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Divine Meditations Raised from Three Leaves of Nature · William Prynne

Divine Meditations Raised from Three Leaves of Nature, Poem 5 – Dedication 5

THE SOVLES COMPLAINT AGAINST THE BODIES ENCROACHMENTS ON HER: And the Generall Neglect She findes with moſt.

I Soule, viveaGen. 1. 26. 27 c. 5. 1. c. 9. 6. Epheſ. 4. 24. Col. 3 10. Image of the Trinity,

ThebGen. 2. 7. Breath of God; the Pearle, which cPſal. 16. 10. Pſal. 30 3. Pſa. 34. 22. Pſal. 72. 14.Chriſt did dye

To purchaſe;d1 Cor. 6. 19. 20. Temple of the Holy Ghoſt,

The charge ofeLuk. 16. 22. Angels, and the Heavenly Hoſt.

Earths Wonder, f1 Pet. 5. 8. Job 1. 7.Devils envie; Mans Prime Part,

The Maſter-peece of God and Natures Art;

gPſal. 49. 7 8. Mat. 16. 26. Mar. 8. 36.Worth thouſand worlds; whoſe Peareleſſe Dignity

No tongues of Men or Angels can deſcry,

Muſt here with briniſh Teares, and Sobs relate

My Scorned, Slighted, and Neglected State,

Sith all my Vaſſels, made Me to attend,

Make Me their ſlave, inforce Me ſtill to bend

To their unjuſt Commands, quite robbing Me

Of their due Homage, my Regalite.

Is not this Body wherein now I dwell,

Nought But my Vaſſall, Casket,hJob. 4. 19. 2 Cor. 5. 1. 2. Houſe, or ſhell?

Compact ofiGen. 2. 7. c. 3. 19. c. 18. 27. Eccleſ. 3. 20. c. 12. 7. Job 4. 19. duſt and Aſhes, things moſt baſe;

That it might not uſurpe my ſupreame place:

Yet loe this Rebell Slave dethrones me quite,

No Part thereof but Robs me of my Right;

Receiving morekIſa. 3. 18. to 25. Rom. 13. 13. 14. 1 Tim. 2. 9. 1 Pet. 3. 3. 4. 5. Attendance, coſt, paines, Care

From moſt, than I doe, though a Gemme moſt rare:

How many hundred Trades, what Worlds I pray,

Of Men by Sea and Land, both Night and Day

Are ſet on worke to Cloath the Backe, and feede

The all-devouring Paunch, with more than neede?

Have not the Head, Hands, Feete, Legges, Necke, nay Haire

Their lIſa. 3. 18. 19 20. 21. 22. Ezec. 27. 13. to 28. Iſa. 23. 2. 8.ſeverall Trades to decke, make, keepe them faire?

Yet I poore Soule, among the Numberleſſe

Vocations which theſe Baſer Parts Poſſeſſe,

But one Profeſſion have; in m1 Cor. 4. 9. to 14. 2 Cor. 4. 8. 9. 10. 11. 2 Chron. 36. 15. 16. Mat. 33. 31. 37. Act. 7. 52.worſt requeſt,

Leaſt minded, leaſt imployd of all the reſt:

Seldome regarded till thenJam. 5. 14. 2 King. 1. 2. 3. to 18 c. 7. 8. 9. fatall Houre.

Of death, or Hell ſtand preſt me to devoure.

Is but the Body Pained,o2 King. 8. 29. c. 9. 15. c. 5. 3. to 26. Mat. 4. 14 c. 8. 16. c. 12 15. 22 c. 15. 30. c. 19. 2. Act. 28. 9. Joh. 5. 3. to 10. ill, or ſicke;

A Member bruiſed, hurt with Sword, Knife, pricke:

Doe head, teeth, Stomacke, Armes, Legges, Fingers Ake,

Forthwith ſome good receipt Men ſeeke and take

To eaſe and cure them, making no delayes,

And thinke no Coſt, Paines, Care miſ-ſpent theſe wayes:

Yet I (Alas!) not dayes but yeares oft lye

Sicke, wounded, pained,pEpheſ. 2. 1. 2. Ezech. 16. 6. Pſal. 38. 1. to 12. Iſa. 1. 6. dead; nay Putrifie

Through many foſtred ulcers, wounds, cares, ſores,

Of horrid ſinnes; yetqIſa. 65. 1. Rom. 9. 14, 15, 16. Joh. 1. 10, 11. none my ſtate deplores,

Seekes out for cures, or once haſts to apply

A ſalve to theſe my ſores, through which I die,

Yea, all the time, paines, care and little coſt

Beſtow'd on Mee, by moſt is deem'd but rMal. 3. 14.loſt.

If but a little ſpot, dirt, duſt, or fly

Light on the face, hands, cloathes, men preſently

Waſh, rubbe, or wipe it off with much diſdaine,

Although it put them to ſome toyle, coſt, paine:

But I (O wretch) defil'd, ſtain'd, drench't throughout

With filthy ſinnes, whichſPſal. 38. 4 … Pſal. 40. 12. Pſ. 49. 5. Heb. 12. 1. Iſa. 1. 6. Compaſſe mee about

And make mee loathſome in the ſacred Eyes

Of God, whotHab. 1. 13. filth of ſinnes moſt loathes, defies,

Remaine uncleans'd,uIſa. 1. 6. 16. Jer. 4. 14. unwaſht from day to day;

Till Hell ſurpriſe and ſweep us cleane away.

My varlet fleſh, it's Pallate to delight,

Repaſt muſt have each morning, mid-day, night,

Wherein allxLuk. 19. 19. Gen. 9. 3. 1 Sam. 25. 11. 36. Eſther 1. 3. to 10. Iſa. 22. 13. Amos 6. 4, 5, 6. ſorts of beaſts, foules, fruits, herbes, fiſh,

Sweet meats, vines, waters, drinkes, all heart can wiſh,

Devoured are,yGen. 3. 19. Eccleſ. 3. 20. c. 12. 7. to fat that corpes which muſt

Feed wormes at laſt, and moulder into duſt;

Meane while, poore I, for want of food divine

To feed, refreſh Mee, quite conſume, ſtarve, pine;

Or if I Word and Sacraments injoy,

For want of faith and grace they meez1 Cor. 11. 27. 29. 2 Cor. 2. 15. 16. Heb. 4. 2. annoy,

Not fat and nouriſh as they ought; whereby

IaIſa. 55. 1, 2, 3. famiſh, periſh, die eternally,

The Backe, it's bIſa. 3. 18, 19, 20. Luk. 16. 19. Gen. 45. 22. 1 Pet. 3. 3, 4. 2 Sam. 1. 24. Zeph. 1. 8. Mat. 11. 8.divers change of ſuties muſt have

Of Velvits, Silkes, Stuffes, Tiſſues, Sattins, brave

And new: Old Clothes, Ragges, Courſe, or meane Aray

It ſcornes, and will be well clad every day:

But I meane time quite ſtript, and cRev. 3. 17. 18.naked am

Of all the Robes of Grace to hide my ſhame,

Clad onelyonly with the filthy weedes of Vice,

And Adams old Rags, which loſt Paradiſe.

dRom. 13. 14. Rev. 3. 18. Pſal. 45. 13, 14.New garments of Chriſts merits, and true grace,

Which may adorne mee, in ſo long a ſpace,

Are not once thought on, nor till backe and I

Surpriz'd by death, in hell ſtarke naked lye.

What vaſt expences, labour, thoughts, time, care,

Have backe and bellie? as if all things weare

Created for them, and man onelyonly made

To cloth, and feed theſe, which like ePſ 90. 5, 6. Pſ. 103. 15, 16. Iſa. 40. 6, 7, 8.graſſe ſhall fade,

And perriſh: yet how little time, paines, coſt

Are ſpent on Mee, by which all's ſav'd or loſt?

How many Houres, fEſther. 1. 3, to 12. 2 Chron. 7. 8. Amos 6. 4, 5, 6. Job 21. 11, 12, 13. Jam. 5. 5.Dayes, Nights, and Yeares are ſpent

In Eating, Drinking, Feaſting, Complement,

Vaine Chat, Sports, Viſits, Pleaſures of each kind,

The fleſh to pamper? whereas I ſcarce finde

Admiſt all theſe diverſions, one dayes ſpace,

Or houre to faſt, pray, weepe, read, ſue for grace.

How many daily the whole morning paſſe,

And vainly ſpend, betweene the Combe and Glaſſe,

In combing, frizling, powdring of their haire,

And wanton lockes, to make them ſeeme more faire?

No Locke, or haire muſt out of order ſtand,

But ſit in Print, and oft be view'd, curl'd, ſcand.

Nay, which is ſtrange, more coſt, time, now is ſpent

Upon falſe Buſhes of bought excrement,

(Which ſome preferre before their native fleece,)

Than upon mee, mans honour, Maſter-peece;

When this is done, the Backe, Necke, Feete, Hands, Face,

And other parts muſt have their ſeverall ſpace

For to adorne them, ſo as halfe che day

Is ſpent well nigh, the body to aray:

And that but untill n…ght, when all this pride,

Attire is quite ſtript off, and laid aſide,

As if it never were. O fooles to waſte

Time in theſe toyes, which not one daies ſpace laſt!

Yet I neglected ſoule, whom to adorne

And daily decke with grace mankind was borne,

Untrimmed lie, no coſt, time, paines are ſpent

In decking mee, mans onelyonly ornament.

Gods word (thegJam. 1. 23. 24, 25. Glaſſe, which daily ſhold deſcry

My ſpots, ſtaines, filth, and groſſe deformity,

Them to redreſſe, and helpe men to aray

Me with all Robes of grace which make mee gay,)

Is moſt part ſhut cloſe, ſeldome look't into

For theſe good ends, and if that any doe

Behold it now and then for cuſtome ſake,

Thei1 Pet. 3. 3, 4, 5. 1 Tim. 2. 9, 10. Rule to dreſſe them by they'le not it make.

And though my ſacred beauty, robes, aray,

Do never fade, waxe old, but laſt foc aye:

Yea adde more luſtre to my Baſer part,

The Fleſh, then either nature or mans art

Are able; cauſing it tokDan 13. 3. Matth. 13. 43. ſhine with raies

Of brighteſt glory, which ſhall laſt alwaies:

Yet few or none ſpend halfe the time to dreſſe,

Adorne Mee, which they waſt with greedineſſe

Upon their bodies, faces, heads, lockes, backe,

Themſelves and Mee, without Gods grace, to wracke.

This being now my rufull ſtate; O let

Me here beſeech all who have ſoules, to ſet

Some tine apart to Ponder my complaint

Thus tendred to them, vnderunder which I faint.

And that you may juſt Judges twixt us prove,

Heare but a word or two, as you mee love.

What is the body, but a loathſome Maſſe

OflGen. 2. 7. c. 3. 19. c. 18. 27. Job 4. 19. c. 14. 1, 2, 3. Pſ. 103. 14. Pſal. 104. 29. Eccleſ. 3. 20. c 12. 7. duſt and aſhes, brittle as a glaſſe.

Soone crackt and turne to rottenneſſe dung, clay,

Though fed with dainties, c…d with rich aray?

What is the Faces, Beauty but amPſal. 103. 15. Iſa. 28. 1. 4. c. 40. 6, 7. Jam. 1. 11. 1 Pet. 1. 24. floure

Which ſundry chances blaſt within one houre,

And ſo deforme, that wee abhorre the ſight

Of that marr'd face which was our chiefe delight:

At beſt,nIſa. 3. 18. 24. it is a comely glaſſe ouroPſ. 102. 11. Pſ. 109. 23. Pſ. 144. 4. Job 8. 9. c. 14. 2. c. 17. 7. ſhade,

Which ſickneſſe, Croſſes, Age ſtill cauſe to fade.

What are our lockes, our curled brayds of haire,

But excrements at beſt? not halfe ſo faire,

As plumes of ſundry birds or peacocks tailes,

Though frizled, poudred, deckt with pearles, knots, vailes.

And yet how many more proud, carefull are

Of theſe vaine buſhes, than their ſoules welfare?

How many purchaſe heads of others haire,

To mend Gods worke, and make them ſeeme more faire?

Spending more time, coſt, thoughts on excrement,

Than upon Mee mans onelyonly ornament.

What is the belly but a filthy ſinke,

Jakes which engenders nought but dung and ſtink?

So noyſome, that its ſent offends the ſmell,

Corrupts the aire, even when the body's well.

What are the other members (head, hands, feete)

But skin and bones? without my helpe unmeete

For any uſe, yea let mee once withdraw

My ſelfe from the moſt faire corps, eyes ere ſaw,

It's beautypPſal. 39. 11. Pſal. 49. 14. fades, it's fleſh to rottenneſſe

Is turned, and all abhorre it's loathſomeneſſe.

What hath the fleſh or body worthy love,

Or praiſe, but that which from mee firſt doth move?

Let mee deſert them, all their worth is loſt,

And wither'd like graſſe nipt with winters froſt.

Why ſhould you then, (O fooles, bereft of ſence)

From day to day, beſtow ſo much expence,

Time, paines, thoughts, Care on theſe things which ſo baſe,

Meane, fading are, neglecting Mee and grace?

In which your chiefeſt good, yea, all your bliſſe

Comprized are. If you judge not amiſſe.

If this prevaile not, but you ſtill proceed

Mee to neglect, the fleſh to decke, ſerve, feed;

Tell Mee, I pray you, when the diſmall day

Of ſickneſſe, death, or judgement, take away,

And cite you to account, how you have ſpent

Your golden dayes, for my uſe to you lent,

What joy or comfort can you reape from all,

Or any of thoſe dayes, houres, which you ſhall

Have thus miſpent on belly, backe, head, face,

Haire, feaſting, paſtimes, pleaſures voyd of grace;

Or in the fleſh or bodies ſervitude?

Which then will too too late be of you ru'd.

Shall yee not then with ſighs and teares lament,

(And that in vaine) the time you thus miſpent;

Offering to give ten thouſand worlds, that you

Had not bereft Mee, of the time, care, due

To Mee alone, to fit Mee for that place,

Of endleſſe bliſſe, which I for want of grace,

Shall then be thruſt from, and caſt into hell,

In qMat. 25. 41. Mar. 9. 43, 44, 46, 47. Rev. 1…. 20. c. 20. 10.fiery flames and torments ſtill to dwell.

Will not you then wiſh, you had never ſeene

This fleſh, this body, which to mee have beene

So traitrous, ſo unkinde, Mee to enthrall

Unto their luſts, and ſpurre Mee into All

That might undoe, damne, both them Mee, and you,

And wee ſhall in hels flames for ever rue?

If this be true: O then whiles life, time, ſpace,

Are left you to repent and ſeeke for grace;

Bewaile what's paſt, and henceforth learne to be

More loyall, kind, reſpectfull unto Mee.

Save Mee, ſave all; loſe Mee, and all is loſt,

For ever with Mee; ſpend then all your coſt,

Thoughts, paines, cares, dayes, on Mee; then ſhall yourDan. 12. 3. Matth. 13. 43. ſhine,

More bright than Starres, Moone, Sunne, with rayes divine

In Chriſts owne kingdome, where you ſhall poſſeſſe

Such endleſſe joyes, as no tongue can expreſſe.

If this will not perſwade you to amend,

I'le ceaſe my Plaint, and here in ſilence end.

FINIS.

Imprimatur

Feb. 1. 1640. Tho. Wykes.

COMFORTABLE CORDIALS, AGAINST DISCOMFORTABLE Feares of Impriſonment, and other ſufferings in good cauſes. Containing ſome Latine Verſes, Sentences, and Texts of Scripture, written by Mr. WILLIAM PRYNNE on his Chamber walles in the Tower of London, during his Impriſonment there; ſince Tranſlated by him into Engliſh VERSE.

2 CORINTHIANS 1, 2, 3 4 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.

Bleſſed be God, even the Father of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that wee may bee able to comfort them which are in any troubles by the comfort wherewith we our ſelves are comforted of God. For as the ſufferings of Chriſt abound in us, ſo our conſolation alſo aboundeth by Chriſt. And whether wee be afflicted, it is for your conſolation, & ſalvation which is effectuall in enduring of the ſame ſufferings, which we alſo ſuffered: or whether wee bee comforted it is for your conſolation and ſalvation. And our hope of you is ſtedfaſt; knowing that as you are partakers of the ſufferings, ſo alſo you ſhall be of the conſolation. For we would not, Brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Aſia, that we were preſſed out of meaſure above ſtrength, in ſo much that wee deſpaired even of life. But we had the ſentence of death in our ſelves that we ſhould not truſt in our ſelves but in God which raiſeth the dead: who delivered us from ſo great a death and doth deliver, in whom we truſt that he will yet deliver us: you alſo helping together by Prayer for us that for the gift beſtowed upon us, by the meanes of many perſons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.

Printed Anno. 161….

TO THE RIGHT VVORShipfull his very Noble and highly Honoured good Friend, SIR WILLIAM BALFORE Knight, Lievtenant of the Tower of LONDON.

SIR, it were Ingratitude and Injury,

For me in ſilence here to paſſe you by,

And not preſent theſe Cordialls unto you,

Sith they, and all my ſervice are your due,

For all your Noble Favours in the Tower,

Which have ingag'd me to my utmoſt power,

To be your eternally devoted poore Friend and ſervant, WILLIAM PRYNNE.