University of Virginia Library

Now courteous Reader, give me leave to make
A small digression: Know tis for thy sake
That I endeavour by a faithful art
To give a Cordial to each bleeding heart:
When once tis known where the distempers lie
We may the sooner hope for remedie;
That Patient much in understanding fails
That will not tell his Doctor what he ayls;
Oh! who would not his thankful patient be
Where Physick and advise are both so free?
His Physick hath such operative power
That it gives ease in less then half an hour;
Oh depth of mercy! oh unbounded skill!
Oh rare prescription of a sacred will!
Then do not fly, but let your hopes encrease,
Repent, and then he surely will speak peace;
Till then tis but in vain to move, or fly;
Oh! look upon him with a watchful eye,
Then shalt thou see how soon he will impart
His heavenly joyes to a contristed heart;
Remember he is not a God of blood,
But takes delight to do a sinner good:
Remember those blest Tears which once he shed
Over Jerusalem; and how he spred
His mercy over Israel, and pours
His goodness on our heads in liberal showers;
He is a God whose mercy knows no bounds;
His balm of grace being pour'd into our wounds
Does so compleat our Cure, and ease our pain,
That the Disease will ne'r return again;
And being from our malladies set free;
The gold of prayer is all the Doctors Fee:
The Scriptures are our guide, 'tis that which tells
Where this most kind and blest Physician dwells;
Faith, Hope and Charity, those sacred three
Are his House-keepers, and Humilitie,
His lodging Chamber, and the faithful Brest
The Kitchin where his Diet must be drest:
Oh Lord! we know thy Table's alwayes spred,
Oh give us faith, that we may eat thy bread;
And since thy goodness thou hast thus exprest,
'Tis no presumption, Lord, to be thy guest;
Thou freely doest invite, and shall not we
Answer thy invitation and be free
To make our near approches; Lord enable
Our hearts, that we may come unto thy table;
And then, O Lord! thy table being spred,
Bless us with grace and we will eat thy bread;
We'l eat thy heavenly Manna without strife,
And feed our souls to everlasting life;
We'l praise thy name for what thy goodness sent,
As we have sinn'd we'l labour to repent,
That so thou may'st commis'rate and remove
Thy Judgments, and then Crown us with thy Love;
Then shall our thankful hearts proclaim and tell
What thou hast done for thine own Israel;
Then shall our joyful lips proclaim a peace,
Whilst grace and mercy ever more encrease;
And let us know when Judgment comes so near,
That ruine or repentance must appear;
Delayes are dangerous; let's therefore pray
And call upon him whilst 'tis yet to day,
That so our timely sorrows may remove
His heavy Judgments, and intreat his love
Once more to shine upon us, that we may
Injoy the comfort of a glorious day:
Oh let's consider we have long bin free,
But still ungrateful for our libertie;
Oh let us think how long we have bin fed,
Yet seldom prais'd that hand which gave us bread;
Oh let's remember how forgetful we
Have bin, and how abus'd prosperitie;
Oh let's consider how Religion stood
Not long since more then Ankle deep in blood;
Let's call to memory, when our hearts decay'd,
How Heaven reviv'd us and encreast our Trade;
What store of mercy have we to perswade us
To bless that hand that both preserves and made us?
For should we own his mercies with neglect
We may injustice every day expect
New punishments, who studies to offend
Must not expect a peace or happy end!
Oh let us not against our maker Kick;
'Tis too much honey that hath made us sick;
How wanton have we bin in former times?
And still make idols of our bosome Crimes;
Thus we, persisting in our Follies, dare
Just Heav'n to strike, whose goodness does forbear,
Whilst we ev'n hug our ruine, and invite
Judgement to make an everlasting night.