PEACE WITH HER FOVRE GARDERS VIZ. Fiue Morall Meditations OF Concord Chastitie Constancie Courtesie Grauitie Eschew euill and doe good seeke Peace and ensue it LONDON Printed for Iohn Teage and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Ball. 1622. SOme loathing Peace wish Warre because vnknowne To them Peace is like Manna common growne I such doe wish to trauell out and see Their Countries Blisse by others misery Peace types vs out the Blisse of our Creation Warres shew our fall from Glory to damnation All Warriours since which seeke immortall fame Must fight for PEACE or merit Hell and shame Sweet PEACE to Subiects doth all blessings bring Immortall honour to a mortall King The Uertues foure which doe on Peace attend Her Body guard as still doth them defend For nothing sets a Kingdomes Peace so fast As Courtiers constant courteous graue chaste TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD IOHN LORD BISHOP of Lincoln Lord Keeper of the Great Seale and one of his MAIESTIES most Honorable Priuy Councell THou great Peace-Keeper whom the greatest King That our great God of Peace did euer bring To rule these Westerne Iles in happy Peace For Honours Arts and Piety's increase Thou whom this mighty Monarch doth intrust With his Great Seale as Prudent Faithfull Iust God to thy outward blisse adde inward Peace That Goodnes with thy Greatnesse may increase May but thine actiue Spirit now descend Frō high affaires and high-straind thoughts vnbend To walke in Muses gardens delicate Wisest Apollo thou shalt imitate And Martiall Pallas whom the Poets faine To leaue Olympus Mount for Tempe-plaine Thus Dauid leaues his Throne to sit with Graces The Preacher after Trauels Hymen paces These Precedents imboldned haue my Muse For Patron of the Graces thee to chuse Whom great Augustus with his Seale doth grace Oh be a true Mecenas in thy place Seale vp for euer Ianus Temple doore And let Bellona's voice be heard no more I of some Graces onely meditate But they are all in thee habituate Then my defects excuse when we oppose Darknesse to Light the day more glorious showes Your Lordships humble seruant Robert Aylet To the curious READER PRophaner Michols will be censuring Eu'n Dauid if hee doe but dance and sing Before the Arke Then how should holy Rimes Escape the Iawes of these Censorious times MEDITATION I. Of Peace and Concord WHen first Worlds great Creatour fashioned This little Mansion for our Soules of Clay Man in his image he so ordered He had both Will and Power to obay Thus this sweet concord might haue lasted ay If to his Power had been ioynd his Will Which failing in Obedience to stay He brake the Peace whereby he all did fill With Fury Warres and Strifes which doe continue still Thus by mans wilfull fault Hostility Betweene him and his Maker first began Such breach hath Sinne made with the Deity As reconcile not all the creatures can Besides they all are Foes become to man For that he 'gainst their Maker did rebell Poore Adam guilty naked wo and wan The Noise of God to couert doth compell A guilty Conscience is more terrible than hell Adam eu'n then did feele a double paine One paine of Losse another paine of Sense And now against him Battailes all maintaine Heau'n Hell World Creatures Wife and Conscience Are out with him for Disobedience Till God who first elected Man in Loue For mercies sake now by Obedience From him doth paine of Losse and Sense remoue And brings to endlesse Peace and rest in heau'n aboue Of wondrous value is this Pearle of Peace Which to redeeme the Lord of Life was sold Most sweet peace-offring when for our release Christs precious bloud was as a ransome told Not that we heere should Peace and quarter hold With Hell World Lust true Peace's mortall foes Such Peace doth vs in dang'rous warres infold Except we these most valiantly oppose For seeming Peace on earth we doe the heau'nly lose Therefore the great Peace-maker did not come To send vs Peace on earth but Swords and Strife Debate betwixt the Father and the Sonne Mother and Daughter Husband and the Wife Perpetuall warfare is a Christians life With Armes and Weapons he must fortifie Against his foes which will assaile him rife Right end of Warres and all hostility Is gaine of happy Peace and sweet tranquillity Thou that before through warres and dread affray Hast for vs enter'd on true Peace and rest By thine owne bloudy wounds vs op'ning way And paines wherewith thy foes did thee infest Inspire sweet heau'nly peace into my brest That thence as from a Lymbick may distill Sweet drops of peace on hearts that are opprest And with true loue of heau'nly peace so fill As feeling her sweet Good they neuer faint for ill Peace may be call'd the minds serenity The concord of th' affections and the will The Band of Loue the hearts simplicity The Soules chiefe good the conscience free from ill Thus is she simply but if so you will Discerne her nature plainer we diuide Her by the friends to whom she beares good-will Thus we in Peace with God doe first abide Next with our selues and last with all the world beside And yet this peace with God our selues and men Is but one and the same true heau'nly peace That happy peace we haue with God is when We freed by Faith are iustifide of Grace True inward peace then in our hearts hath place When as our Consciences excuse within Then peace with men we rightly doe embrace When to haue peace with all men we begin Thus haue we peace with Iewes and Turkes but hate their sinne Eternall inward and externall peace Eternall Peace is that with God alone From which our inward Life hath and increase The third 's the peace we haue with eu'ry one No farther yet than it concernes our owne For when we wrong'd or iniuride behold Those that with vs in godly League are growne We breake our League if peace with them we hold For by such worldly peace our loue to God growes cold God is the Author Christ the King of Peace The Seeds of peace are by the Spirit sowne Which water'd by his Seruants heere increase Till they into abundant fruits are growne How beautifull the feet of them doe showne That Peace's ioyfull tidings to vs bring This Pearle of Peace where euer it is knowne Doth passe all vnderstanding Christ our King Did honour Peace on earth with his sweet publishing Health Quiet Happinesse Prosperitie All Concord Liberty and good successe Peace to vs brings with minds-tranquillity And frees our Soules from dismall heauinesse It is the doore to inward happinesse True inward Peace our hearts doth mollifie And make like Wax that Ioy on them may presse The priuy Seale whereby assuredly We sealed are to liue with God eternally The Gentiles that farre off and strangers were Peace by Christs precious bloud now maketh nic For he 's our peace whereby
all one we are For so all fulnesse of Diuinity Inhabited in 's Body really That on the Crosse by his most precious blood He all in heau'n and earth did pacifie Abysse profound not to be vnderstood But where sweet inward Peace of Conscience makes it good For in the heart and Conscience is the Seat Of all the Peace that mortals can befall Alas what bootes it though our peace seeme great Abroad if that within we nourish shall Hate Diffidence Contentions Enuy Gall Without this inward peace and holinesse We may not hope to see the Lord at all Peace-makers onely shall haue happinesse True peace on earth the earnest is of heau'nly Blesse Sweet voyce of peace than which we nothing heare In heau'n or earth more glad and acceptable What more delightfull can to vs appeare What here than to possesse more profitable As sprite of man to quicken is not able The members without peace and vnity So neuer stand the Churches members stable Vnlesse sweet inward peace them viuifie And cause them all to liue in peace and amitie Inseparable friends are Righteousnesse And peace they one another meet and kisse Except thou Iustice loue thou do'st professe In vaine thy loue to peace Him that doth misse True loue to Iustice peace will neuer blisse What more than Peace do all mankind admire But Righteousnesie to them a stranger is Sweet Fruits of Peace all earnestly require But to the workes of Iustice no man hath desire With peace are alwayes Mercy Grace and Loue Faith Meeknesse Humblenesse Ioy Holinesse Except these Graces her companions proue She 's but seeming-quiet Lazinesse Eu'n stupifide with worldly happinesse Like dreames and slumbers in a morning faire Which feed our Fantasies with seeming blesse But when we wake lo nothing but the ayre Our golden hopes are flowne we left in more Despaire This is a seeming peace there is a feign'd Which wolues do in sheeps clothing oft propound Ah! many Soules by such false peace are train'd To build their peace vpon vncertaine ground Such semblance make as if there did abound With them Ioy Peace Truth and Sinceritie But seeke and nothing lesse with them is found Vaine outward glory wealth prosperitie Is all their ayme and end not minds Tranquillitie Curst be their Vnion cursed is their peace For by their concord plots and vnity True Iustice hindred is in her increase For thus they foster all iniquity These make a shew of peace but come to try Them by their actions they are instruments Of Warres Rebellions Treasons Cruelties Like Simeon Leui cou'ring their intents With making Proselites and sewing Churches rents Foure mortall enemies there are to peace Base auarice pale enuie wrath and pride If from vs we for euer banish these We may in happy peace for ay abide These two words Mine and Thine do more diuide The minds of brethren neighbors priests and flocke Than all that you can reckon me beside These two the bands of Amity vnlocke And all the world together in a fury shocke Eu'n as mans body whose iust temp'rature Consists of humid frigid hot and dry So long as they in Concord do indure Doth thriue and grow but if ambitiously They striue amongst themselues for soueraignty Their ciuill breach doth cause Deaths execution So is 't in City Church or Family Sweet Peace and Concord breed sound constitution But Enuy Discord Pride a fearefull dissolution And as in Musicke diuers diffring Sounds By Concord make one pleasant Harmonie But he that straines aboue the rest confounds His owne and all the others melody So it befalleth each Society So long as they in Concord do remaine They liue in plenty ease prosperity But if they iarre for Enuy Pride or Gaine They from their quiet state do tumble downe amaine As many weake stickes in one faggot bound No strength of man e're able is to breake Which if they be alone and single found Would seeme but easie to a man that 's weake The same we may of Peace and Concord speake Whilst they true Subiects hearts in one do bind No forraine Powre on them their spite can wreak But if with iarres it them disioyn'd doth find It breakes their rankes them chasing like a fearefull Hind Concord and Peace be like a brazen wall No Fort 's so strong as vertuous minds combin'd But as a straight and crooked piece by all The workmans skill cannot in one be ioyn'd So fores it with a good and wicked mind In wicked nature fraught with guile and spight True Peace and Concord thou shalt neuer find For as good minds great pleasure take in right So base malicious hearts in doing wrong delight The hungry Foxe pursuing hard his prey By chance vpon a sleeping Snake doth tread For which she wroth deferres not long his pay But with sting taught him to take better heed Thus dang'rously both wounded are indeed And both to wounds do Phisicks helpe apply Which inwardly do ranckle more than bleed Yet both by Leeches skill and Surgery For bodies griefe not minds do find a remedy Many yeeres after this malicious Snake Who still reuenge doth harbour in her brest Meeting the Foxe him fairely thus bespake Ah! how great sorrow doth my heart molest That we should one another thus infest For since the time that first began our broyle No greater care within mine heart doth rest But how our loues againe to reconcile Thus would malicious Snake the crafty Foxe beguile Now if you please let vs all iniuries Forget and as we ought true Peace embrace For Peace and Concord all good things supplies To mortals of what-euer ranke or place What thing more pleasing sweet and good than Grace She all conserues keepes all things safe and sound Makes great increase of Fruit in little space In pleasure wealth and ease she doth abound Yea all the good that one can wish in her is found She is the cherisher and nurse of Life She breeds feeds nourisheth giues education When all confounded are by warres and strife Which breeds Corruption Peace brings Generation Nothing on earth is of like estimation Thus hauing said she offers him to kisse And faire embrace according to her fashion But Renold trusts her ne'r the more for this Who most malicious cruell implacable is But thus replies All 's true that thou hast said But as true peace of all things is the best So sure of nothing more am I afraid Than feigned peace a poyson nearly drest Which thou concealst now boyling in thy brest And with a seeming Kindnesse cruelly Wouldst spill my Life when as I fear'd it least No open sorce spite or hostilitie So dang'rous is as feigned peace and amity This publique priuate health wealth dignity All ouerthrowes when most we seeme secure No man will trust an open enemy And therefore 'gainst his malice stands more sure When he by fraud can him no harme procure But such faire painting words and honest showes Insnare the simple inexpert and pure And into misery and errour
throwes Then he too late plaine-dealing from dissembling knowes But now to thee that peace dost so commend I answer That for reconciliation And thee imbracing as a faithfull friend I neuer had so fond determination God shield me from thy sly malicious nation Thy guilefull heart 's as hollow as the sand Thou doubt'st of Truth I of Equiuocation Stand off The Morall you may vnderstand You haue this Tale from me but at the second hand Thus did the Snake our mother Eue beguile By baits of honour kindnesse and ambition But from her stole this pearle of peace the while And plung'd her and her Seed in all perdition E're since by feign'd shewes false apparition This subtill Serpents viprous progeny Imbrace vs Ioab like with all submission But to the heart-blood stab vs priuily I le neuer trust a base malicious enemy Of a fat Iouiall Oratour I read A pleasant story who when he ascends Into a narrow Deske for Peace to plead The people all foorth shouts and laughters sends Though 's corps were grosse his wit soone apprehends Th' occasion and he thus them telleth plaine My wife at home in bignesse me transcends Yet vs at peace one bed can well containe At oddes we in this Citty wals cannot remaine But well my Muse of her Digression wites From Peace to Concord which the Schooles define An vnion of diuers appetites Of diuers men who in affection ioyne To Peace this Definition they assigne To be a concord in the appetite Which doth th' affections but of one combine In one I Peace and Concord here vnite And of them as but one true perfect peace do write All cruell warres and battels Dauid fought Was but to stablish peace to Solomon That type of happy peace who now no doubt Rests in that Peace which he on Earth begun Oh blessed ioyfull happy Vnion The Song of peace thou singest of the Bride And that great King of peace her louely One When sitting at the Banquet by his side Her with true peace as with a Banner he doth hide His sweetest gardens are our beds of rest The fruits there growing sweetest fruits of peace The tunes which birds there warble in their brest Be songs of Peace There Spring doth neuer cease But Zephyrus with Dewes blowes full increase Sweet Peace which makes the Turtles voice resound Such Musique as the heauiest heart can ease For she her notes doth to the heart propound But none conceiue the sweetnesse till they feele the sound If I through Scriptures gardens should you lead And shew you all that glorious Nurcerie Of fruits and flowres there of Peace that breed I should you tire with sweet Variety It was the last bequest and Legacie Our King of peace did his Apostles leaue Who made our peace when he on Crosse did die For Peace he barres and gates of hell doth cleaue And his Will in due time to endlesse peace receiue See his Apostles Martyrs Fathers all How meeke and lowly they on peace attend Refusing neither Crosse nor cup of Gall So as they might attaine vnto their end Sweet peace on earth they labour to defend When they haue made their peace in heau'n aboue Who feeles this inward Peace feares not to spend Wealth Strength and Life for to maintaine the loue Of those which with them members of one Body proue But what need I thee furnish from without If in thine heart this inward peace thou find This peace of Conscience will giue no doubt More Rest and Comfort to thy Soule and Mind Than all wealth pleasure glory here assign'd Vnto the wicked for their worldly rest Sweet peace of Conscience who art not consin'd To any pleasure here on earth possest Eternall heau'nly peace possesseth all thy brest Oh I had my Muse some losty rapted straine The glory of this heau'nly peace to sing Which doth the heau'n earth sea ayre all maintaine By gentle gouernement and ordering Or were she able on a high-strain'd string To sing the Honour of my Soueraigne That grand Peace-maker Britaines peacefull King Who through the Christian world doth Peace maintaine God grant for peace on earth thou heau'nly peace mayst gaine But ah how can my soule opprest with Care And worldly tumults of such Glory sing Since quiet peace her selfe remoueth farre From Discord Strife Contentions Quarrelling Oh let me vnder shadow of thy wing In happy rest and Peace for ay abide So shall I neuer feare the malicing Of Enuy Satan Couetize or Pride True inward peace was neuer vanquished though tride Ah thus I wish for Peace but worldly Care And troubles more and more my mind oppresse Afflictions heere and Crosses should prepare And fit a man for peace and happinesse But oft they fill vs more with worldlinesse Yet such the nature is of inward peace She fils the hearts of all that her possesse And euer as her vigour doth increase Our worldly thoughts and cares do more and more decease O King of Peace grant me this inward peace 'T is that for which the Spirit alwayes prays That peace which brings all Graces sweet increase And now thou art to heau'n gone with vs stays This Peace Hell Death nor Tyrants rage dismays 'T is not such peace as world to vs doth giue In Comforts she transeends Sunnes gentlest rays By her when we in Life of Grace haue thriue With her we euer shall in life of Glory liue This is the peace which sets our hearts as sure As Sions Mount which no force can remoue This peace it is which euer shall endure If rooted in our hearts by Faith and Loue This Peace which first descends from heau'n aboue And doth our troubled Consciences still Which makes the Members like the Head to proue This is the Peace of God the which doth fill Both heau'n and earth with Peace and all men with good will Now neuer let my Soule enioy true Peace If now she doth not more my heart delight Than all the pleasures glory wealth and ease Which heere mens minds to vanity inuite God of all Peace which hast me giu'n a sight Of this most rich inualewable treasure Grant I on peace may set my whole delight True peace like loue which hath no bounds nor measure In this I ly downe safe and take my rest and pleasure MEDITATION 2. Of Chastitie THe heau'nly Steeres-man which was erst my guide Vnto the hau'n of peace and happy rest Where I could wish at anchor ay to ride Free from worlds stormes which mortals heere molest Doth now vnto my whiter Muse suggest The praise of heau'nly Chastitie to sing Most needfull grace for those in peace that rest For when she most tranquillity doth bring Man most in danger is of Lusts enchanting sting For such is Hels malicious subtilty With all aduantages still to assaile The part vnarm'd of mans mortalitie That he with greater danger may preuaile And when we all his instruments do quaile Of Anger Enuy Couetize and Pride In humble quiet peace he will
And when they are before those Rulers tride And charg'd to preach no more in Iesus name They most couragious constantly replide Be iudges whether it were greater blame You now to disobay or God who vs did frame Paul ready is not onely to be bound But at Hierusalem for Christ to die He patient is in all afflictions found Constant in losses ioy prosperity Read his imprisonments braue history You there shall more diuine Idea's find Than Homer Virgil Spencer can supply Though they in loftiest straines the form haue lin'd Of a most braue heroicke constant noble mind These as they saw their patterne set before Vnto the Races end most constant run But yet their Fortitude's increased more By Confidence that he which hath begun So good a worke it will not leaue vndone Let Diuels try by crosses and tentation Hold constant to the end the Crowne is won Though for awhile we suffer tribulation A noble constant mind stands without perturbation I do confesse 't is difficult and rare To know ones-selfe but to be still the same Is chiefest worke of all the workes that are He that so constantly his mind can frame Deserues the honour of a constant name He 's neere to glorious vertues consummation His soule minds only heau'n from whence it came Secure and free from worlds vaine molestation And waites heau'ns leisure only for his glad translation Not that I constant Idlenesse commend Or a retired Life monasticall No Constance alwayes Labour doth intend And is the same approu'd and seene of all Her words lookes gesture are heroicall She makes the Body strong confirmes the mind Ah! wo to them that from her fauour fall And leaue the right the crooked way to find These grieue the Angels which to guard them are assign'd Grant in Prosperity a prudent heart And in Aduersity a mind vpright So shall no pleasures vaine my Soule peruert Nor crosses or tentations me affright My selfe I with Gods blessings will delight So long as please his Bounty them to lend If I must suffer here for doing right I to the Iust one will my cause commend Where I am sure to haue a iust and equall end The end whereon all that is past depends If then we haue a constant resolution A holy Life shall bring vs happy ends Then comes our Fate to iustest reuolution We then of Adams losse haue restitution Ah! all our Labour hath but beene in vaine If Courage faint in point of Dissolution This is the howre we happinesse attaine Or else for euer in hels torments must remaine Lord make me euer mindfull of this Hower That constant alwayes I may stand prepar'd Grant me with boldnesse to declare thy power And in the right of none to be afeard True happinesse is Constancies reward A high reward but he it sure shall gaine That to the end holds out with due regard Things hardest Perseuerance will attaine And Constancy will make them ay with vs remaine Then stand we firme in what we haue begun And labour constantly more to obtaine Lo thus we heau'n vpon the earth haue won Thus we that true Security attaine Which eu'ry wise and good man seeks to gaine No Greatnesse King or Kesar is so high As those that ouer their affections raigne Here Peace of Conscience brings Security Saints wished true content and Angels Dignity Most blessed Port that Pilgrims can attaine Till they arriue at hau'n of Happinesse Pure Ioy of heart which onely they do gaine Where heau'ns sweet Comforter doth dwel in peace God of all Comfort in my heart increase This Constancie that she may me defend In priuate publicke losse gaine paine and ease And grant as I the Graces do commend I may in all continue constant to the end Authoris Uotum MIght I a Life enioy to my desire I would no wealth or honor vaine require Nor troups of Horsemen after me to ride Nor clouds of Seruants trouping by my side In priuate fields and gardens I would walke Now with my Muse now with my Friends to talke By Muse I prayer meane and Meditation By Friends a holy louing Conuersation At Peace with all but Ill My Conscience Both good and quiet free from foule offence So when the hower of my change shall come I with a willing heart will leaue my roome To whom it is ordain'd by Destiny Thus I desire to liue and thus to die MEDITATION 4. Of Courtesie or Humanity THus haue I brought the Muse from pleasing shade And gentle sweetest Heliconian Spring To Stoicks Schoole to teach her in the trade Of Constancie and firme perseuering Some Criticke will me blame for marshalling Cato seuere with Virgins sweet delight But nothing more makes for their honouring Than with that noble Vertue to be dight Which makes them high accepted eu'n in Princes sight And sure O Kings your wisedomes cannot find More prudent Senatours your States to sway Than Muses friends which haue a constant mind And know as well to gouerne as obay Who by their Courtesie and Constance may Order your Hals and wield your State-affaires For noble Courtesie and Constance ay Adorne Kings Iudgements-Seats and stately Chaires And strangers intertaine that to your Court repaires For in each flourishing and goodly State Vpon the royall Person of the King The courteous Courtier hath a place to waite As well as Senate for wise-gouerning These both must ioyne in prudent managing Of subiect Prouinces and to entreate Of Leagues with Princes on them bordering But he for all employments is most meete Where Courtesie and Constance both together greet Wherefore in Court of Loues most royall Queene Where Graces all in due administration Are in most comely order placed seene For Kingdomes Peace and Princes Delectation Behold this one thing worth thy Obseruation Braue Constance ay with Courtesie is ioyn'd For all men do obserue with admiration A courteous carriage with a constant mind Adoring eu'n as Gods the valiant gentle kind For sure except these both together meet Constance alone 's so rigid and seuere She for a pedagogue is farre more meet Than Office in Loues gentle Court to beare And if that single courtesie appeare Without this resolute most constant Grace She is but apish complement to bleare Beholders eyes with Conges and a face When nought that in her looks within her heart hath place Dauid the heau'nly Muses darling deare An Embleme of Humanity I find In Camp he is vndanted without feare In Court of constant noble courteous mind One Ionathans true loue to him inclin'd The other smites eu'n stout Goliab downe His Muse the euill spirit of Saul doth bind And rais'd him from the fould to high renowne And set vpon his royall head the golden Crowne True noble Courtesie most heau'nly Grace Most high to be esteem'd and reckoned Of all but most of those whom God doth place Aboue their brethren to be honored For they that heere vs gouerne in his stead Ought like their Lord to gentlenesse incline Who though his Throne shines