A Spiritual Hymn
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A16534.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
THE SACRIFICE OF A SINNER, TO CHRIST OUR REDEEMER.
1.
Whose bounties vn-exhausted spring
Eternal streams of grace.
Give me, (sweet Savior) Thee to sing,
In holy hymns, with heart condign
Which eating age, nor envyes sting
Shall in no time deface.
2
•
lazing around thy Throne of light
here, in deaths shade exylde,
•
ns clouds dispel; guilts load make light
•
hat J may spread thy praise, thy might,
with heart pure, vndefyl'de.
3
Thou shouldst be celebrate in fear.
with hands, with hearts prophaine.
A slamming Coale, whose hand doth bear
My lips, my heart, from Heavens high sphere
•
to purge from double stain.
4
Then shall these documents divine,
By which thy crosses
•
ruits, do shine
To happy Life, conducting Thyne,
my Thoughts by day, by night.
With meditation deep confyne:
At morne, midday, my weak engyne
While Heavens clear Torch his course decli
•
shall in thy praise delight,
5
An Other, and the Same.
Co-apting things of greatest hight
with low: Lights glorious beam.
6
Safety of Souls, sight of the blind,
Haven, where the shipwrakt shelter find,
End of all toils, Ease of the mind,
pressed down with sinful load.
Reward of works, due in no kind,
To conflict past the Palme assignde,
Souls cure, with sins sore sickness pynde,
the banished man's abode.
7
Thy pledge who did the World repair,
of o
•
erflowing floods,
Their Crown that fight, their pryze most rare
That run; earths peace, heavens joy: hells fear;
to such as sin secludes.
8
Sum of the fathers wisht-for sight,
Of Paradise, the dear delight.
Eternal Tree of life.
In four clear streams divided right
Preserues, from years, from days despite,
but art, or gardners knife.
9
Altar, which sin inherent slew,
Priest, who in man did grace renew
10
Whose hand over all the scepter sways,
Who filde the breach, by wondrous ways,
Of Heavens proud Apostates, hells preys,
Earthlings adornde with Angels rays
'mong'st the immortal train:
11
But say (sweet Jesus) what procurde
To pity man in sin obdurde
God's rebel to beefriend?
To plead for him who thee abjurde,
Suffring thy Godhead lurk obscurde,
an ignominious end?
12
Mans Image fi
•
st, infuse;
Heavens wall's to scale no other way,
To vernish fresh graves rotten prey,
Means, Thou alone couldst use.
13
For Man with pains extremely pressed,
•
eavens glorious courts had near encrest:
•
or should our fleshes load, to rest
•
boue the Spheres, its self addrest
'midst heavens blest hosts to dwell.
14
•
ence, sprang Mans ease exyling toil
•
s hopeless groans, which, so did boil
•
y breast, that Thou pourd'st in the Oil
of Mercy, in his wounds.
•
at Thou his l
•
t di
•
st
•
ache, to foil
•
ne, Death and Hell O Glorious spoil!
•
hich, reasons ray confounds.
15
Our guilts soul shame, sname did deface,
Empurp
•
ring thy unstained face:
Thy clouds, thy care, our light, our peace,
our Victory thy liftes,
Thy hells, in heaven procurde us place,
Our honor grew by thy disgrace,
O Wisdom, if not found by grace,
Mans wit involves in mists.
16
O saving Knowledge, which of right
O'resyles, drownde in eternal night,
Jn clouds of self-conceate!
O contrares, which by nature fight
Thus reconcil'de, mixed by thy might,
Things weighty balancing with light,
O change! O wonders great!
17
Thy dumps, our do
•
efull hearts did c
••
Our tear-blind sights, thy tears did cle
•
Thy deep afflictions calmde our fear,
Thy bands us fred from pain.
Roabs, by thy rags: grieves, thou didst
•
Our greifes, our languishings, en-dear
thy blood, did ours restrain.
18
Thy blessed face, with rays ours crownde,
from Parents seed they purgde.
Thou, shak'd by deaths approaching wound,
'gainst death madest us secure be found,
Thou of our innocence the ground,
for us, with guilt was vrgde,
19
Depriv'de from heaven of all supply,
Yet banished Man, still dear to Thee
Thou never didst forsake.
Mans state was still before thine Eye
Till entering Hell, Thou set him free,
Source, whence all good we take.
20
When Thou thyself triumphde over sho's
Nailde to the Cross, exposde to blo's,
Chargde by thy proud insulting foes
with infamy, with shame.
Torne, naked, pale, a map of woes,
Whilst floods of wrath thou vndergoes,
Thy side trans-fixde, from which forth flo'es
21
Thy foes Thou Captives led,
Triumphing on the Tree, hells ire,
Bound, hand and foot, thy wraths hot fire
their shame, before Thee bred.
22
Thou ledst (great Victor) foylde in fight
Roots of man's ruin, foes to right,
To Heavens high courts, a glorious sight,
God's Rebells vanquishde by thy might,
Condemnde in chains of horride night
forever to remain.
23
Trode underfoot, in triumph bring
Thee, swallowing up (death conqu'ring King)
On rav'ning Wol
•
e, preyde ravishde thing,
Victorious by loss.
24
By death insulting, held as dead,
Deaths death Thou was, and deaths remeed.
Author, revealer wise,
Heavens pure delight, the woman's seed,
To wretched Man, didst pity plead,
Way, leading to the Skyes,
25
Oh, what had been our fearful fate,
Deare souls Redeemer? what our state?
Of ire, what huge inunding spaite
had quenchde our of-spring weak?
Without thee Lord? hells preys of late,
And mounting heavens with glory great,
deaths brazen bars didst break.
26
Who saves us in the day of ire,
When all shall be refinde with fire
Who with thy Sp'rit dost us inspire,
Thy SP'RIT of peace, our pledge, our hire,
To Thee, our Head, our souls desire,
forever shunning strife.
27
His seven-fold grace doth us defend
From snares, the World, the flesh, forth send,
From Fiends infernal, which do bend theirs pow'rs 'gainst Thine, by night,
On wings, with faith and hope empen'd,
Heavens starry circuits, we transcend by virtue of his might.
28
He, who eternally forth came
With Father, and with Son, the Same
To God's hie Throne: with fear and shame
29
Doth penetrat God's ears anon,
No words, no cries can reach his Throne, nor speedier pierce the skies,
He doth vnsyle the eyes alone
Of souls sincere, to them is shown
The laws hid sense
•
He doth enthrone the low; the proud despise,
30
Souls languishing his grace revives,
To wandering steps he regress gives;
The fallen liftes up, deaths throe's releiues, by warm light of his flame.
The hardest heart of flint he reaves,
For iubjects, Rebells home receives;
Subdues the stubborn, that believes, no hardness breeds him shame.
31
Even as perfumes, which most excel,
Work on weak sents, and do dispel
All former loathings: So befell
Thy Saints, the Virgines dear:
Was poured forth, all prostrate fell,
Who gainst Thee did before rebel,
Thy yoke now gladly bear.
32
O let this dewy shower descend,
Of thy sweet Oil, that We in end
That Rock of safety may ascend, admitting no retreat.
Conduct us who on thee depend,
Who here our days in dangers spend which us each moment meet.
33
Lead us, poor Pilgrims, unexpert,
Our Compass, Pilot, Pole, who art,
Through this inhospitall desert, this veil of bitter tears,
Where peril lurks in every part,
Where Asps their poys'nous stings forth dart,
Whose plains, no pleasures else impart but scrotching drought, and fears.
34
Where milk and honey yields content.
O! ever bless, with good event, the wrestlings of thine own
Till, coming in the firmament
Unlookt for, by earths trembling tent,
Thy glory thou make known.
35
Earthes refluous tumults, deaths pale fears,
Night, by no day displacit!
Then, to the source floods course reteires,
Time lurking then, no more appears,
Hid in the vast abyss of years, from whence, it first did haste.
36
To all, who upright are in heart;
In songs of Joy: Day which shall dart,
Wrath on the wretcht, who then shall start wak'd from their sleep secure.
37
That day, their ears, their souls, shall wound
In sine deep Lethargy, long drownde, to hear a fearful doom,
Whose noise, whose murmurings profound
Shall call, what e're earths limits bound
38
Who cheardare with the Worlds bright Eye,
Or whose dead ashes scattered fly, dispersde through earth or air,
•
his days sharp trial all must see,
•
sentered once life's misery,
•
ea, babes, which scarce yet breathing be, must at this found appear
39
(Lightning thy glorious Throne around)
What e're shall be their object found, in this inferior Frame.
Shaking the World, even to the ground,
Razde from its center, laid profound,
Dissolving what earths fabric crownde with greatest Art, or fame.
40
More quickly melt than can be told,
All this great All shall, (as of old) a Chaos turn at length,
41
Of such God's wrath as vnderlyes,
Encrease the noise of rushing skies, of earthes disjointed frame,
The damned goats he doth despise
42
Thy Throne encircling, Thee draw near,
As days comforting Beam, the sphere the Orbe of purest heaven.
Thy footsteps streatched forth to bear,
Those trembling bands shall straight reteare down to the Center driven.
43
Trembling to hear the thundering noise,
Of thy three-forked fearful voice,
Which straight their souls, with sad annoys with terrors strange shall pierce.
Who of this Portion erst made choice,
In chains of darkness, end your Joyes, amidst hells furyes fierce.
44
Go cursed for aye, exy
•
de from light,
Where worms never dying, wrath and spite
•
then, what horror, what affright,
•
hall on those hopeless prisners light,
•
ebarrde eternally his fight, who on the throne appears,
To the right Virtuous and WORSHIPFULL, THE MUSES Deare Minion, S t . W. MVRE, Knight. Author.
Epigram.
W
Hen thy sweet
Sophoclean
strains I read,
Motions of
Love,
and
Admiration
breed
Within my breast; for thy soul-charming Songes
(To whom the
Laurell
as thy due belongs)
Have rais'de in Mee hot flammes of kind Desire
That I must love Thee still, and still admire,
Thy glorious choice, and with deserved praise
Stir up thy Muse, a higher flight to raise,
Well dost Thou now disclaim that
Dwarfling
fond,
And builds thy Thoughts upon a divine ground.
Walter Forbes
DOOMES-DAY Containing, HELLS horror, and HEAVENS happiness. By Sr WILLIAM MVRE yo: of Rowallane Knight
1
BUT now, my Sprite refreshed a space,
Forbearing pressed steppes to trace
Aspires above the vulgare press, to raise a second flight.
I feel my bosom piece and piece
Warmde with unusual flammes: Give place
Eare-charming fancies, Arts disgrace, affording false delight.
2
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Thoughts, which above the spheres inclyne,
Wings, furnish to my weak engine,
Be present by thy power divine,
Grant in my lines thy might may shine,
From dross of sin, my spr'ite refine, raise from the earth my thought.
3
But why thus pants thou in my breast
Affrighted soul, deprivde of rest?
What sudden fears thy joys molest, what jars disturb thy peace?
Why tremblest thou, with terrors pressed,
To hear that fearful doom expressed
By that great Judge, whoever blest is just, as full of grace.
4
Here pause a space, (My Soul) acquent
Thy self this judgment to prevent:
No moment of our time is spent, which thither doth not lead.
The dangers seen, which do torment
Thy troubled mind with discontent
gainst them, let fervent suits be sent Jmmunitie to plead.
5
Haste, haste my Soul, shake off delay,
Which too much of thy time makes prey
Lay up provision for that Day, there boldly to arrive.
Where Reprobats, accurst for aye,
Shall wish in vain their life's decay,
That earth would to their souls make, way
•
them swallowing up alive.
6
Oh! what encounter sad shall be
Twixt souls, from darkness chains set free,
And bodies, mates in misery calde forth, to be combynd,
Not for reciprocal supply
As friends new joynde in amity,
But never dying, aye to die, in quenchlesse flammes confynde.
7
Deaths loathsome den, detested Jail,
Scout, following sin with stretched sail,
Which fleeting froaths, which pleasures frail,
On Rock of shipwreck led.
Maske of mischief, sins slender veil,
Good Motions ever bent to quail,
Which in the birth thou didst assail
Them burying as they bred.
8
Wretch, who to pamper dust, didst dote,
Whom Hell attends with open throat,
Readie to retribute the lote to thy deservings due.
Oh! what hath violate deaths knot,
That still in grave thou didst not rot,
Mass overspred with sins foul spot, raisde, anguish to renew?
9
Thus (too too late) the Soul shall rail;
Re-entering this abhorred Jail,
Which recombynd, while both bevaile
Lifes misgoverned rains,
Then Angels shall to Judgment hail.
There, whence no party can appeal,
To hear deaths sentence countervail,
Lyfes Ioyes, with endless pains.
10
O wretch, who Judgment here delays,
Whom false security betrays,
Who never thy Sins black sum surveyes which future anguish breeds.
Then, shall the Auncient of days
Who all men's works in balance lays,
Examine all thy words, thy ways, thy thoughts, thy foul misdeeds.
11
None shall this search
•
euere eschew,
From books laid open to his view,
A summar process shall ensew, conform to thy trespass.
Thy sins all summond, Thee which slew,
Approving thy damnation due,
When all the blest celestial crew, shall on thee, ver
•
ict pass.
12
Thou, who to lewdness now art prone,
What shame, what smart, (lifs pleasures gone)
Shall on thee feaze, when gazde upon
By ea
•
th, by angry heaven?
When naked, comfortless, alone
Thou trembling stands before the Throne,
Under God's wrath, guilts load dost groan, fears, with thy faults made even.
13
When thy tormenting conscience torn,
Thou guilty stands that Judge beforne
Whose Image did thy soul adorn, who did infuse thy breath.
Who pitying thee to sin forlorn,
Left heavens, was of an earthling borne,
Liu'de loath'd, dyde with contempt and
•
corn emptied the Cup of wrath.
14
Witness, earth trembling at his pains,
Days beam, which all in clouds detaines,
The silver Moon, which pale remains, for horror of the sight.
Witness his hands, with bleeding veins,
Of this great All which holds the rains,
His side piercit through to purge thy stains, polluted sinful wight.
15
Where shall thou then safe shelter find
Soul, than the sightlesse Mole more blind,
When with those straits extreme confynd faint, pale, confusde thou stands?
By doom, which cannot be declinde,
Adjudgde forever to be pinde,
Where day nere dawnde, Sun never shinde mongst the infernal bands.
16
Where tears no truce, playnts find no plac
•
On either hand in desp'rate cace,
Behind thee, who thy paths did trace, attend thy woeful lote,
Before thee flamms, Earths frame deface
Above, an angry Judges face,
Below, Thee gaping to embrace,
Hells sulphur-smoking throat.
17
Thy fears, shall be with cries encrest
Of damned Souls, with anguish pressed
With grief, with horror vnexprest, of due deserved ire.
The fire-brands of a conscious breast,
Shall of thy terrors not be least,
While worms, which on thy conscience feas
•
thy easlesse pain conspire.
18
But when (most like a thunder dart)
Pronounc'd, shall pierce thy panting heart, with a most fearful knell.
Which shall thee from God's presence part,
Exposde to torments, that impart
Nor end of time, nor ease of smart, while headlongs hurld in hell.
19
Their shalt thou dive in depths profound,
Still sink but never meet a ground,
In waves still wrestling to be drownd, deluded still by death;
Crying, where comfort none is found,
Pynde, where no pity rage doth bound,
Thy Cup, with floods of vengeance crownde of the Almighty's wrath.
20
Bathde in a bottomless abisse,
Paine still encressing, never remiss,
Where Scorpions sting, where serpents hiss, worms, never satiate, gnaw.
Rackt, thinking what thou was, now is,
Deprivde for aye from hope of bliss,
For toys, eternal joy didst miss, nor crubit by love, nor awe.
21
No Torment doth it self extend
Which universal grief doth send, doth every part entrinch:
There pains, which reasons reach transcend
On soul and body both descend,
No joint, nerve, muscle, without end but sev'rall plagues do pinch.
22
Lascivious Eye, with objects light
Which erst did entertain thy sight,
Weep, there exylde in endless night locked up in horride shads.
Nyce Eare, whose Organ erst did spite,
All sounds, whence flowde no falls delight
There, horror ever and affright thy curious sense upbraids.
23
Smell, erst with rare pe
•
fumes acquent,
Still interchangde to please thy sent,
For incense, sulphur (there) doth vent, smoke for thy odoures sweet.
Taste, unto which to breed content,
Robt were the Earth, Sea, Firmament,
Mongst souls, which penury torment
There, famine Thee doth meet.
24
Vile wormeling, Thou whose tender pride,
The weakest Sunshine, scarce couldst bide,
There, plungde in this impetuous tide, must feel the force of fire.
Where damned souls on every side,
Howling and roaring still abide,
Which find no shelter them to hyde from this eternal ire.
25
There, the Ambitious, who in skies
Did (late) on wax-joynde wings arise,
Of base contempt is made the pryse, the Proudling pestered down.
There
Dives,
who did erst despise
Of famished souls, the piercing cries,
Shall one cold drop of water pryse above a Monarchs crown.
26
Loe, there the vile licentious Goat
Whom lawless lust did
•
arst besotte,
Enchainde in the embracements hot of furious raging flames.
There, to the drunkards parched throat,
Justice, doth scrotching drought allote
In floods of fire, which judgde to float still vain refreshment claims.
27
On Covetous, on cruel wight,
Shall equal weight of vengeance light,
With biting usury, with spite, the poor ones who did press.
So to the remnant that did fight,
'gainst heavens decrees, their conscience light,
God's wrath shall be proportionde right, by measure, more or less.
28
Soul, which vnpittied ever playnes,
Here, suffering for thy sins soul staynes
Flammes, lashing whips, racks, fiery chains tormenting outward sense.
Of all most terrible remains,
O hell of hell! O pain of pains! still to be banished thence.
29
But when thou hast as many years
Those tortures felt, as shine in spheres
Lights, fixed and straying, eyes have tears or waves the azure Plain,
No nearer are their end those fears,
Ever beginning, which thou bears,
No change abates, no date outweares, thy ever pinching pain.
30
O dying life! O living death;
O stinging fire, blown by God's breath;
O boiling lake, no ground which hath, destroying naught it burns!
O overflowing flood of wrath,
Which damned souls are drenched beneath,
O pit profound, O woeful path; whence, Entrer never returns.
31
Who pitying Mans most wretched cace,
Didst hellish agonies embrace in soul, in body shame,
Let me in those extremes find grace,
Illightned by thy glorious face,
Rankt mongst thy Saints, the elect race whose ways thou didst proclaim.
32
O! let me safe protection plead
Unto my soul, which full of dread,
Hanges over Hell, by life's frail thread conservde but by thy might,
That when, heavens, whence it did proceed,
Its separation have decreed,
33
Oh, how it longes, on wings to rise,
(Secure from sins contagious dies)
Endenizde citizen of skies
with Thee, for aye to rest.
Oh, how it doth the Jail despise,
In fleshes fetters, it wh
•
ch tyes,
And lets it, to enjoy the pryse,
with which thy Saints are blest.
34
For Thee I thirst, O living spring,
Pure source of life, who guides faiths wing,
By flight, to reach the hyest thing,
to compass things most hard.
When shalt Thou me from danger bring
To Port of peace, my God, my King,
Blest giver, and the gifted thing?
rewarder, and reward?
35
When shall J from exile set free
My native home, my country see?
When one immortal Pineons fly,
that holy City reach?
Whose streets pure gold, gold buildings be
Ports solid Pearls, Guests never die,
whose peace, no pains empeach.
36
Eternal spring, (shrill Winter gone,)
This Climate constant makes alone,
Nor flamming heat, nor frozen Zone
distemper here do breed.
From Lambes sweet breath, on glories throne
Enstalde, are balmie odors thrown,
Time hath no turns, here change is none,
no seasons do succeed.
37
Pale envy, emulation, spite,
Nor death, nor danger here affright,
Here hopes nor fears, nor false delight,
No Lamp darts forth alternat light
The Lambes sweet face here shines ay bright,
Which of the Saints doth bless the sight
who do in him rejoyse.
38
Here simple beauty scorneth Art,
Rose-cheeked youth, old ages dart,
Joyes perpetuity impart,
no war disturbs this peace.
O this God's Palace royal art
For all that upright are in heart,
ere light did paint heavens face.
39
Thou, by whose pow're the spheres are rol
•
Earths hanging Orbe, who dost uphold,
Great Architect, King vncontrold,
Lord of this Universe,
E
•
stalde here on a Throne of gold,
Dost diamantine scepter hold,
Givest Laws to earth, hence dost behold
how wights below converse.
40
If here, such eye-enchaunting sights,
Amazing beauties, choice delights,
This Mansion low, of dying wights
Earths brittle Orbe adorn,
What wonders then, what glorious lights,
Must beautify those reachlesse hights,
Thy blest abode, which days, which nig
•
vicissitude doth scorn?
41
If these such admiration breed,
What Thou, who didst heavens Curtain sprea
Earth stayde midst air, that it doth need
its weight naught to sustain.
Who full of Majesty and dread,
Of intellectual pow'rs dost plead
Attendance, on thy face which feed,
O ever blessed train!
42
Archangels, Angels, clothde with might,
Thrones, Cherubs, Seraphim of light,
Princes and Powers all shining bright,
Dominions, virtues pure.
With beams that sparkle from the sight,
•
nflamde, which fly no other flight
But satiat rest, wrapped with delight,
which doth for aye endure.
43
O sweet society! how blest
They, who these orders have encreast,
From labor free, in peace who rest
surpassing human sense?
Where bless, where glory doth invest
Apostles, Martyrs, and the rest
Of holy Saints, with tortures pressed,
to death, in Trueths defense.
44
The Patriarchs, Prophets, Lights divine,
(Clear stars on earth) bright suns here shine
Here all the elect host, deaths line
which yet have overpast.
Incorp'rat to their Head, incline
One way, Joyes common all combine,
This band no discord can untwine,
love doth eternal last.
45
Degrees there are, but no defect,
more, than the lest contains.
Mans heart no pleasure can project,
But greater doth from hence reflect,
One cause, in all works one effect,
of measure none complains.
49
O Joyes! my drossy sprite, which wing
Upwards, above the spheres to spring,
(Times Father) where thy praises ring,
which Saints, which Angels raise:
Heavens hosts, high Allelujahs sing,
O heavenly consort! Blessed King,
blest people, Thee who praise.
47
No woeful earth-confined wight,
With Owlish eyes can view this light:
The weak horizon of Mans sight,
far, far which doth outreach,
This vnexpressible delight,
Doth reasons dazelde eye benight,
What J cannot conceive aright,
Lord, let experience teach.
48
Give me, that in some measure small
(While fleshes bands my sprite enthrall)
•
may, a far, a glance let fall,
at these contentments point,
These termlesse Joyes which (one day) shall
In honny, turn Saints bitter gall,
From guilt, when flamms shall purge this Ball
this Engine huge disjoynt,
49
When the Arch-angels voice shall raise
suffering for man's offense.
What Joyes, then, sleeping Saints shall seize
How much this long-longde sight them please
This sight, deaths fetters which shall ease,
all passed cares, compense?
50
O what a happy hour! how dear,
How glorious shall this day appear
To thee my Soul, when fred from fear,
grim death, thou darst outface?
When (thy redemption drawing near)
Which cankring Tyme shall never outweare,
nor foes despite de
•
ace.
51
Though tyrants, have by doom unjust
In furious flammes thy carcass thrust,
Not d
•
igning It, to earth to trust
with honor of a grave,
No Atom of thy scattered dust,
But see this solemn Meeting must,
Purgde from corruption, from rust
of sin did It deprave.
52
Thy shape renewde, more glorious made
Than when it entered deaths dark shade,
Raisde by his viuifying aide,
Deaths pours who did control.
With flesh adornde, which never shall fade,
Nor rotte in earthes cold bosom laid,
But live for aye the Mansion glade,
of a Triumphing soul.
53
No beauty, nature brought'to light
Did ravish most amazed sight,
Which, as far short, from day as night,
from This, shall not be found,
Which shall adorn each new-borne wigh
•
Co-partner of this hid delight,
The lame shall leap, proportionde right,
54
To air, this stage which ouerhings,
To meet thy Head, the Saints who brings,
to judge the damned train.
(Saints, erst accounted abject things,
Objects of scorn, weak underlings,
On thrones enstalde, now sceptred Kings
55
What bands enclustred thee around,
Shall make the Heavens with hymns rebound,
That Thou a straggling sheep art found,
•
f they did such applauses sound
At thy conversion, how profound
Shall be their Ioyes, to see thee crowned,
with them to acquiesse?
56
As pansiue Pilgrim, sore distrest,
Wearie and weak, with famine pressed,
Whom fear of Robbers doth infest,
straying alone, in need.
If He, while dreaming least of rest,
Should in an instant, be addrest,
Where, he might live, forever blest,
how should his Joyes exceed?
57
Even so my soul (now on the way)
Too easily seducit astray,
When Thou shalt find this solid stay,
this Center of repose.
How shall the pleasures of this day,
Adorning Thee, with rich array,
Thy suffered labors all allay,
afflictions all compose.
58
What boundless Ocean of delight
Shall quench all pains, all passed plight,
Endured wrongs, digested spite,
of tyrannizing pride?
When brought in thy Redeemers sight,
Set free, from deaths eternal night
adjudgit, in bless to bide.
59
The meanest good, thou didst afford,
To poor, to sick: when deed, nor word
shall want the own reward:
Who now absolves, Thee, first restorde:
O bond! O double-twisted cord!
O vndeservde regard.
60
But O! when Thou casts back thine eyes,
Thy voyage dangerous espyes
Foes ambushments, laid to surprise,
thy ways when thou dost vieu,
The trains set forth Thee to entice,
Base pleasures, which Thou didst despise,
What boundless joys shall thence arise?
what Solace sweet ensue?
61
What strange applauses thence shall spring?
When Saints do shout, when Angels sing?
When Heavens hie vaults, loud Echo's ring,
Come Ye,
whose faith did upwards spring
Contempt who on the World did fling,
Blest
of that great Sky-ruling King.
Enter in endless Ioyes.
62
O Joyes, with these as far vn-even
To Man which to conceive are given,
As loftiest of the Planets seven
(By wit, who press to pry in heaven,
Back by a Cherubin is driven)
Mans Reason is a v
•
ssell riven,
can little comprehend.
63
O Joyes, as much bedazling sight,
As day's bright Beam, the weakest light,
Above small Gnats, as Eagles flight
amidst the clouds ensphearde,
Ioyes, as far passing all delight,
Yet ever heard by human wight,
As ghastly screiches of Owls, which fright,
with Larks sweet laves comparde.
64
In this, claims principally place,
To see God clearly, face to face,
(Not here, as doth frail
Adams
race,
Who through a glass this sight embrace,
And steps of things created trace,
to reach these pleasures true.)
65
With Judgment pure, to know, as known,
These Persons three, in essence One,
God varying in names alone,
Father, Son, holy Ghost.
To know, why Man to lewdness prone
(Angels o'repast) God did repone,
In state of grace, why mercy shown
To Some, while damnde are Most.
66
Which Joyes, on all the Saints elect,
On souls and bodies both reflect,
By ravishing the
Intellect,
the
Memory
and
will.
Which all the
Senses
do affect
With pleasures far above defect,
Who can the rich contents detect,
those blessed Bands which fill?
67
How more perspective, pure and free,
(Sequestred from mortality)
The Understanding faculty,
how prompter it perceives:
How more sublime the Object be,
The Union inward, and more nigh:
Joyes, of a more supreme degrie,
the Intellect conceives.
68
Here charged with chains of flesh and blood,
We apprehend by Organs rood,
The drossy minds of Earths weak brood,
imaginde knowledge swells:
There, bathing in a boundless floode
Of bless, we shall, (as sprites which stood)
Know, (vnpust up) our Sovereign good▪
In him, all creatures else.
69
What object can, in greatness, hight,
In glory, majesty, in might,
This parallel, whence all delight,
all pleasure, only springs?
With rays of vncreared light
Which cherish, not offend the sight,
Who shines most blest, forever bright,
eternal King of Kings.
70
What Union, can so strict be found,
So firm, successionlesse, profound,
Mans deepest speculation, drownd
is in this vast abisse.
This gulf, this Ocean without ground,
The ravished mind doth wholly bound,
Jt drenched herein, with glory crowned
bathes in a Sea of bless.
71
If charming sounds, ensnaring sights,
In minds of wonder-stricken wights
Do move, such violent delights
as pass the bounds of speech,
The Joyes then midst these reachlesse hights,
Ay bright with ever-burning lights,
Must far transcend the loftiest flights,
wits most profound can reach.
72
The fluide Joyes, which here entice,
From things corruptible arise,
No Union, but external, ties
the sense and object frail:
How should we then these pleasures prize,
Which ever last above the skies?
This Union strict, all change defies,
this bond can never fail.
73
What superexellent degrees
Of Joy, the Jntellect shall seize?
When Jt, with clear, vnsyled eyes
the speces, natures, strength,
Of beasts, of birds, of stones, of trees,
Of herbs, the hid proprieties,
Th'essential differences sees
of Creatures all at length?
74
Of Joy, what overflowing spaite,
Inunding this Theater great,
Drench with delight shall every state
here marshalled above?
Till now, even from the Worlds first date,
When Saints secure from sins deceate,
earths utmost spite did prove.
75
Nor shall the knowledge of the pain,
The torments which the damned sustain,
The cryms which erst their souls did stain,
impare these joys divine:
These black Characters show most plain
God's justice, their deserved bane,
The brightness of the blessed train
oppo
•
de, more clear doth shine.
76
Their Vengeance, shall the Just rejoyse,
(Heavens bless comparde with hells annoys)
As erst by regal Prophets voice,
divinely was fore-told.
Bathe in their blood, whom death destroys
Happy, who so his life employs,
mongst Saints to be enrold.
77
Here oft (with wonder wrapped) we find,
The punishment with virtuous mind,
The fault with the reward combinde,
at which the lust repines.
There, fault with punishment confinde
Rewarde, to virtuously inclinde,
Eternal justice vndeclinde,
impartially assigns.
78
As these, and more joys vnexprest,
The Understanding do invest,
As in the Center of its rest,
So here, the
will
doth pause
In peace, which cannot be encrest,
Not wrestling passions to digest;
O calm tranquility! how blest
They, whom this loadstone draws.
79
Hence spring, such ardent flammes of love
To God, to all the Saints above,
That not one joy, these hosts do prove
which It, do not delight,
Hence, It, no fewer joys do move,
Then God, Co-partners doth approve,
Joyes infinite, which never remove
nor weakened are by slight.
80
As souls, which horride shads enchaine,
This, do not feel their meanest pain,
With mates most hated to remain
for aye, by just decreite:
How happy then, this glorious train,
With these, eternally to reign,
Who mutual love, do entertain,
Insep'rablie unite?
81
From thence a quiet calm
Content
A sympathyzing sweet consent,
Satietie which vnacquent
with loathing, doth arise.
Man here in earths ignoble tent,
Desires unbounded still torment,
The more he hath the more is bent
things fading to comprise.
82
O soul, which life doth here expose
To inward fears, to outward foes,
Deluded by deceiving show's
with shads of seeming bless,
When with content, thy Cup oreflows
When hopes nor vast desires thou knows,
How dear shall be this sweet repose
which aye beginning is?
83
O Peace! on which all hap depends,
Mans understanding, which transcends
To Thee alone, our labor tends,
our Pilgrimage aspires.
Happy, in Thee, his life who spends,
In Joy, in peace, which never ends,
To present toils, which solace sends
encentring our desiros.
84
By perfect
Justice,
what excess
Of Joy shall to the
will
accresse?
Out-shining
Adams
righteousness
in innocent estate?
(But O! this Joy, who can express?
Not tongues of Angels, Mans much less,
O ravished Soul, here acquiesse,
drenched in this Ocean great)
85
His Reason,
Adams
sense, and will
Did serve, this God: but changeable
Was this submission, now, but still
All do themselves subject
To God: by bond most durable,
Fearing no fall, secure from ill,
Rendring the soul most am'able
to God, self, Saints elect,
86
O soul dejected, plungde in fear,
Which stinging thoughts, minds horrors tear
Thy wounded sprite, who canst not bear,
with inward terrors torn.
O how invaluable! how dear,
Would this integrity sincere
To Thee (in conscience racked) appear,
which doth the saints adorn?
87
This innocence which doth exclude
All spots, polluting, earths frail brood,
Pure, vndistainde, perfectly good,
free from least sinful thought:
Saints aye refreshing with that food
Of God's wingde messengers, which stood
Confirmde in grace by purple floode,
which Mans redemption wrought,
88
Nor shall less measure of content
To
Memory
of Saints present
How life's small period here was spent,
encompassed with cares.
From wars most pitiful event
If settled, sweetest peace is spent,
The soul, which erst did most lament
joys most, now fred of tears.
89
Of passed sight, the doubtsome fate
The Soldier doth with joy relate.
The sea-tosde wight, in dangers great,
if gone, most pleasure finds.
Past miseries inunding spaite,
Most sweetens Saints triumphing state,
Foes spoils, which no invasion threat,
less ravish noble Minds,
90
From passions fred, for happiest lote,
Their purest parts which did bespot
•
e,
Strugling, as exhalations hot
in humide clouds inclosde;
From slights of darts, the World forth shot
(Entisements, which the best besotte)
While these in their remembrance floor,
how much are they rejoysde?
91
Revoluing in this calmest peace,
How God, by his preventing grace,
Our steps restrain'de, whilst we did trace
the tempting paths of death,
Of monstrous Sins in hottest chace,
How, He in love did us embrace;
In this to joy, Saints ne'ere shall cease,
while they in bless do breath.
92
The long vicissitude of years,
Of Times, the
Memory
endeares,
Since Worlds first Age, above the spheres,
of blest celestial bands.
Which, while this Company admires,
Cause of these changes, clear appears
In
Providence
large book, which bears
Records of Seas, of Lands.
93
In this great Volumne, read they shall
Why Angels first, first Man did fall,
Why God did This, not These recall, of his eternal grace.
Why He did
Abram's
seed enstall,
Peculiar most of Nations all,
And why to Gentiles these made thrall, were planted in their place.
94
In these great Archives, scrold is found,
Why dearest Saints are trode to ground,
By Tyrants pride, to which no bound
oft is below assignde.
To wit, more glorious to be crowned
As their affections did abound
Joyes may proportional redound,
as cresses them confinde.
95
The fellow soldier of the spright.
Be frustrate of these Ioyes, by right
of its redemption due.
Of all, the Noblest sense, the
Sight
Impassible, not harmde by light
Above all measure shall delight,
amazde with wonders new.
96
How shall the ravished Eye admire,
Darkning that spark, our hemi-sphere,
which cleeres with cheerful rays.
On all hands, Nought, when far and near
Encounters sight, but objects clear,
Blest Empyrean bands, which wear
Crowns, Palms, immortal bayes.
97
How shall this Beauty us amaze?
How on this glory shall we gaze?
How on our bodies, which do blaze
with brightest beams of light?
Our bodies which ere death did seize,
(Death which no prayers can appease)
Most loathsome burdens were to these
whom most they now delight.
98
What breast can bound this joys full spaite,
To see fallen Angels chayrs of state,
Filde with our friends, familiars late,
Love long dissolvde, renewde?
To see, to know (O wonder great)
Saints all, all times did here relate
Since
Abel's
blood (a long-long date)
99
By force of flammes, which all subdue,
When brought to naught, this worlds false show
what wonders shall afford?
Charming our ever-gazing view,
With pleasures endless, perfect, true,
which tongue cannot record.
100
But none of all these objects rare,
Can with thy sight, O Christ, compare,
Fullness
of Joy reflecteth there
on these, at thy right hand.
Who viewing, satisfied are,
For which'a place, Thou didst prepare
before thy Throne to stand.
101
If that great Herald of Heavens King,
Record of Thee, sent forth, to bring,
For Joy, did in thy presence spring,
an Embrion, yet unborn.
If yet a babe, thy sight benign,
So
Simeans
soul with joy did sting,
That he his Obsequies did sing,
With age and weakness worn.
102
If Eastern
Sages
spar'de
•
o pain
By Pilgrims toils, thy sght to gain,
An infant, borne, but to be slain,
in manger, meanlie laid;
What soul then can
•
ese joys contain
Which shall arise to se Thy reign?
The glory of thy heavenly train,
whose pomp sh
•
ll never fade.
103
But O! (Mee thinks) of heavenly lays
A Confort sweet my sense betrays,
By Organs of min:
Eare,
allays
all mind-remoding cares.
Above time, moion, place, which raise
My ravished thoughts, to hear his praise
Proclaimde, which heavens blest hosts amaze,
by Notes of Angels airs.
104
O harmony!
•
ranscending Art
Of which, the hopes, ease present smart:
Thrise happy they who bear a part
in this celestial Choir.
O blest Musicians, most expert,
Whose Ditties, all delight impart,
Whose hymns exhilarate the heart
and entertain the
Eare.
105
Of Ambrosie, of Nictar streams,
(Heavens dainties lid in heathenish names)
An endless feast the Lamb proclaims
to all the Saints above.
The Saints refreshed nore with his beams
Then wordlings withvaine pleasures dreams,
O how desiderable se
•
nes
to Thine, this feast of Love.
106
If beggars vile themselve hold gracit,
At Tables of great Kings to feast,
With curious cates to please their taste
with choice of rarest thngs:
Oh! what a heavenly sweet repast
Do Saints enjoy, which a
•
e shall last,
Who at immortal Tables placit,
feast with the King of Kings.
107
Of all these Millions which frequent
This Paradise of sweet content
Perfumes most rare refresh the sent,
from a perpetual spring.
Comforting Oyntments odors vent,
Sweetning the heavens transpar
•
nt tent,
Which flow from him his blood who spent
His, to this bless to bring.
108
Which, (as in smell, taste, hearing, sight)
Jn feeling als enjoy delight,
The Body changde, spiritual, light,
apt every way to move,
Nimble, as thought, to reach by flight,
(Unwearied) heavens supremest hight
The Center low, from Zenith bright,
as It, the Mind doth move.
109
By Motion swift, here, Bodies tost,
If thus endangered to be lost,
The feeling sense, affected most
participats most pain:
What Joyes (to view this numbrous host)
The Elementar regions, crossed,
When both vnharm'd through heavens may post
shall then this sense sustain?
110
If Spasmes, if Palsies, pincing throes,
Of Colick pains, invade, (healths foes)
These torments,
Feeling,
vndergoes
most sensible of grief.
Now when sequestered from those woes,
Which mar life's vnsecure repose,
How shall this sense, set free, rejoyse,
exult, at its relief?
111
But even as one (more bold than wise)
A Pilgrimage doth enterprise,
O're
Atlas
tops, which hid in skies▪ crownde are with Winter glass:
Hudge Mountains past, while he espyes
Jmpenetrable Rocks, arise,
Forcit to retire, his course applies by smoother paths to pass.
112
So, while above the Spheres J press,
Steps, not by Nature reached, to trace,
The clouds to climb with halting pace lets infinite impeach.
Those reachlesse Ioyes, this boundless peace
Jn number, measure, weight, increase:
That scarce begun, my Song must cease, these hights transcend my reach.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
Fancies Farewell.
SON 1.
TOo long my Muse (ah) thou too long didst toile,
An Ethiopian striving to make white:
•
ost seed on surrowes of a fruitless foil,
Which doth thy trauells, but with Tares acquit.
•
ence-forth fare-well, all counterfeit delight,
•
linde Dwarfling, J disclaim thy deity,
•
y Pen, thy Trophies never more shall write:
Nor after shall thine arts enveigle me.
With sacred strains, reaching a higher key,
My Thoughts above thy fictions far aspire:
Mounted on wings of immortality,
•
feel my breast warmde with a wountlesse fire.
My Muse a strange Enthusiasm inspires,
And piece and piece thy flamme, in smoke expires.
SON. 2.
HOures mis-employed, evanisht as a dream,
My lapse from virtue, and recourse to Ill,
I should, I would, J dare not say, I will
By due repentance and remorse redeem.
Loves false delight, and beauties blazing beam
Too long benighted have my dazzled Eyes,
By youth misled, I too too much did prize
Deceaving shads, toys worthy no esteame.
Plungde in the tide of that impetuous stream,
Where fynest wits have frequent naufrage made,
O heavenly Pilot, I implore thine aide,
Rescue my soul, in danger most extreme:
Conduct me to thy Mercyes Port, J pray,
Save Lord, Oh, let me not be cast away.
SONNET 3.
LOoke home, my Soul, defer not to repent,
Time ever runs: in floath, great dangers lie:
Impostumde soars the patient most torment,
While wounds are green, the salve with speed apply
Works once adjourn'd, good success seldom try,
Delay's attended still with discontent:
Thrise happy he, takes time ere time slyde by
And doth by fore-sight after-wit prevent.
Look on thy labors: timouslie lament,
Trees are hewde down unwholesome fruits bring forth
Thy younger years, youthes sweet Aprile misspent
Strive to redeem, with works of greater worth.
Look home J say, make haste: O shun delay,
Hoyse sail, while tide doth last: Time posts away
FINIS.