is the light of lights The rest and receptacle of delights Life of all living seat of travellers The palme the prize the crowne of conquerers S. O who can Gods great goodnesse understand How wondrous are the works of his right hand Yesterday I was in earths darknesse dimme To day in heavens resplendent lustre trimme Yesterday in the roaring Lyons power To day i th' hands of my sweet Saviour Yesterday brought unto the gates of hell To day in Paradise where joyes excell Yesterday in the worlds circumf'rence round To day in Abrahams bosome blestly found O that men living on the earth below Did least part of celestiall joyes well know Then solely seriously all paines the'yd take In holy duties no least losse they 'd make Of precious time which no man can regaine Nor would so fruitlesly their lives retaine Divines would then more study lives than learning More to live well than quaint disputes discerning Their chiefe philosophy they would it deeme To know Christ and him crucifi'de esteeme Grave Oratours would not so breake their brains To vent strong lines invent such losty strains As holily and heartily to speake And by good works from guilded words would break The worlds great traders would more piously Endure and not procure an injurie And count a quiet and good conscience best Yea farre beyond the greatest gaine possest Then that intolerable beast most wilde I meane that canker covetice most vilde Would not so rage and rave in courses base But yeeld to time as the fit time of grace Yea all of all sorts would so sparke and shine In holinesse of life and gifts divine That those two sayings at the last great day Should never from their thoughts depart away Go O ye cursed into fire eternall Come O ye blessed to a crowne supernall Oh what can be more harsh more full of wo Than then to heare that bitter saying go But what can better then pronounced be Than that blest invitation iâ— Come ye Two sentences than one of which none sadder And than the other none was ere heard gladder Oh if men would these throughly ruminate Then they more soundly would recogitate And thinke upon the last and dreadfull day As that on which they must resolve to clay Yea they the judgement-day would duely tender As that on which they must a reck'ning render Then would they muse and meditate on hell As on that lake where woe and horrour dwell And thinke on heaven as on a glorious place And kingdome of incomparable grace Their time yet left to heaven they 'd consecrate Their lampe yet light aloft they 'd elevate No day without a line no line should be Without a guiding-rule to sanctitie No smallest sand out of the houre-glasse Without at least one trickling teare should passe They nothing not time-present would count theirs Whose onely minute all their due appeares The morning they would make dayes inchoation The evening that dayes due examination Their bodies from their beds they soone would raise Their drowsie sleepe they 'd shun without delayes Their candle lighted they betimes would pray And give their God the first-fruits of the day Then they would boldly looke death in the face Yea gladly they 'd invite his hastie pace And being wholly dead to earths false joy They best would live while they seem'd life to ' stroy By dying so they death would deadly wound And by Deaths death their life would best be found Thus they would not count death a pang or paine But rest from sorrow and their greatest gaine Thus earth disdain'd and heav'n obtain'd all blest They would approach the haven of endlesse rest But worldlings alwayes finde by proofe most bad Whiles they breathe out this sentence sowre and sad O death how bitter is the thought of thee To those that earthly peace with wealth do see That unto whom the world 's a blandishment To them it brings from heaven a banishment For two most distant loves do men still make Of two most distant Cities to partake The love of God Ierusalem erects The love of earth proud Babilon protects The place of peace Ierusalem is nam'd Babilon is Seditions seat proclaim'd But they shall nere in Peaces-city dwell Which love not peace but like confusion well O then that men on earth these things would minde They even on earth an heavenly life would finde G. Thou dost indeed most sweetly meditate Things well befitting soules in heavenly state For if men did these things more seriously Discusse and scan and to themselues apply They to the world would sure more strangers be And cleave to God in neerer amitie But we must joy in Gods revealed will Rejoyce in Converts comming to us still Pray the approach of all terrestriall Saints Who this our Cities ruine and restraints Must restaurate and full re-edifie And make complete to all eternity Meane while sweet soule beloved lovely mate Come thou to us with us cohabitate Blest in thy selfe gratefull to us all blest Most blessed in this blessed state of rest Come let us now with interchang'd embraces With mutuall joy new songs go take our places In Gods most admirable Tabernacle All sacred Saints most holy habitacle Now thy once Ministers become thy mates Now 'mongst the lillies in most lovely states 'Mongst troops of glorious Angels shining bright Thy lustre now may glister full of light Yea now thou mayst lye downe on beds of roses Amongst Gods lovely lambes in sweet reposes Come come I say be now exceeding glad That thou art with celestiall beauty clad Ioy in enjoying endlesse joy and peace In Gods blest presence which can never cease S. O most mellifluous sweetnesse most admird O heavenly honey pleasures most desir'd How sweet thou art in serious meditation How farre more sweet in thy due declaration How much more sweet to view and contemplate How most transcendent sweet in blest estate T is not in all I am to set thee forth T is past my power to blaze thy blessed worth But t is enough for me that I possesse thee That being in thee blest I thus do blesse thee That I aloud his laud and praise may sing That plac'd and grac'd me here heav'ns glorious King To whom with Iesus Christ and his blest Spirit Who doth all power and praises wholly merit Even heavens ineffable Trine-unity Be Halelujahs sung eternally Amen Ephes. 5.14 Arise thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Bernard An account must be given of all the time lent unto us how it hath beene spent by us Aug. upon Psal. 36. My brethren if ye are perswaded that we shall enjoy any such things in that countrey wheâ—eunto the celestiall-silver trumpet incites and summons us and for their sakes ye are willing to abstaine from things present that there ye may receive those future comforts more copiously Do then as those men who being invited to a great feast keepe their stomacks empty and are content to abstaine that their appetites may attaine an even insatiate satisfaction FINIS
The last TRVMPET OR A Six-Fold Christian Dialogue Viz. 1 Betweene Death the Flesh and the Soule 2 Betweene the Divell the Flesh and the World 3 Betweene Man and his Conscience 4 Betweene Conscience Sinne and Man 5 Betweene God and the Soule 6 Between the Soule and the City of Cod. Translated from the elegant Latine Prose of RICHARD BRâ—THVVAâ—T Esquire into English Verse BY IOHN VICARS Arise yee dead and come to judgement Hor. de Arâ—e Poetica Decies repetita placebit LONDON Printed by Thomas Harper for Robeâ—â—â—â—â—â—ocke and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Kings Head 1635. TO THE RIGHT Worshipfull his ever most highly honoured good friend Sir VVALTER PIE Attourney Generall of the Court of Wards and to his truely vertuous and religious Consort the Lady HESTER PIE I. V. most Cordially wisheth the Kingdome of Grace here and the Kingdome of glory hereafter Right Worshipfull MY thankful thoughts long wandring seriously Which way I might my gratefull heart apply Fully and fitly to expresse show The infinite perpetuall debt Iowe To both your Worship and your Families For many free and friendly courtesies To me and mine In stept this little Booke And my desire t' accomplish undertooke Vpon which proffer promptly I laid hold And most respectively have thus made bold To dedicate both It and my poore All To both your Worships due memoriall Both as a Symboll of my sincere heart Obliged by indelible desert As also that like Philips little Lad This Trumpet may sound a Memento glad Vnto your Wor. Soules with comfort sweet Here to prepare with God in Christ to meet To shake off all earths clogs and Remora's Which hurt or hinder us with dull delayes From running here our race with patience From winning the reward of recompence In both which bound respects I humbly pray That this my little Tract Last Trumpet may Sound sweetly in your Worships â—ares minde And friendly favour and acceptance finde To'rd him who ever ev'ry way is bound To you and yours to rest and to be found Your good Wor. in all obsequious observance to be commanded IOHN VICARS To the Worshipfull his very worthy and most ingenious and ingenuous learned and religious Author RICHARD BRATHVVAIT Esquire I. V. wisheth all true holinesse and happinesse here and hereafter Most worthy Sir WHen first by happy chance I cast my fight Vpon the sparkling lustre beauty bright Of your rich jewell lockt-up enclos'd In a neat Cabinet I strait suppos'd It was great pitty such a pretty jemme Should be shut up from publike view of them Who could not with the Latine Key unlocke Your Casket and partake of your rich stocke I therefore have most worthy Sir made bold To ope the Locke lay ope your jemme of gold To every gracious eye and godly minde That in such Iewels can pure pleasure finde And thus with my weake breath your Trump to sound In a knowne tone whose eccho might rebound And on the hearers hearts reverberate To minde their present and their future state And hence I must ingenuously confesse I primely should and would the same addresse Vnto your worthy-selfes sole acceptation Were I not bound by most strict obligation To those my honour'd friends forementioned By cords of many favours thereto led But next to them accept I humbly pray This borrowed-light from your suns lustrous ray These bubling streames weake straines that have their motion From your full fount as tribute to your ocean In confidence of which great courtesie Thereof perswaded by your piety Praying your Worship may be aye possest Of all true holy happy joyes I rest Your good Worships in his best poore services to be commanded Iohn Vicars Authoris opinio de Interprete suo EX eo quod legi te de Hippocreni altiùs ebibisse collegi Optandum est quod Heliconiades nostri in hisce oleum operamque studiose impenderent quo apud posteros faeliciora Minervae monumenta relinquant Interim quae primum conscripsi edidi modò Superiorum authoritas ijs suffragetur ingenuè approbo eo scilicet more quo tu integre transtulisti Ingenij titulum meruit mihi crede perennem Qui cupit ingenio sacra levare suo Hoc tibi â—ICARIVS fecit Musisque peregit Oâ—ficium vatis dulce poema suis. Imprimatur SA BAKER Aprill 14. 1635. The last Trumpet OR A Six-fold Christian DIALOGUE The first betweene Death the Flesh and the Soule The Argument of the first Dialogue The Flesh presenting the Soules Mayd By Death encountred sore afrayd Shewes forth voluptuous-Gallants state Whilst yet they be degenerate How prone to pride and vanity How fear'd of Death how loath to die Vntill the Lady-Mistresse Soule By Grace rowz'd up does chide controule Her servant Flesh her fit to make To welcome Death and Life forsake Death HO who 's within Ope the doore instantly Flesh. Who 's that which knockes so bold and boysterously De. T is He that till he enters will not part Fl. Stay I le peepe out and see first who thou art And whether thou deserv'st heere to remaine If not knocke long enough and all in vaine De. Well now what think'st thou wilt thou open now Fl. O fearefull monster ugly beetle-brow Blinde of both-eyes without or lippes or chin Hence with a mischiefe I le not let thee in Knocke on yea knocke thy selfe to death thou may'st But I le not ope the doore whiles there thou stay'st De. Open for I will enter mark th' event Fl. What And without my Mistresses consent De. I without leave of Mistresse or nice Mayd Yea though by All within I be gaine-sayd Fl Is 't possible Whence cam'st thou hither pray Who sent for thee Thou might'st have kept away For we have heere within farre fayrer mates Fine fellowes merrier guests within our gates Sure th' art some Courtier by thy sirly face De. Indeed both Court and Cart in Me have place And I in them doe challenge equall right Fl. I prethee say who art thou what strange wight De. I surely am thy Sister and thy Brother F. Hence Beast th' art some Hermophrodite or other De. Therein indeed thy words are probable For of both sexes I am capable Fl Capable true too much too I beleeve But if my thoughts doe me not much deceive Thou neither lookest like male or female But art more truely some Ghost lanck and pale De. I am a Ghost yet am thy Looking-Glasse Where thou mayst see thy state like with ring grasse Fl. Who were thy Parents De. They that thee begot Fl. That 's strange but surely thus much I doubt not Thy Parents would have pluckt out both their eyes Ere from their loynes an Imp like thee should rise De. Yet they me bred For biting-Death did spring From their bold biting the forbidden thing Fl. Whence cam'st thou then D. From thine owne wilfull sin Fl Alas alas Then we must needs be kin De. True We are both of
thy presence precious gaines De. All 's one to me the youngling or the sage Fl. Alas what profit's then in youthfull age Since youth and old age have but one condition And must submit to Fates most dire commission De. Indeed if thou dost their condition eye They both are subject to Mortality But if their probable-departure hence Thou mayst discerne this onely difference As young-men soone may dye though ere so strong So old-men can't alive continue long Death is for old-men ever at the gate For young-men he with nets and snares doth wait To old-men he is still before their eyes To young-men close behinde their backes he lyes Death is the child hood of weake infancie Death is the lad-age of our childe-hoodry Death is the youth of our lad-age estate Death is the manly-hood of youthfull fate Death is the old-age of our man-hood stout Death after old age doth decrepid flout For Death is of Decrepid-age the Death And thus t is plaine that None that ere drew breath Could sheltred be in such a close estate But Death made entrance in Him soone or late Fl. Alas I surely thought but plainly see I did but gull my selfe that None like Mee So lusty lively in their youthfull-blood So fresh in flower of age so quickly shood Be nipt and cropt but might make truce with death And so enjoy a longer happier breath De. O no for short is that felicity Which still is tended with fragility Fl. Ah though t is short yet who desires it not De. He that a tyresome tedious life hath got Fl. Yet euen he would scape death if he might De. Hast thou nere heard or read those lessons right That 't is farre best not to be borne at all Or soone to leave this life most tragicall That dead than living are in happier state That nought than Sleepe does Death more personate That Death 's the hav'n of ills the help 'gainst woe The onely easer of all griefes that grow That all must dye that death concludes all strife That death is better happier farre than life Fl. That I have read them oft to minde I call But held none true and so forgot them all De. It seemes indeed th' are all slipt out of minde Fl. True for those things in which no joy we finde We scarce beleeve and eas'ly let them goe De. But say think'st thou that thou shalt die or no Fl. I thinke I shall but yet withall I hope The day 's farre off ere Death with me will cope De. We hope things good we hate things that are bad And what can worse be either held or had Than a continuall warfare jarre and strife And still to prop a transitorie life Fle. O but what ere does please gives ease to all De. And canst thou that a pleasant passage call Which is encombred with so many Straites Whereon fierce famine thirst and labour waits Crosses and losses and a sea of woe Which from corrupted life doe fleet and flow Fl. Men us'd to paine are not so passionate And we are so inur'd to such a state And daily so acquainted with all these That we scarse feele them or though felt they plese De. Wouldst thou not count it a choice benefit If one would thee of these dire fetters quit Fl. Yes I should hold it the best favour found If first I could beleeve that I am bound De. Peace peace for shame canst thou not plainely see Lifes discommodities base bonds to be Fl. O spare me prethee till I think them so Till I beleeve them such pray let me goe De. Nay now I smell thy Foxe-like fallacie I 'll not doe so nor shalt thou so me tye As once one did who spying me draw neere And brandishing this fatall-Sithe I beare Still in my hand This onely suit did make That with my deadly dart I would not take His life from him untill he quite had done His deepe devotions pious prayers begun Which finished hee 'd thanke me very much And quietly to dye would never grutch I having eaâ—â—ly granted his petition And bound my selfe by oath to this condition Not once to touch him till he quite had ended His orizons and prayers so pretended He instantly left off left me deluded And from that time he with himselfe concluded And made a vow he never Death would pray To spare him more unto his dying-day Mayd 't is most easie never to beleeve Things we desire not and which most us grieve But I will deale with thee another way And cause thee instantly aside to lay This vicious most pernicious fond opinion Then lend an eare put off thou wanton Minion Thy carnall-nicenesse for I 'll now declare Things which to thee most wholsome healthsome are Hee 's teachable that diligently heares Shew thy selfe such and lend me thy prest eares So shalt thou surely understand and finde That I have herein bin to thee most kinde Fl. O Death I 'll heare thee most attentively But O I would not have thee in mine eye De. Then shut thine eyes onely set ope thine eares And now first tell me how thou spend'st thy yeares How thou employst thy selfe what paines dost take What dost thou daily thy chiefe pleasure make That thou art so much taken and delighted With Lifes false fleeting sweets more fitly slighted Fl. O Sir my Exercises be most sweet And to my nature every way most meet I feele no frying heat nor freezing cold My hand did never wheele or distaffe hold My heart in serious studies I nere pent To sweeter pleasures I my selfe have bent Namely in delicate delights to flow To please my tooth to publike sports to goe To swim in luscious liquor sparkling wine To be arayd in vestures rich and fine To be a guest at banquets nuptiall-feasts To be at Playes and other joviall-jests To dance lascivious measures spend the nights With youthfall Gallants juvenile delights On rich embroydered beds of Doune to lie My flesh in sweet hot bathes to clarifie Finely to feed fully to sleepe and snort To fill my flesh with pleasures of each sort De. But that thou maist thine own prime-state review And take a just account and reckoning true How thou hast spent each day from morn to night What speciall work does this taske expedite Fl. I never worke nor any worke desire My onely businesse is earths joyes t' acquire De. What joyes are they I prethee to me show Sure they be rare whence such rare love doth grow Fl. My chiefest care is for my cloaths and meat My dainty breakfast in my bed to eate Which is provided in such costly wise That nothing wants my palate to suffice This proeme past that all things may concurre To answer my desires in bed I stirre And rowle my selfe by soft-degrees most slow As when a doore smooth on the hinge doth goe And thus a sweet and soaking nap I take Desirous nothing more to shun forsake Then forreine quarrels and domesticke strife From publike tumults to preserve my
great And though the skirmish may much danger threat By how much more thou dost in battell strive The more the ioy in conquest thee'll revive For marke this one thing in a speciall measure If for the love of earth and carnall pleasure Thou leave Gods love and seeme his Grace to scorn Gods love will leave thee wretched and forlorne Even in thine houre of most necessity And give thee over to hels tyranny Thou art arriv'd now at the Haven of rest Where vessels must be firmely rig'd and drest Thy day of death which as thy last did fright thee Is thy eternall Birth day to delight thee Then cast off every clog that would thee stay If any darling sin lye in thy way Which thou extremely hast delighted in As with too many thou hast tyred bin Then leave it loath it For thy foot must tread A holier way a happier life to lead What ere is brittle is of little price And being fraile doth faile us in a trice And now thy feeble flesh must needs abide The common-Chance which does all sorts betide Then wonder not thy Predecessours all Did tread the selfe-same path both great and small How aptly answered they in such-like case Whether we watch or sleepe in any place Whether we talke or silent hold or peace Whether we walk or from our works doe cease Whether we will or nill in any thing By times least minutes we doe daily bring Our sliding gliding dayes at last to end And then to natures course must bow bend Then weep not my poore Mayd cease showres of tears At this my parting from thee cease all fears In heavens duetime we both againe shall meet And with full joy enjoy a union sweet Fl. Deare Mistresse these your admonitions kinde Doe mightily prevaile and ease my minde Yet I cannot some strugling thoughts dissemble To thinke to dye and be dissolv'd I tremble So. Alas weake Flesh that 's it I most desire To be dissolv'd and flye to th' heav'nly Quire O doe not thou indulge thy selfe too much Why dost thou looke so pale at deaths sweet touch Why dost thou quake and quiver at his sight Since thou shalt have a frame more faire and bright Than ever yet thou hadst or canst conceive These rotten mud-walls thou must onely leave To be pull'd downe and be built up againe To turne to dust then ever new remaine He onely feare of death is fit to show Which to his Saviour Christ is loath to goe â— goe before that I may see his face We both shall joyne and hee 'll us both embrace Meane-while thou must sleepe sweetly in thine urne And there into thy native dust returne â—rom whence thou shalt in farre more beauty rise â—nd see thy Saviour even with these same eyes â—or thou art laid in earth to lay-away Thy earthly-substance corrupt state of clay Be then couragious For as corne men sowe Must first dye in the ground before it grow Must first seeme rotten ere it rise againe Even so thy Body like unto the graine Must first lye dead and rotten in the grave Ere it in heaven eternity can have Fl. Now truly Mistresse you have sweetly said I now am much assur'd and well apaid Being thus fore-warn'd I am fore-arm'd from feare Death's face is now lesse terrible than ere And now O lovelesse-life burnt out enough Put out thy light ceasse now thy twinckling snuffe Farewell deare Mistresse sweetest soule farewell In this assured hope ring out my knell That in my Gods good time I rais'd shall be With thee my soule my Saviour Christ to see So. Having this hope in dying thou shalt live And I with joy shall me to thee regive De. How hardly can these two divorced be Have ye done talking and given way to me Your mutuall last-farewell take now I pray Time and my taske will now no longer stay So. O Death I prethee now take thine own time Make haste that I to heaven my haven may clime Come now and put thy charge in execution For I with this one well-fixt resolution Will winde up all I have not so liv'd here In this vaine world yet hereunto I feare I have beene too-inclin'd too much affected Which now I grieve and leave thee more neglected As that to live here longer I should shame Or that I durst not dye for feare of blame And that because I serve a Master kinde Whom I in Christ doe reconciled finde Thus therefore to goe out of this fraile life Is to goe into heavenly pleasures rife Thus life to leave is aye to live in Peace In full fruition of all joyes encrease Thus thee my Mayd I to the earth commend Whiles I Heavens Kingdome happily ascend De. Thus then adeu To both of you The end of the first Dialogue The Second DIALOGUE Betweene the Divell the Flesh and the VVorld The Argument of the second Dialogue The World and Flesh to every evill Are onely Agents for the Divell But here the Flesh being mortifi'de Sathans suggestions are deny'de Who can do nought but tempt to ill Has no more power although more Will Which amply to the world he showes And how ore carnall men he crowes But neither yet the world effects Nor He himselfe his foule projects Vpon the sanctified Heart Dead to the world and hels blacke Art The Divell thus repell'd each way With rage recoyles makes there no stay Di. WHere are ye my comragues my servants true My Martiall-mates by whom I must subdue What is there no hope left to lift or force The sullen Soule from her religious course Whereon she is so fixt and fully bent What no devise this geere for to prevent Must my high glory suffer such eclipse And be so child nigh kild with pious nips Surely I ever since my first great fall Have burn'd with lust and boyl'd with bitter gall Of deepe desire to fence and fortifie Yea and expatiate our large Emperie Yet still I finde by old experience That whiles the soule gets the preheminence Ore thee the flesh reason the soule subjects And grace guides reason all hath ill effects My projects perish and my engines faile My force growes feeble and my power does vaile Be stirring then my Champions old and brave For work enough to doe yee see ye have Fie are ye not asham'd more sound to sleep Now than ye us'd and sluggishly to keepe Your hands within your bosomes since that you Have for your Master so much work to doe For shame arise shake off this drowsinesse And hunt and haunt about with eagernesse Now is my Summer-season harvest faire Which if by your neglect and want of care It be let slip and fruitlesly past over Farewell all hope for ever to recover My owne peculiar strength and princely state O then faire flesh neat nice and delicate My faithfull servant whom above the rest I most doe trust and ever prized best And on whose strong assistance and brave ayde I ever have my chiefe assurance stayde And
one stock land and line Fl. Yet small resemblance twixt thy state mine De. True I confesse it yet I tell thee plaine Nor thou nor any that alive remaine Can me when I am present passe excell With fitter frame of joynts though ere so wel With more just mixture of the Elements With fairer structure of corps lineaments Or stronger state of body but I say â— being present am more choyce than they Fl. Me thinks this is most strange how can this be De. Because even Natures-selfe hath chosen me â—or her Anatomy Thou know'st right well â—hat all that doe in Surgery excell â—nd Physicke choose for their Anatomie Corps that surpasse in beauties excellencie Fl. T is true indeed of such as hanged be Then in that number I must reckon thee And therefore tell me for what fact so foule Hast thou beene hanged and so left thy soule De. Well wanton wench for all thy witty prate I 'll be thy wooer and thy wedded-mate Fl. Ha ha ha ha I never shall desire Such a yoke-fellow to me to acquire As will me make quite weary of my life And fill my marriage-bed with hate and strife When for my Spouse I shall embrace a Spirit And stinking smels of rottennesse inherit No with the proverb rather I 'd like well To dye a Virgin and leade Apes in hell De. So so meane while I must I will embrace thee Fl. hands off or to thy Graves Ghosts I 'll chase thee De. Soft sister soft untoucht I 'll touch take thee Thou art deceiv'd if thou think'st to forsake me Or scape my hands Delay not instantly If Death but say the word thou sure shalt dye I stand unmov'd when thou art mov'd molested I rise unhurt when thou by Death art rested He which thee spoiles spares not or sexe or age Conditions rare face faire or head most sage Perhaps thou'lt say thou say'st no more than truth That nothing is than Death more full of ruth More tart and terrible more curst unkinde As who to looke on mens looks is most blinde Is deafe and dumb to heare or answer treats Is pittilesse perniciously downe beates Without distinction or least difference All lyable to 's lawlesse violence Not having least respect to good or bad But forcing all to one condition sad Fl. Aye me poore wretch must my flesh delicate Which fragrant flowers adorne and decorate Which sweet perfumes with odours rare perfume Must these faire joynts to rottennesse consume And all their moysture and their milk-white hew Be dry'd drawne out by such an Elfe as you De. Damsell disdaine it not these sinews bare These rigid bones have grasped Ladies faire Equall to thee for bodies beauty bright For dignities and honours utmost height For smooth and soft conditions deare as thou These oft I make to my embraces bow Fl. Embrace them still so thou lett'st me alone What shall these dainty fingers ever knowne To touch and strike the warbling Lute-strings sweet Enamell'd with pure azure-veines regreet Shall these I say once touch thy clay-cold wrists Or shall this haire of mine in curious twists And rare layd wreaths bound up with garlands deckt And odoriferous perfumes to affect The nisest nosthrils like Sols sun-beames bright Shall these under thine Eagle-tallons light Shall this high forehead and these temples faire Adorn'd with Aprils prime-sprung flowers most rare Fall underneath thy raw-bon'd fingers harmes Shall these my snow-white alablaster armes Fitted for onely amorous kinde embraces Feele thy cold-icey grasping pawes disgraces Shall these my tinckling teachable fine feet Accustomed to Measures Dances sweet Dance into thy darke cell the loathsome grave Or finally shall this my Body brave So neat compleat so worthy admiration Yeelding to amorous eyes such delectation Be shut up in a vile and filthy urne And into noysome putrefaction turne De. Spare farther speech I none of these respect I neither doe thy fingers fine affect Though ere so small or slender shining faire With golden rings and sparkling Diamonds rare I care not for thy tender lovely locks Though glistring like pure wooll among the flocks I care not for thy temples faire and high Though deckt with fragrant flowrs most curiously I care not for thine armes more white than snow Or than the purest Ivie that can grow I care not for thy tender tinckling feet Although for wanton dances ere so meete Finally neither can thy body fine Nor any of thy bodies outward shine Allure my minde entice me thee to spare I nought at all for all thy neatnesse care For well thou know'st for this thy Candor quaint Painters doe me a mans dead karkasse paint Consisting of bare bones with sinews joynd Where thou nor eares nor eyes nor nose canst finde Naked deformed ugly to be seene Of neither sexe handling a Sithe most keene O artificiall piece of Painters wise Deform'd indeed but full of mysteries And wilt thou Damsell heare me them relate For thy sake then I 'll do 't most accurate Although therein thy outward beauty gay I nought regard Then listen these are they First I am shewn with hollow holes no eyes To signifie I no mans person prize Of whatsoever power or dignity Of whatsoever wealth or quality I also am described without eares To shew that death no mans petition heares And that no prayer or humblest supplication Can of my furie finde least mitigation I pourtray'd am without a Nose to smell Thereby vaine dainty Damsell thee to tell And thee lascivious wanton gallant brave That I in thy sweet sents no pleasure have Againe I pictur'd am naked and bare To intimate that I doe nothing care For earthly substance or for treasure great For bribes or gifts which worldly wise doe cheate I also am depainted without skin Or flesh or bloud all raw-bon'd meagre thin To shew assure O Damsell delicate O spruce nice youths too fond effeminate That neither your rare glistring beauty bright Nor vaine faire out sides can me ought delight Yet further I in neither sexe am showne Whereby it may be evidenâ—ly knowne That I have firme resolved not to spare Or male or female whatsoere they are Finally I am figur'd still to stand With a most large and sharp Sithe in my hand To shew that as the Mower in the field Makes Corne and Grasse unto his Sithe to yeeld So I from off the earth doe all men mow As thus the Poet pithily doth show Sicut ante falcem seges Ante mortem summi Reges That is As Corne before the Sithe most keene So in Deaths presence Kings are seene Fl. And art thou so inexorable Death That thou spar'st none bereavest all of breath De. I I spare none not one who ere they be Fl. Alas this seemeth most unjust to mee What dost thou lusty lively youths destroy But newly stept upon the brincke of joy Together with the old decrepid Sire Who worne with age seems every houre t' expire And breathe his last by aches curelesse paines And therefore counts
Who ere thou art under this vizard grim Horrid Hobgoblin-like which dost beset And thus unseas'nably our household fret And fright and much disquiet our sweet rest Know this that thou canst nought at all molest Or terrifie my soule no though thou bring A thousand deadly darts and dost them fling With utmost furie and this Court surround Yet with least feare thou never canst me wound What though my carnall Mayde the flesh be frighted For shee 's indeed with nicenesse o're-delighted And unacquainted with so grim aspects And such unpleasing spectacles neglects Yet my prepared soule shakes off such feares And all such frights as buzing-flyes out-beares Then cut off all delayes make plaine relation What is thy name and proper compellation De. I fright not folkes with any Titles strange Nor yet with many mighty names doe range My name is short yet sharp to what hath breath And I by all am vulgarly call'd Death So. 'T is very well Fl. But fare you well were better His hideous presence does me feare and fetter De. But Lady if you please I will more plaine Explaine my selfe I to the heavenly Traine Am hasty-Herald Bodies Dissolution Th' Inevitable-End The Resolution Of all things And the Robber of Mankinde To thee being sent thee friendly to unbinde And set at liberty this thy nice-Mayd The flesh to see in her Sepulture layd Fl. What Sepulture I pray De. An earthly bed With a clay-pillow underneath thy head Fl. I have no need of such a Chamberlaine To make a Bed for me so coorse and plaine I have already beds more soft and sweet And than thy bed for mâ— me thinks more meet So. I think you meane the Grave to be your bed De. You think most true hit the nayle o' th head This I have ready made then let your Mayd Goe downe with me for therefore have I stayd And therefore am I hither come to thee And this demand is thus commanded me So. Nor may I such Commission disobey Fl. O my deere Mistresse send him soone away O will you now forsake me O wherein Have I so farre to you offensive bin Thus to be left have I not still regarded And done your will and must be thus rewarded Peace Mayd we must resistlesse-Fate obay Death is not sent to be sent backe with Nay And surely if thou soundly didst conceive And rightly weigh these things thou wouldst perceive And see and say that thus thou much dost gaine Rather than any detriment sustaine Fl. O when shall I this Paradoxe hold true So. When sense doth yeeld and reason doth subdue Fl. Must then my sense to reason so submit So. I by all meanes it is most just and fit Fl. O strange then what have you my Mistresse done Who have bin still by my perswasions won And all this while to them have lent your eare Listning to me your Mayde without all feare Whiles I my selfe was wholly led along And taken up with lustfull senses strong I still was angling with this hooke and bait And you to catch it greedily did waite Thus you with least allurements I could traine From Prayers to Playes things sacred to prophane Thus not your reason but my carnall-sense Led you along with fearelesse confidence Why then doe you now reason so much presse Which you your selfe so long did thus transgresse So. O Mayden Mayden this is it indeed â—hat makes me now so willing to be freed And thee forsake unlesse my soule I 'll kill â— freely must confesse I did thy will But O my soule thou hast an Inmate bin Too long alas in this darke house of sin Yet be not sorry that I now must leave thee And that thy Mother Earth must now receive thee â—Whence first I thee received as my friend And whither now I doe thee recommend For 't is that I may thee enjoy againe A body farre more faire without least stayne Fl. Is 't possible that I can fairer be By lying in the earth disioyn'd from thee Who but a mad man can beleeve this thing â—hat such a place should glistring beauty bring â—nd make my flesh more faire where earth 's my bed â—he Grave 's my house and wormes on me are fed So. Yet thus 't will be For dost thou not now find â—hat sleepe makes thee of livelier fresher minde Fl. What then So. What sleep is that is death also Fl. But death is too too long a sleepe I trow So. Why shouldst thou judge so who would think sleeps Too long whom in her armes his Mother keeps Fl. Rather his Step-dame who 'd not that refuse So. Thou dost thy Mother most unkindly use Is not the Earth thy naturall-mother just From thence thou cam'st thither returne thou must Thou hitherto art most unworthy knowne Of my aboad with thee and kindnesse showne I have but us'd thee as an Inne by th' way Wherein although I peradventure may Lodge for a night yet may not there remaine Feare not to die then death shall be thy gaine Since t is a Passage and sets-ope the gate Of a more happie life more blessed state De. Forbeare I pray these tedious altercations Death cannot suffer such procrastinations Many great tasks on me imposed are Which I must expedite with speciall care So. And we will readily heavens will obay Onely forbeare a little while I pray Till I have made my Maid more fit for thee For she is nice and timorous you see And is much frighted at thy fearfull face Stand by therefore I pray a little space Till I but onely her more plâ—ant make To thy unwelcome message and to take My wholsome counsels admonitions free Which being done I will most readie be To tread the foot-steps of that Gorgias grave In sweet desire my passage forth to have Who being asked once if willingly He was content to leave this life and dye Answer'd Yes truly For I go hence glad As from a rotten ruin'd Cottage bad De. I pray proceed then and perform your mind So. Come neere my Flesh to me thy Mrs. kinde Prepare thy plyant eares and facile heart To these last precepts which I 'le now impart Fl. Deare Mistresse speake for whatsoere you say I ready am to heare to grant obay So. Friends parting-words most inly penetrate And â—he sad sighes they then ejaculate Do in the hearers heart stampe deepe impression And make them yeeld farre more intent concession We both are now a long-farewell to take And I from thee and thou from me must make A separation and disunion large Come hither then and heare my parting-charge Prepare and fit thy selfe forthwith for Death Before he fiercely comes to stop thy breath Forsake those pleasures wherewith heretofore Thou wast engaged yea ingulft all ore Leave them I say and being left despise them And henceforth as thy souls chiefe murtherers prize them And now the small remains of time yet lent To gaine thy God in Christ let whole be spent The fight is short the victory is
see me whom I need to feare Tusâ— God my faults does not in mem'ry beare Vaine most profane are all such thoughts as these Shall not the eyes-creator see with ease And shall not he that made the eare soone heare Or He that plants the heart know all things cleare All things to his Omniscience naked are Fly from the field to th' towne with frighted care Out of the street into thy house make haste Thence though thou be in thy bed-chamber plac'd Yet know that I by thy Creators will Within thee rest and am thy witnesse still Whom if thou with an evill-eye behold To use those words to me thou wilt be bold Of Ahab to Elias impiously What hast thou found me O mine enemie And I most readily shall answer thee I have thee found and must against thee be 'Cause thou hast sold thy selfe to worke what 's iâ—â— Before the Lord which does thy guilt fulfill Behold therefore I now against thee rise And bring upon thee purchas'd miseries Ma. Alas I then perceive our foule offences Are most unsafe though daub'd with faire pretences Con. What though they could be safe in their commission If yet they bring thee to unsure condition Or what good comes to sinners by being hid If guilt to hope so long does them forbid Ma. Enforme me then good Conscience how I may Make thee my gladsome witnesse in me stay Con. The best and briefest counsell I can give Is thee t' advise a holy-life to live A life inculpable of crying-crimes Vnspotted with the evils of the times A life declaring power of godlinesse A life that heavenly graces doth expresse By dying to all lusts and foule desires By doing all good-deeds that love requires By giving freely what to each belongs Forgiving friendly all received wrongs Not coveting what is anothers right To do as thou'dst be done by with delight By shunning that which makes the soule to dye Chusing what makes it live eternally Ma. These are hard tasks and bitter lessons sure And such as flesh and bloud cannot endure Con. O but it will be farre more harsh and hard T' endure the worme of Conscience and be barr'd And shut out from the Beatifick-sight Of Gods all-cheering face and beauty bright Which paine of losse doth doubtlesse farre excell All other the most horrid paines of hell Namely to be both torne and tortur'd there To be distracted and distrest with feare Where neither the tormentors tyred be Nor those tormented ever death can see Ma. Alas that Death 's most dire and tart indeed Ah shew me how I may from it be freed Con. The onely-way is to the world to dye Before thy soule out of this world doth flye Ma. What must this spacious specious Aedifice Adorn'd with rarities of precious price Full of so many various curious pleasures The onely magazine of so much treasures Must this I say be vilipended so Must I this world so rare so faire forgo Con. Vndoubtedly if thou in these delight With deadly danger they thy soule will smite For look how much the flesh this world affects And the false-seeming-sweets thereof respects So much the more the soule will be perplext And with the fire of hell be plagu'd and vext On th' other side How much the flesh is tam'd So much the soule with heavenly hope is flam'd Ma. But yet we see all men do still desire The present-state t is this they most require Con. But yet I know t is far the worst condition T' enjoy things-present in a full fruition But therewithall to be quite stript and bare Of future-comforts to have part or share O t is most sweet onely the world to use But God alone t' enjoy and chiefe to chuse Thou hast not in this world a fixed station Nor here must ever have thy habitation Who then can sing his Song in a strange-land Who would build Castles on the sinking-sand Alas we here our selves should so behave That when the wormes did eate our corps in grave Our soules in heaven triumphantly might sing With quires of Saints and Angels to heav'ns King Thither our spirit ever should ascend Whither we do propound our journies-end Thither we should make speedy haste yea flie Where we shall ever live and nere-more die Dost thou pure gold nere to be spent desire Eternall-life which never ends require The land of Havilah in Paradise Hath in it store of gold of precious price T is Earth thou bear'st that thou must leave behinde T is earth thou tear'st that thou must nere-more mind But t is a land thou seek'st and would'st receive That is the land which thou shalt never leave Men rather are Gods Stewards than Treasurers Riches therefore upon them He conferres What then we reape we piously should sowe And liberally and lovingly bestow That this true faith and due obedience Might be repayd with heav'nly recompence The things we give are small and not our owne Those we shall have are great and from Gods throne Mâ—n whose affections are celestiall Are justly stil'd Angels terrestriall And no man shall hereafter God possesse In whom God dwels not here by holinesse If Sathan Prince of earth hath thy least part God King of heav'n will not dwell in thy heart The spirit of evill then cast out disdaine That so thou mayst Gods Spirit entertaine Remember whence thou cam'st thine offspring base And this will make thee blush and hide thy face Consider where thou art and sigh for wo And quake to thinke whither thou once must go Ma. All are I know made of one Potters clay And must resolve into the same one day Con. Then every man being mould must into earth Moulder away whence first he took his birth Ma. Nothing 's more true Con. And Flesh is but a froth Cloth'd with fraile beauty a meere menstruous cloth Man T is even so I can it not denie Con. Why then dost thou so fat and beautifie That Flesh of thine which after a short while Must be devour'd in grave by wormes most vile But as for thy poore soule thou let'st it pine Nor dost with good works make it faire and fine Which thus to God and 's Angels thou shouldst show Thou dost not sure the price of thy soule know Man Yes very well Con. I feare the contrarie For else thou wouldst not it so vilifie Know this O Man know this I say to thee The losse of one soule greater losse to be Than of a thousand bodies for t is plaine Bodies may be reviv'd that have bin slaine But O the soule which once by sinne is dead Can never be to life recovered But by a miracle Christs bloud apply'd Which cannot be where it is still deny'd O then behold and blush to see thy sloth Or rather sinfull sottishnesse or both In thus preferring barke before the tree Shels 'fore the kernels flesh 'fore the soule in me Not onely blush at this but sigh and groane Whiles thou considerest how th' art left alone Here in
abroad affect With rich and rare apparell I am deckt Which of the newest fashion must be made Whereby beholders eyes on me are stayd With gazing admiration and thus I Admire my selfe as much as passers-by If I my flesh to pamper doe delight My Table ready furnisht is in sight With luscious cates and delicates most deare With all choice rarities that make good cheere If I be farre from Sea I Fish affect If neere the Sea I Flesh doe most respect There 's nothing new but I long for it have it Nothing so costly but my lust doth crave it If I a Dancing-match or Play would see Thither I haste where thickest clusters be Nor can the Mimicke-Actors give content Nor fond Spectatours be to pleasure bent If I be absent For in publike meetings Where I see vanity use pleasing greetings There I am quickly present there I finde Not any but is prest to please my minde My pleasant presence yeeldeth such delight That all things are most joviall in my sight Con. Hence I collect that sins most prompt intention Is exercis'd in Actions of Invention Sin You hit the very white For sinne is ever Pregnant and active and is idle never But one thing from another still begets And so an edge upon her Lovers whets Con. Nay rather sinne makes them the more secure Security does them to sloth enure Sin What if it doe with this soft lethargie Whiles I doe mine thus cocker cunningly I tye them closelier to me every day They are my shades and follow me each way They are my Souldiers and will for me fight They as good servants serve me with delight And so much they expresse to me their love And their firme stedfâ—stnesse to me approve That like good Citizens they readily Will lose their liues to prop my liberty Nor thinke they any toyle too much they take To shew themselves obsequious for my sake For they which love or labour not at all Or love their labour or account it small Con. But certainly nothing doth sooner fade And putrifie than love thus weakely laid Since all thy promises so goodly thought Like snow before the sunne doe come to nought Nay rather to the soule that in them joyes They bring a deadly sting and dire annoyes Sin Dost thou not think my promise prevalent Con. Yes for who ere is thereof confident Is pressed downe t'eternall-t'eternall-Death thereby For this men finde by most sad certainty That nought is worse than sinners Happinesse That ther 's no woe where is no wickednesse Sin But one among a thousand let me see That is of this severe conceit with thee Con. Ah though I cannot one 'mongst many show Yet more 's their madnesse and sure overthrow Sin This is your censure who thinks so beside T' enjoy things present all doe best abide And ever have done so Let them that feare For future and contingent cases care Better 's one Bird in hand than two i' th bush Future uncertainties who'll prize a Rush Things present being pleasant in our sight Are therefore more desir'd and most delight Con. Hence 't is indeed that men so dote and erre Hence they their Syrene-pleasures so preferre Because they walke not here by faith but sense Hurryed along with loose improvidence But if they did consider seriously This life to be a perpetuity Of sad repentance since all vices here The longer us'd the stronger doe appeare And what they loose by thus observing thee And what they get by being from thee free How little would they joy how much lament How little time of grace would be mis-pent With how small pleasure and how slender joy They thus incurre perpetuall annoy Whereas if all that ere from Adam came And all of these were Preachers of choice fame And all these Preachers hels least-pains should preach These all could not hels least paine fully reach Nor can it be imagined or knowne What parts from torture there will be alone And that no anguish of all temp'rall smart May to th' eternall woes which pierce the heart Of damned soules in Hell compared be If these and such like things men right would see And seriously consider nothing then O thou prodigious mischiefe of all men Nothing I say would they account or deeme More foule than thee nothing more base esteeme And so would shunne thee as a snake i'th'way Or as a Viper on their hands that lay Yea though they knew which then man does not know That God for such a sinne would mercy show Yet for sins filth and selfe most odiousnesse Men would abhorre and hate so to transgresse S. Forbeare I pray whence gush these great coÌ„plaints C. Sins curst incroachmeÌ„ts are their chiefe coÌ„straints By whose most impious charmes and flatteries faire Men into bruit beasts metamorphiz'd are Who doffing their most due humanity Put on most belluall inconcinnity For unto whom that hath his eyes in 's head Is it not palpably discovered How chastity is hazarded in pleasures Humility quite lost in beaps of treasures How piety is choakt in worlds-affaires How truth by tatling fals on lying-snares How charity by this worlds bravery Is froze to death or turn'd to knavery Sin Tush tush these hazards little trouble me C. Yet thou them breed'st they my burthens be Sin I rather thinke this thy minds maladie Proceeds from selfe-pusillanimitie Thou hast it seemes a stomacke queazie sick On which each little mote does nauseous-stick And that which others hold a tender sprig Precisely thou count'st than a Beame more big Con. A soft and tender-conscience man must cherish Not bruise or breake it and so make it perish Sin Well go-to then If thou so tender be Why art thou not to my delights more free Con. Because thy pleasures make my heart more sad Nor any true content in them is had Such an apertion or by-way to joy Is joyes desertion high-way to annoy Such toyes and trifles best effects of vice Can't a good-conscience to thy lure entice But tell me did'st thou never heare or know Good conscience price bad-conscience plague and wo Sin I never knew of eithers price or paine Con. Now then thou shalt and understand them plaine Good-conscience is a cabinet of treasure An everlasting-feast full of true-pleasure Contrariwise than conscience-naught and bad A greater plague and paine cannot be had For it hath made a finall-separation Twixt it and peace and constant contentation For as to good-men goodnesse is rich gaine So wickednesse is wicked-mens dire paine Sin This thy precisenesse and austerity Will never suffer thee live cheerfully Con. O farre be it that any should suppose Such joy in Sin as from sweet vertue grows Whose rich reward is God himselfe no lesse Who vertue gives to those whom He will blesse In whom my joy is safe lockt-up and hid In whose exchange who ever would me bid The world and all its pleasures in my hand Yea though they were in number as sea-sand Yet should they not my heart allure to leave