and that on t' other Seed Moves as they move and stayes when as they stay And seemes delighted in their infant-play Yet fearing danger with a busie eye Lookes here and there if ought she can espy Which unawares might snatch a booty from her Eyes all that passe and watches every commer Even so th' affection of this tender Syre B'ing made more fervent with the selfe-same â—â—re Of dearest love which flamed in their brests Preserved as by fuell in those Feasts Was ravisht in the height of joyes to see His happy Childrens ten-fold unity As was his joy such was his holy feare Lest he that plants his Engines every where Baited with golden Sinnes and re-insnares The soule of Man turning his Wheat to Tares Should season Error with the taste of Truth And tempt the frailty of their tender youth No sooner therefore had the dappled skie Opened the Twilight of her waking eye And in her breaking Light had promis'd day But up he rose his holy hands did Iay Vpon the sacred Altar one by one An early Sacrifice for every Sonne For who can tell said he my Sonnes perchance Hâ—ve slipt some sinne which neither Ignorance Pleaded nor want of heed nor youth can cure Sin steales unseene when men sleep most secure Meditat. 1. WAnt is the badge of poverty Then he That wanteth most is the most poore say we The wretch that hunger drives from door to door Aiming at present Almes desires no more The toiling Swaine that hath with pleasing trouble Cockt a small fortune would that fortune double Which dearly bought with slav'ry then alas Hee would be deem'd a Man that 's well to passe Which got his mind 's now tickled with an itch But to deserve that glorious stile of Rich. That done h'enjoyes the crowne of all his labour Could he but once out-nose his right-hand-neighbourâ— Lives he at quiet now Now he begins To wish that Vs'ry were the least of sinnes But great or small he tries and sweet's the trouble And for its sake he wishes all things double Thus wishing still his wishes never cease But as his Wealth his Wishes still encrease Wishes proceed from want The richest then Most wishing want most and are poorest men If he be poore that wanteth much how poore Is he that hath too much and yet wants more Thrice happy he to whom the bounty of heaven Sufficient with a sparing hand hath given 'T is Grace not Gold makes great sever but which The Rich man is but poore the Poore man rich The fairest Crop of either Grasse or Graine Is not for use undew'd with timely raine The wealth of Croesus were it to be given Were not thank-worthy if unblest by Heaven Even as faire Phaebe in Diameter Earth interpos'd betwixt the Sunne and her Suffers Eclips and is disrobed quite During the time of all her borrowed Light So Riches which fond Mortals so embrace If not enlightned with the Beames of Grace B'ing interposed with too grosse a Care They lye obscured and no riches are My stint of Wealth lyes not in my expressing With Iacobs Store Lord give me Iacobs Blessing Or if at night thou grant me Lazars Boone Let Dives Dogs licks all my sores at noone Lord pare my wealth by my Capacity Lest I with it or it suit not with mee This humbly doe I sue for at thy hand Enough and not too much for my command Lord what thou lend'st shall serve but in the place Of reckoning Counters to summe up thy Grace THE ARGVMENT Satan appeares and then professes Himselfe mans Enemy confesses Gods love to Iob malignes his Faith Gaines power over all he hath Sect. 2. VPon a time when heaveÌ„s sweet quire of Saints Whose everlasting Hallelujah chaunts The highest praise of their celestiall King Before their Lord did the presentment bring Of th' execution of his sacred Will Commited to their function to fulfill Satan came too that Satan which betraid The soule of man to Deaths eternall shade Satan came too and in the midst he stands Like to a Vulture 'mongst a herd of Swans Said then th' Eternall From what quarter now Hath businesse brough thee Satan whence com'st thou The Lord of Heaven said th' Infernall since Thou hast intitled me the Worlds great Prince I hâ—ve beene practising mine old profession And come from compassing my large Possession Tempting thy sonnes and like a roaring Lion Seeking my prey disturbe the peace of Sion I come from sâ—wing Tares among thy Wheat To him that shall dissemble Peters seat I have beene plotting how to prompt the death Of Christian Princes and the bribed breath Of cheapned Iustice hath my fire inflam'd With spirit of boldnesse for a while unsham'd I come from planting strife and sterne debate 'Twixt private man and man 'twixt State and State Subverting Truth with all the power I can Accusing Man to God and God to Man I daily sâ—w fresh Schismes among thy Saints I buffet them and laugh at their complaints The Earth is my Dominion Hell 's my Home I round the World and so from thence I come Said then th' Eternall True thou hast not fail'd Of what thou say'st thy spirit hath prevail'd To vexe my little Flocke Thou hast beene bold To make them stray a little from their Fold Bâ—t say In all thy hard Adventures hath Thine eye observed Iob my Servants faith Hath open force or secret fraud beset His Bulwarkes so impregnable as yet And hast thou without envy yet beheld How that the World his second cannot yeeld Hast thou not found that he 's of upright will Iust fearing God â—schewing what is ill True Lord reply'd the Fiend thy Champion â—â—th A strong and fervent yet a crafty Faith A forced love needs no such great applause He loves but ill that loves not for a cause Hast thou not heap'd his Garners with excesse Inricht his Pastures Doth not he possesse All that he hath or can demand from Thee His Coffers fill'd his Land stock'd plenteouâ—â—y Hath not thy love surrounded him about â—And â—edg'd him in to fence my practice out But small 's the triall of a Faith in this â—f thou suppâ—rt him t is thy strength not hisâ— Can then my power that stands by thy permission Encounter where Thou mak'st an Opposition Stretch forth thy Hand and smite 〈◊〉 what he hath And prove thou then the temper of his Faith Cease cock'ring his fond humour veile thy Grace No doubt but he 'll blaspheme thee to thy fâ—â—c Lâ—e said th' Eternall to thy cursed hand I â—ere commit his mighty Stocke his Land His hopefull Issue and Wealth though nere so much Himselfe alone thou shalt forbeare to touch Medita 2. SAâ—an beg'd once and found his pray'rs reward We often beg yet oft returne unheard If granting be th' effect of love then we Conclude our selves to be lesse lov'd than hee True Satan beg'd and beg'd his shame no lesse 'T was granted shall we envie his successe We beg and our request 's perchance not granted
the grounds and how unstable How many Deities yet how unable Implore these gods that list to howle and barke They bow to Dagon Dagon to the Arke But hee to whom the seale of mercy 's given Adores Iehovah the Great God of Heaven Vpon the mention of whose sacred Name Meeke Lambs grow fierce the fierce Lions tame Bright Sol shall stop heaven shal turn his course Mountains shall dance and Neptune slake his force The Seas shall part the fire want his flame Vpon the mention of Iâ—hovah's Name A Name that makes the roofe of Heaven to shake The frame of Earth to quiver Hell to quake A Name to which all Angels blow their Trumps A Name puts frolicke man into his dumps Though ne're so blythe A Name of high renown It mounts the meeke and beats the loftie downe A Name divides the marrow in the bone A Name which out of hard and flintiâ— stone Extracteth hearts of flesh and makes relent Those hearts that never knew what mercy ment O Lord how great 's thy Name in all the Land How mighty are the wonders of thy hand How is thy glory plac't above the heaven To tender mouthes of Sucklings thou hast given Coercive pow'r and boldnesse to reproove When elder men doe what them not behoove O Lord how great 's the power of thine hand O God! how great 's thy Name in all the Land THE ARGVMENT The Prophet doth his fault discover Perswadeâ— the men to cast him over They row and toyle but doe no good They pray to be excus'd from blood Sect. 5. SO Ionah fram'd this speech to their demand Not that I seeke to traverse the command Of my deare Lord and out of minde perverse T' avoid the Ninivites doe I amerâ—e My selfe Nor that I ever heard you threat Vnlesse I went to Niniveh the great And doe the message sent her from the Lord That you would kill or cast me over-boord Doe I doe thiâ— 'T is my deserved fine You all are guiltlesse and the fault is mine T is I ' tâ—â— I alone 't is I am he The tempest comes from heaven the cause from me You shall not lose a haire â—or this my sâ—â— Nor perish for the fault that mine hath bin Lo I the man am here Lâ— I am he The root of all End your revenâ—e on me I fled th' Eternall God O let me then Because I fled my God so flie from men Redeeme your lives with mine Ah why should I Not guiltlesse live and you not guilty die I am the man for whom these billowes dance My death shall purchase your deliverance Feare not to cease your feares but throw me in Alas my soule is burthen'd with my sin And God is just and bent to his Decree Which certaine is and cannot alter'd be I am proclaim'd a Traitor to the King Of heaven an earth The windes with speedy wing Acquaint the Seas The Seas mount up on high And cannot rest untill the Traytor die Oh cast me in and let my life be ended Let Death make Iustice mends which Life offended Oh let the swellinâ— waters me enbalme So shall the Waves be still and Sea be calme So said th' amazed Mariners grew sad New Love abstracted what old Feare did adde Love called Pity Feare call'd vengeance in Love view'd the Sinner Feare beheld the Sin Love cry'd out Hold for better sav'd than spil'd But Feare cry'd Kill O better kill than kill'd Thus plung'd with Passions they distracted were Betwixt the hopes and doubts of Love and Feare Some cry'd out Save if this foule deed we doe Vengeance that haunted him will haunt us too Others cry'd No May rather death befall To one that hath deserv'd to dye then all Save him sayes one Oh save the man that thus His dearest blood hath profer'd to save us No sayes another vengeance must have blood And vengeance strikes most hard when most withstood In fine say all Then let the Prophet die And we shall live For Prophets cannot lye Loth to be guilty of their owne yet loth To haste poore Ionahs death with hope that both Th' approching evils might be at once prevented With prayers and paines reutter'd reattented They try'd new wayes despairing of the old Love quickens courage makes the spirits bold They strove in vaine by toile to win the shore And wrought more hard than erâ—e they did before But now both hands and hearts begin to quaile For bodies wanting rest must faint and faile The Seas are angry and the waves arise Appeas'd with nothing but a Sacrifice Gods vengeance stormeth like the raging Seas Which nought but Ionah dying can appease Fond is that labour which attempts to free What Heaven hath bound by a divine decree Ionah must die Heaven hath decreed it so Ionah must die or else they all die too Ionah must die that from his Lord did flie The Lott determines Ionah then must die His guilty word confirmes the sacred Lott Ionah must die then if they perish not If Iustice then appoint since he must die Said they us Actors of â—is Tragedy We beg not Lord a warrant to offend O pardon blood-shed that we must intend Though not our hands yet shall our hearts be cleare Then let not stainlesse consciences beare The pond'rous burden of a Murders guilt Or pay the price of blood that must be spilt For 〈◊〉 deare Lord it is thine owne decree And we sad ministers of Iustice be Meditat. 5. BVt stay a while this thing would first be known Can Ionah give himselfe and not his owne That part to God and to his Countrey this Pertaines so that a slender third is his Why then should Ionah doe a double wrong To deale himselfe away that did belong The least unto himselfe or how could hee Teach this Thou shalt not kill if Ionah be His life 's owne Butcher What was this a deed That with the Calling he profest agreed The purblinde age whose workes almost divine Did meerely with the oyle of Nature shine That knew no written Law nor Grace nor God To whip their conscience with a steely rod How much did they abhorre so foule a fact When led by Natures glimpse they made an act Selfe-murderers should be deny'd to have The charitable honour of a Grave Can such doe so when Ionah does amisse What Ionas Isr'els Teacher and doe this The Law of Charity doth all forbid In this thing to doe that which Ionah did Moreo're in charity 't is thy behest Of dying men to thinke and speake the best The mighty Samson did as much as this And who dare say that Samson did amisse If heavens high Spirit whisper'd in his eare Expresse command to doe 't No wavering feare Drew backe the righteous Abram's armed hand From Isaacks death secur'd by heavens command ¶ Sure is the knot that true Religion tyes And Love that 's rightly grounded never dyes It seemes a paradoxe beyond beliefe That men in trouble should prolong reliefe That Pagans to withstand a
Charity be wanting nought a vailes me ¶ Lord in my Soule a spirit of Love create me And I will love my Brother if he hate me In nought but love let me envy my betters And then Forgive my debts as I my detters 8. ¶ I Finde a true resemblance in the growth Of Sin and Man A like in breeding both The Soul 's the Mother and the Devill Syer Who lusting long in mutuall desier Enjoy their Wils and joyne in Copulation The Seed that fils her wombe is foule Tentation The sinnes Conception is the Soules coâ—sent And then it quickens when it breeds content The birth of Sin is finisht in the action And Custome brings it to its full perfection ¶ O let my fruitlesse Soule be barren rather Then bring forth such a Child for such a Father Or if my Soule breed Sinne not being wary Let not her wombe bring forth or else miscarry She is thy Spouse O Lord doe thou advise her Keepe thou her chast Let not the Fiend entice her Try thou my heart Thy Trials bring Salvation But let me not be led into temptation 9. ¶ FOrtune that blinde supposed Goddesse is Still rated at if ought suceed amisse 'T is shee the vaine abuse of Providence That beares the blame wheÌ„ others make th' offence When this mans barne finds not her wonted store Fortun 's condâ—mn'd because she sent no more If this man dye or that man live too long Fortun 's accus'd and she hath done the wrong Ah foolish Dolls and like â—our Goddesse blinde You make the fault and call your Saint unkinde For when the cause of Ev'll begins in Man Th' effect ensues from whence the cause began Then know the reason of thy discontent Thy ev'll of Sinne makes the Ev'll of punishment ¶ Lord hold me up or spurre mee when I fall So shall my Ev'll bee just or not at all Defend me from the World the Flesh the Devill And so thou shalt deliver me from Evill 10. ¶ THe Priestly Skirts of A'rons holy coate I kisse and to my morning Muse devote Had never King in any age or Nation Such glorious Robes set forth in such a fashion With Gold and Gemmes and Silks of Princely Dye And Stones befitting more than Majesty The Persian Sophies and rich Shaeba's Queene Had n'er the like nor e'r the like had seene Vpon the Skirts in order as they fell First a Pomegranat was and then a Bell By each Pomegranat did a Bell appeare Many Pomegranats many Bels there were Pomegranats nourish Bels doe make a sound As blessings fall Thanksgiving must rebound ¶ If thou wilt cloth my heart with A'rons tyer My tongue shall praise as well as heart desier My tongue and pen shall dwell upon thy Story Great God for thine is Kingdome Power Glory 11. ¶ THe Ancient Sophists that were so precise and oftentimes perchance too curious nice Averre that Nature hath bestow'd on Man Three perfect Soules When this I truly scan Me thinks their Learning swath'd in Errour lyes They were not wise enough and yet too wise Too curious wise because they mention more Then one Not wise enough because not foure Nature not Grace is Mistris of their Schooles Grace counts them wisest that are veriest Fooles Three Soules in man Grace doth a fourth allow The Soule of Faith But this is Greeke to you 'T is Faith that makes man truly wise 'T is Faith Makes him possesse that thing he never hath ¶ This Glorious Soule of Faith bestow on me O Lord or else take thou the other three Faith makes men lesse then Children more then Men It makes the Soule cry Abba and Amen The End PENTELOGIA Morstua Mors Christi Fraus Mundi Gloria Coeli Et Dâ—lor Inferni sunt meditanda tibi Thy death the death of Christ the worlds teÌ„tation Heavens joy hels torment be thy meditation LONDON Printed for IOHN MARRIOT 1632. Mors tua 1. ¶ ME thinkes I see the nimble-aged Sire Passe swiftly by with feet unapt to tire Vpon his head an Hower-glasse he weares And in his wrinkled hand a Sythe he beares Both Instruments to take the lives from Men Th' one shewes with what the other sheweth when Me thinkes I heare the dolefull Passing-bell Setting an onset on his louder knell This moody musick of impartiall Death Who dances after dances out of breath Me thinkes I see my dearest friends lament With sighs and teares and wofull dryriment My tender Wife and Children standing by Dewing the Death-bed whereupon I lie Me thinkes I heare a voyce in secret say Thy glasse is runne and thou must die to day Mors Christi 2. ¶ ANd am I here and my Redeemer gone Can He be dead and is not my life done Was he tormented in excesse of measure And doe I live yet and yet live in pleasure Alas could Sinners finde out ne're a one More fit than Thee for them to spit upon Did thy cheekes entertaine a Traylors lips Was thy deare body scourg'd and torne with whips So that the guiltlesse blood came trickling after And did thy fainting browes sweat blood and water Wert thou Lord hang'd upon the Cursed Tree O world of griefe And was all this for me ¶ Burst forth my teares into a world of sorrow And let my nights of griefe finde ne're a morrow Since thou art dead Lord grant thy servant roome Within his heart to build thy heart a Tombe Fraus Mundi 3. ¶ WHat is the World a great exchange of warâ— Wherein all sorts sexes cheapning art The Flesh the Devill sit and cry What lacke ye When most they fawn they most intend to rack ye The wares are cups of Ioy and beds of Pleasure Ther 's goodly choice down weight flowing meâ—sure A soul 's the price but they give time to pay Vpon the Death-bed on the dying day ¶ Hard is the bargaine and unjust the measure When as the price so much out-lasts the pleasure The joyes that are on earth are counterfaits If ought be true 't is this Th' are true deceits They flatter fawne and like the Crocodile Kill where they laugh and murther where they smile They daily dip within thy Dish and cry Who hath betraid thee Master Is it I Gloria Coeli 4. ¶ VVHen I behold and well advise upon The Wisemans speech There 's nought beneath the Sun But vanity my soule rebels within And lothes the dunghill prison she is in But when I looke to new Ierusalem Wherein 's reserv'd my Crown my Diadem O what a Heaven of blisse my Soule enjoyes On sudden rapt into that heaven of Ioyes Where ravisht in the depth of meditation She well discernes with eye of contemplation The glory ' of God in his Imperiall Seat Full strong in Might in Majesty compleat Where troops of Powers Vertues Cherubims Angels Archangels Saints and Seraphims Are chaunting prayses to their heavenly King Where Hallelujah they for ever sing Dolor Inferni 5. ¶ LEt Poets please to torture Tanialus Let griping Vultures
soveraigne Lady of my select desires 〈◊〉 I I am He whom thy chaste soule admires 〈◊〉 Rose for smell the Lily to the eye 〈◊〉 so sweet is not so faire as I 〈◊〉 vailed beautie's not the glorious prize Of common sight within my beautie lies 〈◊〉 ne'rethelesse my glory were but small 〈◊〉 should want to honour thee with all 2. NOr doe I boast my excellence alone But thine deare spouse as whoÌ„ the world hath none 〈◊〉 to faith so pure in love as whom 〈◊〉 not a Bride so fits so chaste a Grome 〈◊〉 as the fairest Lily doth exceede 〈◊〉 fruitlesse Bramble or the foulest weede 〈◊〉 my love dost thou exceed the rest â—â—â—fect beautie of a loyall brest BRIDE SONET VII â—Ooke how the fruitfull tree whose ladeÌ„ boughâ— With swelling pride crowne Autumnes smiling browes Surpasses idle shrubs even so in worth My love transcends the worthies of the earth He was my shore in shipwracke and my shelter In stormes my shade when I began to swelter If hungry he was Food and if opprest With wrongs my Advocate with toile my rest 2 I Thirsted and full charged to the brinke He gave me bowles of Nectar for my drinke And in his sides he broacht me for a signe Of dearest love a Sacramentall wine He freely gave I freely dranke my fill The more I dranke the more remained still Did never Souldier to his Colours prove More chaste than I to so entire a Love 3. O How his beautie sets my soule on fire My spirits languish with extreame desire Desires exceeding limits are too lavish And wanting meanes to be effected ravish Then let thy breath like flaggons of strong wine Releeve and comfort this poore heart of mine For I am sicke till time that doth delay Our Marriage bring our joyfull Marriage day 4. TIll then O let my dearest Lord by whom These pleasing paines of my sweet sorrowes com◠〈◊〉 for me his vowes and with his due resort 〈◊〉 me to make the sullen time seeme short 〈◊〉 his sweet presence may I still be blest 〈◊〉 barr'd from whom my soule can finde no rest 〈◊〉 let all times be prosp'rous and all places 〈◊〉 witnesse to our undefil'd Embraces 5. ALl you whose seeming favours have profest The true affection of a loyall brest â—â—ge you all by the true love you beare 〈◊〉 friendship or what else yee count most deare â—isturbe ye not my Love O doe not reive 〈◊〉 of his joyes that is so apt to grieve 〈◊〉 not to breake his quiet slumbers lest 〈◊〉 rouze a raging Lyon from his rest 〈◊〉 not his spirit with your sinnes 6. HArke harke I heare that thrice-celestial voicâ— Wherein my spirits rapt with joyes rejoyce â—â—ice that tels me my beloved's nie 〈◊〉 the Musicke by the Majestie 〈◊〉 he comes 'T is not my blemisht face 〈◊〉 slacke the swiftnesse of his winged pace â—â—old he comes His Trumpet doth proclaime â—â—comes with speed A truer love ne're came 7 BEhold the fleetnesse of his nimble feet The Roe-Bucke the Hart were ne're so fleet The word I spake flew not so speedy from me As He the treasure of my soule comes to me He stands behinde my wall as if in doubt Of welcome Ah this Wall debarres him out O how injurious is this Wall of sin That barres my Lover out and bolts me in The BRIDE in the person of the BRIDEGROOME SONET VIII HArke harke me thinks I heare my true love say Breake downe that envious bar come away Arise my dearest Spouse and dispossesse Thy soule of doubtfull feares nor overpresse Thy tender spirits with the dull despaire Of thy demerits Love thou art as faire As Earth will suffer Time will make thee clearer Come forth my love then whom my life's neâ—â— dearer 2. COme forth my joy what bold affront of fear Can fright thy soule I thy Champion here 'T is I that call 't is I thy Bridegroome calls thee Beâ—ide it me what ever evill befalls thee The winter of thy sharpe Afflictions gone Why fear'st thou cold and art so neare the Sunne 〈◊〉 thy Sunne if thou be cold draw nearer 〈◊〉 forth my Love then whoÌ„ my life 's not dearerâ— 3. COme forth my dear the spring of joyes invite thee The flowers contend for beautie to delight thee Their sweet ambition's onely which might be 〈◊〉 sweet most faire because most like to thee 〈◊〉 Birds sweet Heralds of so sweet a Spring â—arble high notes and Hymeneans sing â—â—ing with joy t' enjoy so sweet a Hearer Come forth my love theÌ„ whoÌ„ my life 's not dearer 4 THe prosperous Vlne which this deare hand did plant Tenders due service to so sweet a Saint 〈◊〉 hidden Clusters swell with sacred pride 〈◊〉 kisse the lips of so so faire a Bride 〈…〉 in their leafes they lurke fearing to be Discryde by any till first seene by thee The clouds are past the heavens cannot be clearer Come forth dear love theÌ„ whoÌ„ my lif 's not dearer 5. MY Dove whoÌ„ daily dangers teach new shifts That like a Dove dost haunt the secret clifts Of solitary Rockes How e're thou be Reserv'd from others be not strange to me Call me to rescue and this brawnie Arme Shall quell thy Foe fence thy soule from harme Speake Love Thy voice is sweet what if thy face Be drencht with teares each teare's a several grace 6. ALl you that wish prosperity and peace To crowne our contract with a long encrease Of future joyes O shield my simple Love From those that seeke her ruine and remov The base Opposers of her best designes Destroy the Foxes that destroy her Vines Her Vines are fruitfull but her tender grapes Are spoil'd by Foxes clad in humane shapes The BRIDE in her owne person SONET IX WHat greater joy can bless my soule theÌ„ this That my beloved's mine and I am his Our soules are knit the world cannot untwine The joyfull union of his heart and mine In him I live in him my soule 's possest With heavenly solace and eternall rest Heaven onely knowes the blisse my soule enjoyes Fond earth 's too dull to apprehend such ioyes 2. THou sweet perfection of my full delights Till that bright Day devoted to the rites Of our solemniz'd Nuptialls shall come Come live with me make this heart thy Home 〈◊〉 me not Although my face appeare 〈◊〉 and cloudie yet my heart is cleare 〈◊〉 haste Let not the swift-foot Roe-bucke flee 〈◊〉 following Hounde so fast as thou to me 3. â— Thought my Love had taken up his rest Within the secret Cabin of my brest 〈◊〉 thought the closed curtaines did immure 〈◊〉 gentle slumbers but was too secure 〈◊〉 driven with love to the false bed I stept 〈◊〉 view his slumbring beautie as he slept 〈◊〉 he was gone yet plainely there was seene The curious dint where he had lately beene 4. â—â—patient of his absence thus bereaven Of him than whom
that Quire Of endlesse joy fill'd with coelestiall fire Pardon my teares that in their passion would Recall thee from thy Kingdome if they could Pardon O pardon my distracted zeale Which if condemn'd by reason must appeale To thee whose now lamented death whose end Confirm'd the deare affection of a friend Permit me then to offer at thy herse These fruitles teares which if they prove to fierce O pardon you that know the price of friends For teares are just that nature recommends ELEG 18. SO may the faire aspect of pleased heaven Conforme my noone of daies crowne their even So may the gladder smiles of earth present My fortunes with the height of joâ—s content As I lament with unaffected breath Our losse deare Ailmer in thy happy death May the false teare that 's forc'd or slides by Art That hath no warrant from the soule the heart Or that exceeds not natures faint commission Or dares unvented come to composition O may that teare in stricter judgement rise Against those false those faint those flattring eyes ELEG 19. THus to the world and to the spacious eares Of fame I bâ—azon my unboasted teares Thus to thy sacred dust thy Vrne thy Herse I consecrate my sighes my teares my verse Thus to thy soule thy name thy just desert I offer up my joy my love my heart That earth may know and every eare that heares True worth and griefe were parents to my teares That earth may know thy dust thy Vrne thy herse Brought forth bred my sighes my teares my verse And that thy soule thy name thy just desert Invites incites my joy my love my heart ELEG 20. VNconstant earth why doe not mortalls cease To build their hopes upon so short a lease Vncertaine lease whose terme but once begun Tells never when it ends till it be done We dote upon thy smiles not knowing why And whiles we but prepare to live we dye We spring like flowers for a daies delight At noone we flourish and we â—ade at night We toile for kingdomes conquer Crownes then We that were Gods but now now lesse than men If wisdome learning knowlege cannot dwell Secure from change vaine bubble earth farewell ELEG 21. WOuldst thou when death had done deserve a story Should staine the memory of great Pompeyes glory Conquer thy selfe example be thy guide Dye just as our selfe-conquering Ailmer dyde Woldst thou subdue more kingdoÌ„es gain mo crowns Than that brave Hero Caesar conquer'd townes Then conquer death Example be thy guide Die just as our death-conquering Ailmer dyde But woldst thou win more worlds than he had done Kingdomes that all the earth hath over-runne Then conquer heaven example be thy guide Die just as our heaven-conquering Ailmer dyde ELEG 22. YEares fully laden with their months attend Th' expired times acquitance and so end Months gone their dates of numbered daies require Bright Cynâ—â—ia's full discharge and so expire Dayes deepely ag'd with houres lose their light And having runne their stage conclude with night And howers chac'd with light-foot minutes flye Tending their labour to a new supply Yet Ailmers glory never shall diminish Though yeares and months though daies howers finish Yet Ailmers joyes for ever shall extend Though yeares months though daies and howers end FINIS Dâ—loris nullus His Epitaph ASke you why so many a teare Bursts forth I 'le tell you in your eare Compell me not to speake aloud Death would then be too too proud Eyes that cannot vye a teare Forbeare to aske you may not heare Gentle hearts that overflow Have onely priviledge to know In these sacred ashes then Know Reader that a man of men Lyes covered Fame and lasting glory Make deare mention of his story Nature when she gave him birth Op'd her treasure to the earth Put forth the modell of true merit Quickned with a higher spirit Rare was his life His latest breath Saw and scorn'd and conquer'd death Thanklesse Reader never more Vrge a why when teares runne ore When you saw so high a Tyde You might haue knowne 't was Ailmer dyde Obijt Ian. vj. MDCXXV Vivet post funera Virtus * Sensible graves * Pure in heart * The Kingdome of Heaven * Through apparant infirmities * Glorious in him * Weaknesse of the flesh * Afflictions * 〈◊〉 to Idolatrous superstitions * By reason of my â—â—â—â—nesse * Being seduced by false Prophets * Persecutions * By Idolatry * Thâ—ough my merits and thy sanctification * The Doctrine of the true Prophets * Teacher of my Congregations * Thy most visible parts * Sanctification * The riches of his holy Spirit * The holy Prophets * Thy holy Spirit * In giving grace and receiving glory * The Congregation of Saints * In inward graces * 〈◊〉 is outword glorie * The holy Scriptures * Thy sweet promises * 〈◊〉 imperfections of my present state * The weakenesse of my flesh * The Elect. * Angels * The Congregation of the faithfull * To offer up the first 〈◊〉 of obedience * â— Persecutions * The day of Iudgement * 〈◊〉 sanctification * 〈◊〉 my soule * By strict examination * Amongst the wisest worldlings * The Ministers of the word * At the resurrection * Through sanctification by my merits * â—y heavenly contemplation * Through the gifts of my spirit * The modestie and purity of thy judgement * Ornaments of necessary Ceremonies * Sincere Ministers * Doctrine of thy holy Prophets * Modest graces of the â—pirit * Magistrates * The old and new Testaments * The sanctified zealous Reader * The second death * I will withdraw my bodily presence * The day of judgement * Infirmities of the flesh * This vale of miserie * Thine eye of Faith * Divine Harmonie * The two Testaments * Riddles to prophane Readers * Celestiall comforts * â—he faithfull * The Sunne of righteousnesse * Obedience * Strong workes of Faith * The new fruits of the Spirit * Toâ— much securitie * My heart * The pleasures of the Flesh. * Thy hard-hearted unkindenesse * â—â—pented * The sweetnesse of his graces * False teachers * With their false doctrines * Divine Love * His Dietie * His Humanitie * His judgements and care of his Church * The discovery of him in his word * His promises * Those that die to sinne * That live to righteousnesse * His actins * With purenesse * His secret counsells * Inwardly glorious * His waies constant firme and pure * His whole carriage * The Church is the way to Christ. * Congregation of the faithfull * Giving graces * Receiving glory * Despairing soules * Not yet thorowly humbled * Strengthning the weake in spirit * The force of repentance * Sincere Ministers * Thy visible parts * Modestie and zeale * The pure in heaâ—t * My Spirit * Securitie * Worldly pleasures * Thy wayes * The girdle of truth * The precious gifts of the Spirit * Thereby there is a receipt of spirituall Conceptions * Increase of the faithfull * The old and new Testament * Magistrates * Teachers * Glorious in all parts * The Ceremonies of the Church * Despairing soules * Young Converts * Opposers of the Truth * Congregation of the faithfull * By affliction * Young Convers. * Assemblies * Faithfull * Faith and good workes * The universall Church * Teares and sorrowes * Not to vexe and grieve his holy Spirit * In humility * The Church of the Gentiles then uncalled * Vncall'd to the truth * In the great Congregation * The penitent * The presumptuous
heart and sucke thy blood Beware betimes lest custome and permission Prescribe a title and so claime possession ¶ Despairing man whose burthen makes thee stoop Vnder the terror of thy sinnes and droop Through dull despaire whose too too sullen griefe Makes heav'n unable to apply reliefe Whose eares are dull'd with noyse of whips and chaines And yels of damned soules through tort'red pains Come here and rouze thy selfe unâ—eele those eyes Which sad Despaire clos'd up Arise Arise And goe to Nineveh the worlds great Palace Earths mighty wonder and behold the Ballace And burthen of her bulke is nought but sin Which wilfull she commits and wallowes in Behold her Images her fornications Her crying sinnes her vile abominations Behold the guiltlesse blood that she did spill Like Spring-tides in the streets and reeking still Behold her scorching lusts and taint desier Like sulph'rous Aetna blaze and blaze up higher She rapes and rends and theeves there is none Can justly call the thing he hath his owne That sacred Name of God that Name of wonder In stead of worshipping she teares in sunder She 's not enthrall'd to this Sin or another But like a Leper's all infected over Not onely sinfull but in sinnes subjection Shee 's not infected but a meere infection No sooner had the Prophet Heav'ns great Spy Begun an onset to his lowder Cry But she repented sigh'd and wept and tore Her curious hayre and garments that she wore She sate in ashes and with Sack-cloth clad her All drencht in brine that griefe cannot be sadder She calls a Fast proclames a prohibition To man and beast sad tokens of contrition No sooner pray'd but heard No sooner groan'd But pittied No sooner griev'd but moan'd Timely Repentance speedy grace procur'd The sore that 's salvd in time is eas'ly cur'd No sooner had her trickling teares ore-flowne Her blubber'd cheeks but heav'n was apt to mone Her pensive heart wip'd her suffused eyes And gently strok'd her cheekes and bid her rise No faults were seene as if no fault had bin Deare Mercy made a Quittance for her sin ¶ Malfido rouze thy leaden spirit bestirre thee Hold up thy drouzy head here 's comfort for thee What if thy zeale be frozen hard What then Thy Saviours blood will thaw that frost agen Thy pray'rs that should be servent hot as fier Proceed but coldly from a dull desier What then Grieve inly But do not dismay Who heares thy pray'rs will give thee strength to pray Though left a while thou art not quite giv'n ore Where Sinne abounds there Grace abounâ—eth more This this is all the good that I can doe thee To ease thy griefe I here commend unto thee A little booke but a great Mystery A great delight A little History A little branch slipt from a saving tree But bearing fruit as great as great mought be A small abridgement of thy Lords great love A message sent from heaven by a Dove It is a heavenly Lecture that relates To Princes Pastors People all Estates Their sev'rall duties ¶ Peruse it well and binde it to thy brest The rests the Cause of thy defect of rest But read it often or else read it not Once read is not observ'd and soone forgot Nor is 't enough to read but understand Or else thy tongue for want of wit 's prophan'd Nor is 't enough to purchase knowledge by it Salve heales no sore unlesse the party ' apply it Apply it then which if thy flesh restraines Strive what thou canst pray for what remaines The particular Application ¶ THen thou that art opprest with sad Despaire Here shalt thou see the strong effect of pray'r Then pray with faith servent without ceasing Like Iacob wrestle till thou get a blessing ¶ Here shalt thou see the type of Christ thy Saviour Then let thy suits be through his name and favour ¶ Here shalt thou finde repentance and true griefe Of sinners like thy selfe and their beliefe Then suit thy griefe to theirs and let thy soule Cry mightily untill her wounds be whole ¶ Here shalt thou see the meeknesse of thy God Who on Repentance turnes and burnes the Rod Repents of what he purpos'd and is sorry Here may ye heare him stoutly pleading for ye Then thus shall be thy meed if thou repent In stead of plagues and direfull punishment Thou shalt find mercy love and Heav'ns applause And God of Heav'n himselfe will plead thy cause ¶ Here hast thou theÌ„ compil'd within this treasure First the Almighties high and just displeasure Against foule sinne or such as sinfull be Or Prince or poore or high or low degree ¶ Here is descri'd the beaten Road to Faith ¶ Here maist thou see the force that Preaching hath ¶ Here is describ'd in briefe but full expression The nature of a Convert and his passion His sober Dyet which is thin and spare His clothing which is Sack-cloth and his Prayre Not faintly sent to heaven nor spatingly But piercing â—ervent and a mighty cry ¶ Here maist thou see how Pray'r true repeÌ„tance Do strive with God prevaile and turn his sentence From strokes to stroking from plagues infernall To boundlesse Mercies and to life Eternall ¶ Till Zephyr lend my Barke a second Gale I slip mine Anchor and I strike my saile FINIS O dulcis Salvator Mundi ultima verba quae tu dixisti in Cruce sint ultima mea verba in Luce quando amplius effari non possum exaudi tu cordis mei desiderium A HYMNE to GOD. WHo gives me then an Adamantine quill A marble tablet And a Davids skill To blazon forth the praise of my deare Lord In deepe-grav'n Characters upon record To last for times etcâ—nall processe suer So long as Sunne and Moone and Starres endure Had I as many mouthes as Sands there are Had I a nimble tongue for every Starre And every word I speake a Character And every minutes time ten Ages were To chaunt forth all thy prayse it no'te availe For tongues words and time and all would faile Much lesse can I poore Weakling tune my tongue To take a taske befits an Angels song Sing what thou canst when thou canst sing no more Weepe then as fast that thou canst sing no more Beblurre thy booke with teares and go thy wayes For every blurre will prove a booke of prayse Thine eye that viewes the moving Spheares above Let it give praise to him that makes them move Thou riches hast Thy hands that hold have them Let them give praise to him that freely gave them Thine armes defend thee then for recompence Let them praise him that gave thee such defence Thy tongue was given to praise thy Lord the Giver Then let thy tongue praise highest God for ever Faith comes by hearing thy Faith will save thee TheÌ„ let thine cars prais him that hearing gave thee Thy bea rt is beg'd by him whose hands did make it My Sonne Give me thy Heart Lord freeâ—y take
opposition Exasperate the more A gloomy night Whets on the morning to returne more bright A blade well triâ—d deserves a treble price And Vertu 's purest most oppos'd by Vice Brave mindes opprest should in despight of Faâ—â— Looke greatest like the Sunne in lowest state But ah shal God thus strive with flesh and blood Receives he Glory from or reapes he Good In mortals Ruine that he leaves man so To be or'ewhelm'd by his unequall Foe May not a Potter that from out the ground Hath fram'd a Vessell search if it be sound Or if by for bushing he take more paine To make it fairer shall the Pot complaine Mortall thou art but Clay Then shall not he That fram'd thee for his service season thee Man close thy lips Be thou no undertaker Of Gods designes Dispute not with thy Maker Lord 't is against thy nature to doe ill Then give me power to beare and worke thy Will Thou know'st what 's best make thou thine owne conclusion Be glorifi'd although in my confusion THE ARGVMENT Satan the second time appeares Before th' Eternall boldly dares Maligne Iobâ— tryed Faith afresh And gaines th'afflicting of his Flesh. Sect. 4. ONce more when heaveÌ„s harmonious queristers Appear'd before his Throne whose Ministers They are of his concealed will to render Their strict account of Iustice and to tender Th'accepted Sacrifice of highest praise Warbled in Sonnets and celestiall Layes Satan came too bold as a hungry Fox Or ravinous Wolfe amid the tender Flockes Satan said then th' Eternall from whence now Hath thy imployments driven thee whence com'st thou Satan replies Great God of heaveÌ„ earth I come from tempting and from making mirth To heare thy dearest children whine and roare In briefe I come from whence I came before Said then th' Eternall Hast thou not beheld My servants Faith how like a seven-fold shield It hath defended his integrity Against thy fiery Darts Hath not thine Eye Thine envious eye perceiv'd how puâ—ely just He stands and perfect worthy of the trust I lent into his hand persisting still Iust fearing God eschewing what is ill 'T was not the losse of his so faire a Flock Nor sudden rape of such a mighty Stock 'T was neither losse of Servants nor his Sonnes Vntimely slaughter acted all at once Could make him quaile or warpe so true a Faith Or staine so pure a Love say Satan hath Thy hand so deepely counterfeiting mine Made him mistrust his God or once repine Can there in all the earth say can there be A man so Perfect and so Iust as He Replyes the Tempter Lord an outward losse Hopes for repaire it 's but a common crosse I know thy servant's wise a wise forecast Grieves for things present not for things are past Perchance the tumour of his sullen heart Brookes losse of all since he hath lost a part My selfe have Servants who can make true boast They gave away as much as he hath lost Others which learning made so wisely mad Refuse such Fortunes as he never had A Faith 's not try'd by this uncertaine Tuch Others that never knâ—w thee did as much Lend mee thy Power then that I might once But Sacrifice his Flesh afflict his Bones And pierce his Hide but for a moments space Thy Darling then would curse thee to thy Face To which th' Eternall thus His body 's thine To plague thy fill withall I doe confine Thy power to her â—ists Afflict and teare His flesh at pleasure But his life forbeare Meditat. 4. BOth Goods and body too Lord who can stand Expect not Iobs uprightnesse at my hand Without Iobs aid The temper of my Passion Vntam'd by thee can brooke no Iobs Temptation For I am weake and fraile and what I can Most boast of proves me but a sinfull man Things that I should avoid I doe and what I am injoyn'd to doe that doe I not My Flesh is weake too strong in this alone It rules my spirit that should be rul'd by none But thee my spirit 's faint and hath beene never Free from the fits of fins quotidian Fever My pow'rs are all corrupt corrupt my Will Marble to good and Waxe to what is ill Eclipsed is my reason and my Wit By interposing Earth 'twixt Heaven and it My mem'ri's like a Scarce of Lawne alas It keepes things grosse and lets the purer passe What have I then to boast What Title can I challenge more than this A sinfull man Yet doe I sometimes feele a warme desire Raise my low Thoughs and dull affections higher Where like a soule entranc't my spirit flies Makes leagues with Angels and brings Deities Halfe way to heaven shakes hands with Seraphims And boldly mingles wings with Cherubims Frem whence I looke askauns adowne the earth Pity my selfe and loath my place of birth But while I thus my lower state deplore I wake and prove the wretch I was before Even as the Needle that directs the howre Toucht with the Loadstone by the secret power Of hidden Nature points upon the Pole Even so the wav'ring powers of my soule Toucht by the vertue of thy Spirit flee From what is Earth and point alone to Thee When I have faith to hold thee by the Hand I walke securely and me thinkes I stand More firme than Atlas But when I forsake The safe protection of thine Arme I quake Like wind-shakt Reeds and have no strength at all But as a Vine the Prop cut downe I fall Yet wretched I when as thy Iustice lends Thy glorious Presence from me straight am friends With Flesh and blood forget thy Grace flye froÌ„ it And like a Dog returne unto my vomit The fawning world to pleasure then invites My wandring eyes The flesh presents delights Vnto my yeelding heart which thinke those pleasures Are onely bus'nes now and rarest treasures Content can glory in whilst I secure Stoope to the painted plumes of Satans Lure Thus I captiv'd and drunke with pleasures Wine Like to a mad-man thinke no state like mine What have I then to boast what title can I challenge more than this A sinfull man â— feele my griefe so enough nor can I be â—edrest by any but Great God by thee â—oo great thou art to come within my Roofe â—ay but the word Be â—â—â—le and 't is enough â—ill then my tongue shall never 〈◊〉 mine Eyes â—â—e're cloze my lowly bended knees ne're rise â—ill then my soule shall ne're want early sobs My cheekes no teares my Pensive brest no throbs My hart shall lack no zeale nor tongue expressing â—le strive like Iacob till I get my Blessing Say then Be cleaâ—e I 'le never stop till then Heaven ne'r shall rest till Heaven shal say Amen THE ARGVMENT Iob smote with Vlcers groveling lyes Plung'd in a Gulfe of Miseries His Wife to blasphemy doth tempt him His three Friends visit and lament him Sect. 5. LIke as a Truant-Scholler whose delay Is worse than whipping having leave to play â—â—kes haste to bee inlarged from
but in thy heart alone 〈◊〉 Ioy I prize farre dearer then my owne 〈◊〉 then shouldst thou deceive me and impart Sâ—â—oule a falshood to so true a heart Câ—me grant my suite and let that faithlesse tongue Make love amends which hath done love this wrong To whom dissembling Samson thus replied Take twisted ropes whose strength was never tryed And tye these closed hands together then I shall be fact and weake as other men With that she bound him close and having made The knot more suer then her love's she said Samson arise and take thy strength vpon thee Samson make hast the Philistines are on thee He straight arose and as a striving hand Would breake a Sisters thred he crackt the band That bound his arms he crackt the bands insunder But frowning Delila whose heart did wonder No lesse then vexe being fill'd with discontent She said False lover If thy heart had meant What thy faire tongue had formerly profest Thou nere hadst kept thy secrets from my brest Wherein hath Delila bin found unjust Not to deserve the honour of thy trust Wherein have I beene faithlesse of disloyall Or what request of thine are found denyall Had I but bin so wise as to deny Samson might beg'd and misâ— as well as I But 't is my fortune still to be most free To those as are the â—est reserv'd to me Be not ingratefull Samson If my brest Were but as false as thine is hard I 'd rest To tempt thy silence or to move my suite Speake then but speake the truth or else be mute To whom fond Samson If thy hands would tye These locks to yonder Beame they will diserie My native weâ—knesse and thy Samson then Would be as poore in strength as other men So said her busie fingers soone obey'd His locks being platted to the beame she said Samson bestirre thee and let thy power appeare Samson take heed the Philistines are here With that he quits the place whereon he lay Fallne fast asleepe and bore the Beame away Meditat. 21. SEe how the crafty Serpent twists and windes Into the brest of man What paths he findes And crooked by-wayes With how sweet a baite He hides the hooke of his inveterate hate What suger'd words and eare-delighting Art He uses to supplant the yeelding heart Of poore deceived man who stands and trusts Vpon the broken staffe of his false â—â—â—sts He tempts allures suggests and in conclusion Makes Man the Pander to his owne confusion The fruit was faire and pleasing to the eyes Apt to breed knowledge and to make them wise Must they not taste so faire a fruit not touch Yes doe T will make you Gods and know as much As he that made it Thinke you you can fall Into deaths hands Yee shall not dye at all Thus fell poore man his knowledge proved such Better ' thad bin he had not knowne so much Thus this old Serpent takes advantage still On our desiers and distemperd will Art thou growne Covetous wouldst thou faine be rich He comes and strikes thy heart with the dry itch Of having Wealth will rouze thy heartles friends Make thee a potent Master of thy Ends 'T will bring thee honour make thy suites at Law Prosper at will and keepe thy Foes in awe Art thou Ambitious He will kindle fire In thy proud thoughts make thy thoughts aspire â—ee'l come and teach thy honour how to scorne 〈◊〉 old acquaintance whom thou hast outworne 〈◊〉 teach thee how to Lord it and advance 〈◊〉 servants fortunes with thy Countenance Wouldst thou enjoy the Pleasures of the flesh 〈◊〉 bring thee wanton Ladies to refresh 〈◊〉 drooping soule He 'l teach thine eyes to wander 〈◊〉 thee how to wooe Hee 'l be thy Pander 〈◊〉 fill thy amorous soule with the sweet passion 〈◊〉 powerfull Love Hee 'l give thee dispensation 〈◊〉 sinne at pleasure He will make thee Slave 〈◊〉 thy own thoughts hee 'l make thee beg crave 〈◊〉 be a drudge hee 'l make thy treacherous breath 〈◊〉 thee and betray thee to thy death Lord if our Father Adam could not stay 〈◊〉 his upright perfection one poore day How can it be expected we have power To hold out Seige one scruple of an hower Our Armes are bound with too unequall bands We cannot strive We cannot loose our hands Great Nazarite awake and looke upon us Make haste to helpe The Philistines are on us THE ARGVMENT She sues againe Samson replies The very truth Her lips betray him They binde him They put out his eyes And to the prison they convey him Sect. 22. WIth that the wanton whose distrustfull eye Was fixt upon reward made this reply Had the deniall of my poore request Proceeded from th'inexorable brest Of one whose open hatred sought t' endanger My haunted life Or had it bin a stranger That wanted so much nature to deny The doing of a common curtesie Nay had it bin a friend that had deceiv'd me An ordinary friend It nere had griev'd me But thou even thou my bosome friend that art The onely joy of my deceived heart Nay thou whose hony-dropping lips so often Did plead thy undissembled love and soften My deare affection which could never yeeld To easier termes By thee to be beguild How often hast thou mockt my slender suite With forged falshood Hadst thou but beene mute Iâ—ere had hop'd But being fairely led Towards my prompt desiers which were fed With my false hopes and thy false-hearted tongue And then beguild I hold it as a wrong How canst thou say thou lov'st me How can I Thinke but thou hat'st me when thy lips deny So poore a Suite Alas my fond desire Had slak'd had not deniall blowne the fire Grant then at last and let thy open brest 〈◊〉 that thou lov'st me ' and grant my faire request Speake or speake not thy Delila shall give ore To urge her lips shall never urge thee more To whom the yeelding Lover thus betrai'd His heart being tortur'd unto death and said My deare my Delila I cannot stand Against so sweet a pleader In thy hand There entrust and to thy brest impart In Samsons life and secrets of his heart 〈◊〉 then my Delila that I was borne â—Nazarite These locks were never shorne 〈◊〉 Raisar yet came ere upon my crowne There lies my strength with theÌ„ my strength is gone 〈◊〉 they but shaven my Delila O then In Samson should be weake as other men No sooner had he spoken but he spred His body on the floore his drowzy head 〈◊〉 pillow'd on her lap untill at last He fell into a sleepe and being fast She clipt his locks from off his carelesse head And beckning the Philistians in she said Samson awake Take strength and courage on thee Samson arise The Philistines are on thee Even as a Dove whose wings are clipt for flying Flutters her idle stumps and still 's relying Vpon her wonted refuge strives in vaine To quit her life from danger and attaine The freedome of her
theft 10. O Thou the deare Inflamer of mine eyes Life of my soule and hearts eternall prize How delectable is thy love How pure How apt to ravish able to allure A frozen soule and with thy secret fire T' affect dull spirits with extreame desire How doe thy joyes though in their greatest dearth Transcend the proudest pleasures of the earth 11. THy lips my dearest spouse are the ful treasures Of sacred Poesie whose heavenly measures Ravish with joy the willing heart that heares But strike a deafenesse in rebellious eares Thy words like milke and Honie doe requite The season'd soule with profit and delight Heavens higher Palace and these lower places Of dungeon-earth are sweetned with thy graces 12. MY Love is like a Garden full of flowers Whose sunny banks choice of shady bowres Give change of pleasures pleasures wall'd about With Armed Angels to keepe Ruine out And from her brests enclosed from the ill Of looser eyes pure Chrystall drops distill The fruitfull sweetnesse of whose gentle showres Inrich her flowrs with beautie ' banks with flowrs 13. MY Love is like a Paradise beset With rarest gifts whose fruits but tender yet The world ne're tasted dainties farre more rare Than Edens tempting Apple and more faire Myrrhe Alloes Incense and the Cypresse tree Can boast no swetnesse but is breath'd from thee Dainties for taste and flowers for the smell Spring all from thee whose sweets all sweets excell BRIDE SONET XIII O Thou my deare whose sweets all sweets excell From whom my fruits receive their tast their smell How can my thriving plants refuse to grow Thus quickned with so sweet a Sun as thou How can my flowers which thy Ewers nourish With showers of living waters choose but flourish O thou the spring from whence these waters burst Did ever any taste thy streames and thurst 2. AM I a Garden May my flowers bee So highly honour'd to be smelt by thee Inspire them with thy sacred breath and then Receive from them thy borrowed breath agen Frequent thy Garden whose rare fruit invites Thy welcome presence to his choise Delights Taste where thou list and take thy full repaste Here 's that wil please thy smel thine eye thy taste BRIDEGROOME SONET XIIII THou sacred Center of my soule in whome I rest behold thy wisht-for Love is come Refresht with thy delights I have repasted Vpon thy pleasures my full soule hath tasted Thy rip'ned dainties and hath freely beene Pleas'd with those fruits that are as yet but green All you that love the honour of my Bride Come taste her Vineyards and be deifi'de BRIDE SONET XV. IT was a night a night as darke as foule As that blacke Errour that entranc'd my Soule When as my best beloved came and knockt At my dull gates too too securely lockt Vnbolt said he these churlish doores my Dove Let not false slumbers bribe thee from thy Iove Heare him that for thy gentle sake came hither Long injur'd by this nights ungentle weather 2. Heard the voice but the perfidious pleasure Of my sweet slumbers could not finde the leasure â—ope my drowsie dores my Spirit could speake â—ords faire enough but ah my flesh was weake 〈◊〉 fond excuses taught me to betray 〈◊〉 sacred vowes to a secure delay â—â—â—â—dious slumbers how have you the might 〈◊〉 blinde true pleasures with a false delight 3. WHen as my Love with oft repeated knocks Could not availe shaking his dewy locks â—â—â—ly displeas'd he could no longer bide 〈◊〉 slight neglect but went away denyde 〈◊〉 sooner gone but my dull soule discern'd 〈◊〉 drowzie error my griev'd Spirit yearn'd 〈◊〉 finde him out these seiled eyes that slept 〈◊〉 soundly fast awak'd much faster wept 4. THus rais'd and rouz'd from my deceitfull rest â—op'd my doores where my departed Guest 〈◊〉 beene I thrust the churlish Portals from me That so deny'de my dearest Bridegroome to me 〈◊〉 when I smelt of my returned hand 〈◊〉 soule was rapt my powers all did stand â—â—azed at the sweetnesse they did finde Which my neglected Love had left behinde 5. I Op'd my doore my Myrrheâ— distilling doore But ah my Guest was gone had given me o're What curious pen what Artist can define A matelesse sorrow Such ah such was mine Doubts and despaire had of my life depriv'd me Had not strong hope of his returne reviv'd me I sought but he refused to appeare I call'd but he would not be heard nor heare 6. THus with the tyranny of griefe distraught I rang'd a round no place I left unsought No care unask'd The watch-men of the City Wounded my soule without remorse of pity To virgin teares They taught my feet to stray Whose steps were apt enough to lose their way With taunts scornes they checkt me and derided And call'd me Whore because I walkt unguided 7. YOu hallowed Virgins you whose tender hearts Ere felt th' impression of Loves secret darts I charge you all by the deare faith you owe To Virgin purenesse and your vestall vowe Commend me to my Love if ere you meet him O tell him that his love-sick spouse doth greet him O let him know I languish with desire Tâ— enjoy that heart that sets this heart on fire VIRGINS SONET XVI O Thou the fairest flowre of mortall birth If such a beautie may be borne of earth â—â—gell or Virgin which or both in one â—â—gell by beauty Virgin by thy moane â—â—y who is He that may deserve these teares â—hese precious drops Who is 't can stop his eares 〈◊〉 these faire lips Speake Lady speake at large â—ho is 't For whom giv'st thou so strict a charge BRIDE SONET XVII MY Love is the perfection of delight Roses and Doves are not so red so white â—â—patern'd beautie summon'd every grace 〈◊〉 the composure of so sweet a face 〈◊〉 body is a Heaven for in his brest â—he perfect Essence of a God doth rest â—he brighter eye of Heaven did never shine â—â—an another glorie so divine 2. HIs Head is farre more glorious to behold Than fruitfull Ophyres oft refined gold T is the rich Magazen of secret treasure â—hence Graces spring in unconsined measure 〈◊〉 curl'd and dagling Tresses doe proclame Nâ—zarite on whom ne're Razor came Whose Raven-blacke colour gives a curious relish To that which beauty did so much imbellish 3. LIke to the eyes of Doves are his faire eyes Wherein sterne Iustice mixt with mercy lies His eyes are simple yet Majesticall In motion nimble and yet chaste withall Flaming like fier and yet burne they not Vnblemisht undistained with a spot Blazing with precious beames and to behold Like two rich Diamonds in a frame of gold 4. HIs cheeks are like two fruitfull beds ore-grown With Aromaticke flowers newly blowne Whose odours beauty please the smell the sight And doubling pleasures double the delight His lips are like a chrystall spring
from whence Flow sweetned streames of sacred Eloquence Whose drops into the eare distill'd doe give Life to the dead true joyes to them that live 5. HIs haÌ„ds are deckt with rings of gold the rings With costly Iewels fitting none but Kings Which of themselves though glorious yet receive More glorie from those fingers than they give His brests like Ivorie circled round about With veines like Saphyres winding in and out Whose beautie is though darkened from the eye Full of divine and secret Majestie 6. HIs legs like purest Marble strong and white Of curious shape though quicke unapt for flight His Feet as gold that 's oft refined are Like his upright proceedings pure and faire His Port is Princely and his Stature tall And like the Cedar stout yet sweet withall O who would not repose his life his blisse â—pon a Base so faire so firme as this 7 HIs mouth but stay what need my lips be lavish In choice of words when one alone wil ravish 〈◊〉 shall in briefe my ruder tongue discover The speaking Image of my absent Lover Then let the curious hand of Art refine The race of Vertues morall and divine From whence by heaven let there extracted be â— perfect Quintessence even such is He. VIRGINS SONET XVIII THrice fairer than the fairest whose sad teares And smiling words have charm'd our eyes our eares Say whither is this prize of beauty gone More faire than kinde to let thee weepe alone Thy tempting lips have whet our dull desire And till we see him we are all on fire Wee 'll finde him out if thou wilt be our guide The next way to the Bridegroome is the Bride BRIDE SONET XIX IF errour lead not my dull thoughts amisse My Genius tells me where my true Love is He 's busie labâ—ring on his flowry banks Inspiring sweetnesse and receiving thanks Watring those plants whose tender roots are dry And pruning such whose Crests aspire too high Transplanting grafting reaping fruits from some And covering others that are newly come 2. WHat if the frailty of my feebler part Lockt up the Portalls of my drowsie heart He knowes the weaknesse of the flesh incumbers Th' unwilling spirit with sense-bereaving slumbers My hopes assure me in despight of this That my Beloved's mine and I am his My hopes are firme which time shall ne're remove That he is mine by faith I his by love BRIDEGROOME SONET XX. THy timely griefe my teares-baptized Love CoÌ„pels mine eares to heare thy tears to move Thy blubber'd beauty to mine eye appeares More bright than 't was Such is the strength of teares â—eautie Terror meeting in thine eye Have made thy face the Throne of Majestie Those awfull beames the proudest heart will move To love for feare untill it feare for love 2. REpresse those flames that furnace from thine eye They ravish with too bright a Tyrannie Thy fires are too-too fierce O turne them from me They pierce my soule with their rayes o'recome me Thy curious * Tresses dangle all unbound â—ith unaffected order to the ground How orient is thy beauty How divine How darke's the glory of the earth to thine 3. THy Ivory Teeth in whitenesse doe out-goe The downe of Swans or Winters driven snowe Whose even proportions lively represent Th' harmonious Musicke of unite consent Whose perfect whitenesse Time could never blot Nor age the envious Worme of Ruine rot How orient is thy beauty How divine How darke's the glory of the earth to thine 4 THy Temples are the Temples of chaste love Where beauty sacrific'd her milke-white Dove Vpon whose Azure pathes are alwaies found The heaven-borne Graces dauncing in a round Thy maiden Blushes gently doe proclame A shame of guilt but not a guilt of shame How orient is thy beâ—â—ty How divine How darke's the glory of the earth to thine 5. YOu you brave spirits whose imperiall hand Enforces what your lookes cannot command Bring forth your pamper'd Queenes the lustfull prize And curious wrecks of your imperious eyes Surround the Circle of the earth and levie The fairest Virgins in Loves fairest bevie Then take from each to make one perfit grace Yet would my Love out-shine that borrow'd face 6. I Thou art she corrivalld with no other Thou glorious Daughter of thy glorious Mother The new lerusalem whose virgin birth Shall deifie the Virgins of the earth The Virgins of the earth have seene thy beautie And stood amaz'd and in a prostrate duty Have sued to kisse thy hand making thine eyes Their Lamps to light them til the Bridegroom rise 7. HArke how the virgins hallow'd with thy fire And wonder-smitten with thy beames admire Who who is this say they whose cheekes resemble â—â—â—ora's blush whose eye heavens lights dissemble Whose face is brighter than the silent Lampe That lights the earth to breathe her nightly damp Vpon whose brow sits dreadfull Majestie The frowne whereof commands a victorie 8 FAire Bride why was thy troubled soule dejected When I was absent was my faith suspected Which I so firmely plighted Couldst thou thinke My love could shake or such a vow could shrinke I did but walke among my tender Plants To smell their odours and supply their wants To see my Stockes so lately grifted sprout Or if my vines began to burgen out 9. THough gone was I my heart was in thy brest Although to thee perchaÌ„ce an unknowne guest 'T was that that gaue such wings to thy desire T' enjoy thy love and set thy soule on fire But my returne was quicke and with a minde More nimble yet more constant than the winde I came and as the winged shaft doth flie With undiscerned speed even so did I. 10. REturne O then returne thou child of Peace To thy first joyes O let thy teares surcease Returne thee to thy Love let not the night With flatt'ring slumbers tempt thy true delight Returne thee to my bosome let my brest Be still thy Tent Take there eternall rest Returne O thou in whose enchanted eye Are darts enough to make an army flye 11. FAire Daughter of the highest King how sweet Are th' unaffected graces of thy Feet From every step true Majestie doth spring Fitting the Daughter of so high a King Thy Wast is circled with a Virgin Zone Imbellisht round with many a precious Stone â—â—erein thy curious Workeman did fulfill 〈◊〉 utmost glory of his diviner skill 12. THy Navell where thy holy Embrion doth Receive sweet nourishment and heavenly growth â—â—ke a Chrystal spring whose fresh supply â—â—living waters Sunne nor Drought can dry 〈◊〉 fruitfull Wombe is like a winnow'd heape 〈◊〉 purest graine which heaveÌ„s blest hand did reap â—â—th Lillies fenc'd True Embleme of rare treasure Those graine denotes increase whose Lillies pleasure 13. THy dainty Brests are like faire twins both swelling In equall Majestie in hue
excelling 〈◊〉 new-falne snow upon th' untroden mountains From whence there flowes as from exub'rous fountaines â—â—â—ers of heavenly Nectar to allay The holy thirst of soules Thrice happy they â—â—d more than thrice whose blest affections bring Their thirstie palats to so sweet a Spring 14. THy Necke doth represent an Ivory Tower In perfect purenesse and united power Thine Eyes like pooles at a frequented gate For every commer to draw water at Are common treasures and like chrystall glasses Shwes each his lively visage as he passes Thy Nose the curious Organ of thy Sent Wants nothing more for use for ornament 15. THy Tyres of gold inricht with glorious gems Rare Diamonds and princely Diadems Adorne thy browes and with their native worth Aduance thy glory and set thy beautie forth So perfect are thy Graces so divine And full of heaven are those faire lookes of thine That I 'm inflamed with the double fire Of thy full beauty and my fierce desire 16. O Sacred Symmetrie O rare connection Of many perfects to make one perfection O heauenly Musicke where all parts doe meet In one sweet straine to make one perfect sweet O glorious members whose each severall feature Divine compose so so divine a Creature Faire soule as all thy parts united be Entire so summ'd are all my joyes in thee 17. THy curious Fabricke and erected stature Is like the generous Palme whose lofty nature In spight of envious violence will aspire Then most supprest the more it mouÌ„ts the higher Thy lovely brests whose beautie reinvites My oft remembrance to her oft delights Are like the swelling Clusters of the vine So full of sweetnesse are those brests of thine 18. ARâ— thou my Palme My busie hand shal nourish Thy fruitfull roots make thy braÌ„ches flourish 〈◊〉 thou my vine My skilfull arme shall dresse Thy dying plants my living springs shall blesse Thy infant Buds my blasting breath shall quell Presumptuous weeds make thy clusters swell And all that love thee shall attaine the favour To taste thy sweetnesse and to smell thy savour 19. THose Oracles that from thy lips proceed With sweet Evangels shall delight and feed 〈◊〉 attentive eare and like the Trumpets voyce 〈◊〉 faint hearts but make brave spirits rejoice Thy breath whose Dialect is most divine â—â—cends quicke flames where ember'd sparkes but shine 〈◊〉 strikes the Pleaders Rhet'ricke with derision And makes the dullest soule a Rhetorician BRIDE SONET XXI MY faith not merits hath assur'd thee mine Thy Love not my desert hath made me thine Vnworthy I whose drowsie soule rejected Thy precious favours and secure neglected Thy glorious presence how am I become A Bride besitting so divine a Groome It is no merit no desert of mine Thy love thy love alone hath made me thine 2. SInce then the bountie of thy deare election Hath stil'd me thine O let the sweet reflection Of thy illustrious beames my soule inspire And with thy spirit inflame my hot desire Vnite our soules O let thy Spirit rest And make perpetuall home within my brest Instruct me so that I may gaine the skill To suite my service to thy sacred will 3. COme come my soules preserver thou that art Th' united joyes of my united heart Come let us visit with the morning light Our prosperous Vines with mutuall delight Lt's view those grapes whose clusters being prest Shall make rich wines to serve your Mariage feast That by the thriving plants it may appeare Our joyes perfecting Mariage draweth neere 4. BEhold my new disclosed flowers present Before thy gates their tributary sent Reserve themselves for Garlands that they may Adorne the Bridegorme on his Mariage day My Garden 's full of Trees and every Tree Laden with fruit which I devote to thee Eternall joyes betide that happy guest That tastes the dainties of the Bridegroomes feast 5. O Would to God mine eyes these fainting eyes Whose eager appetite could ne're devise A dearer object might but once behold My Love as I am clad in fleshly mold That each may corporally converse with other As friend with friend as sister with her brother O how mine eyes could welcome such a sight How would my soule dissolve with o're-delight 6. THen should this hand conduct my fairest Spouse To taste a banquet at my mothers house Our fruitfull Garden should present thine eyes With sweet delights her trees should sacrifice Their early fruits to thee our tender Vine Should cheare thy palate with her unprest wine Thy hand should teach my living Plants to thrive And such as are a dying to revive 7. THen should my soule enjoy within this breast A holy Sabbath of eternall Rest Then should my cause that suffers through despight Of errour and rude Ignorance have right Then should these streames whose tydes so often rise Be ebb'd away from my suffused eyes Then should my spirits fill'd with heavenly mirth Triumph o're Hell and finde a heaven on earth 8. ALL you that wish the bountifull encrease Of dearest pleasures and divinest peace I charge you all if ought my charge may move Your tender hearts not to disturbe my Love Vexe not his gentle Spirit nor bereave Him of his joyes that is so apt to grieve Dare not to breake his quiet slumbers lest You rouze a raging Lyon from his rest 9. WHo ever lov'd that ever lov'd as I That for his sake renounce my selfe deny The worlds best joyes and have the world forgone Who ever lov'd so deare As I have done I sought my Love and found him lowly laid Beneath the tree of Loveâ— in whose sweet shade He rested there his eye sent forth the fire That first enflam'd my amorous desire 10. MY dearest Spouse O seale me on thy heart So sure that envious Earth may never part Our joyned soules let not the world remove My chast desiers from so choyce a Love 〈◊〉 O my love 's not slight her flames are serious â—as never death so powerfull so imperious 〈◊〉 jealous zeale is a consuming fire 〈◊〉 burns my soule through feare fierce desire 11. â—Ires may be quencht and flames though ne'r so great With many drops shal faint and lose their heat 〈◊〉 these quick fires of love the more supprest â—he more they flame in my inflamed brest â—ow darke is Honour how obscure and dim 〈…〉 bright glory but compar'd with him 〈◊〉 â—oule is Beauty what a toyle is Pleasure 〈◊〉 poore is Wealth how base a thing is treasure 12. Have a Sister which by thy divine 〈◊〉 bounteous Grace our Marriage shall make thine 〈◊〉 is mine owne mine onely Sister whom 〈◊〉 Mother bare the youngest of her wombe Shee 's yet a childe her beauty may improve Her brests are small and yet too greene for love When time and yeares shall adde perfection to her Say dearest Love what honour wilt thou do her BRIDEGROOME SONET XXII IF she be faire and with
her beauty prove As chaste as loyall to her virgin-Love As thou hast beene then in that high degree I le honour her as I have honour'd thee Be she as constant as her Vestall vow And true to her devoted faith as thou I le crowne her head and fill her hand with power And give a Kingdome to her for a Dower BRIDE SONET XXIII VVHen time shall ripen these her greene desires And holy Love shal breathe her heav'nly fires Into her Virgin brest her heart shall be As true to love as I am true to thee O when thy boundlesse bountie shall conjoyne Her equall-glorious Majesty with mine My ioyes are perfect then in sacred bands Wedlocke shall couple our espoused hands BRIDEGROOME SONET XXIIII I Am thy Gard'ner Thou my fruitfull Vine Whose rip'ned clusters swell with richest Wine The Vines of Soâ—omon were not so faire His Grapes were not so pretious as thine are His Vines were subject to the vulgar will Oâ— hired â—ands and mercinary skill Corrupted Carles were merry with his Vines And at a price return'd their barter'd wines 2. BVt mine 's a Vineyard which no ruder hand Shall touch subjected to my sole command My selfe with this laborious arme will dresse it 〈◊〉 presence with a busie eye shall blesse it â—â—rincely Soâ—omon thy thriving Vine 〈◊〉 not so saire so bountifull as mine 〈◊〉 greedy sharers claime an earned hire 〈◊〉 mine 's reseru'd and to my selfe entire 3. O Thou that dwellest where th' eternall fame Of my renowne so glorifies my name 〈◊〉 Bride in whose celestiall tongue 〈◊〉 sacred Spels t' enchant the ruder throng â—et thy lips like a perpetuall story â—â—ulge my graces and declare my glory Direct those hearts that errour leads astray Dissolve the Waxe but make obdure the Clay BRIDE SONET XXV MOst glorious Love and honourable Lord My heart 's the vowed servant of thy Word But I am weake and as a tender Vine Shall fall unpropt by that deare hand of thine Assist me therefore that I may fulfill What thou commandst and then command thy wil O leave thy Sacred Spirit in my brest As earnest of an everlasting Rest. The end SIONS ELEGIES Wept BY IEREMIE THE PROPHET And PERIPHRAS'D By FRA. QVARLES LONDON Printed by MILES FLESHER 1632. To the READER IF the ruines of Troy Rome Thebes or Carthage have beene thought a subject worthy the imployment of more serious Pennes to entaile the remembrance therof 〈◊〉 Posterity how much more worthy the paines â—â—livelier pen then mine is this ancient most 〈◊〉 and never enough to bee lamented desoâ—â—â—â—â— and Captivity of Ierusalem Ierusalem 〈◊〉 holy City of GOD Ierusalem the type of 〈◊〉 Catholike Church After eighteene moneths siege in the eleuenth 〈◊〉 of Zedekiah the ninth day of the fourth 〈◊〉 which was the eighteenth yeere of Neâ—â—hadonozor over Babylon the Princes of â—â—bylon surprized and tooke this brave Citie of â—â—â—usalem presently after which Nabuzaradan 〈◊〉 General of the Babylonian Army commanâ—â—â— by Nebuchadonozor spoyled the Temple â—â—ried away the Vessels of Gold and Silver that 〈◊〉 consecrated to Gods service and the great 〈◊〉 given by King Salomon and burned the â—â—â—ple the first day of the next moneth which was one and twenty dayes after the surprizâ—◠〈◊〉 470. yeeres sixe moneths and ten dayes after the foundation thereof 1062. yeeres sixe moneths ten dayes after the departure of the people out of Egypt â—950 yeeres sixe moneths ten dayes after the Deluge and 3513. yeeres sixe moneths ten dayes after the Creation of Adam Thus and then was this Citie of Ierusalem taken and for seventie yeeres remained the lewes in this Captivitie And this in Briefe is the generall occasion why and the time when these Lamentations were compased Reader I tender to thy consideration two things First the Pen-man Secondly the Art and Method of this Threnodia As for the first It was penned by Ieremie the Prophet the sonne of Hilkiah a Priest and undoubtâ—dly endighted by the Spirit of God some thinke it was written when the Prophet was in prison others when he was with Godoliah at Maspath but whether at the one place or at the other it is not much materiall to discourse Secondly as touching the Art and Method it is short and concise as being most naturall to so lamentable a subject Cicero sayes Lamentationes debent esse concisaeâ— breves quia â—ito lachryma exarescit difficile est auditores aut lectores in illo affectu summae commiserationis diu tenere The Method is truly elegious not bound to any ordinary set forme but wildly depending upon the sudden subject that new griefes present and indeed the deepest sorrowes cannot be but distracted from all rules of method the neglect of which is veniall in such ejulations as these as which in all the Scriptures there is none so copious none so ardent concerning which Gregory Nazianzene confesses Threnos Ieremiae nunquam à se siccis oculis lectos esse Yet some thinke there is a Method kept but too fine and intricate for our grosse apprehensions touching this point Saint Ambrose lib. 8. Epist. adjust sayes Demus eas secundum artem non scripsisse at certè secundum gratiam scripsisse fatendum est quae omnem artem longè superat and with this I rest You shall observe that the foure first Chapters of these Lamentations carry a strict order in the Originall for every Verse throughout every Chapter begins with a severall letter of the Hebrew Alphabet except the third Chapter wherein the first and every third Verse onely is tyed to a Letter and continues the Alphabet through which for me the Prophet used partly for Eloquence partly for Memory sake meaning either literally thus that it ought to be perfect as the Alphabet in memory or Hieroglyphically thus that as the Alphabet is the Radix of all words so the miseries of the Iewes were the combination of all miseries For the same Causes I likewise here in my Periphrase have observed the same forme and continue the Alphabet in English as the Prophet did in the Hebrew desirous to be his shadow as much as I can It appeares by the strictnesse of the Order that these Lamentations were Originally writ in verse and as some thinke in Sapphicks but many of our learned Neotericks deny that any writings of the Iewes cary now any direct or certaine Lawes of Poesie though they confesse some ruinous Accents here and there discovered makes them imagine they writ some things in verse but now it seemes that God in dispersing them hath likewise dissolved and strucke dumbe their musicke Farewell TO THE TRVE THEANTHROPOS Iesus Christ THE SAVIOVR OF THE WORLD His Servant implores his favourable assistance THou Alpha and Omega before whom Things past present things yet to come Are all alike O prosper my designes And let thy spirit inrich my feeble lines Revive my passion let mine eye behold Those sorrowes present which were wept of old Strike sad my
it Eyes â—ands and armes tongues eares and hearts of men Sing praise and let the people say Amen ¶ Tune you your Instruments and let them vary Praise him upon them in his Sanctuary Praise him within the highest Firmament Which shewes his Power and his Government Praise him for all his mighty Acts are knowne And suit thy praises to his high Renowne Praise him with Trump victorious shrill sharpe With Psaltry lowd and many-stringed Harpe With sounding Timbrell and the warbling Flute With Musicks full Interpreter the Lute Praise him upon the Maiden Virginalls Vpon the Clerick Organs and Cymballs Vpon the sweet Majestick Vyalls touch Double your joyes and let your prayse be such Let all in whom is life and breath give praise To heav'ns eternall God in endlesse dayes Let every Soule to whom a voyce is given Sing Holy Holy Holy Lord of Heaven For loe a Lambe is found that undertooke To break the seven-fold-Seale ope the BOOK◠¶ O let my life adde number to my dayes To shew thy glory and to sing thy praise Let every minute in thy praise be spent Let every head be bare and knee be bent To thee deare Lambe Who ere thy praises hide Clos'd be his Lippes and tongue for ever ty'de Hallelujah Gloria DEO in excelsis ELEVEN PIOVS Meditations 1. ¶ WIthin the holy Legend I discover Three speciall Attributes of God his Power His Iustice and his Mercy All uncreated Eternall all and all unseparated From Gods pure Essence and from thence proceeding All very God All perfect All exceeding And from that selfe-same text three names I gather Of great lehova Lord and God and Father The first denotes him mounted on his Throne In Power Majesty Dominion The second shewes him on his kingly Bench Rewarding Evill with equall punishments The third describes him on his Mercy-seat Full great in Grace and in his Mercy great ¶ All three I worship and before all three My heart shall humbly prostrate with my knee But in my private choice I fancy rather Then call him Lord or God to call him Father 2. ¶ IN hell no Life in heaven no Death there is In earth both Life and Death both Bale and Blis In Heaven 's all Life no end nor new supplying In hell 's all Death and yet there is no dying Earth like a partiall Ambidexter doth Prepare for Death or Life prepares for both Who lives to sinne in Hell his portion 's given Who dyes to sinne shall after live in Heaven ¶ Though Earth my Nurse be Heaven bee thou my Father Ten thousand deaths let me endure rather Within my Nurses armes then One to Thee Earths honour with thy frownes is death to mee I live on Earth as on a Stage of sorrow Lord if thou pleasest end the Play to morrow I live on Earth as in a Dreame of pleasure Awake me when thou wilt I wait thy leisure I live on Earth but as of life bereaven My life 's with thee for Lord thou art in Heaven 3. NOthing that e'r was made was made for nothing Beasts for thy food their skins were for thy clothing Flowers for thy smell and â—earbs for Cure good Trees for thy shade Their Fruit for pleasing Food The showers fall upon the fruitfull ground Whose kindly Dew makes tender Grasse abound The Grasse springs forth for beasts to feed upon And Beasts are food for Man but Man alone Is made to serve his Lord in all his wayes And be the Trumpet of his Makers praise ¶ Let Heav'n be then to me obdure as brasse The Earth as iron unapt for graine or grasse Then let my Flocks consume and never steed mee Let pinching Famine want wherewith to feed mee When I forget to honour thee my Lord Thy glorious Attributes thy Workes thy Word O let the Trump of thine eternall Fame Teach us to answer Hallow'd be thy Name 4. ¶ GOd built the World and all that therein is He framed yet how poore a part is his Quarter the Earth and see how small a rome Is stiled with the name of Christeâ— dome The rest through blinded ignorance rebels O're-runne with Pagans Turkes and Infidels Nor yet is all this little quarter his For though all know him halfe know him amisse Professing Chrâ—â—â— for lucre as they lâ—st And serve the triple Crowne of Anâ—â—â—hrist Yet is this little handfull much made lesser There 's many Lâ—â—ertines for one Prâ—fessour Nor doe Professours all professe aright ' Mong ' whom there often lurks an Hypocrite ¶ O where and what 's thy Kingdome blessed God Where is thy Scepter where 's thine iron Rod Reduce thy reck'nings to their totall summe O let thy Power and thy kingdome come 5. ¶ MAN in himselfe 's a little World Alone His Soul 's the Court or high Imperiall throne Wherein as Empresse sits the Vnderstanâ—ing Gently directing yet with awe Commanding Her Handmaid's will Affections Maids of Honour All following close and duely waiting on her But Sin that alwayes envi'd mans Condition Within this Kingdome raised up Division Withdrawne the Will and brib'd the false Affection That This no order hath nor That Election The Will proves Traitor to the Vnderstanding Reason hath lost her power and left commanding She 's quite depos'd and put to foule disgrace And Tyrant Passion now usurps her place ¶ Vouchsafe Lord in this little World of mine To raigne that I may raigne with Thee in thine And since my Will is quite of good bereaven Thy will be done in earth as 't is in Heaven 6 ¶ WHo live to sin are all but theeves to hearÌ„ And Earth They steale froÌ„ God take ungiveÌ„ Good men they rob such as live upright And being bastards share the freemans Right They 're all as owners in the owners stead And like to Dogs devoure the childrens bread They have and lacke and want that they possesse Vnhappy most in their most happinesse They are not goods but riches that they wast And not beâ—ng goods to ev'ls they turne at last ¶ Lord what I have let me enjoy in thee And thee in it or else take it from mee My store or want make thou or fade or flourish So shall my comforts neither change nor perish That little I enjoy Lord make it mine In making mee that am a Sinner thine 'T is thou or none that shall supply my need Great God Give us this day our daily bread 7. ¶ THe quick conceited Schoole-men doe approve A difference 'twixt Charity and Love Love is a vertue whereby we explaine Our selves to God and God to us againe But Charitie 's imparted to our Brother Whereby we trafficke one man with another The first extends to God The last belongs To Man in giving right and bearing wrongs In number they are twaine In vertue one For one not truely being t' other's none ¶ In loving God if I neglect my Neighbour My love hath lost his proofe and I my labour My Zeale my Faith my Hope that never failes me If
Skollops and returne the Shels Our sweet Pomgranats want their silver Bells We take the Gift the hand that did present it We oft reward forget the Friend that sent it A blessing given to those will not disburse Some thanks is little better then a curse Great giver of all blessings thou that art The Lord of Gifts give me a gratefull heart O give me that or keepe thy favours from me I wish no blessings with a Vengeance to me THE ARGVMENT Affrighted Manoah and his Wife Both prostrate on the naked earth Both rise The man despaires of life The woman cheares him Samsons birth Sect. 6. WHen time whose progresse mod'rates and out weares Th' extreamest passions of the highest fears By his benignant power had re-inlarg'd Their captive senses and at length discharg'd Their frighted thoughts the trembling couple rose From their unquiet and disturb'd repose Have you beheld a Tempest how the waves Whose unresisted Tyranny out-braves And threats to grapple with the darkned Skies How like to moving Mountaines they arise From their distempred Ocean and assaile Heav'ns Battlements nay when the windes dâ—e faile To breathe another blast with their owne motion They still are swelling and disturbe the Ocean Even so the Danite and his trembling wife Their yet confused thoughts are still at strife In their perplexed brests which entertain'd Continued feares too strong to be refrain'd Speechlesse they stood till Manoah that brake The silence first disclos'd his lips and spake What strange aspect was this that to our sight Appear'd so terrible and did affright Our scattering thoughts What did our eyes behold I feare our lavish tongues have bin too bold What speeches past betweene us Can'st recall The words we entertain'd the time withall It was no man It was no flesh and blood Me thought mine eares did â—ngle while he stood And commun'd with me At each word be spake Me thouâ—ht my heart recoil'd his voyce did shake My very Soule but when as he became So angry and so dainty of his name O how my wonder-smitteâ— heart began To faile O then I knâ—w it was no man No no It was the face of God Our eyes Have seene his face who ever saw 't but dies We are but dead Death dwells within his eye And we have seen 't and we shall surely die Where to the woman who did either hide Or else had overcome her feares replide Despairing Man take courage and forbeare These false predictions there 's no cause of feare Would Heaven accept our offerings and receive Our holy things and after that bereive His servants of their lives Can he be thus Pleas'd with our offerings unappeas'd with us Hath he not promis'd that the time shall come Wherein the fruits of my restored wombe Shall make thee father to a hopefull Sonne Can Heaven be false Or can these things be done When we are dead No no his holy breath Had spent in vaine if they had meant our death Recall thy needlesse feares Heaven cannot lye Although we saw his face we shall not dye So said they brake off their discourse and went He to the field and she into her Tent Thrice forty dayes not full compleat being come Within th'enclosure of her quickned wombe The Babe began to spring and with his motion Confirm'd the faith and quickned the devotion Of his beleeving parents whose devout And heaven-ascending Orizans no doubt Were turn'd to thanks and heart-rejoycing praise To holy Hymnes and heavenly Roundelaies The childe growes sturdy Every day gives strength Vnto his wombe-fed limmes till at the length Th'apparent mother having past the date Of her accompt does only now awaite The happy houre wherein she may obtaine Her greatest pleasure with her greatest paine When as the faire directresse of the night Had thrice three times repar'd her wained light Her wombe no longer able to retaine So great a guest betraid her to her paine And for the toilsome worke that she had done She found the wages of a new borne Sonne 〈◊〉 she call'd his name the childe encreast And hourely suckt a blessing with the brest Daily his strength did double He began To grow in favour both with God and Man His well attended Infancy was blest With sweetnesse in his Childhood he exprest True seeds of honour and his youth was crown'd With high and brave adventures which renown'd His honour'd name His courage was suppli'd With mighty strength His haughty spirit defide And hoast of men His power had the praise â—ove all that were before or since his dayes And to conclude Heav'n never yet conjoyn'd So strong a body with so stout a minde Meditat. 6. HOw pretious were those blessed dayes wherein Soules never startled at the name of Sin When as the voyce of death had never yet A mouth to open or to clame a debt When bashfull nakednesse forbare to call For needlesse skins to cover shame withall When as the fruit-encreasing earth obay'd The will of Man without the wound of spade Or helpe of Art When he that now remaines A cursed Captive to infernall chaines Sate singing Anthems in the heavenly Quire Among his fellow Angels When the Bryer The fruitlesse Bramble the fast growing weed And downy Thistle had as yet no seed When labour was not knowne and man did eate The earths faire fruits unearned with his sweate When wombs might have conceiv'd without the stain Of sin and brought forth children without paine When Heaven could speak to mans unfrighted eare Without the sense of Sin-begotten feare How golden were those dayes How happy than Was the condition and the State of man But Man obey'd not And his proud desire Cing'd her bold feathers in forbidden fire But Man transgrest And now his freedome feeles A sudden change Sinne followes at his heeles The voice calls Adam But poore Adam flees And trembling hides his face behind the trees The voice whilere that ravisht with delight His joyfull eare does now alas affright His wounded conscience with amaze and wonder And what of late was musicke now is Thunder How have our sinnes abus'd us and betrai'd Our desperate soules What strangenes have they made Betwixt the great Creator and the worke Of his owne hands How closely doe they lurke To our distempred soules and whisper feares And doubts into our frighted hearts and eares Our eyes cannot behold that glorious face Which is all life unruin'd in the place How is our nature chang'd That very breath Which gave us being is become our death Great God! O whither shall poore mortalls flie For comfort If they see thy face they dye And if thy life-restoring count'nance give Thy presence from us then we cannot live How necessary is the ruine than And misery of sin-beguiled Man On what foundation shall his hopes relie See wee thy face or see it not we dye O let thy Word great God instruct the youth And frailty of our faith Thy Word is truth And what our eyes want power to perceive O let our
hearts admier and beleeve THE ARGVMENT Samson at Timnah falls in love And fancies a Philistian maide He moves his parents They reprove His sinfull choyce dislike disswade Sect. 7. NOw when as strong limb'd Samson had dispos'd His trifling thoughts to children and disclos'd His bud of child-hood which being overgrowne And blossome of his youth so fully blowne That strength of nature now thought good to seeke Her entertainment on his downy cheeke And with her manly bounty did begin To uneffeminate his smoother chin He went to Timnah whither did resort A great concourse of people to disport Themselves with pastime or perchance to show Some martiall Feats as they were wont to doe Scaffolds were builded round about whereon The Crowne of eye-delighted lookers on Were closely pil'd As Samsons wandring eye Was ranging up and downe he did espye A comely Virgin beautifull and young Where she was seated midst the gazing throng The more he view'd the more his eye desir'd To view her face and as it view'd admir'd His heart inflam'd his thoughts were all on fire His passions all were turn'd into desire Such were his lookes that she might well discry A speaking lover in his sparkling eye Sometimes his reason bids his thoughts beware 〈◊〉 he be catcht in a Philistian snare And then his thwarting passion would reply Feare not to be a prisoner to that eye Reason suggests 'T is vaine to make a choyce Where parents have an over-ruling voyce Passion replies That feare and filiall duty Must serve affection and subscribe to beauty Whilst Reason faintly mov'd him to neglect Prevailing passion urg'd his soule t' affect Passion concludes Let her enjoy thy heart Reason concludes But let thy tongue impart Thy affection to thy parents and discover To them thy thoughts With that the wounded lover Whose quicke-divided paces had out-runne His lingring heart like an observant sonne Repaires unto his parents fully made Relation of his troubled thoughts and said Sir 〈◊〉 day at Timnah to these wretched eyes 〈◊〉 taken captive with the novelties 〈◊〉 entertain'd my pleased thoughts appear'd 〈◊〉 object which hath so endear'd 〈◊〉 very soule with sadnesse so distrest That this poore heart can finde no ease no rest It was a Virgin in whose Heavenly face Vâ—pattern'd Beauty and diviner Grace Were so conjoyn'd as if they both conspir'd 〈…〉 Angell when these eyes enquir'd 〈◊〉 the excellence of her rare perfection 〈…〉 not choose but like and my affection Is so inflamed with desire that I Am now become close prisoner to her eye Now if my sad Petition may but finde A faire successe to ease my tortur'd minde And if your tender hearts be pleas'd to prove Aâ— prone to pitty mine as mine to love Let me with joy exchange my single life And be the husband of so faire a wife Whereto th' amazed parents in whose eye Distast and wonder percht made this reply What strange desire what vnadvis'd request Hath broken loose from thy distracted brest What! are the Daughters of thy brethren growne So poore in Worth and Beauty Is there none To please that over-curious eye of thine But th' issue of a cursed Philistine Can thy miswandring eyes choose none but her That is the child of an Idolater Correct thy thoughts and let thy soule rejoyce In lawfull beauty Make a wiser choyce How well this counsell pleas'd the tyred eares Of love-sicke Samson O let him that beares A crost affection judge Let him discover The wofull case of this afflicted lover What easie pencill cannot represent His very lookes How his sterne browes were bent His drooping head his very port and guise His bloodlesse cheekes and deadnesse of his eyes Till at the length his moving tongue betrai'd His sullen lips to language thus and said Sir Th' extreame affection of my heart does leade My tongue that 's quickned with my love to plead What if her parents be not circumcis'd Her issue shall and she perchance advis'd Iâ— worship Israels God and to forget 〈◊〉 fathers house Alas she is as yet 〈◊〉 young her downy yeares are green 〈◊〉 tender 〈◊〉 but a twigge and time may 〈…〉 â—â—brace the truth Oâ—r counsells 〈…〉 〈…〉 breeding and so save a soule 〈◊〉 who can tell but Heaven did recommend 〈◊〉 beauty to these eyes for such an end 〈◊〉 not that which Heaven is pleas'd to save 〈◊〉 Samson then obtaine as well as crave 〈◊〉 gave me being then prolong my life And make me husband to so faire a wife With that the pareÌ„ts joyn'd their whispering heads 〈◊〉 observes and in their parly reads 〈◊〉 Characters of hope The mother smiles The father frownes which Samson reconciles â—â—th hopefull fears She smiles smiling crownes 〈◊〉 hopes which He deposes with his frownes 〈◊〉 whispring ended joyntly they displaid â—â—alfe resolved countenance and said Samson suspend thy troubled minde a while 〈◊〉 thy â—ver-charged thoughts recoile 〈…〉 of Shipwracke Rocks are neare the Shore 〈◊〉 the Virgin and resolve thee mâ—re Meditat. 6. LOve is a noble passion of the heart That with it very essence doth impart All needfull Circumstances and effects Vnto the chosen party it affects In absence it enjoyes and with an eye Fill'd with celestiall fier doth espye Objects remote It joyes and smiles in griefe It sweetens poverty It brings reliefe It gives the Feeble strength the Coward spirit The sicke man health the undeserving merit It makes the proud man humble and the stout It ouercomes and treads him underfoot It makes the mighty man of warre to droope And him to serve that never yet could stoope It is a fire whose Bellowes are the breath Of heaven above and kindled here beneath T is not the power of a mans election To loue He loves noâ— by his owne direction It is nor beauty nor â—enigne aspect That alwayes moves the Lover to affect These are but means Heavens pleasure is the cause Love is not bound to reason and her Lawes Are not subjected to th' imperious will Of man It lies not in his power to nill How is this Love abus'd That 's onely made A snare for wealth or to set up a trade T' enrich a great mans Table or to pay A desperate debt or meerly to allay A base and wanton lust which done no doubt The love is ended and her fier out No he that loves for pleasure or for pelfe Loves truely none and falsely but himselfe The pleasure past the wealth consum'd and gone Love hath no subject now to worke upon The props being falne that did support the roofe Nothing but rubbish and neglected Stuffe â—â—ke a wilde Chaos of Confusion lies Presenting uselesse ruines to our eyes The Oyle that does maintaine loves sacred fire Is vertue mixt with mutuall desire Of sweet societie begun and bred 〈◊〉 soule nor ended in the mariage bed This is the dew of Hermon that does fill The soule with sweetnesse watring Sions hill This is that holy fire that burns and lasts Till quencht by death The other are but blasts