Laxuriancy and Redundancy of poetical Flights of Fancy, but with good, plain, folid and ufeful Matter: even with the great and neceffary Points and Fundamental Articles of the Chriftian Religion.

HAD it been my Aim and Endeavour in the enfuing Poems, to have pleafed the Criticks of the Age, it had been a most vain Attempt for me, who am so very unequal for it; and also impoffible to have been so useful and beneficial to the great Variety and Generality of Readers, as I now propofe, and hope by the Bleffing of God, to be.

IN fhort, if I have been so happy as to pleafe God, in being ufeful to any Member of his Church, I need not be much concerned about the Cenfures of Men.

SHOULD a Clergyman ftudy by exalted Strains of Oratory, and Rhetorical Flowers, or otherwife, to adapt and addrefs his Dif

courfes

courfes to thofe few of his Auditors, who are Men of the brightest Genius, and greatest Abilities; having no regard to all the Reft, who are vastly more numerous, he would justly merit a fharp Rebuke from his Diocefan; and which is infinitely more, a severe Sentence from the great Bishop of our Souls, and Judge of the World.

THE End of Preaching, and so, of Writing alfo, fhould be, To do as much Good, and be as useful as poffible to Mankind; duely confidering their different Capacities, Educations, and Neceffities: And he who does not fo, is an unfaithful Steward.

I HAVE not therefore made it my Care and Business, to pleafe and profit only the Men of fuperior Parts, Wit and Learning : But (as the infpired Apoftle directs) I have endeavoured to please my Neighbour (in general) for his good, to Edification; if

that which is for his Edification will please him. And if not, I am forry for him, yet comfort myself however with the Hopes of being in fome measure inftrumental to the Good and Happiness of every well-difpofed and candid Reader.

A

A

New-Year's-Gift:

BEING,

POEMS

On the Principal Festivals and Fafts of the

Church of ENGLAND.

On the Annunciation of the bleffed Virgin Mary, March 25. commonly called Lady-Day. Which hath a peculiar Refpect to the Incarnation of our bleffed SAVIOUR.

TH

HE Subject of this Day's Meditation,
Is the myfterious Incarnation

Of our Almighty Saviour, God the Son:

Which, with great Rev'rence, we should think

upon.

No Man, nor Angel, can declare, or tell
How that was done, which is infcrutable.
Yet let us fee what Light the Scriptures give,
And what is there reveal'd, let us believe.
They fhew us that the Angel Gabriel
Was to the Virgin Mary fent, to tell
This moft furprizing News to her, that she-
The Mother of the Son of God fhould be.
And Jefus was the Name that he should have,
For, He his People from their Sins would fave.*
And thus the Angel did address the Maid,
Hail, Thou that highly favour'd art! he faid,
The Glory of thy Sex! I'm fent to Thee,
Upon the most important Embaffy.
Thou shalt conceive within thy Womb a Son,
Who can declare his Generation? †

He is th' Eternal Son of God, most High:
And He the Son of God fhall also be,
Because the Holy Ghost fhall over-fhadow thee.
Whereby this Son fhall be in thee conceiv'd,
Of thee, without concurrence of a Man:

*Mat. i. 21. † Ifa. liii. 8.

This