Emblems Ancient and Modern, Poem
What I WAS, is paſsed by,
What I AM, away doth flie;
What I SHAL BEE, none do see;
Yet, in that, my Beauties bee.
The AVTHORS Meditation upon ſight of his PICTVRE.
VVHen I behold my Picture, and perceive,
How vaine it is, our Portraitures to leave
In Lines, and Shadowes, (which make ſhewes, to day,
Of that which will, to morrow, fade away)
And, thinke, what meane Reſemblances at beſt,
Are by Mechanike Inſtruments expreſt;
I thought it better, much, to leave behind me,
Some Draught, in which, my living friends might find me
The ſame I am; in that, which will remaine,
Till all is ruin'd, and repair'd againe:
And, which, in abſence, will more truely ſhow me,
Than, outward Formes, to thoſe, who think they know me.
For, though my gratious MAKER made me ſuch,
That, where I love, belov'd I am, as much
As J deſire; yet, Forme, nor Features are,
Thoſe Ornaments, in which J would appeare
To future Times; Though they were found in me,
Farre better, than I can beleeve they be.
Much leſſe, affect I that, which each man knowes,
To be no more, but Counterfeits of thoſe,
Wherein, the Painters, or the Gravers toole,
Befriends alike, the Wiſeman, and the Foole:
And, (when they pleaſe) can give him, by their Art,
The faireſt-Face, that had the falſeſt-Heart.
A PICTVRE, though with moſt exactneſſe made,
Is nothing, but the Shadow of a SHADE.
For, ev'n our living Bodies, (though they ſeeme
To others more, or more in our eſteeme)
Are but the ſhadowes of that Reall-being,
Which doth extend beyond the Fleſhly-ſeeing;
And, cannot be diſcerned, till we riſe
Immortall-Objects, for Immortall-eyes.
Our Everlaſting-Subſtance lies unſeene,
Behinde the Fouldings, of a Carnall-Screene,
Which is, but, Vapours thickned into Blood,
(By due concoction of our daily food)
And, ſtill ſupplied, out of other Creatures,
To keepe us living, by their waſted natures:
Renewing, and decaying, ev'ry Day,
Vntill that Vaile muſt be remov'd away.
For, this lov'd Fleſh, wherewith, yet cloth'd we go,
Is not the ſame, wee had ſev'n yeares ago;
But, rather, ſomething which is taken-in,
To ſerve inſteed of what hath waſted bin,
In Wounds, in Sickneſſes, in Colds, and Heates,
In all Excreſcions, and in Fumes, and Sweates.
Nor ſhall, this preſent Fleſh, long ſtay with us:
And, wee may well be pleas'd, it ſhould be Thus.
For, as I view, thoſe Townes, and Fields, that be
In Landskip drawne; Even ſo, me thinks, I ſee
A Glimpes, farre off, (through FAITH'S Proſpective glaſſe
Of that, which after Death, will come to paſſe;
And, likewiſe, gained have, ſuch meanes of ſeeing,
Some things, which were, before my Life had being,
That, in my Soule, I ſhould be diſcontent,
If, this my Body were, more permanent;
Since, Wee, and all God's other Creatures, here,
Are but the Pictures, of what ſhall appeare.
Yet, whilſt they are, I thankfully would make
That uſe of them, for their CREATOR'S ſake,
To which hee made them; and, preſerve the Table,
Still, Faire and Full, aſmuch as I were able,
By finiſhing, (in my alotted place)
Thoſe Workes, for which, hee fits me by his Grace.
And, if a Wrenne, a Wrenn's juſt height ſhall ſoare,
No Aegle, for an Aegle, can doe more.
If therefore, of my Labours, or of MEE,
Ought ſhall remaine, when I remov'd, muſt be,
Let it be that, wherein it may be view'd,
My MAKERS Image, was in me renew'd:
And, ſo declare, a dutifull intent,
To doe the Worke I came for, e're I went;
That, I to others, may ſome Patterne be,
Of Doing-well, as other men to mee,
Have beene, whilſt I had life: And, let my daies
Be ſummed up, to my Redeemer's praiſe.
So this be gained, I regard it not,
Though, all that I am elſe, be quite forgot.