Juvenilia SACRA, OR Divine Youthful Meditations; CONSISTING, 

Of a Dialogue between Christ and the Soul.  
A Preparation to the Lords Supper.  
Characters of the Pious and Impious Man.  
Of the Good, and Wicked Woman.  
The Four Quarters of the Year.  
Ten Historical, Ten Scripture, and Ten Occasional Applications.    
By, P. B. Gent.  
London, Printed by Tho. Mabb, for John Playfere, at the White Bear in the Upper Walk of the New-Exchange, 1664.   

Perlegi hunc Libellum cui Titulus (Juvenilia Sacra) in quo nihil reperio sanae fidei Disciplinae Ecclesiae Anglica aut bonis moribus contrarium.  
Joh. Hall R. ●. D. Episc. Lon. à sac. Domest. Mar. 15. 1663.   

TO HIS Honoured Friend, Francis Dashwood Esq  
SIR,  
I Have Read of Pylades and Orestes and many others, but the Past, Present, or Future Age, have not; nor will never Produce such a Stupendious Example of Friendship, as Yours to me; which though I cannot Requite, yet I will never Cease to Acknowledge. I here Present You the Fruits of my Youthful Idle Hours and it will be a Repetition of your former Courtesy, to Protect and Accept such a Trifle; yet therein You have Your own Picture drawn in the Character of my Pious Man, which if it be not to the Life, the World wil● conclude, that it is not because You wanted Merrit▪ but the Unskilfulness of,  
Your Humble Servant, P. B   

Courteous Reader,  
PErhaps in the Perusal of my little Book, thou mayest think me too Satyrical, but I hope thy Ingenuity will apply these Invectives to those, unto whom they were directed, to the Vicious; for mistake me not, I am none of those that think all they which wear black patches, cannot go to Heaven, I only aim at such, as hang them out as the Ensigns of Lust; neither do I carp at all that are attired in Gorgeous Apparel: (No) for surely, the Lilies Beauty, and Solomon's Royalty, was not displeasing to God; But only at such who are proud in them, that hug their Inventions for devising fantastic fashions, that spend most of their time, in pruning of their Locks, and setting those Nets to catch Fools, Suppose you should be Enamoured of a false, though a seeming Lovely Beauty, and at the Instant of the Enjoyment of your Imaginary Heaven, when your Sun should disrobe herself of her Shroud; If then I say instead of the Beams of a dazzling Beauty, you should meet with nothing but Deformity; Those Tresses which you have Esteemed as the Nets of Cupid, as the Beams of the Sun, should prove the horrid spoils of the dead; and those teeth which you called Pearls, should be false, as herself, and confined each night, into a Box; would not this fright your resolution? This is all that I have endeavoured to do, to unmask the Strumpet, and show you her ugly Visage, hoping it may persuade you no longer to serve so deformed a Mistress; Here thou wilt find Heavenly Milk for Babes; Counsel for Young Men, and such was I, being but sixteen when I wrote most of them; hereafter when my Judgement grows Riper with my Years, I shall endeavour to give thee more solid food; If you reap any Fruit by the perusal of my Book, I am too well paid for my Labour in Composing it,  
Thine P. B.   


Heaven and Earth in a Dialogue betwixt the Soul and Christ.  CHRIST. 
1. AH Foolish Soul! how often have I displayed unto thee the Beauties, and Riches of Heaven, proposed such Glories as thy dim eyes were too weak to behold; Why wilt thou feed on husks? empty pleasures, when thou mayest be satisfied with Heavenly Manna, and Fountains of ever Living Waters? why will you walk in the ways of Sin? which are black as Egyptian darkness, horrid and full of precipices, and decline the milky paths of Heaven which are smooth, and full of Innocency.  SOUL. 
2. True Lord, but yet my Darling World, comes with ten thousand charms, and ravishes my Soul, and can those paths be unpleasant, which are strewed with pleasure, and paved with love, if thy paths are so smooth, how then comes it that thy Servants so often stumble in them, sure they are either rugged, or as you say hells are, so they are dark, 'tis the Poet's milky way is full of Stars.  CHRIST. 
3. Thy Darling, and all her Charm will soon leave thee; dost thou trust to terrene pleasures? Alas the World is but a rotten stair to mount up to Glory; Had jacob's Ladder had one such round in it, he could never have mounted up to Heaven by it; Couldst thou by the eye of Faith, but see the beauty of holiness, the charms of thy Saviour, how would thy enlarged Soul be ravished with them; and if there be any rubs in Heaven's path, there are no precipices, they do but stumble, not fall; whereas the wicked, when they are once fallen, are like the Elephant, they seldom rise; and as the Poets, so is Heavens milky way full of Stars; it is stuck full of the Pious Examples of my Saints, which may serve as so many Constellations to guide thee; And I thy Saviour am thy North Star, by which if thou dost steer, thou canst not err.  SOUL. 
4. But Lord are not thy paths more rugged than those of sin, Loves fire with a kind of mystic heat only cherishes our Souls, and who would not rather live in such a flame, than such as do thy Servants, who are consumed by that of Martyrdom; what are thy cares but deaths heads, sighs and tears, and are these thy pleasures? is this Heaven's banquet?  CHRIST. 
5. The Paths of sin seem smooth, but alas they are paved with thorns, though sin hath subtly covered them with flowers, and guilded her poison: Hells flames are not so black as those of lust, instead of cherishing thy Soul, it preys upon it; whereas the Fire of Martyrdom, doth make you like Gold to come out of it more glorious: And if Death's Heads, Sighs and Tears, are such harsh food unto thee, it is because thou knowest not how to use them aright, and besides this thou shalt eat Celestial Manna, and if all this will not please thee thou shalt by faith eat my Flesh, and drink thy Saviour's Blood.  SOUL. 
6. When I assault a Beauty, what delight it is to see what pretty shifts it will make, to avoid being conquered, how sometimes I am forced to let mine eyes, shower on her stony heart, till their continual dropping have worn away its hardness? what pretty devices it makes us invent, when Doves are our Post-Masters, how sometimes I seek to bribe my pretty Enemy with gifts, and then how I glory in my Conquest? my thinks Caesar did not so well deserve a triumph, for subduing the Universe, as I for Vanquishing my little World.  CHRIST. 
7. And I will teach thee how thou shalt woo Heaven, how thou shalt make the Heaven's bow, and come down, and catch thy pious whispers, and my Holy Dove shall be the Carrier of them, and bring them into my Father's bosom, and thus shalt thou subdue Heaven, and thousands of Angels shall rejoice at thy Victory, and thou shalt ride in Triumph on a Cherubs wings, and thus shalt thou enter the everlasting Gates of the King of Glory.  SOUL. 
8. How do the Ravishing Charms of a beauteous Face allure my Soul? Who would not be an Astronomer in such a Sky? O! I could eternally gaze on her fair Stars, and view the mystic Circles, and Lines of that little Heaven.  CHRIST. 
9 How then wouldst thou be ravished at thy Saviour's Beauties? when Angels themselves, are not Eagles enough, to behold such a Sun, without vailing their faces with their wings.  SOUL. 
10. Oh but then her eyes have a powerful influence over me? with what a Divine Light they pierce through my Soul? How doth it ravish my heart to behold those pretty Babies in them? how like airy Cherubs they dance on our twisted Beams? Had Adam fallen for such Apples, he had in some sort been more excusable.  CHRIST. 
11. And wilt thou lose Heaven again for an Apple? If her eyes are Stars, they are blazing one's, and such as portend thy Ruin. Troy had stood, had not Helen's eyes set it on Fire; Thou wilt prove but a bad Pilate if thou Stearest by those Stars; Ah how Glorious, how full of charming Innocency must thy Saviour's eyes be, which as my Spouse sings, are as the Doves, washed with milk.  SOUL. 
12. Who can see her cheeks? and not admire their rich Carnation? or who but views the Cherries of her Lips, and would refuse such a Banquet?  CHRIST. 
13. And canst thou not forbear to quaff poison, because it is in a ruby Cup, If her Cheeks be Beds of Roses, dost thou not care if thou art smothered in them? Oh how fragrant are the Roses of thy Saviour's Cheeks? how soft are those beds of Spices? how sweet must his Lips be? That like Lilies drop with sweet smelling Myrrh.  SOUL. 
14. Can she be less than Heaven? From whom the same effects proceed? Doth not the Lightning of her eyes, like that of Heaven, melt the soul, yet spare its sheath▪ Is there not the Harmony of the Spheres, in her tongue? If man be called a little world, surely woman is a little Heaven, and then what mystic fetters are her locks? when Kings in the midst of Mighty Arms have been enchained by them? And how Lord am I able to break those fetters, when the great Samson, he to whom the strongest bonds, were but as Flax before the Fire, was manacled by them?  CHRIST. 
15. And if Beauty do spread her locks to catch thee? must thou needs be taken? 'tis the degenerate Fly, is trapped in the subtle net of a Spider's web, the Noble Eagle breaks through such a weak toil.  SOUL. 
16. How doth the presence of my fair one Cheer my heart? those Clouds of sorrow which benighted my Soul, fly away at the approach of my fair Sun; But ah! her absence is my Hell? then my eyes are loath to open their lids, since that which only was pleasing to them is gone, unless it be to free a tear, which they detained in their Crystal Prisons.  CHRIST. 
17. Foolish Soul, thus to Joy when thy ruin is near, and bewail it absent? were those tears shed, because thy Son of Righteousness had withdrawn his face, they were worthily spent, indeed thou shouldest resemble the pretty Mary Gold, which when night is come, and it is deprived of its beloved object, it hangs down its weak head, and washes its Cheeks in tears; but as soon as its Sun appears, it advances its Crown, and displays its Saffron Cheeks, and if any tears appear on them, they are tears of Joy; For after a while I will come unto thee again, and comfort thy sick soul with Apples, and kiss away thy tears with the kisses of love, and I will fill thy heart with joy, till it overflow its banks, and I will leave thee no more, but we will fly to the Mountains of Myrrh, to the Hills of Frankincense, and there will I give thee my Loves, there shalt thou enjoy pleasures and beauties, as lasting as yours are fading.  SOUL. 
18. Can that Beauty be fading, that hath a continual Summer in its Cheeks for forty years? And how can the Lilies of her Cheeks whither? seeing they have two such Crystal Fountains, as her eyes to water them, two such Suns to cherish them, with their heat and influence.  CHRIST. 
19 Alas how short a moment is thy forty years, to the eternity of thy Saviour's Beauty? Dost thou place thy Felicity in such fading Beauties, when in that space its Lilies and Roses shall whither? and then not all her Charms, nor her Angel's voice shall bribe Death; the silent Rhetoric of her eyes shall not woo him to defer the stroke one moment; but those Crystal Fountains shall be dried up, and darkness possess the Orbs of those fair Suns.  SOUL. 
20. But Lord there are more variety of pleasures in the service of sin, then in thine; sometimes sweet society joys my soul; sometimes again I recreate myself, sitting by the sweet murmurs of some purling Brooks, and bathing in it, or under the shade of some lovely Grove.  CHRIST. 
21. This, and more than this can I give thee, thou shalt sit with greater pleasure under the shadow of my wings, thou shalt sit by the streams of Righteousness, and bathe thy Soul in them, thou shalt commune with Heaven itself and quires of Angels with Joyful Hallelujahs, shall salute thy Eare.  SOUL. 
22. Sometimes my Fancy i● both pleased and busied, to view magnificent Palaces, how thei● Towering heads seem to kiss th● Clouds, the stateliness of their Gates, the Richness of their pavements, and glittering with Gold.  CHRIST. 
23. And I will carry thee to the New Jerusalem, to my Father's Mansions, whose every Gate is Pearl, the Streets are paved with Gold, and precious Stones, that which is now thy Idol, thou shalt then tread under thy feet, and how glorious a reflex must they make, being guilded by the Beams of the Son of Righteousness, there is no other Son, the Glory of God and the Lamb are the Light thereof; And then wilt thou say, Fool that I was, I had thought that thy Jerusalem, had been like one of our Cities.  SOUL. 
24. They say Riches have wings and fly away; true they fly away, but then they send me home in their stead, sweet Wines delicious Cates, and gorgeous Apparel, and who would part with such beloved Minions, since they make me respected of all? Nay I think myself almost a God, whilst I walk in the midst of my thousands of Angels.  CHRIST. 
25. If they are Angels, they are evil ones, they fly away, and send thee home sweet Wines, and delicious Cates, that is Fevers, and Surfeits, dost thou trust to such helps? as are swallowed in the curling of Neptune's, or thy Prince's frown? But wilt thou be Rich indeed? Oh! than Treasure up thy Wealth in Heaven, if thou wilt put out thy money to the highest Interest, put it out to the Poor, and then thou needest not fear to lose it, for God himself is their security, and surely he is sufficient to repay thee?  SOUL. 
26. Surely they are deceived, that say a Crown hath more Thorns than Jewels in it; That Ambition is a Mountain, whose ascent is craggy, and its top of Glass; If State be a Prison, 'tis a Golden one, and who can be more secure than he that is encompassed with huge Arms? with what raptures is my soul inspired, to see itself elevated above the Common Rank, like some New Star stuck in the Firmament, the Object of all men's eyes and wonder.  CHRIST. 
27. If thy Prison be of Gold, the more is thy misery, for it is the stronger. A silly Shepherd is a far more happy King than thou; whiles he makes a Molehill his Throne, none seek to rend it from him, and being but low, his Fall cannot be Great, his Innocent Subjects obey his Voice, and without murmuring pay him the Tribute of their Silver Fleeces: But thou deceivest thyself in thy Security on a Throne; Dost thou think to escape Storms and Thunder by ascending a Mountain? If thou wilt ascend unto the Stars indeed, thou must do it by descending, for humility is the readiest flight to Heaven, and that is a path so plain and smooth, thou needest not sea● falling, and there alone tho● canst rest secure, for Legions o● Angels shall be thy Guard, an● thousands of Cherubin's wit● their flaming Swords defend the●  SOUL. 
28. But Lord I am a Souldie● and shall I forego my Fame whic● speaks me great, and Ring● through the Universe? Whilst 〈◊〉 carve out a Monument of my ow● Glory with my Sword, where if 〈◊〉 perish it is Nobly, and in the Be● of Honour.  CHRIST. 
29. Thy Fame's story must b● writ with thy own Blood, thy gasping wounds must be the mouth 〈◊〉 to speak thee Famous, see at wha● a rate thou purchasest empty Honour? And wilt thou for a blast o● breath, lose thy own breath, and 〈◊〉 ●t be in a bad Cause, thy Soul too? But if thou fightest under my Banners, thou shalt subdue Sin and Hell, Monsters and Devils, and every drop of blood thou losest, I will Esteem as a Precious Ruby.  SOUL. 
30. What though I have not Virtue? Yet I can look so like her, that simple ones can call me pious.  CHRIST. 
31. But thou must be pious, and not only seem so, else thy God when he comes to bind up his Jewels, will easily discern such Bristol Stones from Diamonds, and give thee the reward of Hypocrites.  SOUL. 
32. But Lord, thy Servants, do not only lead a life full of Misery, but often leave this Life with a bloody Exit.  CHRIST. 
33. Alas, my Yoke is easy to all them that bear it, for my Spirit strengthens them in all their troubles, nay I can make them even in love with Death itself, and sweeten that bitter Cup to them.  SOUL. 
34. Surely Death is a grim Servant, what can there be in him to enamour me, is it his Beauty? Ah no! Night and Darkness are in his face, his Embraces are rough, he darts not smiles, but a deadly shaft, and is this a Beauty to be ravished with?  CHRIST. 
35. Is a Feast the worse, because a Blackamoor Ushers thee to it? Such is Death, or else Death is but like a dark Veil drawn o'er thy face; and although thou dost sit in a scarlet Cloud, yet thou shalt rise again with greater Lustre of Immortality and Glory.  SOUL. 
36. Thou art all sweet oh my Saviour, thou hast overcome, and now I find all my supposed delights but as a dream; Now I see my Delila's Deformity, She that I once thought fair as Heaven, but I now look on her eyes as Nauplius false Light set to draw the Grecians to their Ruins; on her Cheeks, as beds that for one Rose bear a thousand Thorns; on her lips, as soft wax wherewith we sealed many a wicked bargain; on her locks as fatal Gives that have kept me too long a Prisoner; that bosom which I called Loves Tempe, is now as a Valley hideous with Thorns; her voice is as the Screetch Owls which bodes destruction; Oh that foolish man should trust these Sirens; Farewell, for eve● all you false Beauties, farewell my Delilahs: I will sigh no more, to puff the spark of Affection into a flame in my Minions breast, to thee sweet Jesus shall they be sent; to thee shall all my vows be paid, thou shalt be the Sun under whose sweet influence I will desire to live, thy Arms the Prison, from which I will pray never to be freed; when I fit by the murmurs of a Brook, it shall be to consider its Obedience to its Maker's Command, in paying the Tribute of its water to the Sea; And how I have run backwards; when I lie under a Trees fair shade, it shall be to admire the soft music of its leaves, as if every leaf were a tongue to sing its Maker's Praise, and how mine hath either been silent or else Blaspheming of him. I will be Ambitious, but it shall be of thy Favour; My Riches I'll distribute to the Poor, and then they will have wings indeed and take their flight to Heaven; The desires of my heart shall be to be dissolved, and to be with my Saviour; For Lord, the Walls of my Clayey Prison hinder my Soul from viewing thee fully, it can but peep through the Casements of my eyes, and so by reflex in thy word, see some weak glimmerings of thee; This, this is the way to make me a Conqueror, me thinks already my wars are done, and I have nothing now to expect but Rewards and Triumphs, hence forward is laid up for me a Crown of Life and Glory.   

A PREPARATION TO THE LORDS SUPPER.  
OUr Blessed Saviour knowing how weak man is to perform his Duty, lest we should faint in our Pilgrimage to the New Jerusalem, hath provided for our Sustenance his own flesh and blood: A Food which the Angels have not; do thou therefore run often, and with Joy, to the Supper of thy dearest Lord, and not with the Israelites, seem to have Manna so long about thy Tents, that now thou loathest it; thou often faintest in thy Combat with Satan, and therefore hast often need of this Cordial, of this Chalice of blessing to comfort thee, and canst thou too often remember thy Saviour? Or is that which he hath done for thee not worthy thy memory? But have a care that thou comest prepared, for Bees suck honey from this flower, but Spider's poison: And if thou unworthily receivest, this water of life will become as the waters of Marah, it will be bitter unto thy Soul: It is the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, put on therefore thy Royal Robes; but Purples or Tyrian silks is not the wedding Garment, wherewith thou must be clothed, but Faith, Hope, Repentance, Eucharist, and Charity; and now that Christ will come in and Sup with thee, let not the filthiness of the Room drive him away.  
Aspicis ut veniant ad candida tecta Columbae,  
Accipiet nullas sordida turris aves.  
And that spotless Dove will not dwell in a polluted Soul; and therefore thus do thou prepare the Cabinet of my heart, first wash it throughly with Repentance tears, then make it bright with Charity, for the money thou givest in Alms guilds thy soul; hang it round with Purity and Innocence; let it be paved with Love; and lest it seem dark, alight in it the Lamp of a holy Zeal. Thou must examine thyself, and repent thee of all thy sins; Ah Crucify them which have Crucified thy Saviour; thou must not have the least affection for any of them, no, not for thy Darling Crown it with hatred and contempt, which hath Crowned him with Thorns, and why shoulders thou spare thy Darling sins, whe● the Almighty spared not his Beloved? And then think of th● greatness of thy sins; which could not be expiated but by th● death of the Son of God: and th● with humble thoughts of thy sel● with a broken heart receive a broken Saviour. Christ will not dwel● in a Den of Thiefs, thou must overturn the Tables filled with unlawful gain, and cast out Fraud and Covetousness, whipping the● out of the Temple of thy heart thou must lay aside Anger, and without Malice approach the Table of the Lamb of peace; and though the worldling had rather ●●st sins false Delicates, yet do thou hunger and thirst after this ●ood, Oh it proves sweet to the thirsty Soul.  
This duty of preparation ought not to be the work of an hour, or a day, for thy Soul is too filthy to be cleansed in an hour, and thy Rebellious Lusts too stubborn to be subdued in a day; and when thou hast with the most diligent care, and strictest zeal, prepared thy heart, yet still confess thine own filthiness, for indeed thou mayest justly fear that thou shalt lodge thy Saviour, as he was at his birth, in a Stable amongst Beasts, in a foul soul, amongst bad thoughts, and evil desires; and therefore pray that he would cleanse thee, and then thou wilt be clean indeed; thy poverty can be no excuse to thee, for this is such a Garment as every one may purchase.  
The happy hour being come approach with reverence, imagin● yourself at God's Table, that yo● are at Supper in Heaven; hereby the eye of Faith thou mayest represent to thyself thy Saviour Passion writ in red Characters; th● Sun of Righteousness setting in● ruddy Cloud. Here thou maye● behold that lovely Rose of Sharo● purpled with his own blood; th● Lamb of God worried by Wolves now he truly seems as a Lily amongst the Thorns, whilst Crucified betwixt two Thiefs; tho● mayest behold him denied b● men whom Devils confessed, scoffed, and wounded, whom th● Angels count i● their highest Glory to reverence.  
When thou seest the bread broken, ah then remember a torn Saviour; as thou tastest the sweetness of the wine, think what a bitter Cup he drank: see, see him stretching out his Arms ready to embrace thee, and fixed with nails, as if to signify they would be ever open: See those hands which healed others, now wounded; that mouth praying for those which filled it with Gall and Vinegar: Consider what a weight did thy sins add to his Cross, when he sunk under it; The Jews Crowned him with Thorns, but how many Thorns in that Crown were thy sins? The Thorns pricked his Temples, and thy sins his Soul. Then remember the infiniteness of his love, doth he delight in the death of a sinner, who died that he might live? Would he have bought thee at such a dear rate, if he had not loved thee? He paid for thee every drop of his hear● blood; Those were the Rubie● wherewith he purchased thy Redemption; and Lord what an ill bargain thou seem'st to have of it and almost to have been too profuse of thy Celestial Treasure, to pay down such a price for a poo● worm, a clod of earth: How short is all love to thine, who ever fed his Friend with his own flesh and blood? This Lord thou dost; and lest we should doubt of the reality of thy love, thou sufferest a window to be made in thy side that through it we might look, and see the sincerity of thy heart▪  
When thou canst thus represent to thyself the Dolour of thy Saviour's Passion, what tears should this extract from thy eyes? What sighs from thy bosom? And if thou art not filled with Compassion, the very Earth and Rocks will rise up in Judgement against thee, for the Earth trembled, and the Rocks groaned, and were rend a sunder at his sufferings.  
But this is not all, thou must not only commemorate thy Saviour's death, but withal believe, that his wounds make thee whole; that his blood cleanses all thy spots, appeases his Father's wrath, and subdues sin and hell, his Cross was the Club wherewith our spiritual Hercules subdued all his and our Enemies; If thou canst thus receive thy Saviour, he will not only come in and Sup, but abide with thee for ever: A bundle of Myrrh will thy Beloved be, and will lie all night betwixt thy breasts: thou mayest then be assured that thy sins are forgiven, thou hast God's hand in the Scriptures, and the broad Seals of Heaven, in this Sacrament, for the pardon of them How bitter will the World's Delicates taste after this feast? It is sai● of one, that he sold a Kingdom for a Cup of water; ah who woul● not, though he were Master of th● Universe, sell it for one drop of th● Chalice?  
And now thy Christ being entered into thy Soul, entertain th● great Guest with holy Discourse● desire him, since he hath cast or the strong man, now to keep possession; and Satan, knowing th● he who hath so often overcome him is within, will be discourage to assault thee any more; and if th● Blind and Lame, the Sick and Leprous, were cured but with a touch of his Garments: Surely thou wil● be throughly healed, seeing tha● Jesus dwells in thy Soul; and the● return him Praises and Thanksgiving, because he hath brought thee to his Banqueting House, and displayed his Banner of Love over thee; and hath made thee sit down under his shadow with great delight whilst his fruit hath been sweet to thy taste; and do not thou refuse to feed his Members with Bread, who hath fed thee with the Bread of Life; and now thou art cleansed, take heed thou Defile not thyself again; Alas, spots add not to the Beauty of Christ's Spouse; and seeing he to Espouse thee hath become bone of thy bone, and flesh of thy flesh: and hath left Father and Country, Heaven and Glory, for Love of thee: Ah, do not thou run after a second Love; do but compare thy Spouse to the deformity of Satan, and then sure thou canst not be so stupid, as to exchange a spotless Dove● for a Vulture: beauty, and him that is the choicest of ten thousands, for a Blackamoor, and Deformity: Let his Love therefore alone satisfy thee, and thus whe●● the night of thy death is come thou shalt go and enjoy thy Spouse for ever.   

CHARACTERS OF THE 

PIOUS,  
IMPIOUS,   Man. 

GOOD,  
WICKED,   Woman.  

A Pious Man,  
IS the only Ulysses that can pass by the Sirens of the Earth, and not be taken by them: the Strumpet World, spreads forth her Dangling Tresses to ensnare him, warbles her most Ravishing Lays to Court him to her Embraces; but he like Samson snaps his bonds in sunder, and all her Charming can never induce him to Dance after her Pipe. In the Glass of h●● Wisdom, he sees the Vanity o● the Delights of Lust; by it he perceives the Lilies which the La●vious fancy in their Minion Cheeks, to be Lilies indeed, no● some and unsavoury, therefore cha● he is, and under the Roses of h● Lips, are hid prickles, which the● lie in Garrison to defend the● from the Rude Assaults of Lus● His House is a little Church, h● Heart the Altar, whereon continually flames a Holy and Religion Fire; Temptations may Assail but not Conquer him, or if an● pleasure do take hold of him, it but to make him taste their bitt● sweetness, that so he may the mo● abhor them: He is above th● World, and being founded on th● Rock of his Salvation, he the● sits and laughs to see how the Ambitious man puffs and sweats, to Climb the craggy Mountain, Honour, from which he often irrecoverably falls. He is a Pious Dove, not Gall enough in him to provoke an injury, his mind is a Sea always calm, neither the adverse puffs of Fortune, nor the nipping blast of Malicious Tongues, can raise one wave, or make it swell into the least Intemperate Anger, Afflictions cannot dismay him, for he knows them to be the Corrections of a Gracious Father, yea even at the Martyr's stake, like the pretpy Nightingale against a Thorn, he can sweetly chant forth Hallelujahs to his God; and therefore needs not be smothered in a Chamber full of Roses, as a Tyrannous Emperor did his Servants, that they might meet with sweetness, even in the bitterness of Death for he can find it in the midst o● the flames, which is to him but a bed of Roses; he hath often tug●g'd and wrestled with Satan, an● though the Devil may give him 〈◊〉 half turn, or some little foils, ye● yet he is always fain to take th● fall himself; Nay sometimes h● will prevail with God, and b● his fervent Prayer, disarm th● Almighty, as it were of his Thunder, and with his tears quench th● fire of his sparkling Anger; Hi● Virtues Crown him with a starry wreath of Glory, in which hi● Wealth, which others count thei● greatest Diamond, he Esteems hi● lest spark, and if he rejoice i● them, it is only that by possessing them he is able to do good, an● sustain the bruised Reed; Himself is a Pearl above all hi● Riches, for in Poverty he appears most Glorious, his Wealth at best is but the Guilded Casket, which encloses this Jewel, and the Shroud being gone, his Soul being open and uncovered, shines with greater Glory and Luster: In all Conditions he is content, and so in Rags enjoys a Kingdom, and will rather fit down with his poor Pittance, then make the Backs of the Poor, the Ladder to climb to the Gaudy Seat of Wealth. He thinks every Man Good, because he is so Himself; chide him, if your reproof be just, he will thank you; if unjust, his Innocence is his only Defence, and indeed an Impenetrable Armour, on which the Darts of Malice may Graze, but never Pierce: There is a Composed Calmness in his Soul, the Elements War not with one another, the Fire makes not the Water boil, Choler justles not Mildness away; but all the Pegs being wound up to their just height, his Soul like a well tuned Instrument, strikes an Harmony equal to that of the Spheres. He esteems a moderate State best, and therefore like the humble Briar, hath chosen a middle Station; not so low that Contempt can step upon him, nor so High, but that the Storms and Billows pass over his head. He is a Star of the first Magnitude; a Tree, which like those in the Hesperian Garden bears Golden Apples. A Nosegay, wherein his virtue's like so many pretty Flowers send forth a Fragrant Sweetness, and happy is she whose Bosom i● possessed of so pleasing a Posy. He i● never in better Company then when he is alone, for than will his Soul commune with his God. He is knit unto his Friend by his Heartstrings, and nothing but the Sword of Death can dissolve the Gordian Knot. His life is a well Acted Comedy, which always ends with a happy Exit. Death which to others seems so Grim to him, appears of a Smiling Countenance, and that deadly Draught but a Spicy Cup. His good Name is a Precious Ointment, a sweet Flower which shall Bud in Eternity's Garden, and ever be a fragrant Odour in the Nostrils of Posterity. Lastly, He is a Phoenix, it is rare to see two of his Kind together, and out of his Funeral Ashes shall arise, young and glittering with the Beams of Immortality and Glory.   

The Impious Man,  
IS a strange Kind of Monster● made up of Swine, Goat, an● Vulture. The Tavern is hi● Church, his Mistress the Golde● Calf, to which he dulier pays hi● Devotion, then to his Maker. Hi● Mouth is a Cannon, which he always keeps Charged with at Oath, and will outgo any Can●noneer in the Celerity of Discharge. He loves Mirth as hi● life, and cares not if he Dance a Jig to Hell. He is a weak un● man'd Fort; no Vice, but at first Battery, makes a Breach into his Soul; if Satan does but present him with a Cherry from his Mistress' Lip, or an Apple of her eye he is as soon taken with the Beauty of them, as was Adam with his in Paradise, and never imagines it to be Forbidden Fruit, if he taste ●hose Cherries in Lasciviousness. Before he could speak, he could speak Mischief; before he could go, he could run in the ways of ●in. His Heart by its hardness, ●hould be a Flint, and yet is none, for that hath Fire in it, but his not one spark of Grace. Yet if God in his Mercy causes any Streams of Righteousness to slow out of him, ●e renews his Miracles in the Wilderness; and brings Water out of 〈◊〉 Rock. He is a strange kind of ●oyle, in which though Virtue's ●eeds be sown, will still bring up Wild Oats, a Medley of Wickedness, Pandora's Box was never filled with so many Evils. He has his Paradoxical custom to repair to, a Hothouse in the midst of Summer, [as if he would practise Hell here on Earth] and that no● to heat him, but quench hi● Flames; but alas it often prove● too hot for him, and he is Scorcht● and by a Hellish Fire too, and so comes home by Weeping Cross He rises up early to Sin, and scorn● to be outdone by any man in mischief, and so takes pains to purchase Destruction, and large strider to Hell. His Drunkenness depriving him first of his rational Soul, makes him a Beast, and then of his Senses also, and so h● becomes a mere Stock, and ye● this man thinks himself in th● Right Way; but let him res● assured, that though we read o● the Good Thief who at last stol● into Heaven, yet never of any man that Staggered in thither; H● greedily feeds on the Fruits of sin, and is ravished with their false sweetness, although they are but Dainties dressed by Hell's Fire; He is made up of wiles, and whilst he smiles every dimple is a pit of destruction, and every Syllable he speaks a noose to catch thee; he ●s a slave to his Wealth, Satan detains him Prisoner in Golden Chains, and he is content with such Fetters, and had rather enjoy the company of an Angel in his pocket, then in Heaven; but having ●y extortion wrung an Estate out ●f the very bowels of the Poor, ●r by deceit increased his Store; ●he Worm grows proud, and ●alks as if his head were above the Clouds, or knocked at the Battlements of Heaven, and every man must strike sail to his pride, but whilst he deceives his poor Neighbour, at the same time Satan cheats him of his Soul. Thus in his prosperity he seems to have the heart of a Lion, or outroar the Thunder, but in misery that of a Child, like a bladder he swell● with the least puff, and is down again with the least prick; and yet sometimes his passions so blind him, that the Wasp with an eage● fury will pursue an imaginary injury; his revenge must be writ in bloody Characters; but alas whereas by other sins he goes by degrees, by this he oftentimes from the place of Combat, make● but one leap into Hell; He is an useless drone, and spends the greatest part of his life in Gluttony and Drunkenness, in Gaieties and empty Vanities, and i● may for fashion-sake, may send forth a few Prayers, and Ejaculations, but they also are lame and ●aggy winged, and never reach to ●eaven; Thus he regardless lets ●is Glass run, as if his time were 〈◊〉 no value, whilst the Pious Man ●y spending it virtuously, esteems ●nd makes every grain of sand a ●earle, and those very pleasures ●e imagines to enjoy here, are ●oth vanishing and imperfect; In ●●e midst of his delights, his con●ience the bird in the breast, inlead of a sweet Lullaby, sings him ●small notes, interrupts his sleeps, ●nd soure's his pleasures; This is ●is portion here, and without Repentance he will be hereafter a ●ire-Brand of Hell, the object of ●he Almighty's Indignation, the receptacle of all those Torments which the wrath of Incensed Majesty, and Justice can Inflict.   

The Good Woman,  
IS a white Rock, that Repels a Shocks of Temptations, brea● those fiery waves, and turns the● into froth; And as the pret● Marigold, will not turn it se● nor open its leaves, to any oth● Light, to any other Star, but on● the Sun; So this sweet flower 〈◊〉 all but her Husband is shut and reserved; he is the Sun to who● alone she opens her leaves, and h● embraces; her arms are chai● strong enough to keep her Hu●band at home, and he is so tak● with that pleasing Captivity, th● when he considers how far t●● Nectar of her kisses, surpass h● sweetest wines, and the cherries 〈◊〉 her lips the fruits of sin, they easily persuade him to forsake all ●lewd society. Columbus never discovered such Mines of Treasure in the vast Universe, as are in this little World. She blushes at the hearing of an obscene Speech, as if her Cheeks hung out their red flags of defiance, to such a rude party.  
She is commonly silent, or at least she will be but the triple in the consort, for low music, and a soft tongue, make always the sweetest Harmony; She is of an an humble spirit, and to all Courteous and Affable, the windy praises of flatterers cannot puff her into pride, for beauty she knows like the Glory of a Rainbow, soon passes away, and that those eyes which they compare to the Sun, are out-shined by the dwindling Beams of a farthing Candle; If a storm arise in her Husband's breast as rain the winds, so one little shower of her tears will allay its blustering; her sighs will puff out the fire of his anger; she opposes not his rising fury, but counts it the best Victory, if as the Scythians she can conquer by retreating. Her Apparel is decent, though not costly, she can be fair without patches, and if her own native beauty be not charming enough to purchase her a Consort, she thinks that none but fools will be taken with such poor baits, for surely a good beauty, as well as good wine needs no Bush; She seldom fixes her eyes on any man, lest some one be vanquished, by continually discharging her darts from those Crystal Quivers; neither will she let those subtle spies to wander, for the roving arrow, as well as the directed shaft may chance to hit the mark; Her husband's afflictions she makes her own, and by a secret sympathy seems to partake of the same griefs; he is her head, no wonder then, if she be troubled when her head aches; She loves not to dally with the flames of lust, nor play with Cupid's shaft, for she knows edge tools are sharp, and may cut her fingers.  
Tears are the Beads of her Devotion, and she woos heaven so Nobly, and with such perseverance, that she will seldom let her God go without a blessing from him; She is up with the early Lark, and as that pretty Quirister when he first rises from his bed of Grass, she sings some prayer or Ejaculation, and when her husband rises, it is like Phoebus' full of blushes to see his Hesper, his Morning Star, so duly usher him to his task.  
She is a Casket full fraught with Rich Jewels; when Satan shown our Saviour all the Glories of the World, this little World surely was the greatest Wonder, the greatest Temptation; The saying proves false in her, that there is no Fortress so strong, but that an Ass laden with Gold may enter, for the English men's Angels can neither tempt her, nor their Crowns allure her, nor the French Pistols shoot her Chastity dead; She is the Crown of her Husband's joy, and it sweetens his Labour to think when his course is done, and his work at an end, he shall go and rest his wearied neck in his Theti● Lap; As her life is sweet, so whe● she dies, she expires like the Phoenix all in spices, and leaves a perfume behind her.   

The Wicked Woman,  
IS a Basilisk, for with her eyes she will look thee dead, and as Archimedes Glasses were said to burn Ships afar off, so her false Optics often fire at a distance; At the first assaults of Lust, she blushed, and wept, and her eyes bewailed the sad Conquests they had made, till her Lover came and wiped away her tears, and whispered his false story in her ears, and she was charmed, and was willing first to be drawn by the Cords of Vanity, and then she could run without drawing, and entice frail man to taste of her Forbidden Fruit; So by degrees she grew a proficient in Wickedness, and at last she committed sin with greediness, and as of a Viper, always a Viper proceeds, so I use brought forth Murder, and thus as her face was tainted with a false fucus, so was her Soul with the blood of her Infant; She is a strange kind of fortress, that not only yields without resistance, but also sues to be taken; She will outvie Cups with men, but whilst she Carouses others healths, she drinks away her own; Her body is often fair to a wonder, but by her wicked deeds she seems to confirm the Opinion of the Moors, that there are white Devils; Her chiefest pleasure is to catch young Birds and Fishes; but whereas in others the chiefest of their Art is in the subtle concealing of their snares, she hopes to catch most, when she most discovers hers; Her Locks are the lines, her barred Breasts, the Baits wherewith she goes a Fishing, and hopes to catch some silly one with those Flesh-baits; sometime in a moment she catches her silly Prey; otherwhile like a cunning Angler, she lets the wanton Fry sport with the Bait, till they are taken in the Snare: Which having taken that which seems strangest, is that contrary to others, she only Strips them of their Skales, and so lets them go; She is a strange kind of Butcher that sells her own Flesh, and that for less than would buy a Calf; She is Loud and Stubborn, her Tongue is no sooner heard in the House, but like a Fatal Alarm Bell, it sets the whole Family in an Uproar; With a thousand Arts▪ she endeavours to Hid and Prop the defects of Time, and Nature, but who will not judge that which is so Be-patched, a Ruinous Fabric; She is a Salamander that lives in the Fire of Lust, an Ordinary open to all comers; She may well be called the Weaker Vessel, he that relies upon her, Launches his Honour in a Leaking Bark; She is surely an Atheist, for Pleasure is her God. Bridewell her Hell, and the Constable or Marshal, all the Devils she fears; Her Favour is more Fatal than her Malice, for that at most can but Kill thy Body, but her Smiles will persuade thee to destroy thy own Soul; the burn of Granado's, is a gentle and Lambent Fire, to that of her Eyes; She persuades the silly Youth to turn his Land into Gold, till at last, she leaves him nothing but the Water of Repentance and Tears; Her Strength and Stomach seem beyond Belief, for she will swallow two Acres of Land for a Breakfast, and carries two more upon her Back; When she says she is your Servant, it is no Compliment; She is a common Puddle, wherein every Stallion comes and Quenches his Thirst: Lastly, It is but a ●ust Judgement of God upon her, that she who would live in a hot house here, should live Eternally in one hereafter.    

THE FOUR Quarters OF THE YEAR.  
Quid non in species secedere quatuor annum,  
Aspicis, aetatis peragentem imitamina nostrae.  OVID. 
Name tener & lactens puerique simillimus avo,  
Vere novo est, tunc herba nitens, & roboris expers,  
Terget & insolida est, & spe, delectat agrestes,  
Omnia tunc florent, florumque coloribus almus,  
Ludit ager.  
THE Glorious Preparation which Dame Nature makes, declares the Spring's approach, tha● season wherein she lays in, and i● delivered of her wonderful Births▪ And the pretty Flower no soone● peeps out of the Bosom of it● Mother, but it is Enamelled with Pearly drops, a true Emblem o● thy Infancy; for when thou wer● first brought forth, thy Eye● distilled with Tears, the forerunners of thy future Misery; No in this only doth it resemble thee but as the Flower, is subject to be cropped by Beasts, to be Blaste● with Winds, so is it in every one● power that passes by, to Ravish thy Life from thee; Afflictions an● Sickness can Disrobe thee of a● thy Beauty, and see thou wert n● sooner Born, but thou offendest the Flower ill prospers, and th● Pretty Lilies droops its wea● head, loaden with Dew and Tears Darkness and Affliction surround thee, but canst thou but Repent, as the Comfortable Beams of the Morning Sun, dries up the Dewy Purls on the Lilies Cheeks; so will the Sun of Righteousness wipe away all Tears from thy eyes, and Dissipate those Clouds of Darkness: It is thy Sins which Eclipses the Sunshine of his Glorious Face. But perhaps thou mayst ask me, which of the Trees or the Flowers of the Field I would have thee Resemble? Not the Cedar, for that is the Ambitious Man, and besides it bears no Fruit; Nor the Birchen Tree, for that is the Tyrant, God's Scourge; whose Crimson hue, shows it Delights in Blood. Nor the Lily, for that is the Hypocrite, Fair without and Unsavoury within; But it is the Rose I would have thee imitate, let its Blushing Cheeks teach thee Modesty, its Prickles Watchfulness, and always to stand upon thy Guard; the expanding its Leaves at the Sun's approach, thy Willingness to Receive thy Saviour; but above all, Matchless are its inward Virtues, such would I have thee, thy inward Graces, like that sweet Flowers, to surpass thy outward Beauties. In this season all Nature seems to Rejoice, the Fields are Diapered with Fragrant Flowers, Neptune Smiles, not one Wrinkle in his Front; The Lilies are Clothed with Beauty above Solomon's Royalty; and thou lest thou shouldst be left Naked; Intseat of thy Saviour, and he will  thee with the Robes of Righteousness; let Penitent Tears be thy Pearls, make Bracelets of thy Folded Arms, and thus attired; Oh! how lovely wilt thou be in God's sight? not Solomon, or the Lilies of the Field, did ever parallel thy Glory.  
Oh teach thy Infant steps to walk in the ways of thy God; How fragrant is the budding Rose? how sweet will the perfume of thy Infant piety be to him? the very Birds by their pretty warbling, the purling Brooks by their sweet murmurs, seem to carol their praises to their Maker; and wilt ●hou be more ingrateful than these? Oh! Remember thy Creator in the days of thy Youth; Christ is in Love with little ones, and bids ●hem come unto him; Ah! he will embrace thee in his Everlasting Arms, and cherish thee in his own Bosom; Do but thy endeavour, and he will Guide and Support thy weak feet, and thou wilt highly need his aid, for the young Bird is easily ensnared, and Satan will lay his baits for thee, swee● wines, and luscious delicates, to please thy taste, the charming laye● of lascivious Sirens, to lull the asleep, show thee the Roses of thei● Cheeks, and Lilies of their hand● and then ask thee if thou an● afraid of a few flowers; But ah● sly from them, for under tho● flowers lurks a Serpent. ulysse gifts cannot be safe to Troy, a● these are but his Gins, which 〈◊〉 thou art not wary will soon entrap thee; but thou wilt say, th● match is unequal, a child against such a potent Enemy; Oh! b●● thy Christ will gird thee wit● strength to cope with him; an● then again thou dispairest because thy lusts are untamed, and perhaps dost say, what can a green hat● Apple please my Saviour's taste, who ●s altogether sweetness? Oh! but he can sweeten the bitter waters of Marah; the sour Apple by time grows sweet and mellow, and 〈◊〉 clouded morn, may prove a glorious day.  

Summer, OR YOUTH.  OVID. 
Transit in aeestatem post, ver robustior Annus,  
●itque valens Juvenis, neque enim ●obustior aetas  
●lla, nec uberior, nec quod magis ardeat ulla est.  
THe Sun and thou are climbing towards the Meridian; The Birds by this time have chosen themselves Mates, & this being the greatest Act to felicity in this life; I can find no Nobler Example to follow then the Dove, that Emblem of innocent Love, looks not to the Richness and Gaiety of her mates feathers, but to the sweet composure of its limbs, and the charming effects of his sweeter nature for him she will reject the gaudy Peacock; These two harmless one● will sweetly sit and bill, whilst the ravenous Vulture is engaged i● wounds and quarrels; take hee● least being too covetous, thou sellest thy content for a little drosse● and it may be to one who may prodigally spend it; choose but 〈◊〉 pious and loving Consort, and b● assured thou hast a Pearl worth the World's Treasure; And no● being joined in Hymen's bonds let the twining Vine teach thee, how indissolvable the Marriage Knot is, for it will sooner suffer its arm to be rend off, than 〈◊〉 be separated from the strict Embrace of its Beloved Elm; So must thou ●eave all for thy Spouse, let neither the Iron teeth of time, or necessity be able to dissolve that knot; But methinks, I see thee with admiration gaze on the great ones of the World, and sighest at thy own less Glorious Condition, but grieve not because thou art none of those Loftier Cedars; true, thou ●rt low, but the less subject to storms and Thunder, the high Mountain is barren, 'tis the low Val●ey, and Humble Heart, that brings forth the best Fruit; And yet I ●ould have thy Contemplations ●are to Heaven; The Lark builds ●er Nest on the ground, yet when she sings, she Tower's above the Clouds, as if she disdained Earth; Earth is unworthy the Lark's Harmony and thy thoughts, thou wilt not need the wings of a Dove, on the wings of Contemplation, thou wilt outstrip the Lark, and sooner reach Heaven; But let Heaven be the object of thy Meditations, which surpasses the Earth as much in Excellency, as in immensity 〈◊〉 Earth hath Flowers for its pavement, and Heaven Stars, or rather those Stars are the knotty ends o● Heaven's Tapestry; Ah! how Glorious then must those Mansions be whose superficies is so beautifully but all this cannot persuade thee to forsake thy darling World, thy wedges of Gold fasten thee to it, the arms and tresses of Lascivious Strumpets enchain thee, and thou unmindful of Heaven, carried on with thy Youthful heat, swimmest in a Sea of pleasure; this Stage of thy life seems delightful to thee, strewed with Perfumes and Flowers, and thy Glass filled with Golden Sands, and thou with the Marigold, in pride advancest thy glittering Crown, but poor blossom, whence springs this vain pride, is ●it from thy Beauty? Alas, that will soon fade, and no Rose will sooner whither then that in thy Cheeks; or from thy prosperous Felicities? But how many sorrows meet each minute to interrupt them, which may soon turn thy quiet calm into a storm? Or is it from thy Valour, and frequent Victories o'er thy Foes? Oh! that were better turned against thyself, and thou shalt obtain more Glory by subduing thyself, the little World, then by being Conqueror of the great One; Have a care that neither Prosperities, not delight soothe thee into a security; How often is the pretty Nightin-Gale, even whilst she sits, and Carolls forth her sweet Lays, killed by the Archer; And we see many in the midst of their jollity, carried aloft on the wings of pleasure, shot by Death, and tumble from the height of their mirth into the grave; Oh! forsake the World, and all her empty delights, suck no longer her false breasts, her milk is but sugared poison, thou art now a man, and at these years, it is time for thee to be wained.   

AUTUMN, OR Manhood  OVID. 
Excipit Autumnus posito ferrore Juventae,  
Maturus mitisque inter juvenemque senemque,  
Temperie medius.  
Go are thy Mirthsome days, thy Summer is done, till now thou wert a young Sprig, and the sweet Breath Zephyr only wantoned with thy tender Leaves, thou hast danced out thy Youth in Loves and Pleasures, but now it is time for thee to bear Fruit; thou mayest trifle away no more hours, but as thy Years, so let thy Faith increase; endeavour that the Seeds of it may take firm Root in thy Soul; entreat the Sun of Righteousness to shine on it, omit not sometimes to water it with a few Repentant Tears, and no doubt it will Prosper; And do not think to purchase Heaven by sitting still; how doth the little Emmet toil before she possesses her store; the Husbandman purchases his increase with the sweat of his Brows; Heaven like the Hesperian Garden is guarded by a watchful Dragon, and no coming to the golden Fruit, nor entering this Paradise, till thou hast Vanquished him: The Sheep yield their Silver Fleece to their Careful Pastor; The Springs and Rivers pay their Tribute to the Sea; and wilt thou return no Fruit? either be barren or bear evil Fruit; Oh no! thou art now grown a goodly tree, thy boughs are extended to Heaven, and canst now not only be good thyself? but do good unto others; Oh let the parched Rose, the Sunburnt Traveller, enjoy the comfort of thy shade; Let the Mate-deprived Dove, the Mournful Widow perch under thy Roof; Untwist no● the weak Wreathing Jvy from thy Arms, but support the Poor and Needy; but perhaps thou thyself art Poor and Thirsty; and seest the Joyful swain Feast on the Fruits of his Happy Labour; O do thou but ask of thy Saviour, and he will give thee of the Fountains of ever Living Waters, Celestial Manna, and the Bread of Life to satisfy thy Hunger; but some say the Meat is sweetest that is nearest the Bone, and so thou mayest desire one: Well then, take a Death's Head, for out of it, a Pious Man will pick Heavenly Food. Oh here is a Feast indeed! that great Shepherd will not let his Sheep to want; for he hath promised they shall feed among the green and fat Pastures, and that he will lead them to the cooling Streams; from him thou receivest all that thou hast, 'tis he Communicates all those Blessings, all those Beauties and Graces thou Enjoyest; It is the Sun beams that Damask the Apples Cheeks, and it is the Sun of Righteousness that makes thy Soul blush for its Sins; White and Red are the Compounds of an Earthly Beauty, and White and Red Innocence, and Pious shamfac'dness, are the chiefest of the souls perfections. Christ's Beloved Spouse was White and Ruddy, thou of thyself art Poor and Naked, if he do not Enrich thee; But thy Autumn is done, the trees begin to shed their leaves, and thou thy hairs; and now thou beginst by piece meal to fall into the Grave; thou hast but one strain more to the top of thy Life, and that a Rotten one too; Age that subtle Thief steals swiftly on thee; Learn therefore willingly to submit thy spirit into thy Saviour's hands, like the Corn, to fall and Kiss the Feet of him that cuts thee off, canst thou Murmur at him that doth but fell the tree to transplant it into a better soil; but above all things be prepared for thy end, that when thy hour comes, thou mayest fall like Fruit, full ripe for Heaven.   

WINTER, OR Old Age.  OVID. 
Ind senilis Hyems tremulo venit horrida passu,  
Aut spoliata suos, aut quos habet alba capillos.  
THat Season is come that covers the ground and thy Head with Snow; the Lillyes have lost their Milky hue; the Trees have nothing to hid their naked Arms; the Springs are Congealed, their Waves no more wanton with the Shore, nor thy Blood in thy Veins. See Worldlings, see; What is bocome of the Idol thou so much Adorest? Where are all those charming Beauties which shined in thy Face? that Face which some have called a little Heaven, wherein thy Eyes like two Suns Displayed their Beams; but now alas thy Heaven is Clouded, thy Suns are eternally Eccliped, and nothing remains of thy beautiful Fabric, but the ghastly Ruins, so Frail is Serene Beauty; thy Life at longest was but a Span, but how short a space of that span hast thou to Live? Old Wood soon Blazes out, soon will thy shortened Taper sink into its Urn; now or never is the time for thee to be Fruitful; if thou prodigally wastest this thy last inch of thy Taper, thou art irrecoverably lost; The Lily Withers, but with the next Spring will appear in a fresher beauty; but if thy Sun set in a Cloud, it will never more arise. See, see the Heavens weep for thee, and seem to show thee thy duty, the violent blasts that Boreas sends from his swollen Cheeks, intimate that thy sighs should be fervent; It's distilling in plentiful showers, that those eyes which in thy youth were Lustful flames, should now be trickling Fountains; Oh! quench those Flames with Penitent Tears; hast thou misspent thy time, yet despair not, if thou wilt return, there is mercy for thee; those tears are pearls of value enough to redeem thy time? What if time have Furrowed thy Face; Ploughed Land the better bears Fruit; but methinks I hear thee say, What must Trees bear Fruit in Winter? Oh yes! Man is a Tree must bear in all the Seasons, especially in the Winter of his Age, and shall either for being fruitful be transplanted into Heaven's Garden, there eternally to flourish, or else for his Barrenness, be hewn down for the Devil's Fire; But alas! thy heart is colder than the Season, the curled stream is ●ockt up in Ribs of ice, and that ●s frozen; Oh! beg of the Sun of Righteousness to shine on it, and ●e will dissolve thy Icy heart, and make it flow into streams of Righteousness; Time hath silvered thy ●aire, do thou silver thy time; and ●hough in thy Youth, like the silver Swan, thou wert a stranger to Harmony, yet at the last thou must ●ither like her sing melodiously, or ●owle in Hell for ever; Summon together all thy strength, all that ●hou hast of pious in thee, that thou mayest expire like the dying Taper in a Glorious Blaze; Oh let the sweetest be at the bottom, if the sand of thy Youths-Glasse were of Gold, that of thy old age is powder of Rubies, every grain● of it is worth a Universe, and doe● thou so slightly value this Inestimable Jewel; Is this a time fo● thee to dance lustful measures when every minute thou maye●● dance into thy Grave? when like an aged tree, with every wind tho● totterest, when every sickness shakes thy very heartstrings, tak● heed for if Death catch thee dancing; the flying bird is the fairest mark, and that black Archer wi●● not neglect his advantage, and 〈◊〉 thou mayest caper into Hell.    

Historical Applications.  
Quocumque tempore non cogitaveris  
Deum, puta illud tempus amisisse.  

1.  
HEnry the fifth King of England, in his Younger years was a most Dissolute Prince, addicted to Robberies, and many other lewd Practices, which made the world guess by these pretty Tyrannies, those High ones, he would afterwards commit; But this Crooked Twig, proved as Goodly an Oak, as ever grew in Britain's Forest, For when he came to be King, he forsaken both them, and all those of his Companions that would not turn over a new leaf with him.  
I have spent the best part of my Youth in pleasures, Oh! that I could now with this good King, devote the rest of my days, unto the service of my God; When I was a Child, I did like a Child, but now I am a Man, I will do like a Man; then I was Ignorant, but now I have reason to Consider, that all things here below are Vanity ● Therefore will I leave off my Drunkenness, to taste of the Fountains of ever Living Waters, in comparison of which, the best o● Wines, are as the bitter waters o● Marah; I will forsake my Gluttony to taste of the Bread of Life; My Christ shall be my Riches, will contemn the World's Delilahs, that I may enjoy him for my Spouse; is there any beauty in them? Oh! but he is more lovely, the choicest often thousand; The fairest earthly Beauties, in comparison of Him, are but bleareyed Leahs; 'tis he only is the lovely Rachel, that deserves our seven Years, yea all our life's Service.   

2  
THe Fabulous Poet's report of Ixion, that in his Lustful heat, thinking to embrace an armful of pleasure, in the enjoyment of fair Juno, was deceived, and found it but a mist.  
Thus foolish man pursues, fleeting delights for realities, and persuades his heart that he shall long enjoy them; He grasps the mist in his arms, but alas, he will find that their glittering gaieties will disappear; His shining Taper will out in a snuff, his pleasing dream will pass away, his Siren's Song will end, his Juno, his Darling pleasure will vanish into smoke, and prove at last sour like the Grapes of Sodom, or like those Apples which are said to turn into ashes if but touched; so will they, and we shall have nothing left of them, but their Cinders to increase out Torments in Hell.   

3.  
CAesar after his Victories, and Glorious Triumphs, was murdered in the Senate-House; Herod in the midst of his Glory, eaten up by Worms; Swedelands' Mirror cut off by Death, in the strength of his Years.  
Alas! what a vain thing is man a mere bubble, a walking shadow, one blow cuts his thread in twain, one little bullet stops his breath, one sickness pulls him into his Grave; it is most certain, that we shall all take up our Lodging in Death's dark Retiring-room, the Grave; but nothing more uncertain than the time, when? Oh! that we could therefore be always ●bout that task which we have here to do, like the Heliotropium, still turning towards our sun, Our Sun of Righteousness: Thus if we live whereas the Waftage of the Wicked out of this world, is Stormy and Tempestuous, and are rou●ed by the Horrors of never dying Torments; our shall be calm and gentle: Our Deaths will prove but a short sleep, and when we awake, we shall find ourselves in Abraham's bosom, encompassed with incomparable Felicities.   

4.  
MEn whilst they are in this World, do but play the Industrious Bee, always buzzing about, seeking some Flower, some occasion by which they may increase their Stock: their chiefest Garden is the Exchange, to which they in Numbers resort, there it is they meet with most bargains, and from thence with loaded thighs they fly unto their Hives or Houses.  
Thus should the Life of every Christian be, could we be but as wise for Heaven as we are for the World; with the Emmet, carry but one grain of corn, do but one Pious deed a day; this day draw a line of Christian Charity, that of Obedience, and another day of Humility, we should soon draw the whole Image of our saviour in our souls; and at the years end, find our spiritual treasure increased to a massy heap. Heaven's Exchange-Royal is the Church, for there we may hear glad tidings of our Celestial affairs; there we shall be sure to meet with good bargains; it is there only that the Exchange never falls, but is always at a high Rate: for a few odd pence bestowed in Alms, we shall receive innumerable Treasures; for a few trickling penitent Tears, Inestimable Jewels; and for a few old rags given to the needy, the Clothing of a Glorious Immortality.   

5.  
ZEuxis a Famous Painter, Pourtraying a Vine and a Man by it on the same Tablet, the Grapes were so tightly drawn, that the deceived Birds flew and pecked them; yet by this we may see, that though Art may Imitate, yet it is far short of Nature; for had he drawn the Man so well to the Life, they would have been more afraid of him, then alured by the Grapes; Art may Portray a Rose of a fresh Carnation, but compare its Beauty to a real one, of how faint a die it will seem to the others native Crimson.  
And yet how many have we in this age who daub over the works of Nature, and think to borrow a Beauty from a few colours: but poor souls, do they think to mend God's work? hath thy God commanded thee, Not to make unto thyself any Graven Image, or the likeness of any thing, and dost thou make one of thyself? could you but see how like unskilful Painters, you mar what you would mend. 'tis Satan presents you with a false mirror, wherein that seems fair, which indeed is deformity itself; did you but see yourselves in Virtue's Glass; you would confess that a Moor with his Darke-lanthorn face, is a far more Real and Lovely Beauty than yours: Christ's Spouse went not thus disguised, he will never know you with such a v●zzard on, neither shall those have any share in his Victory, who wear and serve under the Devil's Colours.   

6.  
SInon was a Crafty Grecian, most expert in the Art of dissembling: This Sinon by his Deceit, and Feigned tears persuaded the Credulous Trojans to draw in the Wooden Horse, and with it their Ruin.  
Every Fair show must not be trusted, for Cain could friendly parley with his Brother, and slay him; And Judas come with a Hail Master in his mouth, and betray his Lord: Man busies himself to invent mischief, and with dissimulation covers his snares; His heart is crooked and full of guile, a forge of iniquity, a mint wherein lies are coined to deceive the Innocent; He sings thee asleep, as Mercury did Argus, that he may slay thee; In the one hand he carries a Rose, wherewith smiling in your face, he pleasingly tickles your nose; in the other a Dagger to stab thee to the heart: In thee therefore Oh my God will I put my Confidence, for Just and True are thy ways, and all thy paths are Righteous.   

7.  
IT is said of Demosthenes, that being to deliver an Oration to the People in the Marketplace, he had very few Auditors, whereupon he whooping, whistling, and acting the Fool, the People pressed in great numbers to see him, when he rebuking their folly, got them by this device to stay and hear his Eloquent Oration.  
And alas! how thin are our Churches now a days? How few come to hear Gods divine Orators, and were every one to give a shilling or two in Alms when they come to Church, as they do to see a Stage-play, I fear our Temples would have fewer Auditors than they have; whereas at a Comedy, the thronged theatres almost crack with numbers. Thus can we lay out our money, for that which is not Bread; and men's perverse hearts are so stubborn, that scarce any persuasions can prevail to draw them from this folly: Fools thus to despise Celestial Manna, for dirty crumbs, and the sacred word of a God, for a few humane inventions.   

8.  
THersites was of such a currish disposition, that he was always barking at those who had done him no injury; he could not see Ulysses, but he must term him Coward; no● Menelaus, but he must beat him with his broken Rib, with his Wife's dishonour.  
Just thus have I seen some sit snarling all the day at others; they whet their Tongues to pierce the sides of the Innocent: they cannot see a man pass by without casting some of their filth upon him; but give me, Oh my God, a quiet Conscience! the best Antidote against their poison, then shall I enjoy a continual Feast within me, although their Malice seek the desturbance of my Peace; and at length, their Calumnies shall return upon their own heads; That pitch wherewith they intended to blurr my Innocency, shall stick upon their own fingers; then shall I Triumph in my Innocency, but they be ashamed of their hatred and folly.   

9  
WE read, that Aesop's Cock finding a Pearl, contemned it for one Barley Corn: Christ is our Precious Pearl; but alas! how many reject him for a little worldly gain? How many will sell their Saviour for a less price than did Judas? but oh my God grant that I may endeavour, yea give all I have to purchase this Pearl, then shall I prove a happy Merchant; for none but those who have this Pearl shining in their Bosoms, can enter Heaven. That is the Sacred Badge by which St. Peter knows who he is to let enter those Everlasting Gates. Let Worldling scrape this Dunghill World, but I, when I have got this Pearl, my Christ, have attained such riches, to which theirs is but Dross and Dung.   

10.  
Diogenes' was a man so much despising Riches, that being proffered great Wealth by Alexander, he bid him stand out of the Sunshine, as being a comfort, that all his Riches could not bring him; He chose a Tub for his Palace, a Wooden dish was all his Householdstuff, and Water and Herbs his chiefest Sustenance: Though some may take this for a Tale of a Tub; yet surely it is a great example of a Generous and Moderate life, which without doubt was full of a perfect Tranquillity. His mind was calm, not like the Merchants tossed with every Wind more than his Ship, nor alarmed with Thiefs seeing he had nothing but his Wooden dish to lose; and Christians may be ashamed to be so far outgone by a Heathen in Moral Virtue: but yet we find this Diogenes, whose diet was so spare to desire the unchaste embraces of a Lais; Ah! how then doth the Pampering of our bodies now a days put oil to the flame, and increase our natural lustful desires; ●t is a worthy sentence of Hesiod, that half is better than the whole; one dish will serve nature better than ten, for with our many Courses, we course away our Health; though Bread and Water be all my Food, as long as the Sun of Righteousness shines on me, I will not envy Sardanapalus all his daints of the Sea and Land.    

Scripture Applications.  
This Book of the Law shall not departed out of thy Mouth, but thou shalt Meditate therein Day and Night.  

1.  
UNmatchable was the strength of Samson, yet could he notwithstand the charming allurements of Delilah; but by her treachery, his so admired strength was brought to nought.  
How careful therefore ought we to be, to eschew the company of these subtle charmers, to stop our ears to these Sirens Harmony: doth their pleasing Warbling Ravish thee? Oh! consider their Lustful Lays will lull thee a sleep to thy ruin: Dost thou admire them for their Lily hands? Know that therewith they will lead thee to all uncleanness: Perhaps their Golden Locks may ensnare thee, but be assured, that every curl is a chain to hold thee to thy sin: Or if their twinkling eyes have bewitched thee, consider them as false Lights, as the fatal Funeral piles of thy honour and chastity; thy Saviour had not whereon to lean his Head, and wilt thou rest on a downy Bed with thy lewd Minion: Oh no! but reject these Delilahs, since they like Sylla and Charybdys, miserably Shipwreck all those that approach them.   

2.  
NAaman Captain of the Host of Assyria was a Leper, who was Cured by Elisha, by being dipped seven times in the River Jordan.  
Most Leprous is my soul, wash it therefore, Oh my Saviour! in the Jordan of thy blood; but are not Abana and Pharphar Rivers of Damascus, better than the Streams that flow from thee? Oh no! they may wash the filth from our bodies, but never from our souls. 'tis only the Rivulet of thy blood can make us perfectly clean: Oh! be thou my Jesus, or the Physician to my sick soul, and heal me; and for my Cure, I will not return thee money, or coin, nor offer up unto thee Sheep, or Oxen; but Prayers, Thanks, and Tears; Sacrifices most acceptable unto thee; Incense which smells sweetest in thy Nostrils.   

3.  
When the Israelites abode in Shittim, the Daughters of Moab, alured then to commit Whoredoms; and thence we see a sad story of Cozby, arise; who was slain in the lustful embraces of her Lover, in the sight of all the Congregation.  
And yet how many Daughters of Moab have we in these days; Ah! how many Delilahs, which wear the Sun of Darkness in their Faces, and I fear to in their hearts; who prefer a white Cheek or a Cherry Lip, before the beauty of Holiness itself; and which covet no other Heaven, but their Lover's Arms. Fools thus for a moment of fading pleasures, to purchase everlasting Torments: For let them know, their Patches do not Beautify their Faces, but set so many black spots upon their Souls; their Anointing and Painting, causes them to slide the quicker into Hell; and their Powders and Perfumes, do but make them a daintier bit for Devils.   

4.  
When Goliath Encountered David, he was Armed with a Helmet of Brass, and a Coat of Mail, with a Sphere like a Weavers Beam; but on the contrary, David comes in the Name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of the Armies of Israel; and thus with a Sling and a Stone only, he Slays this mighty Phylistine.  
Victory is in the hand of God, and in vain is the strength of man without his assistance: if God be on thy side, let not the number of Enemies dismay thee, for he can defend his Elisha with Chariots of fire, and save his David both out of the Paw of the Lion, and out of the Hand of the Phylistine: He that comes in the name of the Lord of Hosts, is sufficiently armed against all Encounters; thus Guarded, I'll not fear the World, the Flesh, no nor Satan himself, for when the Tempter comes, I will meet him with my Saviour's answer; [It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve;] This, this is the way with these Weapons, with David I will strike the Monster in the forehead and slay him.   

5.  
Sinful Soddom sinned against God, and Just God Punished Soddom; But what was wretched Sodoms sin, which hath not been in our habitations? what Crime did miserable Gomorrah perpetrate, which we have not committed? Niniveh in forty days, could Repent at the Preaching of one Ionas, and we not in forty years, though hundreds thunder daily in our ears, the eminent Judgements of God upon us. Purples and Silks are the Sackcloth, and Powders and Perfumes the Ashes which we Repent in. Ah! our God, we have justly deserved, that thou shouldst make our Land a place of dead men's Sculls, an Island encompassed with her own Blood. Once, what Land more Righteous than England? and alas! now who more sinful? she was once the Daughter of Nations, the joy and perfection of the whole Earth; but now her Beauty is departed from her, she is black, but no more comely: Lord we were once thy Darlings, as dear unto thee as the Apple of thine eye; Oh! therefore do not leave ●is nor forsake us, but draw us with the Cords of thy Love, that we may once more run after thee; Pour the Oil of thy Mercy into our Souls, and heal us, that thou again mayest be our God, and we thy People.   

6.  
WHen I call to mind my Christ's Death, I cannot but admire the goodness of my Saviour, that he the Son of the King of Kings, should suffer his precious side to be pierced with a Spear; His Sacred Temples, those beds of sweetest Spices to be rend and torn, and all to preserve me from destruction: But must no less than the blood of the King of Heaven be the Balm to heal our wounded Souls? Shall my Jesus shed forth more drops of Blood then I shed tears? Shall he be Crucified for me, and I not Crucify my Sins? Ah no! I will not be ingrateful to such a Saviour, to such a sweet Redeemer; But I will bathe myself in Repentant Tears, I will weep day and night because of my sins, my mouth shall continually Praise my ever Blessed Redeemer.   

7.  
WE Read, that though the Prodigal had spent his Wealth in Riot, yet when he came to his Father with the confession of his fault in his mouth, he not only pardons him, but kills a fatted Calf, for joy of his return, and receives him gladly.  
Men cannot be readier to sin, than God to forgive a penitent Sinner; Art thou turned Prodigal and hast forsaken thy Heavenly Father's House, spent thy Celestial Treasure by turning his Grace into Wantonness? Yet if thou wilt at length return, Oh! he will Receive thee with Embraces of Love, and kiss thee with the kisses of his mouth; yea there will be rejoicing in Heaven, and it will be a day worthy an Angel's joy, wherein a Son is new born to the King of Glory: Dispair not then, Oh my Soul! to find pardon at the hands of thy Merciful Father, it is in his power alone to make a Blackamoor white; nay wert thou stayed as much as was Manasses that made the Temple slow with innocent blood; if thou wilt but wash thy wounds with penitent tears, he will pour the oil of his mercy into them, and heal thee.   

8.  
THe poor Widow casting but two Mites into the Treasury, was more praised by our Saviour, than those Rich men which cast in plentifully of their Abundance.  
It is not the largeness of Alms, but the freeness of heart by which it is given; not the length of Prayer, but its fervency that is pleasing unto God; The short but humble Petition of the Publican was sooner accepted, than the long vain Glorious Prayer of the Pharisee; and the Widows two Mites before the Rich men's great gifts; let the Wealthy cast in of their Abundance, but I, though I cannot with Solomon Sacrifice thousands of Oxen, yet will I endeavour to offer up unto thee my heart; This Lord is the Mite I give thee, give thee dId I say? Alas! that was thine before, and I must pay thee Tribute with thine own Coin; But I have so defaced the Image of the Great Caesar of Heaven, which was stamped on it, that thou wilt scarce know it for thine own; yet Lord if I can sincerely tender it to thee, even this despised Mite thou wilt not contemn.   

9  
CHrist going to see Jerusalem, Road thither not in one of Caesar's Glittering Chariots, but on an Humble Ass; The King of Kings, he that Rides in Triumph on the Clouds, he that Sits mounted on Cherubins, dained to Ride on an Ass, and surely a better Triumph than any of the Caesars; and by this we may see how far above all men he was meek, whose Triumph the subject of our greatest pride, was more humble than others humblest actions; and wherefore did he thus debase himself, but to teach us Humility? what do we see in ourselves to be proud of? Is it our frailty, or because we are born of the dust? How goodly a thing it is to see a poor worm, a clod of dust, clad in the pomps of the silk worms spoils, to vaunt itself? Oh! our God give us humble Souls; Pride and Ambition puffs up the heart of man, and the path to Heaven's gate is too narrow for the swelling ambitious Soul to walk in; those who in their own conceits are goodly Cedars, in Gods are but despised Shrubs, fit stubble for Hell's Fire.   

10.  
HOly Peter by that Excellent Sermon of his Crucified Saviour, converted thousands to the Faith.  
Great Orpheus, who with the Music of thy tongue, didst not only make Trees, and Stones, but very Beasts to dance; Those Breasts which were Barbarous, and Raging like a Tempestuous Sea, thou madest smooth as the brow of a Cherubin: Thy Saviour's words are now true, thou art become a Fisher of Men, and hast taken no less than three thousand at a draught; If this be so, what then is the reason, that instead of having three thousand converted at a Sermon, I fear we have three thousand Sermons, and scarce one converted? Have the Dispenser's of the Word now a days less skill in Angling for Souls, than this Blessed Fisher? Oh no! surely it is the hardness of our hearts, which were they not more obdure than Stones, the Hammer of the Word would break them; were we not exceeding secure, those Sons of thunder would waken us, not deafer than Adders, those Sacred Charmers would Charm us.    

OCCASIONAL Applications.  
Vel bonas cogitationes alat animus, vel statim malas extinguat.  

1. On a Withered Rose.  
THis Flower in the Gaieties of her Youth, was Fresh and Glittering like a New Married Bride; but being Coy, and Selfconceited, She defended herself from all those that would crop her, with her prickles; At last time, blasting her Orient hue, she is rejected of all, and stands in a corner unregarded, bedewing her Cheeks each Morn for her former folly: Thus Lord in the pride of my youth have I disdained thee, thou hast wooed me till thy locks were wet with the dew of Heaven, thou didst promise to transplant me into thy Garden, water me with thy tears, and nourish me under the shadow of thy wings; Oh! what a happy flower had I then been, but I like a sullen Rose stubbornly denied, Crucified thee afresh, and pricked thy fingers: I knew Lord that the Offering of the first Fruits were most pleasing unto thee, that the blooming Rose, and early morning virtues, smelled sweetest in thy nostrils; Yet have I continued in sin, whilst I was able to sin, and now return unto thee because I can sin no more; Whilst my Taper was long, and its flame shining as the Lamp of Heaven; I spent my Light in Satan's Court, and now come to burn my Snuff in thy Palace; Oh! that my head were waters, and my eyes Fountains of tears, that I might weep night and day for my Youths follies; Oh! how justly may I fear that thou wilt refuse Satan's leave, that because in my Youth I rejected the things that did belong unto my peace, that now they are hid from my eyes: Is a wrinkled Beauty a fit Spouse for the King of Glory? Will he inhabit Ruins? But Lord thou art merciful, if our Return be hearty, we can never come too late unto thee; therefore will I not despair to be admitted, amongst that Blessed Posy of Flowers, which thou wilt place in thine own Bosom.   

2. The Fly in the Candle.  
THis Fly, and Ambitious Icarus, soaring too nigh its Sun, the Candle, scorches its wings, and so perishes.  
Thus too many poor Christians dally with Hell, and nibble too long till they are taken with the snare, they deem the day far off, and themselves secure, though at the brink of the Burning Lake; they take an Ignis Fatuus for their Guide, and never consider that it leads, unto Pitts or Precipices; With the Fly, the Light of the Candle, Lust's flames seem pleasing to them, but they are unmindful that they will burn them: Thus miserable wretches buzzing too nigh the fire their wings are scorched, and they perish; too much Sun shine, too many Pleasures so blind their eyes, that they cannot see their danger, and so are precipitated into the Pit.   

3. On a Blotted Paper.  
PAper whilst fair serves for many good uses, but being once blotted, is not fit to have Characters upon it, but only to supply some servile Occasion, or the Fire.  
Hath not God Created most of us a fair sheet, pure and without blemish? and shall our pride commaculate our faces with patches; every patch we wear is a blur in the fair story of our lives? and where do we think there is space for God to set his Impressions, and Characters upon us, to mark us out for his, being already blotted, and full of the Devils stamps; Our bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost, and shall we thus Soil them? Oh no! for God will never dwell in such defiled lodgings, Christ will never own us for his, seeing the mark of the Beast in our Foreheads; But that Immaculate Lamb will separate such spotted Goats from his unblemished Sheep, with a depart from me you workers of Iniquity, I know you not.   

4. The Sow in the Mire.  
A Brutish Nature will always act accordingly, nothing can persuade a silly Swine from its nasty Mire, nay were a Bed of Doves Feathers set before it, it would rather choose to wallow in its filth, then repose in it, although it often meets with a stone which molests its imaginary rest.  
What a true Emblem of a worldling is this? for oh! how it tickles his fancy to wallow in the Mire of sin? Earth is his delight, he is always tending to the Ground his thoughts, his Meditations are all Earthly, as if his Creator had not made his countenance erected, but grovelling downwards like these brute Beasts: He will not be withdrawn, although he often meets with a stone, and his dainties have too sour a sauce, for he cannot laugh hearty but the tears will stand in his eyes; Thus the best of Earthly Felicities have a tart farewell, yet will he not forsake them, but prides himself in his sports, and like the Swine, because he sees them not, he thinks himself Beautiful; But the wiseman's eyes see how vilely he is bedaubed: Lord we are all vile and filthy, Oh! do thou wash us in thy Son's Blood, and then though we are never so unclean, we shall be white as Snow.   

5. On the whipping of a top  
THe oftener the Child strikes the Top, the better it spins, but if the stroke be omitted, of itself it ceaseth to go, if too violent it overturns it.  
Thus Lord is it with us, as long as thy Rod of Affliction lies on us, we go and walk the better in thy ways; the more stripes thou givest, the more prayers send we up unto thee; But often when thou ceasest scourging of us, than we cease glorifying of thee: But oh! my Saviour remember the smart of thy own Stripes, and so have pity on mine; Consider Lord, what a powerful Arm sets on the blow, thou needest not whet thy Sword to destroy a broken and bruised Reed; but cheer up, Oh my Soul! thy Prayers are heard; me thinks I see my Jesus Mediating for me, and smiling in his Father's Face, interposes his hand betwixt every blow; thou hast such an Advocate, as cannot, will not he denied; when he undertakes thy suit, thou mayest boldly presume of Pardon.   

6. On a Fleet of Ships in the Night.  
SEe with what a nimble security the Fleet glides through the Bosom of the deep, though Darkness surround it, and Rocks on each side threaten Destruction; guided only by the skill of the Pilot, and the little light in their Admiral.  
Our Saviour that Blessed Pilot, hath made the most perfect discovery of the new Jerusalem unto us; and if we will but follow his course, we shall find sufficient Light in him to guide us; and who can doubt of a Prosperous Voyage, having such a Pilot: canst thou fear Storms, when both the Wind and the Sea obey him; or Pirates, when he hath already carried away that grand Pirate the Devil, captive in Chains. Oh my Jesus! Thou Celestial Palinurus, do thou steer, for thou only canst do it, this crazy Bark of my Soul, Securely through all Enemies, by all Rocks, by Scylla and Charybdys the Devil and the Flesh, till it arrive at Heaven, the Saints Indieses; where is such Treasure, as Eye hath not seen, Ear hath not heard of, neither hath it entered into the Heart of Man to conceive.   

7. On the dropping of the Eaves.  
 are the Effects of these little drops of Water, for they falling on a Stone, not only soften it, but wear it away.  
Lord, I have a Flinty, Rocky Heart; Ah! do thou let fall the Drops of thy Grace and soften it, till it bow's in Obedience unto thee; What Heart so Stubborn, which the Distillations of thy Mercy cannot make pliable. But yet alas! we see to our sorrow, that though thy Mercies come unto some, rather like Showers then by Drops, yet are they not at all Mollified, but rather Hardened in their Obstinacy towards thee; Stony ground, Barren Souls, which such sweet showers cannot make fruitful; for every little favourable blast puffs them up, and they think their Causes must needs be Just because they Prosper; but let them not deceive themselves, for they are but Exalted with woeful Capernaum, to the Heavens; that their fall may be the greater into Hell.   

8. On a Shipwreck.  
Poor Passengers in a Storm, being Ship Wracked by the Furious Sea; know not where to turn in their Distress, but unto the same Rock, which was the cause of their Destruction.  
Lord, thy Waves and thy Billows have gone over me; Oh! whither, whither shall I turn but unto thee? Lord, I know that if thou dost lead me through the Wilderness Hungry and Thirsty, thou canst Rain down Manna from Heaven, and draw Water out of the Rocks for me, if one of thy Hands is armed with a Rod, in the other thou hast the Balm of Gilead; thou Lord art the strong Tower of Israel, and the Rock of Jacob; under the Shadow of thy Wings I shall Rest secure: the Winds may blow, and the Seas swell, but all their Rage shall prove but Froth: he that relies on any other defence trusts to a Fort of Sand, which the least wind scatters; 'tis thou Lord alone, art able to deliver my Soul out of the deep Waters.   

9 The Castle.  
MAn is a Fortress, Beleaguerd All his Life with Armies of innumerable sins, and Satan is their Captain-General. His Forces are divided into three Squadrons; The first is composed of Scarlet Troops, and under these, fight Bloodthirstiness. Revenge, and Murder; and these commonly take the Fortress by Storm. His second Squadron hath black Ensigns, under which fight Dispair, and he gives a furious Assault; Next comes Covetousness, who seeks to Bribe and Betray the Fortress, and with these are all other deeds of Darkness; but his third Squadron have White Ensigns, and under these, are all catching Pleasures and Allurements; Ambition, Fame, Pride, Riot, and Lasciviousness: 'Tis these that come with the white Flag of Truce, and yet mean War; 'tis these that seem to be the least considerable Troops, and yet the most to be feared; 'tis these lay all the Ambushes, with these are his Artillery, and that is Woman; out of the Loopholes of her eyes, she discharges her murderers; this is the fatal Flame that sets the whole Fortress on fire, and besides these, that he may not omit any thing on his part, he hath intelligence within, even thy own thoughts; thou thyself art foe to thyself, and Satan beats thee with thy own Weapons; but that which shows the height of his Policy is, that he will be sure to storm the Fort in the Weakest place: but do thou Jesus stand in the breach, and repel him back; do thou Man the Castle with Assurance and Constancy; Strengthen Faith, that it may keep its Ground; cause Repentance to open the Floodgates of his Eyes, and drown its Foes; and thus shall the Siege be raised, and thou remain Conqueror and Faithful Soldier to the King of Heaven, who will reward thy Victory with a Wreath of Glory.   

10. The Ship.  
THis World is a Sea, Man is the weak Bark that is tossed in that Restless and Stormy Ocean; our hands are two of the Oars that Row us thither, and every good Deed we Act, we fetch a Stroke towards Heaven; and the Almighty's Spirit is the gentle Blast that fills our Sails, for without it we are becalmed. He that sails with the Tide glides towards Hell; Orphans sighs, are the winds that drive him swiftly on, he hath often a merry Gale, and he seldom thinks on the sadness of his Voyage, till he almost arrive at the Dismal Haven of Death; and though God the Searcher of Hearts, who knows if he lived longer, whether he would steer a new course, may pardon him; yet this is dangerous, and he often Miserably Perishes. But he that will steer in a direct course to Heaven, must Sail against the Tide, and he must always be Rowing; for whilst he is idle, the Stream carries him backwards; he will often meet with a thousand Impediments in his Voyage. Though Historians doubt whether there be any Sirens, yet in this Sea he will meet with many. Riches is the Fatal Remora, which sticks to the bottom of the Vessel and hinders its course; but above all, he must have a care he doth not Shipwreck himself against the White Rock of a Woman's Breast. And besides these, he shall meet with other Storms, which will drive him back again; but he must Wrestle with these difficulties, and tug against the Stream, and if he chance to overcome the Tempest; Zephyrus gently filling his Sails, and he enjoys Peace and Tranquillity; let him consider, that after the wanton play of Porpoises there comes a Storm, and therefore repair the Breaches which the Tempest hath made; hath Dispair entered? cast it out and resume thy Anchor of Hope; and at last thy Voyage shall be Prosperous, and thy Bark shall unlade its Precious Fraight in the Bosom of its Saviour, that Great Factor of Souls; who will Treasure it in his Celestial Storehouse, and bind it up amongst his Jewels to all Eternity.     

A Table of the several Subjects in this Book.  

HEaven and Earth, a Dialogue, wherein Christ Convinces the Soul that all those Honours, Gifts and Pleasures, which it imagines to enjoy here, are to be found in him with advantage, page 1  
A preparation to the Lords Supper, p. 25  
Character of the Pious Man, p. 37  
Character of the Impious Man, p. 44  
Character of the Good Woman, p. 50  
Character of the Wicked Woman, p. 55  
The four Quarters of the Year;  
And First of Spring, or Infancy, p. 61  
Second, Of Summer, or Youth, p. 67  
Third, Of Autumn, or Manhood, p. 73  
Fourth, Of Winter, or Old Age, p. 78  
Ten Historical Applications.  
1. Henry the Fifth; By his Example to forsake this World's Vanities, p. 83  
2. Ixion's Cloud, or the vanity of Earthly pleasures, p. 85  
3 Caesars, Herod's, and Swedlands Kings death, or the Frailty of Man's Life, p. 86  
4. The Exchange; Or Divine Traffic, p. 87  
5. Zeuxis Tablet, against Painting, p 89  
6. Sinon, or the Hypocrite, p. 91  
7. Demosthenes' Oration; Against Comedies, p. 92  
8. Thersites, Or the Backbiter, p. 94  
9 Aesop's Cock; Christ our Pearl of Price, p. 95  
10. Diogenes, An Example of Temperance, p. 96  
Ten Scripture Applications.  
1. Samson; Lust to be avoided, p. 98  
2. Naaman; Christ's blood can only cleanse Us, p. 100  
3. Cozby; Lusts punishment, p. 101  
4. David and Goliath; God alone the Giver of Victory, p 102  
5. Soddom; Its sins compared to England's, p. 103  
6. Christ's Death; Expressing his Love to Us, p. 105  
7. The Prodigal; Gods mercy upon Repentance, p. 106  
8. The Widows Mite; God regards not the full hand, but the heart of the Giver, p. 108  
9 Christ Riding on an Ass; His Humility, p. 109  
10. Peter's Sermon; The words power, and our hardness of heart, p. 110  
Ten Occasional Applications.  
1. On a withered Rose; Our backwardness to Repentance, and God's mercy, p. 112  
2. The Fly in the Candle; Carnal Security, p. 115  
3. On a Blotted Paper; Against Patches, p. 116  
4. The Sow in the Mire; or the worldling, p. 118  
5. The Whipping of a Tap; or Fatherly Correction, p. 120  
6. On a Fleet of Ships in the night; Christ our Pilot, p. 121  
7. The dropping of the Eaves; Mercies cannot mollify us, p. 123  
8. On a Shipwreck; Christ the Rock of our Salvation, p. 124  
9 The Castle; Man a Besieged Fortress, p. 126  
10. The Ship; the World a Sea, wherein poor man is tossed, p. 128   
FINIS.   

ERRATAS  
For 

CAres, Page 4. line 8.  
Pilate, p. 8. l. 6.  
Swearest, p. 8. l. 7.  
Arms, p. 9 l. 17.  
So●s, p. 13. l. 6.  
Brooks, p. ibid. l. 13.  
Son, p. 14. l. 20.  
Arms, p. 16. l. 20.  
sit, p. 20. l. 18.  
may for, p. 48. l. 22.  
party, p. 51. l. 9  
Target, p. 61. l. 5.  
Lilies, p. 62. l. 22.  
intseat, p. 64. l. 19  
indissolvable, p. 69. l. 2.  
strict, p. 69. l. 5.  
wained, p. 70. l. 17.  
Fer●ore, p. 73. l. 2.  
strain, p. 77. l. 9  
Eccliped, p. 79. l. 10.  
our, p. 87. l. 14.  
Worldling, p. 96. l. 2.  
stayed, p. 107. l. 1●.  
sports, p. 119. l. 9   Read 

Cares  
Pilot  
Steerest  
Armies  
Suns  
Brook  
Sun  
Armies  
set  
may be for  
parley  
Turget  
Lillie  
entreat  
indissoluble  
strict  
weaned  
Fervore  
stair  
Eclipsed  
ours  
Worldlings  
stained  
spots