Emblemes by Francis Quarles.

THE FIRST BOOK. (Book 1)

The Invocation.

ROwze thee, my soul; and drein thee from the dregs Of vulgar thoughts: Skrue up the heightned pegs Of thy sublime Theorboe foure notes higher, And higher yet; that so, the 〈◊〉〈◊〉-mouth'd Quire Of swift-wing'd Seraphims may come and joyn, And make thy consort more than halfe divine. Invoke no Muse; Let heav'n be thy Apollo; And let his sacred influences hallow Thy high-bred strains; Let his full beams inspite Thy ravish'd brains with more heroick 〈◊〉〈◊〉: Snatch thee a Quill from the spread Eagles wing, And, like the morning Lark, mount up and sing: Cast off these dangling plummets, that so clog Thy lab'ring heart, which gropes in this dark fog Of dungeon-earth; Let flesh and bloud 〈◊〉〈◊〉 To stop thy flight, till this base world appear A thin blew Lanskip: Let thy pineons sore So high a pitch, that men may seem no more Than Pismires, crawling on this Mole-hill earth, Thy eare untroubled with their frantick mirth; Let not the frailtie of thy flesh disturb Thy new-concluded peace; Let Reason 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Thy hot-mouth'd Passion; and let heav'ns fire season The fresh Conceits of thy corrected Reason. Disdain to warm thee at Lusts smokie fires, Scorn, scorn to feed on thy old bloat desires: Come, come, my soul, hoyse up thy higher sails, The wind blowes fair? Shall we still creep like Snails,

That gild their wayes with their own native slimes? No, we must flie like E•…•…gles, and our Rhimes Must mount •…•…o heav'n and reach th' Olympick ea•…•…; Our heav'n-blown fire must seek no other Sphear.

Thou great Theanthropos, that giv'st and ground'st Thy gifts in dust; and from out dunghill crown'st Reflected Honour, taking by retail, What thou hast giv'n in grosse, from lapsed, frail, And sinfull man; that drink'st full draughts, wherein Thy Childrens leprous fingers, scurf'd with Sin, Have padled, cleanse, O cleanse my crafty Soul From secret crimes, and let my thoughts controul My thoughts: O, teach me stoutly to deny My self, that I may be no longer I: Enrich my fancie, clarifie my thoughts, Resine my drosse; O, wink at humane faults; And through this slender conduit of my Quill Convey thy Current, whose clear streams may fill The hearts of men with love, their tongues with prayse: Crown me with Glory: Take, who list, the Bayes.

I.

[illustration]

JAM. 1. 14.

Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.

Serpent. Eve.

Serp.

NOt eat? Not tast? Not touch? Not cast an eye Upon the fruit of this fai•…•… Tree? And why? Why eat'st thou not what Heav'n ordain'd for food? Or canst thou think that bad which heav'n call'd Good? Why was it made, if not to be enjoy'd? Neglect of favours makes a favour void: Blessings unus'd, pervert into a Wast, As well as Surfets; Woman, Do but tast: See how the laden boughs make silent suit To be enjoy'd; Look how their bending fruit Meet thee half-way; Observe but how they crouch To kisse thy hand; Coy woman, Do but touch: Ma•…•…k what a pure Vermilion blush has dy'd Their swelling cheeks, and how for shame they hide Their palsie heads, to see themselves stand by Neglected: Woman, Do but cast an eye. What bounteous heav'n ordain'd for use, refuse not; Come, pull and eat: Y' abuse the thing ye use not.

Eve.

Wisest of Beasts, our great Creatour did Reserve this Tree, and this alone forbid; The rest are freely ours, which doubtlesse are As pleasing to the tast; toth' eye, as fair; But touching this, his strict commands are such, `Tis death to tast, no lesse than death to touch.

Serp.

Pish; death's a fable: Did not heav'n inspire, Your equall Elements with living Fire, Blown from the spring of life? Is not that breath Immortall? Come; ye are as free from death As He that made ye. Can the flames expire Which he has kindled? Can ye quench his fire? Did not the great Creatours voice proclaim What ere he made (from the blue spangled frame To the poore leaf that trembles) very Good? Blest he not both the Feeder, and the Food? Tell, tell me then, what danger can accrue From such blest Food, to such half-gods as you? Curb needlesse fears, and let no fond conceit Abuse your freedome; woman, Take, and eat.

Eve.

'T is true; we are immortall; death is yet Unborn, and, till rebellion make it debt, Undue; I know the Fruit is good, untill Presumtuous disobedience make it ill. The lips that open to this Fruit's a portall To let in death, and make immortall mortall.

Serp.

You cannot die; Come, woman, Tast and fear not:

Eve.

Shall Eve transgresse? I dare not, O I dare not.

Serp.

Afraid? why draw'st thou back thy tim'rous arm? Harm onely fals on such as fear a harm. Heav'n knowes and fears the virtue of this Tree: 'T will make ye perfect Gods as well as He. Stretch forth thy hand, and let thy fondnesse never Fear death; Do, pull, and eat, and live for ever.

Eve.

'T is but an Apple; and it is as good To do as to desire. Fruit's made for food: Ile pull, and tast, and tempt my Adam too To know the secrets of this dainty.

Serp.

Doe.

S. CHRYS. sup. Matth.

He sorced him not: He touched him not: Onely said, Cast thy self down; that we may know, whosoever obeyeth the Devil casteth himselfe down: For the Devil may suggest, compell he cannot.

S. BERN. in ser.

It is the Devils part to suggest; Ours, not to consent. As os•…•… as we resist him, so often we overcome him; as osten as we overcome him, so often we bring joy to the Angels, and glory to God; Who proposeth us, that we may contend, and assisteth us, that we may conquer.

EPIG. I.

Unluckie Parliament! wherein, at last, Both houses are agreed, and firmly past An Act of death, confirm'd by higher Powers: O had it had but such successe as Ours!

II.

[illustration]

JAMES 1. 15.

Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sinne; and sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death.

1

LAment, lament; Look, look what thou hast done! Lament the worlds, lament thy own estate: Look, look by doing how thou art undone; Lament thy fall; lament thy change of State: Thy faith is broken, and thy freedome gone, See, see too soon, what thou lament'st too late. O thou that wert so many men, nay all Abbridg'd in one, how has thy desp'rate fall Destroy'd thy unborn seed, destroy'd thy self withall.

2

Uxorious Adam, whom thy maker made Equall to Angels that excell in pow'r, What hast thou done? O why hast thou obey'd Thy own destruction? Like a new-cropt flowre How does the glory of thy beauty fade! How are thy fortunes blasted in an houre! How art thou cow'd, that had'st the pow'r to quell The spite of new-fall'n Angels, baffle Hell, And vie with those that stood, and vanquish those that fell.

3

See how the world (whose chast and pregnant womb Of late conceiv'd, and brought forth noth•…•…ng ill) Is now degenerated, and become A base Adultresse, whose false births do fill The earth with Monsters, Monsters that do rome And rage about, and make a trade to kill: Now Glutt'ny paunches; Lust begins to spawn; Wrath takes revenge; and Avarice, a pawn; Pale Envie pines, Pride swells, and Sloth begins to yawn.

4

The Aire that whisper'd, now begins to rore, And blustring Boreas blowes the boyling Tide; The whit-mouth'd Water now usurps the shore, And scorns the pow'r of her tridentall guide; The Fire now burns, that did but warm before, And rules her ruler with resistlesse pride: Fire, Water, Earth and Ai•…•…e, that first were made To be subdu'd, see how they now invade; They rule whom once they serv'd, cōmand, where once obey'd

5

Behold; that nakednesse, that late bewray'd Thy glory, now's become thy shame, thy wonder: •…•…ehold; those Trees whose various fruits were made For food, now turn'd a shade to shrowd thee under: Behold; that voice (which thou hast disobey'd) That late was musick, now aff•…•…ights like thunder: Poor man! Are not thy joynts grown sore with shaking, To view th' effect of thy bold undertaking, That in one houre didd'st marre, what heav'n six dayes was making?

S. AUGUST. lib. 1. de lib. arbit.

It is a most just punishment, that man should lose that free∣dome which man could not use, yet had power to keep if he would; and that be who had knowledge to do what was right, and did not, should be deprived of the knowledge of what was right; and that he who would not do righteously when he had the power, should lose the power to doit, when he •…•…ad the will.

HUGO de anima.

They are justly punished that abuse lawfull things, but they are most justly punished, that use unlawfull things: Thus Lucifer fell from Heaven: thus Adam lost his Paradise.

EPIG. 2.

See how these fruitfull kernels, being cast Upon the earth, how thick they spring! how fast! A full-ear'd crop and thriving, rank and proud; Prepost'rous man first sow'd, and then he plough'd.

III.

[illustration]

PROVERBS 14. 13.

Even in laughter the heart is sorrowfull, and the end of that mirth is heavinesse.

1

ALas fond Child, How are thy thoughts beguil'd, To hope for hony from a nest of wasps? Thou maist as well Go seek for ease in hell, Or sprightly Nectar from the mouths of asps.

2

The world's a hive, From whence thou canst derive No good, but what thy souls vexation brings: Put case thou meet Some peti-peti sweet, Each drop is guarded with a thousand stings.

3

Why dost thou make These murm'ring troups forsake The safe protection of their waxen homes? This hive contains No sweet that's worth thy pains; There's nothing here, alas, but empty combes.

4

For trash and toyes, And grief-ingend'ring joyes, What to•…•…ment seems too sharp for •…•…lesh and bloud! What bitter pills, Compos'd of reall ills, Man swallows down to purchase one false good!

5

The dainties here, Are least what they appear; Though sweet in hopes, yet in fruition sowre: The fruit that's yellow, Is found not alwayes mellow: The fairest Tulip's not the sweetest flowre.

6

Fond youth, give ore, And vex thy soul no more In secking what were better farre unfound; Alas thy gains Are onely present pains To gather Scorpions for a future wound.

7

What's earth? or in it, That longer then a minit Can lend a free delight that can endure? O who would droyl, Or delve in such a soyl, Where gain's uncertain and the pain is sure?

S AUGUST.

Sweetnesse in temporall matters is deceitfull: Il is a la∣bour and a perpetuall sear; it is a dangerous pleasure, whose beginning is without providence, and whose end is not without repentance.

HUGO.

Luxury is an enticing pleasure, a bastard mirth, which hath honey in her mouth, gall in her heart, and a a•…•…ing in her tail.

EPIG. 3.

What, Cupid, are thy shafes already made? And seeking honey, to set up thy trade? True Embleme of thy sweers! Thy Bees do bring Honey in their mouths, but in their tails, a sting.

IV.

[illustration]

PSALM 62. 9.

To be laid in the ballance, it is altogether lighter then vanitie.

1

PUt in another weight: 'T is yet too light: And yet: Fond Cupid, put another in; And yet another: Still there's under weight; Put in another hundred: Put agin. Adde world to world; then heap a thousand more To that; then, to renew thy wasted store, Take up more worlds on trust, to draw thy balance lower.

2

Put in the flesh, with all her loads of pleasure; Put in great Mammons endlesse inventory; Put in the pond'rous acts of mighty Cesar; Put in the greater weight of Swedens glory; Adde S•…•…pio's gauntlet; put in Plato's gown: Put Circes charms, put in the triple crown. Thy balance will not draw; thy balance will not down

3

Lord, what a world is this, which day and night, Men seek with so much toyl, with so much trouble? Which weigh'd in equall scales is found so light, So poorly over-balanc'd with a bubble? Good God! that frantick mortals should destroy Their higher hopes, and place their idle joy Upon such airy trash, upon so light a toy

4

Thou bold Impostour, how hast thou befool'd The tribe of Man with counterfeit d•…•…sire! How has the breath of thy false bellows cool'd Heav'ns free-born flames, and kindled bastard fire! How hast thou vented drosse in stead of treasure, And cheated man with thy false weights and measure, Proclaiming bad for good; and gilding death with pleasure!

5

The world's a craftie Strumpet, most affecting And closely following those that most reject her; But seeming carelesse, nicely disrespecting And coyly flying those that most affect her: If thou be free, the's strange, if strange she's free; Flee, and she follows; Follow, and she'll flee: Then she there's none more coy, there's none more fond then she.

6

O what a Crocodilian world is this, Compos'd of treacheries, and ensnaring wiles! She cloaths destruction in a fo•…•…mall kisse, And lodges death in her deceitsull smiles; She hugs the soul she hates; and there does prove The veriest tyrant where she vowes to love, And is a Serpent most, when most she seems a Dove.

7

Thrice happy he, whose nobler thoughts despise To make an object of so easie gains; Thrice happy he, who scorns so poore a prize Should be the crown of his heroick pains: Thrice happy he, that ne'r was born to trie Her frowns or smiles; or being born, did lie In his sad nurses arms an houre or two, and die.

S. AUGUST. lib. Confess.

O you that dote upon this world, for what victory do ye sight? Your hopes can be crowned with no greater reward then the world can give; and what is the world but a brittle thing full of dangers, wherein we travel from lesser to greater perils? O let all her vain, light, and momentany glory perish with her self, and let us be conversant with more eternall things. Alas, this world is miserable; life is short, and death is sure.

EPIG. 4.

My soul, what's lighter then a feather? wind. Then wind? The fire. And what then fire? The mind. What's lighter then the mind? A thought. Then thought? This bubble-world. What then this bubble? Nought.

V.

[illustration]

1. COR. 7. 31.

The fashion of this world passeth away.

GOne are those golden dayes, wherein Pale conscience started not at ugly sinne: When good old Satu•…•…nes peacefull Throne Was unusurped by his beardlesse Son: When jealous Ops ne'r fear'd th' abuse Of her chast bed, or breach of nuptiall Truce: When just Astraea poys'd her Scales In mortall hearts, whose absence earth bewails: When froth-born Venus and her brat, With all that spurious brood young Jove begat, In horrid shapes were yet unknowne; Those Halcyon dayes, that golden age is gone. There was no Client then to wait The leisure of his long-tayl'd Advocate; The Talion Law was in request, And Chaunc'ry courts were kept in ev'ry brest; Abused Statutes had no Tenters, And men could deal secure without indentures: There was no peeping hole to clear The Wittals eye from his incarnate fear; There were no lustfull Cinders then To broyl the Carbonado'd hearts of men; The rosie cheek did then proclaim A shame of Guilt, but not a guilt of shame: There was no whining soul to start At Cu•…•…ids twang, or curle his flaming 〈◊〉〈◊〉;

The Boy had then but callow wings, And fell Erynnis Scorpions had no stings: The better-acted world did move Upon the fixed poles of Truth and Love. Love essenc'd in the hearts of men; Then Reason rul'd; there was no Passion then; Till Lust and Rage began to enter, Love the Circumference was, and love the Center. Untill the wanton dayes of Iove The simple world was all compos'd of Love; But Iove grew fleshly, false, unjust; Inferiour beautie sill'd his veins with lust; And Cucquean Iuno's fury hurld Fierce balls of rage into th'incestuous world: Astraea sled, and love return'd From earth, earth boyl'd with lust, with rage it burn'd: And ever since the world has been Kept going with the scourge of Lust and Spleen.

S. AMBROS.

Lust is a sharp spur to vice, which alwayes putteth the affections into a false gallop.

HUGO.

Lust is an immoderate wantonnesse of the slesh, a sweet poy∣son, a cruel 〈◊〉〈◊〉; a pernicious potion, which weakeneth the body of man, and esseminateth the strength of an heroick mind.

S. AUGUST.

Envy is the hatred of anothers felicitie: in respect of Su∣periours, because they are not equall to them; in respect of Inseriours, lest be should be equall to them; in respect of equalls, because they are equall to them: Through envy proceeded the fall of the world, and the death of Christ.

EPIG. 5.

What? Cupid, must the world be lasht so soon? But made at morning, and be whipt at noon? 'Tis like the wagge that playes with Venus Doves, The more 't is lasht, the more perverse it proves.

VI.

[illustration]

ECCLES. 2. 17.

All is vanitie and vexation of spirit.

1

HOw is the anxious soul of man befool'd In his desire, That thinks an Hectick sever may be cool'd In stames of fire, Or hopes to rake full heaps of burnisht gold From nasty mire! A whining Lover may as well request A scornfull breast To melt in gentle tears, as woo the world for rest.

2

Let wit and all her studied plots effect The best they can; Let smiling Fortune prosper and perfect What wit began; Let earth advise with both, and so project A happy man; Let wit or fawning Fortune vie their best; He may be blest With all that earth can give: but earth can give no rest.

3

Whose gold is double with a carefull hand, His cares are double; The pleasure, honour, wealth of sea and land Bring but a trouble; The world it self, and all the worlds command, Is but a bubble. The strong desites of mans ins•…•…tiate breast May stand possest Of all that earth can give; but earth can give no rest.

4

The world's a seeming Par'dise, but her own And mans tormenter; Appearing sixt, yet but a rolling stone Without a tenter; It is a vast Circumference, where none Can find a Center. Of more then earth can earth make none possest; And he that least Regards this restlesse world, shall in this world find rest.

5

True rest consists not in the oft revying Of worldly drosse; Earths mi•…•…ie purchase is not worth the buying; Her gain is losse; Her rest, but giddy toil, if not relying Upon her crosse. How worldlings droil for trouble! That fond breast That is possest Of earth without a crosse, has earth without a rest.

CASS. in Ps.

The Crosse is the invincible sanctuary of the humble: The dejection of the proud, the victory of Christ, the destruction of the devil, the confirmation of the faithfull, the death of the unbeliever, the life of the just.

DAMASCEN.

The Crosse of Christ is the key of Paradise: the weak mans staff: the Converts convoy: the upright mans perfection: the soul and bodies health: the prevention of all evil, and the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of all good.

EPIG. 6.

Worldlings, whose whimpring folly holds the losses Of honour, pleasure, health and wealth such crosses, Look here, and tell me what your Arms engrosse, When the best end of what ye hug's a crosse.

VII.

[illustration]

1. PETER 5. 8.

Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil as a roring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devoure.

1

WHy dest thou suffer lustfull sloth to creep, Dull Cyprian lad, into thy wanton browes? Is this a time to pay thine idle vowes At Morpheus shrine? Is this a time to sleep Thy brains in wastfull slumbers? up and rouze Thy leaden spirits: Is this a time to sleep Adjourn thy sanguine dreams: Awake, arise, Call in thy thoughts; and let them all advise, Hadst thou as many Heads as thou hast wounded eyes.

2

Look, look, what horrid furies do await Thy slatt'ring slumbers! If thy drowzie head But chance to nod, thou fall'st into a bed Of sulph'rous flames, whose torments want a date. Fo•…•…d boy, be wise; let not thy thoughts be fed With Phrygian wisdome; fools are wise too late: Beware betimes, and let thy reason sever Those gates which passion clos'd; wake now, or never: For if thou nodd'st thou fall'st: and falling fall'st for ever.

3

Mark, how the ready hands of death prepare: His bow is bent, and he has notch'd his dart; He aims, he levels at thy slumb'ring heart: The wound is posting, O be wise, beware. What? has the voyce of danger lost the art To raise the spirit of neglected care? Well, sleep thy fill, and take thy soft reposes; But know withall, sweet tasts have sowre closes; And he repents in thorns, that sleeps in beds of roses.

4

Yet sluggard, wake, and gull thy soul no more, With earths false pleasure, and the worlds delight, Whose fruit is fair, and pleasing to the sight, But sowre in tast, false at the putrid core: Thy flaring glasse is gems at her halflight: She makes thee seeming rich, but truly poore: She boasts a kernell, and bestowes a shell; Performs an inch of her fair promis'd ell: Her words protest a Heav'n; her works produce a hell.

5

O thou the fountain of whose better part Is earth'd, and gravell'd up with vain desire: That dayly wallow'st in the fleshly mire And base pollution of a lustfull heart, That feel'st no passion but in wanton fire, And own'st no torment but from Cupids dart; Behold thy Type: Thou sitst upon this ball Of earth, secure, while death that flings at all, Stands arm'd to strike thee down, where flames attend thy fall.

S. BERN.

Securitie is no where; It is neither in Heaven, nor in Para∣dise, much lesse in the world: In Heaven the Angels sell from the divine presence; in Paradise, Adam sell from his place of pleasure; in the world, Judas sell from the School of our Saviour

HUGO.

I eat secure, I drink secure, I sleep secure, even as though I had past the day of death, avoided the day of judgement, and escaped the torments of hell-fire: I play and laugh, as though I were already triumphing in the kingdome of Heaven.

EPIG. 7.

Get up, my soul; Redeem thy slavish eyes, From drowzy bondage: O beware; Be wise: Thy fo's before thee; thou must sight or flie: Life lies most open in a closed eye.

VIII.

[illustration]

LUKE 6. 25.

Woe be to you that laugh now, for ye shall mourn and weep.

THe world's a popular disease, that reignes Within the froward heart and frantick brains Of poore distemper'd mortals, oft arising From ill digestion, through th' unequall poysing Of ill-weigh'd Elements, whose light directs Malignant humours to maligne effects. One raves, and labours with a •…•…oyling liver; Rends hair by handfuls, cursing Cupids quiver: Another with a bloudy-slux of oaths Vowes deep revenge: one dotes; the other loathes: One frisks and sings, and vies a slagon more To drench dry cares, and makes the welkin rore: Another droops; the sunshine makes him sad; Heav'n cannot please: One's mop'd; the tother's mad: One hugs his gold; another lets it slie: He knowing not for whom; nor tother why. One spends his day in plots, his night in play; Another sleeps and slugs both night and day: One laughs at this thing; tother cries for that: But neither one nor tother knowes for what. Wonder of wonders! What we ought t'evite As our disease, we hug as our delight: 'T is held a symptome of approching danger, When disacquainted Sense becomes a stranger,

And takes no knowledge of an old disease; But when a noysome grief begins to please The unresisting sense, it is a fear That death has parli'd, and compounded there: As when the dreadfull Thund'rers awfull hand Powres forth a v•…•…all on th'infected land, At first th' affrighted Mortalls quake and fear: And ev'ry noise is thought the Thunderer: But when the frequent soul-departing bell Has pav'd their ears with her familiar knell, It is reputed but a nine dayes wonder, They neither fear the Thund'rer nor his Thunder: So when the world (a worse disease) began To smart for sinne, poore new-created Man Could seek for shelter, and his gen'rous Sonne Knew by his wages what his hands had done; But bold-fac'd Mortalls in our blushlesse times Can sinne and smile, and make a sport of crim•…•…, Transgresse of custome, and rebell in ease; We false-joy'd fools can triumph in disease, And (as the carelesse Pilgrime, being bit By the Tarantula, begins a sit Of life concluding laughter) wast our breath In lavish pleasure, till we laugh to death.

HUGO de anima.

What profit is there in vain glory, momentany mirth, the worlds power, the •…•…leshes pleasure, •…•…ll riches, noble descent, and great desires? Where is their laughter? Where is their mir•…•…h? Where their insolence? their arrogance? From how much joy to how much sadnesse! Aster how much mirth, how much misery! From how great glory are they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to how great torments! What hath •…•…allen to them, may b•…•…fall thee, because thou art a man: Thou art of earth; thou live•…•…l of earth; thou shalt return to earth. Death expecteth thee every-where; be wise therefore, and expect death every-where.

EPIG. 8.

What ayls the fool to laugh? Does something please His vain conceit? Or is 't a mere disease? Fool, giggle on, and wast thy wanton breath; Thy morning laughter breeds an ev'ning death.

IX.

[illustration]

1. JOHN 2. 17.

The world passeth away, and all the lusts thereof.

1

DRaw near, brave sparks, whose spirits scorn to light Your hallow'd tapours, but at honours flame; You, whose heroick actions take delight To varnish over a new-painted name; Whose high-bred thoughts disdain to take their slight, But on th'Icarian wings of babbling fame; Behold, how tott'ring are your high-built stories Of earth, whereon you trust the ground-work of your glories

2

And you, more brain-sick Lovers, that can prise A wanton smile before eternall joyes; That know no heav'n but in your Mistresse eyes; That feel no pleasure but what sense enjoyes: That can, like crown-distemper'd fools despise True riches, and like babies whine for toyes: Think ye, the Pageants of your hopes are able To stand secure •…•…n earth, when earth it self's unstable?

3

Come dunghill worldlings, you that •…•…oot like swine, And cast up golden trenches where ye come: Whose onely pleasure is to undermine And view the secrets of your mothers wombe: Come bring your Saint, p•…•…uch'd in his leather •…•…hrine, And summon all yo•…•… griping Angels home. Behold your world, the bank of all your store: The world 〈◊〉〈◊〉 so admire; the worl•…•… ye so adore.

4

A feeble world, whose hot-mouth'd pleasures tire Before the race; before the start, retrait; A faithlesse world, whose false delights expire Before the term of half their promis'd date; A fickle world, not worth the least desire, Where ev'ry chance proclaims a change of State: A feeble, faithlesse, sickle world, wherein Each motion proves a vice; and ev'ry act, a sin.

5

The beautie, that of late was in her flowre, Is now a ruine, not to raise a lust; He that was lately drench'd in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 showre, Is master now of neither gold nor trust; Whose honour late was mann'd with princely powre, His glory now lies buried in the dust; O who would trust this world, or prize what's in it, That gives and takes, and chops and changes ev'ry minit!

6

Nor length of dayes, nor solid strength of brain Can find a place wherein to rest secure; The world is various, and the earth is vain: There's nothing certain here, there's nothing sure: We trudge, we travel but from pain to pain, And what's our onely grief's 〈◊〉〈◊〉 onely cure: The world's a torment; he that would endeaver To find the way to rest, must seek the way to leave her.

S. GREG. in ho.

Behold, the world is withered in it self, yet flourisheth in our hearts; every where death, every where gries, every where 〈◊〉〈◊〉: On every side we are smitten; on every side filled with bitternesse, and yet with the blind mind of carnall desire we love her bitternesse: It 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and we follow it; it falleth, yet we stick to it: And because we 〈◊〉〈◊〉 enjoy it fallen, we sall with it, and enjoy it, sallen.

〈◊〉〈◊〉. 9. If Fortune hale, or envious Time but spurn, The world turns round; and with the world we turn: When Fortune sees, and Lynx-ey'd Time is blind, I'll trust trust thy joyes, O world; till then, the wind.

X.

[illustration]

JOHN 8. 44.

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.

HEre's your right ground: wagge gently o'r this black; 'T is a short cast; y' are quickly at the jack. Rub, rub an inch or two; two crowns to one On this bouls side: blow wind, 't is fairly thrown: The next boul's worse that comes, come boul away; Mammon, you know the ground untutour'd, play; Your last was gone, a yard of strength well spar'd, Had touch'd the block; your hand is still too hard. Brave pastime, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, to consume that day, Which without pastime slies too swift away! See how they labour; as if day and night Were both too short to serve their loose delight: See how their curved bodies wreath, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Such antick shapes as Proteus never knew: One raps an oath, another deals a 〈◊〉〈◊〉; He never better boul'd; this never worse: One rubs his itchlesse elbow, thrugs and laughs, The tother bends his beetle-browes, and chafes: Sometime they whoop, sometimes their Stygian cries Send their black-Santos to the blushing skies: Thus mingling humours in a mad 〈◊〉〈◊〉, They make bad Premises, and worse Conclusion: But where's the Palm that Fortunes hand allowes To blesse the victours honourable 〈◊〉〈◊〉?

Come, Reader, come; I'll light thine eye the way To view the Prize, the while the gamesters play: Close by the jack, behold, gill fortune stands T•…•… wave the game; see, in her partiall hands The glorious garland's held in open show, To chear the Lads, and crown the Conq'rours brow. The world's the jack; the gamesters that contend, Are Cupid, Mammon: that judicious Friend, That gives the ground, is Satan; and the boules Are sinfull thoughts: the Prize, a crown for fools. Who breathes that boules not? what bold tongue can say Without a blush, he hath not boul'd to day? It is the trade of man; and every sinner Has plaid his rubbers: Every soule's a winner. The vulgar Proverb's crost: He hardly can Be a good bouler and an honest man. Good God, turn thou my Brazil thoughts a new; New sole my boules, and make their bias true: I'll cease to game, till fairer ground be given, Nor wish to winne untill the mark be heaven.

S. BERNARD lib. de Consid.

O you Sonnes of Adam, you covetous generation, what have ye to do with earthly riches, which are neither true, nor yours. Gold and silver are reall earth, red and white, which the onely errour os man makes, or rather reputes, pretious: In short, if they be yours carry them with you.

S. HIEROME. in Ep.

O Lust, thou infer•…•…all fire, whose fuell is gluttony; whose flame is pride; whose sparkles are wanton words; whose smoke is infamie; whose ashes are uncleannesse; whose end is hell.

EPIG. 10.

〈◊〉〈◊〉 well follow'd: Cupid bravely led; Both Touchers; equall Fortune makes a dead: No reed can measure where the conquest lies; Take my advise; compound, and share the Prize:

XI.

[illustration]

EPHESIANS 2. 2.

Ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the Prince of the aire.

1

O Whither will this mad-brain world at last Be driv'n? where will her restlesse wheels arive? Why hurries on her ill-match'd payre so fast? O whither means her 〈◊〉〈◊〉 groom to drive? What? will her •…•…ambling sits be never past? For ever ranging? never once 〈◊〉〈◊〉? Will earths perpetuall progresse ne'r expire? Her Team continuing in their fresh careire, And yet they never rest, and yet they never tire.

2

Sols hot-mouth'd steeds, whose noslrils vomit flame, And braz•…•…n lungs 〈◊〉〈◊〉 forth quotidian fire, Their twelve houres task perform'd, grow 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and lame, And their immortall spirits faint and tire: At th'azure mountains foot their labours claim The priviledge of rest, where they retire To quench their burning 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and to steep Their flaming nostrils in the western deep, And fresh their tired soul•…•…s with strength-restoring sleep.

3

But these prodigious hackneyes, basely got 'Twixt men and devils, made for race nor flight, Can drag the idle world, expecting not The bed of rest, but travel with delight; Who neither weighing way, nor weather, trot Through dust and dirt, and droyl both night and day; Thus droyl these fiends incarnate, whose free pains Are fed with dropsies and venerial blains. No need to use the whip; but strength, to rule the rains.

4

Poore captive world! How has thy lightnesse given A just occasion to thy foes illusion? O, how art thou betray'd, thus fairly driven In seeming triumph to thy own confusion? How is thy empty universe bereaven Of all true joyes, by one false Joyes delusion? So have I seen an unblown virgin fed With sugar'd words so full, that she is led A fair attended Bride to a false Bankrupts bed.

5

Pull, gracious Lord; Let not thine Arm forsake The world, impounded in her own devises; Think of that pleasure that thou once didst take Amongst the Lillies and sweet Beds of spices. Hale strongly, thou whose hand has pow'r to slake The swift-foot fury of ten thousand vices: Let not that dust-devouring Dragon boast, His craft has wonne, what Judahs Lion lost; Remember what it 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Recount the price it cost.

ISIDOR. lib. 1. De summo bono.

By how much the nearer Satan perceiveth the world to an end, by so much the more •…•…iercely he troubleth it with persecu∣tion; that knowing himself is to be damned, he may get com∣pany in his damnation.

CYPRIAN in ep.

Broad and spatious is the road to infernal li•…•…: there are enticements and death-bringing pleasures. There the Devil flattereth, that he may deceive; smileth, that he may enda∣mage; allureth, that he may destroy.

EPIG. 11.

Nay 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and fair good world; post not too fast; Thy journeys end requires not half this hast. Unlesse that arme thou so disdain'st reprives thee, Alas thou needs must go: the devil drives thee.

XII.

[illustration]

ISAIAH 66. 11.

Ye may suck, but not be satisfied with the breast of her consolation.

1

WHat never fill'd? Be thy lips skrew'd so fast To th'earths sull breast? For shame, for shame unseise thee: Thou tak'st a surset where thou fhould'st but tast, And mak'st too much not half enough to please thee. Ah fool, •…•…orbear; Thou swallow'st at one breath Both food & poyson down; thou draw'st both milk & death.

2

The ub'rous breasts, when fairly drawn, repast The thriving infant with their milkie •…•…lood, But being 〈◊〉〈◊〉, return at last Unwholsome gulps compos'd of wind and bloud. A mod'rate use does both repast and please; Who strains beyond a mean draws in and gulps disease.

3

But, O that mean whose good the least abuse Makes bad, is too too hard to be directed: Can thorns bring grapes, or crabs a pleasing juyce? There's nothing wholsome, where the whole's infected. Unseise thy lips: Earths milk's a rip'ned core That drops from her disease, that matters from her sore.

4

Think'st thou that paunch that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 out thy coat, Is thriving fat; or flesh, that seems so brawny? Thy paunch is dropsied and thy cheeks are bloat; Thy lips are white and thy complexion tawny; Thy skin's a bladder blown with wa•…•…ry tumours; Thy •…•…lesh a trembling bog, a quagmire full of humours.

5

And thou whose thrivelesse hands are ever straining Earths fluent breasts into an empty sive, That alwayes hast, yet alwayes art complaining, Aud whin'st for more then earth has pow'r to give; Whose treasure flowes and flees away as fast; That ever hast, and hast, yet hast not what thou hast:

6

Go choose a substance, fool, that will remain Within the limits of thy leaking measure; Or else go seek an urne that will retain The liquid body of thy slipp'ry treasure: Alas, how poorely are thy labours crown'd? Thy liquour's neither sweet, nor yet thy vessel sound

7

What l•…•…sse then fool is Man, to prog and plot, And lavishout the cream of all his care, To gain poore seeming goods, which, being got, Make firm possession but a thorow-fare: Or if they stay, they furrow thoughts the deeper, And being kept with care, they loose their carefull keeper.

S. GREG. Hom. 3. secund. parte Ezech.

If we give more to the flesh then we ought, we nourish an enemy; If we give not to her necessity what we ought, we destroy a citizen: The flesh is to be satisfied so sarre as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to our good; whosoever alloweth so much to her as to make her proud, knoweth not bow to be satisfied: To be satisfied is a great art; least by the satietie of the slesh we break •…•…orth into the iniquitie of her folly.

HUGO de Anima.

The heart is a small thing, but desireth great matters: It is not sufficient for a Kites dinner, ye•…•… the whole world is not sufficient for it.

EPI•…•…. 12.

What makes thee fool, so fat? Fool, thee so bare? Ye suck the self-same milk, the self-same aire: No mean betwixt all paunch, and skin and bone? The mean's a vertue, and the world has none.

XIII.

[illustration]

JOHN 3. 19.

Men love darknesse rather then light, because their deeds are evil.

LOrd, when we leave the world and come to Thee, How dull, how slug are wee! How backward! how preposterous is the motion Of our ungain devotion! Our thoughts are milstones, and our souls are lead, And our desires are dead: Our vowes are fairly promis'd, faintly paid; Or broken, or not made: Our better work (if any good) attends Upon our private ends: In whose performance one poore worldly scoff Foyls us, or beats us off. If thy sharp 〈◊〉〈◊〉 find out some secret fault, We grumble or revolt: And if thy gentle hand forbear, we stray, Or idly lose the way. Is the road fair? we loyter: cloggd with mire? We stick, or else retire: A lamb appears a lyon; and we feare, Each bush we see's a bear. When our dull souls direct their thoughts to thee, The soft-pac'd snayl is not so slow as we: But when at ea•…•…th we dart our wing'd desire, We burn, we burn like •…•…ire.

Like as the am'rous needle joyes to bend To her Magnetick friend: Or as the greedy Lovers eye-balls flye At his fair Mistres eye: So, so we cling to earth; we flie and puff, Yet flie not fast enough. If pleasure becken with her balmy hand, Her beck's a strong command: If honour call us with her courtly breath, An houres delay is death: If profits golden singer'd charms enveigle's, We clip more s•…•…ift then Eagles: Let Auster weep, or blustring Boreas rore Till eyes or lungs be sore: Let Neptune swell untill his dropsie-sides Burst into broken tides: Nor threat'ning rocks, nor winds, nor waves, nor fire Can curb our fierce desire; Nor fire nor rocks can stop our surious minds, Nor waves, nor winds. How fast and fearelsse do our footsteps flee! The lightfoot Roe-buck's not so swift as we.

S. AUGUST. sup. Psal. 64.

Two severall Lovers built two severall Cities; The love of God buildeth a Jerusalem; The love of the world buildeth a Babylon: Let every one enquire of himself what he lov•…•…th, and he shall resolve himself of whence he is a Citizen.

S. AUGUST. lib. 3. Confess.

All things are d•…•…iven by their own weight, and tend to their own center: My weight is my love; by that I am driven whithersoever I am driven.

Ibidem.

Lord, he loveth thee the lesse, that loveth any thing with thee, which he loveth not for thee.

EPIG. 13.

Lord, scourge my Asse if she should make no hast, And curb my Stag if he should flie too fast: If he be overswif•…•…, or sh•…•… prove idle, Let Love lend him a spur: Fear, her, a bridle.

XIV.

[illustration]

PSALM 13. 3.

Lighten mine eyes, O Lord, lest I sleep the sleep of death.

WIll't ne'r be morning? Will that promis'd light Ne'r break, and clear these clouds of night? Sweet Phospher, bring the day, Whose conqu'ring ray May chase these sogs; Sweet 〈◊〉〈◊〉, •…•…ing the day.

How long! how long shall these benighted eyes Languish in shades, like fe•…•…ble fli•…•…s Expecting Spring! How long shall darknesse soyl The face of earth, and thus beguile Our souls of sprightfull action? when will day Begin to dawn, whose new-born ray May gild the wether-cocks of our devotion, And give our unsoul'd souls new motion? Sweet Phospher, bring the day, Thy light will fray These horrid mists; Sweet Phospher, bring the day.

Let those have night, that slily love t'immure Their cloyster'd crimes, and sinne secure; Let those have night, that blush to let men kno•…•… The basenesse they ne'r blush to do; Let those have night, that love to take a nap And loll in Ignorances lap;

Let those whose eyes, like Ouls, abhorre the light, Let those have night that lo•…•…e the night: Sweet Phospher, bring the day; How sad delay Afflicts dull hopes! Sweet Phospher, bring the day.

Alas! my light invain-expecting eyes Can find no Objects but what rise From this poore morall blaze, a dying spark Of Vulcans forge, whose flames are dark And dangerous, a dull blew burning light, As melancholly as the night: Here's all the Sunnes that glister in the Sphere Of earth: Ah me! what comfort's here? Sweet Phospher, bring the day; Haste, haste away Heav'ns loytring lamp; Sweet Phospher, bring the day.

Blow, Ignorance: O thou, whose idle knee Rocks earth into a Lethargie, And with thy sootie fingers hast bedight The worlds fair cheeks, blow, blow thy spite; Since thou hast pufft our greater Tapour, do Pusse on, and out the lesser too: If ere that breath-exiled flame return, Thou hast not blown, as it will burn: Sweet Phospher, bring the day; Light will repay The wrongs of night: Sweet Phospher, bring the day.

S. AUGUST. in Joh. ser. 19.

God is all to thee: If thou be hungry, he is bread; If thirsty, he is water; If in darknesse, he is light; If naked, he is a robe of immortalitie.

AIANUS de conq. nat.

God is a light that is never darkned; An unwearied life, that cannot d•…•…e; a fountain alwayes flowing; a garden of lise; a seminary of wisdome, a radicall beginning of all goodnesse.

EPIG. 11.

My soul, if Ignorance puffe out this light, Shee 'll do a favour that intends a spight: 'T seems dark abroad; but take this light away, Thy windowes will discover break a day.

XV.

[illustration]

REVELATION 12. 12.

The Devil is come unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

1

LOrd! canst thou see and suffer? is thy hand Still bound to th'peace? Shall earths black Monarch take A full possession of thy wasted land? O, will thy slumb'ring vengeance never wake, Till full-ag'd law-resisting Custome shake The pillours of thy right by false command? Unlock thy clouds, great Thund'rer, and come down; Behold whose Temples wear thy sacred Crown; Redresse, redresse our wrongs; revenge, revenge thy own.

2

See how the bold Usurper mounts the seat Of royall Majesty; How overstrawing Perils with pleasure, pointing ev'ry threat With bugbear death, by torments over-awing Thy frighted subjects; or by favours drawing Their tempted hearts to his unjust retreat; Lord, canst thou be so mild? and he so bold? Or can thy flocks be thriving, when the fold Is govern'd by a Fox? Lord, canst thou see and hold?

3

That swist-wing'd Advocate, that did commence Our welcome suits before the King of kings, That sweet Embassadour, that hu•…•… ries hence What ayres th' harmonio•…•…s soul or sighs or sings, See how she flutters with her idle wings; Her wings are clipt, and eyes put out by sense: Sense conq'ring Faith is now grown blind and cold, And basely crav•…•…nd, that in times of old Did conquer Heav'n it self, do what th' Almightie could.

4

Behold how double Fraud does s•…•…ourge and t•…•…ar Astraeas wounded sides, plough'd up and rent With knotted cords, whose fury has no eare; See how she stands a pris'ner to be sent, A slave, into eternall banishment, I know not whither, O, I know not where: Her Patent must be cancell'd in disgrace; And sw•…•…-lip Fraud, with her divided face, Must act As•…•…s part, must take Astraeas place.

5

Faiths pineons clipt? And fair Astraea gone? Q•…•…ck-seeing Faith now blind? And Justice see? Has Justice now found wings? and has Faith none? What do we here? who would not wish to be Dissolv'd from earth, and with Astraea flee From this blind dungeon to that Sunne-bright Thro•…•…? Lord, is thy Scepter lost, or laid aside? Is hell broke loose, and all her Fiends untied? Lord, rise and rowze, and rule and crush their furious pride.

PETR. RAV. in Math.

The Devil is the authour of evil, the sountain of wicked∣nesse, the adversary of the truth, the corrupter of the world, mans perpetuall enemy; he pl•…•…teth snares, diggeth ditches, spurreth bodies, he goadeth souls, he suggesteth thoughts, belcheth anger, exposeth vertues to hatred, maketh vices be∣loved, soweth errours, nourisheth 〈◊〉〈◊〉, disturbeth peace, and scattereth asfections.

MACAR.

Let us susser with those that susser, and be crucified with those that are crucified, that we may be glorisied with those that are glorisied.

SAVANAR.

If there be no enemy, no sight; is •…•…o sight, •…•…o victorie; is no victory, no crown.

EPIG. 15.

My soul, sit thou a patient looker on; Judge not the Play before the Play is done: Her Plot has many changes: Every day Speaks a new Scene; the last act crowns the Play.