of Maturity Thou to this Light lesse fair than him shalt shew Nor need'st thou study to contrive the frame Of his due Title JESUS is the Name 66. More reason shall that Name finde in thy Son Than it of old did in Nuns warlike Heir More noble shall be that Salvation By which his Israel he will repair Than that which from Beersheba unto Dan Gave them no more but earthly Canaan 67. He shall be Great as Great as Might and Worth Can swell an Heros or as stoutest Fame Can with her fairest widest Trump blow forth Which shall be stretch'd with his magnifick Name For to proclaim his Soveraignitie His Stile shall run The Son of the Most High 68. He who is Lord of Crowns and supream King Of Scepters shall establish him upon His Seat from whose high linage he shall spring His most renowned Father Davids Throne Where hee a King of nobler Peace shall sit Than Solomon with all his Wealth and Wit 69. All Jacobs Seed to him shall homage doe And govern'd be by his more gentle Law Yea Time it selfe shall be his Subject too And his long Sithe unto his Sceptre bow The Earth shall sink the Heav'ns shall melt but hee Shall reach his Kingdome to Eternitie 70. And here the Angell paus'd But trembling she Veild in the scarlet of her modest Cheek Repli'd Bright Sir it seems you know not Me A worthless Maid who for your high Mistake Wear no pretence nor may so great a King From a vile Worms polluted Bowells spring 71. Yet though this Vilenesse be sufficient to Excuse Me from such Exaltation Be pleas'd to know I am that Mary who Finding my selfe too mean for any Son Of Princely Davids Progeny to wed Resolv'd to die upon my virgin Bed 72. So shall no sprouts from my unhappy Root Clog the World with their fruitlesse Company So shall I scape Parentall Tasks and not With Childrens Education burdned be Who finde such Work as poseth all my Art In ordering mine own untoward Heart 73. Though I to Joseph now espoused am 'T is but to shelter my Virginity In whose defence he wears an Husbands Name And of my Weakness will Protector be My Word is past that I to God will give My Body back as I did it receive 74. Alas what other Sacrifice have I To render Him for all his patient Love Wherewith he hath thus long sustained my Rebellious Life and mercifully strove With my Demerits O bid me not aspire To what transcends my Reach and my Desire 75. Miraculous Meeknesse How would other Hearts Have leap d to catch this matchlesse Dignity From which this most deserving Virgin starts O how would st thou thy selfe have joy'd to see So high an offer What would'st thou have said Had thy Agenor Gabriels Promise made 76. Her Answer forc'd his Admiration higher And op'd the Door to this sublime Replie Heav'n is not ignorant of thy sweet Desire Thy gallant Vow stands register'd on high Upon a Table neer as white and fair As thine own Heart and Resolutions are 77. Such Vows are Jewells ev'n in Heav'ns esteem Which is the pure Realm of Virginity For there th' Eternall Father wears this Gem With whom the Son and Spirit Virgins be After whose fair Example We aspire And copie it in all our Winged Quire 78. Through Mounts of Miracles God breaks ope a way To keep thee'still as pure as thy Desire When All Things in their first Confusion lay Being a shapeless groveling Mass of Mire Who would have thought the Womb of that Abysse Could have produc'd so fair a World as this 79. But then th' Almighty Spirit spread his Wing Upon those hopelesse Volumes of the Deep And by his generative Warmth did bring To light those Seeds which in that Night did sleep Thus all this populous Universe you see Sprung from the Bowells of Virginity 80. This Holy Spirit over Thee shall hover And with prolifick Virtue thee endow He who on Powers Top doth reign shall cover Thee with his Might a Might which will allow Nature no leave nor possibility To contradict a Virgin-pregnancie 81. This is one Cause and 't is a noble one Why He who shall thy glorious Off-spring be Shall wear the Soveraign Title of the Son Of God for genuine Divinity Shall be 〈◊〉 but in a mystick fashion In the great Businesse of his Generation 82. Doubt not his Power whose well-known Limits spread Wide as his boundless Will the whole World knows How Sarahs dead Wombe now doth live in seed Which past the shores of Numeration flows How the Preists Rod its sudden Almonds ought Neither to Soile nor Seed nor Sap nor Root 83. But I have mighty News to tell thee She Whose snowie Head confest her Springs was past Thy Cousen both in Blood and Piety Cold drie Elizabeth hath now at last Conceiv'd a Son an argument to thee How Nature can by Heav'n corrected be 84. The World had stamp'd the Name of Barren on Her sealed Womb and damm'd the way to Hope Of any Seed yet five full Moneths are gone And now the Sixt succeeds since Heav'n did ope That froazen Seal good cause have I to know The Time who was imployed then as now 85. I bare the Tidings to great Zachary And when his trembling jealous Soul would not Credit my supernaturall Embassie I on his Tongue a Lock of Silence put That he might know God could as easily ope His Spouses Womb as I his Mouth could stop 86. His Silence bids thee trust these Words of mine And since the Hopes of Heav'n and Earth attend With panting Expectation for thine Assent on which their noblest Joyes depend For their sakes yeild and for thy Makers who By Me his best-beloved Spouse doth wooe 87. He e'r since Times first Birth did wait for thee And has endur'd a World of Sin below Stretching his strongly-patient Constancie Through every Age of Wickednesse till now Knowing that Time at length would bring forth thee The sweet Reward of all his Lenitie 88. And now thy mighty Houre is come ô why Mak'st thou a gentle Virtue prove so hard Why by thy rigorous Humility Must ripened Joy and Happinesse be barr'd From all the Universe O why wilt thou Not let the golden Age have leave to grow 89. Why must the gloomy Shaddows which have now Weighed their heavy Wings in hopes to flie Return their Night upon Religion's Brow Which 'gan to clear up at the Dawn of thy Long long'd-for Birth and would'st thou but give way Would straight break open into Grace's Day 90. As when the Moisture which contented was To dwell below and nestle in the Earth Is by the powerfull Sun entic'd to passe Unto an higher Home it issues forth With gentle Resignation and doth rise In meer submission to dwell neer the Skies 91. So now the lowly Virgin conquer'd by The potent Pleasure of her loving Spouse Exceeds her old by new Humility And with her selfe her former Meeknesse throws Before his feet content
Soule rejoyced all the way it ran And taught his Fast to be a glorious Feast Each Greif each Pain each Suffring he did scan And what the deepest was he liked best Not for a World would he have wanted one But could have wish'd a bitterer Passion 133. Thus did he spend his Day and when the Night Upon Heav'ns face her sable Mantle spread He other Work began No leaden Weight Of Sleep could heavy sit upon his Head His Fast now grew so strong that no dull Cloud Out of his Stomack to his Brain could crowd 134. Those silent Houres He spent in ardent Prayers His Evening and burnt Sacrifice and by The quick ascent of those mysterious Stayers Climb'd back again to Heav'ns sublimity Where more Ejaculations He did spread Than Angels or than Stars are marshelled 135. There did he pray the World might not disdain The gentle Yoke he came on it to lay Nor force Heav'n to come down to Earth in vain But unto its obtruded Blisse give way That now God stoop'd down to Humanity Man would indeavour like his God to be 136. And now no lesse then fourty times the Sun The Gyant of the Day had from the East Prick'd forth his golden trapped Steeds and run His never wearied Race into the West And watchfull Vesper had as often light The silver Tapers and trimm'd up the Night 137. When thy Wise Spouse who all the seasons knew Of Heav'ns mysterious Dispensations gave The bridled Monster leave on him to shew Her Teeths full power And how profound and brave This Counsell was thou by and by shalt see For He has me injoin'd to teach it thee 138. As when the ravenous Dog who long has layn Muzzel'd up in the presence of his meat Begins to feel the loosning of his Chain For all the time He lost he strives to eat Flying like Lightning on his Breakfast which He with his teeth and paws at once doth catch 139. So Famin now releas'd to her own Will Revenged her Restraint with greedy spight And had it but been possible to kill Lifes unconsenting Lord sh' had done it strait For never with such fell remorfelesnesse She rag'd in any Breast as now in His. 140. His empty Stomack roar'd his Bowels clung The heav'nly Graces of his Countnance fell Thirst parch'd his beauteous Lips burnt his Tongue But all by his divine Consent for well He knew that if he grew not faint and wan Hell needs must take Him to be more than Man 141. Hells jealous Prince knew all the Prophesies Which pointed out a greater King then he A King which was from Jesse's Root to rise And promised to quell his Tyranny Upon his Guard He stood and watch'd to see The dangerous time and who that Man should be 142. The Angels Song which warbled to the Earth Peace and Good Will shot Terror through his Heart The Sheepherds story of the Infants Birth No sooner strook his ear but made him start He Simeons Jubilation echoed by A Groan and Anna's Preaching by a Sigh 143. With deep mis-giving Thoughts he chew'd upon The Benedictus of old Zachary The eastern Star which unto Bethlehem ran Did with amazement blinde his fearfull eye Guilty Suspition his black soule did knaw When He the Wise Mens Adoration saw 144. At length these fatall Items roused Him To take some course this Danger to represse Forthwith he chose the Fauchion of grim Herod nor did He think He strook amisse Besides now Thirty yeares could not discover Any great fear he hop'd the worst was over 145. And much it cheer'd him to remember that Messias was to be a Virgins Son As for thy Lord He term'd him Josephs Brat The silly Carpenters poor Urcheon Who likelier was some simple House to build Than raise a Kingdome and a Scepter weild 146. Yea to that fond and shamlesse Boldnesse He Hardned his Thoughts as to imagine that Great Daniels heav'n inspired Prophesie Was prov'd abortive and He car'd not what The other Prophets talk'd now hee who set Messia's Time so fouly fail'd in it 147. But when on Jordans Bank hee heard and saw The Testimony Heav'n gave of its Son His sturdy Confidence began to thaw And Teiror through his cursed Bones to run Som time it was e'r hee could recollect Himselfe and study how his part to act 148. At length He hither traced Him and set That Fury Famine to begin the fight O with what anguish did hee vex and fret To see the vain contention of her spight For fourty dayes together But at length When she prevail'd His Pride renew'd its strength 149. On Chance's vain Account hee scor'd it up That Jesus had sustain'd the fight till now As hee had done when from their Pillars top Egyptian Idols lately down did bowe Because since then he saw some new Ones able To stand and Memphis once more Isi's Stable 150. And now his Cue was come to Hell hee stepp'd And op'd a Casket which by his Beds side For 't was the dearest Thing he had he kepp'd There lay ten thousand quaint Delusions ti'd All one within another never Art More cunningly than here did play her part 151. There lay smooth burnish'd Words quick Mutations Sleight-handed Tricks 〈◊〉 Courtesies Sweet Looks delicious Shapes and dainty Fashions False Loves invenom'd fawnings holy Lies There lay the Crafts by which he did deceive The credulous Heart of thy Grandmother Eve 152. And those by which He holy Aaron made More silly than the Calfe that he erected Those which unconquer'd Samsons strength betray'd Those which the fort of Chastitie dejected In Davids heart and those whose witchery Charm'd his wise Son to fond Idolatry 153. This also was the cursed Nest of those More wiley Wiles by which hee did entise The brave Inhabitants of Heav'n to close With his Conspiracy when in the skies He drew his Army up and ventured on Against the Thunders Mouth and Gods own Son 154. And these he takes and squeaseth into one Conflux of more then quintessentiall Guiles With which insidious Extraction His thirst he quenches and his breast he fills And so returns into this Desert well Stuff'd with the best that is the worst of Hell 155. Imperiall was his Retinue for A thousand gallant Peers of Phlegeton Had robb'd Aire Earth and Sea of their best store Of braveries and proudly put them on All which where echoed by the rich attires Both of their haughty Horses and their Squires 156. But as the Cedar upon Libans head Dishonours all the Shrubs that creep below As the displayed Peacocks Train doth spread Disgrace upon the Sparrow or the Crow So far Majestick Satans port transcended What ever in his Lords might be commended 157. Twelve sable Steeds smug as the old Rav'ns wing Of even stature and of equall Pride Sons of the Winde or some such speedy thing Unto the Chariot all abreast were ti'd So Princes us'd to range their Steeds that all Their severall Beauties in full view might fall 158.
ambition was No more than with this gluttons Dogs to be A Commoner unto the sweet Embrace Of Abraham and of Felicitie Mounted on Angels Wings did ride and there Injoy'd a fuller Feast than Dives here 142. Wise Saint his stomach he had sav'd that he With a full appetite might thither goe Where sumptuous dainties in their Kingdome be And purest Pleasures by whole Rivers flow And if thou after him would'st thither climbe Be sure to trace his footsteps here in time 143. I know the Bords of many holy Soules In fatnes often have been seen to shine On which their golden over-flowing Boules Foamd with the heat of aromatick Wine But canst thou say that they themselves did so Surely their Looks and Lives will tell thee no. 144. This constant Plenty did but keep them to Their Temperances daily Exercise They into hardy Virtue 's Lists did goe When to their Bords they went to play the prize Of Abstinence and trie their conquering might On that arrayed Army of Delight 145. Heroick 〈◊〉 were these who hedg'd in by A seige of superfluitie could yet Maintain brave Moderation but thy Metall and Tempet Geusis are not fit To wage War with Temptations No 't is well If thou by flying canst thy safety steal 146. To a spare Diet 〈◊〉 There thou may'st eat And drink thine Health but never in Excess Excess makes Sicknes reek in all thy Meat And with thy Liquor doth full Surfets press Into thy Boule by which before thou art Aware thy Head is drowned chok'd thy Heart 147. But soveraign Fasting never fails to be An happy Purge where these bad Humours reign Whil'st other Physick drains thy Purse not thee This never doth Evacuate thy Coin Not operate on any thing but those Who are thy Bodies or thy Spirits Foes 148. Thou know'st my meaning now But know withall I love thee better than to let thee be Unpunished if thou shalt swerve or fall From this fair Path unto Felicitie And with such Ballast stuff thy self as will It Heav'n prevent not lag thee down to Hell 149. Close all this while had Geusis held her Combe But the smart dint of this last Word did smite It from her Hand and spill it in the Room At which the sullen Maid began to bite Her lips but marking then stern Psyches Ey She bow'd her head and made her will comply 150. Scarce was she out but mincing Haphe came Whose Hands were in a Muff of Sables drown'd Her Body was disposed in a frame Of wide and easie Clothes courting her round With silken flattering softnes neither Pin Nor Seam presum'd to touch her dainty skin 151. Psyche smil'd at the sight And what said she If that soft furniture grow thick with 〈◊〉 If Hair or Sack-cloth far more gentle be Which close and strait on hardy Bodies sticks Alas the Wounas of 〈◊〉 more dangerous far Than those of sharpest Swords and Arrows are 152. Those Weapons wounds can never further sink Then to the Bodies bottome but a proud Attixe doth sadly soak the Soule and drink Its best blood up nor knows she how to shrow'd Her self from this Mis-hap so long as she 〈◊〉 her Delight on outward Braverie 153. Potiphera was deepar wounded by The delicacies of her soft Array Than holy Joseph who did clothed lie With Chains although the Iron made a way Into his Soule Her wounds did her destroy His cur'd their Earthly Pain with Heav'nly Joy 154. Thou know'st in what a soft and curious dress Madam Herodias danced down to Hell Whil'st reverend John array'd in simplenes All 〈◊〉 off-spring nobly did excell And though in Herods Court despised yet Plain as he was he into Heav'ns was let 155. Hadst thou beheld his home-spun Camels hair And lethern-Thong which did his Loins embrace How would thy Lawns thy Silks thy Sables dare To shew their cowardly effeminate face How would thy worthlesse skin indure to see It self in fairer Roabs than glorious He 156. Hadst thou beheld that course and rural suit Which Gods own wisdome did for Adam make How would the sight thy gallantry confute Who all the dainties of the World would'st rake Thy vulgar Carcase to array when he The King of Earth in Skins must cloathed be 157. Gods Copie satisfi'd the Saints of old Who sought no further than the skins of sheep And goats in which their own they did enfold And from that rude and plain Plantation reap A royall Harvest now being clothed by The glittering Roabs of Immortalitie 158. No Beds of wanton Down desired they Wherein to loose themselves but were content In Dens and Caves their manly Heads to lay Where they to Rest with suller Comfort 〈◊〉 Than pompous lustie Solomon when he Stepp'd up his Couch of stately Ivory 159. Nor was it ever known that Perl did lie In any shells but wonderous course and plain That any Search could Gold and Silver spie But nestled in some dark and dirty vein Of Earth that gallant Sparks of Fire could rest But in some rude Flints black unlikely Breast 160. I grant Distinctions of Degrees require Such Garbs as may their Dignities proclaim Not that they by their outside beams aspire To gaudy foolish Glory since their Aim Is or should onely be by this fine Art Their Places proper honor to assert 161. Else the perversly-blear and peevish Eye Of rude and stubborn Mortals would not see What awfull Lustre flames in Majesty Nor how the Sacerdotal Temples be With venerable Priviledges crownd Which from their sacred Office doth redound 162. This made Heav'ns Ordination of old The consecrated Body of the Priest With reverence-commanding Gems and Gold And finest Linens Purity invest But what 's all this to thee whose private State All publick Ornaments may well abate 163. My peremptory Pleasure therefore is That thou the best Examples copie out Since thou delighted art with Tendernesse Be Tender of thy Blisse and never doubt But that will softer prove and warmer be Than are thy Wishes and that Muffe to thee 164. Almost as loth as the Beasts back which bred That furtie Skin at first did part with it Haphe by this sweet Violence conquered Dropp'd down her Muffe and did her head submit But yet she shrunk her Shoulders and betrayd She thought the Load sad which on them was layd 165. Psyche her Cinque-Ports being thus secured For Glossa call'd who cheerfully came in And with a thousand Complements allured The good opinion of her frowning Queen But thou mistaken art said She for I By numerous Phrases count not Loyalty 166. Truth 's quickly said for pure unspotted she Delights in her own genuine Nakednesse And scorns that ceremonious Bravery Which Flatteries deformity doth dresse Dull Wood alone doth Vernice need but Gems Are brave in their own native naked Beams 167. Much Talk is either stretched out by lies Which poyson all the Streams wherein they flow Or tricked up with handsorne Vanities Which like fond Ribands serve but for a show And rather