A PROSPECTIVE GLASSE TO LOOKE INTO HEAVEN, OR The Coelestiall CANAAN described.
Together with the SOVLES sacred Soliloquie, and most ardent desire to be inuested into the same.
Sung in a most heauenly Hymne, to the great comfort of all good CHRISTIANS, by the MVSES most vnworthy, IOHN VICARS.
REVEL. 21. 1. And I saw a new Heauen and a new Earth.
1. COR. 13. 12. Here, wee see as through a Glasse.
LONDON Printed by W. Stansby for Iohn Smethwicke, and are to be sold at his Shop in Saint Dunstanes Church-yard in Fleet-street. 1618.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL SOCIETIE OF THE GOVERNOVRS OF Christs Hospitall, I. V. Dedicateth all his poore endeuours, and wisheth the Kingdome of Grace heere, and the Kingdome of Glorie hereafter.
YOur Worships fauours, from my Birth still found;
Haue me in all my best Endeuours bound:
And, since I Owe more then I Know to Pay;
I rest your Worships, to my Dying-day.
Your Worships in All, alwayes to be commanded, IOHN VICARS.
To the Right Worshipfull, Sir IOHN LEMAN, Knight, President of Christs Hospitall, and Alderman of LONDON, I.V. wisheth all earthly Prosperitie, and the Reall fruition of this Ideall description.
REligions Rules and Natures Bonds bind All,
To keepe account and true memoriall
Of fauours past or present; lest with shame,
Ingratitude should Cracke their Credits fame.
Since then (Right worshipful) these Bonds All bind,
This Dutie needs to Mee must be assign'd;
Who, from your VVorships vndeseruedly
Haue found much fauour and great courtesie:
Whose sweete Effects haue my good so effected,
As Blacke Obliuion may not make neglected.
And since your VVorship worthily is made
The President, chiefe Pillar, Prop and Aide
Of Gouernment in that blest Hospitall
Of Christs poore members, Orphans poore and small;
[Page] I, therefore ioy, thus to Congratulate
Your Worships hap, their Helpe so fortunate.
As also that I may expresse, in part,
Some sincere Fruites of my most gratefull Heart:
By Dedication of this my poore Mite,
To your good Worship; due to you by right.
Which, hoping you (Right Worshipfull) will take
With kind acceptance: Heau'ns great King you make,
A blest Partaker, of that Maiestie,
Which my weake Pen can here but Typisie.
To your Worship in his Power and Prayers duely and d [...]tifully Deuoted, IOHN VICARS
To the Godly Reader.
SInce, for the most part, all men take delight,
Of nouelties to heare, to write, to tell
Of treasures and of pleasures, which excell,
Which best may please their itching eares and sight.
And for that cause haue many Captaines stout
By Sea and Land (to finde out and discouer
The admirable workes of Heauens Arch-mouer)
Trauail'd the Globes-circumference about,
Yea, many wise Cosmographers haue spent
Much time and trauaile, cost and care to write
The Nature, Manners, Riches, and Delight
Of famous Kingdomes in Earths Continent.
But I, the most vnworthie of the most,
Haue vnderta'ne by Heauens all-blest direction,
To contemplate th' vnspeakeable perfection
Of New Ierusalems most sacred Coast:
In which Suruey (lest I, with Icarus
Should soare too-high; or, lest with Vzzah, I,
Should touch Gods Arke, into Heauens-Secrets pry;
Or question what God doth inhibit vs:)
Prophetick-Iohn I heere haue made my Guide,
And by his Plat-forme drawne this Map of mine,
And heereto Barnards, Napiers help Diuine,
And Brightmans bright assistance haue applide.
Wherein (good Christian Reader) thou may'st finde
Things admirable, glorious, sweet and rare;
Such as transcend the reach of humane minde:
And such indeed, as, though I had the skill
And Tongue of wisest men and Angels bright,
Yet were I most vnable to Indite
The true perfection of this Sion-hill.
Wherefore, as old Historians testifie
A wise Geometrician once t'haue found
The foote of Hercules cut in the ground
Of high Olympus-hill apparently,
Did by the length of's foote delineate
The whole Proportion of Alcides great:
So, though the Fabrique of Heau'ns supreme Seate
In its perfection none can demonstrate,
Yet by some things exprest in sacred writ,
And circumstances suting to the same,
Wee may thereof in minde coniecture frame,
Although (alas) wee come farre short of it.
No mans Imagination can conceiue,
No Vnderstanding comprehend the same,
No Tongue can tell the maiesty and same,
But those (as Christ sayth) which doe it receiue.
And therefore, Hee, Hid-Manna doth it call,
Hidden, because vnsearchable, vnknowne,
Manna, because more sweet than Hony-combe,
Manna delightfull, meate Angelicall.
O then, auaunt, thou fond Poetick fiction
Of Greekes suppos'd (but false) Elysean fields,
Which they doe dreame, such soueraigne solace yeelds,
Which they to get, haue suffered much affliction.
Why boast th' Aegyptians of their high-topt Spheares?
Cloud-kissing pinacled Pyramides?
Of these and more than these, what now appeares?
What talke wee of East Indian Marchandize?
What of West-Indies Mines of massie Gold?
What of the richest Iewels to behold?
What of most precious Pearles of rarest price?
Here's worke of wonder, worthie admiration,
Heere is a Structure, which out-lasts Times date;
Heere is a Country rare, faire, fortunate,
Heere's to be view'd the Land of sure-Saluation.
Wouldst thou be Rich? ô, here's true Wealth indeed:
Wouldst thou Liue-euer? here's Eternity,
Wouldst thou Liue-merry? here's Festiuity,
And perfect Ioy, which doth Earths ioy exceed.
Heere, in this Heauenly Canaan, thou mayst finde
Riuers, which flow with Milke and Heny sweet,
Heere, as Companions, Angels shall thee greet,
Here's ioy to fill Soule, Body, Hart, and Minde.
Since then, the Subiect whereof now I treate
So Holy is, (kind Reader) me excuse,
That I, prophane Poeticke Phrase refuse
In this discourse of Heauens supernall Seate:
For, tis not Fame, nor hope of worldly wealth
That I desire; The Golden Age is past.
But that I wish, Thine as mine owne Soules-Health,
For which, I pray, and shall while breath doth last:
For Loue, I onely looke for Loue againe,
This, if repayd, repayes my greatest paine.
Thine in Christ Iesus, IOHN VICARS.
To the Authour, in praise of his Prospectiue Glasse.
THy Verse containes pure language in true measure,
Thy View descries the Best blest Syon-hill,
Thy vow discouereth thy religious Will,
Thy Drift is to disclose to all this treasure:
Thy Verse, thy View, thy Vow, thy Drift declare
Thy Wit, thy Skill; thy Will, thy Zeale, all rare.
Thine in the truth of a friends affection, I.H. of Cambridge M. in Arts, and Preacher of Gods Word.
A louing LOOKING GLASSE, sent to his friend, M. IOHN VICARS, in returne for his Heauenly PROSPECTIVE GLASSE.
MY lookes can shew me Heauen through Thine,
My loue can shew thee, but his Hart, through Mine,
Loue, lookes, Heauen, and my Hart best part of friends,
Thy Glasse, Grace, Friendship and thy Zeale commends.
NATHANIEL CHAMBER, of Grayes-Inne, Gent.
¶ A Prospectiue Glasse to looke into Heauen, Or, The coelestiall CANAAN described.
TH' Armi-potent, All-seeing All-Creater,
Th' All-mightie Artizan of Earths Theater,
Hauing inclosd in his vn-clasped Booke,
Whē Heauen & Earth their first foundation tooke,
And therein registred this firme Conclusion,
An Vniuersall end, and All-Confusion
Of all the World, which when once discreated,
Should be refin'd, renew'd and re-created,
This great Decree will doubtlesse ratifie,
And for th' Elects-sake doe't more speedily,
As Sybells, Prophets, and Apostles wise,
Yea Christ himselfe did truly Prophetize.
Then pallid Death, whose Ash-pale face did fright
The stoutest Champion, most vn-daunted Sprite,
Hauing at Length with strength enough displaide,
His All-Tryumphant Trophies, hauing made
A massacre and hauocke of all flesh,
Thinking to Nimrodize it still afresh,
Like proud disdainefull Pompey at the last
Shall meet our Caesar, and at's feet shall cast
The Glory of his Mortall-wounding might,
Shall lose his fatall Sting which did so bite
And pierce the Hearts of euery Mortall Creature,
T' reduce to Dust each Wormelings Dusty feature.
Him, Christ victoriously shall ouerthrow,
From forth his Clawes shall strongly wrest the conquest,
And fell All-felling Death at's feet thus vanquisht.
But as the Corner-creeping Theefe doth watch
With sure aduantage vnawares to catch
The carelesse Seruants left the House to keepe,
Whom when he findeth snorting fast asleepe,
Suddainely sets vpon them, thus doth prey
On's hopt-for Booty, and then hastes away.
Or as it fares in a faire Summer morning,
When the Great-Light the azure Skie's adorning,
And new-now risen from th' Antipodes,
His radiant Raies displaies the world to please:
At whose sweet Sight the pretty Larke doth rise,
Wi [...]h warbling noates wau'ring ith lofty Skies,
Earth hauing op't her Shop of sweet Perfumes
Of fragrant flowres, herbs, plants, and pleasant bloomes,
A gentle Wind fannes coolenesse through the Aire,
The Suns increasing heate thus to impaire,
Each Creature much delighted at the heart,
To see this Sight; now ready to take part
Of pleasure, in this pleasant Day begun,
When as vpon a sudden, o're the Sun
A mightie Raine-swolne-Cloud begins to spred,
And furious Winds through th' Ayre are nimbly fled
From forth their Stations, blustring vp and downe,
The angry Heauens vpon the Earth' gin frowne,
And frō their Spouts powre downe great streaming Showers,
Dashing and washing Trees, Plants, Herbs and Flowers,
With Light-heeld Lightning, and such Cannon-Thunder,
As Heauen and Earth were rest and cleft in sunder,
Damping the former hope of sweet delight,
By this so sudden Change amazing sight:
Euen so this Second-Comming of Christ Iesus
From Sins most heauy hatefull Yoke to ease vs,
To Purge the World of its Impurity,
To Plague the Atheists Incredulity,
T' Auenge the Bloud of his deare slaughtered Saints,
To Giue an End to their sad sighs and plaints,
[Page] Shall Sudden bee, will come at vnawares,
When Worldly-men are plung'd in worldly Cares,
When Lust-full-men are most a Sensualizing,
When fawning Guathoes most are Temporizing,
When as Voluptuous-Vaine-lings sport and play,
When they doe least expect, suspect this Day,
Then shall this Vnsure-Certaine Doomes-Day come.
To Some most well-come, wo-full vnto Some,
Vnto the Wicked terrible and fearefull,
Vnto the Godly, comfortable, chearefull,
Vnto the Bad a day of Lamentation,
Vnto the Good a day of Consolation,
Sharp to the Wicked, ioyfull to the Iust,
Gods wrath the Sinner scattering as the dust,
Then, as ith' dayes of Noe, with wondrous change
Shall dire destruction int'all places range.
As, that, with waters wofull inundation:
So, this, with fires all-spoyling conflagration.
As, that, with water, coold the heate o [...] Sin,
Wherewith the World had then inflamed bin:
So, this, with fire to burne the rotten sticks,
2. Pet. 3. 10.
Of want of Loue (combustible dry li [...]ks)
Our Globy-Gran-dame Earth, shall then all flame,
Like a huge Bon fire, and about the same
The bound-lesse ground-lesse Sea, bright Fishes station,
Shall b'exciccated with strange admiration:
And that great-little, nimble-scale-arm'd hoast,
No longer shall through the watry-Region coast.
Yea, then that huge Leuiathan (Sea's wonder,)
Shall cease his sport, and roaring voyce like Thunder.
Then Heau'n and Earth, shall variated bee,
To pure perfection in the high'st degree;
Then all the Spheares, the Starres and heau'nly Motions,
Gen. 1. [...]4.
Which seru'd for Time-distinctions, certayne Notions,
Planets and Plants which Man on Earth did vse,
Their Power in Man and Vertue then shall lose.
Yea, all vicissitudes, all alternations
Of Heau'n and Earth, shall leaue their antique Stations,
Es [...] 65.17 66. 2 [...].
Shall be dissolued, cease, and haue an end,
Mountaynes shall melt, and to low Dales descend.
Apoc. 20.1 [...].
Freed at the least, if not renewd againe:
A briefe description of the Day of Iudgement: by way of Introduction to the subsequent discourse.
Then shall be heard a loud hart-daunting voyce,A heauenly Trump shall sound with ecchoing noise,
By Gods all-pot [...]nt power and prouidence,
Shall all flesh of this vast circumference
Heare and appeare by that loud Trumpets summon,
At this Grand Sessions all the world in common.
Then rattling, roaring thunder shall be heard,
Dan. 12.2.
Whereby the wicked shall be frighted, feard,Apoc. 20.12.
Then all the world shall be as flaming fire,Christ our Iust-gentle Iudge with loue and ire
1. Thes. 4.1.
Shall come with all the hoast of winged Legions,Mat. 25.31.
Soaring about the bright-starre-spangled Regions.With whom, Apostles, Prophets, Martyrs flye
In compleate glory in the glistring Skye.
☞
Mercy and Iustice marching cheeke by iowle,Shall his Diuine triumphant Chariot rowle,
Whose wheeles shall shine with Lightning all about,
With b [...]a [...]es of glory each-where blazing out.
Who shall in's hand a Booke in folio beare,
Wherein mans faults and follies written were.
Then shall the wicked Sin-polluted Goates
The most miserable condition of the vngodly.
Ingu [...]t in sorrow, roare with hideous noates,Howle, groane, and grieue, and lamentably moane
At God [...] [...]nall and tribunall Throne,
Holding their hands at's Barre with griefe and horrour,
Shall beme the Iudges sentence to their terrour,
Their se [...]se-accusing Conscience telling them
Mat. 18.
That they are Guilty, and will them condemne.And Sathans Sergeants at their elbowes stand,
To beare their soules and bodies out of hand
To his infernall Iay [...]e, with fiery chaines
To binde them fast to Hells ne're ending paines.
Their Sins, I say, will stand at their right hand,
And at their left will damned Diuels stand:
Within,
☞
th'accusing Conscience crying shame,Without them, all the World a burning flame:
Vnder their feete, Soule-frying, gaping Hell,
And ore their head [...], their Iudge most fierce and fell.
[Page] Too late they then weepe for vn-wept-for Sin,
Too late they wish they neuer borne had bin,
Too late asham'd at Heau'ns most glorious light,
They wish, but vainely wish, that mountaines might
Them couer, smother, from heart-searching Iudge,
Thus rest of comfort, vp and downe they trudge,
And then the iust chiefe Iustice wrathfully,
The Iudges sentence to the wicked, Goe yee Cursed.
On's left hand, sayes to th'wicked, Stand you by,
You aw-lesse, lawlesse, wicked, hence, depart
Into eternall terrour, paine and smart,
Depart, I say, you Cursed, goe, begon
Into the depth of Hells deepe dungeon.
That Prison where your damned soules must lye,
And dye a thousand deaths, yet neuer dye.
Deut. 12.2. 2. Thes. 1.7. Reuel. 14.10.
Where shall be weeping, wailing, schreekes and grones,
Gnashing of teeth, Hell-howling, sighes and mones,
Diuels tormenting you in flames eternall,
With fearefull frights, by hellish Fiends infernall,
☜
For ere to bee sequestred from all ioy,
In end-lesse, rest-lesse, mercy-lesse annoy.
O wofull Wages for their works of Sin!
O how much better they ne're borne had bin!
O that when they were borne, they then had dyde,
Then thus for Sin, Hells horrour to abide!
But, as wee see after a mighty Storme,
Simile.
The Sun shines out with beames bright, faire and warme:
So, the God-fearing, and Sin-flying Sheepe,
Which did Christs Lawes and Heasts sincerely keepe,
The happie citate of the Godly. 1. Thes. 4.26.
Which his distressed Members cloath'd and fed,
Which to their power the Poore had comforted,
To these blest Saints (I say) at's right hand placed,
Who shalbe with coelestiall glory graced,
Whom he elected to be Angelized,
Whose soules in ioy shall be immortallized;
With sweet aspect to these will Christ thus say,
Come, come you blessed of the Lord for ay.
Come, deare adopted Brethren, come to mee,
Come yee Blessed.
With mee you all shall glorified bee,
Receiue the Kingdome for you all prepared,
Ere Earths foundation was to th'Earth declared.
☞
You shall be crown'd with my chiefe Champions honner.Since for my sake you once liu'd in annoy:
Now with me come into your Masters ioy,
Into that ioy, whereof none shall be able
You to depriue, it is so firme and stable.
Thus then the Lord-Chiefe-Iustice hauing driuen
The rout of damned Reprobates from Heauen,
And hauing with the Fan of his Decree,
The Chaffe from's Wheate thus clensed and made free:
Thus in a bundle hauing bound the Tares,
The con-corrupted heape of hellish wares:
And by the power of 's irefull Iron rod,
His Foes beat downe and vnder foote thus trod:
His Church from all vncleannesse purifi'de,
His sacred Sonnes enthroniz'd Saintifi'de:
Now,
The description of the Church, the Lambs Bride.
shall they all with ioy inexplicable,With great content and comfort amiable,
Behold and see the New-Ierusalem:
The Citie of the Lord, vouchsaft to them.
That sole Metropolis, that sacred Seat,
Wherein our Trine-One Lord most good, most great
Had long time promis'd, and now meanes to dwell,
With all his Saints in vertue that excell.
This being that sweet Spouse spirituall,
That blotlesse, spotlesse Bride coelestiall,
To whom the Lambe Christ Iesus is contracted:
Now readie that the Nuptials be enacted,
Who being in her Militant estate,
Was then with blemishes contaminate,
Was often Sin sicke, by Her Sinfull Course,
And as it were in danger of Diuorce;
By Re-re-la [...]ses and her oft offence,
Though still protected by Heau'ns indulgence.
But now being in her pure and glorious state,
In Heau'n triumphant, vn-contaminate,
Conform'd vnto, confirm'd in puritie
All-Chaste, now plac't in sweet securitie,
Now vn-diuorceable, Louely and sweet,
Is new,
Ca [...]tic. 1. &c.
prepar'd Her Bridegroome thus to meet.Most amiable, faire, free of least
Freckles of frailtie, or spots of impuritie.
Pimples,Her Lips like threds of Scarlet, Currall red,
Her Temples faire, her Haire like golden thred:
Het Breath more sauourie then mellifluous dew,
Her Brests like two yong Twin-Roes white of hiew,
Araide in fine pure linnen, cleane and white,
Psal. 45.
In Vestures wrought with gold which glister bright,
And cast an odoriferous fragrant sent,
Of Spikenard, Saffron and most pure ointment,
Attended on by Virgins vertuous, chaste,
To meere her Bridegroome, thus Shee forth doth haste.
Oh sacred fight, sweet shew, soules soueraigne blisse,
When thus the Bridegroome his deare Spouse shall kisse,
Marriage of Manna and of Mel compacted,
Whereby our soules with Christ are aye contracted!
Prefigur'd in the sacred Sacrament
Of Christs last Supper, giuen to this intent.
Thus Christ (I say) his Loue, his Doue shall meet,
Thus they each other kindly then shall greet:
Thus shall this glorious Citie then appeere,
Wherein the Iust shall raigne with ioy and cheere.
But now ere we behold this blest Theater,
Let me herein be th' Angels Imitater,
T' each godly Reader here to signifie
A caution to the Readers.
This obseruation, of importancie:
That since in this great Cities modell rare,
We are to meet with wonders past compare,
We shall behold inimitable Art,
Such as may quickly wonder-strike the heart,
And seeme to Reason's Sin-blear'd, flesh-blind eye,
T' exuperate the bounds of Veritie:
Therefore a Winged-Messenger from Heau'n.
To th'blest Euangelist this charge hath giuen,
To register in Time-concluding scrowles,
To write this Truth in Scriptures sacred rowles,
That heau'ns All-seeing, All-fore-seeing King,
Truth's spotlesse Fountayne, Faiths ore-flowing-Spring,
That Alpha and Omega, First and Last,
Who was, is, shall be, when all Times are past,
As readie-prest his Mercies to full-fill;
Whose Promises are all Yea and Amen:
Hath promis'd (and what's he among all Men
Hath euer knowne the Lord to falsifie
His Cou'nant made, or from his Word to flie?)
Hath vow'd (I say) that hee'le all things renew,
All imperfections bring to perfect hiew,
And make the ioy of's glorified Saints,
Endlesse and free from future moane and plaints.
Yea, with such grace and forcible perswasion
He seemes to counter-maund all fraile euasion
Of doubting or demurring in this kind;
As if he should haue said; Man, be not blind;
Let it not seeme an intricate hard thing,
That I, the Lord, these things to passe should bring,
I, which of Nothing, All things did create,
I, which but breath'd and made each Animate,
I,
☞
the Arch-Mouer of what ere doth moue,Shall ought to me so difficult then proue,
As not my becke and bow straight to obay?
O no, be wise, doe not my power gaine-say.
Be not incredulous to feare or doubt,
For I, the Lord, this thing will bring about:
Not only for my Power, but Promise sake,
God hath promised, and will performe. God hath power, and can perform.
And the great care which ore my Saints I take,To crowne them all with promised Saluation,
Their Foes to fell to Hell with dire damnation,
That true Beleeuers then may find me true,
Atheists their Infidelitie may rue.
Yea, with a triple-firme ingemination,
Hath Heau'n confirm'd this faithfull protestation.
And what so scornefull, scoffing Cham so bold?
What impious Atheist dares it vn-true hold?
What feare-full, fault-full, or vn-faith-full Caine,
Doth dare this Truth, deride, doubt or disdaine?
Doubtlesse the simplest peeuish Grammatist,
The rudest Rusticke, who yet neuer wist
What 'tis to sound Heau'ns depth of Prudencie:
Would soone condemne them of Absurditie.
[Page] O the great wisedome and indulgent Grace!
Of heau'ns great King, himselfe so to debase;
Precept on Precept thus to vs to teach,
His Will so oft t'inculcate and to preach.
Line after line, yea now and then a little,
Our Faith more soundly to confirme and settle.
Vs to informe in his pure Veritie,
Vs to reforme from Infidelitie.
Therefore such faith-lesse and incredulous,
Such grace-lesse, god-lesse, irreligious,
The reward of Wauerers and vn-beleeuers.
As doe denie or will besie this Truth;
Shall be reiected to their endlesse Ruth,
Shall ne're haue part nor portion in this ioy,
But be obtruded vnto dire annoy.
And their too-light, too-late beliefe shall rue,
When they receiue their meede and merit due;
When with the damned Sin-co-operators
They shall of wo and horror be partakers.
Reade then with Faith, and what thou read'st, desire,
And that thou canst not comprehend, admire.
But, here as at a stand, I stand amazed,
The Authour iustly confesseth his vnabilitie and vnworthinesse to describe this glorious Citie.
That I a dust-borne Babe, poore, weake, and crazed,
Of stammering tongue, a childe in vnderstanding,
Of heart oft subiect vnto sinnes commanding:
Should vndertake (Worme that I am) to prie
Into the depth of so great Mysterie.
That to describe, which askes an Angells skill,
A Soules which of that sight hath had its fill;
And yet all too-too-little, to declare
The beautie infinite, the splendor faire
Of great IEHOVAH'S Palace Crystaline,
All full of heau'nly glorie, all diuine;
Which to describe, the more I doe contend,
I more admire, and lesse doe comprehend:
And whose rare Fabrique and coelestiall sight,
I rather could stand wondring at, than write.
Pardon, oh therefore pardon (Lord) I pray,
My great presumption, let thy Grace alway
Illuminate my Sin-caecated heart:
And to my Layes thy sacred helpe impart.
[Page] That nought may be misse-done, misse-thought, misse-said,
O Lord, I craue thy sacred Soueraigne aide.
Giue me a voice now, O Voice all Diuine!
With heau'nly fire inspire this brest of mine,
And since thou, Lord, art able to declare
By th'mouthes of Babes, which weake and tender are,
Thy might and power: Lord (though vnworthy I)
Into my heart infuse abundantly
The soueraigne Graces of thy holy Sprite,
That my weake Pen, thy wondrous Praise may write.
That thy
Inspiration
Enthousiasme of Propheticke skill,May on my Laies like Honney sweet distill:
That by Diuine-Diuine Iohns godly guide,
I from the Truth may not once step aside.
But by his true Propheticall direction,
May methodize Ierusalems perfection,
That all that reade it, may enflamed bee
With hearts desire therein to raigne with thee,
To make great haste and speedie properation,
To this blest Citie with due preparation.
As God,
The description of the heauenly Ierusalem.
th' e'reliuing, all-good-giuing King,The First that moues of euery mouing thing,
When vnto Moyses he vouchsaft to show
The Land of Canaan, which did ouer-flow
With Milke and Honney, which he vow'd to giue
To Iacobs off-spring, wherein they should liue;
On top of Pisgah Mountayne did him place,
Deut. 34.1.
That Moses might from thence behold the grace,The pleasure, wealth, and riches of that Land,
Which they should haue by power of his right-hand:
Euen so, the Darling of Christ Iesus, Iohn,
Rap't in the Spirit was also plac't, vpon
A high-topt
Mons mentis, ho [...] est, altae & diuinae contemplationis.
Mount in Pathmos, whence he mightContemplate this great Cities glorious fight;
A sight more glorious farre, then that the
Matt. 4.8.
Deuill(That subtill Serpent, fire-brand of euill)
Shew'd to our Sauiour in his great Temptation,
When he with Satan fought for our Saluation.
Thou well-beloued of thy Sauiour deere,
(Saith a blest Angell vnto Iohn) draw neere,
[Page] With ioy come hither, stand a while by mee,
And thou the heau'nly Canaan shalt see.
The Churches glorifi'd spirituall state,
Thou shalt behold and swee [...]ly contemplate
The spotlesse Spouse, th'immaculate chaste Bride,
With which the I am he Christ Iesus will abide:
The ioy in God, and godlies consolation,
Th' elected Saints most holy Habitation:
Prepared for them by the Trinitie,
Where they shall raigne, remayne eternally,
Call'd the great Citie, holy Canaan:
Great, whose Inhabitants none number can,
Holy, because no putrifacting Sin,
Nor least impuritie can there creepe in;
Call'd Canaan, or New-Ierusalem,
A Place of peace, Saints rest, Soules Diadem.
Now this most holy heau'nly Habitacle,
The totall beautie of this Citie.
This most magnificent Saints receptacle
Was beautifi'd, adorn'd, and decorated,
Was richly fill'd, was rarely illustrated
With glorie, which did from the Lord proceed,
Whose most refulgent splendour did exceed
The lustre of all precious stones most bright,
They all came short of this most glorious Light.
Yea, as a faire transparent Iasper greene,
A greene Iasper.
So shall his Saints felicitie be seene:
For ere to waxe most fresh and alwaies flourish,
Because Gods power and prudence shall it nourish:
It being pure as any Crystall cleere▪
Cleere as Crystall.
Where by nor blot, nor spot can there appeere;
No staynes of foule terrestriall vncleannesse,
No grosse pollutions of impure obsceannesse,
Shall this their ioy obnubilate, make dim,
Or once eclipse their beautie, fram'd by him;
Gods gracious presence and great Maiestie
Shall it so decke, decore and glorifie.
Obiection. Why the Light of Gods glorie is compared to a Iasper stone [...]
Here 'tis no triuiall question, why the Light
Of this blest Cities lustre exquisite
Is to a precious Iasper stone compared;
And why 't might not haue beene as well declared,
Or Artificiall Lights which men inuent?
All these are Lights, true; but too-light they bee,
Compar'd with Light it selfe, i' th'highst degree.
First,
Answere. 1.
in regard the Sunnes farre piercing rayes,With its bright beames the eye-sight much decayes,
If the beholder thereon fixtly looke,
Nor can his sight the brightnesse thereof brooke:
But, precious stones haue no obnoxious might,
But with their splendor rarely doe delight
The eyes of their beholders, so that they
The more on them they looke, the more they may.
Whereby, egregiously they intimate
And to vs point the sweet and delicate
Delight, we shall in heau'nly knowledge find,
So to affect and recreate the mind,
As that the more we thereof doe possesse,
The more our Loue thereof we shall expresse.
Againe,
2.
the Artificiall Lights men make,As Torches, Tapers, Lamps, and Candles, [...]lake;
Are soone burnt-out, extinct, and therefore need
Some fomentarie adiunct, them to feed:
But as for precious stones, their sparkling light
Is genuine, by Nature shineth bright,
And glisters in the most obscure-darke place,
Alwaies retayning their resplendent grace:
And therefore doe most liuely represent
The splendor faire and beautie excellent
Of th'euer-selfe subsisting Deitie,
Alwaies the same, One-same eternitie.
This Citie is inuiron'd,
The particular description of the Citie. This Cities fortification is in a Wall, Gares, and foundation.
bounded round,With a great high-topt Wall, thicke, strong and sound:
Which vnto vs doth thus much intimate,
That, though i' th' Churches-Militant-estate,
The Congregations of Christs faithfull Saints
Were still molested, full of wofull plaints,
Tost to and fro with stormes Tyrannicall,
With persecutions most Satanicall:
And like Noes-Arke were ne're in peace or rest,
With worldly-billowing-waues dasht and distrest:
From all heart-hurting feare of danger free.
Surely, Securely kept from least annoy,
In heau'nly saf'tie sempiternall ioy.
For why, the Doctrine Apostolicall
Shall as a firme inuincible strong Wall
Debarre and keepe-out, heart-deluding Errors,
All vncleane Creatures, Lyers, and the terrors,
Which their abominations might effect;
For, this Wall Doctrinall doth them reiect:
Ierem. 1.18. A good Preacher is called a Wall. The Gates.
And thus the Prophet Ieremie doth call
A Constant Preacher, a strong, [...]razen Wall.
Now, this strong Wall is made more admirable,
By stately Ports and Ground-worke solid, stable,
Twelue Gates are 'bout it plac't conueniently,
Which thus much doe vnto vs signifie:
What the Gates doe signifie.
That all her Friends and Citizens shall see,
The way to th' Citie easie, plaine to bee;
Practically difficult, Doctrinally plaine and easie.
Plaine to the Iust, to th' vn-iust Narrow straight,Easie to those, to these most intricate.
And on these Gates were Charact'red most faire,
The Names of Isr [...]els twelue Tribes; to declare
Their good assurance and their readie way,
That none might wander, erre, or goe astray.
There needs no vse of a conducting Guide,
Their way lying ope' to them on euery side.
But here by th' Names of Israels twelue Tribes,
Note.
The sacred Spirit vnto vs describes
(They being, once, Gods sole peculiar Vine,
Till they did from his Loue and Lure decline)
That, by a figure, are in them included
Th' Elected Gentiles, once from Grace secluded.
Euen People of all Nations vnder Heauen
Gal. 3.7.
(To whom, Saluation, God in Christ hath giuen)
Are here all ta'ne for sp'rituall Israelites,
Whom Christ the Corner-stone to th' Iewes vnites.
At these twelue Gates, twelue Angels there did stand.
But, not like Edens-Angels,
Gen. 31 Twelue Angels at the twelue gates
in their handHolding a sword, a sword like fierie flame,
To daunt and driue, what euer thither came;
That Abr'ams faithfull Sonnes accesse may find
Vnto the Tree of Life, and Sacred Spring:
Which growes and flowes from Christ this Edens King.
The excellent situation of the Gates. Ezech. 48.31.
With most commodious decent ScituationAre these twelue Gates plac't 'bout this heau'nly Station;
And good Ezechiel doth them thus digest,
Three East, three North, three South, and three by West.
These three Tribes names Dan, Ioseph, Beniamin,
Ore the three Easterne Gates were to be seene.
Ore the three Ports set on the Northerne side,
Iuda.
Iud', Leui, Reubens names might be descride.Ore the three Southerne Gates th' inscription
Of Simeon, Isachar, and Zabulon.
Also the three Gates on the West part, had
The names of Aser, Napthalim, and Gad.
Of which most decent triple distribution
Of these twelue Gates, this is the resolution;
Namely, that all the Saint-elected Soules,
Whose names are written: Heau'ns eternall Rowles,
From what soeuer quarter of the Earth,
Reuel. cpa. 21
They had their first originall and birth:
Yet, haue but one especiall meanes t'ascend
Vnto this Citie, their Hopes happy end.
To wit, the blest profession of the Trinitie,
Hereby, to Christ th'are ioyn'd in neere
Brethren.
Affinitie.And, that they thus, professing Three in One:
Shall find the way wide ope' to heau'ns high Throne
Shall find the path most patent, plaine and straight,
And at the Gates twelue Angels for them wait.
A twelfe-fold Ground-worke and Foundation strong,
The Foundations.
Did also to this mightie-wall belong.
I meane not to the Citie, but the Wall,
For,
1. Cor. 3.11.
of the Citie, Christ is All in All.Vpon which twelue Foundations glorious, rare,
Christs twelue Apostles names were grauen faire:
Twelue foundations the twelue Apostles.
Who, here are said to be this Walls foundation,
By their Apostolique Administration,
For, hauing first by their blest Ministrie,
Christ Iesus Doctrine preached publikely
[Page] Vnto the World: As the first Instruments
Are therefore, thus, the twelue strong Firmaments:
How the twelue Apostles are the twelue foundations.
Not that they are the principall Foundation,
But hauing first place in this Fabrication,
Are (as I so may say) the first stones laide,
On which the building of this Wall was made.
For, no man is so silly, as to say,
That the Foundation doth it selfe downe lay:
But, that's the office of the Architector,
Which is Christ Iesus, this great works Director.
This Cities Soueraigne, whose vn-shrinking shoulders,
Are this most glorious Cities firme vpholders.
Who laid his twelue Disciples as Supporters
Of this Quadrangled Walls most spacious Quarters,
As those in whom his Churches Doctrine pure
Did most consist and constantly endure:
Thus are th'Apostles Grounds of Ministration,
☜
But Christ the onely Basis of Saluation.
But what sayes Rome to this? that Man of Sinne,
Romes vsurpation of Supremacie from S. Peter touched and briefly confuted.
Who proudly raignes and rules as Lord and King,
Peters supremacie, superiour State,
Is here (me thinks) quite torne, worne out of date.
For, though our Sauiour calld his Faith, the Rocke,
Whereon hee'd build his Church, his Loue, his Flocke,
And his and all th'Apostles Doctrine pure,
To be his Churches Ground-worke, grounded sure:
Yet, neither is St. Peter here exprest,
To be in dignitie aboue the rest:
Nor yet to be the principall Foundation:
But One with others haue their pointed Station.
Then (surely) hence, 'tis most apparant plaine,
That Anti-christ of Rome doth not maintaine
His proud prioritie, from Peters Faith;
But from his Person (whom he falsly faith,
T'haue beene Romes Bishop, which, nor he, nor's crue
Shall ere be able to approue as true)
His Person 'tis, I say, not Doctrine pure,
Oh this it is the Pope can worst endure:
Therefore since he mis-deemes Christs blest Foundation,
He ne're shall haue least part in Christs Saluation.
[Page] But now returne wee whence we haue digrest,
The Cities quantitie measured.
The Light-bright Angell (which did manifest
Vnto S. Iohn this glorious sacred Sight)
Now like some noble Pers'nage, Princely wight,
Like to another prudent Nehemie,
Or like good Ezra full of prudencie,
By th' Symbole of a Golden Reede in's hand,
Did represent, that hee with that Met-wand,
The Cities spacious round should measure out
The height, length, breadth, and compasse all about,
Entries and wall, enuironing the same
All vnder line and measure truely came:
All most exactly form'd with due respect,
By the Arch-Artist of this Architect.
Yea,
This Golden Reede signifies the word of God, by which al the parts of the Citie are to be measured and fitted for this building.
with a Golden Reede he meates the same,Most fit to measure such a glorious frame.
By which externall gesture, th' Angell heere,
As else-where in the Prophets may appeere
In their Prophetick Visions vs'd to show
The Lords intent, by thus descending to
Our weake capacity: which ne're can keepe
A verball document, in mind so deepe,
As actuall gestures euermore we find,
Examples more than precepts teach the mind.
Iere. 27. & 18 Ezech. 4. & 5. and 40.
And heere, by th' Angels meating with a Reede,
Wee are aduiz'd to take especiall heede,
Examples moue more than precepts.
And deepely to imprint in mind and heart,
The subsequent description and rare Art,
The stately Symmetry, worth admiration,
Of this coelestiall sacred Habitation:
Contayning in't an heau'nly harmony,
With the chiefe grounds of Christian verity.
The figure or forme of the Citie foure square
This City lay in forme Quadrangulare,
By which firme Cubiq, plat-forme, heere we are
To vnderstand and note, the stable state
Of this Mount-Sion free from Hostile hate:
Not to be stirr'd by tempests violent,
Immoueable, most constant, permanent.
Which being square, the Gates are opposite
To the foure Corners of Earths-Globe aright,
[Page] From euery part whereof to let in those,
Whom Christ the Lambe to raigne with him hath chose.
The foure corners, the foure Euangelists.
The foure Euange [...]sts the patterne are,
By whom this edifice was fashion'd square:
By Matthew, Marke, Luke and Christ tend'red Iohn,
Was fram'd (I say) this Constitution.
And since the twelue Apostles, as foresaid,
Were, by then short and present doctrine, made
The strong Foundation of the holy Wall:
Is't not a Concord most harmonicall?
That these Euangelists most excellent,
By their Long-lasting-written Testament;
Should the foure Corners of that square build out,
And it to full perfection bring about.
The Angell then, with's Reede the Citie meted;
Which by iust Measure was thus computated,
Twelue thousand Stades, whereof eight makes a Mile,
For more full satisfaction herein See Napier on the Reus.
Which fifteene hundreth Miles doe iust compile:
The Length, Height, Breadth, being all of equall space,
Doe make▪ almost, infinite roome and place.
Within the Wall: As Christ himselfe hath said,
Iohn 14, 2.
In my deare heau'nly Fathers house, are made
Many faire Mansions: fit to comprehend,
Th'increase of Gods elect, to th' worlds last end.
Now then, the totall body of this place,
What is meant by Longitude, Latitude, and Altitude.
Doth to vs represent the beautious grace,
The great felicitie, admired ioy,
Which in this Citie we shall sure enioy
In the vnited glorious Deitie,
Th'in comprehensible Trine-Vnitie.
The three distinct dimensions, as foreshew'd,
Of Latitude, Longitude, Altitude,
Present the seuer all measures of delight,
Napier.
Which in the Father, Sonne, and Holy-Sprite,
We shall possesse: and this felicitie,
To be alike, of equall Quantitie.
There shall we Three in One most cleerely see,
There also shall we worship One in Three,
And of this ioy we shall haue full fruition,
Alike of all, without all intermission,
And one in substance in the Vnite Trinitie.
The premises thus re-obseru'd, afford
To vs a most harmonious sweete accord,
Twixt God and this his holy Habitacle,
The Lambes sweete Spouse, celestiall Tabernacle.
A most excellent obseruation of all the praemised forms of this Citie. Napier.
God, the Worlds most admired Artizan,
When first he fashion'd and created Man,
Like his owne perfect Image did him make;
God would Man should his Makers likenesse take:
Euen so this Cities specious Symmetrie,
Is shaped like heauens sacred Deitie.
As God himselfe in Trinitie is One:
So by this Citie his true Church is showne.
As of the God-head there be Persons Three,
And Father, Sonne and Spirit co-equall bee:
So those dimensions, Length, Height, Breadth, are all
By the Angell measur'd, to be iust equall.
As neither Person in the Deitie,
Is separable from their Vnitie:
So none of these dimensions, being Three,
May from a Citie separated bee,
Or other solid body, otherwise
It were not found, but Line or superfice.
The Persons Three and their three Offices,
Are not confounded: and no more are these;
For neither is the Length, the Breadth, and so
The Height is neither breadth, nor length we know,
And euen as Athanasius in his Creede,
As wittily, as wisely doth proceede,
And sayes, the Father, Sonne and Holy-Sprite,
Though three in Persons are one God Vnite:
So Longitude, Latitude, Altitude,
Must One sole Citie euermore include.
The Doctrine also of the Deitie,
Is witnest in the Foure-fold Veritie,
Writ by the foure Euangelists: so here
This New-Ierusalem, as doth appeare,
Is in a Quadrate, or square forme set downe;
Most like a strong immoueable firme Towne.
[Page] The twelue Apostles, were disperst and sent
To euery quarter of Earths continent,
To preach to all our Sauiours doctrine found;
Whereby all Nations Heau'ns right rhode-way found:
On twelue Foundations, so, stands this great frame,
And by twelue Gates all goe into the same.
Lastly the God-head vniuersallis,
And infinite in glory and in blisse,
Infinitely extended ouer all:
So in Ierusalem coelestiall,
Is infinite tranquillitie and peace,
Aboundant roome, for all the great encrease
Of Gods deare Saints, who were predestinate
To this Ierusalems most happie state.
Thus hauing heard this sacred Symphonie
Twixt God and's church: proceed we orderly.
The Angell now here measuring the Wall,
The Wall measured.
The mightie Bulwarke Apostolicall,
Of this Angelicke Seate of sanctitie,
Found it to be rais'd vp in Cubits high,
Euen by a twelue-fold high-ascending Course,
This is spoken Allegorically, hauing reference to humane building.
By th'twelue Apostles rais'd to mightie force.
But this though spoken in a humane sort:
Yet hath a heau'nly sence of great import.
Namely, that though the
Note.
Church, here, MilitantWas euermore distrest with woe and want;
Being by worldly obstacles kept-low,
And neuer could to full perfection grow:
Yet now in her Tryumphant dignitie,
To plenarie perfection springs on high;
This being by twelue Courses signifi'd,
Which twelue times so much more being multipli'd,
T'an hundreth fortie foure Courses of hight,
Doe make the Wall to rise, direct vpright,
Thus farre of the forme or constitution of this Citie: Now of the Matter or Substance wherof tis made.
By Iewes and Gentiles mightie multitude,
Whom Grace by Faith will in this frame include.
Thus now, we hauing seene the stately Statute,
The spacious Compas [...]e of this Heau'n-built structure:
Let vs with our diuine Diuine behold
The Matter, substance and most precious Mould,
The twelue great Gates of this Heau'ns Habitation,
Were Form'd, Adorn'd, yea with what pauement rare,
The Streetes were pau'd, all which is to declare
The wonderful vnspeakable delight,
Which Gods deare Saints in presence of his sight,
Shall in that life to come, to th' full possesse:
Esa. 54.11,12
And thus the Prophet Esay did redresse,And consolate the Iewes dis-consolation,
Declaring in his true Vaticination,
The glo [...]ie of this New-Ierusalem,
Which God would once re-build, remake, for them.
O happie are they, which are interested.
And whose blest Soules are there into inuested!
Now then,
The Wall. The Matter w [...]erof this City is made, and [...]st, of the Wall, which hath a two-fold consideration. Fi [...]st in the wh [...]e, tis Iasper: Secondly, in the twelue [...]undations e [...]pre [...] by twelue Iew [...] like the twelue in [...]arons bres [...]plate.
the building of this fenciu [...] Wall,This sincere Doctrine Apostolicall,
Of precious Stones, most gloriously did shine,
With bountie and with beautie most diuine.
Hauing a lustre like, the Iasper greene,
Which euermore to flourish shall be seene.
Hence then, this Note is set before our eyes:
That this ra [...]e Fabrique, pompous Edifice,
Is all most precious, specious, round about,
As Bright within, as it is Light without.
But in this
A very excellent and [...]emarkable ob [...]eruation in the Wall▪
Wall, this one thing is most rare,Is most regardable, beyond compare:
That, though those twelue Foundations firme and strong,
Were so by Course, set and laid along,
As that Course after Course, th'are placed all,
And strangely ord'red cleane throughout the Wall:
Yet is the Wall, as here we plainely see,
Thus wholly said of Iasper for to bee.
Which is indeed to shew and signifie,
That, though those Ground-props of the Ministrie,
Whose rare and diuers gifts in euery one,
Are by rich Iew [...]l [...] afterwards here showne:
Yet that the Matter and the Lustre bright,
Of this great Wall, are said (and that most right)
T' arise from One, which is the Lord alone,
Designed here by this rare Iasper stone.
[Page] He only is the Churches Bulwarke strong,
For, though to these Apostles did belong
Diuersitie of gifts of heau'nly grace:
Yet each of them in his peculiar place
Did euer build one and the selfe same thing,
And not themselues did preach, but Christ their King.
The Cities modell was of perfect Gold,
The Citie of pure gold.
Most delectable, glorious to behold.
Which Mettle, for its ex'lent properties,
This Cities glorie rarely amplifies:
It being of all other chiefe and best,
For these fine reasons in pure gold exprest.
Fiue excellent properties in good go [...], Plin. de Metal.
First, that the burning fire consumes it not.
Next, that it takes no canker, stayne or spot.
Againe, for vse it longest doth endure,
As also that the Fire makes it more pure.
Lastly, nor Salt, nor Vinegar can spoile,
Nor any such liquiditie defile
The faire corruscant beautie of the same:
And therefore from the rest it beares the fame.
O! must not then this Citie needs be stable?
Is't not most strong, inuincible, dureable?
Being so free from staynes of all corruption,
Being so farre from feare of Foes irruption.
Nay, here's not all,
Like cleere Glasse.
there's one more propertieOf rare respect, of precious ex'lencie;
Namely, that it like cleerest glasse doth glistre,
And thereby casts a more admired Lustre:
Whereby, is thus much to vs intimated:
That 'tis not with foule spots contaminated,
But doth with such a radiant splendor shine,
That All may alwaies cleerly cast their eyne
With most sweet contemplation, on the face
Of Gods great beautie and most bounteous grace,
By re-percussion of those glorious beames
Which from his God-head, on his Saints forth streames.
Therefore this glorious Citie of the Lord,
The Synagogue of Rome.
Which inwardly such beautie doth afford,
Is farre vnlike the seate of Romes great Whore;
Which Shee doth gild and gorgeously dawbe-o're.
[Page] In her externall parts; so to delude
The simple and besotted multitude.
Whereas, within Shee's wholly inquinated,
With filthy beastlinesle all-vitiated,
And by her cup of poysonous fornication,
Would all d [...]file with her abomination:
Being beast like drunken with the bloud of Saints,
Which to Heau'ns Throne doe send vp Abels plaints.
But,
Psal. 45.
this coelestiall sacred Architecture,Like Salomons faire Brides most Princely vesture,
Is precious, curious, beautifull w [...]thin,
Admits no soile, or smallest touch of Sin;
Within, without, all spotlesse puritie,
And inter-mixt with boundlesse Maiestie.
Thus hauing view'd the Citie and the Wall,
And what rare substance they are fram'd withall:
Now let's behold,
The matter whereof the twelue foundations consisted.
and that with admiration,The sumptuous substance of the strong Foundation.
All which, though of themselues they are most precious,
Yet are they made more gorgeous, gay and specious,
Being embost, enamelled and dight,
To make them giue a more resplendent sight,
With Patriarchs, Prophet [...], and Professors good;
With valiant Martyrs, who, not spar'd their blood
In Christs iust quarrell, with Interpreters,
A [...]d Soule-conuerting holy Ministers:
All these doe garnish, decke and decorate,
The twelue Foundations of this blis [...]efull state.
Which here the Angell fitly doth compare
Vnto twelue Gems, or precious stones most rare,
Whose vertues, colours, places where they grow,
Is worth our labour seuerally to know.
The first Foundation is of Iasper stone,
Iasper.
An Indian Gemme, as is by Plinie showne;
Whose specious splendor, and whose beautie rare,
'Tis easier to admire, than to declare.
For, a confuse promiscuous multitude
Of Noble vertues, it doth in't include:
In which, a pleasant multiplicitie
Of Excellencies rare varietie
[Page] May be perceiu'd: but, which is chiefe or best,
Cannot be easly seene, or soone exprest:
For, it, as hath beene shew'd, doth represent
Gods blest similitude most excellent,
Therefore this stone (and that most worthily)
Hath in this building chiefe prioritie.
The second was a precious Saphyr stone.
Saphyre.
Which is reported 'mongst the Medes t'haue growne,
Faire goldey spots, this precious stone doth garnish,
With a remarkab [...]e and beautious burnish.
The third was of a Chalcedonie cleere,
Chalcedonie.
Found 'bout the Chalcedonian waters; neere
The Rocks Semplegad's or those Isles in Thrace:
This stone being nam'd after that foresaid place,
'Tis of one colour glist'ring like a flame,
And with the Carbuncle doth seeme the same.
Which with good reason, well may signifie,
Of burning zeale an ardent feruencie.
The fourth an Em'raude, or Smaragdes rare.
Emeraude.
Which stone 'tis said doth grow i'th' Scythian Lare,
Of colour greene, glistring most cleere and bright,
Which hiew indeed doth most content the sight;
And is internally as admirable,
As for externall beautie delectable:
For, it by too-intentiue contemplation
The sight grow dimme, this stones rare delectation
Doth soone refresh the lassitude of th'eye,
And giues the sight perfection speedily:
Whose beautie greene, found Knowledge intimates,
Which th'eye of vnderstanding highly rates,
"Therefore 'tis next the Chalcedonie set;
"To shew, that where Zeale hath with Knowledge met,
"And are conioyn'd i'th' heart their supreme seate:
"Then are they both most pure and most compleate.
For, Knowledge without Zeale brings proud Ambition,
And Zeale without true Knowledge, Superstition.
A Sardonixe is for the fift Foundation,
Sardonixe.
Which is a Gemme found in the Indian Nation,
Whose superficiall face is red and white,
Like a Mans naile of's hand, and shines most bright.
[Page] And this doth also to vs signifie,
A certayne shew of chaste Humanitie.
A Sardius,
Sardius.
Carbuncle or Rubie rare,Doth this most sacred sixt Foundation reare.
A precious stone, which specially is found
By Sardis Citie, in the Lybian ground:
Of colour red like bloud, to intimate,
"Seueritie on Clemencie should waite;
And [...]ly's wi [...]h the Sardonix here placed,
Because the foresaid fleshly colour's graced,
And cannot fade, but fresh viuisicate,
By being ioyn'd with this associate.
The seuenth Foundation is a Chrysolite:
Chrysolite.
An Aethiopian stone which glisters bright,
Of golden hiew, and this doth demonstrate
Much dignitie, and great Maiesticke state.
The eightth a Beryll,
Beryll.
which (as Plinie saith)Is found in Indie: this, for colour hath
Sea water-greene, betokening Lowlinesse:
For, water as experience doth expresse,
Yeelds and giues place to each interposition,
Which is against it set, or makes inscission.
"Set with the Chrysolite to signifie,
"Meeknesse with Greatnesse should keepe companie:
A vertuous meane thus euer to retayne,
And rash extremes still wisely to refrayne.
The ninth a Topaze,
Topaze.
which was first found outBy Arabian Rouers, ranging all about,
Call'd Troglodyt's: this stone's of colour greene,
And yet not simply so, for in't is seene
Much yellownesse, glistring like perfect gold,
Giuing a lustre pleasant to behold.
A precious stone call'd Indian Chrysoprase,
Chrysoprase.
Doth this great Walls tenth firme Foundation raise.
Which also giues a certayne golden glistre,
But therein is a Scallion iuyce commixture.
This Fortresses eleuenth and twelft Foundation,
Hyacinth & Ametist.
Were both of them two Iems of Indian Nation,
Call'd Hyacinth and Ametist: both which
Are of a purple colour faire and rich.
[Page] And now of all that hitherto is said,
An obseruation of the Premises.
Of these rich precious Stones, whereof was made
This twelue fold s [...]d glorious strong Foundation,
This is the scope, true vie and a [...]plication:
Namely, that as a carefull Architector,
Who of a P [...]nc [...]ly building is Director;
Simile.
And Chiefe Ore- [...]er; sends with expedition
His Quarrions, Maso [...], giues them this commission,
In euery quarter to search our and dresse,
To hew and [...]ut, to hau [...] in readinesse
The choycest stones that might be got for gold,
For strength to build, and beauteous to behold:
Or, as Wit-wond'rous Salomon is said,
Simile.
When he would haue the Lords great Temple made,
To send his Princes, to prouide each thing,
Which might decore the seate of Heau'ns great King:
With Hiram his kind Neighbour did compact,
King Hiram a true type of the Vocation of the Gentiles.
For necessaries to that sacred Act:
Who sent both men and all his choisest stuffe,
Of euery thing aboundantly enough:
Euen so the Lord, this Cities M [...]ster Builder,
1. King. 5.2.
Ear [...]hs-globy Vniuers [...]s strong-hand Weilder,
To th'building of this blessed Habitation
Sent his Apostles into euery Nation,
To Indie, Aegypt, Aethiopia,
Arabia, Europe, and Armenia,
Through euery Coast ith' worlds circumference,
To teach and preach with care and diligence,
To Congregate and bring into his fold,
His precious people; who, like perfect gold
Should gorgeously adorne this sacred frame,
Some Prophets, Martyrs, Preachers of great fame;
Some with one gift, some with another graced,
That in this Structure they might thus be placed,
To frame and build this euer-lasting Palace
Of euer-liuing stones, and endlesse [...]olace.
Who as th'had built his Church once Militant:
Now should they thus build vp his Church Triumphant.
And as they had conuerted Soules to Christ:
Their Soules should shine like Starres in glorie high'st.
Dan. 12.3.
To th' Gates with ioy we now are come at last.
Twelue Gates of Pea [...]le.
Twelue Gates most rich and precious did belongTo th'Wall Apostolike, most firme, most strong,
Which Gates, were all of Pearles most Orient:
All of them but One Pearle, which is Christ Iesus.
Yet all were but One Pearle most excellent,Euen Iesus Christ, who is the only Port,
Through whom th'Elect must into blisse resort.
Through whom alone by Faith we here are fed.
Through whom at last we all shall taste that bread,
Iohn 10.9.
That Bread of Life neuer to hunger more,Which for his Saints Christ hath laid vp in store.
He only is the Doore, by which (I say)
We shall goe in and our, feed, liue for ay.
Simile.
And as on twelue Foundations did ariseA Wall, as we did formerly premise;
But One in Matter and in lustre bright,
Euen God the Father, Father of all Light:
So these twelue Ports, are all One Pearle most rare,
Euen God the Sonne whence they deriued are.
Octiection.
But here, this one Obiection may accrew,How it may come to passe, a Pearle should shew
And represent this Man-God Christ our King?
Answere.
To which Obiection, I this Answere bring:That as the Shell wherein the Pearle doth grow.
(Which Plinie plainely in his worke doth show)
Simile.
Doth at a certayne [...]eason gape and yawne,And without any generating Spawne,
Drawes into it a Dew from forth the Aire;
Which, by the Sea, i'th' Shell growes Orient faire,
And of this Dew doth more coagulate,
Christ compared to a Pearle.
Than 'tis of earthly stuffe coaugmentate:Euen so, the Holy Ghost from Heau'ns high frame,
Vpon the blessed Virgin Marie came;
And Gods eternall power, whose breath All made,
Did so Christs Virgin-Mother ouer-shade:
That without any Humane copula [...]ion,
Christ in her Wombe tooke on him Incarnation.
Yet so, as that his powerfull Diuinitie
Was still assistant vnto his Humanitie,
[Page] Which subiect was to Mans Infirmitie:
But not to Sinnes euen least Impuritie;
Being thus most perfect God and Man indeed,
Knowing our wants, to helpe vs at our need.
Non ignarus mali, miseri [...] succurrere poss [...]t. Heb. 4.35.
Thus then, wee see, that these twelue Pearly Gates
Consisting of One Pearle, this intimates,
That we in Heau'n or Earth none other haue
To inuocate, our sinfull Soules to saue,
But Iesus Christ, true God and Man alone,
No saluation but by Christ onely.
Who sits (our Aduocate) in Heau'ns high Throne.
Oh then, the wilfull madnesse of our Foe!
That monstrous Beast of Rome,
Romes praying to Saints touched.
who though he knowThis our Position most Authenticall,
Both he and h [...]s besotted Shauelings all,
Yet, they vnto their Saints appropriate,
And vnto Angels dare accommodate
The honour only due to Christ blest Name,
Angels themselues hauing refus'd the same.
And since nor Saints, nor Angels know our state,
Esay 63.
Nor ha [...]e in them, power, vs to consolate,
But Christ hath will'd v [...] come to him alone,
Who can and will ease and appease our mone:
Therefore, that they dare adde and thus diminish
From Gods firme Truth; they doe but striue to finish
And measure vp to th' full their owne damnation,
Threatned to all such in the Reuelation.
The Gates thus entred, now we may behold
The Streets within, all pau'd with purest gold,
The Streets all paued with Gold. Glistering like Glasse.
Which gaue a lustre like the cleerest glasse,
Euen euery Street through which the Saints shall passe,
And customarily walke vp and downe,
Like glorious Kings in pompe and great renowne:
Which Streets and parent passages, imply
(Amongst their other ioyes) the Libertie
And perfect Freedome, which those sacred Saints
Shall fully there possesse; without restraints
Of being vnto any one place ty'de,
For why, wheres'ere they goe, God is their Guide,
They walke in God, and God in them alwayes:
Their beauteous paths shining with his bright rayes.
[Page] Thus haue we seene th'Essentiall Maiestie,
This Cities glorious frame and Symmetrie,
Thus farre concerning the Essential Maiestie and glorie of this Citie.
The most magnificent and blissefull StateOf those which are in Christ incorporate:
But yet, whiles here, we see't no otherwise,
Then as we had a Mist before our eyes.
Then as we were ith' bottome of a vaile,
Whence of a perfect sight we needs must faile,
By reason that cloud-kissing Mountaynes hie,
And lost [...]e Trees are interpos'd to th'eye:
And hereby hinder our more cleere aspect
Of this most glorious heauenly Architect:
So that, but Aenigmatically, wee
1. Cor. 13.12.
As through a Glasse, this sacred Citie see;Rom. 1, 17.
Whiles in the Flesh we liue by liuely Faith,As blessed Paul in his Epistle saith:
Yet let it ioy our hearts, our Soules delight,
That though but thus, we may admire this sight.
That though but with the Prophet Daniel, wee
Dan. 6.10.
May ope' the window and looke toward thee,O Date-lesse, Fate-lesse, Rest-full, Blisse-full Citie;
Where Halleluiah is the Angels Dittie.
The Accessa [...]ie beautie of this Citie.
Now let it not be (O! how can it bee?)Tedious to vs, to contemplate and see
What Maiestie and Dignitie compleat
Is Accessarie to the glorie great
Of that externall beautie of this place,
Fill'd with the glorie of the Lords bright face;
Making this Citie most magnificent,
An abstract Common-weale most permanent.
No Temple.
First, there shall be no Temple in the same,Wherein to worship Gods all-glorious Name,
No Sacrificing, no peculiar place,
To worship in, or be this Cities grace,
Nor no externall Paedagogie, shall
Be vsefull there, no Seruice Rituall,
A simple & sincere worship of God without Ceremonies.
Like that vnder the Law amongst the Iewes,When they did their old Sacrifices vse.
But, God the Father, and the Lam [...]e Christ Iesus,
Shall of such heauie yokes then cleerly ease vs.
[Page] And be a Temple vnto his, most faire,
To whose blest sight Saints with delight repaire.
His worship, then, shall be most plaine and pure,
And shall for euer constantly endure,
Without all Legall Rites or Ceremonie,
Adoring God in Christ in Sanctimonie.
Whose lookes to them a [...] Lessons shall appeare,
His only Name be'ng Musike in their eare.
And such indeed is this great Cities State,
So admirable, so inexplicate:
That gold and precious stones being too too base,
T'expresse the glorie of that glorious place,
If Nature did more precious things bring forth,
More amply to describe this Cities worth:
I therefore know not,
Nothing fit to represent the heauenly Temple, but God himself▪ who is the Temple.
what terrestriall thingWe may with due proportion hereto bring,
To haue a fit and true Analogie
Vnto this Temple of eternitie,
But God himselfe and Iesus Christ alone;
In whom it may most properly be showne.
Againe, this Citie hath no need of Light,
No need of Sun, Moone, or Starres.
Neither of Sunne, or Moone, or Starres most bright.
For, as the Prophet saith, When God againe
Shall his deare Church restore and o're it raigne;
Esay 24.23.
The glorious Light thereof so cleere shall shine,
By the blest presence of the Vnite-Trine:
That euen the Sunne and Moone shall seeme most darke,
And in comparison but like a sparke,
☜
To that ineffable, refulgent light
Of Gods blest countenance and sacred sight.
Whereby alone the Saints shall all possesse
Such perfect ioy and heartie cheerfulnesse,
As that all earthly comfort, though it seem'd,
And were as bright as Sunne and Moone esteem'd,
Shall be superfluous, needlesse, most neglected,
And (vnto this compar'd) not least respected.
Also, the Heires and Sonnes of this Saluation,
Magnificēce and Princely state.
Euen all th'Elected People of each Nation,
Gentil [...]
Kings of the Earth whom Euphrates did barre,And once sequester from Christs Kingdome farre;
[Page]So many as are sau'd (as many shall)
Shall in Ierusalem coelestiall
With perfect ioy, enioy the full fruition
Of this m [...]st infinite and heau'nly Vision,
And thither shall their pompe and honour bring,
Euen vnto God and Christ their heau'nly King.
But here's not meant their worldly wealth and state,
Note.
Their Gems and Iewells, Gold or Siluer plate,For, since this sacred Citie needs no light
Of Sunne or Moone, which shine on Earth so bright:
Much lesse shall there be need of worldly pelfe,
In this most sacred sumptuous Common-wealth.
But this is hereby vnderstood and meant,
That those good Princes which were eminen [...]
Vertue and Pietie are the riches of the heauenly Ierusalem.
For vertuous gifts of Grace and Pietie,Shall lift vp all their whole felicitie,
Their glorie and their Princely estimation
From earthly vnto heau'nly contemplation:
And only fixe their ioy vpon the same,
And glorie thus to glorifie Gods Name.
Securitie.
The Gates, moreouer, of this Citie, shallBe neuer shut, but stand wide ope' to all.
None shall from this felicitie be staid,
Nor be shut vp, as frighted or afraid.
For there shall be no Enemy to feare them,
No doubt of danger, then shall once come neere them,
All spight of former Aduersaries cease,
For there shall be perpetuall rest and peace.
No Night.
And which is more, there shall be here no Night,For why, an euerlasting splendour bright
From Gods all-glorious presence shall proceed,
A Light more pure than Light it selfe indeed,
An euerlasting Day.
Shall so incessantly shine forth alway,Making an endlesse euerlasting Day.
But here this Night may further intimate,
A two-fold meaning L [...]' [...]all, Figurate:
A double meaning of this Night. Literall.
The Literall sense that there no Night shall bee,Is, that indeed the Saints no Night shall see.
For why? as hath beene said all Times distinctions
Of Day and Night, Summer and Winter seasons
[Page]Shall then quite cease and be superfluous:
The Figuratiue sense and meaning,
Figuratiue.
thusMay be explayn'd, that no obscuritie
Of Error or of slye Hypocrisie,
No vncleane thing foule or abominable,
☜
No filthy Creature, Lyer detestable,
No murthering Caines, no Iudas impious,
No [...]ham's, nor Achams sacrilegious,
No cruell, faithlesse, friendlesse enuious Elfe
That hu [...]ts his Neighbour, but much more Himselfe,
"No Auaricious arm'd in hooking Tenters,
"And clad in Bird-lime catching all aduenters,
Nor ought that may contagiously infect,
Or once eclipse the ioy of Christs Elect,
Or violate the glorious state and blisse
Which Christ the Lambe hath purchased for His:
Nor in the least degree shall hurt or wrong
The flourishing estate, which doth belong
To th'Saints rare dignitie, and perfect Light
Of sincere-worship of the Lord of Might:
Which is his Angels glorie and chiefe grace,
And shall for euer in them keepe fir [...]e place.
Zachary 14.20.
But those shall hither come with ioyes most rise,
Whose Names are registred i'th' Booke of Life,
Esay 52.1.
For whom the Lambe Christ Iesus did ordaine
This glorious Kingdome, with him thus to raigne;
Who were predestinate to this Saluation,
Before the Worlds originall Foundation.
To these alone the Gates stand open wide,
These shall for euer with the Lambe abide.
Lastly, to make this Citie most compleat,
Coelestiall Aliment or Foode.
In euery part to be as good as great,
The Holy Ghost hauing at large declared
The Churches glorie, being thus compared
Vnto a sumptuous Citie, full of State,
Now finally proceedeth to relate,
That, both this Citie and its Citizens
Are furnisht and replenisht with all meanes
For conseruation of their endlesie ioy,
Sufficient to protect them from annoy:
[Page]
The same is the meate & drinke in heauen, euen Christ.
They haue, I say, spirituall liuely meate,Diuine Angelike Mann' to drinke, to eate,
The soueraigne
Cant. 1.14.
Balsum to conserue alwayTheir health, in health, from fall or least decay.
The holy Spirit as erst, here vsing still,
These earthly termes t' expresie Heau'ns sacred Will.
And all to shew Heau'ns great benignitie,
Descend [...]ng thus to our capacitie,
This honour'd Citie hath in it also
A sacred
A Riuer of Water of Life.
Riuer, which doth ouer-flowWith pure and precious Water of blest Life,
Whose st [...]eames doe issue from its Fount most rife.
A current Riuer, not a Poole with soile,
Not [...]oul [...] or troubled like Aegyptian Nile;
Or bill [...]wing Euphrates; but sweet and faire
With delectable streames, smooth, cleere and rare.
Iohn 4. 14.
A Riuer, for its great aboundancie,Pure, in respect of its sweet Sanctitie,
☞
Of Water of Gods Sp'rits rare gifts of Grace,Of Life, whose Tasters liue an endlesse space,
And [...]leere as Crystall from all [...]pisfitude,
From all vncleane corrupt amaritude.
This Riuer shall from Gods great Throne proceed,
And from the Lambs, gliding with pleasant speed.
Iohn 7.
And thus this Riuer here may signifie,The Holy Ghosts gifts, third in Trinitie.
Which is not [...]le [...]ghtly ratifi'd, indeed,
In that 'tis said here, that it shall proceed
From Gods and from the Lambs most sacred Throne,
Which Iohns shewne Prophecie hath cleerly showne.
Yea, and ith' midst of this great Cities streete
Pau'd all with go [...]d, as mould vnder their feete,
Through all the pleasant passages most faire,
Whe [...]e to and [...]ro the Saiated Soules repaire:
The Tree of Life.
On either side this Riuer (rare to see)Doth fluorish fairely a Life-giuing Tree.
Which Tree of Life, doth [...]hus much to vs show,
That to those gracious Waters, which doe flow
To all the Graces of Gods sacred Spirit,
Christ Iesus is conioyn'd, by whose iust Merit,
Thus hauing with the Sp'rite Co-operation:
And still residing with his Saints Elect,
Continually doth guide and them direct,
Exhibiting to all, by his tuition,
Easie partaking and a full fruition
Of all the Benefits and heau'nly Graces,
Which in and 'bout this Riuer he thus places.
Whereon they all shall spiritually feede,
Alwayes desiring, yet ne're stand in neede.
Which Tree of life, twelue sorts of fruite doth beare,
The Tree of life beares twelue sorts of fruites.
Whereby the Holy-Spirit doth declare,
First that the Lord, who is the God of Order,
Doth much detest Confusion or Dis-order.
1. God is the God of order.
In still retayning as he first begun,
The number twelue, which hitherto is done:
And also to expresse that there shalbe,
In Numb'r and Measure full Sufficiencie,
2.
To saturate the longing appetites,
Of all the twelue Spirituall Israelites,
Euen of all those that so haue run their race,
The twelue Apostles doctrine to imbrace,
Sufficiencie.
T'obserue and keepe (Maugre the rage and spite
Of Pope or Pagan, foes to Truths pure light.)
Thus then, we see the Angell here obseruing
An exquisite Decorum, thence not sweruing:
Who, since the Citie, Entries, Roomes, Foundations,
And Symmetrie of these blest Habitations,
To th' Number-twelue haue beene accommodated;
And orderly thus still continuated:
Therefore with decent correspondencie,
The Angell to this Number doth applie
The spirituall Food, and Furniture most meete,
Making a Consort most harmonious sweete,
Conformably agreeing thus in one,
With
The twelue Apostles.
those whence they had their comparison.Now as twelue sorts of Fruite grow on this Tree,
The Saints to satisfie: so shall they bee
For Delicacie, sweet Content and Pleasure.
Delicacie.
As euery Saint shall haue aboundant measure:
No Nauseous Surfet cause, in any case.
For, as Christ Iesus is that Drinke and Meate,
Whereof each Sainted-Soule shall taste and eate:
So is he Sweete, Pleasant and Delicate,
Whereon they feede their fill, yet moderate,
Taking sufficient for their Contentation,
And their beautitudes firme Conseruation.
This Tree beares fruit euery Moneth.
Which Truth is farther illustrated heere,In that tis said this Tree of life doth beare,
Doth euery Moneth beare fruit, greene, ripe and faire,
Which with delights their appetites repaire.
The monthly fruit argues not times alternation, but Saints contentation.
Not that the Times shall then alt [...]ate bee,By yeares, moneths, dayes, as now-a-dayes we see,
For then the Seasons cease, Time's termined,
Sunne, Moone, and Starres, are then quite vanished,
As formerly was toucht: but here is meant,
That all things then shall giue such rare Content,
Shall be so full of rich Varietie,
Shall yeeld such Cordiall sweete Sa [...]ietie,
And with such Fulnesse all the Saints shall feede,
As that to store and hoord-vp shall not neede.
In that the Haruest there shall euer last,
Their pleasant Spring-time then shall ne're be past.
The [...] [...]
Also the Leaues of this most blessed Tree,Shall Salutiferous and most Soueraigne bee,
To helpe, to heale, to cure all Maladies,
Which 'mongst the Gentile Nations doe arise.
So that this Tree not onely makes them liue:
But to the Elect a healthfull Life doth gi [...]e.
Yet heer's not meant the Churches finall state,
But that, when Anti-christ is ruinate,
When God shall th'vnbeleeuing Nations [...],
And faithlesse Iewes, who once from Grace did fall.
The spirituall meaning of the leaues
But by these Leaues is chiefly intimated,That all the smallest gifts, accommodated
By th' Lambe Christ Iesus to the Saints Elect,
Shall serue Some [...]way their Soule [...] with ioy t' affect.
T' exh [...]lerate and cheere their sacred mind,
In's meanest blessings they shall comfort find.
[Page]But now behold, now followeth indeede,
No curse or malediction
That which doth all the former ioyes exceede:
The absolute accomplishment of all,
The Accessarie blessings, which befall
The Citizens of this rare Domicill,
Th' Inhabitants of Gods great Sion-Hill.
Namely, that in it there no Curse shall bee,
Zac. 14.11.
It shall be from destruction firmely free.
It shall be subiect to no execration,
But strongly stand, fearelesse of alteration.
Which is a Symbole, and a certaintie
Of this blest Cities perpetuitie,
A most infallible strong argument,
That tis eternall and most permanent.
A three-fold reason hereof may be giuen,
A three-fold cause of the Cities perpetuitie.
First, that (as is foresaid) this Seate of Heauen,
This holy Habitacle shall containe
No vncleane thing, which may its beautie staine.1
Againe, the glorious Throne and sacred seate,2
Whereon Omni-potent Iohouah great,
Whereon the blessed Trinitie will raigne,
Shall here abide and euermore remaine.
Lastly, in that all these his Seruants shall 3
With sincere Loue and Zeale Angelicall,
For euer inuocate his sacred name,
And his due praises constantly proclaime:
Seruing the Lord in singlenesse of heart,
Not once to will from's worship to depart.
But Curses are (we know) for grosse Transgressours,
For dis-obedient stubborne Male-factours,
Not for th' obedient, faithfull and sincere:
Thus then, is their perennitie most cleere.
More-ouer, all the Saints of this blest race,
The Saints coelestiall contemplation.
Shall see th' all-beautious, Light-bright shining face
Of that Arch-Essence of eternitie,
To walke and talke with him familiarly:
And with inexplicable sweet delight
Haue full fruition of this sacred sight,
Not as he is, Immense and infinite,
For so euen Angels see not his bright light,
[Page]Who are described couering their face,
With their Angellike wings: in any case
Not able to behold his glorious sight,
He Infinite, they being Definite.
How wee shall see God.
Is certain, Yet that we shall haue his full contemplationIs certaine, but with this iust limitation,
First, in respect of vs, we shall possesse
1 A perfect sight of Gods great Holynesse.
The Lord in vs,
In respect of our selues, we sh [...]ll see God perfectly.
and we in him shall dwellIn such full measure, as no tongue can tell;
He will replenish euery facultie
Of Soule and Body most aboundantly,
With his most precious presence: by his sight
Hee'le fill our Minds, from da [...]knesse freed quite,
Our Hearts hee'le quicken, there shall be no deadnesse,
Our whole Affections free from gloomie sadnesse.
What man is capable to comprehend,
Euen so great glorie God will then extend?
2 Againe, of that blest sight, which we shall haue,
This our sight of God shall be immediate.
No inter-mediums shall our sight depraue.Here, we as through a glasse, or vaile, him see,
By mediate Reuelations: then, shall wee
Of him immediate perfect Sight possesse,
Which, none but those that haue it, can expresse
A measure running ouer, heap [...] and prest,
Will Christ bestow vpon his Saints most blest.
The Saints Co [...]nizance
His Name shall also in their Fore-heads be.That is, they shall with such bold Constancie,
1 And vn-reuolting Zeale professe his Name,
How the name of the Lord is written in the Saints fore-head.
That nothing shall obliterate the same;Or cause them once neglect their pure profession,
By least relapse or vndiscreete transgression.
They shall be so conform'd, confirm'd therein,
To perseuere as they did first begin,
☞
Constant, couragious, euermore the same,Professing still Iehouah's glorious Name.
Againe, his Name is said (as here we see)
Vpon their Fore-heads Caractred to bee,
2 Because the Lord will publikely agnize
Zach. 14.20.
Them, by this Cognizance: and PatronizeThem and their states, as in a fenced Tower.
And in this Citie there shall be no Night,
No neede of Candle, Sunne or Starres most bright,
That is, there shall be no obscuritie,
Their perpetuall light and glorie inculcated.
Or darknesse of aduerse Calamitie,
No Night of obumbraticke cloudie Errour,
No frighting Feare, nor no heart daunting Terrour,
No slie bi-fronted close Hypocrisie,
Shall vitiate their intact Integritie,
No neede of earthly comforts more or lesse,
No seeking, suing there, wrongs to redresse,
By Temp'rall Lawes, or Ecclesiasticall,
For, there the Trinitie is All in All:
And is this glorious Cities great Lord-Keeper,
Most vigilant, and watchfull, hee's No-sleeper.
And, which (as was premis'd) is the perfection,
The plenary perfection of this Citie is Perennity
And consummating of this benediction,
This glorious Kingdome, where Gods Saints shall raigne,
Shall doubtlesse sempiternally remaine:
Like glorified Kings most gloriously,
Their blisse shall last, past all eternitie.
The conclusion of All. Simile.
Now as a bounteous hearted King doth vse,
When he a Fau'rite vnto him doth choose,
On whom he meaneth largely to bestow
His golden gifts, like Riuers to ore-flow;
What he doth promise or by words proclame,
By's Letters-Patents ratifies the same:
Thus, O euen thus our bounteous hearted King,
The Heart of Bountie, Loue's ore flowing Spring,
Hauing his Church his Fauorite elected,
And promis'd Shee shall be by him erected,
Richly endow'd, gorgeously beautified,
Rarely be royalliz'd, and sanctified,
Her head adorned with a Crowne of gold,
A fragrant Garland which shall ne're waxe old,
Triumphantly in endlesse ioy shall raigne,
And see her subiect, abiect foes in paine;
The Lord (I say) this promise hauing giuen,
That all these ioyes they shall possesse in Heauen:
[Page]To verifie his promise, and confirme
What he hath said, beyond Times endlesse terme,
The assurāce of these most rich promises.
Hath giuen his Letters-Patents, his Broad-SealeI'th' sacred Scriptures, which hee'le ne're repeale;
Seal'd by an Angels testimonie pure,
And as his Act and Deed giuen and made sure,
To blessed Iohn, in the behalfe and right
And to the vse of all the Saints of Light.
Which being done, makes thereof Proclamation,
With most Emphaticall Asseueration,
That Hee, the Lord of Lords, and King of Kings,
Hath power to doe, and will performe these things.
And surely, Heau'n and Earth shall passe away,
Yea, all things shall prepost'rously decay,
Ere his pure Word in one least jot or tittle,
Shall fade or faile, or alter ne're so little.
Atheists.
Which, though some Wretches Atheisticall,Some
Reuel. 3.16.
Nauseous Neuter, Satan's Tennis-Ball,Neuters. Sadduces.
Some execrable Sadduces (I say)Which doe the Resurrection denay,
Pythagoreans.
Though some vile Sectists Pythagoricall,Or Infidells most Diabolicall,
Which haue suppos'd the Spirits Trans-migration
From one t'another in Lifes consummation;
Which doe with deuillish dotage them perswade,
That there's no God which e're the World hath made;
Nor that the World e're had a Prime beginning,
And thinke and hold that it shall ne're haue ending,
Nullifidians.
Although such Nullifidians past all grace,May entertayne a thought, with brazen face,
And heart of flintie Infidelitie,
To thinke or say that the rare Symmetrie
Of this Ierusalem coelestiall,
Seemes as a thing meere Hyperbolicall,
Incredible to their besotted sense,
And past the reach of their intelligence:
The reward of vnbeleeuers.
Yet let the rabble of such Miscreants know,That ther's 'gainst them pronounc't a fearfull wo;
Their No-beliefe or wauering Vn-beliefe,
Shall fill their Soules with Neuer-ending griefe:
[Page]And what they erst would not conceiue in mind,
Their heart with smart shall then both feele and find.
Nor shall they haue least part or portion heere,
Of this great Cities pleasure, ioy, and cheere,
But from Gods presence shall be separated,
Which is the Second Death ne're terminated.
The second Death. The faithfull Bel [...]euers.
As for good Abrahams faithfull Generation,
Who wauer not in tottering haesitation,
Who haue a Heartie-thirst, and thirsting-heart
Of these rare pleasures once to haue their part:
Whose Hope past Hope doth cause their soules aspire,
A briefe description of their spirituall warfare and weapons.
By Faith in Christ this Kingdome to acquire,
Wherewith, i'th' warfare of this Life, they Fight,
Fenc't with the Bulwarke of a zeale vpright,
Arm'd at all points, with Christs blest furniture,
Wherewith they may most constantly endure
The Fight Spirituall, their Loynes to tie
With the strong Girdle of Christs Veritie;
Hauing the Brest-plate on of Righteousnesse,
To quench the Darts of Hells outragiousnesse,
And on their Head the Helmet of Saluation,
True Perill-Proofe, 'gainst Hells most hot Temptation,
The Sword o' th' Spirit, brandisht in their Hand,
Wherewith they may couragiously withstand
That Broode of Hell, Satan, the World, the Flesh,
Their spirituall Enemies.
Which euermore assault the Soule afresh
With hot encounters, hellish Stratagems,
To keepe them from this New-Ierusalems
Eternall blisse: In which most faithfull fight
If they magnanimously stand vpright,
Assisted by that All-Proofe, feruent Prayer,
The Godlies Guard, Supporter, and chiefe Stayer,
If thus they get (as thus being arm'd, they shall)
The Conquest, o're those Foes fierce Capitall,
Euen from proud Satan their old Enemie,
They that wilbe crowned in Heauen, must winne the conquest on Earth.
When he shall Challenge them this fight to trie,
(As oft he will) they ne're by fraud or force,
By terrours or by torments leaue their course
Of constant Perseuerance to the end,
But his Hopes frustrate, and their soules defend:
[Page]
The triumphant inauguration of the Godly into Heauen.
Then shall they like braue Victors haue the CrowneOf immortalitie of blest renowne,
Triumphantly to raigne with Christ their King,
And all their Vertues as rich Trophies bring,
And lay before him, for which he will giue
A Crowne, a Kingdome wherein they shall liue,
The Lord in them and they in him shall dwell,
As Christs Co-heires, whom he loues passing well,
And shall sit downe with him as Children deare,
To Sup at 's Table with coelestiall Cheere,
And then their Thirst of this accomplishment
The vnspeakable Maiesty and Glorie they shall liue in.
Shall satisfied be with full content.Then shall the Holy, Happy, Faithfull, see
The Structure of this sacred Frame to bee
Farre more illustrious, admirable, rare,
Than earthly things could possibly declare;
And that those Stones and Gold were too too base,
To serue t'illustrate Heau'ns coelestiall place,
Whose boundlesse beautie all discourse transcendeth,
Whose infinite felicitie ne're endeth,
Yea, that 'tis such as that no mortall Eye,
Could but as through a Glasse the same descry:
Such as no Eare hath heard, no Tongue e're told
The Maiestie which there they shall behold,
Yea such (I say) as neuer humane Heart
Could e're conceiue th'incogitable Part.
The Soules most sacred Soliloquie and most ardent desire to be inuested into this Glorie.
O then, my Soule, thou hauing contemplatedThis Citie all with glorie decorated,
Thou hauing view'd, with Heart-exulting pleasure,
The Maiestie vnparalleld, the matchlesse treasure,
The most magnificent, Maiesticke state,
Whereinto Christ will his incorporate:
What wilt thou thereof with thy selfe conclude?
What wilt thou say of this Beatitude?
Oh this, euen this, with Peter and with Iohn
At Christs admir'd Transfiguration,
'Tis good to make thy Seate and Mansion there,
O there 'tis best to dwell and dwell for e're.
Neuer did Noble Greece so much affect
Their Poetiz'd Elysean fields aspect,
[Page]Neuer so much did wand'ring wise Vlysses
Desire his chaste Penelopes kind kisses:
Or rather, more diuinely for to raise
My thoughts vnto a more religious phrase,
Neuer did Noah more desire to see
Ararats Hills, where he of's Arke was free:
Nor Sheba's Queene to see wise Salomon,
Nor at Christs birth more glad was Simeon,
Then doth my Soule desire these heau'nly fields,
Which perfect pleasure, ioy, and comfort yeelds,
To see my Sauiour sweet on Sion Hill,
My sences with his sacred sight to fill,
To see him in his glorified state,
Therein to be with him associate:
Euen in these Mansions of eternitie,
To liue in sure in pure felicitie.
Which happinesse, though yet I may not haue,
Vntill my Soule receiue my Corps from Graue,
1. Cor. 15.
Vntill I mortall be immortalized,
And with the sacred Angels
Not become an Angell, but bee like an Angell.
Angelized,Vntill i'th' clouds my Sauiour come againe,
To re-collect th'Elect with him to raigne.
O yet, my Soule, thy selfe delight and solace,
To ruminate the ioyes of that sweet Palace,
To recapitulate the sacred pleasure
The Saints shall then possesse in plenteous measure,
Euen in th'eternall Palace Crystaline,
The sacred Seate of the Vnited Trine;
The glorious Court and heau'nly Presence-Chamber
Of Heau'ns great Emp'rour, wonderfull Commander,
That Alpha and Omega, First and Last,
A briefe description of God.
Who Was, Is, Shall bee, when all Times are past,
That mightie, powerfull, One sole God most high,
Th'eternall King, nay, Selfe-Eternitie,
Infinite, All in All, yet out of All,
Of Ends the End, of Firsts Originall,
The Life of Liues, Bounties o're-flowing Flood,
Cause of all Causes, Ocean of all Good,
Vn-Seene, All-Seer, Starres-Guide, Sight of Seeing,
That One-None which to Nothing gaue a Being.
[Page]There, also shall my Soule behold and see
The most ineffable deepe Mysterie
Of that incomprehensible Trine-one,
Sitting in glorie in his glistring Throne,
With blessed Saints and Angels comitated,
With all the heauenly Hoast of Soule-beáted
The Citizens of the heauenly Canaan.
Prophets, Apostles, Patriarchs of old,The noble band of Martyrs stour and bold,
Our Parents, Wiues, our Children, Kindred, Friends,
Yea all to whom Christs sauing health extends:
All of them clad in blisse coelestiall,
All shining bright in ioy Angelicall.
Where in the presence of their heau'nly King,
They Halleluiah, Halleluiah sing
To him that sitteth on the Throne most high,
Making a most harmonious Melodie,
With sacred sugred Notes and heau'nly Songs,
Singing the praise which to the Lambe belongs.
This being their especiall exercise,
Their pleasant practice, customarie guise,
Still to behold the Lords most beautious face,
Burning with Loue of his most louely Grace,
Their mouthes still fill'd with praises of his name,
In magnifying his immortall fame,
Without all tediousnesse or intermission,
Protected alwayes by his blest tuition.
O there is infinite, vn-vttered ioy!
The admirable Comforts and vnspeakable happinesse of the heauenly Ierusalem.
Mirth without Mourning, blisse without annoy,Health without Sicknesse or pernicious humours,
Perfection without all Soule-tainting tumours.
Peace without Warre, and Light without darknesse,
Loue without Hate, beautie without palenesse,
Sweetnesse without all fulsome surfeiting,
Life without Death, life ere continuing.
There are no sighes, no sobs, no penurie,
No hunger, thirst, but with saturitie,
No chilling, killing frosts, or least extremes,
No parching Sun-shine, with hot piercing beames,
No will to Sinne, no power to offend,
No enemie least mischiefe to intend.
[Page]Good Paul hath there no need to watch and pray,
To labour in the Word both night and day;
And good old Ierome then may cease t'afflict,
Himselfe, so often, by a life most strict:
To conquer his spirituall Enemie,
To ouerthrow th'old Serpents subtiltie.
For there's all peace, securitie and rest,
That peace which can by no meanes be exprest:
There's all perfection sacred Light excelling,
All sorrow, care, darknesse and dread expelling.
O Life eternall! holy Habitacle!
Heau'nly Ierusalem, Saints Receptacle!
O amiable Citie of the Lord!
How should my Soule thy prayses due record?
What excellent rare things are said of thee?
What things are writ, are hop't, are found to bee
In thee! thou hast the seate of glorie sure,
That
Summum bonum.
Good-Best Good-God, ioy and solace pure,Which farre exceeds the science and deepe sense
Of humane reason and intelligence.
A briefe recapitulation of the glorious structure of the new I [...]rusalem.
For which euen Legions of Professors good,
And godly Martyrs haue not spar'd their blood,
But with vn-daunted valiant courage haue
Made Lyons, Tigres, Fire and Sword their Graue,
That after Death they might enioy that Crowne,
Those Palmes of peace, of honour and renowne,
Wherewith thy Saints, O blest Ierusalem!
Are happisi'd in happinesse supreme,
Walking as Kings, in those most gorgeous streets,
Where each-one nought but perfect pleasure meets:
In streets, I say, more precious than pure gold,
Glistring with glorie wond'rous to behold.
The Gates of which most holy Habitation,
Are Pearles of peerlesse price and valuation,
Whose Wall is all of precious stones most pure,
Incomparably rich and strong t'endure,
There is that glorious Paradise coelestiall,
Surpassing Adams Paradise terrestriall,
Wherein are fluent Oily Riuers currents,
Riuers of Honney.
Faire Brooks of Butter and sweet Honny Torrents.
With Beds all wrought and fraught with fragrant Flowers,
Bowers.
Whose odoriferous rare varietieAffoord most various sweet amenitie,
Flowers.
Whose curious colours, and whose louely greeneAre alwaies fresh, are alwaies springing seene.
There,
Spices.
Hearts-ease, Saffron, Lillies and the Rose,Doe sauour, sent, spring, spire, with sweet repose.
There are all spices Aromaticall,
Plants.
T'affoord delight and cheere the Heart withall.
All these in their Vertues & Graces to Man, not Reall existences.
There is that soueraigne Balsum med'cinable,For sent and salue most precious amiable.
All these in thee flourish without defect:
With these the Garlands of the Saints are deckt,
Without corruption they continue still,
And sprout and spring about this Sion Hill.
In thee's that Peace of God, which doth exceede
Mans vnderstanding and faith-wauering Creede:
There is that glorie which doth all aduance,
Obnoxious neuer vnto Change or Chance.
There's that eternall Light as sure as pure,
That Sunne of Righteousnesse for e're t'endure.
That white and bright blest Lambe of God most hie,
Who shewes and shines most cleere incessantly,
Which no time euer shall once terminate,
Nor no disastrous Chance extenuate.
There's Day which neuer darknesse doth admit.
There in their Bowers of pleasure Saints doe sit.
There also is certayne Securitie.
There shalt thou find secure Eternitie.
There all rare Comforts from Heau'ns glorious King
Successiuely, successefully doe spring.
What e're the Soule can wish, request, desire,
Is there at hand without the least
Enquiri [...].
enquire:What e're thou louest, there is to be found,
Only, what's Ill, comes not in this blest ground.
Oh then, my Soule, what pleasure infinite?
Oh what an Ocean of most sweet delight?
Yea, what a most profound and pure Abysse;
Thus to behold the Lord of Lords, is this?
[Page]Thus to behold with rauisht admiration
The Lords bright face with sacred contemplation?
Yea, with thine eyes to see, what Faiths dimme eye
On Earth was neuer able to espy,
The incomprehensible Trinitie.
Euen that eternall Trinitie most blest,
Which can by Man no sooner be exprest;
August. de Trin.
Than Austines seeming-Lad could powre or ladeThe mightie Ocean, into th'Shell he made
Without a bottome, that his Shell to fill:
No sooner can (I say) Mans stupid Will,
(Till his Corruption In-corruption bee)
This holy Mysterie cleerly know and see.
But when thou Mortall dost immortallize,
When Christ thy King, thy Soule once Happy-fies,
Then shalt thou taste that God is good and gracious,
☜
Then shalt thou liue in this his House most spacious,
Then shalt thou taste the Spring of Life most sweet,
Then in the Heau'ns thou shalt Christ Iesus meet,
Then shall thy Water of terrestriall griefe
Be turn'd into the Wine of sweet reliefe:
Then shall thy Sobs be turned into Songs,
Then shalt thou triumph for thy worldly wrongs;
O then in that most sacred glorious sight
Is to be found the Fulnesse of delight,
Of wisedome, beautie, riches, knowledge pure,
Of happinesse for euer to endure,
Of goodnesse, ioy, and true Nobilitie,
Of treasure, pleasure, and felicitie,
Of all that merits loue or admiration,
Or worketh comfort or sure contentation.
Yea, all the powers and powerfull faculties
Of Soule and Body shall partake likewise,
Sall be sufficed with the full fruition
Of Heau'ns eternall ternall glorious Vision.
God vnto all his sacred Saints shall bee
Their Vniuersall sweet felicitie,
Contayning each particular delight
Which may affect th'aspect of their blest sight:
Infinite both for number and for measure,
And without end shall be their endlesse pleasure.
Melodious Musike to delight the Eare:
to th' Palate he shall be Mellifluous Mel,
All the Sences delighted in Heauen.
Sweetspiring Balme for to refresh the Smell.
Vnto the Vnderstanding he shall bee
A Light most bright and pure i'th' high'st degree,
To th' Will he shall be perfect Contentation,
To th' Memorie e'relasting Continuation.
In him we also shall enioy, possesse,
What euer various Time could here expresse:
Yea, all the beauties of his rarest Creatures,
Which may our Loue allure by their sweet features,
All ioy and pleasure to content the mind,
Such as i'th' Creatures selues we ne're could find.
This sight (I say) is th'Angels chiefest treasure,
The Saints repast, repose and Princely pleasure,
This is their euerlasting Life, their Crowne,
Their Meede, their Maiestie, their high Renowne,
This their rich rest, their spacious specious Palace,
Their outward, inward ioy and soueraigne solace:
Their Paradise diuine, their Diadem,
Their ample blisse,
☞
their blest Ierusalem,Their Peace of God past all imagination,
Their full Beatitude and sweet Saluation.
To see him, who them made, re-made, made Saints,
Him seeing to possesse without restraints:
Possessing him to loue him as their King,
And Louing him to Praise him, as the Spring
And Fountayne of this All-felicitie,
And Praysing euer this blest Trinitie.
O then,
☞
my Soule, cease not to like, to loue,These admirable, louely ioyes aboue:
And though thy corrupt Flesh is th'obstacle,
And stayes, delayes from this blest Habitacle:
Nabal the Flesh.
Although thy Flesh like Churlish Nabal frowne,Refuse the paynes to seeke this sacred Crowne:
Abigal the Spirit.
Yet let thy Spirit like good AbigalGoe forth to find this place Angelicall.
Let Hagar neuer get her Mistris place,
Nor
Ismael the Flesh. Isaac the Spirit.
Ismael good Isaac so disgrace;[Page]But striue most strenuously, fight that good fight,
Subdue thy Flesh, withstand proud Satans might:
And with the Eye of Faith beleeue, desire
To liue with Christ, pray, seeke, sue and enquire;
Pray earnestly to Christ thy King aboue,
In burning Zeale, firme Faith, and feruent Loue.
For, what's this World? nought but a flouting fancie,
A Theater of vainnesse, pleasant Phrensie.
What this World is.
A sinke of Sinne, a shop of all Deceit,
Iniquities chiefe Center and sure Seate,
A Map, a Mirrour of all Miserie,
A Dungeon of most dire Calamitie,
Louely to looke on like the skarlet Whore,
But dangerous to deale with euermore:
A Mazie Labyrinth of impious Errors,
A Campe of Crueltie, of teares and terrors,
Constant in nought but in In-constancie,
☜
And most Vnconstant in that Constancie:
In nought the same, saue not to be the same,
And of a Being but a very name:
Still floting, fleeting, neuer at a stay,
Hates on the Morrow whom it loues to Day.
Yea, 'tis a Ioab full of craft and guile,
The World is a strong and subtill Wrastler.
Kills his Embracers with a trayterous smile.
A Wrastler 'tis and trippeth vp the heeles
Of many a man e're he its grasping feeles:
Salomon wise, strong Samson so renown'd,
It made their lengths to measure on the ground.
Therefore, to loue the World, is nought else, sure,
Amor rerum terrenarum, est viscus spiritualium pennarum.
Then to her Lime-twigs thy poore Soule t'allure,
Which, so, the Feathers of thy Faith will marre,
Thy Soule if't may be from Heau'ns ioyes to barre.
Why then (my Soule) shouldst thou to th'Earth be thrall,
The Loue of the World is the Soules Bird-lime. A most holy expostulation of the Soule, concerning the World and the Flesh.
Which hast a heau'nly blest originall?
Which hast a heau'nly-blest originall?
Why shouldst thou pin thy thoughts on mortall things?
Who art immortall from the King of Kings.
And why shouldst thou, a Sp'rit inuisible,
Be pleas'd with things, both grosse and visible?
Striuing to pamper thy corrupted Bodie,
Whose definition is, indeed, that Both-Die:
To Sinne and Satan in their dire decay.
And hence it is that Latinists likewise
Thus
The Body.
Corpus fitly Etymologize:Cor which was once the Heart of pure perfection,
Is thus made Pus, all filth and foule infection.
Why then shouldst thou thy selfe so low depresse?
Who art of high coelestiall Noblenesse,
One of thy Fathers first-borne Children deare;
Whose name in Heau'ns blest Records may appeare.
Why should the Worlds false promises delude thee?
Since Heau'n with Grace and Goodnesse hath endu'de thee.
Wilt thou, a Princes Sonne, a heauenly Prince,
Let Satans gilded Apples thee conuince?
Wilt thou the Sonne of Heau'ns All-sacred King,
Offend thy Father for so vile a thing?
Wilt thou thy Birth right Esau-like forgoe,
For one dire messe of Broth bewitching wo?
Oh, no, deceitfull Dalilah, a-dieu,
Thy Syrens Songs my Soule doth most eschew,
Thy Crocadile like teares which would betray me,
As holy detestation of them.
By Heau'ns preuenting Grace shall neuer slay me:
For all thy Bitter-sweets, false Protestations,
My Soule esteemes but hellish Incantations.
Wherefore, as Amnon being once defiled
With his owne Sister, whom he had beguiled,
After the fact, did hate her ten times more
Then euer he had loued her before:
So I, whom thy false Friendship once defiled,
Whom thy deceitfull ambush once beguiled:
I hate, abominate thy mischiefe more,
Than e're I lou'd or liked thee before.
As Sea-men, Rocks, as Children Scorpions flie:
So (Oh my Soule) hate worldly Vanitie.
And, oh, what's he? that would not leaue most glad
Worlds Vanities, so finite, base and bad
For Pleasures infinite? What's he would take
Fraudulentioyes, and permanent forsake?
The resolution of a good Christian.
None doubtlesse, none, but Dastards void of Grace,None but faint-hearted, fearefull Cowards base.
[Page]The resolute couragious Christian bold,
Dares Deaths grim face confront, see and behold,
Dares Death defie, and his approach desire,
Because by Death he knowes he shall acquire
The end of all his hopes, for, Death's the Key
Which opes the doore to true felicitie.
Yea, 'tis no paine but of all pai [...]es the end,
What dea [...] is t [...] [...]he Godly.
The Gate of Heau'n and Ladder to ascend.
And Death's the Death of all his stormes and strife,
And sweet beginning of immortall Life.
Therefore with smiling count'nance, merrily
To Heau'n his place of rest he casts his eye:
And in his heart, these thoughts are oft reuolued,
Vnfeynedly I wish to be dissolued
A most [...]oly Meditation of a sanctified Soule.
To be with thee (O Christ my Sauiour sweet)
Thee my deare Eldest Brother for to meet.
I see thee Christ, I see thee heau'nly home,
I gladly would and quickly to thee come.
I see thee, oh thou Saints coelestiall Place,
I much desire I once had run my race.
But though I cannot with Elias run,
Ith'strength o'th' Spirit in this race begun
☜
Vnto the heau'nly Canaan: yet giue Grace,
Though I with Iacob halt, to halt apace:
And if not so, yet that at least I may,
Like to an Infant learne to creepe the way:
And grow from strength to strength, from grace to grace,
Vntill I come in presence of thy face.
For, I am wearie of this Pilgrimage,
And long for thee my heau'nly Heritage.
How oft haue I thee view'd with admiration?
How oft hast thou beene my Soules meditation?
How oft haue I beene rauisht with desire,
That vnto thee my Soule might once aspire?
How oft haue I both scorn'd and vili-pended
Earths most vnpleasant pleasures quickly ended?
Being compared to those ioyes aboue,
Which from my Heart, my Soule doth dearely loue:
My Heart, my Life, my Bl [...]sse, my Ioy, my Gem,
Swe [...]tsolace of the soule.
My Soules deare Soule is New-Ierusalem.
[Page]And now I come, my ioyes, I come to you,
For whom I [...]d so often seeke and sue.
I, paine and Death doe heartily embrace,
So that my Soule amongst you may take place:
Yea, though euen Hell it selfe were in my way,
And would my iourney stop, disturbe or stay,
I would it passe and hazzard Hells annoy,
To liue with Christ in his coelestiall ioy.
Cleombrotus h [...] [...]pe [...]te r [...]o [...]mi [...] to enio [...] [...] mortalitie.
And, surely, since Heath'nish CleombrotusDid seeme (but desp'rately) so valourous,
Hearing his Master Plato, once, discourse
Of Immortal [...]tie: with furious force
(From an high Rocke) himselfe did head-long throw,
In hope to be Immortalized so:
O how much rather then, I pray, ought I,
Dying i'th' Lord a thousand
Imposed by others, not exposed to by my selfe.
deaths to die,To be inuested in that perfect Glorie,
Showne and assur'd in Truths most faithfull Storie?
Hee dy'd [...] in bare opinion, Soules blind-Loue,
I die in Faith and knowledge from aboue:
Hee only hop't to haue immortall Life,
I, for immortall rest and glorie rise;
Hee went vn [...]sent for, I am oft inuited,
Euen Christ himselfe my Soule hath oft
To desire dissolution, n [...] effect it my selfe.
incited:Incited oft, I say, with Resolution,
And Pauls firme Faith, to wish for Dissolution.
Shall then his Pagan-courage mine excell?
Shall feare of death my Christian-courage quell,
Since my sure ground, than his, is much more firme,
And death to me is but my sorrowes terme?
And that my Soule i'th'end shall sure exult,
Although the way seeme somewhat difficult?
Braue resolution of a Christian Souldier.
O no, my Soule, be valorous and stout,With constant courage perseuere, hold out.
None fight but with a hope of Victorie:
Thy fight well finisht brings eternitie.
If one should say vnto a Captayne stout,
Goe forward with bold courage, fight it out;
Doe but thy vtmost, fight and giue not ouer,
For thou in th'end, the conquest shalt recouer;
From whom hee's sure to winne the Victorie.
Would any Gideon such a fight refuse?
Could any valiant Iosuah, thinke you, choose
But enter combate with the proudest Foe?
Whom he with triumph surely shall o're-throw.
My Sauiour sweet, euen thus to me hath said;
Take courage, Christian Souldier, ben't afraid,
Christ encourageth the Christian Souldier in his spirituall warfare.
Doe thou thine vtmost, Satan to withstand:
For I will be propitious at thy hand.
Fight valiantly, and though thy foes fierce might
May hap to bring thee on thy knees i'th' fight,
May often foile thee by his craftie snare:
Yea, though his clawes were readie thee to tare,
Yet I will raise thee vp, I'le thee defend,
And thou shaltsure be Victor in the end.
Who then (I say) what's he would be so base,
As not this proffer gladly to embrace?
Who could with vile pusillanimitie,
So free a Conquest Coward-like denie?
Shall doting Louers for their Ladies fight,
And for their sakes account all danger slight?
Shall Merchants venture both their liues and goods,
For wealth and pelse through th'Oceans dangerous floods?
Yea, shall the Ship-Boy gladly vnder-goe
All hazzards which or Sea or Shore can show?
Onely in hope to gaine a Masters place:
And to obtayne a cunning Pilots grace.
And shall my Soule turne Coward, feare and flie?
Shall not my Soule controll that Enemie?
Whom Christ my Generall first ouer-threw,
Christ is our Generall.
And thereby all his subtilties well knew:
And knowing them, hath taught me how to fight,
Me to defend, him offend, put to flight:
Yea, and hath promis'd hee'le assistant bee,
And in my weaknesse cause my Foe to flee;
And vnder-neath my feete pull Satan downe,
And me as Victor graciously will crowne.
O then (my Soule) stand stoutly to't and feare not,
Christs sacred Armes in vaine about thee beare not.
Christ being Captaine thou'lt him ouerthrow.
For if Heau'ns King by Grace be on thy side,
Thou needst not feare what ere doe thee betide:
S. Bernard.
No danger, sure, can in that Battaile bee,Where thou for Christ, and Christ doth figh [...] for thee.
And heer's my Comfort, this is my Soules stay,
That whether Satan wound, or doe me slay,
Dye fleshly Body, so my Soule may liue,
Christ to my Soule the Palme of Peace will giue.
Simile.
But as a mighty Emp'rour which proclaimesAt some great feast Olympicke warlike Games,
Wherein to him which proues the Conquerour,
And doth the best exploits, this Emperour
Will giue a Crowne, his valour to reward;
Vincenti dabitur.
And him with Kingly fauour will regard.But not the Emp'rour vnto him descends,
But hee to th' Emp'rours Gallery ascends,
There from his Princely hand to take the Crowne,
The tryumph, trophie, of his high renowne:
Euen so the Christian Souldier hauing gained
The victory, for which he long had strained
With all his power spirituall, to quell
The rage of rau'nous Sin, and Satan fell,
Why the Godly doe die.
Must from the worlds Lists in a blessed endBy Death, Heau'ns glorious Gallery ascend,
There, from the hands of Iesus Christ himselfe
To take a Crowne farre passing worldly pelfe;
A Crowne of ioy, euen Glories plenitude,
A Crowne of blisse, euen Heau'ns beatitude.
Tis not Merit, but Mercy, which crownes vs.
Not as the Meede of his deseruing Merit,But as the free-gift of Gods sacred Spirit;
For, hauing done what euer I am able,
Yet my best seruice is vnprofitable,
Onely in Mercy hee is pleas'd to crowne
His owne-good-gifts in mee to my renowne.
O! therefore Death, shalbe my welcome-guest,
Death, a welcome Guest to the Godly.
Death, which translates from Labour vnto reff,From wordly sorrow, to Heau'ns ioyes encrease,
From woe to weale, from trouble to sweet Peace.
To Heau'n the Fortresse of true Constancy.
Goe then, you godlesse Heliogabolites,
You carnall Worldlings, proud Cosmopolites,
☜
Goe please your selues in swearing, feasting, fighting,
A most holy disdayning of worldly Greatnesse.
And not what's iust, but what's your Lust delight in.
Goe please your selues with rich and large extents
Of wealthie Mannours, stately tenements,
Grow proud to see your Vnderlings beslaued,
And by your Greatnesse wrongfully out-braued,
To see your Ward-roabes stuft with proud Apparell,
Your Mouthes with oathes, your thoughts with strife and quarrell.
To haue variety of worldly pleasure,
Delicate Gardens, Coffers full of treasure.
Treasure (said I?) nay white and yellow Clay,
Bewitching Mammon, Sin-bane, Soules▪decay:
Or if there's ought that doth you more allure,
Or which you would with more content procure,
Vse it, possesse it, yet for all this know,
You shall it all with shame and smart forgoe.
Yea God will take at Deaths disast'rous day,
Your Lands (your life) your Goods (your gods) away.
This, this (alas) did cause the Prophets cry,
This mou'd S. Paul with zealous ardency,
'Gainst Worldlings to cry out, and them accuse,
That they themselues, their Soules would so abuse,
Such lying vanities so to respect,
So sottishly their Soules-health to reiect,
In Aegypt, Straw and Stubble for to buy,
Yea Straw I say and Chaffe, which finally
Would their owne House burne-downe and ruinate,
And head-long them to Hell precipitate
Rich Merchandise.
Whereas their Sauiour at a cheaper price
Would sell them gold, pure gold, rare Marchandise,
Euen all the golden ioyes and sweet delight
Of Paradise coelestiall, sacred sight:
That Pearle of blest Saluation, which to buy
The wisest Merchant would most ioyfully
Sell all his worldly treasure, earthly pelfe,
With this rare Iewell to enrich himselfe.
[Page]
A cheape price.
And what's his price? O cheape, and nought else, sure,But what thou maist thy selfe with ease procure,
Onely thy Heart, 'tis onely this, he craues:
This giuen to God, both Soule and Body saues.
Not that thy God is better by the same,
But thou ma [...]e blest, to magnifie his Name:
'Tis onely thine not his good, he desires,
And for this good he onely thanks requires.
Oh therefore silly, simple, sinfull Man,
What greater madnesse? tell me, if thou can?
Than such a proffer, fondly to refuse,
Than Death for Life, for Treasure, Straw to choose;
For precious Liquor, Fountayne-water good,
To hoose foule puddles stinking full of mud;
Oh more then mad-men thus to take more paine;
The wicked tak [...] more paines to go to hell, then the righteous to goe to heauen.
Head-long to run to Hell with might and maine:
Then euen the holyest Saints to goe to Heauen,
Who oft with treates and threats are thereto driuen,
But (O my Soule) thy Sauiours counsell take;
O doe not thou his bountie so forsake!
Goe buy of him, giue Body, Heart and all,
To purchase this rare Gem Angelicall.
And with that Royall-Shepherd Dauid, say,
O thou my Soule trust in the Lord alway:
Yea, in his Awe and Law take thou delight,
O like, loue, looke on this both day and night.
Let it be thy Arithmetike, alwayes
☞
To take account and number out thy dayes.A Deaths-head let thy chiefe Companion bee,
An Houre-glasse, Remembrancer to thee.
Let thy chiefe studie be continually,
How to liue well, and blessedly to die.
So shalt thou (O my Soule) most happy bee,
When thou of that blest Citie art made free,
When thou, amongst that sacred Hierarchie
Shalt sing sweet tones and tunes melodiously;
With Heau'ns Psalmodicall harmonious Quire
Of Saints and Angels zealous, hot as fire,
The Diapason of whose heau'nly Laies
Doth warble forth Heau'ns due deserued praise,
[Page]Where thou being grac't and plac't in heau'nly state,
In precious pleasure ne're to terminate,
Being sweetly rap't in heau'nly Extasie,
Christs and his Churches
Marriage-Song.
Epithalamie,My Sainted-Soule with sugred voice shall sing,
To God in Christ my Three One heau'nly King:
O happie Citizens enfranchis'd there!
O ioyfull Qu [...]risters singing so cleere!
Victorious Souldiers thus to be trans-planted!
Where Peace for Warre, where Life for Death is granted.
Happie wert thou (my Soule) most truely blessed,
If thou wert once of this rare ioy possessed:
That then I might be fill'd, but neuer
Satisfied.
satedWith that rare sight, which once initiated,
Shall last for aye without Times dissolution,
Shall be most specious without all pollution.
Therefore my Heart (as Hart being chafte and chaced
Simile.
By furious Houn [...]s most nimbly tract and traced)Desires the Water-Brooks his heate t'allay,
That so refresht, he thence may scud away:
Euen so my Heart (O Lord) desires to see
Those Crystall streames of Life which flow from thee;
Sighes, sues, pursues, her Countrie to recouer,
Here abiect, subiect, too too triumpht ouer
By my three fierce and furious Enemies:
Who seeke my Soule t'insnare and sin-su [...]prize,
Euen Satan that old Hunter and his Hounds,
Satan a Hunter.
The World, the Fl [...]sh, which giue my Soule deepe wounds.
The World & the Flesh his Hounds.
Who more like rauening Wolu [...]s would faine deuoure
And captiuate my Soule in hellish power:
But thy preuenting Grace (O Spring of Grace)
Prese [...]e [...] my Soule, dis-nerues their horrid chace;
And as a Bird out of the Fowlers Grin,
Or as Noes Doue looking to be let-in,
Into the Arke of thine eternall Rest:
My tyred Soule is vnto thee addrest,
My Soule with worlds encumbrances oppressed;
Desires (O Lord) to be by thee refreshed.
The Soules thirst.
My Soule doth thirst and hasteth to draw neere,
And longs before thy presence to appeare.
Whose laud and praise the heau'nly Hoast doe sing!
O when shall I come and appeare in sight
Of thee, the Sunne of righteousnesse most bright?
When shall my Soule by thine All-sauing hand,
Be led with ioy from forth this Desert Land?
When shall I leaue this Wildernesse of wo,
Wherein my Soule is tossed to and fro?
I sit alone, as on a house the Sparrow:
I [...]h' Vale and Dale of Teares, feares, sighes and sorrow.
O leade (deare Christ) my Loue-sicke Soule by th'hand,
From this vast Wildernesse drie thirstie Land:
Cant. 2.4.
To thy [...]ne-C [...]llers, that I there may tasteOf th [...] W [...]n [...]-fl [...]ons thou prepared hast.
Cant. 5. [...].
Comfort me with the Apples of thy Grace,
W [...]h thy Hi [...] Manna strengthen my weake case.
With heau'nly Milke and Honny (Lord) make glad
My heart, which worlds afflictions hath made sad.
O let me once from Wisedomes sacred Lip,
Coelestiall Nard, and Rosean Liquor sip.
Yea, l [...] me satiate mine in-satiate thirst,
With that sweet Milke wherewith thy Saints are nourc't,
I thirst, O Lord, I thirst, thou art the Well,
☞
O quench my thirst, and let me with thee dwell.I hunger, Lord, I hunger, thou art Bread,
Euen Bread of Life, O let my Soule be fed.
I seeke thee, Lord, yet still I goe astray,
Through High-wayes, By-wayes, yet I misse the way:
Thou art (O Lord) the perfect Way and Dore,
My Soule will follow, if thou goe before.
Direct my feete to leaue the paths of Sin,
Ope glories Gate, and let my Soule goe in.
☞
Let it be Riches to me to possesse thee;Let it be Glorie to me to confesse thee;
Let it be Clothes, Christ Iesus, to put on;
Let it be Food, his Word to feed vpon;
Yea, let it be my Life, to liue and die,
For Christ my King, and for his Verilie.
So shall my Riches be to me eternall,
So shall my Glorie be with Christ supernall,
[Page]So shall my Clothing still be faire and new,
So shall my Foode be Manna heau'nly Dew,
So shall my Life ne're fade, but euer Spring,
Being still preseru'd by Christ my Lord and King.
But, oh alas! when shall I see that day?
That Day of gladnesse neuer to decay,
That Day of Iubile when all are glad,
That Day when all reioyce, none can be sad?
Whose endlesse time and neuer fixed date,
Eternitie shall ne're exterminate.
That Saints blest
The Martyrs Passion-Day was called of old Natalitium salutis.
Birth-Day, which shal ne're haue Euening:That Lasting Day to which no Night giues ending.
That rare Grand-Iubile, that Feast of Feasts,
Sabbath of Sabbaths, endlesie Rest or Rests.
To which least Care shall neuer dare come neere,
Wherein the Saints shall shake off palid feare.
O pure, O pleasant most desired Day
Of that eternall springing Moneth of May!
In which my Soule shall euermore reioyce,
In which my Soule shall heare that happy Voyce:
Enter (blest Soule) into thy Masters ioy,
☜
Enter into sweet rest without annoy;
Enter into the House of Christ thy King,
Where Peace and Pl [...]ntie, Mirth and Ioy doe spring,
Where thou shalt find things most to be admired,
Where thou shalt haue what most thy Soule desired.
Ioyes infinitely numberlesse, I say,
And various pleasures infinitely gay:
Vnspyable, vnspeakable by Man,
Immutable, inscrutable to scan;
Where I, thy Soule will feed, will feast, will fill:
Our Soules with Christ shall be fed, feasted, filled.
Feede with spiritual food of my blest Will,
Feast with the dainties of delight most pure,
And fill with glorie which shall e're endure.
Enter, I say, and heare that melodie,
Which comprehends datelesse festiuitie.
Where is all good, no euill to abuse:
Where's all thou wishest, nought thou wouldst refuse,
The most absolute and perfect ioyes of heauen.
Where's life e're-liuing, sweet and amiable,
Where is true fame and glorie memorable,
[Page]Where is, I say, certayne Securitie,
Securest Peace and peacefull Pleasancie;
Most pleasant Ioy, and ioyfull Happinesse,
Happie Eternitie, eternall Blessednesse;
The blessed Trinitie in Vaitic:
The Vnities Trine-One rare Deitie;
Visio Dei beatifica, summum bonum nostrum, August. de Trin. cap. 13.
The Deities Three-One's most blessed Vision,
Which is our Masters ioy in full fruition.
O ioy of ioves, O ioy beyond all pleasure!
Farre passing farre transcending terrene treasure.
O ioy without annoy, O true content!
O soueraigne blisse and Soules sweet rauishment!
O euerlasting Kingdome, supreme peace!
Where all the Saints enioy such ioyes encrease,
Where all the Saints are clothed with pure Light,
As with a Garment shining glorious bright:
Their Heads adorn'd with Crownes of purest gold,
And precious Stones most glorious to behold;
Whose onely exercise is to reioyce,
To triumph, and to sing with sacred voyce,
Sweet Halleluiah to their Soueraigne King,
Which them to this felicitie did bring.
Oh!
August. Solilo. cap. 36.
when shall my poore Soule be made partakerOf this great ioy, O thou my Lord and Maker!
When shall I see Thee in it, It in Thee?
And therein dwell I in Thee, Thou in Mee?
Surely (O Lord) I will make haste and flie,
I'le make no stay, but poste most speedily.
I'le neuer cease to Seeke,
Seeke.
till I haue found,I'le not leaue Knocking,
Knocke.
till my Soule be crown'd.I'le ne're leaue Asking,
Aske.
till thou hast me giuenMy Boone, thy Bountie, euen those ioyes of Hea [...]en:
Since then, I say, such is Heau'ns Maiestie!
And since this World is but meere Miserie:
What is't can hinder this my speedie pace,
Which I must run, till I haue run my race?
Can Worldly power or Principalitie?
Heauenly resolution.
Can Kingly fauours, wealth or dignitie?
Can worldly pleasures, pleasant vnto some?
Can height or depth, things present, things to come?
E're they shall me from Christs loue separate.
I'le crie, Auaunt you Soule-betraying ioyes,
Which Bee-like bring the Sting of dire annoyes.
Auaunt, I say, worlds momentarie pleasure,
Worlds transitorie toyes, Earths trash [...]e treasure:
The loue of Christ hath so enflam'd my Heart,
☜
That as I trust, it ne're shall thence depart;
And, Lord, confirme, strengthen this Faith of mine,
O let it neuer faint, fa [...]le or decline.
But wo to me (poore wretch) who still am faine
Amongst the T [...]nts of Meshech to remaine:
To haue my habitation 'mongst the rout
Of Kedar most vngodly stubborne, stout.
The time, me thinks, is much procrastinated,
O that the date thereof were terminated.
Ay me, how long shall it be said to mee,
Wait, wait, expect, and thou the time shalt see?
And shalt thou see? my Soule, thou art too blame,
The Soule here checketh it selfe for being offended at Gods tryals.
I must accuse thee (O my Soule) for shame
Thinke not the time too long, count it not much,
That w [...]th these trials God thy Faith should touch.
For, as a Gold-Smith waits most carefully
Vpon his gold, which he i'th' fire will trie;
Simile.
That when 'tis burn'd enough and purifide,
It may not in the fire, to waste, abide:
So God his Children deare attends vpon,
God compared to a Gold-Smith.
When in the fire of dire affliction
He purposeth to purifie and trie them:
When thus enough refined he do [...]h spie them,
By no meanes will he suffer them to waste,
B [...] for t [...]r comfort to them soone will haste.
As that most rare payre-Royall well did know,
Good Shedrach, Meshach, and Abednego:
Whom he i'th' Babylonian fire did proue,
Yet so respected in his sacred loue;
Gods great care of his Children. Matth. 6.
That not so much as one haire of their head
Was burnt or sindg'd, or once diminished.
O then, my Soule, if God haue such a care,
☜
As from thy head not one small simple haire
[Page]Can fall to th'ground, without his prouidence:
O then haue thou assured confidence,
That he thy Soule will ne're pe [...]mit to perish,
But in due time will thee refresh and cherish;
And say with Iob, that man of God most iust,
Lord, though thou kill mee, I will in thee trust.
Yea then confesse (as 'tis) that all the wo,
Which in this Life for Christ thou vnder▪goe:
That all Ear [...]h [...] torments or affecting toyes,
Are most vnworthy Heau'ns most blissefull ioyes.
Heau'ns ioyes for waight and measure infinite,
Heauens ioyes set against Earths ioyes, by way of Antithesis,
Earths paynes to death, but slender, small and slight.
Heau'ns ioyes most perfect, absolutely pure,
Earths choicest pleasures paine and griefe procure.
Heau'ns ioyes are sempiternall, euer-lasting,
Earths ioyes meere toyes, still fleeting, euer-wasting.
O then (my Soule) haue patience, doe not grudge,
Left so thou make thy Christ thine angrie Iudge:
Giue Patience (Lord) thy sacred Will to beare,
Da sacere quod iubes, & iube quod vis. Simile.
And then receiue my Soule, How, When, or Where.
For, as no gold nor siluer can be pure,
Vntill the fires burning it endure:
Nor Stones for Palace-worke can well be fit,
Till they with Hammers oft be cut and smit [...]
No more, I say, is't possible that wee
Vessets of Honour in Gods house can bee:
Till we be fin'd and melted in the fire
Of worldly crosses and afflictions dire.
Neither can we as liuing-stones haue place,
Ierusalems coelestiall Walls to grace;
Vnlesse the Hammers of Earths tribulation,
Oft bruise the Flesh to worke the Soules Saluation,
But though thy Seruants (Lord) may oft be tempted,
Yet can they neuer finally be tainted:
They ne're can be surpris'd, though oft assailed,
For why,
Vita sine malis, est sicut auis sine alis.
Heau'ns safeguard hath them neuer failed.Christians and Persecutions ioyne together,
Like Christ and's Crosse,
No Crosse, No Crowne.
few calmes much stormie weather.E're th'Israelites to th'Land of Promise came,
Their temp'rall Canaan, Canaan of such fame;
[Page]Th'endur'd much danger, many Miseries:
And shall not I, most patiently likewise
Endure all dangers, all anxietie?
Shall I not vnder-goe all miserie,
In this my iourney to Heau'ns holy Land?
O yes, with constant courage to it stand.
For why, I'm sure the more I here endure,
My ioyes in Heau'n shall be more glorious pure.
And who would not to Heau'n goe ioyfully,
Though with Elias he in whirle-winds fly?
☜
Grant therefore (Lord) I take Earths Nocuments
Nocument [...] sunt Documenta.
As precious Balme, as my Soules Documents.
Confirme my Faith with constant resolution,
To wait, and fit me for my dissolution:
To wait for thee my Sauiour, staffe and stay,
Till thou shalt change my Bodies house of Clay ▪
That like thy glorious Body it may bee,
That so thy power and glorie I may see:
That I may heare and see, and beare a part,
In Heau'ns heart-charming Musike sacred Art,
In that rare Consort of Mel-Melodie,
At Christs rare Nuptials blest solemnitie.
Come then, Lord Iesus (oh, I cannot cease,
To wish my Soule in thine eternall peace)
Giue me (O Lord) good Stephens Eagle-eye,
Stephens Eagle-eye.
Through thickest Clouds Heau'ns glorie to espie,
Giue me (O Lord) a Voyce Angelicall,
With Heart vnfeyned on thee thus to call:
How long (O Lord) how long wilt thou delay?
The Soules Prayer.
Lord Iesus, come, come quickly, doe not stay;
Make haste, and tarrie not, I thee intreat,
And draw my Soule from Earth to heauenly seat.
For why? I feare (Lord, falsifie my feare)
That Satan will 'gainst me such malice beare,
To cause my refractorie Flesh to sturre
My Soule vnto Rebellion: so t'incurre
Thy wrath and indignation for the same,
My stubborne Flesh, therefore (Lord) cu [...]be and tame,
O, free me from this fleshly Prison strong,
Wherein my Soule hath fettered lyen too-long:
[Page]Fett'red I say, yea fest'red more's my shame,
The Soule bewayleth her miserie in the flesh.
More art thou flesh, and much more I too blame,Who oft with Adam fondly haue aspired,
And with vaine glory led, haue oft desired
The fruite o'th'Tree of Knowledge for to eate,
Not of the Tree of Life, more soueraigne meate,
And to be red in any other Booke,
Much pride and pleasure I haue often tooke:
Than in my Booke of Conscience, to behold
The woe whereinto Sin doth mee infold.
With Wantons I oft view'd Prides Looking-Glasse,
But not Times-Dyall, how my Dayes did passe.
Yea, on Earths follies I haue fixt mine eyes,
Gazing on blazing worldly Vanities.
☞
Yet Lord I know that as thou hast a Booke,Wherein my faults are writ on them to looke:
So thou a Bottle hast, wherein to keepe
My contrite teares, when I for Sin doe weepe.
And though my selfe vn-worthie I agnize
Vnto thy Throne to lift my Sinfull eyes:
Yet I my selfe vn-worthie doe not finde
To weepe before thee till mine eyes be blinde.
Lord then vouchsafe, vouchsafe I thee beseech,
An eare an answer to my Soules sad speech.
O come Lord Iesus, come I humbly pray,
The Soule oppressed with worldly miseries, prayeth.
Speake peace vnto my Soule, ô doe not stay:Binde vp my wounds, make whole my maladie
With the Samaritans sweet Charity.
Into my sore, powre thou the Oyle of gladnes,
Reuiue my Soule from Sin-constrained sadnes.
O bring my Soule out of this myre and mud,
This sincke of Sin where I too-long haue stood.
Smite off my Fetters of Iniquity.
As thou didst Peters in Captiuity.
Stop in mee all the Conduits of transgression,
Breake Satans weapons of my Soules oppression.
Yea, let my Eyes bee as continuall Lauers
To wash and clense Sins vlcers stinking sauours:
The Lord loueth a pure heart.
For a cleane Lord (I know) takes delectation,To haue a cleane Heart for his Habitation.
[Page]Giue therfore grace (ô Lord) whiles heere I liue,
Ve semperveniunt ad candida tecta Columba: ingreditur sanctus candida corda Deus.
That I a Bill of due Diuorce may giue
Vnto that Harlot Sin, which too-too-long
Hath by false flattery done my Soule much wrong.
O, double, treble happy were I, sure,
If once I might put-off Sins rags impure,
Those Menstruous cloathes wherewith I am disguised,
Whereby thine Image in mee's not agnized:
Whereby in thy pure sight I am but loathed.
O therefore that my Soule might once be cloathed
With thy most royall-Robes of righteousnesse,
The Soule desires to be clothed with the Robes of righteousnes
Thy Seamelesse, spotlesse Coote of holinesse,
And therein bee presented to the sight
Of my great Lord, the Father of all Light,
And be ingrafted and incorporate
Into this New-Ierusalems blest state,
Into this Kingdome euermore existing,
Into this Kingdome all of ioy consisti [...]g:
Where all thy Saints and sacred Angels raigne,
By thee their mighty Lord and Soueraigne,
Cloathed in Vestures of the purest white,
Still in the presence of thy sacred sight:
Their heads adorn'd with Crownes of purest gold,
Of precious stones, rich Pearles rare to behold.
Thou Lord alone being the Diadem
Of these thy Saints in this Ierusalem:
Whose onely sight, is their beatitude,
Which dures for aye without vicissitude.
But Lord, it may be thou mayst say to mee,
Alas, poore Soule, would'st thou my beauty see?
None ere could see the glory of my face
And [...] Earth, such is Mans mortall case.
Lord, thus I answer, and I this confesse
That thy Coelestiall glorious holinesse
Is so immense, so infinite, so rare,
So great, so glorious, gracious, specious, faire,
That no flesh liuing can it see, and liue,
Yet to my Soule (ô Lord) this mercy giue,
That so it may behold thy sacred sight,
Let Death with thousand deathes my body smite;
Let Death my breath, my life end speedily.
Oh then, I say, and ne're shall cease to say,
O three-fold, foure-fold happy, sure, are they,
Blessed are they that die in the Lord.
Who, by a pious life and blessed end,By Christ, Heau'ns Ladder, to heau'ns ioyes ascend,
Who for the minutes of Earths Lamentation,
Enioy Heau'ns endlesse yeeres of Consolation;
Who from this earthly Prison are set free,
And in Heau'ns Palace liue, O Christ, with thee:
Yea, who being dead to Sinne and Earthly ioyes,
Are there in plenitude of perfect ioyes.
But oh most wretched miserable I,
The Sea of the World.
Who (in the Flouds of worlds mortalitie,By huge Heau'n-Mounting, Hell-Descending waues,
By Rocks, Syrts, Whirle-Pooles, all which seeme my Graues)
Am still constrain'd to saile through dangers great,
Which Waters, Winds, Weather, together threat:
And, which is more, I most erroniously
Through ignorance, oft wander cleane away;
The soule ofttimes in danger of shipwracke, through ignorance and infirmitie.
I lose my way, and then am danger'd most,
Not knowing whither my poore Ship doth coast:
Being thus expos'd to Seas all-ieopardies,
Like Ionah, when from Niniue he flies,
Tost to and fro euen into th' Maw of Hell,
By furious Flouds which 'gainst me rage and swell:
So that my way to th'Harbour of my Rest
Thus being lost, my Soule is sore opprest.
But, which is worst, whiles thus to thee I saile,
I meet Sea-Monsters which doe me assaile:
Resistfull
Remora's, Fishes that (though little) yet can stay a Ship. Leuiathan the Deuill.
Remoraes doe striue to stay me,And huge Leuiathan gapes wide to slay me;
Lifes, Toyes and Troubles, Satans craft and Power,
Would stay my Voyage, and would me deuoure.
Restlesse, redresselesse thus I flote about,
And for thy heauenly helpe my Soule cryes out.
Wherefore Sea-calming, Wind-controlling Lord,
To my perplexed Soule thine aide afford;
For if thou wilt (O Lord) thou canst me cherish:
The Soules Prayer.
O therefore helpe, or else my Soule will perish.
[Page]One Depth (ô Lord) another in doth call,
Abyssus abyssum inuocat.
As Waues breake-out and on each other fall:
The Depth of my Calamity profound,
Doth inuocate thy Mercies which abound.
I call and cry from many waters deepe,
My Soule from sinking (Lord) preserue and keepe.
O keepe mee from these dangers imminent,
Which haue my silly Soule on all sides pent.
Let thine out-stretched-arme, vpholding Grace,
Once bring my Soule vnto her resting-Place,
From floods of worldly infelicity,
Into the Hauen of aeternity.
How long (ô Lord) how long wilt thou prolong,
Thy wrath t'appease and ease mee, from among
These dire Death-threatning-dangers? ô direct
My way o thee, my hope to thee erect.
My Confidence re-plant in thee, I pray,
That so these tempests may me not dismay;
☜
That so these floods, though flow, may not come neere mee,
That so these blasts, though blow, may not so feare mee.
Thou being my vn-rocking Rocke, my shield,
Gods di [...]ection must be our Pilot & Protection.
My fortresse strong, which to no force can yeeld,
Most skilfull Pilot, so my Sterne direct,
My weather-beaten Boate, so safe protect,
That it these dangers infinite may shun,
And, to my Harbour may the right-way run:
Commiserate, compassionate my case,
And in chine armes (ô Christ) my Soule embrace.
Though I with Ionas Sea-men lose my wares,
My goods, my life, worlds pleasures, best affaires;
Though Persecutions Rocks my Barke may batter,
Rocks of Persecution.
M [...] [...] [...]iuen B [...]re may spli [...], may shatter;
Yet grant (ô Lord) I may not Ship wracke make
Of my sure Faith [...]n thee; but as the Snake
Simile.
Is sayd t'expose his body to the blow
Of him that smites, to saue his head: Euen so
I willingly may vndergoe all Crosses,
And with content may beare the greatest losses,
That I may hold-fast Faith in Chri [...] my Head,
☜
So I may liue by Faith, to Sin be dead.
I had bin vndone, had I thus not perisht.
Yea with those Argo-Nautae willingly,
My Ship through straightest passages shall flye,
So that in th'end I may with ioy possesse
The Golden-fleece of endlesse happinesse.
Lord, though the Puddle of impurity
Hath my poore Soule polluted lothsomely,
The Ocean of iniquities foule flood
Hath mee besmeard in stinking mire and mud:
O yet, sweet Christ, with Hysop of thy Merit,
Clense and make cleane my Sin-polluted Spirit;
The bloud of Christ only can clense vs from all our sinnes.
Wash me, ô Christ, with thy most precious Blood,None, nought but thou, can doe my Soule this good.
My well-nigh Ship-wrackt Soule, ô Lord, assist,
Which too-too long the way to thee hath mist.
Contemne me not, Condemne me not for Sin,
But l [...]t my Soule to thy sweet Rest goe in.
Remit (ô Lord) what I haue ill omitted,
Remooue (ô Lord) what I haue mis-committed.
And though I bee to passe by th' Gates of Hell,
Grant power to passe them, and with thee to dwell.
To dwell I say with thee, ith' Land of Liuing,
Where to thy Saints thy ioyes thou still art giuing
O thou my Soules sweet Soule,
The Soule prayeth that Christ would be propitious to it.
my Harts deare Hart,In this distresse doe not from mee depart;
Bee to my Soule as a bright-morning-Starre,
Which I may cleerely see though somewhat farre:
And bee (as th'artindeed) the Sun most bright
Of Righteousnes, that my flesh-dimmed sight
Being with Faiths
Properly a salue for sore eyes.
Collyrium made more cleare,I speedily may see the way appeare
To my Hart-cheering long desired Port,
Whereto my Soule hath longed to resort,
I may in time see and fore-see Sins charmes,
The Soule by Faith is encouraged to escape all the dangers of the Sea of this world.
And so preuent th'euent of Sins great harmes,
That on the Shore I may perceiue thee stand,
Giuing mee ayme with thy most sacred hand,
To keepe the right-way to thine Habitation,
The Hauen of happines and sure Saluation.
[Page]That passing thus this Danger-obuious Ocean,
By thee the strong Arch-mouer of each motion,
I may goe forward with such circumspection,
And bee so guided by thy good direction,
And with thy Grace bee so corroborated,
And with Rocke-founded Faith so animated,
Dangers.
That as twixt Scylla's and Charibdis feare,
Scylla, Charibdis.
My Barke in passage doth a full saile beare:
Despaire & Presumption The Pharise
I meane proud Pharisaicall Self-flation,
And Grace-les diffident Cains Desperation,
By th'iustified Publican's example,
Cain.
Remedies.
I may the right regenerate paths trampleOf that true poenitent good Prodigall,
Humilitie & Poenitencie.
To thee (ô Lord) for mercy'cry and call,
The Publican.
That by thy gracious guide and safe tuition,
The Prodigall.
I may escape Despaires and Prides perdition,
And so with ioy, with [...]oy vnutterable,
Approching to the Shore most amiable:
The Anchor of Hope, fastned with the Rope of Faith.
Casting the Anchor of a constant Hope
On Christ my Sauiour, fast'ned with Faiths rope,
I may my Marchandizes bring a Land,
And put them into my sweet Sauiours hand;
Euen all the gaines which I poore Soule had made
Of his good Talent lent to mee to trade:
To whom, although I bring but one for fiue,
Yet will hee not my Soule of Heau'n depriue.
And though, that one (through mine infirmitie)
Hath bene much blemisht with impuritie,
Hath bin d [...]sgrac't, defac't, and much abused,
Yet by my Christ it will not bee refused,
But graciously hee'le take my will for deed,
Christ takes the Will for the Deed.
Will hold mee by the hand, and thus proceed:
Well done (good Seruant) worthy of my trust,
Well done (I say) thy Seruice hath bene Iust,
Since thou in little matters hast done well,
Thou shalt be Lord of things which farre excell.
Since thou to doe my Will hast done thy best,
Christ bids the Soule welcome into Heauen.
Come, come with mee into thy Masters Rest.
Euen so Lord Iesus, come I humbly pray,
For thine Elects-sake haste that happy day.
[Page]I looke, I long, that I might once descrie
That happy Day, my Soule to happy-sie:
That I with thee (my Sauiour) may reioyce,
That with Heart-cheering Musike and sweet Voyce,
In that blest Chorus sweet, Angelicall
Societie of Saints coelestiall,
The Song of the Saints.
I, Halleluiah, Halleluiah maySing cheerefully to God the [...]ord alway;
To God the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost,
Vnto the Trine-One, mightie Lord of Host.
To this great God be giuen all thanks and praise,
For his sweet succour in these sacred Layes. Amen.
FINIS.
Omnis Gloria solius est Domini.
Thrice-happy Vision, more thrice-happy zeale, Thus flames vs with God, Saints, Heau'ns Common-weale.
T. SALISBVRY, Mr in Artibus.