of a Dove To fly unto the bosome of our Love There we should rest securely from all harmes Embracing and embraced in his armes But what is this behold another sight Two men or Angels rather clad in white Angels Leave gazing thus ye men of Galilee For this same Jesus you shall shortly see Returne again in the same manner as You now beheld him hence to Heaven pass He 's gone but to prepare for you a place Against the time that you have run your race Leave wishing too for wishes will not raise You to the mansions of those endlesse joies Where he resides but let your thoughts all bend In heavenly conversation to ascend Follow his holy steps for so you shall Have your Ascension bodie soul and all Apostles We thank you for your counsel and obey This having said they all depart away Th' Angels to heaven th' Apostles homeward went Expecting when the Spirit should be sent And they endu'd with power from the Lord To save the world by preaching of the Word Upon all Saints day SUch honour have all the Lords Saints that we Keep this day holy to their memorie And reason good for they examples are To us in life and death of vertues rare For though all vertues in some measure met In all the saints as lines i' th' center yet Some special grace in every one did dwel Wherein each one the other did excel Thus Abram for his Faith was most renown'd Job for his singular Patience was crown'd Moses for Meeknesse did all men surpasse Elias for his Zeale most famous was David is for an Upright heart commended Josias for a Tender heart transcended John the Evangelist for Charity And John the Baptist for Austerity Saint Paul for his Humility surmounted When chief of sinners he himself accounted And least of all th' Apostles though indeed For pains and parts he did the rest exceed Peter for Penitence the prize doth bear Who for his sinne shed many a bitter teare Now as their life to us serves for a light So is their death most precious in Gods sight By that we learn to live by this to die By both we come to immortality Since then they are such happy guides wel may We solemnize at least one annual day Unto their honour yet not guiltie be Of superstition or Idolatry When we observe this day we do no more Then reverence them as Saints not them adore God's the sole object of our invocation They but the pattern for our imitation And 't is our prayer alwaies on this day That we their godly living follow may Til we with them at last come to partake Of joyes unspeakable for Christ his sake Whiles thus we celebrate this festival None can us justly superstitious cal To Christ A Poem of Hugo Grot. Sil. lib. 1. p. 10. Translated O Christ which art the head of every thing From whom a better life then this doth spring Thy Fathers measure yet unmeasured Whom whiles that he himself contemplated In his high mind he streams forth light of light And sees himself in 's equal image bright Like whom the world and the worlds guardian man Was made but O he suddainly began To be rebellious his high honour lâ—st And prest with crimes which him most deerly cost Becoming guilty of the greatest pain In this state lay and had for ever laine But that thy Father his case pitying did Give thee who with himself before wast hid Under concealed light eternal love Unto his Church did him to mercy move His truth by dreams he wil reveal no more Nor visions by his Prophets as before But willing now a living Law to make And lasting league with men lo thou didst take A mortal body and a man-like face Yet not begot the way of humane race By filthy lust but thou conceived wast By power divine born of a Virgin chaste Though thou no purple hadst to cloth thee then Bâ—ing newly born nor bands of armed men To compasse thee about and be thy guard Yet Citizens of heaven keep watch and ward And divine Anthems sang about thy stal More royal thus then any Princes Hall The beasts and shepherds thee incircled there Poor but far happier then all Kings they were In that they knew thee thou a new come guest Wert by thy heaven to earth made manifest The Magi stood amaz'd a starre to see Ne're seen before how great say they is he That 's born to honour whom new stars appear Yee â—erie signes of heaven your light forbear Forbeare ye wandring stars and Charls his Wayne To guide the Passengers upon the Maine For through the various waves of things below And life's uncertainties this Star doth show The way not that which unto Babylon brings Proud in the Courts of her Arsâ—oian Kings Nor to the Palaces of Tibur stout Nor to Jerusalem's turrets but points out The Cottages of Bethlehem and the door Of shepherds tents Jewes seek your King no more Amongst the Cornets and the Trumpets sound And th' Arms wherewith mans furie doth surround Himself ye know not wretches as ye be How neer a thing to heaven is povertie How sweet to suffer tel the Parthians now Goe tel the Romans tel your Herod how Hee 'll make the blind to see the lame to walk Hee 'll make the deaf to hear the dumb to talke Hee 'll heal all plagues and sicknesses with ease By 's word not herbs and calm the raging seas Thousands he wil with little food sustain Himself long time with none and raise again The dead make water wine at his command And walk upon the sea as on dry land Let them whom jewels deck let Martial men Try if they can perform the like again These my poor Christ can doe nor doth he cure Bodies alone but minds of men make pure Purges their brests that are possest with sin And heals the plague-sick world which we live in Thus a right way he takes whiles those that stand And mightie are he puls down with his hand Those that are weak and fallen he erects But look what stirrs i' th' heavens What strange aspects And strife of things Whiles so great good in thee Is recompenc'd with hateful crueltie Not by the Sythian or the barbarous men Of Affrick or the north Pole Citizen But by good Abrahams off-spring who alone Of all the nations was thy chosen one Such mischiefe black ambition can do Whiles't being incens'd with pride and hatred too It rages under faigned piety A simple fate thou didst not perish by But as a thief thou di'dst though innocent To undergoe our sin and punishment The sins of all the world did lye on thee Since Adam ate of the forbidden tree From that first hour to this they prest thee all On us those bonds on us those blowes should fall Those sharp black thorns should prick our temple veins The Sergeant should us drag to endlesse pains The nails should pierce our hands the spear our side And we without delay
devise So on his head thou shalt heap coals of fire And softly melt his heart to thy desire So maist thou make thy foe to be thy friend And whom thou canst not break thus gently bend To the common Drunkard falsely called a Good Fellow CAnnot friends meet but they must drink t' excess Must all your mirth conclude in drunkenness Accurst be he brought it in fashion first Before ye were content to quench your thirst And not exceed three or four cups at most Now you carouse till all your reasons lost And like to overheated Dutch men yee Drink till ye fight and fall to snicker snee He that invites his friend t'a drunken feast Keeps out the man and entertains the beast A feast 't is not but a base Bacchanal Where the beast man a Sacrifice doth fall Worse then a beast he is for no beast will Be made to drink a drop more then his fill But man his belly makes a tun his brain A hog and drinks till up it comes again Vile man whom God next t' Angels did create Below a Bruit thus to degenerate For shame give o're this most unmanlike sin Which too long hath thy daily practise bin Redeem thine honour drown'd in Ale and Wine And thy soul settled on the Lees refine When thy debauched life thou shalt correct Thou happier daies in England maist expect Upon an old man holding an Infant between his arms of his own begetting HEre Natures contradiction behold The extremity of Ages young and old The two first Books of Moses Genesis And Exodus bound up together 't is May sitting in Decembers lap the Spring With Auâ—umn joyn'd together in a ring Youth in the bud new started from the womb Sâ—akes hands with age now dropping in the Tomb The worlds beginning and the end together The day and night Sunshine and rainy weather Nonage and dotage generation Met with corruption and the Creation O' th' child the dissolution proves to be O' th' father who destroy'd himself whiles he Begets a son and like the Phoenix from His dust and ashes doth another come To one that married a very rich but a very deformed woman WHo is 't that sayes it was not love Which you unto this match did move 'T was love but love of money sure That thus to wed did you allure 'T was not the beauty which doth lye In your wives cheek or lip or eye Or any other part that shines Save only in her golden Mines It were the Angels in her chest That first made love within your brest There sit the Cupids there the Graces Reside in those red and white faces In having one wife you have many Each bag a wife is how then can ye Chuse but be rich for such as these Bring put to use will soon increase Nor will their bâ—â—uâ—y fade for th' are At fifty more then fifteen fair As pure good meâ—tal as refin'd An age hence as when they were coin'd Provided you keep them in bands From falling into hucksters hands If Pleasure be not Profiâ—'s in Your match Poligamy's no sin In a free Sâ—ate you may be bold To marry every piece of Gold Though they so numerous be as will The Great Turks vast Seraglio fill Yet take my counsel look well to them For many chances will undo them They may be call'd in by the State And valued at a lower rate They may be rounded and defaced Or with worse mettal be debased They may perhaps suffer a rape Be plundred from you should they scape These Accidents yet wings have they Like Cupid and will flee away Leaving you little else behind But your sad choise and sadder mind For when your money 's gone your wife Will stay to vex you all your life His opinion concerning disputations in the Country where the Major part of the Auditory are Illiterate persons 'T is seldome seen a popular dispute Doth any good you may perhaps confute But not convert a heretick he wil Say what you can hold fast his errour stil Besides the vulgar Auditors do weigh All arguments as their affections sway Not as their reason and think that the best Which with most noise and eagernesse is prest So they adhere unto the worser side Or go away much more unsatisfi'd Then they came there like some young Conjurers spel Raising more divels up then he can quel Or lay again like Bees the common rout Wil swarme about your ears and buzze you out But humme the Factions up and lowdly cry On your Antagonists side Victory Forbear then such disputes henceforth to move For fear they should the Churches ruine prove These points are fitter for the Press or Schooler It is the best way not to answer fools According to their folly which wil rise Higher by opposing let alone it dies Upon his late Ague or the new Feaver as it was call'd WHat a strange thing 's this Ague which doth make Me like an earthquake first with cold to shake Then like mount Etna burn with fervent heat And by and by dissolve into a sweat Sure 't is some Cacodamon by his art Insinuating himselfe in every part Now in the head then in the back it lies Sometimes i' th' stomack sometimes in the thighs Now like a Souldier whom nothing can fray He sets upon me boldly at midday Then like a thief steals on me late at night Or early e're th' approach o' th' morning light Shame of Physicians 't is for all their tribe Cannot a certain remedie prescribe Faustus or some such Conjurer would be The better Doctor in this cure for he Might by his magick charms perhaps expel This freezing burning sweaâ—ing spirit of hel If then it wil no oâ—her way be gone I wil turne Conjurer but an holy one And with my prayers to heaven exorcise This evil spirit thus Let God arise with healing in his wings and first begin To heal my souls disease and sicknesse sin Then let this great Physician apply A salve to cure my bodies malady Thou that didst legion with a word expel But speak the word thy servant shal be wel The Accident WAs it by negligence or accident That in my sicknesse as my servant went To warme my bed some ashes she let fall Neither perhaps but 't was prophetical Foretelling that I must to ashes turn And shortly be inclosed in my urne And if that providence hath so decreed Welcome i' th' name of God let Death succeed His elder brother Sleep and then give way To Life again such as the saints enjoy Now on my grave I think and yet not quake Since thence as from my bed I shal awake When I lie down in dust I doe not die But take a nap and rise t' eternity My soul shall reassume it's dust again And in a blessed union stil remain Upon his Recovery from his Ague WHat shal I render unto thee my God Since thou hast with thy rod In measure me corrected to prevent A sharper punishment That I may not
all Albeit I did him often call O then take heed do not delay The hearing of my voice a day The thief o' th' Crosse no pattern is For thy deferr'd repentance his VVas extraordinary thou Ought'st not to look for the like now VVhen Christ is crucifi'd once more Presume upon it not before Psalm 119.67 Before I was afflicted I went astray but now have I kept thy word MAn like a silly sheep doth often stray Not knowing of his way Blind Deserts and the wilderness of Sin He daily travels in There 's nothing wil reduce him sooner then Afflictions to his pen He wanders in the Sunshine but in rain And stormy weather hastens home again Thou the great Shepherd of my soul O keep Me thy unworthy sheep From gadding or if fair means wil not do it Let soul then bring me to it Rather then I should perish in my error Lord bring me back with terror Better I be chastized with thy rod And shepherds staff then stray from thee my God Though for the present stripes do grieve me fore At last they profit more And make me to observe thy word which I Neglected formerly Let me come home rather by weeping cross Then still be at a losse For health I 'd rather take a bitter pil Then eating sweet-meats to be alwayes ill Prov. 4.18 The path of the Just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day THe just mans life 's the path to heaven Though narrow yet 't is even No dark nor obscure way But shining bright as is the day And as the day 's each minute brighter so He step by step doth to perfection go No violent motion 't is but creeps A gentle pace and peeps Like break of day a light That 's chequer'd betwixt black and white Till it increasing more and more appear A perfect day within the Hemisphere The man new started from his sins VVhen he his race begins Just so much light he hath To shew him that there is a path VVhich leads to heaven though scarce enough to guide His feet from slipping sometimes on each side A little now a little then As he Christ cur'd saw ' men VValking at first like trees So doth the righteous by degrees Each cross he meets at first seems more then man A Gyant in his way to Canaan But as his light his courage growes And then away he throwes His fears takes heart of Grace And boldly looks the world i' th' face Bids do its worst and what before did seem A Monster now a Pigmy he doth deem Vice in his Native colours he Sees and hates perfectly Vertue 's the thing alone That he makes his companion Adding of grace to grace till that his Sun To the Meridian of his day hath run And then like Joshuah's fixed stands To do all Gods commands Nor shall it e're go down But glory shall his graces crown And make one constant day that knowes no night Nor lessening nor augmenting of his light Lord let thy grace about me shine That I may not decline The path which leads to thee And may it still increasing be Till grace and glory shall unite their rayes Into one perfect light that ne're decayes Prov. 18.14 A wounded spirit who can bear IS 't possible who will believe A spirit can wounded be and grieve What hath no body needs no blows to fear Yet 't is most true Gods word tells you A wounded spirit who can bear One thing there is a soul will wound So deeply that 't will bleed and swound And even dye for grief for shame for fear Sin is the thing Doth all this bring A wounded spirit who can bear Sin 's a two edged sword which slayes The soul of man a thousand wayes It kil'd the divell though he a Spirit were For dead he is To Grace to bliss A wounded spirit who can bear That man whose conscience within Is galled with a crying sin How much it wracks him how it doth him tear No tongue can tell 'T is worse then hell A wounded spirit who can bear Since then it so torments the mind O Lord let me this favour find Prevent me with thy grace whiles I live here That I may be From great sins free An innocent spirit let me bear Or if that favour be too high Yet this I pray thee not deny That soveraign Balsom though it cost thee deer Thy blood I mean To wash me clean A cleansed spirit I can bear Eccles. 12.1 Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth KInd is that piety which doth begin In youth e're 't is accustom'd unto sin The mind white paper is and will admit Of any Lesson you will write in it What 's then imprinted there doth firmly stand Not to be blotted out by any hand But when that vice hath first took up the place 'T will be a double labour one to rase Out that which long hath got possession Another for to make a new impression And a much harder task you wil it find To root out vice then vertue plant i'th'mind To cast one Divel out is greater pain Then two good Angels there to entertain To keep a Vessel sweet is not so much As when once sowred 't is to make it such And look at first how it hath season'd blâ— It will retain that odour still therein He that ne're thinks on God till he is old Gray headed and his blood froze up with cold Wrack with Diseases one foot in the grave Whom all the Art of Physick cannot save A Colledg of Physicians not reprieve Or keep his carkass scarce a day alive O what a business it will be to climb To heaven by penitence when there 's no time Nor means for him to do it in but he By vertue of his faith not works must be Rapt thither in an instant as if heaven Would be to him at the first asking given But man remember thy Creator now Whiles God both time and means doth thee allow Trust not thy soul upon a broken reed Faith without works will stand in little steed When thy first dayes and best in sin are past Think not God will accept thy worst and last Eccles. 12.7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was and the Spirit shall returne to God that gave it OUr famous Harvey hath made good The circulation of the blood And what was paradox we know To be a demonstration now The like in bodies doth befall Civil as well as Natural Such revolutions in them found That they are alwaies turning round We knew a kingdome which of late Converted was into a State And from the hands of many men That State devolv'd to one agen VVe know that wealth which now doth flow I' th' City veins did lately grow I' th' Country furrowes and the same Soon runs to th' place from whence it came VVe know our bodies frame of dust At first created was and must Crumble to dust ere long we
see Not one from Dissolution free VVe know or what 's equivalent Believe our souls which God first sent To make our bodies move and live Shall go to him who them did give VVhen once their Maker them commands They strait return into his hands Thus we see almost every thing Circling about as in a ring The winter season of the yeer Is now turn'd Summer every where This summer will to winter turn And that freeze which before did burn Rivers which borrow from the main Their streames do pay them back again Since nothing under heaven hath rest But floating up and down 't is best To look above and fix mine eyes VVhere not the shadow of change lyes No variations there but all Stand still in state pacifical Go then my Dust to Dust but thou my soul Return unto thy Rest above the Pole Cant. 1.5 I am black but comely O ye Daughters of Jerusalem A DIALOGUE Between the CHURCH and her DAUGHTERS Daught YOu were our Mother once most bright and fair Admir'd and lov'd by every eye No earthly beauty could with you compare But now y' are of another dye VVe ne're beheld a Moor more black then you Are by this unexpected change VVe hardly can believe it to be true The sight so uncouth is and strange You are become a widow desolate You have no Suitors as before VVe are asham'd to own you since of late Most men have cast you out of door Church Despise me not although that black I am The reason you shall understand From an extreme hot Country late I came From that Egyptian Sun-burnt Land There I was scorcht and lost my beauty there By lying long amongst the Pots And Brick-kilns heavy burthens I did bear Thus I contracted all my spots Yet be not you asham'd of me for I Though black without am fair within My soul is purged from impurity And grace hath now excluded sin It was the plot of my Beloved who Seeing me proud and wanton grow Of my unparallell'd beauty serv'd me so To keep me up he brought me low He took away the lustre of my face But gave another to my mind And now I do account it no disgrace Since this the better far I find 'T is not the fairness of the face but soul VVhich doth invite my Lord to love If he perceive the inward parts be foul The outward not at all him move No matter though I black to others seem VVhilst I am comely in his eyes If he me worthy of his love esteem I care not who doth me despise VVhen he shall find it fit to wash off all My black and outward grace restore Like the Sun after an Eclipse I shall Shine brighter then I did before Isaiah 57.15 Thus saith the High and Lofty one that inhabiteth Eternity whose name is Holy I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit LOrd thou hast told us that there be Two dwellings which belong to thee And those two that 's the wonder Are far asunder The one the highest heaven is The mansions of eternal bliss The other 's the contrite And humble sprite Not like the Princes of the earth VVho think it much below their birth To come within the door Of people poor No such is thy humility That though thy dwelling be on high Thou dost thy self abase To th' lowest place VVhere ere thou seest a sinful soul Deploring his offences foul To him thou wilt descend And be his friend Thou wilt come in and with ' him sup And from a low state raise him up Till thou hast made him eat Blest Angels meâ—â— Thus thou wilt him with honour crown VVho in himself is first cast down And humbled for his sins That thy love wins Though heaven be high the gate is low And he that comes in there must bow The lofty looks shall ne're Have entrance there O God since thou delight'st to rest In the humble contrite brest First make me so to be Then dwell with me Lam. 3.39 Wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sins WHy doth a living man complain VVhen for his sins he punish'd is Since his complaint is all in vain And he no ease obtaines by this But rather adds new torments to the sore And by impatience makes his sufferings more So have I seen i' th' Fowlers gin A bird by striving out to get The faster hath entangled bin And ne're could scape out of the net VVere he a while but quiet he might spy Perhaps some hole or other through to fly But man of all things hath least cause To murmur or complain at all Since by oft breaking of Gods Lawes He justly in this toil doth fall For sin and suffering are correlatives A Malefactor well deserves his gyves A mercy 't is that he yet lives And hopes a pardon he may have Not so much favour the Law gives It 's the Law-givers part to save He ought not to complain but to be glad VVhiles he 's alive and pardon may be had VVhen thou chastizest me O Lord And for my sin dost make me smart I 'l not return an angry word But take it from thee in good part Since thou exactest of me less then I Deserved have for mine iniquity Hosea 2.19 I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betroth thee unto me in Righteousness and in judgment and in loving kindness and in tender mercies LEt all Records be searched o're and o're Such an unequal marriage as this Was never seen or heard before VVhere heaven and earth God and man kiss VVhere Majesty and misery do meet Power and infirmity each other greet Thou art the King of Glory Lord of life Thy Spouse at best a Creature poor but since Her fall deform'd and no fit wife VVill make for thee so great a Prince Go court the Angels then yet they though bright Are creatures too and scarce pure in thy sight How much less I that on my belly creep And cleave unto the earth that did begin As soon as I was born to weep As soon as I could go to sin VVhen I polluted in my blood did lye No eye would pity me but all past by Cast out i' th' open field I was to th' shame And loathing of my person in the day That I was born then my Lord came Like the Samaritan that way And took me up thy mercy did thee move Not my desert that was thy time of love Nor is thy love fickle as most mens be VVho soon grow weary of their former choice VVhen they a greater beauty see But thou with me wilt still rejoice Thou hast betroth'd me to thy self for ever And if I leave thee not wilt leave me never Thou that didst love me when I nothing had That lovely was endue me with thy grace For with that wedding garment clad Thou wilt no blemish in my face Or any other part of me espy But I
condemned be at last And in the lake of fire and brimstone cast Seven violent fits I had to shew that I Am mortal and must die But then such was thy wil I had no more Thou Lord didst me restore To health and having brought me neer the grave Declaredst then thy mighty power to save How much thy mercy doth thy justice passe A sinful man I was Seven times a day I have offended thee Yet thou forgavest me Yea though my sins exceed the stars of heaven Yet thou my plagues reduced hast to seven Alas all seven doe scarce to one amount Justly I cannot count Them altogether half a plague they goe But for a stroak or so And only serve to let me understand They come not from a judg but fathers hand A wise and tender father that doth smite In mercy not in spite Not to avenge himself but me t' amend Which is the chiefest end In all his chastisements he wil not break The bruised reed not quite o'rethrow the weak But having humbled him most gently then Raiseth him up again O Lord do so by me and shew thy strength In my weak state at length That like a Tree on both sides rock't by th' wind I may grow strong in body and in mind Stronger in both to serve thee and to give Thee thanks that yet I live And let me use this my recovered health Not to increase my wealth Or spend it on my lust as is mens fashion But to thy glory and mine own salvation Upon a great showre of snow that fel on May day 1654. YOU that are weather-wise and pretend to know Long time before when it wil rain or snow When 't wil be faire or foul when hot or cold Here stand and gaze a while I dare be bold To say you never saw the like nay more You never heard the like of this before Since Snow in May you may hereafter make A famous Epoch in your Almanack Prodigious 't is and I begin to fear We have mistook the season of the yeer 'T is Winter yet and this is Christmas day Which we indeed miscal the first of May Summer and winter now confounded be And we no difference betwixt them see Only the Trees are blossomed and so The Glassonbury Hawthorn us'd to doe Upon the day of Christs nativity As Cambden tels in his Chorography The youths for cold creep in the Chimneys end Who formerly the day did sprightly spend In merry May-games now they hang the head And droop as if they and their sports were dead Perhaps some superstitious Cavalier That lov'd to keep his Christmas wil go near To make an ill interpretation Of this and cal 't a judgment on the nation For our despising of that time and season Against the ancient custome and right reason As he conceives and since wee 'l not allow One in December w' have a Christmas now But wee a better use may make of it And though not to our minds the Weather fit Yet to our souls convert the same and thence Extract this wholesome holy inference From this unseasonable change of weather Without us what 's within us we may gather When in our hearts the Summer should begin And graces grow 't is Winter by our sin All frost and snow nothing comes up that's good The fruits o' th' Spirit nipt are in the bud Our May's turn'd to December and our Sun Declines before he half his course hath run O thou the Son of Righteousnesse display Thy beams of mercy make it once more May Within our soules let it shine warm and clear Producing in us yet a fruitful year Let it dissolve our snow into a showre Of hot and penitent tears which may procure A blessing on the Nation and at last A General pardon for all faults are past The Conclusion To my dread Soveraigne And deer Master CHRIST JESUS King of Kings THou King of Kings and Lord of Lords I owe my self and all I have to Thee My Muse no tribute now affords But what first comes from thine own Treasurie A leafe of praise Is all that I can raise And yet that leafe is taken from Thy Tree of grace thou graftedst in my heart Accept it then since it doth come From that stock which to me thou didst impart It is thine own To all the world be 't known I do confesse the ground in which 'T is set is poor and long hath barren been For how alas could it be rich When nought but thorns and thistles grew therein O let thy grace Above my sins take place And in my heart the upper hand Let it stil have a happy victorie That I thy Champion may stand Undaunted 'gainst all that opposeth thee So whiles I live I shall thee praises give Or if whiles in this Vale I stay To praise thee well wil be too hard a thing Then to thy holy hil convey My soul where I may Hallelujahs sing In an higher And better tuned Quire FINIS