then when â—ll his friends perceived his disease to be mortall but still rendred thanks to God for his speciall love to him in taking him into his own hands to chastise while others were exposed to the fury of their enemies the power of pistols and the trampling of horses He exprest great sorrow for his sins and when it was told him that his friends conceived he did thereby much harm to himself he answered They were not his friends that would not give him leave to be penitent His Exhortations to his friends that came to visit him were most divine wishing them to have a care of the expence of their time and every day to call themselves to an accompt that so when they come to their bed of sicknesse they might lie upon it with a rejoycing heart And doubtlesse such an one was his Insomuch as he thanked God that whereas he might have justly expected that his conscience should look him in the face like a Lyon it rather looked upon him like a Lamb and that God had forgiven him his sins and that night sealed him his pardon And many other heavenly expressions to the like effect I might here adde what blessed advice he gave to me in particular still to trust in God whose promise is to provide for the Widow and Fatherlesse c. but this is already imprinted in my heart and therefore I shall not need here again to insert it His charity was extraordinary in freely forgiving his greatest enemies even those who were the cause of his sicknesse and by consequence of his death For whereas a Petition full of unjust aspersions was preferred against him by eight men whereof he knew not any two nor they him save only by sight the first news of it struck him so to the heart that he never recovered it but said plainly it would be his death And when his friends to comfort him told him that Mr. I. S. the chief promoter thereof was called to an accompt for it and would go neer to be punished his answer was God forbid I seek not revenge I freely forgive him and the rest onely I desire to be vindicated from their unjust aspersions especially that for ought they know I may be a Papist whereas I never spake word to any of them in my life Which imputation how slanderous it was may eâ—sily be discovered by a passâ—ge in his greatest extremity wherein his discretion may perhaps be taxed by some but his Religion cannot be questioned by any For a very able Doctor of the Romish Religion being sent unto him by a friend he would not take what he had prescribed only because he was a Papist These were the remarkable passages in him during his sicknesse The rest of the time he spent in Contemplation of God and meditating upon his Word especially upon Christs sufferings and what a benefit those have that by faith could lay hold on him and what vertue there was in the least drop of his precious blood intermingling here and there many devout prayers and ejaculations which continued with him as long as his speech and after as we could perceive by some imperfect expressions At which time a friend of his exhorting him to apply himself to finish his course here and prepare himself for the world to come he spake in Latin to this effect as I am told O dulcis Salvator mundi sint tua ultima verba in Cruce mea ultima verba in luce In manus tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum Et quae ore meo fari non possint ab animo corde sint à te te accepta O sweet Saviour of the world let thy last words upon the Crosse be my last words in this world Into thy hands Lord I commend my spirit And what I cannot utter with my mouth accept from my heart and soul Which words being uttered distinctly to the understanding of his friend he fell again into his former Contemplations and Prayers and so quietly gave up his soul to God the eight day of September 1644. after he had lived two and fifty years and lyeth buried in the Parish Church of S. Foster London Thus departed that blessed soul whose losse I have great reason to bewail and many others in time will be sensible of But my particular comfort is in his dying words that God will be a Husband to the Widow And that which may comfort others as well as me is what a reverend Divine wrote to a friend concerning his death that our losse is gain to him who could not live in a worse age nor die in a better time And here again I humbly beg the Readers pardon For I cannot expect but to be censured by some for writing thus much and by others for writing no more To both which my excuse is my want of ability and judgement in matters of this nature I was more averse indeed from medling with the Petition then any other thing I have touched upon lest perhaps it should be thought to savour a little of revenge but God is my witnesse I had no such intention My only aim and scope was to fulfil the desires and commands of my dying Husband Who wished all his friends to take notice and make it known that as be was trained up and lived in the true Protestant Religion so in that Religion he died URSULA QUARLES A Letter from a learned Divine upon the news of the Death of Master Quarles My worthy friend M. Hawkins I Received your Letter joyfully but the news therein contained sadly and heavily It met me upon my return home from Sturbridge and did work on my self and wife I pray God it may work kindly on us all We have lost a true friend and were the losse only mine or yours it were the lesse but thousands have a losse in him yea the Generations which shall come after will lament it But our losse is gain to him who could not live in a worse age nor die in a better time let us endeavour like good Gamesters to make the best we may of this throw cast us by the hand of Gods good Providence that it may likewise prove gain to us which will be if in case we draw nearer unto him and take off our hearts from all earthly hopes and comforts using this world as if we used it not so shall we rejoyce as if we rejoyced not in their using and mourn as if we mourned not in the parting with them Essex Sept. 12. 1644. Your assured friend Nehemiah Rogers SOLOMONS Recantation Intituled ECCLESIASTES CAP. I. 1 The Preacher sheweth that all humane courses are vain 4 Because the creatures are restlesse in their courses 9 They bring forth nothing new and all old things are forgotten 12 And because he hath found it so in the studies of Wisdome Vers. 1. Thus sayes the best of Preachers and of Kings THus Solomon the Sonne of David sings 2. The greatest happinesse
State 's at hand what Potentate On whom must all these Royall armies wait Who worthy of so great a preparation Is th' object of such royall expectation What Prince is to be borne What glorious birth Is to be celebrated Groaning earth Brought forth a lump not much above a span A little naked puling thing call'd Man Man a poore shiftlesse transitory thing Born without sword or shield not having wing To fly from threatning danger not an arme To grapple with these num'rous ev'lls that swarme About his new-born frailty warpt aside From faire obedience to rebellious Pride Man in whose frame the great Three-One advis'd And with a studied hand epitomiz'd The large voluminous and perfect story Of all his works The Manuall of his Glory Man in whose soule the all-Eternall drew The Image of himselfe for earth to view With fear and wonder in whose Sov'raign eye He breath'd the flames of dreadfull Majesty Fill'd him with power entrusted to his hand Earths Empire and the lower worlds command Crow'nd him with glory made him little lower Then heav'n-bred Angls that excell in power O but my soule how is that hand asham'd Of his owne work How is this frame unfram'd How is this Manuall blotted Every word How interlin'd How is this Image blurr'd How are those sparks of Majesty that were So bright now baffled with degen'rous feare How is that power that was bred and borne The earth Commander now become the scorne Of dunghill passion shipwrackt with the Gust Of every fatuous and inferiour Lust How is the Sunbright Honour of his Name Eclipst How is his Glory cloath'd with shame Reflect upon thy selfe my soul Enquire Into the vastnesse of thy vaine desire What would'st thou have which being had may fill Th' unfathom'd Gulf of thy insatiate will Thou level'st at a Good Whrrein consists The Good Thou level'st at To what strange Lists Is her conceal'd Omnipotence confinde Where is this will-commanding Saint enshrin'd Is not her royall person gone to view The Mines of Ophir to the rich Peru Or is she gone to oyle the wings of Time With unctious pleasures in some forain Clime Or is she mounted on the slippery Throne Of staggering Honour there disguis'd unknowne Alas my soul if heaven should suit thy store With thy desire then wouldst desire yet more Or if spring tides of Gold shonld a degree Transcend thy wish perchance it would want thee What if a num'rous Off-spring should proclame A perpetuity to th' lasting Name Or if the even-spun Twine should be extended Till thou could'st number Nations all descended From thine own loynes yet if the sparing hand Of wayward Providence should chance to brand Thy dayes with poverty th' abortive birth Is more indebted to the gracious earth Then thou Whose shadow-grasping hand even tires Upon the vanity of the vast desires Nay if both beav'n and earth should undertake T' extract the best from all Mankind to make One perfect happy man and thou wert Hee Thy finite fortunes still would disagree With thy insatiate soul Some Qâ—almes of earth Hereditary to thy humane birth Would print thy pamper'd soul with such a fresh And lively Character of feeble flesh That all thy joyes do Fortune what she can May not exempt thee from the Lot of Man CAP. VII 1 Remedies against vanity are a good name 2 Mortification 7 Patience 11 Wisdome 23. The difficulty of wisdome 1. A Good reputed Name is sweeter farre Then breaths of Aromatick Oyntments are And that sad day when first we drew our breath Is not so happy as the day of death 2. Better it is to be a fun'rall gust Then finde the welcomes of a frolick feast There may'st thou view thy end and take occasion T' enrich thy thoughts with friutful contemplation 3. Better to cloud thy face with grief then show The lavish wrinkles of a laughing brow For by the sad demeanour of thine eyes The heart 's instructed and becomes more wise 4. The wise mans sober heart is alwayes turning His wary footsteps to the house of mourning But fools consume and revell out the night In dalliance and the day in loose delight 5. The vertue of a wise mans fair reproof Brings greater benefit to a mans behoof Then all those eare-bewitching sweets that can Belch from the language of a foolish Man 6. Look how the crackling thornes under the pot Blaze for a season but continue not Ev'n so do foolish flatt'ries entertain Our souls with joy but all that joy is vain 7. When wisemen turn oppressors they have crackt Their understandings in the very act And the acceptance of a Bribe destroyes The grounds of judgment and it blinds her eyes 8. In all attempts the onset does not lend So sweet a satisfaction as the end And he whose gentle spirit is endow'd With meeknesse is far better then the proud 9. Let not thy hot-mouth'd spirit entertain Too sudden passion with too slack a Rain For rash and unadvised anger rests Embosom'd and abides in foolish brests 10. Let not thy murm'ring tongue desire to know Why former dayes were not so bad as now Where heav'n declares a will no wise mans eye Should search a Cause or lips enquire a why 11. Wisdome is profitable to advance Mans welfare joyned with inheritance By this conjunction profit doth arise To those that toyl beneath the sweltring skies 12. Wisdome's a Guard and treasure a defence To supersede our wants reliev'd from thence 13. Wisdom's th' extract of knowledge and convayes To the possessor everlasting dayes O let thy thoughts enquire and understand The well-weigh'd works of the Almighties hand What he hath setled in a crooked state No industry of man can make it straight 14. In thy good day take pleasure and be wise In thy bad day have patience and advice For heav'n gives both by turns to let man see How alterable earthly pleasures bee 15. Much have I seene in this my short-liv'd day Among the rest the just man snatcht away In his just works whilst wicked finde successe And prosper in their long-liv'd wickednesse 16. Since then th' upright mans recompence is such Be not too wise nor righteous over much Why should they too much righteousnesse betray Thy danger'd life and make thy life a prey 17. Nor let the flesh suggest thee or advise Thy thoughts to be too wicked too unwise Why should thy folly captivate thy breath And make thee prisner to untimely death 18. In all thy courses threfore it is best To lodge uprightnesse in thy constant brest For he that feareth the Almighty shall Outwear his ev'll or finde no ev'll at all 19. Wisdome affords more strength more fortifies The undejected courage of the wise Then all the twisted pow'r of those that are The Guides of Citties or their men of warre 20. Yet is there none beneath the crystall skies So just in action or in word so wise That doth alwayes good or hath not bin Sometimes polluted with the stains of
sin 21. At passions language stop thy gentle eare Least if thy servant curse thee thou shouldst heare 22. For often times thy heart will let thee see That others like wise have been curs'd by thee 23. This wisdome by my travell I attain'd And in my thoughts conceiv'd that I had gain'd No common height but on a strict revise I found my wisdome came far short of wise 24. Objects far distant secrets too profound What eye can entertain what heart can sound 25. I bent my studies heart to search and pry Into the bosome of Philosophy I gave my selfe to understand the Art Of folly and the madnesse of the heart 26. I found the harlots wayes more bitter are Then death whose arms are Ginnes whose heart 's a snare Whom heav'n doth favour shall decline her Gates But sinners shall be taken by her baites 27. Loe this I have observ'd the Preacher sayes By strict enquest into their sev'rall wayes 28. Whereof my restlesse my laborious mind Would make discov'ry but dispairs to find Among a thousand men perchance that one May be trac'd out but among women none 29. Loe here the fruits of all my disquisition Onely to know the devious condition Of poore degen'rous man whose first estate Heav'n copied from himselfe upright and straight SOLILOQUIE VII SInce then my Soul the frail and false Estate Of fading happinesse cannot create The least contentment in thy various minde Whose fancy-guided motion cannot finde The point of Rest but like the boyling waves Tost in the stormes of Earth sometimes outbraves The threatning Firmament then at a breath Darts down and dashes at the dores of death Since waxen-winged Honour is not void Of danger whether aim'd at or injoy'd Since heart enchaunting Profit hath not fruit But care both in fruition and pursuit Since Pleasure like a wanton itch doth breed In the Ranck flesh but scratcht untill it bleed Since laughter is but madnesse and high diet Th' officious Pander of our own disquiet Since glorious Buildings and magnifique Towers Fructiferous Orchards oderiferous Bowers Full clusterd Vineyards Beauties and the choice Of Musick both by instrument and voice Can lend thy heart no full content nor still The various clamours of th' insatiate will Since humane wisdome is but humane trouble And double Knowledge makes our sorrow double Since what we have but lights our wish to more And in the height of plenty makes us poore And what we have not too too apt to crave Ev'n dispossesses us of what we have Nay since the very act of our devotion Can bring no Rest nor qualifie the motion Of our unbounded thoughts to sweeten out This span of frailty plungd and orb'd about With floods of Bitternesse Since none of these Nor all can crown our labours nor appease Our raging hearts O my deceivd soule Where wilt thou purchase Peace Who shall controule Who shall suppresse those Passions that contest Within the kingdome of thy troubled brest Whither to what strange Region wilt thou fly To finde content and baulk that vanity Which haunts this bubble earth and makes thee still A slave to thy infatuated will Call home thy selfe Inspect thy selfe a new And take thy Birth-right to a fresh review Thou art immortall art divine by birth A spark of heav'n Thou art not borne of earth Earth is the foot stoole of thy heavenly Throne Made for thy baser parts to trample on Look not so low my soul There 's nothing there Fit for thy sacred view It is no Sphere For thee to move in No let worms and beasts And salvage brutes trade there and lay their Gests Of progresse to surround with weary paces The base Confines of those inferiour Places I but my soul th' Alliance of my flesh Claims kindred there takes pleasure to refresh Her wasted body there Earth is her mother The worme her sister and the beast her brother T is true she is thy spouse Heav'n ty'd the knot For none to loose but Heav'n I know her lot Is mortall fraile and being born of earth Corrupt and weares the Badges of her birth If she transgresse it 's thou must beare the blame And all her deeds reflect upon thy name O then beware and if she needs must goe To visit earth first let her frailty know How apt she is to fall and eke how prone To blurre and strain thy honour and her owne A name unblemisht with the sinfull soyle Of sordid earth is as a precious oyle Which like a soveraign Antidote prevents That plague of vanity which earth presents Then tell her tell her that her mother earth Must give her buriall as she gave her birth Tell her O tell her Every gasp of breath Are minuts moving to the howre of death And let her know The house of mourning brings More profit then the Palaces of Kings Tell her Lessereall happinesse doth dwell In a full Banquet then a passing-Bell Arme her with patience apt to entertaine Thy wisereproofs but if her passion raigne Correct it wisely Teach her sober eye A willing ignorance in things too high If liberall earth should chance to crowne her store Let her wise modesty receive no more Then she can manage Pilots that are wise Proportion out their Canvase to the skies Let not her knowledg with the Eagle fly Ilulesse her wisdome have an Eagles eye Wisdome digests what Knowledge did devoure Things sweet in taste are indigested sowre In prosp'rous fortunes let her joy be such That in hard times she may not grieve too much Let her count Wisdome as her chiefest good And the price easie whether sweat or blood And let the perclose of her thoughts be this To study what Man was and what Man is So now my soule thy will instructed flesh May visit earth and with her sweets refresh Thy wasted spirit secure from all those ills Which threaten ruine to distempered wills Now maist thou eat and drink and make supplies For after dayes and close thy peacefull eyes In calme content and scape those hidden snares That lurke in pleasures and increase our cares He onely takes advantage of his Lot That uses earth as if he us'd it not CAP. VIII 1 Kings are greatly to be respected 6 Divine providence is to be observed 12 It is better with the Godly in adversity then with the wicked in prosperity 16 The worke of God is unsearchable 1. WHo 's equall to the Wiseman who but he can judge of things or what their naturs be Wisdome adornes the Cheek with lovely grace And plants courageous boldnesse in the face 2. Let me advise the Subjects heart to stand Devoted alwayes to the Kings command For having sworn Allegeance to him both Heav'n and thy Conscience doe attest thy oath 3. Let not thy discontented haste incite Abrupt departure from his awfull sight If thou hast err'd continue not in ill For Princes Acts are guided by their will 4. The potent Majesty of a Princes word Is backt
Corrupt and putrefy the purest Oil Ev'n so a little folly stains his fame Whom fair Repute for wisdome lends a name 2. A wise mans heart is plac'd at his right hand His plots and councels are of strong command But hearts of fools are weak and rash bereft Of sage advice their hearts are at their left 3. Nay if their steps but measure out the way Their Garb their Looks their Language do betray Their folly read by whomsoere they meet Themselves proclaim their selves in ev'ry street 4. If thy Superior happen to incense His jealous wrath at thy suppos'd offence Doe thou thy part and yeild for yeilding slakes The raging flame that great transgression makes 5. I see an ev'll beneath the Sun that springs From error reigning in the breasts of Kings 6. Fools are made Statesmen command at Court And men of parts are made the lower sort 7. So have I seen proud servants mounted high On Lordly Steeds and Lords to lackey by 8. He that shall dig a pit that shall prepare A snare shall be ensnar'd in his own snare And he that tramples down a hedge shall meet A Serpent to salute his trampling feet 9. He that shall shake a stone-compacted wall Shall undergoe the danger of the fall Who undertakes to cleave the knotty Oak Shall be a painfull partner in the stroak 10. But if th' unwhetted edge be blunt the arm Must give more strength so receive more harm But if he challenge wisdome for his guide Wisdome will doe what painfull strength deni'd 11. The rash reproving mouth of fools are arm'd Like unenchaunted serpents if not charm'd 12. The wise mans words are gracious where they go But foolish language doth themselves o'rethrow 13. Folly brings in the Prologue with his tongue Whose Epilogue is Rage and open wrong 14. The fool abounds in tongue there 's none can know What his words mean or what he means to doe 15. The tedious actions of a fool doth try The patience of the weary stander by Because his weaknesse knows not how to lay His actions posture in a Civill way 16. Woe to the Land whose Princes wisdome swayes The Scepter in the nonage of her dayes And whose grave Rulers that should haunt the seat Of sacred Justice rise betime to eat 17. Blessed art thou ô Land when as thy King Derives his royall blood from th' ancient spring Of Majesty and Rulers timely diet Serves to maintain their strength not their riot 18. By too much slothfulnesse the building fals Into decay and ruine strikes her wals And through the sluggish posture of his hand The weather-beaten house forgets to stand 19. Who eats and drinks and frolicks uncontrol'd Maintaining riot with his wanton gold 20. Curse not the King nor them that bear the sword No not in thought tho thought express no word The fowls of heav'n shall vent such hideous things And swift Report shall fly with secret wings SOLILOQUIE X. BUt ah my soul How closely folly cleaves To slesh blood How mungrell nature weaves Wisdome and folly in the self-same Loome Like webbe and woof whereby they both become One perfect webbe to cloath our imperfections With Linsy-woolsy and our mixt affections With foolish wisdome O how full of earth Was our first Ore which at our sinfull birth Was taken from the Womb Now purifi'd In sacred Fires and more then seven times tri'd In sharp afflictions furnace yet how base Our Bullion is not worthy of the Face That makes us currant O how apt and prone Is flesh and blood to fall if let alone But one poor Minute Most in danger then To be surpriz'd and foyl'd with Folly when Our bold Presumption tempts our thoughts to prise Our wisdoms over-much and seeme too wise How one rash action O how one dead Flie Embalm'd in thy sweet Oyle does putrefie Thy Box of Spikenard How it casts a shame Upon the beauty of thy honour'd Name O then my soul take heed to keep thy heart At thy right hand There there she will impart Continuall secrets and direct thy wayes In sacred Ethicks sweetning out thy dayes With season'd Knowledge knowledge past the reach Of black-mouth'd Error shall instruct and teach Thy tongue wise silence Wisedome when to break Thy closed lips and Iudgement how to speak Shee 'l teach thee Christian Policy and how To keep thee safe when as thy Princes brow Shall threaten death even when the flame shall flye Like horrid Lightning from his wrathfull Eye I but the rage of Princes oftentimes Darts Lightning at the Person not his Crimes And their misguided will oft times demands Obedience there where Conscience countermands Take heed my soul Thou tread'st upon the Ice Be not too vent'rous here nor too too nice Rush not too bold thou mayst as soon convince An Error in thy Conscience as thy Prince To lay commands upon indâ—fferent things Is a sole Royalty belongs to Kings If here thy conscience doubt the Book of Life Must cast the balance and decide the strife If this way thy enforc'd obedience then Must stoop If that Please rather God then men If th' Embers of his rage should chance to lye Rak'd up or furnace from his angry eye Quit not thy duty 'T is thy part t' asswage The jealous flames of his consuming rage What if through Error or misguided will He leaves the way to Good and cleaves to Ill Lend him thy Prayers Lament advise perswade Lift not thy hand nor let thy tongue upbraid His sacred Person Hee 's by heav'n appointed To be thy Prince O touch not heav'ns Anointed What if he lend the fulnesse of his pow'r To those imperious Spirits that devour Subjects like bread and drink the loyall blood Of men like water men not once allow'd To plead for life but silently subscribe To those that cannot judge without a Bribe What if his power pleases to commit His past'rall staffe to such as are more fit To kill and eat or recommend his flocks To such dum dogs of whom nor wolfe nor fox Will stand in awe or shew their feares by flight That have not tongues to bark nor teeth to bite Rebell not thou nor in a hostile way Accoast thy Prince Or suffer or obey What if the Common Favorite of the times The Courtly Fool grown great with count'nance climes Up to a Lordship when the Man of merit Broke on the wheel of Fortune must inherit Nothing but scorn and want and a poor name Betraid to pity and to empty Fame Be thou thy self let not thine eye be evill To a wise heart both hils and dales are levell How happy is that land how blest the Nation Whose Prince directs by Power not by Passion Whose sacred wisdome knowes how great a price True vertue beares and how to punish Vice Whose royall Majesty and princely love Can both incorporate and joyntly move In a self glorious Orbe and from one Sphear Breathe such rare influence of love and fear Into