TEXT to the file fee where the Gate doth ftand,
Which turning upon hooks and hinges may
Eas❜ly be shut or open'd with an hand.
Yet conftant to its centre ftill doth stay,
And fetching a wide compass round about,
Keeps the fame courfe and distance, never out.
Such must the course be that to heaven tends,
He that the Gates of Righteoufnefs would enter,
Muft still continue conftant to his ends,
And fix himself in God, as in its centre.
Cleave close to him by faith, then move which way
Discretion leads thee, and thou shalt not stray.
We never wander, till, we lofe our hold
Of him that is our Way, our Light, our Guide:
But when we grow of our own ftrength too bold,
Unhook'd from him, we quickly turn afide,
He holds us up, whilft in him, we are found:
If once we fall from him, we go to ground.
Now much for fafcby, as, for ornament
WOW view the walls, the Church is compass'd round,
'Tis an enclosure, and no common ground;
'Tis God's freehold, and but our tenement.
Tenants at will, and yet in tail, we be:
Our children have the fame right to't as we.
Remember there must be no gaps left ope
Where God hath fenc'd, for fear of falfe illufions.
God will have all, or none; allows no scope
For fin's encroachments, or men's own intrusions.
Close bindings locks his laws together fast :
He that plucks out the first, pulls down the last.
Either refolve for all, or else for none :
Obedience univerfal he doth claim.
Either be wholly his, or all thine own:
At what thou can'ft not reach, at least take aim:
He that of purpose looks befide the mark,
Might as well hood-wink'd fhoot, or in the dark.
LASTLY, confider where the Church doth stand,
As near unto the middle as may be;
God in his fervice chiefly doth command
Above all other things Sincerity.
Lines drawn from fide to fide within a round,
Not meeting in the centre, fhort are found.
Religion must not fide with any thing,
That fwerves from God, or elfe withdraws from him;
He that a welcome facrifice would bring,
Muft fetch it from the bottom, not the brim.
A facred Temple of the Holy Ghost
Each part of man muft be, but his heart moft.
Hypocrify in Church is alchymy,
That cafts a golden tincture upon brass :
There is no effence in it; 'tis a lie,
Tho' fairly ftamp'd for truth, it often pass:
Only the fpirits aqua regia doth
Difcover it to be but painted froth.
OW, e'er thou passeft further, fit thee down
In the Church-Porch, and think what thou haft feen; Let due confideration either crown,
Or crush, thy former purposes. Between
Rafh undertakings, and firm refolutions,
Depends the strength, or weakness, of conclufions
Trace thy steps backward in thy memory:
And firft refolve of, what thou heardeft laft,
Sincerity; it blots the history
Of all religious actions, and doth blast
The comfort of them, when in them God fees
Nothing but outfides of formalities.
In earnest be religious, trifle not;
And rather for God's fake, than for thine own:
Thou haft robb'd him, unless that he have got,
By giving, if his glory be not grown
Together with thy good; who feeketh more
Himfelf than God, would make his roof his floor.
Next to Sincerity, remember ftill,"
Thou must resolve upon Integrity.
God will have all thou haft, thy mind, thy will,
Thy thoughts, thy words, thy works. A nullity
It proves, when God, that fhould have all, doth find,
That there is any one thing left behind.
And having giv'n him all, thou must receive
All that he gives. Mete his commandment:
Refolve that thine obedience must not leave,
Until it reach unto the fame extent.
For all his precepts are of equal ftrength,
And measure thy performance to the length :
Then call to mind that conflancy must knit -
Thine undertakings and thine actions faft:
He that fets forth tow'rds heaven, and doth fit
Down by the way, will be found short at last.
Be conftant to the end, and thou shalt have
An heavenly garland, tho' an earthly grave.
But he that would be conftant must not take
Religion up by fits and starts alone;
But his continual practice muft it make:
His course must be from end to end but one.
Bones often broken, and knit up again,
Lofe of their length, tho' in their firength they gain.
Laftly, remember that Humility
Muft folidate, and keep all close together.
What Pride puffs up with vain futility
Lies open and expos'd to all ill weather.
An empty bubble may fair colour carry,
But blown upon it and it will not tarry.
Prize not thine own too high, nor under-rate
Another's worth, but deal indifferently:
View the defects of thy fpiritual state,
And others graces, with impartial eye.
The more thou deemest of thyfelf, the lefs,
Efteem of thee will all men else express,
Contract thy leffon now, and this is just
The fum of all. He that defires to fee
The face of God in his Religion must®
Sincere, entire, conftant and humble be..
If thus refolved, fear not to proceed:
Elfe the more hafte thou mak'ft, the worse thou'lt
ETWIXT two dang'rous rocks, Prophaneness on
Th' one fide, on the other Superftition,
How fhall I fail fecure?
Lord, be my fteerfman, hold my helm,
And then tho' winds with waves o'erwhelm
My fails, I will endure
It patiently. The bottom of the fea
Is fafe enough, if thou direct the way.
I'll tug my tacklings then, I'll ply mine oars,
And cry, a fig for fear. He that adores
The giddy multitude
So much, as to despife my rhimes;
Because they tune not to the times;
I wish may not intrude
His presence here. But they (and that's enough)
Who love God's houfe, will like his household-ftuff.
THE Font, I fay. Why not? And why not near To the Church-door? Why not of ftone ?
Is not that bleffed fountain open'd here,
From whence that water flows alone, Which from fin and uncleannefs wafheth clear?
And may not beggars well contented be
Their first alms at the door to take?
Though, when acquainted better, they may fee
Others within that bolder make.
Low places will ferve guests of low degree.
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