But if we this Relief refufe to give,
We would not then, ev'n Christ himself relieve.*
Confider this, all ye who do despise
The Poor, which are fo precious in his Eyes.
And beg of God, inftead of Hearts of Steel,
To give you Hearts of Flesh, that you may feel
What others undergo, and Pity take,
And help them for our dear Redeemer's Sake.
And if we do prefent (befide our Cries)
Our Bodies for a living Sacrifice;
If we take Care our finful Lives to mend,
Then, like fweet Odours, will our Pray'rs af-
And for Chrift Jesus' precious Death and Merit,
We one Day shall Eternal Life inherit.
Laftly, let us with Thankfulness of Mind,
Commemorate God's Mercy to Mankind,
In manifefting his dear Son this Day,
Unto the Gentiles, who in Darkness lay;
For, hereupon, we of this Nation
Became entitl'd to Salvation,
Being converted to Christianity:
Wherefore, let us God's Mercy magnify,
And for his Grace to us, his Name adore,
Who were but blind Idolaters before.
O may his Name for ever bleffed be,
Who brought the Gospel's joyful Sound to me,
And to this Land of my Nativity.
O may we live as it becometh those,
Whom God out of this wicked World hath chofe,
And who profefs his Gofpel to believe;
And Favours fo diftinguishing receive.
For otherwife, if we be void of Grace,
And in Ungodlinefs do run our Race,
If we be Unbelievers from our Youth,
Or, in Unrighteousness do hold the Truth,
Or, if we fall into Apoftacy,
And Christ the Lord who bought us, do deny,
Then, were it better we had never been,
And never once the Gofpel-Light had seen.
And 'twill at laft more tolerable be
For wicked Heathens, than for fuch as we.
Lord grant we may thefe Things confider well, That we may go to Heaven, not to Hell.
O Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft,
One God, whom we adore,
Be Glory, as it was, is now,
And shall be evermore.
Upon the Feast of Epiphany, or Appearing of the Star: Being the Manifeftation of CHRIST to the Gentiles.
A Rife, O joyful Day, shine, for thy Light,
Shall fcatter the grofs Darkness of the Nighti
The Sun of Righteousness is ris'n on thee,
The Glory of the Lord, the Gentiles fee.
The Night of Ignorance fhall difappear,
And Light of Truth fhine in our Hemisphere;
Bewild'red and loft Souls shall be brought home,
And Kings fhall unto thy bright Rifing come.
The three Wife Men of th' Eaft, who came
from far,
Led to their Saviour by a new-born Star,
Princes I am inclin'd to think they were;
And that they did fulfil that Prophecy,
Kings of Arabia fhall bring Gifts to thee;
And fhall fall proftrate before thee, O Christ,
The Son of God, our Prophet, King and Priest.
So thefe great Magi, whom the Star did guide
To th'Houfe, where did this Princely Babe re-
fide,
Their joyful Eyes did him no fooner fee,
Who the loft World's Redeemer came to be,
But they did down before him proftrate fall
And worship'd him, who came to fave us all.
Then opening their Treasures, they do give
Prefents to him, from whom they all receive;
Prefents, the choiceft which they could con-
fer,
Off'rings of Gold, of Frankincenfe, and Myrrh,
Off'rings from Hearts, humble, devout and
*N. B. Originally (Cays Bifhop Andrews) Magus, was a Title of high Kuowledge, and a Name of great Honour, though evil and unworthy Men took it up after, and fo it left its firft Reputation.
And doubtless thefe Magi, were great Perfonages, and of great Wisdom and Learning, and particularly skilled in Aftronomy ard Philofophy.
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