front y title I. Oliverâ— Scuâ— The Pirgin drest vp in her Gallantâ—â— The glorious state e'th soul doth 〈◊〉 Before the Fall Her outward Robes 〈◊〉 Her inward Beauty was beyond compaâ— But naked striâ—â— when satan did deceive her And Hells wide jaws stood readâ— to receive 〈◊〉 frout y title I. Oliver Scuâ— THE Glorious Lover A DIVINE POEM Upon the Adorable Mystery of Sinners Redemption By B. K. Author of War with the Devil Psalm 45. 1. My Heart is inditing a good matter LONDON Printed by J. D. for Christopher Hussey at the Flower-de-Luce in Little Britain 1679. The PROEM YOV Gentle Youths whose chaster Breasts do beat With pleasing Raptures Love's generous heat And Virgins kind from whose unguarded Eyes Passion oft steals your hearts by fond surprize All you who Amorous Stories gladly hear And feed your wand'ring Fancies by the Ear Those treacherous Delights a while lay by And lend attention to our History A History with Love and Wonders fill'd Such as nor Greece nor Rome could ever yield So great the Subject lofty the Design Each part is Sacred and the whole Divine If you its worth and nature well shall weigh 'T will charm your Ear your best Affections sway And in dark Minds spring an Eternal Day My Muse is rais'd beyond a vulgar flight For Cherubs boast to sing of what I write I write But 't is alas with trembling hand For who those boundless Depths can understand Those Mysteries unvail which Angels do With dread Amaze desire to look into Thou glorious Being from whose Bounty flows All good that Man or does or speaks or knows Whose Altars once mean Turtles entertain'd And from the mouths of Babes hast strength ordain'd Purge with thy Beams my over-clouded mind Direct my Pen my Intellect refine That I thy matchless Triumphs may indite And live in a due sense of what I write And you dear Sirs that shall vouchsafe to read Charity 's Mantle o're my failings spread High is my Theme but weak and short my Sight My Eyes oft dazled with Excess of Light Yet something here perhaps may please each Guest 'T is Heavenly Manna though but homely drest Paul became all to All and I would try By this Essay of mystick Poesy To win their Fancies whose harmonious Brains Are bettrr pleas'd with soft and measur'd strains A Verse may catch a wandring Soul that flies Profounder Tracts and by a blest surprize Convert Delight into a Sacrifice How many do their precious time abuse On cursed products of a wanton Muse On trifling Fables and Romances vain The poisoned froth of some infected Brain Which only tend to nourish Rampant Vice And to Prophaneness easie Youth entice Gilt o're with Wit black Venom in they take And ' midst gay Flowers hug the lurking Snake Here 's no such danger but all pure and chast A Love most fit by Saints to be imbrac'd A Love 'bove that of Women Beauty such As none can be enamour'd on too much Read then and learn to love truly by this Vntil thy Soul can sing Raptur'd in Bliss My Well-beloved's mine and I am his BOOK I. CHAP. I. The Excellencies and Perfections of the glorious King the Lord JEHOVAH discovered Shewing how he had but one Son the express Image of the Father the delight and joy of his Heart and of the glorious and eternal Design of this most High and Everlasting JEHOVAH to dispose of his Son in Marriage Moreover how the matter was propounded by the Father and whom he had chose to be the intended Spouse Shewing also how the Prince readily consented to the Proposal and of his first grand and glorious Atchievements in order to the Accomplishment of this happy Design IN the fair Regions of approachless Light Where unmixt Joys with perfect Love unite Where youth n'ere wasts nor Beauty ever fades Where no disease nor paining-grief invades There reigns and long hath reign'd a mighty King From whom all Honours and all Riches spring His vast Dominions reach from Pole to Pole No Realm nor Nation but he could controul So great his Pow'r there never yet could be An absolute Monarch in the World but he What e're seem'd good to him he freely did And nothing from his piercing Eye was hid To him the mighty Nimrods all did Bow And none durst boldly question What dost Thou Justice and Wisdom waited on his Throne And through the World his Clemency was know His Glory so Illustrious and Bright It sparkled forth and dazled Mortals sight Immense his Being for in every Land He present was and by each Soul did stand No Spies he needed for Intelligence In Foreign parts to bring him Tydings thence And vain to him was Court-dissemblers Art He saw each corner of the subtlest heart View'd acts unborn and plain discoveries wrough E're labouring Fancy once could mould a Though Beheld mens minds clearly as were their faces And uncontain'd at once did fill all Places His awful frown could make the Mountains shak And Stoutest hearts of Haughty Princes quake All things were his who did them first compose And by his wisdom doth them still dispose To serve his Friends and to destroy his Foes His Azure Throne with Holiness is spread The pure in heart alone his Court may tread No vitious Gallant Proud Imperious Vain In Court nor Kingdom will he entertain He 's th' essence of true Vertue spotless pure And no ungodly one can he endure No wicked person to him dares draw nigh Though ne're so Rich so Mighty or so High 'T is Righteousness his blessed Throne maintains Who all Injustice utterly disdains Nay Holiness doth this great Soveraigne cloath And such as weare it not his Soul doth loath But above all the Glories which did wait Upon this High and Peerless Potentate His Pity did the most transcendent prove Matchless his Power but greater still his Love Such bowels of Compassion ne're were known Nor e're such proofs of vast Affection shown His kindness beyond all that Pen can write Or Heart conceive or nimblest Brain indite This Sovereign Love our wond'rous Subject brings Our Hist'ry from those melting Ardours springs For this great King had a most lovely Son And had indeed no more save only one Who was begotten by him and brought forth E're Heav'ns blew curtains did surround the Earth Before the World's foundations yet were laid Times glass turn'd up or the Sun's course displaid This Prince was brought up with him and did lye In his dear Bosom from Eternity He was his only Joy and hearts delight Who ever did behold him in his sight And as he made his Father's heart most glad He was sole Heir to all the Father had Who freely gave all things into his Hand And made him Ruler over every Land Designing still to raise his Dignity Above each Earthly Prince or Monarchy And him intitle with a glorious Name Which none of all the Heav'nly Host dare claim What glory is there in each Seraphim Yet must they
and jointly satisfy To save her now from the infernal pit I have a Ransom found a Ransom fit Divine Justice I cannot hold I 'le strike the fatal Blow Hell she deserves with vengeance let her go Unto the place appointed for all them Who do God's holy Laws and Grace contemn Jesus Prince of Light O who is this What Traitor 's at the Bar That is condemn'd and Justice wo'nt defer The Execution speak hold up thy head Hast any thing to say What canst thou plead Methinks methinks I should this Creature know Ah! Soul is 't thee What shall I for thee do I told thee what thy state would be i' th end When first my Love to thee I did commend Soul Speak 't is I why dost thou not look up I 'm sorely griev'd to think upon the Cup That is prepar'd for thee What dost thou say Shall I step in that Justice may delay To strike the stroke for then too late 't will be To show my Love and pity unto thee Hast any kindness for me in thine Heart I doubt that still thou the same Creature art Thou wast before and hast no love at all Why speakst thou not shall vengeance on thee fall Ah! how can I see Execution done And Tears not from mine Eyes like Rivers run Divine Justice Lord be n't concern'd she is thy bitter Foe Oh let me therefore freely strike the blow There 's nought in her but Sin and poisonous Evil To God a Foe and Friend unto the Devil JESVS I know not how to let this stroke be given For I am come on purpose down from Heaven To make Atonement and to satisfy For all her sins and foul Iniquity Though she to me doth no affection bear Yet her I pity and do love most dear Justice Blest JESVS hold 't is my just Master's sense Abused Mercy must have recompence There is no other way but she must die Unless thou wilt be her Securitie If in her stead thy life thou wilt give up Then mayst thou save her from this bitter Cup. The price which thou on that account wilt pay Will make a Compensation and defray All her vast Debts yea plenarily God's wrath appease and Justice satisfy What must be done Who is 't the stroke must bear Is 't not most fit such should who guilty are I cannot hold my hand nor longer stay Law must be satisfy'd what dost thou say Thou wretched Soul behold the knife and spear Can'st thou dost think God's fearful vengeance bear Now Soul look to thy self this Spear I 'le run Into thy Bowels ere I it return JESVS Stay Justice stay withold thy furious Dart And let its glitt'ring point first pierce my Heart Her guilty state aloud calls for relief It wounds my Soul and fills my Heart with grief My Bowels yearn my inward parts do move Now now 's the time to show her my great Love Let Law and Justice be suffic'd in me 'T is I will die to set the Sinner free Behold me Soul my life shall go for thine I will redeem thee with this Blood of mine Although most Precious Sacred and Divine CHAP. VII Shewing what Consultations there were amongst the infernal Spirits to bring Jesus Prince of Light under the power of Death a Council called in Hell the Princes of the fallen Angels in a deep combination against him for fear their Kingdom should fall and the poor Creature be delivered The grand Counsel of Old Satan is taken He enters into Judas Judas's sin discovered Jesus is apprehended A terrible battel or Christ's Agony before his Passion Sin and Wrath combine together shewing the Prince's Conquests over them both Seven aggravations of Christ's sorrows in the Garden and a Dialogue between the Devil King of Darkness and Death the King of Terrors HEre let 's a while reflect with careful heed What! doth the guiltless for the guilty bleed This may astonish all here 's Love indeed Do Mortals ever greater love extend Then to lay down their lives for a dear Friend But for a Prince a mighty Prince to die Not for a Friend but for an Enemy Convicted and condemn'd for horrid Treason Thus to step in at that most Critick season When just the fatal blow was to be given This Love 's above our Reach higher than Heaven Deeper than Ocean Seas so Infinite As well deserves our wonder day and night What Was the Father free his Son to give His dear and only Son that she might live And doth the Son i' th midst of Enemies Yield up himself to be a Sacrifice Yet who can be so bold to lay their Hands Upon this Prince that Heaven Earth commands How shall this thing be now accomplished And by what means shall his dear Blood be shed Let 's now inquire who is 't that will consent To be the grand and chiefest Instrument To execute this precious spotless Lamb Who for this purpose down from Heav'n came Has he on Earth any such spightful Foe As dare's attempt this ' mazing thing to do You heard before he daily was beset And with what Enemies he often met But now his hour is drawing very near Great Consultations ' mongst his Foes there were How they might take his blessed Life away Who seem'd himself impatient of delay He long'd until his work were finished Which could not be until his blood were shed And though he had most raging Enemies Yet knew they not what project to devise To bring this bloody traiterous deed to pass Which long before by them designed was Until Apollyon finding by his Art The dire Intentions harbour'd in their Heart Doth rouse them up and first the matter start To the Infernal powers to wake them â—l A second time upon this Prince to fall Then Belzebub Satan and Lucifer Consult afresh how to renew the War And to this purpose wee 'l suppose they spake Apollyon Shake off your fears and speedily let 's make The strongest Head that possibly we can Against this strong this Devil-amazing man Now now 's the day let 's bring him to Death's sting And then with shouts of Triumph we may sing For over Death 't is we the power have And we may sure secure him in the Grave 'T is he alone who frights us in our station And puts us all into great Consternation Our Kingdom by this means is like to fall And we thereby be ruin'd great and small I have engag'd him once but could not stand I know his strength he has a pow'rful Hand Belzebub My Sentence is for War this Enterprize Well managed will make our Kingdom rise And re-inthrone us in our Antient Skies To a great Height and flourish as before When he is down we 'l let him rise no more Can we but once deprive him of his Life 'T will put an end to all our fears and strife Lucifer Dominions Pow'rs and Principalities You all in danger are awake and rise From off your Seats and lazy Beds of Down Sleep you secure or
all do Homage unto him The Cherubims likewise must all submit And humbly worship at his Royal Feet With trembling Reverence for he dâ—th bear The express Image of his Father dear And his Majestick Glory doth unfold Tooâ— right for any creature to behold Untill transform'd into an Heav'nly mould The Lusâ—re of his Face the loveliness Of compleat Beauty and of Holiness His Personal Sweetness and Perfections rare No tongue of men or Angels can declare For 't is recorded by unerring Pen He fairer was than all the Sons of men Which in its proper place will more appear But mind at present what doth follow here This mighty King whose Glories thus did shine Had long on foot a very great Dâ—sign Which was in Marriage to dispâ—â—â— this Son The blessedst Work that ever could be done This Secret then to him he does disclose And whom for him he had already chose Tells him the way and means whereby to bring About this strange and most important thing What he must do and all things doth declare To which the Son doth lend attentive ear Who never did his Father disobey Nor him displease would not in this say nay But straight-way shew'd with joy chearful mind He was that way himself long time inclin'd For with a Heav'nly smile he made reply This Creature is the Jewel of mine eye Great King of Kings thy Sacred Sovereign Will With greatest Joy I 'm ready to fullfil My heart 's inflam'd with love and will be pain'd Till she for my imbraces be obtain'd With secret transports long have I design'd That happy Match in my Eternal Mind To people with a new and holy Race Th' Immortal Mansions of this Glorious Place Such is the Love which unto her I have 'T is strong as Death and lasts beyond the Grave Where e're she be for well I understand She 's spirited of late to a strange Land Winged with Love I 'le search the World about And leave no place unsought to find her out If any Foe doth Captive her detain I'lebe her Rescue and knock off her Chain Or if half stifled she in Prison lye I 'le break the Bars and give her liberty I will refuse no Labour nor no pain Thee dearest Soul into my Arms to gain Such was this Prince's love and now t is fit We tell you who the object was of it Within the Limits of the Holy Land Whose Glory once shone forth on every hand And near the Borders of rare Havelah Where Creatures of each kind first breath did draw Where Pison's streams with Euphrates did meet Where did abound all Joy and Comfort sweet Without the least perplexity or wo Where Bdellium and the Onyx Stone did grow Did a most choice and lovely Garden lye Renowned much for its antiquity For Sacred Story has proclaimâ—d its name And rais'd up Trophies to its lasting fame Within that Garden dwelt in Ancient time A very lovely Creature in her Prime Mirror of Beauty and the World 's chief glory Whose rare composure did out-vy all Story Fair as the Lilly e're rude hands have toucht it Or snow unfal'n before the Earth hath smucht it The perfectst work which wondring Heav'n could see Of Nature's Volumn blest Epitome Her glorious Beauty and Admired Worth What mortal tongue is able to set forth True Vertue was the Object of her will There was no stain in her no Feature ill No scaâ—r nor blemish seen in any part Her Judgment uncorrupt and pure her Heart Her thoughts were noble words most wise not lavish Her natural sweetness was enough to ravish All that beheld her from her sparkling Eye A thousand Charms a thousand Graces fly No evill passion harbour'd in her breast Or with bold Mutinies disturbâ—d her rest For what 's not borne yet needs not be represt Her Lineage Noble of such high degree None e're could boast a greater Pedigree A Dowry too she had a fair Estate Conferr'd upon her at an easy Rate In brief in all Indowments she did shine Stampt with his Image who is all Divine But that which most unto her bliss did add Was the great Honour which some time she had Of the sweet presence of a glorious King From whom alone true Happiness doth spring He oft declar'd her his grand Favourite And that with her was his endear'd delight For precious love to her burn'd in his heart And nothing thought too dear for to impart Or unto her most freely to bestow Of all the Treasures he had here below This was her state at first none can gain-say But then mark what befell her on a day She did not long in this condition stand Before a cursed and most traiterous Band Of Rebels who shook off Allegiance And ' gainst their Sovereign did bold Arms advance Intic'd her to their Party and destroy'd All those rare Priviledges she injoy'd Which grand offence did so the King displease That she his wrath by no means could appease Nor had she any Friend to speak a word To stay the Tortures of the Flaming Sword No purpose 't was alas for her to plead Why Sentence should not against her proceed Who well knew in her conscience 't was but right She should thenceforth be banisht from his sight And his most glorious Face behold no more As she with Joy had seen it heretofore The rightful Sentence passed though severe Which might strike dead the trembling Soul to hear Exilâ—d she was from him with fearful Ire And laid obnoxious to Eternal fire Turn'd out of all her Glory with a curse No state of Mortal Creatures could be worse And now she 's forc'd to wander to and fro Finding no rest nor knowing what to do A foreign soile alas she must seek out And where to hide her self she looks about A wretched Fugitive she straight became A shame unto her self to all a shame Yet this vile wretched Creature so forlorn The Subject of contempt and general scorn She she 's the Object of this Prince's Love She 't is to whom his warm Affections move 'T was in her fallen state he cast his eye Although he lov'd her from Eternity Who wandring thus into a Foreign Land Far off of him he soon did understand There was no other thing for him to do But must a Journy take and thither go If he 'l accomplish this his great Design Of making Love a Love that 's most divine The Father now doth part which his dear Son Who 's all on fire and zealous to be gone And what though it a grievous Journy be Its bitterness he is resolv'd to see His high Atchievements nothing shall prevent His mind and purpose is so fully bent That he in his own Kingdom will not stay One Minute after the appointed Day But that you may more fully yet discover The matchless flames of this most glorious Lover Permit us to present unto your view The Court he left the Dungeon he went to The Kingdom where this Hiâ—h-born Prince did dwell All other
you call The glorious Prince of Light Is not a person lovely in my sight He 's not so modish pleasant Debonair As those brisk Gallants whom my Fancy share I must have other Eys wherewith to see Before he can be countenanc'd by me This said away the foolish Soul doth â—ly Will hear no more but with a scornful Eye Neglects her Bliss Deaths dark paths doth trace Rather than saving Truths of Life imbrace Who being gone a Neighbour does appear That would be glad fully her Case to hear And that he clearly might have it exprest He thus himself to Theologue Addrest Vicinus Grave Sir Since in your Reverend face I read All works which do from Curtesy proceed I am emboldned to desire of you Some satisfaction in a point or two I late have heard some Rumours of such News As puts my wondring spirits to a muse 'T is of a Prince unparallel'd for Love That took a Journey down from Heav'n above To seek himself a Spouse and as I hear She unto him will no Affection bear Though for Descent Riches and Beauty too Never the like did mortal Creatures know This Soul-amazing Sense-bereaving story Has fill'd my ravisht Ears What matchless Glory Is his whose Love is far beyond Expression And what Creature is this must have possession Of such a glorious Heart Sure she 's no less Than one of High Descent some Emperess Or Virgin Queen at least whose Beauty 's rare Mixt with choice Vertue both beyond compare The total sum doubtless of every Grace Makes a composure in her Heav'nly Face And there all true Perfection is united To make one Phoenix that has thus invited This mighty Prince to do her so much Honour As seek her Love and set his Heart upon her To sue so earnestly and undertake Mighty Atchievements only for her sake For to encounter with a wrathful Foe That sought an universal overthrow Of mortal Creatures and in every Land Subjected all unto his proud Command The strangeness of it sets me all on fire And kindles in my heart a strange desire Impatient of delay till you discover The Creature that has got so rare a Lover Theologue To put a period to thy Admiration Come let thy Wonder-smitten Cogitation Now give attention and I soon will show The truth of what thou dost desire to know The Creature whom this mighty Prince doth grace With Love lives very near unto this place We all do her as our next Neighbour own Much is she talkt of yet but seldom known You sure have heard before she was by Birth Of high descent the splendor of the Earth Unblemisht Beauty neither spot nor stain Whilst in her Virgin state she did remain To speak her pedigree in Truth she springs From no less Root than from the King of Kings Whom Scriptures call The Father of all Spirits And none but he that Blessed Name inherits From him she did at first derive her Name And Heaven and Earth eccho'd her glorious Fame Fair Cynthia Illustrious Queen of Night With all her borrowed Rays ne're shone so bright The King 's true Image in her face did shine No Glory like to Glory that 's Divine But that which doth the greatest Wonder raise And may the quick'st profoundest Wits amaze Is the sad change and miserable state She 's in since first she did degenerate Her Lustre tarnisht and her Beauty faded Filth and Corruption every part invaded Oh! it was then on her this Prince did look When of her God and guide she was forsook For though she was indeed thus nobly born Her Blood is tainted and her state forlorn She that in splendor once appear'd so bright Is now deform'd and blacker than the Night Foul putrifaction doth her Beauty cover She 's full of Ulcers and defil'd all over Th' infection spreads it self in every part Her eyes her hands her head but most her heart Her feet whose loyal steps she once divided To follow the great God have so backslided That they most swiftly from him run astray In every sinful and forbidden way Her Arms are filled with unchast Embraces She 's stain'd her Beauty and lost all her Graces Her Breath once sweeter than Arabian Spices Whose rare Perfumes make Houses Paradises Offensive is to all that come but near her Her Tongue is so unclean God loaths to hear her Which was her Glory in her youthful days When she with joy sung forth his blessed Praise But that which may sound stranger in thine Ear And seem indeed too hard for Love to bear Is her Adult'ries her unchast delights Her Amorous Kisses wherewith she invites Her wanton Lovers nothing else can prove So much distastful to unspotted Love As when the Embers of Lusts raging fires Burn in the Bosom of unchast desires Vicinus But stay Dear Sir What Lover is 't would kiss A Creature loathsom and so vile as this And how came she into so sad a Case That once adorned was with so much Grace Theologue If you kind Neighbour please to lend an Ear These things in order I will fully clear Her Lovers are more loathsom far than she With whom she 's joyned in Affinity From them she took the foul disease at first And ever since remains vile and accurst The Serpent did beguile her with such fruit As did her Vitals poison and pollute Not that the fruit in ' moral sense was evil But ' cause she took it tempted by the Devil After on pain of Death it was forbid Ah! t' was from hence it so much mischief did Besides she 's guilty of another Deed She 's made a League with one that did proceed From Hell's black Region where her wanton Eye Could see no Object but Deformity A Contract she has made I say with one Begot by proud but curs'd Apollyon Monstrous by Nature and as vile by Name Ah! she has chosen him unto her shame His nature 's poisonous his very Breath Is so infectious that it threatens Death To every one to whom he is united Yet with this Monster is her heart delighted Who to my Prince is a most desperate Foe And to speak plain the cause of all his woe Since first the Soul was with base Lust acquainted From Top to Toe all over is she tainted She that was once so rare a comely Creature Sin has not left her now one lovely Feature The Splendid Beauty of the whole Creation Is thus become a meer Abomination For since her self to Lust she prostituted Her inward Faculties are so polluted That she 's become unto Jehovah's Eye The truest pourtraict of Deformity She that sometimes no Evil understood Is now become an Enemy to Good For this vile Monster by Apollyon's pow'r Did not only corrupt the Soul all ov'r But very cruel they did further prove Whilst they pretended kindnesses and Love For they most wickedly put out her Eyes She might not see her own Deformities And being thus both blinded and defil'd Was also rob'd and treacherously spoil'd Of