DIVINE GLIMPSES OF A Maiden Muse Being Various MEDITATIONS and EPIGRAMS On Several SUBjECTS With A probable future CURE Of Our present Epidemical MALADY If the means be not too long neglected By Chr. Clobery Esquire LONDON Printed by James Cottrel 1659. To his undoubted though unknown Friend George Wither Esq Britain's Ancient REMEMBRANCER SIr though to me unknown your person be Your better parts my soul doth plainly see In your fulfill'd predictions and in those Which shall fulfilled be how soon none knows But he who them inspir'd Yet I dare say I 'm sure they shall and hope to see the day Of their fulfilling when our Rulers here Shall hearken to a slighted Engineer And shall have ears to hear and eyes to see The wayes of truth of peace and unity And walk therein Mean while dear Sir peruse This Widows Mite of an old Maiden-Muse Wherein what you approve let stand what not Razeout If all be faulty all out blot And blot my folly too let silence shie Make its remembrance in your censure die I much desir'd to be a Witness true Unto these Nations long since warn'd by you Of God's proceedings with them and that he Call'd you of old their Watchman here to be And that you faithfully discover'd to them Time after time their ways that would undo them And shew'd their way of peace yet we march on On the wrong fork of your Greek Ypsilon The Lord sound our retreat for he alone Can guide right who so long astray have gone And here I testifie unto these Nations That though they fall you sought their preservations And that their fall is wilful but however You have a sure reward laid up for ever And this I hope will some small comfort be To your oppressed Muse when she shall see An English man attest that she 's divine And sun-like shall in Britain henceforth shine When future Generations unseal'd eyes Shall see accomplish'd your past prophecies Which if our souls with patience can attend Gods glory and our good shall be the end Christopher Clobery To the Reader REader this Poem verbally the same was composed divers years since and dedicated to Mr. Wither a man to me utterly unknown and about three years since at my first sight of him offered to him whose modest refusal to own my attributes concurring with my bashful timidity of publishing it hath hitherto suppress'd it And the great God who hath since by his providences whipt me to it knows that with much reluctancy of spirit I now divulge it as that which hath been kept secret from my near and dear Relations whose pardon I here implore for the same Cover the defects hereof with candid connivence the Errours of the Press with the consideration of my neer 200 miles distance from the Printer If this profit my Countrey or thee it will redound to my joy if it disprofit my self to my contentation and submittance to his Divine Will who wrought this impulse on the spirit of Thy Friend in Him C. C. ERRATA PAge 3. line 2. for Embyron read Embryon p. 8. l. 1. r. man p. 14. l. 4. f. sores r. snares p. 16. l. 7. f. ambitious r. ambition's p. 21. l. 22. f. grudgeth r. grudg'th p. 26. l. 18. f. he r. her p. 32. l. 21. f. fained r. famed p. 34. l. 30. f. overcometh r. o'ercometh p. 35. l. 36. f. the r. this p. 41. l. 6. f. his r. is ibid l. 11. f. judgement r. judgements l. 13. f. presumptious r. presumption 's l. 29. f. profan'th r. profan'st l. 34. r. presumption 's l. 35. f. works r. work p. 47. l. 1. f. whip'd r. wip'd p. 48. l. 3. f. neer r. new l. 24. f. move r. moare l. 29. f. dewie r. drery p. 51. l. 9. f. victual r. victuals p. 53. l. 24. r. keeps p. 55. l. 18. r. foyes l. 22. r. should f. shall p. 57. l. 30. f. souls r. fowls ibid f. whom r. when p. 61. l. 19. f. hive r. hine l. 24. f. flame r. flames f. wants r. want p. 66. l. 20. r. all thy customers p. 67. l. 4. f. no r. on p. 70. l. 1. r. provok'st l. 23. f. putifri'st r. putrifi'st l. 30. r. corrosives p. 71. l. 10. r. autocrator p. 73. l. 11. r. mislead p. 79. l. 16. r. foiles l. 18. r. panpharmacon f. paupharmacon p. 87. l. 26. f. divine r. dimne p. 89. l. 9. f. first r. fixt p. 97. l. 11. f. sphaere r. peere p. 110. l. 15. f. leave r. lave p. 111. l. 15. f. you 're r. you 've l. 26. f. past r. part p. 121. l. 33. f. the r. thee p. 129. l. 1. f. valedictionis r. valedictiones p. 136. l. 8. f. the r. thee p. 154. l. 17. f. precious stones r. precious sons p. 155. l. 6. f. betten r. better p. 162. l. 12. f. self-proud sway r. selfs proud sway DIVINE GLIMPSES OF A MAIDEN MUSE On Election REveal'd things may be Christian Poets song But hidden things to God alone belong LOVE was the reason why he thus did do But such a LOVE as none can dive into On the Creation LOrd what a wonder 's here which none but thou Could bring to pass as Atheists must avow Nature sayes Out of nothing nothing's had But Natures God of nothing all things made Heav'n Earth and Sea with all that in them is Angels and Men yet nought of all amiss Till those whom thou most perfect mad'st of all Corrupted all the rest by their base fall Angels and Men were they that robb'd of glory The whole Creation and made transitory What thou mad'st permanent their sinning drew Vanity on the creature and thence grew Each Discord and Dissention that doth raign Among them all and us and shall remain Until thy Kingdom come when thou shalt right Whatever we made crooked in thy sight Which hasten Lord that if thy pleasure be In this our pilgrimage we may it see The wondrous work of thy well-tim'd creation Deserves observance and our admiration Times date and birth from this first week of years Or day of weeks or hour of days appears And as we know there was no Time before Our Faith foresees when Time shall be no more Here all these temporary things begun Fram'd by thy Word and when their time is run Shall by the same Word cease again to be Save what eterniz'd is by thy Decree A parte post which everlasting made Though time began them shall not with time fade Such Angels are and such our souls and we Shall such in bodies after Judgement be Yea now such are onely here 's interruption Till this corruption put on incorruption Till this mortality invested be With immortality which change to thee Is less then nothing though to us most strange Who changest what thou wilt yet dost not change Our Bodies pulverated nay much more Admit annihilated thou'lt restore Identically such again to be The very same as we the same now see Save what may perfectize thine
fold The great Creator thy Redeemer dear The sacred Spirit and the Angels clear Thy fellow Saints and Martyrs Citizens Of new Jerusalem Heav'ns denizens All cloth'd in robes more glorious then the Sun Ere was at Summers noon since time begun Thine ears shall hear the Alleluiahs ring Through the great palace of th' Almighty King And round the whole circumference of Heaven And Heav'n of Heav'ns such ecchoes shall be given Such quaint retortings such redouble-ings And such retakings by the quire that sings The Lamb's melodious song to whose sweet notes The four and twenty Elders tune their throates And winde their harpstrings to the highest pin That ravishment of sense and soul can win The graver clashing of their Crowns of gold Cast down before the Throne will consort hold With their sweet viols tinckling treble tones Whose Aromatick odours will at once Perfume all Heav'n and every nostril fill With most divine contentment sate the will Stupifie sense with sense of boundless bliss Yet not offend but please the more for this O'recome all hearts conquer all souls with joy And yet by this oppression not annoy All which our blessed joys shall last for ever Beginning always fresh but ending never VVhich perpetuity of joy augments The value of it beyond all extents I prize a grain's-weight of this joy and glory Beyond the world's-weight of what 's transitory Lord what a thing is man a sinful worm That thou shouldst him first form then faln 〈◊〉 form Elect Create Redeem and Justifie More sanctifie Nay yet more glorifie And that for ever what a heap of wonders Hast thou done for us who on this well ponders Should laugh the world the flesh and devil to scorn And care for nothing but to be new-born Lord grant us still a heedful care of this Which sure the one thing necessary is Whereof if thou us truly careful see All other things shall added to us be Amen To the World 1. MErchant I see the fair's beginning By thy swift hasting Were thy ware lasting 'T were worth the seeking worth the winning But it 's fading And thy trading Doth all Customers deceive Thy fals-made ware thou warrant'st good Dost in exchange from man receive Rich ware the price of richest blood Whilst thus thou cheatest The poorest soul thou gettest Or e'er defeatest Howe'er despised If truly prized Transcends in worth thy self and all thy brood Unpack expose thy ware to view I le buy of thee if it be true Alass it 's false though fair in shew I need none on 't save only clothes and food 2. Why vaunt'st thou of the blast cal'd honour That bubble's broken Whilst thou hast spoken True wisdom never fixt eye 〈◊〉 her Much less a heart A cheat thou art And when man looks upon thy ware Thou with false opticks dost him blind Which makes what 's seen to shine and glare But keep'st obscure the worst behind Thou shew'st thy glory That 's but a forged story And transitory Keep'st man a stranger From shame and danger Till he miss that he sought and both these find Ah cheating Merchant why should we Accept false ware profer'd by thee Grant Lord it rather stink to me To thy ware fraudless be my heart inclin'd 3. Next shewst thy Idols wealth and treasure Those dei-fiest Wherein thou liest Boasting of what 's beyond thy measure False deities Man them soon spies Were they divine they sure would fill Mans triangle which they ne'er could They leave our hearts unsated still More fear then joy in heapes of gold With care acquired With fear kept and admired When help 's desired In day of trouble They danger double And help thy Foes so dear both bought and sold Ah false Idolater who can Adore thy Mammon thy great Pan And leave him that redeemed man Grant me thy treasure Lord which grows not old 4. Next thou bring'st forth thy changeling Pleasure Whose various shapes Commit ev'n rapes On souls betray'd by too much leasure This Proteus Seduceth us To trifle pretious time away In that which is not when alas Spent we in real things that day Our time too swift from us would pass These painted bables Sense-stupifying fables Bind strong as cables Work on the fancie Like Necromancy That man forgets for what he formed was Ah Circe cease thy cursed charms Thy Syrens Songs portend our harms Lord take me into thy blest arms Be thou to me ' gainst her a wall of brass An Epigram on the World HOnour and Treasure what and Pleasure too Who puts off all these hath enough to do Base pedlar World thou 'st shewn much Ware to day All false like thee pack up thy pipes away Another on the same THe world turn'd pedlar doubtless she will sell Much paltrie ware although at price of Hell Her smooth-tongu'd prentices can set a gloss To make that seem pure gold which is but dross Nay they have got a cheat that passeth all To make men think her highest price is small My soul shun thou this market go not forth Where price is infinite beyond wares worth To buy short joy for wo that ne'er shall end The Lord thee from such Merchandise defend To self 1. MY neerest friend and yet my meerest foe Who mak'st me two that else but one would be And in that one-ness happy being so One with my dread creator self thou me Dost from my self divide and both from God Fond self were I my self I could not bear Thy charming pressures and forbear the rod To scourge thy folly But I still give ear To thy enticements who allur'st my soul Clean paths to traverse and to tread the foul 2. Thou foul'st my paths thy self yea thou lay'st snares In ev'ry foot-step to intrap us both Thy baits are spells inchant us unawares Bewitch depraved nature and betroth Her to her mortal'st foe her ruling sin Look I on beauty Gods sweet creature good And useful thou forthwith convey'st lust in To my frail heart thou set'st on fire my blood Provokâ—… me to defilement thoughts unchaste Pollute my soul and my weak faith devaste 3. Think I on lawful thriving or on wealth Thou poysonest that thought with Avarice Think I on honour thou bringst in by stealth Pride and Ambition and each haughty Vice If on Religions sacred self I ponder Thou temptst to Superstition Schism or Errour My Faith with doubts my Hope with fears keepst under Fill'st my distracted heart with horrid terrour Pray I with zeal thou stir'st vain glory in me If coldly to cease praying thou wilt win me 4. Hear I Gods holy word or do I read His sacred Oracles thou interposest Base worldly garbage and dost me mislead By fleshly thoughts or my Soul indisposest For such religious Duties by dull slumber By mock-death-sleep or chilliness of spirit Or else with avaricious care dost cumber Or puff performance with conceit of merit And so a snake in my most fair paths lay'st And like a faithless self thy self betray'st 5. Would I bewail
makes them both Heav'n and Hell Her age in times meer infancy was vast Transcending all Arithmeticians skill The number of her fore-past years to cast Though they should use the stars that Heaven fill Each grass and grain of dust that Earth can shew And all the drops and sands in Sea and shore With the Ayre 's Atomes they would be too few Were each a thousand thousand millions more For figures that grand number to express To which they would amount Howe'er when time Shall be no more her youth will be no less Then at the first O wonder most sublime Here muse and stand amaz'd presumptuous man Who squandrest pretious time in seeking that VVhich when possess'd annoys Content ne'er can Be found in Treasures Honours Pleasures flat False titillations They the fancy please With momentaneous tickling but the foul Can no satiety receive from these Whilst her diviner eyes espie their foul And gross delusions winning us to waste Our time of grace short week of working dayes On toyes and trifles care away to cast Neglecting our creation's end his prayse That formed us and so to lose our pay In that eternal Sabbath's rest to come And gull us with false hopes that fade away When Judgement dooms us Hell for our sad home Whose everlasting flames should us deter From their allurements and our souls provoke No longer true repentance to defer But take upon us our Redeemers yoke Embrace his endless love And let that force Our souls to grace by holy violence Redeem our time by Faith and true remorse And giving neither God nor man offence For on the husbanding of this short span Of our frail life eternal life depends Or death eternal Oh! when this we scan It should unbottom us from all false ends And keep us firm in truths sincerest wayes And in the pathes of life that when times race Is run and all distinguishments by dayes Hours months years shall here no more have place We may enjoy Eternity above Whereof that we may not at last be mist But ponder still in heart what doth behove Eternity Ah dearest Lord assist AMEN The Epigram on the same ETernity my Muse doth quite confound Her true Description never Mortal found Rings Snakes and Globes with such round things as those Th' Ancients for her diâ—…e resemblance chose A boundless Plain a pointless Parallel A Circle that includes both Heaven and Hell Yet hath nor Centre nor Circumference Demonstrable to Reason or to sence Each Mathematick poinâ— of whose vast Ring Equals her whole Dimension Wondrous thing Yet true as strange Nay more I 'll tell you what Think what man cannot think and she is that She rounds my Verse no man her depth can sound Eternity my Muse doth quite confound Objections Solutions and Chorus Objection 1. WHy should onely Man desire To transgress his Makers Laws Who made him so high aspire That all earthly things he awes Solution 1. NOthing but corrupted Nature Made Man so perverse a creature Nothing but renewing Grace Can Mans guilt and filth deface Objection 2. WHy should Christ from glory come To be born in coursest home Live and die in pain and grief For unthankful mans relief Solution 2. NOthing but divinest Love Brought our Maker from above Who for all his grief and pain Craves but Love for Love again The CHORE OH admired Love divine Suit our hearts with love to thine Then adieu false creature-joys Welcom Truths and farewel Toys Man's Heart 1. A Curious triangle methinks I see Immur'd by Heav'ns Eternal Architect His seed-plot of each Grace divine to be A glorious Paradise without defect A Paradise in Paradise that 's slight The Paradise of Paradise the throne Of the worlds great Creator whose delight Was fiâ—… therein his Majesty thereon Such was Mans heart and such might still have bin Had he baulk'd Serpentine deceit of sin 2. But ah most horrid fate since Adam fell This Nursery a Wilderness is grown Eden of Eden is the Hell of Hell And Graces plants by Pride's puffs over-thrown Earth-mice have eat the seeds the thorns and briers Hemlock and Wormwood have o'er spread the ground Once till'd to grace Lusts and corrupt desires With all their base productions there abound And what was once the King of Glories home Is wholly now a Den for Fiends become 3. World flesh and devil this triangle have fill'd Having got full possession plac'd therein A cursed rabblement of Elves that build Fortifications and strong holds for Sin The blessed Founders greatest Enemy Who in them rests secure thence Grace repells Though profer'd by the Lord spontaneously And all good Inclinations quite expells Whence from a sp'ritual Cana-an it 's grown No less then a mysterious Babylon 4. It 's now the old Red Dragons Nursery A new Plantation of each hateful crime The Shop of that accurst Apothecary Who therein doth his pois'nous drugs sublime Pride's Mercury Zeal-chilling Ellebore Intemperancies Swine-bane Antimony Of Infidelity and thousands more The Opium of dull security And Lusts Cantharides these he refines By them to work his mischievous designes 5. The cunning Gardiner doth oft-times graft Bud and inoculate to shew his skill Produc'th fair-seeming flow'rs on stocks stark naught And specious fruits from roots corrupt and ill But these like Sodoms Apples vanish quite If try'd by touch which sorts he mostly plants In a close corner for his own delight Allotted to Hypocrisie where wants No dressing that the Devil can afford To nourish plants accursed and abhorr'd 6. Stand you but there at gaze and you will deem Your self in Heaven with Saints incircled round Whilst it is Hell and Devils for they but seem And are not real as will once be found The Angels trumpets that at last shall blow Our Resurrection-summons them shall blast And we their painted falsities shall know Themselves in everlasting flames be cast Their rotten Roots which all shall plainly see Proclaim who Impt them and whose Imps they be 7. Dread God! shall this Intruder still possess Thy sacred portion and thy choisest field 'T will make him question thine Almightiness Avenge thee Lord and force the fiend to yeild Root out his worthless plants and replant thine New turn the ground and sow thy seeds of grace Afresh therein and let thy power divine Cherish them there Satans rank weeds deface Batter his raised forts his forces rout Re-enter in thy Right and turn him out 8. Renew thy sin-demolish'd Image here Hallow this little frame to thy great praise New mold new make the model hence cashier Innate corruptions plain the crooked ways Throw down the hills and hillocks raise the vales Manure the barren ground more fertile make The erst unfallow'd plots re-build the walls Thy wonted pleasure in this fabrick take Lord it did cost thee dear when thou went'st hence To purchase it with thy heart-blood's expence An Epigram on the same COuld not Creations Title keep Gods Right In mans false heart that subtile Serpents spight Compell'd him to
shalt drunken fall verse 22 And make thee naked Zions daughter high The punishment of thine iniquity Accomplish'd is he will no more thee carry Captive away O Edom's daughter wary The Lord will visit thine iniquity He will thy sins discover and descry CHAP. V. verse 1 O Lord remember what upon us comes verse 2 Consider our reproach Behold our homes Are turn'd to aliens our inheritance verse 3 To strangers we are fatherless orphans verse 4 Our mothers widowes are We drunk our water For money wood is sold unto us after verse 5 Our necks are under persecution We labour and of rest have no fruition verse 6 To Egypt and to Ashur hands we gave That we to satisfie us bread might have verse 7 Our fathers sin'd and are not we bore their verse 8 Iniquities servants our rulers were And none out of their hands delivers us verse 9 Getting our bread our lives are perilous verse 10 Because of wildernesses sword Our skin Was ov'n-like black because of famine thin verse 11 But terrible In Zion ravish'd they The women and by force with maydens lay verse 12 In Judah's Cities Princes hang'd appear By their fierce hands the elders faces were verse 13 Not honoured They made the young men grinde The children fall under the wood behinde verse 14 The elders from the gate have ceas'd young men verse 15 From musick our heart's joy is ceased when verse 16 Our daunce is into mourning turn'd The crown Off from our head is likewise fallen down verse 17 Wo unto us that we have fin'd For this Our eyes are dim for these our heart faint is verse 18 Because of Zions mountain desolate verse 19 The foxes walke on it Thou Lord in state Remain'st for ever and thy throne is set verse 20 From age to age why dost thou us forget For ever and so long forsake us see verse 21 Turn us to thee and we shall turned be Return our days as in the time of old verse 22 But thou O Lord as if thy love grew cold Hast utterly rejected us thou art Exceeding wrath against us hence we smart Confessio Petitio 1. GOD hath chalk'd us out a way Leading unto peace and life We rebellious run astray In the pathes of death and strife Did not mercie us preserve VVhat we chuse we best deserve Peace and Life we loath and wave Death and Strife we love and have Turn us Lord or we shall never Turned be but stray for ever 2. Thou to us Lord hast made known What shall in the end bring peace VVhen the Rule shall be thine own And all Tyranny shall cease VVhen all Pow'rs on earth that be Shall depend alone on thee VVhen the Lord shall peace compose But we still thy ways oppose Turn us Lord or we shall never Turned be but stray for ever 3. When thou shalt our Rulers chuse Who can doubt of happy dayes Since no people ere did lose Ought by walking in thy wayes Oh that we that time might see When we shall be rul'd by thee Haste it Lord and let it come But we still do stray and roam Turn us Lord or we shall never Turned be but stray for ever 4. We in Changes run our course Not to change from bad to good But to change from bad to worse Though by thee to better woo'd Since in changes we delight Lord direct our changes right That from bad to good we change And us from our sins estrange Change us Lord or we shall never Changed be yet change for ever 5. Can a Blackmore change his skin Or a Leopard his spots Then may we forsake our sin VVhich accustom'd us besots And allures us more and more To worse courses then before So impossible a change Unto man to Thee 's not strange Change us Lord or we shall never Changed be yet change for ever 6. VVe are froward and perverse Cross to thee in all our wayes Prone to bad from good averse Cold in prayers thanks and praise Faith is bashful hope too bold Charity benum'd with cold Conscience in a Lethargy All religion like to dy Change us Lord or we shall never Changed be yet change for ever 7. Thine Almighty hand alone Can this pow'rful change effect To make supple hearts of stone And their secret depths detect Whose meandred windings lie Intricate beyond our eye And in us no pow'r is left Since thereof by sin bereft Turn us change us else we never Shall be turn'd or chang'd for ever Change us turn us then shall we Truly turn'd and changed be Amen Postscriptio sed Praemonitio BRitain thy sins have stupifi'd thy sense Of sin of danger though not purse-expence There thou' rt too quick of feeling ' ware the trash Thou striv'st to keep prove not thy fatal lash Thou' rt blind and seest not sweetest mercie 's guide In thy sweet way of peace wilt not confide In men or means that God hath rais'd for thee As instruments of thy felicity Thou' rt deaf yea wilful deaf and wilt not hear Thy Gods Prescripts nor his Election bear Thou' rt Nose-pent canst not smell the powder-plots Of thy grand foes whose craft thee quite besots Thy taste dis-relisheth the Cates of Heaven Yet chew'th the Cud upon thy musty leaven Thy Passover may not with that be tane Take heed thy love of old bring not new bane Accept what God doth give never confound Thy self and thine to run the world 's wild round Wilt not God's will feel see hear smell and taste Then do thine own But thou wilt rue't at last Yet when thou hast proclaim'd thy self God's foe His will shall stand whether thou wilt or no When thou mayst feel his Iron Rod strike home See this thy Paradise Desart become Hear the loath'd noise of thy triumphing foes Smell thy dead corpses to annoy thy nose Taste wanting what to taste through Famine thin The bitter fruits of thy unequall'd sin Reverte Te inverte diverte converte Ut se vertat Deus ad te haec avertat à te Ne te evertat Amen Amen Cura Malorum 1. ENgland why hanker'st in times fatal nick On various projects which dicotomize Thy vital parts why though at heart death-sick Wilt not accept of physick or advise Miss-dyet render will thy grief past cure Fie fie forbear doubtless thy doctor's skill Merits thy confidence his physick 's pure Nought can obstruct its working but thy will Accept Urania's bountiful advise Take for thy Lot the Lot be well be wise 2. Curb then thy wayward will sâ—…e selfâ— proud sway Let thy dissenting parties re-unite In the most equal sortilegious way Whereto both God and good men thee invite A fairer path freer from just exception To cement jars no Nation ere enjoy'd Nor ever shall it 's worthy thy reception Lest by refusal thou be soon destroy'd Accept Urania's bountiful advise Take for thy Lot the Lot be well be wise 3. Rinse thy obstructing sins with early tears Leâ—… Finer's fire and Fuller's sope supply Late penitences place prevent thy fears By turning to who calls thee lest thou dy Beloved Nation 't is thy dearest Lord Summons thy will to homage hailes thee in Strike sayls stoop in submit unto his word And flie his vengeance threatned for thy sin Accept Urania's bountiful advise Take for thy Lot the Lot be well be wise One and All. OFt' calls made unjust judge late notice take Take thou thy Lot lest thou thy Lot do take FINIS
1. LIfe thou dost flatter and betray My heedless soul to sin to day On thee presuming And hopes assuming Of penitence hereafter And so thou lead'st me sheep-like to the slaughter 2. Thou in thy warfare careless art Though Death hath got Letters of Mart Soon to surprize thee VVhere-e'er he spies thee A foe that will not trifle But surely speed and will thee shortly rifle 3. Why shouldst thou faithless to me be 'T is to thy self as well as me Cease then to flatter And thy baits scatter To hook my foolish fancie For thy allurements work like necromancie 4. 'T is a black Art and dark thou hast VVho danger vail'st till time is past Of it preventing And mak'st repenting Late unavailing to us And by thy Syren's songs dost quite undo us 5. VVe silly mortals quite mistake VVhen thee for our chief friend we take Death is more friendly And deals more kindly VVho summons us to heaven VVhen thou would'st keep us here of joy bereven 6. Nature on thee doth too much dote VVhose humour 't is to love by rote VVhil'st reason 's blinded And sense most minded Our souls by thee are lulled Secure asleep and of salvation gulled To DEATH 1. DEath how do sinners thee abuse VVho thee most grim to pourtray use They quite mistake thee VVho uglie make thee Thou to the good art comely Though worldlings deem thy presence course and homely 2. Thou art out Moses who dost show Our way from Egypt here below To Can'an's glory Thou dost us hurry From this worlds dayly sorrows To joyes eternal where to day wants morrows 3. It is thy father makes thee grim Thou lovely art wert not for him He dwells within us And he doth win us To hate thee without thy desert Thy Father's sin and thou his wages art 4. A father strange that hates his child And wages too you 'ld deem him wild As we count wildness For death's sweet mildness Is shown still to the holly Sin 's their chief foe and counts their goodness folly 5. Death is God's Hâ—… who calls away His servants to receive their pay But to his debtors And their abertors His under-Sheriff cruel Who them imprisons where flameâ— ne'er wantâ— fuel 6. Death lays our bodies here asleep Whilst festivals our souls shall keep 'Till our exciting And re-uniting In joys passing all beneath Ah fit me Lord for thee and welcome death The Resurrection DRead Lord what harmony my soul doth find In all the wondrous works by thee design'd Or consummate past present or to come Oh! how disorder bringeth order home This days confusion sure will far surpass The Chaos that at the Creation was And this days order will the perfect'st be That men or Angels ever yet did see The sad confusion of thy Goat herds train Exceeds all thoughts conceiv'd by mortals brain And the sweet order of thy shepherds sheep Will Angels strike with admiration deep What hurly-burly here shall we descry ' Mongst Nimrod's fell Tyrannick progeny How loath this day will their proud ashes be To re-unite when they thy Son shall see Whose members they have persecuted here In cloud-clad glory come what rueful cheer What horrour and amazement will confound Their loathsome souls when that last trump shall sound And they be summon'd forthwith to appear Before that Judge whom they condemned here Pilate will wish his heart had washed been When he his hands did wash but for a screen To cover horrid murther Wilful Jews That roar'd out Crucifie him at this news Struck with astonishment will surely wish They had been all born dumb or mute as fish But empty wishes nought avayl them here For will they nill they all men must appear At this last great Assize and render in Compleat account of what hath acted been By them here in the flesh and not alone Of act 's but of their words and thoughts each one According whereunto they shall their doom Receive for all that endless time to come Save those for whom the Lamb was born and dy'd Who shall by faith not by deserts be try'd And bathed in his blood shall shine more bright Then Phaebus doth when he gives purest light These shall have all the tears wip'd off their eyes And be enthroned with the deities With great Tri-une Jehovah they shall be The Bridegroom's Bride to all eternitie And raign with him in bliss for evermore Who them redeemed hath and pay'd their score Lord these do groan for this great day and cry Come come Lord Jesus Oh come quickly hy To set us free from sin and from all those That persecute us thine and our fierce foes When shall we be avenged when wilt thou Ascend the throne and make all mortals bow Before thy foot-stool when again restore All pow'r unto thy self for evermore Lord re-assume it for it is thy due Thou hast it lent a while to men 't is true But they bad stewards prove and miss-employ Thy talents and deserve not to enjoy Thy slighted favour Lord call in again That pow'r and let the Lamb for ever raign Then shall the Church triumphant sing his song With Hallelujah's from the Angel-throng For he alone is worthy to ascend The throne eternal whose rule shall not end Whose Kingdom and dominion ne'er shall â—…se Who is the Prince of everlasting peace Who from beginning was ordain'd to die That he his chosen flock might glorifie To whom all glory be ascrib'd and then Shall Saints and Angels cry Amen amen The Epigram JUdas prepare thy bag thy day is come When for thy pains thou shalt be payd full home But Oh! thy mind is chang'd thou would'st Essoyn Thy self this court rather then take this Coin Though take it needs thou must and when thou hast it 'T will last for ever for time cannot waste it Yet thou wilt finde thy state had been more thriving Had'st thou refus'd those thirty pieces living This is a maxime though of my own making Men grow not always truly rich by taking Misers whom love of coin on earth o'er-sway'd Shall this day in their own coin be repay'd For Sion's Lamb when he ascends the throne Will prove himself a debtor unto none But will requite both good and ill that 's done By all man's off-spring since the world begun A Soliloquie on the Resurrection CHeer up my soul exalt thy head on high For thy long-look'd Redemption draweth nigh Lo thy sweet Saviour comes in glory bright This day to put an end to day and night Whence times alternate course away shall fly Issuing forth into eternity One everlasting day whose splendor clear Will need no Sun to give us light and chear Our Sun shall be the Sun of Righteousness Which never sets whose light no cloud makes less In his coruscant glory He shall shine Into thine eyes my soul with light divine And yet not dazzle them to hurt thereby They 'l dazled be with sweet satiety With joy and admiration to behold Israels shepherd with his flock and
lave the blurs That in thy book appear Make no demurs In thy great suit for pardon get it out With restless speed in thy proceedings doubt Lest Errour be in thy Original Or any other Writ and make sure all As thou go'st on cast often thy account And see to what thy sums receiv'd amount And how expended what thou see'st amiss Amend in future by more carefulness For past debts take Repentances keen knife And raze them out then to avoid all strife Smooth it with Faith's rough pummice o'er and o'er Thy Creditor never will charge it more This play seems foul but is not though he know Thy crafty trick he loves to have it so And though such tricks may Merchants seem to stain It both augments his glory and thy gain Now shall the Earth-amazing Dooms-day be A day of joy and comfort unto thee Thy hearts chief solace in the saddest fits Whose thoughts might formerly have scar'd thy wits Look how the chased Hart desires the Brooks The blind Gods Herd their living Idols looks As Mariners nigh shipwrack'd wish for shore Or tyred School-boyes learning to give o'er As poor deserted Souls for faith do long The faithful for Plerophory so strong Will thy desires wishes and longings be To see that day once terrible to thee Thy soul once thus sublim'd will ever cry With yerning Bowels Come Lord Jesus Hye And with the Spirit and the Bride will say Come come Lord quickly while it is to day That Trump whose very thought the world doth fray Will be thy Cock-crow to eternal day The Epigram STout Man why quak'st to think on this days sound Thy fear doth from thy inward guilt redound Sweep clean thy conscience mundifie thy Heart Through-captivate thy will to his whose art Of love did thee redeem thence Judgements trump Will cheer thy soul whose thought now doth it dump At this Assizes fear not to appear The Judge will read thy Neck-Verse for thee here Plead guilty and condemn thy self before Confess and so be sav'd for evermore Lord what vast difference herein appear'th Betwixt thy Laws of Heaven and ours of earth Hell HOrrid'st of Creatures who wast solely made To please Eternal Justice thy black shade Abounds with Contradictions freezing fires With torrid chilness Infinite desires Void of the least attainments Howling theams Compos'd all of Exordiums fiery beams Flashing yet light-less This school's Alphabet Abjures Omega they who there are met To roar out Palinodes and Elegies Are still beginning Cain if there he lies Is no whit farther in his lesson come Then he that last went hence to that sad home Nay Lucifer grand-paedagogue of all Hath not learn'd A. B. C. since his first fall Though our and his great Master taught him better The Dullard is not yet past the first letter His lesson's now as far from learning out As 't was when first he troopt the Angel-rout Into Rebellion and the Lesson's dire 'T is wo and lamentations in a fire Tormenting not consuming burning still Still killing yet doth never fully kill Eternal labour with eternal loss Uncessant cares and yet uncessant cross A death-less death a life-less life remains Which multiplies the terrour of the pains Measureless endless hapless hopeless fate Whoe'er comes here findes it too soon too late Too soon to sense the pain but to prevent That sense too late since too late to repent Ah careless cureless heedless headless man Leap not into the fire out of the pan Whilst here Afflictions Cauldron thou dost shun Thou darest Hell and so art quite undone Temporal crosses may be better born Then those eternal do not counsel scorn That 's good and given gratis strike thy sails Stoop thy top-gallant Will it nought avails Poor Sculler these to mount in a Bravado When he 's in viron'd with a strong Armado If thou stand out thou' rt sunk and lost for ever Submit submit to change thy will endeavour Look ere thou leap thy foot is at pits brink Move but a hairs-breadth forward thou must sink And sink eternally see here the Chasm Against whose wounds there is no Cataplasm Who falls here wounded is beyond all cure And must beyond all time his pains endure This Dungeon hath nor joy nor rest nor ease Nor comforts nor a hope of ought like these But desperation of them and assurance Of perpetuity of pain 's endurance View view bewitched man this place of wo Jehovah's Magazine of Terrour Lo This Den from beatifick Vision is Excentrick quite exterminate from bliss Its Ghests all captive mourners who delight Each other to torment and to affright Mutual Assassinates and merciless Unsatiate in fiercest cruelness VVhose hideous howlings raving roaring cries Gnashing of teeth loud shreeks would rend the skies Shake all the earth to shivers melt proud man Into a floud of tears make beauty wan Strength feeble and his specious frame dissolve To nothing once to hear them Oh! revolve This frequently in heart lest Hells dark flame The thought whereof should wildest Mortals tame Prove the first light that gives thee sight of sin And sense of second death when once thou' rt in There 's no Redemption Poenitence too late VVill but increase thy torment not abate Here shalt thou see Nimrod's stern progeny Tyranniz'd o'er as they lov'd tyranny Gygantick Cyclops may tormented be By Pygmey feinds t' augment their misery The pompous Dives there shall not command One drop of water from a Lazar's hand Nor it obtain yet begging heartily To cool his parched tongue although it fry Abaddon and Apoll'on here do raign Great Lords of mis-rule o'er the damned train ' Mongst whom confusion is the perfect'st order And greatest mercy worse then horrid'st murder Where Lucifer and Beelzebub now ly Inflicting pains and pain'd eternally These lapsed Angels knowing their own fate Irrevocable are incens'd with hate Against both God and man but wanting power God to infest they seek man to devour Whom living they by flatt'ry strive to win But dead torment most justly for his sin Their first plot is Gods image to deface Once stampt on us now re-ingrav'd by grace Since our base forfeitute of that great favour In Paradise by breach of good behaviour Whilst sweet redemption crusht that curst design They now do re-inforce to undermine Us by our neerest friends the world and flesh Yea self on self fiercely assaults afresh And did not an Almighty pow'r defend us These our three friends to those our soes would send us Blessed Redeemer with thy banner shield us Oh let thy Spirit still assistance yeild us Against those subtile falshoods fly devices VVhereby Hell 's regent our poor souls intices Confound his plots and by thy grace relieve us And from this dismal dungeon Lord reprieve us The Epigram SEâ— man thy creature's creature this curst place Of endless torment thy sweet meats sow'r sawce Thy honey's gall house of thy sins foundation Tophet the cell of thy deserv'd damnation Critical Atheists have a question stirr'd VVhere it should
that raigns for evermore 10. To Father FArewel my being's instrumental Cause Assign'd by him from whom all beings flow Who my new Father is and old one was Ere you were so methinks my heart doth grow With grief to part But yet part needs I must From all relations that Heav'ns Canopy Surrounds to find the merciful and just Who 's Father to us all whose Progeny Are all man-kind whose wonderful affection By his Son's blood redeem'd me who before Made love sole ground of my poor souls election For which I 'll sing his praise for evermore Father if you are loath I gone should be Come but to him you 'll surely come to me 11. To Mother FArewel dear mold where in my mortal clay First by th' eternal potter formed was In pain that baâ—'st me nine months night and day And after grievous travel gav'st me pass Into this vale of tears thy torments bind Me to a boundless love yet wonder not If I now leave thee for a new I find Who hath me born again since 't was thy lot A mother militant who hath prepar'd A third triumphant for me who doth dwell Where never to approach a foe yet dar'd Above the fear and spite of Earth and Hell Oh let me fly and haste thee after me For she to both of us will mother be 12. To Children FArewel sweet implings quick Epitomes Of me and my dear second I must leave Your lov'd society death 's Writ of Ease Doth me remove yet not of life bereave That 's length'ned by my change you I commit Unto a faithful guardian yea a father To me and you with whom I go to sit In everlasting glory who will gather You all to me again when his time comes Only be faithful to the death and he Will give you crowns of life when your bless'd homes Shall be th' imperial Heaven where with me With Angels Saints and Martyr's crowned throng You 'll sing for ever Sion's Lamb 's sweet song 13. To Wife FArewel my better half life of my life And sub-celestial comforts we must cleave One heart in two at parting dearest wife As we made one of two at meeting leave Spare those heart-melting cries those thriftless tears Thy frailties to bewail in those streams swim Home to thy harbour where my faith me bears There my Bridegroom and thine doth mansions trim For us with everlasting ornaments With whom we both shall newly marri'd be And raign eternally fill'd with contents Passing what heart can think ear hear eye see I do but go before and thee expect Among the number of the Lord's Elect. 14. To all Joyntly FArewel World Europe Britain native Shire And Parish too servants acquaintance friâ—…ds Kindred with Father Mother children dear And dearest Wise have all contented mindes Fot I am to so high preferment call'd That if you lov'd me you would urge me on To haste away that I may be install'd A death-less prince crown'd King by him whose throne Is over all whose Scepter sways at once Heav'n Earth and Hell with their inhabitants That Triple Crown that girts the pride-puft sconce Of Antichrist who there of falsly vaunts Is this Kings right alone stil'd in truth's words The only King of Kings and Lord of Lords The Charge BRitain thy glory 's sunk swoln are thy sins To an o'erwhelming torrent that begins Thee to o'erwhelm thy erst indulgent God Hath turn'd his hand against thee see his rod Begins to whip thy follies whose dread sword Did lately fight thy battels whose pure word Made the earth's Goshen thou begin'st to grope In an Egyptian darkness many hope To see th' unbottom'd pits black mists o'ercloud Thy splendent Sun yea thy own sons have vow'd To put out that great light to raise thereby Their ignis fatuus light of phantasie Father of lights frustrate their curs'd design The comfort shall be ours but glory thine Let not the pit's black torches smokie fumes Eclipse thy Sun-shine here though he presumes To see it so who is the man of sin Who among us those false fires usher'd in To light us on to darkness Lord return Those fires into his bosom let them burn Mysterious Babylon their heat calcine The scarlet whore and beast to ashes fine Their light discover Antichrist to all That they and their false fires together fall Quench'd in eternal flames and then on high And here beneath thy Church shall glorifie Thy aweful name But ah Lord we betray Our selves to them by sin wildely display Our nakedness and what defects we have Thy hand 's not shortned that it cannot save Nor thine ear heavie that it will not hear But our iniquities O God most dear Have separated us from thee our sins Have stockt our feet in their intangling gins Our gross abominations in thy sight Have thee provok'd to take from us the light That we so long unworthily enjoy'd Thanklesly too which made the favour void Our disesteeming of thy sacred light Perverting it to doctrines of the night To schisms and errours heresies and factions Have justly brought on us these sad distractions And since so many of us dare to scoft it Thou justly may'st henceforth deprive us of it Thou may'st remove our candlestick to those who 'll bring forth better fruit then our vain shows Our painted leaves and blossoms which discrie Our faith but fain'd our zeal hypocrisie Provoke thy patience to fierce wrath's effusion And woo thy vengeance to our own confusion But Lord forbid forbid dear God the sins Of us poor nothings who have nothing in 's But sin and folly ever should out-vie Thy boundless mercy force thee to defie Fond weakling worms yet thy own creatures Lord Create ' Redeem'd preserved by thy word And those whom thou hast lov'd Oh rather turn Us from our sins to thee for them to mourn Then thee from us to view them and in wrath For them to punish Lord thy mercy hath Ways to prevent thy justice and can give Light unto all that all may see to live Hoping to live to see the gen'ral call Of nations to the light by all in all Who shall have all the glory that redounds Eccho'd from Heav'ns and earth's remotest bounds And when all other Kingdoms are o'erthrown Pow'r and dominion shall be all his own Which hasten Lord that we may see with joy To thine Elect and to their foes annoy And oh prepare us for that glorious day Turn us from each perverse and crooked way Wherein we wander fit this Island 's ghests For thy bright coming and for the arrests Of death and judgment that whate'er befal The glory may be thine joy ours in all But Lord our sins have at such height o'erbore us That they transcend all Nations past before us It well may make at sight of our base pride Lucifer blush to see himself out-vi'd And we have those by us'ry and oppression Who would wrest Mammon's self out of possession Fraud and deceit to such a height are grown That most men
running A way chalk'd out by thine and our most cunning And mortal foes a way devis'd at Rome VVhich will these lands to desolation doom Our bodies to sharp sword and famine thin Our souls ro utter darkness for our sin Deprive us of thy candlestick that live And to posterity dark Lanthorns give To guide in pathes of death and to deceive Our progeny false Gospels to believe Unless thy grace prevent Bless'd God arise And let thy foes be scatter'd that despise And persecute thy truth and people thus Draw us to thee and be thou GOD WITH US Cease our divisions chase all schisms and errours All Heresies and Ath'ism hence with terrours And with confusion unto those that broach'd them And recantation to those that approach'd them Let Reformation true at last come in To our distracted Church and State which sin Hath long kept off let love with truth and peace And blessed union daily more increase In these distressed lands chase hence the swarms Of black-pits locusts whose inveigling charms Dicotomize the world whose industry Makes King fight King and men make war with thee Lord let eternal mercy turn us thus From all our sins and all thy wrath from us For none but thine Almighty hand can cure Our desp'rate wounds thy enemies make sure Shortly to sway these lands and therewithal To ruine thy reformed Churches all Unless thy grace prevent Help Lord at need It 's in the mount it 's time thou help indeed For vain is mans false help we fools have try'd By Egypt's friendship to be fortifi'd Whose broken reeds have pierc'd our heedless hands And drawn thy judgments on these sinful lands Avert them Lord and turn us unto thee Thy fury just from us else lost are we Thy stock of wonted mercies we have spent And are undone unless thy grace prevent We set up Princes Lord but not of thee Rulers whom thou know'st not who'll fatal be Unto this land and make us soon repent Our foolish choice unless thy Grace prevent Oh let the BRANCH spring forth and bud and bear If thou so will'st whilst we are pilgrims here The birth is at wombs mouth Oh God help strength To bring that bless'd production forth at length Which our sins keep obstructed in the womb And let the Son of David's Kingdom come But out great crimes defer that blest event And urge thy wrath Lord let thy Grace prevent Prevent our just-deserved ruine Lord Let love obliterate our crimes abhor'd Recruit our stock of grace so vainly spent And our just fears Lord let thy grace prevent Angliae Omen OH stupid England how hath S. befool'd thee Not to give ear to what thy G. hath told thee But to F. P. thou willingly canst hearken Which will I fear thy brightest glory darken E. and D. fight like fools by J. deceived To make S. sport unless by G. relieved G. chalk'd thee out a way yet thou refusest Therein to walk his mercies thou abusest Pervert'st the means of grace to schism and faction Wrest'st profer'd peace into perverse distraction P. B. is spil'd whence P. in mirth exceedeth Whil'st P. spoyls P. the heart of C. C. bleedeth And thou still glorying in thy shame abidest Sweet mercies scornest judgments fierce deridest Exceed'st in pride oppression blood and thieving Excess and bold profaneness never grieving For all thy horrid acts whose exclamation Rings up to Heav'n and croaks thy desolation For which thy crimes one of these are attending Thy soon repentance or thy latter ending It is not to me unknown that divers exquisite pens have poëtically translated the following Lamentations whose Labours I honour and aym not herein to detract from neither strive I to claw mans ear or tickle his fancie but have as neer as I was enabled kept the very words of the Text it self in our most usual English Translations hoping the divine gravity and interwoven plainness of that stile may prove powerful above all mans ingenious flourishes hereon as fitting best the parallel times and people whereâ—n and for whom they were first written Amen Hodie mihi Cras tibi Let Jury Britain's warner be Let Jebus London teach That we Gods ways may heed and see Whilst Jews to English preach The Lamentations of Jeremiah in metre CHAP. I. verse 1 HOw doth the thronged City sit desert How art thou widowed O thou that wert The great among the Nations Princess took Of Provinces and now in tributes yoak verse 2 Her nightly tears make torrents o'er her cheeks In vain she comfort from all lovers seeks Her friends perfidious all are foes become verse 3 Judah's gone captive from her native home Because of servitude and great affliction Among the Heathen she finds no refection Her persecuters 'twixt the straights o'ertake her verse 4 Zions wayes mourn since solemn feasts forsake her Her Priests do sigh her gates are desolate verse 5 Virgins afflicted She in bitter state Her soes are chief and prosper for the Lord Hath her afflicted for her most abhorr'd And multipli'd transgressions and her Sons Her enemies led captive all at once verse 6 All Zions Daughters beauty is departed Her Princes are like Harts in pastute thwarted verse 7 As finding none and they are strengthless gone verse 8 Before pursuers Jebus now thinks on Her pleasant things in days of old enjoy'd By miserie 's afflicting hand made voyd Her Sons faln in the hands of enemies Quite helpless foes her Sabbaths did despise verse 9 Jerusalem hath sinned grievously Therefore removed of her friends cast by Who saw her shame she sighs backward turns verse 10 Her filth is in her skirts and she adjourns The day of her last end whence she descends To wonderment yet voyd of cheering friends Lord view my sorrow for the foe doth boast verse 11 And snatch our pleasant things we value most She in her Temple sees the Heathen Nations Whom thou forbad'st t' approach thy Congregations verse 12 Her people sigh and seek their bread they give Their pleasant things for food them to relieve See Lord consider for I vile am grown verse 13 Is it to you as nothing have yee known O all by-passers any grief like mine In his fierce angers day by sacred Trine verse 14 Afflicted fire from Heaven he hath sent Into my bones his net spread with intent My feet to trap Yea he hath turn'd me back And made me faint and desolate alack verse 15 His hand hath bound the yoak of my transgressions Which wreathed mount cause my neck 's oppressions My strength he made to fall he gives me over Into their hands from whom I can't recover verse 16 In me he trampled on my men of might Assembled those that crush'd my young men quite As in a wine-press he that wears Heav'ns crown The Virgin Judah's Daughter hath trod down verse 17 For this I weep mine eye mine eye fleets on Because from me the Comforter is gone That should relieve my soul And desolate My children are ' cause those prevail'd
that hate verse 18 All comfortless Zion spreads forth her hands Concerning Jacob God his foes commands To hem him round and poor Jerusalem Is as a menstrous woman made by them verse 19 The Lord is righteous for against his Laws I have rebelled Oh! I pray you pawse All people hear and see my sorrow bred By my young men and Virgins captive led verse 20 I call'd my lovers but they me deceiv'd My Priests and Elders were of life bereav'd In City while they sought meat for relief verse 21 Behold O Lord me in distress and grief My bowels vexed and my heart is quelled Since against thee I grievously rebelled The sword abroad bereaves and death at home verse 22 My foes have heard i 'm comfortless become And that I sigh in trouble They rejoyce That thou hast done it Lord thy sacred voyce Hath call'd a day which thou wilt bring to be And they shall then be all like unto me verse 23 Look on their wickedness and them reward As thou hast me for my transgressions Lord For many are my sighs and numerous My heart is faint for thy afflicting us CHAP. II. verse 1 HOw hath the Lord in anger covered Poor Zions Daughter with a cloud o'eâ— spreaâ— And cast from Heaven his imperial City Down to this dunghil earth the splendid beauty Of Israel and calls not now to minde His foot-stool in his day of wrath assign'd verse 2 The Lord hath swallow'd up all Jacob's Tents And pitiless in Judah's holds made rents And brought them to the ground he hath defil'd The Kingdom and the Princes all exil'd verse 3 In his fierce wrath he'th cut off Isr'els horn His right hand from foes presence back is born ' Gainst Jacob like a flaming fire he burneth Which round about devoureth and o'erturneth verse 4 His bowe he foe like bent with his right hand He stood as adversary with death fan'd All those that pleasant were unto the eye In Zions daughters Tabernacle high He pour'd his fury forth like flaming fire verse 5 The Lord was foe and swallow'd in his ire All Israel her palaces and all Strong holds and mourning hath increas'd withall verse 6 With Judah's daughters wo with violence His Tabernacle he remov'd from thence Even as a garden and destroyed rests The place of his assembly solemn feasts And Sabbaths he hath caus'd to be forgot In Zion King and Priest he heeded not verse 7 In his wrath's indignation God hath cast His Altars off abhorr'd his Temple wast Her Palace-walls he gave up to her foes By them a noise in the Lord's house arose verse 8 As in a solemn feast God purpos'd hath Destroying Zion's daughter's wall in wrath He hath stretch'd out a line neither withdraw'd His hand from ruining he therefore made The rampart and the wall both to lament They languish'd joyntly both in discontent verse 9 Her gates are all interr'd her bars are broke Her King and Princes under Gentiles yoke The law is fled Prophets no vision see verse 10 And Zion's daughters elders silenc'd be Sitting on ground dust-headed sack-cloth-girt Jebus her Virgins hang down heads in dirt verse 11 Mine eyes do fail with tears my bowels vex'd My liver poured out on earth perplex'd For the destruction which my people meets Children and sucklings swoon in City-streets verse 12 They ask of Mothers corn and wine and swoonded As those that in the City-streets are wounded VVhilst in their mothers bosoms thus they cry'd They poured out their souls expir'd and dy'd verse 13 VVhat thing shall I to witness take for thee To what by me may'st thou compared be verse 14 O daughter of Jerusalem what shall I equal to thee that I may let fall Some drop of comfort thy sad soul to chear O Virgin Sions daughter it is clear Thy breach is Ocean-like in magnitude verse 15 Who can thee heal thy Prophets have seen rude Vain foolish things for thee would not display Thy sins thy captive state to turn away But have for thee seen burthens false and causes verse 16 Of banishment By-passers all make pauses Clap hands and hiss and wag their heads at thee Daughter of Jebus crying Is this she Beautie 's perfection term'd joy of the earth verse 17 Thy foes all gape against thee and in mirth Hiss gnash their teeth now certainly they say VVe have her swallow'd up this is the day VVe looked for which we have found and see verse 18 God hath what he devised done and he Fulfilled hath his word of old commanded He hath thrown down not piti'd and hath banded Thine enemies against thee to rejoyce Set up thine adversaries horn and voice verse 19 Their heart unto thee Lord aloud did cry O wall of Sions daughter from thine eye Let tears run down like rivers night and day And give thy self no rest thine eyes no stay verse 20 Arise make nightly cries when watch begins Pour out thy heart like water for thy sins Before God's face and lift thy hands on high To Him for thy young babes that fainting lie verse 21 On top of every street O Lord behold Consider to whom thou hast done what 's told Shall women eat their fruit a span-long child Prophet and Priest be in the Temple kill'd verse 22 The young and old lie groveling in the streets The sword my virgins and my young men meets Thou in thy day of wrath hast slain them all Thou hast them kill'd and let no pity fall verse 23 Thou summon'd hast as in a solemne day My terrours round about that none away In thy wrath's day escaped or remain'd The children that I swaddeled and train'd Brought up and cherish'd and to keep presum'd My mortal enemy hath all consum'd CHAP. III. verse 1 I Am the man that hath affliction seen verse 2 By his wrath's rod. By him led have I been Into obscurest darkness grief to tell But not into the light save that like Hell verse 3 Surely against me is he turned right His hand is turn'd against me day and night verse 4 He hath made old my flesh and skin and spilt verse 5 My broken bones He hath against me built With gall and travel he hath compass'd me verse 6 Like dead of old in the dark places he Me fet He hath me hedged round about verse 7 Made my chain heavy that I can't get out verse 8 My pray'r he shuts out when I shout and cry verse 9 He curv'd my paths and wall'd my ways up high verse 10 VVith squared stone He was a bear to me Lying in wait and lyon-like was he verse 11 In secret place My wayes he turn'd aside And into pieces he did me divide verse 12 And made me desolate He bent his bowe Made me his shafts-mark so to shoot me through verse 13 He caus'd his quiver's arrows in my reins verse 14 To enter deep And in their merry veins Distressed I the people's laughter was verse 15 And song all day He me hath fill'd alas VVith bitterness with
wormwood made me drunk verse 16 VVith gravel stones my teeth he broke and sunk verse 17 Me under ashes And far off from peace My soul thou hast remov'd In me doth cease verse 18 Prosperitie's remembrance And I said My strength and hope is from the Lord decai'd verse 19 Recording mine affliction misery verse 20 The wormwood and the gall my soul still shy In their remembrance humbled is in me verse 21 This I re-call to minde and thence hope see verse 22 'T is the Lords mercy we are not o'erborn verse 23 ' Cause his compassions fail not Ev'ry morn They are renew'd great is thy faithfulness verse 24 My soul doth say the Lord my portion is verse 25 Therefore I 'll hope in him The Lord is good To them that wait for him to souls that woo'd verse 26 His face It 's good for man to hope and wait verse 27 The Lords salvation quietly though strait verse 28 The youth-born yoke is good which having born verse 29 He sits in silence still And doth adorn His mouth with dust if so there hope may be verse 30 He gives his cheek to smiters fill'd is he verse 31 Full with reproach for God will not for ay verse 32 Cast off And though he causeth grief to day He will compassion have according to verse 33 His mercies multitude God doth not do That willingly that may afflict or grieve verse 34 The sons of men to crush and not reprieve verse 35 Earth's pris'ners under feet to turn awry The right of man before his face most high verse 36 The Lord approves not to subvert man's cause verse 37 Who 's he that saith and it doth come to pass verse 38 When God commands it not Both good and ill Proceed they not out of the Lords mouth still verse 39 Wherefore doth man complain man for his sins verse 40 Just punishment Let 's search and try what 's in 's verse 41 And to the Lord rerurn to God in heaven verse 42 Let 's lift our hearts and hands for we have even Transgrest rebell'd and pardon thou gav'st none verse 43 With anger thou hast covered alone And persecuted us thou hast us slain verse 44 And hast not pitied Thou dost detain Thee in a cloud that our prayers should not pass verse 45 Thou hast us made as the off-scowring as verse 46 Refuse in peoples mid'st And all our foes verse 47 Open'd their mouths against us fear snare woes Destruction desolation on us lie verse 48 Rivers of tears do run down from mine eye For the destruction that is come upon verse 49 My peoples daughter Mine eye trickleth down And ceaseth not without all intermission verse 50 Till God look down from heav'n on her condition verse 51 And it behold Mine eye affects my heart Because of all my cities daughter's smart verse 52 Mine enemies me chased very sore Ev'n like a bird without a cause wherefore verse 53 They have cut off my life in dungeon throw'd verse 54 A stone upon me And the waters flow'd Over my head I am cut off said I verse 55 And in low dungeon on thy Name did cry verse 56 O Lord thou hast me heard hide not thine ear verse 57 At my sad cry and breathing Thou drew'st near I' th' day that I did call on thee and said'st verse 58 Fear not O Lord thou my souls causes plead'st verse 59 Thou hast redeem'd my life Thou see'st my wrong verse 60 Judge thou my cause Thou hast seen all along verse 61 Their vengeance and their thoughts against me Thou Hast their reproaches heard O Lord and how verse 62 Against me they imagine lips of those And their device that up against me rose verse 63 All day Behold their sitting and their rising verse 64 I am their musick Lord for their devising Render them recompence according to verse 65 Their handy-work Give them heart-sorrow wo verse 66 Thy curse unto them Persecute destroy In wrath them from beneath thy throne of joy CHAP. IIII. verse 1 HOw is the gold come dim the fine gold chang'd In each streets top the Temples stones estrang'd verse 2 Are poured out How Zions pretious sâ—…nes To fine gold comparable are at once Esteem'd as earthen pitcher potters creature verse 3 Ev'n dragons draw the brest and give by nature Suck to their young my people's daughter is Cruel become like to the ostriches verse 4 In wilderness For thirst the suckling's tongue Cleaves fast to his mouth 's roof the children young verse 5 Ask bread and no man breaks to them They that Fed delicately are now desolate I' th' streets the scarlet brood dunghils embrace verse 6 My peoples daughters punishment takes place Of Sodom's sin's high punishment o'erthrown In moment when on her stay'd no hand known verse 7 Her Nazarites purer then snow more white Then whitest milk in body ruddy bright More then the rubies were their polish'd hew verse 8 Was saphire and their visage now we view Blacker then coal in streets they are not known Their wither'd skin cleaves fast unto the bone verse 9 It 's stick-like ' come They whom the sword hath slain Are better then whom hunger rid of pain For these pine thorow-struck for field-fruits want verse 10 Pittiful womens hands have in the scant Sodden their children they their meat were after In the destruction of my peoples daughter verse 11 The Lord his fury hath accomplished He hath pour'd out his anger fierce kindled A fire in Zion and it her foundations verse 12 Devoured hath Earth's Kings and all the Nations O' th' world would never have believ'd the foe And adversary enter should into verse 13 Jerusalems gates For her Prophet's crimes And for her Priests iniquities oft times That in the mid'st of her just mens blood shed verse 14 As blind men in the street they wandered With blood themselves polluted so that men verse 15 Could not their garments touch they cryed then Depart it is unclean touch not depart When they did flie and wander they with smart Among the heathen said They shall no more verse 16 There sojourn The Lords anger hath full soâ—e Divided them he 'll them no more respect The Persons of the Priests they quite neglect verse 17 They favour'd not the elders As for us Our eyes for our vain help yet failed thus In watching we have for a Nation watch'd verse 18 That could not save our steps they hunt catch'd That we can't walk the streets our end is neer Our days fulfilled are our end is here verse 19 Our cruel Persecutors are more swift Then Heavens Eagles they had us in drift Upon the mountains for us they laid wait verse 20 In wilderness In their pits by their bait Our nostrils breath the Lords anointed was Surpris'd of whom we often said alas Under his shade ' mongst heathens live shall we verse 21 Rejoyce O Edom's daughter and glad be Who dwel'st in Uz-land but the cup pass shall Thorow to thee and thou