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178

MISCELLANEOUS POEMS

ALMANAC VERSE (1679)

March

TH' Imperial Prince of Light shall now arise,
And banish darkness from the Cloudy Skyes,
And having won and worn the Golden Fleece
Will promise unexhausted Springs of Peace:
But yet in's HORNED forehead you may read
That now the Queen of heav'n is Queen indeed,
Who's Face shall screen the Earth fro's scorching Ray,
And so this Equal moneth shall March away.

April

NOw such as all their food to Labour owe
The rugged Earth and Surging Sea must plow:
The Farmer joye's when he (his Labour ended)
With Showrs of Blessing, see's his toile attended,
Fair Winds on Seamen, work the same effect
When to the Hav'n, their course clear Heav'ns direct.
But first i' th' Cloded Earth the Seed must dy,
Or 'twill not to the Ploughman multiply.

May

THe subtil Chymists now begin to act,
Who Quintessential virtues will extract
That so from bitter weeds Sweet may proceed
To serve the Rich mans pleasure, Poor mans need.
Now Freemen in their Liberty rejoyce
Of Choisest men to make a Worthy choice;
The which, who e're are wise or otherwise
This moneth agree with joy to Solemnize.
179

June

OUr Lights one Phenix now doth lightly fall
Into the bosome of his Cardinall:
The Cattled Earth he doth compassionate:
And to her speeds apace in Pompous state:
But seing Saturns Chariot very neer
He cryes adue! and Posts away for fear.
Solsticial Heat's and Cold's each in their time,
Do much distemper this our Temp'rate Clime.

July

THe noble Ships, which the vast Ocean try,
And nothing neer them see, but Sea and Sky,
Now homeward with their Wings advance apace,
And having periodiz'd their restless race:
The Merchants house will fill with plenteous Store,
But Silver Angels onely ope' the dore:
The Sun from th' Lyon now will make retreit
In truth 'twould joy a blind man much to se it.

August

BY Planet's Vote this sound surrounds the Sky,
The Garland giv'n must be to Mercury:
When to the Peerless Sun (who scorners scorn's)
The Dog shalt shew his heels, the Moon her horns:
To all (but Doctours now) the seeds of Woe
May quick be sown, by such sweet fruits as doe
First give th' Inamour'd eye a pleasant taste
And then between the watering teeth are plac't.

September

THe Starry Ballance now doth poized stay,
The Golden Talent of our time to weigh;
Whereof each moments value far surmounts
All Finite numbers and conceiv'd accounts;
He may expect no fruitfull harvest now,
His Springing Seed who did neglect to sowe,
Wheras the Prudent Farmers constant care
Provides enough to spend and some to spare.
180

October

DIana's dwelling Saturn doth possess,
And Jove to Citharea doth no less:
Apollo joynes with Hermes to destroy
And rob poor Venus of her house and joy:
VVhilest that Lucina's Courses do decide
VVhat Changes shall both Winds & Tides betide,
Her head and horns unto the Earth she'l show,
That thirteen Moons unto the doz'n may go.

November

NOW Sol and Venus take their sweet repast
And blust'ring Boreas storm's the world: At last
Joynd with Appolo's foll'wer Mercury
His Edicts Echoe round the spangled sky:
Whose thundring voyse ('though all ye world withstand it)
Will never Court attention, But Command it.
Whose thunder-threats you need not fear or flee,
If Winter-tite your Woollen brestplates bee.

December

NOW he that time's our Time & rules the Light
Doth make our Shortest Day & longest Night,
And in his Antique Mode, his Chariot turn's,
And to our Artick world with Cold return's.
The Fal is fal'n & Winter holds his throne.
Doom's idle hands to Cold: when Such alone
Who Sowe the Seed of Diligence in Time,
Shall Reap Heats harvest in the Coldest Clime.

January

WHite Winter now our loss of heat repairs
With th' New years Guift of clear & healthy Aires.
A cleanly Dish Indeed! (and so 't had need)
Whereon each minute every man must feed.
And now the Potent Blasts of Mercury,
Will chain the Northern Seas and Surges high,
And each confine unto his proper seat
While living Springs retaine their native heat.
181

February

SOL ended hath this YEAR: But not his Race,
But thither whence he came, He speeds apace.
Seed time and Harvest shall with Cold and Heat
(While th' Earth endures) retain their proper seat;
So neither Winter nor shall Summer miss
Their wonted Courses: And a Time there is
All Sublunary Labours to begin,
Except (which every day we do) to Sin.
O' th' large Extent of Time this Year hath shown,
The Instant only can we call Our own.

EPITAPH ON JOSIAH FLINT

A man of God he was, so great, so good,
His highest worth was hardly understood
So much of God & Christ in him did dwell.
In grace & holyness he did excell.
An honor & an ornament thereby
Both to ye Church and ye Ministry.
Most zealous in ye work of reformation
To save this selfdestroying generation
With courage strove gainst all this peoples sin
He spent his strength his life his soul therein
Consumd with holy zeal for God for Whome
He livd & dy.d a kind of martyrdome
If men will not lament their hearts not breake
No wonder this lamenting stone doth speake
His tomb stone crys Repent & souls to save
Doth prach repentance from his very grave
Gainst sinners doth as lasting record lye
This monument to his blesd memory.
 

Psal IIX Prov. 10. 7.

182

POEMS FOR COTTON MATHER'S MAGNALIA

Cottonus Matherus

Anagr.

Tu tantum Cohors es.

Epigramma.

Ipse, vales Tantum, Tu, mi memorande MATHERE,
Fortis pro Christo Miles, es ipse cohors.

A Pindaric.

Art thou Heavens Trumpet? sure by the Archangel blown;
Tombs Crack, Dead Start, Saints Rise, are seen and known,
And Shine in Constellation;
From ancient Flames here's a New Phoenix flown,
To shew the World, when Christ Returns, he'll not Return alone.

A FEW LINES TO FILL UP A VACANT PAGE

WO worth the Days! The Days I spent
I' th' Regions of Discontent;
Where I nought rightly understood,
But thought Good, Evil; Evil, Good;
Friends I deem'd Foes; Wrong I conceiv'd was done me;
I Swell'd & Rage'd, whole Heaven could not Atone me:
My Soul ('tis known) was not my Own, so far it had undone me.
Health, Fame, and Wealth were full of Stings;
Children, and Friends were no such Things;
My wholesome food was Poison'd all,
And Hony did but Swell my Gall;
God was no God, Christ was no Christ to me,
While thus I Drave in Discontentments Sea:
Thank this first Vice, that Adam e're lost Paradice, and me.
Thus being Lost, wrong Course I Steerd
While neither Sun, nor Stars appear'd
183

Instead of Heav'n's Land, I made Hell,
I knew't by its Sulphureous Smell:
Coming on Waters, strait my LORD spy'd I;
Avaunt, Foul Fiend! Avoid, fell Foe! Cry'd I;
So vilely I mistook, and therefore spake foul Blasphemy.
'Tis I, quoth He, Be not Afraid.
Which Words He had no sooner said,
But all my Discontents resil'd;
The Ruffling Winds, and Waves were still'd;
By what Time, Faith and Hope my Sailes could hoise,
I got safe and firm Anch'rage in a trice,
Within the very inmost Bays of Blissfull Paradice.

EPITAPH ON MIRIAM WOOD

A Woman well beloved of all
her neighbours, from her care of small
Folks education, their number being great,
that when she dy'd she scarsely left her mate.
So Wise, Discreet, was her behaviors
that she was well esteemed by neighbours.
She liv'd in love with all to dy
So let her rest eternally.

LOVE and UNITY ENCOURAGED AND CONTENTION and DIVISION DISSWADED, in a POEM.

THe Costly Nard, on Jesus Feet,
Was dutifully Plac'd:
Light finger'd Judas vilely Cry'd,
What meaneth all this Waste?
His Discontent at mild Reproof,
Shot forth in Wrath and Strife,
184

And Consultations of Revenge
Against the Lord of Life.
By Giving of the Pascal Sop,
The Traitor was detected,
The Supper of the Lord came on;
He being first Ejected.
Christ's Sufferings hastened on apace,
And He Prepar'd to Die,
His Will and Testament Declar'd,
And His last Legacie:
And thus Began; The Son of Man
Is Glorify'd Hereby;
And in Him, God is Glorify'd,
And shall Him Glorify.
My Children Dear! Saith He, I go
Where yet you cannot Come,
(By Whom much Work is to be done,
Before your Martyrdome.)
Know all Men, Ye are Mine: Let All
My NEW Commandment View,
That Ye must One Another Love,
As I have Loved you.
This New Command is Mine; This Test
If you Endure, when Try'd,
And keep my Law, you in my Love,
And Favour shall Abide.
This Precept I'l Repeat, and say
My Love, that's wondrous Great
Unto you all, you labor shall
By Love, to Imitate.
Yea to my Friends, I'l say't again,
(Lest you Forgetful prove;)
I strictly do Command, That you
Shall One Another Love.
My Loves sweet Fruits, the Comforter
Shall then to you Impart,
A Life of Fruitfulness shall shew
Your Heav'nly Joyful Heart.
Abundantly when you shall Ask
The Father in My Name,
185

By all Our Truth, and Love, and Power,
We will Perform the same.
Much more He Spake, Ending at length,
His Farewel Exhortation;
Then to His Father turn'd, and made
His Fervent Supplication.
O FATHER! Glorify thy SON;
WHO Glorifys Thee still,
And Gives to Men Eternal Life
According to Thy Will.
My Taught-Apostles Sanctify;
From Evil keep them Free:
As Holy FATHER! We are ONE!
ONE also Let Them be.
Not for the World, But Them I Pray,
And Such as shall Believe
On Me, by vertue of the Word,
They shall of Them receive,
As Thou'rt in Me, & I in Thee,
In Glorious Unitie,
One in the Father and the Son,
That They may also be;
In Truth & Faith & Amitie
That every Christian Brother
Be Joyned unto Me and Thee,
And All to One Another.
The World doth Hate 'em, & will Strive
To Rob their outward Rest;
With God, with Conscience, & with Saints
My Peace shall make them Bless'd.
My Peace to them I therefore give;
My Peace I with them leave;
May they Enjoy 't, till I shall them
Unto My Self Receive.
To Purchase Love and Unity,
Dear Saviour! Thou hast bled,
And to pursue 'em, all thy Saints
Under strong bands hast laid.
That these thy precious Legacies,
They surely may Inherit,
186

Inherent and Assisting Grace
Are offer'd, by Thy Spirit.
How is it then (since Thou has made
Such plentiful Provision,
For Love and Unity) we find
Contention and Division!
Those Blessings, if we don't enjoy,
The Fault and Blame's our own:
We've shut up Heav'n, if they descend
Not from that Glorious Throne.
The Means and End lie close Conjoyn'd
In the Divine Decree:
Thou wait'st but till we use the means,
And well prepared be:
Thy Laws neglected, lose their Force;
Thy Promise is not Heeded;
Judgment on Murmurers takes Place;
So Grace is Superseded;
Our Meribahs are Multiply'd,
As if we were Possess'd;
Our Loose Affections soon Divide;
For Trifles, we Contest.
Our Honour's trampled under foot;
Our Crown is made Profane;
To many Souls, while Strife is rife,
The Means of Grace are vain.
The Storms grow long, the hopeful seeds
Under the Clods grow rotten;
The Blasted Years of strife do make
The plenteous years forgotten;
By Hot Contention's Thunderbolts
Are Temples rent in twain;
Armies of Abels too, Advance,
Arm'd with the Clubs of Cain.
Batter'd and Shatter'd by such Storms,
Are best mens Reputations;
In vain they talk, while strife is loud,
of working Reformations.
And by strife's means, much Pray'r is stop'd
And much is turn'd to Sin:
187

It breaks all Dams; so Hells black Waves
Amain come tumbling in.
Setting aside the Fear of God,
And violently mov'd
By Instigation of the Devil,
Thousands of times (it's prov'd)
This wicked strife has broke the Peace
In Christian Families,
In Kingdoms, Provinces and Towns,
Churches and Colonies;
It has Eclips'd, to great Degree,
Each Radiant Quality,
That gave 'em greatest likeness to
Th' Eternal Deity.
Their Wisdom, Justice, Holiness,
Long suffering, Clemency,
Their Meekness and Indulgence too,
Love and Benignity,
God's Great and Glorious Name also
Strife vilely doth Despise,
And what God's Soul Abominates
Doth to Him Sacrifice.
The Halt and Sick and Mutilated
(Which God doth not desire)
It doth upon His Altar burn,
All with Unhallowed Fire.
An Enemy to the Vitals 'tis;
Seizing both Heart and Head;
Many that seem'd Alive before,
It's Poysonous Breath strikes Dead.
To flay this fiery Dragon strife,
Where's the Effectual Dart?
O Saints! God's Word's the pow'rful sword
That Stabs it to the Heart:
Let Faith God's Promises improve,
And Fear His Threatnings Weild,
And Conscience stand by His Command,
And Strife will soon be Kill'd.
And is't a Plague, then call for Pray'r;
Our Churches often prove it;
188

No Hand but what inflicted it
Is able to Remove it.
Then set His Hand on work by Pray'r,
Add Faith and Fasting to it;
If 't's possible to cast it out,
This Heav'nly Course will do it.
Cutting Rebukes for to forbear
No such Forbearance is
As Christ will own, when milder means
Encourage the Disease.
Yet when Constrain'd to Cut and Lance,
Be sure you mourn and weep,
And tremble, lest by any means,
Your Lancet pierce too deep.
For things, in Notion, Disputable,
Not inconsistent with
Faith, Love, and New Obedience,
Do not Strifes Sword Unsheath.
If you must needs come to Debate,
You greatly ought to fear it:
And for such Trial of Self-denial,
Bring a submitting Spirit,
Knowing your weakness, come (I say)
With some degree of terrour,
Lest truth and right you would assert,
Should suffer by your Errour.
Be not of Evil Overcome:
Be good invincibly;
That ill men by your goodness great,
At length may vanquish't be.
Do Churlish Neighbors not deserve,
Your Pardons Peace and Kindness,
Yet Christ deserves; if you can't see't
'Tis owing to your Blindness.
Whoso desires that He himself,
And others live at Rest,
Must Hear and See, with Charity,
And wisely Say the best.
Be deaf to Tatling Tale-bearers;
Credit not all Reports;
189

Avoid the Charms of Whisperers;
Forbear all sharp Retorts;
Would you not have the Sun seem Red,
Put by the Heliotrope;
If you'd not hear the Clapper strike,
Then do not pull the Rope;
If you'd not have the Blood burst forth,
The nose then do not wring;
Do not disturb the wasps or bees,
If you'd avoid their sting;
Would you not have your Glass-house broke,
Then throwing stones forbear;
Would you prevent a Powder blast,
Then let no Coals come near;
Remove the Leaven you see laid
Before it be fermented;
Occasions of Disturbance, let
Be Carefully Prevented;
Forbear when Censures you receive,
Like Censures to return;
Of Fire-balls make no Foot balls, lest
You Towns and Churches burn.
Are Spirits roil'd and blood inflam'd
With Feavour to Convulsion;
Purge sharp and peccant humours well,
And make a quick Revulsion.
From the hot Caldron pluck the brands,
If you'd not have it boil;
VVould you not have the swelling burst,
Then supple it with Oyl.
Although for outward quietness,
POWERS are and LOTS ordain'd,
Yet Lotts, and Law-suits rarely use,
Lest they and Peace be stain'd.
Common Received Customs Good
Resolve, not to oppose;
Nor violently to impose
Whate're you shall propose.
In Doubtful Things and Difficult,
Be not too Peremptory;
190

Suspect, suspend your judgment then,
And be not Refractory.
Would you've good Peace and Unity
And Friendship with a Brother,
In Lawful Things let ev'ry one
Both serve and please each other.
Offences neither give nor take;
Pray God to make you Wise;
Let Patience have its perfect work;
Meekness it's Exercise;
All Envy and Vexatious Wrath,
Well mortify you must;
Contention comes by Pride, this Pride
It must be ground to Dust;
Lastly, break not your Peace with God;
His Laws keep as your Life,
If you'l secure your mutual Peace
And not be plagu'd with Strife.
 

Prov, 16. 7.

EPITAPH ON HOPESTILL CLAP

His Dust Waits Till The Jubile
Shall Then Shine Brighter Than ye Skie
Shall meet & joine (to Part no more)
His Soul That's Glorify'd Before
Pastors & Churches Happy Be
With Ruling Elders Such As He
Present Usefull Absent Wanted
Liv'd Desired Died Lamented
191

THE MERCIES of the YEAR COMMEMORATED: A SONG for Little CHILDREN in NEW-ENGLAND.

December 13th 1720.

(1)

Heaven's MERCY shines, Wonders & Glorys meet;
Angels are left in sweet surprise to see 't.
The Circle of the Year is well near Run
Earth's-Conflagration is not yet begun.

(2)

Heavens spares the Bulwark of our Peace, King GEORGE;
Our CHARTER holds; and Privileges large.
Our GOVERNOUR and SENATORS can meet;
And Greet, and Join in Consultations sweet.

(3)

Though Great our Loss in GREENWOOD's bless'd Translation
Yet well fill'd Pulpits bless the Little Nation.
New Churches Gather'd; Th' Eastern Peace not lost;
And Satan's overthrown with all his Host.

(4)

Sickness from Distant Lands Arrives, and Fears;
JEHOVAH in the Mount as oft Appears.
Contagion stops with Precious Captain GORE;
How Great our Loss? but Heav'n will draw no more.

(5)

Tho' ripening HEAT came late, yet Frost held off,
We Reap the Harvest, and have Bread enough.
192

Provision's dear, Goods high, Bills low, Cash none;
And yet the Suffering Tribe is not Undone.

(6)

A Miracle! The Ocean-Seas of Sin,
Have not prevail'd to let a Deluge in!
That Earth's upheld to bear the heavy Load!
Adore the Grace of a Long suffering GOD!

(7)

Some Vices in the Church not yet subdu'd;
Old Barren Vines and Trees not yet down hew'd.
Sinners, not sent to their Deserved Place;
A YEAR is added to their DAY of Grace.

(8)

The Fugitive may be returned home;
The Foe to GOD, a Favourite become.
Who have no shelter from Thy Jealous Eye,
JESUS! for shelter to thy Wounds may Fly.

(9)

The whole Years Space for Faith, Repentance, Prayer;
The Most have not improved well, I Fear:
Look then, with broken Hearts, upon your ways;
And see, your Future Lives, JEHOVAH Praise.

THE VANITY OF THE WORLD, A POEM.

I

WHAT if a Day, or a Month, or a Year,
Crown thy Delights with a Thousand sweet contentings,
May not the Chance of a Night or an Hour,
Cross thy Delights with as many sad lamentings.
193

Fortune, Honour, Beauty, Youth, are but Blossoms dying;
Wanton Pleasures, doating Love, are but shadows flying:
All our Joys are but Toys, idle Thoughts deceiving;
None has Power of an Hour, to his Life retrieving.

II

The Earth's but a Point of the World; and a Man
Is but a Point to the Earth's compared Center:—
Shall then a Point of a Point be so vain,
As to triumph in a silly Points adventure.—
All is hazard that we have, there is nothing 'biding,
Days of Pleasure are like Streams, thro' fair Meadows gliding;
Weal or Woe, Time doth go; Time hath no returning;—
Secret Fates guide our States, both in Mirth and mourning.

III

What hast thou then, silly Man, for to boast,
But of a sad, and a sorrowful Life perplexed,
When Heart and Hope, and the Fancy at best,
Then Grief and Fear with despair are annexed.
Blossoms, Ashes, Earth and Bell, doth thy State resemble;
Fear of Sickness, Death and Hell, should make thee to tremble.
Every Thing that doth spring, soon is ripe, soon rotten!
Pomp and Pride, soon doth slide, soon they are forgotten.

IV

So soon as Death shall have ended thy Race,
And cut the Thread of thy Life,—thy Soul is ascending,
Into it's Rest, 'foredeemed the Place,
Whither thy Thoughts, Words and Works, were ever 'tending.
Death doth hasten, and the Grave, waiteth for thy coming;
Neither Friends nor Foes can save, thou art thither running.
Every Day taketh away part of thy Time flying;
Therefore strive, whilst alive, to be fit for dying.
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