THE

CHURCH-PORCH.
Perirrbanterium.

29 Hou, whofe sweet, youth and early
hopes inhance

Thy rate and price,and mark thee for

a treasure;

Cchance

Hearken unto a Verfer, who may
Rhyme thee to good,and make a bait

(of pleasure.

A Verse may find him, who a Sermon flies,
And turn delight into a Sacrifice.

Beware of luft, it doth pollute and foul
Whom God in Baptifme wafht with his own blood.
It blots the leffon written in thy Soul;
10The holy lines cannot be understood.

How dare thofe eyes upon a Bible look, (book?
Much less towards God, whofe luft is all their

Wholly abftain, or wed. Thy bounteous Lord
Allows thee choice of paths: take no by-wayes s
15But gladly welcome what he doth afford;
Not grudging that thy luft hath bounds and ftaies
Continence hath his joy: weigh both, and fo
If rottenness have more, let Heaven go.

If God had laid all common, certainly 20Man would have been th' inclofer: but fince now God hath impal'd us, on the contrary

Man breaks the fence,and every ground will plough. O what were man, might he himself mifplace! Sure to be cross, he would fhift feet and face.

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Drink

Drink not the third glass, which thou canst not tame When once it is within thee; but before Mayft rule it, as thou lift and poure the shame, which it would poure on thee, upon the floor. It is moft just to throw that on the ground, which would throw me there, IfI keep the round.

He that is drunken, may his Mother kill
Big with his Sifter he hath loft the reins,
Is outlaw'd by himself: all kind of ill
Did with his liquor flide into his veins.

The Drunkard forfeits Man, and doth devest
All worldly right, fave what he hath by beast.

Shall I, to please anothers wine-fprung mind,
Lofe all mine own? God hath giv'n me a measure
Short of his canne and body must I find
A pain in that, wherein he finds a pleasure ?

ΤΟ

Stay at the third glafs: if thou lofe thy hold,
Then thou art modeft, and the Wine grows bold.

If reafon move not Gallants, quit the room,
(All in a fhipwrack fhift their feveral way)
Let not a common ruine thee intomb:
Be not a beaft in curtefie; but ftay,

Stay at the third cup, or forgo the place.
Wine above all things doth Gods ftamp deface.

Yet, if thou fin in Wine or wantonnefs,
Boaft not thereof, nor make thy fhame thy glory.
Frailty gets pardon by fubmiffiveness;
But he that boafts, fhuts that out of his ftory:
He makes flat war with God, and doth defie
with his poor clod of earth the fpacious fky.

IS

20

25

30 Take

5

Take not his name, who made thy mouth, in vain :
It gets thee nothing, and hath no excufe.

Luft, and Wine plead a pleasure, avarice gain;
But the cheap Swearer through his open fluce
Lets his Soul run for nought, as little fearing.
Were I an Epicure, I could bate fwearing.

?

When thou doft tell anothers jeft, therein
Omit the Oathes, which true wit cannot need:
Pick out of tales the mirth, but not the fin.
TOHe pares his Apple that would cleanly feed.

Play not away the vertue of that name, (tame.
Which is thy best stake, when griefs make thee

The cheapest fins moft dearly punisht are;
Becaufe to fhun them alfo is fo cheap
15For we have wit to mark them, and to fpire,
O crumble not away thy fouls fair heap.

If thou wilt die, the gates of Hell are broad:
Pride and full fins have made the way a road.

Lie not, but let thy heart be true to God, 20Thy mouth to it, thy actions to them both : Cowards tell lies, and thofe that fear the rod; The ftormy working foul fpits lies and froth. Dare to be true. Nothing can need a lie :

A fault, which needs it moft,grows two thereby.

1

25Fly idleness, which yet thou canst not fly By dreffing, miftreffing, and complement, If thofe take up thy day, the Sun will cry Against thee for his light was only lent. Cthers God gave thy foul brave wings; put not those fea30 Into a bed, to fleep out all ill weathers.

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Art

made anfwer, It is a good work, if it be sprink led with the bloud of CHRIST: Otherwife than in this respect he could finde nothing to glory or comfort himself with, neither in this nor in any other thing.

And thefe are but a few of many that might be faid, which we have chofen to premife as a glance to fome parts of the enfuing Book, and for an example to the Reader.

We conclude all with his own Motto, with which he used to conclude all things that might Jeem to tend any way to his own honour

Lefs than the leaft of Gods mercies..

The