full of teares To weepe in secret for her sinnes Thine eares Shall heare such things wil make thine eyes run ouer Thine eyes shall smart with what they shall discouer Spend not in priuate those thy zealous drops But hew and hacke spare neither trunke nor lops Make heauen earth rebound whē thou discharges Plead not like Paul but roare like Boanarges Let not the beauty of the buildings bleare thee Nor let the terrours of the Rampiers feare thee Let no man bribe thy fist I well aduise thee Nor foule meanes force thee nor let faire entice thee Ramme vp thine eares Thy heart of stone shall bee Be deafe to them as they are deafe to thee Goe cry against it If they aske thee Why Say God of heauen commanded thee to cry In stead of prayers and duties they should doe me Behold their wickednesse is mounted to me The fatnesse of their fornication fryes On coales of raging lust and vpward flies And makes me sicke I heare the mournfull grones And heauy sighs of such whose aking bones Th' oppressor grindes Alas their grones implore me Their pray'rs and their oppressions come before me Behold my children they haue slaine and kill'd And bath'd their hands within the blood they spill'd The steame of guiltlesse blood makes suit vnto me The voice of many bloods is mounted to me The vile prophaner of my sacred Names He teares my titles and mine honour maimes Makes Reth'rick of an oath sweares and forsweares Recks not my Mercy nor my Iudgement feares They eat they drink they sleepe they tyre the Day In wanton dalliance and delightfull play Heauens winged Herald Ionas vp and goe To mighty Niniueh Denounce my woe Aduance thy voice and when thou hast aduanc't it Spare Shrub nor Cedar but cry out against it I come my Selfe with plagues Goe thou afore me For all their wickednesse is come before me Apolog. Authoris IT was my morning Muse And for her sake I thus apply my selfe to vndertake This serious taske A taske for Doctors Muse To spend vpon Then let me pleade excuse For as good Physicke will not bate his force And being well appli'd prooue ne're the worse Though giuē by hands that could nor reade nor write That skill not how nor need not know t'apply't So this perchance may make another keene Though I and it be blunt as whetstones beene Applicatio TO thee Malfido now I turne my Quill That God is still that God and will be still The painfull Pastors take vp Iona's roome And thou the Niniuite to whom they come Meditatio prima HOw great 's the loue of God vnto his creature Or is his Wisedome or his Mercy greater I know not whether O th' exceeding loue Of highest God! that from his Throne aboue Will send the brightnesse of his Grace to those That grope in Darknesse and his Grace oppose He helpes prouides inspires and freely giues As pleas'd to see vs rauell out our liues He giues vs from the heape He measures not Nor deales like Manna each his stinted lot But daily sends the Doctors of his Spouse With such like oyle as from the Widowes cruse Issued forth in fulnesse without wasting Where plenty may be had yet plenty lasting I there is care in heauen and heauenly sprights That guides the world guards poore mortall wights There is else were the miserable state Of Man more wretched and vnfortunate Than sauage beasts But O th' abounding loue Of highest God! whose Angels from aboue Dismount the Towre of Blisse fly to and fro Assisting wretched man their deadly foe What thing is Man that Gods regard is such Or why should he loue retchlesse Man so much Why what are men But quicken'd lumps of earth A feast for wormes A bubble full of mirth A looking-glasse for griefe A flash A minnit A painted Toombe with putrifaction in it A mappe of Death A burthen of a song A winters Dust A worme of fiue foot long Begot in sinne In darknesse nourisht Borne In sorrow Naked Shiftlesse and forlorne His first voice heard is crying for reliefe Alas He comes into a world of griefe His Age is sinfull and his Youth is vaine His life 's a punishment his Death 's a paine His life 's an howre of Ioy a world of Sorrow His death 's a winters night that findes no morrow Mans life's an Houreglasse which being run Concludes that houre of Ioy and so is dun ¶ Ionah must goe Nor is this charge alone To Ionah giuen but giuen to euery one You Magistrates arise and take delight In dealing Iustice and maintaining right There lies your Nineueh Merchants arise Away and to your Ships and Merchandise Artificers arise and ply your shops And worke your trade and eate your meat with drops Paul to thy Tents and Peter to thy Net And all must goe that way which God hath set ¶ Grant liefest Lord for our Deare Borrow sake Thy loue in sending to vs neuer slake Encrease succession in thy Prophets liew For loe thy Haruest's great and Workmen few THE ARGVMENT But Ionah toward Tharsis went A Tempest doth his course preuent The Mariners are sore opprest While Ionah sleepes and takes his rest Sect. 2 BVt Ionah thus bethought The City's great And mighty Ashur stands with deadly threat Their hearts are hardned that they cannot heare Will greene wood burne when so vnapt's the seire Strange is the charge Shall I goe to a place Vnknowne and forraine Aye me hard 's the case That righteous Isr'el must be thus neglected When Miscreants and Gentiles are respected How might I hope my words shall there succeed Which thriue not with the flocke I daily feed Moreo're I weet the Lord is wondrous kind And slow to wrath and apt to change his mind Vpon the least repentance Then shall I Be deem'd as false and shame my Prophesie O heauie burthen of a doubtfull mind Where shall I goe or which way shall I wind My heart like Ianus looketh to and fro My Credit bids me Stay my God bids Goe If Goe my labour 's lost my shame 's at hand If Stay Lord I transgresse my Lords command If goe from bad estate to worse I fall If stay I slide from bad to worst of all My God bids goe my credit bids me stay My guilty feare bids fly another way So Ionah straight arose himselfe bedight With fit acoutrements for hasty flight In stead of staffe he tooke a Shipmans weed In stead of going loe he flies with speed Like as a Hawke that ouermatcht with might Doing sad penance for th' vnequall fight Answ'ring the Faulkners second shout does flee From fist turnes tayle to Fowle and takes a tree So Ionah baulks the place where he was sent To Nineueh and downe to Iaffa went He sought enquired and at last he found A welcome Ship that was to Tharsis bound Where he may fly the presence of the Lord He makes no stay but straightway goes aboord His hasty
purse for bargaine finds no leisure Where sin delights ther 's no account of treasure Nor did he know nor aske how much his Fare He gaue They tooke all parties pleased are How thriftlesse of our cost and paines are we O blessed God of heauen to fly from thee Now haue the Pilots drunke their parting cup And some with Sailors tune are hoysting vp Others the while the faithfull Anchor wey The Ship as loth to leaue her quiet key Creepes easly off and with directed course She glides along the shore with gentle force And now the whistling wind begins to dally With Aura's fanne Now stronger gusts doe fally Forth rudely playing on the hollow saile And from the Mountaines blowes a lusty Gale She mounts the billowes with a lofty grace And now she cuts the Deepe and scuds apace From land from whence vnwilling she was driuen Nothing 's perceiued now but Sea and heauen Betwixt them both the blustring winds doe play The waues know not which Master to obey For now the East wind mutin's with the West And now the West wind counterbuffes the East And now the hollow Boreas roares amaine And vexed Notus thwarts the North againe Thus crossely crost they threaten in reuenge To force the world from off his stedfast henge The Guide's perplext and knowes not what to doe His Art 's amaz'd in such a maze of woe The Welkin stormes and rages more and more The Raine powr s downe the Heauens begin to roare As they would split the massie earth in sunder From them that liue aboue to those liue vnder The restlesse waues and rolling billowes beate As they would shoulder Neptune from his feate The billowes seeme to mount the clouds or higher The dusky clouds did flash with often fier Now doth the Ship as high as heauen swell And now o'rwhelm'd with waues as low as hell The Barke no lesse doth yeeld to Neptunes sway Than lofty Tow'rs when thundring Ordnance play The hardy Mariners begin to quaile They vere their maine sheet and they strike their saile Their haire bolts vp pale Death vsurps their cheekes Their mouthes are ful of cryes their tongues of shreeks They sound with endlesse line and sound againe They pumpe and still they pumpe but all in vaine They row and breake their Oares At last th' assay Each Mariner vnto his god to pray They prai'd but winds did snatch their words away And lets their pray'rs not goe to whom they pray But still they pray but still the wind and wether Do turne both pray'rs sayles they know not whither Their gods were deafe their danger waxed greater They cast their wares out and yet ne're the better But all this while was Ionah drown'd in sleep And in the lower Decke was buried deepe Meditatio secunda BVt stay This was a strange and vncouth word Did Ionah fly the presence of the Lord What mister word is that He that repleats The mighty Vniuerse whose lofty seat's Th' imperiall Heauen whose footstoole is the face Of massy Earth Can he from any place Be spar'd or yet by any meanes excluded That is in all things and yet not included Could Ionah find a resting any where So void or secret that God was not there I stand amaz'd and frighted at this word Did Ionah fly the presence of the Lord Mount vp to heauen aboue and there he is Swaying the Scepter of his Kingly blisse Bestride the earth beneath with weary pace And there he beares the Oliue branch of Grace Diue downe into th' extreme Abysse of Hell And there in Iustice doth th' Almighty dwell What vncouth Cloyster could there then affoord A screene 'twixt faithlesse Ionah and his Lord ¶ Ionah was charg'd to take a charge in hand But Ionah turn'd his backe on Gods command Shooke off his yoke and wilfully neglected And what was strictly charg'd he quite reiected And so he fled the power of his Word And so he fled the presence of his Lord. ¶ Good God! how poore a thing is wretched man So fraile that let him striue the best he can With euery little blast hee 's ouerdon If mighty Cedars of great Libanon Cannot the danger of the Axe withstand Lord how shall we that are but Bushes stand How fond corrupt and sencelesse is mankind How faining deafe is he How wilfull blind He stops his eares and sinnes he shuts his eyes And blindfold in the lap of danger flies He sinnes despaires and then to stint his griefe He chuses death to baulke the God of life ¶ Poore wretched sinner trauell where thou wilt Thy trauell shall be burthen'd with thy guilt Climbe tops of hils that prospects may delight thee There wil thy sins like Wolues Beares affright thee Fly to the Valleys that those frights may shun thee And there like Mountaines they will fall vpon thee Or to the raging seas with Ionah goe There will thy sinnes like stormy Neptune flow Poore shiftlesse Man what shall become of thee Wher'ere thou fly'st thy gryping sinne will fly ¶ But all this while the Ship where Ionah sleepes Is vexed sore and batter'd on the Deeps And well-nigh split vpon the threatning Rocke With many a boystrous brush and churly knocke God send the comfortlesse an happy howre And shield all good men from such stormy stowre THE ARGVMENT The Pilot thumps on Ionah's brest And rowzeth Ionah from his Rest They al cast Lots being sore affrighted The sacred Lot on Ionah lighted Sect. 3. THe haplesse Pylot finding no successe But that the storme grew rather more than lesse For all their toylesome paynes and needlesse pray'rs Dispairing both of life and goods repaires To Ionahs drowzie Cabbin mainly calls Calls Ionah Ionah and yet lowder yawles Yet Ionah sleepes and giues a shrug or two And snores as greedy sleepers vse to doe The wofull Pylot iogs him but in vaine Perchance he dreames an idle word or twaine At length he tugs and puls his heauie course And thunders on his brest with all his force But after many yawns he did awake him And being both affrighted thus bespake him Arise O Sleeper O arise and see Ther 's not a twiny thrid 'twixt death and thee This darksome place thou measur'st is thy graue And suddaine Death rides proud on yonder waue Arise O Sleeper O arise and pray Perchance thy God will heare and not say Nay Perchance thy God's more powerfull then our's Arise Arise and pray with all thy pow'rs If so be God will haue compassion on vs And turne away this mischiefe he hath done vs The sturdy Saylers weary of their paine Finding their bootlesse labour lost and vaine Forbare their toylesome taske and wrought no more But wisht for Death for which they look'd before They call a parley and consult together They count their sinnes accusing one another That for his sinne or his this euill was wrought In fine they all prooue guilty of the fault But yet the
stay awhile this thing would first be knowne Can Ionah giue himselfe and not his owne That part to God and to his Country this Pertaines so that a slender third is his Why then should Ionah doe so great a wrong To deale himselfe away that did belong The least vnto himselfe or how could he Teach this THOV SHALT NOT KILL if Ionah be His life 's owne Butcher What was this a deed That with the Calling he profest agreed The purblind age whose workes almost diuine Did meerely with the oyle of nature shine That knew no written Law ne yet no God To whip their conscience with a steely Rod How much did they abhorre so foule a fact When led by Natures glimpse they made an Act That what man e're is so vnnaturall To kill himselfe should want a buriall Can such doe so when Ionah does amisse What Ionas Isr'els Teacher and doe this The Law of charity doth all forbid In this thing to doe that which Ionah did Moreo're in charity 't is thy behest Of dying men to thinke and speake the best The mighty Samson did as much as this And who dare say that Samson did amisse If heau'nly Spirit whisper'd in his eare Expresse command to do ' t then likewise heare Who knowes of Ionah whether yea or no A secret Spirit will'd him to doe so ¶ Sure is the knot that true Religion tyes And Loue that 's rightly grounded neuer dyes It seemes a Paradox beyond beliefe That men in trouble should prolong reliefe That Pagans to withstand a Strangers Fate Should be neglectiue of their owne estate Trusting their liues vpon a twyny thread And dauntlesse daunce about in dangers dread Where is this Loue become in later age Alas 't is gone in endlesse Pilgrimage From hence and neuer to returne I doubt Till reuolution wheele those times about Chill brests haue staru'd her here and she is driu'n Away and with Astraea fled to heau'n Charity that naked Babe is gone Her hony's spent and all her store is done Her winglesse Bees can finde out ne'r a bloome And crooked Ate doth vsurpe her roome Nepenthe's dry and Loue can get no drinke And curs'd Ardenne flowes aboue the brinke Braue Mariners the world your names shall hallow Admiring that in you that none dare follow Your friendship 's rare and your conuersion strange From Paganisme to Zeale A suddaine change Those men doe now the God of heau'n implore That bow'd to Puppets but an houre before Their Zeale is feruent though but new begun Before their egge-shels were done off they run As when bright Phoebus in a Summer tide New risen from the pillow of his Bride Enueloped with misty fogges at length Breaks forth displayes the mist with Southern strēgth Euen so these Mariners of Peerelesse mirrour Their faith b'ing vayl'd within the mist of errour At length their Zeale chac'd ignorance away They left their Paganisme and 'gan to pray ¶ Lord how vnlimmited are thy Confines That still pursu'st man in his good designes Thy mercy 's like the dew of Hermon hill Or like the Oyntment dropping downward still From Aarons head to beard from beard to foot So doe thy mercies drench vs round about Thy loue is boundlesse Thou art apt and free To turne to Man when Man returnes to thee THE ARGVMENT They cast the Prophet ouer boord The storme alay'd They feare the Lord A mighty Fish him straight deuoures Where he remayned many howres Sect. 6. EVen as a member whose corrupted sore Infests and rankl's eating more and more Threatning the bodies losse if not preuented The Surgion after all faire meanes attempted Cuts off and with aduised skill doth choose To lose a part then all the body lose Euen so the Mariners perceiuing all Their labour spent and the effect but small And of necessity that all must dye If Ionah leaue not their society They tooke vp Ionas and with one accord And common ayde threw Ionas ouer boord Whereat grim Neptune wip't his fomy mouth Held his tridented Mace vpon the South The windes were whist the billowes daunc't no more The storme allay'd the heau'ns left off to rore The waues obedient to their beheast Gaue ready passage and their rage surceast The skie grew cleare and now the glorious light Begins to put the gloomy clouds to flight Thus all on suddaine was the Sea tranquill The heau'ns were quiet and the Waues were still As when a friendly Creditour to get A long forborne and much-concerning debt Still plyes his willing debter with entreates Importunes dayly dayly thumps and beates The batter'd Portalls of his tyred eares Bedeafing hm with what he knowes and heares The weary debter to auoyd the sight He loathes shifts here and there and eu'ry night Seekes out Protection of another bed Yet ne'rethelesse pursu'd and followed His eares are still layd at with lowder volley Of harder Dialect He melancholly Sits downe and sighes and after long fore-slowing T' auoyd his presence payes him what is owing The thankfull Creditour is now appeas'd Takes leaue and goes away content and pleas'd Euen so these angry waues with restlesse rage Accosted Ionas in his pilgrimage And thundred Iudgement in his fearfull eare Presenting Hubbubs to his guilty feare The Waues rose discontent the Surges beat And euery moments death the billowes threat The wether-beaten Ship did euery minnit Await destruction while he was in it But when his long expected corps they threw Into the deepe a debt through trespasse due The Sea grew kind and all her frownes abated Her face was smooth to all that nauigated 'T was sinfull Ionah made her storme and rage 'T was sinfull Ionah did her storme asswage With that the Mariners astonish't were And feard Iehouah with a mighty feare Offring vp Sacrifice with one accord And vowing solemne vowes vnto the Lord. But God whose breath can make the heauens shake And in an instant all that force can slake Whose pow'rfull word can make the earths foundatiō Tremble and with his word can make cessation Whose wrath doth mount the waues tosse the Seas And make them calme and whist when e're he please This God whose mercy runs on endlesse wheele And pulls like Iacob Iustice by the heele Prepar'd a Fish prepar'd a mighty Whale Whose belly should be prison-house and baile For retchlesse Ionah As a Garner dore Opens his double leafe to take the store Wherewith the haruest quits the Ploughmans hope Euen so the great Leuiathan set ope His beame-like Iawes as glad of such a boone And at a morsell swallow'd Ionah downe Till Rosy-cheek't Aurora's purple dye Thrice dappl'd had the ruddy morning skye And thrice had spred the Curtaines of the morne To let in Titan when the Day was borne Ionah was Tenant to this liuing Graue Embowel'd deepe in this stupendious Caue Meditatio sexta LO Death is now as alwayes it hath bin The iust procured stipend of our sinne Sinne is a
Sackcloth and his Prayre Not faintly sent to heauen nor sparingly But piercing feruent and mightie cry ¶ Here maist thou see how Pray'r and true Repentance Doe striue with God preuaile and turne his sentence From strokes to stroking and from plagues infernall To boundlesse Mercies and to life Eternall ¶ Till Zepher lend my Bark a second Gale I flip mine Anchor and I strike my saile FINIS O Dulcis saluator Mundi vltima verba quae tu dixisti in Cruce sint vltima mea verba in Luce quando amplius affare non possum exaudi tu cordis mei desiderium A Hymne to God WHo giues me then an Adamantine Quill A Marble tablet And a Dauids skill To blazon foorth the praise of my dear Lord In deep grau'n letters aye vpon Record To last for times eternall processe suer So long as Sunne and Moone and Stars enduer Had I as many mouthes as Sands there are Had I a nimble tongue for euery Starre And euery word I speake a Caractere And euery minutes time ten ages were To chaunt foorth all thy praise it nought auaile For tongues and words and time and all would faile Much lesse can I poore Weakling tune my tongue To take a taske befits an Angels song Sing what thou canst when thou canst sing no more Weep then as fast that thou canst sing no more Be blurre thy booke with teares and goe thy wayes For euery blurre will proue a booke of praise Thine Eye that viewes the mouing Spheares aboue Let it giue praise to him that makes them moue Thou riches hast Thy Hands that hold and haue them Let them giue praise to him that freely gaue them Thine Armes defend thee then for recompence Let them praise him that gaue thee such defence Thy Tongue was giuen to praise thy Lord the giuer Then let thy Tongue praise highest God for euer Faith comes by hearing and thy faith will saue thee Then let thine Eares praise him that hearing gaue thee Thy heart is begg'd by him that first did make it My sonne giue me thy heart Lord freely take it Eyes hands and armes tongues eares and hearts of men Sing praise and let the people say Amen ¶ Tune you your Instruments and let them vary Praise him vpon them in his Sanctuary Praise him within the highest Firmament Which shewes his power and his gouernment Praise him for all his mighty Acts are knowne Praise him according to his high Renowne Praise him with Trump victorious shrill and sharp With Psaltry lowd and many-stringed Harp With sounding Tymbrell and delightfull Flute With Musicks full Interpreter the Lute Praise him vpon the Mayden Virginalls Vpon the clerick Organs and Cymballs Vpon the sweet maiestick Vyalls touch Double your ioyes and let your praise be such Let all in whom is life and breath giue praise To mighty God of Hosts in endlesse dayes Let euery Soule to whom a voyce is giuen Sing Holy Holy Holy Lord of heauen For loe a Lambe is found that vndertooke To breake the seuen-fold-seale and ope the Booke ¶ O let my life add number to my dayes To shew thy Glory and to sing thy praise Let euery minute in thy praise be spent Let euery head be bare and knee be bent To thee deare Lambe Who ere thy praises hide O let his lips be clos'd and tongue for euer ty'de Halelujah Gloria Deo in excelsis Eleuen Pious Meditations 1 ¶ WIthin the holy Writ I well discouer Three speciall Attributes of God His Power His Iustice and his Mercy All vncreated Eternall all and all Vnseparated From Gods pure Essence yet from thence proceeding All very God All perfect All exceeding And from that selfe-same Text three names I gather Of Great Iehoua Lord and God and Father The first denotes him mounted on his Throne In Power Maiesty Dominion The next descries him on his Kingly Bench Rewarding Euill with dreadfull punishments The third describes him on his Mercy-seate Full great in Grace and in his Mercy great ¶ All three I worship and before all three My heart shall humbly prostrate with my knee But in my priuate choice I fancie rather Then call him Lord or God to call him Father 2 ¶ IN Hell no Life in Heauen no Death there is In Earth both Life and Death both Bale and Blis In Heauen 's all Life no end nor new supplying In Hell 's all Death and yet there is no dying Earth like a partiall Ambidexter doth Prepare for Death or Life prepares for Both Who liues to sinne in Hell his portion 's giuen Who dyes to sinne shall after liue in Heauen ¶ Though Earth my Nurse be Heauen be thou my Father Ten thousand deaths let me enduer rather Within my Nurses armes then One to Thee Earths honor with thy frownes is death to mee I liue-on Earth as on a Stage of sorrow Lord if thou pleasest end the Play to morrow I liue on Earth as in a Dreame of pleasure Awake me when thou wilt I wait thy leisure I liue on Earth but as of life bereauen My life 's with thee for Lord thou art in Heauen 3 ¶ NOthing that e'r was made was made for nothing Beasts for thy food their skins were for thy clothing Flow'rs for thy smell and Herbs for Cuer good Trees for thy shade Their Fruit for pleasing Food The showers fall vpon the fruitfull ground Whose kindly Dew makes tender Grasse abound The Grasse is made for beasts to feed vpon And beasts are food for Man But Man alone Is made to serue his Lord in all his waies And be the Trumpet of his Makers praise ¶ Let Heau'n be then to me obdure as brasse The Earth as yron vnapt for graine or grasse Then let my Flocks consume and neuer steed me Let pinching Famine want wherewith to feed me When I forget to honour thee my Lord Thy glorious Attributes thy Works thy Word O let the Trump of thine eternall Fame Sound euer Euer hallow'd be thy Name 4 ¶ GOd made the World and all that therein is Yet what a little part of it is his Quarter the Earth and see how small a roome Is stiled with the name of Christendome The rest through blinded ignorance rebels O're-run with Pagans Turks and Infidels Nor yet is all this little Quarter his For though all know him halfe know him amisse Professing Christ for lucre as they list And serue the triple Crowne of Antichrist Yet is this little handfull much made lesser Ther 's many Libertines for one Professor Nor doe Professors all professe aright 'Mong whom there often lurks an Hypocrite ¶ O where and what 's thy Kingdome blessed God Where is thy Scepter wher 's thine yron Rod Reduce thy reck'nings to their totall summe O let thy Power and thy Kingdome Come 5 ¶ MAN in himselfe 's a little World Alone His Soul 's the Court or high Imperiall Throne Wherein as Empresse sits the Vnderstanding Gently directing yet with awe Commanding Her Handmaid's WILL Affections
Maids of Honor All following close and duly wayting on her But Sin that alwaies enui'd mans Condition Within this kingdome raised vp Diuision Withdrawne mans Will and brib'd his false Affection That This no order hath nor That Election The Will proues traitor to the Vnderstanding Reason hath lost her power and left commanding She 's quite depos'd and put to foule disgrace And Tyrant Will vsurps her Empty place ¶ Vouchsafe Lord in this little World of mine To raigne that I may raigne with Thee in thine And since my will is quite of good bereauen Thy will be done in earth as 't is in heauen 6 ¶ WHo liue to sin they all are theeues to Heauen And Earth They steale frō God take vngiuen Good men they rob and such as liue vpright And being bastards share the free-mans Right They 're all as owners in the owners stead And like to Dogs deuoure the childrens bread They haue and lack and want what they possesse They 're most vnhappy in their most happinesse They are not goods but riches that thou hast And not be'ng goods to eu'ls they turne at last ¶ Lord what I haue let me enioy in thee And thee in it or else take it from mee My store or want make thou or fade or flourish So shall my comforts neither change nor perish That little I enioy Lord make it mine In making me that am a Sinner thine 'T is thou or none that shall supply my need O Lord Giue vs this day our daily bread 7 ¶ THe quick-conceited Schoole-men well approue A difference 'twixt Charitie and Loue Loue is a vertue whereby we explaine Our selues to God and God to vs againe But Charity 's imparted to our Brother Whereby we traffick one man with another The first extends to God The last belongs To man In giuing right and bearing wrongs In number they are twaine In vertue One For one not truly being t' others none ¶ In louing God if I neglect my Neighbour My loue hath lost his proofe and I my labour My Zeale my Faith my Hope that neuer failes me If Charitie be wanting nought auailes me ¶ Lord in my Soule a spirit of Loue create me And I will loue my Brother if he hate me In nought but loue le ts me enuy my betters And then Forgiue my debts as I may detters 8 ¶ I Finde a true resemblance in the growth Of Sin and Man Alike in breeding both The Soul 's the Mother and the Diuell Syer Who lusting long in mutuall hot desier Enioy their wils and ioyne in Copulation The Seed that fils her wombe is foule Tentation The sinnes Conception is the Soules Consent And then it quickens when it giues content The birth of Sin is finisht in the action And Custome brings it to its full perfection ¶ O let my fruitlesse Soule be barren rather Then bring foorth such a Child for such a Father Or if my Soule breed Sin not being wary O let it either dye or else miscarry She is thy Spouse O Lord doe thou aduise her Keepe thou her chaste Let not the Fiend entice her Trie thou my heart Thy Trials bring Saluation But let me not be led into Temptation 9 ¶ FOrtune that blind supposed Goddesse is Still rated at if ought succeed amisse 'T is she the vaine abuse of Prouidence That beares the blame when others make th' offence When this mans barne finds not her wonted store Fortune's condemn'd because she sent no more If this man dye or that man liue too long Fortune's accus'd and she hath done the wrong Ah foolish Dolts and like your Goddesse blind You make the fault and call your Saint vnkind For when the cause of Eu'll begins in Man Th' effect ensues from whence the cause began Then know the reason of thy discontent The eu'll of Sinne makes Eu'll of punishment ¶ Lord hold me vp or spurre me when I fall So shall my Eu'll be iust or not at all Defend me from the World the Flesh the Deuill And so thou shalt deliuer me from Euill 10 ¶ THe Priestly skirts of A'rons holy coate I kisse and to my morning Muse deuote Had neuer King in any age or Nation Such glorious Robes set foorth in such a fashion With Gold and Gemmes and Silks of Princely Dye And Stones befitting more then Maiestie The Persian Sophies and rich Shaeba's Queene Had ne'r the like nor e'r the like had seene Vpon the skirts in order as they fell First a Pomegranat was and then a Bell By each Pomegranat did a Bell appeare Many Pomegranats many Bels there were Pomegranats nourish Bels doe make a sound As blessings fall Thanksgiuings must abound ¶ If thou wilt clothe my heart with A'rons tyer My tongue shall praise as well as heart desier My tongue and pen shall dwell vpon thy Story O Lord for thine is Kingdome Power Glory ¶ THe Ancient Sophists that were so precise And often-times perchance too curious nice Auerre that Nature hath bestow'd on Man Three perfect Soules When this I truly scan Me thinks their Learning swath'd in Errour lyes They were not wise enough and yet too wise Too curious wise because they mention more Then one Not wise enough because not foure Nature not Grace is Mistres of their Schooles Grace counts them wisest that are veriest Fooles Three Soules in man Grace doth a fourth allow The Soule of Faith But this is Greeke to you 'T is Faith that makes man truly wise 'T is Faith Makes him possesse that thing he neuer hath ¶ This Glorious Soule of Faith bestow on mee O Lord or else take thou the other three Faith makes men lesse then Children more then Men It makes the Soule crie Abba and Amen FINIS PENTELOGIA Or THE QVINTESSENCE OF MEDITATION Mors tua Mors Christi Fraus Mundi Gloria Coeli Et Dolor Inferni sunt meditanda tibi Thy Death the Death of Christ the Worlds Tentation Heauens Ioy Hells Torment be thy Meditation AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Richard Moore and are to be sold at his shop in Saint Dunstans Church-yard 1620. Mors tua 1 ¶ ME thinks I see the nimble-aged Syre Passe by amaine with feete vnapt to tyre Vpon his head an Hower-glasse he weares And in his wrinkled hand a Sithe he beares Both Instruments to take the liues from Men Th' one shewes with what the other sheweth when Me thinkes I heare the Dolefull Passing-bell Setting an onset to his lowder knell This moody musick of impartiall Death Who daunces after daunces out of breath Me thinkes I see my dearest friends lament With sighs and teares and wofull dryriment My tender Wife and Children standing by Dewing the Death-bed whereupon I lye Me thinkes I heare a Voyce in secret say Thy Glasse is runne and thou must dye to day Mors Christi 2 ¶ ANd am I here and my Redeemer gone Can He be dead and is not my life done Was he tormented in excesse of measure And doe I
A FEAST FOR WORMES SET FORTH IN A POEME OF THE HISTORY OF IONAH By FRA. QVARLES ad hoc ab hoc per hoc This Naked Pourtraiture before thine Eye Is Wretched helplesse MAN MAN borne to Die On either side an ANGELL doth protect him As well from EVILL as to GOOD direct him Th' one poynts to DEATH the t'other to a CROVVNE Who THIS attaines must tread the OTHER downe All which denotes the Briefe of MANS Estate That HEE 'S to goe from HENCE by THIS to THAT AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Richard Moore and are to be sold at his shop in Saint Dunstans Church-yard in Fleetstreet 1620. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE ROBERT LORD SYDNEY Baron of Penshurst Viscount Lisle Earle of Leicester Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter SIR two things more especiall haue made me industrious to doe your Lordship seruice The one is the loue you did beare to my long since deceased Father whom dead your Lordship did please to honour with your Noble remembrance The other is your vndeserued Fauours and Honourable Countenance towards me in your passage thorow Germany where you haue left in the hearts of men a Pyramis of your Worth As for the first I am heire to that seruice which my Father alwayes obseruant to your Honour was ready to performe As for the second my selfe in more particular stand obliged In respect of both heere I dedicate my selfe and these few leaues to your truly-Noble Selfe hoping your Lordship will vaile my boldnesse in your good acceptance and crowne my labours with your approbation SIR Your Lordships truly obseruant FRA. QVARLES TO THE READER Reader J fairely salute thee I List not to tyre thy patient eares with vnnecessary language the abuse of complement My mouth 's no Dictionary it onely serues as a needfull Commentary vpon the obscure Text of my meaning J haue heere sent thee the first fruits of an obortiue Birth Jt is a dainty subiect not Fabulous but Truth it selfe VVonder not at the Title A FEAST FOR WORMES for it is a Song of Mercy VVhat greater FEAST than Mercy And what are Men but WORMES Moreouer J haue gleaned some few Meditations obuious to the History Let me aduise thee to keepe the Taste of the History whilest thou readest the Meditations and that will make thee Rellish both the better Vnderstanding Reader fauour me Gently expound what it is too late to correct He le va de Golpe Dios sea con ella Farewell THE PROPOSITION OF the whole Worke. 'T Is not the Record of Great HECTORS Glory Whose matchlesse Valour makes the World a Story Nor yet the swelling of that Romans Name That onely Came and Look'd and Ouercame Nor One nor All of those braue Worthies Nine Whose Might was Great and Acts almost Diuine That liu'd like Gods but di ' de like Men and gone Shall giue my Pen a Taske to treat vpon I sing the praises of the KING of Kings Out of whose mouth a two-edg'd Smiter springs Whose Words are Mystery whose Works are Wonder Whose Eyes are Lightning and whose Voyce is Thunder Who like a Curtaine spreads the Heauens out Spangl'd with Starres in Glory round about 'T is HEE that cleft the furious waues in twaine Making a High-way passage through the Maine 'T is He that turn'd the waters into Blood And smote the Rocky stone and caus'd a Flood 'T is HEE that 's iustly Armed in his Ire Behind with Plagues before with flaming Fire More bright then mid-day Phoebus are his Eyes And whosoeuer sees his Visage Dyes I sing the Praises of Great Iudah's Lion The fragrant Flowre of Iesse the Lambe of Sion Whose Head is whiter then the driuen Snow Whose Visage doth like flames of Fire Glow His Loynes begirt with Golden Belt His Eyne Like Titan riding in his Southerne Shine His Feet like burning Brasse and as the noyse Of surgie Neptunes roaring is his Voyce This is that Paschall Lambe whose dearest Blood Is soueraigne Drinke whose Flesh is sauing Food His precious Blood the Worthies of the Earth Did drinke which though but borne of Mortall birth Returnd them Deities For who drinkes THIS Shall be receiu'd into Eternall Blisse Himselfe the GIFT which HE himselfe did giue His Stripes heale vs and by HIS Death we liue HEE acting GOD and MAN in double Nature Did reconcile Mankind and Mans Creator I heer 's a TASKE indeed if Mortals could Not make a Verse yet Rocks and Mountaines would The Hils shall daunce the Sunne shall stop his Course Hearing the subiect of this high Discourse The Horse and Gryphin shall together sleepe The Woolfe shall fawne vpon the silly Sheepe The Crafty Serpent and the Fearfull Hart Shall ioyne in Consort and each beare a part And leape for Ioy when my VRANIA sings She sings the praises of the KING of Kings THE INTRODVCTION ¶ THat Ancient Kingdome that old Assur swai'd Shew'd two great Cities Ah! but both decai'd Both mighty Great but of vnequall growth Both Great in People and in Building both But Ah! What hold is there of Earthly Good Now Grasse growes there where these braue Cities stood The name of one Great Babylon was hight Through which the rich Euphrates takes her flight From High Armaenia to the ruddy Seas And stores the Land with rich Commodities ¶ The other Ninus Niniueh the Great So huge a Fabrick and well chosen Seat Dan Phoebus fiery Steeds with Maines becurld That circundates in twice twelue houres the World Ne'r saw the like By Great King Ninus hand 'T was raisd and builded in th' Assyrians Land Which he subdude 'T was plac'd twixt riuers twaine Licus and swift Tygris that runnes amaine Begirt she was with Walls of wondrous might Creeping twice fifty foot in measur'd height Vpon their bredth if ought we may relie On the report of Sage Antiquity Three Chariots fairly might themselues display And ranke together in a Battell-ray The Circuit that her mighty Bulke imbraces Containes the mete of sixty-thousand paces Within her well-fenc't walles you might discouer Fiue hundred stately Towers thrice told ouer Whereof the highest draweth vp the eye As well the low'st an hundred Cubits hie All rich in those things which to state belong For beauty Braue and for munition Strong Duly and daily this Great worke was tended With ten thousand Workmen Begun and ended In eight yeeres space How beautifull How faire Thy Buildings And how foule thy Vices are ¶ Thou Land of Assur double then thy pride And let thy Wells of Ioy be neuer dri'de Thou hast a Palace that 's renown'd so much The like was neuer is nor will be such ¶ Thou Land of Assur trebble then thy Woe And let thy Teares doe as thy Cups o'rflow For this thy Palace of so great renowne Shall be destroy'd and sackt and batterd downe But cheere vp Niniueh thine inbred might Hath meanes enough to quell thy Foemans spite Thy
Or shall we saue thee No for thou dost fly The face of God and so deseru'st to dye Thou Prophet speake what shal we doe to thee That angry seas may calme and quiet be Meditatio quarta GIue leaue a little to adiourne your story Run backe a step or twaine and looke afore ye Can he be said to feare the Lord that flies him Can Word confesse him when as Deed denies him My sacred Muse hath rounded in mine eare And read the myst'ry of a twofold feare The first a seruile feare for Iudgements sake And thus the damned Diuels feare and quake Thus Adam fear'd and fled behind a tree And thus did bloody Kain feare and flee Vnlike to this there is a second kind Of feare extracted from a zealous mind Full fraught with loue and with a conscience cleare From base respects It is a filiall feare A feare whose ground would iust remaine and leuell Were neither Heauen nor Hell nor God nor Diuell Such was the feare that Princely Dauid had And thus our wretched Ionah fear'd and fled He fled asham'd because his sinnes were such He fled asham'd because his feare was much He fear'd Iehouah other fear'd he none Him he acknowledg'd Him he fear'd alone Vnlike to those men that befoold with errour Frame many gods and multiply their terrour Th' Egyptians God Apis did implore God Assas the Chaldaeans did adore Babel to the Deuouring Dragon seekes Th' Arabians Astaroth Iuno the Greekes The name of Belus the Assyrians hallow The Troians Vesta Corinth wise Apollo Th' Arginians sacrifice vnto the Sunne To Light-foot Mercury bowes Macedon To god Volunus louers bend their knee To Pauor those that faint and fearfull bee Who pray for health and strength to Murcia those And to Victoria they that feare to lose To Muta they that feare a womans tongue To great Lucina women great with young To Esculapius they that liue opprest And they to Quies that desire rest O blinded Ignorance of antique times How blent with errour and how stuft with crimes Your Temples were And how adulterate How clog'd with needlesse gods How obstinate How void of order and how inconfuse How full of dangerous and foule abuse How sandy were thy grounds and how vnstable How many Deities yet how vnable Implore these gods that list to howle and barke They bow to Dagon Dagon to the Arke But he to whom the seale of mercy 's giuen Adores Iehouah mighty God of Heauen Vpon the mention of whose sacred Name Meeke Lambs grow fierce and the fierce Lyons tame Bright Sol shall stop and heauen shall turne his course Mountaines shall dance and Neptune slake his force The Seas shall part the fire want his flame Vpon the mention of Iehouah's Name A Name that makes the roofe of Heauen to shake The frame of Earth to quiuer Hell to quake A Name to which all Angels blow their trumps A Name puts frolicke man into his dumps Though ne're so blythe A Name of high renowne It mounts the meeke and beates the lofty downe A Name deuides the marrow in the bone A Name which out of hard and flinty stone Extracteth hearts of flesh and makes relent Those hearts that neuer knew what mercy ment O Lord how great 's thy Name in all the Land How mighty are the wonders of thy hand How is thy Glory plac't aboue the heau'n To tender mouthes of Sucklings thou hast giu'n Coerciue pow'r and boldnes to reprooue When elder men doe what them no'te behooue O Lord How great 's the power of thy hand O God! How great 's thy Name in all the Land THE ARGVMENT The Prophet doth his fault discouer Perswades the men to cast him ouer They rowe and toyle but doe no good They pray to be excus'd from blood Sect. 5. SO Ionah fram'd the speech to their demand Not that I seeke to trauerse the command Of my deare Lord and out of minde peruerse T' auoyd the Niniuites doe I amerce My selfe Nor that I euer heard you threat Vnlesse I went to Niniueh the great And doe the message sent her from the Lord That you would kill or cast me ouer boord Doe I doe this 'T is my deserued fine You all are guiltlesse and the fault is mine 'T is I 't is I alone 't is I am he The tempest comes from heau'n the cause from me You shall not lose a haire for this my sin Nor perish for the fault that mine hath bin Lo I the man am here Lo I am He The roote of all End your reuenge on me I fled from God of Heau'n O let me then Because I fled from God so flie from men O take me for I am resolu'd to die As you did cast your Wares so cast in Me I am the man for whom these billowes dance My death shall purchase your deliuerance Feare not to cease your feares but throw me in Alas my soule is burthen'd with my sin And God is iust and bent to his Decree Which certaine is and cannot altred bee I am proclaim'd a Traytor to the King Of heau'n and earth The windes with speedy wing Acquaint the Seas The Seas mount vp on hie And cannot rest vntill the Traytor die Oh cast me in and let my life be ended Let Death make Iustice mends which Life offended Oh let the swelling waters me embalme So shall the Waues be still and Sea be calme So said the Mariners grew inly sad Though rude and barbarous and much ydrad As moou'd to see a Stranger for their good Lay downe his life which offer they withstood Till they had sought with all their pow'r and skill To saue the man and not the Ship to spill They digg'd and deepely delu'd the surrow'd Seas With brawny armes they plough'd the watry Leas Hoping in vaine by toyle to win the shore And wrought more hard thē erst they wrought before Alas their strength now failes and weares away For bodies wanting rest doe soone decay The Seas are angry and the waues arise Appeas'd with nothing but a Sacrifice Gods vengeance stormeth like the raging Seas Which nought but Ionah dying can appease Bootlesse it is to thinke by any deed To alter that which God of heau'n decreed Ionah must die 't is folly to say No Ionah must die or else we all die too Ionah must die that from his Lord did flie The lot determines Ionah then must die His guilty word confirmes the sacred lot Ionah must die then if we perish not If Iustice then it be that he must die And we sad Actors of his Tragedie We begge not Lord a warrant to offend O pardon bloud-shed that we must intend Though not our hands yet shall our hearts be cleare Then let not stainelesse Consciences beare The pond'rous burthen of a Murthers guilt Or voyce of harmelesse bloud that must be spilt For lo deare Lord it is thine owne Decree And we sad ministers of Iustice bee Meditatio quinta BVt
golden Causie and a Road That 's leuell pleasant that is euen and broad But leads at length to death and endlesse griefe To torments and to paines without reliefe Iustice feares none but maketh all afraid And then falls hardest when 't is most delaid But thou reply'st Thy sinnes are daily great Yet thou sitt'st vncontrold vpon thy seat Thy wheat doth flourish and thy barnes doe thriue Thy sheepe encrease thy sonnes are all aliue And thou art buxom and hast nothing scant Finding no want of any thing but want Whil'st others whō the squint-e'yd world counts holy Sit sadly drooping in a melancholy With brow deiected and downe-hanging head Or take of almes or poorly beg their bread But Young man know there is a Day of doome The feast is good vntill the reck'ning come The time runnes fastest where is least regard The stone that 's long in falling falleth hard There is a Day a dying Day thou foole When all thy laughter shall be turn'd to Doole Thy roabes to tort'ring plagues and fell tormenting Thy whoops of Ioy to howles of sad lamenting Thy tongue shall yell and yawle and neuer stop And wish a world to giue for one poore drop To flatter thine intolerable paine The wealth of Pluto could not then obtaine A minutes freedome from that hellish rout Whose fire burnes and neuer goeth out Nor house nor land nor measur'd heapes of wealth Can render to a dying man his health Our life on earth is like a thrid of flax That all may touch and being toucht it cracks ¶ As when an Archer shooteth for his sport Sometimes his shaft is gone sometime 't is short Sometimes o' th' left hand wide sometimes o' th' right At last through often triall hits the White So Death sometimes with her vncertaine Rouer Hits our Superiours and so shootes ouer Sometimes for change she strikes the meaner sort Strikes our inferiours and then comes short Sometimes vpon the left hand wide she goes And so still wounding some she strikes our foes And sometimes wide vpon the right hand wends There with impartiall shafts she strikes our friends At length through often triall hits the White And so strikes vs into Eternall night ¶ Death is a Kalender compos'd by Fate Concerning all men neuer out of Date Her dayes Dominicall are writ in blood She shewes more bad dayes then she sheweth good She tells when dayes and months and termes expire And shewes thee strange aspects of fearefull fire ¶ Death is a Pursiuant with Eagles wings That knocks at poore mens dores and gates of Kings Worldling beware for lo Death sculks behind thee And as she leaues thee so will Iudgement finde thee THE ARGVMENT Within the bowels of the Fish Ionah laments in great anguish God heard his pray'r at whose command The Fish disgorg'd him on the Land Sect. 7. THen Ionah turn'd his face to heau'n and pray'd VVithin the bowels of the VVhale and sayd I cry'd out of my balefull misery Vnto the Lord and he hath heard my cry From out the paunch of hell I made a noyse And thou hast answer'd me and heard my voyce Into the Deepes and bottome thou hast throwne me Thy Surges and thy VVaues haue past vpon me Then Lord said I from out thy glorious sight I am reiected and forsaken quite Nath'lesse while these my wretched eyes remaine Vnto thy Temple will I looke againe The boyst'rous waters compasse me about My body threats to let her pris'ner out The boundlesse depth enclos'd me almost dead The weedes were wrapt about my fainting head I liu'd on earth reiected at thine hand And a perpetuall pris'ner in the Land Yet thou wilt cause my life t' ascend at length From out this pit O Lord my God my Strength When as my soule was ouer-whelm'd and faint I had recourse to thee did thee acquaint With the condition of my wofull case My cry came to thee in thine holy Place Whoso to Vanities themselues betake Renounce thy mercies and thy loue forsake To thee I 'le sacrifice in endlesse dayes With voyce of thanks and euer-sounding praise I 'le pay my vowes for all the world records With one consent Saluation is the Lords So God whose Word 's a deed whose Breath's a law Whose iust command implies a dreadfull awe Whose Word prepar'd a Whale vpon the Deepe To tend and waite for Iona's fall and keepe His out-cast body safe and soule secure This very God whose mercy must endure When heau'n and earth and sea and all things faile Disclos'd his purpose and bespake the Whale To redeliuer Ionah to his hand Whereat the Whale disgorg'd him on the Land Meditatio septimu I Well record a holy Father sayes He teaches to denie that faintly prayes The suit surceases when desire failes But whoso prayes with feruencie preuailes For Pray'rs the key that opens heauen gate And findes admittance whether earl ' or late It forces audience it vnlocks the eare Of heau'nly God though deafe it makes him heare Vpon a time Babel the Worlds faire Queene Made drunke with choller and enrag'd with Spleene Through fell Disdaine derraigned Warre ' gainst them That tender Homage to Ierusalem A Mayden fight it was yet they were strong As men of Warre The Battaile lasted long Much bloud was shed and spilt on either side That all the ground with purple gore was dyde In fine a Souldier of Ierusalem Charissa hight the Almner of the Realme Chill'd with a Feuer and vnapt to fight Into Iustitia's Castle tooke her flight Whereat great Babels Queene commanded all To lay their siege against the Castle wall But poore Tymissa not with warre acquainted Fearing Charissa's death fell downe and fainted Dauntlesse Prudentia rear'd her from the ground VVhere she lay pale and sencelesse in swound She rubb'd her temples lost in swouny shade And gaue her water that Fidissa made And said Cheare vp deare Sister though our foe Hath ta'ne vs Captiues and inthrall'd vs so We haue a King puissant and of might Will see vs take no wrong and doe vs right If we possesse him with our sad complaint Cheare vp wee 'l send to him and him acquaint Timissa new awak'd from swound replies Our Castle is begirt with enemies And clouds of armed men besiege our walls Then suer Death or worse then Death befalls To her who ere she be that stirres a foote Or dares attempt this place to fally out Alas what hope haue we to finde reliefe And want the meanes that may diuulge our griefe Within that place a iolly Matron won'd With firie lookes and drawen-sword in hond Her eyes with age were waxen wond'rous dim With hoary locks and visage sterne and grim Her name Iustitia hight to her they make Their moane who well aduis'd them thus bespake Faire Maydens well I wot y' are ill bedight And rue the suffrance of your wofull plight But Pitty 's fond alone