Ex Libris C. K. OGDEN THE Works of George Herbert VOL. II. The Temple and other Poems NEW EDITION jSE^glt-J^Bt-J^^jt^OMfe^ 5 *^^^ l n ^^W^^py^t^^^ I ii II II II ii ii ii ii II II II II il II il n n il I ,1 H 'I I II i I I :l ;l .L-L I II il IJ SACRED POEMS AND PRIVATE EJACULATIONS BY GEORGE HERBERT PSALM XXIX IN HIS TEMPLE DOTH EVERY MAN SPEAK OF HIS HONOUR i!iJ!iJiJ>J^iJtiJ!!iJBj^ '^o'esj. Jg| Jp LONDON \^=^ BELL & DALDY 3) I /c v ;.:C'j:C-- Advertifement. 'HE Poems of " the Divine Herbert" will be found more complete in this edition than in any that has before appeared ; they were firft printed at Cambridge in 1633, entitled " THE TEMPLE. Sa- cred Poems and Private Ejaculations, by Mr. George Herbert," with a preface of " The Printers to the Reader," by Nicholas Ferrar, who was ufually called " The Proteftant Saint Nicholas, and the pious Mr. Herbert's brother;"* to this publication are added cer- tain Latin and Greek poems. Of the Temple, it has been remarked by his firft biographer, the Rev. Bar- nabas Oley, that " He that reads Mr. Herbert's poems attendingly, fhall finde not only the excellencies of Scripture Divinitie, and choice paiTages of the Fathers bound up in meetre ; but the doftrine of Rome alfo finely and ftrongly confuted ; as in the poems ' To Saints and Angels,' The Britifh Church,' The Church Militant,'" &c. Richard Baxter, in the preface to his Poetical Fragments (Lond. 1 68 1 ) fays : " Next to the Scrip- * Nicholas Ferrar tranflated Valdeflb's Divine Confidera- tions ; to which work George Herbert wrote a preface and notes. In Pickhard's Life of Ferrar of Little Gidding is printed a Prayer by N. F. for his friend George Herbert in his Sicknefs. vi ADVERTISEMENT. ture Poems, there are none fo favoury to me as Mr. George Herbert's and Mr. George Sandys'. I know that Covvley and others far excel Herbert in wit and accurate compofure ; But (as Seneca takes with me above all his contemporaries, becaufe he fpeaketh things by words, feelingly and ferioufly, like a man that is part jell, fo) Herbert fpeaks to God like one that really believeth a God, and whofe bufinefs in this world is moft with God. Heart-work and Heaven-work make up his books." Walton ftates that Herbert, on his death-bed, de- livered the Temple to Mr. Edmond Duncon, his executor, with the following injunction : " ' Sir, I pray deliver this little book to my dear brother Fer- rar, and tell him, he fhall find in it a picture of the many fpiritual conflicts that have patted betwixt God and my foul, before I could fubject mine to the will of Jefus my matter, in whofe fervice I have now found perfect freedom ; defire him to read it, and then if he can think it may turn to the advantage of any dejected poor foul, let it be made public ; if not, let him burn it, for I and it are lefs than the leaft of God's mercies.' Thus meanly did this humble man think of this excellent book, which now bears the name of THE TEMPLE, or Sacred Poems and Private Ejaculations ; of which Mr. Ferrar would fay, there was the picture of a Divine Soul in every page ; and that the whole book was fuch a harmony of holy paffions, as would enrich the world with pleafure and piety. And it appears to have done fo, for there have been ten thoufand of them fold fince the firft impreffion." * * Izaak Walton published his life of Herbert in 1670. In ADVERTISEMENT. vii In the life of Dr. Donne, Walton fays: " And in this enumeration of his friends, though many muft be omitted ; yet that man of primitive piety, Mr. George Herbert, may not : I mean that George Herbert, who was the author of ' The Tem- ple, or Sacred Poems and Ejaculations,' a book, in which, by declaring his own fpiritual conflicts, he hath comforted and raifed many a dejecled and dif- compofed foul, and charmed them into fweet and quiet thoughts ; a book, by the frequent reading whereof, and the affiftance of that fpirit that feemed to infpire the author, the reader may attain habits of peace and piety, and all the gifts of the Holy Ghoft and Heaven, and may by ftill reading ftill keep thofe facred fires burning upon the altar of fo the fourth edition, 1674, Walton fays, that " there have been more than twenty thoufand of them fold fince the firft impref- fion." The Temple was firft printed at Cambridge, 1633 ; the fecond edition the fame year; third edition in 1634; fourth edit. 1635 ; fifth edit. 1638 ; fixth edit. 1641 ; feventh edit. 1656; eighth edit. 1660; ninth edit. 1667; tenth edit. 1674; eleventh edit. 1679; twelfth edit. 1703; thirteenth edit. 1709; fourteenth edit. Briftol, 1799; fifteenth edit. Lond. 1805. There is in the Bodleian Library a MS. formerly belong- ing to Abp. Sancroft, and afterwards to Bp. Tanner, entitled " The original of Mr. George Herbert's Temple, as it was at firft Licenfed for the Prefie. W. Sancroft ;" beautifully written in folio, the punctuation altered by Sancroft. Dr. Blifs obferves, that the poems are the fame with thofe ed. 1656, on a flight collation, there does not appear to be any various readings, and but one tranfpofition. On the title is the poetical dedication, and at the bottom, original autographs. B. Lany Procan. Tho. Bainbrigg. M. Wren. William Beale. Tho. Freman. There is alfo in the fame library the following in MS. " Mr. Herbert's Temple and Church Militant, explained and improved by a difcourfe upon each poem, critical and practical, by Geo. Ry- viii ADVERTISEMENT. pure a heart, as mall free it from the anxieties of the world, and keep it fixed upon things that are above. Betwixt this George Herbert and Dr. Donne there was a long and dear friendfhip, made up by fuch a fympathy of inclinations, that they coveted and joyed to be in each other's company ; and this happy friendfhip was ftill maintained by many facred en- dearments." Of the Latin poems, three are appended to the original edition of his Remains, two are found in the Lacrymae Cantabrigienfes and Epicedium Cantabri- gienfe, and three more are given from autographs in the hands of the publifher. Some others were firft printed by Dr. Ja. Duport, ProfefTor of Greek in the Univerfity of Cambridge, at the end of a fmall volume,* containing other fimilar productions. They are introduced with this notice, " Epigrammata qua- darn pro difciplina Ecclejite nojlra Apologetica, ali- quot abbinc annis confcripta a Geo. Herberts, at quali et quanta viro et poeta, quam pio, quam inge- niofo! de quo pr a ft at omnino tacere quampauca die ere; preefertim cum exitniam ejus pietatem admirabilis in- genii fale conditam loquetur Templum,loquetur Tem- * Ecclefiaftes Solomonis, Auclore Joan. Viviano, Canticum Solomonis : necnon Epigrammata Sacra per Ja. Duportum. Accedunt Georgii Herbert! Mufae Refponforiae, &c. 1662. In Duport's Mufae Subfecivae, &c. Camb. 1676, 8vo. are Latin verfes addrefied to Herbert ; alfo in a volume of Latin Poems by Will. Dillingham, D.D. of Camb. 8vo. 1678, are tranfla- tions of five of Herbert's, viz. The Church Porch, The Sacri- fice, Providence, Charms and Knots, and Man's Medley. In the Poems of Daniel Baker, M. A. 1697, will be found verfes " On Mr. George Herbert's Poems, called the Temple." Thofe by Crafliaw and Ford are printed at the end of the Commenda- tory Verfes. ADVERTISEMENT. ix pus, loquetur jEternitas. H Thy life on earth was grief, and thou art ftill Conftant unto it, making it to be A point of honour, now to x grieve in me, And in thy members fuffer ill. They who lament one crofle, Thou dying dayly, praife thee to thy lofle. 49. The Starre. fpark^ mot from a brighter place, Where beams furround my Saviours face, Canft thou be any where So well as there ? Yet, if thou wilt from thence depart, Take a bad lodging in my heart ; For thou can ft make a debter, And make it better. Firft with thy fire-work burn to duft Folly, and worfe than folly, luft : Then with thy light refine, And make it mine. .v. 70 THE CHURCH. So difengag'd from finne and ficknefle, Touch it with thy cdeftiall quicknefle That it may hang and move After thy love. Then with our trinitie of light, Motion, and heat, let's take our flight Unto the place where thou Before didft bow. Get me a ftanding there, and place Among the beams, which crown the face Of him, who dy'd to part Sinne and my heart : That fo among the reft I may Glitter, and curie, and winde as they: That winding is their falhion Of adoration. Sure thou wilt joy, by gaining me To flie home like a laden bee Unto that hive of beams And garland-ftreams. . H- DAY moft calm, moft bright, The fruit of this, the next worlds bud, Th' indorfement of fupreme delight, Writ by a friend, and with his bloud ; The couch of time ; cares balm and bay ; THE CHURCH. 71 The week were dark, but for thy light : Thy torch doth mow the way. The other dayes and thou Make up one man ; whofe face thou art, Knocking at heaven with thy brow : The worky-daies are the back-part ; The burden of the week lies there, Making the whole to ftoup and bow, Till thy releafe appeare. Man had ftraight forward gone To endlefle death ; but thou doft pull And turn us round to look on one, Whom, if we were not very dull, We could not choofe but look on ftill ; Since there is no place fo alone The which he doth not fill. Sundaies the pillars are, On which heav'ns palace arched lies : The other dayes fill up the fpare And hollow room with vanities. They are the fruitfull beds and borders In Gods rich garden : that is bare Which parts their ranks and orders. The Sundaies of mans life, Thredded together on times ftring, Make bracelets to adorn the wife Of the eternall glorious King. On Sunday heavens gate ftands ope ; Bleflings are plentifull and rife, More plentifull then hope. 72 THE CHURCH. This day my Saviour rofe, And did inclofe this light for his : That, as each beaft his manger knows, Man might not of his fodder mifle. Chrift hath took in this piece of ground, And made a garden there for thofe Who want herbs for their wound. The reft of our Creation Our great Redeemer did remove With the fame (hake, which at his paffion Did th' earth and all things with it move. As Samfon bore the doores away, Chrifts hands, though nail'd, wrought our falvation, And did unhinge that day. The brightnefle of that day We fullied by our foul offence : Wherefore that robe we caft away, Having a new at his expenfe, Whofe drops of bloud paid the full price, That was requir'd to make us gay, And fit for Paradife. Thou art a day of mirth : And where the week-dayes trail on ground, Thy flight is higher, as thy birth : O let me take thee at the bound, Leaping with thee from fev'n to fev'n, Till that we both, being tofPd from earth, Flie hand in hand to heav'n ! THE CHURCH. 73 51. Avarice. *ONEY, thou bane of blifle,and fource of wo, Whence com'ft thou, that thou art fo freih and fine ? I know thy parentage is bafe and low : Man found thee poore and dirtie in a mine. Surely thou didft fo little contribute To this great kingdome, which thou now haft got, That he was fain, when thou wert deftitute, To digge thee out of thy dark cave and grot. Then forcing thee, by fire he made thee bright : Nay, thou haft got the face of man ; for we Have with our ftamp and feal transferr'd our right : Thou art the man, and man but drofle to thee. Man calleth thee his wealth, who made thee rich ; And while he digs out thee, falls in the ditch. 52 OW well her name an Army doth prefent, In whom the Lord of bo ft s did pitch his tent! 74 THE CHURCH. 53. To all Angels and Saints. ;H glorious fpirits, who after all your bands See the fmooth face of God, without a frown, Or ftrift commands ; Where ev'ry one is king, and hath his crown, If not upon his head, yet in his hands : Not out of envie or malicioufnefle Do I forbear to crave your fpeciall aid. I would addrefle My vows to thee moft gladly, blefled Maid, And Mother of my God, in my diftrefle : Thou art the holy rr ine, whence came the gold, The great reftorative for all decay In young and old ; Thou art the cabinet where the Jewell lay : Chiefly to thee would I my foul unfold. But now, (alas !) I dare not ; for our King, Whom we do all joyntly adore and praife, Bids no fuch thing : And where his pleafure no injunction layes, ('Tis your own cafe) ye never move a wing. All worfhip is prerogative, and a flower Of his rich crown, from whom lyes no appeal At the laft houre : Therefore we dare not from his garland fteal, To make a pofie fur inferiour power. THE CHURCH. 75 Although then others court you, if ye know What's done on earth, we fhall not fare the worfe, Who do not fo ; Since we are ever ready to difburfe, If any one our Matters hand can fhow. 54. Employment. 1 E that is weary, let him fit. My foul would flirre And trade in courtefies and wit, Quitting the furre To cold complexions needing it. Man is no ftarre, but a quick coal Of mortal! fire : Who blows it not, nor doth controll A faint defire, Lets his own afhes choke his foul. When th' elements did for place conteft With him, whofe will Ordain'd the higheft to be belt : The earth fat flill, And by the others is oppreft. Life is a bulineffe, not good cheer ; Ever in warres. The funne ftill fhineth there or here, Whereas the ftarres Watch an advantage to appeare. 76 THE CHURCH. O that I were an Orenge-tree, That bufie plant ! Then mould I ever laden be, And never want Some fruit for him that dreffed me. But we are ftill too young or old ; The man is gone, Before we do our wares unfold : So we freeze on, Until the grave increafe our cold. 55. Deniall. HEN my devotions could not pierce Thy filent eares ; Then was my heart broken, as was my verfe ; My breaft was full of fears And diforder, S My bent thoughts, like a brittle bow, Did flie afunder : Each took his way ; fome would to pleafures go, Some to the warres and thunder Of alarms. As good go any where, they fay, As to benumme Both knees and heart, in crying night and day, Come, come, my God, O come, But no hearing. THE CHURCH. 77 O thou that fhouldft give duft a tongue To crie to thee, And then not heare it crying ! all day long My heart was in my knee, But no hearing. Therefore my foul lay out of fight, Untun'd, unftrung : My feeble fpirit, unable to look right, Like a nipt bloffome, hung Difcontented. O cheer and tune my heartlefle breaft, Deferre no time ; That fo thy favours granting my requeft, They and my minde may chime, And mend my ryme. 56. Chriftmas. !;LL after pleafures as I rid one day, My horfe and I, both tir'd, bodie and minde, With full crie of affections, quite aftray ; I took up in the next inne I could finde. There when I came, whom found I but my deare, My deareft Lord, expecting till the grief Of pleafures brought me to him, readie there To be all paffengers moft fweet relief? 78 THE CHURCH. O Thou, whole glorious, yet contracted light, Wrapt in nights mantle, Hole into a manger ; Since my dark foul and brutifh is thy right, To Man of all beafts be not thou a ftranger : Furnifh and deck my foul, that thou mayft have A better lodging, then a rack, or grave. f'HE fhepherds fmg; and mail I filent be ? My God, no hymne for thee ? My foul's a fhepherd too : a flock it feeds Of thoughts, and words, and deeds. The pafture is thy word ; the ftreams, thy grace Enriching all the place. Shepherd and flock fhall fing, and all my powers Out-fing the day-light houres. Then we will chide the funne for letting night Take up his place and right : We fing one common Lord ; wherefore he fhould Himfelf the candle hold. I will go fearching, till I finde a funne . Shall flay, till we have done ; A willing fhiner, that fhall fhine as gladly, As froft-nipt funnes look fadly. Then we will fing, and fhine all our own day, . And one another pay : His beams fhall cheer my breaft, and both fo twine, Till ev'n his beams fing, and my mufick fhine. THE CHURCH. 79 57. UngratefulneiTe. | ORD, with what bountie and rare clemencie Haft thou redeem'd us from the grave ! If thou hadfl let us runne, Gladly had man ador'd the funne, And thought his god moft brave ; Where now we mall be better gods then he. Thou haft but two rare cabinets full of treafure, The Trinitie, and Incarnation : Thou haft unlockt them both, And made them jewels to betroth The work of thy creation Unto thyfelf in everlafting pleafure. The ftatelier cabinet is the Trinitie, Whofe fparkling light accefs denies : Therefore thou doft not mow This fully to us, till death blow The duft into our eyes ; For by that powder thou wilt make us fee. But all thy fweets are packt up in the other ; Thy mercies thither flock and flow ; That as the firft affrights, This may allure us with delights ; Becaufe this box we know; For we have all of us juft fuch another. But man is clofe, referv'd, and dark to thee ; When thou demandeft but a heart, 8o THE CHURCH. He cavils inftantly. In his poore cabinet of bone Sinnes have their box apart, Defrauding thee, who gaveft two for one. 58. Sighs and Grones. DO not ufe me After my finnes ! look not on my delert, But on thy glorie ! then thou wilt reform, And not refufe me : for thou onely art The mightie God, but I a lillie worm: O do not bruife me ! O do not urge me ! For what account can thy ill fleward make ? I have abuf 'd thy ftock, deftroy'd thy woods, Suckt all thy magazens : my head did ake, Till it found out how to confume thy goods : O do not fcourge me ! O do not blind me ! I have deferv'd that an Egyptian night Should thicken all my powers ; becaufe myluft Hath ftill fow'd fig-leaves to exclude thy light : But I am frailtie, and already duft : O do not grinde me ! O do not fill me With the turn'd viall of thy bitter wrath ! For thou haft other veflels full of bloud, THE CHURCH. 81 A part whereof my Saviour empti'd hath, Ev'n unto death : fince he di'd for my good, O do not kill me ! But O reprieve me ! For thou haft life and death at thy command ; Thou art both Judge and Saviour, fe aft and rod, . Cordiall and C_orrojjve_ : put not thy hand <**".y *"-" Into the bitter box ; but O my God, My God, relieve me ! 59. The World. |$OVE built a ftately houfe ; where Fortune came : And fpinning phanlies,fhe was heard to fay, That her fine cobwebs did fupport the frame, Whereas they were fupported by the fame : But Wifdome quickly fwept them all away. Then Pleafure came, who liking not the fafhion, Began to make Balcoms, Terraces, Till me had weakned all by alteration : But rev'rend laws, and many a proclamation Reformed all at length with menaces. Then enter'd Sinne, and with that Sycomore, [dew, Whofe leaves firft fheltred man from drought and Working and winding flily evermore, The inward walls and Sommers cleft and tore : But Grace fhor'd thefe, and cut that as it grew. G 82 THE CHURCH. Then Sinne combined with Death in a firm band, To rafe the building to the very floore : Which they effected, none could them withftand ; But Love and Grace took Glorie by the hand, And built a braver Palace then before. 60. Coloff. iii. 3. Our life is bid with Cbrift in God. 1 T words and thoughts do both exprefle this notion, That Life hath with the fun a double motion. The firft Is ftraight, and our diurnall friend ; The other Hid, and doth obliquely bend. One life is wrapt In flefh, and tends to earth : The other winds towards Him, whofe happie birth Taught me to live here fo, That ftill one eye Should aim and moot at that which Is on high ; Quitting with daily labour all My pleafure, To gain at harvefl an eternall Treafure. 61. Vanitie. "HE fleet Aftronomer can bore And thred the fpheres withhis quick-piercing minde : He views their ftations, walks from doore to doore, Surveys, as if he had defign'd To make a purchafe there : he fees their dances, And knoweth long before, Both their full-ey'd afpefts, and fecret glances. THE CHURCH. 83 The nimble Diver with his fide Cuts through the working waves, that he may fetch His dearely-earned pearl, which God did hide On purpofe from the ventrous wretch ; That he might fave his life, and alfo hers, Who with exceffive pride Her own deftrudlion and his danger wears. The fubtil Chymick can deveft And ftrip the creature naked, till he finde / The callow principles within their neft : p^*^*** There he imparts to them his minde, Admitted to their bed-chamber, before They appeare trim and dreft To ordinarie fuitours at the doore. What hath not man fought out and found, But his deare God ? who yet his glorious law Embofomes in us, mellowing the ground With fhowres and frofts, with love and aw ; So that we need not fay, Where's this command ? Poore man ! thou fearcheft round To finde out death, but mifleft life at hand. 62. Lent. ELCOME, deare feaft of Lent : who loves not thee, He loves not Temperance, or Authoritie, But is compof'd of paffion. The Scriptures bid usfaj}; the Church fays, now : Give to thy Mother what thou wouldft allow To ev'ry Corporation. 84 THE CHURCH. The humble foul compofd of love and fear, Begins at home, and layes the burden there, When dodrines difagree : He fayes, in things which ufe hath juftly got, I am a fcandall to the Church, and not The Church is fp to me. True Chriftians mould be glad of an occafion To ufe their temperance, feeking no evafion, When good is feafonable ; Unlefle Authoritie, which mould increafe The obligation in us, make it lefle, And Power it felf difable. Befides the cleannefle of fweet abftinence, Quick thoughts and motions at a fmall expenfe, A face not fearing light : Whereas in fulnefle there are fluttifh fumes, Sowre exhalations, and diflioneft rheumes, Revenging the delight. Then thofe fame pendant profits, which the fpring And Eafter intimate, enlarge the thing, And goodnefle of the deed. Neither ought other mens abufe of Lent Spoil the good ufe ; left by that argument We forfeit all our Creed. It's true, we cannot reach Chrifts forti'th day ; Yet to go part of that religious way Is better then to reft: We cannot reach our Saviours puritie ; Yet are we bid, " Be holy ev'n as be" In both let's do our beft. THE CHURCH. 85 Who goeth in the way which Chrift hath gone, Is much more fure to meet with him, than one That travelleth by-wayes. Perhaps my God, though he be farre before, May turn, and take me by the hand, and more, May ftrengthen my decayes. Yet, Lord, inftrucl: us to improve our faft By ftarving finne and taking fuch repaft As may our faults controll : That ev'ry man may revell at his doore, Not in his parlour ; banquetting the poore, And among thofe his foul. 63. Vcrtue. qi^tv WEET day, fo cool, fo calm, fo bright, The bridall of the earth and flcie : The dew mail weep thy fall to night ; For thou muft die. Sweet rofe, whofe hue angrie and brave Bids the ram gazer wipe his eye, Thy root is ever in its grave, And thou muft die. Sweet fpring, full of fvveet dayes and rofes, A box where fweets compared lie, My mulick mows ye have your clofes, And all muft die. Onely a fweet and vertuous foul, Like feafon'd timber, never gives ; But though the whole world turn to coal, Then chiefly lives. 86 THE CHURCH. 64. The Pearl. Matt. xin. KNOW the wayes oflearning ; both the head [runne ; And pipes that feed the prefle, and make it What reafon hath from nature borrowed, Or of itfelf, like a good hufwife, fpunne In laws and policie ; what the ftarres confpire, What willing- nature fpeaks, what forc'd by fire ; Both th' old difcoveries, and the new-found feas, The ftock and furplus, caufe and hiftorie : All thefe ftand open, or I have the keyes : Yet I love thee. I know the wayes of honour, what maintains The quick returns of courtefie and wit : In vies of favours whether partie gains, When glorie fwells the heart, and moldeth it To all expreffions both of hand and eye, Which on the world a true-love-knot may tie, ^ And bear the bundle, wherefoe're it goes : How many drammes of fpirit there muft be To fell my life unto my friends or foes : Yet I love thee. I know the wayes of pleafure, the fweet ftrains, The lullings and the relifhes of it; The propofitions of hot bloud and brains ; What mirth and rnulick mean ; what love and wit Have done thefe twentie hundred yeares, and more : I know the projects of unbridled ftore : THE CHURCH. 87 My ftuffe is flefh, not brafle ; my fenfes live, And grumble oft, that they have more in me Than he that curbs them, being but one to five : Yet I love thee. I know all thefe, and have them in my hand : Therefore not fealed, but with open eyes I flie to thee, and fully underftand Both the main fale, and the commodities ; And at what rate and price I have thy love ; With all the circumftances that may move : Yet through the labyrinths, not my groveling wit, But thy iilk twift let down from heav'n to me, Did both conduct and teach me, how by it To climb to thee. 65. Affliftion. BROKEN in pieces all afunder, Lord, hunt me not, A thing forgot, Once a poore creature, now a wonder, A wonder tortur'd in the fpace Betwixt this world and that of grace. My thoughts are all a cafe of knives, Wounding my heart With fcatter'd fmart ; As watring pots give flowers their lives. Nothing their furie can controll, While they do wound and prick my foul. 88 THE CHURCH. All my attendants are at ftrife, Quitting their place Unto my face : Nothing performs the taflc of life : The elements are let loofe to fight, And while I live, trie out their right. Oh help, my God ! let not their plot Kill them and me, And alfo thee, Who art my life : diflblve the knot, As the funne fcatters by his light All the rebellions of the night. Then (hall thofe powers, which work for grief, Enter thy pay, And day by day Labour thy praife, and my relief; With care and courage building me, Till I reach heav'n, and much more thee. 66. Man. j)Y God, I heard this day, That none doth build a (lately habitation But he that means to dwell therein. What houfe more (lately hath there been, Or can be, then is Man ? to whofe creation All things are in decay. For Man is ev'ry thing, And more : He is a tree, yet bears no fruit ; THE CHURCH. 89 A beaft, yet is, or ftiould be more : Reafon and fpeech we onely bring. Parrots may thank us, if they are not mute, They go upon the fcore. Man is all fymmetrie, Full of proportions, one limbe to another, And all to all the world befides : Each part may call the fartheft, brother : For head with foot hath private amide, And both with moons and tides. Nothing hath got fo farre, But Man hath caught and kept it, as his prey. His eyes difmount the higheft ftarre : He is in little all the fphere. Herbs gladly cure our flefh, becaufe that they Finde their acquaintance there. For us the windes do blow ; The earth doth reft, heav'n move, and fountains flow. Nothing we fee, but means our good, As our delight, or as our treafure : The whole is, either our cupboard of food, Or cabinet of pleafure. The ftarres have us to bed ; Night draws the curtain, which the funne withdraws : Mufick and light attend our head. All things unto our fiejh are kinde In their defcent and being s to our minde In their afcent and caufe. Each thing is full of dutie : Waters united are our navigation ; 9 o THE CHURCH. Diftrnguifhed, our habitation ; Below, our drink ; above, our meat : Both are our cleanlinefle. Hath one fuch beautie ? Then how are all things neat ! More fervants- wait on Man, Than he'l take notice of: in ev'ry path He treads down that which doth befriend him, When ficknefle makes him pale and wan. Oh mightie love ! Man is one world, and hath Another to attend him. Since then, my God, thou haft So brave a Palace built ; O dwell in it, That it may dwell with thee at laft ! Till then, afford us fo much wit; That, as the world ferves us, we may ferve thee, And both thy fervants be. 67. Antiphon. Cher, fiftfg RAISED be the God of love, Men. Here below, Angels. And here above : Chor. Who hath dealt his mercies fo, Ang. To his friend, Men. And to his foe ; Cbor. That both grace and glorie tend Ang. Us of old, Men. And us in th' end. mow nfif^t /fct/. THE CHURCH. 91 Cbor. The great Shepherd of the fold Ang. Us did make, Men. For us was fold. Cbor. He our foes in pieces brake : Ang. Him we touch ; Men. And him we take. Chor. Wherefore fince that he is fuch, Ang. We adore, Men. And we do crouch. Cbor. Lord, thy praifes mould be more. Men. We have none, Ang. And we no ftore. Cbor. Praifed be the God alone Who hath made of two folds one. 68. UnkindnelTe. jORD, make me coy and tender to offend In friendfhip, firft I think, if that agree, Which I intend, Unto my friends intent and end. I would not ufe a friend, as I ufe Thee. If any touch my friend, or his good name, It is my honour and my love to free His blafted fame From the leaft fpot or thought of blame. I could not ufe a friend, as I ufe Thee. 92 THE CHURCH. My friend may fpit upon my curious floore : Would he have gold ? I lend it inftantly ; But let the poore, And thou within them ftarve at doore. I cannot ufe a friend, as I ufe Thee. When that my friend pretendeth to a place, I quit my intereft, and leave it free : But when thy grace Sues for my heart, I thee difplace ; Nor would I ufe a friend, as I ufe Thee. Yet can a friend what thou haft done fulfill ? O write in brafs, My God upon a tree His bloud did fpill, Onely to pur chafe my good-will: Yet ufe I not my foes, as I ufe tbee. 69. Life. MADE a pofie, while the day ran by : Here will I fmell my remnant out, and t My life within this band. But time did becken to the flowers, and they By noon moft cunningly did fteal away, And wither'd in my hand. My hand was next to them, and then my heart ; I took, without more thinking, in good part Times gentle admonition ; Who did fo fweetly deaths fad tafte convey, Making my minde to fmell my fatall day, Yet fugring the fufpicion. THE CHURCH. 93 Farewell, dear flowers, fweetly your time ye fpent, Fit, while ye liv'd, for fmell or ornament, And after death for cures. I follow ftraight without complaints or grief, Since if my fcent be good, I care not, if It be as fhort as yours. 70. Submiffion. UT that thou art my wifdome, Lord, And both mine eyes are thine, My minde would be extreamly ftirr'd For miffing my deiigne. Were it not better to beftow Some place and power on me ? Then mould thy praifes with me grow, And {hare in my degree. But when I thus difpute and grieve, I do refume my fight ; And pilfring what I once did give, Difleize thee of thy right. How know I, if thou fhouldft me raife, That I mould then raife thee ? Perhaps great places and thy praife Do not fo well agree. Wherefore unto my gift I ftand ; I will no more advife : Onely do thou lend me a hand, Since thou haft both mine eyes. 94 THE CHURCH. 71. Juftice. C ANNOT flcill of thefe thy ways : [me : Lord, tbou didft make me, yet tbou woundeft Lord, tbou doft wound me, yet tbou doft re- Lord, thou relieve}}, yet I die by tbee : \lieve me: Lord, tbou doft kill me, yet tbou doft reprieve me. But when I mark my life and praife, My juftice me moft fitly payes : For, / do praife tbee, yet I praife tbee not : My prayers mean tbee, yet my prayers ftray : I would do well, yet Jinne the band bath got : My foul doth love tbee, yet it loves delay. I cannot fkill of thefe my ways. 72. Charms and Knots. HO reade a chapter when they rife, i Shall ne're be troubled with ill eyes. A poore mans rod, when thou doft ride, Is both a weapon and a guide. Who (huts his hand, hath loft his gold : Who opens it, hath it twice told. Who goes to bed, and doth not pray, Maketh two nights to ev'ry day. THE CHURCH. 95 Who by afperfions throw a ftone At th' head of others, hit their own. Who looks on ground with humble eyes, Findes himfelf there, and feeks to rife. When th' hair is fweet through pride or luft, The powder doth forget the duft. Take one from ten, and what remains ? f < Ten ftill, if fermons go for gains. In mallow waters heav'n doth fhow : But who drinks on, to hell may go. 73. Affli&ion. Y God, I read this day, That planted Paradife was not fo firm As was and is thy floting Ark ; whole flay And anchor thou art onely, to confirm And ftrengthen it in ev'ry age, When waves do rife, and tempefts rage, At firft we liv'd in pleafure ; Thine own delights thou didft to us impart : When we grew wanton, thou didft ufe difpleafure To make us thine : yet that we might not part, As we at firft did board with thee, Now thou wouldft tafte our miferie. There is but joy and grief; If either will convert us, we are thine : 96 THE CHURCH. Some Angels uf'd the firft; if our relief Take up the fecond, then thy double line And fev'rall baits in either kinde Furnifh thy table to thy minde. Affli&ion then is ours; We are the trees, whom lhaking fallens more, While bluftring windes deftroy the wanton bowres, And ruffle all their curious knots and ftore. My God, fo temper joy and wo, That thy bright beams may tame thy bow. 74. Mortification, foon doth man decay ! When clothes are taken from acheftof fweets To fwaddle infants, whofe young breath Scarce knows the way ; Thofe clouts are little winding meets, Which do configne and fend them unto death. S When boyes go firft to bed, They ftep into their voluntarie graves ; Sleep bindes them faft; onely their breath Makes them not dead. Succeffive nights, like rolling waves, Convey them quickly, who are bound for death. When youth is frank and free, And calls for mufick, while his veins do fwell, All day exchanging mirth and breath THE CHURCH. 97 In com panic; That mufick fummons to the knell, Which fhall befriend him at the houfe of death. When man grows flaid and wife, Getting a houfe and home, where he may move Within the circle of his breath, Schooling his eyes ; That dumbe inclofure maketh love Unto the coffin, that attends his death. When age grows low and weak, Marking his grave, and thawing ev'ry yeare, Till all do melt, and drown his breath When he would fpeak ; A chair or litter mows the biere, Which mall convey him to the houfe of death. Man, ere he is aware, Hath put together a folemnitie, And dreft his herfe, while he has breath As yet to fpare. Yet, Lord, inftrul us fo to die That all thefe dyings may be life in death. 75. Decay. jWEET were the dayes, when thou didft lodge with Lot, Struggle with Jacob, fit with Gideon, Advife with Abraham, when thy power could not Encounter Mofes ftrong complaints and moan : Thy words were then, Let me alone. 98 THE CHURCH. One might have fought and found thee prefently At fome fair oak, or bufh, or cave, or well : Is my God this way ? No, they would reply ; He is to Sinai gone, as we heard tell : Lift, ye may heare great Aarons bell. But now thou doft thyfelf immure and clofe In fome one corner of a feeble heart : Where yet both Sinne and Satan, thy old foes, Do pinch and ftraiten thee, and ufe much art To gain thy thirds and little part. I fee the world grows old, when as the heat Of thy great love once fpread, as in an urn Doth clofet up itfelf, and ftill retreat, Cold finne ftill forcing it, till it return And calling Juftice, all things burn. 76. Miferie. ORD, let the Angels praife thy name. Man is a foolifh thing, a foolifh thing, Folly and Sinne play all his game. His houfe ftill burns ; and yet he ftill doth fing, Man is but gra/e, He knows it, Jill the glajje. How canft thou brook his foolifhnefle ? Why, he'l not lofe a cup of drink for thee : Bid him but temper his excefle ; Not he : he knows, where he can better be, As he will fwear, Then to ferve thee in fear. THE CHURCH. 99 What ftrange pollutions doth he wed, And make his own? as if none knew, but he. No man mall beat into his head That thou within his curtains drawn canft fee : They are of cloth, Where never yet came moth. The belt of men, turn but thy hand For one poore minute, ftumble at a pinne : They would not have their actions fcann'd, Nor any forrow tell them that they finne, Though it be fmall, And meafure not their fall. * They quarrell thee, and would give over The bargain made to ferve thee : but thy love Holds them unto it, and doth cover Their follies with the wing of thy milde Dove, Not fuff'ring thofe Who would, to be thy foes. My God, Man cannot praife thy name : Thou art all brightnefle, perfect puritie : The funne holds down his head for fhame, Dead with eclipfes, when we fpeak of thee. How mall infection Prefume on thy perfection r As dirtie hands foul all the touch, And thofe things moft, which are moft pure and fine : So our clay hearts, ev'n when we crouch To (ing thy praifes, make them lefle divine. Yet either this, Or none thy portion is. ioo THE CHURCH. Man cannot ferve thee ; Jet him go And ferve the fvvine : there, there is his delight : He doth not like this vertue, no ; Give him his dirt to wallow in all night ; Thefe Preachers make His head to moot and ake. Oh foolifh man ! where are thine eyes ? How haft thou loft them in a crowd of cares ? Thou pull'ft the rug, and wilt not rife, No not to purchafe the whole pack of ftarres : There let them mine, Thou muft go fleep, or dine. The bird that fees a daintie bowre Made in the tree, where fhe was wont to fit, Wonders and fmgs, but not his power Who made the arbour : this exceeds her wit. But Man doth know The fpring, whence all things flow : And yet as though he knew it not, His knowledge winks, and lets his humours reigne They make his life a conftant blot, S And all the bloud of God to run in vain. Ah, wretch ! what verfe Can thy ftrange wayes rehearfe ? Indeed at firft Man was a treafure, A box of jewels, fhop of rarities, A ring, whofe pofig was, My pleafure : He was a garden in a Paradife : Glorie and grace Did crown his heart and face. THE CHURCH. 101 But fmne hath fool'd him. Now he is A lump of flefh, without a foot or wing To raife him to the glimpfe of blifle : A fick toff'd veflel, darning on each thing ; Nay, his own fhelf : My God, I mean myfelf. 77. Jordan. "HEN firft my lines of heav'nly joyes made mention, Such was their luftre, they did fo excell, That I fought out quaint words, and trim invention ; My thoughts began to burnifh, fprout, and fwell, Curling with metaphors a plain intention, Decking the fenfe, as if it were to fell. Thoufands of notions in my brain did runne, Off'ring their fervice, if I were not fped : I often blotted what I had begunne ; This was not quick enough, and that was dead. Nothing could feem too rich to clothe the funne, Much lefle thofe joyes which trample on his head. As flames do work and winde, when they afcend ; So did I weave myfelf into the fenfe. But while I buftled, I might hear a friend Whifper, How wide is all this long pretence ! There is in love a fweetnejfe ready penn'd: Copie out onely that, and fav e expenfe. THE CHURCH. 78. Prayer. |F what an eafie quick acceffe, My bleffed Lord, art thou ! how fuddenly May our requefts thine eare invade ! To fliew that ftate diflikes not eafinefle, If I but lift mine eyes, my fuit is made : Thou canft no more not heare, than thou canft die. Of what fupreme almightie power Is thy great arm which fpans the eaft and weft, And tacks the centre to the fphere ! By it do all things live their meafur'd houre : We cannot alk the thing, which is not there, Blaming the fhallownefle of our requeft. Of what unmeafurable love Art thou pofleft, who, when thou couldft not die, Wert fain to take our flefh and curie, . And for our fakes in perfon finne reprove ; That by deftroying that which ty'd thy purfe, Thou mightft make way for liberalitie ! Since then thefe three wait on thy throne, Eafe, Power, and Love s I value prayer fo, That were I to leave all but one, Wealth, fame, endowments, vertues, all mould go ; I and deare prayer would together dwell, And quickly gain, for each inch loft, an ell. THE CHURCH. 103 79- Obedience. God, if writings may Convey a Lordfhip any way Whither the buyer and the feller pleafe ; Let it not thee difpleafe, If this poore paper do as much as they. On it my heart doth bleed As many lines, as there doth need To paffe itfelf and all it hath to thee. To which I do agree, And here prefent it as my fpeciall deed. If that hereafter Pleafure Cavill, and claim her part and meafure, As if this paffed with a refervation, Or fome fuch words in fafhion ; I here exclude the wrangler from thy treafure. O let thy facred will All thy delight in me fulfill ! Let me not think an action mine own way, But as thy love mall fway, Religning up the rudder to thy flcill. Lord, what is man to thee, That thou fhouldft minde a rotten tree ? Yet fince thou canft not choofe but fee my actions ; So great are thy perfections, Thou mayft as well my actions guide, as fee. 104 THE CHURCH. Befides, thy death and bloud Show'd a ftrange love to all our good : Thy forrows were in earneft ; no faint proffer, Or fuperficiall offer Of what we might not take, or be withftood. Wherefore I all forego : To one word onely I fay, No : Where in the deed there was an intimation Of a gift or donation , Lord, let it now by way of purcbafe go. He that will pafle his land, As I have mine, may fet his hand And heart unto this deed, when he hath read ; And make the purchafe fpread To both our goods, if he to it will ftand. How happie were my part, If fome kinde man would thruft his heart Into thefe lines j till in heav'ns court of rolls They were by winged fouls Entred for both, farre above their defert ! 80. Confcience. EACE pratler, do not lowre : Not a fair look, but thou doft call it foul : Not a fweet dim, but thou doft call it fowre : Mufick to thee doth howl. By liftning to thy chatting fears I have both loft mine eyes and eares. THE CHURCH. 105 Pratler, no more, I fay : My thoughts muft work, but like a noifelefle fphere. Harmonious peace muft rock them all the day : No room for pratlers there. If thou perfifteft, I will tell thee, That I have phyfick to expell thee. And the receit mall be My Saviours bloud : whenever at his board I do but tafte it, ftraight it cleanfeth me, And leaves thee not a word ; No, not a tooth or nail to fcratch, And at my actions carp, or catch. Yet if thou talkeft ftill, Betides my phyfick, know there's fome for thee : Some wood and nails to make a ftaffe or bill For thofe that trouble me : The bloudie crofle of my deare Lord Is both my phyfick and my fword. 81. Sion. j ORD, with what glorie waft thou ferv'd of old , When Solomons temple ftood and flourifhed ! Where moft things were of pureft gold ; The wood was all embellifhed With flowers and carvings, myfticall and rare : All fhow'd the builders, crav'd the feers care. Yet all this glorie, all this pomp and ftate, Did not affect thee much, was not thy aim, 106 THE CHURCH. Something there was that fow'd debate : Wherefore thou quitt'ft thy ancient claim: And now thy Architecture meets with finne ; For all thy frame and fabrick is within. There thou art ftruggling with a peevifh heart, Which fometimes croffeth thee, thou fbmetimes it : The fight is hard on either part. Great God doth fight, he doth fubmit. .yii .is. All Solomons fea of braffe and world of ftone Is not fo deare to thee as one good grone. And truly brafle and ftones are heavie things, Tombes for the dead, not temples fit for thee : But grones are quick, and full of wings, And all their motions upward be ; And ever as they mount, like larks they fing : The note is fad, yet mufick for a king. 82. Home. s OME, Lord, my head doth burn, my heart is While thou doft ever, ever flay : [fick, Thy long deferrings wound me to the quick, My fpirit gafpeth night and day. O {hew thy felf to me, Or take me up to thee ! How canft thou ftay, confidering the pace The bloud did make, which thou didft wafte? THE CHURCH. 107 When I behold it trickling down thy face, I never faw thing make fuch hafte. O fhow thy felf to me, Or take me up to thee ! When man was loft, thy pitie lookt about, Its . lx- To fee what help in th' earth or fkie : But there was none ; at leaft no help without : The help did in thy bofome lie. O fhow thy felf, &c. There lay thy fonne : and muft he leave that neft, That hive of fweetnefle, to remove Thraldome from thofe, who would not at a feaft Leave one poore apple for thy love ? O fhow thy felf, &c. He did, he came : O my Redeemer deare, After all this canft thou be ftrange ? So many yeares baptiz'd, and not appeare ; As if thy love could fail or change ? O fhow thy felf, &c. Yet if thou ftayeft ftill, why muft I ftay ? My God, what is this world to me ? This world of wo ? hence, all ye clouds, away, Away ; I muft get up and fee. O fhow thy felf, &c. What is this weary world ; this meat and drink, That chains us by the teeth fo faft ? What is this woman-kinde, which I can wink Into a blacknefTe and diftafte ? O fhow thy felf, &c. io8 THE CHURCH. With one fmall figh thou gav'ft me th' other day I blafted all the joyes about me : And fcouling on them as they pin'd away, Now come again, faid I, and flout me. O mow thy felf to me, Or 'take me up to thee! Nothing but drought and dearth, but bufh and brake, Which way fo-e're I look, I fee. Some may dream merrily, but when they wake, They drefle themfelves and come to thee. O mow thy felf, &c. We talk of harvefts ; there are no fuch things, But when we leave our corn and hay : There is no fruitfull yeare, but that which brings The laft and lov'd, though dreadfull day. O mow thy felf, &c. Oh loofe this frame, this knot of man untie ! That my free foul may ufe her wing, Which now is pinion'd with mortalitie, As an intangled, hamper'd thing. \ O mow thy felf, &c. What have I left, that I mould flay and grone ? The moft of me to heav'n is fled : My thoughts and joyes are all packt up and gone, And for their old acquaintance plead. O fhow thy felf, &c. Come, deareft Lord, pafle not this holy feafon, My flefh and bones and joynts do pray : And ev'n my verfe, when by the ryme and reafon THE CHURCH. 109 The word is, Stay, fays ever, Come. O mow thy felf to me, Or take me up to thee ! The Britifh Church. JOY, deare Mother, when I view Thy perfect lineaments, and hue Both fweet and bright : Beautie in thee takes up her place, And dates her letters from thy face, When me doth write. A fine afpeft in fit aray, Neither too mean, nor yet too gay, Shows who is beft : Outlandifh looks may not compare ; For all they either painted are, Or elfe undreft. She on the hills, which wantonly Allureth all in hope to be By her preferr'd, Hath kiff'd fo long her painted fhrines, That ev'n her face by kiffing mines, For her reward. She in the valley is fo flue Of drefling, that her hair doth lie About her eares : no THE CHURCH. While {he avoids her neighbours pride, She wholly goes on th' other fide, And nothing wears. But, deareft Mother, (what thofe mifle) The mean thy praife and glorie is, And long may be. BleiTed be God, whofe love it was fr To double-moat thee with his grace, And none but thee. 84. The Quip, ft^*^. ?HE merrie world did on a day With his train-bands and mates agree To meet together, where I lay, And all in fport to geere at me. Firft, Beautie crept into a rofe ; Which when I pluckt not, Sir, faid me, Tell me, I pray, Whofe hands are thofe ? But thou malt anfwer, Lord, for me. Then Money came, and chinking ftill, What tune is this, poore man ? faid he : I heard in Mufick you had fkill : But thou malt anfwer, Lord, for me. Then came brave Glorie puffing by In filks that whittled, who but he ! He fcarce allow'd me half an eie : But thou malt anfwer, Lord, for me. THE CHURCH. in Then came quick Wit and Converfation, And he would needs a comfort be, And, to be fhort, make an oration. But thou (halt anfwer, Lord, for me. Yet when the houre of thy defigne To anfwer thefe fine things mail come ; Speak not at large, fay, I am thine, And then they have their anfwer home. 85. Vanitie. ^OORE filly foul, whofe hope and head lies low ; [grow : Whofe flat delights on earth do creep and To whom the ftarres mine not fo fair, as eyes ; Nor folid work, as falfe embroyderies ; Hark and beware, left what you now do meafure, And write for fweet, prove a moft fowre difpleafure. O heare betimes, left thy relenting May come too late ! To purchafe heaven for repenting Is no hard rate. If fouls be made of earthly mould, Let them love gold ; If born on high, Let them unto their kindred flie : For they can never be at reft, Till they regain their ancient neft. Then illly foul take heed ; for earthly joy Is but a bubble, and makes thee a boy. THE CHURCH. 86. The Dawning. tj whom forro w ever drowns : Take up thine eyes, which feed on earth, Unfold thy forehead gather'd into frowns : Thy Saviour comes, and with him mirth : Awake, awake ; And with a thankfull heart his comforts take. But thou doft ftill lament, and pine, and crie ; And feel his death, but not his vidlorie. Arife fad heart ; if thou doft not withfland, Chrifts refurreftion thine may be : Do not by hanging down break from the hand, Which as it rifeth, raifeth thee : Arife, arife ; And with his buriall-linen drie thine eyes. Chrift left his grave-clothes, that we might, when grief Draws tears, or bloud, not want an handkerchief. 87. JESU. 1 ESU is in my heart, his facred name Is deeply carved there : but th' other week A great affliction broke the little frame, Ev'n all to pieces ; which I went to feck : And firft I found the corner where was J t After, where ES, and next where U was graved. THE CHURCH. 113 When I had got thefe parcels, inftantly I fat me down to fpell them, and perceived That to my broken heart he was / eafe you, And to my whole is JESU. 88. Bufinefle. ANST be idle ? canft thou play, Foolifh foul who linn'd to day ? Rivers run, and fprings each one Know their home, and get them gone : Haft thou tears, or haft thou none ? If, poore foul, thou haft no tears ; Would thou hadft no faults or fears ! Who hath thefe, thofe ill forbears. Windes ftill work : it is their plot, Be the feafon cold, or hot : Haft thou fighs, or haft thou not? If thou haft no fighs or grones, Would thou hadft no flefh and bones ! Lefler pains fcape greater ones. But if yet thou idle be, Foolifh foul, Who di'd for thee ? Who did leave his Fathers throne, To affume thy flefh and bone ? Had he life, or had he none ? i ii4 THE CHURCH. If he had not liv'd for thee, Thou hadft di'd moft wretchedly ; And two deaths had been thy fee. He fo farre thy good did plot, That his own felf he forgot. Did he die, or did he not ? If he had not di'd for thee, Thou hadft liv'd in miferie. Two lives worfe then ten deaths be. And hath any fpace of breath 'Twixt his finnes and Saviours death He that lofeth gold, though drofle, Tells to all he meets, his crofle : He that finnes, hath he no lofle ? He that findes a filver vein, Thinks on it, and thinks again : Brings thy Saviours death no gain ? Who in heart not ever kneels, Neither linne nor Saviour feels. 89. Dialogue. WEETEST Saviour, if my foul Were but worth the having, Quickly mould I then controll Any thought of waving. THE CHURCH. 115 But when all my care and pains Cannot give the name of gains To thy wretch fo full of ftains ; What delight or hope remains ? What (childe), is the ballance thine, Thine the poife and meafure ? If I fay, Thou Jb alt be mine, Finger not my treafure. What the gains in having thee Do amount to, onely he. Who for man was fold, can fee, That transferred th' accounts to me. But as I can fee no merit, Leading to this favour : So the way to fit me for it, Is beyond my favour. As the reafon then is thine ; So the way is none of mine : I difclaim the whole defigne : Sinne difclaims and I refigne. That is all, if that I could Get without repining y And my clay my creature would Follow my refigning : That as I did freely part With my glorie and defert, Left all joy es to feel all fmart- Ah ! no more : thou break'ft my heart. n6 THE CHURCH. 90. DulnelTe. HY do I languHh thus, drooping and dull, As if I were all earth? O give me quicknefle, that I may with mirth Praife thee brim-full ! The wanton lover in a curious ftrain Can praife his faireft fair ; And with quaint metaphors her curled hair Curl o're again : Thou art my lovelinefle, my life, my light, Beautie alone to me : Thy bloudy death and undeferv'd, makes thee Pure red and white. When all perfections as but one appeare, That thofe thy form doth mow, The very duft, where thou doft tread and go ^ Makes beauties here; Where are my lines then ? my approaches ? views ? Where are my window-fongs ? Lovers are ftill pretending, and ev'n wrongs Sharpen their Mufe. But I am loft in flefh, whofe fugred lyes ' Still mock me, and grow bold : Sure thou didft put a minde there, if I could Finde where it lies. THE CHURCH. 117 Lord, cleare thy gift, that with a conftant wit I may but look towards thee : Look onely ; for to love thee, who can be, What angel fit ? 91. Love- Joy. on a window late I caft mine eye, I faw a vine drop grapes with y and C Anneal'd on every bunch. One Handing by Afk'd what it meant. I (who am never loth To fpend my judgement) faid, It feem'd to me To be the bodie and the letters both Of yoy and Cbaritie ; Sir, you have not miff'd, The man reply'd ; It figures yE S US CHRIST. 92. Providence. SACRED Providence, who from end to end Strongly and fweetly moveft ! fhall I write, And not of thee, through whom my fingers bend To hold my quill ? fhall they not do thee right ? Of all the creatures both in fea and land, Onely to Man thou haft made known thy wayes, And put the penne alone into his hand, And made him Secretarie of thy praife. Beafts fain would fing ; birds dittie to their notes ; Trees would be tuning on their native lute To thy renown : but all their hands and throats Are brought to Man, while they are lame and mute. u8 THE CHURCH. Man is the worlds high Prieft : he doth prefent The facrifice for all ; while they below Unto the fervice mutter an aflent, Such as fprings ufe that fall, and windes that blow. He that to praife and laud thee doth refrain, Doth not refrain unto himfelf alone, But robs a thoufand who would praife thee fain ; And doth commit a world of finne in one. The beafts fay, Eat me ; but, if beafts muft teach, The tongue is yours to eat, but mine to praife. The trees fay, Pull me : but the hand you ftretch Is mine to write, as it is yours to raife. Wherefore, moft facred Spirit, I here prefent For me and all my fellows praife to thee : And juft it is that I mould pay the rent, Becaufe the benefit accrues to me. We all acknowledge both thy power and love To be exal, tranfcendent, and divine ; Who doft fo ftrongly and fo fweetly move, While all things have their will, yet none but thine.' For either thy command, or thy permijfion Lay hands on all : they are thy right and left : The firft puts on with fpeed and expedition ; The other curbs finnes ftealing pace and theft; Nothing efcapes them both : all muft appeare, And be difpof'd, and drefPd, and tun'd by thee, Who fweetly temper'ft all. If we could heare Thy fkill and art, what mufick would it be ! THE CHURCH. 119 Thou art in fmall things great, not fmall in any : Thy even praife can neither rife, nor fall. Thou art in all things one, in each thing many : For thou art infinite in one and all. Tempefts are calm to thee, they know thy hand, And hold it faft, as children do their fathers, Which crie and follow. Thou haft made poore fand Check the proud fea, ev'n when it fwells and gathers. Thy cupboard ferves the world : the meat is fet, 'Jfe c IU1 - ' Where all may reach : no beaft but knows his feed. Birds teach us hawking : fifties have their net : The great prey on the lefle, they on fome weed. Nothing ingendred doth prevent his meat ; Flies have their table fpread, ere they appeare ; Some creatures have in winter what to eat; Others do fleep, and envie not their cheer. How finely doft thou times and feafbns fpin, And make a twift checker 'd with night and day ! Which as it lengthens windes, and windes us in, As bouls go on, but turning all the way. Each creature hath a wifdome for his good. The pigeons feed their tender ofF-fpring, crying, When they are callow ; but withdraw their food, When they are fledge, that need may teach them flying. Bees work for man ; and yet they never bruife Their matters flower, but leave it, having done, As fair as ever, and as fit to ufe : So both the flower doth ftay, and hony run. izo THE CHURCH. Sheep eat the graffe, and dung the ground for more : Trees after bearing drop their leaves for foil : Springs vent their ftreams, and by expenfe get ftore : Clouds cool by heat, and baths by cooling boil. Who hath the vertue to exprefle the rare And curious vertues both of herbs and ftones ? Is there an herb for that ? O that thy care Would fhow a root, that gives expreffions ! And if an herb hath power, what hath the ftarres ? A rofe, befides his beautie, is a cure. Doubtlefle our plagues and plentie, peace and warres, Are there much furer than our art is fure. Thou haft hid metals : man may take them thence ; But at his perill : when he digs the place, He makes a grave ; as if the thing had fenfe, And threatned man, that he mould fill the fpace. Ev'n poyfons praife thee. Should a thing be loft ? Should creatures want, for want of heed their due ? Since where are poyfons, antidotes are moft ; The help ftands clofe, and keeps the fear in view. The fea, which feems to flop the traveller, Is by a fhip the fpeedier paflage made. The windes, who think they rule the mariner, Are rul'd by him, and taught to ferve his trade. And as thy houfe is full, fo I adore Thy curious art in marfhalling thy goods. The hills with health abound, the vales with ftore ; The South with marble i North with furres and woods. THE CHURCH. 121 Hard things are glorious ; eafie things good cheap ; The common all men have ; that which is rare, Men therefore feek to have, and care to keep. The healthy frofts with fummer-fruits compare. Light without winde is glaile : warm without weight Is wooll and furres : cool without clofenefle, fhade : Speed without pains, a horfe : tall without height, A fervile hawk : low without lofle, a fpade. All countries have enough to ferve their need : If they feek fine things, thou doft make them run For their offence ; and then doft turn their fpeed To be commerce and trade from funne to funne. Nothing wears clothes, but Man ; nothing doth need But he to wear them. Nothing ufeth fire, But Man alone, to mow his heav'nly breed : And onely he hath fuell in deiire. When th' earth was dry, thou mad'ft a fea of wet : ^ When that lay gather'd, thou didft broach the moun- When yet fome places could no moifture get, [tains : The windes grew gard'ners, and the clouds good foun- [tains. Rain, do not hurt my flowers ; but gently fpend Your hony drops : preffe not to fmell them here ; When they are ripe, their odour will afcend, And at your lodging with their thanks appeare. How harfh are thorns to pears ! and yet they make A better hedge, and need leffe reparation. How fmooth are filks compared with a flake, Or with a ftone ! yet make no good foundation. = tfj^VLe*. a. VwitZ (U wluT.k ''h'bJnJL. Ai. ie'^ff. ;Pi*h. ,/fc. 122 THE CHURCH. Sometimes thou doft divide thy gifts to man, Sometimes unite. The Indian nut alone Is clothing, meat and trencher, drink and kan, Boat, cable, fail and needle, all in one. Moft herbs that grow in, brooks, are hot and dry. Cold fruits warm kernells help againft the winde. The lemmons juice and rinde cure mutually. The whey of milk doth loofe, the milk doth binde. Thy creatures leap not, but exprefle a feaft, Where all the guefts fit clofe, and nothing wants. Frogs marry fifti and flefh ; bats, bird and beaft ; Sponges, non-fenfe and fenfe ; mines, th' earth and [plants. To mow thou art not bound, as if thy lot Were worfe than ours, fometimes thou fhifteft hands. Moft things move th' under-jaw ; the Crocodile not. Moft things fleep lying, th' Elephant leans or ftands. But who hath praife enough ? nay, who hath any ? None can exprefle thy works, but he that knows them ; And none can know thy works, which are fo many^ And^fo complete, but onely he that owes them. All things that are, though they have fev'rall wayes, Yet in their being joyn with one advice To honour thee : and fo I give thee praife In all my other hymnes, but in this twice. Each thing that is, although in ufe and name It go for one, hath many wayes in ftore To honour thee ; and fo each hymne thy fame Extolleth many wayes, yet this one more. THE CHURCH. 123 93. Hope. GAVE to Hope a watch of mine : but he An anchor gave to me. Then an old prayer-book I did prefent : And he an optick fent. 'uu> fa*. With that I gave a viall full of tears : But he a few green eares. Ah Loyterer ! I'le no more, no more I'le bring : I did expecl: a ring. 94. Sinnes round. ^ORRIE I am, my God, forrie I am, That my offences courle it in a ring. My thoughts are working like a bulie flame, Untill their cockatrice they hatch and bring: And when they once have perfected their draughts, My words take fire from my inflamed thoughts. My words take fire from my inflamed thoughts, Which fpit it forth like the Sicilian hill. _Jf~hL*. They vent the wares, and paffe them with their faults, And by their breathing ventilate the ill. But words fuffice not, where are lewd intentions : My hands do joyn to finifh the inventions : My hands do joyn to finifh the inventions : And fo my iinneafcend three ftories high, i2 4 THE CHURCH. As Babel grew, before there were diflentions. Yet ill deeds loyter not : for they fupplie New thoughts of finning; wherefore, to my fhame, Sorrie I am, my God, forrie I am. 95. Time. . EETING with Time, flack thing, faid I, Thy fithe is dull ; whet it for fhame. No marvell Sir, he did replie, If it at length deferve fome blame : But where one man would have me grinde it, Twentie for one too marp do finde it. Perhaps fome fuch of old did pafle, Who above all things lov'd this life ; To whom thy fithe a hatchet was, Which now is but a pruning-knife. Chrifts coming hath made man thy debter, Since by thy cutting he grows better. And in his bleffing thou art blefl : For where thou onely wert before An executioner at beft, Thou art a gard'ner now, and more. An ufher to convey our fouls Beyond the utmoft ftarres and poles. And this is that makes life fo long, While it detains us from our God. Ev'n pleafures here increafe the wrong : THE CHURCH. 125 And length of dayes lengthen the rod. Who wants the place, where God doth dwell, Partakes already half of hell. Of what ftrange length muft that needs be, Which ev'n eternitie excludes ! Thus farre Time heard me patiently : Then chafing faid, This man deludes : What do I here before his doore ? He doth not crave lefle time, but more. 96. Gratefulneife. HOU that haft giv'n fo much to me, Give one thing more, a gratefull heart. See how thy beggar works on thee By art. He makes thy gifts occafion more, And fayes, If he in this be croft, All thou haft giv'n him heretofore Is loft. But thou didft reckon, when at firft Thy word our hearts and hands did crave, What it would come to at the worft To fave. Perpetuall knockings at thy doore, Tears fullying thy tranfparent rooms, Gift upon gift ; much would have more, And comes. i 2 6 THE CHURCH. This not withftanding, thou wentft on, And didft allow us all our noife : Nay thou haft made a figh and grone Thy joyes. Not that thou haft -not ftill above Much better tunes, then grones can make ; But that thefe countrey-aires thy love Did take. Wherefore I crie, and crie again j And in no quiet canft thou be, Till I a thankfull heart obtain Ofthee: Not thankfull, when it pleafeth me ; As if thy bleffings had fpare dayes : But fuch a heart, whofe pulfe may be Thy praife. 97. Peace. ;WEET Peace, where dolt thou dwell? I humbly crave, Let me once know. I fought thee in a fecret cave, And aik'd, if Peace were there. A hollow winde did feem to anfwer, No : Go feek elfewhere. I did ; and going did a rainbow note : Surely, thought I, This is the lace of Peaces coat : THE CHURCH. 127 I will fearch out the matter. But while I lookt, the clouds immediately Did break and {batter. Then went I to a garden, and did fpy A gallant flower, The crown Imperiall : Sure, faid I, Peace at the root muft dwell. But when I digg'd, I faw a worm devoure What fhow'd fo well. At length I met a rev'rend good old man : Whom when for Peace I did demand, he thus began ; There was a Prince of old At Salem dwelt, who liv'd with good increafe Of flock and fold. He fweetly liv'd ; yet fweetnefle did not fave His life from foes. But after death out of his grave There fprang twelve ftalks of wheat : Which many wondring at, got fome of thofe To plant and fet. It profper'd ftrangely, and did foon dilperfe Through all the earth : For they that tafte it do rehearfe, That vertue lies therein ; A fecret vertue, bringing peace and mirth By flight of finne. Take of this grain, which in my garden grows, And grows for you ; 128 THE CHURCH. Make bread of it : and that repofe And peace, which ev'ry where With fo much earneftnefle you do purfue Is onely there. 98. Confeffion. WHAT a cunning gueft Is this fame grief! within my heart I made Clofets; and in them many a cheft; And like a matter in my trade, In thofe chefts, boxes ; in each box, a till : Yet grief knows all, and enters when he will. No fcrue, no piercer can Into a piece of timber work and winde, As Gods afflictions into man, When he a torture hath delign'd. They are too fubtill for the fubt'lleft hearts ; And fall, like rheumes, upon the tendreft parts. . We are the earth ; and they, Like moles within us, heave, and caft about : And till they foot and clutch their prey, They never cool, much lefle give out. No fmith can make fuch locks, but they have keyes ; Clofets are halls to them ; and hearts, high-wayes. Onely an open breaft Doth Ihut them out, fo that they cannot enter ; Or, if they enter, cannot reft, THE CHURCH. 129 But quickly feek fome new adventure. Smooth open hearts no faftning have ; but fiftion Doth give a hold and handle to affliction. Wherefore my faults and fmnes, Lord, I acknowledge ; take thy plagues away : For fince confeffion pardon winnes, I challenge here the brighteft day, The cleareft diamond : let them do their belt, They fhall be thick and cloudie to my breaft. 99. GiddinefTe. H, what a thing is man ! how farre from From fetled peace and reft ! [power, He is fome t wen tie fev'rall men at leaft Each fev'rall houre. One while he counts of heav'n, as of his treafure But then a thought creeps in, And calls him coward, who for fear of finne Will lofe a pleafure. Now he will fight it out, and to the warres ; Now eat his bread in peace, And fnudge in quiet : now he fcorns increafe ; Now all day fpares. He builds a houfe, which quickly down muft go, As if a whirlwinde blew And crufht the building : and it's partly true, His minde is fo. 130 THE CHURCH. O what a fight were Man, if his attires Did alter with his minde ; And, like a Dolphins fkinne, his clothes combin'd With his defires ! Surely if each one faw anothers heart, There would be no commerce, No fale or bargain paffe : all would difperfe, And live apart. Lord, mend or rather make us : one creation Will not fuffice our turn : Except thou make us dayly, we mall fpurn Our own falvation. 100. The Bunch of Grapes. i OY, I did lock thee up : but fome bad man Hath let thee out again : And now, methinks, I am where I began Sev'n years ago : one vogue and vein. One aire of thoughts ufurps my brain, *\ I did toward Canaan draw ; but now I am Brought back to the Red fea, the fea of fhame. For as the Jews of old by Gods command Travell'd, and faw no town ; So now each Chriftian hath his journeys fpann'd : Their ftorie pennes and fets us down. A fingle deed is fmall renown. Gods works are wide, and let in future times ; His ancient juftice overflows our crimes. THE CHURCH. 131 Then have we too our guardian fires and clouds ; Our Scripture-dew drops fail : We have our fands and ferpents, tents and Ihrowds : Alas ! our murmurings come not laft. But where's the clufter ? where's the tafte Of mine inheritance ? Lord, if I muft borrow, Let me as well take up their joy, as forrow. But can he want the grape, who hath the wine ? I have their fruit and more. BlefTed be God, who profper'd Noahs vine, And made it bring forth grapes good ftore. But much more him I muft adore, Who of the laws fowre juice fweet wine did make, Ev'n God himfelf, being prefled for my fake. 101. -Love unknown. jj E ARE friend, fit down, the tale is long and fad : And in my faintings I prefume your love ^ Will more complie, then help. A Lord I had, And have, of whom fome grounds, which may im- I hold for two lives, and both lives in me. [prove, To him I brought a dim of fruit one day, And in the middle plac'd my heart. But he (I figh to fay) Lookt on a fervant, who did know his eye Better than you know me, or (which is one) Then I my felf. The fervant inftantly Quitting the fruit, feiz'd on my heart alone, And threw it in a font, wherein did fall 132 THE CHURCH. A ftream of bloud, which iffu'd from the fide Of a great rock : I well remember all, And have good caufe : there it was dipt and di'd, And wafht, and wrung : the very wringing yet Enforceth tears. Tour heart was foul, I fear. Indeed 'tis true. I did and do commit Many a fault more than my leafe will bear; Yet Hill afkt pardon, and was not deni'd. But you fhall heare. After my heart was well, And clean and fair, as I one even-tide (I figh to tell) Walkt by myfelf abroad, I faw a large And fpacious fornace flaming, and thereon A boyling caldron, round about whofe verge Was in great letters fet AFFLICTION. The greatnefTe fhew'd the owner. So I went To fetch a facrifice out of my fold, Thinking with that, which I did thus prefent, To warm his love, which I did fear grew cold. But as my heart did tender it, the man Who was to take it from me, flipt his hand, And threw my heart into the fcalding pan ; My heart, that brought it (do you underftand ?) The offerers heart. Tour heart was bard, 1 fear. Indeed 'tis true. I found a callous matter Began to fpread and to expatiate there : But with a richer drug, then fcalding water, I bath'd it often, ev'n with holy bloud, Which at a board, while many drank bare wine, A friend did fteal into my cup for good, Ev'n taken inwardly, and moft divine To fupple hardnefTes. But at the length Out of the caldron getting, foon I fled Unto my houfe, where to repair the ftrength THE CHURCH. 133 Which I had loft, I halted to my bed : But when I thought to fleep out all thefe faults, (I figh to fpeak) I found that fome had ftuff'd the bed with thoughts, I would fay thorns. Deare, could my heart not break, When with my pleafures ev'n my reft was gone ? Full well I underftood, who had been there : For I had giv'n the key to none, but one : It muft be he. Tour heart was dull, I fear. Indeed a flack and fleepie ftate of minde Did oft poflefle me, fo that when I pray'd, Though my lips went, my heart did ttay behinde. But all my fcores were by another paid, Who took the debt upon him. Truly, Friend, For ought I bear e, your Mafter Jhows to you More fat/our then you wot of. Mark the end. The Font did onely, what was old, renew : The Caldron fuppled, what was grown too hard : The Thorns did quicken, what was grown too dull : All did but ftrive to mend, what you had marr'd. Wherefore be cheer 1 d, and praife him to the full Each day, each houre, each moment of the week, Who fain would have you be, new, tender, quick. 1 02. Man's Medley. J EARK, how the birds do fing, And woods do ring. [his. All creatures have their joy, and man hath Yet if we rightly meafure, Mans joy and pleafure Rather hereafter, then in prefent, is. I 3 4 THE CHURCH. To this life things of fenfe Make their pretence : In th' other Angels have a right by birth : Man ties them both alone, And makes them one, With th'one hand touching heav'n, with th'other earth. In foul he mounts and flies, In fleih he dies. He wears a ftuffe whofe thread is courfe and round, But trimm'd with curious lace, And fhould take place After the trimming, not the ftuffe and ground. $iY- Not, that he may not here Tafte of the cheer : But as birds drink, and ftraight lift up their head ; So muft he fip and think Of better drink He may attain to, after he is dead. But as his joyes are double, So is his trouble. . He hath two winters, other things but one : Both frofts and thoughts do nip : And bite his lip; And he of all things fears two deaths alone. Yet ev'n the greateft griefs May be reliefs, Could he but take them right, and in their wayes. Happie is he, whofe heart Hath found the art To turn his double pains to double praife. THE CHURCH. 135 103. The Storm. as the windes and waters here below Do flie and flow, My fighs and tears as bufy were above ; Sure they would move And much affect thee, as tempeftuous times Amaze poore mortals, and objedt their crimes. Starres have their ftorms, ev'n in a high degree, As well as we. A throbbing confcience fpurred by remorfe Hath a ftrange force : It quits the earth, and mounting more and more, Dares to affault thee, and befiege thy doore. There it ftands knocking, to thy muucks wrong, And drowns the fong. Glorie and honour are fet by till it An anfwer get. Poets have wrong'd poore ftorms : fuch dayes are beft ; They purge the aire without, within the breaft. 104. Paradife. BLESSE thee, Lord, becaufe I c R o w Among thy trees, which in a ROW To thee both fruit and order ow. 136 THE CHURCH. What open force, or hidden CHARM Can blaft my fruit, or bring me HARM, While the inclofure is thine ARM? Inclofe me ftill for fear I START. Be to me rather fl\arp and TART, Than let me want thy hand and A RT. When thou doft greater judgements SPARE, And with thy knife but prune and PARE, Ev'n fruitful trees more fruitfull ARE. Such fharpnes mows the fvveeteft F R E N D : Such cuttings rather heal than REND: And fuch beginnings touch their END. 105. The Method. OORE heart, lament. For fmcc thy God refufeth ftill, There is fome rub, fome difcontent Which cools his will. Thy Father could Quickly effeft, what thou doft move ; For he is Power : and fure he would ; For he is Love. Go fearch this thing, Tumble thy breaft, and turn thy book If thou hadft loft a glove or ring, Wouldft thou not look ? THE CHURCH. 137 What do I fee Written above there ? Yejierday I did behave me carelefsly, When I did pray. And fhould Gods eare To fuch indifferents chained be, Who do not their own motions heare ? Is God lefle free ? But flay ! what's there ? Late when I would have fame thing done, I had a motion to forbear, Yet I went on. And mould Gods eare, Which needs not man, be ty'd to thofe Who heare not him, but quickly heare His utter foes ? Then once more pray : Down with thy knees, up with thy voice : Seek pardon firft, and God will fay, Glad heart rejoyce. 1 06. Divinitie. S men,forfear the ftarres mould fleepand nod, And trip at night, have fpheres fuppli'd ; As if a itarre were duller than a clod, Which knows his way without a guide : 138 THE CHURCH. Juft fo the other heav'n they alfo ferve, Divinities tranfcendent flcie : Which with the edge of wit they cut and carve. Reafon triumphs, and faith lies by. Could not that wifdome, which firft broacht the wine, Have thicken'd it with definitions ? And jagg'd his feamlefle coat, had that been fine, With curious queftions and divifions ? But all the doctrine, which he taught and gave, Was cleare as heav'n, from whence it came. At leaft thofe beams of truth, which onely fave, Surpafle in brightnefle any flame. Love God, an-d love your neighbour. Watch and pray. Do as you would be done unto. O dark inflruftions, ev'n as dark as day ! Who can thefe Gordian knots undo ? But he doth bid us take his bloud for wine. Bid what he pleafe ; yet I am fure, To take and tafte what he doth there defigne, Is all that faves, and not obfcure. Then burn thy Epicycles, foolifh man ; ' Break all thy fpheres, and fave thy head; Faith needs no ftaffe of flefh, but ftoutly can To heav'n alone both go, and leade. THE CHURCH. 139 107. Ephef. iv. 30. Grieve not the Holy Spirit, etc. 9 |ND art thou grieved, fweet and facred Dove, When I am fowre, And crofle thy love? Grieved for me? the God offtrength and power Griev'd for a worm, which when I tread, I pafle away and leave it dead ? Then weep, mine eyes, the God of love doth grieve : Weep foolifh heart, And weeping live ; For death is drie as duft. Yet if ye part, End as the night, whofe fable hue Your finnes exprefTe ; melt into dew. When fawcie mirth {hall knock or call at doore, Cry out, Get hence, Or cry no more. Almightie God doth grieve, he puts on fenfe : I finne not to my grief alone, But to my Gods too; he doth grone. O take thy lute, and tune it to a ftrain, Which may with thee All day complain. There can no difcord but in ceafing be. Marbles can weep ; and furely firings More bowels have, than fuch hard things. 1 4 o THE CHURCH. Lord, I adjudge myfelf to tears and grief, Ev'n endleffe tears Without relief". If a cleare fpring for me no time forbears, But runnes, although I be not drie ; I am no Cryftall, what mall I ? Yet if I wail not (till, fince ftill to wail Nature denies ; And flefh would fail, If my deferts were mailers of mine eyes : Lord, pardon, for thy fonne makes good My want of tears with ftore of bloud. 108. The Familie. 'HAT doth this noife of thoughts within my heart, As if they had a part ? What do thefe loud complaints and pulling fears, As if there were no rule or eares ? But, Lord, the houfe and familie are thine, Though fome of them repine. Turn out thele wranglers, which defile thy feat : For where thou dwelleft all is neat. Firft Peace and Silence all difputes controll, Then Order plaies the foul ; And giving all things their fet forms and houres, Makes of wilde woods fweet walks and bowres. THE CHURCH. 141 Humble Obedience neare the doore doth ftand, Expecting a command : Then whom in waiting nothing feems more flow, Nothing more quick when Ihe doth go. Joyes oft are there, and griefs as oft as joyes ; But griefs without a noife : Yet fpeak they louder, then diftemper'd fears : What is fo fhrill as lilent tears ? This is thy houfe, with thefe it doth abound : And where thefe are not found, Perhaps thou com'ft fometimes, and for a day ; But not to make a conftant flay. 109. The Size. ;ONTENT thee, greedie heart. Modeft and moderate joyes to thofe, that have Title to more hereafter when they part, Are paffing brave. Let th' upper fprings into the low Defcend and fall, and thou doft flow. What though fome have a fraught Of cloves and nutmegs, and in cinamon fail? If thou haft wherewithall to fpice a draught, When griefs prevail, And for the future time art heir To th' Ifle of fpices, Is't not fair ? i 4 2 THE CHURCH. To be in both worlds full Is more then God was, who was hungrie here. Wouldft thou his laws of fafting difanull ? Enaft good cheer ? Lay out thy joy, yet hope to fave it ? Wouldft thou both eat thy cake, and have it ? Great joyes are all at once ; But little do referve themfelves for more : Thofe have their hopes ; thefe what they have renounce, And live on fcore : Thofe are at home ; thefe journey ftill, And meet the reft on Sions hill. Thy Saviour fentenc'd joy, And in the flefh condemn'd it as unfit, At leaft in lump : for fuch doth oft deftroy ; Whereas a bit Doth tice us on to hopes of more, And for the prefent health reftore. A Chriftians ftate and cafe Is not a corpulent, but a thinne and fpare, Yet aftive ftrength : whofe long and bonie face Content and care Do feem to equally divide, Like a pretender, not a bride. Wherefore fit down, good heart ; Grafp not at much, for fear thou lofeft all. If comforts fell according to defert, They would great frofts and fnows deftroy : For we mould count, Since the laft joy. THE CHURCH. 143 Then clofe again the feam, Which thou haft open'd ; do not fpread thy robe In hope of great things. Call to mind thy dream, An earthly globe, On whofe meridian was engraven, Tbefe feas are tears, and heaven the haven. no. Artillerie. I one ev'ning fat before my cell, Me thought a ftarre did moot into my lap. I rofe, and fhook my clothes, as knowing well, That from fmall fires comes oft no fmall mifhap : When fuddenly I heard one fay, Do as thou ufeft, difobey, Expell good motions from thy breaft, Which have the face of fire, but end in reft. I, who had heard of muuck in the fpheres, But not of fpeech in ftarres, began to mufe : But turning to my God, whofe minifters The ftarres and all things are ; If I refufe, Dread Lord, faid I, fo oft my good ; Then I refufe not ev'n with bloud To warn away my ftubborn thought : For I will do, or fuffer what I ought. But I have alfo ftarres and {hooters too, Born where thy fervants both artilleries ufe. My tears and prayers night and day do wooe, And work up to thee ; yet thou doft refufe. i 4 4 THE CHURCH. Not but I am (I muft fay ftill) Much more oblig'd to do thy will, Than thou to grant mine : but becaufe Thy promife now hath ev'n fet thee thy laws. Then we are (hooters both, and thou doft deigne To enter combate with*us, and conteft With thine own clay. But I would parley fain : Shunne not my arrows, and behold my breaft. Yet if thou munneft, I am thine : I muft be fo, if I am mine. There is no articling with thee : I am but finite, yet thine infinitely. iii. Church-rents and fchifmes. RAVE rofe, (alas !) where art thou ? in the chair, Where thou didft lately fo triumph and mine, A worm doth fit, whofe many feet and hair Are the more foul, the more thou wert divine. This, this hath done it, this did bite the root And bottome of the leaves : which when the winde Did once perceive, it blew them under foot, Where rude unhallow'd fleps do crufh and grinde Their beauteous glories. Onely fhreds of thee, And thofe all bitten, in thy chair I fee. Why doth my Mother blulh ? is me the rofe, And mows it fo ? Indeed Chrifts precious bloud Gave you a colour once ; which when your foes Thought to let out, the bleeding did you good, THE CHURCH. 145 And made you look much frefher then before. But when debates and fretting jealoulies Did worm and work within you more and more, Your colour faded, and calamities Turned your ruddie into pale and bleak : Your health and beautie both began to break. Then did your fev'rall parts unloofe and Hart : Which when your neighbours faw, like a north-winde They rufhed in, and caft them in the dirt Where Pagans tread. O Mother deare and kinde, Where mail I get me eyes enough to weep, As many eyes as ftarres ? fince it is night, And much of Afia and Europe faft afleep, And ev'n all Africk ; would at leaft I might With thefe two poore ones lick up all the dew, Which falls by night, and poure it out for you ! 112. Juftice. DREADFULLjuftice,whatafrightandter- Waft thou of old, [rour When finne and errour Did mow and fhape thy looks to me, And through their glafle difcolour thee ! He that did but look up, was proud and bold. The dimes of thy ballance feem'd to gape, Like two great pits ; The beam and fcape 146 THE CHURCH. Did like fome tott'ring engine fhow : Thy hand above did burn and glow, Danting the ftouteft hearts, the proudeft wits. But now that Chrifts pure vail prefents the fight, I fee no fears : Thy hand is white, Thy fcales like buckets, which attend And interchangeably defcend, Lifting to heaven from this well of tears. For where before thou ftill didft call on me, Now I ftill touch And harp on thee Gods promifes hath made thee mine : Why mould I juftice now decline ? Againft me there is none, but for me much. 113. The Pilgrimage. \ TRAVELL'D on, feeing the hill, wh And when it flops for want of ftore, Then will I wring it with a figh or grone, That thou mayft yet have more. When thou doft favour any action, It runnes, it flies : All things concurre to give it a perfection. That which had but two legs before, [rife When thou doft blefle, hath twelve : one wheel doth To t wen tie then, or more. THE CHURCH. 165 But when thou doft on bufinefle blow, It hangs, it clogs : Not all the teams of Albion in a row Can hale or draw it out of doore. Legs are but flumps, and Pharaohs wheels but logs, And ftruggling hinders more. Thoufands of things do thee employ In ruling all This fpacious globe : Angels muft have their joy, Devils their rod, the fea his more, The windes their ftint : and yet when I did call, Thou heardft my call, and more. I have not loft one fingle tear : But when mine eyes Did weep to heav'n, they found a bottle there ? - 1 VI (As we have boxes for the poore) Readie to take them in ; yet of a fize That would contain much more. But after thou hadft flipt a drop From thy right eye (Which there did hang like ftreamers neare the top Of fome fair church to mow the fore And bloudie battell which thou once didft trie) The glafle was full and more. Wherefore I ling. Yet fince my heart, Though preff'd, runnes thin ; O that I might fome other hearts convert, And fo take up at ufe good ftore : That to thy chefts there might be coming in Both all my praife, and more ! 166 THE CHURCH. 128. Jofeph's Coat. ' OUNDED I fing, tormented I indite, Thrown down I fall into a bed, and reft: Sorrow hath chang'd its note : fuchis his will Who changeth all things, as him pleafeth beft. For well he knows, if but one grief and fmart Among my many had his full career, Sure it would carrie with it ev'n my heart, And both would runne until they found a biere To fetch the bodie ; both being due to grief. But he hath fpoil'd the race ; and giv'n to anguifh One of Joyes coats, ticing it with relief To linger in me, and together languifh. I live to fhew his power, who once did bring Myjoyes to weep, and now my griefs to Jtng, 129. The Pulley. HEN God at firft made man, Having a glafie of bleffings {landing by ; Let us (faid he) poure on him all we can : Let the worlds riches, which diiperfed lie, Contradl into a fpan. So ftrength firft made a way ; Then beautie flow'd, then wifdome, honour, pleafure : When almoft all was out, God made a ftay, Perceiving that alone, of all his treafure, Reft in the bottome lay. THE CHURCH. 167 For if I fhould (faid he) Beftow this Jewell alfo on my creature, He would adore my gifts in ftead of me, And reft in Nature, not the God of Nature : So both mould lofers be. Yet let him keep the reft, But keep them with repining reftlefneffe : Let him be rich and wearie, that at leaft, If goodnefle leade him not, yet wearinefle May tofle him to my breaft. 130. The Priefthood. LEST Order, which in power doft fo excell, That with th' one hand thou lifteft to the fky, And with the other throweft down to hell In thy juft cenfures ; fain would I draw nigh ; Fain put thee on, exchanging my lay-fword For that of th' holy word. But thou art fire, facred and hallow'd fire ; And I but earth and clay : mould I prefume To wear thy habit, the fevere attire My {lender compofitions might confume. I am both foul and brittle, much unfit To deal in holy Writ. Yet have I often feen, by cunning hand And force of fire, what curious things are made Of wretched earth. Where once I fcorn'd to ftand, i68 THE CHURCH. That earth is fitted by the fire and trade Of flcilfull artifts, for the boards of thofe Who make the braveft fhovvs. But fince thofe great ones, be they ne're fo great, Come from the earth, from whence thofe veflels come ; So that at once both feeder, dim, and meat, Have one beginning and one finall fumme : I do not greatly wonder at the fight, If earth in earth delight. But th' holy men of God fuch veflels are, As ferve him up, who all the world commands. When God vouchfafeth to become our fare, Their hands convey him, who conveys their hands : O what pure things, moft pure muft thofe things be, Who bring my God to me ! Wherefore I dare not, I, put forth my hand To hold the Ark, although it leem to fhake Through th' old finnes and new doftrines of our land. Onely, fince God doth often veflels make Of lowly matter for high ufes meet, I throw me at his feet. There will I lie, untill my Maker feek For fome mean ftuffe whereon to fhow his (kill: Then is my time. The diftance of the meek Doth flatter power. Left good come fhort of ill In praifing might, the poore do by fubmiffion What pride by oppofition. THE CHURCH. 169 131. The Search. HITHER, O, whither art thou fled, My Lord, my Love ? My fearches are my daily bread j Yet never prove. My knees pierce th' earth, mine eies the fkie : And yet the fphere And centre both to me denie That thou art there. Yet can I mark how herbs below Grow green and gay ; As if to meet thee they did know, While I decay. Yet can I mark how ftarres above Simper and mine, As having keyes unto thy love, While poor I pine. I fent a figh to feek thee out, Deep drawn in pain, Wing'd like an arrow : but my fcout Returns in vain. I tun'd another (having ftore) Into a grone, Becaufe the fearch was dumbe before : But all was one. 1 70 THE CHURCH. Lord, doft thou fome new fabrick mold Which favour winnes, And keeps thee prefent, leaving th' old Unto their finnes ? Where is my God ? what hidden place Conceals thee fttll ? What covert dare eclipfe thy face ? Is it thy will ? O let not that of any thing : Let rather brafle, Or fteel, or mountains be thy ring, And I will pafle. Thy will fuch an intrenching is, As pafle th thought : To it all ftrength, all fubtilties Are things of nought. Thy will fuch a ftrange diftance is, As that to it Eaft and Weft touch, the poles do kifle, And parallels meet. Since then my grief muft be as large As is thy fpace, Thy diftance from me ; fee my charge, Lord, fee my cafe. O take thefe barres, thefe lengths away; Turn, and reftore me : Be not Almightie, let me fay, Againft, but for me. THE CHURCH. 171 When thou doft turn, and wilt be neare ; What edge fo keen, What point fo piercing can appeare To come between ? For as thy abfence doth excell All diftance known : So doth thy nearnefle bear the bell, Making two one. 132. Grief. WHO will give me tears ? Come all ye fprings, [and rain : Dwell in my head and eyes : come, clouds, My grief hath need of all the watry things, That nature hath produc'd. Let ev'ry vein Suck up a river to fupply mine eyes, My weary weeping eyes too drie for me, Unlefle they get new conduits, new fupplies, To bear them out, and with my ftate agree. What are two fhallow foords, two little fpouts Of a lefle world ? the greater is but fmall, A narrow cupboard for my griefs and doubts, Which want provifion in the midft of all. Verfes, ye are too fine a thing, too wife For my rough forrows : ceafe, be dumbe and mute, Give up your feet and running to mine eyes, And keep your meafures for fome lover's lute, Whofe grief allows him mufick and a ryme : For mine excludes both meafure, tune, and time. Alas, my God ! 172 THE CHURCH. 133. The CrofTe. 'HAT is this ftrange and uncouth thing To make me {jgh, and feek, and faint, and die, Untill I had feme place, where I might ling, And ferve thee ; and not onely I, But all my wealth, and familie might combine To fet thy honour up, as our defigne. And then when after much delay, Much wraflling, many a combate, this deare end, So much defir'd, is giv'n, to take away My power to ferve thee : to unbend All my abilities, my defignes confound, And lay my threatnings bleeding on the ground. One ague dwelleth in my bones, Another in my foul (the memorie What I would do for thee, if once my grones Could be allow'd for harmonic) I am in all a weak difabled thing, S Save in the fight thereof, where ftrength doth fling. Befides, things fort not to my will, Ev'n when my will doth ftudie thy renown : Thou turneft th' edge of all things on me (till, Taking me up to throw me down : So that, ev'n when my hopes feem to be fped, I am to grief alive, to them as dead. To have my aim, and yet to be Farther from it than when I bent my bow ; THE CHURCH. 173 To make my hopes my torture, and the fee Of all my woes another wo, Is in the midft of delicates to need, And ev'n in Paradife to be a weed. Ah my deare Father, eafe my fmart ! Thefe contrarieties crufh me : thefe crofle aftions Doe winde a rope about, and cut my heart : And yet iince thefe thy contradictions Are properly a crofle felt by thy fonne With but foure words, my words, Thy will be done. 134. The Flower. ! OW frelh, O Lord, how fweet and clean Are thy returns ! ev'n as the flowers in fpring ; To which, befides their own demean, The late-paft frofts tributes of pleafure bring. Grief melts away Like fnow in May, As if there were no fuch cold thing. Who would have thought my fhrivel'd heart Could have recover'd greennefle ? It was gone Quite under ground ; as flowers depart To fee their mother-root, when they have blown ; Where they together All the hard weather, Dead to the world, keep houfe unknown. i 7 4 THE CHURCH. Thefe are thy wonders, Lord of power, Killing and quickning, bringing down to hell And up to heaven in an houre; Making a chiming of a paffing-bell. We fay amifle, This or that is : Thy word is all, if we could fpell. O that I once paft changing were, Fail in thy Paradife, where no flower can wither ! Many a fpring I (hoot up fair, OfFring at heav'n, growing and groning thither : Nor doth my flower Want a fpring-lhowre, My fmnes and I joining together. But while I grow in a ftraight line, Still upwards bent, as if heav'n were mine own, Thy anger comes, and I decline : What froft to that ? what pole is not the zone Where all things burn, When thou doft turn, And the leaft frown of thine is fliown ? And now in age I bud again, After fo many deaths I live and write ; I once more fmell the dew and rain, And relifh verfing : O my onely light, It cannot be That I am he,' On whom thy tempefts fell all night. Thefe are thy wonders, Lord of love, To make us fee we are but flowers that glide : THE CHURCH. 175 Which when we once can finde and prove, Thou haft a garden for us, where to bide. Who would be more, Swelling through ftore, Forfeit their Paradife by their pride. 135. Dotage. I ALSE glozing pleafures, cafks of happinefle, Foolifh night-fires, womens and childrens wifhes, Chafes in^Arras, guilded emptinefle, Cfi Shadows well mounted, dreams in a career, *- Embroider'd lyes, nothing between two dimes ; Thefe are the pleafures here. True earned forrows, rooted miferies, Anguifli in grain, vexations ripe and blown, Sure-footed griefs, folid calamities, Plain demonftrations, evident and cleare, Fetching their proofs ev'n from the very bone ; Thefe are the forrows here. But oh the folly of diftrafted men, Who griefs in earneft, joyes in jeft purfue ; Preferring, like brute beafts, a loathfome den Before a court, ev'n that above fo cleare, Where are no forrows, but delights more true Then miferies are here ! 176 THE CHURCH. 136. The Sonne. jET forrain nations of their language boaft, What fine varietie each tongue affords : I like our language, as our men and coaft ; Who cannot drefle it well, want wit, not words. How neatly do we give one onely name To parents iflue and the funnes bright ftarre ! A fonne is light and fruit ; a fruitfull flame Chafing the fathers dimneffe, carri'd far From the firft man in th' Eaft, to frefh and new Weftern difcov'ries of pofteritie. So in one word our Lords humilitie We turn upon him in a fen/e moft true : For what Chrift once in humblenefle began, We him in glorie call, The Sonne of Man. 137. A true Hymne. ^Y joy, my life, my crown ! My heart was meaning all the day, Somewhat it fain would fay : And ftill it runneth mutt' ring up and down With only this, My joy, my life, my crown. Yet flight not thefe few words; If truly faid, they may take part Among the beft in art. The finenefle which a hymne or pfalme affords, Is, when the foul unto the lines accords. THE CHURCH. 177 He who craves all the minde, And all the foul, and ftrength, and time, If the words onely ryme, Juftly complains, that fomewhat is behinde To make his verfe, or write a hymne in kinde. Whereas if th' heart be moved, Although the verfe be fomewhat fcant, God doth fupplie the want. As when th* heart fayes (fighing to be approved) O, could I love ! and Hops; God writeth, Loved. 138. The Anfwer. * Y comforts drop and melt away like fnow : I make my head, and all the thoughts and ends, Which my fierce youth did bandie, fall and flow Like leaves about me, or like fummer friends, Flyes of eftates and funne-fhine. But to all, Who think me eager, hot, and undertaking, But in my profecutions flack and fmall ; As a young exhalation, newly waking, Scorns his firft bed of dirt, and means the fky ; But cooling by the way, grows purfie and flow, And fettling to a cloud, doth live and die In that dark ftate of tears : to all, that fo Show me, and fet me, I have one reply, Which they that know the reft, know more then I. 178 THE CHURCH. 139. A Dialogue-Anthem. Cbrijiian, Death. Cbr. ?$|^|^L AS, poore death! where is thy glorie? ^ji^vL Where is thy famous force, thy *i^ ancient fting ? Dea. Ala s, poore mortal!, void offtorie, Gofpell and reade bow I have kilPd thy King. Cbr. Poore death ! and who was hurt thereby ? Thy curfe being laid on him makes thee accurft. Dea. Let lofers talk, yet thou /halt die ; Tbefe arms Jhall crujh thee. Cbr. Spare not, do thy worft. I mall be one day better then before : Thou fo much worfe, that thou ftialt be no more. 140. The Water-Courfe. ;HOU who doft dwell and linger here below, Since the condition of this world is frail, Where of all plants afflictions fooneft grow ; If troubles overtake thee, do not wail : For who can look for lefle, that loveth j ^' f; But rather turn the pipe, and waters courfe To ferve thy finnes, and furnifh thee with ftore THE CHURCH. 179 Of fov'raigne tears, fpringing from true remorfe : That fo in purenefle thou mayft him adore TT7-1 . , f c (Salvation. Who gives to man. as he fees fit. < -^ ' (Damnation. 141. Self-Condemnation. ?HOU who condemneft Jewifh hate, For choofing Barabbas a murderer Before the Lord of glorie ; Look back upon thine own eftate, Call home thine eye (that bufie wanderer) That choice may be thy florie. He that doth love, and love amifle This worlds delights before true Chriftian joy, Hath made a Jewifh choice : The world an ancient murderer is ; Thoufands of fouls it hath and doth deftroy With her enchanting voice. He that hath made a fbrrie wedding Between his foul and gold, and hath preferr'd Falfe gain before the true, Hath done what he condemnes in reading : For he hath fold for money his deare Lord, And is a Judas- Jew. Thus we prevent the laft great day, And judge our felves. That light which fin and paffion i8o THE CHURCH. Did before dimme and choke, When once thofe fnuffes are ta'ne away, Shines bright and cleare, ev'n unto condemnation. Without excufe or cloak. 142. Bitter-Sweet. 5H, my deare angrie Lord, Since thou doft love, yet ftrike ; Caft down, yet help afford ; Sure I will do the like. I will complain, yet praife ; I will bewail, approve : And all my fowre-fweet dayes I will lament, and love. 143. The Glance. HEN firft thy fweet and gracious eye VouchfaPd ev'n in the midft of youth and night To look upon me, who before did lie Weltring in finne ; I felt a fugred ftrange delight, Faffing all cordials made by any art, Bedew, embalme, and overrunne my heart, And take it in. THE CHURCH. 181 Since that time many a bitter ftorm My foul hath felt, ev'n able to deftroy, Had the malicious and ill-meaning harm His fvving and fway : But ftill thy fweet originall joy, Sprung from thine eye, did work within my foul, And furging griefs, when they grew bold, controll, And got the day. If thy firft glance fo powerfull be, A mirth but open'd, and feal'd up again ; What wonders mail we feel, when we (hall fee Thy full-ey'd love! When thou malt look us out of pain, And one afpeft of thine fpend in delight More then a thoufand funnes difburfe in light, In heav'n above. 144. The Twenty-third Pfalme. HE God of love my fhepherd is, And he that doth me feed : While he is mine, and I am his, What can I want or need ? He leads me to the tender grafle, Where I both feed and reft ; Then to the ftreams that gently pafle : In both I have the beft. Or if I ftray, he doth convert, And bring my minde in frame : 182 THE CHURCH. And all this not for my defert, But for his holy name. Yea, in deaths fliadie black abode Well may I walk, not fear : For thou art with me, and thy rod To guide, thy ftaffe to bear. Nay, thou doft make me lit and dine, Ev'n in my enemies fight; My head with oyl, my cup with wine Runnes over day and night. Surely thy fweet and wondrous love Shall meafure all my dayes ; And as it never fhall remove, So neither lhall my praife. 145. Marie Magdalene. 'HEN blefled Marie wip'd her Saviours fee ( Whofe precepts fhe had trampled on before) And wore them for a Jewell on her head, Shewing his fteps Ihould be the ftreet, Wherein fhe thenceforth evermore With penfive humblenefTe would live and tread : She being flain'd herfelf, why did fhe ftrive To make him clean, who could not be defil'd ? Why kept fhe not her tears for her own faults, THE CHURCH. 183 And not his feet ? Though we could dive In tears like feas, our finnes are pil'd Deeper then they, in words, and works, and thoughts. Deare foul, fhe knew who did vouchfafe and deigne To bear her filth ; and that her finnes did dafh Ev'n God himfelf : wherefore fhe was not loth, As fhe had brought wherewith to ftain, So to bring in wherewith to wafh : And yet in wafhing one, fhe wafhed both. 146. Aaron. OLINESSE on the head, Light and perfections on the breaft, Harmonious bells below, raifing the dead To leade them unto life and reft. Thus are true Aarons dreft. ProfanenefTe in my head, Defefts and darknefTe in my breaft, A noife of paffions ringing me for dead Unto a place where is no reft : Poore prieft thus am I dreft. Onely another head I have, another heart and breaft, Another mufick, making live not dead, Without whom I could have no reft : In him I am well dreft. 184 THE CHURCH. Chrift is my onely head, My alone onely heart and breaft, My onely mufick, ftriking me ev'n dead ; That to the old man I may reft, And be in him new dreft. So holy in my head, Perfect and light in my deare breaft, My doftrine tun'd by Chrift, (who is not dead, But lives in me while I do reft) Come, people; Aaron's dreft. 147. The Odour. 2 Cor. ii. OW fweetly doth My Mafter found ! My Mafter ! As Amber-greefe leaves a rich fcent Unto the tafter: So do thefe words a fweet content, An orientall fragrancie, My Mafter. With thefe all day I do perfume my minde, My mind ev'n thruft into them both ; That I might finde What cordials make this curious broth, This broth of fmells, that feeds and fats my minde. My Mafter, fhall I fpeak ? O that to thee My Servant were a little fo, As flefh may be ; That thefe two words might creep and grow To fome degree of fpicineffe to thee ! 4 THE CHURCH. 185 Then mould the Pomander, which was before A fpeaking fweet, mend my refle&ion, And tell me more : For pardon of my imperfedion Would warm and work it fweeter than before. For when My Mafter, which alone is fweet, And ev'n in my unworthinefle pleafing, Shall call and meet, My fervant, as thee not difpleafing, That call is but the breathing of the fweet. This breathing would with gains by fweetning me (As fweet things traffick when they meet) Return to thee. And fo this new commerce and fweet Should all my life employ, and bulie me. 148. The Foil. F we could fee below The fphere of vertue, and each mining grace, As plainly as that above doth mow j This were the better flue, the brighter place. God hath made ftarres the foil To fet off vertues ; griefs to fet off finning : Yet in this wretched world we toil, As if grief were not foul, nor vertue winning. 1 86 THE CHURCH. 149. The Forerunners. harbingers are come. See, fee their mark ; White is their colour, and behold my head. But muft they have my brain ? muft they difpark Thofe fparkling notions, which therein were bred? Muft dulneffe turn me to a clod ? Yet have they left me, Thou art ftill my God. Good men ye be, to leave me my beft room, Ev'n all my heart, and what is lodged there : I paffe not, I, what of the reft become, So, Thou art ftill my God, be out of fear. He will be pleafed with that dittie ; And if I pleafe him, I write fine and wittie. Farewell fweet phrafes, lovely metaphors : But will ye leave me thus ? when ye before Of ftews and brothels onely knew the doores, Then did I warn you with my tears, and more, Brought you to Church well dreft and clad : My God muft have my beft, ev'n all I had. Lovely enchanting language, fugar-cane, Hony of rofes, whither wilt thou flie ? Hath fome fond lover tic'd thee to thy bane ? And wilt thou leave the Church, and love a ftie ? Flie, thou wilt foil thy broider'd coat, And hurt thyfelf, and him that fings the note. Let foolifti lovers, if they will love dung, With canvas, not with arras clothe their lhame : THE CHURCH. 187 Let follie fpeak in her own native tongue. True beautie dwells on high : ours is a flame But borrow'd thence to light us thither. Beautie and beauteous words fhould go together. Yet if you go, I paffe not ; take your way : For, Thou art ft ill my God, is all that ye Perhaps with more embellimment can fay. Go birds of fpring : let winter have his fee ; Let a bleak palenefle chalk the doore, So all within be livelier then before. 150. The Rofe. RESSE me not to take more pleafure In this world of fugred lies, And to ufe a larger meafure Than my ftrift, yet welcome fize. Firft, there is no pleafure here : Colour'd griefs indeed there are, Blufhing woes, that look as cleare, As if they could beautie fpare. Or if fuch deceits there be, Such delights I meant to fay ; There are no fuch things to me, Who have paff'd my right way. But I will not much oppofe Unto what you now advife : Onely take this gentle rofe, And therein my anfwer lies. i83 THE CHURCH. What is fairer then a rofe I What is fweeter ? yet it purgeth. Purgings enmitie difclofe, Enmitie forbearance urgeth. If then all that worldlings prize Be contracted to a rofe ; Sweetly there indeed it lies, But it biteth in the clofe. So this flower doth judge and fentence Worldly joyes to be a fcourge : For they all produce repentance,' And repentance is a purge. But I health, not phyfick choofe : Onely though I you oppofe, Say that fairly I refufe, For my anfwer is a rofe. 151. Difcipline. away thy rod, Throw away thy wrath : my God, Take the gentle path. For my hearts defire Unto thine is bent : 1 afpire To a full confent. THE CHURCH. 189 Not a word or look I affeft to own, But by book, And thy book alone. Though I fail, I weep : Though I halt in pace, Yet I creep To the throne of grace. Then let wrath remove ; Love will do the deed : For with love Stonie hearts will bleed. Love is fwift of foot ; Love's a man of warre, And can Ihoot, And can hit from farre. Who can fcape his bow ? That which wrought on thee, Brought thee low, Needs muft work on me. Throw away thy rod ; Though man frailties hath, Thou art God : Throw away thy wrath. I 9 o THE CHURCH. 152. The Invitation. ye hither all, whofe tafte Is your wafte ; Save yourcoft, and mend your fare. God is here prepar'd and dreft, And the feaft, God, in whom all dainties are. / ,. Come ye hither all, whom wine *.<=> Doth define, Naming you not to your good : Weep what ye have drunk amifle, And drink this, Which before ye drink is bloud. Come ye hither all, whom pain Doth arraigne, Bringing all your finnes to fight : Tafte and fear not : God is here In this cheer, And on finne doth caft the fright. Come ye hither all, whom joy Doth deftroy, While ye graze without your bounds : Here is joy that drowneth quite Your delight, As a floud the lower grounds. Come ye hither all, whole love Is your dove, And exalts you to the fkie : THE CHURCH. 191 Here is love, which, having breath Ev'n in death, After death can never die. Lord I have invited all, And I Ihall Still invite, ftill call to thee : For it feems but juft and right In my fight, Where is all, there all fhould be. 153. The Banquet. 'ELCOME fweet and facred cheer, Welcome deare ; With me, in me, live and dwell : For thy neatnefle pafleth fight, Thy delight Pafieth tongue to tafte or tell. O what fweetnefle from the bowl Fills my foul, Such as is, and makes divine ! Is fome ftarre (fled from the fphere) Melted there, As we fugar melt in wine ? Or hath fweetnefle in the bread Made a head To fubdue the fmell of finne, Flowers, and gummes, and powders giving All their living, Left the enemie mould v/inne ? 192 THE CHURCH. Doubtlefle, neither ftarre nor flower Hath the power Such a fweetnefle to impart : Onely God, who gives perfumes, FJefh aflumes, And with it perfumes my heart. But as Pomanders and wood Still are good, Yet being bruif'd are better fented ; God, to {how how farre his love Could improve, Here, as broken, is prefented. When I had forgot my birth, And on earth In delights of earth was drown'd ; God took bloud, and needs would be Spilt with me, And fo found me on the ground. Having raif 'd me to look up, In a cup Sweetly he doth meet my tafte. But I ftill being low and fhort, Farre from court, Wine becomes a wing at laft. For with it alone I flie To the fltie : Where I wipe mine eyes, and fee What I feek, for what I fue ; Him I view Who hath done fo much for me. THE CHURCH. 193 Let the wonder of this pitie Be my dittie, And take up my lines and life : Hearken under pain of death, Hands and breath, Strive in this, and love the ftrife. 154. The Ppfie. s? JET wits conteft, And with their words and pofies windows Leffe than the leajl [fill : Of all thy mercies, is my polie ftill. This on my ring, This by my pifture, in my book I write ; Whether I fing, Or fay, or di&ate, this is my delight. Invention reft ; Comparifons go play ; wit ufe thy will : LeJ/e than the haft Of all Gods mercies, is my pofie ftill. 155. A Parodie. ! OULS joy, when thou art gone, And I alone, ' Which cannot be, Becaufe thou doft abide with me, And I depend on thee ; o i 9 4 THE CHURCH. Yet when thou doft fupprefle The cheerfulnefie Of thy abode, And in my powers not ftirre abroad, But leave me to my load : O what a damp. and made Doth me invade ! No ftormie night Can fo afflift or fo affright As thy eclipfed light. Ah Lord ! do not withdraw, Left want of aw Make finne appeare ; And when thou doft but mine leffe cleare, Say, that thou art not here. And then what life I have, While Sinne doth rave, And falfly boaft, That I may feek, but thou art loft ; Thou and alone thou know'ft. O what a deadly cold Doth me infold! I half beleeve, That Sinne fays true : but while I grieve, Thou com'ft and doft relieve. THE CHURCH. 156. The Elixer. ?EACH me, my God and King, In all things thee to fee, And what I do in any thing, To do it as for thee : Not rudely, as a beaft, To runne into an aftion ; But ftill to make thee prepofleft, And give it his perfection. A man that looks on glafle, On it may ftay his eye ; Or if he pleafeth, through it pafle, And then the heav'n efpie. All may of thee partake : Nothing can be fo mean, Which with this tinfture (for thy fake) Will not grow bright and clean. A fervant with this claufe Makes drudgerie divine : Who fweeps a room, as for thy laws, Makes that and th' adlion fine. This is the famous ftone That turneth all to gold : For that which God doth touch and own Cannot for leffe be told. 196 THE CHURCH. 157. A Wreath. WREATHED garland of deferved praife, Of praife deferved, unto thee I give, I give to thee, who knoweft all my vvayes, My crooked winding wayes, wherein I live, Wherein I die, not live; for life is ftraight, Straight as a line, and ever tends to thee, To thee, who art more farre above deceit, Than deceit feems above fimplicitie. Give me fimplicitie, that I may live, So live and like, that I may know thy wayes, Know them and pradlife them : then mail I give For this poore wreath, give thee a crown of praife. 158. Death. JEATH, thou waft once an uncouth hideous Nothing but bones, [thing, The fad effecl: of fadder grones : Thy mouth was open, but thou could ft not fing. For we confider'd thee as at fome fix Or ten yeares hence, After the lofle of life and fenfe, Flefh being turn'd to duft, and bones to fticks. We lookt on this fide of thee, (hooting (hort ; Where we did finde THE CHURCH. 197 The fhells of fledge fouls left behinde, Dry duft, which fheds no tears, but may extort. But fince our Saviours death did put fome bloud Into thy face ; Thou art grown fair and full of grace, Much in requeft, much fought for, as a good. For we do now behold thee gay and glad, As at dooms-day ; When fouls mall wear their new aray, And all thy bones with beautie mall be clad. Therefore we can go die as fleep, and truft Half that we have Unto an honeft faithfull grave ; Making our pillows either down, or duft. 159. Dooms-day. away, Make no delay. Summon all the duft to rife, Till it ftirre, and rubbe the eyes ; While this member jogs the other, Each one whifpring, Live you, brother? Come away, Make this the day. Duft, alas, no mufick feels, But thy trumpet : then it kneels, As peculiar notes and ftrains Cure Tarantulaes raging pains. 198 THE CHURCH. Come away, O make no flay ! Let the graves make their confeffion, Left at length they plead poffeffion : Flefhes ftubbornnefle may have Read that leflbn to the grave. , Come away, Thy flock doth ftray. Some to the windes their bodie lend, And in them may drown a friend : Some in noifome vapours grow To a plague and publick wo. Come away, Help our decay. Man is out of order hurl'd, Parcel'd out to all the world. - Lord, thy broken confort raife, And the mufick (hall be praife. 1 60. Judgement. ^LMIGHTIE Judge, how mail poore wretches brook Thy dreadfull look, Able a heart of iron to appall, When thou fhalt call For ev'ry mans peculiar book? What others mean to do, I know not well ; Yet I heare tell, THE CHURCH. 199 That fome will turn thee to fome leaves therein So void of finne, That they in merit fhall excell. But I refolve, when thou (halt call for mine, That to decline, And thruft a Teftament into thy hand : Let that be fcann'd. There thou malt finde my faults are thine. 161. Heaven. WHO will mow me thofe delights on high ? Echo. I. Thou Echo, thou art mortall, all men know. Echo. No. Wert thou not born among the trees and leaves ? Echo. Leaves, And are there any leaves, that ftill abide ? Echo. Bide. What leaves are they ? impart the matter wholly. Echo. Holy. Are holy leaves the Echo then of blifle ? Echo. Tes. Then tell me, what is that fupreme delight ? Echo. Light. Light to the minde : what fhall the will enjoy ? Echo. yy- But are there cares and bufinefle with the pleafure ? Echo. Leifure. Light, joy, and leifure ; but fhall they perfever ? Echo. Ever. 200 THE CHURCH. 162. Love. |!|OVE bade me welcome : yet my foul drew back, Guikie of duft and fmne. But quick-ey'd Love, obferving me grow flack From my firft entrance in, Drew nearer to me, fweetly queftioning, If I lack'd any thing. A gueft, I anfwer'd, worthy to be here : Love faid, you mail be he. I the unkinde, ungratefull ? Ah my deare, I cannot look on thee. Love took my hand, and fmiling did reply, Who made the eyes but I ? Truth Lord, but I have marr'd them : let my fhamc Go where it doth deferve. And know you not, fayes Love, who bore the blame? My deare, then I will ferve. You muft fit down, fayes Love, and tafte my meat : So I did fit and eat. FINIS. Glorie be to God on high, and on earth peace, good will towards men. II. The Church Militant. [LMIGHTIE Lord, who from thy glo- rious throne Seeft and ruleft all things ev'n as one : The fmalleft ant or atome knows thy Known alfo to each minute of an houre : [power, Much more do Common-weals acknowledge thee, And wrap their policies in thy decree, Complying with thy counfels, doing nought Which doth not meet with an eternall thought. But above all, thy Church and Spoufe doth prove Not the decrees of power, but bands of love. Early didft thou arife to plant this vine, Which might the more indeare it to be thine. Spices come from the Bail ; fo did thy Spoufe, Trimme as the light, fweet as the laden boughs Of Noahs Ihadie vine, chafte as the dove, Prepar'd and fitted to receive thy love. The courfe was weftward, that the funne might light As well our underftanding as our fight. Where th' Ark did reft, there Abraham began To bring the other Ark from Canaan. Mofes purfu'd this : but King Solomon Finifh'd and fixt the old religion. When it grew loofe, the Jews did hope in vain By nailing Chrift to fallen it again. But to the Gentiles he bore crofle and all, Rending with earthquakes the partition-wall. Onely whereas the Ark in glorie fhone, 202 THE CHURCH MILITANT. Now with the croffe, as with a ftaffe, alone, Religion, like a pilgrime, weftward bent, Knocking at all doores, ever as fhe went. Yet as the funne, though forward be his flight, Liftens behinde him, and allows fome light, Till all depart : fo went the Church her way, Letting, while one foot ftept, the other flay Among the eaftern nations for a time, Till both removed to the weftern clime. To Egypt firft fhe came, where they did prove Wonders of anger once, but now of love. The ten Commandments there did flourifh more Than the ten bitter plagues had done before. Holy Macarius and great Anthonie Made Pharaoh Mofes, changing th' hiftorie. Gojhen was darknefTe, Egypt full of lights, Nilus for monfters brought forth Ifraelites. Such power hath mightie Baptifme to produce, For things mifshapen, things of highefl ufe. How deare to me, O God, thy counfels are! Who may with thee compare? Religion thence fled into Greece, where arts Gave her the higheft place in all mens hearts. Learning was pof 'd, Philofophie was fet, ' Sophifters taken in a fimers net. Plato and Ariftotle were at a lofle, And wheel'd about again to fpell Cbrift-Crofle. Prayers chaf'd fyllogifmes into their den, And Ergo was transform'd into Amen. Though Greece took horfe as foon as Egypt did, And Rome as both ; yet Egypt falter rid, And fpent her period and prefixed time Before the other. Greece being paft her prime, Religion went to Rome, fubduing thofe, Who, that they might fubdue, made all their foes. THE CHURCH MILITANT. 203 The Warrier his deere ikarres no more refounds, But feems to yeeld Chrift hath the greater wounds ; Wounds willingly endur'd to work his blifle, Who by an ambufh loft his Paradife. The great heart ftoops, and taketh from the duft A fad repentance, not the fpoils of luft : Quitting his fpear, left it mould pierce again Him in his members, who for him was flain. The Shepherds hook grew to a fcepter here, Giving new names and numbers to the yeare. But th' Empire dwelt in Greece, to comfort them, Who were cut fhort in Alexanders ftemme. In both of thefe ProwefTe and Arts did tame And tune mens hearts againft the Gofpel came : Which ufing, and not fearing fkill in th' one, Or ftrength in th' other, did ereft her throne, Many a rent and ftruggling th' Empire knew, (As dying things are wont,) untill it flew At length to Germanic, ftill weftward bending, And there the Churches feftivall attending : That as before Empire and Arts made way, (For no lefle Harbingers would ferve then they) So they might ftill, and point us out the place, Where firft the Church mould raife her down-caft face. Strength levels grounds, Art makes a garden there ; Then fhowres Religion, and makes all to bear. Spain in the Empire fhar'd with Germanie y But England in the higher viftorie ; Giving the Church a crown to keep her ftate, And not go lefle than (he had done of late. Conftantines Britifh line meant this of old, And did this myfterie wrap up and fold Within a fheet of paper, which was rent From times great Chronicle, and hither fent. 204 THE CHURCH MILITANT. Thus both the Church and Sunne together ran Unto the fartheft old meridian. How deare to me, O God, thy counfels are ! Who may with thee compare? Much about one and the fame time and place, Both where and when the Church began her race, Sinne did fet out of Eaftern Babylon, And travell'd weftward alfo : journeying on He chid the Church away, where e're he came, Breaking her peace, and tainting her good name. At firft he got to Egypt, and did fow Gardens of gods, which ev'ry yeare did grow, Frefh and fine deities. They were at great coft, Who for a god clearely a fallet loft. Ah, what a thing is man devoid of grace, Adoring garlick with an humble face, Begging his food of that which he may eat, Starving the while he wormippeth his meat ! Who makes a root his god, how low is he, If God and man be fever'd infinitely! What wretchedneffe can give him any room, Whofe houfe is foul, while he adores his broom? None will beleeve this now, though money be In us the fame tranfplanted foolerie. Thus Sinne in Egypt fneaked for a while ; His higheft was an ox or crocodile, [paffe, And fuch poore game. Thence he to Greece doth And being craftier much then Goodneffe was, He left behinde him garrifons of finnes, To make good that which ev'ry day he winnes. Here Sinne took heart, and for a garden-bed Rich ihrines and oracles he purchafed : He grew a gallant, and would needs foretell As well what mould befall, as what befell. Nay, he became a poet, and would ferve THE CHURCH MILITANT, 205 His pills of fublimate in that conferve. The world came both with hands and purfes full To this great lotterie, and all would pull. But all was glorious cheating, brave deceit, Where fome poore truths were fhuffled for a bait To credit him, and to difcredit thofe, Who after him mould braver truths difclofe. From Greece he went to Rome : and as before He was a God, now he's an Emperour. Nero and others lodg'd him bravely there, Put him in truft to rule the Romane fphere. Glorie was his chief inftrument of old: Pleafure fucceeded ftraight, when that grew cold : Which foon was blown to fuch a mightie flame, That though our Saviour did deftroy the game, Difparking oracles, and all their treafure, Setting afflidlion to encounter pleafure ; Yet did a rogue with hope of carnall joy, Cheat the moft fubtill nations. Who fo coy, So trimme, as Greece and Egypt ? yet their hearts Are given over, for their curious arts, To fuch Mahometan ftupidities, As the old heathen would deem prodigies. How deare to me, O God, thy counfeh are ! Who may with tbee compare? Onely the Weft and Rome do keep them free From this contagious infidelitie. And this is all the Rock, whereof they boaft, As Rome will one day finde unto her coft. Sinne being not able to extirpate quite The Churches here, bravely refolv'd one night To be a Church-man too, and wear a Mitre : The old debauched ruffian would turn writer. I faw him in his ftudie, where he fate Bufie in controverfies fprung of late. 206 THE CHURCH MILITANT. A gown and pen became him wondrous well : His grave afpeft had more of heav'n then hell : Onely there was a handfome pidlure by, To which he lent a corner of his eye. As Sinne in Greece a Prophet was before, And in old Rome a mighlie Emperour ; So now being Prieft he plainly did profefle To make a jeft of Chrifts three offices : The rather fince his fcatter'd jugglings were United now in one both time and fphere. From Egypt he took pettie deities, From Greece oracular infallibilities, And from old Rome the libertie of pleafure, By free difpenfings of the Churches treafure. Then in memoriall of his ancient throne, He did furname his palace, Babylon. Yet that he might the better gain all nations, And make that name good by their tranfmigrations ; From all thefe places, but at divers times, He took fine vizards to conceal his crimes : From Egypt Anchorifme and retirednefle, Learning from Greece, from old Rome ftatelinefs ; And blending thefe, he carri'd all mens eyes, While Truth fat by, counting his victories : Whereby he grew apace and fcorn'd to ufe Such force as once did captivate the Jews ; But did bewitch, and finelly work each nation Into a voluntarie tranfmigration. All pofte to Rome: Princes fubmit their necks Either t' his publick foot or private tricks. It did not fit his gravitie to ftirre, Nor his long journey, nor his gout and furre : Therefore he fent out able minifters, Statefmen within, without doores cloifterers ; Who without fpear, or fword, or other drumme, THE CHURCH MILITANT. 207 Than what was in their tongue, did overcome ; And having conquer'd, did fo ftrangely rule, That the whole world did feem but the Popes mule. As new and old Rome did one Empire twift ; So both together are one Antichrill ; Yet with two faces, as their Janus was, Being in this their old crackt looking-glafle. How deare to me, O God, thy counfels are ! Who may with tbee compare ? Thus Sinne triumphs in Weftern Babylon ; Yet not as Sinne, but as Religion. Of his two thrones he made the latter beft, And to defray his journey from the eaft. Old and new Babylon are to hell and night, As is the moon and funne to heav'n and light. When th' one did fet, the other did take place, Confronting equally the law and grace. They are hells land-marks, Satans double creft : They are Sinnes nipples, feeding th' eaft and weft. But as in vice the copie ftill exceeds The pattern, but not fo in vertuous deeds ; So though Sinne made his latter feat the better, The latter Church is to the firft a debter. The fecond Temple could not reach the firft : And the late reformation never durft Compare with ancient times and purer yeares ; But in the Jews and us deferveth tears. Nay, it mail ev'ry yeare decreafe and fade ; Till fuch a darknefle do the world invade At Chrifts laft coming, as his firft did finde : Yet muft there fuch proportions be affign'd To thefe diminifhings, as is between The fpacious world and Jurie to be feen. Religion ftands on tip-toe in our land, Readie to pafle to the American ftrand. 2o8 THE CHURCH MILITANT. When height of malice, and prodigious lufts, Impudent finning, witchcrafts, and diftrufts, (The marks of future bane,) fhall fill our cup Unto the brimme, and make our meafure up ; When Sein fhall fwallow Tiber, and the Thames By letting in them both, pollutes her ftreams : When Italie of us fhall have her will, And all her calendar of finnes fulfill ; Whereby one may foretell, what finnes next yeare Shall both in France and England domineer : Then fhall Religion to America flee : They have their times of Gofpel, ev'n as we. My God, thou doft prepare for them a way, By carrying firft their gold from them away : For gold and grace did never yet agree : Religion alwaies fides with povertie. We think we rob them, but we think amifle : We are more poore, and they more rich by this. Thou wilt revenge their quarrell, making grace To pay our debts, and leave our ancient place To go to them, while that, which now their nation But lends to us, fhall be our defolation. Yet as the Church fhall thither weftward flie, So Sinne fhall trace and dog her inftantly : ^ They have their period alfo and fet times Both for their vertuous actions and their crimes. And where of old the Empire and the Arts Ufher'd the Gofpel ever in mens hearts, Spain hath done one ; when Arts perform the other, The Church fhall come, and Sinne the Church fhall fmother : That when they have accomplifhed the round, And met in th' eaft their firft and ancient found, Judgement may meet them both, and fearch them round. THE CHURCH MILITANT. 209 Thus do both lights, as well in Church as Sunne, Light one another, and together runne. Thus alfo Sinne and Darknefle follow ftill The Church and Sunne with all their power and fkill. But as the Sunne ftill goes both weft and eaft ; So alfo did the Church by going weft Still eaftward go ; becaufe it drew more neare To time and place, where judgement mall appeare How deare to me, O God, thy counfels are ! Who may with tbee compare ? L'Envoy. .ING ofglorie, King of peace, With the one make warre to ceafe ; With the other bleffe thy meep, Thee to love, in thee to ileep. Let not Sinne devoure thy fold, Bragging that thy bloud is cold ; That thy death is alfo dead, While his conquefts dayly fpread ; That thy flefh hath loft his food, And thy Crofle is common wood. Choke him, let him fay no more, But referve his breath in ftore, Till thy conqueft and his fall Make his fighs to ufe it all ; And then bargain with the winde To difcharge what is behinde. BleJ/ed be God alone^ Thrice blejfed Three in One. FINIS. III. MISCELLANEOUS POEMS, i. A Sonnet. SENT BY GEORGE HERBERT TO HIS MOTHER AS A NEW YEAR'S GIFT FROM CAMBRIDGE. Y God, where is that ancient heat to- wards thee, [once did burn, Wherewith whole fhoals of martyrs Befides their other flames? Dothpoetrie Wear Venus' liverie ? onely ferve her turn ? Why are not fonnets made of thee ? and layes Upon thine altar burnt? Cannot thy love Heighten a fpirit to found out thy praife As well as any me ? Cannot thy Dove Outftrip their Cupid eafilie in flight ? Or, fince thy wayes are deep, and ftill the fame, Will not a verfe runne fmooth that bears thy name ! Why doth that fire, which by thy power and might Each breaft does feel, no braver fuel choofe Then that, which one day, worms may chance re- Sure Lord, there is enough in thee to drie [fufe. Oceans of ink ; for, as the Deluge did Cover the Earth, fo doth thy Majeftie : MISCELLANEOUS. 211 Each cloud diftills thy praife, and doth forbid Poets to turn it to another ufe. Rofes and lilies fpeak thee ; and to make A pair of cheeks of them, is thy abufe. Why mould I womens eyes for cryftal take ? Such poor invention burns in their low minde Whofe fire is wild, and doth not upward go To praife, and on thee, Lord, fome ink bellow. Open the bones, and you mail nothing finde In the beft face but filth ; when Lord, in thee The beauty lies, in the difcoverie. 2. Infcription. IN THE PARSONAGE, BEMERTON. To my fuccefTor. thou chance for to find A new Houfe to thy mind And built without thy Coft : Be good to the Poor, As God gives thee ftore, And then, my Labours not loft. 3. On Lord Danvers. BACKED marble, fafely keep His duft, who under thee muft fleep, Until the yeares again reftore Their dead, and time mall be no more. Mean while, if he, (which all things wears) Does ruin thee, or if thy tears M1SCELLANEO US. Are fried for him ; diffolve thy frame, Thou art requited : for his fame, His vertue, and his worth (hall be Another monument to thee. 4. A Paradox.* (FROM A MS. COLLECTION FORMERLY DR. RAWLINSON'S, IN THE BODLEIAN LIBRARY, OXFORD.) That the fick are in a better cafe, then the whole. : OU who admire yourfelves becaufe You neither groan nor weep, And think it contrarie to Natures laws To want one ounce of fleep, Your ftrong belief Acquits yourfelves, and gives the fick all grief. Your ftate to ours is contrarie, That makes you think us poore, So Black-moors think us foul, and wee Are quit with them, and more, Nothing can fee, And judge of things but mediocritie. The fick are in themfelves a ftate Which health hath nought to do. * See a poem (No. xli.) in the Synagogue at the end of the volume. MISCELLANEOUS. 213 How know you that our tears proceed from wo, And not from better fate ? Since that mirth hath Her waters alfo and defired bath. How know you that the fighs we fend From want of breath proceed, Not from excels ? and therefore we do fpend That which we do not need ; So trembling may As well mow inward warbling, as decay. Ceafe then to judge calamities By outward form and fhew, But view yourfelves, and inward turn your eyes, Then you mall fully know That your eftate Is, of the two, the far more defperate. You always fear to feel thofe fmarts Which we but fometimes prove, Each little comfort much affects our hearts, None but grofs joys you move : Why then confefs Your fears in number more, your joyes are lefs. Then for yourfelves not us embrace Plaints to bad fortune due, For though you vifit us, and plaint or cafe, We doubt much whether you Come to our bed To comfort us, or to be comforted. LATIN AND 'GREEK POEMS. IV. PARENTALIA. Auftore G. HERBERT.* Memorise Mat r is Sacrum. i. H Mater, quo te deplorem fonte ? Dolores Quae guttae poterunt enumerare meos ? Sicca meis lacrymis Thamefis vicina videtur, Virtutumque choro ficcior ipfe tuo. In flumen mcerore nigrum fi funderer ardens, Laudibus haud fierem fepia jufta tuis. Tantum iftaec fcribo gratus, ne tu mihi tantum Mater : et ifta Dolor nunc tibi Metra parit. 2. /^ORNELI^E fandtae, graves Semproniae, *^* Et quicquid ufpiam eft feverae fceminae, Conferte lacrymas : Ilia, quae vos milcuit Veftrafque laudes, pofcit et mixtas genas. * Printed at the end of Dr. Donne's Sermon of Commemo- ration of the Lady Danvers, late wife of Sir John Danvers, preach'd at Chilfey, July i, 1627, together with other com- memorations of her j by her fonne G. Herbert. Lond. 1627, i8mo. See Barnabas Oley's Life of Herbert, p. civ. and Wal- ton's Life, p. xviii. prefixed to Herbert's Remains. PARENTALIA. 215 Namque hanc ruinam falva Gravitas defleat, Pudorque conftet vel folutis crinibus ; Quandoque vultus fola majeftas, Dolor. Decus mulierum periit: et metuunt viri Utrumque fexum dote ne mulclaverit. Non ilia foles terere comptu lubricos, Struices fuperbas atque turritum caput Molita, reliquum deinde garriens diem, (Nam poft Babelem linguae adeft confufio,) Quin poft modeftam, qualis integras decet, Subftru&ionem capitis et nimbum brevem, Animam recentem rite curavit facris Adorta numen acri et ignea prece. Dein familiam luftrat, et res prandii, Horti, colique diftributim penlitat. Suum cuique tempus et locus datur. Inde exiguntur penfa crudo vefpere. Ratione certa vita conftat et domus, Prudenter inito quot-diebus calculo. Tota renident aede decus et fuavitas Animo renidentes priiis. Sin rarior Magnatis appulfu extulit fe occaiio, Surrexit una et ilia, leleque extulit : Occafione certat imo et obtinet. Proh ? quantus imber, quanta labri comitas, Lepos feverus, Pallas mixta Gratiis ; Loquitur numellas, compedes, et retia : Aut fi negotio hora fumenda eft, rei Per angiportus et maeandros labitur, Ipfos Catones provocans oraculis. Turn quanta tabulis artifex ? quae fcriptio ? Bellum putamen, nucleus belliflimus Sententiae cum voce mire convenit. Volant per orbem literae notifiimae : O blanda dextra, neutiquam iftoc pulveris, Quo nunc recumbis, fcriptio merita eft tua, Paftoli arena tibi tumulus eft unicus. Adde his trientem Mufices, quae molliens Mulcenfque dotes caeteras, vifa eft quafi Caeleftis harmoniae breve praeludium. Quam mira tandem Sublevatrix pauperum ? 2 i6 PARENTAL1A. Languentium baculus, teges jacentium, Commune cordis palpitantis balfamum : BenedicYiones publicae cingunt caput, Caelique referunt et praeoccupant modum. Fatifco, referens tanta quae numerant mei Solum dolores, et dolores, ftellulae ! At tu qui inepte haec dicla cenfes filio, Nato parentis auferens Encomium, Abito trunce cum tuis pudoribus. Ergo ipfe folum mutus atque excors ero Strepente mundo tinnulis praecoqiis ? Mihine matris urna claufa eft unico, Herbae exoletae, rof-marimis aridus? Matrine linguam refero, folum ut mordeam ? Abito barde ! Quam pie iftic fum impudens ? Tu vero mater perpetim laudabere Nato dolenti : literae hoc debent tibi Queis me educafti ; fponte chartas illinunt Frudtum laborum confecutae maximum Laudando Matrem, cum repugnant infcii. 3- CUR fplendes, O Phcebe? ecquid demittere matrem Ad nos cum radio tarn rutilante potes ? At fuperat caput ilia tuum, quantum ipfa cadaver Mens fuperat ; corpus folum Elementa tenent. Scilicet id fplendes : haec eft tibi caufa micandi Et lucro apponis gaudia iandla tuo. Veriim heus fi nequeas coelo demittere matrem, Sitque omnis motus nefcia, tanta quies, Fac radios faltem ingemines, ut dextera tortos Implied, et matrem, matre manente, petam. 4- nugor calamo favens? ^ Mater perpetuis uvida gaudiis, Horto pro tenui colit Edenem Borese flatibus invium. Quin coeli mihi funt mei, PARENTALIA, 217 Materni decus, et debica nominis, Dumque his invigilo frequens Stellarum focius, pellibus Exuor. ^uare Sphaeram egomet meam Connixus, digitis impiger urgeo : Te, Mater, celebrans diu, No&u te celebrans luminis aemulo. Per te nafcor in hunc globum, Exemploque tuo nafcor in alterum : Bis tu mater eras mihi, Ut currat paribus gloria tibiis. 5- HORTI, deliciae Doming, marcefcite tandem ; Ornaftis capulum, nee fuperefle licet. Ecce decus veftrum fpinis horrefcit, acuta Cultricem revocans anxietate manum : Terram et funus olent flores : Dominaeque cadaver Contiguas ftirpes afflat, eaeque rofas. In terram violae capite inclinantur opaco, Quasque domus Dominae fit, gravitate docent. Quare haud vos hortos, fed caemeteria dico, Dum torus abfentem quifque reponit heram. Euge, perite omnes ; nee pofthac exeat ulla ^uaefitum Dominam gemma vel herba fuam. Cun&a ad radices redeant, tumulofque paternos ; (Nempe fepulcra Satis numen inempta dedit) Occidite ; aut fane tantifper vivite, donee Vefpere ros maeftis funus honeftet aquis. 6. /~** ALENE fruftra es, cur miferum premens V-* Tot quaeftionum fludtibus obruis, Arterias traftans micantes Corporeas fluidaeque molis ? yEgroto mentis? quam neque pixides Nee tarda poffunt pharmaca confequi, Utrumque fi praederis Indum, Ultra animus fpatiatur exlex. 2i 8 PARENTALIA. Impos medendi, occidere fi potes, Nee fie parentem ducar ad optimam : Ni fandte, uti mater, recedam, Morte magis viduabor ilia. Quin cerne ut erres infcie, brachium Tentando fanum : fi calet, aeftuans, Ardore fcribendi calefcit, Mater inert falfente vena. Si totus infler, fi tumeam crepax, Ne membra culpes, caufa animo latet Qui parturit laudes parentifi-; Nee gravidis medicina tuta eft. Irregularis nunc habitus mihi eft: Non exigatur crafis ad alterum. Quod tu febrem cenfes, falubre eft Atque animo mcdicatur unum. PALLIDA materni Genii atque exanguis imago, In nebulas fimilefque tui res gaudia numquid Mutata ? et pro matre mihi phantafma dolofum Uberaque aerea hifcentem fallentia natum ? Vae nubi pluvia gravidae, non lafte, meafque Ridenti lacrymas quibus unis concolor unda eft. Quin fugias ? mea non fuerat tam nubila Juno, Tarn fegnis facies aurorae nefcia vernas, Tam languens genitrix cineri fuppofta fiagaci : Verum augufta parens, fanftum os caeloque locandum, Qu^ale paludofos jamjam lidlura receflus Praetulit Aftraea, aut folio Themis alma vetufto Penfilis, atque acri dirimens Examine lites. Hunc vultum oftendas, et tecum nobile fpe&rum Quod fupereft vitae, infumam : Solifque jugales Ipfe tuae folum adnedlam, fine murmure, thenfae. Nee querar ingratos, ftudiis dum tabidus infto, Effluxifle dies, fuffbcatamve Minervam, Aut fpes produftas, barbataque fomnia vertam In vicium mundo fterili, cui cedo cometas Ipfe fuos, tanquam digno, pallentiaque aftra. Eft mihi bis quinis laqueata domuncula tignis PARENTALIA. 219 Rure; brevifque hortus, cujus cum vellere florum Luctatur fpacium, qualem tamen eligic aequi Judicii dominus, floras ut junclius halent Stipati, rudibufque volis impervius hortus Sit quafi fafciculus crefcens, et nidus odorum. Hie ego tuque erimus, variae fuffitibus herbae Quotidie pafti : tantum verum indue vultum Affedlufque mei fimilemj nee languida mifce Ora meae memori menti : ne difpare cultu Pugnaces, teneros florum turbemus odores, Atque inter reliquos horti crefcentia foetus Noftra etiam paribus marcefcant gaudia fatis. PARVAM piamque dum lubenter femitam Grand! reaeque praefero. Carpfit malignum fydus hanc modeftiam Vinumque felle mifcuit. Hinc fremere totus et minari geftio Ipfis feverus orbibus, Tandem prehenfa comiter lacernula Sufurrat aure quifpiam, Haec fuerat olim potio Domini tui. Gufto proboque Dolium. HOC Genitrix, fcriptum proles tibi fedula mittit. Sifte parum cantus, dum legis ifta, tuos. Nofle fui quid agant, quaedam eft quoque mufica fanftis, Quaeque olim fuerat cura, manere poteft. Nos mifere flemus, folefque obducimus almos Occiduis, tanquam duplice nube, genis. Interea ciaflem magnis Rex inftruit aufis : Nos autem flemus : res ea fola tuis. Ecce folutura eft, ventos caufata morantes : Sin pluviam : fletus fuppeditaflet aquas. Tillius incumbit Dano : Gallufque marinis: Nos flendo : haec noftrum teflera fola ducum. Sic aevum exigitur tardum, dum praepetis anni Mille rotae nimiis impediuntur aquis. 20 PARENTAL1A. Plura tibi mifTurus eram (nam quae mihi laurus, Quod nedlar, nifi cum te celebrare diem ?) Sed partem in fcriptis etiam dum lacryma pofcit, Diluit oppofitas candidus humor aquas. 10. NEMPE hucufquefiotos tenebricofos, Et maeftum nimio madore Ccelum, Tellurifque Britannicae falivam Injufte fatis arguit viator. At te commoriente, Magna Mater, Redle, quem trahit, aerem repellit Cum probro madidum, reumque difflat. Nam te nunc Ager, Urbs, et Aula plorant : Te nunc Anglia, Scotiaeque binae, Quin te Cambria pervetufta deflet, Deducens lacrymas prioris aevi Ne ferae mentis tuis venirent. Non eft angulus ufpiam ferenus, Nee cingit mare, nunc inundat omnes. I I. DUM librata fuis haeret radicibus ilex Nefcia vulturnis cedere, firma manet. Poft ubi crudelem fentit divifa fecurem, Quo placet oblato, mortua fertur, hero: Arbor et ipfe inverfa vocor : dumque infitus almae Affideo Matri, robore vinco cedros. Nunc forti pateo, expofitus fine matre procellis, Lubricus, et fuperans mobilitate {alum. Tu radix, tu petra mihi firmiflima, Mater Ceu Polypus, chelis faxa prehendo tenax : Non tibi nunc foli filum abrupere forores Diflutus videor funere et ipfe tuo. Unde vagans paflim redte vocer alter Ulyfles, Alteraque haec tua mors, Ilias efto mihi. 12. TT*ACESSE Stoica plebs, obambulans cautes. T Exuta ftrato carnis, ofiibus conftans, PARENTALIA. 221 lifque ficcis, adeo ut os molofibrum Haud glubat inde tres teruncios efcae. Dolere prohibes ? aut dolere me gentis Adeo inficetae, plumbeae, Medufeae, Ad faxa fpeciem retrahentis humanam, Tantoque nequioris optima Pyrrha. At forte matrem perdere haud foles demena : guin nee potes ; cui praebuit Tigris partum. Proinde parco belluis, nee irafcor. '3- Epitaphium. HIC fita feminei laus et victoria fexus : Virgo pudens, uxor fida, fevera parens : Magnatumque inopumque aequum certamen et ardor Nobilitate illos, hos pietate rapit. Sic excelfa humilifque fimul loca diffita junxit, Quicquid habet tellus, quicquid et aftra, fruens. 14. 1i"vpC?f aa-Qivs; p>w;, afAavpw mtufAaroi; eiyyoj Na 5' aina Tii^>0f 1^' do-nip' iXTpoy, OJS'T t/7rX9Eiv XE&y. NDv J' ip^OU IvSivJ'' ici; 5-TpiXTCf VX>)<})l3pOf *epiv TO TTO.V, xaycav' rt if 'AwapxTiaf Kwoi/ a~wci}6oav avBtvnv ttosJiav, Miav T aTapTrov i;X>jf ypa-^avrsf a npouvo^iii) S' apST?{ xoivijy yEVETEtpav EXoyTEf. Oi sfvE/yof, xoiyoy T aya9oy, jtttay t j 9wpay tipyety 'H SE^IJ?, fl Jt/yaToy. a-ey.vtufji.a'rot ETTXETO o^-adpt.*, AtijUoff'toy T' TyJaX^ta xaXcD, 9E~oy TE xaTOffTpw. Clx ETI ftiXXo/UEHif ^apiiriy 8if2o\r>p.iva.i ?Tp, A^Tap ap^EJ fji,tya.\ai xTou^Evaj : Him yap ai TSy TTff i flT/XXaAEOU(Tf, iau woixiX|UaTOf apJw PARENTALIA. 223 aXp xfp rfavfjtart VVTTH "Epyiu atfjutfrnxuia, yEov ititc\m aifjia-ri tr-nx-rov Mmp -nxTaivouira, yo*' xai l !ti/9sa m i iriy^foin. Ala^ta yVTlpay, iTTaia^ouS-iv oTT^pai, Oi/x IT< jo-7roiv>3r yXyxfpa /t*s\sJ'iJv TpaiV, axrivac Itrros rifas~f Eiapivo^f TE ^apaTf ETrixi'JvaTj x^iro*' Aorap oJ' 3 flavaroj Kupiri; ij !)Xfisj auof JiElplOU ^TT>]9e(f 0a\rjfj,ttyt, TfOMTO. fjt.afO.tVil, Z> J aircj ^pa^u TI TTVEi'iuv, o>TCf aTrat/pOjUEvij, oyxoy etys'ia-Qt TTXEM QifAi; op>J>vaii |MEyaX>if ETTI ysi-rovoy cLiirri } 'AXXa fxsvsrT , oi yap Tapap^oj 7T5T1 f^riTifa, Ba.lv>!, Kai TrpETrov sJ^E Trapa JaxpuoEJ-fTi psy. EXCUSSOS manibus calamos, falcemque refumptam Rure, fibi dixit Mufa fuiffe probro. Aggreditur Matrem (condudlis carmine Parcis) Funereque hoc cultum vindicat aegra iuum. Non potui non ire acri ftimulante flagello: Quin matris fuperans carmina pofcit honos. Eja, agedum fcribo: vicifti Mufa; fed audi, Stulta femel fcribo, perpetuo ut lileam. V. GEORGII HERBERTI ANGLI MUS^E RESPONSORI^E, AD ANDREW MELVINI SCOTI An ti-tami-cami-categoriam . Pro Supplici Evangelicorum Miniftrorum in Anglia, ad SereniJ/i- mum Regem Contra larvatam gemma Academics Gorgonem Apologia ; ANTI-TAMI-CAMI-CATEGORIA, Audtore ANDREA MELVINO. Refponfum, non diftum. NSOLENS, audax, facinus nefandum, Scilicet, (pofcit ratio ut decori, Pofcit ex omni officio ut fihi mens Confcia recli) Anxiam Chrifti vigilemque curam, Quae pias terris animas reliclis Sublevans deducit in aftra, nigroque Invidet Oreo, De facri cafta ratione cultus, De Sacro-fandli Officii decoro Supplicem ritu veteri libellum Porr'gere Regi, RESPONSORI^E. 225 Simplici mente atque animo integello, Spiritu relo, et ftudiis modeftis, Numinis fandli veniam, et benigni Regis honorem 16 Rite praefantem : Scelus expiandum Scilicet taurorum, ovium, fuumque Millibus centum, voluifle nudo Tangere verbo 20 Praefulum faftus ; monuiffe Ritus Impios, deridiculos, ineptos Lege, ceu labes, maculafque ledla ex Gente fugandos. 24 Jufque-jurandum ingemuifle jura Exigi contra omnia ; turn mifellis Mentibus triftem laqueum injici per Fafque, nefafque. 28 Turbida illimi Crucis in lavacro Signa confignem ? magico rotatu Verba devolvam ? facra vox facrata im- Murmuret unda 32 Strigis in morem ? Rationis ufu ad- Fabor Infantem vacuum ? canoras Ingeram nugas minus audienti Difta puello ? 36 Parvulo impoftis manibus facrabo Gratiae foedus ? digitone Sponfae Annulus Sponfi impoiitus facrabit Connubiale 40 Fcedus aeternae bonitatis ? Unda Num falutari mulier Sacerdos Tinget in vitam, Sephoramque reddet Luftrica mater ? 44 Pilei quadrum capiti rotundo Rite quadrabit ? Pharium camillo Supparum Chrifti, et decus Antichrifti Pontificale ? 48 226 MUSJE RESPONSORI^E. Paftor examen gregis exigendum Curet invitus, celebrare coenam Promptus arcanam, memorando Jefu Vulnera dira? 52 Cantibus certent Berecynthia aera Muficum fra&is ? reboentve rauco Templa mugitu? Illecebris fupremi ah Rector Olympi 56 Captus humanis? libitumque nobis, Scilicet, Regi id Superum allubefcet ? Somniumque aegri cerebri profanum eft Diclio facra ? 60 Haud fecus luftri Lupa Vatican! Romuli faecem bibit, et bibendam Porrigit poc'lo, populifque et ipfis Regibus aureo. 64 Non ita aeterni ffitakerus acer Luminis vindex, patriaeque lumen Dixit, aut fenfit ; neque celfa 1'ummi Penna Renoldi, 68 Certa fublimes aperire calles, Sueta cceleftes iterare curfus, Laeta mifceri niveis beatae Civibus aulae; 72 Nee Tami, aut Cam! accola faniore Mente, qui ccclum fapit in frequenti ^ Hermathenaeo, et celebri Lyceo Culta juventus, 76 Cujus affulget genio Jovas lux, Cui nitens Sol juftitia renidet, Quern jubar Chrifti radiantis alto Special Olympo. 80 Bucerum laudem ? memoremque magnum Martyrem ? gemmas geminas renati Aurei faec'li, duo dura facri Fulmina belli ? 84 MUS^E RESPONSORI^E. 227 Alterum Camus liquido recurfu, Alterum Tamus trepidante lympha Audiit, multum ftupuitque magno Ore fonantem. 88 Anne mulcentem Rhodanum, et Lemanum Prasdicem Bezam viridi in fene&a ? Odlies cujus trepidavit aetas Claudere denos 92 Solis anfradlus, reditufque, et ultra Quinque percurrens fpatiofa in annos Longius florem viridantis aevi Prorogat et ver. 96 Oris erumpit fcatebra perenni Amnis exundans, gravidique rores Gratia feecunda animos apertis Auribus implent. 100 Major hie omni invidia, et fuperftes Millibus mille, et Sadecle, et omnium Maximo CALVINO, aliifque veri Teftibus aequis 5 104 Voce olorina liquidas ad undas Nunc canit laudes Genitoris almi Carmen, et Nato canit, eliquante Numinis aura, 108 Senfa de caftu facra puriore, Difta de cultu potiore Sanfta, Arma quae in caftris jugulent feveri Tramitis hoftes. nz Cana cantanti juga ninguidarum Alpium applaudunt, refonantque valles ; Jura concentu nemorum fonoro, Et pater Ifter 1 1 6 Confonant longe ; pater et bicornis Rhenus afcenfum ingeminat, Garumna, Sequana, atque Arar, Liger: infularum et Undipotentum 120 228 MUS& RESPONSORI^E. Magna pars intenta Britannicarum Voce confpirat liquida : folumque, Et falum, et ccelum, asmula praecinentis More, modoque 124 Concinunt Ee-x.ee numeris, modifque Et polo plaudunt; referuntque leges Lege quas fanxit plus ardor, et Rex Scoto-britannus. 128 Sicut edidlum in tabulis ahenis Servat aeternum pia cura Regis Qui mare, et terras, varilfque mundum Temperat horis : 1 32 Cujus aequalis Soboles Parenti Gentis ele&ae pater, atque cuftos ; Par et ambobus, veniens utrinque Spiritus almus } 136 Quippe Tres-unus Deus ; unus a&us, Una natura eft tribus ; una virtus, Una Majeftas, Deitas et una, Gloria et una. 140 Una vis immenfa, perennis una Vita, lux una, et fapientia una, Una mens, una et ratio, una vox, et Una voluntas 144 Lenis, indulgens, facilis, benigna ; ^ Dura, et inclemens, rigida, et fevera ; Semper aeterna, omnipotens, et asqua, Semper et alma : 148 Lucidum cujus fpeculum eft, refleftens Aureum vultus jubar, et verendum, Virginis proles, fata coelo, et aid In- Terpres Olympi ; 152 Qm Patris mentemque, animumque fandli Filius pandit face nodtiluca, Sive Doftrinae documenta, feu com- Pendia Vitae, 156 RESPONSORI^E. 229 Publicae, privae, facra fcita Regni Regis ad nutum referens, Domufque Ad voluntatem Domini inftituta Singula librans, 160 Luce quam Phcebus melior refundit, Lege, quam Legum- tulit ipfe -lator, Cujus exafti ofBcii fuprema eft Norma voluntas. 164 Cceca mens humana, hominum voluntas Prava, et affeftus rabidi : indigetque Luce mens, norma officii voluntas, Lege libido, 168 Quifquis hanc furda negat aure, qua fe Fundit ubertim liquidas fub auras, Ille ter prudens, fapienfque, et omni ex Parte beatus. 1 72 Ergo vos Cami proceres, Zam/que, Qups via flexit malefuadas error, Denuo redtum, duce Rege Regum, in- Siftite callem. 176 Vos metus tangit fi hominum nee ullus, At Deum fandi memorem et nefandi Vindicem fperate, et amcena folis Tartara Diris; 1 80 Quae manent fontes animas, trucefque Praefulum faftus, male quas perurit Pervigil zelus vigilum, et gregis cu- Stodia pernox. 184 Vefte bis tindla Tyrio fuperbos Murice, et paftos dape pinguiore Regia quondam aut faliari inuncla a- Bdomine ccena. 188 Qualis Ur/tni, Damafique faftus Turgidus, luxuque ferox, feroque Ambitu pugnax, facram et aedem, et urbem Caede nefanda 192 230 MUSJE RESPONSORI^E. Civium inceftavit, et omniofum Traxit exemplum veniens in aevum, Praefulum quod nobilium indecorus Provocat ordo. 196 Quid fames auri facra? quid cupido Ambitu diro fera non propagat Pofteris culpze ? mala damna quanta Plurima fundit ? zco VI. PRO DISCIPLINA ECCLESI/E NOSTR^E, EPIGRAMMATA APOLOGETICA. i. Auguftiffimo Potentiffimoque Monarchic JACOBO, D. G., Magnee Britanniae, Franciae, et Hiberniae Regl^ Fldei Defen- fori, etc. Geo. Herbertus. CCE recedentis foecundo in littore Nili Sol general populum luce fovente novum. Ante tui, Caefar, quam fulferat aura favoris, Noftrae etiam Mufae vile fuere lutum : ' Nunc adeo per te vivunt, ut repere pofiint, Sintque aufae thalamum folis adire tui. 2. Illuftris Celfiffimoque CAROLO, Wallics, et juventutis principi. chartam tibi porrigo recentem, anae decus atque apex juventee, Obtutu placido benignus affles, Nam [que] alpedlibus e tuis vel unus EPIGRAMMATA. 231 Mordaces tineas, nigrafque blattas, Quas livor mihi parturit, retundet, Ceu, quas culta timet feges, pruinas Nafcentes radii fugant, vel acres Tantum dulcia leniunt catarrhos. Sic 6 te (juvenem, fenemve) credat Mors femper juvenem, fenem Britanni. 3. Reverendiffimo in Chrifto Patri, ac Domino, Epifcopo Vintonienft^ etc. [LAVNCELOT. ANDREWES.] SANCTE Pater, cceli cuftos, quo do&ius uno Terra nihil, nee quo fandlius aftra vident ; Cum mea futilibus numeris fe verba viderent Claudi, pene tuas praeteriere fores. Sed propere, dextreque reduxit euntia fenfus, Ifta docens foli fcripta quadrare tibi. 4. Ad Regem. Injiituti epigrammatic I ratio. Epigr. i. UM millena tuam pulfare negotia mentem Conftet, et ex ilia pendeat orbis ope ; Ne te produ&is videar laflare Camoenis, Pro folido, CAESAR, carmine frufta dabo. Cum tu contundens Catharos, vultuque librifque, Grata mihi menfae funt analedla tuse. c Ad Melvinum. Epigr. 2. NON mea fert setas, ut te, veterane, laceflam ; Non ut te fuperem : res tamen ipfa feret. ./Etatis numerum fupplebit caufa minorem ; Sic tu nunc juvenis fadtus, egoque fenex. 232 EPIGRAMMATA Afpice, dum perftas, ut te tua deferat aetas ; Et mea fint canis fcripta referta tuis. Ecce tamen quam fuavis ero ! cum, fine duelli, Clauferit extremas pugna pera&a vices, Turn tibi, fi placeat, fugientia tempora reddam ; Sufficiet votis ifta juventa meis. In monftrum vocabuli An tl- Tami- Cami- Categoria . Epigr, 3. Ad eundem. OQUAM bellus homo es ! lepido quam nomine fingis Iftas Anti-Tami-Cami-Categorias ! Sic Catharis nova fola placent ; res, verba novantur : Quae fapiunt asvum, ceu cariofa jacent. Quin liceat nobis aliquas procudere voces : Non tibi fingendi fola taberna patet. Cum facra perturbet vefter furor omnia, fcriptum Hoc erit, Anti-furi-Puri-Categoria. Pollubra vel cum olim damnaris Regia in ara, Eft Anti-pel vi-Melvi-Categoria. 4. Partitio Anti-Tami-Cami-CategoriR^SULIBUS noftris faftus, Mel-vine, tumentes * Saepius afpergis. Sifte, pudore vacas. An quod femotum populo laquearibus altis Eminet, id tumidum protinus efle feres? Ergo etiam Solem dicas, ignave, fuperbum, Qui tarn fublimi confpicit orbe viam : Ille tamen, quamvis altus, tua crimina ridens Affiduo vilem lumine cingit humum. Sic laudandus erit nadlus fublimia Praeful, Qui dulci mtferos irradiabit ope. In titulo. -J- Ver. 21. EPIGRAMMATA 8. De gemma Academia* UIS hie fuperbit, oro ? tune, an praefules? ps dente nigro corripis ? Tu duplicem folus Camcenarum thronum Virtute percellis.tua j Et unus impar aeftimatur viribus, Utrumque fternis calcitro : Omnefque ftulti audimus, aut hypocritae, Te perfpicaci, atque integro. An reclius nos, li vices vertas, probi, Te contumaci, et livido ? Quifquis tuetur perfpicillis Belgicis Qua parte traftari folent, Res ampliantur, fin per adverfam videt, Minora fiunt omnia : Tu qui fuperbos caeteros exiftimas (Superbius cum te nihil) Vertas fpecillum : nam, prout fe res habent, Vitro minus redte uteris. 9. De S. Bap t if mi r/Yz/.f CUM tener ad facros infans fiftatur aquales, Quod puer ignorat, verba profana putas ? Annon fie mercamur agros ? quibus ecce Redemptor Comparat aeterni regna beata Dei. Scilicet emptorem fi res aut parcior aetas Impediant, apices legis amicus obit. Forfitan et prohibes infans portetur ad undas, Et per fe Templi limen adire velis : Sin, Mel-vine, pedes allenos poftulet infans, Cur fie difpliceat vox aliena tibi ? Reftius innocuts lactentibus omnia praeftes, Quae ratio per fe, fi fit adulta, facit. * In titulo. -f Ver. 34. APOLOGETIC^. 235 Quid vetat ut pueri vagitus fuppleat alter. Cum nequeat claras ipfe litare preces ? Saevus es eripiens parvis vadimonia coeli : Et tibi fit nemo praes, ubi pofcis opem. 10. De Signaculo Cruel s.* CUR tanta fufflas probra in innocuam Crucem ? Non plus maligni daemones Chrifti cruce Unquam fugari, quam tui focii folent. Apoftolorum culpa non levis fuit Vitafie Chrifti fpiritum efflantis crucem. Et Chriftianus quifque pifcis dicitur Tertulliano, propter undae pollubrum, Quo tingimur parvi. Ecquis autem brachiis Natare fine clariffima poteft cruce ? Sed non moramur : namque veftra crux erit, Vobis faventibufve, vel negantibus. ii. De juramento E \ RTICULIS facris quidam fubfcribere jufius, -^*- Ah ! Cheiragra vetat, quo minus, inquit, agam. O vere diftum, et belle ! cum torqueat omnes Ordinis ofores articulare malum. 12. De Purificatione po/f puerperium.% ENIXAS pueros matres fe fiftere templis Difplicet, et laudis tura litare Deo. Forte quidem, cum per veftras Ecclefia turbas Fludlibus internis exagitata natet, Vos fine maternis hymnis infantia vidit, Vitaque negleftas eft fatis ulta preces. Sed nos, cum nequeat parvorum lingua parentem * Ver. 29. -j- Ver. 25. J Ver. 22. 236 EPIGRAMMATA Non laudare Deum, credimus efle nefas. Quotidiana fuas pofcant fi fercula grates, Noftra caro fandhe nefcia laudis erit? Adde piis animis quaevis occafio lucro eft, Quae poflint humili fundere corde preces. Sic ubi jam mulier decerpti confcia pomi Ingemat ob partus, ceu maledi&a, fuos, Appofite quern comrrjotum fubfugerat olim, Nunc redit ad mitem, ceu benedi&a, Deum. 13. De Antichrifti decor e Pontifical!.* NON quia Pontificum funt olim afflata veneno, Omnia funt temere projicienda foras. Tollantur fi cunfta malus quae polluit ufus, Non remanent nobis corpora, non animae. 14. De Superpelliceo.\ D facrae tandem meruere veftes? ^uas malus livor jaculis laceflit Polluens caftam chlamydis colorem Dentibus atris ? ^uicquid ex urna meliore ductum Luce praeluftri, vel honore pollet, Mens fub infigni fpecie colons Concipit albi. Scilicet talem liquet efle folem ; Angeli vultu radiante candent ; Incolae call melioris alba Vefte triumphant. E creaturis fine mentis ufu \ Conditis binas homini fequendas Spiritus proponit, et eft unique Candor amicus. * Ver. 48. f Ver. 49. I Ovis, et Columba. Columal. 6. 7. c. 2. et 8. c. 8. APOLOGET1CA. 237 Ergo ringantur pietatis hoftes, Filii no&is, populus malignus, Dum fuum nomen tenet, et triumphal Albion albo. 15. De Pileo quadrato.* USE didleria fuderat Britannus ^ Superpellicei tremendus hoftis, Ifthaec pileus audiit propinquus, Et partem capitis petit fupremam ; Non fie effugit angulus vel unus Quo dicYis minus acribus notetur. Verum heus ! fi reputes, tibi, tuifque Longe pileus anteit galerum, Ut fervor cerebri refrigeretur, Qui veftras edit intime medullas. Sed qui tam male pileos habetis, Quos Ecclefia comprobat, verendum Ne tandem caput ejus impetatis. 1 6. In Catharum. CUR Latiam linguam reris nimis efle profanam ? Quam praemifla probant fecula, noftra probant ? Cur teretem Graecam damnas, atque Hellada totam, Qua tamen occifi fcedera fcripta Dei ? Scilicet Hebraeam cantas, et perftrepis unam : Haec facit ad nafum fola loquela tuum. 17. De Epifcopls.-\ ^\UOS charos habuit Chriftus Apoftolos, V^'^Teftatofque fuo tradiderat gregi ; Ut cum mors rabidis unguibus imminens Doftrinae fluvios clauderet aurez, * Ver. 45. f Ver. 129. 238 EPIGRAMMATA Mites acciperent Lampada Praefules, Servarentque facrum clavibus ordinem ; Hos nunc barbaries impia vellicat Indulgens propriis ambitionibus, Et quos ipfa nequit fcandere vertices Hos ad fe trahere, et mergere geftiens. O ccecum populum ! fi bona res fiet Praeful, cur renuis ? fin mala, pauculos Quam cunclos fieri praeftat Epifcopos. P 18. De ilfdem^ ad Melvinum.* R^SULIBUS dirum te Mufa coarguit hoftem, An quia Textores, Artificefque probas ? 19. De Tex tore Catharo. CUM pifcatores Texcor legit efle vocatos, Ut fandlum Domini perfequerentur opus Ille quoque invadit Divinam Flaminis artem, Subtegmen reti dignius efle putans, Et nunc perlongas Scripturae ftamine telas-f- Torquet, et in Textu Doftor utroque cluet. 2O. De Magicis rotatibus.% tu rotatus, quale murmur aufcultas In ritibus noftris ? Ego audio nullum. Age, provocemus ufque ad Angelos ipfos, Aurefque fuperas : arbitri ipfi fint litis, Utrum tenore facra noftra fint necne ^Equabili fadta. Ecquid ergo te tanta Calumniandi concitavit urtica, Ut, quae Papicolis propria, alTuas nobis, Falfumque potius, quam crepes [vero ?] verfu ? Tu perftrepis tamen ; utque turgeat carmen Ver. 184. f Ver. 59. J Vers. 30. 32. APOLOGETICS. 239 Tuum tibi, poeta belle non myftes Magicos rotatus, et perhorridas Striges,* Didleriis mordacibus notans, clamas Non convenire precibus ifta Divinis. O faevus hoftis ! quam ferociter pugnas ! Nihilne refpondebimus tibi ? Fatemur. 21. Adfratres. OS'CLUM lepidum ! circumftant undique Fratres, Papicolifque fui funt, Catharifque fui. Sic nunc plena boni funt omnia Fratris, amore Cum nil fraterno rarius efle queat. 22. De labe^ macul'ifque.-\ LABECULAS, maculafque nobis objicis, Quid? hoccine eft mirum ? Viatores fumus. Quo fanguis eft Chrifti, nifi ut maculas lavet, Quas fpargit animae corporis propius lutum ? Vos ergo puri ! O nomen appofitiflimum Quo vulgus ornat vos ! At audias par urn j Aftronomus olim (ut fama) dum maculas diu, Quas Luna habet, tuetur, in foveam cadit, Totufque caenum Cynthiae ignofcit notis. Ecclefia eft mihi Luna ; perge in Fabula. 23. De Muftca Sacra. % CUR efficaci, Deucalion, manu, Poft reftitutos flu&ibus obices, Mutas in humanam figuram Saxa fupervacuafque cautes ? Quin redde formas, O bone, priftinas, Et nos reducas ad lapides avos : Nam faxa mirantur canentes, Saxa lyras, citharafque callent. * Ver. 33. -f- Ver. 23. J Ver. 54. 240 EP1GRAMMATA Rupes tenaces, et filices ferunt Potentiori carmine percitas Saltus per incultos, lacufque Orphea mellifluum fecutas. Et faxa diris hifpida montibus Amphionis teftitudine nobili Percufla dum currunt ad urbem, Maenia contribuere Thebis. Tantum repertum eft trux hominum genus, Qui templa facris expoliant choris, Non erubefcentes vel ipfas Duritia fuperare cautes. O plena centum Mufica Gratiis, Prasclariorum fpirituum cibus, Quo me vocas tandem, tuumque Ut celebrem decus infufurras ? Tu Diva miro pollice fpiritum Caeno profani corporis exuens Ter millies caelo reponis : Aftra rogant, Novus hie quis hofpes Ardore Mofes concitus entheo, Merfis revertens laetus ab hoftibus Exufcitat plebem facratos Ad Dominum properare cantus. Quid hocce ? Pfalmos audion' ? O dapes ! O fucculenti balfama fpiritus ! Ramenta caeli, guttulasque Deciduae melioris orbis Qups David, ipfae deliciae Dei, Ingens piorum gloria Principum, Sionis excelfas ad arces Cum citharis, lituifque mifcet. Miratur aequor finitimum fonos, Et ipfe Jordan fiftit aquas ftupens ; Prae quo Tibris vultum recondit, Eridanufque pudore fufus. Tun' obdis aures, grex nove, barbaras, Et nullus audis ? Cantibus obftrepens, Ut, quo fatiges verberefque Pulpita, plus fpatii lucreris ? APOLOGETIC^. 241 At cui videri prodigium poteft Mentes, quietis tympana publics, Difcordiis plenas fonoris Harmoniam tolerare nullam ! 24. De eademJ* ;ANTUS facros, profane, mugitus vocas ? Mugire multo mavelim quam rudere. 25. De rituum ufu.\ CUM primum ratibus fuis noftram Caefar ad infulam olim appelleret, intuens omnes indigenas loci viventes fine veftibus, O viftoria, clamitat, certa, ac perfacilis mihi ! Non alio Cathari modo dum fponfam Domini piis orbam ritibus expetunt, atque ad barbariem patrum vellent omnia regredi, illam tegminis infciam prorfus Daemon!, et hoftibus exponunt fuperabilem. Atqui vos fecus, O boni, fentire, ac fapere addecet, fi veftros animos regant fcripturae canones facra; : Namque hasc, jure, cuipiam veftem non adimi fuam, fed nudis et egentibus non fuam tribui jubet. * Ver. 35. -j- Ver. 21. 242 EPIGRAMMATA 26. De annulo conjugali. SED nee conjugii fignum, Melvine, probabis ? Nee vel tantillum pignus habebit amor ? Nulla tibi fi figna placent, e nubibus arcum Eripe caelefti qui moderatur aquae. Ilia quidem a noftro non multum abludit imago, Annulus et plenus tempore forfan erit. Sin nebulis parcas et noftro parcito figno, Cui non abfimilis fenfus inefle folet. Scilicet, ut quos ante fuas cum conjuge tedas Merferat in luftris perniciofa Venus, Annulus hos revocet, fiftatque libidinis undas Legitimi fignum connubiale tori. 27. De Mundis et mundanis. EX praelio undae ignifque (fi Phyficis fides) tranquillus aer nafcitur : Sic ex profano Cofmico et Catharo poteft Chriftianus extundi bonus. 28. De oratione Dominica.* UAM Chriftus immortalis innocuo gregi voce fua dederat, quis crederet mortalibus orationem rejici feptemplicem, quae miferis clypeo Ajacis eft praeftantior ? Haec verba, fuperos advolaturus thronos Chriftus, ut auxilii nos baud inanes linqueret, (cum dignius nil poflet aut melius dare) pignora chara fui fruenda nobis tradidit. * Ver. 31. APOLOGETIC^. 243 Quis fie amicum excipiet, ut Cathari Deum, qui renovare facri audent amoris Symbolum ? Tu vero quifquis es, cave, ne dum neges improbe verba Dei, te deneget VERBUM Deus. 29. In Catharum quendam. CUM templis efFare, madent fudaria, mappae, Trux caper alarum, fuppara, laena, fagum. Quin populo, clemens, aliquid largire caloris : Nunc fudas folus 5 caetera turba riget. 30. De lupa luftri VATICANI.* CALUMNIARUM nee pudor quis nee modus Nee Vatican* defines unquam Lupa? Metus inanes ! Nos pari praetervehi Illam Charybdim cautione novimus Veftramque Scyllam, aequis parati fpiculis Britannicam in Vulpem, inque Romanam Lupam. Dicli fidem firmabimus Anagrammate. Roma dabit Oram^ Maro, Rarno, Armo, et Amor. ROMA, tuum nomen quam non pertranfiit Oram, Cum Latium ferrent faecula prifca jugum ? Non deerat vel fama tibi, vel carmina famae, Unde Maro laudes duxit ad Aftra tuas. At nunc exfucco limilis tua gloria Ramo A veteri trunco et nobilitate cadit. Laus antiqua et honor perierunt, te velut Armo Jam deturbarunt tempora longa fuo. * Ver. 61. 244 EPIGRAMMATA )uin tibi jam defperatas Mora nulla medetur ; Qua Fabio quondam fub duce nata falus. Hinc te olim Gentes miratae odere viciffim j Et cum fublata laude recedit Amor, 31. De Impofitione manuum.* NEC dextra te fugit almi Amoris emblema ? Atqui manus imponere integras praeftat, Qjjam (more veftro) imponere infcio vulgo. Quanto Impofitio melior eft Impoftura ! 32. Supplicum Miniftrorum Raptus AMBITIO Cathari quinque conftat Aftibus. Primo, unus aut alter parum ritus placet. Jam repit impietas volatura illico. II. Mox difplicent omnes. Ubi hoc permanferit III. Paulo, fecretis muflitans in angulis Quaerit recefTus. Incalefcit fabula, IV. Erumpit inde, et continere nefcius V. Sylvas pererrat. Fibulis dein omnibus Prae fpiritu ruptis, quo eas refarciat Amftellodamum corripit fe. Plaudite. 33- De Auftorum enumerations. magis invidiam nobis, et crimina confles, Pertrahis in partes nomina magna tuas ; Martyra, Cal-vlnum, Bezam, dodtumque Buccrum, Qui tamen in noftros fortiter ire negant. Whitaker, errand quern praefers carmine, miles Afliduus noftrae papilionis erat. Nos quoque pofiemus longas confcribere turmas, Si numero ftarent praelia, non animis. * Ver. 37. APOLOGETICA. 245 Primus adeft nobis, Pharifaeis omnibus hoftis, Chriftus Apoftolici cinftus amore gregis. Tu geminas belli portas, O Petre, repandis, Dum gladium ftringens Paulus ad arma vocat. Inde Patres pergunt quadrati, et tota Vetuftas. Nempe Novatores quis Veteranus amat ? Jam Conjlantinus multo fe milite mifcet ; Invifamque tuis erigit hafta Crucem. Hipponenfis adeft properans, et torquet in hoftes Lampada, qua ftudiis invigilare folet. Teque Deum alternis cantans Ambrojius iram, Immemor antiqui mellis, eundo coquit. Haec etiam ad pugnam praefens, qua vivimus, aetas Innumeram noftris partibus addit opem. Quos inter plenufque Deo, genioque Jacobus Defendit veram mente manuque Jidem. Interea ad facrum ftimulat facra Mufica bellum, Qua fine vos miferi lentius itis ope. Militat et nobis, quern vos contemnitis, Ordo, Ordine difcerni maxima bella folent. O vos invalidos ! Audi quern talibus armis Eventum Nafo vidit et admonuit; Una dies Catharos ad bellum miferat omnes : Ad bellum mijjos perdldit una din. 34. De auri facra fame.* CLAUDIS avaritia Satyram ; ftatuifque facrorum Efle recidendas, /Eace nofter, opes. Caetera condonabo tibi, fcombn'fque remittam : Sacrilegum carmen, cenfeo, flamma voret. 35. Ad Scotiam protrepticon ad Pacem. SCOTIA, quae frigente jaces porrefta fub Arfto, Cur adeo immodica relligione cales ? Anne tuas flammas ipfa Antiperiftafis auget, Ut nive torpentes incaluere manus? * Ver. aoi. 246 EPIGRAMMATA Aut ut pruna gelu fummo mordacius urit, Sic acuunt zelum frigora tanta tuum ? Quin nocuas extingue faces, precor : unda propinqua eft Et tibi vicinas porrigit asquor aquas ; Aut potiiis Chrifti fanguis demiflus ab alto, Vicinufque magis nobiliorque fluit: Ne, fi flamma novis adolefcat mota flabellis, Ante diem veftro mlindus ab igne ruat. 36. Adfeduttos innocentes. INNOCU^ mentes, quibus inter flumina mundi Ducitur illimi Candida vita fide, Abfit ut ingenuum pungant mea verba pudorem ; Perftringunt veftros carmina fola duces. O utinam aut illorum oculi (quod comprecor unum) Vobis, aut illis pectora veftra forent. 37. Ad Melvinum. ATQUI te precor unice per ipfam, Quae fcripfit numeros, manum ; per omnes Mufarum calices, per et beatos Sarcafmos quibus artifex triumphas; Quin per Prefbyteros tuos ; per urbem Quam curto nequeo referre verfu ; Per charas tibi, nobilefque dextras, Quas fubfcriptio neutiquam inquinavit; Per quicquid tibi fuaviter probatur ; Ne me carminibus nimis dicacem, Aut faevum reputes. Arnica noftra eft Atque edentula Mufa, nee veneno Splenis perlita contumeliofi. Nam fi te cuperem fecare verfu, Totamque evomerem potenter iram Qijam aut Ecclefia defpicata vobis, Aut laefae mihi fuggerunt Athenae, (Et quern non ftimularet haec iimultas) Jam te funditus igneis Camcenis, Et Mufa crepitante fubruiflem : Omnis linea fepiam recufans APOLOGETIC A. 247 Plumbo dudla fuiflet aeftuanti, Centum ftigmatibus tuos inurens Profanes fremitus bonafque fannas: Plus charta base mea delibuta di&is HaefifTet tibi, quam fuprema veftis Olim accreverit Hercull furenti : Quin hoc carmine lexicon probrorum Extruxiffem, ubi, cum moneret ufus, Haurirent tibi tota plauftra Mufe. Nunc haec omnia fuftuli, tonantes Affeftus fociis tuis remittens. Non te carmine ' turbidum vocavi, Non deridiculumve, five* ineptum, Non 3 ftriges, 4 magiamve, vel rotatus, Non 5 faftus tibi 6 turgidos repono; 7 Errores, 8 maculas, 9 fuperbiamque, "Labes, "fomniaque, 12 ambitufque diros, Tinnitus 13 Berecyntbios omittens Nil horum regero tibi merenti. Quin te laudibus orno : quippe dico, Caefar fobrius ad rei Latime Unus dicitur advenire cladem : Et tu folus ad Angl'ite procellas (Cum plerumque tua fodalitate Nil lit cralTius, impolitiufve) Accedis bene dodtus, et poeta. I 38. Ad eundem. NCIPIS irridens ; ftomachans in carmine pergis ; Definis exclamans : Tota figura, vale. 39. Ad Seren. Regem. ECCE pererratas, regum do&ifiime, nugas, Qu^as gens inconfulta, fuis vexata procellis, Libandas nobis, abforbendafque propinat ! 1 Verf. 29. 2 21. 3 33- 4 30. 5 21. 193. 7 178- * 3 . 9 129. 10 23. 11 59- 15 262. 13 53- 2 4 3 EPIGRAMMATA O caecos anlmi fratres ! quis veftra fatigat Corda furor, fpifiaque afflat caligine fenfus? Cernite, quam formofa fuas Ecclefia pennas Explicat, et radiis ipfum pertingit Olympum ! Vicini populi paflim mirantur, et aequos Mentibus attonitis cupiunt addifcere ritus : Angelica turmae noftris fe caetibus addunt : Ipfe etiam Chriftus coelo fpeculatus ab alto Intuituque uno ftringens habitacula mundi, Sola mihi plenos, ait, exhibet Anglia cultus. Scilicet has olim divifas aequore terras Sepofuit Divina fibi, cum conderet orbem, Progenies gemmamque fua quafi pyxide claufit. O qui Defenjor Fidei meritiffimus audis, Refponde aeternum titulo ; quoque ordine felix Ccepifti, pergas fimili res texere filo. Obrue ferventes, ruptis conatibus, hoftes : Quafque habet aut patulas, aut caeco tramite, moles Haerefis evertas. Quid enim te fallere poflit? Tu venas, laticefque omnes quos facra recludit Pagina, guftafti, multoque interprete gaudes : Tu Synodofque, Patrefque, et quod dedit alta vetuftas Haud per te moritura, Scholamque introfpicis omnem. Nee tranfire licet quo mentis acumine findis Vifcera naturae, commiftufque omnibus aftris Ante tuum tempus coelum gratiflimus ambis. Hac ope munitus fecurior excipis undas, Quas Latii, Catharique movent, atque inter utrafque Paftor agis proprios, medio tutiflimus, agnos. . Perge, decus Regum ; fie, Auguftiffime, plures Sint tibi vel ftellis laudes, et laudibus anni : Sic pulfare tuas, exclufis ludtibus, aufint Gaudia Tola fores : fie quicquid fomnia mentis Intus agunt, habeat certum meditatio finem j Sic pofitis nugis, qui bus irretita libido Innumeros mergit vitiata mente poetas, Sola Jacobteum decantent carmina nomen. APOLOGETIC A. 249 40. Ad Deum. UEM tu, fumme Deus, femel ibentem placido rore beaveris, Ilium non labor irritus Exercet miferum ; non dolor unguium Morfus increpat anxios j Non maeret calamus ; non queritur caput : Sed fcecunda poefecuj Vis, et vena facris regnat in artubus Qualis nefcius aggerum Exundat fluvio Nilus amabili. O dulciflime fpiritus, Sandlos qui gemitus mentibus inferis A Te turture defluos, Quod fcribo, et placeo, fi placeo, tuum eft. VII. INVENTA BELLICA. E MSTO. AUTOG. H Mortis longaeva fames, venterque perennis ! Quern non Emathius torrens, non fanguine pinguis Daunia, non fatiat bis ter millefima caedis Progenies, mundique astas abdomine tanto Ingluvieque minor. Quercus habitare feruntur Prifci, crefcentefque una cum prole cavernas ; Hinc tamen excludi mors noluit, ipfaque vitam Glans dedit, et truncus tectum, et ramalia mortem. Confluere interea parfim ad Floralia pubes Ccsperat, agricolis mentemque et aratra folutts. Compita fervefcunt pedibus, clamoribus aether. Hie ubi difcumbunt per gramina, faliior unus Omnia fufpendit nafo, fociofque laceflit : Non fert Ucalegon, atque amentata retorquet Dicta ferox, haerent later! convitia fixo. 250 1NVENTA BELLIC4. Scinditur in partes vulgus ceu compita, telum Ira facit, mundufque ipfe eft apotheca furoris, Liber alit rixas, potantibus omnia bina Sunt praeter vitam : faxis hie fternitur, alter Ambuftis fudibus, pars vitam in pocula fundunt, Bacchantur Lapithae, furit inconftantia vini, Sanguine quern dede'rat fpolians : primordia belli Haec fuerant, fie Tifiphone virguncula lufit. Non placuit rudis atque ignara occifio, morti Quasritur ingenium, dodlufque homicida probatur. Hinc tyrocinium, parvoque aflueta juventus, Fi&aque Bellona, et verae ludibria pugnae, Inftruclaeque acies, hyemefque in pellibus ahe. Omniaque haec ut tranfadigant fine crimine coftas Artificefque necis clueant et mortis alumni. Nempe et millenos ad palum interficit hoftes Afiiduus tyro, fi fit fpeftanda voluntas. O fuperi ! quis tantum ipfis virtutibus inftat, Quantum caedi ? adeone unam nos vivere vitam, Perdere fexcentas ? crefcet tamen hydra nocendi Triftis, ubi ac ferrum tellure reciditur ima, Foecundufque chalybs fceleris, jam fanguine tin&us, Expleri nequit, at totum depafcitur orbem. Quid memorem tormenta, quibus prius horruit aevum, Baliftafque, Onagrofque, et quicquid Scorpio faevus Vel Catapulta poteft, Siculique inventa magiftri, Angligenumque arces, gaudentes fanguine Galli Fuftibales, fundafque quibus cum numine fretus Stravit Idumaeum divinus Tityrus hoftem. Adde etiam currus et cum temone Britanno Arviragum, falcefque obftantia quaeque metentes. Quin aries ruit et multa Demetrius* arte, Sic olim cecidere. Deerat adhuc vitiis noftris digniffima mundo Machina, quam nullum fads execrabitur aevum ; Liquitur ardenti candens fornace metallum, Fufaque decurrit nods aqua ferrea fulcis : Exoritur tubus, atque inftar Cyclopis Homeri, Poliorcates, cog : (thus the manuscript.) IN VENT A BELL 1C A. 251 Lufcum prodigium, medioque foramine gaudens! Inde rotae atque axis fubeunt, quafi fella curulis, Qua. mors ipfa fedens hominum de gente triumphat. Accedit Pyrius pulvis laquearibus Orel Exulis, Infernae pretiofa tragemata menfae, Sulphureaque lacu, totaque imbuta Mephiti. Hinc glans adjicitur, non quam rudlare vetuftas Creditur, ante fatas prono cum vertice fruges. Plumbea glans, livenfque fuae quafi confcia noxa?, Purpureus lidlor Plutonis, epiftola fati Plumbis obfignata, colofque et ftamina vitae Perrumpens, Atropi vetulae marcentibus ulnis. Haec ubi vincla, fubit vivo cum fune minifter, Fatalemque levans dextram, qua ftupeus ignis Mulcetur vento, accendit cum fomite partem Pulveris inferni, properat, datur ignis, et omnem Materiam vexat, nee jam fe continet antro Tifiphone, flamma et fallaci fulmine cincla ; Evolat, horrendumque ciet bacchata fragorem. It ftridor, caelofque omnes et Tartara findit. Non jam exaudiri quidquam vel mufica fphaerjs Vel gemitus Erebi, piceo fe turbine volvens, Totamque crucians nubem glans proruit imo Precipitata, cadunt urbes formidine, muri DifFugiunt, fragilifque crepant coenacula mundi. Strata jacent toto millena cadavera campo, Uno ic~hi ; non fie peftis, non ftella maligno ArHatu perimunt. En Cymba Cocytia turbis Ingemit, et defefius opem jam portitor orat. Nee glans fola nocet, mortem quandoque fufurrat Aura volans, vitamque aer quam paverat, aufert. Dicite vos, Furiae ! qua gaudet origine monftrum ? Nox ^Etnam, noclemque Chaos genuere priores, ./Etna Cacum ignivomum dedit, hie Ixiona Graecis Cantatum, deinde Ixion cum nubibus atris Congrediens genuit monachum, qui limen opacae Trifle colens fellae, nocluque et Daemone plenum Protulit horrendum hoc primum cum pulvere monftrum. Quis monachos mortem meditari, et pulvere trifti Verfatos neget ? atque humiles queis talia cordi Tam demifla, ipfamque adeo fubeuntia terram ? 252 INYENTA EELLICA. Nee tamen hie mortis rabies ftetit; exilit omni Tormento pejor Jefuita, et fulminat orbem, Ridens bombardas miferas, quae corpora perdunt Non animas; raroque ornantur fanguine regum Obftreperae ftulto fonitu, crimenque fatentes. Siftimus hie, inquit fatum, fat prata biberunt Sanguinis, innocuum tandem luet orbis Abelum. G. HERBERTS. VIII. ALIA POEMATA LATINA. I . Ad aufforem Inftaurationis magrne. [FRANCISCUM BACON.] 'ER ftrages licet audtorum veterumque ruinam Ad famae properes vera Tropaea tuae, Tam nitide tamen occidis, tam fuaviter hoftes, Se quafi donatum funere quifque putat. Scilicet apponit pretium tua dextera fato, Vulnereque emanat fanguis, ut intret honos. O quam felices funt, qui tua caftra fequuntur, Cum per te fit res ambitiofa mori. 2. IN HONOREM ILLUSTRISSIMI DOMINI FRANCISCI DE VERULAMIO VICE-COMITIS STI. ALBANI. POST EDIT AM AB EO INSTAUR. MAGNUM. | UIS ifte tandem ? non enim Vultu ambulat K>tidiano. Nefcis, ignare ? audies. Dux Notionum ; Veritatis Pontifex ; Induclionis Dominus ; Et Verulamii ; Rerum Magifter Unicus, at non Artium : Profunditatis Pinus, atque Ele*antie j ALIA POEMATA LATINA. 253 Naturae Arufpex intimusj Philofophiae ^Erarium, Sequefter Experientiae, Speculatiomfque 5 yEquitatis Signifer ; Scientiarum fub pupillari ftatu Degentium olim Emancipator; Luminis Promus : Fugator Idolum, atque Nubium : Collega Soils : Quadra Certitudinis : Sophifmatum Maftix : Brutus Literarius, 'Authoritatis exuens Tyrannidem : Rationis et Senfus Stupendus Arbiter? Repumicator mentis : Atlas Phyficus, Alcide fuccumbente Stagiritico , Columba Noae, quae in vetuftate Artibus Nullum locum requiemque cernens, praeftitit Ad fe fuumque Matris, Arcam regredi. Subtilitatis terebra ; Temporis nepos Ex veritate Matre ; Mellis Alveus ; Mundique et Animarum Sacerdos Unicus ; Securifque Errorum ; inque Natalibus Granum Sinapis, acre aliis, Crefcens fibi O me prope Laffum ! Juvate Pofteri. GEOR. HERBERT. ORAT. PUB. IK ACADEM. CANTAB. 3. IN OBITUM INCOMPARABILIS FRANCISCI VICE-COMITIS SANCTI ALBANI, BARONIS VERULAMII. DUM longi lentique gemis fub pondere morbi, Atque haeret dubio tabida vita pede ; Quid voluit prudens Fatum, jam fentio tandem : Conftat, Aprile uno te potuifle mori : Ut Flos hinc lacrymis, illinc Philomela querelis, Deducant linguae funera fola tuae. 254 ALIA POEM AT A LATIN A. 4. Comparatio inter munus fummi Can- cellariatus et Librum. MLJNERE dum nobis prodes, Libroque futuris, In laudes abeunt faecula quaeque tuas ; Munere dum nobis prodps, Libroque remotis, In laudes abeunt jam loca quaeque tuas: Hae tibi funt alae laudum. Cui contigit unquam Longius aeterno, latius orbe decus ? 5. &thiopijfa ambit Ceftum diverfi colons virum. DID mihi fi facies nigra eft ? hoc, Cefte, colore nt etiam tenebrae, quas tamen optat amor. Cernis ut exufta Temper fit fronte viator ; Ah longum, quas te deperit, errat iter. Si nigro fit terra fblo, quis defpicit arvum ? Claude oculos, et erunt omnia nigra tibi : Aut aperi, et cernes corpus quas projicit umbras ; Hoc faltem officio fungar amore tui. Cum mihi fit facies fumus, quas pectore flammas Jamdudum tacite delituifle putes? Dure, negas? O fata mihi praefaga doloris, Quae mihi lugubres contribuere genas ! 6. In Nat ales et Pafcha concurrentes. CUM tu, Chrifte, cadis, nafcor; mentemque ligavit Una meam membris horula, teque cruci. O me difparibus natum cum numine fatis ! Cur mihi das vitam, quam tibi, Chrifte, negas : Quin moriar tecum : vitam, quam negligis ipfe, Accipe ; ni talem des, tibi qualis erat. Hoc mihi legatum trifti fi funere praeftes, Chrifte, duplex fiet mors tua vita mihi : Atque ibi per te fandlificer natalibus ipfis, In vitam, et nervos Pafcha coaeva fluet. ALIA POEMATA LATINA. 255 7. AD JOHANNEM DONNE, D.D. DE UNO SIGILLORUM EJUS, ANCHORA ET CHRISTO. Quo |UOD crux nequibat fixa, clavique additi (Tenere Chriftum fcilicet, ne afcenderet) Tuive Chriftum devocans facundia Ultra loquendi tempus ; addit Anchora : Nee hoc abunde eft tibi, nifi certae Anchorae Addas Sigillum : nempe fymbolum fuae Tibi dedit unda et terra certitudinis Quondam fefTus amor loquens amato Tot et tanta loquens arnica ; fcripfit Tandem et fefla manus, dedit Sigillum. Suavis erat, qui fcripta, dolens, lacerando recludi SandYius in regno magni credebat amoris (In quo fas nihil eft rumpi) donare Sigillum. Munde, fluas fugiafque licet, nos noftraque fixi : Deridet motus fancla Catena tuos. 8. IN OBITUM SERENISSIM^ ANN^E. (E LACRYMIS CANTABRIGIENSIBUS.) O te, felix Anna, modo deflere licebit? ^ Cui magnum imperium, gloria major erat : Ecce meus torpens animus fuccumbit utrique, Cui tenuis fama eft, ingeniumque minus. Ouis, nifi qui manibus Briareus, oculifque fit Argus, Scribere te dignum vel lacrymare queat? Fruftra igitur fudo ; fupereft mihi fola voluptas, 256 ALIA POEMATA LATINA. Quod calamum excufent Pontus et Aftra meum : Namque Annae laudes ccelo fcribuntur aperto, Sed luctus nofter fcribitur Oceano. 9. IN OBITUM HENRICI PRINCIPIS WALLLE.* (EX EPICEDIO'CANTABRIGIENSI.) ITE leves (inquam), Parnaflia numina, mufae ! Non ego vos pofthac, hederae velatus amidlu, Somnis nefcio queis nodhirna ad vota vocabo : Sed nee Cirrhaei faltus, Libethriave arva In mea didla ruant; non tarn mihi pendula mens eft, Sic quafi Diis certem, magnos accerfere monies ; Nee vaga de fummo deducam flumina monte, Qualia parturiente colunt fub rupe forores : Si quas mens agitet moles (dum pelora faevo Tota ftupent ludhi) lachrymifque exaeftuet aequis Spiritus, hi mihi jam monies, haec flumina funto : Mufa, vale ! et tu, Phcebe ! dolor mea carmina didtet ; Hinc mihi principium : vos, o labentia mentis Lumina, nutantes paullatim acquirite vires, Vivite, dum mortem oftendam : lie tempora veftram Non comedant famam, fie nulla oblivia potent. Quare age, mens ! effare, precor, quo numine laefo ? Quae fuberant caufae ? quid nos committere tantum, Quod non lanigerae pecudes, non agmina luftrent ? Annon longa fames, miferaeque injuria peftis Poena minor fuerat, quam fatum Principis aegrum ? Jam felix Philomela, et menti confcia Dido ! Felices quos bella premunt et plurimus enfis ! Non metuunt ultra ; noftra infortunia tantum Fataque, Fortunafque et fpem laefere futuram. Quod fi fata illi longam invidere falutem Et patrio regno (fub quo jam Principe nobis * Fuller, in his Church Hiftory, Book x. Cent. xvii. fays, " Give me leave to add one more, untranslatable for its elegancy and expreffivenefs, made by Mr. George Herbert : * Ulteriora timens cum morte pacifcitur Orbis.' " ALIA POEM AT A LATIN A. 257 Quid fperare, immo quid non fperare licebat ?) Debuit ifta pad prima et non nobilis aetas : Aut cita mors eft danda bonis aut longa fenedtus. Sic laetare animos et fie oftendere gemmam Excitat optatus avidos, et ventilat ignem. Quare etiam nuper Pyrii de pulveris idtu Principis innocuam fervaftis numina vitam Ut morbi perimant, alioque in pulvere proftet. Phffibe, tui puduit, quum fummo mane redires, Sol fine fole tuo ! quum te turn nubibus atris Totum offufcari peteres, ut no&e filenti Humana aeternos agerent praecordia queftus : Tantum etenim veftras, Parcae, non fledYit habenas Tempus edax rerum, tuque o mors improba fola es Cui caecas tribuit vires annofa vetuftas ! Quid non mutatum eft ? requierunt flumina curfus : Plus etiam veteres ccelum videre remotum : Cur ideo verbis triftes effundere curas Expeto, tanquam haec fie noftri medicina doloris ? Immodicus ludlus tacito vorat igne medullas, Ut fluvio currente, vadum fonat, alta quiefcunt. 1NNUPTA Pallas, nata Diefpatre yEterna fummas gloria regiae ! Cui dulcis arrident camcenae Pieridis Latiaeque Mufae. Cur tela mortis, vel tibi, vel tuis Quacunque gutta temporis imminent ? Tantaque propendet ftatera Regula fanguinolenta fati ? Numne Hydra talis tantaque bellua eft Mors tot virorum fordida fanguine Ut mucro rumpatur Minervae Utque minax fuperetur Tu fleASTLY, confider where the Church doth ftand, As near unto the middle as may be : God in his fervice chiefly doth command, Above all other things fincerity. Lines drawn from fide to fide within a round, Not meeting in the centre, fhort are found. Religion muft not fide with any thing That fwerves from God, or elfe withdraws from him ; He that a welcome facrifice would bring, Muft fetch it from the bottom, not the brim. A facred temple of the Holy Ghoft Each part of man muft be, but his heart moft. Hypocrifie in Church is Alchymie, That cafts a golden tin&ure upon brafle : There is no effence in it : 'tis a lye, Though fairly ftamp't, for truth it often pafs : Only the fpirits aqua regia doth Difcover it to be but painted froth. 274 THE SYNAGOGUE. 9. The Church-porch. \OW, e're thou f>affeft further, fit thee down In the Church-porch, and think what thou haft feen ; Let due confideration either crown, Or crufli, thy former purpofes. Between Rafh undertakings, and firm refolutions, Depends the ftrength, or weaknefle, of conclulions. Trace thy fteps backward in thy memory : And firft refolve of, what thou heardeft laft, Sincerity ; It blots the hiftory Of all religious aftions, and doth blaft The comfort of them, when in them God fees Nothing but out-fides of formalities. In earneft be religious, trifle not ; And rather for Gods fake, than for thine own : Thou haft rob'd him, unlefle that he have got S By giving, if his glory be not grown Together with thy good : who feeketh more Himfelf than God, would make his roof his floore. Next to fincerity, remember ftill, Thou muft refolve upon Integrity. God will have all thou haft, thy mind, thy will, Thy thoughts, thy words, thy works. A nullity It proves, when God, that mould have all, doth find That there is any one thing left behinde. THE STN4GOGUE. 275 And having giv'n him all, them muft receive All that he gives. Mete his commandment : Refolve that thine obedience muft not leave, Until it reach unto the fame extent. For all his precepts are of equal ftrength, And meafure thy performance to the length : Then call to mind that conftancy muft knit Thine undertakings and thine actions faft : He that fets forth tow'rds heaven, and doth fit Down by the way, will be found fhort at laft. Be conftant to the end, and thou malt have A heavenly garland, though an earthly grave. But he that would be conftant, muft not take Religion up by fits, and ftarts alone ; But his continual practice muft it make : His courfe muft be from end to end but one. Bones often broken, and knit up again, Lofe of their length, though in their ftrength they [gain. Laftly, remember that Humility Muft folidate, and keep all clofe together. What pride puffs up with vain frutility, Lyes open and expof'd to all ill weather. An empty bubble may fair colours carry ; But blow upon it, and it will not tarry. Prize not thine own too high, nor under-rate Anothers worth ; but deal indifferently : View the defefts of thy fpiritual ftate, And others graces, with impartial eye. The more thou deemeft of thyfelf, the lefle Efteem of thee will all men elfe exprefle. 276 THE STN4GOGUE. Contraft thy leffon now, and this is juft The fum of all. He that defires to fee The face of God, in his religion muft Sincere, entire, conftant, and humble be. If thus refolved, fear not to proceed : Elfe the more hafte thou mak'ft, the worfe thou'lt fpeed. 10. Church-Utenfils. f ETWIXTtwo dang'rous rocks, ProfanenefTe Th' one fide, on th' other Superftition, [on How (hall I fail fecure ? Lord, be my fteerf-man, hold my helm, And then though windes with waves orewhelm My failes, I will endure It patiently. The bottom of the Sea Is fafe enough, if thou direft the way. I'll tugge my tacklings then, Fie ply mine oars, And cry a figge for fear. He that adores The giddy multitude ^ So much, as to defpife my rhymes, Becaufe they tune not to the times, I wifh may not intrude His prefence here. But they (and that's enough) Who love Gods houfe, will like his houfhold ftuffe. THE STN4GOGVE. 277 1 1 . The Font. |HE Font, I fay. Why not? And why not near To the Church door ? Why not of ftone ? Is not that blefTed fountain open'd here, From whence that water flows alone, Which from fin and uncleannefle wafheth clear ? And may not beggars well contented be Their firft alms at the door to take ? Though, when acquainted better, they may fee Others within that bolder make. Low places will ferve guefts of low degree. What ? Is he not the rock, out of whofe fide Thofe ftreams of water-blood run forth ? Th* elecT: and precious corner-ftone well try'd ? Though the odds be great between their worth, Rock-water and itone veffels are ally'd. But call it what, and place it where you will : Let it be made indifferently Of any form, or matter; yet, untill The blefled Sacrament thereby Impaired be, my hopes you fhall not kill. To want a complement of comlineffe Some of my comfort may abate, And for the prefent make my joy go lefle : Yet I will hugge mine homely ftate, And povertie with patience richly drefle. 278 THE SYNAGOGUE. Regeneration is all in all, Wafhing, or fprinkling, but the fign, The feale, and inftrument thereof; I call The one, as well as th' other mine, And my pofterity's, as foederal. If temporal eftates may'be convey'd, By cov'nants on condition, To men, and to their heirs ; be not affraid, My foule, to reft upon The covenant of grace by mercy made. Do but thy duty, and rely upon't, Repentance, faith, obedience, When ever pracYif'd truly, will amount To an authentick evidence, Though th' deed were antidated at the Font. 12. The reading-Pue. 5 ERE my new enter'd foul doth firft break faft, Here feafoneth her infant tafte, And at her mother-nurfe, the Churches dug^j* With lab'ring lips and tongue me tuggs, For that fincere milk, which alone doth feed Babes new born of immortal feed : Who, that they may unto perfection grow, Muft be content to creep before they go. They, that would reading out of Church exclude, Sure have a purpofe to obtrude Some dictates of their own, inftead of Gods Revealed will, his word. 'Tis odds, THE STNAGOGUE. 279 They do not mean to pay men currant coyn, Who feek the ftandard to purloyn, And would reduce all tryals to their own, Both touch-ftones, ballances, and weights, alone. What reafonable man would not mifdoubt Thofe comments, that the text leaves out ? And that their main intent is alteration, Who doat fo much on variation, That no fet formes at all they can endure To be prefcrib'd, or put in ure ? Rejecting bounds and limits is the way, If not all wafte, yet common all to lay. But why mould he, that thinks himfelf well grown, Be difcontent that fuch a one, As knows himfelf an infant yet, mould be Dandled upon his mothers knee, And babe-like fed with milk, till he have got More ftrength and ftomach ? Why mould not Nurflings in Church, as well as weanlings, find Their food fit for them in their proper kinde. Let them that would build caftles in the air, Vault thither, without Hep or Hair ; Inftead of feet to climbe, take wings to flie, And think their turrets top the flde. But let me lay all my foundations deep, And learn, before I run, to creep. Who digs through rocks to lay his ground-works low, May in good time build high, and fure, though flow. To take degrees, per faltum, though of quick Difpatch, is but a truants trick. 2 8o THE SYNAGOGUE. Let us learn firft to know our letters well, Then fyllables, then words to fpell ; Then to read plainly, e're we take the pen In hand to write to other men. I doubt their preaching is not alwaies true, Whofe way to th' Pulpit's not the reading Pue. 13. The Book of Common Prayer. -HAT Pray'r by th' book? and Common? Yes. Why not? The fpirit of grace, And fupplication, Is not left free alone For time and place ; But manner too. To read, or fpeak by rote, Is all alike to him that prayes With's heart, that with his mouth he fayes. They that in private by themlelves alone Do pray, may take What liberty they pleafe, In choofing of the wayes, Wherein to make Their fouls moft intimate affeclions known To him that fees in fecret, when Th' are moft conceal'd from other men. But he, that unto others leads the way In publick pray'r. THE STN4GOGUE. 281 Should choofe to do it fo, As all, that hear, may know They need not fear To tune their hearts unto his tongue, and fay Amen ; nor doubt they were betray'd To blafpheme, when they mould have pray'd. Devotion will adde life unto the letter. And why mould not That, which Authority Prefcribes, efteemed be Advantage got ? If th' Pray'r be good, the commoner, the better. Pray'r in the Churches words, as well As fenfe, of all pray'rs bears the bell. 14. The Bible.