strength nor undermining sleight Prevailes where heav'ns ingaged in the fight ¶ Me list not ramble into antique dayes To manne his theame lest while Vlysses strayes His heart forget his home Penelope Our prosp'rous Brittaine makes sufficient Plea To prove her blisse and heav'ns protecting power Which had she mist her glory in an hower Had falne to Cinders and had past away Like smoke before the winde Which happy Day Let none but base-bred Rebels ever faile To consecrate and let this Age entaile Vpon succeeding times Eternity Heav'ns highest love in that dayes memory THE ARGVMENT The sonnes of Haman that were slaine Are all hang'd up The Iewes obtaine Freedome to fight the morrow after They put three hundred more to slaughter Sect. 18. WHen as the fame of that dayes bloody newes Came to the King he said Behold the Iewes Have wonne the day and in their just defence Hâ—â—e made their wrong a rightfull recompence Five hundred men in Susan they have staine And that remainder of proud Hamans straine Their hands have rooted out Queene Ester say What further suit wherâ—in Assuerus may Expresse the bounty of his Royall hand Resâ—s in thy bosome What is thy demand Said then the Queene If in thy Princely sight My boone be pleasing or thou take delight To graâ—t thy servants suit Let that Commission Which gave the Iewes this happy dayes permission To save their lives to morrow stand in force For their behalâ—es that onely make recourse To God and thee and let that cursed brood The sonnes of Haman that in guilty blood Lye all ingoar'd unfit to taint a Grave Behang'd on Gibbets and like co-â—eires have Like equall shares of that deserved shame Their wretched father purchas'd in his name 〈◊〉 The King was pleas'd and the Decree was giv'n From Susan where betwixt the earth and Heaven Most undeserving to be own'd by either These cursed ten like twins were borne together When Titan ready for his journall chase Had rouz'd his dewy locks and Rosie face Inricht with morning beauty up arose The Iewes in Susan and their bloody blowes So roughly dealt that in that dismall day A lease of hundreds fell but on the prey No hand was laid so sweet and jolly rest The Iewes enjoy'd and with a solemne Feast Like joyfull Victors dispossest of sorrow They consecrated the ensuing morrow And in the Provinces throughout the Land Before their mighty and victorious hand Fell more than seventy thousand but the prey They seiz'd not and in mem'ry of that day They solemnized their victorious Guests With gifts and triumphs and with holy Feasts Medit. 18. THe Doctrine of the Schoole of Grace dissents From Natures more uncertaine rudiments And are as much contrayr and opposite As Yea and Nay or blacke and purest white For nature teaches first to understand And then beleeve but Grace doth first command Man to beleeve and then to comprehend Faith is of things unknowne and must intend And soare above conceit What we conceive We stand possest of and already have But faith beholds such things as yet we have not Which eye sees not eare heares not heart conceives not Hereon as on her ground-worke our salvation Erects her pillars From this firme foundation Our soules mount up the new Ierusalem To take possession of her Diad eme God loves no sophistry Who argues least In graces Schoole concludes and argues best A womans Logicke passes there For 't is Good proofe to say 'T is so because it is Had Abraham adviz'd with flesh and blood Bad had his faith beene though his reasons good If God bid doe for man to urge a Why Is but in better language a deny The fleshly ballances of our conceits Have neither equall poysure nor just weights To weigh without impeachment Gods designe There 's no proporâ—ion betwixt things Divine And mortall Lively faith may not depend Either upon th' occasion or the end ¶ The glorious Suns reflected beames suffice To lend a luster to the feeblest eyes But if the Eye too covetous of the light Boldly out-face the Sun whose beames so bright And undispers'd are too-too much refin'd For view is it not justly strucken blind I dare not taske stout Samson for his death Nor wandring Ionah that bequeath'd his breath To raging Seas when God commanded so Nor thee great Queene whose lips did overflow With streames of blood nor thee O cruell kind To quench the fâ—er of a womans mind â—ith flowing rivers of thy subjects blood â—rom bad beginnings God creates a good 〈◊〉 happy end What I cannot conceive â—â—â—d let my soule admier and beleeve THE ARGVMENT The Feast of Purim consecrated Th' occasion why 't was celebrated Letters were writ by Mordecai To keepe the mem'ry of that Day Sect. 19. SO Mardocheus throughout all the Land Dispers'd his Letters with a strickt command To celebrate these two dayes memory With Feasts and gifts and yeerely jollity That after ages may record that day And keepe it from the rust of time â— that they Which shall succeed may ground their holy mirth Vpon the joyes those happy dayes brought forth Which chang'd their sadnes and black nights of sorrow Into the brightnesse of a gladsome morrow Whereto the Iews to whom these letters came Gave due observance and did soone proclame Their sacred Festivalls in memory Of that dayes joy and joyfull victory And since the Lots â— that Haman did abuse To know the dismall day which to the Iewes Might fall most fatall and to his intent Least unpropitious â— were in th' event Crost with a higher Fate than blinded Chance To worke his ruine their deliverance They therefore in remembrance of the Lot Whose hop'd-for sad event succeeded not The solemne feasts of Purim did invest And by the name of Purim call'd their Feast Which to observe with sacred Complement And ceremoniall rites their soules indent And firmly ' inroll the happy memory i th' hearts of their succeeding Progeny That time the enemy of mortall things May not with hov'ring of his nimble wings Beat downe the deare memoriall of that time But keepe it flowring in perpetuall prime Now lest this shining day in times progresse Perchance be clouded with forgetfulnesse Or lest the gauled Persians should debate The bloody slaughter and re-ulcerate In after-dayes their former misery And blurre the glory of this dayes memory The Queene and Mordeâ—ai sent Letters out Into the Land dispersed round about To re-confirme and fully ratifie This feast of Purim to eternity That it to after-ages may appeare When sinners bend their hearts heav'n bowes his eare Medit. 19. ANd are the Lawes of God defective then Or was the Paper scant or dull the Pen That wrote those sacred lines Could imperfection Lurk closly there where heav'n hath giv'n direction How comes it then new feasts are celebrated Vnmention'd in the Law and uncreated By him that made the Law compleat and just Not to be chang'd as brain-sicke mortalls lust Is â—ot heavens deepest curse with death
Vntill your land be turn'd a Golgotha And if my actions prove my words untrue Let Samson die and be accurs'd as you Medit. 14. GOd is the God of peace And if my brother Strike me on one cheeke must I turn the other God is the God of mercy And his childe Must be as he his Mercifull and milde God is the God of Love But sinner know His love abus'd hee 's God of vengeance too Is God the God of vengeance And may none Revenge his private wrongs but he alone What meanes this franticke Nazarite to take Gods office from his hand and thus to make His wrongs amends Who warranted his breath To threaten ruine and to thunder death Curious Inquisitor when God shall strike By thy stout arme thy arme may doe the like His Patent gives him power to create A deputie to whom he doth collate Assistant power in sufficient measure To exercise the office of his pleasure A lawfull Prince is Gods Lieutenant here As great a Maiesty as flesh can beare He is endued with all In his bright eye Cloath'd in the flames of Majesty doth lie Both life and death into his royall heart Heaven doth inspire and secretly impart The treasure of his Lawes Into his hand He thrusts his sword of Iustice and Command He is Gods Champion where his voice bids kill He must not feare t' imbrew his hands and spill Abundant bloud Who gives him power to doe Will finde him guiltlesse and assist him too O but let flesh and bloud take heed that none Pretend Gods quarrell to revenge his owne Malice and base Revenge must step aside When heavens uprighter Battels must be tride Where carnall glory or ambitious thurst Of simple conquest or revenge does burst Vpon a neighbouring Kingdome there to thrust Into anothers Crowne the warre 's not just 'T is but a private quarrell and bereft Of lawfull grounds 'T is but a Princely theft But where the ground 's Religion to defend Abused faith let Princes there contend With dauntles courage May their acts be glorious Let them goe prosperous and returne victorious What if the grounds be mixt Feare not to goe Were not the grounds of Sampsons Combate so Goe then with double courage and renowne When God shall mixe thy quarrels with his owne 'T is a brave conflict and a glorious Fray Where God and Princes shall divide the Prey THE ARGVMENT He burnes their standing corne makes void Their Land The Philistines enquire The cause of all their evill destroy'd The Timnite and his house with fire Sect. 15. AS â—agefull Samsons threatning language ceast His resolution of revenge increast Vengeance was in his thoughts and his desire Wanted no fuell to maintaine her fire Passion grew hot and furious whose delay Of execution was but taking day For greater payment His revengefull heart Boild in his brest whilst Fury did impart Her readie counsels whose imperious breath Could whisper nothing under bloud and death Revenge was studious quickned his conceit And sâ—rew'd her Engins to the very height At length when time had rip'ned his desires And puffing rage had blowne his secret fires To open flame now ready for confusion He thus began t' attempt his first conclusion The patient Angler first provides his baite Before his hopes can teach him to awaite Th' enjoyment of his long expected prey Revengefull Samson ere he can appay His wrongs with timely vengeance must intend To gaine the Instruments to worke his end He plants his Engines hides his snares about Pitches his Toiles findes new devices out To tangle wilie Foxes In few dayes That land had store his studious hand betrayes A leash of hundreds which he thus imploye As Agents in his rashfull enterprize With tough and force-enduring thongs of Leth He joynes and couples taile and taile together And every thong bound in a Brand of fire So made by Art that motion would inspire Continuall flames and as the motion ceast The thriftie blaze would then retire and rest In the close brand untill a second strife Gave it new motion and that motion life Soone as these coupled Messengers receiv'd Their fiercy Errand though they were bereiv'd Of power to make great hast they made good speed Their thoughts were diffring though their tailes agreed T' one drags and draws to th' East the other West One fit they runne another while they rest T' one skulks and snarles the t' other tugges and hales At length both flee with fire in their tailes And in the top and height of all their speed T' one stops before the other bee agreed The other pulls and dragges his fellow backe Whilst both their tailes were tortur'd on the racke At last both weary of their warme Embassage Their better ease discride a fairer passage And time hath taught their wiser thoughts to joyne More close and travell in a straiter linâ— Into the open Champion they divide Their straggling paces where the ploughmans pride Found a faire object in his rip'ned Corne Whereof some part was reapt some stood unshorne Sometimes the fiery travellers would seeke Protection beneath a swelling Reeke But soone that harbour grew too hot for stay Affording onely light to runne away Sometimes the full-ear'd standingâ—wheat must cover And hide their flames and there the flames would hover About their eares and send them to enquire A cooler place but there the flaming fire Would scorch their hides send theÌ„ sindg'd away Thus doubtfull where to goe or where to stay They range about flee forward then retire Now here now there wher ere they come they fire Nothing was left that was not lost and burn'd And now that fruitfull land of Iewry's turn'd A heape of Ashes That faire land while ere Which fild all hearts with joy and every eare With newes of plenty and of blest encrease The joyfull issue of a happy peace See how it lies in her owne ruines void Of all her happinesse disguis'd destroyd With that the Philistines whose sad reliefe And comfort 's deeply buried in their griefe Began to question they did all partake In th'irrecoverable losse and spake What cursed brand of Hell What more than Devill What envious Miscreant hath done this evill Whereto one sadly standing by replide It was that cursed Samson Whose faire Bride Was lately ravisht from his absent brest By her false father who before the feast Of nuptiall was a moâ—th expir'd and done By second marriage own'd another Sonne For which this Samson heav'd from off the henge Of his lost reason studied this revenge That Timnits falshood wrought this desolâ—tion Samson the Actor was but he th' occasion With that they all consulted to proceed In height of Iustice to revenge this deed Samson whose hand was the immediat cause Of this foule act is stronger than their lawes Him they referre to time For his proud hand May bring a second ruine to their land The cursed Timnite he that did divide The lawfull Bridgroome from his lawfull Bride And mov'd the
the God of Love's as blinde as hee 〈◊〉 that they brought poore Samson to the Hall 〈◊〉 as he past he gropes to finde the wall 〈◊〉 paâ—â— was slow His feet were lifted high 〈◊〉 tongue would taunt him Every scornfull eye 〈◊〉 filld with laughter Some would cry aloud 〈◊〉 in state His Lordship is growne proud 〈◊〉 bid his honour â—asle whilst others cast â—prochfull termes upon him as he past 〈◊〉 would salute him fairely and embrace 〈◊〉 wounded sides then spit upon his face 〈◊〉 would cry For shame for heare t' abuse 〈◊〉 high and great redeemer of the Iewes 〈◊〉 gibe and flout him with their taunts quip◠〈◊〉 others flurt him on the starting lips 〈◊〉 that poore Samson whose abundant griefe 〈…〉 hopes of comfort or reliefe Resolv'd for patience Turning round he made Some shift to feele his Keeper out and said Good Sir my painfull labour in the Mill Hath made me bold although against my will To crave some little rest If you will please To let the Pillour but afford some ease To my worne limmes your mercy should relieve A soule that has no more but thanks to give The keeper yeelded Now the Hall was filld With Princes and their People that beheld Abused Samson whilst the Roofe retain'd A leash of thousands more whose eyes were chainâ—â— To this sad Object with a full delight To see this flesh-and-blood-relenting sight With that the pris'ner turnd himselfe and pray'd So soft that none but heaven could heare and saidâ— My God my God Although my sinnes doe cry For greater vengeance yet thy gratious eye Is full of mercy O remember now The gentle promise and that sacred vow Thou mad'st to faithfull Abram and his seed O heare my wounded soule that has lesse need Of life then mercy Let thy tender eare Make good thy plenteous promise now and heare See how thy cursed enemies prevaile Above my strength Behold how poore and fraile My native power is and wanting thee What is there Oh what is there Lord in me Nor is it I that suffer My desert May challenge greater vengeance if thou wert â—xtreme to punish Lord the wrong is thine The punishment is just and onely mine I am thy Champion Lord It is not me They strike at Through my sides they thrust at thee 〈◊〉 thy Glory 't is their Malice lies 〈◊〉 at that when they put out these eyes 〈◊〉 their blood-bâ—dabl'd hands would flie 〈…〉 thou but cloth'd in flesh as I 〈◊〉 thy wrongs great God O let thy hand 〈◊〉 thy suffring honour and this land 〈◊〉 â—e thy power Renew my wasted strength 〈…〉 fight thy bâ—ttels and at length 〈◊〉 thy glory that my hands may do 〈◊〉 faithfull service they were borne unto 〈…〉 thy power that I may restore 〈◊〉 and I will never urge thee more 〈◊〉 having ended both his armes he laid 〈◊〉 the pillours of the Hall and said 〈◊〉 with the Philistines I resigne my breath 〈◊〉 let my God finde Glory in my death 〈◊〉 having spoke his yeelding body strain'd 〈◊〉 those Marble pillours that sustain'd 〈◊〉 pondrous Roofe They cracket and with their fall 〈◊〉 fell the Battlements and Roofe and all 〈◊〉 with their ruines slaughter'd at a blow 〈◊〉 whole Assembly They that were below 〈◊〉 their sudden deaths from those that fell 〈◊〉 off the top whilst none was left to tell 〈◊〉 horrid shreckes that filld the spatious Hall 〈◊〉 ruines were impartiall and slew all 〈◊〉 fell and with an unexpected blow 〈◊〉 every one his death and buriall too Thus di'd our Samson whose brave death has won 〈◊〉 honour then his honourd life had done 〈◊〉 di'd our Conquerour whose latest breath 〈◊〉 crown'd with Conquest triumph'd over death 〈◊〉 di'd our Sampson whose last drop of blood â—deem'd heavn's glory and his Kingdome 's good Thus di'd heavens Champion and the earths bright Glory The heavenly subject of this sacred Story And thus th' impartiall hand of death that gathers All to the Grave repos'd him with his fathers Whose name shall flourish and be still in prime In spight of ruine or the teeth of Time Whose fame shal last till heaven shal please to free This Earth from Sinne and Time shall cease to be Medita 23. WAges of sinne is death The day must come Wherin the equall hand of death must sum The severall Items of mans fading glory Into the easie totall of one Story The browes that sweat for Kingdomes and renown To glorifie their Temples with a Crowne At length grow cold and leave their honourd name To flourish in th' uncertaine blast of Fame This is the heighth that glorious Mortalls can Attaine This is the highest pitch of Man The quilted Quarters of the Earths great Ball Whose unconfined limits were too small For his extreame Ambition to deserve Six foote of length and three of bredth must serve This is the highest pitch that Man can flie And after all his Triumph he must die Lives he in Wealth Does well deserved store Limit his wish that he can wish no more And does the fairest bounty of encrease Crown him with plenty and his dayes with peaceâ— It is a right hand blessing But supply Of wealth cannot secure him He must die Lives he in Pleasure Does perpetuall mirth 〈◊〉 him a little Heaven upon his earth â—eets he no sullen care no sudden losse 〈◊〉 coole his joyes Breathes hee without a crosse â—ants he no pleasure that his wanton eye 〈◊〉 crave or hope from fortune He must dye 〈◊〉 he in Honour Hath his faire desart â—â—tain'd the freedome of his Princes heart 〈◊〉 may his more familiar hands disburse 〈◊〉 liberall favors from the royall purse 〈◊〉 his Honour cannot soare too high 〈◊〉 palefac'd death to follow He must dye Lives he a Conqu'rour And doth heaven blesse 〈◊〉 heart with spirit that spirit with successe Successe with Glory Glory with a name To live with the Eternitie of Fame The progresse of his lasting fame may vye With time But yet the Conquerour must dye Great and good God Thou Lord of life and deth 〈◊〉 whom the Creature hath his being breath Teach me to underprize this life and I Shall finde my losse the easier when I dye So raise my feeble thoughts and dull desire That when these vaine and weary dayes expire I may discard my flesh with joy and quit My better part of this false earth and it Of some more sinne and for this transitory And tedious life enjoy a life of Glory The end SIONS SONETS Sung By SOLOMON the KING And PERIPHRAS'D By Fra. Quarles LONDON Printed by MILES FLESHER 1632. To the READERS REaders now you have them May the end of my paines be the beginâ—ing of your pleasures Excuse me for â—haring so high else give me leave to excuse my selfe Indeed I flew with Eagles feathers otherwise I had not flowne or falne It is the Song of Songs There present you with The Author King SOLOMON the wisest of Kings The matter mysticall the divinest of subjects
Can render to a dying man his health Our life on earth is like a thred of flax That all may touch and being roucht it craks ¶ As when an Archer shooteth for his sport Sometimes his shaft is gone sometimes 't is short Somtimes o' th left haÌ„d wide sometimes o' th right At last through often tryall hits the White So death sometimes with her uncertaine Rover Hits our Superiours and so shoots over Sometimes for change shee strikes the meaner sort Strikes our Inferiours and then comes short Sometimes upon the left hand wide shee goes And so still wounding some shee strikes our foes And sometimes wide upon the right hand bends There with Imperiall shafts she strikes our friends At length through often triall hits the White And so strikes us into Eternall night ¶ Death is a Kalender compos'd by Fate Concerning all men never out of Date Her dayes Dominicall are writ in blood She shewes more bad daies than she sheweth good She tels when dayes monthes termes expire Meas'ring the lives of mortals by her squire ¶ Death is a Pursivant with Eagles wings That knocks at poore mens door gates of Kings Worldling beware betime death sculks behind thee And as she leaves thee so will Iudgement find 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 heav'n and pray'd Within the bowels of the Whale and said I cry'd out of my balefull misery Vnto my God 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 Deeps and bottome thou hast throwne me Thy Surges and thy Waves have past upon me Then Lord aid I from thy refulgent sight I am expell'd I am forsaken quite Nay'thelesse while these my wretched eyes remaine Vnto thy Temple will I looke againe The boystrous Waters compast me about My body threats to let her pris'ner out The boundlesse depth enclosed me almost dead The weeds are wrapt about my fainting head I liv'd on earth rejected 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 over-whelm'd and faint I had recourse to thee did thee acquaint With the condition of my woefull case My cry came to thee in thine holy Place Who so to Vanities themselves betake Renounce thy mercies and thy love for sake To thee I 'le sacrifice in endlesse dayes With voyce of thankes and ever-sounding praise I 'le pay my vowes for all the world records With one consent Salvation is the Lords But he whose word 's a deed whose breath 's a law Whose just command implies a dreadfull awe Whose Word prepar'd a Whale upon the Deepe To tend and wait for Ionah's fall and keepe His out-cast body safe and soule secure This very God whose mercy must endure When heaven earth when sea all things faile Disclos'd his purpose and bespake the Whale To redeliver Ionah to his hand Whereat the Whale disgorg'd him on the land Medita 7. I Well record a holy Father sayes He teaches to deny that faintly prayes The suit surceases when desire failes But whoso prayes with fervency prevailes For Prayr's the key that opes th' eternall gate And findes admittance whether earl ' or late It forces audience it unlockes the eare Of heavens great God though deafe it makes him heare Vpon a time Babel the worlds faire Queene Made drunk with choller and enrag'd with spleen Through fell disdaine derraigned war 'gainst them That tender homage to Ierusalem A maiden-fight it was yet they were strong As men of Warre The Battaile lasted long Much blood was shed an spilt on either side That all the ground with purple gore was dyde In fine a Souldier of Ierusalem Châ—â—â—ssa hight the Almner of the Realme Chill'd with an ague and unapt to fight Into Iustitia's Castle too her flight Whereat great Babets Queene commanded all To lay their siege against the Castle wall But poore Tymissa not with warr acquainted Fearing Charissa's death fell downe and fainted Dauntlesse Prudentia rear'd her from the ground Where she lay pale and senselesse in a swound She rub'd her temples and at length awaking She gave her water of Fidissa's making And said Cheare up deare sister though our foe Hath tane us Captives thus besieg'd with woe We have a King puissant and of might Will see us take no wrong and doe us right If we possesse him with our sad complaint Cheare up wee 'l send to him and him acquaint Tymissa new awak'd from swound replies Our Castle is begirt with enemies And troops of armed men besiege our walls Then suer Death or worse than death befalls To her who ere she be that stirs a foote Or rashly dares attempt to venture out Alas what hope have wee to finde reliefe And want the meanes that may divulge our griefe Within that place a jolly Matron dwell'd Whose lookes were fixt and sad her left hand held A paire of equall ballances her right A two-edg'd sword her eyes were quicke bright Not apt to squint but nimble to discerne Her visage lovely was yet bold and sterne â—â—r name Iustitia to her they make Their moane who well advis'd them thus bespake Faire Maidens more beloved then the light â—rue the suffrance of your wofull plight â—ut pitty's fond alone recures no griefe â—ut fruitlesse fals unlesse it yeeld reliefe Cheare up I have a Messenger in store Whose speed is much but faithfull trust is more Whose nimble wings shall cleave the flitting skies And scorne the terrour of your enemies â—ratio hight well knowne unto your King Your message she shall doe and tydings bring Provided that Fidissa travaile with her And so on Christs name let them goe together With that Fidissa having ta'ne her errant And good Oratio with Iustitia's Warrant In silence of the midnight tooke her flight Arriving at the Court that very night But they were both as flames of fier hot For they did fly as swift as Cannon shot But they left sudden cold should do them harme Together clung and kept each other warme But now the kingly gates were sparr'd and lockt They call'd but none made answer theÌ„ they knockt Together jâ—yning both their force in one They knockt againe Yet answer there was none But they that never learn'd to take deniall With importunity made further triall The King heard well although he list not speake Till they with strokes the gate did wel-nie breake In fine the brazen gates flew open wide Oratio moov'd her suit The King replide â—ratio was a faire and welcome guest So heard her suit so granted her request Fraile man observe In thee the practice lies Let sacred Meditation moralize Let Pray'r bee servent and thy Faith intire And
so foule Not to encrease the Tribe of Dan one soule LoÌ„g had she doubtles stroven with heaveÌ„ by prair's Made strong with teares sighs hopes despaires No doubt had often tortur'd her desire Vpon a Rack compos'd of frost and fire But Heaven was pleas'd to turne his deafned eares Against those prai'rs made stroÌ„g with sighs tears She often pray'd but pray'rs could not obtaine Alas she pray'd she wept she sigh'd in vaine She pray'd no doubt but pray'rs could finde no roome They prov'd alas as barren as her wombe Vpon a time when her unanswer'd pray'r Had now given just occasion of despaiâ—e Even when her bed-rid faith was grown so fraile That very Hope grew hartlesse to prevaile Appear'd an Angel to her In his face Terrour and sweetnesse labour'd for the place Sometimes his Sunbright eies would shine so fierce As if their pointed beames would even pierce Her soule and strike th' amaz'd beholder dead Sometimes their glory would disperse and spread More easie flames and like the Starre that stood O're Bethlem promise and portend some good Mixt was his bright aspect as if his breath Had equall errands both of life and death Glory and Mildnesse seemed to contend In his faire eyes so long till in the end In glorious mildnesse and in milder glory He thus salutes her with this pleasing story Woman Heaven greets thee well Rise up and feare 〈◊〉 Forbeare thy faithlesse tremblings I appeare not Clad in the vestments of consuming fire Cheare up I have no warrant to enquire Into thy sinnes I have no Vyals here Nor dreadfull Thunderbolts to make thee feare I have no plagues t' inflict nor is my breath Charg'd with destruction 〈◊〉 my hand with death No no cheare up I come not to destroy I come to bring thee tidings of great joy Rowze up thy duâ— beliefeâ— for I apâ—eare To exercise thy Faith and not thy Feare The Gâ—iae and great Creator of all things Chiefe Lord of Lords and supreme King of Kings To whom an Host of men are but a swarme Of â—urm'â—ing Guats whose high prevailing arme Can crush ten thousand worldâ— and at one blow Can strike the earth to nothing and ore-throw The Lofts of Heaven He that hath the Keyes Of 〈◊〉 to shut and ope them when he please He that can all things that he will this day Is pleas'd to take thy long reproach away Behold thy womb 's inlarg'd and thy desires Shall finde successe Before long time expires Thou shâ—lâ— conceive Ere twise five months be runne Be thou the joyfull mother of a sonne But see thy wary palate doe forbeare The juice of the bewitching Grape Beware Leâ—â— thy defiers tempt thy lips to wine Which must be faithfull strangers to the Vine Strong drinke thou must not taste and all such meate The Law proclaimes uncleane refraine to eate And when the fruit of thy restored wombe Sâ—â—ll see the light take heed no Rasor come 〈◊〉 his fruitfull head for from his birth 〈◊〉 as the wombe entrusts him on the earth The child shall be a Nazarite to God 〈◊〉 whose appointment be shall prove a Rod To scourge the proud Philistians and recall Pâ—re suffring Israel from their slavish thrall Meditat. 2. HOw impudent is Nature to account Those acts her own that doe so farre surmoâ—â—â— Her easie reach How purblinde are those eyes Of stupid mortals that have power to rise No higher then her lawes who takes upon her The worke and robs the Author of his honour Seest thou the fruitfull Wombe How every yeare It moves thy Cradle to thy slender cheare Invites another Ghest and makes thee Father To a new Sonne who now perchance hadst rather Bring up the old esteeming propagation A thanklesse worke of Supererogation Perchance the formall Mid-wife seemes to thee Lesse welcome now than she was wont to bee Thou standst amaz'd to heare such needlesse Ioy And car'st as little for it as the Boy That 's newly borne into the world Nay worse Perchance thou grumblest counting it a curse Vnto thy faint estate which is not able T' encrease the bounty of thy slender Table Poore miserable man what ere thou bee I suffer for thy crooked thoughts not thee Thou tak'st thy children to be gifts of nature Their wit their flowring beauty comely stature Their perfect health their dainty disposition Their vertues and their easie acquisition Of curious Arts their strengths attain'd perfection You attribute to that benigne complexion Wherewith your Goddesse Nature hath endow'd Their well-disposed Organs and are proud And here your Goddesse leaves you to deplore That such admir'd perfections should be poore Advance thine eyes no lesse then wilfull blinde And with thine eyes advance thy drooping minde Correct thy thoughts Let not thy wondring eye Adore the servant when the Master 's by Looke on the God of Nature From him come These underprized blessings of the wombe He makes thee rich in childreÌ„ wheÌ„ his store Crowns thee with wealth why mak'st thou thy self poor He opes the womb why then should'st thou repine They are his children mortall and not thine We are but Keepers And the more he lends To our tuition he the more commends Our faithfull trust It is not every one Deserves that honour to command his Son She counts it as a fortune that 's allow'd To nurse a Prince What nurse would not be proud Of such a Fortune And shall we repine Great God to foster any Babe of thine But 't is the Charge we feare our stock 's but small If heaven with Children send us wherewithall To stop their craving stomacks then we care not Great God! How hast thou crackt thy credit that we dare Trust thee for bread How is 't we dare not venture To keepe thy Babes unlesse thou please to enter In bond for paiment Art thou growne so poore To leave thy famisht Infants at our doore And not allow them food Canst thou supply The empty Ravens and let thy children die Send me that stint thy wisedome shall thinke fie Thy pleasure is my will and I submit Make me deserve that honour thou hast lent To my fraile trust and I will rest content THE ARGVMENTâ— Thâ— wife â— Manoah attended with fearfull Hope and hâ—pefull Feare The joyfull tydings recommended to her amazed Husbands care Sect. 2. THus when the great Embassadour of Heaven Had done that sacred service which was given And trusted to his faithfull charge he spred His ayre dividing pinions and fled But now th' affrighted woman apprehends The strangenesse of the Message recommends Both it and him that did it to her feares The newes was welcome to her gratefull eares But what the newesman was did so encreaâ—e Her doubts that her strange hopes could finde no peace For when her hopes would build a Tower of joy O then her feares would shake it and destroy The maine foundation what her hopes in vaine Did raise her feares would ruinate againe One while she thought It was an Angel sent And then
and what must then be done When time shal bring to light this promis'd sonne About that time when the declining Lampe Trebles each shadow when the evening dampe Begins to moisten and refresh the land The Wife of Manoah under whose command The weaned Lambes did feed being lowly seated Vpon a Shrubbe where often she repeated That pleasing newes the subject of her thought Appear'd the Angell he that lately brought Those blessed tidings to her up she rose Her second feare had warrant to dispose Her nimble foot-steps to unwonted haste She runnes with speed she cannot runne too fast At length she findes her husband In her eyes Were Ioy and Feare whilst her lost breath denies Her speech to him her trembling hands make signs She puffes and pants her breathlesse tongue disjoynes Her broken words Behold behold said she The man of God if man of God he be Appear'd againe These very eyes beheld The man of God I left him in our field Meditat. 3. HEav'n is Gods Magazen wherein he hath Stor'd up his Vials both of love and wrath Iustice and Mercy waite upon his Throne Favours and Thunderbolts attend upon His sacred Will and Pleasure Life and Death Doe both receive their influence from his breath Iudgements attend his left at his right hand Blessings and everlasting Pleasures stand Heav'n is the Magazen wherein he puts Both good and evill Pray'r is the key that shuts And opens this great Treasure T is a key Whose wards are Faith and Hope and Charity Wouldst thou prevent a judgement due to sinne Turne but the key and thou maist locke it in Or wouldst thou have a Blessing fall upon thee Open the doore and it will shower on thee Can Heav'n be false or can th' Almighties tongue That is all very truth doe truth that wrong Not to performe a vow His lips have sworne Sworne by himselfe that if a Sinner turne To him by pray'r his pray'r shall not be lost For want of eare nor his desier crost How is it then we often aske and have not We aske and often misse because we crave noâ— The things we should his wisdome can foresee Those blessings better that we want than weâ— Hast thou not heard a peevish Infant baule To gaine possession of a knife And shall Th' indulgent nurse bee counted wisely kinde If she be mov'd to please his childish minde Is it not greater wisdome to deny The sharp-edg'd knife and to present his eye With a fine harmlesse Puppit We require Things oft unfit and our too fond desire Fastens on goods that are but glorious ills Whilst Heav'ns high wisdome contradicts our wils With more advantage for we oft receive Things that are farre more fit for us to have Experience tels we seeke and cannot finde We seeke and often want because we binde The Giver to our times He knows we want Patience and therefore he suspends his grant T' encrease our faith that so we may depend Vpon his hand he loves to heare us spend Our childish mouthes Things easily obtain'd Are lowly priz'd but what our prayers have gain'd By teares and groanes that cannot be exprest Are farre more deare and sweeter when possest Great God! whose power hath so oft prevail'd Against the strength of Princes and hast quail'd Their prouder stomaks with thy breath discrown'd Their heads thrown their Scepters to the grouÌ„d Striking their swelling hearts with cold despaire How art thou conquer'd and o'recome by Pray'r Infuse that Spirit Great God into my heart And I will have a blessing ere we part THE ARGVMENT Manoah desires to know the fashion And breeding of his promis'd sonne To whom the Angel makes relation Of all things needfull to be done Sect. 4. WIth that the Danite rose and being guided By his perplexed wife they both divided Their heedlesse paces â—ill they had attain'd The field 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of God remain'd And drawing â—eerer to hâ—s presence stai'd His weary steps and with obeysance said Art thou the 〈…〉 blessed lips â—oretold Those joyfull 〈◊〉 Shall my tongue be bold Without the breach of manners to request This boone Art thoâ—â— that Prophet that possest This barren woman with a hope that She Shall beare a Sonne He answer'd I am He Said Manoah then Let not a word of thine Be lost let them continue to divine Our future happinesse let them be crown'd With truth and thou with honour to be found A holy Prophet Let performance blesse And speed thy speeches with a faire successe But tell me Sir when this great worke is done And time shall bring to light this promis'd Sonne What sacred Ceremonies shall we use What Rites What way of bleeding shall we chuse T' observe What holy course of life shall be Be trained in What shall his Office be Whereat th' attentive Angel did divide The portall of his lips and thus replide The Child that from thy fruitfull loynes shall come Shall be a holy Nazarite from the wombe Take heed that wombe that shall inclose this Childe In no case be polluted or defilde With Law-forbidden meates Let her forbeare To taste those things that are forbidden there The bunch-back Camell shall be no repast For her Her palate shall forbeare to taste The burrow haunting Cony and decline The swiftfoote-Hare and mire-delighting Swine The griping Goshauke and the towring Eagle The party-coloured Pye must not inveigle Her lips to move the brood-devouring Kite The croaking Raven th' Owle that hates the light The steele-digesting Bird the laste Snaile The Cuckow ever telling of one tale The fish-consuming Osprey and the Want That undermines the greedy Cormorant Th' indulgent Pellican the predictious Crow The chattring Storke and ravenous Vulter too The thorn-backt Hedgehogge and the prating lay The Lapwing flying still the other way The lofty-flying Falkon and the Mouse That findes no pleasure in a poore mans house The suck-egge Weasell and the winding Swallow From these she shall abstaine and not unhallow Her op'ned lips with their polluted flesh Strong drinke she must forbeare and to refresh Her lingring palate with luâ—-breeding Wine The Grape or what proceedeth from the Vine She must not taste for feare she be defilde And so pollute her wombe-enclosed Childe When time shall make her mother of a Sonne Beware no keen-edg'd Raisor come upon His bâ—llowed Crowne the haire upon his head Must not be cut His bountious lockes must spred On his broad shoulders From his first drawne breath The Childe shall be a Nazarite to his death Meditat. 4. WHat shallow judgment or what easie braine Can choose but laugh at those that strive in vaine To build a Tower whose ambitious Spire Should reach to heaven what foole would not admire To see their greater folly who would raise A Tower to perpetuate the praise And lasting Glory of their renowned Name What have they lâ—ft but Monuments of shame How poore and slender are the enterprises Of man that onely whispers and advises With heedlesse flesh and blood and never