On the Sight of a Skull

Behold, ambitious Lump of Clay resin'd, Thy Epilogue; see, see to what design'd! So soon as thou wert born, so soon as Air, Affords thee Breath, thy Vitals to repair; So soon as thy small feeble embrion Breast, Is of an active Power, unknown, possess'd; So soon thou mayst expect the dreadful Day, When thou once more must be reduc'd to Clay; And the whole Fabrick of thy Body must, Again be brought to its first nothing, Dust: Then shall those Eyes, those crystal Eyes of thine, Which now, like sparkling Diamonds do shine, Their little Chambers circular forsake, And them to Essence more obscure betake; The tender Funnel of thy Nose, must thence Corroded be, and lose its smelling Sense; And all the Volume of thy Face will be So chang'd, none may thereby remember thee: Therefore the Hopes of all terrestrial Glory, Is frivolous, and vain, and transitory. Ah then, what Cause hast thou, presumptuous Man, To boast thyself? Whereon, alas, where can, Thy vain Ambition build a Trophy now? What Cause hath Majesty upon that Brow T' enthrone itself? Which must ere long become A thread-bare Skull, a simple naked Bone? Therefore, whoe'er thou be, that dreads this strange, To Flesh and Blood, this doleful, certain Change, Let it be thy Concern, in holy Fear, To pass the Time of thy Sojourning here, In pure Obedience to that heavenly Pow'r, Who, when he pleaseth, can to Life restore And give thy Soul assured Satisfaction, In him, who is our Life and Resurrection, To rest with him; whereby the Dread and Fear, That doth so frequently in some appear, When Thoughts of this great Change doth rise in Mind, Are vanish'd and dispell'd; they inward find Such hearty Resignation, they can sing, Grave, where's thy Victory? Death, where's thy Sting? Sin, Death's sad Sting, must therefore conquer'd be, Before poor Man this joyful Day can see: Then, being call'd, we freely may lay down This transitory Life, to gain a Crown Of Life eternal, with the Prince of Peace; Where all Affliction shall for ever cease. Then having put on Immortality, Our Souls shall praise his Name eternally.