A Spiritual Hymn, Poem 3
DOOMES-DAY Containing, HELLS horrour, and HEAVENS happinesse. By Sr WILLIAM MVRE yo: of Rowallane Knight
1
BUT now, my Sprite refresht a space,
Forbearing pressed steppes to trace
Aspires aboue the vulgare prease, to raise a second flight.
I feele my bosome peece and peece
Warmde with vnusuall flammes: GiueGive place
Eare-charming fancies, Artes disgrace, affoording false delight.
2
Thoughts, which aboue the spheares inclyne,
Wings, furnish to my weake engine,
If Thou, O Lord, the a2. Sam. ….3.Horne of Thine in mee, this Rapture wrought
Bee present by thy power divine,
Grant in my lines thy might may shyne,
From drosse of sinne, my spr'ite refine, raise from the earth my thought.
3
But why thus pants thou in my breast
Affrighted soule, deprivde of rest?
What sudden feares thy joyes molest, what jarres disturbe thy peace?
Why tremblest thou, with terrours prest,
To heare that fearefull doome exprest
By that great Judge, who euer blest is just, as full of grace.
4
Heere pause a space, (My Soule) acquent
Thy selfe this judgement to prevent:
No moment of our time is spent, which thither doth not lead.
The dangers seene, which doe torment
Thy troubled minde with discontent
gainst them, let fervent sutes bee sent Jmmunitie to plead.
5
Haste, haste my Soule, shake off delay,
Which too much of thy time makes prey
Lay vp provision for that Day, there boldlie to arriue.
Where Reprobats, accurst for aye,
Shall wish in vaine their lifes decay,
That earth would to their soules make, way… them swallowing vp aliue.
6
Oh! what encounter sad shall bee
Twixt soules, from darknesse chaines set free,
And bodies, mates in miserie calde foorth, to bee combynd,
Not for reciprocall supplie
As friends new joynde in amitie,
But neuer dying, aye to die, in quenchlesse flammes confynde.
7
Deaths loathsome den, detested Jayle,
Scout, following sin with stretched sayle,
Which fleeting froaths, which pleasures fraile,
On Rocke of shipwrack led.
Maske of mischiefe, sins slender vaile,
Good Motions euer bent to quaile,
Which in the birth thou didst assaile
Them burying as they bred.
8
Wretch, who to pamper dust, didst doate,
Whom Hell attends with open throate,
Readie to retribute the lote to thy deservings due.
Oh! what hath violate deaths knot,
That still in graue thou didst not rot,
Masse overspred with sins foule spot, raisde, anguish to renue?
9
Thus (too too late) the Soule shall rayle;
Re-entring this abhorred Iayle,
Which recombynd, while both bevaile
Lifes misgoverned raines,
Then Angels shall to Judgement haile.
There, whence no party can appeale,
To heare deathes sentence countervaile,
Lyfes Ioyes, with endlesse paines.
10
O wretch, who Judgement heere delayes,
Whom false securitie betrayes,
Who ne're thy Sins blacke summe surveyes which future anguish breedes.
Then, shall the Auncient of dayes
Who all mens works in ballance layes,
Examine all thy wordes, thy wayes, thy thoughts, thy foule misdeedes.
11
None shall this search …euere eschew,
From bookes laide open to his view,
A summar processe shall ensew, conforme to thy trespasse.
Thy sins all summond, Thee which slew,
Approving thy damnation due,
When all the blest coelestiall crew, shall on thee, ver…ict passe.
12
Thou, who to lewdnesse now art prone,
What shame, what smart, (lifs pleasures gone)
Shall on thee feaze, when gazde vponupon
By ea…th, by angrie heauen?
When naked, comfortlesse, alone
Thou trembling stands before the Throne,
Under Gods wrath, guilts loade dost grone, feares, with thy faults made eaven.
13
When thy tormenting conscience torne,
Thou guiltie stands that Iudge beforne
Whose Image did thy soule adorne, who did infuse thy breath.
Who pittying thee to sin forlorne,
Left heauens, was of an earthling borne,
Liu'de loth'd, dyde with contempt and …corne emptyed the Cup of wrath.
14
Witnesse, earth trembling at his paines,
Dayes beame, which all in clouds detaines,
The silver Moone, which pale remaines, for horrour of the sight.
Witnesse his hands, with bleeding veines,
Of this great All which holds the raines,
His side pierc't through to purge thy staines, polluted sinfull wight.
15
Where shall thou then safe shelter finde
Soule, than the sightlesse Mole more blinde,
When with those straits extreame confynd faint, pale, confusde thou stands?
By doome, which cannot bee declinde,
Adjudgde for euer to bee pinde,
Where day nere dawnde, Sunne neuer shinde mongst the infernall bands.
16
Where teares no truce, playnts find no plac…
On either hand in desp'rate cace,
Behinde thee, who thy pathes did trace, attend thy woefull lote,
Before thee flamms, Earths frame deface
Aboue, an angrie Judges face,
Below, Thee gaping to embrace,
Hells sulphure-smoking throat.
17
Thy feares, shall bee with cryes encrest
Of damned Soules, with anguish prest
With greife, with horrour vnexprest, of due deserved ire.
The fyre-brands of a conscious brest,
Shall of thy terrours not bee least,
While worms, which on thy conscience feas… thy easlesse paine conspire.
18
But when (most like a thunder dart)
That separating doome, aMat. 25.41.Depart,
Pronounc'd, shall pierce thy panting heart, with a most fearefull knell.
Which shall thee from Gods presence part,
Exposde to torments, that impart
Nor end of time, nor ease of smart, while headlongs hurld in hell.
19
Their shalt thou dive in depthes profound,
Still sinke but never meete a ground,
In waves still wrestling to bee drownd, deluded still by death;
Crying, where comfort none is found,
Pynde, where no pittie rage doth bound,
Thy Cup, with floods of vengeance crownde of the Almighties wrath.
20
Bathde in a bottomlesse abisse,
Paine still encressing, ne're remisse,
Where Scorpions sting, where serpents hisse, wormes, neuer satiate, gnaw.
Rackt, thinking what thou was, now is,
Deprivde for aye from hope of blisse,
For toyes, eternall joy didst misse, nor crub't by love, nor aw.
21
No Torment doth it selfe extend
Heere,Paine of sense. all the members to offend,
Which vniversall griefe doth send, doth every part entrinch:
There paines, which reasons reach transcend
On soule and body both descend,
No joynt, nerve, muscle, without end but sev'rall plagues doe pinch.
22
Lascivious Eye, with objects light
Which earst did entertaine thy sight,
Weepe, there exylde in endlesse night lockt vp in horride shads.
Nyce Eare, whose Organ earst did spight,
All sounds, whence flowde no fals delight
There, horrour ever and affright thy curious sense vpbraids.
23
Smell, earst with rare pe…fumes acquent,
Still interchangde to please thy sent,
For incense, sulphure (there) doth vent, smoake for thy odoures sweet.
Taste, vntounto which to breed content,
Robt were the Earth, Sea, Firmament,
Mongst soules, which penurie torment
There, famine Thee doth meete.
24
Vile wormeling, Thou whose tender pride,
The weakest Sunshine, scarce couldst byde,
There, plungde in this impetuous tyde, must feele the force of fire.
Where damned soules on every syde,
Howling and roaring still abyde,
Which finde no shelter them to hyde from this eternall ire.
25
There, the Ambitious, who in skies
Did (late) on wax-joynde winges arise,
Of base contempt is made the pryse, the Proudling pestred downe.
There Dives, who did earst despise
Of famisht soules, the piercing cries,
Shall one cold drop of water pryse aboue a Monarches crowne.
26
Loe, there the vile licentious Goate
Whom lawlesse lust did …arst besotte,
Enchainde in the embracements hotte of furious raging flames.
There, to the drunkards parched throate,
Justice, doth scrotching drought allote
In floods of fire, which judgde to floate still vaine refreshment claimes.
27
On Covetous, on cruell wight,
Shall equall weight of vengeance light,
With byting vsurie, with spight, the poore ones who did presse.
So to the remnant that did fight,
'gainst heauens decrees, their conscience light,
Gods wrath shall bee proportionde right, by measure, more or lesse.
28
Soule, which vnpittied ever playnes,
Heere, suffring for thy sins soule staynes
Flammes, lashing whips, rackes, fyrie chaynes tormenting outward sense.
Of all most terrible remaines,
Losse of Gods face,Paine of losse. while thou sustains.
O hell of hell! O paine of paines! still to bee banisht thence.
29
But when thou hast as many yeares
Those tortures felt, as shyne in sphears
Lights, fixt and straying, eyes hauehave teares or waves the azure Plaine,
No nearer are their end those feares,
Ever beginning, which thou beares,
No change abates, no date outweares, thy euer pinching paine.
30
O dying life! O living death;
O stinging fyre, blowne by Gods breath;
O boyling lake, no ground which hath, destroying nought it burnes!
O overflowing flood of wrath,
Which damned soules are drencht beneath,
O pit profound, O woefull path; whence, Entrer ne're returnes.
31
Sweet aRom. 5.10.Reconciler, Prince of peace,
Who pittying Mans most wretched cace,
Didst hellish agonies embrace in soule, in bodie shame,
Let mee in those extreames finde grace,
Illightned by thy glorious face,
Rankt mongst thy Saints, the elect race whose wayes thou didst proclaime.
32
O! let me safe protection plead
Unto my soule, which full of dread,
Hanges ouer Hell, by lifes fraile threed conservde but by thy might,
That when, heauens, whence it did proceed,
Its separation have decreed,
With bgen. 8.8.Noahs Doue, Thou mayst it lead there whence it first tooke flight.
33
Oh, how it longes, on winges to rise,
(Secure from sins contagious dyes)
Endenizde citizen of skies
with Thee, for aye to rest.
Oh, how it doth the Jayle despise,
In fleshes fetters, it wh…ch tyes,
And lets it, to enjoy the pryse,
with which thy Saints are blest.
34
For Thee I thirst, O living spring,
Pure source of life, who guides faiths wing,
By flight, to reach the hyest thing,
to compasse things most hard.
When shalt Thou mee from danger bring
To Port of peace, my God, my King,
Blest giver, and the gifted thing?
rewarder, and reward?
35
When shall J from exile set free
My native home, my country see?
When one immortall Pineons flie,
that holy Citie reach?
Whose streetes pure gold, gold buildings bee
Apoc. 19 …Walls, stones most precious beautifie,
Ports solide Pearles, Guests neuer die,
whose peace, no paines empeach.
36
Eternall spring, (shrill Winter gone,)
This Climate constant makes alone,
Nor flamming heate, nor frozen Zone
distemper heere doe breed.
From Lambes sweet breath, on glories throne
Enstalde, are balmie odours throwne,
Time hath no turnes, heere change is none,
no seasons doe succeed.
37
Pale envy, emulation, spight,
Nor death, nor danger heere affright,
Heere hopes nor feares, nor false delight,
in sublunarie toyes.Apoc. 21.23.
No Lampe dartes foorth alternat light
The Lambes sweet face here shines ay bright,
Which of the Saints doth blesse the sight
who doe in him rejoyse.
38
Heere simple beautie scorneth Arte,
Rose-cheeked youth, old ages dart,
Joyes perpetuitie impart,
no warre disturbs this peace.
O this Gods Palace royall arte
Preparde in these,1. Pet. 1.20. with all desart
For all that vpright are in heart,
ere light did paynt heavens face.
39
Thou, by whose pow're the spheares are rol…
Earths hanging Orbe, who dost vphold,
Great Architect, King vncontrold,
Lord of this Universe,
E…stalde heere on a Throne of gold,
Dost diamantine scepter hold,
Givest Lawes to earth, hence dost behold
how wights below converse.
40
If heere, such eye-enchaunting sights,
Amazing beauties, choise delights,
This Mansion low, of dying wights
Earths brittle Orbe adorne,
What wonders then, what glorious lights,
Must beautifie those reachlesse hights,
Thy blest aboade, which dayes, which nig…
vicissitude doth scorne?
41
If these such admiration breed,
What Thou, who didst heauens Curtain sprea
Earth stayde midst aire, that it doth neede
its weight nought to sustaine.
Who full of Majestie and dread,
Of intellectuall pow'rs dost plead
Attendance, on thy face which feede,
O ever blessed traine!
42
Archangels, Angels, clothde with might,
Thrones, Cherubs, Seraphins of light,
Princes and Powers all shining bright,
Dominions, vertues pure.
With beames that sparkle from the sight,
…nflamde, which flie no other flight
But satiat rest, rapt with delight,
which doth for aye endure.
43
O sweet societie! how blest
They, who these orders hauehave encreast,
From labour free, in peace who rest
surpassing humane sense?
Where blesse, where glory doth invest
Apostles, Martyres, and the rest
Of holy Saints, with tortures prest,
to death, in Trueths defence.
44
The Patriarchs, Prophets, Lights divine,
(Cleare starres on earth) bright suns here shine
Heere all the elect hoast, deathes line
which yet hauehave ouerpast.
Incorp'rat to their Head, incline
One way, Joyes common all combine,
This band no discord can vntwine,
louelove doth eternall last.
45
1. Cor. 4.6.Of glorie 'mongst these bands elect,
Degrees there are, but no defect,
Dan. 1….3.Full vessells all, none can expect
more, than the lest containes.
Mans heart no pleasure can project,
But greater doth from hence reflect,
One cause, in all workes one effect,
of measure none complaines.
49
O Joyes! my drossie sprite, which wing
Upwards, aboue the spheares to spring,
(Times Father) where thy praises ring,
which Saints, which Angels raise:
Apoc. 9.….Where all around Thee in a ring
Heau'ns hoasts, high Allelujahs sing,
O heavenly consort! Blessed King,
blest people, Thee who praise.
47
No woefull earth-confined wight,
With Owlish eyes can view this light:
The weake horizon of Mans sight,
farre, farre which doth outreach,
This vnexpressible delight,
Doth reasons dazelde eye benight,
What J cannot conceiue aright,
Lord, let experience teach.
48
GiueGive mee, that in some measure small
(While fleshes bands my sprite enthrall)
… may, a farre, a glance let fall,
at these contentments poynt,
These termlesse Joyes which (one day) shall
In honny, turne Saints bitter gall,
From guilt, when flamms shall purge this Ball
this Engine hudge disjoynt,
49
When the Arch-angels voice shall raise
The graues pale guests,1 Cor. 15 50. the World amaze,
Around all burning in a blaze,1. Thes. 4 16.
suffring for mans offence.
What Joyes, then, sleeping Saints shall seaze
How much this long-longde sight them please
This sight, deaths fetters which shall ease,
all passed cares, compense?
50
O what a happie houre! how deare,
How glorious shall this day appeare
To thee my Soule, when fred from feare,
grimme death, thou darst outface?
When (thy redemption drawing neare)
Lifes toyles shall trophees to Thee reare,luke. 21.28.
Which cankring Tyme shall ne're outweare,
nor foes despight de…ace.
51
Though tyrants, hauehave by doome vnjust
In furious flammes thy carcasse thrust,
Not d…igning It, to earth to trust
with honour of a graue,
No Atome of thy scattered dust,
But see this solemne Meeting must,
Purgde from corruption, from rust
of sinne did It depraue.
52
Thy shape renewde, more glorious made
Than when it entred deathes darke shade,
Raisde by his viuifying aide,
Deaths powres who did controule.
With flesh adornde, which ne're shall fade,
Nor rotte in earthes cold bosome laide,
But liue for aye the Mansion glade,
of a Triumphing soule.
53
No beautie, nature brought'to light
Did ravish most amazed sight,
Which, as farre short, from day as night,
from This, shall not bee found,
Which shall adorne each new-borne wigh…
Co-partner of this hid delight,
The lame shall leape, proportionde right,
…say 35 6.the dumb…, Gods praises sound.
54
Caught vp,1 Thes. 4 17. 1. Cor. 6.…. when on immortall wings
To aire, this stage which ouerhings,
To meete thy Head, the Saints who brings,
to judge the damned traine.
(Saints, earst accounted abject things,
Objects of scorne, weake vnderlings,
On thrones enstalde, now sceptred Kings
Eternally who reigne)Apoc. 10,
55
What bands enclustred thee around,
Shall make the Heauens with hymnes rebound,
That Thou a straggling sheepe art found,
their numbers to encrease?Luk. 15.7.
…f they did such applauses sound
At thy conversion, how profound
Shall be their Ioyes, to see thee crownd,
with them to acquiesse?
56
As pansiue Pilgrime, sore distrest,
Wearie and weake, with famine prest,
Whom feare of Robbers doth infest,
straying alone, in need.
If Hee, while dreaming least of rest,
Should in an instant, bee addrest,
Where, hee might live, for ever blest,
how should his Joyes exceed?
57
Even so my soule (now on the way)
Too easily seduc't astray,
When Thou shalt find this solide stay,
this Center of repose.
How shall the pleasures of this day,
Adorning Thee, with rich array,
Thy suffred labours all allay,
afflictions all compose.
58
What boundlesse Ocean of delight
Shall quench all paines, all passed plight,
Endured wrongs, digested spight,
of tyrannizing pride?
Mat. 14 31.By Angels, Messengers of light,
When brought in thy Redeemers sight,
Set free, from deathes eternall night
adjudg't, in blesse to byde.
59
Mat. 25.34.35.36.When large Memorials shall record
The meanest good, thou didst afforde,
To poore, to sicke: when deed, nor word
shall want the owne rewarde:
1 Ioh. ….1The Judge, thy Advocate, thy Lord:
Who now absolves, Thee, first restorde:
O bond! O double-twisted cord!
O vndeservde regard.
60
But O! when Thou casts backe thine eyes,
Thy voyage dangerous espyes
Foes ambushments, laide to surprise,
thy wayes when thou dost vieu,
The traines set foorth Thee to entise,
Base pleasures, which Thou didst despise,
What boundlesse joyes shall thence arise?
what Solace sweet ensue?
61
What strange applauses thence shall spring?
When Saints doe shout, when Angels sing?
When Heauens hie vaults, loud Eccho's ring,
of that Absolving voyce?Mat. 25 34.
Come Yee, whose faith did vpwards spring
Contempt who on the World did fling,
Blest of that great Sky-ruling King.
Enter in endlesse Ioyes.
62
O Joyes, with these as farre vn-even
To Man which to conceiue are given,
As loftiest of the Planets seven
earths Center doth transcend.Gen. 3 24.
(By wit, who prease to pry in heauen,
Backe by a Cherubin is driven)
Mans Reason is a v…ssell riven,
can litle comprehend.
63
O Joyes, as much bedazling sight,
As day's bright Beam, the weakest light,
Aboue small Gnats, as Eagles flight
amidst the clouds ensphearde,
Ioyes, as farre passing all delight,
Yet euer heard by humane wight,
As ghastly screiches of Owles, which fright,
with Larks sweet laves comparde.
64
These boundlesse Joyes,1 Cor. 13 12. this endlese peace,
In this, claims principally place,
To see God clearely, face to face,
Him,1. Ioh. 3.2. as Hee is, to view.
(Not heere, as doth fraile Adams race,
Who through a glasse this sight embrace,
And steps of things created trace,
to reach these pleasures trew.)
65
With Judgement pure, to know, as knowne,
These Persons three, in essence One,
God varying in names alone,
Father, Sonne, holy Ghost.
To know, why Man to lewdnesse prone
(Angels o'repast) God did repone,
In state of grace, why mercy showne
To Some, while damnde are Most.
66
Which Joyes, on all the Saints elect,
On soules and bodies both reflect,
By ravishing the Intellect,
the Memory and will.
Which all the Senses doe affect
With pleasures farre aboue defect,
Who can the rich contents detect,
those blessed Bands which fill?
67
How more perspectiue, pure and free,
(Sequestred from mortalitie)
The Understanding facultie,
how prompter it perceiues:
How more sublime the Object bee,
The Union inward, and more nie:
Joyes, of a more supreme degrie,
the Intellect conceaues.
68
Here charg'd with chains of flesh and bloode,
Wee apprehend by Organs roode,
The drossie mindes of Earths weake broode,
imaginde knowledge swells:
There, bathing in a boundlesse floode
Of blesse, we shall, (as sprites which stoode)
Know, (vnpust vp) our Soueraigne good▪
In him, all creatures els.
69
What object can, in greatnesse, hight,
In glorie, majestie, in might,
This paralell, whence all delight,
all pleasure, only springs?
With rayes of vncreared light
Which cherish, not offend the sight,
Who shines most blest, for ever bright,
eternall King of Kings.
70
What Union, can so strict bee found,
So firme, successionlesse, profound,
Mans deepest speculation, drownd
is in this vast abisse.
This gulfe, this Ocean without ground,
The ravisht minde doth wholly bound,
Jt drencht heerein, with glorie crownd
bathes in a Sea of blesse.
71
If charming sounds, ensnaring sights,
In mindes of wonder-strucken wights
Doe moue, such violent delights
as passe the bounds of speach,
The Joyes then midst these reachlesse hights,
Ay bright with euer-burning lights,
Must farre transcend the loftiest flights,
wits most profound can reach.
72
The fluide Joyes, which here entise,
From things corruptible arise,
No Union, but externall, ties
the sense and object fraile:
How should wee then these pleasures prise,
Which ever laste aboue the skies?
This Union strict, all change defies,
this bonde can neuer faile.
73
What superexellent degrees
Of Ioy, the Jntellect shall seaze?
When Jt, with cleare, vnsyled eyes
the speces, natures, strength,
Of beastes, of birds, of stones, of trees,
Of hearbes, the hid proprieties,
Th'essentiall differences sees
of Creatures all at length?
74
Of Ioy, what ouerflowing spaite,
Inunding this Theater great,
Drench with delight shall eueryevery state
here marshalled above?
Till now, euen from the Worlds first date,
When Saints secure from sins deceate,
Their Palmes,2 Tim. 4 8. their Crownes receiue, who late
earths vtmost spight did prove.
75
Nor shall the knowledge of the paine,
The torments which the damn'd sustain,
The cryms which earst their soules did staine,
impare these joyes divine:
These blacke Characters show most plaine
Gods justice, their deserved bane,
The brightnesse of the blessed traine
oppo…de, more cleare doth shine.
76
Their Vengeance, shall the Just rejoyse,
(Heavens blesse comparde with hels annoyes)
As earst by regal Prophets voice,
divinely was fore-told.
Saintes should incompassed with Joys,Psalm. 58.10.
Bathe in their blood, whom death destroyes
Happie, who so his life employes,
mongst Saints to bee enrold.
77
Heere oft (with wonder rapt) wee find,
The punishment with vertuous minde,
The fault with the reward combinde,
at which the lust repines.
There, fault with punishment confinde
Rewarde, to vertuously inclinde,
Eternall justice vndeclinde,
impartially assignes.
78
As these, and more joyes vnexprest,
The Understanding doe invest,
As in the Center of its rest,
So heere, the will doth pause
In peace, which cannot bee encrest,
Not wrestling passions to digest;
O calme tranquillitie! how blest
They, whom this loadstone drawes.
79
Hence spring, such ardent flammes of louelove
To God, to all the Saints aboue,
That not one ioy, these hoasts do proue
which It, doe not delight,
Hence, It, no fewer joyes doe moue,
Then God, Co-partners doth approue,
Joyes infinite, which ne're remoue
nor weakned are by slight.
80
As soules, which horride shads enchaine,
This, doe not feele their meanest paine,
With mates most hated to remaine
for aye, by just decreite:
How happie then, this glorious traine,
With these, eternally to raigne,
Who mutuall love, doe entertaine,
Insep'rablie vnite?
81
From thence a quiet calme Content
A sympathyzing sweet concent,
Satietie which vnacquent
with loathing, doth arise.
Man heere in earths ignoble tent,
Desires vnbounded still torment,
The more hee hath the more is bent
things fading to comprise.
82
O soule, which life doth heere expose
To inward feares, to outward foes,
Deluded by deceaving show's
with shads of seeming blesse,
When with content, thy Cup oreflows
When hopes nor vast desires thou knowes,
How deare shall bee this sweet repose
which aye beginning is?
83
O Peace! on which all hap depends,
Mans vnderstanding, which transcends
To Thee alone, our labour tends,
our Pilgrimage aspires.
Happie, in Thee, his life who spends,
In Joy, in peace, which never ends,
To present toyles, which solace sends
encentring our desiros.
84
By perfect Iustice, what excesse
Of Joy shall to the will accresse?
Out-shining Adams righteousnesse
in innocent estate?
(But O! this Joy, who can expresse?
Not tongues of Angels, Mans much lesse,
O ravisht Soule, heere acquiesse,
drencht in this Ocean great)
85
His Reason, Adams sense, and will
Did serve, this God: but changeable
Was this submission, now, but still
All doe themselves subject
To God: by bonde most durable,
Fearing no fall, secure from ill,
Rendring the soule most am'able
to God, selfe, Saints elect,
86
O soule dejected, plungde in feare,
Which stinging thoughts, minds horrors teare
Thy wounded sprite, who canst not beare,
with inward terrours torne.
O how invaluable! how deare,
Would this integritie sincere
To Thee (in conscience rackt) appeare,
which doth the saints adorne?
87
This innocence which doth exclude
All spots, polluting, earths fraile broode,
Pure, vndistainde, perfectly good,
free from least sinfull thought:
Saintes aye refreshing with that food
Of Gods wingde messengers, which stood
Confirmde in grace by purple floode,
which Mans redemption wrought,
88
Nor shall lesse measure of content
To Memory of Saints present
How lifes small period heere was spent,
encompassed with cares.
From warres most pittifull event
If settled, sweetest peace is spent,
The soule, which earst did most lament
joyes most, now fred of teares.
89
Of passed sight, the doubtsome fate
The Souldier doth with joye relate.
The sea-tosde wight, in dangers great,
if gone, most pleasure finds.
Past miseries inunding spaite,
Most sweetens Saints triumphing state,
Foes spoyles, which no invasion threat,
lesse ravish noble Minds,
90
From passions fred, for happiest lote,
Their purest parts which did bespot…e,
Strugling, as exhalations hote
in humide clouds inclosde;
From slights of dartes, the World foorth shot
(Entisements, which the best besotte)
While these in their remembrance floar,
how much are they rejoysde?
91
Revoluing in this calmest peace,
How God, by his preventing grace,
Our steps restrain'de, whilst we did trace
the tempting paths of death,
Of monstruous Sinnes in hottest chace,
How, Hee in louelove did vsus embrace;
In this to joye, Saints ne'ere shall cease,
while they in blesse doe breath.
92
The long vicissitude of yeares,
Of Times, the Memory endeares,
Since Worlds first Age, aboue the spheares,
of blest celestiall bands.
Which, while this Companie admires,
Cause of these changes, cleare appeares
In Prouidence large booke, which beares
Records of Seas, of Lands.
93
In this great Volumne, read they shall
Why Angels first, first Man did fall,
Why God did This, not These recall, of his eternall grace.
Why Hee did Abrams seede enstall,
Peculiar most of Nations all,
And why to Gentiles these made thrall, were planted in their place.
94
In these great Archives, scrold is found,
Why dearest Saints are trode to ground,
By Tyrants pryde, to which no bound
oft is below assignde.
To wit, more glorious to bee crown'd
As their affections did abound
Joyes may proportionall redound,
as cresses them confinde.
95
Nor shall the Bodie now all bright,Mat. 12 4….
The fellow souldier of the spright.
Bee frustrate of these Ioyes, by right
of its redemption due.
Of all, the Noblest sense, the Sight
Impassible, not harmde by light
Aboue all measure shall delight,
amazde with wonders new.
96
How shall the ravisht Eye admire,
When Suns past number,Mat. 13 43. doe appeare?
Darkning that sparke, our hemi-spheare,
which cleeres with chearefull rayes.
On all hands, Nought, when farre and neare
Encounters sight, but objects cleare,
Blest Empyrean bands, which weare
Crowns, Palmes, immortall bayes.
97
How shall this Beautie vsus amaze?
How on this glorie shall wee gaze?
How on our bodies, which doe blaze
with brightest beames of light?
Our bodies which ere death did seaze,
(Death which no prayers can appease)
Most loathsome burthens were to these
whom most they now delight.
98
What breast can bound this joyes full spaite,
To see falne Angels chayrs of state,
Filde with our friends, familiars late,
Love long dissolvde, renewde?
To see, to know (O wonder great)
Saints all, all times did heere relate
Since Abels blood (a long-long date)
his brothers hands imbrued.Gen. 48
99
By force of flammes, which all subdue,
When broght to nought, this worlds false shew
Of Heauen,P t. 3.3. of earth, the fabricke new
what wonders shall afford?
Things,9. Rev: 2. which before wee never knew,
Charming our euer-gazing view,
With pleasures endlesse, perfect, true,
which tongue cannot record.
100
But none of all these objects rare,
Can with thy sight, O Christ, compare,
Fulnesse of Joy reflecteth there
on these, at thy right hand.
Jn Righteonsnesse,Psal. 17.15. thy face preclare,
Who viewing, satisfied are,
For which'a place, Thou didst prepare
before thy Throne to stand.
101
If that great Herauld of Heau'ns King,
Record of Thee, sent foorth, to bring,
For Joy, did in thy presence spring,
an Embrion, yet vnborne.
Jf yet a babe, thy sight benigne,
So Simeans soule with joy did sting,
That hee his Obsequies did sing,
With age and weaknesse worne.
102
If Easterne Sages spar'de …o paine
By Pilgrims toyles, thy sght to gaine,
An infant, borne, but to bee slaine,
in manger, meanlie laide;
What soule then can …ese joyes containe
Which shall arise to se Thy raigne?
The glory of thy heauenlie traine,
whose pompe sh…ll never fade.
103
But O! (Mee thinks) of heavenly layes
A Confort sweet my sense betrayes,
By Organs of min: Eare, allayes
all mind-remoding cares.
Aboue time, moion, place, which raise
My ravisht thoughts, to heare his praise
Proclaimde, which heauens blest hosts amaze,
by Notes of Angels ayres.
104
O harmony! …ranscending Arte
Of which, the hopes, ease present smart:
Thrise happie they who beare a part
in this coelestiall Quire.
O blest Musitians, most expert,
Whose Ditties, all delight impart,
Whose hymnes exhilarate the heart
and entertaine the Eare.
105
Of Ambrosie, of Nictar streames,
(Heavens dainties lid in heathnish names)
An endlesse feast the Lambe proclaimes
to all the Saints above.
The Saints refresht nore with his beames
Then wordlings withvaine pleasures dreams,
O how desiderable se…nes
to Thine, this feast of Love.
106
Jf beggars vile themselve hold grac't,
At Tables of great Kings to feast,
With curious cates to please their taste
with choise of rarest thngs:
Oh! what a heavenly sweet repast
Doe Saints enjoy, which a…e shall last,
Who at immortall Tables plac't,
feast with the King of Kings.
107
Of all these Millions which frequent
This Paradise of sweet content
Perfumes most rare refresh the sent,
from a perpetuall spring.
Comforting Oyntments odours vent,
Sweetning the heauens transpar…nt tent,
Which flow from him his blood who spent
His, to this blesse to bring.
108
Which, (as in smell, taste, hearing, sight)
Jn feeling als enjoy delight,
The Body changde, spirituall, light,
apt eueryevery way to moue,
Nimble, as thought, to reach by flight,
(Unwearied) heauens supremest hight
The Center low, from Zenith bright,
as It, the Minde doth move.
109
By Motion swift, heere, Bodies tost,
If thus endangered to bee lost,
The feeling sense, affected most
participats most paine:
What Joyes (to view this numbrous host)
The Elementar regions, crost,
When both vnharm'd throgh heauens may post
shall then this sense sustaine?
110
If Spasmes, if Palsies, pincing throes,
Of Colick paines, invade, (healths foes)
These torments, Feeling, vndergoes
most sensible of griefe.
Now when sequestred from those woes,
Which marre lifes vnsecure repose,
How shall this sense, set free, rejoyse,
exult, at its reliefe?
111
But euen as one (more bold than wise)
A Pilgrimage doth enterpryse,
O're Atlas tops, which hid in skies▪ crownde are with Winter glasse:
Hudge Mountains past, while hee espyes
Jmpenetrable Rockes, arise,
Forc't to retire, his course applyes by smoother pathes to passe.
112
So, while aboue the Spheares J prease,
Steps, not by Nature reacht, to trace,
The clowds to climbe with halting pace lets infinite impeach.
Those reachlesse Ioyes, this boundlesse peace
Jn number, measure, weight, encrease:
That scarce begunne, my Song must cease, these hights transcend my reach.
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