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
steadfastlie before thee holdes a Glasse Indent'd with Gemmes where shineth all that was That is or shall bee heere ere ought was wrought Thou knew all that thy Pow'r with time forth brought And more things number lesse which thou couldst make That actuallie shall neuer being take Heere thou beholdst thy selfe and strange dost proue At once the Beautie Louer and the Loue. With Faces two like Sisters sweetlie faire VVhose Blossomes no rough Autumne can impaire Stands Prouidence and doth her lookes disperse Through euerie Corner of this Vniuerse Thy Prouidence at once which generall things And singulare doth rule as Empires Kings VVithout whose care this world lost would remaine As Shippe without a Maister in the Maine As Chariot alone as Bodies proue Depriu'd of Soules whereby they be liâ—e moue But who are they which shine thy Throne so neare With sacred countenance and looke seuere This in one hand a pondrous Sword doth hold Her left stayes charg'd with Ballances of Gold That with Browes girt with Bayes sweet-smiling Face Doth beare a Brandon with a babish grace Two milke-white VVings him easilie doe moue O shee thy Iustice is and this thy Loue By this thou brought this Engine great to light By that it fram'd in Number Measure VVeight That destine doth reward to ill and good But Sway of Iustice is by Loue with-stood VVhich did it not relent and mildlie stay This World ere now had had its funerall Day What Bands enclustred neare to these abide Which into vaste Infinitie them hide Infinitie that neither doth admit Place Time nor Number to encroach on it Heere Bountie sparkleth heere doth Beautie shine Simplicitie more white than Gelsomine Mercie with open winges ay-varied Blisse Glorie and Ioy that Blisses darling is Ineffable all-pow'rfull GOD all-free Thou onlie liu'st and each thing liues by thee No Ioy no nor Perfection to thee came By the contriuing of this Worlds great Frame Ere Sunne Moone Starres beganne their restlesse race Ere paint'd with purple light was heauens round Face Ere Aire had Cloudes ere Cloudes weept downe their showres Ere Sea embraced Earth ere Earth bare Flowres Thou happie liu'd World nought to thee supply'd All in thy selfe thy selfe thou satisfy'd Of Good no slender Shadow doth appeare No age-worne tracke which shin'd in thee not cleare Perfestions Summe primeâ—primeâ—cause of euerie Cause Midst end beginning where all good doth paâ—se Hence of thy Substance differing in nought Thou in Eternitie thy Sonne forth brought The onlie Birth of thy vnchanging Minde Thine Image Patterne-like that euer shin'd Light out of Light begotten not by Will But Nature all and that same Essence still Which thou thy selfe for thou dost nought possesse Which hee hath not in ought nor is hee lesse Than Thee his great Begetter of this Light Eternall double kindled was thy Spright Eternallie who is with thee the same All-holie Gift Embassadour Knot Flame Most sacred Triade O most holie One Vnprocreatde Father euer-procreatde Sonne Ghost breath'd from both you were are aye shall be Most blessed Three in One and One in Three Vncomprehensible by reachlesse Hight And vnperceaued by excessiae Light So in our Soules three and yet one are still The Vnderstanding Memorie and Will So though vnlike the Planet of the Dayes So soone as hee was made begate his Rayes Which are his Off-spring and from both was hurld The rosie Light which comforte doth the World And none fore-went an other so the Spring The Well-head and the Streame which they forth bring Are but one selfe-same Essence nor in ought Doe differ saue in order and our Thought No chime of Time discernes in them to fall But Three distinctlie bide one Essence all But these expresse not Thee who can declare Thy being Men and Angelles dazel'd are Who force this Eden would with wit or sense A Cherubin shall finde to barre him thence All 's Architect Lord of this Vniverse Ingulph'd is Wit would in thy Greatnesse pierce Ah! as a Pilgrime who the Alpes doth passe Or Atlas Temples crown'd with winter glasse The ayrie Caucasus the Apennine Pyrenes clifts where Sunne doth neuer shine When hee some heapes of Hilles hath ouer-went Beginnes to thinke on rest his Iourney spent Till mounting some tall Mountaine hee doe find More hights before him than hee left behinde With halting pace so while I would me raise To the vnbounded Circuits of thy Praise Some part of way I thought to haue o're-runne But now I see how scarce I haue begunne With Wonders new my Spirits range possest And wandring waylesse in a maze them rest In these vaste Fields of Light ethâ—riall Plaines Thou art attended by immortall Traines Of Intellectuall Pow'rs which thou brought forth To praise thy Goodnesse and admire thy Worth In numbers passing other Creatures farre Since Creatures â—â—st noble maniest are Which doe in knowledge vs no lesse out-runne Than Moone in light doth Starres or Moone the Sunne Vnlike in Orders rang'd and manie â— Band If Beautie in Disparitie doth stand Arch-angells Angells Cherubes Seraphines And what with name of Thrones amongst them shines Large-ruling Princes Dominations Poâ—res All-acting Vertues of those flâ—ming Toâ—res These fred of Vmbrage these of Labour free Rest rauished with still beholding Thee Inflamde with Beames which sparkle from thy Face They can no more desire farre lesse embrace Low vnder them with slow and staggering pace Thy Hand-maide Nature thy great Steppes doth trace The Source of second Causes golden Chaine That linkes this Frame as thou it doth ordaine Nature gaz'd on with such a curious Eye That Earthlings oft her deem'd a Deitye By Nature led those Bodies faire and greate Which faint not in their Course nor change their State Vnintermixt which no disorder proue Though aye and contrarie they alwayes moue The Organes of thy Prouidence diuine Bookes euer open Signes that clearlie shine Times purpled Maskers then doe them aduance As by sweet Musicke in a measur'd dance Starres Hoste of Heauen yee Firmaments bright Flowres Cleare Lampes which ouer-hang this Stage of ours Yee turne not there to decke the Weeds of Night Nor Pageant-like to please the vulgare Sight Great Causes sure yee must bring great Effects But who can discant right your graue Aspects Hee onlie who You made deciphere can Your Notes Heauens Eyes yee blinde the Eyes of Man Amidst these Saphire farre-extending Hights The neuer-twinkling euer-wondring Lights Their fixed Motions keepe one drye and cold Deep-Leaden colour'd slowlie there is roll'd With Rule and Line for Times steppes meating euen In twice three Lustres hee but turnes his Heauen With temperate qualities and Countenance faire Still mildlie smiling sweetlie debonnaire An other cheares the World and way doth make In twice sixe Autumnes through the Zodiacke But hote and drye with flaming Lockes and Browes Enrag'd this in his red Pauillion glowest Together running with like speed if space Two equallie in hands atchieue their race With blushing Face this oft doth bring the Day And vsheres oft to statelie Starres the
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-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