The vvhole Mape of mans Life. Or A true description of the uneertainty of Man's frail Life, State and Ending: very usefull for all people in these Times.
To be sung with the Tune of, I am but Young and Growing.
GOd gre [...]t me Lord for to begin,
Mans life to try loadned with sin:
How weak and frail our lives we spend
And never thinks upon our end.
The golden world is past and gone,
Before this age the flood was kown,
And since the Flood in Noah's time,
The Silver Age, were in her prime.
Then Men were wondrous wight and strong
For in that Age men lived long;
As Abraham, Methusalem, and Noah
Which God's most holy word doth show
Daniel foretold this Letter Age,
And Pensic forth in Words m [...]st sage;
The world from Silver is turn'd to Brass
From Brass to Iron shall they pass.
And then from Dross to Dust and Clay,
Worse and worse from day to day;
They shall grow weak and not endure
Our lives unconstant and unsure.
Conceiv'd in sin, and iniquity,
Born we are to misery,
Subject to gripping Grief and Pain,
In Care and Wo we do remain.
Sickness and sorrow still we find,
Diseas'd in Body, Distrest in Mind,
Plung'd in this Gulf, and lack of Lust,
Forgetting we must come to Dust.
Some remember seldom or never,
That from this life we must dissever,
And when no ionger they can live,
Cryes Lord Jesus our sins relive.
O Man in thy prosperity,
weigh with thy self adversity,
Remembr Man what tbou hast been,
And what thou hast heard, known, or seen,
Were thou a King or Emperour,
Or yet a bloody Conquerour;
A Noble, or Ignoble, of what dgree,
Gentle or Semp [...]e, we must all die.
A Viscount, Baron, or a Laird,
A Duke, a Marqness, or a Lord;
A Gentleman, or a Squyr by Birth,
The poorest Beggar that lives on Earth:
Ther's no respect of persons bad,
With Death who kills both good and bad
The proud, the meek, the sick, the whole
In Mould consumed must be all.
Throughout the whole Circle of Earh's Glob,
Every place is his abode,
He is no Serjant takes no Fee,
No Gifts no Bribes, will set thee free.
No pleading, playing, or yet request;
will ransom thee; if he arrest:
Our Bodies in the Grave must lye,
Out Souls to Heaven or Hell must hye;
Surely our sins then are forgiven,
Or then be depostd of Heaven;
But if we be hurl'd down to Hell,
Our Pangs and Plagues, no tongue can tell
Then have a care and good heed take;
That thou thy filthy sins forsake,
Pleasures are vain we daily see,
Remember then that thou must die.
Live ye to thirty or fourty three,
Fifty is the most and then we die;
Though in Years we wax, yet do we wain
And to Childishness returns again:
Perhaps grows blind or deaff,
Weak, crooked, or l [...]me, ye [...] on the Earth
We can hardly either stand or go,
Such misery man's born unto.
Learn not to live, but learn to die,
And think thy ending day draws n [...]e,
Remember death but do not fear,
Most sure it is, we're frangers here.
Death is to us a Messenger,
And when he comes he will not spare;
The Rich, the Poor, the Young, nor Old,
Must all perforce consume in Mould.
Wert thou so wise as Solomon,
Or yet had the strength of Sampson,
The carved work, or Cresus store,
Or Lazarus-like to live so poor;
Or Dives like, to trust in wealth,
Fond fool thou dost deceive thy self,
Trust in the Lord, for Mercy cry,
Remember man that thou must dye;
How soon, how suddén, where, and when,
It is unknown to mortal men;
Whether by night, or yet by day,
When Death doth come there's no delay
But fast away we all must pass [...]
Like sading flowers, and withering grass
Pilgrims all remain we here,
Heaven is our homes God send us ther [...]
Now since we know sure what we are,
Let us Repentance then prepare
Here is no present help for us,
But our dear Saviour of Bliss.
Forgive us Lord, who art above,
And love us with thy tender Love;
That we thy Servants still may be,
To serve Thee to Eternitie.
FINIS.