* There's a divinity that shapes our ends, Rough-hew them how we will. 36-v. 2. Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell; Though all things foul would wear the brows of grace Vet Yet grace must still look so. 718 15-iv. 3. In an ungracious mouth, is but profane. The immortal part needs a physician; though that be sick, it dies not. 19-ii. 2. 'Tis a vile thing to die, When men are unprepared, and look not for it. 721 The same. Men must endure 24-iii. 2. Their going hence, even as their coming hither : 722 The same. 34-v. 2. Ah, what a sign it is of evil life, When death's approach is seen so terrible ! Hast thou that holy feeling in thy soul, And art thou yet to thy own soul so blind, That thou wilt war with God ?* 22-iii. 3. 724 24-i. 4. The brevity of life. The time of life is short; To spend that shortness basely, were too long, If life did ride upon a dial's point, Still ending at the arrival of an hour. * Ps. lv. 21. 18-v. 2. * An allusion to Daniel judging the two elders. See also Matt. xi. 25, and 1 Cor. i. 27. Whereto serves mercy, But to confront the visage of offence? And what's in prayer, but this two-fold force,— To be forestalled, ere we come to fall, Or pardon'd, being down? 726 36-iii. 3. God the cause of all causes. He that of greatest works is finisher, Oft does them by the weakest minister: When judges have been babes.* Great floods have flown From simple sources;f and great seas have dried, It is not so with Him that all things knows, 727 Fall of man and redemption. 11-ii. 1. All the souls that were, were forfeit once; And He, that might the vantage best have took, Found out the remedy? || How would you be, If He, which is the top of judgment, should But judge you as you are? O, think on that, And mercy then will breathe within your lips, Like man new made.** The quality of mercy is not strain'd: It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven 5-ii. 2. † i. e. When Moses smote the rock in Horeb.-Exod. xvii. 5, 6, &c. Referring to the children of Israel passing the Red Sea, when miracles had been denied by Pharaoh. § Rom. iii. 10-23. Ps. cxxx. 3. John iii. 16. ** Eph. iv. 24-32. Upon the place beneath :* it is twice bless'd; Consider this, That in the course of justice, none of us 729 God's mercies to be remembered. Let never day nor night unhallow'd pass, 9-iv. 1. 22-ii. 1. Heaven set ope thy everlasting gates, To entertain my vows of thanks and praise! 731 Provocation against Heaven. 22-iv. 9. The heavens do low'r upon you, for some ill; If my suspect be false, forgive me, God; Forbear to judge, for we are sinners all. 734 The terrors of guilt in death. O thou eternal Mover of the heavens, Look with a gentle eye upon this wretch! 35-iv. 5. 22-iii. 2. 22-iii. 3. * Mercy is seasonable in the time of affliction, as clouds of rain in the time of drought.-Eccles. xxxv. 20. † Matt. vi. 12, 14, 15. † Micah vii. 18. § Deut. ix. 8. Ps. cvi. 43. O, beat away the busy meddling fiend, 735 22-iii. 3. The danger of trifling before God. Take heed, you dally not before your king; Confound your hidden falsehood. 736 24-ii. 1. Murder. The great King of kings Hath in the table of his law commanded, That thou shalt do no murder.. Take heed; for he holds vengeance in his hand, To hurl upon their heads that break his law. Blood, like sacrificing Abel's, cries, 24-i. 4. Even from the tongueless caverns of the earth.* 17-i. 1. 738 Submission to God's will. Put we our quarrel to the will of Heaven, Will rain hot vengeance on offenders' heads. 17-i. 2. Confess yourself to heaven; Repent what's past: avoid what is to come : * Gen. iv. 10. † Matt. iii. 8. 36-iii. 4. † Prov. iii. 6. Arraign your conscience, And try your penitence, if it be sound, Or hollowly put on. But lest you do repent, As that the sin hath brought you to this shame,*Which sorrow is always toward ourselves, not heaven; Showing, we'd not spare heaven,† as we love it, But as we stand in fear. Try what repentance can: What can it not? Art more engaged! 5-ii. 3. 36-iii. 3. When I would pray and think, I think and pray As if I did but only chew His name; And in my heart, the strong and swelling evil Of my conception. 5-ii. 4. Pray, can I not, Though inclination be as sharp as will; 36-iii. 3. May one be pardon'd, and retain the offence ? *2 Cor. vii. 10. † Spare to offend heaven. † Rom. ii. 5. |