Poems Occasioned by a melancholy vision Or A melancholy vision upon diuers Theames Englarged: Which by seuerall Arguments ensuinge is showed His gaudie musa tenebris: By H. M. [i.e. Humphrey Mill] |
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THE FADING CONDITION, OF EARTHLY THINGS.
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 | Poems Occasioned by a melancholy vision |  |
THE FADING CONDITION, OF EARTHLY THINGS.
With the Application of it.
And God said, Let there bee Light, and there was Light.
Gen. 1. 3.
For with thee is the well of life, and in thy
light shall we see Light.
Psal. 36. 9.
The Argument in Charge.
1
Now come my Muse, and sweetly singthe prasse of light, no other thing;
Shall hinder thee: I have intent,
To helpe thy tune, my heart is bent.
2
His pedigree, his beautie, worth,His use, esteeme, his truth set forth,
His company, and proper place,
And chide all those, that him disgrace.
3
O blessed Light, need I a taske,To sing thy worth; let none me aske,
Thy selfe as motives, may suffice,
To cause my pen thy songs devise.
4
If I should hold my tongue, some Vale,Or Hils, or Plants, would tell the tale,
Or Beasts, nay stones, would finde a tongue,
To speake thy praises, ere 'twere long.
5
If I could finde an Eagles quill,Dropt from her wing, Ide try my skill,
With it to raise my note so high,
And set thy worth, above the skie.
6
I am too shallow in this art,In Comedie to act a part,
For thee, that art so sweet and faire,
I feare my words will bee but ayre.
7
But if I speake, perhaps some other,Will fall to write, whose worth they smother;
Thy glory shew, that better can,
And will thy beautie freely scan,
8
Light, thou art so divine a thing,Let all the world thy honour sing,
To bring thy favour in request,
And call thee still, their welcome guest.
9
The God of lights, thy father he,Doth so proclaime himselfe to be,
Thy birth is honoured: so dost thou.
Dwell with thy fathers Children now.
10
Thou first wast made of all the rest,His workes to grace, thee he thought best,
He let thee rule, and call'd thee day,
Thou did'st drive darknesse farre away.
11
Thou spread'st thy selfe, blest was thy name,And all did mount, and blaze thy fame,
For thou didst shew thy face to all,
To rich, to poore, to great and small.
12
Thou ready wast, for to attend,The creatures when they did ascend,
From earth; thou welcom'st in their traine,
'Twas all for love, thou hadst no gaine.
13
The Sunne he borrow'd light of thee,The Starres we know, beholding be,
To thee: the Moone would be but darke,
Had she none of thy heavenly sparke.
14
So pure and perfect still thou art,With that, that's ill, thou tak'st no part,
No vilenesse can unto thee cleave,
Curst creatures would thy presence leave.
15
But thou their doings dost espie,And chase them with thy lightned eye,
And bring'st them naked on the stage,
And mak'st them hatefull to this age.
16
The goodnesse that lies hid of those,That love thee, thou dost it disclose,
In time thou wilt so spread their fames,
That men shall joy to heare their names.
17
Thy selfe and all things thou dost show.Thou would'st have us, the glory know
Of God in thee; and all the rest,
How in his creatures he is blest.
18
All things had beene but blinde and dumbe,Had'st thou not mustred up the summe
Of them in order, and their glory,
Who could have known the worlds great story.
19
Constant art thou, for to this day,Thou dost not from us part away,
But shew'st thy face, and let'st us see,
Thy beautie, with thy puritie.
20
Thou art of day the Princesse still,We'l serve thee freely with good will;
And for to recompence our paines,
Thy presence brings sufficient gaines.
21
Thou shew'st thy beames also in night,When darknesse rules, thy lesser Light
Breakes in to guide us, in our way,
Else darknesse would leade us astray.
22
Though thou art high, thou dost not grutch,To stoope and light below, all such
As need thy ayde, and faine would use
Thy beames: thou dost them not refuse.
23
Nay thou the bad dost not deny,Thy ayde, but com'st in presently,
To doe them good. So good for ill,
Thou dost repay, 'tis thy good will.
24
For such as would resist thy might,'Tis but in vaine, for thou in sight,
Break'st in upon them, in what place,
So ere they be; to their disgrace.
25
Thou art so swift, that in an houre,O're all the world thou spread'st thy power,
Thou overlook'st the world, and when,
Thou draw'st away, swift art thou then.
26
Thou pleasant art, for to behold,When thou thy sweetnesse dost unfold,
All comely creatures thou dost grace,
All flowers smile upon thy face.
27
And thou dost ease the greeved minde,When thou com'st in, they comfort finde,
From false suspicions thou dost free,
All such as suffer wrongfully.
28
Most usefull every way art thou,For all things that we may know how,
By thy assistance for to doe,
All businesse: and praise thee to.
29
Thou art admired for thy worth,My pen can never set thee forth,
As thou deserv'st; but this I say.
What's better than the light of day?
30
Who is so honour'd with his store,Of friends, as thou; for thou hast more
Then all the world? to claime as due
Who doth not for thy friendship sue?
31
Who hath attendants like to thee,For Kings and peoples seeke to bee,
Grac't with thy presence? they cry still,
Come stay: of thee let's have our fill.
32
When thou dost hide thy selfe a while,Then all amort, and not a smile,
Breakes forth: but all to silent rest,
Betake themselves, in night it's best.
33
But when thy morning doth appeare,With one consent, and pleasing cheare
VVe meet thee for to welcome in,
So sweet a guest, still thou hast beene.
34
The pretty Birds, with musicke sweet,Doe usher thee in, as 'tis meet;
I wish their notes and tunes so shrill,
Might make thee tarry with us still.
35
The Beasts arise, though thanklesse they,Doe eate and drinke, then sport and play.
They follow thee, and in their kinde,
Shew, they to praise thee, have a minde.
36
If darknesse were not mixt below,Among'st thy splendor, this I know,
Thou would'st appeare so bright, that then,
Thou would'st not suit with mortall men.
37
To doe us good, thou willing art,And thou with fire takest a part,
To light my Candle still at night,
VVhen thy maine part is taking flight.
38
I pray thee hide not now thy face,From me, nor leave me in this case.
I am thy Friend, I sing thy praise,
Afford thy helpe my voice to raise.
39
Thou art too modest, stay and heare,Depart not so, Ile make appeare,
How thou dost all the world excell,
Turne night to day, come with us dwell.
40
But if thou dost this thing refuse,Ile meet thee early with my Muse.
And sing my song amongst all those,
'Twill please thy friends, and shame thy foes.
41
Thou art impartiall for to hideOur faults, that thou canst not abide;
Thou tak'st thy time to bring't about,
Our sinfull folly to set out.
42
How might we thrive, if we did make,Good use of thee? delight to take,
Advantage still of every day,
And walke still onward on our way.
43
How vile are such, that doe not prize,Thee: or against thee shut their eyes,
The night of darknesse they love more,
For thou dost rub them in the sore.
44
Thou dost not keepe their counsell fast,They long for night, and wish thee past.
That they might sin, then free from feare,
When they are sure, thou art not there.
45
The traytor, he workes in the vault,VVhen thou art gone, none sees his fault
He thinkes; and so he workes secure,
But thou dost force him to thy lure.
46
The theefe though not so bad as he,Thinkes that when he is rid of thee,
Then he may safely seeke his prey,
Till thou his mischiefe dost bewray.
46
The whore, with all the baudy crue,They shun thy face, yet for their due,
Thou bring'st disgrace and open shame,
And mak'st them cursed in their name.
47
The Backbiter in secret goes;And thinkes that thou canst not disclose,
His plots: but thou discoverest all,
And he himselfe receives the fall.
48
And all that Batt-like seeke to hide,Themselves from thee, shall be descride.
Their sins by thee, shall be brought out.
With all hels rabble, and the rout.
49
Let none but hell-hounds thee despise,Whose cursed practise doe devise:
To make thee bated, let them dwell,
With darknesse in the lower hell.
50
Let all that know thee, love thee still,In heart in minde, in soule, and will,
Let all their actions be divine,
As thine are, so I would have mine.
51
Light hath a time, it will away,Let's doe our worke, while we have day,
And love it, that we may receive,
A brighter, when this doth us leave.
52
Let's doe nothing by day or night,But what we'd have brought to the light.
Let's love all good, and hate all ill,
We may in light, rejoyce our fill.
OF HEAVENLY Light.
53
But as thou art in heaven now,To ser thee forth I know not how;
My praise, would but thy worth disgrace,
And cloud the beauty of thy face.
54
I never saw, nor yet did heare,How famous in thy glorie, there
Thou art: the least part of thy worth,
The learned'st cannot set it forth.
55
The Angels which above doe dwell,They are most fit thy praise to tell:
Thou art transcendent so above,
That God with thee is much in love.
56
In thee he doth set up his throne,And thou art so preferr'd that none,
That mortall are, can ere attaine,
To see thee with thy glorious traine.
57
Thou there immortally dost shine,Thy splendor never doth decline,
True light indeed thou dost appeare,
I shall not see thee shine so heere.
58
The Angels do in thee delight,The Saints doe claime thee as their right,
And Saints and Angels doe rejoyce,
In thee, so'le I make thee my choise,
59
So soone as ere thou hadst thy birth,Thou wast in Heaven, light on earth,
Is but a shade, as there thou art,
The least that can, be call'd a part.
60
There is no night to follow thee,Nor yet eclipse, or shade to be,
Nor spot, nor let, in all thy course,
All these are here, with more, and worse:
61
Thou large and boundlesse art above,As heaven is, thou dost not move;
From place to place, as here 'mongst men,
Thou go'st and com'st, and go'st agen.
62
When thou art here, then others stay,And waite thy leysure, and long way,
Oft times before thou dost repaire,
To them, they die in darke despaire.
63
Mistake me not, I doe not chide,For long thou dost with us abide,
How can I doe, now lesse than deeme?
But that thou dost us more esteeme?
OF LIGHT IN the soule.
64
Thou think'st it not enough to light,Our bodies, but thy splendor bright
Doth pierce our spirits, and we finde,
Thou art of heavens blessed kinde.
65
Men see and feele, yet cannot well,Expresse thy might, till thou dost dwell,
A while in them, but then they say,
Light blest art thou, still with us stay.
66
When thou with power to the soule,Break'st in, though darknesse thee controule,
'Tis but in vaine for to withstand,
Thy presence hath a great command.
67
Yet darknesse will not cleane goe out,But lurke in corners like a scout,
Yet thou dost him in corners spie,
And dost his darknesse then descrie.
68
'Tis by degrees that thou com'st in,Not all by force, thou striv'st to win
The soule to love thee, and to bend,
It's power to a blessed end.
69
Though course thy entertainment be,Thou art not pettish, for to flee
From them, though they so foolish are,
As not to welcome thee with care.
70
Thou wilt not grudge, nor yet disdaine,The poorest soule, to entertaine,
Thou wilt as soone, to such resort,
As those that tend the Princely Court.
71
Thou art a wonder here below,In the blest soule for to bestow,
Thy light; and others that are by,
See nothing, but in darknesse lye.
72
Thou art so excellent by kinde,When thou dost once possesse the minde.
Thou mak'st a little world of glory,
When men relate thy blessed story.
73
Thou art so bountifull and free;Though men are blinde, and long to see,
But cannot: yet thou by thy might,
Bring'st them unask't, a better light.
74
Though light be small, and clowded when,He first doth enter into men,
Ere long he'l drive all mists away,
And shine in them as perfect day.
75
Thou mak'st the difference to appeare.When thou dost shine so bright, and cleare,
We may perceive, who stands for thee,
And who for darknesse; curst they bee.
76
VVhen thou in man, set'st up thy throne,And with thy scepter sway'st alone,
Thou like a conquerour dost suppresse,
The brood of darknesse, more or lesse.
77
Thy government is sweet, yet strong,'Tis mixt with mildnesse, and among,
Thou usest motives to asswage,
Revenge curst pride, and lustfull rage.
78
Thou labour'st man for to exalt,And dost; but he is in the fault,
To slight thee so, and to abuse,
Thy light, or else it little use.
79
Thou should'st command the heart and all,That is in man, for 'twas in thrall,
Before thou cam'st, then thou by force,
Redeem'st us, else we had grew worse.
80
Thou mak'st us men, we were but bruits,The workes of darknesse were our fruits,
We were but fooles, and did despise.
The truth: till thou mad'st us more wise.
81
We were till thou didst us repaire.But flesh and bones, and emptie ayre,
Like Idols eyes that cannot see,
Or darksome Cels, just so were we.
82
When we went singing on tow'rd hell,With Omnia bene, all is well,
When we to thee had no desire,
But lov'd darke sinfull fruitlesse hire,
83
Thou cam'st with power from above,To bring us tydings of Gods love,
Thou promis't us to meet us there,
Thou usest meanes our hearts to cheere.
84
Thou guard'st us so, that we may spie,An evill, when it comes us nigh,
And shewest us meanes for to escape,
Though sin and Sathan on us gape.
85
And light'st us, secretly, we may(Unseene of such that would betray
Thee) passe securely by all them,
Guid'st us to new Jerusalem.
86
And then thou never leav'st us more,But with thy orient splendor store,
Dost fill our eyes, our soules, we shall
Be blest, with Saints, and Angels all.
87
But lest my muse, so wanton prove,And with thee fall too much in love,
Ile turne the straine, lest shee and I,
Act with thee, sweet Idolatry.
88
Art thou a creature, and so bright,What then is he that gave thee light,
The mighty God, that breath'd thee forth,
Must needs be, of more wondrous worth.
89
His eyes are clearer than the day,The Sunne's but darke, to him Ile say,
If he with-hold his beames from thee,
What mayst thou then but darknesse be.
90
He findes that out, which thou canst not,And from his light cannot a jot,
Be hid, what ere he brings to thee,
All first by him, discerned be.
91
The smallest things both good and bad,God sees them all, and ever had
A just accompt, he alwayes takes,
View, of what man no reck'ning makes.
92
At all times, he doth us descrie,And finde our turnings presently.
There is no darknesse with him mixt,
He's here and there, yet ever fixt.
93
At all times, in all places too;He is, though we with much adoe,
Cannot be brought to understand,
Or thinke he's still so neare at hand.
94
Christ was that Light, that did excell,Though he did in a stable dwell,
A while: yet then, so perfect cleere,
Our blessed day-starre did appeare.
95
And Light from heaven downe he brought,Of some desir'd, Of some unsought,
For men did rather darknesse love,
Then Light, that came from God above.
96
The blessed Spirit, is that Light,That dwels within, and gives us sight.
To see our selves, and to discerne,
The good from bad, and makes us learne.
97
The Light of comfort in distresse,Comes still from him, he doth expresse,
The Light of Glory to the soule,
Where he doth rule without controule.
98
In heaven' God himselfe's the Light,Christ ruling with his princely might,
The spirit shines eternally;
They all agree in unitie.
99
God makes thee as an instrument,To bring about his blest intent.
To spread thy beames ore all for use,
That they might be without excuse.
100
God gives thee, as a gift to those,For helpe, that are thy cursed foes,
To shew his bountie, and his love,
But have no part in thee above.
101
Nor that, that's graven in the minde,For that alone, his friends doe finde,
As types of heaven, thou art here,
To them, till they doe see thee there.
102
Who would not lovethee, while they may,Enjoy thee walking? for thy way,
Is pleasure and delight, let such,
That see thee chuse thee, prize thee much.
103
The Light of grace, that's in the heart,Let's still esteeme it as a part,
Of heaven: and long for the rest,
The light of Glory, with the blest.
104
Lord raise our hearts, with true desire,To thee, and let our soules aspire,
With joy, the best part of our glory,
Thou art: with thee Ile end my story.
| Poems Occasioned by a melancholy vision | |