16 When seasons change, then lay before thine eyes His wondrous method; mark the various scenes In heaven; hail, thunder, rainbows, snow, and ice, Calms, tempests, light, and darkness, by his means; Thou canst not miss his praise; each tree, herb, flower Are shadows of his wisdom and his power. 17 To meals when thou dost come, give him the praise Whose arm supplied thee; take what may suffice, And then be thankful; oh, admire his ways Who fills the world's unemptied granaries! A thankless feeder is a thief, his feast A very robbery, and himself no guest. 18 High-noon thus past, thy time decays; provide Thee other thoughts; away with friends and mirth; The sun now stoops, and hastes his beams to hide Under the dark and melancholy earth. All but preludes thy end. Thou art the man Whose rise, height, and descent is but a span. 19 Yet, set as he doth, and 'tis well. Have all Thy beams home with thee: trim thy lamp, buy oil, And then set forth; who is thus dressed, the fall Furthers his glory, and gives death the foil. Man is a summer's day; whose youth and fire Cool to a glorious evening, and expire. 20 When night comes, list[1] thy deeds; make plain the way 'Twixt heaven and thee; block it not with delays; But perfect all before thou sleep'st; then say 'There's one sun more strung on my bead of days.' What's good score up for joy; the bad, well scanned, Wash off with tears, and get thy Master's hand. 21 Thy accounts thus made, spend in the grave one hour Before thy time; be not a stranger there, Where thou may'st sleep whole ages; life's poor flower Lasts not a night sometimes. Bad spirits fear This conversation; but the good man lies Entombed many days before he dies. 22 Being laid, and dressed for sleep, close not thy eyes Up with thy curtains; give thy soul the wing In some good thoughts; so, when the day shall rise, And thou unrak'st thy fire, those sparks will bring New flames; besides where these lodge, vain heats mourn And die; that bush where God is shall not burn. 23 When thy nap's over, stir thy fire, and rake In that dead age; one beam i' the dark outvies Two in the day; then from the damps and ache Of night shut up thy leaves; be chaste; God pries Through thickest nights; though then the sun be far, Do thou the works of day, and rise a star. 24 Briefly, do as thou wouldst be done unto, Love God, and love thy neighbour; watch and pray. These are the words and works of life; this do, And live; who doth not thus, hath lost heaven's way. Oh, lose it not! look up, wilt change those lights For chains of darkness and eternal nights? [1] 'List:' weigh. REPENTANCE.