33. When I consider how I have offended My Souls dread Soveraign and vili-pended His gracious promises I much admire He casts me not into eternal fire But he in mercy makes me kiss his Rod Tells me I am a creature he a God MEDITAT. 34. Consider well my Soul why hast thou breath Since that the wages of thy Sins are death Thou hast deserv'd ten thousand times to dye But that thy GOD whose mercy doth deny A Sinners death reprieves thee for a time To make thee know the greatness of thy crime MEDITAT. 35. O meditate my Soul what Heav'n hath done For thee that art his most rebellious Son He hath prolong'd thy days and striv'd to win And draw thee from the lothsomness of sin Admired patience O indulgent care Mercy of Mercies how can Heav'n forbear MEDITAT. 36. Have I offended and shall I despair Oh no I dare not Ah my Soul forbear To harbor such a wickedness but know When thy sins ebb Gods mercies overflow His mercy is an Ocean and thy prayer Is th' only wind can raise a tempest there MEDITAT. 37. Then pray my Soul and let thy prayers reveal Thy bosom sins O think not to conceal A crime from him that is the God of Truth And knows the sins of thy offending youth Ah know my Soul the more thou striv'st to smother Thy sins the more one sin begets another MEDITAT. 38. Can Sin the Souls consuming Viper lie And lurk secure from Heav'ns all seeing eye O no 't is vain to think so though that we Are muffl'd up with sin yet Heav'n can see O then confess my Soul and thou shalt tread And trample on the Vipers poys'ny head MEDITAT. 39. But can Confession in it self obtain An absolute forgiveness Can we gain Heav'n by a sigh O no my Soul express A perfect sorrow when thou dost confess Then let resolved Constancy endure And thou my Soul shalt truly rest secure MEDITAT. 40. Dost thou my Soul desire to be partaker Of those celestial joys wherewith thy Maker Crowns those endeavoring Souls which study still To be obedient to his sacred Will Examine well the Scriptures they will show The ready way then practise how to go MEDITAT. 41. Let thy innocuous Meditations be Serious and fervent let integritie Still wait upon them which will still defend And guard thy actions to a prosperous end Then shall thy labors have a peaceful rest Then dayly labor to be dayly blest MEDITAT. 42. But have a care my Soul left malice chance To interpose it self and so advance Above thy patience and disturb that peace Which might have blest thee with a large increase O have a care this be no fault of thine Remember who hath said Vengeance is mine MEDITAT. 43. Dost thou desire my Soul that Heav'n should say Thy pardon 's seal'd and I will blot away Thy numerous sins nay and I will no more Remember them as I have done before Then learn my Soul to know whilest thou dost live He that will be forgiven must forgive MEDITAT. 44. If thou wouldst go to Heav'n my Soul go on Not as the sluggard of wise Solomon Be not so timerous as he to say There is a Lion lurking in the way Go on with courage let the way delight thee Then shall the Lion grumble and not bite thee MEDITAT. 45. The wise man saith that sluggards shall be cloth'd With rags and all his actions shall be loth'd And he that 's willing to obtain a prize Must be laborious and have watchful eyes My drouzy Soul make Heav'n thy prize then strain T' out-run thy sins and so thou shalt obtain MEDITAT. 46. When on the ladder Jacob did discry The Angels in his dream he saw them fly Vpwards and downwards which was to express How much they scorn'd and hated Idleness Then learn my Soul how to ascend apace From sin to the perfection of grace MEDITAT. 47. What was the reason Peter wept Nay why Did he go out and weep so bitterly Could he not weep within Did he not dare Before the wicked to disburse a tear By this example Peter makes it known Who truly grieves desires to grieve alone MEDITAT. 48. Hast thou my Soul with persecuting Paul Envy'd the Church Hast thou conspir'd her fall Why then my Soul wilt thou despair 'T is true The crime is great and GOD is gracious too A light may shine from Heav'n and thou shalt be With Paul converted from thy Tyrannie MEDITAT. 49. Hast thou with thrice-denying Peter cry'd I know him not but stubbornly deny'd The Lord of Life what then the Cock may crow God may look back upon thee and bestow His liberal blessings Then my Soul deny Thy sins with Peter and weep bitterly MEDITAT. 50. But was it not my Soul a sad disaster That Peter should so soon deny his Master For whose dear sake led lose his life O what A sudden change is this I know him not Nay more as if he thought this would not do He binds it with an oath forswears him too MEDITAT. 51. What was the reason that the Lions when They entertained Daniel in their Den Did rather fear then hunger Nay how can Destroying Lions fawn upon a man My Soul there was a Lamb that tam'd the Lion And made the Den prove Daniels safest Sion MEDITAT. 52. Advise my Soul and how could Daniel live Impris'ned in the Den and none to give Him dayly food How could he rest at quiet Without th' enjoyment of some slender diet When Heav'n commands his Angels they shal feâ— A Soul my Soul that Soul can never neeâ— MEDITAT. 53. 'T was Faith that guarded Daniel from the paws Of dauntless Lions whose imperious jaws Were ty'd by Heav'ns appointment so that they Forgot their Tyranny and learn'd to play My Soul with Daniel truly think upon Thy God and Faith shall be thy Champion MEDITAT. 54. Did great Goliah fall Could he not stand That was so strong against so weak a hand Could not his armour nor his storming power Maintain so mean a Combate half an hour Here here my Soul observe and thou shalt find An armed body but a naked mind MEDITAT. 55. But how did stripling David dare to show His childish face before so great a foe He had no armour on nor sword to shield His body yet he fought and won the field Here here my Soul observe and thou shalt finâ— A naked body but an armed mind MEDITAT. 56. Be sure my Soul when e're thou shalt begin To war with the Goliah of thy sin Take Davids armour and thou shalt or'ethrow Thy sin with a most advantagious blow Boast not too much but with bold courage fight The pebble-stones of Faith fly always right MEDITAT. 57. Faith is the arm of safety which defends The Soul from all approaching harm and lends A sword to fight with Satan who may venter To make a thrust or two but cannot enter Gain thou this arm of Faith my Soul and then Thou mayst out-dare a Lion in
still fear the Rod Of his Correction yet appear I must Sure sure he 's merciful as well as just Cheer up dejected Soul and thou shalt see His mercy's greater then thy sins can be MEDITAT. 9. Can Heav'n forget himself or can he say That thing o're night he cannot do next day Can friends forget their children or deny Their dearest blood or can a mountain fly Heav'n says he 'l be a Father till the end Then he 's a fool that doubts so true a friend MEDITAT. 10. A friend indeed but how can I expect To purchase friendship by my own neglect For ah how often hath Heav'n pleas'd to say Ye that are heavy loaden come away And I will give you ease Alas but I Thought sin no burthen neither thought to dye MEDITAT. 11. But now I see the frailty of my mind I thought I was imprison'd when confin'd Only one hour to goodness nay that hour I thought a year until I had the power To free my self when freed I had forgot What goodness was as though I 'd heard it not MEDITAT. 12. And should I strive to reckon up my sins How can he make an end that still begins The sands upon the Seas nay and the hair Upon my head are Cyphers in compare Of my excessive sins yet Heav'n can call Me as he did the spend-thrift Prodigal MEDITAT. 13. I know my sins are great and do increase Within my Sion and disturb my Peace O what am I dear Heav'n I am thy creature My sins are great but yet thy mercy 's greater Pardon blest Heav'n forgive what I have done Thou art my Father own me as thy Son MEDITAT. 14. It is a happiness to scorn the mirth Of this confused transitory Earth And he who is ambitious to create A happiness must make the world his hate Then if self-love appear we know for what We love our selves in truly hating that MEDITAT. 15. Life is the lifes preparative and Death The deprivation of unconstant breath A well directed life shall always find Society in Death a glorious mind Shall have a glorious a celestial friend To guard his glory to a glorious end MEDITAT. 16. But can a mind enammel'd with the glory Of Heav'n have end or else is Death a story Death is the end of Life and yet we see Life is deriv'd from Deaths soveraigntie 'T is quickly known the Death of Sin must give The para'ned Soul a priviledg to live MEDITAT. 17. Heav'n is the seat of Happiness and Hell The place of fury where the Furies dwell Then mount my Soul upon the spreading wings Of lofty Faith fly towards the King of Kings Whilest here thou shalt inhabit learn to know That Heav'n's too high for them that fly too low MEDITAT. 18. I am but sordid earth that 's dayly plow'd With grief and care and sorrows hourly croud Into my weak dominions and remain Like greedy Tenants thirsting after gain My eyes are always open to behold New woes for I am form'd in sorrows mould MEDITAT. 19. I am a reeling Pinnace and I sail From Port to Port sometimes a humble gale Salutes my spreading sails and by and by The waves contemning my prosperity Spit in my face being hurried by their tydes They seem to crawl into my sweating sides MEDITAT. 20. I am a clouded day I promise rain Sometimes I 'm stormy and then clear again Sometimes the Sun of Pence begins t' appear But cannot shine in sorrows Hemisphere Saddest of thoughts needs must he be distrest That finds unconstant weather in his brest MEDITAT. 21. I am a vapor having not the power T' endure the fervor of one shining hour Vapors cannot withstand a mid-days heat Afflictions must be hot where sins are great 'T is not unlike a misty morning may Oft-times prove usher to a glorious day MEDITAT. 22. I am a trembling reed and every day The wind and I are subject to a fray I 'm bruis'd and shall be broken if some hand Sustain me not I shall forget to stand But stay my Soul and hear Jehovah speak I vow the bruised reed I will not break MEDITAT. 23. I am but earth corrupted with my deeds Which are but like unprofitable weeds My soil is rank and barren and it bears No grain at all no not so much as tears Wouldst thou increase my Soul I 'le teach thee how Sow but the seeds of Faith God speeds the plow MEDITAT. 24. Despair not when affliction plows the ground Doubt not increases if the seed be found Heav'n loves a fruitful harvest and his hand Is always active to manure the Land He takes the chiefest care the greatest pains He crowns the work 't is we that reap the gains MEDITAT. 25. Man's like a house whose outward beauty may Yield pleasure to the eye If we survey The inward rooms there we may find enough Of untrim'd natures sluttish houshold-stuff Wouldst thou be fair within O man and neat Turn but thy inside out thou 'lt be compleat MEDITAT. 26. Do greedy Ravens hunger do they cry For food and are they fed and must not I I beg I crave and yet am hungry still I pine I starve and Ravens have their fill I know great God I have offended thee Because thou seed'st the Ravens and not me MEDITAT. 27. Do Lillies flourish do they still remain Neatly adorn'd and yet they take no pain They neither spin nor card they take no care And yet they 're cloth'd and I poor I go bare I know great God I have offended thee Because thou cloth'st the Lillies and not me MEDITAT. 28. Why am I thus tormented with the Rod Of my afflictions Hath my angry God Forgot his creature Shall I never have A little ease but be affliction 's slave Forbear my grumbling Soul cheer up and be Mindful of him and he 'l remember thee MEDITAT. 29. And why does Heav'n afflict me but because He 'l make me know my self and learn his Laws Then why am I disquieted If he Intends my good shall I prove enemie Unto my self My Soul take care be still Vnless he turns that good into an ill MEDITAT. 30. Then learn my soul when Heav'n afflicts to know 'T is for thy sins he does it and to show The greatness of his mercy and to make Thee love affliction for the Afflictors sake Be wise and provident and thou shalt see 'T was good for David 't will be good for thee MEDITAT. 31. If thou wilt learn my Soul how to endure With patience thy afflictions be thou sure That when the hand of angry Heav'n shall smite Thou dost not grumble like the Israelite Strive thou for patience heav'n wil teach thee how To bear affliction with a cheerful brow MEDITAT. 32. What though the waves of thy afflictions rise And rage abundantly lift up thy eyes And cry to Heav'n let patience calm thy mind And know that purest gold must be refin'd And when affliction brings thee to the brink Of death remember Peter did not sink MEDITAT.
weep No Peace no ease no pleasure is all gone Pursu'd with envy and rebellion Whither oh whither are my glories sent Banisht my brest by Act of Parliament Vertue is fled and scar'd into a trance By the ill shape of Bughear ignorance What mists are these that thus eclipse the light Of splendâ—nt truths From whence proceeds this night Of darkening Errors how am I begul'd Of all my joys Nay how am I defil'd With leprous humors On how grief transports My frightned sense what envy 's this resorts Unto my swelling brest Is there no mean No pleasing Musick to divide my scean Were I an Atlas I could not sustain This Firmament of grief who can refrain From falling that 's so much opprest as I With such a burthen of Malignity Where shall I run to whom shall I address My burthened self or how shall I express My uncontrouled sorrows or relate Th' unhappy discord of my factious State Where shall I fly Is there no Ark above To hide me from these waves Is there no Dove To bring me tydings that the Land is clear And that the hills of Peace do re-appear But must I perish shall the waves of pride Dash me in pieces still a flowing tyde Still flow and never ebb Is there no bliss Wonder sad Soul O what an Ocean 's this Ambitious winds why rage ye more and more And make the Seas thus envy at the shore Is there no Peter can pray Heav'n to please To check the winds and qualifie the Seas Am I the worst of all Is my condition So bad that there is no Petition Can have an audience Ah my conscience saith I 've Peters fears but yet want Peters faith Here let us stop a little and advise With flesh and blood Can greater wants arise To damage Souls then faith whose want procures All these extreams which my poor heart endures Oh no there cannot he that wants the hand Of Soul-supporting Faith forgets to stand This is my want and till I find relief I 'le lie and tumble in the shades of grief And glut the ayr with sighs my hideous cries Shall roar like thunder in the troubled skies O that my eyes were Oceans that I may Drown all my sorrows in one stormy day Or would pleas'd Heaven enable me to strain To gulp up Seas and weep them out again Then should my briny streams gush forth so fast That every tear should strive to be the last So the swift current of my swelling eyes Should overflow my heap'd up miseries I have offended Heaven and now I see My sins are walls betwixt my God and me Which stop the passage of my fervent prayers That there is no prevailing but by tears To batter down the wall that thus prevents My cries my vows and hinders my intents To Heav'n that Heav'n can send me no relief Nor take me from this labyrinth of grief Gone are my golden my forgotten days When every bird could whistle forth my praise Gone are those days when this consuming Earth Was stuffd with pleasure perfum'd with mirth Though all be gone yet will I strive t' endure He that hath made the wound can make the cure For now I 'm wounded and my wounds do smart Beyond my patience and my tender heart Swell'd up with sorrow doth predestinate What woe must happen to my bleeding State My head my head 's tormented and my eyes Are dim with gazing after vanities My members swell like Oceans and from thence Proceeds so great so large a confluence Of noisom humors and they run so thick That they surcharge and make my stomack sick I ave purg'd alrâ—ady and that will not do I fear I fear that I must vomit too I doubt 't is too much action that hath bred These ill diseases that disturb my â—ead Oh I am sick to death my bowels yern I freâ—z I frâ—â—z and whilest I freâ—z I burn I burn I melt my soul is parch'd within How hot 's the furnace of tormenting sin And Ah! how soon is feebled nature lam'd With ioynt contracting cold if not inflam'd By heavens enlivening fire how hot 's my blood To what is bad and Ah how cold to good Oh grief how two extreams perplex one heart So link'd together that they cannot part Thus am I tost and doubtfully opprest Beneath the burden of a dubious brest Nothing but Wars and Tumults do arise Thrice hapyy I had I known how to prize My happiness Alas I ne're did know The good of peace till Heav'n was pleasd to show War makes me know what joy it was before To live in peace and plenty now the more To live in peace and plenty now I know by this This want of peace what a combining bliss It was to live united and to praise That God of Peace that blest my peaceful days With large increase Oh misery to think Loaded with too much pleasure how I sink I that was wont to boast my heaps of treasure Now swim in sorrow and now sink in pleasure I that the world did envy now am brought To be not worth the env'ing worse then nought Revil'd by all see how the hand of Fate hath pleas'd to make me thus unfortunate What shall I do what physick can procure A little ease I cannot long endure Where are my grave Divines to give advice To a relapsing Soul are they grown nice Of late Are their conspiring hearts agreed T' absent themselves in this my time of need What do they mean Oh whither are they fled Sure sure they 're silenc'd all or else all death Do they not see me falling Do they stand Amaz'd not daring to afford a hand To help me up Methinks I hear them cry That they are falling to as well as I. Where is Religion that was wont to be The Governor of Peace the branched Tree That ever flourish'd see now every Clown Being authoriz'd presumes to cut her down Will they still strive with swords with guns with clubs To pickle my Religion up in tubs Have they no Reason hath their greedy zeal Swallow'd up all their Senses at one meal Have they agreed that Piety and Reason Shall be condemn'd and voted into Treason Or hath their hell-bred thoughts found out a way To turn our Sion to a Golgotha Hath the Tartarian Counseller invented Such thriving Plots which cannot be prevented Leave off base Acts Mechanicks and begin To deal uprightly and reform within Bury your aged crimes and then go call Your stragling senses to the Funeral Adjourn your thoughts which now are quite contrary To Peace and think a peace is necessary Honour your higher Powers and do not mock And vilifie them as your laughing stock There are a brain-sick multitude a rabble Of all Religions that do dayly squabble About vain shades and let the substance pass Hating good manners as they hate the Mass 'T is such as these which thus my woes advance Whose very Souls are starv'd with ignorance 'T is such as these who dayly
blackness they that knew them well Now know them not their flesh adheres sticks Unto their bones they are like with'red sticks Those that are ravisht of their fading breath By the encountring sword enjoy a death Transcending theirs whose lingring souls are pinde For want of food Ah Famine 's never kinde The woful women boyl their young they have Turn'd their own fruitful bellies to a grave The Lord hath now accomplished his ire Pour'd out his streaming anger caus'd a fire To flame in Sion which devour'd and layd Those buildings waste which their own hands had made The wisest Kings nor the worlds copious Nations Did ever think to see these great invasions Of the unbridled foe whose head-long courses Divides her gates with their divided forces The Priests Prophets crimeless blood have shed Their sins drew down this mischief on their head Like those they wander whose benighted eyes Attract no light from the all-lightning skies They have themselves polluted so that none Can touch their clothes they are with blood o'reflown The people cry depart what do ye mean Depart depart touch not it is unclean The Heathen as they fled together cry'd With us they shall not sojourn nor abide Gods anger hath divided them he never Will love them more but cast them off for ever They dis-respected Priests and they forgot The gravest Elders whom they pitied not But as for us our help-beguiled eyes Fail'd us as yet no comfort would arise To us we watch'd for Nations but their pow'r Could not protect us from so great a showre They hunt our steps our oft-extended feet Cannot divide their paces in the street Our end is neer and our days total sum Is now fulfil'd for now our end is come Our persecuters our tormentors are Swifter then Eagles that enforce the ayr Upon the mountains they pursu'd us They To trap our feet in ambushcado lay Those pits which they for ruine have appointed Inclos'd our Souls delight the Lords Anointed Under whose shadow we shall live we said Amongst the Heathens thus are we dismay'd O Edoms daughter now stretch out thy voyce Be glad and for a time in Vz rejoyce This cup shall pass along to thee thou shalt Be drunk and naked 'cause thou didst revolt Thy plagues expire O Sions daughters he No more will lead thee to captivity But Edom O lament lift up thine eyes For Heav'n will visit thy iniquities Meditatio in Capitulum DIstracted Sion having spent her days In supine negligence stands in a maze Not knowing what to do her wonted joys Yeeld torment not contentment seeming toys And childish trifles which perplex her more Then thousand pleasures pleasur'd her before And now her alienated minde begins To ruminate upon her former sins Her studious thoughts recount what precious time She spent in folly weighing every crime In equal balance posing them aright Findes them too heavy and her self too light And like a frighted bird her winged minde Flies up and down thinking some rest to finde In sorrows wilderness But ah who can Finde a lost Jewel in the Ocean Now we may see how her embraced folly Is quite dissolved into melancholly And those lascivious hours which she hath spent Seem like grim Marshals giving punishment To an offending wretch As in a dream The fancy makes each object seem extream And why bâ—cause the judgment which should guide Th' unruly fancy sleeping 's layd aside The senses once lock'd up the fancy may Not onely claim a priviledg to play But to delude and represent those things To meanest Subjects which belong to Kings Which makes the flatter'd Senses even dance And leap for joy and striving to advance Themselves awake and finding all 's but vain Reason steps in and makes them poor again Even thus was poor Jerus'lem lull'd asleep With fancy-pleasing pleasure which did keep A rendezvouz within her lest that doubt Should interpose and put the fancy out Of frame And by a more diviner art Should breed a Meditation in her heart For when the wak'ned Senses once have gain'd The upper hand the fancy is restrain'd And curb'd by judgment Reason too survives Again and claims her own Prerogatives The apprehension with her new-got pow'r Begins to taste and apprehend how sowre Her sweets are grown Ah then she cries I see I 'm turn'd to nothing being turn'd from thee My great Redeemer I have quite exil'd Thy mercies from my bosom and revil'd Thy just commands presuming oftentimes To urge with my reiterated crimes Thy long-continued patience and exprest No grief at all from my obdurate brest My eyes were still laborious to discover New vanities and like a heedless lover Whose beauty-dazled eyes do onely view The Superficies seeking not how true The heart remaineth but can fondly be Content with beauties bare Epitomie And thus my rash advent'ring Soul went on Pleasures admit no intermission To them whose hearts are envious to obtain A present pleasure but a future pain And ah how quickly's yeelding flesh and blood Surpriz'd and conquer'd by a seeming good A Good that 's good for nothing but t' invite Fond Souls to ruine and o'revail the light Of real Truth and with enforc'd delusions Makes them take pleasure in their own confusions Since then my Soul no pleasures can be found In this base Center let thy thoughts rebound From this fastidious Orb learn to advance Thy self above the frowns the reach of chance And let th' extent of thy ambition be Onely to purchase an Eternitie Of happiness which shall perpetuate And make thee glorious in a glorious state Divorce thy self from thy unsum'd-up faults Protract no â—ime but clarifie thy thoughts Command thy self and thou shalt be reputed A most deserving Victor not confuted By any though their noble acts may claim A true inheritance to a lasting Fame For he that gives himself an overthrow Conquers a Kingdom and subdues a foe Then arm thy self my Soul and strive t' out-dare Satans attempts be studious to prepare Thy self and let thy adversary see When he is strongest th' art as strong as he Let not his vain delusions interpose 'Twixt thee and Heav'n O do not thou expose Thy self to wilful danger but endevor T' accost his actions but beleeve him never Thou seest how poor Jerusalem bewails Her sad disasters how she stoops and fails Beneath the burthen of her grief and cries O boundless grief O vainest vanities O dream thou not of transitory things Which are unconstant having secret wings To fly away and flying will confound Thy better parts and give thy Soul a wound Be wary then and let thy thought concur With Heav'ns commands and so will he tranfer His Kingdom to thee full of lasting treasure Where nothing's greater then the smallest pleasure CHAP. V. REmember Lord what 's come upon us see Ponder the greatness of our infamy Strangers inherit that which is our due Our habitation 's turn'd to aliens too For we are Orphans and all fatherless Our Mothers are as Widows in
his Den MEDITAT. 58. Learn how to prize thy Faith my Soul and know She is thy only safety here below She is a trusty buckler to protect thee From showres of evil and to good direct thee Then rouze my Soul and be not quite cast down Repentance brings in Faith and Faith a Crown MEDITAT. 59. A Crown that 's only fitting to adorn A Princes brow and Subjects that are born To an inferior fortune must content Themselves with that which fortune freely lent But ah my Soul be wise and understand A heavenly Crown 's not made by humane hand MEDITAT. 60. A glorious Crown of Glory shall attend Attentive hearts my Soul I recommend This Crown to thee consider but the price It cost and then remember Paradise Remember whose dear blood did trickle down Like tedious showrs to purchase thee this Crown MEDITAT. 61. O boundless Love would such a Lamb as he Dye for such wolf-like sycophants as we His willing Soul did even joy t' express This introduction to our happiness His blood gush'd out to wash us clean within He shed it for our sins and yet we sin MEDITAT. 62. Rouze up my Soul and let thy Eagle-eyes Behold that Sun in whom thy safety lies Look well upon him and thou shalt discover A Lamb-like Patience and a constant Lover Admire with how much Dove-like innocence He suffer'd death for us that gave th' offence MEDITAT. 63. Art thou not ravish'd yet my Soul then hear And I will recommend unto thy ear The willing Passion of that Lamb which cry'd Eloi Eloi Eloi and so dy'd And by the vertue of his dying deed Our blood was stop'd when he began to bleed MEDITAT. 64. Man the unhappy off-spring of that man Of Sin at whose beginning we began To fall from our first principles and stray From good to bad digressing from the way Of our assur'd Salvation and exchange A world of pleasure for a world of pains And by that Heaven-forbidden taste reverst The stroke of mercy made us all accurst And hourly subject to his wrath whose power Created us and made us little lower Then Heav'n-bred Angels till the sad inventions Of Satans malice quickned the intentions Of greedy Eve whose hand soon recommended That fruit which by the Serpent was extended To her beguiled husband whose neglect Of Heav'ns Commands purchas'd a dull aspect From his revengeful brow which shin'd more bright Then glorious Cynthia in her greatest light But ah the cloud of Adams sin had made A great eclipse Poor Adam is betray'd By his own folly and condemn'd to crawl Upon his belly and gulp up the gall Of his transgressions Having thus offended He 's thrown from Paradise and vili-pended By Heav'n But all this while the Serpent sits Ravish'd with laughter tut'ring still his wits To further mischief having found success In his first enterprize doubts nothing less Then what he hopes for having thus o'rethrown The first man Adam thinks that all 's his own But that our God whose all-commanding power Can mortifie and quicken in one hour Was fill'd with pity pitied man whose state He saw was miserably desperate Begun to view him with a gracious eye And invocates his sacred Trinity And thus proceeds Have I made man have I Made wretched man man made to glorifie My name and given to his thriftless hand Preheminency both by Sea and Land And shall I not be honor'd Am I not A mindful God And shall I be forgot By slothful man Have I not gave him light In spight of darkness and shall he requite My favours thus Nay more have I not fram'd And stamp'd him with my Image and proclaim'd A lasting greatness to him And shall they Be thus obdurate now that were but clay Before I gave them breath and shall that breath Contemn defie and scorn me to the death Is this the honor which I did expect From them Is this the duty this th' effect Of all my labors Speak my dearest Son What shall we do with man that hath undone His wretched self My fury burns to be Reveng'd on man for his iniquitie Break forth my restless fury and devour That loathed thing call'd man give him no power To call me Father whil'st abused I Will stop my ears and scorn to hear him cry Begone enact my pleasure The Son reply'd Oh stop Oh stay my dear My dearest Father Let thy sacred ear Stand open but one minute that poor man May strive to plead and utter what he can For his own self Alas my Son I know The more he strives to speak the more he 'l show His guilt And ah what answer can he make To angry I that am resolv'd to take Speedy revenge The more he strives to clear Himself the more he 'l make his guilt appear Begone my fury run till thou art spent Away away and give my passion vent Vent it on man My angry Father stay A little longer hear what I will say In mans behalf Oh is not man thy creature His sins are not so great but thou art greater In mercy Oh be merciful and let If nothing will my blood discharge the debt I 'le freely give it may this Blood of mine Extinguish quite those angry flames of thine Oh be appeas'd and give me leave to strive Against the power of Satan and deprive Him of his man-deluding power I 'le charm His rav'ning malice and withhold his arm From hurting man Nay and I 'le undergo As many sorrows as the world can show For man thy Image Say the word and I Will go nay run for joy that I must dye For mans Redemption Dearest Son then go Redeem relapsed man that he may owe An endless debt But say my Son should he For whom thou dy'st revile dishonor thee And trample in thy precious blood and make That blood prove poyson to him that should take The venom of his sins away I 'le strive The Holy Ghost reply'd to make man thrive And grow in grace I 'le teach him to express No feigned but a real thankfulness O Soul-transporting Joy O truest Love Without a period O innoxious Dove Could'st thou thou Lamb of God be thus content To step from Heav'n and take that punishment Upon thy patient self which appertain'd To Heaven provoking man man that was stain'd And blur'd with sin whose spots could never be Wash'd out blest Lamb by any but by thee Had'st thou not interpos'd our Souls had bin Imbowel'd in the Ocean of our Sin And hadst thou not sustain'd us we had fell And swelter'd in the restless flames of Hell Hadst thou not look'd upon our sad condition And pitied us to see what expedition We made to our own ruines we had lost The hopes of our Salvation which cost An unknown price 'T was not a swelling flood Of heap'd up gold redeem'd us but thy blood Thy precious blood which flow'd like hasty tides In great abundance from thy wounded sides Start from the bed of Sin my Soul and run To view
whole a broken and a contrite heart Tell him th' art heavy loaden and opprest And crav'st th' enjoyment of a happy rest What though thy querelous desires at first Seem to be frivolous and slightly nurst Detract not thou but be progressive still And not too retrograte but let thy will Attend his pleasure is 't not fit that he Should be attended that attended thee What if he still denies thou art but paid With that dull Coin which thine own sins have made Hath he not waited at the brazen walls Of thy regardless brest us'd many calls Nay many thousands and hath dayly knock'd And found the nurs'ry of thy ears still lock'd And bar'd against him 'T was enough to turn Patience into an Extasie and burn The strongest Resolution and incite Vengeance to make an everlasting night Oh think on this blest Soul and be content Good actions seldom want a goood event Another DISCOVRSE Between the SOVL and FAITH So. I 'M full and yet seem empty I have store Of Earths delectables and yet I 'm poor I have what e're my rav'nous thoughts require And yet I want in having my desire I eat delicious food drink sparkling wine Enjoy my self and yet I am not mine I am the worlds delight I am the child Of pregnant fortune yet I am revil'd And what external happiness can be Thought worth imbracement is imbrac'd by me Since all these Joys are heap'd upon my back I fain would know what 't is I seem to lack Fa. Thy wants are soon exprest dull Soul I know Who wants my helpful hand wants power to go Oh what an easie matter t is to find A stuffd-up body and an empty mind Grief rests within the centre of that brest That knows not what is worst nor what is best But still looks downwards on this dunghil earth That alienates the Soul and breeds a dearth Within that sacred Essence that divine And glorious Monarchy Who can define Th' inchanting Raptures and th' emperious Joys Of sublimated Heav'n that toyls for toys Thou sayst th' art full yet empty thou hast store Of Earths delectables and yet art poor 'T is true th' art full but tell me whence proceeds That fulness say what charitable deeds Hast thou perform'd oh learn frail Soul t' express Too great a fulness breeds an emptiness Experience tells thee there is nothing worse Then slighted mercy turn'd into a curse Thou say'st th' enjoyst what e'r thy mind requires And yet thou wantst in having thy desires Thou eat'st thou drinkst and hast the worlds consent To be her darling yet art not content 'T is true he wants whose fulness wants desire To want that fulness which his wants require What though the world accumulates increase There 's no content when Heav'n denies a Peace If Heav'ns blest mouth proclaim'd no peace should be So. Vnto the wicked what 's become of me Who always liv'd to sin and sin'd to dye Oh miserable miserable I Fa. 'T is true GOD will not suffer Peace t' arise Unto the wicked yet that GOD denies A Sinners death and by a free consent Promis'd a pardon with this word Repenâ— 'T is a persisting Sinner must expect A sad reward for a perform'd neglect So. Then what must I expect have I not run Even from the rising to the setting Sun In paths of negligence and still persisted And rather back'd a sinner then resisted The power of sin Oh how can I obtain Or thoughts or hopes to be reclaim'd again Fa. The mouth of Heav'n did never yet divide His language thus My Soul shall not abide A penitent offendor no his breath Speaks better things then the lamented death Of those who though they have in former times Been permanent in their unbosom'd crimes Yet when the sense of their transgression brings Abundant sorrow then Jehovah sings Rare strains of mercy to their Souls and pours His endless mercy down in liberal showres So. And is our GOD so merciful so just To lep'rous Souls and shall not my Soul trust In such a never-failing GOD Shall I Retort a no when he proclaims an I Oh no I le take what he shall give and then When Heav'n proclaims my tongue shall say Amen For 't is thy Christ thy Love thy Son must ease us Fa. Follow me Soul I le lead thee to thy Jesus Penetrant Suspiria Coelum ARe sighs so prevalent that they can be Admitted to the ears of Majestie Is Heav'n so weak or sighs so strong that they Can make an on-set and enforce their way Unto the ears of GOD Can sighs perswade That Lamb to mercy that our sins betray'd Can roaring Lions meet and can they part Without a combate Can a lep'rous heart Meet God and think t' out-brave him in his Sion Our sins are Lions yet our God's a Lion And what 's a sigh 't is but a blast of wind Blown from the center of a stormy mind And can the ayr of one poor sigh aspire So high as Heaven Ah sighs can never tire In such a progress though they be but ayr Yet they condense within the sacred ear Of nursing Majesty who hears the sound Of wel-spent groans and takes them at the bound Sighs are like morning Larks sometimes they fly And chatter praises to the blushing skie Then wearied with their flights dart down amain Longing to repossess the earth again So sighs the Souls best oratory fly To the Interpreter of groans who 'le not deny To hear the hearts embassage but delights To see souls wingd with sighs to take such flights But when our hearts are loaded with the cares Of this vile earth and sigh themselves to tears Oh then he stops his ears and makes them know Their sighs are earthly and they fly too low Nor can they reach the suburbs of his ear Unless they mount into a higher sphere Then let thy well-directed sighs my Soul Mount upwards still that there they may condole Thy ev'ning sorrow and thy morning grief Then they 'l like Doves return and bring reliâ—f Unto thy floating heart and thou shalt find The operations of a sigh thy mind Shall purge it self thrice happy 's thy condition Sighs are good physick when Heav'n is Physician Roganti dabitur WHo would not be a Begger that may crave Upon such easie terms but ask and have Here 's swelling bounty and sure this must be No humane but a divine charitie Here well-instructed Poverty may live He that gives power to ask hath power to give The greatest gift that ever yet was known Was freely given being ask'd by none And he that gave 't hath many gifts in store Many give once because they 'l give no more But he who gave that gift will not refrain If wisely ask'd to give us gifts again And if a heart-recording gift we make Of this his giving teaches us to take Be it ordain'd that begging be an art Heav'n loves a giving hand a begging heart But let us rest a little here 's the task Heav'n knows
to give we know not how to ask Methinks I hear some multiloquious fool Make this reply What must I go to school And learn to beg I 'm skilful to require If Heav'n would suit his gifts to my desire Let fools delight in folly let them think That men are blind because they see them wink Others methinks reply Have we not cry'd To Heav'n for blessings and have been deny'd Have not our early voyces been extended To Heav'n and yet our labors vili-pended Is this th' effect of pray'r are these the gains That we were largely promis'd for our pains Go silly Souls and do not thus contest With him that knows what 's worst and what is best Ye know not what ye ask your fond desires If granted to may breed such flaming fires Within your greedy brests and so torment Your hearts with millions of sad discontent Then may ye know that true discretion lies As well in asking as in giving wise And solid hearts will labor first to know What 's fit for their desires and then they 'l sow Their pray'rs in such a soil as shall encrease Their stock of Grace and everlasting Peace Pulsanti aperietur KNock and it shall be open'd here 's an art Requires the labors of a studious heart It is an easi action some suppose Because it commonly consists of blows Here 's a mysterious knock 't is not the hand Oâ—â—lâ—sh and blood can knock or tongue command The gates to move 't is not Saint Peter's keys Can turn the lock except the Landlord please Heaven 's a well-ordered family whose gate Opens not soon to them that knock too late But those whose early labors shall implore To have admittance at that sacred door Must well instruct their hearts and have a care First learning how to knock and after where How happy 's he that really can say Go take thy rest my Soul th' ast knock'd to day Hâ—'s happy that can speak such words as these Open the door my Soul thou hast the keys How happy 's he that by a faithful knock Can make the yeelding Gates of Heav'n unlock Pray'rs are the keys of Heav'n the melting door Is mercy that lets in and out the store Faith is the golden key which gives us all A speedy entrance to the spacious Hall But we must open or else not come there The gate of Mercy with the key of Pray'r Go then my Soul into some private place Unlock thy heart and when unlock'd abase Thy self before the Throne of Heav'n and fly Unto the Temple of Divinity Go knock thy heart out if that will not do Say Heaven 's grown deaf or else thy heart 's not true Cast off the thred-bare garments of thy sin Thy pray'rs will melt the gates and let thee in The Governor of Heav'n will not refuse To give an audience to such welcome news Nor can he be ungrateful or neglect To crown thy labors with a true respect Then tune thy heart and teach it to express Full Diapasons of true thankfulness And grant dear God when my poor Soul shall knock That my unworthy key may fit thy lock AN ELEGIE Upon that Son of Valor Sir CHARLS LVCAS Who was shot to Death by the Command of the Counsel of War before COLCHESTER To all those that love the memory of Sir Charls Lucas Reader WHen my serious thoughts reflected upon the Death of so worthy a person I could not but privately deplore so publique a loss and being importuned by his virtues and my own sorrow I gave my pen the priviledg assisting it with the uttermost of my power to compose this Elegious Poem upon his Death which I cannot expect will be consonant to all humors but only to them that love Loyalty Reader I shall desire thee to let the strength of thy goodness pardon the weakness of him that is His Kings his Countries and Thine JOHN QUARLES AN ELEGY I Cannot hold the Laws of Nature break The Laws of Reason and my Cisterns leak Pardon my tears oh Heav'n and let thy pow'r Subdue my grief and mitigate this showre Restore me to my self and let my Quill Weep for me let it weep until it fill Whole volumes with sad tears tears that may flow From age to age that all the world may know It weeps for him whose never-dying name Gives golden feathers to the wings of fame But is it requisite that I alone Should storm so great a work as this and none Invok'd t' assist me Sorrow hates delay Oh hear my hasty call and come away Ye grief-supporting Muses here is that Will sublimate your senses ask not what It is for fear lest melancholly I Ravish'd with what I speak should faint and dye Times full-mouth'd Herauld will exactly tell How Death hath rambled from his mâ—sty Cell And with presumptuous violence hath shot A Star whose fall will never be forgot Then rouze your down-cast spirits now or never Shake off your slumbers or repose for ever Lucas has conquer'd Death he 's gone to keep An everlasting Sabbath and to sleep In Abrahams bosom Ah methinks this breath Should re-invite you from the shades of Death To weep his obsequies but if there 's none Will be invok'd my Muse shall walk alone Into the Wilderness of grief and there Condole this loss till sorrow wants a tear Have I betray'd my self Am I o'retaken With folly Or has Reason quite forsaken The kingdom of my mind If he be blest How dare my tears thus interrupt his rest Oh Times Oh Manners Is the world grown mad Some I behold rejoycing others sad As grief can make them Sure we have forgot To sympathize or else why weep we not Or smile together Has Death got the power To make us weep and smile within an hour Smile they that please mine eyes cannot forbear For every smile of theirs to shed a tear Come real-hearted Mourners and incline Your ear to my sad story and confine Your selves to sorrow sorrow that shall need No definition if your hearts can bleed Now now they shall and may that barren eye That will not weep prove blind or always dry And they that can and will not now let fall Some tears have hard hearts or no hearts at all Lucas rare Soul oh that my tongue might dwell Upon thy name 't was thou that didst excell The world in Martial Valor He that can Forget thy name forgets to be a Man 'T is death to say th' art dead Thou canst not dye If thou art dead there 's no Eternity Thou liv'st in spite of Death yet I condole Thy murther'd body but I 'm sure thy Soul Lives above envy where it shall be blest In spite of those whose wisdoms thought it best To put a period to thy days and bring Joy to themselves and sorrow to their King Discreetly done and sure this Act must be Recorded in the Rouls of Infamie That after Ages when they do behold May blush what noble Deeds were done of old Say Tyrants say
was 't not a shameful strife To send a Death after a promis'd Life If this be Mercy Heav'n protect us all From such a Mercy so tyrannical If this be Justice may such Justice have A Hell to act in or at least a Cave What had he acted that could contradict The Laws of Justice Search and be as strict As policy can make you all ye can Impute was this he was a valiant man Who lov'd his King and undertooke to play A noble Game wherein his honor lay At stake what would you have a Gamester do Should he surrender up a game to you Without contending Such a high-bred shame Had left a blur within his spotless name I tremble at my thoughts I cannot hold My quill must run ye can but term me bold As ye are tyrannous In former times Boldness in truths were pardonable crimes How could ye chuse but tremble when ye nam'd His death whom honor and the world had fam'd Such deeds as these we needs must discommend Y 'ave murther'd your own honors and our friend How could ye chuse but blush to see him stand Undaunted at your tragical command How could ye chuse but fly when he was fled T' imbrace his death and dye when he was dead How could your will-obeying slaves let fly A bullet at his brest and they not dye Why dy'd they not when as they went about To make those holes whereat his Soul flew out Mars frown'd when he observ'd what ye had done And perpetrated on his dearest Son And thus declares If any mortal shall Dare to intitle or presume to call Such Rabshecha's his Sons that they shall be All voted Traytors to his Majestie The Muses they complain and are agreed To vindicate his death and ever feed Upon his virtues and will never more Smile on your actions but will still deplore Their lost-love Lucas and the Earth shall ring With Ecchoes of his praise that lov'd his King Apollo weeps and says ye have forgot To cherish virtue or ye love it not And to the world he 'l fully make it known In his destruction ye have overthrown Your home-bred honors Now my Muse retire And gather breath 't is wisdom to enquire Which way to take our progress we must know Whither to go as well as how to go The paths of death are darksom and we may Plead an excuse if we have gone astray Errors in grief are incident to all That truly solemnize a funeral But stay my quill 't is not my task to crave Excuses but to treat upon a grave A grave within whose sullen bosom lies A Jem contemn'd by those that could not prize So rare a piece within whom was repos'd Virtue and honor for he was compos'd Of both Kind Reader know that Lucas had A Magazin of worth his Soul was clad With robes of innocency and his heart So sworn to honor that it could not start From noble Exercises though attended With troops of dangers dangers that portended A thousand deaths his wisdom could descry Both life and death with a contented eye Life was his Jewel yet he did not prize That life at such a rate as to despise A noble Death he labor'd to express To both a very equal willingness He knew his life was lent him to maintain The rights of Majesty and to regain Those just prerogatives which do belong To CHARLS who patiently sustains the wrong His Soul was undivided and could never Ramble from Loyalty his whole endeavor Was to advance that Cause wherein he stood Engag'd and dy'd it with his crimson blood Since thus he liv'd since thus he dy'd oh then Let 's imitate so good a life and when We hear the sad relation of his Death Let 's learn to dye Let them that live by breath Examine his brave actions and they 'l find He had a rare militia in his mind But stoutest Lions are at last o'rethrown By Natures Laws for Nature needs must own Her principles our earthen vessels must At last dissolve and turn themselves to dust Live we a thousand years we do but run In debt to Nature and when those days are done We are but mortal subject to decay And youth and age must go the self-same way Reader as often as report shall send Unto thy ears the death of any friend Wonder not that he 's dead that 's too much wrong But rather wonder that he liv'd so long For Life 's but like a Canâ—le every wind May puff it out and leave a snuff behind But whither runs my pen Does sorrow mean To make of this an everlasting scean Lucas made Sorrow lovely Death a pleasure And Life a trifle Misery a treasure And now let no audacious tongue deny That he taught Death to live and Life to dye Now gentle Soul go take thy sweet repose In Heav'ns eternal bed where none but those Shall sleep that in their life-times study'd how To dye there rest dear Soul I 'le leave thee now My heart begins to quake that word has bred A palsie in my hand and grief has spred A vail upon my Senses and Confusion Steps in and leads me to a sad Conclusion Shall I begin or end I know not whether Oh that I could begin and end together Begin what 's that but to renew a grief To end what 's that but to implore relief What shall I do when as I strive to end I still forget to do what I intend When I begin methinks I am content Never to end Distraction is th' event Of Sorrow Reader pardon this last error For I began with grief and end with terror AN EPITAPH Come gentle eyes and take a view Here rests a Jewel was as true As Truth it self see how he lies Renown'd and crown'd a Sacrifice Lay your hands upon your hearts Each eye must weep before it parts Sigh and sob let each sigh call Love to attend his Funeral Vnderstand that this was he Conquer'd Death and Tyrannie And when your eyes begin to run Say ye 'ave gaz'd upon a Sun AN ELEGIE Upon the Death of my dear Friend Mr ROBERT REASON Who quitted this life the 13. NOVEMBER 1646. Sic voluêre Fata By J.Q. AH whence proceed those swelling floods that rise Like restles waves froÌ„ my tempestuous eys The surges beat provok'd by stormy passion My weather-beaten senses out of fashion But ah forbear distemp'ring grief surcease Those storms which rage against the shore of peace Forbear superfluous blasts be not too brief To dash my Soul against the rocks of grief But stop a time sad Genius here 's a stile Invites a rest Let 's meditate a while Can tears express a perfect grief Or can Excess of language re-inlarge a man From Death-benumming shades Can blubber'd eyes Invite him back Can integrating cries Enforce a life in spight of death Can all The doleful sighings in this world recall Revolted breath Oh no 'T is therefore vain To think that tears can call him back again From Heav'ns immortalizing
Throne Thus we Fond men expand our own infirmitie And thus our spend-thrift eyes profusely flow In lavish tears for him whose Soul we know Is far more happy then we can express Why do we then lament his happiness Then go sad Genius and advise all such That grieve to grieve because they grievd so much For him who Heav'n hath lately made a stranger To grief who rests above the reach of danger There let him rest in a most glorious sleep And if weak Nature urgeth us to weep Let 's weep nay weep indeed until our eyes Blinded with weeping weep for new supplies Let 's weep for sin let troops of sighs attend Our hasty tydes to their long journeys end Oh let 's deplore our most unhappy state Betimes for fear lest time-devouring fate Blocks up the narrow passage of our breath And so surprize us with a sudden Death And ah how soon the shadow-flying days Of man consumes how soon the troubled blaze Of his frail life expires and ah how soon He finds a night before he thinks 't is noon And how the pleasures of this sordid Earth Shadow his senses with a glimmering mirth And what 's this world 't is but a glass wherein Nothing appears but Heav'n-confronting sin Alas its painted beauty represents Nothing but folly crown'd with discontents There 's nothing here that truly may be stil'd A happiness here 's nothing but 's defil'd Alas alas in what a sad condition Is dust-composed man what expedition He daily makes to gain those things which gain'd Gnaw him like vipers thus are mortals stain'd And blur'd with vanities and thus they spend Their winged hours as if they could not end Fond Earths-consuming trash hath so combin'd Their hearts to worldly pleasures that they mind Nothing but profit basely gain'd which shall Mount them up here but after let them fall But where 's that man whose Soul contrives to be Imparadis'd and crown'd with dignitie With Hallelujahs Angels which controul The Family of Heav'n who still inroul In their sublimer thoughts how great how just Their Maker is before whose throne all must Appear with spotless Souls and fly from hence With downy wings of Dove-like innocence But stay my quill have I thus soon forgot My bosom friend as if I lov'd him not No no though he be dead he cannot dye Death cannot drive him from my memory Where he shall rest till time shall recommend My friend-bereaved Soul unto my friend For whilest he liv'd my sympathizing heart Was truly his and truly bore a part In what he suffer'd Ah but now he 's fled And left me here to say my friend is dead Poor soul and why poor soul rash tongue call back That fond abortive word how can he lack That dayly feeds upon delicious dyet In Heav'ns great store house and knows no disquiet This was an Error that my hasty quill Too rashly stept into against my will I hope 't is venial Reason may afford A pardon for a grief-relapsed word When passion rules the fancy men become Vainly Pragmatick or extreamly dumb But why rash death why didst thou send thy dart To take possession of his willing heart And gave no longer warning was there none Could please thy pallate only him alone 'T was quickly ended and as soon begun Believe me death 't was but unfriendly done But why do I fond man expostulate With thee that art an all-consuming fate Th' ast done a happy deed I dare not blame Thy power because I know from whence it came Shall I because he was my friend repine At his departure was he Heav'ns or mine I yield him Heav'ns not mine but yet I might Claim him as finite Heav'n as infinite He was but lent me for a time that I And others by his life might learn to dye Whilest he enjoy'd the fulness of his breath His life was a preparative for death His whole delight and study was to pry Into the bosom of Divinity From whence he suck'd such wholesom streams that those Which heard him gave a plaudit to his close His dayly practice was how to fulfil And prosecute his great Redeemers will Heav'n was his Meditation and he gave A reverent respect unto his grave Faith Hope and Charity did sweetly rest Within the Counsel-chamber of his brest And in a word the graces did agree To make one happy Soul and this was he As for his moral duties they were such That should I strive I could not speak too much His civil carriage towards all men might claim A perfect right to a beloved name His actions were so just that they may tell He liv'd uprightly and he dy'd as well His love his sweet society might call Ten thousand tears t' attend his funeral And to conclude in him all men might find A real heart and a most noble mind But now he 's gone his winged Soul 's aspir'd To Heav'ns high Palace where he sits attir'd With glorious immortality and sings Melodious Anthems to the King of Kings There there his melting Soul ravish'd to see The Sun-bright throne of splendent Majestie Adores his wel-pleas'd maker who makes known He 's pleas'd to crown and keep him for his own Oh there he rests free from the rubs of Earth Hugging no shadow but a real mirth Oh there 's no grief no sorrow found to vex His peaceful Soul no trouble to perplex Or blast his new-bred joys there is no woe No care no pain no misery no foe That dare presume to interrupt him all Must stand aloof and not appear nor shall Incroaching bold-fac'd grief nor pale-fac'd spight Dare interpose t' eclipse one blaze of light Oh there methink I hear him sweetly sing Grave where 's thy power Oh Death where 's thy sting Methinks I hear his warbling tongue declare How good his works how great his wonders are Methinks I see a great united Band Of glitt'ring Angels how prepar'd they stand To welcom him Methinks I hear them say March on blest Soul thou need'st not doubt the way Oh glorious sight In what triumphing state They guard his Soul to Heav'ns refulgent gate Where when he comes disrob'd of all his sin The gates fly open and his Soul flies in Methinks my ravish'd ears are fill'd and blest With such harmonious raptures and possest With such varieties that even I Were sin absolved would resolve to dye Methinks I hear within Heav'ns Ecchoing Grove The quavering Angels chant as if they strove T' excel themselves Methinks that every breath Is a sweet Invitation unto death But oh what rare or what profound invention Beatifi'd with a strong apprehension Can sound the depth of those delights which he Shall swim and bathe in to Eternitie There rest dear Soul having thus conquer'd fate Thy pleasures never shall expire their date There there the Alpha of thy joys shall never Know an Omega but be blest for ever With Alpha and Omega who shall crown Thy throne-approaching Soul with true renown Whilest we confused mortals here below Gulp up the dregs of sorrow and bestow Curses in stead of prayers upon each other And dayly labour to confuse and smother Our serene happiness and turn those joys Which Heav'n allow'd us to neglected toys And thus our deviating Souls befool Themselves and practise in the common School Of Errors Thus erroneously we bend Our flexive minds to folly and commend Non-sence for wisdom Reason being dead Repose my Muse discretion calls to bed FINIS