I 'll then lament And living Death in Tears bewail For my Sins sake those Foes prevail And all my Age in Mourning 's spent To my release at length consent Nor let me grieve eternally That I die 'cause I cannot die L'Envoy Blest Soul that hither couldst arrive How do I love yet envy Thee Wishing my self this Extasie And that th' Example Thou dost give Would make me less afraid to live And to each close of Thine reply That I die cause I cannot die 20. May 1668. The FLIGHT I. NO wonder Soul thou so admir'st a Verse And countst thy self in its Possession brave For 't is what e're thou canst desire to have On this side Heav'n but more to make than to rehearse II. 'T is th' end of Preaching Loves best Exercise The Quintessence of Prayer Praises refin'd A Change exstatic into th' Heav'nly Mind And on whose soaring Wings above the World I rise III. O could I always stay where 't first sets me How naked looking down would th' World appear Its Joys how empty and how vain its Fear Another flight would make me leave Mortality IV. For as the sealed Dove so high does towre That i' th' pure Air at last it flying dies So should I mount too and above the Skies Rapt to th' Etern aboads unfeel my dying Hour V. But I must live still and my flight to bound Till truly seal'd there something Lord will be Some Work of Thine be ' it be it but a Tree Eve'n there I nearer Heav'n shall rest than on the Ground 22. Jan. 1671 2. noctu Exsurrexi adhuc sum tecum An Hymn and Prayer To the Holy JESUS my Lord. Parode I. JESU th' Eternal Sun of Righteousness Unlike our Mortal Suns which Rise and Set Subliming this and t'other World with Light Love bids me of Thy wondrous Power to Treat But how Thy Power or Wonders to express I know not till Thou make my Darkness bright And with Thy Beams dispel the shades of Night Therefore I beg Thy aid JESU to whom I' have pray'd And still pray that I worthy Thee may write Illustriously o're all th' Expansion shine And if I 'm weak to endure A Light so pure dart through my Verse a ray Divine II. JESU the Wisdom of the Deity In whom the Mistic Treasures are conceal'd Be'yond Reasons search of the Eternal Mind And with whose Stripes the Afflicted World is heal'd Proof against Death the Vanguishts Victory Under whose Standart to its God rejoyn'd Love for the Noblest Service is design'd Love that 's a Rebel now JESU so Great that Thou From Heav'n Thy self must come his Slaves to ' unbind That I some Trophies of Thy Power may boast When Thou dost Conquering ride I 'll Crowns provide and sing Thy Triumphs through his Coast. III. JESU the Virgins and the Martyrs Wrath Who without Spot or Wrinkle didst adorn The fairest Soul which in a Body all Of Charms was wondrously Conceiv'd and Born Fought'st and wast fought resign'dst thy labouring Breath The Lost to Save and from the Dungeon call Hopes weary Pris'ners and Death's Captive thrall To Thrones at Thy Right Hand JESU as Thou dost stand At Thy Great Father's in Heav'ns Judgment Hall Grant me the Grace and Thou the Grace canst grant That when Thou shalt come next Tho now perplext to attend Thee then I nothing want IV. JESU in whom the Godhead does repose Infinites Comprehension and the Bound Of boundless Majesty fathomless Deep With Thorns first pierc'd and e're with Glory Crown'd Submitted to the Triumphs of Thy Foes A Man of Sorrows and inur'd to weep Substantial God and Man who both dost keep Unmixt and Unconfus'd JESU th' Untoucht and Bruis'd Quickning the Dead yet who i th' Grave didst sleep 'T is Thou hast broke our Bands th' Uusurper hurld Headlong into the Pit In whose sides sit the great Disturbers of the World V. JESU the Way the Truth whose Life does give The' exactest Method how we may direct Our wandring Course to Thy Divine Aboad And whence seduc'd to stray is not to Live A Way Thy self while here Unerring trode And now Exalted dost with Blessings load A Way which rough at first JESU appears and Curst But entred once proves worthy Thee and God Shew me Thy Way nor take it in ill part Since I am blind and weak If I bespeak Thee ' in that whose Guide and End Thou art VI. JESU Whose Cross the surest Anchor makes Both strong and sure entring within the Vail Where Passions waves how fierce and uncontroul'd So e're rage not and yet they dare assail The holiest Place and Heav'n i th' Tempest shakes Thou seest how there I have fixt all my hold And am i th' midst of Storms and Floods grown bold Yet still there is a Shelf JESU I mean my Self 'Gainst which I am in danger to be roll'd I sink O now thy saving Hand forth stretch Now e're my Head with th' Weeds Which this Sea breeds is wrapt and I 'm below Thy reach VII JESU how many Tears have I in vain How many Sighs and Prayers in vain pour'd out Tho by th' expence my Flame alone 's encreast My Life from its first Stage trac'd all about Unchang'd by change of Habit 's nought but Pain Anguish and Torment void of Peace and Rest Nay even my Soul Heav'n-born has been opprest And humbled to the Grave JESU make hast to save Nor tarry tho of Men I ' have lov'd Thee least Now help to Morrow may not be so well For Misery and Sin Have me ' on the Wing and where they 'll pitch me who can tell VIII JESU one half of me 's already gone So gone that tho I have piec'd up the Rent Methinks I 'm not the perfect thing I was Tho happy still in that I am content And who shall be more perfect when th' World 's done And One made Three into ' One again shall pass Unhappy Man unhappy were my case Such doubts gave'st Thou not skill JESU to Reconcile Thou who see'st Past and Future in one Glass Dear Lord for whom too hard there nothing is Give all my Griefs such end As may intend Thy Honour first and then my Bliss IX JESU my Confidence my Hope my Fear Able to help in time of Need and Free O leave me not when my last Hour shall come Not for my sake but His who Ransom'd me Merit crys No. But th' Image which I bear Pleads Lord and would for Ancient Love make room Tho I have been betray'd by Errors doom To a Fairy Wood and Brook JESU my Shepherd look Find Thy lost Sheep and bring the Stragler home Of Streams so troubled may I drink no more Or having found my Way Any more stray or wander as I did before X. JESU My God who far off seest the Proud And hatest him let Thy Blood some pity move An Heart all bruis'd and contrite to regard That does at length bewail its sottish love And which if once it
But in all else more secret Snares than we Till by them Caught shall ever know From this to clear it and restore To th' Garden what it had before And perfect Innocence add one Beauty more As there fall'n Man his Life first forfeited There to Redeem him first the Blood of God was shed VI. How grievous were his Pains there and how great Burning tho in the frosty shades of Night Shivering with Cold but in a Bloody Sweat And all dissolv'd at his approaching Passions Sight Thrice did He his Disciples leave And thrice to his Great Father pray'd Thrice to himself He answer made And by an Angel did support receive But O! th' Assaults that were within Compar'd with which his Bodies Flame Was temperate heat and scarce deserv'd the Name When in his Soul the Burning did begin And Hell to ' encrease the Fire did Mines of Brimstone bring A thousand Fiends about him flew And Coals and bailful Firebrand threw That seiz'd at length the noblest Part Beyond the weak defence of Nature or of Art And unconsum'd did only leave the Heart VII The Heart did unconsum'd remain By the Arch-Fiend With its own Grief to burst design'd When in the Judgment Hall again He should the Charge renew but all in vain Thither betray'd by 'a Kiss the Traytors bring With Fetters bound Heav'ns Sacred King Where being Cited and Blasphem'd Flouted Scourg'd Spat upon Derided and Contemn'd By them Revil'd deny'd by ' His own A Reed in ' his Hand his Head with Thorns they Crown And lead to Golgotha their God whom they ' had Condemn'd VIII Follow Muse if thou hast the heart and see What other Torments they prepare I know the utmost of their Cruelty And from thy Mouth had rather hear The sad Report than a Spectator be Yet that thou mayst not stand thy self surpriz'd Stript off his Clothes in Nakedness disguiz'd To th' Cross they 'll nail his Hands 't is said And bore with Nalls his tender Feet Then all his Sufferings to upbraid Cry If Thou art the Son of God let 's see 't Now from the Tree triumphantly come down Or reign thence like Thy self alone Or any other Wonder show Whereby Thy De'ity may be known And to its Scepter we will bow As if there greater Miracle could be Than all that Patience which they do but will not see IX Nor is this all but when He 's Dead His Side they 'll open with a Spear Approach the Wound and look what Blood is shed For it Mysterious will appear And be another Argument for thee next Year A better Spring will thence arise Than Helicon so Fam'd of old There bath thy self if thou art wise Nor fear in those chast Streams to be too bold But see be sure too long thou dost not stay For all the while Thou art away Tears only from these Eyes will flow And in my Fancy I shall double o're All that I have told thee now before And all that thou return'd will'st tell again and more Beside my Verse will fetter'd be and slow And want both Wings to flie and Feet to go 10. Martii 166â— EPIGRAM WHen my God Di'd I first began to Live And Life which he refus'd Heav'n me did give Unlike that Day O how unlike we were Him dead the Cross me ' alive the Knees did bear But may not I die too This life of mine I can as well as Thou dispise if not like Thine Ah dearest Lord this Legacy bestow A double Life then to Thy Death I 'll owe And sanctifi'd thus in my Birth by Thee A living Death my dying Life shall be 5. Decemb. 1668. An Extasie of Divine Love Aquesta Divina Vnion c. I. THat sacred Bond of Charity Wherein I uncorrupted Live Makes God the Captive Chain receive But my pinion'd Heart sets free Tho causing still such love in me To see Heav'ns King my Pris'ner lie That I die 'cause I cannot die II. How teadious now this Life is grown The way to Death how hard and long How dark the Dunge'on th' Ir'ns how strong With which my ' unwilling Soul 's kept down And has no trust but hope alone These thoughts my Troubles raise so high That I die 'cause I cannot die III. Bitter Life shalt thou be to me Where I my God can ne're enjoy But if my Love has no alloy My hope as try'd and pure may be Ah! come my Lord and set me free Take off this weight which makes me cry That I die 'cause I cannot die IV. By hope alone it is I Live Hope that I bear the seeds of Death And dying once a second Birth Secures that Hope and Life do's give O Death I 'll ne're thy coming grieve When Life succeeds through hope so nigh That I die 'cause I cannot die V. Who can the Charms of Love refuse Ah Life no more my Heart betray 'T is only thou stand'st in my way Which rather than my Love I 'll loose And Death for my great Champion choose So much alate thy Enemy That I die 'cause I cannot die VI. The Life alone that 's hid above Can of true Life the Title claim That Toy which here usurps the Name Its pleasure hides and deads our Love And a worse Foe than Death does prove Death for whose sake I Life so flie That I die 'cause I cannot die VII What can I give frail Life but thee To th' God who in me deigns to live Yet how can I the nothing give Till he first grants me Liberty O let me die his Face to see But that 's so distant from my Eye That I die 'cause I cannot die VIII Beside my God from thee away Who would not of a Life complain That terrible and full of pain Suffers a thousand Deaths each Day A Mortal but a slow decay And this so swells my Misery That I die 'cause I cannot die IX All Creatures love their Element And pleasure there enjoy and rest And if by Death they are disseas'd To their first nothing they are sent But I 'm beyond kind Death's extent And yet so many hardships try That I die 'cause I cannot die X. When in the Eucharist my dull Soul Eating thy Flesh it self would ease A thousand thoughts for entrance press And there not to enjoy Thee whole Whole and alone I a ' new condole For 't is the Voice of every Sigh That I die cause I cannot die XI I please my self i th' Hopes 't is true E're long my God of seeing Thee But fearing lest they false should be My Torments with my Fears renew And both so close my Soul pursue Hoping mid both so heartily That I die 'cause I cannot die XII Lord from this Death deliver me And Life thus beg'd at length bestow Why should I still be kept below Look how I die for love of Thee And since enjoy'd Thou canst not be In this Lifes death regard my cry That I die 'cause I cannot die XII My dying Life
A PARAPHRASE UPON THE CANTICLES AND SOME SELECT HYMNS OF THE NEW and OLD TESTAMENT With other occasional Compositions IN English VERSE By Samuel Woodford D. D. LONDON Printed by J. D. for John Baker at the three Pidgeons and Henry Brome at the Gun in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1679. TO THE Most Reverend FATHER in GOD WILLIAM Lord ARCH-BISHOP of CANTERBURY Primate of all ENGLAND and Metropolitan And one of his MAJESTIES most Honourable PRIVY COUNCIL Most Reverend WEre I indeed a greater Master of Verse than the best of those whether of our own Country-Men or Foreigners whose several manners I have in the following Compositions endeavoured to imitate I durst not yet presume to make an humble Present of them to your Grace unless invited by the Sacredness of the most noble Argument An Argument so Sacred as to the greatest part of the Subjects if not spoil'd by my unskilful handling that it must be ever acknowledged worthy your Grace and beside that the best and most refined Spirits of the Christian Church have happily labour'd in them whose Design his late MAJESTY of ever Blessed Memory was particularly pleased to Encourage and Promote To attest this were it either necessary or pertinent I might reckon up several Names not unknown to your Grace but shall instead of all content my self with the generally approved Mr. George Sandy's who first under so Excellent a Prince opened the way to Divine Poesy in this Nation and gave it a more than ordinary Credit from whose Hands as not unbecoming His Royal Self He vouchsafed to accept a short Paraphrase upon the Canticles not long after the time that the Pious Sieur Godeau had with much success made a Dedication of the same Divine Song under the Title of Sacred Eclogues with some few other Religious Stanzas to the great Cardinal Richelieu of France For Honours sake I here mention the Bishop of Grasse and Mr. Sandy's and that thereby I may both Apologize for my self if there be need and defend the best that I can against the most Censorious and Critical the affixing your Graces Name to the same Canticles and a few other English Rimes of which for the performance as being my own tho I have no better opinion than I ought or than the great Judges of Verse in the Town shall allow they deserve it may be not so good yet if as in the first place in this Dedication they are intended they shall serve most humbly to express my Duty without reflection of Dishonour upon your Grace and be so received I shall nor wish for my self greater Credit nor for them a better Recommendation to such as have any gust for Christian Poesy That God Almighty may have your Grace in his perpetual and most mercifull Protection and long very long continue you an invaluable Blessing to this his best of Churches is the daily Prayer of Hartley Malduit Hampsh 1678. Most Reverend Your Graces most Humble most Dutiful and most Obedient Son Sam. Woodford Upon a Paraphrase of Salomon's Song Done by his Worthy Friend Dr. Samuel Woodford WHilst Thou with Sacred Rage inspir'd dost Sing The Mystic Song of Songs can Cold Age bring An Offering fit Or without Fire devote True Zeal to Verse Or can I tell by rote Thy Praises without measure due Shall I Confound Thy Consort then or Modesty Prophane in Print No let me silent be A Monumental Foyl to Poetry and Thee Nicholas Stuart Baronet ODE To his Honoured Friend Dr. Woodford On his Excellent Paraphrase of SALOMON'S SONG SO Eastern Spices and rich Gums send out In the warm Limbeck while they pant A precious Vapour spreading all about Which the cold Mass did seem to want But urg'd with equal heat it up do's rise The Active Spirit now more nimbly flies Ascending Balm in Dew distils And far-extended Air with fragrant Essence fills An holy Fire Woodford in Thee has rais'd Numbers so sweet so rich and high Methinks I see Thy eager Soul amaz'd In its blest lyric Ecstasy Melting away in Stream of fairest Verse Which when to Mortal Ear Thou do'st rehearse With purling Noise it seems to move Itâ—s Music Charms th' attending Ear the Soul it 's Love Hail blessed Flame that did'st such Verse inspire And to an humble Heart dispense From the chast Touch of an Harmonious Lyre Such Angel sounds such Mystic sense High God of Love's Love unto Man he sings The Spouses choicest Beauties are the Kings Who pour'd his Blood here sweetly pours His Soul out to his Spouse in these Divine Amours Immortal Love Cement of this huge Frame Dearest First-born of the Mind Who wer 't become Impure Romance a Name Thee undebauch'd where could we find Yet art indeed wise Natures beauteous Child Till with the Bodies fouler steam defilâ—d Here rais'd to Soul and Mystery All pure all holy thou art agen Love Travestie Wisest of Kings and Men was there sent down A double Portion of Thy Rage And Heavenly Laurel this chast Brow to Crown Greater than Men and Kings did engage Thee happy Wordford to this lofty Song Touch't from his Altar with a Coal thy Tongue Then we and no prophane Thought neer May say a greater too than Salomon is Here. W. Croune M. D. Fellow of the Colledg To my dear Old Friend the Reverend Dr. Samuel Woodford On his Sacred Rimes I. WELL since it must be so so let it be For what do Resolutions signifie When we are urg'd to Write by Destiny II. I had Resolv'd nay and I almost Swore My Bed-rid Muse should walk abroad no more Alas 't is more than time that I give o're III. In the Recesses of a private Brest I thought to entertain your Charming Guest And never to have boasted of my Feast IV. But see my Friend when through the World you go My Lacquy-Verse must shadow-like pursue Thin and Obscure to make a Foil for you V. 'T is true you cannot need my feeble Praise A lasting Monument to your Name to Raise Well-known in Heav'n by your Angelique ' Layes VI. There in indelible Characters They are writ Where no pretended Heights will easie sit But those of Serious Consecrated Wit VII By immaterial defecated Love Your Soul it 's Heavenly Origin doe's approve And in least dangerous Raptures soar's above VIII How could I wish Dear Friend unsaid agen For once I rank'd my self with Tuneful Men Whatever dropt from my unhallowed Pen IX The trifling Rage of Youthful heat once past Who is not troubled for his Wit misplac'd All pleasant Follies breed regret at last X. While Reverend Don 's and noble Herbert's Flame A glorious Immortality shall claim In the most durable Records of Fame XI Our Modish Rimes like Culinary Fire Unctuous and Earthy shall in Smoke expire In odorous Clouds your Incense shall aspire XII Let th' Pagan-World your Pious Verse defy Yet shall they envy when they come to Die Your Wiser Projects on Eternity Thomas Flatman The Reader is desired to Correct the following Errata which
to guard the Fort does stand And dares the rudest Shock of th' roughest Hand This as my WELL-BELOVED heard me say The Holy Boast he did approve And in his Eyes I found such grace that Day I dare no longer doubt his Love SPONSVS Vinea fuit Pacifico in ea c. I HAVE a Vineyard so has Salomon His at a distance lies in Baal-hannon To Keepers and to Under-Keepers set And Yearly for a thousand pieces let But mine the Vineyard that 's my own does lie In my own care and ever in my Eye Accountable for ' its Fruits to me alone And sharers in them with me have I none Compare we now our Vineyards peaceful King Which does to ' its Lord the greatest Profit bring Thine for a thousand Pieces yields its store Admit it do 't is worth two hundred more But these the Keepers have Mine is my own Accountable for ' its Fruits to me alone As for its care and sharers have I none Thou art that Vineyard Love my Vineyard Thou Who in the Flowry Gardens dwellest low Low but with all the Stars of th' Garden crown'd And Thy Companions sitting Thee around Attent and listning to Thy tuneful Voice O make me hear it and fulfil my Joys SPONSA Fuge Dilecte mi assimilare c. AND so Thou shalt LOVE bring the Day Haste it LOVE and come away On th' Spicy Mountain tops appear Swift as the fleet-wing footed Deer And driving thence the baleful Night On th' Spicy Mountains shed Thy Light Fleet as their heels and than their Horns more bright Veni Domine JESV Veni citò SOLI DEO GLORIA Cujus Amore inflammato corde haec occini Inscius licet indignus Suscipe laudes Famuli tui AMEN Apud Hartley Maudet Com. Southton in Vigiliâ Ascensionis MDCLXXVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE LEGEND OF LOVE CANTO I. I. SONG which the God of Love did first inspire Not he the blind and sottish World calls so No God nor ought save a wild raging Fire Which with incessant Bellows Lust does blow But HE to whom all things their being owe In whom alone they live in whom they move And by his Love made to perfection grow All who below adore Him or above The Mighty Lord of Hosts the very GOD of LOVE II. Song by the very God of Love inspir'd And of a thousand more the sacred Chief But wherein Salomon from himself retir'd Not what his Love but what was his belief Songs ill became the cause of all his Grief If love we to our Mortal Standart bring Whose spoils are Robbe'ries and whose God 's a thief Under Love's borrow'd name to th' World did sing LOVE is the borrow'd Name Holy Churches FAITH the thing III. Song which the borrow'd Name dost understand And all the Mysteries which in it lie For 't is the Dialect of the Heav'nly Land Nor as to us it sounds does signifie Blest Souls in Love discourse with the most High Thou who knowst this and more than this whence came The profanation of the Deity And how this lustful Earth took th' empty Name Embracing sulphu'rous clouds for its Gods purest flame IV. Tell the World Song whence first its madness grew Who knows not thâ— World is mad Thou best of all Which if 't were possible Inno'cence to renew To its first Inno'cence wouldst the World recal And more than e're it lost i th' wretched Fall By love Thou callst it and the Voice is known Well known 's the Voice but we too sensual So brutishâ— in our Lusts obscene are grown That call'd by it's name we think 't an Idol of our own V. Yet none of ours is what we ' have stol'n the name That Idol which we thus with Mirtles crown But with our form from Heav'n at once it came From Heav'n was with a Silver Cord let down And into the Souls mass divinely thrown To be its Salt miraculously contriv'd And first in Heav'n the name of Love was known From whence at length it hither was deriv'd And here a while such and so call'd in pleasure liv'd VI. In pleasure ' it liv'd and with its chang'd aboad Strangely surprizd was strangely pleas'd a-while At first perceiv'd not the unusual load But in her Face who should betray ' it did smile As fearless as unconscious yet of guile And to a Body tho it were design'd A Body as the Land of its exile All parts so ' agreeable and soft did find It s Tour seem'd thence enlarg'd more than confin'd VII For all with Spiâ—rits it did converse before It self a Spirit but when the Eternal Mind To new displays of his creating Power In beings of a lower Rank inclin'd Which Angels yet should not come far behind Soon as the great Resolve was past above And Man of all those Works the Lord design'd Love the first mover and the last did move That He whom all obey'd o're all should rule by Love VIII It mov'd thus and the motion was embrac't Al 's ' Love that made it downwards took its way And viewing how the Bodies parts were cast Seiz'd with the Spiâ—rit the scarce yet moulded Clay Nor for partition or nice choice did stay But blending both together seiz'd the whole Both in the whole whole both in each part lay And both together making th' humane Soul Th' unactive Matter did both quicken and controul IX The Spi'rit gave Life with what to Life pertain Sense Motion and the several Faculties A cheerful goodly and a pompous Train When rul'd as they ' ought and manag'd by the Wise The wise is Love that th' whole unites and ties And which where e're it undisturb'd does reign Makes th' earthly frame with th' Heav'nly sympathize Nor to rebel dare any passion strain When o're them reason o're that love does hold the rein X. Thus i th' first happy Pair a while Love reign'd And but a while with regal Soveraignty Who to its Lore so early both were train'd That Love it self as rapt in extasie Wondred what in dull Flesh the' effects might be It wondred but so chast and innocent So Love-conspiring every part did see And so obsequious to its great intent That Love it self enamour'd was of its descent XI Forthy the happy pair with sever'd flame Which yet in both was one to love inclin'd Two downwards only but rise'n whence it came Again collected in one point and joynd And still the higher rise'n the more refind They lov'd and so in Heav'n to love are seen Bright Seraphs nor could Differe'nce be assignd But that the Body here did croud between There by pure Spi'rits was dressed out the mighty Scene XII The new form'd Body here did croud between But all to love was so dispos'd and made In either Sex and with so Beauteous meen That either seem'd with other well appay'd And Love himself the Hymenaeal said For Love 's an He who proud of what was done And of Man most as fairest there Pourtraid
Enmities off-shake For of such jarring Parts it was contriv'd And of such contrarieties did partake That it by Discord and Confusion liv'd A life such as it was with Death to be surviv'd XLVII So strove they thus would they have striven ever Till pittying their debate the Spirit of Love Calm'd the discordant Mole and did dissever Th' Eternal Combatants plac'd some above Others did to the deep Abysse remove Fast to be held in Adamantine Chain Whilst those few Parts that did more ductile prove Into Four Principles which all contain Themselves in all contain'd were solely left to reign XLVIII FIRE which as lightest took the highest place And upward rais'd its towring Head then AIR That followâ—d it but with unequal pace And tho it vy'd to be and look as fair Forc'd in the midst to hang self-ballanc'd there Next WATER which the Surface cover'd o're That pregnant Mother of the EARTH less rare In its vast Womb conceiv'd but which before It could emerge lackt mighty Love to force the Door XLIX And so it did but LIGHT was first to shine And an whole Day for that which makes the Day But little enough was thought i th' Mind Divine Through Darkness palpable to clear its way And all its various Beauties to display Darkness which tho but counted Privative Such claims to th heap whence 't was call'd out did lay That Love like equal shares to both did give Alternately each Day in Day and Night to live L. But harder were the teeming Waters Throes When on the second Day Earth nearer came To its great Birth like weight that heavier grows Long born and to break through disjoynts the frame The Waters pangs compar'd thus were the same When they divided burst but ne're to close Stopt by the solid FIRMAMENT whose Name Immoveable Partition does suppose By ' whose Shoar disjoyn'd upper and nether Ocean flows LI. And now the third Day of her Monstrous Child Half way deliver'd the Great Mother was Monstrous unsightly yet with Horrour fill'd Which in its Oasy Arms it did embrace And half supprest to the' Birth would ne're let pass But with it joyn'd one Monstrous Body made Above DRY GROUND below a confus'd Mass Part Earth with Briny Hatchments overlaid Part unmixt Water upon empty Nothing staid LII And called SEA as what appear'd was LAND Rough bare mishape't tho dry unbeautifi'd It self unbeautiful vast plains of Sand More horribly deform'd with terrors Pride Mountains that to ' Heav'n aspir'd and gaping wide With rais'd up Jaws threatned to swallow down In gorge unsatiate glories there envy'd And wrinkled Forehead which scarce made did frown And Omens give of Future War from cause unknown LIII Nor could there cause be gi'ven for a new Face From the' Love Divine it took and Nakedness Was cloath'd upon with all the Charming Grace Of Fruit and Flower and the grim Gyantess Its own Eternal Goodness to express Kind Heav'n illumin'd with a double Light The fourth Day made the greater and the less By Day the SUN with vital heat and bright To warm the MOON with starry Robe to ' invest at night LIV. Nor was this all but at the fifth Days dawn Earth and her Mother Sea replenished With new Inhab'itants were and every Laune And every Hill scar'd Solitude thence fled Legions of FOWL produc'd and kindly bred Which on large Wings above the Ground did fly But perching on some Tree made that their Bed Whilst Lakes and Streams and the huge Sea fast by With mighty WHALES were fill'd and with the lesser FRY LV. Fill'd were the Floods with these but still the Earth As whose Wing'd-People most partook of th' Air Their haunt impregnate with a second Birth For which disclos'd 't had room enough to spare Did on the sixth Day to disclose prepare And out all BEASTS and REPTILS in their kind Sprang from the fertile Womb proportion'd fair Each to its Nature but with Look declin'd To th' Earth whence tane to th' Earth whereto confin'd LVI Of these and other Works of God they sang In Lays harmonious as Love utterance gave Yet these and others which they lowdly rang Were but as Praeludes which with Mast'ry brave Their Voice shew'd and what compass Verse might have Verse which then triumpht in Recitative When they all other Grounds resolv'd to wave Sang of themselves and Him who at once did give One power to Sing thus to Him and like Him to live LVII A wondrous Work it was from Nothing thus All things in weight and measure up to raise And perfect Order form'd most beauteous Subordinate as different were the Ways Whereby their Maker would direct his Praise But none so Wondrous did and strange appear Of Power and Beauty with so rich displays As Mans Formation made the Rule to bear And sublim'd Earth equal to highest Heaven rear LVIII That Dust could Live in what was done before Was plainly told but that it too could love As Love all life in it contains and more All that or Reason knows or can improve Th' Eternal Treasures only were enough To drein and to be drein'd For God but spake And all below and all the Hosts above Being and Life from the great Word did take But Hands Divine Man's model were employ'd to make LIX By Hands Divine his Body first was wrought The full Abridgment of this World to be With curious Art to ' its last perfection brought But infinitely base in its degree To th' Soul the Pourtraict of the Deity Into his Nostrils breath'd that in his Brain Might be infixt the Heav'nly Ima'gry And Life with Vital Blood in every Vein To th' Parts extream convey'd the Character retain LX. Love was that Character in Holiness And perfect Purity exemplifi'd And Innocence which that first state did bless And Reason with them Empire to divide And o're th' Inferiour Appetite preside Which it restrain'd and furnisht with true Skill It self in all its Acts to curb and guide At least had power to do so and fulfil The Charge Divine close backt by Freedom of the Will LXI Blest Qualities which made him Lord and King Of all this lower World and Majesty On his Erected Countenance stampt did bring Heav'n down to Earth and Earth that flat did lie Advance'd to be for Angels Company Nay farther and what Angels did admire For its Aetern Exemplar the Most High Who with his Work delighted would retire Frequent from Heav'n as to divert and view it nighe'r LXII Himself hereby Man dexterously did guide And o're himself so absolutely reign The greatest Kingdom in the World beside And which all other Kingdoms did contain In ' it self in Chief or Vassalages Chain That only Peace and only what was Good And only Love was given for Love again With Charms that by no force could be withstood And centred in one Point Indivisible GOD. LXIII Hail happy state of Innocence thrice Hail Hail to Thy Love and Thee And may my Verse From thence inspir'd with generous Souls
Rites absurd by his strange Wives brought in Authentick made when their establishing Own'd him as Founder and some think that Verse Then lustful Orgias first began to sing And prostituted Mysteries rehearse Which Fabulous Greece did after through the World disperse XXX Verse it is sure did early suffer wrong And Tyran Love debaucht it as he ' had done God's noblest Creature for the chains are strong With which he holds it yet as if his own It purely were and were enough alone All that he else has lost back to regain And whence he had been tumbled to the Throne Once more advance him in his Hands the Rein Of all things midst an holier People put again XXXI It serv'd a little then its service now Is wondrously encreast since Sloth and Age Have heightned Vice and made Verse to it bow To th' Gods before it was in Vassalage And only knew the Pythonesses rage Or Priests inspir'd to all beside most chast To Vertue did and to true Worth engage And if the Object had been rightly plac'd Might for a real Vertue and true Grace have past XXXII But now what quickly after it begun Retaining nothing but the Ill ' it has gain'd By Lux and Travel it does counter-run To all that 's Good or Honest or maintain'd I' th' Civil Worlds esteem with Atheism stain'd As the next step to many Gods is none And all Impiety has place obtain'd With the worst Men and is so furious grown That in its fits it God and King defies alone XXXIII These it defies and dare unmask'd profess Where'it may be free and to its full pitch flown What e'ven to think abash'd mere Heathenness Nay when reserv'd most and most modest grown 'T will others Follies sing and make its own And than the Wise much rather please the Vain But since its present State too well is known To be conceal'd my self I shall not pain To tell it here or further tho provok'd complain XXXIV Ah! that it would it self or could complain And of the Lusts to which it did submit Unwillingly at first nor without pain But willingly when Custom humbled it Betray'd by ' its false and treacherous Mi'gnon Wit Her Mistress Verse the treacherous Maid beguil'd The false Love her and up they both did set One shameless Brothel wanton that this wild Till both of Honour Vertue and true Love were spoil'd XXXV Despoil'd they were despoil'd what they did serve Honour and Vertue and the Love Divine And Wedlock which did covertly preserve Some Traces of a Vigor Masculine Which Lust could never to its Beck incline So perfectly but it resistance made Weak as it was and sprung a Counter-mine But now aside all Enmities were laid And all with one consent did plot Heavâ—n to invade XXXVI Which as th' Almighty saw into his Mind That Mind of his it came which ever love To ' his Works did bear to Man was ever kind The madness of such Faytours to reprove And what none else could do the Cause remove The cause was this Mock-Love whom to debase Into his Mind it came by him who strove So high to raise him and who what he was Of all Men best did know did all in Loves surpass XXXVII Wise Salomon who when he long had try'd The vain Experiment at length grew Wise Nor longer with him would the secret hide Than till th' Almighty open'd had his Eyes And to him clear'd the blest Discoveries Till his Repentance had his Loves effac'd And Credence gain'd us that immerst to rise Tho hard it be the Doom may not be past If what 's too long one Day deferr'd yet come at last XXXVIII Him his great Prophet God most high did raise Turning the Tenor of his inspir'd String Of Ancient Honour and of Future Praise But most of Love the Cause and end to sing And hidden Mysteries to the Light to bring The mighty Works th' Almighty's Self would do For Loves and his BELOVEDS ransoming All which he did to th' Royal Prophet show And all which by him taught his Israel came to know XXXIX Not as those Works when finisht perfectly Should be display'd but as became their state And Him who was restor'd the Type to be Of all the Glories which he should relate By Figures and by Shadows adaequate To Humane Reasonings and Discourse finite By his chang'd Loves a Love to adumbrate Which cannot else be seen by Mortal Light God's Love to Man which different Natures should unite XL. That Love which God in time from Heav'n should bring With Man to dwell and as true Man appear Which Man no less of all his Works the King To Heav'n excluded thence by ' his Fall should bear And on his Wings triumphantly up-rear And all the way as he does thither rise With Idees fill him of the Beauties there That Love in fine which does all Loves comprize Whence Man to ' his Maker lives his Maker for him dies XLI Of all which Marriage is the Sacrament Or Symbol call it if the Name displease The closest Union to represent 'Twixt God and Man 'twixt Man and Happiness And if there closer Union be than these Or more and whether more be meant who knows Tho closer none in one Term all to express Marriage which once confirm'd by holy Vows Is Loves Reprizal and in one all Unions shows XLII So God most High resolv'd so Salomon By him inspir'd did carnal Love impeach Of highest Treason and Rebellion The first who plainly did the Mystery preach And what himself but late learnt others teach That Love alone whose long and outstretcht Line Through Natures Works to Natures end does reach Their Love whom God not Lust or Interest joyn Unequal tho it be comes nearest the Divine XLIII As near as was or fit for us to know Or possible in Mortal Flesh immur'd Tho God himself the Form would take below When brighter Vision could not be endur'd Nor Loves invisible taught else or secur'd For such is Man tho of God's Works the chief Of things Invisible to be assur'd That from things Visible he must receive Th' imperfect Image and of God by ' himself conceive XLIV His Bodies structure and his Souls great Powers Both which as having God himself propounds Tho Acts Organical are purely Ours And he the Deity by the shift confounds Who makes it what the Parable expounds With Senses and with Parts corporeal Loving like us and with a Lovers Wounds Which from the Deity are excluded all And only us'd that under Sense those Acts may fall XLV Yet so God loves so would be known to Love As Love i th' Marriage Bed kept undefilâ—d Might figure best if one the Vail remove Our Nature which of Innocence dispoylâ—d Till rais'd whence sunk beguiles and is beguil'd But once restor'd is worthy Him and Us Him still to love with Love us to be fill'd Of Grace not Debt become both Amorous The Churches Husband He the Church his Bride and Spouse XLVI Thus loving and belov'd
thus shame on those Whose either Atheism or Impiety Dare the Tremendous Figure or expose Or subject make it of foul Raillery And to vile Lust embase the Mystery That of their Happ'ness have so little sense Their God their Souls and their Civility That they with things most sacred can dispense And rather than not give it take from Heav'n offence XLVII From Thee most sacred and inspired Song The humblest Condescention of Heav'ns King From which my roving Verse has stray'd too long Led by the Mock-love and now late does sing Next that the humblest which with Saffron Wing Gabriel the True-loves mighty Harbinger Foretold to the' EVER-VIRGIN e're the thing Was full accomplisht and thereof did bear When done first News and what the signs to know him were XLVIII Signs too unlikely till by Angels told Whereby the Maker of all things to find For who would think a simple Cratch should hold Eternal Majesty mean Swathings bind Th' Incomprehensible and Unconfin'd And that an Ox and Ass were company To Scorn enur'd and labour by their kind In an Inns-Stable fit for God Most High And that a Babe should be that God and expos'd lie XLIX Yet signs they were with Heav'n which suited best And best with God when God should Flesh appear And so was Wedlock thence to be exprest E're that time came the Image he should bear Or rather what our selves allyed to ' him near Nearer by Purchase than Creation Should thence become like Glories with him wear And since to us it could not else be known Till Man to Heav'n should rise high Heav'n to Man bring down L. By Love to bring it And by Love HE brought it Who all the Mysteries of Love did know Second alone to Loves dear self who taught it As or above it was or as below And in thee Song its Mystic Power did show Not as thy Words to ' us sound but as thy Sense To th' Church apply'd by â—oly Churches Vow Must be expounded with this Difference Of God 't is Figure All of Man all Innocence LI. Of Soul and Body but of Soul the most Whose Acts and Motions Thou dost most intend By views Material to our Light dispos'd But where the Matter does all Act suspend And shadows what it cannot comprehend Is nothing or as nothing how e're laid Compar'd with what comparison does transcend Nor meant at all tho by it all is said That 's said of Love which through its broken Pipe 's convey'd LII So wouldst Thou Song so must Thou be understood And short of this who e're Thy Flight would bound To th' Deity sacrifices Human Blood And fixes on th' Impassible that Wound Which the Mock-love to offer had astound For He soon as he heard the words Divine His Sentence in them and his Doom he found At which affrighted back he did resign All he before usurpt nor ought had to rejoyn LIII Happy he so could scape tho e're away Cast and condemn'd he into Exile went The True Love who long waited for that Day Hymen his great Embassadour down sent To beg some Exemplary Punishment And Caution that he would return no more But all the Caution which to give he meant Was but his Word nor longer tâ—at than Power Should fail him to attempt what he had done before LIV. For Punishment 't was yet too early Day To move or hope Himself enough had done By those Spoyls which unforce'd he down did lay The Jurisdiction of Heav'ns Court to own Whom that acknowledgment must serve or none And out he went with stern and bloody Eyes And bitter Railings on blest Hymen thrown Who all his Railings did no less despise Content since he no more could get with the bare Prize LV. Marriage restor'd to ' its Just and Ancient Right And all th' Intents to which it was design'd Marriage which once secur'd does Souls unite And made in Heav'n to Heav'n so near is joyn'd That only there we purer Love can find Marriage of th Fallen World the best Estate Marriage most Honourable with Mankind Which to abuse a Man his Flesh must hate Marriage God's Blessing when He gave o're to create To the Muse ODE PINDARIC I. STROPHE BUT whither bear'st Thou me O Love Sovereign Disposer of all things Beyond the flight of Verses Wings Which after Thee a Course unequal move So swift Thy passage is and wondrous light Scarce can I of Thee get the sight And all so here and there So unconfin'd and every where Appear Thou dost and disappear A Phantosm Thou would'st reckned be But that whole Nature lives alone by Thee I. ANTISTROPHE From Heav'n to Earth from Earth again To Heav'n who has Loves Journy trace't Hail ye bright Stars which saw him last And greater Lustre by his grant obtain You last of all his parting Charge receiv'd And still to keep it are believ'd In times and seasons thence Which you to all his Works dispense With kind and wholesome Influence And at his Thrones dread Footstool wait Illustrious Guards and Messengers of Fate I. EPODOS Happy the Man whose noble Soul Hath rais'd him to a pitch so high That he the Heav'ns as they about him roll Undazled can behold with curious Eye And every Mystic note That 's in their Mighty Volume wrote As clearly understand As if acquainted with no other hand Yet happier He by far Who like the Kings first guided by a Star Obtains like Royal Grace Into the Sacred Presence usher'd thus to pass II. STROPHE An Honour done but to a few As few there be who care to joyn Their quest to th' search of Love Divine Thither applying what from thence they drew Heav'ns Priests and Loves who have the lucky skill Both Services at once to fill Nor like the most all day Or Idle stand or play And gaze tho' on Heaven their Age away Of Love who largely boast the Name But never saw his Light or felt his Flame II. ANTISTROPHE At once both Services he fill'd Whom the Muse sings both knows the best Of any who e're those Gifts possest In Books so different so divinely skill'd Natures and God's the Gloss that this the Text And read together unperplext While that by ' it self alone Read as too oft is done But Altars rears to ' a God unknown To th' True this does a way provide But difficult to walk without a Guide II. EPODOS Not SETH whose Pillars Fabulous Surviv'd the all-devouring Flood Taught the New World the Half he teaches us Were all he taught as well but understood Tho when of Love He treats And His high Mysteries repeats All hear and what is heard By all for certain Truth is so rever'd The ravisht Soul resents Its teadious stay and future joys prevents Rapt in Ecstatic Fires To the Divine Aboads almost i th' Flame expires III. STROPHE Witness Thou Sarums sacred Pile Which from the day Thou first cam'st down From the parcht neighbouring Hill the Town Attending Thee and shouting all the while None
Debora awake And from this hint fresh vigour take Encourage and provoke Thy Lyre Till all its speaking Chords conspire And with Thy Voice a perfect Concert make Up Barak at th' harmonious Sound Abinoams warlike Sâ—n arise Lo Thy Captivity stands in Fetters bound To be Thy valours early Prize And dreadfully adorn Thy entrance with its Exequies Lead on Great Prince by God ordain'd To be Thy Nations Glory and this Days Who hast Thy self the heat of th' War sustain'd Tho Women with Thee share divided Praise And all the while Thou dost the sacred Mount ascend Boldly Thy Ransom'd Peoples shouts attend The Bays Thou wearest will Thy Head defend Yea speak Thy self how God made Thee The Captain of his Armies be And when retir'd Thou long hadst lain at Home How forth he call'd Thee to o'recome The strange deliv'erance by Thy Hands he wrought And how to mine he Judgment gave And let the Tribes which with us fought A just Memorial in our Triumphs have VI. Ex Ephraim delevit eos Place Ephraim here Ephraim whose Fortitude In Amaleks first overthrow was try'd When stoutly he th' Uncircumcis'd defi'd And with unerring Shafts their flying Troops pursu'd Benjamin with his Squadron follow'd close And his scorn'd Life more nobly to expose The Tribe he dearest lov'd for witness of his Courage chose From Machir Princes to the Battel came And Counsellors from Zabulon Who to encrease the glory of their Name Kept by the Sword what by the Pen they won Then Issachar and Napthali By Debora that and this by Barak led Both valiant Tribes and both resolv'd to die Or conquer with so brave an Head But had you seen the Emulation there And how they strove each other to out-fight You would have thought them arm'd with Heav'nly Might And all so terrible they did appear Such Trophies of Mail'd Corps did round them rear That every Israâ—elite a destroying Angel were VII Diviso contra se Ruben Ruben the while did with his Flocks abide And blest the Flood whose streams the parted Land divide Careless of what his Brethr'en thought And what the fears his cold indiffernce wrought Strange and distracted fears his cold indifference brought But why O Ruben why didst thou refuse An Enterprize so great and good Was it to hear thy bleating Ews Or could thy Honour be so little understood That their plain Fleeces thou shouldst chuse Before a Robe di'd Purple in thine Enemies blood This cold indifference Ruben lost thee more Than ever thou in Arms hadst gain'd before Ah! hadst thou been alone but far behind By thy example Gilead stai'd On Shipboard Dan drove on his Trade And Asser that he might be signally unkind Tho of pale Death too Womanly affraid Rather than yield his aid Watcht on his naked Beaches torn with Seas and Wind. Unlike to Zabulon and Nepthali Who best knew how to Live yet fear'd the least to Die VIII Zabulon vero Nepthali c. Thither my Song behold their Ensigns spred On the High-places and how equally endu'd With Learning and with Conduct too they shew'd That never friendlier those best gifts inhabited And softer thoughts designs more noble bred The Cananitish Kings approacht the Hill Tabor by their defeat to be renown'd But fearful to ascend its top did fill The Plains of Tanaach with their Camps around And lowd Megiddos Waters with their shoutings drown'd They came and fought but Heav'n that took our part Bore the first shock and on them turn'd the War A mortal shaft was sent from every Star Which sank like Lead into the Spoilers Heart No Gain or Pay the Sacred Legions took But to the Service arm'd in Diamond marcht on And whom they spar'd Kison that ancient Brook Kison in its swoln Torrent carri'd down In vain the Horse assay'd the Flood to stem Which hurld their Riders with them down the rapid stream IX Conculca Anima mea robustos Enough my Soul enough the chase give o're Those Enemies thou hast seen thou shalt behold no more Stop for at length the War is done And thou in Blood I know tak'st no delight Sound a Retreat the Day 's thine own And so shall Sisera too e're Night Finding the Death he 'd shun by an inglorious flight But first confirm a Curse was laid By our God's Angel and a Charge divine Curse ye Meros the Angel said Curse Meros bitterly and join Yours to Jehovah's Curse and mine Curse all who dwell there and be this their Doom Who like them to th' Almighty's â—tandard will not come But blessed above Women be Israels and Hebers Ornament Jabel above all Women blest i th' Tent. And let this Song preserve her Memory Never was greater Name Recorded i th' Eternal Monuments of Fame X. Aquam petenti lac dedit To her on foot Sisa'ra his flight addrest The courteous Wife to meet him went The courteous Wife invited him into her Tent And future Joys with thoughtful Cares supprest He askt her Water and she ran in haste To execute her own and to prevent his Wish And pour'd him Milk into a Royal Dish A ready and a quick repast And having give'n the fatal Bait Humbly at his Feet did wait And smil'd to see how greedily he drank and slept his last Sleep Tyrant sleep she said And up a Nail and Hammer took The Nail into his Temples struck And with his own unbloody Sword smote off his Head He bowd he fell and at her Feet he lay Down at her Feet he bow'd fell groan'd his Soul away Where he bow'd there he fell down dead XI Per fenestram respiciens Out at a Window his blith Mother gaz'd And waiting there his coming cry'd Why lies the Dust so long unrais'd Nor Sisara yet with Captives by his side Exalted high in his triumphal Chariot ride Her Ladies answer'd her Those Ora'cles of the Court Yea to her self she made her own report Have they not sped have they not gain'd the Day Have they not shar'd the Israelitish Prey To every Man a Dame or two To Sisara as the General 's due Choice of rich Slaves and choice of Garments too A curious Vest with Needles wrought With curious Needles wrought on either side And all in Royal Colours dy'd By th' Hebrews of their Neighbour Tyrians bought And only sit the Victors bloody arms to hide So Lord may all Thine Enemies die So Conquer and be Conquered so When such as on Thy Power relie In Heav'n alone their equals know And like the Sun which triumphs there Crown'd with illustrious Beams and robe'd in Light appear Comiato To the Reverend the now Dr. James Gardiner Sub-Dean of Lincoln SONG in the Country little understood For my dear Gardiner at the Town inquire And all thy heat into his gen'rous Brest inspire To mingle with a nobler Fire Which lies at present smouldring in his Blood Perchance thou may'st effectual prove To make that upward tow'rds its Center move And him in softest lays rehearse the HOLIEST LOVE 1668. David's
is too loud for our purg'd Ear And dreadfully Thy scorching Lightnings shine That voice of Fire till the Great Day restrain Where to be slept out 't shall be strove in vain For even the Dead by it awak'd shall rise again The NATIVITY An Ode I. WHO would not envy if he durst your Grace Blest Shepherds to whom first the Tidings came That God who neither Time can bound nor Space Th' Almighty who upholds this rolling Frame Deign'd to be born and did the Breast imbrace Of the Worlds Maker made himself a Child And wrapt in swaths tho He whole Nature fill'd Too happy News this in the City to be told I' th' Palace and at Herods Court Where all the learned Father Jews resort E're it reach them let the report grow cold There 's too much Spleen and Malice there Hypocrisie Distrust and servile Fear Intemp'rance Lust Extortion Cruelty And if than these there greater Vices be Pride which of ills the worst pollutes the Air. The Country 'a better place God for his Birth did chuse Tho not so gay and Men more Innocent To whom Hee 'd show His great Descent And when He did Jerusalem refuse 'T was to recal the Ancient Time and Use When He to Man in Paradise first went That He to Peace and Justice might the preference give And all the Graces that i th' Country safely live And lest the Truth should be deny'd i th' Country Hee 'd be Born but in the City Dy'd II. Fear not O Shepherds th' Angel said And need there was to bid them not to fear Since greater Souls than theirs might be afraid That God unlookt for should approach so near And full Spring-tides of Light at Midnights Ebb appear For Night it was and posting tow'rds the Day Grown darker on a sudden than before The Shepherds by their Flocks expecting lay Till their bright Star should ope ' the Mornings Door When Lo a brighter Star brake out And sacred Beams Angelic Forms did show Fairer than thousand Suns tho all about They their united Flames should throw 'T was Gabriel who the Message brought To the ' ever Virgin that she should conceive Gabriel who now the happy Minute taught When his Great Lord the Father's Throne did leave A Body fitted for him to receive Bright in His Princes glory bright in ' His own All clad in Hallow'd Light came down Embassador of God and Herald to His Son III. On Heavens high Top awhile He stood And view'd all Palestine around All Palestine in sleep lay drown'd Eve'n Jordan slumbred to the murmurs of his Flood Nor voice of Man nor noise of Dogs was heard The bowing Mountains seem'd to nod And at the Presence of their God Who o're them wav'd his All-commanding Rod Inclin'd their Heads and the great Spell rever'd Each Field each Hill did rest And equal Night possest The painful Labourer and his weary Beast Bethle'hem alone this Transient Death surviv'd And in her Plains some liv'd Yet whom the Sight did so surprize They hardly durst believe their Eyes Yet durst not but believe and sent to Heav'n their cries IV. So at the last Day shall there some be found To hear alive the Trumpets dreadful sound Amaz'd and trembling shall they stand Feel on themselves a Powerful Hand And willing or unwilling take the great Command Be chang'd 't will say ye Living and ye Dead Wake and arise and to the Judgment come The Living soon as e're the word is sed Shall feel the Terrors they did dread And without help of Death or Grave reach their Eternal Home The Dead with their own Bodies shall arise And then the Earth and Sea and Skies The scatter'd Atomes shall restore Of Bodies which they did devour To joyn with parted Souls but never to be parted more No guilty Criminal his Face shall hide Or undiscovered the great Judg avoid But from his Hold tho self-condemn'd come and be tri'd V. Nature it self shall to ' its old nothing roll And then Heav'ns beauteous Scroll With all the Mistic Notes that there Writ by the Hand Divine So wondrous and and so bright appear Shall in one flame with Earth and Sea more dreadful shine Like that which once the Prophet sent To Judahs stubborn King A while he heard the Woes but grown impatient With Hands prophane the Parchment rent And into th' Fire the sever'd parts did sling And there they crackled there did together shrink Till all-consum'd they were to Ashes burn'd Ah! sottish Prince and vain to think Decrees of Heav'n so easily overturn'd Lo God himself resents the wrong Thy self shall be the subject of a longer Roll ere long VI. And so he was for by the dread Command A larger Roll the Prophet did prepare By th' same Command another Heav'n more fair In place of this when 't is consum'd shall stand And there the Thrones shall be for Judgment set From awful which the Son with Majesty And doubled Grace shall Reign illustriously In his own Godhead and th' Exalted Manhood great All Nations then and Languages The Rich the Poor the Simple and the Wise With all who Tents inhabited or Palaces Naked to the Bar shall rise And answer each Man to his name Distinctions shall aside be thrown Nor Kings be by their Scepters known Or the great Houses which they made or whence they came Around the Bar shall Angels wait For Execution arm'd and cloth'd for state Sole ministers of Wrath who only were of Love alate VII Thither O Muse thither bring back my Song From which thou wandred hast too long Of Gabriel and his second Message sing Who now upon the Wing The happiest News e're heard by mortal ears does bring Attend he said and those glad Tidings hear Good Tidings and of great Joy which shall be Not unto you alone Or from the Father to the Son For one descent alone continued down But unto all who are to come or wisht this day to see For Lo to you is Born this Day A Saviour which is Christ the Lord In David's Town which long expecting lay Promis'd Messiah and th' Incarnate Word To Day He â—s Born and this shall be the Sign By which the Mighty Infant shall be found In Swadling Clothes he shall lie bound And in a Manger rests the Babe Divine Never was Sight of equal Fame Not the first Man of God-like Frame For God himself thus Born a Mortal Man became VIII He spake and with him strait were seen Myriads of Angels in their best Array Myriads of Angels who kept Holy-day And all their Glories did display No Cloud to ' eclipse the Lustre came between And then they Danc'd and then they Sang Praises themselves did first compose The Starry Vault with the loud Eccho rang And the whole Concert doubled o're this close Glory to God on High i th' highest great Jehovah bless Good Will t'wards Men on Earth be Peace Glory to God on High And may this Round begun thus last Eternally And up
they rose with Bays and Ivy Crown'd Not such as Mortal Poets wear below But what i th' Heav'nly Tempâ—e grow And with whose Wreaths the first great Makers Brows are bound IX Go Shepherds go and kiss th' Eternal Son To Bethle'hem go and the first Tributes bring To Israels Saviour and Heav'ns New-born King To you this more than common Honour 's done To ' approach your God and Worship at his humble Throne Make haste nor by your own delay For others to prevent your Joys give way Why should they first be happy whilst you only stay For Kings shall come e're long from th' East By a less Flame than what 's your Guide Directed hi'ther to find that Rest Which seems not theirs till by ' you accepted or deny'd Of you God takes the first and greatest Care Who thus by Angels Summon'd are When they tho Kings and coming from afar Shall wait and both to call and lead them only have a Star 14 Jan. 166â— The STAR A Carol For the Epiphany by the III Kings SEe how that Glorious Star at Noon does rise And like another Sun new Guilds the Skies Look how it dares the Ruler of the Light And in His clearest Beams appears more bright Calling before its time the sluggish Night Rather the Conquer'd Sun to ' its Rays gives way And but a Phospher seems to its new Day The Conquer'd Sun c. Chorus trium Sure 't is no common Star see where it goes A daring Passage it self only knows And cross the Heav'n points out to Palestine And as it that way leads more bright does shine Come let us follow where it leads and see What may the Cause of its appearing be Whether it set a Star or some Divinity Come let us c. Chorus alter trium Some greater Power which to direct our Way Has chose this borrowed Shape and glorious Ray And when we knew not well which Road to go Does tow'rds Judea our great Journey show That way it points that way we must along No fear when Heaven 's out Guide we should go wrong That way c. Chorus trium tertius O're Bethle'm lo at length the Flame does rest Bethle'm that with the Prince of Peace is blest Bethle'm which must by ancient Prophecy The Tyring-House of the Almighty be Where he will cloath Himself with base Humanity And that 's the House where we our Gifts must bring To the World's God and Israel's Infant King Chorus Omnium Hither 't was hither the bright Star did lead Let 's enter humbly and approach with Fear The Star which brought will shew him us more clear And be a Glory round the Infants Head O this is He fall down and worship him fall down And kiss his Feet whose Head ev'n Heav'n thus stoops to Crown 23. Decemb. 1660. The PASSION An Ode I. TWice sixteen Years have almost o're Thee past Twice sixteen more Thou mayst as fondly waste In expectation Sylvius as thou hast The swift-wing'd Years which in their Passage scap'd thee last The Kalendar is searcht and all in vain Wouldst Thou have this Day return To the same Point as when in ' it Thou wert Born But 't will not be this Age if it e're come again Enough 'tis that Thou once didst see The great Conjunction Wait not o're long for what may be Too late for Thee And is sufficient of it self alone Without that Circumstance to fill Thy Song For grant it now what could to Thee be ' apply'd But that thy Birth fell out the Night thy Saviour Di'd II. Rise then my Muse but from a nobler Ground And sing in Numbers mournful as the Day Of Natures fright and disarray Which did Philosophy confound And scattered dismal Horrours all around When Heaven and Earth and Hell partook In the Darkness and the Night Which like a Sea o'reflow'd the plains of Light And all Spectators with amazement strook Unlike to that which once in Egypt raign'd When solid Night did Rhamases invest But Goshen of the Sun possest Over the Gleam a Prospect gain'd And uninvellopt saw how far the Heav'ns were stain'd Nor was it to the Antipodes The Day had hastned his access For they unsensible of Light Lay buried all the while in Night And without Miracle could not behold it bright Unless Thou add'st the Prodigie to raise And which none else but Thou O Muse dares say Th' Antipodes at Midnight rose to gaze And Night Jerusalem less admir'd than they the Day III. A thought too wild this and extravagant And which does all but its own airy basis want Say rather that the Pangs and Agonies Of a new and better World Which was thence to take its rise Were thus conceal'd from Mortal Eyes And Darkness as at first o're all th' Expansion hurld God's sacred Kingdom was that Birth The same New Heaven and new Earth Which the belov'd Disciple saw In all its Beauties as it did appear And to provoke Adventurers there A Chart thereof by Vision did exactly draw For on the Cross as our great Saviour hung And just Expiring bow'd his Conquering Head From the black Skies bright beams like Lightning sprung But as the Day continued long Chasing wing'd Darkness which before them fled And as the first Creations Work begun By the commanding Word which He To Nothing and to Chaos sed Making when He spake only Let there be By a no less Word this too was done Created by that Voice which cry'd T is Finished IV. 'T is Finished the Mighty Victor cry'd All reaking in Triumphal Gore Which his own Wounds not Enemies Necks supply'd For tho with them He Skirmisht had before And oft rebated had their Power He could not throughly for us Conquer till He Di'd Alone He did the Wine-press tread Of his Just Father's Wrath alone Israels to raise stoopt his own Head And to assist Him was there none So far from that that i th' pursuit Of Satan Sin and Death when He cry'd out With fainting Groans I Thirst His Patience some and some his Conquest Curst And Gall and Vinacre of the bitter Tree was all the Fruit. Till having tasted of the Brook i th' way Anew He follow'd till He gain'd the Day And to compleat his Victory Got thence more Aids and strength enough to Die V. Blest Saviour who but Thou couldst Live so long And in one Soul so many Deaths endure And different all and all their Pains so strong That their rehearsal does fresh Griefs ensure And again pierce those Hearts Thou bledst to Cure When in the Garden Thou didst first begin Gethsemane for ease design'd And safe retirements of a troubled Mind Purging thence all th' effects of Sin Which still tho hid remaind behind The dregs of what on Man in Paradise brake in Fatal but happy Place that where did grow Midst whole Woods no less beauteous but one Tree That even by Wilfulness alone could be The occasion of our Misery