Diuine poems containing the history of [brace] Ionah, Ester, Iob, Sampson : Sions [brace] sonets, elegies / written and newly augmented by Fra. Quarles.

Meditat. 16.

FOr mortals, to be borne, waxe old, and dye, Lyes not in Will, but bare Necessity, Common to beasts, which in the selfe degree, Hold by the selfe-same Patient, even as we: But to be wi••e is a diviner action Of the discursive Soule, a pure abstraction Of all her powers, united in the Will, Ayming at Good, rejecting what is Ill:

It is an Influence of inspired breath, Vnpurchased by birth, unlost by death, Entail'd to no man, no, not free to all, Yet gently answers to the eager cal Of those, that with inflam'd affections seeke, Respecting tender youth and age alike; In depth of dayes, her spirit not alway lyes, Yeeres make man Old, but heaven returnes him Wise; Youths Innocence, nor riper ages strength Can challenge her as due; (Desired) length Of dayes, produced to decrepit yeeres, Fill'd with experience, and grizly hayres, Can claime no right; th' Almighty ne're engages His gifts to times, nor is he bound to Ages; His quickning Spirit, to sucklings oft reveales, What to their doting Grandsires he conceales, The vertue of his breath can unbenumme The frozen lips, and strike the speaker dumme: Who put that moving power into his tongue, Whose lips did right the chast Susanna's wrong, Vpon her wanton false Accusers death? What secret fire inflam'd that fainting breath That blasted Pharo? Or those ruder tongues, That schoold the faithlesse Prophet for the wrongs He did to sacred Iustice? matters not How sleight the meane be in it selfe, or what In our esteemes, so wisedome be the message; Embassadours are worthied in th'Embassage: God sowes his harvest to his best increase, And glorifies himselfe how e're he please. Lord, if thou wilt, (for what is hard to thee?) I may a Factour for thy glory bee, Then grant that (like a faithfull servant) I May render backe thy stocke with Vsury.