deceived mine eyes and I have not observed that thou art more amiable then all thy creatures to which thou hast communicated but one drop of thy inestimable beautie For who hath adorned the Heavens with starres Who hath stored the air with sowl the waters with fish the earth with plants and flowers But what are all these but a small spark of Divine beauty S. CHRYS. Hom. 5. in Ep. ad Rom. In having nothing I have all things because I have Christ Having 〈◊〉 all things in him I seek no other reward for he is the universall reward EPIG. 6. Who would not throw his better thoughts about him And scorn this drosse within him that without him Cast up my soul thy clearer eye Behold If thou be fully melted there 's the mold VII 〈◊〉 120. 5. Wo is to me that I remain in Meshech and dwell in the tents of Kedar IS Natures course dissolv'd doth Times glasse stand Or hath some frolick heart set back the hand Of Fates perpetuall Clock will't never strike Is crazy Time grown lazy faint or sick With very Age or hath that great Pairroyall Of Adamantine sisters late made triall Of some new trade shall mortall hearts grow old In sorrow snail my weary arms infold And underprop my panting sides for ever Is there no charitable hand will sever My well-spun thred that my imprison'd soul May be deliver'd from this dull dark hole Of dungeon flesh O shall I shall I never Be ransom'd but remain a slave for ever It is the lot of man but once to die But ere that death how many deaths have I What humane madnesse makes the world affraid To entertein Heav'ns joy because convey'd By th' hand of death will nakednesse refuse Rich change of robes because the man 's not spruse That brought them or will povertie send back Full bags of gold because the bringer 's black Life is a bubble blown with whining breaths Fill'd with the torments of a thousand deaths Which being prickt by death while death deprives One life presents the soul a thousand lives O frantick mortall how hath earth bewitch'd Thy Bedlam soul which hath so fondly pitch'd Upon her false delights Delights that cease Before enjoyment finds a time to please Her fickle joyes breed doubtfull fears her fears Bring hopefull griefs her griefs weep fearfull tears Tears coyn deceitfull hopes hopes carefull doubt And surly passion justles passion out To day we pamper with a full repast Of lavish mirth at night we weep as fast To night we swim in wealth and lend to morrow We sink in want and find no friend to borrow In what a climate doth my soul reside Where pale-fac'd murder the first-born of pride Sets up her kingdome in the very smiles And plighted faiths of men-like Crocodiles A land where each embroyd'red sattin word Is lin'd with fraud where Mars his law lesse sword Exiles 〈◊〉 balance where that hand Now slayes his brother that new-sow'd his land O that my dayes of bondage would expire In this lewd soyl Lord how my soul 's on fire To be dissolv'd that I might once obtain These long'd for joyes long'd for so oft in vain If Moses-like I may not live possest Of this fair land Lord let me see 't at least S. AUGUST 〈◊〉 cap. 12. My life is a frail life a corruptible life a life which the more it increaseth the more it decreaseth The farther it goeth the nearer it cometh to death A deceitfull life and like a shadow full of the snares of death Now I rejoyce now I languish now I flourish now infirm now I live and straight I die now I seem happy alwayes miserable 〈◊〉 I laugh now I weep Thus all things are subject to mutabilitie that nothing continueth an 〈◊〉 in one state O joy above joy exceeding all joy without which there is no joy when shall I enter into thee that I may see my God that dwelleth in thee EPIG. 7. Art thou so weak O canst thou not digest An houre of travel for a night of rest Chear up my soul call home thy spirits and bear One bad good-friday full-mouth'd Easter's near VIII ROMANES 7. 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death BEhold thy darling which thy lustfull care Pampers for which thy restlesse thoughts prepare Such 〈◊〉 cates for whom thy bubbling brow So often sweats and bankrupt eyes do ow Such midnight scores to nature for whose sake Base earth is sainted the infernall lake Unfeard the Crown of glory poorely rated Thy God neglected and thy brother hated Behold thy darling whom thy soul affects So dearly whom thy fond indulgence decks And puppets up in soft in silken weeds Behold thy darling whom thy fondnesse feeds With farre-fetcht delicates the dear-bought gains Of ill-spent time the price of half thy pains Behold thy darling who when clad by thee Derides thy nakednesse and when most free Proclaims her lover slave and being fed Most full then strikes th' indulgent feeder dead What meanst thou thus my poore deluded soul To love so fondly Can the burning cole Of thy affection last without the fuel Of counter-love Is thy compeer so cruel And thou so kind to love unlov'd again Canst thou sow favours and thus reap disdain Remember O remember thou art born Of royall bloud remember thou art sworn A Maid of Honour in the Court of Heaven Remember what a costly price was given To ransome thee from slav'ry thou wert in And wilt thou now my soul turn slave again The Son and Heir to Heav'ns Triune JEHOVE Would fain become a 〈◊〉 for thy love And offers for thy dow'r his Fathers Throne To sit for Seraphims to gaze upon He 'll give thee Honour Pleasure Wealth and Things Transcending farre the Majesty of Kings And wilt thou prostrate to the odious charms Of this base scullion shall his hollow arms Hugg thy soft sides shall these course hands untie The sacred Zone of thy virginitie For shame degen'rous soul let thy desire Be quickned up with more heroick fire Be wisely proud let thy ambitious eye Reade nobler objects let thy thoughts desie Such am'rous basenesse let thy soul disdain Th' ignoble profers of so base a swain Or if thy vowes be past and Hymens bands Have ceremonied your unequall hands Annull at least avoid thy lawlesse act With insufficiencie or a precontract Or if the act be good yet maist thou plead A second freedome for the flesh is dead NAZIANZ Orat. 16. How I am joyned to this body I know not which when it is healthfull provoketh me to warre and being dammaged by warre affecteth me with grief which I both love as a fellow-servant and bate as an utter enemy It is a pleasant foe and a perfidious friend O strange conjunction and alienation what I fear I embrace and what I love I am affraid of before I make warre I am reconciled before I enjoy peace I am at variance EPIG. 8. What need that house be
towre Above the sent of these inferiour things How happy is the Lark that ev'ry howre Leaves earth and then for joy mounts up and sings Had my dull soul but wings as well as they How I would spring from earth and clip away As wise Astrea did and scorn this ball of clay 3 O how my soul would spurn this ball of clay And loath the dainties of earths painfull pleasure O how I 'de laugh to see men night and day Turmoyl to gain that trash they call their treasure O how I 'de smile to see what plots they lay To catch a blast or own a smile from Cesar Had I the pineons of a mounting Dove How I would sore and sing and hate the love Of transitory toyes and feed on joyes above 4 There should I find that everlasting pleasure Which change removes not which chance prevents not There should I find that everlasting treasure Which force deprives not fortune dis-augments not There should I sind that everlasting Cesar Whose hand recalls not and whose heart repents not Had I the pineons of a clipping Dove How I would climb the skies and hate the love Of transitory toyes and joy in things above 5 No rank-mouth'd slander there shall give offence Or blast our blooming names as here they do No liver-scalding lust shall there incense Our boyling veins There is no Cupids bow Lord give my soul the milk-white innocence Of Doves and I shall have their pineons too Had I the pineons of a sprightly Dove How I would quit this earth and sore above And Heav'ns blest kingdome find with Heav'ns blest King Jehove S. AUGUST in Psal. 128. What wings should I desire but the two precepts of love on which the Law and the Prophets depend O if I could obtain these wings I could fly from thy sace to thy face from the face of thy Justice to the face of thy Mercy Let us find those wings by love which we have lost by lust S. AUGUST in Psal. 76. Let us cast off whatsoever hindereth entangleth or burdeneth our flight untill we attain that which satisfieth beyond which nothing is beneath which all things are of which all things are EPIG. 13. Tell me my wishing soul didst ever trie How fast the wings of red-crost faith can slie Why begg'st thou then the pineons of a Dove Faiths wings are swifter but the swiftest love XIV PSALM 84. 1. How amiable are thy Tabernacles O God of Hosts ANcient of dayes to whom all times are Now Before whose Glory Seraphims do bow Their blushing cheeks and veil their blemisht faces That uncontain'd at once dost fill all places How glorious O how farre beyond the height Of puzzled quils or the obtuse conceit Of flesh and bloud or the too flat reports Of mortall tongues are thy expreslesse courts Whose glory to paint forth with greater Art Ravish my fancy and inspire my heart Excuse my bold attempt and pardon me For shewing sense what faith alone should see Ten thousand millions and tne thousand more Of angel-measur'd leagues from th' Eastern shore Of dungeon earth this glorious Palace stands â—…efore whose pearly gates ten thousand bands Of armed angels wait to entertain Those purged souls for whom the Lamb was slain Whose guilâ—…lesse death and voluntary yielding Of whose giv'n life gave this brave court her building The lukewarm bloud of this dear Lamb being spilt To rubies turn'd whereof her posts were built And what dropt down in cold and gelid gore Did turn rich Saphyres and impav'd her floore The brighter flames that from his ey-balls ray'd Grew Chrysolites whereof her walls were made The milder glances sparkled on the ground And groundsild every doore with Diamond But dying darted upwards and did fix A battlement of purest Sardonix Her streets with burnisht gold are paved round Starres lie like pebbles scattred on the ground Pearl mixt with Onyx and the Jasper stone Made gravell'd causwayes to be tâ—…ampled on There shines no Sun by day no Moon by night The Pallace glory is the Pallace light There is no time to measure motion by There Time is swallow'd with Eternitie Wry-mouth'd Disdain and corner-haunting Lust And twy-sac'd Fraud and beetle-brow'd Distrust Soul-boyling Rage and trouble-state Sedition And giddy Doubt and goggle-ey'd Suspition And lumpish Sorrow and degen'rous Fear Are banisht thence and Death 's a stranger there But simple Love and sempiternall Joyes Whose sweetnesse neither gluts nor fulnesse cloyes Where face to face our ravish't eye shall see Great Eâ—…OHIM that glorious One in Three And Three in One and seeing him shall blesse him And blessing love him and in love possesse him Here stay my soul and ravish in relation Thy words being spent spend now in contemplation S. GREG. in Psal. 7. poenitent Sweet Jesus the word of the Father the brightnesse of paternall glory whom Angels delight to view teach me to do thy will that led by thy good Spirit I may come to that blessed Citie where day is eternall where there is certain securitie and secure eternitie and eternall peace and peacefull happinesse and happy sweetnesse and sweet pleasure where thou O God with the Father and the holy Spirit livest and reignest world without end Ibid. There is light without darknesse joy without grief desire without punishment love without sadnesse 〈◊〉 without loathing safetie without fear health without disease and life without death EPIG. 14. My soul pry not too nearly the complexion Of Sols bright face is seen but by reslexion But wouldst thou know what 's heav'n I 'll tell thee what Think what thou canst not think and heav'n is that XV CANTICLES 8. 14. Make hast my Beloved and be like the Roe or the young Hart upon the mountains of Spices GO gentle tyrant go thy flames do pierce My soul to deep thy flames are too too fiâ—…rce My marrow melts my fainting spirits fry I' th' torrid Zone of thy Meridian eye Away away thy sweets are too perfuming Turn turn thy face thy fires are too consuming Hast hence and let thy winged steps out-go The frighted Ro-buck and his flying Ro. But wilt thou leave me then O thou that aâ—…t Life of my soul soul of my dying heart Without the sweet aspect of whose fair eyes My soul doth languish and her solace dies Art thou so easily woo'd so apt to heare The frantick language of my foolish fear Leave leave me not nor turn thy beauty from me Look look upon me though thine eyes o'rcome me O how they wound but how my wounds content me How sweetly these delightfull pains torment me How I am tortur'd in excessive measure Of pleasing cruelties too cruel pleasure Turn turn away remove thy scorching beams I languish with these bitter-sweet extremes Hast then and let thy winged steps out-go The flying Ro-buck and his frighted Ro. Turn back my dear O let my ravisht eye Once more behold thy face before thou fly What shall we part without a mutuall kisse O who can leave so sweet a face
EMBLEMES CAMBRIDGE Printed by RD for Francis Eglesfeild and are to be sold at the signe of the Marigold in St. Pauls Church-yard 16â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haec laus hic apex Sapientiae est ea viventem appetere quae morienti forent appetenda TO My much honoured and no lesse truly beloved Friend EDW. BENLOWES Esquire My dear Friend YOu have put the Theorboe into my hand and I have played You gave the Musician the first encouragement the Musick returneth to you for Patronage Had it been a light Ayre no doubt but it had taken the most and among them the worst But being a grave Strayn my hopes are that it will please the best and among them You. Toyish Ayres please triviall eares They kisse the fancy and betray it They cry Hail first and after Crucifie Let Dorrs delight to immerd themselves in dungwhilest Eagles scorn so poore a Game as Flies Sir you have Art and Candour Let the one judge let the other excuse Your most affectionate Friend FRA. QUARLES What heere wee see is but a graven face Onely the shaddow of yt brittle case Wherein were treasurd up those gems wch he Hath left behind him to Posterity To the Reader AN Embleme is but a silent Parable Let not the tender Eye check to see the allusion to our blessed Saviour figured in these Types In holy Scripture he is sometimes called a Sower sometimes a Fisher sometimes a Physician And why not presented so as well to the eye as to the eare Before the knowledge of letters God was known by Hieroglyphicks And indeed what are the Heavens the Earth â—…ay every Creature but Hieroglyphicks and Emblemes of His Glory I have no more to say I wish thee as much pleasure in the reading as I had in the writing Farewell Reader BY Fathers back'd by Holy Writ led on Thou shew'st a way to Heav'n by Helicon The Muses Font is consecrate by Thee And Poesie baptiz'd Divinitie Blest soul that here embark'st Thou sail'st apace 'T is hard to say mov'd more by Wit or Grace Each Muse so plyes her Oar but O the Sail Is fill'd from Heav'n with a Diviner Gale When Poets prove Divines why should not I Approve in Verse this Divine Poetry Let this suffice to licence thee the Presse I must no more nor could the Truth say lesse Sic approbavit RICH. LOVE Procan Cantabrigiensis Tot Flores QUARLES quot Paradisus habet Lectori bene-male-volo Qui legit ex Horto hoc Flores Qui carpit Utâ—rque Jure potest VIOLAS dicere jure ROSAS Non è Parnasso VIOLAM Paestive ROSETO Carpit Apollo magìs quae sit amoena ROSAM Quot Versus VIOLAS legis Quem verba loâ—â—â—â—um Credis verbà dedit Nam dedit Ille ROSAS Utque Ego non dicam haec VIOLAS suavissima Tâ—â—â— Ipse facis VIOLAS Livide si violas Nam velu◠è VIOLIS sibi sugit Araâ—ea virus Vertis ità in succos Hasque ROSASque tuos Quas violas Mùâ—as VIOLAS puto quasque recusaâ— Dente tuo rosas has reor esse ROSAS Sic rosas facis esse ROSAS dùm 〈◊〉 rodis Sic facis has VIOLAS Livide dum violas Brent Hall 1634. EDVV. BENLOVVES THE FIRST BOOK The Invocation ROwze thee my soul and drein thee from the dregs Of vulgar thoughts Skrue up the heightned pegs Of thy sublime Theorboe foure notes higher And higher yet that so the 〈◊〉 mouth'd Quire Of swift-wing'd Seraphims may come and joyn And make thy consort more than halfe divine Invoke no Muse Let heav'n be thy Apollo And let his sacred influences hallow Thy high-bred strains Let his full beams inspite Thy ravish'd brains with more heroick 〈◊〉 Snatch thee a Quill from the spread Eagles wing And like the morning Lark mount up and sing Cast off these dangling plummets that so clog Thy lab'ring heart which gropes in this dark fog Of dungeon-earth Let flesh and bloud 〈◊〉 To stop thy flight till this base world appear A thin blew Lanskip Let thy pineons sore So high a pitch that men may seem no more Than Pismires crawling on this Mole-hill earth Thy eare untroubled with their frantick mirth Let not the frailtie of thy flesh disturb Thy new-concluded peace Let Reason 〈◊〉 Thy hot-mouth'd Passion and let heav'ns fire season The fresh Conceits of thy corrected Reason Disdain to warm thee at Lusts smokie fires Scorn scorn to feed on thy old bloat desires Come come my soul hoyse up thy higher sails The wind blowes fair Shall we still creep like Snails That gild their wayes with their own native slimes No we must flie like Eâ—…gles and our Rhimes Must mount â—…o heav'n and reach th' Olympick eaâ—… Our heav'n-blown fire must seek no other Sphear Thou great Theanthropos that giv'st and ground'st Thy gifts in dust and from out dunghill crown'st Reflected Honour taking by retail What thou hast giv'n in grosse from lapsed frail And sinfull man that drink'st full draughts wherein Thy Childrens leprous fingers scurf'd with Sin Have padled cleanse O cleanse my crafty Soul From secret crimes and let my thoughts controul My thoughts O teach me stoutly to deny My self that I may be no longer I Enrich my fancie clarifie my thoughts Resine my drosse O wink at humane faults And through this slender conduit of my Quill Convey thy Current whose clear streams may fill The hearts of men with love their tongues with prayse Crown me with Glory Take who list the Bayes I. JAM 1. 14. Every man is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed Serpent Eve Serp. NOt eat Not tast Not touch Not cast an eye Upon the fruit of this faiâ—… Tree And why Why eat'st thou not what Heav'n ordain'd for food Or canst thou think that bad which heav'n call'd Good Why was it made if not to be enjoy'd Neglect of favours makes a favour void Blessings unus'd pervert into a Wast As well as Surfets Woman Do but tast See how the laden boughs make silent suit To be enjoy'd Look how their bending fruit Meet thee half-way Observe but how they crouch To kisse thy hand Coy woman Do but touch Maâ—…k what a pure Vermilion blush has dy'd Their swelling cheeks and how for shame they hide Their palsie heads to see themselves stand by Neglected Woman Do but cast an eye What bounteous heav'n ordain'd for use refuse not Come pull and eat Y' abuse the thing ye use not Eve Wisest of Beasts our great Creatour did Reserve this Tree and this alone forbid The rest are freely ours which doubtlesse are As pleasing to the tast toth' eye as fair But touching this his strict commands are such T is death to tast no lesse than death to touch Serp. Pish death 's a fable Did not heav'n inspire Your equall Elements with living Fire Blown from the spring of life Is not that breath Immortall Come ye are as free from death As He that made ye Can the flames expire Which he has kindled
Bees do bring Honey in their mouths but in their tails a sting IV. PSALM 62. 9. To be laid in the ballance it is altogether lighter then vanitie 1 PUt in another weight 'T is yet too light And yet Fond Cupid put another in And yet another Still there 's under weight Put in another hundred Put agin Adde world to world then heap a thousand more To that then to renew thy wasted store Take up more worlds on trust to draw thy balance lower 2 Put in the flesh with all her loads of pleasure Put in great Mammons endlesse inventory Put in the pond'rous acts of mighty Cesar Put in the greater weight of Swedens glory Adde Sâ—…pio's gauntlet put in Plato's gown Put Circes charms put in the triple crown Thy balance will not draw thy balance will not down 3 Lord what a world is this which day and night Men seek with so much toyl with so much trouble Which weigh'd in equall scales is found so light So poorly over-balanc'd with a bubble Good God! that frantick mortals should destroy Their higher hopes and place their idle joy Upon such airy trash upon so light a toy 4 Thou bold Impostour how hast thou befool'd The tribe of Man with counterfeit dâ—…sire How has the breath of thy false bellows cool'd Heav'ns free-born flames and kindled bastard fire How hast thou vented drosse in stead of treasure And cheated man with thy false weights and measure Proclaiming bad for good and gilding death with pleasure 5 The world 's a craftie Strumpet most affecting And closely following those that most reject her But seeming carelesse nicely disrespecting And coyly flying those that most affect her If thou be free she 's strange if strange she 's free Flee and she follows Follow and she 'll flee Then she there 's none more coy there 's none more fond then she 6 O what a Crocodilian world is this Compos'd of treacheries and ensnaring wiles She cloaths destruction in a foâ—…mall kisse And lodges death in her deceitsull smiles She hugs the soul she hates and there does prove The veriest tyrant where she vowes to love And is a Serpent most when most she seems a Dove 7 Thrice happy he whose nobler thoughts despise To make an object of so easie gains Thrice happy he who scorns so poore a prize Should be the crown of his heroick pains Thrice happy he that ne'r was born to trie Her frowns or smiles or being born did lie In his sad nurses arms an houre or two and die S. AUGUST lib. Confess O you that dote upon this world for what victory do ye sight Your hopes can be crowned with no greater reward then the world can give and what is the world but a brittle thing full of dangers wherein we travel from lesser to greater perils O let all her vain light and momentany glory perish with her self and let us be conversant with more eternall things Alas this world is miserable life is short and death is sure EPIG. 4. My soul what 's lighter then a feather wind Then wind The fire And what then fire The mind What 's lighter then the mind A thought Then thought This bubble-world What then this bubble Nought V. 1. COR. 7. 31. The fashion of this world passeth away GOne are those golden dayes wherein Pale conscience started not at ugly sinne When good old Satuâ—…nes peacefull Throne Was unusurped by his beardlesse Son When jealous Ops ne'r fear'd th' abuse Of her chast bed or breach of nuptiall Truce When just Astraea poys'd her Scales In mortall hearts whose absence earth bewails When froth-born Venus and her brat With all that spurious brood young Jove begat In horrid shapes were yet unknowne Those Halcyon dayes that golden age is gone There was no Client then to wait The leisure of his long-tayl'd Advocate The Talion Law was in request And Chaunc'ry courts were kept in ev'ry brest Abused Statutes had no Tenters And men could deal secure without indentures There was no peeping hole to clear The Wittals eye from his incarnate fear There were no lustfull Cinders then To broyl the Carbonado'd hearts of men The rosie cheek did then proclaim A shame of Guilt but not a guilt of shame There was no whining soul to start At Cuâ—…ids twang or curle his flaming 〈◊〉 The Boy had then but callow wings And fell Erynnis Scorpions had no stings The better-acted world did move Upon the fixed poles of Truth and Love Love essenc'd in the hearts of men Then Reason rul'd there was no Passion then Till Lust and Rage began to enter Love the Circumference was and love the Center Untill the wanton dayes of Iove The simple world was all compos'd of Love But Iove grew fleshly false unjust Inferiour beautie sill'd his veins with lust And Cucquean Iuno's fury hurld Fierce balls of rage into th' incestuous world Astraea fled and love return'd From earth earth boyl'd with lust with rage it burn'd And ever since the world has been Kept going with the scourge of Lust and Spleen S. AMBROS. Lust is a sharp spur to vice which alwayes putteth the affections into a false gallop HUGO Lust is an immoderate wantonnesse of the slesh a sweet poyson a cruel 〈◊〉 a pernicious potion which weakeneth the body of man and esseminateth the strength of an heroick mind S. AUGUST Envy is the hatred of anothers felicitie in respect of Superiours because they are not equall to them in respect of Inseriours lest be should be equall to them in respect of equalls because they are equall to them Through envy proceeded the fall of the world and the death of Christ EPIG. 5. What Cupid must the world be lasht so soon But made at morning and be whipt at noon 'T is like the wagge that playes with Venus Doves The more 't is lasht the more perverse it proves VI ECCLES. 2. 17. All is vanitie and vexation of spirit 1 HOw is the anxious soul of man befool'd In his desire That thinks an Hectick sever may be cool'd In stames of fire Or hopes to rake full heaps of burnisht gold From nasty mire A whining Lover may as well request A scornfull breast To melt in gentle tears as woo the world for rest 2 Let wit and all her studied plots effect The best they can Let smiling Fortune prosper and perfect What wit began Let earth advise with both and so project A happy man Let wit or fawning Fortune vie their best He may be blest With all that earth can give but earth can give no rest 3 Whose gold is double with a carefull hand His cares are double The pleasure honour wealth of sea and land Bring but a trouble The world it self and all the worlds command Is but a bubble The strong desites of mans insâ—…tiate breast May stand possest Of all that earth can give but earth can give no rest 4 The world 's a seeming Par'dise but her own And mans tormenter Appearing sixt yet but a rolling stone
buildeth a Babylon Let every one enquire of himself what he lovâ—…th and he shall resolve himself of whence he is a Citizen S. AUGUST lib. 3. Confess All things are dâ—…iven by their own weight and tend to their own center My weight is my love by that I am driven whithersoever I am driven Ibidem Lord he loveth thee the lesse that loveth any thing with thee which he loveth not for thee EPIG. 13. Lord scourge my Asse if she should make no hast And curb my Stag if he should flie too fast If he be overswifâ—… or shâ—… prove idle Let Love lend him a spur Fear her a bridle XIV PSALM 13. 3. Lighten mine eyes O Lord lest I sleep the sleep of death WIll't ne'r be morning Will that promis'd light Ne'r break and clear these clouds of night Sweet Phospher bring the day Whose conqu'ring ray May chase these sogs Sweet 〈◊〉 â—…ing the day How long how long shall these benighted eyes Languish in shades like feâ—…ble fliâ—…s Expecting Spring How long shall darknesse soyl The face of earth and thus beguile Our souls of sprightfull action when will day Begin to dawn whose new-born ray May gild the wether-cocks of our devotion And give our unsoul'd souls new motion Sweet Phospher bring the day Thy light will fray These horrid mists Sweet Phospher bring the day Let those have night that slily love t' immure Their cloyster'd crimes and sinne secure Let those have night that blush to let men knoâ—… The basenesse they ne'r blush to do Let those have night that love to take a nap And loll in Ignorances lap Let those whose eyes like Ouls abhorre the light Let those have night that loâ—…e the night Sweet Phospher bring the day How sad delay Afflicts dull hopes Sweet Phospher bring the day Alas my light invain-expecting eyes Can find no Objects but what rise From this poore morall blaze a dying spark Of Vulcans forge whose flames are dark And dangerous a dull blew burning light As melancholly as the night Here 's all the Sunnes that glister in the Sphere Of earth Ah me what comfort 's here Sweet Phospher bring the day Haste haste away Heav'ns loytring lamp Sweet Phospher bring the day Blow Ignorance O thou whose idle knee Rocks earth into a Lethargie And with thy sootie fingers hast bedight The worlds fair cheeks blow blow thy spite Since thou hast pufft our greater Tapour do Pusse on and out the lesser too If ere that breath-exiled flame return Thou hast not blown as it will burn Sweet Phospher bring the day Light will repay The wrongs of night Sweet Phospher bring the day S. AUGUST in Joh. ser. 19. God is all to thee If thou be hungry he is bread If thirsty he is water If in darknesse he is light If naked he is a robe of immortalitie AIANUS de conq nat. God is a light that is never darkned An unwearied life that cannot dâ—…e a fountain alwayes flowing a garden of life a seminary of wisdome a radicall beginning of all goodnesse EPIG. 11. My soul if Ignorance puffe out this light Shee 'll do a favour that intends a spight 'T seems dark abroad but take this light away Thy windowes will discover break a day XV REVELATION 12. 12. The Devil is come unto you having great wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short time 1 LOrd canst thou see and suffer is thy hand Still bound to th' peace Shall earths black Monarch take A full possession of thy wasted land O will thy slumb'ring vengeance never wake Till full-ag'd law-resisting Custome shake The pillours of thy right by false command Unlock thy clouds great Thund'rer and come down Behold whose Temples wear thy sacred Crown Redresse redresse our wrongs revenge revenge thy own 2 See how the bold Usurper mounts the seat Of royall Majesty How overstrawing Perils with pleasure pointing ev'ry threat With bugbear death by torments over-awing Thy frighted subjects or by favours drawing Their tempted hearts to his unjust retreat Lord canst thou be so mild and he so bold Or can thy flocks be thriving when the fold Is govern'd by a Fox Lord canst thou see and hold 3 That swist-wing'd Advocate that did commence Our welcome suits before the King of kings That sweet Embassadour that huâ—… ries hence What ayres th' harmonioâ—…s soul or sighs or sings See how she flutters with her idle wings Her wings are clipt and eyes put out by sense Sense conq'ring Faith is now grown blind and cold And basely cravâ—…nd that in times of old Did conquer Heav'n it self do what th' Almightie could 4 Behold how double Fraud does sâ—…ourge and tâ—…ar Astraeas wounded sides plough'd up and rent With knotted cords whose fury has no eare See how she stands a pris'ner to be sent A slave into eternall banishment I know not whither O I know not where Her Patent must be cancell'd in disgrace And swâ—…-lip Fraud with her divided face Must act Asâ—…s part must take Astraeas place 5 Faiths pineons clipt And fair Astraea gone Qâ—…ck-seeing Faith now blind And Justice see Has Justice now found wings and has Faith none What do we here who would not wish to be Dissolv'd from earth and with Astraea flee From this blind dungeon to that Sunne-bright Throâ—… Lord is thy Scepter lost or laid aside Is hell broke loose and all her Fiends untied Lord rise and rowze and rule and crush their furious pride PETR. RAV in Math. The Devil is the authour of evil the fountain of wickednesse the adversary of the truth the corrupter of the world mans perpetuall enemy he plâ—…teth snares diggeth ditches spurreth bodies he goadeth souls he suggesteth thoughts belcheth anger exposeth vertues to hatred maketh vices beloved soweth errours nourisheth 〈◊〉 disturbeth peace and scattereth asfections MACAR. Let us susser with those that susser and be crucified with those that are crucified that we may be glorisied with those that are glorisied SAVANAR If there be no enemy no sight is â—…o sight â—…o victorie is no victory no crown EPIG. 15. My soul sit thou a patient looker on Judge not the Play before the Play is done Her Plot has many changes Every day Speaks a new Scene the last act crowns the Play THE SECOND BOOK I. ISAIAH 50. 11. You that walk in the light of your own sire and in the sparks that ye have kindled ye shall lie down in sorrow 1 DO silly Cupid snuâ—…e and trimme Thy false thy feeble light And make her self-consuming flames more bright Me thinks she burns too dimme Is this that sprightly fire Whose more then sacred beams inspire The ravisht hearts of men and so inâ—…lame desire 2 See Boy how thy unthristie blaze Consumes how fast she wains She spends her self and her whose wealth maintains Her weak her idle rayes Cannot thy lustfull blast Which gave it luster make it last What heart can long be pleas'd where pleasure spends so fast 3 Go Wanton place thy pale-fac'd light Where never breaking day
〈◊〉 or afflicted Jobs She 'll change thy wants to seeming store And turn thy 〈◊〉 to purple robes She 'll make thy hide 〈◊〉 flanck appear As plump as theirs that feast it all the yeare 6 Look off let not thy Opticks 〈◊〉 Abus'd thou seest not what thou should'st Thy self 's the Object thou should'st see But 't is thy shadow thou behold'st And shadows thrive the more in stature The nearer we approch the light of nature 7 Where Heav'ns bright beams look more direct The shadow shrinks as they grow stronger But when they glaunce their fair aspect The 〈◊〉 fac'd shade growes larger longer And when their lamp begins to fall Th' increasing shadows lengthen most of all 8 The soul that seeks the noon of grace Shrinks in but swells if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As heav'n 〈◊〉 up or veils his face Our self esteems grow 〈◊〉 or great The least is greatest and who shall Appear the greatest are the least of all HUGO lib. de Anima In vain he lifteth up the eye of his heart to behold his God who is not first rightly advised to behold himself First thou must see the visible things of thy self before thou 〈◊〉 be prepared to know the invisible things of God 〈◊〉 if thou canst not apprehend the things within thee thou canst not comprehend the things above thee The best looking-glasse wherein to see thy God is perfectly to see thy self EPIG. 6. Be not deceiv'd great fool There is no losse In being small great bulks but swell with drosse Man is heav'ns Master-peece If it appear More great the value 's lesse if lesse more dear VII DEUTERONOMY 30. 19. I have set before thee life and death blessing and cursing therefore choose life that thou and thy seed may live 1 THe world 's a Floore whose swelling heaps retein The mingled wages of the Ploughmans toyl The world 's a heap whose yet unwinnowed grain Is lodg'd with chaff and buried in her soyl All things are mixt the usefull with the vain The good with bad the noble with the vile The world 's an Ark wherein things pure and grosse Present their lossefull gain and gainfull losse Where ev'ry dram of gold conteins a pound of drosse 2 This furnisht Ark presents the greedy view With all that earth can give or Heav'n can add Here lasting joyes here pleasures hourely new And hourely fading may be wisht and had All points of Honour counterfeit and true Salute thy soul and wealth both good and bad Here maist thou open wide the two-leav'd doore Of all thy wishes to receive that store Which being empty most does overflow the more 3 Come then my soul approch this royall Burse And see what wares our great Exchange reteins Come come here 's that shall make a firm divorce Betwixt thy wants and thee if want complains No need to sit in councel with thy purse Here 's nothing good shall cost more price then pains But O my soul take heed if thou rely Upon thy faithlesle Opticks thou wâ—…lt buy Too blind a bargain kâ—…ow fools onely trade by th' eye 4 The woâ—…ldly wisdome of the foolish man Is like a sieve that does alone retein The grosser substance of the worthlesse bran But thou my soul let thy brave thoughts disdain So course a purchase O be thou a fan To purge the chaff and keep the winnow'd grain Make clean thy thoughts and dresse thy mixt desires Thou art Heav'ns tasker and thy God requires The purest of thy sloore as well as of thy sires 5 Let grace conduct thee to the paths of peace And wisdome blesse thy souls unblemisht wayes No mattâ—…r then how short or long 's the lease Whose dâ—…te determins thy self-numbred dayes No need to carâ—… for wealths or fâ—…es increase Nor 〈◊〉 his Palm nor high Apollo's Bayes Lord if thy gracious bountie please to fill The 〈◊〉 of my desires and teach me skill To diâ—…e and â—…use the corn take those the chaff that will S. AUGUST lib. 1. de doct. Christi Temporall things more ravish in the expectation then in sâ—…uition but things eternall more in the sruition then expectation Ibideâ—… The life os man is the middle between Angels and beasts Is man takes pleasure in carnall things he is compared to beasts but is he delights in spirituall things he is suited with Angels EPIG. 7. Art thou a child Thou wilt not then be fed But like a child and with the childrens bread But thou art fed with chaff or corn undrest My soul thou savour'st too much of the beast VIII PHILIPPIANS 13. 19. They mind earthly things but our conversation is in Heaven Venus Div. Cupid Ven. WHat means this peâ—…vish brat Whish lullaby What aâ—…ls my babe what ails my babe to cry Will nothing still it will it neither be Pleas'd with the nurses breast nor mothers knee What ails my bird what moves my froward boy To make such whimp'ring faces Peace my joy Will nothing do Come come this pettish brat Thus cry and bawl and cannot tell for what Come busse and friends my lambe whish lullaby What ails my babe what ails my babe to cry Peace peace my dear alas thy early years Had never faults to merit half these teares Come smile upon me Let thy mother spie Thy fathers image in her babies eye Husband these guiltlesle drops against the rage Of harder fortunes and the gripes of age Thine eye 's not ripe â—…or teaâ—…s whish lullaby What ails my babe my sweetâ—… fac'd babe to cry Look look what 's here A dainty golden thing See how the dancing bells turn round and ring To please my bantling here 's a knack will breed A hundred kisses here 's a knack indeed So now my bird is white and looks as fair As Pelops shoulder or my milk-white pair Here 's right the fathers smile when Mars beguil'd Sick Venus of her heart just thus he smil'd Divine Cupid Well may they smile alike thy base-bâ—…ed boy And his base sire had both one cause a toy How well theiâ—… subjects and theiâ—… smilâ—…s agree Thy Cupid finds a toy and Mars found thee â—…alse Queen of beauty Queen of false delights Thy knee presents an â—…mbleme that invites Man to himself whose self-transported heart Ovâ—…rwhelm'd with native sorrows and the smaâ—…t Of purchas'd grieâ—…s lies whining night and day Not knowing why till heavy heâ—…ld delay The dull-brow'd Pander of despaâ—…r layes by His leaden buskins and presents his eye With antick triâ—…les which th' indulgent earth Makes proper objects of mans childish mirth These be the coyn that passe the sweets that please There 's nothing good there 's nothing great but these These be the pipes that base-born minds dance after And turn immod ' rate tears to lavish laughter Whilst Heav'nly rapâ—…res passe without regard Their strings are harsh and their high strains unheaâ—…d The plough-mâ—…ns whistle or the triviall â—…ure â—…ind more respâ—…ct then great Apollo's lute We 'll look to Heav'n and trust to higher joyes Let swine love husks and
neither want can pinch nor fulnesse cloy Nor double doubt afflicts â—…or baser fear Unflames your courage in pursuit draw near Shake hands with earth and let your soul respect Her joyes no further then her joyes reflect Upon her Makers glory if thou swim In wealth see him in all see all in him Sink'st thou in want and is thy small cruse spent See him in want enjoy him in conâ—…nt Conceiv'st him lodg'd in Crosse or lost in pain In Pray'r and Patience find him out again Make Heav'n thy Mistresse let no change remove Thy loyall heart be fond be sick of love What if he stop his eare or knit his brow At length he 'll be as fond as sick as thou Dart up thy soul in grones Thy secret grone Shall pierce his eare sâ—…all pierce his eare alone Dart up thy soul in vowes Thy sacred vow Shall find him out where Heav'n alone shall know Dart up thy soul in sighs Thy whisp'ring sigh Shall rouse his ears and fear no listner nigh Send up thy grones thy sighs thy closet vow There 's none there 's none shall know but Heav'n and thou Grones fresht with vowes and vowes made salt with tears Unscale his eyes and scale his conquer'd ears Shoot up the bosome shafâ—… of thy desire Feather'd with faith and double-forkt with fire And they wil hit Fear not where Heav'n bids come Heav'ns never deaf but when mans heart is dumb I. ISAIAH 29. 6. My soul hath desired thee in the night GOod God! what horrid darknesse doth surround My groping soul how are my senses bound In utter shades and mufâ—…ed from the light Lusk in the bosome of eternall night The bold-sac'd Lamp of heav'n can set and rise And with his morning glory fill the eyes Of gazing mortalls his victorious ray Can chase the shadows and restore the day Nights bashfull Empresse though she often wain As ost repents her darknesse primes again And with her circling horns doth re-embrace Her brothers wealth and orbs her silver face But ah my Sun deep swallow'd in his fall Is set and cannot shine nor rise at all My bankrupt wain can beg nor borrow light Alas my darknesse is perpetuall night Falls have their risings wainings have their primes And desp'rate sorrows wait their better times Ebs have their Floods and Autumnes have their Springs All States have changes hurried with the swings Of Chance and Time still tiding to and fro Terrestriall bodies and celestiall too How often have I vainly grop'd about With length'ned arms to find a passage out That I might catch those beams mine eye desires And bath my soul in those celestiall fires Like as the 〈◊〉 cloyster'd in her mue To scowr her downy robes and to renâ—… Her broken flags preparing t' overlook The tim'rous Mallard at the sliding brook Jeâ—… oft from perch to perch from stock to ground From ground to window thus surveying round Her dove-befeath'red Prison till at length Calling her noble birth to mind and strength Whereto her wing was born her ragged beak Nips off her dangling jesses strives to break Her gingling fetters and begins to bate At ev'ry glimpse and darts at ev'ry grate Ev'n so my weary soul that long has bin An Inmate in this Tâ—…nement of sin Lockt up by cloud-brow'd Errour which invites My cloystred thoughts to feed on black delights Now scorns her shadows and begins to dart Her wing'd desires at thee that onely art The Sun she seeks whose rising beams can fright These duskie clouds that make sâ—… dark a night Shine forth great Glory shine that I may see Both how to loath my self and honour Thee But if my weaknesse force thee to deny Thy flames yet lend the twilight of thine eye If I must want those Beams I wish yet grant That I at least may wish those Beams I want S. AUGUST Soliloqu cap. 33. There was a great and dark cloud of vanitie before mine eyes so that I could not see the Sun of Justice and the Light of Truth I being the sonne of darknesse was involved in darknesse I loved my darknesse because I knew not thy light I was blind and loved my blindnesse and did walk from darknesse to darknesse But Lord thou art my God who hast led me from darknesse and the shadow of death â—…ast called me into this glorious light and behold I see EPIG. I. My soul chear up what if the night be long Heav'n finds an eare when sinners find a tongue Thy tears are morning show'rs Heav'n bids me say When Peters cock begins to crow 't is day II. PSALM 69. 3. O Lord thou knowest my foolishnesse and my sinnes are not hid from thee SEest thou this fulsome Ideot In what measure He seems transported with the antick pleasure Of childish baubles canst thou but admire The empty fulnesse of his vain desire Canst thou conceive such poore delights as these Can fill th' insatiate soul of man or please The fond aspect of his deluded eye Reader such very fools are thou and I False puffs of honour the deceitfull streams Of wealth the idle vain and empty dreams Of pleasure are our traffick and ensnare Our souls the threefold subject of our care We toyl for trash we barter solid joyes For airy trâ—…s sell our Heav'n for toyes We snatch at barly grains whilst pearls stand by Despis'd such very fools art thou and I Aym'st thou at honour does not the Ideot shake it In his left hand fond man step forth and take it Or would'st thou wealth see how the fool presents thee With a full basket if such wealth contents thee Wouldst thou take pleasure if the fool unstride His prauncing Stallion thou mayst up and 〈◊〉 Fond man such is the pleasure wealth and honour The earth affords such fools as dote upon her Such is the game whereat â—…ths ideots sly Such ideots ah such fools are thou and I Had rebell-mans fool-hardinesse extended No further then himself and there had ended It had been just but thus enrag'd to sly Upon th' eternall eyes of Majesty And drag the Son of Glory from the breast Of his indulgent Father to aâ—… rest His great and sacred Person in disgrace To spit and spaul upon his Sun bright face To taunt him with base terms and being bound To scourge his soft his trembling sides to wound His head with thorns his heart with humane 〈◊〉 His hands with nails and his pale slank with spears And then to paddle in the pureâ—… stream Of his spilt blood is more then most extreme Great builder of mankind canst thou propound All this to thy bright eyes and not confound Thy handy-work O canst thou choose but see That mad'st the eye can ought behid from thee Thou seest our persons Lord and not our guilt Thou seest not what thou maist but what thou wilt The Hand that form'd us is enforc'd to be A Screen set up betwixt thy work and thee Look look upon that Hand and thou shalt spy An open wound a through-fare
for thine eye Or if that wound be clos'd that passage be Deny'd between thy gracious eyes and me Yet view the scarre that scarre will countermand Thy wrath O read my fortune in thy hand S. CHRYS. Hom. 4. Joan. Fools seem to abound in wealth when they want all things they seem to enjoy happinesse when indeed they are onely most miserable neither do they understand that they are delâ—…ded by their fancy till they be delivered from their folly S. GREG. in Mor. By so much the more are we inwardly foolish by how much we strive to seem outwardly wise EPIG. 2. Rebellious fool what has thy folly done Controul'd thy God and crucisi'd his Sonne How sweetly has the Lord of life deceiv'd thee Thou shedst his bloud and that shed blood has sav'd thee III. PSALM 6. 2. Have mercy Lord upon me for I am weak O Lord heal me for my bones are vexed Soul Jesus Soul AH Son of David help Jes. What sinfull 〈◊〉 Implores the Son of David Soul It is I Jes. Who art thou Soul Oh a deeply wounded breast That 's heavy laden and would fain have rest Jes. I have no scraps and dogs must not be fed Like houshold children with the childrens bread Soul True Lord yet tolerate a hungry whelp To lick their crummes O Sonne of David help Jes. Poore Soul what ail'st thou Soul O I burn I fry I cannot rest I know not where to fly To find some case I turn my blubber'd facé From man to man I â—…oul from place to place T' avoid my tortures to obtein relief But still am dogg'd and haunted with my grief My midnight torments call the sluggish light And when the morning 's come they woo the night Jes. Surcease thy tears and speak thy free desires Soul Quench quench my flames and swage these scorching fires Jes. Canst thou believe my hand can cure thy grief Soul Lord I believe Lord help my unbelief Jes. Hold forth thy arm and let my fingers try Thy pulse where chiefly doth thy torment lie Soul From head to foot it reignes in ev'ry part But playes the self-law'd tyrant in my heart Jes. Canst thou digâ—…st canst relish wholesome food Haw stands thy tast Soul To nothing that is good All sinfull â—…rash and earths unsav'ry stuff I can digest and relish well enough Jes. Is not thy bloud as cold â—…s hot by turns Soul Cold to what 's good to what is bad it burns Jes. How old 's thy grief Soul I took it at the fall With eating fruit Jes. 'T is Epidenâ—…call Thy bloud 's infected and th' infection spâ—…ng From a bad liver 'T is a feaver strong And full of death unlesse with present speed A vein be op'ned thou must die or bleed Soul O I am faint and spent that launce that shall Let forth my bloud le ts forth my life withall My soul wants cordials and has greater need Of bloud then being spent so far to bleâ—…d I faint already If I bleed I die Jes. 'T is either thou-must bleed sick soul or I My bloud 's a cordiall He that sucks my veins Shall â—…se his own and conquer greater pains Then these cheer up this precious bloud of mine Shall cure thy grief my heart shall bleed for thine Believe and view me with a faithfull eye Thy soul shall neither languish bleed â—…or die S. AUGUST lib. 10. Confess Lord be mercisull unto me Ah me Behold I hide not my wounds Thou art a Phâ—…sician and I am sick Thou aâ—…t mercifull and I am miserable S. GREG. in Pastoral. O Wisdome with how sweet an aâ—…t dâ—…th thy wine and oyl vestore health to my healthlesse soul How powersully mercisull how mercifully powerfull art thoâ—… Powerfull for me mercisull to me EPIG. 3. Canst thou be sick and such a Doctour by Thou canst not live unlesse thy Doctour die Strange kind of grief that finds no med'cine good To swage her pains but the Physicians bloud IV. PSALM 25. 18. Look upon my affliction and my pain and forgive all my sinnes BOth work and strokes both lash and labour too What more could Edom or proud Ashur do Stripes after stripes and blows succeding blows Lord has thy scourge no mercy and my woes No end my pains no ease no intermission Is this the state Is this the sad condition Of those that trust thee will thy goodâ—…esse please T' allow no other favours none but these Will not the thet'rick of my torments move Are these the symptomes these the signes of love Is 't not enough enough that I â—…ulfill The toylsome task of thy laborious mill May not this labour expiate and puâ—…ge My sinne without th' addition of thy scourge Look on my cloudy brow how fast it rains Sad showers of sweat the fruits of fruitlesse pains Behold these ridges see what purple furrows Thy plow has made O think upon those sorrows That once were thine wilâ—… wilt thou not be woo'd To mercy by the charms of sweat and blood Canst thou forget that drowsie mount wherein Thy dull Disciples slept was not my sinne There punish'd in thy soul did not this brow Then sweat in thine were not those drops enow Remember Golgotha where that spring-tide O'rflow'd thy sovereigne Sacramentall side There was no sinne there was no guilt in Thee That caus'd those pains thou sweat'st thou bledst for me Was there not bloud enough when one small drop Had pow'r to ransome thousand worlds and stop The mouth of Justice Lord I bled before In thy deep wounds can Justice challenge more Or dost thou vainly labour to hedge in Thy losses from my sides my bloud is thin And thy free bountie scorns such easie thrift No no thy bloud came not as lone but gift But must I ever grind And must I earn Nothing but stripes O wilt thou disaltern The rest thou gav'st Hast thou perus'd the curse Thou laid'st on Adams fall and made it worse Canst thou repent of mercy Heav'n thought good Lost man should feed in sweat not work in bloud Why dost thou wound th' already wounded breast Ah me my life is but a pain at bâ—…st I am but dying dust my dayes a span What pleasure tak'st thou in the bloud of man Spare spare thy scourge and be not so austere Send fewer stroaks or lend more strength to bear S. BERN. Hom. 81. in Cant. Miserable man who shall deliver me 〈◊〉 the reproch of this shamefull bondage I am a miserable man but a â—…ree man â—…ce because a man miserable because a servant In regard of my bondage miserable in regard of my will inexcusable For my will that was â—…ree beslaved it self to sinne by assenting to sinne for he that committeth sinne is the servant to sinne EPIG. 4. Taxe not thy God Thine own defaults did urge This twofold punishment the mill the scourge Thy sin 's the authour of thy self tormenting Thou grind'st for sinning scourg'd for not repenting V. JOB 10. 9. Remember I beseech thee that thou hast made me as the clay
invite thee A willing guest wherein can earth delight thee Her pleasures are but itch her wealth but 〈◊〉 A world of dangers and a world of snares The close pursuers busie hands do plant Snares in thy substance Snares attend thy want Snares in thy credit Snares in thy disgrace Snares in thy high estate Snares in thy base Snares tuck thy bed and Snares arround thy board Snares watch thy thoughts and Snares attach thy word Snares in thy quiet Snares in thy commotion Snares in thy 〈◊〉 Snares in thy devotion Snares lurk in thy resolves Snares in thy doubt Snares lie within thy heart and Snares without Snares are above thy head and Snares beneath Snares in thy sicknesse Snares are in thy death O if these Purliews be so full of danger Great God of Harts the worlds sole sov'reigne Ranger Preserve thy Deere and let my soul be blest In thy safe Forrest where I seék for rest Then let the hell-hounds rore I fear no ill Rouze me they may but have no pow'r to kill S. AMBROS. lib. 4. in cap. 4. Lucae The reward of honours the height of power the delicacie of diet and the beautie of a harlot are the snares of the devil S. AMBROS. de bono mortis Whilest thou seekest pleasures thou runnest into snares for the eye of the harlot is the snare of the Adulterer SAVANAR In eating he setteth before us gluttony Iâ— generation luxury In labour sluggishnesse In conversing envy In governing covetousnesse In correcting anger In honour pride In the heart he setteth evil thoughts In the mouth evil words In actions evil works when awake he moveth us to evil actions when asleep to filthy dreams EPIG. 9. Be sad my Heart deep dangers wait thy mirth Thy soul 's way-laid by Sea by Hell by Earth Hell has her hounds Earth snares the Sea a shelf But most of all my Heart beware thy self X. PSALM 143. 2. Enter not into judgement with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Jesus Justice Sinner Jes. BRing forth the prisner Justice Just Thy commands 〈◊〉 done just Judge See here the prisner stands Jes. What hath the prisner done Say what 's the cause Of his commitment Just He has broke the laws Of his too gracious God conspir'd the death Of that great Majesty that gave him breath And heapt transgression Lord upon transgression Jes. How know'st thou this Just Ev'n by his own confession His sinnes are crying and they cry'd aloud They cry'd to Heav'n they cry'd to Heav'n for bloud Jes. What say'st thou sinner hast thou ought to plead That sentence should not passe hold up thy head And shew thy brasen thy rebellious face Sin Ah me I dare not I 'm too vile and base To tread upon the earth much more to 〈◊〉 Mine eyes to Heav'n I need no other 〈◊〉 Then mine own conscience Lord I must confesse I am no more then dust and no whit lesse Then my 〈◊〉 styles me Ah if thou Search too severe with too severe a brow What flesh can stand I have transgrest thy laws My merits plead thy vengeance not my cause Just Lord shall I strike the blow Jes. Hold Justice stay Sinner speak on what hast thou more to say Sin Vile as I am and of my self abhorr'd I am thy handy-work thy creature Lord Stampt with thy glorious Image and at first Most like to thee though now a poore accurst Convicted catiff and degen'rous creature Here trembling at thy bar Just Thy fault 's the greater Lord sâ—…ll I strike the blow Jes. Hold Justice stay Speak sinner hast thou nothing more to say Sin Nothing but Mercy Mercy Lord my state Is miserably poore and desperate I quite renounce my self the world and flee From Lord to Jesus from thy self to thee Just Cease thy vain hopes my angry God has vow'd Abused mercy must have bloud for bloud Shall I yet strike the blow Jes. Stay Justice hold My bowels yearn my fainting bloud growes cold To view the trembling wretch me thinks I spy My fathers image in the prisners eye Just I cannot hold Jes. Then turn thy thirsty blade Into my sides let there the wound be made Chear up dear soul redeem thy life with mine My soul shall smart my heart shall bleed for thine Siâ—… O ground-lesse deeps O love beyond degree Th' offended dies to set th' offender free S. AUGUST Lord if I have done that for which thou maist damne me thou hast not lost that whereby thou maist save me Remember not sweet Jesus thy justice against the sinner but thy benignity towards thy creature Remember not to proceed against a guilty soul but remember thy mercy towards a miserable wretch Forget the insolence of the provoker and behold the misery of the invoker for what is Jesus but a Saviour ANSELM Have respect to what thy Sonne hath done for me and forget what my sinnes have done against thee My flesh hath provoked thee to vengeance let the flesh of Christ move thee to mercy It is much that my rebellions have deserved but it is more that my Redeemer hath marited EPIG. 10. Mercie of mercies He that was my drudge Is now my Advocate is now my Judge He suffers pleads and sentences alone Three I adore and yet adore but One XI PSALM 69. 15. Let not the water-flood overflow me neither let the deeps swallow me up THe world 's a Sea my flesh a Ship that 's mann'd With lab'ring Thoughts and steer'd by Reasons hand My Heart 's the Sea-mans Card whereby she sails My loose Affections are the greater Sails The Top-sail is my Fancie and the Gusts That sill these wanton sheets are worldly Lusts. Pray'r is the Cable at whose end appears The Anchor Hope nev'r slipt but in our fears My Will's th' unconstant Pilot that commands The stagg'ring Keel my Sinnes are like the Sands Repentance is the Bucket and mine Eye The Pump 〈◊〉 but in extremes and dry My Conscience is the Plummet that doth presse The deeps but seldome cries A sathom lesse Smooth Calm's security the Gulf despair My Fraught's Corruption and this Life 's my Fair My Soul 's the Passenger confus'dly driven From fear to fright her landing-Port is Heaven My Seas are stormy and my Ship doth leak My Saylers rude my Steersman saint and weak My Canvace torn it slaps from side to side My Cable 's crakt my Anchor's slightly ti'd My Pilot's craz'd my thipwrack-Sands are cloak'd My Bucket 's broken and my Pump is choak'd My Calm 's deceitfull and my Gulf too near My Wares are slubber'd and my Fare's too dear My Plummet 's light it cannot sink nor sound O shall my Rock-bethreatned Soul be drown'd Lord still the Seas and shield my Ship from harm Instruct my Sailours guid my Steersmans arm Touch thou my Compasse and renew my Sails Send stifter courage or send milder gales Make strong my Cable bind my Anchor faster Direct my â—…ilot and be thou his Master Object the Sands to my more serious
members warring against the Law of my mind and bringing me into captivitie to the Law of sinne 1 O How my will is hurried to and fro And how my unresolv'd resolves do vary I know not where to fix sometimes I go ' This way then that and then the quite contrary I like dislike lament for what I could not I do undo yet still do what I should not And at the self same instant will the thing I would not 2 Thus are my weather-beaten thoughts opprest With th' earth-bred winds of my prodigious will Thus am I hourely tost from East to West Upon the rowling streams of good and ill Thus am I driven upon these slipp'ry suds From reall ills to false apparent goods My life 's a troubled sea compos'd of Ebs and Flouds 3 The curious Penman having tâ—…imm'd his page With the dead language of his dabbled quill Le ts fall a heedlesse drop then in a rage Cashiers the fruits of his unlucky skill Ev'n so my pregnant soul in th' insant bud Of her best thoughts showâ—…s down a cole-black flood Of unadvised ills and cancels all her good 4 Sometimes a sudden flash of sacred heat Warms my chill soul and seâ—…s my thoughts in frame But soon â—…hat fire is shouldred from her seat By lustfull Cupids much inferiour flame I feel two flames and yet no flame entire Thus are the mungrill thoughts of mixt desire Consum'd between that heav'nly and this earthly fire 5 Sometimes my trash-disdaining thoughts out-passe The common period of terrene conceit O then me thinks I scorn the thing I was Whilst I stand ravisht at my new estate But when th' Icarian wings of my desire Feel but the warmth of their own native sire O then they melt and plunge within their wonted mire 6 I know the nature of my wav'ring mind I know the frailty of my fleshly will My Passion 's Eagle-ey'd my judgement blind I know what 's good but yet make choice of ill When th' Ostrich wings of my desires shall be So dull they cannot mount the least degree Yet grant my soul desire but of desiring thee S. BERN. Med. 9. My heart is a vain heart a vagabond and instable heart while it is led by its own judgement and wanting Divine counsel cannot subsist in it self and whilest it divers wayes seeketh rest findeth none but remaineth miserable through labour and void of peace It agreeth not with it self it dissenteth from it self it altereth resolutions changeth the judgement frameth new thoughts pulleth down the old and buildeth them up again It willeth and willeth not and never remaineth in the same state S. AUGUST de verb Apost. When it would it cannot because when it might it would not Therefore by an evil will man lost his good power EPIG. 1. My soul how are thy thoughts disturb'd confin'd Enlarg'd betwixt thy members and thy mind Fix here or there thy doubt-depending cause Can nev'r expect one verdict 'twixt two Laws II. PSALM 119. 5. O that my wayes were directed to keep thy Statutes 1 THus I the object of the worlds disdain With Pilgrime-pace surround the weary earth I onely relish what the world counts vain Her mirth 's my grief her sullen grief my mirth Her light my darknesse and her truth my errour Her freedom is my jail and her delight my terrour 2 Fond earth proportion not my seeming love To my long stay let not thy thoughts deceive thee Thou art my prison and my home 's above My life 's a preparation but to leave thee Like one that seeks a doore I walk about thee With thee I cannot live I cannot live without thee 3 The world 's a lab'rinth whose anfractuous wayes Are all compos'd of rubs and crook'd meanders No resting here He 's hurried back that stayes A thought and he that goes unguided wanders Her way is dark her path untrod unev'n So hard 's the way from earth so hard 's the way to Heav'n 4 This gvring lab'rinth is betrench'd about On either hand with streams of sulph'rous fire Streams closely sliding erring in and out But seeming pleasant to the fond descrier Where if his footsteps trust their own invention He falls without redresse and sinks beyond dimension 5 Where shall I seek a Guide where shall I meet Some lucky hand to lead my trembling paces What trusty Lantern will direct my feet To scape the danger of these dang'rous places What hopes have I to passe without a Guide Where one gets safely through a thousand fall beside 6 An unrequested Starre did gently slide Before the Wisemen to a greater Light Back-sliding Isr'el found a double Guide A Pillar and a Cloud by day by night Yet in my desp'rate dangers which be farre More great then theirs I have nor Pillar Cloud nor Starre 7 O that the pineons of a clipping Dove Would cut my passage through the empty Aire Mine eyes being seeld how would I mount above The reach of danger and forgotten care My backward eyes should nev'r commit that fault Whose lasting guilt should build a Monument of Salt 8 Great God that art the flowing Spring of Light Enrich mine eyes with thy refulgent Ray Thou art my Path direct my steps aright I have no other Light no other Way I 'll trust my God and him alone pursue His Law shall be my Path his Heav'nly Light my Clue S. AUGUST Soliloqu cap. 4. O Lord who art the Light the Way the Truth the Life in whom there is no darknesse errour vanitie nor death The Light without which there is darknesse The Way without which there is wandering The Truth without which there is errour The Life without which there is death Say Lord Let there be Light and I shall see Light and eschew darknesse I shall see the Way and avoid wandering I shall sâ—…e the Truth and shun errour I shall see Life and escape death Illuminate O illuminate my blind soul which â—…itteth in darknesse and the shâ—…dow of death and direct my feet in the way of peace EPIG. 2. Pilgrime trudge on What makes thy soul complain Crownes thy complaint The way to rest is pain The road to resolution lies by doubt The next way home 's the farthest way about III. PSALM 17. 5. Stay my steps in thy paths that my feet do not slide 1 WHen ere the old Exchange of profit rings Her silver Saints-bell of uncertain gains My merchant soul can stretch both legs and wings How I can run and take unwearied pains The charms of profit are so strong that I Who wanted legs to go find wings to fly 2 〈◊〉 time-beguiling Pleasure but advance Her lustfull trump and blow her bold alarms O how my sportfull â—…oul can frisk and dance And hug that Syren in her twined arms The sprightly voyce of sinew-strengthning pleasure Can lend my bedrid soul both legs and leasure 3 If blazing Honour chance to fill my veins With flatt'ring warmth and flash of Courtly fire My soul can take a pleasure in her pains My
Heaven and Earth Wo be unto those eyes which do not behold thee Wo be unto these blind eyes which cannot behold thee Wo be unto those which turn away their eyes that they will not behold thee Wo be unto those that turn away their eyes that they may behold vanity S. CHRYS. sup Matth. 19. What is an evil woman but the enemy of friendship an unavoidable pain a necessary mischief a naturall tentation a desiderable calamity a domestick danger a delectable inconvenience and the nature of evil painted over with the colour of good EPIG. 5. 'T is vain great God to close mine eyes from ill When I resolve to keep the old man still My rambling heart must cov'nant first with thee Or none can passe betwixt mine eyes and me VI ESTHER 7. 3. If I have found favour in thy sight and if it please the King let my life be given me at my petition THou art the great Assuerus whose command Doth stretch from Pole to Pole the world 's thy land Rebellious Vashti's the corrupted will Which being call'd refuses to fulfill Thy just command Esther whose tears condole The razed City 's the regen'rate Soul A captive maid whom thou wilt please to grace With nuptiall Honour in stout Vashti's place Her kinsman whose unbended knee did thwart Proud Hanans glory is the fleshly part The sober Eunuch that recall'd to mind The new-built gibbet Haman had divin'd For his own ruine fiftie cubits high Is lustfull-thought-controlling chastity Insulting Haman is that fleshly lust Whose red-hot fury for a season must Triumph in pride and study how to tread On Mordecay till royall Esther plead Great King my sent-for Vashti will not come O let the oyl o' th blessed Virgins womb Cleanse my poore Esther look O look upon her With gracious eyes and let thy Beams of honour So scoure her captive stains that she may prove A holy Object of thy Heav'nly love Annoint her with the Spiknard of thy graces Then try the sweetnesse of her chast embraces Make her the partner of thy nuptiall bed And set thy royall Crown upon her head If then ambitious Haman chance to spend His spleen on Mordecay that scorns to bend The wilfull stiffnesse of his stubborn knee Or basely crouch to any Lord but thee If weeping Esther should prefâ—…rre a grone Before the high tribunal of thy Throne Hold forth thy golden Sceptre and aâ—…ord The gentle audience of a graâ—…ious Lord And let thy royall Esther be possest Of half thy Kingdome at her dear request Curb lustfull Haman him that would disgrace Nay ravish thy fair Queen before thy face And as proud Haman was himself ensnar'd On that self gibbet that himself prepar'd So nail my lust both puniâ—…hment and guilt On that dear crosse that mine own lusts have builâ—… S. AUGUST in Ep. O Holy Spirit alwayes inspire me with holy works Constrain â—…e that I may do Counsel me that I may love thee Confirm â—…e that I may hold thee Conserve me that I may noâ—… lose thee S AUGUST sup Joan. The Spirit rusts where the flesh resteth For as the flesh is 〈◊〉 with sweet things the Spirit is refreshed with sowâ—…e Ibidem Wouldest thou that thy flesh obey thy spirit Then let thy spirit obey thy God Thou must be governed that thou maist govern EPIG. 6. Of Mercy and Justice is thy Kingdome built This plagues my sin and that removes my guilt When ere I sue Assuerus like decline Thy Scepâ—…re Lord say Half my Kingdome 's thine VII CANTICLES 7. II. Come my beloved let us go forth into the fields and let us remain in the villages 1 Christ Soul Câ—…r COme come my dear and let us both retire And whiff the dainties of the fragrant fields Where warbling Phil'mel and the shrill-mouth'd quire Chaunt forth their raptures where the Turtle builds Her lonely nest and where the new-born bryer Breaths forth the sweetnesse that her Aprill yields Come come my lovely fair and let us trie These rurall delicates where thou and I May melt in private â—…ames and fear no stander by 2 Soul My hearts eternall joy in lieu of whom The earth 's a blast and all the world a bubble Our Citie-mansion is the fairer home But Countrey-sweets are tang'd with lesser trouble Let 's try them both and chuse the better come A change in pleasure makes the pleasure double One thy commands depends my go or tarrie I 'll stirre with Martha or I 'll stay with Mary Our hearts are firmly fixt although our pleasures varie 3 Chr. Our Countrey mansion situate on high With various Objects still renews delight Her arched roof 's of unstain'd Ivory Her wall 's of fieâ—…y-sparkling Chrysolite Her pavement is of hardest Prophety Her spacious windows are all glaz'd with bright And fluming Carbuncles no need require Titans faint â—…ayes or Vulcans feebler fire And ev'ry Gate 's a Pearl and ev'ry Pearl entire 4 Soul Fool that I was how were my thoughts deceiv'd How falsly was my fond conceit possest I took it for an Hermitage but pav'd And daub'd with neighb'ring dirt and thacht at best Alas I nev'r expected more nor crav'd A Turtle hop'd but for a Turtles nest Come come my dear and let no idle stay Neglect th' advantage of the head-strong day How pleasure grates that feâ—…ls the curb of dull delay 5 Chr. Come then my Joy let our divided paces Conduct us to our fairest territory O there we 'll twine our souls in sweet embraces Soul And in thine aâ—…ms I 'll tell my passion story Chr. O there I 'll crown thy heaâ—… with all my graces Soul And all those graces shall râ—…flect thy glory Chr. O there I 'll feed thee with celestiall Manna I 'll be thy Hanna Soul And I thy Elkanah Chr. I 'll found my trump of joy So. And I 'll resound Hosanna S. BERN. O blessed Contemplation The death of vices and the life of virtues Thee the Law and Prophets admire who ever atteiâ—…ed perfection if not by thee O blessed Solitude the Magazine of celestiall treasure by thee things earthly and transitory are changed into Heavenly and Eternall S. BERN. in Ep. Happy is that house and blessed is that Congregation where Martha still complaineth of Mary EPIG. 7. Mechanick soul thou must not onely do With Martha but with Mary ponder too Happy 's that house where these fair sisters vary But most when Martha's reconcil'd to Mary VIII CANTICLES 1. 3. Draw me we will follow after thee by the savour of thy Ointments THus like a lump of the corrupted Masse I lie secure long lost before I was And like a block beneath whose burden lies That undiscover'd woâ—…m that never dies I have no will to rouze I have no power to rise Can stinking Lazarus compound or strive With deaths entangling fetters and revive Or can the water buried Axe implore A hand to raise it or it self restore And from her sandy deeps approch the dry-foot shore So hard 's the task for
sinfull flesh and bloud To lend the smallest step to what is good My God I cannot move the least degree Ah! If but onely those that active be None should thy glory see none should thy glory see But if the Potter please t' inform the clay Or some strong hand remove the block away Their lowly fortunes soon are mounted higher That proves a vessâ—…l which before was mire And this being hewn may serve for better use then sire And if that life-restoring voyce command Dead Laz'rus forth or that great Prophets hand Should charm the sullen waters and begin To becken or to dart a stick but in Dead Laz'rus must revive and th' Axe must sloat again Lord as I am I have no pow'r at all To heare thy voyce or echo to thy call The gloomy Clouds of mine own guilt benight me Thy glorious beams nor dainty sweets invite me They neithâ—…r can direct nor these at all delight me See how my sin-bemangled body lies Nor having pow'r to will nor will to rise Shine home upon thy Creature and inspire My livelesse will with thy regen'rate fiâ—…e The first degree to do is onely to desire Give me the pow'r to will the will to do O raise me up and I will strive to go Draw me O draw me with thy treble twist That have no pow'r but merely to resist O lend me strength to do and then command thy list My Soul 's a Clock whose wheels for want of use And winding up being subject to th' abuse Of eating â—…ust wants vigour to fulfill Her twelve houres task and shew her makers skill But idly sleeps unmov'd and standeth vainly still Great God it is thy work and therefore good If thou be pleas'd to cleanse it with thy blood And wind it up with thy soul-moving keyes Her busie wheels shall serve thee all her dayes Her hand shall point thy pow'r her hammer strike thy praise S. BERN. Serm. 21. in Cant. Let us run let us run but in the savour of thy Ointments not in the confidence of our merits nor in the greatnesse of our strength we trust to run but in the multitude of thy mercies for though we run and are willing it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy O let thy mercy return and we will run Thou like a Gâ—…ant runnest by thy own power we unlesse thy ointment breath upon us cannot run EPIG. 8. Look not my Watch being once repair'd to stand Expecting motion from thy Makers hand H' as wound thee up and cleans'd thy Cogs with blood If now thy wheels stand still thou art not good IX CANTICLES 8. 1. O that thou wert as my brother that sucked the breasts of my mother I would find thee without and I would kisse thee 1 COme come my blessed Infant and immure thee Within the Temple of my sacred arms Secure mine arms mine arms shall then secure thee From Herods fury or the high-Priests harms Or if thy danger'd life sustain a losse My folded arms shall turn thy dying crosse 2 But ah what savage Tyrant can behold The beauty of so sweet a face as this is And not himself be by himself controul'd And change his fury to a thousand kisses One smile of thine is worth more mines of treasure Then there be Myriads in the dayes of Cesar 3 O had the Tetrarch as he knew thy birth So known thy stock he had not sought to paddle In thy dear bloud but prostrate on the earth Had vaild his Crown before thy royall Cradle And laid the Sceptre of his Glory down And begg'd a Heav'nly for an Earthly Crown 4 Illustrious Babe how is thy handmaid grac'd With a rich armfull how dost thou decline Thy Majesty that wert so late embrac'd In thy great Fathers arms and now in mine How humbly gracious art thou to refresh Me with thy Spirit and assume my flesh 5 But must the treason of a traitours Hail Abuse the sweetnesse of these â—…uby lips Shall marble-hearted cruelty assâ—…il These Alabaster sides with knotted whips And must these smiling Roses entertain The blows of scorn and flurts of base disdain 6 Ah! must these dainty liâ—…tle sprigs that twine So fast about my neck be pieâ—…c'd and torn With ragged nails and must these brows resigne Their Crown of Glory for a crown of thorn Ah must this blessed Infant tast the pain Of deaths injurious pangs nay worse be slain 7 Sweet Baâ—…e At what dear rates do wretched I Commit a sinne Lord ev'ry sin 's a dart And ev'ry trâ—…spasse lets a javelin slie And ev'ry javelin wounds thy bleeding heart Pardon sweet Babe what I have done amisse And seal that granted pardon with a kisse BONAVENT Soliloqu Cap. 1. O sweet Jesu I knew not that thy kisses were so sweet nor thy society so sweet nor thy attraction so vertuous For when I love thee I am clean when I touch thee I am chast when I receive thee I am a virgin O most sweet Jesu thy embraces defile not but cleanse thy attraction polluteth not but sanctifieth O Jesu the Fountain of uniâ—…ersall sweetnesse pardon me that I believed so late that so much sweetnesse is in thy embraces EPIG. 9. My burden 's greatest Let not Aâ—…las boast Impartiall Reader judge which bears the most He bears but Heav'n my folded arms sustain Heav'ns maker whom Heav'ns Heav'n cannot contain X. CANTICLES 3. 1. In my bed by night I sought him that my soul loved I sought him but I found him not THe learned Cynick having lost the way To honest men did in the height of day By Taper-light divide his steps about The peopled streets to find this dainty out But fail'd The Cynick search'd not where he ought The thing he sought for was not where he sought The Wisemens task seem'd harder to be done The Wisemen did by Staire-light seek the Sonne And found the Wisemen search'd it where they ought The thing they hop'd to find was where they sought One seeks his wishes where he should but then Perchance he seeks not as he should nor when Another searches when he should but there He fails not seeking as he should nor where Whose soul desires the good it wants and would Obtain must seek Where As and When he should How often have my wild affections led My wasted soul to this my widdow'd bed To seek my Lover whom my soul desires I speak not Cupid of thy wanton fires Thy fires are all but dying sparks to mine My flames are full of Heav'n and all Divine How often have I sought this bed by night To find that greater by this lesser light How oft have my unwitnest grones lamented Thy dearest absence Ah how often vented The bitter tempests of despairing breath And tost my soul upon the waves of death How often has my melting heart made choice Of silent tears tears louder then a voyce To plead my grief and woo thy absent eare And yet thou wilt not come thou wilt
not heare O is thy wonted love become so cold Or do mine eyes not seek thee where they should Why do I seek thee if thou art not here Or find thee not if thou art ev'ry where I see my errour 'T is not strange I could not Find out my love I sought him where I should not Thou art not found in downy beds of ease Alas thy musick strikes on harder keyes Nor art thou found by that false feeble light Of Natures candle Our Aegyptian night Is more then common darknesse nor can we Expect a morning but what breaks from thee Well may my empty bed bewail thy losse When thou art lodg'd upon thy shamefull crosse If thou refuse to share a bed with me We 'll never part I 'll share a crosse with thee ANSELM in Protolog cap. 1. Lord if thou art not present where shall I seek thee absent If every where why do I not see thee present Thou dwellest it light inaccessible and where is that inaccessible light Or 〈◊〉 shall I have accesse to light inaccessible I beseech thee Lord teach me to seek thee and shew thy self to the seeker because I can neither seek thee unlesse thou teach me not find tâ—…e unlesse thou shew thy self to me Let me seek thee in deâ—… thee and desire thee in seeking thee Let me find thee it loving thee and love thee in finding thee EPIG. 10. Where shouldst thou seek for rest but in thy bed But now thy rest is gone thy rest is fled 'T is vain to seek him there My soul be wise Go ask thy sinnes they 'll tell thee where he lies XI CANTICLES 3. 2. I will rise and go about in the City and will seek him that my soul loveth I sought him but I found him not 1 O How my disappointed soul 's perplext How restlesse thoughts swarm in my troubled breast How vainly pleas'd with hopes then crossely vext With fears and how betwixt them both distrest What place is left unransack'd Oh where next Shall I go seek the Authour of my rest Of what blest Angel shall my lips enquire The undiscover'd way to that entire And everlasting solace of my hearts desire 2 Look how the stricken Hart that wounded flies Ov'r hills and dales and seeks the lower grounds For running streams the whilst his weeping eyes Peg silent mercy from the following Hounds At length embost he droops drops down and lies Beneath the burden of his bleeding wounds Ev'n so my gasping foul dissolv'd in tears Doth search for thee my God whose deafned ears Leave me th' unransom'd Prisner to my panick fears 3 Where have my busie eyes not pry'd O where Of whom hath not my thred-bare tongue demanded I search'd this glorious City he 's not here I sought the Countrey she stands empty handed I search'd the Court he is a stranger there I ask'd the land he 's shipp'd the sea he 's landed I climb'd the air my thoughts began t' aspire But ah the wings of my too bold desire Soaring too near the Sunne were sing'd with sacred fire 4 I mov'd the Merchants eare alas but he Knew neither what I said nor what to say I ask'd 〈◊〉 Lawyer he demands a fee And theâ—… demurrs me with a vain delay I ask'd the Schoolman his advice was free But scor'd me out too intricate a way I ask'd the Watch-man best of all the soure Whose gentle answer could resolve no more But that he lately left him at the Temple doore 5 Thus having sought and made my great inquest In evâ—…y place and search'd in ev'ry ear I threw me on my bed but ah my rest Was poyson'd with th' extremes of grief and fear Where looking down into my troubled breast The Magazine of wounds I found him there Let othâ—…rs hunt and shew their sportfull Art I wiâ—…h to catch the â—…are before she start As Potchers use to do Heav'ns form 's a troubled heart S. AMBROS. lib. 3. de Virg. Christ is not in the market not in the streets For Christ is Peace in the market are strife Christ is Justice in the 〈◊〉 is iniquitie Christ is a Labourer in the market 〈◊〉 Christ is Charity in the market is slander Christ is Charity in the market is fraud Let us not therefore seek 〈◊〉 where we cannot find Christ S. HIERON. Ep. 22. ad Eustoch. Jesus is jealous He will not have thy face seen Let foolish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abroad seek thou thy Love at home EPIG. 11. What lost thy love will neither bed nor board Receive him Not by tears to be implor'd It is the Ship that moves and not the Coast I fear I fear my soul 't is thou art lost XII CANTICLES 3. 3. Have you seen him whom my soul loveth When I had past a little from them then I sound him I took hold on him left him not 1 WHat secret corner what unwonted way Has scap'd the ransack of my rambling thought The Fox by night nor the dull Owl by day Have never search'd those places I have sought Whilst thy lamented absence taught my breast The ready road to grief without request My day had neither comfort nor my night had rest 2 How hath my unregarded language vented The sad tautologies of lavish passion How often have I languish'd unlamented How oft have I complain'd without compassion I ask't the Citie-watch but some deny'd me The common street whilst others would misguide me Some would debar me some divert me some deride me 3 Mark how the widow'd Turtle having lost The faithfull partner of her loyall heart Stretches â—…er feeble wings from coast to câ—…ast Haunts ev'ry path thinks ev'ry shade doth paâ—…t Her absent Love and her at length uâ—…sped She re-betakes her to her lonely bed And there bewails her everlasting widow-head 4 So when my soul had progrest ev'ry place That love and dear affection could contrive I threw me on my couch resolv'd t' embrace A death for him in whom I ceas'd to live But there injurious Hymen did present His lanskip joyes my pickled eyes did vent Full streams of briny tears tears never to be spent 5 Whilst thus my sorrow-wasting soul was seeding Upon the rad'cal humour of her thought Ev'n whilst mine eyes were blind and heart was bleeding He that was sought unfound was found unsought As if the Sun should dart his orbe of light Into the secrets of the black-brow'd night Ev'n so appear'd my Love my sole my souls delight 6 O how mine eyes now ravish'd at the sight Of my bright Sun shot flames of equall fire Ah! how my soul dissolv'd with ov'r-delight To re-enjoy the Crown of chast desire How sov'reigne joy depos'd and dispossest Rebellious grief And how my ravish'd breast But who can presle those heights that cannot be exprest 7 O how these arms these greedy arms did twine And strongly twist about his yielding wast The sâ—…ppy branches of the Thespian Vine Nev'r cling'd their lesse beloved Elm so fast Boast not thy flames blind boy nor feather'd shot
Let Hymens easie snarles be quite forgot Time cannâ—…t quench our â—…ites nor death dissolve our knot ORIG. Hom. 10. in divers O most holy Lord and sweetest Master how good art thou to those that are of upright heart and humble spirit O how blessed are they that seek thee with a simple heart How happy that trust in thee It is a most certain truth that thou lovest all that love thee and never forsakest those that trust in thee For behold thy Love simply sought thee and undoubtedly found thee She trusted in thee and is not forsaken of thee but hath obtained more by thee then she expected from thee BEDA in cap. 3. Cant. The longer I was in finding whom I sought the more earnestly I held him beâ—…ng found EPIG. 12. What found him out let strong embraces bind him He 'll fly perchance where tears can never find him New sinnes will lose what old repentance gains Wisedome not onely gets but got retains XIII PSALM 72. 28. It is good for me to draw near to God I have put my trust in the Lord God WHere is that Good which wisemen please to call The Chiefest Doth there any such befall Within mans reach Or is there such a Good at all If such there be it neither must expire Nor change then which there can be nothing higher Such Good must be the utter point of mans desire It is the Mark to which all hâ—…arts must tend Can be desired for no other end Then for it self on which all other goods depend What may this Excellence be doth it subsist A reall Essence clouded in the midst Of cuâ—…ious Art or clear to ev'ry eye that list Or is 't a tart Idea to procure An edge and keep the practick soul in ure Like that dear Chymick dust or puzzling Quadrature Where shall I seek this Good where shall I find This Cath'lick pleasure whose extremes may bind My thoughts and fill the gulf of my insatiate mind Lies it in Treasure In full heaps untold Doth gowty Mammous griping hand infold This secret Saint in sacred shrines of sov'reigne gold No no she lies not there wealth often sowrs In keeping makes us hers in seeming ours She slides from Heav'n indeed but not in Danat's showrs Lives she in honour no The royall Crown Builds up a creature and then batters down Kings raise thee with a smile and raze thee with a frown In pleasure no Pleasure begins in rage Acts the fools part on earths uncertain stage Begins the Play in youth and Epilogues in age These these are bastard-goods the best of these Torment the soul with pleasing it and please Like water gulp'd in fevers with deceitfull ease Earths flatt'ring dainties are but sweet distresses Mole-hils perform the mountains she professes Alas can earth confer more good then earth possesses Mounâ—… mount my soul and let thy thoughts cashier Earths vain delights and make their full carier At Heav'ns eternall joyes stop stop thy Courser there There shall thy soul possesse uncarefull treasure There shalt thou swim in never-sading pleasure And blaze in honour farre above the frowns of Caesar Lord if my hoâ—…e dare let her anchor fall On thee the chiefest Good no need to call For earths inferiour trash Thou thou art All in All S. AUGUST Soliloqu cap. 13. I follow this thing I pursue that but am filled with nothing But when I found thee who aâ—…t that immutable individed and onely good in my self what I obtained I wanted not for what I obtained not I grieved not with wâ—…at I was possest 〈◊〉 whole desire was 〈◊〉 S. BERN. Ser. 9. sup beati qui habent c. Let others pâ—…etend merit let him bâ—…ag of the burden of the day let him boast of his Sabbath fasts and let him glory that 〈◊〉 is not as other men but for me it is good to cleaâ—…e unto the Lord and to put my trust in my Lord God EPG 13. Let Boâ—…eas blasts and Nepâ—…unes waves be joyn'd Thy Eolus commands the waves the wind Fear not the rocks or worlds imperious waves Thou climbst a rock my soul a rock that saves XIV CANTICLES 2. 3. I sat under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my tast 1 LOok how the sheep whose rambling steps do stray From the safe blessing of her Shepherds eyes Estsoon becomes the unprotected prey To the wing'd squadron of beleagring slies Where swelired with the scorching beams of day She frisks from bush to brake and wildly flies From her own self ev'n of her self afraid She shrouds her troubled brows in ev'ry glade And craves the mercy of the soft removing shade 2 Ev'n so my wand'ring Soul that hath digrest From her great Shepherd is the hourely prey Of all my sinnes These vultures in my breast Gripe my Promethean heart both night and day I hunt from place to place but sind no rest I know not where to go nor where to stay The eye of vengeance burns her flames invade My swelt'ring soul My soul hath oft assaid But she can find no shrowd but she can feel no shade 3 I sought the shades of Mitth to wear away My slow-pac'd hours of soul-consuming grief I search'd the shades of sleep to ease my day Of griping sorrows with a nights reprief I sought the shades of death thought there t' allay My finall torments with a full relief But mirth nor sleep nor death can hide my houres In the false shades of their deceitfull bowrs The first distracts the next disturbs the last devours 4 Where shall I 〈◊〉 To whom shall I apply 〈◊〉 Are there no streams where a faint soul may wade Thy Godhead JESUS are the flames that fry me Hath thy All-glorious Deity never a shade Where I may sit and vengeance never eye me Where I might sit refresht or 〈◊〉 Is there no comfort Is there no resection Is there no cover that will give protection T' a fainting soul the subject of thy wraths 〈◊〉 5 Look up my soul advance the lowly stature Of thy sad thoughts advance thy humble eye See here 's a shadow found The humane nature Is made the Umbella to the Deity To catch the Sun-beams of thy just Creatour Beneath this covert thou maist safely lie 〈◊〉 thine eyes to climbe this fruitfull tree As quick Zacheus did and thou shalt see A cloud of dying flesh betwixt those beams and thee GUILL in cap. 2. Cant. Who can indure the 〈◊〉 rayes of the Sunne of Justice Who shall not be consumed by his beams Therefore the Sun of Justice took flesh that through the conjunction of that Sun and this humane body a shadow may be made S. AUGUST Med. cap. 37. Lord let my soul flee from the scorching thoughts of the world under the covert of thy wings that being resreshed by the moderation of thy shadow she may sing merrily In peace will I lay me down and rest 〈◊〉 14. Ah treach'rous soul would not thy pleasures give That Lord which made thee living leave to
dawb'd with slesh and bloud Hang'd round with silks and gold repair'd with food Cost idly spent That cost doth but prolong Thy thraldome Fool thou mak'st thy jail too strong IX PHILIPPIANS 1. 23. I am in a strait between two having a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ 1 WHat meant our carefull parents so to wear And lavish out their ill expended houres To purchase for us large possessions here Which though unpurchas'd are too truly ours What meant they ah what meant they to indure Such loads of needlesse labour to procure And make that thing our own which was our own too sure 2 What mean these liv'ries and possessive keyes What mean these bargains and these needlesse sales What need these jealous these suspitious wayes Of law-divis'd and law-dissolv'd entails No need to sweat for gold wherewith to buy Estates of high-priz'd land no need to tie Earth to their heirs were they but clogg'd with earth as I. 3 O were their souls but clogg'd with earth as I They would not purchase with so 〈◊〉 an itch They would not take of almes what now they buy Nor call him happy whom the world counts rich They would not take such pains project and prog To charge their shoulders with so great a log Who hath the greater lands hath but the greater clog 4 I cannot do an act which earth disdains not I cannot think a thought which earth corrupts not I cannot speak a word which earth profanes not I cannot make a vow earth interrupts not If I but offer up an early grone Or spread my wings to Heav'ns long-long'd for throne She darkens my complaints and drags my offering down 5 〈◊〉 like the hawk whose keepers wary hands Have made a prisner to her wethring stock Forgetting quite the pow'r of her fast bands Makes a rank bate from her forsaken block But her too faithfull 〈◊〉 doth soon restrain Her broken flight attempted oft in vain It gives her loyns a twitch and tugs her back again 6 So when my soul directs her better eye To Heav'ns bright Pallace where my treasure lies I spread my willing wings but cannot fly Earth hales me down I cannot cannot rise When I but strive to mount the least degree Earth gives a jerk and foils me on my knee Lord how my soul is rackt betwixt the world and thee 7 Great God I spread my feeble wings in vain In vain I offer my extended hands I cannot mount till thou unlink my chain I cannot come till thou release my bands Which if thou please to break and then supply My wings with spirit th' Eagle shall not sly A pitch that 's half so fair nor half so swift as I. BONAVENT cap. 1. Soliloq Ah sweet Jesus pierce the marrow of my seul with the 〈◊〉 shafts of thy love that it may truly burn and melt and languish with the onely desire of thee that it may desire to be dissolved and to be with thee Let it hunger alone for the bread of life let it thirst after thee the spring and fountain of eternall light the stream of true pleasure let it alwaies desire thee seek thee and find thee and sweetly rest in thee EPIG. 9. What will thy shackles neither loose nor break Are they too strong or is thy arm too weak Art will prevail where knotty strength denies My soul there 's Aquasortis in thine eyes X. PSALM 142. 7. Bring my soul out of prison that I may prayse thy name MY Soul is like a bird my slesh the cage Wherein she wears her weary pilgrimage Of houres as few as evil dayly fed With sacred wine and sacramentall bread The keyes that lock her in and let her out Are Birth and Death 'twixt both she hops about From perch to perch from sense to reason then From higher reason down to sense again From sense she climbs to faith where for a season She sits and sings then down again to reason From reason back to faith and straight from thence She rudely slutters to the perch of sense From sense to hope then hops from hope to doubt From doubt to dull despair there seeks about For desp'rate freedome and at ev'ry grate She wildly thrusts and begs th' untimely date Of unexpired thraldome to release Th' afflicted captive that can find no peace Thus am I coop'd within this fleshly cage I wear my youth and wast my weary age Spending that breath which was ordain'd to chaunt Heav'ns prayses forth in sighes and sad complaint Whilst happier birds can spread their nimble wing From shrubs to cedars and there chirp and sing In choice of raptures the harmonious story Of mans redemption and his Makers glory You glorious Martyrs you illustrious troops That once were cloyster'd in your fleshly coops As fast as I what rhet'rick had your tonguâ—…s What dextrous Art had your Elegiak songs What Paul-like pow'r had your admir'd devotion What shackle-breaking faith infus'd such motion To your strong prayers that could obtain the boon To be inlarg'd to be uncag'd so soon When I poore I can sing my dayly tears Grown old in bondage and can find no ears You great partakers of eternall glory That with your Heav'n-prevailing Oratory Releas'd your souls from your terrestriall cage Permit the passion of my holy rage To recommend my sorrows dearly known To you in dayes of old and once your own To your best thoughts but oh't doth not befit ye To move your pray'rs you love and joy not pittie Great Lord of souls to whom should prisners slie But thee Thou hadst thy cage as well as I And for my sake thy pleasure was to know The sorrows that it brought and felâ—…st them too O set me free and I will spend those daves Which now I wast in begging in thy prayse ANSELM in Protolog cap. 1. O miserable condition of mankind that has lost that for which he was created Alas what hath he lost And what hath he found He hath lost happinesse for which he was made and found misery for which he was not made What is gone and what is lest That thing is gone without which he is unhappy that thing is left by which he is miserable O wretched men From whence are we expelled To what are we impelled whence are we thrown And whither are we burried From our home into banishment from the sight of God into our own 〈◊〉 from the pleasure of immortalitie to the bitterâ—…esse of death Miserable change from how great a good to how great an evil Ah me what have I enterprised what haâ—…e I done whither did I go whither am I come EPIG. 10. Pauls midnight-voyce prevail'd his musicks thunder Unhing'd the prison doores split bolts in sunder And sitst thou here and hang'st the feble wing And whin'st to be enlarg'd soul learn to sing XI PSALM 42. 1. As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God 1 HOw shall my tongue expresse that hallow'd fire Which Heav'n hath
as this Look full upon me for my soul 〈◊〉 To turn a holy 〈◊〉 in those fires O leave me not nor turn thy beauty from me Look look upon me though thy flames ov'rcome me If thou becloud the Sun-shine of thine eye I freez to death and if it shine I frie Which like a fever that my soul hath got Makes me to burn too cold or freez too hot Alas I cannot bear so sweet a smart Nor canst thou be lesse glorious thâ—…n thou art Hast then and let thy winged steps out-go The frighted Ro-buck and his flying Ro. But go not farre beyond the reach of breath Too large a distance makes another death My youth is in her Spring Autumnall vowes Will make me riper for so sweet a Spouse When after-times have burnish'd my desire I 'll shoot thee flames for flames and fire for fire O leave me not nor turn thy beautie from me Look look upon me though thy flames ov'rcome me Autor scalae Paradisi Tom. 9. Aug. cap. 8. Fear not O Bride nor despair think not thy self contemâ—…ed if thy Bridegroom withdraw his face a while All things cooperate for the best both from his absence and his presence thou gainest light He cometh to thee and he goeth from thee he cometh to make thee consolate he goeth to make thee cautions lest thy abundant consolation puss thee up he cometh that thy languishing soul may be comforted he goeth lest his familiaritie should be contemned and being absent to be more desired and being desired to be more earnestly sought and being long sought to be more acceptably sound EPIG. 15. My soul sinnes monster whom with greater ease Ten thousand fold thy God could make then please What wouldst thou have nor pleas'd with sun nor shade Heav'n knowes not what to make of what he made THE FAREWELL REVâ—…LATION 2. 10. Be thou faithfull unto death and I will give thee the crown of life 1 BE faithfull Lord what 's that Believe 't is easie to believe but what That he whom thy hard heart hath wounded And whom thy scorn hath spit upon Hath paid thy sine and hath compounded For those foul deeds thy hands have done Believe that he whose gentle palms Thy needle-pointed sinnes have naild Hath born thy slavish load of alms And made supply where thou hast faild Did ever mis'ry find so strange relief It is a love too strong for mans belief 2 Believe that he whose side Thy crimes have pierc'd with their rebellions di'd To save thy guilty soul from dying Ten thousand horrid deaths from whence There was no scape there was no slying But through his dearest blouds expence Believe this dying friend requires No other thanks for all his pain But ev'n the truth of weak desires And for his love but love again Did ever mis'ry find so true a friend It is a love too vast to comprehend 3 With flouds of tears baptize And drench these dry these unregen rate eyes Lord whet my dull my blunt belief And break this fleshly rock in sunder That from this heart this hell of grief May spring a Heav'n of love and wonder O if thy mercies will remove And melt this lead from my belief My grief will then resine my love My love will then refresh my grief Then weep mine eyes as he hath bled vouchsafe To drop for every drop an Epitaph 4 But is the crown of Glory The wages of a lamentable story Or can so great a purchase rise From a salt humour can mine eye Run fast enought ' obtain this prize If so Lord who 's so mad to die Thy tears are trifles thou must do Alas I cannot then endeavour I will but will a tug or two Suffice the turn thou must persever I 'll strive till death and shall my feeble strife Be crown'd I 'll crown it with a crown of life 5 But is there such a dearth That thou must buy what is thy due by birth He whom thy hands did form of dust And gave him breath upon condition To love his great Creatour must He now be thine by composition Art thou a gracious God and mild Or head-strong man rebellious rather O man 's a base rebellious child And thou a very gracious Father The gift is thine we strive thou crown'st our strife Thou giv'st us Faith and Faith a crown of life FINIS