O sing for joy, all ye Regenerate, Whom Christ hath brought unto this blessed state! O love the Lord all ye his saints, who hath Redeeméd you from everlasting wrath! Who hath by dying made your Souls to live, And what he dearly bought doth freely give. Give up yourselves to walk in all his ways, And study how to live unto his praise. The time is short you have to serve him here; The day of your deliv'rance draweth near. Lift up your heads, ye upright ones in heart, Who in Christ's purchase have obtain'd a part. Behold he rides upon a shining cloud, With angel's voice and Trumpet sounding loud. He comes to save his folk from all their foes, And plague the men that Holiness oppose. So come, Lord Jesus, quickly come, we pray; Yea, come and hasten our Redemption-day. VANITY OF VANITIES. A SONG OF EMPTINESS. Vain, frail, short-liv'd, and miserable Man, Learn what thou art when thy estate is best; A restless Wave o' th' troubled Oce-an, A Dream, a lifeless Picture finely drest. A Wind, a Flower, a Vapor, and a Bubble, A Wheel that stands not still, a trembling Reed, A trolling Stone, dry Dust, light Chaff, and Stubble, A shadow of something but truly naught indeed. Learn what deceitful Toys and empty things This World and all its best Enjoyments be; Out of the Earth no true Contentment springs, But all things here are vexing Vanity. For what is Beauty but a fading Flower? Or what is Pleasure but the Devil's bait, Whereby he catcheth whom he would devour, And multitudes of Souls doth ruinate? And what are Friends but mortal men as we, Whom Death from us may quickly separate? Or else their hearts may quite estrangéd be, And all their love be turnéd into hate. And what are Riches to be doted on? Uncertain, fickle, and ensnaring things; They draw men's Souls into Perditi-on, And when most needed take them to their wings. Ah! foolish man! that sets his heart upon Such empty shadows, such wild Fowl as these, That being gotten will be quickly gone, And whilst they stay increase but his disease. As in a Dropsy, drinking drought begets, The more he drinks the more he still requires, So on this World whoso affection sets, As Wealth's increase, increaseth his desires. O happy Man, whose portion is above, Where Floods, where Flames, where Foes cannot bereave him! Most wretched Man that fixéd hath his love Upon this World, that surely will deceive him! For what is Honor? what is Sovereignty, Whereto men's hearts so restlessly aspire? Whom have they crownéd with Felicity? When did they ever satisfy desire? The Ear of Man with hearing is not fill'd; To see new sights still coveteth the Eye; The craving stomach, though it may be still'd, Yet craves again without a new supply.