The Grove of Beatitudes, Poem
AN INVITATION To the Grove of BEATITUDES.
Emblematically repreſented by Eight Trees.
HEre no Sylvanus haunts our Grove,
Here no prophane wild Satyrs rove,
Nor in our glades,
And bliſsful ſhades,
Diana and her Nymphs reſort
To chaſe the nimble Deer, and ſport.
A fairer wight,
More pure and bright.
Than roſie morn, that ſweetly breathes,
Appears, crown'd with immortal wreathes.
The Starrie skies,
With radiant Eyes,
Are not ſo beauteous, clear, and fair,
Nor, for the night and day, a pair,
That glorious ſhine;
Shee's ſo divine.
I
Beatitude! whom you may ſee,
Or … with a Cornel Tre…,
Which forward Springs,
And bloſſoms brings,
Ere levie ereſts, to ſhrowd appear,
To wanton with the winds, for here,
Ʋnknown before,
In ſpirit poor,
Beatitude, in her retreat,
Poor in deſire hath ſixt her feat,
In Heaven whoſe ſtore,
Laſts evermore.
II.
Hence paſs along, that you may be
Bleſt by your ſight, when you ſhall ſee
This fair one ſit,
Whom never yet
Blind mortals found. Then for her ſeek,
A Lady humble, gentle, meek,
Whoſe powerful Hand,
Doth ſeize the Land;
Like is this Arched Tree, which ſends
A thouſand ſhoots, for ſo ſhe bends
Down to the Earth,
Bleſt by the birth
Of humble thoughts, which deeply take
Firm root in Heaven, and happy make,
For ever bleſt,
When ſhee's poſſeſs'd.
III.
The weeping Myrrh-Tree next in fight,
Is ſhading this ſad mourning wight:
for as this Tree
Diſtills, ſo ſhe
Drops Orient Pearls, which ſhining, are,
Then Indian Gems, more precious far,
Which never ſoil:
Sad Grief's the foil.
IV.
Move farther yet into our Grove,
And view the Tree which bears the Clove,
Bloom'd like a nail,
You ſhall not fail
To find her, where, upon the ground
She (thirſting) ſits encompaſs'd round,
Midſt ſuch a plot,
As yet could not
Admit a nanghty weed to grow;
The ſap of Grace ſhee's thirſting ſo,
Which doth impart
Life to the Heart.
V.
Shee's gone from thence, fly, fly, make baſtes
To follow her, and find her plac'd
Ʋnder the ſhade,
A Tree hath made,
Bears Adam's Apples: No time's loſt,
To ſplit them, and behold how croſt
Is every fruit,
Which well doth ſuit
With her, who, wounded deep with Grief,
Feeles others wants, and gives relief.
And when you ſee,
Ʋpon this Tree,
Large ſpreading leaves, know ſhe is bleſt,
Findes Mercy, cauſe ſhe joyes to veſt
The naked poore
Tangment her ſtore.
VI.
Yet f…ther chaſe this glorious wight,
Be ſure to keep her ſtill in ſight,
Whom if you loſe,
Your Hearts repoſe
In bliſs is gone. See where retir'd
Shee (…) fits, by Heaven inſpird,
With Silver Breaſt,
To take her reſh,
Where Figgs upon the Tree were green,
And hard; until a Gnat was ſeen
To be ſo kind,
As wound the rind;
Whoſe … drop deſcends … were,
In Aemulation of a Tear,
Fallne from her Eyes,
Which you may prize,
By bleſſings which each doth impart,
To waſh and cleanſe an ordur'd Heart,
And purifie
Th' affected Eye.
VII.
Shee's riſen thence, purſue her ſtill,
You ſhall, you muſt, y… … nill,
Nor covet leſs
Than happineſs.
Behold this active Virgin ſits,
Where the ſweet amorous Wood-Bind knits
With claſping Arms,
And powerful Charmes,
A neighbouring pair of Stands which fought
Blown by the winds, till round about
It guirdes, and bindes,
And clings and windes;
Like her who never doth ſurceaſe
(Beatitude!) to link, make peace,
Ʋnite with bands,
Both Hearts and Hands.
VIII.
In fine: This Lady yet removes
Ʋnto a ſtreading Vine, which loves
(That it may bear In time of year)
To have her branches prun'd, and gyves
To bind her Arms, for ſo ſhe thrives,
Fixt to a wall.
But ſeeming thrall
Is Perſecution, which, who takes,
And (patient) hears, be muck forſakes,
And leaves his hold
Of droſs, for Gold.
What then is he, ſo groſs, and rude,
That covets not Beatitude?
1. In Spirit poor,
T' abound with ſtore?
2. Meek to poſſeſs,
True happineſs?
3. Mourn midſt annoy,
To reap with joy?
4. Thirſt, Hunger ſtill,
To have his fill?
5. Pittiful-kind,
Mercy to find?
6. Pure-hearted, ſee,
And Bleſled be?
7. Peaceful in Life,
Compoſing ſtrife?
8. Suffer, and take
Affliction, make?
A Crown on Earth, in Heaven of Light,
When fair Beatitude, more bright,
Shall be compleat in God, th' Abyſs
Of joy, and everlaſting Bliſs.
ASHREA: OR, The Grove OF BEATITUDES: Repreſented in EMBLEMES.
THE Eight BEATITUDES.
Bleſſed are the poor in Spirit: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Bleſſed are they that mourn: for they ſhall be comforted.
Bleſſed are the meek: for they ſhall inherit the Earth.
Bleſſed are they which do hunger and thirſt after Righteouſneſs: for they ſhall be filled.
Bleſſed are the merciful: for they ſhall obtain mercy.
Bleſſed are the pure in heart: for they ſhall ſee God.
Bleſſed are the Peace-makers: for they ſhall be called the Children of God.
Bleſſed are they which are perſecuted for Righteouſneſs ſake: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.