The world 's no less Than a vast wilderness Whence if heav'ns guides lead us not home Officious hell will seem to lend us some His fiery pillar of false joy he grants His cloudy one of Ignorance But to these who confides To be his guides Is straightway swallow'd in some dang'rous gulf Or prey'd by sin as by some bear or wolf 3. Who look well in 't The world 's a Labyrinth At each whose Maze who ever touch'd But found that damned Minotaur lay couch'd Who takes each yeelding for a firm contract And proudly will each grace exact Till he have all deflowr'd And all devour'd Let not thy Theseus Lord be too remiss My soul my Ariadne shall be his 4. Is then each path All thus scatter'd with wrath We hop'd amongst the Jewish scorns Christ from these ways had fetch'd his crown of thorns And from these Turn-pikes and these armed Rails Had daign'd to take his Cross and Nails And hence had fetch'd that dart Which pierc'd his heart And triumph'd had in conquest of these spoils And purg'd his high-way of these snares and toils 5. W' are not withstood By easie flesh and blood But Satan with our weakness wrestles The Prince of th' air which in our Region nestles Nay we with these like Gibellines and Guelves Do side and fight against our selves Fraud's Convoy and Deceit Th' Inne where we bait Though Christ have bought us heaven without doubt We both must sue for it and fight it out 6. No Saint nor Martyr Can boast of other Charter All at this Cross have Inn'd as well As Christ that went that way to heav'n by hell Vertue 's a narrow mean betwixt two Vices On each hand are deep precipices Let 's take if guide we lack That bloody track Which issu'd from that blessed Roe's five wounds When pierc'd and pursu'd by the Jewish hounds 7. It can't be wav'd The righteous scarce are sav'd Shall not the wicked then be swallow'd Up in the mire wherein they thus have wallow'd If trouble ever do attend on grace Shall peace wait on a wicked case If scarce be sav'd the just Shall pride and lust If thus the case stood with that verdant tree How shall the stubble and the chaff go free 8. In sack and down All thoughts of hell they drown Ev'n so th' Hart ends the controversie When he pursu'd flies to the Hunter 's mercy Ev'n so the Sparrow by the Falcon chas'd Did to the Stoick's bosome haste Each path with pleasure 's pav'd With beauty grav'd Until that footing fails them ere they think Oh then how quickly into hell they sink Grief for not grieving Psal 126. 6 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy 7 He that now goeth on his way weeping and beareth forth good seed shall doubtless come again with joy and bring his sheaves with him 1. IF ever any thing be heard or seen That might provoke or raise my jocund spleen How could I wish my lungs were made of buff For clasps to hold me till I 've laugh'd enough But godly grief cannot one tear extort As if my senses all were made for sport 2. Have I sustain'd a trivial loss how apt My active senses are for to be rapt To th' highest strain of passion I can gloss Heav'n never could impose a greater cross My floodgate-sense can stand wide ope at those But godly grief 's against the stream they close 3. If that I hear Death's universal doom Hath on my friend to execution come Methinks then had I at his funeral All Argus eyes I could supply them all But when one tells me what a Lethargie Hath seiz'd my soul I can nor moan nor cry 4. If little bigger then an atome fall Into my eye it smarts though ne'er so small But what 's an atome to a mountain such Like sins I bear yet start not half so much Why have I not within through conscience A sense of pain as outward pain of sense 5. If that the clouds some foggie mists have suck'd They 'll show'r them back what can their course obstruct The Moon by tides doth purg the frothy main The poison'd Spring doth clear it self again Yet I'm sin-tainted and what motions urge me Unto repentance that should clear and purge me 6. Were I to live the old Methus'lem 's yeers A living Conduit of incessant tears I could not vie a tear for ev'ry sin So vain and foolish all my youth hath bin Yet th' earth to bear our villanies may groan But I am dead and sensless of mine own 7. My Conscience Lord though I it light esteem Doth with a secret issue closely teem Oh let her pregnant womb be now disclosed Till that disease or age have incomposed My sense I now should court it as my friend Which then perhaps may prove my foe i'th'end 8. Lord wound me or I die for I although My case be deadly am not sick enough O let me know I 'm taken in Death's jaw Till I am quite digested in her maw For if any Conscience like a Lethargie Stir not till th' hour of death I sadly die Ephes 4. 30 Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption 1. GRieve not the Spirit can it be believ'd The Spirit can be griev'd Thought we God void of passion could be vext Except we saw this text When Christ indeed was heres in flesh confin'd He wept and griev'd we finde But thought we that a Dove which hath no gall Could once be griev'd at all Oh I should groan 't not measur 't in an Ode Sin grieves the holy Spirit of my God 2. Who would resist that sacred Dove that pecks The conscience with checks Who would resist that Dove that helps to grone In an accepted tone Who would resist that Dove whose harmless beak Instructs us how to speak Who would resist that Dove whose in'cent feet Shew to walk as is meet Let not this Dove back to the Ark and grieve That we on earth will none of him receive 3. Here let him bring his Olive-leaf and rest And nestle in our brest O! never let us at his gracious billing Once shew our selves unwilling Until we new begotten are and breed Through his eternal seed O! let us never hence resist this Dove This blessed Bird of love This Dove at Mahomets ear never bill'd Though so he faign the Alcharon instill'd 4. Think we because some say Doves have no gall God's vengeance feign'd at all That we thus with his Spirit dare to dally As with our Friend or Ally Such wanton cruelty to Christ we dealt When he among us dwelt Such entertainment he whiles here receiv'd When he among us griev'd VVe could him to no other Inne bequeath But to his Grave and to no Hoast but Death 5. But let not sin usurp us but the Spirit His right in us inherit And since he made the heart let none abridge Him of that priviledge O let not sin be Porter still which mocks
to their equipage But may I draw the veil and not deserve T' have one eternal on my visive nerve 'T was not long since thy fiery-pointed eye Did sparkle with consuming Majestie And is it all confin'd comprised all Within the circuit of this gellied ball 'T was not long since thou breath'dst in us our souls And since thy breath did kindle burning coles And do we dare thy nostrils heark O wonder He cries whom erst I 've heard to roar in thunder 'T was not long since such glory Moses drew From see'ng thy back-parts none his face could view And can we see thy face do not w'implore Brandish destructive glory th'row each pore 'T was not long since at thy commanding word The world sprung out of nought like Jonah's guord And since at Sinai's mount did Israel crie Let not the Lord speak to us lest we die And is the mighty Counsellor so weak And he that gave the tongue can he not speak And must their glories all be understood To be wrapt up in humble flesh and blood A Series of wonders which nor men Nor Angels can nor comprehend nor pen Therefore as Angels humbly veil at it Their Wisdoms crowns let us our crowns of Wit That Spirit who conceiv'd thee he can teach How to conceive a Wonder of this reach By him my soul a knowledge of thy worth Brings forth as easie as thou wert brought forth Hence then let 's fetch our Epoche and call This blessed day the birth-day of us all What did our carnal birth boot us this morn Redeems us who condemned were ere born O might I now by vertue of thy birth Be born anew 't would adde to this days mirth And th' Angels who did at thy birth rejoyce At mine in singing would lift up their voice Blest Childe that met'st the heaven with a span Yet in a span art couch'd that dost contain Th' earth in measure Lord yet 't is thy pleasure To be contained in an earthen measure The heav'n of heav'ns cannot contain thy grace Nor art thou straiten'd in a little place Come then take up my heart and until death O make my brest thy blessed Nazareth On the murther of the Innocents Matth. 2. 16. Then Herod when he saw that he was mocked by the wise-men was exceeding wroth and sent forth and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem from two yeers old and under according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise-men 1. GOod Babes of whom I may say true For Christ ye did an off ring fall And di'd for Christ ere Christ for you Although none could his love forestal Blest Infantry your Sov'raign's tasters To him of Herod's cup of Malice Ere Christ to finish his disasters Drank deep and free the final Chalice Blest Innocents with whom the case thus stood First circumcised then baptiz'd in blood 2. Sweet Saplings who to spell the Branch Fall subject under Herod's rape VVhose Boureauxes cut and blanch And rob you of your juyce and sap You got blest Cyons by this craft And you may bless curs'd Herod's knife Be'ng hence transplanted y' are ingraft And bourgeon on the tree of life Where each Herodian cicatrice doth bloom Like Aaron's rod so may you bless your doom 3. Curs'd Fox Hell with thy brains did club Thus needlesly to back thy claim But could not blinde rage spare thy Cub Must he fall too before thy aim Foxes use prey abroad but thou Although unwittingly at home Ambitious madness asks not now Whose't is thou prey'st upon or whom Just since thou hast no bowels that thy son Should fall amongst the rest a slaughter'd one 4. Thus Pharaoh like our greedy * The Arms of Rich. 3. who slew his brothers children Hog Or of the kennel with this Fox Who more ador'd Anubis dog Then the plainness of Isis ox Once fearing Israel's increase Enjoyn'd each one to drown each male Till Isr'el groaning for release Their prayers to their God exhale Till he descends and in one fatal morn Slew each Egyptian's and the King 's first-born 5. But you whose doctrine like the crabs Swims backward ' gainst the stream of Truth Speak In what Lymbus are these babes Or all the Isra'litish youth Say In what fold of Purgatory Purg'd in what streams of fire or water Are these Lambs whom this Fox did worry Or dog slew what can fancy flatter Name me what canonized Saint and Martyr Annex'd this truth unto the Scriptures Charter 6. Peace Rachel peace do not deplore The murther of thy children seeing They 're not yet are they not no more And than thou gav'st have better being VVeep not thy buds so soon do bleed Almost as thou didst them disclose They should have grown here amongst weed Now flourish with their Jesse's rose Let Herod grieve for his son's death and weep Thou hast no cause then do not sigh so deep On John the Baptist's being beheaded Mark 6. 27 And immediately Herod the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought and he went and beheaded him in the prison 28 And brought his head in a charger and gave it to the damsel and the damsel gave it to her mother 1. THrice-happie morning-star that didst fore-run The Sun of righteousness his neer approach As that Postilion precedes the Sun And ushers to the world his glorious Coach Blest Prodrom who by th' art of Philip 's wife Didst Christ fore-run in death as well as life 2. Thrice-happie Jacob's Shiloh's Prolocutor Blest Mercury to Jacob's glorious Star Our Saviour's Harbinger the Gentiles Tutor To shew their expectation was not far Who in a purer stream then Jordan's flood At last baptiz'd thy Baptism with thy blood 3. Curst Herod who as John Elijah's spirit Had by a gracious influence bequeath'd So thou as by possession didst inherit Thy father's rage which here on John was breath'd Hadst thou no Trophee to adorn thy birth But th' Baptist's head no triumph but such mirth 4. Bloody Herodias that wert so rough To recompense Iohn's zeal with such requitals Was not thy Musick spirited enough Not joyn'd in consort with the Baptist's vitals Never was Musick of so gross a crime Arraigned guilty since old Iubal's time 5. Vile Wretch who thus wouldst make rash Herod's oath A Pander to a hot incest'ous Bed Neither did Thomyris that famous Goth As thou on Iohn's insult on Cyrus head Vile Monster thus to nustle up thy daughter Ev'n from her tender yeers to blood slaughter 6. Wretch'd Damsel thou whose too too active feet Were onely swift to shed the harmless blood Of th' innocent ev'n so a dancing Fleet Waits for her prey while 't wantons on the flood Ev'n so a Hawk doth quaver in the air Before she souse so danc'd thy wicked pair 7. Blest Iohn as was Elijah so wert thou Into a wilderness by fury banish'd Both forc'd by women both pursu'd by vow Though both not in a fiery Chariot vanish'd Yet herein thou an equal
wo'n't count thee an abortion Though his love draw thee not but famine drags Thy cates are turn'd to husks To ordure thy Odours and Musks Thy Songs to whines thy greets to churlish tusks 4. Let these inducements thy return constrain So Jacob kissed his lost son And David wandring Absolon So Mary having often sought in vain Found and embrac'd her holy One As thou shalt be when thou returnst again The longing Soul of Kish Ne'r did for Saul more strongly wish Nor welcome him with a more joyful dish 5. 'T will be a Resurrection no return So Abraham took his son repriev'd The Shunamite so hers reviv'd As thou shalt be receiv'd as from thy urn So Naim's widow took retriv'd Her sons life when Christ did his death adjourn Dead Lazarus but kept His grave four dayes as Martha wept But thou hast many yeers in darkness slept 6. Should any one thy Father now inform Of a third brothers happy birth It would administer less mirth Than that th' art regular late so enorm So Jacob blest that happy dearth As he this famine Let thy Brother storm Think why where what thou servest Death here 's thy wages for thou starvest Think on thy Fathers mercies and his harvests 7. ' Gainst heav'n and in thy sight I sin have wrought In such a Di'lect couch thy shrift Say of thy patrimonial gift I 've not one talent in a napkin brought Not one to testifie my thrift Then weep the meaning of each lab'ring thought Say thy dejected Spirit Counts thee not of such worth and merit To serve him and much less much less t' inherit 8. Lord I 'm a prodigal far worse then this When he away but once did rome Thou we ne'er read invit'dst him home But thou hast often woo'd me with a Kiss Yet how unwillingly I come Then threatst me with a dearth far worse then his Yet I had rather whine Then sing attend and feed with swine Then with the Lamb to sup with thee to dine On the Woman taken in Adultery John 8. 3 And the Scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery and when they had set her in the midst 4 They say unto him Master this woman was taken in adultery in the very act 5 Now Moses in the law commanded us that such should be stoned but what sayest thou 7 So when they continued asking him he lift up himself and said unto them He that is without sin let him cast the first stone at her 1. VIle Phar'sees who would make Christ's truth the Pander T' accuse him but with a more specious slander His Statute-book hath no such Law Which doth vice both indulge and awe Nor made Law of that kinde Which both doth loose and binde Though your Law asks Egyptian tasks Which you will not so much As with one finger touch His Justice is too strict a Martial Which is to sin nor fond nor partial And since man is too weak to satisfie His Father's wrath the Lord himself will die 2. Yet your hypocrisie false weights and hins Neglect of truth and love are greater sins Which ere digested into fact He sees and much more in the act Look how the womans lust Christ's mercy writes in dust Which the next winde Blows out of minde And yet whate'er you claim Your malice doth but aim To stone our Saviour in steed Of the adult'ress for the deed And though you for her sin do Law enforce Your sp'ritual adultery is worse 3. Your zeal may with her lust go hand in hand Both kindled were at one infernal brand Your zeal's a particle of light Sprung from the gloomy Prince of night When in an Angel's shape Of light he acts a rape Your zeal is baud T'envie and fraud As her Concupiscence Was baud to this offence 'T is not true zeal but hot-brain'd zanie Which views each fault squints through each crannie To carp at others failings but still dallies With her own self nor sees her craft and malice 4. Although some blasphemously dare distrust Christ's mother's honour he 's no friend to lust With Harlots though he eats and drinks He at their sin connives nor winks There 's nothing now obscene In Mary Magdalene Hell well enough Knows he 's sin-proof He may touch pitch yet not Receive thereby a blot And he with sinners may converse Yet ne'er be tainted by commerce And though Physitians need an Antidote Ere they to sick-men go he wants them not 5. Ev'n so would partial Judah Tamar stone Till Shame retarded Resolution The Serpent while he would implead Thus Eve receives a bruised head As hist by guilt and blame Ye drop away for shame Seth's pillar stood So when the flood Wherein it late was drown'd Was now departed round As stands the woman thus alone While you convicted all are gone Ev'n so stood weeping Niobe when all Her hopeful sons did by Apollo fall 6. Th' art free as if thy sin were ne'er committed Free as Susanna by that Childe acquitted Th' art clear and clean from this offence White as Susanna's innocence And such as hers I dare Say thy Accusers are Both Law inforce Without remorse As they were hurried thence So these by Conscience Both out of malice not true zeal For sentence unto Law appeal Th' art clear'd by him whom thou hast griev'd alone And who dares mention what thou ill hast done 7. Her lust deep in repentant tears is drench'd In waters which might Sodoms flames hav quench'd How bitterly flows from her brain The former and the later rain Not onely for this sin She doth for all begin To sigh and sob To groan and throb Were thus your malice rins'd Y 'had not been thus convinc'd Her tears your malice may confound They shew how deep her sin is drown'd In the Seas depth Nor doth it need your stones Her fist lo beats her bosome till it grones 8. My soul 's the woman Lord found guilty in The sin of lust and in the lust of sin And as the devil still conspires With my affections and desires So joyns with Conscience To aggravate offence Both sue for sentence Against repentance Lord at one word of thine Their malice will decline No Ottacus on thy acquittance Will to thy court sue for admittance From sin and guilt thus cleared when I die I shall stand free and none but thee and I. On Mary Magdalene Matth. 26. 6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper 7 There came unto him a woman having an alabaster-box of very precious ointment and poured it on his head as he sate at meat 1. BLest Mary whose repentant rheums Were far more precious then thy Nard Thy tears nor age nor time consumes Which wastes and dries the richest Lard Thy Nard afforded rich perfumes Thy vocal tears each where are heard Thy Nard which on Christ's head did fleet Though grateful to him was less sweet Then were the tears wherwith thou bath'dst his feet 2. The rich
worst imagine still 't is worse If heavens joys can't draw me home Let these true terrors fright me till I come The second Part. On several occasions and several texts of Scripture Psal 119. 37 O turn away mine eyes lest they behold vanity 1. LOrd what 's a Beauty but a paint at most Which with a breath 's gone 't is so vainly glost What beauty 's dy'd so deep in grain that dolour Or age or sickness cannot blast its colour Since there 's within 't no principle to nourish Its verdant vigour to a constant flourish Lord let me think 't but a more specious worm And wink its beauty to an Antick form 2. Lord what 's a beauty in it could I see The Image which I lost in losing thee I 'd court and gaze till through mine eyes that face Reprinted on my soul that former grace Here 's no such form although indeed some few Think that in it we may thy footsteps view What 's beauty then for which we so much brawl But flesh transparent th'row a smoother cawl 3. Lord what 's a Beauty Did a more divine Saint dwell within 't I would adore the shrine My captiv'd heart with zealous love should boil I 'd count each beauty as this beauty's foil But since the soul the better part is tainted Can th' outward part be free must that be Sainted What 's beauty then if it be void of grace Thy Philip's Blackmore had the fairer face 4. Lord what 's a Beauty our fair Grannam Eve Soon prov'd a strong Suadela to deceive This treach'rous White Red hath bred more war Then they did once 'twixt York and Lancaster Lord let me think those eyes by th' wanton Muse Stil'd Stars are Ignes fatui to seduce Those Coral-lips my credit would explode These Yv'ry teeth my good report corrode 5. Lord what 's the world Thou didst not mean I ghess Th'worlds for Impostures either great or less Nor mean'st the lesser whom thou mad'st compleater Should be at all seduced by the greater Yet as they represent each others parts The greater too hath its delusive Arts. Since then they 're objects both to tempt mine eyes O turn them from beholding vanities 6. Lord what 's the world 't is but a turning Globe Which whirls us now on high then lowe as Job Or a toss'd ship whose now-aspiring Mast Seems for to boar the clouds then back doth cast Her rolling passengers to seek a Tomb In some vast Sea-shell or some fishes womb Then what 's the world a bubble 't is at most With winde 't is onely full with winde 't is tost 7. Lord what 's the world I will not wish me blinde Because mine eyes thus tempt me though I finde A grave * Bp. Hall one bid one of one eye bereft Not t' weep that loss but that one yet was left Nor will mistake thee when thou bidst not doubt If that mine eye offend to pluck it out Lord turn away mine eyes all 's one to me If so thou dost as if I did not see 8. Lord what 's the world indeed the heav'ns aray'd Are in thy Livery we see display'd In them thy glorious Coat they each night story In Starry characters their Makers glory But since a fly worm or the meanest elf If animate excels the world it self Why then 's the world by noble man thus held In such esteem that is by such excell'd The Author 's Epainicron to God for his Recovery from a sharp Fever Psal 118. 18 The Lord hath chastened and corrected me sore but he hath not given me over unto death Isai 38. 18 For the grave cannot praise thee death cannot celebrate thee they that go down to the pit canner hope for thy truth 19. The living the living he shall praise thee as I do this day 1. Lord THough Scripture say A thousand yeers one day Are unto thee yet must I think again To thee appears Each day a thousand yeers Till I thee thank for freedom from my pain 2. Late I was sick 'T were vain with Launcet's prick To vent my blood corrupted too too long I look'd for death As he that lay beneath A threatning sword which by a thred was hung 3. The active strife For hope or help of life Now fail'd me quite And while the Doctor lingers How did I feel A hastie Death to ceel My falling eye-lids with her Ycie fingers 4. The quick results Within my fev'rish Pulse The minutes were by which the hours I counted Wherein delay'd The tarder Doctors ayd So hours to days and days to weeks amounted 5. To hold me home My last Viaticum Was tender'd to sustain me in my journey Nor was I mute For to present my sute To th' mediation of my sweet Attorney 6. Life's influence Scar'd from my outward sence Now to my hearts Metropolis was gone And in this strait My ready soul did wait With nimble wing for dissolution 7. But like a brand Pluck'd by thy gracious hand I have escap'd the burning unconsum'd Though death by Fever Did rage as bad as ever Caldee's King on the furnac'd children fum'd 8. But as they freed With one consent agreed To praise thee for thy kindness and thy love So let me praise Thy mercy all my days So shall this mercy not my judgement prove Temptation Ephes 6. 14 Stand fast therefore having your loyns girt about with truth and having on the brest-plate of righteousness 15 And your feet shed with the preparation of the Gospel of peace 16 Above all taking the shield of faith whereby ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked 17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God 1. NOr was with Death my combat such But now I 'm tempted all so much So that me thinks my Senses halt 'Twixt two which was the worst assault Unless thou Lord who conquer'dst Death And lately crown'dst me with that wreath As thou hast vanquish'd Hell too I 'm undone Unless thou finish what thou hast begun 2. Is' t not enough by the sinister Temptations of her whisp'ring sister My soul 's seduc'd with frailty cloath'd And to infirmity betroth'd That th' easie soul by flesh is tempted Nor night nor day nor place exempted As if in slights she did the Devil ape And meant them no temptations but a rape 3. Is' t not enough that by the fraud of Hell that makes the World her Band I 'm by the World seduc'd and Sense Wooes not refists its influence Whose very blessings are but Baits As if th' air breath'd nought but deceits So that we all might breathe our mourning thus False world Imposture is thy Genius 4. But are we subject to the darts Of hellish Fiends which seize our hearts Like subtil Lightning's fierce inquests Which melts the gold within the chests As if they aim'd t' usurp thy part Who onely know'st and try'st the heart Into whose Closets they themselves convey Unless