life of all that liues Eternall Bountie which each good thing giues How could Death mounte so hie No wit this Point can reach Faith onely doth vs teach For vs Hee dyed at all who could not dye LIfe to giue life depriued is of Life And Death display'd hath Ensigne against Death So violent the Rigour was of Death That nought could daunte it but the Life of Life No Power had Pow'r to thrall Lifes Pow'rs to Death But willinglie Life downe hath layed Life Loue gaue the wound which wrought this worke of Death His Bow and Shafts were of the Tree of Life Now quakes the Author of eternall Death To finde that they whom earst he reâ—t of Life Shall fill his Roome aboue the listes of Death Now all rejoyce in Death who hope for Life Dead IESVS lyes who Death hath kill'd by Death No Tombe his Tombe is but new Source of Life RIse from those fragrant Climes thee now embrace Vnto this World of ours O haste thy Race Faire Sunne and though contrarie wayes all yeare Thou hold thy course now with the highest Spheare Ioyne thy blew Wheeles to hasten Time that lowres And lazie Minutes turne in perfect Houres The Night and Death too long a league haue made To stow the World in Horrors vglie shade Shake from thy Lockes a Day with saffron rayes So faire that it out-shine all other dayes And yet doe not presume great Eye of light To be that which this Day must make so bright See an eternall Sunne hastes to arise Not from the Easterne blushing Seas or Skies Or any stranger Worlds Heauens Concaues haue But from the Darknes of an hollow Graue And this is that all-powerfull Sunne aboue That crown'd thy Browes with Rayes first made thee moue Lights Trumpetters yee need not from your Bowres Proclaime this Day this the angelicke Powres Haue done for you But now an opall hew Bepaintes Heauens Christall to the longing view Earths late hid Colours glance Light doth adorne The World and weeping Ioy forth comes the Morne And with her as from a Lethargicke Transe Breath com'd againe that Bodie doth aduance Which two sad Nights in rocke lay coffin'd dead And with au iron Guard invironed Life out of Death Light out of Darknessâ— springs From a base Iaile forth comes the King of kings What late was mortall thrall'd to euerie woe That lackeyes life or vpon sense doth grow Immortall is of an eternall Stampe Farre brighter beaming than the morning Lampe So from a blacke Ecclipse outâ—peares the Sunne Such when a huge of Dayes haue on her runne In a farre Forest in the pearlie East And shee her selfe hath burnt and spicie Nest The lonlie Bird with youthfull Pennes and Combe Doth soare from out her Cradle and her Tombe So a small seed that in the Earth lies hidde And dies reviâ—ing burstes her cloddie Side Adorn'd with yellow Lockes of new is borne And doth become a Mother great with Corne Of Graines brings hundreths with it which when old Enrich the Furrowes with a Sea of Gold Haile holie Victor greatest Victor haile That Hell dost raâ—sacke against Death preuaile O how thou long'd for comes with Iubeling cries The all-triumphing Palladines of Skies Salute thy rising Earth would Ioyes no more Beare if thou rising didst them not restore A sillie Tombe should not his Flesh enclose Who did Heauens trembling Tarasses dispose No Monument should such a Iewell hold No Rocke though Rubye Diamond and Gold Thou onelie pittie didst vs humane Race Bestowing on vs of thy freeâ—giuen Grace More than wee forfaited and loosed first In Edens Rebell when wee were accurst Then Earth our portion was Earths Ioyes but giuen Earth and Earths Blisse thou hast exchang'd with Heauen O what a hight of good vpon vs streames From the great splendor of thy Bounties Beames When we deseru'd shame horrour flames of wrath Thou bled our wounds and suffer didst our Death But Fathers Iustice pleas'd Hell Death o'rcome In triumph now thou risest from thy Tombe With Glories which past Sorrowes contervaile Haile holy Victor greatest Victor haile Hence humble sense and hence yee Guides of sense Wee now reach Heauen your weake intelligence And searching Pow'rs were in a flash made dim To learne from all eternitie that him The Father bred then that hee heere did come His Bearers Parent in a Virgins Wombe But then when sold betray'd crown'd scourg'd with Thorne Naill'd to a Tree all breathlcsse bloodlesse torne Entomb'd him risen from a Graue to finde Confounds your Cunning turnes like Moles you blinde Death theu that heeretofore still barren wast Nay didst each other Birth eate vp and waste Imperious hatefull pittilesse vniust Vnpartiall equaller of all with dust Sterne Executioner of heauâ—nlie doome Made fruitfull now Lifes Mother art become A sweete reliefe of Cares the Soule molest An Harbenger to Glorie Peace and Rest Put off thy mourning Weedes yeeld all thy Gall To daylie sinning Life proud of thy fall Assemble thy Captiues bide all haste to rise And euerie Corse in earth-quakes where it lies Sound from each flowrie Graue and rockie Iaile Haile holy Victor greatest Victor haile The World that waâ—ning late and faint did lie Applauding to our Ioyes thy Victorie To a yong Prime essayes to turne againe And as ere soyl'd with Sinne yet to remaine Her chilling Agâ—es shee beginnes to misse All Blisse returning with the LORD of Blisse With greater light Heauens Temples opened shine Mornes smiling rise Euens blushing doe decline Cloudes dappled glister boistrous Windes are calme Soft Zephyres doe the Fields with sighes embalme In ammell blew the Sea hath â—usht his Râ—ares And with enamour'd Curles doth kisse the Shoares All-bearing Earth like a new-married Queene Her Beauties hightenes in a Gowne of Greene Perfumes the Aire her Meades are wrought with Flowres In colours various figures smelling powres Trees wantone in the Groues with leauie Lockes Her Hilles empampred stand The Vales the Rockes Ring peales of Ioy her Floods and pratling Brookes Starres liquid Mirrors with serpinting Crookes And whispering murmures sound vnto the Maine That Worlds pure Age returned is againe The honnye People leaue their golden Bâ—wres And innocentlie pray on budding Flowres In gloomie Shades pearcht on the tender Sprayes The painted Singers fill the Aire with Layes Seas Floods Earth Aire all diuerslie doe sound Yet all their diuerse Notes hath but one ground Re-echoed heeredowne from Heauens azure Vaile Haile holy Victor greatest Victor haile O Day on which Deathes Adamantine Chaine The LORD did breake ransacking Satans Raigne And in triumphing Pompe his Trophees rear'd Be thou blest euer henceforth still endear'd With Name of his owne Day the Law to Grace Types to their substance yeeld to thee giue place The old New-Moones with all festiuall Dayes And what aboue the rest deserueth praise The reuerend Saboath what could else they bee Than golden Heraulds telling what by thee Wee should enjoy shades past now shine thou cleare And henceforth be thou Empresse of the yeare This
that the marble colours of Obsequies Weeping and funerall Pompe which wee our selues cast ouer it did adde much more Gastlinesse vnto it than otherwayes it hath To averre which conclusion when I had gathered my wandring Thoughts I beganne thus with my Selfe If on the great Theater of this Earth amongst the numberlesse number of men To die were onely proper to thee and thine then vndoubtedlie thou hadst reason to repine at so seuere and partiall a Law But since it is a necessitie from the which neuer an Age by-paâ—â— hath beene exempted and vnto which they which bee and so many as are to come are thralled no consequent of Life being more common and familiar Why shouldst thou with vnprofitable and nought availing stubbornnesse oppose to so vneuitable and necessarie a Condition this is the high-way of Mortalitie our generall home behold what Millions haue trod it before thee what Multitudes shall after thee with them which at that same instant runne In so vniversall a calamitie if Death be one priuate Complaints cannot bee heard with so many royall Palaces it is no losse to see thy poore Caban burne Shall the Heauens stay their euer-rolling Wheeles for what is the motion of them but the motion of a swift and euer-whirling Wheele which twineth forth and againe vprolleth our life and hold still time to prolong thy miserable dayes as if the highest of their working were to doe homage vnto thee Thy death is a peece of the order of this All a part of the Life of this World for while the World is the World some Creatures must dye others take life Eternall things are raised far aboue this Spheare of Generation Corruption where the first Matter like an euer-flowing ebbing Sea with diuerse waues but the same water keepeth a restles and neuer-tyring current what is below in the vniuersalitie of the kind not in it selfe doth abide Man a long line of years hath continued This Man euerie hundreth is swept away This Globe enuironed with aire is the sole Region of Death the Graue where euerie thing that taketh Life must rotte the Stage of Fortune and Change onelie glorious in the vnconstancie and varying alterations of it which though manie seeme yet to abide one and being a certaine entire one are euer many The neuer-agreeing bodies of the elementall Brethren turne one in another the Earth changeth her countenance with the Seasons some-times looking colde and naked other times hote and flowrie Nay I cannot tell how but euen the lowest of those celestiall bodies that mother of monthes and Empresse of seas and moisture as if shee were a Mirror of our constant mutabiltie appeareth by her too great nearnesse vnto vs to participate of our changes neuer seeing vs twice with that same Face now looking blacke then pale and wanne some-times againe in the perfection and fulnesse of her beautie shining ouer vs. Death no lesse than Life doth heere act a part the taking away of what is old beeing the making a way for what is young They which fore-went vs did leaue a Roome for vs and should we grieue to doe the same to those which should come after vs who beeing suffered to see the exquisite rarities of an Antiquaries Cabinet is grieued that the curtaine bee drawne to giue place to new Pilgrimes and when the Lord of this Vniuerse hath shewed vs the amazing wonders of his various frame should wee take it to heart when hee thinketh time to dislodge This is His vnalterable and vneuitable Decree as wee had no part of our will in our entrance into this Life wee should not persume of anie in our leauing it but soberlie learne to will that which hee wills whose verie willing giueth beeing to all that it wills and reuerencing the Orderer not repine at the order and Lawes which all-where and all-wayes are so perfectlie establiâ—hed that who would essay to correct and amend any of them should either make them worse or desire thinges beyond the Leuell of Possibilitie If thou dost complaine that there shall bee a time in the which thou shalt not bee why dost thou not too grieue that there was a time in the which thou wast not and so that thou are not as old as that enlifening Planet of time for not to haue beene a thousand yeares before this moment is as much to bee deplored as not to be a thousand after it the effect of them both beeing one that will bee after vs which long long ere wee were was Our childrens children haue that same reason to murmure that they were not yong men in our dayes which wee haue to complaine that wee shall not bee old in theirs The Violets haue their time though they empurple not the Winter and the Roses keepe their season though they disclose not their beautie in the Spring Empires States Kingdomes haue by the doome of the supreame prouidence their fatall Periods great Cities lie â—adlie buried in their dust Arts and Sciences haue not onelie their Eclipses but their wainings and deaths the gastlie wonders of the world raised by the ambition of ages are ouer-throwne and trampled some Lights aboue not idlie intitled Starres are loosed and neuer more seene of vs The excellent Fabrike of this Uniuerse it selfe shall one day suffer ruine or a change like a ruine and poore Earthlings thus to bee handled complaine But is this Life so great a good that the lose of it should bee so deare vnto Man if it bee the meanest Creatures of Nature thus bee happie for they liue no lesse than hee If it bee so great a felicitie how is it esteemed of Man himselfe at so small a rate that for so poore gaines nay one disgracefull word hee will not stand to loose it what excellencie is there in it for the which hee should desire it perpetuall and repine to bee at rest and returne to his old Grand-mother Dust of what moment are the labours and actions of it that the interruption and leauing off of them should bee to him so distastfull and with such grudging lamentations receiued Is not the entring into Life weaknesse the continuing sorrow in the one hee is exposed to all the injuries of the Elements and like a condemned trespasser as if it were a fault to come to the light no sooner borne than manacled and bound in the other hee is restlesly like a Ball tossed in the Tenis-court of this world when he is in the brightest Meridian of his glorie there mistereth nothing to destroy him but to let him fall his owne hight a reflex of the Sunne a blast of wind nay the glance of an eye is sufficient to vndoe him How can that bee any great matter which so small instruments and slender actions are maisters of His Bodie is but a masse of discording humors boyled together by the conspiring influences of superior Lights which though agreeing for a trace of time yet can neuer bee made vniforme and keept in a just proportion
and Wrath And euerie drowsie languor heere beneath It turning deniz'd Citizen of Skie To haue more knowledge than all Bookes containe All Pleasures euen surmounting wishing Powre The fellowship of Gods immortall Traine And these that Time nor force shall e're deuoure If this be Death what Ioy what golden care Of Life can with Deathes ouglinesse compare AMidst the azure cleare Of Iordans sacred Streames Iordan of Libanon the off-spring deare When Zephires flowres vnclose And Sunne shines with new Beames With graue and statelie grace a Nymphe arose Vpon her Head shee ware Of Amaranthes a Crowne Her left hand Palmes her right a Brandâ—n bare Vnvail'd Skinnes whitenesse lay Gold haires in Curles hang downe Eyes sparkled Ioy more bright than starre of Day The Flood a Throne her rear'd Of Waues most like that Heauen Where beaming Starres in Glorie turne ensphear'd The Aire stood calme and cleare No Sigh by Windes was giuen Birdes left to sing Heards feed her voice to heare World-wandring sorrie Wights Whom no thing can content VVithin these varying liâ—ts of Dayes nad Nights VVhose life ere knowne amisse In glittering Griefes is spent Come learne said shee what is your choisest Blisse From Toyle and pressing Cares How yee may respit finde A Sanctuarie from Soule-thralling Snares A Port to harboure sure In spight of waues and winde VVhich shall when Times Houre-glasse is runne endure Not happie is that Life Which yee as happie hold No but a Sea of feares a field of strife Charg'd on a Throne to sit With Diademes of Gold Preseru'd by Force and still obseru'd by Wit Huge Treasures to enjoy Of all her Gemmes spoyle Inde All Seres silke in Garments to imploy Deliciouslie to feed The Phoenix plumes to finde To rest vpon or decke your purple Bed Fraile Beautie to abuse And wanton Sybarites On past or present touch of sense to muse Neuer to heare of Noise But what the Eare delites Sweet Musicks charmes or charming flatterers voice Nor can it Blisse you bring Hidde Natures Depthes to know Why matter changeth whence each forme doth spring Nor that your Fame should range And after-Worlds it blow From TaÌ„naÌ„is to Nile from Nile to Gange All these haue not the Powre To free the Minde from feares Nor hiddeous horror can allay one howre When Death in steale doth glance In Sicknesse lurke or yeares And wakes the Soule from out her mortall Trance No but blest life is this With chaste and pure Desire To turne vnto the load-starre of all Blisse On GOD the Minde to rest Burnt vp with sacred Fire Possessing him to bee by him possest When to the baulmie East Sunne doth his light imparte Or when hee diueth in the lowlie West And rauisheth the Day With spotlesse Hands and Hart Him chearefullie to praise and to him pray To heed each action so As euer in his sight More fearing doing ill than passiue woe Not to seeme other thing Than what yee are aright Neuer to doe what may Repentance bring Not to bee blowne with Pride Nor mou'd at Glories breath Which Shadow-like on wings of Time doth glide So Malice to disarme And conquere hastie Wrath As to doe good to those that worke your harme To hatch no base Desires Or Gold or Land to gaine Well pleas'd with what by Vertue one acquires To haue the Wit and Will Consorting in one Straine Than what is good to haue no higher skill Neuer on Neighbours well With Cocatrices Eye To looke nor make an others Heauen your Hell Not to be Beauties Thrall All fruitlesse Loue to flie Yet louing still a Loue transcending all A Loue which while it burnes The Soule with fairest Beames In that vncreatde Sunne the Soule it turnes And makes such Beautie proue That if Sense saw her Gleames All lookers on would pine and die for loue VVho such a life doth liue Yee happie euen may call Ere ruthlesse Death a whished end him giue And after then when giuen More happie by his fall For Humanes Earth enioying Angels Heauen Swift is your mortall Race And glassie is the Field Vaste are Desires not limited by Grace Life a weake Tapper is Then while it light doth yeeld Leaue flying Ioyes embrace this lasting Blisse This when the Nymph had said Shee diu'd within the Flood VVhose Face with smyling Curles long after staid Then Sighes did Zephyres presse Birdes sang from euerie VVood And Ecchoes rang this was true Happinesse AN HYMNE OF THE FAIREST FAIRE I Feele my Bosome glow with wontlesse Fires Rais'd from the vulgar preasse my Mind aspires Wing'd with high Thoughis vnto his praise to clime From deepe Eternitie who call'd forth Time That Essence which not mou'd makes each thing moue Vncreatde Beautie all-creating Loue But by so great an obiect radiant light My Heart appall'd enfeebled restes my Sight Thicke Cloudes benighte my labouring Ingine And at my high attempts my Wits repine If thou in mee this sacred Rapture wrought My Knowledge sharpen Sarcells lend my Thought Grant mee Times Father world-containing King A Pow'r of thee in pow'rfull Layes to sing That as thy Beautie in Earth liues Heauen shines It dawning may or shadow in my Lines As farre beyond the starrie walles of Heauen As is the loftiest of the Planets seuen Sequestred from this Earth in purest light Out-shining ours as ours doth sable Night Thou all-sufficient Omnipotent Thou euer-glorious most excellent GOD various in Names in Essence one High art enstalled on a golden Throne Out-reaching Heauens wide Vastes the Bounds of nought Transcending all the Circles of our Thought With diamantine Scepter in thy Hand There thou giu'st Lawes and dost this World command This World of Concords raisde vnliklie sweet Which like a Ball lies prostrate to thy Feet If so wee may well say and what wee say Heere wrapt in flesh led by dimme Reasones ray To show by earthlie Beauties which wee see That spirituall Excellence that shines in thee Good Lord forgiue not farre from thy right Side With curled Lockes Youth euer doth abide Rose-checked Youth who garlanded with Flowres Still blooming ceasleslie vnto thee powres Immortall Nectar in a cuppe of Gold That by no darts of Ages thou grow old And as ends and beginnings thee not clame Successionlesse that thou be still the same Neare to thy other side resistlesse Might From Head to Foot in burnisht Armour dight That ringes about him with a waâ—ing Brand And watchfull Eye great Sentinell doth stand That neither Time nor force in ought impaire Thy Workmanshippe nor harme thine Empire faire Soone to giue Death to all againe that would Sterne Discord raise which thou destroide of old Discord that foe to order Nurse of Warre By which the noblest things dimolisht are But catife shee no Treason doth deuise When Might to nought doth bring her enterprise Thy all-vpholding Might her Malice raines And her in Hell throwes bound in iron Chaines With Lockes in waues of Gold that ebbe and flow On yâ—orie necke in Robes more white than Snow Truth
great vnto thee and great things small Follie appeareth Wisedome and Wisedome Follie. Fred of thy fleshlie care thou shalt rightlie discerne the beautie of thy selfe and haue perfect fruition of that all-sufficient and all-suffizing Happinesse which is GOD himselfe to whom thou owest thy being to Him thou owest thy well being He and Happinesse are the same For if GOD had not Happinesse Hee were not GOD because Happinesse is the highest and greatest Good If then GOD haue Happinesse it can not bee a a thing differing from Him for if there were any thing in Him differing from Him Hee should bee an essence composed and not simple more what is differing in any thing is either an accident or a part of it selfe In GOD Happinesse can not bee an accident because Hee is not subject to anie accidents if it were a part of Him since the part is before the whole wee should bee forced to grant that some thing was before GOD. Bedded and bathed in these earthlie ordures thou canst not come neare this soueraigne Good nor haue any glimpse of the farre-off dawning of his vncessable brightnesse no not so much as the eyes of the Birds of the night haue of the Sunne Thinke then by Death that thy shell is broken and thou then but euen hatched that thou art a Pearle raised from thy Mother to bee enchaced in Gold and that the death-day of thy body is thy birth-day to Eternitie Why shouldst thou bee feare-stroken and discomforted for thy parting from this mortall Bride thy bodie sith it is but for a tyme and such a time as shee shall not care for nor feele any thing in nor thou haue much neede of her Nay sith thou shalt receiue her againe more goodly and beautifull than when in her fullest perfection thou enjoyed her beeing by her absence made like vnto that Indian Christall which after some reuolutions of Ages is turned into purest Diamond If the Soule bee the forme of the Bodie and the forme separated from the matter of it can not euer so continue but is inclined and disposed to be reunited thereinto What can let and hinder this desire but that some time it bee accomplished and obtaining the exspected end rejoyne it selfe againe vnto the bodie The Soule separate hath a desire because it hath a will and knowes it shall by this reunion receiue perfection too as the matter is disposed and inclineth to its forme when it is without it so would it seeme that the Forme should be towards its matter in the absence of it How is not the Soule the forme of the bodie fith by it it is and is the beginning and cause of all the actions and functions of it For though in excellencie it passe euerie other forme yet doth not that excellencie take from it the nature of a forme If the abiding of the Soule from the bodie be violent then can it not bee euerlasting but haue a regresse How is not such an estate of beeing and abiding not violent to the Soule if it bee naturall to it to be in matter and separate after a strange manner many of the powers and faculties of it which neuer leaue it are not duelie exercised This Vnion seemeth not aboue the Horizon of naturall reason farre lesse imposible to bee done by GOD and though Reason can not euidentlie heere demonstrate yet hath shee a mistie and groping notice If the bodie shall not arise how can the onelie Soueraigne Good be perfectlie and infinitlie good For how shall hee bee just nay haue so much justice as Man if Hee suffer the euill and vicious to haue a more prosperous and happie life than the followers of Religion and Vertue which ordinarlie vseth to fall forth in this life For the most wicked are Lords and Gods of this Earth sleeping in the lee port of honour as if the spacious habitation of the World had beene made onelie for them and the Vertuous and good are but forlorne cast-awayes floting in the surges of distresse seeming heere either of the eye of prouidence not pityed or not regarded beeing subject to all dishonours wronges wrackes in their best estate passing away their dayes like the Dâ—zies in the Field in silence and contempt Sith then hee is most good must just of necessitie there must bee appointed by him an other time and place of 〈◊〉 in the which there shall bee a reward for leauing well and a punishment for doing euill with a life whereinto both shall receiue their due and not onelie in their Soules diâ—â—â—ted for â—ith both the parts of man did act a part in the right or wrong it carrieth great reason with it that they both bee araigned before that high Iustice to receiue their owne Man is not a Soule onelie but a Soule and Bodie to which either guerdon or punishment is due This seemeth to be the voice of Nature in almost all the Religions of the World this is that generall testimonie charactered in the minds of the most barbarous and sauage people for all haue had some rouing gesses at Ages to come and a dimme duâ—kish light of another life all appealing to one generall Iudgement Throne To what else could serue so many expiations sacrifices prayers solemnities and misticall ceremonies To what such sumptuous Temples and care of the dead to what all Religion If not to showe that they expected a more excellent manner of beeing after the nauigation of this life did take an end And who doth denie it must denie that there is a Prouidence a GOD confesse that his worship and all studie and reason of vertue are vaine and not beleeue that there is a World are creatures and that Hee Himselfe is not what Hee is But it is not of Death perhaps that we complaine but of Tyme vnder the fatall shadow of whose â—inges all things decay and wether This is that Tyrant which executing against vs his diamantine lawes altereth the harmonious constitution of our bodies benumning the Organes of our knowledge turneth our best Senses senslesse makes vs loathsome to others and a burthen to our selues Of which euills Death releiueth vs. So that if wee could bee transported O happie colonie to a place exempted from the lawes and conditions of Tyme where neither change motion nor other affection of materiall and corruptible things were but an immortall vnchangeable impassible all-sufficient kind of life it were the last of things wishible the tearme and center of all our deâ—ires Death maketh this transplantation for the last instant of corruption or leauing off of any thing to bee what it was is the first of generation or beeing of that which succeedeth Death then beeing the end of this miserable transitory life of necessitie must bee the beginning of that other all excellent and eternall And so causleslie of a vertuous Soule it is either feared or complained on As those Images were pourtraited in my minde the morning Starre now almost arising in the East I found my thoughts
Soule sustained by its Maker resolued and calmlie retired in it selfe doth find that Death â—ith it is in a moment of Time is but a short nay sweete sigh and is not worthie the remembrance compared with the smallest dramme of the infinite Felicitie of this Place Heere is the Palace Royall of the Almighty KING in which the vncomprehensible comprehensiblie manifesteth Himselfe in Place highest in substance not subject to any corruption or change for it is aboue all motion and solid turneth not in quantitie greatest for if one Starre one Spheare bee so vast how large how hudge in exceeding demensions must those bounds bee which doe them all containe In quantitie most pure and orient Heauen heere is all but a Sunne or the Sunne all but a Heauen If to Earthlings the Foote-stoole of GOD and that Stage which Hee raised for a small course of Time seemeth so Glorious and Magnificent What estimation would they make if they could see of His eternall Habitation and Throne and if these bee so wonderfull what is the sight of Him for whom and by whom all was created of whose Glorie to behold the thousand thousand part the most pure Intellegences are fullie satiate and with wonder and delight rest amazed for the Beautie of His light and the Light of His Beautie are vncomprehensible Heere doth that earnest appetite of the Vnderstanding content it selfe not seeking to know any more For it seeth before it in the vision of the Diuine essence a Miroiâ— in the which not Images or shadowes but the true and perfect Essence of euerie thing created is more cleare and conspicuous than in it selfe all that may bee knowne or vnderstood Heere doth the Will pause it selfe as in the center of its Eternall rest glowing with a firie affection of that infinite and all-sufficient Good which beeing fullie knowne cannnot for the infinit motiues and causes of loue which are in Him but bee fullie and perfectlie loued As Hee is onelie true and essentiall Bountie so is Hee the onelie essentiall and true Beautie deseruing alone all loue and admiration by which the Creatures are onelie in so much faire and excellent as they participate of His Beautie and excelling Excellencies Heere is a blessed Companie euerie one joying as much in anothers Felicitie as in that which is proper because each seeth another equâ—llie loued of GOD Thus their distinct joyes are no fewer than the copartners of the joye And as the Assemblie is in number answerable to the large capacitie of the Place so are the joyes answerable to the numberlesse number of the Assâ—mblie No poore and pittifull mortall confined on the Globe of Earth who hath neuer seene but sorrow or interchangeablie some painted superficiall pleasures can rightlie thinke on or bee sufficient to conceaue the tearmelesse Delightes of this Place So manie Feathers moue not on Birds so many Birds dint not the Aire so manie leaues tremble not on Trees so manie Trees grow not in the solitarie Forests so manie Waues turne not in the Ocean and so manie graines of Sand limit not those Waues As this triumphant Court hath varietie of Delights and Ioyes exempted from all comparison Happinesse at once heere is fullie knowne and fullie enjoyed and as infinit in continuance as extent Heere is flourishing and neuer-fading youth without Age Strength without Weaknesse Beautie neuer blasting Knowledge without Learning Aboundance without Lothing Peace without Disturbance Participation without Enuy Rest without Labour Light without rising or setting Sunne Perpetuitie without moments for Time which is the measure of endurance did neuer enter in this shining Eternitie Ambition Disdaine Malice difference of Opinions can not approach this Place resembling those foggie mists which couer those Lists of sublunarie thinges All Pleasure paragon'd with what is heere is paine all Mirth mourning all Beautie deformitie Heere one dayes abyding is aboue the continuing in the most fortunate estate on the Earth manie yeeres and sufficient to conteruaile the extreamest torments of Life But although this Blisse of Soules bee great and their joyes many yet shall they admit addition and bee more full and perfect at that long wished and generall meeting with their Bodies Amongst all the wonders of the great Creator not one appeareth to bee more wonderfull replyed I than that our Bodies should arise hauing suffered so many changes and Nature denying a returne from Priuation to a Habit. Such power said hee beeing aboue all that the Vnderstanding of Man can conceaue may well worke such wonders For if Mans Vnderstanding could comprehend all the secretes and counsells of that Eternall Majestie it must of necessitie bee equall vnto it The Author of Nature is not thralled to the lawes of Nature but worketh with them or contrarie to them as it pleaseth Him What Hee hath a will to doe Hee hath a power to performe To that power which brought all this All from nought to bring againe in one instant any substance which euer was into it vnto what it was once should not be thought impossible For who can doe more can doe lesse and His power is no lesse after that which was by Him brought forth is decayed and vanished than it was before it was produced beeing neither restrained to certaine limits or instruments or to any determinate definit manner of working where the power is without restraint the workeadmitteth no other limits than the workers will This World is as a Cabinet to GOD in which the small things how euer to vs hidde and secret are nothing lesse keeped than the great For as Hee was wise and powerfull to create so doth His Knowledge comprehend His own Creation yea euery change and varietie in it of which it is the verie Source Not any Atome of the scattered Dust of mankind though daylie flowing vnder new Formes is to Him vnknowne and His Knowledge doth distinguish and discerne what once His power shall waken and raise vp Why may not the Arts-master of the World like a Molder what he hath framed in diuerse shapes confound in one masse and then seuerally fashion them out of the same Can the Spargiricke by his Arte restore for a space to the dry and withered Rose the naturall Purple and Blush And can not the Almightie raise and refine the bodie of Man after neuer so many alterations on the Earth Reason her selfe finds it more possible for infinit power to cast out from it selfe a finit world and restore any thing in it though decayed and dissolued to what it was first than for Man a finit piece of reasonable miserie to change the forme of matter made to his hand the power of GOD neuer brought forth all that It can for then were it bounded and no more infinit That Time doth approach O haste yee Times away in which the Dead shall liue and the Liuing bee changed and of all actions the Guerdon is at hand Then shall there be an end without an end Time shall finish and Place shall be altered Motion yeelding vnto rest and another World of an Age eternall and vnchangable shall arise Which when Hee had said me thought He vanished and Iâ— all astonished did awake On the Report of the Death of the Author IF that were true which whispered is by Fame That DamoÌ„s light no more on Earth doth burne His Patron Phoebus physicke would disclame And cloth'd in clowds as earst for PhaetoÌ„ mourn Yea Fame by this had got so deepe a Wound That scarce shee could haue power to tell his Death Her Wings cutt short who could her Trumpet sound Whose Blaze of late was nurc'd but by His Breath That Spirit of His which most with mine was free By mutuall trafficke enterchanging Store If chac'd from Him it would haue com'd to mee Where it so oft familiare was before Some secret Griefe distempring first my Minde Had though not knowing made mee feele this losse A Sympathie had so our Soules combind That such a parting both at once would tosse Though such Reports to others terrour giue Thy heauenlie Vertues who did neuer spie I know Thou that canst make the dead to liue Immortall art and needes not feare to die Sir WILLIAM ALEXANDER To S. W. A. THough I haue twice beene at the Doores of Death And twice found shoote those Gates which euer mourne This but a lightning is Truce tane to Breath For late-borne Sorrowes augurre fleet returne Amidst thy sacred Cares and courtlie Toyles Alexis when thou shalt heare wandring Fame Tell Death hath triumph'd o're my mortall Spoiles And that on Earth I am but a sad Name If thou e're held mee deare by all our Loue By all that Blisse those Ioyes Heauen heere vs gaue I conjuâ—e Thee and by the Maides of Ioue To graue this short Remembrance on my Graue Heere Damon lyes whose Songes did some timeâ— grace The murmuring Eske may Roses shade the place To the Memorie of the most excellent Ladie IANE Countesse of Perth THis Beautie which pale Death in Dust did turne And clos'd so soone within a Coffin sad Did passe like Lightning like to Thunder burne So little Life so much of Worth it had Heauens but to show their Might heere made it shine And when admir'd then in the Worlds Disdaine O Teares O Griefe did call it backe againe Lest Earth should vaunt Shee kept what was Diuine What can wee hope for more what more enjoy Sith fairest Things thus soonest haue their End And as on Bodies Shadowes doe attend Sith all our Blisse is follow'd with Annoy Yet She 's not dead She liues where She did loue Her Memorie on Earth Her Soule aboue