hight That the last part on this Worlds Stage was shown Else to vpbraid as a prodigious sight Them who did haste what bent to haue ouer-thrown And others all thus rais'd more glad do ryse Of Soules birth once then of their Bodies thryse 106 There come those two from whence no Flesh can know Yet not more soone then whom fraile Eyes saw dead Of which as Types one to each World did show That Mortalls might be straight Immortall made Grosse Bodies mount and some Death not ouerthrow A Laberinth whence Nature none can lead In most euill tymes most good to be mark'd so Those did from hence mans common Way not go 107 That godly man by GOD judg'd Iust to be Translated was that he might not see Death Being Death to him his LORD despis'd to see Whilst poysond with vile Mens blasphemous Breath Or else at last from Pangs and Horrours free He priuiledg'd from all the signes of Wrath Did part not die from Sinne not Life estrang'd Soules must remoue else haue their lodging chang'd 108 Whilst him saue GOD who ought disdain'd to feare Vile Baals Scourge of Kings who scorn'd the Ire With flamming Steeds a burning Coach did beare The Wind being Wagoner an Angell Squire Twix this grosse Globe and the celestiall Spheare Zeale did triumph euen as it fought with Fyre That Heauen and Earth both might his Glory know As earst his Toyles when but contemn'd below 109 As where he liue or lyes to turne or stay To dispute easie is hard to conclude The LORD perchance committed him to Clay As one with whom He on Mount Tabor stood Else not dissolu'd but changd when borne away And some thinke kept apart yet to do good For without all no Saints perfected be The Maide-borne-bodie so Heauens onely see 110 A loude Alarme still doubling from aboue The Word Eternall may make Breath abound All this vaste Circuit doth a Trumpet proue Whose Concaue wastes not but maintaines the sound At the first blast nought else saue it did moue As drearie Silence had prepard the ground But till all Eares be fill'd it higher swells A horrid Echo roaring from the Hells 111 Those guiltie Soules what further comfort shields From sleepe whose Conscience with the Bodie stares Then when they see as Grasse ouer all the fields Men grow about them O what frozen Hearts Earth labour'd long a Monstrous Haruest yeelds Which straight Heauens Husband loe grindes sifts and parts Who can but thinke how such endure this sight And yet what they attend makes it seeme light 112 He who them hates that he should others grace Both Grief and Enuie tortures them at once Of two who rest companions in one place One pleas'd doth joy the other desp'rat moues One parts as pointed for Eternall Peace The other sign'd for paine stayes howles and grones Thus of the Godlies good the first degree Is from the wicked that they parted be 113 Those Creatures who still sound did neuer fall That fatall Summons do no sooner heare Then those whom it forth from the Dust doth call Where they had slept euen manie a hundreth yeare Soules lodgings thus which had bene ruin'd all Straight builded then first perfect do appeare The Iust they first the Reprobat last moue Which bide below whilst others flie aboue 114 Those Temples then which not dissolu'd still stay A Mysterie difficult to conceaue All debt of death not dying shall defray The other life being com'de ere this them leaue The Bodies then all frailtie burn'd away Being quintessenc'd new qualities receaue Which though still quicke yet in their Sinnes being dead Ere mortall prou'd shall be Immortall made 115 If oft to gaze a multitude remaines To hold his Court whilst it some Prince attends Who still being mette with many stately Traines Doth make a Musters of imagin'd friends As by small Brookes a Flood swolne when it raines Till that on him it seemes the World depends That Pomp to all a reuerent aw imparts And strykes with Terrour Malefactours Hearts 116 Thinke with what glory CHRIST must wondring wonne Whilst thundring Terrour and yet lightning Grace He might come clad with Starres crown'd with the Sunne But to his brightnesse such as base giue place His court at first of heauenly Hostes begunne From hence enlarg'd is in a litle space O what strange noyce doth all the World rebound Whilst Angells sing Saints shout and Trumpets sound 117 My rauish'd Soule transcending Reasons reache So earnest is to surfet on this sight That it disdaines what may high thoughts empeach Whilst mounting vp to Contemplations hight Which flight so farre doth passe the power of speech That only Silence can pursue it right And that my Spirit may be refresh'd that way It must a space amidst dombe Pleasures stray FINIS
rested where the stately Citie stood Saue Heapes of Horrour rais'd of Dust and Blood 104 But murdring Saints in Wickednesse growne bold That Towne which long was drunke last drown'd with Blood That Towne by which who bought the World was sold Sold with Disgrace beheld her scorned Brood Them lou'd by GOD Men did in Honour hold And loth'd by GOD with them in Horrour stood Then Iewes whom GOD high rais'd and low doth bow What Name more glorious once more odious now 105 When of Saluation joyfull Newes were spred VVith spirituall Grace all Nations to bedew VVhilst famish'd Soules that sacred Nectar fed The LORD strange Iudgements Millions made to view And those who first fierce Persecutions bred A jealous GOD with Vengeance did persew His Wrath against Themselues against their Foes Is quensh'd is kindled by his Seruants Woes 106 By him who first gainst CHRIST did Ensignes pitch His Brother Mother Wife and Selfe was slaine The Great Apostat wounded in a Ditch Did grant with Griefe the Galileans raigne Of him whose Errours did whole Realmes bewitch The Death most vile did viler Doctrine staine A monstrous Death doth monstrous Liues attend And what All is is judged by the End 107 He who made Hymens Torch drop Blood and Teares The Nation most Humaine being Inhumaine Did blood when dead at Mouth Nose Eyes and Eares As vomiting his Surfet so againe In Crime and Crowne his second fraught with Feares The bloody Band by mutuall Blowes was slaine The King the Duke the Friers deuis'd that Ill The King the Dake the Friers the King did kill 108 Whos 's Sight is so eclips'd which now not sees In euery Kingdome Prouince Towne and Race On Princes Subjectes Men of all Degrees What weighty Iudgement Sinners Steppes do trace Which not the Crowne more then the Cottage frees The Wicked Man sayes GOD shall haue no peace A Countenance calme may maske a stormy Mind But Guiltinesse no perfect Ease can find 109 Those temporall Plagues are but small Smokes of Ire To breach a Brest which is not arm'd with Faith And are when GOD due Vengeance doth require Of Indignation Drops weake Sparks of Wraith As Lightning is to Hels eternall Fire Or to a Tempest huge a litle Breath So are all those of this which I proclame A Puft a Glance a Shaddow or a Dreame 110 As weigh'd by GOD still ballanc'd hings this Round Which Sinne growne heauie now quyte downe ward beares Exhausted Courage Horrour shall confound Till Hopes high Towers rest all ou'rflow'd with Feares All shall together fall as by one Wound Not hauing Time to flie no not for Teares On Day as Night as on the Wearied Sleepe Death steales on Lyfe and Iudgements way doth sweepe 111 All clearely see who Lyfes short Race do rinne The last Decree though being suspended yet That fatall Doome inflicted first for Sinne Though not attended doth not doubted hit And of all Soules the Processe doth beginne For straight when Death arrests the Iudge doth sit For this first Charge all fortifie the Mind As Death vs leaues so Iudgement shall vs find 112 Death each Man daylie sees but none fore-sees The Wage of Sinne the Jubilie of Cares First Iudgement threatned base Corruptions Lees Inheritance which serues all Adams Heires Iust onely Equaller of all Degrees The Charge enjoyn'd for no Respect which spaires What Agues Wounds Thoghts Paines al breathing Breath Are Heraulds Sergeants Vshers Posts of Death 113 Death Doores to enter at and Darts to wound Hath as the Heauen hath Starres or Sea hath Sands What though not sicke not stab'd not choak'd burnt drown'd Age matchlesse Enemie all at last commands O what Designes this Emperour Pale doth bound Built of bare Bones whose Arche Triumphall stands Ah for Ones Errour all the World hath wept The Golden Fruite a leaden Dragon kept 114 Then since Sinnes Hang-man Natures vtter Foe By whom true Lyfe is found Lyfes Shadow lost A thousand Fancies interrupting so When least exspected doth importune most Haste haste your recknings all must pay and go Guests of the World poore Passengers who post And let vs stryue a Change being wyselie made To die alyue that we may liue when dead 115 All thinke whilst sound what Sicknesse may succeed How in the Bed imprison'd yee may be When euery Object Loathsomnesse doth breed Within without that Soule or Eyes can see To trembling Nature which still death doth dread Griefe paints out Horrour in a high degree The Bodie in the Bed Thoughts in it roule The Conscience casting vp a bitter scroule 116 But when externall Powers beginne to faile That neither Tongue can giue nor Eares receaue Friends wretched Comforters retir'd to waile To agonize the soule alone do leaue Which Satan straight with Squadrons doth assaile Being bent to force whom first he did deceaue Who once entys'd then to accuse beginnes To wakened Soules vpbraiding buried Sinnes 117 That fatall Conflict which all Flesh doth feare By helpes from Heauen being foughten past and wonne Whilst it to Heauen triumphing Angels beare This mortall Race magnanimouslie runne As being ordain'd to decke the highest Spheare The Soule shall shine more glorious then the Sunne Whilst cloath'd with Righteousnesse a Priest a King Hell where thy Victorie Death where thy Sting 118 O when to part GOD doth the Soule permit Rais'd from her Shell a Pearle for Sion chus'd She recollects accomplish'd ere she flit Her Faculties amidst fraile Flesh diffus'd As Iudgement Reason Memorie and Wit Being all refyn'd no more to be abus'd Then parts in Triumph free from Earthlie Toyles Yet longs perchance to gather vp her Spoyles 119 Let all those Plagues smoakes of our Makers Ire Make all in time their inward State reforme Those Plagues of which loe euen to sing I tyre Ah what do those who beare their vglie Forme Yet they but kindlings are of endlesse Fyre And litle drops which do fore-goe a Storme Looke looke with Clouds Heauens Bosome else doth swell To blow the Wicked to the lowest Hell The second Houre THE ARGVMENT THat threatned Time which must the World appall Is that all may amend by Signes fore-shown Warres rumor'd are the Gospell preach'd ou'r All Some Jewes conuert the Antichrist is known Deuils rage Vyce raignes Zeale cooles Faith failes Starres fall All sorts of Plagues haue the last Trumpet blown And by prodigious Signes may plaine appeare That of the Sonne of Man the Signe drawes neare 1 THough thundring down those who transgresse his Lawer And with Disdain his Bountie do abuse As Adamants do Irne Repentance drawes The LORD to loue Those whom he first did chuse A Space retir'd from the tempestuous Waues The Port of Mercie must refresh my Muse Whose ventrous Flight all Loftinesse must leaue And plainly sing what all Men should conceaue 2 The LORD delights not in a Sinners death But Sheep which stray toyles to recouer still To please a Sonne who had deseru'd his Wrath His Calfe long fed the Father straight did kill Not
Earth more earthlie proue 58 Whyles in some parts whose Ruines Fame renownes In indignation of her sinfull Seede As Men should do their Eyes the Earth GOD drownes Which those to plague who the first cause did breede Doth vomit Mountaines and doth swallow Townes The Worlds Foundation brangling lyke a Reede Whilst with pale Hearts the panting People thinke That Hell will rise or that the Heauen will sinke 59 One Earth-quake toss'd the Turkes imperiall Heade Dayes sensible but violent some Houres Till in that Towne a monstrous Breach was made As charg'd at once by all the damned Powers I know not whether buried first or deade Troupes seem'd to striue in falling with their Towers Whilst those who stood all trembling did attend That all the World at least themselues should end 60 Twix Rome and Naples once in Enuies Eye What stately Townes did the Worlds Conquerours found Which now we not no not their Ruines spye Being laide more low then leuell with the Ground They with all theirs en-earth'd by Earth-quakes lye Whose Stones drawn downe where Darknesse doth abound Lyke Sisiphus perchance a number roulles Else Dis builds Doungeons for the damned Soulles 61 Late neere those Parts whose Ruines men admire Where Wealth superfluous idle Wonders wrought An Earth-quake strange amazement did acquire A Plaine conceau'd and forth a Mountaine brought Which diuerse dayes disgorged Flammes of Fire And Stones whose Substance was consum'd to nought Hells Fire it seem'd which as GODS Wrath still lights Grown great flamm'd forth vp-braiding Sinners sights 62 Last in this Land our Eyes saw one of late Whose Terrour from some Mindes rests not remou'd Then any else as strange though not so great Not violent but vniuersall prou'd As if of Natures Course the threatned Date All at one Houre this Kingdome trembling mou'd The olde State loathing longing for a new Earth leapes for joy as ready to renew 63 But ah who wakes when rock'd is all this Round Or stryues to stand though euen the Earth thus starts Though GOD doth tosse this Ball till it rebound Who least it part from his Corruption parts Ah that the World so senselesse should be found Both Heauen and Earth do shake but not Mens Hearts Since for his Word the World disdaines to bow Dumbe Creatures do denounce GODS Iudgements now 64 I thinke the Earth by such strange Throwes would tell How much she doth her present State despise Or else all those who in her Bowells dwell Do rouze themselues as readie now to rise Her Bellie thus growne Big doth seeme to swell As one whose Trauell soone should her sur-prise And yet her Brood she Viper-like must free Whose Course must end when Theirs beginnes to be 65 As GOD that Day of Doome striues to make known By Monstrous Signes which may amaze the Mind That Iudgement Great by Iudgements is fore-shown Whilst all the Weapons of his Wrath haue shin'd That others may whilst some rest thus ouer-thrown Stand in the fornace of Affliction fin'd For still the Wretched most Religious proue And oft Examples more then Doctrine moue 66 The Sword of GOD shall once be drunke with Blood And Surfette on the Flesh of thousands slaine Of those who following Euill do flee from Good And scorning CHRIST professe to be prophane From GODS Wine-presse of Wrath shall flow a Flood Which shall with Blood their Horses Bridles staine None may abide nor yet can flie his sight When arm'd with Vengeance GOD doth thundring fight 67 When Father-like GOD chastising his Child Plagu'd alt the Subjectes for their Soueraignes Crime What Thousands then were from the World exild Euen in three Dayes so soone turnes Flesh to Slyme The Earth made waste Men had no more defild Had but one Angell warr'd a litle Time Since by GODS Word the World did made remaine Lesse then his Looke may ruine it againe 68 The Pestilence of Wrath chiefe Weapon thought Which of all Plagues the PLAGVE is onely cald As if All else respecting it were nought It hath so much the Minds of Men appald That Wound by GODS owne Hande seemes only wrought Whose mediat Meanes scarse rest to Reason thrald That which we not conceaue admire we must And in GODS Power aboue our Knowledge trust 69 That poyson'd Dart whose Power none can gaine-stand GOD rarely vs'd in time of greatest Wrath And had it once but brangled in his Hand All trembling stood as twixt the Iawes of Death Then now it selfe the Fame more fear'd this Land Of this great Frensie which infects the Breath A thing thought strange by Habit homely proues What first all Griefe at last all Sense remoues 70 Once in one Age few Dayes and in few Parts The Pest some People to Repentance vrg'd And did with Terrour strike the strongest Harts Whilst his Vine-yard the Heauens great Husband purg'd The Quier of whose Wrath did raine down Darts By which of late what Kingdome was not scourg'd So that Men now not feare that VVhip of GOD Like Boyes oft beaten which contemne the Rod. 71 Lo in this stately Ile admir'd so much What Prouince no what Towne hath not bene pind By that abhorr'd Disease which strikes who touch Whilst Byles the Body Madnesse swells the Mind Ah of some Townes the Anguish hath bene such That All all Hope of safetie had resign'd Whilst Friendes no Comfort gaue no no Reliefe The Sicknesse only not the Death bred Griefe 72 This raging Ague bursts so vgly out Till Men of those whom they loue best are dread Then Danger all in euery thing do doubt Men by the Plague made Plagues as Plagues are fled And are with Horrour compass'd round about When that Contagion through the Aire is spred The Air which first our Breath abus'd doth staine It poyson'd so but Poysons vs againe 73 What thing more wretched can imagin'd be Then is the Towne where once the Botch abounds There not one Sense rests from some Burden free Three doe infect and Two though pure beare Wounds Oft in one Hole Heapes thrown at once we see As where to burie Men fear'd Want of Bounds Yea whilst in Plaintes they spend their plaguie Breath Of all things which are fear'd the least is Death 74 Death whilst no Drogue this Feuers Force ou'rthrowes Oft ere the Patient the Physition claimes The Aire they draw their Heate still higher blowes Till euen what should refresh thus most enflames Of damned Soules the State their Torment showes Who gnash their Teeth as cold whilst Fire enflames And twix their Paines this Difference only winnes Death endes the One the Other but beginnes 75 To plague those Parts where CHRISTS own Troupes do dwell The Angell which destroyes hath most bene bent That whom Words could not moue Wounds may compell Ere Ruine come in Time now to repent By Paine on Earth made thinke of Paine in Hell As this they flie that That they may preuent What can discourage those whome CHRIST doth loue To whom Euill Good Griefe Ioy Death Life doth proue 76 Where