Emblemes by Francis Quarles.

VII.

[illustration]

JOB 13. 24.

Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?

WHy dost thou shade thy lovely face? O why Doth that eclipsing hand so long deny The Sun-shine of thy soul-enliv'ning eye?

Without that Light what light remains in me? Thou art my Lise, my Way, my Light; in thee I live, I move, and by thy beams I see.

Thou art my Lise; If thou but turn away, My life's a thousand deaths: thou art my Way: Without thee, Lord, I travel not but stray.

My Light thou art; without thy glorious sight, Mine eyes are darkned with perpetuall night. My God, thou art my Way, my Life, my Light.

Thou art my Way; I wander, if thou fly: Thou art my Light; If hid, how blind am I•…•… Thou art my Lise; If thou withdraw, I die.

Mine eyes are blind and dark, I cannot see; To whom, or whether should my darknesse flee, But to the Light? And who's that Light but thee?

My path is lost; my wand'ring steps do stray; I cannot safely go, nor safely stay; Whom should I seek but thee, my Path, my Way?

O, I am dead: to whom shall I, poore I, Repair? to whom shall my sad ashes fly But Life? And where is Life but in thine eye?

And yet thou turn'st away thy face, and fly'st me; And yet I sue for grace, and thou deny'st me; Speak, art thou angry, Lord, or onely try'st me?

Unskreen those Heav'nly lamps, or tell me why Thou shad'st thy face; perhaps thou thinkst, no eye Can view those flames, and not drop down and die.

If that be all, shine forth, and draw thee nigher; Let me behold and die; for my desire Is Phoenix. like to perish in that fire.

Death conquer'd Laz'rus was redeem'd by thee; If I am dead, Lord, see deaths prisner free; Am I more spent, or stink I worse then he?

If my pusst light be out, give leave to tine My slamelesse-snuss at that bright Lamp of thine; O what's thy Light the lesse for lighting mine?

If I have lost my Path, great Shepherd, say, Shall I still wander in a doubtfull way? Lord, shall a I amb of Isr'els sheepfold st•…•…ay?

Thou art the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉; the blind mans Eye; The dead mans Life; on thee my hopes rely; If thou remove, I erre; I grope; I die.

Disclose thy Sun-beams; close thy wings, and stay; See, see how I am blind, and dead, and stray, O thou, that art my Light, my Life, my Way.

S. AUGUST. Soliloqu. cap. 1.

Why dost thou hide thy face? Happily thou 〈◊〉〈◊〉 say, none can see thy face and live: Ah Lord, let me die, that I may see thee; let me see thee, that I may die: I would not live, but die. That I may see Christ, I desire death; That I may live with Christ, I despise life.

ANSELM. Med. cap. 5.

O excellent hiding, which is become my persection! My God, Thou hidest thy treasure, to kindle my desire; Thou hidest thy pearl, to inflame the seeker; Thou delayest •…•…o give, that Thou maist teach me to importune; seem'st not to hear, to make m•…•… persever.

EPIG. 7.

If 〈◊〉〈◊〉 all-quickning eyes vouchsafe to shine Upon our souls, we slight; If not, we whine Our Equinoctiall hearts can never lie Secure beneath the Tropicks of that eye.