did wait I find ne'r compass'd Competent Estate Tho' born a Jew whose common Blessing was In prosperous Ways each Nation to surpass And then thought Crown'd with all the Bliss of Life a beauteous Wife When to their Store they had numerous Children and But Celebacy seems his State to be And never any Wife or Child had he If these are Joys that bless the bravest Hearts And only suitable to great Deserts Did Heaven to others all these things divide While he blest Prophet was of all deny'd Throughout his Life there 's nothing does appear But Sorrow Solitude Hardships and Fear The first I read of his exerted Power Was in that lamentable dreadful Hour When he denounc'd the near approaching Birth Of Famine on the unreplenish'd Earth When in three sultry Years not one kind Shown To her parch'd Heat a Balmy Drop should pour This he denounc'd and very well he knew The Oracle of Fate would prove too true Yet for himself no horded Stock he laid No Granary and no Provision made I do not hear but that the Earth of Rain Enjoy'd as much as he had Land or Grain And no prudential Store of Food was made To keep his Life as the Egyptians had Tho' 't is not doubted Ahab and the rest Of the rich Israelites in Form possest A visible Supply that might sustain Till Plenty came with the return of Rain Mean time a Voice from Heaven warns him from thence To see the Miracle of Providence Bidding him hide himself towards the East At Cherith's Brook apply himself a Guest Where Ravens by Omnipotent Command Should be his Feeders from the Almighty's Hand 'T was so and thus the Miracle enjoy'd Life was preserv'd and Hunger was destroy'd But now a dreadful Scene before his Eyes This Life-preserving River-water dries No Miracle is sent to stop the Course Of Nature's drought or stay its rapid force What Proof and Tryal of his Faith was here To have the River fail and he not fear How would a faithless murmurring Wretch have cry'd The Means is perish'd which my Wants supply'd Was I sent forth a Wanderer thus accurst To die in Fires by an inflaming Thirst Not such a Fear or once regretting Word His Heart did show or milder Lips afford But waits the Time of his remembring Lord Who had prepar'd the Widow's Meal and Cruse To serve the rest of all the three Years use And in it did a Miracle produce This being o're the Sacred Man is sent To see that King who none but Punishment Did study and resolve for such a Guest Too heavenly and divine on Earth to rest But the erronious King 's malicious Power Had Limits set till Heavens appointed Hour And now Elijah bravely does alarm Baal's Priests and Priests o' th Grove who flocking swarm With all the poor deluded People who Their own true God scarce ever sought or knew Elijah reasoning with them made demand Why they 'twixt two Opinions halting stand And bids them follow God if 't were the Lord Or if 't were Baal They answer'd not a word Then said he to them I even I alone Remain a Prophet of the Lord's besides me there is none But Baals in number more abound the Account Does to a Host of near five Hundred mount Let them therefore two Bullocks give and chuse One for themselves the other I will use Both being cut in pieces both we 'll lay On Wood but put no Fires only pray They to their Gods I to the Lord and see Who answers first by Fire the God shall be This done the Priests of Baal all loudly cry'd And cut and wound themselves and prophecy'd Till Evening but no Voice or Sign reply'd Then did Elijah to the People call Who wait him with expecting wonder all He strait repairs GOD's Altar broke before And took twelve Stones and made one Altar more And round that Altar made a Trench as great As would contain two Measures full of Wheat He puts the Wood in order then dissects The Bullock of his Limbs a Pile erects The Flesh thus ready laid for Sacrifice Four Water-barrels he commanded thrice Be fill'd and thrice pour'd forth and all the while The trickling Altar and the floating Pile With these repeated Currents drench'd and drown'd The Trench so fill'd stood as 't were moated round Then to his GOD with moving Ardor calls When lo the wondrous Heavenly Fire strait falls Consuming not the Sacrifice alone But the Wood the very Dust and Stone So hot the Flames that even the Waters burn The very Trench it self No more a Watry now an Ashy Urn At which amaz'd the People prostrate fall And with a Face confus'd they loudly call To tell who was the Living God alone The LORD is GOD the LORD is GOD they own Then did Elijah charge them not to spare One of Baal's Prophets but secure with care The total Number which he wholly took And brought them safely down to Kishon-Brook And with a Zeal religious and severe Spared not only Cheat but slew them there And then he sent his Servant to the King Who of the showring Heavens did the blest Tydings bring Bidding him Eat and Drink and post away Which Message Ahab heard and did obey Who now could think there could a danger be O're all the Earth to make this Prophet flee Yet so it was though King and People too Their Eyes so late convinc'd they trembling view His wondrous Might Deeds more than Man cou'd do Idolatrous Jezebel his Doom has given Behold that Royal painted Foe of Heaven Has vow'd that the next Morning-Sun shall see The Sacrificer now the Offering be Swears to revenge her darling Favourites Blood His own shall mix with their dear Crimson Flood Her Cruelty he soon believes and shuns And for his Life on this occasion runs To Beersheba belong'd to Judah where He left the Man that was his Servant there And all alone into the Desart went A whole Day 's Journey in his Discontent Under a Tree of Juniper he sate Considering of his dismal mortal Fate And now requested for himself to die Perhaps not thinking his blest Change so nigh So while in Prayer and musing Thoughts he keeps Under this Tree resign'd he lies and sleeps Mean time an unseen Angel brings him Meat Gives him a touch and bids him rise and eat He rose and eat and drank and down he lay To sleep again his Weariness away His sweet Disturber comes once more his Guest Invites a second time t' his Heavenly Feast Viands so rich tho' short was the Repast No Table spread with Pomp but laid in hast That by two Meals so cherish Nature reign'd As forty days and nights of Health Life maintain'd Thus to the Mount of GOD Horeb by Name He in the strength of this twice eating came And there he took his Lodging in a Cave The Emblem of his so much courted Grave Then comes the Interrogative of GOD And asks him Why it was he there abode He tells his Zeal
Passions in severest Awe Reject Usurping Arbitrary Law And when no Safety can from Tempest find Retires within the Halcyon of her Mind Thus ne'r engaging meets with no defeat But gains a Victory by a wise Retreat A. L. Esquire To Mrs. Tipper on her Divine Poems AS we are told That all they do above Cowley Is only that they Sing and that they Love What wondrous Charms must endless Hymns inspire When the Immortal Songsters of the Choir Not ev'n their whole long Eternal Chant can't tire And the Celestial Muse whilst all around The Extasi'd continu'd Raptures sound That honour'd Head what Glories has she given Thus grac'd to furnish half the Work of Heaven The Muses yes in that Seraphick Sphear Are all Urania's and Apollo there Beneath the Footstool of JEHOVAH's Throne Kneels to a Brighter Sun than was his own If Harmony with that enlightning Beam Tunes her loud Musick to that Mighty Theme Madam Your MUSE tho' with a feebler Voice The same High Subject makes her Sacred Choice Tun'd to the Great Creator's just Applause That Pen writes best that from Luke's Pensil draws And 't is that Poetry does truly shine That Copies from Originals Divine E. S. Gent. To Mrs. Tipper on her Miscellany of Divine Poems AMongst the various Actions of Mankind Rivals in Wit as well as Love we find But you alone the glorious Prize must gain You merit it by so Divine a Strain Urania is thy Muse the Heavenly Quire Thy Soul with purest Raptures does inspire Chaste as thy Self and Sacred are thy Rhimes Which not polluted by corrupting Times Shall make Profaner Scriblers all submit And own thee as the Type of Heavenly Wit Thy Theme and Inspirations from above Heaven is thy Parnassus and thy Love Each rising Thought does with the blushing Morn The Beauties of thy chaster Soul adorn A Harmony in every Line appears Much like the Heavenly Musick of the Spheres Phillips and Behn whose Praise Fame still rehearse In all their Works don't paralel thy Verse Which unto after Ages shall remain And the sweet Odour of thy Worth retain Parnassus is but low thy flighty Soul Her Head above that Mountain does Extol The Mystick Scite of Heaven is thy Aim Celestial LOVE not Carnal is thy Theme Tho' the most Nice of Criticks do combine They cannot Damn a thing that 's so Divine John Hallum To Mrs. Eliz. Tipper on her Super-excellent Miscellany of Divine Poems Gratior est Virtus e corpore pulchro veniens HAd Herbert Quarles or other Sacred Pen These Meditations tun'd Encomiums then Were but just Tributes to the Work Divine But since thy Lips the Verses more refine Celestial Hymns should sound before thy Shrine What shall I say in such a spacious Field Where th' meanest Shrubs large Contemplations yield Thy Wit 's Refin'd thy Theme as Heaven Sublime Each Breathing Accent makes a Clouse Divine Oft I have seen like Parrats in a Cage Men Prate by Rote upon the publick Stage Tell this and that and Precepts largely Preach Tho' few like thee by try'd Experience Teach Experienc'd Knowledge Mistress of True Art In Sweetest Lays thou dost to us impart Go on Chast Maid thy Virtues still renew Whilst in thy Lines at once we clearly view Minerva and the Beautious Venus too Many Daughters have done virtuously but thou excellest them all Prov. 31.29 E. Steele On the Holy Bible NOT mortal Wit but blest Aetherial Fire Assist me and my sacred Muse inspire My Subject's greater than those Glories all That glister in the splendor of Earths Ball Scepters and Crowns fall much below my Theme And Heroes warlike Deeds are but a Dream No Extasy of Lovers soft Delight But of the Oracles of God I write Shall I with reverence strive to show the worth Alas 't is not for Clay to set it forth All that the largest Soul on Earth can crave Within this sacred Volume they may have This is Perfections Clew by whose blest guide Full Streams of Joys divine for ever tide Where each distrusting Soul may swim with ease In all the blissful Billows that can please The Learned may on choicest Knowledge feed The Ignorant of greatest Wisdom speed The Poorest here see vaster Riches shine Than sparkle in the Spaniards golden Mine Here wearied Souls a sweeter Rest does crown Than Bodies on the softest Beds of Down And troubled Minds find Peace in larger measure Than Ages give in Halcyon Days of Pleasure The Sad with more exalted Joys be fill'd Than all the Mirth of this vain World can yield Through Faith in These the Weak are Stronger made Than Gyants which the World with Arms invade Wisdom Strength Riches Joys Rest Peace abound And all the Good of Life in Them is found How vain is She that seeks for Comfort Lord In any thing but in Thy Self and Word Some Experimental Passages of my LIFE with Reflections upon Jacob 's Words Few and Evil have the days of the years of my Life been 'T Is strange that he Unborn ere he saw Light Destin'd a Victor and Heaven's Favourite Should almost at the Period of his Age Give this relation of his Pilgrimage Yet 't is not strange since mortal Life we see No more from Sorrow than from Death is free My Life the assertion much has verifi'd From Part to Part by sad Experience try'd In all my Undertakings still been crost And like a Ball from hand to hand been tost Five Years i' th Prime of all my Youth I spent Recluse as 't were from the World in Banishment And Hermit like in all things did I dwell An uncouth Cottage serving for my Cell For several Days and Nights sometimes been driven To Silence save the Words I spoke to Heaven My constant Visits Fields and Woods receiv'd Who at my oft resorting never griev'd But bounteously with Sunshine Air and Shade Their frequent Visitant still happy made One dear and courteous Tree above the rest Did oft invite me to become her Guest Upon her root I hourly sate and Read Her towering Branches sheltering my Head And when I Kneel'd the kind officious Grass The verdant Covering of my Cushion was The like Good-will have Hedges to me born And distant Furrows of the growing Corn To this the Evening oft hath met my Fast And Tears the longest day been my Repast Yet these Afflictions Lord more Joy I own Than have the Vicious who possess a Throne Nor can I at a Flood of Tears repine Till I forget that Bloody Sea of Thine O grant me Resignation till I see How 't is Thy Pleasure to dispose of me My Penance now seem'd something to abate And glimering Beams of Sun-shine dart from Fate Two of my greatest Wants at once supply'd IMPLOYMENT and SOCIETY beside My Happiness this large Addition found New Joys with Honourable Friendship crown'd No more my Brow contracted now appears Nor Eye-Balls fretted Red with Briny Tears Save when in Penitence and Care I mourn'd That GOD's withdrawing Beams might be return'd
whilst I live henceforth I 'll set a guard Surpizing Thoughts not good shall be debarr'd A Watch I 'll keep as long as I keep Breath To help secure my Vertue till my Death I 'll send to all my Friends to do the same And trust to more this rarity of Fame But always Watch and Pray Suspect and Fear While thou dost justify and make me Clear Thinking on the Life of our Blessed Saviour WHy did my Lord whom Heaven could not contain Chuse to spend Life on Earth in toil pain And not the Ease and Splendour of a Raign Why did he like a Man unfortunate Walk thousand weary Walks No Pomp or State A Servant to that World he did create Why did he let his spotless Name be us'd With Lips that slandrously that Name abus'd Why did he who was all pure Innocence Endure such Rigours as attone Offence Or bring the Wicked into Penitence Methinks an inward Whisper tells me why Tells me my LORD was pleas'd to do 't that I Might not despise those Methods he approv'd Nor hate that sort of Life himself has lov'd Reflections upon my extraordinary Joy at the Certain and Sudden News of Peace being concluded Sept. 1697. NIne Years Bellona brandish'd in full Pride Till Christian Land with Blood was ruddy dy'd But Kings are reconcil'd and Wars must cease To give admittance to a glorious Peace PEACE is the Cry assured Peace is come The charming Wonder strikes my Senses dumb Felicities in Loads a Peace repair And fill my Mind with more than I can bear My Knees fall on the Earth to hear the Sound And Tears of Joy run rowling to the Ground The heating Beam does take away my Sleep Exhales that Dew did my lull'd Spirits steep Like Philomel my watchful Thoughts employ Her Thorn keeps her less waking than my Joy Give me Assistance some kind Power to bear The Extasies while this bless'd News I hear I did not think all Earth could give or find Such Pleasure to my Pleasure-hating Mind 'T is true the Joy is rational and just Fitting to be allow'd But dare I trust My Thoughts to rove in such a vast Content And Raptures of unlimitted Extent When this is not the Peace my Soul must calm Nor this the fair white Dove that brings my Palm The great IRENE that secures me blest In endless Joys the Eternity of Rest No that 's 〈◊〉 Peace in my own Empire-mind A Place of Residence for GOD design'd By Actions just and pure of every kind 'T is on this Peace that I must build alone Tother I may enjoy yet be undone This is the Peace resplendant Beings praise And to the Spangl'd Roof the Eccho's raise The lofty Arches mightily resound And Heaven's Inhabitants in Raptures drown'd The joyful Chorus charm Eternal round O! New Jerusalem for thy Peace I long Thy Io-Peons in Immortal Song To Heavenly Lyres and Hallelujah's tun'd Ayrs that Britannia's Peace can never sound Thy Triumphs are magnificent and rare Thy Joys unmix'd with Sin with Fright or Care Brighter than Sun more lasting far than Time Eternal bless'd unparalell'd sublime O! that my Hours to come may all be spent In seeking this above all Earth's content O! that I could express what Joy there lies In but a Hope of this unfading Prize The Universe comes short to equal this In Glory or Duration State or Bliss Go then my Pilgrim-Soul pursue the Way Through Brakes and Rocks Black Seas and Stormy Day Through wonted Conflicts and tremendous Griefs Through narrow Passages and straitned Cliffs Through Vanities to allure and Foes to Fright The Snares of Flattery and the Darts of Spight Through Pains and Miseries Tears Toil Doubts and Strife All the whole long-train'd Cavalcade of Life Through Slanders Slights Wrongs Wants the swelling Flood That does but Tempest-toss poor Flesh Blood Through these all these and thousand thousand more Sail happy Voyager to that bless'd Shore Where no Waves dash nor Winds nor Tempest roar To that Divine true Halcion Nest above The Mansions of Beatitude and Love That Union no dividing Foes shall sever But the white Flag of Peace hangs out for ever To my Mother the CHURCH UNfeign'd as Martyrs in the Days of Yore Whose precious Blood their Testimonials bore Grant Holy Mother high Oblation due My Humble Lays I consecrate to you Whose Pious Care in Infancy did bloom With Fruit selected from corrupted Rome Your Hallow'd Rites inspir'd me first to see And from Exreams of Peril set me free Guiding to blissful Rest the Milky Way Whose Streams of Light point to Eternal Day No Superstition does your Precepts stain Nor Zeal enthusiastick with you reign But Love divine slows with a kind Embrace Kindles Seraphick Flames enlightning Grace Whilst Heaven like Life which centures in the Heart Inflames religious Beams through every part By Spiritual Manna fed I Wisdom sind Blest Mistick Rules invelope in my Mind Free-will directs my Actions how to square But Sacred Instinct cautions to beware It bids me not this World and Life abjure But checks my Paths where vicious Baits allure Instructs with Hallelujahs praise to sing Unerring Truths of Sion's gracious King True Dictates of Parental Heavenly Guide Which does ensure Salvation on my side These and the rest more fully to reherse More Volumes crave than Tribute of my Verse But as in Duty bound Devotion shall For ever pray for you as you for all Whilst Cherubs sound in their melodious Choir And I still Offerings pay on constant Lyre Reign Phoenix-like thy Ashes gives new Birth Nor finite perish in the mouldring Earth But as in Sickness Nature's Power will strive The Patients strong do grow and Pains survive So let the past Convulsions reinstate Immortal Health to foil the Stroke of Fate The Triumphs of thy Toils shall endless be And sweet too as the Love I bear to thee On the VERSES some Gentlemen presented me which are placed at the beginning of my Book VAst is the Joy when Transports do inspire Which Lightning-like strikes with Poetick Fire Ravish'd I gaze and wonder to reherse Those high Encomiums you vouchsafe my Verse But O what Chill does Nature's Frailty raise Truth strikes a Damp in Contemplations maze I view like him that sees the Weapon fly But can't avoid the Dart that makes him dye Such dazling Flights so great Surprize impart As does confuse and wound my sinking Heart A thousand strange Reflections seize my Breast And trembling Fits my peaceful Hours molest Discourses grave and mystick use to move Perplex my Mind with Wisdom from above As Nathan's Charge to David did controul That Man of GOD with Anguish in his Soul So you like faithful Monitors declare My Time and Life but transitory are Tell me of my Translation and of Powers Of Finite Beings and of Fleeting Hours Inferr the Grave compleatly all devours Dismal and heavy Thoughts methinks to me Your lofty Verse proclaims Mortality As tho' it were my Living Elegy Deck'd with a Theme of Praise and Mournful State Like warning Trumpets o're my Death and Fate I 'm flatter'd with a Crown of Sacred Bays With polish'd Sence express'd in tuneful Lays Melodious Peals which charm me to apply Some Tears to suit the Solemn Obsequy Tears that allay and quench disorder'd Strife Fitting Attendants for a Dying-Life Whil'st your harmonious Muse in Vertue sings Sweet Strains of Death which happy Life to me here-after brings FINIS