready, watchful evermore doth stand:  
Labour, the Body's Faculty is height,  
Which doth perform the thing we have in hand:  
Where these two powers of action do band,  
We Actors and Directors call them may;  
One doth what work the other doth command:  
For as the Body doth the Soul obey,  
So Labour is to noble Care obedient ay.   

Labour and Care, simply considered,  
Nor good, nor ill are, but indifferent,  
And not amongst those Virtues numbered,  
Which in the Court of Love are eminent:  
But for they nothing, that is excellent,  
Can without Care and Labours help attain,  
All in their Company take great content,  
And honour much amongst Love's royal train:  
And glad is she, that can their best acquaintance gain.   

Care's like an old experienced General,  
Too weak to fight, yet order all the Host:  
Labour is lusty, valiant, young, and tall,  
And strikes, where foes he may endanger most:  
Care hath an eye about to every Coast,  
With all advantages to win the day:  
And though more sweat and blood it Labour cost,  
Yet which deserveth best, 'tis hard to say;  
Neither had won the field, had one but been away.   

When jupiter an Hercules would frame,  
Three nights at once he with Al●mena lay:  
Thus to beget one that should Monsters tame,  
Men lost, to lengthen out the night, a day:  
Besides, the pangs of Birth her so dismay,  
It little failed, but she had borne her last.  
By witty Fictions, Poets thus bewray,  
How it Ioues ordinary strength surpassed,  
A true Idea of high Labour here to cast.   

And thus they make jove, Hercules his Sire,  
Who must on earth all Labours undertake;  
And cleanse world's Stables from impurest mire,  
And jove of him a mighty god should make.  
To tell what for immortal Honour's sake  
He did, were too long for a Meditation:  
He made the yron-gates of Hell to quake,  
And Atlas-like, bore up the world's foundation,  
What can be more for Care and Labours commendation?   

He was not fostered in his younger years,  
With Pleasures, wanton Ease, and Idleness,  
But fought with Lions, Tigers, Goats, and Bears,  
Lust, Rapine, Tyranny, Unrighteousness.  
No high thing is attained by Slothfulness.  
Then spoke great Alexander like a King,  
By calling servile Sloth and Laziness,  
But Care and Labour highly honouring,  
Which in small time to him world's Monarchy did bring.   

No good thing without Care and Labour grows,  
With them is Thrift, without a barren Soil:  
Labour increaseth strength, and who her knows,  
Doth pass through hardest journeys without toil.  
Labour our fierceness natural may spoil,  
But raiseth Virtue: Labour doth restore  
Those that are fallen: things hardest reconcile,  
She Virtue by employment furthers more.  
In all a●chieuements Captain Labour goes before.   

And Pleasure follows: for observe these two,  
Delight and Labour though much differing  
In nature, yet they linked together go;  
Delight, I say, still Labour following:  
For things we labour most to pass to bring,  
We joy in more, than those which us befall  
By Chance, and without Pains and labouring.  
That conquest is mo●● glorious of all,  
Which hath endangered most the H●ste and General.   

No solace without Labour: no man gains  
The Honey, without danger of the Sting:  
He that will have the Kernel, must take pains  
To break the shell: who, sweetest Rose in Spring  
Will gather, fears not Bushes prickeling:  
But he that in his bosom hides his hand,  
Whom honour, profit, fear, nor shame can bring  
To action, but doth all day idle stand,  
He hates all Virtue, and is hated by their Band.   

The Roots of Arts are bitter, but they bear  
The sweetest fruits: we can no Good obtain  
But by hard Labour. Thus if we prepare  
Us quiet Peace, what happiness we gain?  
The Minds and Bodies rest, them fits again  
For Cares and Labours new: as Bow unbent,  
Or Lutestring loosed to a lower strain,  
That it may be up to a higher penned,  
And that the Bow may shoot the stronger newly bend.   

God here hath placed on our either hand,  
Commodities and Discommodities:  
These near, those far, Labour 'twixt both doth stand:  
To these a way prone and precipite lies,  
Who comes to those, great difficulties tries,  
Which they by Labour only overcome.  
Labour which wise men's wishes here supplies,  
And doth to them the trustiest Guide become,  
e'en from their infancy, unto their resting Tomb.   

Worse than the vilest Infidel is he,  
That will not care nor labour for his own:  
How many goods and benefits there be,  
To men on earth by Care and Labour known;  
So many ills by Carelessness are sown:  
Base Carelessness and Sloth! But I before  
In Diligence their Pedigree have shown:  
I sing the virtue of the vice no more,  
She to my Muse yields matter most abundant store.   

For Care and Labour is the very ●orne  
Of Amalthea, and all plenteous store:  
She brings good-husbands store of grass and corn,  
And plentifully feeds the hungry poor:  
She makes the Shepherd's lambs grow great and more,  
She is the stay of Trades and Merchandise;  
As good on surging seas, as on the shore:  
All needful things she by her hand supplies:  
Labour most active is, Care politic and wise.   

Like Ab●shai and joab when they fought  
With Ammon, and the Syrians on the plain,  
Both constant, noble, resolute, and stout,  
Both striving, that they may the day obtain:  
If that the Syrians ground on Moab gain,  
Then Abishai must help: if th' Ammonite  
Prevail against Ab●shai: joab again  
Must succour him, with all his force and might.  
Care, Labour thus, from loss, each mutually acquit.   

Labour between the Graces and the Mind,  
Is as the light 'twixt colours and the fight:  
As without light the Eye is always blind,  
So without Labour dwells the mind in night.  
And as the Lord ordained hath the Light,  
To be the mean here colours to discern,  
So Labour, he appoints the medium right,  
Whereby the mind may Grace and Virtue learn,  
And join them fast together by a force intern.   

And as all l●fe and active strength proceed  
From feeding, so from Labour all our good:  
And as Men, to prolong their life, do feed,  
So goodmen have for good to Labour stood.  
As necessary to our life is food,  
So unto honesty is exercise;  
And as none will expect fruit from the wood,  
Except he blossoms first thereon espies,  
So there's no hope of Age, that pains in Youth despise.   

As is a woman's fruit without a man,  
So fairest hopes are without Labour vain:  
Many have hotly at the first began,  
But Courage want to th'end it to maintain:  
Like some rash Summer's storm, or dash of rain,  
That corn beats down with sudden inundation,  
But soaks not half so deep in flowery plain,  
As showers that fall with sober moderation:  
Things violent incline to sudden alteration.   

And as we nothing to our healths do find  
More dangerous, than Ayers alteration,  
So nought more hurts the Body and the Mind,  
Than change to sluggishness from recreation.  
Delight or Labour, without moderation,  
Destroy men's bodies, and their wits confounded,  
Like Nightingales, that take such delectation,  
Sweet notes above their fellows to propound,  
Their spirits fail, and they are dead with singing found.   

Many will labour, but they soar too high,  
Or else most basely s●nke down to the deep;  
They either will into God's secrets pry,  
Or down into Earth's base bowels creep:  
A few or none true moderation keep;  
They either dive for profits base and vain,  
Or climb up to God's secret Mountain steep:  
In both their steps no longer do remain,  
Then way of Bird in th'air, or ships upon the Main,   

You that the Muse's Secretaries are,  
And pen the counsels of the King of Kings,  
I know your Labour, Industry, and Care,  
To understand and publish holy things:  
Which unto you such joy and Pleasure brings,  
As we that feel it only understand.  
Yet mount you high, Sol fries your waxen Wings;  
If low, them Nept●ne wets with waving hand:  
The golden Mean 'twixt two Extremes doth always stand.   

Frail mortal man! if thou with fleshly Eye  
Beholdest the Sun, thy sight is dazzled,  
Much more with brightness of Divinity,  
Is thy Minds weaker Eye astonished:  
Glory shall him amaze, that will aread  
The Splendour of eternal Majesty:  
Man's Mind, here with corruption limited,  
Hath no such ample large capacity:  
No mortal seeth me( saith God) but he must die.   

Some Meats the appetite do more provoke  
To eating, we of them must take most heed;  
Such are the Labours which are undertook  
For too high Knowledge, or world's base meed:  
For these provoke our appetites indeed  
Unto Extremes, from that fair golden Mean;  
Which do our Callings here so far exceed,  
To which corrupted minds so much do lean,  
They always fall into a curious Ex●●eme.   

Base wretched Cares! whose Labour is in sin,  
Which bring us terrors in true pleasures steed,  
Uncessantly here taking pains to win  
Base Mammon, and this world's unrighteous meed▪  
Or an ambitious humour base to feed,  
Or their mean House to highest pitch to raise,  
Or for Revenge, or lustful wicked Deed,  
Or to gain popular applause or praise,  
And be a precedent unto succeeding days.   

As greater Fowls, though they be strong of wing,  
With body's burden are so weighed down,  
They cannot mount like nimble Lark in Spring:  
So minds of men to these world's Cares fast sown,  
Soon like this world, are gross and heavy grown:  
And though they might, by noble Industry,  
Be raised again to understand their own;  
Yet stupid, senseless on the dunghill lie,  
Drunk with foul Ease, and this world's base Commodity.   

These lovers of the world, though they wax strong  
In things ter●ene, in heavenly weaker grow;  
For worldly honour they will sweat and throng,  
Bu● to win Crowns in heaven are dull and slow:  
For worldly Gain they ought will undergo,  
From heavenly, lest reproach or shame will bend:  
For Prince's favours they whole days will woe,  
But not one hour to God in Prayer spend:  
Thus present Shows, not future Glory, all intent.   

What Labour hard, what time can we think long,  
Which doth to us eternal glory gain?  
To have our wills no labour seems too strong:  
For Virtue, we'll not least delight refrain.  
Think but what holy Labour may obtain,  
A certain hope, and sweet remuneration,  
Of which, the Saints, forsaking Pleasures vain,  
Have by their lives given plenteous commendation,  
Here labouring all, whilst they lived, in their Vocation.   

Here Plenty makes me sparing: read the acts  
Of all the holy Fathers till the Flood,  
From thence, to Egypt's Bondage: next, the facts  
Of Moses, josuah, Kings and judges good:  
Have they not all for Labour stoutly stood?  
This shunning Labour by a Hermit's Cell,  
A late device is of Rome's lazy brood,  
To mumble Prayers, and their Beads to tell,  
But take no Care for neighbour, Church, or Commonweal.   

Is this Paul's Watching, Pain, and Weariness,  
Thirst, Hunger, Scourge, Nakedness, and Cold;  
Perils by land, by water sore Distress?  
Besides, his outward labours manifold,  
His inward Cares the Church in Peace to hold?  
A living man lie buried in a tomb;  
Lest worldly 〈◊〉 and labours him withhold  
From contemplation of that heavenly room,  
Where never such a slothful, idle wretch shall come.   

Brave active spirits! though in Contemplation  
I spend much time, yet I your lives do hold  
To be more worthy praise and admiration,  
You bring to us all good, and ill withhold:  
You, whose great cares and labours do uphold,  
Like Atlas' shoulders, civil Government:  
Your Splendours we, your cares cannot behold,  
Who know the Care and Weight of Regiment,  
Would never envy them, their glory and content.   

O Muses Darlings! do not then abuse  
Your heavenly Numbers,( which the Muses lend  
To honour of Authority to use)  
Their names with blots and infamy to blend.  
Your Muse not able is to apprehend  
Their deep Foresight, that States and Kingdom's sway:  
With care and labour they at Helm attend,  
That sleep and sing in ship you safely may:  
No gentle Dog will at his Keeper bark and bay.   

Great Keeper of this famous British Isle!  
How dost thou care and labour for our ease?  
Besides King's ordinary Pains and Toil  
In Government, thy Writings do increase  
To largest Volumes, for the Church's Peace:  
For Christ's pure Spouse, and thy dear Kingdom's weal:  
Thy Watchings, Prayers, Labours, never cease,  
Else blos'mes of Vines, the F●xes soon would steal,  
Or wild Boar root up all thy Church and Commonweal.   

When in his large, wise, understanding heart,  
We, for our Good, such cares continual see,  
What secret Malice can a man pervert,  
To deem that in his Love, and Wisdom he  
Advance will any to Authority;  
But whom he every way doth able find,  
To care and labour for the safety  
Of Church and Kingdom, to his care assigned?  
Wise Masters best discern how Servants are inclined.   

Great Peers appointed, by this Master wise,  
To Rule his Kingdom, and adorn his Hall,  
Of him learn Labour and brave exercise,  
And do not unto idle gaming fall:  
The Bane of Court, Town, Country, Church and all:  
Oh spend the time you from employment spare,  
In Tilting, Hunting, Arms, Arts Liberal,  
And so with Piety your minds prepare,  
To labour in your charge, and have of heaven a care.   

Besides examples of your earthly King,  
Look on our Lord that sits in heaven above:  
Who here on earth was always labouring,  
Now as our Head himself he doth approve,  
Most careful for his Spouse and dearest Love..  
See his Disciples, Saints and Martyrs all,  
How careful and laborious they prove,  
In Writings, Preachings Counsels general,  
Relieving poor in want, redeeming Saints from thrall,   

Amongst these Lights of Labour, with me look  
On one, though little, yet of wondrous might,  
Who, Dauid-like, takes stones out of the Brook,  
The proud Goliath in the front to smite:  
Oh how dost thou most valiantly acquit!  
God and his Church, against Rome's railing Host,  
And that Augean stable purgest quite,  
Though it thee much care and labour cost:  
Of this would Her●'les more, than all his labours boast.   

Could Sloth herself that sweet Delight but taste,  
Which comes of Pains and honest exercise,  
Her precious time & strength she would not waste,  
In Idleness and worldly vanities.  
But like to nimble ●arke wo●ld early rise,  
Who mounting first to heaven Devotions sings,  
And afterwards her business applies,  
So long as Light lends use of eyes or wings,  
And then in ●est enjoys fruit of her trauelling●.   

Most sweet Delight! at night when wearied,  
We end the Cares and Troubles of the day,  
When private, public having profited,  
We down ourselves with Peace and Comfort lay:  
Not like rich Miser's, to their Souls, that say,  
In this abundance lie thee down and rest,  
When ah! Who knows but e'en that night away,  
His Soul forth from his Body may be pressed,  
And he all unawares o'er taken in his nest?   

Unnecessary Labours, worldly Cares,  
Which on themselves, not Providence depend,  
My Muse to them no such great favour bears,  
As here amongst the Graces to commend.  
All things created serve unto their end,  
For which God at the first did them ordain,  
And all unto his Glory do intend:  
Why then should man be slothful, idle, vain,  
So long as here on earth he doth in health remain?   

He hath a mind firm, valid, raised on high,  
Able to soar above the Firmament,  
And by sweet Contemplation to descry  
The heavens swift motion, Order, Government:  
All things are subject to his Regiment,  
In squalid Sloth and ease yet down he lies,  
Till thou who first didst frame his earthly tent,  
Dost raise his mind to heavenly exercise,  
Which may by Care and Labour him immortalize.   

Not anxious, unprofitable cares,  
Base offspring of Distrust and Diffidence:  
With present, always, discontent; and fears  
Vain, future wants, or children's Indigence,  
Distrusting thus God's gracious Providence,  
Which fills with open hands the mouths of all,  
Whose eyes look up to his Beneficence,  
And Lilies clads in colours natural,  
More fair than Salomon's rich robes imperial.   

He that this all did first of nought ordain,  
And now it governs by wise Providence,  
Is by his Bounty able to sustain,  
All those that labour with true Diligence:  
Sure he will give abundant recompense  
To all, who careful, faithfully do here  
Rely on him, without least Diffidence:  
He for his Foes did spend his blood most dear,  
Why then should Friends distrust his Providence and Care●   

Kindle thy Love then in my frozen breast,  
Frame in my mind a study and desire,  
To follow thee, that canst direct me best,  
By thy command to march on or retire.  
Awake me from Slouth's filthy dirt and mire,  
Lest darkness me fast-sleeping apprehend,  
From which to Light again i● no retire,  
Let me no hour unprofitably spend,  
Nor pass one day unfruitfully unto mine end!   

That faithful servant's blessing on him light!  
Whom Thou so doing, when thou comest shalt find,  
Grant, whatsoever hour of the night  
My Lord and Master comes, my soul and mind  
May to continual watching be inclined:  
But lest I labour here too long in vain,  
I next will pass unto my Port assigned,  
To Death; the end of all my Care and Pain,  
To grave, where, till the final doom, I must remain.   

There quiet I shall sleep and be at rest,  
With Kings, which here their houses filled with gold,  
And Emperors, which all the world possessed,  
Yet all too straight ambitious thoughts to hold:  
There small and great, free, bond, rich, poor, young, old,  
Oppressors, prisoners have like fruition  
Of rest: All turn again to dust and mould,  
As small an Vr●● then limits the Ambition  
Of Popes, and Caesar's, as of Beggars mean condition.    

MEDITATION 5.  
Of Death.  

COme, let's shake hands, we in the end must meet:  
I have provided me this goodly Chain●  
Of Graces, at thy coming thee to greet,  
For thou wilt not for favour, gold or gain,  
Thy fatal stroke, one moment, here refrain:  
Well, close mine eyes, and dim my Body's Light,  
These shining Gems for ever shall remain,  
My soul for to enlighten; Oh! then smite,  
It skils not when, nor how, so as my heart stands right.   

Ah! why look'st thou so pale, as thou didst fear?  
Thee, before men and Angels, I forgive,  
I wish thee not a minute to forbear,  
I never shall the Life of Glory live,  
Till thou vnlock'st the door my soul to give  
Enlargement from this Prisonhouse of clay,  
For which she long hath struggled and did strive,  
Yet still the Flesh, the Spirit down doth way;  
And fitting 'tis I should my Maker's leisure stay.   

Thou earthquake-like this prison house must shake,  
Before my Soul be loosed from her ●ands,  
And make my K●●pers tremble all and quake,  
Lo then a holy Angel ready stands,  
To save her from he●s-watches grizly hands:  
And though heavens sudden Light my Soul amate,  
She forward goes, and nothing her withstands,  
A joyful entrance to most happy state,  
Thus pass we thorough Deaths-doore, in at heavens narrow gate.   

Welcome, as sleep, to them that right thee know,  
And easy as a Downy-Bed of Rest,  
But thou most gastly-terrible dost show,  
To those, that thou dost unawares arrest:  
Sweet haven to Souls with world's winds, waves oppressed;  
A Rock to those that swim in sweet Delight;  
Sweet host of Saints, who with perfumes hath dressed  
The Beds, wherein their Bodies, all the night,  
May rest, till Trumpets sound, awake to glorious Light.   

To Poor thou show'st thy honey, hidest thy sting,  
The Rich thy Sting, but no● thy honey see,  
Like jailor thou dost good and bad news bring  
To Souls, that in the flesh imprisoned be;  
One must dye ever; th'other shall be free.  
Thou that dost Death, to thine, by dying make  
The Messenger of such great joy and glee,  
Direct my Muse, in what I undertake,  
That I may Death discern, ere Death we overtake.   

What's Death but a divorce or separation,  
Of Man and Wife, that never could agree,  
From Bed and Boo●d, and from Cohabitation?  
The guilty Flesh pays Costs, the Soul is free;  
Yet Both ere long shall one another see,  
Freed from foul Sin, the cause of all their strife,  
And shall in Wedlock's Bands rejoined be,  
To love, and live, for aye, like Man and Wife,  
A holy, happy, quiet, and eternal Life.   

But this I of the first Death understand;  
( Lord! of the second, never let me taste)  
This is the way into the holy Land,  
That doth into continual darkness cast:  
No mortal Sense did ever see or taste  
The seconds anguish, terror, horror, pain:  
The first is short, the second aye doth last,  
Age, Sickness, men to dye the first constrain,  
The Devils in the second, souls and bodies chain.   

This, setteth willing souls from bodies free,  
That, souls in bodies holds against their will,  
By this, from Body's weight we quited be,  
That, with such weight of sin the soul doth fill,  
As to the Pit infernal press it will:  
This, takes good men away before their time,  
Lest they be overwhelmed with too much ill,  
That, seizeth on the wicked, for their crime.  
That leadeth down to Hell, by this to heaven we climb▪   

The first, hath only power in the grave,  
Second, in Hell; One, us deprives of sense,  
By th' other, sense of endless Pain we have,  
Both, have one name, yet see their difference.  
Sin mother is of both: In innocence  
Had Adam stood, Death never had been known,  
But second Adam hath removed long sense  
The sting of this first Death, e'en by his own:  
Thus from a Plague, Death is to Saints a favour grown.   

Christ meeteth her as Esau on the way,  
And gives a charge unto her rougher hands,  
No evil against jacob to assay;  
Thus turns he to embracements all her Bands;  
Death, made by Sin our mortal foe, now stands  
Our first fast friend, to bring us unto bliss;  
And though awhile our carcases she brands  
With vile corruption, a●d Rottenness,  
Our souls the whilst ab●de in joy and happiness.   

All first Death gets, is Rottenness and Dust,  
A Body only, in corruption sown,  
To kill seeds of Concupiscence and Lust,  
That it more glorious after may be known,  
Our earthly part thus turneth to her own,  
But shall again a heavenly body rise,  
And as at first, be with the Spirit one,  
Which long hath lived in joyous Paradise,  
Waiting till Christ her mortal should immortalize.   

Alas! why should we then be so afraid,  
here to endure a little grief or pain,  
Be it on Rack, or Bed? so I be laid  
Safe in my Grave, my soul thereby shall gain;  
Lord! grant me Faith, and Patience to maintain  
Hell's last encounter, when my Soul is shaken!  
The holy Martyrs did not so complain  
Of Pain, when Soul was from the body taken,  
As when their Conscience by tentation was awaken.   

This Death, though painful, quick dispatch doth make,  
The second, hath eternity and pain,  
They rightly at Death's horror, quake and shake,  
Where griefs within, more than without remain,  
Whose conscience them more terribly do strain,  
Than any outward torment they endure,  
Who sees heavens most incomparable gain,  
And can thereof by Faith himself secure,  
Is certain, Death can nought but good to him procure.   

For body frail, one like his glorious head  
For pleasures, profits, hopes and honours vain,  
( Whereby then eased, we are more troubled:)  
Eternal rest, and freedom from all pain,  
Were't thou, my Soul, but sentenced to remain  
In this frail body, yet a thousand years,  
Oh! how wouldst thou of weariness complain,  
And maladies thy Flesh about her bears,  
And seek Death as a blessing e'en with many tears?   

Yea should this life last without tediousness,  
Oh! Do but think that as thou more dost sin,  
Thou addest more unto thy wretchedness,  
For Death at first, by Sin did enter in,  
Who would not leave these loathsome rags! to win  
That glorious, shining robe of Righteousness,  
Thou shalt not lose thy Body, but thy Sin,  
Thou it again shalt meet in happiness,  
Corruption shall indeed be changed, not thy Flesh.   

As Golden Ore, in Finers fire cast,  
Is not consumed, but cleansed from dross, and tried;  
So substance of the body doth not waste,  
Only by Death is purged, and purified.  
Should Souls here in their Tabernacles 'bide,  
With all infirmities till Day of Doom,  
How weary would they be, of rest denied,  
And wish their Bodies sleeping in their Tomb,  
Until the joyful Day of Resurrection come?   

So long as here our Bodies do remain,  
They have like Wool one tincture natural,  
But Death them dyeth all in purple grain,  
To make them Robes for Spirits Celestial,  
For we in heaven like Kings and Princes all  
Shall reign in new Jerusalem for ay,  
The Grave us like each side of Red Sea wall,  
From cruel Egypt's bondage on our way,  
Doth to the Land of heavenly Canaan convey.   

As he, who for ill-doing lieth bound,  
Trembles & quakes when loosed from his bands,  
He must before the judgement Seal be found,  
To give account for works done by his hands,  
But he most stout and resolutely stands,  
Whose Conscience him of evil doth acquit:  
So men rejoice, or fear, when Death commands  
Them to appear before the judge upright,  
There to receive just doom, for things done wrong or right.   

As water-drops, which fall in Fountain pure,  
Die not, but are preserved incontinent,  
So Bodies perish not, but ay endure,  
Only resolved to their first Element:  
Our spirits fly to heaven whence they were lent.  
As drops of rain which from the heavens descend,  
Are all into the womb of Tethys' sent:  
So Saints dead Bodies to Earth's bowels tend,  
Whence drawn up by Son's heat, to heaven they re-ascend.   

What is our Life? a wind, a course to death:  
They that on Earth the longest course can gain,  
Run in the end themselves quite out of breath,  
And no more but their courses end obtain;  
To which, they that live fewer years attain.  
God here to men doth life, like money, lend:  
Which at our Day we must pay back again.  
As without oil the Lamp no light doth send,  
So when our humids spent, our Life is at an end.   

As Pilgrim with long travel wearied,  
Lays down his Flesh to sleep in darkest night,  
But Visions hover about his head,  
Do show unto his Soul most heavenly Light,  
And doth with Dreams his spirits so delight,  
He wisheth oft the night would ever last:  
So fares it with the new-deceased wight,  
When in the grave his Body sleepeth fast,  
And Angels have his Soul in Abra●ams-bosome placed.   

As Stars of heaven, which first in East do shine,  
Arise, till their Meridian they have passed,  
But do from thence as fast again decline,  
Till they into the Western Seas are cast:  
e'en so vain Mortals, here are all in haste,  
Till they their highest pitch of strength attain;  
But that once got, they fall again as fast,  
And downward to the grave descend amain,  
Some here a shorter, some a longer course obtain.   

And as he's happiest, whom the swiftest wind  
Brings soon to the Port, and haven of rest,  
So's he, that soon in the grave doth find  
Harbour against world's storms, which him infest.  
Death doth but like his brother Sleep arrest  
The weary wight, where he a longer night,  
Himself in grave, than in his bed may rest;  
And yet no longer, than till Christ our Light  
Awakes us, to enjoy for ay his glorious sight.   

To all that labour, pleasing is the end;  
The Traveller inquireth for his Inn:  
The hired Servant, when his Year doth end:  
The Husband, when his Harvest doth begin:  
Merchant of his Adventures coming in:  
The Woman, when her ninth Month doth expire:  
So Saints, of Death have ever mindful been:  
For where's our Treasure, there's our heart's desire,  
And where our Crown is laid, our eyes do ay aspire.   

Therefore the dying Saints like Swans do sing,  
Foreseeing, that they in the grave should rest  
From Labours, and be freed from the sting  
Of Sin, which here their lives did most infested:  
Why should we with Death's fear be so distressed?  
When as the Lord of Life himself did die,  
That we from sting of Death might be released;  
e'en Sin, the Cause of all our Misery,  
And made Death our first step to true Felicity.   

The truth hereof the sacred Pages seal,  
When that which commonly we dying call,  
They call it sleeping: For Christ did repeal  
The Act of dying, by his Funeral:  
Thus Patriarches, Prophets, Kings, Apostles, 〈◊〉  
Lie sleeping, till the final Resurrection,  
From Ad●m, to the judgement general,  
All to this fa●all Lord must yield subjection,  
And sleep secure and sound under his safe protection.   

The Wiseman therefore, better doth commend  
The Day of Death, then of Nativity;  
By that, our pain and labours have an end;  
This, the Beginning is of Misery:  
The Lord of Life, who Life and Death did try,  
Proclaimeth endless Blessedness to those,  
With rest from labour, in the Lord that die:  
Blessed whom he to live in him hath chose,  
But till their Death, from Labour they have no repose.   

See, but how wiser Heathens entertain  
This fatal stroke, this last necessity:  
How they on Birthday's, loud lament and plain;  
At Funerals, make mirth and melody;  
For that begins, this ends all misery:  
No man, say they, that doth not Death despise,  
Can here on earth enjoy true Liberty,  
They only saw an end of miseries,  
But lo! heaven stands wide open unto Christians eyes.   

Ah why should Painters limb Death with a dart,  
Time with a Sith, before him cuts all down,  
Death doth but lance, and play the Surgeon's part,  
Time fells the Corn, that's ready to be mown.  
Alas! what Cruelty hath Death us shown?  
Thou art but as a Servant unto time▪  
To gather Fruits which, he saith, ripe be grown:  
In Winepress thou but treadest out the wine,  
To barrel up in Tomb●s that there it may refine.   

As we green Fruits more difficultly pull,  
Than those we find hang ripe upon the tree,  
So youthful Spirits of heat and vigour full,  
More hardly die than they that aged be:  
This is the greatest difference we see,  
Between their courses that are short and long,  
Both go the broad way of Mortality,  
Death, like a mighty wind here lays along,  
As weak and hollow El●nes, so Cedars stout and strong.   

Who is so strong whom she hath not cast down?  
Look all the generations gone and passed,  
Their ancient Monuments by Books are known,  
In Gra●e their Bodies all to dust do waste;  
The jews long-life more eagerly embraced,  
As 'twas a type of endless happiness,  
But since Christ in his youth of Death did taste.  
All Substances fulfilled, their Figures cease,  
Now happiest he whom Death the soon doth release.   

Happy, though clouds of stones thy head enfold  
Like Steph'ns, so open heavens show pure & clear,  
And though a Trance like Paul's so fast thee hold,  
That whether thou without the Body were,  
Or in the Body, thou canst not declare.  
Though thus Death doth like sleep they flesh arrest,  
The joys of heaven shall to thy Soul appear,  
Not to be uttered: Lo, they are best  
By Negatives, not by Affirmatives expressed.   

No eye hath seen, no ear hath ever heard,  
No heart conceive, no tongue that can recite  
The joys, th' Almighty hath in heaven prepared,  
For them that here do live and die aright:  
Oh enter Soul into thy Lord's delight!  
This joy thou canst not in thyself contain,  
For thou art bounded, that is infinite;  
Who enters, shall for ever there remain,  
And for these finite Cares, joy infinite obtain.   

Oh! who can know this Death, and be afraid?  
Although amongst the pots thou lie a time,  
Thou like a silver Dove, shalt be arrayed  
With golden feathers, which like heaven shall shine.  
But ah! Thus with myself I do divine,  
Without least peril, by free Speculation:  
But should Death seize on this my brittle Shrine,  
And offer me to act my Meditation,  
How should I tremble at my houses desolation!   

That which is now familiar to my thought,  
Will bring me then Amazement, Horror, Fear.  
Alas! this battle's not so easily fought,  
Except jehovah on our side appear.  
Didst think, Death would with Compliment forbear,  
And only thee delight with Meditation?  
No, he will try what courage thou dost bear,  
And seize upon thy Flesh's habitation,  
It laying waste, till all in Christ have restauration.   

Then as I feel this outward man decay,  
Grant I may strong and stronger grow within,  
And by a constant daily dying may  
Be armed, against this strong man enter in;  
That though he seize upon this man of sin,  
My inward man may like the silver Dove,  
That newly hath escaped the Fowler's gin,  
Fly to her Lord and Saviour above,  
And be embraced in his blessed arms of Love..   

Oh! there I shall enjoy eternal rest,  
And happy Peace, which here I crave and miss,  
And wander further more and more distressed.  
What if some little pain in passage is,  
Which makes frail flesh to fear Death's pallid kiss?  
That pain's well borne, that endless ease doth gain,  
And from Sin's cruel slavery dismiss.  
Sleep after Toil, faire-weather after rain,  
Peace after War; ease is most pleasing after pain.   

We all are wanderers weary of our way,  
And hasting to the Grave our certain home:  
This world's the Flood which doth our passage stay,  
Till 
a Death  Charon's boat to waif us over, come.  
Who Life did limit by eternal Doom,  
And times for all things hath established,  
Appoints each Centinel unto his room,  
And so the terms of Life hath limited▪  
None may depart, but by their Captain licenced.   

Nefarious wretch! who with flagitious hand▪  
Dares violate the Temple God did raise,  
A Mirror here of all his Works to stand,  
His wisdom to commend, and goodness praise:  
He that appoints the great world's nights & days▪  
From her Creation to last Revolution,  
Determins' all thy small world's works and ways,  
Who wilfully then hasts his dissolution,  
Seeks to gainsay his Maker's constant resolution.   

The longer life I know the greater sin;  
The greater sin, the greater punishment,  
Yet if thou Soldierlike art entered in,  
Thou must go on with stoutest hardiment,  
And not depart without commandment.  
Oh lie not down, and thee to rest betake,  
Ensuing ills of liu●ng to prevent▪  
Though life hath nought that can her loved make,  
Yet gives it no just Cause that thou shouldst it forsake:   

And yet, O sinful man! do not desire,  
To draw thy days forth to the last degree,  
Until the measure of thy sinful hire,  
Be heaped up with all impiety,  
Against the day of Wrath and jealousy,  
Whilst thou this sinful Body bear'st about,  
Laden with Sins, and foul Iniquity,  
Their numbers more and more increase no doubt,  
Most happy he whom Death the soon helpeth out.   

Despair not yet, frail, silly, fleshly wight,  
Nor let Distrust amate thy manful heart,  
Nor Satan's malicing dismay thy spirit,  
Thou in thy Saviour's meri●s hast a part,  
Oh why shouldst thou despair, that certain art  
Of Christ thy Saviour? Lo! in him is grace,  
From thee for ever to remove Hell's smart.  
And that accursed hand-writing to deface,  
No sins can be so great, but Mercy may have place.   

How then should any wretched wight be won,  
To spoil the Castle of his life and state?  
Is't not Gods doing whatsoeuer's done  
In heaven and earth? Did he not all create  
To live and die by his eternal Fate?  
Who dares then strive with strong Necessity?  
That constant holds the world in changing state,  
All ought be willing here to live or die:  
Life, Death, ordained are by heavenly Destiny.   

Then witness Death, that willing I lay down  
My Body, sure to put it on again;  
My fleshly Baggage, for a heavenly Crown,  
My earthly Bondage in the heavens to reign.  
I leave this Tent of brittle clay, to gain  
In heaven a mansion holy, spiritual.  
Lo, my corruption here I down have lain,  
For incorruption, pure, Angelical,  
And for a heavenly Parlour, changed my earthly Hall.   

Lord, this I crave, Direct me in the way,  
So shall I certainly attain my end:  
If well my Part on mortal Stage I play,  
Saints, Angels, my beholders, shall commend  
My Action: God and Christ shall be my friend:  
And when my flesh to Nature's Tyring-●oome,  
From whence it came, shall quietly descend:  
It there shall rest until the Day of doom,  
And then in heau●nly Choir a Singing-man become.   

Sweet Death, then friendly let me thee embrace:  
He truly lives, that living, learns to die:  
Now smiling, like a friend, I see thy face,  
Not terrible, like to an enemy:  
But I with Prayer end my melody:  
Lord grant, when Death my passing-bell doth ring,  
My Soul may hear the heavenly Harmony  
Of Saints and Angels, which most joyful sing  
Sweet Hallelujahs to their Saviour, God and  
〈◊〉▪   
FINIS.   

TO thee, poor Bird, in Cage imprisoned;  
How like am I, by Ag●e visited?  
I cannot use my horse, nor thou thy wing,  
And therefore both sit still within, and sing.  
My Muse hath with my Body Sympathy:  
If well, I learn to live; if sick●, to die.   

Of dying young.  
THis world a banquet is, we, convives all,  
Where most, by Drink, to sin and surfeit fall.  
Who dyeth young, is like him that doth rise  
From banquet, ere the wine his wit surprise.  
FINIS.