Divine emblems Embellished with etchings on copper, after the fashion of Master Francis Quarles. Designed and written by, Johann Abricht [i.e. Jonathan Birch |
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| [Is life] |
 | Divine emblems |  |
[Is life]
VII
Is lifeA long short strife,
And nothing more?—it ought
To be, the nursery of thought—
The time allotted to prepare our souls
With true and “vise” passports! good at heavenly tolls!
VIII
To know,Where lurks the foe
And what his strength, is half
The battle—with thy pilgrim staff,
If Pilgrim true thou art—thou may'st assault
The tempting fiend—and haply bring him to default!
88
IX
BeforeThe conflict sore:
Let Hope, thy thews encase:
And Faith, thy holy courage brace;
Be Love, thy trust—which if vouchsaf'd, thou'rt sure
To foil the tempter—and the promised prize secure.
X
'Tis gone!“The bell strikes one!”
The myst'ry's solv'd—in youth
Be wise—and know this solemn truth!
Life is the time to seek the Lord—in death
There's no “repent”—Hope flits upon the parting breath!
89
XI
And allOur own we call;
We leave—the wise-laid plan
For eking out our little span
Of life, in deeds of worth and piety,
Put off—undone—Death tears us from society.
XII
O'ercast—The sunshine past—
The cold earth intervenes
Between the actor, and life-scenes!
This ponderous Globe shall disappear! Death die!
Time lose his 'count!—bewildered in Eternity!
90
Thou knowest not what time he will come; wait always, that because thou knowest not the time of his coming, thou mayst be prepared against the time he cometh.
S. AUGUST.
Despise ye the mammon of this world—be ye temperate and humble—vigilant—valiant for the faith and persevering to the end; so shall ye inherit the Crown of Glory.
ANON.
Neither be ye terrified because of them. For the Lord your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.
DEUT., chap. 20, v. 3, 4.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities.
EPH., chap. 6, v. 12.
The world passeth away, and the lust thereof.
1 JOHN, chap. 2, v. 17.
| Divine emblems | |