Without a tenter It is a vast Circumference where none Can find a Center Of more then earth can earth make none possest And he that least Regards this restlesse world shall in this world find rest 5 True rest consists not in the oft revying Of worldly drosse Earths miâ—…ie purchase is not worth the buying Her gain is losse Her rest but giddy toil if not relying Upon her crosse How worldlings droil for trouble That fond breast That is possest Of earth without a crosse has earth without a rest CASS. in Ps. The Crosse is the invincible sanctuary of the humble The dejection of the proud the victory of Christ the destruction of the devil the confirmation of the faithfull the death of the unbeliever the life of the just DAMASCEN The Crosse of Christ is the key of Paradise the weak mans staff the Converts convoy the upright mans perfection the soul and bodies health the prevention of all evil and the 〈◊〉 of all good EPIG. 6. Worldlings whose whimpring folly holds the losses Of honour pleasure health and wealth such crosses Look here and tell me what your Arms engrosse When the best end of what ye hug's a crosse VII 1. PETER 5. 8. Be sober be vigilant because your adversary the devil as a roring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devoure 1 WHy dest thou suffer lustfull sloth to creep Dull Cyprian lad into thy wanton browes Is this a time to pay thine idle vowes At Morpheus shrine Is this a time to sleep Thy brains in wastfull slumbers up and rouze Thy leaden spirits Is this a time to sleep Adjourn thy sanguine dreams Awake arise Call in thy thoughts and let them all advise Hadst thou as many Heads as thou hast wounded eyes 2 Look look what horrid furies do await Thy slatt'ring slumbers If thy drowzie head But chance to nod thou fall'st into a bed Of sulph'rous flames whose torments want a date Foâ—…d boy be wise let not thy thoughts be fed With Phrygian wisdome fools are wise too late Beware betimes and let thy reason sever Those gates which passion clos'd wake now or never For if thou nodd'st thou fall'st and falling fall'st for ever 3 Mark how the ready hands of death prepare His bow is bent and he has notch'd his dart He aims he levels at thy slumb'ring heart The wound is posting O be wise beware What has the voyce of danger lost the art To raise the spirit of neglected care Well sleep thy fill and take thy soft reposes But know withall sweet tasts have sowre closes And he repents in thorns that sleeps in beds of roses 4 Yet sluggard wake and gull thy soul no more With earths false pleasure and the worlds delight Whose fruit is fair and pleasing to the sight But sowre in tast false at the putrid core Thy flaring glasse is gems at her halflight She makes thee seeming rich but truly poore She boasts a kernell and bestowes a shell Performs an inch of her fair promis'd ell Her words protest a Heav'n her works produce a hell 5 O thou the fountain of whose better part Is earth'd and gravell'd up with vain desire That dayly wallow'st in the fleshly mire And base pollution of a lustfull heart That feel'st no passion but in wanton fire And own'st no torment but from Cupids dart Behold thy Type Thou sitst upon this ball Of earth secure while death that flings at all Stands arm'd to strike thee down where flames attend thy fall S. BERN. Securitie is no where It is neither in Heaven nor in Paradise much lesse in the world In Heaven the Angels sell from the divine presence in Paradise Adam sell from his place of pleasure in the world Judas sell from the School of our Saviour HUGO I eat secure I drink secure I sleep secure even as though I had past the day of death avoided the day of judgement and escaped the torments of hell-fire I play and laugh as though I were already triumphing in the kingdome of Heaven EPIG. 7. Get up my soul Redeem thy slavish eyes From drowzy bondage O beware Be wise Thy fo 's before thee thou must sight or flie Life lies most open in a closed eye VIII LUKE 6. 25. Woe be to you that laugh now for ye shall mourn and weep THe world 's a popular disease that reignes Within the froward heart and frantick brains Of poore distemper'd mortals oft arising From ill digestion through th' unequall poysing Of ill-weigh'd Elements whose light directs Malignant humours to maligne effects One raves and labours with a â—…oyling liver Rends hair by handfuls cursing Cupids quiver Another with a bloudy-slux of oaths Vowes deep revenge one dotes the other loathes One frisks and sings and vies a slagon more To drench dry cares and makes the welkin rore Another droops the sunshine makes him sad Heav'n cannot please One 's mop'd the tother 's mad One hugs his gold another lets it slie He knowing not for whom nor tother why One spends his day in plots his night in play Another sleeps and slugs both night and day One laughs at this thing tother cries for that But neither one nor tother knowes for what Wonder of wonders What we ought t' evite As our disease we hug as our delight 'T is held a symptome of approching danger When disacquainted Sense becomes a stranger And takes no knowledge of an old disease But when a noysome grief begins to please The unresisting sense it is a fear That death has parli'd and compounded there As when the dreadfull Thund'rers awfull hand Powres forth a vâ—…all on th' infected land At first th' affrighted Mortalls quake and fear And ev'ry noise is thought the Thunderer But when the frequent soul-departing bell Has pav'd their ears with her familiar knell It is reputed but a nine dayes wonder They neither fear the Thund'rer nor his Thunder So when the world a worse disease began To smart for sinne poore new-created Man Could seek for shelter and his gen'rous Sonne Knew by his wages what his hands had done But bold-fac'd Mortalls in our blushlesse times Can sinne and smile and make a sport of crimâ—… Transgresse of custome and rebell in ease We false-joy'd fools can triumph in disease And as the carelesse Pilgrime being bit By the Tarantula begins a sit Of life concluding laughter wast our breath In lavish pleasure till we laugh to death HUGO de anima What profit is there in vain glory momentany mirth the worlds power the â—…leshes pleasure â—…ll riches noble descent and great desires Where is their laughter Where is their mirâ—…h Where their insolence their arrogance From how much joy to how much sadnesse After how much mirth how much misery From how great glory are they 〈◊〉 to how great torments What hath â—…allen to them may bâ—…fall thee because thou art a man Thou art of earth thou liveâ—…l of earth thou shalt return to earth Death expecteth thee every-where be wise therefore and expect death every-where
Can ye quench his fire Did not the great Creatours voice proclaim What ere he made from the blue spangled frame To the poore leaf that trembles very Good Blest he not both the Feeder and the Food Tell tell me then what danger can accrue From such blest Food to such half-gods as you Curb needlesse fears and let no fond conceit Abuse your freedome woman Take and eat Eve 'T is true we are immortall death is yet Unborn and till rebellion make it debt Undue I know the Fruit is good untill Presumtuous disobedience make it ill The lips that open to this Fruit 's a portall To let in death and make immortall mortall Serp. You cannot die Come woman Tast and fear not Eve Shall Eve transgresse I dare not O I dare not Serp. Afraid why draw'st thou back thy tim'rous arm Harm onely fals on such as fear a harm Heav'n knowes and fears the virtue of this Tree 'T will make ye perfect Gods as well as He. Stretch forth thy hand and let thy fondnesse never Fear death Do pull and eat and live for ever Eve 'T is but an Apple and it is as good To do as to desire Fruit's made for food I le pull and tast and tempt my Adam too To know the secrets of this dainty Serp. Doe S. CHRYS. sup Matth. He forced him not He touched him not Onely said Cast thy self down that we may know whosoever obeyeth the Devil casteth himselfe down For the Devil may suggest compell he cannot S. BERN. in ser. It is the Devils part to suggest Ours not to consent As os◅ as we resist him so often we overcome him as often as we overcome him so often we bring joy to the Angels and glory to God Who proposeth us that we may contend and assisteth us that we may conquer EPIG. I. Unluckie Parliament wherein at last Both houses are agreed and firmly past An Act of death confirm'd by higher Powers O had it had but such successe as Ours II. JAMES 1. 15. Then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sinne and sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death 1 LAment lament Look look what thou hast done Lament the worlds lament thy own estate Look look by doing how thou art undone Lament thy fall lament thy change of State Thy faith is broken and thy freedome gone See see too soon what thou lament'st too late O thou that wert so many men nay all Abbridg'd in one how has thy desp'rate fall Destroy'd thy unborn seed destroy'd thy self withall 2 Uxorious Adam whom thy maker made Equall to Angels that excell in pow'r What hast thou done O why hast thou obey'd Thy own destruction Like a new-cropt flowre How does the glory of thy beauty fade How are thy fortunes blasted in an houre How art thou cow'd that had'st the pow'r to quell The spite of new-fall'n Angels baffle Hell And vie with those that stood and vanquish those that fell 3 See how the world whose chast and pregnant womb Of late conceiv'd and brought forth noth◅ng ill Is now degenerated and become A base Adultresse whose false births do fill The earth with Monsters Monsters that do rome And rage about and make a trade to kill Now Glutt'ny paunches Lust begins to spawn Wrath takes revenge and Avarice a pawn Pale Envie pines Pride swells and Sloth begins to yawn 4 The Aire that whisper'd now begins to rore And blustring Boreas blowes the boyling Tide The whit-mouth'd Water now usurps the shore And scorns the pow'r of her tridentall guide The Fire now burns that did but warm before And rules her ruler with resistlesse pride Fire Water Earth and Ai◅e that first were made To be subdu'd see how they now invade They rule whom once they serv'd cōmand where once obey'd 5 Behold that nakednesse that late bewray'd Thy glory now 's become thy shame thy wonder ◅ehold those Trees whose various fruits were made For food now turn'd a shade to shrowd thee under Behold that voice which thou hast disobey'd That late was musick now aff◅ights like thunder Poor man Are not thy joynts grown sore with shaking To view th' effect of thy bold undertaking That in one houre didd'st marre what heav'n six dayes was making S. AUGUST lib. 1. de lib. arbit It is a most just punishment that man should lose that freedome which man could not use yet had power to keep if he would and that be who had knowledge to do what was right and did not should be deprived of the knowledge of what was right and that he who would not do righteously when he had the power should lose the power to doit when he ◅ad the will HUGO de anima They are justly punished that abuse lawfull things but they are most justly punished that use unlawfull things Thus Lucifer fell from Heaven thus Adam lost his Paradise EPIG. 2. See how these fruitfull kernels being cast Upon the earth how thick they spring how fast A full-ear'd crop and thriving rank and proud Prepost'rous man first sow'd and then he plough'd III. PROVERBS 14. 13. Even in laughter the heart is sorrowfull and the end of that mirth is heavinesse 1 ALas fond Child How are thy thoughts beguil'd To hope for hony from a nest of wasps Thou maist as well Go seek for ease in hell Or sprightly Nectar from the mouths of asps 2 The world 's a hive From whence thou canst derive No good but what thy souls vexation brings Put case thou meet Some peti-peti sweet Each drop is guarded with a thousand stings 3 Why dost thou make These murm'ring troups forsake The safe protection of their waxen homes This hive contains No sweet that 's worth thy pains There 's nothing here alas but empty combes 4 For trash and toyes And grief-ingend'ring joyes What to◅ment seems too sharp for ◅lesh and bloud What bitter pills Compos'd of reall ills Man swallows down to purchase one false good 5 The dainties here Are least what they appear Though sweet in hopes yet in fruition sowre The fruit that 's yellow Is found not alwayes mellow The fairest Tulip 's not the sweetest flowre 6 Fond youth give ore And vex thy soul no more In secking what were better farre unfound Alas thy gains Are onely present pains To gather Scorpions for a future wound 7 What 's earth or in it That longer then a minit Can lend a free delight that can endure O who would droyl Or delve in such a soyl Where gain 's uncertain and the pain is sure S AUGUST Sweetnesse in temporall matters is deceitfull Il is a labour and a perpetuall fear it is a dangerous pleasure whose beginning is without providence and whose end is not without repentance HUGO Luxury is an enticing pleasure a bastard mirth which hath honey in her mouth gall in her heart and a a◅ing in her tail EPIG. 3. What Cupid are thy shafes already made And seeking honey to set up thy trade True Embleme of thy sweers Thy
〈◊〉 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
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-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
EPIG. 8. What ayls the fool to laugh Does something please His vain conceit Or is 't a mere disease Fool giggle on and wast thy wanton breath Thy morning laughter breeds an ev'ning death IX 1. JOHN 2. 17. The world passeth away and all the lusts thereof 1 DRaw near brave sparks whose spirits scorn to light Your hallow'd tapours but at honours flame You whose heroick actions take delight To varnish over a new-painted name Whose high-bred thoughts disdain to take their slight But on th' Icarian wings of babbling fame Behold how tott'ring are your high-built stories Of earth whereon you trust the ground-work of your glories 2 And you more brain-sick Lovers that can prise A wanton smile before eternall joyes That know no heav'n but in your Mistresse eyes That feel no pleasure but what sense enjoyes That can like crown-distemper'd fools despise True riches and like babies whine for toyes Think ye the Pageants of your hopes are able To stand secure â—…n earth when earth it self 's unstable 3 Come dunghill worldlings you that â—…oot like swine And cast up golden trenches where ye come Whose onely pleasure is to undermine And view the secrets of your mothers wombe Come bring your Saint pâ—…uch'd in his leather â—…hrine And summon all yoâ—… griping Angels home Behold your world the bank of all your store The world 〈◊〉 so admire the worlâ—… ye so adore 4 A feeble world whose hot-mouth'd pleasures tire Before the race before the start retrait A faithlesse world whose false delights expire Before the term of half their promis'd date A fickle world not worth the least desire Where ev'ry chance proclaims a change of State A feeble faithlesse sickle world wherein Each motion proves a vice and ev'ry act a sin 5 The beautie that of late was in her flowre Is now a ruine not to raise a lust He that was lately drench'd in 〈◊〉 showre Is master now of neither gold nor trust Whose honour late was mann'd with princely powre His glory now lies buried in the dust O who would trust this world or prize what 's in it That gives and takes and chops and changes ev'ry minit 6 Nor length of dayes nor solid strength of brain Can find a place wherein to rest secure The world is various and the earth is vain There 's nothing certain here there 's nothing sure We trudge we travel but from pain to pain And what 's our onely grief's 〈◊〉 onely cure The world 's a torment he that would endeaver To find the way to rest must seek the way to leave her S. GREG. in ho Behold the world is withered in it self yet flourisheth in our hearts every where death every where grief every where 〈◊〉 On every side we are smitten on every side filled with bitternesse and yet with the blind mind of carnall desire we love her bitternesse It 〈◊〉 and we follow it it falleth yet we stick to it And because we 〈◊〉 enjoy it fallen we sall with it and enjoy it sallen 〈◊〉 9. If Fortune hale or envious Time but spurn The world turns round and with the world we turn When Fortune sees and Lynx-ey'd Time is blind I 'll trust trust thy joyes O world till then the wind X. JOHN 8. 44. Ye are of your father the devil and the lusts of your father ye will do HEre 's your right ground wagge gently o'r this black 'T is a short cast y' are quickly at the jack Rub rub an inch or two two crowns to one On this bouls side blow wind 't is fairly thrown The next boul 's worse that comes come boul away Mammon you know the ground untutour'd play Your last was gone a yard of strength well spar'd Had touch'd the block your hand is still too hard Brave pastime 〈◊〉 to consume that day Which without pastime slies too swift away See how they labour as if day and night Were both too short to serve their loose delight See how their curved bodies wreath and 〈◊〉 Such antick shapes as Proteus never knew One raps an oath another deals a 〈◊〉 He never better boul'd this never worse One rubs his itchlesse elbow thrugs and laughs The tother bends his beetle-browes and chafes Sometime they whoop sometimes their Stygian cries Send their black-Santos to the blushing skies Thus mingling humours in a mad 〈◊〉 They make bad Premises and worse Conclusion But where 's the Palm that Fortunes hand allowes To blesse the victours honourable 〈◊〉 Come Reader come I 'll light thine eye the way To view the Prize the while the gamesters play Close by the jack behold gill fortune stands Tâ—… wave the game see in her partiall hands The glorious garland's held in open show To chear the Lads and crown the Conq'rours brow The world 's the jack the gamesters that contend Are Cupid Mammon that judicious Friend That gives the ground is Satan and the boules Are sinfull thoughts the Prize a crown for fools Who breathes that boules not what bold tongue can say Without a blush he hath not boul'd to day It is the trade of man and every sinner Has plaid his rubbers Every soule 's a winner The vulgar Proverb 's crost He hardly can Be a good bouler and an honest man Good God turn thou my Brazil thoughts a new New sole my boules and make their bias true I 'll cease to game till fairer ground be given Nor wish to winne untill the mark be heaven S. BERNARD lib. de Consid. O you Sonnes of Adam you covetous generation what have ye to do with earthly riches which are neither true nor yours Gold and silver are reall earth red and white which the onely errour os man makes or rather reputes pretious In short if they be yours carry them with you S. HIEROME in Ep. O Lust thou inferâ—…all fire whose fuell is gluttony whose flame is pride whose sparkles are wanton words whose smoke is infamie whose ashes are uncleannesse whose end is hell EPIG. 10. 〈◊〉 well follow'd Cupid bravely led Both Touchers equall Fortune makes a dead No reed can measure where the conquest lies Take my advise compound and share the Prize XI EPHESIANS 2. 2. Ye walked according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the aire 1 O Whither will this mad-brain world at last Be driv'n where will her restlesse wheels arive Why hurries on her ill-match'd payre so fast O whither means her 〈◊〉 groom to drive What will her â—…ambling sits be never past For ever ranging never once 〈◊〉 Will earths perpetuall progresse ne'r expire Her Team continuing in their fresh careire And yet they never rest and yet they never tire 2 Sols hot-mouth'd steeds whose noslrils vomit flame And brazâ—…n lungs 〈◊〉 forth quotidian fire Their twelve houres task perform'd grow 〈◊〉 and lame And their immortall spirits faint and tire At th' azure mountains foot their labours claim The priviledge of rest where they retire To quench their burning 〈◊〉 and to steep Their flaming nostrils
châ—…ldren whine for toyes S. BERN. That is the true and chief joy which is not conceived from the creature but received from the Creatoâ—… which being once possest thereof none can take from thee whereto all pleasâ—…e being compared is torment all joy is grief sweet things are bitter all glory is baâ—…enesse and all deâ—…ectable things are despicable S. BERN. Joy in a changeable subject must necessarily change as the subject changeth EPIG. 8. Peace childish Cupid peace thy singer'd eye But crios for what in time will make thee cry But are thy peevish wranglings thus appeas'd Well maist thou cry that art so poorely pleas'd IX ISAIAH 10. 3. What will ye do in the day of your visitation to whom will ye â—…lie for help and where will ye leave your glory 1 IS this that jolly God whose Cyprian bowe Has shot so many flaming darts And made so many wounded Beauties go Sadly perplext with whimp'ring hearts Is this that Sov'raign Deity that brings The slavish world in awe and stâ—…ngs The blund'ring souls of swains and stoops the hearts of Kings 2 What Circean chaâ—…m what Hecatean spight Has thus abus'd the Gâ—…d of love Great Jove was vanquisht by his greater might And who is stronger-arm'd then Jove Or has our lustâ—…ull god persorm'd a rape And fearing Argus eyes would scape The view of jealous earth in this prodigious shape 3 Where be those rosie cheeks that lately scorn'd The malice of injurious Fates Ah where 's that pearl Percullis that adorn'd Those dainty two-leav'd Ruby gates Where be those killing eyes that so controul'd The world And locks that did infold Like knots of flaming wire like curles of burnisht gold 4 No no 't was neither Heâ—…tean spite Nor charm below nor pow'r above 'T was neither Circes spell nor Stygian sprite That thus transform'd our god of Love 'T was owl-eyed Lust more potent farre then they Whose eyes and actions hate the day Whom all the world observe whom all the world obay 5 Se how the latter Trumpets dreadfull blast Affrights stout Mars his tâ—…embling son Se how he startles how he stands agast And scrambles from his melting Throne Hark how the direfull hand of vengeance tears The swelt'ring clouds whilst Heav'n appears A ciâ—…cle fill'd with flame and center'd with his fears 6 This is that day whose oft report hath woâ—…n Neglected tongues of Prophets bare The faithlesse subject of the worldlings scorn The summe of men and Angels pray'r This this the day whose All-discerning light Ransacks the secret dens of night And severs good from bad true joyes from false delight 7 You grov'ling worldings you whose wisdome trades Where light nev'r shot his golden â—…ay That hide your actions in Cimeriâ—…n â—…des How will your eyes indure this day Hills will be deaf and mountains will not heaâ—… There be no caves no corners there To shade your souls from fire to shield your hearts from fear HUGO O the extreme loath loathsomnesse of fleshly lust which not onely â—…sseminates the mind but eneâ—…ves the body which not onely diâ—…taineth the soul but disguiseth the 〈◊〉 It is â—…hered with fury and wantonnesse it is accompanied with â—…ury and wantonnesse and it is followed with grief and râ—…ntance EPIG. 9. What sweet-fac'd Cupid has thy bastard-treasure Thy boasted honours and thy bold-fac'd pleasure Perplext thee now I told thee long ago To what they 'd bring thee fool To wit to woe X. NAHâ—…M 2. 10. She is emptie and void and waste 1 SHe 's emptie hark she sounds there 's nothing there But noyse to fill thy eare Thy vain enquiry can at length but find A blast of murm'ring wind It is a cask that seems as full as fair But merely tunn'd with aire Fond youth go build thy hopes on better grounds The soul that vainly founds Her joyes upon this world but feeds on emptie sounds 2 She 's emptie hark she sounds there 's nothing in 't The spark-ingend'ring â—…lint Shall sooner melt and hardest raunce shall first Dissolve and quench thy thirst E'r this false world shall still thy stormy breast With smooth fac'd calms of rest Thou mayst as well expect Meridian light From shades of black-mouth'd night As in this emptie world to find a full delight 3 She 's empty hark she sounds 't is void and vast What if some flatt'ring blast Of flatâ—…ous honour should perchance be there And whisper in thine earâ—… It is but wind and blows but where it list And vanishâ—…s like a mist Poore honour earth can give What gen'rous mind Would be so base to bind Her Heav'n-bred soul a slave to serve a blast of wind 4 She 's empty hark she sounds 't is but a ball For fools to play withall The painted silm but of a stronger bubble That 's lin'd with silken trouble It is a world whose work and recreation Is vanity and vexation A Hagg repair'd with vice-complexion paint A quest-house of complaint It is a saint a fiend worse fiend when most a saint 5 She 's empty hark she â—…ounds 't is vain and void What 's here to be enjoyed But grief and sicknesse and large bills of sorrow Drawn now and crost to morrow Or what are men but puffs of dying breath Reviv'd with living death Fond laâ—… O build thy hopes on surer grounds Then what dull flesh propounds Truâ—… not this hollow world she 's empty hark she sounds S. CHRYS. in Ep. ad Heb. Contemne riches and thou shalt be rich contemne glory and thou shalt be glorious contemne injuries and thou shalt be a conquerour consemne rest and thou shalt gain rest contemne earth and thou shalt find Heaven EPIG. lib. de Vanit mundi The world is a vanity which affordeth neither beauty to the amorous nor reward to the laborious nor incouragement to the industrious EPIG. 10. This house is to be let for life or years Her rent is sorrow and her In-come tears Cupid 't 'as long stood void her bills make known She must be dearly let or let alone XI MATTHEW 7. 14. Narrow is the way that leadeth unto life and few there be that find it PRepost'rous fool thou troul'st amisse Thou err'st that 's not the way 't is this Thy hopes instructed by thine eye Make thee appear more near then I My floore is not so flat so fine And has more obvious rubs then thine 'T is true my way is hard and strait And leads me through a thorny â—…ate Whose ranckling pricks are sharp and fell The common way to Heav'n 's by hell 'T is true thy path is short and fair And free of rubs Ah fool beware The safest road 's not alwayes ev'n The way to Hell 's a seeming Heav'n Think'st thou the Crown of Glory 's had With idle ease fond Cyprian lad Think'st thou that mirth and vain delights High feed and shadow-shortning nights Soft knees full bones and beds of down Are proper Prologues to a Crown Or canst thou hope to come and view Like prosperous Caesar and subdue The
dart As it hath prickt thy fancy pierâ—…'d thy heart 'T had been thy friend O how has it deceiv'd thee For had this dart but kill'd this dart had sav'd thee XIV PROVERBS 24. 16. A just man falleth seven times and riseth up again but the wicked shall fall into mischief 1 'T Is but a foyl at best and that 's the most Your skill can boast My slipp'ry footing fail'd me and you tripâ—… Just as I slipt My wanton weaknesse did her self betray With too much play I was too bold He never yet stood sure That stands secure Who ever trusted to his native strength But fell at length The Title 's craz'd the Tenure is not good That claims by th' evidence of flesh and bloud 2 Boast not thy skill the riglâ—…eous man falls ost Yet falls but soft There may be dirt to mire him but no stones To crush his bones What if he staggers Nay put case he be Foyl'd on his knee That very knee will bend to Heav'n and woo For mercy too The true-bred Gamester ups a fresh and then Falls to 't agen Whereas the leaden-hearted coward lies And yields his conquer'd life or craven'd dies 3 Boast not thy Conquest thou that ev'ry hour Fall'sâ—… ten times lower Nay hast not pow'r to rise if not in case To fall more base Thou wallow'st where I slip and thou dost tumble Where I but stumble Thou glory'st in thy slav'ries diâ—…ty badges And fall'st for wages Sowâ—…grief and sad repentance scowrs and clears My stains with tears Thy falling keeps thy falling still in ure But when I slip I stand the more sâ—…cure 4 Lord what a nothing is this little Span We call a Man What fenny trash mainteins the smoth'ring sires Of his desires How sleight and short are â—…is resolvs at longest How weak at strongest O if a sinner held by thy fast hand Can hardly stand Good God! in what a desp'rate case are they That have no stay Mans state implyes a necessary curse When not himself he 's mad when most himself he 's worse S. AMBROS. in Serm. ad vincula Peter stood more firmly after he â—…ad lamented his fall then before he fell Insomuch that he found more grace then he lost grace S. CHRYS. in Ep. ad Heliod monach It is no such hainous matter to fall afflicted as being down to lie dejected It is no danger for a souldier to receive a wound in battel but after the wound received through despair of recovery to refuse a remedy for we often see wounded Champions wear the Palm at last and after flight crowned with victory EPIG. 14. Triumph not Cupid his mischance doth show Thy trade doth once what thou dost alwayes do Brag not too soon has thy prevailing hand Foil'd him Ah fool th' ast taught him how to stand XV JEREMIAH 32. 40. I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me SO now the soul 's sublim'd her sowre desires Are recalcin'd in heav'ns well-tempred fires The heart restor'd and purg'd from drossie nature Now finds the freedome of a new-born creature It lives another life it breaths new breath It neither feels nor fears the sting of death Like as the idle vagrant having none That boldly ' dopts each house he views his own Makes ev'ry purse his chequer and at pleasure Walks forth and taxes all the world like Caesar At length by vertue of a just command His sides are lent to a severer hand Whereon his passe not fully understood Is texted in a manuscript of blood Thus past from town to town untill he come A sore repentant to his native home Ev'n so the rambling heart that idly roves From crimes to sin and uncontroul'd removes From lust to lust when wanton slesh invites From old-worn pleasures to new choice delights At length corrected by the filiall rod Of his offended but his gracious God And lasht from sins to sighs and by degrees From sighs to vows from vows to bended knees From â—…ended knees to a true pensive breast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to torments not by tongues exprest 〈◊〉 and from his sinfull self exil'd 〈◊〉 a glad father he a welcome child O then it lives O then it lives involv'd In 〈◊〉 raptures pants to be dissolv'd 〈◊〉 royall Of spring of a second Birth 〈◊〉 ope to Heav'n and shuts the doors to earth If love-sick â—…ove commanded clouds should hap To rain such show'rs as quickned Danaes lap Or dogs far kinder then their purple master Should lick his sores he laughs nor weeps the faster If earth Heav'ns rivall dart her idle ray To Heav'n 't is wax and to the world 't is clay If earth present delights it scorns to draw But like the jet unrubb'd disdains that straw No hope deceives it and no doubt divides it No grief disturbs it and no errour guides it No fear distracts it and no rage inflames it No guilt condemns it and no folly shames it No sloth besots it and no lust inthralls it No scorn afflicts it and no passion gawls it It is a â—…arknet of immortall life An Aâ—…k of peace the lists of sacred strife A purer piece of endlâ—…sse transitory A shrine of Grace a little throne of Glory A Heav'n-born Of-spring of a new-born birth An earthly Heav'n an ounce of Heav'nly earth S. AUGUST de spir. anima O happy heart where pietie 〈◊〉 where 〈◊〉 subjects where repentance correcteth where obedience directâ—…th where perseverance perfecteth where power protecteth wheâ—…e devotion projecteth where charitie connecteth S. GRâ—…G Which way soever the heart turneth it self if carefully it shall commonly observe that in those very things we lose God in tâ—…ose very things we shall find God It shall find the heat of his power in consideration of those things in the love of whiâ—…h things he was most cold and by what things it fell 〈◊〉 by those things it is raised converted EPIG. 15. My heart but wherefore do I call thee so I have renounâ—…'d my int'rest long ago When thou wert false and fleshly I was thine Mine wert thou never till thou wert not mine THE THIRD BOOK The Entertainment ALL you whose better thoughts are newly born And rebaptiz'd with holy fire can scorn The worlds base trash whose necks disdain to bear Th' imperious yoke of Satan whose chast eare No wanton songs of Sirens can surprize With false delight whose more then Eagle-eyes Can view the glorious flames of gold and gaze On glitt'ring beams of honour and not daze Whose souls can spurn at pleasure and deny The loose suggestions of the flesh draw nigh And you whose am'rous whose select desires Would feel the warmth of those transcendent 〈◊〉 Which like the rising Sun put out the light Of Venus starre and turn her day to night You that would love and have your passions crown'd With greater happinesse then can be found In your own wishes you that would aâ—…ect Where neither scorn nor guile nor disiespect Shall wound your tortur'd souls that would enjoy Where
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
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