University of Virginia Library

A

1. On Abba.

2. On an Abetter.

Satans commands (oppos'd to Gods) are ten
Which are observed by the most of men,
This lying Prince heartens us on to ill,
Tells us his Laws are easie to fulfil.
But God's are hard, besides his pay is greater,
And thus the Dev'l becomes the Souls Abetter.

3. On Ability.

Man can do nothing of himself, unless
God give him leave, 'tis wisdom to express
If God so please, to morrow we'l pursue
Such and such things. Once a presumptuous Jew
Said thus t'his friends, to morrow Ile be blest
And crown'd with mirth, the Bridal-chamber drest
Resolv'd Lam, to frolick out the day
With my fair Bride, and who dare say me nay?
And when 'tis night, I do intend to meet,
My Souls delight, within the Genial Sheet;
I will, I will, whether God will or no:
Blasphemous wretch! to morrow gone, both go
To bed, but lo! before the Game was vy'd,
Death struck the jovial Bridegroom and his Bride.

4. On Abjuration.

In Baptism, we to Christ our souls betroth,
The World, Flesh, Satan, do renounce by oath.
But ah! our words prove wind, our minds do vary
And we t'our Abjuration walk contrary.

5. On an Abcedary.

The Worlds a School, and we to School are set
To learn Love, in Afflictions Alphabet,
That Christ-cross row, but ah! how dul! how slow
Are we to learn? till God do make us know.
O Heaven, I crave that thou wilt be my Tutor,
And make thy Spirit of Grace my co-adjutor.

6. On Abridgment.

The World's a Book in Folio, fairly writ
With Gods own hand the creatures found in it
Are Letters, spelling out the Authors Glory,
And man's th'Abridgment of that ample story.

7. On Absence.

Alas! alas! we know not how to prize
A real good, while 'tis before our eyes:
No sooner gone, oh then we can set forth
Its praise, and prize it for it's real worth;
But yet we soon forget our absent friends,
And laud the present out of base self ends.

Carendo potuts quam fruendo nos bona nostra intelligimus Cic. Poma fugientia sunt gratissima. Vanescit absens & novus intrat amor.

8. On Absolution.

9. On Abstinence.

10. On Absurdity.

To make a Garment for the Moon,
To drein the Ocean with a Spoon,
To build up Castles in the Ayr;
Before soul Swine to cast Pearls fair,
To paint the Dolphin in the Woods;
Or Savage Boare in liquid Floods;
To light a Candle at noon day;
To seek for Water in the Sea:
To set the Fox to keep the Geese;
To wrest the Club from Hercules.
To put the Cart before the Horse,
To seek a Blessing in a Curse,
Is held absurd, to think to win,
A glorious Crown, yet live in Sin;
Prepost'rous is, none can Heav'n gain,
Without the price of labours pain.

11. On Abundance.

12. On Abuse.

Give, give, the Horse-leech cries, we more do crave,
And yet do still abuse the things we have:
This man abuses Honor, that his Riches,
Him drink besots, this dainty fare bewitches;
And is't not just with God to take from us
His Blessings, seeing we abuse them thus?

13. On an Academy.

Some graceless ones that haunt those publick Schools,
(Hobs-like) evade meer Atheists, Scripture-fools,
Such as for holy ends improve their parts,
May bless God for such Nurseries of Arts.

14. On Acceptation.

15. On Acceptation of persons.

Not God, nor nature, death, nor devil do
Respect mens persons, onely Man doth so,
Persons should be regarded for their faith,
Not faith for persons (as a wise man saith.)
Accept of me in Christ, O God, my King,
So wilt thou be well-pleas'd with what I bring.

16. On Accounts.

Great God! when I would cast up the accounts
Of all my sins, their number far surmounts,
Th'hairs on my head, the Heavens Starry bands,
Earths blades of grass, the Sea beleag'ring sands.
Lord, onely thou the great Arithmetitian,
Canst sum them up; let Christ be my Physician,
His merits are infinite, with which he stops
The mouth of Justice, those sanguineous drops
That trickled down his wounds is balm to heal
My soul; for pardon I through him appeal
To thee, dear Lord, 'tis Mercy that I crave,
Thy saving Mercy let thy servant have:

17. On an Accuser.

The Devil, that grand accuser of our Souls,
Hath not his name for nought, what bloudy scrouls
Hath he against mans self, and now and than
Accuseth man to God, yea God to man:
Angels accuse us, and the Law likewise,
The Judge himself accuses, Conscience flies
In our guilt-blushing faces, sinners be
Against us; none but Christ can set us free,
From all our accusations, run my soul
To Christ by faith, and Christ will make thee whole.

18. On Acquaintance.

Worldly acquaintance mischief oft attends,
'Tis said, many acquaintance, but few friends
My soul, acquaint thy self with God, and rest
In peace, of all acquaintance his is best;
This true friend neither can, nor will deceive thee
Nor in an Orphan-state will ever leave thee,
But give thee visits; promises they are
His Bonds; go put those Bonds in suit by pray'r.

19. On an Acquittance.

O God, our sins are debts, and more and more,
We in thy Justice Books, still run on score,
Can never pay, and we must therefore lie
In Hells black prison to Eternity.
But O we have a Surety (Christ) whose death
Alone; can make offended Justice sheath
His keen-edg'd sword; Love that transcends degree,
Our King he dies to set us Rebels free:
He suffred for our sins; we by his stripes
Are heal'd, and from our eyes all tears he wipes.
The Debt's discharg'd, to Justice nothing's due,
As our acquittance, writ in bloud, doth shew.

20. On Actions.

Do not the Silver-breasted Rivers go
Back to the wealthy Seas from whence they flow?
So to Gods glory must our Actions tend,
As in him they begin, so must they end.
As from the Sacred Fountain of his Grace
They first took rise, so to their proper place
They must retire, the Ocean of his Glory
Must swallow up our Actions transitory;
May I, what ever I assay to do,
Make God my Alpha, and Omega too.

21. On an Adamant.

Our hearts are like this unrelenting stone,
Nothing can melt them, save the bloud alone
Of the Messias: O sweet Jesus grant
Thy bloud may mollifie my Adamant:
Lord at thine hands a tender heart I crave,
A heart of flesh, let me thy servant have;
So shall I love thee, and adore thee still,
And yield obedience to thy Heavenly will.

22. On Addition.

God multiplies his Mercies more and more,
Ungrateful we, who to our sins vast score
Add new offences daily; but be't known,
God hath large showres of vengeance to pour down
Upon our guilty souls, unless we rent
Our rocky hearts, and speedily repent.

23. On an Adjective.

The World's an Adjective, it cannot stand,
Without a Substantive, th'Almighties Hand:
And I can nothing signifie at all
Without Gods Grace, unpropt by it I fall.

24. On an Adieu.

The Old man bids the World adieu,
When he can stay no longer in it,
He whom Gods Spirit did once renew,
Had rather lose the World that win it.
That he in Heaven with Christ may dwell,
He longs to bid the World farewell.

25. On an Adjourn.

Dear Lord! how apt are we t'adjourn
The day and hour of our Return
From sin to thee! from morn to noon
We put it off, say 'tis too soon;
And when lifes Sun is almost set,
O then we dying thee forget.

26. On Admonition.

27. On Adoption.

We were not born Gods children, but so made;
The Dev'le, we for our natural father had;
Through Grace snatch'd from th'old Family of Hell,
In Heavens noble Family Saints dwell;
Are disoblig'd from sin, new names receive,
And an Estate which they shall never leave,
Pleasant and safe; to an inheritance
In light, kept for them; them doth he advance,
The heirs shall never die, for be it known
Eternitie's a Jewel of their Crown.
Man, he Adopts a defect to supply;
God, out of pity, not necessity.
He had an only Son, nor lov'd he any
Like him, Man but one heir adopts, he many;
Hath Land for all; Man soon adopts a Son,
A Deed is sealed, and the thing is don,
But when God was about to constitute
Us Sons and Heirs, his wisdom could find out
No easie way, he could not seal a Deed
But by his own Sons bloud, his Son must bleed.
Men on adopted persons entail do
Their Land, but God his Land and himself too.
O what great Portions to Gods Heirs do fall,
Heaven's theirs, Glory is theirs, yea, God and All
How precious are their Names, their Prayrs Tears, blood
In Gods esteem, and O that Satans brood,
Nay Traytors should be made Heirs to the Crown,
Such Love was never to the Angels shown.
And O what Sweets from out the Gospel flower
May a Believer suck! when in our gore
We tumbling lay, and were with sin bemir'd,
And neither deserv'd love, nor love desir'd;
He lov'd us then, when we had soild, defac'd
His Image, broke his Law, us he embrac'd,
When we by Sin our Pedigree had lost,
He did restore it to us to his cost.

28. On Adoration.

Angels and Saints, my fellow-creatures be,
And therefore shall not be ador'd by me;
God who hath made me, and did me restore,
Him only, and none else I must adore.

29. On Advancement.

30. On Advantage.

The World in one Scale, blessed Jesus lays,
The Soul in t'other, and the Soul out-weighs
To gain the World, and lose the precious Soul,
Is such a vantage, as the damn'd condole.

31. On an Adventure.

O how sad were my Adventures!
Thus to forfeit mine Indentures,
But to pay my just Debentures,
Into Bond my Saviour enters.
O my Soul, sin no more,
Lest worse fall then did before.

Magnum est memorabile facinus non sit absque periculo. Tertul.

32. On an Adverb.

Live, thats and Act, but much Divinity
Lies couch'd in this one Adverb holily.

33. On Adversity.

The Sts. like Glo-worms, in the darkest night
Of sad afflictions, do reflect most bright,
Rue is the Herb of Grace, oft times our woe
Becomes our weal, our Saviour found it so;
For first he Vinegar and Gall drank down
O'th' Cross, e're he receiv'd his glorious Crown:
Mourning lasts but till morning, nightly sorrow
Is Herald to a joyful shining morrow.
Now Storms arise, anon a prosperous Gale,
Fans curteous blasts, upon the swelling Sail.

34. On Adultery.

All other sins may be subdu'd by might,
Adult'rate mixtures only are by flight;
Flee Fornication, holy Paul doth say,
Yet O how many like fed Horses neigh
After their neighbours Mates: the Brownist strives
For all things to be common, Ergo Wives.

35. On an Advocate.

O happy Mary for whom Jesus pleads,
Judas condemns, but he commends thy deeds
Judas accuse, and slander while thou wilt,
Jesus acquits, and clears us of our guilt.
Earth judges evil, what Heav'n pronounceth good
The moving Rhet'rick of our Advocates blood,
Pleads strongly for us, and we need not fear,
Though all the Devil's in Hell against us were.
Our Sav'ours bloud which on the Cross was spilt,
Quenches Gods wrath, and satisfies for guilt.
Such as for help unto the Mother run,
Shall have but little succor from the Son.

36. On Affection.

Kind Mary pours an Alabster Box,
Of precious Spikenard on her Saviours feet,
And with her chiefest Ornament, her Locks,
She wipes them, humbleness and zeal her meet.
O how doth love in Maries heart abound,
She serves God, not by th'ounce, but by the pound!

37. On Afflictions.

How light afflictions are! how transitory,
Compared to the weight of endless glory!
Or if compar'd to sin, or if to Hell,
And yet when our proud hearts do rise and swell,
We think them heavy, for they press us down,
Many dislike the Cross, but not the Crown:
Tis true affliction hath a vexing sting,
But know withal, it hath a flying wing;
The shadows of the night shall flee away,
And we shall see an everlasting day;
Afflict'ons water like a Land-flood shall
Be soon dry'd up, the Saints rise by their fall,
Their night-cloaths flung aside, they shall be drest
In rich array, and be for ever blest.

38. On Agents.

Satannick Agents, are rubbish to scour
The Vessels of Gods house, Ashur had pow'r
To vex Gods Israel, this being done
The smarting rod into the fire is thrown.
'Tis said, the rod of wicked ones shall not
Alway remain upon the righteous lot.

39. On Air.

The Throne of night and day, the airy main,
The mint of winds, the treasures house of rain,
Becomes the common dish, (so Heaven decreed)
Whereon all creatures every moment feed.

40. On an Alarm.

Sound an Alarm, thy Messengers fulfil,
Thy pleasure Lord, yet men are drowzy still.
O when thy second Trumpet shall be sounded,
The unbelieving World shall be confounded.

41. On an Albe.

This vestment in it self is pure from sin,
But yet not holy, nor are all within
That wear't, Lord make me inwardly sincere,
No matter then what outwardly I wear.

42. On an Alehouse.

Those common Quagmires of all naughtiness,
And rendezvouz for such a love excess:
All sober men decline, the lowzie Alehouse
Fits men first for the Gaol, and next the Gallows.

43. On an Alembick.

Mans heart's a Chymick, Limbeck that distils
The tears of grief warm'd with the sense of ills;
O when for sin, my Spirit'al Stillatory,
Drops holy tears, thine be, O Lord the Glory.

44. On Almes.

We to receive Gods Blessings in, have store
Or hands (like B[illeg.]us,) to relieve the poor
We have but one to use, and that alas!
Is withered too, as Jeroboams was.
Its not enough to say, God help, and give
Good words, unless the hungry we relieve;
The Poor like the Camelion cannot feed
Upon light Air: Give unto such as need;
Let Artaxerxes like our open Palms,
Be liberal in distributing Alms.

45. On Allowance.

Our daily Bread, is from Gods daily care,
Who feeds the wing'd Citizens of the Air:
Doth he not also cloath us day by day,
Who decks the Lillies in such rich aray?
Thus having food, the commons God hath sent,
And raiment too, let's be there with content.

46. On an Altar.

Great God! upon the Altar of my heart,
I offer up the Sacrifice of praise
To thee; be pleas'd to take it in good part,
And make me glorifie thy Name always:
Let who will prize Altars of Wood or Stone,
There's no such Altar as a Fleshly one.

47. On Ambition.

Desires that but the Poles no limits know,
How they transport that man in whom they grow
Such as aspire at Honors highest pitch,
Like gazing Thales tumble down the Ditch.
Great God! when my ambitious thoughts would climb
To get a name by works compos'd of slime,
Check thou my sinful pride, let me not reach
At such a union as may cause a breach;
Nor close with sin, but still to minde recall
Great Babels building, was great Babels fall.

Quo fortunatius erexit ac levati[illeg.] humanas opes, hoc se supprimere magis selicem decet. Sen. Trag. 6.

48. On Almost.

Alas! how many have salvation lost,
For want of thorough Reformation?
The almost Christ'an shall be sav'd almost,
But quite to all eternity undone.
The Crown belongs to such as persevere,
As good never a whit, as ne're the neer.

49. On Alpha and Omega.

Of all thy labors, and intentions, see
That God thy Alpha and Omega be.
He that's the Alpha of all Mercies, shall
Be the Omega of my service all.

50. On Amen.

It gives assent to what before was spoken,
Tis an assuring, assevering Token.
Let's pray in faith, that when conclude we do
With our Amen, Heav'n may say Amen too.

51. On Amendment.

Augustus said of Galba's crooked back,
Warn thee I can, better I cannot make:
God in his goodness Ministers doth send us,
To warn us but it is his grace must mend us.
If we remend our lives, and by Gods grace
Reform what is a miss, he will imbrace
Us in his loving armes, lay by his Rod,
And be to us a reconciled God.

52. On Anarchy.

The members have their head; the Stars the Sun,
Nature abhors kingless confusion.

53. On Anathema.

Oh to b'Anathematiz'd
And deliver'd up to Satan,
Is, if rightly exercis'd,
Worse than what befell to Dathan.
Serious censures were but sports,
Heretofore in some mens Courts.

54. On Anotamy.

Substract Christ and his Members, holy ones,
The world is nothing but a Trunk of bones.

55. On an Anchor.

Who upwards on his God hopes Anchor casts,
Can triumph in the midst of stormy blasts.

56. On Angels.

Angels heav'ns nobles; those bright flaming powr's,
Untainted Spirits, are the Saints Servitors,
While here they live, and when of life bereaven,
Those blessed Convoys carry them to heaven.
Thus they attended Abram, Daniel, Mary,
And Laz'rus when dead, did to glory carry.
Saints by creation are than Angels lower,
But Saints above them by adoption soar.

57. On Anger.

Morosus is like Flax, or Gun-powder,
No sooner touch'd but he is all on fire;
And raging, not unlike the furious wind.
Vents out the wilde distempers of his mind.
Anger is a short madness, it suspends
The use of Reason, it estrangeth Friends.
Be angry, there's the reins; angry at sin,
But sin not, there's the bridle curbs us in.
Hearken to Socrates, if thou wouldst fly
Rash Anger, think on Gods all-viewing eye.
As the Divine Philosopher doth say,
The best way to lay Anger, is delay.

Maximum iræ remedium est mora. See Sen.

58. On an Angler.

God is an Angler, so is Satan too,
He takes to save, but Satan to undo.

59. On Antichrist.

Peter lays by his sword, and takes the Keyes,
The Pope lays by his Keyes, and now adayes
Falls to his sword; yet many to him flock,
As if he had the Key t'undo Heav'ns lock.

60. On an Antidote.

Gods sacred Word is, and hath ever bin
A sov'raign Antidote against all sin.
Lord, if thy med'cinable Word dispell
Sins venom from my heart, I shall be well.

61. On Antipathy.

The strong-rib'd Oak bears an antipathie
Gainst the pale Olive; and the thrifty Bee
Against the pilfring Wasp; discord doth breed
Betwixt the Serpents, and the Womans seed;
But most of all in man, mans flesh and blood
Is enmity against God, and what is good.

62. On Antiquity.

What is most ancient, is the truest Text,
We read first God says, and the devil says next.
What God affirms, the Tempter he denies;
Gods truths are elder than the Devils lies.

63. On Ants.

64. On an Ape.

Satan Gods Ape, that Prince of darkness can
Shine like an Angel, to delude poor man.

65. On an Apparitor.

Summond by death, th'Apparitor of Heaven,
Appear we must, and an account be given.

66. On Apparel.

Adam he sins, as soon as he preceives
This shame, he makes him breeches of fig-leavs
And afterwards he clothes with coats of skins
His nakedness, but could not hide his sins.
Thus man at first for need did clothes invent,
Which since are us'd for pomp and ornament;
Gorgious attire, and silken braverie,
Is but the badge of our desert to die;
What thief was ever of his Halter proud,
Although a silken one were him allow'd?
If so, methinks our proud fantastick Jacks,
Should blush to carry all upon their backs,
As of his learning Bias said, I bear
All mine with me, so they of what they wear,
Yet oft they stand, for all their lofty looks
Deeply recorded in their Mercers books:
Fair feathers now adays do make fair Fowls,
Bodies are better cloath'd alas! then Souls,
O if Christs righteous Robes my soul adorn,
No matter though my clothes were thred-bare worn.

67. On the Appetite.

How dull to good is our souls appetite?
But ah! what's bad we relish with delight.

68. On an Apple.

One Apple did undoe our Grandam Eve,
And the whole world, yet daily we receive
Forbidden fruits; alas! unwholsom food
We love, and loath what is intirely good.

69. On the Apple of the eye.

Gods people are the Apple of his eye,
O do not make this tender Apple cry;
God his eye's Apple charily doth keep,
O how it grieves him when 'tis made to weep!

70. On Application.

The skilful Preacher having cleard his Text,
Derives fit Doctrines thence, applies it next,
The boy the explication onely bends,
Fits for the mark, but application sends
The arrows home: how Davids heart began
To sink, when Nathan said, Thou art the man.

71. On Apostacy.

72. On the Apostles.

Christs Vicars, the Apostles equal were
For Rule, Power, Honor, Peter did not bear
Supremacy; all did in gifts excell,
Yet one (and he the richest) went to Hell.

73. On an Arbitrator.

Christ Jesus is the onely Arbiter,
By whom to God we reconciled are.

74. On an Arch-Bishop.

Christ is the true Arch-Bishop of our souls,
He oversees, and our Estate condoles.

75. On an Archer.

The devils an Archer, & mans heart the white
On which his fi'ry Darts of Trials light.

76. On an Argument.

To seek and save lost sinners Christ is come,
The argument that mov'd him was drawn from
The Topicks of his Love, there was alas!
No mer't in us to bring such things to pass.

77. On Arithmetick.

Our sins to such a reck'ning are amounted,
As cannot by the numb'ring Art be counted.

78. On an Ark.

79. On Armour.

Gods Armour is of proof, against all evill
Shot at us from the world, the Flesh, the Devil,
His Helmet, Brest-plate, Shield, Sword, Girdle, Shoes,
Will both defend us, and offend our foes.

80. On an Arrest.

Death is a Serjeant, and he Warrants brings
For our Arrest, from the great King of Kings.
The greatest and the least, the worst the best,
Have sinned, and must submit to deaths Arrest.

81. On an Arrow.

O when God sends his Arrows from his Bow,
It must needs work a speedy overthrow;
When from his twanging Bow the Dev'l lets fly
Tentation's Arrow, God can put it by.

82. On Arts.

Life's short, but Art is long;

ο ιος βραχυ τεχνη μακρη. Hyp.

Natural parts
Are by the study of the Liberal Arts
Very much heightned: but Arts golden Ring
Set with Grace Di'mond is a glorious thing.

83. On Articles.

Christ by his death hath cancel'd Justice scrouls
Of Articles, drawn up against our souls.

84. On Artillery.

My soul groan thunder, let thy pray'rs & tears
Be thine Artillery, to storm Gods ears.

85. On Ascension.

Christ by Angels was at ended,
When he into Heav'n ascended;
At the Resurrections morn,
Thither shall the Saints be born.

86. On Ashes.

Ashes hides fire, what God for us hath done
We hide in th'ashes of Oblivion.

87. On Asking.

Who asks shall have, if Lord, it be thy task
To grant, well may I make it mine to ask.

88. On an Ass.

Men blame the Ass for creeping on the Road
Yet go more sluggish in the ways of God.

89. On an Assault.

Faiths shield is good against the dev'ls assault,
Yet oft we want it through our own default.

90. On an Assize.

The grand Assize draws on, the Judge is just,
And by his Verdict stand or fall we must.

91. On Assistance.

O God, if thou withdraw thy gracious hand
From us, we fall; if thou assist, we stand.

92. On Assurance.

Assurance that Christ is ours may be gain'd,
The Saints have it desir'd, to it attain'd;
Some more, some less, there are degrees we know
Sometimes it ebbs, always it doth not flow.
Assistance (which few have) is a rare Gem.
God from his people, for to humble them,
Sometimes withdraws it, through our carelesness
Sometimes we want it, and our Christian peace.
O how the dev'l disturbs! when once we meet
With this Assurance, oh tis very sweet!
W'oft hang our harps upon the limber willows,
And weep (as Isr'el) by the water-billows
For want of this; this Wine of Paradise,
Revives the heart, how comfortable is
Gods smile! Assurance makes the low sublime,
And puts a man in heav'n before his time.
Assurance is exceeding profitable;
It makes a Christian strenuous and able
For service, free to do what must be done.
Faith makes a Christian walk, Assurance run.
Assurance is a Flow'r that only grows
In a pure heart, a spring whence comfort flows:
A Whetstone to the Graces, Hope, Love, Zeal;
A weight that of obedienre moves each Wheel,
Be much in duty; keep thy consc'ence pure,
Act faith, and thou hast made thy calling sure.

93. On Astrologie. Astronomy.

Astrol'gy shows the Stars effects and force,
Astronomy, their Measure, Motions, Course,
And though this hath its being from the other,
I like the Daughter, love who will the Mother.

94. On Atheists.

Audacious Atheists to the world proclaim,
They love such deeds, as might the De'il shame
Atheists are worse then Devils; Devils do
Believe there is a God, and tremble too;
Those say, there is no God, who doth take care
Of things below, have neither faith nor fear.
The Devil quakes at the Day of Judgment; they
Deride it, which will shortly them dismay.
Strange! ev'n the Sons their sire in sins excell;
What! Atheists here on Earth, when none in Hell.

95. On Attonement.

We had offended Heav'n; deserved Hell,
Christ an attonement makes, & all is well.

96. On Augmentation.

Who worketh out with fear his own salvation,
This spirit'al living, gets an augmentation.

97. On Attributes.

God single is, as being uncompounded,
He's infinite, and therefore is unbounded;
Immutable, th'Eternal, Three in one,
Who by his back-parts onely can be known;
Most wise, most strong, most true, most good, most just,
Most merciful, believe in him we must;
Perfect, and bless'd, and glorious is he,
O if this God be ours, how blest are we!

98. On Auricular confession.

The Scripture bids, and what it bids is best,
Confess to God, not to the Popish Priest;
Auricular confession taught in schools,
How it ensnares the consciences of fools!
What is it but a superstitious Gin
To nourish, yea, and harden men in sin.
My soul confess thy sins to God alone,
And he will pardon what thou hast misdone.

99. On Authority.

The Law's Authority, depends
On God, the mighty King of Kings,
And this exceedingly commends,
Its worth above all humane things:
How precious is the Law of God?
My soul upon it always plod.

100. Of the Authors of things, according to Scripture.

101. On Autumn.

The Sylvan quire cease their harmonious notes,
And sullen forrests d'on their yellow coats;
Ceres bright locks are shorn; the mellow fruits
Are torn from laden boughs; their summer sutes
The sapless branches d'off, the gaudy ground
Is now disrob'd, the year with plenty crown'd.
Great God thou sowst thy words immortal seed
On the ground of our hearts, but ah! they breed
The weeds of sin, in us these weeds destroy,
That we a joyful Harvest may enjoy.

102. On Awe.

Should God from Sinai thunder forth his Law,
(As once) 'twould strike us with a dreadful aw,
Since he in Gospel-mildness doth appear,
O let us serve him with an holy fear.

103. On an Axe.

The Axe is heavy, sharp, to cut and hew
In pieces for the fire, or else to square,
The Axe without the hand can nothing do;
Gods Judgments and his Comminations are
His Axe in those respects, and every Tree
That brings not forth good fruit, hew down and burn'd shal be.

104. On an Axel-tree.

The Nations Axel-tree doth ev'n begin
To sink under the pressing weight of sin,
O Christ the Saviour of the World be pleas'd
To bear our burden, and we shall be eas'd.