A TREASURY OF DIVINE RAPTURES. Consisting of Serious Observations, Pious Ejaculations, Select Epigrams. Alphabetically ranked and filled by a Private Chaplain to the Illustrious and Renowned Lady URANIA The Divine and Heavenly MUSE. THE FIRST PART.  
LONDON, Printed by T. J. for Thomas Parkhurst at the golden Bible upon London Bridge. 1667.   

Θεσαυρο-Φυλακιον: OR, A TREASURY OF DIVINE RAPTURES. Consisting of Serious Observations, Pious Ejaculations, Select Epigrams. Alphabetically ranked and filled by a Private Chaplain to the Illustrious and Renowned Lady URANIA The Divine and Heavenly MUSE. THE FIRST PART.  
LONDON, Printed for the Author, in the Year, 1667.   

TO THE  

READER REader, if over-critical thou be,  
ENter not in; go where is better cheer:  
ANd if thou art ingenious and free,  
DRaw nigh, I bid thee kindly welcome here  
EAt freely, and bless God, if thou dost found  
REfreshing pleasure, with true profit joined  
Here thou hast choice variety of Dishes,  
That they were better cooked, the Author wishes.    

TO THE Truly Honourable and Religious, The Lady MARY VAUGHAN, Virtuous Consort to the Right Worshipful Sir HENRY VAUGHAN, etc. And my very good Lady; All health and happiness.  

MAdam, these sacred Poems which ensue,  
Intended were to follow that which I  
Once tendered to your honourable view,  
Excuse me that I cannot gratify  
Your full desires; the Stationer thought best  
To print these first, next (if these take) the rest;  
Madam, till than accept of what is pressed.   
Nou. 5. 1666. Your Ladyship's most humble and obliged Servant, to command, Nich. Billingsley.   

TO THE  

RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR EDWARD HARLEY KNIGHT OF THE BATH REnowned Sir, your piety, and Known  
Integrity, GIves to my generous Muse  
Great hopes, youR Worship will Incline to own  
Her DivinE Issue, brougGht forth for your use  
Take, read and juDge, if some deliHt you take  
Herein, I Wish them beTter for your sake.  
Overlook all their fault's; recall tO mind.  
Nothing on EaRth, can truly perFect be,  
Our joys run Dregss; Honour is like The wind,  
Unconstant; Richeses (having wings) tHey flee.  
Resign your All to God; lEt things above  
(Always DeseRving) have your noBlest love.  
Be ever zealous, Let your conversAtion,  
Light others in thE way that leads To rest.  
Expect some trials; such shall Have salvation  
Who stick close to the truth they have professed.  
Go on (good Sir) Heaven raise up more like you  
To give to Caesar, and to God their due:  
And at that grace which heretofore did rest  
In old Sir Robert, beameth in your breast;  
So may the World, when you from it are gone,  
See your bright virtues shining in your son.   
So humbly prays Your Honour's devoted Servant, N. B.   

TO THE  

RIGHT WORSHIPFUL Sr TREVIR WILLIAMES' KNIGT AND BARONET RIght worthy Sir, your brave hercick spirit  
Is famed abroad buT sigh beyoNd my merit  
Great love your WoRship showed to me I do  
Here sand a mEan acknowledGement to you,  
This poor MinerVs which my brain broughT forth,  
Wishing that It were equAl to your worth  
Oh! how raRe is it for a maN to found  
Renown, and Worldly wealth with gooDness joined.  
So as they are In you! who wouldBe crowned  
He must be hoLy, in good works Abound;  
justice deLights to have you cleaR her Laws,  
Poor men rejoice to have you heaR their cause  
For you hAve helped (vengeance tO God belongs)  
Unto their right, theM that sustaiNed wrongs;  
Live long bEloved, much happinEss attended  
Long life, ChriSt Jesus crown you in The end.   
Sir, I am Your very humble Servant, N. B.   

The Invocation.  

I.  
O Lord,  
Who only art  
The Greatest and the Best,  
An ever overflowing Fount  
Whence Grace & Glory, & all Goodness springs:  
Afford  
Thy Spirit; Impart  
Thy gracious aid; divest  
My soul of sin, that she may mount  
To thee, and live above terrestrial things.   

II.  
O Thou,  
Who didst inspire  
The Prophets, that did use  
In sacred Cantos heretofore  
To celebrated thy great and glorious Name;  
Fill now  
With sprightly fire  
My Heav'n-descended Muse,  
And grant that she may evermore  
Thy deathless praises to the World proclaim.    

To his much honoured Friend JOHN BIRCH, Esq; One of His Majesty's Justices of Peace for the County of Hereford, etc.  

1.  
GOod Sir,  
Your noble favours to me shown  
When poor, and wronged by the malevolent:  
And since that I my Ministry lay down,  
Ungrateful were I, should I not resent.  
And o, that I were able to express,  
Your living virtues, in a lively dress!   

2.  
A poor man in the hollow of his hand  
Brought water to the Mycenean King;  
So I, who have but little at command,  
To you this slender Thank-oblation bring,  
In hope it may the like acceptance found  
From you, sigh given with a Noble mind.   

3.  
Poesy is divine, 'tis not of man,  
It's God that taught me Poems to compose;  
And he may writ in Verse, who seldom can  
Have opportunities to preach in Prose.  
Sir, take his mite, the height of whose endeavour,  
Is to be humbly yours, and that forever.   
From my study at Abergaveny Jan. 1. 1666. N. B.   

To the Right Worshipful, The Company of HABERDASHERS in LONDON, etc.  
Worshipful,  

1.  
WOnder you may, that I who am unknown  
To any of you, should presume to sand  
So small a present (as I scarce dare own)  
To all of you, whose Deeds your Worth commend.  
But having found you generously free,  
This (I confess) humbly emboldened me.   

2.  
True; I was one of Levi's turn'd-out Tribe,  
Who never durst against my conscience sin,  
Nor claw Church-livings with an unjust bribe,  
And stoutly swear I honestly came in;  
Your Presentations are not bought nor sold  
With eye-bewitching heart-corrupting gold.   

3.  
If in the place whereto I have a call  
From God and you, I any good may do,  
As a weak Instrument, I trust I shall,  
Ascribe it wholly unto God and you.  
Heaven crown you all, with all (excepting none)  
The blessings of the Footstool and the Throne.  
Which is the unfeigned desire of   
(Most Noble Patrons) Your most humble servant Nich. Billingsley. Awre, March 25. 1667.   

Faults of greatest moment corrected, the rest are left to the Readers ingenuity to amend and pardon.  
PAge 2. verse 15. for with read of, p. 10. v. 2. for n●●● r. ever, p. 13. v. 10. insert and, p. 28. v. 4. for do. r. g●▪ p. 39 v. 12. for Alchmis r. Alch'my, p. 55. v. 1●▪ for means r. beams, p. 58. v. 18. for statute r. statue, p. 59 l. 9 for men●um c. mentem, p. 60. v. 1. for Chr●st r. Christ's, v. 9▪ for and r. of, p. 61. v. 2. blour out to, p 66. v. 15. for s●o●● r. sprouts, p. 71. v. 18. for Abraham is r. Ab●aham's, p▪ 72. v. 1. for good r. God p. 75. v. 8. for no r. or, p. 85. v. 6 fo● I'●e r. I will, p 86. v. 10. for smoke r. soak, p. 102. v. 8. fo● high r. his, p 105. v. 26. for wills r. evils, p. 106. v 15. insert never, p. 11● v. 19 inse●t and▪ p. 114 v. 17 for since●sia's p. 126. v. 15. for aspi●e r. al●ine, p. 141. for but r. th● p. 157. v. 15. for safe r. self, p 161. v. 10. insert very, v. 11▪ insert or, v. 15. 100LS as r. is, p 103. v 13. for like r. loo●, p▪ 171. v. 15 insert ●●, p 178 v. 16. for left r. f●lt, p. 182 v. 29. insert speak, p. 194. v 17. insert the, p 203 v. 27. ●● witch r. wretch p. 205 v. 1. omit vain, p. 227. v. 10. for sinners r. Saints, p. 229 v. 8. for short r. shortest, p. 230. v. 14▪ for and r. A●e, p. 232. v. 10. for God r. God's word.   

A TREASURY OF DIVINE RAPTURES.  

A  

1. On Abba.  
O! I have sinned before the Judge's face,  
And justice storms; so vile am I, so base,  
I dare not pled, and yet I cannot fly  
From God's all-viewing, bright-refulgent eye.  
I have offended Heaven, infringed his Laws;  
And now methinks incensed Justice draws  
His keen Steletto, at one fatal blow,  
T'effect mine everlasting overthrow.  
And must thou than for ever be undone,  
Poor trembling Soul? make in to th' Judge's Son,  
Remember'st not how his dear blood was spilt  
Upon the Cross, to answer for thy guilt?  
How he was dead, entombed, rose, intercedes  
For thee, and how afresh for sin he bleeds.  
Get Christ thy friend, and thou wilt quickly see  
The breach made up, betwixt thy God and thee.  
Go in thy Saviors name, go make thy moan,  
And pour thy prayers before Gods gracious throne  
Beg his assisting Spirit so much the rather  
Because thou mayst through it call Abba Father.  
God out of Christ is a consuming fire,  
In him our Father, granting our desire,  
In things that are consonant to his Will,  
And for our real good, how doth he fill  
Our lives with blessings, he hath Love for all  
Who can in truth him Abba Father call.  
He owns as sons, those that his Son do own,  
Believing on his Name; to them alone  
The golden Sceptre of his pleased grace,  
He reacheth forth, them his sweet arms embrace▪  
He bears with them, accepts with what they do▪  
And gives them his Paternal Blessing too.  
Sinners made Sons! free Grace to this must move  
O here is the Meridian of Love!  
Mirror of Mercies! Rebels to be crowned,  
And swine made sons, O this is Love profound   

2. On an Abetter.  
Satins commands (opposed to Gods) are ten  
Which are observed by the most of men,  
This lying Prince heartens us on to ill,  
Tells us his Laws are easy to fulfil.  
But God's are hard, besides his pay is greater,  
And thus the devil becomes the Souls Abetter.   

3. On Ability.  
MAn can do nothing of himself, unless  
God give him leave, 'tis wisdom to express  
If God so please, to morrow we'll pursue  
Such and such things. Once a presumptuous Jew  
Said thus t'his friends, to morrow I'll be blest  
And crowned with mirth, the Bridal-chamber dressed  
Resolved I am, to frolic out the day  
With my fair Bride, and who dare say me nay?  
And when 'tis night, I do intent to meet,  
My Soul's delight, within the Genial Sheet;  
I will, I will, whether God will or not:  
Blasphemous wretch! to morrow gone, both go  
To bed, but lo! before the Game was vied,  
Death struck the jovial Bridegroom and his Bride.   

4. On Abjuration.  
IN Baptism, we to Christ our souls betrothe,  
The World, Flesh, Satan, do renounce by oath.  
But ah! our words prove wind, our minds do vary  
And we t'our Abjuration walk contrary.   

5. On an Abcedary.  
THe Worlds a School, and we to School are set  
To learn Love, in Afflictions Alphabet,  
That Christ-cross row, but ah! how dull! how slow  
Are we to learn? till God do make us know.  
O Heaven, I crave that thou wilt be my Tutor,  
And make thy Spirit of Grace my co-adjutor.   

6. On Abridgement.  
THe World's a Book in Folio, fairly writ  
With Gods own hand, the creatures found in it  
Are Letters, spelling out the Author's Glory,  
And man's th' Abridgement of that ample story.   

7. On Absence.  
ALas! alas! we know not how to prise  
A real good, while 'tis before our eyes:  
Not sooner gone, o than we can set forth  
It's praise, and prise it for its real worth;  
But yet we soon forget our absent friends,  
And laud the present out of base self ends. 
* Carendo potius quam fruendo nos bona nostra intelligimus Cic. Poma fugientia sunt gratissima. Vanescit absens & novus intrat amor.    

8. On Absolution.  
GOd's Absolution is a full discharge  
Of sins, past, present and to come, at large:  
This to God's People only doth belong,  
And serve to make their Faith when weak, more strong.  
Popish Indulgences, for future fins,  
Are mere Decoys, and Soul-beguiling Gins:  
Make men licentious impudent in evil,  
To go (if possible) beyond the Devil.  
Teach simple Souls to say, God gives us pardon  
Even while they sin, was the like ever hard on?  
Good Lord forgive us, we have broke thy Law,  
The Pope▪ s forgiveness, is not worth a Straw.  
Absolve potentially God only can,  
And therefore not the Pope, the Pope's a Man.   

9 On Abstinence.  
TH' abstemious person's diet, is not large,  
He's one that feeds at frugal Nature's charge,  
Forbears unlawful, yea and lawful things,  
Sometimes for the great benefit it brings;  
This fits for duty, is the body's friend▪  
How sweet when other graces it attend!  
Such as abstain from meat, but practise evils  
Are like meat-wanting, but sin-having Devils.   

10. On Absurdity.  
TO make a Garment for the Moon,  
To drain the Ocean with a Spoon,  
To build up Castles in the Air;  
Before foul Swine to cast Pearls fair,  
To paint the Dolphin in the Woods;  
Or Savage Boar in liquid Floods;  
To light a Candle at noon day;  
To seek for Water in the Sea:  
To set the Fox to keep the Geese;  
To wrist the Club from Hercules.  
To put the Cart before the Horse,  
To seek a Blessing in a Curse,  
Is held absurd, to think to win,  
A glorious Crown, yet live in Sin;  
Preposterous is, none can Heaven gain,  
Without the price of labours pain.   

11. On Abundance.  
THe radiant Splendour of those things on earth,  
Dazzles our Eyes to things of Nobler birth;  
Care-cumbred Martha, cannot act like Mary,  
Forgets to seek that one thing necessary;  
How many are impov'rishd by their Richeses,  
Made Spirit'aly poor, the World bewitches.  
But ah! how rare to see a man inherit  
A wealth Purse, with an impov'rish●d Spirit.  
Let Abraham much respect to Hagar show,  
She will ere long over her Mistress crow;  
Plenty of places maketh oftentimes,  
Men foully guilty of nefandous crimes.  
Rich Sodom, was a Nursery of sins,  
And Jeshurun when fat, to kick gins;  
Nay, full-fed Israel committeth now  
Abomination, and hath broke her vow.  
Laodicea flowed in wealth store,  
And yet (alas!) was miserable poor.  
Paul in the midst of want knew how t'abound,  
And counted all things loss till Christ was found  
Had nothing, yet with all things was possessed,  
¶ None but the gracious Soul is truly blest.  
How full soever this my Cistern be,  
God's the grand-Fountain, nay, the Ocean-sea  
Of all enjoyments: All my Springs and Streams  
Are in, and from him; at his Golden beams  
My Candle's tined; thus faith on God doth pitch,  
It is his blessing only can make rich:  
Fish the Disciples may, tug and take pain,  
But till Christ come, their labour is in vain;  
The gaping chinks and chasmes of my Soul,  
He can fill up, who is my All, my Whole.  
Esau had much, he, that God his can call  
With Jacob, more enjoys, for he hath all;  
These are rich Cab nets, but God's countenance,  
His Light, O that's the Jewel we enhance!  
A single God is infinitely sweeter,  
Than all derived good things, and always better.  
O may I with my Substance honour thee,  
Great God Maria's ointment could not be  
Brought to a better Mart, than when 'twas shed  
Abroad, so frankly on her Saviour's head;  
Dote not (my Soul) in God is all thy springs,  
On these poor earthly, drossy, dirty things.   

12. On Abuse.  
GIve, give, the Horseleech cries, we more do crave,  
And yet do still abuse the things we have:  
This man abuses Honour, that his Richeses,  
Him drink besots, this dainty fare bewitches;  
And is't not just with God to take from us  
His Blessings, seeing we abuse them thus?  
Nullum bonum est quo quis non male utatur  
impii Divina beneficia corrumpunt.   

13. On an Academy.  
SOme graceless ones that haunt those public Schools,  
(Ho●s-like) evade mere Atheists, Scripture-fools,  
Such as for holy ends improve their parts,  
May bless God for such Nurseries of Arts.   

14. On Acceptation.  
CHrist bears the names of Saints upon his Breast,  
Presents them to his Father, in request  
So brings he them, God through Christ will treat,  
And parley with us from his Mercy-seat:  
He accepts what we do, therein delights,  
And makes us to become his Favourites.  
We to God's eye in Christ's blood by reflection,  
Seem of a sanguine, beautiful Complexion.  
So have I seen each object to the view,  
Through the read Glass seem of a ruddy hue.   

15. On Acceptation of persons.  
NOr God, nor nature, death, nor devil do  
Respect men's persons, only Man doth so;  
Persons should be regarded for their faith,  
Not faith for persons (as a wise man saith.)  
Accept of me in Christ, O God, my King,  
So wilt thou be well-pleased with what I bring.   

16. On Accounts.  
GReat God when I would cast up the accounts  
Of all my sins, their number far surmounts,  
Th'hairs on my head, the Heaven's Starry bands,  
Earth's blades of grass, the Sea beleag'ring sands.  
Lord, only thou the great Arithmetitian,  
Canstsum them up; let Christ be my Physician,  
His mer'ts are infinite, with which he stops  
The mouth of Justice, those sanguineous drops  
That trickled down his wounds is balm to heal  
My soul; for pardon I through him appeal  
To thee, dear Lord, 'tis Mercy that I crave,  
Thy saving Mercy let thy servant have.   

17. On an Accuser.  
THe Devil, that grand accuser of our Souls,  
Hath not his name for naught, what bloody scrouls  
Hath he against man's self, and now and than  
Accuseth man to God, vea God to man:  
Angels accuse us, and the Law likewise,  
The Judge himself accuses, Conscience flies  
In our guilt-blushing faces, smners be  
Against us; none but Christ can set us free,  
From all our accusations, run my soul  
To Christ by faith, and Christ will make thee whole.   

18. On Acquaintance.  
WOrldly acquaintance mischief often attends,  
'Tis said, many acquaintance, but few friends  
My soul, acquaint thyself with God, and rest  
In peace, of all acquaintance his is best;  
This true friend neither can, nor will deceive thee  
Nor in an Orphan-state will never leave thee,  
But give thee visits; promises they are  
His Bonds; go put those Bonds in suit by prayer.   

19 On an Acquittance.  
O God, our sins are debts, and more and more,  
We in thy Justice Books, still run on score,  
Can never pay, and we must therefore lie  
In Hell's black prison to Eternity.  
But O we have a Surety (Christ) whose death  
Alone, can make offended Justice sheathe  
His keen-edged sword; Love that transcends degree,  
Our King he dies to set us Rebels free:  
He suffered for our sins; we by his stripes  
Are healed, and from our eyes all tears he wipes.  
The Debts discharged, to Justice nothing's due,  
As our acquittance, writ in blood, doth show.   

20. On Actions.  
DO not the Silver-breasted Rivers go  
Back to the wealth Seas from whence they flow?  
So to God's glory must our Actions tend,  
As in him they begin, so must they end.  
As from the Sacred Fountain of his Grace  
They first took rise, so to their proper place  
They must retire, the Ocean of his Glory  
Must swallow up our Actions transitory;  
May I, what ever I assay to do,  
Make God my Alpha, and Omega too.   

21. On an Adamant.  
OUr hearts are like this unrelenting stone,  
Nothing can melt them, save the blood alone  
Of the Messiah: O sweet Jesus grant  
Thy blood may mollify my Adamant:  
Lord at thine hands a tender heart I crave,  
A heart of flesh, let me thy servant have;  
So shall I love thee, and adore thee still,  
And yield obedience to thy Heavenly william.   

22. On Addition.  
GOd multiplies his Mercies more and more,  
Ungrateful we, who to our sins vast score  
Add new offences daily; but be't known,  
God hath large showers of vengeance to pour down  
Upon our guilty souls, unless we rend  
Our rocky hearts, and speedily repent.   

23. On an Adjective.  
THe World's an Adjective, it cannot stand,  
Without a Substantive, th'Almighties Hand:  
And I can nothing signify at all  
Without God's Grace, unpropped by it I fall.   

24. On an Adieu.  
THe Old man bids the World adieu,  
When he can stay not longer in it,  
He whom God's Spirit did once renew,  
Had rather loose the World that win it.  
That he in Heaven with Christ may devil,  
He longs to bid the World farewell.   

25. On an Adjourn.  
DEar Lord! how apt are we t'adjourn  
The day and hour of our Return  
From sin to thee! from morn to noon  
We put it of, say 'tis too soon;  
And when life's Sun is almost set,  
O than we dying thee forget.   

26 On Admonition.  
Word's seasonably spoke, are like unto  
Apples of Gold, in Silver Pictures set;  
And if well taken, O what good they do,  
They stir us up to duties we forget.  
We should not Admonition detest,  
The wise man saith 'tis needful for the best. 
* Prov. 9 9, 15, 12.    

27. On Adoption.  
WE were not born Gods children, but so made;  
The Dev'le, we for our natural father had;  
Through Grace snatched from th'old Family of Hell,  
In Heaven's noble Family Saints devil;  
Are disobliged from sin, new names receive,  
And an Estate which they shall never leave,  
Pleasant and safe; to an inheritance  
In light, kept for them; them doth he advance,  
The heirs shall never die, for be it known  
Eternitie's a Jewel of their Crown.  
Man, he Adopts a defect to supply;  
God, out of pity, not necessity.  
He had an only Son, nor loved he any  
Like him, Man but one heir adopts, he many;  
Hath Land for all; Man soon adopts a Son,  
A Deed is sealed, and the thing is done,  
But when God was about to constitute  
Us Sons and Heirs, his wisdom could found out  
No easy way, he could not seal a Deed  
But by his own Sons blood, his Son must bleed.  
Men on adopted persons entail do  
Their Land, but God his Land himself too.  
O what great Portions to God's Heirs do fall,  
Heaven's theirs, Glory is theirs, yea, God and All!  
How precious are their Names, their Prayers Tears, blood  
●n Gods esteem, and O that Satan's brood,  
Nay Traitor's should be made Heirs to the Crown,  
Such Love was never to the Angels shown.  
And O what Sweets from out the Gospel flower  
May a Believer suck! when in our gore  
We tumbling lay, and were with sin bemired,  
And neither deserved love, nor love desired;  
He loved us than, when we had soiled, defaced  
His Image, broke his Law, us he embrac▪ d,  
When we by Sin our Pedigree had lost,  
He did restore it to us to his cost.   

28. On Adoration.  
ANgels and Saints, my fellow-creatures be,  
And therefore shall not be adored by me;  
God who hath made me, and did me restore,  
Him only, and none else I must adore.   

29. On Advancement.  

1.  
OUr Blessed Redeemer fancied,  
Humility even so,  
Our way to be Advanced,  
Must be by being low.   

2.  
He had all in Fruition,  
Yet for our sakes did pitch,  
Upon a mean condition,  
That us he might enrich.   

3.  
This Prince inestimable  
By whom the World is swayed,  
Was in a homely Stable,  
Born of a Mother-Maid.   

4.  
The heavens could not contain him,  
Yet him a cratch did hold;  
Fools did indeed disdain him,  
But wise men brought him Gold.   

5.  
He fasted, and was tempted,  
To feast us with his Grace,  
That we might be exempted,  
Oppressed with griefs he was.   

6.  
weare by his shame renowned,  
And eased by his pain;  
We by his Cross are Crowned,  
And by his loss we gain.   

7.  
On Earth, he was a stranger,  
That we might be God's Sons;  
He passed through Death and danger,  
To m●●e us sit on Thrones.  
All Glory be to him therefore,  
Ascribed, both now and evermore.    

30. On Advantage.  
THe World in one Scale, blessed Jesus lays,  
The Soul in tother, and the Soul outweighs  
To gain the World, and loose the precious Soul,  
Is such a vantage, as the damned condole.   

31. On an Adventure.  
O How sad were my Adventures!  
Thus to forfeit mine Indentures,  
But to pay my just Debentures,  
Into Bond my Saviour enters.  
O my Soul, sin not more,  
Jest worse fall than did before.  Magnum est memorabile facinus non sit absque periculo. Tertul.  

32. On an Adverb.  
LIve, that's an Act, but much Divinity  
Lies couched in this one Adverb holily.   

33. On Adversity.  
THe Sts. like Glowworms, in the darkest night  
Of sad afflictions, do reflect most bright,  
Rue is the Herb of Grace, often times our woe  
Becomes our weal, our Saviour found it so;  
For first he Vinegar and Gall drank down  
O'th' Cross,  he receiv▪ d his glorious Crown:  
Mourning lasts but till morning, nightly sorrow  
Is Herald to a joyful shining morrow.  
Now Storms arise, anon a prosperous Gale,  
Fans courteous blasts, upon the swelling Sail.   

34. On Adultery.  
ALL other sins may be subdued by might,  
Adulterate mixtures only are by flight;  
Flee Fornication, holy Paul doth say,  
Yet O how many like fed Horses neigh  
After their neighbour's Mates: the Brownist strives  
For all things to be common, Ergo Wives.   

35. On an Advocate.  
O Happy Mary for whom Jesus pleads,  
Judas condemns, but he commends thy deed●  
Judas accuse, and slander while thou wilt,  
Jusus acquits, and clears us of our guilt.  
Earth judges evil, what Heaven pronounceth good  
The moving empiric of our Advocate's blood,  
Pleads strongly for us, and we need not fear,  
Though all the Devil's in Hell against us were.  
Our Sav'ours' blood which on the Cross was spilt,  
Quenches God's wrath, and satisfies for guilt.  
Such as for help unto the Mother run,  
Shall have but little succour from the Son.   

36. On Affection.  
KInd Mary pours an Alabster Box,  
Of precious Spikenard on her Saviour's feet,  
And with her chiefest Ornament, her Locks,  
She wipes them, humbleness and zeal her meet.  
O how doth love in Mary's heart abound,  
She serves God, not by th'ounce, but by the pound!   

37. On Afflictions.  
HOw light afflictions are! how transitory,  
Compared to the weight of endless glory!  
Or if compar▪ d to sin, or if to Hell,  
And yet when our proud hearts do rise and swell,  
We think them heavy, for they press us down,  
Many dislike the Cross, but not the Crown:  
'tis true affliction hath a vexing sting,  
But know withal, it hath a flying wing;  
The shadows of the night shall flee away,  
And we shall see an everlasting day;  
Afflict'ons water like a Land-flood shall  
Be soon dried up, the Saints rise by their fall,  
Their night-cloaths fling a●ide, they shall be dressed  
In rich array, and be for ever blest.   

38. On Agents.  
SAtannick Agents, are rubbish to scour  
The Vessels of God's house, Ashur had power  
To vex God's Israel, this being done  
The smarting rod into the fire is thrown.  
'Tis said, the rod of wicked ones shall not  
Always remain upon the righteous lot.   

39 On Air.  
THe Throne of night and day, the airy main,  
The mint of winds, the treasures house of rain,  
Becomes the common dish, (so Heaven decreed)  
Whereon all creatures every moment feed.   

40. On an Alarm.  
SOund an Alarm, thy Messengers fulfil,  
Thy pleasure Lord, ●et men are drowsy still.  
O when thy second Trumpet shall be sounded,  
The unbelieving World shall be confounded.   

41. On an Albe.  
THis vestment in itself is pure from sin,  
But yet not holy, nor are all within  
That wear't, Lord make me inwardly sincere,  
No matter than what outwardly I wear.   

42. On an Alehouse.  
THose common Quagmires of all naughtiness,  
And rendezvouz for such a love excess:  
All sober men decline, the lousy Alehouse  
Fits men first for the Gaol, and next the Gallows.   

43. On an Alembi●k.  
Man's heart's a Chemic, Limbeck that distils▪  
The tears of grief ●arm'd with the sense of ills;  
O when for sin, m● spiritual Stillatory,  
Drop● holy tears, thine be, O Lord the Glory.   

44. On Alms.  
WE to receive God's Blessings in, have stor●  
Of hands (like Bri'●●us,) to relieve the poo●  
We have but one to use, and that alas!  
Is withered too, as Jeroboams was.  
It's not enough to say, God help, and give  
Good words, unless the hungry we relieve;  
The Poor like the Chameleon cannot feed  
Upon light Air: Give unto such as need;  
Let Artaxerxes like our open Palms,  
Be liberal in distributing Alms.   

45. On Allowance.  
OUr daily Bread, is from God's daily care,  
Who feeds the winged Citizens of the Air:  
Doth he not also  us day by day,  
Who decks the Lilies in such rich array?  
Thus having food, the commons God hath sent,  
And raiment too, let's be therewith content.   

46. On an Altar.  
GReat God upon the Altar of my heart,  
I offer up the Sacrifice of praise  
To thee; be pleased to take it in good part,  
And make me glorify thy Name always:  
Let who will prise Altars of Wood or Stone,  
There's no such Altar as a Fleshly one.   

47. On Ambition.  
Desire's that but the Poles no limits know,  
How they transport that man in whom they grow  
Such as aspire at Honour's highest pitch,  
Like gazing Thales tumble down the Ditch.  
Great God when my ambitious thoughts would climb  
To get a name by works composed of slime,  
Check thou my sinful pride, let me not reach  
At such a union as may 'cause a breach;  
Nor close with sin, but still to mind recall  
Great Babel's building, was great Babel's fall.  Sen. Trag. 6. 
Quo fortunatius crexit ac levatit humanas opes, hoc se supprimere magis felicem decet.  
Sequitur superbos ultor a vergo Deus.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 magna moles magna ruina.   

48. On Almost.  
ALas! how many have salvation lost,  
For want of thorough Reformation?  
The almost Christ'an shall be saved almost,  
But quite to all eternity undone.  
The Crown belongs to such as persevere,  
As good never a whit, as ne'er the near.   

49. On Alpha and Omega.  
OF all thy labours, and intentions, see  
That God thy Alpha and Omega be.  
He that's the Alpha of all Mercies, shall  
Be the Omega of my service all.   

50. On Amen.  
IT gives assent to what before was spoken,  
'tis an assuring, assevering Token.  
Let's pray in faith, that when conclude we do  
With our Amen, Heaven may say Amen too.   

51. On Amendment.  
Avgustus' said of Galba's crooked back,  
Warn thee I can, better I cannot make:  
God in his goodness Ministers doth sand us,  
To warn us, but it is his grace must mend us.  
If we remend our lives, and by God's grace  
Reform what is a miss, he will embrace  
Us in his loving arms, lay by his Rod,  
And be to us a reconciled God.   

52. On Anarchy.  
THe members have their head; the Stars the Sun,  
Nature abhors kingless confusion.   

53. On Anathema.  
O too b'anathematized  
And delivered up to Satan,  
Is, if rightly exercised,  
Worse than what befell to Dathan.  
Serious censures were but sports,  
Heretofore in some men's Courts.   

54. On Anatomy.  
● Ubstract Christ and his Members, holy ones,  
The world is nothing but a Trunk of bones.   

55. On an Anchor.  
¶ WHo upwards on his God hopes Anchor casts,  
Can triumph in the midst of stormy blasts.   

56. On Angels.  
Angel's heavens nobles; those bright flaming powers,  
Untainted Spirits, are the Saints Servitors,  
While here they live, and when of life bereaven,  
Those blessed Convoys carry them to heaven.  
Thus they attended Abram, Daniel, Mary,  
And Laz'●us when dead, did to glory carry.  
Saints by creation are than Angels lower,  
But Saints above them by adoption soar.   

57 On Anger.  
MOrosus is like Flax, or Gunpowder,  
Not sooner touched but he is all on fire;  
And raging, not unlike the furious wi●d.  
Vents out the wild distempers of his mind.  
Anger is a short madness, it suspends  
The use of Reason, it estrangeth Friends.  
Be angry, there's the reinss; angry at sin,  
But sin not, there's the bridle curbs us in.  
Harken to Socrates, if thou wouldst fly  
Rash Anger, think on God's all-viewing eye.  
As the Divine Philosopher doth say,  
The best way to lay Anger, is delay. 
* Maximum irae remedium est mora. See Sen.    

58. On an Angler.  
GOd is an Angler, so is Satan too,  
He taketh to save, but Satan to undo.   

59 On Antichrist.  
PEter lays by his sword, and takes the Keys,  
The Pope lays by his Keys, and now adays  
Falls to his sword; yet many to him flock,  
As if he had the Key t▪ undo Heav▪ ns lock.   

60. On an Antidote.  
GOds sacred Word is, and hath ever been  
A sovereign Antidote against all sin.  
Lord, if thy medicinable Wo●d dispel  
Sins venom from m● heart, I shall be well.   

61. On Antipathy.  
THe strong-rib▪ d Oak bears an antipathy  
'Gainst the pale Olive; and the thrifty Bee  
Against the pilfering Wasp; discord doth breed  
Betwixt the Serpents, and the Woman's seed;  
But most of all in man, man's flesh and blood  
Is enmity against God, and what is good.   

62. On Antiquity.  
WHat is most ancient, is the truest Text,  
We read first God says, and the devil says next.  
What God affirms, the Tempter he denies;  
Gods truths are elder than the Devils lies.   

63. On Ants.  
SEest thou these little Patterns of great pain,  
Lug in their mouths their mighty loads of grain  
And fill the●r hollow-vaulted Cells, that so  
(While others pine) they may with plenty flow.  
¶ Who in the winter would not suffer want,  
Must labour in the summer with the Ant.   

64. On an Ape.  
SAtan God's Ape, that Prince of darkness can  
Shine like an Angel, to delude poor man.   

65. On an Apparitor.  
Summoned by death, th'Apparitor of Heaven,  
Appear we must, and an account be given.   

66. On Apparel.  
ADam he sins, as soon as he preceives his shame, he makes him breeches of fig-leaus  
And afterwards he clotheses with coats of skins  
His nakedness, but could not hid his sins.  
Thus man at first for need did clotheses invent,  
Which since are used for pomp and ornament;  
Gorgeous attire, and silken bravery,  
Is but the badge of our desert to die;  
What thief was ever of his Halter proud,  
Although a silken one were him allowed?  
If so, methinks our proud fantastic Jacks,  
Should blush to carry all upon their backs,  
As of his learning Bias said, I bear  
All mine with me, so they of what they wear,  
Yet often they stand, for all their lofty looks  
Deeply recorded in their Mercer's books:  
Fair feathers now adaus do make fair Fowls,  
Bodies are better clothed alas! than Souls,  
O if Christ's righteous Robes my soul adorn,  
No matter though my clotheses were threadbare worn.  
Stultissimus est, qui hominem ex vestibus estimat.  
Externa non commendant hominem.  Cic. 
Quanto ornatior tanto nequitior.  
Heu nunc splendidus vestitus discolor animus.  Marcel.  

67. On the Appetite.  
HOw dull to good is our souls appetite?  
But ah! what's bad we relish with delight.   

68 On an Apple.  
ONe Apple did undo our Grandam Eve,  
And the whole world, yet daily we receive  
Forbidden fruits; alas! unwholesome food  
We love, and loathe what is entirely good.   

69. On the Apple of the eye.  
GOds people are the Apple of his eye,  
O do not make this tender Apple cry;  
God his eye's Apple charily doth keep,  
O how it grieves him when 'tis made to weep!   

70. On Application.  
THe skilful Preacher having cleared his Text,  
Derives fit Doctrines thence, applies it next,  
The bow the explication only bends,  
Fits for the mark, but application sends  
The arrows home: how David's heart began  
To sink, when Nathan said, Thou art the man.   

71. On Apostasy.  
WE are the Lord of hosts his armed bands,  
And the Church is the field; us Christ commands  
The Word & Sacraments our colours be;  
The Colony of Saints our Company;  
Who fly this Field, revolt from this Commande●  
Forsake this Colour, from this comp'nv wande●  
By damned Apostasy, to serve the Devil,  
Hell's Prince, and first original of evil,  
Christ'an'ties, foes, Religions grand disgrace,  
These are, besides, O how do the● debase,  
And of a glorious Crown bereave themselves,  
Incur Gods heavy wrath, nefandous Elves?  
¶ Such as from Christ to hell's black Monarch r●●  
Shall found him cruel, and themselves undone.   

72. On the Apostles.  
CHrists Vicars, the Apostles equal were  
For Rule, Power, Honour, Peter did not bear  
Supremacy; all did in gifts excel,  
Yet one (and he the richest) went to Hell.   

73. On an Arbitrator.  
CHrist Jesus is the only Arbiter,  
By whom to God we reconciled are.   

74. On an Archbishop.  
CHrist is the true Archbishop of our souls,  
He oversees, and our Estate condoles.   

75. On an Archer.  
THe devils an Archer, & man's heart the whi●  
On whi●h his fiery Darts of Trials light.   

76. On an Argument.  
TO seek and save lost sinners Christ is come,  
The argument that moved him was draw● from  
The Topics of his Love, there was alas!  
Not mered in us to bring such things to pass.   

77. On Arithmetic.  
OUr sins to such a reckoning are amounted,  
As cannotby the numb'ring Art be counted.   

78. On an Ark.  
When the rebellious world for sin was drowned  
Just Noah was preserved safe and sound.  
O wondered! the wave-supported Ark,  
●im, hi●, and some of all kinds did embark.  
● Christ is the Ark, and such as are in him,  
They shall (when others sink) be sure to swim:  
The Ark is God's Church, who out of it are found  
●hall not be saved, but ingulfd and drowned  
● his wrath's deluge; the Pitch represents  
●ove, which the Members of the Church cements  
●nd knits together; as without, within  
●he Ark was pitched; so open and unseen  
● every Christians love, to let us know  
●heir love is true, as well as love in show.  
●lest Pitch! which not defileth, but the more  
●is touched, it makes more Holy than before:  
●he Ark had divers rooms, the Church's borders  
●ath men of divers gifts, degrees, and orders.  
●he Ark held Beasts unclean, as well as clean,  
●ome that are in the true Church live in sin:  
●he Gospel is the window in the Ark,  
●reaching the light, enlightening the dark  
And shady understanding, that imparts  
So bright a lustre as revives men's hearts.  
Christ is the door that appertains thereto,  
See thou do not in at a wrong door go.  
The Church (as was the Ark) is very large,  
Whereof Christ (as the head) takes special charge  
The Flood doth the Baptismal water show,  
Which kills the old man, and preserves the new:  
In fine, the Ark was tossed to and from,  
By the careering Floods, now sinks as low  
As Hell's profunditude, but by and by  
It seems to kiss the Star-embroidered sky;  
Even so th'militant Church which Christ doth ow●  
With justling waves is tumbled up & down  
Yea every Saint is this, and that way hurled,  
Tossed like a football by the madcap World  
Tossed by the pampered flesh, tossed by the De●  
That grand Tartarian counsellor to evil,  
Tossed by enchanting sin which soon would re●  
In pieces, if our God did not defend us;  
But guided and preserved through God's go● gra●  
We spit defiance in our enemy's face.  
Ark-like the Church, rising by falls, out-braves  
The churlish threats of the insulting Waves.  
The more the Floods of persecution rise,  
They drive the Ark the nearer to the Skies,  
And when the raging Tide shall cease to roar,  
And waters ebb, this Ark shall landlord on shore:  
This Ark which storms could never ruinated,  
Shall rest on the Celestial Ararat.  
This Ark by the Almighty's guidance driven,  
Shall landlord even in that peaceful haven, Heaven.  
The Ark tossed Saints shall one day be possessed  
Of lasting glory, and eternal rest,  
Eternal rest; a rest that doth remain  
For them, by them expected not in vain.  
O blessed rest! by which we shall be freed  
From woes and foes, O there's a rest indeed!  
To which Heaven bring us, who by Faith partake  
Of Christ his merits, for his own names sake.   

79. On Armour.  
GOds Armour is of proof, against all evil  
Shot at us from the world, the Flesh, the Devil,  
His Helmet, Breastplate, Shield, Sword, Girdle, Shoes,  
Will both defend us, and offend our foes.   

80. On an Arrest.  
O Earth is a Sergeant, and he Warrants brings  
For our Arrest, from the great King of Kings.  
The greatest and the lest, the worst the best,  
Have sinned, and must submit to deaths Arrest.   

81. On an Arrow.  
O When God sends his Arrows from his Bow,  
It must needs work a speedy overthrow;  
When from his twanging Bow the devil let's fly  
Tentation's Arrow, God can put it by.   

82. On Arts.  
Life's short, but Art is long; * Natural parts  
Are by the study of the Liberal Arts  
Very much heightened: but Arts golden Ring  
Set with Grace Di'mond is a glorious thing. 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Hyp.    

83. On Articles.  
CHrist by his death hath cancel▪ d Justice scroll  
Of Articles, drawn up against our souls.   

84. On Artillery.  
MY soul groan thunder, let thy prayers & tea●●  
Be thine Artillery, to storm God's ears.   

85. On Ascensi●n.  
CHrist by Angels was attended,  
When he into Heaven ascended;  
At the Resurrections morn,  
Thither shall the Saints be born.   

86. On Ashes.  
AShes hides fire, what God for us hath done▪  
We hid in th'ashes of Oblivion.   

87. On Ask.  
WHo asks shall have, if Lord, it be thy task  
To grant, well may I make it mine to ask▪   

88 On an Ass.  
MEn blame the Ass for creeping on the Road▪  
Yet go more sluggish in the ways of God.   

89. On an Assault.  
Faith's shield is good against the devils assault,  
Yet often we want it through our own default.   

90. On an Assize.  
THe grand Assize draws on, the Judge is just,  
And by his Verdict stand or fall we must.   

91. On Assistance.  
O God, if thou withdraw thy gracious hand  
From us, we fall; if thou assist, we stand.   

92. On Assurance.  
A Ssurance that Christ is ours may be gained,  
The Saints have it desired, to it attained;  
●ome more, some lesle, there are degrees we know  
sometimes it ebbs, always it doth not flow.  
assurance (which few have) is a rare Gem.  
God from his people, for to humble them,  
sometimes withdraws it, through our carelessness  
sometimes we want it, and our Christian peace.  
● how the devil disturbs! when once we meet  
●ith this Assurance, o 'tis very sweet!  
●'oft hung our harps upon the limber willows,  
●nd weep (as Isr'el) by the water-billows  
●or want of this; this Wine of Paradise,  
revives the heart, how comfortable is  
God's smile! Assurance makes the low sublime,  
●nd puts a man in heaven before his time.  
assurance is exceeding profitable;  
● makes a Christian strenuous and able  
●or service, free to do what must be done.  
●aith makes a Christian walk, Assurance run.  
Assurance is a Flower that only grows  
In a pure heart, a spring whence comfort flows:  
A Whetstone to the Graces, Hope, Love, Zeal;  
A weight that of obedienre moves each Wheel,  
Be much in duty; keep thy consc'ence pure,  
Act faith, and thou hast made thy calling sure.   

93. 

On Astrology.  
On Astronomy.    
AStrol'gy shows the Stars effects and force,  
Astronomy, their Measure, Motions, Course,  
And though this hath its being from the other,  
I like the Daughter, love who will the Mother.   

94. On Atheists.  
AUdacious Atheists to the world proclaim,  
They love such deeds, as might the De● sha●  
Atheists are worse than Devils; Devils do  
Believe there is a God, and tremble too;  
Those say, there is no God, who doth take care  
Of things below, have neither faith nor fear.  
The Devil quakes at the Day of Judgement; they  
Deride it, which will shortly them dismay.  
Strange! even the Sons their sire in sins excel;  
What! Atheists here on Earth, when none in Hel●   

95. On Atonement.  
WE had offended Heaven; deserved Hell,  
Christ an atonement makes, & all is well.   

96. On Augmentation.  
Who worketh out with fear his own salvation,  
This spiritual living, gets an augmentation.   

97. On Attributes.  
GOd single is, as being uncompounded,  
He's infinite, and therefore is unbounded;  
Immutable, th'Eternal, Three in one,  
Who by his backparts only can be known;  
Most wise, most strong, most true, most good, most just,  
Most merciful, believe in him we must;  
Perfect, and blessed, and glorious is he,  
O if this God be ours, how blest are we!   

98 On Auricular confession.  
THe Scripture bids, and what it bids is best,  
Confess to God, not to the Popish Priest;  
Auricular confession taught in schools,  
How it ensnares the consciences of fools!  
What is it but a superstitious Gin  
To nourish, yea, and harden men in sin.  
My soul confess thy sins to God alone,  
And he will pardon what thou hast misdone.   

99 On Authority.  
THe Law's Authority, depends  
On God, the mighty King of Kings,  
And this exceedingly commends,  
It's worth above all human things:  
How precious is the Law of God?  
My soul upon it always plod.   

100 Of the Authors of things, according to Scripture.  
GOd by his power (which may not be withstood)  
Created all things admirably good:  
He framed the first of men out of the ground,  
Gave him a reasoning soul, by which he found  
Out many Arts and Sciences; none doubt  
But Moses found the use of Letters out,  
First Poesy composed, penned Histories:  
Tubal the crooked Harp did first device.  
Musical Instruments David invented,  
Philosophy in Jewry first was minted.  
Egypt found Astrology, Arithmetic,  
As also Medicine to heal the sick.  
First were the Pers'ans famed for Magic Skill,  
Moses first Lawgiver divulged Gods will?  
Egypt first owned the Government by Kings;  
The Hebrew Commonwealths; Servitude spring●  
From Canaan; the Jews the Year out found,  
And its 12 months, before the world was drown●  
Meek Moses found out Instruments of War,  
As Cain of Husbandry; first Vine-dresser  
Old Noah was; Adam first names devised  
For living things; Abel first sacrificed.  
Adam first clothed himself with Skins of beasts▪  
Cain the first City built; of Ships and Chests  
Noah was Author. God's Church was at first  
In Adam's family, both bred and nursed.  
The faithfuls Father first did circumcise;  
Christ's Herald John, did first of all baptise  
With Baptism of repentance; Christ went higher,  
Baptising with the Holy Ghost and Fire.  
By Moses, Aaron (so God appointed)  
Was to the High-priests Office first anointed.  
Noah first built an Altar to the Lord,  
And thereon offered of his own accord,  
An Holo-caust. The Prince of Hell the Devil,  
He is the principle, and root of evil.  

Of the first Authors of things, according to profane Authors.  
THe Aeginetans first of all stamped Money;  
First Aristeus taught the use of Honey.  
The first Tooth-drawer Aesculapius was;  
Anaximander found the Hourglass.  
Angaeas (though a King) first dungd the ground;  
The use of Bellows Anacharsis found.  
Anchus of Ovens to bake Bread withal:  
First Anagallis played with Tennis-ball.  
Architas, Rattles; Belgians Wains first made,  
Boetius taught the Cobbler's subtle Trade.  
Corpse's first shaved his Beard; Daedalus Shops  
Invented; Danaus' Wells; Grecians Tops:  
Icarus Sails; Perillus Bulls of Brass;  
Thon Drugs, Pan Pipes, Sinon the Looking-glass.  
Phaenicians Slings, Scythians Arrows, Bows;  
Cyneras Pincers, Hammers, Anvils, Crows  
Devised first; not more I will make known,  
Who would know more, may search * as I have done. 
* See Pliny, Polydore, Virgil, Paneyrol, etc.     

101. On Autumn.  
TH● S●lvan choir cease their harmonious notes,  
And sullen forests don their yellow coats;  
Ceres bright locks are shorn; the mellow fruits  
Are torn from laden boughs; their summer suits  
The sapless branches d'off, the gaudy ground  
Is now disrobed, the year with plenty crowned.  
Great God thou soused th● words immortal seed  
On the ground of our hearts, but ah! they breed  
The weeds of sin, in us these weeds destroy,  
That we a joyful Harvest may enjoy.   

102. On Awe.  
SHould God from Sinai thunder forth his Law,  
(As once) 'twould strike us with a dreadful awe,  
Since he in Gospel-mildness doth appear,  
O let us serve him with an holy fear.   

103. On an Axe.  
THe Axe is heav● sharp, to cut and hue  
In pieces for the fire; or else to square,  
The Axe without the ha●d can nothing do;  
God's Judgements, and his Comminations are  
His Axe in ●hose respects, and ev'y Tree  
That brings not forth good fruit, hue down and burned shall be.   

104. On an Axletree.  
THe Nation's Axletree doth even begin  
To sink under the pressing weight of sin,  
O Christ the Saviour of the World be pleased  
To bear our burden, and we shall be ea●'d.    

B  

1. On Babel.  
WHile the presumptuous world, swollen big with pride  
Strove to enhance their names, and fond tried  
To build a Tower, whose ambitious spire  
Might kiss the Skies; Jehova in his ire  
Dismounts his awful Throne, doth quickly quell  
Their rash attempts to teach them to rebel  
Against his sovereign power, confounds their tongues;  
(Before but one) and they're assembled throngs  
He clearly routs; enforcing them to run  
Abroad the world, so leave their work undone:  
Thus did the means they use, as safe and sure  
T'avoid dispersion, the same procure:  
Thus God will bring to naught their counsels still,  
Who act contrary to his mind and will:  
Great God when my unlimited desires  
Prompt me to ill, quench quench those raging fires,  
O let the ill success of Babel's Tower,  
Tame my proud heart, & bring it one peg lower,  
And if I must needs lofty Structures raise,  
Grant I may seek thy glory, not men's praise.   

2. On a Baby.  
Nature's Epitome, life's dawn; a thrum  
Of man, forsakes the chamber of the womb,  
To hung upon the breast, and loves to be  
Sung to, and dandled on the mother's knee:  
Nothing will sooner still its tear-throat cries  
Than crackling rattles, and fond lullabies.  
Man at the best is easily beguiled  
With flattering pleasures like the whimpering child,  
Alas! how flux! how fading are the joys  
Which are engendered, by vain trifling toys.  
The world presents us with; Soul to thy rest  
Return, * King David's lullaby is best. 
* Ps. 116. 17.    

3. On Backbiting.  
A Good name upon earth is no small bliss,  
No chain of Pearl doth so adorn as this;  
To whom and what you speak of men be wary;  
Sland'rers are Devils *; O be exceeding chary  
And very tender of a man's good name,  
He acts the Devil's part, that doth defame:  
The wounds inflicted by a slanderous tongue  
Can no Physician heal; yet will the wrong  
That's done t'another, many times rebound  
Upon the shooters soul, he that doth wound  
The reputation of his neighbour shall  
Found in the end himself, hurt worst of all:  
Such bury men alive (o cruelty!)  
'tis an irrepariable injury;  
Let us from calumny, as from the Devil flee. 
* The Greek word for Devil, signifies slanderer, 1 Tim. 3. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not slanderers, in the Greek it is not Devils.    

4. On Back-sliding.  
IOash was good, while his good Uncle reigned,  
But when he died, O how was Joash stained  
With foul Idolatry; he did inter  
Religion in his Unckle's Sepulchre.  
We live in the Leass fall; how many taste  
Of Heavenly gifts, yet slink away at last,  
A double Lamp, the word and spirit may  
Enlighten men, who after fall away  
Wholly and finally; Lord! work in me  
A thorough-work of grace, let me not be  
An Alch'mis Christ'an, make me sound in heart,  
And let not me from thy Statutes departed:  
That which doth in Hypocrisy begin,  
Ends in Apostasy, that hellish sin:  
Lord! make me persevere, the race to run,  
And perfect in me what thou hast begun;  
That so, I may not, when I am almost  
At haven be Shipwrecked, and for ever lost.  Domine quod cepisti perfice, ne in portum nanfragum accidat. Beza.  

5. On a Bag of Money.  
IVdas hath got the bag, the bag hath got  
Judas *; 'tis hard to bear the bag and not  
Be covetous, the heart's not filled with pelf;  
Judas is Burser, and he shuts himself  
Into his Pouch; * the more he hath, the more  
He covets: the Apostles that were poor,  
Are not so having; Judas has the Coin,  
Yet if he have not more, he will purloyn,  
And filch it: ah! what satisfaction can  
These outward things afford the heart of man?  
The Bag is given to the worst of men  
Most commonly; Judas had better been  
Without the Bag, than have the Bag, and have  
The devil with it; Christ our Redeemer gave  
The Bag to Judas, and he gave the rest  
Of his Apostles Grace, now which sped best?  
Judas he bore the Bag, and yet behold  
He is accursed, Heaven with a key of gold  
Cannot be opened, sooner Hell gate may;  
Despairing Judas makes himself away.  
And now farewel his Bag with Bulloin crammed,  
The wretch must go to hell, and there be damned.  
¶ Better Gods blessing with an empty purse,  
Than one well-lined, attended with a curse. 
* Qui tenet marsupium tenetur a marsupio. Amb.    

6. On a Ball.  
THe world's a Ball, made up of quarters four, *  
And with the spangled Heavn bequilted over;  
Pleasure, Honour, and Richeses are its all,  
Which though the earth stands still, still rise and fall;  
Square deal can scarce any any where be found,  
The reason is, because the world is round. 
* Asia, Africa, Europe, America.    

7. On a Balance.  
THeudas would to himself somebody seem,  
So we do of ourselves too well esteem;  
Laid in the balance of the Sanctuary,  
Alas! we are too light, no weight we carry.   

8. On Balm.  
BAlm is an Emblem of our Saviors blood,  
As that cures wounds, so this our sovereign good  
To heal sins ulcer, Justice doth it calm.  
How sweet! how precious is Gileads balm!  
This cures the Serpents biting; this doth save,  
By this, we into heaven an entrance have.  
O sinner, thou hast got a gangrene▪ d soul,  
This Balm apply▪ d by faith, will make thee whole.  
But few there are to whom Christ is revealed,  
And that's the reason why so few are healed  
Of their soul-wounds; but in our Hemisphere  
The Sun of righteousness is risen here  
For sin-distemp'red souls, with him he brings  
A healing Virtue, in his balmy wings.  
Sweet Jesus, to my smarting wounds apply  
The Balsam of thy Blood, or else I die.  Sanguis Christi salus Christiani. Ber.  

9 On Bands.  
TRy, sinners try to burst in twain Christ's bands,  
And cast his cords from your coarcted hands;  
But know his bands will not be snapped in sunder,  
He can, I and he will, still keep you under:  
This mighty Prince, beyond the reach of man  
In Zion reigns, dethrone him if you can:  
¶ Such as against the Lord their forces bend,  
Shall meet with dire confusion in the end.   

10. On Banishment.  
MAn for his fin from Paradise was sent  
Into the world, his life's a banishment;  
When the just soul is from the body freed,  
O that's a blessed banishment indeed!   

11. On a Banner.  
CHrist brings t'his Wine-cellar his Spouse, his Dove,  
The Banner he spreads over her, is Love.   

12. On a Bankrupt.  
A Sparing father, and a spending son,  
How they agreed! what's by the father done,  
The Heir undoes; lightly come, lightly go,  
He must have horses, dogs, attendants too:  
Not marvel, for thrift and he are at a fray,  
And who can hold the thing that will away?  
He's in the field, when thrift is in the town,  
At last this gallant's whole estate's up blown:  
¶ Better for having much t'have hate befall,  
Than to be pitied for spending all.  
Mali parta male dilabuntur, ill got ill spent:  
Quae subito veniunt subito quandoque, recedunt,  
Quot cervos tot fures habemus.  Plaut. 
Actaeon-praeda fuit canibus.  Ovid,  

13. On a Banquet.  
THe King of Heaven, his son, and spirit too,  
Invite t'a banquet, but how few do go:  
●et Nabal or Belshazar turn feast-maker,  
●ord! what a multitude will be partaker,  
●ut let such know, whose souls do feast on evils,  
●hey are in the mean while a feast for Devils.   

14. On Baptism.  
WE to the heavenly Can'an cannot pass,  
Unless we first wade through the sea of glass;  
Regeneration's Lavour, is that sea,  
Wherein we all must wash, and cleansed be:  
● man God's Kingdom never can inherit,  
●hat is not born of Water and the Spirit:  
●here's no approaching to God's gracious throne  
Unwashed; the glassy sea must be sailed on.  
God's word's our compass, but the spirit driven  
●he Pinnace of our souls, arrives at Heaven:  
●n Baptism, we ourselves engaged have  
To Christ, took our press-money; there, we gave  
Our names up to the Captain General  
Of our Salvation, to obey his call:  
There did we vow, and solemnly protest,  
Still to be true to his sweet interest;  
To fight it out under his Royal banner,  
Till death, and that in a courageous manner.  
Now if when called to suffer for his name,  
We should flinch back, O were it not a shame?  
Nay, Christ against us may our Baptism bring  
As an Indictment for this very thing:  
How shall we look on Christ another day,  
Who from our colours falsely fall away?  
O where alights, the curses flying roll,  
But in the dwelling of the perjured soul, Zac. 5. 4.   

15. On a Barber.  
THe Barber shaves the hair, and eclipse the face;  
Nature deforms us, we are trimmed by grace.   

16. On Barrenness.  
AH me! how naked are we! O how bore?  
Till with Christ's righteous robes we clothed are.   

17. On a Bargain.  
WHo contracts with the Devil, & sells himself  
To him for worldly pleasures, honours, pelf,  
That bargain yields bore gain, nay him undoes,  
For light chaff, he his precious soul foregoes.   

18. On a Barge, or Bark.  
THe world's a sea, we Barks by spirit-gale● drive●  
We sail, O whither are we bound? to Heaven▪   

19 On Barking.  
BA'ls Priests are blind, they wander in the dark▪  
Dumb dogs they are, & cannot therefore bark▪  
But if they should; Saints live above their spite,  
Dogs bark against the Moon, they cannot by't.   

20. On Barley.  
CHrist above four thousand fed,  
(Not with various dishes)  
With seven loaves of barley-bread,  
And a few small fishes:  
Strange! seven baskets were ,  
With the Offal, broken meat.   

21. On a Barn.  
THe S 'tis. are wheat, the best, the noblest grain,  
Heaven is the barn wherein this wheat is lain.   

22 On a Bar.  
CHrist is a Judge, before him at the Bar,  
The trembling sinner one day must appear.   

23. On a Barrel.  
THe woman of Sarepta could not far ill,  
Whose meals was still increased in her Barrel:  
Lord! when my stock of grace is well nigh spent,  
Give more, and I therewith will be content.   

24. On Barrenness.  
TO bear no fruit, was ever held a shame,  
Nay a curse too, O how are we to blame?  
On whom the largest showers of God's word fall,  
That yet are barren, bear no fruit at all.   

25. On a Barretter.  
THe Barretter, who studies brawling Laws,  
Will set his tongue to sale in any Cause;  
Raw wounds he loves, and references hates,  
In tricks and quirks, and quarrelsome debates  
He only trades; his answers are evasions,  
His arguments are snarling cavillations:  
The work he brews in the Vacation long,  
He in the Termtime broacheth with his tongue;  
This greedy Horseleech loves to suck and draw  
The putrid blood of the corrupted Law;  
But of this wrangler soft, I must be mute,  
For fear against me he commence a suit.  
Not more but this, such as delight in jars  
Should God destroy, woe be to Barreters.   

26. On a Basis.  
THe King's the Basis, people to sustain,  
The King's prop is the Lord, by whom King's reign;  
Nay, if the Lord, who ruleth over all,  
Did not uphold the world, the world would fall.   

27. On Bashfulness.  
BLushing is virtues tincture, comely grace  
Is often portrayed by the bashful face:  
T'have cheeks distained with a vermiliion die  
For sin, o this is pious modesty.   

28. On a Basilisk.  
SIn is a Basilisk, its poisonous breath,  
Is mortal, 'tis the Harbinger of death:  
Let's first discover it, and make it fly.  
Left it should us pursue, and so we die.   

29. On a Basket.  
BLessed shall be thy Basket and thy store,  
If God's Law thou obey, and him adore;  
But cursed thy basket, and thy store shall be,  
Who wilt not do as God commandeth thee.   

30. On a Basin.  
WHen his disciples feet our Saviour scoured,  
Water into a Basin first he poured:  
We are by nature Base ones, Lord pour in  
Thy grace, & from our souls feet * wash of sin. 
* The Affections are the feet of our souls.    

31. On a Bastard.  
THis luckless issue, Heaven's image coined  
With a forbidden stamp, but few do mind;  
And yet who is there, that delights not in  
That ugly monster, Satan's bastard sin?  
Considered in his natural estate,  
Every man is an illegitimate:  
The unbelieving wretch, is one base-born,  
God looks upon him with contempt and scorn:  
He is a person vile, one of earth's breed,  
A Brat engendered of the Serpent's seed:  
Be sure, God will not father him therefore,  
But lay such Bastards at the Devil's door.  
By faith it is, that God takes cognizance  
Of us for sons: 'tis faith doth us advance.  
By faith we are Gods children through Christ's merit,  
Faith gives us right and title to inherit.  
Till faith be wrought, we have no right to heaven,  
Only to lawful heirs that Land is given.  
'tis faith that doth legitimate, until  
Thou do believe, thou art a Bastard still.  
Boast not thy Pedigree, the devil can show  
As full as good a Coat of Arms as thou.   

32. On a Bath.  
TEars are a Bath, My sou● bathe thee therein,  
When Peter had defiled himself with sin,  
He washed his soul with penitential tears,  
The water of Con●●tion heals and clears:  
The tears which impure Mary did impart,  
Not only washed Christ's feet, but cleansed he● heart.  
O sinners, make your eyes a flowing fount  
Of tears, wee● for those sins you cannot count.  
Christ's blood's a Bath, a fount set  for sin  
And for uncleanness: Go, my soul, step in  
And bathe thee there, his Blood will scour so,  
That crimson sins shall seem as white as snow.  
O 'tis this Blood of Christ that lays the soul  
A whitening, these two baths do make soul● whole.   

33. On a Battle.  
AWay, fond fool, wilt thou prepare t'embat●●  
With the great God, whose thundering judgements rattle  
About thine ears, when all the world records  
With one consent, the Battle is the Lords.  
Alas! alas! it is in vain to strive  
Against that God, whose wisdom can contrive,  
And power effect, thy certain overthrow,  
And hurl thee headlong into hellish woe.   

34. On a Bay-tree.  
THe wicked, spreading like a Bay-tree green,  
Dies in a trice, and can not more be seen:  
But mark the upright man, for that man's end  
Is peace, flourishing blessings him attend.   

35. On a Beacon.  
WE fire our Beacons when an en'mie's near,  
When sin invades us, how secure we are!  
The Beacon of mine heart, O Lord! inflame  
With grace, and Satan shall retreat with shame.   

36. On a Beagle.  
THe quick-nosed Beagle, follows hard the chase,  
How slow are we in the pursuit of grace!   

37. On a Beam.  
A Beam is in our eye, we mind it not,  
But in our brother's can discern a mote;  
To found out others failings, we are prove,  
But O'twere well, did we amend our own.   

38. On Beans.  
TO him that brings his mind unto his means,  
O how delicious is a mess of Beans!  
He that hath in the bread of life a share,  
Can be contented with the meanest fare.   

39 On a Beard.  
MEthinks that hairy argument of Age,  
To sober actions should men engage;  
It's man prerogative: O what a grace  
Where virtue ruleth, is a well-thatch▪ d face!   

40. On a Bear.  
I See an ill-shaped Bear, and I begin  
To think, am I not more deformed by sin?  
Lord, I by nature am austere and rough,  
But ah! thy grace can make me smooth enough.   

41. On Beast's.  
THe Forest Burgesses by nature wild,  
Ravenous & fierce, God's power makes mo● mil●  
Gentle, and merciful to man, than men;  
Dan'el was safe when in the L●ons Den.  
In Dioclesian's Reign, the Christians thrown  
To Leopards, Wolves, and Bears, were let alon●   

42. On Beauty.  
BEauty! what is it but a Vernal Flower,  
Now fresh, alas! and withered in an hour.  
Grace is the best complexion of the Soul,  
Compared to that, all other beauty's foul;  
It is even at the first Plantation,  
Like Rachel, very fair to look upon.  
But still the more it lives, the more it sends  
It's ra●s of beauty forth; that which commends  
Christ's lovely Spouse, is Soul-adorning grace,  
Not the external features of the Face.  
All glorious the King's Daughter is within,  
She is fair, though she have a Black-Moors skin.  
Christ's sparkling Robes of righteousness adorn  
The soul, these never can be threadbare worn.  
Grace is the Holy Ghosts Embroidery;  
This roseate Beauty only in God's eye  
Sets of a Soul; such as in heart are pure  
He loves, but spir't'ual Lepers can't endure.  
Unto his lesser Heaven God doth repair,  
The Dove delighteth in the purest air.  
The Spired, who in the likeness of a Dove  
Descended, fair-complexioned souls do●h love.  
This is God's rest, here he for ever dwells,  
This beauty never fades, O this excels!  
It is the fairest heart, not fairest face  
Christ loves; the glory of a man is grace.  
Christ● Bride she wears no Necklace on her neck  
The Graces are a Chain of Pearl that deck  
Her Lily Soul; Grace is a precious thing  
To th' Soul, as is the Diamonds to the Ring,  
The Sun to th' world; an heaven enamelled mind  
Is such a Beauty as is hard to found.  
Grace is a Flower of Delight, which Christ  
Loves to smell to; Grace makes us like the Highst:  
O what is there that may with Grace compare!  
There's nothing here below so rich, so rare.  
But O the Jewels which on Christ were hung,  
Cannot be blazoned by a mortal tongue.  
Deformities immediately flow  
From sin, but blessed he, no sin did know.  
By th' Spirit conceived, that is the reason than  
Why he was fairer than the sons of men.  
Mirror of Beauty in his looks divine,  
O what a graceful Majesty doth shine!  
Christ is described with an head of Gold,  
Ey-dazling gold, & his Doves eyes behold Cant. ● 1●  
His Spouse; his cheeks are as a bed of spices,  
His loveliness the Virgin-heart entices.  
What may be said, falls infinitely short  
Of his resplendent worth; who can report  
His rare unparagoned perfections? man  
Can never do it, for no Angel can.  
In's person, disposition, sufferings, graces,  
And conversation all men he surpasses.  
To God, to Saints, and to the Angel-quire,  
He's very lovely; what should we admire  
But his perfections? there is not a spot  
In him, his Beauty's seamless as his Coat.  
Beauty draws love; his beauty Christ imparts,  
O wear this Rose of Sharon in your hearts.  
Sinners, get Christ, in gaining him you get  
The richest Jewel in heavens Cabinet.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodoret. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost.  

43. On a Bed.  
MY body's earthly clotheses which now I have,  
I shortly shall put of, and in the grave,  
My last bed, rest; but raised I shall be,  
And with these very eyes my Saviour see.   

44. On Bees.  
●He Hony-merchants in the prime of May,  
By sun shine through the fragrant meadows stray  
With Cypras wings, and by their Chemic skill,  
extract the quintessence of Flowers, to fill  
Their hollow-vaulted cells: what heavy loads  
Their laden thighs transport to their abodes?  
When others pine with want, in winter's cold,  
They live upon their selfmade liquid Gold.  
So in prosper'ties' summer, should we lay  
Up store of grace, against a winter's day.   

45. On a Beggar.  
O! in my bones such a disease doth lurk,  
A knavish beggar cried, I cannot work:  
And afterwards confessed it was the Lazies;  
We work not for our souls, such our disease is.  
Lord, we deserve thy whip, need no curb bridles,  
Who are by nature troubled with the idles.  
Beggars we are, whose hourly wants implore  
Each Meals relief; we beg at Heaven's door,  
Give us this day our daily bread; we crave,  
God gives it us, we can but ask and have.  
Who live upon God's alms, must not refuse▪  
His refuse; beggars must not pick and choose.  
That news of Beadles, and their torturing whips  
Is not the language of God's angry lips,  
Is a rich mercy: Beggars should be humble,  
Thou art a Beggar, ah! why dost thou grumble  
And murmur at thy God wilt thou repined  
That art sustained by Providence Divine?  
If the Almsbasket of God's Providence  
We slight, how justly may he say, go hence;  
Go hence, proud beggars, with your cursed stat●  
And come no more for Alms at Heaven-gate.  
I am a Beggar, Lord, let me partake  
Of grace and glor●, for Christ Jesus sake.   

46. On Beginnings.  
SIn its first rise, as evil must be withstood,  
Grace its first rise, embraced as being good.  
¶ Where is no grace to crush sin in the shell,  
Sin grows, and it will hurry men to hell.  
Perpetuated woes are Vices dregss,  
Let's crush betimes these Cockatrices Eggs.   

47. On Being with Christ.  
TO be with Christ in Glory, doth include  
A Privilege of the first Magnitude;  
Saint Paul longed to departed, that he might res●  
On that soft pillow, his dear Saviors breast,  
As the belov'd Disciple John, once did.  
While in the flesh, our life of grace is hid  
Under Corruptions veil, until we be  
●ith Christ, our grace is in its infancy.  
O when we sit with Christ, and wear our crown,  
Our graces shall be fully ripe, and blown,  
Which here are in the buds; here we inherit  
The first-fruits, there the full crop of the Spirit.  
Death is sweet to the Saints, to heaven they come  
By crossing of this Marc-Martuum:  
Here we behold Christ darkly, through a glass;  
There shall his veil be taken of his face,  
And he in his Embroidery appear;  
Heaven were nor Heaven, if Christ were not there.  
Christ with his graces, here his Spouse doth honour  
●n heaven, his glory he will put upon her.  
She shall shine by his means, sit next his throne,  
By virtue of her Marri'ge Union.  
Here she's in sable for her absent Love;  
But Christ in heaven her mourning will remove,  
And cloth her in white robes; Christ he prepares  
An Handkerchief to dry up all her Tears.  
O there the heart, and all the senses shall  
Be filled with joy at once, none thence can fall.  
In heaven we ever with the Lord shall rest,  
The Saint, when there, hath his Quietus est.   

48. On Believing in Christ.  
ANd shall the Saints for ever be possessed  
Of heavenly thrones? with Christ in glory rest!  
O than, let's try ourselves whether or not  
We are such persons, as to Christ shall go  
At death's arrest? from hence we must be gone  
But shall we go to Christ? this may be known  
As thus; if here the life of grace we live  
In Christ, Christ us will when we die, receive:  
How blest is union! union is the ground  
Of privilege; in Christ we must be found  
Clad in his robes of Holiness, before we  
Can be with Christ dressed in his robes of glory  
O labour to get faith; faith is the grace  
Unites to Christ; faith moves Christ to embrace  
Us in his loving arms; by faith alone  
Christ as an husband, as a Lord we own.  
Faith gives the interest, 'tis faith doth bring  
Christ home unto the soul; Christ is the ring,  
Faith's finger puts it on; faith opens wide  
The orifice, in her sweet Saviors side,  
And drinks his blood; faith justifies, make clean  
O get faith, of all grace's Faith is Queen:  
Faith paves a Cawsie to a heavenly throne,  
Believers die Heirs to the glorious crown:  
O Lord every me with that saving grace,  
That I amongst thy Saints may have a place.   

49. On a Bell.  
THe Gospel is a Silver-warning Bell,  
To ring men in to Christ, and yet to Hell  
How many go? its sound we cannot hear,  
Unless God's Spirit ring it in our ear.   

50. On Bellowss.  
MY zeal is but a spark; Lord! I desire  
Thy Spirits Bellowss to blow up my fire,  
That I may to the glory of thy Name  
Ascend still to thee, in an holy flame.   

51. On the Belly.  
THe Belly's Natures Kirchin, is't not odd  
A House of Office, should become a God?  
Many do serve their Bellies, o how few  
Yield God that honour which to him is due!   

52. On Beloved.  
GOd hath made us, whom sin had once undone,  
Beloved, in his Wellbeloved Son.   

53. On a Belt.  
Falsehood surcingles most; how few are there  
About their loins, Truth's golden girdle wear!  
That man must needs be strenuous and stout,  
That with the Belt of Truth is girt about.   

54. On a Bench.  
THe world's a Bench, whereon a while we stay,  
Till we to Heavenly thrones are called away.   

55. On a Benefice.  
MEn now adays fat Benefices get,  
And straightway lay aside the Preachers net.  
So I win souls to God, I do not care  
How small my Profits, and my Incomes are.   

56. On Benefits.  
AS benefit's bestowed, bind the receiver;  
So hearty thanks returned, oblige the giver,  
Christ cleansed the Leper, and we read but one  
Often, that gave God thanks for what was done.   

57 On the Best.  
GOd, that on us dost the best things bestow,  
To thee the best of what we have, we own;  
Thou showr'st on us the richeses of thy grace,  
We fling sins filthy ordure in thy face,  
For Gold give dirt, and is not this a shame?  
How blind our sacrifice are, how lame!  
He that delights in God, bestows on him  
The strength of his affections; the cream  
Of his performances; to God he brings  
The very best he hath, for offerings;  
The firstlings of the flock, and of the sat  
Thereof, nor grumbles in the lest thereat.  
God who is best, will with the best be served;  
Domitian would have his Statute carved  
In burnished Gold, and not in Brass, or Wood,  
God who is good himself, craves what is good;  
The best of our best things, he best approves,  
Our golden servicies he dearly loves.  
Hypocrites duties do procure Gods loathing,  
They offer to him that which cost them nothing:  
They care not what before the Lord they bring,  
A lazy prayer, or such like sorry thing:  
A cheap Religion always likes them best;  
A costly one they very much detest:  
A broken heart is my best sacrifice,  
O Lord, I trust thou wilt not it despise:  
O grant that I may labour to do first  
My best, and than let Satan do his worst.   

58. On a Beetle.  
HOw beetle-blind are we! how voided of sight,  
Even in the midst of glorious-Gospel light.  
Omentum Cimmeriis tenebris atrociorem. Lactan.   

59 On Beiraying.  
JVdas his Master with a Kiss betrays,  
How many Judasses' are now adays!   

60. On Betrothing.  
O Let's admire Christ's love in us betrothing,  
Even while we were the objects of his loathing.   

61. On a Bever-beast.  
MEn for the skin pursue the Beaver-beast,  
Satan from hunting souls, doth never rest.   

62. On Bewitching.  
THe world's a witch, with honour, pleasures, richeses,  
The spells she casts, she multitudes bewitches.   

63. On the Bible.  
THe sacred Testament both new and old,  
Are the two Lips, by which God doth unfold  
For our souls health, the counsels of his breast;  
And therefore of all books, the Bible's best.   

64. On Bigamy.  
CHrist constant to his Spouse, the Church our Mother,  
Nor will he ever marry any other.   

65. On a Bile.  
SIn is an angry bile, which few do feel,  
And nothing but the blood of Christ can heal.   

66. On a Bill.  
THe bill chaps wood, cuts of excresences,  
So must repentance our iniquities.   

67. On a Bill.  
SAtan against the Saints, prefers his bill,  
But Christ the righteous Judge acquit them william.   

68 On Birds.  
THe feathered people and the air agreed  
To carol forth God's praise, and shall not we?   

69. On the New-Birth.  
TWice born! how can this be? by flesh & blood  
This mystery cannot be understood:  
By faith it may, without Regeneration,  
Of water and the Spired, there's no Salvation.   

70. On a Bishop.  
THe Scripture says, a Bishop must be blameless,  
Chaste, sober, holy, (not profane, & shameless)  
Not close, but free; to godly men propitious,  
Apt for to teach, (not pitiful and malicious.  
Such men were Titus, Timothy, and Paul,  
And our late Jewels, Davenant, Usher, Hall.  
Such are, (and O may they be long enjoyed)  
Laborious Reynolds, charitable Floyd:  
To mild Nicholson, some wish the turn'd-out tribe  
That can (they say) to Gods command subscribe:  
Might be unchained, have freedom to dispense  
The Gospel, though they missed pre-eminence▪  
Love best persuades, the learned have expressed,  
And wise men found, the Golden mean is best.   

71. On a Bit, or Morsel.  
'tIs by free grace, we are sustained and fed,  
Alas! we ne'er deserv▪d one bit of bread.   

72. On Bitterness.  
SIn makes fair promises, but nothing lesle  
Performs, it always ends in bitterness.   

73. On a Bit, or Sn●ffle.  
LOrd! when my tongue would gallop into sin,  
Thy Presence is the bit must keep it in.   

74. On a Blab, or Long-tengue.  
'TWas David's prayer; Lord, set a watch before  
My mouth, & of my lips keep thou the door,  
¶ He that gives too much freedom to his tongue,  
Offends his God, and doth his neighbour wrong▪   

75. On Blackness.  
THere's none, but is originally soiled  
With inbreed filth, and actually spoiled,  
We are born Moors, and by continual fin,  
This swarthiness hath much increased been:  
We have no virtual nitre of our own  
To whiten us, the blood of God's dear son  
Can only cleanse, and purify the soul  
And make us fair, who are by nature soul.   

76. On a Bladder.  
PRide puffeth up the heart, but death's designed  
To prick this bladder, and let out the wind.   

77. On Blame.  
FOr crucifying Christ their Lord, we blame  
The Jews, yet daily do the very same;  
Our sins are rankling thorns, the nails, the spea●  
That tear our Lord, and we shed not a tear.   

78. On Blasphemy.  
BLasphemy is a bullet, that rebounds  
From God at whom 'ti● shot, & the blaspheme● wound●.   

79. On Blessedness.  
THat in reversion, there's a blessedness  
The Saints believe; and Scripture doth express▪  
Blessedness is the souls perfection,  
Of Christ'an industry 'tis the whetstone,  
The Saints highest ambition, 'tis the flower  
Of his delight, the end which evermore  
All men desire; this is the white all aim  
To hit, this is the centre; this is the flame  
That nourisheth our zeal; this precious Gem,  
Hangs not upon an earthly Diadem:  
It lies not in the acquisition,  
Of things beneath the circle of the Sun:  
It cannot be by any chemic skill  
Extracted here, emptiness cannot fill:  
For birth, for wealth, for worldly joys, for wit,  
None might compare with Solomon, and yet  
He tells us in the height of contemplation,  
That all is vanity and soul-vexation.  
Alas! the sacred Tree of blessedness,  
Doth not grow in an earthly Paradise:  
For sin hath not, God cursed the loathed ground,  
How than therein, can blessedness be found?  
And yet there▪ s many digging for it here,  
As if a curse could any blessing bear.  
Fire may as easily from water-springs  
Be drawn, as blessedness from earthly things:  
The world's below the soul, it's footstool 'tis,  
And therefore cannot crown it with true bliss.  
Worldly accommodations cannot still  
The troubled heart, nor with true comfort fill:  
Richeses can never satisfy the soul,  
Because not real, and away they roll,  
Like a swift stream; therefore they never can,  
With endless happiness, every a man;  
Richeses are thorns, they vex the head with care  
Of getting, so they wound the heart with fear  
Of losing them, a man may be possessed  
Of golden Mountains, and be never blest:  
The sole enoyment of these things below,  
Will bring a curse; cannot therefore bestow  
Happiness on us, Gold ('tis sad to tell)  
Hath sunk the souls of many men to Hell:  
Judas for money his salvation sold,  
The Pharises bought with refined mould  
Their own damnation: creatures comforts can  
Derive no true felicity to man:  
'Tis in an higher Region, they that do  
Seek for it here, do to the wrong box go:  
Blessedness is too delicate a Plant  
To devil in nature's soil, he knows no want  
That hath it; O how blest is his condition,  
That hath a full and sensible fruition  
Of God the supreme good; there's nothing ca●  
But God enjoyed, beatify a man.  
God is the chiefest good, he makes them ble●  
Who in him only, acquiesce and rest:  
Blessedness is the alone Diamond,  
In God the Rock of ages to be found.  
He is the top of all felicity,  
The centre in whom all the lines agreed:  
The soul is not completely happy, till  
It meet in God, who only can it fill  
In blessedness, or else it is not right,  
Are these Ingred'ents, spirits of delight;  
So meliority, and sweet variety,  
Complete perfection, and a full satiety:  
Eternity's the highest link of bliss,  
It's sunshine never sets, nor clouded is▪  
God only can true blessedness afford,  
Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord.  
Sinner lament thy sins, false ways decline,  
And sweated hard till thou find this golden mine;  
▪ 'tis feizable, the flaming Sword of fin,  
Can only keep thee back from entering in  
Th'heavenly Paradise: Get an interest  
In Christ, walk uprightly, and thou art blest:  
That thou art bound for heaven, do thou not say  
Who steer'st thy course the quite contrary way,  
But thou that art a Saint free grace adore  
That, that must set thee on the blissful shore;  
I must pass through the gate of grace, before I  
Can enter into the White-Hall of Glory.   

80. On Blessings.  
ALL blessings are from God, his golden bowls  
Of mercies still refresh our bodies, souls;  
His blessings ever overflow the banks  
Of our desires, and shall we ebb in thanks?  
God will, if we be thankful for the store  
Of blessings he allows, allow us more.   

81. On Blindness.  
'tIs day, and yet we grope the way to find,  
Strange▪ that the Gospel's light should make us blind.  
●he world's God blinds men's eyes, they neither can  
●ee their Disease, nor their Physician.  
Laodicea in her own conceit  
Was rich, and yet how poor was her estate!  
The blind man in the Gospel till Christ came,  
Recov'red not his sight, and in Christ's name  
Implore we must, the spirit to inlight  
Our spir't'al eyes, for we have lost our sight.   

82. On Blockishness.  
BEfore the fall our understandings light  
Was clear, but since how darkened is our sight  
How blockish are we! how unapt to learn  
The things; that do immediately concern  
Our everlasting peace! O Lord restore  
To us thine Image, by us lost before:  
Be pleased to open our sin-sealed eyes  
That we may know thee, and thy goodness prise   

83. On a Blossom.  
GRace is the bud that sports on Par'dise tree,  
The blossom is glorious Eternity:  
Unless we bud in grace, we shall not bloom  
In glory, none but Saints in Heaven found room.   

84. On Blood.  
THe blood that guished from murdered Ab●  
Empierced the heavens, with its revenge soun●  
But ah! the blood of my dear, Lord was spilt,  
To cleanse my bloud-debabled soul from guil●  
It cries for pardon, scours out all my stains,  
Procures my freedom from eternal pains.  
How precious is the Balm of Gilead!  
By it salvation can be only had.  
Christ, he will have the honour of the cure,  
Or he will never heal us to be sure:  
The oil in Rheims ('tis storied) never wastes,  
Though always used, Christ's blood for ever lasts,  
Bubbling from his pierced side: O make recourse  
My soul still to this Fountain; O divorce  
Thyself from sin, (sin is the thing confounds,)  
Take Sanctuary in his sanguine wounds:  
This is the sacred Bath opened for sin,  
And for uncleanness, go my soul step in  
And bathe thee there, this is that spir'tal spring  
That makes clean hearts; Christ's blood's a precious thing;  
If to the heart applied, it makes it flourish  
In holiness, nothing like this doth nourish  
The fainting soul, no desperate condition  
There is with Christ, who is the best Physician:  
His blood hath sovereign virtue to restore,  
All wounds, he hath a Salve for every sore.  Sanguis Christi salus Christiani. Bern. Oceultes viribus egregius sons. Juven.  

85. On Blows.  
WE did commit the fault, but justice dealt  
The blows to Christ; the dolorous stripes he felt,  
That so we might be healed, to him was carved  
The punishment, that sinful we deserved.   

86. On Boasting.  
TEll me fond man, whereof hast thou to boast,  
Whose days are evil at best, but few at most;  
〈◊〉 ●est ●e●ig●●s▪ are check●● w●rk'● wi●h sorrow,  
And dost thou brag of what shall be to morrow!  
But if th●u must be proud, make this thy Pride,  
To know Christ Jesus, and him Crucifi'd.   

87. On the B●dy.  
HOw brittle is this fleshy Cabinet,  
Wherein the richest Diamond is set!  
But time will come, when this vile mortal case,  
Shall glorious Immortality embrace.  
The body is, while here infirm and weak  
Our earthen ware, a little thing will break  
Trajan's ashes after his death, to Rome  
Were brought, and honoured: at the day of doo●  
So shall the precious ashes of the Just,  
Be much esteemed, and shine as Silver dust.  
Christ risen is, and he's the body's head,  
Therefore the body shall not still lie dead:  
Saints bodies raised from out their slumbri● grave▪  
Neither diseases, nor defects shall have;  
The body here's a clog, a lumpish thing,  
In heaven it shall have a nimble wing.  
Here muddy, vile, passive, and transitory,  
In heaven transparent, beautified with glory,  
Impassable, grown to a perfect stature,  
Free from the wants, and woes, & wrongs of nature  
immortal Heaven is an healthful Air,  
There is no sadness, nor no dying there.  
When the Saints soul shall with the body meet,  
How blest will be their greeting! O how sweet!   

88 On a Body of Death.  
SIn is a body, for it weighs us down,  
In prayer it hinders our Ascension;  
We with corruption overpowered shall be,  
Till deathpull of these weights and set us free.  
●in is death's body, it is Carrion s●ell  
Annoys the gracious soul, which loathes t'dwell  
●n Meseck, and to sojourn in the Tents  
Of Kedar, whence arise unsavoury seents.  
O woe is me, that I am forced to stay  
With sin! how long the pious soul doth say,  
●hall I be vexed with inmates, O my God,  
With thee I long to settle mine abode.   

89. On Boldness.  
GOd holds his sceptre forth, & every one  
May come with boldness to his gracious throne  
The child with confidence makes known his wants  
To his dear father, and his father grants  
What he desires, and shall not God much rather,  
Who has the disposition of a father  
As well as the relation, supply  
His Childrens wants, when they unto him cry.  
How should we to this tender father run  
●n all conditions, when by sin undone;  
O say to God, Father, my heart, my heart,  
O quicken, soften it; does Satan dart  
Temptations at us? God relieves his Saints,  
Who in his bosom pour forth their complaints.   

90. On a Bolt.  
A Fool's bolt is soon shot, the Proverb says.  
Scripture Fools, wicked men: ah now adays  
Do make a Bolt of their licentious tongue,  
To blaspheme God, & do their neighbour wrong.   

91. On a Bond.  
CHrist died, the Saints may well be overjoyed,  
For now Wraths bond and obligation's voided.   

92. On Bondage.  
EMbondaged for ever we had been,  
But that our blessed Saviour stood between  
God and our souls, redeemed us with his blood,  
Which streamed from him like a crimson flood.  
Sin, death, & hell, Christ by his death trod under,  
And snapped those bonds (that held us fast) in sunder   

93. On a Bonfire.  
THe flick'ring flames of sprightly fire,  
Unto the highest Arch aspire.  
Mount up my soul, to God above,  
On winged flames of holy love.   

94. On Books.  
EXperience tells, vain Books, and idle Plays,  
And such as Ovid's Amatorious Lays,  
How well they cell! whilst better Tractates lie  
Untouched, Religious Books but few will buy.  
Sad times! for one that in God's Bible looks,  
There's ten that poor on Cards, the devil's books.  
All want on books, could some have their desire,  
Would be condemned to an Ephesian sire;  
And though it would the Devil much displease,  
Yet might one say, as Alcibiades,  
Of the Athenian heaps of burning scrowls,  
I ne'er saw clearer fire, nor purer coals. 
* Nunquam vide ignem clariorem.    

95. On Borrowing.  
OUr lives, and what we have, of God we borrow,  
Who may recall them in before to morrow:  
Let me not grumble, Lord, but be content  
To pay what thou demandest what thou hast lent   

96. On Bosoms.  
MEek Moses bosom is the Law Divine;  
The golden gospel wherein grace doth shine  
Christ's bosom is, and as in sacred Story  
It is recorded, Abraham is his glory.   

97. On a Bottle.  
WHen all the liquor in our bottle's spent,  
So long as there's a Well, let's be content.   

98. On a Bowl.  
WEalth, honour, pleasures, to and from do roll;  
Nor is't a wonder, for the Worlds a Bowl.   

99 On Bounds.  
GOod who is boundless in himself surrounds,  
The raging waters with appointed bounds,  
Also the days of man, that than he can  
Not pass, alas! our life is but a span.   

100 On B●unty.  
ALL's lost that is laid out, but what is given  
to Christ & his poor members (heirs of heaven  
Though pilgrims here) is lost like scattered grain,  
And at joys harvest, shall be found again:  
The end of life is service; to extend  
Good things to such, as want is the great end  
Of our creation; let us not be found  
Unprofitable burdens to the ground.  
Alms is a sacrifice gratulatory,  
Pleasing to God, and its reward is Glory.  
Estates are Talents lent to trade withal,  
We are but stewards; God may quickly call  
For our accounts, of what we have disbursed,  
The tree that bore no fruit our Saviour cursed.   

101. On a Bow.  
GOd like our enemy hath bend his Bow.,  
And threats a universal overthrow:  
To the ungodly world, withal our hearts,  
Let's turn to him before he thrills his darts.   

101. On a Bower.  
THe whole world is an heavenly earthly bower,  
Hev'n is its sieling, and the Earth its floor,  
But ah! our Bower, this heaven, this earth, must pass  
Away, as well as we, who are as grass.   

103. On a B●x.  
Man's body is a box till death it split  
The Soul, that precious Gem is kept in it.   

104. On Boys.  
THe world is in our eye like sportive boys,  
We trade for trifles, and are all for toys.   

105. On Bracelets.  
Abrahams' servant put loves Golden Bands,  
A brace of Bracelets on Rehekah▪ s hands;  
But O how gloriously will Christ adorn  
His spouse▪ what bracelets shall by her be worn!   

106. On a Brand.  
GOd plucked us as brands from out hell fire,  
Who neither could deserve, nor yet desire  
This at his hands My soul, freegrace admire!   

107. On Bran.  
HOw sievelike is the Memory of man,  
'Tis too retentive of the grosser bran;  
All sinful trash, and rubbish, but alas!  
It lets God's word, the purer flour, through pass.   

108. On Brass.  
A Man for Eloquent may pass,  
But wanting Charity, alas!  
He is as tinkling sounding Brass.   

109. On Brawling.  
FOr Bawling Curs and savage Bears,  
To fall together by the ears  
Is common; 'tis a horrid shame,  
For such to brawl that bear Christ's Name.  
If we have wrangled heretofore,  
Now let's be Friends, and sin not more.   

110. On Bread.  
BRead is life's staff, and yet we cannot stand  
By it, unless God hold it with his hand.  
God's blessing is the only stay and prop  
Of that staff Bread, without it down we drop.  
Our feeder is our food, not on his grounds,  
This Shepherd feeds his sheep, but with his wounds  
Christ is the living, & life-giving bread,  
That soul that feeds on him, shall never need.   

111. On the Breast.  
WIth the humble Publican  
May I smite upon my breast,  
And sigh out this fair request,  
Pardon Lord me sinful man.   

112. On Breath.  
THe breath that in our Nostrils is,  
Is the Anointed of the Lord;  
And what he freely doth afford,  
He may recall when ere he please.  
Lord when I breathe my last, grant I  
May reign with thee Eternally.   

113. On Breeches.  
BReeches which in the room of fig-leaves came  
Are but the badges of our guilt and shame,  
And this (methinks) should serve to humble all  
That wear them, since they mind us of our fall.   

114. On Brethrens.  
ALL they that Christianity embrace,  
Are Brethrens by Creation or Race;  
Are Brethrens by Profession or Place,  
And by Regeneration no Grace.  
Behold how good, how pleasing 'tis to see,  
Brethrens by Race, Place, Grace, in one t' agreed   

115. On Brevity.  
I Came, I saw, and than I overcame  
Victorious Caesar, said King Philp wrote  
Threats to th' Laconian Lords, but to the same  
They only answer dif— (as stories Note)  
Lord come and see, and conquer us: Let man,  
If thou be for us, hurt us if— (he can)   

116. On Briars.  
Sin's are entangling briers, which are found  
Within man's heart, that barren piece of ground.  
These wound the soul the gracious soul desires  
Nothing more, than to get out of these Briars.   

117. On Bribes.  
Bribe's are attractive, 'tis a bribe that draws  
On Friendship sooner than a righteous cause;  
Witness Gehazi, Judas, Samuel's sons,  
But ah! the bribed into ruin runs:  
Though the bag be drawn with a double cord  
Of silk and silver, favour and reward.  
He that receives against the innocent,  
Injurious bribes, unless he do repent  
Of that foul crime, shall found another day,  
That vengeance is the Lords, and he'll repay.   

118. On a Bridegroom.  
CHrist is the Bridegroom, and the Church his Bride,  
Whose hearts with loves eternal bands are tied,  
He found her foul, but he hath washed her so,  
That now she's whiter than the driven snow.   

119. On a Bridge.  
DEath draws the bridge of life, sends in a trice  
Sinners to Hell, but Saints to Paradise.   

120. On Bridewell.  
TO work in Bridewell is an easy toil  
To theirs who must in broad hell always broil.   

121. On a Bridle.  
THink often on the all-discerning eye  
Of the great God, who always doth descry  
Thy secret thoughts from perpetraing sin,  
Not better bridle for to keep thee in.   

122. On Brightness.  
THe blessed Saints though here obscure they be  
To the World's eye, yet shall hereafter see  
God face to face, and gloriously bright;  
Outshine the sparkling Jewls of the night.   

123. On Brimstone.  
HEre blue flamed brimstone much offends the smell,  
O how doth it torment the damned in Hell.   

124. On B●ine.  
Prayers that are pickled with the brine of tears,  
God barrels up in his attentive ears.   

125. On a Brink.  
ALas! we dance upon destruction's brink,  
And each sin is a weight to make us sink.   

126. On a Broad-way.  
NO wonder many love so well the road  
That leads to ruin, 'tis because its broad.   

127. On a Brood.  
THe brood is safe housed underneath the wings  
Of the indulgent dam, our safety springs  
From God whose wings shall ever overspread  
His Saints, and never any feathers shed.   

128. On a Brook.  
THe bubbling brook that wantoness up and down  
The flowery enamelled Meads, and trips upon  
The murmuring pebbels, slips into the main,  
And still pays tribute to the watery Plain:  
Even so to God who first to us conveys,  
His love, should we return the streams of praise.   

129. On a Broom.  
HOw necessary is the Housewives broom,  
To sweep out dust that genders in the room!  
But o! the bosom of Jehovahs' ire  
Sweeps dusty souls, into infernal fire.   

130. On Broth.  
ESau for a mess of broth  
Sold his Birthright; we are loath  
To exchange things transitory,  
For immortal boundless glory.   

131. On the Brow.  
LOrd! I have sinned, that is the reason thou  
Lookest on me with so severe a brow;  
Behold me in the face of thy dear Son,  
O than I know thou wilt not longer frown.   

132. On a Brush.  
WE brush our dusty , sin soils the soul,  
Yet how content are we to keep that foul▪   

133. On a Brute.  
THe Ox will know his owner, and the Ass  
Her master's crib, but Israel (alas!)  
Will not know me, says God, they have destroyed  
Themselves, and made their understanding vo●d.  
Till God open our lips, our mouths are dumb,  
And we more brutish than a Brute become.   

134. On a Bubble.  
HOw vain a thing is man; his life's a bubble,  
Replenished with winds of care & trouble.   

135. On a Buck.  
WE run from God, and are by nature wild  
A Bucks, grace cicurates, & makes us mild,  
O God, to me be pleased to impart  
Thy grace, O that can tame my wanton heart.   

136. On a Bucket.  
WE have a well, let's let our bucket down,  
To fetch up waters of Salvation.   

137. On a Buckler.  
GOd is a guarding buckler to the just,  
Who in his sure defence repose their trust.   

138. On a Bud.  
LOrd nip the bud, before the bloom gins,  
For ah! I would not flourish in my sins.   

139. On a Bug, or Hobgoblin.  
OUr wayward children, we with bugbears fear,  
'Twere well if terrified from sin we were.   

140. On a Building.  
THe Royal Palace where the Saints shall devil,  
A building is, not made with mortal hands,  
How doth it in Maginificence excel!  
Above the starry Firmament it stands;  
'Tis spacious, precious, specious, and pure,  
And shall to all eternity endure.   

141. On a Bullet.  
GOds thundering judgements like the bullet run,  
Shot from the bowels of the murdering Gun.   

142. On a Bulrush.  
Hung down our head? we like a bulrush may,  
Yet not be truly humbled when we pray.   

143. On a Bulwark.  
GOd to his people is a bulwark strong,  
So that Hell-gates shall never do them wrong.   

144. On Bundles.  
THe Tares that growing with the Wheat is found,  
Shall for hell fire be in bundles bound.   

145. On a Burgess.  
EAch Saint (chosen by God himself) is sent  
To set as Burgess, in heavens Parli'ment:  
And with those noble Peers the Angels sing  
Immortal praise, to their triumphant King.   

146. On Burials.  
NAture, kind to her own, did first device  
T' entomb a Corpse with solemn obsequies;  
And surely grace allows a Burial,  
To th' Holy Ghost his Temples, when they fall.   

147. On Burning.  
COme see my zeal for God, Jehu pretends;  
An holy zeal, but he had bases-by-end:  
Lord kindle in my heart, a burning flame  
Of real zeal to glorify thy name.   

148. On Burrs.  
SInners to one another stick like burrs;  
O why should Saints fall out, like wrangling curs!   

149. On Burdens.  
COme unto me, I hear my Saviour say  
To every sin-pressed soul, O come away  
All ye that groan under sins massy weight,  
And I will ease you, and refresh you straight:  
My yoke is easy, and may well be worn,  
My burden's not too heavy to be borne:  
Yield, yield my soul, his are no Tyrant Laws,  
His spirit will help thee; If the Loadstone draws  
The Ir'n, the Iron easily may move,  
So thou— Out of a principle of love  
Obey thy Saviour, serve him with delight;  
Love makes sin heavy, and Christ's burden light.  
God never burdens us, but that he may  
Un-burthen us of sin, there's in the way  
Of duty, joy, and Heaven at the end,  
O think of the reward, that doth attend  
Your service, and bless God you are not under  
The curses of the Law, the Law rores thunder.   

150. On a Bush.  
THe burning bush was unconsum'd with fire,  
For God was in't, O let's his power admire;  
The fire of persecution, cannot tame  
Christ's Church, for he is with her in the flame.   

151. On a Bushel.  
THose graces which the Saints as lights conceal,  
Under a bushel, trials often reveal.   

152. On a Busybody.  
ARdelio, so much abroad doth roam,  
It's hard for him to find himself at home.   

153. On Business.  
THe business that we are set about  
While we are in this world, is to work out  
Our own salvation with trembling fear.  
But O how few make this their chiefest care!  
O Lord, enable me to work, that I,  
May have grace wages glory when I die.   

154. On a Butterfly.  
WE smile to see our little Children try  
Their skill, to each the painted butterfly.  
And yet alas, we do the very same,  
Nay worse ourselves, O is not this a shame!   

155. On But.  
Bade is the But mars all, some but for some  
Pleasures or Profit, unto Christ would come;  
But for his wife, with whom he must go devil,  
But for the bidding of his friends farewel;  
But for th' interring of his father dear,  
But for his viewing of his field bought there.  
But for the trial of his Oxon, he  
Would follow Christ, ah Lord! such Butts have we,  
'Tis blessed when our Butts are for the best,  
Ye were as bad as any of the rest;  
But ye are washed, but ve are cleansed now,  
How sweet's the wine, from such good butts does flow!   

156. On a But.  
GOds glory is the but, but Christians hark,  
Grace is the only Arrow hits that mark.   

157. On a Butcher.  
THe Butcher lives by killing, we by dying  
To sin, and our corruptions mortifying.   

158. On a Butler.  
THe Butler keeps provision, O hoard  
Up in thy heart the food of life, God's word▪   

159. On Buttery.  
THe Butt'ry is a necessary place,  
O blessed heart that is well stored with grace.   

160. On Buying.  
HE buys, and sells, and liveth by the loss,  
The Proverb says, when worldly things go crofs  
With any; but if they that buy and cell go well.  
Would speak the truth, doubtless things would   

161. On a By-way.  
SIn is a by-way, easy to be found,  
By all that are for hell's dark Kingdom bound;  
For want of light, and a good guide to lead  
Them right, so many in sins by-path tread.  
The words a light, Lord let thy spirit be  
My guide, that I thy glorious face may see.  
I must walk in the narrow way, before that I  
Can find true rest, grace leads us into glory.    

C  

1. On a Cabinet.  
THe heart is Gods peculiar Cabinet,  
And Satan knows not what is in it set,  
heavens a rich Cabinet, where God reconds  
Glorified Sts. those sparkling Diamonds.   

2. On a Cable.  
GReat God to come to thee we are unable,  
O draw us with thy love; thy love's a Cable.   

3. On a Cage.  
THe gracious soul desires to be dismissed  
From out the body's cage, to be with Christ.   

4. On a Caitiff.  
O Lord, I have contraired thy just command,  
Lo! I as a convicted Caitiff stand,  
Trembling before thee; guilty Lord I cry,  
Yet pled for mercy, since thy Son did dye.   

5. On a Cake.  
GReat God well may a cake upon the coals,  
Suffice our bodies, so thou feast our souls.   

6. On Calamity.  
MEn grieve when they calamity are in,  
But o who is there lays to heart his sin!   

7. On a Calendar.  
Virtue alas! is looked upon of late,  
But as a Calendar grown out of date.   

8. On Calendss.  
O May I yield at the Greek Calendss (never)  
To Satan's laws, but serve the Lord for ever.   

9 On Calls.  
THe devil says come to me, but I'll undo thee;  
The world says follow me, but I'll slight thee;  
The flesh says follow me, but I'll forgo thee,  
But Christ says follow me, and I'll delight thee:  
Run, run my soul, thy Savi'ors call is best,  
He * is the Way, Truth, Life, eat, eat the rest.   

10. On the Calves of the lips.  
IF of our lips, we offer up the calves,  
And not our hearts, we serve the Lord the halves.   

11. On a Calm.  
GOd that allays high winds, & stills rough seas,  
Can calm the consc'ence, gi●e the troubled ease their stay,   

12. On a Caltraps.  
CHristians march towards heaven, to 'cause  
The spiteful world hurls caltraps in their way   

13. On a Camel.  
THe crouching camel, shall as soon go through  
An Eagles' eye, as Misers to Heaven go.   

14. On a Camp.  
MOst darkness love, & ●ate the Gospel's Lamp  
No marvel, for they belong to Satan's camp.   

15. On a Candle.  
MEn place a candle having tined the wick,  
Not und'r a bed, but in a candlestick,  
For common benefit, so God prefers  
His Ministers, to be his Household Stars.   

16. On a Cane, or Reed.  
MAn like a Reed, still shaken with the wind,  
Till fixed on his God, no rest can found.   

17. On a Canker.  
SIn is a canker, it infests the soul,  
Christ kills it by his death, and makes us whole.   

18. On a Cann.  
IN Bacchus' Courts, he is the only man  
That smokes Tobacco, & can smoak the Cann.   

19 On a Cannon.  
OHow uneven are our lives, O Lord;  
Reduced to the Canon of thy word!   

20. On a Cannon.  
THe thunder-mocking Cannon vomits fire,  
But ah! how dreadful is th'Eternal ire.   

21. On a Cap.  
THe cap relieves the head, and keeps it warm;  
The heart preserved by grace; can catch no harm.   

22. On a Captain.  
CHrist is our Captain, if we stand our ground  
He will all our souls-enemies confounded,  
His death's, our life; his power alone can quell  
Sin and the world, nay all the Devils in hell.   

23. On Captivity.  
BY Satan, we for evermore had been  
Led captive, and embondaged to sin;  
Had not our Saviour canceled the scrouls▪  
Of angry Justice, and redeemed our souls.   

24. On a Carbonado.  
THe Reprobates their bodies, and their souls,  
Must broil in hell, on everlasting coals.   

25. On a Carbuncle.  
SIn is a carbuncle, it evermore  
Shines bright, yet is a dangerous Plague-sore.   

26. On a Carcase.  
THe soul-less carcase, none take pleasure in,  
And can God think we love souls dead in sin?   

27. On Cards.  
THe pleasures of the world, are Satan's cards,  
Who in them most delights, he most regards.   

28. On a Cardinal.  
THe chiefest Card in all the Roman pack,  
Cannot preserve a Cardinal from wrack.   

29. On Care.  
APrudent and religious care is good,  
A soul-dividing care must be withstood:  
We are charged to commit our way unto  
The Lord, not undertake his work to do,  
Which is to take care, as it▪ s ours to cast;  
Care is a spir't'al canker that doth waste  
The spirits, when 'tis eccentric; we in brief  
May sooner add a furlong to our grief  
By our distrustful care, than to our joy  
A cubit. Care excessive will destroy,  
As it dishonours much the King of Kings,  
So it takes of the heart from better things:  
And while we thinking are how we shall do  
To live; to die we not remember how.  
Lord! what tumult'ous swarms of buzzing Cares  
Hive in man's Head! how silvered are his Hairs  
Before the time! how Care distracts the Mind!  
It breaks the sleep, by it the Body's pined,  
The Soul is wracked. 'Twas Adam's want of care  
Made us become so careful as we are.  
The Curse bred Care, Lord may I always cast  
My care on thee, who cared for me haste,  
And wilt do still; 'tis wisdom to unload  
And cast the burden of our care on God.  
To a Believers care Death puts an end;  
Death comes to a Believer as a friend,  
And says, do not distracted, nor thus disquiet  
Thy Mind about thy clothing and thy diet.  
In gath ring wealth, let not thy Head and Heart  
Be pricked with care, I will but thrill my Dart  
Once at thee, and thou shalt be dispossessed  
Of all those cares that thus torment thy Breast.  
My Soul care to please God, but o! beware  
Of Heart-dividing, God-distrusting care.   

30. On Carelessness.  
WHen Adam grew careless of God's command  
And left of Innocency's robes, he caught  
The Falling-sickness, could not longer stand  
Upright, his carelessness (alas!) hath brought  
The Universe which wa● (before his fall)  
A Paradise, into an Hospital.   

31. On Carnal Security.  
OF all Diseases in a Common-weal,  
Carnal Security is worst to heal;  
None are so dangerously sick as they  
Who feel not their Disease (Physicians say)  
Laodicea's sick, but thinks she's well;  
Thousands that hope for Heav▪ n, drop down to Hell  
¶ When blinded with security men cry,  
Peace, peace, sudden destruction is nigh.  Quid miserius misero non miserante seipsum. Aug.  

32. On Carriage.  
AS children of the Highest, we should behave  
Ourselves, and be obedient, humble, grave,  
Industrious, heroical, and holy,  
Cheerful, not given to pensive Melancholy;  
Longing to be at home: the Saints do still  
Readily out of love obey God's Will:  
Lowly they are, it never was allowed  
To any of God's children to be proud.  
Left for a while, fall into Sin they do,  
That learn they may on lower ground to go,  
And that their Plumes may fall. Saints sober are  
In their Opinions, Speeches, and Attire.  
Diligence in their Calling they express,  
God never seals Warrants to Idleness.  
The Sts. are highborn of the true blood Royal,  
And scorn to act the th●ng that is disloyal,  
To slain their noble Birth, they are upright,  
And in Gods holv ways take great delight;  
For though in a strange country now they be,  
Yet they the New Jerusalem shall see;  
Death will convey them thither, that shall come  
Safe to their father's house, their longed for home.   

33. On Carking.  
WE may not cark, and care excessively;  
For worldly things, these perish, we must die.   

34. On Carrying.  
IN this life a Believer, by the Saints  
Is carried, him their prayers wings advance,  
And when he is of this frail life bereaven,  
The blessed Angels carry him to Heaven.   

35. On Carols.  
THe carols which the Heralds of the spring  
Chant forth, are dull to what the Saints shall sing  
Eternally to their mellist'uous King.   

36. On a Carpenter.  
AFflictions as a Carpenter often squares,  
And for God's spir't'al building us prepares.   

37. On a Carper.  
MOmus doth always carp at other crimes,  
He might do well to view his own sometimes.   

38. On a Cart.  
CHrist as a Cart with sheaus of full-eared corn,  
Was pressed, by him were our offences born.   

39 On a Carver.  
THe curious Carver may in brass, or stone,  
Carve Images, so he let God alone.   

40. On Cassia.  
HOw fragrantly the Cassia smells,  
But Grace the sweetest sweets excels.   

41. On a Cask.  
MY soul is empty, Lord, make it thy task,  
To pour thy wine of grace into my cask.   

42. On a Casket.  
WHo ever wanteth wisdom, let him ask it  
Of God, to hold it in the heart's a Casket.   

43. On a Cassock.  
CAssocks are in request with Levi's Race,  
No garment so becomes the soul, as Grace.   

44. On a Castaway.  
'tIs hard to know, until the Judgement-day,  
Who is a Reprobrate, or Castaway.   

45. On Casting down.  
GOd humbles those whom he intends to crown  
His way of raising, is by casting down.   

46. On Casting of.  
WE must cast of the Works of Darkness   
We can put on, and Light's bright armour wear.   

47. On a Castle.  
SIn, and the World, and our Corruptions wrestle  
Against us, but the Lord is our strong Castle.   

48. On a Catchpole.  
SAran that Catchpole lurks in secret holes,  
To take advantage to undo our souls.   

49. On a Cater.  
THe Raven was a Cater to refresh  
Elijah twice a day, with Bread and Flesh.   

50. On Catechising.  
WEre more time spent in Catechising Youth,  
Moore would be constant lovers of the truth.   

51. On Cates.  
GOds Ordinances those delicious Cates  
Are free for all men, He keeps open Gates.   

52. On Caterpillars.  
HOw soon can God those Caterpillars kill,  
That to the Sons of Zion bear ill william.   

53. On a Catarrbe.  
WHen we can mourn for sin, O than we are  
Bound to bless God, this is a good Catarrh.   

54. On a Cathedral.  
A Den of Thiefs is that Cathedral Church  
Become, whose Prelates live upon the lurch.   

55. On a Cathalick.  
HE a true Catholic is not become,  
Who yields obedience to the Church of Rome.   

56. On a Cat.  
THe melancholy Cat for Mice doth watch,  
Satan to slay our souls lies at a Catch.   

57 On Cattles.  
SInce God hath given the Cattles for our use,  
To his dishonour let's not them abuse.   

58 On a Caudle.  
A Pleasing Caudle many love to sup,  
What sweetness is there in Salvations cup!   

59 On a Cave.  
CHrist is a Rock, and every wound a Cave,  
And whoso hides therein shall safety have.   

60. On a Caveat.  
WE may be angry, very zealous in  
A good cause, but beware we do not sin.   

61. On a Cavalier of the worse sort.  
CAnary, Sherry, Cider, Ale, or Beer,  
Will make him merry, that's a Cavalier:  
His King he honours, God he aught to fear,  
Since both by Solomon joined, enjoined are.   

62. On a Caviller.  
ZOilus the Caviller finds fault with many,  
When 'tis well known he is as bad as any.   

63. On a Cauldron.  
John in a Cauldron of hot burning oil  
Was forced to stand, and him alive they boil.   

64. On a Cause.  
GOd is the causer of all good things still,  
As Satan is, and ever was, of ill.   

65. On a Causey.  
Heaven's Causey is strewed with rough flinty stones,  
But hell's low-way is paud with smother ones   

66. On Ceasing.  
THere must be a ceasing from ill, before  
We can do well. Repent, and sin ●o more.   

67. On a Cell.  
HOw sad is it for evermore to devil  
With devils, tormented in hell's dismal Cell!   

68 On Cement.  
LOve is a Cement, joining holy ones  
Together, it uniteth living stones.   

69. On a Censer.  
MY heart's a Censer, Lord, let the incense  
Of Prayr and Praises, weakly rising thence,  
Be to thy sacred Nostrils acceptable,  
Since I would offer better, were I able.   

70. On Censuring.  
MEn are by nature miserably prove  
To censure others, let themselves alone.  
Other men's motes we can with ease descry,  
But in the mean while our own beams pass by.   

71. On a Centre.  
THe soul of man is not completely blest,  
Till it in God (its proper Centre) rest.  
Still towards God a pious heart will roll,  
Because he is the Centre of the soul,  
Immutable, and whose Peri, herie,  
Drawn round about him, is Eternity.   

72. On a Centurion.  
HE commands men, but he that can command  
Himself, is stronger than an armed band.   

73 On Ceremonies.  
SInce Christ became a real Sacrifice,  
The Law of Jewish Ceremonies is  
Abolished; there's a Consummatum est  
Given to them all: all legal rites are ceased.  
E'er since the Temples veil was rend in sunder,  
No ritual Obligation keeps us under.  
Rome readmits them, the Saints are far from it,  
They loathe to lick up the Galatians vomit.   

74 On Certainty.  
HE must be much in duty, must keep pure  
His heart, and still act faith, that would procure  
The Jewel of Assurance, which hath been  
By Saints obtained, and may be so again.   

75. On a Certificate.  
GRant that Certificate, Lord, to my soul,  
The Leper had, Thy saith hath made thee whole.   

76. On Ceruse.  
NOne but a Jezabel devoid of grace,  
With painting Ceruse will besmeat her face.   

77. On Cessing.  
WHat cessing of estates is here below?  
The Saints above no such taxations know,  
Praise is the tribute which to God they owe.   

78. On a Chaffer.  
MY heart's a chaffer, Lord let thy spirit blow  
Zeals dying coals in me, & make them glow.   

79. On Chaff.  
LIght, dry, and empty chaff, God in his ire  
Will burn, with inextinguishable fire.   

80. On a Chain.  
CHrist as a token of his love bestows  
A chain of virtue, to adorn his Spouse.   

81. On a Chair.  
A Chair affords us ease, when tired we are;  
'tis dangerous sitting in the Scorners chair.   

82. On a Challenge.  
¶ AN angry word, calls on a challenge often,  
But strife's diverted by an answer soft.   

83. On a Chalice.  
CAst up we must the old leaven of malice;  
E'er we drink of the Sacramental Chalice.   

84. On Chalk.  
THe Spired of God hath as it were with chalk,  
Marked out the way, wherein the Sts. do walk   

85. On a Chamber.  
THe Sts. by faith (that Jacobs Ladder) clamber  
Up to Heaven's glorious glistering Star-Chamber.   

86. On a Champion.  
OUr Champion Christ for us hath won the field,  
And made the powers of hell's dark Kingdom yield.   

87. On Chance.  
All things to pass, God's providence doth bring,  
Not the blind goddess chance, there's no such thing   

88 On a Chancellor.  
THis honour to each St. God's Spirit doth deal,  
To be the keeper of the King's Broad-Seal.   

89. On Channel.  
LOrd let the channel of free grace run in  
My soul, and that will purge out all my sin.   

90. On Change.  
THe whole world is a shop of change, for wealth  
We exchange poverty; for sickness health;  
Pleasure for sorrow; and honour for scorn;  
Of●-times before, the evening and the morn.  
The day changes to night, the night to day,  
Summer to winter, youth to age gives way.   

91. On a Chapel.  
GOd hath his Church, and 'tis observed where  
God's Church is, Satan hath his chapel near   

92. On a Chaplain.  
HE is a chaplain for the Prince of Hell,  
That in debauchry bears away the Bell.   

93. On a Chapman.  
SAtan's a chapman, and his shop is fraught  
With wares, but all the ware he sells is naught.   

94. On Charges.  
CHrist will not put the Soul to any charges,  
Love only he desires for his free Largess.   

95 On a Charge.  
GOd hath a Book to Register men's sins,  
And when the day of Judgement once gins,  
It shall be opened, O than what a black charge  
Against a Sinner shall be read at large.  
I will reprove thee, and in order place  
Thine open-secret-sins before thy face;  
This done the Judge shall sentence in his ire  
The cursed into everlasting fire.   

96. On a Charger.  
MY heart's a Charger, Lord scour of all sin,  
And put the sweetmeats of thy grace therein   

97. On a Chariot.  
Prayer is a Chariot, it to heaven brings,  
And draws down blessings from the King of Kings.   

98. On Charity.  
Charity increaseth Faith, begetteth Hope,  
Makes us at one with God, it is the scope  
Of the whole Dec'logue; it do all things can,  
It is man's way to God, God's way to man.  
It's now grown old and cold, there's many do  
Talk on't, 'tis understood but of a few.  
The Heart must be the Spring, the Hand the Pipe,  
The Poor the Cistern, what we cannot keep,  
Let's freely give, that we may in the close  
Receive those things which we can never loose.  
Si desit charitas frustra habentur caetera.  
Da quod non potes retinere, ut recipias quod non potes amittere.  Aug.  

99 On Charms.  
THe World's a Circe, O what various harms,  
Trip on the heels of her enchanting charms!   

100 On a Charter.  
ALL things are a Believers future glory  
And present blessings, a large Inventory.  
Because God unto him his Heir doth grant  
The Covenant of Grace; the Covenant  
Is our great Charter, free Grace doth restore  
To us what Sin had robbed us of before.  
I am God, even thy God, surely all things  
Are ours, if God (who is the King of Kings)  
B'ours, and we have in God an interest,  
By virtue of our being linked to Christ.  
By faith in Christ we have a title to  
All things in Heaven above, and Earth below.   

101. On Chastity.  
CHastity is the mark denotes the Just,  
It curbs with Reason's reinss the rage of Lust.  
'Tis beauty to our souls, (whom it attires)  
Grace to our body, peace to our desires.  
It is the glory of our lives, and there  
It doth grow cheap, where gold is not though dear.  
Chastity, without ●●arity to feed  
And nourished, is a Lamp that oil doth need:  
Chastity wronged, abides, it but once ends,  
It with the beauty very much contends.  
— nulla roparabilis arte.  
Laesa pudicitia est deperitilla semel,  
Lis est cum forma magna pudicitiae.   

102. On Chastisements.  
WHo knows not that he hath offended,  
Will not be scourged nor soon amended;  
But I have sinned, and here I stand  
To bear the blows, thy chasting hand,  
Shall lay upon me; O my God  
Reform me, by thy tut'ring Rod.  Qui peccare se nescit corrigi non vult; deprehendas te oportet, antequam emendes. Sen.  

103. On Chattering.  
GOod Hezekiah, chattering like a Crane  
Was heard by Heaven, and healed of his pain.   

104. On the Chancery.  
THere is no Chancery court in Heaven above,  
Where all the Sts. are linked in endless love   

105. On Cheapness.  
THe Prince of darkness, is content that thou  
Shouldst have pleasures & richeses cheap enough;  
Only give him thy soul; indulge to vice,  
Ad he is satisfied, the greatest price  
That can be given, he asks; and yet he tells  
His customers cheap are ●he wares he sells,  
Nor are his wares, if rightly understood,  
But the mere forms, and counterfeits of good:  
God gives abundantly to all that lack  
Real good things, and taketh nothing back.  
Come you that have no money; come and buy  
Blessings and graces, without price; deny  
He will not any, since the best things are  
Best cheap, to spare to ask them, folly ' 'ttwere.   

106. On Cheer.  
BLessed are they, which called are unto  
The marri'ge Supper of the Lamb, who go  
To feast with Christ in Heaven; unto the house  
Of Banqueting, Christ will conduct his Spouse  
To eat of his rare Wands there, is there  
No dish we do not love; delightful cheer.  
Christ will prepare for his beloved guest,  
Such savoury meat as she (he's sure) likes best;  
The various fullness in Christ will prevent  
A scarcity, this cheer is never spent:  
At this feast there's no want, both rich and poor,  
Who eat thereof, shall never hunger more.   

107. On Cheerfulness.  
HOw are the Angels ravished with delight,  
While they are praising God a graeious spirit  
Serves God with cheerfulness, he only can  
Be truly cheerful; that's an upright man.   

108. On a Cheat.  
SAtan's a Sophister, he hath Decoys  
To draw us in, and cheat us of our Joys.   

109. On a Check.  
THe Flesh let's lose the Reinss,  
We gallop into Sin,  
The Spirits Check restreins  
And pulls us back again.   

110. On Cheeks.  
CHrist's cheeks are as a Bed of fragrant Spices  
High Aromatic virtue's love entices.   

111. On Cheese.  
JOh compassed about with miseries.  
Tells God that he had curdled him like cheese 
Job 10. 10.    

112. On the chief Good.  
IT is not every good that makes us blest,  
But it must be the sovereign good, the best:  
¶ Blessedness lies in the fruition  
Of the chief good, and that is God alone.  
¶ God as the first beginning, and the last  
End of all good, must be by us embraced.  
God only is of all felicity  
The cause, and frees us from all misery.  
¶ God only can in life and death appease  
The troubled conscience, give the afflicted ease.  
¶ In God alone when evils us surround  
Perfect and solid comfort can be found.  
No rest is here below, (my Soul) adventure  
To Heaven, and fix on God thine only centre.   

113. On a Cherry.  
HOw pleasing is a Cherry to the sight  
And taste; Grace to the Soul yields more delight.   

114. On a Chest.  
THe Miser locks up treasure in his chest,  
And we should store up Graces in our breast.   

115. On a Chick.  
THe Chick is safe housed under the Hen's wings,  
So we protected by the King of Kings.   

116. On a Chider.  
SOft answers lessen wrath, he that's a Chider  
Lances the Bile, and makes the breach the wider.   

117. On Children.  
Peacemakers are the children of the Highest,  
Not by eternal generation, Christ  
Alone is so; nor only by creation  
But chief by real sanctification.  
Adoption and infusion of Grace,  
Our childship consists in, we are (alas!)  
Not born, but made Gods children, since we are  
Not sons till we o' the Divine Nature share.  
Th' impulsive cause is God's free Grace, the cause  
Organical is Faith, 'tis Faith which draws  
Whole Christ into the heart, him there applies;  
This filiating Grace to Christ us ties.  
By faith we are made one with Christ, and so  
Become a kin to God; b'ing linked to  
The natural son, our brother Christ we gather,  
We are Gods children, he our loving father:  
God's children have his spirit, for sin are sorry,  
Are zealous for his Day, his Truth, his Glory:  
Love to enjoy each others company,  
And in God's presence, delight much to be,  
Are like their Heavenly father, and his will  
They always are ambitious to fulfil,  
Yea make it their ambition to draw in  
Others to be of the same Royal-kin.  
Sinners made sons! O love to be admired,  
We neither it deserved, nor it desired:  
God's children are the royal Diadem,  
He makes a precious account of them,  
Creates them noble persons; them doth crown  
With honour, they have titles of renown.  
They are called Kings, th' excellent of the earth,  
And their rich Scutcheons show their Heavenly ●irth  
The Scripture hath set forth their Heraldry,  
Sometimes they give the Eagle flying high,  
To heaven upon the wings of faith and love;  
Sometimes they give the meek & harmless Dove;  
Sometimes they give as we in Scripture found,  
The Lion, showing their courageous mind.  
Adam was in his innocent estate,  
The world's sole Monarch, the Regenerate  
Have higher Honour, more renowned are,  
Adam was (though a bright) yet falling Star.  
Adam's estate was glorious, yet unstable,  
And soon was lost, theirs is unalterable.  
God's children are equal in glory to  
The Angels, this themselves acknowledge do,  
I am thy fellow-servant, in some sense  
They are above them, in pre-eminence.  
The Angels are their servants to attend,  
And wait upon them to their Journeys end.  
Besides, Christ honoured their nature more,  
By taking it; though by creation lower  
They are than Angels, by adoption higher  
Advanced are they, than the blessed Quire.  
They have a fairer Coat of Arms to show  
Than Angels, let's their Privileges view;  
God loves them well, though for a while he may  
Withdraw from them, yet long he cannot stay:  
He will bear with many infirmities,  
And will accept of their weak services:  
Provide for them he will, he gives them their  
Allowance daily, and he doth prepare  
A portion for them, which can never be  
Summed up to them, he granteth liberty.  
He skreens of dangers from them, temporal  
And spir't'al wills hurt them not at all.  
God will reveal his Law to them, th●y may  
Go to their Father, and with boldness pray;  
They're heirs to all the promises, they shall  
Their Father's blessing have for their good all.  
Good things, means, mercies, evil things also.  
Poverty, sickness, shame, sufferings, death too,  
Shall work together: Christ for them did die,  
And they shall never perish finally.  
These are the glorious privileges that  
Attend Gods children: Try we our estate,  
If we are sanctified by God's good spirit,  
We are adopted, and shall Heaven inherit.  
O let's walk as God's children, yielding still  
Loving Obedience to our Fathers William.  
Are we the children of the Highest?  
And is our elder brother Christ?  
O never let's begin  
To fall in league and match with sin:  
Better for ever single tarry,  
Than with the Devil's daughter marry.  
'Tis dangerous to dote upon her,  
It will degrade us of our Honour.  
Her Dowry is the horrid chains  
Of darkness, and eternal pains,  
The gnawing Worm, sharp whips of Wire,  
And streams of sulph'ry-flaming fire.   

118. On the Chimes.  
Sweet is the Music of a chime of Bells,  
But Heavens diviner harmony excels.   

119. On a Chimney.  
IT is in Winter warm, in Summer i'll,  
We all the year are burning hot to ill.   

120. On a Chink.  
FIll up each chink of our desires none can  
But God alone; the World is empty, vain.   

121. On a Chin.  
A Man may have a well thatched chin,  
Yet freeze for want of zeal within.   

122. On a Chip.  
A Ciens graffed in a righteous stock,  
Was once a chip of the old (Adams) block.   

123. On a Chirurgeon.  
HE is the chief and best Chirurgeon who  
Can heal Soul-wounds, this Christ alone can do.   

124. On Chivalry.  
TO overcome ourselves and die  
To Sin, is the best Chivalry.   

125. On Choler.  
A Man exceeding tasty grows  
When yellow choler overflows.  
But Grace the Passions subdues.   

126. On Choosing.  
MArtha minds the World, while Mary  
Chose the one thing necessary;  
So will every gracious heart,  
Always choose the better part.   

127. On Crystal.  
THe Law's a Crystal Glass, wherein  
We see the ugly face of Sin.   

128. On Christ.  

1. Stanza.  
CHrist is a panoply, a Magazine  
Of all good things, a Jewel of great worth,  
A thousand Treasuries of Joy are in  
His name, 'tis sweet as Ointment poured forth.  
'Tis th'only Music to a Christians ear,  
And o that in our hearts it graven were!   

2.  
He that hath Christ, can have not more, for Christ  
Is all that is, imaginable all  
That is desirable, he is the Highest,  
All Heavenly blessings from this Fountain fall.  
We are made righteous by his only Merit,  
And holy by his sanctifying Spirit.   

3.  
His Spired burns up our dross, & makes our graces  
Sparkle like furnace gold, Christ the mind fills  
With light in us, a tender heart he places;  
And files of the Rebellion of our Wills.  
Upon the Soul he rises, and he brings  
An healing virtue in his balmy wings.   

4.  
God is through Christ propitious to us,  
And also in good part takes all we do;  
Christ bears Saints names upon his breast, and thus  
His Father he presenteth them unto;  
So bringing them into request and favour,  
How sweet to God, Christ offered prayers savour   

5.  
Christ keeps the Royal Fort of Grace, that it  
Be not blown up, Christ is a Christians strength;  
The Crown of the Saints victories must be set  
Upon Christ's head, he gives to us at length  
Our Garland, when we overcome by fight,  
Which we can never do, but through his might   

6.  
King's can proclaim War in a time of Peace,  
But Christ proclaims Peace in a time of War.  
He gives the agonized Conscience ease;  
By him to God we reconciled are.  
What a sweet calm and Sabbath in the Soul  
He causes! O this Balm can make us whole!   

7.  
Christ died, that us to life he might advance,  
He's gone before to take possession  
Of Heaven in the name of all the Saints,  
And he prepares for every one a throne.  
He crowns us after all our sufferings  
And actings for him, we shall reign as Kings.   

8.  
Vast is the disproportion between  
Christ and the Creature; Christ is all in all,  
The Creature nothing, emptiness is in  
All earthly comforts, what a bubble Ball  
Is this vain World? (the object of Saints loathing)  
And yet how many damn their souls for nothing!   

9  
Christ is the great Lord Treasurer, in him  
Are hid all Treasures both of Grace and Glory;  
O how should we this pearl of price esteem,  
He that hath Christ hath a rich Inventory:  
How should a Christian sit down satisfied  
With Christ, though other things are him denied.   

10.  
A man may flow in wealth and yet be poor,  
Not having Christ, but he that Christ possesses  
With all his royalties, needs nothing more,  
A Christless state is sad beyond expresses.  
He that wants Christ, is a vile filthy slave,  
And can no comfort, no salvation have.   

11.  
Sinners make sure of Christ, O never cease  
Trading in Ord'nances, till you have got  
This blessed pearl of price; Christ Jesus is  
With all accumulated good things fraught.  
Two words there are which only yield satiety  
Unto the Soul, Deity and Propriety.   

12.  
Christ's an enriching blessing that excels  
A supreme good, a good sufficient  
And suitable in him all fullness dwells;  
In him alone we can found true content.  
He's Grace, Gold, Balm, Bread, Wine, Salvation,  
To deck, every, heal, strengthen, comfort, crown.   

13.  
He is a shield, if we in danger are;  
Are we disconsolate, he is a Sun;  
He hath enough to furnish souls and spare;  
My empty soul to his abundance run.  
Christ is all that the heart can wish; a man  
No Cistern needs, who hath the Ocean.   

14.  
Christ is a sanctifying good, he all  
Conditions to us facilitates;  
His blessings on our health, wealth, kindred fall,  
Yea, all our comforts he condulcorates,  
Sanctifies all the crosses on us roll,  
They shall be medicinal to the soul.   

15.  
Christ is a blessing rare, but him few have,  
Those to whom God hath both the Indieses given  
He hath not given Christ their souls to save,  
They have Earth's fat, but not the dew of Heaven.  
And of those many Protestants who hear  
Of Christ, but few him in their hearts do bear.   

16.  
Christ is a crowning blessing, a choice good;  
God gives thee all he hath in giving him,  
A greater favour cannot be bestowed  
By the great God, o highly it esteem:  
God gives to thee the blessings of his Throne,  
In giving thee his wellbeloved Son.   

17.  
Christ is a lasting good, all other things  
Are like the Lamp, which while it shines it spends:  
He's a diffusive good, free merry Springs  
From this full Fountain; common good commends  
The Donors' bounty. Lord, let Christ be mine;  
All to me bo●h for food and medicine.   

18.  
Christ is our King, he governs and protects us;  
Christ is our Priest, he ransoms & redeems us;  
Christ is our Prophet, he teaches and directs us.  
What tongue can tell how highly he esteems us?  
Christ is our Way, Truth, Life, to guide, teach, cherish,  
How can we go amiss, or er, or perish!   

19  
My Soul! part with thy Lusts for Christ thy King,  
Know him in the first place; O let the streams  
Of Love run toward him; do every thing  
In his strength, make Christ all in all thy aims:  
Who aims not at God's Glory never can  
Hit the mark of his own salvation.   

20.  
Trust for Salvation to a Jesus single,  
The Papists make Christ something, but not all,  
Their merits & Angels prayers, with christs they  
Rejoice in Christ, upon him often call mingle,  
For Christ be thankful, and in praises flow,  
A greater gift than Christ God can't bestow.    

129. On Christianity.  
CHrist'anity is no disgraceful thing,  
Sin brings to shame; but godliness doth bring  
To honour, to a throne; it always ends  
In glory, no disgrace to be Christ's friends:  
To be an heir of Heaven, is high renown;  
¶ Sin draws hell after it, but grace a crown.   

130. On a Christian.  

1.  
CHrist is affixed to a Christian's heart  
By thought, desire, love, faith; in conversation  
He is linked fast to Christ, never to part,  
And hath those prelibations of salvation,  
Of joys long-lasting, and soul-satisfying:  
Grace makes the St. rejoice to think of dying.   

2.  
A Christian engrafted in the Vine,  
Produceth kindly, seasonable fruit;  
Grace within, good works without him shine,  
And good discourses from his lips flow out;  
He mourns for sin, rejoiceth in the Lord,  
He reads, and feeds upon the sacred word.   

3.  
A Christian is a runner in a race;  
Enfired with zeal, the marks he always eyes,  
Is often in the exercise of grace,  
And in the strength of Christ obtains the prize:  
My soul throw of two weights, the World and Sin,  
Begin the race betimes, hold on and win.    

130. On a Christless' person.  

1.  
A Christless man is poor, he's nothing worth,  
He stands condemned for the guilt of sin,  
He hath no holiness to let him forth,  
He's filthy; like an Infant tumbling in  
Its blood; i'th' law what was the Leper foul,  
But the sad emblem of a Christless soul?   

2.  
A Christless wretch in Scripture is compared  
To things most vile, as to a Swine, a Dog,  
A Viper, nay a Devil; he's all besmeared  
With filthy lusts, his hearts a rotten bog:  
Since Plague-sores run upon him, blind he is;  
And the more blind, because he thinks he sees.   

3.  
He's dead, and yields a most unsavoury smell,  
So that God loathes him, he hath no part sound;  
He is th' exact Epitome of Hell,  
From him nothing but dregss is running found;  
He is base born, caught in the Devil's gins,  
An ear-board slave when he most freely sins.   

4.  
Can he found comfort when he comes to dye?  
His wounds do bleed, & he hath no Physician;  
He is in debt, and hath no surety,  
A Christless, is a comfortless condition:  
He not salvation hath; at the great day,  
The very looks of Christ shall him dismay.    

131 On the Church.  
TO see God's Church a bleeding vine, to see  
Christ's spouse with garments rolled in blood should be  
Matter of lamentation to all  
That God their father, her their mother call:  
'tis time to hung upon the limber willows,  
Our mournful harps, when on the ruffling billows  
Of sad afflictions, the Church God's Ark  
Is tossed like a weatherbeaten Bark:  
But let's not fret, for the Almighty's hand  
That guides the Stream, can bring it safe to land,  
I and he will; sinking it need not fear,  
'tis always under his indulgent care:  
The Church's ship may reel because of sin,  
But cannot perish, for Christ is therein:  
The Church's Anchor is in Heaven cast,  
Saints are his portion, and shall that be lost?  
His glory, and shall that eclipsed be,  
Wholly, and finally! no certainly.  
From, and by opposition, God can  
●is Church deliver; often the wrath of man,  
Works or his praise; the Lord steps forth & saves  
His Ship, when almost swallowed by the waves!  
The Church's pangs God's glory doth advance,  
And shall help forward her deliverance.  
God hath by sufferings alwa●es propagated  
Religion, it hath risen when conculcated,  
Blood is the Church's seed, in blood 'tis founded  
By sanguine showers, it evermore abounded,  
Abel by bloody Cain was murdered,  
And ever since the Church's veins have bled;  
But she is like the Vine which grows by bleeding,  
And like the Palmtree under pressures spreading   

132. On a Churl.  
A Clownish churl, or churlish clown  
By's words, Saints by their works, are known.   

133. On Cider.  
A Glass of sparkling Demock wine is good;  
But O how cheering is my Saviors blood?  
Pomona's Orchards never could produce  
A liquor of such admirable use.   

134. On a Cymbal.  
CYmbals were used in former days,  
To sound forth Gods diviner praise.   

135. On Cinders.  
WE are a sinful people, O what hinders  
Us Sodom like from being burnt to cinders▪   

136. On Cinnamon.  
ARabia sends us Spicy Cinnamon,  
Our fragrant graces flow from Christ alone;  
Sweet-wood yields not so redolent a smell  
As do those virtues, which in Christ Spouse devil.  Legitur Exod. 30. 23. and Cant. 4. 14. Ducamus a canna vel a can lignum & nama dulce.  

137. On the Cinque-Ports.  
OUr senses are the Cinque-ports of the soul,  
Satan and sin at every little hole  
Strive to creep in, unless we stand upon  
Our guard, we shall for ever be undone.   

138. On a Cipher.  
WHo doth no good when he hath sin forsaken,  
Stands for a cipher in God's counting book   

139. On Cipras.  
FIne Cipras-veiles fair Ladies wear  
Over their curious shaded hair,  
O yet your hearts with graces decked;  
So Christ himself shall you affect.   

140. On a Circle.  
THe world's a circle, therefore never can  
Fill the triangulated heart of man.   

141. On a Circuit.  
GOds Justice rides in circuit, he is bend  
To punish sinners, yet how few repent!   

142. On Circumcision.  
THe Badge whereby God's people once were known  
From foreigners, was circumcision;  
Since circumcision of the outward part  
Is ceased, Lord! circumcise thy servants heart.   

143. On Circumference.  
WE by a pair of compasses, God's law  
Should th'whole circumf'rence of our live; draw,  
Let's fix on God our centre, and go still  
By practice round the compass of his will:  
Lord! let the lines of my periphery,  
In thee my centre evermore agreed.   

144 On Circumspection.  
WHo hath with Mary chose the better part;  
Is careful to preserve grace in his heart;  
He plies the Ordinances breast; he hath  
Fear while he sojourns here, yet lives by Faith.   

145. On a City.  
JErusalem which is above, is free,  
The mother of us all; what liberty,  
And safe protection is there in that City,  
Whose King, and Governor is God Almighty?  
Angels (the great Kings courtiers) who are here  
Our Guardians, are our companions there.  
Socrates being asked, what country man  
He was, replied, I'm the world's Citizen:  
This answer by a Christ'an may be given,  
I am a freeborn Citizen of Heaven.   

146. On a Cistern.  
MY heart's a cistern, may the stream of grace  
From God the Fountain, run therein apace.   

147. On a Citron.  
MUch used in Physic is the citron juice,  
But oh what rare effects doth grace produce!   

148. On Civet.  
SWeet Civet is but sweat, arising from  
Civet-cats cod, grace is the best perfume.   

149. On Civility.  
WHo is unto civility inclined,  
That ceremonial grace, commends his mind;  
Yet men may in morality excel,  
As Prudence, Temperance, and go to hell:  
Mortality may as well damn as sin,  
And therefore is not to be rested in.  
Cleansed must the sacrifices inward be,  
God he respects, and crowns hearts-puritie;  
Civil'ty washes but the outward part,  
Grace th'inward: Blessed are the pure in heart.   

150. On Clay.  
SHould God but breath on us; or take away  
The breath he gave us, what were we but clay   

151. On a Claim.  
THe Saints lay claim to heaven; & reason good  
'twas purchased for them, by their Savior● blood.   

152. On Clamour.  
SIn in the ears of justice, sounds as loud  
As thunder breaking from a rumbling cloud.   

153. On a Clapper.  
THe mouth's a Bell, God's praise cannot be rung  
Unless we use the clapper of the tongue.   

154. On a Clark.  
A Clark may by his Bell, call others in  
To worship God, while he himself serve sin.   

155. On a Clasp.  
THe Covenant is a golden clasp, whereby  
God us t'himself, himself to us doth tie.   

156. On a Clause.  
Somewhat injurious to God's greatness 'tis,  
Timprison him, in a Parenthesis.   

157. On Claws.  
GReat Judah's Lion, hath adunced claws,  
To tear the wilful breakers of his Laws.   

158. On a Claw-back.  
ALL is not Gospel that the claw-back says,  
Yet to be dispraised by him is a praise.   

159. On Cleansing.  
BY nature we are all defiled with sin,  
And with the Leper must cry out, Unclean.  
Sin i● an i●pu●e Issue, none can bring  
Purity thence, 'tis a polluting thing;  
A sinners heart's so black, that only hell  
Can pattern it, and be its parallel;  
But Grace is a spiritual Lavor, styled  
Regenerations washing; Souls defiled,  
Faith & Repentance cleanse; Grace lays the soul  
A whitening, searches wounds, and makes them whole.  
Grace is of a Celestial nature, though it  
Wholly remove not sin, it doth subdue it;  
Mary's tears as they washed Christ's feet, so  
Her heart; Grace engraves holiness unto  
The Lord upon the heart, in characters  
Indelible; to Glory Grace prefers.   

160. On Clearness.  
THe bodies of the Saints made more divine,  
Moore clearly than the Sun at Noon shall shine   

161. On Cleaving.  
GOd is the sovereign good, he that would cleave  
To him by Faith, must the ungodly leave.   

162. On Clemency.  
CLemency is the Ornament of Kings,  
Surer is the security it brings,  
Because frequent revenge allays the hate  
Of few, but it doth all men irrita●e.  
¶ That Prince will be beloved, & long shall stand,  
Who rules his Subjects with a gentle hand.  Salvum regem in aperto clementia praestabit. Sen.  

163. On a Clerk.  
THe greatest Clerk, the Proverb says,  
Is not the wisest man always.   

164. On a Clew.  
THe clew-thred of Christ's merits leads us thro'  
The winding Labyrinths of Sin and Wo.   

165. On a Client.  
I Am a Client unskilled in the Laws,  
And Satan Articles against me draws,  
But Christ my Advocate doth pled my cause.   

166. On a Cliff.  
THe Cliff repels the Ocean's pride,  
Saints built on Christ can Storms deride.   

167. On a Climate.  
SOme that through many Climates run,  
Are yet unto themselves unknown.   

168. On Climbing.  
HIgh winds shake most the Cedars tall,  
Haman by climbing got a fall.   

169. On a Clyster.  
THe Clyster frees the Head from pains,  
Grace from the Heart corruption dreins.   

170. On a Clock.  
THe Clock tells us each hour in the day  
How by degrees our time doth steal away,  
Therefore we still had need to Watch and Pray.   

171. On a Clog.  
THe World's a Clog, which doth control  
The motion of the mounting Soul.   

172. On a Cloister.  
A Man, a Cloister may be shut up in,  
And yet his Soul take liberty to sin.   

173. On a Cloak.  
ZEal as a Cloak our Saviour clad *,  
Not better garment can be had. 
* Es. 59 17.    

174. On a Closet.  
GOd Closet-prayers doth regard,  
And them will openly reward.   

175. On Clothing.  
SWeet Jesus deck me with thy righteous clothing,  
So shall mine be the object of my loathing.   

176. On Cloves.  
AS Cloves sand forth a very fragrant smell,  
So do the Graces that the Saints in devil.   

177. On a Cloud.  
THe Clouds of our Offences intervene,  
So that God's Sun-bright eye cannot be seen.  
Clouds are the Magazines of Snow and Rain,  
Our Sins do in them vert'ally coutain  
Treasures of vengeance, sin makes Heaven frown,  
And than thick showers of wrath come tumbling down.   

178. On a Clout.  
SElf-right'ousness enwrapping us about,  
Is as a rotten rag, or menstruous Clout.   

179. On a Clown.  
AS civilised Citizens disown  
The rude behaviour of the hobnailed Clown,  
So Saints from Sinners by their lives are known.   

180. On a Club.  
THe Club of vengeance knocks down those,  
Who out of malice God oppose.   

181. On a Cluster.  
CHrist is the Vine, and Clusters full of juice  
Hung upon him, for the Believers use.   

182. On a Coach.  
Prayer is a Coach which by the Spirit driven,  
Hurries our Souls into the Courts of Heaven.   

183. On a Coal.  
LOrd touch my tongue with a coal taken from  
Thine Altar, so shall I thy praises show.   

184. On a Coast.  
HEaven is a securer Coast,  
The Saints are thither riding Post.   

185. On a Coat.  
Who cuts his Coat according to  
His cloth, shall not a begging go.   

186. On a Coat of Mail.  
THe Coat of Mail preserves the body whole:  
Nothing but Faith in Christ can save the soul.   

187. On a Cobbler.  
THe Cobbler draws through Aul-made holes  
His ends, and lives by mending soles:  
But ah, Soul-ruines, who condoles!   

188. On a Cobweb.  
THe Spider spreads her Fly-entangling Nets,  
Snares to trepan the Saints, the Sinner sets.   

189. On a Cockatrice.  
THey who indulgence give to filthy vices,  
Do hatch the poisonous eggs of Cockatrice's;  
Mischiefs are like the Cockatrice's eye,  
If they see first, they kill; foreseen, they die.   

190. On a Cock.  
THe Bird that warned Peter of his fall,  
Doth us betimes to our devotion call.   

191. On a Cockney.  
THe Cockney that is up so nicely brought,  
Soon shows that he was better fed than taught   

192. On a Cockle.  
THe Cockle from her shell abhors to come,  
So a good Housewife loves to stay at home.   

193. 

On Coessential.  
On Coequal.  
On Coeternal.    
GOD, Christ, the Spired, are but one supernal,  
Coequal, Coessential, Coeternal:  
Thrice blessed, Three in One, and One in Three,  
May I adore, admire, love none but Thee,  
My Maker, Saviour, Consolation:  
O please to make my heart thy lesser Throne.   

194. On a Coffer.  
A Dunghill wretch for Gold of Ophir,  
Will damn his Soul, to cram his Coffer.   

195. On a Coffin.  
THe greatest King that ever Sceptre swayed,  
At last is in a narrow Coffin laid.   

196. On a Cognizance.  
WAnt is the Badge of Poverty, the Saints  
Have Crowns and Sceptres for their cognizance   

197. On a Co-heir.  
ARt thou a Saint? thou art Co-heir with Christ;  
And highly art in favour with the Highest.   

198. On Coin.  
THe golden Saints for current Coin will pass,  
In Heaven's Kingdom; Hell is all for Brass.   

199. On a Coit.  
TO cast the Coit is pretty childish play.  
It's sad for Coin to fling the Soul away.   

200. On a Cullender.  
OUr memories like the Cullender that strains  
Pure liquor out, but drossy dregss reteins.   

201. On Cold.  
ARe we as cold as Aspen Snow,  
Or as the frozen Zone;  
The Fire we know, will make us glow,  
Grace warms a heart of stone.   

202. On Coldness in Religion.  
SOme Jehu-like drive furiously for Heaven,  
But of their Chariot wheels are soon bereaven.  
Their Spring is turned to Autumn, & their gold  
To clay; their zeal for God is grown key-cold.  
Sad Times! Men cast Religion out of place,  
Rather than bear for it the lest disgrace.  
So little zeal is for Gods glory shown,  
That sure we live under the frozen Zone.   

203. On a Collar.  
THe Collar checks the Stallion in,  
Restraining Grace keeps men from sin.   

204. On Collection.  
THe World is a Collection of all  
The Creatures; 'tis a very goodly Ball.   

205. On a College.  
Heaven is a College, Saints Christ's Scholars here.  
Are Angels Fellows when once entered there?   

206. On a Colleague.  
Angel's are our Colleagues and we must still  
Praise God, and readily obey his William.   

207. On a Collier.  
THe Devil and Collier are alike for hue,  
Both black; and so are we till born anew.   

208. On the Colic.  
PAin damps our mirth, small mind hath he to frolic,  
That's pained with the Belly-wringing Colic.   

209. On Colours.  
THe Star-embellished Bird which Juno so  
Admires, th'embroidered skie-adorning Bow  
Presaging showers, eve-pleasing colours show,  
Which men born blind cannot distinctly know.  
We cannot know the things that do concern  
Our peace, till God be pleased to make us learn.   

210. On a Column.  
THe Fabric of the heavens do lean upon  
No other Column, but God's Word alone.   

211. On a Combat.  
TWo sons of Valour dealt so thick their blows,  
As that one Sword unto the other owes  
No wound, they slic▪ d each other while their blood  
Commixed together, made one crimson Flood.  
At last these Combatants of Mars both fallen  
And made their clashing armouring their Knell.  
We must all our Soul-Enemies knock down  
Before we can obtain a Victor's Crown.   

212. On a Comb.  
THe Comb is used to plain the hair  
Grace only makes the Soul look fair.   

213. On Commination.  
GOds dreadful threaten give man warning do,  
Before his Murd'ring-pieces give the blow.  
O when God menaceth, let us begin  
To quake and greatly tremble, jest by sin  
We should occasion his severer frown,  
And on our heads denounced Plagues draw down  
God warned us hath, some judgements he hath sent  
And more will come, if England not repent.   

214. On Cumbrance.  
MUch business Martha distracts,  
Whilst Mary the best things affects.   

215. On Combustion.  
THe Waters of Repentance can  
Alloy the flame of sin in man.   

216. On a Comedy.  
A Comedy is turbulent at first,  
But calm at last. Good Times succeed the worst,  
Though now we mourn, our God will comfort sand,  
A sad beginning hath a joyful end.   

217. On Comeliness.  
THe Church is Beauty's Magazine,  
Her comeliness is all within,  
Without she hath a tawny skin.  
Her misery hath tanned her so,  
But Mercy which from Christ doth flow,  
Can make her fairer than the Snow.   

218. On a Comet.  
WHen God hangs out the dismal blazing Star,  
Portending Famine, Pestilence and War,  
Foretelling change of Governments and Times,  
He means to punish our offending Crimes.  
Now if we would such dire effects prevent,  
Return we must, and speedily repent.  
Three Comets lately shined, and thousands are  
Dead with the Plague, & hundreds fallen by War.  
And o that Prince, and Priest, and People too,  
Would keep a Fast indeed, and not in show.  
Return we must, and suddenly repent,  
Or else our Plagues will more and more augment.   

219. On Comfort.  
MOurning precedes, and comfort doth ensue,  
The wound is lanced, than cured, that is the true  
Sunshine of joy, which comes after a shower  
Of tears, God his best Wine doth last forth pour.  
First he prescribes sorrow for sin, anon  
Broaches the Wine of Consolation.  
The Devil contrarily shows the best first,  
And keeps till last (for a reserve) the worst:  
He first presents the sug'red meats of Sin,  
And after the sad reckoning is brought in;  
When he had showed Judas the silver bait,  
He struck him with the Hook, and caught him straight.  
God pours the golden oil of Joy into  
The broken vessel, his choice comforts flow  
In, while tears are poured our, sad nights of sorrow  
Are Ushers to a glorious shining morrow.  
The comforts of God's Spirit, are real, pure,  
Holy, soul-filling, sweet, lasting, secure,  
Glorious, transporting, cordial comforts, none  
But Saints shall fit with Christ upon the Throne;  
And sit down with him at the Table, where  
Celestial delicates provided are.  
Although the Seeds-time of the Saints be wet,  
Yet they shall with a joyful Harvest meet.  
God's Sun-bright face, all sorrow shall destroy,  
And turn their Tears into the Wine of Joy.   

220. On Commands 

Legal  
Evangelical.    
CHrist is the King of Kings (by him Kings reign)  
And shall not he royal Edicts Ordain  
To rule his Subjects by? 'tis well for Saints  
That they are checked by awful Laws restraints.  
Th' heart would be ready to run wild in sin,  
Did not Christ's Law coerce and hold it in.  
How many now are in the Devil's Pound,  
That from Christ's Precepts have been straggling found!  
A godly man to God and Christ his laws  
Consents, obeys in love; God's Spirit draws  
I'th' yoke with us, as a divine Loadstone  
It moves the heart, which cannot move alone.  
It blows upon the soul, and with its gales  
Quickens in duty, the affections sails.  
All Christ's commands are very profitable;  
Centring in blessedness, are honourable;  
Are nectarized with joy, are transitory,  
Saints now under the Yoke, shall rest in Glory.  
Needs must the Laws and Statutes Christ enacts,  
Be Eligible than for these respects.  
The Gospel's golden mandates easy are,  
Compared to the Moral Law severe;  
This, bids us Do and Live, That our desires  
Accepts; personal Obedience This requires;  
A surety That admits; This bids and threats,  
But strengthens not to do; That power lets  
Into the soul; its Precepts sweetened be  
With promises, where is sincerity  
God in the Gospel winks at our defects;  
The Law perfect Obedience exacts.  
Christ's Laws are sweet and easy, if compared  
To sins commands; Sin presses down as hard  
As Led, how easy are the Laws of Grace  
Opposed to Hell! Hell is a restless place.  
If Christ's Commands we in the Balance poise  
With Heaven's Glory, and eternal Joys,  
How light they are! what disproportion  
Is there between our Service and the Crown  
Of recompense, our travels and our pains  
Are grains, compared with future massy gains.  
O love the ways of God, and always bow  
To Christ's commands, Believers are not now  
Under the thundering curses of the Law,  
Not, nor its Ceremonies; Stand in awe,  
Yet serve God out of choice; his Law is right,  
His yoke is easy, and his burden light;  
Think of the joy, the glory, the reward  
Of godliness, Duty will not seem hard.   

221. On a Commander.  
DEath over-came men-conq'u'ring Alexander,  
But was subdued by Christ, the world's Commander,  
Christ by his death far greater conquests gained  
Than Alexander all his life obtained,  
Death yields to him, death that doth all devour,  
And Satan too, is vanquished by his power.   

222. On Commendation.  
THe Saints an Angel dressed in flesh and blood;  
His inclinations do aim at good;  
His virtues are too great to be revealed,  
And yet (me thinks) too great to be concealed:  
Grace doth advance him far beyond the Pen,  
Or the weak knowledge of admiring men,  
No flowing language, nor words richest dress  
And loft'st sense, can his full worth express,  
Than since thou canst not paint him life & limb,  
Admire God's goodness in admiring him.   

223. On a Comment.  
Bade is that comment which corrupts the text,  
Such is the Rhemist to God's word annexed.   

224. On Commerce.  
SAints have commerce with God by ordinances,  
Before to heavenly Thrones he them advances.   

225. On the coming of Christ.  
GOd sent to us his Son, who to us brought  
Salvation, who nor deserved nor sought  
It of him; he came of his own accord,  
He was not fetched nor forced; th'essential Word  
Came to men, as when he was incarnate,  
Comes in men by his Spirit of Grace of late;  
And he with great Authority shall come  
Against men at the dreadful day of Doom:  
Than shall he as an Advocate appear  
To pled for Saints; and as a Judge to clear  
And crown them too, when Soul and Body shall  
Be reunited and enriched with all  
The wealth of Heaven; O thrice blessed day!  
Wherein Christ shall in his most rich array  
Appear triumphantly, and shine more bright  
Than Midday-Phoebus. O reviving sight!  
O what transcendent beauty will adorn  
Christ's person at the Resurrections morn!  
How glorious will his Throne be! he shall sit  
Upon a Throne of Glory for him fit.  
How glorious shall his Attendants be!  
heavens Courtiers shall bear him company.  
To his bright Throne; his Majesty hath been  
Despised, now must his mighty Power be seen.  
At first he in Humility appeared,  
In Glory now, of all the Saints admired.  
Than with poor Shepherds, now with Angels bright,  
Than the contempt of Nations, now t' affright  
And startle the ungodly World, than crowned  
With thorns, but now with Majesty renowned;  
Than judged by one man, judging now alone  
All men; than in a Cratch, now in a Throne.  
Where Christ is come, he sin doth chase,  
Reigns as a King, infers his Grace,  
The Son of man came from heavens coast,  
To seek and save that which was lost.  
Than in our hearts he does appear,  
When we into's own Image are  
Transformed by his working Grace,  
And do his holiness embrace.  
When he to serve him makes us able,  
This is a coming comfortable.  
When to us he his Spirit imparts,  
O than he enters in our hearts;  
A Christ without's not worth a pin,  
Unless we have a Christ within.  
Christ comes to us, and shall not we  
Come to him? Gross stupidity!  
Christ in us, us with Grace's stores,  
O let's not thrust him out of doors▪  
But entertain him as our King,  
And his immortal praises sing.   

226. On coming to Christ.  
WHen Jesus Christ is by his spirit about  
T'invade the sinners soul, he shuts him out.  
¶ A gracious soul although he bar out sin,  
Opens his heart, to let the spirit in;  
What ere are the diseases of the soul,  
O sinner! come to Christ to make thee whole;  
By faith come to him, and on him be clearing,  
There's no way for a cure but by believing,  
Faith is the applying of Christ's merit & blood,  
Receipts, i● unapplied, will do no good:  
The son of God comes to the sons of men,  
And shall alas! the sons of men disdain  
To come to th'son of God; proud dust wilt thou  
Not meet thy Maker; thy Redeemer too?  
Sinners draw near if you desire a pardon,  
Come to him, you shall have him in his Garden,  
Th'▪ assemblies of the saints, Lo! Manna lies  
At your door, gather it if you be wise:  
O come a little way to him that came  
So far for you, come out of sin for shame;  
Christ hath sent many preachers to invite  
Us to salvation, but them we slight,  
Demanding where? they answer, come and see,  
(As Philip told Nathaniel) but we  
Will not come near, but at a distance stand,  
Christ cannot see us on the coming hand:  
The world, care, and the flesh, three mischievous  
Remora's do from coming hinder us;  
Christ himself calls, yet ah! you will not come  
To me for life, sure men are deaf and dumb.  
Christ comes amongst us Christians, to his own,  
But he is not received, O heart of stone!  
Our coming near to Christ is not in place,  
(So wicked men are near him) but in grace  
And quality, being as he is holy,  
He must first draw us from our sinful folly,  
By grace, ere we can come, which being done  
By true repentance after him, we run.  
Man come to Christ when he come out of sin,  
And no man can come out, till Christ come in.   

227. On a Commissary.  
THe ravenous Raven was God's commissary,  
Provision to Elisha for to carry.   

228. On a Commission.  
THe Father to his Son commission gave,  
To come lost sinners for to seek and save,  
A bleeding Christ will broken hearts recover,  
He comes to heal, read his Commission * over,  
Me hath he sent to heal the broken hearted,  
Lost sinners are by him called, and converted. 
* Luk. 4. 18.    

229. On Commodities.  
THe best of our commodities do come  
By water, weeping brings us comfort home.   

230. On Common things.  
THat which is common, proper is to no man,  
For how can it be proper since 'tis common?  
Nor can it still be said t'excel the rest,  
For what is common is not always best.   

231. On a Commonwealth.  
A Commonwealth consists of two things still,  
Reward for good, and punishment for ill.  
¶ That common-weal becomes a common woe,  
Where virtue finds no friend, and vice no foe.   

232. On Commotion.  
HE who allays the furious raging Ocean,  
Can pacify the people's mad commotion.   

233. On Communicativeness.  
THe best things most communicative are,  
Of what they have, what benefits is there  
Of Diamonds in rocks; the end alone  
Of life is usefulness; the cloud pour down  
Their silver showers; the sun doth sparss abroad  
It's golden beams, the sea doth Rivers load  
With pearly streams; Christ is deffusive still,  
And freely to us give himself he will:  
Despair we might, should he slight our condition,  
And tell us we are not in his commission:  
To such sinners as we, he is not sent;  
But he is willing that we should repent  
And have him? thus his mind he doth declare,  
Come unto me, all ye that weary are,  
He feign would have the match made up between  
Us and him, was such freeness ever seen?  
The upright Christian hath a liberal heart  
To Christ's poor, he loves always to impart  
To heal another's wounds, the golden Balms  
Of mercy, he is ever giving alms:  
Mercy, and liberality always  
Is th'Ensign that integrity displays:  
A good man is a common good, where e'er  
He lives, to show mercy he doth not spare:  
Godlike he makes Charity's springs to run  
Among poverties valleys, bad men eat  
Occasions to do good; he that alone  
Is good unto himself, is good to none.   

234. On Communing.  
MEn do common with others at fit seasons,  
But ah! who is there with his own heart reasons.   

235. On Communion.  
THe Saint's communion is with Christ their head  
In grace or glory,  
And with his Members either live or dead,  
Now glad, now sorry:  
A gracious heart with God communion hath  
By contemplation;  
By true desire, pure Love, adhering Faith;  
In conversation,  
Up towards God from whom all comforts roll;  
Grace bears the soul:  
In prayer we speak to God, in whom our bliss is,  
And God he kisses  
Us with the kisses of his lips, in the  
Sacrament, he  
Gives us a privy seal of his free grace,  
Doth us embrace.  
The spirits Loadstone draws the heart by love  
To God above.  
God is the centre of the Soul, and where  
He is, 'tis there:  
A Christian as the Bird in the Nest,  
In God doth rest;  
God is our Father, Husband, Friend, Rock, Treasure,  
Good beyond measure:  
In him all fullness and all sweetness dwells,  
O he excels!  
My Soul to have with God sweet intercourse  
Thyself divource  
From sin, and from the love of worldly things,  
Whence no true comfort, nor contentment springs.   

236. On Commutation.  
THe Sts. traffic with God by prayers & tears,  
For grace and glory, rich celestial wares.   

237. On Company.  
CHildren love to associate and be  
Together, precious is the company  
Of Saints, the Saints of Christ with flock together  
By companies; Birds of the selfsame feather  
And so will sinners too, sinners will be,  
Brethrens together in iniquity.  
The way to Hell hath still the greatest store  
Of passengers, both now and evermore?  
But better go the straight way single, than  
The broad with multitudes of wicked men.  
Number makes not the thing good, but the weight  
Of truth, the pebbles of the world we slight  
As common; but the pearls of graces are  
Much prized by us, as exceeding rare:  
The vulgar streams will bring no vessel to  
The land of Peace, but few to Heaven go:  
The sinner with sad company shall devil,  
The Devil and his Angels black as hell:  
Vain company's the bate by which the Devil  
Is angling for our souls, eat such as evil:  
Keep company with them that fear the Lord;  
The Saints carry the Lantern of the word  
Along with them, sinners will 'cause our stay,  
O walk with them, but light us in our way;  
Let our delight be in them that excel  
In virtue, than with us it will be well.  
Four sweet Associates go with us in  
Our journey, Christ'ans undefiled with sin,  
Good works, good Angels, our good Saviour too,  
Who is the way, along with us doth go,  
So that none can of loneliness complain,  
Who guarded are with such a glorious train,  
To Heavenly Crowns & Thrones; O blessed convoy  
That safely brings us to the Courts of Joy.   

238. On a Condition.  
COmpare we our condition, and our  
Desert together, w'have deserved more  
Afflictions, and have deserved lesle  
Mercies from God, we cannot but confess.  
Compare we our estate with others such,  
As may 'cause wonder that we have so much:  
Compare we our estate with Christ upon  
The earth; compare we our condition  
With what it was, and shall hereafter be,  
So shall we not complain of poverty.  
We once lay in our blood, hell's heirs assigned,  
We shall dye shortly, and leave all behind,  
If we have not what we desire, we have  
Moore than we brought, or carry to the grave.   

239. On the Comparative Degree.  
Bade men are apt to say, some men are worse  
Than they, and therefore may expect a curse:  
Good men are apt to think, that such and such  
Are better than themselves, and praise them much.  
The worst of Christ is better than the best:  
Of the World, his afflictions end in rest  
All sinful pleasures fade, better be in,  
Hell with Christ Jesus, than in Heaven with sin.   

240. On Compassing.  
Ere we get into Christ, we must come out  
Of sin, the next way home is round about.   

241. On Compassion.  
COmpassion doth as naturally flow  
From God our heavenly Father us unto,  
As light does from the sun, his bowels yearn  
Towards his children, we must also learn  
To be as he is, merciful and mild  
To those that of their comforts are beguiled.  
Christ's Passion, nor his compassion  
Is ended; o his Bowels! every groan  
Of the sick patient goes to the heart  
Of this Physician; he doth impart  
His cord'al-promises to stay the soul  
From fainting, and does their estate condole  
In his relenting spirit, his love-streams in  
Poor souls, that found themselves heartsick of sin:  
Though he will sinners wound and make them bleed,  
Yet will he never break the bruised Reed:  
Bonner, as one observed, was full of guts,  
But ah! empty of bowels, God he shuts  
Not his compassion up, but does relieve  
Our pining wants, and grieve with them that grieve,   

242. On Compensation.  
WE shall be justified according to  
Our works, but not for any good we do:  
God in Christ Jesus our good works regards,  
And through Christ Jesus we expect rewards:  
Faith in Christ Jesus help us to a Crown,  
All Popish Merits therefore we disown.   

243. On Compitency.  
TO have a competency, and to want  
Contentment, is an heavy punishment:  
Covetousness is a dry drunkenness,  
Perchance if one had more, he would have lesle  
Content; the more men have the more they still  
Desire, man's heart the world can never fill:  
He hath enough that is with his Estate  
Contented; learn we than to moderate,  
And lessen our desires; a little blest  
Is much, a competent estate is best:  
Did Esau say I have enough of store;  
And o shall not a Saint say so much more!   

244. On a Competitor.  
SAints are competitors for Heaven, that place  
Of bliss; Glory is for the heirs of grace.   

245. On Complaining.  
A Child of God complains of what he wants,  
He grieves he is so bad; from ordinance  
To ordinance, he goes for a supply  
Of his great wants, though he dares not deny  
The work of grace, yet he laments he hath  
No more grace, that he hath so little faith,  
So little love, so little zeal that's true,  
And that he can for God so little do.  
While some complain of poverty alas!  
My soul, do thou complain thou wantest grace.   

246. On a Compliment.  
WE compliment with God, if we profess  
We love him, yet delight in wickedness.   

247. On Complexion.  
CHrist he is white and ruddy in complexion,  
In him there is an excellent connexion  
Of purest colours, he is full of grace,  
Therefore the Virgin-heart doth him embrace.   

248. On Complices.  
SWorn foes to virtue, and fast friends to vices,  
Sprung from th'infernal Den, are fit complices  
To further Satan's wicked enterprises.   

249. On a Composition.  
CHrist is a composition of all sweets,  
O blessed they whom he divinely greets!   

250. On Comprising.  
GOd is immense beyond all bounds extended,  
And therefore can he not be comprehended.   

251. On Compunction.  
ALL they that have received the Spirits Unction,  
First felt conviction; after that, compunction.   

252. On Computation.  
MY sins to such a reckoning do amount,  
That they surpass Arithmeticks accounted.   

253. On Compulsion.  
SAtan can but persuade, could he compel,  
Scarce one should go to Heaven, but all to hell.   

254. On a Comrade.  
HE that in wickedness delights to trade,  
May fitly styled be the Devil's comrade.   

255. On Concatenation.  
THe grace of the spirit are like a Row  
Of orient Pearls, which hung together do  
Upon Religion's string, and serve to deck  
Christ's Bride, this is the Chain adorns her neck:  
Who hath one grace hath all, God's spirit places  
An habit in the heart of all the graces,  
There is such a concatenation  
In them, that he who hath not all, hath none.   

256. On Concealing.  
WHo so conceals by sin, and wickedness  
Shall not be crowned with prosperous success,  
But he that doth confess, and sin forsake,  
Shall obtain mercy for Christ Jesus sake.   

257. On Conceaving.  
BEhold! in sin our mothers did conceive us,  
What is bred in the bone will hardly leave us.   

258. On Conceiving.  
THe Joys which God shall to his Saints impart,  
Outvie the large conceptions of man's heart.   

259. On Conceit.  
MAny conceit they shall in Heaven devil,  
Whose lives declare they are designed for hell.   

260. On a Consent.  
ANgels and Saints are singing in one tune,  
Eternal praise to heavens great Trin-Une.   

261. On Conclusion.  
GRace terminates in glory, the conclusion  
Of sin, is misery and sad confusion.   

262. On the Concomitants of Faith.  
COnsent is faith's concomitant, Christ whole  
Is enthroned in a true believers Soul;  
The Soul consents t'have Christ, and him to have  
On his own terms, as well to rule, as save;  
The Saint consents t'have Christ for better or  
For worse, purely for love, ne'er to part more,  
Resigning up all his self-interest,  
The best and purest of his love to Christ.  
Desire, is a concomitant of faith,  
Pants after Christ, the thirsty sinner saith,  
O who will give me to drink of that flood  
Of living water running in Christ's blood!  
A contrite spirit is a concomitant  
Of faith, which the believers do not want;  
The spirit of grace, as dew makes the heart soft  
And tender, falling down upon it often:  
The soul is even melted into tears,  
It weeps for love, no legal terror fears  
It as before, o that against so sweet  
A Saviour I sin should once commit;  
He with a broken heart reflects upon  
A broken Christ, which suffered and hath done  
So much for him, thus woeful Mary stood  
At Jesus feet, and wept a briny flood.   

263. On Concord.  
THe fairest flower of a Prince's Crown,  
Is peace; to Church & State peace brings renown.  
Peace is a girdle, that together ties;  
Family-Members; O let's Concord prise.   

264. On a Concourse.  
FEw come to Sermons, how the means of grace  
Is lightly set by! but a multitude,  
As well the honourable as the base  
Convene, to see an idle Interlude.  
¶ That which is practised by the most, is worst;  
And for the greater number is accursed.   

265. On a Concubine.  
SHe is the Devil's hackney, dearly hired  
To carry men to hell, with lust infired,  
Still used, and yet the Jade is never tired.   

266. On Concupiscence.  
MY Soul avoid concupiscence,  
It is the Fountain head, from whence  
All our enormities do flow,  
And consequently endless woe.   

267. On Condemnation.  
NO condemnation is the share  
Of them, who in Christ Jesus are,  
Who never walk according to  
The flesh, but as the Spired bids, do.   

268. On Conditions.  
IF we were our own carvers, we should cut  
The worst piece oftentimes: Lot being put  
To ' his choice, Sodom was his choice desire  
Which was within a while consumed with fire:  
The wise God sees the same condition  
Not fit for all, that which is good for one  
May be for others bad; one sort of weather  
Serves not all men's occasions altogether:  
This, needs Sunshine; he, rain; by God's wise power  
weare placed in  Spheres, higher or lower;  
Prosperity is not so fit for all,  
Nor yet adversity, Honey nor Gall.  
Liberty is desired by the Saint,  
God will work his liberty by restraint;  
Many, through high-flown pride, are not content  
With what is given, or rather to them lent  
By the great God; but very few alas,  
Have learned Paul's lesson! he contented was  
In all estates, men are to that pass grown,  
They like any condition, but their own:  
One man commends this kind of life; a second  
Commendeth that, a country life is reckon▪ d  
By him the best; and he a City-life  
Highly applauds, this likes another's wife  
Far better than his own, if men be poor,  
They learn to envy others that have store;  
If men are rich, their hand must than be greased,  
Much covets more, nor poor, nor rich are pleased  
Contentment as an Hony-comb, drops down  
Sweetness into every condition:  
There's no condition comes amiss to him  
That is content, let richeses sink or swim,  
In the same posture he is always found,  
Knows as well how to want, as how t'abound:  
His Cross he doth not go to pick and choose,  
But always loves, to be at God's dispose.  
Who hath a silver Crutch to lean upon  
Is pleased, but troubled when his Crutch is gone.  
God Checker-works his Providences white  
And black; the cloudy Pillar had its light,  
And dark-side too; mercies and miseries  
Are interwoven by a God most wise.  
Think what thou hast deserved at God's hand,  
And discontent will easily disband:  
Thou hast deserved lesle mercies than are carved  
To thee, and more afflictions hast deserved:  
Some are in a for worse condition, who  
Perhaps deserved, far better than you do?  
Nay Christ himself, the Son and Heir of bliss,  
Was pleased to come in Forma pauperis:  
Nothing thou hast, but what thou soon mayst loose,  
O be content to be at God's dispose.   

269. On a Conduct.  
OUr foes are strong to tear in sunder,  
We of ourselves, weak to resist,  
Yet shall we conquer, fight under  
The conduct of our Captain Christ:  
Sweet Jesus help me to subdue  
The World, and Sin, and Satan too.   

270. On a Conduit.  
CHrist is a conduit, Saints to him go  
For living waters, which do from him flow.   

271. On Confection.  
SInners and Saints are here together mingled,  
But at the Judgement day, they shall be singled.   

272. On Confederacy.  
THe World, the Flesh, the Devil conspire our ill,  
And we must pray to God against them still.   

273. On Conference.  
SOme Plants will better bear near other Trees,  
Than when they grow alone in godliness,  
The Saints thrives best, when they associate,  
And one another's Faith corroborated:  
When the Trees planted in God's Orchard grow  
At too great distance, they lesle fruit do show.   

274. On Confession.  
SInfulness is asleep, confession  
A sign we are awaked, or there is none;  
If our sins to our God we open lay,  
He will conceal them at the latest day:  
God will not cancel what man doth conceal,  
Confession heals; he that will not reveal  
His grief to his Physician, hath no care  
Of his own cure, too many such there are.   

275. On Confidence.  
Friend's Venice-glasses are, use them we may,  
But if we lean to hard upon them, they  
Will break, but God for ever doth abide,  
My Soul! therefore in him alone confided.   

276. On Confines.  
GOd who at once surveys the world's wide borders,  
All things for his own glory wisely orders;  
Lord sanctify my heart, that I may not  
From the bounds of thy Law departed one jot.   

277. On Confits.  
THe sugared confits that the Devil  
Presents us with, are truly evil.   

278. On a Conflict.  
WE must contest against the Devil's trial,  
By Faith; & with ourselves, by self-denial.   

279. On Conformity.  
Room roughly drives men to observe her Laws,  
But to conform to his, God mildly draws.   

280. On Confusion.  
COnfusion of sin must next ensue  
Confession, or Repentance is not true.   

281. On Confutation.  
THe Atheist that denies a deity,  
Shall when he comes to Hell confuted be.   

282. On Congealing.  
THe Sun of righteousness dissolveth in▪  
To tears, hearts bound up with the frosts of sin▪   

283. On Congestion.  
LEt sons of Earth heap up their unsummed gold  
My God O may my heart thy graces hold.   

284. On a Congey.  
AT Jesus Name each knee shall bow,  
Him service Men and Angels owe.  
But good Romanio tell me who,  
Commanded thee to congey so  
At Jesus Name, true Saints de●ie  
Syllabical Idolatry.   

285. On Congratulation.  
THe blessed Angels do congratulate  
The sinner's freedom from his natural state.   

286. On Congregation.  
THat Congregation i● not well taught,  
Whose Priest is either ignorant or naught.   

287. On congruity.  
SInners at league against the godly be,  
And shall not Saints among themselves agreed!   

288. On a Cony.  
THe feeble Cony burroughss in the rock,  
A Saint in Christ can at all dangers mock.   

289. On Conjecture.  
A Man may guests and be deceived,  
But what Truth says, must be believed.   

290. On Conjoining.  
FRom Christ the Saints receive their Unction,  
And they are One, O blessed conjunction!  
Great and good, rich and holy are  
Happy, but yet conjunctions rare.   

291. On a Conjurer.  
HE that to do the Devil's work engages,  
Shall certainly receive damnable wages;  
And such as to the Devil's workman run  
For help, shall by so doing be undone.   

292. On Connexion.  
GOd, Duty and Reward together ties,  
By sweetening his Commands with Promises.   

293. On a Conqueror.  
MEekness is the best way to conquer Foes,  
And melt their hearts; by roughness, Peace we loose.  
It is the greatest conquest to o'erthrow  
An Enemy, and never strike a blow.  
Mildness prevaileth more than fierceness still.  
Where the wedge cannot go, the Fire will,  
The patiented Soul even from his adversary  
Shall Letters testimonial have to carry.  
When bloody Saul at David's mercy lay  
And he cut of his skirt, and went away,  
How was Sauls heart affected! he doth cry  
To David, thou more holier art than I.  
Thou hast not (when thou mightst) bathed in my blood  
Thy Sword, therefore the Lord reward thee good.  
¶ Self conquerors are greater conquerors  
Than such as conquer mighty Forts and Towers.   

294. On Conscience.  
THe Conscience was ever, and is still  
The fountain of all actions, good or ill;  
And all the actings, whether foul or fair,  
Of men, are as their Consciences are.  
Conscience goes with us ' where ●'re we go,  
To bear record of whatsoever we do.  
Conscience is God's Viceroy in the Soul,  
And all are liable to its control.  
Conscience is Christ's Vicar in man's heart,  
It keeps Court there, and acts the Judge's part.  
It's verdict can be by no power repealed,  
It's strokes are wounds that never can be healed:  
It's the Souls Anchor, boldness it maintains  
In judgement, and is of unwearied pains.  
Conscience is most like God, it is supreme,  
But under God this Jewel, O esteem  
For its great worth, as rarest next to Christ;  
It is our Patron, our Apologist;  
It is impartial; active, and sincere,  
God's Register in'us; his Harbinger  
For to prepare his way; this is beside  
Man's faithful Surety, Treasurer and Guide.  
The evidence of a good Conscience will  
Found with the judge of heart's acceptance still;  
Good Conscience is the only Ark that can  
Ding down the Dagons of all deeds profane.  
A Conscience unstained with blushing crimes,  
Holds out in all changes of States and Times.  
Mount Zion and good Conscience abide  
For ever, and tentations can deride.  
A Conscience that is kept free from blame,  
Laughs at the false reports of long-tongued fame.  
Good Conscience will speak within, when all  
The doors are shut to every vocal call.  
When richeses, husband, wife, parents, friends, breath,  
Life, patience, firm hope, assured faith  
Have left us; a good Conscience is so fast  
A friend, that it sticks to us till the last.  
A right good Conscience term this we may,  
To live therein until our dying day.  
Good Conscience still keeps Holiday, is bend  
To feasting every day; there is no Lent,  
No Fasting-days that interrupt this Feast,  
But still the cheer is more and more increased.  
Who keeps his Conscience from offences clear,  
That man keeps Hil'ry Term throughout the year  
But he that ship wracks a good Conscience shall  
Let in great richeses, but the Devil withal.  
Good Conscience, as David's Instrument,  
Drives away th'evil Spirit of discontent.  
Good Conscience can suck content divine,  
From bitterest drugs, turn Marah into Wine.  
Can sweetly smile, even in afflictions sharp,  
This made Paul's Prisons-songs, tuned David's harp.  
It is a Paradise with pleasures fraught,  
All our best duties are without it naught.  
It's to the Castle of the Heart a Wall  
Of Brass: it is a Christians coat of Mail,  
How many do for want of it miscarry!  
It is a cordial Electuary:  
And very many good ingredients go  
Therein, Meat, Drink, Sleep, Ease, Refreshment too.  
Good Conscience on God it safe can roll;  
'Tis Aquavitae to the swooning soul.  
A Conscience that from wickedness is pure,  
Can in the Cannon's mouth repose secure.  
No such provision 'gainst an evil day,  
As a good Conscience; this is they say  
A constant Feast; who hath a Conscience good,  
Fares well although he have no other Food.  
A sincere heart will not do any thing  
'Gainst Conscience, is bold in suffering;  
But ah! fearful of sin, such as upright  
would walk, must have God always in their sight.  
¶ A Conscience that is pure and free from crimes  
Procures a peaceful calm in stormy Times.  
O if the ship of a good Conscience crack,  
How soon the Merchandise of Faith will wrack.  
There Conscience bears very little sway,  
If any, where coin bringeth in his plea.  
Learning that is good, Conscience without  
Is but a ring of Gold in a Swine's snout.  
Conscience, as the Bee, doth honey bring  
To good men, and to ill puts forth a sting.  
To Consciences dictates harken to,  
And whatsoever thou doubtest, never do.  
To keep thy Conscience pure, O spare no cost,  
All is lost, if the Conscience be lost;  
'Tis true, I must confess the best reward  
That the World can good Conscience afford,  
Are stones and strokes; if Paul will not resist  
His Conscience, than Ananias fist  
Shall be about his ears, but neither force  
Nor fraud, can from the Truth a Saint divorce.  
A wicked conscience loves a dark Cell;  
A  Conscience is a lesser hell:  
The wounded Conscience can found no rest  
But in Christ only, by true faith possessed.  
Many woes by man's spirit sustained are;  
But o, who can a wounded spirit bear!  
Though God will not damn those whom he loves well  
Yet he may in this life sand them to Hell;  
A Conscience that is erroneous, is  
A Jack-a-Lantern leading men amiss.  
The Conscience of a sinner is defiled,  
And hence no wonder if it be beguiled:  
Sometimes the Conscience of a man is dumb,  
And as a silenced Preacher doth become;  
'Twill not tell men of sin, a Conscience dead,  
Feels no sin; being so accustomed  
To sinning; he that hath an heart impure,  
May often be safe, but ne'er can be secure.  
Conscience hardened in some great sin, makes  
No stop in sin till ruin overtakes.  
Conscience as a Lion slumber may,  
When it awakes, it roars and tears the prey,  
As Satan did the man which was possessed;  
'Tis like a Vulture gnawing at the Breast.  
It is God's Bloodhound that pursues a man,  
And will be at his heels, do what he can.  
'Tis sad when it is either dumb or dead,  
Or by erroneous principles misled.  
The calm of Conscience will prove a storm  
One day; the guilty conscience is a worm,  
An everliving worm, unapt to tyre  
With biting, in the neverdying fire.  
O the weight! o the load of the lest sin,  
When Conscience doth to be awake begin!  
Consc'ence God's Echo is so shrill sometimes,  
And clamorous against enormous crimes,  
That sinners do not love to hear its noise,  
But silence it; the Mandrake's fatal voice  
Is not so dreadful to the captived ear,  
As that to sinners. Gild engenders fear:  
If maintain comfort in thy soul thou wilt,  
Preserve it from the obstructions of guilt,  
Which naturally breeds disquiet still;  
First Conscience is pure, than peaceable.  
¶ Thou canst so long as thou hast peace with sin,  
Have no true peace of conscience within.   

295. On Consecration.  
JEsus Christ was consecrated,  
To be our King, Priest, and Prophet;  
We are by him reinstated,  
Ransomed from Sin and Tophet.  
Come let us fall down before him,  
And with reverence adore him.   

296. On Consent.  
COnsent in will to what the judgement likes  
Facilitates an action: Paul thus speaks Rom. 7. 16.  
I consent to the Law that it is good,  
And therefore by him it was not withstood;  
A Saint consents to God's commands, therefore  
They are not grievous; Sinners evermore  
Are under force, terror of Conscience  
Hales them to duty, not its excellence;  
Such are like Slaves unto the Galley chained,  
That are (whether they will or not) constrained.  
To work, but godly men like Subjects free,  
Yield to their Prince's Laws; they love to be  
Forward in loyalty, and will confess  
Their equity and reasonableness.  
Saints found in Gods commands so much content,  
As draweth forth consent, and this consent  
Both easy and familiar made them hath,  
Consent is a concomitant of Faith;  
The Saint consents to have Christ, and to have  
Him upon his own terms to rule, to save.  
He makes it not his talk to pick and choose,  
But with whole Christ doth freely close,  
For better for worse; he sees there lies  
Beauty and glory in Christ's opprobries.  
Purely for love, he loveth Christ for Christ;  
Without whom Heaven given by the Highest  
As no sufficient dowry for a Saint,  
A Saint consents without the lest constraint.  
Christ's beauty and sweet disposition draws  
The Will to yield obedience to his Laws.  
The Will (which as the Master-wheel) doth carry  
The whole soul with it, as Sts. consents to marry  
With Christ (replenished with Grace's store)  
On this condition, never to part more.  
He will part freely with his life, but not  
With Christ; indeed Death when it slips the knot  
Between the soul and body, it conjoins  
The Soul and Christ more sure; a Saint resigns  
By way of Deed of Gift the interest  
That he hath in himself, wholly to Christ.  
His own name, his own will he yields to loose,  
And will be wholly at Christ's wise dispose.  
Christ hath the best and purest of his love,  
Which nothing shall be able to remove.  
That easy is which with consent is done,  
The Match between Christ and the Soul goes on,  
With cheerfulness she giving her consent,  
Nor shall she e'er have cause for to repent.  
Lord I asent, and give my consent to  
Thy sacred Laws: but ah! I cannot do  
What they command; yet wholly I resign  
Myself to thee, O be thou wholly mine.   

297. On Consequents.  

1.  
FAith animates our duties and our graces;  
It is the vital Art'rie of the soul;  
Faith purifies the heart, and from it chases  
Natural corruption, which makes it foul.  
Faith works out Pride, hypocrisy, self-love,  
And consecrates the heart to God above.   

2.  
Faith is a grace that pacifies the heart,  
A gentle Dove that in its mouth doth bear  
The Olive-branch of Peace. Faith doth impart  
Strength to the Soul; by Faith we Victors are.  
Faith is a fruitful grace, good Works are seen  
As handmaids still attending on this Queen.   

3.  
Faith believes, as if it did Works resist,  
And worketh as if it did not believe.  
Faith is that Spouse-like grace which marries Christ,  
And good Works are the children which receive  
Their birth from Faith; 'tis therefore no disgrace  
To good Works, to give Faith the highest place.    

298. On Consideration.  

1.  
COnsideration is the root of all  
Noble designs, by her we attain to  
The end of all our hopes, when others fall;  
To hasty rash attempts, she is a foe.  
¶ On thy ways much consideration spend,  
First what they are, and whether next they tend.   

2.  
The Pilot on his compass still doth like,  
And by that means doth many dangers eat.  
The Merchant his affairs with his Count-book  
Adviseth, else he might be soon undone.  
Consideration is so necessary,  
That all estates without it will miscarry.   

3.  
God's Word & Works doth furnish us with choice  
Of matter for to spend our thoughts upon;  
Yea every action (for they have a voice)  
Summons us to consideration.  
Be well acquainted with thyself and state,  
What thou art in thyself, O ruminate.   

4.  
thou'rt dust and ashes, within thee doth devil  
Much wickedness; above thee thou mayst see  
A just offended God, below thee Hell;  
Against thee Sin and Satan; before thee  
Vain fancy-tickling pleasure, and behind  
Thee certain death; recall these things to mind.   

5.  
Consider three things past; omitted good,  
Committed evil, and amitted time.  
Consider three things present; Lifes swift flood,  
Salvation work is hard, to Heaven few climb.  
Consider three things; Future Death, Doom, Hell,  
And walk with God, so shalt thou with him devil    

209. On a Oonsistory.  
COonscience is God's Consistory,  
And his lesser Throne of Glory.   

300. On Consolation.  

1.  
CHrist is called the consolation  
Of his people Israel,  
He that hath him hath Salvation,  
And shall ever with him devil;  
By his Beams the Saints shall shine,  
And be as he is, Divine.   

2.  
Christless souls are comfortless,  
Woeful is their misery,  
How can such as these possess  
Comfort, when they come to die,  
They're in debt, no surety have,  
Sick, no Physician to save.   

3.  
All our comforts here below  
Are but weak, but such are strong  
Which do from the Spirit flow,  
And to Saints alone belong.  
Those are feculent, these pure;  
Those decay, but these endure.    

301. On Consonants.  
ASk without Vowels, Consonants are dumb;  
So, without Graces, Men as Bruits become.   

302. On a Consort.  
WHat consort's there when Consorts live in strife?  
O what a Jewel is a loving wife!  
O what a blessed harmony is there,  
When man and wife do serve the Lord with fear!   

303. On Conspiracy.  
Sampsons' Foxes were agreed  
To consume the Corn with fire;  
Satan and his cursed seed,  
Do against the Church conspire  
And her overthrow endeavour,  
But she shall abide for ever.   

304. On a Constable.  
COnstable mind your charge, the Drunkard reels  
About the streets, go lay him by the heels.  
Who sin corrects, he mercifully deals.   

305. On Constancy.  
THe Motto of a Christian should be that  
Of Queen Elizabeth, in every state  
Always the same, not lift up, by renown  
When lifted up; nor cast down, when cast down.  
A constant minded man is free from care,  
And sorrow-ending death he doth not fear,  
Aristides amidst the various fates  
And changes that befell th' Athenian States  
In his time, did always the same abide,  
For honour never puff▪ d him up with pride;  
Nor adverse things could ever make him vent  
The lest of passion or discontent.  
He used to say, Good Citizens alone  
Rejoice in what they have well said and done.  
Demosthenes, rather than he would prove  
A changeling, lost his life— We may not move  
Nor shrink one jot from our profession.  
Dan'el leaves not his God, though he be shown  
The Lion; the three children still stood fast,  
When into the oft-heated Furnace cast.  
However like the lower Orb there's none,  
But have a natural motion of our own,  
From good to ill; let's let the power above us,  
The alwise God, from evil to good to move us,  
Who ever is the same; we must endeavour  
To be like him, so shall we live for ever.  
¶ Better it were never to have begun,  
Than not continued till the race be run.  
¶ Vain is alas, the running of that soul,  
Who faints before he cometh to the Goal.  
Not to go forward in God's way, is to  
Go backward; many begin well, but few  
End so; it tendeth to perfection▪  
To consummate what we have well begun;  
Life's crown is given to such as persevere,  
As good never a whit, as ne'er the near.   

306. On Constellation.  
'Tis not the influx of a Constellation,  
But sin that bringeth ruin to a Nation.   

307. On Constitution.  
SOme men of such a constitution are,  
That for their sins they cannot shed a tear:  
But let no Saint be thereat discontent  
The Vessel may be full, though it wants vent.   

308. On Constraint.  
SInners compelled do yield, the gracious Saint  
Obeys God out of love, not by constraint.   

309. On Construction.  
WIthout addition or deduction,  
Things may admit a good Construction.   

310. On a Consul.  
Romes' Consuls honourable things did do,  
God grant our Counselors may do so too.   

311. On Consultation.  
WHen we would get what really is good,  
We must not take advice from flesh and blood.   

312. On a Consumption.  
A Man may have his body plump and whole,  
Yet a Consumptive, a diseased soul.   

313. On Consummation.  
AS Glory is the consummation  
Of Grace, so Grace is Glory here begun.   

314. On Contact.  
THe Loadstone by a virtual contact  
Draws Ir'n to it. God's Spired doth attract  
Us by a supernat'ral instinct  
T'himself, to Christ by faith our hearts are linked   

315. On Contagion.  
SIn infects all the powers of the soul,  
And members of the body; puts the whole  
Man out of order: if Christ bathe us in  
His blood, that frees us from the plague of sin.   

316. On Containing.  
GOd is immense in every place remaining,  
Contained of nothing, yet all things containing   

317. On Contemplation.  
FElicity, the Stagarite assigned  
To the high contemplation of the mind;  
By contemplation the Souls powers are pressed  
To act upon (this most perfect object) Rest.  
The Nursery of Piety it is,  
St. Herom styled it his Paradise;  
It's a friend to the Graces, contemplation  
Helps very much to water the Plantation:  
A Treasury it is, where all the Graces  
Are locked up, this a Prospective-Glass is,  
By which the Saints see things not to be seen  
By mortal eyes; this Portal lets us in  
To glory, and puts us in heaven before  
Our times, King David's thought were evermore,  
Travelling towards the Jerusalem  
Above, which made him things below contemn:  
A devout Soul in contemplation,  
Is never lesle alone; than when alone  
By good desires, in the best company,  
Even with his God and Saints it loves to be.   

318. On Contempt.  
THe world with all its pleasures, profits, glory,  
Is transitory:  
And it gives no content to them that prise it,  
Let's than despise it;  
And use it so, as though we used it not;  
Envy doth blot  
Fair honours credit, swelling Titles are  
Dreams in career:  
Richeses have wings, but for a while they stay,  
Than flee away,  
Pleasures alas! how quickly do they fade  
When grief invade!  
My Soul, there's nothing that deserves thy love  
But God above:  
O run to him, and strive to be possessed  
Of him, so shalt thou be for ever blest.   

319. On Contending for Heaven.  
ANd does there than remain a glorious Rest  
For Saints? O let us zealously contest  
For it against all oppositions,  
We must pass through Thorns to sit on Thrones,  
We ere we reign, three Regiments must rout,  
The flesh, and Devil within, the world without.  
By giving battle to them in the way,  
Heaven is for triumph, but it's now a day  
Of battle, let's fight the good fight of Faith,  
There's no cessation of Arms till death.   

320. On Contention.  
COntention springs from pride, & it makes way  
For trouble; Wildfire like it will not stay,  
But runs and leaps so furiously about,  
That nothing else, but blood can quench it out.  
'tis woeful dwelling with debateful men,  
Whose Soul hate peace, nursed in Erynays' Den;  
Our Petty foggers Satan's firebrands,  
Do more hurt to the Commons of the Land,  
Than Sampsons' Foxes with firebrands tied to  
Their tail, to the Philistians corn could do.  
Contention hinders much the growth of grace,  
He who is in the Gall of bitterness,  
Cannot parturiat, not nor inherit  
The pleasing fruits of the peace-loving spirit,  
A froward heart is like to Pathmos Isle,  
No Herb of grace will grow upon that soil,  
Can good seed sprout and flourish in a ground,  
Where Thorns and Briars do so much abound?  
Till strife be by some Antidote expelled,  
The choicest food not nutriment can yield.   

321. On Contentment.  
THe fire Flies the sphere, the River's roll  
To th'Sea, the Loadstone turneth to his Pole:  
The stone hasts to its centre; even so  
The heart should long to be united to  
It's God in love; nothing there is that can  
Yield satisfaction to the wit of man;  
But the first Truth; goodness alone can fill  
The hearts desire, and content the will,  
And this is God, what are all other things,  
But like the Butterflies fine painted wings,  
Which yet pollute our fingers? can there be  
Fullness in emptiness and vanity:  
¶ Richeses have wings, and Honour is but vain,  
And worldly pleasure often ends in pain:  
Content without the world, is better than  
The world without content to sober men,  
To have a handsome competent estate,  
And no contentment, is a judgement great;  
Competency with contentment is far  
Moore eligible, than great Lordships are,  
Content becalm's the mind, and banishes  
Repining thoughts out of its Diocese:  
Comfort flows from content, he's always poor  
That hath abundance, and yet wanteth more.  
He is the wealthiest man that is content  
With what he hath, for richeses are but lent:  
Contentment is a flower not to be found  
In every Garden, how we may abound  
In midst of want, by this we tutored are;  
'Tis griefs Pan-pharmacon, the cure of care:  
This in a deluge makes us even to sing;  
O 'tis an heavenly and intrinsic thing!  
Content, for service fits, and tunes the heart,  
To the wheels of the Soul doth oil impart,  
It carries Heaven about it, where it goes,  
For what is Heaven, but the sweet repose  
Souls have in God? contented spirits are  
Like Heaven, for God is there, and rest is there:  
 in the Creature wanting is,  
Is made up in contentment: O the bliss  
Of a contented mind! God that doth feed  
The Ravens, will not suffer his to need.  
Godless men have enough, yet more do crave,  
Godly men are content with what they have,  
And that is their enough; where is no grace,  
There can be no content in any case:  
How many men in this terrestrial ro●nd  
Lose by desire, but by content are crowned!  
Contentment is a golden Shield that saves  
The Soul; 'tis like a rock that breaks the waves,  
It is an Antidote that doth expel  
Sin, and temptations rising out of Hell,  
Contentment is the true Philos'phers-stone,  
Which turns all into Gold; content alone  
Doth sweeten all estates, this little is  
A pledge of more; blessed be God for this!  
It makes a fair interpretation  
Of all Gods deal, 'tis in goodness done:  
A Christian has that which may make him  
Content, unless his spir't'al eyes be dim:  
Hath not God given thee Christ? Treasure divine  
Are in him, is not he a golden Mine  
Of grace and wisdom? hast thou not the spirit?  
And dost not thou the promises inherit?  
Hast thou not a reversion of Heaven,  
And canst thou be of full content bereaven?  
We pray thy will be done; now than we do  
Confute our prayers, if discontent we show:  
It is the will of God and his decree,  
That we should in such a condition be;  
God sees it best for us; content subdues  
Ourselves, and holy valour doth infuse.  
It doth God▪ s glory mightily advance,  
And dash the Devil out of countenance.  
All cross or bloody providences shall  
Do a Believer good, we know that all  
Things (good or evil) work together do  
For their good, that love God; if so, O who  
Will murmur or re●ine! let's be content,  
God hath the ordering of each grand event:  
Our life's a day, if God our charges bear,  
Till death's night come, for more we need not care.  
Prosperity hath still in it more trouble,  
Moore danger, and its reckoning is double:  
The sorrow here we meet with, shall not last,  
Our hell, when we have shot Death's gulf, is past:  
O what a dreadful judgement is assigned,  
To them that have not a contented mind!  
This lesson of content (as I may say)  
Is the best lesson that a Saint can play,  
God likes this Music well: All are concerned  
To learn this lesson, which St. Paul once learned:  
Which way soever providence did blow,  
Paul how to steer his course had skill to know:  
With what God sends, let us contented rest,  
A little is enough, if truly blest.  
¶ Heaven is our home, who hath enough to bear  
His charges thither, for more need not care;  
Yet content in a natural state (alas!)  
We may not be; nor with a little grace;  
God but to some doth true content impart;  
Few Commence Masters of this sacred Art  
He that hath learned Paul's lesson of content;  
Is silent, cheerful, thankful, hath no bent  
To run on sin to free himself from woe;  
Nor will he venture out till God bids go:  
God will give grace and glory to his own;  
Here is enough for faith to live upon:  
He that knows God is his, and all that is  
In God is for his good, takes naught amiss:  
They only possess all things, that possess  
The possessor of all things; nothing lesle  
Than God can fill us, here is nothing can  
Yield true contentment to the soul of man:  
Contentment will the Super-structure be,  
Where the Foundation is Humility,  
Good Consc'ence, Self-denial, Meditation  
On Heaven, and Prayer foment contentation:  
Grace is (when all things fail) sufficient,  
Lord grant me that, and I will be content.   

322. On Continence.  
Venus' will frieze, if Ceres (belly-cheer)  
And Bacchus (wine) make not a fire for her;  
Prayer and Fasting is the Agnus castus,  
And Lettuce to cool lust, which else may waste us!  
Sine Cerere & Baccho friget Venus.   

323. On Continuance.  
THe end crowns all, as we have well begun,  
We must go forward to perfection,  
At this mark aim, and shoot, though it we miss;  
Constancy wins the Garland; nothing is  
Said to be done, while any part remain  
To do, none can for Heaven take too much pain.  
Thou hast done well, yet go on still, hold fast,  
See thou be always good, but best at last.  
The tired Horse when he comes near home will mend  
His pace, so thou when near thy journey's end:  
Alas! how many are there set about  
The work, but work not their salvation out?  
Some Jehu like have in Religion  
Furiously drived, but their wheels anon  
Have been took of; we live in the Leaves fall,  
Some that seemed best, have proved worst of all:  
Glorious professors in their march to Heaven,  
Have tired, to such the Crown shall not be given:  
Prayer, hearing, holy conference (alas!)  
Is left by such as once made show of grace:  
He doth unravel all he did before,  
Who in the middle of the work, gives o'er,  
Postates are the richest spoils of all,  
That Satan gives away with t'his black Hall.  
O you that never yet took one stitch in  
The work of your salvation, now begin;  
Reirgion is (if it be followed well)  
A thriving trade, O strive therein t'excel;  
¶ Such only as do labour very hard  
In their Soul-Vinyards, meet with a reward.  
¶ He that unto the death is faithful found,  
Shall with a lasting Diadem be crowned:  
¶ 'tis better not to have the race begun,  
Than to give over e'er the prize be won.  
Some have I seen who for their sins have mourned  
But ah their Spring is into Autumn turned;  
They have left of working for Heaven at last,  
And like fair mornings, been soon overcast,  
Have fallen to sin; O I would have such read  
That thundering Scripture, for it had indeed  
Been better for them never to have known  
The way of Right ousness, than to disown  
It afterwards; he that runs half the race  
And than faints, looseth the reward of Grace.   

324. On a Contract.  
THere is a contract passed between  
Christ and the Soul that hateth sin,  
The Soul that takes delight in evil,  
Hath chosen for her mate the Devil.   

325. On Contradiction.  
HE contradicts his Prayers that says thy will  
Be done, and always doth his own fulfil;  
If thou repent, and not reformest, this  
Repentance with a contradiction is,  
God will forgive, but thou to Hell shalt go,  
Forgiveness with a contradiction too!  
Heaven is with joys & hell with torments stocked,  
Be not deceived, God will not be mocked.   

326. On Contraries.  
COntraries are as Commentaries to  
Destroy each other, if oppose we do  
Contrary natures diametrally,  
We learn what to embrace, what to pass by,  
If the departing sun should not leave night  
To follow it, the day would seem lesle bright.  
The foil adds grace to th' Jewel, ignorance  
Barking at learning, doth its worth advance,  
He knows the worth of heat (I dare be bold)  
Who left the sharpness of a freezing cold,  
Even health itself, did but no sickness vex,  
Would be thought sickness, and as much perplex;  
Nay, foul sin by a sober Meditation,  
Affordeth an unwilling Illustration  
To grace (which doth our souls so beautify)  
'Gainst which it vaunts a contrariety.   

327. On Contribution  
I Read the Ancients made oil to be  
The sacred emblem of true Charity;  
The golden oil of contribution,  
●ike A'rons' oil, must trickle down upon  
The poor, which are the garments lower skirts,  
The Saints to pious uses wealth converts:  
Not only Christ (in whom all fullness dwells)  
Commands to do good works, but grace compels.   

328. On Contrition.  
COntrition, in all true Converts found,  
Is the up-breaking of the fallow ground;  
The renting, or the pricking of the heart  
For sin, a sensibility of smart:  
It's the way to conversion from sins;  
Conversion with contrition gins,  
Contrition imports an inward sorrow,  
Sincerity, which hath no need to borrow  
A feigned Art; true faith, with strong desire  
Of mercy, though we have deserved hellfire.  
Let's mourn for sin, mourning will now do well,  
Who mourns not here on earth, shall mourn in hell,  
Obdurate Souls shall have eternal shame,  
God will renounce whom he could not reclaim;  
But he will not a contrite heart despise,  
O 'tis his acceptable Sacrifice.  
Mirth more than mourning pleaseth Kings on earth,  
God more delights in mourning than in mirth:  
The Spirit of grace dropping as dew upon  
The heart, makes it a soft and tender one:  
God poureth forth his spirit on his Saints;  
Which makes them mourn, and pour forth sad complaints,  
Says the poor sinner, O that I should spurn  
Against such bowels, and for this doth mourn:  
He washeth with his tears Christ's wounds, before  
He wept for fear, now he for love weeps more.  
What folly is it not to mourn? how shall  
God bottle up our tears, which never fall?  
Or how shall he wipe those tears from our eyes,  
Which never trickled thence, with fresh supplies  
On our moist cheeks? Or shall he comforts give  
To us, that do not mourn, that will not grieve?  
God makes us wise that we may choose the best,  
To mourn now with God's servants, and be blest  
With them; blessed are they that tears do shed,  
For they shall be hereafter comforted.   

329. On a Controller.  
GOd is the great controller of our Souls,  
Whose Bias naturally hellward rolls.   

330. On Controversy.  
IN fundamental Truths be resolute  
And stable, he that falsehoods would confute,  
Makes these his fixed Poles, whilst Sceptics tossed  
On controversial seas, are giddied, lost.   

332. On Contumacy.  
Self-willed we are by nature, if God please  
He can pull down our stubborn hearts with ease  
And make the Mountain of our pride decrease.   

332. On a Conventicle.  
WHere men do meet to serve the Lord w●●● fear  
For holy ends, no Conventicle's there.  
When men (like Venners party) meet and stickle  
T'effect some ill, O that's a Conventicle.   

333. On Conversation.  
WHere there is a good conscience, there will  
Be a good conversation, pure hearts still  
Go with pure lives, when with its golden beams  
Grace shines abroad, how beautiful it seems!  
If the stream be corrupt, we may suspect  
The Spring to be impure, a Saint will act  
For God, of God he very often talks,  
And with God, Noah-like, he always walks,  
Is exercised in Angels work, always  
Serving his God, and singing to his praise:  
A Christian is full of spir't'al mirth,  
His life's a very Heaven upon Earth;  
The conversation of Saints is where  
God is, in Heaven  themselves come there,  
Shall we accounted them pure, whose conversation  
Is not in Heaven, God's Holy habitation;  
But in hell rather, Satan's dwelling place?  
How justly may such as are void of grace,  
Reproach and scorn Religion when they see't  
Thus kicked down, with our unholy feet.  
The Clock hath not its motion within  
Alone, without there moves the Dyal-pin:  
Sincerity of heart is seen upon  
●●e Dyal of the conversation.  
A pure heart hath a golden Frontispiece,  
It loves fair virtue, and abhors foul vice,  
Grace like new wine, will have vent, cannot be  
Concealed, the fruits do manifest the Tree,  
Although within Religion's main work lies,  
Yet must our light shine forth to others eyes,  
The Saints are called Jewels in the sight  
Of others, they reflect a lustre bright,  
When we have Gospel-conversations,  
We in God's Church, are sparkling Diamonds.  
Saint's lives come near to Christ their all in all,  
As the Transcript to the Original.  
Christ in his conversation, lovely seems,  
His life was purer than the sunny beams;  
'Twas a fair copy never any one,  
Wrote without blotting, saving Christ alone,  
Who knew no sin; his lips never did  
A word amiss, his feet did never tread  
A step awry, and he who was a way  
For others to walk in, did never stray  
Out of the way himself, his life's throughout,  
A pattern of good works, he went about  
Still doing good even from the cratch unto  
The Cross, he never any ill did do.  
As Moses face did shine when he had been  
With God, so we in holiness must shine.  
Our carri'ge and deportment should declare,  
That of Heaven's City, Burgesses we are.  
And that we to Jerusalem above  
Are going, through the highway of Love.  
Sincer'ty in the heart as holy leaven,  
Makes the heart to swell, & rise as high as Heaven.  
The upright man order his conversation  
Aright, and God will show him his salvation.  
Some brag they have good hearts, but their lives are  
Crooked, they hope to go to heaven, but their  
Footsteps take hold of Hell, while Saints set on  
Religion's head an honourable Crown,  
Adorn the Gospel; such shall reign no doubt,  
Who copy in their lives the Bible out.   

334. On Converse.  

1.  
WE cannot here converse with this unclean  
And dirty World, but some uncleanness will,  
Fasten upon us, godly men have been  
Desirous to converse with better still  
Than themselves are, this doth   
A gracious heart, he good converse doth prize.   

2.  
Lovers desire before the marriage day  
To chat together often, Christ by his Spirit  
Converseth with the Soul, and the Soul may  
Converse with him by prayer, and through his merit,  
Obtain good things, Ordinances divine  
Are to a Christian, the house of Wine.   

3.  
O these the Chariots of salvation are,  
Christ rides herein, into believers hearts,  
The Ordinances are the Lattice where  
Christ looketh forth, and to his Saints imparts  
His smiling Face, Word, Prayer, Sacraments,  
Furnish the Soul with holy conference.    

335. On Conversion.  
GOnversion is a change of mind, heart, will,  
And life, to what is good from what is ill:  
Conversion of a sinner by degrees;  
And painfully is wrought, as God doth please,  
'tis not the word that man speaks, nor the man  
That speaks to us the word of truth, which can  
Convert a soul; conversion is wrought  
By knowing things, the spirit hath us taught  
Otherwise than before, truth is alone  
The truest Touchstone of conversation,  
A moral, formal, mental, temporary,  
Conversion many have, and yet miscarry:  
Rich men's conversion is hard and rare,  
A sound conversion is whole, sincere,  
Growing in grace, constant in holiness,  
It's worth no tongue is able to express.  
If one return that unto God belongs,  
The blessed Angels welcome him with Songs,  
The Devils follow him with furious cry,  
His old Colleagues, with scorn and obloquy,  
Aversion from sin, conversion  
To God, makes way for an eternal Crown.  
'Tis not enough not to commit foul crimes,  
But we must practise good, and this betimes.  
(Timothy-like) if fruit we forth will bring  
In Autumn, we must blossom in the Spring.   

336. On Conviction.  
COnviction of sin is the first act  
Of Christ's, wrought in Believers Gods elect.  
There can be no Faith without sense of sin,  
And of the misery that we are in:  
And there can be no sense of sin indeed,  
Unless a real sight of sin precede;  
Which the Law shows, the main end of the Law  
Is to drive us to Christ, (Freegrace must draw)  
Men may know sin, not be convinced at all,  
There's a conviction merely rational,  
There is in that conviction which is right,  
A clear, a real, and a constant light:  
When by this light, let by the Spirit into  
The soul, we see sin, death, there's now a through  
Conviction: O the evils that await  
Upon an Unregenerate estate!  
So much conviction as may bring in,  
And work in us compunction for sin:  
So much is necessary and no more,  
A sound conviction always goes before  
Sincere conversion; there are no doubt  
Many convictions for sin without  
Conversion, but no conversion  
Without convictions; 'tis the Spirit alone  
That must convince (as Christ did once express)  
The world of sin, and also righteousness.  
Conviction is Gods preparatory  
To Faith, and so to everlasting Glory.  
The seed that wanted depth of earth decayed,  
Faith that is not in deep conviction laid,  
Will whither soon, and be for nothing meet,  
Till sin is bitter, Christ is never sweet.  
Christ calls 'tis true, but he gives ease to none,  
But them that do under sins burden groan.  
A man must see himself lost and undone,  
Before to Christ he can for comfort run.  
When once the soul convinced i● of Sin,  
And the Hell at his heels, it doth begin  
To prise a Saviour, when convictions dart,  
Is by the Spirit whirled in the heart,  
It panteth after Christ, begs hard for grace;  
And O how willing is it to embrace  
Christ upon his own terms! it's free to have  
Christ for to rule, as well as Christ to save.  
Let God propound what Articles he please,  
The humble soul subscribes to them with ease.  
When one is brought to Christ's terms, to believe  
And obey, than is he fit to receive  
The streams of mercy, when Gods Spired hath been  
A Spirit of Conviction, it than  
Becomes a Spirit of consolation:  
When the Plough of the Law hath gone upon  
The heart, and broken up the fallow ground,  
Now God (whose love doth evermore abound)  
Doth sow the seed of comfort; such as boast  
Of comfort, ah! but by the holy Ghost  
Were never yet convinced, found in conclusion  
Their comfort a Satannical delusion.   

337. On Convocation.  
THere shall be a Convocation  
Of all Saints at the great day,  
To be crowned with Salvation,  
And to reign with Christ for aye.  
In the New Jerusalem  
O may I be one of them.   

338. On Convulsions.  
WHat strange convulsions Reprobates in hell  
Endure for ever, O what tongue can tell!   

339. On a Convoy.  
MY soul is under sail, Lord, if thou be  
My convoy, I the Port of peace shall see.   

340. On a Cook.  
THe Saints are guests, and Glory is their dish,  
A better Cook than Grace I would not wish.   

341. On a Coop.  
HEll is the Devil's Coop Sinners run in,  
But never can found the way out again.   

342. On a Copartner.  
IF of Christ's grace participate we do,  
We shall share with him in his glory too.   

343. On a Cope.  
THe Cope and Vestments of as much renown,  
Will b' out of season, when the Pope goes down.   

344. On a Copy.  
CHrists love was holy, hearty, kind, and stable,  
And we should follow him as we are able.   

345. On a Copyhold.  
Heaven is a Christians Copyhold more sure  
Than any, for it ever shall endure.   

346. On a Copiss.  
SInners shall Copiss-like be hewn down.  
With God's just Axe, and into Hell fire thrown▪   

347. On Copper.  
SUch are but Copper Christ'ans, who profess  
That they know Christ, yet live in wickedness.   

348. On Copperas.  
SIn is as poisonous as the Copperas;  
No Antidote can drive it out, but Grace.   

349. On Copulation.  
GOd first of one made two, and now ties two  
In one, which knot Death only can undo.   

350. On Coral.  
WE rub therewith Teeth-breeding Infants gums,  
Great ben'fit often from hard usage comes.   

351. On a Cord.  
LOve is a cord binds us to Christ, and draws  
Our hearts to yield obedience to his Laws.   

352. On a Cordial.  
GOds Word is a strong cordial to the Saint,  
This comforts him, when he is like to faint;  
In wants and woes it yields support divine;  
Turns Marah waters into pleasant wine.  
Let sickness come, the comforts of the Word  
Can alloy it, and saving health afford;  
The fiery trial, this is that opposes,  
And turns the flame into a bed of Roses.  
The sense of pardon takes away the sense  
Of pain. Suppose Death come to fetch us hence,  
A Christian can outbrave it, O Death where  
Is thy sting! by the Word the spirits are  
Revived and cheered; thus every child of God  
Tastes honey at the end of the tart rod.  
It's good t' have such a Julip lying by,  
As can expel Death's venom, when we die.   

353. On a Core.  
WE must take out the core of malice from  
Our hearts, before we to God's Table come   

354. On Cork.  
HOpe is the Cork that makes a Saint to swim  
Above the floods, which else would ruin him   

355. On a Cormorant.  
HEll is a Cormorant, devouring all  
The souls, that into Satan's clutche; fall.   

356. On Corn.  
GOod Works are crowned, the husband man takes pain  
Before he reaps the pride of Ceres Plain.   

357. On a Corner.  
EAch dusty corner of the heart must be  
Swept clean, to entertain the Trinity.   

358. On a Cornerstone.  
CHrist is resembled to a Corner stone;  
The whole weight of the Fabric lies upon  
The Cornerstone, the weight of our salvation  
Lies upon Christ, Christ is our sustentation.  
Christ is the real Atlas, his firm shoulders  
Are of the Church's weight, the main upholders.  
He is that golden Pillar bears up all  
Th'Elect, and while he stands, they cannot fall.  
The Cornerstone even as a Medium doth  
Firmly unite, and link together both  
Parts of the building; so when God and man  
At variance were, this Cornerstone again  
United them, yea did cement them too,  
With his own blood, and more what could he do?  
The Cornerstone is that which gives always  
Direction to the Builders, how to lay  
And place all other stones; he in his sight  
Must have the Cornerstone, who would build right▪  
Christ Jesus is a Saints direction,  
And rule, in all things by him to be done.  
And have an eye, continually we must  
Upon his word, and his example just.  
The fairest stones because of beauty, are  
Placed in the Corner, Christ is very fair,  
The beauty of the spiritual Mansion:  
How rarely lovely is the precious Stone!  
Christ who sustains, unites, adorns, directs,  
Excels all Corner-stones in five respects.  
He is a living Stone, and for his praise,  
He unto the whole Building, Life conveys.  
Hence Saints for spiritual buildings fit,  
Are styled Living Stones in sacred Writ.  
He is a Stone of God's immediate laying;  
He is a Cornerstone without decaying.  
As fast now, as he did at first, he cleaves;  
He from the other stones no strength receives.  
Christ is a Cornerstone that reaches from  
The bottom to the top; all good things come  
From him alone: One Christ the need supplies,  
Of the whole Church, which on his grace relies.  
Note hence, the Church is firm, fair, with Christ one,  
The Pope is not the Church's Cornerstone.  
The truth of Christ's two Nature; Christ is strong▪  
And very near to those to him belong.  
Lean not on sandy ●illars, Christ is able  
To prop thee, cast thy care on him; be stable,  
Be comforted, Christ is the Cornerstone  
Of Grace, as well as of Salvation.  
He's strong though you be weak; recall to mind  
The Cornerstone when you Church-tott▪ ring● found▪  
Christ is a Stone elect, he is likewise  
A precious Stone in Gods, Saints, Angels eyes:  
And in himself, his person, a●d his graces,  
Are glorious, so the Church for such a Basis.  
Christ by the most of men despised is,  
Because of ignorance, pride, prejudice.  
In largeness and duration Christ excels  
All other precious Stones, all fullness dwells  
In him, no noble qualities he wants,  
O the great richeses of Believing Saints!  
O bless God for this precious Cornerstone,  
Encouraged be to build on him alone:  
Prise what refers to Christ, esteem him more  
Than all the Jewels on the Indian shore:  
So will you stick faster to him, and do,  
And suffer gladly what he calls you to.   

359. On a Cornet.  
THe Cornet was esteemed in elder days,  
David would have it used to sound Gods praise  
Now let us with our hearts our voices raise.   

360. On a Colonel.  
THe Colonel commandeth armed Bands,  
How blessed is he, who his own self commands:   

361. On Coronation.  
AT Death a Christian shall completely be  
Installed into his honour, he shall see  
God face to face, on him shall oil be spread,  
And the Crown-Royal set upon his head.  
Saints of the Kingdom now are heirs renowned,  
Doth not the heir desire to be crowned?  
And, o, shall not the Saints, while here they stay,  
Be longing for the Coronation-day!   

362. On a Corporation.  
CHrist is the head-officer, th'heirs of salvation  
Are members of a blessed Corporation.   

363. On a Corpse.  
TIll God infuse grace into us, we can  
Nor feel, nor act, not more than a dead man.   

364. On Correction.  
IT's no small mercy in a Father to  
Correct his child when he amiss doth do.  
We have as much need of corrections  
As Ordinances; God corrects his sons  
Whom he affects, he doth in love reprove,  
Correction is an argument of love.  
This shows our sonship, for our heinous crimes,  
We must be under the Black Rod sometimes.  
Correction is a School, the Saints therein  
Learn best, God hath but one son without sin,  
But no son without stripes; if stripes we have,  
Know we God smites in love, that he may save.  
Corrections are God's corrosives to eat  
The proud flesh out, the Stockfish being beaten  
Boils soon, gold is not the worse for trying,  
Nor corn for being fanned; when sin is dying  
Grace lives, some plants grow better in the shade  
Than in the Sun; so we when griefs invade.  
The snuffing of the candle makes it burn  
The brighter, when our edge gins to turn,  
God whets it; when the Thorn is at the breast,  
The Saint, God's spir't'al Nightingale, sings best.  
God is feign to rub hard, we are so stained,  
For to fetch out the dirt in us ingrained.  
Some Birds will hatch but in time of Thunder,  
Saints are best when correction keeps them under.  
Before affliction David went astray,  
But by affliction David learned t'obey.   

365. On a Corrival.  
THe Souls a Virgin, Christ and Satan woe her,  
Christ to enrich her, Satan to undo her.   

366. On a Corrosive.  
THe Law must first corrode, and search the wound,  
Before the Gospel's balm can make it sound.   

367. On Corruption.  
HYblaean Honey is commixed with Wax:  
The finest linen hath both stains and bracks.  
Gold hath its dross, and on the selfsame ground,  
Bright wheat, and also cumbrous weeds is found.  
Even so corruption in the Church of Christ,  
May stand, and yet with it true Grace consist:  
In Heaven there's none but good, there's none in hell  
But bad; both bad & good on earth do devil.  
The Church is Heaven's Kingdom called, because  
heavens King rules it by his Celestial Laws.  
Yet still it is but Heaven upon Earth,  
Whilst militant, some failings will sprout forth;  
Nor may we therefore separate, for sure  
The Gospel's fair, though men's lives are impure.  
God's floor hath chaff with corn, his drag-net hath  
Rubbish with fish, his house vessels of wrath  
With those of honour; the Moon sometimes wains,  
And when 'tis at the Full, it hath some stains.  
To the prepared it is not expressed,  
My friend, how came you in with such a guest.  
Corruption, succedaneous to the fall  
Of the first man, is that Original  
●niquity which Adam by the act  
Of his so foul transgression, did contract,  
And transmit to posterity, this is  
Th' effect of that which Adam did amiss.  
Corruption reigns not, though it may abide  
●n Saints, God looks it should be mortified;  
And he, if in the main we be upright,  
Will pass them by, and very much delight  
In all our duties, though remain they do,  
Yea them reward here, and hereafter too.  
And now my soul be careful to discover  
Thy special vile affections; O watch over  
Sins of thy calling, nature, constitution,  
Time, place, and with a constant resolution  
Strive to subdue them, by thy prayers wrestle,  
And give not o'er till thou hast won the Castle   

370. On cosmography.  
'tIs said the World is spherical and round,  
And that's the reason whythere can be foun●  
Little square dealing, roundness. signifies  
Perfection, yet below but little lies.   

371. On Cost.  
OUr Saviour's precious blood was spilt,  
To satisfy for all our guilt,  
He did bleed out at every vein  
Our pardon, by his loss we gain.   

372. On a Costardmonger.  
THe Costardmonger sells Pears, Apples, Plum●  
Satan puts of his wares to all that comes.   

273. On a Costrel.  
THis Vessel's full of Liquor, but alas!  
My heart is empty of the wine of Grace.   

374. On a Cottage.  
THe body is a Cottage, and it must  
Resign its Tenant, than return to dust.   

375. On Cotton.  
OUr spongy ears are apt to drink  
Foul language, as the Cotton Ink.   

376. On a Couch.  
KIng David's Couch was watered  
With tears, which for his sins he shed.  
And O that I for sin could weep,  
And my poor heart in sorrow steep!   

377. On the Covenant.  
Do this and thou shalt live, the covenant old  
Urged this, but this afforded comfort cold.  
But the new says, ●elieve and live for ever,  
Accepting for the deed, our best endeavour.  
The Law commandment gives, but not converts;  
The Gospel brings salvation to our hearts,  
And our hearts to salvation; each Saint  
Because he is with God in covenant  
Is blest already; I their God will be,  
And they shall be a People unto me.  
Happy that people, whose God is the Lord!  
This is the crowning blessing, O sweet word!  
To have God to be ours, to be possessed  
Of God, cannot but make us fully blest.  
No tongue can tell thy blessedness, who art  
In Christ, and in his Covenant hast part.  
Man's fall did prove within a little space,  
An inlet to the covenant of grace.  
The Covenants Tie is Sure, for all do grant,  
Christ is the Surety of the covenant.  
They are the Favourites of Heaven, who are  
Linked to, and under God's indulgent care.  
Such only as are undefiled with sin,  
And pure in heart, are interessed in  
The covenant of Grace, we have no right  
To the new covenant till washed white.  
God he hath made his Will, and will not sail  
To settle Heaven, upon us by entail.  
With this Proviso in the Will, that we  
Be purified, and holy persons be.  
The covenant is our great charter, this  
Entitles us to every thing that is  
In Earth and Heaven, the Saint in wealth excels,  
By having Christ, in whom all fullness dwells.  
Christ is the hinge and pillar, upon which  
The covenant of Grace (which makes us rich  
In all things) turns; 'tis founded upon Christ,  
And sealed in his blood, an interest  
We have in Christ, by faith, this golden chain,  
Present and future things by faith we gain.  
The covenant is a golden Zone or clasp,  
That God to us, and us to God doth hasp.  
In elder times the girdle was a token  
Of chastity; the covenant once broken,  
The Church doth loose her pure virginity,  
Israel God's Spouse fell to Idolatry:  
A sin that did directly cut in sunder  
Th'afed'ral knot, that she's divorced what wonder?  
Our solemn Obligations are of late,  
As an old Almanac gone out of date:  
But covenant violation is an high  
Affronting sin, which God will not pass by  
Without revenge, a bold affront will make  
God draw his sword, and vengeance on us take.  
O if God's covenant so sacred still,  
Will not restrain us, God hath chains that will;  
Eternal chains: Have we not cause to mourn,  
When Christians do Carthaginians turn,  
And make no reckoning of their Oaths at all?  
Unless we do repent, perish we shall.  
Mourn England, mourn for covenant violation.  
Which is a flying roll against thy Nation.  
The Sacramental covenants, thy vow  
In Baptism, and at the Lords Supper, thou  
Hast started from, and hast done nothing lesle  
Than what thou promisedst in thy distress.  
How shamefully hast thou thy God forgot?  
And made his covenants like a Gypsies knot,  
Fast or lose at thy pleasure; or reform  
Thy ways and labour to prevent a Storm  
Of falling vengeance; O repent betimes,  
And God will pardon thy Heav'n-daring crimes.   

378. On Covering.  
THe wings of mercy hover over  
A Saint, his sins free grace doth cover,  
Who of Christ Jesus is a lover.   

379. On Covetousness.  
COvetise of all evils is the root,  
Hence discontent and other mischiefs sprout;  
Theft, Treason, Murder, wilful Perjury,  
Fraud, Brib'ry, Whoredom, foul Idolatry.  
Horrid oppression, quarrelsome debates,  
And the subversion of mighty States.  
O what a cursed sin base avarice is,  
In that it is the parent of all vices.  
Lord, what a monster' 'tis! who would not fly it?  
Man's body it deprives of restful quiet,  
Of peace his conscience, his soul of grace,  
And leaves him in a miserable case.  
Since than th'effects of coveting is such,  
Better it were to want, than have too much.  
How sad is it to have a Sea of sin,  
And not a drop of mercy enter in  
The heart! the reason why the word avails  
Not more, is avarice, the seed often falls  
Among rough thorns; the sprouting thorns (we read)  
Choked the good disseminated seed  
Thousands of Sermons buried lie (alas!)  
In earthly hearts, hearts that this world embrace.  
Covetise always is sparing in giving,  
But how excessive is it in receiving!  
Gold guides the Globe of earth, and covetise  
Runs round about the world; they richeses prise,  
Who careful are to get, desirous to  
Keep richeses, and are loath to let them go:  
Gain is indifferent in itself still,  
The use is good, but the abuse is ill,  
The care is worse, the conquest vile and base,  
The gain of Gold make many men (alas!)  
To loose their Souls, by being over-saving,  
Thousands are lost, yet there's no end of having.  
What men get, like the Polypus they hold,  
Some study the black Art for yellow Gold;  
Desire of gain scarce ever yet did good,  
This hath made some swim to the crown in blood,  
What numbers hath it caused Physicians to  
Destroy? what numbers Lawyers to undo:  
It hath not only multitudes undone,  
But it is beneficial to none.  
Covetous men while they themselves enrich,  
Debase themselves, making themselves a pitch  
lower than their Angels, as God made them lower  
Than his bright Angels, both in will & power,  
He is so miserably sordid, that  
So his Coffers be filled, and his estate  
May thrive, he is content to let his name  
Lie dead and buried, he regards not fame.  
The gripling Miser for a fool may go,  
He thinks God's treasury too empty to  
Content him, he God's glory never sees,  
And will not trust him on bore promises,  
As God (which never will leave his) he leaves  
So to the world (which cannot help) he cleaves,  
Better than his own soul, the rich fool loves  
His Gold, and within his own circle moves,  
He wrinkles and contracts (by saving charges)  
His body, by this means his purse enlarges:  
He to himself will scarce a meal afford,  
But is a constant guest at Satan's board.  
No marvel he hear not men's craving wants,  
When he himself is deaf to the complaints  
Of his own belly, to which he is ever  
Indebted, and is like to pay it never:  
He never paid his belly nor his back,  
A quarter of their deuce, he loves no Sack,  
Nor Cates, the smallest beer, the coursest meat,  
Is good enough for him to drink or eat:  
Pride's vanity he doth so much detest,  
Which doth esteem the dearest things the best,  
That he thinks nothing sweet but what is cheap;  
Gold is the thing he dreams on in his sleep,  
Which is but little, Gold and Silver are  
His Idol, which the heathens Idols were:  
He hath the Silver Dropsy, he implores  
Moore still, Gold is the goddess he adores,  
He thinks all flesh that comes within his Nets,  
Nor cares he how he gets; but what he gets:  
He is no niggard of his labour, or  
A time-neglector, sloth he doth abhor,  
It's ever term with him, his business  
Admits of no vacation, nothing lesle  
Than Holidays he loves, the greater gain,  
Is still attended with the greater pain,  
He often says, but yet he is not pleased,  
As he is never filled, so never eased.  
He findeth no Soul-satisfaction;  
And is when all is done, a man undone:  
Richeses have many wretches drowned in this  
World, Sea, and kept them from the shore of bliss:  
Richeses are thievish, stealing unawares  
The heart, and Satan's soul entrapping snares.  
The Miser digs to hell for wealth, so that  
The Devil is his next neighbour: O hard fate!  
On earth himself he heavens, and himself  
Of bliss he cousins, for a little pelf,  
Rest from his own bones, he himself hath stole,  
Peace from his conscience, grace from his soul,  
And is not he a Thief? nothing can fill  
Th'unfathomed gulf of his insatiate william.  
This Horseleech cries, give, give, this Cormorant  
The more he doth desire, the more doth want,  
The dunghill Witch, troubled with Midas Itch,  
Becomes a beggar by becoming rich;  
Nay, worldly men more miserable are  
Than Beggars, these want little, have lesle care,  
They much, and till they die no good do do,  
Who is rich? he that covets nothing? who  
Is poor? the covetous; he is not poor  
Which enjoys little, but desireth more.  
There's many have too much, scarce one but wishes  
For more, the sea sufficeth all the fishes;  
The Earth sufficeth all the beasts likewise,  
But the whole world cannot one man suffice.  
Wild Beasts are filled, and do spare the prey,  
But Misers are insatiable, they  
Like hell, say never 'tis enough, but having  
Too much already, still for more are craving:  
The miserable man himself unblesses,  
By not enjoying that which he possesses;  
What benefit is there of Gold while 'tis  
Embowelled in the Mine? wealth worthless is  
If it so hoarded up, and cloistered be  
In Coffers, as the light it never see.  
How well may the rich churl be likened to  
A Christmas-box, chink he receives, but lo  
He parts with none, till death this box uncase,  
Than Gold and Silver tumbles out a pace:  
Camels bear but one burden, rich men two,  
Wealth, sin, and that in death he must forgo  
This in and after death, sticks fast t'his back,  
And will be to him an eternal Rack.  
Desire, distrust, fear, vain hope, and despair are  
His torturing furies, just, as if he were  
In Phal'ris burning Bull, he that's a slave  
To his own servant, shall bad usage have:  
He that is once Christ's servant, will not be  
A slave to Mammon, the world's deity.  
It is observable, two things perplex  
The whole world, Mine, and Thy, richeses do vex,  
For they are Thorns; richeses do flee away,  
For they have wings, nor can we with them stay:  
To fly from avarice is to obtain  
A Kingdom; godliness is the best gain:  
He must be master of his wealth that is  
God's servant, O if Heaven that place of bliss,  
Becomes our object, the earth will become  
Our abject, and the issues of her womb.  
The Miser fears not God, nor honour's man,  
He thinketh that Religion, which can  
Make best for his advantage, is the best;  
What brings him in no gain he doth detest,  
He will Gehazi like, bore bribes away,  
And will with Judas for a gift betray  
His Lord and Master, and say with him too,  
Why is this waste, when some good any do:  
His chiefest good he judgeth richeses still,  
And poverty fears as the greatest ill;  
Money is his creator, when wealths had  
In great abundance, than he thinks he's made:  
It's his Redeemer, when woes on him thrust,  
He flies t'his money, that redeem him must:  
It is his comforter, when he is sad,  
He tells his money, and that makes him glad.  
He with his golden harps expels away  
The evil spirit, you may truly say,  
When you see one who doth his Gold prefer  
Before God, there goes an Idolater,  
Care is the Vulture gnaws upon his heart,  
And he damns his own self t' Ixion's smart  
On conscience torturing wheel; he's evermore  
Like Tantalus, starved in the midst of store,  
He'll go on errands to the Devil, so gains  
Sand him, and well reward him for his pains:  
His wretched mind bends to no point but this,  
He who hath most of wealth, hath most of bliss.  
As he is good to none, so is he worst  
T'himself, he lives abhorred, and dies accursed.  
Philosophers affirm that Ours of Gold,  
Are always fruitless, and the Devils Freehold:  
So are those minds that Gold admire do,  
Barren, and haunted by the Devil too.   

380. On a Cough.  
A Cough cannot be hid not more (they say)  
Can love, external signs do them bewray.   

381. On a Coulter.  
DId not the coulter cut the earth, the share  
Were useless, and the ground no Corn would bare  
So till manured by grace, we barren are.   

382. On Counsel.  

1.  
CHrist is a Counsellor, directing still  
His Clients, how to manage and transact  
All their designs according to the Will  
And Law of God; his wisdom can effect  
Great things, in Heaven's decrees he is well read,  
He knows our state and case, and how to pled.   

2.  
Christ faithful is, to tell the naked truth,  
And if the cause be bad, he will not pled it.  
Bribes cannot blind his eyes, nor stop his mouth;  
Men slight his people's cause, but he doth heed it.  
Though he be offered by the Prince of Hell,  
All the World's glory, souls he will not cell.   

3.  
Christ he is the best spoken Counsellor,  
Never man spoke in Earth's rotundity  
So sweetly; and with such convincing power,  
And so authoritatively as he.  
Christ Jesus doth all Counselors surpass,  
If he pled for us, happy is our case.   

4.  
He that acts nothing but with good advice,  
Need not repent him when the deed is past;  
Who rashly sets upon an enterprise,  
Reputes by leisure what was done in haste.  
Fond Epimetheus locks the Stable door,  
When the Steed's stole, Prometheus before.   

5.  
Figulus having lost the Consulship,  
Thus to his friends than comforting him, spoke,  
All (now you see my honour from me slip)  
Can give me counsel, but ye cannot make  
Me Consul: if we could events foresee,  
Great evils timely might prevented be.    

383. On the Countenance.  
'TIs the Index of the mind,  
Showing how we are inclined,  
Grace more pleases, if it glance  
From a comely countenance▪  
But a heart that shines with grace,  
Doth surpass the fairest face.  Gratior est pulchro veniens è corpore virtus.  

384. On a Counter.  
A Counter is of small account, so we  
Are little worth, till sanctified we be.   

385. On a Counterfeit.  
A Kiss preceded glozing Judas Treason,  
Sergeant shows, are never out of season,  
And oftentimes transcend the bounds of reason  
A sergeant Religion shall found  
A real Hell, for Hypocrites assigned,  
How blessed are they whose hearts with grace are lined!   

386. On a Countermine.  
SAtan will countermine us, if we do  
Dig for salvations Mine, malicious so!   

387. On a Counterpane.  
GLory is for the Saints, writings are drawn  
And sealed, holiness is the Counterpane.   

388. On a Counterpoison.  
WHat though I have a sin-envenomed soul,  
Christ's blood by faith applied, can make me whole.   

389. On Countervail.  
Short-lived affliction, cannot countervail  
Triumphant glory, which shall never fail.   

390. On County.  
GOds gifts abound in every County,  
But O, how few admire his bounty.   

391. On Country.  
WHat thou here on us many sorrows come,  
We are but strangers, Heaven is our home,  
Ours by the Father's Ordination;  
Ours freely purchased for us by the Son;  
Ours sealed to us by the Holy-Ghost,  
To our own country, we apace do post:  
Though now we be but wards, and not possessed  
Of it, yet are we Heirs to it at lest:  
When we to perfect growth in grace attain,  
We shall a plenary possession gain.  
God give us grace, to found repentance way,  
That come to our own home, at last we may.   

392. On a Couple.  
A Pair of Pigeons, or two Turtle-doves,  
God will accept, who freewill offerings loves,   

393. On Courage.  
FOrtitude is the fairest blossom that  
Springs from a noble mind, its heat and hate  
Conquers the enemy before the field  
Be fought in; Valiant Saints makes Satan yield,  
It is a noble Conquest to o'erthrow  
A po●ent Foe, and never strike a blow.   

394. On a Course.  
THe whole course of our living must  
Be loving, let us never thrust  
Love out of doors; many will talk  
Of love; few love in Love to walk.   

395. On a Courser.  
WHat speed the courser makes, we have a race  
To run, O why do we not mend our pace?  
The prize is glory, which is won by grace.   

396. On a Courtier.  
PErfumed Silkworms, shining bubbles,  
That Pedlars shops about them bear,  
Frequent the place of glorious troubles,  
Sad coming were such antics are!  
Better be in God's Court a Porter,  
Than devil where glistering sinners quarter.   

397. On a Cozener.  
A Man may cousin man unseen,  
But God will not be mocked,  
He hath a Key to let him in,  
Although the heart be locked,  
Lord! I confess my sins to thee,  
O be thou pleased to pardon me.   

398. On a Cowl.  
AN aged Matron near her end,  
Did request her Belgic friend,  
A bald Friar's crown t'extend  
Over her, (as says the story:)  
 she was of life bereaven,  
That her sins might be forgiven,  
And her Soul might pass to Heaven,  
Without entering Purgatory:  
O how sad are their condition,  
Who are kept in superstition!   

399. On a Cow.  
GOd's word t'our souls doth sincere Milk allow  
For nourishment, not so the vb'rous Cow.   

400. On a Coward.  
SAtan is like a Frenchman, bold at first,  
Resist him, and you'll put him to the worst.   

401. 

On a Crabfish.  
On a Crabtree.    
HOw many in Religion's trade,  
Do like the Crabfish retrograde,  
And like the Crab-free can produce,  
No fruits but sour, sarce fit for use.   

402. On a Cradle.  
SEcuritie's a Cradle, we must keep  
Strict watch, jest Satan lull us fast asleep.   

403. On Craft.  
SAtan, who hath so long a Tempter been,  
Hath gained experience, now he Tempts to sin,  
Under a show of piety, anon  
He work's upon our constitution;  
Having commenced Master of his black Art,  
His knowledge to his sons he doth impart.  
The crafti'st head that mischiefs can produce,  
The devil doth choose, as fittest for his use,  
But such as Pol'ticks learn in Plutoe's Schools,  
At last prove doters, and lean-witted fools.   

404. On Cramming.  
OUr bodies are well-crammed, and pampered,  
Whilst our souls pine for want of living bread.   

405. On the Cramp.  
THe Cramp contracts and pulls the sinews in,  
So grace checks sinners, who run mad in sin.   

406. On a Crane.  
I Must be wratchful as the Thracian fowl,  
Or else the Devil will surprise my Soul.   

407. On a Cranny.  
A Fault in others through the smallest cranny,  
Is seen, and talked of, but alas! scarce any,  
See & confess their own, though they have many.   

408. On a Crasiness.  
GOd sets us work to do, our souls are lazy,  
And want of stirring, makes them sick and crazy.   

409. On a Cratch.  
O Strange! he that did in his wisdom stretch  
Th'heavens out, lay cradled in a simple cratch   

410. On Craving.  
OUr wants are great, the only way of having  
Them still supplied, is to be always craving.   

411. On a Creaking noise.  
MAn not regards the creaking of a Cart,  
Nor God the prayers of an ungracious heart.   

412. On a Greak.  
HOw many souls are there that spring a leak,  
And suffer Shipwreck ere they touch the creak!   

413. On Cream.  
GOd's word is Milk, the Hearer is the Boul  
To keep it in, every gracious soul,  
It turns to Cream, which he in praises, prayers,  
Doth offer up to God's attentive ears.   

414. On Creation.  
ONe asked why man was made; made this reply,  
To view the Heavens, and to magnify  
God in his creatures; him Philosophers  
Called Vranoscopus, viewing the Stars.  
God opes his Cabinet, and gives us eyes  
To view his Treas'ry, also hearts to prize,  
And tongues to praise his goodness, for bestowing  
All things on us to whom our souls are owing.  
The world's a Book, wherein a general story,  
God reads to us dumb lectures of his glory,  
All creatures teach, and somewhat us inform,  
From th'highest Angel to the lowest worm;  
The world's a Glass, wherein we may discern  
Our Maker's majesty, and viewing learn  
T'admire and praise him, which if we forbear  
To do, like Stones, and Beasts, and Devils we are.  
The creatures are the stairs by which we may  
Climb up, and so the glorious power surveyed  
Of the Creator: Bees from every flower  
Suck Honey, pious Christians evermore,  
From every action, or event deduce  
What they convert to admirable use.  
All objects to a contemplative man,  
Are like wings to his thoughts, which raise him can  
Upward to Heaven, as the old Romans when  
They saw blue stones, thought of Olympus, than  
Intentively observe the works of Nature,  
Than serve attentively the world's Creator:  
Let us by each presented object thrive  
In grace, some profit to ourselves derive,  
In this be selfish: O shall we still plod  
On the great Volume of the works of God,  
And never throughly learn to spell one word  
Which benefit, and comfort may afford?  
Shall we still poor on Nature's book (alas!)  
And ne'er translate it to the Book of grace,  
As some have done? O what rare melody  
Is there in Heaven, if earthly Music be  
So sweet! if pomp attend a Court below,  
Surely God's Court will make a glorious show:  
O blessed object, and observed well,  
That makes the musing Soul, in grace t'excel!   

415. On Credence.  
ASsent and giving credence to  
All that the Scripture saith,  
Concerning Christ, who suffered so,  
Precedent is to Faith.   

416. On Credit.  
AS of our conscience we must have a care,  
So likewise of our credit, never dare  
Unseemly things, Saints have a lasting name,  
When sinners reputation turns to shame:  
It's a good thing to have praise to us carved,  
But it's a better to have praise deserved:  
This credit wealth cannot procure, but grace,  
Not goods but goodness; happy is his case,  
Whose own heart not condemns him, such as do  
Honour the Lord, he them will honour too.   

417. On a Creditor.  
GOd is a Creditor, he lends  
Us time and talents to improve,  
Which who so misimploys mispends,  
Provokes to wrath the God of Love.  
Sin is a debt, our Creditor is just,  
And if our surety pay it not, we must.   

418. On Credulity.  
'tIs a vice to believe nothing, or none;  
All things, or all, that is said to be done:  
A credulous man is to a fool a kin,  
Believing all he hears, this brings strife in,  
A wiseman will not at the first rebound,  
Take a report, Truth is by sifting found.   

419. On the Creed.  
YOu that have heard so much of Christ, can pray,  
Yet cannot with humble adherence say,  
My Jesus, and my Lord, I tell you true,  
The Devil can say his Creed as well as you:  
Lord, I believe not only that thou art,  
And what thou sayest, but in thee, may I part  
With all for thee, and from thee never start.   

420. On Creeping.  
IN sin (alas!) our motion is not slow,  
In duty, o! how creepingly we go.   

421. On a Cresset-light.  
LOrd! set the Beacon of my heart on fire  
With Holy zeal, and let the flame aspire  
To thee, the highest Orb of my desire.   

422. On a Crest.  
SUch as do go with an elated Crest,  
Shall be cast down, but such as are depressed  
With sense of sin, shall be advanced and blest.   

423. On a Crib.  
O! if the Ass her Master's crib doth know,  
Man should know God, who all the world doth owe:  
His Maker, his Redeemer, who supplies,  
His wants, and pities his infirmities.   

424. On a Cricket.  
AS merry as a Cricket one may be,  
Whose heart is filled with dire perplexity.   

425. On a Crier.  
GOds Ministers are Criers, and they dare not  
But cry aloud, & show to men and spare not  
Their horrid sins, dumb Preachers that betray  
Their trust, shall be condemned another day.   

426. On a Crime.  
THe blood of Christ can expiate a fault,  
Not to be purged with Brimstone, Fire, & Salt   

427. On a Cripple.  
ADam became a Cripple by his fall,  
Hence lame in holy duties are we all;  
But some belong to Jesus Hospital.   

428. On a Critic.  
IT's easier to found fault than  
To imitate; the transverse pen  
Of snarling Mome dashes this out,  
And Aristarch at that doth pout.  
My Soul condemn thyself; and know  
That God to thee will favour show.   

429. On the Crocodile.  
NIle's poys'ny Pirate kills (Historians say)  
The man, than baths him in his tears straightway.  
So some whose tear-commanding eyes let fall  
Dissembling showers, have hearts brim filled with gall.   

430. On a Croft.  
GReat God plough up my heart, that fallow-field,  
And sow thy grace therein; O make it yield  
A fruitful crop, that thou may'st have the praise,  
And I enjoy the benefits always.   

431. On Croises or Pilgrims.  
THe Cross-signed Pilgrim travels far to some  
Devotious place, to him Christ bids us come,  
And he will to our Country bring us home.   

432. On a Crook.  
CHrist is our Shepherd, & his Spired the Crook  
That guides us in the way we have forsaken.   

433. On a Cross.  
ONe may be signed with the Cross,  
And yet for Heaven be at a loss.   

434. On a Cross way.  
CRoss is the way that leadeth to a Crown,  
No man can go to Heaven on beds of down.   

435. On a Cross-bow.  
AFfliction is a Cross-bow, endless bliss  
The white, by that a Saint is sent to this.   

436. On a Crossrow.  
THe child learns by degrees the Christ-crossrow,  
So we (alas!) come all by ease to know  
The things of God, and what to God we owe.   

437. On Crosses.  
FNngland alas! for many years hath seen  
Enough of crosses; here hath always been  
Cross doing, and Cross dealing with each other,  
How many heretofore have kept a pother,  
To pull material crosses down? there are  
But few pull sin down from them, and prepare  
To bear Crists' Cross, which he on them doth lay  
Crosses to Heaven are a surer way  
Than pleasures; crosses are the turning key  
Of Paradise, Saints by them have no loss.  
Wicked men crosses have, but not Christ's cross.  
Suppose I meet with crosses, crosses are  
A Catholic mis'ry; therein all men share,  
And should I grieve? this reason may-suggest  
This is constraint, godly content is best.  
Saints by the Christ-cross (though no letter) know  
Moore than by all the Letters in the row.  
God sends his sons to th' Free-School of the Cross,  
Where they learn best, the fire consumes their dross  
And purifies them; Golden Christians have  
Been tried, God smites in love, that he may save  
What ever crosses do the Saint molest,  
His last end, shall assuredly be blest.  
Crosses not only mind us of our crimes,  
But also serve to better us sometimes.  
We climb up by the Cross to Heaven's story.  
The cross-way is the only way to glory.  
Ferre quam sortem patiuntur omnes  
Nemo recusat.—   

438. On Crotchets.  
SOme crotchets in his head a man may have  
Sometimes, and yet be neither Fool nor Knave   

439. On a Crowd.  
MUltitudes crowd to Hell apace,  
The way of sin is broad,  
Few travel towards Heaven (alas!)  
Grace is a narrow road.   

440 On Crowing.  
THe crowing of a Cock amazes sore  
The Emperor of Beasts, and makes him roar;  
It foreshews change of weather: Peter's eye  
When the Cock crew, shed tears abundantly.   

441. On a Crown.  
ON Earth Saints all their life are gold preparing,  
To make a Crown in heaven worth the wearing,  
Saints their Crown-royal have: Crowns only are  
For Kings and Princes of renown to wear:  
Their Crown is free from care, 'tis not envied,  
For all are crowned, theirs always doth abide.  
Pardon's a mercy, but rich mercy 'tis  
To crown us; O what kind of love is this!  
How will the Saints advanced to Heaven above,  
Read over Lectures of Freegrace and Love.  
And O how will they forth his praises sound,  
Who with his loving kindnesses are crowned!  
Alas! that men should be so stupid grown,  
As for a rattle to forego a Crown.   

442. On a Crowner.  
THe Crowner by his Quest finds murder out,  
Soul-search for sin we seldom go about.   

443. On a Crucifix.  
MAny do superstitiously adore  
The Crucifix, who cannot yet abide,  
The Cross of Christ, and trample on the floor  
With scornful feet, the blood of God beside:  
Like that French King, who when he swore would kiss  
The Cross, as if nothing were than amiss.   

444. On Cruelty.  
THe Devil's cruelty transcends the rage  
Of greatest Tyrants, that in any age  
Quaffed human blood, Charybdis chafed with wind,  
Or the fallen Tiger of th' Armenian kind,  
Is not so rough, so fierce, as he is when  
He hath seized on his prey, the souls of men.  
His name's Apollyon, he rend and tore  
The man in whom he was, and made him roar.  
O! if when chained he was so fierce, so hot,  
What will he do when he full power hath got!   

445. On a Crum.  
LOrd, we do not deserve in greatest need  
A crumb of bread;  
For we have broken all the sacred bands  
Of thy commands.  
Yet in Christ Jesus all things we possess,  
O give us hearts thy praises to express.   

446. On a Crupper.  
THe crupper keeps the Saddle steady, so  
But for restraint, great evils men would do.   

447. On a Cruse.  
LOrd may I to thy glory use  
The little that is in my cruse,  
Whilst most their plenty do abuse.   

448. On a Crust.  
LOrd I will not complain of want,  
Whilst thou a crust to me dost grant:  
Nor will I say thou art unjust,  
If that should fail, but in thee trust.   

449. On a Crutch.  
WHen the poor man is falling, such  
To whom the Lord hath given much  
Of worldly means, should never grudge  
To stay him with a silver Crutch.   

450. On crying Sins.  
Sin's crying are, when come to their full height,  
When God more special notice of them takes,  
They call for present help even in a straight,  
God hears their cry, and the stout sinner shakes,  
How wicked are our times! O Heaven forgive  
Our crying sins, and let poor England live.   

451. On a Cub.  
ALthough the fool at small beginnings mocks,  
A Cub may prove in time a ravenous Fox.   

452. On a Cubit.  
OUr Saviour said, what man can add  
One cubit to its stature,  
By taking care, and yet all are  
Thereto inclined by nature.   

453. On a Cube.  
A Cube Hieroglyphically shows  
An honest man, whose actions are square,  
With such converse; his company refuse  
Whose deal like a sphere, are circular.   

454. On a Cuckold.  
THe horned He-moon never thanks returns  
To him that made him, & gave him his horns.  
But yet men gratify the Devil when in  
Their hearts they nourish his foul bastard sin.   

455. On a Cuckoo.  
THe Cuckoo in one tune delighteth still,  
So do the most of men in acting ill.   

456. On a Cuckquean,  
A Cuckquean is a Jade that for base pelf.  
Becomes a Hackney, & let's out herself;  
Though men who love their wives cannot abide her,  
Wife-haters, though she brings to hell, will ride her.   

457. On a Cucumber.  
IT is by nature cold, and so are we,  
To what is good, till warmed by grace we be   

458. On the Cud.  
WHen we do read or hear that which is good,  
We should by meditation chew the cud.   

459. On a Cudgel.  
WHen Love unreasonably is abused,  
Than is a Cudgel seasonably used.   

460. On a Cuff.  
SInners do love to play at blind man's buff,  
And Satan unawares gives them a cuff.   

461. On Cuffs.  
GRace makes men gallant, & doth more adorn,  
Than ruffling cuffs which on men's wrists are worn.   

462. On Cunning.  
TO avoid Satan's snares we must be cunning,  
The prize before our eyes is won by running.   

463. On a Cup.  
AS to us here for Jesus Christ his sake,  
The bitter cup of persecution's given;  
So we from Jesus Christ his hands shall take,  
The sweet cup of salvation in Heaven.   

464. On a Cupboard.  
THe Cupboard serves to keep provision in,  
Man's heart holds in it, either grace or sin.   

465. On a Cupping-Glass.  
Physicians use the Cupping-glass to draw  
Out blood, with scarrify'ng of the skin,  
And so a Christian must use the Law,  
To suck out the corrupted blood of sin.   

466. On a Curate.  
THe thin-faced Curate taketh all the pains,  
Yet he can scarce pick out a livelihood,  
The bouncing Parson raketh all the gains;  
Though he (God knows) does very little good,  
I fear at the great day of Christ's appearing,  
This will appear to be a crime passed clearing.   

467. On Curd.  
TO be without as white as Curd,  
And black within is most absurd,  
From such, deliver us good Lord!   

468. On a Curfew.  
THis night the Bell calls to bed, but o!  
Before the next, my passing Bell may go.   

469. On Curiosity.  
IT's the most common vice of almost all  
Wise men, some it hath made heretical:  
O what a let to holiness and bliss,  
Is curiosity, it makes men miss  
The sum of their desires; we aught to know  
God's secrets may not be enquired into:  
Who would compr'end a majesty unbounded,  
He with its glory, must be needs confounded:  
An overcurious pervestigation,  
Into the Ark of God's predestination,  
With Pride, and danger too, attended is,  
T'en ●ire the cause of God's decree, why this  
And not that man is chose, seems not to me,  
An act of Judgement, but of Lunacy  
The question is as guilty of reproof,  
As he that the bold Author is thereof.  
Adam was driven out of Paradise,  
For his affecting to be overwise:  
Isr'el had died the death, if they had passed  
Their bounds, to climb up (as they would in haste)  
Unto the Mount, and so to gaze upon  
The glorious Lord:— no centre to rest on,  
This vice can found, but it leads men into  
The endless Labyrinths of smarting woe:  
Let's not be over-wise, it is not fit,  
That we presume above that which is writ:  
The Bethshemites prying into the Ark  
Were smitten blind, safe being in the dark,  
Where is no warrant, nor command to know,  
Nice curiousness is the highway to woe:  
Lord what I may not narrowly inquire  
Into; O teach me fully to admire.  Scrutator majestatis opprimetur a gloria.  

470. On a Cure.  
SIn is a Soul-disease, which no Physician,  
Save Christ can heal, who knows best the condition  
Of each distempered patient; he is sure  
To speed, who seeks in faith to him for cure:  
Till cured we are, we are unfit to do  
God any service, that he puts us to.  
Lord! I believe that my poor sin-sick soul  
Shall be, if thou but say the word, made whole.   

471. On Currant money.  
THe Saints of God, for currant money pass  
In heaven's Kingdom, being stamped with grace   

472. On a Cur.  
SInners are snarling curs, and they delight  
To bark at sinners? but them they cannot by't.   

473. On the Current.  
SAlvation-work (which we should make our strife)  
Is hard, because the currant of the life  
Is to be altered; that the Tide of sin,  
Which ran so strong before, should now again  
Be turned; that men sailing to Hell with speed,  
Should now sail Heav'n-ward? here's a work indeed!  
O Lord be pleased to sanctify me so,  
That what is good, I make think, speak and do.   

474. On Curr●nts.  
BAse lusts are sweet, to Satan's Apes;  
As to the taste Corinthian Grapes.   

475. On a Currier.  
THis Leather-dresser labours hared  
Spurred on by recompensing gains;  
O did we think of our reward  
In heaven, we should for heaven take pains.  
For such as labour shall have rest,  
And they that persevere are blest.   

476. On Cursedness.  
HE is accursed, that being born in sin,  
(Recovery unsought) lives, dies therein.  
He that from Christ hath not a pardon first,  
Must hear from Christ, this sentence, Go ye cursed:  
O suffer not thy slumbering eyes to rest,  
Till Christ hath sealed thee a Quietus est,  
Give no peace to thyself, till thou with God  
Have peace, thou art still under the black Rod,  
Till thou repent, he that in known sins goes  
On wilfully, is damned in the close:  
O let not us retain, nor entertain,  
Sin, jest on us the curse thereof remain.  Quamdiu impaenitentia manet, maledictio imminet.  

477. On Curses.  
THe curses mentioned in sacred Story,  
Are sinners portions, yea their Inventory,  
And at the day of death their portion shall  
Be truly paid them, pleasure ends in Gall,  
And though perchauce (enjoying good success)  
They in their wickedness, themselves do bless:  
Yet are they heir-apparents to God's curse,  
And what (pray tell me) can befall them worse:  
O if we could avoid the curses due  
For sin, repent we must; and sin eschew.   

478 On Crusing.  
SOme have (as well as Job) cursed the day  
Of their first birth, but of their second birth,  
None ever cursed the day, O blessed they  
That are Newborn! that day occasions mirth.  
Cursing is made the common weapon now  
Of anger, and the ill he cannot do,  
Wrath wishes, sad it is it should be so.   

479. On Curstness.  
Cursed Cows have short horns, & he that can  
Talk most, is not always the wisest man.   

480. On a Curtain.  
SIn is a Curtain drawn between  
The Soul, and God's bright shining face,  
His glory, ah! cannot be seen,  
Till sin be vanquished by his conquering grace.   

481. On a Courtesy.  
WE must not strain at courtesy to see  
Who shall go first, but each one strive to be  
Foremost in duty, in this strife agreed.   

482. On a Courtesan, or a two-legged Jade.  
ROom, pray Sirs room, I can not longer hold,  
My fury in, since vice is so extolled.—  
Impudent quean! who ne'er had so much grace,  
As is portended by the blushing face,  
To swarm like Bees! here's master to infuse  
An angry zeal into a frozen Muse;  
And now my just incensed Muse proclaims  
An open War against salacious Dames  
And their rank Riders; she intends to throw  
Her whirling Arrows, from her twanging Bow,  
At such as do belong to Venus' Court,  
And are delighted with that beastly sport:  
Who Tinderboxes love, and will adventure  
On Quivers , for every shaft to enter,  
O shameful! Silken gallants have their queans,  
And filthy drabs, which soak away their means,  
They waste their strength on such, as are not lesle  
Than the Elixirs of all naughtiness,  
Half-eaten with the Pox, alluring Dames,  
And fuel which do feed their lustful flames:  
But more of this— and such as love the trade,  
Expect kind Reader, when I come to Jade.   

483. On a Cushion.  
IDleness is the Devil's Cushion,  
By sitting on it, thousands are undone.   

484. On Custody.  
A Christian must set a constant guard  
About his heart, and keep with watch & ward  
His heart; his heart must still be in his eye,  
The heart requires the strictest custody:  
For 'tis the spring, which maketh all our deeds  
Run pure, or muddy, life from thence proceeds.  
Lock up thy heart with God, (how safe are they  
That daily do so?) and give him the Key.   

485. On Custom, or Tole.  
LEvi not sooner called from the Receipt  
Of Custom, does upon his Saviour wait,  
And at his home, makes him a costly feast;  
He could not entertain a better guest.  
Lord! if it be thy custom to take toll,  
Satan may take my sins, take thou my Soul.   

486. On Custom, or Use.  
SIn, which is weight enough to sink down quite  
The world, is made (alas) by custom, light;  
¶ Custom in sin obstupifies sense so,  
That men scarce know, whether they sin or not,  
Sin gathers strength by custom, by degrees  
It creeps, like some contagious disease:  
Milo first bear a Calf, and still his strength  
Increasing with his burden, he at length  
Became so able and so powerful,  
That he could bear with ease a goring Bull:  
¶ Custom that second nature, is sometimes  
A friend to virtue, but more often to crimes.   

487. On a Cutler.  
HE is a Blade that lives by making blades,  
But he that in the Ordinances trades,  
Shall live, though death his mortal life invades.   

488. 

On a Cutpurse.  
On a Cutthroat.    
HE is an arrant Thief that cuts the purse,  
And he a murderer, that cuts the throat;  
Though that indeed be bad, yet this is worse,  
But both deserve to wear a Pendant knot  
An Inch below the ears, ' its good to do  
To others as we would be done unto.   

489. On a Cynic.  
THe Cynic in his Tub, found more content,  
Than Alexander in his glistering Throne;  
In Contemplation his time he spent;  
This wept, because no more Worlds were his own.   

290. On the Cynosure.  
THe Pilot well observes the Cynosure,  
And so should we God, that Northern Star;  
Until we touch the Port, and land secure  
In Heaven, that Haven where no dangers are,  
Where neither sin our happiness destroys,  
Nor sorrow interrupts our endless joys.     

The Postscript to the Reader.  

1.  
THus (Reader) have I finished as thou seest,  
The first three Letters of the Criss-cross R●●  
Moore Grapes I have, which shall not now be pressed,  
How well thou wilt l●●e these, I do not know.  
If this Taste please, thou mayst command my store,  
The Vineyard of my Muse can yield thee more.   

2.  
I pray thee let my absence from the Press;  
Obtain that of thee, which thy presence shall  
Obtain of me, (a favour I confess)  
T'amend the Errors Typographical,  
So shall the Printer, and the Author too,  
Be bound to serve thee in what we can do.   
FINIS.