The Young Mans Monitor, Chapter 11 – Poem 8
CHAP. XI. The Conclusion of the whole by way of Exhortation.
ANd now what hinders, but that all this might be willingly imbraced, faithfully practised, the life of grace cordially espoused, and your Souls for ever saved? Your Friends they desire it. Your own everlasting welfare is bound up in it. And God himself from Heaven calls unto you for it. What answer can you now tender; but as Christ in the Psalms? Loe I come to do thy will oh God! Concluding with the Father; *Dignus plane …st morte, qui tibi Christe! recusat vivere. Bern.He were justly worthy to be cut off by death; that should refuse, on such sweet terms to close with a gracious life.
Oh! require not the Lord, and your own Souls, so unkindly. Give not your years to vanity, nor your precious time to that which will not comfort in the end. Sins in Youth, will most certainly become sorrows in Age. It is usually said; *Iaveni parandum; seni uterdum. Sen.Youth laies in, and Age lives upon it. The one sows, the other reaps. Oh! sow that now, which may be worth the reaping afterwards.
How loth would you be to have your own life now, become your death hereafter? To have the foolish sins of your Youth, to stand between you, and your everlasting real happiness? Your present vain pleasures made your arraignment, your condemnation, your utter undoing in the day of Judgement? This would prove like the Roman Souldiers Grapes; short pleasures, sorry pleasures, joyless pleasures; dearly bought, and dearly paid for.
Thus might you feather the Arrow that wounds you from your own wing; and in the end sit down with that sad number, who all the year long sigh over this doleful note;†foreign Chry. For a few short pleasures have we purchased to our selves, innumerable, and everlasting torments.
Well; however, I pray know you cannot be so slighty, so careless now: but you shall be as solemn, and perplexed then. *Oh peccata, peccata! duin suadetis ungitis; cum suasistis pungitis. Aug.Sin cannot please so much in the commission: but it will torment far more, when it comes to be suffered for, and the Sinner to be brought forth to execution.
Go Christless before the Lord, and there shall be no Parent there able, or willing to countenance you; no excuse there to be made for you; no hope, no comfort left in your own consciences to relieve you. Oh! treasure not up to your selves wrath, against that day, that dreadful day of wrath.
How tremendous, and heart-piercing are the Examples which God hath set as so many flaming swords before you; that you might take timely warning, and not rush upon your own destruction? Ishmael scoffs at Religion, and is cast out of his Fathers house, and the house of God for ever. Absalom proves rebellious against his Parents, and shortens his own life untimely by it. The Children mock the Prophet, and die under the fierce anger of the Lord, while they are doing of it.
I tell you Sirs, God will be avenged of Children, as well as Elder people; of poor, of rich, of any, if they shall dare to sin against him. Let not the Devil deceive you, oh! slatter not your selves. These things hath God written for the particular admonition of young people, and will expect that you should bear them in mind. Oh! lay such memorials upon your hearts, and receive instruction from them.
But if after all, any of you should be secretly unwilling; and all this counsel from the Lord, should be a burden, and weariness unto you: you must then once more go with me to the door of the Tabernacle, that I may there reason further with you before the Lord.
And truly I must now even heartily chide with you. Oh Sirs! do but consider what you do. How unreareasonable, how unrighteous it is. How unanswerable, how unsafe it is like to prove.
Will you have Bibles, and will you not believe them? Will you be called Christians, and will you live like Heathens? Have you immortal souls *Anima insiguis Dei imagine, illustris sinulitadine, habet in sese quo admoncatur, &c. Aug. Med.shining with such bright raies of the sacred Image of God upon them; and will you needs wilfully damn them? Hath God given you religious Parents, tender of you, as of the apple of their own eye; and will you not be counselled by them? Are you resolved to be a shame to your Friends in Life, and a terrour to your selves in Death? Can it possibly enter into your minds, to think, that ever any good will come of sinful courses? Or that ever you should have cause to repent your selves of any thing heartily done in obedience to the Commands of God, for the good of your Souls? Hath God solemnly sworn, The soul that sinneth, (be he who he will) that soul shall die; and can you suppose, he will break his word for you? Can you so much as imagine, that the most holy God, who is a God of pure eyes, and hateth iniquity, can you any way encourage your selves to hope, that he will open Heaven Gates at the last day, to the impenitent, to the ungodly, who scorn their duty, who slight their mercy? Do you expect a new day of Grace, when this is gone; that you make such waste of your present time? Do you think everlasting burnings are so easily undergone, that you make such slow haste to flee from the wrath that is to come? Is it not enough, that you were born in iniquity; but you will stubbournly die in your sins also?
Nay then, Ichabod, Ichabod; your glory, and our hopes are both departed. Sons of Belial (against all the sweet counsels of God to the contrary) will you needs wretchedly make your selves? Children (as the *foreign Ausque jugo; qui jugum salutavis doctrinae, & discipline. excussit. Glass. Homo nequain; neque rei, neque frugis bo ae. Diusius, &c.word too sadly imports) that have broken the yoke, becoming henceforth altogether unprofitable, both to your selves, and others; never likely to emerge, or rise more to any glory.
Then may Satan justly enough take up his taunt, and triumph; (as the Father represents it) †Non tuus est servus, oh Iesu! sed meus; quae mea sunt, cogi…at, agitat. Ambros…He a Servant of thine? No, Lord! It is my work, that he all the day does; it is my sinful motions, he chiefly delights in. There can be no plea made for him. He is (whatever he may vainly think of himself) not thine, but mine.
Yea, then your Parents (though loth such words should ever come from them) will be enforced to cry out; How have we brought forth to the grave, and our breasts given suck to the Destroyer? Then may Davids mourning be heard again in their Tents; Oh Absalom! my Son, my Son! how art thou fallen, and dying, as the sinful dieth; in the crimson guilt, the bloudy gore of all thy sins! At these sad rates are the righteous counsels of the Lord rejected, and set at nought.
But ere we thus part, I pray know, It is no less than Life, or Death, that now stands before you, waiting for your Yea, or Nay. It is so small, or inferiour matter, of little moment, of light consequence, that you are now to give your answer in. It is Heaven, it is Eternal life; I need say no more, it is your own happiness for ever, and ever; how can you turn your backs upon it?
Yea, further know, there have been those among the poor Heathens, that never durst think thus lightly of sin, as you do. They alwaies held it the greatest evil, and *Peccati dolor, & maximus, &. eternus …. Cicer.the sorrows of it the heaviest sorrows in the whole world. There have been tender hearted Ninevites, that have come to God at one call, and gladly closed with their own mercy. And there yet are at this day (how backward soever you may be) thousands filially returning as the Prodigal, with tears of joy to their Fathers house; longing for him, and welcome to him; going where there is (what they, and you likewise want) Bread of life, and change of Rayment▪ that you might be cloathed. Oh why should you stand out against such sweet mercy, and harden your selves so unnaturally, to your own destruction?
You might yet further know, (though it will be sad enough to know it) there is never a Companion of yours, with whom you have now sinned; but shall be ready to witness against you. Never a leaf in all your Bible; but shall be enough to condemn you. *To! con… in…ar testibus, quot me unquam monuivicat. Anselm. Med.Ministers, Parents, Friends, and Foes shall all come forth against you. And oh! how cutting will it be, to be made a spectacle of scorn to God, to Angels, and to Men? How wounding to thy astonished heart to become an everlasting By word, upbraided of all, pitied of none. It is the condition (will they say) that he hath long ago deserved; and let him bear it. This (as *foreign Basil.an holy man rightly observed,) will make thy load, and burden heavy indeed.
Yea, God himself, who here hath wooed, and so often, so long, even waited to be gracious, shall then †Tu justus Iudex signans peccata; siluisti, patiens, suisli, Va mihi, demum loqueris, quasi parturiens. Aug. Med.set every sin in order before you, and make your guilty Consciences with everlasting blushings to own them.
Then (saies the Father) shall it be said in the audience of Heaven and Earth; *Ecce homo, & opera ejus. Bern.Behold the man, and all that ever he did; let it be had in everlasting remembrance, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
Then shall your selves also look back upon that dear Salvation that you have negligently lost; that wretched misery that you have wilfully brought upon your selves, and sinke down with heart-breaking sighs, and horrour at the Bar of Christ. Then may you be ready to take your last leave of all comfort, and say; Farewell my day of Grace, which is now gone, and never more to shine upon such a wretch as I am. Come in all ye my hainous sins, and the bitter remembrance of you. *—Assiduis circumvolat alis Saeva dies animi seclerumque in pectore Dirae. Stat.The Lord hath sent you to stand as adversaries of terrour round about me. Sting, as so many fiery Serpents in this bosome of mine, and spare not. Oh! that you might have leave to make an utter end, and rid me out of all my pain.
Oh how will the tears trickle down, to see the Lord so gracious, so loving to others; and yet so justly severe, and full of indignation towards you! To see those that prayed, while you slept; that so willingly kept the Lords Sabbaths, while you as constantly profaned them; to see those that …isely redeemed that time, which you so lavishly wasted; to see those very persons, so well known to you, (it may be your near acquaintance,) in the Kingdom of God, and your selves shut out.
Then, though never till then, will the heart that hath held out as long as ever it could, begin to falter and fail. Then shall the lips break forth with that righteous acknowledgment, I am undone, undone for ever; and my destruction is of my self.
Oh my dear Friends? my bowels even yearn for you. Hast thou but one blessing? oh my Father! bless our Young People, even them also, that they may turn to thee, and live.
But I cannot thus leave you. My Errand, I confess, is now even done: but your duty henceforth to be taken up, and still carefully carried on. I may justly say of this whole Letter, (as once the *Habes a patre munus, marce sili! quod perinde erit, ut acceperis. Cicer.Roman Oratour well said to his Son,) It will be of more, or less service to you, as you make it truly practicable in the sequel of your life.
Counsel stored by us in Books, and neglected in life; it is like the co… vetous mans bags of Gold, which lie wholly dead, and no good use made of them.
Suffer me then once more, for greater sureness sake, to rehearse my Message again unto you.
It is you, Dear Youths! to whom I am (as the *Ad vos, meus serv…o, oh Iuve…es! slos etatis, &c. Aug.Father affectionately said) in this Paper to apply my self: It is you who have yet seen but the third hour of the day, with whom the Message (whether it lives, or whether it dies) must now be finally left.
You are desired in the higest Name that can be used, in the Name of the great and most glorious God, who made the Heavens, and the Earth, and gave you that breath▪ you breathe between your Nostrils; You are desired in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, who freely shed his precious bloud in a readiness to redeem, and cleanse you from all your sins; You are desired in this great and dreadful Name, and by all the respect you bear unto it, to remember your Creator in the daies of your Youth. You are desired to strive to enter in at the straight Gate. You …e desired to accept the richest, the gre…est gift, that God himself ever b…stows upon any, his own dear Son. You are desired to be kind to your own Souls, and to lay up a good foundation ag…inst times to come. You are desired to come and live with God for ever.
Dear Youths! what do you purpose to do in this great matter? These are not Requests to be slighted, these are not Requests to be denied. Such a capacity for mercy, how would the damned prize it! oh! let not the living set light by i….Quod in uno boc amittitur momento, non poterit reparari in omni seculo. Gerh. Meditat. This short moment (how meanly soever you may think of it) once wretchedly lost, and an Age will not recover, Eternity it self (as long as it is) will never restore the like advantages to your souls again.
And now are you, oh! are you at length willing to go about this blessed work, and become happy for ever, if there may be yet any hope in Israel concerning your case?
Behold! the arms of Mercy are open ready to imbrace you, whatever is past; how unkind, how hainous soever, God is ready to forgive, willing to forget it. He calls Heaven, and Earth to record, if you miscarry, let the blame lie where it ought, it shall not be his.Ezek. 33.11. As I live, saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that he turn from his wicked way and live. Turn ye, (oh! now unweariedly doth the Lord renew his call) turn ye from your evil waies; for why (why indeed) will ye die oh house of Israel? Such are the Fathers bowels toward us, too too regardless of our selves.
What answer (as the *Revocas errantem, invitas repugnantem, amplexaris redeuntem. Ecce Domine Deus salutis meae! quid opponam nescio; quomodo respo…deam ignoro. Anselm. Med.Father piously said) can ever be solidly made, if such bowels of love, such dear, such free salvation as this, should be ungratefully slighted?
Oh let your hearts even melt, and your very souls be dissolved within you. If the Lord be willing, be not you unwilling, neither let these tender arms of mercy be spread forth all the day long in vain.
Behold! the Lord Jesus Christ, at the Fathers right hand, making continual intercession; and the poor of the flock are his care, the weary, and broken in spirit the Objects of his pity. It is their names he bears on his breast-plate, and commends with such endearing arguments unto the Father. Suppose your selves hearing him, calling to you, and arguing with your trembling thoughtful hearts on this wise: Wherefore thinkest thou poor soul! was I numbred amongst the transgressors, and made a man of sorrows? Wherefore was my Side pierced with the Spear, my Head with Thorns, and my dearest Bloud poured forth? What dost thou conceive should move me, to take upon me Humane Nature, and become so near akin unto thee, if it had not been to perform the office of a *foreignKinsman, Vind…x, qui sure consanguinitatis motus, causam propinqui sui intersecti asserit. Glassius. Such, oh! such is Christ to us.and take the right of thy Redemtion upon me? What could have perswaded me to sustain the bitter, the accursed death of the Cross, if it had not been to save such as thou art from thy sins? Hast thou no need of my Righteousness? What shall I do for thee? What dost thou want? What is it thy thirsty affections most pant after, for thy souls good? Speak freely, and forbear not, I am now ascended, to my Fathers right hand, and able to relieve thee. Where are thy Prayers, and I, my Self, will present them to my Father as from me; perfumed with the sweet incense of my righteousness, and he will shew favour unto thee.
Oh blessed encouragement! here is the Golden Scepter held sorth indee…. What answer wilt thou now return to all this such overflowing love of so dear a Saviour? Sit down with thy self poor Heart! *Meditatio quid d…sit, docet: Oratio ne d… sit, obtinet. Bern.Advise by meditation what to aske; and then send forth Faith, and Prayer as the trusty, and successful Messengers to fetch in supply.
Go thy waies, take thy life in thy hands as once Hester did, present thy Petition, and say, as she still did; If I have found favour in thine eyes, oh Lord! let my life, (the life of my soul) be given me at my request. Do thou cry, and he will hear. He will graciously wash thy leprous soul in his own bloud, and send his blessed Spirit, as the Chariots, and Horsemen of Israel to prepare, and bring thee safely to glory.
Behold! also the holy Angels of God waiting, †Guident cum bene agimus; quoties a bono deviamus, A… gelos suo gau…io d… sraud…mus. Solil. Aug.ready to rejoyce in your, even in your Conversion. There is not the meanest, the poorest of you; but your Repentance might become an occasion of much joy in Heaven. It is a fresh feast to those noble Creatures to see the least encrease of the Kingdom of God. To see though but one single sheep added to the flock of Christ. So precious is Grace, so dearly is the recovery of a lost soul esteemed on high.
I might further tell you, the damned themselves even groan unto you: saying (as in the Parable) Oh! take warning by us, and come not into this place of torments. There is not one, no, throughout the whole Creation, there is not so much as one, that can heartily say unto you; Go on in evil waies, and prosper. I charge you before the elect Angels, and as you tender their *Nolite co…tristare spiritum, nolite Angelos Sanctos in coelo, gaudiis spoliare. Luther.comfort; I charge you by the flaming p…ins, and cries of the damned, and as you would be loath to share with them i… all their M…series; take heed, take serious heed to the saving of your souls.
All the divine threatnings of God stand naked, and open before you, as the hand-writing upon the wall, that stand not there for nought. They sound as so many shrill Trumpets from Mount Ebal; and they also charge you to break off your sins by repentance. Or else, as sure as God is in Heaven; iniquity will one day become your ruine.
All the sweet Promises are lastly appointed to attend your encouragement, and furtherance in your Salvation. They are sent forth in Gods name to invite you to his blessed kingdom; and to assure you from him, whatever pains you faithfully take heavenward, your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. These are the Christians choice Feast, and *Christi prov…ssione…, Christianorum dayes.Banquet; the Promises that you so joyfully should study; that speak so comfortablie, and withall as truly to the wearie soul. God himself hath made them, and †Veraxin prom ssio…e, pote…s … exhibitione. Ber.he will fulfil them. It is the Concern of his glorie to make good the word, that is gone out of his lips: his faithfulness lies at stake therein. Whosoever cometh unto him, (thus filiallie quoting, and relying upon hi… Fathers word) he will in no wise cast him out. Come you, and welcome.
Your work is good, your wages will be great; your fellow Servants, the Excellent of the Earth; your Master you are to go unto, the lovingest, the …blest, the Faithfullest, the justest, the k…ndest that ever was served. Wha… can you possibly scruple? Or where can you mend your selves? Speak your hearts, and spare not. What danger think you can come of being safely reconciled unto the Lord? What hinderance shall this be to any to be made an Heir of the Crown of life? What wrong to others, to save our selves? What discredit to become a Child of the most High? What Embasement of spirit, to be renewed in our minds to the blessed Image of God? Or what sadness can this ever occasion to be intituled to everlasting joyes.
We must even blush, and holily fall out with our selves in the language of the Father, saying as he; *U…de ho… monstrum, & quare istud? Imperat animus corpori, & paretur statim: imperat sibi, & resistitur. Aug.Whence, oh my soul! whence is this horrid, this strange, and unreasonable thing; that thou wilt be under no Command, accept of no mercy heavenward?
Men may revile, and our own wretched hearts may suspect the holy Counsels of God: but the waies of the Lord are right, and happy is that man that chooseth to walk therein. He shall be able to lift up his face with Comfort, not ashamed of his God, nor disappointed of his hope …hen the greatest p…rt of the World …n the very depths of all distress, and horrour shall call, (but alas in v…in) … Rocks and Mountains to fall upon them.
Awake then I beseech you, for the Lords s…ke; while it is yet the morning of your life, the flower of your ye…rs. Let your life be (what indeed …ll our lives ought to be) a living Epistle, a fair exemplification of the Gospel; th…t men may see in you, what in Primitive times the very Heathen saw, so legible in Christians then. *Vide Christia…os, …id agunt; & evidenter de ips… Christo sciri po…est, quid doceat. Salvian.The true portraiture of your Saviours life, the just account of his Doctrine in the answerableness of your deportment, and conversation.
Awake, and arise, sh…ke your selves fr…m the dust, and vanities of Youth; Bring a blessing with you into your Generation; the Wo…ld in these l…st declining Times greatly needs it. Carry a blessing hence with you, when ere you die, your selves shall reap the sweet, and everlasting comfort of it.
Your work is great, your day is sh…t; the Master impor…te, and your promise is alreadie passed.
To recoile now were (as the *Deum in pollicitatione faller…. Aug.Father well said) to keep back part of the price, and even to lie to the Holy Ghost; To make our selves guiltie of the greatest †Vovens, & non solvens, quid nisi pejero. Bern.perjury before the Lord. Oh … hasten, and put on the garments of your Elder Brother. Gird up the loyns of your mind, and run your Race. Hasten, and linger not; lest night overtake you, and you sit for ever mourning under the region, and shadow of death. See that ye covet earnestlie the best things. Set your hearts unmoveablie upon heaven, and …ll the glorie of it. Say humblie to the Lord, as Luther; *Valde proteslatus sum, me … it a sati…ri. Luth.You neither can, nor dare take these so…y earthly things for your portion.
Strive, as Ionathan to climbe up the Rock. Love, and Fear the Lord. Honour and obey your Parents, Be careful, and redeem your own time. Design, as becomes you… an ingenuous …ife on Earth. Design, above all, a glo…ious life in he…ven; and God, your God shall be with you.
I might now leave your Parents, …nd ne…r…t Friends to ple…d this righteous c…use of the Lord, yet further with you. You cannot be strangers to all their affectionate, and dayly prayers on your behalf; their ardent, and even restless desires of your welfare.
You are to them their dear Ascanius's; on whom their *Omnis in Ascanio chari stat cura Parentis. Virgil.hearts so much are set; in whom (as Iacob in Benjamin) their life is almost bound up, and their Parental cares, night and day, longing and waiting, scarce desirous of any greater joy than this; To see their Children walking (wisely) in the truth:2 Joh. v. 4. as we have (all) received a Commandment from the Father.
Me thinks both I, and you, cannot but hear them, spe…king to you, in the very language of their hearts, (as once†Tibi persuade, te mihi qu… dem esse longe charissimum: sed multo sore chariorem, si talibus mo…umentis praec…ptis que laetaber…. Cicero. Cicero, so Father-like to his Son;) Know, my Child! thou art already exceeding dear unto me: but shalt yet become far dearer, if thou shalt hearken to wise Counsel, and thine own welfare.
What words can I further use? I charge you by all the sparks of filial good nature that are yet alive in any of your bosoms; oh! quench not these affections. Oh! frustrate not these so righteous expectations of your indulgent Parents. Let me, oh! let me perswade you, and rely upon you; that you will not be wanting to your selves, whatever in you lieth, to greaten their dearest love, and affection toward you.
In which hopes, I take my leave, and part at present with you. Oh! let me rejoyce in the day of Christ, that this Letter hath not been in vain unto you. Let no man …spise your Youth, though young in years, be ye (as the*foreign Iews were wont proverbially to say) as the Aged in all gravity and wisdom of carriage. Fare ye well. The Lord himself make you branches of righteousness;Sapientia pater, licet annis t… ue…. Buxt. bringing forth every one of you, fruits unto holiness, that God the, Lord, may be glorified. Amen, Amen.
My Son! be wise, and make my heart glad: that I may answer him that r…proache…h me,
Pro. 27.11.
FINIS.
THE Young Mans MEDITATION, OR Some few Sacred POEMS UPON Select Subjects, and Scriptures.
By Samuel Crossman, B.D.
No… modo divina contemplantur, sed & Cantica, & Hymnos ad Deum Sacratioribus omnis generis mel…orum, & carminum rhythmis g…a…iter con…run…t. Philo de Religios. in Aegypt. apud Eus…b.
A Verse may find h…m whom a Sermon fl…es,
And turn del…ght into a Sacrifice.
Mr. Herberts Temple.
Lo…don, Pr…nted by I. H. and are to be sold by S. T…ompson, at the Bishops head in St. Pauls Church-yard, and T. Parkhurst, at the three Crow…s at the lower end of Cheapside, near the Conduit. 1664.
The Gift.
If thou knowest the gift of God, &c.
Joh. 4.10.
1.
THis is the Gift, thy Gift oh Lord▪
The token of thy dearest love:
The orient jewel of thy word;
Sent down my thankfulness to prove.
2.
Great is his gift in all mens eyes,
Who gives himself, his Friend to save.
My Lord does more, for Foes he dies.
This Gift no parallel may have.
3.
Great is the Gift, the Giver great;
Both justly to a wonder rise.
Thou giv'st thy Lamb to thine for meat:
And for their Sins a Sacrifice.
4.
But Lord! whil'st thou thus giv'st to thine,
Others arose to vie with thee.
The World, and Satan did combine,
And they would needs a giving be.
5.
Satan, sins pleasures offered,
And almost forc'd them upon me.
But while they bloom'd, they withered.
And Lord! thy Gift my choice shall be.
6.
Then did the World its gayes present,
And still alluring cri'd, see, see;
Here's that may rather give content.
But Lord! thy Gift my choice shall be.
7.
These cannot give, they'd s…eal away
From me my He…v'n, my heart from thee.
What e'r they offer, I'll say nay.
Still Lord! thy Gift my choice shall be.
All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof as the flower of the field. The grass withereth, the flower s…deth, but the Word of our God shall stand for ever,
Isa. 40.6, 8.
1.
VVElcom sweet words; is 'tis most meet,
We will you in our bosomes hide.
Sweet words for present; but most sweet,
Because for ever you abide.
2.
All flesh is as the fading grass,
The voice from Heav'n to Earth thus cri'd.
The whole Worlds glory away doth pass;
But Lord! thy words they still abide.
3.
Man speaks, but all his words are wind;
They ebb, and flow with time, and tide:
Fit Emblems of his fickle mind.
But Lord! thy words they still abide.
4.
Our selves sometimes stand promising
Great things, while we by thee are tri'd.
Our blossoms fall, no fruit they bring.
But Lord thy words they still abide.
5.
Bless'd words, Dear Lord▪ no words like thine;
In darkness, light through them is spi'd.
Till death, and after death they shine;
Then Lord! even then thy words abide.
6.
These words the Lamb's sweet writings be
Of love, and dowry to his Bride.
Here may his Saints their portions see,
Portions which ever shall abide.
7.
Welcome sweet words! sweet words indeed;
Heaven's Agent here, to Heav'n our Guide.
What e'r is needless, these we need.
Lord let these words with us abide.
Upon the Fifth of November.
The Archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him. But his Bow abode in strength,
Gen. 49.23, 24.
1.
THe day allows thy praises Lord!
Our grateful hearts to thee shall sing;
Our thankful lips they shall record
Thine ancient loves Eternal King!
2.
Our Land shall boast, the holy One
My great preserver is become▪
My Friend, my Foes hath overthrown,
And made the pit they digg'd their …oome.
3.
With Parthian bows the Archers came,
Romes poisonous oyl on the Arrows shone;
Thy Turtle was the Archers aime.
Shoot, shoot, saies Satan, all's our owne.
4.
Fond foolish Rome, how dat'st oppose
Whom God in his safe bosome laies?
Thy malice may it self disclose;
But frustrate still shall turn to praise.
5.
The Crozier staff, thy Triple Crown,
Those ensigns of deceit, and pride,
Thy Purple Robe, thy blaz'd Renown
The dust shall ever, ever hide.
6.
Thy Merchants shall thy fall lament;
Thy Lovers all in sackcloath mourn:
While Heav'n, and Earth in one consent
Shall sing Amen, let Babylon burn.
7.
Then Lord! thy Spouse whose dropping eyes,
Whose sighs, whose sufferings prove her thine;
Shall from her pensive sorrows rise,
And as the Lamb's fair Bride shall shine.
8.
Sweet day! sweet day when shall it be?
Why staies my Lord? Dear Saviour come.
Thy mourning Spouse cries after thee,
Stay with me here, or take me home.
He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed, Isa. 53.5.
1.
THus died the Prince of life, thus he
That could not die, even died for me.
My thoughtful heart, Lord! shall arise,
And ponder these deep mysteries.
2.
What means his death, who knew no sin?
Or what my life, who live therein?
Mine was the debt, and death my due,
Though thou wast pleas'd thy Son to sue.
3.
Thou Lord I wast pleas'd on him to lay
The debt, and he the price to pay.
Thy Gospell feasts, though sweet to me,
Are th' Emblems of his Agony.
4.
And oh! how great his sufferings were;
Who th' wrath of God, and man did bear.
The Father then forsakes the Son;
And Creatures 'gainst their Maker run.
5.
Iudas betraies, Disciples flee;
Whil'st Jews, and Romans crucifie.
Hereat the Sun furls up his light,
And cloaths the Earth in sable night.
6.
The joyless Stars even seem'd to say,
Israel had quench'd the Lamp of day.
The stubbourn Mountains they lament,
The Rocks they are asunder rent,
7.
The Graves their sealed doors unclose,
The Dead awakened also rose.
Th' amaz'd Centurion mourning cries,
Oh! 'tis the Son of God, that dies.
8.
Thus these all labour to consels
Thy Deity, thy righteousness.
Enough dear Lord! these offer me
Supports for th' utmost faith in thee.
God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Iesus Christ, Gal. 6.14.
1.
MY Song is love unknown;
My Saviours love to me.
Love to the loveless shown,
That they might lovely be.
Oh who am I,
That for my sake
My Lord should take
Frail flesh, and die.
2.
He came from his bless'd Throne,
Salvation to bestow:
But men made strange, and none
The long'd-for Christ would know.
But oh! my Friend;
My Friend indeed,
Who at my need
His life did spend.
3.
Sometimes they strow his way,
And his sweet praises sing;
Resounding all the day,
Hosannah's to their King.
Then Crucifie
Is all their breath,
And for his death
They thirst, and crie.
4.
Why, what hath my Lord done?
What makes this rage, and spite?
He made the Lame to run,
He gave the Blind their sight.
Sweet injuries!
Yet they at these
Themselves displease,
And 'gainst him rise.
5.
They rise, and needs will have
My dear Lord made away,
A Murderer they save:
The Prince of life they slay.
Yet cheerful he
To suff'ring goes,
That he his Foes
From thence might free.
6.
In life no house, no home,
My Lord on earth might have:
In death no friendly tombe,
But what a Stranger gave.
What may I say?
Heav'n was his home;
But mine the tombe
Wherein he lay.
7.
Here might I stay, and sing;
No story so divine.
Never was love, dear King!
Never was grief like thine.
This is my Friend,
In whose sweet praise
I all my daies
Could gladly spend.
The Pilgrims Farewell to the World.
For we have here no continuing City, but we seek one to come, Heb. 13.14.
1.
FArewel poor World! I must be gone,
Thou art no home, no rest for me:
I'll take my staff, and travel on,
Till I a better World may see.
2.
Why art thou loth my heart! oh! why
Do'st thus recoil within my breast?
Grieve not, but say farewel, and fly
Unto the Arke, my Dove! there's rest.
3.
I come, my Lord! a Pilgrims pace,
Weary, and weak, I slowly move;
Longing, but can't yet reach the place,
The gladsom place of rest above.
4.
I come, my Lord! the slouds here rise,
These troubled Seas foam nought but mire:
My Dove back to my bosom Flies.
Farewel, poor World! Heav'n's my desire.
5.
Stay, stay, said Earth, whither fond one?
Here's a fair World, what wouldst thou have?
Fair World? oh! no; thy beautie's gone,
An heav'nly Canaan Lord! I crave.
6.
Thus th' ancient Travellers, thus they
Weary of Earth, sigh'd after thee.
They are gone before; I may not stay,
Till I both thee, and them may see.
7.
Put on my Soul! put on with speed;
Though th' way belong, the end is sweet.
Once more, poor World! Farewel indeed;
In leaving thee, my Lord I meet.
Christs future coming to Judgment, the Christians present Meditation.
Behold he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him, Rev. 1.7.
1.
BEhold! he comes, comes from on high;
Like lightning through the flaming skie.
The Saint's desire, the Sinner's fear,
Behold! that solemn day draws near.
2.
He comes, who unto Judgment shall
All flesh to his Tribunal call.
Me thinks I see the burnish'd Throne
Whereon my Saviour sits alone.
3.
Me thinks I see at his right hand
His smiling Saints in triumph stand.
Me thinks I hear condemned ones
Howling their never-dying groans.
4.
Me thinks I see even Time expire,
The Heav'ns, and Earth on flaming fire.
Think not, my Soul! thy self to hide;
Thou canst not 'scape, but shalt be tri'd.
5.
Loe! here the Book whence Justice reads
Sentence on Sinners sinful deeds.
Loe! here the Mercy Psalm, wherein.
My Judge speaks pardon to my sin.
6.
I tremble Lord! yet must I say,
This is my long'd-for wedding day.
My Bridegroom is my Soveraign Lord,
My Joynture drawn in his fair Wo…d.
7.
My Mansion built by him on High;
Where I may rest eternally.
Then come, my Lord! dear Saviour! come,
And when thou pleasest take me home.
Amen. Even so come Lord Iesu…! come quickly.
The Resurrection.
Though after my skin worms destroy this body: yet in my flesh shall I see God, Job 19.26.
1.
MY Life's a shade, my daies
Apace to death decline:
My Lord is life, he'l raise
My dust again, even mine.
Sweet truth to me!
I shall arise,
And with these eyes
My Saviour see.
2.
My peaceful grave shall keep
My bones till that sweet day,
I wake from my long sleep,
And leave my bed of Clay.
Sweet truth to me!
I shall arise,
And with these eyes
My Saviour see.
3.
My Lord his Angels shall
Their Golden Trumpets sound;
At whose most welcome call
My grave shall be unbound.
Sweet truth to me! &c.
4.
I said sometimes with tears,
Ah me! I'm loth to die.
Lord! silence thou those fears;
My life's with thee on high.
Sweet truth to me! &c.
5.
What means my trembling heart
To be thus shie of death?
My life, and I sha'nt part,
Though I resign my breath.
Sweet truth to me! &c.
6.
Then welcome harmless grave;
By thee to Heaven I'll go;
My Lord his Death shall save
Me from the flames below.
Sweet truth to me!
I shall arise,
And with these eyes
My Saviour see.