A DIALL.
GOod Chriſtians all, of whatſoe're degree,
Give eare a while, and harken unto me
Both old, and young, it doth us all concern
The oldeſt he, is not too old to learne
We muſt dye all, by ordinance divine
How ere ſo high, we muſt at laſt decline
Our God he hath ordain'd it to be ſo,
Our Grandſire Adam brought us to this wo
In Geneſis the third we may it readGen. 2. Gen. 3.
The ſequell why, and how it was decreed
God pardon me, in plainneſſe to beſtow
A little time his wonderous works to ſhew;
In Eden God, did chuſe a plot of ground,
And planted fruitfull trees about it round
Fruits of all ſorts, herbs of all ſorts likewiſe
And made it be a pleaſant Paradice,
And in that place; there water was enough
For pleaſant ſtrames, did run, this garden through
In midſt of this faire garden, God even he
Did place the tree of knowledge for to be
This pleaſant place, abundantly expelling
God gave to Adam for to be his dwelling
God of the earth, a little time before
Did make him there, to rule all creatures o're,
Then made he Adam a heavy ſleep to bide
While he a rib did take out of his ſide,
And made a woman his helper for to be,
The caſe was altered ſoon, from that we ſee
Then God did ſay to him, of all the trees that be
Within this garden ſet, and plac'd by me
Take thou the fruit thereof, and freely eat
I give them thee, they ſhalbe for thy meat
But of the tree, in midſt this garden great
I do comand thee, that thou ſhalt not eat
For this I ſay to thee aſſuredly
If thou do'ſt eat thereof thou ſure ſhalt dye,
Then Satan he, envying Adams ſtate
Began unto, himſelfe thus to relate,
Shall man poſſeſſe, that place of high renown,
That glorious place, from whence I am caſt down
O! no I ſay, I will away deviſe,
He ſhall not to that bleſſed place ariſe
Though he be bleſſed now, he ſhall accurſed be,
And ſo I'le overthrow his Majeſty,
But he no way could finde to make the man be curſt,
But by enticing of the woman firſt;
Then did he take on him the Serpents ſhape,
And thought by this device man ſhould not ſcape;
He preſently got up without delay,
Into the Tree, and thus to Eve did ſay,
Woman, quoth he, what is your charge ſo great,
Of all the fruits that's here you may not eat?
We eat ſaid ſhee of all that here doe grow,
He that hath made us doth the ſame allow,
But of the Tree amidſt this Garden great,
He hath commanded that we ſhall not eat,
And if we eat thereof we ſure ſhall dye:
The ſubtill Serpent then made this reply;
No no, ſaid he, you ſhall not dye at all,
You are unwiſe to keepe your ſelves in thrall,
Your Maker knows that when thereof you eat,
You ſhall be like to God in knowledge great,
You then ſhall underſtand both good and ill,
For this ſame cauſe hee'l keepe you from it ſtill,
But how can you forbeare this fruit ſo fair?
Why is it kept from ſuch a loving paire?
He pluckt an apple then, and gave it unto Eve,
She ſaw it faire, did gladly it receive,
When ſhe did taſte, and found it ſavoury meat,
She gave to Adam one and he did eat:
Then opened were their eyes, Immediately
And they aſhamed were, their nakedneſſe to ſpy
God knowing this, in cool of day came down
And in the garden thus, his voice did ſound
Adam where art, then they durſt not abide,
But ran among the trees themſelves to hide;
At laſt poore Adam ſpake, and thus he ſaid.
We hard thy voyce, and therefore were affraid.
Becauſe that both, of us now naked be
And art thou naked now, who told it thee
Haſt thou now eaten, of the forbidden tree
Said he, The woman that thou didſt me give
She gave it me, and I did it receive,
Then unto Eve, God did theſe words expreſſe
Why haſt thou cauſed, thy husband to tranſgreſſe,
Said ſhe, the Serpent, he enticed me
And made me doe this great offence to thee
So every one of us, our ſinnes do ſmother
And put it from our ſelves, unto ſome other
Then God unto, the Serpent preſently
Did ſay theſe words, which I doe now deſcry
Thou Serpent vile, which by thy ſubtilty
Seduced have this woman againſt me
And cauſed her ſo, her husband to betray
And my Commandement, ſo to diſobay
I will torment thee, with continuall wo
Upon thy belly, thou ſhalt ever go,
Duſt of the earth, ſhalbe thy daily meat
The very vileſt of it thou ſhalt eat
Between the womans ſeed, and thine and thee
For evermore, there ſhall contention be,Gen. 15.
Her ſeed ſhall break thy head, thine bruiſe his heel
Theſe torments thou, for evermore ſhall feel
And woman then, which by enticement haſt
Thy husband from, his happineſſe down caſt
By which thou haſt, undone, both him and thee
And made you both, vile bondſlaves for to be,
For this thy breaking my Commandement,
Thou ſhalt receive from me this puniſhment,
I'le puniſh thee in thy conceptions,
Becauſe of this, thy ſore tranſgreſſions;
And for thou haſt not lived in my feare,
With pain and ſorrow thou ſhalt children beare
Unto thy husband, thy deſire ſhall be,
And he ſhall ſtill have power and rule o're thee:
And Adam, thou that didſt not ſtand in fear
Of me thy God, but to thy wife gave eare,
I will no more ſo carefull be upon thee,
But I pronounce this ſentence to be on thee:
For that you have been to me ſo unjuſt,
Out of this Garden now I will you thruſt,
Now thou mayſt ſay thou art of me forſaken,
Go dig the ground, from whence thou firſt waſt taken:
Thou art but earth, therein go take ſome pains,Gen. 3. 19.
For unto earth thouſhalt returne again,
You both ſhall die, as you doe well deſerve,
But when, I will unto my ſelfe reſerve,
Becauſe you have liv'd ſo rebelliouſly,
You both ſhall dye, and your poſterity:
The earth alſo ſhall Thiſtles beare, and Thornes,
And thou ſhalt ſuffer many grievous ſtormes,
With ſweat of brows thou now muſt get thy meat,
Thou muſt not idle be if thou wilt eat:
So I have done, now I have paſt my doom,
Learn to live better now before death come.
Thus God did curſe what he before did make,Gen. 3. 18.
He curſt the very earth for Adams ſake,
His diſobedience made him have this curſe,
And we his off-ſpring all doe fare the worſe,
For of our father Adams grievous ſin,
We, as his heirs, have all our ſhares therein,
And thus was Adams ſin our great downfall,
Therefore remember death, We muſt dyall:
But here a comfort doth again ariſe,
Which ſubtill Satan never did ſurmiſe,
Though we were curſed by the womans deed,
We now are bleſt again by a womans ſeed,
As in the Scripture we may daily read,
The womans ſeed ſhould break the ſerpents head,
Our Jeſus Chriſt both God and man was he,
Came to this world our Saviour for to be;
Our Jeſus Chriſt he hath our ranſome paid,
For on his ſhoulders all our ſins was laid,Eſay 53. 4. 1 Pet. 2. 24. Matth. 8. 17.
He offered up himſelfe a ſacrifice for ſin,
For to redeeme us from the bondage we were in,
Thoſe that believe in him by a true faith,
They ſhall be ſaved as the Scripture ſaith,
But 'tis ordain'd that once we muſt dy all,Heb. 9. 27.
And yeild our life to death when he doth call,
And death at Gods command doth ſtill atend
To bring each mortall wight unto his end,
Death is Gods Herrald, when command is given
To goe to all the Nations under heaven,
For to arreſt and take into his power,
Some people therein every day and houre;
The greateſt King cannot deaths power withſtand,
When he comes with the King of Kings command,
No age can ſcape from cradle to the crutch,
No ſex can keepe them from his fatall touch;
Kings and beggars to death are all alike,
There's none at all can ſay Death dares not ſtrike,
But there's a time for all things under Sun,
Time hath been ever ſince the world begun,
A time for to be borne, a time to dye,
The wiſeman ſaith, and none can it deny.
In time was Adam made in Gods image,
In a ſhort time he loſt his heritage,
And infulneſſe of time God ſent his SonGal. 4. 4.
For to redeeme us that were all undone,
Death taketh time unto him as a brother,
To go with him and follow on another;
Time with his ſythe, Death with his diſmall dart,
Theſe two between them both the world doth part.
Time he hath wings, a ſpeedy pace to hie
And death can run as faſt as time can fly,
Time takes our lives, and poſt to death doth run
Death meets with time, and ſo our lives are done
How carefull ought, we be, our lives to mend
Since two ſuch watch-men, do on us attend,
Time he doth number all, our houres and days
And death doth watch, to catch us on our ways,
We muſt dy all, and yeild to death his due,
Though we know not the time, nor place, nor how.
Death he hath weapons more, beſides his dart,
He hath more ways then one to kill the heart:
Some in the ſeas and brooks, are daily drownd
Some in the fires, are utterly conſum'd,
Some are by powder all to peices torn,
Some have their lives, in deſerts overworn;
Some there are daily, killed with the ſword
Some dy a death, that moſt they have abroad
Some hath by poyſon got a deadly ſtroke.
Some in their drink, a ſilly flie doth choake
Some dy of ſurfets, eating too much meat,
Some dy by famine having nought to eat,
Some conquering Captains, fighting in the field
Death conquers them, and makes them for to yeild,
To ſtrike old age in bed, death doth not ſcorne
Nor doth he ſpare, the infants thats new borne
Thou canſt not paſſe, no time a long the ſtreet.
To be aſſured no danger for to meet
Some wood or ſtone, may fall upon thy head
Down from church or houſe and ſtrike thee dead,
Be carefull then, to be as thou ſhouldſt be
Sith death ſo many wayes, may come to thee
Repent in time, and do thy life amend.
Before that death do come, thy life to end,
Be thou for death, all times, prepared be,
That ſudaine death, may never come to thee
Unto the wicked death doth come with terrour,Proverbs 28. 1.
For of his coming, he is ſtill a fevour,
But to the godly, death is welcome ever,
He doth acknowledge God, of his life the giver
And that he muſt, returne it back againe
To him from whom, he did it firſt obtaine
Death he will come, though we know not how ſoon. Luke 12. 40.
In midſt of night, in morning or at noon,
In the ſpring time, or elſe upon the fall.
But ſure enough it is, we muſt dye all
Although that Chriſt for all our ſinnes did dye,
Yet we muſt carefull be, from ſin to fly,
For ſin within us ſtill there doth remain,
O let it not within thee rule and reigne,
Be carefull then, thy God to ſerve and feare
And patient be affl•ctions to beare
Lead a good life, an evill life abhorreRom. 12. 9.
That thou mayſt live with Chriſt, for evermore
Live well and dye well, that proverb is true
But few in theſe days, that will do ſo now,
Some that would dye well, there were and there is
But yet they have lead, their lives for a misNumb. 23.
Balam deſir'd the righteous death to dyeMark 14. John 18. 10.
Although he lived not righteouſly
Judas that traytor, did not ſo in either
He did not live well, nor dyed well neither
Lets pray to God, to grant to us his grace
To keepe us all, from ſuch a deſperate caſe
Live thou a righteous life holy and pure
And thou ſhall dye, a righteous death be ſure
There is a rule by Gods commandement
To teach thee how to live, and not be ſhentExod. 20.
Gods ten comands that he to us hath given
To be our guide, to lead us into heaven,
God be my guide, me to direct a right
For to explaine them, as I doe recite.
commandment 1Thou ſhalt have no other gods but me.
There is but one, and I am only he
That brought thee out, from Pharoes cruell hand
Where thou in bondage waſt in Egypt land
I am that God, that can condemne and ſave
And therefore thou, no other ſhalt have
commandment 2Thou ſhalt to thee, no graven image make
Thereby Gods honour, from him for to take
Likeneſſe of anything, in heaven above
Or in the earth below, to like or love
Fowls of the aire, or fiſhes in the ſea,
An Image ſhalt thou make, of none of theſe
I ſay thou ſhalt, no image make at all
To bow to it, or down before it fall
Of any kind of met all, wood or ſtone.
All worſhip doth belong, to God alone
The Lord thy God, he is a jealous God
And he will viſit daily with his rod
The fathers ſinnes, upon their children here
That do him hate, whom they ſhould love and feare
Unto the third, and fourth generation
All thoſe that live in any land or nation
But unto thouſands, mercy ſhew he will
Of thoſe that his commands, keepe and fulfill.
commandment 3Thou ſhalt not take Gods holy name in vaine
Thy mind to pleaſe, or cauſe for to maintaine
In any caſe, do not blaſpheme his name
That gave thee breath and did thy body frame
He that to take his name in vaine is bold,
The Lord hath ſaid, he will not guiltleſs hold.
commandment 4Remember that, the Lords Day thou keepe holy
Abuſe it not, by any kind of folly
Six dayes thou labour ſhalt, and do what longs thee to,
And keep the Sabbath, as thou oughtſt to do:
For in ſix dayes, the Lord did all things make
And on the ſeventh, he his reſt did take,
In it I ſay, thou ſhalt not work at all,
Thou nor thy ſervant, nor Ox within thy ſtall
God bleſt, the Sabbath day, and hallowed it:
Therefore look that no work thou do in it.
commandment 5Honour thy father, and thy mother to,
And do them reverence, as thou oughtſt to do,
That thou long days and good on earth may live
In any place that God ſhall to thee give:Mat. 15. 4.
He that his father, or his mother curſe,
His days on earth ſhall fewer be and worſe.
commandment 6Thou ſhalt not any kind of murther uſe
In any caſe, thy brother to abuſe
By this word murther we muſt underſtand
Some other miſcheifes, uſed in our land
As envy, hatred, malice, and the like
And wicked ſlander, that mans life doth ſeeke
He that his neighbour, doth ſlander and defame
As good were take his life, as his good name
A good name is a good mans chiefe delight,
And highly is eſteem'd in good mens ſight. Prov. 22. 1.
commandment 7Thou ſhalt not commit Adultery,
Nor any other kind, of lechery
Of Sodoms odious ſinnes, do thou beware
To keep thy body chaſte and pure have care,
After a woman ſee thou do not luſt.
For if thou do, thy heart it is unjuſt,
If thou doſt ſo, I tell thee for thy part
Adultery thou doſt commit in heart. Matth. 5. 8, 28.
commandment 8Thou ſhalt ſteale, looke that thou do not ſo
Leſt it doth chance, to turne unto thy wo
In dealing falſly, do thou not delight
Remember ſtill, that thou art in Gods ſightJer. 23. 23, 24. Levit. 19. 36.
Weights too light, or meaſures which be ſmall
Do thou not uſe, leſt thou in danger fall.
Deceit is ſtealing, in a kind of way
Which thou ſhalt anſwer for another day.
commandment 9Thou ſhalt falſe witneſſe againſt no man beare,
But for the truth ſtand up, and do not fear;
Do thou have God at all times in thy minde,
And take no bribes leſt they do make thee blinde.
commandment 10Thou ſhalt not covet thy neighbours houſe or land,
His wife or ſervants that be at his command,
His Oxe, his Aſſe, nor anything that's his,
If ſo thou doe, be ſure thou doſt amiſs:
Thinke how King Ahab and Queen Jezabel1 Kings 21. 13.
Againſt this laſt commandment did rebel,
Ahab did covet, and Naboth's Vineyard crave,
Naboth deny'd what Ahab fain would have,
Then Jezabel falſe witneſſes did bring
To ſwear that Naboth had blaſphem'd God and the King,
For that good Naboth he was ſton'd to death,
And with his Vineyard he did loſe his breath:
What puniſhment they had the proofe is plain,
The dogs did eat her fleſh, and he was ſlain:
And now the ten Comandments I have rehearſt,
Some other things I have to be rehearſt;
Pride doe thou ſhun, in any kinde of caſe,
Decent apparell is a comely grace,
But above all, be thou not proud in heart,Prov. 16. 5, 12, 18.
I give thee counſell whoſoere thou art:
Remember this before it be too late,
The proud in hea•t the Lord thy God doth hate,1 Pet. 5. 5.
Be humble minded then, and meeke in heart
And God will love thee then, if ſo thou art,
God will exalt the humble and the meeke,Matth. 23. 12.
But the proud heart he will in peeces breake,
Nabuchadnezar that mighty King,Dan. 4. 30.
His pride of heart did him great damage bring,
For God out of his Throne did down him caſt,
Among the beaſts to feed till ſeven years paſt.
Of Gluttony likewiſe do thou take heed,
Eat not too much, give ſome to them that need,
Rich Dives he did feed on dainty fair,Luke 16. 19.
But to poore Lazarus, no crums would ſpare,
What came to him after his dainty faire?
He is in durance now where all vile torments are,
Vile drunkenneſſe do thou in no wiſe uſe,
Drinke not too much thy ſelfe for to abuſe,
For drinking much may make thee for to want,
And ſo may death come to thee juſt upon't,
When Holifernes had drunke of wine his fill,Judith 13. 8.
His head was quite cut off by Judith's skill,
It was Gods will for his own peoples ſake,
In their revenge that ſhe this way did take:
Noah cruſht his grapes, and too much of the ſameGen 9. 21.
Did make him drunk, and ſo he ſhew'd his ſhame,
This is no pattern left for thee to follow,
If thou thinke ſo, thy wit is very ſhallow.
Some of Gods choſen have great ſins committed,2 Sam. 11. 4.
And by repentance they have been acquitted;
Then let this be unto thy minde to call,Mat. 26. 74, 75.
That Gods dear children may at ſomtimes fall,
Not totally, but they may riſe again,
And live with Chriſt above where he doth reign.
Envie no man, though he hath done thee wrong,
Take not from God what to him doth belong,
For we may read that God himſelfe doth ſay it,
Vengeance is mine, I will my ſelfe repay it,
For envie Cain did kill Abel his brother,Rom. 12. 19. Gen. 4. 8.
So by envie now doe we kill one another:
Hatred it is abominable thing
Againſt our God that is heavens great King;
For hatred Jacobs ſons did Joſeph ſell,Gen. 37. 28.
Which God did turn to good, though they did ill,
For Jacobs ſake it needs muſt be confeſt,
Unto Gods choſen all is for the beſt;
Joſeph in Pharoahs houſe ſo well did ſpeed,
That he his fathers houſe did helpe at need;
God hath commanded that we ſhould not hate,
But now we daily do it imitate,
To malice be thou not at all enclin'd,
It is much like to hatred his kinde,
And therefore for't I ſay no more but thus,
From all thoſe ſins the Lord deliverus.
To covetouſneſſe I now am come again,
A little farther for to make it plain,
What wretched man art thou that with annoy
Doſt covet wealth thou canſt not long enjoy?
Thinke thou what God did to the rich man ſay,
When he had made large barnes his goods to lay,
Thou fool this night thy ſoule ſhall taken be,Luke 12. 20.
Then who ſhall have thoſe goods laid up by thee?
If thou haſt riches, ſet not thy heart thereon,
Thou doeſt not know how ſoon they may be gone;
Say thou not unto thy ſelfe that thou doeſt ow them,
They are but lent thee well for to beſtow them;
Thou art a Steward, God lends thee them to uſe
Unto his glory, not for thee to abuſe,
Do thou beſtow them well, that ſo thou may
Give up a good account at the laſt day,
Give to the poore that at thy doore do cry,
Cloath thou the naked that in ſtreet do ly,
Comfort the widdows that are in diſtreſſe,
Relieve the children that be fatherleſſe,
Viſit the ſick that are almoſt ſpent,
And thoſe in priſon that have long been pent;
Lay not thy treaſure on earth for to enjoy them,Matth. 6. 19.
For there be many wayes for to deſtroy them,
But lay them up in heaven for to be
Where they may prove a great eſtate for thee,
For there no evill comes for to deſtroy it,
But at the laſt thou ſafely ſhalt enjoy it,
All this if thou doeſt ſo God will thee bleſſe,
And thou at laſt a Kingdom ſhalt poſſeſſe;
When any worke thou undertak'ſt in hand,
Remember ſtill thou art at Gods command,
And when thy worke unto good end is brought,
Doe thou not brag that thou thy ſelf it wrought,1 Cor. 4. 7.
But give the praiſe and glory unto God,
Leſt he doe croſſe thee with ſome kinde of rod:
When any journey thou doſt mean to make,
Pray unto God that he may undertake
To be thy guide, and to direct thy way,
That thou mayſt come to heaven at the laſt day,
Obſerve all theſe good rules and do them keep,
And bleſſed ſhalt thou be whether thou wake or ſleep;
Thou ſhalt be bleſſed whatſoere befall,
Yea treble bleſt when death thy life doth call.
Now to conclude, this work is at an end,
God grant us grace our lives for to amend,
And thou kinde Reader that haſt read it o're,
Though it be weak, do thou not it abhor,
The matter it is good, though not the writing,
The meaning is as good, not the inditing.
Let not a little fault in thee diſliking move,
But take it as it is, 'tis done in love;
Let him that in it ſeeth not any ill.
Forgive the fault, and mend it when he will;
Full foute ſcore years and three the Author is,
A younger man may doe ſome things amiſs.
FINIS.