we know what discrepance of old The name of Jew and Gentile did unfold For whil'st unto the Lawes empire the Jew Did both his heart and haughty neck subdue Rebellious Japhet wandring in his pride Like to the wilde Asse turn'd his neck aside But now by this sole crosse they 're reconcil'd And unto Japhets sonnes is how reveal'd The myst'ry of godsinesse in such store That whil'st Christ as a Jew doth goe before Cyrenes Gentile sweetly walks behinde And in the Crosse doth consolation finde That Jew and Gentile bound and free and all Who for salvation hunger thirst and call May know that by the crosse of Christ alone The way is opened to Salvation Thus hath he bore his crosse it him must beare He under it did grone it him must reare And he whose power the world doth underprop Must by a cursed tree be now born up This engine of the crosse was strange and rare Appointed by the Romans in their warre For such as with a proud uplifted hand Their higher pow is injunctions did withstand And for all such whose hand did foile or stain Their Temples or their Idols did prophane This Crosse along the ground is lay'd and on It's torturing rack and large dimension Of height of bredth and length the glorious Christ Must be out stretch'd in every joynt and wrest That as the heav'ns are high above our head And as the East from Welt's distinguished And Hels deep center is contriv'd below So in his tort'ring Crucifix they show The program of their 〈◊〉 tyrrannie And the great patience of his Deâ—â—â—e Whil'st we poore men draw neer unto our death We wish that Natures hand should stop our breath We wish that paine and shame should not at tend Nor prove the Lacquaies of our latter end And last of all we wish that our last stage Should have the blessing of Gods heritage Of all those favours his Crosse's depriv'd And all their contrairs stand on it subscrib'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For violence doth curb dame Natures hands And shame and torture at her right hand stands And where a blessing should have said farewell The cursed tree doth make that prop to faile All those beyond all humane trust doe run Against my Saviour with confusion Never did fountain from its bubling spout So rich a runnall to the world send out As did the Cinque ports of his bodies wound While perforat he lay upon the ground Never such shame did any man sustaine As he yet never did he once complain And last of all what curse is like to that Where heav'n rejects him who 's immaculat Those and all those my Saviour beyond measure Hath tasted at his glorious Fathers pleasore That had not he been very God and Man He surely should have perish'd in his pang But that great Godhead which in him did dwell Upholds him still and makes him to prevaile Thus to the Crosse he 's nail'd and with him two Base murth'ring malefactours in a row Were to their crosses also ty'd that they By their just sufferings in some fashion may His innocence obscure and make men think That he with them deserv'd like cup to drink Yet so hath Isay prophecy'd before And so it needs must come to passe what 's more His Crosse must over head import his Theam Jesus of Naz'reth Juries King by Name Whose foure acrostick letters doe imply This Hierogly prick stamp J. N. R. J. O how those three accursed crosses now Stand in resemblance that 't is hard to know Who in the trespasse or transgression's chiefe The Lamb or Lyon th' innocent or thiefe But heav'ns doe fully know it for from thence Thrice hath he had applause and eminence Earth know'th him also for his divine power Hath many times to sweet exchang'd their soure Devils of hell did also know'm for loe His own words pow'r their legion did ov'rthrow So heav'n and earth and hell and all must grant 'T is not the Crosse but Cause that makes the Saint O happy thrice and thrice thrice happy tree Though curs'd to some yet art thou bless'd to me For never man yet reap'd or could forth bring So bless'd a harvest from so curs'd a spring As thou hast done while death from thee did wrangle A blessed Quadrat from a curs'd Triangle Many sweet trees have grown up since the first Adam did by a trees fruit quench his thirst But never tree did any such fruit beare As on thy branches at this time appeare Faire Edens figge tree lent her leaves to hide The first mans sinfull stranefull outer side An Olive branch to Noah first display'd The Oceans rage was still'd and quite allay'd Aarons poore rod had such a secret worth That in one night it budded and brought forth Ripe Almonds Moses rod did smite the rock And living waters follow'd all the flock A piece of wood is cast in Mara's spring And sweeter draughts ne'er fountaine did forth bring A woodden pole a serpent doth uphold And who so by the Serpent's stung makes bold To look upon it straightway is made whole From all that poyson in his bones did role But all of those compar'd with thee proves naught No such a relish no such sugger'd draught Can man bring from them as is brought from thee Immortall life from curs'd mortalitie Yet doe not I or praise thy selfe or ground Whereon thou standst for better may be found But blessed be the Gardners hand for that Sweet bud he did in thee inoculat For such a fruit as thine was never seen The balme's blood-red the virtue 's alwayes green Whil'st thus he stands or hangs upon his crosse Some woefull women did bewaile his losse But thus he doth intreat them Weep no more For me you Daughters of Jerus'lem for To waile my sufferings thus is alwaies vaine Heav'ns have ordain'd it I doe not complain But if you weep weep for those woes which shall Upon this perverse generation fall For since the dayes of Noah till this houre Yea since fierce fire foule Sodome did devoure So deep a wrath and such consuming fire Was never kindled in th' Almighties ire Nor did his wrath burn ever halfe so hot Against a Nation for her Leprous spot As shall against this Nation shortly burn Till heav'ns high wrath their pride to ashes turn But ô thou heav'nly and most gratious Father Pardon their sinnes forgive their trespasse rather Then punish this their fault for Father now I doe perceive some know not what they doe Whil'st thus he hangs and payes our bloody ransome Hot in the conflict like another Sampson He cries I thirst straight doe they fill a cup With Wine and Myrrhe to him they reach it up He smelleth it but would nor drink at all For now he spies their mercy 's mix'd with gall This being done his soule is sore perplex'd And with his Fathers frowns for us so vex'd That he is forc'd to cry to th' ears of many O Eli Eli lamma Sabachthani Which by
Gods true Sonne then let me see Some token of it that I may believe He hath a care of thee that thou mayst live Full forty dayes thou hast been here alone Wand'ring and wond'ring in this Mansion Earth yeelds no bread the brooks doe yeeld no water The Downes no Locust Combes no honney scatter Clouds yeeld no Manna Ravens take no care To feed thee with their flesh-pots late or ear Sarepta's widow doth not breake her Cake Which for her own last dinner she did bake Is this th' Almighties care is this his love Which he of late did unto thee improve As to his Sonne that thou should'st starve and dye By famine and extream necessity No get thee up exchange these stones to bread Eat freely then and be thou satisfi'd For skin to skin and all the worlds rich choise Man will renounce before his life he lose Full forty dayes I have been here proud Clown R. Replies my Saviour and have beaten down This flesh of mine with fasting all the while That in this Lent of mine I might beguile Thy pur-blinde eyes whose chiefest aime and straine Is but to crush my flesh because humane Moses my servant neere this place before Fasted as long whil'st Sinay's tops did rore And he who Baal's folly did proclame Full forty dayes did try the same extreame Yet neither th' one nor th' other sought to thee For help in their extream necessitie But by my Fathers strengthning power they Were without outward meanes maintain'd alway My Father without bread or water can Maintain that life which he hath giv'n to man The heav'ns on Israel did Manna powre Like Coriander in a snow-white showre To some he doth lifes meanes miraculously Beyond their expectation multiply That when they look'd t' have kept nothing in store Their nothing still increas'd and grew the more Then to distrust my Fathers providence T' abuse my power and under the pretence Of working miracles t' obey thy will Were base in me and a prodigious ill Indeed man lives by bread but that 's not all Each word which from my Fathers mouth doth fall Must either blesse the bread to man or then It shall not nourish him 't shall prove his bane Thus hath the venemous snake his first dart flung Yet hath it neither wounded hurt nor stung My Saviour for his still uncharmed eare Without impression that assault did heare A second dart therefore the Traitor tryes And that it may prevaile he proudly flies Unto the top of Salems Temple there To crush by pride what 's not crush'd by dispair The first tentation's ground was starving want Now doth presumptuous plenty charm in chant For where one poore extream can never doe it He hath another and he puts us to it Jerusalem is now the worlds chiefe glory The Temple is Jerus'lems highest story The Pinacle's the loftiest step of that There is my Saviour by the Tempter set I have desir'd thee to make bread of stones Saith the proud murth'rer but behold at once Thou didst reply Thy Fathers providence Would shelter thee from Natures indigence Come then come let us try thy Fathers power Cast thy selfe down from top of this high tower For well I know what 's writ in David's book And thou mayst learn it when thou list to look That he hath giv'n his Angels astrict charge To bear thee in their armes as in a Barge To keep thee safe and sound in flesh and bone Psal 81. Lest thou shouldst dash thy foot against a stone How long shall I now suffer thee damn d dogge R. Saith my Redeemer like a wallowing hogge Disturb my sacred Cisterns by such wiles The Sonnes of Adam alwaies thou beguiles It is no new thing to heare thee blaspheme This is the program of thy Academe Grace hath abounded man may sinne the more Elected and Redeem'd trip still therefore The spirit of bondage and of feare is gone Burst then the fetters of Adoption O how it wounds me thus to heare thee tare My sacred Oracles with poysoned aire As if in them there were not couch'd such truth As could both comfort age and confound youth I know 't is written but I know as well There 's something written there thou dost conceal And dar'st not utter for it would declare The snaky sophism of thy subtile snare In all thy wayes thou dost omit this stance Yet here 's the rule of Gods great providence If man would wish or hopefully expect The safe protection of the bless'd elect He must not wander in his fancies measure Or tread the wandring path of his own pleasure But in the path of that Saint-beaten rode That 's pointed out unto him by his God If so he walke he shall be safe and sure If otherwise his death he shall procure Art not thou now asham'd so treacherously To wrest th'Eternals truth impudently To cut asunder that which God conjoyns And with an endlesse falshood gird thy loyns Take then from out that sacred Scriptures fountain A stone cut without hands from out the mountain To split thy forehead from out David's sling And curb the poyson'd venome of thy sting Behold it 's written both to man and thee Tremble and feare doe not presume too high For who so wanders from this beaten rode Doth tempt the Lord and lift his heel ' gainst God Deut. 6.16 Yet once more must this murtherer goe fling His last and finall dart against our King The blast of fainting and of black dispaire Nor of presumptions fire-ball thrown i'th'aire Have not prevail'd yet will he not be quiet But ayming at his envies richer diet He sets my Saviour on a steep high mountain From which each river and each bubling fountain Each pearly mead and shady shelt'ring grove Where either Serpents hisse or Satyrs rove Each vinyard drunk with grapes or cloi'd with clusters And ev'ry place where pleasure makes her musters And ev'ry other sense-contenting thing Which to a carnall minde content can bring Are in an eyes short twinkling set before him And promis'd to him if he would adore him See'st thou not those sayes he all those be mine View take possesse them I will make them thine And with their title I will here endow thee If thou wilt once but bow thy knees unto mee Now now and ne'er till now did my Redeemer Waxe fierce with fury ' gainst this bold blasphemer R. What Bow to thee thou foul abortive slave Thou dust eater thou canker of the grave Thou down-faln star thou filthy proud glow-worm Whose fall yet fils both Earth and Seas with storm Proud begger slave thou saist the world is thine And yet it is the Lords and all therein The treasures of the winds the cloudes of Raine The wine press'd grapes and all the sheaves of graine The fishes of the Sea the fowls o' th' aire The beasts o' th' Earth that nibble here and there The floods the rivers watry ponds and lakes Which from the clouds or ocean welspring takes
happy byrth A wakes the powers both of heav'n and earth In a melodious harmony to ring A peale of Hale-lu-jahs to their King And so it is for whiles these shepheard boyes Who Pan-like pipe their pastorall Oades and Joyes On oaten reeds had softly laid them down To watch their flocks from stealth's confusion Lo th'Angell Gabriel from heav'ns glorious throne Is sent t' unclasp heav'ns long clasp'd sanction And tell them that their greater Pan was borne Whose stafe and sheep-hook should be made of thorn Feare not says he my frends I come t' unfold The sweetest news that ever yet was told In heav'ns high Senat or in earths deaf-eare Let such then as have eares to heare mee heare For lo In Bethlehem there 's born to day That Hyerarchick-prince whose hands must sway The trinall-Mace of heav'n of earth and hell And all those armies in then bosom dwell Thus hath hee spoke and straight a glorious Chore Of Angels in a Diapason's loare Second his message with the sweetest sound That in D-la-sol or in E-la's found Glory say they be to the Lord on high To men all peace and all prosperity And upon earth let blessings and good-will Each hungry maw and empty cup full-fill Ne're did the fractions of a ratling thunder When first it bursts the roarid-clowd asunder Bring more affrightning terror to the eare Of some weake stripling conquered by feare Then doth this Vision wound the soule and sence Of these poore shepheards fraught with ignorance Yet up say they goe let us quickly try The truth of this so strange a Heraldry For sure hee must bee some great Potentate Of whom so great things be prognosticate And he whom these Seraphick Chores adore Must own an earthly Monarchy and more To Bethleems walls then in all haste they run Before Aurora could display the Sun And finde the Saviour of the world display'd And in poore Bethleems armes despis'd and layd Not usher'd nor attended but with wake Neglect and penury for our plenties sake Here O what find they or what find they not A Lamp of light ecclips'd with darknesse blot A new-born Babe yet got before all time A spotlesse Lamb yet spotted with our crime A King of Kings yet served as a slave A Lord of life yet vassal'd to the Grave A very God yet cloath'd with flesh and bone A Prince yet harbour'd in Confusion What 's here I pray that carnall eyes or sense Can honour with Religious reverence A Carpenter a Hand-maid and a child A Cottage and a Crib with beasts defil'd Yet loe for all that basenesse they behold They tell to Mary what the heav'ns have told To them whose heart doth all those sayings hide Till God and Time her doubtings should decide But ay me happy happy Virgin-maid Me thought of late my staggering Mase had stray'd Too farre in pointing out thy humbled station In thy Sonnes dark eclipsed Incarnation But ah I see sublunar griess doe still Renew their Tides for e'r they obbe they sill And glut themselves with our afflictions load Untill our grave become our last aboad Needs therefore must I rouze once more my quill And make her drink once more the Nectar'd rill Of divine Numbers that I may expresse Those teares that toyle and bitter wofull case With which thy harmlesse heart is pierced thorow Whilst thy deare suckling our first griefs doth borrow Seven times hath Titan now with swift Cariere Run all th'Ecclyptick of his bandilier And couching seven times in th'Atlantick deep Hath lull'd as oft Earths drowsie globe asleep Loe now his eight and new approaching Ray Hath call'd on Phaeton to proclaim the Day And by the sacred Ceremonious Rites Of Legall sanctions now the Heav'n invites The ever blessed Virgin-maid to sacre Her Sonne by Circumcision mans Peace-maker But ah great Nymph what dost thou now and why Greet'st thou thy Sonne with such a cruelty That ev'n in stead of those sweet warbling aires That should his griefes beguile and charm his cares Thou mak'st the Runnals of his pretious blood Distain the ground in so impetuous flood What hast thou quite forgot that pitious strain Which Nature wafting in affections Main On all that tender Progeny bestowes Which from her bowels and her belly flowes Or tell me dost thou think that this poor vail Of flesh wherein th'Eternall's Sonne doth dwell Although it truly was assum'd in thee Can ev'r partake thy sinfull Leprosie No no I feare dread Nymph I wrong too sore Thy Loves deep Ocean and thy Faith 's rich store For ne're a drop of that his Crimson dye Fall's to the ground but with a Sympathy Of griefes of teares and sorrow-ringing-knell Thou didst his scriechings and his teares bewail Yea what is more I finde thee Royall Dame So wrapt 'twixt Faith and Fear 's obstrep'rous flame That whilst th'intend'st by Circumcisions stroak To consecrate thy Sonne to beare our yoak No sooner dost thou precognosc his teares Or yet presage his smart by thy weak feares When loe me thinks I heare thee sweetly say My hope my help my love my life my stay Ah shall I live and be reserv'd to see My hearts delight and Soules sole balm thus be Both cut and carved by the butch'rous knife Of any Flamine who did e're take life No no my Love my Darling my Delight Love cannot so her Gordian knot bequite As once to make thee but become a pray To bloody rigour in a legall way Back Phoebus back for shame goe hide thy head And golden Tresse in Thetis watry shade Look not on such a savage sight nor see So foule a Scean presented unto thee Earth stop thy mouth and doe thou drink no more These crimson drops of blood and spotlesse gore Which my poor babe distills but rather mourne And to thy wonted Chaos straight returne And O thou Flamine whosoe're thou be Whose hand 's accustom'd to this butchery Here I adjure thee by that sumptuous All Which Heav'n or Earth doth sacred count or call Touch not my Sonne with such a bloody knife For in his wound I bleed and lose my life But rather kneeling at his De'ties throne Know that his wounds and scars should be thy own Yet whilst againe thou ruminat'st th' Abysse Of Gods unshun'd decree and Righteousnesse O how I see thee bound thy fraile desire And what thou canst not comprehend admire For since th' Eternall gives this strict command That every male inhabiting this Land Of Promise should by Circumcisions badge Be known a Co-heire of his heritage O how thou daunt'st thy thoughts and curb'st thy tongue As sacrilegious instruments of wrong And though thy flesh a while had th'upper hand Yet now I see the Spirit doth countermand The fraile suggestions of thy naturall will And to his righteous lore subject them still For thus me thinks I heare thee plead Altho 'T is hard to see my Sonne dismembred so Yet since 't is God who hath my comfort been Whose Love my life doth every way maintain
To see from whence and for what wondrous cause This radiant Torch so rich a splendor showes But all 's in vain nor Art nor Nature may I'ts scite light motion to the world display For all of those are in this subject rare Divine miraculous extraordinare But he from whom Nature first beg'd her light And hidden Science by his artlesse might Inspires those Sages and doth make them see This Star's the Prodrome of that Majestie By whom the Sonnes of Japhet now are led Within the Tents of Shem to hide their head Fie on thee Juda Salem fie on thee Why didst not thou as well as they foresee The glorious sun-shine of thy Visitation And greet the worker of this great Salvation But ah thy snorting dreams did thee deceive For thou didst still imagine thou shouldst have A Prince of such a temporall arm and power As to a honny-sweet should change thy sowre But loe whilst thou in darknesse lov'st to sleep A Nation com'th from farre and stately keep Their festivals of Joy thy Tents about Whilst thou and eke thy children are thrust out O God whence com'th't that those above the rest Have known thy Starre and so themselves addrest In paths of toyl and tedious pilgrimage To searrh thy birth as they did see thy badge Could Nature or her handmaid Art discover Thy Star or it distinguish from another No surrely no Combine them both in one And both shall teach us but confusion For without grace the naturall Man 's a foole And Arts chief Doctor when he sits at Schoole And doth investigate Heav'ns Earth and Aire And all those hoasts which Capriolls here or there In Natures precincts still the more he sees Arts hidden secrets Natures mysteries And sees not God the more his wit shall serve To glut his fancy but his soule to starve Thus they being led by the Celestiall light Through rocky Deserts and the toyls of night Doe come at last to Bethlehems walls and there This Torch stands fluttering o're them in the aire Till by thy guiding grace they doe espie The place wherein this Monarch-Prince doth lie No sooner doe they this sweet Babe behold Then by heav'ns inspiration they are bold T' unload their asses and their Camels backs T'untrusse their fardles and ungird their sacks And lay these sumptuous presents richly sweet Gold Mirhe and Incense at the Sucklings feet Whether they by Prophetick spirit did see His Kingdome Priesthood and his Prophecie Or if that by affections naturall Vain They thus doe greet him as their Soveraign I struggle not too much Let this suffice That in Religious awe they bow their knees And with a sacred sweet consorting voyce Thus doe they greet him and thus they rejoyce Thrice great thrice blessed and thrice holy Lord By whose Majestick uncontrolled Word What e're was fram'd within the point of Time Or hath a being in the aâ—â—r'd Clime Whose right hand doth from all Etern'ty bear Our clasped Issues unshun'd Kalendar Whose wisdome pow'r and deep providence guides The Delian Princesse in her sev'rall tides How boldly may we now rejoice and sing And call the carroling beav'ns thy praise to ring Who mak'st thy wondrous light to shine even there Where death made darknesse his Cubiculare Of old whilst Jacob was desir'd to blesse Josephs two sonnes with a Prophetick kisse He wisely cross'd his armes and his right hand He puts on Ephraims head where he did stand And on Manasseh made his left hand stay And so by practice he did prophecy That Japhets seed should dwell i' th' tents of Shem. And eke Manasseh bow to Ephraim This day we see that Vaticiny true Whilst we wilde prodigals our necks subdue To thee our God making Manasses share Rich as the vintage of Abiezer Since Israel therefore will not heare heare then You Heav'ns and Earth and shame the sonnes of Shem For we will praise th' Eternall and record The never failing goodnesse of the Lord. O blessed Babe how great art thou what store Of blessings girds thy Loyns for evermore For thou art he who dost exalt the horn Of Judah and his Pallaces adorn With bowls of Nectar and Ambrosian dyet And mak'st her graze in pastures of true quiet The Scepter of true Government 's on thy shoulder And thou shalt crush thy foes to dust and powder On Davids throne thou as his Sonne shalt sit In Judgment and in Truth t' establish it Yea Peace and Plenty shall thy steps attend And of thy Kingdom there shall be no end O loving Childe how lovely-faire art thou How sparkling are thy eyes how sweet thy brow How fragrant are the odours that distill On thee from Gilead and Hermonims hill Amongst the flowr's thou' rt chief the Rose the Lilly The Pink the Turn-sol and the Daffadilly Have no such odorif'rous smell or taste As thou reverb'rat'st from the West to th' East Live ' then sweet Babe the miracle of Time Earths mighty Champion Balm of humane crime Let thy great voyce in Peace resound throughout Earths flowry kirtle and Seas glassie spout That so thy favour in each part may be Immortall Nectar to Posteritie O what are we great God what 's our deserving That to confirme our faith so prone to swerving Thou dost thus shake heav'ns solid Orb and make Thy selfe a Vassall for a Vassals sake O that we could discern aright and know What duty service feare and love we owe Thee for that endlesse love wherewith thou hast Reclaim'd us from our wandrings to thy rest Teach us ô teach us so to run our race In patience and in patience to possesse Our Soules that thou at thy great day may'st clear Our Aegypt to a Goshen's hemisphear And change the tenour of our tragick story To the Catastroph ' of an endlesse glory The Massacre CANTO 7o. DIstraction tumult teares oppression jarre VVrath causlesse envy cruell murther warre Yea all those woes which Fury can forth bring Are now the Discant which my Muse must sing For whilst of late th' Eternall did invite By secret motions of his sacred Sp'rit Three Eastern Sages wisely to imbrace Th' occasion of their long long-look'd-for peace Like to Apollo's Priests intranc'd they rove From Herod's Palace to the Courts of Jove And with a thundring voyce they roare and cry Where 's Juryes King where where 's that Royall boy In whom the heav'ns have daign'd t' exalt the Throne Of Sions hopelesse Desolation His Star hath brought us from our home-bred joyes From ease from rest and from our quirks and toyes And made us tread those paths of sad exile T' imbrace the comforts of our widow-while Scarce had they breath'd those accents of unrest When vulture-feare layes hold on Herod's brest In such a sort that curs'd Erynnis crew Doe both his senses and his soule subdue What 's this I heare quoth he what threats be those Those wandring Pilgrims to the heav'ns up-throwes What brainsick tidings of a new-born King Are those which now through Jewryes Coasts do ring
What shall my eyes be thus reserv'd to gaze Ev'n in my glorious prime the darkned rayes Of black disgrace ecclipse my glory so That I from Honor it from me must goe No no great Caesar hath in due regard Of my deservings for my sake ensnar'd Old Hircanus by force of Parthian wrath To drink his last draught in the Cup of Death And have not all his off-spring which doe wander About the Stygian lake even Alexander Antipater and Aristobolus With Mariamnes and Antigonus Faire Alexandra and each Ghost elsewhere Who in the helm of Sion claim'd a share Been sent as Vassals of my wrath to plead In heritance in cloudy Deaths dark shade And lest that Hydra-like their power or wit Should breed a Rivall on my Throne to sit Have not my wits more subteliz'd than theirs Pluckt up that grave Sanhaedrine by whose cares The state of Salem fortifi'd her stage Against the stormes of Fortunes spightfull rage So that no bud nor branch may thence re-spring That may my power to a period bring Whence com'th it then that such a sad affright Of alteration turns my Day to Night And makes a lightning flash of sad-â—v'rthrow Disturb the Ocean where my hopes did flow It may be that the heav'ns whose boundlesse powers Controlls these currents and these tides of ours Have grudg'd to see me great and therefore send Those Heralds to proclame my Glories end For this I know which former times have taught That mortall men whose mindes are alwaies fraught With care to conquer in their deepest care Are but like bubbles blown alongst the aire Which by our breath 's no sooner blown and cherish'd Then by a counterpâ—ffe 't is gone and perish'd Else wherefore did the Fates so proudly thrust Great Niniveh and Babel to the dust Why have they trod on Carthage with their foot Or laugh'd to see brave Ilion's lights blown out Yea push'd at Craesus and Darius Crowne And thrust the Macedonian from his Throne But that the world may learn that honor's strain Is hardl'acquir'd but quickly lost again Shall I therefore like to a Childe whose eare Hath ty'd him in the bands of causlesse feare By hearing of a foolish doting fable Apprentice all my thoughts to this unstable Narration and trust that for a truth Which hath no warrant but a wand'rers mouth Or shall I like Endimion in the deep Of base security lye still and sleep VVhen Heav'ns by that great care of me they take Doe by these warnings bid me thus awake No ' gainst the Heav'ns I spurn not yet I scorn A Monarch and much lesse a Babe new born Should in Judaea to that state arise As may my Glory and my Crown surprise I will therefore look what a treacherous art Dissembling fury in a hollow heart Can add to high exploits and then imploy My wits to search the corner where that boy Can lurk whose fame thus makes the world agast And drunk with expectation and at last By sad experience I will make him hear That Crownes are weighty things for babes to wear VVhilst thus 'twixt Fear and Envy 's mutinous hoast The subtelizing Tirants soule is toss'd Rage breaks at last the gap and opes the way To vent the passions which his soule dismay Goe saith the subtle fox goe quickly call The Talmudists and Rabbins great and small The Priests the Prophets Pharises and Scribes Through all Judaea's severall coasts and tribes Make them revolve consider search and try The time and place of his Nativity VVhom these distracted Pilgrims have so farre Search'd by prognostication of a starre For wheresoe're or whosoe're he be Whose light thus threats t' obscure my Majestie I can conform my minde unto my fate And kisse the foot that tramples on my state And if the heav'ns will needs blot out my name I 'le doe him homage who procures the same Thus hath the viper big with fierce envy Breath'd out the flashes of his cruelty But God who dwelling in the heav'ns unfolds The heart's hid secrets rheines and deepest holds Laughs this dissembling project all to scorn And by his spirit doth secretly suborn The Sages to retire another way That so he may the Tyrants rage display He warneth also Joseph and his Bride To take the childe and step a while aside To Aegypt that Gods will might so be done Who sayes From Aegypt I have call'd my Sonne Exod. 4. Hosea 11. O God how deep 's the Ocean rich the store Of mercy thou lay'st up for evermore To such as truly doe rely upon Thy Providence for their salvation The Sword by day may fiercely rage and smite The Pestilence may rove abroad by night The Cedars may be pluck'd up from their station The Mountains may be hurl'd from their foundation The windes may blow the Seas may rage and even Black darknesse may ecclipse the lights of heaven But he who with a fully fixed minde On thee doth stay his Soule shall surely finde He needs not feare the crafty hunters snare Which for his downfall's stretched here and there For when the world was drown'd by Nereus waves Thy Noah like a Neptune them outbraves When fire sack'd Sodome loe thy Lot survives And in his Zoar like a Vulcan lives When Jericho's vain trust o'returns her walls Thy Rachab sits and sings her festivals When Syrian Captaines would command thy Seer Thy Seraphins doe guard him in their Quier When Babels scorching flames shall threat thy Saints They stand unstain'd and all their Aetna daunts And what needs more the Lions in their den May ramp and roar against the sonnes of men But hee who shall within thy shadow hide His head and in thy Tents and Courts abide Though heav'ns earth ayre and seas and all were shaken Shall never perish never be forsaken Yet stay my muse arrest thy course a space T' attend the tenor of this tragick-case VVhich with an unexpected troup of feares From secret ambush doth assault my ears What roaring griefs and tear-drownd plaints be those The neighboring Eccho's to the heav'ns up-throwes VVhat mourning groans and sad lamenting cries Be those which over this high mountain flies Ay me what 's this be those the caroling voyces Of a proud conquering army whose rejoyces Evaporate up to the azur'd round Reverberat the earth 's environ'd ground Or is' t the gleanings of that grievous cry VVhich conquer'd-wretches in their butchery And soule-depriving smart doe cut asunder Like clouds condensed when they melt with thunder No sure it is no voice of tryumph nor The voice of such as are tryumphed o're These wofull screeches rather represent The ditties of some harmless innocent VVhich by the tort'ring butchers butch'rous clap Are stab'd or stifled in the mothers lap And so it is for cruell Herod hath Subsign'd and seal'd a warrant for the death Of all those Infants which in Bethleem's coast Of two yeeres time or under age can boast For so the reverend Seer Hieremie Jer. 30.5 Hath in his never fayling Prophecy Foretold
the worlds foundation Thou did'st but speake and all this all 's creation Did to thy great Imperiall word obey Loe here shin'd light their shady darknes lay Here Hill's proud tops did on their tiptoes stand There did the Ocean roare against the sand Here on the floury bottoms fragrant mead The nibling troups securely prank and feed There in the bosome of the glassie deep The scaly nations softly swim and creep The ayrie legions scud along the skies As if they meant the Welkin to surprise And every thing that hath or life or sense To thy command'ment gave obedience And whil'st thou com'st an old world new to make No other toole nor mattock thou wilt take But that same word of thine that thou mai'st still By thy great Word thy glorious Will fulfill Since by thy Word then which is only wise Thou dostillighten thy Disciples eyes O let me heare thee in great Moses chaire Confound those Rabbins whom the world admire That by thy Doctrine I may learn that wit Which never nat'rall man could teach as yet To Nazareth he goeth and entring there Unto their Synagogue he doth repaire And reads in Esayes volume this sweet text Esay 61.1 Jehovahs Sp'rit is me let all vex'd With sinne afflicted hearts come heare my word For I am the annoynted of the Lord Whom he hath sent his Gospell to proclame To free the Captives and restore the lame Give sight unto the blinde binde up the bruised And give them grace who doe not quite refuse it This day saith he this Text is now fulfil'd This day is grace down from the heav'ns distill'd And happy he who heareth and believeth In him who this Salvation freely giveth But veng'ance shall his portion be who stops His ears against my heav'n elixer'd drops Doe not you call to minde how that of old From Ebals threatning tops it was foretold A thousand curses should fall down upon A sinfull froward generation But who so should their soules enclinet obey The sacred Sanctions of the mount Siney Ten thousand blessings from Gerizims store Should on their heads be multiplied and more Now is the time and here am I the man From out whose mouth or curse or blessings can Receive effect or force to save or kill They heare my word and they obey my will Blessed is he therefore whose heart is pure For of my heav'nly kingdome he is sure Blessed are they who hunger for my grace They shall be fill'd and satisfied with peace Blessed are they who doe in secret mourn Their sorrows to their solace shall return Blessed be you when men for my name sake Shall of your life and goods proud havock make Blessed be you when ' gainst you men speak evill And call you sonnes of Beliall and the Devill For what they derogat from your regard They adde against their will to your reward Yea bless'd and more then blessed shall you be When you be thrust from their societie Thrust from their Synagogu's excommunicate Rebuk'd blaspheam'd and all disconsolate Be not dismaid but rather be you glad The Prophets old no better service had The Sonne of man himselfe shall so be us'd Contemn'd reproach'd disdain'd and fouly brus'd And sure I am that when the master hath No softer shelter and no surer path The servant should not grudge nor yet disdaine If with his master he shall share like paine But wo to such whose riches shall abound Whose heart and hands are in their store house sound I tell you truly they have their reward No after pleasure is for them prepar'd Woe woe to those who laugh and never weep Destruction to their soules doth softly creep Woe woe to such as vainly cry peace peace Thinking the mountaine cannot change his place For sorrow griefe and plagues shall on them come Like travell on a womans burth'ned wombe Stoln bread and water sweet are to the taste But gall and worm-wood's easier to digest Blesse you therefore such as doe curse you for If you shall blesse your friends and doe no more What honour can you crave of God by them Who live estrang'd from God they doe the same Doe good to those who harm you pray for those Who persecute your Soules with griefes and woes Give to all such as aske you freely len And look for no requitall back agen So shall you show your selves th' Almighty's sonnes When you be cloath'd with his perfections You are this worlds chief salt while you have savour Your work with God and Men shall finde true favour But if you lose your savour then your taste Shall all your service to the dunghill cast You are a Citty set upon a hill Which to the worlds proud gaze stands object still Dream not you can be hid all eyes are on you And all mens motions doe depend upon you If whil'st they wander in an oblique Car Your course prove constant like a fixed Star If whil'st they stumble in Cymerian night You walk in Goshen like the sonnes of light Whil'st muddy cares doe their best joyes controle If your affections rest above the Pole If whil'st their runnalls Marah like prove tart Your springs drink sweet and so rejoyce the heart If whil'st they hold in hand a fruitlesse goad You bud ripe Almonds like to Arons rod If whil'st a stranger cals you you repine And know no shepheards voice but only mine In all your wayes if you shall still intend Your masters glory and no other end Then ô how happy happy thrice you be Life is your lot your term eternitie Then feare not man whose hand can doe no more But kill the body feare God rather for When he hath kil'd the body yet he can Powre out destruction on the soule of man And send both soule and body down to hell In chains of darknesse and of death to dwell 'T is true those precepts which I now doe Preach Exceed the narrow bounds of humane reach Yet though the flesh be weak the Spirit 's strong And grace can rectifie stern natures wrong Think not I come to put the law at under Or what the Lord hath joyn'd to cut asunder No no the Law and Gospell be two brothers The sonnes of one man though of severall mothers That Hagars brood who unto bondage beareth This Sarahs sonne who 's free and nothing feareth That 's Sinays suckling who with terrour shaketh This Syons nursling whom no feare awaketh That first this last that strong but this the stronger And so the elder must needs serve the younger The Law requireth works the Gospell Faith Both have one ayme though in a severall path For he who sweetly speaketh in them both Is but one God and one same sp'rit of truth Works without faith are like to fig-tree leaves Which seem to shelter but in end deceive's And faith unlesse good works doe crown her head May seem to live yet 's spirit'ally dead For as faith laying hold on th' Mediator Makes man stand just before the just Creator So works
joyn'd unto faith tells that faith 's true Which works by love and doth mens lusts subdue Then preach them both keep both and so you shall Your selves and others both to rest recall Doe not you know when many run a Race With panting breasts and sweat-besmeared face He onely who proves constant to the end Obtaines the Crown but if he shall offend And stumble at the stumbling stones i' th' way His stumbling makes his honour to decay If men then for a temporall Crown take pain And strive so hardly for a sading gain How much more should the uncorrupted Crown Of glory honour and dominion Make you to run your race without cessation Since your reward 's eternall consolation Be carefull therefore that your masters name By your neglect be not expos'd to shame And that whil'st others by your words be saved You of your masters joy be not be reaved A certaine Sower on a time went forth To sow his seed of rich and pretions worth And as he sow'd some by the way-side fell And that the soules of th' aire did quickly smell And pickt it up Some fell in stony ground That took no root because no earth it found Some amongst thorns did fall that straight did spring And yet was choak'd by their o're-shadowing Some fell in fertile ground and taking root Did to the Sower bring expected fruit According to his travell toyl and pain The thirty sixty and the hundreth grain I am the husband-man my word 's the seed If that doth perish it doth not proceed From Sower from the seed or from the season For those were all combin'd in right and reason To work a happy harvest But mans heart Is that unhappy ground in whose each part Such hidden store of deep corruptions lye As turn'th my toil unto fond vanrtie For sometime Sathan vultur-like doth pray Upon the word and beares it quite away Sometime mans obdur'd heart more hard then stone Rejects my word by induration Sometime the thorny cares of humane life Mix'd with the word are at such mutuall strife That what at first takes root doth very now To persecutions storm and tempest bow In such a sort that root and stalk and blade In this their conflict's quickly vanquished The fertile ground 's the faithfull heart that doth Return unto th' industrious hand that sow'th So rich an increase that for every ten The master hath a thousand back again Watch therefore lest while as you sleep there come The envious man who in the good seeds roome Sowes darnell cockle and those cursed tares Which cursed and malignant ground forth-beares For to your master you must make accompt Of what you sow and eke what doth surmount He will not have his own true seed alone He needs must have reduplication The heav'ns and earth may perish but one jot Of this my Doctrine shall not be forgot Till all things be accomplished which either Concerns my glory or my glorious Father The Powers CANTO 4o. WHen Moses followed Jethroes fleecie flocks And made them graze on Horebs golden locks At unawares he look'd aside and spies A bush on fire whose flame to heav'n up flies The bush still burns and yet remains unburned To dust and ashes it can not be turned O what a strange prodigious sight saith he Is this which now 's presented to mine eye A crackling thorne a fierce consuming fire In mutuall conflict yet doe both conspire To shew the world the strangest rarest theam That e're was toss'd in natures A cadeam I will therefore goe view 't but by the way A voice proceeding from the bush can say Stay Moses stay doe not approach too nigh Corruptions can not dwell with Majesty Cast thy shoes off thy feet for it is found The place whereon thou stand'st is holy ground Yet since I see thee beg with fresh desire To search the secrets of this scorching fire Heare what I tell thee Loe this burning bush Doth represent my Church which by the push Of Pharoah's proud oppression's brought so low That she doth almost faint by his ov'rthrow Yea that shee 's not consumed in that flame Comes from my power who am what I am Her hid corruptions call for my corrections My promise to her Fathers pleads protection The one she bears the other in short time Shall wound her foes and expiate her crime My word shall teach her and my power shall heal The wounds and bruises of my Israel What here was promis'd to the Church before The Law from Sinay's thundring tops did roare Is now accomplish'd in the Gospels day For by his word he points her first the way Then by his dread mirac'lous power doth cure The sad distempers of her imposture Who doubts his power let him but make bold And view the wond'rous works he wrought of old Consider Moses hand put in his bosom By Leprosie tnrn'd white like Aprils blossom Consider Nilus streams turn'd unto blood Consider Israel fed with Angels food Remember how Rephidim's rock's a poole And Mara's rill made sweet in Israels bowle The Sun in Gibeah stands a whole day still An Asse controles her foolish riders will Fire comes from Heav'n and dryes Eliahs trench A sonne is giv'n to Shunam't gratious wench Jonah's preserved by a swallowing Whale The Lyons stoope and crouch to Daniel Three children walking in a fi'ry flame Lose not one haire their clothes are free fro th' same All those as wonders did attend his Law And to his word did yeeld respective aw And shall the Gospels message of our peace Lack her attendants no in any case His pow'r shall still accompany his word And by those two shall all things be restor'd That man 's indured heart by those two may Read Lectures of his truth and love each way Come then proud Scribe come doting Pharisee Come wrangling Lawyer come along with me And see what wonders are in Juda done Then judge if your Messiah be not come In Cana's village last day there was made A Nuptiall banquet richly furnished Not with luxurious superflu'ties store But with satieties plenty and no more The bidden guests doe come ' mongst many other Christ Jesus commeth and his Virgin Mother That by his presence he might sanctifie Gods Ordinance and Mans societie The friends are plac'd the tables richly cloy'd The bowls of wine are here and there convoy'd And no things lack that true content would have Or measure wish or moderation crave Yet as it often unto men befalls Some crosse doth still attend their festivalls Their wines are spent his mother tells him so Woman saith he what 's this I have adoe With thee my 'pointed time is not yet come Yet for thy sake I 'le shew my self to some Cause bring me here fixe water-pots of stone Which you use for Purification They bring them to him Fill them now saith he With fountain water that I may them see Fill fill them full fill them unto the brim And with true fountain water make them swim 'T
thoughts espy With a loud voyce he boldly thus doth say Alas I now perceive it for a truth This people doe draw neer me with their mouth Whil'st as their hearts are farre from me for loe Not for my Doctrine sake they doe me know But for the barlie loaves they did partake When I did feed them for my mercy sake But travell not I pray you for that meat Which is as quickly gone as it is eate But labour for that bread which lasts for ever Which I the sonne of man to you deliver Your Fathers in the deserts did eate Manna And prais'd the giver with a loud Hosanna Yet did they perish dye and eke consume In their stifnecked murmuring A mertume But he who eats the bread that I shall give him Shall never perish for it shall revive him I am the bread of life which came from heaven My father unto you this bread hath given That by his bread of life which is supernall He may your soules maintain to life Eternall As many then as come to me shall neither Have thirst nor hunger for my glorious Father Sent me from heav'n not my own will to doe But mans hard heart unto his yoak to bow That so man may eschew his burning wrath And scape the sorrows of the second death No man hath seen the Father but the Sonne Who in the Fathers bosome dwels alone He doth reveale him unto whom he pleaseth Whose crosse he lightneth and whose soule he easeth No man ascendeth unto heav'n but he Who came from heav'n and doth in Majestie Though base on earth yet when he thinketh sit Doth on his Fathers right hands glory sit And at his second comming saves his sheep From sinking in that never fathom'd deep Whereas the sulpher of th'Eternalls breath Layes hold upon the vessels of his wrath And makes the faithfull and the righteous all Be fill'd with glories endlesse festivall The Metamorphose CANTO 6o. FOre-chosen Jacob Isaac's second Swaine Jah-struggling champion and victorious man Thou royall she apheard and tresprudent Siere Whom Palestina's Princes did admire Vouchsafe me but t' approach thy dying throne And charge thee with this Gordian knot alone And like Apollo thou thy front shalt see Deckt with a garland from the Lawrell tree Whence come th' Enthusiasm and that sacred sury Which made thee all thy carnall senses bury In Lethe's lap and with religious rage Divide Chams tents to Israels heritage VVhence hadst thou wisdome and sweet inspiration To precognose and with true divination Foretell that Juda's tribe should beare the sway Till Shilo should ecclipse his Majesty How madest thou Joseph like a fruitfull Vine That doth her arms about her Bridegroom twine Drunk with the grapes of Ephraims royall cup Which weak Manasseh's hands could not beare up But above all I stand amaz'd to see Lewd Levi's scatt'rings dare t' approach so nigh To Joves Ariell offring there upon For sinne and sinners expiation Is Dinah dead or Sechem's blood gone dry That thou dost thus forget his villany And without smarting for his foule offence Exalt him to the high-Priests eminence 'T is strange that divine Justice should permit Him who i th' chaire of sinners so hath sit Without corrections rod possesse the throne And sing the carrols of exemption O now I see thy tongue was not thy own A higher power hath it rul'd and thrown Even He great He whose wayes we cannot spy Because his will 's the square he worketh by Who where he will have mercy there he pardons And where he will with draw his grace he hardens From his good pleasure then and no where else It is that Levi's tribe the rest excels And on his Ephod whiter then the snow Hath tyed his breast plate where in sumptuous show Stands Vrim and great Thummims true direction For light of knowledge and for lifes perfection So then from loyns of that unhallowed stem Which Jacob thrust from Israels diadem The Lord hath chosen a successive race Of royall Priesthood who before his face Shall in that course which David did prescribe Burn incense and their sacrifice contrive With never alter'd though alternat order Till Melchizedeck come and crush their border All those like Comets when they first appeare In our sublunar regions hemispheare Did draw mens wandring eyes and wondring hearts To scan their sequels whether smiles or smarts But all in vaine nature can ne'er unty The clasped books of heav'ns great mystery For till the Word was Flesh great Judah's throne Ne'er knew her perfect exaltation And Aarons rod did ne'er her top bow down With reverence to Melchizedecks Crown But when thou cam'st those figures types and tropes Had reall Essence for unreall hopes For where the Sun doth shine in lights aray All clouds evanish night gives place to day Since then thou art true light and since with thee Darknesse dare plead for no societie O let me but be bold this once to follow Thee to thy Tabor that my sp'rit being shallow May by the lustre of thy glories shine Taste of that light that never shall decline But aye me whil'st I see the hill so steep The gulfe of my poore misery so deep The flesh so fraile the sp'rit so soone o'retak'n The flax so quench'd the bruised reed so shak'n The load of sinne so great my faith so faint So strickt the forfeit of the Covenant I cannot choose but feare lest by the way My hasting doe defraud me of my pray Unlesse thou help who help'd the faithfull thiefe For I believe Lord help my unbeliefe Come then dread Saviour let me search the time Wherein thou didst to Tabors fastege clime Thy Scriv'ners differ many therefore doubt Thy journies Epoche how they shall finde out One sayes that it was fully six daies after That thou didst make their soules o'reflow with laughter By promising that some who stood thee by Should not see death nor taste mortality Till they being witnesse of thy raptures story Should see the Sonne of man come in his glory Another saith the dayes were almost eight After that promise that thou scal'dst this height Thus doe some weake mindes stumble whilst they spy Amidst thy truth so great variety But foolish we in vanity still wallow We straine a Gnat yet doe a Camel swallow We grope at noone day and make known our blot Whil'st in a rush we seek a Gordian knot For where the eight day's neere and six are spent By true arithmetick the seventh is meant Upon this day when heav'ns and earth were made And all their frame and fabrick finished Th' Eternall seeing all his creatures good Proclam'd the seventh dayes rest and so it stood Upon this day from Mysraims darkned Cell God did redeem his first born Israel Upon this day from Baalz phons shoare To Migdoll he his people dry-foot bore Upon this day from Syna's thundering jaw He gave the Sanctions of his sacred Law Upon this day in Cana's wedding shrine He turned fountaine water unto wine And
top which thou didst lately saile What wonder is' t though stripling I be shaken And with a tempest trespasse be ov'rtaken But bless'd be God thy fall was not so soule But true repentance hath restor'd thy soule That all the world may know As sinne breeds death The promise of true life Repentanee hath Look how a well-rig'd Pinnace set to sea With blind and Maine and Misaens liberty Lacking a Pilot who by due regard Should sit at stern and point her treâ—bling card Whil'st Dolphin-like she skips against the skies As if she would Joves starry throne surprise And like a Triton in the glassie field Dives down again and being forc'd to yield To Neptunes rage she visits Pluto's cell As if she sought Euridice from hell But recomforted by sweet Zephyr's gailes Whose following favours fill her empty sailes In short time she attains her wished shore Where winters tempests threaten her no more So fareth it with the irres'lute brests Of Adams off-spring who doe build their rests On their own strength no sooner doe they scale The Barracad's of Fortunes slippry ball When either fainting feare be-leads their heels And so they sink Or else their Chariot wheels Drawn by presumptuous Palfries trot so fast That hardly can they shun a fall at last Unlesse some strong strong hand doe curb their rein And so their ruine and their shame restrain For whil'st th' impetuous fancies of fraile man Sets him to try the worlds vain Ocean Unlesse a steddier hand than is his own Doe guide his course he 's either quite orethrown Or dash'd in peeces ' gainst some sturdy rock So furious be the flames of Sathans shock Thrice happy he whom Jacobs God doth guide And in his secret tent doth alwayes hide Thrice happy he whose heart kept in Gods hand Doth neither faintly fall nor proudly stand But in a due contemp'rature of Grace 'Twixt faith and feare doth wisely run his race O surely such a one when windes doe blow When seas doe rage and earth no rest doth know Shall by the secret influence of heaven So steare his course and hold his ballance even That neither death nor life nor wealth nor want Nor weale nor woe can crush his Covenant But holding still the gripes of grace h' hath got Still eyes his Pole and so he finketh not The Assize CANTO 4o. OF late I heard the High Priests Cock crow day Of late I saw Aurora shrink away From Darknesse center to th' Eoan plain T'enamell Heav'ns and guild the Ocean But ay me scarcely could the pearly morn With opall light our earthly globe adorn When loe Ixyons dark condensat cloud Did Pha'ton Titans Coach-man so oreshroud That one should think two nights combin'd in ire Had met together to drown out Sols fire A presage sure that ere that Sun should set A brighter Sun should be exanimat Yet hopefull day hath over come that shade And Titans rayes reclear'd made Flora glad But all this while since yester-nights surprise Till now that Phaebus 'gins to deck the skies My Saviour hath been bound with twisted cords Beaten with blowes wrong'd by sarcastick words Fond Jews and foolish Souldiers tell me why You doe outbrave him with such cruelty Had he not by his own will more been ty'd Then by the Cart-ropes of your swelling pride He like to Sampson might have burst your flax And made your bonds to melt away like wax But now what eye can choose but weep to see Those hands which fram'd the heav'ns the earth the sea And by his dainty singers framed man More nearly fine then art or nature can Thus wrung and wrested with a cord or rope Even whil'st Arachne-like he spins our hope But ah me Mans hard heart 's indured so That he can no compassions strain allow On him who from the heav'ns vouchsafes to take Our nature for our Soules redemptions sake Now Annas High-Priest and his sonne in law Great Caiaphas unto a Councell draw The whole Sanhaedrin Pharisees and all Whose suffrage can or life or death empale To judge the just one by injustice He Submits himself to all their tyrannie But ô you fooles and hypocrites wherefore Serves all this tumult and this mut'nous stirre One blow in secret might have finished Your wrath against him such the Baptist had But now I see Envy and Malice both Concurre together to oppresse the Truth And under shew of truth and justice must Sentence be giv'n unjustly ' gainst the just And since the Scriptures be not yet fulfill'd His blood in secret must not now be spill'd The Bench is set the Judges are conveen'd The guiltlesse is accus'd and guilty deem'd False witnesse now are sought and many come The hall is full there is no empty room At last two sonnes of Bielal are brought They witnesse ' gainst him what he never thought Thou sayd'st deceiver say they Let this Temple Be quite destroy'd and in three dayes more ample I will re-build it Fourty years and six Were spent in squaring stones and carving sticks To build it first and now thou say'st in three Dayes space thou wilt repair 't more sumptuously What canst thou doe it But he holds his peace And answers not to that their forged case And wisely doth he so for bruise a fool Even in a morter yet his folly still Shall cleave unto him wrangling is a vice And to the truth brings often prejudice The High-Priest seeing this saith I adjure Thee by the living God to tell me sure If that thou be the Christ the sonne of God Say either yea or nay and there he stood Jesus replies Thou say'st it I am he This world another Saviour shall not see And that thou may'st my words the more believe I tell thee that hereafter God shall give The Sonne of Man this honour to sit down At his right hand in glory and renown And thou shalt see him come again from thence To judge this world by righteous recompence At those words Caiaphas his cloaths doth rend Ev'n from their top unto their lower end Although against the laws expresse commend Lev. 21. â—â— Which to the contrair tyes the High Priests handâ— O now I see there 's an appointed time And for each thing beneath the Sun a Prime A time to laugh and so a time to weep A time to travell and a time to sleep A time to build a time eke to destroy A time to sorrow and a time to joy A time to rest a time to run our race A time to speak a time to hold our peace Whil'st foolish Ruffians did their cavill spue He neither said that they were false or true But now whil'st he his Fathers name doth heare Setting aside of humane force all feare He boldly speaks the truth and doth display The hidden Godhead in his flesh did lie The High Priest hath his robe no sooner tore When thus he speaks What need we any more To cite a witnesse ' gainst him hath not he Blasphemed God before us impiously
interpretation is thus taken My God my God why hast thou me forsaken One saith he calls Eliah stand aside And let us see what Saint in heav'n can guide Him from this crosse surely if any come We will believe him we will make him roome Not onely doe those Burreaves him revile And ' gainst that holy one lift up their heel But also that proud mastive who did at His left hand suffer as he perpetrat Calls to him and in proud luâ—ibrious manner Commands him to display his pow'rfull banner And as he had sav'd others save him selfe And him likewise from splitting on this shelfe But Jesus holds his peace to make it plaine That he revil'd did not revile again Though Jesus hold his peace yet doth that mate Which on his right hand hung thus ope the gate To his just ire and rebukes his brother He can his fury now no longer smother Proud rayling rascall saith he we be here To suffer for our sinnes as doth appeare By all the Legends of our murd'ring ditty Justly doe men therefore withdraw their pitty From us but this just man what hath he done His innocence is cleare as middayes Sun Why dost not thou feare God and in this station Beg shelter from a deeper condemnation But what thou wilt not doe behold I will Lord look upon me in thy mercy still And when thou com'st unto thy kingdome then Remember me in mercy heale my pain Jesus beholding this his faith replies Man I doe tell thee that in Paradise This night thou shalt be with me and shalt taste The glorious Nectar of my Fathers feast Father once more all thing are finshed Which thy great law requires diminished Is nothing which her Sanctions did crave And now I 'm ready to be laid in grave I therefore come to thee Into thy hands I recommend my Sp'rit let not deaths bands Triumph ore me for it I vanquish'd have Yet I 'le subject my selfe unto the grave By this he bows his head and giveth up The Ghost and so hath drunken up his cup. One of those Souldiers who did him attend Hoping to gaine some honour in the end Takes up his Speare to try if Christ were dead And in his side doth thrust it over head Straight from the wound doth flow both blood and water Whose still dissever'd streams themselves so scatter As never Tigris and Euphrates did More th' one from th' other at their sourse divide When the first Adam snorted in his sleep Great Isr'els Watchman who poore man doth keep Took from his side a rib of which he made An helpe unto the man who was her head And now the second Adam on his Crosse Lacks not a bone but to repaire that losse From out his side whereon his bride now stands Sends forth pure water first to wash her hands And that clean hands may have as clean a heart He sends her blood to purge her better part His water purgeth and refresheth more Then that which from Rephidims rock did rore His blood speaks better things then Abels did When she in Vesta's lap her head did hide And truly such a water or such blood Nor Baalzephom shoare nor Ganges flood Did ever borrow from earths bubling vain While as they pard their tribute to the Main Loe how the sonne of God in human nature Loe how for Man poore creature the Creatour Loe for the guilty how the innocent Loe how the lowly for the insolent Suffers payes covers satisfies at once Death debt shame wrath for our exemptions Come wayward Gentile come rebellious Jew Come scoffing Atheist Semichristian thou Prodigious misbeliever natures slave Blasphemous mockers of the crosse and grave Come come I say and if you needs must scorn Those hands those feet this heart that crown of thorn From whence my Saviour in such sev'rall rills Celestiall Nectar to the world distills If nothing here on earth you see below Can your hard hearts to his obedience bow Look up above your head and see what strange Commotions through th' heav'nly regions range And from their troubles learn in time to tremble Least those their palsies prove your deaths preamble For whil'st his soule doth to the heav'ns ascend Which to his Father he did recommend Straight with his last gaspe earth's round globe doth shake As if her engines axle-tree should breake The broad enameld courtaine of the sky Obfuscat with dark clouds doth droup and dye And since he whose right hand first formed Nature Hath so much suffred for a sinfull creature The frame of Nature now hath sworn to show That natures God hath suffred here below Hence hoary Saturne turns his face awry And scorns to gaze so great a butchery The bounteous Jupiter now amazed stands And scorns with Amalthaea to shake hands Blood-thirsting Mars throws down his dart and cries What Phlegra 's this whose Typhon scales our skies The wanton now betakes her to her heels And puls her Pidgeons from Apollo's wheels The witty Merc'ry throws his pen aside He cannot see to write for nights black pride And Cynthia now beholding Titans Car Ecclipsed by a brighter morning star Runs from th' Eoan to th' Hesperian coast And grapleth Titan in her arms so fast That brave Latona's son nor can nor may But through her sad imbrace take leave of day Now is the Temples vaile rent quite in twaine And Jew and Gentile reconcil'd againe Now are the flint-hard rocks found cut asunder That mans hard heart might at it's hardnes wonder Now are the graves devouring gates cast up And long interred dust drinks new lives cup That heav'ns and earth and hell and all may see That power of th'Eternalls victorie Whereby he hath as both true God and Man For man subbu'd Deaths great Leviathan The Triumph CANTO 6o. ERE Cairo's Monarch would let Isr'el goe From out the fornace of affliction loe The holy one of Israel bigge with ire Is forc'd in wrath to blow so fierce a fire Against him that a Decad of stern woes Must fall upon him ere he melt his snowes So deeply were they froze amidst his heart That nothing but deep wrath can him convert Of all those plagues which did on Misraim fall Me thinks the last save one was worst of all For what are fields or fruits or brooks or trees In respect of mans gracious faculties And life it selfe is small being compar'd With utter darknesse wherein man ensnar'd By living death and dark Cimerian mist Of Goshens childe is made a Memphytist Such were the foggy mists that now doe stand For three houres space through all Judaea's land So that th' inhabitants doe gaze with wonder To see the sun obscured from his splendor But Titan once more doth reclear his eye And shuffling off his Sisters canopy Doth joy to see his eldest brothers bed With such triumphing trophees honored Now whil'st the stern Centurion sees the damp That Christ his death hath wrought in Natures camp He shrinks away for feare and doth professe Surely this man hath
been Gods sonne no lesse For who did ever see so firm and strong Expressions of Deitie ev'n among Infirmities and weaknesse saddest strains As now burst forth in Naturesbubling vains By this just Joseph Arimathea's Lord Hath beg'd of Pilat by submissive word That he Christs body might have pow'r to take Down from the Crosse and in his grave to make Him rest who rest and peace had promised Unto all such as sought to him for ayde Pilat yeelds to it Joseph's quickly gone Through Salems streets and rich stor'd shops each one And of pure balm and myrhs elixar'd Nard A hundred weight he buyes and afterward Embalmes my Saviours body and doth binde It in a Tyrian lawn more dainty fin'd Than that which Venus putteth on the eyes Of Cupid to obscure his leacheries Then in his Garden corner with all haste In his new-digged tombe he hath it plac'd And that the body there might rest secure He puts a stone upon the Sepulture ' Mongst many passions of the soule by which Man doth his guilty minde surcharge too much Whil'st he doth wander in that desert where Nothing is reap'd in end but griefe and care That pultrone Feare for most part leads the ring Where Cruelty hath harp'd on Envies string For nothing can secure that sordid mind Where wrath and malice are in one combin'd Hence doth the High Priest and his rascall-train To Pilats hall return yet once again And under colour of a wise prevention Belch out the vomit of their foul intention This fellow say they while he liv'd did say Pull down this Temple and on the third day I will re-build it Lest therefore by night Some steal him from his grave and so affright The world with frantick tales of 's resurrection Let us walk wisely and ' gainst this infection Prepare an an tidote for by such toyes The weaker may be led to great annoyes Goe goe saith Pilus doe what ere you list Hath not his blood yet satisfi'd your thirst 'T is strange to see that death cannot put end Unto that wrath which doth on rage depend The very beasts that live by cruell pray Drink blood eat flesh but cast the bones away But ay me poor faint-hearted Muse how long Wilt thou sigh forth his obsequies whose wrong Though all the Main were turn'd to teares and ink Could not suffice to write them on her brink Weep therefore weep a space and weeping look Not like a runnall or a bubling brook Whose proudest swellings we no sooner spy But straight they are exhaust their channell 's dry But like the Ocean whose unfathom'd deep Sends forth those restlesse streames which never sleep For here thou hast the deepest deep distresse That ever heart could think or tongue expresse The sonne of God heav'ns master-peece the bright Transplendent glory of th' Almighties light Th' eternall Word which was e're time began In time for man made man nay not a man A worm a wretch a servant nay a slave To calumny contempt to crosse to grave Yet peace my Muse and let not griefe exile Thee from due comfort let a blushing smile Comfort thee rather for those wounds which stands Imprinted in his heart his feet his hands Make him although despised and disdain'd To carnall eyes where sinne and shame 's maintain'd A pretious Victime off red up for thee To whom of due belong'd the cursed tree Yea he is that great star of Jacob who Makes Japhet unto Shem's sweet tents to go And bids the world write anthems of Rejoyces Because his grave makes ours a bed of Roses Where though he for a season rest and sleep Yet shall not earth him in her armes long keep But as the Sonne of God he thence shall rise And lead Captiv'ty captive through the skies And thence ascending to his glorious throne Shall be our all in all and all in One For notwithstanding all that stamp and stirre Whereby his grave is sealed and made sure Up up again he shall Gods holy one Can in the grave take no corruption But by his Resurrection makes our faith Triumph the more ore sinne ore hell and death The former times prefigur'd have this truth Did he not save one from the Lions mouth Was not another thrown amidst the Sea And after three dayes set at libertie Yea were not three at one thrown in the fire As vassals of a Tyrants proud desire Yet by his pow'r so preserv'd that the flame Did neither harm their haires nor garments seame Did not he by his mighty pow'r ere now Naims poor widowes sonne to life renew When Lazarus had four dayes ly'n in grave Did he not by his word his soule receive When as the good Centurion's daughter lay Asleep did he not turn her night to day When Eutichus did from his third loft fall Did not his quickning sp'rit his sp'rit recall And when Tabitha jappa's Nymph lay dead Did not his Cumi straight lift up her head Those and a thousand more then those doe stand As great Herculean trophces in his hand Those were but shaddows he the substance is The type was theirs the antitipe is his And all of those beare witnesse that his power Can kill and quicken rescue and devoure Now doth the date of that appointed time Wherein he should arise from Deaths dark clime Draw neer for from the sixt dayes afternoon The Sabbaths whol day he did rest eft soon The eight daies morn no sooner'gins to break But loe the sonne of Righteousnes doth wake And with a better light the world recleare Then ever Titan brought t' our Hemispheare And as that God who did the world create Upon the sixt day did man animate And on the seventh day celebrate his rest A type of our Eternall heavenly feast So did my Soules most grarious Redeemer Crush on the sixt day my soules sad blasphemer And on the seventh day resting in the grave Did from Goliahs hand his Isr'el save And rising on the eight dayes morne hath made The womans heel to bruise the serpents head This day of old had small or no respect But now to heav'n it doth our hearts erect And justly makes his Gods a ther the Sunne VVho in th'Eccliptick of true light doth run This day more sacred should be kept then any Because by it Salvation spirings to many And therefore 〈…〉 as farre As Titan hath beyond 〈…〉 staâ—reâ— For look how much our second birth is more Then our first birth 〈◊〉 is our Sabbath for Upon the sixth day we had our Creation But on this Sabbath light life and salvation And since upon this day we from our fall With him have rise it is Dominicall And merits to be sign'd with ink that 's red Because his blood our debt hath can celled Th' intended period of the time now come The sonne of Jesse Israels brid egroome Comes from his late bed-chamber richly deckt With Majesty with glory and respect His wedding garments robes and rings are on His griefes his passions and his woes
are gone His foes are fill'd with feare amaze and wonder Like Latmos rent with heav'ns high ratling thunder Seraphick Spirits bow before his face Mortality to glory now gives place And all the Children of his wedding Chamber Whose lips are Corrall and whose locks are Amber Whose eyes Carbuncles are in dark of night Gladly doe now attend this mornings light And from the grave they role away that stone Which Caiaphas had fet his seale upon 'T were strange to see that was could make that sure That heav'ns had destin'd to distemp'tature But now the Scriptures are fulfill'd which say He gives his Angels charge 〈◊〉 thy way To keep thee lest thy foot should either slip Or'gainst a stone at any time should trip Yet was it neither Angels might nor power That did return life to my Saviour But that same Godhead which in him did dwell Restor'd his life and did his death expell For though his soule was from his body cut His Godhead from his Man hood was not shut For that great tye of Hypostatick union Shall never be dissolv'd or lose communion No no Mans nature which he did assume And unite to the Word i' th' Virgins wombe Shall in no after time or taste Confusion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or by a stronger hand ' plain of Division Or by a change smell any Alteration Or by or death or life have Separation But shall for ay that union retaine Where three are one and one is three againe No sooner doth my Soules brave Sampson draw Gaza's gate-barrs asunder then his aw Maketh earths wieghty globe to reatch and reele About him like Ixyons giddy wheele The dead arise and to the Citty goe As witnesse of his great triumphing show The Lyons to their dens return apace Because great Judah's Lyon shakes his tresse And all the beasts of neighb'ring Forrests feare Whilst they this matchlesse Lyon's roaring heare The chirping birds whose sweet melodious notes Bring sweeter crotchets from their carr'ling throats Then all Apollo's nymphs can straine or sing Unto his Harps delicious fingering Betake themselves unto their wings to flie Rather then in an Earthquakes arms to die The nibling Lambs which graze on Vesta's kirtle And sips her hony suckles and her mirtle Leaving their breakfast bleat and cry and call Each one to gaze anothers festivall Great Neptune and his Thetye now sing dumbe Because the Soveraign of the Seas is come To put a hooke in their nostrills and draw Leucotheo from Achelous maw But above all the long-liv'd Phenix seems As freshly wak'd from her reviving flames To greet him with the rarest welcome that E're Lark or Finch or Linot modulat And at his foot her starry Spangled Crown As to the righteous owner she throws down For she reviv'd hath thousand years in store But he requickneth lives for evermore In end comes Titan dayes bright shining eye Who lately slept in darknesse Cannopy And from his Orient or Eoan wave Where Neptune doth his steps in pearle engrave Seeing a clearer Sun i' th' West arise To all his Naids and his Napaeis cries Look here and see the rare yea rarest wonder That ever Earth held up or Heav'ns kept under Two Suns arise at once and in one day Two Titans to the world their lights display The one wherof although he rise must fall The other knowes no Occident at all Thus is my Saviour up and mangre hell And all the pow'rs of darknesse there doe dwell A new light life and liberty is given To all that hunger for the light of Heaven 'T is true no article o' th' Christian faith More faithlesse or reluctant en'mies hath Then hath the Doctrine of the Resurrection Whil'st it stands canvass'd by humane direction Yea nature ne'er requir'd a better sport Then tosse this Ball within her Tennis-court For faith it selfe can hardly sound this deep How a scatter'd non ens to an ens can creep Although that Nature and the Scriptures both Have writ the hieroglyphicks of this truth The Phoenix spicie nest her Mistris burneth Yet she from out her fatall Urne returneth When length of time sun-staring Eagles spills They doe revive by casting off their bills Hearbs trees and plants which in the winter wither I' th' spring receive both sap and life together The Corn we sow doth first corrupt and die Yet from that death their grains doe multiply And if 't be true Medaea for the sake Of Jason made old Aesons youth t' awake But Scripture tells us that the first man hath By sinne subdu'd all mankinde unto death And that the second man doth yeeld more grace Requickning that which dy'd by our trespasse And unto Abram's seed the Lord hath said I am the livings God and not the dead Adde unto this that he who first did make All things of nothing can from something take With lesser pain this little world of Man Then when at first he from the dust it span Nor is it just that any coupled paire Who work together should not have like share Of glory after death who in their life ' Gainst Sin and Sathan kept a conjunct strife Why art thou then so sad my Soule and why Art thou cast down with such anxiety Dost not thou know that Christ is made thy head And thou by faith his living member made He is thy husband thou his wedded wife Whil'st he doth live how canst thou doubt of life He is the root and thou his ingraft-branch When thou art judg'd he sitteth on the bench He is our Main which by our faith 's hid pores Refreshing waters to our springs restores And till his never ebbing streams goe dry We need not fear to lack a new supply Naked from out our mothers wombe we come And thither naked must we once goe home Yet we believe earth shall not still enfold Us in her arms that were too base a hold For any in whose soule the sp'rit of grace Hath made his mansion or a dwelling place No sure suppose these putrid tents of clay Wherein we sojourn for a night or day Must be dissolved better buildings we In heav'n shall have For Immortalitie Shall this our Mortall swallow and devoure Our weaknes then shall be exchang'd to power Corruption shall to incorruption turne And shame shak'd off we shall no longer mourn For what by Nature we doe here inherit Shall there renew'd be by th'Eternals Sp'rit Though then the grave unto weak natures taste Relish no better then the hemlocks feast Yet from her arms we reap a richer store Then ever nature did possesse before For there the poore have peace from their oppression There earths horsleeches shrink from their possession There rich and poore the high the low and all To earthly tempest ly no more made thrall But waiting for the return of their Judge In secret for a while lye still and lodge Since then I know that my Redeemer liveth And that he shall perform what faith believeth In all the periods of my lifes poore
date I for my last and glorious change shall waite For He who was dead is alive and shall To me be Alpha and Omega All. The Trophee CANTO 7o. CHrist had not come from heav'n to earth but that He might our dying soules re-animat He had not liv'd on earth so long to try Cares watches griefes reproaches misery Had he not meant to write us an example In patience upon their necks to trample Nor had he took our flesh if not to die That by his suff'rings he might satisfie The wrath of God due unto mans offence And reconcile that sin-bred difference Nor had he dy'd were 't not to rise again And reunite us to our Soveraigne Nor did he rise but that he might ascend And so bring our Redemptions to an end Thus was he born thus did he live and thus He hath both dy'd and rose againe for us That our new birth new life and new death may By him be turn'd to an eternall day Now if that any ask who shall perswade VVeake man that he such mighty power had The trembling earth the darkned sunne the grave The quickned dead the rent vaile and that slave VVhich in earths centers dwels can all declare The Virgins sonne and eke th' Almighties heire True God and Man earths Monarch heav'ns great King Did those stupendious works t' effect forth bring But if sublunar things subject to errour Can neither work our joy nor strike with terrour Our hardned hearts let glorious Angels then Serve to extirpate misbeliefe from men For they did by their presence shake those fooles VVho by their spears and staves and murth'ring tools Sought to detaine the Lord of Life i' th' grave Let all such guardians such reward still have Then to some weaker women whose true care And love to life had quickly brought them there They furnish matter of true consolation Declaring his true life whose death and passion Had but of late their soule so pierc'd with woe That naturall comfort could not cure their blow Such as our conscience is or good or bad Accordingly we are rejoyc'd or sad When God to us his countenance doth show Or in a cheerfull smile or frowning aw The righteous Man is like the Lyon bold The wicked shrink for feare within their hold And one day when their joyes away shall fly Then shall they shrink and feare eternally One woman there was of a speciall note The Magdalen of late known by her spot But now by penitentiall tears made clean She greater grace and favour doth obtain For he whodwelleth in the heav'ns doth weigh The hearts of men in scales of Veritie And looks not on our outward carnall things But on that treasure which the heart forth brings To this poore woman then they first doe talk And with her in the way of comfort walk That she who sometime was a sinner might To after-sinners shew the wondrous hight The depth the length and breadth of mercy that Unto the penitent's accumulat For God doth not take heed to what we were But unto what we by adoption are For still his mercies supr'abound and more Where sinnes abundant plenty dwelt before If he can see our tears our cheeks distaine And bubble up from true repentance vaine Some eight dayes hence this Nymph began to weep And make her tears bedew her Masters feet Her eyes as yet have not shut up their sluces So deep 's the memoyr of her youths abuses And eke so fresh the relish of his smart Who spent his blood to purge her sinfull heart That she cannot her throbbing sighs restrain Nor from her restlesse seas of teares refraine But when sh'ath weep'd enough she still weeps more And ' gainst her sorrowes cannot shut the doore VVhil'st thus she weeps she turnes unto her stay And bowing down beholds where Jesus lay And loe two Angels there doe sit the one VVhere Jesus head did lye and rest anon Another she espies there where his feet Had their impression in the hard rock set They see the woman weep and thus enquire VVoman why weep'st thou what dost thou desire She answers Sure I weep not without cause For here of late in deaths devouring jawes My Lord did lye but now alas he 's gone And none can tell me whither no not one They thus reply what foole art thou to seek The living ' mongst the dead did he not speak And preach to you last day in Galile The sonne of man must suffer and third day Rise up again he is not here goe goe Tell his Disciples that he 's rise But loe VVhil'st thus they parley Jesus comes and still Rebukes her for her mis-informed will VVoman saith he woman what dost thou mean VVhat wilt thou never from thy teares abstain She takes him for the Gardner and saith Sir If you have took him hence pray let me heare VVhere you have layd him and be sure from thence I will re-bring him at what-ere expence To those fond words my Saviour saith But Mary She answers him Rabboni Without tary Falls down before his feet to kisse them but He to that fond affection yeeldeth not O doe not touch me Mary saith he for I am not yet ascended but what 's more Expedient for the world goe quickly tell My weak Disciples that the gates of hell Which gap'd against me now have no more pow'r To hedge me in for I have broke their door And to my members doe propine Lifes cup That they may dine with me I with them sup O what a masse or magazen is here Of pretious comfort by a Gardiner Breath'd to a woman O what large extent Of pardon 's sealed to a Penitenâ—â— For whil'st I see her thus so sadly weep And him comfort her ' gainst her griefs I keep In minde that Program which of late he told Blessed are they who mourn for loe behold They shall reap comfort and thrice blessed they Who ask seek knock for verily I say They shall receive and finde and enter for To such my Father doth not shut his door Next this whil'st I behold the great mistake Wherein her true affection although weake Made her believe a Gardner she had seen I doe impute it to her tear-drown'd eyn I cannot choose but make my soule to smile At this so happy fraud and sweet beguile For never man did to my weak esteem Give him a fitter stile or truer name For where did ever garden in the stower Of stormy rage produce so sweet a flower Or where did ever Gardner plant or frame So rich an imp in such a withring stem Did he not first in Paradise re-plant The promis'd Primrose of the Covenant In Baal-haman graft'd he not that Vine About the which the Saints their armes doe twine Is not he Sharons Rose the Valleyes Lilly Engeddies Camphire Bethleems Daffadilly Gethsemans Gilly-flow'r and Golgaths Rheu And Arimathea's Turn-sol ever true It is not then a great mistake to call Him Gardner who makes those to rise and fall O glorious Gardner