Eugenius Theodidactus. The prophetical trumpeter sounding an allarum to England illustrating the fate of Great Britain, past, present, and to come. Such wonderful things to happen these seven yeers following, as have not been heard of heretofore. A celestial vision. VVith a description of heaven and heavenly things, motives to pacifie Gods threatned wrath: of a bloody, fiery way of the day of judgment, and of saints and angels. / Sung in a most heavenly hymn, to the great comfort of all good Christians, by the Muses most unworthy, John Heydon, gent. philomat. Heydon, John, b. 1629. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A74677 of text R208414 in the English Short Title Catalog (Thomason E1671_3). 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. 298 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 85 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A74677 Thomason E1671_3 ESTC R208414 99867369 99867369 119677 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. A74677) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 119677) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 209:E1671[3]) Eugenius Theodidactus. The prophetical trumpeter sounding an allarum to England illustrating the fate of Great Britain, past, present, and to come. Such wonderful things to happen these seven yeers following, as have not been heard of heretofore. A celestial vision. VVith a description of heaven and heavenly things, motives to pacifie Gods threatned wrath: of a bloody, fiery way of the day of judgment, and of saints and angels. / Sung in a most heavenly hymn, to the great comfort of all good Christians, by the Muses most unworthy, John Heydon, gent. philomat. Heydon, John, b. 1629. [8], 135 [i.e. 155], [1] p. Printed by T. Lock for the author, and are to be sold by Thomas Blackmore, at the angel in Pauls Church-yard, London, : 1655. In verse. Page 155 misnumbered 135. Annotation on Thomason copy: "June 29". Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng Apocalyptic literature -- Early works to 1800. Religious poetry, English -- Early modern, 1500-1700. A74677 R208414 (Thomason E1671_3). civilwar no Eugenius Theodidactus.: The prophetical trumpeter sounding an allarum to England illustrating the fate of Great Britain, past, present, and Heydon, John 1655 49058 140 15 0 0 0 0 32 C The rate of 32 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the C category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2008-09 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2008-10 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2008-12 John Pas Sampled and proofread 2008-12 John Pas Text and markup reviewed and edited 2009-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion Eugenius Theodidactus , THE PROPHETICAL TRUMPETER Sounding An Allarum to ENGLAND Illustrating The fate of Great Britain , past , present , and to come . Such wonderful things to happen these seven yeers following , as have not been heard of heretofore . A Celestial Vision . VVith a Description of Heaven and heavenly things , Motives to pacifie Gods threatned wrath : Of a bloody , fiery way of the day of Judgment , and of Saints and Angels . Sung in a most heavenly Hymn , to the great comfort of all good Christians , by the MVSES most unworthy , JOHN HEYDON , Gent. Philomat . {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} . Possibile est Satyras non Scribere . LONDON , Printed by T. Lock for the Author , and are to be sold by Thomas Blackmore , at the angel in Pauls Church-yard , 1655. To the truly vertuous and tride learning , beholding no Mountain for Eminence , not supportment for height , Mr. William Lilly O give me leave to pul the Curta●n by That clouds , thy Worth in such Obscurity , Good Seneca stay but a while thy Bleeding To accept what I received at thy reading , Here I present it in a solemn strain , And thus I pluckt the Curtain back again . the same Iohn Heydon . Hom. Ill. a. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} . I am gravis ille mihi nig●i quam ●mini ditis , Ore aliud qui seri , aliud sub poctare colat . As vale of death , so do I hate that kind , Whose tongue from thought , whose mouth dissents from minde . The same , I. H. To Capt. Iohn Heydon . VVHat Ornament might I devise to sit The aspiring height of thy admired Spirit , Or , what faire Garland worthy is to sit On thy blest brows that compass in all merit ? Thou shalt not crowned be with cammon Bayse , Because for thee it is a Crown too low ; Apolloes tree can yeild the simple praise , It is too dull a Vesture for thy brow , But with a wreath of Starres shalt thou be crown'd , VVhich when thy working temples do sustain , VVillike the Spheares be ever moving round After the Royal Musick of the Brain . Thy skill doth equall Phoebus , not thy Birth , He to Heaven gives Musick , thou to Earth , I. C. Esq To the Author , Mr. Iohn Heydon . FAin would I speak , but yet my tongue-●ide Muse In Rivers thirst ; and when she hath most use Of speech , is strucken dumb ; she 's plentious poore , And knew she less to say , she could say more : She doth enjoy , and yet she cannot find Beginning too much brightness hath struck her blind . I could admire thee Iohn , and though in truth The downy characters of thy blooming youth Scarce write the man , yet if we measure yeares By Vertue , thou a heroicall Spirit wilt appear , For when most men do fil their greedy Maws VVith Comick laughter , and the sweaty plause Of vulger Palmes , others write wounding Lines , And wil accuse , though they be worse , the times Thou steer'st another course , and spend'st thy oyle In sacred objects , and in holy toyle , No sinfull Eloquence thy verse defames , No lustfull sports nor Cupidinean flamess , Thy Poesie doth neither frown nor smile , There 's no satyrick , nor Venerious stile ; And must these works be hid , and car'st thou less To give them to the Moths , then to the Press , Free them from Darkness , Iohn , that they may be A torch to others , and a Crown to thee , For ere they shall obscured lye undone Like Raphael , I le usher in Heydon . M. B. Esq To the Right Honourable in his Countrey ; Righr Servicible in Ireland ; Right Able of Himselfe ; his Excellency , the LORD HENRY CROMVVEL-DEPUTY of IRELAND . I Se the Storm a comming , whether shall I Seek Covert in the Mountain , or the Valley ? Or , else be take me to the silent stream , And let the tempest burst and split his splean Vpon the Earth ; so I be safe and saven , VVhile I shall ride at anchor in the Haven ; Alas , the fatall Sister-hood ( in sport VVill there betray thee ; for within the Port , Shipwrack hath disappointed and disgrac't , The Proverb of long look't for comes at last ; Then wil I launch into the very Mayne To see if Neptunes Diety wil dayne To fence and fling his Trident on my Head , By pewer whereof all storms are scattered ; VVhich if he do deny , my comfort it shall be , My shipwrack great , Noble men shalt see I sink not in a dicch , nor by the shore , But dye , and lye at Neptunes Palace D●re : T is thou alone that bearst the Triple Mace , Canst in the very speed of all their Chase Restrain their pursuit , do but protect it , The simple Misterious Nereides of the Prophet , Charge Aeolus ( as he does honour thee , He do not dis-imbulk his Cheeks at me , I have done nothing to offend thy traine , Stole Amemone as the Poets fayne , Nor sought to spoyle the Sea-gods bed of Corall ; I mean , Heavens Mysteries ; for that 's the Morall , If this be so , vouchsafe me thy Protection , That I may bring this work unto perfection ; Then will I sing thy fortune and thy fame , And prove that CROMVVELS from the Trojans came ; Shew where his Ancestors long since did build A seat which hitherto their name have fill'd : Now may that name and honour nere expire , But in a melting Firmament of fire . From Cliffords-Inne , the 10. of May , 1655. So Prayeth your Lord-ships most humble Servant JOHN HEYDON . To the Reader . REader ; these Lines which must pass thorow the pikes and swords of censure , are not written to pleasure every man , then I should displease my selfe and my friend ; I write only to give my friends that I promised , call me not one of our now Priest , now Prophet , and then Lawyer , I le assure you I never fancied a Pulpet , never could boast of Entheusiasmes , nor never could attain to such perfection in the Law , although it hath been the most of my study , and now my profession , viz. the practise of an Attorney in the Vpper-Bench ; if you would know who I am , I was born in this sumptious , City , in Green-Arbour London , I lived sometime in Warwick-shire very obscurely , it was my fortune to travel into other Countreys , first with a Merchant , as Factor , he dyed , afterwards I was forced to exercise my self in Martial disciplines in Spain , and Turkey , under the Command of Sede-Malamet Booker Knine Alcad at the Siege of Sally , I made my escape , was taken again , yet escaped to Mamorah , then I went to Zant , from thence carrled to S●vel , and then to the Spaw , and when I came to England I followed the Law , and gave a very ignorant fellow five and thirty pounds to instruct me in that honourable profession he like a duns took my money , and left me as ignorant as when I came to him ; it was my good hap to meet with an honest man , and by his instructions I came to be what I am , Reader , I have taken in vacation to publish what may at all times be advantagious to you . A well-wisher to all honest men is , J. Heydon The Preface . YOu wanton Lads that spend your winged time , And chant your ears in reading lustful Rime , Who like transformed Acteon range about And beat the Woods to find Diana out ; Is 't this you 'ld have ? then hence here 's no content For you ; my Muse nere knew what Venus meant : But stay , I may subvert your rude conceit , And every Verse may prove a heavenly bait ; O that ye were such Captives ! then be Thrice happy : such as these are only free . Leave , leave your wanton toyes , and let alone Apollo sporting at his Helicon : Let Vulcan deale with Venus , what 's to thee ? Although she dandle Cupid● on her Knee , Be not inchanted with her wanton charms , Let her not hug thee in her whorish arms : But wisely do ( as N●ptune did ) in spight Of all , spew out the Lady Aphrodite . Come , come , fond lad , what wouldst thou behold A visage that wil make thy V●nus cold , If this be all , He g●ve thy eye delight , Come see that face that lends the sun his Light : A Cae●e i●ll glorious sight I did espie , No earthly object for thy wandring eye , I saw a face that made the Heavens to shine , Oh seek that glorious face that lends thee thine , Looke and behold that light , which if thou see Aright , wil make the earth a heaven to thee ; Come see that glistring face from which arise Such glorious beams that dazels angels eyes : VVhat canst have more ? but dost thou think that such A comely visage wil not let thee touch ; Or dost thou think a Sun that shines so clear wil scorn to let a lesser Orb come neare , No thou mistakest ; say , dost thou truly thirst For him , I dare avouch he lov'd the first , Be not dismaid , it needs no more dispute , Come give that glorious face a kind salute . THE Propheticall TRUMPETER Sounding an Allarum to Britaine . I Do not wonder , as I erst have done , That when the Prophet Ionas should have gone , To Nineveh , Gods word He disobey'd , And would Himselfe to Tharsus have convey'd : For , I have now a sense how flesh and blood The motions of the Holy Ghost withstood , And feel ( me thinks ) how many a likely doubt The Devil and his frailty found him out . He was a man , ( though he a Prophet were ) In whom no little weakness did appear : And , thus he thought , perchance , VVhat shall I d● A strange attempt my heart is urged too : And , there is somwhat , earnestly incites That I should hasten to the Ninivites , And , preach , that if they alter not their wayes , Their time of standing is but forty dayes . My soul perswadeth God enjoyus me to it : And sleep in peace I cannot til I do it : But common Reason striveth to restrain This Motion , and perswadeth me 't is vain . It saith ; I am a sinner , and so fraile , That many times my best endeavours faile To rectifie my selfe . How shall I then Be hopeful of reclaiming other men ? To Israel I have threatned many years Gods judgements : yet , no fruit thereof appears Although they have some knowledge of the Lord , And are within his League , they slight his word : VVhat hope then is there , that a heathen Nation VVill prove regardfull of my exhortation ? The stile of Prophet , in this land I carry ; And such a Calling , here , is ordinary But , in a forraigne State , what warranty Have I , to publish such a Prophesie ? How may the King and people take the same , I shall in the open streets defame So great a City ? and condemn for sin , A place wherein I never yet have bin . If I shall , the Lord commanded me , Then , they perhaps will answer , What is he ? For , they profess him not . Nay , some suspition They may conceive , that I to move sedition Amsent among them . Or , if otherwise They shall suppose , how can they but dispise My , person , and my counsel , who shall from So farre a place , so meere a stranger come , That no man knows , or what , or who I am , Or , from what countrey , or , from whom I came ? Such thought ( belike ) delay'd and foar'd him so ; And , so the Spirit urg'd him to go For Niniveh ; that not to go , nor stay , Could he resolve ; but , fled another way . From which rebellious course , God fetcheth him back VVith such a vegeance , that he did not lack Sufficient proofes , how Reason did betray him , And in his calling , causlesly affray him , Yea ( mark heav'ns providence ) though Ionas went Another way , it crost not Gods intent , But furthered it . For , doubtless , e're he came To Nineveh , the miracle and fame Of his Deliverance , was sent before ; And , made his preaching work on them the more . Now , though I do not arrogate , nor dare My selfe ( except in frailttes ) to compare With blessed Ionas : yet I may behold To say , our causes a resemblance hold . My heart , and when that moves , as one avers , It more prevails than many Counsellers . My heart ( I say ) perswaded me e're while , To read a warning Lecture to this I le . And in such manner moved , that to say It came from God , me thinks , behold I may Yet , my own nat'rall frailty , and the world , Among my thoughts so many doubtings hurld , That every step had rubs . I levell'd some In my last Canto . Yet , I could not come To even ground , till I had overtopt Some other Mountains which my passage stopt . Beware , said Reason , how thou undertake This hazardous adventure , which to make Thou hast resolv'd : for this wise age denies That God vouchsafed any Prophesies Concerning them ; or , that the application Of ought foretold , pertaineth to this Nation , She saith , my constancy is no true signe That God first moved this intent of mine ; Since Hereticks , and Traytors , oft are seen As bold in all their causes to have been As Martyrs be . And , that for what they do , They can pretend the holy Spirit too : And she perswades t is likely I shall pass ( At best ) for one that much deluded was . She sayes , moreover , that if these times be Indeed , so wicked , as they seem to me ; I shall in stead of moving to repent , Nought else but stir their fury , and be rent Perhaps in pieces , by their hasty rage , For , what 's more likely in a wicked age ? When people in their sins grow hardned once , She sayes I may as wel go talk to ●ones , As tell them ought . For , they are in the dark ; And , what they see and hear , they do not mark . She urged that the Prophets in old times Did speak in vain against the peoples crimes ; And if in them their words begat no faith , Much less will such as mine , my reason saith . She tells me also that this I le hath store Of Prophets and of Preachers never more : She sayes , that though their calling none neglect , Their pains appear to take but small effect : And , if such men authorised as they , Do cast their words , without success , away ; In vain my Muse ( whose warrant most contemn ) Doth seek to work more piety in them . A thousand things unto the life effect ; Yea , all and more than any can object , ( Who shall peruse this Book ) my Reason brought before me , and objected to my thought , And , as a Pilgrim ( who occasions hath To take some extraordinary path ) Arrival making at a double way , Is doubtfull whether to proceed or stay : So fared I ; I was nigh tyred quite , Before I could be certain of the right . Yea , twixt my doubtings , and all those replies Which in my meditations did arise ; I so amazed grew , I could not know Which way thest befitted me to got But , at the last , God brought me thorow all My doubts and fears ; as though the Storm and Whale Once Ionas came : That so all they , who are Ordained for their good , these lynes to hear , The more may profit , when they think upon What streights I passed , e're this work was done , To that intent my frailties I have so Insisted on , as in this book I do . Yea , I am hopefull al●o , they that read These lines of mine ( and mark with how much head And Christian awfulness , my heart was won To censure and reprove as I have done ) Will plainly see , these Numbers flow not from Fantastick rashness ; not from envy come . Nor spring from faction ; neither were begot By their distracted zeale , who ( knowing not What Spirit guides them ) often are beguiled With shews of truth ; and madly have reviled Both good and ill : and whose unsavoury Rimes Defames mens persons more then check their crimes Dishonour Kings ; their sacred names blaspheme ; And having ga●n'd some notions in a dreame , Or by report ( of what they know not well ) Desire their giddy thoughts abroad to tell : In hope to merit ; as indeed they do , Sometime the pillory and gallows too . I trust , I say , these lines will seem no such , Or , if they do , truth is , I care not much , Because I certain am what pow●r infused Those matters whereupon I now have mused , And know , that none will these or me condemn , But they whose rage and follies I contemn . Yet , that they may be sure I never care Who censures me , nor what their censures are , ( When honest things I do ) here , somwhat more I 'le add to what is mentioned before , And give thee , Britaine , a more perfect sight Of thy distempers , and thy sickly plight . Yea , thou shalt know , I have not seen alone A bodily Coniumption stealing on , And wasting of thy Temporalties ; but , that I also have discovered of late , A Lethargy upon thy soul to steal : And that as wel the Church as Commonweale Doth need a cure . Oh! do not quite neglect , The good of both ; but , one at least respect . Though Judahs sicknesses unheeded be , ( Although thy temporall wounds afflict not thee ) Yet look on Syon : yea , behold and see Thy spiritualties how much impair'd they be . The Churches Patrimony is decay'd And many a one is in her spoyles araid , Those Patrons , as we term them in this age , Who of her Dowries have the Patronage , Do rob and cheat her , many times of all ; And their Donations basely set to saile . Those Cananites , whom thou preservest here , And by thy lawes to be expelled were , Are in thy borders now so multiply'd , That they are thorns and thistles in thy side , They are become a Serpent in thy path , Which bites unseen ; and nigh unhorsed hath Some able Riders , On thy Places high Thy people doth commit Idolatry , And reare strange Alters . In my Fields are found Those cunning harmless Foxes to abound , That spoile thy Vines . And some I have espy'd , Twixt whose opposed tales , are firebrands ty'd , Which wasts thy fruits . Thy Harvest seemeth fair ; But secret blastings do so much impaire And blite the Corn ; that when it comes to bread , Thy Children oft unwholsomly are fed , Men use Religion as a stalking-horse To catch preferment ; yea , sometimes to worse And baser uses they employ the same ; Like that bold harlot , who quite void of shame , Did of her Vowes , and of her Peace-offerings make A Ginn , lascivious customers to take . Yea , some resembling him , from whom was cast One Devill , when one sin they have displac't , Of which the world took notice , sweep and clense Themselves ( in show ) from all their other sins ; Yet secretly , let Sathan repossess , And foul them with a seven-fold wickedness . An universall dulness will benum Thy senses , if thou do not soon become More heedfull of thy state , then thou art yet : For , ev'ry part hath felt an ague-fit . Thy Academs , which are the famous places In which all pious knowledges and graces Should nourisht he , and whence thy chiefe supply Of Teachers , come , ( as from a Nursery ) Ev'n those fair Fountains are much tainted grown , With doctrine hardly sound , which thence are blown Through ev'ry quarter . In their Schools are heard Vain jigs and janglings , worthless of regard . Their very Pulpits , and their Oratories , Are Stages , whereupon their own vain glories Men often act . Yea , many a vain conceit , Is brought instead of arguments of weight : And ( which is worse ) disorder is so rife Among them ; and the weeds of evill life Have so o'regrown those Gardens , that ( unless Good government shall speedily redress That spreading mischiefe ) it wil over●p The plants of Syon , and destroy her crop . To be thy Shepheards , wolves are stoln in ; And thou hast those who even by day begin To sow their Tares among thy purest Seed ; And , with mixt Grains thy Lands polutions breed . For hire , and money , Prophesies the Prophet : The Priest doth preach to make a living of it , Ev'n meerly for a living ; and but few Their holy charge for conscience sake pursue , Which I by many signes could make apparent , But that it is not yet within my Warrant . Loqunter Curae leves ; little Cures Do make men preach whilest poverty endures . Ingentes stupent ; but , large livings make Our Doctors dumb , condemn not my mistake : For , though I do the Latine sentence wrong , That 's true I tell you in the English tongue . Our Nation , which of late prophainness hated , Is in that sin almost fasionated . The Scriptures without reverence are used , The holy phrase , in jesting , is abused To flour , or praise , or curse , we can apply Gods holy word , most irreligiously . Instead of Emblemes , moving thoughts divine , The filthy pictures of lewd Aretine , Are found in many Closets Foolish lies , Prophane and most lascivious Elegies , Are publike made Yea , those whom heretofore A heathen Emperour did so abhor , That he , for them , their wanton Author sent To undergo perpetuall banishment ; Ev'n these , we read , and worse than those , by far , Allowed pass , and unaproved are . Nay , their vain Authors often cherisht be , At least , they have the favour to go free . But , if a graver Mus● reprove their sin , Lord , with what a hasty zeal they call it in How libellous they make it and how vile , Thou know'st ; and at that folly thou do it ●mile . Full warily the politick Divine , ( Who should allow it ) scanneth every Line Before it pass ; each phrase he doth suspect ; Although he findeth nothing to be checkt , He fears to licence it . And if by chance It pass abroad , forthwith doth ignorance Mistake or misapply , and false and bad Constructions are of good expressions made : Yea , they who on the seats of Judgement sit , Are oft , most ready to miscensure it . I would they were as forward to disgrace Those Authors , who have filled ev'ry place With fruitless volumes For dispersed are Ev'n quite throughout this Land every year , Ev'n many thousand Reames of scurrill toyes . Songs , Rimes and Ballads , whose vain use destroyes Or hinders Vertuous knowledge , and Devotion , And thus they do to further the promotion Of our Diana . Yet , Behold , if we To publish some few sheets required be , Con ai●ing pious Hy●ns , or christian Songs . Or ought which to the praise of God belongs : We do so fear the hindrance of our gain , That like the Ephesian Silver-smith , faine A great complaint , as to have enlarged A little Book , had grievously o'recharged The Common-wealth . Whereas if it were weigh'd How much of late this Land is overlaid With triviall volumes : or how much they do Corrupt our Manners , and Religion too , By that abusive matter they contain , I should not seem unjustly to complain . These times do swarm with Pamphlets , which be far More dangerous than mortall poysons are . Ev'n in those books , whereby the simple thought To finde true knowledge , they their bane have caught : For , thence , strong heresies ( there being hid Amid some doubtles truths , a while unspi'd ) Steale out among the people , by degrees ; More mischief working than each Reader sees . And , so , to ruine knowledge , that is made A instrument ; whereby it rising had . For ( by their lucre , who the Churches peace Disturb , their private profit to increase ) Those Doctrines which are un-authorised , Are so promiscuously divulg'd , and spread , Among approved Verities , that fome Are in those Labyrinths amaz'd become : And such a contradiction is in that VVhich their confused Pamphlets do relate ; That common Readers know not which to leave , Nor , which the Church of Egland doth receive . And from this mischiefe many others flow , VVhich will , in future times , more harmfull grow . This spins vain controversies to their length ; By this most heresies receive their strength . And what distraction it already makes , Our grieved Mother wofull notice takes Instead of active knowledge , and her fruit ; This silleth men with itching o● dispute , And empty words ; whereby are set abroach A thousand quarrells , to the truths raproach . The sectaries , the munkeys , and the apes , The Cubs and Foxes , which do ma● our Grapes , The VVolves in Sheep-skins , and our frantick rable Of VVorship-mongers , are innumerable . And as the Churches quiet they molest , So they each other spightfully infest . VVe have some quakers , some that halfe way go : Some Semi-quezills , some wholly so ; Some Anabaptists , some who do refuse Black-puddings , and good pork , like arrant Jews : Some also term'd Arminians are among Our Priests and people , very lately sprung . VVhat most , so call●d , profess , I stand not for ; And what some say they teach , I do abhor . But , what some other , so misnam'd , believe , Is that where●o best Christians credit give . For , as we see the most reformed man , By Libertines is term'd a Protestan : So ( by our purblinde Formalist ) all those VVho new fantastick crotchets do oppose , Begin to be misterm'd Coxils now . And hence e'relong will greater mischiefs grow Then most imagine . For , the foolish fear , Lest they to be Dattrells may appear , Or else be term'd quakers , will make Great multitudes Religion quite forsake . And I am halfe perswaded this will one Of those great Schismes or earthquakes , cause which Iohn Foretold in his Apocalyps ; and they Are blest , who shall not thereby fall away . Some Hocasses and some Famalists have we ; And some , that no man can tel what they be ; Nor they themselves , Some seem so wondrous pure They no mans conversations can endure , Unless they use their pleaistrings ; and appear In ev'ry formall garb which they shall weare . There be of those , who in their words deny , And hate the practise of Idolatry , Yet make an idol of their formall zeale , And underneath strickt holiness , conceale A mystery of evil which deceives them , And , when they think all safe , in danger leaves them . Their whole Religion some do place in hearing : Some , in the outward action of forbearing Ill deeds or in wel doing , though the heart In that performance bear no reall part . Some others , of their morrall actions make Small conscience : and affirm that God doth take No notice how ●n body they transgress , If him in their ●nward man confess : As if a soul beloved could reside Within a body quite un●an●fide . Some not contented in the act of sin Are grown so impudent , that they begin To justifie themselves in wickedness ; Or , by quait arguments to make it less ; And , by such Monsters , to such ends as this , The Christian liberty defamed is . Mewfangledness , Religion hath o'rethrown ; And , many as fantasticall are grown In that , as in apparell . Some , delight In nothing more than to be opposite To other men : Their zeale they wholly spend The present government to reprehend ; The Churches discipline to v●ll fie ; And raile , at all , which pleads antiquity . They love not peace : and therefore have suspition Of Truth it self , if out of persecution : And are so thankless , or so heedless be Of Gods great love , in giving such a free And plentious means of publishing his word , That , what , his Prophets of the Jews record , Some verifie in us . Much pralse is given To that blinde age , wherein the Queen of Heaven Was worshipt here . And alsly we extoll Those dayes , as being much more plentifull . Some , at the frequency of Preaching g●utch , And , tyred with it , think we have too much : Nay , impudently practise to suppress That Exercise , and make our plenty less , And , that their doing may not want some faire Or goodly coulor , they do call for Pray'r , Instead thereof ; as if we could not pray , Until our preaching we had sent away . As these are foolishly , or lewdly , wise ; We have some others want only precise : So waywardly dispised , amidst our plenty , And through their curiosity , so dainty , That very many cannot well digest The bread of life , but in their manner drest . Nor will Gods Manna , or that measure serve , Which he provides ; but , they cry out they starve ▪ ( Unless they feed upon their own opinions , Which are like Egypt Garlike and her Onion● ) Some like not Prayer that 's extempory : Some notany that set form doth carry . Some think there 's no devotion , but in those That howle , or whine , or snufle in the nose ; As if that God vouchsafed all his Graces For feigned gestures , or for sowre faces . Some think not that the man , who gravely teacheth ; Or hath a sober gesture when he preacheth , Of gentle voyce : hath any zeal in him , And therefore , such like Preachers they contemn . Yea , they suppose that no mans doctrine lave● The Soul of any one , unless he raves , And roares aloud , and slings , and hurleth so As if his arms he quite away would throw ; Or over-leap the Pulpet , or else break it : And this , if their opinion true may make it , Is to advance their voyces trumpet-like , As God commands : yea this they say doth strike Sin dead . Whereas indeed , God seldome goes In whirlwinds , but is in the voice of those Who speak in meekness . And it is not in The pow'r of noyse to shake the walls of sin : For clamors , antique actions , writhed looks And such like mimmick Rhetorick none brooks That hath discretion : neither doth it move The heart of any , when we so reprove ; Except it be in some contrary motion , Which interrupts the hearts good devotion . The well affected Christian pities it ; It makes prophanest men at nought to set Gods Ordinance . Meere morall men despise Such affatection ; much it terrifies The ignorant : but very few from thence Receive sound knowledg , or true penitence . Some relish nothing , but those points that are In controversie : some would nothing hear But songs of Mercy ; some delight in none But songs of Thunder , and scarce any one Is pleas'd in what he hears . Nay of their Preachers , Merchanicks , arrogate to be the teachers . Yea , most of us , what e're our Pastor sayes , Keep still our own opinions and our wayes . To hear and know Gods word , to some among Our Nation , seemeth only to belong To Clergy men ; and their implicite Faith Is built on what the common rumour saith . Some others fill'd with curiosity Affirm that ev'ry sev'rall mystery Within Gods book included , doth concern Ev●n each particular Christian man to learn : Whereas they might as wel affirm each guest That is invited to each Feast , Is bound the sev'ral dishes there to heed And upon every meet before him feed , Nay , some have almost this imagination That there is hardly hope of their Salvation Who speak not Hebrew . And this now adayes , Makes foolish women , and young Prentises To learn that holy tongues ; in which they grow As do those who nothing know , Save to be arrogant , and to contemn Those Pastors , who have taken charge of them , The appetite of some grows dull and failes , Unless it may be pampered with Quailes ; High flying crotchets , which we see do fill Not halfe so many souls as they do kill . We cannot be content to make our flights , For that which God exposeth to our sights , And search for that which he is pleas'd to show , But , we must also pry , what God doth know , Which was indeed an ancient fallacy O Satan ; and the very same whereby He cheated E● From seeking to disclose Beyond our warrant , what God onely knows , Proceedeth many errors . Thence doth come Most questions that have troubled Christendome . Yea , searching things conceal'd , hath overthrown The comfortable use of what is known . Hence flowes their fruitless fond asseveration , Who blundred on Eternall-Reprobation , And many groundless whimsies have invented , Whereby much better musings are prevented . Of Reprobation I no doubt have made ; Yet , those vain quarrellings which we have had . Concerning her , and her antiquity , ( But that the world hath wiser fooles then I ) Appears to me to bring so little fruits , That I suppose it fitter for disputes In Hell , ( among the reprobated crue ) Then for a Church of Christians to pursue : At least to brawle about with such hot rage , As hath possest some Spirits of this age . For , some have urg'd this point of Reprobation As if the chiefest ground-work of salvation Depended on believing , just , as they ( Deluded by their fancies ) please to say . And , though they never found Gods holy word Did any mention of the same afford , But , as of that which did begin since Time ; And with respect to some committed crime : They , nevertheless , their streights together gather , To prove the child solder than the Father . And , since that fatall thred , there , finds her spinning , But for Of ; at farthest from Beginning : They Reprobation otherwhile confound With our Predestination : which is found No where in all the Scripture to respect The reprobates , but only Gods Elect. And then they are compeld to prove the sense Of their dark ten● , by an inference ; And to affirm from reason that Election Eternall , doth infer the like rejection . As if an action of Eternity , Were fit to square our shallow reasons , by Which argument because it hath not taken True Faith , to ground on , may with ease be shaken . Their tortering structure , therefore , up to keep , They into Gods foreknowledg boldly peep , Beyond his warrant ; searching for decrees And secrets , farther than an angell sees : Presuming then , as if all things they knew , And had Eternitie within their view . But , that hath such an infinite extention . Beyond their narrow-bounded comprehension , That there they wander on , til they are mad And lose that little knowledge which they had . For what are they but mad men who maintain The giddy fancies of their own weak brain , For theses of Religion , which we must Believe as they affirm them , of be thrust Among the Reprobates ? VVhat less , I pray , Are they then mad who fool their wits away In wheeling arguments which have no end ? In strains which man shall never apprehend ? In seeking what their knowledg doth exceed ? In vain disputings , which contentions breed . In strange Chymera's , and fantastick notions , That neither stir us up to good devotions , Nor mend our manners ? But our wayes pervert , Distract the Judgment , or puffe up the heart . If this I may not madnes call , or folly , T is ( at the best ) religious-melancholly . What shal we judge of those who strive to make Gods Word ( whose terms and scope they much mistake Their proofes for that whereof no proofes they are , And sleight those truths , for which the Text is clear : What shall we deem of those , who quite mistaking Good authors , and their volumes guilty making Of what they never meant , do preach and write Against those Books with rancerous despight , Which being wel examin'd , say the same Which they affirm , and check what they do blame . Such men there be , and they great noyse have made By fighting furiously with their own shade . What may be thought of them , who likely , ever , In their perverse opinions to persever , Take knowledge upon trust : and follow those , Who lead them on , as wild-geese fly in rows ? And when their multitude is waxen great , Do then so wilfully prejudicate , Become so confident of that they hold , And in their blinde assurance , so are bold , That they can brook no tryall , neither see Their oversights , how plain so e're they be ; But fondly think ( though we believe it not ) That they infallibilitie have got . Some piousmen ; yea , some great Doctors tread . Such Labyrinths ; and often are misled By holding that which they at first were taught , Without due proving all things as they ought ; And vulgar men are often led awry , By their examples , and for company . For as a traveller that is to come From some far Countrey , through large deserts home , Nor knowing wel the way , is glad to take His course with such who shows of cunning make , And walks along , depending still on them , Through many a wood , and over many a stream , Till he and they are lost : there to remain He finds no safetie , nor means back again , Nor list to leave his company ; because He hopes that nearer homeward stil he draws , And that his guides ful sure of passage are , Although they cannot wel describe it where , So , when plain men do first attempt the way Of knowledge , by their guides , they walk astray . VVithout distrust : and when arriv'd they be VVhere many troublesome windings they do see And where no certainty they can behold , Yet , on their leaders knowledg they are bold , Or on their multitude : yea , though they know , And see them erre , and turn and stagger so , In darksome paths , that well suppose they may , They rove and wander in an uncouth way ; Yet stil they are unwilling to suspect The wisdome of the Fathers of their Sect. Yea , though no satisfaction they can find , Though fears and doubtings do afflict their mind , They still impute it rather to their own Infirmities , or to the depths unknown Of those mysterious points , to mention brought ; But never call in question what is taught : Lest being by those Teachers terrifide , They might forsaken in despaire abide . Their Doctors , also , failing to devise Strong arguments , their hearers to suffice , This course , to save their credits , late have got ; They say , forsooth , Faiths doctrine settles not With naturall capacities ; and that The Spirit must those men illuminate VVho shall receive them . And indeed in this , They do both say the truth , and say amiss : This is a Jesuitish juggling trick , And if allow'd it be , each lunatick , And every brain-sick Dreamer , by that way , May foist upon us all that he can say , For , though Gods holy Spirit must create New hearts within us , and regenerate Depraved nature , e're it can be able To make our outward hearings profitable ; VVe must not think that all which fancy faith ( In terms obscure ) are mysteries of faith . Nor make the hearers want of power to teach Their meanings to be proofes of what they teach . There is twixt men , and that which they are taught , Some naturall proportion , or t is naught . The deepest mystery of our profession , Is capable of literall expression , As wel to reprobates as men elected ; Or else it may of error be suspected . Yea , wicked men a power granted have To understand , although they misconceive ; And can of darkest pointsmake plain relations , Though to themselves they faile in applications . God never yet did bid us take in hand To publish that which none can understand : Much less affecteth he a man should mutter . Rude sounds of that , whose depth he cannot utter ; Or in uncertain terms , as many do , Who Preach non-sense , and oft non entia too : For those which man to man is bound to show , Are such plain Truths , as we by word may know ; Which when the hearer can express again , The fruit hath equalled the Teachers pain . Then , though the soul doth many times conceive By faith , and by that Word which we receive ) Deep mysteries , and that which far transcends A carnall knowledge : though she apprehends Some glimmerings of those Objects , that are higher Then humane Reason ever shall aspire ; Though she hath tastings of that blessedness , Which mortall tongue could never yet express ; And though the soul may have some earnest given On earth , of what it shall enjoy in heaven ; Though God may , when he list ( and now and then , For cause not ordinary ) to some men Vouchsafeth ( for their secret satisfactions ) A few reflections from eternall actions : Though this be so , let no man arrogate That he such secrets can by word relate : For , they are things , of which no voice can preach ; High flights , to which no mortall man can reach , T is Gods own work , such raptures to convey , To compass them there is no other way , But by his blessed Spirit : and of those Most can we not , some must we not disclose . For if they only touch our private state , They were not sent , that we should them relate ; But deigned that the soul they strengthen might Amid the perils of some secret sight ; VVhen men to honour God , or for their sin , The terrours of this life are plunged in . And as it is reputed of those things , VVhich foolish people think some Fairy brings , So , of Euthusiamses speak I may ; Discover them , and straight they fly away . For , thus they fare who boast of Revelations , Or of the certainty of their Salvations , Or any Ghostly gift , at times or places , Which warrant not the mention of such graces : Yea , by revealing things which they should hide , They entrance make for over weening pride : And that quite m●rres the blessing they possest , Or , for a while obscureth it at best : And yet , if any man shall climb so high , That they attain unto a Mystery , Conceiv'd by few ; they may , if they be able , Disclose it where it may be profitable . But they must know , that ( if it be , indeed , Of such transcendency ; as doth exceed Meere naturall reaches ) it should be declar'd To none , save unto those who are prepar'd For such conceptions ; and more apt to know them By their own thoughts , then are out words to show them Else , all they utter will in Clouds appear , And errors , men , for truths , away wil bear . Would this had been observed a little more , By some who in our Congregations roare Of Gods unknown Decrees , Eternall Callings , Of Perseverance , and of Finall Fallings . And such like Mysteries . Or else , I would That they their meanings better utter could , If wel they meant . For , though those points afford Much comfomrt and instruction , as Gods word Hath mentioned them , and may applyed be , And opened , when we just occasion see ; Yet , as most handle them , who now adayes , Do pass for Preachers , with a vulger praise , They profit not ; for , this ripe age hath young And forward wits , who by their fluent tongue , And able memories , a way have found To build a house , e're they have laid the ground , With common places , and with notes purloin'd ( Not wel applyed , and as ill conjoyn'd ) A garb of preaching these have soon attained , VVhich hath , with many , approbation gained Beyond their merit . For , they take in hand Those mysteries , they neither understand , Nor studied on . And they have much distracted Some hearers , by their Doctrines ill compacted : Yea , by enquiring out what God fore-sees , And medling much with his unknown Decrees , The Churches peace so much disturb'd have they ; So foul and crooked made Faiths plainest way ; Such scandalls rais'd ; and interrupted so , By doubts impertinent , what men should do ; And their endeavours nullified so far , That many of them at a nonplus are . Heydons not of their minds , who take from this And other things , that are perform'd amiss , Occasion to disparage frequent preaching , Or , to abate our plentiousness of teaching : For , of our Harvest , Lord , I humbly pray , The store of Labourers continue may . And , I could also wish , that none were chose To be a seed-man , till he truly knows The wheat from tares ; and is indu'd with reason , And grace , to sow in order , and in season , And that those art-less workmen may be staid , VVho build before foundations they have laid : Lest , when our Church wel built , suppose we shall , It sink , and overwhelm us in the Fall . It pities me to mark what rents appear Within our Sion , and what daubings are To hide the ruines , and I fear the frame VVil totter , if we long neglect the same . Our watchmen for the greater part , are grown Less mindful of Gods honor , than their own : For either almost wholly we omit That work , or undiscreetly follow it . Some speak the truth , without sincere intention , As they who preach the Gospel for contention . Some by their wicked lives do give offence , And harden men in their impenitence . As if not hel nor heav'n they did believe , They ryot , game , drink drunk , and whore , and thieve , For avarice , and envy , none are worse ; They are malicious , and blaspheme , and curse , As much as any others . None are more Regardless of the soul that 's mean and poore , Among their neighbors , none more quarrelsome , Or that more hardly reconcil'd become , Then many Clergy-men : and as we see They are the best of men , when good they be ; So , there are none that wander more astray ; VVhen they have left a sanctified way . Some Pastors are too hot , and some too cold , And very few the golden temper hold . Some at the Papist with such madness fling , As if they could not utter any thing Of them too vile ; though ne're so false it were : And we so used by their Iesuits are . Some others at the Quakers do strike , So furiously , that they are often like To wrong the Protestants : for , men impose That name sometime , upon the best of those ; Yea , they who are prophaine , that name mislay On all who make a conscience of their way . Some Shepheards on their flocks are gorg'd at full , And sumptiously arrayed in their wooll . But , those that are diseas'd , they make not strong : Their sickliest sheep they seldome come among : They take no care the broken up to bind ; The sheep that 's lost they never seek to find : They let such wander as will run astray , And many times their fury so doth fray The tender conscience , that their indiscretion Doth fright their hearers headlong to perdition . Gods bounty hath large pastorage provided , But they have not his flocks with wisdome guided : For in the midst of plenty , some be ready . To starve in ignorance . Some sheep are headdy : Some get the staggers , some the scab , and they Infect their fellows . Some the wantons play Among the thorns and bryars , which have torn The marks and fleeces , which they should have worn . Some straggle from the flock , and they are straight Surpriz'd by wolves , which lye for them in wait . Some sought large feeding , and ranck pastures got , VVhich prov'd not wholsome , and they caught the ●ot . For , many preach themselves , and fancies broach , That scandall preaching , to the truths reproach . Yea , some term that ( forsooth ) Gods word divine , VVhich would halfe shame me , should they term it mine , And they we see , longest pray and speak Are prized of most though head nor foot they make . Because the common hearers of this Land , Think best of that which least they understand . Some , also , by their feet disturb the springs ; Or trample or defile Gods pasturings , By hypocrites , injuriously defamed ; By the frailties of the best , oft shamed . And pow'r ecclesiasticall is granted To them , ful often , who those minds have wanted Becomming such authority : and they Play fast and loose , ev'n with the Churches Key . They censure and absolve , as best shall make For their advantage ; not for conscience sake . As they shall please , they punnish or connive ; And by the peoples follies they do thrive . Of evill customes many are we see Insinuated , and so strict are we To keep them , that we sottishly deny To leave them , for what more would edifie ? And we so much do Innovations fear , That needfull reformations none appear . VVe have prophained every holy thing ; Even our most Christian Feasts which are to bring Gods Mercies to our thought , and memorize Of Saving Grace , the sacred Mysteries : Some have even those gain-sayed ; and in that Have evil spoken of they know not what . Some others keep them ; but as heathenishly , As Feasts of Bacchus ; and impietie Is then so rife , that God is rarely named Or thought upon , except to be blasphemed . By these , and other wayes , the Church doth lose Much honour to the glory of Her Foes , And our great shame and loss : for her decayes Shall be this Realms disprofit and dispraise . God hath a controversie with our Land ; And in an evil plight affairs do stand . Already we do smart or doing ill ; Yet us the hand of God afflicteth stil , And hey are either such as make obscure Faiths principles ; or such whose lives impure , Prophane their Doctrines . Other some have we , VVho like the beast that over-game some be , Do push their weaker brethren with their Horns ; And hunt them from the flock , by wrongs , or scorn Gods houses , also , much neglected are ; And of his Sanctuaries , few have care . A barn , or any common house , or room , Is thought as wel Gods worship to become , As in the Churches infancy ; or there , VVherewants , and wars , and persecutions are . Amidst our peace and plenties , we do grutch Our Oratories should be trimm●d as much As are our vulgar dwellings ; and repine That exercises which are most divine , Should with more Rites , or Ornaments be done , Then when the troublous times afforded none . As if a Garden when the flow'rs are blown , VVere stil to look as when it first was sown . To worship so in spirit , we pretend That in our bodies , we do scarcely bend A leg , or move a cap , when there we be , VVhere Gods most holy Mysteries we see Yea , many seem so careful to have bin , To let no superstition enter in , That they have almost , wholly banisht hence , All decency , and pious Reverence . The Church by Lukewarm Christians , is neglected By bruitish Athests it is dis-respected ; By greedy VVorldlings , robbed of her fleeces , By self-will'd Schismaticks nigh torn in pieces ; By Tyrants and by infidels opposed ; By her blind Guides , to hazard oft exposed ; And many see it not ; as many be So wilful , that his hand they wil not see . Some plainly view the same , but nothing care Some at the sight thereof amazed are , Like Balthazar , and have a trembling heart , Yet wil not from their vanities depart . About such matters , othersome are loath Their thoughts to busie , ( meerly out of sloth ) Like him , who rather would in hazard put His Life , than rise from bed the door to shut . Some dream that all things do by chance succeed , And that I prate more of them than I need : But heav'n and earth to witness I invoke , That causlesly , I nothing here have spoke . If this , oh sickly Iland ! thou believe , And for thy great infirmitie shalt grieve , And , grieving of thy follies make confessions ; And , to confess thine infinite transgressions : That thou amend those errors : God shal then Thy manifold distempers cure agen ; Make all thy scarlet sins as white as snow , And cast his threatned judgments on thy foe . But , if thou ( fondly thinking thou art wel ) Shalt sleight this Message , which my Muse doth tel , And scorn her counsel ; if thou shalt not rue Thy former wayes ; but frowardly pursue Thy wilful course : then , hark what I am bold , ( In spight of all thy madness ) to unfold . For , I wil tel thy Fortune ; which when they That are unborn shal read another day , They will believe Gods mercy did infuse Thy Poets brest , with a Prophetick Muse . And know , that he this author did prefer To be from him , this Iles Remembrancer . If thou , I say , oh Britain ! shalt retain Thy crying sins , thou dost presume in vain Of Gods protection . If thou stop thine eare , Or burn this Rowle , in whice recorded are Thy just Inditements ; it shall written be VVith new additions , deeply stampt on thee With such Characters , that no time shall race Their fatal image , from thy scarred face : Though haughtily thou dost thy self dispose , Because the Sea thy borders doth inclose . Although upon the Rocks thy nest is plac'd : Though thou among the Stars thy dwelling hast ; Though thou encrease thy ships ; and unto that Which is thine own , with King Iehosaphat ; Joyn Ahabs forces . Though thou watch and ward , And all thy Ports and Havens strongly guard ; Although thou multiply thy inland forces , And muster up large troops of men and horses ; Though like an Eagle thou thy wings display'st , And ( high thy self advancing ) proudly say'st ; I fit aloft , and am so high , that none Can fetch me from the place I rest upon . Yea , though thou no advantages didst want , Of which the glorious Emperies did vaunt ; Yet , sure , thou shalt be humbled and brought low ; Ev'n then , perhaps , when least thou fear'st it so . Till thou repent , provisions which are made For thy defence , or others to invade , Shall be in vaine ; and stil the greater cost Thou shalt bestow , the honour that is lost Shall be the greater , and thy wasted strength , Be sink of a Consumption at the length Thy treaties , which for peace or profit be , Shall neither peace , nor profit bring to thee . Or , if thy Counsels prosper for a while , God wil permit it , onely to beguile Thy foolishness ; and tempt thee on to run Some courses , that will bring his Judgements on . Yea , all thy winnings shall but fuel be , To feed those follies that now spring in thee ; And make with vengeance those the more enrag'd Who shall for thy correction be engag'd . What ever threatned in Gods Book hath bin , Against a wicked people for their sin , Shall come on thee : His hand shall be for ill , On every Mountain , and high-raised hill . Thy lofty Cedars , and thy sturdy Oaks , Shall feel the fury of his Thunder stroake . Upon the Ships , thy Havens , and thy Ports , Upon thy arms , thy armies , and thy Forts , Upon thy pleasures and commodities , Thy Crafts mechanick , and thy merchandise ; On all the fruits and Cattel in thy fields , On what the ayre , or what the water yeilds , On State and people ; on both weak and strong , On Priest and Prophet or both old and young ; Yea , on each person , place , and every thing , The Plague it hath deserved , God shal bring . What ever thou dost hope he frustrate shall ; And make what e're thou fearest on thee fall . This pleasant soyle , wherein such plenty grows , And where both milk and honey overflows , Shall for thy peoples wickedness be made A Land as barren , as what never had , Such plenties in it . God shall drive away Thy pleasant Fowles , and all those Fish that play Within thy waters ; and for whose great store Some other Nations would have prais'd him more . Those Rivers , that have made thy vallies rich , Shall be like streams of ever burning Pitch , Thy dust , as Brimstone , fields as hard and dry As iron is ; the firmament on high , Like Brass , shall yeild thee neither rain nor due , The hope of wasted blessings to renue . Aleanness , shall thy fatness quite devour ; Thy wheat shall in the place of wholsome flowre , Yeild nought but bran . In stead of grass and corn , Thou shalt in times of harvest , reap the thorn , The thistle and the bryar . Of their shadows Thy Groves shall robbed be : thy flowry Medows shal steri ; e wax : there shal be seldom seen Sheep on thy downs , or Shepheards on the Green , Thy walks , thy Gardens , and each pleasant plot , Shall be as those where men inhabit not , Thy Villages ; where goodly dwellings are , Shal stand as if they unfrequented were . Thy Cities and thy Palaces wherein Most neatness and magnificence hath bln , Shal heaps of rubish be , and as in those Demolisht Abbies where in Dawes and Crowes . Now make their nests , the Bramble , and the Nettle , Shal in their halls and parlours root , and settle , Thy Princes houses , and thy wealthy Ports , Now fill●d with men of all degrees and sorts , Shal no inbabitants in them retain , But some poor Fisherman , or Countrey Swain , VVho of thy glories , When the marks they see , Shall wonder what those mighty ruins be ; As now they do , who old foundations find , Of towns and Cities perisht out of mind . The places where much people meetings had , Shal vermine holes , and dens for beasts be made . Or walks for sprights , who from those uncouth rooms Shall fright the passenger , which that way comes . In stead of mirth and laughter , lamentation Shall there abide : and loathsome desolation , In stead of company . Where once was heard Sweet melody , men shall be made afeard With hideous cryes , and howlings of despaire . Thy very Climate , and thy temp'rate ayre , Shall lose their wholsomness , for thy offences , And breed hot Fevers , Murraines , Pestilences , And all diseases ! they that now are trained In ease , and with soft pleasures entertained ; In stead of idle games , and wanton dances , Shall practise how to handle guns , and launces ; And be compell'd to leave their friends embraces , To end their lives in divers uncouth places ; Or else , thy face , with their own blood defile , In hope to keep themselves , and thee , from spoile . Thy beautious Women , whose great pride is more Than theirs , whom Esay blamed heretofore , In stead of paintings , and of costly sents , Of glittering gems , and precious ornaments , Shall wear deformitie about their faces ; And being rob'd of all their tempting graces , Feele wants , diseases , and all such like things , Which to a wanton Lover lothing brings . Thy God , shall for thy overflowing vices , Scourge thee with Scorpions , Serpents , Cockatrices , And other such ; whose tailes with stings are armed , That neither can be plucked forth , nor charmed . Thou shalt not be suffiz'd when thou art fed ; Nor shalt thou suffer scarcitie of bread And temporall food alone ; but , of that meat , Whereof the faithfull soul desires to eat . That curse of Ravenous Beasts , which God hath said , Upon a wicked Kingdom shal be laid , He will inflict on thee . For though there be No Tygers , Lyons , Wolves , or Bears in thee , By beastly minded men that shall be far More cruel than those bloody spoylers are , Thou shalt be torn : for , each man shall assay His fellow to devour as lawfull prey . In stead of Lyons , tyrants thou shalt breed , Who not of conscience nor of Law take heed ; But , on the weak mans portion lay their Paw , And make their pleasures to become their Law , In stead of tygers , men of no compassion , A furious , and a wilful generation , Shall fil thy borders . Thieves and outlaws vile , Shal hunt the waies , and haunt the woods for spoyle , As Bears and Wolves . A subtile cheating crew ( That wil with tricks and cozenages pursue The simpler sort ) shal here encrease their breed ; And in their subtilties the Fox exceed . That hoggish herd , which alwaies rooting are Within the ground , and never upward rear . Their grunting snouts ; nor fix their eyes on heav'n , To look from whence their daily food is giv'n : Those filthy swinish livers , who desire To feed on draff , and wallow in the mire ; Those who affect rank puddles , more than springs ; To trample and despise most pleasant things ; The holy to prophane ; Gods herbs of grace To nouzle up , his Vinyard to deface ; And such like harms to do : these shal thy fields , Marre worse , then those wild boares the desart yeilds . If thou remaine impenitent , thou art Like Egypt , and so stony is thy heart . For which obdurateness , those plagues wil all Descend on thee , which did on Egypt fall . Blood , Frogs , and Lice , great swarms of uncoth Flies , th' infectious Murraine , whereof Cattle dies : Boyles , Scabs , & Blaines fierce Haile , & Thunder-storms , The Locust , and all fruit devouring VVorms . Cross Darkness , and the death of those that be Thy Darlings , all those plagues shall fall on thee , According as the Letter doth imply , Or , as in mystick sense they signifie . Thy purest Rivers God shall turn to blood ; With ev'ry Lake , that hath been sweet and good , Ev'n in thy nostrils he shall make it stink , For nothing shall thy people eat or drink , Vntill their own or others blood it cost ; Or put their lives in hazard to be lost . Most loathsome Frogs ; that is a race impure , Of base condition , and of birth obscure , ( Ev'n in unwholsome ●ens , and ditches , bred ) Shal with a clownish rudeness over-spread Thy pleasant'st fields ; thy fairest rooms possess ; And make unwholsome by their sluttishness , Thy kneeding troughs , thy ovens , and that meat , Whereof thy people , and thy Princes eat , This hatefull brood , shall climb to croak and sing , Within in lodging chambers of the King , Yea , there make practise of those naturall notes , Which issue from their evil-sounding throats : To wit , vain-brags , revilings , r●baldries , Vile slanders , and unchristian blasphemies . The Land shall breed a nasty generation , Unworthy either of the reputation Or name of men . For , they as Lice shall feed Ev'n on the body whence they did proceed ; Til poverty , and floventy , and sloath , Have quite disgraced them , and consum'd them both . There shall , moreover , swarmes of divers Flies , Engendred be in thy prosperities , To be a plague : the flesh-flye shal corrupt Thy savory meats ; Musketoes interrupt The weary traveller ; thou shalt have Drones , Dores , Hornets , Wasps , and such like angry-ones , Who represent that warm whose buzzing tongues ( Like stings ) are used in their neighbors wrongs ; And , stil are flying , and stil bumming so , As if they meant some weighty work to do , Whenas , upon the common stock they spend ; And nought perform of that which they pretend . Thy Butter-flies shall plague thee too ; ev'n those , Who wast their Lands and Rents , in gaudy clothes Or idle flutterings , and then spawn their seed , Upon thy godli●st flow'rs and herbs to feed . As beasts destroyed by the Murraine be , So they that are of beastly life in thee , By lewd example shal infect each other , And in their foul diseases rot together . On all thy people , or what sort soe're , Shall Scabs , and bile , and running sores appear , The fruits of their corruption . Yea , with pains ( Within their conscience , and with scars and blaines Of outward infamy ) they shal be grieved , And in their tortures perish unrelieved . Tempestious storms , upon this I le shall fall , Hot thunder-bolts , and Haile-stones therewithall , Men either too too hot , or too too cold , Or else luke warm . But few or none shall hold A rightfull temper : and these meteors wil Thy borders with a thousand mischieves fil , The Locust also , and the Palmer worms , Shall prey on what escapeth from the storms , Not they alone , which on the grass do breed ; But also , they who from the pit proceed Which hath no bottom and when any thing Doth by the dew of Heav'n begin to spring , They shal devour the same , til they have left thee , Nor leafe nor blossome ; but of all bereft thee . Then shall a darkness , far more black , Then when the light corporeal thou dost lack . For grossest ignorance ; o'reshadowing all , Shall in so thick a darkness thee inthrall , That thou a blockish people shalt be made , Stil wandring on in a deceiving sha●e ; Mistrusting those that safest paths are showing , Most trusting them , who counsel thy undoing ; And aye tormented be with doubts and fears , As one that outcries , in dark places hears . Nor shal the hand of God from thee return , Til he hath also more thine eldest-born , That is , til he hath taken from the quite , Ev'n that whereon thou fetst thy whole delight ; And filled ev'ry house throughout this Nation , With deaths unlooked for , and lamentation . So great shall be thy ruine , and thy shame , That when the neighbor kingdomes hear the same Their ears shal tingle . And when that day comes , In which thy follies must receive their dooms ; A day of clouds , a day of gloominess , A day of black despaire , and heaviness It wil appear . And then thy vanities , , Thy gold , thy silver , thy confederacies , And all those reeds on which thou hast depended ; Wil faile thy trust , and leave thee unbefriended . Thy Judge , thy Priests , and Prophets , then shal mourn And , peradventure , feignedly return To beg of God to succour them : but they Who wil not hearken to his voice to day , Shal cry unheeded : and he wil dispise Their vows , their prayers , and their sacrifice : A sea of troubles , all thy hopes shall swallow , As waves on waves , so plague on plague shal follow : And ev'ry thing that was a blessing to thee , Shal turn to be a curse ; and help undo thee . Thy Magistrates have to thee thy fathers bin : By means of them hath peace been kept within Thy sea-girt limits : they thy weale befriended , The blessed faith they stoutly have defended : But know , that , til thou shalt repent , no part Belongs to thee of what is his desert ; His princely vertues , to his own availe , Shall profit much : but they to thee shall faile . To thee his clemency shall seem severe , His favours all , shall injuries appear , And when thy sin is fully ripe in thee , Thy prince and people then alike shall be , Thou shalt have babes to be thy Iudges , or worse , Those tyrants who by cruelty and force Shal take away thy ancient freedomes quite , From all their Subjects , yea themselves delight , In their vexations : and all those that are Made slaves thereby , shal murther , yet not dare To stir against them . By degrees they shal Deprive thee of thy patrimonies all ; Compel thee ( as in other Lands this day ) For thine own meat , and thine own drink to pay . And at the last begin to exercise . Upon thy sons , all heathenish tyrannies , As just prerogatives . To these intents , Thy nobles shall become their instruments . For they who had their birth from noble races , Shall some and some be brought into disgraces ; From offices they shall excluded stand : And all their vertuous off-spring , from the Land , Shall quite be worn : instead of whom shall rise A brood advanced by impieties , By flattery , by purchase , and by that Which ev'ry truly noble one doth hate . From stems obscure , and out of mean professions , They shall ascend and mount by their ambitions , To seats of Justice , and those Names to bear , Which honor'd most within these nations are . And being thither got shall make more strong Their new-built greatness , by encreasing wrong . To those , wil some of these themselves unite , Who by their births to Lordly Stiles have right ; But viciously consuming their estate , Did from their fathers worths degenerate : By this confederacy , their nobler bloods Shall countenance the others il-got goods ; The others wealth again , shall keep from scorn Their beggery , who have been nobly born : And both together , being else unable , ( In this il course to make their standing stable ) Shall seek how they more great and strong may grow , By compassing the publike overthrow , They shal abuse thy friends with tailes and lies ; With seeming love and servile flatteries . They shall perswade them they have power to make Their wills their Law ; and as they please to take Their peoples goods , their children and their lives , Ev'n by their just and due Prerogatives . When thus much they have made them to believe , Then they shall teach them practises to grieve their subjects by ; and instruments become to help the sorewing up , by some and some , To compass their designs . They shall devise Strange projects , and with impudence and lyes , Proceed in setling them . They shall forget Those reverent usages , which do befit The majestie of State , and raile and storm , VVhen they pretend disorders to reform , In their high counsels , and where men should have Kind admonitions , and reprovings grave , VVhen they offend , they shall be threatned there , Or scoft , or taunted , though no cause appear . It is unseemly for a judge to sit And exercise a jibling School-boyes wit Upon their trades , or names , who stand before Their judgment seats : but who doth not abhor , To hear it , when a Magistrate objects , Birth , poverty , or personall defects In an upbraiding wise ? Or , who with me Derides it not , when in our Courts we see Those men , whose bodies are both old and weak , ( Forgetting grave and useful things to speak ) Vent Giants words , and bristle up as tho Their very breath could armies overthrow : VVhereas ( poor weaklings ) were there in their places No more authority , then in their faces , Their persons , or their language , all their chafing , And threatning , nothing would effect but laughing . For unto me big looks , and crying , hoh , As dreadful seems as when a Child cryes , boh , To fright his Nurse , yea such a bugbeare fashion Effecteth nought but scornful indignation . But in those times ( which nearer are than some Suppose perhaps ) such Rhetorick will come To be in use ; and arguments of Reason And just proceeding , wil be out of season . Their wisdome shal be folly ; and go nigh To bring contempt on their authority . Their Councel-table shal a snare be made , And those 'gainst whom they no just matter had , At first appearance , shal be urg'd to say Some word or other , ere they part away , Which wil betray their innocence to blame , And bring upon them detriment and shame : Yea , many times ( as David hath of old , Concerning such oppressors , wel fore-told ) To humble crouchings , and to feigned showes , Descend they shal to work mens overthrowes : And , what their subtilty doth fail to gain , They shal by rigour and by force obtain . What ever from thy people they can teare Or borrow , they shall keep , as if it were A prize which had been taken from the foe : And , they shal make no conscience what they do To prejudice Posteritie . For , they To gain their lust , hut for the present day , Shall with such love unto themselves endeavor , That ( though they knew it would undo for ever Their own posterity ) it shal not make Those Monsters any better course to take . Nay , God shall give them up for their offences , To such uncomely reprobated sences : And blind them so , that when the ax they see Ev'n hewing at the root of their own tree , By their own handy strokes , they shal not grieve For their approaching fall : no , nor believe Their fall approacheth ; nor assume that heed Which might prevent it , til they fall indeed . Thy Judges , Britain , in those days will bee Like roaring Lions , making prey of thee . God shall deliver thee into their hand , And they shall act their pleasure in the Land ; As once his Prophet threatned to that nation , VVhich doth exemplifie thy Desolation . Thy Priests ( as thou hast wallowed in excess ) Shal take delight in drink and wantonness . And those , whom thou dost call thy Noble ones Shall to the very marrow , gnaw thy bones . Thy Lawyers fulfully shall wrest thy Laws , And ( to the ruin of the common Cause ) Shal mis-interpret them , in hope of grace From those , who may dispoyle them of their place . Yea , that whereto they are obliged , both By conscience , by their calling , and their Oath To put in execution they shal feare , And leave them helpless , who oppressed are . Thy Prelates in the spoyl of thee shal share ; Thy Priests as light shall be as those that are The meanest persons : all their Prophesies Or Preachings shall be heresies and lies . The word of truth shal not in them remain , Their lips no wholsome knowledge shal retain , And all his outward means of saving grace , Thy God shall carry to another place . Mark wel , oh Britain ! what I now shal say , And do not sleightly pass these words away . But be assured that when God begins , To bring that vengeance on thee for thy sins , Which hazard shall with total over-throw , Thy Prophets , and thy Priests will sl●ely sow The seeds of that dissention , and sedition , Which time wil ripen for thy sad perdition , Ev'n they who formerly were of thy peace The happy instruments , shall then increase Thy troubles most . And , ev'n as when the Iews Gods truth-presaging Prophets did abuse , He suffered those who preached in his Name , Such falshoods , as the chiefest cause became Of their destruction : so if thou go on To make a scorn ( as thou hast often done ) Of them who seek thy welfare , he will send False Prophets that shal bring thee to thine end , By saying all things thou wouldst have them say , And lulling thee asleep in thine own way . If any brain-sick Fellow , whom the Devil Seduceth to inflict on thee some evil , Shall coyn false Doctrines , or perswade thee to Some foolish course that wil at length undo The Common-weal : his counsel thou shalt follow ; Thou , cover'd with his bait , a hook shalt swallow To rend thy entrails : and thine ignorance Shal also for that mischief him advance . But if that any lover of thy weal , Inspir'd with truth , and with an honest zeal , Shall tell thee ought pertaining to thy good , His Messages shal stiffly be withstood : That Seer shall charged not to see ; His word shall sleighted as a Po●sherd be : His life shal be traduced , to disgrace His counsels ; or , his errant to debase : Instead of recompence , he shal be sure Imprisonments or threatnings to procure : And peradventure ( as those Prophets were , Who did among the Iewish Peers declare Their States enormities ) his good intention , May be so wrong'd , that he , by some invention , May lose his life , with publike shame and hate , As one that is a troubler of the State . But not unless the Priest , thereto consent : For in those dayes shal few men innocent Be griev'd ( through any quarter of the Land ) In which thy Clergie shall not have some hand . If ever in the Fields ( as God forbid ) The Bloo● of thine own children shall be shed By civil discord , they shal blow the flame , That will become thy ruine , and thy shame . And thus it shall be kindled . When the times , Are nigh at worse ; and thy increasing crimes Almost compleat ; the Devil shal begin To bring strange crotchets , and opinions in Among thy teachers , which wil breed disunion , And interrupt the visible communion Of thy establish't Church , And , in the steed Of zealous Pastors , ( who Gods flock did feed ) There shal arise within thee , by degrees , A Clergie , that shall more desire to fleece , Then feed the flock . A clergie it shall be , Divided In it self : and they shall thee Divide among them , into sev'ral factions : VVhich rend thee will , and fill thee with destractions : They all in outward seeming shall pretend Gods glory , and to have one pious end : But , under colour of sincere devotion , Their studie shal be temporal promotion : YVhich wil among themselves strange quarrels make VVherein thy other children shal partake . As to the Persons , or the cause , they stand Affected , even quite throughout the Land . Now one great man among them gets the pow'r , From all the rest , and like an Emperour , Doth act his pleasure . And we know 't is common To have some foolish Favorite or woman , To govern him , so in a pop'lar State , Affairs are manag'd by the self same fate ; And either one or more away do steal The peoples hearts , and sway the Commonweale . Thus God is pleas'd , to humble and to raise : Thus he by sev'ral names , and sev'rall waies , The world doth govern . Yea thus ev'n in one nation , And in one State , he makes much alteration In forms of Government : of changing that Which is but accidentall to a State . And such his Justice , and his Wisdome is , That he preserveth by the means of this , Those things which do essentially pertain To that great power which over all doth reign . Nor is he pleased thus it should be done In States that meerly civil are alone ; But also in the Churches Governments , Allows the change of outward accidents . Yea , they to whom he gives the oversights Of some particular Church , may change old Rites , The Customes , Forms , or titles as occasions Are offered them ; or as the times , or Nations , Require a change : provided so , that they Take nothing which essential is away ; Nor add what shall repugne or prejudice Gods Laws , his prophets , or the liberties Of them that are his people . For , in what Hath any Church a pow'r , if not in that VVhich is indifferent ? Or , in what I pray VVil men the Church authority obey , If not in such like things ? Or who should be The Judge what is indifferent , if not she ? A private Spirit knows what best agrees With his own fancy , but the Church best sees , What fits the Congregation . For ; what gives , Offence to one , another man receives Much Comfort ; and his Conscience edifies . By disciplines which many do despise , There is I know , a middle-way that lies Ev'n just betwixt the two extremities , Which to sedition , and to faction tend . To find which tract , my whole desire I bend ; And wish it follow'd more . For , if we tread That harmless path , we cannot be misled ; Nor sham'd , though blam'd we be . To ev'ry man I faine would give his due ; and all I can I do endeavour it . I would not wrong My Countrey ; neither take what doth belong To Cesar : nor infringe , or prejudice , The Universall Churches liberties ; Nor for her outward discipline prefer Or censure any Church particular , Or any State , but as befit it may , His Muse , which nought but necedfull truths doth say . Nor have I any purpose to withdraw Obedience , or respect from any Law That 's positive , or to dishearten from Those Customes , which a Christian state become . Nor have I any thought to scandalize , Or speak amiss of Principalities ; Or , to traduce mens persons : but , I fall On errors of mens lives in generall , And , on those great abuses , which I see To blemish ev'ry calling and degree . Of Dignities and Persons , I observe , All means I can , their honours to preserve , VVhen I reprove their faults . And ev'n as he That hunteth Foxes , where Lambs feeding be , May fright that harmless flock , and suffer blame Of some By-standers , ( knowing not his Game ) VVhen from his Dogs , those innocents are free , And none but their devourers bitten be . So , though my reprehensions , often are Mistook by foolish Readers ; they are far From reprehending those , or taxing that VVhich is unfitting for my shooting at . I speak those things which wil advantage rather Then harm : and hence this blinded age may gather Much light . VVhich little volume doth relate Nought else but what is like to be our fate , If sin increase ; and what in former times Did fall on other Nations for their crimes . I utter what our welfare may increase , And help confirm us in a happy peace ; VVhich they wil never compass , who pursue To speak what 's pleasing , rather than what 's true , How ever , here my thoughts deliv'red be : Let God , as he shal please , deliver me . And if what here is mention'd , thou dost heed ( Oh Britain ! ) in those times that shall succeed , It may prevent much loss , and make thee shun Those mischiefs , whereby Kingdoms are undone . But to thy other sins if thou shalt add Rebellions ( as false Prophets wil perswade ) VVhich likely are to follow , when thou shalt In thy profession of Religion halt : Then wil thy Priests and People scourge each other , 〈◊〉 their offences , til both fail together : By weakning of your pow'rs to make them way , VVho seeek and look for that unhappy day : Then shall disorder ev'ry where abound And neither just not pious man be found . The best shal be a bryar or a thorn , By whom their neighbors shal be scratcht and torn . Thy Prophets shal to nothing condescend For any merit , just , or pious end ; But either for encreasing of their treasure , Or , for accomplishing their wilful , pleasure : And unto what they sel or daine for need ; There shall be given little trust or heed . For that which by their words confirm they shall , ( The Royal Seals uniting therewithal ) A toy shall frustrate ; and a gift shall make Their strickest Orders no effect to take . The judge , without a bribe , no cause shall end : No man shall trust his brother , or his friend : The Parents and the children shall despise And hate , and spoyle each other , she that lies VVithin her husbands bosome , shall betray him : They who thy people should protect , shall slay them , The aged shall regarded be of none : The poor shall by the rich be trodden on : Such grievous insolencies , every where Shall acted be , that good and bad shall fear In thee to dwel ; and men discreet shal hate To be a Ruler , or a Magistrate . VVhen they behold ( without impenitence ) So much injustice , and such violence . And when thy wickedness this height shal gain , To which ( no doubt ) it wil ere long attain , If thou proceed : then from the bow that 's bent And halfe way drawn already , shal be sent A morral arrow , and it pierce thee shal Quite through the head , the Liver , and the Gall . The Lord shall call , and whistle from afarre , For those thy enemies that fiercest are : For those thou fearest most ; and they shall from Their Countreys , like a whirlwind hither come , They shall not sleep , nor slumber , nor untie Their garments till within thy field they lye , Sharp shall their arrows be , and strong their bow , Their faces shall as ful of honor show As doth a Lions . Like a bolt of thunder Their troops of horse shall come and tread thee under Their iron feet : thy Foes shall eat thy bread . And with thy flocks both clothed be and fed . Thy dwellers , they shall carry from their own , To Countries which their fathers have not known , And thither shall such mischiefs them pursue , That they who seek the pit-fall to eschew , Shall in a snare be taken . If they shall Escape the sword , a Serpent in the wall To death shall sting them : yea , ( although they hap To shun a hundred plagues ) they shall not escape ; But , with new dangers stil be chac'd about , Until that they are wholly rooted out . The Plowman then shal be afraid to sowe , Artificers their labour shal sorgoe ; The Merchant man shal cross the Seas no more , ( Except to fly , and seek some other Shore ) Thy ablest men shall faint : thy wise-ones then , Shal know themselves to be but foolish men . And they who built and planted by oppression , Shal leave their gettings to the foes possession . Yea , God wil scourge thee , England , seven times more With seven times greater Plagues than heretofore : Then , thy allies their friendship shal with-draw ; And , they that of thy greatness stand in awe , Shal say in scorn , Is this the valiant Nation , That had throughout the world such reputation By victories upon the shore ? are these That people which was Master of the Seas , And grew so mighty ? yea , that petty Nation That were not worthy of thy indignation , Shal mock thee too ; and all thy former fame Forgot shall be , or mentioned to thy shame . Mark how Gods plagues were doubled on the Jews , When they his mildrorrections did abuse : Mark what at last upon their land he sent : And , look thou for the self-same punishment , If them thou imitatest . For their sin At first , but eight yeers bondage they were in . Their wickedness grew more , and God did then , To Eglon make them slaves eight yeers and ten , They disobeying still , the God of heaven , Their yeer of Servitude were twenty seven , To Iabin and to Midian : then prevailed Philistia forty yeers ; and when that failed , To make them of their evil wayes repent , There was among themselves a fatal rent ; And , they oft scourg'd each other . Still they trod The self-same path ; and then the hand of God ●rought Ashur on them ; and did make them beare His heavy yoke untill the seventeenth yeer . And last of all the Roman Empire came , Which from their Countrey rooted out their name , That foolish project which they did imbrace , To keep them in possession of their place , Did loose it : and , like Cain , that vagrant nation , Hath now remain'd in fearful desolation , Nigh sixteen hundred years ; and whatsoere Some lately dream , in vain they look for here A temp'ral Kingdome . For , as long ago Their Psalmist said , No Prophet doth foreshow This thraldomes end . Nor shall it end until The Gentiles their just number do fulfil : Which is unlike to be until that hour , In which there shall be no more temporall pow'r , Of temporall Kingdome ; therefore gather them ( Oh Lord ! ) unto thy new Jerusalem , In thy due time . For , yet unto that place They have a promist right , by thy meer grace , To those who shal repent , thy firm Election Continues in this temporall rejection . Oh! shew thy mercy in their desolation , That thou maist honor'd be in their salvation Yea , teach us also , by their fearfull fall , To hearken to thy voice , when thou dost call ; ( Lest thou in anger unto us protest , That we shall never come into thy rest . ) For we have follow'd them in all their sin ; Such , and so many , have our warnings bin : And if thou stil prolong not thy compassion , To us belongs the selfe-same desolation . And it wil shortly come , with all those terrors That we on them inflicted , for their errors . Then wo shall be to them that heretofore By joyning house to house expell'd the poor ; And field have into field incoporated , Until their town-ship were depopulated . For desolate their dwelling shall be made : Ev●n in their blood the Lord shall bathe his blade : And they that have by avarice and wiles , Erected Pallaces and costly piles ; Shal think the stones and timbers in the wall , Aloud to God , for vengeance on them call . Then wo shal be to them who early rise To eat and drink , and play , and wantonnize ; Stil adding sin to sin , for , they the pain Of cold , and thirst , and hunger , shal sustain ; And be the servile slaves of them that are Their foes , as to their lusts they captives were . Then wo to them who darkness more have lov'd Then light , and good advice have disapprov'd : For they shall wander in a crooked path , Which neither light , nor end , nor comfort hath . And when for guides and Counsel they do cry , Not one shal pitty them who passeth by . Then wo to them that have corrupted bin , To justifie the wicked in his sin : Or for a bribe ; the righteous to condemn : For flames ( as on the chaff ) shall seize on them : Their bodies to the dunghill shal be cast : Their flowre shal turn to dust ; their stock shal wast , And all the Glorious titles they have worn , Shal but increase their infamy and scorn , Then wo to them that have been rais'd aloft By good mens ruines , and by laying soft And easie pillows , under great mens arms , To make them pleas'd in their alluring charms . Then wo to them who being grown afraid Of some nigh peril , sought unlawful aid ; And settings Gods protection quite aside , Upon their own inventions have rely'd . For God their foolish hopes wil bring to nought ; On them , their feared mischief shal be brought ; And all their wit and strength , shal not suffice , To have their sorrow of , which on them lies . Yea , then , Oh Britain ! wo to ev'ry one , That hath without repentance evil done : For , those who do not heed , not bear in mind His visitings , Gods reaching hand will find ; And they with howling cryes and lamentation , Shal sue and seek , in vain , for his compassion . Because they careless of his mercies were , Til in consuming wrath he did appear . Burst I we set far off that evil day , In dul security we pass away Our precious time ; and with vain hopes and toyes , Build up a trust which ev'ry puffe destroyes . And therefore stil when healing is expected , New and unlookt for troubles are effected . We gather armies and we Fleets prepare : And then both strong and safe we think we are But when we look for victories and glory , What follows , but events that make us sorry ? And 't is Gods mercie that we turn our faces With so few losses , and no more disgraces . For what are most of those whom we commend Such actions to ; and whom we forth do send To fights those battels , which the Lords we call , But , such as never fight for him at all ? Whom dost thou make thy Captains , and dispose Such offices unto , but unto those ( Some few excepted ) who procure by friends , Command and pay , to serve their private ends ? This Iland hath some sense of what the ayles , And very much , this evil times bewailes : But not our sins do we so much lament , Or mourn , that God for them is discontent , As that the plagues , they being disturb our pleasures , Encrease our dangers and exhaust our treasures . And for these causes , now and then we fast , And pray , as long as halfe a day doth last , For if the Sun do but a little clear That Cloud , from which a tempest we do fear , What kinde of grief we took we plainly shew By those rejoycings which thereon ensue : For in the stead of such due thankfulness , As Christian zeal obligeth to express ; To pleasure ( not to God ) we sacrifice ; Renew our sins , revive our vanities ; And all our vowed gratitude expires , In games , in guns , in bels , in health , or Fires . We fain would be at peace : but few men go That way , as yet , whereby it may be so . We have not that humility which must Effect it : we are false , and cannot trust Each other ; no nor God with true confessions : Which shews that we abhor not our transgressions . It proves , that of our errors , we in heart Repent not , neither purpose to depart From any folly , For all they that are Sincerely penitent , do nothing fear So much as their own guilt ; nor seek to gain Ought more , than to be reconcil'd again . And they that are thus minded , never can Be long unreconcil'd to God , or man . When we should stoop , we most our selves exalt , ●nd though we be , would not be thought in fault . Nay , though we faulty be , and thought and known , And proved so , and see that we are thrown By our apparent errors into straits , From which we cannot get by all our sleights . Yet stil our selves we vaunt and justifie , And struggle , til the snare we faster tye . We sin , and we to boast it have no shame , Yet storm when others do our follies name : And rather then wee wil so much as say We did amiss ( though that might wipe away The stain of all ) I think that some of us So wilful are , so proud , and mischievous , That we our selves , would run , and our Nation , To keep our shadow of a Reputation . Oh! if we are thus head-strong , 't is unlike We any part of our proud failes wil strike Til they have sunk our vessel in the sea , Or by the furious winds are torn away . 'T were better , tho , we did confess our wound , Than hide it til our state grew more unsound . 'T were better we some wealth or office lost , Then keep them , til our lives , and all it cost : And therefore , let us w●ely be advised , Before we by a tempest be surprised . Down first with our top-gallants , and our Flags ; In storms the skilfull●st Pilots make no brags . Let us ( if that be not enough ) let fall Our Misne-yard , and strike our top-sailes all . If this we find be not enough to do , Strike Fore-saile , Sprit-saile , yea and Mainsaile too . And , rather then our Ship should sink or rend : Let 's over-board , goods , mast , and tanckling send . Save but the Hul the Master , and the men ; And we may live to scour the seas agen . Believe it England , howsoever some Who should foresee thy plagues before they come , Endeavour to perswade thee that thou hast A hopeful time , and that the worst is past . Yet , I dare boldly tel thee , thou hast nigh Worn out Gods patience by impiety . And that unless the same we do renue By penitence our folly we shall rue . But what am I , that me thou should'st believe ? Or unto what I tel , credit give ? It may be this adultrous Generation Expecteth tokens of her desolation ; And therefore I wil give them signes of that Which they are now almost arrived at . Nor signes , so mysticall as most of those Which did the ruine of the Jews disclose ; But sings as evident as are the day . For know ye Britaines , that what God did say Ierusalems destruction should foreshew , He spake to ev'ry State that should ensue . And that he nought of her or to her spake , For hers alone , but also for our sake . One sign that Gods long-suffering we have tyred , And that his patience is almost expired , Is that , that many judgments he hath sent , And stil remov'd them e're we did repent . For God ( ev'n by his holiness ) did sweare , ( Saith Amos ) such a Nation he wil tear With bryars , and with Fish-hooks rend away The whole posterity of such as they . Clean teeth ( saith God ) I gave them ; and with bread In many places , them I scantly fed ; And yet they sought me not : then I restrained The dews of heaven , upon this field I rained , And not on that ; yea , to one City came Some two or three , to quench their thirsty flame ; Yet to return to me no care they took ; With blastings then , and Meldews I them strook ; And mixt amongst their fruits the Palmer-worme Yet they their lives did not a jot reform , Then did I send the Pestilence ( said he ) Devoured , by the sword , their young men be ; Their Horse are slain , and up to Heaven ascends Their stink ; yet I discover no amends . The self same things thy God in thee hath done , Oh England ! yet , here follows thereupon So small amendment , that they are a sign To thee ; and their sharp Judgement wil be thine . The second token which doth fore-declare When Cities , States , and Realms , declining are , Ev'n Christ himself hath left us : for , ( saith he ) VVhen Desolation shall approaching be , Of wars , and warlike rumors ye shal hear ; Rare signes and tokens wil in heaven appear ; Down from the Firm ament the stars shall fall ; The hearts of many men , then , sail them shall ; There wil be many scandals and offences ; Great Earthquakes , Schismes , Dearths , and Pestilences , Realm , Realm , and Nation , Nation , shall oppose ; The nearest friends shal be the greatest soes , Against the Church shal many tyranniz● ; Deceivers , and false Prophets , shal arise ; In ev'ry place shal wickedness abound ; Tnd charity shal very cold be found . This Christ himself did Prophecy : and we Are doubtless blind , unless confest it be , That at this hour , upon this Kingdome here , These marks of desolation viewed are . How often have we seen prodigious lights , O' respread the face of heav'n in moonless nights ? How many dreadfull Meteors , have there been In this our Climate , lately heard and seen ? Who knoweth not that but a while ago A great Eclipse did threat , if not foreshow Gods Judgements ? In what age , to fore did hear So many , who did Saints and Scars appear , Fall ( as it were ) from heav'n ? Or who hath heard Of greater eathquakes , than hath lately scar'd These quarters of the world ? How oft , the touch , Of famine have we had ? But , when so much Devoured by the Pestilence were we , As in this present year our folks shall be , Of wars , and martial rumors , never more Were heard within these confines heretofore ; When were all Kingdomes , and all Nations through The world , so opposite as they are now ? I 've been in no Countrey , whether nigh or far , But is engag'd or threatned with some war . All places , either present woes bewaile ; Or else things feared make mens hearts to faile . False Prophets , and Deceivers we have many ; We scarcely find integrity in any : The name of Christ begins in ev'ry place To suffer persecution and disgrace ; And we the greatest jeopardies are in , Among our neighbors , and our nearest kin , Strange heresies do ev'ry where encrease , Disturbing Sion , and exiling peace . Impiety doth multiply . True love Grows cold . And if these tokens do not prove Our fall draws on , unless we do amend ? I know not when our folly shall have end . A third apparent sign which doth declare VVhen some devouring plague approacheth neer , Is when a Nation doth anew begin To let Idolatry to enter in : And openly or secretly give place To heresie where truth establisht was : Or , when like Ieroboam to possess An outward profit , or a temporal peace , They either change Religions , or devise A worship which doth mix Idolatries With truth . For this , ev'n for this very crime , The King of Ashur , in Hosea's time Led Isr'el captive . And , both from the sight Of God , and from the house ef David quite They were cut off forever , and did neither Serve God nor Idols ; but ev'n both together ; In such a mixt Religion as is that Which some among us , now have aimed at . Mark England , and I prethee mark it well , If this offence which ruin'd Israel , On thee appear not : and if so it be , Amend , or look for what it threatens thee . The fourth true token , which doth fore-express The ruine of a Land for wickedness , Is when the Priests and Magistrates begin , To grow extremely impudent in sin . This Sign the Prophet Micah giveth us ; And he ( not I ) to you cries loudly thus : Heare , O ye house of Iacob , and all yee That Princes of the house of Israel bee : Ye Iustice hate , and ye pervert what 's good ; Ye build the walls of Sion up with blood ; Ierusalem with sin , ye up have rear'd , Your Iudges pass their censures for reward ; Your Priests do preach for hire , your Prophets do Like them ; and prophecy for money too . And , for this cause shall Sion mount ( saith he ) Ev'n like a plowed field become to be ; And like a Forrest hill where bushes grow , The Citie of Ierusalem shall show . Change but the names , oh Britain ! and that token Of desolation unto thee is spoken . For , what this day thy Priests and Prophets are , Their actions and the peoples cries declare . A fifth sure evidence , that the cause , for which God among Thy ruins wil entomb thy fame ere long ( If thou repent not ) is this , that thou Dost ev'ry day the more ungodly grow , By how much more the blessed means of grace Doth multiply it self in ev'ry place . God sends unto thee many learned Preachers Apostles , Pastors , and all kind of teachers ; His Visions and his Prophecies upon thee He multiplies : and ( that he might have won thee To more sincerity ) on all occasions By counsel , by entreaty , and perswasions , He hath advis'd , assured and besought thee , With precept upon precept he hath taught thee ; By line on line , by miracle , by reason , In ev'ry place , in season , out of season ; By little and by little , and by much Sometime at once : Yet is thy nature such , That still thou waxest worse ; and in the room Of pleasant Grapes , more thistles daily come : And thou that art so haughty , and so proud , For this , shalt vanish like an empty cloud ; And , as a Lion , Leopard , or a Beare , Thy God , for this , shall thee in pieces teare . If thou suppose my muse did this devise , Go take it from Hosea's prophesies . The six undoubted signal when the last Good days of sinful Realms are almost past , Is when the people neer to God shal draw In word , to make profession of his Law : And by their tongues his praises forth declare ! Yet in their hearts from him continue far . To such a Land , their destiny displayes Isajah : for even thus the Prophet sayes : God wil produce a marvel in that state And do a work that men shall wonder at ; The wisdome of their wisest Counseller , Shal perish , and their prudent men shal erre . On their deep Counsels , sorrow shal attend ; Their secret plots shal have a dismall end ; Their giddy projects which they have devised , Shal as the Potters Clay be quite dispised . Like Carmel , Lebanon , shal seem , and he Like Lebanon , shal make mount Carmel be . Their pleasant Fields like desarts shal appear ; And there shal Gardens be , where desarts are . God keep ( thou Brittish Ile ) this plague from thee For signes thereof upon thy body be . Thou of the purest worship mak'st profession ; Yet , waxest more impure in thy condition . Thou boastest of the knowledge of Gods word , Yet thereunto in manners to accord Thou dost refuse . Thou makest protestation Of pietie ; yet hatest reformation . Yea when when thy tongue doth sing of praise divine , Thy heart doth plot some temporall designe . And some of those , who in this wise are Holy , Begin to shew their wisdome wil be folly . For when from sight their snares they deepest hide , By God almightles eyes they are espy'd . The seventh symptome of a dreadful blow , If not of a perpetual overthrow , Is when a slumbring spirit doth surprize A Nation , and hath closed up their eys : Or when the Prophets and the Seers are So clouded , that plain truths do not appear : Or when the Visions evidently seen Are passed by , as if they had not been : Or when to Nations who can read , God gives His Book● ; and thereof doth unseal the leafes , And bids them read the same , which they to do Deny , or plead unableness thereto . Black signes are these . For if that book to them , Stil dark ; or as a Book unsealed seem ; Or , if they heed no more what here is said , Then they that have the Book and cannot read ; The Iudgements last repeated , are the doom , That shall on such a stupid Nation come . This signe is come on us , for , lo , unsealed Gods Book is now amongst us , and revealed Are all the Mysteries which do concern The children of this present age to learn . So wel hath hath he instructed this our Land , That we not only read , but understand The secrets of his Word . The Prophesies Of his chiefe Seers , are before our eyes , Unveiled : true interpretations Are made , and many proper applications Ev'n to our selves , yet is our heart so blind , That what we know and see we do not mind . We hear and speak , and much adoe we keep , But we as senseless are as men asleep . What then we do . Yea , while that we are talking . What snares are in the way where we are walking , We heed not what we say , but pass along ; And , many times , are fast insnar'd among Those mischiefs , and those faults we did condemn , Before our tongues have lost to mention them . For our neglect of God in former times , ( Or for some present unrepented crimes ) A slumbring Spirit so possesseth us , That our estate is wondrous dangerous . We see and hear , and tel to one another Our perils , yet we headlong hast together To wilful ruine , and are grown so mad , That when our friends a better course perswade , Or seek to stop us ( when they see we run That way in which we cannot ruine shun ) We persecute those men with all our soul , That we may damn our selves without controul . The eight plain sign , by which I understand That some devouring mischiefs are at hand , Is that maliciousness which I do see Among professors of one Faith to be . We have but one Father and one Mother , Do persecute and torture one another . So hotly we oppose not antichrist , As we our fellow Brethren do resist . The Protestant , the Protestant defies ; And we our selves , our selves do scandalize . Our Church we have exposed to more scorn ; And her fair seamless Vestment rent , and torn , By our own fury , more than by their spight Who are to us directly opposite , To save an apple we the tree destroy , And quarrels make for ev'ry needless toy , From us if any brother differ shall But in a crotchet , we upon him fall As eagerly , and with as bitter hate , As if we knew him for a Reprobate . And what ever all this doth signifie , Saint Paul ( by way of caveat ) doth imply . Take heed ( saith he ) lest while ye bite each other , You of your selves , consumed be together . Another sign , which causeth me to fear , That our confusion is approaching neer , Are those divisions , which I have espide In Church and Common-wealth , this present tide . We cannot hide these rents ; for they do gape So wide , that some their jaws can hardly scape . Would God , the way to close them up we knew , Else what they threaten time wil shortly shew ; For , all men know , a City or a Land , VVithin it self divided , cannot stand . The last black Signe that here I wil repeat , ( VVhich doth to Kingdomes desolation threat ) Is when the hand of God almighty brings ; The People into bondage to their Kings . I say , when their own Judges shall take delight , Those whom he should protect , to rob , and smite . When they who fed the Sheep , the Sheep shal kil , And eat them ; and suppose they do il . When God gives up a Nation unto those That are their neighbors , that they may , as foes , Devour them . When ( Oh England ! ) thou shalt see This come to pass , a sign it is to thee That God is angry , and a certain token That into pieces thou shalt quite be broken : If not by forraine strength : by force at home ; And that thy greater torment wil become . This vengeance , and this fearful preparation , Of bringing ruine on a sinful nation , If they remain impenitentent the Lord Doth menace ; and by Zachary record , To make us wise . Oh! let us therefore learn , What now is comming on us to discern . For , ( wel considered , if all things were ) From this captivity , we seem not far . It now already seems to be projected ; Nay , little wants of being quite effected . But , if God should from us , as God forbid , Take him , as once he good Iosiah did , He also wil ( unless we mend ) perchance , In times to come , a Shepheard here advance , Who shal not plead for what his Young men say Is just ; but take the same , perforce , away . An Idol Shepheard , who shal neither care To find or seek for those that starved are ; Nor guard the Lambs ; nor cure what hath a wound ; Nor cherish those that firm to him are found ; But take the fat , and rob them of their fleeces And eat their flesh , and break their bones in pieces . More signes I might , as yet , commemorate , To shew Gods patience is nigh out of date . But these are signes enough , and so apparent , That twenty more wil give no better warrant To what I speak . Yet , if these false appear , That 's one signe more , our fall approacheth neere . Be mindful , therefore , while it is to Day ; And let no good occasion slip away . Now rend your hearts , ye Britaines , wash & rinse them From all corruption , from all evil clense them . Go offer up the pleasing sacrifice Of Righteousness , from folly turn your eyes , Seek peace , and follow it , with strict pursuit : Relieve the needy , Judgment execute ; Refresh the weary , right the fatherless : The strangers , and the widows wants redress : Give praise to God , depend with lowly faith , On him , and what is holy Spirit faith : Remember what a price thy ransome cost ; And now redeme the time that thou hast lost . Return , return thou ( oh back-sliding Nation ) And let thy tears prevent thy desolation . As yet , thou maist return : for , Gods embrace Is open for thee , if thou hast the grace , To give it meeting . Yet , repentance may Prevent the mischiefs of that evil day , Which here is menac'd : yet , thou maist have peace , And by discreet endeavouring , encrease Each outward grace , and ev'ry inward thing , Which wil additions to thy comfort bring . If this thou do ; these fearful threatnings all , ( Repeated here ) to mercies change he shall . We cannot fay , it wil excuse thee from All chastisement , or that no blow shall come . For , peradventure , thou so long hast bin Unpenitent , that some loud crying sin Hath wak'd that Vengeance , which upon thy crimes Must fall ( as once in Ieremiahs times ) VVithout prevention ; to exemplifie Gods hate of sin to all posterity . But , sure we are , that if he doth not stay His threatned hand , the stroke that he doth lay VVil fall the lighter ; and become a blessing , Thy future joyes , and vertues more encreasing , Than all that large prosperity and rest . VVhich thou , so long together hast possest . God ( with a writers Ink-horn ) one hath sent , To set a mark on them that shal repent ; And bids him promise in his Name , that they VVho shall , recanting , leave their evil way , And in their hearts , bewaile the grievous crimes , And miseries of Sion , in their times . That they shal be secure and saved from The hand of these destroyers which must come : Or else by their destruction find a way To that repairing which wil ne're decay . Yea , thou , oh Britaine ! if thou couldst reform Thy manners , might●st expel the dreadful storm Now threatned ; and thy foes ( who triumph would The ruine of thy glory to behold , And jeere thee when thou fallest ) soon shal see Thy God returning and avenging thee On their insultings : yea , with angry blows He would effect their shameful overthrows . Or turn their hearts . For when from sin men cease , God makes their enemies and them at peace . Moreover thou shalt have in thy possessing , Each inward grace , and ev'ry outward blessing ; Thy fruitful Herds shal in rich pastures feed ; Thy soyle shall plenteously encrease thy seed ; Thy Flock , shal neither Shepheards want , nor meat ; Clean provander , thy stabled beast shal eat ; There shall be Rivers in thy Dales , and Fountains Upon the tops of all thy noblest Mountains : The Moon shal cast upon thee beams as bright As now the Sun , and with a seven fold light The Sun shal bless thee . He that Rules in thee , To all his people reconcil'd shal be ; And they shal find themselves no whit deceived , In those good hopes which are of him conceived ; But he , ( and they , who shall his throne possess When he is gone ) shal reign in righteousness ; And be more careful of thy weal by far , Than Parents of their childrens profits are : Thy Magistrates , with wisdome shall proceed In all that shall be counsell'd or decreed . As Harbours , when it blows tempestuously ; As Rivers into places over-dry ; As Shadows are to men opprest with heat ; As to a hungry Stomack wholsome meat ; To thee so welcom , and as much contenting , Thy Nobles wil becom , on thy repenting . Thy Priests shal preach true doctrines in thy temples , And make it fruitful by their good examples . Thy God with righteousness shal them array , And hear and answer them , when they do pray . Thy eyes that yet are blinded , shal be clear ; Thy ears , that then are deafned , then shal hear ; Thy tongue , that stammers now , shal then speak plain ; Thy heart shal perfect understanding gain ; The preaching of the Gospel shal encrease ; Thy God shal make thy comforts and thy peace , To flow as doth a River ; they who plant , The blessing of their labor shal not want ; Thy poorest people shal at ful be fed ; The meek shal of no tyrant stand in dread ; Thou shalt have grace and knowledg , to avoid Those things whereby the rest may be annoid ; Thou shalt possess thy wished blessings all ; And God shal hear the stil before thou call . But as a Chime , whose frets disordered grow , Can never cause it self in tune to go , Nor chime at all , until some cunning hand Doth make the same again in order stand : Or , as the Clock , whose plummets are not weight , Strikes sometimes one for three , and six for eight ; So fareth it with men and kingdomes all , When once from their integrity they fall . They may their motion hurry out of frame , But have no power to rectifie the same . That curious hand which first those pieces wrought , Must mend them stil , or they wil stil be nought . To thee I therefore now my speech convert , Thou Famous Artist , who Creator art Of heav'n and earth , and of those goodly spheares , That now have whirled many thousand yeeres . ( And shall until thy pleasure gives it ending ) In their perpetual motion without mending . Oh! be thou pleased , by thy pow'rful hand , To set in order this depraved Land . Our whole foundation , Lord , is out of course ; And ev'ry thing stil groweth worse and worse , The way that leads quite from thee , we have tooke Thy Covenant , and all thy Lawes are broke ; In mischiefs , and in folly , is our pleasure ; Our crying sins have almost fill'd their measure ; Yet , ev'ry day we had a new transgression And stil abuse thy favour and compassion . Our governour , our Prelates , and our Nobles , Have by their sins encrease , encreast our trouble . Our Priests , and all the people , have misgone ; All kind of evil deeds , we all have done . VVe have not lived as those means of grace Require , which thou hast granted lo this place : But rather worse than many who have had Less helps than we , of being better made . No Nation under heav'n so lew'd hath bin , That had so many warnings for their sin , And such perpetuall callings on , as we , To leave our wickedness , and turn to thee . Yet , we in stead of turning , furthe went ; And when thy Mercies and thy Plagues were sent To pul us back ; they seldome wrought our fray , Or moved to repentance one whole day . No blessing , no affliction , hath a power , To move compunction in us , for one hour , Unless thou work it . All that I can speak And all that I have spoken , til thou breake And mollifie the heart , wil fruitless be , Not onely in my hearers , but in me . If thou prepare not way for more esteeme , All these Remembrances , wil foolish seeme , Nay these , in stead of moving to repent , VVil indignation move , and discontent ; Which wil mens hardned hearts obdurate more , And make their fault much greater then before . Unless thou give a blessing , I may strive As wel to make a marble stone alive , As to effect my purpose : yea , all this , Like wholsome counsel to a mad man is , And I for my good meaning shall be torn In pieces , or exposed be to scorn . For they against thy word do stop their ear , And wild in disobedience , wil not hear . In this , we all confess our selves to blame , And that we therefore have deserved shame . Yea Lord , we do acknowledg● , that for this , There nothing else to us pertaining is , ( Respecting our own worth ) but desolation , And finall rooting out , without compassion . But gracious God , though such our merit be , Yet mercy stil pertaineth unto thee . To thee the act of pard'ning and forgiving , ] As much belongs ( oh Father everliving ) As plagues to us : and it were better far Our sins had less than their deservings are , Then that thy Clemency should be out-gone ; By all the wickedness that can be done . As wel as theirs whose lives now left them have , Thou canst command those bodies from the grave , Who stink , and putrifie , and buryed be In their corruption . Such , oh Sord ! are we , Oh! call us from this grave , and shew thy pow'r Upon this much polluted Land of our , Forgive us all our slips , our negligences , Our sins of knowledge , and our ignorances ; Our daring wickedness ; our bloody crimes , And all the faults of past and present times . Permit not thy just wrath to burn for ever ; In thy displeasure do not stil persever , But call us from that pit of Death , and Sin , And from that path of Hel which we are in . Remember , that this Vinyard hath a Vine , VVhich had her planting by that hand of thine , Remember , when from Egypt thou remov'dst it , VVith what entire affection , then , thou lov'dst it . How thou didst weed and dress it heretofore , How thou didst fence it from the Forrest Bore , And think how sweet a vintage then it brought , VVhen thy first work upon them thou had'st wrought . Remember , that without thy daily care , The choicest plants , soon wild and fruitless are , And that as long as thou dost prune and dress , The sowrest Vine shal bring a sweet encrease . Remember , also Lord , how stil that I oe , VVho first pursued us , doth seek to sow His tares among thy wheat ; and to his pow'r , Break down thy fence , and trample and devour The seeds of grace , as soon as they do sprout ; And is too strong for us to keep him out . Oh! let not him prevail , such harm to do us , As he desires , but Lord , return unto us . Return in mercy : though thou find us slack To come our selves , fetch , draw , and pul us back From our own courses , by thy grace divine , And set , and keep us , in each way of thine . Vouchsafe that every one in his degree , The secret error of his life may see , And in his lawful calling all his dayes , Perform his Christian duty to thy praise . Give peace this troublous age ; for perillous The times are grown , and no man fights for us But thou , oh God! nor do we seek or crave That any other Champion we may have . Nay , give us troubles , if thy wil be so , That we may have thy strength to bear them too ; And in affliction thee more glorifie , Then here heretofore in our prosperity . For when thy countenance on us did shine , Those Lands that boasted of their corn and wine , Had not that joy which thou didst then inspire , VVhen we were boyld and fryde in blood and fire . Oh! give us again that joy , although it cost us Our lives . Restore thou what our sin hath lost us , Thy Church in these Dominions . Lord preserve In purity : and teach us thee to serve In holiness and righteousness , until VVe shal the number of our dayes fulfil , Defend these Nations from all overthrows , By forraign enemies , or home-bred foes . Our State with ev'ry grace and vertue bless , VVhich may thine honor and its own increase . Inflame our Nobles with more love and zeal , To thy true Spouse , and to his Commonweale , Inspire our Clergy in their several places , VVith knowledge , and all sanctifying graces ; That by their lives and Doctrines they may rear Those parts of Sion which decayed are . Awake this People give them souls that may Believe thy VVord , and thy commands obey . The plagues deserv'd already , save them from . More watchful make them , in all times to come . For blessings past , let hearty thanks be given . For present ones , let sacrifice to heav'n Be daily offered up . For what is needing ( Or may be useful in the time succeding ) Let faithful Prayers to thy throne be sent , With heart and hands upright and innocent : And let all this the better furthered be , Through these Remembrances now brought by me . For which high favour , and imboldning thus My spirit , in a time so dangerous ; For chusing me , that am so despicable , To be imployed in this honorable And great imployment ( which I more esteem , Than to be crowned with a Diadem ) For thy enabling me in this Embassage ; For bringing to conclusion this my Message ; For sparing of my life , when thousands dy'd , Before , behind me , and on ev'ry side ; For saving of me many a time since then , VVhen I had forfeited my soul agen ; For all those griefs and poverties , by which I am in better things made great , and rich , Then all that wealth and honor brings man to , Wherewith the world doth keep so much ado : For all which thou to me on earth hast given ; For all , which doth concern my hopes of heaven ; For these and those innumerable graces , Vouchsafed me at , at sundry times and places , Unthought upon , unfeigned praise I render : Lnd for a living sacrifice I tender To thee ( oh God ) my body , soul , and all , Which mine I may , by thy donation , call . Accept it blessed Maker , for his sake Who did this offring acceptable make By giving up himself . Oh! look thou not Upon those blemishes which I have got By naturall corruption ; or by those Polluted acts which from that ulcer flows , According to my skill , I have enroll'd Thy Mercies ; and thy Justice I have told . I have not hid thy workings in my brest ; But as I could , their pow'r I have exprest . Among our great assemblies , to declare Thy wil and pleasure , lo , I do not fear : And though by Princes I am checkt and blamed ; To speak the truth , I am no whit ashamed . Oh! shew thou , Lord , thy mercy so to me , And let thy love and truth , my guardians be . Forgive me all the follies of my youth ; My faulty deeds ; the errors of my mouth ; The wandrings of my heart , and ev'ry one Of those good works that I have left undone . Forgive me all wherein I did amiss , Since thou employd'st me in performing this : My doubting of thy calling me unto it , My fears , which oft disheartned me to do it ; My sloth , my negligences , my evasions , And my deferring it , on vain occasions , VVhen I had vowed that no work of mine , Should take me up , til I had finisht thine . Lord , pardone this ; and let no future sin , Nor what already hath committed bin , Prophane this Work , or cause the same to be The lesse effectual to this Land , or me . But to my self ( Oh Lord ) and others , let it So moving be , that we may ne're forget it . Let not the evil , nor the good effect It takes , or puff me up , or me deject : Or make me think that I the better am , Because I tel how others are to blame : But let it keep me in a Christian fear , Stil humbly heedful what my actions are . Let all those observations I have had , Of others errors , be occasion made To minde me of mine own . And lest I erre , Let ev'ry man be my Remembrancer ; With so much charity , as I have sought To bring their duties more into our thought . And if in any sin I linger long , Without repentance ; Lord , let ev'ry tongue That names me , check me for it : and to me Become , what I to others fain would be . Oh! Let me not be like those busie brooms , Which having cleansed many nasty rooms , Do make themselves the fouler : but sweet Father , Let me be like the precious Diamond rather , Which doth by polishing another stone , The better shape and lustre , set upon His own rough body . Let my life be such , As that mans ought to be , who knoweth much Of thy good pleasure . And most awful God , Let none of those who spread of me abroad Unjust reports , the Devils purpose gain , By making these my warnings prove in vain To those that heare them , but let such disgaces Reflect with shame , upon their authors faces , Til they repent . And let their scandall serve Within my heart true meekness to preserve ; And that humility which else perchance , Vain-glory , or some naturall arrogance Might overthrow , if I should think upon With carnal thoughts , some good my lines have done . Restrain , moreover , them who out of pride , Or ignorance , this Labour shal deride . Make them perceive who , shal prefer a story , Composed for some temporall friends glory , Before those Poems which thy works declare , That vain and witless their opinions are ; And if by thee I was appointed Lord , Thy judgements and thy merc●es to record , As here I do , set thou thy mark on those , Who shal despitefully the same oppose : And let it pulikely be seen of all , Til of their malice they repent them shall . As I my conscience have discharged here , Without concealing ought for love , or fear ; From furious men let me preserved be , And from the scorn of ●ools deliver ●e Vouchsafe at length some comforting reflection , According to the years of my affliction . On me , for good , some token please to show , That they who see it , may thy bounty know ; Rejoyce , with fellow-feeling of the same , And joyne with me , in praising of thy Name . And least ( oh Lord ! ) some weak ones may despise My words because of such necessities As they have brought upon me , by their spight , Who to my studies have bin opposite ; Oh! give me that , which may sufficient be To make them know , that I have served thee ; And that my labours are to be regarded , Although they seem not outwardly rewarded . These honours , or thar wealth I do not crave , Which they affect , who most endeavoured have To please the world ; I only ask to gain But food and rayment , Lord , for all my pains , And that the slanders and the poverties Wherewith my patience thou shalt exercise , Make not these Lines , or me become a scorn , Nor leave me to the world-ward quite forlorn . Yet in preferring of this humble suit , I make not my request so absolute As that I wil capitulate , or tye To such conditions , thy dread Majesty ; For if to honour but an earthly prince , My Muse had sung , it had been impudence To prompt his bounty ; or to doubt he might Forget to do my honest Labours right . Do therefore as thou pleasest : only give Thy servant grace , contentedly to live , And to be thankfull whatsoever shall In this my weary Pilgrimage befall , Such things thou dost command me to require With earnest , and an absolute desire With which I come : beseeching I may find Thy love coutinue , though none else be kind That blessedness eternall I may get , Though all I loose on earth to compass it , And that at last when my account is even , My payment may be summon'd up in heaven : Lord , this wil please me , call me quickly thither , And pay me there my wages altogether ; Not that which mine by merit seemes to be , But that which by thy meere grace is due to me . A Coelestial VISION Of Future EVENTS . TH' Armi-potent , all-seeing , all-Creator , Th' all-mighty Artizan of Earths Thearer , Having inclos'd in his un-clapsed book . When heaven and earth their first foundation tooke , And therein registred this firm Conclusion , An Universall end , and all-Confusion Of all the world , which when once discreated , Should be refin'd , renew'd and re-created , This great Decree wil doubtless ratifie , And for th' elects sake , doe 't more speedily , As Sybels , Prophets , and Apostles wise , Yea , Christ himself did truly Prophetize . Then pallid Death , whose ash-pale face did fright The stoutest Champion , most un-daunted Sprite , Having at length with strength enough displaid , His all-tryumphant trophies , having made A massacre and havock of all flesh , Thinking to Nimrodize it stil afresh , Like proud disdainfull Pompey at the last Shall meet our Caesar , and at 's feet shall cast The glory of his Mortall-wounding might , Shal lose his fatall sting which did so bite And pierce the Heart of every mortall creature , T' reduce to dust each wormlings dusty feature . Death being then Mans fatall final fo , Him , Christ victoriously shall overthrow , From forth his claws shal strongly wrest the conquest , And fel all-felling Death at 's feet thus vanquisht , But as the Corner-creeping thiefe doth watch With sure advantage unawares to catch , The careless Servants left the House to keep , VVhom when he findeth snorting fast asleep , Suddainly sets upon them , thus doth prey On 's hop't-for Booty , and then hasts away . Or as it fares in a faire Summer morning , VVhen the Great Light the azure skie's adorning , And new-now risen from th' Antipodes , His radient rayes displaies the world to please : At whose sweet sight the pretty Lark doth rise , VVith warbling noats wav'ring i' th lofty Skies , Earth having op't her Shop of sweet perfumes Of fragrant flowres , herbs , plants , and pleasant blooms ; T● gentle wind fans coolness through the ayre , The Suns encreasing heat thus to impare ; Each Creature much delighted at the heart , To see this sight ; now ready to take part Of pleasure , in this pleasant day begun , VVhen as upon a sudden , o're the Sun A mighty rain-swolne-cloud begins to spred ; And furious winds through th' ayre are nimbly fled From forth their Stations , blustring up and down , The angry Heavens upon the earth'gin frown And from their Spouts powre down great streaming showers , Dashing and washing trees , plants , herbs and Flowers , VVith light-heeld lightning , and such Cannon-thunder , As Heaven and Earth were reft and cleft in sunder , Damping the former hope of sweet delight , By this so sudden change amazing sight ; Even so this second comming of Christ Jesus From sins most heavy hateful Yoke to ease us , To purge the world of its impurity , To Plague the Quakers incredulity , T' avenge the blood of his dear slaughtered Saints , To give an end to their sad sighs and plaints , Shall sudden be , wil come at unawares , When worldly men are plung'd in worldly Cares , When lustfull men are most a sensuallizing , VVhen fawning Gnathoes most are Temporizing , VVhen as voluptuous-vain-lings sport and play , VVhen they do least expect , suspect this day , Then shall this unsure-certain dooms-day come , To some most welcome , wofull unto some , Unto the wicked terrible and fearful , Unto the godly comfortable and chearful , Unto the Hectors a day of lamentation , Unto the Quozils , a day of consolation , Sharp to the wicked , joyful to the just , Gods wrath the sinner scattering as the dust , Then as i th' dayes of Noe , with wondrous change Shall dire destruction int'all places range . As that , with waters woful inundation : So , this , with fires all-spoyling conflagration . As , that , with water , cold the heat of sin , Wherewith the world had then inflamed bin : So this , with fire to burn the rotten sticks , Of want of Love ( combustible dry kicks ) Our Globy-Gran-dame Earth , shall then all flame , Like a huge bonefire , and about the same The bound-less , groundless , sea , bright Fishes Station , Shal be exciccated with strange admiration : And that great-little , nimble scale-arm'd hoast , Eo longer shal through the watry region . Yea , then that huge Leviathan ( seas wonder ) Shal cease his sport , and roaring voice like thunder . Then heaven and earth , shal variated be , To pure perfection in the highest degrees ; Then all the Sphears , the Stars , and heavenly motions , Which serv●d for time-distinctions , certain notions , Planets and Plants , which man on earth did use , Their power in man and vertue then shal lose . Yea , all vicissitudes , all alternations of heav●n and earth ; shal leave their antique stations , Shal be dissolved , cease , and have an end , Mountains shal melt , and to low Dales descend . The Creatures then , which groan and moan in pain , Freed at the least , if not renewd again ; Then shal be heard a loud heart-daunting voice A heavenly trump shall sound with ecchoing noise By Gods all-potent power and providence , Shall all flesh of this vast circumference Hear and appear by that loud trumpets summon , At this Grand-sessions all the world in common . Then ratling , roaring thunder shal be heard , Whereby the wicked shal be frighted , feard , Then all the world shal be as flaming fire , Christ our Iust-gentle Judge with love and ire Shal come with all the hoast of winged Legions , Soaring about the bright-star spangled Regions . With whom apostles , Prophets , Martyrs flye In compleat glory in the glistring Skye . Mercy and Justice marching cheek by jowle Shal his divine triumphant Chariot rowle , Whose wheels shal shine with Lightning all about , With beams of glory each-where blazing out . Who shall in 's hand a book in folio bear , Wherein mans faults and follies written were . Then shal the wicked sin-polluted Goats Ingulft in sorrow , roar with hideous noats , Howle , groan , and grieve , and lamentably moan At Gods supernall and tribunall throne , Holding their hands at 's Barre with grief and horror ; Shall hear the Judges sentence to their terrour , Their self-accusing conscience telling them That they are Guilty , and wil them condemn . And Satans Sergeants at their elbowes stand , To bear their souls and bodies out of hand To his infernal-Jayle , with fiery chains To bind them fast to hels nere ending paint . Their sin , I say , wil stand at their right hand , And at their lest wil damned divils stand : VVithin , th accusing conscience crying shame , VVithout them , all the world a burning flame : Under their feet , soul frying , gaping hel , And ore their heads , their Judge most fierce and fel . Too late they then weep for un-wept-for sin , Too late they wish they never born had been , Too late ashamed at Heav'ns most glorious Light , They wish , but vainly wish , that mountains might Them cover , smother , from heart-searching Judge , Thus rest of comfort , up and down they trudge . And then the just-chiefe-Justice wrathfully , On 's left hand , sayes to the wicked , Stand you by , You awless , lawless , wicked , hence , depart Into eternall terrour , pain , and smart , Depart , I say , you cursed , go , begon Into the depth of hels deep dungeon . That Prison where your damned souls must lye , And dye a thousand deaths , yet never dye . Where shall be weaping , walling , schreeks and groans , Gnashing of teeth , hel-howling , sighs and moans , Divels tormenting you in flames eternal , With fearfull frights , by hellish Fiends infernall , For ereta be sequestred from all joy . In endless , restless , mercy less annoy . O woful wages , for their works of sin ! O how much better they ne're born had bin ! O that when they were born , they then had dyde , Then thus for sin , hels horrors to abide ! But as we see after a mighty storm , The sun shines out with beams bright , fair and warm : So the God-fearing , and sin-flying sheep , VVhich did Christs Laws and Heasts sincerely keep , VVhich his distressed Members cloath'd and fed , VVhich to their power the poore had comforted , To these blest saints , I say , at s right hand placed , VVho shall be with Caelestiall glory-graced , VVhom he elected in be angelized , VVhose souls in joy shall be immortallized ; VVith sweet aspect to these wil Christ thus say , Come , come you blessed of the Lord for aye . Come , near adopted brethren , come to mee , VVith me you all shall glorified be , Receive the Kingdome for you all prepared , Ere Earths foundation was to the Earth declared . For your good service under my faiths banner , You shall be crown'd with my chiefe champions honor . Since for my sake you once liv'd in annoy : Now with me come into your Masters joy , Into that joy , whereof none shall be able You to deprive , it is so firm and stable . Thus then the Lord-chiefe-Justice having driven The rout of damned Reprobates from Heaven , And having with the Fan of his Decree , The chaff from Wheat thus clensed and made free , Thus in a bundle having bound the tares , The con-corrupted heap of hellish wares : And by the power of 's ireful Iron rod , His Foes beat down and under foot thus trod : His Church from all uncleanness purifide , His sacred sons enthronized sanctifide : Now shall they all with joy inexplicable , With great content , and comfort amiable , Behold and see the New-Jerusalem : The Citie of the Lord , vouchsaft to them . That sole Metropolis , that sacred seat , VVherein our trine-one Lord most good , most great Had long time promis'd , and now means to dwel , VVith all his Saints in vertue that excel . This being that sweet spouse spirituall , That blotless , spotless Bride coelestiall , To whom the Lamb Christ Jesus is contracted : Now ready that the Nuptialls be enacted . VVho being in her Militant estate , Was then with blemishes contaminate , Was often sin-sick , by her sinful course , And as it were in danger of devorce ; By re-re-lapses and her oft offence , Though stil protected by heavens indulgence . But now being in her pure and glorious state , In heav'n triumphant , un-contaminate , Conform'd unto , confirmd in puritie All-chast , now plac't in sweet security , Now undivorceable , lovely and sweet , Is new , prepar'd her bridegroom thus to meet . Her eyes like Orient-Pearls , her cheeks with dimples : Most amiable , fair , free of least Pimples . Her lips like threds of scarlet , coral red , Her temples faire , her hair like golden thred . Her breath more savourie then mellifluous dew , Her brests like two young Twin-Roes white of hiew , Arayed in fine pure linnen , clean and white , In Vestures wrought with Gold which glister bright , And cast an odor ferous fragrant sent , Or Sp●kenard , Saffro● , and most pure ointment , Attended on by Virgins vertuous , chast , To meet her Bridegroom , thus she forth doth hast . Oh sacred sight , sweet shew , souls soveraign bliss , When thus the Bridegroom his dear spouse shall kiss , Mariage of Manna and of M● compacted , Whereby our souls with Christ are aye compacted , Prefigur'd in the sacred Sacrament Of Christs last supper , given to this intent . Thus Christ ( I say ) his love , his dove shall meet , Thus they each other kindly then shall greet : Thus shall this glorious City then appear , VVherein the just shal reign with joy and cheer . But now ere we behold this blest Theater , Let me herein be th angels Imitater , T● each Godly Ceder here to signifie This observation , of importancie : That since in this great Cities model rare , VVe are to meet with wonders past compare , VVe shall behold inimitable art , Such as may quickly wonder-strike the heart , And seem to Reason's Sin blear'd , Flesh-blinde Eye , T● exuperate the bounds of Veritie : Therefore a winged Messenger from Heaven . To the blest Evangelist this charge hath given , To register in time concluding scrowles , To write this truth in Scriptures sacred rowles , That Heav'ns all-seeing , all foreseeing King , Truths spotless Fountain , Faiths ore-flowing-spring , That alpha and omega , first and last , Who was , is , shal be , when all times are past , Who is as powerful to perform his wil : As ready-prest his Mercies to fulfil ; Whose Promises are all Yea and Amen : Hath promis'd ( and what 's he among all men Hath ever known the Lord to falsifie His Cov'nant made , or from his word to flie ? ) Hath vow'd ( I say ) that hee 'le all things renew , All imperfections bring to perfect hiew , And make the joy of 's glorified Saint , Endless and free from future moan and plaints . Yea , with such grace and forcible perswasion He seems to countermand all frail evasion Of doubting or demurring in this kind ; As if he should have said ; Man , be not blind ; Let it not seem an intricate hard thing , That I , the Lord , these things to pass should bring , I , which of nothing all things did create , I , which but breath'd , and made each animate , I , the arch-mover of what ere did move , Shall ought to me so difficult then prove , As not my beck , and how stre●ght to obey ? O no , be wise , do not my power gainsay , Be not incredulous to fear or doubt , For I the Lord , this thing wil bring about : Not only for my power , but Promise sake , And the great care which ore my Saints I take . To crown them all , with promised salvation , Their foes to fel to hel with dire damnation ; That true believers then may find me true , Athiests their Infidelity may rue . Yea with a tripple firm ingemination , Hath heaven confirm'd this faithful Protestation . And what so scornfully , scoff●ing Cham so bold ? VVhat impious athiest dares it untrue hold What fearfull , faultfull , or unfaithfull Cain , Doth dare this truth , deride , doubt or disdain ? Doubtless the simplest peevish Grammatist , The rudest rustick , who yet never wist What t is to sound heav'ns depth of prudencie ; Would soon condemn them of absurditie . O the great wisdome and indulgent Grace ! Of heav'ns great King , himselfe so to debase ; Precept on Precept thus to us to teach , His wil so oft t'inculeate and to preach . Line after line , yea now and then a little , Our faith more soundly to confirm and settle . Us to inform in his pure veritie , Us to reform from infidelity . Therefore such faithless and incredulous , Such graceless , godless , irreligious , As do deny or wil bely this truth ; Shall be rejected to their endless ruth ; Shall ne're have part nor portion in this joy , But he obtruded unto ●i● annoy . And their too-light , too-late beliefe shal rue , When they receive their meed and merit due : When with the damned sin-co-operators They shal of wo and horror be partakers . Read then with faith , and what thou readst , desire , And that thou canst not comprehend , admire . But , here as at a stand , I stand amazed , That I a dust-born babe , poor , weak and crazed , Of stammering tongue , a child an understanding , Of heart , oft subject unto sins commanding . Should undertake ( worm that I am ) to pried Into the depth of so great mysterie . That to describe , which asks an angells skil , As Souls which of that sight hath had its fil ; And yet all to● too little , to declare The beauty infinite , the splendor fair Of great Jehovahs Palace Chrystaline , All full of hev'nly glory , all divine ; Which to admire the more I do contend , I more admire , and less do comprehend : And whose rare fabrique and coelestial sight , I rather could stand wondring at , than write . Pardon , oh therefore pardon Lord , I pray , My great presumption , let thy grace alway Illuminate my sin-caecated heart : And to my layes thy sacred help impart . That nought may be mis-done , mis-thought , mis-said , O Lord I crave thy sacred soveraigne ayde . Give me a voice now , O Voice all divine ! With heav'nly fire inspire this brest of mine , And since thou . Lord , art able to declare By th mouthes of babes , which weak and tender are , Thy might and power : Lord ( though unworthy I ) Into my heart infuse aboundantly The so soveraigne graces of thy holy sprite , That my weak Pen , thy wondrous praise may write . That thy Enthusiasme of Prophetick skil , May on my layes like honey sweet distil : That by divine divine Iohns godly guide , I from the truth may not once step aside , But by his true Propheticall direction , May methodize Jerusalems perfection , That all that read it , may enflamed be Wth hearts desire therein to reign with thee , To make great hast and speedy properation , To this blest Citie with due preparation . As God th' ereliving , all good giving King , The first that moves of every moving thing , When unto Moses he vouchsaft to show The Land of Canaan which didoverflo With Milk and honey , which he vow'd to give To Iacobs off-spring , wherein they should live ; On top of Pisgah Mountain did him place , That Moses might from thence behold the grace , The pleasure , wealth , and riches of that land , Which they should have by power of his right hand : Even so the Darling of Christ Jesus , Iohn , Rapt in the Spirit was also plac't , upon A high-topt Mount in Pathmos , whence he might Contemplate this great Cities glorious sight ; A sight more glorious far , than that the Devil That subtil Serpent , fire-brand of evil , Shew'd to our Saviour in his great temptation , When he with Satan fought for our Salvation . Thou wel-beloved of thy Saviour deer , ( Saith a blest angel unto Iohn ) draw neer , With joy come hither , stand a while by me , And thou the heavenly Canaan shalt see . The Churches glorifi'd spirituall State , Thou shalt behold and sweetly contemplate The spotless Spouse , th' immaculate chast Bride , With which the Lamb Christ Jesus wil abide : The joy in God , and godly consolation , Th' elected Saints most holy habitation : Prepared for them by the Trinitie , Where they shall reign , remain eternally , Call'd the great Citie , Holy Canaan : Great , whose inhabitants none number can , Holy , because no putrifacting Sin , Nor least impuritie can there creep in ; Call'd Canaan , or new Jerusalem , A place of peace , Saints rest , Souls Diadem . Now this most holy heavn●ly Habitacle , Was most magnificent Saints receptacle VVith glorie , which did from the Lord proceed , VVhose most refulgent splendour did exceed The lustre of all precious stones most bright , They all come short of this most glorious Light . Yea , as faire transparent Iasper Green , So shall his Saints felicitie be seen For ere to was most fresh and alwaies flourish , Because Gods power and prudence shall it nourish : It being pure as any Crystall clear , VVhereby not blot , not spot can there appear ; No stains of foul terrestriall uncleanness , No gross pollutions or impure obsceanness , Shall this their joy obnub●late make dim , Or once eclipse their beauty , fram'd by him ; Gods gracious presence and great Majestie Shall it so deck , decore and glorifie . Here t is no triviall question , why the Light Of this blest Cities lustre equisite Is to a precious Jasper Stone compared ; Tnd why 't might not have been as wel declared , By th' Sun , or Moon , or Stars most excellent , Or artificiall Lights which men invent ? All these are Lights , true ; but too light they be , Compar'd with Light it self , i' th' highest degree . First , in regard the Suns far piercing rayes , VVith its bright beams the eye-sight much decayes , If the beholder thereon fixtly look , Nor can his sight the brightness thereof brook ; But precious stones have no obnoxious might , But with their splendour rarely do delight The eyes of their beholders , so that they The more on them they look , the more they may . VVhereby , egregiously they intimate And to us point the sweet and delicate Delight we shal in heav'nly knowledge finde , So to affect and recreate the minde , As that the more we thereof do possess , The more our love whereof we shall express . Again the artificial lights men make , As torches , tapers , lamps , and candles , slake ; Are soon burnt out , extinct , and therefore need Some fomentarie adjunct , them to feed : But as for precious Stones , their sparkling light Is genuine , by Nature shineth bright , And glisters in the most obscure dark place , Alwayes retaining their resplendant grace : And therefore do most lively represent The splendor fair , and beauty excellent Of th' ever selfe subsisting Deitie , Alwaies the same , one-same eternity . This citie is inviron'd , bounded round , With a great high-topt wall , thick , strong and sound , Which unto us doth thus much intimate ; That though i' th' Churches Militant esrate , The congregations of Christs faithful Saints Were stil molested , ful of wofull plaint , Tost to and fro with storms Tyrannicall , With persecutions most satanicall , And like Noes-ark were ne're in peace or rest , With worldly billowing-waves dasht and distrest : Yet in this Chuch-triumphant , they shal be From all heart-hurting fear of danger free . Surely , securely , kept from least annoy , In heav'nly safetie sempiternall joy . For why , the Doctrine apostolicall Shall as a firm invincible strong wall Debar and keep out , heart deluding errors , All unclean creatures , Lyers and the tortors , VVhich their abominations might effect ; For , this wall Doctrinall doth them reject : And thus the Prophet Ieremie doth call A constont Preacher , a strong , brazen wall . Now this strong wall is made more admirable , By Stately Ports and ground-work solid , stable , Twelve Gates are about it plac't conveniently , VVhich thus much do unto us signifie : That all her friends and Citizens shall see , The way to th' city easie , plain to be ; Plain to the just , to th' unjust narrow straight , Easie to those , to these most intricate . And on these Gates were charactred most fair , The names of Isr'els twelve tribes , to declare Their good assu●ance and their ready way , That none might wander , erre , or go astray . There needs no use of a conducting guide , Their way lying ope ' to them on every side . But here by th' names of Israels twelve tribes , The sacred spirit unto us describes , ( They being , once , Gods sole peculiar Vine , Til they did from his Love and Lure decline ) That , by a figure , are in them included The elected Gentiles , once from grace secluded . Even people of all Nations under heaven ( To whom , Salvation , God in Christ hath given ) Are here all ta'ne for sp'rituall Israelites , Whom Christ the Corner-stone to th' Jews unites . At these twelve Gates , twelve angels there did stand . But not like Edens-angels , in their hand Holding a sword , a sword like fiery flame , To daunt and drive , what ever thither came : But here these angels stand like Porters kind , That Abr'ams faithfull Sons access may find Unto the tree of life , and sacred spring : VVhich grows and flows from Christ this Edens King VVith most commodious decent scituation Are these twelve gates plac ' 'bout this heav'nly station And good Ezechiel doth them thus digest Three East , three North , three south , and three by west . These three tribes names ; Dan , Ioseph , Semamen , Orethe three Eastern Gates were to be seen . Orethe three Ports set on the Northern side , Iude , Levi , Reubens names might be discride . Ore the three southern gates th' inscription Of Simeon , Isachar , and Zabu●on . Also the three gates on the VVest part had The name of Aser , Napthalem , and God . Of which most decent triple distribution Of these twelve Gates , this is the resolution ; Namely , that all the Saint-elected souls , VVhose names are written : Heav'ns eternall rowles , From whatsoever quarter of the earth , They had their first originall and birth : Yet , had but one especiall means t' ascend Unto this Citie , their hopes happy end . To wit , the blest profession of the trinitie , Hereby , to Christ th' are joynd in neer affinitie And , that they thus , professing three in one : Shall finde the way wide ope to heav'ns high throne . Shall find the path more parent , plain and straight , And at the Gates twelve angels for them wait , A twelf fold Ground-work and Foundatoin strong , Did also to this mighty wall belong . I mean not to the Citie , but the VVall , For , of the Citie , Christ is all in all . Upon which twelve Foundations glorious , rare , Christs twelve apostles names were graven faire : Who here are said to be this Walls foundation , By their apostolique administration , For having by their blest Ministry , Christ Jesus Doctrine preached publikely Unto the World : as the first instruments Are therefore , thus , the twelve strong Firmaments : Not that they are the Principall Foundation , But having first place in this Fabrication . Are ( as I so may say ) the first stones laid , On which the building of this wall was made . For , no man is so silly , as to say , That the Foundation doth it self down lay : But that 's the office of the architector , Which is Christ Jesus , this great works director . This Cities Soveraign , whose un-shrinking shoulders , Are this most glorious Cities firm upholders . Who laid his twelve disciples as Supporters Of this Quadrangled walls most spacious quarters , As those in whom his Churches doctrine pure Did most consist and constantly endure : Thus are th' apostles grounds of ministration , But Christ the only Basis of Salvation . But what sayes Rome to this ? that man of Sin , Who proudly reignes and rules as Lord and King , Peters supremacy , superiour State , Is here ( me thinks ) quite torn , worn out of date . For though our Saviour call'd his Faith , the Rock , Whereon hee 'd build his Church , his Love , his Flock , And his and all th' apostles Doctrine pure , To be his Churches ground-work , grounded sure : Yet neither is St. Peter here exprest , To be in dignity above the rest : Nor yet to be the principall Foundation : But one with others have their Station , Then , surely , hence , 't is most apparent plain , That antichrist of Rome doth not maintain His proud priority , from Peters Faith ; But from his Person ( whom he falsly saith , T' have been Romes Bishop , which , nor he , nor 's crue Shall ere be able to approve as true ) His person 't is , I say , not Doctrine pure , Oh this it is the Pope can worst endure : Therefore since he mis-deems Christs blest foundation He ne're shall have least part in Christs Salvation . But now return we whence we have digrest , The Light-bright Angel ( which did manifest Unto S. Iohn this glorious sacred sight ) Now like some noble Pers'nage , Princely wight , Like to another prudent Ne●emie , Or like good Ezra ful of prudencie , By th' Symbole of a Golden Reed in ' his hand , Did represent , that he with that Met-wand , The Cities spacious round should measure out The height , length , breadth , and compass all about , Entries , and wall , environing the same All under line and measure truly came : All most exactly form'd with due respect , By the arch-artist of this architect . Yea , with a Golden Reed he meets the same , Most fit to measure such a glorious frame . By which externall gesture , the angel here , As else-where in the Prophets may appear In their Prophetick visions us'd to show The Lords intent , by thus descending to Our weak capacity : which ne're can keep A verball document , in mind so deep , As actual gestures evermore we find , Examples more than precepts teach the mind . And here by th' angels meeting with a reed , We are advis'd to take a speciall heed , And deeply to imprint in mind and heart , The subsequent discription and rare art , The stately symmetry , worth admiration , Of this coelestiall sacred habitation , Containing in 't an heav'nly harmony , With the chiefe grounds of christian verity , This Citie lay in form quadrangulare , By which firm cubique plat-form , here we are To understand and note , the stable state Of this Mount-Sion free from hostile hate : Not to be stirr'd by tempests violent , Immoveable , most constant , permanent . Which being square , the Gates are opposite To the four corners of the earths-globe aright , From every part whereof to let in those , Whom Christ the Lamb , to reign with him hath chose . The four Evangelists the pattern are , By whom this edifice was fashion'd square : By Matthew Mark , Luke and Christ tendred Iohn , Was fram'd ( I say ) this constitution . And since the twelve apostles , as foresai● , Were by their short and present doctrine made The strong foundation of the holy wall . Is 't not a concord most harmonicall ▪ That these Evangalists most excellent , By their long-lasting-written testament ; Should the four corners of that square build out , And it to ful perfection bring about . The angell then , with 's reed the Citie meeted ; Which by juss Measure was thus computated , Twelve thousand sta●es , whereof eight makes a mile , Which fifteen hundreth miles do just compile : The length , height , breadth , being of all equal space , Do make , almost , infinite room and place , Within the wall : as Christ himself hath said , In my dear heavinly Fathers house , are made Many fair Mansions : fit to comprehend , Th' increase of Gods elect , to th worlds last end . Now then , the totall body of this place , Doth to us represent the beautious grace , The great felicitie , admired joy , Which in this Citie we shall sure enjoy In the united glorious Deitie , Th' incomprehensible Trine-Unitie . The three distinct dimensions as foreshew'd , Of Latitude , Longitude , Altitude , Present the severall measures of delight , Which in the Father , Son , and Holy-sprite , We shall possess , and this felicitie , To be alike , of equall quantitie . There shall we three in one most clearly see , There shall we also worship one in three , And of this joy we shall have full fruition , Alike of all , without all intermission , Even as the Persons are one in the Deitie , And one in substance in the unite trinity , The Premises thus re-obscur'd , afford To us a most harmonious sweet accord , Twixt God and this his holy Habitacle , The Lambs sweet spouse ; caelestial tabernacle . God , the Worlds most admired artizan , When first he fashion'd and created man , Like his own perfect Image , did him make ; God would man should his Makers likeness take , Even so this Cities Specious Symmetrie , Is shaped like heavens sacred Deitie . As God himself in trinitie is one : So by this Citie his true Church is shown . As of the God-head there be persons three , And Father , Son , and Spirit co-equal be : So those dimensions , length , height , Breadth , are all By the angel measur'd , to be just equal . As neither person in the Deity , Is seperable from their Unity : So none of these dimensions , being three , May from a citie separated be , Or other solid body , otherwise It were not sound , but Line or superfice . The persons three and their three offices , Are not confounded : and no more are these ; For neither is the length , the breadth , and so The height is neither breadth , nor length we know , And even as Athanasius in his Creed , As wittily , as wisely doth proceed , And sayes , the father , son , and holy sprite , Though three in persons are one God unite : So Longitude , Latitude , Altitude , Must one sole citie evermore include . The doctrine also of the deitie , Is witnest in the four-fold verity , Writ by the four Evangelists : so here This New-Jerusalem , as doth appear , Is in a quadrate , or square form set down ; Most like a strong immoveable firm town . The twelve apostles , were disperst and sent To every quarter of earths continent , To preach to all our Saviours doctrine sound , Whereby al nations heav'ns rightrode way have found : On twelve foundations , so stands this great frame , And by twelve Gates all go into the same . Lastly the God-head universall is , And infinite in glory and in bliss , Infinitely extended over all : So in Jerusalem coelestiall , Is infinite tranquillity and peace , Aboundant roome , for all the great encrease Of Gods dear Saints , who were predestinate To this Jerusalems most happy state . Thus having heard this sacred Symphonie Twixt God and 's Church : proceed we orderly . The angel now here measuring the wall , The mighty bulwark apostolicall , Of this angelick State of sanctitie , Found it to be rais'd up in cubits high , Even by a twelve-fold-high-ascending course , By th' twelve apostles rais'd to mighty force . But this though spoken in a humane sort : Yet hath a heav'nly sence of great import , Namely , that though the Church , here , Militant Was evermore distrest with wo and want ; Being by worldly obstacles kept low , And never could to ful perfection grow : Yet now in her triumphant dignity , To plenary perfection springs on high ; Yhis being by twelve courses signifi'd , Which twelve times so much more being multiply'd , T'an hundreth forty four courses of height ; Do make the wall to rise , direct upright , By Jews and Gentiles mighty multitude , VVhom grace by faith wil in this frame include . Thus now , we having seen the stately stature , The spacious compass of this heaven-built structure : Let us with our divine divine behold The matter , substance and most precious Mold . VVhereof the wall , citie and firm foundation , The twelve great gate of this heav'ns habitation , Were form'd , adorn'd , yea with what pavement rare , The Streets were pav'd , all which is to declare The wonderfull unspeakable delight , VVhich Gods dear Saints in presence of his sight , Shall in that life to come , to th'ful possess : And thus the Prophet Isay did redress , And consolate the Jews disconsolation , Declaring in his true vaticination , The glory of this New-Jerusalem , VVhich God would once re-build , re-make for them . O happy are they , which are interested . And whose blest souls are there into invested ! Now then the building of this fencive wall , This sincere Doctrine apostolicall , Of precious stones , most gloriously did shine VVith bountie and with beauty most divine . Having a lustre like the Jasper green , VVhich evermore to flourish shall be seen . Hence then , this Note is set before our eyes : That this rare fabrique , pompous edifice , Is all most precious , specious , round about , As bright within , as it is light without . But in this wall , this one thing is most rare , Is most regardable , beyond compare : That though those twelve foundations firm & strong , Were so by courses set and laid along , As that course after course , th' are placed all , And strangely ordred clean throughout the wall : Yet is the wall , as here we plainly see , Thus wholly said of Jasper for to be . Which is indeed to shew and signifye . That though those ground-props of the Ministrie , Whose rare and divers gifts in every one , Are by rich Jews afterwards here shown : Yet that the matter and the lustre bright , Of this great wall , are said , and that most right , To arise from one , which is the Lord alone , Designed here by this rare Jasper stone . He only is the Churches bulwark strong , For though to these apostles did belong Diversitie of gifts of heav'nly grace : Yet each of them in his peculiar place Did over build one and the self-same thing , And not themselves did preach , but Christ their King . The cities model was of perfect Gold , Most delectable , glorious to behold . Which mettle , for its ex'lent properties , This cities glory rarely amplifies . It being of all other chiefe and best , For these five reasons in pure gold exprest . First , that the burning fire consumes it not : Next , that it takes no Canker , stain or spot . Again , for use it longest doth endure , As also that the fire makes it more pure . Lastly , nor Salt nor Vinegar can spoil , Nor any such liquidity defile . The fair corruscant beauty of the same , And therefore from the rest it bares the fame . O! must not then this City needs be stable ? Is 't not most strong , invincible , durable ? Being so free from stains of all corruption , Being so far from fear of foes irruption . Nay , here 's not all , there 's one more property Of rare respect , of precious ex'lencie ; Namely , that it like clearest glass doth glister , And thereby casts a more admired lustre : Whereby is thus much to us intimated : That 't is not with soul spots contaminated , But doth with such a radient splendor shine , That all may alwaies clearly cast their eyne With most sweet contemplation , on the face Of Gods great beauty and most bounteous grace , By re-percussion of those glorious beams Which from his God-head , on his Saints forth streams Therefore this glorious City of the Lord , Which inwardly such beauty doth afford , Is fat unlike the seat of Romes great whore ; Which she doth gild and gorgeously daub o're , In her externall parts ; so to delude The simple and besotted multitude . Whereas within she's wholly inquinated , With filthy beastliness all-vitiated , And by her cup of poysonous Fornication , Would all defile with her abomination : Being beast-like drunken with the blood of Saints , Which to heav'ns throne do send up Abels plaints . But this coelestial sacred architecture , Like Solomons faire Brides most princely vesture , Is precious , curious , beautiful within , Admits no soile , or smallest touch of Sin ; Within , without , all spotless purity , And inter-mixt with boundless Majesty . Thus having view'd the wall , And what rare substance they are fram'd withall : Now le ts behold , and that with admiration , The sumptuous substance of the strong Foundation . All which , though of themselves they are most precious Yet are they made more gogeous , gay and specious , Being embost , enamelled and dight , To make them give a more resplendent light , With Patriarchs , Prophets , and Professors good ; With valiant Martyrs , who not spar'd their blood In Christs just quarrel , with interpteters , And Soul converting holy Ministers : All these do garnish , deck , and decorate , The twelve foundations of this blissful state . Which here the angell fitly doth compare Unto twelve Gems , or precious stones most rare VVhose vertues , colours , places where they grow , Is worth our labour severally to know , The first foundation is of Jasper stone , An Indian Gem , as is by Plinie shown ; VVhose specious splendor , and whose beauty rare , T is easier to admire , than to declare . For , a confuse promiscuous multitude Of Noble vertues , it doth in't include : In which , a pleasant multiplicitie Of excellencies rare varietie May be perceiv'd ; but which is chiefe or best , Cannot be casly seen : or soon exprest : For , it , as hath been snew'd , doth represent Gods blest similitude most excellent , Therefore this stone ( and that most worthily ) Hath in this building chiefe priority , The second was a precious Saphyr stone . VVhich is reported 'mongst the Medes t'have grown , Faire goldey spots , this precibus stone doth garnish , VVith a remarkable and beautious burnish . The third was of a Chalcedonie clear , Found 'bout the Chalcedonian waters ; near The Rocks Semplegads or those Isles in Thrac● : This stone being nam'd after that foresaid place , T is of one colour glistring like a flame , And with the Carbuncle doth seem the same . VVhich with good reason , wel may signifie , Of burning zeal an ardent fervencie . The fourth an Em●aude , or Smaragdes rare . VVhich stone t is said doth grow i' th' Scythian Lare Of colour green , glist●ing most clear and bright , VVhich hiew indeed doth most tontent the sight ; And is internally as admirable , As for externall beautie delectable : For if by too-intentive contemplation The sight grow dim , this stones rare delactation Doth soon refresh the lassitude of th' eye , And gives the sight perfection speedily : VVhose beauty green , sound knowledg intimates , Which th' eye of understanding highly rates , " Therefore t is next the Chalcidonie set ; " To shew , that where zeal hath with knowledg met , " And are conjoynd i' th' heart their supreme seat : " Then are they both most pure and most compleat . For knowledge without zeal brings proud ambition , And zeal without true knowledg , superstition . A Sardonix is for the fift foundation , VVhich is a Gem found in the Indian Nation , VVhose superficial face is red and white , Like a mans naile of 's hand , and shines most bright . And this doth also to us signifye , A certain shew of chast humanity . A Sardius , Carbuncle or Rubic rare , Doth this most sacred sixt foundation rear . A precious Stone , which specially is found By Sardus citie in the Lybian ground : Of colour red like blood , to intimate , A Severitie on clemency should wait ; And fitly 's with the Sardonix here placed , Because the foresaid fleshly colours graced , And cannot fade , but fresh vivificate , By being joynd with this associate . The seventh Foundation is a Chrysolite : An Aethiopian stone which glisters bright , Of golden hiew , and this doth demonstrate Much dignity , and great Magistick State . The eigth a Beryll , which ( as Pliny saith ) Is found in Indie : this , for colour hath Sea water-green , betokening lowliness : For , water as experience doth express , Yeilds and gives place to each interposition , Which is against it set , or makes inscission . " Set with the Chrysollte to signifie , " Meekness with greatness should keep company : A vertuous mean thus ever to retain , And rash extremes stil wisely to refrayne . The ninth a opaze which was first found out By arabian rovers , ranging all about , Call'd Traglodit's : this Stone 's of colour green , And yet not simply so , for in t' is seen Much yellowness , glistring like perfect Gold , Giving a Lustre pleasant to behold . A precious Stone call'd Indian Chrysoprase , Doth this great VValls tenth firm foundation raise . Which also gives a certain golden glister , but therein is a Scallion juyce commixture , This Fortresses eleventh and twelf foundation , Were both of them two Gems of Indian nation , Call'd hyacinth and ametist : both which Are of a purple colour , faire and rich . And now of all that hitherto is said , Of these rich precious Stones whereof was made This twelve-fold Solid Glorious Strong Foundation , This is the scope , true use and application : Namely , that as a careful architector , Who of a Princely building is Director ; And chiefe Ore-seer , sends with expedition His Quarrions , Masons , gives them this commission , In every quarter to search out and dress , To hiew and cut , to have in readiness The choicest Stones that might be got for gold , For strength to build , and beautious to behold : Or , as Wit-wondrous Solomon is said , When he would have the Lords great temple made , To send his Princes to provide each thing , Which might decore the seat of heav'ns great King : With Hiram his kind Neighbor did compact , For necessaries to that sacred act : Who sent both men and all his choicest Stuff , Of every thing aboundantly enough : Even so the Lord , this Cities Master-builder , Earths globy Universals strong hand we●lder , To th' build in got this blessed habitation Sent his apostles into every Nation , To India , Aegypt , Aethiopia , Arabia , Europe , and Armenia . Through every course it● worlds circumference , To reach and preach with care and diligence , To congregate and bring into his ●old , His precious people ; who , like perfect Gold Should gorgeously adorn this sacred frame , Some Prophets , Martyrs , Preachers of great same ; Some with one gift , some with another graced , That in this Sancture they might thus be placed , To frame and build this everlasting palace Of everliving Stones , and endless solace . Who as th' had built his Church once Militant : Now should they thus build up his Church triumphant And as they had converted souls to Christ : Their souls should shine like Stars in glory high'st . Thus then the citie , wall , and groundwork past , To th' gates with joy we now are come at last . Twelve Gates most rich and precious did belong To the wall apostolike , most firm , most strong , Which Gates were all of pearls most orient . Yet all were but one Pearl most excellent , Even Jesus Christ , who is the only Port , Through whom th' Elect must into bliss resort . Through whom alone by saith we here are fed . Through whom at last we all shal tast that bread , That bread of Life never to hunger more , Which for his Saints Christ hath laid up in store . He only is the Dore , by which ( I say ) We shal go in and out , feed , Live for ay . And as on twelve foundations did arise A VVall , as we did formerly premise ; But One in Matter and in Lustre bright , Even God the Father , Father of all Light : So these twelve Ports , are all one Pearl most rare , Even God the Son whence they derived are . But here this one objection may accrew , How it may come to pass , a pearl should shew And represent this Man-God Christ our King ? To which Objection , I this answer bring : That as the Shel wherein the Pearl doth grow , ( Which Pliny plainly in his work doth snow ) Doth at a certain season gape and yawn , And without any generating spawne , Draws into it a dew , from forth the ayre ; Which , by the Sea , i' th' shel grows Orient fair , And of this dew doth more coagulate , Than t is of earthly stuff coaugmentate : Even so , the Holy Ghost from heav'ns high frame , Upon the blessed Virgin Mary came ; And Gods eternall power , whose breath all made , Did so Christs Virgin-Mother over-shade : That without any humane copulation , Christ in her womb took on him incarnation . Yet so , as that his powerfull Divinity Was stil assistant unto his humanity , Which subject was to mans infirmitie : But not to sins even last impurity : Being thus most perfect God and Man indeed , Knowing our wants to help us at our need . Thus then , we see , that these twelve Pearly Gates Consisting of one Pearl , this intimates , That we in heaven or earth none o● her have To invocate , our sinful souls to save , But Jesus Christ , true God and man alone , Who sits ( our advocate ) in heav'ns high throne . Oh then , the wilful madness of our Foe ! That monstrous beast of Rome , who though he know This our Position most authenticall , Both he and his besotted shavelings all , Vet they unto their Saints appropriate , And unto angels dare accommodate The honour only due to Christs blest name . Angels themselves having refus'd the same And since nor Saints , nor angels know out state , Nor have in them , power , us to consolate , But Christ hath will'd us come to him alone , Who can and wil ease and appease our moan , Therefore that they dare add and thus diminish From Gods firm truth ; they do but strive to finish And measure up to th'ful their own damnation , Threatned to all such in the Revelation . The Gates thus entred , now we may behold The streets within , all pav'd with purest Gold , Which gave allustre like the clearest glass , Even every street through which the Saints shall pass , And customarily walk up and down , Like glorious Kings in pomp and great renown : Which streets and patent passages , imply ( Amongst their other joyes ) the liberty And perfect freedome , which those sacred Saints Shall fully there possess ; without restraints Of being unto any one place tyde , For why , wheres'ere they go , God is their guide , They walk in God , and God in them alwayes : Their beautious paths shining with his bright rayes . Thus have we seen th' essential Majesty , This Cities glorious frame and Symmetry , The most magnificent and blissful State Of those which are in Christ incorporate : But yet , whiles here , we see 't no otherwise , Then as we had a Myst before our eyes . Then as we were i th' bottome of a vail , Whence of a perfect sight we needs must fail , By reason that cloud-kissing Mountaines hie , And lofty trees are interpos'd to th' eye : And hereby hinder our more clear aspect Of this most glorious heavenly architect : So that , but Aenigmatically , we As through a glass , this sacred City see ; Whiles in the Flesh we live by lively faith , As blessed Paul in his Epistle saith : Yet let it joy our hearts our souls delight , That though but thus , we may admire this sight . That though but with the Prophet Daniel , we May ope the window and look toward thee , O Dateless , Fateless , Restful , Blissful Citie ; Where Hallelujah is the angels Ditty . Now let it not be ( O! how can it be ? ) Tedious to us , to contemplate and see What majesty and dignity compleat Is accessary to the glory great Of that externall beauty of this place , Fill'd with the glory of the Lords bright face ; Making this City most magnificent , An abstract Common-weale most permanent . First , there shall be no Temple in the same , Wherein to worship God all-glorious name , No sacrificing , no peculiar place , To worship in , or be this Cities Grace , Nor no externall Paedagogie , shall Be useful there , no Service Ritual , Like that under the Law amongst the Jews , When they did their old sacrifices use . But God the Father , and the Lamb Christ Jesus , Shal of such heavy yokes then clearly ease us . And be a Temple unto his , most faire , To whose blest Saints with delight repaire . His worship , then , shal be most plain and pure , And shal for ever constantly endure . Without all legal Rites or Ceremonie , Adoring God in Christ in sanctimony Whose looks to them as Lessons shall appear , His holy name be'ng Musick in their ear . And such indeed is this great Cities state , So admirable , so inexplicate : That Gold and precious stones being too too base , T' express the glory of that glorious place , If nature did more precious things bring forth , More amply to describe this Cities worth : I therefore know not , what terrestrial thing We may with due proportion hereto bring , To have a fit and true analogy Unto this temple of eternitie , But God himself and Jesus Christ alone ; In whom it may most properly be shown . Again this Citie hath no need of Light , Neither of Sun , or Moone , or Stars most bright , For , as the Prophet saith , when God again Shall his dear Church restore and o're it reign , The glorious Light thereof so clear shall shine , By the blest presence of the Unite-trine : That even the Sun and Moon shall seem most dark , And in comparison but like a spark , To that ineffable , refulgent light Of Gods blest countenance and sacred sight . Whereby alone the Saints shall all possess Such perfect joy and hearty cheerfulness , As that all earthly comfort , though it seem'd , And were as bright as Sun and Moon esteem'd , Shall be superfluous , needless , most neglected , And unto this compar'd , not least respected : Also , the Heirs and Sons of this Salvation , Even all th' Elected people of each Nation , Kings of the Earth whom Euphrates did bar , And once sequester from Christs Kingdome far ; So many as are saved ( as many shall ) Shall in Jerusalem coelestiall With perfect joy , enjoy the full fruition Of this most infinite and heav'nly vision , And thither shal their pomp and honour bring , Even unto God and Christ their heav'nly King . But here 's not meant their worldly wealth and state , Their Gems and Jewels , Gold or Silver plate , For , since this sacred Citie needs no light , Of Sun or Moon , which shine on Earth so bright : Much less shal there be need of worldly pelfe , In this most sacred sumptuous Commwealth . But this is hereby understood and meant , That those good Princes which were eminent For vertuous gifts of grace and piety , Shall lift up all their whole felicity , Their glory and their princely estimation From earthly unto heav'nly contemplation : And only fix their joy upon the same , And glory thus to glorifie Gods name . The gates , moreover , of this City , shall Be never shut , but stand widrope to all . None shall from this felicity be staid , Nor be shut up , as frighted or afraid . For there shall be no Enemy to fear them , No doubt of danger , then shall once come near them , All spight of former adversaries cease , For there shall be perpetuall rest and peace . And which is more , there shal be here no Night , For why , an everlasting splendour bright From Gods all-glorious presence shall proceed , A Lightmore pure then light it self indeed , Shal so incessantly shine forth alway , Making an endless everlasting day . But here this night may further intimate , A two-fold meaning Lit'ral , Figurate : The Literal sense that there no night shal be , Is , that indeed the Saints no Night shal see . For why ? as hath been said all times distinctions Of day and Night , summer and winter seasons Shal then quite cease and be superfluous : The figurative sence and meaning , thus May be explain'd , that no obscurity Of error of slye hypocrisie , No unclean thing foul or abominable , No filthy creature , Lyer detestable , No Murthering Cains , no Iudas implous , No Cham's , nor Achams sacrilegious , No cruel , faithless , friendless , envious else That hurts his Neighbour , but much more himself , " No Avaricious arm'd in hooking tenters , " And clad in Bird-lime catching all adventures , Nor ought that may contagiously infect , Or once eclipse the joy of Christs Elect , Or violate the glorious state and bliss Which Christ the Lamb hath purchased for his : Nor in the least degree shall hurt or wrong The flourishing estate , which doth belong To th' Saints rare dignity , and perfect Light Of sincere worship of the Lord of Might : Which is his angels glory and chiefe grace , And shall for ever in them keep firm place . But those shall hither come with joyes most rise , Whose names are registred i th' Book of Life , For whom the Lamb Christ Jesus did ordain This glorious Kingdome with him thus to reign , Who were predestinate to this salvation , Before the worlds originall foundation . To these alone the Gates stand open wide , These shal for ever with the Lamb abide , Lastly , to make this citie most compleat , In every part to be as good as great , The Holy Ghost having at large declared The churches glorie , being thus compared Unto a sumptuous citie ful of State , Now finally proceedeth to relate , That both this City and its Citizens Are furnisht and replenisht with al all means For conservation of their endless joy , Sufficient to protect them from annoy : They have , I say , spirituall lively meat , Divine angelike Mann ' to drink , to eat , The soveraign Balsum to conserve alway Their health , in health , from fall or least decay . The holy spirit as erst , here using stil , These earthly terms t' express heav'n● sacred wil . And all to shew heav'ns great benignity , Descending thus to our capacity , This honour'd City hath in it also A sacred River which doth over-flow With pure and precious water of blest life , Whose stream do issue from its fount most rife . A current River , not a pool with soil , Nor foul or troubled , Aegyptian Nile ; Or billowing Euphrates ; But sweet and fair With dectable streams , smooth , clear and rare . A River for its great aboundancie , Pure in respect of its sweet sanctity , Of water of Gods Sp'rits rare gifts of Grace , Of life , whose tasters live an endless space , And clear as Crystall from all spissitude , From all unclean corrupt amaritude . This River shall from Gods great throne proceed And from the Lambs , gliding with pleasant speed . And thus the River here may signifie , The Holy Ghosts gifts , third in a trinity . Which is not sleightly ratifi'd , indeed , In that t is said here , that it shal proceed From Gods and from the Lambs most sacred throne , Which Iohns shewn Prophesie hath clearly shown . Yea , and i th' midst of this great Cities street Pav'd all with gold , as mould under their feet , Through all the pleasant passages most fair , Where to and fro the Sainted souls repair : On either side this River ( rare to see ) Doth flourish fairely a Life-giving tree . Which tree of Life , doth thus much to us show , That to those gracious Waters , which do flow , To all the grace●s of Gods sacred Spirit ; Christ Jesus is conjoynd , by whose just merit , His Church hath life , true peace , and sure salvation , Thus having with the Sp●rite co-operation : And stil residing with his Saints Elect , Continually doth guide and them direct , Exhibiting to all , by his tuition , Easie partaking , and a ful fruition Of all the Benefits and heav'nly Graces , Which in and 'bout this River he thus places . Whereon they all shall spiritually feed , Alwaies desiring , yet ne'ere stand in need . Which Tree of Life , twelve sorts of fruite doth beare , Whereby the Holy Spirit doth declare , First , that the Lord , who is the God of Order , Doth much detest confusion or disorder . In stil retaining as he first begun , The number twelve , which hitherto is done : And also to express that there shal be , In number and measure full sufficiencie , To saturate the longing appecites , Of all the twelve spirituall Israelites , Even of all those that so have run their race , The twelve apostles doctrine to imbrace , T' observe and keep ( Maugre the rage and spight Of pope and pagan , foes to Truths pure light . ) Thus then , we see the angell here observing An exquisite decorum , thence not swerving : Who since the City , Entries , Romes Foundations , And Symmetry of these blest habitations , To th' number twelve have been accommodated ; And orderly thus stil continuated : Therefore with decent correspondencie , The angel to this number doth apply The spiritual food , and furniture most meet , Making a consort most harmonious sweet , Conformably agreeing thus in one , With those whence they had their comparison . Now as twelve sorts of fruit grow on this tree , The Saints to satisfie : so shall they be For delicacie , sweet content and pleasure . As every Saint shall have aboundant measure : So shall this pleasant Plenitude of grace , No Nauseous Surset cause , in any case . For , as Christ Jesus is that drink and meat , Whereof each Sainted soul shal tast and eat : So is he sweet , pleasant , and delicate , Whereon they feed their fil , yet moderate , Taking sufficient for their contentation , And their beatitudes firm conservation . Which truth is farther illustrated here , In that t is said this tree of life doth bear , Doth every month bear fruit , green , ripe , and fair , Which with delights their apperites repair . Not that the times shall then alternate be , By years , months , dayes , as now-a-dayes we see , For then the seasons cease , time 's termined , Sun , Moon , and Stars , are then quite vanished , As formerly was toucht : but here is meant , That all things then shal give such rare content , Shal be so ful of rich variety , Shall yeild such cordial sweet society And with such fulness all the Saints shall feed , As that to store and hoord up shall not need . In that the harvest there shall ever last , Their pleasant spring-time then shall nere be past . Also the Leaves of this most blessed tree , Shal Salutiferous and most Soveraign be , To help , to heal , to cure all Maladies , Which 'mongst the Gentile Nations do arise . So that this tree not only makes them live : But to the Elect a healthful life doth give . Yet here 's not meant the Churches final state , But that when antichrist is ruinate , When God shal th'unbelieving Nations call , And faithless Jews , who once from Grace did fall . But by these leaves is chiefly intimated , That all the smallest gifts , accommodated By th Lamb Christ Jesus to the Saints elect , Shal serve some way their Souls with joy t' affect . T' exhilerate and cheer their sacred mind , In 's meanest blessings they shall comfort find . But now behold now follow him indeeed That which doth all the former joyes exceed : The absolute accomplishment of all , The accessary blessings , which befall The Citizens of this rare Domicil , Th' inhabitants of Gods great Sion-hill . Namely , that in it there no curse shall be , It shal be from destruction firmly free . It shall be subject to no execration , But strongly stand , fearless of alteration . Which is a symbole , and a certainty Of this blest Cities perpetuity , A most infallible strong argument , That t is eternall and most permanent . A three-fold reason hereof may be given , First , that ( as is foresaid ) this seat of heaven , This holy habitacle shal contain No unclean thing , which may its beauty stain . Again , the glorious throne and sacred seat , Whereon omnipotent Jehovah great , Whereon the blessed trinity wil raign , Shall here abide and evermore remain . Lastly , in that all these his servants shall With sincere Love and Zeal angelicall , For ever invocate his sacred name , And his due praises constantly proclaim : Serving the Lord in singleness of heart , Not once to wil from 's worship to depart . But Curses are ( we know ) for gross transgressors , For disobedient stubborn Male-factors , Not for th' obedient , faithful and sincere : Thus then , is their perennity most clear , Moreover all the Saints of this blest race , Shal see th' all-beautious , light-bright shining face Of that arch essence of eternity , To walk and talk with him familiarly : And with inexplicable sweet delight Have ful fruition of this sacred sight , Not as he is , immense and infinite , For so even angels see not his bright light , Who are described covering their face With their angelike wings : in any case Not able to behold his glorious sight , He infinite , they being definite . Yet that we shall have his ful contemplation Is certain , but with this just limitation , First , in respect of us , we shal possess A perfect sight of Gods great holiness . The Lord in us , and we in him shal dwel In such ful measure , as no tongue can tel ; He wil replenish every faculty Of soul and body most aboundantly , With his most precious presence : by his sight He 'le fil our Mines , from darkness freed quite , Our hearts he 'le quicken , there shal be no deadness , Our whole affections freed from gloomie sadness . What man is capable to comprehend , Even so great glory God wil then extend ? Again , of that blest sight , which we shall have , No inter-mediums shal our sight deprave . Here , we as in a vision do him see , By mediate Revelation : then shall we Of him immediate perfect sight possess , Which none but those that have it , can express : A measure running over , heapt and p●est ; Wll Christ bestow upon his Saints most blest . His name shal also in their fore-heads be . That is , they shal with such bold constancie And un-revolting zeal profess his name , That nothing shal obliterate the same ; Or cause them once neglect their pure profession , By least relapse or undiscreet transgression . They shal be so conform'd , confirm'd therein , To persevere as they did first begin , Constant , couragious , evermore the same , Professing stil Jehovahs glorious name . Again , his name is said ( as here we see ) Upon their Fore-heads charactred to be , Because the Lord wil publikely agnize Them , by this cognizance and Patronize ( By his all-seeing , and all-soveraign power ) Them and their states , as in a fenced tower . And in this City there shal be no night , No need of candle , Sun or Stars most bright , That is , there shal be no obscurity . Or darkness of adverse calamity , No night of obumbratick cloudy Error , No frighting Fear , nor no heart daunting terror , No sly bie-fronted close hypocrisie , Shall viriate their intact integrity , No need of earthly comfort more or less , No seeking , suing there , wrongs to redress , By temp'rall laws , or ecclesiasticall , For , there the trinity is all in all : And is this glorious Cities great Lord-Keeper , Most vigilant , and watchful , he 's no sleeper , And , which ( as was promis'd ) is the perfection , And consummating of this benediction , This glorious Kingdome , where Gods Saints shal reign Shal doubtless sempiternally remain , Like glorified Kings most gloriously , Their bliss shal last , past all eternity . Now as bounteous hearted King doth use , When he a Fau'ri●e unto him doth chose , On whom he meaneth largely to bestow His golden gifts , like Rivers to ore-flow ; What he doth promise or by words proclaime , By 's Letters-patents ratifies the same : Thus , O even thus our bounteous hearted Lord , The heart of bounty Loves ore-flowing word , Having his Church his favorite elected , And promis'd she shal be by him erected , Richly endow'd , gorgeously beautified Rarely be royalliz'd and sanctified , Her head adorned with a Crown of Gold , A fragrant Garland which shal nere wax old , Triumphantly in endless joy shal reign , And see her subject , abject foes in pain ; The Lord ( I say ) this promise having given , That all these joyes they shal possess in heaven . To verifie his promise , and confirm What he hath said beyond times endless term , Hath given his Letters Patents , his broad Seal i th' sacred Scriptures , which he'ele nere repeal ; Seal'd by an angels testimony pure And as his act and deed given and made sure , To blessed Iohn , in the behalf and right And to the use of all the Saints of Light . Which being done , makes thereof Proclamation , VVith most emphaticall asseveration , That he , the Lord of Lords , and King of Kings , Hath power to do , and wil perform these things . And surely , heaven and earth shal pass away , Yea , all things shal prepostrously decay , Ere his pure word in one least jot or tittle , Shall fade or fail , or alter nere so little . VVhich , though some wretches athiesticall , Some Nauseous Neuter , Satans tennis-ball , Some execrable Saduces ( I say ) VVhich do the resurrection denay , Though some vile quakers Pythagoricall , Or Anabaptists most Diabolicall , VVhich have suppos'd the spirits trans-migration From one t' another in life consummation ; VVhich do with devillish dotage them perswade , That there 's no God which ere the world hath mad ; Nor that the would ere had a prime beginning , And think and hold that it shal nere have ending . Although such Hectors past all grace , May entertain a thought , with brazen face , And heart of flinty infidelity , To think or say that the rare symmetry Of this Jerusalem coelestial , Seems as thing meer hyperbolicall , Incredible to their besotted sense , And past the reach of their intelligence ; Yet let the rabble of such miscreants know , That ther 's 'gainst them pronounc't a fearful wo , There no-belief , or wavering un-belief , Shal fil their souls with never ending grief : And what they erst would not conceive in mind , Their heart with smart shal then both feel and find . Nor shal they have least part or portion here , Of this great Cities pleasure , joy and cheer , But from Gods presence shal be seperated , Which is the second death nere terminated . As for good Abrahams faithful Generation , Who waver not in tottering haesitation , Who have a hearty thirst , and thirsting heart Of these rare pleasures once to have their part : Whose hope past hope doth cause their souls aspire , By faith in Christ this Kingdome to acquire , Wherewith , i th' warfare of this life , they fight , Fenc't with the bulwark of a zeal upright , Arm'd at all points , with Christs blest furniture , Wherewith they may most constantly endure The fight spiritual , their Loins to tye With the strong g●rdle of Christs Verity ; Having the brest-plate on of righteousness , To quench the Darts of hels ourtagiousness , And on their head the helmet of salvation , True peril proofe 'gainst he is most hot temptation , The sword o' th' Spirit , brandisht in their hand , Wherewith they may couragiously withstand That brood of quakers Anabaptists and the flesh ; VVhich evermore assault the soul afresh VVith hot encounters , hellish stratagems , To keep them from the new Jerusalems Eternal bliss : In which most faithfull fight If they magnanimously stand upright , Assisted by that all-proofe , fervent prayer , The godlies guard , supporter , and chiefe stayer , If thus they get ( as thus being arm'd they shall ) The conquest , ore those foes fierce Capitall , Even from the proud Pope their old enemy , VVhen he shall challenge them this fight to try , ( As oft he wil ) they nere by fraud or force , By terrours or by torments leave their course Of constant perseverance to the end , But his hopes frustrate , and their souls defend : Then shall they like brave victors have the crown Of immortality of blest renown , Triumphantly to reign with Christ their King , And all their vertues as rich trophies bring , And lay before him , for which he wil give A crown , a Kingdome wherein they shal live , The Lord in them , and they in him shal dwel , As Christs co-heirs , whom he loves passing wel , And shal sit down with him as children dear , To Sup at 's table with coelestial cheere , And then their thirst of this accomplishment Shal satisfyed be with ful content , Then shall the holy , happy , faithful , see The structure of this sacred frame to be Far more illustrious , admirable , rare , Than earthly things could possibly declare ; And that those Stones and gold were too too base , To serve t' illustrate heav'ns coelestial place , Whose boundless beauty all discourse transcendeth , Whose infinite felicity nere endeth . Yea , that t is such as that no mortal eye , Could but as through a glass the same descry : Such as no ear hath heard no tongue ere told The Majesty which there they shal behold , Yea , such ( I say ) as never humane heart Could ere conceive th' incogitable part . O then , my soul , thou having contemplated This City all with glory decorated , Thou having viewd , with heart exulting pleasure , The Majesty unparralleld , the matchless treasure , The most magnificent , majestick state , Where into Christ wil his incorporate : What wilt thou thereof with thy self conclude ? What wilt thou say of this beatitude ? Oh this , even this , with Peter and with Iohn At Christs admir'd tranfiguration , T is good to make thy seat and mansion there , Oh there t is best to dwel and dwel for ere . Never did noble Greece so much affect Their Poetiz'd Elysean fields aspect , Never so much did wandring wise Vlysses Desire his chast Penelopes kind kisses : Or rather , more divinely for to raise My thoughts unto a more religious phrase , Never did Noah more desire to see Ararats Hills , where he of 's ark was free : Nor Sheba's queen to see wise Solomon , Nor at Christs birth more glad was Simeon , Then doth my soul desire these heav'nly fields , Which perfect pleasure joy and comfort yeilds , To see my Saviour sweet on Sion hil , My sences with his sacred sight to fil , To ske him in his glorified state , Therein to be with him associate : Even in these Mansions of Eternity , To live in sure in pure felicity . Which happiness , though yet I may not have , Until my soul receive my corps from Grave , Until I mortal be immortalized , And with the sacred angels angelized ; Unttlith ' clouds my Saviour come again , To re-collect th' Elect with him to reign . O yet , my soul , thy selfe delight and solace , To ruminate the joyes of that sweet Palace , To recapitulate the sacred pleasure The Saints shal then possess in plenteous measure , Even in the eternal palace Crystaline , The sacred seat of the United trine ; The glorious Court and heav'nly presence Chamber Of heav'ns great Emp'rour , wonderful Commander , That alpha and omega , first and last , Who was , is , shal be , when all times are past , That mighty , powerful , One sole God most high , Th' eternal King , nay , self-eternity , Infinite , all in all , yet out of all , Of ends the end , of firsts Originall , The Life of Lives , Bounties ore-flowing flood , Cause of all Causes , Ocean of all Good , Un-Seen , all-Seer , Stars-Guide , Sight of Seeing , That One-None which to Nothing gave a Beeing . There also shal my soul behold and see The most ineffable deep Mystery Of that incomprehensible trine-one , Sitting in glory in his glistring throne , With blessed Saints and angels comitated , With all the heavenly hoast of soul-beated Prophets , Apostles , Patriarchs of old , The noble band of Martyrs stout and bold ; Our Parents , Wives , our Children , Kindred , Friends , Yea all to whom Christs saving health extends : All of them clad in bliss coelestial , All shining bright in joy angelicall . Wherein the presence of their heavenly King , They Hallelujah , Hallelujah sing To him that sitteth on the throne most high , Making a most harmonious Melody , With sacred sugred Notes and heav'nly Songs , Singing the praise which to the Lamb belongs . This being their especial exercise , Their pleasant practise , customary guise , Stil to behold the Lords most beautious face , Burning with love of his most lovely grace , Their mouthes stil fill'd with praises of his name , In magnifying his immortall fame , Without all tediousness or intermission , Protected alwaies by his blest tuition , O there is infinite , un-uttered joy ! Mirth without mourning , bliss without annoy , Health without sickness or pernicious humors , Perfection without all sonitainting humors , Peace without war , and light without darkness , Love without hate , beauty without paleness , Sweetness without all fulsome surfeiting , Life without death , life ere continuing . There are no sighs , no sobs , no penury , No hunger , thirst , but with saturity , No chilling , killing frosts , or least extremes , No parching Sun-shine , with her piercing beams , No wil to sin , no power to offend , No enemie least mischief to intend . Good Paul hath there no need to watch and pray , To labour in the world both night and day ; And good old Ierome then may cease t' afflict Himself , so often , by a life most strict : To conquer his spirituall enemy , To overthtow the Serpents subtilty . For there 's all peace , security and rest , That peace which can by no means be exprest : There 's all perfection sacred Light excelling , All sorrow , care , darkness , and dread expelling . O life eternall ! holy habitacle ! Heav'nly Jerusalem , Saints receptacle ! O amiable City of the Lord ! How should my soul thy prayses due record ? What excellent rare thing are said of thee ? What things are writ , are hop't , are found to be In thee ! thou hast the seat of glory sure , That good-best good-God , joy and solace pure , Which far exceeds the science and deep sense Of humane reason and intelligence . Por which even Legions of Professors good , And godly Martyrs have not spar'd their blood , But with undaunted valiant courage have Made Lyons , Tygres , Fire and sword their grave , That after death they might enjoy that Crown , Those Palms of peace , of honour and renown , Wherewith thy Saints , O blest Jerusalem ! Are happifi'd in happiness supreme , VValking as Kings , in those most gorgeous streets , VVhere each one nought but perfect pleasure meets : In streets , I say , more precious than pure gold , Glistring with glory wondrous to behold . The Gates of which most holy habitation , Are pearls of pearless price and valuation , VVhose wall is all of precious stones most pure , Incomparably rich and strong t' endure , There is that glorious Paradice coelestiall , Surpassing Adams Paradice terrestriall , VVherein are fluent Oyly Rivers Currents , Fair brooks of butter and sweet Honney torrents . Replenished with Garden-walks and Bowers , VVith beds all wrought and frought with fragrant flowers . VVhose odoriferous rare variety Afford most various sweet amenity , VVhose curious colours , and whose lovely greene Are alwaies fresh , are alwaies springing seen . There , Hearts-ease , Saffron , Lillies and the Rose , Do savour , sent , spring , spire , with sweet repose . There all the Spices aromaticall , T' afford delight and cheer the heart withall . There is that soveraign Balsum med'cinable , For sent and Salve most precious amiable . All these in thee flourish without defect : VVith these the Garlands of the Saints are dect , VVithout corruption they continue stil , And sprout and spring about this Sion hil . In thee 's that peace of God , which doth exceed Mans understanding and faith wavering Creed , There is that glory which doth all advance ; Obnoxious never unto change or chance . There 's that eternal light as sure as pure , That Sun of righteousness for ere t' endure . That white and bright blest Lamb of God most high , VVho shews and shines most clear incessantly , VVhich no time ever shal once terminate , Nor no disastrous chance extenuate , There 's day which never darkness doth admit . There in their bowers of pleasure Saints do sit . There also is certain security . There shalt thou find secure eternity . There all rare comforts from heav'ns glorious King Successively , successfully do spring . What ere the soul can wish , request , desire , Is there at hand without the least enquire : What ere thou lovest , there is to be found , Only , what 's il , comes not in this blest ground . Oh then , my soul , what pleasure infinite ? Oh what an Ocean of most sweet delight ? Yea , what a most profound and pure abyss ; Thus to behold the Lord of Lords , is this ? Thus to behold with ravisht admiration The Lords bright face with sacred contemplation : Yea , with thine eyes to see , what faiths dim eye On earth was never able to espie , Even that eternal trinity most blest , Which can by man no sooner be exprest ; Than Austines seeming Lad could powre or lade The mighty Ocean , into th' Shel he made Without a bottome , that his Shel to fil : No sooner can ( I say ) mans stupid wil : Til his corruptiod in-corruption be , This holy Mystery clearly know and see . But when thou mortal dost imortallize , When Christ my King , thy soul once happifies , Then shalt thou tast that God is good and gracious , Then shalt thou Live in this his house most spacious , Then shalt thou tast the spring of life most sweet , Then in the heav'ns thou shalt Christ Jesus meet , Then shal thy water of terrestrial griefe Be turn'd into the wine of sweet reliefe : Then shall thy Sobs be turned into Songs , Then shalt thou triumph for thy worldly wrongs ; O then in that most sacred glorious sight Is to be found the fulness of delight , Of wisdome , beautie , riches , knowledge pure , Of happiness for ever to endure , Of goodness , joy , and true Nobilitie , Of treasure , pleasure , and felicitie , Of all that merits love or admiration , Or worketh comfort , or sure contentation . Yea , all the powers , and powerful faculties Of soul and bodie shal partake likewise , Shal be sufficed with the ful fruition Of heav'ns eternal ternal glorious vision . God unto all his sacred Saints shal be Their universal sweet felicitie , Containing each particular delight Which may affect th' aspect of their blest sight : Infinite both for number and for measure , And without end shal be their endless pleasure . To th' eyes he shal be a Mirror cleer , Melodious Musick to delight the ear : To th' Palate he shal be Mellifluous Mell , Sweet spiring Balm for to refresh the Smel . Unto the understanding he shal bee A Light most bright and pure it'h high'st degree , To th' VVill he shal be perfect contentation , To th' Memory erelasting continuation . In him we also shal injoy , possess , What ever , various time could here express : Yea , all the beauties of his rarest creatures , VVhich may our love allure by their sweet features , All joy and pleasure to content the minde , Such at it'h creatures selves we nere could find . This sight ( I say ) is th' angels chiefest treasure , The Saint repast , repose and princely pleasure , This is their everlasting life , their crown , Their Meed , their Majestie , their high renown , This their rich rest , their spacious specious palace , Their outward , inward joy , and soveraign solace : Their Paradise divine , their Diadem , Their ample bliss , their blest Jerusalem ; Their peace of God past all imagination , Their ful beatitude and sweet salvation , To see him who them made , re-made , made Saints , Him seeing to possess without restraints : Possessing him to love him as their King , And loving him to praise him , as the Spring , And Fountain of this all felicity , And praising ever this blest ●nitie . O then my soul , cease not to like , to love , These admirable lovely joyes above : And though thy corrupt flesh is th' obstacle , And stays , delayes from this blest habitacle : Although thy flesh like churlish Nabal frown , Refuse the pains to seek this sacred crown : Yet let thy Spirit like good Abigal , Go forth to find this place angelical . Let Hagar , never get her Mistris place , Nor Ismael good Isaac , so disgrace ; But strive most strenuously , fight that good fight , Subdue thy flesh , withstand proud Satans might ▪ And with the eye of faith believe , desire To live with Christ , pray seek , sue and inquire ▪ Pray earnestly to Christ thy King above , In burning zeal , firm faith and burning love . For , what ●s this world ? nought but a flou●ing fanciesie , A theatre or vainness , pleasant phren● A sinc of sin , a shop of all deceit , Iniquities chief center and sure seat , A Map , a mirror of all miserie , A Dunge on of most dire calamitie , Lovely to look on like the Scarlet VVhore , But dangerous to deal with evermore : A mazie Labyrinth of impious errors , A camp of Cruelty , of tears and terrors , Constant in nought , but in inconstancy , And most unconstant in that constancie : In nought the same , save not to be the same , And of being , but a very name : Still floting , fleeting , never at a stay , Hates on the morrow whom it loves to day . Yea , t is a Ioab ful of craft and guile , Kills his Embracers with a traiterous smile . A Wrastler 't is , and trippeth up the heels , Of many a man ere he its grasping ●eels : Solomon wise , strong Sampson so renownd , It made their lengths to measure on the ground . Therefore to love the world , is nought els , sure , Then to her Lime-twigs thy poor soul t' allure , Which so the feathers of thy faith will marre , Thy soul , if 't may be , from heav'ns joyes to barre . Why then my soul , shouldst thou to the earth be thral , Which hast a heav'nly blest Original ? Why shouldst thou pin thy thoughts on mortal things Who art immortal from the King of Kings ? And , why shouldst thou a sp'rit invisible , Be pleas'd with things both gross and visible ? Striving to pamper thy corrupted bodie , Whose definition is indeed , that both-die : Both Soul and Body when the Flesh gives way To Sin and Satan in their dire decay . And hence it is , that Latinists likewise , Thus Corpus fitly crimologize : Cor which was once the heart of pure perfection , Is thus made Pus , all filth and foul infection . Why then shouldst thou then thy self so low depress , Who art of high caelestial Nobleness , One of thy Fathers first-born children deer ; Whose name in Heav'ns blest Records may appear . Why should the worlds falle promises delude thee , Since heav'n with grace & goodness hath indu●d thee . Wilt thou a Princes Son , a heavenly Prince , Let Satans gilded apples thee convince ? Wilt thou the Son of heav'ns all-sacred King , Offend thy father for so vile a thing ? Wilt thou thy birth-right Esau-like forge For one dire mess of broth , bewitching wo ! Oh. no! deceitful Dalilah a-dieu , Thy Syrens Songs , my soul doth most eschew . Thy Crocadile-like tears which would betray me , By heav'ns preventing-grace shal never slay me : For all thy bitter-sweets , false protestations , My soul esteemeth but hellish incantations . Wherefore as A●mon being once defiled With his own Sister , whom he had beguiled , After the fact , did hate her ten times more Then ever he had loved her before : So I , whom thy false friendship once defiled , VVhom thy deceitful ambush once beguiled : I hate , abominate thy mischief more , Then ere I lov'd or liked thee before . As sea-men Rocks , as Children Scorp●ons flie : So ( Oh my sou● ) hate worldly vanity : And , oh ! what 's he , that would not leave most glad Worlds vanities so finite , base and bad . For pleasures infinite : VVhat 's he would take Fraudulent joyes , and permanent forsake : None doubtless , none ; but Dastards void of grace , None but faint-hearted , fearful cowards base . The resolute couragious Christian bold , Dares deaths grim face confront , see and behold , Dares death defie , and his approach desire , Because by death , he knows he shal acquire The end of all his hope , for deaths the Key Which opes the door to true felicitie . Yea , 't is no pain , but of all pains the end , The gate of heav'n and ladder to ascend . And death 's the death of all his storms and strife , And sweet beginning of immortal Life . Therefore with smiling count'nance , merrily To heav'n his place of rest he casts his eye : And in his heart these thoughts are oft revolved , Unfeignedly I wish to be dissolved . To be with thee ( O Christ my Saviour sweet ) Thee my deer eldest brother for to meet . I see thee Christ , I see thee heav'nly home , I gladly would and quickly to thee come . I see thee , O thou Saints caelestial place , I much desire I once had run my race . But though I cannot with Elias run , i th' strength o' th spirit in this race begun , Unto the heav'nly Canaan : yet give Grace , Though I with Iacob halt , to halt apace : And if not so , yet that at least I may Like to an infant , learn to creep the way : And grow from strength to strength , from grace to grace , Until I come in presence of thy face . For I am weary of this pilgrimage , And long for thee my heav'nly heritage . How oft have I thee view'd with admiration ? How oft hast thou been my souls meditation ? How oft have I been ravisht with desire , That unto thee my soul might once aspire ? How oft have I been scorn'd and vili-pended Earths most unpleasant pleasures quickly ended ? Being compared to those joyes above , Which from my heart , my soul doth dearly love : My heart , my life , my bliss , my joy , my gem , My soules dear soul is New-Ierusalem . And now I come , my joyes I come to you , For whom , I did so often seek and sue . I pain and death do heartily imbrace , So that my soul amongst you may take place : Yea , though ev'n hel it self were in my way , And would my journey stop , disturb , or stay , I would it pass , and hazard hells annoy , To live with Christ in his caelestial joy . And , surely , since heath'nish Cleo● brotus Did seem ( but desp'rately ) so valorous , Hearing his Master Plato once discourse Of immortalitie : with furious force ( From an high Rock ) himself did head-long throw , In hope to be immortalized so : O how much rather then , I pray , ought I , Dying it'h Lord , a thousand death to die , To be inve●ted in that perfect glory , Shown an affur'd in truths most faithful Story ? He di'd in bare opinion , Souls blind-love , I die in saith and knowledg from above : He onely hop● to have immortal Life , I , for immortal rest and glory rife ; He went unsent-for , I am oft invited , Even Christ himself my soul hath oft incited : Incited oft , I say , with resolution , And Pauls firm faith , to wish for Dissolution . Shal then his Pagan-courage mine excel ? Shal fear of death my Christian-courage quell , Since my sure ground than his , is much more firm , And death to me is but my sorrows term ? And that my soul i' th end shall sure exult , Although the way seem somewhat difficult ? O no , my soul , be valorous and stout , With constant courage persevere , hold out . None fight but with a hope of victory : Thy fight wel finisht , brings eternitie . If one shoul say unto a Captain stout , Go forward with bold courage , fight it out ; Do but thy utmost , fight and give not over , For , thou in th end the conquest shalt recover . Would any David his Goliah flie ? From whom he 's sure to win the victorie . Would any Gideon such a fight refuse ? Could any valiant Ioshua , think you , chuse But enter combat with the proudest Foe ? Whom he with triumph surely shal orethrow . My Saviour sweet even thus to me hath said ; Take courage , Christian Souldier ben't afraid , Do thou thy utmost , Satan to with-stand : For I will be propitious at thy hand . Fight valiently and though thy Foes fierce might May hap to bring thee on thy knees i' th fight , May often foil thee by his crafty snare , Yea , though his claws were ready thee to tare , Yet I wil raise thee up , I le thee defend , And thou shalt sure be victor in the end . Who then ( I say ) what 's he would be so base , As not this proffer gladlie to imbrace ? Who could with vile pusillanimity , So free a Conquest coward like deny ? Shal do●ing Lovers for their Ladies fight , And for their sakes account all danger slight ! Shall Merchants venture both lives and goods , For wealth & pelf through th' Oceans dangrous floods ? Yea , shal the ship boy gladly undergo All hazards which or Sea or shore can show ? Onely in hope to gain a Masters place . And to obtain a cunning Pilots grace . And shal my Soul turn coward , ●ear and flie ? Shal not my soul controle that enemy ? Whom Christ my General first overthrew , And thereby all his subtilties wel knew : And knowing them hath taught me how to fight , Me to defend ; him offend , put to flight ; Yea , and hath promis'd heel assistant bee ; And in my weakness cause my foe to flee ; And underneath my feet pull Satan down , And me as victor , graciously wil crown . O then my soul ! stand stourly to 't and fear not , Christs sacred arms in vain about thee bear not . Fight this good fight , and let proud Satan know , Christ being Captain , thou'lt him overthrow , For , if Heav'ns King by grace be on thy side , Thou needst not fear what ere do thee betide : No danger sure , can in that Battel bee , Where thou for Christ , and Christ doth fight for thee . And here 's my comfort , this is my souls stay , That whether Satan wound or do me stay , Dye fleshly body , so my soul may live , Christ to my soul the Palm of grace wil give . But as a mighty Emp'rour which proclaims At some great Feast Olympick warlike Games , Wherein to him which proves the Conqueror , And doth the best exploits , this Emperor Wil give a crown , his valor to reward ; And him with Kingly favour wil regard . But not the Emp'rour unto him descends , But lie to th' Emp'rors Gallery ascends , There from his Princely hand to take the Crown , The triumph , trophy , of his high renown , Even so the Christian Souldier having gained The victory , for which he long had strained With all his power spiritual , to quel The rage of ray●nous sin , and Satan fel , Musts from the worlds Lists in a blessed end By death , Heav'ns glorious Gallery ascend , There , from the hands of Jesus Christ himself To take a Crown far passing worldly pelf ; A Crown of joy , even glories plenitude , A Crown of bliss , even heav'ns beatitude . Not as the Meede of his deserving merit , But as the free gift of Gods sacred Spirit ; For having done what ever I am able , Yet my best service is unprofitable . Only in mercy he is pleas'd to Crown His own good gifts in me to my renown . O! therefore death , shal be my welcome guest , Death , which translates from la Sour unto rest , From worldly sorrow , to heav'ns joyes encrease , From wo to weale , from trouble to sweet peace . From earth the stage of instability , To heav'n the fortress of true constancie . Go then you godless Heliogabolites , You drunken Vicars , proud cosmopolites , Go please your selves in swearing , feasting , fighting , And not what 's just , but what 's your lusts delight in . Go please your selves with rich and large extents Of wealthy Mannors , stately tenements , Grow proud to see your underlings beslaved , And by your greatness wrongfully outbraved , To see your ward-roabs stuft with proud apparel , Your mouths with oathes , your thoughts with strife & quarrel . To have variety of worldly pleasure , Delicate Gardens , Coffers ful of treasure . Treasure ( sa●d I ? ) nay white and yellow clay , Bewitching Mammon , Sin-bane , souls decay : Or if there 's ought that doth you more allure , Or which you would with more content procure , Use it , possess it , yet for all this know , You shall it all with shame and smart for go . Yea God wil take at deaths disastrous day , Your Lands ( your life ) your goods ( your Gods ) away . This , this ( alas ) did cause the Prophets cry , This mov'd S. Paul with zealous ard●ncy , 'gainst worldlings to cry out , and them accuse , That they themselves , their souls would so abuse , Such lying vanities so to respect , So sottishly their Souls health to reject , In Aegypt , straw and stubble for to buy , Yea Straw I say and chaffe , which finally Would their own house burn down and ruinate , And head-long them to hel precipitate . Whereas their saviour at a cheaper price Would sel them gold , pure gold , rare Merchandise , Even all the Golden joyes and sweet delight Of Paradise coelestial , sacred sight : That Pearl of blest salvation , which to buy The wisest Merchant would most joyfully Sel all his worldly treasure , earthly pelfe , With this rare jewel to enrich himself . And what 's his price ? O cheap , and nought else , sure , But what thou maist thy self with ease procure , Only thy heart , t is only this , he craves : This given to God , both soul and body saves , Not that thy God is better by the same , But thou made blest , to magnifie his Name , 'T is onely thine not his good , he desires ; And for this good he only thanks requires , Oh therefore silly , simple , sinful man , What greater madness ? tel me , if thou can ? Than such a proffer , fondly to refuse , Than death for life , for treasure , Straw to choose ; For precious liquor , Fountain water good , To choose foul puddles stinking ful of mud ; Oh more then mad men thus to take more pain ; Head-long to run to hel with might and main : Then even the holiest Sain is to go to heaven , Who oft with treats and threats are thereto driven . But ( 〈◊〉 my soul ) thy Saviours Counsel take ; O do not thou his bounty so forsake ! Go buy of him , give body , heart and all , To purchase this rare Gem angelicall . And with that royal Shepheard David say , O thou my soul trust in the Lord alway : Yea in his awe and Law take thou delight , O like , love , love look on this both day and night . Let it be thy arithmetick , alwayes To take account and number out thy dayes . A Deaths-head let thy chiefe companion be , An hour glass remembrancer to thee . Let thy chiefe study be continually , How to live wel , and blessedly to dye . So shalt thou ( O my soul ) most happy be , When thou of that blest Citie art made free , When thou , amongst that sacred hierarchie Shal sing sweet tones and tunes melodiously ; With heav●ns Psalmodical harmonious quire Of Saints and Angels zealous , hot as fire , The Diapason of whose heav'nly Layes Doth warble forth heav'ns due deserved praise , Where thou being grac't and plac't in heav'nly state , In precious pleasure ne're to ●erminate , Being sweetly rap't in heav'nly extasie , Christ and his Churches Epithalamy , My sainted foul with surged voice shal sing , To God in Christ my three-one heav'nly King : O happy Citizens enfranchis'd there ! O joyful quiristers singing so cleare ! Victorious souldiers thus to be trans-planted ! Where peace for war , where life for death is granted . Happy wert thou ( my soul ) most truly blessed , If thou wert once of this rare joy possessed : That then I might be fill'd and never fated With that rare sight , which once initiated ; Shal last for aye without times dissolution , Shal be most specious without all pollution . Therefore my heart ( as hart being chaft and chased By furious hounds most nimbly tract and traced ) Desires the water-brook his heat t' allay , That so refresht , he thence may scud away : Even so my heart ( O Lord ) desires to see Those Crystal streams of Life which slow from thee ! Sighes , sues , pursues , her Countrey to recover , Here abject , subject , too too triumpht over By my three fierce and furious enemyes : Who seek my soul t' insnare and sin-surprize , Even Satan that old hunter and his hounds , The quakers , Hectors which give my soul deep wounds . Who more like ravening wolves would fain devour And captivate my soul in hellish power , But thy preventing grace ( O spring of Grace ) Preserves my soul , dis-nerves their horrid chace ; And as a Bird out of the Fowlers Grin , And as Noes Dove looking to be let in , Into the Ark of thine eternal rest : My cyred soul is unto the addrest , My soul with worlds encumbrances oppressed ; Desires ( O Lord ) to be by thee refreshed , My soul doth thirst and hasteth to draw near , And longs before thy presence to appear , O tree of Life ! O ever-living spring ! Whose laud and praise the heav'nly hoast do sing ! O when shal I come and appear in sight Of thee , the S●n of righteousness most bright ? When shal my soul by thine all-saving hand , Be led with joy from forth this Des●rt Land ? When shal I leave this Wilderness of wo , Wherein my soul is tossed to and fro ? I sit alone ; as one a house the sparrow : i th' Vale and Dale of tears , fears , sighes and sorrow . O lead ( dear Christ ) my love-sick soul by th' hand , From this vast wilderness drie thirsty Land : To thy wine-Cellers , that I there may tast Of thy wine-flagons thou prepared hast . Comfort me with the apples of thy grace . With thy Hid-Manna strengthen my weak case . With heav'nly Milk and Honny ( Lord ) make glad My heart , which worlds afflictions hath made sad , O Let me once from wisedomes sacred Lip , Coelestial Nard , and Rosean Liquor sip . Yea , let me fatiare mine insariate thirst , With that sweet Milk wherewith thy Saints are noure't , I thirst , O Lord , I thirst , thou art the wel , O quench my thirst , and let me with thee dwel , I hunger , Lord , I hunger , thou are bread , Even bread of Life , O let my soul be fed . I seek thee , Lord , yet stil I go astray , Through high-waies , by-wayes , yet I miss the way : Thou art , ( O Lord ) the perfect way and dore , My soul wil follow , if thou go before . Direct my feet to leave the paths of sin , Ope glories gate , and let my soul go in . Let it be riches to me to possess thee ; Let it be gloy to me to confess thee ; Let it be clothes , Christ Jesus to put on ; Let it be food , his word to feed upon ; Yea , let it be my life , to live and dye , For Christ my King , and for his verity . So shal my riches be to me eternall , So shal my glory be with Christ supernal , So shal my clothing fril be fair and new , So shal my food be Manna heav'nly dew , So shal my life nere fade , but ever spring , Being stil preserv'd by Christ my Lord and King . But , oh alas ! when shal I see that day ? That day of gladness never to decay , That day of Jubile when all are glad , That day when all rejoyce , none can be sad ? Whose endless time and never fixed date , Eternity shal never exterminate . That Saints blest birth-day , which shal nere have evening That lasting day to which no night gives ending . That rare Grand-Iubile , that Feasts of feasts . Sabbaths of sabbaths , endless rests of rests : To which least care shal never dare come neare , Wherein the Saints shal shake of● palid fear . O pure , O pleasant , most desired day Of that eternal springing month of May ! In which my soul shal evermore rejoyce , In which my soul shal hear that happy voice , Enter ( blest soul ) into thy Masters joy , Enter into sweet rest without annoy ; Enter into the House of Christ thy King , Where peace and plenty mirth and joy do spring , Where thou shalt find things most to be admired , Where thou shalt have what most thy soul desired . Joyes infinitely , numberless , I say , And various pleasures infinitely gay : Unspy able , unspeakable by man , Immutable , inscrutable to scan ; Where I , thy soul wil feed , wil feast , wil fil : Feed with spiritual food of my blest wil , Feast with the dainties of delight most pure , And fil with glory which shal e're endure . Enter , I say , and hear that melody , Which comprehends dateless festivity . Where is all good , no evil to abuse : Where 's all thou wishest , nought thou wouldst refuse , Where 's life e're-living , sweet and amiable , Where is true fame and glory memorable , VVhere is , I say , certain security , Securest peace and peaceful pleasancie ; Most pleasant joy , and joyful happiness , Happy eternity , eternal Blessedness ; The blessed trinity in Unity : The Unities trine-one rare deity . The Deities three-one's most blessed Vision , Which is our Masters joy in ful● fruition . O joy of joyes , O joy beyond all pleasure ! Far passing far transcending terrene treasure . O joy without annoy , O true conten● O soveraign bliss , and souls sweet ravishment ! O everlasting Kingdome , supreme peace ! Where all the Saints enjoy such joyes encrease , Where all the Saints are clothed with pure Light , As with a Garment shining glorious bright : Their heads adorn'd with crowns of purest Gold , And precious stones most glorious to behold ; Whose only exercise is to rejoyce , To triumph , and to sing with sacred voyce , Sweet hallelujah to their soveraign King , Which them to this felicity did bring . Oh when shall my poore soul be made partaker Of this great joy , O thou my Lord and maker ! VVhen shall see thee in it , it in theee ? And therein dwel I in thee , thou in me ? Surely ( O Lord ) I wil make hast and fly , I le make no stay , but post most speedily . I le never cease to seek , til I have found , I le not leave knocking , til my soul be crown'd . I le ne're leave asking , til thou hast me given My boon , thy bounty , even those ioyes of heaven : Since then , I say , such is heavens majesty ! And since this world is but meere misery : VVhat is 't can hinder this my speedy pace , VVhich I must run , til I have run my race ; Can worldly power or principality ? Can kingly favours , wealth or dignity ? Can worldly pleasures , pleasant unto some ? Can height or depth , things present , things to come ? Oh no , with Paul I le all abominate , E're they shal me from Christs love seperate . I le cry avaunt you soul betraying joyes , Which Bee-like bring the sting of ●re annoyes . Avaunt , I say , worlds momentary pleasure , Worlds transitory toyes , Earths trashie treasure : The love of Christ hath so inflam●d my heart , That as I trust , it nere shal thence depart ; And , Lord , confirm , strengthen this Faith of mine , O let it never faint , fail , or decline . But wo to me , poor wretch , who still am fain Amongst the tents of Meshech to remain : To have my habitation mongst the rout Of Quakers most ungodly , stubborn , stout . The time me thinks , is much procrastinated , O that the date thereof were terminated . Ah me ! how long shall it be said to me , Wait , wait , expect , and thou the time shalt see ? And shalt thou see ? my soul thou art too blame , I must accuse thee ( O my soul ! ) for shame Think not the time too long count it not much , That with these tryals God thy faith should touch . For as a Goldsmith waits most carefully Upon his gold , which he i' th fire wiltry ; That when t is burnd enough and purifide ; It may not in the fire to wast abide : So God his children dear attends upon , When in the fire of dire affliction He purposeth to purifie and try them : When thus enough refined he doth spie them : By no means will he suffer them to wast , But for their comfort to them soon wil hast . As that most rare pair-Royal wel did know : Good Shedrach , Meshach , and Abednego : Whom he i' th Babylonian fire did prove , Yet so respected in his sacred love ; That not so much as one hair of their head . Was burnt or sindg'd , or once diminished . O then , my soul , if God have such a care , As from thy head not one small simple hair Can fall to th' ground , without his providence : O then have thou assured confidence , That he thy soul wil nere permit to perish , But in due time wil thee refresh and cherish ; And say with Iob , That than of God most just : Lord , though thou kil me , I wil in thee trust . Yea , then confess ( as t is ) that all the wo , Which in this life for Christ thou undergo ; That all earths torments or afflicting toyes , Are most unworthy heav'ns most blissful joyes . Heav'ns joyes for weight and measure infinite , Earths pains to death , but slender , small and slight . Heav'ns joyes most perfect , absolutely pure , Earths choicest pleasures pain and grief procure . Heav'ns joyes are sempiternal , everlasting , Earths joyes meere toyes , stil fleeting , ever wasting . O then ( my soul ) have patience , do not grudge , Lest so thou make thy Christ thine angry Judge : Give patience , Lord , thy sacred wil to bear , And then receive my soul , how , when , or where . For as no gold nor silver can be pure , Until the fires burning it endure : Nor Stones for Palace work can wel be fit , Til they with hammers oft be cut and smit : No more , I say , is'● possible that we Vessels of honour in Gods house can be : Til we be fin'd and melted in the fire Of worldly crosses and afflictions dire . Neither can we as living stones have place ; Jerusalems coelestial walls to grace ; Unless the hammers of Earths tribulation , Oft bruise the flesh to work the souls salvation . But though thy servants , Lord , may oft be tempted , Yet can they never finally be tainted , They ne're can be surpris'd , though oft assailed , For why , heav'ns safeguard hath them never failed . Christians and persecutions joyne together , Like Christ and 's cross , few calms much stormy weather Ere th' Israelites to th' Land of Promise came , Their temp'ral Canaan , Canaan of such fame ; Th' endur'd much danger , many miseries : And shal not I , most patiently likewise Endure all dangers , all anxiety ; Shal I not undergo all misery , In this my journey to heav'ns holy Land ; O yes , with constant courage to it stand . For why , I 'm sure the more I here endure , My joyes in heav'n shal be more pure . And who would not to heav'n go joyfully , Though with Elias he in whirl-winds flye ; Grant therefore , Lord , I take earths Nocuments As precious balm , as my souls Documents . Confirm my faith with constant resolution , To wait , and fit me for my dissolution : To wait for thee my Saviour , staff and stay , Til thou shalt change my bodies house of clay ; That like thy glorious Body it may be , That so thy power and glory I may see : That I may hear and see , and bear a part , In heav's heart-charming musick sacred art , In that rare comfort of Mel-Melody , At Christs rare Nuptials blest solemnity , Come then , Lord Jesus , oh , I cannot cease , To wish my soul in thine eternal peace , Give me , O Lord , good Stephens Eagles-eye , Through thickest clouds heav'ns glory to espye . Give me ( O Lord ) a voice angelicall , With Heart unfeigned on thee thus to call : How long ( O Lord ) how long wilt thou delay ? Lord Jesus come , come quickly , do not stay ; Make hast and tarry not , I thee intreat , And draw my soul from earth to heavenly seat , For why ? I fea● ( Lord falsifie my fear ) That Satan wil 'gainst me such malice bear , To cause my refractory flesh to stur My soul unto Rebellion : so t' incur Thy wrath and indignation for the fame , My stubborn flesh , therefore ( Lord ) curb and tame . O , free me from this Fleshly Prison strong , Wherein my soul hath fettered lyen too long : Fett'red I say , yea fest'red more 's my shame , More art thou fl●sh ; and much more I too blame , Who oft with Adam fondly have aspired , And with vain-glory led , have oft desired The fruit o' th' Tree of Knowledge for to eat , Not of the Tree of Life , more soveraign meat , And to be red in any other Book , Much pride and pleasure I have often took , Than in my Book of conscience , to behold , The wo whereinto sin doth me infold . With wontons I oft view'd Prides Looking-Glass , But not times Dyall , how my dayes did pass . Yea , on earths follies I have fixt mine eyes : Gazing on blaztng worldly vanities . Yet Lord I know that as thou hast a book , wherein my faults are writ on them to look : So thou a Bottle hast , wherein to keep My contrite tears , when I for Sin do weep . And though my self unworthy I agnize Unto thy throne to lift my finful eyes : Yet I my self unworthy do not find To weepe before thee til mine eyes be blind . Lord then vouchsafe , vouchsafe I thee beseech , An ear an answer to my souls sad speech . O come Lord Iesus , come I humbly pray . Speake peace unto my soul , O do not stay : Bind up my wounds , make whole my malady VVith the Samaratans sweet charity , Into my sore , powre thou the Oyle of gladness ; Revive my soul from sin constrained sadness . O bring my soul out of this mire and mnd , This sinck of sin where I too long have stood : Smite off my Fetters of iniquity , As thou didst Peters in captivity , Stop in me all the conduits of transgression , Break Satans weapons of my son's oppression , Yea , let my eyes be as continual Lavers To wash and clense sins ulcers stinking savours : For a clean Lord ( I know ) takes delectation , To have a clean heart for his habitation . Give therefore grace ( O Lord ) whiles here I live , That I a bil of due divorce may give Unto that harlo● sin , which too-too-long Hath by false Flattery done my soul much wrong , O , double , treble happy were I sure , If once I might put off sins rags impare , T●ose Menstruous cloathes wherewith I am disguised , VVhereby thine Image in mee 's not agnized : VVhereby in thy pure sight I am but loathed . O therefore that my soul might once be cloathed VVith thy most Royal Robes of righteousness , Thy seamel●ss , spotless Coat of Holyness , And therein be presented to the Sight Of my great Lord the Father of all Light , And be ingrafted and incorporate , Into this New-Ierusalems blest state , Ino this Kingdome evermore existing , Into this Kingdome all of joy consisting : Where all thy Saints and Sacred Angels reign , By thee their mighty Lord and soveraign , Cloathed in vestures of the purest white , Stil in the presence of thy sacred sight : Their heads adorn'd with Crowns of purest Gold , Of preecious stones , rich Pearls rare to behold . Thou Lord alone being the Diadem Of these thy Saints in this Ierusalem : Whose only sight , is their beatitude , Which duresfor aye without vicissitude . But Lord , it may be thou maist say to me , Alas , poor soul , wouldst thou my beauty see ? None ere could see the glory of my face And lives on earth , such is mans mortal case . Lord , thus I answer , and I this confess , That thy coelestial glorious , holiness Is so immense , so infinite , so rare , So great , so glorious gracious , specious , fair , That no flesh living can it see , and live , Yet to my soul ( O Lord ) this mercy give , That so it may behold thy sacred sight , Let death with thousand deaths my body smite ; So my poore Soul may see thy Majesty , Let death my breath , and Life end speedily . Oh then , I say , and ne're shal cease to say , O three-sold , four-sold happy , sure , as they , Who by a pious life and blessed end , By Christ , heav'ns Ladder , to heav'ns joyes ascend , Who for the minutes of Earths Lamentation , Enjoy heav'ns endless years of consolation , Who from this earthly prison are set free , And in heav'ns Palace live , O Christ , with thee : Yea , who being dead to sin and Earthly toyes , Are there in plenitude of perfect joyes , But oh most wretched miserable I , Who ( in the Flouds of worlds mortality , By huge heav'n-mounting , hel descending waves , By Rocks , Syrths , whirlpoles , al which seem my graves ) Am stil constrain'd to sail through dangers great , Which waters , winds , weather , together threat : And , which is more , I mosterroniously Through ignorance , oft wander clean away , I lose my way , and then am danger'd most , Not ●nowing whither my poor ship doth coast : Being thus expos'd to seas all jeopardies , Like Ionah , when from Ninive he flies , Tost to and fro , even into the Maw of hel , By furious hound which 'gainst me rage and swel : So that my way to th' Harbour of my rest Thus being lost my soul is fore opprest . But which is worst , whiles thus to thee I sail , I meet Sea-Monsters which do me assail : Resistful Remoraes do strive to stay me , And huge Leviathan gapes wide to slay me ; Lifes , toyes and troubles , Satans craft and power , Nould stay my voyage , and would me devour . Restless , redresse is thus I store about , Hnd for thy heavenly my soul cryes out . Wherefore Sea-calming , wind controlly Lord , To my perplexed soul thine aid afford ; For if thou wilt ( O Lord . ) thou canst me cherish : O therefore help , or else my soul wil perish . One Depth ( O Lord ) another in doth call , As waves break out and on each other fall : The depth of my calamity profound , Doth invocate thy Mercies which abound . I call and cry from many waters deep , My soul from sinking ( Lord ) preserve and keep . O keep me from these dangers imminent , Which have my silly soul on all sides pent , Let thine oustretched arm , upholding grace ; Once bring my soul unto her resting place , From floods or worldly infelicity , Into the ●ven of eternity . How long , O Lord , how long wilt thou prolong , Thy wrath● appeale and ease me , from among These d●death-threatning dangers ? O direct My way to thee , my 〈◊〉 to thee erect . My ●fidence re-plan in thee , I pray , That ●o these temp●sts may me not dismay ; That so these floods , though flow , may not com neer me That so these blasts , though blow , may not so fe●r me , Thou being my un-rocking rock , my shield , My fortress strong , which to no force can yeild , Most skilful Pilot , so my stern direct , My weather beaten boat , so safe protect , That it these dangers infinite may sh●n , And to my harbour may the right way run : Commiserate , compassionate my case , And in thine arms , O Christ , my soul embrace . Though I with Ionas seamen lose my wares , My goods , my life , worlds pleasures , best affairs ; Though persecution Rocks my Bark may batter , My danger driven boat may split may shatter ; Yet grant , O Lord , I may not shipwrack make Of my sure faith in thee ; but as the Snake Is said t' expose his body to the blow Of him that smites , to save his head : Even so I willingly may undergo all crosses , And with content may bear the greatest losses , That I may hold fast faith in Christ my head , So I may live by faith , to sin be dead . With this conclusion should my soul be cherisht , I had been undone , had I thus not perisht . Yea , with those Argo-Nautae willingly , My ship through straightest passages shal flye , So that in th' end I may with joy possess The Golden fleece of endless happiness . Lord , though the puddle of impurity Hath my poor soul polluted loathsomely The Ocean of iniquities foul flood Hath me beimeard in stinking mire and mud : O yet , sweet Christ , with Hylap of thy merit , Clense and make clean my sin-polluted spirit ; Wash me , o Christ , with thy most precious blood , None , nought but thou , can do my soul this good , My wel-nigh-shipwrackt soul , O Lord assist , VVhich too . too-long the way to thee hath mist . Contemn me not , condemn me not for sin , But let my Soul to thy sweet rest go in . Remit ( O Lord ) what I have il-omitted , Remove ( O Lord ) what I have mis-committeed . And though I be to pass by th' Gates of hel , Grant power to pass them , and with thee to dwel . To dwel I say with thee , i th' Land of Living , Where to thy saints thy joyes thou stil art giving . O thou my souls sweet soul , my Harts dear Hart , In this distress do not from me depart ; Be to my soul as a bright-morning-star , Which I may clearly see though somwhat far , And be , as th' art indeed , the sun most bright , Of righteousness , that my flesh-dimmed sight Being with Faiths Collyrium made more cleer , I speedily may see the way appear To my heart-chearing long desired port , Whereto my soul hath longed to resort , I may in time see , and fore-see sins charms , And so prevent th' event of Sins great harms , That on the shore I may perceive thee stand , Giving me aym with thy most sacred hand , To keep the right way to thine habitation , The heaven of happiness , and sure salvation . That passing thus this Danger-obvious Ocean , By thee the strong Arch-mover of each motion , I may go forward with such circumspection , And be so guided by thy good direction , And with thy grace be so corroborated , And with Rock-founded faith so animated , That as 'twixt Scylla's and Charib●is fear , My Bark in passage doth a ful sail bear : I mean proud Pharisaical Self-station , And graceless Diffident , Cains desperation , By th' justified Publicans example , I may the right regenerate paths trample Of that true penitent good Prodical , To thee ( O Lord ) for mercy cry and call , That by thy gracious guide and safe tuition , I may escape despairs and prides perdition , And so with joy , with joy unut●erable , Approaching to the shore most amiable : Casting the anchor of a constant hope On Christ my Saviour , fastned with faiths rope , I may my Merchandizes bring a-Land , And put them into my sweet Saviours hand ; Even all the gains which I poor soul had made Of this good Talent lent to me to trade : To whom although I bring but one for five , Yet will he not my soul of heaven deprive . And though that one through mine infirmitie , Hath been much blemish't with impurity , Hath been disgrac't , defac't , and much abused , Yet by my Christ it wil not be refused , But graciously hee 'l take my wil for deed , Wil hold me by the hand and thus proceed : VVell done , good Servant , worthy of my trust , Wel done ( I say ) thy service hath been just ; Since thou in little matters hast done well , Thou shalt be Lord of things which far excel . Since thou to do my Will hast done thy best , Come , come with me into thy masters rest . Even so Lord Iesus , come I humbly pray , For thine Elects sake hast that happy day . I look , I long , that I might once deserie That happy Day , my soul to happyfie : That I with thee ( my Saviour ) may rejoyce , That with heart-cheering musick and sweet voice , In that blest Chorus sweet , Angelical Society of Saints celestial , I , Halleluiah , Halleluiah may Sing cheerfully to God the Lord alway ; To God the Father , Son , and Holy Ghost , Unto the Trine-One Lord of Host . To this great God be given all thanks and praise , For his sweet succour in these sacred Layes . Amen . FINIS . — Omnis Gloria solus est Domini . Thrice happy Vision , more thrice happy zeal , Thus flames us with God , Saints , Heav'ns Commonweal . To the good , godly , and ingenuous Reader . GEntlemen , This Book was written for you , & for none ●ut you ; any that are malicious , wicked , and corrupted with any deadly sin , in no wise let him presume with Uzza to touch the Ark lest he die . It is inchanted with white Magick , the Angel of righteousness doth and wil protect it , the spirit of the air his seal & plannet ; Sachiel his , s●irit , and Zebul his Region , the Mild south , Winde bloweth peace and concord , to those I mean , such as it is dedicated to , and none but honest , good , moral , discreet men may read it , whose lives are devoted to the service of God , and in whose hearts there is no guile , to such this book is given . Excuse my absence from the Press , ( Which causeth me thus to express ) Reader , If you with any errors meet In this or that , or the other sheet , You must therefore the Printer blame , For he did all these errors frame .