Are but as husks and shells; Yet he that knows the kernel's worth, Some Aromatic smells, Will not esteem it waste, left, Judas-like, Through Mary's fide he Christ himself should strike. Lord, without whom we cannot tell And answer thy command: So that, not we alone, but thou mayst say XXI. THE OVERSEER OF THE POOR. THE HE Church's Almoner takes care, that none Shall unprovided be Of maintenance, or employment; thofe alone, Or riotous excess, Condemns to needlefs want, he leaves to be Thou gracious Lord, rich in thyself, doft give Thine eye all. In thee we live, We move, and have our being: But there is more than seeing. For the poor with thee: they are thy special charge; To them thou doft thine heart and hand enlarge. Four forts of poor there are, with whom thou deal'ft. Though always differently, With fuch indifferency, That none hath reafon to complain: thou heal'ft If there be any found Hurt by themselves, thou leavest them to endure Some in the world are poor, but rich in faith: Of inward comforts and contentments hath. And their eftate is bleft, In this above the reft, It was thy choice, whilst thou on earth didst stay, And hadft not whereupon thy head to lay. Some poor in spirit in the world are rich, And no man needs to grutch Their happiness, who to maintain that pitch, Have an hard task in hand, The ftrong temptations that attend on riches : Some rich in the world are spiritually poor, Who may perchance have place In the Church upon earth; but heaven's door Too narrow is to admit Such camels in at it, Till they fell all they have, that field to buy, Some fpiritually poor, and deftitute Of grace in the world are poor, Accurfed both in God's and man's repute, Tutor'd they learn to prize Hungering and thirsting after righteousness, Whilft they're on earth, their greatest happiness. Lord, make me poor in spirit, and relieve No want of worldly pelf Shall make me discontented, fret and grieve. But, above all the rest, Condemn me not unto the hell of riches, Without thy grace to countercharm the witches. XXII. THE CHURCH-WARDEN. TH HE Church's guardian takes care to keep Unwilling that any decay fhould creep Nothing defaced, Nothing displaced He likes; but most doth long and love to fee Lord, thou not only fupervifor art Of all our works, but in all those, Which we dare own, thine is the chiefest part; For there is none of us, that knows How to do well; Nor can we tell What we should do, unless by thee directed: That which we think ourselves to mend, we mar, And often make it ten times worse : Reforming of religion by war Is the chymic bleffing of a curse. Great odds it is That we shall mifs Of what we looked for: Thine ends cannot 'Tis ftrange we so much dote upon our own Deformity, and others scorn: As if ourselves were beautiful alone; When that which did us most adorn Choose to lay by, Such decency and order, as did place us Is not thy daughter glorious within, When clothed in needle-work without? Or is 't not rather both their shame and fin, Too thin, to ftand Her need in any ftead, much less to be Take pity on her, Lord, and heal her breaches; Rich precious ftones, To shine each of them in his proper place, XXIII. THE DEACON. THE HE Deacon! That's the Minister. And without any finifter Intent, used specially, He's purposely ordained to Minister, In facred things, to another officer. At whofe appointment, in whofe ftead, In fome things, not in all: is led By law, and custom too. Where that doth neither bid, nor forbid, he |