thriue and goods encrease They shall not prosper nor he liue in peace Eternall horrour shall begirt him round And vengeance shall both him and his confound Amidst his ioyes despaire shall stop his breath His sons shall perish with vntimely death The double soule shall dye and in the hollow Of all false harts false harts themselues shall swallow Then answered Iob All this before I knew They want no griefe that find such friends as you Ah cease your words the fruits of ill-spent houres If heauen should please to make my fortunes yours I would not scoffe you nor with taunts torment ye My lips should comfort and these eyes lament ye What shall I doe Speake not my griefes oppresse My soule or speake alas they 'r ne'r the lesse Lord I am wasted and my pangs haue spent me My skin is wrinkled for thy Hand hath rent me Mine enemies haue smit me in disdaine Laught at my torments iested at my paine I swel'd in wealth but now alas am poore And feld with woe lye grou'ling on the floore In dust and sackcloth I lament my sorrowes Thy Hand hath trencht my cheekes with water-furrowes Nor can I comprehend the cause that this My smart should be so grieuous as it is Oh Earth If then an Hypocrite I be Couer my cryes as I doe couer thee And witnesse Heauen that these my Vowes be true Ah friends I spend my teares to Heau'n not you My time 's but short alas would then that I Might try my cause with God before I dye Since then I languish and not farre from dead Let me a while with my Accusers plead Before the Iudge of heauen and earth my right Haue they not wrong'd and vext me day and night Who first layes downe his Gage to meet me Say I doubt not Heauen being Iudge to win the day You 'l say perchance Wee 'l recompell our word E're simple Truth should vnawares afford Your discontent No no forbeare for I Hate lesse your Censures then your Flattery I am become a By-word and a Taber To set the tongues and eares of men in labour Mine eyes are dimme my body 's but a shade Good men that see my case will be afraid But not confounded They will hold their way And in a bad they 'l hope a better day Recant your errours for I cannot see One man that 's truly wise among you Three My dayes are gone my thoughts are mis-possest The silent night that heauen ordain'd for rest My day of trauell is but I shall haue Er'e long long peace within my welcome graue My neerest kindred are the wormes the earth My mother for she gaue me first my birth Where are my hopes then where that future ioy Which you false-prophecy'd I should enioy Both hopes and I alike shall trauell thither Where clos'd in dust we shall remaine together Meditatio vndecima THe Morall Poets nor vnaptly faine That by lame Vulcans help the pregnant braine Of soueraign Ioue brought forth at that birth Was borne Minerua Lady of the earth O strange Diuinity but sung by rote Sweet is the tune but in a wilder note The Morall sayes All Wisedome that is giuen To hood-wink't mortals first proceeds from heauen Truth 's errour Wisedom's but wise insolence And light 's but darknesse not deriu'd from thence Wisdom's a straine transcends Morality No Vertu 's absent Wisedome being by Vertue by constant practice is acquir'd This this by sweat vnpurchas't is inspir'd The master-piece of knowledge is to know But what is Good from what is good in show And there it rests Wisdome proceeds and chuses The seeming Euill th' apparant Good refuses Knowledge deseru's alone Wisedome applyes That makes some fooles this maketh none but wise The curious hand of knowledge doth but pick Bare simples Wisedome pounds them for the sicke In my affliction knowledge apprehends Who is the Authour what the Cause and Ends It findes that Patience is my sad reliefe And that the Hand that caus'd can cure my griefe To rest contented here is but to bring Clouds without raine and heat without a Spring What hope arises hence The Diuels doe The very same They know and tremble too But sacred Wisedome doth apply that Good Which simple Knowledge barely vnderstood Wisedome concludes and in conclusion proues That wheresoeuer God corrects he loues Wisedome digests what knowledge did but tast That deales in futures this in things are past Wisedom's the Card of Knowledge which without That Guide at random's wreckt on euery doubt Knowledge when Wisedome is too weak to guide her Is like a head-strong Horse that throwes the Rider VVhich made that great Philosopher auow He knew so much that he did nothing know Lord giue me VVisdome to direct my wayes I beg nor riches nor yet length of dayes O grant thy seruant VVisedome and with it I shall receiue such knowledge as will fit To serue my turne I wish not Phoebus waine Without his skill to driue it lest I gaine Too deare an Honour Lord I will not stay To pick more Manna then will serue to day THE ARGVMENT Bildad the whil'st he makes a show To strike the wicked giues the blow To Iob Iobs Misery and Faith Zophar makes good what Bildad saith Sect. 12. SAid Bildad then When will ye bring to end The speeches whereabout ye so contend Waigh eithers words lest ignorant confusion Debarre them of their purposed conclusion We came to comfort fits it then that we Be thought as beasts or fooles accounted be But thou Iob like a mad man would'st thou force God to desist his order and set course Of Iustice Shall the wicked for thy sake That would'st not taste of Euill in Good partake No no his Lampe shall blaze and dye his strength Shall faile or shall confound it selfe at length He shall be hampred with close hidden snares And dog'd where e're he starts with troups of feares Hunger shall bite destruction shall attend him His skin shall rot the worst of deaths shall end him His feare shall be a thousand link't together His branch aboue his root beneath shall wither His Name shall sleepe in dust with dust decay Odious to all by all men chas't away No Son shall keepe aliue his House his Name And none shall thriue that can alliance clame The after-age shall stand amaz'd to heare His Fall and they that see 't shall shake for feare Thus stands the state of him that doth amisse And Iob what other is thy case then this But Iob reply'd How long as with sharpe swords Will ye torment me with your poynted words How often haue your biting tongues defam'd My simple Innocence and yet vnsham'd Had I deseru'd these plagues yet let my griefe Expresse it selfe though it find no reliefe But if you needs must weare your tongues vpon me Know 'T is the hand of God hath ouerthrowne me I roare vnheard His Hand will not release me The more I grieue
how to sunder nor yet Force can part His Belching rucks forth flames his mouing Eye Shines like the glory of the morning Skie His craggie Sinewes are like wreathes of brasse And from his mouth quicke flames of fier passe As from an Ouen the temper of his Heart Is like a Nether-milstone which no Dart Can pierce secured from the threatning Speare Affraid of none he strikes the World with feare The Bow-mans brawnie arme sends Shafts in vaine They fall like Stubble or bound backe againe Stones are his Pillow and the Mud his Downe In earth none greater is nor equall none Compar'd with him all things he doth deride And well may challenge to be King of Pride So said th' amazed Iob bent downe his eyes Vpon the ground and sadly thus replyes I know Great God there 's nothing hard to Thee Thy thoughts are pure and too too deepe for me I am a Foole and my distempered Wits Longer out-strayed my Tongue then well befits My knowledge slumbred while my Lips did chat And like a Foole I spake I knew not what Lord teach me Wisdome lest my proud Desire Cinge her bold Feathers in thy sacred Fire Mine Eare hath oft been rounded with thy storie But now these very Eyes haue seene thy Glorie My sinfull Words I not alone lament But in the horror of my Soule repent Repent with Teares in Sackcloth mourne in Dust I am a sinfull man and Thou art Iust Thou Eliphaz that mak'st my sacred Word An Engine of Despaire said then the Lord Behold full vyals of my Wrath attends On thee and on thy two too-partiall Friends For you haue iudg'd amisse and haue abus'd My Word to worke your Ends falsely accus'd My righteous Seruant Of you all there 's none Hath spoke vprightly as my Iob hath done Haste then before my kindling Fire begin To slame and each man offer for his Sin A Sacrifice by Iob my seruants hand And for his sake your Offrings shall withstand The Wages of your sinnes for what can I If Iob my Seruant make request denie So strait they went and after speedy pardon Desir'd and had the righteous Iob for guerdon Of his so tedious Griefe obtain'd the health Of a sound Body and encrease of Wealth So that the second Haruest of his store Was double that which he enioy'd before Ere this was blazed in the Worlds wide Eares The frozen brests of his Familiars And cold Allyes being now dissolu'd in Griefe His backward Friends came to him with Reliefe To feede his Wants and with sad showring eyes To moane his yet supposed Miseries Some brought him Sheepe to blesse his emptie Fold Some precious Earerings others Rings of Gold God blest his loines from whence there sprang again The number of his children that were slaine Nor was there any in the Land so rare In vertue as his Daughters or so faire Long after this he liu'd in peace to see His childrens children to the fourth Degree Till at the length cut short by Him that stayes For none he dyed in Peace and full of Dayes Meditatio vltima EVill's the defect of Good and as a shade That 's but the Ruines of the Light decay'd It hath no Beeing nor is vnderstood But by the Opposition of Good What then is man whose purest thoughts are prest For Satans warre which from the tender brest With Infant silence haue consented to Such sinfull Deeds as babes they could not doe What then is man but Nothing being Euill His Lunatick affections doe vnleuell What Heauen created by iust Waight and Measure In Pleasures sincke he takes a swinelike Pleasure His span of life and beautie's like a Flower Faire flourishing and fading in an hower He breakes into the World with Teares and then Departs with Griefe nor knowing How nor When. His life 's a Bubble full of seeming Blisse The more it lengthens the more short it is Begot in darknesse hee 's brought forth and cryes For succour passes ore the Stage and dyes Yet like a Moale the earth he vndermines Making the World the Forge of his designes He plots complots foresees preuents directs He hopes he feares he doubts pursues effects Each hath his Plot each one his course doth bend Each hath his Proiect and each one his end Thus restlesse man doth still his soule molest To finde out that which hath no Being Rest Thus trauels sinfull man in endlesse toyle Taking a pleasure in his owne turmoyle Fond man first seeke to purchase that diuine And sacred Prize and all the World is thine Great Salomon made suit for Wisedome and he found Not barely Wisedome but that Wisedome crown'd With Diademes of wealth and faire encrease Of princely Honours with long dayes of peace With safe respect and awfull reuerence To Mystryes Meditation doth commence An earnest doubt Was Iobs dispoyled Flock Restored double Was his former Stock Renew'd with double vantage Did heauen adde To all his fortunes double what he had Yet those sweet Emblemes of his dearest loue His sonnes whom Death vntimely did remoue From off the face of the vnthankfull earth Why likewise sprang not they in double birth Bruit beasts that perish once are lost for euer Their substance and their All consume together Once hauing giuen a farewell to the light They dye and with them is perpetuall night But man vnorgan'd by the hand of Death Dyes not is but transplanted from beneath Into a fairer soyle or as a stranger Brought home secure from the worlds pleasing Danger Iobs Flocks were lost and therefore double giuen His Issu's equall shar'd 'twixt Earth and Heauen One halfe in heauen are glorious in their doome Ingag'd as Pledges till the other come Great God! my Time 's but short and long my Way My Heart hath lost her Path and gone astray My spirit 's faint and fraile my soul 's imbost If thou helpe not I am for euer lost Though Dust and Ashes yet am I thy Creature How e're my sinnes are great thy Mercy 's greater Of Nothing did'st thou make me and my sinne Hath turn'd me back to Nothing once agin Create me a new heart great God inspire My cold Affections with thy sacred Fire Instruct my Will and rectifie my Wayes O teach me Lord to number out my Dayes The Digestion of the whole HISTORIE 1 In Prosperity THou whose lanke fortunes heauē hath sweld with Make not thy selfe by ouer-wishing poore store Husband that Good which else Abuse makes Bad Abstracting where thy base Desire would adde Lines flowing from a Sophoclean Quill Deserue no Plaudit ' being Acted ill 2 In Aduersity Hath heauē withdrawn the Talent he hath giuē thee Hath enuious Death of all thy Sons bereau'n thee Haue foule Diseases foyl'd thee on the floore He earnes no sweet that neuer tasted sowre Thou art a Scholler if thy Tutor doe Pose thee too hard Hee will instruct thee too 3 In Tentation Art thou oppos'd to thine vnequall Foe
My Browes did sweat my moystned Haire did rise The Face I knew not but a while it stayd And in the depth of silence thus it said Is man more Iust more pure then his Creator Amongst his Angels more vpright by nature Then Man he hath found Weaknes how much more Shall he expect in him that 's walled ore With mortall Flesh and Blood founded and floor'd With Dust and with the Wormes to be deuour'd They rise securely with the Morning Sunne And vnregarded dye ere Day be done Their Glory passes with them as a Breath They dye like Fooles before they thinke of death Rage then and see who will approue thy rage What Saint will giue thy railing Patronage Anger destroyes the Foole and he that hath A wrathfull heart is slaine with his owne wrath Yet haue I seene that Fooles haue oft been able To boast with Babel but haue falne with Babel Their sons despairing roare without reliefe In open Ruine on the Rocks of Griefe Their haruest though but small the hungry eate And robbers seaze their wealth though ne'r so great But wretched man were thy Condition mine I 'de not despaire as thou dost nor repine But offer vp the broken Sacrifice Of a sad soule before his angry eyes Whose Workes are Miracles of admiration He mounts the Meeke amidst their Desolation Confounds the worldly wise that blind-fold they Grope all in Darknesse at the noone of Day But guards the Humble from reproach of wrong And stops the current of the crafty Tongue Thrice happy is the man his Hands correct Beware lest Fury force thee to reiect Th' Almighties Tryall He that made thy Wound In Iustice can in Mercy make it sound Feare not though multiply'd Afflictions shall Besiege thee He at length will rid them all In Famine he shall feed in Warre defend thee Shield thee from Slander and in Griefes attend thee The Beasts shall strike with thee eternall Peace The Stones shall not disturbe thy fields Encrease Thy House shall thriue replenisht with Content Which thou shalt rule in prosprous Gouernment The number of thy Of-spring shall abound Like Summers Grasse vpon a fruitfull ground Like timely Corne well rip'ned in her Eares Thou shalt depart thy life struck full of yeeres All this Experience tels Then Iob aduise Thou hast taught many now thy selfe be wise Meditatio septima THe perfect Modell of true Friendship 's this A rare Affection of the soule which is Begun with rip'ned Iudgement doth perseuer With simple Wisdome and concludes with Neuer 'T is pure in substance as refined Gold That buyeth all things but is neuer sold It is a Coyne and most men walke without it True Loue 's the Stampe Iehouah 's writ about it It rusts vnvs'd but vsing makes it brighter 'Gainst Heauen high Treason 't is to make it lighter 'T is a Gold Chaine linkes soule and soule together In perfect Vnitie ties God to either Affliction is the Touch whereby we prooue Whether 't be Gold or guilt with fained Loue. The wisest Moralist that euer diu'd Into the depth of Natures bowels striu'd With th' Augar of Experience to bore Mens hearts so farre till he had found the Ore Of Friendship but despaying of his end My Friends said he there is no perfect Friend Friendship 's like Musick two Strings tun'd alike Will both stirre though but onely one you strike It is the Quintessence of all Perfection Extracted into one A sweet connexion Of all the Vertues Morall and Diuine Abstracted into One It is a Mine Whose nature is not rich vnlesse in making The state of others wealthy by partaking It bloomes and blossoms both in Sunne and shade Doth like the Bay in winter neuer fade It loueth all and yet suspecteth none Is prouident yet seeking not her owne 'T is rare it selfe yet maketh all things common And is iudicious yet it iudgeth no man The noble Theban being asked which Of three propounded he suppos'd most rich In vertues sacred Treasure thus reply'd Till they be dead that doubt cannot be try'd It is no wise mans part to waigh a Frend Without the glosse and goodnesse of his End For Life without the Death considered can Affoord but halfe a story of the Man 'T is not my friends Affliction that shall make Me either Wonder Censure or Forsake Iudgement belongs to Fooles enough that I Find hee 's afflicted not enquier Why It is the hand of Heauen That selfesame Sorrow Grieues him to Day may make me grone to Morrow Heauen be my comfort In my highest griefe I will not trust to mans but Thy reliefe THE ARGVMENT Iob counts his sorrowes and from thence Excuses his Impatience Describes the shortnesse of mans Time And makes confession of his Crime Sect. 8. BVt wretched Iob sigh 't forth these words said Ah me that my Impatience were waigh'd With all my Sorrowes by an equall hand They would be found more pondrous then the sand That lyes vpon the new-forsaken shore My Griefes want vtt'rance haue stopt their Dore And wonder not Heau'ns shafts haue struck me dead And God hath heapt all Mischiefes on my head Will Asses bray when they haue grasse to eate Or lowes the Oxe when as he wants no meate Can Pallates find a rellish in distast Or can the whites of Egges well please the tast My vexed soule is daily fed with such Corruptions as my hands disdaine to touch Alas that Heauen would heare my hearts Requste And strike me dead that I may find some Rest What hopes haue I to see my end of griefe And to what end should I prolong my life Why should not I wish Death My strength alas Is it like Marble or my flesh like Brasse What Power haue I to mitigate my Paine If e're I had that Power now is vaine My friends are like the Riuers that are dry In heat of Summer when necessity Requireth water They amazed stand To see my Griefe but lend no helping hand Friends begge I succour from you Craued I Your Goods to ransome my Captiuity Shew me my faults and wherein I did wrong My Patience and I will hold my tongue The force of reasonable words may mooue But what can Rage or Lunacy reprooue Rebuke you then my words to haue it thought My speech is frantick with my griefe distraught You take a pleasure in your friends distresse That is more wretched then the Fatherlesse Behold these Sores Be iudg'd by your owne eyes If these be counterfeited miseries Ballance my words and you shall find me free From these foule crimes wherewith ye branded me And that my speech was not distaind with sin Only the language sorrow treated in Is not mans Day prefixt which when expyr'd Sleepes he not quiet as a seruant hir'd A seruants labour doth at length surcease His Day of trauell findes a Night of peace But wretched I with woes am still opprest My mid-day torments see no euen of Rest My nights ordaind
fill'd with Peace They passe vnplagu'd their fruitfull Flockes encrease Their Children thriue in ioyfull Melodie Prosperous they liue and peacefully they dye Renounce vs God say they if God there be What need we knowledge of thy VVord or Thee VVhat is th' Almighty that we should adore him VVhat bootes our prayer or vs to fall before him 'T is not by chance their vaine Prosperitie Crownes thē with store or Heauē not knowing why But you affirme That in conclusion they Shall fall But not so sudden as you say But can ye limit forth the space confine How long or when their Lampes shall cease to shine Will any of you vndertake to teach Your Maker things so farre aboue your reach The Bad man liues in plentie dyes in peace The Good as doe his howres his griefes encrease Yet both the Good and Bad alike shall haue Though Liues much differing yet one cōmon graue I know your mining thoughts You will demand VVhere is the wickeds Power And where stand Their loftie Buildings are they to be seene Enquire of wandring Pilgrims that haue beene Experienc'd in the Roade and they 'l relate The Princely greatnesse of their Tow'rs and State Liue any more secure then they Or who Dare once reprooue them for the Deeds they doe He liues in Power and in Peace he dies Attended in his pompeous Obsequies How vaine are then the comforts of your breath That censure goodnesse or by Life or Death Said Eliphaz What then remaines Thy tongue Hath quit thy selfe accus'd thy God of Wrong Gaines he by mans vprightnesse Can man ad To his Perfection what He neuer had Feares He the strength of mā Doth He torment him Lest that his vntam'd power should preuent Him What need I waste this breath Recall thy senses And take the Inuentorie of thy Offences Thou tookst the poore mans Pawne nor hast thou fed Thy needy Brother with thy prosp'rous Bread Thy hands peruerted Iustice and haue spoyl'd The hopelesse Widdow with her helpelesse Child Hence spring thy sorrowes Iob 'T is Iustice then Thou should'st be plagu'd that thus plagu'd other mē Is Heauen Iust Can Heauens Iust Creator Let passe vnpunisht Sinnes of so high nature Hath not Experience taught that for a while The Wicked may exalt their Crests and smile Blowne vp with Insolence but in conclusion They fall and good men laugh at their confusion Iob adde not sinne to sinne cease to beguile Thy selfe thinking to quench thy fire with Oyle Returne thee to thy God confesse thy crimes Returne and he will crowne thy after-times With former Blessings and thy Riches shall Be as the Sand for God is all in all His face shall welcome thee and smile vpon thee And cease that mischief his iust Hand hath done thee He shall be pleased with thy holy Fiers And grant the issue of thy best Desires Iob answer'd then Although my soule be faint And Griefes weigh down the Scale of my complant Yet would I pleade my Cause which you defam'd Before my Maker and would pleade vnsham'd Could I but find him I would take vpon me To quit the Censures you haue passed on me His Iustice hath no limits is extended Beyond conceit by man vnapprehended Let Heauen be Vmpire and make Arbitration Betwixt my guiltlesse heart and your taxation My Embrion thoughts and words are all inroll'd Pure will he find them as refined Gold His steps I followed and vprightly stood His Lawes haue been my Guide his Words my food Hath he but once decreed alas there 's none Can barre for what he wills must needs be done His Will 's a Law If he hath doom'd that I Shall still be plagu'd 't is bootelesse to replie Hence comes it that my sore afflicted spright Trembles and stands confounded at his sight His hand hath struck my spirits in amaze For I can neither end my Griefes nor Dayes Why should not Times in all things be forbid When to the Iust their time of sorrow 's hid Some mooue their Land-markes rob their neighbour Others in gage receiue the Widowes Oxe Some grinde the Poore while others seeke the Prey flocks They reape their Haruest beare their Graine away Men presse their Oyle and they distraine their Store And rend the Gleanings from the hungry poore The Citie roares the Blood which they haue spent Cryes vnreueng'd for equall punishment Early they murther and rob late at night They trade in Darkenesse for they hate the Light The sinne vnpunisht thriuing vncontroll'd And what by Force they got by Force they hold O Friends Repeale your words your speeches bring No lawfull Yssue prooue not any thing Your deeper Wisdomes argue in effect That God doth or not know or else neglect Conclude with me or proue my words vntrue I must be found a Lyer or else you Meditatio tertiadecima THe VVisest men that Nature e're could boast For secret knowledge of her power were lost Confounded and in deepe amazement stood In the discouery of the Chiefest Good Keenely they hunted beat in euery Bracke Forwards they went on either hand and backe Return'd they Counter but their deepe-mouth'd Art Though often challeng'd Sent yet ne'r could start In all th' Enclosures of Philosophy That Game from squat they terme Felicity They iangle and their Maxims dis-agree As many men so many minds there be One digs to Pluto's Throane thinkes there to find Her Grace rak't vp in Gold Anothers mind Mounts to the Courts of Kings with Plumes of Honour And feather'd Hopes hopes there to seize vpon her A third vnlockes the painted Gates of Pleasure And ransacks there to find this peerelesse Treasure A fourth more sage more wisely melancholy Perswades himselfe her Deity 's too holy For common hands to touch he rather chuses To make a long dayes iourney to the Muses To Athens gown'd he goes and from that Schoole Returnes vnsped a more instructed foole Where lies she then Or lies she any where Honours are bought and sold she rests not there Much lesse in Pleasures hath she her abiding For they are shar'd to Beasts and euer sliding Nor yet in Vertue Vertu 's often poore And crush't with Fortune begs from dore to dore Nor is she sainted in the Shrine of wealth That makes men slaues is vnsecur'd from stealth Conclude we then Felicity consists Not in exterior Fortunes but her lists Are boundlesse and her large extension Out-runnes the pace of humane apprehension Fortunes are seldome measur'd by desert The fairer face hath oft the fouler heart Sacred felicity doth ne're extend Beyond it selfe In it all wishes end The swelling of an outward Fortune can Create a prosperous not a happy man A peacefull Conscience is the true Content And wealth is but her golden Ornament I care not so my Kernell rellish well How slender be the substance of my shell My heart being vertuous let my face be wan I am to God I onely seeme to man THE ARGVMENT Bildad showes mans impurity Iob setteth forth
th' Almighties power Pleads still his owne Integrity Gods Wisedome no man can discouer Sect. 14. SAid Bildad then With whom dost thou contest But with thy Maker that liues euer blest His Powr's infinite mans light is dimme And knowledge darknesse not deriu'd from Him Say then Who can be iust before Him No man Can challenge Purity that 's borne of Woman The greater Torch of heauen in his sight Shall be asham'd and lose his purer light Much lesse can man that is but liuing Dust And but a fairer Worme be pure and iust Whereat Iob thus Doth heauens high Iudgement stand To be supported by the weaker hand Wants Hee thy helpe To whom dost thou extend These these thy lauish lips and to what end No Hee 's Almighty and his Power doth giue Each thing his Being and by Him they liue To him is nothing darke his soueraigne Hands Whirle round the restlesse Orbs his Pow'r cōmands Th' euen poys'd Earth The Water-pots of heauen He empties at his pleasure and hath giuen Appoynted lists to keepe the Waters vnder The trembling Skies he strikes amaz'd with thunder These these the Trophies of his Power be Where is there e're a such a God as He My friends These eares haue heard your censures on me And Heauens sharp hand doth waigh so hard vpō me So languishing in griefe that no defence Seemes to remaine to shield my Innocence Yet while my soule a gaspe of breath affords I 'le not distrust my Maker nor your words Deserue which Heauen forfend that euer I Proue true but I 'le plead guiltlesse till I dye While I haue breath my pangs shal ne'r perswade me To wander and reuolt from Him that made me Er'e such thoughts spring from this confused brest Let death and tortures doe their worst their best What gaines the Hypocrite although the whole Worlds wealth he purchase with the price on 's soule Will Heauen heare the voyce of his disease Can he repent and turne where-e're he please True God doth sometime plague with open shame The wicked often blurres he forth his Name From out the earth his children shall be slaine And who suruiue shall beg their bread in vaine What if his Gold be heap'd the Good man shall Possesse it as true Master of it All Like Moths their houses shall they build in doubt And danger euery houre to be cast out Besieg'd with Want their lips make fruitlesse moane Yet wanting succour be relieu'd by none The worme of Conscience shall torment his brest And he shall rore when others be at rest Gods hand shall scourge him that he cannot flye And men shall laugh and hisse to heare him cry The purest metall 's hid within the Mould Without is grauell but within is Gold Man digs and in his toyle he takes a pleasure He seekes and finds within the turfe the Treasure He neuer rests vnsped but vnderneath He mines and progs though in the fangs of death No secret how obscure soeuer can Earths bosome smother that 's vnfound by man But the Diuine and high Decrees of heauen What mind can search into No power 's giuen To mortall man whereby he may attaine The rare discouery of so high a straine Diue to the depth of darknesse and the deepes Renounce this Wisedome The wide Ocean keepes Her not inclos'd 'T is not the purest Gold Can purchase it or heapes of siluer told The Pearles and peerelesse Treasures of the East Resined Gold and Gemmes are all the least Of nothings if compar'd with It as which Earths masse of treasure summ'd is not so Rich Where rests this Wisedome then If men enquire Below they find her not or if they higher Soare with the Prince of Fowles they still despaire The more they seeke the further off they are Ah friends how more then men how Eagle-eyde Are you to see what to the world beside Was darke To you alone in trust was giuen To search into the high Decrees of Heauen You read his Oracles you vnderstand To riddle forth mans Fortunes by his Hand Your wisedomes haue a priuiledge to know His secret Smiling from his angry Brow Let shame preuent your lips recant and giue To the Almighty his Prerogatiue To him the searching of mens hearts belong Mans iudgement sinkes no deeper then the tongue Hee ouerlookes the World and in one space Of time his Eye is fixt on euery place He waigh'd the Waters ballanc'd out the Ayre What-e're hath Being did his Hands prepare He wills that Mortals be not ouer-wise Nor iudge his Secrets with censorious eyes Meditatio quartadecima T Is Vertue to flye Vice Ther 's none more stout Then he that ventures to pick Vertue out Betwixt a brace of vices Dangers stand Threatning his ruine vpon either hand His Card must guide him lest his Pinnace runne Vpon Charibdis while it Scylla shun In moderation all Vertue lyes 'T is greater folly to be ouer-wise Then rudely ignorant The golden meane Is but to know enough safer to leane To Ignorance then Curiositie For lightning blasts the Mountaines that are high The first of men from hence deseru'd his fall He sought for secrets and sought death withall Secrets are vnfit obiects for our eyes They blind vs in beholding he that tryes To handle water the more hard he straines And gripes his hand the lesse his hand retaines The mind that 's troubled with that pleasing itch Of knowing Secrets hauing flowne a pitch Beyond it selfe the higher it ascends And striues to know the lesse it apprehends That secret Wiseman is an open Foole Which takes a Councel-chamber for a Schoole The eye of man desires no farther light Then to descry the obiect of his sight And rests contented with the Sunnes reflection But lab'ring to behold his bright complection If it presume t' outface his glorious Light The beames bereaue him iustly of his sight Euen so the mind should rest in what 's reueal'd But ouer-curious if in things conceald She wade too farre beyond her depth vnbounded Her knowledge will be lost and she confounded Farre safer 'tis of things vnsure to doubt Then vndertake to riddle secrets out It was demanded once What God did doe Before the World he framed Whereunto Answere was made He built a Hell for such As are too curious would know too much Who flies with Icarus his father shall Haue Icarus his fortunes and his fall A noble Prince whose bounteous hand was bent To recompence his seruants faith and vent The earnest of his fauours did not proffer But wil'd him boldly to preuent his offer Thankfull he thus reply'd Then grant vnto me This boone With-hold thy princely secrets from me That holy Man in whose familiar eare Heauen oft had thundred might not come too neare The Temple must haue Curtaines mortall hearts Must rest content to see his Hinder parts I care not Lord how farre thy Face be off If I but kisse thy Hand I haue enough