The synagogue, or, the shadow of the temple Sacred poems, and private ejaculations. In imitation of Mr George Herbert [by Christopher Harvey] |
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The Church-porch. |
 | The synagogue, or, the shadow of the temple |  |
The Church-porch.
Now ere thou passest further, sit thee down
In the Church-porch, & think what thou hast seen;
Let due consideration either crown,
Or crush thy former purposes. Between
Rash undertakings and firme resolutions,
Depends the strength or weaknesse of conclusions.
In the Church-porch, & think what thou hast seen;
Let due consideration either crown,
Or crush thy former purposes. Between
Rash undertakings and firme resolutions,
Depends the strength or weaknesse of conclusions.
6
Trace thy steps backward in thy memory,
And first resolve of that thou heardest last:
Sinceritie. It blots the historie
Of all religious actions, and doth blast
The comfort of them, when in them God sees
Nothing but outsides of formalities.
And first resolve of that thou heardest last:
Sinceritie. It blots the historie
Of all religious actions, and doth blast
The comfort of them, when in them God sees
Nothing but outsides of formalities.
In earnest be religious, trifle not;
And rather for Gods sake then for thine own:
Thou hast rob'd him, unlesse that he have got
By giving, if his glory be not grown
Together with thy good. Who seeketh more
Himself then God, would make his roofe his floore.
And rather for Gods sake then for thine own:
Thou hast rob'd him, unlesse that he have got
By giving, if his glory be not grown
Together with thy good. Who seeketh more
Himself then God, would make his roofe his floore.
Next to sinceritie remember still,
Thou must resolve upon Integritie:
God will have all thou hast; thy minde, thy will,
Thy thoughts, thy words, thy works. A nullitie,
It proves, when God, that should have all, doth finde
That there is any one thing left behinde.
Thou must resolve upon Integritie:
God will have all thou hast; thy minde, thy will,
Thy thoughts, thy words, thy works. A nullitie,
It proves, when God, that should have all, doth finde
That there is any one thing left behinde.
And having given him all, thou must receive
All that he gives. Meete his commandement,
Resolve that thine obedience must not leave
Vntill it reach unto the fame extent:
For all his precepts are of equall strength,
And measure thy performance to the length.
All that he gives. Meete his commandement,
Resolve that thine obedience must not leave
Vntill it reach unto the fame extent:
For all his precepts are of equall strength,
And measure thy performance to the length.
Then call to minde that Constancy must knit
Thine undertakings and thine actions fast:
He that sets forth towards Heaven, and doth sit
Down by the way, will be found short at last.
Be constant to the end, and thou shalt have
An heavenly garland, though an earthly grave.
Thine undertakings and thine actions fast:
He that sets forth towards Heaven, and doth sit
Down by the way, will be found short at last.
Be constant to the end, and thou shalt have
An heavenly garland, though an earthly grave.
7
But he that would be constant, must not take
Religion up by fits and starts alone;
But his continuall practise must it make:
His course must be from end to end but one.
Bones often broken and knit up againe,
Loose of their length, though in their strength they gaine.
Religion up by fits and starts alone;
But his continuall practise must it make:
His course must be from end to end but one.
Bones often broken and knit up againe,
Loose of their length, though in their strength they gaine.
Lastly, remember that Humilitie
Must solidate and keep all close together.
What pride puffes up with vaine futilitie,
Lyes open and expos'd to all ill weather.
An empty bubble may faire colours carry;
But blow upon it, and it will not tarry.
Must solidate and keep all close together.
What pride puffes up with vaine futilitie,
Lyes open and expos'd to all ill weather.
An empty bubble may faire colours carry;
But blow upon it, and it will not tarry.
Prize not thine own too high, nor under-rate
Anothers worth, but deale indifferently;
View the defects of thy spirituall state,
And others graces with impartiall eye:
The more thou deemest of thy selfe, the lesse
Esteeme of thee will all men else expresse.
Anothers worth, but deale indifferently;
View the defects of thy spirituall state,
And others graces with impartiall eye:
The more thou deemest of thy selfe, the lesse
Esteeme of thee will all men else expresse.
Contract thy lesson now, and this is just
The summe of all. He that desires to see
The face of God, in his religion must
Sincere, entire, constant, and humble be.
If thus resolved, feare not to proceed;
Else the more haste thou mak'st, the worse thou'lt speed.
The summe of all. He that desires to see
The face of God, in his religion must
Sincere, entire, constant, and humble be.
If thus resolved, feare not to proceed;
Else the more haste thou mak'st, the worse thou'lt speed.
| The synagogue, or, the shadow of the temple | |