Emblemes by Francis Quarles. Quarles, Francis, 1592-1644. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A56969 of text R5718 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing Q77). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 295 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 161 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A56969 Wing Q77 ESTC R5718 13494002 ocm 13494002 99749 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A56969) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 99749) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 472:24) Emblemes by Francis Quarles. Quarles, Francis, 1592-1644. [10], 311 p. Printed by R. D. for Francis Eglesfeild ..., Cambridge : 1643. Engraved t.p., illustrated. "Hieroglyphikes of the life of the man": p. [317]-381. Imperfect: Hieroglyphikes of the life of the man lacking on film. Reproduction of original in the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign Campus). Library. eng Emblems -- Early works to 1800. A56969 R5718 (Wing Q77). civilwar no Emblemes by Fran: Quarles. Quarles, Francis 1643 49715 451 0 0 0 0 0 91 D The rate of 91 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the D category of texts with between 35 and 100 defects per 10,000 words. 2002-03 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2002-04 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2002-05 TCP Staff (Michigan) Sampled and proofread 2002-05 John Latta Text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-06 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion EMBLEMES CAMBRIDGE Printed by RD . for Francis . Eglesfeild . and are to be sold at the signe of the Marigold . in St. Pauls Church-yard . 16●● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : Haec laus , hic apex Sapientiae est , ea viventem appetere , quae morienti forent appetenda . TO My much honoured , and no lesse truly beloved Friend , EDW. BENLOWES , Esquire . My dear Friend , YOu have put the Theorboe into my hand , and I have played : You gave the Musician the first encouragement ; the Musick returneth to you for Patronage . Had it been a light Ayre , no doubt but it had taken the most ; and among them the worst : But being a grave Strayn , my hopes are , that it will please the best ; and among them , You. Toyish Ayres please triviall eares : They kisse the fancy , and betray it : They cry , Hail , first ; and after , Crucifie : Let Dorrs delight to immerd themselves in dungwhilest Eagles scorn so poore a Game as Flies . Sir , you have Art and Candour : Let the one judge , let the other excuse Your most affectionate Friend , FRA. QUARLES What heere wee see is but a graven face Onely the shaddow of yt brittle case Wherein were treasurd up those gems wch he Hath left behind him to Posterity To the Reader . AN Embleme is but a silent Parable . Let not the tender Eye check , to see the allusion to our blessed Saviour figured in these Types . In holy Scripture , he is sometimes called a Sower ; sometimes , a Fisher ; sometimes a Physician : And why not presented so as well to the eye as to the eare ? Before the knowledge of letters God was known by Hieroglyphicks : And , indeed , what are the Heavens , the Earth , ●…ay every Creature , but Hieroglyphicks and Emblemes of His Glory ? I have no more to say . I wish thee as much pleasure in the reading , as I had in the writing . Farewell , Reader . BY Fathers back'd , by Holy Writ led on , Thou shew'st a way to Heav'n by Helicon : The Muses Font is consecrate by Thee , And Poesie , baptiz'd Divinitie : Blest soul , that here embark'st : Thou sail'st apace , 'T is hard to say , mov'd more by Wit , or Grace ; Each Muse so plyes her Oar : but O , the Sail Is fill'd from Heav'n with a Diviner Gale : When Poets prove Divines , why should not I Approve in Verse this Divine Poetry ? Let this suffice to licence thee the Presse ; I must no more ; nor could the Truth say lesse . Sic approbavit RICH. LOVE Procan . Cantabrigiensis . Tot Flores QUARLES , quot Paradisus , habet . Lectori bene-male-volo . Qui legit ex Horto hoc Flores , Qui carpit , Ut●rque Jure potest VIOLAS dicere , jure ROSAS . Non è Parnasso VIOLAM , Paestive ROSETO Carpit Apollo , magìs quae sit amoena , ROSAM . Quot Versus , VIOLAS legis ; & Quem verba lo●●●●um Credis , verbà dedit : Nam dedit Ille ROSAS . Utque Ego non dicam haec VIOLAS suavissima ; T●●● Ipse facis VIOLAS , Livide , si violas . Nam velu● è VIOLIS sibi sugit Ara●ea virus : Vertis ità in succos Hasque , ROSASque tuos . Quas violas Mù●as , VIOLAS puto , quasque recusa● Dente tuo rosas , has , reor , esse ROSAS . Sic rosas , facis esse ROSAS , dùm 〈◊〉 , rodis : Sic facis has VIOLAS , Livide , dum violas . Brent . Hall . 1634. EDVV. BENLOVVES . THE FIRST BOOK . The Invocation . ROwze thee , my soul ; and drein thee from the dregs Of vulgar thoughts : Skrue up the heightned pegs Of thy sublime Theorboe foure notes higher , And higher yet ; that so , the 〈◊〉 - mouth'd Quire Of swift-wing'd Seraphims may come and joyn , And make thy consort more than halfe divine . Invoke no Muse ; Let heav'n be thy Apollo ; And let his sacred influences hallow Thy high-bred strains ; Let his full beams inspite Thy ravish'd brains with more heroick 〈◊〉 : Snatch thee a Quill from the spread Eagles wing , And , like the morning Lark , mount up and sing : Cast off these dangling plummets , that so clog Thy lab'ring heart , which gropes in this dark fog Of dungeon-earth ; Let flesh and bloud 〈◊〉 To stop thy flight , till this base world appear A thin blew Lanskip : Let thy pineons sore So high a pitch , that men may seem no more Than Pismires , crawling on this Mole-hill earth , Thy eare untroubled with their frantick mirth ; Let not the frailtie of thy flesh disturb Thy new-concluded peace ; Let Reason 〈◊〉 Thy hot-mouth'd Passion ; and let heav'ns fire season The fresh Conceits of thy corrected Reason . Disdain to warm thee at Lusts smokie fires , Scorn , scorn to feed on thy old bloat desires : Come , come , my soul , hoyse up thy higher sails , The wind blowes fair ? Shall we still creep like Snails , That gild their wayes with their own native slimes ? No , we must flie like E●…gles , and our Rhimes Must mount ●…o heav'n and reach th' Olympick ea●… ; Our heav'n-blown fire must seek no other Sphear . Thou great Theanthropos , that giv'st and ground'st Thy gifts in dust ; and from out dunghill crown'st Reflected Honour , taking by retail , What thou hast giv'n in grosse , from lapsed , frail , And sinfull man ; that drink'st full draughts , wherein Thy Childrens leprous fingers , scurf'd with Sin , Have padled , cleanse , O cleanse my crafty Soul From secret crimes , and let my thoughts controul My thoughts : O , teach me stoutly to deny My self , that I may be no longer I : Enrich my fancie , clarifie my thoughts , Resine my drosse ; O , wink at humane faults ; And through this slender conduit of my Quill Convey thy Current , whose clear streams may fill The hearts of men with love , their tongues with prayse : Crown me with Glory : Take , who list , the Bayes . I. JAM . 1. 14. Every man is tempted , when he is drawn away by his own lust , and enticed . Serpent . Eve . Serp. NOt eat ? Not tast ? Not touch ? Not cast an eye Upon the fruit of this fai●… Tree ? And why ? Why eat'st thou not what Heav'n ordain'd for food ? Or canst thou think that bad which heav'n call'd Good ? Why was it made , if not to be enjoy'd ? Neglect of favours makes a favour void : Blessings unus'd , pervert into a Wast , As well as Surfets ; Woman , Do but tast : See how the laden boughs make silent suit To be enjoy'd ; Look how their bending fruit Meet thee half-way ; Observe but how they crouch To kisse thy hand ; Coy woman , Do but touch : Ma●…k what a pure Vermilion blush has dy'd Their swelling cheeks , and how for shame they hide Their palsie heads , to see themselves stand by Neglected : Woman , Do but cast an eye . What bounteous heav'n ordain'd for use , refuse not ; Come , pull and eat : Y' abuse the thing ye use not . Eve . Wisest of Beasts , our great Creatour did Reserve this Tree , and this alone forbid ; The rest are freely ours , which doubtlesse are As pleasing to the tast ; toth' eye , as fair ; But touching this , his strict commands are such , ` T is death to tast , no lesse than death to touch . Serp. Pish ; death 's a fable : Did not heav'n inspire , Your equall Elements with living Fire , Blown from the spring of life ? Is not that breath Immortall ? Come ; ye are as free from death As He that made ye . Can the flames expire Which he has kindled ? 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 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 S●…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 d●…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 fo●…mall kisse , And lodges death in her deceitsull smiles ; She hugs the soul she hates ; and there does prove The veriest tyrant where she vowes to love , And is a Serpent most , when most she seems a Dove . 7 Thrice happy he , whose nobler thoughts despise To make an object of so easie gains ; Thrice happy he , who scorns so poore a prize Should be the crown of his heroick pains : Thrice happy he , that ne'r was born to trie Her frowns or smiles ; or being born , did lie In his sad nurses arms an houre or two , and die . S. AUGUST . lib. Confess . O you that dote upon this world , for what victory do ye sight ? Your hopes can be crowned with no greater reward then the world can give ; and what is the world but a brittle thing full of dangers , wherein we travel from lesser to greater perils ? O let all her vain , light , and momentany glory perish with her self , and let us be conversant with more eternall things . Alas , this world is miserable ; life is short , and death is sure . EPIG. 4. My soul , what 's lighter then a feather ? wind . Then wind ? The fire . And what then fire ? The mind . What 's lighter then the mind ? A thought . Then thought ? This bubble-world . What then this bubble ? Nought . V. 1. COR. 7. 31. The fashion of this world passeth away . GOne are those golden dayes , wherein Pale conscience started not at ugly sinne : When good old Satu●…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 Cu●…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 ins●…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 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 mi●…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 . Fo●…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 ●…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 v●…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 crim●… , 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 ●…leshes pleasure , ●…ll riches , noble descent , and great desires ? Where is their laughter ? Where is their mir●…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 ●…allen to them , may b●…fall thee , because thou art a man : Thou art of earth ; thou live●…l of earth ; thou shalt return to earth . Death expecteth thee every-where ; be wise therefore , and expect death every-where . 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 ●…n earth , when earth it self 's unstable ? 3 Come dunghill worldlings , you that ●…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 , p●…uch'd in his leather ●…hrine , And summon all yo●… griping Angels home . Behold your world , the bank of all your store : The world 〈◊〉 so admire ; the worl●… 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 T●… 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 infer●…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 ●…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 braz●…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 in the western deep , And fresh their tired soul●…s with strength-restoring sleep . 3 But these prodigious hackneyes , basely got 'Twixt men and devils , made for race nor flight , Can drag the idle world , expecting not The bed of rest , but travel with delight ; Who neither weighing way , nor weather , trot Through dust and dirt , and droyl both night and day ; Thus droyl these fiends incarnate , whose free pains Are fed with dropsies and venerial blains . No need to use the whip ; but strength , to rule the rains . 4 Poore captive world ! How has thy lightnesse given A just occasion to thy foes illusion ? O , how art thou betray'd , thus fairly driven In seeming triumph to thy own confusion ? How is thy empty universe bereaven Of all true joyes , by one false Joyes delusion ? So have I seen an unblown virgin fed With sugar'd words so full , that she is led A fair attended Bride to a false Bankrupts bed . 5 Pull , gracious Lord ; Let not thine Arm forsake The world , impounded in her own devises ; Think of that pleasure that thou once didst take Amongst the Lillies and sweet Beds of spices . Hale strongly , thou whose hand has pow'r to slake The swift-foot fury of ten thousand vices : Let not that dust-devouring Dragon boast , His craft has wonne , what Judahs Lion lost ; Remember what it 〈◊〉 Recount the price it cost . ISIDOR . lib. 1. De summo bono . By how much the nearer Satan perceiveth the world to an end , by so much the more ●…iercely he troubleth it with persecution ; that knowing himself is to be damned , he may get company in his damnation . CYPRIAN in ep. Broad and spatious is the road to infernal li●… : there are enticements and death-bringing pleasures . There the Devil flattereth , that he may deceive ; smileth , that he may endamage ; allureth , that he may destroy . EPIG. 11. Nay 〈◊〉 and fair good world ; post not too fast ; Thy journeys end requires not half this hast . Unlesse that arme thou so disdain'st reprives thee , Alas thou needs must go : the devil drives thee . XII . ISAIAH 66. 11. Ye may suck , but not be satisfied with the breast of her consolation . 1 WHat never fill'd ? Be thy lips skrew'd so fast To th'earths sull breast ? For shame , for shame unseise thee : Thou tak'st a surset where thou fhould'st but tast , And mak'st too much not half enough to please thee . Ah fool , ●…orbear ; Thou swallow'st at one breath Both food & poyson down ; thou draw'st both milk & death . 2 The ub'rous breasts , when fairly drawn , repast The thriving infant with their milkie ●…lood , But being 〈◊〉 , return at last Unwholsome gulps compos'd of wind and bloud . A mod'rate use does both repast and please ; Who strains beyond a mean draws in and gulps disease . 3 But , O that mean whose good the least abuse Makes bad , is too too hard to be directed : Can thorns bring grapes , or crabs a pleasing juyce ? There 's nothing wholsome , where the whole 's infected . Unseise thy lips : Earths milk 's a rip'ned core That drops from her disease , that matters from her sore . 4 Think'st thou that paunch that 〈◊〉 out thy coat , Is thriving fat ; or flesh , that seems so brawny ? Thy paunch is dropsied and thy cheeks are bloat ; Thy lips are white and thy complexion tawny ; Thy skin 's a bladder blown with wa●…ry tumours ; Thy ●…lesh a trembling bog , a quagmire full of humours . 5 And thou whose thrivelesse hands are ever straining Earths fluent breasts into an empty sive , That alwayes hast , yet alwayes art complaining , And whin'st for more then earth has pow'r to give ; Whose treasure flowes and flees away as fast ; That ever hast , and hast , yet hast not what thou hast : 6 Go choose a substance , fool , that will remain Within the limits of thy leaking measure ; Or else go seek an urne that will retain The liquid body of thy slipp'ry treasure : Alas , how poorely are thy labours crown'd ? Thy liquour's neither sweet , nor yet thy vessel sound 7 What l●…sse then fool is Man , to prog and plot , And lavishout the cream of all his care , To gain poore seeming goods , which , being got , Make firm possession but a thorow-fare : Or if they stay , they furrow thoughts the deeper , And being kept with care , they loose their carefull keeper . S. GREG. Hom. 3. secund. parte Ezech. If we give more to the flesh then we ought , we nourish an enemy ; If we give not to her necessity what we ought , we destroy a citizen : The flesh is to be satisfied so sarre as 〈◊〉 to our good ; whosoever alloweth so much to her as to make her proud , knoweth not bow to be satisfied : To be satisfied is a great art ; least by the satietie of the slesh we break ●…orth into the iniquitie of her folly . HUGO de Anima . The heart is a small thing , but desireth great matters : It is not sufficient for a Kites dinner , ye●… the whole world is not sufficient for it . EPI●… . 12. What makes thee fool , so fat ? Fool , thee so bare ? Ye suck the self-same milk , the self-same aire : No mean betwixt all paunch , and skin and bone ? The mean's a vertue , and the world has none . XIII . JOHN 3. 19. Men love darknesse rather then light , because their deeds are evil . LOrd , when we leave the world and come to Thee , How dull , how slug are wee ! How backward ! how preposterous is the motion Of our ungain devotion ! Our thoughts are milstones , and our souls are lead , And our desires are dead : Our vowes are fairly promis'd , faintly paid ; Or broken , or not made : Our better work ( if any good ) attends Upon our private ends : In whose performance one poore worldly scoff Foyls us , or beats us off . If thy sharp 〈◊〉 find out some secret fault , We grumble or revolt : And if thy gentle hand forbear , we stray , Or idly lose the way . Is the road fair ? we loyter : cloggd with mire ? We stick , or else retire : A lamb appears a lyon ; and we feare , Each bush we see's a bear . When our dull souls direct their thoughts to thee , The soft-pac'd snayl is not so slow as we : But when at ea●…th we dart our wing'd desire , We burn , we burn like ●…ire . Like as the am'rous needle joyes to bend To her Magnetick friend : Or as the greedy Lovers eye-balls flye At his fair Mistres eye : So , so we cling to earth ; we flie and puff , Yet flie not fast enough . If pleasure becken with her balmy hand , Her beck's a strong command : If honour call us with her courtly breath , An houres delay is death : If profits golden finger'd charms enveigle's , We clip more s●…ift then Eagles : Let Auster weep , or blustring Boreas rore Till eyes or lungs be sore : Let Neptune swell untill his dropsie-sides Burst into broken tides : Nor threat'ning rocks , nor winds , nor waves , nor fire Can curb our fierce desire ; Nor fire nor rocks can stop our surious minds , Nor waves , nor winds . How fast and fearelsse do our footsteps flee ! The lightfoot Roe-buck's not so swift as we . S. AUGUST . sup . Psal. 64. Two severall Lovers built two severall Cities ; The love of God buildeth a Jerusalem ; The love of the world buildeth a Babylon : Let every one enquire of himself what he lov●…th , and he shall resolve himself of whence he is a Citizen . S. AUGUST . lib. 3. Confess . All things are d●…iven by their own weight , and tend to their own center : My weight is my love ; by that I am driven whithersoever I am driven . Ibidem . Lord , he loveth thee the lesse , that loveth any thing with thee , which he loveth not for thee . EPIG. 13. Lord , scourge my Asse if she should make no hast , And curb my Stag if he should flie too fast : If he be overswif●… , or sh●… prove idle , Let Love lend him a spur : Fear , her , a bridle . XIV . PSALM 13. 3. Lighten mine eyes , O Lord , lest I sleep the sleep of death . WIll't ne'r be morning ? Will that promis'd light Ne'r break , and clear these clouds of night ? Sweet Phospher , bring the day , Whose conqu'ring ray May chase these sogs ; Sweet 〈◊〉 , ●…ing the day . How long ! how long shall these benighted eyes Languish in shades , like fe●…ble fli●…s Expecting Spring ! How long shall darknesse soyl The face of earth , and thus beguile Our souls of sprightfull action ? when will day Begin to dawn , whose new-born ray May gild the wether-cocks of our devotion , And give our unsoul'd souls new motion ? Sweet Phospher , bring the day , Thy light will fray These horrid mists ; Sweet Phospher , bring the day . Let those have night , that slily love t' immure Their cloyster'd crimes , and sinne secure ; Let those have night , that blush to let men kno●… The basenesse they ne'r blush to do ; Let those have night , that love to take a nap And loll in Ignorances lap ; Let those whose eyes , like Ouls , abhorre the light , Let those have night that lo●…e the night : Sweet Phospher , bring the day ; How sad delay Afflicts dull hopes ! Sweet Phospher , bring the day . Alas ! my light invain-expecting eyes Can find no Objects but what rise From this poore morall blaze , a dying spark Of Vulcans forge , whose flames are dark And dangerous , a dull blew burning light , As melancholly as the night : Here 's all the Sunnes that glister in the Sphere Of earth : Ah me ! what comfort 's here ? Sweet Phospher , bring the day ; Haste , haste away Heav'ns loytring lamp ; Sweet Phospher , bring the day . Blow , Ignorance : O thou , whose idle knee Rocks earth into a Lethargie , And with thy sootie fingers hast bedight The worlds fair cheeks , blow , blow thy spite ; Since thou hast pufft our greater Tapour , do Pusse on , and out the lesser too : If ere that breath-exiled flame return , Thou hast not blown , as it will burn : Sweet Phospher , bring the day ; Light will repay The wrongs of night : Sweet Phospher , bring the day . S. AUGUST . in Joh. ser. 19. God is all to thee : If thou be hungry , he is bread ; If thirsty , he is water ; If in darknesse , he is light ; If naked , he is a robe of immortalitie . AIANUS de conq . nat. God is a light that is never darkned ; An unwearied life , that cannot d●…e ; a fountain alwayes flowing ; a garden of life ; a seminary of wisdome , a radicall beginning of all goodnesse . EPIG. 11. My soul , if Ignorance puffe out this light , Shee 'll do a favour that intends a spight : 'T seems dark abroad ; but take this light away , Thy windowes will discover break a day . XV . REVELATION 12. 12. The Devil is come unto you , having great wrath , because he knoweth that he hath but a short time . 1 LOrd ! canst thou see and suffer ? is thy hand Still bound to th'peace ? Shall earths black Monarch take A full possession of thy wasted land ? O , will thy slumb'ring vengeance never wake , Till full-ag'd law-resisting Custome shake The pillours of thy right by false command ? Unlock thy clouds , great Thund'rer , and come down ; Behold whose Temples wear thy sacred Crown ; Redresse , redresse our wrongs ; revenge , revenge thy own . 2 See how the bold Usurper mounts the seat Of royall Majesty ; How overstrawing Perils with pleasure , pointing ev'ry threat With bugbear death , by torments over-awing Thy frighted subjects ; or by favours drawing Their tempted hearts to his unjust retreat ; Lord , canst thou be so mild ? and he so bold ? Or can thy flocks be thriving , when the fold Is govern'd by a Fox ? Lord , canst thou see and hold ? 3 That swist-wing'd Advocate , that did commence Our welcome suits before the King of kings , That sweet Embassadour , that hu●… ries hence What ayres th' harmonio●…s soul or sighs or sings , See how she flutters with her idle wings ; Her wings are clipt , and eyes put out by sense : Sense conq'ring Faith is now grown blind and cold , And basely crav●…nd , that in times of old Did conquer Heav'n it self , do what th' Almightie could . 4 Behold how double Fraud does s●…ourge and t●…ar Astraeas wounded sides , plough'd up and rent With knotted cords , whose fury has no eare ; See how she stands a pris'ner to be sent , A slave , into eternall banishment , I know not whither , O , I know not where : Her Patent must be cancell'd in disgrace ; And sw●…-lip Fraud , with her divided face , Must act As●…s part , must take Astraeas place . 5 Faiths pineons clipt ? And fair Astraea gone ? Q●…ck-seeing Faith now blind ? And Justice see ? Has Justice now found wings ? and has Faith none ? What do we here ? who would not wish to be Dissolv'd from earth , and with Astraea flee From this blind dungeon to that Sunne-bright Thro●… ? Lord , is thy Scepter lost , or laid aside ? Is hell broke loose , and all her Fiends untied ? Lord , rise and rowze , and rule and crush their furious pride . PETR. RAV . in Math. The Devil is the authour of evil , the fountain of wickednesse , the adversary of the truth , the corrupter of the world , mans perpetuall enemy ; he pl●…teth snares , diggeth ditches , spurreth bodies , he goadeth souls , he suggesteth thoughts , belcheth anger , exposeth vertues to hatred , maketh vices beloved , soweth errours , nourisheth 〈◊〉 , disturbeth peace , and scattereth asfections . MACAR. Let us susser with those that susser , and be crucified with those that are crucified , that we may be glorisied with those that are glorisied . SAVANAR . If there be no enemy , no sight ; is ●…o sight , ●…o victorie ; is no victory , no crown . EPIG. 15. My soul , sit thou a patient looker on ; Judge not the Play before the Play is done : Her Plot has many changes : Every day Speaks a new Scene ; the last act crowns the Play . THE SECOND BOOK . I. ISAIAH 50. 11. You that walk in the light of your own sire , and in the sparks that ye have kindled , ye shall lie down in sorrow . 1 DO , silly Cupid , snu●…e and trimme Thy false , thy feeble light , And make her self-consuming flames more bright ; Me thinks she burns too dimme . Is this that sprightly fire , Whose more then sacred beams inspire The ravisht hearts of men , and so in●…lame desire ? 2 See , Boy , how thy unthristie blaze Consumes , how fast she wains ; She spends her self , and her , whose wealth maintains Her weak , her idle rayes . Cannot thy lustfull blast , Which gave it luster , make it last ? What heart can long be pleas'd , where pleasure spends so fast ? 3 Go , Wanton , place thy pale-fac'd light Where never breaking day Intends to visit mortalls , or display Thy sullen shades of night : Thy Torch will burn more clear In nights un-Titan'd Hemisphere ; Heav'ns scornfull flames and thine can never co-appear . 4 In vain thy busie hands addresse Their labour to display Thy easie blaze within the verge of day ; The greater drowns the lesse : If Heav'ns bright glory shine , Thy gli●…ing sparks must needs resigne ; Pustout heav'ns glory then , or heav'n will work out thine . 5 Go , Cupids rammish Pander , go , Whose dull , whose low desire Can find sufficient wa●…h from Natures 〈◊〉 , Spend borrow'd breath , and blow , Blow wind , made strong with spite ; When thou hast pu●…t the greater light , Thy lesser sp●…k may shine , and 〈◊〉 the new-made nigh●… . 6 Deluded mortalls , tell me when Your daring breath has blown Heav'ns Tapour out , and you have spent your own , What sire sh●…ll warm ye then ? Ah fools , perp●…tuall night Shall h●…unt your souls with Stygian fright , Where they shall boyl in flames , but flames sh●…ll bring no light . S. AUGUST . The sufficiency of my merit is to know that my merit is not sufficient . S. GREG. Mor. 25. By how much the lesse man seeth himself , by so much the lesse he displeaseth himself ; And by how much the more he seeth the light of Grace , by so much the more be disdaineth the light of nature . S. GREG. Mor. The light of the understanding humilitie kindleth , and pride covereth . EPIG. 1. Thou blowst heav'ns si●…e , the whil'st thou goest about , Rebellious fool , in vain to blow it out : Thy folly addes confusion to thy death ; Heav'ns sire confounds , when fann'd with Follies breath . II. ECCL●…S . 4. 8. There is no end of all his labour , neither is his eye satisfied with riches . O How our wid'ned arms can over-stretch Their own dimensions ! How our hands can retch Beyond their distance ! How our yielding breast Can shrink , to be more full , and full possest Of this inferiour Orb ! How earth refin'd Can cling to sordid earth ! How kind to kind ! We gape , we grasp , we gripe , adde store to store ; Enough requires too much : too much craves more . We charge our souls so sore beyond their stint , That we recoyl or burst : The busie Mint Of our laborious thoughts is ever going , And coyning new desires ; desires , not knowing Where next to pitch , but like the boundlesse Ocean Gain , and gain ground , and grow more strong by motion . The pale-fac'd Lady of the black-ey'd night First tips her horned browes with easie light , Whose curious train of spangled Nymphs attire Her next nights glory with encreasing ●…ire ; Each ev'ning addes more luster , and adorns The growing beauty of her grasping horns : She sucks and draws her brothers golden store Untill her glutted Orb can suck no more . ●…v'n so the Vultur of insatiate minds Still wants , and wanting seeks , and seeking finds New fewel to encrease her rav'nous sire , The grave is sooner cloyd then mens desire : We crosse the seas , and midst her waves we burn , Transporting lifes , perchance that ne'r return ; We 〈◊〉 , we ransack to the utmost sands Of native kingdomes , and of forrein lands ; We travel sea and soyl , we pry , we proul , We progresse , and we prog from pole to pole ; We sp●…nd our mid-day sweat , our mid-night oyl , We 〈◊〉 the night in thought , the day in toyl : We make Art servil , and the Trade gentile , ( ●…t b●…th corrupted with ingenious guile ) To compasse earth ; and with her empty store To fill our arms , and grasp one handfull more ; Thus seeking rest , our labours never ●…ase , But as our years , our hot desires encrease : Thus we , poore little Worlds ! ( with bloud and sweat ) In vain attempt to comprehend the great ; Thus , in our gain , become we gainfull losers , And what 's enclos'd , encloses the enclosers . Now Reader , close thy book , and then advise : Be wisely worldly , be not worldly wise ; L●… not thy nobler thoughts be alwayes raking The worlds base dunghill ; vermin's took by taking : Take heed thou trust not the deceitfull lap Of wanton Dalilah ; The world 's a trap . HUGO de Anima . Tell me where be those now that so lately loved and hugg'd the world ? Nothing remaineth of them but dust and worms : Observe what those men were ; what those men are : They were like thee ; they did eat , drink , laugh , and led merry dayes , and in a moment slipt into hell . Here their flesh is food for worms ; there , their souls are fewell for fire , till they shall be rejoyned in an unhappy fellowship , and cast into eternall torments ; where they that were once companions in sinne , shall be hereafter partners in punishment . EPIG. 2. Gripe , C●…pid , and gripe still untill that wind , That 's pent before , find secret vent behind : And when th'ast done , hark here , I tell thee what , Before I 'll trust thy armfull , I 'll trust that . III. JOB 18. 8. He is cast into a net by his own feet , and walketh upon a snare . 1 WHat ? n●…s and quiver too ? what need there all These slie devices to betray poore men ? Die they not fast enough , when thousands fall Before thy dart ? what need these engines then ? Attend they not , and answer to thy call , Like nightly coveys , where thou list and when ? What needs a stratageme where strength can sway ? Or what need strength compell , where none gainsay ? Or what need stratageme or strength , where hearts obey ? 2 Husband thy sleights : It is but vain to wast Honey on those that will be catcht with gall ; Thou canst not , ah ! thou canst not bid so fast As men obey : thou art more slow to call , Then they to come ; thou canst not make such hast To strike , as they being struck make hast to fall . Go save thy nets for that rebellious heart That scorns thy pow'r , and has obtein'd the art T' avoid thy flying shaft , to quench thy fi'ry dart . 3 Lost mortall , how is thy destruction sure , Between two bawds , and both without remorse ! The one 's a Line , the tother is a Lure ; This , to entice thy soul ; that , to enforce : Way-laid by both , how canst thou stand secu●…e ? That draws , this wooes thee to th' eternall curse . O charming tyrant , how hast thou be●…ool'd And slav'd poore man , that would not if he could Avoid thy line , thy lure ; nay could not , if he would ! 4 Alas thy sweet persidious voyce betrayes His wanton ears with thy Sirenian baits ; Thou wrapp'st his eyes in mists , then boldly layes Thy Lethall gins before their crystall gates ; Thou lock'st up ev'ry Sense with thy false keyes , All willing pris'ners to thy close deceits : His eare most nimble where it deaf should be , His eye most blind where most it ought to see , And when his heart 's most bound , then thinks it self most free . 5 Thou grand Impostour , how hast thou obtein'd The wardship of the world ! Are all men turn'd Idiots and lunaticks ? are all retein'd Beneath thy servile bands ? Is none return'd To his forgotten self ? Has none regain'd His senses ? Are their senses all adjourn'd ? What none dismist thy Cou●…t ? will no plump fee Bribe thy false fists to make a glad decree , ●…unfool whom thou hast fool'd , and set thy pris'ners free ? S. BERN. in Ser. In this world is much treacherie , little truth ; here , all things are traps ; here , every thing is beset with snares ; here , souls are endanger'd , bodies are sna●…s ; here all things are vanity , and vexation of spirit . EPIG. 3. Nay , Cupid , pitch thy trammil where thou please , Thou canst not fail to take such fish as th●…se ; Thy thriving spert will ne'r be spent : no need To fear when ev'ry cork 's a world thou 'lt speed , IV. HOSEA 13. 3. They shall be as the chaff that is driven with a whirlwind out of the floore , and as the smoke out of the chimney . FLint-hearted Stoicks , you , whose marble eyes Contemne a wrinckle , and whose souls despise To follow Natures too a●…ected fashion , Or travel in the Regent-walk of Passion ; Whose rigid hearts dis●…ain to shrink at fears , Or play at fast and loose with smiles and tears ; Come , burst your spleens with laughter to behold A new found vanitie , which dayes of old Ne'r knew : a vanitie , that his beset The world , and made more slaves then Mahomet : That has condemn'd us to the servile yoke Of slavery , and made us slaves to smoke . But stay ! why tax I thus our modern times , For new-born follies , and for new-born crimes ? Are we sole guiltie , and the first age free ? No , they were smok'd and slav'd as well as we : What 's sweet-lipt Honours blast , but smoke ? What 's treasure But very smoke ? And what more smoke then pleasure ? Alas : they 're all but shadows , sumes and blasts ; That vanishes , this fades , the other wasts . The restlesse Merchant , he that loves to steep His brains in wealth , and layes his soul to sleep In bags of Bullion , sees th' immo●…tall Crown , And fain would mount , but I gots keep him down : He brags to day , perchance , ●…nd begs to morrow ; He lent but now , wants credit now to borrow : Blow winds , the treasure 's gone , the merchant's 〈◊〉 ; A slave to silver 's but a slave to smoke . Behold the Glory-vying child of fame , That from deep wounds sucks forth an honour'd name , That thinks no purchase worth the style of good , But what is sold for sweat , and seal'd with bloud ; That for a point , a blast of emptie breath , Undaunted gazes in the face of death ; Whose dear-bought bubble , sill'd with vain renown , Breaks with a phillop , or a Gen'rals frown : His stroke-got Honour sta●…gers with a stroke ; A slave to Honour is a sla●…e to smoke . And that fond soul which wasts his idle dayes In loose delights , and sports about the blaze Of Cupids candle ; he that dayly spies Twin habies in his mistresse Geminies , Whereto his sad devotion does impart The swe●…t burnt-offering of a bleeding heart : See , how his wings are sing'd in Cyprian sire , Whose flames consume with youth , in age expire : The world 's a bubble ; all the pleasures in it , ●…ke morning vapou●…s , vanish in a minit : The vapours vani●…h , and the bubble 's broke ; A slave to pleasure is a slave to smoke . Now , Sto●…ck , cease thy laughter , and repast Thy pickled cheeks with tears , and weep as sast . S. HIERON. That rich man is great , who thinketh not himself great , because be is rich : the proud m●…n ( who is the poore man ) braggeth outwardly , but beggeth inwardly : he is blown up , but not full . PETR. RAV . Vexation and anguish accompany riches and honour : The pomp of the world and the favour of the people are but smoke , and a blast suddenly vanishing : which , if they commonly please , commonly bring repentance , and for a minute of joy , they bring an age of sorrow . EPIG. 4. Cupid , thy diet 's strange : It dulls , it rowzes , It cools , it heats , it binds , and then it looses : Dull-sprightly-cold-hot fool , if ev'r it winds thee Into a loosenesse once , take heed , it binds thee . V. PROVERBS 23. 5. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not ? for riches make themselves wings , they slie away as an Eagle . 1 FAlse world , thou ly'st : Thou canst not lend The least delight : Thy ●…avours cannot gain a Friend , They are so slight : Thy morning pleasures make an end To please at night : Poore are the wants that thou supply'st , And yet thou vaunt'st , and yet thou vy'st With heav'n ; Fond earth thou boasts ; false world thou ly'st . 2 Thy babbling tongue tels golden tales Of endlesse treasure ; Thy bountie offers easie sales Of lasting pleasure ; Thou ask'st the Conscience what she ails , And swear'st to ease her ; There 's none can want where thou supply'st : There 's none can give where thou deny'st . Alas , fond world thou boasts ; false world thou ly'st . 3 What well advised eare regards What earth can say ? Thy words are gold , but thy rewards Are painted clay ; Thy cunning can but pack the cards ; Thou canst not play : Thy game at weakest , still thou vy'st ; If ●…een , and then revy'd , deny'ft ; Thou art not what thou seem'st : false world , thou ly'st . 4 Thy tinsil bosome seems a mint Of new-coin'd treasure , A Paradise , that has no stint , No change , no measure ; A painted cask , but nothing in 't , Nor wealth , nor pleasure : Vain earth ! that falsly thus comply'st With man : Vain man ! that thus ●…ely'st On earth : Vain man , thou dot'st : Vain earth , thou ly'st . 5 What mean dull souls , in this high measure To haberdash In earths base wares , whose greatest treasure Is drosse and trash ? The height of whose inchaunting pleasure Is but a flash ? Are these the goods that thou supply'st Us mortalls with ? Are these the high'st ? Can these bring cordiall peace ? False world , thou ly'st . PET. BLES. This world is 〈◊〉 : Her end is doubtfull ; Her conclusion is horrible ; Her Judge is terrible ; And her punishment is ●…tolerable . S. AUGUST . lib. Confess . The vain glory of this world is a deceitfull sweetnesse , a fruitlesse labour , a perpetuall fear , a dange●…ous honour : Her beginning is without providence , and her end not without repe●…ance . EPIG. 5. World , th' a●…t a traytour ; thou hast stampt thy base And chymick metall with great Caesars face ; And with thy bastard bullion thou hast barter'd For wares of price ; how justly drawn and quarter'd ! VI . JOB 15. 31. Let not him that is deceived trust in vanitie , for vanitie shall be his recompense . 1 BElieve her not : Her glasse dissuses False portraitures : thou canst ●…pie No true reflection : She abuses Her mis inform'd beholders eye ; Her Chrystall's falsly steel'd : It scatters Deceitfull beams . Believe her not , she flatters . 2 This flaring mirrour represents No right proportion , hi●…w , or feature : Her very looks are complements ; They make thee fairer , goodlier , greater : The skilfull glosse of her reflection But paints the Context of thy course complexion . 3 Were thy dimension but a stride , Nay , wert thou statur'd but a span , Such as the long-bill'd troops desi'd , A very fragment of a man ; Shee 'll make thee Mi●…as , which ye will , The ●…ove-slain tyrant , or th' Ionick hill . 4 Had 〈◊〉 , or th' ungratious Starre Conspir'd to make one common place Of all deformities that are Within the volume of thy face , She 'd 〈◊〉 thee favour should out-move The Troy-bane Hellen , or the Queen of Love . 5 Were thy consum'd estate as poore As 〈◊〉 , 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 w●…lt buy Too blind a bargain : k●…ow , fools onely trade by th'eye . 4 The wo●…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 matt●…r then , how short or long 's the lease , Whose d●…te determins thy self-numbred dayes : No need to car●… for wealths or f●…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 di●…e and ●…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 s●…uition : but things eternall more in the sruition then expectation . Ibide●… . 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 pe●…vish brat ? Whish , lullaby , What a●…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 ●…or tea●…s : whish , lullaby ; What ails my babe , my sweet●… 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-b●…ed boy And his base sire had both one cause , a toy : How well thei●… subjects and thei●… smil●…s agree ? Thy Cupid finds a toy , and Mars found thee : ●…alse Queen of beauty , Queen of false delights , Thy knee presents an ●…mbleme , that invites Man to himself , whose self-transported heart ( Ov●…rwhelm'd with native sorrows , and the sma●…t Of purchas'd grie●…s ) lies whining night and day , Not knowing why , till heavy he●…ld delay , The dull-brow'd Pander of despa●…r , layes by His leaden buskins , and presents his eye With antick tri●…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 rap●…res passe without regard ; Their strings are harsh and their high strains unhea●…d : The plough-m●…ns whistle or the triviall ●…ure ●…ind more resp●…ct then great Apollo's lute : We 'll look to Heav'n , and trust to higher joyes ; Let swine love husks , and ch●…ldren whine for toyes . S. BERN. That is the true and chief joy , which is not conceived from the creature , but received from the Creato●… ; which ( being once possest thereof ) none can take from thee : whereto all pleas●…e being compared is torment , all joy is grief , sweet things are bitter , all glory is ba●…enesse , and all de●…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 ●…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 st●…ngs The blund'ring souls of swains , and stoops the hearts of Kings . 2 What Circean cha●…m , what Hecatean spight Has thus abus'd the G●…d of love ? Great Jove was vanquisht by his greater might ; ( And who is stronger-arm'd then Jove ? ) Or has our lust●…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 He●…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 t●…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 ci●…cle fill'd with flame , and center'd with his fears . 6 This is that day , whose oft report hath wo●…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 ●…ay ; That hide your actions in Cimeri●…n ●…des , How will your eyes indure this day ? Hills will be deaf , and mountains will not hea●… ; 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 ●…sseminates the mind , but ene●…ves the body ; which not onely di●…taineth the soul , but disguiseth the 〈◊〉 It is ●…hered with fury and wantonnesse ; it is accompanied with ●…ury and wantonnesse ; and it is followed with grief and r●…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. NAH●…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 ●…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 flat●…ous honour should perchance be there , And whisper in thine ear●… : It is but wind , and blows but where it list , And vanish●…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 ●…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 la●… , O build thy hopes on surer grounds Then what dull flesh propounds : Tru●… 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 ●…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 bondslave Usurer will trudge Inspite of Gouts , will turn a drudge , And serve his soul-condemning purse , T' increase it with the widows curse : And shall the Crown of glory stand Not worth the waving of a hand ? The fleshly wanton to obtain His minute-lust , will count it gain To lose his freedome , his estate , Upon so dear , so sweet a rate ; Shall pleasures thus be priz'd , and must Heav'ns Palm be cheaper then a lust ? The true-bred Spark , to hoise his name Upon the waxenwings of fame , Will sight undaunted in a flood That 's rais'd with brackish drops and bloud : And shall the promis'd Crown of life Be thought a toy , not worth a strife ? An ●…asie good brings easie gains ; But things of price are bought with pains : The pleasing way is not the right : He that would conquer Heav'n must fight . S. HIERON. in Ep. No labour is hard , no time is long , wherein the glory of Eternitie is the mark we levell at . S. GREG. lib. 8. Mor. The valour of a just man is to conquer the slesh , to contradict his own will , to quench the delights of this present life , ●…o endure and love the miseries of this world for the reward of a better , to contemn the slatteries of prosperitie , and inwardly to overcome the fears of adversitie . EPIG. 11. O Cupid , if thy smoother way were right , I should mistrust this Crown were 〈◊〉 : The way 's not easie where the Prize is great : I hope no virtues where I smell no sweat . XII . GALATIANS 6. 14. God forbid that I should glory , save in the Crosse . 1 CAn nothing settle my uncertain breast , And fix my rambling love ? Can my affections find out nothing best ? But still and still remove ? Has earth no mercy ? will no Ark of rest Receive my restlesse Dove ? Is there no Good , then which there 's nothing higher , To blesse my full desire With joyes that never change ; with joyes that nev'r expire ? 2 I wanted wealth ; and at my dear request , Earth lent a quick supply ; I wanted mirth to charm my sullen breast ; And who more brisk then I ? I wanted fame to glorifie the rest ; My fame flew eagle-high : My joy not fully ripe , but all decay'd ; Wealth vanisht like a shade , My mirth began to slag , my fame began to fade . 3 The world 's an Ocean , hurried to and fro With ev'ry blast of passion : Her lustfull streams , when either ebb or flow , Are tides of mans vexation : They alter dayly , and they dayly grow The worse by alteration : The earth 's a cask full tunn'd , yet wanting measure ; Her precious wind , is pleasure ; Her yest is honours puff ; her lees are worldly treasure . 4 My trust is in the Crosse : let Beauty ●…ag Her loose , her wanton sail ; Let count'nance gilding Honour cease to brag In courtly tearms , and vail ; Let ditch-bred wealth henceforth forget to wag Her base though golden tail ; False beauties conquest is but reall losse , And wealth but golden drosse ; Best Honour 's but a blast : my trust is in the Crosse . 5 My trust is in the Crosse : There lies my rest ; My fast , my sole delight : Let cold-mouth'd Boreas , or the hot-mouth'd East Blow till they burst with spight : Let earth and hell conspri●… their worst , their best , And joyn their twisted might : Let showres of thunderbolts dar●… down and wound me , And troups of fiends surround me , All this may well confront ; all this shall nev'r confound me . S. AUGUST . Christs Crosse is the Chrisc●…osse of all our happinesse : It delivers us from all blindnesse of errour , and enriches our darknesse with light ; It resto●…th the troubled soul ●…o re●…t ; It bringeth strangers to Gods acquaintance ; It maketh remote forrein●…rs near neighbours ; It cu●…teth off discord ; concludeth a league of everlasting peace , and is the 〈◊〉 authour of all good . S. BERN. in Ser. de resur. We find glory in the Crosse ; tous that are saved it is the power of God , and the fulnesse of all virtues . EPIG. 12. I follow'd rest , rest ●…led and soon forsook me ; I ran from grief , grief ran and over-took me . What shall I do ? lest I be too much tost On worldly crosses , Lord , let me be crost . XIII . PROVERBS 26. II. As a dog returneth to his vomit , so a fool returneth to his folly . O I am wounded ! and my wounds do smart Beyond my patience , or great Chirons art ; I yield , I yield ; the day , the palm is th●…ne ; Thy bow 's more true ; thy sha●…s more fierce then mine , Hold , hold , O hold thy conq'ring hand . What need To send more darts ? the first has done the deed : Oft have we struggled , when our ●…quall a●…ms Shot equall shafts , inflicted equall harms ; But this exceeds , and with her flaming head , Twyfork'd with death , has struck my conscience dead . But must I die ? Ah me ! If that were all , Then , then I 'd stroke my bleeding wounds , and call This dart a cordiall , and with joy endure These harsh ingredients , where my grief 's my cure . But something whispers in my dying eare , There is an after day ; which day I fear : The slender debt to Nature 's quickly paid , Discharg'd perchance with greater ease then made ; But if that pale-fac'd Sergeant make arrest , Ten thousand actions would ( where of the least Is more then all this lower world can bail ) Be entred , and condemn me to the jail Of Stygian darknesse , bound in red hot chains , And grip'd with tortures worse then Titian pains . Farewell my vain , farewell my loose delights ; Farewell my rambling dayes my rev'ling nights ; 'T was you betrayd me first , and , when ye found My soul at vantage , gave my soul the wound : Farewell my bullion gods , whose sov'reigne looks So often catch'd me with their golden hooks : Go , seek another slave ; ye must all go ; I cannot serve my God and Bullion too . Farewell false henour ; you , whose ayry wings Did mount my soul above the thrones of kings ; Then slatte'd me , took pet , and in disdain , Nipt my green buds ; then kickt me down again : Farewell my Bow ; farewell my Cyprian Quiver ; Farewell dear world , farewell dear world for ever . O , but this most delicious world , how sweet Her pleasures relish ! Ah! How jump they meet The grasping so il ! and with their sprightly fire , Revive , and raise , and rowze the rapt desire ! For ever ? O , to part so long ? what ? never Meet more ? another year , and then for ever : Too quick resolves do resolution wrong ; What part so soon , to be divorc'd so long ? Things to be done are long to be debated ; Heav'n is not day'd . Rep●…ntance is not dated . S. AUGUST . lib. de util . agen . poen . Go up my soul into the tribunall of thy Conscience ; There set thy guiltie self be●…ore thy self : Hide not thy self behind thy self , 〈◊〉 God bring thee forth before thy self . S. AUGUST . in Soliloq . In vain is that washing , where the next sinne de●…ileth : He hath ill repented whose sinnes are repeated : that stomach is the worse for vomiting , that licketh up his vomit . ANSELM . God hath promised pardon to him that repenteth , but be hath not promised repentance to him that sinneth . EPIG. 13. Brain-wounded Cupid , had this hasly dart , As it hath prickt thy fancy , pier●…'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 trip●… 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 rigl●…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's●… 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 di●…ty badges , And fall'st for wages : Sow●…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 s●…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 ●…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 ●…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 ●…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 ●…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 ●…arknet of immortall life ; An A●…k of peace ; the lists of sacred strife ; A purer piece of endl●…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 direct●…th , where perseverance perfecteth , where power protecteth , whe●…e devotion projecteth , where charitie connecteth . S. GR●…G . Which way soever the heart turneth it self ( if carefully ) it shall commonly observe , that in those very things we lose God , in t●…ose very things we shall find God : It shall find the heat of his power in consideration of those things , in the love of whi●…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 renoun●…'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 a●…ect Where neither scorn , nor guile , nor disiespect Shall wound your tortur'd souls ; that would enjoy , Where neither want can pinch , nor fulnesse cloy , Nor double doubt afflicts , ●…or baser fear Unflames your courage in pursuit , draw near : Shake hands with earth , and let your soul respect Her joyes no further , then her joyes reflect Upon her Makers glory : if thou swim In wealth , see him in all ; see all in him : Sink'st thou in want , and is thy small cruse spent ? See him in want ; enjoy him in con●…nt : Conceiv'st him lodg'd in Crosse , or lost in pain ? In Pray'r and Patience find him out again : Make Heav'n thy Mistresse , let no change remove Thy loyall heart ; be fond ; be sick of love : What if he stop his eare , or knit his brow ? At length he 'll be as fond , as sick as thou : Dart up thy soul in grones : Thy secret grone Shall pierce his eare , s●…all pierce his eare alone : Dart up thy soul in vowes : Thy sacred vow Shall find him out , where Heav'n alone shall know : Dart up thy soul in sighs : Thy whisp'ring sigh Shall rouse his ears , and fear no listner nigh : Send up thy grones , thy sighs , thy closet vow ; There 's none , there 's none shall know but Heav'n and thou : Grones fresht with vowes , and vowes made salt with tears , Unscale his eyes , and scale his conquer'd ears : Shoot up the bosome shaf●… of thy desire , Feather'd with faith , and double-forkt with fire . And they wil hit : Fear not , where Heav'n bids come : Heav'ns never deaf , but when mans heart is dumb . I. ISAIAH 29. 6. My soul hath desired thee in the night . GOod God! what horrid darknesse doth surround My groping soul ! how are my senses bound In utter shades ; and muf●…ed from the light Lusk in the bosome of eternall night ! The bold-sac'd Lamp of heav'n can set and rise ; And with his morning glory fill the eyes Of gazing mortalls ; his victorious ray Can chase the shadows , and restore the day : Nights bashfull Empresse , though she often wain , As ost repents her darknesse , primes again ; And with her circling horns doth re-embrace Her brothers wealth , and orbs her silver face . But ah , my Sun deep swallow'd in his fall , Is set , and cannot shine , nor rise at all : My bankrupt wain can beg nor borrow light ; Alas , my darknesse is perpetuall night . Falls have their risings , wainings have their primes , And desp'rate sorrows wait their better times ; Ebs have their Floods , and Autumnes have their Springs : All States have changes hurried with the swings Of Chance and Time , still tiding to and fro : Terrestriall bodies and celestiall too . How often have I vainly grop'd about , With length'ned arms , to find a passage out , That I might catch those beams mine eye desires , And bath my soul in those celestiall fires : Like as the 〈◊〉 , cloyster'd in her mue , To scowr her downy robes , and to ren●… Her broken flags , preparing t' overlook The tim'rous Mallard at the sliding brook , Je●… oft from perch to perch ; from stock to ground ; From ground to window , thus surveying round Her dove-befeath'red Prison , till at length , ( Calling her noble birth to mind , and strength Whereto her wing was born ) her ragged beak Nips off her dangling jesses , strives to break Her gingling fetters , and begins to bate At ev'ry glimpse , and darts at ev'ry grate : Ev'n so my weary soul , that long has bin An Inmate in this T●…nement of sin , Lockt up by cloud-brow'd Errour , which invites My cloystred thoughts to feed on black delights , Now scorns her shadows , and begins to dart Her wing'd desires at thee , that onely art The Sun she seeks , whose rising beams can fright These duskie clouds that make s●… dark a night : Shine forth , great Glory , shine ; that I may see Both how to loath my self , and honour Thee : But if my weaknesse force thee to deny Thy flames , yet lend the twilight of thine eye : If I must want those Beams I wish , yet grant , That I , at least , may wish those Beams I want . S. AUGUST . Soliloqu . cap. 33. There was a great and dark cloud of vanitie before mine eyes , so that I could not see the Sun of Justice , and the Light of Truth : I being the sonne of darknesse , was involved in darknesse : I loved my darknesse , because I knew not thy light : I was blind , and loved my blindnesse , and did walk from darknesse to darknesse : But Lord thou art my God , who hast led me from darknesse , and the shadow of death ; ●…ast called me into this glorious light , and behold , I see . EPIG. I. My soul , chear up ; what if the night be long ? Heav'n finds an eare , when sinners find a tongue ? Thy tears are morning show'rs : Heav'n bids me say , When Peters cock begins to crow , 't is day . II. PSALM 69. 3. O Lord , thou knowest my foolishnesse , and my sinnes are not hid from thee . SEest thou this fulsome Ideot ? In what measure He seems transported with the antick pleasure Of childish baubles ? canst thou but admire The empty fulnesse of his vain desire ? Canst thou conceive such poore delights as these Can fill th' insatiate soul of man , or please The fond aspect of his deluded eye ? Reader , such very fools are thou and I : False puffs of honour ; the deceitfull streams Of wealth ; the idle , vain , and empty dreams Of pleasure , are our traffick , and ensnare Our souls , the threefold subject of our care : We toyl for trash , we barter solid joyes For airy tr●…s ; sell our Heav'n for toyes : We snatch at barly grains , whilst pearls stand by Despis'd ; such very fools art thou and I . Aym'st thou at honour ! does not the Ideot shake it In his left hand ? fond man , step forth and take it : Or would'st thou wealth ? see how the fool presents thee With a full basket ; if such wealth contents thee : Wouldst thou take pleasure ? if the fool unstride His prauncing Stallion , thou mayst up and 〈◊〉 : Fond man , such is the pleasure , wealth , and honour The earth affords such fools as dote upon her ; Such is the game whereat ●…ths ideots sly ; Such ideots , ah , such fools are thou and I : Had rebell-mans fool-hardinesse extended No further then himself , and there had ended , It had been just ; but , thus enrag'd to sly Upon th' eternall eyes of Majesty , And drag the Son of Glory from the breast Of his indulgent Father ; to a●… rest His great and sacred Person ; in disgrace , To spit and spaul upon his Sun bright face ; To taunt him with base terms ; and being bound , To scourge his soft , his trembling sides ; to wound His head with thorns ; his heart with humane 〈◊〉 ; His hands with nails , and his pale slank with spears : And then to paddle in the pure●… stream Of his spilt blood , is more then most extreme : Great builder of mankind , canst thou propound All this to thy bright eyes , and not confound Thy handy-work ? O , canst thou choose but see , That mad'st the eye ? can ought behid from thee ? Thou seest our persons , Lord , and not our guilt ; Thou seest not what thou maist , but what thou wilt : The Hand that form'd us , is enforc'd to be A Screen set up betwixt thy work and thee : Look , look upon that Hand , and thou shalt spy An open wound , a through-fare for thine eye ; Or if that wound be clos'd , that passage be Deny'd between thy gracious eyes and me , Yet view the scarre ; that scarre will countermand Thy wrath : O read my fortune in thy hand . S. CHRYS. Hom. 4. Joan. Fools seem to abound in wealth , when they want all things ; they seem to enjoy happinesse , when indeed they are onely most miserable ; neither do they understand that they are del●…ded by their fancy , till they be delivered from their folly . S. GREG. in Mor. By so much the more are we inwardly foolish , by how much we strive to seem outwardly wise . EPIG. 2. Rebellious fool , what has thy folly done : Controul'd thy God , and crucisi'd his Sonne ? How sweetly has the Lord of life deceiv'd thee ? Thou shedst his bloud , and that shed blood has sav'd thee . III. PSALM 6. 2. Have mercy , Lord , upon me , for I am weak ; O Lord , heal me , for my bones are vexed . Soul . Jesus . Soul AH , Son of David , help : Jes. What sinfull 〈◊〉 Implores the Son of David ? Soul It is I : Jes. Who art thou ? Soul Oh , a deeply wounded breast That 's heavy laden , and would fain have rest . Jes. I have no scraps , and dogs must not be fed Like houshold children with the childrens bread . Soul True , Lord ; yet tolerate a hungry whelp To lick their crummes : O Sonne of David , help . Jes. Poore Soul , what ail'st thou ? Soul O I burn , I fry ; I cannot rest , I know not where to fly To find some case ; I turn my blubber'd facé From man to man ; I ●…oul from place to place , T' avoid my tortures , to obtein relief , But still am dogg'd and haunted with my grief : My midnight torments call the sluggish light , And when the morning 's come , they woo the night . Jes. Surcease thy tears , and speak thy free desires . Soul Quench , quench my flames , and swage these scorching fires . Jes. Canst thou believe my hand can cure thy grief ? Soul Lord , I believe ; Lord , help my unbelief . Jes. Hold forth thy arm , and let my fingers try Thy pulse ; where chiefly doth thy torment lie ? Soul From head to foot ; it reignes in ev'ry part , But playes the self-law'd tyrant in my heart . Jes. Canst thou dig●…st ? canst relish wholesome food ? Haw stands thy tast ? Soul To nothing that is good : All sinfull ●…rash , and earths unsav'ry stuff I can digest and relish well enough . Jes. Is not thy bloud as cold ●…s hot , by turns ? Soul Cold to what 's good ; to what is bad it burns . Jes. How old 's thy grief ? Soul I took it at the fall With eating fruit . Jes. 'T is Epiden●…call : Thy bloud 's infected , and th' infection sp●…ng From a bad liver : 'T is a feaver strong And full of death unlesse , with present speed , A vein be op'ned ; thou must die , or bleed . Soul O I am faint and spent : that launce that shall Let forth my bloud , le ts forth my life withall : My soul wants cordials , and has greater need Of bloud , then ( being spent so far ) to ble●…d : I faint already : If I bleed , I die . Jes. 'T is either thou-must bleed , sick soul , or I : My bloud 's a cordiall . He that sucks my veins , Shall ●…se his own , and conquer greater pains Then these : cheer up ; this precious bloud of mine Shall cure thy grief ; my heart shall bleed for thine : Believe , and view me with a faithfull eye , Thy soul shall neither languish , bleed , ●…or die . S. AUGUST . lib. 10. Confess . Lord , be mercisull unto me : Ah me : Behold , I hide not my wounds : Thou art a Ph●…sician , and I am sick ; Thou a●…t mercifull , and I am miserable . S. GREG. in Pastoral. O Wisdome , with how sweet an a●…t d●…th thy wine and oyl vestore health to my healthlesse soul ! How powersully mercisull , how mercifully powerfull art tho●… Powerfull for me , mercisull to me ! EPIG. 3. Canst thou be sick , and such a Doctour by ? Thou canst not live , unlesse thy Doctour die ! Strange kind of grief , that finds no med'cine good To swage her pains , but the Physicians bloud ! IV. PSALM 25. 18. Look upon my affliction and my pain , and forgive all my sinnes . BOth work and strokes ? both lash and labour too ? What more could Edom , or proud Ashur do ? Stripes after stripes ? and blows succeding blows ? Lord , has thy scourge no mercy , and my woes No end ? my pains no ease ? no intermission ? Is this the state ? Is this the sad condition Of those that trust thee ? will thy good●…esse please T' allow no other favours ? none but these ? Will not the thet'rick of my torments move ? Are these the symptomes ? these the signes of love ? Is 't not enough , enough that I ●…ulfill The toylsome task of thy laborious mill ? May not this labour expiate and pu●…ge My sinne , without th' addition of thy scourge ? Look on my cloudy brow , how fast it rains Sad showers of sweat , the fruits of fruitlesse pains : Behold these ridges ; see what purple furrows Thy plow has made ; O think upon those sorrows That once were thine ; wil●… , wilt thou not be woo'd To mercy , by the charms of sweat and blood ? Canst thou forget that drowsie mount , wherein Thy dull Disciples slept ? was not my sinne There punish'd in thy soul ? did not this brow Then sweat in thine ? were not those drops enow ? Remember Golgotha , where that spring-tide O'rflow'd thy sovereigne Sacramentall side : There was no sinne , there was no guilt in Thee , That caus'd those pains ; thou sweat'st , thou bledst for me . Was there not bloud enough , when one small drop Had pow'r to ransome thousand worlds , and stop The mouth of Justice ? Lord , I bled before In thy deep wounds ; can Justice challenge more ? Or dost thou vainly labour to hedge in Thy losses from my sides ? my bloud is thin , And thy free bountie scorns such easie thrift ; No , no , thy bloud came not as lone but gift . But must I ever grind ? And must I earn Nothing but stripes ? O wilt thou disaltern The rest thou gav'st ? Hast thou perus'd the curse Thou laid'st on Adams fall , and made it worse ? Canst thou repent of mercy ? Heav'n thought good Lost man should feed in sweat ; not work in bloud : Why dost thou wound th' already wounded breast ? Ah me ! my life is but a pain at b●…st : I am but dying dust : my dayes , a span ; What pleasure tak'st thou in the bloud of man ? Spare , spare thy scourge , and be not so austere ; Send fewer stroaks , or lend more strength to bear . S. BERN. Hom. 81. in Cant. Miserable man ! who shall deliver me 〈◊〉 the reproch of this shamefull bondage ? I am a miserable man but a ●…ree man ; ●…ce , because a man ; miserable , because a servant : In regard of my bondage , miserable ; in regard of my will , inexcusable : For my will , that was ●…ree , beslaved it self to sinne , by assenting to sinne ; for he that committeth sinne is the servant to sinne . EPIG. 4. Taxe not thy God : Thine own defaults did urge This twofold punishment ; the mill the scourge . Thy sin 's the authour of thy self tormenting : Thou grind'st for sinning ; scourg'd for not repenting . V. JOB 10. 9. Remember , I beseech thee , that thou hast made me as the clay , and wilt thou bring me to dust again ? THus from the bosome of the new-made earth Poore man was delv'd , and had his unborn birth ; The same the stuffe the self-same hand doth trim The plant that fades , the beast that dies , and him : One was their sire , one was their common mother , Plants are his sisters , and the beast his brother , The elder too ; beasts draw the self-same breath , Wax old alike , and die the self-same death : Plants grow as he , with fairer robes arraid ; Alike they slourish , and alike they ●…ade : The beast in sense exceeds him and in growth , The three-ag'd oake doth thrice exceed them both : Why look'st thou then so big , thou little span Of earth ? What art thou more in being man ? I , but my great Creatour did inspire My chosen earth with that diviner fire Of reason ; gave me judgement and a will ; That to know good ; this to chuse good from ill : He put the rains of pow'r in my free hand , And jurisdiction over sea and land : He gave me art to lengthen out my span Of life , and made me all , in being man : I , but thy passion has committed treason Against the sacred person of thy reason : Thy judgement is co●…rupt , perverse thy will ; That knows no good , and this makes choice of ●…ll : The greater height sends down the deeper fall ; And good d●…clin'd turns bad , turns worst of all . Say then , proud inch of living ●…arth , what can Thy greatnesse claim the more in being man ? O but my soul transcends the pitch of nature , Born up by th' Image of her high Creatour ; Outbraves the life of reason , and beats down Her waxen wings , kicks off her brazen crown . My earth 's a living Temple t' entertein The King of Glory , and his glorious train : How can I mend my title then ? where can Ambition sind a higher style then man ? Ah , but that Image is defac'd and soil'd ; Her Temple 's raz'd , her Altars all desil'd ; Her vessels are polluted and distain'd With lothed lust , her ornaments prophan'd ; Her oyl-forsaken lamps , and hallow'd tapours Put out ; her incense breaths unsav'ry vapours : Why swell'st thou then so gi●… thou little span Of earth ? what art thou more in being man ? Ete●…nall Potter , whose blest hands did lay My course foundation from a sod of clay , Thou know'st my slender vess●…l's apt to leak ; Thou know'st my brittle temper 's prone to break ; Are my bones brazzil , or my slesh of oake ? O , mend what thou hast made , what I have broke : Look , look with gentle eyes , and in thy day Of vengeance , Lord , remember I am clay . S. AUGUST , S●…liloq , 32. Shall I ask , who made me ? It was thou that madest me , without whom nothing was made : Thou art my maker , and I thy work . I thank thee , my Lord God , by whom I live , and by whom all things su●…sist , because thou madest me : I thank th●… , O my Potter , because thy hands have made me , because thy hands have formed me . EPIO. 5. Why swell'st thou , man , pust up with fame and purse ? Th'art better earth , but born to dig the worse : Thou cam'st from ea●…th , to earth thou must return , And art but earth cast from the womb to th' urn . VI . JOB 7. 20. I have sinned ; what shall I do unto thee , O thou preserver of men ? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee ? LOrd , I have done ; and , Lord , I have misdone ; 'T is folly to contest , to strive with one That is too strong ; 't is folly to assail Or prove an arm , that will , that must prevail . I 've done , I 've done ; these trembling hands have thrown Their daring weapons down : the day 's thine own : Forbear to strike where thou hast won the field ; The palm , the palm is thine : I yield , I yield . These ueach'rous hands that were so vainly bold To try a thrivelesse combat , and to hold Self-wounding weapons up , are now extended For mercy from thy hand ; that knee that bended Upon her guardlesse guard , doth now repent Upon this naked floore ; See both are bent , And sue for pitty : O my ragged wound Is deep and desp'rate , it is drench'd and drown'd In blood and briny tears : It doth begin To stink without , and putrifie within : Let that victorious hand , that now appears Just in my blood , prove gracious to my tears : Thou great Preserver of presumptuous man , What shall I do ? what satisfaction can Poore dust and ashes make ? O if that bloud That yet remains unshed were half as good As bloud of oxen ; if my death might be An offering to attone my God and me ; I would disdain injurious life , and stand A suiter to be wounded from thy hand . But may thy wrongs be measur'd by the span Of life ? or balanc'd with the bloud of man ? No , no , eternall sinne expects for guerdon , Eternall pen●…nce , or eternall pardon : Lay down thy weapons , turn thy wrath away , And pardon him that hath no price to pay ; Enlarge that soul , which base presumption binds ; Thy justice cannot loose what mercy finds : O thou that wilt not bruise the broken reed , Rub not my sores , no●… prick the wounds that bleed . Lord , if the peevish infant fights and flies , With unpar'd weapons , at his mothers eyes , Her frowns ( half mixt with smiles ) may chance to shew An angry love-trick on his arm , or so ; Where if the babe but make a lip and cry , Her heart begins to melt , and by and by She coaks his dewy-cheeks ; her babe she blisses , And choaks her language with a thousand kisses : I am that child ; lo , here I prostrate lie , Pleading for mercy ; I repent and crie For gracious pardon : let thy gentle ears Heare that in words , what mothe●…s judge in tears : See not my 〈◊〉 , Lord , but through my fear , And look on ev'ry trespasse through a tear : Then calm thy anger , and appear more mild : Remember , th' art a Father , I , a child . S. BERN. Ser. 21. in Cant. Miserable man ! Who shall deliver me from the reproch 〈◊〉 this shamefull bondage ? I am a miserable man , but a free man : Free , because like to God ; miserable , because against God : O keeper of mankind , why hast thou set me as a mark against thee ? Thou hast set me , because thou hast not hindred me : It is just that thy enemy should be my enemy , and that he who repugneth thee , should repugne me : I who am against thee , am against my self . EPIG. 6. But form'd , and sight ? but bo●…n , and then rebell ? How small a blast will make a bubble swell ? But dare the ●…oore affront the hand that laid it ? So apt is dust to fly in 's face that made it . VII . JOB 13. 24. Wherefore hidest thou thy face , and holdest me for thine enemy ? WHy dost thou shade thy lovely face ? O why Doth that eclipsing hand so long deny The Sun-shine of thy soul-enliv'ning eye ? Without that Light what light remains in me ? Thou art my Life , my Way , my Light ; in thee I live , I move , and by thy beams I see . Thou art my Life ; If thou but turn away , My life 's a thousand deaths : thou art my Way : Without thee , Lord , I travel not but stray . My Light thou art ; without thy glorious sight , Mine eyes are darkned with perpetuall night . My God , thou art my Way , my Life , my Light . Thou art my Way ; I wander , if thou fly : Thou art my Light ; If hid , how blind am I●… Thou art my Life ; If thou withdraw , I die . Mine eyes are blind and dark , I cannot see ; To whom , or whether should my darknesse flee , But to the Light ? And who 's that Light but thee ? My path is lost ; my wand'ring steps do stray ; I cannot safely go , nor safely stay ; Whom should I seek but thee , my Path , my Way ? O , I am dead : to whom shall I , poore I , Repair ? to whom shall my sad ashes fly But Life ? And where is Life but in thine eye ? And yet thou turn'st away thy face , and fly'st me ; And yet I sue for grace , and thou deny'st me ; Speak , art thou angry , Lord , or onely try'st me ? Unskreen those Heav'nly lamps , or tell me why Thou shad'st thy face ; perhaps thou thinkst , no eye Can view those flames , and not drop down and die . If that be all , shine forth , and draw thee nigher ; Let me behold and die ; for my desire Is Phoenix . like to perish in that fire . Death conquer'd Laz'rus was redeem'd by thee ; If I am dead , Lord , see deaths prisner free ; Am I more spent , or stink I worse then he ? If my pufft light be out , give leave to tine My slamelesse-snuss at that bright Lamp of thine ; O what 's thy Light the lesse for lighting mine ? If I have lost my Path , great Shepherd , say , Shall I still wander in a doubtfull way ? Lord , shall a Iamb of Isr'els sheepfold st●…ay ? Thou art the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; the blind mans Eye ; The dead mans Life ; on thee my hopes rely ; If thou remove , I erre ; I grope ; I die . Disclose thy Sun-beams ; close thy wings , and stay ; See , see how I am blind , and dead , and stray , O thou , that art my Light , my Life , my Way . S. AUGUST . Soliloqu . cap. 1. Why dost thou hide thy face ? Happily thou 〈◊〉 say , none can see thy face and live : Ah Lord , let me die , that I may see thee ; let me see thee , that I may die : I would not live , but die . That I may see Christ , I desire death ; That I may live with Christ , I despise life . ANSELM . Med. cap. 5. O excellent hiding , which is become my persection ! My God , Thou hidest thy treasure , to kindle my desire ; Thou hidest thy pearl , to inflame the seeker ; Thou delayest ●…o give , that Thou maist teach me to importune ; seem'st not to hear , to make m●… persever . EPIG. 7. If 〈◊〉 all-quickning eyes vouchsafe to shine Upon our souls , we slight ; If not , we whine Our Equinoctiall hearts can never lie Secure beneath the Tropicks of that eye . VIII . JE REMIA●… 9. 1. O that my head were waters , and mine eyes a fountain of tears , that I might weep day and night . O That mine eyes were springs , and could transform Their drops to seas ! my sighs into a storm Of zeal and sacred violence , wherein This lab'ring vèssel laden with he●… sinne , Might suffer sudden shipwrack , and be split Upon that rock , where my drencht soul may sit O'rwhelm'd with plenteous passion ; O and there Drop , drop into an everlasting tear ! Ah me ! that ev'ry sliding vein that wanders Through this vast Isle did work her wild meanders In brackish tears in stead of bloud , and swell This flesh with holy dropsies , from whose well , Made warm with sighs , may fume my wasting breath Whil'st I dissolve in steams , and reek to death ! These narrow sluces of my dribbling eyes Are much too strait for those quick springs that rise , And hourely fill my temples to the top ; I cannot shed for ev'ry sinne a drop . Great builder of mankind , why hast thou sent Such swelling flouds , and made so small a vent●… O that this flesh had been compos'd of snow , In stead of earth , and bones of ice , that so Feeling the fervour of my sinne , and lothing The ●…ire I feel I might be thaw'd to nothing ! O thou , that didst with hopefull joy entomb Me thrice three moons in thy laborious womb , And then , with joyfull pain , broughtst forth a Son , What worth thy labour , has thy labour done ! What was there ! Ah! what was there in my birth That could deserve the easiest smile of mirth ? A man was born : Alas , and what 's a man ? A scuttle full of dust , a measur'd span Of flitting Time ; a furnish'd pack , whose wares Are sullen griefs , and soul-tormenting cares : A vale of tears ; a vessel tunn'd with breath , By sicknesse brocht , to be drawn out by dea●…h : A haplesse , helplesse thing , that born doth cry To feed ; that feeds to live ; that lives to die . Great God and Man , whose eyes spent drops so often For me , that cannot weep enough , O soften These marble brains , and strike this slintie rock ; Or if the musick of thy Peters cock Will more prevail , fill , fill my hearkning ears With that sweet sound , that I may melt in tears : I cannot weep , untill thou broch mine eye ; Or give me vent , or else I burst and die . S. AMBROS. in Psal. 118. He that committeth sinnes to be wept for , cannot weep for sianes committed : And being himself most lamentable , hath no tears to lament his offences . NAZIANZ . Orat. 3. Tears are the deluge of sinne , and the worlds sacrifice . S. HIERON. in Esaiam . Prayer appeaseth God , but a tear compelleth him : That moveth him , but this constraineth him . EPIO. 8. Earth is an Island ported round with fears ; The way to Heav'n is through the Sea of tears●… It is a stormy passage , where is found The wrack of many a ship , but no man drown'd . IX . PSALM 18. 5. The sorrows of hell compassed me about , and the snares of death prevented me . IS not this Type well cut ? In ev'ry part Full of rich cunning ? sill'd with Zeuxian Art ? Are not the hunters , and their Stygian hounds Limm'd full to th'life ? didst ever heare the sounds , The musick , and the lip-divided breaths Of the strong-winded horn , recheats , and deaths Done more exact ? th' infernall Nimrods hollow ? The lawlesse Purliews ? and the game they follow ? The hidden engines ? and the snares that lie So undiscover'd , so obscure to th' eye ? The new-drawn net ? and her entangled prey ? And him thae closes it ? Beholder , say , Is 't not well done ? seems not an em'lous strife Betwixt the rare cut picture and the life ? These Purliew-men are Devils ; and the Hounds , ( Those quick-nos'd Canibals that scour the grounds ) Temptations , and the Game these Fiends pursue , Are humane souls , which still they have in view ; Whose fury if they chance to scape by slying , The skilfull Hunter plants his net , close lying On th' unsuspected earth , bayted with treasure , Ambitious honour , and self-wasting pleasure ; Where if the soul but stoop , death stands prepar'd To draw the net , and drawn , the soul 's ensnat'd . Poore soul ! how 〈◊〉 thou hurried to and fro ? Where canst thou safely stay ? where safely go ? If stay , these hot-mouth'd hounds are apt to tear thee ; If go , the snares enclose , the nets ensnare thee : What good in this bad world has pow'r t' 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 ; I● 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 , s●…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 . Si●… . 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 ●…ilot , and be thou his Master ; Object the Sands to my more serious view , Make sound my Bucket , bore my Pump anew : New cast my Plummet , make it apt to try Where the Rock●… lurk , and where the Quick sands lie ; Guàrd thou the Gulf with love , my Calms with care ; Cleanse thou my Fraught ; acc●…pt my slender Fare ; Refresh the Sea-sick passenger ; cut short His Voyage ; land him in his wished Port : Thou , Thou , whom winds and stormy seas obey , That through the deep gav'st grumbling Isr'ell way , Say to my Soul , be safe ; and then mine eye Shall scorn grim death , although grim death stand by ; O thou whose strength-reviving Arm did cherish Thy sinking Peter , at the point to perish , Reach forth thy hand , or bid me tread the wave , I 'll come , I 'll come : the voyce that calls will save . S. AMBROS. Apol. post . pro David . Cap. 3. 〈◊〉 The cons●…uence of lusts make a great tempest , which in this sea disturbeth the sea-saring soul , that reason cannot govern it . S. AUGUST . Soliloqu . Cap 35. We labour in a boysterous sea : Thou standest upon the shore and 〈◊〉 our dangers : Give us grace to hold a middle course ●…wixt S●…ylla and Charybdis , that both dangers escaped , we 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at our Port secure . Ep 10. 11. My Soul , the seas are rough , and thou a stranger In these false coasts ; O keep aloof ; there 's danger : Cast forth thy plummet ; see a rock appears ; Thy ship wants sea-room ; make it with thy tears . XII . JOB 14. 13. O that thou wouldst hide me in the grave , that thou wouldst keep me secret untill thy wrath be past ! O Whither shall I fly ? what path untrod Shall I seek out to scape the flaming rod Of my ostended , of my angry God ? Where shall I sojourn ? what kind sea will hide My head from Thunder ? where shall I abide , Untill his flames be quench'd or laid aside ? What , if my feet should take their hasty flight , And seek protection in the shades of night ? Alas , no shades can blind the God of Light . What , if my soul should take the wings of day , And find some desart ; if the spring away , The wings of vengeance ●…ip as fast as they . What if some solid rock should entertain My frighted soul ? Can solid rocks restrain The stroke of Justice , and not cleave in twain ? Nor Sea , nor Shade , nor Shield , nor Rock , nor Cave , Nor silent Desarts , nor the sullen Grave , Where slame-ey'd fury means to smi●…e , can save . The Seas will part ; Graves open ; Rocks will split ; The Shield will cleave ; the frighted Shadows slit ; Where Justice aims , her fiery darts must hit . No , no , if stern-brow'd vengeance means to thunder , There is no place above , beneath , nor under , So close , but will unlock , or rive in sunder . 'T is vain to flee ; 't is neither here nor there Can scape that hand untill that hand forbear ; Ah me ! where is he not , that 's every where ? 'T is vain to flee ; till gentle mercy shew Her better eye , the farther off we go , The swing of Justice deals the mightier blow . Th' ingenious child , corrected , doth not flie His angry mothers hand , but clings more nigh , And quenches with his tears her flaming eye . Shadows are faithlesse , and the rocks are false ; No trust in brasse , no trust in marble walls ; Poore cots are even as safe as Princes halls . Great God , there is no safety here below ; Thou art my Fortresse , though thou seem'st my fo , 'T is thou that strik'st the stroke must guard the blow . Thou art my God ; by thee I fall or stand ; Thy Grace hath giv'n me courage to withstand All tortures , but my conscience and thy hand . I know thy Justice is thy self ; I know , Just God , thy very self is Mercy too ; If not to thee , where ? whither should I go ? Then work thy will ; If passion bid me flee , My reason shall obey ; my wings shall be Stretcht out no further then from thee to thee . S. AUGUST . in Psal. 30. Whither flie I ? To what place can I safely flie ? To what mountain ? To what den ? To what strong house ? What castle shall I hold ? What walls shall hold me ? Whithersoever I go , my self followeth me : For whatsoever thou fliest , O man , thou maist , but thy own conscience : wheresoever O Lord , I go , I find thee if angry , a Revenger ; if appeased , a Redeemer : what way have I , but to flie from thee to thee : That thou maist avo●d thy God , addresse thee to thy Lord . EPIG. 12. Hath vengeance found thee ? Can thy fears command No rocks to shield thee from her thund'ring hand ? Know'st thou not where to scape ? I 'll tell thee where ; My soul make clean thy conscience ; hide thee there . XIII . JOB 10. 20. Are not my dayes few ? Cease then , and let me alone , that I may bewail my self a little . MY Glasse is half unspent : Forbear t'air●…st My thri●…sse day too soon : my poore request Is that my glasse may ●…un but out the rest . My time-devoured minutes will be done Without thy h●…lp ; see , see how swift they run : Cut not my thred before my thred be spun . The gain 's not great I purchase by this stay ; What losse sustain'st thou by so small delay , To whom ten thousand years are but a day ? My following eye can hardly make a shift To count my winged houres ; they fly so swift , They scarce deserve the bounteous name of gift . The secret wheels of hurrying Time do give So short a warning , and so fast they drive , That I am dead before I seem to live . And what 's a Life ? a weary Pilgrimage , Whose glory in one day doth fill the stage With Childhood , Manhood , and decrepit Age . And what 's a Life ? the ●…lourishing array Of the proud Summer meadow , which today Wears her green plush , and is tomorrow hay . And what 's a Life ? A blast sustein'd with clothing , Maintein'd with food , retein'd with vile self-lothing , Then weary of it self , again'd to nothing . Reade on this diall , how the shades devour My short-liv'd winters day ; houre eats up ho●…re ; Alas , the totall's but from eight to soure . Behold these Lillies ( which thy hands have made Fair copies of my life , and open laid To view ) how soon they droop , how soon they fade ! Shade not that diall , night will blind too soon ; My nonag'd day already points to noon ; How simple is my suit ! how small my boon ! Nor do I beg this slender inch , to while The time away , or falsely to beguile My thoughts with joy ; here 's nothing worth a smile . No , no : 't is not to please my wanton ears With frant●…k mirth , I beg but ho●…es , not years : And what thou giv'st me , I will give to tea●…s . Draw not that soul which would be rather led ; Th●…t Seed has yet not broke my Serpents head ; O shall ! dy before my sinnes are dead ? Behold these rags ; am I a sitting guest To tast the dainties of thy royall feast , With hands and face unwash'd , ungirt , unblest ? First , let the Jordan streams ( that ●…ind supplies From the deep fountain of my heart ) arise , And cleanse my spots , and clear my leprous eyes . I have a world of sinnes to be lamented ; I have a sea of tears that must be vented : O spare till th●…n ; and then I die contented . S. AUGUST . lib de Civit. Dei Cap. 10. The time wherein we live is taken from the space of our life ; and what remaineth is dayly made lesse and lesse , in so much that the time of our life is nothing but a passage to death . S. GREG. lib. 9. Cap. 44. in Cap 10. Jeb . As moderate afflictions bring tears , so immoderate take away tears ; In so much that sorrow becometh no sorrow , which swallowing up the mind of the afflicted , taketh away the sense of the affliction . EPIG. 13. Fear'st thou to go , when such an Arm invites thee ? Dread'st thou thy loads of sinne ? or what affrights thee ? If thou begin to fear , thy fear begins ; Fool , can he bear thee hence , and not thy sins ? XIV . DELLTERONOMY 32. 29. O that men were wise , and that they understood this , that they would consider their latter end . Flesh . Spirit . ●…l . WHat means my sisters eye so oft to passe Through the long entry of that Optick glasse ? Tell me ; what secret virtue doth invite Thy wrinkled eye to such unknown delight ? Sp. It helps the sight , makes things remote appear In perfect view ; It draws the object near . Fl. What sense-delighting objects dost thou spie ? What doth that Glasse present before thine eye ? Sp. I see thy foe , my reconciled friend , Grim Death , even standing at the Glasses end ; His left hand holds a branch of Palm ; his right Holds forth a two-edg'd sword . Fl. A proper sight ! And is this all ? doth thy Prospective please Th' abused fancy with no shapes but these ? Sp. Yes , I behold the dark'ned Sun bereav'n Of all his light , the battlements of Heav'n Swelt'ring in flames ; the Angel-guarded Sonne Of glory on his high Tribunal-Throne ; I see a Brimstone Sea of boyling fire , And Fiends , with knotted whips of flaming wire , Tort'ring poore souls , that gnash their teeth in vain , And gnaw their flame-tormented tongues for pain . Look , sister , how the queazy-stomack'd Graves Vomit their dead , and how the purple waves Scalld their consumelesse bodyes , strongly cursing All wombs for bearing , and all paps for nursing . Fl. Can thy distemper'd fancy take delight In view of tortures ? these are showes t' affright : Look in this glasse triangular ; look here , Here 's that will ravish eyes . Sp. What seest thou there ? Fl. The world in colours , colours that distain The checks of Pro●…eus , or the silken train Of Flora's Nymphs ; such various sorts of hiew , As Sun-confronting ●…is never knew : Here , if thou please to beautifie a town , Thou maist ; or with a hand , turn't upside down ; Here mayst thou scant or widen by the measure Of thine own will ; make short or long at pleasure : Here mayst thou tire thy fancy , and advise With shows more apt to please more curious eyes . Sp. Ah fool ! that dot'st on vain , on present toyes , And disrespect'st those true , those future joyes ! How strongly are thy thoughts befool'd , alas , To dote on goods that perish with thy glasse ! Nay , vanish with the turning of a hand ! Were they but painted colours , it might stand With painted reason , that they might devote thee ; But things that have no being to besot thee ? Foresight of future torments is the way To baulk those ills which present joyes bewray ; As thou hast fool'd thy self , so now come hither , Break that fond glasse , and let 's be wise together . BONAVENT . de contemptu seculi . O that men would be wise , understand , and ●…oresee : Be wise , to know three things : The multitude of those that are to be damned : the few number of those that are to be saved ; and the vanity of transitory things : Vnderstand three things ; the multitude of sinnes , the omission of good things , and the losse of time : Foresee three things , the danger of death , the last judgement , and eternall punishment . EPIG. 14. What , Soul , no further yet ? what nev'r commence Master in Faith ? Still batchelour of Sense ? Is 't insufficiency ? Or what has made thee Oreslip thy lost degree ? thy lusts have staid thee . XV . PSALM 30. 10. My life is spent with grief , and my years with sighing . WHat sullen Starre rul'd my untimely birth , That would not lend my dayes one houre of mitth ! How oft have these bare knees been bent , to gain The slender alms of one poore smile , in vain ! How often , tir'd with the fastidious light , Have my saint lips implor'd the shades of night ? How often have my nightly torments praid For lingring twilight , glutted with the shade ? Day worse then night , night worse then day appears , In fears I spend my nights ; my dayes in tears : I moan unpitt●…'d , grone without relief , There is nor end , nor measure of my grief . The smiling flow'r salutes the day ; it growes Untouch'd with care ; it neither spins nor sowes : O that my tedious life , were like this flow'r , Or freed from grief , or finish'd with an houre : Why was I born ? Why was I born a man ? And why proportion'd by so large a span ? Or why suspended by the common lot , And being born to dy , why dy I not ? Ah me ! why is my sorrow-wasted breath Den●…'d the easie priviledge of death ? The branded slave , that tugs the weary oare , Obteins the Sabbath of a welcome shore ; His ransom'd stripes are heal'd ; his native soyl Sweetens the mem'ry of his forrein toyl : But ah ! my sorrows are not half so blest ; My labour finds no point , my pains no rest : I batter sighs for tears , and tears for grones , Still vainly rolling Sisyphean stones : Thou just Observer of our flying houres , That , with thy Adamantine fangs , devours The brazen monuments of renowned Kings , Doth thy glasse stand ? Or be thy moulting wings Unapt to fly ? If not why dost thou spare A willing breast ; a breast that stands so fair ? A dying breast , that hath but onely breath To beg a wound , and strength to crave a death ? O that the pleased Heav'ns would once dissolve These fleshly fetters , that so fast involve . My hamp'red soul ; then should my soul be blest From all these ills , and wrap her thoughts in rest : Till then , my dayes are months , my months are years , My years are ages to be spent in tears : My grief 's entail'd upon my wastfull breath , Which no recov'ry can cut off , but death ; Breath drawn in cottages , puft out in thrones , Begins , continues , and concludes in grones . INNOCENT . de vilitate condit . humanae . O who will give mine eyes a fountain of tears , that I may bewail the miserable ingresse of mans condition ; the sinfull pregresse of mans conversation , the damnable egresse in mans dissolution ? I will consider with tears , whereof man was made , what man doth , and what man is to do : Alas , he is formed of earth , conceived in sinne , born to punishment : He doth evil things , which are not lawfull ; He doth ●…ilthy things , which are not decent ; He doth vain things , which are not ●…pedient . EPIG. 15. My heart , Thy life 's a debt by Bond , which bears Asecret date ; the use is Grones and Tears : Plead not ; usurious Nature will have all , As well the Int'rest as the Principall . THE FOURTH BOOK . I. ROMANES 7. 23. I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind , and bringing me into captivitie to the Law of sinne . 1 O How my will is hurried to and fro , And how my unresolv'd resolves do vary ! I know not where to fix ; sometimes I go ' This way , then that , and then the quite contrary : I like , dislike ; lament for what I could not ; I do , undo ; yet still do what I should not ; And at the self same instant will the thing I would not . 2 Thus are my weather-beaten thoughts opprest With th' earth-bred winds of my prodigious will ; Thus am I hourely tost from East to West Upon the rowling streams of good and ill : Thus am I driven upon these slipp'ry suds , From reall ills to false apparent goods : My life 's a troubled sea , compos'd of Ebs and Flouds . 3 The curious Penman , having t●…imm'd his page With the dead language of his dabbled quill , Le ts fall a heedlesse drop , then in a rage Cashiers the fruits of his unlucky skill ; Ev'n so my pregnant soul in th' insant bud Of her best thoughts , show●…s down a cole-black flood Of unadvised ills , and cancels all her good . 4 Sometimes a sudden flash of sacred heat Warms my chill soul , and se●…s my thoughts in frame : But soon ●…hat fire is shouldred from her seat By lustfull Cupids much inferiour flame : I feel two flames , and yet no flame entire ; Thus are the mungrill thoughts of mixt desire Consum'd between that heav'nly and this earthly fire . 5 Sometimes my trash-disdaining thoughts out-passe The common period of terrene conceit ; O then , me thinks I scorn the thing I was , Whilst I stand ravisht at my new estate : But when th' Icarian wings of my desire Feel but the warmth of their own native sire , O then they melt and plunge within their wonted mire . 6 I know the nature of my wav'ring mind ; I know the frailty of my fleshly will : My Passion 's Eagle-ey'd ; my judgement blind ; I know what 's good , but yet make choice of ill . When th' Ostrich wings of my desires shall be So dull , they cannot mount the least degree , Yet grant my soul desire but of desiring thee . S. BERN. Med. 9. My heart is a vain heart , a vagabond and instable heart ; while it is led by its own judgement , and wanting Divine counsel cannot subsist in it self , and whilest it divers wayes seeketh rest , findeth none , but remaineth miserable through labour , and void of peace : It agreeth not with it self ; it dissenteth from it self ; it altereth resolutions , changeth the judgement , frameth new thoughts , pulleth down the old , and buildeth them up again : It willeth and willeth not ; and never remaineth in the same state . S. AUGUST . de verb . Apost. When it would , it cannot ; because when it might , it would not : Therefore by an evil will man lost his good power . EPIG. 1. My soul , how are thy thoughts disturb'd , confin'd , Enlarg'd betwixt thy members and thy mind ! Fix here or there ; thy doubt-depending cause Can nev'r expect one verdict 'twixt two Laws . II. PSALM 119. 5. O that my wayes were directed to keep thy Statutes ? 1 THus I , the object of the worlds disdain , With Pilgrime-pace surround the weary earth : I onely relish what the world counts vain ; Her mirth 's my grief ; her sullen grief , my mirth ; Her light my darknesse ; and her truth my errour ; Her freedom is my jail ; and her delight my terrour . 2 Fond earth ! proportion not my seeming love To my long stay ; let not thy thoughts deceive thee ; Thou art my prison , and my home 's above ; My life 's a preparation but to leave thee : Like one that seeks a doore , I walk about thee : With thee I cannot live ; I cannot live without thee . 3 The world 's a lab'rinth , whose anfractuous wayes Are all compos'd of rubs and crook'd meanders : No resting here ; He 's hurried back that stayes A thought ; and he that goes unguided wanders : Her way is dark , her path untrod , unev'n ; So hard 's the way from earth ; so hard 's the way to Heav'n . 4 This gvring lab'rinth is betrench'd about On either hand with streams of sulph'rous fire , Streams closely sliding , erring in and out , But seeming pleasant to the fond descrier ; Where if his footsteps trust their own invention , He falls without redresse , and sinks beyond dimension . 5 Where shall I seek a Guide ? where shall I meet Some lucky hand to lead my trembling paces ? What trusty Lantern will direct my feet To scape the danger of these dang'rous places ? What hopes have I to passe without a Guide ? Where one gets safely through , a thousand fall beside , 6 An unrequested Starre did gently slide Before the Wisemen to a greater Light ; Back-sliding Isr'el found a double Guide ; A Pillar , and a Cloud ; by day , by night : Yet in my desp'rate dangers , which be farre More great then theirs , I have nor Pillar , Cloud , nor Starre , 7 O that the pineons of a clipping Dove Would cut my passage through the empty Aire ; Mine eyes being seeld , how would I mount above The reach of danger and forgotten care ! My backward eyes should nev'r commit that fault , Whose lasting guilt should build a Monument of Salt . 8 Great God , that art the flowing Spring of Light , Enrich mine eyes with thy refulgent Ray : Thou art my Path ; direct my steps aright ; I have no other Light , no other Way : I 'll trust my God , and him alone pursue ; His Law shall be my Path ; his Heav'nly Light my Clue . S. AUGUST . Soliloqu . cap. 4. O Lord , who art the Light , the Way , the Truth , the Life ; in whom there is no darknesse , errour , vanitie , nor death : The Light , without which there is darknesse ; The Way , without which there is wandering ; The Truth , without which there is errour ; The Life , without which there is death : Say , Lord , Let there be Light , and I shall see Light , and eschew darknesse ; I shall see the Way , and avoid wandering ; I shall s●…e the Truth , and shun errour ; I shall see Life , and escape death : Illuminate , O illuminate my blind soul , which ●…itteth in darknesse , and the sh●…dow of death : and direct my feet in the way of peace . EPIG. 2. Pilgrime , trudge on : What makes thy soul complain Crownes thy complaint . The way to rest is pain : The road to resolution lies by doubt : The next way home 's the farthest way about . III. PSALM 17. 5. Stay my steps in thy paths , that my feet do not slide . 1 WHen ere the old Exchange of profit rings Her silver Saints-bell of uncertain gains , My merchant soul can stretch both legs and wings ; How I can run , and take unwearied pains ! The charms of profit are so strong , that I Who wanted legs to go find wings to fly . 2 〈◊〉 time-beguiling Pleasure but advance Her lustfull trump , and blow her bold alarms , O how my sportfull ●…oul can frisk and dance , And hug that Syren in her twined arms ! The sprightly voyce of sinew-strengthning pleasure Can lend my bedrid soul both legs and leasure . 3 If blazing Honour chance to fill my veins With flatt'ring warmth , and flash of Courtly fire , My soul can take a pleasure in her pains ; My lofty strutting steps disdain to tire ; My antick knees can turn upon the hinges Of Complement , and sk●…ue a thousand cringes . 4 ●…ut when I come to Thee , my God , that art The royall Myne of everlasting treasure , The reall Honour of my better part , And living Fountain of eternall pleasure , How nervelesse are my limbs ! how faint and flow ! I have nor wings to fly , nor legs to go . 5 So when the streams of swift-foot Rhene convay Her upland riches to the Belgick shore ; The idle vessel slides the wat'ry lay , Without the blast , or tug , of wind , or oare ; Her slipp'ry keel divides the silver fome With ease ; so facil is the way from home . 6 But when the home-bound vessel turns her sails Against the breast of the resisting stream , O then she slugs ; nor sail , nor oare prevails ; The Stream is sturdy , and her Tides extreme : Each stroke is losse , and ev'ry tug is vain : A Boat-lengths purchase is a League of pain . 7 Great All in All , that art my rest , my home ; My way is tedious , and my steps are slow : Reach forth thy helpfull hand , or bid me come : I am thy child , O teach thy child to go : Conjoyn thy sweet commands to my desire , And I will venture , though I fall or tire . S. AUGUST . Ser. 15. de Verb. Apost. Be alwayes displeased at what thou art , if thou desirest to attain to what thou art not : For where thou hast pleased thy self , there thou abidest : But if thou sayest , I have enough , thou perishest : Alwayes adde , alwayes walk , alwayes proceed ; neither stand still , nor go back , nor deviate : He that standeth still , proceedeth not ; He goeth back , that continueth not ; He deviateth , that revolteth : He goeth better that creepeth in 〈◊〉 way , then he that runneth out of his way . EPIG. 3. Fear not , my Soul , to lose for want of cunning ; Weep not ; Heav'n is not alwayes got by running : Thy thoughts are swist , although thy legs be slow ; True love will creep , not having strength to go . IV. PSALM 119. 120. My flesh trembleth for fear of thee , and I am afraid of thy judgements . LEt others boast of luck , and go their wayes With their fair game ; know vengeance seldome playe●… To be too forward , but doth wisely frame Her backward Tables for an after-game : She gives thee leave to venture many a blot ; And , for her own advantage , hits thee not ; But when her pointed Tables are made fair , That she be ready for thee , then beware ; Then , if a necessary blot be set , She hits thee ; wins the game , perchance the set : If prosp'rous chances make thy casting high , Be wisely temp'rate ; cast a serious eye On after dangers , and keep back thy game ; Too forward seed-times make thy harvest lame : If left-hand Fortune give thee left-hand chances , Be wisely patient ; let no envious glances Repine to view thy gamesters heap so fair ; The hindmost Hound takes oft the doubling Hare . The worlds great Dice are false ; sometimes they go Extremely high , sometimes extremely low : Of all her gamesters he that playes the least Lives most at ease , playes most secure and best : The way to win , is to play fair , and swear Thy self a servant to the Crown of fear : Fear is the Primmer of a Gamesters skill : Who fears not Bad st●…nds most unarm'd to Ill : The Ill that 's wisely fear'd , is half withstood ; And fear of Bad is the best foyl to Good : True Fear 's th' Elixar , which in dayes of old Turn'd leaden Crosses into Crowns of Gold : The World 's the Tables ; Stakes , Eternall life ; The Gamesters , Heav'n and I ; Unequall strife ! My Fortunes are my Dice , whereby I frame My indisposed Life : this Life 's the Game ; My sinnes are sev'rall Blots ; the Lookers on Are Angels ; and in death the Game is done : Lord , I 'm a Bungler , and my Game doth grow Still more and more unshap'd ; my Dice run low : The Stakes are great ; my car●…lesse Blots are many ; And yet thou passest by , and hitst not any : Thou art too strong ; and I have none to guide me With the least jog ; the lookers on deride me : It is a Conquest undeserving Thee , To win a Stake from such a Worm as me : I have no more to lose ; If we persever , 'T is lost ; and that once lost I m lost for ever . Lord , wink at faults , and be no●… too severe , And I will play my Game with greater fear ; O give me Fear , ere Fear has past her date : Whose blot being hit , then fears , fears then too late . S. BERN. Ser. 54. in Cant. There is nothing so e●…ectuall to obtain Grace , to retain Grace , and to regain Grace , as alwayes to be sound before God n●…t over-wise , but to ●…ear : Happy art thou if thy heart be replenished with three ●…ears ; a sear for received Grace , a g●…eater fear for lost Grace , a greatest ●…ear to recover Grace . S. AUGUST . super Psalm . Present fear begetteth Eternall securitie : Fear God , which 〈◊〉 above all , and no need to fear man at all . EPIG. 4. Lord , shall we grumble when thy flames do seourge us ? Our sinnes breathe fire ; that fire returns to purge us . Lord , what an Alchymist art thou , whose skill Transmutes to perfect Good from pe●…fect ill ! V. PSALM 119. 37. Turn away mine eyes from regarding vanitie . 1 HOw like to threds of flax That touch the flame , are my inflam'd desires ! How like to yielding wax My soul dissolves before these wanton ●…ires ! The fire , but touch'd , the flame but felt , Like flax , I burn ; like wax , I melt . 2 O how this flesh doth draw My fetter'd soul to that deceitfull ●…ire ! And how th' eternall Law Is baffled by the law of my desire ! How truly bad , how seeming good Are all the laws of flesh and bloud ! 3 O wretched state of men , The height of whose ambition is to borrow What must be paid agen With griping int'rest of the next dayes sorrow ! How wild his thoughts ! How apt to range ! How apt to vary ! Apt to change ! 4 How intricate and nice Is mans perplexed way to mans desire ! Sometimes upon the ice He slips , and sometimes falls into the ●…ire ; His progresse is extreme and bold , Or very hot , or very cold . 5 The common food he doth Sustain his soul-tormenting thoughts withall , Is honey in his mouth To night , and in his heart , to morrow , gall ; 'T is oftentimes , within an houre , Both very sweet and very sowre . 6 If sweet Corinna smile , A Heav'n of joy breaks down into his heart : Corinna frowns awhile ? Hels torments are but copies of his smart : Within a lustfull heart doth dwell A seeming Heav'n , a very Hell . 7 Thus worthlesse , vain , and void Of comfort , are the fruits of earths imployment ; Which ere they be enjoy'd Distract us , and d●…stroy us in th' enjoyment ; These be the pleasures that are priz'd When Heav'ns cheap pen'worth stands despis'd . 8 Lord , quench these hasty flashes , Which dart as lightning from the thund'ring skies , And ev'ry minute , dashes Against the wanton windows of mine eyes : Lord , close the casement , whilst I stand Behind the curtain of thy hand . S. AUGUST . Soliloqu . cap. 4. O thou Sun that illuminatest both Heaven and Earth ! Wo be unto those eyes which do not behold thee : Wo be unto these blind eyes which cannot behold thee : Wo be unto those which turn away their eyes that they will not behold thee : Wo be unto those that turn away their eyes that they may behold vanity . S. CHRYS. sup . Matth. 19. What is an evil woman but the enemy of friendship , an unavoidable pain , a necessary mischief , a naturall tentation , a desiderable calamity , a domestick danger , a delectable inconvenience , and the nature of evil painted over with the colour of good EPIG. 5. 'T is vain , great God , to close mine eyes from ill , When I resolve to keep the old man still : My rambling heart must cov'nant first with thee , Or none can passe betwixt mine eyes and me . VI . ESTHER 7. 3. If I have found favour in thy sight , and if it please the King , let my life be given me at my petition . THou art the great Assuerus , whose command Doth stretch from Pole to Pole ; the world 's thy land ; Rebellious Vashti's the corrupted will , Which being call'd refuses to fulfill Thy just command : Esther , whose tears condole The razed City 's the regen'rate Soul ; A captive maid , whom thou wilt please to grace With nuptiall Honour in stout Vashti's place : Her kinsman , whose unbended knee did thwart Proud Hanans glory , is the fleshly part : The sober Eunuch , that recall'd to mind The new-built gibbet ( Haman had divin'd For his own ruine ) fiftie cubits high , Is lustfull-thought-controlling chastity ; Insulting Haman is that fleshly lust Whose red-hot fury , for a season , must Triumph in pride , and study how to tread On Mordecay , till royall Esther plead . Great King , my sent-for Vashti will not come ; O let the oyl o' th blessed Virgins womb Cleanse my poore Esther ; look , O look upon her With gracious eyes ; and let thy Beams of honour So scoure her captive stains , that she may prove A holy Object of thy Heav'nly love : Annoint her with the Spiknard of thy graces , Then try the sweetnesse of her chast embraces : Make her the partner of thy nuptiall bed , And set thy royall Crown upon her head : If then ambitious Haman chance to spend His spleen on Mordecay , that scorns to bend The wilfull stiffnesse of his stubborn knee , Or basely crouch to any Lord but thee ; If weeping Esther should pref●…rre a grone Before the high tribunal of thy Throne , Hold forth thy golden Sceptre , and a●…ord The gentle audience of a gra●…ious Lord : And let thy royall Esther be possest Of half thy Kingdome , at her dear request : Curb lustfull Haman ; him that would disgrace , Nay , ravish thy fair Queen before thy face : And as proud Haman was himself ensnar'd On that self gibbet , that himself prepar'd ; So nail my lust , both puni●…hment and guilt On that dear crosse that mine own lusts have buil●… . S. AUGUST . in Ep. O Holy Spirit alwayes inspire me with holy works ; Constrain ●…e , that I may do : Counsel me , that I may love thee ; Confirm ●…e , that I may hold thee ; Conserve me , that I may no●… lose thee . S AUGUST . sup . Joan. The Spirit rusts where the flesh resteth : For as the flesh is 〈◊〉 with sweet things , the Spirit is refreshed with sow●…e . Ibidem . Wouldest thou that thy flesh obey thy spirit ? Then let thy spirit obey thy God : Thou must be governed , that thou maist govern . EPIG. 6. Of Mercy and Justice is thy Kingdome built ; This plagues my sin ; and that removes my guilt : When ere I sue , Assuerus like decline Thy Scep●…re ; Lord , say , Half my Kingdome 's thine . VII . CANTICLES 7. II. Come , my beloved , let us go forth into the fields , and let us remain in the villages . 1 Christ . Soul . C●…r . COme , come my dear , and let us both retire And whiff the dainties of the fragrant fields : Where warbling Phil'mel and the shrill-mouth'd quire Chaunt forth their raptures ; where the Turtle builds Her lonely nest ; and where the new-born bryer Breaths forth the sweetnesse that her Aprill yields : Come , come my lovely fair , and let us trie These rurall delicates ; where thou and I May melt in private ●…ames , and fear no stander by . 2 Soul . My hearts eternall joy , in lieu of whom The earth 's a blast , and all the world a bubble ; Our Citie-mansion is the fairer home , But Countrey-sweets are tang'd with lesser trouble : Let 's try them both , and chuse the better ; come ; A change in pleasure makes the pleasure double : One thy commands depends my go , or tarrie ; I 'll stirre with Martha , or I 'll stay with Mary : Our hearts are firmly fixt , although our pleasures varie . 3 Chr. Our Countrey mansion ( situate on high ) With various Objects , still renews delight ; Her arched roof 's of unstain'd Ivory : Her wall 's of fie●…y-sparkling Chrysolite ; Her pavement is of hardest Prophety ; Her spacious windows are all glaz'd with bright And fluming Carbuncles ; no need require Titans faint ●…ayes , or Vulcans feebler fire ; And ev'ry Gate 's a Pearl ; and ev'ry Pearl , entire . 4 Soul . Fool that I was ! how were my thoughts deceiv'd ! How falsly was my fond conceit possest ! I took it for an Hermitage , but pav'd And daub'd with neighb'ring dirt , and thacht at best ; Alas , I nev'r expected more , nor crav'd ; A Turtle hop'd but for a Turtles nest : Come , come , my dear , and let no idle stay Neglect th' advantage of the head-strong day ; How pleasure grates that fe●…ls the curb of dull delay ! 5 Chr. Come then , my Joy ; let our divided paces Conduct us to our fairest territory ; O there we 'll twine our souls in sweet embraces ; Soul . And in thine a●…ms I 'll tell my passion story : Chr. O there I 'll crown thy hea●… with all my graces ; Soul . And all those graces shall r●…flect thy glory : Chr. O there I 'll feed thee with celestiall Manna ; I 'll be thy Hanna . Soul . And I , thy Elkanah . Chr. I 'll found my trump of joy . So. And I 'll resound Hosanna S. BERN. O blessed Contemplation ! The death of vices , and the life of virtues ! Thee the Law and Prophets admire : who ever attei●…ed perfection , if not by thee ! O blessed Solitude , the Magazine of celestiall treasure ! by thee things earthly , and transitory , are changed into Heavenly , and Eternall . S. BERN. in Ep. Happy is that house , and blessed is that Congregation , where Martha still complaineth of Mary . EPIG. 7. Mechanick soul , thou must not onely do With Martha ; but , with Mary , ponder too : Happy 's that house where these fair sisters vary ; But most , when Martha's reconcil'd to Mary . VIII . CANTICLES 1. 3. Draw me ; we will follow after thee by the savour of thy Ointments . THus like a lump of the corrupted Masse , I lie secure , long lost , before I was : And like a block , beneath whose burden lies That undiscover'd wo●…m that never dies , I have no will to rouze , I have no power to rise . Can stinking Lazarus compound , or strive With deaths entangling fetters , and revive ? Or can the water buried Axe implore A hand to raise it ; or it self restore , And from her sandy deeps approch the dry-foot shore ? So hard 's the task for sinfull flesh and bloud To lend the smallest step to what is good ; My God , I cannot move the least degree ; Ah! If but onely those that active be , None should thy glory see , none should thy glory see . But if the Potter please t' inform the clay ; Or some strong hand remove the block away ; Their lowly fortunes soon are mounted higher , That proves a vess●…l , which before was mire ; And this being hewn , may serve for better use then sire . And if that life-restoring voyce command Dead Laz'rus forth ; or that great Prophets hand Should charm the sullen waters , and begin To becken , or to dart a stick but in , Dead Laz'rus must revive , and th' Axe must sloat again . Lord , as I am , I have no pow'r at all To heare thy voyce , or echo to thy call ; The gloomy Clouds of mine own guilt benight me ; Thy glorious beams , nor dainty sweets invite me ; They neith●…r can direct ; nor these at all delight me . See how my sin-bemangled body lies , Nor having pow'r to will , nor will to rise ! Shine home upon thy Creature , and inspire My livelesse will with thy regen'rate fi●…e ; The first degree to do , is onely to desire . Give me the pow'r to will , the will to do ; O raise me up , and I will strive to go : Draw me , O draw me with thy treble twist , That have no pow'r but merely to resist ; O lend me strength to do , and then command thy list . My Soul 's a Clock , whose wheels ( for want of use And winding up , being subject to th' abuse Of eating ●…ust ) wants vigour to fulfill Her twelve houres task , and shew her makers skill , But idly sleeps unmov'd , and standeth vainly still . Great God , it is thy work : and therefore good . If thou be pleas'd to cleanse it with thy blood , And wind it up with thy soul-moving keyes , Her busie wheels shall serve thee all her dayes ; Her hand shall point thy pow'r , her hammer strike thy praise S. BERN. Serm. 21. in Cant. Let us run , let us run , but in the savour of thy Ointments , not in the confidence of our merits , nor in the greatnesse of our strength : we trust to run , but in the multitude of thy mercies , for though we run and are willing it is not in him that willeth , nor in him that runneth , but in God that sheweth mercy . O let thy mercy return , and we will run : Thou like a G●…ant , runnest by thy own power ; we , unlesse thy ointment breath upon us , cannot run . EPIG. 8. Look not , my Watch , being once repair'd to stand Expecting motion from thy Makers hand . H'as wound thee up , and cleans'd thy Cogs with blood : If now thy wheels stand still thou art not good . IX . CANTICLES 8. 1. O that thou wert as my brother , that sucked the breasts of my mother , I would find thee without , and I would kisse thee . 1 COme , come my blessed Infant , and immure thee Within the Temple of my sacred arms ; Secure mine arms , mine arms shall then secure thee From Herods fury , or the high-Priests harms ; Or if thy danger'd life sustain a losse , My folded arms shall turn thy dying crosse . 2 But ah , what savage Tyrant can behold The beauty of so sweet a face as this is , And not himself be by himself controul'd , And change his fury to a thousand kisses ? One smile of thine is worth more mines of treasure Then there be Myriads in the dayes of Cesar . 3 O , had the Tetrarch , as he knew thy birth , So known thy stock , he had not sought to paddle In thy dear bloud ; but prostrate on the earth , Had vaild his Crown before thy royall Cradle , And laid the Sceptre of his Glory down , And begg'd a Heav'nly for an Earthly Crown . 4 Illustrious Babe ! how is thy handmaid grac'd With a rich armfull ! how dost thou decline Thy Majesty , that wert so late embrac'd In thy great Fathers arms , and now in mine ! How humbly gracious art thou , to refresh Me with thy Spirit , and assume my flesh . 5 But must the treason of a traitours Hail Abuse the sweetnesse of these ●…uby lips ? Shall marble-hearted cruelty ass●…il These Alabaster sides with knotted whips ? And must these smiling Roses entertain The blows of scorn , and flurts of base disdain ? 6 Ah! must these dainty li●…tle sprigs that twine So fast about my neck , be pie●…c'd and torn With ragged nails ? and must these brows resigne Their Crown of Glory for a crown of thorn ? Ah , must this blessed Infant tast the pain Of deaths injurious pangs ? nay worse , be slain ? 7 Sweet Ba●…e ! At what dear rates do wretched I Commit a sinne ! Lord , ev'ry sin 's a dart ; And ev'ry tr●…spasse lets a javelin slie ; And ev'ry javelin wounds thy bleeding heart : Pardon , sweet Babe , what I have done amisse ; And seal that granted pardon with a kisse . BONAVENT . Soliloqu Cap. 1. O sweet Jesu , I knew not that thy kisses were so sweet , nor thy society so sweet , nor thy attraction so vertuous : For when I love thee , I am clean ; when I touch thee , I am chast ; when I receive thee , I am a virgin : O most sweet Jesu , thy embraces defile not , but cleanse ; thy attraction polluteth not , but sanctifieth : O Jesu , the Fountain of uni●…ersall sweetnesse , pardon me , that I believed so late , that so much sweetnesse is in thy embraces . EPIG. 9. My burden 's greatest : Let not A●…las boast : Impartiall Reader , judge which bears the most : He bears but Heav'n ; my folded arms sustain Heav'ns maker , whom Heav'ns Heav'n cannot contain . X. CANTICLES 3. 1. In my bed by night I sought him that my soul loved ; I sought him , but I found him not . THe learned Cynick , having lost the way To honest men , did in the height of day , By Taper-light , divide his steps about The peopled streets to find this dainty out ; But fail'd : The Cynick search'd not where he ought : The thing he sought for was not where he sought . The Wisemens task seem'd harder to be done , The Wisemen did by Staire-light seek the Sonne , And found : the Wisemen search'd it where they ought ; The thing they hop'd to find was where they sought . One seeks his wishes where he should ; but then Perchance he seeks not as he should , nor when : Another searches when he should , but there He fails ; not seeking as he should , nor where : Whose soul desires the good it wants , and would Obtain , must seek Where , As , and When he should : How often have my wild affections led My wasted soul to this my widdow'd bed , To seek my Lover , whom my soul desires ! ( I speak not , Cupid , of thy wanton fires : Thy fires are all but dying sparks to mine ; My flames are full of Heav'n , and all Divine ) How often have I sought this bed , by night , To find that greater by this lesser light ! How oft have my unwitnest grones lamented Thy dearest absence ! Ah how often vented The bitter tempests of despairing breath , And tost my soul upon the waves of death ! How often has my melting heart made choice Of silent tears , ( tears louder then a voyce ) To plead my grief , and woo thy absent eare ! And yet thou wilt not come , thou wilt not heare : O is thy wonted love become so cold ? Or do mine eyes not seek thee where they should ? Why do I seek thee , if thou art not here ? Or find thee not , if thou art ev'ry where ? I see my errour ; 'T is not strange I could not Find out my love : I sought him where I should not . Thou art not found in downy beds of ease ; Alas , thy musick strikes on harder keyes : Nor art thou found by that false , feeble light Of Natures candle ; Our Aegyptian night Is more then common darknesse ; nor can we Expect a morning , but what breaks from thee . Well may my empty bed bewail thy losse , When thou art lodg'd upon thy shamefull crosse : If thou refuse to share a bed with me , We 'll never part , I 'll share a crosse with thee . ANSELM . in Protolog . cap. 1. Lord , if thou art not present , where shall I seek thee absent ? If every where , why do I not see thee present ? Thou dwellest it light inaccessible ; and where is that inaccessible light ? Or 〈◊〉 shall I have accesse to light inaccessible ? I beseech thee , Lord , teach me to seek thee , and shew thy self to the seeker ; because I can neither seek thee , unlesse thou teach me , not find t●…e , unlesse thou shew thy self to me : Let me seek thee , in de●… thee , and desire thee in seeking thee ; Let me find thee it loving thee , and love thee in finding thee . EPIG. 10. Where shouldst thou seek for rest , but in thy bed ? But now thy rest is gone , thy rest is fled : 'T is vain to seek him there : My soul be wise ; Go ask thy sinnes ; they 'll tell thee where he lies , XI . CANTICLES 3. 2. I will rise , and go about in the City , and will seek him that my soul loveth : I sought him , but I found him not . 1 O How my disappointed soul 's perplext ! How restlesse thoughts swarm in my troubled breast ! How vainly pleas'd with hopes , then crossely vext With fears ! and how betwixt them both distrest ! What place is left unransack'd ? Oh , where next Shall I go seek the Authour of my rest ? Of what blest Angel shall my lips enquire The undiscover'd way to that entire And everlasting solace of my hearts desire ! 2 Look how the stricken Hart that wounded flies Ov'r hills and dales , and seeks the lower grounds For running streams , the whilst his weeping eyes Peg silent mercy from the following Hounds , At length , embost , he droops , drops down , and lies Beneath the burden of his bleeding wounds : Ev'n so my gasping foul , dissolv'd in tears , Doth search for thee , my God , whose deafned ears Leave me th' unransom'd Prisner to my panick fears . 3 Where have my busie eyes not pry'd ? O where , Of whom hath not my thred-bare tongue demanded ? I search'd this glorious City ; he 's not here : I sought the Countrey ; she stands empty handed ; I search'd the Court ; he is a stranger there : I ask'd the land ; he 's shipp'd : the sea , he 's landed : I climb'd the air , my thoughts began t' aspire ; But ah , ! the wings of my too bold desire , Soaring too near the Sunne , were sing'd with sacred fire . 4 I mov'd the Merchants eare ; alas , but he Knew neither what I said , nor what to say : I ask'd 〈◊〉 Lawyer ; he demands a fee , And the●… demurrs me with a vain delay : I ask'd the Schoolman ; his advice was free , But scor'd me out too intricate a way : I ask'd the Watch-man ( best of all the soure ) Whose gentle answer could resolve no more , But that he lately left him at the Temple doore . 5 Thus having sought , and made my great inquest In ev●…y place , and search'd in ev'ry ear ; I threw me on my bed ; but ah ! my rest Was poyson'd with th' extremes of grief and fear , Where looking down into my troubled breast , The Magazine of wounds , I found him there : Let oth●…rs hunt , and shew their sportfull Art ; I wi●…h to catch the ●…are before she start , As Potchers use to do ; Heav'ns form 's a troubled heart . S. AMBROS. lib. 3. de Virg. Christ is not in the market , not in the streets : For Christ is Peace , in the market are strife : Christ is Justice , in the 〈◊〉 is iniquitie : Christ is a Labourer , in the market 〈◊〉 : Christ is Charity , in the market is slander : Christ is Charity , in the market is fraud : Let us not therefore seek 〈◊〉 , where we cannot find Christ . S. HIERON. Ep. 22. ad Eustoch. Jesus is jealous : He will not have thy face seen : Let foolish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abroad , seek thou thy Love at home . EPIG. 11. What lost thy love ? will neither bed nor board Receive him ? Not by tears to be implor'd ? It is the Ship that moves , and not the Coast ; I fear , I fear , my soul , 't is thou art lost . XII . CANTICLES 3. 3. Have you seen him whom my soul loveth ? When I had past a little from them , then I sound him , I took hold on him , & left him not . 1 WHat secret corner ? what unwonted way Has scap'd the ransack of my rambling thought ? The Fox by night , nor the dull Owl by day , Have never search'd those places I have sought , Whilst thy lamented absence taught my breast The ready road to grief , without request ; My day had neither comfort , nor my night had rest . 2 How hath my unregarded language vented The sad tautologies of lavish passion ? How often have I languish'd unlamented ! How oft have I complain'd without compassion ! I ask't the Citie-watch , but some deny'd me ; The common street , whilst others would misguide me , Some would debar me ; some , divert me ; some , deride me . 3 Mark how the widow'd Turtle , having lost The faithfull partner of her loyall heart , Stretches ●…er feeble wings from coast to c●…ast , Haunts ev'ry path ; thinks ev'ry shade doth pa●…t Her absent Love , and her ; at length u●…sped , She re-betakes her to her lonely bed , And there bewails her everlasting widow-head : 4 So when my soul had progrest ev'ry place , That love and dear affection could contrive , I threw me on my couch , resolv'd t' embrace A death for him , in whom I ceas'd to live : But there injurious Hymen did present His lanskip joyes ; my pickled eyes did vent Full streams of briny tears , tears never to be spent . 5 Whilst thus my sorrow-wasting soul was seeding Upon the rad'cal humour of her thought , Ev'n whilst mine eyes were blind , and heart was bleeding , He that was sought , unfound , was found unsought . As if the Sun should dart his orbe of light Into the secrets of the black-brow'd night : Ev'n so appear'd my Love , my sole , my souls delight . 6 O how mine eyes now ravish'd at the sight Of my bright Sun shot flames of equall fire ! Ah! how my soul dissolv'd with ov'r-delight , To re-enjoy the Crown of chast desire ! How sov'reigne joy depos'd and dispossest Rebellious grief ! And how my ravish'd breast — But who can presle those heights , that cannot be exprest ? 7 O how these arms , these greedy arms did twine , And strongly twist about his yielding wast ! The s●…ppy branches of the Thespian Vine Nev'r cling'd their lesse beloved Elm so fast ; Boast not thy flames , blind boy , nor feather'd shot ; Let Hymens easie snarles be quite forgot : Time cann●…t quench our ●…ites , nor death dissolve our knot . ORIG. Hom. 10. in divers . O most holy Lord , and sweetest Master , how good art thou to those that are of upright heart , and humble spirit ! O how blessed are they that seek thee with a simple heart ! How happy that trust in thee ! It is a most certain truth , that thou lovest all that love thee , and never forsakest those that trust in thee : For behold thy Love simply sought thee , and undoubtedly found thee : She trusted in thee , and is not forsaken of thee , but hath obtained more by thee , then she expected from thee . BEDA in cap. 3. Cant. The longer I was in finding whom I sought , the more earnestly I held him be●…ng found . EPIG. 12. What ? found him out ? let strong embraces bind him ; He 'll fly perchance where tears can never find him . New sinnes will lose what old repentance gains : Wisedome not onely gets , but got retains . XIII . PSALM 72. 28. It is good for me to draw near to God ; I have put my trust in the Lord God . WHere is that Good , which wisemen please to call The Chiefest ? Doth there any such befall Within mans reach ? Or is there such a Good at all ? If such there be , it neither must expire , Nor change ; then which there can be nothing higher : Such Good must be the utter point of mans desire . It is the Mark , to which all h●…arts must tend ; Can be desired for no other end , Then for it self , on which all other goods depend . What may this Excellence be ? doth it subsist A reall Essence , clouded in the midst Of cu●…ious Art , or clear to ev'ry eye that list ? Or is 't a tart Idea , to procure An edge , and keep the practick soul in ure , Like that dear Chymick dust , or puzzling Quadrature ? Where shall I seek this Good ? where shall I find This Cath'lick pleasure , whose extremes may bind My thoughts , and fill the gulf of my insatiate mind ? Lies it in Treasure ? In full heaps untold ? Doth gowty Mammous griping hand infold This secret Saint in sacred shrines of sov'reigne gold ? No , no ; she lies not there ; wealth often sowrs In keeping ; makes us hers , in seeming ours ; She slides from Heav'n indeed , but not in Danat's showrs . Lives she in honour ? no . The royall Crown Builds up a creature , and then batters down : Kings raise thee with a smile , and raze thee with a frown . In pleasure ? no . Pleasure begins in rage ; Acts the fools part on earths uncertain stage ; Begins the Play in youth , and Epilogues in age . These , these are bastard-goods ; the best of these Torment the soul with pleasing it , and please , Like water gulp'd in fevers , with deceitfull ease . Earths flatt'ring dainties are but sweet distresses : Mole-hils perform the mountains she professes ; Alas , can earth confer more good then earth possesses ? Moun●… , mount my soul , and let thy thoughts cashier Earths vain delights , and make their full carier At Heav'ns eternall joyes ; stop , stop thy Courser there . There shall thy soul possesse uncarefull treasure ; There shalt thou swim in never-sading pleasure ; And blaze in honour farre above the frowns of Caesar . Lord , if my ho●…e dare let her anchor fall On thee , the chiefest Good , no need to call For earths inferiour trash ; Thou , thou art All in All . S. AUGUST . Soliloqu . cap. 13. I follow this thing : I pursue that ; but am filled with nothing . But when I found thee , who a●…t that immutable , individed , and onely good , in my self , what I obtained . I wanted not ; for what I obtained not , I grieved not ; with w●…at I was possest , 〈◊〉 whole desire was 〈◊〉 . S. BERN. Ser. 9. sup . beati qui habent , &c. Let others p●…etend merit : let him b●…ag of the burden of the day ; let him boast of his Sabbath fasts , and let him glory that 〈◊〉 is not as other men : but for me , it is good to clea●…e unto the Lord , and to put my trust in my Lord God . EPG . 13. Let Bo●…eas blasts , and Nep●…unes waves be joyn'd , Thy Eolus commands the waves , the wind : Fear not the rocks or worlds imperious waves : Thou climbst a rock ( my soul ) a rock that saves . XIV . CANTICLES 2. 3. I sat under his shadow with great delight , and his fruit was sweet to my tast . 1 LOok how the sheep , whose rambling steps do stray From the safe blessing of her Shepherds eyes Estsoon , becomes the unprotected prey To the wing'd squadron of beleagring slies ; Where swelired with the scorching beams of day , She frisks from bush to brake , and wildly flies From her own self , ev'n of her self afraid ; She shrouds her troubled brows in ev'ry glade , And craves the mercy of the soft removing shade . 2 Ev'n so my wand'ring Soul , that hath digrest From her great Shepherd , is the hourely prey Of all my sinnes . These vultures in my breast Gripe my Promethean heart both night and day : I hunt from place to place , but sind no rest ; I know not where to go , nor where to stay : The eye of vengeance burns , her flames invade My swelt'ring soul : My soul hath oft assaid , But she can find no shrowd , but she can feel no shade . 3 I sought the shades of Mitth , to wear away My slow-pac'd hours of soul-consuming grief ; I search'd the shades of sleep , to ease my day Of griping sorrows with a nights reprief ; I sought the shades of death ; thought there t' allay My finall torments with a full relief : But mirth , nor sleep nor death can hide my houres In the false shades of their deceitfull bowrs ; The first distracts , the next disturbs , the last devours . 4 Where shall I 〈◊〉 ? To whom shall I apply 〈◊〉 ? Are there no streams where a faint soul may wade ? Thy Godhead , JESUS , are the flames that fry me ; Hath thy All-glorious Deity never a shade , Where I may sit and vengeance never eye me , Where I might sit refresht or 〈◊〉 ? Is there no comfort ? Is there no resection ? Is there no cover that will give protection T' a fainting soul , the subject of thy wraths 〈◊〉 ? 5 Look up , my soul , advance the lowly stature Of thy sad thoughts ; advance thy humble eye : See , here 's a shadow found : The humane nature Is made the Umbella to the Deity . To catch the Sun-beams of thy just Creatour ; Beneath this covert thou maist safely lie : 〈◊〉 thine eyes to climbe this fruitfull tree , As quick Zacheus did , and thou shalt see A cloud of dying flesh betwixt those beams and thee . GUILL . in cap. 2. Cant. Who can indure the 〈◊〉 rayes of the Sunne of Justice ? Who shall not be consumed by his beams ? Therefore the Sun of Justice took flesh , that through the conjunction of that Sun and this humane body a shadow may be made . S. AUGUST . Med. cap. 37. Lord , let my soul flee from the scorching thoughts of the world under the covert of thy wings , that being resreshed by the moderation of thy shadow , she may sing merrily , In peace will I lay me down and rest . 〈◊〉 . 14. Ah , treach'rous soul , would not thy pleasures give That Lord which made thee living leave to live ? See what thy sinnes have done : thy sinnes have made The Sunne of Glory now become thy shade . XV . PSALM 137. 4. How shall we sing a song of the Lord in a strange land ? URge me no more : this aity mirth belongs To better times : these times are not for songs . The sprightly twang of the melodious Lute 〈◊〉 not with my voice ; and both unsuit My untun'd fortunes : the affected measure Of strains that are constrain'd 〈◊〉 no pleasure . Musick 's the Child of mirth ; where griefs assail The troubled soul , both voyce and fingers fail : Let such as ravil out their lavish dayes In honourable riot ; that can raise Dejected hearts , and conjure up a sprite Of madnesse by the Magick of delight ; Let those of Cupids hospitall , that lie Impatient Patients to a smiling eye , That cannot rest , untill vain hope beguile Their 〈◊〉 torments with a wanton smile ; Let such redeem their peace , and salve the wrongs Of froward Fortune with their frolick songs : My grief , my grief 's too great for smiling eyes To cure , or counter - 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 . The Ravens dismall croaks ; the midnight bowls Of empty Wolues , mixt with the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 The nine sad knowls of a dull passing Bell , With the loud language of a nightly knell , And horrid out-cries of revenged crimes , Joyn'd in a medley's musick for these times : These are no times to touch the merry string Of Orpheus ; no , these are no times to sing . Can hide-bound Prisners , that have spent their souls And famish'd bodies in the noysome holes Of hell-black dungeons , apt their rougher throats , Grown hoarse with begging alms , to warble notes ? Can the sad Pilgrime , that hath lost his way In the vast desart ; there condemn'd a prey To the wild subject , or his savage King , Rouze up his palsey smitten spir'ts , and sing ? Can I a Pilgrime , and a Prisner too , ( Alas ) where I am neither known , nor know Ought but my torments , an unransom'd stranger In this strange climate , in a land of danger ? O , can my voyce be pleasant , or my hand , Thus made a Prisner to a forrein land ? How can my musick relish in your cars , That cannot speak for sobs , nor sing for tears ? Ah , if my voyce could , Orpheus-like , unspell My poore Eurydice , my soul from hell Of earths misconstru'd Heav'n , O then my breast Should warble airs , whose rhapsodies should feast The ears of Seraphims , and entertain Heav'ns highest Deity with their lofty strain , A strain well drencht in the true Thespian Well , Till then , earths Semiquaver , mirth , farewell . S. AUGUST . Med. cap. 33. O infinitely happy are those Heavenly virtues which are able 〈◊〉 praise thee in holinesse and puritie , with excessive sweetnesse 〈◊〉 able exultation ! From thence they praise thee , from whence they rejoyce , because they continually see for what they rejoyce , for what they praise thee : But we prest down with this burden of flesh , far removed from thy countenance in this pilgrimage , and blown up with worldly vanities , cannot worthily praise thee : We praise thee by faith ; nor face to face : but those Angelicall spirits praise thee face to face , and not by saith . EPIO. 15. Did I refuse to sing ? said I these times Were not for songs ? nor musick for these climes ? It was my errour : are not grones and tears Harmonious raptures in th' Almighties ears ? THE FIFTH BOOK . I. CANTICLES 5. 8. I charge you , O daughters of Jerusalem , if you find my beloved , that you tell him that I am sick of love . 1 YOu holy Virgins , that so oft surround The cities Saphire walls , whose snowy feet Measure the pearly paths of sacred ground , And trace the new Jerus'lems Jasper street ; Ah , you whose care-forsaken hearts are crown'd With your best wishes ; that enjoy the sweet Of all your hopes ; If e'r you chance to spie My absent Love , O tell him that I lie Deep wounded with the flames that furnac'd from his eye . 2 I charge you , Virgins , as you hope to heare The heav'nly musick of your Lovers voice ; I charge you by the solemne faith ye bear To plighted vows , and to that loyall choice Of your affections , or , if ought more dear You hold ; by Hymen , by your marriage joyes , I charge you tell him , that a flaming dart , Shot from his eye hath pierc'd my bleeding heart ; And I am sick of love , and languish in my smart . 3 Tell him , O tell him , how my panting breast Is 〈◊〉 with flames , and how my soul is pin'd ; Tell him , O tell him , how I he opprest With the full torments of a troubled mind ; O tell him , tell him , that he loves in jest , But I in earnest ; tell him , he 's unkind : But if a discontented frown appears Upon his angry brow , accoast his ears With soft and fewer words , and act the rest in tears . 4 O tell him , that his cruelties deprive My soul of peace , while peace in vain she seeks ; Tell him those damask roses , that did strive With white , both fade , upon my sallow cheeks ; Tell him , no token doth proclaim I live , But tears , and sighs , and sobs , and sudden shrieks ; Thus if your piercing words should chance to bore His hearkning ear , and move a sigh , give ore To speak ; and tell him — Tell him , that I could no more . 5 If your elegious breath should hap to rouze A happy tear , close harb'ring in his eye , Then urge his plighted faith , the sacred vows , Which neither I can break , nor he deny ; Bewail the torments of his loyall spouse , That for his sake would make a sport to die : O blessed Virgins , how my passion tires Beneath the burden of her fond desires ! Heav'n never shot such flames , earth never felt such fires ! S. AUGUST . Med. cap. 40. What shall I say ? What shall I do ? Whither shall I go ? Where shall I seek him ? Or when shall I find him ? Whom shall I ask ? Who will tell my beloved that I am sick of love ? 〈◊〉 . in Cap. 5. Cant. I live , but not I : it is my beloved that liveth in me : I love my self , not with my own love , but with the love of my beloved that loveth me : I love not my self in my self , but my self in him , and him in me . EPIG. 1. Grieve not ( my soul ) nor let thy love wax faint , Weep'st thou to lose the cause of thy complaint ? He 'll come ; Love ne'r was bound to times nor laws : Till then thy tears complain without a cause . II. CANTICLES 2. 5. Stay me with flowers , and comfort me with apples , for I am sick with love●… 1 O Tyrant love I how doth thy sov'reigne pow'r Subject poore souls to thy imperious thrall ! They say , thy cup 's compos'd of sweet and sowre ; They say , thy diet 's honey mixt with gall ; How comes it then to passe , these lips of our Still trade in bitter ; tast no sweet at all ? O tyrant love ! Shall our perpetuall toil Ne'r find a Sabbath , to refresh awhile Our drooping souls ? Art thou all frowns , and ne'r a smile ? 2 You blessed Maids of honour that frequent The royall courts of our renown'd Jehove , With flow'rs restore my spirits faint and spent ; O fetch me apples from Loves fruitfull grove , To cool my palate , and renew my sent , For I am sick , for I am sick of love : These will revive my dry , my wasted pow'rs , And they will sweeten my unsav'ry houres ; Refresh me then with fruit , and comfort me with flow'rs . 3 O bring me apples to asswage that fire , Which Aetna-like inflames my flaming breast ; Nor is it every apple I desire , Nor that which pleases every palate best : 'T is not the lasting Deuzan I require , Nor yet the red-cheek'd Queening I request ; Nor that which first bethrewd the name of wife , Nor that whose beauty caus'd the golden strife ; No , no , bring me an apple from the tree of life . 4 Virgins , tuck up your silken laps , and fill ye With the fair wealth of Floras Magazine ; The purple violet , and the pale-fac'd lilly ; The pancy and the organ colombine ; The flowring thyme , the guilt-boul daffadilly ; The lowly pink , the lofty eglentine : The blushing rose , the queen of flowers , and best Of Floras beauty ; but above the rest , Let Jesses sovereigne flower perfume my qualming breast . 5 Haste , Virgins , haste , for I lie weak and faint , Beneath the 〈◊〉 of love ; why stand ye mute , As if your silence neither car'd to grant , Nor yet your language to deny my suit ? No key can lock the doore of my complaint , Untill I smell this flower , or tast that fruit ; Go , Virgins , seek this tree , and search that how'r●… O , how my soul shall blesse that happy houre , That brings to me such fruit , that brings me such a flower . GISTEN . in cap. 2. Cant. Expos. 3. O happy sicknesse , where the infirmitie is not to death , but 〈◊〉 life , that God may be glorified by it ! O happy sever , that procedeth not from a consuming , but a calcining sire ! O happy ●…emper , wherein the soul relisheth no earthly things , but onely savoureth divine nourishment ! S. BERN. Serm. 51. in Cant. By flowers understand faith ; by fruit , good works : As the flower or blossome is before the fruit , so is saith before good works : So neither is the fruit without the flower , nor good works without faith . EPIG. 2. Why apples , O my soul ? Can they remove The pangs of grief , or ease the flames of love ? It was that fruit which gave the first offence ; That sent him hither 〈◊〉 that remov'd him hence . III. CANTICLES 2. 16. My beloved is mine , and I am his ; He feedeth among the lillies . 1 EV'n like two little bank-dividing brooks , That wash the pebbles with their wanton streams , And having rang'd and search'd a thousand nooks , Meet both at length in silver-breasted Thames , Where in a greater current they conjoyn : So I my best-beloveds am ; so he is mine . 2 Ev'n so we met ; and after long pursuit , Ev'n so we joyn'd ; we both became entire ; No need for either to renew a suit , For I was flax and he was flames of sire : Our firm united souls did more then twine ; So I my best-beloveds am ; so he is mine . 3 If all those glitt'ring Monarchs that command The servile quarters of this earthly ball , Should tender , in exchange , their shares of land , I would not change my fortunes for them all : Their wealth is but a counter to my coin ; The world 's but theirs ; but my beloved's mine . 4 Nay more ; If the fair Thespian Ladies all Should heap together their diviner treasure : That treasure should be deem'd a price too small To buy a minutes lease of half my pleasure . 'T is not the sacred wealth of all the nine Can buy my heart from him , or his , from being mine . 5 Nor Time , nor Place , nor Chance , nor Death can bow My least desires unto the least remove ; He 's firmly mine by oath ; I his by vow ; He 's mine by faith ; and I am his by love ; He 's mine by water ; I am his by wine ; Thus I my best-beloveds am ; thus he is mine . 6 He is my Altar ; I , his Holy Place ; I am his guest ; and he , my living food ; I 'm his by penitence ; he mine by grace ; I 'm his by purchase ; he is mine , by bloud ; He 's my supporting elm ; and I his vine : Thus I my best-beloveds am ; thus he is mine . 7 He gives me wealth , I give him all my vows : I give him songs ; he gives me length of dayes : With wreaths of grace he crowns my conqu'ring brows : And I his Temples with a crown of Praise , Which he accepts as an ev'rlasting signe , That I my best-beloveds am ; that he is mine . S. AUGUST . Manu . cap. 24. O my soul stampt with the image of thy God ; love him of whom thou art so much beloved : bend to him that boweth to thee , seek him that seeketh thee : Love thy lover , by whose love thou art prevented , being the cause of thy love : Be carefull with those that are carefull , want with those that want ; be clean with the clean , and holy with the holy : choose this sriend above all friends , who when all are taken away remaineth onely faithfull to thee : In the day of thy buriall , when all leave thee , he will not deceive thee , but defend thee from the roaring Lions prepared for their prey . EPIO. 3. Sing , Hymen , to my soul : What ? lost and found ? Welcom'd espous'd , enjoy'd so soon , and crown'd●… He did but climb the Crosse , and then came down 〈◊〉 gates of hell ; triumph'd , and fetch'd a Crown . IV. CANTICLES 7. 10. I am my Beloveds , and his desire is towards me . 1 LIke to the Artick needle , that doth guide The wand'ring shade by his Magnetick pow'r , And leaves his silken Gnomon to decide The question of the controverted houre , First franticks up and down , from side to side , And restlesse beats his crystall'd Iv'ry case With vain impatience ; jets from place to place , And seeks the bosome of his frozen bride , At length he slacks his motion , and doth rest His trembling point at his bright Poles beloved brest . 2 Ev'n so my soul , being hurried here and there , By ev'ry object that presents delight , Fain would be settled , but she knowes not where ; She likes at morning what she loaths at night ? She bowes to honour ; then she lends an eare To that sweet swan-like voyce of dying pleasure , Then tumbles in the scatter'd heaps of treasure ; Now flatter'd with false hope ; now foyl'd with fear : Thus finding all the worlds delights to be But empty toyes , good God , she points alone to thee . 3 But hath the virtued steel a power to move ? Or can the untouch'd needle point aright ? Or can my wandring thoughts forbear to rove , Unguided by the virtue of thy spirit ? O hath my leaden soul the art t' improve Her wasted talent , and unrais'd , aspire In this sad moulting time of her desire ? Not first belov'd have I the power to love ? I cannot stirre , but as thou please to move me , Nor can my heart return thee love , untill thou love me . 4 The still Commandresse of the silent night Borrows her beams from her bright brothers eye ; His fair aspect filles her sharp horns with light , If he withdraw , her flames are quench'd and die : Even so the beams of thy enlightning spirit Infus'd and shot into my dark desire , Inflame my thoughts , and fill my soul with fire , That I am ravisht with a new delight ; But if thou shroud thy face , my glory fades , And I remain a Nothing , all compos'd of shades . 5 Eternall God , O thou that onely art The sacred Fountain of eternall light , And blessed Loadstone of my better part , O thou my hearts desire , my souls delight , Reflect upon my soul , and touch my heart , And then my heart shall prize no good above thee ; And then my soul shall know thee ; knowing , love thee ; And then my trembling thoughts shall never start From thy commands , or swerve the least degree , Or once presume to move , but as they move in thee . S. AUGUST . Med. Cap. 25. If Man can love man with so entire affection , that the one can scarce brook the others absence ? If a bride can be joyned to 〈◊〉 bride-groom with so great an ardency of mind , that for the extremitie of love she can enjoy no rest , not suffering his absence without great anxiety , with what affection , with what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the soul whom thou hast espoused by saith and compassion , to love thee her true God and glorious bridegroom ? EPIG. 4. My soul , thy love is dear : 'T was thought a good And easie pen'worth of thy Saviours bloud : But be not proud ; All matters rightly scann'd , 'T was over-brought : 'T was sold at second hand . V. CANTICLES 5. 6. My Soul melted whilst my Beloved spake . LOrd , has the feeble voyce of flesh and bloud The pow'r to work thine ears into a floud Of melted mercy ? or the strength t' unlock The gates of Heav'n , and to dissolve a rock Of marble clouds into a morning show'r ? Or hath the breath of whining dust the pow'r To stop , or snatch a falling thunderbolt From thy fierce hand , and make thy hand revolt From resolute confusion , and in stead Of vyals poure full blessings on our head ? Or shall the wants of famisht ravens cry , And move thy mercy to a quick supply ? Or shall the silent suits of drooping flow'rs Woo thee for drops , and be refresh'd with show'rs ? Alas , what marvel then , great God , what wonder If thy hell-rouzing voice , that splits in sunder The brazen portals of eternall death ; What wonder if that life-restoring breath Which dragg'd me from th'infernall shades of night , Should melt my ravisht soul with ore-delight ? O can my frozen gutters choose but run , That feel the warmth of such a glorious Sun ? Me thinks his language , like a flaming arrow , Doth pierce my bones , and melts their wounded marrow ; Thy flames , O Cupid ( though the joyfull heart Feels neither tang of grief , nor fears the smart Of jealous doubts , but drunk with full desires ) Are torments weigh'd with these celestiall fires ; Pleasures that ravish in so high a measure , That O I languish in excesse of pleasure : What ravisht heart , that feels these melting joyes , Would not despise and loath the treach'rous toyes Of dunghill earth ? what soul would not be proud Of wry-mouth'd scorns , the worst that flesh and bloud Had rancour to devise ? Who would not bear The worlds derision with a thankfull eare ? What palat would refuse full bowls of spight , To gain a minutes tast of such delight ? Great spring of light , in whom there is no shade But what my interposed sinnes have made , Whose marrow-melting fires admit no screen But what my own rebellions put between Their precious flames , and my obdurate eare ; Disperse these plague-distilling clouds , and clear My mungy soul into a glorious day ; Transplant this screen , remove this barre away , Then , then my fluent soul shall feel the fires Of thy sweet voyce , and my dissolv'd desires Shall turn a sov'reigne balsame , to make whole Those wounds my sinnes inflicted on thy soul . S. AUGUST . Soliloq . cap. 34. What fire is this that so warmeth my heart ! What light is this that so enlightneth my soul ! O fire , that alwayes burnest , and never goest out , kindle me : O light , which ever shinest , and art never darkned , illuminate me : O that I had my heat from thee , most holy fire ! How sweetly dost thou burn ! How secretly dost thou shine ! How desiderably dost thou inflame me ! BONAVENT Stim . amoris cap. 8. It maketh God man , and man God ; things temporall , eternall ; mortall , immortall ; it maketh an enemy a friend ; a servant , a sonne ; 〈◊〉 things , glorious ; cold hearts siery , and hard things liquid . EPIG. 5. My soul , thy gold is true , but full of drosse ; Thy Saviours breath resines thee with some losse : His gentle fornace makes thee pure as true ; Thou must be melted , ere th' art cast anew . VI . PSALME 73. 25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee ? and what desire I on earth in respect of thee ? 1 I Love ( and have some cause to love ) the earth : She is my Makers creature ; therefore good : She is my Mother , for she gave me birth ; She is my tender Nurse ; she gives me food : But what 's a Creature , Lord , compar'd with thee ? Or what 's my Mother , or my Nurse to me ? 2 I love the Aire : her dainty sweets refresh My drooping soul , and to new sweets invite me ; Her shrill-mouth'd quire sustain me with their flesh , And with their Polyphonian notes delight me : But what 's the Aire or all the sweets that she Can blesse my soul withall , compar'd to thee ? 3 I love the Sea : She is my fellow-creature ; My carefull purveyer ; she provides me store : She walls me round ; she makes my diet greater ; She wafts my treasure from a forrein shore : But Lord of oceans , when compar'd with thee , What is the Ocean , or her wealth to me ? 4 To Heav'ns high citie I direct my journey , Whose spangled suburbs entertain mine eye ; Mine eye , by contemplations great atturney , Transcends the crystall pavement of the skie : But what is Heav'n great God , compar'd to thee ? Without thy presence Heav'n 's no Heav'n to me . 5 Without thy presence Earth gives no refection ; Without thy presence Sea affords no treasure ; Without thy presence Air 's a rank 〈◊〉 ; Without thy presence Heav'n it self 's no pleasure : If not possest if not enjoy'd in thee , What 's Earth , or Sea , or Air , or Heav'n to me ? 6 The highest Honours that the world can boast Are subjects farre too low for my desire ; The brightest beams of glory are ( at most ) But dying sparkles of thy living fire : The proudest flames that earth can kindle , be But nightly Glow-worms , if compar'd to thee . 7 Without thy presence , wealth are bags of cares ; Wisdome , but folly ; Joy , disquiet sadnesse ; Friendship is treason , and Delights are snares ; Pleasures but pain , and Mirth but pleasing madnesse : Without thee , Lord , things be not what they be Nor have they being , when compar'd with thee . 8 In having all things , and not thee , what have I ? Not having thee , what have my labours got ? Let me enjoy but thee , what farther crave I ? And having thee alone , what have I not ? I wish nor Sea , nor Land ; nor would I be Possest of Heav'n , Heav'n unpossest of thee . BONAVINT . cap. 1. Soliloq . Alas , my God , now I understand ( but blush to consesse ) that the beautie of thy Creatures hath 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 dawb'd with slesh and bloud ? Hang'd round with silks and gold ? repair'd with food ? Cost idly spent ! That cost doth but prolong Thy thraldome . Fool , thou mak'st thy jail too strong . IX . PHILIPPIANS 1. 23. I am in a strait between two , having a desire to be dissolved , and to be with Christ . 1 WHat meant our carefull parents so to wear , And lavish out their ill expended houres , To purchase for us large possessions here , Which ( though unpurchas'd ) are too truly ours ? What meant they , ah what meant they to indure Such loads of needlesse labour , to procure And make that thing our own , which was our own too sure . 2 What mean these liv'ries and possessive keyes ? What mean these bargains , and these needlesse sales ? What need these jealous , these suspitious wayes Of law-divis'd , and law-dissolv'd entails ? No need to sweat for gold , wherewith to buy Estates of high-priz'd land ; no need to tie Earth to their heirs , were they but clogg'd with earth as I. 3 O were their souls but clogg'd with earth as I , They would not purchase with so 〈◊〉 an itch ; They would not take of almes , what now they buy ; Nor call him happy , whom the world counts rich : They would not take such pains , project and prog , To charge their shoulders with so great a log : Who hath the greater lands , hath but the greater clog . 4 I cannot do an act which earth disdains not ; I cannot think a thought which earth corrupts not ; I cannot speak a word which earth profanes not ; I cannot make a vow earth interrupts not : If I but offer up an early grone , Or spread my wings to Heav'ns long-long'd for throne , She darkens my complaints , and drags my offering down . 5 〈◊〉 like the hawk , ( whose keepers wary hands Have made a prisner to her wethring stock ) Forgetting quite the pow'r of her fast bands , Makes a rank bate from her forsaken block , But her too faithfull 〈◊〉 doth soon restrain Her broken flight , attempted oft in vain ; It gives her loyns a twitch , and tugs her back again . 6 So , when my soul directs her better eye To Heav'ns bright Pallace ( where my treasure lies ) I spread my willing wings , but cannot fly , Earth hales me down , I cannot , cannot rise : When I but strive to mount the least degree , Earth gives a jerk , and foils me on my knee ; Lord , how my soul is rackt betwixt the world and thee ! 7 Great God , I spread my feeble wings in vain ; In vain I offer my extended hands : I cannot mount till thou unlink my chain ; I cannot come till thou release my bands : Which if thou please to break , and then supply My wings with spirit , th' Eagle shall not sly A pitch that 's half so fair , nor half so swift as I. BONAVENT . cap. 1. Soliloq . Ah sweet Jesus , pierce the marrow of my seul with the 〈◊〉 shafts of thy love , that it may truly burn and melt , and languish with the onely desire of thee ; that it may desire to be dissolved , and to be with thee : Let it hunger alone for the bread of life ; let it thirst after thee , the spring and fountain of eternall light , the stream of true pleasure : let it alwaies desire thee , seek thee , and find thee , and sweetly rest in thee . EPIG. 9. What ? will thy shackles neither loose nor break ? Are they too strong , or is thy arm too weak ? Art will prevail where knotty strength denies ; My soul , there 's Aquasortis in thine eyes . X. PSALM 142. 7. Bring my soul out of prison , that I may prayse thy name . MY Soul is like a bird , my slesh the cage , Wherein she wears her weary pilgrimage Of houres as few as evil , dayly fed With sacred wine , and sacramentall bread ; The keyes that lock her in , and let her out , Are Birth and Death ; 'twixt both she hops about From perch to perch , from sense to reason ; then From higher reason down to sense again : From sense she climbs to faith ; where for a season She sits and sings ; then down again to reason : From reason back to faith , and straight from thence She rudely slutters to the perch of sense : From sense , to hope ; then hops from hope to doubt : From doubt , to dull despair ; there seeks about For desp'rate freedome , and at ev'ry grate , She wildly thrusts , and begs th'untimely date Of unexpired thraldome , to release Th' afflicted captive , that can find no peace . Thus am I coop'd within this fleshly cage I wear my youth , and wast my weary age , Spending that breath which was ordain'd to chaunt Heav'ns prayses forth , in sighes and sad complaint : Whilst happier birds can spread their nimble wing From shrubs to cedars , and there chirp and sing , In choice of raptures , the harmonious story Of mans redemption , and his Makers glory : You glorious Martyrs , you illustrious troops , That once were cloyster'd in your fleshly coops , As fast as I , what rhet'rick had your tongu●…s ? What dextrous Art had your Elegiak songs ? What Paul-like pow'r had your admir'd devotion ? What shackle-breaking faith infus'd such motion To your strong prayers , that could obtain the boon To be inlarg'd , to be uncag'd so soon ? When I , poore I , can sing my dayly tears , Grown old in bondage , and can find no ears : You great partakers of eternall glory , That with your Heav'n-prevailing Oratory , Releas'd your souls from your terrestriall cage , Permit the passion of my holy rage To recommend my sorrows , dearly known To you , in dayes of old , and once your own , To your best thoughts , ( but oh't doth not befit ye To move your pray'rs ; you love and joy , not pittie : ) Great Lord of souls to whom should prisners slie , But thee ? Thou hadst thy cage , as well as I : And , for my sake , thy pleasure was to know The sorrows that it brought , and fel●…st them too ; O set me free , and I will spend those daves , Which now I wast in begging , in thy prayse . ANSELM . in Protolog . cap. 1. O miserable condition of mankind , that has lost that for which he was created ! Alas , what hath he lost ? And what hath he found ? He hath lost happinesse for which he was made , and found misery for which he was not made : What is gone ? and what is lest ? That thing is gone , without which he is unhappy ; that thing is left , by which he is miserable : O wretched men ! From whence are we expelled ? To what are we impelled ? whence are we thrown ? And whither are we burried ? From our home into banishment ; from the sight of God into our own 〈◊〉 ; from the pleasure of immortalitie to the bitter●…esse of death : Miserable change ! from how great a good , to how great an evil ? Ah me , what have I enterprised ? what ha●…e I done ? whither did I go ? whither am I come ? EPIG. 10. Pauls midnight-voyce prevail'd ; his musicks thunder Unhing'd the prison doores , split bolts in sunder : And sitst thou here , and hang'st the feble wing ? And whin'st to be enlarg'd ? soul , learn to sing . XI . PSALM 42. 1. As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks , so panteth my soul after thee , O God . 1 HOw shall my tongue expresse that hallow'd fire Which Heav'n hath kindled in my ravisht heart ? What Muse shall I invoke , that will inspire My lowly quill to act a loftie part ! What Art shall I devise t' expresse desire , Too intricate to be exprest by Art ! Let all the nine be silent ; I refuse Their aid in this high task , for they abuse The flames of love too much : assist me , Davids Muse . 2 Not as the thirsty soyl desires soft show'rs , To quicken and refresh her Embryon grain ; Nor as the drooping crests of fading flow'rs Request the bountie of a morning rain , Do I desire my God : these , in few houres , Re-wish what late their wishes did obtein , But as the swift-foot Hart doth wounded flie To th' much desired streams , ev'n so do I Pant after thee , my God , whom I must find or die . 3 Before a pack of deep-mouth'd lusts I fl●…e ; O they have singled out my panting heart , And wanton Cupid , sitting in a tree , Hath pierc'd my bosome with a flaming dart ; My soul being spent , for refuge seeks to thee , But cannot find where thou my refuge art : Like as the swift-foot Hart doth wounded flie To the desired st●…eams , ev'n so do I Pant after thee , my God , whom I must find or die . 4 At length by flight , I over-went the pack ; Thou drew'st the wanton da●…t from out my wound ; The bloud , that follow'd , left a pu●…ple track , Which brought a Serpent , but in ●…hape a Hound : We strove , he bit me ; but thou brak'st his back , I left him grov'ling on th'envenom'd ground ; But as the Serpent-bitten Hart doth slie To the long-long'd for streams , ev'n so did I Pant after thee , my God , whom I must find or die . 5 If lust should chase my soul , made swift by fright , Thou art the st●…eams whereto my soul is bound : Or if a jav'lin wound my sides in flight , Thou art the balsame that must cure my wound : If povson chance t' infest my soul , in fight , Thou art the treade that must make me sound : Ev'n as the wounded Hart , embost , doth slie To th' streams extremely long'd for , so do I Pa●…t after thee , my God , whom I must find or die . CYP. lib. 5. in Joh. cap. 10. Oprecious water , which quencbeth the noysome thirst of this world , that scoureth all the stains os sinners , that watereth t●…e earth of our souls with heavenly showers , and bringeth back the thirsty heart of man to his onely God! S. AUGUST . Soliloq . 35. O fountain of life , and vein of living waters , when shall I leave this forsaken , impassible , and dry earth , and tast the waters of thy sweetnesse , that I may behold thy virtue , and thy glory , and slake my thirst with the streams of thy mercy ; Lord , I thirst : Thou art the spring of life , 〈◊〉 me ; I thirst Lord , I thirst aste . thee the living God! EPIG. 11. The arrow-smitten Hart , deep wounded , slies To th' springs with water in his weeping eyes : Heav'n is thy spring : If Satans fiery dart Pierce thy faint sides , do so , my wounded Heart . XII . PSALM 42. 2. When shall I come and appear before God ? WHat is my soul the better to be tin'd With holy fire ? what boots it to be coyn'd With Heav'ns own stamp ? what vantage can there be To souls of Heav'n-descended pedegree , More then to beasts that grovel ? Are not they Fed by th' Almighties hand ? and ev'ry day , Fill'd with his blessing too ? Do they not see God in his Creatures as direct as we ? Do they not tast thee ? hear thee ? nay , what sense Is not partaker of thine Excellence ? What more do we ? Alas , what serves our reason , But , like dark lanthorns , to accomplish treason With greater closenesse ? It affords no light , Brings thee no nearer to our purblind sight ; No pleasure rises up the least degree , Great God , but in the clearer view of thee : What priv'ledge more then sense hath reason than ? What vantage is it to be born a man ? How often hath my patience built , dear Lord , Vain tow'rs of Hope upon thy gracious Word ? How often hath thy Hope reviving Grace Woo'd my suspitious eyes to seek thy face ! How often have I sought thee ? Oh how long Hath expectation taught my perfect tongue Repeated pray'rs , yet pray'rs could ne'r obtain ; In vain I seek thee , and I beg in vain : If it be high presumption to behold Thy face , why didst thou make mine eyes so bold To seek it ? If that object be too bright For mans aspect , why did thy lips invite Mine eye t' expect it ? If it might be seen , Why is this envious curtain drawn between My darkned eye and it ? O tell me , why Thou dost command the thing thou dost deny ? Why dost thou give me so unp●…iz'd a treasure , And then deny'st my greedy soul the pleasure To view thy gift ? Alas , that gift is void , And is no gift , that may not be enjoy'd : If those refulgent beams of Heav'ns great light Guild not the day , what is the day , but night ? The drouzie shepherd sleeps ; flow'rs droop and fade , The birds are sullen , and the beast is sad : But if bright Titan dart his golden ray , And , with his riches , glorifie the day , The jolly shepherd pipes ; flow'rs freshly spring ; The beast growes gamesome , and the birds they sing . Thou art my Sun , great God : O when shall I View the full beams of thy Meridian eye ? Draw , draw this fleshly curtain , that denies The gracious presence of thy glorious eyes ; Or give me faith ; and by the eye of grace , I shall behold thee , though not face to face . S. AUGUST . in Psal. 39. Who created all things is better then all things ; who beau●…ified all things is more beautifull then all things : who made strength is stronger then all things : who made great things is greater then all things : Whatsoever thou lovest he is that to thee : Learn to love the workman in his work , the Creatour in his creature : Let not that which was made by him possesse thee , lest thou lose him by whom thy self was made . S. AUGUST . Med. cap. 37. O thou most sweet , most gracious , most amiable , most fair , when shall I see thee ? when shall I be satisfied with thy beautie ? When wilt thou lead me from this dark dungeon , that I may consesse thy name ? EP 10. 12. How art thou shaded in this veil of night , Behind thy curtain slesh ? thou seest no light , But what thy pride doth challenge as her own ; Thy slesh is 〈◊〉 : soul take this curtain down . XIII . PSALM 55. 6. O that I had the wings of a Dove , for then I would flie away and be at rest . 1 ANd am I sworn a dunghill slave for ever To earths base drudg'ry ? shall I never find A night of rest ? shall my indentures never Be cancell'd ? did injurious Nature bind My soul earths prentice , with no clause to leave her ? No day of freedome ? must I ever grind ? O that I had the pinions of a Dove , That I might quit my bands and sore above , And poure my just complaints before the great Jehove ! 2 How happy are the Doves , that have the pow'r , When ere they please , to spread their ayry wings ! Or cloud-dividing Eagles , that can towre Above the sent of these inferiour things ! How happy is the Lark , that ev'ry howre Leaves earth , and then for joy mounts up and sings ! Had my dull soul but wings as well as they , How I would spring from earth and clip away , As wise Astrea did , and scorn this ball of clay ! 3 O how my soul would spurn this ball of clay , And loath the dainties of earths painfull pleasure ! O how I 'de laugh to see men night and day Turmoyl , to gain that trash they call their treasure ! O how I 'de smile to see what plots they lay To catch a blast , or own a smile from Cesar ! Had I the pineons of a mounting Dove , How I would sore and sing , and hate the love Of transitory toyes , and feed on joyes above ! 4 There should I find that everlasting pleasure , Which change removes not , & which chance prevents not ; There should I find that everlasting treasure , Which force deprives not , fortune dis-augments not ; There should I sind that everlasting Cesar , Whose hand recalls not , and whose heart repents not ; Had I the pineons of a clipping Dove , How I would climb the skies , and hate the love Of transitory toyes , and joy in things above ! 5 No rank-mouth'd slander there shall give offence , Or blast our blooming names , as here they do ; No liver-scalding lust shall there incense Our boyling veins , There is no Cupids bow : Lord , give my soul the milk-white innocence Of Doves , and I shall have their pineons too : Had I the pineons of a sprightly Dove , How I would quit this earth , and sore above And Heav'ns blest kingdome find , with Heav'ns blest King Jehove . S. AUGUST . in Psal. 128. What wings should I desire but the two precepts of love , on which the Law and the Prophets depend ! O if I could obtain these wings I could fly from thy sace to thy face , from the face of thy Justice to the face of thy Mercy : Let us find those wings by love which we have lost by lust . S. AUGUST . in Psal. 76. Let us cast off whatsoever hindereth , entangleth , or burdeneth our flight untill we attain that which satisfieth ; beyond which nothing is ; beneath which , all things are ; of which , all things are . EPIG. 13. Tell me , my wishing soul , didst ever trie How fast the wings of red-crost faith can slie ? Why begg'st thou then the pineons of a Dove ? Faiths wings are swifter , but the swiftest love . XIV . PSALM 84. 1. How amiable are thy Tabernacles O God of Hosts . ANcient of dayes , to whom all times are Now , Before whose Glory Seraphims do bow Their blushing cheeks , and veil their blemisht faces , That uncontain'd at once , dost fill all places , How glorious , O how farre beyond the height Of puzzled quils , or the obtuse conceit Of flesh and bloud , or the too flat reports Of mortall tongues , are thy expreslesse courts ! Whose glory to paint forth with greater Art , Ravish my fancy , and inspire my heart ; Excuse my bold attempt , and pardon me For shewing sense what faith alone should see . Ten thousand millions , and tne thousand more Of angel-measur'd leagues from th' Eastern shore Of dungeon earth this glorious Palace stands , ●…efore whose pearly gates ten thousand bands Of armed angels wait to entertain Those purged souls for whom the Lamb was slain ; Whose guil●…lesse death , and voluntary yielding Of whose giv'n life , gave this brave court her building ; The lukewarm bloud of this dear Lamb being spilt , To rubies turn'd , whereof her posts were built ; And what dropt down in cold and gelid gore , Did turn rich Saphyres , and impav'd her floore : The brighter flames , that from his ey-balls ray'd , Grew Chrysolites , whereof her walls were made : The milder glances sparkled on the ground , And groundsild every doore with Diamond ; But dying , darted upwards , and did fix A battlement of purest Sardonix . Her streets with burnisht gold are paved round , Starres lie like pebbles scattred on the ground : Pearl mixt with Onyx , and the Jasper stone , Made gravell'd causwayes to be t●…ampled on : There shines no Sun by day , no Moon by night ; The Pallace glory is the Pallace light : There is no time to measure motion by , There Time is swallow'd with Eternitie : Wry-mouth'd Disdain , and corner-haunting Lust , And twy-sac'd Fraud , and beetle-brow'd Distrust , Soul-boyling Rage , and trouble-state Sedition , And giddy Doubt , and goggle-ey'd Suspition , And lumpish Sorrow , and degen'rous Fear Are banisht thence , and Death 's a stranger there : But simple Love , and sempiternall Joyes , Whose sweetnesse neither gluts , nor fulnesse cloyes ; Where face to face our ravish't eye shall see Great E●…OHIM , that glorious One in Three , And Three in One , and seeing him shall blesse him , And blessing , love him , and in love , possesse him : Here stay my soul , and ravish in relation : Thy words being spent , spend now in contemplation . S. GREG. in Psal. 7. poenitent . Sweet Jesus , the word of the Father , the brightnesse of paternall glory , whom Angels delight to view , teach me to do thy will ; that led by thy good Spirit , I may come to that blessed Citie , where day is eternall , where there is certain securitie , and secure eternitie , and eternall peace , and peacefull happinesse , and happy sweetnesse , and sweet pleasure ; where thou O God with the Father and the holy Spirit livest and reignest world without end . Ibid. There is light without darknesse ; joy without grief ; desire without punishment ; love without sadnesse ; 〈◊〉 without loathing ; safetie without fear ; health without disease ; and life without death . EPIG. 14. My soul , pry not too nearly ; the complexion Of Sols bright face is seen but by reslexion : But wouldst thou know what 's heav'n ? I 'll tell thee what ; Think what thou canst not think , and heav'n is that . XV . CANTICLES 8. 14. Make hast , my Beloved , and be like the Roe , or the young Hart upon the mountains of Spices . GO , gentle tyrant , go ; thy flames do pierce My soul to deep ; thy flames are too too fi●…rce ; My marrow melts , my fainting spirits fry I' th' torrid Zone of thy Meridian eye : Away , away , thy sweets are too perfuming ; Turn , turn thy face , thy fires are too consuming : Hast hence , and let thy winged steps out-go The frighted Ro-buck , and his flying Ro. But wilt thou leave me then ? O thou that a●…t Life of my soul , soul of my dying heart , Without the sweet aspect of whose fair eyes , My soul doth languish and her solace dies ; Art thou so easily woo'd ? so apt to heare The frantick language of my foolish fear ? Leave , leave me not , nor turn thy beauty from me ; Look , look upon me , though thine eyes o'rcome me . O how they wound ! but how my wounds content me ! How sweetly these delightfull pains torment me ! How I am tortur'd in excessive measure Of pleasing cruelties too cruel pleasure ! Turn , turn away , remove thy scorching beams ; I languish with these bitter-sweet extremes : Hast then , and let thy winged steps out-go The flying Ro-buck , and his frighted Ro. Turn back , my dear ; O let my ravisht eye Once more behold thy face before thou fly ; What , shall we part without a mutuall kisse ? O who can leave so sweet a face as this ? Look full upon me ; for my soul 〈◊〉 To turn a holy 〈◊〉 in those fires : O leave me not , nor turn thy beauty from me ; Look , look upon me , though thy flames ov'rcome me . If thou becloud the Sun-shine of thine eye , I freez to death , and if it shine , I frie ; Which like a fever , that my soul hath got , Makes me to burn too cold , or freez too hot : Alas , I cannot bear so sweet a smart , Nor canst thou be lesse glorious th●…n thou art . Hast then , and let thy winged steps out-go The frighted Ro-buck , and his flying Ro. But go not farre beyond the reach of breath ; Too large a distance makes another death : My youth is in her Spring ; Autumnall vowes Will make me riper for so sweet a Spouse ; When after-times have burnish'd my desire , I 'll shoot thee flames for flames , and fire for fire . O leave me not , nor turn thy beautie from me ; Look , look upon me , though thy flames ov'rcome me . Autor scalae Paradisi . Tom. 9. Aug. cap. 8. Fear not , O Bride , nor despair ; think not thy self contem●…ed , if thy Bridegroom withdraw his face a while : All things cooperate for the best : both from his absence , and his presence thou gainest light : He cometh to thee , and he goeth from thee : he cometh , to make thee consolate ; he goeth , to make thee cautions , lest thy abundant consolation puss thee up : he cometh that thy languishing soul may be comforted ; he goeth , lest his familiaritie should be contemned ; and being absent , to be more desired ; and being desired , to be more earnestly sought ; and being long sought , to be more acceptably sound . EPIG. 15. My soul , sinnes monster , whom , with greater ease Ten thousand fold , thy God could make then please ; What wouldst thou have ? nor pleas'd with sun , nor shade ? Heav'n knowes not what to make of what he made . THE FAREWELL . REV●…LATION 2. 10. Be thou faithfull unto death , and I will give thee the crown of life . 1 BE faithfull , Lord , what 's that ? Believe : 't is easie to believe ; but what ? That he whom thy hard heart hath wounded , And whom thy scorn hath spit upon , Hath paid thy sine , and hath compounded For those foul deeds thy hands have done : Believe , that he whose gentle palms Thy needle-pointed sinnes have naild , Hath born thy slavish load ( of alms ) And made supply where thou hast faild : Did ever mis'ry find so strange relief ? It is a love too strong for mans belief . 2 Believe that he , whose side Thy crimes have pierc'd with their rebellions , di'd , To save thy guilty soul from dying Ten thousand horrid deaths , from whence There was no scape , there was no slying , But through his dearest blouds expence : Believe , this dying friend requires No other thanks for all his pain , But ev'n the truth of weak desires , And for his love , but love again : Did ever mis'ry find so true a friend ? It is a love too vast to comprehend . 3 With flouds of tears baptize And drench these dry , these unregen rate eyes , Lord , whet my dull , my blunt belief , And break this fleshly rock in sunder , That from this heart , this hell of grief , May spring a Heav'n of love and wonder : O , if thy mercies will remove And melt this lead from my belief , My grief will then resine my love , My love will then refresh my grief : Then weep mine eyes as he hath bled ; vouchsafe To drop for every drop an Epitaph . 4 But is the crown of Glory The wages of a lamentable story ? Or can so great a purchase rise From a salt humour ? can mine eye Run fast enought ' obtain this prize ? If so , Lord , who 's so mad to die ? Thy tears are trifles ; thou must do : Alas , I cannot ; then endeavour : I will ; but will a tug or two Suffice the turn ? thou must persever : I 'll strive till death ; and shall my feeble strife Be crown'd ? I 'll crown it with a crown of life . 5 But is there such a dearth That thou must buy what is thy due by birth ? He whom thy hands did form of dust , And gave him breath upon condition , To love his great Creatour , must He now be thine by composition ? Art thou a gracious God and mild , Or head-strong man rebellious rather ? O , man 's a base rebellious child , And thou a very gracious Father : The gift is thine ; we strive , thou crown'st our strife ; Thou giv'st us Faith ; and Faith , a crown of life . FINIS .