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<DATE>2007-08-05</DATE>
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<NAME>Robyn Anspach</NAME>
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<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>&PSgr;&Agr;&Lgr;&Mgr; &Ogr;&Sgr; &THgr;&Egr;&Igr;~&Ogr;&Sgr;, Or a Divine PSALME <HI>OR,</HI> SONG, Wherein <HI>Prede&s;tination</HI> is main|tained, yet the honour of <HI>JEHOVAH</HI> pre&s;erved and vindicated: And to that eternall <HI>SONG</HI> the holy Scripture dedicated,</P>
<P>By JOHN DAVIS.</P>
<P><HI>Whereunto is annexed an Elogie upon the Patron,</HI> With certaine Divine Epigrams to whom the Author pre&s;ented &s;ome of his Books.</P>
<Q><P>So then at this pre&s;ent time al&s;o there is a remnant accord|ing to the election of grace,</P>
<BIBL>Rom. 11. 5.</BIBL></Q>
<Q><P>What &s;hall we &s;ay then? Is there unrighteou&s;ne&s;&s;e with God? God forbid,</P> 
<BIBL>Rom. 9. 14.</BIBL></Q>
<P><HI>LONDON,</HI> Printed, andare to be &s;old by <HI>Humphrey Mo&s;eley,</HI> at the Princes Arms in <HI>Pauls</HI> Church-yard, and by <HI>Andrew Kemb,</HI> at S. <HI>Margarets</HI> Hill in <HI>Southwark,</HI> 1652.</P>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<GROUP>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="poem">
<PB REF="2">
<PB REF="2">
<HEAD>&V;pon the title of this little Book, namely, a P&s;alme.</HEAD>
<LG>
<L><HI>PSalms</HI> though now of late with us &s;ome men deem,</L>
<L>As fooli&s;h, yet their worths de&s;erve e&s;teem.</L>
<L>King <HI>David</HI> thus exhorteth well to <HI>&s;ing,</HI></L>
<L><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 149.</NOTE> Let <HI>S'ons</HI> children be <HI>joyfull</HI> in their King.</L>
<L><HI>I&s;rael</HI> he exhorteth all along,</L>
<L>To prai&s;e, to &s;ing <HI>unto the Lord a</HI> <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign"></NOTE>Song.</L>
<L>At <HI>&s;inging P&s;alms</HI> let none pre&s;ume to rail;</L>
<L>For fro~ the heart through th'month it dothpre|vail,</L>
<L>Like <HI>Gol'ahs</HI> &s;word; for 'tis aweapon &s;trong</L>
<L>To conquer, though to rea&s;on weak, a <HI>&s;ong,</HI></L>
<L>Search Godsword, &s;ee that place that Irehear&s;e,</L>
<L>2 <HI>Chron.</HI> twentieth Chapter 22 Ver&s;e,</L>
<L><HI>Jehos'phat</HI> con&s;ult's with tho&s;e in his dayes,</L>
<L>And appointed <HI>&s;ingers</HI> to th'Lord, to <HI>prai&s;e</HI></L>
<L>The beauty of holine&s;&s;e, and to &s;ay,</L>
<L>Before th'army, <HI>Gods</HI> mercy is for aye:</L>
<L>And when that they began <HI>to prai&s;e, to &s;ing</HI></L>
<L>To God on high, their <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Jer. 10. 10.</NOTE><HI>everla&s;ting King;</HI></L>
<L><PB REF="3">
The purpo&s;e of their foes he did prevent,</L>
<L>'Gain&s;t <HI>Ammons</HI> children God &s;et ambu&s;hment;</L>
<L>For they were &s;mitten, and each other &s;mote.</L>
<L><NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign"></NOTE> <HI>Hallelujah</HI> was not in mouth nor c throat.</L>
<L>To &s;peak the worth, the force, the fame, the glo|ry</L>
<L>Of <HI>&s;inging,</HI> give me leave to <HI>&s;ing</HI> this &s;tory:</L>
<L>The Prote&s;tants within a <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">The &s;inging of the Prote|&s;tants at <HI>Moun|taban</HI> in <HI>France,</HI> defeat|ed their ene|mies.</NOTE>Town in <HI>France</HI></L>
<L>Be&s;ieg'd, &s;till at the time they did advance</L>
<L>To fight rheir enemies, they would go out,</L>
<L><HI>Singing of P&s;alms or Songs,</HI> which to the rout</L>
<L>Or company of their be&s;iegers grew</L>
<L>So terrible, though but the voice of few,</L>
<L>That ere the gates were open, they could heare</L>
<L>Their <HI>&s;inging voice,</HI> and run away for fear.</L>
<L>Now let men cea&s;e to &s;ay, to <HI>&s;ing</HI> is vain,</L>
<L><HI>Since holy Writ, and &s;tory thwarts it plain.</HI></L>
</LG>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>John Davis.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="poem">
<PB REF="3">
<HEAD>To his Meditation.</HEAD>
<LG>
<L>THy meaning here (&ocirc; Mu&s;e) I pray dilate,</L>
<L>Can&s;t thou the Lord pre&s;erve, or vindicate&punc;</L>
<L>Is not <HI>Jehovah</HI> all-&s;ufficient,</L>
<L>In and of him&s;elf? pray, what ha&s;t thou meant</L>
<L>By the&s;e thy words? I an&s;wer, &s;ome do &s;trive</L>
<L>In this our age to <HI>rob, bereave, deprive</HI></L>
<L>God of his titles, they think it no &s;hame,</L>
<L>To &s;ay he <HI>mocks poor &s;ouls,</HI> now can you blame</L>
<L>Me thus to &s;peak, &s;ince <HI>errours out of date?</HI></L>
<L>To Gods di&s;prai&s;e are <HI>fa&s;h'ons</HI> now of late;</L>
<L>The foes to truth &s;ay in <HI>Predestination,</HI></L>
<L>The Lord is guilty of <HI>Equivocation,</HI></L>
<L>Which I deny in all my foll'wing pages,</L>
<L>Concording with Gods Word &amp; learned Sages.</L>
<L>Yet not this 'lone, but many <HI>errours</HI> more</L>
<L>Have landed here of late on th' Engli&s;h &s;hore,</L>
<L>Which I oppo&s;e according to my gift:</L>
<L>And if by this I chance to give a lift,</L>
<L><PB REF="4">
And di&s;place this errour, <HI>un'ver&s;all grace,</HI></L>
<L>Together with <HI>Freewill,</HI> which creeps apace</L>
<L>Into our <HI>faith</HI> of late; I &s;hall do more</L>
<L>In the&s;e few lines, than many heretofore</L>
<L>In greater Volumes; 'cau&s;e I under&s;tand</L>
<L>The <HI>hearts</HI> of all men are within Gods hand,</L>
<L>To be turned by <HI>whom,</HI> and when he <HI>plea&s;e:</HI></L>
<L>I have a hope, that this may do't with ea&s;e.</L>
<L>I'm &s;atisfi'd (&ocirc; Mufe) with this thou &s;ay'&s;t,</L>
<L>'Tis wel thou &s;peak'&s;t thy mind ere thou <HI>decay'&s;t.</HI></L>
<L>Go forth with &s;peed, &amp; pow'r again&s;t thy foes,</L>
<L>Fear none of them, thy <HI>Patron</HI> will oppo&s;e</L>
<L>Them all, thou ha&s;t likewi&s;e &s;ome <HI>friends</HI> that will,</L>
<L>While they can &s;peak, defend thine hone&s;t quill.</L>
<L>While <HI>truth</HI> thou lov'&s;t, &amp; <HI>fal&s;hood</HI> do&s;t di&s;dain,</L>
<L><HI>Thy neer and faithfull friend I &s;hall remain.</HI></L>
</LG>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>John Davis.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="imprimatur">
<P>Imprimatur,</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>John Downame.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="dedication">
<PB REF="4">
<HEAD>To the truly Noble, that eternall <HI>Song of Divine in&s;piration, the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Deut.</HI> 31. 19.</NOTE>admini&s;tration of righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e: the &s;acred Scriptures of the Old and New Te&s;tament, <HI>JOHN DAVIS</HI> wi&s;heth all pre&s;ervation and glory in this age and in that to come.</HEAD>
<P>_WHen I had fini&s;hed this little Book ac|cording to cu&s;tome, I began to &s;tudy a Patron, I propounded in my thoughts divers men &amp; that of no ordinary rank and quality, they were great men, and according to appearance good men, for I made it no &s;mall part of my &s;tudy to choo&s;e &s;uch men that lov'd truth, that &s;o they might the better protect it, but when I con&s;idered with my &s;elf, that no mortall man was infallible, and that the greate&s;t, and be&s;t men in
<PB REF="5">
the World have but a time here, and that time <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">1&punc; Cor. 7. 29.</NOTE>&s;hort, and that the &s;tronge&s;t and able&s;t man hath not an irre&s;i&s;tible power of him&s;elf to with|&s;tand the oppo&s;ition made by multitudes of fal&s;e &s;pirits: I was di&s;couraged to confirme any of tho&s;e which were in my thoughts for a Patron: then I began to propound my &s;elf unto my &s;elf, be|cau&s;e I am be&s;t able to interpret my own meaning, and if occa&s;ion &s;erve, to be my own Advocate, and &s;o patronize, and protect this little Book from the violence of this our age, which loves novelty ra|ther than truth, that which is new than that which is true, but then con&s;idering, if I &s;hould accept of my &s;elf, it would be &s;omething an undervaluing or &s;lighting tho&s;e worthy Gentlemen that were in my thoughts, and an e&s;teeming of my &s;elfe, a|bove my &s;elf: as if none were &s;o wi&s;e as my &s;elf, which is meer folly, whereupon I was almo&s;t in the minde of &s;ending this forth into the malicious World, among&s;t all its enemies without a Patron, but at last the Lord put into my head and heart to think upon your incomparable <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">The Scri|ptures, the Books of the Old and New Te&s;tament.</NOTE>&s;elves, whom I have made choice of, for your fidelity, ability and perpetuity: if I had concluded on any other,
<PB REF="5">
though for the pre&s;ent it might have been patro|nized and defended, but alas! in a &s;hort time, it would have been left Fatherle&s;&s;e, Patronle&s;&s;e and &s;o become a poore di&s;tre&s;&s;ed, de&s;pi&s;ed and rejected little one; but oh! I could not have cho&s;en the like: you are an immortall <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 1. 23.</NOTE>&s;eed, a Patron that will re|main from generation to generation: you are foun|ded <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 119. 152</NOTE>for ever. Man &s;hall pa&s;&s;e, nay heaven &s;hall pa&s;&s;e, and earth &s;hall pa&s;&s;e, but you will never pa&s;&s;e <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Matth. 24. 35.</NOTE>away. I may well compare Epi&s;tles De|dicatory to Funerall Sermons, wherein men u&s;e to commend and prai&s;e the party decea&s;ed beyond their de&s;erts, and truly had I concluded upon any man, for my Patron of this little work, I must have flattered him, or el&s;e in &s;tead of protection, I might have expected correction: but for your parts, you will not only de&s;erve what I &s;hall &s;ay, but even excell the be&s;t language that I am able to &s;peak concerning you: and it is better &s;o, for I had rather be defective in my Patrons commendations, than my Patron defective inde&s;erts.</P>
<P>But now mo&s;t compleat Patron, I humbly beg your care of this my little one, when other Patrons nare dead; whe I my &s;elf am decea|&s;ed
<PB REF="6">
you will be alive, to &s;uccour and maintain this i&s;&s;ue of my minde, which I conceive with &s;ubmi&s;|&s;ion is &s;o concording with yours. Parents that have many children, &s;ons and daughters, have a more private regard of their &s;ons, becau&s;e they bear up and continue their names, and among&s;t their &s;ons they have a greater affection to protect, defend and pre&s;erve from danger and violence even him that mo&s;t re&s;embles the father in per&s;on and quality: Noble friends, this, even this, is the &s;eed of your Loynes, it is your &s;onne, it bears up your <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">Deut. 13. 16.</NOTE> names, therefore I need not que&s;tion your tender regard of it, but fora&s;much as it re&s;embles and favours you, do but favour it, and in &s;o doing you will fa|vour me, who while I can &s;peak, will &s;peak for you, and while I have a being cannot but be</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>An admirer of all your Excellencies,
<HI>John Davis.</HI></SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="song">
<PB N="1" REF="6">
<HEAD><GAP DESC="foreign">, <HI>Or a Divine P&s;alme, or Song:</HI> Wherein Prede&s;tination is main|tained yet the honour of <HI>JEHOVAH</HI> pre&s;erved and vindicated.</HEAD>
<LG>
<L>_WE &s;ee through the per&s;pective gla&s;&s;e</L>
<L>Of Scripture, that what comes to pa&s;&s;e</L>
<L>In time, is decreed, fore-ordained by</L>
<L>The <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Ephe&s;. 1. 11.</NOTE>will of God, from all Eternity.</L>
<L>Through this per&s;pective lo we &s;ee,</L>
<L>Some <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 5. 21. Matth. 25. 41.</NOTE>fore-ordain'd, by Gods decree</L>
<L>Unto eternal <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Rom. 9. 22, 23.</NOTE>Life, <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 28, 29&punc; 30.</NOTE>&amp; death. Tho&s;e de&s;ign'd</L>
<L>To Life, are only &s;av'd, as in his word I finde.</L>
<L><PB N="2" REF="7">
<MILESTONE UNIT="Que&s;t."> Now th' Patrons of univer&s;all grace,</L>
<L>Do commonly demand in any ca&s;e,</L>
<L>How God can hence excu&s;ed be</L>
<L>From collu&s;ion, and deceit, if he</L>
<L>Will none convert nor &s;ave, but tho&s;e</L>
<L>Whom from Eternity he cho&s;e,</L>
<L>Seeing he offereth grace to all</L>
<L>In his Go&s;pel, preach'd to great and &s;mall?</L>
<L><MILESTONE UNIT="An&s;w."> For an&s;wer fir&s;t, to this demand</L>
<L>Take this, being next unto my hand,</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>That though the preaching of the Go&s;pel be</L>
<L>Alike communicable unto all, we &s;ee,</L>
<L>Yet the &s;aving comfort, is for none:</L>
<L>But &s;nch, who are elected, them alone,</L>
<L>Unlike the <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Jam. 2. 10, 11</NOTE>law, which bindes alike all men,</L>
<L>'Tis not on all entail'd, I &s;peak it ore agen.</L>
<L>Hence the elect are &s;til'd <HI>Abrahams</HI> &s;eed,</L>
<L>Hence faith in Chri&s;t for them is &s;ole decreed,</L>
<L>Hence the voice of Chri&s;t is come peculiar</L>
<L>Unto the <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">John 10. 3.</NOTE>&s;heep of Chri&s;t particular,</L>
<L>From hence the holy Spirit doth affect,</L>
<L>To term true faith, the <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Titus 1. 1.</NOTE>faith of Gods elect,</L>
<L>As being proper, yea peculiar to none</L>
<L>But to the Saint, which is his cho&s;en one.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<PB N="3" REF="7">
<L>Secondly, ob&s;erve, that albeit,</L>
<L>Pa&s;tors are to preach the Go&s;pel, yet</L>
<L>'Tis not with intent to convert all</L>
<L>Which heare it, but &s;uch that God will call</L>
<L>Home, by that means, his dear re&s;pected,</L>
<L>The le&s;&s;er number, long ago elected.</L>
<L>The Apo&s;tle <HI>Paul</HI> did preach, yea endure</L>
<L>All things, but not for all, I am &s;ure.</L>
<L>I <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 2. 10. <GAP DESC="foreign">,</NOTE>&s;uffer all things, the Spirit by him &s;pake</L>
<L>But not for all, but for the <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Ephe&s;. 4. 11.</NOTE>cho&s;en &s;ake.</L>
<L>God hath ^e Apo&s;tles, Pa&s;tors, Prophets too,</L>
<L>Yea 'vangeli&s;ts, but what are the&s;e to do?</L>
<L>They are not given for alls conver&s;ion,</L>
<L>No, but for the elect, the <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">Ephe&s;. 4. 12. <GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE>Saints perfection.</L>
<L>All Go&s;pel-Preachers, thus are termed</L>
<L>By holy Scripture, 'tis confirmed,</L>
<L>Th'are only &s;ent as in&s;truments to gather</L>
<L>Th'elect from the four winds or corners rather.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Thirdly, note, that though the Go&s;pel thus</L>
<L>Be preach'd by grace to every one of us;</L>
<L>Yet 'tis not heavens intent to &s;ave</L>
<L>Every one of us, that heard it have;</L>
<L>But only &s;uch that with love receive it,</L>
<L>Or &s;uch alone, that do <NOTE N="g" PLACE="marg">Gal. 3. 22.</NOTE>believe it.</L>
<L><PB N="4" REF="8">
This prov'd by that of Chri&s;ts Commi&s;&s;ion</L>
<L>To his Apo&s;tles, when he made apparition</L>
<L>To them, and bid them in the world go teach,</L>
<L>And the Go&s;pel to all creatures preach:</L>
<L>He that believeth and is baptized,</L>
<L>He &s;hall be &s;aved and dearly prized:</L>
<L>But who believeth not, except he mend,</L>
<L>Tell him, already he is condemn'd.</L>
<L>Now none believes nor gains true &s;aving faith,</L>
<L>But Gods <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Acts 13. 48. <GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE>elect alone, the Scripture &s;aith.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>If this be granted then to me,</L>
<L><MILESTONE UNIT="Doctrine."> As I am &s;ure it needs mu&s;t be,</L>
<L>That the Go&s;pel-graces are for none</L>
<L>But for th' Elect, re&s;erv'd; for them alone,</L>
<L>Then take, with you this ob&s;ervation,</L>
<L>That there is no contradiction</L>
<L>'Twixt the &s;ecret and revealed will</L>
<L>Of God, that can both &s;ave and kill,</L>
<L>And that the holy God equivocates</L>
<L>With none although he dedicates</L>
<L>His Go&s;pel to all, to every Nation,</L>
<L>Though not effectually unto &s;alvation,</L>
<L>As &s;ome object who are <HI>Arminius</HI> &s;ons</L>
<L>Or el&s;e &s;ome mad, at lea&s;t &s;ome frantick ones:</L>
<L><PB N="5" REF="8">
For none that under&s;tandeth well,</L>
<L>Will tax th' Holy One of <HI>I&s;rael,</HI></L>
<L>With what he will nor cannot do;</L>
<L>'Tis truth, God has his cannots too,</L>
<L>He cannot <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Titus 1. 2.</NOTE>lie, he cannot change, nor die;</L>
<L>He neither will nor can him&s;elf deny.</L>
<L>For how can he that is all <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Hab. 1. 13.</NOTE>purity</L>
<L>Approve, much le&s;&s;e commit iniquity?</L>
<L>Wherefore (from hence) with me conclude,</L>
<L>He cannot mock, deceive, delude.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L><MILESTONE UNIT="Object"> But thus may &s;ome object, and this retort,</L>
<L>That th' Lord doth &s;eriou&s;ly exhort</L>
<L>Reprobates them&s;elves to believe, repent,</L>
<L>Though 'twas nere his abs'lute intent</L>
<L>To work faith in their hearts, then &s;o if that</L>
<L>They cannot have (I mean the reprobate)</L>
<L>Power of them&s;elves for to believe,</L>
<L>God may be &s;aid, for to deceive;</L>
<L>Becau&s;e he doth exhort them to</L>
<L>That (without him) they cannot do.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L><MILESTONE UNIT="An&s;w."> To this I frame my an&s;wer thus,</L>
<L>If God, that knows each heart of us,</L>
<L>Should immediatly from heaven tell</L>
<L>The reprobates, they are for hell</L>
<L><PB N="6" REF="9">
Ordain'd, without rdemption,</L>
<L>Or that he would not cau&s;e contrition</L>
<L>In them, yet exhort particularly</L>
<L>Such, to re&s;ent effectually,</L>
<L>There were &s;ome &s;hew of mockery</L>
<L>In God, who is fidelity.</L>
<L>But here 'tis otherwi&s;e, I dare</L>
<L>Pre&s;ume and cannot but declare:</L>
<L>For though the Lord doth oft entreat</L>
<L>Unto repent the reprobate,</L>
<L>Who 're ca&s;t off in his &s;ecret will;</L>
<L>He not deludes I &s;peak it &s;till;</L>
<L>Becau&s;e the Lord doth not invite</L>
<L>Immediately th' reprobate to light,</L>
<L>I mean immediately from heaven,</L>
<L>But mediately, by Mini&s;ters, 'tis given</L>
<L>To preach the Go&s;pel, &s;o that when</L>
<L>They preach, they &s;peak unto all men;</L>
<L>Becau&s;e they cannot &s;ay, <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Acts 1. 24.</NOTE>this is rejected</L>
<L>Or this, my hearer is elected:</L>
<L>For what they know, 'tis but in part,</L>
<L>'Tis God alone that knows <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">2 Chron 6 30</NOTE>the heart:</L>
<L>To ev'ry man the truth they &s;hew,</L>
<L>As to th'elect, for ought they know.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<PB N="7" REF="9">
<L>Again, becau&s;e the reprobate,</L>
<L>Whom the great God doth oft entreat,</L>
<L>Exhort, and tender Go&s;pel-grace,</L>
<L>Knows not his own <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Eccl. 9. 1. <GAP DESC="foreign"></NOTE>e&s;tate, or ca&s;e,</L>
<L>Whether he is for heav'n or hell</L>
<L>De&s;tin'd, ordain'd, they cannot tell,</L>
<L>Since he was nere made partaker</L>
<L>Of th' privy Coun&s;el of his Maker;</L>
<L>But only what he doth reveal</L>
<L>Within his Word, which doth conceal,</L>
<L>Not determine or denominate</L>
<L>This or that man a reprobate;</L>
<L>So that, for any thing they know</L>
<L>Their life's a day of grace, and &s;o</L>
<L>There is none that can truly &s;ay,</L>
<L>I'm a reprobate or ca&s;t-away;</L>
<L>'Cau&s;e to each &s;elf, there's po&s;&s;ibility</L>
<L>And more there is a probability</L>
<L>Of b'ing &s;av'd &s;ince they cannot know</L>
<L>Whether they're rejected yea, or no.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L><MILESTONE UNIT="Object."> Yet &s;ome object, the Lord well knows</L>
<L>What men he hath rejected, tho&s;e</L>
<L>Cannot repent, becau&s;e he hath</L>
<L>With-held from them his grace of faith;</L>
<L><PB N="8" REF="10">
Now God mu&s;t needs equivocate,</L>
<L>Though unknown to each reprobate.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L><MILESTONE UNIT="An&s;w."> I an&s;wer, that if they cannot di&s;cover</L>
<L>That God deludes them, how can any other</L>
<L>That pro&s;ecutes this &s;trange objection charge,</L>
<L>The ju&s;t, and righteous God, with couzenage?</L>
<L>What are they turned Gods? that they</L>
<L>Can thus unlock; di&s;clo&s;e, di&s;play,</L>
<L>This hidden veiled my&s;tery,</L>
<L>That none within the World e&s;pie;</L>
<L>Since <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Rom. 11. 33.</NOTE>that Gods wayes without all doubt</L>
<L>Are <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">P&s;al&punc; 77. 19. <GAP DESC="foreign"></NOTE>a &s;hips way, pa&s;t finding out?</L>
<L>Surel', if there be no reprobates,</L>
<L>Can &s;ay that God equivocates</L>
<L>With any, with them, while h'exhorted</L>
<L>Them to believe, and be converted,</L>
<L>And yet with-holds the grace, whereby</L>
<L>They &s;hould upon his Son relye;</L>
<L>Becau&s;e th&punc;are cannot truly know,</L>
<L>Whether they reprobates or no:</L>
<L>Then &s;urely he that doth maintain</L>
<L>This my&s;ticall, or rather vain</L>
<L>Objection, mu&s;t give ore for &s;hame,</L>
<L>Thus ba&s;ely the great God to blame,</L>
<L><PB N="9" REF="10">
Till of him&s;elf he's able to trace</L>
<L>The ju&s;t God in fault, and in his own ca&s;e</L>
<L>Only, and not on others thus to declaim</L>
<L>Before them&s;elves in any wi&s;e complain</L>
<L>Of Gods dealing with them, who do not vent</L>
<L>A word (perchance) again&s;t unchang'd intent.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Thus more, be pleas'd to give me leave,</L>
<L>God doth not reprobates deceive,</L>
<L>In offering grace to them by</L>
<L>The Go&s;pel in its Mini&s;try;</L>
<L>Though he re&s;olveth not to give</L>
<L>The faith by which the ju&s;t do live;</L>
<L>Becau&s;e th' reprobates I will maintain</L>
<L>By th' Go&s;pel preach't to them do gain:</L>
<L><MILESTONE N="1"> As fir&s;t, oft-times they bear away </L>
<L>That which becomes a pre&s;ent &s;tay</L>
<L>To their drooping &s;ouls, which would &s;ink</L>
<L>Into de&s;pair, &s;hould they not drink</L>
<L>Of th' Go&s;pels &s;pring; po&s;&s;ibility</L>
<L>They have, and more, a probability</L>
<L>Of true conver&s;ion, which none under heaven</L>
<L>Have, but &s;uch to whom the Go&s;pel's given.</L>
<L><MILESTONE N="2"> And &s;econdly, they know the Attributes </L>
<L>Of God which to the World he di&s;tributes,</L>
<L><PB N="10" REF="11">
They know the nature, &s;uff'rings and merits</L>
<L>Of Je&s;us Chri&s;t, and who (by him) inherits</L>
<L>The Kingdom, they know 'tis &s;uch alone</L>
<L>That hath a <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Ezek. 36. 26.</NOTE>&s;oft, not a heart of &s;tone.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Now are not the&s;e unmatched rare</L>
<L>Priviledges, beyond compare?</L>
<L>Except &s;aving knowledge, what doth excell?</L>
<L>To &s;peak truly, I cannot tell,</L>
<L>Which as before, for ought they know</L>
<L>They may obtain, e're hence they go.</L>
<L>Now who can &s;ay the Lord doth hardly deal</L>
<L>With reprobates? I dare appeal</L>
<L>Unto them&s;elves, who cannot but</L>
<L>Thus &s;peak: <HI>Jehovah</HI> doth not &s;hut</L>
<L>All his favours up, from the reprobate,</L>
<L>But this is true, that I relate.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L><MILESTONE N="3"> Thirdly, reprobates by th' Go&s;pel gain</L>
<L>Tho&s;e outward ble&s;&s;ings, which do pertain</L>
<L>Thereto, whereof they have a &s;hare</L>
<L>As <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Job 21. 7, to 17.</NOTE>great as &s;uch, who cho&s;en are:</L>
<L>The Go&s;pel commonly with it doth bring</L>
<L>Peace, plenty, with each outward thing,</L>
<L>It always brings <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Rom. 15. 29.</NOTE>ble&s;&s;ings great, and many,</L>
<L>Of which reprobates drink, as deep as any;</L>
<L><PB N="11" REF="11">
Therefore 'tis not altogether vain</L>
<L>To th' reprobates, as &s;ome would maintain.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L><MILESTONE N="4"> Fourthly, reprobates though not &s;anctified: </L>
<L>Call'd by the Go&s;pel, yet 'tis not denied</L>
<L>But many morall vertues thence they gain,</L>
<L>Withall the <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Re&s;training grace.</NOTE>grace of God, which doth re&s;train</L>
<L>Their running head-long to th'exce&s;&s;e</L>
<L>Of vice, of &s;in, and wickedne&s;&s;e.</L>
<L>The Word of God becomes &s;o prevalent,</L>
<L>In their &s;ouls to whom 'tis &s;ent,</L>
<L>That it makes them to act and do</L>
<L>Many things for God, yea and to</L>
<L>Go farre, i' th' practi&s;e of religion</L>
<L>That they &s;eem almo&s;t without &s;u&s;picion</L>
<L>To be th' elect of God, the &s;heep</L>
<L>Of Je&s;us Chri&s;t, which <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">John 10. 28. <GAP DESC="foreign">&punc;</NOTE>he will keep;</L>
<L>Therefore it comes into my minde again,</L>
<L>Though th' Go&s;pel doth not &s;ave, 'tis not vain</L>
<L>'Tis by the Go&s;pel reprobates injoy</L>
<L>Communion with elect, which doth imploy</L>
<L>My Mu&s;e again, this to maintain,</L>
<L>The Go&s;pel preached is not <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">To the Re|probate.</NOTE>vain:</L>
<L>Becau&s;e the profit, and ble&s;&s;ing's not &s;mall,</L>
<L>T' have fellow&s;hip with the be&s;t of all</L>
<L><PB N="12" REF="12">
Mankinde: t' enjoy the &s;ociety</L>
<L>Of Gods elect, who practi&s;e piety:</L>
<L>Becau&s;e the Scripture oft relates</L>
<L>That God hath oft ble&s;t reprobates</L>
<L>For th'only &s;ake of his elect</L>
<L>That live with them, in due re&s;pect.</L>
<L>Read what great ble&s;&s;ings God did yield</L>
<L>To <HI>Jo&s;ephs</HI> ma&s;ters hou&s;e, and field</L>
<L>For <HI>Jo&s;ephs</HI> <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Gen. 39. 5.</NOTE>&s;ake, 'tis on record</L>
<L>I'th' Book of truth, his written word.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L><MILESTONE UNIT="Object."> But &s;ome may &s;ay, the Go&s;pel aggravates</L>
<L><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 12. 46, 47</NOTE> The condemnation of the reprobates,</L>
<L>Becau&s;e it leaves them all as I &s;uppo&s;e</L>
<L>Without excu&s;e, &s;o they gain not but lo&s;e.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L><MILESTONE UNIT="An&s;w."> I an&s;wer &s;uch a man, even thus 'tis true,</L>
<L>'Tis <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 2. 20, 21.</NOTE>better for &s;ome, they had nere knew</L>
<L>The Word, the Go&s;pel, yea, for only they</L>
<L>That go on in a rebellious way</L>
<L>Without re&s;traint: but as for &s;uch</L>
<L>Who are reclaimed by it much,</L>
<L>They gain, obtein as &s;hall appear</L>
<L>By what I &s;ay and write down here,</L>
<L>Though't doth their condemnation <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">By adding to the greatne&s;&s;e.</NOTE>aggravate</L>
<L>Yet know withall 't doth extenuate</L>
<L><PB N="13" REF="12">
The &s;ame, another way: by detracting</L>
<L>The number of their &s;ins, which they 're acting</L>
<L>While here they live, who would have added</L>
<L>Sin to &s;in: as if they were n'ere cladded</L>
<L>Therewith, notable to ab&s;tain,</L>
<L>Did not the Go&s;pel-check re&s;train,</L>
<L>So, that ob&s;erve, they gain more by the la&s;t</L>
<L>Than by the fir&s;t they lo&s;e, for all your ha&s;t.</L>
<L>How'ere I dare affirme the very knowledge</L>
<L>Of the Go&s;pel, is &s;uch a priviledge,</L>
<L>And ble&s;&s;ing of it &s;elf, that tho&s;e who are</L>
<L>Ingenious reprobates, would not care</L>
<L>With the Go&s;pel to undergo <HI>(in fine)</HI></L>
<L>A greater puni&s;hment, than le&s;&s;er <HI>&s;ine.</HI></L>
<L>But &s;ome perchance will an&s;wer thus, and &s;ay</L>
<L>Although I am in ha&s;te, yet I can &s;tay</L>
<L>To ask another que&s;tion once again,</L>
<L><MILESTONE UNIT="An&s;w."> Thus: If the Go&s;pel rightly do pertain</L>
<L>To none, but God's elect, why is it then</L>
<L>Preached &s;o generally to all men?</L>
<L>If it were truly 'ffectuall to none</L>
<L>But th'elect, it &s;hould be preach't to them 'lone.</L>
<L><MILESTONE UNIT="Que&s;t."> For an&s;wer, Mark what &s;hall be &s;aid</L>
<L>In the&s;e rea&s;ons before you laid,</L>
<L><PB N="14" REF="13">
The Go&s;pel is generally propounded:</L>
<L><MILESTONE N="1" UNIT="Rea&s;on"> To th' elect, &amp; reprobate: becau&s;e confounded</L>
<L>They are, or <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Mat. 13. 24.</NOTE>mingled with each other, as</L>
<L>The weeds, &amp; tares are with the corne &amp; gra&s;&s;e,</L>
<L>Or as the du&s;t, the chaffe with wheat is found,</L>
<L>Or as the &s;tones are with the &s;olid ground.</L>
<L>Now as the <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Mat&punc; 5. 45.</NOTE>raine doth oft-times fall upon</L>
<L>The tares, the weeds, and &s;tones, as well as on</L>
<L>The wheat, the fertile &s;oyle, the gra&s;&s;e;</L>
<L>Not 'cau&s;e it principally was</L>
<L>Intended to them, but for that</L>
<L>They're intermixed with the wheat,</L>
<L>So the Go&s;pels plea&s;ant &s;howres fall upon</L>
<L>The reprobated, the rejected one,</L>
<L>(Whom holy Scripture doth compare</L>
<L>To rocks, to &s;tones, to weeds, to tare,)</L>
<L>Not, no not to &s;ave, (as &s;ome &s;ect</L>
<L>Do prate,) but 'cau&s;e with Gods elect</L>
<L>They're mixt, who are in Scripture found</L>
<L>Compar'd <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Mat. 13.</NOTE>to wheat, to mellow ground:</L>
<L>For who&s;e effect'all calling, it was meant</L>
<L>For who&s;e change, conver&s;ion onely &s;ent.</L>
<L><MILESTONE N="2" UNIT="Rea&s;on"> Secondly, 'tis thus preached gen'rally,</L>
<L>Becau&s;e Mini&s;ters know not infallibly</L>
<L><PB N="15" REF="13">
The reprobates from the elect,</L>
<L>If they could know, who would reject</L>
<L>The Go&s;pel, they would then deny unto</L>
<L>Such to preach, but alas they know not who</L>
<L>Are cho&s;en, loved, who are <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 2. 19, 20, 21. Acts 1. 24, 25.</NOTE>elected,</L>
<L>Nor who are reprobated, rejected,</L>
<L>Therefore it is they preach to all,</L>
<L>That &s;o th' elected they may call.</L>
<L><MILESTONE N="3" UNIT="Rea&s;on"> Thirdly, the Go&s;pel's preached thus</L>
<L>To all, to ev'ry one of us:</L>
<L>Not to his cho&s;en onely heavens heire,</L>
<L>That &s;o no &s;ouls might grieve, <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 2. 4. 1 Pet. 1. 13.</NOTE>de&s;po~d, de&s;pair</L>
<L>Of Gods rich mercies, which they would,</L>
<L>If God, his elect number &s;hould</L>
<L>Select, pick out and &s;eparate</L>
<L>From th' wicked, or the reprobate,</L>
<L>And let his Word be preacht to none</L>
<L>But his elect to them alone.</L>
<L>Yea needs mu&s;t then each reprobate</L>
<L>De&s;pair, run in &s;ome de&s;perate</L>
<L>Cour&s;e or way, knowing &s;o full well,</L>
<L>He is de&s;ign'd and markt for hell:</L>
<L>But while the Go&s;pel's preach'd to all,</L>
<L>It keeps the reprobates, they fall</L>
<L><PB N="16" REF="14">
Not into th' pit, the gulf de&s;paire:</L>
<L>For Go&s;pel-way's though dark are faire.</L>
<L><MILESTONE N="4" UNIT="Rea&s;on"> Fourthly, 'tis preach't to all that &s;o</L>
<L>God's love in Chri&s;t all men might know:</L>
<L>The more the Go&s;pel's preacht, the more</L>
<L>Are wrought upon to love, adore</L>
<L>Their God, for every di&s;pen&s;ation</L>
<L>Vouch&s;af't, for 'lected mans &s;alvation.</L>
<L><MILESTONE N="5" UNIT="Rea&s;on"> Fifthly, b'cau&s;e't is a <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Gal. 6. 16.</NOTE>rule to all, a &s;quare</L>
<L>To live thereby as holy Writ declare,</L>
<L>And requires the &s;ame obed'ence re&s;pect</L>
<L>From all, the reprobated, or elect:</L>
<L>Like Princes Laws that do command, exact</L>
<L>Re&s;pect from all, not to rebell in fact;</L>
<L>If the Go&s;pel that is to all a law,</L>
<L>Should not be preacht to all, to order, awe</L>
<L>All mens &s;pirits, the reprobated then</L>
<L>Would &s;eem to be a kinde of lawle&s;&s;e men,</L>
<L>Exempt from Gods command, &s;et free</L>
<L>From the ju&s;t Go&s;pels penalty;</L>
<L>Which would not only blemi&s;h and ob&s;cure</L>
<L>The latitude of holy Writ, but &s;ure</L>
<L>It would much likewi&s;e darken and deprive</L>
<L>The Go&s;pels <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Chri&s;t.</NOTE>Authour, of his prerog'tive,</L>
<L><PB N="17" REF="14">
To whom all men, as to a King, a head</L>
<L>Subjected are, as in his word <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg"><HI>In Scriptur&acirc; &s;acr&acirc;.</HI> I&s;a. 45, 23 Rom. 14. 10. Ephe&s;. 1. 21, 22</NOTE>I read.</L>
<L><NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg"><HI>Rea&s;on</HI> 6. Rom. 9. 16.</NOTE> Sixthly min'&s;ters to all, the Go&s;pel preach,</L>
<L>That &s;o they may the world in&s;truct and teach:</L>
<L>No &s;oul whatever is converted, &s;av'd</L>
<L>By th'outward letter, or <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 3. 5.</NOTE>mans will deprav'd:</L>
<L>If &s;o, all Go&s;pel-hearers equally</L>
<L>Should be converted, &s;av'd thereby;</L>
<L>'Cau&s;e the di&s;po&s;it'on of one and all</L>
<L>Mankinde is ju&s;t the &s;ame, &s;ince <HI>Adam's</HI> fall;</L>
<L>But &s;ome thus teach, &s;alvat'on 's of none,</L>
<L>But in the free di&s;po&s;e of God alone,</L>
<L>Who worketh grace, how, where and when</L>
<L>He will, yet not within all men,</L>
<L>But whom he will, according to his grace</L>
<L>In divers manners, d'grees, in any place.</L>
<L>Seventhly, to teach to fear, and tremble</L>
<L><MILESTONE N="7" UNIT="Rea&s;on"> At God alone, before whom men a&s;&s;emble,</L>
<L>And to wait on him, and wholly to depend</L>
<L>Upon his grace, which none can comprehend,</L>
<L>Since every <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 4. 7.</NOTE>Change in mens hearts indeed</L>
<L>Doth not from man, but God alone proceed.</L>
<L><MILESTONE N="8" UNIT="Rea&s;on"> Eighthly, to teach Saints that have effectu'lly</L>
<L>Been call'd by th' Go&s;pel, in it's mini&s;try:</L>
<L><PB N="18" REF="15">
Not in them&s;elves to glory, brag or boa&s;t,</L>
<L>Nor outward letter, but to th' Lord of Hoa&s;t</L>
<L>Alone to tender glory, laud, and prai&s;e</L>
<L>That hath vouch&s;afed them fro~ death to rai&s;e,</L>
<L>And hath not done to others, in their race</L>
<L>So much, though injoy the &s;ame word of grace.</L>
<L><MILESTONE UNIT="Object."> But now methinks I heare &s;ome thus object</L>
<L><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 2. 11.</NOTE> Scripture &s;aith, per&s;ons God doth not re&s;pect:</L>
<L>This is his written word, how is it then,</L>
<L>By th' Go&s;pel he &s;aves &s;ome, and not all men?</L>
<L><MILESTONE UNIT="An&s;w."> The argument I u&s;e, to quell this &s;ame,</L>
<L>Is very great, as great as Gods own name</L>
<L><HI>(Jehovah)</HI> is he not Cr'ator, a God?</L>
<L>May not parents &s;pare one &s;on, u&s;e a rod</L>
<L>To the other, although that they have bin</L>
<L>Joynt committers of the &s;ame fault or &s;in?</L>
<L>This is the onely argument or ground</L>
<L>Expre&s;t in holy Writ, that e're I found,</L>
<L>God loveth becau&s;e he loves, he will &s;ave:</L>
<L>For this rea&s;on, 'cau&s;e <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">Rom. 9. 15. Exodus 33. 19.</NOTE>mercy he will have.</L>
<L>He will puni&s;h this man, the other kill;</L>
<L>And all this he will do becau&s;e he will,</L>
<L>Certainly if we did con&s;ider, weigh</L>
<L>That we are in his hand like <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">Jer. 18. 6.</NOTE>Potters clay,</L>
<L><PB N="19" REF="15">
Or did we not in heart like fooles deny</L>
<L>Gods right o're us, his Sovereignty,</L>
<L>As we are his creatures, that he may frame</L>
<L>Us how he plea&s;e for th' glory of his name,</L>
<L>None would dare the Lord to interrogate</L>
<L>Why &s;ome he &s;aves, and others reprobate?</L>
<L>Do not Gardners in their grou~d for their mind</L>
<L>Root up one tree, prune others of that kinde?</L>
<L>Do not Nobles and Gentlemen pull down</L>
<L>One hou&s;e, let others &s;tand for their renown?</L>
<L>Do they not ruine Orchards, Gardens, Parks?</L>
<L>Do they not kil &s;omtimes &s;tags, &s;omtimes larks?</L>
<L>Do they not kil this buck, this fowl, this hare?</L>
<L>And the other of their own plea&s;ure &s;pare?</L>
<L>Doth a frail, weak, uncertain mortal man</L>
<L>Take on him, that without controule he can</L>
<L>Do what he plea&s;e, with goods that are well</L>
<L>Unto the world of right to be his own?</L>
<L>And &s;hall we then, who&s;e own we are, deny known</L>
<L>To God that priviledge, that liberty?</L>
<L>No, let no man pre&s;ume to tax or blame</L>
<L>The Lord, but rather magnifie his name:</L>
<L>We &s;ee that earthly Kings do now and then</L>
<L>Di&s;pence, disf'vours as well as Love on men,</L>
<L><PB N="20" REF="16">
Di&s;placing that &s;ubject, advancing this</L>
<L><NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ter 6. to 9.</NOTE> Upon no other grounds, but that it is</L>
<L>Their <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Eccle&s;. 8. 4. <GAP DESC="foreign"></NOTE>plea&s;ure, yet none pre&s;umes to &s;ay to</L>
<L>Their Sovereign, Sir, what is that you do?</L>
<L>And &s;hall not the &s;ole Cr'ator of all things,</L>
<L>Heavens Monarch, the <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">T m. 6. 15. <GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE>Sovereign of Kings</L>
<L>Have &s;o much honour to love or to kill?</L>
<L>On no other grounds but his royall will,</L>
<L>Shall we choo&s;e this man for a favourite,</L>
<L>And others di&s;re&s;pect, reject, and &s;light?</L>
<L>And &s;hall not God according to his name</L>
<L>Bound by no de&s;ert of man do the &s;ame?</L>
<L>Yes, he will, for this is without di&s;pute,</L>
<L>God will not be mock't, nor lo&s;e one attribute.</L>
<L>Look no further, but in this Common-wealth,</L>
<L>Doth he not be&s;tow riches, honour, health,</L>
<L>On whom it plea&s;eth him, and whom he will,</L>
<L>Doth he not here <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 75. 7.</NOTE>pull down, de&s;troy &amp; kill?</L>
<L>Doth not he act tho&s;e things w^c^h none can let,</L>
<L>Though &s;ome at him do vex, repine and fret?</L>
<L>If now you grant, what here I do rehear&s;e</L>
<L>That God doth what he plea&s;e in our Un'ver&s;e:</L>
<L>Shall we not then allow him to elect</L>
<L>Whom he plea&s;e? al&s;o whom he will reject?</L>
<L><PB N="21" REF="16">
Surely if man did but &s;eriou&s;ly</L>
<L>Con&s;ider the Lord his propriety</L>
<L>In us, for his plea&s;ure he did ordain</L>
<L>And make us, not for any profit, <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Job 22. 2, 3.</NOTE>gain,</L>
<L>Since of him&s;elf, he is omnipotent,</L>
<L>And wanteth not, be'ng <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Job 41. 11.</NOTE>all-&s;ufficient:</L>
<L>Unto who&s;e plea&s;ure let frail finite man,</L>
<L>Submit him&s;elf and all his; for what can</L>
<L>A finite creature, wicked, frail and ba&s;e</L>
<L>De&s;erve, merit at <HI>J'hova's</HI> throne of grace?</L>
<L>If God &s;hould &s;ay (the&s;e words) to us, Go hence</L>
<L>Into the lowe&s;t Hell, without ref'rence</L>
<L>To our &s;ins at all, let none an&s;wer why</L>
<L>He dealeth &s;o, but, 'tis his will, reply.</L>
<L>Th' <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg"><HI>Paul.</HI> Rom. 9. 3. <GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE>Apo&s;tle for his brethrens good, did bur&s;t</L>
<L>Into this language, would I were accur&s;t,</L>
<L>From Je&s;us Chri&s;t: &amp; what now &s;hall not we,</L>
<L>Though condemn'd, &s;atisfi'd, contented be?</L>
<L>Shall man be angry to endure a rod</L>
<L>For th'only will and plea&s;ure of his God?</L>
<L>But if we look on man, in <HI>Adam</HI> lo&s;t;</L>
<L>Who dare co~tend with the great Lord of ho&s;t?</L>
<L>Who might all men, mankinde in pieces teare,</L>
<L>Being lo&s;t in <HI>Adam</HI> before they were;</L>
<L><PB N="22" REF="17">
By nature are we not thus termed well</L>
<L>Strangers from the Common-wealth of <HI>I&s;rael?</HI></L>
<L>Again, doth not my faithfull patron call</L>
<L>Us &s;inners all, &s;ince that of <HI>Adams</HI> fall?</L>
<L>That we have broken all his laws, kept none</L>
<L>Of Gods commands, but to all evill prone?</L>
<L>And if any man dare this &s;ame deny,</L>
<L>Our very con&s;cience in our face will fly:</L>
<L>Now will any for &s;trangers conde&s;cend</L>
<L>So low as for a friend, a bo&s;ome friend?</L>
<L>And that all creatures are not &s;inners wor&s;e?</L>
<L>Doth not &s;in de&s;erve an eternall cur&s;e?</L>
<L>Yet is it &s;o, that God &s;ome men doth &s;ave,</L>
<L>O admire this love! at grace do not rave,</L>
<L>But rather love, and on this meditate,</L>
<L>How the great God at fir&s;t did man create?</L>
<L>Man was at fir&s;t the be&s;t, the chief of all</L>
<L>The creatures made, but lo&s;t it by a fall,</L>
<L>He had engraven on him heavens <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Holine&s;&s;e &amp; righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e.</NOTE>feature,</L>
<L>But by this fall, became the meane&s;t creature.</L>
<L>O wretch man! could nothing content or &s;uit</L>
<L>With thy de&s;ire, but the forbidden fruit?</L>
<L>O! 'Twas folly, &s;hame, even too much ha&s;te</L>
<L>As &s;oon as made; thus for our plea&s;ant ta&s;te,</L>
<L><PB N="23" REF="17">
To lo&s;e a paradi&s;e, how? plea&s;ant? no, I &s;ee</L>
<L>By this 'twas bitter in the <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Superlative.</NOTE>third degree;</L>
<L>For which man's a &s;ervant, yet wor&s;t of all</L>
<L>He fell from the tree int' eternall thrall,</L>
<L>From which doth God &s;o good as to redeem</L>
<L>Some men: Oh have this love in high e&s;teem!</L>
<L>Doth God this man unto &s;alvation chu&s;e,</L>
<L>Yet another as deep ingag'd refu&s;e?</L>
<L>Lo, here 'tis manife&s;ted in thy &s;ight,</L>
<L>That the love of the Lord is infinite;</L>
<L>Doth he &s;ave &s;ome this or that, &amp; damn th're&s;t?</L>
<L>Lo, here's mercy and ju&s;tice plain expre&s;t;</L>
<L>Doth he not bring all out of their fir&s;t &s;tate?</L>
<L>Ble&s;&s;e him that &s;ome he doth compa&s;&s;ionate.</L>
<L>Do not inju&s;tice on the Lord retort,</L>
<L>But ble&s;s and prai&s;e his Name, &amp; fear him for't&punc;</L>
<L>Hath God made choice of thee, &amp; not another?</L>
<L>Oh! the prai&s;es of thy heart do not &s;mother,</L>
<L>But &s;ing aloud unto the God of grace</L>
<L>Eternall thanks, for his indulgent face</L>
<L>Towards thee, who ha&s;t de&s;erv'd as many,</L>
<L>And as great puni&s;hments for &s;in, as any.</L>
<L>If thou far'&s;t well, do not of God complain,</L>
<L>That other &s;ouls have not what you obtain.</L>
<L><PB N="24" REF="18">
Again, on the other &s;ide, what hath hee</L>
<L>Cho&s;en other men, and rejected thee?</L>
<L>Do not rail and maligne, but do confe&s;s</L>
<L>It is Gods ju&s;tice for thy wickedne&s;s,</L>
<L>His will, is not to be oppos'd, with&s;tood,</L>
<L>Let not thine eye be ill, 'cau&s;e he is good:</L>
<L>Wi&s;h none co~de~n'd, becau&s;e thou art not &s;av'd,</L>
<L>Blame none, becau&s;e thy &s;elf thou ha&s;t en&s;lav'd.</L>
<L>Let God do what he will, let him alone</L>
<L>To do his plea&s;ure with what is his own:</L>
<L>Let him di&s;pence, perform, or execute,</L>
<L>Which royall title, name, or attribte,</L>
<L>Is meet according to his holy will;</L>
<L>Then no malignant, &s;land'rous tongue or quill</L>
<L>Hath cau&s;e to &s;ay, he wrongs although he pardo~</L>
<L>This man, or that alone, and others harden.</L>
<L>If Princes be &s;o good as to promote</L>
<L>One traitor to their per&s;ons: ju&s;t to vote</L>
<L>Anothers execution, with all &s;peed</L>
<L>For th'very &s;ame offence, fact, or like deed,</L>
<L>Like <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Gen. 40. 20, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters"> 22.</NOTE>King <HI>Pharaoh;</HI> I an&s;wer thus in &s;hort,</L>
<L>Who hath ju&s;t cau&s;e to tax, to blame the~ for't?</L>
<L>May not a Creditor be true, and ju&s;t</L>
<L>Unto &s;uch loo&s;e debtors, that have through lu&s;t</L>
<L><PB N="25" REF="18">
Their bils forfeited, if he doth acquit</L>
<L>One, yet another &s;ue, withall commit</L>
<L>Him to the Law, to be confin'd, <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Mat. 18 23, to 35.</NOTE>re&s;train'd?</L>
<L>Doth not inju&s;tice here prove meerly fain'd?</L>
<L>What cau&s;e hath he of any ju&s;t complaint,</L>
<L>Who for his wilfull debt hath ju&s;t re&s;traint?</L>
<L>If nat'rall parents have two prodigall</L>
<L>Sons, and they plea&s;e to &s;end for and to call</L>
<L>Home one, and what? if they likewi&s;e affect,</L>
<L>To make him be their heir, ca&s;t off, reject</L>
<L>The other, what &s;hew is here all along</L>
<L>Expre&s;t to him, of injury, or wrong?</L>
<L>Say Ma&s;ters have two &s;ervants that abu&s;e</L>
<L>Their words, and yet retein one, and refu&s;e</L>
<L>To keep the other, but will forthwith ca&s;t</L>
<L>Him out of doors, is he not now di&s;plac't</L>
<L>De&s;ervedly? God deals but even &s;o</L>
<L>With wretched man &s;ince <HI>Adams</HI> fall, for oh!</L>
<L>What debtors, traitors, <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Rom. 3. 10, 11, 12. <GAP DESC="foreign">&punc;</NOTE>di&s;obedient</L>
<L>Children are we? what faithle&s;&s;e, negligent</L>
<L>Servants? the be&s;t de&s;erveth not his breath</L>
<L>Of God, but reject'on, ex'cut'on, <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Rom. 6. 23. <GAP DESC="foreign">&punc;</NOTE>death</L>
<L>Yet notwith&s;tanding doth it, will or plea&s;e</L>
<L><HI>Jehovah</HI> &s;ome to pardon, and relea&s;e;</L>
<L><PB N="26" REF="19">
To &s;end for home &s;ome men, adopt or chu&s;e</L>
<L>Them for his heirs, and to ca&s;t out, refu&s;e</L>
<L>Others, what wrong is here? though God award</L>
<L>His love to this or that, and &s;ome di&s;card?</L>
<L>Doth all mankinde de&s;erve rejection?</L>
<L>O what admirable love, affection</L>
<L>Doth God vouch&s;afe to &s;hew! a higher note</L>
<L>Of love was never, nor a ju&s;ter vote</L>
<L>By man, yet I wonder that God not prove</L>
<L>So true a lover, &s;ince his name is love:</L>
<L>Likewi&s;e I do not, dare not, neither mu&s;t</L>
<L>Any man who is rebellious du&s;t,</L>
<L>For God his well de&s;erved ju&s;tice blame</L>
<L>Him; for as love, &s;o ju&s;tice is his name.</L>
<L>F<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">om all the lines that I have here premi&s;ed,</L>
<L>Let &s;infull wretched man be well advi&s;ed,</L>
<L><NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign"></NOTE> How he renders this great and mighty Name</L>
<L>Of <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Jehovah.</NOTE>God: for what his titles are, the &s;ame</L>
<L>He is now, let not frail, uncertain du&s;t</L>
<L>Say God is partiall, mercile&s;&s;e, unju&s;t.</L>
<L>O! let him have the prai&s;e and glory <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 96. 8. <HI>Hebr.</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign"> The glory of his Name.</NOTE>due</L>
<L>Unto his titles nam'd from me, and you.</L>
<L>I judge it meet to make an end, becau&s;e</L>
<L>I think enough's already &s;aid, to pau&s;e</L>
<L><PB N="27" REF="19">
Upon, enough to overthrow, or foil</L>
<L>Gain&s;ayers, and I do not love to toil,</L>
<L>But recreate, for it is my delight:</L>
<L>To prai&s;e <HI>Jehovah</HI> when I &s;peak or write.</L>
<L>And though I here conclude this P&s;alm or Song</L>
<L>Yet if my God will but untie my tongue,</L>
<L>If he vouch&s;afe my worldly thoughts to rai&s;e,</L>
<L>And keep me &s;till within his perfect wayes,</L>
<L>If he his Oracles to me impart</L>
<L>If he enlarge my much confined heart;</L>
<L>From heart with tongue I will alwayes</L>
<L>To him &s;ing Hymns, and P&s;alms of prai&s;e:</L>
<L>Lord plant more Songs of Prai&s;es in my bre&s;t,</L>
<L>That though I end this Song, I may not re&s;t</L>
<L>Prai&s;ing thee, but my wel tun'd heart may ble&s;s</L>
<L>That love of thine, which to~gues ca~not expre&s;s.</L>
</LG>
<CLOSER>Soli Deo Gloria.</CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="elegy">
<PB REF="20">
<PB REF="20">
<HEAD>An Elogie upon the incomparable Divine Patron of this little Book, the Sacred Scriptures of the Old and New Te&s;tament.</HEAD>
<LG>
<L>IF I &s;hould here pre&s;ume to &s;peak your prai&s;e,</L>
<L>Some may object, I am too young of dayes,</L>
<L>And that is truth, and &s;o's the olde&s;t man,</L>
<L>Let him prepare to &s;peak the be&s;t he can:</L>
<L>But yet although my juvenility</L>
<L>Impede my Mu&s;e from notes or &s;trains &s;o high,</L>
<L>I'ill &s;peak what I have learn't in this my <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg"><HI>Aetatis</HI> 23, May 16. 1652.</NOTE>age,</L>
<L>And leave it to be judg'd by men more &s;age.</L>
<L>You are good and perfect, clean, &s;weet, &amp; pure;</L>
<L>You are righteous <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 19&punc; 7, 8. <GAP DESC="foreign"></NOTE>, faithfull, &s;ound, and &s;ure.</L>
<L>You 're the Casket wherein tho&s;e jewels are,</L>
<L>Ev'n <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 119 86. <GAP DESC="foreign"></NOTE>truth and peace, of late with us &s;o rare.</L>
<L>You are the Mint of Doctrine, th' only Mine,</L>
<L>Where truth doth grow, the Orb from whence it &s;hine.</L>
<L><PB REF="21">
Who meditates on you is not to blame,</L>
<L>For that your &s;ou~dnes dothpre&s;erve fro~ <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 119. 80.</NOTE>&s;hame,</L>
<L>While we like Pilgrims here do walk along:</L>
<L>Your law doth prove to us, our chiefe&s;t <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 119 54. <GAP DESC="foreign"></NOTE>&s;ong,</L>
<L>Your law we &s;hould inherit, what's that I &s;ay?</L>
<L>It &s;hould be our med'tation all <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 119. 106</NOTE>the day;</L>
<L>For what the Lord our God did you ordain,</L>
<L>You do perform, you nere return in <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 55&punc; 11.</NOTE>vain&punc;</L>
<L>You are of no private &s;tock, as &s;ome boa&s;t,</L>
<L>Your orig'nall is from the Holy <NOTE N="g" PLACE="marg">Pet. 1. 21. <GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE>Gho&s;t:</L>
<L>You are unfeignedly the Spirits <NOTE N="h" PLACE="marg">Ephe&s;. 6. 17.</NOTE>&s;word,</L>
<L>You are the <NOTE N="i" PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 119. 30. <GAP DESC="foreign"> P&s;al. 119. 117.</NOTE>way of truth, you are Gods Word.</L>
<L>When any of us here do go a&s;tray,</L>
<L>You call us back, and put us in the way,</L>
<L>Your power is &s;uch, you <NOTE N="k" PLACE="marg">Jer. 1. 10.</NOTE>build, &amp; plant a crown,</L>
<L>And then you root it up, and throw it down.</L>
<L>You convert <NOTE N="l" PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 19. 7.</NOTE>&s;ouls, you make the &s;imple wi&s;e;</L>
<L>Your Laws are pure, they'lluminate our <NOTE N="m" PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 19. 8.</NOTE>eyes,</L>
<L>You're like <NOTE N="n" PLACE="marg">Jer. 23. 29.</NOTE>a hammer, like a burning fire,</L>
<L>How you break the rocky heart I admire:</L>
<L>I'm not able of my &s;elf, this t'unfold,</L>
<L>How more you are to be de&s;ir'd than <NOTE N="o" PLACE="marg">P&s;. 19. 10, 11.</NOTE>gold.</L>
<L>You are at liberty, you are not <NOTE N="p" PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 2&punc; 9. <GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE>bound,</L>
<L>Nought that belo~gs to you &s;hal fal to <NOTE N="q" PLACE="marg">2 Kings 10. 10.</NOTE>grou~d.</L>
<L><PB REF="21">
Whoever keeps your Law is neer of <NOTE N="r" PLACE="marg">Luke 8. 21. <GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE>kin</L>
<L>To Chri&s;t, and an Antagoni&s;t to &s;in.</L>
<L>He that keeps your law &s;hall know no <NOTE N="&s;" PLACE="marg">Eccle&s;. 8. 5. <GAP DESC="foreign"></NOTE>ill thing,</L>
<L>Your laws b'ing kept do take away deaths&s;ting.</L>
<L><NOTE PLACE="marg">t 1 Cor. 15. 36.</NOTE> If we could keep your <NOTE N="u" PLACE="marg">Jo. 13. 7.</NOTE>laws, it would be thus,</L>
<L>What we asked it &s;hould be granted us.</L>
<L>But, oh! 'tis &s;o with wretched lap&s;ed man,</L>
<L>He cannot keep your laws do what he can,</L>
<L>'Tis God to man mu&s;t <NOTE N="x" PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 119. 73.</NOTE>under&s;tanding give,</L>
<L>Before he learn your laws, thereby to live;</L>
<L>Yet of the <NOTE N="y" PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 119. 19.</NOTE>world the le&s;s we know and learn,</L>
<L>The more of you and yours we &s;hall di&s;cern.</L>
<L>But what can man do any thing he ought,</L>
<L>Since of him&s;elf he hath not onegood <NOTE N="z" PLACE="marg">Gen. 6. 5.</NOTE>thought?</L>
<L>No, the great God him&s;elf mu&s;t the&s;e things <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 119. 18.</NOTE>teach,</L>
<L>Or el&s;e they are far 'nough out of mans reach:</L>
<L>He cannot know your will, much le&s;&s;e obey,</L>
<L>Yet pray'r is truly termed heavens <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">James 5. 17.</NOTE>key.</L>
<L>From all that hath been &s;aid, let's all on you</L>
<L>Be&s;tow our <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">P&s;. 119. 140.</NOTE>loves, our hearts, as only due.</L>
<L>Lord, draw us to this love, with thy love-cords,</L>
<L><NOTE PLACE="marg">Quaedam ta|met&s;i paradoxa videntur, utra|que pars e&s;t ve|ra.</NOTE> That in hearts we be what w'expre&s;s in words:</L>
<L>But le&s;t I &s;eem prolix, I'le here &s;urcea&s;e,</L>
<L>Yet re&s;t a breather after you and peace.</L>
</LG>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>John Davis.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="22">
<PB REF="22">
<P>CERTAIN DIVINE EPIGRAMS To certain worthy per&s;ons, approved Friends, and neer relations, to whom the Authour <HI>pre&s;ented &s;ome of his Books.</HI></P>
<P>LONDON, <HI>Printed,</HI> Anno Dom. <HI>1652.</HI></P>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="poem">
<PB REF="23">
<PB REF="23">
<HEAD>To his mo&s;t honoured father Master DAVIS Mini&s;ter of the Go&s;pel in <HI>Hereford</HI>-Shire.</HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>SIR,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<LG>
<L>IF you vouch&s;afe (in love) to read each line,</L>
<L>You'll &s;ay with me the work's your own not mine;</L>
<L>For what I &s;ay, or write I cannot own:</L>
<L>What I have reapt, is that w^c^h you have &s;own,</L>
<L>But yet (I mu&s;t confe&s;&s;e) our Authour more</L>
<L>Was principall herein, whom I adore</L>
<L>To wit, the Lord of heav'n, who gives to all</L>
<L>And upbraideth none, whether great, or &s;mall.</L>
<L>He's Father of us both, our gifts, and parts</L>
<L>Wherfore to him let's both bequeath ourharts.</L>
<L>But Sir: the &s;um that once I borrow'd of you</L>
<L>I cannot half di&s;charge, though all be due,</L>
<L>But plea&s;e a little while to beare with mee,</L>
<L>I'le pay you all, and &s;et my <NOTE N="o" PLACE="marg">My word,</NOTE>&s;urety free,</L>
<L>But what was this &s;um money? no' twas better,</L>
<L>O! then, I doubt, I &s;hall be &s;till your debter:</L>
<L>Except for all, you will accept one part,</L>
<L>Which I will pay (in love) with all my hart,</L>
<L>And what you &s;ay is truly due behinde:</L>
<L><HI>I'le &s;till be paying too, 'tis th' hone&s;t minde&punc;</HI></L>
</LG>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Of your elde&s;t obedient,
John Davis.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="poem">
<PB REF="24">
<HEAD>To his dear Mother Mi&s;tris DAVIS.</HEAD>
<LG>
<L>NOne can expre&s;&s;e the great, yet joyfull pain</L>
<L>A Mother undergoes a &s;on to gain.</L>
<L>Yet &s;ince the Lord hath made my wife a mo|ther,</L>
<L>I can the care, though not the pain di&s;cover.</L>
<L>What care have I! that tho&s;e who bear my name</L>
<L>May be in&s;tructed well, yours was the &s;ame</L>
<L>For me, which was to me much hid, not known</L>
<L>Till now of late I had &s;ome of my own.</L>
<L>Now I know your pains!, your cares, and your fears,</L>
<L>Your earne&s;t late, and early pray'rs, and tears.</L>
<L>As I now handle, dandle on my knee</L>
<L>My &s;on, and my daughter, &s;o you did mee.</L>
<L>But oh! there's much to mine as yet not done,</L>
<L><HI>Which is perform'd by you to me, your &s;onne</HI></L>
</LG>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>In all obedience,
John Davis.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="poem">
<PB REF="24">
<HEAD>To my Father in Law <HI>Thomas Rider</HI> Gentleman, and his loving Con&s;ort my Mother in Law.</HEAD>
<LG>
<L>MY very few &s;pare minutes I have &s;pent,</L>
<L>In &s;tudying of &s;ome pledge, or argument</L>
<L>To prove my thankfulne&s;s unto you both,</L>
<L>For that you freely did bequeath betroth</L>
<L>Your loves to me, thus cleer, thus plain &s;et down,</L>
<L>Giving your daughter for my wife, my crown:</L>
<L>To &s;ign your love to me, you did be&s;tow</L>
<L>On me, the i&s;&s;ue of your bodies, lo</L>
<L>To &s;igne my love to you I'm not behinde,</L>
<L>I give you here the i&s;&s;ue of my minde.</L>
<L>If any more remain to you from me,</L>
<L>I cannot brook a debtor &s;till to be.</L>
<L>Be &s;ure of this, if God doth not with hold,</L>
<L><HI>I<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">le pay you all in better coine than gold.</HI></L>
</LG>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>I am your loving &s;on,
John Davis.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="poem">
<PB REF="25">
<HEAD>To his dear Wife <HI>Abigail Davis.</HI></HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>LOVE,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<LG>
<L>LEt not thy love from anc'ent truthsdecline;</L>
<L>Hate thou fal&s;hood: love truly truths divine.</L>
<L>Let not the love of earthly Authors make</L>
<L>Thee love a truth, love truth for its own &s;ake.</L>
<L>None will &s;light cord'als, though a foe do &s;end</L>
<L>Them, nor poys'n take though from a bo&s;ome friend.</L>
<L>Let nothing here be doubtful unto you,</L>
<L>Not that th'Author, but th'patro~ &s;peaks it true.</L>
<L>Convince gain-&s;ayers with the patrons words,</L>
<L>They're fitter weapons for this end than &s;words.</L>
<L>If thou a&s;&s;wage the rage of &s;ome that rail,</L>
<L>Again&s;t this truth, thou do&s;t like <HI>Abigail</HI></L>
<L>Pre&s;erve thy husband, and what doth belong</L>
<L>To him, from danger, violence and wrong.</L>
<L>Accept of this, as I accepted thee,</L>
<L><HI>In love e&s;teem it, as a gift from mee,</HI></L>
</LG>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Your faithfull and loving husband,
John Davis.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="poem">
<PB REF="25">
<HEAD>To the reverend, faithfull and pro|fitable Mini&s;ter of the Go&s;pell: Mr. <HI>Rawlin&s;on,</HI> of the Pari&s;h of <HI>Lambeth</HI> Pa&s;tor.</HEAD>
<LG>
<L>I Know you will not &s;light truth, 'cau&s;e com|pact</L>
<L>In Ver&s;e, I did it truly to contract</L>
<L>Much matter in few words, in little &s;pace,</L>
<L>And Sir, to &s;ing a P&s;alm is no di&s;grace,</L>
<L>The &s;tile's the recreat'on of my youth,</L>
<L>If you but plea&s;e to call the matter truth,</L>
<L>No man I dare pre&s;ume will then contend</L>
<L>With it, that's double-prais'd, that you co~mend.</L>
<L>In contemplation of this paradox</L>
<L>I &s;eem'd to &s;ee de&s;tructive &s;helve's, and rocks,</L>
<L>My &s;oul was in a &s;trait, could &s;ee no light,</L>
<L><HI>Scyll</HI>'on my left <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Hand.</NOTE>. <HI>Charibais</HI> on my right,</L>
<L>Which to e&s;chew I fixed both mine eyes</L>
<L>On th'fixed &s;tar of Scripture-verities,</L>
<L>And &s;o I was directed, guided far,</L>
<L>From either danger by the fore&s;aid &s;tar;</L>
<L><PB REF="26">
And your conduct, which I mu&s;t needs confe&s;s</L>
<L>Hath been a happy in&s;trument t' repre&s;s</L>
<L>In me tho&s;e wandrings from the perfect way</L>
<L>Of truth, where unregen'rate man doth &s;tray.</L>
<L>But now this point I do relie upon</L>
<L>Although by &s;ome 'tis heterocliton.</L>
<L>Sir, from your mouth proceedeth &s;trength to quell,</L>
<L>Deprav'd, rebell'ous nature, &s;in and hell,</L>
<L>You're valiant, victorious in your <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Your Mini|&s;try.</NOTE>war;</L>
<L>And yet come off, free both fro~ wound, or &s;car,</L>
<L>The profit reapt from you (with thanks) I name.</L>
<L>I part from you, more knowing than I came,</L>
<L>As fear, and joy into the <HI>Arke</HI> the <HI>Dove</HI></L>
<L>Did bring, &s;o you bring law, then Go&s;pel-love</L>
<L>Into our &s;ouls: fir&s;t Law, that &s;ouls may fear</L>
<L>Ju&s;tice; then love in Christ: all which indeare</L>
</LG>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Me, for ever your &s;ervant, and while health and place permit, your delightfull hearer,John Davis.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="poem">
<PB REF="26">
<HEAD>To his approved good friend the learned and experienced, Ma&s;ter <HI>John Hinton,</HI> Phy&s;ician.</HEAD>
<LG>
<L>O! How neer the brink; &ocirc;! how neer was I</L>
<L>To danger: to death: &ocirc;! how neer to die,</L>
<L>Yet pre&s;erv'd from falling in, yet I live,</L>
<L>Oh! let me prai&s;e the God of life and give</L>
<L>Him hearty thanks, for this his providence</L>
<L>To me: &s;uch love I cannot recompence,</L>
<L>Or &s;atisfie; but yet I'le &s;trive to pay</L>
<L>In humble thankfulne&s;s, in this my day</L>
<L>Some &s;mal returns, I will confe&s;s</L>
<L>His love is infinite, and I will ble&s;&s;e</L>
<L>His name: the occas'on was only hence,</L>
<L>That 'tis not long ago I had a &s;en&s;e</L>
<L>Of rich mercies, I &s;ay, it is not long,</L>
<L>Since he pitied me, for which this Song,</L>
<L>Or P&s;alm I made, to &s;ing eternall prai&s;e</L>
<L>To God, who from the gates of death did rai&s;e</L>
<L><PB REF="27">
His &s;ervant, yet grat'tude I read is due</L>
<L>(As th'in&s;trument of God) from me to you.</L>
<L>When <HI>Nabals</HI> wife did pacifie, a&s;&s;wage</L>
<L>King <HI>Davids</HI> pa&s;&s;ion, anger, fury, rage;</L>
<L><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Sam. 25. 22, 23.</NOTE> He ble&s;t the God of <HI>I&s;rael</HI> that &s;ent</L>
<L>Her &s;o to meet him, and thereby prevent</L>
<L>His evill purpo&s;e; but he did not re&s;t,</L>
<L>Untill likewi&s;e her coun&s;ell he had ble&s;t:</L>
<L>Yea happy, ble&s;t be thou al&s;o, &s;aith he,</L>
<L>Who ha&s;t this day from &s;in prevented me;</L>
<L>So noble friend, my Doctor, fir&s;t mu&s;t I</L>
<L>Expre&s;&s;e unto my God, and then imply</L>
<L>Unto you this word of thanks, Ble&s;&s;ed twice</L>
<L>Thus: ble&s;t be God, and you, and your advice.</L>
<L>The fir&s;t I call the cau&s;e efficient,</L>
<L>The &s;econd is your &s;elf, the In&s;trument</L>
<L>Of my pre&s;ent health, and late recov'ry</L>
<L>By your Cordials, and Phlebotomie.</L>
<L>Now pray accept of this, as 'tis a token</L>
<L>Of humble thankfulne&s;&s;e, for what is &s;poken,</L>
<L>I'le &s;ay but this, your skill de&s;erves your fame,</L>
<L><HI>The &s;ick you heal, or cure: the mad you tame.</HI></L>
</LG>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Sir, I am your &s;ervant,
John Davis.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="poem">
<PB REF="27">
<HEAD>To his Countrey the fruitfull County of <HI>Hereford</HI> in <HI>Wales.</HI></HEAD>
<LG>
<L><NOTE PLACE="marg">4 W W W W. in <HI>Hereford</HI>-S hire.</NOTE> I Know in double <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Woolf.</NOTE>letters you excell,</L>
<L>O that you had not double hearts as well.</L>
<L><HI>You exceed</HI> in Water, Wooll, Wheat, and Wood,</L>
<L>And &s;ome e&s;teem the&s;e things their chiefe&s;t good:</L>
<L>But &s;uch that count tho&s;e earthly &s;prings and pools</L>
<L><HI>Summu~ bonum,</HI> my patron cals the~ fools. <NOTE PLACE="marg">Water and fire good &s;ervants, bad ma&s;ters.</NOTE></L>
<L><HI>Water</HI> is a &s;ervant good, as a fire</L>
<L>Is, but &s;nch ma&s;ters, none that's wi&s;e de&s;ire.</L>
<L>As fire the highe&s;t tower can burn down,</L>
<L>So flouds of water, the high'&s;t hils can drown,</L>
<L>And what's <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Wool proves</NOTE><HI>Wooll?</HI> but &s;heeps clothing, anhyp'crite;</L>
<L>Which but ca&s;t off, would prove a <HI>woolf,</HI> to bite.</L>
<L>Add f to wooll it will be <HI>Woolf</HI> thus pla in,</L>
<L>Take f away, 'twill &s;eem a &s;heep a gain.</L>
<L>And what is <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Wood &s;igni|fies mad.</NOTE><HI>Wood?</HI> but the concrete of ire,</L>
<L>'Tis combu&s;tible fuell for a fire.</L>
<L>And what is <HI>Wheat?</HI> 'tis true of all the re&s;t,</L>
<L>If any one be better, 'tis the be&s;t:</L>
<L><PB REF="28">
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Of Wheat is made bread, yet bread pe|ri&s;hing food.</NOTE> But though the bread of this we eat to nouri&s;h</L>
<L>Our bodies, yet pray know, 'tis food that peri&s;h.</L>
<L>Now do not boa&s;t, nor &s;et your hearts upon</L>
<L>The be&s;t of the&s;e, they're corrupt each one,</L>
<L>For yourwater e&s;teem the go&s;pels wel or &s;pring,</L>
<L>For that glad tidings to your &s;ouls it bring.</L>
<L>For your word '&s;teem the &s;ame, which is a <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">The Word of God a tree.</NOTE>tree</L>
<L>Where truth doth grow, from a painfull Bee</L>
<L>An eatne&s;t, frequent, praying <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">An earne&s;t man is a Bee.</NOTE>man, derive</L>
<L>Mo&s;t &s;weet and whole&s;ome cord'als t'keep a live</L>
<L>In time of &s;carcity, in time of want;</L>
<L>But O! here food doth grow, therefore not &s;cant.</L>
<L>Be no more wood, be meek, be loving, kinde,</L>
<L>Cut down your wood, and plant a &s;ober minde.</L>
<L>And for your plenty of that grain of wheat,</L>
<L>Over-value not the &s;ame I entreat,</L>
<L>But freely give to poor di&s;tre&s;&s;ed ones,</L>
<L>That have no land to plant for rock, or &s;tones,</L>
<L>And value you the fore&s;aid truth to feed</L>
<L> Upon Gods Word, the true immortall<NOTE PLACE="marg">^f 1 Pet. 1. 23. Chri&s;ts righte|ou&s;ne&s;&s;e better than Wooll.</NOTE>^g &s;eed,</L>
<L>And for your wool, be &s;ure your &s;elvs you dre&s;s</L>
<L>In that white robe of Chri&s;t his righteou&s;ne&s;s.</L>
<L>Let Chri&s;ts Go&s;pel, his righteou&s;nes, his blood;</L>
<L>Be your all, your <HI>Water, Wooll, Wheat,</HI> and <HI>Wood;</HI></L>
<L>Countrey; this little book I dedicate</L>
<L>To you, becau&s;e I heare, I heare of late</L>
<L><PB REF="28">
Fal&s;e teachers are abroad, to you crept down,</L>
<L>To &s;mooth, to flatter, &s;mile, and not to frown;</L>
<L>Saying all are &s;av'd, which to the weaker &s;ort</L>
<L>Seem's plea&s;ant, &amp; &s;ome &s;inners thank the~ for't.</L>
<L>But have a care (my friends) it is more &s;weet</L>
<L>Than &s;ound, or whol&s;om; therefore do not greet</L>
<L>Them &s;o with congees, thanks; for 'tis not true</L>
<L>As holy Scripture here declares to you,</L>
<L>My friends; if any come to you, and bring</L>
<L>With them not this true doctrine, but &s;hal &s;ing</L>
<L>Contradicting notes, bid them not <NOTE N="k" PLACE="marg">2 John 10, 11</NOTE>God &s;peed,</L>
<L><HI>Le&s;t you partake of others evill deed.</HI></L>
</LG>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>I will forbear with paper and ink, till I &s;peak to you face to face,
John Davis.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="poem">
<PB REF="29">
<HEAD>To his re&s;pected &V;ncle <HI>John Davis</HI> of <HI>The Greenway</HI> in <HI>Here|ford</HI>-Shire.</HEAD>
<LG>
<L>SIr, to requite the many courte&s;ies</L>
<L>I have receiv'd from you, my Mu&s;e denies</L>
<L>As impo&s;&s;ible, yet you &s;ee &s;he hates</L>
<L>Ingratitude, for that &s;he dedicates</L>
<L>This Book toher relations and friends,</L>
<L>As &s;o many cred'tors to make amends</L>
<L>In part for all their loves without delayes,</L>
<L>Knowing that he owes mo&s;t that nothing payes.</L>
<L>I hope you will accept from me this mite,</L>
<L>For that although 'tis &s;mal, 'tis weight, not light,</L>
<L>And having tri'd, you are like <HI>Per&s;ia</HI>'s <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">A<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters">axerxes.</NOTE>King,</L>
<L>Who much would give, &amp; take the &s;malle&s;t thing.</L>
</LG>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>I re&s;t your loving Kin&s;man,
John Davis.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="poem">
<PB REF="29">
<HEAD>To his re&s;pected Friend Ma&s;ter <HI>John Wood.</HI></HEAD>
<LG>
<L>SIr, be plea&s;ed to give a friendly look</L>
<L>On the&s;e my lines coucht in this little book,</L>
<L>I hope they'll an&s;wer th' name of orthodox,</L>
<L>The arguments for proof are &s;ound as rocks,</L>
<L>How&s;oever &s;ee them prov'd &s;can each line,</L>
<L>If one prove &s;trong, 'tis Gods; if weak', tis mine.</L>
<L>Till this were out, my Mu&s;e could finde no re&s;t,</L>
<L>Of all, you love the godly learned be&s;t.</L>
</LG>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Your humble Servant,
John Davis.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="poem">
<PB REF="30">
<HEAD>To his Honoured Friend, Mr. <HI>Abraham Taylor,</HI> Merchant of the City of LONDON.</HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>SIR,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<LG>
<L>I Know right well, untruths you cannot (book.</L>
<L>Behold, they're here condemn'd within this brook,</L>
<L>Here's truth triumphing, errour much a&s;ham'd,</L>
<L>To &s;hew her &s;elf becau&s;e of mo&s;t men blam'd.</L>
<L>The old receiv'd undoubted verity,</L>
<L>Here I maintain 'gain&s;t dead-quick here&s;ie,</L>
<L>An&s;wering all objections which &s;ome make</L>
<L>Again&s;t the truth (for nought but fa&s;h'ons &s;ake.)</L>
<L>I have read th'eloquence of <HI>Cicero,</HI></L>
<L>I could have writ in Latin, but why &s;o?</L>
<L>All in <HI>England</HI> know not the Latin tongue,</L>
<L>But I could wi&s;h that all both old and young</L>
<L>Would learn the originals, fir&s;t the Greek,</L>
<L>And then the &s;acred Hebrew Language &s;eek;</L>
<L>Their worths, I cannot &s;peak, I mu&s;t admire:</L>
<L>O! that our youth would both the&s;e tongues acquire.</L>
</LG>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Your Servant,
John Davis.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="poem">
<PB REF="30">
<HEAD>To his re&s;pected Friend, Ma&s;ter <HI>Thomas Churchman,</HI> of <HI>London</HI> Citizen.</HEAD>
<LG>
<L>SIr, of my lines be pleas'd to take a view;</L>
<L>If any thing in them &s;hall plea&s;ure you,</L>
<L>It's yours; how&s;oever reject it not;</L>
<L>For it is truth, it &s;elf was clean from &s;pot.</L>
<L>I mu&s;t confe&s;&s;e my Mu&s;e, doth want a &s;tile,</L>
<L>To &s;peak truths wort<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">orprai&s;e, but &s;tay a while:</L>
<L>'Twill prai&s;e it &s;elf; yet thus 'tis worth receiving,</L>
<L><HI>But errour condemn'd is &s;carce worth reprieving.</HI></L>
</LG>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Your &s;ervant,
John Davis.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="poem">
<PB REF="31">
<HEAD>To his much e&s;teemed Friend and Cou&s;in-german, <HI>John Davis</HI> of <HI>The Greenway</HI> in <HI>Hereford</HI>-Shire.</HEAD>
<LG>
<L>HEre is truth &amp; errour, the fir&s;t maintained,</L>
<L>The la&s;t before the right'ous Judg arraign|ed.</L>
<L>I hope thou ha&s;t this will within thy bre&s;t,</L>
<L>Of trying all thou read'&s;t, to keep the be&s;t,</L>
<L>And not to take things carele&s;ly on tru&s;t,</L>
<L>As if all thou reade&s;t were true and ju&s;t:</L>
<L>Stir up, &s;tir up in thee, that noble minde,</L>
<L>Like to the <HI>Bereans,</HI> who &s;earcht to finde,</L>
<L>If things were &s;o or no in holy Writ;</L>
<L>See if it hath true Scripture &s;tampt on it,</L>
<L>'Tis currant coine; if oth&eacute;rwi&s;e, 'tis ba&s;e</L>
<L>Metall, receive it not on any ca&s;e.</L>
<L>The pains of touching only here is thine,</L>
<L><HI>The plea&s;ure of compo&s;ing hath been mine.</HI></L>
</LG>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Your loving Cou&s;in and name-&s;ake,
John Davis.</SIGNED>
<DATELINE>London, <DATE>May, An. Dom. <HI>1652.</HI></DATE></DATELINE></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="poem">
<PB REF="31">
<HEAD>To his Brother in Law, <HI>William Gardiner</HI> of <HI>Whitchurch</HI> in <HI>Hereford</HI>-Shire.</HEAD>
<LG>
<L>THe world hath mill'ons of ob&s;t'cles to let,</L>
<L>An hone&s;t man from paying of his debt:</L>
<L>But Love's a debt which &s;urely might be paid</L>
<L>By all, without demand, and not delaid.</L>
<L>Love is a &s;um (me thinks) might &s;oon be got,</L>
<L>He's a di&s;hone&s;t man that payes it not;</L>
<L>Yet in this age &s;o many do di&s;-joyn;</L>
<L>Love &s;eems as &s;carce as any other coyne,</L>
<L>But the debt's due, by Scripture 'tis atte&s;ted,</L>
<L>Who denies to pay't will &s;urely be arre&s;ted.</L>
<L>Now let you and I ere the <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Death.</NOTE>Serjeant come,</L>
<L>Of all we owe be &s;ure to pay this &s;um.</L>
</LG>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>I am your loving Brother,
John Davis.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="poem">
<PB REF="32">
<HEAD>To his Brother in Law <HI>Thomas Roberts</HI> at the <HI>Were-end</HI> in <HI>Hereford</HI>-Shire.</HEAD>
<LG>
<L>BRother I know you well, the truth you love,</L>
<L>Which is the cau&s;e that principally move</L>
<L>My Mu&s;e to &s;end, to write, to tell to thee,</L>
<L>That errour is condemn'd, and truth &s;et free</L>
<L>In the&s;e my lines; you will avouch it true,</L>
<L>If you will take an hour to read them through.</L>
<L>An <HI>Id'a</HI> of Philo&s;ophie to mee</L>
<L><HI>Thou gav'&s;t; lo, here's Divinity for thee.</HI></L>
</LG>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>From your Brother in Law,
John Davis.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="poem">
<PB REF="32">
<HEAD>To his Brother <HI>Robert Davis,</HI> Barber-Chirurgeon of the City of <HI>London.</HI></HEAD>
<LG>
<L>IF thou can&s;t &s;et a Song to In&s;trument,</L>
<L>Take pains with this, it wil be time wel &s;pent.</L>
<L>And though it may not di&s;agree, but &s;uite</L>
<L>With either Violl, Harp&s;ecall or Lute;</L>
<L>Yet let it not be only &s;et to &s;uch,</L>
<L>But tune thy heart hereto, and it will much</L>
<L>Delight thy &s;p'rits: what? though it doth not like</L>
<L>The eares of carnall men who only &s;trike,</L>
<L>And harp upon that In&s;trument call'd Ba&s;e.</L>
<L>O! &s;ing (with heart) Gods prai&s;es in thy place.</L>
<L>Bad matter ne're &s;o truly plaid, is wrong,</L>
<L><HI>Whatever others croke, &s;ing thou this Song.</HI></L>
</LG>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Written by your Brother,
<HI>John Davis.</HI></SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="poem">
<HEAD>To his Brother <HI>Samuel Davis,</HI> Cordwainer in the Town of <HI>Monmouth</HI> in <HI>Wales.</HI></HEAD>
<LG>
<L>REad here the recreat'on of thy brother,</L>
<L>What gifts thou ha&s;t be &s;ure thou do&s;t not &s;mother,</L>
<L>With this provi&s;o, &s;tart not out of &s;ize:</L>
<L><HI>A word doth prove enough unto the wi&s;e.</HI></L>
</LG>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Your Brother,
<HI>John Davis.</HI></SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="poem">
<PB REF="33">
<HEAD>To the Captious READER.</HEAD>
<LG>
<L>I See &s;ome men do daily take and feed,</L>
<L>On &s;uch an herb, that I account a <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Tobacco.</NOTE>weed:</L>
<L>And at Fea&s;ts, that <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Oy&s;ters.</NOTE>di&s;h doth plea&s;e my app'tite,</L>
<L>Which others cannot love, but vainly &s;light:</L>
<L>Wherefore I here provide at this my Fea&s;t,</L>
<L>Rather what's good, than plea&s;ing to each gue&s;t,</L>
<L>So if &s;ome palats cannot well reli&s;h</L>
<L>This my &s;ound meat, my good and whole&s;ome di&s;h:</L>
<L>The fault now is not mine, it only lights</L>
<L>On their un&s;ound, and queami&s;h appetites:</L>
<L>If &s;ome Criticks like not my good intentions,</L>
<L><HI>The fault redounds on their ill apprehen&s;ions.</HI></L>
</LG>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
<BACK>
<DIV1 TYPE="errata">
<HEAD>Errata.</HEAD>
<P><HI>In the Epi&s;tle, p. 3. l. 12. r. parties,</HI> ibid. <HI>l. 24. r. are, r. when. In the P&s;alme&punc; p. 6.</HI> l. <HI>4.</HI> r. repent, p. <HI>7.</HI> l <HI>6.</HI> r. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">e, p. <HI>8.</HI> l. <HI>19.</HI> r. they, p. <HI>9.</HI> l, <HI>3.</HI> dele to, p. <HI>10.</HI> l. <HI>16.</HI> r. if thus before but, p. <HI>22,</HI> l. <HI>11.</HI> r. than, ibid. l. <HI>24.</HI> r. one, p <HI>23.</HI> l. <HI>5</HI> r. is, p. <HI>26.</HI> l. <HI>22.</HI> r. names. Epig. to my Countrey, p. <HI>2.</HI> l. 8. r. from whence.</P>
</DIV1>
</BACK>
</TEXT>
</GROUP>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
