A Treasury of Divine Raptures, Epigrams · Epigrams C · Epigram 322 – Epigram 367
321. On Contentment.
THe fire Flies the ſphere, the Rivers roul
To th'Sea, the Load-ſtone turneth to his Pole:
The ſtone haſts to its center; even ſo
The heart ſhould long to be vnited to
Its 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 Butter-flies fine painted wings,
Which yet pollute our fingers? can there be
Fulneſs in emptineſs and vanity:
¶ Riches have wings, and Honour is but vain,
And worldly pleaſure often ends in pain:
Content without the world, is better then
The world without content to ſober men,
To have a handſome competent eſtate,
And no contentment, is a judgment great;
Competency with contentment is far
More eligible, then great Lordſhips are,
Content becalm's the mind, and baniſhes
Repining thoughts out of its Dioceſs:
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 riches are but lent:
Contentment is a flow'r not to be found
In ev'ry Garden, how we may abound
In midſt of want, by this we tutor'd are;
'Tis griefs Pan-pharmacon, the cure of care:
This in a deluge makes us even to ſing;
O 'tis an heav'nly and intrinſick thing!
Content, for ſervice fits, and tunes the heart,
To the wheels of the Soul doth oyl 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:
What-ever 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
Looſe by deſire, but by content are crown'd!
Contentment is a golden Shield that ſaves
The Soul; 'tis like a rock that breaks the waves,
It is an Antidote that doth expell
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 dealings, 'tis in goodneſs done:
A Chriſtian has that which may make him
Content, unleſs his ſpir't'al eyes be dim:
Hath not God giv'n 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 then we do
Confute our pray'rs, 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
Our ſelves, and holy valour doth infuſe.
It doth God▪s glory mightily advance,
And daſh the Devil out of countenance.
All croſs or bloudy providences ſhall
Doe 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 ord'…ing 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,
More danger, and it's reckoning is double:
The ſorrow here we meet with, ſhall not laſt,
Our hell, when we have ſhot Deaths gulfe, is paſt:
O what a dreadful judgment is aſſign'd,
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 Muſick well: All are concern'd
To learn this leſſon, which St. Paul once learn'd:
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 nat'ral 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 learnt Pauls leſſon of content;
Is ſilent, chearful, thankful, hath no bent
To run on ſin to free himſelf from woe;
Nor will he venture out till God bids goe:
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 leſs
Then 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, Medita…ion
On Heav'n, 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 freeze, if Ceres (belly-cheere)
And Bacchus (wine) make not a fire for her;
Prayer and Faſting is the Agnus caſtus,
And Lettice to cool luſt, which elſe may waſt 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 Heav'n take too much pain.
Thou haſt done well, yet go on ſtill, hold faſt,
See thou be always good, but beſt at laſt.
The tir'd Horſe when he comes neer home will mend
His pace, ſo thou when neer thy journeys 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 off; we live in the Leafs fall,
Some that ſeem'd beſt, have proved worſt of all:
Glorious profeſſors in their march to Heaven,
Have tir'd, to ſuch the Crown ſhall not be given:
Pray'r, hearing, holy conference (alas!)
Is left by ſuch as once made ſhew of grace:
He doth unravel all he did before,
Who in the middle of the work, gives o're,
Poſtates are the richeſt ſpoyles 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 follow'd well)
A thriving trade, O ſtrive therein t'excell;
¶ 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 crown'd:
¶ Tis better not to have the race begun,
Then to give over e're the prize be won.
Some have I ſeen who for their ſins have mourn'd
But ah their Spring is into Autumn turn'd;
They have left off working for Heav'n at laſt,
And like fair mornings, been ſoon over-caſt,
Have fall'n 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 then faints, looſeth the reward of Grace.
324. On a Contract.
THere is a contract paſt 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 Pray'rs that ſays thy will
Be done, and always doth his own fulfill;
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 ſtock'd,
Be not deceived, God will not be mock'd.
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 leſs 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 it ſelf, 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 beautifie)
'Gainſt which it vaunts a contrariety.
327. On Contribution
I Read the Ancients made oyl to be
The ſacred embleme of true Charity;
The golden oyl of contribution,
…ike A'rons oyl, 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 fulneſs dwells)
Commands to do good works, but grace compells.
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 begins,
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 deſerv'd hell-fire.
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 reclaime;
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 Spir…t 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,
Sayes the poor ſinner, Oh 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 ſolly 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 Gods 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 Byas naturally hell-ward rouls.
330. On Controverſie.
IN fundamental Truths be reſolute
And ſtable, he that falſhoods would confute,
Makes theſe his fixed Poles, whil'ſt Scepticks toſt
On controverſial ſeas, are giddi'd, loſt.
332. On Contumacy.
SElf-will'd we are by nature, if God pleaſe
He can pul 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 exercis'd 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 e're themſelves come there,
Shall we account them pure, whoſe converſation
Is not in Heaven, Gods Holy habitation;
But in hell rather, Satans dwelling place?
How juſtly may ſuch as are voyd 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 Frontiſpice,
It loves fair vertue, and abhors foul vice,
Grace like new wine, will have vent, cannot be
Concealed, the fruits do manifeſt the Tree,
Although within Religions 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 Gods Church, are ſparkling Diamonds.
Saints 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 bin
With God, ſo we in holineſs muſt ſhine.
Our carri'ge and deportment ſhould declare,
That of Heavens City, Burgeſſes we are.
And that we to Jeruſalem above
Are going, thorough the high-way of Love.
Sincer'ty in the heart as holy leaven,
Makes the heart to ſwell, & riſe as high as Heaven.
The upright man orders his converſation
Aright, and God will ſhew him his ſalvation.
Some brag they have good hearts, but their lives are
Crooked, they hope to go to heaven, but their
Foot-ſteps take hold of Hell, while Saints ſet on
Religions 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 characterize
A gracious heart, he good converſe doth prize.
2.
Lovers deſire before the marriage day
To chat together oft, 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 Touch-ſtone of converſation,
A moral, formal, mental, temporary,
Converſion many have, and yet miſcarry:
Rich mens converſion is hard and rare,
A ſound converſion is whole, ſincere,
Growing in grace, conſtant in holineſs,
Its 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 practice 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 Chriſts, 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 ſhews, the main end of the Law
Is to drive us to Chriſt, (Free-grace muſt draw)
Men may know ſin, not be convinc'd at all,
There's a conviction meerly 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 right'ouſneſs.
Conviction is Gods preparatory
To Faith, and ſo to everlaſting Glory.
The ſeed that wanted depth of earth decay'd,
Faith that is not in deep conviction laid,
Will wither 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 prize 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 imbrace
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 Chriſts terms, to believe
And obey, then is he fit to receive
The ſtreams of mercy, when Gods Spir't hath been
A Spirit of Conviction, it then
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 convinc'd, find in concluſion
Their comfort a Satannical deluſion.
337. On Convocation.
THere ſhall be a Convocati…n
Of all Saints at the great day,
To be crown'd with Salvation,
And to reign with Chriſt for ay.
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 gheſts, and Glory is their diſh,
A better Cook than Grace I would not wiſh.
341. On a Coop.
HEll is the Devils Coop Sinners run in,
But never can find the way out agin.
342. On a Co-partner.
IF of Chriſts 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 Copy-hold.
HEav'n is a Chriſtians Copy-hold more ſure
Than any, for it ever ſhall endure.
346. On a Copiſs.
SInners ſhall Copiſs-like be hewen down.
With Gods juſt Ax, 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 poys'nous 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 allay 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 out-brave it, O Death where
Is thy ſting! by the Word the ſpirits are
Reviv'd and chear'd; thus ev'ry 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 Deaths venom, when we die.
353. On a Core.
WE muſt take out the core of malice from
Our hearts, before we to Gods Table come
354. On Cork.
HOpe is the Cork that makes a Saint to ſwim
Above the floods, which elſe would ruine him
355. On a Cormorant.
HEll is a Cormorant, devouring all
The ſouls, that into Satans clutche; fall.
356. On Corn.
GOod Works are crown'd, 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 Corner-ſtone.
CHriſt is reſembled to a Corner ſtone;
The whole weight of the Fabrick lies upon
The Corner-ſtone, the weight of our ſalvation
Lies upon Chriſt, Chriſt is our ſuſtentation.
Chriſt is the real Atlas, his firm ſhoulders
Are of the Churches weight, the main upholders.
He is that golden Pillar bears up all
Th'Elect, and while he ſtands, they cannot fall.
The Corner-ſtone ev'n as a Medium doth
Firmly unite, and link together both
Parts of the building; ſo when God and man
At variance were, this Corner-ſtone again
United them, yea did cement them too,
With his own bloud, and more what could he do?
The Corner-ſtone is that which gives alway
Direction to the Builders, how to lay
And place all other ſtones; he in his ſight
Muſt have the Corner-ſtone, 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
Plac'd in the Corner, Chriſt is very fair,
The beauty of the ſpir'tual Manſion:
How rarely lovely is the precious Stone!
Chriſt who ſuſtains, unites, adorns, directs,
Excells 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 ſtiled Living Stones in ſacred Writ.
He is a Stone of Gods immediate laying;
He is a Corner-ſtone without decaying.
As faſt now, as he did at firſt, he cleaves;
He from the other ſtones no ſtrength receives.
Chriſt is a Corner-ſtone 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 Churches Cornerſtone.
The truth of Chriſts 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 Corner-ſtone
Of Grace, as well as of Salvation.
He's ſtrong though you be weak; recal to mind
The Corner-ſtone when you Church-tott▪ring… find▪
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 excells
All other precious Stones, all fulneſs dwells
In him, no noble qualities he wants,
O the great riches of Believing Saints!
O bleſs God for this precious Corner-ſtone,
Encourag'd be to build on him alone:
Prize 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 eſteem'd in elder days,
David would have it us'd to ſound Gods praiſ…
Now let us with our hearts our voices raiſe.
360. On a Colonel.
THe Colonel commandeth armed Bands,
How bleſt is he, who his own ſelf commands:
361. On Coronation.
AT Death a Chriſtian ſhall compleatly be
Inſtall'd into his honour, he ſhall ſee
God face to face, on him ſhall oyl be ſpread,
And the Crown-Royal ſet upon his head.
Saints of the Kingdom now are heirs renown'd,
Doth not the heir deſire to be crown'd?
And, oh, 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 Corps.
TIll God infuſe grace into us, we can
Nor feel, nor act, no 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 ſhews our ſon-ſhip, 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 Gods corroſives to eat
The proud fleſh out, the Stockfiſh being beat
Boils ſooneſt, gold is not the worſe for trying,
Nor corn for being fann'd; 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 begins to turn,
God whets it; when the Thorn is at the breſt,
The Saint, God's ſpir't'al Nightingale, ſings beſt.
God is fain to rub hard, we are ſo ſtain'd,
For to fetch out the dirt in us ingrain'd.
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 learnt t'obey.
365. On a Corrival.
THe Souls a Virgin, Chriſt and Satan wo her,
Chriſt to enrich her, Satan to undo her.
366. On a Corraſive.
THe Law muſt firſt corrode, and ſearch the wound,
Before the Goſpels balm can make it ſound.