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 University of California Berkeley 
 
T ; H E 
 
 FLOURISH 
 
 OF THE 
 
 ANNUAL SPRING, 
 
 Improved in a 
 
 SERMON 
 
 Preached at the THURSDAY LECTURE 
 in Bofton, May 3. 1739. 
 
 By MATHER BYLES, D. D. 
 
 Paftor of a Church in BOSTON. 
 
 Jumb. xvii. 8. Behold, the Rod of AARON budded, and 
 brought forth Buds, and bloomed Blo/fims, and yielded 
 Almonds. 
 
 The Second Edition, 
 
 BOSTON, NEW-ENGLAND: 
 
 Re-Printed by THOMAS and JOHN FLEET. 
 
 3t til? HEA&T and C^QWN m^Cornhill, 1769, 
 
r 
 
( 5 
 
 The Tlourifh of the Annual SPRING 
 
 CANTICLES II. 10 -13. 
 
 Rife tip and come away. For lo, the Winter is pqft, 
 .the Rain is over and gone. The Flowers appear on the 
 Earth^the Time ofthefinging of Birds is come fln/ 
 and come away. 
 
 F all meer Men who have lived fmce the Fall of 
 Adam, the Author of this beautiful PaiTage is 
 pronounced the wifeft, by the GOD of Heaven. 
 And of all the Books which he wrote, this is 
 the moft elegant, fublime and devout. The three Books 
 which Solomon wrote, are refembled to the three divi- 
 fions of the Temple which he built , of which the Holy 
 of Holies is compared to this admirable Song. }&$ Proverbs 
 contain an excellent Scheme of Morality ; and to this anfwers 
 the outward Enclofure, called the Court of the Gentiles. His 
 Ecclefiaftes contains the Difquifitions of a philofophical and 
 religious Genius after true Happinefs ; and the folemn Re- 
 flections and pious Arguments render it a holy Place. But 
 this Divine Sftttg is all confecrated Rapture ; 'tis the Holy 
 cf Holies : It mu(t be approached with Reverence and 
 Trembling, and it admits of no unhallowed Feet to tread 
 its awful RecelTes. 
 
 The Title of the Book is, The Song of Songs ; and it 
 vvel! defei ves the Name, for it is the fmeft poetical Com- 
 pofure now extant in the World. It is not every where 
 over-nice and exacl in its Metaphers and Allufions ; but 
 they are bold and grand, elevated and lofty, all Fire, all 
 confecrated Rapture and Infpiraiion ! 
 
 M The 
 
on the SPRING of the Tear. 
 
 ' Thi triticks in the Art of Poetry will prefently fee 
 that it is a Dramatic Competition of that kind to which 
 perhaps the Moderns would give the Name of a Pafloral 
 Ofera. That it is a 'Dramatic Performance is eafily dif- 
 cerned, inafmuch as it confifts wholly of A&ion, Dialogue, 
 and Character : It is a Perfonal Reprefeqtation of Pafpon 
 and Hiftory, all which are the exact Defer ipt ion and Cha- 
 racler of the Drama. It is an Opera ; it feems to confift 
 of three Acts : The Numbers are of the Lyrick Kind ; 
 and it has in it the evident Intimations of Mufick, and a 
 Chorus. And it is a Pa floral as the Scenes are moftly 
 laid in the Country, and the Characters and Images are 
 principally rural. 
 
 But more than this, 'tis 3 Divine Poem.* It con- 
 tains a fine Picture of the Loves of CH i R s T and his Church : 
 He is the heavenly Bridegroom, and (lie the beautiful 
 Shepherdefs, that are the principal Speakers in the Song. 
 With how much Admiration does the facred Spoufe look 
 up to the lovely JESUS, and how full of Paflioa and Tranf- 
 port are her Expreflions about him ! And on the other 
 Hand, with what Tendernefs and Delight does the blefTed 
 SAVIOUR overlook the Defects of his Church, and applaud 
 the Graces which he had before lighted up in her fmiling 
 Form ? Who is fhe that looketh forth as the Morning ? 
 Fair as the Moon, clear as the Sun, and aiyful as an 
 /irmy with Banners ? 
 
 Among the many fond and endearing Sentences, my 
 Text is none of the lead remarkable. There area thou- 
 fand Beauties glowing in the Sentiments and ExprefTions. 
 'Tis a Speech that well fuits with the graceful Lips of him, 
 who fpake fo as never Man fpake; that well fuits with the 
 heavenly Form of her, who is the chofen Bride of JESUS 
 CHRIST. O thou faireil among the mod elegant of the 
 Works of GOD ! 
 
 The Words are a Defcription of the Spring of the 
 Year, in the Land of Canaan. Great: Part of it may be 
 literally applied to our Spring : But in fome Refpecls it 
 
 varies 
 
 * I purport? avoid the valnDifputes of late raifed, about the Cano- 
 nicalnefs of this Book. The Teftimony of the jewifh Church 
 ;:rid the Forty-fifth Pfa'rm are a fufficisnt YbdrcaUon of it, if v 7 c 
 : not other abundant Evidence. 
 
MEDITATIONS on the SPRING of the Tear. 7 
 
 varies. The Winter there, as in our Mother-Country, 
 ufed to be cloudy and rainy, and a (leady fair Weather ufed 
 to (mile OQ the Face of the Spring. Indeed it is other- 
 wife in our inconftant Climate, where we fee the Clouds 
 fo frequently returning after the Rain. 
 
 Without going into the myftical or prophetical Way 
 of explaining thefe Words, I fliall only obferve, That they 
 are the Invitation of CHRIST to his beloved Church. 
 Every true Believer of JESUS, and Follower of the Lamb,- 
 may apply theAddrefs to himfelf. He may take up hisBible,, 
 and fay, I hear the dear Words of 'my LORD JESUS, Arife 
 up, and come away. Befure when the Flowers appear OQ 
 th 
 
 e Earth; when the Rain and Cold of the Winter is 
 and the Spring begins to bloflbm and fiouri(h,and renew the 
 Face of the Ground, this Call is in a peculiar Manner to 
 be heard, from our blefTed Redeemer, Arife and come away. 
 When we hear the Call of CHRIST, Rife up, and come 
 away, we prefently difcover the Condition of thofe who 
 are addrefled ! They are indolent and fupine and fleepy 
 Creatures : They want to be roufed and quickned ; and 
 are by Nature bowed down, fecure and dead. The Voice 
 is, Pufe up. Shake off the mortal Lethargy that hangs 
 upon your Eye- lids. Arife from the dead, and CHRIST 
 (hall give thee Life. Awake thou that fleepeft, call up- 
 on thy GOD. And indeed, all Mankind need fuch a Call 
 as this, for they are dead in TrefpafTes and Sins. They 
 are cold and lifelefs Corpfes, unable to help themfelves,' 
 and can do nothing fpiritually Good. They are not able 
 as of themfelves, to think fo much as a good Thought : 
 And they have only a Power of chufing which Sin to com- 
 mit. They may if they pleafe talk of a Free-Wi!l t and 
 amufe themfelves with the idle Notion. But alas, they are 
 free amongfl the dead : Free 'tis true, in their Choice of 
 Wickedneis, but it mud be the infinite Power of GOD 
 that can incline them to any Thing fpiritually good. Our 
 preaching to them is indeed only prophefying over dry 
 Bones : Though this fometimes does Wonders. In one 
 Word, ihcy al entirely from felfifh Principles, negligent 
 and forgetful of the Glory of GOD, They are bowed 
 down to Earth and Creatures, and their own abject V/iJI j 
 and have need to- be awaked. R : fe up. I 
 
8 M EDITATIONS on the SPRING of the Tear. 
 
 In a few Words, it comprifes in it our Duty to our 
 LOR D JE s u s. We are called to believe in CH RI s T. To 
 rife up from a vain Earth, and raife our Eyes to invifible 
 and eternal Realities. To walk by Faith, and not by Sight. 
 
 Rife up ; 'tis a Call to Repentance that we are by Nature 
 fo bowed down. It comes with a Voice of Conviftion and 
 Awakening ; to roufe our drowfy Faculties, and ihakeus 
 from our Security and Indifference. Rife up, or we (hall 
 lie down among the dead ; Hide down to the Congregatioa 
 of the damned. 
 
 ? Tis a Call to Holinefs and Obedience. Rife up and 
 walk : It demands a holy walk of us ; and tells us that our 
 Converfation fhould be in Heaven ; that we fhould feek the 
 Things which are above, and carry our Treafure over into 
 the other World. The Path of the Juft ihines brighter 
 as it rifes higher. 
 
 Rife up, it befpeaks our Meditation and Prayer. Lift up 
 your Eyes and Hands, your Hearts and your Souls. Is it 
 not a Shame that this Earth fhould feize our Thoughts and 
 Affe&ions, and GOD and CHRIST have fo little of them? 
 There is not an Object we fee, but may ferve to raife our 
 Thoughts to GOD. His glorious Name is divinely im- 
 prefled upon all his Works ; and with one Voice, they all 
 call out to us, GOD ! GOD ! " I was made by GOD ! 
 " I am fupported by GOD ! I am a Servant of GOD ! 
 " and an Inftrument in his Hand ! Rife, up \ Arife and 
 " adore GOD. Contemplate him, pray to him, adore and 
 "blefs him." 
 
 But to finifli this Point, It will be the Call of CHRIST 
 to us quickly to leave this World ; Rife up and come away. 
 Death (hall arrive with this welcome Meflage, The Mafler 
 calleth for thee. This will finifli our Life upon this Earth, 
 the Voice of CHRIST inviting us to his Kingdom and Glory. 
 Rife up and coins away, the Winter is pafl, the Rain is over 
 and gone. Every Evil will be concluded forever, and we 
 fball enter into Reft : The Winter of Affli&ion, Tempta- 
 tion and Sin, will no more moleft us : The Evils of this 
 World, which fell on us like a continual Dropping in a very 
 rainy Day, will defcend no more about us. The Rain is 
 over and gone. No more Storms will roar in our Air ; nor 
 
 Clouds 
 
MEDITATIONS on tht SPRING of the Tear. 9 
 
 Clouds intercept our Sunftiine. Thelaft Tempeft of Death 
 will beat after us but a little Way j and rapid we (hall leave 
 it behind. And now, welcome everlafting Delights ! 
 Welcome the opening Dawn of Paradife ! The Time of the 
 finging of Birds is come. Angels tune their Harps, and 
 join their Voices about us. The Flowers appear upon the 
 Earth ; and the everlafling Hills lift up their flowery Tops 
 before us. Joys unfelt till this blefTed Moment, will no wfeize 
 our beating Hearts, and our Souls will leap out, obedient to 
 the dear Voice that calls us, Rife up, and come away. 
 
 Thefe, I think, are natural Heads for Meditation from 
 the Words : But that which I principally intend co allude 
 to, in the Procefs of thisDifcourfe, is, that when we fee the 
 Annual Spring open upon the Earth, we have a Call to 
 Rife up to CHRIST in holy Meditation : To come away 
 from lower Objects to him the higheft and moft worthy of 
 all. The Beauties which fraile around us, at this lovely 
 Seafon of the Year, unite to lead our Thoughts to CHRIST. 
 
 The Spring looks like the natural Beginning of the Tear i 
 And befure we are to begin our Year with GOD. The 
 Demand and Expectation of the blefled GOD is, for the 
 firft-ripe Fruits. And it is reafonable that our firft Care 
 fhould be to pleafe him, our firft Hours confecrated to him* 
 He demands of us the firft Day in every Week, and why 
 fliould he not for the moft part have the firft Hour in every 
 Day ; and the firft Seafon in every Year ? Seek firft the 
 Kingdom of GOD, is the Direction of CHRIST* A Year 
 begun with GOD, is a Year well begun, and it will yield a 
 comfortable Reflection all the Year, for us to call to Mind 
 how we have been enabled to fpend the firft Mouths of ir. 
 
 The Temptations of the Spring afford another Argument 
 for us to obey the Call of CHRIST, Rife up, and come away. 
 That the Spring is attended with many Circumftances to 
 tempt away our Minds from GODandDuty,will very eafily 
 be rendered plain and evident. , Then 'tis that the Face of 
 Naiure purs on the moft gay and alluring Smiles ; and the 
 beautiful Profpects about us are apt to catch away our 
 Thoughts, and poiTefsand fill up ourMinds. Then 'tis too, 
 that our animal Spirits are mcft fprightly and vigorous ; and 
 cur fermented Blood pours along its rapid Current more 
 
 B warm 
 
io MEDITATIONS on the SPRING of the Tear. 
 
 \varra and impetuous. The Chains of theWinter are melted 
 off: and the Bands of Orion areloofed: And from this Flufh 
 of Bloouand Spirits, there arifes a Variety of Temptations. 
 Our Appetites are moft raging and violent ; arid our infe- 
 riour Faculties moft apt to ufurp the Throne of Reafon 
 and Confcience. We are now inoft eafily deceived with the 
 tempting Profpefts of Futurity ; and we prefume upon a vain 
 Earth, and Happinefs here below, from a Warmth of Tem- 
 per, and the Difpofition of our Blood and animal Spirits. 
 Thus we fee the Temptations of the Spring both external 
 and internal. External, from the alluring Face of Nature : 
 Infernal, from our own Frame and Confutation. How 
 proper then the Call ? Rife up and come away. Does the 
 low Face of the Ground tempt us ? Rife iff. Get above 
 the Earth. Leave the Molehill for the Emmies to inhabit \ 
 but let us take to our felves Wings, as Angels, and fly away. 
 Have we our Temptations in our fehes f Come away then ; 
 let us get out of our felves into CHRIST ; feparate our 
 felves from our felves, and mortify and root out the cor- 
 rupted felfifh Principles in us. 
 
 And indeed nothing will have a greater Tendency to 
 demonftrate our Sincerity in Religion, than our Refolution 
 to defeat the (trongeft Temptations which affault us in this 
 World. When Sin fpreads all its Snares, and lays all its al- 
 luring Baits in our Way, if we have then Power to over- 
 come all, and pafs unhurt amidft all, it will be a goodEvidence 
 that we are infpired with a Power fuperiour to "our own : 
 That the HOLY SPIRIT is inns ; and that we are in good 
 Earnefl in Religion* The fame Arguments to perfuade 
 Youth to ferious Piety, are in the fame Senfe proper to 
 perfuade us to Religion in the Spring. Becaufe we may 
 all the Year look back on it with this concomitant Satisfac- 
 tion : " When Temptations were mod univerfai, and mofl 
 impetuous, I flood the Shock, and was carried gracioufly 
 through them." 
 
 And what an Honour will it be for us to overcome 
 Temptations when they areat-the ftrongeil ; and regulate 
 our Appetites when they are moft raging and lawlefs ? So 
 ^ofeph, fortified with the Grace of GOD, withflood Satan 
 and himfelf together, joined in the moil dangerous League j 
 
 he 
 
MEDITATIONS on the SPRING of the Tear, n 
 
 he broke loofe from the Toils of Death, and by a wife Re- 
 treat, ru(hed away, purfued by Victory and Triumph. This 
 is more to the Honour of young $ofeph, than a Monu- 
 ment of Brafs, and the Trophies of conquered Nations [ 
 When the C&fars, and the Alexanders, and the Conquerors 
 of the Ead, bluih and hide, fofeph fhali (land applauded by 
 the Judge of the World, and faluted by (homing Armies of 
 Men and Angels. And it will be an Honour of the fame 
 Nature, for us to be moil firm and reiolute, when Tempta- 
 tions are moil frequent and violent. So that if it has been 
 proved, that the Spring of the Year, is a Seafon lying moil 
 open to Temptations, it plainly follows, that Religion in this 
 precarious Seafon, is attended with additional Honours. 
 
 Befides, the Rewards of our future Glory, will be pro- 
 portioned to our Labours and Difficulties. We know that 
 he whofoweth fparlngly^Jh all reap Jparingly ; and they who 
 take the greated Pains, fhall reap the fulled Harveft. Now 
 he who (lands his Ground sgaind mod Oppofuion, who 
 beats through the thicked Temptations bed, {hall receive 
 the brighted Crown, and hear the louded Applaufe. So 
 that if we would attain the high eft Degrees of Glory, one 
 Way is to fpend that Time beft, which is fulled of Temp- 
 tations. When it was aiTerted, that the Spring is the Sea- 
 fon fulled of Temptations, a vain Mind would perhaps draw 
 another Conference : "Let me then wait for a more conve- 
 nient Seafon for the Duties of Religion and Holinefs." But 
 it is you fee eafily retorted. Is the Spring of the Year ful- 
 led of Temptations, fure then we have mod need of gra- 
 cious Hearts. This will be attended with the highed Piea- 
 fure in the Reflection here : This will be followed with the 
 ampled Rewards of Heaven hereafter: This will prove 
 our Sincerity to us with the fulled Evidence. For, as one 
 fpeaks, ',' if there be no Enemy, there can be no Fight j if no 
 Fight, noViftory; if no Viaory,no Crown." And on the 
 contrary, if there be powerful Enemies, there will enfue 
 a diarper Fight, 9 greater Victory, and a brighter Crown. 
 But to take the Objeftors in their own Way. 
 
 The Advantages of the Spring afford another Argument 
 why we JJoould I bey the Call of CHRIST, Rife up and come 
 away, for the ]\ r inter is pa/?, the Rain is ever and gone ; 
 
 B a many 
 
12 MEDITATINS on the SPRING of the Year. 
 
 i 
 
 many Disadvantages are over and gone; The Time of the 
 finging of Birds is come, and the Flowers appear upon the 
 :,r//6; many Advantages come pouring round us, to call, 
 and awaken, excite and quicken us. 
 
 If it can be proved that there are peculiar Advan- 
 tage^ in the Spring for the Duties and the Delights of Piety, 
 it will follow of Courfe that we ought to make ufe of thefc 
 Advantages, and improve them while they laft : For they 
 are all but fo many Talents committedro us by the GOD of 
 Nature, which he will call us to a {trie!: Account for, and 
 roiferable we, if we can give no good Account of them. 
 
 And that the Spring of the Year is indeed attended with 
 fuch Advantages for the Labours and Delights of Piety, 
 will be evident upon a very little Reflexion. Now it is 
 that the Days lengthen apace, and the Light increafes over 
 us. The Morning awakes us early; and the Day-fpring 
 from on high, the rifing Sun, calls us betimes from our 
 Slumbers : Rife up, and come away. Now it is alfo, thac 
 the Weather grows moderate, and we biefs the indulgence 
 of the milder Skies, and the temperate Air. We are not 
 chained up with Cold, or confined by the bleak Winds. 
 We may live more in one Diy now, than in many that are 
 numbed with Frofh and chilled by the Rigour of the 
 Winter. Now it is alfo that our Spirits awaken, and our 
 Blood has a cheerful and lively Flow, . io that our Souls 
 sre mofr fprightly, vigorous and active. Our Bofoms kin- 
 dle wini new Delighr.s, and we enjoy the fmiling Hours 
 that glide imoothlv by us: It is a moft happy Seafon to 
 revive the joys of Piety, and raife our Satisfactions in the 
 bleiTed GOD to a renewed Ardor and Vehemence. Add 
 to this, now it is that our Health is at its bed Edate, un- 
 molefled by the cold Rheums of the Winter, or the faint 
 Heats of the Summer-Noons. Beiides, the opening of the 
 Earth by the Plough, and rhe Odours of the varioiisBioffoms 
 fcattered from every glowing Tree around, confpire to call 
 back the declining Health, 01 efrablifh the found Confiitution. 
 So that we fee new Advantages arife in every Light, and 
 are convinced how many Opportunities we have for the 
 Service of GOD, and the Raptures of Devotion, let us look 
 where we wiij. Whether we confider the lengthened 
 
 Pays, 
 
MEDITATIONS on the SPRING of the Tear. 13 
 
 Days, and the many Hours of Light and Bufinefs : The 
 moderate Weather, and fine Temperature of the Air and 
 Skies : The Chearfulnefs of our Spirits, and our confirmed 
 Health ; they, all with one Voice agree in the Call, Rife 
 up, and come away. Rife up to GOD ; ferve him in thefe 
 golden Seafons, thefe fmiling Moments, which tho' they 
 dance along fo fmoorhly, wing away fo fwiftly. Lovely as 
 they are, they will be quickly gone and over. Let them 
 not pafs without this additional Delight in the Reflexion, 
 that we ferved GOD in them, and tafted the fublimeft 
 Tranfports of Devotion, while we filled them up in Com- 
 munion with GOD. 
 
 Befides, in the Spring of the Year, we have many Advan* 
 t ages for Meditation, and are furrounded with Objefts for 
 this holy and blefled Employment. Now the Works of 
 GOD (bine in our Eyes, with the moft finifbed Beauty, and 
 raife our Thoughts to the infinite Artificer, who has poured 
 out fuch a Profufion of Charms and Graces on the wide 
 Creation. The Flowers appear upon the Earth, and the 
 Time of the finging of Birds is come, rife up, and come away. 
 To be particular here, I (hall offer a Sec ofMeditations pe- 
 culiarly adapted to the Spring of the Year, and raifed out 
 of the Objefts which then fmile around us. 
 
 Firfl of all, See the Perfections of the glorious GOD* 
 Who gave the Face of Nature thefe flowery Charms ? How 
 beauteous then, and how divine the Being whofe fcattered 
 Rays fo adorn the blooming Earth ! The glowing Raptures 
 of divine Love and facred Meditation may well be lighted 
 up by thefe wondrous Works which we behold about us. 
 See the Glories of creating Power difplayed in the Flourilh 
 of the Spring ! * And GO Df aid, Let the Earth bring forth 
 Grafs, the Herb yielding Seed, and the Fiuit Tree yielding 
 . Fruit after his Kind, whofe Seed is in itjelf, upon the Earth. 
 And the Earth brought forth Grafs, and Herbs, and 
 Trees, and GOD f aw that it was good. And it is h 
 unwe-iried Providence that ftill demands cur Afcriptions. 
 -j Thou renewejl the Face of the Earth. 
 
 Look abroad in the Spring, and fee the Beauty and Be- 
 neficence of Divine Providence, and learn to adore and truit 
 GOD. | Therefore, I fay unto you, take no Thought for your 
 
 Life. 
 
 * cn. i. ii, 12. t Pfalra civ. 30. i Mat. vi. 2C. "j 
 
14 MEDITATIONS on fA* SPRING of the Tear 
 
 Lifejwhat ye Jk all eat, nor for your Body, what ye Jb all put on 
 -- Behold tbeFowls of the Air Tour Father provides for them 
 Confider the Li I lies of the Field, how they grow ; they toil 
 not, nor do they f pin, and yet I fay unto you, that Solomon in 
 all his Glory was not arrayed like one of thefe. Wherefore if 
 GODfo doath the Grafs of the Field, which to Day is, and 
 To-morrow is cafl into the Oven.Jhall he not much more cloath 
 you, O ye of little Faith f How proper fuch a Traft in 
 GOD, and fuch a confecrated Meditation, when the Time 
 of fmging of Birds is come and the Flowers appear upon 
 the Earth ? ' My GOD feeds the Birds, and adorns the 
 ' Flowers, (hall he not much rather feed and cloath me I 
 * Does he not love me better than thefe ?' 
 
 Look abroad in the Spring and rife our Thoughts to the 
 Refutrettion of the Dead at the lad Day. Thefe Fields 
 TCere once covered with Snow like the Pale of Death. 
 Thefe Trees were difrobed of their flowry Honours, and 
 appeared bare and naked like theBones in a Sepulchre. The 
 Rofes droped away, and the Lillies hung down their Heads 
 and died : But fee how the Year revives again, and bloffoms, 
 and brightens, and lives. * And when ye fee this, your 
 Heart ft) all rejoice, and your Bones Jb all flourifh like an Herb. 
 Juft as thefe Groves revive, and as this Grafs renews its 
 Green, fo (hall our fcattered Bones flourifh from their pro^ 
 lifick Graves. When CHRIST the Judge (hall defcend 
 from Heaven, our dead Bodies (hall hear his Call, Rife up, 
 and come away, for to, the Winter is paft, the Rain is over 
 &nd gone, the Flowers appear on the Earth, the Time of the 
 ftnging of Birds is come. || He Jhall come down like Rain 
 upon the mown Grafs : as Showers that water the Earth. 
 In his Days fball the Righteous flourifh They that dwelt 
 in the Wildernefs the burying Placethe wild and folirary 
 Retreats of Death and the Grave, -fhall bow before him.\ 
 In what a living Reprefentation do we fee the Refurreclion 
 of the Dead, exemplified in the Refurreclion of the Year. 
 J They of the City, Jb all flour ijh like the Grafs of the Earth. 
 Who can count it a Thing incredible that GOD Ihould 
 raife the Dead, who fees him fo renew the flowery Fields, 
 and the blooming Trees ! Cannot he as eafily make our 
 
 Graves,, 
 
 * Ifaiah Ixvi. 14. ' PuJip Uxih 6. f Pfalna Ixxii, 16, 
 
MEDITATIONS on the SPRING of the Ttar. 15 
 
 Graves, as our Gardens to blofibm I The WUdernefs and 
 thefolitary Place jhall be glad for them, and Ike Defert Jhall 
 rejoice, and blojjbm as a Rofe. It Jball bloffbm abundantly, 
 and rejoice even wlthjinglng ; the Glory of Lebanon Jhall 
 be given to it, the Excellency of Car me! and Sharon : They 
 Jhall fee the Glory of the LORD, and the Excellency of our 
 GOD.* Thy dead Mm Jhall live, together with my dead 
 Body Jhall they arife : awake and fing, ye that dwell m 
 dufl : for thy dew is as the dew of Herbs, and the Earth 
 Jhall cafl out the dead.\ 
 
 Again, See the fair Scenes about you, and lead your 
 Meditations to \\\tjinal judgment of the World. \ Let the 
 Heavens rejoice, and let the Earth be glad: let the Sea roar, 
 and the Fullne/s thereof. Let the Field be joyful, and all 
 that is therein: then Jhall all the Trees of the Wood rejoice. 
 Before the Lord ; for he cometh, for he cometh to judge 
 the .Earth : he Jhall judge the World with Rightewfnefs, 
 and the People with his Truth. And indeed, well may the 
 Earth, and Fields, and Woods rejoice, which are to be re- 
 newed, and bloom in a perpetual Spring. All the Creatures 
 groan, for this Reflitution of all Things. Never thelefs, 
 we according to his Promife, look for new Heavens, and a 
 new Earth, wherein dwelleth Right eoufnefs. 
 
 See the Flowers appear upon the Earth in the Spring, 
 and rife up to Meditations on the fwift Progrefs of the 
 Gofpel through the World. The Sun of Righteoufnefs fo 
 arofe with healing in his Wings ; and the Church of GOD 
 fprouted and fprnng up, and flourifhed at the reviving Hear* 
 So was the Prophefy of the myftical Ifrael, \Ifrael ftj all 
 blojjom and bud, and Jill the Face of the World with Fruit, 
 So the typical Rod of Aaron, budded, and brought -forth 
 Buds, and bloomed Bloffbms, and yielded Almonds. ** So/-6tf 
 Sower goes out in the Spring, to few ; and O what a large 
 Harveft covers the Fields around him ! This World lay 
 in the Cold and Darknefs of a long Winter-Night, till the 
 Gofpel, like the Day-fpring from on high, vifited the Na- 
 tions, and a fudden Spring covered the Face of the 
 Ground. . ff Thus -faith the LORD GOD, I will alfo take 
 
 f 
 * Ifaiah xxxv. I, 2. f Ifa. xxvi. 19. J Pfalm xcvi. 11, 
 
 2 ret. iii. 13. !( Ifaiah xxvii. 6. ** Numb. xvH. 8. 
 
 ft Ezek. xvii. 22, 24. 
 
16 MEDITATIONS on the SPRING of the Tear. 
 
 f the highefl Branch of the high Cedar, and will fet //, 7 
 'Will crop off from the top of his young Twigs a tender ons, 
 end will plant it upon an high Mountain and eminent. In 
 the Mountain of the height of Ifrael will I plant it : and 
 it Jhall bring forth Boughs, and bear Fruit, and be a goodly 
 Cedar : and under it /ball dwell all Fowl of every Wing : in 
 the Shadow of the Branches thereof fb all they dwell. And 
 all the Trees of the Field Jh all know that I the LORD have 
 brought down the high Tree, have exalted the low Tree, have 
 dried up the green Tree, and have made the dry Tree tQ 
 flounjh : I the LORD havefpoken and have done it. The 
 GOD of Heaven called to the Nations that lay in Igno- 
 rance and Wicked nefs, Rife up, and come away, and at once 
 the Shades fcattered, and the Darknefs fled away ; and 
 the Nations of them who are faved walked in open Light. 
 See the gay Appearance of the Spring, and learn the 
 Deftruftion of the Wicked. The beautiful annual Flourifh 
 which now fo charmingly guilds the Fields, fhall quickly 
 fade away, and die. So the laft Spring was fcorched by the 
 Summer-Sun, and frozen by the Winter-Cold. And do 
 We not here behold the lively Emblem of a wicked Man, 
 and the fudden, and the dreadful Change which muft pafs 
 upon him ? * When the Wicked Jpring as the Grafs, and 
 when all the Workers of Iniquity doftounjb, it is that they 
 fhall be deftroyedfor ever. So Nebuchadnezzar flood f 
 flourijbing in his Palace and at once fell down deprived of 
 human Reafon, and howled like a wild Beaft, through the 
 blafted Defart. How often does it happen that the impious 
 Youth is cut off at once, like a fudden Froft withering the 
 whole Spring in its Infant-Bud ? || It jhall be accompliJLed 
 before itsTime, and bis Branch Jhall not be green. He fl^dll 
 Jhake off his unripeGrape as the Vine ; and Jhall c a ft off his 
 Flower as the Olive. What though the wicked Man glitters 
 in all his gaudy Piide, and has every Beauty fmiling round 
 him ; what though hir filken Apparel be gay like the 
 Spring ; and like the flowery Crown on every wavingTree, 
 yet is Deftruction from GOD nigh to the unhappy Crimi- 
 nal. | Wo to the Crown of Pride, -*-whofe glo ious beauty is 
 a fading Flower, on the' Head of the fat V allies. This is 
 the great Woe of an ahnigbty GOD,- denounced again ft 
 
 the 
 
 * PfaV ten * ' tten. iv /., H tob Xf. 44. 44. ifai. J&Y'iU. 1- 
 
MEDITATIONS on -/^SPRING oftheYear. 17 
 
 tlie mofl pompous Sons of Earth ; and as it is denounced it 
 fhall come on. * Behold the Day, beheld it is come, the 
 Morning is gone forth, the Rod hath blojfomed, Pride hath 
 budded : Violence hath rifen up into a Rod of Wickednefs i 
 None ef them Jhall remain^ the Time is come, the Day 
 draweth near, let not the Buyer rejoice, nor the Seller mourn ; 
 for wrath is iff on all the Multitude thereof. Let the Wick- 
 ed then look frefh as the green Herb, and ch earful as the 
 opening Spring, yet, rife up and come away our Thoughts 
 from his prefent Glory to his future Ruins. The Epiraph 
 on the mod flourifliing wicked Men, will be that, f They 
 were as the Grafs of the Field, and as the green Herb, as 
 the Grafs on the Houfe tfofs, and as Corn blafted before it 
 be grown up. 
 
 Look abroad upon the opening Spring, and behold a 
 beautiful Emblem of human Life. For all Flejh is Grafs* 
 and the Glory of Man as the Flower of Grafs, the Grufs 
 wiihereth, and the Flower fadeth away\ See the glowing 
 BlofToms, how foon they drop to the Ground ; and what 
 are we ourfelves better than they ? He comet h fort has a 
 Flower, and is cut down. In the Spring we fee the ver- 
 dent Grafs, and the blufhing Flowers ; but to fade and die 
 is common to both, and equally to us with them. || As for 
 Man his Days are as Grafs, as a Flower of the Field fo 
 heflourijheth ; for the Wind pajjeth over it and it is gone* 
 and the Place thereof . foall know it no more. Nay, fhould 
 we efcape Death in our Youth, and outlive the Spring of 
 our Time, yet Old- Age will come on, when our hoary 
 Heads will be covered like the Groves with white Blofibtns* 
 So is the beautiful and accurate Defcription of Old-Age 
 by Solomon, ** Fhe Almond Tree Jball fiourifo. And in a 
 little Time mud the Silver Crown be thrown at the Feet 
 of Death, and the Blnffom go up as Duft.\\ Here then is 
 the Life of Man exa&ty ; no more than a fading Spring. 
 H In the Morning they arc like Grafs that growth up. 
 In the Morning it [flounjheth and groweth up, in the 
 Evening it is cut down and withereth. When the 
 Winter is pail then, and the Flowers appear, and the 
 Birds fing, do we not hear the Voice of CHRIST so us ? 
 
 C Th 
 
 * Kze T <. vii. id. f 2 Ftirtgs xix, 26. i 1 Pfct. j. 24. $ tob. *v. 2. 
 li rfal, ciii. 15. * ficcl.xii, 5. ft" *f a v 24* ' 
 
i8 MEDITATIONS on /<? SPRING of the Tear. 
 
 * The Voice faid, Cry, and he faid, What Jhall I cry * 
 Jill Flejh is Grafs, and all the Goodlinefs thereof as the 
 Flower of the Field. The Grafs ivithereth, and the 
 Flower fadeth. Surely the People is Grafs. 
 
 The Winter is paft, the Flowers appear , the Time of the 
 
 fmgin^ of Birds is come. Rife up, and corns away : Confider 
 
 the wcffed and happy Condition of the holy. They are under 
 
 the mild Influence of a perpetual Spring; and Paradife it- 
 
 felf breathes in their tranfported Breafts. \*The righteous 
 
 Jhall flour I jh like the Palm free, he Jhall grow like the Cedar 
 
 in Lebanon. Tbofe that be planted in the Houfe of the 
 
 LORD, Jhall flourijh in the Courts of our GOD. They /hall 
 
 bring forth Fruit in Old- Age : c fhey Jhall be fat andflourijh- 
 
 ir,g. The good Man himfelf &\\ be chearful and profpe- 
 
 rous as the youthful Spring. J the Righteous Jhall flourijb 
 
 as a Branch. And even the Houfe of the good Man (hall 
 
 be blefTed, even his Children (hall (hoot up as Olive-Plants 
 
 around his Table. the tabernacle of the Upright Jhall 
 
 faurijh. O happy Man, thrice, yea, four Times happy ; 
 
 Blefled art thou, and bleiTed are thy Children, and 
 
 thy Servant?. || thy tabernacle Jh ill be in Peace. thy 
 
 Seed /ball be great, and thy Oj/f-fpring as the Grcfs of the 
 Earth. Thoujhalt come to tbv Grave as a Shock of Corn 
 in its Seafon. This is the Man beloved of his GOD, the 
 Darling of Heaven, and fair and beauteous as an immortal 
 Spring. He fall grow as- the Lilly, and caft forth bit Roofs 
 as Lebanon ; his Branches foall fpread, and his Beauty fhall 
 be as the Olive-Tree, and his Smell as Lebanon. And the 
 defcending Dews of Heaven (hall (liil refredi and cherifh 
 him. ** He Jhxll revive as the Corn, and blojjom as the 
 Vine. This is your Portion, ye holy People, and (hall we 
 not rife up from the lower Spring, and rejoice in our GOD, 
 who gives us to vie with ir, and aflfert our fuperiour Beauty, 
 ff Although the Fig-Tree Jhall not b/offom, neither foil! Fruit 
 be on t be Vines, the Labour of the Olive Jhill fail, and ths 
 Field Jhall yield no Meat, yet 'will I rejoice in the LORD, 
 I 'will joy in the GOD of my Salvation. This GOD, may 
 ' the good Man fay, will (hower his Bleffings round me with 
 a laviili Hand, and though the Year die in the Spring, I 
 
 (h:i;l 
 
 * Ifa. xl. 6/ f Ffal. xcii. 12. J Prcv. x'. 28. Prov. xiir. n. 
 |i job v, 2 4 . ** Hotta xiv. 5. if HaK iii. i7 
 
MEDITATIONS on the SPRING of the Year. 19 
 
 (hall be fat isfied with good Things. * lie maketh me lie 
 down in green Paftures, he leaneth me bejide the /?/// Waters. 
 j See ! the Smell of my Son is as the Smell of a Field 
 which the LORD hath ble/ed. GOD /hall give thee the 
 Dew of * Heaven , and the Fat fiefs of the Earth, and Plenty of 
 Corn and Wine. 
 
 Again, See the Spring ; and what a proper Meditation 
 rifes out of it, on the Sufferings of our LORD JESUS ? 
 The Flowers appear on the Earth ; Rife up and come away : 
 Contemplate the Bitternefs and Sorrows of the bleeding 
 JESUS, in the Garden of his Agony. We behold the 
 charming Afpect of Nature all about us ; and are raviflied 
 with the Beauty of Profpeft from the green Grafs, and 
 the Rofey and the Silver BlofToms : He had fomething elfe 
 to do, when he lay weeping on the Ground, and cried, 
 My Days are like a Shadow that dec line tb : and I am wi- 
 thered like Grafs. \ So the Lilly of the Valley lay, hung 
 down his Head, drooped and languished. He bowtd his 
 Head, and gave up the Ghoft. BleiTed SAVIOUR ! Js not 
 rhis the Call we hear from thee, in the Spring, To rife up 
 and confider, If thefe Things be done to the green Tree, what 
 Jbjll be done to the dry f Adam finned iu a Garden, and 
 ior this our LORD fullered in a Garden, and was buried 
 in a Garden. 
 
 Look on the amiable Land (kip, and remember the Eden 
 we have loft The Time oftbeJlngingofEirds is PAST; 
 and of flowery Fields. The very Ground is under the 
 Curfe. Thorns alfo and Thiftles jhall it brin^ forth unto thee. 
 
 To conclude, The Winter is pa ft, the Rain is over and 
 gone ; the Time of the finging of Birds is ccme, and the 
 Flowers fmile over the Ground: Rife up and come away; 
 Lift up your Eyes to the foy-f prepared for good Men after 
 Death. The Glories and Delights of Paradife, how iub- 
 lime and magnificent are they, when even this lower World 
 can look fo beauteous from the Flowers of the Spring ! 
 This Earth, polluted by Sin, and devoured by the Curfe of 
 GOD, does yet retain fo much of its Ornament and gay 
 Afpec~r. Bur, O ravifhing Glories of the Place where 
 no Curfe lays wade, no Sin defiles ! The Paradife of holy 
 Souls j the Manfion of bleiTed Angels j the imperial Seat 
 
 C 2 and 
 
 JE-J..J, 2 , i cea, wv'ii, 26, 27. t P&Un <?< u* 
 
so MEDITATIONS on the SPRING of the Tear, 
 
 and Refidence of GOD ! In our low Spring of Earth, all 
 cur Senfes are agreeably entertained with a Variety of 
 Delights and Satisfactions, Ihe Winter is paft, and as the 
 Cold decays, a moderate Warmth diffufes through the Air, 
 we feel ir, and are refreftied by ir. The Time of thejinging 
 of Birds is come, and our Ears are regaled by all the Har- 
 mony of the Groves and Foreds. The idle Muficians of 
 the Spring fill the Fields and the Skies with their artlefs 
 Melody. A thoufand Odours are thrown from every 
 Bough; and fcatter through the Air, to gratify our Smell. 
 *he Flowers appear on the Earth ; and the opening Buds, 
 and riling Grafs drefs the rich Landfcape, and paint the 
 Scene to delight and charm our Eyes. Thefe are the 
 Pleafures of an earthly Spring : But, O the Joys of the 
 upper Paradife ! There the Eyes are delighted with Sun- 
 fliine ever bright, and Fields divinely fair, and never fading. 
 The Angels, and not the Birds, fing ; and nothing addrefles 
 the Ear but Hallelujahs and Anthems to GOD : The 
 Fruits of the Tree of Life fatisfy the Tafle ; and Rivers of 
 Pleafures, and the Breath of GOD, banifh Third, and cool 
 the deathlefs Region. From the Things that we fee then 
 all below us, Rife up, and come aw j, to the future State of 
 
 eternal Rewards, referved in Heaveu for us.- Arife, 
 
 let its go hence. 
 
 And now what remains bnt the Exhortation and the 
 Motives in my Text ? Rife up, and come away, for the Winter 
 is pa/I, the Rain is over, and gone, the Flows- s appear on the 
 Earthy the 'Time of tbejinging of Birds is come. Lo, the 
 Seafon of the Year, and every fragran: Breeze of Air, 
 confpire to awaken us to Thoughts on GOD, and to 
 quicken our Love to him, and truft in him. Univerfal 
 Nature about us with one Voice, fmgs Hallelujah aloud. 
 Glory to GOD in the Higheft, is refounded by every tune- 
 ful Bird, every warbling Brook, and bubling Fountain. 
 Incenfe to the GOD of Heaven is offered by every opening 
 Lilly, and glowing Bloflbm, which perfume the Air with 
 (heir ambient Sweets. The wide Earth we tread on feems 
 but one great Altar, covered with Incenfe and Offerings to 
 GOD its Maker. And foal! not we alfo offer our felves 
 Upon it ? Rife up, and conic away. It belongs to us, as the 
 Priefts of GOD below, to exprcfs the Praifes of the^fub- 
 
MEDITATIONS on the SPRING of the Year. 21 
 
 ordinate Creatures in articulate Sounds, and utter their 
 filent Voice in intelligible Language. For all thy Works 
 praife thee, LORD, and thy Saints blefe thee. 
 
 But the Application may more particularly be dire&ed 
 to young People, who exult under the Indulgence of a 
 double Spring. To you, my Brethren, I turn my Addrefs ; 
 and fufFer, I pray you, the Word of Exhortation. Will 
 you wade thefe golden Moments, that glitter in the Spring 
 of Life, which once fled away, can never, never return ! 
 Rife up, and come away \ leave the lower Objects that allure 
 and tempt you. Give your felves up to GOD this In- 
 flant. Seekjirft the Kingdom of GOD and his Right eoufnefs, 
 find all other Things ft all be added unto you. Rife up, for 
 lo, the Winter [_is pafl {hall I fay ? Nay] is coming on, and 
 the evil Days of Rain and Temped are haftening over 
 you. Remember now thy Creator in the Days of thy Tbutb, 
 before the evil Days come, and the Tears draw nigh, when 
 thou fhalt Jay I have no Pleafure in them. Rife up, out 
 of the Way of thefe defcending Evils, by a Flight to the 
 dear SAVIOUR, who invites you with his gracious Voice, 
 and opens his tender Arms to receive you. My Brethren, 
 Your Life will decay, like the fading Spring : O let it not 
 before your eternal Well-being is fecured, and a fure Foun- 
 dation for happy Refleflion laid in thefe pleafant hours. 
 
 Thus have I taken you with me to meditate in the Fields. 
 We have bcenfurveying the beautiful Scenes of the Spring : 
 And dial I we have no good EiFe& of the foft Profpecls ? 
 Shall not a rival Glory open and dawn in our ravifhed 
 Hearts, while all the Fields flourifti about us ? O for a 
 Spring now ! and that even while I am fpeaking, every 
 confeilting Bread may feel new Delights in GOD kindle 
 with a fudden Flame, and glow with immortal Ardor ! 
 This is the Defign, as of all the Meflages from thePulpir, 
 fo particularly of this Difcourfe on the Springing Year. 
 I would call your Souls into flourifh like the Earth about 
 you. * My Doctrine flail drop as the Rain, my Speech 
 Jhall diftill as the Dew ; as the fmall Ram upon the ten- 
 der Htrb ; and as the Showers upon the Grafs. Away ! 
 thou North-wind ; and come thou South, blow upon my 
 Garden, that the Spices thereof may flow out. 
 
 Thofe 
 Deut, x:uii, 2, 
 
22 MEDITATIONS on the SPRING of the Tear. 
 
 Thofe of us who have recovered from the Sick-Bed, 
 
 methinks, may hear the loud Call, Rife up, Arife.and 
 
 walk! Tafte the renewed Bounties of Heaven with re- 
 doubled Pleafure, ^hile we redouble our Labours for 
 GOD, and his Kingdom. But, ah ! Let us not think ihe 
 Danger is all f aft, and the Rain is over and gone ; for the 
 Clouds return after the Rain. Death (hall quickly fhut the 
 pleafing Scene, and the Days of Darknefs (ball be many. 
 Do therefore with thy Might, what thy Handfindeth to do. 
 If all the Care of Heaven ro manure and cultivate you 
 be loft, the Voice quickly will be that, No Fruit be found 
 on t bee for ever ! Cut it down! Ah ! rejefted and nigh 
 unto Curfmg, thy End is to be burned. 
 
 And indeed, The Addrefs of Heaven is proper for us 
 all : For we are all in the Spring of our Being, while we 
 are in this Life, Eternity is like an endlefs Year, of 
 which this Life is the budding Spring. And, as the Spring 
 is, the Year is likely to be more or lefs fruitful and bidfed. 
 If in this Life we finally difobey GOD ; the Spring of 
 this Life will end in the Heat of a withered Summer, the 
 Flames of eternal Fire. If, on the contrary, we ferve 
 GOD from a Principle of Faith in CHRIST, our Spring 
 will end in a blefled Harveft: And we (hall enter upon 
 the Feaft of the Fruits that adorn Paradife. Death itfelf 
 will but convey us to the Regions of immortal Life : And 
 our LORD JESUS CHRIST the good Shepherd, will lead 
 us through the dark Valley, to the green Paftupes, and the 
 ftill Waters. There the Groves ever bloffom, the Flowers 
 ever flourifh, and the Fields are ever green. There 
 JESUS hioifelf blooms in unveiled Charms, and thence 
 invites us to him, with his dear Voice. We may lie upoa 
 the Bed of Death, and fee the endlefs Glories dawn be-, 
 hind the Glooms, and guild and break away the awful 
 Shadows. We may fee our dear SAVIOUR at a Diftance, 
 encouraging our defired Flight. We may hear his Voice 
 found charming through the dark Length of the Vale of 
 Death ; Rife vf, and come away ! We may exult to hear 
 the great Voice from Heaven, CO 'ME HP HITHER ! And 
 the Jaft Wouib we utter, when we le^ve the Fiourith. of 
 
MEDITATIONS on /^SPRING of the lear. 23 
 
 the lower Spring may be like that, * It is the Voice of my 
 Beloved : He looketh forth at the Windows, fiounjhing 
 through the Lattefs. Then (hall be compleatly fulfilled to 
 you, that Netted Promife, f For as the Rain cometh down, 
 and the Snow from Heaven, and returneth not thither, but 
 watereth the Earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, 
 that it may give Seed to the Sower, and Bread to the Eater : 
 So ft all my Word be that goeth forth out of my Mouth : it 
 jhall not return unto me void, but it Jhall acconiplijb that 
 which I pleafe, and it Jhall profper in the Thing whereto 
 I fent it. For ye Jhall go out with Joy, and be led forth 
 with Peace : the Mountains and the Hills fJmll break forth 
 before you into fmging, and all the Trees of the Field Jhall 
 clap their H nds. Inftead of the Thorn Jhall come up the 
 Fr-tree, and Inftead of the Brier Jhall come up the Myrtle* 
 tree : and it Jhall be to the LORD for a Name, for an ever- 
 lafting Sign, that Jhall not be cut off. Anon, the Refur- 
 reftion from the dead (hall compleat the Joy. J In the 
 Wildernefs Jhall Waters break out, and Streams in the 
 De/ert. And the parched Ground Jhall become a Pool, and 
 the thirjiy Land Springs of Wafer : In the Habitation of 
 Dragons, where each lay, Jhall be Grafs with Reeds and 
 
 Rujhes. No Lion Jhall be there, nor any ravenous 
 
 T>eajl JJyall go up thereon, it fh all not be found there : but 
 the redeemed Jhall walk there. And the ranfomed of the 
 LORD /hall return and come to Zion with Songs and ever- 
 la fling %oy upon their Heads : they Jhall obtain $oy and 
 Gladnefs, and Sorrow and Sighing Jhall fee away. 
 The Lamb who is in the Mid/I of the Throne, Jhall feed 
 them, ami Jhall lead them to living Fountains of Waters : 
 and God Jhall wipe away all Tears from their Eyes. 
 
 AMEN. 
 
 * Cant. ii. 8, 9. f Ifai. Iv. 1013. f Ifai. xxxv. 6. 
 Rev. vii. 17. 
 
An HYMN for the SPRING. 
 
 The BLOOM of LIFE fading in a happy DEATH. 
 
 I. 
 
 f^\ RE AT GOD, how frail a Thing is Man 
 VJ How fwift his Minutes pafs ! 
 His Age contracts within a Span j 
 He blooms and dies like Grafs. 
 
 IT. 
 Now in his Bread frefh Spirits dart, 
 
 And vital Vigour reigns : 
 His Blood pours rapid from his Heart,, 
 And leaps along his Veins. 
 
 III. 
 His Eyes their fparkling Pleafure fpeak, 
 
 Joy flutters round his Head ; 
 While Health ftill bloffoms on his Cheek, 
 And adds the rofey Red. 
 
 IV. 
 Thus the fond Youth fecurely ftands, 
 
 Nor dreams of a Decay 
 
 At once he feels Death's Iron Hands* 
 His Soul is fnatchM away. 
 
 V. 
 Down to the Earth the Body drop?, 
 
 Whence it was fram'd at firft, 
 Forgets it's former flatt'ring Hopes, 
 And haftens to it's Daft. 
 
 VI. 
 No more we view the wonted Grace; 
 
 The Eye-bails roll no more : 
 A livid Horfour fpreads the Face 
 Where Beauty bbz'd before. 
 
 'VII. 
 So the young Spring, with annual Greefi ; 
 
 Renews the waving, Grove ; 
 And Riv'lets through the flow'ry Scene 
 In Silver Mazes rove. 
 
VIII. 
 
 By tuneful Birds of ev'ry Plume, 
 
 Melodious Strains are play'd ; 
 From Tree to Tree their Accents roam 
 
 Soft-warbling thro' the Shade. 
 
 IX. 
 The painted Meads, and fragrant Fields* 
 
 A fudden Smile beftow : 
 A golden Gleam each Valley guilds* 
 
 Where numerous Beauties blow. 
 
 X. 
 A ^.oufand gaudy Colours flulh 
 
 Eih od'rous Mountain's Side: 
 Lilli'i rife fair, and Rofes blufh, 
 
 And Tulips fpread their Pride. 
 
 XL 
 Thus flouriflies the wanton Year* 
 
 In rich Profufioft gay, 
 'Till Autumn bids the Bloom retire* 
 
 The Verdure fade away. 
 
 XII. 
 Succeeding Cold withers the Woods* 
 
 While hoary Winter reigns, 
 In Fetters binds the frozen Floods, 
 
 And Clivers o'er the Plains. 
 
 XIIL * 
 And muft my Moments thus decline ? 
 
 And muft I fmk to Death ? 
 To Thee my Spirit I fefign, 
 
 Thou SOV'REIGN of my Breath. 
 
 XIV. 
 %ESUS my Life, has dy'd* has rofe: 
 
 I burn to meet his Charms ! 
 Welcome the Pangs, the dying Throes, 
 
 That give me to his 
 
 S . 
 
Ml80584: 
 
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