University of Virginia Library

XXVIII. Chap. xxviii.

Who thirsteth for revenge, shall vengeance find;
His Sin remaineth, to th' Almighty's mind.
Forgive thy Neigbour if he ill have done,
Soe God to thee will have Compassion;
How can Man blushles aske, or at all say't,
Forgive mee Lord! Who doth his neighbour hate?
To Man, his Equall by Creation,
Hee will not have the least Compassion;
And shall he aske?—by what vnknowne pretence,—
From Heaven, remission for his owne offence?
If he, but Mortall, doe his Neighbour hate,
Who shall to heaven, for his Sinnes mediate?

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Forbeare dissention, Contemplate thy End;
Nor let thy Anger make thy Wishes tend
To a sinister path, in preiudice
Of a Man's life or fortunes; Take advice
From the Eternall Word, soe shall not thou
Burne inwardly, nor have a froward Brow
Against thy neighbour; weigh God's ordinance,
And thinke another's Sin his Ignorance.
Forbeare dissention, and thou shalt Decline
From many Sins, and mitigate thy Crime;
For Anger only Seeketh Variance.
Perfidious Sinners breed a Difference
'Mongst freinds, & sow the Seeds of dire debate
In quiet feilds, with Men who know not hate.
As is the ffuell, soe the ffire doth rise,
And as he is in State or Dignities,
Soe Man is Angry: as he growes in Store
Hee swells in Anger, and offendeth more.
A suddaine fury & rash-vtter'd words
Kindle a ffire; and inconsiderate Swords
Easilye brings bloodshed, but the fraudulent
And froward Tongve has Death Concomitant.
The Sparke shall fflame, or vtterly Expire
At thy owne likeing; Blow, 't will be a ffire;
Suppress it now, and Quench it ere it rise
Into a flame, how Easilie it Dies!
“Abhorr the Mouth of Slander & the Tongve
“Of ffraud, for such have brought Destruction
“To Brothers: Many men are dispossest

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“Of their Inheritance; Citties Suppres't;
“Extirp't Nobility, and laid in Dust
“Even with their Walls, the honours they could boast;
“Not Kings are free, Envy can strike the Throne
“Of Monarchs, and Subvert a Nation;
“What can it not? even vertue 'twill defame
“And Spew detraction on a Spotless Name.
Who wanders in her waies shall never spend
One houre of Ioy, but see a hatefull End.
A rod will raise the flesh, but words hurt more,
Grindinge the Bones, and makes the Entrailes Sore.
“Many have fal'ne, by the hand of ffate,
“Or to an Arme Victorious, or the Hate
“Of his Vowed Enimie, whose ffurie hath
“Noe Satisfaction, but in Blood and Death;
“Many have perish't thus, but Envie's word,
“By Oddes, outvies the slaughter of the Sword.
Thrice happie he, exempt from envy's Breath,
Who never fell the obiect of her wrath;
And happie he, who never yet knew how
To brave the Yoke, or did the fetters know.
As Iron is the Yoke, to Gall the Necke
The Gives are Brasse, and difficult to breake;
The Death is Death Eternall, Hell may be
Accounted Blisse, to its Eternitie;
The Iust Man shall not know it, nor receive
Warmth from her flames, in all he has to live,
But stubborne Sinners to her waies shall turne,
Shall kisse her flame, and in her furnace burne.

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As the fierce Lyon from his cunning ward,
It shall Surprise him; as the Vorant Pard,
It shall destroy them. Circumdate thy land
With hedge of thorne, & let thy reason stand
A barre vnto thy Mouth, thy store of all
Treasure together; and let noe word fall
To losse but trye it; curbe thy forward tongue,
Lest falling soe, thou suffer in the strong
Devices of thy ffoe, even to the Death,
Past all recure, to his inveterate wrath.