CERTAINE Serious Thoughts which at severall times & upon sundry Occasions have stollen themselves into Verse and now into the Publike View from the AUTHOR [Coat of Arms] Esquire ; Together with a Chronologicall table denoeting the names of such Princes as ruled the neighbor States and were con-temporary to our English KINGS, observeing throughout ye number of yeares which every one of them reigned.
LONDON Printed by F.B. for George Badger and are to be sold at his shop in St Dunstons Church-yard Fleetstreet. 1647
London. PUBLISHED BY F.B 1647
[Page 13]
1. EUROPE.
NO harbour where my Sea-tost ship may lye,
At Anchor, and expect felicity!
So many lands run o're, and yet not see
A path directing to Eternity!
What hope remain's? in Europ, sure, he shall,
That fly's Charybdis into Scyll fall.
Opinions here, as much as faces vary,
Some this, some that, some think the quite contrary.
Hence 'tis that every Nation may discover
Her armed Natives murthering one another.
[Page 14]
Wa'st not from hence the King of France thought good,
To drench his Sisters Nuptials in bloud?
Hence all the present forreign jarrs, and those
Where Tweed her flowing streames doth interpose;
And as asham'd to heare warrs threats again,
Hastens to hide her face within the Maine.
Poor Soul, thy wearied foot-steps may in vaine
Survey the universe, return again
As farre from satisfaction as before,
Unlesse divine direction thou implore;
Lord teach my wary thoughts so to decline,
All devious paths, as to keep close to thine.
2. Upon 1 Cor. 3. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15.
For other foundation can no man lay, then that which is laid Jesus Christ.
And if any man build on this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, timber, hay stubble;
Every mans work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire: andthe fire shall try every mans work of what sort it is.
If any mans work that he hath built upon abide, he shall receive wages.
[Page 15]
If any mans work burn, he shall lose, but he shall be safe himselfe: neverthelesse, yet as it were by fire.
THe heaven-instructed Master-builder layd
Zions foundation, skilless men have reard
Their own inventions: some have wooden made
And saplesse doctrines, of small use when heard.
Others their hay-like withering Sermons vent,
No Scyth is sharper then their byting phrase;
Most bring us stubble, when the corn is spent,
And trifles prosecute with strained praise.
All these are combustible; send that fire
Thine holy Spirit, try, consume, refine,
Thy Prophets so with sacred truths inspire
That they may rectifie each crooked line.
Us hearers such affections affoord
As fit's a spirituall building to thee Lord.
3. Upon Amos 1. 11.
Behold, the dayes come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.
Provenance/location: This text was transcribed from images available at
Early English Books Online: http://eebo.chadwyck.com/home Bibliographic
name / number: Wing / W3784 Physical description: [6], 36, [2], 4188 p.
Copy from: Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery Reel position:
Wing / 1113:19