Divine glimpses of a maiden muse being various meditations and epigrams on several subjects : with a probable cure of our present epidemical malady if the means be not too long neglected / by Chr. Clobery ...

To Christians rigidly censorious.

DEar fellow-members of that mystick head Who is our Jesus, and our Christ should be, Who ever must be so acknowledged By those that hope his face with joy to see! Cease all rash judgment: look on me a worm, The most unworthy member of you all, Who cannot as I would, base self reform, Yet trust in him to do't who's all in all, Who sees and governs hearts with much more ease Then men can actions: let his love divine Calm your incensed spirits, and appease: Your zealous hearts: forbear to judge of mine, Or others mens estates by bare surmise, To stumble at our failings: for we stand. Or fall to our great master, who espies The thoughts, words, deeds, of each heart, tongue, and hand, And judgeth all uprightly: whom nor fear Nor favour e'er can sway, nor bribe corrupt. Happy are you that can your wills forbear, And them subject to his: who interrupt Lusts, passions, and affections natural By his assisting grace; for thereby 'tis Alone that you can stand: and though we fall Often and much: rob us not of the bliss Of your conniving Charity; but give Mild censures of our states: for our desires Like yours are infinite, wishing to live In each particular as God requires; But ah! corrupted nature so much sways In our frail hearts, and all our duties taints: We leave his pure, to walk in our vain ways; No less might you, wer't not for his restraints.

Forbid Lord that I here should plead for sin In customary practise unoppos'd; It's crimes in which we fall, not wallow in, Our hearts the while being otherwise dispos'd: Death's body that is in us, towes us on To do what our oppressed souls abhor; Whence none can us deliver, but who's gone, Yet staies with thee our pardons to implore: On whom alone for mercy we depend, Since 'tis thy will, who won, shall wear the prize: His merits, not our own, our cause defend; And they alone thy justice can suffice; Our morning-dews, our menstruo••s raggs are full Of emptiness, as well as filth that soiles Our souls with self-conceit, which renders dull And dead our duties, and our graces foils; So whilst we in our selves for something look, We overlook our souls Pau-pharmacon, And swallow Satans subt'lest bayt and hook (Which so besots mysterious Babylon,) Self-merit; which can ne'er God's test endure: Though we may hug our selves in high-flown hopes, They'll vanish soon, and we shall stand impure In his pure eyes, who'll storm down all self-props. Dear brethren militant! who here wage war Against world, flesh, and Devil, our common foes: If any of you herewith tainted are, (As many doubtless are, though who none knowes,) Let me beseech your interchange of pray'rs For us to graces sacred throne; and ours Shall be for you: this mutual love repaires All Christian breaches: cry with all your powers For our more strict obedience; and we'll cry With ours for your humility the while; And let's all cry for Christian unity Betwixt us all: divisions do defile

Our mothers face, they sully her fair skin, And schism hath branded truths sweet self with lies; Whilst we neglect the danger we are in, And foster errors which our foes devise, Purposely to divide, that they may raign, And ruine undescri'dly Church and State; To bring us back inslav'd to Rome and Spain: Oh haste prevention, lest it prove too late! Let's joyn hearts, hands and heads; let's cry aloud With true repentant tears for our high crimes, Which cry for vengeance, and are yet allow'd: Frist mend our selves, then we shall mend the times, For we have marr'd them: and till we reform, They'll grow but worse in spight of wit, of force, Or policy; And we shall have a storm, Insensible by all our foot, and horse. Defend, dear Lord, defend these sinfull lands, From thy impending judgments, and retract Thy unsheath'd sword: and let not their fierce hands Thy just revenge on these vile Nations act, Who are thy foes and ours, though our deserts Plead strongly so to have it: but reclaim Our sinful lives, and turn our stubborn hearts, That we at last may at thy glory aim, And scorn self-ends, the Idol of this Land; Lest self-ends bring us to self-ends indeed, As well as in intention; (Lord) thy hand Alone can save us: blessed God, proceed Wonders to work within us. In our change, As thou hast long without us wonders wrought: Turn us from bad to good; thy plagues estrange Which unrepented sins have on us brought: Restore us unity and peace divine: Let thy sweet Gospels glory still increase: Be thou Lord ours, and make us to be thine, And bless these Isles with Christian joy and peace:

Then shalt thou joy in us, and we in thee, And spread thy glory through earth's spatious rounds: That all its Nations may come in and see Thy saving health, and how thy grace abounds.

Amen.