ANONYMOUS. THE INVITATION. LORD, what unvalued pleasures crown'd When thou wert so familiar found, When Abram wish'd thou couldst afford With him to feast; When Lot but said, "Turn in, my Lord," Thou wert his guest. But, ah! this heart of mine doth pant, Yet thou art strange, and wilt not grant O thou great ALPHA! King of kings! Or bow to me, Or lend my soul seraphic wings, THE FAREWELL. METHINKS I draw but sickly breath: Before next night may sleeping lie, The swift-foot minutes pass away; That flag not for the breath of kings, And what a parcel of my sand Is yet to pass, Or what may break the crazy glass, Then, base delights and dunghill joys! While yet I live I'm dead to you, I would not longer own a thought Or lavish out my wishes so In quest of less than nought. My soul is winged with quick desires То pass the sky; Nothing below what is most high Lord, as the kindling is from thee, That must continue it, till death EMPLOYMENT. MAN is a busy thing, and he Some are all spirit, and will fly They, in their hopes, have made their own: To seek my honour all from thee. Some that are sprung from coarser clay Adore a paint-disguised face, And daily their devotion pay Some so enhance the price of gold, Some are so loyal to the book ADVICE. PUT off the sinner, then put on the saint, Seek not thy pleasure in another's shame, Banish all baser fears, let them not rest Fly such as frolic it in cups of wine, The drunkard is a vessel weakly mann'd, That's wreck'd and cast away upon dry land. If in the family thou art the best, Pray oft, and be the mouth unto the rest; Whom God hath made the heads of families, He hath made priests to offer sacrifice. Daily let part of Holy Writ be read, The day that God calls his make not thine own |