An Honest Servant instructing his Master in a Lesson of the greatest Weight and Importance

My Master, and my worthy friend, Soon, very soon, your time must end; Observe how swift your moments pass, Man is cut down, just like the grass. The weaver's shuttle swift doth fly, Man's time as swift for him to die. Then take good heed, in time be wise, And God will give the heav'nly prize. Walk carefully in God's good ways, And peace shall crown your happy days. I measure time both day and night, Observe my hands, that I go right: Attentively wind up my chain: Thus you instruction shall obtain.

I am compos'd of steel and brass; You, flesh and blood, a heavy mass. My frame is delicate and nice, The curious art of man's device; Which to describe in ev'ry part, Exceeds indeed my feeble art. My main spring, of the purest steel, Doth keep in action ev'ry wheel; When that doth fail my motion's dead, Like man, when once his soul is fled. The hand that made you is divine, To his just will you must resign. As far your form doth mine surpass, As purest gold the common brass: The first rate surgeon can't explain Each curious vessel, nerve, and vein. When you are mould'ring in the grave, Some other master I shall have, Whose faithful servant I shall prove, And be an object of his love.

From earth you came, to earth you go, Your endless portion bliss or woe: Be careful, then, to husband time, Like stars in glory you shall shine. Receive advice for your own good; Then watch and pray, have faith in God. Grace better is than gold refin'd, Or precious stones of any kind: No jewels of the purest gold Gan vie with wisdom, we are told, Nor all the things thou canst desire, Your heart can wish for, or admire. Let this be precious in your eyes, Ten thousand worlds below the prize. A lively faith that works by love, The man who hath, God doth approve, The worldly riches are but toys, Compar'd with Christ's celestial joys. When God gives peace, who can annoy, Or take away your sacred joy? Why all this toil for earthly wealth? When riches yield no peace or health.

My service is to you confin'd; Your's is to God and man design'd. This wicked world you soon must leave, A crown of joy may you receive: I speak sincerely from my heart, I love to act the honest part. Religion is the way to bliss, My precepts mark, and practise this: Religion makes the man of worth, The greatest hero on the earth. Observe how bright their numbers shine, In the pure sacred page divine. They walk'd by faith, and not by sight, And serv'd their God both day and night, Likewise example take by me, To serve thy God as I serve thee. Catch golden moments as they fly, For 'tis an awful thing to die. 'Tis now high time to mend your pace, Cry to the Lord for saving grace. No moment past you can recall. If 'twould prevent your endless fall. In order to a happy death, A pious life now live by faith, Else, Balaam like, you'll cry in vain A happy mansion to obtain. Your soul in jeopardy doth stand, You've not a moment at command, You're like a shadow or a vapour, As soon extinguish'd as a taper. Mortality proves what I say, Death calls his thousands in a day: At ev'ry moment death doth crave A human body for the grave. Only a little puff of breath, Keeps you from endless life or death.

The one thing needful here below Is your own self and God to know. There's no profession, scripture saith; God doth approve without true faith, And if true faith the heart possess, 'Twill yield good fruits of righteousness. My son, saith God, give me thy heart, And from my precepts ne'er depart. Religion lieth in the breast, A certain truth, I do protest, And if at home none can be found, Church duties are an empty sound; In God's account as sounding brass, Or tinkling cymbals made with glass. My doctrine shall be fairly try'd, The scripture will the cause decide. How dost thou read those pages, then? Doth God approve the froward man? No tree corrupted can produce Good fruit that's fit for human use. The ser'ous and the pious mind, The good man doth acceptance find, And is receiv'd, through grace divine. Mankind doth view the outward part, But God looks on the mind and heart. Your forms and ceremonies all, Will be rejected when you call. If no religion in the heart, The Lord will say, From me depart. Fools my instruction will despise, And practise their deceit and lies; The gallants they will laugh and jeer; Miss Jezabess will smile and sneer: But my good master doth believe, My pious precepts will receive, And this short sketch of wisdom's ways Believe and practise all his days. Then must you, God sincerely seek, In ev'ry day throughout the week; Your constant work thro' life's short space, To seek God's glory and more grace. Thus pressing to the heav'nly prize, With most sincere and longing eyes; Holiness written on your trade, For which bless'd purpose you were made. When working with your honest hands, The Lord thus serves, as he commands, Be smart in trade with all thy might, But take good heed the thing is right. Fervent and true in things divine, In useful bus'ness spend your time.

'Tis for the use of my good friend, These serious lines I now have penn'd. I do declare upon the whole, True faith in Christ will save your soul. The inspir'd volume this doth prove, 'Tis lively faith that works by love. Good works with faith you must conjoin, To prove your faith is most divine. Fly from the wicked in their course, And be thou single in thy choice. Observe no vanity nor lies, Like fools that do the truth despise. My grave instructions now regard, The upright man hath his reward. What's scriptural do thou receive, What's contrary don't believe. Act well all parts, I thee entreat, Be thou the man that is complete; Like great good men of much renown, Who ran, and fought, and won the crown, Then God receives you for his son: " Well done, thou faithful soul, well done."

My best advice I have now giv'n, To make you wise and meet for heav'n. Finally, to conclude my plan, Be thou the wise and happy man. What I begin I do intreat, Some master hand for to complete. My voice I lift once more, and cry, This very moment you may die.