Then let us, by the methods of the Guider,
Tell every Horse how he should know his Rider,
Some go as Men direct, in a right way,
Nor are they suffer'd e'er to go astray:
As with a bridle they are govern'd well,
And so are kept from paths that lead to hell.
Now this good Man has his especial Guider;
Then by his going, let him know his Rider.
Another goes as if he did not care,
Whether of heaven or hell he should be heir.
The rein, it seems, is laid upon his neck,
And he pursues his way without a check.
Now this Man too, has his especial Guider;
And by his going, he may know his Rider.
Again, some run as if resolved to die,
Body and soul to all eternity.
Good counsel they by no means can abide;
They'll have their course, whatever them betide,
Now these poor Men have their especial Guider,
Were they not fools, they soon might know their Rider.
There's one makes head against all godliness,
Those too that do profess it, he'll distress:
He'll taunt and flout, if Goodness doth appear:
And those that love it, he will mock and jeer.
Now this Man too, has his especial Guider,
And by his going, he may know his Rider.
A POUND OF CANDLES FALLING TO THE
GROUND.
But are the candles down and scattered too;
Some lying here, some there? What shall we do?
Hold, light the candle there that stands on high,
The other candles you may find thereby.
Light that, I say, and so take up the pound,
Which vou let fall, and scatter'd on the ground.
The fallen candles to us intimate,
The bulk of God's elect, in their lapsed state.
Their lying scattered in the dark may be,
To show by man's lapsed state his misery.
The candle that was taken down and lighted,
Thereby to find them fallen and benighted,
Is Jesus Christ: God by his light doth gather
Whom he will save, and be to them a Father.
THY price one penny is, in time of plenty;
In famine, doubled 'tis from one to twenty.
Yea, no man knows what price on thee to set,
When there's but one Penny Loaf to get.
This Loaf's an emblem of the Word of God,
A thing of low esteem; before the rod
Of famine smites the soul with fear of death:
But then it is our all, our life, our breath.
THE BOY AND WATCH-MAKER.
THIS Watch my father did on me bestow,
A golden one it is, but 'twill not go,
Unless it be at an uncertainty:
But as good none as one to tell a lie.
When 'tis high day my hand will stand at nine;
I think there's no man's Watch so bad as mine.
Sometimes 'tis sullen, 'twill not go at all,
And yet 'twas never broke nor had a fall
Your Watch, tho' it be good, through want of skill,
May fail to do according to your will.
Suppose the balance, wheels, and spring be good,
And all things else, unless you understood
To manage it, as Watches ought to be,
Your watch will still be at uncertainty.
Come, tell me, do you keep it from the dust?
And wind it duly, that it may not rust?
Take heed (too) that you do not strain the spring;
You must be circumspect in every thing,
Or else your Watch will not exactly go,
'Twill stand, or run too fast, or move too slow
COMPARISON.
This Boy resembles one that's turn'd from sin;
His Watch the curious work of grace within.
The Watch-maker is Jesus Christ our Lord.
His counsel, the directions of His word;
Then, Convert, if thy heart be out of frame,
Of this Watch-maker learn to mend the same.
Do not lay ope' thy heart to worldly dust,
Nor let thy graces over-grow with rust;
Be oft' renew'd in the spirit of thy mind,
Or else uncertain thou thy Watch wilt find.
A LOOKING-GLASS.
IN this, see thou thy beauty, hast thou any;
Or thy defects, should they be few or many.
Thou may'st (too) here thy spots and freckles see,
Hast thou but eyes, and what their numbers be.
But art thou blind? There is no Looking-glass
Can shew thee thy defects, thy spots, or face.
Unto this Glass we may compare the Word,
For that to man assistance doth afford,
(Has he a mind to know himself and state)
To see what will be his eternal fate.
But without eyes, alas! how can he see?
Many that seem to look here, blind men be.
This is the reason they so often read
Their judgment there, and do it nothing dread.
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