THE BRIDES ORNAMENTS Viz. Fiue MEDITATIONS Morall and Diuine 1. Knowledge 2. Zeale 3. Temperance 4. Bountie 5. Ioy. IOHN 17. 3. This is life eternall that they may know thee the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent LONDON Printed by WILLIAM STANSBY 1625. THE CONTENTS of the whole Booke The third Booke 1. Knowledge 2. Zeale 3. Temperance 4. Bountie 5. Ioy. The fourth Booke 1. Prudence 2. Obedience 3. Meeknesse 4. Gods Word 5. Prayer 1. VRania 2. The Authors vow or wish atthe Consecration of the Right Honourable the Lord Maynards Chappell 3. The Muses health to the same 4. The Conuerts Conquest TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE AND REVEREND FATHER IN GOD GEORGE LORD Bishop of London Lord high ALMENER to the Kings most Excellent MAIESTIE TO me thy Fauour to thee my Relation Doe tie mee in a double Obligation These Graces fiue to thee to dedicate Which best I think thy worth accommodate Who art the bounteous Almener of the King Of Bounty whose great wisdome did thee bring For thy large spirit and well tempred zeale His Temples broken head and sides to heale Whose loue to Knowledge Humane Diuine As in the Schooles so in the Church doth shine These outward Vertues plainly doe declare What inward Graces in thee likewise are The chiefe is spirituall Ioy which in thy Breast God make thee feele as wee doe see the rest Your Lordships bounden in all dutie and seruice ROBERT AYLETT To Reuerend Diuines MOst honor'd belou'd Enquire you why A Lawyer meddles with Diuinitie I diue no seas profound of disputation But wade in shallow Fords of meditation I write no Systema no Institution No Babels Fall nor Sions Restitution Nor whither Tithes by Law diuine are due Or doe to you by Positiue accrew These mysteries I leaue to sound Diuines That searched haue profundest Scripture-mines Seditious superstitious Nouelties I hate my mind I onely exercise In your pure easie sweet diuinest notions And them at leasure suit to my deuotions To Iohn a Nokes THou lik'st my Verses well but not to flatter Dislik'st Diuinitie should be my matter What now will Lawiers turne Diuines that 's braue No By no meanes They haue no soules to saue THE BRIDES ORNAMENTS MEDITAT I. Of Heauenly KNOWLEDGE A Daily warfare is a Christians life Where Souldiers all not onely stand in need Of Armes and Valour to maintaine the strife The cursed Serpent makes with Adams seed But of this Treasure Knowledge both to feed Their Soules with food most pure Celestiall And furnish with such Weapons as they need I therefore her Loues Treasurer doe call For we in daily want stand of her Treasure all By feigned Treasure did the Serpent traine Our two first Parents to their cursed sinne Pretending they should goodly treasure gaine And Knowledge both of good and euill win But good doth end where euill doth begin For drosse they doe exchange their purest gold The Serpent bad without themselues within They find the euill as the Serpent told But vp to Heav'n flies good which can no ill behold Thus all our Treasures lost we had before The Knowledge of Gods nature and his will And we become vnarm'd rude naked poore Of all things ignorant but doing ill Now vs our enemies may easily kill We hauing lost our weapons and our treasure Which wealth and weapons if regaine we will We must attend this heau'nly Ladys pleasure Diuine sweet Knowledge not confin'd by weight or measure Thou Word incarnate whom aright to know Is Life eternall Ioy and happy rest To mee this Ladies wondrous Beautie show And richest treasures which in golden Chest. Thou hid'st from Hell and malice of the Beast Knowledge contain'd in either Testament Wherein thy Will and Nature is exprest How we should liue and Serpents sting preuent How conquer Hell and serue thee with a true intent Some Knowledge call th'habit of demonstration Some her to know by causes doe define Some th'vnderstandings sound determination Wee her to heau'nly Doctrine here confine Which in a threefold Booke to man doth shine Of Creatures first and latter Testament The Booke of Creatures shewes Gods power diuine The Law is much in types and shadowes spent Whereof the Gospel is the full accomplishment In Booke of creatures all men may obserue Gods Wisdome Goodnesse Power and Prouidence By which he made the world and doth preserue In truest motions its circumference Sending from Heav'n raines sweetest influence Filling our hearts with Mirth and Ioyfulnesse And giuing all things Motion Being Sense This doth Gods power and God-head plaine expresse But not his Will which leads to endlesse happinesse Yet by this Booke are left without excuse Idolaters who downe to stocks doe fall Which their owne hands haue made for such abuse And leaue their Maker blessed ouer all Who as his Power and Goodnesse generall Appeares most plainly in this Worlds Creation So doth his gracious Bountie on them fall In sending food for daily sustentation And in their healths and liues continuall preseruation The next two Bookes most plainly doe disclose Gods will particular and generall Particular to Patriarchs Prophets those That till Christs time on God aright did call For this did not on all the Nations fall Gods will was then in Iury onely knowne But now the Gospel soundeth out to all The seed thereof in eu'ry Nation 's sowne Which doth reueale hid mysteries before vnknowne The first Gods power and prouidence doth shew The second types out our Regeneration The third directly leadeth vs to know All that is needfull for our owne Saluation Ev'n from Election to Glorification This Booke reueales all secret mysteries Hidden in Christ before the Worlds foundation Though worldlings this as folly doe despise Yet this true Knowledge onely happy makes and wise As some great Princes might and Maiestie Is often to the meanest stranger knowne But his most secret counsell and decree To friends and counsellours is onely showne Ev'n so the King of Kings holds not vnknowne From Heathens sight his Maiestie and might But hath disclosed onely to his owne The secret of his counsells and delight Whereby they may him worship please and serue aright This is the Knowledge which I seeke to trace This onely doth true happinesse affoord Whereof the onely cause is inward Grace And vnderstanding Gods most holy Word The helpes which humane Learning doe record Law History Arts Physicke Poetrie Are but as seruants waiting on their Lord And hand-maids to their dame Diuinitie All Knowledge without this is foolish vanitie Sweet Grace which dost true Knowledge of Gods will To Babes and sucklings oftentimes reueale When from great Clerkes of Wisdome and deepe skill Thy pleasure is this treasure to conceale Oh sacred breath which in our hearts doth steale Like sweetest Zephyrus most pleasing wind Whence no man knowes yet doth it surely seale That certaine Knowledge which I seeke to find Knowledge of God and Christ the Sauiour of mankind All Graces that doe serue Loues Royall Queene
From heauenly Knowledge haue their maintenance And alwayes in her company are seene None without Knowledge may neere Loue aduance With her are Diligence and Temperance True Faith so neere her euer doth attend You would her take for Knowledge at a glance Though often Faith doth so her selfe transcend That shee beyond the reach of Knowledge doth ascend Not Faith alone but Workes accompany True Knowledge who in words doth make profession He knowes God but in Workes doth him deny Is ev'n a lyar by his owne confession How many from this rule doe make digression That would in Knowledge be accounted high But giue themselues to Pride Lust and Oppression Enuy dissembling Schisme Idolatry Alas true Knowledge neuer kept such company Some onely seeke to know that they may know And this is foolish curiositie And some of Learning make a goodly show And this is base and idle vanitie Some Knowledge seeke for their vtilitie Or their preferment which is filthy gaine Some to teach other which is Charitie Some by this Knowledge seeke Heav'n to attaine To know and walke not right is damnable and vaine I liken this true Knowledge to the flower Or blossome springing from the root of Grace That doth most gloriously adorne Loues bower And fills with pleasant odours all the place Which blossome beautifull in little space It selfe into most goodly fruits doth spend Faith Mercy Peace each good and perfect grace Which fruit so farre the flower doth transcend God Men and Angels tast it and the same commend As Blossomes doe not from root liuely spring That after blowing haue a fruitlesse fall So Knowledge that in Workes is vanishing Had neuer any root from grace at all But is like to good seed that 's said to fall From sowers hand downe by the high-way side Whose rooting being shallow loose and small Could not the Suns hot scorching heat abide But in the blade with some small light affliction dide Some liken heau'nly Knowledge to the Sunne Then which in this world nothing more to sight Obiected is But we by Sinne become Like him borne blind depriu'd of naturall light Till some Power supernaturall enlight And though more plaine in this world nothing's showne Than Gods eternall God-head goodnesse might Yet vntill Grace enlighten 't is vnknowne No cause hereof in God but in our selues is knowne Knowledge is like the talents which the Lord When he went forth did to his seruants lend The first who his one talent vp did hoard Like him that for his Knowledge doth contend But therewith not himselfe nor others mend Hee that with talents two gain'd other twaine Is he that doth his time and labour spend To saue himselfe and those with him remaine But he that gaind the fiue seeks all mens soules to gaine I Knowledge to the Virgins Lamps compare Which foolish maids had common with the Wise Oile workes of Pietie and Mercy are Which foolish Virgins idlely doe misprise But when one Loe the Bridegrome comes out cryes The foolish Virgins Lamps are spent and done Wherefore they must to merits merchandize And borrow when they of their owne haue none The Churches Treasury will furnish ev'ry one Like Widowes Oile that doth encrease by spending Like flames that lightning others gaine more light Like Vsurers coine that doth augment by lending Like Ioy that most encreaseth by delight Like Manna that the Angels food is hight Whereof each gathers what may him suffice Except such as in Flesh-pots more delight Like Springs which more you draw the faster rise Like Tutors who by teaching Schollers grow more wise No Simile can her so well expresse As infinite and boundlesse treasury Or Sea of waters which become no lesse Though Fountaines all with streames it doth supply How infinite is this grand mystery To lay of nothing this huge Worlds foundation One God three persons in the Trinitie Oh depth of Knowledge Gods owne Incarnation Obedience Passion Resurrection Exaltation Oh! I am drown'd here Elephants may swim My Lambe-like Muse in shallow Fords must wade And seeke for Knowledge to desist from Sinne And make Faith Mercy Pietie my trade By Faith I know Christs merits mine are made The rest are-fruits of my Sanctification Abundant Knowledge doth with sorrow lade To Know and doe God's willis delectation And onely by Christs merits bringeth to Saluation This is the Knowledge which our Sauiour meant When as he it eternall life did call To know God and the Christ which he had sent This is the Knowledge so much sought of all Before and since the Law and euer shall Though till Christs time it was so shadowed As couer'd it in types and signes seem'd small But since Times fulnesse is accomplished Behold they all in Christ are easie to be read By this did Abel offer of his Sheepe The fat and God accepted his oblation By this so well Gods Law did Henoch keepe Hee him exalted from earths habitation For this did Abram Ieaue both house and Nation Assured that from out his Loines should spring That Knowledge which to know was his saluation Herein did Dauid though he were a King Take more delight than Crowne or any worldly thing See next his royall sonne King Salomon Then whom arise a Wiser neuer shall Who knew plants natures eu'n from Lebanon Her Caedars tall to Hysope by the wall Who as in Wealth in Knowledge passed all Yet after hee had traced Uanitie And found how sonnes of men thereby did fall Him to this Knowledge did againe apply And swanlike sang Christs Churches Epithalamy Wake I or sleepe or am I in a trance Or doe another Salomon behold A Dauid who doth far and wide aduance His gracious scepter But no bounds can hold His Knowledge secret things for to vnfold Law History Arts and Philosophy All noble sciences that can be told Yet seemes to loue alone Diuinitie Which truely can direct in Peace to liue and die Who as hee is the Learnedest of Kings So 't is his Ioy and Glory for to be The King of learned men which in all things Makes God to prosper him as all may see This makes him raise to place of high degree Men of great knowledge well to rule the Land And put downe Ignorance and subtiltie Which highest in their owne conceits doe stand Long sway thou Brittons Scepter with thy sacred hand And when thy Cloake Elias-like must fall Vpon Elisha thine vndoubted heire Inherite hee thy Peace and Knowledge all And in thy Spirit rule as in thy chaire But I must leaue this field so ample faire Teach mee O Lord to know and doe thy will And let thy grace againe in me repaire Thine Image lost and all corruptions kill Thus we thy will on Earth as they in Heav'n fulfill This knowledge must stand by vs at our last When as wee ready are our soules to tender To him that for false knowledge curious tast Though guiltlesse did his life to Iustice render For this the Holy Ghost doth more commend her That bare
In others thoughts the highest estimation His Head 's in heau'n though on the earth his feet And by anothers vertues veneration He getteth of his owne all loue and admiration Oh happy man to whom heau'ns King hath sent This Grace to be the glory of the rest What can that mind molest or discontent That harbours gracious meeknesse in his brest They that can contumely faire disgest If any them deride or reprehend Streight of themselues take more seuere inquest If ought be iustly blam'd they soone amend If false it neuer them shall anger or offend Meeke gentle patient bearing right or wrong From inward free as outward perturbation Reuenge is not a thing that doth belong To her she finds far greater contentation In wrongs dissembling and their tolleration The wants which she within her selfe doth find Her more depresse by modest moderation Than all her vertues eleuate her mind As salt she sauours all the vertues in their kind This is the same or very like the Grace Which we doe call Christian Humilitie Without which other vertues haue no place All are in her as in an Vnitie She is the surest way to Dignitie The center where all vertues lines doe meet Most honour'd when she most doth vilifie Her selfe And when she stoops to wash Saints feet The highest King of Kings with kisses her doth greet Yet none of worldlings is esteem'd more vile They it account a thing too meane and base Here to discend vnto so low a stile They thinke that meeknesse valour doth disgrace But oh absurd presumptuous mortall race So high and proud in thine owne estimation What thing 's created in more wretched case Weake vaine precipite and on each occasion Ready to fall from highest hopes to desperation What is thy Body but fraile quickned clay Thy Soule 's so clouded with obscurity It is most ready prone precipite ay To fall to basenesse errour vanity Happy who sees his owne infirmity Thus By discending only we ascend Vnto the highest humane dignity First step to honour is to vilipend Our selues Let others thee and not thy selfe commend None seekes to pull his foot out of the mire Vntill he feeles and know's that it is in Nor none to wash the durt off doth desire Vntill he sees it cleaue vnto his skin So till this Grace vs shew's our selues within We neuer seeke those heau'nly remedies To purge our soules from error and foule sinne This was of all the Oracles most wise First know thy selfe that is thine owne infirmities Thus comes the purest wheat from foulest ground So it be first well till'd and harrowed And thus the ignorant grow men profound When they their folly haue discouered Of all the vertues can be reckoned The roots are bitter fruits most sweet doe proue Selfe Pride and Arrogance once settled In humane Brest most hard are to remoue This worke belongs to meeknesse humblenesse and Loue. Most pleasant fruits which from this root do spring When weeding out base pleasures false and vaine She true delight into their roomes doth bring And rich Content for euer to remaine Happy who can this Lady's fauour gaine Shee able is and ready to defend Against Soules troubles and the body's paine The meeke that patiently on God attend Are sure to haue a joyfull quiet happy end Nothing can his most noble mind appall Which is with such Tranquillity indude Crosses Afflictions may him here befall But base or abiect thoughts cannot intrude Into a mind of such an habitude Certaine his breast all vertues doth containe Who hath this gentle vertue manswetude Who wants her boasts of vertue but in vaine They are but shew's of vertue which with him remaine It is the height of folly to bewray Desire where we haue no power to offend So beat the Sea if it will not obay Or winds which crosse the way thou dost intend So whom thou canst not reach his picture rend Such wounds make arrow's when they cleane the aire Yet many thus with rage their spirits spend Were it not better farre to beare them faire But Folly cannot beare though thou in morter bray her If an Asse kicks thee must thou kicke againe Or barks a Dog wilt thou straight baule and cry Because one's foolish canst thou not refraine But needs doe that is ill for company Let fooles scorne meane Birth want deformity This if a fault not thine thy Makers is To him that 's meeke no infelicity Can fall by Fortunes bitter frownes or blisse He counts them not his owne true vertue 's only his I liken Meeknesse to that peece of wood Wherewith the Prophet did the Fountaines heale And made the bitter waters sweet and good For so doth Meeknesse with Afflictions deale She all their bitternesse with Ioy doth seale Ev'n that accursed death vpon a Tree She turneth from a Curse vnto our Weale Blest are the Meeke that for well-doing be Hang'd thereupon from thence they Paradise may see A meeke mans mind's like solitary place Where all is quiet fit for Contemplation And to behold his Makers Will and Grace Spending his time in sweetest meditation But cruell minds are full of perturbation Like to a Market or tumultuous Faire Where all is fill'd with noise and molestation Durt in the streets strong clamours in the aire Such places are vnfit for Graces sweet repaire A meeke mind 's like vnto Pernassus Hill Through whose pure aire shines Phoebus golden ray Whose siluer Channells purest Fountaine fill And all the meades bedeck with Lilly's gay The Gardens with faire Flowers adorned ay And when the Brookes doe murmur any sound With much delight sweet Zephirus doth play And all the Birds vpon the trees around Consort with Muses nine to make a Heav'nly sound But a meeke mind more pleasing is then all These Flowers Fruits or Musickes sweet delight No fit of Fury can that Heart appall For as a Dart may on the water light And hurts it not by any force or might So Force not Fury can meeke mind offend For it giues way as doth the water light Oh happy quiet mind that doth attend With meeknesse on Gods bounteous goodnesse to the end As when the glorious Sun-beames doe appeare All misty cloudinesse is turn'd to day So where this Grace the heart of men doth cheare All passions turbulent are driu'n away Then mecknesse most her Glory doth display When shee hath iustest cause to take offence No valour like this Dames behold we may Nor any like her modest Patience A meeke and lowly mind excells all ornaments As when the Lord of all to vs did come In humane flesh he peace and concord bred Twixt Men and Angells and made all become As one in peace and quiet in their head So where this meeknesse doth her Grace dispred There Nations Neighbours Kindred all we find Lately at Discord now fast fettered In Loue and Friendships Bands which firmly bind No surer band of loue than meeke and gentle mind In golden Age when as the Poets faine Men