A Character of a true Christian.
The Tune is,
The Fair Nimphs.
Love.
A Christian true doth love
his Father that's above,
His Brother that's below.
his Friends, and eak his Foe,
The Rich, the Poor, the great, the small,
the Strong, the Weak, he loveth all.
Self-denyal.
He still denyes himself,
not greedily gripes for Pelf,
Doth neither pole nor pill,
his Chests or Barns to fill,
His Neighbours Good, not Goods, doth seek,
he's honest, harmless, loving, meek.
Humility.
Not puft in mind is he:
all those of low degree,
Do never taste his Scorn,
the Base; the Vile; Forlorn:
He's bounteous; courteous; loving and kind;
to all he bears a gentle mind.
Stability.
He still at home doth keep,
and his own door doth sweep;
Doth not debase his mind,
in seeking Faults to find:
He picks no hole in Neighbours Coat;
nor strives in's Ey to finde a Mote;
Forbearance.
His Lamb-like spirit doth bear,
he doth not fight nor tear;
Nor flounce, nor fling, nor fume;
but Meekness doth perfume
His Soul; when he is injured;
Captivity is captive led.
Mercy.
His burning Bowels yern,
from thence his Eye doth learn;
To 'still some oyl of Right
into the wretched Weight.
His hand is fired by his heart,
his Substance to the poor to impart.
Charity.
His Charity is not small,
it doth extend to all;
The bad and eke the good:
not like the formal Mode,
Who none but their own Sect endure,
this is from the Fountain pure.
Wisdom.
He wisely walks to all,
and to prevent a Fall,
He looks before he leaps:
a narrow Watch he keeps,
When to speak, he well doth see,
and when silent he's to be.
Peace.
His Principle is Peace,
in him all Wars do cease,
The sword and Gown may stand,
both distant from his Land,
He is endear'd to great and small,
he lives in Love and Peace with all.
Obedience.
He marcheth in the Van,
to each Decree of man,
For God's sake he subjects,
to all he yields respects,
The Prince of Peace doth Peace impart,
he hates all Plots with all his heart.
Freedom.
The Son hath made him Free
from
Aegypts Slavery,
From daily Brick and Task,
he needs no religious Mask,
Through Christ he all things doth and can,
he's wholy the Lords free man.
Patience.
He bravely bears the Cross,
and sits down by the loss,
When
Sabeans on him fall,
and
Caldees take his all.
Not these nor those, but God in Heav'n,
he saith, Hath taken as well as giv'n.
Content.
Soul-killing Discontent,
whereby pure life is spent,
And marrow melts away,
with him it cannot stay:
His Soul in Patience doth possess,
for, Evil and Good the Lord doth bless.
Resignation.
For wholly he's resign'd
unto the Unconfin'd,
God's pleasure is his Law,
of that he stands in aw.
When Self is swept away and gone,
he sayes and lives,
God's Will be done.
London, Printed by T. D. sold by La. Curtiss. 1680.