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