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Divine Fancies

Digested into Epigrammes, Meditations, and Observations. By Fra: Quarles
Quarles, Francis (1592-1644)
  
[dedication]
  
[dedication]
  
[epigraph]

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[section]
  
To GOD.
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[The first Booke.]
 1. 
1. On the Musique of Organs.
 2. 
2. On the contingencie of Actions.
 3. 
3. On the Sacraments.
 4. 
4. On the Infancie of our Saviour.
 5. 
5. On Iudas Iscariot .
 6. 
6. On the life and death of Man.
 7. 
7. On the Seaven liberall Sciences of a Christian.
 8. 
8. Christs foure houses.
 9. 
9. Of Light and Heate.
 10. 
10. On Iudas Iscariot .
 11. 
11. On the possession of the Swine.
 12. 
12. On a Sun-Dyall.
 13. 
13. On the three Christian Graces.
 14. 
14. On a Feast.
 15. 
15. On Dives.
 16. 
16. On outward shew.
 17. 
17. On the reading of the Scriptures.
 18. 
18. On the life of Man.
 19. 
19. On the Crowing of a Cocke.
 20. 
20. On Mammon.
 21. 
21. On Church-contemners.
 22. 
22. On Morus.
 23. 
23. On the Hypocrite.
 24. 
24. On a Pilgrime.
 25. 
25. On the Needle of a Sun-diall.
 26. 
26. On Affliction.
 27. 
27. On a Sun-dyall.
 28. 
28. On Peter .
 29. 
29. On Merits.
 30. 
30. On Servio .
 31. 
31. A Soliloquie.
 32. 
32. On Daniel in the Den.
 23. 
23. On those that deserve it.
 34. 
34. Doe this and live.
 35. 
35. On Ioseph and his Mistris.
 36. 
36. On Scriptum est.
 37. 
37. On the flourishing of the Gospell.
 38. 
38. On Ioseph's Speech to his Brethren.
 39. 
39. Of common Devotion.
 40. 
40. On the Day of Iudgement.
 41. 
41. On Death.
 42. 
42. On the Body of Man.
 43. 
43. On the Young man in the Gospell.
 44. 
44. On Mans goodnesse and Gods love.
 45. 
45. On Mans Plea.
 46. 
46. On Furio .
 47. 
47. On Martha and Mary .
 48. 
48. On our Blessed Saviour.
 49. 
49. On Sinnes.
 50. 
50. On Mans behaviour to God.
 51. 
51. On Mans Cruelty.
 52. 
52. Mans Progresse.
 53. 
53. On the two great Flouds.
 54. 
54. On Fuca .
 55. 
55. On Abrahams servant.
 56. 
56. On Alexander.
 57. 
57. On rash Iudgement.
 58. 
58. On Iacobs purchase.
 59. 
59. On Esau.
 60. 
60. On the absence of a blessing.
 61. 
61. On the yonger Brother.
 62. 
62. On Kain.
 63. 
63. On the righteous man.
 63. 
63. On Faith, Love, and Charity.
 64. 
64. On Iacobs Pillow.
 65. 
65. On Faith.
 66. 
66. On Zacheus .
 67. 
67. On the Thiefe and Slanderer.
 68. 
68. On Abrams pleading for Sodome.
 69. 
69. On Mans goodnes.
 70. 
70. On Zacheus.
 71. 
71. On the Roman, Turke, and Atheist.
 72. 
72. On Babels Building.
 73. 
73. On the Theife and the Lyer.
 74. 
74. On the Egyptians Famine.
 75. 
75. On Zacheus.
 76. 
76. On the Plough-man.
 77. 
77. On a happy Kingdome.
 78. 
78. On Gods appearance to Moses .
 79. 
79. On Gods Law.
 80. 
80. On Pharoe's Bricke.
 81. 
81. On the insatiablenesse of Mans heart.
 82. 
82. On Pharoe's hard-heartednes.
 83. 
83. On the change of Pharoe's fortunes.
 84. 
84. On the First borne.
 85. 
85. On baptized Infants.
 86. 
86. On the grumbling Israelites.
 87. 
87. On Mans rebellion.
 88. 
88. On Israel.
 89. 
89. On the Sinners Refuge.
 90. 
90. On the deposing of Princes.
 91. 
91. On Peters Keyes.
 92. 
92. On Offrings.
 93. 
93. On Vsurers.
 94. 
94. On Repentance.
 95. 
95. On Wine and Water.
 96. 
96. On Balams Asse.
 97. 
97. On some raw Divines.
 98. 
98. On Buying of the Bible.
 99. 
99. On the buying of the new Testament.
 100. 
100. To my Booke.
expand sectionII. 
The second Booke.
expand sectionIII. 
The third Booke.
expand sectionIIII. 
The fourth Booke.

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96. On Balams Asse.

The Asse, that for her slownesse, was forbid
To be imployed in Gods service, did
Performe good service now, in being slow:
The Asse received stripes, but would not goe:
She baulkd the way, and Balam could not guid her:
The Asse had farre more wisedome then the Rider:
The Message being bad, the Asse was loth
To be the Bearer: 'Twas a happy sloth;
'Twas well for Balam: Had his Asse but tryde
Another step, Balam had surely dy'd:
Poore Asse! And was thy faithfull service payd
With oft-repeated strokes? Hadst thou obayd,
Thy Lord had bought thy travell, with his blood:
Such is Mans payment, often bad for Good:
The Asse begins to question with his Master,
Argues the case, pleads why he went no faster:
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Nay, shewes him Myst'ries, far beyond his reach;
Sure, God wants Prophets, when dull Asses preach:
The Asse perceives the Angel, and fals downe;
When Balam sees him not; or sees, unknowne:
Nor is't a wonder: for Gods Spirit did passe
From blindfold Balam, into Balams Asse.
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