Devovt Rhapsodies In Which, Is Treated, of the Excellencie of Divine Scriptvres ... By J: A: Rivers [i.e. John Abbot] |
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Sermo Tertius.
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Sermo Tertius.
To the Honorable, my most honored Friends, the Lady Francis Nevil: And Mistrisse Margaret Brooke her Daughter.
The Argument.
Wee sing the Notions of the Father, Son,And Holy Ghost, issuing from both; yet ONE
With BOTH: One individed Essence: Three
Persons by relative Pluralitie:
Man is Gods Image, and do's represent
This Ternall One, and the unconfinde extent
Of the whole Macrocosme; yet never shall
Be happy till he gaine this ONE, this ALL.
Shall he from whose redundant Plenitude
Wee all receive, Being, Grace, Beatitude.
Who fills the Ocean with innumerous spawnes,
Replenishes the Desarts, and the Lawnes
With stocke of Cattell, dayly do's repaire
With yong ones the inhabitants of the Aire.
Can such a God be barren? No, a sire
Issuing a Son shall with that Son conspire
To breath the Holy Ghost, and all these three
Equall in glory and in Majesty.
Ethinks acknowledg'd, though with much adoe
One God, but knew not what belonged to
A TRIAD what is Divine GENERATION,
What is PROCESSION, what active SPIRATION.
The FATHER needs must get a SON, and then,
That FATHER and that SON give Origen
To the Holy Ghost; the first Two cannot be,
Vnlesse they make their Number Ternary:
For Love which gives all Creatures birth and growth,
Before all Creatures had his birth from Both:
(Father on Son the Son on Him reflecting,
And with a mutuall Complacence affecting)
The Synagogue of this had shaddows; but
Their Lanthorne was under a Bushell put:
And the Hebrew Rites, and Books Enigma's are,
They' explaine not Truths, but poynt at from a far;
The Law in measure, above measure Grace,
When that once past, this other comes in place.
That Lambe, that Lampe of the Cælestiall Towne,
Shall leave his royall Throne, and comming downe,
Enucleat Mysteries, preach a Godhead, three
In Notions, yet a pure Identitie.
Who comprehends himselfe, could onely tell,
GODS immanent Acts, that are ineffable.
Wee all receive, Being, Grace, Beatitude.
Who fills the Ocean with innumerous spawnes,
Replenishes the Desarts, and the Lawnes
With stocke of Cattell, dayly do's repaire
With yong ones the inhabitants of the Aire.
Can such a God be barren? No, a sire
Issuing a Son shall with that Son conspire
To breath the Holy Ghost, and all these three
Equall in glory and in Majesty.
Ethinks acknowledg'd, though with much adoe
One God, but knew not what belonged to
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What is PROCESSION, what active SPIRATION.
The FATHER needs must get a SON, and then,
That FATHER and that SON give Origen
To the Holy Ghost; the first Two cannot be,
Vnlesse they make their Number Ternary:
For Love which gives all Creatures birth and growth,
Before all Creatures had his birth from Both:
(Father on Son the Son on Him reflecting,
And with a mutuall Complacence affecting)
The Synagogue of this had shaddows; but
Their Lanthorne was under a Bushell put:
And the Hebrew Rites, and Books Enigma's are,
They' explaine not Truths, but poynt at from a far;
The Law in measure, above measure Grace,
When that once past, this other comes in place.
That Lambe, that Lampe of the Cælestiall Towne,
Shall leave his royall Throne, and comming downe,
Enucleat Mysteries, preach a Godhead, three
In Notions, yet a pure Identitie.
Who comprehends himselfe, could onely tell,
GODS immanent Acts, that are ineffable.
O thou Eternall Son, and Word, who far,
(Ith' raies of Saints) before the morning Star
Wert got, and spoke; let's through all Ages break,
And search, when GOD did thee beget, and speake;
For both are One, GOD did no more afford,
To give thee birth, then uttering of a Word.
Lets search a hundreth thousand Ages moe,
Yet shall we not thy Birth, and utterance know.
If we thy Father question, heele reply,
My Son is both so old, and young as I.
When he was got, as no time can designe,
So when he was not got, no time define.
Yet of his Origen, you truly may,
Affirme he is begetting every day:
And through Eternity all Ages past,
Shall this continued Generation last.
A SON of's FATHER independant, Heat
As th'e ORIGEN, whence tis deriv'd so great.
True GENERATIONS yet devoid of Motions,
Reall relations, yet no more then Notions.
As the Vast Ocean that surrounds the Earth,
Though it give RIVERS springs and Brookes their Birth,
Euphrates, Volga, Quahu, Nile, our Thame,
Yet never wanteth but runs stil the same.
A thankfullie all these Returne againe
And disembogue themselves into the Maine.
The FATHER never wants, although the SON
Has all he hath: nor are these TWO undone,
Nor the least jot of all their Treasure lost
Though al's be stowde upon the holy Gost.
For though they mutuallie give all their store
Yet give they so, that they can stil give more.
Imagine some Eternall Spring, or Mine
Whence Purest Gold is digd, flowes richest wine,
And yo'ule conceive some glimsies that come nigh
To shadowe this stil Bounteous Trintie.
(Ith' raies of Saints) before the morning Star
Wert got, and spoke; let's through all Ages break,
And search, when GOD did thee beget, and speake;
For both are One, GOD did no more afford,
To give thee birth, then uttering of a Word.
Lets search a hundreth thousand Ages moe,
Yet shall we not thy Birth, and utterance know.
If we thy Father question, heele reply,
My Son is both so old, and young as I.
When he was got, as no time can designe,
So when he was not got, no time define.
Yet of his Origen, you truly may,
Affirme he is begetting every day:
And through Eternity all Ages past,
Shall this continued Generation last.
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As th'e ORIGEN, whence tis deriv'd so great.
True GENERATIONS yet devoid of Motions,
Reall relations, yet no more then Notions.
As the Vast Ocean that surrounds the Earth,
Though it give RIVERS springs and Brookes their Birth,
Euphrates, Volga, Quahu, Nile, our Thame,
Yet never wanteth but runs stil the same.
A thankfullie all these Returne againe
And disembogue themselves into the Maine.
The FATHER never wants, although the SON
Has all he hath: nor are these TWO undone,
Nor the least jot of all their Treasure lost
Though al's be stowde upon the holy Gost.
For though they mutuallie give all their store
Yet give they so, that they can stil give more.
Imagine some Eternall Spring, or Mine
Whence Purest Gold is digd, flowes richest wine,
And yo'ule conceive some glimsies that come nigh
To shadowe this stil Bounteous Trintie.
Not Trimegistus or the Stagyrit,
Not any Stoik, or Platonik wit,
Though Monas Monadem begat, can tell
How this Fecunditie, yet no wombes swell,
Arises, how one can give all his store
Yet never be exhausted, never poore.
Such science is a more peculiar grace,
Granted to none o'th Philosophike race,
And who will have this TRIAD for his booke
Must with FAITHS candle on the volume looke,
Though none can understand each page aright
Who has not for his Flame-bew Glories light.
Not any Stoik, or Platonik wit,
Though Monas Monadem begat, can tell
How this Fecunditie, yet no wombes swell,
Arises, how one can give all his store
Yet never be exhausted, never poore.
Such science is a more peculiar grace,
Granted to none o'th Philosophike race,
And who will have this TRIAD for his booke
Must with FAITHS candle on the volume looke,
Though none can understand each page aright
Who has not for his Flame-bew Glories light.
Merchants, who travell to the rising SVN,
And view his setting when the day is done
In neither of the Worlds can fulnes finde,
For though they fill their purses, yet their minde
Is emptie still, and still they covet more,
And are amidst their heapes of Riches pore.
The Macedonian youth contented not
Himselfe with the whole World his sword had got.
The Reason: all things here confined are
Within their Modell, insufficient far
To satisfie mans APPETITE ordain'd,
Not to be satisfi'd till GOD be gaind.
The Spherik Figure no waye can suffice,
To equall what is made TRIANGLE wise.
Lay one upon another, you shall see
All waies some cornets will unfurnish'd be.
When the Worlds maker made mans Soule, the same
Triangular did the best Worke-man frame
To represent his matchles self and be
The Image of one GOD in Persons three;
Ordaining him to love, to honour, serve
His GOD, who for such service do's reserve
A Crowne, and place in Heaven; where he shall see
The TRIADS order, and how all things be
Deriv'd from thence. Nor can there ought be found
In this low O be, that's Sphericall, and round,
May satisfie our Soules; nor can wee rest
In Creatures, who are ordred to be blest
By his fruition, who to Creatures gave
That existence, and essence which they have.
Sol'e GODS proportion'd to our Soules, and till
GOD be injoid, wee nere shall have our fill,
Unles wee feed on this Celestiall meate,
Wee still shall hunger, still desire to eate.
And view his setting when the day is done
In neither of the Worlds can fulnes finde,
For though they fill their purses, yet their minde
Is emptie still, and still they covet more,
And are amidst their heapes of Riches pore.
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Himselfe with the whole World his sword had got.
The Reason: all things here confined are
Within their Modell, insufficient far
To satisfie mans APPETITE ordain'd,
Not to be satisfi'd till GOD be gaind.
The Spherik Figure no waye can suffice,
To equall what is made TRIANGLE wise.
Lay one upon another, you shall see
All waies some cornets will unfurnish'd be.
When the Worlds maker made mans Soule, the same
Triangular did the best Worke-man frame
To represent his matchles self and be
The Image of one GOD in Persons three;
Ordaining him to love, to honour, serve
His GOD, who for such service do's reserve
A Crowne, and place in Heaven; where he shall see
The TRIADS order, and how all things be
Deriv'd from thence. Nor can there ought be found
In this low O be, that's Sphericall, and round,
May satisfie our Soules; nor can wee rest
In Creatures, who are ordred to be blest
By his fruition, who to Creatures gave
That existence, and essence which they have.
Sol'e GODS proportion'd to our Soules, and till
GOD be injoid, wee nere shall have our fill,
Unles wee feed on this Celestiall meate,
Wee still shall hunger, still desire to eate.
Creatures observe that order, keepe that state,
Which GOD appoints: Sole MAN'S retrogradate.
Behold the wandring Planets, and fix't stars
Are Constant in the motion of their Cars,
And as they approch, or goe from severall seates
Cause winters nipping frosts, and Summer heates.
Make buds and blossomes sprout foorth in the Spring,
And in the Autumne to perfection bring.
See how the Simple Elements Combine
And in the making of mixt Bodies ioyne.
The Fire, the Ayre, the Water, that surrounds
The Earth: how all observe their proper bounds,
And very bounteously themselves bestow,
On all things that have sense, or move, or grow.
Suppose (what will not be) some glorious light,
(The Sun or Moone) should fall from Heaven, or quite
Extinguished be: suppose Gods arme should take
This World, and of't the Pristine Chaos make;
Involving in the same calamity,
The old, the middle aged, and the Frie.
Here death gives rest to Beasts, to Fish, to Foule,
All paine expiring with the fleeting Soule:
And though here's some inversion of that end,
Which Nature in Creation did pretend:
Yet tis no more then if some Clowne should grub,
Or cut a plant up, but as yet a shrub;
Or a young Partridge caught ith' Fowlets net,
Or by the Hawke devour'd Pin-fether'd yet.
Which GOD appoints: Sole MAN'S retrogradate.
Behold the wandring Planets, and fix't stars
Are Constant in the motion of their Cars,
And as they approch, or goe from severall seates
Cause winters nipping frosts, and Summer heates.
Make buds and blossomes sprout foorth in the Spring,
And in the Autumne to perfection bring.
See how the Simple Elements Combine
And in the making of mixt Bodies ioyne.
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The Earth: how all observe their proper bounds,
And very bounteously themselves bestow,
On all things that have sense, or move, or grow.
Suppose (what will not be) some glorious light,
(The Sun or Moone) should fall from Heaven, or quite
Extinguished be: suppose Gods arme should take
This World, and of't the Pristine Chaos make;
Involving in the same calamity,
The old, the middle aged, and the Frie.
Here death gives rest to Beasts, to Fish, to Foule,
All paine expiring with the fleeting Soule:
And though here's some inversion of that end,
Which Nature in Creation did pretend:
Yet tis no more then if some Clowne should grub,
Or cut a plant up, but as yet a shrub;
Or a young Partridge caught ith' Fowlets net,
Or by the Hawke devour'd Pin-fether'd yet.
But different far is Mans accursed state,
If by transgression he prevaricate:
For if in prosecution he shall erre,
Sulphurean Flames that first prepared were
For the Infernall Fiends, must be his hire,
And with condemned Ghosts, eternall fire.
Better he had nere been borne, then be borne so,
As dying, he must live in endlesse woe:
For not as soules of Birds and Beasts, Mans minde,
Shall with the body dissolution finde;
But when chance, age, or sicknesse break the tye,
Twixt Body and the Soule, this last shall flye
(Supported by the wings of heavenly love)
To those magnifique Pallaces above,
Where Saints and Angels with much blithenesse sing,
The Trophees of the slaughtered Lambe, and bring
Their Anadems of Glory (as tis meet)
Offering them, and themselves at IESVS feet.
Who with the treasure of his precious blood,
Purchast his Courtiers such Beatitude.
Or else the Soule poysde with transacted faults,
Shall streight descend to subterranean Vaults;
Where horrour with pale desperation dwell,
And damned Ghosts eternally shall yell.
'Twould be some ease it thousand myriads past,
Of yeares, Hels torments should have end at last,
But they'le endure so long as GOD shall be,
And one way equalize eternity.
If by transgression he prevaricate:
For if in prosecution he shall erre,
Sulphurean Flames that first prepared were
For the Infernall Fiends, must be his hire,
And with condemned Ghosts, eternall fire.
Better he had nere been borne, then be borne so,
As dying, he must live in endlesse woe:
For not as soules of Birds and Beasts, Mans minde,
Shall with the body dissolution finde;
But when chance, age, or sicknesse break the tye,
Twixt Body and the Soule, this last shall flye
(Supported by the wings of heavenly love)
To those magnifique Pallaces above,
Where Saints and Angels with much blithenesse sing,
The Trophees of the slaughtered Lambe, and bring
Their Anadems of Glory (as tis meet)
Offering them, and themselves at IESVS feet.
Who with the treasure of his precious blood,
Purchast his Courtiers such Beatitude.
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Shall streight descend to subterranean Vaults;
Where horrour with pale desperation dwell,
And damned Ghosts eternally shall yell.
'Twould be some ease it thousand myriads past,
Of yeares, Hels torments should have end at last,
But they'le endure so long as GOD shall be,
And one way equalize eternity.
O thou all-potent Trinity, whose hand,
First made, then polisht Fire, Aire, Water, Land:
Prescribdst to all their duty, and their end,
Which they without reluctancie attend,
And gaine; Illuminate our souls to know,
Wherefore thou mad'st us, whether we should goe;
To heaven our journey is, direct our wayes,
To that blest Land; there crowne us with thy rayes
Of glory; who made by, and after thee,
Without thy selfe shall nev'r contented be.
First made, then polisht Fire, Aire, Water, Land:
Prescribdst to all their duty, and their end,
Which they without reluctancie attend,
And gaine; Illuminate our souls to know,
Wherefore thou mad'st us, whether we should goe;
To heaven our journey is, direct our wayes,
To that blest Land; there crowne us with thy rayes
Of glory; who made by, and after thee,
Without thy selfe shall nev'r contented be.
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