A CENTURY OF SACRED DISTICHES OR, RELIGION IN VERSE,  St. Gregory. 
The bravest thing is a Religious Life.  
OXFORD, Printed by Leon. Lichfield, Printer to the University, for John Barksdale Bookseller in Cirencester, 1685.   

To His Noble Friend.  
TO prescribe to these Verses your fair Name,  
Although but one clean Sheet, it were no shame.  
Till Something of more Learning I shall have,  
You shall be Nameless. Yet, Religion's brave.   

One Century OF SACRED DISTICHES, OR, Religion in verse.  

To the READER.  

IN these plain Verses I have no other ends,  
But to edify myself, and my good Friends    


I. Accounts.  
HOW suddenly may I be called away!  
'Tis good to make Accounts up every day.   

II. Acceptance.  
Lord! Be Thou still the same. Thou gracious art  
And wilt accept a broken contrite heart.   

III. Grace.  
I fear not, when my Heart by God is viewed,  
As by the Grace of Christ is is renewed.   

iv Persecution.  
To persecute is to hurt the Innocent:  
To prosecute is of the Guilty meant.   

V Gravity.  
Let Grave men take so much Authority,  
As to correct the faults i'th' company.   

VI Oaths.  
Vain Swearing, if you hear; to yourself look,  
You be not guilty: Give it a rebuke.   

VIII. Lust.  
Some think they are honest, if they do not act;  
Ill Thoughts and Eyes are guilty of the Fact.   

VIII. Company.  
Fairly depart, if there be two, or one  
Quarrel-some Fellow. Better be alone.   

IX. The Lye.  
If it be said, you lie: you quarrel and fight:  
If told, you Swear: of that you make but light.   

X. Rules.  
When you do think or read of some good Rule,  
Bind it in Rhythm, and put thyself to School.   

XI. Conspiracy.  
Let Good men make a new Conspiracy,  
To amend this Age's Immorality.   

XII. Again.  
To conspire in good Actions, is a Thing  
Will please our God, and not displease our King.   

XIII. The Fight.  
Single men boldly are gone out, to fight  
'Gainst Sin and Satan. Let their Force unite.   

XIV. Fugitives.  
Little's the Hope of complete Victory,  
When some of us turn to the Enemy.   

XV. Subjects.  
Why don't all Subjects their good King obey?  
They are proud, and would be their own masters, They.   

XVI. Money.  
You do love Money. Yes: 'tis true you say.  
But 'tis not to lay up, but give and pay.   

XVII. Again.  
You give too much? No: what I gave,  
That in the better Sense I have.   

XVIII. Repayment.  
What you do borrow, take care to repay:  
Not borrow ag●in, unless you keep your day.   

XIX. Night.  
Awaking, banish lust; and think upon  
What good work on the next day must be done.   

XX. Again.  
Lying a Bed the Winter Nights so long,  
Praise ye Gods loving kindness in a Song.   

XXI. Sacred Distiches.  
Among your Distiches, those are best of all,  
Which contain Observations Scriptural.   

XXII. Gluttons. Psal.  
What's said of bloody men, is true, no doubt,  
Of Gluttons: Half their days they live not out.   

XXIII. Diet.  
A Diet, simple, spare, not excessive,  
Will keep thee in good health, and long alive.   

XXIV. Hospitality.  
I praise the good Housekeeper. God will bless  
The Hospitable. Eat Inordinateness.   

XXV. Abstinent.  
The Abstinent will have the more to give;  
With what they spare the needy they relieve.   

XXVI. Parson.  
Not only give them, that come to your door;  
But send your Corn and Money to the poor.   

XXVII. Rich.  
The Rich have a Temptation to exceed:  
In great Prosperity then take great heed.   

XXVIII. Sayings.  
Archbishop Sheldon's: Do well, and be merry.  
Old Bishop Hacket's: Serve God, and be cheery.   

XXIX. Entertainment.  
My Learned Friend, instead of Second-Course,  
Let us have some Religious Discourse.   

XXX. Old Age.  
Your Seventy years are past: You are alive,  
To bring forth more Fruit now, at Seventy Five.   

XXXI. Forms.  
With bare External Forms be not content:  
Join unto them an Heart Obedient.   

XXXII. Life and Light. Psal.  
The Wellspring of True Life, Lord, is in Thee:  
And in thy Light thy Servant Light shall see.   

XXXIV. God. Psal.  
Thy Mercy reacheth to the Heavens so high:  
Thy Judgements, Lord, in the great Deep do lie.   

XXXV. Preacher  
Let not a Preacher overmuch complain:  
To win Souls is great pleasure, is great gain.   

XXXVII. Earthly.  
Can we in Earthly Seats for ever rest,  
'Twere some pretence for feathering our Nest.   

XXXVIII. Morstua, mors Christi. etc.  
Thy death, Christ's Death, the world's fraud, pains of hell,  
Glory of Heaven; These five remember well.   

XXX●X. Sustine and Abstine. Epict.  
Philosophy in short: Hardships sustain  
Of Virtue: From delights of Vice abstain.   

XL. Fear.  
Fear is a Virtue: Be not thou fearless  
Of that dark Pit, from whence is no regress.   

XLI. Servant.  
I'm sometimes angry with my Servant: then  
Am pleased, because he answers not again.   

XLII. Philo of Moses.  
Forty days Moses on the Mount did lie,  
Fasting, because he heard Heaven's Melody.   

XLIII. Heaven.  
The Labour of our whole life is much less,  
Infinitely less, than Heaven's Happiness.   

XLIV. My God. Psal.  
Lord, I'm thy Servant, Thou hast chosen me:  
Thou art my God, and I have chosen thee.   

XLV. Cassander.  
New Liturgy, this peaceable Divine  
Did, out of David's Psalter, once design.   

XLVI. Mansion.  
Friends, would you have a Mansion above?  
Think oft, and speak of Heaven, and live in Love.   

XLVII. Scripture.  
Let simple ones read Scripture, but decline  
The darker places, till the Guide doth shine.   

XLVIII. Parish.  
The Minister, if learned, and of good life,  
Does well deserve his Parishes belief.   

XLIX. Friend.  
I think you are my Friend: I know you are,  
If you will have of my poor Soul a care.   

L. Humility.  
Humility's a Jewel. If you have eyed  
Any of your good deeds beware of Pride.   

LI. Hope.  
Ah me! That worldly care creates me fear,  
Having a hope of better things so near.   

LII. Return.  
Had I not been forsaken, I'd not find,  
At God's Return, such comfort in my mind.   

LIII. Charity.  
Give me a Rule to live well by.  
Be never out of Charity.   

LIV. Chastisement.  
In thy Chastisements, if severe thou art:  
Lord! Never punish me a hard Heart.   

LV. Disconsolate.  
For the disconsolate, pity it will win,  
If you remember, This your Case has been.   

LVI. Carnal.  
They that themselves in fleshly pleasures roll  
Know not the sorrows of a Penitent Soul.   

LVII. God.  
Christian, when thou feelest his smart Rod,  
Know that sweet pleasures also are from God.   

LVIII. Recompense.  
Present Affliction is but a short pain:  
Joys everlasting, are the future gain.   

LIX. Guard.  
The Godly have, as other, this reward.  
They have, by God's appointment th' Angels Guard.   

LX. Grave.  
Pray, when you visit the deceased's Grave,  
We a Resurrection to life may have.   

LXI. Company.  
When I'm in Company; I gladly would,  
From them receive, and do to them some good   

LXII. Daily Prayer.  
To pray at Church alone, don't you forbear:  
Christ and his Angels will be with you there.   

LXIV. People.  
Neighbours your Books to Church on Sundays bring  
Attend the Minister in every thing.   

LXV. Again.  
The face of our Assemblies fair would be,  
Would people come to good Conformity.   

LXVI. Children.  
God will now bless us, Meek Melanchthon said,  
When at a School he saw the Children prayed.   

LXVII. Again.  
Children may be more gracious, every one,  
By the good Bishop's Confirmation.   

LXVIII. Breeding.  
Look to your Children, Friends? If they're ill bred  
Better they had, as soon as born, been dead.   

LXIX. Reverence.  
Where's little Reverence in the outward part,  
I fear there is no Reverence in the Heart.   

LXX. Whole Duty.  
The Second Volume of the Duty Whole  
Is welcome  prevail on every Soul!   

LXXI. Means.  
The better Means are offered to live well,  
Ill Life will be more punished in Hell.   

LXXII. Dreams.  
With your Black Dreams be never terrified,  
Their Vanity having so often tried.   

LXXIII. Examen.  
When Company is gone, Remember this;  
Examine, what you have done, or said amiss.   

LXXIV. Thoughts.  
Repel ill thoughts: Awaking, think upon,  
God's mercy and thy sins, when sleep is gone.   

LXXV. Interest.  
Man would be a God to himself, apt to intent  
Profit and interest, as his last end.   

LXXV. Man.  
Man born again, to whom his Maker's known,  
Knows well, that he is God's, more than his own.   

LXXVI. A Friend.  
Hast thou a Friend? Value him, To him declare  
Thy inmost thoughts. A Friend is very rare.   

LXXVII. Again.  
Hast tried thy Friend? Him in thy Book enrol,  
Defend him absent: ' monish him present; save his soul   

LXXVIII. Enemy.  
Hast thou an Enemy? Hath he thee withstood?  
And done ill to thee? O'ercome ill with good.   

LXXIX. Parents.  
Parents may Glory in their Children, when  
By Divine Grace they are become New Men.   

LXXX. Comfort.  
Ye Souls dejected, who for Comfort look,  
Get you a good Companion, and good Book.   

LXXXI. Happiness.  
What is our Happiness, sincere and true?  
To be and do, what God would have us be and do.   

LXXXII. Civility.  
When e'er you meet me, Neighbour, pray afford  
Unto me a kind look, and a kind word.   

LXXXIII. Flattery.  
To flatter sinners, and say, 'Twill be well;  
Is the most easy Pathway unto Hell.   

LXXXIV. Correction.  
To correct Vice in these licentious Times,  
Some little deal conduce your sacred Rhymes.   

LXXXV. Relapse.  
Relapse you may prevent by diligence:  
Stand then upon your Watch, till you go hence.   

LXXXVI. Visits.  
At Visits of Great Persons speak not much:  
Respect and Reverence is due to such.   

LXXXVII. Meekness.  
If you converse sometimes with froward men,  
Be Meek: there will arise no Quarrel then.   

LXXXVIII. Satan.  
Sure if the Adversary do us harm,  
'Tis 'cause we don't ourselves with firm Faith arm.   

LXXXIX. Riches.  
Riches (as wise men say) have their swift Wings,  
And leave us destitute. Trust not these things.   

XC. Recovery.  
Marvellous Change, and Memorable Fate!  
Thy Faculties are vivid, faint so late.   

XCI. Gifts.  
Thy Gifts, with God, will not accepted be,  
Nor with Men, if not given Cheerfully.   

XCII. Portion.  
For want of Money is Marriage delayed?  
Modesty's the best Dowry of a Maid.   

XCIII. Nurse.  
Let not your Infant have an ungodly Nurse:  
All his life-long he is like to be the worse.   

XCIV. Preacher.  
Then a good Preacher does his Parish right,  
At once when he does profit and delight.   

XCVI. Preparation.  
What is your great Concernment? To take care  
Of my own Soul, and for my Death prepare.   

XCVII. Loss.  
In idle Talk, vain Sports, and curious Dressing,  
How many Men and Women lose a Blessing!   

XCVIII. Inconsiderate.  
Some enter in the World, and leave the same,  
Never considering to what end they came.   

XCIX. Good Works.  
What Works the Reverend Thomas Gouge hath done,  
Is well set forth by Doctor Tillotson.   

C. Good Life.  
Every great Lady, that on Parkhurst looks,  
May a rare Pattern see in Lady Brookes.    
FINIS.