DIVINE POEMS: Being MEDITATIONS Upon several Sermons, preached at Eckington in the County of Derby by Mr S. G.  
And put into Verse by WILLIAM WOOD of Eckington, Gent.  JUSTUS' VIVET FIDE DEUS PROVIDEBIT. 
יהוה  
I.Y.   printer's or publisher's device 
LONDON: Printed by WILL. Dugard for the Author. 1655.   

The Prologue.  

SOme trees grow green in hoary winter season,  
On this account, it's much I own to reason.  
Through age (alas) I almost want my sight,  
Yet mercy lends me intellectual light;  
Wherewith these following Fancies I did frame,  
Only to gratify my Maker's name.  
Let these receive your gracious mild reflection,  
Which represents my heart's entire affection.  
W. WOOD.    

DIVINE POEMS; Conceived Upon several Sermons delivered at Eckington in the County of Derby by Mr S. G. upon these ensuing Texts of holy Scripture.  

GEN. 45. 24. See that ye fall not out by the way.  

AFter afflicted Joseph was enlarged,  
From pit, from prison, and the stocks discharged,  
By the unfolding Pharaoh's double dream,  
Which to his wizards wonderful did seem.  
He was advanced to a Viceroy's state,  
Maugre his Mr's lewd libidinous hate:  
He sat the second, on the Regal Throne,  
Prime in Commission, save the King alone:  
And (under God) next Pharaoh, was head,  
Lord Providore of Egypt store for bread.  
Joseph's incensed Brethren through his Dreams,  
By death Conspired to execute their spleens:  
Reuben and Judah's pity did restrain  
Their brethren's rage, else Joseph had been slain.  
Out of that plot, which was to spill his blood,  
To Jacob's seed there sprung a world of good.  
Joseph by providence, was sold, and sent,  
A fearful famine early to prevent.  
The general dearth, was so far overspread,  
That aged Israel, for his house, vows bread.  
His sons to Egypt, they must post with speed,  
To buy some corn for to supply their need:  
Who when they came to Joseph, soon were known:  
Yet him they knew not, no nor him could own.  
After some parley had betwixt them past,  
Joseph (himself) descrie's thus at the last,  
Forthwith commands, all should departed the room;  
Then near unto him bids his brethren come;  
Joseph I am, whom erst ye did entrap,  
At which they start, as at a thunderclap:  
Their guilty Conscience, did them so convict,  
They feared, they Judge, his Judgement would be strict:  
The storm o'erpast, the sunshine doth appear,  
The clouds do vanish, and the welkin's clear:  
Instead of vengeance, mildly he doth melt,  
Remit's, forgive's their bypast rage and guilt;  
He drown's his passion with a shower of tears,  
He weeps for joy, and doth expel their fears:  
When Joseph was dispatching them from thence,  
With love he charms them to avoid offence,  
Wisely forewarning, thus to them doth say,  
See ye agree, fall not out by the way.  
He had great cause to know their late condition,  
Their Emulation, envy, and ambition.  
He knew and feared, that they would Emulate,  
His darling brother Benjamin's estate:  
In any wise (quoth he) observe I pray,  
Fall ye not out, nor brawl ye by the way:  
Ye that are shepherds, peaceful by your calling,  
As sheep be harmless, let their be no brawling:  
Ye that are strangers in your enemy's Land  
Let them not hear you jar, at any hand.  
Ye that are Brothers, Sons to one self Father,  
See that ye keep the League of love the rather.  
Ye that do worship one, no other gods,  
Be all as one, see that there be no odds.  
Ye Patriarches, the hopes of numerous Nations,  
The root, and branches of blessed generations,  
Fall ye not out, in passing on the way  
Your City ye shall see another day.  
Ye have no Mansion here, nor certain rest,  
Your City is above amongst the blessed.  
Joseph's sage caution which he gave his Brothers  
May haply be applied to us and others,  
The nearest, and the dearest of relations  
Seldom observe religious obligations.  
Wee'reover weening, wedded to our will,  
Reason can have no room, but's outed still;  
We are divided, rend, and torn asunder,  
Become a byword and Europa's wonder:  
Our inbred wrangles, thwarting disposition,  
Makes sober men to hold us in derision:  
The Saint's communion, Lord, let us enjoy,  
Bung up their mouths, which Zions peace destroy.    

Cant. 1. 4. Draw me, we will run after thee.  

THe Church her Christ doth fervently petition  
And promiseth concurrent expedition;  
But being helpless, impotent, and poor  
Assisting grace she humbly doth implore:  
As of ourselves (she grants) no strength we have  
To ask aright, to invocate, or crave:  
Therefore (dejected) thus her Lord doth move,  
Draw me, O draw me, with thy cords of love:  
Instruct me Lord, then shall I be instructed,  
Led, guide, and guard me, I shall be conducted;  
Turn me, dear Lord, then turned shall I be,  
From wicked ways, to run yet after thee:  
Convert me Lord, and then converted I  
Shall be, thy mercy for to magnify:  
Constrain me with thy love, my dove, my sweet,  
Shake off sins snares shackling my lingering feet;  
Delay not Lord, make haste to mend my speed,  
For thin's the power alone to do the deed;  
In thy books volume with thy Spirit's own quill,  
It's written, Lord, that I should do thy will.  
This task, though hard to frailty, I would do,  
If thou my will make willing thereunto;  
bend and incline my heart, my feet and hands,  
To will, work, run, and do as thou commands,  
And what thy will commands, whilst life lends breathe  
Mine must obey it, on the pain of death.  
O that thy Sceptre, in my soul might sway,  
Then would my will wait on thee in thy way.  
If thou my Lord, my Loadstone, and my love,  
Deign thus to draw me, others I will move,  
And we will run most cheerfully thy race,  
No stop nor stay shall impedite our pace.  
Not as Competitors of like degree,  
But humble handmaids meekly after thee:  
My fellow virgins (with me) I will draw,  
To run the lists that's boundred by the law:  
And lest through negligence we should offend,  
With burning lamps the Bridegroom we'll attend;  
And we will emulate, with holy strife,  
Who shall run foremost in a virtuous life.  
Let thy precedence be our imitation,  
Our rule for life and holy conversation.  
The race here run is not corporeal  
But heart's devotion, which is spiritual:  
From Earth to heaven besides thee we have none  
Can be our Convoy saving thee alone:  
No slavish, servile servant, but the free,  
And filial can fitly follow thee;  
No sprightless drone that's dull in his desires  
Can pass heavens narrow way through thorns and briers.  
there's no respect of persons, Lord, with thee,  
But hearts obeying best run after thee;  
Not after vain delights and worldly lust,  
But after thee which art our stay and trust;  
Not after blasted honours, flitting wealth,  
But after thee which art our saving health:  
Not after terrene trash, that's transitory;  
But after thee, the Prize, a Crown of glory.    

Psalm. 4. 4. Stand in awe, and sin not; Commune with your own heart; and in your Chamber, and be still.  
These ensuing Poems were conceived by the Author without the help of a Sermon.  

STand, in this place, serve's aptly to this end  
For to affright us, lest we God offend:  
Stand here impli'es a general Command;  
A mandate, signed by some Supreme hand:  
A warning-piece, whose thunderlike report  
The sons of men from sinning doth dehort.  
In standing stand we tremblinglie in awe,  
Dreading through sin to violate God's Law:  
If fiend, and flesh, the world would all withdraw thee,  
Yet let these Cautions always over-awe thee.  
If any by these caveats, grace shall gain,  
Let And be linked to this virtuous chain:  
Sin not, lest that, thou Crucify again  
The Lord of life, which for thy sins was slain:  
Sin not, but back with speed in time retire,  
Else death's thy wage, thy guerdon, and thy hire.  
Commune, Confer, keep constant Consultation  
With thine own heart, which knows thy conversation.  
Let an Enquiry be by Inquisition  
Betwixt our hearts and us, of our condition.  
Endeavour this with all thy Industry,  
With mindful heart perform it heartily:  
And with thy heart keep reckoning day by day,  
And so thy debt more easy is to pay.  
We have this adage at our finger's ends,  
That oft accountants long continue friends.  
On other's faults, forbear, surcease to treat,  
Thy heart at home can work thee till thou sweat:  
Admit no Inmates in thy heart to dwell,  
As vain desires and lusts, which aye rebel.  
Both grace and virtue freely entertain,  
For by such guests thou shalt be sure to gain:  
Stand not on Stages for to be admired,  
Such ostenation is not here required:  
Thy Chamber sighs sent from an honest heart  
God will accept, and take them in good part:  
Our Closet thoughts conceived in Secrecy  
Omniscient God reward's them openly.  
In loud high thunder, such distracting noise  
God did not come, but in the low still voice;  
When Solomon God's sacred house did rear  
Then all was still, no hammering in the ear.  
Be Still, these words may plainly bear the sense,  
Of Peace, Rest, Quiet, suffering Patience,  
Pursuing good, eschewing that is ill,  
In every virtue to be frequent still.  
If this discourse fits not for explication  
To fast from sin (Still) hits th'interpretation.    

Upon a Sermon delivered a: Derby, before the Judges of Assize; March the 8th. 1652. upon the ensuing Text.  
PSALM. 77. 20. Thou leddest thy people like a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron.  

PROLOGUE.  
The Judge that judgeth all terrene estates,  
Send's an Ambassage to his Delegates:  
And by his Nuntio, here doth represent  
A limb of Israel's antique government:  
Alluding to the flocks will not be led,  
Nor by their Pastors in fresh pastures fed.   

DAvid dejected, tempted to despair,  
Rouzeth his faith, looks back on God's great care;  
Recovering Comfort, in this place, recite's  
God's deal with his dearest Israelites:  
How that he led them by the faithful hand  
Of special trusties; through their enemy's land:  
In leading them thou didst not dog nor drive;  
By furious force, nor flock, nor fleece can thrive.  
Moses and Aaron had God's substitution,  
To put his works and will in execution.  
They were his Instruments, his mediate hand  
Went in and out before his chosen band.  
Moses for Eminence he held the chair,  
The charge of souls was left to Aaron's care.  
Moses was Magistrate and swayed the sword,  
Aaron dispenser of the Sacred Word:  
Both were installed by God's immediate hand;  
Without these twain, nor Church nor State can stand:  
The Lord is founder, and chief Corner Stone  
Of governments; the power is his alone.  
The Ministry cannot promulge the word,  
Unless supported by the secular sword:  
Moses and Aaron jointly both together;  
All's off the hooks where there is want of either.  
Moses (though meek) was Captain for Conduction,  
Aaron was ghostly Father for Instruction.  
The Charge in Chief it was for preservation,  
As food, and raiment, and like reparation;  
Not only so, but for the flocks protection  
From ravenous wolves, rot, scab, and such infection,  
Order and union; hence may be collected,  
(which in these dangerous days is much neglected)  
These are the Master-props, of Church and State,  
Which cherished sweet peace doth propagate.  
Our text may tolerate this application  
there's many straggling strays within this Nation,  
Many blind guides, in these dogmatic days,  
Leads captive souls into pernicious ways.  
Many escapes which start out of the fold,  
By word nor sword that will not be controlled;  
For want of Discipline and due correction  
People perverse are pestered with infection.   

EPILOGUE.  
My honoured Lords, advanced to Moses place,  
Mercy with judgement see ye interlace;  
Spare the Subjected, debellate the strong,  
Support your flocks from violence and wrong:  
Supplant ill weeds, that spread in every place,  
Which let's the growth of the good Herb of Grace.    

Upon a Sermon delivered upon the occasion of the Rain descending in June and July. 1652.  
PSAL. 147. 7, 8. Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving: sing praises upon the harp unto our God: Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth: who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.  

O Let the people of all sorts and ranks,  
Unto our God sing prais, with giving thanks:  
Sing to the Harp, with David's spirit, and voice,  
And let the hearts of all the earth rejoice.  
Sing and resing unto the King of Kings,  
Which hath revived all vegetable things.  
The God of mercies, of his great good will,  
On barren earth, makes Clouds drop fatness still:  
With wonderment, we well may sing, and say.  
Our June and July's turned into May:  
Those wont withering months, men use to mow,  
Our grass did then both freshly spring and grow.  
Let's magnify our God with public praise,  
With Psalms, and Hymns, and Hallelujahs.  
When Tellus was dismantled of her green,  
And on our Sunburnt soil small grass was seen,  
Then Earth's inhabitants aghast did stand,  
Dreading a fearful famine through this land.  
We wretched worldlings, have a faithless Crew,  
Which do despair, unless all things ensue  
According to their gaping expectation,  
They whine, repine, with grudging murmuration.  
Others there are depend on nature's will,  
Thinking the clouds do constantly distil  
Their Influence; sans Providence Divine;  
This their belief, shall be no Creed of mine,  
For we by Sacred writ, do understand,  
The clouds, God's bottles, are within his hand,  
And when those sponges he shall please to wring,  
We earthlings here, expect a fruitful spring.  
Behold, vain man, with eyes of purblind reason,  
God's open hand comes never out of season:  
He send's his former and his later rains,  
Thy herds with grass, thy life with bread sustain's:  
When man with diffidence is most despairing,  
The cloudy heavens give's hope that rain's preparing;  
When we conclude we're starved, undone, forlorn,  
God's fair Inheritance abound's with corn;  
Not in low vales alone, but Mountain tops,  
With laughter and great joy, we reap our Crops.  
Bless me; the bounty of God's liberal hand,  
With admiration hath enriched this land.  
If wine, oil, raiment, food for life be scant;  
Contents a feast, can satiate all want.  
What shall we render for our preservation,  
Our breath, our being, life, and sustentation?  
Let us with exultation, sound his praise,  
That feeds us, clothe's us, lengthen's out our days:  
Rejoice, (I say) I say again rejoice;  
Let us lift up our heads, hearts, hands, and voice.  
Lord let it be our Constant resolutions,  
To land thy love, for all thy distributions.    

JOHN 1. 8. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  

IF we or ye, if all of us or any,  
'Mongst the unstable Crowd of Earth's ill many;  
With arrogance dare say, we have no sin,  
He sin's, and wretchedly offends therein,  
For at the best they are but self-deceivers,  
bereavest of truth, deluded, false believers.  
The Saints illustrious, vessels of perfection,  
They do not brag nor boast of self-perfection;  
But are of meekly garb; amongst these we  
Stand not on points of self-integritie,  
But grant, if that we say, we have no sin,  
Ourselves we cheat, we have no truth within.  
Our saints in show, puffed up with inspiration,  
These finless sort disclaim all Condonation:  
This Paradox is of so deep a die,  
The best condemn't, they all adjudged a lie.  
A cloud of Penitents we may recount,  
Whose excellencies our best acts surmount,  
And these by Invocation did not lin  
To supplicate God's mercy for their sin,  
The best of saints their hands were oft unclean,  
Even as a menstruous cloth, defiled, obscene.  
we need not travel far, to start the crew  
Of some that are as naught, as they are new,  
Who dare disturb the Pastor in's devotions,  
And in great Congregations cause commotions.  
Affront the Magistrate, even to his face,  
Thwart him with terms of overmuch disgrace,  
By works, and words, the better we may ken,  
To segregate these Sects from sober men;  
They're heady, giddy, constant as the wind,  
To every cavilling fallacy inclined,  
Blasphemers, boasters, proud, and insolent,  
Despising order, Civil Government:  
By these and other spots they are well known,  
To be a tribe that truth will never own.  
These thus perverted lately did begin  
To hold this tenet, that they have no sin.  
The Saints in virtue, which did aye excel,  
This heinous heresy condemned to hell;  
The General Councils with considerate ire  
Adjudged these crimes to be calcined with fire.  
Ye that so boast of spirit to be brim full,  
Which say ye have no sin, yourselves ye gull.  
Come all ye miss, erring, gross mistakers,  
Vain glorious Ranters, or censorious Quakers;  
Bring all your tricks, your toys and wrested sleights,  
Let's poise them by the Sanctuaries weights.  
Lord, if we sin against thee and offend,  
(For who sin's not, that here his days doth spend?)  
Wash me, O wash nee throughly from my sin,  
Blood, and pollution which I wallowed in.  
If sinful I myself shall justify  
My mouth condemns me, giveth me the lie:  
He that's nost just hath failings, oft doth fall,  
On Earth he lives not that sin's not at all:  
Here may we add these useful short digressions,  
Two to the temple went to make Confessions;  
Pride and Humility go both to pray,  
But differently, the clean contrary way;  
The Pharisee, the Publican despised,  
His own good works and alms he highly prized:  
The publicans low posture, and Contrition  
Obtained grace, when pride had no remission.  
This is that sin huled Lucifer from heaven,  
Which is most capital amongst the seven:  
This is the sin of Serpentines device,  
Ejected Adam out of Paradise:  
These Luciferian sons and heirs of Pride  
Are not at height till Demi-deified.  
Now to close up as we did first begin,  
We with Saint Paul conclude all's under Sin.    

1 JOHN. 3. 9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin: for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.  

BEtwixt this present and precedent Text  
Many perverted are, and much perplexed:  
The first is, If we say we have no Sin,  
We do deceive our selus, no truth's within;  
This, He that's born of God commit's no Sin,  
He cannot sin, his seed remain's within:  
This is the substance of this twofold Text,  
Though some words want, others for feets annexed.  
Some rash precipitants of late discover,  
And give it out, those texts do thwart each other:  
Some overweeners' sleight all sound direction,  
Oppose all truth which soothe's not their affection;  
Some rudely read, wanting all sage sobriety  
Conclude that twixt these Texts there's contrariety:  
To carnal eyes though these seem opposite,  
The spirit of truth doth friendly counite.  
None ever yet that lived in Earth's vast round,  
But Adam's spot within his flesh was found.  
He that by natural birth is born of God  
Commit's no sin, so need's not dread his rod,  
No, there was none in all the Earth but one  
Which is our Saviour Jesus Christ alone:  
Some few there are 'mongst every Tribe and Nation  
That mercy sealed by Regeneration:  
Of such 'tis said, that they commit no sin,  
Because they hate and loath to live therein:  
Others averse to these thats neighbours nigh,  
As those with solace, work iniquity,  
And these are they, whose faculty and frame,  
Do boast of ill, whose glory is their shame;  
These are enamoured, as Pigmation was  
One his stone statue lively limned lafs;  
These make of sin their trade and occupation,  
Their sport, their pastime, mirth and recreation,  
Their business traffic, and the sole affairs,  
Live in't and on't, and do abandon cares:  
And in this sense 'tis said, he cannot sin,  
Unless consent, conjoin, comply therein:  
Many are miss, many go awry,  
The best do fail, but fall not finally:  
He cannot sin a Sin to condemnation,  
That hath the earnest of his own Salvation,  
He cannot sin to death in any case,  
That is protected by preventing grace:  
When hope seemed helpless, in the greatest need,  
God hath reserved in his a holy seed.  
On barren soils we see few fruits are seen,  
Engrafted grace in God's time will grow green;  
Though in the root no sap seems visibly,  
Yet grace all seeming wants can well supply;  
The seed of grace at spring will fructify,  
Though with Sin's storms it perish seeminglie.    

2 PET. 1. 9 We have also a more sure word of Prophecy whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn, and the day stor arise in your hearts.  

TH' Apostle for himself, and's fellow Jews,  
Send's to his Churches sure and certain news;  
Debate's the evidence of revelation,  
Upon the case of Christ's transfiguration.  
He strongly back's his Message and assertion,  
Confirm's his babes begotten by Conversion;  
What he and others heard, and saw with eye,  
Holds not so sure as word by prophecy;  
Moses and all the Prophet were of old,  
Their Laws are all in Court of heaven enrolled;  
Their verity hath vauquished all denials,  
Like purest gold sustained the fiery trials;  
The scrupulous Jews do mutually consent  
Unto the truths, in the old Testament;  
The Maxim which doth credit this the most,  
is the Dictator, was the Holy Ghost;  
The scope, and drift, of this asseveration  
doth ratify Messiah's Incarnation:  
Next he commends their diligential heed,  
Their practic part, in that they hear or read;  
And here forewarn's, that superficially  
They do not read, but with a single eye;  
Withal implies, that some are childlike bold,  
Call for new Lessons ere they have learned the old.  
Here with some sorts of lights of various shine,  
Some dark and dim, and some more crystalline;  
Our Fathers saw but by a shadowed light,  
We have the sun shine that perspicuous light;  
They had the dawning, We the morning star;  
We saw it home, but they remote and far.  
In this our day let us so act our parts,  
Until Aurora rise within our hearts;  
That after our few days so transitory,  
This star may steer us to the sun in glory.    

EZEK. 36. 26. And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I well give you an heart of flesh.  

WWen Israel had by graceless provocation  
Deserved God's wrath and angry indignation,  
By joining with the heathen of those times,  
In idols service such nefarious crimes,  
Mercy, in room of Judgement God did render,  
Because his mercy always is most tender:  
He takes away, remove's their heart of stone,  
Instead thereof give's them a fleshly one:  
How this hard heart is aptly Qualified  
With weak expressions shall be specified.  
A stone is dark, and suiteth with the night,  
Cannot discern, because it lack's the light:  
A stone ponderous, downward doth descend  
Unto Earth's Centre, that's its proper end;  
A stone that's cold, may heated be by fire,  
But from its heat, to coldness will retire;  
A stone hath many properties beside,  
Sans means of grace cannot be mollified.  
The heart of stone which now we have in hand  
Will not obey, nor learn to understand;  
This stony heart it hath been hammered oft,  
By preaching, teaching, yet will not be soft;  
Though massy hammers violently have knocked it,  
Nor force, nor fire can break, no nor decockt it.  
We will pass by a while this heart of stone,  
And view the New, I mean the Fleshsly One:  
The heart of flesh is fearful to offend,  
It's humble, lowly, will both bow and bend;  
This is the wounded, weeping, bleeding heart,  
Pricked with compunction, suffereth grievous smart;  
This heart of flesh assiduously relenteth,  
And therewithal unfeignedly repenteth;  
This heart of flesh it is the sacred Inn  
Which welcome's grace, and shut's the doors of Sin;  
This heart's a harbour, refuge for devotions,  
Which entertain's all pious spiritual motions;  
'Tis up heaped happiness to be thus hearted,  
The joy's expresseless, for to be Converted.  
What God can do, and what he doth, and how,  
It fitly follow's knowingly to know:  
What God can do, we see in the Creation,  
With wonderment, exceeding admiration.  
He was sole Artifex and Architector,  
The mighty God, the powerful prime protector;  
In Heaven and Earth, and in the depths, called Seas  
He will's, he work's, he can do what he please,  
For in his hands he holds the hearts of Kings,  
Floods, hills, high mountains, and all earthly thin  
And what God doth by his especial grace  
Doth fitly follow, in this second place:  
we'll instance Esau's thirst for Jacob's blood,  
God turns his heart, and pacifie's his mood,  
Heaven still's his rage, Esau grows remiss,  
They're reconciled, united with a kiss,  
Jacob at every beck calls Esau lord,  
Jacob's smooth posture sheath's rough Esau's sword.  
The thief in theft that all his life had spent,  
Christ grant's his suit with grace for to repent;  
This was the Wondrous work of God the Lord  
Such semblant mercy truth doth not record.  
Was not that marvel marvellous, passing strange.  
Soul's bloody heart so suddenly to change;  
A Persecuter, to become a Preacher,  
The high-priests tyrant should so soon turn teach  
In the last place, it serve's for sound direction,  
To humble hearts from obstinate affection:  
And for this Cure some Cordials are proposed,  
That stony hearts may better be difposed;  
The first is humble, pure, sincere contrition,  
Which never vows a promise of remission;  
The burning heart, inflamed with fire of love,  
This antidote all hardness doth remove;  
The heart obdurate that resisteeh good,  
None can dissolve it, but our Saviour's blood;  
The heart must suffer pruning by excision,  
Before it's capable of safe condition;  
To hurl down hardest holds, the Sacred Word  
More powerful is than either fire or sword.    

ECCLES. 12. 1. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.  

WHen Solomon was vested in his Throne,  
Sole, supreme, Sovereign, Regent Lord alone,  
He craved wisdom, did the same obtain,  
And therewithal an Indian stock of gain:  
Honour did homage and attend his Throne;  
Riches advanced him, more than any one;  
He gave his heart to gladness, and to folly,  
Madness did medicine his Melancholy;  
Lets loose the rains, unto all sensual lust,  
Pampered his  to delight his gust;  
Dainty, delicious vians, fowls, and fish  
A liberal portion, in a lordly dish;  
Plays, masks, and motions, did bewitch his sight,  
with numerous Concubines he spent the night;  
Such Minstrelsy as the enchanted ear  
Of roaring Revelists did never hear;  
He and she Singers, with melodious notes  
Like Philomela, came warbling from their throats;  
Psaltries, and Cymbals, stringed Instruments,  
Enchanting music for his solacements:  
In stately Structures he was Most luxurious,  
In Robes and Raiments gallant, extreme curious:  
Gardens like Eden, Fruits and Flowers for pleasure,  
Vast minerals of Gold and Silver Treasure:  
When with these fond delights his heart had done,  
He thus concludes, All's vain beneath the Sun.  
Thus glutted with imaginary Joys,  
His vexed spirit disclaimed these terrene toys.  
Let this suffice by way of Introduction,  
This serve's for serious, solid, sound Instruction;  
Remember (here) implies the Moral Law,  
The Decalogue to keep mankind in awe:  
The Law as in a glass, doth clear reflect,  
What we should act, and what we should neglect.  
Remember thy Creator, in thy strength,  
Whiles thou art plump, and young, and life hath length,  
Not in decrepit, feeble, doting days,  
When faculties shall fail, to sound his prais:  
Things of concernment, our immortal state  
Must be remembered early, not to late:  
'Tis dangerous to defer until to morrow,  
One days delay may cause eternal sorrow.  
On pain of death do not procrastinate  
Lest barred of entrance at the marriage gate.  
Remember now thy Span, thy petty Space,  
Whiles thou hast Sparing in the day of grace:  
It were ingratitude of high degree,  
For to forget the cause created thee:  
I mean the Mighty God, the grand Creator  
Of the fair frame, of all the world's theatre:  
Who in six days did consummate the same,  
That all his works might magnify his name.  
Man was the masterpiece of God's Creation,  
Made marvelouflie, surpassing admiration.  
God in's good time, in the creating season,  
Endued man with understanding reason;  
He breathed in him an everliving Spirit,  
On terms of Service Heaven for to inherit:  
But Man thus made, was lost, whom mercy found,  
Only Christ's blood can cure his mortal wound.    
FINIS.