He was well pleas'd this Sight fhould close his
All earthly Vanities he did defpife.
Now, tho' we can't, with a corporeal Eye,
As Simeon did, our bleffed Saviour see,
Yet by the Eye of Faith, we may believe,
And thankfully the Word of God receive,
Which doth glad Tidings of Salvation bring
To Jew and Gentile; therefore will I fing
'The Praifes of the Lord for evermore,
His Love admire, and's Mercy will implore.
I will with my Affection Chrift embrace,
And that I may obey him, beg his Grace,
That fo with Simeon I may die in Peace.
For, in our great and laft Extremity
Of Pain and Sickness, when we come to die,
There's nothing will afford us fuch Relief,
As the Remembrance of a well-fpent Life.
They, who like Simeon, juft and good have
And truly have repented of their Sin,
May fafely truft to Chrift, his precious Merit,
And when they die, refign to him their Spirit;
Yea, fuch devout Souls, truly penitent,
Do now embrace him in the Sacrament;
They do by Faith receive that spir't'al Bread, *
Which came from Heav'n, with which their
Souls are fed.
Anna, the Prophetess, was also there,
Who feconded what Simeon did declare,
That the Child Jefus was that Holy One,
The very Chrift, who was God's only Son.
Thus, in the Temple, by two Heralds, he
The true Meffiah was proclaim'd to be.
AND fo much of Christ's Prefentation, Now, of his Mother's Purification : The holy Maid, as Mofes' Law requir'd, After her Forty Days were now expir'd, Did in the Temple of the Lord appear, † Not empty, which none were permitted there; She was scarce rich enough a Lamb to bring, But two young Pigeons was her Offering. I Such a Condition, poor, and low, and mean, Our Saviour chofe, to fave us finful Men!
John vi. † Exod. xxxiv. 20. Lev, xii. 7, S.
His Mother's Circumftances were but low, As her fmall Off'ring to the Prieft did fhow: Yet many rich ones now will pay no more Than the cheap, flender Off'ring of the Poor!
'Tis not theWayto have God bless their Store. Tho' the contracted no Pollution,
When the conceived, or brought forth her Son, Yet fhe, a Pattern of Obedience,
Would keep the Law, fhe would not give Offence.
"Ladies, look here, drefs by this Virgin-glafs, And you for Beauties, nay, for Saints shall pass." Offer (as fhe) a grateful Sacrifice,
Of Prayer, of Thanksgiving, and of Praise;
Let ev'ry one, of high or low Degree,
Give Thanks to God for fafe Delivery,
Not only Privately, but Publickly;
In the Affemblies of God's People, there
Offer to him her folemn Thanks and Pray'r:
In this, the bleffed Virgin imitate,
And not be Church'd at Home, as fome of late,
And there baptize their Children too, in State.
Confider, Ladies, pray does this agree
With pious Mary's Regularity,
Or, with her eminent Humility?
Who altho' poor, was yet of Royal Pedigree.
Is not the Birth of Man a Miracle,
For which we ought in Praifes to excel?
Is not a Woman's fafe Deliverance
An Inftance of Divine Omnipotence,
Mercy and Goodness? Can the then expe&
That Favour e'er again, who doth neglect,
And will not in God's Houfe acknowledge it,-
Who hath receiv'd fo great a Benefit?
What is it that the Lord to thofe doth fay
Who his due Honour fhall refufe to pay?
Them that do honour me, I'll honour them;
Them that defpife me, lightly I'll efteem. *
I Sam. ii. 30.
10 Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft,
One God, whom we adore;
Be Glory, as it was,
Afh-Wednesday. Caput Jejunii.
N this Day the Lent-Seafon doth com
And fome, 'tis likely, may conclude from hence,
That there will Forty-fix Days be in Lent,
If Sundays to be number'd in, were meant :
'Tis true; but leave them out, as Feftival,
And there will be but Forty Days in all.
The Church on Sundays hath not us'd to faft,
Because the Lord's-Day is an holy Feast,
On which, Chrift's glorious Refurrection we
Commemorate with glad Solemnity:
With Spir'tual. Joy and Gladness, I do mean,
Abhorring all that's vicious and prophane;
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