And will not let his vnderstanding flye To see what goodly clusters there doe grow In heau'nly Canaan where Milke and Hony flow We hardly here of things below discerne And with great paines what is before vs find Ah how shall we than able be to learne Thy Wisdome which no limits haue confin'd Thy Spirit onely can into our mind These hidden mysteries in Christ reueale In which the Princes of the world were blind For from man naturall thou dost conceale This Wisdome spirituall which thou to thine do'st deale For as none know's the Spirit of a man But that same Spirit that within doth dwell So nothing apprehend this Wisdome can But that wise Spirit that all Truth doth tell Oh Sacred Spirit of Truth my heart compell This holy Sapience to entertaine Thou only giu'st to drinke of Wisdom's Well Mans wisdom's wickednesse his thoughts are vaine His knowledge is but errour and his pleasure paine Thou didst create eu'n all things by thy Word And by thy heau'nly Wisdome didst ordaine Man of thy handy workes to be the Lord That he in Truth and Equitie might raigne And with an vpright heart the right maintaine Oh therefore downe thine heau'nly wisdome send Me in all Truth and vprightnesse to traine She shall my Words and Works to thee commend And bring my small beginnings to a perfect end And here with Praise and Prayer I will end Oh who aright can know or vnderstand Except thou Wisdome from thy Throne do'st send To giue vnto him what thou dost command Then grant me Wisdome alway's to withstand Hells subtill Plots and Worlds base Blandiments Let sacred Prudence euer be at hand Still to direct my words acts and intents To yeeld Obedience to thy Commandements MEDITAT II. Of OBEDIENCE WHen first th' Almighty by his only Word Had fashion'd all within the Firmament He made Man last to be their King and Lord That he to him might be obedient But Man not with this Monarchy content Diuide his homage to omnipotence And hauing but one small Commandement Transgressed it by Disobedience The easier the Command the greater the Offence This all the Sonnes of Adam doe deriue From him and call it guilt Originall Which by th' Eternall Law did vs depriue Of all Gods Benefits and did enthrall To endlesse Bondage till Christ for this Fall The price of his most precious bloud did pay Which vs recouers from Sins actuall And by obeying Gods whole Law doth stay His wrath And merits Heau'n for all that him obay For as by first mans Disobedience On all men commeth Death and Condemnation So by the seconds true Obedience We haue eternall Life and sure Saluation Thus Disobedience by deriuation From Adam bringeth endlesse wretchednesse And true Obedience by imputation Conuay's from Christ eternall Happinesse So by the first comes sin by second Righteousnesse The glorious robe of perfect Righteousnesse Which they that are obedient onely weare To couer that foule shame and wickednesse Which Adams Disobedience layed bare Ah! let a Disobedient Sinner dare The aid of the Obedient Lamb desire My Will and Actions Tongue and Heart to square In due proportion to his heau'nly squire Whil'st I of true Obedience prayses doe enquire Deuoutest Lady Handmaid to the Queene Of heau'nly Loue And so in duty bound That shee 's alway's prest and ready seene To doe what thing soeuer she propound Her heart words will and deeds all one are found Seruing for Loue and not for Feare or Gaine No Subiect merits better to be crown'd For who can best obay he best can raigne And she is shortly sure eternall Crownes to gaine If I may square Her by the Rules of Art I her define to be our Wills subiection To Him that ought to rule both will and heart And by his will disposeth our best affection The rule of Reason may be our direction How our superiours Statutes we obay But when the Lord commands there 's no election Nor doubting what we ought to doe or say Gods will 's the rule of Right which none may disobey Here in two Branches I might her diuide Obedience first to God and secondly To our Superiours that on earth abide But all is but to one Authority For there 's no Power or precedency But that which highest Power doth ordaine Who therefore doth resist mans Soueraignty Gods ordinance resisteth and againe Who duly it obay's Gods Statutes doth maintaine Thus must our hearts eares hands be all attent His Word and Will in all things to obey Who ouer vs hath lawfull Regiment Which is one God eternall blest for ay Whose seruants all we are And therefore may Not chuse a Lord or Master whom we will Nor serue two masters least we disobay The one when we the others mind fulfill For that which pleaseth one doth crosse the others will Thus our obedience is only due To him that all did for his seruice make And 't is a firme position sound and true God only for himselfe But for his sake All that from him Authoritie doe take We truly and sincerely ought obey Or else our bounden dutie we forsake As those which doe their Princes disobey When they their lawfull Officers commands gainsay For this whole world is like a family In all things well and iustly ordered Where God hath the supreame authority And Rulers theirs from him deliuered By which they doe command as in his stead Who then to them are disobedient They may be said to disobey the Head For whil'st they rightly vse their gouernment We ought them to obey in things indifferent Indeed all ought regard the Supreme Will As first commanding cause and end of all Which all that Being haue ought to fulfill From which as all things rise so all must fall Here therefore first we into mind will call To whom that will commands vs to obay For in obeying their commands we shall Obey that Supreme Will This is the way To make Gods Will the Cause of all we doe or say To Him we must be subiect first of all To whom all Power in Heau'n and Earth is lent The Sonne of God begotten naturall Next to his Ministers which he hath sent Apostles Pastors Doctors here are meant Which by his Word doe teach their Masters Will And rule his Church by godly Gouernment And those which heare these his commands fulfill And those which them despise despise his heau'nly Will As Kings which with great Honour doe conuay Princes Ambassadours it doe intend Vnto their Lords So we our Lord obay When we obey the Legates he doth send The second Power is that which God doth lend To Kings and Princes for to delegate Iudges to punish those which doe offend And to maintaine the Life Peace and estate Of eu'ry member that maintaines the Bodies state To this all Subiects owe Obedience The third obedience is which wife doth owe Vnto her Head who due Beneuolence For Dutie ought vnto his wife to shew For as the Church so ought the Wife to know
to lend it But least corrupt my mind or body grow with too much ease or wanton Idlenesse My mind I set my Makers Will to know His Wisedome Power Truth and Holinesse I often ride or walke to wearinesse The members of my body to subdue And Temper 'gainst Lust and Laciuiousnesse Thus by sweet contemplation oft I view Such high transcendent things as yet I neuer knew Thus rapt with contemplation I find That all these worlds-gay show's which men admire Are but vaine shadow's to the ioy 's of mind Of those that lead their liues in safe retire Whose onely happinesse and hearts desire Is here the talents God hath lent to spend Vnto his glory as he doth require And vsing Temperately what he doth send Thus grant that I may liue Thus grant that I may end MEDITAT IIII. of BOVNTIE NOw will I raise faire Alma's stately tower On Temperance her strong and soundest frame And goodly deck Dame Bounty's dainty bower Whereby all Princes gaine immortall fame Some call her Alma some her Bounty name The trusty Almner of Loues Royall Court Who beares the bag to giue to blind and lame And Suitors all that thither doe resort Rewards most bounteously and feeds in seemely sort For on this heau'nly Dame the eyes of all Looke vp that of her liberalitie They may receiue and shee againe le ts fall Vpon them needfull things most plenteously Her bounteous hand shee opens willingly With blessings eu'ry creature full to fill To those that Knowledge seeke abundantly Shee giueth Wisdome Vnderstanding Skill To know their Makers Bountie Maiestie and Will Most glorious Alma when as Temperance Controlls the noble Plentie of her Hall And with her Staffe keepes out Intemperance Which doth abuse her Grace and Bountie all For where most Plentie is there most doe fall By want of Temperance to Lust and Sin Till they be brought low as the Prodigall For he that will true Praise by Bountie win Must first of all at home with Temperance begin For Temperance with watchfull diligence Are like two springs which waters doe supply To open handed free Beneficence And her discernes from Prodigalitie By Diligence we get sufficiencie By Temperance what we haue gotten spare To minister to Liberalitie For these two Lady-Bounty's handmaids are And for her iust and truly store of wealth prepare But they that liue in sloth and foule excesse Though they may seeme to be most liberall Oppression and Extortion mercilesse Are Lakes from whence their Bounty 's streamed doe fall And thus they rob the poore that therewithall They may themselues rich friends and children feast Blaspheming their great Maker Lord of all And imitating basest sauage beast Which fawnes vpon the great But doth deuoure the least God of all Bountie King most Liberall Who to thy vassall Man at his Creation Didst subiect make Fish Fowle Beasts creatures all And of thine handy works gau'st domination Who by thy prouidence and ordination Him needfull things not onely dost prouide But for his health delight and contentation That he may plentie to the poore diuide My Muse to sing heart hands to practise Bountie guide Bountie Beneficence Benignitie In name though diuers one in substance be Beneuolence and Liberalitie Make actions and affections agree If as they are in God you wish to see They like his Goodnesse are vnlimitted And as his Mercy Loue and Grace are free Which on his creatures are abundant shed But by my shallow Muse their depth cannot be read They are too high to reach too deepe to sound For all the earth is filled therewithall In heau'n aboue Gods Goodnesse doth abound The Bountie of his Grace is ouer all Of all the Meditations which call My mind to holy Ioy and admiration None lets more comfort than Gods Bountie fall Both for my being and my preseruation But most in that he shed his bloud for my Saluation Here could I wish my Muse might euer dwell In viewing Gods great Goodnesse Bountie Loue Which three to th' holy Trinitie I well May here ascribe For Goodnesse first doth moue The Father to beget Eternall Loue From Loue and Goodnesse Bountie doth proceed Yet all these three as one in God doe proue In substance one although distinguished In working But this height my reach doth far exceed And therefore rauish't now with contemplation Beyond the compasse of my feeble eye My soule amaz'd falls downe to adoration Of this misterious holy Trinitie And from diuine come to benignitie And bountie which should be in men below A habit wee of liberalitie Her call and good affection we should show In thought heart word and deed to eu'ry one we know And must from goodnesse and true loue proceed The onely cause of true benignitie Wherefore except these be in vs indeed Our bounty is but prodigalitie Or some like froth of superfluitie The crums and leauings of Intemperance Which oft are dealt out with an euill eye More for vaine credit or base circumstance Then for goodwill or care Gods glory to aduance For eu'ry act hath then her true effect Which from true ground right aymeth at her end As when both loue and goodnesse doth direct What bounty truly gets aright to spend Loe thus doth heau'nly grace and Bounty send Her blessings temporall alike to all But doth for greater benefits intend To those that on Gods name aright doe call And in this heau'nly sort ought we be liberall Oh! then th' effects of bounty glorious are When Prouidence with true Frugality Doe seeke by Iustice to prouide and spare Fit sustenance for liberality Behold that heau'nly bounteous Maiesty Sends raine and fruitfull seasons whereby store Of Blessings th' earth may to his hand supply And many hidden treasures vp doth store For to exalt the rich and to refresh the pore Then humane bounty like her Makers is When as shee labours to doe good to all But most of all to bring poore soules to blisse And fill their hearts with food spirituall Oh Grace Diuine Bounty Angelicall With spirituall loaues in Wildernesse to feed Gods Saints when spirituall hunger them doth gal The ignorant which pine with inward need Diuine sweet comforts to their fainting soules to reade True Bounty 's knowne best by her company For shee in Truth and Mercy takes delight Faith Iustice Temperance Humility And is withall Loues graces richly dight Herein appeares her glorious heau'nly Sp'rite Shewing that shee of seed diuine is borne Of Loue and Goodnesse not of Vaine delight Or Fame and Praise of men when shee doth scorne To seeke feign'd bounteous shewes her goodnes to adorn For thus th' ambitious man is bountifull Thus belly-gods in plentie take delight Deceit with gifts his neighbour seekes to gull The couetous bribe large to conquer right From such false Bounty Truth is banish't quite Humility Faith Knowledge Temperance Nor any of Loues Graces in her sight May suffered be their ensignes to aduance There dwells Contention Pride Oppression Ignorance As daughters of the horse-leech still doe
bringeth vnder And 'gainst all disobedience soundeth out like thunder This was the Sword wherewith our valiant Head When he was tempted in the Wildernesse And with a six-weekes-fast sore weakened Did free himselfe from Hells malitiousnesse When first on him his Enemy did presse He vs'd the hilts himselfe for to defend But when he could not thus his Foe represse Loe he the point against his Breast doth bend Behind me Satan All Gods worship must attend Those that will vse aright this holy Word Must not the letter but the sense apply Or else they vse the Scabbard for the Sword Wherewith none euer wun the Victory It is the Mystery of Iniquitie To take the letter and to leaue the sense To forge of Antichrists Idolatry The feigned Rocke the Key 's of Heau'n from whence He claimes to vniuersall Power Obedience A multitude of words but all one sense And tending all to that grand mystery To which all mysteries haue reference Mans personall vnion with the Deity The which to God was knowne infallibly In his election ere the worlds Foundation And all the Bookes it seemes to typifie From Genesis vnto the Reuelation Sublime transcendent mystery's of mans Saluation How should my Muse these hope to comprehend In this short fainting breath of meditation Which doth all humane wit and skill transcend Whos 's each word hath an hid signification Each letter pricke and point an obseruation All fauouring of Wisdome true diuine And far beyond mans weake inuestigation In it such rare profound deepe Learning shine A Volume is not able to expound a Line Fie then on those that swolne with vaine ambition To sway all Kingdomes with materiall sword Preferre before this Word their vaine tradition Which nought but vainnesse like themselues afford Their names be wiped out of the Record And Booke which all thy Saints names doth containe That thus doe seeke to vilifie this Word Which to accomplish Gods owne Sonne was slaine And thousand Martyrs spent their bloud it to maintain So deale with Prophets that to hide conspire From simple people Food spirituall Which they as new borne Babes do milke desire That they may grow vp to be strong and tall I grant as Mothers breasts doe best of all Nourish the Child so doth Gods holy Word Which from our Mother-Churches breasts doth fall Best nourishment vnto her Babes afford So as it be sincere Else be it all abhor'd True Angells Food sweet Manna pure diuine My Spirits dayly bread and nourishment Which wanting shee doth hunger statue and pine And yeeld to Body's sleshly Regiment My Soule with fat and marrow is content When I with ioyfull lips thy praises sing And feed upon thy Lawes great wonderment Which to subiection doth my Body bring And makes the Spirit rule and order like a King The Spirit it compares to Looking Glasse Where we our Faces Spots may all behold But soone out of our memory they passe Like to a Dreame or Tale that 's idlely told But who his mind thereon doth daily hold Doth walke in perfect Law of Liberty Which to him doth apparantly vnfold His Soule and Fleshes least deformity And sheweth him the meanes the same to rectifie Eu'n as the Raine indiffereutly doth fall Vpon the fruitfull and the barren ground So preached is this Heau'nly Word to all Though to the faithlesse it be fruitlesse found Oh! where this Word doth powerfully sound The strongest holds of sin it shatters downe And things most high exalted doth confound It 's smallest-Seed in lowly Valley sowne Est suddenly is to a mighty Cedar growne It is reported of the siluer Doue She neere the purest Streames doth most delight In which Shee may espy the shadow moue Of towring Faulcon or the rauenning Kite Whereby she is forewarn'd to scape by flight From cruell Hawkes that seeke her for a pray So if in spirituall streames we take delight Our spirituall Foes we there discouer may That so our Soules forewarn'd like Doues might flye away Most glorious Sun-shine where it doth enlight More comfortable Light hath showne But when Shee doth withdraw her Beames is night And darknesse spirituall far grosser growne Than that which three day 's was to Pharaoh knowne Hard-hearted Pharaoh thou that didst despise This Word and all the wonders by it showne Eu'n all thy plagues light on them that deuise To hide this heau'nly Light from simple peoples ey 's It is the doore whereby the pastours may Spiritually ascend into their Fold Those that doe enter in another way We doe as rauenning wolues and robbers hold This Word 's a touchstone which doth try from Gold All mettalls base Inuentions of mans braine Of which such store at Latium now are sold Not for the Flocks but for the Shepheards gaine Masse Dirges Pardons Trentalls and Traditions vaine Nothing describe her nature better will Than Touchstone th' vse of which simplest may learne But one had need of cunning Gold-smiths skill True Touchstone from a false one to discerne Oh how did those noble Berreans earne To try those things that Paul deliuered The things which our Saluation did concerne By that which in the Scriptures they had read The Scriptures that the Spirit had canonized Who from the simple people these doe hide Deale as with Israel did the Cananite Who no Smith suffer'd in their Coasts t' abide To make a weapon for an Israelite Therfore no speare nor sword when they should fight But in Sauls hands and Ionathans were found Chams hellish pollicy most deu'lish sleight To hold in Ignorance and Bondage bold By taking way such helpes as Liberty propound As first God by his Word and Spirit wrought And fashion'd all things in this worlds Creation So by this Word and Spirit he hath brought All things to passe in this our renouation And as he for our Bodyes preseruation Hath here materiall Bread and Wine prepar'd So 's Word and Spirit is for sustentation Of all our Soules that rightly it regard Such neuer need of thirst and hunger be afeard As Appetite 's a Signe of Body's Health So of the Soules is hunger of his Word And as to him that seeketh store of wealth A Myne can best what he desires afford So he that spirituall treasures vp would hoard Come to this sacred Word where he shall find It doth a world of mystery's record The richest jewells to adorne the mind True treasure's no where else reuealed to mankind For it 's the Megazine where pastours haue All gems and treasures to enrich their fold The store-house whence they all abundance craue Of liuing food their Lambs in plight to hold The armory from whence they may he bold To fetch all armes and weapons to withstand The wolues which them infest and to vphold Truth and the right against all Satans Band Falfe Heretickes base Lusts and worlds encroaching hand But as the Manna that from Heau'n was sent Bred Wormes if wrong but Food if rightly vsed So breeds this Word our Soules due nourishment But neuer-dying
giue content withall By her we freed from perturbations are And hauing daily bread doe take no farther care For from her Temper shee receiues her name As being of extreames the moderation The golden meane that doth affections frame Actions and Words to natures ordination Vnspotted pure as at our first Creation Thus wee abstaine from Lust and Violence And though on earth is yet our Conuersation Wee hope ere long to be receiued hence Meane while our Life 's a sacrifice of Continence Thus see our protoplasts first cloth'd in skins The greene herbe of the field their onely meate The Beasts their Conuiues and the Woods their Inns To shield from cold and saue from scorching heate And all this must be got with toile and sweate No liuing thing was then allowed good For as the learned thinke man might not eate Of any liuing creature till the Floud But since as the greene herbe God gaue them all for food How often did the Fathers pray and fast And some from women some from wine abstaine Till sixtie yeeres they keepe their bodies chast A Temprate and chast seed here to obtaine When Ruth at Booz feet all night had laine He ladeth her with corne and sends away From lawlesse Lust he doth himselfe containe Though he had dranke and cheer'd his heart that day An habite of true Temperance see here you may Ioseph would not against his Maker sinne For Pharoahs Stewards Ladies soft embrace Yet easier 't is a walled towne to winne Than to resist temptations vile and base Nought sooner doth our liues with Lust disgrace Than bathe in ease and swim in foule excesse Had Dauid beene at warre in Ioabs place He had not falne into such wickednesse Adultery the fruit of fulnesse Idlenesse Oh tell me Dauid where was then become Thy fasting wont thy soule to humble so That it was wont to thy reproach to come And weakned so thy knees thou couldst not goe Thy teares which did to such great plentie grow They were thy meat and drinke both day and night All watering thy couch so they did slow That eu'n my Muse weepes at thy piteous plight Yet had thy soule therein vnspeakeable delight I cannot but admire the Temperance Of that great Monarch mightie Phillips Sonne Who when he had vnto his gouernance Darius Empire Wife and Daughters wonne Their beautie would by no meanes looke vpon Esteeming it a most vnworthy deed When he so many men had ouercome To be of one weake woman conquered Like Temperance of so yong a Prince I neuer read Not that the Heathens Temper I compare To those that haue beene truely sanctifide Of which Iob is to vs a patterne rare Who least his eyes should draw his heart aside Did couenant they on no Maid should glide How infinite are watchings fastings cold Which to subdue the flesh Paul did abide But aboue all th'examples I haue told The Locust-eater and 's Disciples liues behold And though whilst that the Bridegroome pleas'd to stay The children of Bride-chamber did not fast Yet when from them he taken was away Behold they then did pay for all was past And oft did hunger whip and prison tast No Poets quill ere able was to faine Like Temp'rance of pure Lamb most temprate chast Reuiled scoffed scorned scourged slaine Yet opn'd not his mouth to scoffe or speake againe Oh shall the King of Angels and of Men Abus'd by workmanship of his owne hand Endure such wrongs and neuer turne agen Whose one word could haue call'd th' whole heau'nly Band The Fury of these wretches to withstand And shall the Lord of Life so meekly dye For our intemperate affections and Shall not we them all with him crucifie And fleshly members of our Body's mortifie But we like Foxes build a stately hall And like the Birds in stately cedars nest When Hee that did of nothing make them all Had not a place to lay his head to rest Wee see his glorious members here distrest Want lodging food and raiment for the cold Whil'st we abound in meates and fill our chest With change of raiment and with store of gold And in birds softest plumes our looser limbs infold Alas how many hunting worlds gay showes By base Intemperances sweetned baite And vile Ambition which downe headlong throwes Are brought to ruine most infortunate Oh grant that I may liue in meane estate And my freed soule with Contemplation please My clothing warme my diet temperate Freed from all tempests of worlds raging seas Which tosse poore sailing soules in dangerous disease Most happy who with little is content That though he want yet neuer doth complaine Ne wisheth more his sorrow to augment Knowing that he by heaping wealth doth gaine Nothing but care vexation and paine What more than daily bread here doe I need What need of forraine cates or feathers vaine Let fields my food my flocke my clothing breed No other would I weare no other would I feed In vaine doe foolish men the Heau'ns accuse Of sad misfortunes paines and iniuries Which doe if we knew truely them to vse To eu'ry man what 's fittest for him size That 's not the best estate which most we prize Nor that the worst which most men seeke to shun Each as he list his fortunes may deuise Which wishes no man happinesse hath wun Such wishers cease to liue before their life begun It is mans mind that maketh good or ill Wretched or happy sad glad rich or poore He hath abundantly all things at will That hauing little yet desires no more When he that 's drown'd in wealth swims in store Doth liue in want to satisfie desire Which neuer hath enough fond fooles therefore Are they that feed Lusts and Ambitions fire Which like base Auarice doth more and more require When first I saw the glory of the Great I then them onely happy men did hold For sumptuous houses lodging rayment meat Honour Attendance Iewells Siluer Gold But when the cares and dangers I behold Of those whom Fortune doth so high aduance How to dissembling slattery some are sold Lust Fulnesse Idlenesse Intemperance My life I happy deeme in quiet lowly chance Thus of late folly's I though late complaine And that sweet Peace which doth not there appeare Now in mine homely Cell I entertaine Which by her want I learne to loue more deare Sweet holy quiet life where meanest cheare To hungry stomocks is a daily feast Where thirst like Nectar makes fresh cooling beere Where in a cabbin is more quiet rest Than on Downe Persian beds with Gold and Feathers drest In this estate I no man doe enuie Nor would enuied be of any one Great store of wealth doth store of cares supply That little that I haue is still mine owne I reape with Ioy the crop that I haue sowne Without least care but onely to attend it The Lambs I weane are daily greater growne What haue I but to praise him that doth send it And with a cheerefull heart vnto the poore