Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A67332
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Divine poems by Edward Waller Esq.; Poems. Selections
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Waller, Edmund, 1606-1687.
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1685
(1685)
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Wing W497; ESTC R779
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8,033
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36
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DIVINE POEMS By EDMOND WALLER Esq LICENSED Octob. 3. 1685. Rob. Midgley In the Savoy Printed for Henry Herringman and are to be sold by Jos. Knight and Fran. Saunders at the Sign of the Anchor in the Lower Walk of the New-Exchange in the Strand 1685. OF Divine Love 6. CANTO'S 1. ASserting the authority of the Scripture in which this Love is reveal'd 2. The preference and Love of God to man in the Creation 3. The same Love more amply declared in our redemption 4. How necessary this Love is to reform Mankind and how excellent in it self 5. Shewing how happy the World would be if this Love were universally embrac'd 6. Of preserving this Love in our memory and how useful the contemplation thereof is CANTO I. THe Grecian Muse has all their Gods surviv'd Nor Jove at us nor Phoebus is arriv'd Frail Deities which first the Poets made And then invok'd to give their Fancies aid Yet if they still divert us with their Rage What may be hop'd for in a better Age When not from Helicons Imagin'd Spring But sacred Writ we borrow what we Sing This with the fabrick of the World begun Elder than Light and shall out-last the Sun Before this Oracle like Dagon all The false pretenders Delphos Hammon fall Long since despis'd and silent they afford Honour and Triumph to th' Eternal Word As late Philosophy our Globe has grac'd And rowling Earth among the Plannets plac'd So has this Book intitl'd us to Heav'n And rules to guide us to that Mansion giv'n Tells the conditions how our Peace was made And is our Pledge for the great Authors aid His Power in nature's ampler Book we find But the less Volume does express his mind This Light unknown bold Epicurus taught That his blest Gods vouchsafe us not a thought But unconcern'd let all below them slide As fortune do's or humane wisdom guide Religion thus remov'd the sacred Yoke And band of all Society is broke What use of Oaths of Promise or of Test Where men reguard no God but Interest What endless War would Jealous Nations tear If none above did witness what they swear Sad fate of unbelievers and yet just Among themselves to find so little trust Were Scripture silent nature would proclaim Without a God our falshood and our shame To know our thoughts the Object of his Eyes Is the first step t'wards being good or wise For thô with Judgment we on things reflect Our Will determines not our Intellect Slaves to their Passion Reason men imploy Only to compass what they would enjoy His fear to guard us from our selves we need And sacred Writ our Reason do's exceed For thô Heaven shows the Glory of the Lord Yet something shines more Glorious in his Word His mercy this which all his work excells His tender kindness and compassion tells While we inform'd by that Celestial Book Into the Bowels of our Maker look Love there reveal'd which never shall have end Nor had beginning shall our Song commend Describe it self and warm us with that flame Which first from Heav'n to make us Happy came CANTO II. THe fear of Hell or ayming to be Blest Savours too much of private Interest This mov'd not Moses nor the Zealous Paul Who for their Friends abandon'd Soul and all A greater yet from Heav'n to Hell descends To save and make his Enemies his Friends What line of Praise can fathom such a Love Which reacht the lowest bottom from above The Royal Prophet that extended Grace From heav'n to earth measur'd but half that space The Law was regnant and confin'd his thought Hell was not conquer'd when that Poet wrote Heav'n was scarce heard of until he came down To make the Region where love triumphs known That early Love of Creatures yet unmade To frame the World th' Almighty did perswade For Love it was that first Created Light Mov'd on the Waters chac'd away the Night From the rude Chaos and bestow'd new Grace On things dispos'd of to their proper place Some to rest here and some to shine above Earth Sea and Heav'n were all th' Effects of Love And Love would be return'd but there was none That to themselves or others yet were known The World a Palace was without a Guest Till one appears that must excel the rest One like the Author whose Capacious mind Might by the Glorious Work the Maker find Might measure Heaven and give each Star a name With Art and Courage the rough Ocean tame Over the Globe with swelling Sails might go And that 't is round by his experience know Make strongest Beasts obedient to his Will And serve his use the fertile Earth to Till When by his Word God had accomplisht all Man to Create he did a Council call Imploy'd his Hand to give the Dust he took A graceful Figure and Majestick Look With his own breath convey'd into his breast Life and a Soul fit to command the rest Worthy alone to Celebrate his Name For such a gift and tell from whence it came Birds sing his Praises in a wilder note But not with lasting numbers and with thought Mans great Prerogative but above all His grace abounds in his new favorites fall If he Create it is a World he makes If he be ang'ry the Creation shakes From his just wrath our guilty Parents fled He curst the Earth but bruis'd the Serpents head Amidst the storm his bounty did exceed In the rich promise of the Virgins seed Thô Justice death a satisfaction craves Love finds a way to pluck us from our Graves CANTO III. NOt willing Terror should his Image move He gives a pattern of Eternal Love His Son descends to treat a Peace with those Which were and must have ever been his foes Poor he became and left his Glorious seat To make us humble and to make us great His business here was happiness to give To those whose malice could not let him live Legions of Angels which he might have us'd For us resolv'd to perish he refus'd While they stood ready to prevent his loss Love took him up and nayl'd him to the Cross. Immortal Love which in his Bowels reign'd That we might be by such a Love constrain'd To make return of Love upon this Pole Our Duty does and our Religion rowle To Love is to believe to hope to know 'T is an Essay a taste of Heav'n below He to proud Potentates would not be known Of those that lov'd him he was hid from none Till love appear we live in anxious doubt But smoak will vanish when that flame breaks out This is the fire that would consume our dross Refine and make us richer by the loss Could we forbear dispute and practice Love We should agree as Angels do above Where Love presides not Vice alone does find No entrance there but Vertues stay behind Both Faith and Hope and all the meaner train Of moral vertues at the door remain Love only enters as a native there For born in Heav'n