KOSMOBREVIA[Greek], or the infancy of the world With an Appendix of Gods resting day, Edon Garden; Mans Happiness before, Misery after, his Fall. Whereunto is added, The Praise of Nothing; Divine Ejaculations; The four Ages of the world; The Birth of Christ; Also a Century of Historical Applications; With a Taste of Poetical fictions. Written some years since by N. B.[i.e. Nicholas Billingsley] ... And now published at the request of his Friends |
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| An Appendix
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 | KOSMOBREVIA[Greek], or the infancy of the world |  |
52
An Appendix
Of God's resting day.
Of Eden garden.
Of Man's happiness before his fall.
Of Man's misery after his fall.
Sect. 9.
The Argument
Six dayes expir'd, the seaventh dayGod rests, and doth his works survay.
Eden is planted, man in Eden
May tast all fruits, but one forbiden,
When the great Architect had furnish'd all
The upper Regions; and the lower Ball,
He ceased from his works, and sanctifi'd
Unto himself, for ever to abide.
The seaventh day his glory it invested,
And from his workes, his workes so great, he rested.
The Lord of sabboths, hath this sabboth blest,
As a true Type of that eternal rest.
Kept in hav'ns blisfull Kingdome, to the praise
Of him that is the ancientest of dayes.
By his examples, he would have us doe
The like, and rest from wordly l'bour too.
This day of rest, our Saviour will come in
Unto our souls, if we let out our sin.
He sets wide ope, the portals, of his ears;
To entertaine, (a guests,) our praise, our prayers.
This day is Gods, oh let us then adore him,
And in his reverence, fall downe before him;
That so we may here after be posses'd
Of that true Sabboth, that eternal rest,
Prepar'd for saints, and joyfull Requiems sing,
Before our great, and everlasting King.
Six dayes are freely ours, but one, in seaven,
Is chaleng'd as a holy-day, by heaven;
And yet how little of that day we spend
Upon the service of so great a freind!
Alas! alas! how apt are we to think
That God beholds not, and his eyes do wink
At our neglects; but patience abus'd
Turnes fury: ah! can, can we be excus'd,
That thus transgress? no we have cause to feare,
This leeden sect, Gods iron hands are neare.
Within the radient borders of the East,
Where early Titan as a welcome guest
Findes entertainment, God a garden planted
For Man's sole use, wherin there nothing wanted
To make it truly glorious, in it, he
The worlds abrig'd Epitomie might see;
Unfathom'd love spontaneously bestowing
A paradise with milk and honey flowing:
Upon a man, an animated Clod
Must needs advance the goodness of our God.
Here is the true Elizium indeed,
Whose choyce variety of objects seed
The greedy eye; seest here a divers hieu,
Crimson, Carnation, Green, and joyfull blew.
This soyle bears fruit, all seasons in the yeare,
You cannot name the thing, but what is there.
See here coole Arbors, mark how bubbling Brooks
Do gently glide along in winding nooks:
Here's speckled ammel beautifies the ground:
And heav'n sent Manna, ev'ry morn is found.
The pretty birds (by nature taught) doe sing
Melodious notes, to their mellifluous King.
How fragrantly life-breathing Ziphyr blowes
His sweet-heart Flora, gen'rously bestrowes
The smiling Earth, with oderiferous flowers,
'Gainst Adam's wedding; pearly-dropping showers
Enrich the grass; without the help of ploughs
Tellus partutiates; on the laden boughs
The mellow fruits do dangle, and do stand
Ambitious (as it were) to kiss the hand.
O what a lovely lustre doth adorn
The balmy air! the Amalthean horn
Is giv'n to Adam (not to Hercules)
Gemifluous Phiton, golden Euphrates
Silver-wav'd Hiddekel, Christal-ey'd Gibon,
Water this heav'nly earth, this earthly Sion.
Cloath'd are the Trees in green; the stately Pine,
And tow'ring Cedar, lovingly combine,
A Bow'r with bending arches to compose:
The shame fac'd Lilly, and the red-cheek'd Rose,
Strive for priority: how all things smile
And e'ne luxuriate! Oh delightful soile!
The upper Regions; and the lower Ball,
He ceased from his works, and sanctifi'd
Unto himself, for ever to abide.
The seaventh day his glory it invested,
And from his workes, his workes so great, he rested.
53
As a true Type of that eternal rest.
Kept in hav'ns blisfull Kingdome, to the praise
Of him that is the ancientest of dayes.
By his examples, he would have us doe
The like, and rest from wordly l'bour too.
This day of rest, our Saviour will come in
Unto our souls, if we let out our sin.
He sets wide ope, the portals, of his ears;
To entertaine, (a guests,) our praise, our prayers.
This day is Gods, oh let us then adore him,
And in his reverence, fall downe before him;
That so we may here after be posses'd
Of that true Sabboth, that eternal rest,
Prepar'd for saints, and joyfull Requiems sing,
Before our great, and everlasting King.
Six dayes are freely ours, but one, in seaven,
Is chaleng'd as a holy-day, by heaven;
And yet how little of that day we spend
Upon the service of so great a freind!
Alas! alas! how apt are we to think
That God beholds not, and his eyes do wink
At our neglects; but patience abus'd
Turnes fury: ah! can, can we be excus'd,
That thus transgress? no we have cause to feare,
This leeden sect, Gods iron hands are neare.
54
Where early Titan as a welcome guest
Findes entertainment, God a garden planted
For Man's sole use, wherin there nothing wanted
To make it truly glorious, in it, he
The worlds abrig'd Epitomie might see;
Unfathom'd love spontaneously bestowing
A paradise with milk and honey flowing:
Upon a man, an animated Clod
Must needs advance the goodness of our God.
Here is the true Elizium indeed,
Whose choyce variety of objects seed
The greedy eye; seest here a divers hieu,
Crimson, Carnation, Green, and joyfull blew.
This soyle bears fruit, all seasons in the yeare,
You cannot name the thing, but what is there.
See here coole Arbors, mark how bubbling Brooks
Do gently glide along in winding nooks:
Here's speckled ammel beautifies the ground:
And heav'n sent Manna, ev'ry morn is found.
The pretty birds (by nature taught) doe sing
Melodious notes, to their mellifluous King.
How fragrantly life-breathing Ziphyr blowes
His sweet-heart Flora, gen'rously bestrowes
The smiling Earth, with oderiferous flowers,
'Gainst Adam's wedding; pearly-dropping showers
55
Tellus partutiates; on the laden boughs
The mellow fruits do dangle, and do stand
Ambitious (as it were) to kiss the hand.
O what a lovely lustre doth adorn
The balmy air! the Amalthean horn
Is giv'n to Adam (not to Hercules)
Gemifluous Phiton, golden Euphrates
Silver-wav'd Hiddekel, Christal-ey'd Gibon,
Water this heav'nly earth, this earthly Sion.
Cloath'd are the Trees in green; the stately Pine,
And tow'ring Cedar, lovingly combine,
A Bow'r with bending arches to compose:
The shame fac'd Lilly, and the red-cheek'd Rose,
Strive for priority: how all things smile
And e'ne luxuriate! Oh delightful soile!
Amongst the trees wherewith th'Eternal grac'd
This prime plantation, in the midst he plac'd
Two speciall trees (both inordain'd for food,
But seals the one of life, of knowledg good
And evil was the second; to th'intent
That Adam's life should not be idly spent
Trine-une Jehovah did his steps direct
To this blest Bow'r, and spake to this effect.
This prime plantation, in the midst he plac'd
Two speciall trees (both inordain'd for food,
But seals the one of life, of knowledg good
And evil was the second; to th'intent
That Adam's life should not be idly spent
Trine-une Jehovah did his steps direct
To this blest Bow'r, and spake to this effect.
Of all the trees that in the Orchard be
I set them for thy use, one only tree
Shall be my rent; that tree thou shalt not tast,
Which in the center of the garden's plac'd
The rest are freely thine, by my permission,
Rent-free: but yet on an imply'd condition:
What I injoyne be studious to fulfill,
Touch not the tree of knowledg, good, and ill;
For by my sacred majesty, I vow,
And by my venerable name, if thou
Break but thy Lease, “thy very lips that shall
“Let in this fruit, shall let in death withal.
But if thou please me well, this tree shal be
A sacred pledg between thy God, and thee.
My Vice-Roy shalt thou be, thy seed I'le bless,
Thy seed for ever shal the land possess.
Be thou obsequious thou shalt finde me mild,
I'le be thy father, thou shalt be my child.
He said no more: Adam did then express
His loyal duty, and his thankfulness.
Glorious, and great, who hast instal'd me King
Of this vast Orb, and Lord of ev'ry thing
Within its larg dementions: Gratious Lord
Thou gav'st me all, nay of thine owne accord.
Ah Lord! what merrit? what desarts in me
(To claime such high-bred favours couldst thou see)
O bounteous love! oh love that is extended
Beyond al bounds! O love uncomprehanded!
Ah! shall thy mercyes overflow my banks?
And shall I ebb, in the returnes of thanks?
Thou giv'st me life, and rare enjoyments too,
To tell them out is more then I can do.
And shall I not acknowledg thee? ah! sure
No senseless stone can e're be so obdure.
Take partial thanks, for as for to express
Love to the life I cannot, I confess:
Accept my mite, to praise I will persever
Thine holy name, for ever, and for ever
Ah! far be it from me to countermind
What thou prohibit'st: shall thy lib'ral hand
Heap blessings on me? thou afford'st me all,
Thy selfe reserv'st but one, and shall I fail
To keep from thee thy right? shall my transgression
Displease the Land-lord of my free possession.
O no, I will obey, one onley Tree
Shall put no varience 'twixt my God and me.
Should I attempt so foul a fact, I were not
Worthy to live; might then Gods justice spare not
To vulnerate my soul, Oh might I feele
Th'imprinted strakes of his revengeful steele.
Great God! Oh may I rather cease to be,
Then live t'offend, so good a God as thee?
The Sun shall sooner cease, for to display
On tender plants, his bright enlivning Ray:
Sooner shall sun-burnt India grow cold,
And Icy Zealand hot, and heav'ns grow old.
E're I from my first principles retreat,
And disobey my God, so good, so great.
I set them for thy use, one only tree
56
Which in the center of the garden's plac'd
The rest are freely thine, by my permission,
Rent-free: but yet on an imply'd condition:
What I injoyne be studious to fulfill,
Touch not the tree of knowledg, good, and ill;
For by my sacred majesty, I vow,
And by my venerable name, if thou
Break but thy Lease, “thy very lips that shall
“Let in this fruit, shall let in death withal.
But if thou please me well, this tree shal be
A sacred pledg between thy God, and thee.
My Vice-Roy shalt thou be, thy seed I'le bless,
Thy seed for ever shal the land possess.
Be thou obsequious thou shalt finde me mild,
I'le be thy father, thou shalt be my child.
He said no more: Adam did then express
His loyal duty, and his thankfulness.
Glorious, and great, who hast instal'd me King
Of this vast Orb, and Lord of ev'ry thing
Within its larg dementions: Gratious Lord
Thou gav'st me all, nay of thine owne accord.
Ah Lord! what merrit? what desarts in me
(To claime such high-bred favours couldst thou see)
O bounteous love! oh love that is extended
Beyond al bounds! O love uncomprehanded!
57
And shall I ebb, in the returnes of thanks?
Thou giv'st me life, and rare enjoyments too,
To tell them out is more then I can do.
And shall I not acknowledg thee? ah! sure
No senseless stone can e're be so obdure.
Take partial thanks, for as for to express
Love to the life I cannot, I confess:
Accept my mite, to praise I will persever
Thine holy name, for ever, and for ever
Ah! far be it from me to countermind
What thou prohibit'st: shall thy lib'ral hand
Heap blessings on me? thou afford'st me all,
Thy selfe reserv'st but one, and shall I fail
To keep from thee thy right? shall my transgression
Displease the Land-lord of my free possession.
O no, I will obey, one onley Tree
Shall put no varience 'twixt my God and me.
Should I attempt so foul a fact, I were not
Worthy to live; might then Gods justice spare not
To vulnerate my soul, Oh might I feele
Th'imprinted strakes of his revengeful steele.
Great God! Oh may I rather cease to be,
Then live t'offend, so good a God as thee?
The Sun shall sooner cease, for to display
On tender plants, his bright enlivning Ray:
58
And Icy Zealand hot, and heav'ns grow old.
E're I from my first principles retreat,
And disobey my God, so good, so great.
Thus Adam liv'd in favour with the Lord,
Enjoying all the joyes earth could afford.
On while he walks along the bordred Alleys,
Now up the hillocks, down anon, the valleys,
And now by whisp'ring Brooks, takes sweet reposes
On beds of Lillies, and anon on Roses.
Enjoying all the joyes earth could afford.
On while he walks along the bordred Alleys,
Now up the hillocks, down anon, the valleys,
And now by whisp'ring Brooks, takes sweet reposes
On beds of Lillies, and anon on Roses.
59
Sect. ult.
The Argument.
The Devill in the Serpent's formeTempteth to sin the woman first:
She man; so done, the Lord doth storme,
The Serpent, Eve, and Adam's cur'st.
Proud Lucifer, through vain ambition strove
To equalize himselfe with God above:
But of his pow'r Angelical bereaven,
He tumbled head-long down the courts of heaven:
From a bright Pallace to a sulph'ry Cell,
Made Monarch of (the land of darkness) Hell.
Thus strip'd of all his quondam pleasures, he
Greatly envieth man's felicity:
Man is his eye-sore, man's supernal state
The Object is of his infernal hate:
He finding opertunity, began
Slily to worke, the overthrow of man:
His guiles and wiles he palliates, and is
Turn'd int' a snake, strange Metamorphosis!
His toyles he spreads, and covertly he waits
To catch poore Adam, by his golden baits:
And's plot the better to acomplish, he
Goes wriggling up on the forbiden tree:
Assaults the woman, with his baited gin,
And thus he drawes the sily woman in.
Serpent.
To equalize himselfe with God above:
But of his pow'r Angelical bereaven,
He tumbled head-long down the courts of heaven:
From a bright Pallace to a sulph'ry Cell,
Made Monarch of (the land of darkness) Hell.
Thus strip'd of all his quondam pleasures, he
Greatly envieth man's felicity:
Man is his eye-sore, man's supernal state
The Object is of his infernal hate:
He finding opertunity, began
Slily to worke, the overthrow of man:
His guiles and wiles he palliates, and is
Turn'd int' a snake, strange Metamorphosis!
60
To catch poore Adam, by his golden baits:
And's plot the better to acomplish, he
Goes wriggling up on the forbiden tree:
Assaults the woman, with his baited gin,
And thus he drawes the sily woman in.
Great Empress of the world: I humbly sue
To be resolved of a doubt, which you
Can satisfie me in: have you indeede
Your apetite restrain'd? what many't you feed
One evr'y pleasant fruit? why so? doth God
Limit your pow'r? if so, 'tis very odd.
Eve.
Of all the trees that scited are in Eden,
There is but one, no more than one forbiden.
The tree thou seest, there in the middle plac'd,
We must on paine of death, not touch, nor tast.
That God reserv's unto himselfe, for what
I know not, but 'tis death to tast of that.
Serpent.
Pish, Pish you shall not dye, deaths bended Bow
Shall never harme you; you shal never know
61
You are immortal; feare not death I pray you;
Touch, take, and tast, (beleive me) and your eyes
Shall straight be op'ned; you will be as wise
As he that made you; be but rul'd, and ye
As Gods, both knowing good and ill shall be.
Feare not, (faire Lady) eat, I as a freind
Advise you not for any Private end,
Or self-respect; you shall be deifi'd:
Ambitious Jove, no equals can abide.
Coy woman tast, behold their beautiful,
And cherry cheeks, coy woman doe but pull.
Cannot those mellow-delicates, invite
Your wat'ring palate, to an appetite?
Methinkes they should, taste, and you shall have skil,
To know the diference 'twixt good, and ill.
Why draw'st thou back? To the possessed Snake,
The cred'lous woman this reply did make.
Eve.
Wisest of beasts, all that you speak is true,
You counsel for the best, all thanks be due,
For your great love your love which doth transcend
All merrit of mine, thanks to my loyal freind:
My life's to small to hazard for your ease,
Freind I could give't, your speeches doe so please.
62
And questionless, 'tis to the tast: I'le try.
And eat thereof and give my husband Adam.
Serpent.
They bow to serve you, at your pleasure, Madam.
Eve.
Ah! how delitious is this fruit, how sweet!
A finer Apple I did never eat.
Husband, my love, come sit thee down by me,
And taste the vertue of this sov'raigne Tree.
Say, say my love, did e're thine eye behold
A Tree so fair, so rare as this; be bold,
As was thy Eve; and venter on't; for why?
Come what come will, thou'lt fare no worse then I.
Ah! hadst thou knowne my dearest what a bliss
Attends the eating, thou hadst eat e're this.
What? frownes my Adam? wilt thou not draw nearer,
And taste my love, then whom my life's not dearer
For Eves sake eat, and know both good and ill.
Adam:
Seeing thou invit'st me eat, my joy, I will.
Ah! wee have sin'd in medling with this Tree,
This cursed Tree; Oh whither shall we flee?
63
What course to take, Oh whither shall we goe?
Lo we are naked, and we must confess
Asham'd we are, of this our nakedness,
And blush to think on't, were not we of late
All cloth'd in glory? but where's now our state?
What have we got by our presumptious pride?
But shame, which if we could, faine would we hide.
Strange change! we have exchang'd, sad thing to tel,
God for an apple, and a heav'n for hell.
My conscience tells me what a gracious God
We have offended; now methinks his rod
He shakes in fury, now methinks his ire
Threatens to burn us, with consuming fire:
What thinkest thou, may not these leaves hard by
Make aprons wife, for naked thee, and I:
Quick, let's these broad Fig-leaves together sew,
And hide the shame, we are asham'd to shew.
Experience tels us that the things which tend
To greater bliss, prove dang'rous in the end.
The fruit that's pleasing, is not alwayes sound;
Untoothsome Clerus is in hony found.
That man-betraying Scorpion, did bring
Hony in's mouth, but in his tail a sting.
The fruit that seemed best, prov'd worst of all:
Sweet in the mouth, but in digestion gall.
49
Hark! hark! methinks I hear (too true I feare)
A thundring voyce come rounding in mine eare.
I' me sure I hear't. I prithee Adam cease
Thy querulous complaints, peace, husband peace.
Ah me! vile wretch, 'tis God, undon! undon!
We have transgress'd, 'tis therfore time to run;
Let's hide us in the Woods I feare, I feare,
That he will catch us, naked, as wee are.
A poor defence God-wot, what brazen Tower
Can keep us safe from his all-bat'ring power.
Such as doe strive, by hiding of their sin,
To shut God out, do let the Devil in.
The case is ours: the more we would conceale
Our sins, alas! the more we them reveal.
What place can us secure? where can we lie
Absconded from his all-beholding eye?
Dye, dye wee must, no wayes of our contriving
Can save us harmeless? can wee gaine by striving?
Are our bones Brazil, orour flesh of Steel?
Can wee imagine that we shal not feele,
The worst of his displeasure? dare we stand
In opposition to th'Almighties hand?
Or rather shal we with submissive tears
Beg hard for pardon, w'have a Wolfe by th'ears.
65
Of flaming vengeance to devour our souls.
Adam.
Peace, peace, I heare him too; he thunders now,
Where art thou Adam, tell me, where art thou.
Adam.
Great God! thy voyce, thy dreadful voyce, I heard
Rush in the garden, and I was affray'd:
It was my shameful nakedness, did move
Me to seek shelter in this shadie grove.
God.
Naked? who told thee thou wer't naked? hast
Thou eat the fruit, forbidden thee to taste.
Gods mercyes Adam having thus abus'd,
Accus'd the woman, but himself excus'd.
Adam.
All-glorious Lord, shee whom thou gav'st me, gave
The fruit unto me, and I eaten have.
God.
Nefandious woman, ah! what hast thou done,
That thus my awful presence thou dost shun?
66
Lord, I confess that my offence is great;
The Serpent tempted me, and I did eat;
The Rhet'rick of his tongue did so delight
Mine eares, that I obey'd mine appetite.
Thus did his Oratorious delusion
Lead me along, unto my sad confusion.
The Serpent's curse.
Because thou hast fallitiously deceiv'd
The silly woman; thou shalt be bereav'd
Of future happiness; thou, thou, the worst
Of all the beasts: shalt not be least acurs'd,
Dust shalt thou eat, and since thou hast done so,
For ever shalt thou on thy belly go,
Abhor'd of all; moreover I'le disperse
Debate, and variance 'twixt thy seed, and hers.
Her seed shall bruise thy head: And poysnous thine
Shall bruise her heele, and round her heele entwine.
Eves curse.
And thou, nefarious bride, who hast betray'd
Thy husbands trust, and wickedly obey'd
The Serpents words; I will inflict on thee
As bad a curse, as any curse can be.
67
Thy tortur'd soul; thy torments shal out number
The minutes of thy life; ten thousand woes
Shall plague thy spirit; and thrice as many throes
Shall rack thy body, this disast'rous chance
Shall cling to thee till thy deliverance.
With all submission: thou, vile creature, thou,
Thy servile neck, shalt to thine husband bow:
He, shall rule over thee, and thou shalt stand
As loyable, to his severer hand.
Adam's Curse.
Apostatized wretch, because thou hast
Giv'n audience to thy wife, to boldly taste
The bitter sweets of this reserved Tree,
From which (on paine of death,) I warned thee.
Curs'd be the earth, and all her smiling pleasures,
Her gratefull plenty and exub'rant Treasures:
Curs'd for thy sake, b' earth's amiable face,
Let thorns, and thistles, grow in ev'ry place.
And thou, for this abominable deed,
Shalt feed on hearbs; I'le make thee get thy bread,
With a laborious hand: thy sweetned meat
Must now have sower sauce: thy toylsome sweat
Shall stand in surrowes, on thy bubling brow,
Earning thy living at the painefull plough.
68
Of thy fraile life, thy sorrowes shall abide.
A number of diseases shall attend
Thy loathed life; sins off-spring, death, shall send
His Harbingers abroad, which shall anoy thee,
And never leave thee, till they quite destroy thee.
The never missing dart of death shall slay
The brittle Casket of thy soul, and lay
Thy earth-ta'ne body in an earthly urne;
For dust thou art and shalt to dust returne.
Be gone; base Caitiffe, from this garden, flee,
Such rare enjoyments sha'nt belong to thee.
Be gone: be gone: no longer shalt thou please
Thy del'cate palate with such cares as these:
Worse fare shall serve thy turne: with ploughs goe wound
Thy native soile goe dig, and delve the ground.
| KOSMOBREVIA[Greek], or the infancy of the world | |