The Hesperides & Noble Numbers Part 100

214. CHRIST'S ACTION.

Christ never did so great a work but there His human nature did in part appear; Or ne'er so mean a piece but men might see Therein some beams of His Divinity: So that in all He did there did combine His human nature and His part divine.

215. PREDESTINATION.

Predestination is the cause alone Of many standing, but of fall to none.

216. ANOTHER.

Art thou not destin'd? then with haste go on To make thy fair predestination: If thou can'st change thy life, G.o.d then will please To change, or call back, His past sentences.

217. SIN.

Sin never slew a soul unless there went Along with it some tempting blandishment.

218. ANOTHER.

Sin is an act so free, that if we shall Say 'tis not free, 'tis then no sin at all.

219. ANOTHER.

Sin is the cause of death; and sin's alone The cause of G.o.d's predestination: And from G.o.d's prescience of man's sin doth flow Our destination to eternal woe.

220. PRESCIENCE.

G.o.d's prescience makes none sinful; but th' offence Of man's the chief cause of G.o.d's prescience.

221. CHRIST.

To all our wounds here, whatsoe'er they be, Christ is the one sufficient remedy.

222. CHRIST'S INCARNATION.

Christ took our nature on Him, not that He 'Bove all things loved it for the purity: No, but He dress'd Him with our human trim, Because our flesh stood most in need of Him.

223. HEAVEN.

Heaven is not given for our good works here; Yet it is given to the labourer.

224. G.o.d'S KEYS

G.o.d has four keys, which He reserves alone: The first of rain; the key of h.e.l.l next known; With the third key He opes and shuts the womb; And with the fourth key he unlocks the tomb.

225. SIN.

There's no constraint to do amiss, Whereas but one enforcement is.

226. ALMS.

Give unto all, lest he, whom thou deni'st, May chance to be no other man but Christ.

227. h.e.l.l FIRE.

One only fire has h.e.l.l; but yet it shall Not after one sort there excruciate all: But look, how each transgressor onward went Boldly in sin, shall feel more punishment.

228. TO KEEP A TRUE LENT.

Is this a fast, to keep The larder lean?

And clean From fat of veals and sheep?

Is it to quit the dish Of flesh, yet still To fill The platter high with fish?

Is it to fast an hour, Or ragg'd to go, Or show A downcast look and sour?

No; 'tis a fast to dole Thy sheaf of wheat, And meat, Unto the hungry soul.

It is to fast from strife, From old debate And hate; To circ.u.mcise thy life.

To show a heart grief-rent; To starve thy sin, Not bin; And that's to keep thy Lent.

229. NO TIME IN ETERNITY.

By hours we all live here; in Heaven is known No spring of time, or time's succession.

230. HIS MEDITATION UPON DEATH.

Be those few hours, which I have yet to spend, Blest with the meditation of my end: Though they be few in number, I'm content: If otherwise, I stand indifferent.

Nor makes it matter Nestor's years to tell, If man lives long and if he live not well.

A mult.i.tude of days still heaped on, Seldom brings order, but confusion.

Might I make choice, long life should be withstood; Nor would I care how short it were, if good: Which to effect, let ev'ry pa.s.sing-bell Possess my thoughts, "Next comes my doleful knell": And when the night persuades me to my bed, I'll think I'm going to be buried.

So shall the blankets which come over me Present those turfs which once must cover me: And with as firm behaviour I will meet The sheet I sleep in as my winding-sheet.