Gods Iudgement stand Since we were both created by one Hand If e're my power wrong'd the Poore mans cause Or to the Widow lengthned out the Lawes If e're alone my lips did taste my bread Or shut my churlish doores the poore unfed Or bent my hand to doe the Orphane wrong Or saw him naked unapparell'd long In heapes of Gold if e're I tooke delight Or gave Heavens worship to the heavenly Light Or e're was flattred by my secret Will or joyed in my Adversaries Ill Let God accurse mee from his glorious Seat And make my plagues if possible more great Oh! That some equall hearer now were by To judge my righteous cause Full sure am I I shall be quitted by th' Almighties hand What therefore if censorious tongues withstand The judgement of my sober Conscience Compose they Ballads on me yet from thence My simple Innocence shall gaine renowne And on my head I 'le weare them as my Crowne To the Almighties care will I reveale My secret wayes to him alone appeale If to conclude the Earth could finde a tongue Tâ—impeach my guiltlesse hands of doing wrong If hidden Wages earn'd with sweat doe lye Rak't in her furrowes let her wombe deny To blesse my Harvest let her better Seeds Be turn'd to Thistles and the rest to Weeds Medita 15. THe man whose soule is undistain'd with Ill Pure from the check of a distempred Will Stands onely free from the distracts of Care And flies a pitch above the reach of Feare His bosome dares the threatning Bow-mans arme His wisedome sees his Courage feares no harme His brest lyes open to the reâ—king Sword The darts of swarthy Maurus can affoord Lesse dread than danger to his well prepar'd And setled minde which standing on her guard Bids Mischiefe doe the worst she can or will For he that does no ill deserves no ill Would any strive with Samson for renowne Whose brawny arme can strike most pillers downe Or try a fall with Angels and prevaile Or with a Hymne unhinge the strongest Iayle Would any from a prâ—â—ner prove a Prince Or with slow speech best Orators convince Preserve he then unstained in his brest A milkeâ—white Conscience let his soule be blest With simple Innocence This seven fold shield No dart shall pierce no sword shall make it yeeld The siâ—ewy Bow and deadly headed Launce Shall breake in shivers and the splinters glaunce Aside returning backe from whence they came And wound their hearts with an eternall shame The just and constant minde that perseveres Vnblemisht with false pleasures never feares The bended threatnings of a Tyrants brow Death neither can disturbe nor change his Vow Well guarded with himselfe he walkes along When most alone he stands a thousand strong Lives he in weale and full Prosperity His wisedome tells him that he lives to dye Is he afflicted Sharpe afflictions give Him hopes of Chang and that hee dyes to live Is he revil'd and scorn'd He sits and smiles Knowing him happy whom the world reviles If Rich he gives the Poore and if he live In poore estate he findes rich friends to give He lives and Angel in a mortall forme And having past the brunt of many a storme At last ariveth at the Haven of Rest Where that just Iudge that rambles in his brest Ioyning with Angels with an Angels voyce Chaunts forth sweet Requieâ—s of Eternall joyes THE ARGVMENT Elihu Iob reproves reproves His Friends alike he pleades the case With Iob in Gods behalfe and moves Him to recant and call for Grace Sect. 16. THus Iob his ill defended Cause adjournes And silence lends free liberty of turnes To his unjust Accusers whose bad cause Hath left them grounded in too large a pause Whereat Elihu a young stander-by Whose modest eares upon their long reply Did wait his angry silence did awake And craving pardon for his Youth bespake Young Standers-by doe oftentimes see more Than elder Gamesters Y' are to blame all foure T'ones cause is bad but with good proofs befriended The others just and good but ill defended Though reason makes the man Heaven makes him wise Wisdome in greatest Clerks not alway lyes Then let your silence give me leave to spend My judgement whilst your heedfull eares attend I have not heard alone but still expected To heare what more your spleenes might have objected Against your wofull Friend but I have found Your reasons built upon a sandy ground Flourish no Flags of Conquest Vnderstand That he 's afflicted by th' Almighties hand He hath not fail'd to crosse your accusations Yet I though not with your â—oule exprobations Will crosse him too I 'me full and I must speake Or like unvented vessels I must breake And with my tongue my heart will be reliev'd That swells with what my patience hath conceiv'd Be none offended for my lips shall tread That ground without respect as Truth shall lead God hates a flattering language then how can I Vnliable to danger flatter any Now Iob to thee I speake O let my Errant Be welcome to thine â—ares for truth 's my warrant They are no slender trifles that I treat But things digested with the sacred heat Of an inspired knowledge 'T is no rash Discharge of wrath nor wits conceited flash I 'le speake and heare thee speake as free for I Will take no vantage of thy Misery Thy tongue did challenge to maintaine thy casâ— With God if he would veile his glorious face Be I the man though clad with clay and dust And mortall like thy selfe that takes the trust To represent his Person Thou dost terme Thy selfe most just and boldly dost affirme That Heaven afflicts thy soul without a reason Ah Iob these very words alone are treason Against th' Almighties will Thou oughtest rather Submit thy passion to him as thy Father Than plead with him as with thy Peere Is he Bound to reveale his secret Will to thee God speaketh oft to man not understood Sometimes in dreames at other times thinkes good To thunder Iudgement in his drowzy eare Sometimes with hard afflictions scourge doth teare His wounded soule which may at length give easâ— Like sharper Physicke to his foule Disease But if like pleasing Iulips he afford The meâ—ke Expounders of his sacred Word With sweet perswasions to recure his griefe How can his sorroâ—es wish more faire Reliefe Ah then his body shall wax young and bright Heavens face that scorcht before shall now delight His tongue with Triumph shall confesse to men I was a Leper but am cleare agen Thus thus that Spring of Mercy oftentimes Doth speak to man that man may speak his crimes Consider Iob my words with judgement weigh Which done if thou hast ought then boldly say If otherwise shame not to hold thy peace And let thy wisedome with my words encrease And you you Wisemen that are silent here Vouchsafe to lend my lips your ripened earâ— Let 's call a parly and the cause decide For Iob pleads guiltlesse and would faine be
leaves it undecided The fleshly eye that lends a feeble sight Failes in extent and hath no further might Than to attaine the object and there ends His office and of what it apprehends Acquaints the understanding which conceives And descants on that thing the sight perceives Or good or bad unable to project The just occasion or the true effect Man sees like man and can but comprehend Things as they present are not as they end God sees a Kings heart in a shepheards brest And in a mighty King he sees a Beast 'T is not the spring tyde of an high estate Creates a man though seeming Fortunate The blaze of Honour Fortunes sweet excesse Doe undeserve the name of Happinesse The frownes of indisposed Fortune makes Man poore but not unhappy He that takes Her checks with patience leaves the name of poor And lets in Fortune at a backer doore ¶ Lord let my fortunes be or rich or poore If small the lesse account if great the more THE ARGVMENT Vnto the King proud Haman sues For the destruction of the Iewes The King consents and in his name Decrees were sent t' effect the same Sect. 8. NOw when the year had turn'd his course about And fully worne his weary howers out And left his circling travell to his heire That now sets onset to th' ensuing yeare Proud Haman pain'd with travell in the birth Till after-time could bring his mischiefe forth Casts Lots from month to month from day to day To picke the choycest time when Fortune may Be most propitious to his damned plot Till on the last month fell th' unwilling Lot So Haman guided by his Idoll Fate Cloaking with publike good his private Hate In plaintiffe tearmes where Reason forg'd a rellish Vnto the King his speech did thus imbellish Vpâ—â— the limits of this happy Nation There flotes a skumâ—e an off-cast Generation Disperst despis'd and noysome to the Land And Refractory to the Lawes to thy Command Not stooping to thy Power but despising All Government but of their owne devising Which stirs the glowing embers of division The hatefull mother of a States perdition The which not soone redrest by Reformation Will ruine-breed to thee and to thy Nation Begetting Rebels and seditioâ—s broyles And fill thy peacefull Land with bloody spoyles Now therefore if it please my gracious Lord To right this grievance with his Princely sword That Death and equall Iustice may o'rewhelme The secret Ruiners of thy sacred Realme Vnto the Royall Treasure of the King Ten thousand silver Talents wâ—ll I bring Then gave the King from off his heedlesse hand His Ring to Haman with that Ring command And said Thy proffer'd wealth possesse Yet â—e thy just Petition ne'rthelesse Entirely granted Lâ—e before thy face Thy vassals lye with all their rebell race Thine be the people and the power thine T' allot these Rebels their deserved Fine Forthwith the Scribes were summon'd to appeare Decrees were written sent to every Shire To all Lieutenants Captaines of the Band And all the Provinces throughout the Land Stil'd in the name and person of the King And made authentick with his Royall Ring By speedy Post men were the Letters sent And this the summe is of their sad content ASSVERVS REX Let ev'ry Province in the Persian Land Vpon the Day prefixt prepare his hand To make the Channels flow with Rebels blood And from the earth to roote the Iewish brood And let the sâ—finesse of no partiall heart Through melting pitie love or false desert Spare either young or old or man or woman But like their faults so let their plagues be common Dicreed and signed by our Princely Grace And given at Sushan from our Royall Place So Haman fill'd with joy his fortunes blest With faire successe of his so foule request Laid care aside to sleepe and with the King Consum'd the time in jolly banquetting Meane while the Iewes the poore afflicted Iewes Perplext and startl'd with the new-bred newes With drooping heads and selfe-imbracing armes Wept forth the Dirge of their ensuing harmes Medita 8. OF all diseases in a publike weale No one more dangerous and hard to heale Except a tyrant King then when great might Is trusted to the hands that take delight To bathe and paddle in the blood of those Whoâ— jealousies and not just cause oppose 〈…〉 as haughty power is conjoynd Vnto 〈◊〉 will of a distemper'd mind What â—â—re it can it will and what it will It in it 〈◊〉 hath power to fulfill What! 〈◊〉 then can linger unattemted What base attempts can happen unprevented Statutes must breake good Lawes must go to wracâ— And like a Bow that 's overbent must cracke Iustice the life of Law becomes so furious That over-doing right it proves injurious Mercy the Steare of Iustice flyes the City And falsly must be term'd a foolish Pity Meane while the gracious Princes tender brest Gently possest with nothing but the best Of the disguis'd dissembler is abus'd And made the cloke wherewith his fault 's excus'd The radient beames that warme shine so bright Comfort this lower world with heat and light But drawne and recollected in a glasse They burne and their appointed limits passe Even so the power from the Princes hand Directs the subject with a sweet command But to perverse fantasticks if confer'd Whom wealth or blinded Fortune hath prefer'd It spurres on wrong and makes the right retire And sets the grumbling Common-wealth on fire Their foule intent the Common good pretends And with that good they maske their private ends Their glorie 's dimme and cannot b'understood Vnlesse it shine in pride or swimme in blood Their will 's a Law their mischiefe Policy Their frownes are Death their power Tyranny Ill thrives the State that harbours such a man That can what e're he wills wills what he can May my ungarnisht quill presume so much To glorifie it selfe and give a touch Vpon the Iland of my Soveraigne Lord What language shall I use what new-founâ—â—ord T' abridge the mighty volume of of his worth And keepe me blamelesse from th' untimely birth Of false reputed flattery He lends No cursed Haman pow'r to worke his Ends Vpon our ruine but transferres his grace On just desert which in the ugly face Of foule detraction untouch't can dare And smile till black-mouth'd Envy blush and tare Her Snaky fleece Thus thus in happy peace He rules to make our happinesse increase Directs with love commands with Princely awe And in his brest he beares a living Law Defend us thou and heavens thee defend And let proud Haman have proud Hamans end THE ARGVMENT The Iewes and Mordecai lament And waile the height of their distresses But Mordecai the Queene possesses With cruell Hamans foule intent Sect 3. NOw when as 〈◊〉 the daughter of the earth Newly dis-burthen'd of her plumed birth From off her Turrets did her wings display And pearcht in the sad cares of Mordecai He rent his garments wearing in their stead Distressed sack-cloth
strength nor undermining sleight Prevailes where heav'ns ingaged in the fight ¶ Me list not ramble into antique dayes To manne his theame lest while Vlysses strayes His heart forget his home Penelope Our prosp'rous Brittaine makes sufficient Plea To prove her blisse and heav'ns protecting power Which had she mist her glory in an hower Had falne to Cinders and had past away Like smoke before the winde Which happy Day Let none but base-bred Rebels ever faile To consecrate and let this Age entaile Vpon succeeding times Eternity Heav'ns highest love in that dayes memory THE ARGVMENT The sonnes of Haman that were slaine Are all hang'd up The Iewes obtaine Freedome to fight the morrow after They put three hundred more to slaughter Sect. 18. WHen as the fame of that dayes bloody newes Came to the King he said Behold the Iewes Have wonne the day and in their just defence Hâ—â—e made their wrong a rightfull recompence Five hundred men in Susan they have staine And that remainder of proud Hamans straine Their hands have rooted out Queene Ester say What further suit wherâ—in Assuerus may Expresse the bounty of his Royall hand Resâ—s in thy bosome What is thy demand Said then the Queene If in thy Princely sight My boone be pleasing or thou take delight To graâ—t thy servants suit Let that Commission Which gave the Iewes this happy dayes permission To save their lives to morrow stand in force For their behalâ—es that onely make recourse To God and thee and let that cursed brood The sonnes of Haman that in guilty blood Lye all ingoar'd unfit to taint a Grave Behang'd on Gibbets and like co-â—eires have Like equall shares of that deserved shame Their wretched father purchas'd in his name 〈◊〉 The King was pleas'd and the Decree was giv'n From Susan where betwixt the earth and Heaven Most undeserving to be own'd by either These cursed ten like twins were borne together When Titan ready for his journall chase Had rouz'd his dewy locks and Rosie face Inricht with morning beauty up arose The Iewes in Susan and their bloody blowes So roughly dealt that in that dismall day A lease of hundreds fell but on the prey No hand was laid so sweet and jolly rest The Iewes enjoy'd and with a solemne Feast Like joyfull Victors dispossest of sorrow They consecrated the ensuing morrow And in the Provinces throughout the Land Before their mighty and victorious hand Fell more than seventy thousand but the prey They seiz'd not and in mem'ry of that day They solemnized their victorious Guests With gifts and triumphs and with holy Feasts Medit. 18. THe Doctrine of the Schoole of Grace dissents From Natures more uncertaine rudiments And are as much contrayr and opposite As Yea and Nay or blacke and purest white For nature teaches first to understand And then beleeve but Grace doth first command Man to beleeve and then to comprehend Faith is of things unknowne and must intend And soare above conceit What we conceive We stand possest of and already have But faith beholds such things as yet we have not Which eye sees not eare heares not heart conceives not Hereon as on her ground-worke our salvation Erects her pillars From this firme foundation Our soules mount up the new Ierusalem To take possession of her Diad eme God loves no sophistry Who argues least In graces Schoole concludes and argues best A womans Logicke passes there For 't is Good proofe to say 'T is so because it is Had Abraham adviz'd with flesh and blood Bad had his faith beene though his reasons good If God bid doe for man to urge a Why Is but in better language a deny The fleshly ballances of our conceits Have neither equall poysure nor just weights To weigh without impeachment Gods designe There 's no proporâ—ion betwixt things Divine And mortall Lively faith may not depend Either upon th' occasion or the end ¶ The glorious Suns reflected beames suffice To lend a luster to the feeblest eyes But if the Eye too covetous of the light Boldly out-face the Sun whose beames so bright And undispers'd are too-too much refin'd For view is it not justly strucken blind I dare not taske stout Samson for his death Nor wandring Ionah that bequeath'd his breath To raging Seas when God commanded so Nor thee great Queene whose lips did overflow With streames of blood nor thee O cruell kind To quench the fâ—er of a womans mind â—ith flowing rivers of thy subjects blood â—rom bad beginnings God creates a good 〈◊〉 happy end What I cannot conceive â—â—â—d let my soule admier and beleeve THE ARGVMENT The Feast of Purim consecrated Th' occasion why 't was celebrated Letters were writ by Mordecai To keepe the mem'ry of that Day Sect. 19. SO Mardocheus throughout all the Land Dispers'd his Letters with a strickt command To celebrate these two dayes memory With Feasts and gifts and yeerely jollity That after ages may record that day And keepe it from the rust of time â— that they Which shall succeed may ground their holy mirth Vpon the joyes those happy dayes brought forth Which chang'd their sadnes and black nights of sorrow Into the brightnesse of a gladsome morrow Whereto the Iews to whom these letters came Gave due observance and did soone proclame Their sacred Festivalls in memory Of that dayes joy and joyfull victory And since the Lots â— that Haman did abuse To know the dismall day which to the Iewes Might fall most fatall and to his intent Least unpropitious â— were in th' event Crost with a higher Fate than blinded Chance To worke his ruine their deliverance They therefore in remembrance of the Lot Whose hop'd-for sad event succeeded not The solemne feasts of Purim did invest And by the name of Purim call'd their Feast Which to observe with sacred Complement And ceremoniall rites their soules indent And firmly ' inroll the happy memory i th' hearts of their succeeding Progeny That time the enemy of mortall things May not with hov'ring of his nimble wings Beat downe the deare memoriall of that time But keepe it flowring in perpetuall prime Now lest this shining day in times progresse Perchance be clouded with forgetfulnesse Or lest the gauled Persians should debate The bloody slaughter and re-ulcerate In after-dayes their former misery And blurre the glory of this dayes memory The Queene and Mordeâ—ai sent Letters out Into the Land dispersed round about To re-confirme and fully ratifie This feast of Purim to eternity That it to after-ages may appeare When sinners bend their hearts heav'n bowes his eare Medit. 19. ANd are the Lawes of God defective then Or was the Paper scant or dull the Pen That wrote those sacred lines Could imperfection Lurk closly there where heav'n hath giv'n direction How comes it then new feasts are celebrated Vnmention'd in the Law and uncreated By him that made the Law compleat and just Not to be chang'd as brain-sicke mortalls lust Is â—ot heavens deepest curse with death
opposition Exasperate the more A gloomy night Whets on the morning to returne more bright A blade well triâ—d deserves a treble price And Vertu 's purest most oppos'd by Vice Brave mindes opprest should in despight of Faâ—â— Looke greatest like the Sunne in lowest state But ah shal God thus strive with flesh and blood Receives he Glory from or reapes he Good In mortals Ruine that he leaves man so To be or'ewhelm'd by his unequall Foe May not a Potter that from out the ground Hath fram'd a Vessell search if it be sound Or if by for bushing he take more paine To make it fairer shall the Pot complaine Mortall thou art but Clay Then shall not he That fram'd thee for his service season thee Man close thy lips Be thou no undertaker Of Gods designes Dispute not with thy Maker Lord 't is against thy nature to doe ill Then give me power to beare and worke thy Will Thou know'st what 's best make thou thine owne conclusion Be glorifi'd although in my confusion THE ARGVMENT Satan the second time appeares Before th' Eternall boldly dares Maligne Iobâ— tryed Faith afresh And gaines th'afflicting of his Flesh. Sect. 4. ONce more when heaveÌ„s harmonious queristers Appear'd before his Throne whose Ministers They are of his concealed will to render Their strict account of Iustice and to tender Th'accepted Sacrifice of highest praise Warbled in Sonnets and celestiall Layes Satan came too bold as a hungry Fox Or ravinous Wolfe amid the tender Flockes Satan said then th' Eternall from whence now Hath thy imployments driven thee whence com'st thou Satan replies Great God of heaveÌ„ earth I come from tempting and from making mirth To heare thy dearest children whine and roare In briefe I come from whence I came before Said then th' Eternall Hast thou not beheld My servants Faith how like a seven-fold shield It hath defended his integrity Against thy fiery Darts Hath not thine Eye Thine envious eye perceiv'd how puâ—ely just He stands and perfect worthy of the trust I lent into his hand persisting still Iust fearing God eschewing what is ill 'T was not the losse of his so faire a Flock Nor sudden rape of such a mighty Stock 'T was neither losse of Servants nor his Sonnes Vntimely slaughter acted all at once Could make him quaile or warpe so true a Faith Or staine so pure a Love say Satan hath Thy hand so deepely counterfeiting mine Made him mistrust his God or once repine Can there in all the earth say can there be A man so Perfect and so Iust as He Replyes the Tempter Lord an outward losse Hopes for repaire it 's but a common crosse I know thy servant's wise a wise forecast Grieves for things present not for things are past Perchance the tumour of his sullen heart Brookes losse of all since he hath lost a part My selfe have Servants who can make true boast They gave away as much as he hath lost Others which learning made so wisely mad Refuse such Fortunes as he never had A Faith 's not try'd by this uncertaine Tuch Others that never knâ—w thee did as much Lend mee thy Power then that I might once But Sacrifice his Flesh afflict his Bones And pierce his Hide but for a moments space Thy Darling then would curse thee to thy Face To which th' Eternall thus His body 's thine To plague thy fill withall I doe confine Thy power to her â—ists Afflict and teare His flesh at pleasure But his life forbeare Meditat. 4. BOth Goods and body too Lord who can stand Expect not Iobs uprightnesse at my hand Without Iobs aid The temper of my Passion Vntam'd by thee can brooke no Iobs Temptation For I am weake and fraile and what I can Most boast of proves me but a sinfull man Things that I should avoid I doe and what I am injoyn'd to doe that doe I not My Flesh is weake too strong in this alone It rules my spirit that should be rul'd by none But thee my spirit 's faint and hath beene never Free from the fits of fins quotidian Fever My pow'rs are all corrupt corrupt my Will Marble to good and Waxe to what is ill Eclipsed is my reason and my Wit By interposing Earth 'twixt Heaven and it My mem'ri's like a Scarce of Lawne alas It keepes things grosse and lets the purer passe What have I then to boast What Title can I challenge more than this A sinfull man Yet doe I sometimes feele a warme desire Raise my low Thoughs and dull affections higher Where like a soule entranc't my spirit flies Makes leagues with Angels and brings Deities Halfe way to heaven shakes hands with Seraphims And boldly mingles wings with Cherubims Frem whence I looke askauns adowne the earth Pity my selfe and loath my place of birth But while I thus my lower state deplore I wake and prove the wretch I was before Even as the Needle that directs the howre Toucht with the Loadstone by the secret power Of hidden Nature points upon the Pole Even so the wav'ring powers of my soule Toucht by the vertue of thy Spirit flee From what is Earth and point alone to Thee When I have faith to hold thee by the Hand I walke securely and me thinkes I stand More firme than Atlas But when I forsake The safe protection of thine Arme I quake Like wind-shakt Reeds and have no strength at all But as a Vine the Prop cut downe I fall Yet wretched I when as thy Iustice lends Thy glorious Presence from me straight am friends With Flesh and blood forget thy Grace flye froÌ„ it And like a Dog returne unto my vomit The fawning world to pleasure then invites My wandring eyes The flesh presents delights Vnto my yeelding heart which thinke those pleasures Are onely bus'nes now and rarest treasures Content can glory in whilst I secure Stoope to the painted plumes of Satans Lure Thus I captiv'd and drunke with pleasures Wine Like to a mad-man thinke no state like mine What have I then to boast what title can I challenge more than this A sinfull man â— feele my griefe so enough nor can I be â—edrest by any but Great God by thee â—oo great thou art to come within my Roofe â—ay but the word Be â—â—â—le and 't is enough â—ill then my tongue shall never 〈◊〉 mine Eyes â—â—e're cloze my lowly bended knees ne're rise â—ill then my soule shall ne're want early sobs My cheekes no teares my Pensive brest no throbs My hart shall lack no zeale nor tongue expressing â—le strive like Iacob till I get my Blessing Say then Be cleaâ—e I 'le never stop till then Heaven ne'r shall rest till Heaven shal say Amen THE ARGVMENT Iob smote with Vlcers groveling lyes Plung'd in a Gulfe of Miseries His Wife to blasphemy doth tempt him His three Friends visit and lament him Sect. 5. LIke as a Truant-Scholler whose delay Is worse than whipping having leave to play â—â—kes haste to bee inlarged from
To him that of thy prescence is bereft Absented from thy favour what remaines But sense and sad remembrance of my paines Yet hath affliction op'ned my dull eare And taught me what in weale I ne're could heare Her scourge hath tutor'd me with sharpe corrections And swag'd the swelling of my proud affections Till now I slumbred in a prosp'rous dreame From wheÌ„ce awak'd my griefes are more extreame Hopes newly quickned have my soule assur'd That griefes discover'd are one halfe recur'd ELEG 8. HAd not the milder hand of mercy broke The furious violence of that fatall stroke Offended Iustice strucke we had beene quite Lost in the shadowes of eternall night Thy mercy Lord is like the morning Sunne Whose beames undoe what sable night hath done Or like a streame the current of whose course Restrain'd a while runs with a swifter force Oh let me swelter in those sacred beames And after bathe me in these silver streames To thee alone my sorrowes shall appeale Hath earth a wound too hard for heaven to heale ELEG 9. IN thee deare Lord my pensive soule respires Thou art the fulnesse of my choice desires Thou art that sacred Spring whose waters burst In streames to him that seekes with holy thirst Thrice happy man thrice happy thirst to bring The fainting soule to so so sweet a spring Thrice happy he whose well resolved brest Expects no other aide no other rest Thrice happie he whose downie age had bin Reclaim'd by scourges from the prime of sin And early season'd with the taste of Truth Remembers his Creator in his youth ELEG 10. KNowledge concomitates Heavens painefull rod â— eaches the soule to know her selfe her GOD Vnseiles the eye of Faith presents a morrow Of joy within the â—ablest night of sorrow Th' afflicted soule abounds in barest need Sucks purest honie from the foulest weed Detests that good which pamp'red reason likes Welcomes the stroke kisses the hand that strikes In roughest Tides his well-prepared brest Vntoucht with danger findes aâ— haven of rest Hath all in all when most of all bereaven In earth a hell in hell he findes a Heaven ELEG 11. LAbour perfected with the evening ends The lampe of heaven his course fulfill'd descends Can workes of nature seeke and finde a rest And shall the torments of a troubled brest Impos'd by Natures all-commanding GOD Ne're know an end ne're finde a period Deare soule despaire not whet thy dull beliefe With hope heavens mercy will o'recome thy griefe From thee not him proceeds thy punishment Hee 's slow to wrath and speedy to relent Thou burnst like gold consumest not like fuell O wrong not Heaven to thinke that Heaven is cruell ELEG 12. MOuntaines shall move the Sun his circling course Shall stop Tridented Neptuae shall divorce Th' embracing floods from their beloved Iles Ere heaven forgets his servant and recoyles From his eternall vow Those those that bruise His broken reeds or secretly abuse The doubtfull Title of a rightfull Cause Or with false bribes adulterat the Lawes That should be chaste these these th' Almightie hath Branded for subjects of a future wrath Oh may the just man know th' Eternall hastens His plagues for trialls loves the child he chastens ELEG 13. NO mortall power nor supernall might Not Lucifer nor no infernall spright Nor all together joyn'd in one commission Can thinke or act without divine permission Man wils Heaven breathes successe or not upon it What good what evill befals but heaven hath done it Vpon his right hand Health and Honors stand And flaming Scourges on the other hand Since then the States of good or evill depend Vpon his will fond mortall thou attend Vpon his Wisdome Why should living Dust Complaine on Heaven because that Heaven is just ELEG 14. O Let the ballance of our even pois'd hearts Weigh our afflictions with our just deserts And ease our heavie scale Double the graines We take from sinne Heaven taketh from our pains Oh let thy lowly-bended eyes not feare Th' Almighties frownes nor husband one poore teare Be prodigall in sighes and let thy â—ongue Thy tongue estrang'd to heaven cry all night long My soule thou leav'st what thy Creator did Will thee to doe hast done what he forbid This this hath made so great a strangenesse bee If not divorce betwixt thy GOD and thee ELEG 15. PRepar'd to vengeance and resolv'd to spoile Thy hand just GOD hath taken in thy toile Our wounded soules That arme which hath forgot His wonted mercy kills and spareth not Our crimes have set a barre betwixt thy Grace And us thou hast eclipst thy glorious face Hast stopt thy gracious eare lest prayers enforce done Thy tender Heart to pity and remorse See see great GOD what thy deare hand hath We lie like drosse when all the gold is gone Contemn'd despis'd and like to Atomes flye Before the Sunne the scorne of every eye ELEG 16. QVotidian fevers of reproach and shame Have chill'd our Honor and renowned Name We are become the by-word and the scorne Of Heaven and Earth of heaven earth forlorne Our captiv'd soules are compast round about Within with troopes of feares of foes without Without within distrest and in conclusion We are the haplesse children of confusion Oh how mine eyes the rivers of mine eyes O'reflow these barren lips that can devise No Dialect that can expresse or borrow Sufficient Metaphors to shew my sorrow ELEG 17. RIvers of marish teares have over-flowne My blubber'd cheeks my tongue can find no Tone So sharpe as silence to bewaile that woe Whose flowing Tides an Ebbe could never know Weepe on mine eyes mine eyes shall never cease Speake on my Tongue forget to hold thy peace Cease not thy teares close not thy lips so long Til heaven shal wipe thine eles heare thy tongue What heart of brasse what Adamantine brest Can know the torments of my soule and rest What stupid braine ah me what marble eye Can see these these my ruines and not cry ELEG 18. SO hath the Fowler with his slye deceits Beguil'd the harmelesse bird so with false baits The treach'rous Angler strikes his nibbling prey Even so my Foes my guiltlesse soule betray So have my fierce pursuers with close wiles Inthralled me and gloried in my spoiles Where undermining plots could not prevaile There mischiefe did with strength of arme assaile Thus in afflictions troubled billowes tost I live but t is a life worse had than lost Thus thus o'rewhelm'd my secret soule doth cry I am destroy'd and there 's no helper nigh ELEG 19. THou great Creator whose diviner breath Preserves thy Creature joyst not in his death Looke downe from thy eternall Throne that art The onely Rocke of a despairing heart Looke downe from Heaven O thou whose tender eare Once heard the trickling of one single teare How art thou now estranged from his cry That sends forth Rivers from his fruitfull eye How often hast thou with a gentle arme Rais'd me from death and bid