Classic Poem

Upon the Earth there are so many Treasures
Various Abounding objects of Delight,
That to Enumerate, would be a Task
Too ponderous for my Imperfect Skill,
Or Pen, to Charactise Effect'ally.
Yet these felicities may be Reduc'd
Under three heads; As, Riches, Honours, Pleasures:
Whence as from fountains, All External good
Riseth, and flows to us in many Streams;
And whosoe'er possesseth these, Enjoys
The fulness of all Temporary good.
The good Effects which doth from Riches spring
Are not a few, nor of a mean Account;
As Education, Friends Acquaintance, Lovers.
With Dignity, Authority, Command,
And many other worthy our Esteem.
From Honour comes Renown and Reputation,
Which when from worthy Actions it proceeds,
It's still accompanied with inward Joy;
And brighter shines in men of Noble birth;
When they shall not Degenerate from those,
Their worthy Ancestors, whose virt'ous Acts
Lifted them to those Honours, and that trust,
Which gives these titles to the Name of great;
Nothing can more Imbellish noble Souls,
Than when their merits challenge honours crown.
Pleasures are many and of Divers Kinds,
Riches and Honour only serve to please;
And ev'ry good seems to this end ordain'd;
How many sweet felicities are found
Contributing to pleasure ev'ry scence
Visus, Auditus, Gustus, and Olfactus.
To please the Eye how many various Sights?
The fair and glorious Aspect of the Heav'ns ,
The Darling brightness of the Sun Moon Stars ,
The naked Air , the Curled Silver Streams ,
The Birds Enamel'd with their Divers Plumes;
Orchards , whose Trees , with blossoms, leaves and fruit
Of various Kinds, all pleasing to the Eye,
The ev'n Meadows , in their Tap'stry green,
All Diapred with beauty blooming flow'rs;
The spacious Ocean , spreads her wat'ry vail
From shore, to shore, out of whole bowels come
Of sundry Creatures, Infinite in number,
As doth the Land afford, of Diff'rent figures:
Ships, Cities, Towns, Castles , and Monuments:
Gold, Pearls , and Rare Inestimable Jems;
Do all Contribute to delight the Opticks .
Likewise to please, and charm the List'ning Ears ,
Sweet Musicks pleasant and harmonious Sounds;
The chirping notes of winged Choresters ,
And Purling Murmurs of the Gliding brooks ,
Modulate Accents of a well Tun'd voice ,
Joyn'd with the Sweet Allurements of the Lute ,
The Gallant noise of Manly Musick, Bells
Belonas voice of Trumpets, Fifes and Drums ,
Pleasing discourses, Histories and Novals ,
Am'rous Converse, when Innocent and clean,
All give a Charming Sweetness to the Muse.
Also to Gratifie the sence of Tasting ,
Are various sorts of Flesh, Fish, Fowl , and Fruits;
Delicious Banquets, with their pleasing Sauces ,
With Life refreshing neat brisk Sparkling Wines ,
Of Divers kinds, both Simple and Compound;
And many more unite to please the Taste .
So, the Olfactal faculty's Supply'd,
With Oderiferous, and Choice perfumes ,
Of Myrrh , of Cassia , and of Bruised Spices;
Sweet Smelling Gums , from the Arabian Coast,
Or our Domestick Violets, Pinks , and Roses;
With Fragrant Herbs , and Blossoms of our Gardens .
In fine, the pleasures of the Earth are such,
So good, so many, Common, yet so Sweet,
That should I Dwell for ever on Discourse,
It would surpass the skill of Tongue or Pen,
Sufficiently their value to relate.
Yet let me add to these a pleasure more,
Of Loving Parents , Counter Loving Children;
Husband and Wife , in Mut'al one-ness knit;
Friends , during Life sharing each others Joys
Injoying Each the Others happy Love,
With Delectation: When we make our selves
Sensible, of the sweetness all affords;
We may perceive a Possibility
By bounteous Heav'ns Allowance, on the Earth,
To find in Temp'ral good felicity.
Having thus Transciently, in brief Survey'd,
Wherein all Earthly Happiness consists;
To the intent we may therein be safe,
We with Content must fortify our minds,
That in all Stations, Accidents, Conditions,
We may Enjoy this worlds felicities,
Abstracted from the Ills that do accrue.
He is the Richest, and most happy man,
Who is most moderate in his Desire:
Can be Content and sweetly satisfy'd
In ev'ry State, Condition, and degree;
For he that Covets not possesseth all,
And may be truely call'd the Richest man;
When he that has abundance, and yet fears
The loss or want of them, is truely poor,
By his Ambitious and Intemp'rate mind,
Grieving for want of what his heart Desires,
Is in more Poverty, than he that wants,
Yet is Content to want. It grieves not him,
Who makes his little with Content Enough:
Whoso lets Loose th' unruly Appetite,
Desiring first a Lordship to possess
Then next a Kingdom; After that a World
Which if he had, he would Account too Little
Or grieve, and pine, because it was no better,
Troubling his Restless mind still with desire;
Such in no State can meet with Satisfaction:
Mind with how little nature is supply'd,
If we that little always have at hand,
We have as much in our Sufficiency,
As if possess'd with all the world affords.
The silent Shade, the Quiet Country life
Free from the Troubles of the Crowded Town ,
Or the Perplexing Cares of State affairs,
And deep Projections of great Politicians;
Under that bush where Tityrus did Sing,
Amidst the sweets of satisfy'd Delights,
With no more wealth than Riseth from Content
This is a happy State: We often hear
The unperplexed plowmans Thoughtless note,
Tuneing his whistle to his working Teame,
In him behold the Emblem of Content,
A state of Happiness which we should seek,
Tho' Troubles cross the Road that leads thereto.
Crosses and Troubles Common are to men,
No one is free: Crosses sometimes he needs
To mix with pleasures, Pleasures else were bitter,
And wou'd grow Stale, and Cloy the Appetite,
But relish sweeter when with Crosses mixt;
And tho our Troubles should be very Tart,
Yet being past we relish pleasures better.
Wisdom and fortitude will us assist,
To raise our minds to such a noble Temper.
And fix such Peace, and Courage in our Souls,
That we shall dare to slight the world when't frowns ,
And with Contempt shall look on its Insults;
Scorning those Stroaks that Conquer feeble minds,
And thereby Crown our selves with Happiness.
True Piety will Equally Contribute,
To make us face adversity with boldness,
Yielding to God Depend on him alone,
Who always what is best for us, will give;
Subject our wills to his, Let the world frown,
We shall from all Afflictions be releas'd.
And relish Joy, when Sorrow's gone the better.
Since there's a kind of happiness in Crosses,
Let no Condition find us discontent:
None can more Earths Felicities Enjoy,
Than doth the fearless free Contented man,
Who whether want, or have, or Loss, or gain,
He's of an even temper in all States,
All are alike to him, he's always happy.
Would we on Earth be happy, we must then
Use Earthly happiness without abuse;
All our Intemperate desires will prove,
Disturbers of our Peace and happiness,
Griefs, Cares Distemp'red Passions, Anguish, Fears,
Are very Incident to vicious men;
They'r not Content with vice, tho it seem pleasant;
None like the virt'ous man can live Content,
He's most secure, lives Healthy, Happy, Free,
Pleasantly Chearful always Dwells in peace;
The Treasures, Riches, pleasures of his mind
Are Durable: In all things he delights,
His way to Heaven seems a pleasant path,
And all his Jo[ur]ney as in Summer time.
Let virtue guide us then in Earth Enjoyments,
Let Temp'rance teach us how to measure all,
Consult to use a mean, without abuse,
Both in the manner, measure, and the time,
While Justice leads us in the paths we tread,
Temp'rance (is like a Razour) Takes away
Those vicious Superfluities, that grow
Up to abuses, were they not Correct
By the Incision of its pruning virtues.
In all things we Enjoy, remember still
To send our thanks, to, whence the blessing came,
And let the Earths felicities Excite,
To move with Chearfulness in worthy Acts,
Raising our Thankful minds up to the fountain,
And with Divine and hearty Love Rejoyce,
That lo by Looking up to heav'n above,
From whence these Lower joys to us descend,
We may a Heav'nly Paradice possess,
Of sweet and Comforting delights on Earth.
That we in Earths Delights may find a joy,
Let's banish Superstition from our minds.
Could we Religions Excellency see,
We should be much Enamour'd with its Beauty,
Whose strict Injunctions no way does Impede
The Temp'rate Right and Consolating use
Of Heav'ns Allowance; Earths Felicities.
However Superstitious Stoicks , may
Refuse those blessings which are freely giv'n:
As if not making use of Earthly good,
Were to obtain Heav'ns Glory in Exchange,
And by a Solitary Ridged Fear,
Deprive themselves of Temp'ral Consolations,
Consulting all those Comforts to despise,
And seeming fearful of their sweets to taste,
As if within their good were Lodg'd infection:
And so deny themselves their harmless use;
By which their fear, thro' weakness they have made
The world a grief and burthen to their minds.
Whereas without abuse we may, nay ought,
Freely Enjoy Earths good in its good use.
Nature Invites, and Reason bids us tast;
Temp'rance, as well Condemns Stupidity,
As Glut'ny and Excess it disallows,
Since both prohibit and deny us Comfort;
We may Receive them, we are call'd to do 't,
They were Created only for our sakes;
God freely gives them with a bount'ous hand,
To our necessities, while here we live;
With mod'rate delectation, we may then
Freely Enjoy, what God hath given Gratis:
Those who Reject a Joy so good as this,
(Which Heav'n so freely offers) are to blame.
Such who Condemn the free and Chearful use
Of Earths Injoyments, do it for this cause:
All Temporary Honours, Riches, Pleasures,
Are vain, uncertain, short, and Transitory,
And in comparison of Heavenly joys,
They are not worthy of the least Esteem,
But rather to be scornfully despis'd.
Tis True those Souls who often Contemplate,
The Heav'nly glories of Eternal Bliss,
Are above Earthly pleasures lifted up:
Such count Earths Joys comparatively none,
Or at the least not worthy their Esteem:
While their Blest Souls aspire to heav'nly joys,
With sweet desires they do forget the Earth.
And Ravished with Supersweet Delights,
Seeming to feed upon heav'ns Joys already.
And when their Souls are raised to that pitch
They seem to Trample underfoot the World.
'Tis certain no comparison can be,
'Twixt Heav'ns Eternity and Earthly time,
And in Comparison of Heav'nly joys,
Earth's best of Blessings, scarce deserve a name:
Yet in themselves, and in Respect to us,
And our necessities, to disesteem 'em.
Would make us guilty of a heinous Crime.
They are in worth and time to be Regarded,
As they're free gifts to us giv'n by the hand
Of God himself as Tokens sent from Heav'n
Not only for our needs, But to delight us,
Which may appear, because unto our sense,
They do afford us various Delectations,
Beyond necessity to Satiate.
Nor is this all, God doth not only give,
But lovingly Commands us to Enjoy,
Those Gracious Earnests of his future Love.
So that without abuses we may use them,
In their true use and moderate Enjoyance;
Which may Attract, Encourage, and Invite,
To all commendable and worthy Acts,
And raise our Souls to God from whence they came.
Tis certain there are many Dangers, hid
In Temporary, Riches, Honours, Pleasures ,
Terrestrial Greatness, greatly may provoke
To all Ambition, and Intemp'rate Vice,
Yet guided by an Alsufficient Grace,
All those Impedements we may avoid,
And all into Felicity Convert.
When our Affections to those ills incline,
We ought with Reason, and with Grace consult
Such ill Desires to conquer and subdue.
It is more praise and glory to do well,
When in the middest of Greatest Temptations,
Than to be good for meer necessity;
(Who in an Eunuch Chastity admires?)
And as the Dangers greater, so we shall
Greater Rewards gain by such Victory;
Whereas to bind our selves by Sequestration,
Thereby to shun things Lawful and Expedient,
Which may, and ought with moderate Delight,
By us be us'd, because there's danger there,
Argues a feeble and distrustful mind.
But for a man to know the highest joys
This World affords, and yet without offence;
To Live therein, and as a Master use them,
In all Respects, and yet without abuse;
One, who can as he list Compel the World
To be his Servant, and will then do well,
When he's hedg'd round about with great Temptations,
Certainly such a man in Heav'n, shall be
Crown'd with the brighter Diadem of Glory:
What tho' no man can serve two Masters well,
The Supream God, and the Inferiour Mammon,
He's not concern'd, as being not the Man;
This Man subjects to one, Commands the other,
Owns God his Master, makes the World his Slave.
'Tis further yet Objected, Abstinence
Suits best, and fittest to prepare the mind.
For Divine Exercise and Contemplation;
And next that many vicious Men Enjoy,
The Earth's Felicities, which Good men want,
Which shews they are Impedements to Goodness
Also our Saviour doth expresly say,
'Tis hard for Rich men to Inherit glory,
And that the Meek, the Mournful, and Deject
Are rather Blessed than Voluptuous men.
Tis true, that Fasting best prepares the mind,
'Tis therefore requisite to Fast and Pray,
Retiring from the Pleasures of the World;
This is a Duty pleasing unto God,
And beneficial to the mind and body;
Purging our natures clean from sloth and dulness
Making us more Angelick, free and quick,
In the performance of our good Devotion;
It Aptifies our Souls, to Entertain
More Heav'nly and Divine Illumination.
But let Convenient Order be observ'd,
As there's a time to Mourn and be Deject,
A time from lawful Comforts to refrain;
So there's a time wherein we may Rejoyce,
May use and not refuse those Creature Gifts,
And Blessings, which our God so freely offers:
But in good order too, and times convenient
Using a Temp'rate Custom in their use,
That in their use we may attain their Blessing.
When by assistance of the Heav'nly Grace,
We can our minds unto that temper bring,
While in the fulness of all Earthly joys,
Which like our vassals wait on our Commands;
That how, and at our pleasure we may use,
And yet contemn them, when they intervene
Our heav'n born Souls, and our approach to Heav'n
Then notwithstanding all their Vanities,
Their Real Dangers, and Impedements,
We to their End may use them, and as such
May with content, with Chearfulness, and freedom,
Extract their sweetness with a Heavenly mind.
Can we with Lot in Sodom live untainted?
Or with our Saviour Temp'rate mong sinners
When Quires of Syrens Tempt to ill Designs,
Yet in the midst of all Allurements Chaste,
Is worth the name of Conquest, and Obtains
Vice-victors wreaths of Laurel: for whose brows
Crowns of Immortal honour are prepar'd,
Among those Heav'nly Inexhausted Treasures.
Then Blessed are the Rich, the Great and Noble,
Whose Stations are above those Cob-web Laws,
Which keeps in Awe the Low and vulgar Crowd,
Yet can withstand the strongest of Temptations,
Provoking, and Enchanting, with Allurements;
Such who have Pow'r to Sin without Controul;
Yet in the Throng of all those Charming baits,
Can overcome Temptation in its pow'r,
Such Heroes Trampling on the Tempters head,
May sweetly Triumph as victorious Souls.
That many good men want, what bad Enjoy.
May be to Quicken and Refine their Souls,
With Heav'nly Graces, and Increase their Glory:
In that Caelestial Happiness to Come.
That vicious men have what the Vertuous want,
May be to make their Misery the Greater,
With Greater punishment for Misimprovement:
Or for what other causes, only known,
To the free Donor of all kinds of Good.
Yet many Regular, and Pious men,
As Abrah'm, Job , and divers others, have
Possessed, and Enjoy'd Terrestrial Comforts;
Not few, but in great Plenty, and Abundance;
And Christ Himself, did at the Marriage Feast,
Approve, and use them; least we should mistake,
And count those Evils, which our God calls Good:
Good in themselves, indeed, and yet they are
But of indifferent natures, unto us,
Both Good, and Ill, as used, or abus'd;
Those who these high Felicities Enjoy,
In their most true and useful Excellence,
Can use them and contemn them as they please;
This shews of Stronger Sanctity and Grace,
Then by Recluseness to Abandon all,
And will, by consequence, be best Rewarded.
Then doubtless 'tis Erronious to maintain,
Religion should deject, or cast us down,
Which rather Quickens, and with Comfort Chears
The Mourning and Dejected, Lifting up
Their drooping minds, to view their Kingdoms Glory,
Filling their Souls with perfect joy and peace;
It makes Earth's Happiness appear the sweeter,
When we enjoy the same, with Heav'nly minds.
When we're Commanded to forsake the World,
'Tis understood its Vices and Abuses;
For certainly its good is not intended.
So to forsake our Parents, Wives, and Children,
Nay hate them; can it justly be suppos'd,
He who Commands, to Honour, and to Love,
Such our Relations, contradicts him self;
No doubtless, but our all to Disesteem,
When it with Christ in Competition stands,
And seek to be preferr'd in our Affections,
To those Exalted Joys Compris'd in him.
When in these Comforts we receive Delight.
Through them, as Perspects, we Direct our Eye
Above the Spheres , viewing that bount'ous hand,
That free Disposer of all kinds of good,
From whom they come, and Contemplate in them,
A Glimpse of that Eternal weight of glory,
God, and in him the fulness of all Pleasures.
By the dim Eye of Reason we may view,
Through this Perspective of our Earthly joy,
As t'were, a glance of Heav'ns Felicity;
These are but Invitations to that fulness,
Of which by help of Faith we gain a Taste,
If we Consider but these Earthly Things,
Reason will tell us, if in Creatures are
Such Worth, and Excellency, how much more
May we Conceive of the Creators Worth,
From whom, as little Droppings, these descend.
If we perceive some pleasure in these Drops,
What will that Ocean of Delight afford.
When we the Azure Cannopy Survey,
Deck'd with those bright and Glorious Rouling Torches;
It mounts our minds in Raptur'd Contemplation,
With Rev'rence, up to the Admired Author,
With Awe, with Joy, with Fear, with Love to think
How great their Lord is, who above 'em dwells;
These but by Reason view'd, will make us own,
He is all Wisdom and Immence in Pow'r.
We with our Corp'ral Eye, can gaze unto
The Spangled Spheres, and view those Lights of Heav'n,
Whose dazling, glorious, silver brightness, gives
A pleasant delectation; higher thence
Our Sprightly Souls, by winged Reason mounts,
To view the Impartial Throne, and Contemplate
Those Sence-Surpassing glories that attend it:
So that through Earthly Comforts, our dull Eyes
By Reasons Light, as through a Tellescope
May look to Heav'n, To God himself, and see
Some Glimpses of his Goodness, and his Pow'r,
And in some measure may already Taste,
Of those Reserved Sweets of Heav'nly Pleasures.
But when we add Faiths Light, to Reasons Eye,
We far more plain, and clearly, can discern
God, in the mid'st of his Reserv'd Rewards,
Touching the Longing Palates of our Souls,
With fuller Cups of those Caelestial Joys,
And by a Spiritual conveyance feasts,
Our Ravish'd Souls with symptomes of his Love.
How frequent may we find in Sacred Writ,
Metaphors, Similies, Comparisons,
Drawn from these Temp'ral Things that are in sight,
To signify to us Heav'ns unseen Glory,
As Riches, Honours, Pleasures, Kingdoms, Crowns,
Speaks to our sense the Highest State of Glory,
By such known Language Heav'n conveys to us,
High Apprehensions of Eternal Bliss;
Faith Exercis'd on these is of such force,
As to present our minds with future things,
Faith Soars aloft, and thence (preventing time)
Descends with Samples of those Joys to come.
Let's often then by Faith and Reason Climb,
From Earthly Comforts up to Heav'nly Joys,
And Ruminate upon those Glorious Mansions,
Treasures, Crowns, Kingdoms, That Eternal Joy
Which we Expect hereafter to possess,
In him, in whom alone all fulness Dwells.
The Poor, Despis'd, and Miserable man,
Hopes all his Comfort in the World to come,
Hopes to be Rich and Honourable there.
The Rich and Prosp'rous man with Reason thinks,
If he Enjoys Prosperity below,
And finds some Happiness consists therein,
He shall be much more happy, when posses'd
With Riches, whose duration never Ends.
Mount Contemplating Souls, a lofty pitch,
Upon the Soaring Wings of Faith and Reason,
To the Imperial Heav'n, To God on High,
Where of true pleasure thou may'st take thy fill.
The Worlds vast Palace we may freely dwell in,
And let our Eyes, our Ears, and all our Senses,
Enjoy its Comforts with a chearful mind;
Since we have toleration from Above;
Still keeping pace with Time and Moderation.
Her lowest of Delights, are for that End
Created and Ordain'd; The Chirping Birds
Instructed in their warbling notes by nature,
Do Sing to please our Ears; whose Harmony
Affords to us a more Excelling use,
When we Contemplate on those Heav'nly Joyes,
Which are prepar'd for us, where our Ears
Shall be more Bless'd with an Angelick Quire
Of Heav'nly Musicks Lofty Rapid Aires,
Will Charm our Souls into an Extasy.
The Senceless Fountains also seem to strive,
With their Soft purling Murmurs to Delight,
And Catch the Senses with their pretty pleasures;
Inviting us to think of those pure Streams,
Whose sweet Refreshings glads our Heav'nly City,
And of that Springing, Inexhausted fountain,
That whosoever Tasts, shall never thirst.
When we Behold those Glorious Lights above,
And shining Beauties of the Starry Orb,
Think of that Glory, so Surpassing this,
That could we Spy the Gl[i]tt'ring of one Ray,
'Twould Dazle with its brightness our weak opticks,
And we with Peter should desire to Dwell,
Where we such Glorious Excellence behold.
Or when we Pallet those Delicious wines,
And Curious Dainties of most pleasing fruits,
Let them Excite our Appetites, to Taste
Of those Celestial feasts, of Love and pleasure,
Whose Endless sweetness is beyond our thoughts
This Heav'nly Manna, This Angelick Bread,
This Divine Nectar, is so sweet, so pure;
Did we but truly Taste thereof, we should
Be wholly Charm'd into a Rapsody ,
Of Heav'nly Pleasures, Pleasures past Compare,
And in some small degree, our Souls might Relish
The sweetness of Eternal Joys on Earth.
If thus the Earths Felicities we use,
Looking through them up to those joys beyond,
And so Enjoy them with a heav'nly mind,
We may in them feel heav'nly joys below,
That when our days shall Terminate, we may
From Heav'n on Earth, to Heav'n in Heav'n ascend,
Where our Felicities can know no
End.