worthily commended In morne and euening was her third day ended Then in the heau'ns the shining lights she framed That should diuide betwixt the day and night The greater lights the Sunne and Moone she named Which should giue Rules to times and seasons right The lesser starres to whom she gaue a light To twinkle like the Candels of the Night And in this worke she kept her course so well And still the state of Grace so vnderstood As he in whom all Graces only dwell In sight of goodnes saw that all was good So where no praise her worth diminished The Euen and Morne her fourth day finished Then to the waters she her worke applies And made each mouing and each creeping thing And in the Heauen each feathered fowle that flies And euery Creature that doth carie wing When all seem'd good in her great Maisters eie Who bad them all encrease and multiplie Thus hauing wrought with infinite conceite The sundry forme and shape of euery Creature With such inuention as exceedes the height Of Wit and Reasons praises highest Nature While high perfection each proportion framed The Euen and Morning was her fift day named Thus when that her weekes worke was almost done She hath her choisest worke to take in hand For which before the Modell be begun She must vpon her Maisters counsaile stand How she may shape his loue his liuely picture To haue his patience pleased in his Creature When hauing fauour in his high perfection With humble care a lump of clay she takes Of which by Rules of his Diuine direction Vnto his Image perfect man she makes Who so in loue did to his liking fall That vnder Heau'n he made him Lord of all Thus hauing made vp all her workmanship Within the limits of her fairest loue Where constant Truth could neuer take a trip While carefull Patience did perfection proue When all was good in goodnes all enstalled The Euen and Morning she the sixt day called And seeking now her sacred thoughts to rest Vpon the Grace of the Eternall good She findes the Sabaoth by her Maister blest Who giues her spirits that especiall food That after all the labour of her daies Doth make her sing his euerlasting praise Which as I finde in her faire Musique sounding Although it be a Note aboue my reach Yet on the Grace of Vertue only grounding As her sweet spirits doth my spirit teach My humble soule shall straine my heart to sing The Gratious praises of my Glorious King O holy Essence of all holines Grace of all Glory Glory of all Grace Perfections Vertue Vertues perfectnes Place of all Beauty Beauty of all place Truths only Triall Times Eternitie Incomprehensible in thy Deitie Wisedomes deuiser Father of her loue Constancies proofe and life of patience Humilities Essence Faiths true Turtle Doue Mercies Almighty Glorious Residence Sweet Iesus Christ mine humble soule enflame To sing the Glory of thy holy Name Before what was but that which euer is The Godhead all Incomprehensible Sweet Iesus Christ the Essence of all Blisse But in his Manhood only sensible My Sauiours was and in himselfe alone Containing all things but contain'd in none The Nature of all Vertues in his Nature Had all their Essence of their only Being When in Creation of each kinde of Creature Wisedome in him had only all her seeing Whose loue in him that constant patience found That of her Grace and Glory was the ground His spotlesse Vertue all his life did proue In doing good to all and ill to none His Wisedome did the Doctors wonder moue His loue the Touchstone of all Truth alone His Constancie euen to his dying hower Did shew his patience had a heau'nly power And for the Note of his Humility His crosse bare witnes in his life and death Who bare all basenes Inciuility Yet neuer breath'd the smallest angry breath O glorious King that came from Heauen on high Vpon this earth for Beggers so to die His vertue in his will his word doth show His Wisedome in Election and Creation His loue his Louers by his death doe know His Constancie his patience confirmation His patience his humility did proue And all in some his Glory from aboue Whose Vertue such as his that could not sinne Whose Wisedome such as worketh Vertues will Whose loue is such as Wisedome liueth in Whose Constancie doth shew such kindnes still Whose patience such as did his passion show Or who so high and euer brought so low What Vertue doth his Wisedome doth expresse What Wisedome doth his loue doth manifest What loue doth doth his constancie confesse What Constancie doth in his patience blest What Patience doth Humility doth tell In him alone they all and only dwell Then let the vertuous for all vertue loue him And let the wise in Wisedomes loue admire him And let the constant in all kindnes proue him And let the patient patiently desire him And let the humble humbly fall before him And all together all in all adore him Oh that the world could see his vertues Beauty Or wit of man his Wisedomes Maiestie Or Loue could looke into his Constancie Or patience into his humility Then vice nor folly frailty rage nor pride Should in the mindes of men so much abide His Vertue made the first perfections Nature His Wisedome made the forme of all perfection His loue did giue the life to euery Creature His Constancie the care of Loues direction His patience Medicine for all Miseries His humblenes the way to Paradice Would'st thou be perfect in his vertue know it Would'st thou be vertuous in his wisedome learne it Would'st thou be wise in his loue only shew it Would'st thou be louing in his life discerne it Would'st thou he constant in his care conceiue it Would'st thou be patient in his death perceiue it Would'st thou be humble in his lowlines Learne to submit thy selfe to higher powers Would'st thou be blessed in his Blessednes Learne to bestow the labour of thine howers Would'st thou be holy and liue happy euer Liue in his loue and thou shalt liue for euer The infinite good thoughts his vertue giueth The infinite good works his will perfecteth The infinite good life in his loue liueth The infinite loue his constancie effecteth Th'infinite constancie his patience proueth Doe humbly shew what infinitenes loueth Since Vertues then good thoughts are infinite And infinite is Vertue in good thought And infinite is Wisedome in good wit And infinite is loue by Wisedome wrought And infinite is constancie in loue Which infinitely patience doth proue In infinite Humility of hart Vnto the height of all Infinitie In infinite perfection of each part That makes the infinite Diuinitie The Father Sonne and holy Ghost all three In one one God all infinite Glory bee And since no heart is able to attaine Vnto his holy and eternall praise To whom alone doth duly appertaine The date of Glories neuer ending dayes When Angels in their Haleluiah dwell Let me but sing A men and I am well Gloria in excelsis Deo TO ALL LEARned and vertuous Schollers and gratious Studients honour and happines GEntlemen I feare this my mistermed piece of Poetry in your true iudgements will be subiect to the reproofe of errour what is amisse I humbly leaue to your correction and what is otherwise to your fauourable acceptation and so loath to be tedious in ceremonies I rest affectionately to all good learning A friend auowed BER N. Gent.
foundation of all strength Which while it holds the frame can neuer fall It is the line that drawes the longest length And euer is that sees the end of all It keeps the Rules of the Heau'ns reuolution And doth confirme all Reasons resolution It is the locke vpon the heart of loue A Chest that keepes the treasure of the Minde Within the soule a Rocke that cannot moue A Band that doth the thoughts together binde A light where Wisedome Vertues honour seeth And life where only Grace with loue agreeth It keepes the Sunne in his continuall brightnes The ayre in coolenes and the earth in drynesse Water in moisture and the winde in lightnesse The fire in hotnes and the flame in highnesse The good in goodnes and the kinde in kindnes The minde from madnes and the eye from blindnes It was the mouer first of mariage And made the first continuance of content It set the course of Wisedomes cariage And neuer further then affection went It is the state of all perfections stay And Times all euer lasting holy day It is the Crowne of Patience kingly care The seate where Mercy sits in Maiestie The Law wherein all blessed precepts are The fame of Loue and league of Amitie The learning of the wisest wits instruction And sence of the most sweetest thoughts construction Aboue the Heauens it liueth with the highest And in the Heauens it dwelleth with the purest And to the Nature of the best the nighest And in the sence of all conceites the surest And in the Action of all Art the strongest And in the length of Time and Truth the longest It keepes the center of the earth from mouing The swelling Sea from passing of his Bounds The Rules of true perfection from Reprouing The health of Wisedome from all follies Wounds The circle of the world in such a frame That Admiration may commend the same Oh how it writes the worthinesse of those That stroue for honour to the stroke of death And how without comparison it showes The mouth of Wisedome blessed in her breath And how it makes the fame of them to flourish That with their Bounty vertuous spirits nourish It made the Mirror of all Martirdome And in the faithfull makes a Glorious fight And in the day of the Eternall doome It will be Gratious in all Glorious sight Where hopes continuance in all kindnes care Brings humble faith to endlesse happy fare And since it is so infinite a Grace As may deserue as infinite a praise And is the fulnesse of the fairest place In all the walke of Wit and Reasons waies Where patience proues the best experience Let me a little sing of Patience THE PRAISE OF Patience The fifth daies worke SWeete Patience thou soueraigne of perfection Of Gratious thoughts the only Gouernesse Who by the Rules of thy diuine direction Do'st bring the heart to highest Happinesse My humble soule with thy sweete loue enflame That I may sing in honour of thy name The purest thought that euer heart possessed The clearest Obiect of the carefull'st Eie The present Medicine for the Minde distressed The only ease in euery Miserie In all the proofe of Wits Experience In heart and minde and soule is patience It puts off feare of Fortunes frowardnes And only rests on Resolution It wrestles with the worlds vntowardnes And holds the state of Reasons Constitution It conquers Will and so doth carie Wit That both are happy only but in it It breedes no wroth nor moueth Enuies ill It breakes no concord nor discention sturres It learnes the spirit an especiall skill Where Reasons care Repentance not incurres And if Repentance folly doe enforce It is a meane vnto a sweet remorce It beareth want as if it were no woe And suffers wrong as if it had no sence It swallowes sorrow as it were not so And taketh Death for lifes Ingredience It neither feedes of fortune feare nor fate But alwaies is all one in euery state In time it keepes the compasse of the hower In action order measure point and place In thought the temper of the spirits power In Wit and Reason all the Rules of Grace In Grace the ground of that perfections story That goeth neere the height of Vertues Glory It makes the entrance into euery Action Continues the proceedings makes the end It kils the Nature of vnquiet Faction And of a foe sometime doth make a friend It doth conceale the hearts calamitie And makes a Vertue of Necessitie By Patience we doe our soules possesse And tread the path to our soules Paradice While the impatient in their soules distresse Headlong fall into their soules Miseries It is a salue that healeth the soules griefe Sorrowes rankt poison and the soules reliefe Patience doth try the Truth of euery thing Distills the spirits of the purest Natures Teacheth the Muse her Musique notes to sing And findes the difference of all kindes of Creatures Giues bodies health and makes the spirits diet And brings the soule vnto Eternall quiet It keepes the Husband chaste vntill he marrie The Wife obedient to her Band of loue It makes the Mother for her Childe to tarie And Seruants waite for their Rewards behoue It makes the Sea-man tarie for a winde And poore men waite till richer men haue dinde It makes the wounded Man endure his dressing The sicke Man see the loosing of his blood The poore Man beare the paine of his oppressing The good Man against euill to doe good The wise Man study for the state of Blisse The holy Man finde where all blessing is It keepes the King from thought of Crueltie The Noble Peere from Prides Ambition The Counsailour from all Impietie The Courtier from all ill condition The Church-man from the error of selfe-will The Lay-man from the exercise of ill By patience Dauid had a Princely fame And Iob his patience hath a worthy praise But Christ his patience hath the Glorious name That euer liues to neuer ending daies Since then in God and Man it is so glorious Let it be held a Vertue all victorious In God it doth a worke of Mercy show In Mercy Comfort and in Comfort Grace In Grace that loue from which that life doth flow That shewes where Patience hath a happy place Oh blessed Patience that in Man doth proue Gods Mercies comfort in his Gratious loue It brings the heart to Loues Humilitie Humility to Truthes simplicitie And simple Truth to Cares Tranquilitie And quiet Care to faith's felicitie And happy faith vnto that fairest Blisse In which the fairest of all Blessing is And since that in Humility I finde True Patience hath her purest Residence And brings the heart the spirit and the minde Vnto the height of Reasons Excellence Let me a little shew what Vertue saies In setting downe Humilities due praise THE PRAISE OF Humilitie The sixth daies worke OH the sweet sence of loues Humilitie Which feares displeasure in a dearest friend The only note of true Nobilitie Whose worthy Grace is graced
without end While faithfull loue in humble Truth approued Doth euer liue of God and Man beloued Her Grace is Gratious in the sight of God Makes men as Saints and women Angels seeme Makes sinne forgotten Mercy vse no Rod And constant Faith to grow in great esteeme And is in some a Blessing of the Highest And to the Nature of himselfe the Nighest It maketh Beauty like the Sunne to shine As if on earth there were a heau'nly light It maketh Wit in Wisedome so diuine As if the Eie had Celestiall sight It is a Guide vnto that Hauen of Rest Where Blessed soules doe liue for euer blest In Christ it is a Grace of worthy Glory In Man from God a gift of speciall Grace While in the state of Vertues honours story Wisedome doth finde it in perfections place And plac't so high in the Almighties loue As nothing more can Mercies comfort proue It makes the eye look downe into the heart The heart obedient vnto wit and sence And euery limbe to play a Seruants part Vnto the will of Wits preheminence It brings the Minde vnto the Body so That one the other cannot ouergoe It is the death of pride and patience loue Passions Phisitian Reasons Counsailour Religions Darling labours Turtle Doue Learnings Instructer Graces Register Times best Attendant Truthes best Explainer Vertues best Louer and Loues truest Gainer It is the Princes Grace the Subiects duty The Schollers lesson and the Souldiours line The Courtiers credite and the Ladies Beauty The Lawyers vertue and the loue diuine That makes all sences Gratious in his sight Where all true Graces haue their Glorious light It makes the heart fit for all good Impression It doth prepare the spirit for perfection It brings the soule vnto her sinnes confession It helpes to cleare the body from infection It is the meane to bring the minde to rest Where heart soule body minde and all are blest It made the Mother of the Sonne of God Gratious in him who made her full of Grace And on her Sonne it blessedly abode In bearing all the filthy worlds deface And in his Seruants for their Maisters loue Did Faiths affections in their passions proue It saued Abrahami Sonne from Sacrifice When Isaaks death was quitted by the Ramme It saued Noah and his Progenies Where on the earth destructions Deluge came It saued Lot from hurt of Sodomes fire And Israel from cruell Pharaohs ire It wrought in Dauid Gratious penitence In Niniuie a sweet submission In Iob a famous Blessed patience In Paule assurance of his sinnes Remission In Iohn the habite of a holy loue In Christ the Grace that did all Glory proue It euer holds the hand of faithfulnes And euer keepes the Minde of Goldlines And euer brings the heart to quietnes And euer leades the soule to happines And is a Vertue of that Blessednes That merits praise in highest worthines Oh how it gaines the Childe the Parents loue The wife her husband and the seruants Maisters Where humble faith in happy hopes behoue Findes patience care discomforts healing plaisters And truest course of cares Tranquillity Only to rest but in Humility And since that in the life of humble loue I see the way vnto the well of Blisse Where Patience doth in all perfection proue Where the high Blessing of all Blessings is Let my soule pray that I may humbly sing The heau'nly praises of my holy King Of the infinite praise to the infinite glory of the infinite goodnes of the infinite God The seuenth daies worke O Glorious God and God of only Glory Essence and substance of all excellence The groūd the grace the state al the story Of Vertues Wisedoms Graces Residence Inspire my soule with those pure thoughts perfection That shew some sparkle of thy loues affection And let me not presume a looke too high Least thou abridge the Blessing of thy loue Nor yet so low let me embrace mine eyes As thy faire praises may vnfitly proue But so thy goodnes euery where to know That euery where I may thy Glory show And though my soule polluted all with sinne Vnworthy be of the least thought of Grace Yet let thy Grace a Glorious worke begin Thy holy spirit in my heart to place That to the date of neuer ending daies My soule may sing thine euerlasting praise Before there was a light there was a light Which saw the world the world could neuer see From which the world receiues her brightest sight And brightnes more then in the world may be Oh heauenly light aboue all earthly seeing Where only Vertue hath her only being From the faire Brightnes of this Beauteous light Hath Wisedomes eye an only power to see The line of life that leades her spirit right Vnto the place where all perfections be Which in the worke of wonder doe approue The Gratious labour of a Glorious loue There Vertue doth in all her brightnes liue Spreading abroad the braunches of her Blisse As doth the Sonne his beames of brightnes giue While in himselfe the only brightnes is Oh blessed light where such a life remaineth As giues all light and yet all light containeth There doth she sit and sweetly looke about her Beholding in the eye of Vertues light Purenes within perfection all without her While in a brightnes farre aboue her sight There liues a power her spirits loue inspiring To frame a worke for wit and sence admiring There from a Chaos or Confusions Map She takes the matter of her curious frame While in the limits of faire Vertues lap She drawes the course and compasse of the same Where hauing laide the ground-worke of her Grace She made the world vp in a little space Sixe only dayes was for her worke ordained The seuenth to rest the labour of her loue Her time she kept and in her care retained Such forme and measure as did truly proue Her Maister taught her euery rule so right That all was good and pleasing in his sight Her first daies worke was in the Heauens on high When she deuided darknes from the light Wherein all pleasing the all seeing Eie The light she called day the darknes night When hauing heauen and earth of nothing framed The Morne and Euening she the first day named The second day vpon the waters she Did fall to worke and made a Firmament By which the waters should deuided be That were in this confused continent Where euery one within their bounds should stay So Euen and Morne she made her second day Then from the earth the waters she deuided And gath'red all together call'd them Seas And by her skill so carefully prouided That in her worke she did her Maister please Then made the earth and called it dry land Thus did the labour of her third daies hand In which she made the earth to fructifie In leafe and fruit Tree bud and hearbe and seede In which she did her Maister glorifie Who seeing all said all was good in deede So in her worke thus