weep No Peace no ease no pleasure is all gone Pursu'd with envy and rebellion Whither oh whither are my glories sent Banisht my brest by Act of Parliament Vertue is fled and scar'd into a trance By the ill shape of Bughear ignorance What mists are these that thus eclipse the light Of splendâ—nt truths From whence proceeds this night Of darkening Errors how am I begul'd Of all my joys Nay how am I defil'd With leprous humors On how grief transports My frightned sense what envy 's this resorts Unto my swelling brest Is there no mean No pleasing Musick to divide my scean Were I an Atlas I could not sustain This Firmament of grief who can refrain From falling that 's so much opprest as I With such a burthen of Malignity Where shall I run to whom shall I address My burthened self or how shall I express My uncontrouled sorrows or relate Th' unhappy discord of my factious State Where shall I fly Is there no Ark above To hide me from these waves Is there no Dove To bring me tydings that the Land is clear And that the hills of Peace do re-appear But must I perish shall the waves of pride Dash me in pieces still a flowing tyde Still flow and never ebb Is there no bliss Wonder sad Soul O what an Ocean 's this Ambitious winds why rage ye more and more And make the Seas thus envy at the shore Is there no Peter can pray Heav'n to please To check the winds and qualifie the Seas Am I the worst of all Is my condition So bad that there is no Petition Can have an audience Ah my conscience saith I 've Peters fears but yet want Peters faith Here let us stop a little and advise With flesh and blood Can greater wants arise To damage Souls then faith whose want procures All these extreams which my poor heart endures Oh no there cannot he that wants the hand Of Soul-supporting Faith forgets to stand This is my want and till I find relief I 'le lie and tumble in the shades of grief And glut the ayr with sighs my hideous cries Shall roar like thunder in the troubled skies O that my eyes were Oceans that I may Drown all my sorrows in one stormy day Or would pleas'd Heaven enable me to strain To gulp up Seas and weep them out again Then should my briny streams gush forth so fast That every tear should strive to be the last So the swift current of my swelling eyes Should overflow my heap'd up miseries I have offended Heaven and now I see My sins are walls betwixt my God and me Which stop the passage of my fervent prayers That there is no prevailing but by tears To batter down the wall that thus prevents My cries my vows and hinders my intents To Heav'n that Heav'n can send me no relief Nor take me from this labyrinth of grief Gone are my golden my forgotten days When every bird could whistle forth my praise Gone are those days when this consuming Earth Was stuffd with pleasure perfum'd with mirth Though all be gone yet will I strive t' endure He that hath made the wound can make the cure For now I 'm wounded and my wounds do smart Beyond my patience and my tender heart Swell'd up with sorrow doth predestinate What woe must happen to my bleeding State My head my head 's tormented and my eyes Are dim with gazing after vanities My members swell like Oceans and from thence Proceeds so great so large a confluence Of noisom humors and they run so thick That they surcharge and make my stomack sick I ave purg'd alrâ—ady and that will not do I fear I fear that I must vomit too I doubt 't is too much action that hath bred These ill diseases that disturb my â—ead Oh I am sick to death my bowels yern I freâ—z I frâ—â—z and whilest I freâ—z I burn I burn I melt my soul is parch'd within How hot 's the furnace of tormenting sin And Ah! how soon is feebled nature lam'd With ioynt contracting cold if not inflam'd By heavens enlivening fire how hot 's my blood To what is bad and Ah how cold to good Oh grief how two extreams perplex one heart So link'd together that they cannot part Thus am I tost and doubtfully opprest Beneath the burden of a dubious brest Nothing but Wars and Tumults do arise Thrice hapyy I had I known how to prize My happiness Alas I ne're did know The good of peace till Heav'n was pleasd to show War makes me know what joy it was before To live in peace and plenty now the more To live in peace and plenty now I know by this This want of peace what a combining bliss It was to live united and to praise That God of Peace that blest my peaceful days With large increase Oh misery to think Loaded with too much pleasure how I sink I that was wont to boast my heaps of treasure Now swim in sorrow and now sink in pleasure I that the world did envy now am brought To be not worth the env'ing worse then nought Revil'd by all see how the hand of Fate hath pleas'd to make me thus unfortunate What shall I do what physick can procure A little ease I cannot long endure Where are my grave Divines to give advice To a relapsing Soul are they grown nice Of late Are their conspiring hearts agreed T' absent themselves in this my time of need What do they mean Oh whither are they fled Sure sure they 're silenc'd all or else all death Do they not see me falling Do they stand Amaz'd not daring to afford a hand To help me up Methinks I hear them cry That they are falling to as well as I. Where is Religion that was wont to be The Governor of Peace the branched Tree That ever flourish'd see now every Clown Being authoriz'd presumes to cut her down Will they still strive with swords with guns with clubs To pickle my Religion up in tubs Have they no Reason hath their greedy zeal Swallow'd up all their Senses at one meal Have they agreed that Piety and Reason Shall be condemn'd and voted into Treason Or hath their hell-bred thoughts found out a way To turn our Sion to a Golgotha Hath the Tartarian Counseller invented Such thriving Plots which cannot be prevented Leave off base Acts Mechanicks and begin To deal uprightly and reform within Bury your aged crimes and then go call Your stragling senses to the Funeral Adjourn your thoughts which now are quite contrary To Peace and think a peace is necessary Honour your higher Powers and do not mock And vilifie them as your laughing stock There are a brain-sick multitude a rabble Of all Religions that do dayly squabble About vain shades and let the substance pass Hating good manners as they hate the Mass 'T is such as these which thus my woes advance Whose very Souls are starv'd with ignorance 'T is such as these who dayly
still fear the Rod Of his Correction yet appear I must Sure sure he 's merciful as well as just Cheer up dejected Soul and thou shalt see His mercy's greater then thy sins can be MEDITAT. 9. Can Heav'n forget himself or can he say That thing o're night he cannot do next day Can friends forget their children or deny Their dearest blood or can a mountain fly Heav'n says he 'l be a Father till the end Then he 's a fool that doubts so true a friend MEDITAT. 10. A friend indeed but how can I expect To purchase friendship by my own neglect For ah how often hath Heav'n pleas'd to say Ye that are heavy loaden come away And I will give you ease Alas but I Thought sin no burthen neither thought to dye MEDITAT. 11. But now I see the frailty of my mind I thought I was imprison'd when confin'd Only one hour to goodness nay that hour I thought a year until I had the power To free my self when freed I had forgot What goodness was as though I 'd heard it not MEDITAT. 12. And should I strive to reckon up my sins How can he make an end that still begins The sands upon the Seas nay and the hair Upon my head are Cyphers in compare Of my excessive sins yet Heav'n can call Me as he did the spend-thrift Prodigal MEDITAT. 13. I know my sins are great and do increase Within my Sion and disturb my Peace O what am I dear Heav'n I am thy creature My sins are great but yet thy mercy 's greater Pardon blest Heav'n forgive what I have done Thou art my Father own me as thy Son MEDITAT. 14. It is a happiness to scorn the mirth Of this confused transitory Earth And he who is ambitious to create A happiness must make the world his hate Then if self-love appear we know for what We love our selves in truly hating that MEDITAT. 15. Life is the lifes preparative and Death The deprivation of unconstant breath A well directed life shall always find Society in Death a glorious mind Shall have a glorious a celestial friend To guard his glory to a glorious end MEDITAT. 16. But can a mind enammel'd with the glory Of Heav'n have end or else is Death a story Death is the end of Life and yet we see Life is deriv'd from Deaths soveraigntie 'T is quickly known the Death of Sin must give The para'ned Soul a priviledg to live MEDITAT. 17. Heav'n is the seat of Happiness and Hell The place of fury where the Furies dwell Then mount my Soul upon the spreading wings Of lofty Faith fly towards the King of Kings Whilest here thou shalt inhabit learn to know That Heav'n's too high for them that fly too low MEDITAT. 18. I am but sordid earth that 's dayly plow'd With grief and care and sorrows hourly croud Into my weak dominions and remain Like greedy Tenants thirsting after gain My eyes are always open to behold New woes for I am form'd in sorrows mould MEDITAT. 19. I am a reeling Pinnace and I sail From Port to Port sometimes a humble gale Salutes my spreading sails and by and by The waves contemning my prosperity Spit in my face being hurried by their tydes They seem to crawl into my sweating sides MEDITAT. 20. I am a clouded day I promise rain Sometimes I 'm stormy and then clear again Sometimes the Sun of Pence begins t' appear But cannot shine in sorrows Hemisphere Saddest of thoughts needs must he be distrest That finds unconstant weather in his brest MEDITAT. 21. I am a vapor having not the power T' endure the fervor of one shining hour Vapors cannot withstand a mid-days heat Afflictions must be hot where sins are great 'T is not unlike a misty morning may Oft-times prove usher to a glorious day MEDITAT. 22. I am a trembling reed and every day The wind and I are subject to a fray I 'm bruis'd and shall be broken if some hand Sustain me not I shall forget to stand But stay my Soul and hear Jehovah speak I vow the bruised reed I will not break MEDITAT. 23. I am but earth corrupted with my deeds Which are but like unprofitable weeds My soil is rank and barren and it bears No grain at all no not so much as tears Wouldst thou increase my Soul I 'le teach thee how Sow but the seeds of Faith God speeds the plow MEDITAT. 24. Despair not when affliction plows the ground Doubt not increases if the seed be found Heav'n loves a fruitful harvest and his hand Is always active to manure the Land He takes the chiefest care the greatest pains He crowns the work 't is we that reap the gains MEDITAT. 25. Man's like a house whose outward beauty may Yield pleasure to the eye If we survey The inward rooms there we may find enough Of untrim'd natures sluttish houshold-stuff Wouldst thou be fair within O man and neat Turn but thy inside out thou 'lt be compleat MEDITAT. 26. Do greedy Ravens hunger do they cry For food and are they fed and must not I I beg I crave and yet am hungry still I pine I starve and Ravens have their fill I know great God I have offended thee Because thou seed'st the Ravens and not me MEDITAT. 27. Do Lillies flourish do they still remain Neatly adorn'd and yet they take no pain They neither spin nor card they take no care And yet they 're cloth'd and I poor I go bare I know great God I have offended thee Because thou cloth'st the Lillies and not me MEDITAT. 28. Why am I thus tormented with the Rod Of my afflictions Hath my angry God Forgot his creature Shall I never have A little ease but be affliction 's slave Forbear my grumbling Soul cheer up and be Mindful of him and he 'l remember thee MEDITAT. 29. And why does Heav'n afflict me but because He 'l make me know my self and learn his Laws Then why am I disquieted If he Intends my good shall I prove enemie Unto my self My Soul take care be still Vnless he turns that good into an ill MEDITAT. 30. Then learn my soul when Heav'n afflicts to know 'T is for thy sins he does it and to show The greatness of his mercy and to make Thee love affliction for the Afflictors sake Be wise and provident and thou shalt see 'T was good for David 't will be good for thee MEDITAT. 31. If thou wilt learn my Soul how to endure With patience thy afflictions be thou sure That when the hand of angry Heav'n shall smite Thou dost not grumble like the Israelite Strive thou for patience heav'n wil teach thee how To bear affliction with a cheerful brow MEDITAT. 32. What though the waves of thy afflictions rise And rage abundantly lift up thy eyes And cry to Heav'n let patience calm thy mind And know that purest gold must be refin'd And when affliction brings thee to the brink Of death remember Peter did not sink MEDITAT.
Transitory toys What 's Mirth what 's Pleasure Melancholy joys Honor is Envy's object Riches they Are but the subjects of a frowning day Beauty 's a slave to Time and fond delight Teaches the morning how to fool the night Were I a Midus could my towers of wealth Protect my person or preserve my health Were I a Cesar could wy honors save My crazy carkass from the gaping grave Were I as fair as Venus could my beauty Acquit me from that necessary duty I owe to change If so I 'd honor pleasure And hug my honor and rejoyce in treasure If I had riches they might make me fly Upon the wings of prodigality If I had honor that might make me dance Ambition a Corranto and advance My self above my self If beauty were At my command then might I chance t' insnare The wantons of the world nay and intice Vertue to change it self into a vice Now tell me Earth where are those smooth delights Thou often boasts of are thy golden nights Chang'd into leaden days Oh tell me then Why dost thou so befool the sons of men Who following thee consume their precious time And are at last rewarded with a crime Content that well-advised word imports A Crown of Happiness All joy resorts Into the palace of a blest content And there resides Content is golden ey'd and can behold A dunghill with as much respect as gold Content's a Jewel but here lies the art Which way to hang it in a restless heart Much have I heard of that rich stone which all Are pleas'd t' entitle Philosophical And Fame reports that many wits have try'd T' obtain it and before obtain'd it dy'd And lost their eager hopes nay what is worse Left a rich study but a poorer purse And to conclude experience made it known Had they not lost Content they 'd found the Stone Pax una triumpha est PEace is the life of Happiness and Strife A living Death unto a dying Life Envy 's the child of Srife and pregnant Peace Is an indulgent Mother whose encrease Adorns the Earth Peace is a Turtle Dove Compos'd of nothing but the purest Love What 's martial triumph but a little blaze Which now aspires and by and by decays What triumph is 't to see the shivered bones Of breathless men and hear th' impetuous groans Of those whose feeble tongues invite a death To dispossess them of their loathed breath Sad are th' effects of War and yet this age Esteems not Peace but lets Contention rage Into a madness Oh unhappy State Where Strife 's desir'd too soon Peace too late Soul-calming Peace and heart-corroding Strife Live here like Factors both for death and life It is a sacred Jubilee to hear Soft-breathing Peace chanting in every ear Rare strains of Heav'n-bred raptures which express Full Diapasons of our happiness But 't is a dying life to see that bliss Should by a hellish metamorphosis Be thus transhap'd to Strife There 's no prevention Abused Peace perverts into contention And can the Diamond of Amity If once dissevered in pieces be Compos'd again Experience makes us find 'T is quickly broken but not quickly joyn'd Oh Peace Can we expect thy blest return If we whose flaming envies dayly burn Thy name within the Aetna's of our brests Do make thee subject to our vile detests 'T is often seen Cantharides do dwell Upon the fairest Rose whose pleasing smell Delights the sense It may be truly said Envy that base Cantharides hath laid It self upon the Roses of our Peace And rob'd us of a liberal encrease Have not our eyes in former times beheld The fruits of Peace have not our Souls been fil'd With heav'nly pleasures and our grasping hands Gather'd the plenty of our peaceful Lands Did not the painful husbandman bestow His labors with a cheerful brow and sow The often-furrowed earth But now ah now Intruding Mars molests the active plough And have not we by sad experience found Contentious Mars plows bodies not ground O miserable tillage This will bring A bloody Harvest and as bad a Spring See smiling Bacchus with his brim-fill'd bowls Would tempt us to carouze away our Souls Mars with a palled look proclaims an end To all our pastimes Sorrow knows no friend Mars thunders Bacchus smiles and Cupid cries Envy survives Truth pines and Friendship dies Peace flies her Country and with discontent Bemoans our sorrows and her banishment And thus we tumble in our own confusion A bad beginning findes a bad conclusion A DISCOURSE between the SOVL and WORLD Wo. HOw now sad Soul from whence proceeds those clouds Which still eclipse my fancy thus shrouds Thy splendent glory what contentious Fate Hath bred disturbance in thy quiet State Tell me come tell me that my studious care May be imploy'd to serve thee Why or where Art thou opprest Come never fear to tell Thy grief to me thou know'st I love thee well So. Oh I am sick canst thou be my Physician Wo. I can sick Soul Come tell me thy condition So. Draw nearer then for ah my spirits fail I 'm sick because I know not what I ail Wo. If thou art sick and canst not find thy grief How canst thou be a suitor to relief So. Were it a single sorrow that opprest My wearied mind 't were easily exprest But when pluralities shall circumvent A troubled mind how can that mind have vent Wo. Come leave these vain exordiums let my ear Be heir to thy discourse I long to hear Conceal not that which if reveal'd may bring A remedy Come tell me what 's the thing That thus corrodes thy brest 't is I alone Must give thy heart refreshment or else none So. Alas fond World how justly may I stile Thy help a hinderance thy treasures vile What answer shall I now retort that may Expresly satisfie I cannot say What I desire for when I strive to speak My passion grows too strong my tongue too weak My numerous pains infatuate my wit Wo. Pish this is but a melancholly fit Clear up thy clouded thoughts such fits as these Are incident to all learn to appease Thy instigating passion and advise With me I 'le make thee well I 'le make thee wise My bounteous treasure shall increase thy store With great abundance Come let 's have no more Of these thy petulant discourses be Prescrib'd by none dear Soul except by me I 'le cure thy pain Sou Fond World forbear To urge my resolution or insnare My yeelding spirits let thy language be Reserv'd for them that will be fool'd by thee Thy elevating joys which did before Inrich my vacant senses make them poor And now I find the greatest plague that can Concomitate poor miserable man Is to be happy Wor That 's a paradox Is happiness a crime So. Mistake me not rash fool for my pretence Is good if not corrupted by the sence You take it in For tell me what canst thou Insinuating wretch vouchsafe t' allow That will
was 't not a shameful strife To send a Death after a promis'd Life If this be Mercy Heav'n protect us all From such a Mercy so tyrannical If this be Justice may such Justice have A Hell to act in or at least a Cave What had he acted that could contradict The Laws of Justice Search and be as strict As policy can make you all ye can Impute was this he was a valiant man Who lov'd his King and undertooke to play A noble Game wherein his honor lay At stake what would you have a Gamester do Should he surrender up a game to you Without contending Such a high-bred shame Had left a blur within his spotless name I tremble at my thoughts I cannot hold My quill must run ye can but term me bold As ye are tyrannous In former times Boldness in truths were pardonable crimes How could ye chuse but tremble when ye nam'd His death whom honor and the world had fam'd Such deeds as these we needs must discommend Y 'ave murther'd your own honors and our friend How could ye chuse but blush to see him stand Undaunted at your tragical command How could ye chuse but fly when he was fled T' imbrace his death and dye when he was dead How could your will-obeying slaves let fly A bullet at his brest and they not dye Why dy'd they not when as they went about To make those holes whereat his Soul flew out Mars frown'd when he observ'd what ye had done And perpetrated on his dearest Son And thus declares If any mortal shall Dare to intitle or presume to call Such Rabshecha's his Sons that they shall be All voted Traytors to his Majestie The Muses they complain and are agreed To vindicate his death and ever feed Upon his virtues and will never more Smile on your actions but will still deplore Their lost-love Lucas and the Earth shall ring With Ecchoes of his praise that lov'd his King Apollo weeps and says ye have forgot To cherish virtue or ye love it not And to the world he 'l fully make it known In his destruction ye have overthrown Your home-bred honors Now my Muse retire And gather breath 't is wisdom to enquire Which way to take our progress we must know Whither to go as well as how to go The paths of death are darksom and we may Plead an excuse if we have gone astray Errors in grief are incident to all That truly solemnize a funeral But stay my quill 't is not my task to crave Excuses but to treat upon a grave A grave within whose sullen bosom lies A Jem contemn'd by those that could not prize So rare a piece within whom was repos'd Virtue and honor for he was compos'd Of both Kind Reader know that Lucas had A Magazin of worth his Soul was clad With robes of innocency and his heart So sworn to honor that it could not start From noble Exercises though attended With troops of dangers dangers that portended A thousand deaths his wisdom could descry Both life and death with a contented eye Life was his Jewel yet he did not prize That life at such a rate as to despise A noble Death he labor'd to express To both a very equal willingness He knew his life was lent him to maintain The rights of Majesty and to regain Those just prerogatives which do belong To CHARLS who patiently sustains the wrong His Soul was undivided and could never Ramble from Loyalty his whole endeavor Was to advance that Cause wherein he stood Engag'd and dy'd it with his crimson blood Since thus he liv'd since thus he dy'd oh then Let 's imitate so good a life and when We hear the sad relation of his Death Let 's learn to dye Let them that live by breath Examine his brave actions and they 'l find He had a rare militia in his mind But stoutest Lions are at last o'rethrown By Natures Laws for Nature needs must own Her principles our earthen vessels must At last dissolve and turn themselves to dust Live we a thousand years we do but run In debt to Nature and when those days are done We are but mortal subject to decay And youth and age must go the self-same way Reader as often as report shall send Unto thy ears the death of any friend Wonder not that he 's dead that 's too much wrong But rather wonder that he liv'd so long For Life 's but like a Canâ—le every wind May puff it out and leave a snuff behind But whither runs my pen Does sorrow mean To make of this an everlasting scean Lucas made Sorrow lovely Death a pleasure And Life a trifle Misery a treasure And now let no audacious tongue deny That he taught Death to live and Life to dye Now gentle Soul go take thy sweet repose In Heav'ns eternal bed where none but those Shall sleep that in their life-times study'd how To dye there rest dear Soul I 'le leave thee now My heart begins to quake that word has bred A palsie in my hand and grief has spred A vail upon my Senses and Confusion Steps in and leads me to a sad Conclusion Shall I begin or end I know not whether Oh that I could begin and end together Begin what 's that but to renew a grief To end what 's that but to implore relief What shall I do when as I strive to end I still forget to do what I intend When I begin methinks I am content Never to end Distraction is th' event Of Sorrow Reader pardon this last error For I began with grief and end with terror AN EPITAPH Come gentle eyes and take a view Here rests a Jewel was as true As Truth it self see how he lies Renown'd and crown'd a Sacrifice Lay your hands upon your hearts Each eye must weep before it parts Sigh and sob let each sigh call Love to attend his Funeral Vnderstand that this was he Conquer'd Death and Tyrannie And when your eyes begin to run Say ye 'ave gaz'd upon a Sun AN ELEGIE Upon the Death of my dear Friend Mr ROBERT REASON Who quitted this life the 13. NOVEMBER 1646. Sic voluêre Fata By J.Q. AH whence proceed those swelling floods that rise Like restles waves froÌ„ my tempestuous eys The surges beat provok'd by stormy passion My weather-beaten senses out of fashion But ah forbear distemp'ring grief surcease Those storms which rage against the shore of peace Forbear superfluous blasts be not too brief To dash my Soul against the rocks of grief But stop a time sad Genius here 's a stile Invites a rest Let 's meditate a while Can tears express a perfect grief Or can Excess of language re-inlarge a man From Death-benumming shades Can blubber'd eyes Invite him back Can integrating cries Enforce a life in spight of death Can all The doleful sighings in this world recall Revolted breath Oh no 'T is therefore vain To think that tears can call him back again From Heav'ns immortalizing
express Their grief Ah Sion's fill'd with bitterness Her chiefest people are her chiefest foes Just Heav'n with these innumerable woes Plagues her transgressions and the enemy Drives her dear Children to Captivity And that rare beauty which adorn'd and grac'd Sions dear daughter is of late defac'd Her Princes fly and ransack all about Like hungry Harts to finde a pasture out They all are fled and flying can procure No strength t' oppose the merciless pursuer But when Jerusalem was thus confin'd T' afflictions lawless bounds she call'd to minde Her by past pleasures and those days which she For now her crying sins are grown so great That Heav'n hath thrown her from his mercies seat All those that lov'd her yea and highly priz'd her Seeing her shameful nakedness despis'd her She sighs turns her back as though she 'd borrow A private breath t' express a publique sorrow For being fill'd with wickedness Her end She never thought of neither had she friend To comfort her O Lord my God behold My great afflictions Ah my foe grows bold And magnifies himself His stretch'd-out hand Hath spoyld the pleasures of my fruitful Land The very Heathen whom thou didst deny Thy Congregation do contemn defie Thy just commands and with unseemly paces Inforce an entrance to thy holy places Her bread-desiring people fill'd with grief Give their chief treasures for a small relief Behold O Lord consider my distress For I am vile and fill'd with wickedness Oh stop your hasty feet ye that pass by And look upon my new-bred misery Sum up the totals of all grief then borrow A million more 'T is nothing to that sorrow Which I support wherewith the angry power Hath pleas'd t' afflict me in His wrathful hour For he from his all-ruling throne hath sent Into my bones a fiery Government Yea and his ever-active hand hath set And I am desolate and fainting lie Being turn'd from him am turn'd to misery Fast to my servile neck He hath bound on The wreathed yoke of my transgression Impair'd my strength and by His just commands I 'm thrown into my persecutors hands Where I remorsless I must still remain Voyd of all hope to be enlarg'd again His unresisted strength hath broke the bones And made a footstool of my Mighty Ones A great Assembly He hath call'd that may Punish my youngmen that will not obey And Judahs fairest Virgin Daughter 's trod As in a winepress by th' Almighty God And O these sorrows O these miseries Stir up a tempest in my clouded eyes Mine eyes mine eyes run o're I dayly spend More tears then any brain can apprehend My foes prevail my children all are led Into Captivity my hopes are fled Sion spreads forth her feeble arms t' express She seeks for comfort but is comfortless The Lord of hoasts commands that Jacobs eyes Shall round about him see his enemies And poor despis'd distrest Jerusalem Is as a menstruous woman amongst them My God is just yet I rebellious I Transgrest against his glorious Majesty O hear my people let your ears but borrow A minutes time from Time to hear my sorrow My Virgins and my young men all are fled Into Captivity my Priests are dead My Friends refuse to hear me when I call For want of food my hungry Elders fall O Lord behold see how I am opprest My heart thumps at the portals of my brest Oh I have sinned and my sins indite me Abroad the Sword at home grim Death affrights me My friends have heard my groaning and my grief Is known to them But I know no relief My foes with clamorous voyces fill the Earth And make my grief the subject of their mirth But Heav'n hath nam'd a day when these my foes Shall be Co-partners in my mock'd at woes O God let not their faults be hid from thee But deal with them as thou hast dealt with me My heart is faint my struggling sighs are many My griefs too great to be exprest by any Meditatio in Capitulum IF thou wouldst know my Soul what harâ—s attend A sinners progress to his journeys end Here here thou mayst if with impartial eyes Thou wilt observe the unsatiate miseries Of poor Jerusalem whose tedious groans Whose sighs and sobs and tears the world bemoans Observe her heedless steps and thou shalt know Sin was the Author of her self-will'd Wo. 'T was sweet at first but sowre in th' event That little word assumes a large extent Where Sin predominates there we may find The inconvenience of a troubl'd mind For when the mind 's perplex'd then we begin Either to fall to or to fall from Sin For like the restless Sea she 's active still And always agitating good or ill If well imploy'd she builds a wall about The Soul to keep approaching dangers out But if she spends her thriftless hours in Evil She makes a banquet to invite the Devil Who with his subtle and misguiding force Will re-invite her to a second course And then let Christians judg how much disquiet That Soul sustains that loves the Devils dyet Ah then my Soul if thou desir'st to be Exempted from the lot of miserie Make Heav'n thy refuge there thou mayst be sure To find contentment and repose secure Thou needst not fear there is no poys'nous thing Can wound that Soul that truly loves his King Nor all the malice mortals can invent Shall add to thee one mite of discontent There is no sorrow no calamity T' oppress thy thoughts No wry-look'd enemy T' upbraid thy actions then my Soul advise How much it profits to be heav'nly wise Ah had Jerusalem whose grief no pen Can e're engrave into the hearts of men Been wisely wary she had never known Those late reap'd sorrows which her sins had sown Had she but search'd her bosom and contriv'd Her actions well her glory had surviv'd Had she with Davids tears in time repented Those uncorrected sins her heart lamented She had not felt those judgments which did wait Vpon the ruines of her falling State But whilst her eyes were muffl'd and deluded Folly came in where Reason was excluded Needs must that Kingdom unto ruine run Where Folly sets and rises with the Sun Like as the body that 's oppress'd with grief Can neither hope for nor obtain relief Till the disease be known there 's none can tell The rage of sickness that was always well Even so Jerusalem because that she Judg'd not the Reason of her Miserie Till she was past recovery could never Have health restor'd her but was sick for ever Alas alas that Kingdom needs must fall That has a grief so Epidemical Had she but like the Ninevites in time Stop'd those distemp'ring humors which did climb Above her strength her grief had quickly ended And Heav'n revok'd those judgments he intended Med'cines are vain things when apply'd too late And through delay a grief grows desperate He that is Sin-sick is in bad condition Except Heav'n please to be his Souls
Let thy sober will Be sway'd by reason let thy reason still Lead thee to meditation then begin To search thy self and cypher up thy sin Having thus done thou quickly wilt discry Thy grief and where th' imperious humors lie And having found them out let no delay Damage thy Soul but quickly haste away And from the bottom of thy heart confess Thy greatest sins so Heav'n may make them less O kiss the Son for if his anger be Yea but a little kindled blest is he Whose groping Soul his seal'd up mercies found And cast his anchor in so firm a ground Heav'n smiles on them whose oft-repeated pray'r Expands their sins makes their God their care But when revolting negligence shall call Confounding ruine from th' imperial hall Of Heav'ns high-seated Palace and invite A dreadful vengeance to eclipse the light Of a resplendent happiness and double The lab'ring Soul with interposing trouble Ah then our pleasures shall be turn'd to toys And sudden grief shall expiate our joys And like Jerusalem confus'd shall we Wander and languish in obscuritie Then then our down-cast spirits shall lament And moan their just deserved punishment Then shall our Peace be drawn unto an end Then shall we look for but shall find no friend Then shall our sad Embassadors prepare And mount to Heav'n but find no audience there Then shall our blubber'd eyes in vain let slide Innumerable tears then shall the Tyde Of Heav'ns high-flowing anger rage and roar And dash against our sin-polluted shore Then shall we run and in our running meet Th' obvious sword in the blood-streaming street Then shall our hasty trembling feet retire To our sad houses there shall Death require Th' arrears of sorrow Lingring Famine shall Like to a lean-cheek'd Fury grasp us all And from our strouting veins shall squeez a flood A luke-warm deluge of diffused blood Then shall our children with their midnight cries Lament for food Then shall their mothers eyes Bedew their bosoms with the falling showres Of dribling tears Then shall their lothed hours Haste to an end And having thus exprest Their woes shall creep into Eternal rest Then shall the early melancholly Bells Sound mournful peals for their sad last farewels Ah now my Soul Can any griefs out-vy Such griefs as these Can any heart deny The justness of these Judgments If they do May they feel Sodoms and Gomorrahs too Heav'n cannot be unjust No no 't is we Provoking sinners are unjust not he Shall we offend and shall we every day Hale down his Judgments on our backs then lay The burthen of our faults on him and cry Like Traytor Judas Master is it I No no we must not but let every one Vnbosom all his actions and make known His misdemeanors then if any can Plead himself guiltless he 's a happy man Find out but ten good men and for their sake Heav'n will deduct a thousand plagues and shaâ—â— Ten thousand more from his incensed brest And for their sakes will give ten thousand rest Sodom can witness Heav'n brooks no denyal He had sav'd all had ten been found but loyal Oh blind and foolish is that City when Ten thousand doubled cannot number ten CHAP. III. Contents 1 The faithful bewail their calamities 22 By the mercies of God they nourish their hopes 37 They acknowledg Gods Justice 55 They pray for deliverance 64 and vengeance on their enemies 'T Is I have seen affliction by the rod Th' impetuous anger of the wrathful God He with a pitchy darkness mask'd my sight And hath not cloth'd me with the robes of light He turn'd his hand against me all the day He broke my bones and made my flesh decay His lab'ring fury hath built up a wall Against me and surrounded me with gall In dungeon places he me set like those Which in their graves have had a long repose And he hath made my toilsom chains to be Heavy He hedg'd me from my libertie And when I shout and cry he will not hear But makes my pray'r a stranger to his ear He hath inclosed me with stones that stay My hasty steps he hath incurv'd my way And as a lurking Bear observes my paces Or as a Lion in the secret places He turn'd me from my ways disturb'd my state Pull'd me in pieces made me desolate He bent his Bow and made my trembling heart The aym'd-at object of his fatal dart He caus'd his quivered guests t' inforce my veins And take a large possession in my reins I was my peoples laughing stock their song Was tuned to my mischief all day long He fill'd me full of bitterness and wo And made me drunk with nauseous wormwood too He brake my teeth with gravel stones and he With heaps of ashes hath involved me Banish'd my Soul from Peace Prosperity Is quite relapsed from my memory I said my strength my very hope is even Wasted and perish'd from the Lord of Heav'n Ponder my woes and my afflictions all Remember both the honey and the gall These things do still in my remembrance rest And ah my Soul is humbled in my brest This I recall to my swift-roving mind Therefore I hope and hoping hope to find It is the mercy of the Lord we sail So safe for his compassions never fail They 're every morning new thy faithfulness Is great and greater then I can express The Lord 's my portion saith my Soul and I Will therefore hope unto Eternity And that just Soul which dayly shall attend Upon the Lord shall never want a friend 'T is good that man should hope and wait upon Th' Almighties pleasure and salvation 'T is good for man to exercise the truth And bear the yoke of his offending youth He sits alone and silently makes known He bears no other burthen then his own His humbled mouth salutes the dusty ground As if some hopes of mercy may be found He 's fill'd with shame he willingly invites T'a second stroke the hand of him that smites For they that strive and really endeavor God will not leave nor cast them off for ever He will have pity though he sends a grief In multitudes of mercy lies relief He doth not punish nor augment the smart Of sinners children with a willing heart His feet take no delight to crush to death Th' offending pris'ners of th' inferior earth To turn away mans right his heart abhors Before the face of their superiors And to subvert a man in his just cause The Lord approveth not 't is not his Laws And who is he whose spend-thrift tongue dare say This thing shall come to pass when Heav'n says nay Out of the mouth of him that 's God indeed There doth not evil but known good proceed Why doth a living man with grumbling thoughts Complain as one that 's punisht for his faults Let 's search let 's try our ways let 's turn again To God and he will turn away our pain And let our hands b'extended with our Souls To Heav'ns
33. When I consider how I have offended My Souls dread Soveraign and vili-pended His gracious promises I much admire He casts me not into eternal fire But he in mercy makes me kiss his Rod Tells me I am a creature he a God MEDITAT. 34. Consider well my Soul why hast thou breath Since that the wages of thy Sins are death Thou hast deserv'd ten thousand times to dye But that thy GOD whose mercy doth deny A Sinners death reprieves thee for a time To make thee know the greatness of thy crime MEDITAT. 35. O meditate my Soul what Heav'n hath done For thee that art his most rebellious Son He hath prolong'd thy days and striv'd to win And draw thee from the lothsomness of sin Admired patience O indulgent care Mercy of Mercies how can Heav'n forbear MEDITAT. 36. Have I offended and shall I despair Oh no I dare not Ah my Soul forbear To harbor such a wickedness but know When thy sins ebb Gods mercies overflow His mercy is an Ocean and thy prayer Is th' only wind can raise a tempest there MEDITAT. 37. Then pray my Soul and let thy prayers reveal Thy bosom sins O think not to conceal A crime from him that is the God of Truth And knows the sins of thy offending youth Ah know my Soul the more thou striv'st to smother Thy sins the more one sin begets another MEDITAT. 38. Can Sin the Souls consuming Viper lie And lurk secure from Heav'ns all seeing eye O no 't is vain to think so though that we Are muffl'd up with sin yet Heav'n can see O then confess my Soul and thou shalt tread And trample on the Vipers poys'ny head MEDITAT. 39. But can Confession in it self obtain An absolute forgiveness Can we gain Heav'n by a sigh O no my Soul express A perfect sorrow when thou dost confess Then let resolved Constancy endure And thou my Soul shalt truly rest secure MEDITAT. 40. Dost thou my Soul desire to be partaker Of those celestial joys wherewith thy Maker Crowns those endeavoring Souls which study still To be obedient to his sacred Will Examine well the Scriptures they will show The ready way then practise how to go MEDITAT. 41. Let thy innocuous Meditations be Serious and fervent let integritie Still wait upon them which will still defend And guard thy actions to a prosperous end Then shall thy labors have a peaceful rest Then dayly labor to be dayly blest MEDITAT. 42. But have a care my Soul left malice chance To interpose it self and so advance Above thy patience and disturb that peace Which might have blest thee with a large increase O have a care this be no fault of thine Remember who hath said Vengeance is mine MEDITAT. 43. Dost thou desire my Soul that Heav'n should say Thy pardon 's seal'd and I will blot away Thy numerous sins nay and I will no more Remember them as I have done before Then learn my Soul to know whilest thou dost live He that will be forgiven must forgive MEDITAT. 44. If thou wouldst go to Heav'n my Soul go on Not as the sluggard of wise Solomon Be not so timerous as he to say There is a Lion lurking in the way Go on with courage let the way delight thee Then shall the Lion grumble and not bite thee MEDITAT. 45. The wise man saith that sluggards shall be cloth'd With rags and all his actions shall be loth'd And he that 's willing to obtain a prize Must be laborious and have watchful eyes My drouzy Soul make Heav'n thy prize then strain T' out-run thy sins and so thou shalt obtain MEDITAT. 46. When on the ladder Jacob did discry The Angels in his dream he saw them fly Vpwards and downwards which was to express How much they scorn'd and hated Idleness Then learn my Soul how to ascend apace From sin to the perfection of grace MEDITAT. 47. What was the reason Peter wept Nay why Did he go out and weep so bitterly Could he not weep within Did he not dare Before the wicked to disburse a tear By this example Peter makes it known Who truly grieves desires to grieve alone MEDITAT. 48. Hast thou my Soul with persecuting Paul Envy'd the Church Hast thou conspir'd her fall Why then my Soul wilt thou despair 'T is true The crime is great and GOD is gracious too A light may shine from Heav'n and thou shalt be With Paul converted from thy Tyrannie MEDITAT. 49. Hast thou with thrice-denying Peter cry'd I know him not but stubbornly deny'd The Lord of Life what then the Cock may crow God may look back upon thee and bestow His liberal blessings Then my Soul deny Thy sins with Peter and weep bitterly MEDITAT. 50. But was it not my Soul a sad disaster That Peter should so soon deny his Master For whose dear sake led lose his life O what A sudden change is this I know him not Nay more as if he thought this would not do He binds it with an oath forswears him too MEDITAT. 51. What was the reason that the Lions when They entertained Daniel in their Den Did rather fear then hunger Nay how can Destroying Lions fawn upon a man My Soul there was a Lamb that tam'd the Lion And made the Den prove Daniels safest Sion MEDITAT. 52. Advise my Soul and how could Daniel live Impris'ned in the Den and none to give Him dayly food How could he rest at quiet Without th' enjoyment of some slender diet When Heav'n commands his Angels they shal feâ— A Soul my Soul that Soul can never neeâ— MEDITAT. 53. 'T was Faith that guarded Daniel from the paws Of dauntless Lions whose imperious jaws Were ty'd by Heav'ns appointment so that they Forgot their Tyranny and learn'd to play My Soul with Daniel truly think upon Thy God and Faith shall be thy Champion MEDITAT. 54. Did great Goliah fall Could he not stand That was so strong against so weak a hand Could not his armour nor his storming power Maintain so mean a Combate half an hour Here here my Soul observe and thou shalt find An armed body but a naked mind MEDITAT. 55. But how did stripling David dare to show His childish face before so great a foe He had no armour on nor sword to shield His body yet he fought and won the field Here here my Soul observe and thou shalt finâ— A naked body but an armed mind MEDITAT. 56. Be sure my Soul when e're thou shalt begin To war with the Goliah of thy sin Take Davids armour and thou shalt or'ethrow Thy sin with a most advantagious blow Boast not too much but with bold courage fight The pebble-stones of Faith fly always right MEDITAT. 57. Faith is the arm of safety which defends The Soul from all approaching harm and lends A sword to fight with Satan who may venter To make a thrust or two but cannot enter Gain thou this arm of Faith my Soul and then Thou mayst out-dare a Lion in
to give we know not how to ask Methinks I hear some multiloquious fool Make this reply What must I go to school And learn to beg I 'm skilful to require If Heav'n would suit his gifts to my desire Let fools delight in folly let them think That men are blind because they see them wink Others methinks reply Have we not cry'd To Heav'n for blessings and have been deny'd Have not our early voyces been extended To Heav'n and yet our labors vili-pended Is this th' effect of pray'r are these the gains That we were largely promis'd for our pains Go silly Souls and do not thus contest With him that knows what 's worst and what is best Ye know not what ye ask your fond desires If granted to may breed such flaming fires Within your greedy brests and so torment Your hearts with millions of sad discontent Then may ye know that true discretion lies As well in asking as in giving wise And solid hearts will labor first to know What 's fit for their desires and then they 'l sow Their pray'rs in such a soil as shall encrease Their stock of Grace and everlasting Peace Pulsanti aperietur KNock and it shall be open'd here 's an art Requires the labors of a studious heart It is an easi action some suppose Because it commonly consists of blows Here 's a mysterious knock 't is not the hand Oâ—â—lâ—sh and blood can knock or tongue command The gates to move 't is not Saint Peter's keys Can turn the lock except the Landlord please Heaven 's a well-ordered family whose gate Opens not soon to them that knock too late But those whose early labors shall implore To have admittance at that sacred door Must well instruct their hearts and have a care First learning how to knock and after where How happy 's he that really can say Go take thy rest my Soul th' ast knock'd to day Hâ—'s happy that can speak such words as these Open the door my Soul thou hast the keys How happy 's he that by a faithful knock Can make the yeelding Gates of Heav'n unlock Pray'rs are the keys of Heav'n the melting door Is mercy that lets in and out the store Faith is the golden key which gives us all A speedy entrance to the spacious Hall But we must open or else not come there The gate of Mercy with the key of Pray'r Go then my Soul into some private place Unlock thy heart and when unlock'd abase Thy self before the Throne of Heav'n and fly Unto the Temple of Divinity Go knock thy heart out if that will not do Say Heaven 's grown deaf or else thy heart 's not true Cast off the thred-bare garments of thy sin Thy pray'rs will melt the gates and let thee in The Governor of Heav'n will not refuse To give an audience to such welcome news Nor can he be ungrateful or neglect To crown thy labors with a true respect Then tune thy heart and teach it to express Full Diapasons of true thankfulness And grant dear God when my poor Soul shall knock That my unworthy key may fit thy lock AN ELEGIE Upon that Son of Valor Sir CHARLS LVCAS Who was shot to Death by the Command of the Counsel of War before COLCHESTER To all those that love the memory of Sir Charls Lucas Reader WHen my serious thoughts reflected upon the Death of so worthy a person I could not but privately deplore so publique a loss and being importuned by his virtues and my own sorrow I gave my pen the priviledg assisting it with the uttermost of my power to compose this Elegious Poem upon his Death which I cannot expect will be consonant to all humors but only to them that love Loyalty Reader I shall desire thee to let the strength of thy goodness pardon the weakness of him that is His Kings his Countries and Thine JOHN QUARLES AN ELEGY I Cannot hold the Laws of Nature break The Laws of Reason and my Cisterns leak Pardon my tears oh Heav'n and let thy pow'r Subdue my grief and mitigate this showre Restore me to my self and let my Quill Weep for me let it weep until it fill Whole volumes with sad tears tears that may flow From age to age that all the world may know It weeps for him whose never-dying name Gives golden feathers to the wings of fame But is it requisite that I alone Should storm so great a work as this and none Invok'd t' assist me Sorrow hates delay Oh hear my hasty call and come away Ye grief-supporting Muses here is that Will sublimate your senses ask not what It is for fear lest melancholly I Ravish'd with what I speak should faint and dye Times full-mouth'd Herauld will exactly tell How Death hath rambled from his mâ—sty Cell And with presumptuous violence hath shot A Star whose fall will never be forgot Then rouze your down-cast spirits now or never Shake off your slumbers or repose for ever Lucas has conquer'd Death he 's gone to keep An everlasting Sabbath and to sleep In Abrahams bosom Ah methinks this breath Should re-invite you from the shades of Death To weep his obsequies but if there 's none Will be invok'd my Muse shall walk alone Into the Wilderness of grief and there Condole this loss till sorrow wants a tear Have I betray'd my self Am I o'retaken With folly Or has Reason quite forsaken The kingdom of my mind If he be blest How dare my tears thus interrupt his rest Oh Times Oh Manners Is the world grown mad Some I behold rejoycing others sad As grief can make them Sure we have forgot To sympathize or else why weep we not Or smile together Has Death got the power To make us weep and smile within an hour Smile they that please mine eyes cannot forbear For every smile of theirs to shed a tear Come real-hearted Mourners and incline Your ear to my sad story and confine Your selves to sorrow sorrow that shall need No definition if your hearts can bleed Now now they shall and may that barren eye That will not weep prove blind or always dry And they that can and will not now let fall Some tears have hard hearts or no hearts at all Lucas rare Soul oh that my tongue might dwell Upon thy name 't was thou that didst excell The world in Martial Valor He that can Forget thy name forgets to be a Man 'T is death to say th' art dead Thou canst not dye If thou art dead there 's no Eternity Thou liv'st in spite of Death yet I condole Thy murther'd body but I 'm sure thy Soul Lives above envy where it shall be blest In spite of those whose wisdoms thought it best To put a period to thy days and bring Joy to themselves and sorrow to their King Discreetly done and sure this Act must be Recorded in the Rouls of Infamie That after Ages when they do behold May blush what noble Deeds were done of old Say Tyrants say
Throne Thus we Fond men expand our own infirmitie And thus our spend-thrift eyes profusely flow In lavish tears for him whose Soul we know Is far more happy then we can express Why do we then lament his happiness Then go sad Genius and advise all such That grieve to grieve because they grievd so much For him who Heav'n hath lately made a stranger To grief who rests above the reach of danger There let him rest in a most glorious sleep And if weak Nature urgeth us to weep Let 's weep nay weep indeed until our eyes Blinded with weeping weep for new supplies Let 's weep for sin let troops of sighs attend Our hasty tydes to their long journeys end Oh let 's deplore our most unhappy state Betimes for fear lest time-devouring fate Blocks up the narrow passage of our breath And so surprize us with a sudden Death And ah how soon the shadow-flying days Of man consumes how soon the troubled blaze Of his frail life expires and ah how soon He finds a night before he thinks 't is noon And how the pleasures of this sordid Earth Shadow his senses with a glimmering mirth And what 's this world 't is but a glass wherein Nothing appears but Heav'n-confronting sin Alas its painted beauty represents Nothing but folly crown'd with discontents There 's nothing here that truly may be stil'd A happiness here 's nothing but 's defil'd Alas alas in what a sad condition Is dust-composed man what expedition He daily makes to gain those things which gain'd Gnaw him like vipers thus are mortals stain'd And blur'd with vanities and thus they spend Their winged hours as if they could not end Fond Earths-consuming trash hath so combin'd Their hearts to worldly pleasures that they mind Nothing but profit basely gain'd which shall Mount them up here but after let them fall But where 's that man whose Soul contrives to be Imparadis'd and crown'd with dignitie With Hallelujahs Angels which controul The Family of Heav'n who still inroul In their sublimer thoughts how great how just Their Maker is before whose throne all must Appear with spotless Souls and fly from hence With downy wings of Dove-like innocence But stay my quill have I thus soon forgot My bosom friend as if I lov'd him not No no though he be dead he cannot dye Death cannot drive him from my memory Where he shall rest till time shall recommend My friend-bereaved Soul unto my friend For whilest he liv'd my sympathizing heart Was truly his and truly bore a part In what he suffer'd Ah but now he 's fled And left me here to say my friend is dead Poor soul and why poor soul rash tongue call back That fond abortive word how can he lack That dayly feeds upon delicious dyet In Heav'ns great store house and knows no disquiet This was an Error that my hasty quill Too rashly stept into against my will I hope 't is venial Reason may afford A pardon for a grief-relapsed word When passion rules the fancy men become Vainly Pragmatick or extreamly dumb But why rash death why didst thou send thy dart To take possession of his willing heart And gave no longer warning was there none Could please thy pallate only him alone 'T was quickly ended and as soon begun Believe me death 't was but unfriendly done But why do I fond man expostulate With thee that art an all-consuming fate Th' ast done a happy deed I dare not blame Thy power because I know from whence it came Shall I because he was my friend repine At his departure was he Heav'ns or mine I yield him Heav'ns not mine but yet I might Claim him as finite Heav'n as infinite He was but lent me for a time that I And others by his life might learn to dye Whilest he enjoy'd the fulness of his breath His life was a preparative for death His whole delight and study was to pry Into the bosom of Divinity From whence he suck'd such wholesom streams that those Which heard him gave a plaudit to his close His dayly practice was how to fulfil And prosecute his great Redeemers will Heav'n was his Meditation and he gave A reverent respect unto his grave Faith Hope and Charity did sweetly rest Within the Counsel-chamber of his brest And in a word the graces did agree To make one happy Soul and this was he As for his moral duties they were such That should I strive I could not speak too much His civil carriage towards all men might claim A perfect right to a beloved name His actions were so just that they may tell He liv'd uprightly and he dy'd as well His love his sweet society might call Ten thousand tears t' attend his funeral And to conclude in him all men might find A real heart and a most noble mind But now he 's gone his winged Soul 's aspir'd To Heav'ns high Palace where he sits attir'd With glorious immortality and sings Melodious Anthems to the King of Kings There there his melting Soul ravish'd to see The Sun-bright throne of splendent Majestie Adores his wel-pleas'd maker who makes known He 's pleas'd to crown and keep him for his own Oh there he rests free from the rubs of Earth Hugging no shadow but a real mirth Oh there 's no grief no sorrow found to vex His peaceful Soul no trouble to perplex Or blast his new-bred joys there is no woe No care no pain no misery no foe That dare presume to interrupt him all Must stand aloof and not appear nor shall Incroaching bold-fac'd grief nor pale-fac'd spight Dare interpose t' eclipse one blaze of light Oh there methink I hear him sweetly sing Grave where 's thy power Oh Death where 's thy sting Methinks I hear his warbling tongue declare How good his works how great his wonders are Methinks I see a great united Band Of glitt'ring Angels how prepar'd they stand To welcom him Methinks I hear them say March on blest Soul thou need'st not doubt the way Oh glorious sight In what triumphing state They guard his Soul to Heav'ns refulgent gate Where when he comes disrob'd of all his sin The gates fly open and his Soul flies in Methinks my ravish'd ears are fill'd and blest With such harmonious raptures and possest With such varieties that even I Were sin absolved would resolve to dye Methinks I hear within Heav'ns Ecchoing Grove The quavering Angels chant as if they strove T' excel themselves Methinks that every breath Is a sweet Invitation unto death But oh what rare or what profound invention Beatifi'd with a strong apprehension Can sound the depth of those delights which he Shall swim and bathe in to Eternitie There rest dear Soul having thus conquer'd fate Thy pleasures never shall expire their date There there the Alpha of thy joys shall never Know an Omega but be blest for ever With Alpha and Omega who shall crown Thy throne-approaching Soul with true renown Whilest we confused mortals here below Gulp up the dregs of sorrow and bestow Curses in stead of prayers upon each other And dayly labour to confuse and smother Our serene happiness and turn those joys Which Heav'n allow'd us to neglected toys And thus our deviating Souls befool Themselves and practise in the common School Of Errors Thus erroneously we bend Our flexive minds to folly and commend Non-sence for wisdom Reason being dead Repose my Muse discretion calls to bed FINIS