Emblemes by Francis Quarles.

PSALM 6. 2.

Have mercy, Lord, upon me, for I am weak; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are vexed.

Soul. Jesus.

Soul

AH, Son of David, help:

Jes.

What sinfull 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Implores the Son of David?

Soul

It is I:

Jes.

Who art thou?

Soul

Oh, a deeply wounded breast That's heavy laden, and would fain have rest.

Jes.

I have no scraps, and dogs must not be fed Like houshold children with the childrens bread.

Soul

True, Lord; yet tolerate a hungry whelp To lick their crummes: O Sonne of David, help.

Jes.

Poore Soul, what ail'st thou?

Soul

O I burn, I fry; I cannot rest, I know not where to fly To find some case; I turn my blubber'd facé From man to man; I •…•…oul from place to place, T'avoid my tortures, to obtein relief, But still am dogg'd and haunted with my grief: My midnight torments call the sluggish light, And when the morning 's come, they woo the night.

Jes.

Surcease thy tears, and speak thy free desires.

Soul

Quench, quench my slames, and swage these scorching fires.

Jes.

Canst thou believe my hand can cure thy grief?

Soul

Lord, I believe; Lord, help my unbelief.

Jes.

Hold forth thy arm, and let my fingers try Thy pulse; where chiesly doth thy torment lie?

Soul

From head to foot; it reignes in ev'ry part, But playes the self-law'd tyrant in my heart.

Jes.

Canst thou dig•…•…st? canst relish wholesome food? Haw stands thy tast?

Soul

To nothing that is good: All sinfull •…•…rash, and earths unsav'ry stuff I can digest and relish well enough.

Jes.

Is not thy bloud as cold •…•…s hot, by turns?

Soul

Cold to what's good; to what is bad it burns.

Jes.

How old's thy grief?

Soul

I took it at the fall With eating fruit.

Jes.

'T is Epiden•…•…call: Thy bloud's infected, and th' infection sp•…•…ng From a bad liver: 'T is a feaver strong And full of death unlesse, with present speed, A vein be op'ned; thou must die, or bleed.

Soul

O I am faint and spent: that launce that shall Let forth my bloud, lets forth my life withall: My soul wants cordials, and has greater need Of bloud, then (being spent so far) to ble•…•…d: I faint already: If I bleed, I die.

Jes.

'T is either thou-must bleed, sick soul, or I: My bloud's a cordiall. He that sucks my veins, Shall •…•…se his own, and conquer greater pains Then these: cheer up; this precious bloud of mine Shall cure thy grief; my heart shall bleed for thine: Believe, and view me with a faithfull eye, Thy soul shall neither languish, bleed, •…•…or die.

S. AUGUST. lib. 10. Confess.

Lord, be mercisull unto me: Ah me: Behold, I hide not my wounds: Thou art a Ph•…•…sician, and I am sick; Thou a•…•…t mer∣cifull, and I am miserable.

S. GREG. in Pastoral.

O Wisdome, with how sweet an a•…•…t d•…•…th thy wine and oyl vestore health to my healthlesse soul! How powersully mercisull, how mercifully powerfull art tho•…•… Powerfull sor me, merci∣sull to me!

EPIG. 3.

Canst thou be sick, and such a Doctour by? Thou canst not live, unlesse thy Doctour die! Strange kind of grief, that finds no med'cine good To swage her pains, but the Physicians bloud!