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
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
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
To what sicknesse is it subject vnto beyond those of the other Creatures No part of it beeing which is not particularlie infected and afflicted by some one nay euerie part with many so that the Life of diuerse of the meanest creatures of Nature hath with great reason by the most wise beene preferred to the naturall life of man And we should rather wonder how so fragill a matter should so long endure than how so soone decay Are the actions of the most part of men much differing from the exercise of the Spider that pitcheth toyles and is tapist to pray on the smaller creatures and for the weauing of a scornfull web eviscerateth it selfe many dayes which when with much industrie finished a tempestuous puffe of wind carrieth away both the worke and the worker or are they not like the playes of Children or to hold them at their highest rate as is a May-Game or what is more earnest some studie at Chesse euerie day wee rise and lie downe apparell and disapparrell our selues wearie our bodies and refresh them which is a circle of idle trauells and labours like Penelopes taske vnprofitablie renewed Some time wee are in a chase after a fading Beautie now wee seeke to enlarge our bounds increase our treasure feeding poorelie to purchase what wee must leaue to those wee neuer saw or happilie to a Foole or a Prodigall heire raised with the wind of Ambition wee court that idle name of Honour not considering how they mounted aloft in the highest ascendant of earthlie Glorie are but like tortured Ghosts wandering with golden fetters in glistring Prisons hauing feare danger their vnseperable executioners in the midst of multitudes rather garded than regarded They whom opake imaginations and inward melancholie haue made wearie of the worlds eye though they haue withdrawn themselues from the course of vulgare affaires by vaine contemplations curious searches are more diquieted and liue a life worse than others their wit beeing too sharpe to giue them a true taste of their present infelicitie and to increase their woes while they of a more shallow and simple conceit haue want of knowledge and ignorance of themselues for a remedie and antidote against all the calamities of life What Cameliâ—n what Eâ—ripe what Moone doth change so oft as man hee seemeth not the same person in one and the same day what pleaseth him in the morning is in the euening vnto him distastfull Young hee scornes his childish Conceits wading deeper in yeares for yeares are a Sea into which hee wadeth vntill hee drowne hee esteemeth his Youth vnconstancie Rashnesse Follie Old he beginnes to pitie himselfe plaining because he is changed that the world is changed like those in a Ship which when they launch from the Shore are brought to thinke the Shore doth flie from them When hee is fred of euill in his owne estate hee grudges and vexes him selfe at the happinesse and fortunes of others hee is pressed with care for what is present with sorrow for what is past with feare for what is to come nay for what will neuer come and as in the Eye one teare forceth out another so makes he one sorrow follow vpon a former and euerie day laye vp stuffe of griefe for the next The Aire the Sea the Fire the Beastes bee cruell executioners of Man yet Beastes Fire Sea and Aire are pitifull to Man in comparison of Man for moe men are destroyed by men than by them all What scornes wrongs contumelies imprisonments torments poysons receiueth man of man What engynes and new workes of death are daylie found forth by man against man What Lawes to thrall his libertie fantasies and scarbugs to inveigle his reason Amongst the Beastes is there anie that hath so seruile a lot in anothers behalfe as Man yet neither is content nor hee who raigneth nor hee who serueth The halfe of our life is spent in Sleepe which hath such a resemblance to Death that often it seperats as it were the Soule from the bodie and teacheth it a sort of being aboue it making it soare beyond the Spheare of sensuall delights and attaine Knowledge vnto which while the body did awake it could scarce aspire And who would not rather than abide chained in his loathsome Galley of the world sleepe euer that is dye hauing all thinges at one Stay bee free from those vexations misaduenters contempts indignities and many many anguishes vnto which this life is inuasseled and subdued and well looked vnto our greatest contentment and happinesse heere seemeth rather to consist in the beeing released from miserie than in the enjoying of anie great good What haue the most eminent of mortalls to glorie in Is it Greatnesse Who can bee great on so small a Round as is this Earth and bounded with so short a course of time How like is that to Castells or imaginarie Cities raised in the Skie by chance-meeting Cloudes Or to Gyants modelled for a sport of Snow which at the hoter lookes of the Sunne melt away and lie drowned in their owne moisture such an impetuous vicissitude towseth the estates of this World Is it Knowledge But wee haue not yet attained to a perfect Vnderstanding of the smallest Flower and why the Grasse should rather bee greene than red The Element of Fire is quite put out the Aire is but Water rarified the Earth moueth and is no more the Center of the Uniuerse is turned into a Magnes Starres are not fixed but swimme in the ethâ—riall spaces Comets are mounted aboue the Planets some affirme there is an other world of men and creatures with Cities and Towers in the Moone the Sunne is lost for it is but a cleft in the lower heauens through which the light of the highest shines Thus Sciences by the diuerse motions of this Globe of the braine of man are become opinions What is all wee know compared with what wee know not Wee haue not yet agreed about the chiefe good and felicitie It is perhaps artificiall Cunning howe many curiosities bee framed by the least Creatures of Nature vnto which the industrie of the most curious Artizanes doth not attaine Is it Riches What are they but the casting out of Friends the snares of libertie bands to such as haue them possessing rather than possest Mettalls which Nature hath hidde fore-seeing the great harme they should occasion and the onelie opinion of man hath brought in estimation like Thornes which laid on an open hand may bee blowne away and on a closing and hard gripping wound it Prodigalles misspend them Wretches miskeepe them when wee haue gathered the greatest aboundance wee our selues can enjoye no more thereof than so much as belonges to one man What great and rich men doe by others the meaner sort doe themselues Will some talke of our Pleasures It is not though in the fables told out of purpose that Pleasure in hast beeing called vp to Heauen did heere forget her apparell which Sorrow thereafter finding to deceiue the world
attired her selfe with And if wee would say the trueth of most of our Ioyes wee must confesse that they are but disguised sorrowes the drames of their Honney are sowred in pounds of Gall Remorse euer enseweth them and neuer doe they existe but by their opposite sadnesse nay in some they haue no effect at all if some wakning griefe hath not preceeded and forewent them Will some Ladies vaunt of their beautie that is but skinne-deepe of two senses onelie knowne short euen of Marble-Statues and Pictures not the same to all eyes dangerous to the beholder and hurtfull to the possessor an enemie to Chastitie a thing made to delight others more than those which haue it a superficiall luster hiding bones and the braines thinges fearfull to bee looked vpon growth in yeares doth blaste it or Sicknesse or Sorrow preuenting them Our strength matched with that of the vnreasonable Creatures is but weaknesse all wee can set our eyes on in these intricate mazes of life is but vaine perspectiue and deceiuing shadowes appearing farre other wayes a farre off than when enjoyed and gazed vpon in a neare distance If Death bee good why should it bee feared And if it bee the worke of Nature how should it not bee good For Nature is an ordinance and rule which GOD hath established in the creating this Vniuerse as is the Law of a King which can not erre For how should the Maker of that ordinance erre sith in him there is no impotencie and weaknesse by the which hee might bring forth what is vnperfect no peruersenesse of will of which might proceed any vicious action no ignorance by the which he might goe wrong in working beeing most powerfull most good most wise nay all-wise all-good all-powrefull He is the first orderer and marshalleth euery other order the highest Essence giuing essence to all other thinges of all causes the cause Hee worketh powerfullie bonteouâ—lie wiselie and maketh his artificiall Organ Nature doe the same How is not Death of Nature sith what is naturallie generate is subject to corruption and such an harmonie which is Life rising from the mixture of the foure Elements which are the Ingredients of our bodie can not euer endure The contraritie of their qualities as a consuming Rust in the baser Metalles beeing an inward cause of a necessarie dissolution Againe how is not Death good sith it is the thaw of all those vanities which the frost of Life bindeth together If there bee a facietie in Life then must there bee a sweetnesse in Death The Earth were not ample enough to containe her of-spring if none dyed in two or three Ages without Death what an vnpleasant and lamentable Spectacle were the most flourishing Cities for what should there bee to bee seene in them saue bodies languishing and couâ—bing againe into the Earth pale disfigured faces Skelitons in stead of men and what to bee heard but the exclamations of the young complaintes of the olde with the pittifull cryes of sicke and pining persons there is almost no infirmitie worse than age If there bee any euill in death it would appeare to bee that paine and torment which we apprehend to arise from the breaking of those strait bands which keepe the Soule and body together which sith not without great struggling and motion seemes to proue it selfe vehement and most extreame The senses are the onely cause of paine but before the last Trances of death they are so brought vnder that they haue no or verie little strength and their strength lessening the strength of paine too must be lessened How should wee doubt but the weaknesse of senselesseneth paine Sith we know that weakened and maimed parts which receiue not nurishment are a great deale lesse sensible than the other partes of the bodie And see that old decrepit persons leaue this world almost without paine as in a sleepe If bodies of the most sound and wholesome constitution bee these which most vehemently feele paine it must then follow that they of a distemperate and crasie constitution haue least feeling of paine and by this reason all weake and sicke bodies should not much feele paine for if they were not distempered and euill complexioned they would not be sicke That the Sight Hearing Taste Smelling leaue vs without paine and vnawares we are vndoubtedlie assured and why should wee not thinke the same of the Feeling That which is capable of feeling are the vitall spirits which in a man in a perfite health are spred and extended through the whole bodie and hence is it that the whole body is capable of paine But in dying bodies we see that by pauses and degrees the partes which are furthest remoued from the heart become cold and being depriued of naturall heat all the paine which they feele is that they doe feele no paine Now euen as ere the sicke be aware the vitall spirits haue with drawne themselues from the whole extension of the bodie to succour the heart like distressed Citizens which finding their walls battered down flye to the defence of their Cittadell so doe they abandone the heart without any sensible touch As the flame the oyle failing leaueth the wicke or as light the Aire which it doeth inuest As to the shrinking motions and convulsions of sinewes and members which appeare to witnesse great paine let one represent to himselfe the strings of an high-tuned Lut which breaking retire to their naturall windings or a piece of Yce that without any out-ward violence cracketh at a Thawe No otherwise doe the sinewes of the bodie finding themselues slacke and vnbended from the braine and their wonted labours and motions cease struggle and seeme to stirre themselues but without either paine or sense Sowning is a true pourtrait of death or rather it is the same beeing a cessation from all action motion and function of sense and life But in Sowning there is no paine but a silent rest and so deepe and sound a sleepe that the naturall is nothing in comparison of it What great paine then can there bee in Death which is but a continued Sowning and a neuer againe returning to the workes and dolorous felicitie of life Now although Death were an extreame paine sith it is in an instant what can it bee why should wee feare it for while wee are it commeth not and it beeing come we are no more Nay though it were most painfull long continuing and terrible vglie why should wee feare it Sith feare is a foolish passion but where it may preserue but it can not preserue vs from Death yea rather the feare of it banishing the comfortes of present contentmentes makes Death to aduance and approach the more neare vnto vs. That is euer terrible which is vnknowne so doe litle children feare to goe in the darke and their feare is increased with tales But that perhaps which anguisheth thee most is to haue this glorious pageant of the World remoued from thee in the Spring and most delicious season of
thy life for though to dye bee vsuall to dye young may appeare extraordinarie If the present fruition of these things bee vnprofitable and vaine what can a long continuance of them bee Stranger and new Halcyon why wouldst thou longer nestle amidst these vnconstant and stormie waues Hast thou not alreddy suffred enough of this World but thou must yet endure more To liue long is it not to be long troubled But number thy yeares which are now and thou shalt find that where as ten haue ouer-liued thee thousands haue not attained this age One yeare is sufficient to behold all the magnificence of Nature nay euen one day and night for more is but the same brought againe This Sunne that Moone these Starres the varying dance of the Spring Summer Antumne Winter is that verie same which the golden Age did see They which haue the longest time lent them to liue in haue almost no part of it at all measuring it either by that space of time which is past when they were not or by that which is to come Why shouldst thou then care whether thy dayes be manie or few which when prolonged to the vttermost proue paralel'd with eternitie as a Teare is to the Oeeaâ— To dye young is to doe that soone and in some fewer dayes which once thou must doe it is but the giuing ouer of a Game that after neuer so many hazardes must be lost When thou hast liued to that age thou desirest or one of Platos yeares so soone as the last of thy dayes riseth aboue thy Horizon thou wilt then as now demand longer respit and exspect more to come It is Hope of long life that maketh life seeme short Who will behold and with the eyes of aduice behold the many changes depending on humane affaires with the after-claps of Fortune shall neuer lament to dye young Who knowes what alterations and sudden disasters in outward estate or inward contentments in this wildernesse of the world might haue befallen him who dyeth young if hee had liued to be old Heauen fore-knowing imminent harmes taketh those which it loues to it selfe before they fall forth Pure and if we may so say Virgine Soules carrie their bodies with no small agonies and delight not to remaine long in the dregs of humane corruption still burning with a desire to turne backe to the place of their rest for this world is their Inne and not their Home That which may fall foorth euerie houre cannot fall out of time Life is a Iourney in a dustie way the furthest Rest is Death in this some goe more heauilie burthened than others swift and actiue Pilgrimes come to the end of it in the Morning or at Noone which Tortoyse-paced Wretches clogged with the fragmentarie rubbidge of this world scarce with great trauell crawle vnto at Midnight Dayes are not to be esteemed after the number of them but after the goodnesse more Compasse maketh not a Spheare more compleat but as round is a little as a large Ring nor is that Musician most praise worthie who hath longest played but hee in measured accents who hath made sweetest Melodie to liue long hath often beene a let to liue well Muse not how many yeares thou mightst haue enjoyed life but howe sooner thou mightst haue lossed it neither grudge so much that it is no better as comfort thy selfe that it hath beene no worse let it suffice that thou hast liued till this day and after the course of this world not for nought thou hast had some smiles of of Fortune fauours of the worthiest some friendes and thou hast neuer beene disfauoured of the Heauen Though not for Life it selfe yet that to after-worlds thou mightst leaue some monument that once thou wast happilie in the cleare light of reason it would appeare that life were earnestlie to bee desired for sith it is denyed vs to liue euer said one let vs leaue some worthie Remembrance of our once heere beeing and draw out this Spanne of life to the greatest length and so farre as is possible O poore Ambition to what I pray thee mayst thou concreded it Arches and statelie Temples which one age doth raise doth not another raze Tombes and adopted Pillars lye buried with those which were in them buried Hath not Auarice defaced what Religion did make glorious all that the hand of man can vpreare is either ouer-turned by the hand of man or at length by standing continuing consumed as if there were a secret opposition in fate the vneuitable decree of the Eternall to controule our in dustrie conter-checke all our deuices proposing Possessions are not enduring Children lose their names Families glorying like Marigolds in the Sun on the highest top of Wealth and Honour no better than they which are not yet borne leauing off to bee So doth Heauen confound what wee endeuour by labour and art to distinguish That renowne by Papers which is thought to make men immortall and which nearest doth approach the life of these eternall Bodies aboue how slender it is the verie word of Paper doth import and what is it when obtained but a multitude of words which comming Tymes may scorne How many millions neuer heare the names of the most famous Writers and amongst them to whom they are known how few turne ouer their Pages and of such as doe how many sport at their conceits taking the veritie for a fable and oft a fable for veritie or as we doe pleasants vse all for recreation Then the arising of more famous doth darken and turne ignoble the glorie of the former beeing held as Garments worne out of fashion Now when thou hast attained what praise thou couldst desire and thy fame is emblazoned in many Stories it is but an Eccho a meere Sound a Glow-worme which seene a far casteth some cold beames but approached is found nothing an imaginarie happinesse whose good depends on the oppinion of others Desert and Vertue for the most part want Monuments and Memorie seldome are recorded in the Volummes of admiration while Statues Torphees are erected to those whose names should haue beene buried in their dust and folded vp in the darkest clowds of obliuion So doe the rancke Weeds in this Garden of the World choacke and ouer-runne the swetest Flowres Applause whilst thou liuest serueth but to make thee that faire marke against which Enuie and Malice direct their Arrows at the best is like that Syracusians Sphear of Chirstall as fraile as faire and borne after thy death it may as well be ascribed to some of those were in the Trojâ—n Horse or to such as are yet to bee borne an hundreth yeares heereafter as to thee who nothing knowes and is of all vnknowne What can it auaile thee to bee talked of whilst thou art not Consider in what bounds our fame is confined how narrow the lists are of humane Glorie and the furthest she can stretch her winges This Globe of the Earth which seemeth huge to vs in
in a mild and quiet calme and not long after my Senses one by one forgetting their vses beganne to giue themselues ouer to rest leauing mee in a still and peaceable sleepe if sleepe it may bee called where the mind awaking is carried with free wings from out fleshlie bondage For heauie lids had not long couered their lights when I thought nay sure I was where I might discerne all in this great All the large compasse of the rolling Circles the brightnesse and continuall motion of those Rubies of the Night which by their distance heere below can not be perceiued the â—iluer countenance of the wandring Moone shining by anothers light the hanging of the Earth as eâ—uironed with a girdle of Christall the Sunne enthronized in the midst of the Planets eye of the Heauens Gemme of this precious Ring the World But whilst with wonder and amazement I gazed on those celestiall Splendors and the beaming Lampes of that glorious Temple like a poore Countrie-man brought from his solitarie mountaines and flockes to behold the magnificence of some great Citie There was presented to my fight a Man as in the spring of his yeares with that selfe same grace comely feature Majesticke looke which the late was wont to haue on whom I had no sooner set mine eyes when like one Planet-stroken I became amazed But hee with a â—ild demeanour and voyce surpassing all Humane sweetnesse appeared mee thought to say What is it doth thus anguish and trouble thee Is it the remembrance of Death the last Period of wretchednesse and entrie to these happie places the Lanterne which lightneth men to see the misterie of the blessednesse of Spirites and that glorie which transcendeth the Courtaine of things visible Is thy Fortune below on that darke Globe which scarce by the smalnes of it appeareth heere so great that thou art heart-broken and dejected to leaue it What if thou wert to leaue behind thee a so glorious in the eye of the World yet but a mote of dust encircled with a Pond as that of mine so louing such great hopes these had beene apparant occasions of lamenting and but apparent Dost thou thinke thou leauest Life too soone Death is best young things faire and excellent are not of long endurance vpon Earth Who liueth well liueth long Soules most beloued of their Maker are soonest releeued from the bleeding cares of Life and most swiftlie waâ—ted through the Surges of Humane miseries Opinion that great enchantresse and peiser of things not as they are but as they seeme hath not in any thing more than in the conceit of Death abused Man Who must not measure himselfe and esteeme his estate after his earthlie being which is but as a dreame For though hee bee borne on the Earth hee is not borne for the Earth more than the Embryon for the mothers wombe It plaineth to bee relieued of its bands and to come to the light of this World and Man wailleth to bee loosed from the Chaines with which he is fettered in that valey of vanities It nothing knoweth whither it is to goe nor ought of the beautie of the visible workes of GOD neither doth Man of the magnificence of the intellectuall World aboue vnto which as by a Mid-wife hee is directed by Death Fooles which thinke that this faire and admirable Frame so variouslie disposed so rightlie marshalled so stronglie maintained enriched with so many excellencies not only for necessitie but for ornament and delight was by that Supreame Wisedome brought forth that all things in a circularie course should bee and not bee arise and dissolue and thus continue as if they were so many Shadowes cast out and caused by the encountring of these Superior Celestiall Bodies changing onelie their fashion and shape or fantasticall Imageries or printes of faces into Christall No no the Eternall Wisedome hath made Man an excellent Creature though hee faine would vnmaâ—â—e himselfe and returne to nothing And though he seeke his felicity among the reasonlesse Wights he hath fixed it aboue Looke how some Prince or great King on the Earth when hee hath raised any statelie Citie the worke being atchiâ—â—ed is wont to set his Image in the midst of it to bee admired and gazed vpon No otherwise did the Soueraigne of this All the Fabricke of it perfected place Man a great Miracle formed to his owne patterne in the midst of this spacious and admirable Citie GOD containeth all in Him as the beginning of all Man containeth all in him as the midst of all inferiour thinges bee in Man more noble than they exist superiour thinges more meanlie Celestiall things fauour him earthly things are vassaled vnto him hee is the band of both neither is it possible but that both of them haue peace with him if he haue peace with him who made the Couenant betweene them and him Hee was made that hee might in the Glasse of the World behold the infinite Goodnesse Power and glorie of his Maker and beholding know and knowing Loue and louing enjoye and to hold the Earth of him as of his Lord Paramount neuer ceasing to remember and praise Him It exceedeth the compasse of conceit to thinke that that Wisedome which made euerie thing so orderly in the parts should make a confusion in the whole and the cheife Maister-peece how bringing forth so many excellencies for Man it should bring forth Man for basenesse and miserie And no lesse strange were it that so long life should be giuen to Trees Beastes and the Birds of the Aire Creatures inferior to Man which haue lesse vse of it and which can not judge of this goodlie Fabricke and that it should bee denyed to Man Vnlesse there were another manner of liuing prepared for him in a place more noble and excellent But alas said I had it not beene better that for the good of his natiue Couâ—trie a endued with so manie peerlesse gifts had yet liued How long will yee replyed hee like the Ants thinke there are no fairer Palaces than their Hills or like to poreblind Moles no greater light than that little which they shunne As if the maister of a Campe knew when to remoue a Sentinell and Hee who placeth Man on the Earth knew â—ot how long he had need of Him Euerie one commeth there to act his part of this Tragicomediâ— called Life which done the Courtaine is drawne and hee remouing is said to dye That Prouidence which prescriueth Causes to euerie euent hath not onelie determined a definit and certaine number of dayes but of actions to all men which they cannot goe beyond Most then answered I Death is not such an euill and paine as it is of the Vulgare esteemed Death said hee nor painefull is nor euill except in contemplation of the cause beeing of it selfe as indifferent as Birth Yet can it not bee denyed but amidst those dreames of earthly pleasures the vncouthnesse of it with the wrong apprehension of what is vnknowne in it are noysome But the