A treasury of divine raptures consisting of serious observations, pious ejaculations, select epigrams, alphabetically rank'd and fil'd by a private chaplain to the illustrious and renowned lady, Urania, the divine and heavenly muse : the first part.

305. On Constancy.

THe Motto of a Christian should be that Of Queen Elizabeth, in ev'ry state Always the same, not lift up, by renown When lifted up; nor cast down, when cast down. A constant minded man is free from care, And sorrow-ending death he doth not fear, Aristides amidst the various fates And changes that befel th' Athenian States In his time, did always the same abide, For honour never puff▪d him up with pride; Nor adverse things could ever make him vent The least of passion or discontent. He us'd to say, Good Citizens alone Rejoyce in what they have well said and done. Demosthenes, rather than he would prove A changeling, lost his life—We may not move Nor shrink one jot from our profession. Dan'el leaves not his God, though he be shewn The Lion; the three children still stood fast, When into the oft-heated Furnace cast.

However like the lower Orb there's none, But have a nat'ral motion of our own, From good to ill; let's let the pow'r above us, The all-wise God, from ev'l to good to move us, Who ever is the same; we must endeavour To be like him, so shall we live for ever. ¶ Better it were never to have begun, Than not continue till the race be run. ¶ Vain is alas, the running of that soul, Who faints before he cometh to the Goal. Not to go forward in Gods way, is to Go backward; many begin well, but few End so; it tendeth to perfection▪ To consummate what we have well begun; Lifes crown is given to such as persevere, As good never a whit, as ne're the near.