Midnights Meditations of Death With Pious and Profitable Observations, and Consolations [by Edward Buckler]: Perused by Francis Quarles A little before his Death |
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 | Midnights Meditations of Death |  |
Sect. 4. Friends cannot protect us from the stroke of Death.
If I were great, rich, prosperous, secure,
Successefull in the world, I should be sure
That more time-servers would my friendship woo,
Then I could reckon in a yeare or two.
As greedie Eagles to a carcase hasten,
And with sharp tallons on their prey do fasten;
So would they flock about me. Or if I
Could learn the art of popularity,
I might be rich in friends, yet all my store
Would not know how to keep Death out of doore.
Successefull in the world, I should be sure
That more time-servers would my friendship woo,
Then I could reckon in a yeare or two.
As greedie Eagles to a carcase hasten,
And with sharp tallons on their prey do fasten;
So would they flock about me. Or if I
Could learn the art of popularity,
I might be rich in friends, yet all my store
Would not know how to keep Death out of doore.
Meditation 1.
Of Proteus 't is fained that he could
Transform himself to any kind of shape:
Into a Dove, or Lamb, and when he would,
Into a Tiger, Lion, Bear, or Ape,
Or a Mountain, Rock, or Spring,
Or Earth, Water, Fire, Air,
Into any forms that are
Stampt in any kind of thing.
Transform himself to any kind of shape:
Into a Dove, or Lamb, and when he would,
Into a Tiger, Lion, Bear, or Ape,
Or a Mountain, Rock, or Spring,
Or Earth, Water, Fire, Air,
Into any forms that are
Stampt in any kind of thing.
And Aristippus could exactly flatter:
He had the art of winning gainfull friends,
And, that his fortune might be made the fatter,
Had all behaviours at his fingers ends.
He could grone when's friend was sickly,
And could weep when he was sad:
Any humour, good or bad,
Did become him very quickly.
He had the art of winning gainfull friends,
And, that his fortune might be made the fatter,
Had all behaviours at his fingers ends.
He could grone when's friend was sickly,
And could weep when he was sad:
Any humour, good or bad,
Did become him very quickly.
Did I believe that metempsychosis
Pythagoras did dream of, I should swear
That Proteus ghost to this day neither is
In hell nor yet in heaven, but doth wear
Now a body, and the base
Ghost of Aristippus dwells
In a thousand bodies; else
How could thousands have the face
Pythagoras did dream of, I should swear
That Proteus ghost to this day neither is
In hell nor yet in heaven, but doth wear
Now a body, and the base
Ghost of Aristippus dwells
In a thousand bodies; else
How could thousands have the face
To personate so many humours? act
So many parts at once, and balk no sinne?
Yea, perpetrate with ease the basest fact
That hell e'r punished, to wind them in-
to great friendships, though they misse
Heavens favour, all the while
Dreaming that a great mans smile
Is on earth the onely blisse?
So many parts at once, and balk no sinne?
Yea, perpetrate with ease the basest fact
That hell e'r punished, to wind them in-
to great friendships, though they misse
Heavens favour, all the while
Dreaming that a great mans smile
Is on earth the onely blisse?
And yet when that last enemie shall come
And grind their aching bones with griping throes,
To bring their bodies to their longest home,
There's not a man 'mongst all their friends that knows
How to take away their pain.
In comes ghastly Death among
The midst of that friendly throng,
And turns them to dust again.
And grind their aching bones with griping throes,
To bring their bodies to their longest home,
There's not a man 'mongst all their friends that knows
How to take away their pain.
In comes ghastly Death among
The midst of that friendly throng,
And turns them to dust again.
Meditation 2.
There's none among the sacred troup of Saints
Yet militant below but doth desire
Gods favour most, and most of all laments
When it is lost, and alway sets a higher
Estimate upon the rayes
That are darted from above
By the God of peace and love,
Then on all he here enjoyes.
Yet militant below but doth desire
Gods favour most, and most of all laments
When it is lost, and alway sets a higher
Estimate upon the rayes
That are darted from above
By the God of peace and love,
Then on all he here enjoyes.
Ne'r doth the chased hart in hottest weather,
When horse and hound pursue him o'r the plains,
And hunt him sweating twentie miles together,
That all his bloud is boil'd within his veins,
When he's to the hardest driven,
Pant so much for water-brooks,
As a soul deserted looks
For a kind aspect from heav'n.
When horse and hound pursue him o'r the plains,
And hunt him sweating twentie miles together,
That all his bloud is boil'd within his veins,
When he's to the hardest driven,
Pant so much for water-brooks,
As a soul deserted looks
For a kind aspect from heav'n.
Once did Elias zealous prayers climb
To heav'n, and made the windows there so fast
(This came to passe in wicked Ahabs time)
That one and twentie months twice told were past
E'r there fell a showre of rain
Or a drop of morning dew:
In the meadows nothing grew,
Nor was any kind of grain
To heav'n, and made the windows there so fast
(This came to passe in wicked Ahabs time)
That one and twentie months twice told were past
E'r there fell a showre of rain
Or a drop of morning dew:
In the meadows nothing grew,
Nor was any kind of grain
Fed by the parched mold. How do ye think
That thirstie, drie, and barren land did yawn
And gape to heav'n-ward for a draught of drink?
Just so, whene'r Gods favour is withdrawn
From a soul, it doth distresse her.
Ne'r earth thirsted more for rain,
Then doth she for God again
To relieve her and refresh her.
That thirstie, drie, and barren land did yawn
And gape to heav'n-ward for a draught of drink?
Just so, whene'r Gods favour is withdrawn
From a soul, it doth distresse her.
Ne'r earth thirsted more for rain,
Then doth she for God again
To relieve her and refresh her.
Have you not seen a mothers wofull tears
Embalm the carcase of her onely sonne?
How to all comfort she stops both her eares,
Wrings both her hands, and makes a bitter moan?
Fain in sorrow would she swim,
Or be drown'd, it is so deep:
She hath heart enough to weep
Heaven full up to the brim.
Embalm the carcase of her onely sonne?
How to all comfort she stops both her eares,
Wrings both her hands, and makes a bitter moan?
Fain in sorrow would she swim,
Or be drown'd, it is so deep:
She hath heart enough to weep
Heaven full up to the brim.
But this is nothing to that matchlesse anguish
That breaks in pieces ev'rie pious heart,
And makes the soul with darkest sadnesse languish,
If from 't a sense of Gods good will depart.
O how strangely David's troubled
When God hid away his face!
(Though but for a little space)
See how his complaints are doubled.
That breaks in pieces ev'rie pious heart,
And makes the soul with darkest sadnesse languish,
If from 't a sense of Gods good will depart.
O how strangely David's troubled
When God hid away his face!
(Though but for a little space)
See how his complaints are doubled.
How long? for ever, Lord, wilt thou forget me?
How long wilt thou thy gratious visage hide?
How long be angrie? wilt thou never let me
Enjoy thy face again? shall I abide
Thus for evermore bereft
Of all comfort, joy, and peace?
Shall my soul ne'r dwell at ease?
Hast thou, Lord, no mercy left?
How long wilt thou thy gratious visage hide?
How long be angrie? wilt thou never let me
Enjoy thy face again? shall I abide
Thus for evermore bereft
Of all comfort, joy, and peace?
Shall my soul ne'r dwell at ease?
Hast thou, Lord, no mercy left?
O once again be pleas'd to turn, and give
My soul a relish of thy wonted grace:
There's nothing can my sadded heart relieve,
If thou dost hide thy comfortable face.
Thou in tears thy servant drown'st,
Thou dost fill my cheeks with furrows
And my soul with ghastly sorrows,
Whensoever, Lord, thou frown'st.
My soul a relish of thy wonted grace:
There's nothing can my sadded heart relieve,
If thou dost hide thy comfortable face.
Thou in tears thy servant drown'st,
Thou dost fill my cheeks with furrows
And my soul with ghastly sorrows,
Whensoever, Lord, thou frown'st.
The world doth value at a precious rate
Things here below. Some highly prize their sport;
Some, jewelss some, a plentifull estate;
And some, preferments in a Princes court:
But for lifes we so esteem it
Above whatsoe'r is best,
That with losse of all the rest
We are ready to redeem it.
Things here below. Some highly prize their sport;
Some, jewelss some, a plentifull estate;
And some, preferments in a Princes court:
But for lifes we so esteem it
Above whatsoe'r is best,
That with losse of all the rest
We are ready to redeem it.
But none of these Gods children do regard
So much as Gods love by a thousand parts:
Feel they but this, to entertein 't is spar'd
The best and highest room in all their hearts.
They affect no wordly pelf
In comparison of this
Kindnesse; yea, to them it is
Better farre then life it self.
So much as Gods love by a thousand parts:
Feel they but this, to entertein 't is spar'd
The best and highest room in all their hearts.
They affect no wordly pelf
In comparison of this
Kindnesse; yea, to them it is
Better farre then life it self.
Have they no reason for this eager thirst
After Gods love and friendship? sure they see
Gods favour and his kindnesse is the first
And chiefest good: all other friendships be
Most deceitfull, trustlesse, vain.
When the pangs of Death do seise us
Mortall favours cannot ease us:
God can rid us of our pain.
After Gods love and friendship? sure they see
Gods favour and his kindnesse is the first
And chiefest good: all other friendships be
Most deceitfull, trustlesse, vain.
When the pangs of Death do seise us
Mortall favours cannot ease us:
God can rid us of our pain.
But grant he do not, yet these pains shall send
Our souls to him that loves us, to enjoy
A painlesse life that ne'r shall see an end,
He whom God loves can on a death-bed say,
I know my Redeemer liveth;
For me there's laid up a crown:
When this clay-built house is down
God a better mansion giveth.
Our souls to him that loves us, to enjoy
A painlesse life that ne'r shall see an end,
He whom God loves can on a death-bed say,
I know my Redeemer liveth;
For me there's laid up a crown:
When this clay-built house is down
God a better mansion giveth.
I'll never woo the smile of man, whose breath
Is in his nostrils, by sinister wayes;
'T will not advantage at the houre of Death:
All my supportment on these carnall stayes
At the length will but deceive me.
'T is to have a friend above,
'T is Gods favour and his love,
Or else nothing, must relieve me.
Is in his nostrils, by sinister wayes;
'T will not advantage at the houre of Death:
All my supportment on these carnall stayes
At the length will but deceive me.
'T is to have a friend above,
'T is Gods favour and his love,
Or else nothing, must relieve me.
Lord, make thy graces in my soul appear;
My heart from ev'rie lothsome blemish cleanse,
That I may clearly see thine image there;
For that's an undeceived evidence
Of thy favour: which when I
Once am certain to obtein,
I'll not faint for any pain,
Nor will care how soon I die.
My heart from ev'rie lothsome blemish cleanse,
That I may clearly see thine image there;
For that's an undeceived evidence
Of thy favour: which when I
Once am certain to obtein,
I'll not faint for any pain,
Nor will care how soon I die.
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