 | Poems on several subjects |  |
Fifty Golden Verses.
1
There's few or none, that e'er communion hadWith God, who are not sometimes sunk and sad.
2
Where ends the work of ministers, thereinThe work of hearers always should begin.
3
It shews to God we have but little love,In duties, if unwilling we shall prove
To come thereto, and stay with weariness,
And going from them gladness we express.
4
A man in gifts may be exceeding fat;Yet lean in grace, yea unregenerate.
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5
In want of all things, I can taste and seeHow sweet the Lord is many ways to me.
6
Whate'er we suffer, or whate'er it bring,'Tis sweetest music to hear conscience sing.
7
Repentances gray-headed seldom proveOf the right kind, descending from above.
8
To worldly things our thirst should be but cold;To heavenly things inflamed, and most bold.
9
'Tis ease for men to fly from duty's way:But who can shun th'account at the last day?
10
Thyself to duties customarly take;But do not duties for mere custom's sake.
11
Out of your houses shut them with disdain,Who will your God in no ways entertain.
12
Associate not with those as friends to thee,That shew themselves God's enemies to be.
13
They cannot be reputed worth men's trustThat unto God incline to be unjust.
14
Do thou not venture duty to decline,Thy liberty pretending to maintain.
15
By this day's practice be thou still intendingThe past days errors and misdeeds amending.
16
I fear my duties more than sins by far;Duties puff up, by sins we humbled are.
17
'Tis well if, when Rome's reliques 'mongst us be;They don't possession keep for popery.
18
Sleep not at night till thou recal to mindWhat actions thou hast done the day behind.
19
Family passions cloud faith, and disturbOur duties, yea and all our comforts curb.
20
His stock of comforts never can he spentWho with God's providence lives ay content.
21
That man can never want his will, whose witDoth always to God's holy will submit.
22
They need not of another's bucket drink,That live always upon the fountain brink:
Nor crutches use, nor stilts of greater length,
Who always are supplied with sp'ritual strength.
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23
Let governors and parents always giveA good example in the sphere they live;
That so their children, and their servants, may
Be influenc'd to practise good thereby.
24
Afflictions that are sanctified do proveThe truest tokens of a special love.
25
If that our houses be not nursing placesFor heav'n, and also for the heav'nly graces,
They'll places be for breeding brands for hell,
And ev'ry vice will flourish therein well.
26
Whatever sins in others you'd reprove,Take double care these sins you do not love.
27
Early beginning in true pietyMakes one quite easy when he comes to die.
28
Defer not that till last which cannot beDone oversoon, if undone ruins thee.
29
T'eternity to live on we no moreHave, but what here in time we lay in store.
30
To be reproach'd for early piety.Far better is than damn'd eternally.
31
Good education makes good families,And they again pure churches multiplies.
32
He that's content is rich, tho' ne'er so poor;But poor, tho' rich, that can't content procure.
33
Two jubilees are held in heav'n: the oneIs when the angels sing before the throne
At the conversion of a sinner; next
Is when he is in heav'nly glory fix'd.
34
Bad times to live in are, for certainty,The best of times for a good man to die.
35
Afflictions are hard meat for any taster;But patience surely is a good digester.
36
Our spiritual state's best by our actions known,Not only merely by a single one.
37
A Christian will not overtake a sin;Yet the sincere hath overtaken been.
38
Sure sad conclusions might be drawn, and would'Gainst some saints eminent, if that we should
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Were guilty of when in their house of clay.
39
As charitable to others if we were,'Twere good, as partial to ourselves we are.
40
The best of saints assurance ne'er could gain,If't did consist with no imperfect stain.
41
Cross sanctified hath in it mercies more,Than comforts that unhallow'd are restore.
42
The company a man keeps ordinar'lyUpon his life is a true commentary.
43
True godliness, tho' persecute, should beOur choice before prophane prosperity.
44
'Tis faith's true nature always to make nighThe things belonging to futurity.
45
It is difficult not to sin, when weOur passions vent, and very angry be:
But dang'rous sure when anger we are in,
If by our passions we give place to sin.
46
Good scripture logic, sure it is, from thenceTo draw conclusions of our confidence,
From premises of pure experience.
47
The poorest person in this world hath moreThan he brought with him of this earthly store:
And more than he can carry hence away,
When his dead corps shall mingle with the clay.
48
Duties are dang'rous when they're rested in,Even as well as unrepented sin.
49
If mercy be not as a loadstone hereUnto our God to draw us still more near,
It will be as a milstone I can tell
To sink us deeper in the lowest hell.
50
'Tis sad to lose good men in any ways,Yea in the best and most serenest days:
But when we lose them in the worst of times,
It looks like judgment on us for our crimes.
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