Bodies all the night May rest till Trumpets sound awake to glorious Light To Poore thou shew'st thy honey hid'st thy sting The Rich thy Sting but noâ— thy honey see Like Iailour thou doest good and bad newes bring To Soules that in the flesh imprison'd be One must dye euer th' other shall be free Thou that dost Death to thine by dying make The Messenger of such great ioy and glee Direct my Muse in what I vndertake That I may Death discerne ere Death we ouertake What 's Death but a diuorce or separation Of Man and Wife that neuer could agree From Bed and Booâ—d and from Cohabitation The guilty Flesh payes Costs the Soule is free Yet Both ere long shall one another see Freed from foule Sinne the cause of all their strife And shall in Wedlocks Bands reioined be To loue and liue for aye like Man and Wife A holy happy quiet and eternall Life But this I of the first Death vnderstand Lord of the second neuer let me taste This is the way into the holy Land That doth into continuall darknesse cast No mortall Sense did euer see or tast The seconds anguish terrour horrour paine The first is short the second aye doth last Age Sicknesse men to dye the first constraine The Diuels in the second soules and bodies chaine This setteth willing soules from bodies free That soules in bodies holds against their will By this from Bodies weight we quited be That with such weight of sinne the soule doth fill As to the Pit infernall presse it will This takes good men away before their time Lest they be ouer-whelm'd with too much ill That seizeth on the wicked for their crime That leadeth downe to Hell by this to heau'n we clime The first hath onely power in the graue Second in Hell One vs depriues of sense By th' other sense of endlesse Paine we haue Both haue one name yet see their difference Sinne mother is of both In innocence Had Adam stood Death neuer had been knowne But second Adam hath remou'd long sence The sting of this first Death eu'n by his owne Thus from a Plague Death is to Saints a fauour growne Christ meeteth her as Esau on the way And giues a charge vnto her rougher hands No euill against Iacob to assay Thus turnes he to embracements all her Bands Death made by Sinne our mortall foe now stands Our first fast friend to bring vs vnto blesse And though awhile our carkases she brands With vile corruption aâ—d Râ—ttennesse Our soules the whilst abâ—de in ioy and happinesse All first Death gets is Rottennesse and Dust A Body onely in corruption sowne To kill seeds of Concupiscence and Lust That it more glorious after may be knowne Our earthly part thus turneth to her owne But shall againe a heau'nly body rise And as at first be with the Spirit one Which long hath liu'd in ioyous Paradise Waiting till Christ her mortall should immortalize Alas why should wee then be so afraid Heere to endure a little griefe or paine Be it on Racke or Bed so I be laid Safe in my Graue my soule thereby shall gaine Lord grant me Faith and Patience to maintaine Hels last encounter when my Soule is shaken The holy Martyrs did not so complaine Of Paine when Soule was from the body taken As when their Conscience by tentation was awaken This Death though painefull quicke dispatch doth make The second hath eternitie and paine They rightly at Death's horrour quake and shake Where griefes within more than without remaine Whose consciencâ— them more terribly doe straine Than any outward torment they endure Who sees heau'ns most incomparable gaine And can thereof by Faith himselfe secure Is certaine Death can nought but good to him procure For body fraile one like his glorious head For pleasures profits hopes and honours vaine Whereby than eas'd we are more troubled Eternall rest and freedome from all paine Wer 't thou my Soule but sentenc'd to remaine In this fraile body yet a thousand yeeres Oh! how wouldst thou of wearinesse complaine And maladies thy Flesh about her beares And seeke Death as a blessing eu'n with many teares Yea should this life last without tediousnesse Oh! Doe but thinke that as thou more do'st sinne Thou addest more vnto thy wretchednesse For Death at first by Sinne did enter in Who would not leaue these loathsome ragges to winne That glorious shining roabe of Righteousnesse Thou shalt not lose thy Body but thy Sinne Thou it againe shalt meete in happinesse Corruption shall indeede be changed not thy Flesh. As Golden Ore in Finers fier cast Is not consum'd but cleans'd from drosse and tride So substance of the body doth not waste Onely by Death is purg'd and purifide Should Soules heere in their Tabernacles ' bide With all infirmities till Day of Doome How weary would they be of rest denide And wish their Bodies sleeping in their Tombe Vntill the ioyfull Day of Resurrection come So long as heere our Bodies doe remaine They haue like Wooll one tiâ—cture naturall But Death them dyeth all in purple graine To make them Robes for Sprites Celestiall For we in heau'n like Kings and Princes all Shall reigne in new Hierusalem for ay The Graue vs like each side of Red Sea wall From cruell Egypts bondage on our way Doth to the Land of heauenly Canaan conuay As he who for ill-doing lyeth bound Trembles quakes when loosed from his bands He must before the Iudgement Seal be found To giue account for workes done by his hands But he most stout and resolutely stands Whose Conscience him of euill doth acquite So men reioyce or feare when Death commands Them to appeare before the Iudge vpright There to receiue iust doome for things done wrong or right As water-drops which fall in Fountaine pure Die not but are preseru'd incontinent So Bodies perish not but ay indure Onely resolu'd to their first Element Our spirits fly to heau'n whence they were lent As drops of raine which from the heau'ns descend Are all into the wombe of Tethys sent So Saints dead Bodies to Earths bowels tend Whence drawn vp by Sonnes heate to heau'n they re-ascend What is our Life a wind a course to death They that on Earth the longest course can gaine Runne in the end themselues quite out of breath And no more but their courses end obtaine To which they that liue fewer yeeres attaine God here to men doth life like money lend Which at our Day we must pay backe againe As without oyle the Lampe no light doth send So when our humid's spent our Life is at an end As Pilgrim with long trauell wearied Layes downe his Flesh to sleepe in darkest night But Visions houering about his head Do shew vnto his Soule most heau'nly Light And doth with Dreames his spirits so delight He wisheth oft the night would euer last So fares it with the new-deceased wight When in the graue his Body sleepeth fast And Angels haue his Soule in
surging seas as on the shore All needfull things she by her hand supplies Labour most actiue is Care politique and wise Like Abâ—shai and Ioab when they fought With Ammon and the Syrians on the plaine Both constant noble resolute and stout Both striuing that they may the day obtaine If that the Syrians ground on Moab gaine Then Abishai must helpe if th' Ammonite Preuaile against Abâ—shai Ioab againe Must succour him with all his force and might Care Labour thus from losse each mutually acquite Lâ—bour betweene the Graces and the Mind Is as the light 'twixt colours and the fight As without light the Eye is alwaies blind So without Labour dwels the mind in night And as the Lord ordained hath the Light To be the meane here colours to discerne So Labour he appoints the medium right Whereby the mind may Grace and Vertue learne And ioyne them fast together by a force interâ—e And as all lâ—fe and actiue strength proceed From feeding so from Labour all our good And as Men to prolong their life do feed So good-men haue for good to Labour stood As necessary to our life is food So vnto honesty is exercise And as none will expect fruit from the wood Except he blossoms first thereon espies So there 's no hope of Age that paines in Youth despise As is a womans fruit without a man So fairest hopes are without Labour vaine Many haue hotly at the first began But Courage want to th' end it to maintaine Like some rash Summers storme or dash of raine That corne beats downe with sudden inundation But soakes not halfe so deepe in flowrie plaine As showres that fall with sober moderation Things violent incline to sudden alteration And as we nothing to our healths do find More dangerous than Ayers alteration So nought more hurts the Body and the Mind Than change to sluggâ—shnesse from recreation Delight or Labour without moderation Destroy mens bodies and their wits â—onfound Like Nightingales that take such delectation Sweet notes aboue their fellowes to propound Their spirits faile and they are dead with singing found Many will labour but they soare too hie Or else most basely sâ—nke downe to the deepe They either will into Gods secrets pry Or downe into Earths baser bowels creepe A few or none true moderation keepe They either diue for profits base and vaine Or clime vp to Gods secret Mountaine steepe In both their steps no longer do remaine Then way of Bird in th' ayre or ships vpon the Maine You that the Muses Secretaries are And pen the counsels of the King of Kings I know your Labour Industry and Care To vnderstand and publish holy things Which vnto you such Ioy and Pleasure brings As we that feele it onely vnderstand Yet mount you high Sol fries your waxen Wings If low them Neptâ—ne wets with wauing hand The golden Meane 'twixt two Extremes doth alwayes stand Fraile mortall man if thou with fleshly Eye Behold'st the Sunne thy sight is dazeled Much more with brightnesse of Diuinity Is thy Minds weaker Eye astonished Glory shall him amaze that will aread The Splendour of eternall Maiestie Mans Mind here with corruption limited Hath no such ample large capacitie No mortall seeth me saith God but he must die Some Meates the appetite do more prouoke To eating we of them must take most heed Such are the Labours which are vndertooke For too high Knowledge or wâ—rlds baser meed For these prouoke our appetites indeed Vnto Extrâ—mes from that faire golden Meane Which do our Callings here so farre exceed To which corrupted minds so much do leane They alwaies fall into a curious Exâ—â—eme Base wretched Cares whose Labour is in sinne Which bring vs terrours in true pleasures steed Vncessantly here taking paines to win Base Mammon and this worlds vnrighteous meed Or an ambitiouâ— humour base to feed Or their meane House to highest pitch to rayse Or for Reuenge or lustfull wicked Deed Or to gaine popular applause or prayse And be a precedent vnto succeeding dayes As greater Fowles though they be strong of wing With bodies burthen are so weighed downe They cannot mount like nimble Larke in Spring So minds of men to these worlds Cares fast sowne Soone like this world are grosse and heauy growne And though they might by noble Industry Be raisd againe to vnderstand their owne Yet stupid senslesse on the dunghill lie Drunke with foule Ease and this worlds base Commodity These louers of the world though they wax strong In things terâ—ene in heau'nly weaker grow For worldly honour they will sweat and throng Buâ— to win Crownes in heau'n are dull and slow For worldly Gaine they ought will vndergo From heau'nly least reproach or shame will bend For Princes fauours they whole dayes will woo But not one howre to God in Prayer spend Thus present Shewes not future Glory all intend What Labour hard what time can we thinke long Which doth to vs eternall glory gaine To haue our wils no labour seemes too strong For Vertue wee 'l not least delight refraine Thinke but what holy Labour may obtaine A certaine hope and sweet remuneration Of which the Saints forsaking Pleasures vaine Haue by their liues giu'n plenteous commendatioÌ„ Here labouring all whilst they liu'd in their Vocation Here Plenty makes me sparing read the acts Of all the holy Fathers till the Flood From thence to Egypts Bondage next the facts Of Moses Iosuah Kings and Iudges good Haue they not all for Labour stoutly stood This shunning Labour by a Hermits Cell A late deuice is of Romes lazie brood To mumble Prayers and their Beades to tell But take no Care for neighbour Church or Commonweale Is this Pauls Watching Paine and Wearinesse Thirst Hunger Scourgings Nakednes and Cold Perils by land by water sore Distresse Besides his outward labours manifold His inward Cares the Church in Peace to hold A liuing man lye buried in a tombe Lest worldly 〈◊〉 and labours him withhold From contemplation of that heau'nly roome Where neuer such a slouthfull idle wretch shall come Braue actiue spirits though in Contemplation I spend much time yet I your liues do hold To be more worthy praise and admiration You bring to vs all good and ill withhold You whose great cares and labours do vphold Like Atlas shoulders ciuill Gouernment Your Splendors we your cares cannot behold Who know the Care and Weight of Regiment Would neuer enuy them their glory and content O Muses Darlings do not then abuse Your heau'nly Numbers which the Muses lend To honour of Authority to vse Their names with blots and infamy to blend Your Muse not able is to apprehend Their deepe Foresight that States and Kingdomes sway With care and labour they at Helme attend That sleepe and sing in ship you safely may No gentle Dogge will at his Keeper barke and bay Great Keeper of this famous Brittish Ile How dost thou care and labour for our ease Besides Kings ordinary Paynes and Toyle In Gouernement
the Temple God did raise A Mirrour here of all his Workes to stand His wisedome to commend and goodnesse praise He that appoints the great worlds nights daies From her Creation to last Reuolâ—tion Determins all thy small worlds workes and wayes Who wilfully then hasts his dissolution Seekes to gain-say his Makers constant resolution The longer life I know the greater sinne The greater sinne the greater punishment Yet if thou Souldier-like art entred in Thou must go on with stoutest hardiment And not depart without commandement Oh lie not downe and thee to rest betake Ensuing ills of liuâ—ng to preuent Though life hath nought that can her loued make Yet giues it no iust Cause that thou should'st it foâ—sake And yet O sinfull man do not desire To draw thy dayes forth to the last degree Vntill the measure of thy sinfull hire Be heaped vp with all impiety Against the day of Wrath and Ielousie Whilst thou this sinfull Body bearst about Laden with Sinnes and foule Iniquity Their numbers more and more increase no doubt Most happy he whom Death the soonest helpeth out Despaire not yet fraile silly fleshly wight Nor let Distrust amate thy manfull heart Nor Satans malicing dismay thy sprite Thou in thy Sauiours meriâ—s hast a part Oh why shouldst thou despaire that certain art Of Christ thy Sauiour Lo in him is grace From thee for euer to remoue Hels smart And that accurst hand-writing to deface No sinnes can be so great but Mercy may haue place How then should any wretched wight be wonne To spoile the Castle of his life and state Is 't not Gods doing whatsoeuer's done In heau'n and earth Did he not all create To liue and die by his eternall Fate Who dares then striue with strong Necessity That constant holds the world in changing state All ought be willing here to liue or die Life Death ordained are by heau'nly Destiny Then witnesse Death that willing I lay downe My Body sure to put it on againe My fleshly Baggage for a heau'nly Crowne My earthly Bondage in the heau'ns to raigne I leaue this Tent of brittle clay to gaine In heau'n a mansion holy spirituall Lo my corruption here I downe haue laine For incorruption pure Angelicall And for a heau'nly Parlour chang'd my earthly Hall Lord this I craue Direct me in the way So shall I certainly attaine my end If well my Part on mortall Stage I play Saints Angels my beholders shall commend My Action God and Christ shall be my friend And when my flesh to Natures Tyring-â—oome From whence it came shall quietly descend It there shall rest vntill the Day of doome And then in heauâ—nly Quire a Singing-man become Sweet Death then friendly let me thee embrace He truly liues that liuing learnes to die Now smiling like a friend I see thy face Not terrible like to an enemy But I with Prayer end my melody Lord grant when Death my passâ—ng-bell doth ring My Soule may heare the heau'nly Harmony Of Saiâ—ts and Angels which most ioyfull sing Sweet Halleluâ—ahs to their Sauiour God and 〈◊〉 FINIS TO thee poore Bird in Cage imprisoned How like am I by Agâ—e visited I cannot vse my horse nor thou thy wing And therefore both sit still within and sing My Muse hath with my Body Sympathie If well I learne to liue if sickâ— to die Of dying young THis world a banquet is we conviues all Where most by Drinke to sinne and surfet fall Who dyeth young is like him that doth rise From banquet ere the wine his wit surprize FINIS a 〈◊〉 frugi a Laban a Eecl 8. 17 a Reu. 21. 1â— b Caâ— 3. 1. c Cant. 2. 8 a Abbeys c. a Death