Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n
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A07160
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A sacred poem describing the miraculous life and death of the glorious conuert S· Marie of Ægipt who passed fortie seauen yeares in the desarts leading a penitentiall life to the astonishment of all succeeding ages.
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Howard, Robert, 1597-1676.
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1640
(1640)
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STC 17567; ESTC S112378
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29,394
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68
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year I sufferd much from the distemperd sphere In depth of winter with cold mornings glac't With snowes with sleetes and stormes of hayle defac't In summer tand and scorcht with Titans beames My nakednesse exposd to both extreames For those sheere weedes the moyst and bleaker ayre Had quickly rotted which at first I ware From which time forward naked as you see From soultry heate from blashing winters free Clad in the mercyes of my God in prayse Of his blest name I spend my waining dayes My soule which in these caues heauen ayding through A thousand snares hath kept it's former vow Not ignorant with what high fauours grac't Innumerable hazards it hath past And trusting to that grace by which repriud From these exteriour troubles it hath liud Growes confident and with inflamd desires To euer-lasting comforts glad aspyres I drinke I feed I 'm clothd out of heauens store The word of God all these supplyes and more Because that man on bread not onely feeds But on each word which from our Lord proceeds Nay euen the very rocke shal them arraye Who the foule robe of sin haue thrown away Th' attentiue father when she had annext These places pickt out of the sacred text Demanded if she had been some times bred In studyes or the psalmes perhaps had read Noe truly said she nor haue seen the face Of mortal creature in this forlorne place But be not this your wonder for Gods word Doth sence and science to all his afford Loe father now my whole life's tract you haue And once againe vpon my knees I craue That in those holy offrings which you make Dayly to heauen you some compassion take Of my much-burdend soule and recommend To that great God of mercyes my neere end A deepe-fetcht sigh here closd her speech the man Confounded kneeld and with loud voyce began His eyes in warme tears swimming Blessed be That God by whom great things we compast see Strange high and wonderful most dreadful things Things which no scypher within number brings Blessed art thou Lord God almighty who Art pleasd that I a sinful wretch should know All those good things which thou reseru'st in store For them that loue thee who doest euermore Help them who seeke thee there th' Aegiptian takes The oldman's hand and raysing him thus speakes Whiles I am liuing let no mortal ear O man of God what I haue told thee heare Touching my life and state now go in peace And when the sun shal this same dayes increase Adde to the ful year's period you me And I shal you God's grace assisting see Yet for Christ's sake let me intreat that you When the next lent shal these blest rites renew Though all the rest their annual custom keep In boating ouer Iordan's sacred deep Yet passe not with them Zozim marking her His monasteryes solemne rule tinferre With wonder shrinking onely sayd in 's heart Glory to thee my God who doest impart To them who loue thee she proceeded stay At home as I was saying nor obey Thy rule here in which wouldst thou know in vaine Man striues when otherwise the heauens ordaine Then on that euer honourd day in which It pleasd our lord his people to inrich With the vnualued treasure of his blood And sacred body that life-giuing food Which as his lou'es eternal testament By his last will in this great sacrament He left to his beloued then I say When the declining sun shal close the day Hauing with due solemnity renewd The sacred cene doe not my hopes delude But part of that celestial foode reserue The worst of sinners and most poore to serue This don expect me on the farther side Where Iordan's streames the world and vs deuide That there once more I may receaue the blood And body of my God which sacred foode My famisht soule since those blest streams I past Hath not been worthy in these woods to tast O father though I know my self the worst Of al that euer find and most accurst Yet doe not you a sinners prayer slight For heauen it self in such oft takes delight Hear me and graunt that I vnworthy may Receaue my God about that time of day Wherein it pleasd himself to consecrate And giue his last of suppers the first date Father be mindful of me and farewel One thing I had forgotten pray you tell Your Abbot Iohn that some things are amisse Which he should not neglect but as for this Say nothing for a while yet tell him when Our lord shal think it fit forbear til then Sh 'had sayd and kneeld for 's blessing which obtaind With winged speed the thickest thickes she gaignd The ayre receaues her on glad wings the grasse Prest lightly with her foot steps as they passe Forceth to rise again you 'd say to meet I'ts happinesse and kisse her sacred feet The woods haste to incounter their loud'ghest The leafes to whispering windes their ioys exprest And spread a thicker shadow for they know It is her will that they should hide her so Things without sence exult th' oldman alone Forsaken and deiected stands like one Whose high-contemplatiue transported soule Wholy absorpt and fixt in th' vpper pole Reard on the wings of pure eternal loue Admire those treasures which are stord aboue For true chaste louers and inioyes the place Of endlesse blisse alas one minut's space This high raysd soule to it's frayle home retournes Where sad deiected and opprest it mournes I'ts misery the greater by how much The late-tryed ioyes of heauen it had found such So stood the sad anachoret depriud Of that blest obiect which had earst reuiud His death-likeage whiles euerye word of hers Pierc't like sweet musick his attentiue ears Her countenance and illuminated face Diffusing part of that redounding grace Which through the working of the holy ghost His neighbouring soule with plenteous streams ingrost What ioy might with that ioy of his compare What mysery now equal his despaire Since past felicityes but vex the more Than if they neuer had been knowne before His eyes pursue the saint as far as hee Through the dimme glasses of those eyes could see But when the spatious plaine and woods thicke shade His prospect's vtmost period had made Lost in himself he without motion stood His eyes and soule both sinking in a flood Of endlesse teares innumerable woes Oppresse him with their weight and mortal throwes His straitned heart and bowels thrill but when Weighing the varying state of mortal men He had reflected on his griefe and calld The will of God to mind himself appalld And fearful least he had offended in His too rash sorrow sorrowes for his sin And rectifying his inferiour will Vowes that of heauen in all things to fulfill Then kneeling kist the grasse where she had stept Which with obseruance dewe yet careful kept The prints of her dear feet and with calme showers Waterd the drooping grasse and late-blest flowers But time calles on him and himself restraines His too
pray and thou not heare O powêrfull charme the very name could moue Both the effects of pardon and of loue That euerlasting goodnesse which long since Had razd the memôry of hir former sinnes And those blacke characters which hir true tears Had for thespace of seuen and forty years washt with vnwearied streames not pleasd that she whose life t'all sinners might a comfort be And had so pleasëd his eternal eye Vnknowne vnhonourd in those shades should dye Pointed out of his all fore-seeing care A graue old moncke his wonders to declare A glorious father Zozimus his name In goodnesse great great in desert and fame And who perhaps much greater might haue been Had he been lesse in his owne greatnesse seen Poore man already he seemd euen to play On vertu's green and to haue won the day Sings ioyful Paeans gloryes in his years Growne hoary in long pennance and appears That desart's onely sunne in his owne sight Whence yonger saints receaued a borrôwed light Vnwise for whiles he snatcheth at a crowne Which might ere long haue iustly been his owne He falles thinkes darknesse light falles stil and euen As he is falling thinkes he mounts to heauen So when our Northern Tine swelles ore the strands Planing the fatal foard with both the lands Some daring traueller spurres on enragd Nor sees the perill til too far ingagd Measûring his owne life by the sea-like streames Too late alas intrapt twixt two extreames He doubtful pauseth if he forward presse The danger 's great should he turne backe not lesse Mean time pale fear his better sence bereaues And fiercer currant his weake eye deceaues For stil borne downe by it's resistlesse force Stil dreames he rides too high his wiser horse Bears strongly with the streame but toyles in vain His maister maisters him some-one amaine Whoopes from the shoare Bear vp Bear vp he hears But false eyes trusts more then his truer ears Til swept away by the remorselesse flood H 'is lost and makes it 's fatal sir-name good Such or much worse might haue been Zozims end Had he not heard à farre more powêrful friend Who through the organs of a whistling wind In aéry sounds thus check't his aery mind Many as aâged more holy and lesse proud Their vertues in this sacred desart shrowd Flye therefore hence and leaue the place in which Pride and self-loue thy better thoughts bewitch A Conuent neere the bankes of Iordan stands Not great in circuit or extent of lands But great in sanctity ther seeke and find The cüre of a self-delighted mind His eyes are opend and his sin appears More great augmented by insuing fears For what can now secürehim who fel Thinking himself in heauen as deepe as Hel He falles as lowe as he had soard too high Anthaeus-like resuming strength there by For whiles he prostrat cleaues t' his mother earth By blazôning in it's molde his baser birth He riseth stronger then he was before Lesse in his owne eye but in god 's much more And takes his iourney guided by that hand Which earst when Abram left his natiue land His house and friends was with him in his way And held him least he from truth's path should stray A witherd sticke his trembling iointes sustaines Whiles wandring through vast woodes and vaster plaines Stil from aboue imploring light and grace He seekes neere Iordan the desired place Which where the riuer straitned twixt two hilles The hanging cliffes with hollowe ecchoes shrilles He found at last a Conuent of smal showe Yet well contriued the walles and roafe both lowe No gluring outside no art's new deuise Of curious worldlings to allure the eyes No path but one and that but litle vsd Which brought our zozim in himself confusd At such retyrednesse to one onely gate It opening from within there weake he sate With griefe and toyle his former life now blames And these poore monkes thrice happy he proclaimes Whose inward sanctitye he quickly guest By What their outward solitude exprest Thus humbled in himself he knockes with fear As one not worthy to find entrance there The porter hauing eyed him through the grate Informes his Prelat of his forme and state He strait descending in the entry meets The stranger whom imbracing thus he greets Welcom graue father what could we deserue Vnworthy seruants of him whom you serue That you should visit vs here poore beginners Il mortifyêd and halfe-conuerted sinners Zozim abasht bends his brim-swelling eyes Downe to the earth and sighing thus replyes I seek perfectiôn here growne old in pride O take me for his sake who for such dyed The Abbot glad receaues him there he liues With saints a saint and disinchanted giues Not now t' himself but to those holy syres Vertue 's full prayse sees in them and admires Their patiênce zeale humilitye profound Raysd by pure rapts aboue the starry round Nimble obedience charitye in al Whose charter warrants it shal neuer fal Al things wel-orderd and in the quyer Perpetual vigils harmonye and prayer But winter now declining had begun To feele the powër of a warmer sun And Febrüarye old praepard to yeeld To springing Marche the honour of the field Wensday the first of clensing dayes appeares When the whole Conuent to one roome repaird And hauing crau'd assistance from aboue Came forth in vnity in peace in loue Praepard to crosse the riuer as each year In this blest season they accustomd were To keep lent silent nor to meete agen Til the renewing of the sacred Cene The gate as loathe to part with such loud ghests It's griefe in th' opening with lowd groanes attests whiles matching downe to Iordan the whole quyêr In order sings this psalme led by the Priour Psalme 26. HEnce fear our lord 's my safety and my light My life s protector what shal me affright Whiles bad men on me rusht my flesh to teare My foes who vext me fell and weakened were Opposed Campes my courage shall not quell In battle strong here fixt my hopes shal dwel One thing I 'ue askt our lord this I 'le request That in his house I all my dayes may rest That I his ioyes may view and temple blest For he hath kept me in his sanctuâry in It 's closest vaults safe from the dayes of sin H' ath reard me on the rock and plac't me out Of foe's reache in his house I 'ue romd about Offring an hoaste of clamour I will sing And say a psalme to heauen's aeternal king My voyce o lord to thee loud-crying hear Haue mery on me and to me giue ear To thee my heart spake thee mine eyes desire To thee o lord I euer will aspire Turne not nor in thy wrath decline thy face From me thy seruant help me with thy grace Oh doe not leaue nor sleight me in thy scorne My saûiour and my God for me forlorne My parents both haue left but thou didst take Compassion on me Lord vnto me make A law in thy way and the