A feast for vvormes Set forth in a poeme of the history of Ionah. By Fra. Quarles.

A FEAST FOR WORMES.

THE ARGVMENT.

The Word of God to Ionah came,* 1.1 Commanded Ionah to proclaime, The vengeance of his Maiesty, Against the sinnes of Nineuy.

Sect. 1

THe Dreadfull Word of God, his high Decree,* 1.2 That aye remaines, and cannot frustrate bee, Came down to Ionah, from the heuens aboue, Came downe to * 1.3 Ionah, heauens anoynted Doue, Ionah, the flowre of old Amittais youth, Ionah, the Prophet, Sonne, and Heire to * 1.4 Truth, The blessed Type of him, that di' de for vs, That Word came to him, and bespake him thus, "Arise, trusse vp thy Ioynes, make all things meet,* 1.5 "And put thy Sandalls on thy hasty feet, "Gird vp thy reynes, and take thy staffe in hand, "Make no delay, but goe, where I command;

"Me pleases not to send thee (Ionah) downe, "To sweet Gath-Hepher, thy deare natiue Towne, "Whose tender paps, with plenty ouerflow, "Nor yet vnto thy brethren shalt thou goe, "Amongst the Hebrewes, where thy spredden fame "Fore-runnes the welcome of thine honor'd name. "No, I'le not send thee thither: Vp, Arise, "And goe to Nineueh, where no allyes, "Nor consanguinity preserues thy blood, "To Nineueh, where strangers are withstood: "To Nineueh, a City farre remou'd "From thine acquaintance, where tha'rt not belou'd: "I send thee to Mount Sinay; not Mount Sion, "Not to a gentle Lambe, but to a Lion: "Ne yet to Lydia,* 1.6 but to bloody * Passur, "Not to the land of Canan, but of Assur, "Whose language will be riddles to thine eares, "And thine againe will be as strange to theirs; "I say, to Nineueh, the worlds great Hall, "The Monarchs seat, high Court Imperiall: "But terrible Mount Sinay will affright thee, "And Pashurs heauy hand is bent to smite thee: "The Lions rore, the people's strong and stout, "The Bulwarkes stand afront to keepe thee out. "Great Ashur minaces with whip in hand, "To entertaine thee (welcome) to his land. "What then? Arise, be gone; stay not to thinke: "Bad is the cloth, that will in wetting shrinke. "What then, if cruell Pashur heape on strokes? "Or Sinay blast thee with her sulph'rous smokes? "Or Ashur whip thee? Or the Lions rent thee? "P'sh; on with courage; İ, the Lord haue sent thee:

"Away, away, lay by thy foolish pity, "And goe to Niniueth that mighty City: "Cry lowd against it, let thy dreadfull voice "Make all the City eccho with the noyse: "Not like a Doue, but like a Dragon goe, "Pronounce my iudgement, and denounce my Woe: "Make not thine head a fountaine full of teares, "To weepe in secret for her sinnes: Thine eares "Shall heare such things, wil make thine eyes run ouer, "Thine eyes shall smart with what they shall discouer: "Spend not in priuate, those thy zealous drops, "But hew, and hacke; spare neither trunke, nor lops: "Make heauen, & earth rebound, whē thou discharges, "Plead not like Paul, but roare like Boanarges: "Let not the beauty of the buildings bleare thee, "Nor let the terrours of the Rampiers feare thee: "Let no man bribe thy fist, (I well aduise thee) "Nor foule meanes force thee, nor let faire entice thee: "Ramme vp thine eares: Thy heart of stone shall bee; "Be deafe to them, as they are deafe to thee: "Goe cry against it. If they aske thee, Why? "Say, God of heauen commanded thee to cry: "In stead of prayers, and duties they should doe me, "Behold, their wickednesse is mounted to me: "The fatnesse of their fornication fryes "On coales of raging lust, and vpward flies, "And makes me sicke: I heare the mournfull grones "And heauy sighs of such, whose aking bones "Th' oppressor grindes: Alas, their grones implore me, "Their pray'rs, and their oppressions come before me: "Behold, my children they haue slaine, and kill'd, "And bath'd their hands within the blood they spill'd:

"The steame of guiltlesse blood makes suit vnto me, "The voice of many bloods is mounted to me; "The vile prophaner of my sacred Names, "He teares my titles, and mine honour maimes, "Makes Reth'rick of an oath, sweares, and forsweares, "Recks not my Mercy, nor my Iudgement feares: "They eat, they drink, they sleepe, they tyre the Day "In wanton dalliance, and delightfull play. "Heauens winged Herald Ionas, vp, and goe "To mighty Niniueh, Denounce my woe; "Aduance thy voice, and when thou hast aduanc't it, "Spare Shrub, nor Cedar, but cry out against it: "I come my Selfe with plagues,* 1.7 Goe thou afore me, "For all their wickednesse is come before me.

Apolog. Authoris.

IT was my morning Muse; And for her sake I thus apply my selfe to vndertake This serious taske, (A taske for Doctors Muse To spend vpon) Then let me pleade excuse: For as good Physicke will not bate his force, And (being well appli'd) prooue ne're the worse, Though giuē by hands, that could nor reade, nor write, That skill not how, nor need not know t'apply't: So this (perchance) may make another keene, Though I, and it be blunt (as whetstones beene.)

Applicatio.

TO thee (Malfido) now I turne my Quill, That God is still that God, and will be still.

The painfull Pastors take vp Iona's roome: And thou the Niniuite, to whom they come.

Meditatio prima.

HOw great's the loue of God vnto his creature? Or is his Wisedome, or his Mercy greater? I know not whether: O th' exceeding loue Of highest God! that from his Throne aboue, Will send the brightnesse of his Grace to those That grope in Darknesse, and his Grace oppose: He helpes, prouides, inspires, and freely giues, As pleas'd to see vs rauell out our liues. He giues vs from the heape, He measures not, Nor deales (like Manna) each his stinted lot, But daily sends the Doctors of his Spouse, (With such like oyle as from the Widowes cruse Issued forth) in fulnesse, without wasting, Where plenty may be had, yet plenty lasting. I, there is care in heauen, and heauenly sprights, That guides the world, & guards poore mortall wights. There is; else were the miserable state Of Man, more wretched and vnfortunate Than sauage beasts: But O th' abounding loue Of highest God! whose Angels from aboue Dismount the Towre of Blisse, fly to and fro, Assisting wretched man, their deadly foe. What thing is Man, that Gods regard is such? Or why should he loue retchlesse Man so much? Why? what are men? But quicken'd lumps of earth? A feast for wormes, A bubble full of mirth, A looking-glasse for griefe, A flash, A minnit,

A painted Toombe, with putrifaction in it: A mappe of Death; A burthen of a song: A winters Dust; A worme of fiue foot long: Begot in sinne; In darknesse nourisht: Borne In sorrow, Naked, Shiftlesse, and forlorne: His first voice (heard) is crying for reliefe. Alas! He comes into a world of griefe: His Age is sinfull, and his Youth is vaine, His life's a punishment, his Death's a paine: His life's an howre of Ioy, a world of Sorrow, His death's a winters night, that findes no morrow: Mans life's an Houreglasse, which being run, Concludes that houre of Ioy, and so is dun. ¶Ionah must goe: Nor is this charge alone To Ionah giuen, but giuen to euery one. You Magistrates, arise, and take delight. In dealing Iustice, and maintaining right: There lies your Nineueh. Merchants, arise, Away, and to your Ships, and Merchandise. Artificers, arise, and ply your shops, And worke your trade, and eate your meat with drops. Paul, to thy Tents, and Peter, to thy Net, And all must goe that way which God hath set. ¶Grant, liefest Lord, for our Deare Borrow sake, Thy loue, in sending to vs, neuer slake: Encrease succession in thy Prophets liew, For loe, thy Haruest's great, and Workmen few.

THE ARGVMENT.

But Ionah toward Tharsis went, A Tempest doth his course preuent: The Mariners are sore opprest, While Ionah sleepes, and takes his rest.

Sect. 2

BVt Ionah thus bethought: The City's great,* 1.8 And mighty Ashur stands with deadly threat, Their hearts are hardned, y^t they cannot heare: Will greene wood burne, when so vnapt's the seire? Strange is the charge: Shall I goe to a place Vnknowne and forraine? Aye me! hard's the case, That righteous Isr'el must be thus neglected, When Miscreants and Gentiles are respected:* 1.9 How might I hope my words shall there succeed,* 1.10 Which thriue not with the flocke I daily feed? Moreo're I weet, the Lord is wondrous kind,* 1.11 And slow to wrath, and apt to change his mind Vpon the least repentance: Then shall I Be deem'd as false, and shame my Prophesie. O heauie burthen of a doubtfull mind! Where shall I goe, or which way shall I wind? My heart like Ianus, looketh to and fro: My Credit bids me, Stay; my God bids, Goe: If Goe; my labour's lost, my shame's at hand: If Stay; Lord! I transgresse my Lords command:

If goe; from bad estate, to worse, I fall: If stay; I slide from bad, to worst of all. My God bids goe, my credit bids me stay; My guilty feare bids fly another way. So Ionah straight arose, himselfe bedight With fit acoutrements, for hasty flight: In stead of staffe, he tooke a Shipmans weed; In stead of going, loe, he flies with speed. * 1.12Like as a Hawke (that ouermatcht with might, Doing sad penance for th' vnequall fight, (Answ'ring the Faulkners second shout) does flee From fist; turnes tayle to Fowle, and takes a tree: So Ionah baulks the place where he was sent (To Nineueh) and downe to * 1.13 Iaffa went; He sought, enquired, and at last he found A welcome Ship, that was to Tharsis bound, Where he may fly the presence of the Lord: He makes no stay, but straightway goes aboord, His hasty purse for bargaine finds no leisure, (Where sin delights, ther's no account of treasure:) Nor did he know, nor aske, how much his Fare: He gaue: They tooke; all parties pleased are: (How thriftlesse of our cost, and paines, are we, O blessed God of heauen, to fly from thee!) Now haue the Pilots drunke their parting cup, And some (with Sailors tune) are hoysting vp, Others the while, the faithfull Anchor wey, The Ship, (as loth to leaue her quiet key,) Creepes easly off, and (with directed course) She glides along the shore with gentle force; And now the whistling wind begins to dally With Aura's fanne: Now stronger gusts doe fally

Forth, rudely playing on the hollow saile, And from the Mountaines blowes a lusty Gale: She mounts the billowes with a lofty grace, And now she cuts the Deepe, and scuds apace From land; from whence (vnwilling) she was driuen,* 1.14 Nothing's perceiued now but Sea, and heauen; Betwixt them both, the blustring winds doe play: The waues know not which Master to obey: For now the East wind mutin's with the West, And now the West wind counterbuffes the East, And now the hollow Boreas roares amaine, And vexed Notus thwarts the North againe: Thus crossely crost, they threaten in reuenge, To force the world from off his stedfast henge. The Guide's perplext, and knowes not what to doe, His Art's amaz'd, in such a maze of woe: The Welkin stormes, and rages more and more, The Raine powr▪s downe, the Heauens begin to roare, As they would split the massie earth in sunder, From them that liue aboue, to those liue vnder: The restlesse waues, and rolling billowes beate, As they would shoulder Neptune from his feate; The billowes seeme to mount the clouds, (or higher) The dusky clouds did flash with often fier: Now doth the Ship as high as heauen swell, And now (o'rwhelm'd with waues) as low as hell; The Barke no lesse doth yeeld to Neptunes sway, Than lofty Tow'rs, when thundring Ordnance play. The hardy Mariners begin to quaile:* 1.15 They vere their maine sheet, and they strike their saile: Their haire, bolts vp, pale Death vsurps their cheekes, Their mouthes are ful of cryes, their tongues of shreeks:

They sound with endlesse line, and sound againe: They pumpe, and still they pumpe, but all in vaine: They row, and breake their Oares: At last th' assay Each Mariner vnto his god to pray. They prai'd, but winds did snatch their words away, And lets their pray'rs not goe to whom they pray: But still they pray, but still the wind, and wether Do turne both pray'rs, & sayles they know not whither: Their gods were deafe, their danger waxed greater, They cast their wares out, and yet ne're the better: But all this while was Ionah drown'd in sleep, And in the lower Decke was buried deepe.* 1.16

Meditatio secunda.

* 1.17BVt stay: This was a strange and vncouth word: Did Ionah fly the presence of the Lord? What mister word is that? He that repleats The mighty Vniuerse, whose lofty seat's Th' imperiall Heauen, whose footstoole is the face Of massy Earth? Can he from any place Be spar'd? or yet by any meanes excluded, That is in all things? (and yet not included,) Could Ionah find a resting any where So void, or secret, that God was not there? I stand amaz'd and frighted at this word: Did Ionah fly the presence of the Lord? Mount vp to heauen aboue,* 1.18 and there he is, Swaying the Scepter of his Kingly blisse:* 1.19 Bestride the earth beneath (with weary pace) And there he beares the Oliue branch of Grace:* 1.20 Diue downe into th' extreme Abysse of Hell,

And there in Iustice doth th' Almighty dwell. What vncouth Cloyster could there then affoord A screene 'twixt faithlesse Ionah, and his Lord? ¶Ionah was charg'd, to take a charge in hand;* 1.21 But Ionah turn'd his backe on Gods command; Shooke off his yoke, and wilfully neglected, And what was strictly charg'd, he quite reiected: And so he fled the power of his Word; And so he fled the presence of his Lord. ¶Good God! how poore a thing is wretched man? So fraile, that let him striue the best he can, With euery little blast hee's ouerdon. If mighty Cedars of great Libanon, Cannot the danger of the Axe withstand, Lord! how shall we, that are but Bushes, stand? How fond, corrupt, and sencelesse is mankind? How faining deafe is he? How wilfull blind? He stops his eares, and sinnes: he shuts his eyes, And (blindfold) in the lap of danger flies: He sinnes, despaires; and then, to stint his griefe, He chuses death, to baulke the God of life. ¶Poore wretched sinner, trauell where thou wilt, Thy trauell shall be burthen'd with thy guilt: Climbe tops of hils, that prospects may delight thee, There wil thy sins (like Wolues & Beares) affright thee: Fly to the Valleys, that those frights may shun thee, And there like Mountaines they will fall vpon thee: Or to the raging seas (with Ionah) goe; There will thy sinnes like stormy Neptune flow. Poore shiftlesse Man! what shall become of thee? Wher'ere thou fly'st, thy gryping sinne will fly. ¶But all this while the Ship, where Ionah sleepes,

Is vexed sore, and batter'd on the Deeps, And well-nigh split vpon the threatning Rocke, With many a boystrous brush, and churly knocke: God send the comfortlesse, an happy howre, And shield all good men from such stormy stowre.

THE ARGVMENT.

The Pilot thumps on Ionah's brest, And rowzeth Ionah from his Rest: They al cast Lots, (being sore affrighted:) The sacred Lot on Ionah lighted.

Sect. 3.

* 1.22THe haplesse Pylot finding no successe, (But that the storme grew rather more than lesse, For all their toylesome paynes,* 1.23 and needlesse pray'rs, Dispairing both of life, and goods) repaires To Ionahs drowzie Cabbin; mainly calls; Calls Ionah, Ionah; and yet lowder yawles; Yet Ionah sleepes; and giues a shrug, or two, And snores, (as greedy sleepers vse to doe.) The wofull Pylot iogs him, (but in vaine.) (Perchance he dreames an idle word, or twaine;) At length he tugs and puls his heauie course, And thunders on his brest, with all his force. But (after many yawns) he did awake him, And (being both affrighted) thus bespake him: "Arise,* 1.24 O Sleeper, O, arise, and see,

"Ther's not a twiny thrid, 'twixt death, and thee: "This darksome place (thou measur'st) is thy graue, "And suddaine Death rides proud on yonder waue; "Arise, O Sleeper, O, arise and pray, "Perchance thy God will heare, and not say, Nay: "Perchance thy God's more powerfull then our's: "Arise, Arise, and pray with all thy pow'rs, "If so be, God will haue compassion on vs, "And turne away this mischiefe he hath done vs, The sturdy Saylers (weary of their paine,* 1.25) Finding their bootlesse labour lost, and vaine, Forbare their toylesome taske, and wrought no more, But wisht for Death, for which they look'd before; They call a parley, and consult together, They count their sinnes, (accusing one another) That for his sinne, or his, this euill was wrought: In fine, they all prooue guilty of the fault; But yet the Question was not ended so: One sayes, 'Twas thine offence, but he sayes, No, But t'was for thy sake, that accuses mee; Rusht forth a third (the worser of the three) And swore it was anothers, which (he hearing) Deny'd it flat, and say'd, 'Twas thine for swearing: In came a fift, accusing all; (replying But little else) they all chid him for lying; One sayd it was, another say'd 'twas not: So all agreed, to stint the strife by Lot: Then all was whist, and all to prayer went; (For such a buis'nes, a fit complement) The lot was cast; 't pleas'd God, by Lots to tell. The lot was cast; The lot on Ionah fell.* 1.26

Meditatio tertia.

O Sacred Subiect of a Meditation! Thy Works (O Lord) are full of Admiration, Thy iudgements all are iust, seuere, and sure, They quite cut off, or else by launcing cure The festring sore of a Rebellious heart, Lest foule infection taynt th' immortall part. How deepe a Lethargie doth this disease Bring to the slumbring Soule through carelesse ease! Which once being wak't, (as from a Golden Dreame) Lookes vp, and sees her griefes the more extreme. How seeming sweet's the quiet sleepe of sin? Which when a wretched man's once nuzz'ld in, How soundly sleepes he, without feare, or wit? No sooner, are his armes together knit In drowzie knot, athwart vpon his brest, But there he snorts, and snores in endlesse rest; His eyes are closed fast, and deafe his eares, And (like Endymion) sleepes himselfe in yeares; His sence-bound heart, ne answeres to the voyce Of gentle warning, no, nor does the noyse Of strong reproofe awake his sleeping eare, Nor lowder threatnings thunder makes him heare; So deafe's the sinners eare, so numb'd his sence, That sinne's no corrosiue, nor no offence; For custome breeds delight,* 1.27 deludes the heart, Beguiles the sence, and takes away the smart. ¶But stay; Did one of Gods elected number, (Whose eyes should neuer sleepe, nor eye-lids slumber)

So much forget himselfe? Did Ionah sleepe, That should be watchfull, and the Tower keepe? Did Ionah (the selected mouth of God) In stead of roring Iudgements, does he nod? Did Ionah sleepe so sound? Could he sleepe then, When (with the suddaine sight of Death) the men (So many men) with yelling shreekes, and cries, Made very heau'n report? and shooke the skies So vncouth, that the ship it mought haue riu'n? Hard must he winke, that shuts his eyes from heau'n. O righteous Isr'el, where, O, where art thou? Where is thy Lampe? thy zealous Shepheard now? Alas! the rau'nous Wolues will worr' thy Sheepe; Thy Shepheard's carelesse, and is fall'n asleepe; Grim dogs will rowze thy Flock, and rule the rost; Thy Sheepe are scatter'd, and thy Shepheard's lost; Ah weladay! whose words beseeme the Altar, Their works discent, and first begin to faulter; And they, that should be Watch-lights in the Temple, Are snuffes, and want the oyle of good example; The chosen Watch-men, that the Tow'r should keepe, Are waxen heauy-ey'd, and fall'n asleepe. ¶Lord, if thy Watch-mē wink too much, awake them; Although they slumber, doe not quite forsake them; The flesh is weake, say not (if dulnesse seaze Their heauy eyes) Sleepe henceforth: Take your ease:* 1.28 And we poore weakelings, when we sleepe in sin, Knock at our drowzie hearts; and neuer lin, Till thou awake our sinne-congealed eyes; Lest (drown'd in sleepe) we sinke, and neuer rise.

THE ARGVMENT.

They question Ionah, whence he came, His Country, and his peoples Name, He makes reply: They mone their woe, And aske his counsell what to doe.

Sect. 4.

* 1.29AS when a Thiefe's appr'ended on suspect, And charg'd for some supposed malifact, A rude concurse of people, strait accrewes, Whose itching eares euen smart, to know the newes, The guilty pris'ner (to himselfe betray'd) He stands deiected, trembling and afrayd: So Ionah stood the Saylers all among, Inclosed round amid the ruder throng. As in a Summers Euening you shall heare In Hiue of Bees (if you lay close your eare) Confused buzzing, and seditious noyse, Such was the murmur of the Saylers voyce. "What was thy sinfull fact,* 1.30 that causes this "(Sayes one) wherein hast thou so done amisse? "Tell vs, What is thine Art (another sayes) "That thou professest? Speake man, Whence awayes, "From what Confines cam'st thou? (A third replies) "What is thy Country? And of what allies? "What, art thou borne a Iew? or Gentile? Whether? "(Ere he could lend an answere vnto either)

A fourth demands: Where hath thy breeding been▪ All what they askt, they all askt o're againe. In fine, their eares (impatient of delay) Becalm'd their tongues, to heare what he could say. So Ionah (humbly rearing vp his eyes) Breaking his long kept silence, thus replies:* 1.31 "I am an Hebrew, sonne of * 1.32 Abraham, "From whom my Land did first deriue her name, "Within the Land of Iury was I borne, "My name is Ionah, retchlesse, and forlorne: "I am a Prophet: ah! but woe is me, "For from before the face of God I flee, "From whence (through disobedience) I am driuen; "I feare Iehouah, mighty God of Heauen: "I feare the Lord of Heauen, whose glorious hand "Did make this stormy Sea, and massy land. So said, their eares with double rauishment,* 1.33 Still hung vpon his melting lips, attent, Whose dreadful words, their hearts so neere impierc't, That from themselues, themselues were quite deuers't. Like as in a hot Summers euentide,* 1.34 (When lustfull Phoebus re▪salutes his Bride, And Philomela 'gins her caroling:) A heard of Deere are browzing in a spring, With hungry appetite, misweening nought, Nor in so deepe a silence fearing ought: A sudden cracke, or some vnthought▪ of sound, Or bounce of Fowlers Peece, or yelpe of Hound, Disturbes their quiet peace with strange amaze, Where (sencelesse halfe) through feare, they stand at gaze: So stand the Sea-men, (as with Ghosts affrighted,) Entraunc'd with what, this man of God recited.

Their (whilome sturdy) limmes wox faint, and lither, Their hearts did earne, their knees did smite together: Congealed blood vsurpt their trembling hearts, Which coldly crawld about in all their parts: Who (trembling out some broken language,) thus: * 1.35"Why hast thou brought this mischiefe vpon vs? "What humour led thee to a place vnknowne, "To seeke a forrein land,* 1.36 and leaue thine owne? "What faith hadst thou,* 1.37 by leauing thine abode, "To thinke to fly the presence of thy God? "Why hast thou not obey'd (but thus transgrest) "The voice of God,* 1.38 whom thou acknowledgest? "Art thou a Prophet, and dost thou amisse? "What is the cause? And why hast thou done this? "What shall we doe? The tempest lends no eare "To fruitlesse chat, nor doe the billowes heare, "Or marke our language: waues are not attent, "Our goods they float, and all our paines are spent: "Our Bark's not weather-proofe, for aye to last; "(No Fort so strong, but daily siege will wast.) "The Lot accuses thee, thy words condemne thee, "The waues (thy deaths-mē) striue to ouerwhelme thee: "What shal we do? Thou Prophet, speak, we pray thee: "Thou fear'st the Lord; Alas! we may not slay thee: "Or shall we saue thee? No, for thou dost fly "The face of God, and so deseru'st to dye: "Thou Prophet,* 1.39 speake, what shal we doe to thee, "That angry seas may calme, and quiet be?

Meditatio quarta.

GIue leaue a little to adiourne your story, Run backe a step, or twaine, and looke afore ye: Can he be said to feare the Lord, that flies him?* 1.40 Can Word confesse him, when as Deed denies him? My sacred Muse hath rounded in mine eare,* 1.41 And read the myst'ry of a twofold feare: The first, a seruile feare, for Iudgements sake; And thus the damned Diuels feare and quake. Thus Adam fear'd, and fled behind a tree: And thus did bloody Kain feare and flee. Vnlike to this, there is a second kind Of feare, extracted from a zealous mind, Full fraught with loue, and with a conscience cleare From base respects: It is a filiall feare; A feare whose ground would iust remaine, and leuell, Were neither Heauen, nor Hell, nor God, nor Diuell. Such was the feare that Princely Dauid had; And thus our wretched Ionah fear'd, and fled: He fled asham'd, because his sinnes were such; He fled asham'd, because his feare was much. He fear'd Iehouah, other fear'd he none, Him he acknowledg'd; Him he fear'd alone: Vnlike to those men, that (befoold with errour) Frame many gods, and multiply their terrour. Th' Egyptians, God Apis did implore, God Assas the Chaldaeans did adore: Babel to the Deuouring Dragon seekes, Th' Arabians Astaroth; Iuno the Greekes; The name of Belus, the Assyrians hallow, The Troians, Vesta; Corinth, wise Apollo;

Th' Arginians sacrifice vnto the Sunne; To Light-foot Mercury bowes Macedon; To god Volunus, louers bend their knee: To Pauor, those that faint, and fearfull bee: Who pray for health, and strength, to Murcia those; And to Victoria, they that feare to lose: To Muta, they that feare a womans tongue: To great Lucina, women great with young: To Esculapius, they that liue opprest: And they to Quies, that desire rest. O blinded Ignorance of antique times, How blent with errour, and how stuft with crimes Your Temples were! And how adulterate! How clog'd with needlesse gods! How obstinate! How void of order, and how inconfuse! How full of dangerous and foule abuse! How sandy, were thy grounds, and how vnstable! How many Deities! yet how vnable! Implore these gods, that list to howle and barke, They bow to Dagon, Dagon to the Arke: But he to whom the seale of mercy's giuen, Adores Iehouah, mighty God of Heauen: Vpon the mention of whose sacred Name, Meeke Lambs grow fierce, and the fierce Lyons tame: Bright Sol shall stop, and heauen shall turne his course: Mountaines shall dance, and Neptune slake his force: The Seas shall part, the fire want his flame, Vpon the mention of Iehouah's Name: A Name, that makes the roofe of Heauen to shake, The frame of Earth to quiuer, Hell to quake: A Name, to which all Angels blow their trumps; A Name, puts frolicke man into his dumps:

(Though ne're so blythe) A Name of high renowne, It mounts the meeke, and beates the lofty downe; A Name, deuides the marrow in the bone; A Name, which out of hard, and flinty stone, Extracteth hearts of flesh, and makes relent Those hearts that neuer knew what mercy ment. O Lord! how great's thy Name in all the Land? How mighty are the wonders of thy hand? How is thy Glory plac't aboue the heau'n? To tender mouthes of Sucklings thou hast giu'n Coerciue pow'r, and boldnes to reprooue, When elder men doe what them no'te behooue. O Lord! How great's the power of thy hand? O God! How great's thy Name in all the Land?

THE ARGVMENT.

The Prophet doth his fault discouer, Perswades the men to cast him ouer: They rowe, and toyle, but doe no good, They pray to be excus'd from blood.

Sect. 5.

SO Ionah fram'd the speech to their demand;* 1.42 "Not that I seeke to trauerse the command, "Of my deare Lord, and out of minde peruerse, "T' auoyd the Niniuites, doe I amerce "My selfe; Nor that I euer heard you threat, "(Vnlesse I went to Niniueh, (the great)

"And doe the message sent her from the Lord) "That you would kill, or cast me ouer boord, "Doe I doe this; 'Tis my deserued fine: "You all are guiltlesse, and the fault is mine: "'Tis I, 'tis I alone, 'tis I am he: "The tempest comes from heau'n, the cause from me; "You shall not lose a haire for this my sin, "Nor perish for the fault that mine hath bin; "Lo, I the man am here: Lo, I am He "The roote of all; End your reuenge on me; "I fled from God of Heau'n; O, let me then "(Because I fled from God) so flie from men; "O, take me, (for I am resolu'd to die) "As you did cast your Wares, so cast in Me; "I am the man, for whom these billowes dance, "My death shall purchase your deliuerance; "Feare not to cease your feares; but throw me in; "Alas! my soule is burthen'd with my sin, "And God is iust, and bent to his Decree, "Which certaine is, and cannot altred bee; "I am proclaim'd a Traytor to the King "Of heau'n, and earth: The windes with speedy wing "Acquaint the Seas: The Seas mount vp on hie, "And cannot rest, vntill the Traytor die; "Oh, cast me in, and let my life be ended; "Let Death make Iustice mends, which Life offended; "Oh, let the swelling waters me embalme: "So shall the Waues be still, and Sea be calme. So said,* 1.43 the Mariners grew inly sad, (Though rude, and barbarous) and much ydrad, As moou'd to see a Stranger (for their good) Lay downe his life, which offer they withstood,

Till they had sought with all their pow'r and skill, To saue the man, and not the Ship to spill: They digg'd, and deepely delu'd the surrow'd Seas, With brawny armes they plough'd the watry Leas, Hoping (in vaine) by toyle to win the shore, And wrought more hard, thē erst they wrought before. Alas! their strength now failes, and weares away, (For bodies wanting rest, doe soone decay) The Seas are angry, and the waues arise, Appeas'd with nothing, but a Sacrifice: Gods vengeance stormeth like the raging Seas, Which nought but Ionah (dying) can appease. "Bootlesse it is, to thinke by any deed "To alter that, which God of heau'n decreed: "Ionah must die, 'tis folly to say, No; "Ionah must die, or else we all die too; "Ionah must die, that from his Lord did flie; "The lot determines, Ionah then must die; "His guilty word confirmes the sacred lot, "Ionah must die then, if we perish not. "If Iustice then it be, that he must die, * 1.44 "And we sad Actors of his Tragedie; "(We begge not (Lord) a warrant to offend) "O, pardon bloud-shed, that we must intend. "Though not our hands, yet shall our hearts be cleare: "Then let not stainelesse Consciences beare "The pond'rous burthen of a Murthers guilt, "Or voyce of harmelesse bloud, that must be spilt; "For lo, (deare Lord) it is thine owne Decree, "And we sad ministers of Iustice bee.* 1.45

Meditatio quinta.

* 1.46BVt stay awhile, this thing would first be knowne: Can Ionah giue himselfe, and not his owne? That part to God, and to his Country this Pertaines, so that a slender third is his; Why then should Ionah doe so great a wrong, To deale himselfe away, that did belong The least vnto himselfe? or how could he Teach this, (THOV SHALT NOT KILL) if Ionah be His lifes owne Butcher? What, was this a deed That with the Calling he profest, agreed? The purblind age (whose workes (almost diuine) Did meerely with the oyle of nature shine, That knew no written Law, ne yet no God, To whip their conscience with a steely Rod,) How much did they abhorre so foule a fact? When (led by Natures glimpse) they made an Act, That what man e're is so vnnaturall To kill himselfe,* 1.47 should want a buriall; Can such doe so, when Ionah does amisse? What, Ionas, Isr'els Teacher! and doe this? The Law of charity doth all forbid,* 1.48 In this thing to doe that, which Ionah did; Moreo're, in charity, 'tis thy behest, Of dying men to thinke, and speake the best; The mighty Samson did as much as this; And who dare say, that Samson did amisse, If heau'nly Spirit whisper'd in his eare Expresse command to do 't?* 1.49 then likewise heare,

Who knowes of Ionah, whether, yea, or no, A secret Spirit will'd him to doe so?* 1.50 ¶Sure is the knot that true Religion tyes, And Loue that's rightly grounded, neuer dyes; It seemes a Paradox, beyond beliefe, That men in trouble should prolong reliefe; That Pagans, (to withstand a Strangers Fate) Should be neglectiue of their owne estate, Trusting their liues vpon a twyny thread, And (dauntlesse) daunce about in dangers dread. Where is this Loue become in later age? Alas! 'tis gone in endlesse Pilgrimage From hence, and neuer to returne (I doubt) Till reuolution wheele those times about; Chill brests haue staru'd her here, and she is driu'n Away; and with Astraea fled to heau'n: Charity, that naked Babe is gone,* 1.51 Her hony's spent, and all her store is done, Her winglesse Bees can finde out ne'r a bloome, And crooked* 1.52 Ate doth vsurpe her roome; Nepenthe's dry, and Loue can get no drinke, And curs'd Ardenne flowes aboue the brinke: Braue Mariners, the world your names shall hallow, Admiring that in you, that none dare follow; Your friendship's rare, and your conuersion strange: From Paganisme to Zeale? A suddaine change! Those men doe now the God of heau'n implore, That bow'd to Puppets, but an houre before. Their Zeale is feruent (though but new begun) Before their egge-shels were done off, they run, As when bright Phoebus, in a Summer tide,* 1.53 (New risen from the pillow of his Bride)

Enueloped with misty fogges, at length Breaks forth, displayes the mist, with Southern strēgth; Euen so these Mariners (of Peerelesse mirrour) Their faith b'ing vayl'd within the mist of errour, At length their Zeale chac'd ignorance away, They left their Paganisme, and 'gan to pray. ¶Lord, how vnlimmited are thy Confines, That still pursu'st man in his good designes! Thy mercy's like the dew of Hermon hill, Or like the Oyntment, dropping downward still From Aarons head, to beard; from beard, to foot: So doe thy mercies drench vs round about: Thy loue is boundlesse; Thou art apt, and free, To turne to Man, when Man returnes to thee.

THE ARGVMENT.

They cast the Prophet ouer boord: The storme alay'd: They feare the Lord; A mighty Fish him straight deuoures, Where he remayned many howres.

Sect. 6.

EVen as a member,* 1.54 whose corrupted sore Infests, and rankl's, eating more and more, Threatning the bodies losse (if not preuented) The Surgion (after all faire meanes attempted) Cuts off, and with aduised skill doth choose, To lose a part, then all the body lose;

Euen so the Mariners perceiuing all Their labour spent, and the effect but small, And of necessity that all must dye, If Ionah leaue not their society, They tooke vp Ionas, and with one accord, And common ayde, threw Ionas ouer boord; Whereat grim Neptune wip't his fomy mouth, Held his tridented Mace vpon the South; The windes were whist, the billowes daunc't no more, The storme allay'd, the heau'ns left off to rore, The waues (obedient to their beheast) Gaue ready passage, and their rage surceast: The skie grew cleare, and now the glorious light Begins to put the gloomy clouds to flight: Thus all on suddaine was the Sea tranquill, The heau'ns were quiet, and the Waues were still. As when a friendly Creditour (to get A long forborne,* 1.55 and much-concerning debt) Still plyes his willing debter with entreates, Importunes dayly, dayly thumps, and beates The batter'd Portalls of his tyred eares, Bedeafing hm with what he knowes, and heares; The weary debter, to auoyd the sight He loathes, shifts here, and there, and eu'ry night Seekes out Protection of another bed, Yet ne'rethelesse (pursu'd and followed) His eares are still layd at with lowder volley Of harder Dialect; He melancholly, Sits downe, and sighes, and after long fore-slowing, (T' auoyd his presence) payes him what is owing; The thankfull Creditour is now appeas'd, Takes leaue, and goes away content, and pleas'd.

Euen so these angry waues, with restlesse rage, Accosted Ionas in his pilgrimage, And thundred Iudgement in his fearfull eare, Presenting Hubbubs to his guilty feare: The Waues rose discontent, the Surges beat, And euery moments death, the billowes threat; The wether-beaten Ship did euery minnit Await destruction, while he was in it: But when his (long expected) corps they threw Into the deepe, (a debt through trespasse due) The Sea grew kind, and all her frownes abated, Her face was smooth to all that nauigated. 'Twas sinfull Ionah made her storme and rage, 'Twas sinfull Ionah did her storme asswage. With that the Mariners astonish't were,* 1.56 And feard Iehouah with a mighty feare, Offring vp Sacrifice with one accord, And vowing solemne vowes vnto the Lord. * 1.57But God (whose breath can make the heauens shake, And in an instant, all that force can slake, Whose pow'rfull word can make the earths foundatiō Tremble, and with his word can make cessation, Whose wrath doth mount the waues, & tosse the Seas, And make them calme, and whist when e're he please: This God, (whose mercy runs on endlesse wheele, And pulls (like Iacob) Iustice by the heele) Prepar'd a Fish, prepar'd a mighty Whale, Whose belly should be prison-house, and baile For retchlesse Ionah. As a Garner dore Opens his double leafe, to take the store, Wherewith the haruest quits the Ploughmans hope, Euen so the great Leuiathan set ope

His beame-like Iawes, (as glad of such a boone) And at a morsell, swallow'd Ionah downe. Till Rosy-cheek't-Aurora's purple dye Thrice dappl'd had the ruddy morning skye, And thrice had spred the Curtaines of the morne, To let in Titan, when the Day was borne, Ionah was Tenant to this liuing Graue, Embowel'd deepe in this stupendious Caue.* 1.58

Meditatio sexta.

LO, Death is now, as alwayes it hath bin, The iust procured stipend of our sinne: Sinne is a golden Causie, and a Road That's leuell, pleasant, that is euen, and broad, But leads at length to death, and endlesse griefe, To torments and to paines, without reliefe. Iustice feares none, but maketh all afraid, And then falls hardest, when 'tis most delaid. But thou reply'st, Thy sinnes are daily great, Yet thou sitt'st, vncontrold vpon thy seat: Thy wheat doth flourish, and thy barnes doe thriue, Thy sheepe encrease, thy sonnes are all aliue, And thou art buxom, and hast nothing scant, Finding no want of any thing, but want, Whil'st others, whō the squint-e'yd world counts holy, Sit sadly drooping in a melancholy, With brow deiected, and downe-hanging head, Or take of almes, or poorly beg their bread: But Young man, know, there is a Day of doome, The feast is good, vntill the reck'ning come.

The time runnes fastest, where is least regard; The stone that's long in falling, falleth hard; There is a Day, a dying Day (thou foole) When all thy laughter shall be turn'd to Doole, Thy roabes to tort'ring plagues, and fell tormenting, Thy whoops of Ioy, to howles of sad lamenting: Thy tongue shall yell, and yawle, and neuer stop, And wish a world, to giue for one poore drop, To flatter thine intolerable paine; The wealth of Pluto could not then obtaine A minutes freedome from that hellish rout, Whose fire burnes, and neuer goeth out; Nor house, nor land, nor measur'd heapes of wealth, Can render to a dying man his health: Our life on earth is like a thrid of flax, That all may touch, and being toucht, it cracks. ¶As when an Archer shooteth for his sport,* 1.59 Sometimes his shaft is gone, sometime 'tis short, Sometimes o'th' left hand wide, sometimes o'th' right, At last (through often triall) hits the White; So Death sometimes with her vncertaine Rouer, Hits our Superiours (and so shootes ouer) Sometimes for change, she strikes the meaner sort, Strikes our inferiours (and then comes short) Sometimes vpon the left hand wide she goes, And so (still wounding some) she strikes our foes; And sometimes wide vpon the right hand wends, There with impartiall shafts, she strikes our friends; At length, (through often triall) hits the White, And so strikes vs into Eternall night. ¶Death is a Kalender compos'd by Fate, Concerning all men, neuer out of Date:

Her dayes Dominicall are writ in blood; She shewes more bad dayes, then she sheweth good; She tells when dayes, and months, and termes expire, And shewes thee strange aspects of fearefull fire. ¶Death is a Pursiuant, with Eagles wings, That knocks at poore mens dores, and gates of Kings. Worldling, beware; for, lo, Death sculks behind thee, And as she leaues thee, so will Iudgement finde thee.

THE ARGVMENT.

Within the bowels of the Fish, Ionah laments in great anguish; God heard his pray'r, at whose command, The Fish disgorg'd him on the Land.

Sect. 7.

THen Ionah turn'd his face to heau'n,* 1.60 and pray'd VVithin the bowels of the VVhale, and sayd, "I cry'd out of my balefull misery "Vnto the Lord, and he hath heard my cry,* 1.61 "From out the paunch of hell I made a noyse, "And thou hast answer'd me, and heard my voyce: "Into the Deepes and bottome thou hast throwne me,* 1.62 "Thy Surges, and thy VVaues haue past vpon me. "Then Lord (said I) from out thy glorious sight "I am reiected, and forsaken quite,* 1.63 "Nath'lesse while these my wretched eyes remaine, "Vnto thy Temple will I looke againe.

"The boyst'rous waters compasse me about,* 1.64 "My body threats, to let her pris'ner out, "The boundlesse depth enclos'd me, (almost dead) "The weedes were wrapt about my fainting head, "I liu'd on earth reiected at thine hand,* 1.65 "And a perpetuall pris'ner in the Land; "Yet thou wilt cause my life t'ascend at length, "From out this pit, O Lord, my God, my Strength; "When as my soule was ouer-whelm'd,* 1.66 and faint, "I had recourse to thee, did thee acquaint "With the condition of my wofull case, "My cry came to thee, in thine holy Place. * 1.67"Whoso to Vanities themselues betake, "Renounce thy mercies,* 1.68 and thy loue forsake. "To thee I'le sacrifice in endlesse dayes, "With voyce of thanks, and euer-sounding praise, "I'le pay my vowes; for all the world records "With one consent, Saluation is the Lords. * 1.69So God (whose Word's a deed, whose Breath's a law, Whose iust command implies a dreadfull awe, Whose Word prepar'd a Whale vpon the Deepe, To tend, and waite for Iona's fall, and keepe His out-cast body safe, and soule secure) This very God, (whose mercy must endure When heau'n, and earth, and sea, and all things faile) Disclos'd his purpose, and bespake the Whale, To redeliuer Ionah to his hand; Whereat the Whale disgorg'd him on the Land.* 1.70

Meditatio septimu.

I Well record, a holy Father sayes, "He teaches to denie, that faintly prayes:* 1.71 The suit surceases, when desire failes, But whoso prayes with feruencie, preuailes; For Pray'rs the key that opens heauen gate,* 1.72 And findes admittance, whether earl' or late, It forces audience, it vnlocks the eare Of heau'nly God, (though deafe) it makes him heare. Vpon a time * 1.73 Babel (the Worlds faire Queene, Made drunke with choller, and enrag'd with Spleene) Through fell Disdaine, derraigned Warre 'gainst them That tender Homage to Ierusalem:* 1.74 A Mayden fight it was, yet they were strong As men of Warre; The Battaile lasted long, Much bloud was shed, and spilt on either side, That all the ground with purple gore was dyde: In fine, a Souldier of Ierusalem, * 1.75 Charissa hight, (the Almner of the Realme) Chill'd with a Feuer, and vnapt to fight, Into Iustitia's Castle tooke her flight, Whereat great Babels Queene commanded all, To lay their siege against the Castle wall; But poore * 1.76 Tymissa (not with warre acquainted) Fearing Charissa's death, fell downe, and fainted; Dauntlesse * 1.77 Prudentia rear'd her from the ground, VVhere she lay (pale, and sencelesse) in swound, She rubb'd her temples (lost in swouny shade) And gaue her water, that * 1.78 Fidissa made,

And said, Cheare vp, (deare Sister) though our foe Hath ta'ne vs Captiues, and inthrall'd vs so, We haue a King puissant, and of might, Will see vs take no wrong, and doe vs right, If we possesse him with our sad complaint, Cheare vp, wee'l send to him, and him acquaint. Timissa (new awak'd from swound) replies, Our Castle is begirt with enemies, And clouds of armed men besiege our walls, Then suer Death, or worse then Death befalls To her, (who ere she be) that stirres a foote, Or dares attempt, this place to fally out: Alas! what hope haue we to finde reliefe, And want the meanes that may diuulge our griefe? Within that place, a iolly Matron won'd, With firie lookes, and drawen-sword in hond, Her eyes, with age, were waxen wond'rous dim, With hoary locks, and visage sterne, and grim; Her name * 1.79 Iustitia hight; to her they make Their moane, who (well aduis'd) them thus bespake: "Faire Maydens, well I wot; y' are ill bedight, And rue the suffrance of your wofull plight, But Pitty's fond alone, and rankles griefe, And fruitlesse falls, vnlesse it yeeld reliefe: Cheare vp, I haue a Messenger in store, Whose speed is much, but faithfull trust is more, Whose nimble wings shall cleaue the flitting skies, And scorne the terrour of your enemies, * 1.80 Oratio hight, well knowne vnto your King, Your message she shall doe, and tydings bring, Prouided that * 1.81 Fidissa trauaile with her, And so (* 1.82 on Christs name) let them goe together.

With that, Fidissa hauing ta'ne her errant, And good Oratio, with Iustitia's Warrant, In silence of the midnight, tooke their flight, Arriuing at the Court that very night; But they were both as any fier hot,* 1.83 For they did flie as swift, as Cannon shot, But they (left suddaine cold should doe them harme) Together clung, and kept each other warme:* 1.84 But lo, the Kingly gates were sparr'd, and lockt, They call'd, but none made answere, then they knockt, Together ioyning both their force in one, They knockt amaine; Yet answere there was none; But they that neuer learn'd to take deniall, With importunity made further triall: The King heard well, although he list not speake, Till they with strokes the gate did wel-nie breake. In fine, the brazen gates flew open wide; Oratio moou'd her suit: The King replide, Oratio was a faire, and welcome ghest; So heard her suit; so graunted her request. Fraile Man, obserue, In thee the practice lies, Let sacred Meditation moralize. Let Pray'r be feruent, and thy Faith intire, And God will graunt thee more then thy desire.

THE ARGVMENT.

The second time was Ionah sent To Niniuy: so Ionah went: Against her crying sinnes he cri'd, And her destruction propheci'd.

Sect. 8.

ONce more the voyce of heau'ns-high-Cōmander (Like horrid claps of heau'ns-diuiding-thunder,* 1.85 Or like the fall of waters breach (the noyse B'ing heard farre distant off) such was the voyce) Came downe from heau'n, to Ionah new-borne-Man, To re-baptized Ionah, and thus began; Am I a God? Or art thou ought but Dust? More then a man? Or are my Lawes vniust? Am I a God, and shall I not command? Art thou a man, and dar'st my Lawes withstand? Shall I (the motion of whose breath shall make Both Earth, and Sea, and Hell, and Heauen quake) By thee (fond man) shall I be thus neglected, And thy presumption scape vncorrected? Thy Faith hath sau'd thee (Ionah:) Sinne no more, Lest worse things happen after, then before; Arise;* 1.86 let all th' assembled pow'rs agree To doe the message I impose on thee; Trifle no more, and, to auoyd my sight, Thinke not to baulke me with a second flight.

Arise, and goe to Niniuy (the great) Where broods of Gentiles haue ta'ne vp their seat, The Great-Queene-regent-mother of the Land, That multiplies in people like the sand; Away, with wings of time, (I'le not essoine thee) Denounce these fiery Iudgements, I enioyne thee. Like as a yongling that to schoole is set,* 1.87 (Scarce weaned from his dandling mothers tet, Where he was cockerd with a stroking hand) With stubborne heart, denyes the Iust command His Tutor will's: But being once corrected, His home-bred stomack's curb'd, or quite eiected, His crooked nature's chang'd, and mollified, And humbly seeks, what stoutly he deny'd; So Iona's stout, peruerse, and stubborne hart, Was hardned once, but when it felt the smart Of Gods auenging wrath, it strait dissolu'd, And what it once auoyded, now resolu'd T' effect with speed, and with a carefull hand Fully replenish'd with his Lords Command, To Niniueh he flyeth like a Roe, Each step the other striues to ouergoe; And as an arrow to the mark does fly, So (bent to flight) flyes he to Niniuy. (Now Niniuy a mighty Citty was, And all the Citties of the world did passe, A Citty which o're all the rest aspires, Like midnight▪Phoebé 'mong the lesser fyers, A Citty which (although to men was giuen) Better beseem'd the mighty King of Heauen, A Citty Great to God, whose ample wall, Who vndertakes to mete with paces, shall

Bring Phoebus thrice a-bed, e're it be dun, (Although with dawning Lucifer begun.) When Ionas had approacht the City gate,* 1.88 He made no stay to rest, ne yet to baite, Nor yet with oyle, his fainting head he 'noynts, Nor stayes to bathe his weather-beaten ioynts, Nor smooth'd his countenance, nor slick't his skinne, Ne craued he the Hostage of an Inne, To ease his aking bones (with trauell sore) But went as speedy, as he fled before, The Cities greatnes made him not refuse, To be the trump of that vnwelcome newes His tongue was great with; But (like thunders noyse) His mouth flew ope, and out there rusht a voyce. * 1.89When dewy-cheek't Aurora shall display Her golden locks, and summon vp the Day Twice twentie times, and rest her drowzy head Twice twentie more, in aged Tithons bed, Then Niniueh this place of high renowne, Shall be destroy'd, and sackt, and batterd downe. He sate not down to take deliberation, What manner people were they, or what Nation, Or Gent, or Saluage, nor did he enquier What place were most conuenient for a Cryer, Nor like a sweet-lipt Orator did steare, Or tune his language to the peoples eare, But bold, and rough (yet full of maiesty) Lift vp his trumpet, and began to Cry, When forty times Dan Phoebus shall fulfill His Iournall course vpon th' Olympian Hill, Then Niniueh (the Worlds great wonder) shall Startle the Worlds foundation with her fall.

The dreadfull Prophet stands not to admire The Cities pomp, or peoples quaint attire, Nor yet (with fond affection) doth pitty Th' approching downfall of so braue a City: But freely lifts his dismall voyce on high, Not caring who excepts against the Cry, When fortie Dayes shall be expir'd, and run, And that poore Inch of time drawne out and dun, Then Niniueh (the Worlds Imperiall throne) Shall not be left a stone, vpon a stone.* 1.90

Meditatio octaua.

BVt stay; Is God like one of vs? Can hee,* 1.91 When he hath said it, alter his Decree? Can he that is the God of Truth, dispence With what he vow'd? or offer violence Vpon his sacred Iustice? Can his minde Reuolt at all? or vary like the winde? How comes it then to passe? How mought it bee, That hauing limited his iust Decree Vpon the expiring date of fortie dayes, He then performes it not? But still delayes His plagues denounc't, and Iudgement still forbeares, And stead of fortie Dayes giues many yeares? Yet fortie Dayes, and Niniueh shall perish? Yet fortie yeeres, and Niniueh doth flourish: A change in man's infirme; in God 'tis strange; In God, to change his Will, and will a Change,* 1.92 Are diuers things: When God repents from ill, He wills a change; he changes not his Will;

The subiect's chang'd, which secret he kept close, But not the mind, that so did it dispose; Denounced Iudgement God doth oft preuent,* 1.93 But neither changes counsell, nor intent: Moreo're He seldome threatens a perdition, But with expresse, or an impli'd condition: So that, if Niniuey do turne from ill, God turns his hand, he doth not turne his Will. ¶The stint of Niniuey was forty dayes, To cry for grace, and turne from euill wayes; To some the time is large; To others small, To some 'tis many yeeres; And not at all To others; Some an hower haue, and some Haue scarce a minute of their time to come: Thy span of life (Malfido) is thy space,* 1.94 To call for mercy, and to cry for grace. ¶Lord! what is man, but like a worme that crawl's, Open to danger, euery foot that falls? Death creeps (vnheard) and steales abroad (vnseene) Her darts are sudden, and her arrowes keene, Vncertaine when, but certaine she will strike, Respecting King, and begger both alike; The stroke is deadly, come it earl', or late, And once being struck, repenting's out of date; Death is a minute, full of sudden sorrow: "Then liue to day, as thou maist dye to morrow.

THE ARGVMENT.

The Niniuites beleeue the Word; Their hearts returne vnto the Lord; In him they put their only trust: They mourne in Sackcloth, and in dust.

Sect. 9.

SO said; the Niniuites beleeu'd the Word,* 1.95 Beleeued Ionas, and beleeu'd the Lord; They made no pause, nor iested at the newes, Nor slighted it, because it was a Iew's Denouncement: No, Nor did their gazing eyes (As taken captiues with such nouelties) Admire the strangers garb, so quaint to theirs, No idle chat possest their itching eares, The whil'st he spake: nor were their tongues on fier, To raile vpon, or interrupt the Cryer, Nor did they question whether true the message, Or false the Prophet were, that brought th' embassage: But they gaue faith to what he said; relented, And (changing their mis-wandred wayes) repented; Before the searching Ayre could coole his word, Their hearts returned, and beleeu'd the Lord; And they, whose dainty palats cloy'd whileare With cates, and vyands were, and luscious cheare, Doe now enioyne their lips, not once to tast The offall bread, (for they proclaim'd a Fast)

And they, whose wanton bodies once did lye Wrapt vp in Robes, and Silkes, of princely Dye, Lo now, in stead of Robes, in Rags they mourne, And all their Silkes doe into Sackcloth turne. They reade themselues sad Lectures on the ground, Learning to want, as well as to abound; The Prince was not exempted, nor the Peere, Nor yet the richest, nor the poorest there; The old man was not freed, (whose hoary age Had eu'n almost outworne his Pilgrimage;) Nor yet the young, whose Glasse (but new begun) By course of nature had an age to run: For when that fatall Word came to the King,* 1.96 (Conuay'd with speed vpon the nimble wing Of flitting Fame) He strait dismounts his Throne, Forsakes his Chaire of State he sate vpon, Disrob'd his body, and his head discrown'd, In dust and ashes grou'ling on the ground, And when he rear'd his trembling corpes againe, (His haire all filthy with the dust he lay in) He clad in pensiue Sackcloth, did depose Himselfe from state Imperiall, and chose To liue a Vassall, or a baser thing, Then to vsurpe the Scepter of a King: His golden cup of Honour and Authority, Made him not drunke, and so forget mortality, (Respectlesse of his pompe) he quite forgate He was a King, so mindlesse of his State, That he forgate to rule, or be obey'd; Nor did he weild the Sword,* 1.97 nor Scepter sway'd.

Meditatio nona.

¶IS fasting then the thing that God requires? Can fasting expiate, or slake those fires That Sinne hath blowne to such a mighty flame? Can sackcloth clothe a fault? or hide a shame? Can ashes clense thy blot? or purge thy' offence? Or doe thy hands make God a recompence, By strowing dust vpon thy bryny face? Are these the tricks to purchase heau'nly grace? No, though thou pine thy selfe with willing want; Or face looke thinne, or Carkas ne▪r so gaunt, Although thou worser weeds then sackcloth weare, Or naked goe, or sleep in shirts of haire, Or though thou chuse an ash-tub for thy bed, Or make a daily dunghill on thy head, Thy labour is not poysd with equall Gaines, For thou hast nought but labour for thy paines: Such idle madnesse God reiects, and loaths, That sinkes no deeper, than the skinne, or cloaths; 'Tis not thine eyes which (taught to weep by art) Looke red with teares, (not guilty of thy hart) 'Tis not the holding of thy hands so hye, Nor yet the purer squinting of thine eye; 'Tis not your Mimmick mouthes, nor Antick faces, Nor Scripture phrases, nor affected Graces, Nor prodigall vp-banding of thine eyes, Whose gashfull balls doe seeme to pelt the skyes; 'Tis no: the strict reforming of your haire So close, that all the neighbour skull is bare;

'Tis not the drooping of thy head so low, Nor yet the lowring of thy sullen brow, Nor howling, wherewithall you fill the ayre, Nor repetitions of your tedious pray'r: No, no, 'tis none of this, that God regards; Such sort of fooles their owne applause rewards;* 1.98 Such Puppit-playes, to heau'n are strange, and quaint, Their seruice is vnsweet, and foully taint, Their words fall fruitlesse from their idle braine; But true Repentance runnes in other straine; Where sad contrition harbours, there thy hart Is first acquainted with an inly smart, And restlesse grones within thy mournfull brest, Where sorrow finds her selfe a welcome ghest; It throbs, it sighes, it mournes in decent wise, Dissolu's, and fills the Cisternes of thine eyes; It frights thy pensiue soule, with strange aspects Of crying sinnes committed; It detects Thy wounded conscience; It cryes amaine, For mercy, mercy, cryes, and cryes againe; It vowes, it sadly grieues, and sore laments, It yernes for grace, Reformes, Returnes, Repents; I; this is Incense, whose accepted sauour Mounts vp the heauenly Throne, and findeth fauour: I; this is it, whose valour neuer failes, With God it stoutly wrestles, and preuailes: I; this is it, that pierces heauen aboue, Neuer returning home (like Noah's Doue) But brings an Oliffe leafe, or some encrease, That works Saluation, and eternall Peace.

THE ARGVMENT.

The Prince and people fasts, and prayes; God heard, accepted, lik'd their wayes: Vpon their timely true repentance, God reuerst, and chang'd his sentence.

Sect. 10.

THen suddenly, with holy zeale inflam'd,* 1.99 He caus'd a Generall act, to be proclam'd, By good aduice, and counsell of his Peeres; Let neither Man, nor child, of youth, or yeeres,* 1.100 From greatest in the City, to the least, Nor Heard, nor pining Flock, nor hungry beast, Nor any thing that draweth ayre, or breath, On forfeiture of life, or present death, Presume to taste of nourishment, or food, Or moue their hungry lips, to chew the cud; From out their eyes let Springs of water burst, With teares (or nothing) let them slake their thurst:* 1.101 Moreo're, let euery man (what e're he be) Of high preferment, or of low degree, D' off all they weare (excepting but the same) That nature craues, and that which couers shame) Their nakednesse with sackcloth let them hide, And mue the vest'ments of their silken pride; And let the braue cariering Horse of warre, (Whose rich Caparisons, and Trappings are

Of sumptuous beautie, and of glorious show) Let him disrobe, and put▪on sackcloth too; The Oxe (ordain'd for yoke) the Asse (for load) The Horse (as well for race, as for the road) The burthen-bearing Cammell (strong and great) The fruitfull Kine, and eu'ry kind of Neate, Let all put sackcloth on, and spare no voyce, But crie amaine to heau'n, with mightie noyse; Let all men turne the Byas of their wayes, And change their fiercer hands, to force of praise: For who can tell,* 1.102 if God (whose angrie face Hath long bin wayning from vs) will embrace This slender pittance of our best endeuour? Who knowes, if God will his intent perseuer? Or who can tell, if He (whose tender loue, And mercy' extends his Iudgements farre aboue) Will change his high Decree, and turne his sentence Vpon a timely, and vnfain'd Repentance? And who can tell, if God will change the lot, That we, and ours may liue, and perish not? So God perceiu'd their works, and saw their wayes, Approu'd the faith,* 1.103 that in their works did blaze, Approu'd their works, approu'd their works the rather, Because their faith, and works went both together; He saw their faith, because their faith abounded, He saw their works, because on faith they grounded, H' approu'd their faith, because their faith was true, H' approu'd their works, because on faith they grew; He saw their faith, and works, and so relented, H•• approu'd their faith, and works, and so repented; Repented of the plagues, they apprehended; Repented of the Euill, that he intended:

So God the vengeance of his hand with-drew, He tooke no forfeiture, although 'twere due; The Euill, that once he meant, he now forgot, Cancell'd the forfeit bond, and did it not.* 1.104

Meditatio decima.

¶LO, into what an ebbe of low estate The Soule, that seekes to be regenerate, Must first decline; Before the Ball rebound, It must be throwne with force against the ground; The Seed cannot encrease in fruitfull eares, Nor can she reare the goodly stalke she beares, Vnlesse bestrow'd vpon a mould of earth, And made more glorious, by a second birth: So fares with Man; Before he can bring forth The braue exploits of truly noble Worth, Or hope the granting of his sinnes remission, He must be humbl'd first in sad contrition; The plant (through want of skill, or by neglect) If it be planted from the Sunnes reflect, Or lack the dew of seasonable showres, Decayes, and beareth neither Fruit, or Flowres; So wretched Man, if his repentance hath No quickning Sunne-shine of a liuely Faith, Or not bedew'd with show'rs of timely teares, Or works of mercy (wherein Faith appeares) His pray'rs, and deeds, and all his forged grones, Are like the howles of Dogs, and works of Drones: The skilfull Surgeon, first (by letting blood) Weakens his Patient, ere he does him good;

Before the Soule can a true comfort finde, The Body must be prostrate, and the Minde Truly repentiue, and contrite within, And loath the fawning of a bosome Sin. But Lord! Can MAN deserue? Or can his Best Doe Iustice equall right, which he transgrest? When Dust and Ashes mortally offends, Can Dust and Ashes make Eternall mends? Is Heau'n vniust? Must not the Recompence Be full Equiualent to the Offence? What mends by mortall Man can then be giu'n To the offended Maiestie of heau'n? O Mercie! Mercie! on thee my Soule relyes, On thee we build our Faith, we bend our eyes; Thou fill'st my empty straine, thou fil'st my tongue; Thou art the subiect of my Swan-like song; Like pinion'd pris'ners at the dying Tree, Our lingring hopes attend, and wayte on thee; (Arraign'd at Iustice barre) preuent our doome; To thee with ioyfull hearts we cheerely come; Thou art our Clergie; Thou that dearest Booke, Wherein our fainting eyes desire to looke; In thee, we trust to reade (what will release vs) In bloudy Caracters, that name of IESVS. ¶What shall we then returne to God of Heau'n? Where nothing is (Lord) nothing can be giu'n; Our soules, our bodies, strength, and all our pow'rs, (Alas!) were all too little, were they ours: Or shall we burne (vntill our life expires) An endlesse Sacrifice in Holy fires? ¶My Sacrifice shall be my HEART entire, My Christ the Altar, and my Zeale the Fire.

THE ARGVMENT.

The Prophet discontented prayes To God, that he would end his dayes; God blames his wrath so vnreprest, Reproues his vnaduis'd Request.

Sect. 11.

BVt this displeasing was in Iona's eyes,* 1.105 His heart grew hot, his blood began to rise, His eyes did sparkle, and his teeth struck fire, His veines did boyle, his heart was full of yre; At last brake foorth into a strange request, These words he pray'd, and mumbl'd out the rest: Was not, O was not this my thought (O Lord) Before I fled? Nay, was not this my Word,* 1.106 The very Word, that these my lips had shaped, When this mis-hap mought well haue bin escaped? Was there, O was there not a iust suspect, My preaching would procuer this effect? For loe; I knew of old, they tender loue; I knew the pow'r, thou gau'st my Tongue, would moue Their Adamantine hearts; I knew 'twould thaw Their frozen spirits, and breed relenting awe; I knew moreo're, vpon their true repentance, That thou determin'dst to reuerse thy sentence; For lo, I knew, thou wert a Gracious God, Of long forbearance, slow to vse the Rod▪

I knew the power of thy Mercies bent, The strength of all thy other works out-went; I knew thy tender kindnes; and how loth Thou wert to punish, and how slow to wrath; Turning thy Iudgements, and thy plagues preuenting, Thy mind reuersing, and of Eu'll repenting: Therefore (O therefore) through this perswasion, I fled to Tarsish, there to make euasion; To saue thy credit (Lord) to saue mine owne: For when this blast of zeale is ouer-blowne, And sackloth left, and they left off to mourne, When they (like dogs) shall to their vomit turne, They'l vilipend thy sacred Word, and scoffe it, Saying, Was that a God, or this a Prophet? They'l scorne thy Iudgements, & thy threats despise, And call thy Prophets, Messengers of lyes. * 1.107Now therefore (Lord) bow downe attentiue eare, (For lo, my burthen's more then I can beare) Make speed (O Lord) and banish all delayes, T' extinguish (now) the tapour of my dayes: Let not the minutes of my time extend, But let my wretched howers find an end; Let not my fainting sprite thus long aby In her fraile mansion of mortality: The thrid's but weake, my life depends vpon, O cut that thrid, and let my life be done; My brest stands faire, O strike, and strike againe, For nought, but dying, can asswage my paine: For liefer 'tis to dye, then liue in shame, For better 'tis to leaue, and yeeld the game, Then toyle for what at length must needs be lost; O kill me, for my heart is sore imbost;

This latter boone vnto thy seruant giue, For better 'tis for me, to dye then liue. So wretched Ionah; But Iehoua thus; What boot's it so to storme out-ragious?* 1.108 Does it become my seruants heart to swell? Can anger helpe thee, Ionah? Doest thou well?* 1.109

Meditatio vndecima.

¶HOw poore a thing is man! How vain's his mind! How strange, & base! And wau'ring like y^e wind! How vncouth are his wayes! How full of danger! How to himselfe, is he himselfe a stranger! His heart's corrupt, and all his thoughts are vaine, His actions sinfull, and his words prophane, His will's deprau'd, his senses all beguil'd, His reason's darke, His members all defil'd, His hastie feet are swift, and prone to ill, His guilty hands are euer bent to kill, His tongue's a spunge of venome, (or of worse) Her practice is to sweare, her skill to curse; His eyes, are fierballs of lustfull fire, And outward spyes, to inward foule desire, His body is a well erected station, But full of filth, and foule corrupted passion, Fond loue; and raging lust, and foolish feares,* 1.110 Excessiue ioy, and griefe o'rwhelm'd with teares Immoderate; and couetous Desier, And sinfull anger, red, and hot as fier; These daily clog the soule, that's fast in prison, From whose encrease, this lucklesse brood is risen,

Respectlesse Pride, and lustfull Idlenes, Foule ribbauld talke, and lothsome Drunkennes, Fruitlesse Despayre, and needlesse Curiositie, Odious Ingratitude, Double Hypocrisie, Base Flattery, and haughty-ey'd Ambition, Heart-gnawing Hatred, and squint-ey'd Suspition, Self-eating Enuie, Enuious Detraction, Hopelesse Distrust, and too-too sad Deiection, Reuengefull Malice, Hellish Blasphemie, Idolatry, and light Inconstancie; Daring Presumption, wry-mouth'd Derision, Fearefull Apostacie, vaine Superstition. ¶What heedfull watch? And what contin'all ward? How great respect? and howerly regard, Stands man in hand to haue, when such a brood Of furious hell-hounds seeke to suck his blood? Day, night, and hower, they rebell, and wrastle, And neuer cease, till they subdue the Castle. ¶How sleight a thing is man? How fraile and brittle? How seeming great is he? How truly little? Within the bosome of his holiest works, Some hidden Embers of old Adam lurks; Which oftentimes in men of righteous wayes, Burst out in flame, and for a season blaze. ¶Lord teach our hearts, & giue our soules directions, Subdue our Passions, Curb our stout Affections, Nip thou the bud, before the Bloome begins; Lord, keep all good men from presumptuous sins.

THE ARGVMENT.

A Booth for shelter Ionah made; God sent a Gourd for better shade; But by the next approching light, God sent a Worme consum'd it quite.

Sect. 12.

SO Ionah (sore opprest,* 1.111 and heauy-hearted) From out the Cities circuit straight departed, Departed to the Easterne borders of it, Where sick with anguish sate this sullen Prophet; He built a Booth, and in the Booth he sate, (Vntill some few daies had expir'd their date With ouer-tedious pace) where he might see, What would betide to threatned Niniuie; A trunk that wanteth sap, is soone decay'd; The slender Booth of boughs and branches made, Soone yeelded to the fire of Phoebus Ray, So dri'd to Dust, consuming quite away: Whereat, the great Iehoua spake the word, And ouer Iona's head there sprang a Gourd,* 1.112 Whose roots were fixt within the quickning earth, Which gaue it nourishment, as well as birth; God raised vp a Gourd, a Gourd should last, Let wind, or scortching Sunne, or blow, or blast; As coales of fier rak'd in Embers,* 1.113 lye Obscure, and vndiscerned by the eye;

But being stird, regaine a glimm'ring light, Reuiue, and glow, burning a-fresh and bright; So Ionah 'gan to cheare through this reliefe, And ioyfull was, deuoyded all his griefe: He ioy'd to see, that God had not forgot His drooping seruant, nor forsooke him not; He ioy'd, in hope the Gourds strange wonder will Perswade the people, he's a Prophet still; The fresh aspect did much content his sight, The herball sauour gaue his sense delight; So Ionah much delighted in his Gourd, Enioy'd the pleasures, that it did affoord: But Lord!* 1.114 what earthly thing can long remaine? How momentary are they! and how vaine! How vaine is earth, that man's delighted in it! Her pleasures rise; and vanish in a minnit: How fleeting are the ioyes, we find below! Whose tides (vncertaine) alwayes ebbe, and flow; For lo! this Gourd (that was so faire, and sound) Is quite consum'd, and eaten to the ground; No sooner Titan had vp-heau'd his head, From off the pillow of his Saffron bed, But God prepar'd a silly, silly worme, (Perchance brought thither, by an Easterne storme) The worme that must obey, and well knew how, Consum'd it quite, ne left it root, nor bow; Consum'd it straight, within a minut's space, Left nought,* 1.115 but (sleeping) Ionas in the place.

Meditatio duodecima.

¶THe Pleasures of the world, (which soone abate) Are liuely Emblems of our owne estate, Which (like a Banquet at a Fun'rall show) But sweeten griefe, and serue to flatter woe. ¶Pleasure is fleeting still, and makes no stay,* 1.116 It lends a smile, or twaine, and steales away. ¶Man's life is fickle, full of winged haste,* 1.117 It mocks the sense with ioy, and soone does waste. ¶Pleasure does crowne thy youth, and lulls thy wants,* 1.118 But (sullen age approching) straight auaunts. ¶Man's life is Ioy, and Dolor seekes to banish,* 1.119 It doth lament, and mourne in age, and vanish. ¶The time of pleasure's like the life of man; Both ioyfull, both contained in a span; Both highly priz'd, and both on sudden lost, When most we trust them, they deceiue vs most; What fit of madnes makes vs loue them thus? We leaue our liues, and pleasure leaueth vs: Why what are Pleasures? But a golden dreame,* 1.120 Which (waking) makes our wants the more extreame? And what is Life? A bubble full of care,* 1.121 Which (prickt by death) straight empties into ayre: The flowers (clad in far more rich array, Then earst was Salomon) doe soone decay; What thing more sweet, or fairer then a flowre? Nath'les, it blooms, and fades within an howre; What thing more pleasing then a morning Sun? And yet this pleasure euery Day is dun:

But thou art heire to Croesus, and thy treasure Being great, and endlesse, endlesse is thy pleasure; But thou (thou Croesus heire) consider must, Thy wealth, and thou, came from, and goes to dust; Another's noble, and his name is great, And takes his place vpon a loftie seat; True 'tis, but yet his many wants are such, That better 'twere he were not knowne so much. Another binds his soule in Hymens knot, His Spouse is chaste, and faire withouten spot, But yet his comfort is bedasht, and done, His grounds are stock't, and now he want's a sonne. ¶How fickle, and vnconstant's mans Estate! Man faine would haue, but then he knowes not what; And hauing, rightly knowes not how to prize it, But like the foolish Dunghill-cock imploy's it: But who desires to liue a life content, Wherein his Cruze of ioy shall ne'r be spent, Let him consider what may be desir'd,* 1.122 The date whereof is not to be expir'd: For that's not worth the crauing, to obtaine A happinesse, that must be lost againe; Nor that, which most doe couet most, is best; Best are the goods, mixt with contented rest; Gasp not for * 1.123 Honour, wish no blazing glory, For these will perish in an ages story; Nor yet for pow'r, for that may be conferr'd On fooles, as well, as thee, that hast deseru'd. Thirst not for Lands, nor Mony; wish for none, For * 1.124 Wealth is neither lasting, nor our owne; Riches are faire inticements, to deceiue vs; They flatter, while we liue, and dying, leaue vs.

THE ARGVMENT.

Ionah desires to dye, The Lord Rebukes him, He maintaines his word, His anger he doth iustifie, God pleads the Cause for Niniuie.

Sect. 13.

WHen ruddy Phoebus had (with morning light) Subdu'd the East, and put the stars to flight,* 1.125 The Lord prepar'd a feruent Easterne wind, Whose drought together with the Sunne combin'd, Each adding fier to the others heat, (With strong vnited force) amaine did beat, And sore reflect vpon the helplesse head Of fainting Ionah (that was well-nye dead) Who turning oft, and tossing to and fro, (As they that are in torments vse to doe) And (restlesse) finding no successe of ease, But rather, that his tortures still encrease; His secret passion to his soule betrai'd, Wishing with all his heart to dye, and said; O kill me (Lord) or lo, my heart will riue; For better 'tis for me to dye then liue: So said, the Lord did interrupt his passion,* 1.126 Saying, How now? Is this a seemly fashion? Doth it become my seruants heart to swell? Can anger helpe thee? Ionah, do'st thou well?

Is this a fit speech? or a well-plac'd word? What, art thou angry (Ionah) for a Gourd? What, if th' Arabians with their ruder traine Had kill'd thine Oxen,* 1.127 and thy Cattell slaine? What, if consuming fier (falne from heauen) Had all thy seruants of their liues bereauen, And burnt thy Sheep? What, if by strong oppression The Chaldees had vsurpt vniust possession Vpon thy Cammels? Or had Boreas blowne His full-mouth'd blast, and cast thy houses downe, And slaine thy sonnes, amid their iollities? Or hadst thou lost thy Vineyard full of trees?* 1.128 Or bin bereaued of thine only Sheep,* 1.129 That in thy tender bosome vs'd to sleep? How would thine hastie spirit then bin sturr'd, If thou art angry, Ionah, for a Gourd? So Ionah frames his answere thus,* 1.130 and saith, Lord, I doe well to vex vnto the death; I blush not to acknowledge, and professe Deserued rage, I'm angry, I confesse; 'Twould make a spirit that is thorow frozen, To blaze like flaming Pitch, and frie like Rozen: Why dost thou aske that thing, that thou canst tell? Thou know'st I'm angry, and it beseemes me well. So said,* 1.131 the Lord to Ionah thus bespake; Dost thou bemoane, and such compassion take Vpon a Gourd,* 1.132 whose seed thou didst not sow, Nor mou'd thy skilfull hands to make it grow, Whose beautie small, and profit was but slight, Which sprang, and also perisht in a night? Hadst thou (O dust and ashes) such a care, And in-bred pittie, a trifling plant to spare?

Hadst thou, (O hard and incompassionate, To wish the razing of so braue a State) Hadst thou (I say) compassion, to bewaile The extirpation of a Gourd so fraile? And shall not I (that am the Lord of Lords) Whose fountaine's neuer dry,* 1.133 but still affords Sweet streames of mercie, with a fresh supply, To those that thirst for grace? What shall not I, (That am the God of mercie, and haue sworne To pardon sinners, when soe're they turne? (I say) shall I disclaime my wonted pitie, And bring to ruine such a goodly Citie, Whose hearts (so truly penitent) implore me, Who day and night powre foorth their soules before me? Shall I destroy the mightie Niniuie, Whose people are like sands about the sea? 'Mong which are sixe-score thousand soules (at least) That hang vpon their tender mothers brest? Whose prettie smiles did neuer yet descry The deare affection of their mothers eye? Shall I subuert, and bring to desolation A Citie, (nay, more aptly tearm'd a Nation) Whose walls are wide, and wondrous full of might? Whose hearts are sorrowfull, and soules contrite? Whose infants are in number, so amounting? And beasts, and cattell, endlesse, without counting? What, Ionah, shall a Gourd so moue thy pitie? And shall not I spare such a goodly Citie?* 1.134

Meditatio vltima.

¶MY heart is full, and knowes not how to vent; My tongue proues traytor to my poore intent; My mind's in labour, and find's no redresse; My heart conceiues, My tongue cannot expresse; My organs suffer, through a maine Defect; Alas! I want a proper Dialect, To blazon forth the tythe of what I muse; The more I meditate, the more accrewes; But lo, my faultring tongue must say no more, Vnlesse she step where she hath trod before. What? shall I then be silent? No, I'le speake, (Till tongue be tyred, and my lungs be weake) Of dearest mercie, in as sweet a straine, As it shall please my Muse to lend a vaine; And when my voyce shall stop within her sourse, And speech shall faulter in this high discourse, My tyred tongue (vnsham'd) shall thus extend, Only to name, Deare mercie, and so end. ¶Oh high Imperiall King, heauens Architect! Is man a thing, befitting thy Respect? Lord, thou art wisdome, and thy wayes are holy, But man's polluted, full of filth, and folly, Yet is he (Lord) the fabrick of thy hand, And in his soule he beares thy glorious brand, How-e're defaced with the rust of sin, Which hath abus'd thy stamp, and eaten in; 'Tis not the frailtie of mans corrupted nature, Makes thee asham'd, t'acknowledge man, thy creature;

But like a tender father, here on earth, (Whose child by nature, or abortiue birth, Doth want that sweet and fauourable rellish, Wherewith, her creatures, Nature doth imbellish) Respects him ne'rthelesse; so stands the case, 'Twixt God, and sinfull man: Though sinne deface The glorious portraiture that man did beare, Whereby he loath'd, and vgly doth appeare, Yet God (within whose tender bowels are Deep gulfs of mercie, sweet beyond compare) Regards, and loues, (with reu'rence be it said) Nay seems to dote on man; when he hath strayd, Lord, thou hast brought him to his fold againe; When he was lost, thou didst not then disdaine To think vpon a vagabond, and giue Thine only Sonne to dye, that he might liue. How poore a mite art thou content withall, That man may scape his downe-approching fall? Though base we are, yet didst not thou abhorre vs, But (as our story notes) art pleading for vs, To saue vs harmlesse from our foemans iawes; Art thou turn'd Oratour, to plead our cause? ¶How are thy mercies full of admiration! How soueraigne! How sweet's their application! Fatning the soule with sweetnes, and repayring The rotten ruines of a soule Despayring. ¶Loe here (Malfido) is the feast prepar'd; Fall too with courage, and let nought be spar'd; Taste freely of it, Here's no Misers feast; Eate what thou canst, and pocket vp the rest: These precious vyands are Restoritie, Eate then; and if the sweetnes make thee drie,

Drink large Carouses out of Mercies cup, The best lies in the bottome, Drinke all vp: These cates are sweet Ambrosia to thy soule, And that, which fils the brimme of Mercies boule, Is dainty Nectar; Eate, and drinke thy fill; Spare not the one, ne yet the other spill; Prouide in time: Thy Banquet's now begun, Lay vp in store, against the feast be done: For lo, the time of banquetting is short, And once being done, the world cannot restor't; It is a feast of Mercy, and of Grace; It is a feast for all, or hye, or base; A feast for him that begs vpon the way, As well for him that does the Scepter sway; A feast for him that howerly bemoanes His dearest sinnes, with sighs, and teares, and groanes; A feast for him, whose gentle heart reformes; A feast for MEN; and so a FEAST FOR WORMES ¶Deare liefest Lord, that feast'st the world with Grace, Extend thy bountious Hand, thy Glorious Face: Bid ioyfull welcome to thy hungry ghest, That we may praise the Master of the Feast; And in thy mercie grant this boone to mee, That I may dye to sinne, and liue to thee.

FINIS.

S. AMBROSE.

Misericordia est plenitudo omnium virtutum.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Historia Ionae incipit.
• * 1.2

  Chap. 1. vers. 1.
• * 1.3

  Jonah interp. is a Doue.
• * 1.4

  Amittai in∣terp▪ is Truth.
• * 1.5

  Vers. 2. Gods charge to Ionah.
• * 1.6

  Ier. 20.3.
• * 1.7

  Explicit Hist.
• * 1.8

  Hist. Chap. 1. vers. 3.
• * 1.9

  Prima occasio fugae.
• * 1.10

  2. Occasio.
• * 1.11

  3. Occasio.
• * 1.12

  Simile.
• * 1.13

  Ciuitas Palest
• * 1.14

  The Tempest
• * 1.15

  Vers. 5.
• * 1.16

  Explicit Hist.
• * 1.17

  Obiect.
• * 1.18

  Deus regnat in Coelis per gloriā.
• * 1.19

  In terris per gratiam.
• * 1.20

  Apud inferos per institiam.
• * 1.21

  Resolue.
• * 1.22

  Hist. Chap. 1. vers. 6.
• * 1.23

  The Pylot awakes Ionah.
• * 1.24

  The Pylots speech to Jonab.
• * 1.25

  Verse 7.
• * 1.26

  Exp. Hist.
• * 1.27

  Consuetudo pec∣candi tollit sea∣sum peccati.
• * 1.28

  Math. 13.41.
• * 1.29

  Histor. Cap. 1. v. 8. Simile.
• * 1.30

  The Mariners speech to Ionas.
• * 1.31

  Ionahs speech to the Mari∣ners.
• * 1.32

  Hebraei quasi Abrahaei, S. Aug lib. 1. su∣per Gen.
• * 1.33

  Vers▪ 10.
• * 1.34

  Simile.
• * 1.35

  The Mariners speech.
• * 1.36

  Interrogatio.
• * 1.37

  Admiratio.
• * 1.38

  Neprehensio.
• * 1.39

  Expl. Hist.
• * 1.40

  Obiect.
• * 1.41

  Resolutio.
• * 1.42

  Chap. 1. ve. 12. Iona's last will.
• * 1.43

  Vers. 13.
• * 1.44

  Vers. 14. The Mariners prayer.
• * 1.45

  Expl. Hist.
• * 1.46

  Obiect.
• * 1.47

  Homicida in se, insepultus abij∣ciatur. Seneca.
• * 1.48

  Resolu. Non ideo sine scelere facit al∣ter, &c. S. Aug. lib. 1. de ciuitat, Dei. cap. 26. Iudg. 16.30.
• * 1.49

  Spiritus laten∣ter hoc iusserat. S. Aug.
• * 1.50

  Cum Deus iubet se iubere sine vl∣lis ambagibus intimat, quis in∣obedientiam in crimen vocat? S. Aug.
• * 1.51

  Caritas est infans sine pannis, dans mel api sine pennis.
• * 1.52

  Dea Litis.
• * 1.53

  Simile.
• * 1.54

  Hist. Chap 1. ve. 15. Simile.
• * 1.55

  Simile.
• * 1.56

  Vers. 16.
• * 1.57

  Vers. 17.
• * 1.58

  Explicit Hist.
• * 1.59

  Simile.
• * 1.60

  Hist, Chap. 2. ver. 1.
• * 1.61

  Verse 2. The prayer of Ionas out of the Whales belly.
• * 1.62

  Vers. 3.
• * 1.63

  Vers. 4.
• * 1.64

  Vers 5.
• * 1.65

  Vers 6.
• * 1.66

  Vers. 7.
• * 1.67

  Vers. 8.
• * 1.68

  Vers. 9.
• * 1.69

  Vers. 10.
• * 1.70

  Explicit Hist.
• * 1.71

  Quitimidè ora••▪ docet negare.
• * 1.72

  Luke 11.9.
• * 1.73

  The Common-wealth.
• * 1.74

  The Church.
• * 1.75

  Charity.
• * 1.76

  Feare
• * 1.77

  Wisedome
• * 1.78

  Faith.
• * 1.79

  Iustice.
• * 1.80

  Prayer
• * 1.81

  Math. 21.21.
• * 1.82

  John 15.16.
• * 1.83

  Oratio feruens, velox.
• * 1.84

  Oratio & fides comites indiui∣dui.
• * 1.85

  Hist. Chap. 3. ver. 1.
• * 1.86

  Vers. 2. Gods second charge to Ionah.
• * 1.87

  Simile. vers. 3.
• * 1.88

  Vers. 4.
• * 1.89

  Iona's prophecy to the Niniuites.
• * 1.90

  Explicit Hist.
• * 1.91

  Obiect.
• * 1.92

  Resolut. Aliud mutare vo∣luntatem; aliud velle mutationem. Aquin. 1. quaest. 19 art. 7.
• * 1.93

  Mutat senten∣tiam, sed non mutat consiliū, lib. 20. mor. c. 29
• * 1.94

  Tempus vitae, tempus poeni∣tentiae.
• * 1.95

  Hist. Chap. 3. ver. 5.
• * 1.96

  Vers. 5.
• * 1.97

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 Hist.
• * 1.98

  Matth. 6
• * 1.99

  Hist. Chap. 3.7.
• * 1.100

  The Procla∣mation of the Niniuites.
• * 1.101

  Vers. 8.
• * 1.102

  Vers. 9.
• * 1.103

  Vers. 10.
• * 1.104

  Explicit Hist.
• * 1.105

  Hist. Chap. 4.1.
• * 1.106

  Vers. 2. Ionas speech to God.
• * 1.107

  Vers. 3.
• * 1.108

  Vers. 4.
• * 1.109

  Explicit Hist.
• * 1.110

  Virgil▪ Ae∣neid. 8. Hinc metuunt, cupiunt, dotent, gaudent{que}, nec auras Respiciunt, clau∣sae tenebris, & carcere caeco.
• * 1.111

  Hist. Chap. 4. ver. 5.
• * 1.112

  Vers. 6.
• * 1.113

  Simile.
• * 1.114

  Vers. ••.
• * 1.115

  Explicit Hist.
• * 1.116

  Ʋoluptas.
• * 1.117

  Vita.
• * 1.118

  Voluptas
• * 1.119

  Vita.
• * 1.120

  Voluptas, quale
• * 1.121

  Vita, quale.
• * 1.122

  Boctius Philos. consol.
• * 1.123

  Folia vani∣tatis.
• * 1.124

  Lil••a terrae.
• * 1.125

  Hist. Chap. 4.••.
• * 1.126

  Vers. 9. Gods speech to Ionah.
• * 1.127

  Iob. 2
• * 1.128

  ••. King. 21.15.
• * 1.129

  2. Sam. 12.3.
• * 1.130

  Ionahs answer.
• * 1.131

  Vers. 10.
• * 1.132

  Gods reply.
• * 1.133

  Vers. 11.
• * 1.134

  Explicit Hist▪