A Friends advice, In an excellent Ditty, Concerning the variable Changes in this life.  

To pleasant new Tune,  
 

WHat if a day, or a month, or a year  
crown thy delights,  
With a thousand wished content?  
Cannot the chance of a night, or an hour  
cross thy delights  
with as many sad torment?  
Fortune in her fairest birth  
are but blossoms dying,  
Wanton pleasures doting mirth,  
are but shadows flying;  
All our joys are but toys.  
idle thoughts deceiving,  
None hath power of an hour,  
in our lives bereaving.   

What if a smile, or a beck, or a look,  
feed thy fond thoughts  
with many a sweet conceiving?  
May not that smile, or that beck, or that look  
tell thee as well  
they are but vain deceiving?  
Why should Beauty be so proud,  
in things of no surmounting?  
All her wealth is but a shroud  
of a rich accounting;  
Then in this, repose no bliss,  
which is so vain and idle,  
Beauties Flowers, have th●ir hours▪  
Time doth hold 〈◊〉 B●●●●●…   

What if the World with allures of her wealth  
raise thy degree  
to a place of high advancing?  
May not the World by a check of that wealth  
put thee again  
to a low despised changing?  
Whilst the Sun of wealth doth shine,  
thou shalt have friends plenty,  
But come want then they repine,  
not one abides of twenty;  
Wealth and Friends, holds and ends,  
all your fortunes rise and fall,  
Up and down, rise and frown,  
certain is no state at all.   

What if a grief, or a strain, or a fit,  
pinch thee with pain,  
or the feeling pangs of sickness?  
Doth not that gripe, or that strain, or that fit  
show thee the form  
of thy own true perfect likeness?  
Health is but a glimpse of joy,  
subject to all changes.  
Mirth is but a silly toy  
with mishap estranges,  
Tell me then silly Man,  
why art thou so weak of wit,  
As to be in jeopardy  
when thou mayest in quiet sit▪    

The second part  
to the same Tune▪  

THen if all this, have declared thine amiss  
take it from me  
as a gentle friendly warning;  
If thou refuse, and good counsel abuse  
thou mayst hereafter,  
dearly buy thy learning;  
All is hazard that we have,  
there is nothing biding,  
Days of pleasure are like streams,  
through fair Meadows gliding,  
Wealth or woe, Time doth go,  
there is no returning,  
Secret Fates, guides our States,  
both in mirth and mourning,   

Man's but a blast, or a smoke, or a cloud  
that in a thought  
or a moment he is dispersed:  
Life's but a span, or a tale, or a word,  
that in a trice,  
on sudden is rehearsed,  
Hopes are changed, & thy thoughts are crossed  
Will nor skill prevaileth  
Though we laugh and live at ease,  
change of thoughts assaileth,  
Though a while, Fortune smile,  
and her comforts frowneth,  
Yet at length, fails her strength  
and in fine she frowneth.   

Thus are the joys of a year in an hour,  
and of a month,  
in a moment quite expired;  
But in the night, with the word of a noise,  
crossed in the day  
of an ease our hearts desired;  
Fairest Blossoms soon fade,  
withered, foul and rotten,  
And through greatest joys,  
quickly are forgotten:  
Seek not then (mortal men)  
earthly fleeting pleasure,  
But with pain, strive to gain  
Heavenly lasting Treasure.   

Earth to the World▪ as Man to the Earth,  
hath but a point,  
and a point is soon defaced,  
Flesh to the Soul, as Flower to the Sun,  
that in a storm  
or a Tempest is disgraced;  
Fortune may the body please  
which is only carnal,  
But it will the Soul disease,  
that is still immortal,  
Earthly joys, are but toys,  
to the Souls election,  
Worldly grace, doth deface,  
Man's Divine perfection.   

Fleshly delight to the Earth that is fleshly  
may be the cause  
of a thousand sweet content;  
But the defaults of a fleshly desire  
brings to the Soul  
many thousand sad torment;  
Be not proud presumptuous man,  
sith thou art a point so base,  
Of the least and lowest Element,  
which hath least and lowest place,  
Mark thy Fate, and thy State,  
which is only Earth and Dust,  
And as Grass, which alas  
shortly surely perish must.   

Let not the hopes of an Earthly desire  
bar thee the joys,  
of an earnest contentation,  
Nor let not thy eye on the world be so fixed  
to hinder thy heart▪  
from unfeigned recantation;  
Be not backward in that course  
that may bring thy Soul delight,  
Although another war may seem  
far more pleasant to thy sight;  
Do not go, if he says do,  
that knows the secrets of thy mind,  
Follow this, thou shalt not miss,  
an endless happiness to find.     

London, Printed by E. C. for F. Coles. ●. Vere. and J. Wright.