great vnto thee and great things small Follie appeareth Wisedome and Wisedome Follie. Fred of thy fleshlie care thou shalt rightlie discerne the beautie of thy selfe and haue perfect fruition of that all-sufficient and all-suffizing Happinesse which is GOD himselfe to whom thou owest thy being to Him thou owest thy well being He and Happinesse are the same For if GOD had not Happinesse Hee were not GOD because Happinesse is the highest and greatest Good If then GOD haue Happinesse it can not bee a a thing differing from Him for if there were any thing in Him differing from Him Hee should bee an essence composed and not simple more what is differing in any thing is either an accident or a part of it selfe In GOD Happinesse can not bee an accident because Hee is not subject to anie accidents if it were a part of Him since the part is before the whole wee should bee forced to grant that some thing was before GOD. Bedded and bathed in these earthlie ordures thou canst not come neare this soueraigne Good nor haue any glimpse of the farre-off dawning of his vncessable brightnesse no not so much as the eyes of the Birds of the night haue of the Sunne Thinke then by Death that thy shell is broken and thou then but euen hatched that thou art a Pearle raised from thy Mother to bee enchaced in Gold and that the death-day of thy body is thy birth-day to Eternitie Why shouldst thou bee feare-stroken and discomforted for thy parting from this mortall Bride thy bodie sith it is but for a tyme and such a time as shee shall not care for nor feele any thing in nor thou haue much neede of her Nay sith thou shalt receiue her againe more goodly and beautifull than when in her fullest perfection thou enjoyed her beeing by her absence made like vnto that Indian Christall which after some reuolutions of Ages is turned into purest Diamond If the Soule bee the forme of the Bodie and the forme separated from the matter of it can not euer so continue but is inclined and disposed to be reunited thereinto What can let and hinder this desire but that some time it bee accomplished and obtaining the exspected end rejoyne it selfe againe vnto the bodie The Soule separate hath a desire because it hath a will and knowes it shall by this reunion receiue perfection too as the matter is disposed and inclineth to its forme when it is without it so would it seeme that the Forme should be towards its matter in the absence of it How is not the Soule the forme of the bodie fith by it it is and is the beginning and cause of all the actions and functions of it For though in excellencie it passe euerie other forme yet doth not that excellencie take from it the nature of a forme If the abiding of the Soule from the bodie be violent then can it not bee euerlasting but haue a regresse How is not such an estate of beeing and abiding not violent to the Soule if it bee naturall to it to be in matter and separate after a strange manner many of the powers and faculties of it which neuer leaue it are not duelie exercised This Vnion seemeth not aboue the Horizon of naturall reason farre lesse imposible to bee done by GOD and though Reason can not euidentlie heere demonstrate yet hath shee a mistie and groping notice If the bodie shall not arise how can the onelie Soueraigne Good be perfectlie and infinitlie good For how shall hee bee just nay haue so much justice as Man if Hee suffer the euill and vicious to haue a more prosperous and happie life than the followers of Religion and Vertue which ordinarlie vseth to fall forth in this life For the most wicked are Lords and Gods of this Earth sleeping in the lee port of honour as if the spacious habitation of the World had beene made onelie for them and the Vertuous and good are but forlorne cast-awayes floting in the surges of distresse seeming heere either of the eye of prouidence not pityed or not regarded beeing subject to all dishonours wronges wrackes in their best estate passing away their dayes like the Dâ—zies in the Field in silence and contempt Sith then hee is most good must just of necessitie there must bee appointed by him an other time and place of 〈◊〉 in the which there shall bee a reward for leauing well and a punishment for doing euill with a life whereinto both shall receiue their due and not onelie in their Soules diâ—â—â—ted for â—ith both the parts of man did act a part in the right or wrong it carrieth great reason with it that they both bee araigned before that high Iustice to receiue their owne Man is not a Soule onelie but a Soule and Bodie to which either guerdon or punishment is due This seemeth to be the voice of Nature in almost all the Religions of the World this is that generall testimonie charactered in the minds of the most barbarous and sauage people for all haue had some rouing gesses at Ages to come and a dimme duâ—kish light of another life all appealing to one generall Iudgement Throne To what else could serue so many expiations sacrifices prayers solemnities and misticall ceremonies To what such sumptuous Temples and care of the dead to what all Religion If not to showe that they expected a more excellent manner of beeing after the nauigation of this life did take an end And who doth denie it must denie that there is a Prouidence a GOD confesse that his worship and all studie and reason of vertue are vaine and not beleeue that there is a World are creatures and that Hee Himselfe is not what Hee is But it is not of Death perhaps that we complaine but of Tyme vnder the fatall shadow of whose â—inges all things decay and wether This is that Tyrant which executing against vs his diamantine lawes altereth the harmonious constitution of our bodies benumning the Organes of our knowledge turneth our best Senses senslesse makes vs loathsome to others and a burthen to our selues Of which euills Death releiueth vs. So that if wee could bee transported O happie colonie to a place exempted from the lawes and conditions of Tyme where neither change motion nor other affection of materiall and corruptible things were but an immortall vnchangeable impassible all-sufficient kind of life it were the last of things wishible the tearme and center of all our deâ—ires Death maketh this transplantation for the last instant of corruption or leauing off of any thing to bee what it was is the first of generation or beeing of that which succeedeth Death then beeing the end of this miserable transitory life of necessitie must bee the beginning of that other all excellent and eternall And so causleslie of a vertuous Soule it is either feared or complained on As those Images were pourtraited in my minde the morning Starre now almost arising in the East I found my thoughts
attired her selfe with And if wee would say the trueth of most of our Ioyes wee must confesse that they are but disguised sorrowes the drames of their Honney are sowred in pounds of Gall Remorse euer enseweth them and neuer doe they existe but by their opposite sadnesse nay in some they haue no effect at all if some wakning griefe hath not preceeded and forewent them Will some Ladies vaunt of their beautie that is but skinne-deepe of two senses onelie knowne short euen of Marble-Statues and Pictures not the same to all eyes dangerous to the beholder and hurtfull to the possessor an enemie to Chastitie a thing made to delight others more than those which haue it a superficiall luster hiding bones and the braines thinges fearfull to bee looked vpon growth in yeares doth blaste it or Sicknesse or Sorrow preuenting them Our strength matched with that of the vnreasonable Creatures is but weaknesse all wee can set our eyes on in these intricate mazes of life is but vaine perspectiue and deceiuing shadowes appearing farre other wayes a farre off than when enjoyed and gazed vpon in a neare distance If Death bee good why should it bee feared And if it bee the worke of Nature how should it not bee good For Nature is an ordinance and rule which GOD hath established in the creating this Vniuerse as is the Law of a King which can not erre For how should the Maker of that ordinance erre sith in him there is no impotencie and weaknesse by the which hee might bring forth what is vnperfect no peruersenesse of will of which might proceed any vicious action no ignorance by the which he might goe wrong in working beeing most powerfull most good most wise nay all-wise all-good all-powrefull He is the first orderer and marshalleth euery other order the highest Essence giuing essence to all other thinges of all causes the cause Hee worketh powerfullie bonteouâ—lie wiselie and maketh his artificiall Organ Nature doe the same How is not Death of Nature sith what is naturallie generate is subject to corruption and such an harmonie which is Life rising from the mixture of the foure Elements which are the Ingredients of our bodie can not euer endure The contraritie of their qualities as a consuming Rust in the baser Metalles beeing an inward cause of a necessarie dissolution Againe how is not Death good sith it is the thaw of all those vanities which the frost of Life bindeth together If there bee a facietie in Life then must there bee a sweetnesse in Death The Earth were not ample enough to containe her of-spring if none dyed in two or three Ages without Death what an vnpleasant and lamentable Spectacle were the most flourishing Cities for what should there bee to bee seene in them saue bodies languishing and couâ—bing againe into the Earth pale disfigured faces Skelitons in stead of men and what to bee heard but the exclamations of the young complaintes of the olde with the pittifull cryes of sicke and pining persons there is almost no infirmitie worse than age If there bee any euill in death it would appeare to bee that paine and torment which we apprehend to arise from the breaking of those strait bands which keepe the Soule and body together which sith not without great struggling and motion seemes to proue it selfe vehement and most extreame The senses are the onely cause of paine but before the last Trances of death they are so brought vnder that they haue no or verie little strength and their strength lessening the strength of paine too must be lessened How should wee doubt but the weaknesse of senselesseneth paine Sith we know that weakened and maimed parts which receiue not nurishment are a great deale lesse sensible than the other partes of the bodie And see that old decrepit persons leaue this world almost without paine as in a sleepe If bodies of the most sound and wholesome constitution bee these which most vehemently feele paine it must then follow that they of a distemperate and crasie constitution haue least feeling of paine and by this reason all weake and sicke bodies should not much feele paine for if they were not distempered and euill complexioned they would not be sicke That the Sight Hearing Taste Smelling leaue vs without paine and vnawares we are vndoubtedlie assured and why should wee not thinke the same of the Feeling That which is capable of feeling are the vitall spirits which in a man in a perfite health are spred and extended through the whole bodie and hence is it that the whole body is capable of paine But in dying bodies we see that by pauses and degrees the partes which are furthest remoued from the heart become cold and being depriued of naturall heat all the paine which they feele is that they doe feele no paine Now euen as ere the sicke be aware the vitall spirits haue with drawne themselues from the whole extension of the bodie to succour the heart like distressed Citizens which finding their walls battered down flye to the defence of their Cittadell so doe they abandone the heart without any sensible touch As the flame the oyle failing leaueth the wicke or as light the Aire which it doeth inuest As to the shrinking motions and convulsions of sinewes and members which appeare to witnesse great paine let one represent to himselfe the strings of an high-tuned Lut which breaking retire to their naturall windings or a piece of Yce that without any out-ward violence cracketh at a Thawe No otherwise doe the sinewes of the bodie finding themselues slacke and vnbended from the braine and their wonted labours and motions cease struggle and seeme to stirre themselues but without either paine or sense Sowning is a true pourtrait of death or rather it is the same beeing a cessation from all action motion and function of sense and life But in Sowning there is no paine but a silent rest and so deepe and sound a sleepe that the naturall is nothing in comparison of it What great paine then can there bee in Death which is but a continued Sowning and a neuer againe returning to the workes and dolorous felicitie of life Now although Death were an extreame paine sith it is in an instant what can it bee why should wee feare it for while wee are it commeth not and it beeing come we are no more Nay though it were most painfull long continuing and terrible vglie why should wee feare it Sith feare is a foolish passion but where it may preserue but it can not preserue vs from Death yea rather the feare of it banishing the comfortes of present contentmentes makes Death to aduance and approach the more neare vnto vs. That is euer terrible which is vnknowne so doe litle children feare to goe in the darke and their feare is increased with tales But that perhaps which anguisheth thee most is to haue this glorious pageant of the World remoued from thee in the Spring and most delicious season of
made Slaues Sinne hath made Slaues but let those Bands Grace breake That in our vvrongs thy Mercies may appeare Thy VVisdome not so meane is Povv'r so vveake But thousand vvayes they can make VVorlds thee feare O VVisdome boundlesse O 〈◊〉 Grace Grace VVisedome vvhich make 〈◊〉 dimme Reasons Eye And could Heauens King bring from his placelesse Place On this ignoble Stage of Care to dye To dye our Death and vvith the sacred Streaâ—â—e Of Bloud and VVater gushing from his Side To make vs cleane of that contagioâ—â— Blame First on vs brought by our first Parents Pride Thus thy great Loue and Pitye heauenlie King Loue Pittye vvhich so vvell our Losse preuent Of Euill it selfe loe could all Goodnesse bring And sad beginning cheare vvith glad euent O Loue and Pitye ill knovvne of these Times O Loue and Pitye carefull of our need O Bounties vvhich our horride Acts and Crimes Grovvne numberlesse contend neare to exceed Make this excessiue ardour of thy loue So vvarme our Coldnesse so our Lifes renevv That vvee from Sinne Sinne may from vs remoue Wit may our Will Faith may our Wit subdue Let thy pure Loue burne vp all worldlie Lust Hells candi'd Poison killing our best part Which makes vs ioye in Toyes adore fraile Dust In stead of Thee in Temple of our Heart Grant when at last our Soules these Bodies leaue Their loathsome Shops of sinne and Mansions blinde And Doome before thy royall Seat receaue They may a Sauiour not a Iudge thee finde A CYPRESSE GROVE BY W. D. A CYPRESSE GROVE THough it hath beene doubted if there be in the Soule such imperious and superexcellent Power as that it can by the vehement earnest working of it deliuer knowledge to another without bodily Organes by the onely Conceptions and Ideas of it produce reall Effects yet it hath beene euer and of all held as infallible and most certaine that it often either by outward inspiration or some secret motion in it selfe is augure of its owne Misfortunes and hath Shadowes of approching dangers presented vnto it before they fall forth Hence so many strange apparitions and signes true Visions vncouth heauinesse and causelesse vncomfortable languishings of which to seeke a reason vnlesse from the sparkling of GOD in the Soule or from the God-like sparkles of the Soule were to make Reason vnreasonable by reasoning of things transcending her reach Hauing often and diuerse times when I had giuen my selfe to rest in the quiet solitarinesse of the Night found my Imagination troubled with a confused feare no sorrow or horror which interrupting Sleepe did astonish my senses and rowse me all appalled and transported in a suddaine agonie and amazednesse of such an vnaccustomed perturbation not knowing nor being able to diue into any apparent Cause carried away with the streame of my then doubting Thoughts I beganne to ascribe it to that secret fore-knowledge and presaging Power of the Propheticke Minde and to interpret such an Agonie to be to the Spirit as a faintnesse and vniversall wearinesse vseth to be to the Body a signe of following sicknesse or as winter Lightnings or Earth-quakes are to Commonwealthes and great Cities-Herbingers of more wretched euents Heereupon not thinking it strange if whatsoeuer is humaine should befall mee knowing how Prouidence ouercomes Griefe and discountenances Crosses and that as we should not despaire of Euils which may happen vs wee should not bee too confident nor leane much to those Goods wee enjoy I beganne to turne ouer in my remembrance all that could afflict miserable Mortalitie and to forecast euery thing that with a Maske of horror could show it selâ—e to humaine Eyes Till in the end as by Unities and Points Mathematicians are brought to great numbers and huge greatnesse after many fantasticall glances of the VVoes of Mankinde and those incombrances which follow vpon Life I was brought to thinke and with amazement on the last of humaine Terrors or as one termed it the last of all dreadfull and terrible Euils Death For to easie censure it would appeare that the Soule if it fore-see that divorcement which it is to haue from the Body should not without great reason be thus ouer-grieued and plunged in inconsolable and vnaccustomed Sorrow considering their neare Vnion long familiaritie and loue with the great change Paine Vglinesse which are apprehended to be the inseparable attendants of Death They had their being together Parts they are of one reasonable Creature the harming of the one is the weakning of the working of the other what sweete contentments doth the Soule enjoy by the senses They are the Gates and VVindowes of its Knowledge the Organes of its Delight If it be tedious to an excellent Player on the Lute to abide but a few Monthes the want of one how much more must the being without such noble Tooles and Engines bee plaintfull to the Soule And if two Pilgrimes which haue wandred some few miles together haue a hearts-griefe when they are neare to part what must the Sorrow be at the parting of two so louing Friends and neuer-loathing Louers as are the Body and Soule Death is the violent estranger of acquaintance the eternal Diuorcer of Mariage the Rauisher of the Children â—rom the Parents the Stealer of Parents from their Children the interrer of Fame the sole cause of forgetfulnesse by which the Liuing talke of those gone away as of so many Shadowes or age worne Stories all Strength by it is enfeebled Beautie turned into deformitie rottennesse Honor in contempt Glorie into basenesse It is the reasonlesse breaker off of all Actions by which we enjoy no more the sweet Pleasures of Earth nor gaze vpon the â—â—aâ—elie revolutions of the Heauens Sunne perpetuallie setteth Starâ—es neuer rise vnto vs It in one moment robbeth vs of what with so great toyle and care in many yeares wee haue heaped together By this are Successions of Linages cut short Kingdomes left heirelesse and greatest States orphaned it is not ouercome by Pride smoothed by Flatterie diuerted by Time Wisedome saue this can preuent and helpe euery thing By Death wee are exiled from this faire Citty of the World it is no more a World vnto vs nor we any more people into it The ruines of Phanes Palaces and other magnificent Frames yeeld a sad prospect to the Soule and how should it without horrour view the wracke of such a wonderfull Maister-piece as is the Body That Death naturally is torrible and to be abhorred it can not well and altogether be denied it beeing a priuation of Life and a not-being and euery priuation being abhorred of Nature and euill in it selfe the feare of it too being ingenerate vniversallie in all Creatures yet I haue often thought that euen naturally to a Minde by onely Nature resolued and prepared it is more terrible in Conceit than in Verity and at the first Glance than when well pryed into and that rather by the weaknesse of our Fantasie than by what is in it and
in a mild and quiet calme and not long after my Senses one by one forgetting their vses beganne to giue themselues ouer to rest leauing mee in a still and peaceable sleepe if sleepe it may bee called where the mind awaking is carried with free wings from out fleshlie bondage For heauie lids had not long couered their lights when I thought nay sure I was where I might discerne all in this great All the large compasse of the rolling Circles the brightnesse and continuall motion of those Rubies of the Night which by their distance heere below can not be perceiued the â—iluer countenance of the wandring Moone shining by anothers light the hanging of the Earth as eâ—uironed with a girdle of Christall the Sunne enthronized in the midst of the Planets eye of the Heauens Gemme of this precious Ring the World But whilst with wonder and amazement I gazed on those celestiall Splendors and the beaming Lampes of that glorious Temple like a poore Countrie-man brought from his solitarie mountaines and flockes to behold the magnificence of some great Citie There was presented to my fight a Man as in the spring of his yeares with that selfe same grace comely feature Majesticke looke which the late was wont to haue on whom I had no sooner set mine eyes when like one Planet-stroken I became amazed But hee with a â—ild demeanour and voyce surpassing all Humane sweetnesse appeared mee thought to say What is it doth thus anguish and trouble thee Is it the remembrance of Death the last Period of wretchednesse and entrie to these happie places the Lanterne which lightneth men to see the misterie of the blessednesse of Spirites and that glorie which transcendeth the Courtaine of things visible Is thy Fortune below on that darke Globe which scarce by the smalnes of it appeareth heere so great that thou art heart-broken and dejected to leaue it What if thou wert to leaue behind thee a so glorious in the eye of the World yet but a mote of dust encircled with a Pond as that of mine so louing such great hopes these had beene apparant occasions of lamenting and but apparent Dost thou thinke thou leauest Life too soone Death is best young things faire and excellent are not of long endurance vpon Earth Who liueth well liueth long Soules most beloued of their Maker are soonest releeued from the bleeding cares of Life and most swiftlie waâ—ted through the Surges of Humane miseries Opinion that great enchantresse and peiser of things not as they are but as they seeme hath not in any thing more than in the conceit of Death abused Man Who must not measure himselfe and esteeme his estate after his earthlie being which is but as a dreame For though hee bee borne on the Earth hee is not borne for the Earth more than the Embryon for the mothers wombe It plaineth to bee relieued of its bands and to come to the light of this World and Man wailleth to bee loosed from the Chaines with which he is fettered in that valey of vanities It nothing knoweth whither it is to goe nor ought of the beautie of the visible workes of GOD neither doth Man of the magnificence of the intellectuall World aboue vnto which as by a Mid-wife hee is directed by Death Fooles which thinke that this faire and admirable Frame so variouslie disposed so rightlie marshalled so stronglie maintained enriched with so many excellencies not only for necessitie but for ornament and delight was by that Supreame Wisedome brought forth that all things in a circularie course should bee and not bee arise and dissolue and thus continue as if they were so many Shadowes cast out and caused by the encountring of these Superior Celestiall Bodies changing onelie their fashion and shape or fantasticall Imageries or printes of faces into Christall No no the Eternall Wisedome hath made Man an excellent Creature though hee faine would vnmaâ—â—e himselfe and returne to nothing And though he seeke his felicity among the reasonlesse Wights he hath fixed it aboue Looke how some Prince or great King on the Earth when hee hath raised any statelie Citie the worke being atchiâ—â—ed is wont to set his Image in the midst of it to bee admired and gazed vpon No otherwise did the Soueraigne of this All the Fabricke of it perfected place Man a great Miracle formed to his owne patterne in the midst of this spacious and admirable Citie GOD containeth all in Him as the beginning of all Man containeth all in him as the midst of all inferiour thinges bee in Man more noble than they exist superiour thinges more meanlie Celestiall things fauour him earthly things are vassaled vnto him hee is the band of both neither is it possible but that both of them haue peace with him if he haue peace with him who made the Couenant betweene them and him Hee was made that hee might in the Glasse of the World behold the infinite Goodnesse Power and glorie of his Maker and beholding know and knowing Loue and louing enjoye and to hold the Earth of him as of his Lord Paramount neuer ceasing to remember and praise Him It exceedeth the compasse of conceit to thinke that that Wisedome which made euerie thing so orderly in the parts should make a confusion in the whole and the cheife Maister-peece how bringing forth so many excellencies for Man it should bring forth Man for basenesse and miserie And no lesse strange were it that so long life should be giuen to Trees Beastes and the Birds of the Aire Creatures inferior to Man which haue lesse vse of it and which can not judge of this goodlie Fabricke and that it should bee denyed to Man Vnlesse there were another manner of liuing prepared for him in a place more noble and excellent But alas said I had it not beene better that for the good of his natiue Couâ—trie a endued with so manie peerlesse gifts had yet liued How long will yee replyed hee like the Ants thinke there are no fairer Palaces than their Hills or like to poreblind Moles no greater light than that little which they shunne As if the maister of a Campe knew when to remoue a Sentinell and Hee who placeth Man on the Earth knew â—ot how long he had need of Him Euerie one commeth there to act his part of this Tragicomediâ— called Life which done the Courtaine is drawne and hee remouing is said to dye That Prouidence which prescriueth Causes to euerie euent hath not onelie determined a definit and certaine number of dayes but of actions to all men which they cannot goe beyond Most then answered I Death is not such an euill and paine as it is of the Vulgare esteemed Death said hee nor painefull is nor euill except in contemplation of the cause beeing of it selfe as indifferent as Birth Yet can it not bee denyed but amidst those dreames of earthly pleasures the vncouthnesse of it with the wrong apprehension of what is vnknowne in it are noysome But the
Soule sustained by its Maker resolued and calmlie retired in it selfe doth find that Death â—ith it is in a moment of Time is but a short nay sweete sigh and is not worthie the remembrance compared with the smallest dramme of the infinite Felicitie of this Place Heere is the Palace Royall of the Almighty KING in which the vncomprehensible comprehensiblie manifesteth Himselfe in Place highest in substance not subject to any corruption or change for it is aboue all motion and solid turneth not in quantitie greatest for if one Starre one Spheare bee so vast how large how hudge in exceeding demensions must those bounds bee which doe them all containe In quantitie most pure and orient Heauen heere is all but a Sunne or the Sunne all but a Heauen If to Earthlings the Foote-stoole of GOD and that Stage which Hee raised for a small course of Time seemeth so Glorious and Magnificent What estimation would they make if they could see of His eternall Habitation and Throne and if these bee so wonderfull what is the sight of Him for whom and by whom all was created of whose Glorie to behold the thousand thousand part the most pure Intellegences are fullie satiate and with wonder and delight rest amazed for the Beautie of His light and the Light of His Beautie are vncomprehensible Heere doth that earnest appetite of the Vnderstanding content it selfe not seeking to know any more For it seeth before it in the vision of the Diuine essence a Miroiâ— in the which not Images or shadowes but the true and perfect Essence of euerie thing created is more cleare and conspicuous than in it selfe all that may bee knowne or vnderstood Heere doth the Will pause it selfe as in the center of its Eternall rest glowing with a firie affection of that infinite and all-sufficient Good which beeing fullie knowne cannnot for the infinit motiues and causes of loue which are in Him but bee fullie and perfectlie loued As Hee is onelie true and essentiall Bountie so is Hee the onelie essentiall and true Beautie deseruing alone all loue and admiration by which the Creatures are onelie in so much faire and excellent as they participate of His Beautie and excelling Excellencies Heere is a blessed Companie euerie one joying as much in anothers Felicitie as in that which is proper because each seeth another equâ—llie loued of GOD Thus their distinct joyes are no fewer than the copartners of the joye And as the Assemblie is in number answerable to the large capacitie of the Place so are the joyes answerable to the numberlesse number of the Assâ—mblie No poore and pittifull mortall confined on the Globe of Earth who hath neuer seene but sorrow or interchangeablie some painted superficiall pleasures can rightlie thinke on or bee sufficient to conceaue the tearmelesse Delightes of this Place So manie Feathers moue not on Birds so many Birds dint not the Aire so manie leaues tremble not on Trees so manie Trees grow not in the solitarie Forests so manie Waues turne not in the Ocean and so manie graines of Sand limit not those Waues As this triumphant Court hath varietie of Delights and Ioyes exempted from all comparison Happinesse at once heere is fullie knowne and fullie enjoyed and as infinit in continuance as extent Heere is flourishing and neuer-fading youth without Age Strength without Weaknesse Beautie neuer blasting Knowledge without Learning Aboundance without Lothing Peace without Disturbance Participation without Enuy Rest without Labour Light without rising or setting Sunne Perpetuitie without moments for Time which is the measure of endurance did neuer enter in this shining Eternitie Ambition Disdaine Malice difference of Opinions can not approach this Place resembling those foggie mists which couer those Lists of sublunarie thinges All Pleasure paragon'd with what is heere is paine all Mirth mourning all Beautie deformitie Heere one dayes abyding is aboue the continuing in the most fortunate estate on the Earth manie yeeres and sufficient to conteruaile the extreamest torments of Life But although this Blisse of Soules bee great and their joyes many yet shall they admit addition and bee more full and perfect at that long wished and generall meeting with their Bodies Amongst all the wonders of the great Creator not one appeareth to bee more wonderfull replyed I than that our Bodies should arise hauing suffered so many changes and Nature denying a returne from Priuation to a Habit. Such power said hee beeing aboue all that the Vnderstanding of Man can conceaue may well worke such wonders For if Mans Vnderstanding could comprehend all the secretes and counsells of that Eternall Majestie it must of necessitie bee equall vnto it The Author of Nature is not thralled to the lawes of Nature but worketh with them or contrarie to them as it pleaseth Him What Hee hath a will to doe Hee hath a power to performe To that power which brought all this All from nought to bring againe in one instant any substance which euer was into it vnto what it was once should not be thought impossible For who can doe more can doe lesse and His power is no lesse after that which was by Him brought forth is decayed and vanished than it was before it was produced beeing neither restrained to certaine limits or instruments or to any determinate definit manner of working where the power is without restraint the workeadmitteth no other limits than the workers will This World is as a Cabinet to GOD in which the small things how euer to vs hidde and secret are nothing lesse keeped than the great For as Hee was wise and powerfull to create so doth His Knowledge comprehend His own Creation yea euery change and varietie in it of which it is the verie Source Not any Atome of the scattered Dust of mankind though daylie flowing vnder new Formes is to Him vnknowne and His Knowledge doth distinguish and discerne what once His power shall waken and raise vp Why may not the Arts-master of the World like a Molder what he hath framed in diuerse shapes confound in one masse and then seuerally fashion them out of the same Can the Spargiricke by his Arte restore for a space to the dry and withered Rose the naturall Purple and Blush And can not the Almightie raise and refine the bodie of Man after neuer so many alterations on the Earth Reason her selfe finds it more possible for infinit power to cast out from it selfe a finit world and restore any thing in it though decayed and dissolued to what it was first than for Man a finit piece of reasonable miserie to change the forme of matter made to his hand the power of GOD neuer brought forth all that It can for then were it bounded and no more infinit That Time doth approach O haste yee Times away in which the Dead shall liue and the Liuing bee changed and of all actions the Guerdon is at hand Then shall there be an end without an end Time shall finish and Place shall be altered Motion yeelding vnto rest and another World of an Age eternall and vnchangable shall arise Which when Hee had said me thought He vanished and Iâ— all astonished did awake On the Report of the Death of the Author IF that were true which whispered is by Fame That DamoÌ„s light no more on Earth doth burne His Patron Phoebus physicke would disclame And cloth'd in clowds as earst for PhaetoÌ„ mourn Yea Fame by this had got so deepe a Wound That scarce shee could haue power to tell his Death Her Wings cutt short who could her Trumpet sound Whose Blaze of late was nurc'd but by His Breath That Spirit of His which most with mine was free By mutuall trafficke enterchanging Store If chac'd from Him it would haue com'd to mee Where it so oft familiare was before Some secret Griefe distempring first my Minde Had though not knowing made mee feele this losse A Sympathie had so our Soules combind That such a parting both at once would tosse Though such Reports to others terrour giue Thy heauenlie Vertues who did neuer spie I know Thou that canst make the dead to liue Immortall art and needes not feare to die Sir WILLIAM ALEXANDER To S. W. A. THough I haue twice beene at the Doores of Death And twice found shoote those Gates which euer mourne This but a lightning is Truce tane to Breath For late-borne Sorrowes augurre fleet returne Amidst thy sacred Cares and courtlie Toyles Alexis when thou shalt heare wandring Fame Tell Death hath triumph'd o're my mortall Spoiles And that on Earth I am but a sad Name If thou e're held mee deare by all our Loue By all that Blisse those Ioyes Heauen heere vs gaue I conjuâ—e Thee and by the Maides of Ioue To graue this short Remembrance on my Graue Heere Damon lyes whose Songes did some timeâ— grace The murmuring Eske may Roses shade the place To the Memorie of the most excellent Ladie IANE Countesse of Perth THis Beautie which pale Death in Dust did turne And clos'd so soone within a Coffin sad Did passe like Lightning like to Thunder burne So little Life so much of Worth it had Heauens but to show their Might heere made it shine And when admir'd then in the Worlds Disdaine O Teares O Griefe did call it backe againe Lest Earth should vaunt Shee kept what was Diuine What can wee hope for more what more enjoy Sith fairest Things thus soonest haue their End And as on Bodies Shadowes doe attend Sith all our Blisse is follow'd with Annoy Yet She 's not dead She liues where She did loue Her Memorie on Earth Her Soule aboue