Emblemes by Fra: Quarles

XI. CANT. III.II. I will rise, and go about in the Citie, and will seeke him that my soule loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

1

O How my disappointed soule's perplext! How restlesse thoughts swarme in my troubled brest! How vainely pleas'd with hopes; then, crossely vext With feares! And how, betwixt them both, distrest! What place is left unransack'd? Oh I Where, next, Shall I goe seek the Author of my Rest? Of what blest Angell shall my lips enquire The undiscover'd way to that entire And everlasting solace of my hearts desire!

2

Looke how the stricken Hart, that wounded, flies Ov'r hills and dales, and seeks the lower grounds For running streames; the whil'st his weeping eyes Beg silent mercy from the following Hounds, At length, embost, he droopes, drops downe, and lies Beneath the burthen of his bleeding wounds: Ev'n so my gasping soule, dissolv'd in teares, Doth search for thee, my God, Whose deafned eares Leave me th'unransom'd Prisner to my panick feares.

Where Thy fires are all but dying sparks to mine; My flames are full of heav'n, and all divine) How often have I sought this Bed, by night, To find that greater, by this lesser light! How oft has my unwitnest groanes lamented Thy dearest absence! Ah, how often vented The bitter Tempests of despairing breath, And tost my soule upon the waves of death! How often has my melting heart made choice Of silent teares, (teares lowder than a voice) To plead my griefe, and woo thy absent eare! And yet thou wilt not come; thou wilt not heare: O is thy wonted love become so cold? Or do mine eyes not seeke thee where they should▪ Why do I seeke thee, if thou art not here? Or find thee not, if thou art ev'ry where? I see my error; 'Tis not strange I could not Find out my love; I sought him where I should not Thou art not found in downy Beds of ease; ••as, thy musick strikes on harder keyes: Nor art thou found by that false, feeble light Of Natures Candle; Our Aegyptian night Is more than common darkenesse; nor can we Expect a morning, but what breaks from Thee. Well may my empty Bed lament thy losse, When thou art lodg'd upon thy shamefull Crosse: If thou refuse to share a Bed with me; Wee'l never part, Ile share a Crosse with Thee.

ANSELM. in Protolog. Cap. 1.

Lord, if thou are not present, where shall I seeke thee absent? If every where, why do I not see thee present? Thou dwellest in light inaccessible; and where is that inaccessible light? Or how shall I have accesse to light inaccessible? I beseech thee, Lord, teach me to seeke thee, and show thy selfe to the seeker, because I can neither seeke thee, unlesse thou teach me, nor find thee, unlesse thou show thy selfe to me: Let me seeke thee, in desiring thee, and desire thee in seeking thee; Let me find thee in loving thee, and love thee in finding thee.

EPIG. 10.

Where shouldst thou seeke for rest, but in thy Bed? But now thy Rest is gone; thy Rest is fled: 'Tis vaine to seeke him there; My soule, be wise; Go ask thy sinnes; They'l tell thee where he lies,